Trials of the Abyss

The sky within the Demon Abyss loomed greenish-black like a heavy curtain, casting an oppressive atmosphere.

Pang Jian could not see the blazing sun when he peered upward. An unsettling feeling washed over him and he felt like he had stepped into another dimension.

The Demon Abyss contained faint traces of spiritual power. Releasing his divine sense to probe his surroundings, Pang Jian was surprised to discover that its range had become severely restricted.

An invisible demonic energy rippled outward from the center of the Demon Abyss, suppressing the reach of his divine sense.

This demonic energy carried an unsettling force that amplified the malicious thoughts hidden in one's heart.

Wu Yuan stopped and asked, "How do you feel?"

"My perception is limited, and there's a force tempting my heart toward evil," Pang Jian replied honestly.

"Indeed, and this is the outermost edge of the Demon Abyss, the farthest point from the demonic stone. The pressure will only increase as we go deeper and closer to it.

"There's no rush, we'll take it slow. I want you to familiarize yourself with the Demon Abyss," Wu Yuan said, a rare look of relief appearing on his normally blank face as they walked.

Pang Jian followed behind at a measured pace. "Why are you so relaxed all of a sudden?"

Deliberately slowing down, Wu Yuan replied, "I was worried your heart would develop a sliver of malice toward me after entering the Demon Abyss.

"Such malice could stem from the inherent rivalry between the Demon Sect and the Sword Pavilion, leading you to become vigilant toward me.

"Or perhaps, the Abyssal Demon's words could have led you to believe that I'll eventually succumb to the divine image of He Motian within the Purple Demon Eye, prompting you to entertain the thought of killing me to eliminate potential threats.

"No matter how small, if even the slightest trace of such malice exists, it'll inevitably grow stronger as you approach the demonic stone and swell beyond your control.

"If it exists, it'll grow—there's no stopping it. But if it doesn't exist, then it simply doesn't. The demonic stone can't create something out of nothing; it cannot conjure malice from thin air."

Walking ahead with his back toward Pang Jian, Wu Yuan allowed a faint smile to cross his lips.

The demonic stone acknowledged Wu Yuan and permitted him to cultivate the Demon Stone Art, which gave him a unique sensitivity to the malice in others' hearts—especially if it was directed at himself.

After carefully observing Pang Jian, he confirmed that there was not even a shred of hostility within him.

This assured him that Pang Jian's attitude toward him mirrored his own feelings toward Pang Jian.

An hour later, Pang Jian noticed that the Abyssal Demon within the small world of the sword was growing increasingly active.

The closer they ventured toward the center of the Demon Abyss, the more he could tangibly sense the intensifying pressure emanating from the demonic stone.

Before long, a ruined city filled with the marks of time came into view.

Several palaces, markedly distinct from the human race's architecture, lay in shambles, structures crumbled beyond recognition. Not a single building remained even partially intact.

Despite this, a strange sense of familiarity struck Pang Jian.

He recalled one of the Demon God Lamp's six mysterious realms—a realm with floating palaces where Demon Races venerated the Demon Gods.

The ruined palaces before him bore the same architectural style as those from that mysterious realm.

Noticing Pang Jian had stopped to observe the ruins, Wu Yuan explained, "They belonged to the Demon Scale Race.

"Thirty thousand years ago, the Demon Scale Race and other branches of the Demon Races built cities around the demonic stone. The most noble members of the Demon Scale Race lived within these cities.

"After the human race emerged victorious, the True Gods and the Fey Gods joined forces to destroy everything here.

"The demonic stone releases demonic power and tests the hearts of those nearby, which is why human cultivators avoid staying in the Demon Abyss for long.

"Only those seeking to temper their hearts and strengthen their resolve dare to descend into the Demon Abyss and approach the demonic stone."

Wu Yuan abruptly quickened his pace, appearing to sense something. Pang Jian cast one last glance at the ruins before following closely behind.

A group of elegantly dressed noble scions lay dismembered on the grayish ground, bodies brutally torn apart and scattered.

The air was thick with the stench of blood. Severed limbs and chunks of flesh were strewn everywhere in a scene of horrific brutality.

"These are members of the Zhao Clan, affiliated with my Demon Sect," Wu Yuan said calmly, not even appearing surprised in the slightest. "The Demon Abyss is vast. Although our Demon Sect has established many defensive arrays, we can't monitor every inch of it, nor can we stop everyone from entering.

"Some allied clans have been permitted to enter the Demon Abyss and attempt to approach the demonic stone.

"Rogue cultivators and disciples from other sects also occasionally sneak in despite our warnings.

"This is the path of heart tempering they have chosen, so they should be prepared to face the risk of death.

"As for those who died here..." Wu Yuan frowned. "In most cases, it's due to internal conflict. If someone harbors malice that they fail to suppress, it'll only grow stronger as they approach the demonic stone, leading to outcomes like this."

Pang Jian asked curiously, "So you're saying this massacre was caused by infighting among their own group?"

"That's usually the case." Wu Yuan stepped past the grisly scene, leading Pang Jian further in. "There are also cases where powerful lone wanderers are driven to slaughter everyone they encounter."

As they passed through more ruined cities, they came across even more gruesome and harrowing scenes.

He also noticed some individuals, unable to withstand the malice within their hearts, fearing they might lose control and succumb to madness, choosing to turn back.

"Those are the wise ones," Wu Yuan said as he watched someone run away in tears. "Few truly make it to the center of the Demon Abyss and stand before the demonic stone.

"Many die along the way. Others wisely retreat or find themselves unable to proceed.

"To stand before the demonic stone is not a matter of cultivation level but of inner strength.

"Back then, several hundred of us advanced toward the demonic stone from different points along the outer edge of the Demon Abyss.

"In the end, only five of us managed to reach the demonic stone.

"I was one of them.

"I sat in silence before the demonic stone alongside the other four. Three quietly passed away, while one, realizing he couldn't endure to the end, made the wise choice to leave," Wu Yuan recounted impassively, as though the brutal events of his past were mere facts.

A few hours later, Pang Jian and Wu Yuan encountered more and more corpses. Sharp blades had split many of the bodies cleanly in half.

Wu Yuan's eyebrows knitted. "Something's not right. They don't appear to have killed each other. It looks more like a single person hunted them down."

Just then, a metallic clang echoed from the ruins of a distant city.

Pang Jian and Wu Yuan exchanged a glance.

Despite the limited range of their divine sense in the Demon Abyss, they did not hesitate to take to the air and fly toward the ruins.

A massive green bell, shimmering with divine light, lay overturned on the ground in the center of the ruined city.

A lifelike Qilin roamed on the bell's surface, its movements forming intricate defensive arrays with engraved patterns.

"The Qilin Bell!" Pang Jian exclaimed in shock.

"You recognize it?" Wu Yuan asked, surprised.

Pang Jian shouted, "Li Jie, is that you in there?"

A familiar voice echoed from within the Qilin Bell. "Who's asking?"

"It's me, Pang Jian. We met in Eight Trigrams City!"

The person inside swiftly lifted the Qilin Bell into the air.

"Oh, wow! I can't believe it's you! So, you've made it to the Demon Abyss, hahaha!"

The one hiding beneath the Qilin Bell was none other than Li Jie of the Divine Treasure Sect's Li Family, the younger brother of Li Yuqing.

He no longer dressed as ostentatiously as he once did years ago and now only wore a simple spatial ring.

Though his tall figure was still slightly chubby, his eyes shone with a piercing clarity.

His face lit up with an ecstatic grin as he waved enthusiastically at Pang Jian. "Pang Jian! I've heard so much about you! I watched your fight with that female warrior from the Demon Scale Race through the Celestial Profound Mirror.

"I can't believe you've become Li Zhaotian's disciple! You were still only in the Marrow Cleansing Realm back in Eight Trigrams City.

"I even gave you a bunch of body-tempering juice back then. Oh, and I almost forgot—the one in that dark alley, that was my sister, wasn't it?"

Li Jie sprang up and landed atop the restored Qilin Bell, gesturing animatedly as he recounted stories from their past.

"I always knew you were destined for greatness, but I never imagined you'd become this extraordinary. Your cultivation realm has even surpassed mine now," he lamented with a sigh. "I've only reached the Soul Wandering Realm, but you're already in the Nirvana Realm."

Pulling out a bottle of green fruit juice, he stuck a reed straw into it, took a satisfying sip, and finally calmed down.

His expression then darkened as he glared at Wu Yuan.

"You're Wu Yuan, right?

"Your Demon Sect gave me permission to enter the Demon Abyss so I could temper my heart, so why are disciples of the Demon Sect trying to kill me?"

"Those entering the Demon Abyss will have their inner malice and desires amplified," Wu Yuan responded matter-of-factly. "Approaching the demonic stone is like confronting the darkest parts of your own heart.

"Your assailant may have simply found you unpleasant, or perhaps they desired something you had and couldn't suppress their greed."

"No! That's not it!" Li Jie retorted, a fearful tremble in his voice. "My attacker wasn't under the influence of the demonic stone!

"She was perfectly rational and showed no signs of cultivation deviation or losing control. She just wanted to kill me and everyone else!"

The genius artifact refiner of the Divine Treasure Sect's Li Family shuddered at the memory.

"I'd already be dead if not for my collection of treasures and unmatched defensive techniques."

Whoosh!

Li Jie tossed a bottle of green fruit juice toward Pang Jian.

"It's been a while—have a drink, my treat."

Pang Jian caught it, took a sip, and asked, "What did your attacker look like? What weapon did they use? How are you sure they were from the Demon Sect?"

"It was a beautiful woman wielding a serrated blade. Her body resonated with demonic energy when she attacked, so she has to be a Demon Sect disciple."