Trials of the Abyss

The lustful rogue cultivator Dongye Jing reluctantly dismissed his wicked thoughts.

Dongye Jing had a tall, slender figure and exuded a chilling aura.

Gently waving a feathered fan with an air of false elegance, he stared thoughtfully at Pang Jian.

The Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian...

Pang Jian had returned to his true appearance and was dressed in black robes. His chiseled face radiated a cold, imposing aura, giving him an extraordinary presence.

Han Ting did not have an exceptionally striking face but her explosive curves that seemed to burst out of her dress still made Dongye Jing's heart itch with desire.

Despite trying to curb his evil intentions, he could not help but repeatedly glance at Han Ting's back with a deep sense of regret.

"I watched with my own eyes as Pang Jian cut off the head of that dwarf friend of yours," Lian Feng coldly reminded.

Dongye Jing shook his head with a bitter smile.

***

"Little Brother Pang!" Gao Yuan greeted, making sure to nod and bow to everyone when he arrived at the group of Red Mountain Sect cultivators.

Han Ting appeared slightly uneasy and only shot Pang Jian a bright smile.

Inwardly, she was praising her fortune—if not for the ambiguous rumors between her and Pang Jian back in the Primordial Wilderness, she feared she would not have escaped Dongye Jing's clutches.

Pang Jian nodded in return, then asked, "Where is she?"

Gao Yuan's smile faded and he sighed. "We were separated from her as soon as we entered Spirit Offering."

He then explained the situation to Pang Jian.

One day, Luo Hongyan said she felt a force deep within Spirit Offering calling her and asked Gao Yuan to steer his Cloud Sail there.

Gao Yuan obediently followed her instructions.

However, as they flew over Spirit Offering, the Cloud Sail malfunctioned, leading to a catastrophic crash.

Before the impact, Luo Hongyan had pulled him and Han Ting to safety, then headed off on her own.

They had not seen her since.

Pang Jian frowned in silence when he heard this, a heavy weight settling in his heart.

There had been many anomalies in Spirit Offering lately, and he feared Luo Hongyan was in danger with so many terrifying Gods wandering about.

"Pang Jian, don't worry too much. You made it here. She's probably fine too. She's resourceful, she'll find her way," Zhou Qingchen consoled, tossing a jar of wine over. "Tell me about what happened after you left Eight Trigrams City."

Pang Jian glanced at Li Yuqing in silent question.

"Go ahead and drink. It's not like you can do much to help anyway. These Outer Gods may not be able to descend in full force and they're not something you can deal with," Li Yuqing said offhandedly, with an ethereal grace of a powerful celestial being.

A silver-white sword floated behind her and the hem of her green robe fluttered in the breeze.

Her presence alone kept everyone gathered calm and unconcerned about the threats posed by the Outer Gods.

She had repeatedly demonstrated her strength, either slaying or heavily injuring any God that dared to approach.

"Pang Jian, what she said may be harsh, but it's the truth." The chubby Han Duping sighed, shaking his head. "Don't compare yourself to her. You'll only end up frustrated. Her combat strength alone surpasses everyone here combined!"

The silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi lightly bit her lip, looking slightly despondent as well.

"That's true," Han Ting and Gao Yuan agreed.

"Just drink already!" Li Yuqing urged in an oddly dissatisfied tone.

She seemed somewhat…displeased.

"Here, have some too." Pang Jian stepped forward and offered a jar of wine to Li Yuqing. "You're strong enough not to worry about those guys, so why not have a drink?"

Everyone was stunned.

Ling Meiyu from the Star River Alliance; Tang Hongxiong and Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect; the two leaders from the Sinister Soul Temple; and the gathered rogue cultivators all looked on with bewilderment.

The genius girl from the Li Family had barely interacted with anyone since she arrived.

Those trying to befriend her had been met with cold indifference.

Was Pang Jian trying to cozy up to her by offering wine?

Li Yuqing's gem-like eyes showed a trace of hesitation.

Her craving for alcohol had been gnawing at her, but she had been holding back to maintain her image as a proper young lady.

The sight of Zhou Qingchen taking out wine and handing some to Pang Jian only made her want to drink even more.

Pang Jian held up the jar and said earnestly, "I know you're a drinker."

Li Yuqing gritted her teeth. You scoundrel!

Outwardly, she only hummed in annoyance and said flatly, "His wine must taste awful."

She did not take the jar from Pang Jian and instead brought out two delicate little flasks before tossing one to Pang Jian.

"Drink mine."

After an initial eager mouthful, she went on to drink in small, refined sips, carefully maintaining her ladylike demeanor.

The cultivators stared at her in shock when they realized the powerful girl from the Li Family was, in fact, a little drunkard.

Pang Jian followed her lead, alternating between gulps from the wine jar and the exquisite silver flask.

Gulp! Gulp!

"Tastes pretty similar to me," Pang Jian muttered.

Li Yuqing snorted disdainfully. "You country bumpkin, you know nothing about wine."

Their exchange only made the onlookers more perplexed. It was apparent the pair were far from strangers.

"Pang Jian, her wine...it's definitely a higher grade," Zhou Qingchen said with an awkward laugh.

"Tastes the same to me." Pang Jian shrugged, admittedly not much of a connoisseur.

He took turns sipping from both drinks, feeling the warmth spread through him as he chatted with Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping.

Zhou Qingchen told him that he had gone to the Fourth World to help his clan fend off Vicious Beasts' invasion after reaching the late stage of the Innate Realm.

Only parts of the Zhou Clan's and the Dong Clan's territories remained untainted by murky energy in the Fourth World.

"The murky energy will eventually consume all the fragmented lands in the Fourth World. Those in the Fourth World will have no choice but to migrate upward," Han Duping said, shaking his head and taking large gulps of wine. "The harsh reality is that those with family backgrounds get taken to the Third World.

"I'm a rogue cultivator myself. If not for Zhou Qingchen bringing me along, I'd be stuck in some city, hoping to be saved once all the noble families were gone. Even then, it's like I'd have been left behind."

Gao Yuan interjected with a pained expression, "It's tough being a rogue cultivator. At least I'm in the Third World. The space where we can operate is shrinking, but we're still alive."

"Have you ever thought about what we'll do if the murky energy starts to seep into the Third World?" Han Ting quietly asked.

"That's impossible!" Gao Yuan and Han Duping shouted in unison.

Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and others from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect instinctively looked toward where Li Yuqing was drinking atop the black stone pillar for confirmation.

"It's possible," Li Yuqing said, cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

Everyone fell silent, no longer having the heart to continue the conversation.

Most of them were from the Third World. If the murky energy plaguing the Fourth World started to contaminate the Third World, the same disasters occurring in the world below would eventually affect them as well.

"Miss Li, is there any solution from above?" Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance could not help but ask.

"To my knowledge, in the worst-case scenario, even the Second World could be tainted by the murky energy," Li Yuqing said, eyes slightly drowsy and face flushed. "Such calamities have occurred before the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars were erected in the Fifth World.

"If that kind of disaster happens, it won't just affect the Fourth World—even the Third and Second Worlds won't be spared."

The crowd paled with fear at her words.

"Zhou Qingchen, give me a jar of wine too!" the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi said solemnly, joining in on the drinking.

"I'd like a jar of wine too," Jiang Li whispered.

"Alright!"

Zhou Qingchen stood up and handed out the wine.

As Pang Jian drank himself into tipsiness, he noticed the rogue cultivators, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple had all been caught up in the drinking mood as well.

It did not take long for unruly curses to be voiced.

"What are those in the upper worlds doing? Why are the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars having issues?"

"Why aren't they dealing with the problems down here? What are they so busy with?"

"Damn it! Where will we escape if the murky energy reaches the Second World?"

"How did I get so unlucky to face this calamity?"

The rogue cultivators were the first to speak up, glaring at the sky as they complained about the powerful sects of the upper worlds.

Li Yuqing simply drank silently like she did not hear their grumblings.

"Oh, by the way, Pang Jian. The Sword Pavilion sent a message to the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple, officially recognizing you as an inner disciple," informed the cool, silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi, a hint of envy in her eyes. "It seems the Pavilion Master intends to take you as his personal disciple."

"What?!" Gao Yuan and Han Ting exclaimed in shock.

Han Duping took a sip and said, "Pang Jian, those words—the Pavilion Master's personal disciple—alone are enough to clear all obstacles for you in the Third World!"

Zhou Qingchen patted Pang Jian on the shoulder and said with genuine pride, "Brother, I'm so happy and proud of you!"

The fact that the reclusive Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion had decided to take Pang Jian as his personal disciple showed just how much he valued him.

The Pavilion Master's personal disciple. Pang Jian was visibly moved.

"The Pavilion Master's swordsmanship is unparalleled. His strength is terrifying. He could even lead Sword Pavilion back to the First World, allowing it to once again become one of the most powerful sects in the Abyss," Li Yuqing commented from atop the black stone pillar.

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