Trials of the Abyss

An hour later, the Fire Cloud Ship of the Radiant Sun Sect and the Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance descended at the crash site of the beast-hunting sailboat.

The remaining Cloud Sails patrolling around Misty Swamp also arrived one after another.

Zhu Yuanxi stood on the deck of the Fire Cloud Ship with a grim expression, blood talisman in hand. "Ni Chen is dead. His blood talisman was destroyed, so I can’t use it to pinpoint the enemy’s location."

Shangguan Dong and Ouyang Quan summoned their clansmen to search the surrounding area for the remnants of the Shadow Specter Sect.

Both clans depended on the Blood Moon Sect, and Zhu Yuanxi, an Innate Realm cultivator, often represented the Blood Moon Sect in the lower world. He was not someone they could afford to offend.

As the Blood Moon Sect suffered repeated heavy losses, they became more and more anxious than Zhu Yuanxi. If the murky energy contaminated the entire Fourth World they would have to rely on the Blood Moon Sect’s Formless Sailboat to seek refuge in the upper worlds.

"Meng Qiulan, Zhao Ling, Hong Jian..." Xiao Pei frowned, conjuring a fierce flame on his fingertip. "Our people searched the area and found no trace of them."

"Finding them is more difficult at night as it’s easier to hide," Dong Yao said. "Brother Zhu, do you still have the Blood Moon Sect’s Eye of Imprint or the blood-colored crystal ball that can detect life?"

Zhu Yuanxi shook his head. "I gave the last crystal ball to Ni Chen to hunt strong Vicious Beasts."

Dong Yao sighed. "That makes things difficult. We’ll have to wait until daylight before continuing our search."

"Brother Xiao," Zhu Yuanxi glanced at Huang Ying from the Star River Alliance. "The three of us need to have a private conversation."

Xiao Pei nodded.

Before he could speak, those from the seven major clans of the Fourth World tactfully dismissed themselves.

The members of the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Blood Moon Sect moved away from where the three Innate Realm experts gathered, giving them privacy.

"My people told me that Spirit Devils attacked the beast-hunting sailboat. Ni Chen’s blood moon, formed from the blood-colored crystal ball, was torn apart by the Spirit Devils," Zhu Yuanxi began with a frown.

"Also, during the attack on the beast-hunting sailboat at Divine Fortune City, a stunning woman destroyed the Eye of Imprint. Because of this, I couldn’t get important information from it.

"Afterward, that woman entered the cabin. In the cabin, we were crafting a new body for a client. The client’s new body was also destroyed.

"The client is a Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator from the Third World. Even if the new body wasn’t fully formed, their strength still surpassed the Marrow Cleansing Realm." Zhu Yuanxi paused.

"Spirit Devils and a mysterious woman." Huang Ying mulled it over and said, "Are you suggesting the Sinister Soul Temple is involved?"

Zhu Yuanxi’s gaze fell on the crash site of the beast-hunting sailboat with a snort. "Don’t the Star River Alliance and the Radiant Sun Sect also suspect that the Shadow Specter Sect is related to the Sinister Soul Temple? I believe the Sinister Soul Temple is involved! How else could the Shadow Specter Sect’s hall masters dare to attack our beast-hunting sailboat?"

"I will report this to our sect," Xiao Pei said seriously.

He was also suspicious. After all, it was known that those with the ability to refine high-level Spirit Devils were most likely connected to the Sinister Soul Temple.

"The Sinister Soul Temple has crossed the line!" Huang Ying snorted coldly. "I’ll report this to our sect as well, so they can monitor the Sinister Soul Temple’s movements!"

"Brother Xiao, I suggest we ignite the flammable oil and burn Misty Swamp immediately!" Zhu Yuanxi urged.

Xiao Pei was startled. "Ignite it now?"

Zhu Yuanxi nodded. "I originally planned to use the beast-hunting sailboat to hunt Vicious Beasts and recoup our previous losses. Now that the beast-hunting sailboat is destroyed, there’s no point in waiting."

"Very well, I’ll inform Dong Yao," Xiao Pei agreed.

"I want to see where the Shadow Sect members can hide once the flames spread throughout Misty Swamp!" Zhu Yuanxi said fiercely.

***

Pang Jian led the Shadow Specter Sect members through a crystal-clear river in Misty Swamp. The river led to an underground cave Luo Hongyan had discovered through the Spirit Devils.

Halfway there, he tore the red talisman in half.

Once inside the cave, Meng Qiulan and Zhao Ling’s subordinates lit torches, allowing everyone to see their surroundings.

Rumble!

Waterfalls and underground rivers stretched across the deep, spacious cave.

"Hong Jian, how did you find this place?" Meng Qiulan stood on the hard rock ground, studying the intricate stalactites in the cave with the light of her torch. Hearing the sound of distant waterfalls, she marveled, "This mountain we’re under isn’t very tall, but the cave underneath is so deep!"

Pang Jian hesitated before saying, "They plan to burn Misty Swamp. We can only avoid being burned alive if we’re in a place like this."

"What?" Zhao Ling exclaimed in shock.

Her exclamation echoed through the cave, startling the others.

"Rest here for a bit. I’ll cover the cave entrance and check if the Fire Cloud Ship and Gilded Chariot are still nearby." Pang Jian jumped back into the river.

After swimming for a while, he arrived at the cave entrance.

"I always knew you had a warm heart beneath that cold exterior," Luo Hongyan said, appearing at the cave entrance with several Spirit Devils floating behind her.

Pang Jian saw Spirit Devils refined from the souls of Ni Chen, Zhao Muye, and Qi Yue.

She had been busy.

Smirking, he said, "They think you’re a powerful Sinister Soul Temple reinforcement sent by the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect to save them."

Luo Hongyan’s eyes flashed. "The Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect is connected to the Sinister Soul Temple?"

"Hong Tai didn’t know?" Pang Jian asked.

Luo Hongyan shook her head.

Pang Jian then relayed Meng Qiulan’s words, mentioning that Hall Master Yang Yuansen had inadvertently discovered this secret.

"So it is the Sinister Soul Temple!" Luo Hongyan snorted coldly then advised, "When you activate the Ghost Altar, it’s best not to reveal your true appearance. Try to conceal yourself."

"Okay." Pang Jian nodded.

"Did you tell them about the plan to burn Misty Swamp because the murky energy is about to invade?" Luo Hongyan asked.

"Not yet," Pang Jian replied.

As the number of Luo Hongyan’s Spirit Devils increased, so did her sources of information. She knew Misty Swamp would be burned because the clans and sects feared the mutation of the Vicous Beasts and plants. She also knew it would not be long before the tainted energy completely engulfed this fragmented land.

Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan planned to stay in the cave, sealing the entrance with stones to escape the burning of Misty Swamp.

When the murky energy seeped in and engulfed Divine Fortune, Luo Hongyan would shrink into the white jade porcelain bottle, which Pang Jian would seal tightly.

The Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the other major clans would retreat after the tainted energy invaded. As Pang Jian was immune to the murky energy, he could take the white jade porcelain bottle to the white pagoda and escape from Divine Fortune.

This was the plan they had meticulously devised.

"Pang Jian, the cave can only withstand the burning of Misty Swamp," Luo Hongyan reminded. Looking at him seriously, she added, "The cave has several entrances that connect to the outside. When the murky energy invades, it won’t be safe inside."

Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment.

"Dawn is approaching. Stay here and don’t return to the blood pool during the day," Luo Hongyan advised softly. "I’ll leave some Spirit Devils here. If there’s an emergency, you can speak to the Spirit Devils. I’ll hear you."

"Alright."

With that, Luo Hongyan floated away.

Pang Jian then returned to the underground cave and met up with the surviving members of the Shadow Specter Sect once more.

He explained to the Shadow Specter Sect members about the inevitable invasion of murky energy in Divine Fortune and how the forces from the upper worlds had decided to burn Misty Swamp out of fear of the Vicious Beasts and plants mutating.

Hearing this, the Shadow Specter Sect members gave up hope of leaving Divine Fortune alive.

They believed the powerful Sinister Soul Temple reinforcement could not escape from this calamity either and was doomed to perish in Divine Fortune with them.

"I heard that in the Third World, you can see the sun, moon, and stars on a clear day," Bai Wei said longingly. "It’s a pity I’ll only ever see them in paintings. Hong Jian, you’re from the Third World. Can you tell me what the sun, moon, and stars look like in the sky?"

Her eyes were full of anticipation as she turned to Pang Jian.

"The sun, moon, and stars..." Pang Jian murmured.

He had caught a glimpse of a starry night sky and a bright moon just once, through the divine power left by Sun Bin.

After thinking for a while, he gave a simple description.

Listening intently were not only Bai Wei and her sister Bai Zhi, but also Meng Qiulan, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi. They all wore longing expressions on their faces.

"I hope my brother gets to see that scene," Zhao Ling murmured, lowering her head. Her sharp eyes softened and a smile appeared on her face. "He’s naughty but has a decent talent for cultivation. He’s just not willing to work hard. He used to rely on me being around, so no one dared to bully him, and he always talked about enjoying life."

Her expression darkened.

"He’ll start working hard once he hears about my death and realizes no one is there to take care of him. The Sect Leader must have some conscience since he was willing to send reinforcements. He’ll keep his promise. My brother will be taken to the Third World and won’t suffer the hardships of the Fourth World," Zhao Ling comforted herself.

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