Trials of the Abyss

The emaciated Han Zhiyuan arrived at Dong Tianze’s cultivation cave in the Sinister Soul Temple in the Third World and asked, "Did you trade with that kid using the Ghost Altar?"

Dong Tianze nodded and took out a new list of spirit materials. "He plans to make a second deal. This is the new list of materials."

Han Zhiyuan took the list and looked it over. Finding no issues, he handed it back to Dong Tianze.

"They’re making quite the commotion over at Divine Fortune. The Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Radiant Sun Sect were questioning the Cult Leader, asking if we’re harboring the Shadow Specter Sect," Han Zhiyuan remarked.

Dong Tianze’s eyes flashed with curiosity.

"They recently attacked the Blood Moon Sect’s beast-hunting sailboat, resulting in the deaths of three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators. Someone from the Blood Moon Sect also saw Spirit Devils. And as you know, most cultivators who can refine Spirit Devils come from our Sinister Soul Temple."

"I was also attacked by Spirit Devils on Central Lake Island in the Solitary Mountain Range!" Dong Tianze exclaimed.

As he recalled those unpleasant memories, he subconsciously reached to touch his behind, remembering the spear.

Han Zhiyuan sighed. "We don’t know whether the ones in the Solitary Mountain Range and Divine Fortune are the same person. Some of our followers went missing after being expelled and could’ve ended up in the lower worlds.

"The Cult Leader has assured those sects that the Spirit Devils in Divine Fortune have nothing to do with us. The next time you trade with that kid, try to find out if he knows who’s behind it."

"I haven’t acquired the listed spirit materials yet, so I’m not sure if there’ll be a next trade," Dong Tianze said hesitantly. "I’ve heard that the sects and clans have started burning the swamp in Divine Fortune. Not to mention, the murky energy will soon spread there."

"That’s true. Do what you think is best," Han Zhiyuan said, nodding. "Don’t worry, we have our reasons for existing. No matter what we do, we’ll be able to stand strong for as long as the upper worlds need us to communicate with the Fifth World. The Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Star River Alliance know our importance and wouldn’t dare to attack."

***

In Misty Swamp, Pang Jian suddenly awoke from his cultivation and touched his chest.

It felt like a green leaf had appeared in his chest.

When he had bid farewell to the little tree, a jade-green divine light containing miraculous life energy had shot into his heart.

That divine light had now condensed into a leaf in his chest.

He had yet to advance to the Profound Abode Realm and had not formed his divine sense so he could not see the leaf. However, he could feel the life energy it emanated, nourishing his entire body.

His body’s ability to heal had been significantly enhanced thanks to the presence of this green leaf.

Pang Jian then established a connection with the little tree.

All the plants from the little tree’s roots extending to a large radius around it had withered. It seemed it had drained all their life energy in a short time.

Pang Jian’s perspective rose until he was on the highest branch of the little tree. The higher vantage point meant he could see the roaring flames and billowing smoke in the distance.

He felt a sense of urgency from the little tree rooted in Misty Swamp.

It had desperately absorbed as much life energy from the nearby plants as possible, knowing that the wildly spreading fire would soon burn the surrounding vegetation to ashes anyway.

The little tree had absorbed a vast amount of life energy in a short time, leading to a surplus which it then used to transform the divine light in Pang Jian’s chest into a leaf.

Luo Hongyan saw he had awoken from his cultivation and said, "Misty Swamp will turn to scorched earth within a day. It won’t be long before the murky energy invades Divine Fortune."

Pang Jian nodded.

Through the little tree’s vision, he saw the Radiant Sun Sect’s Fire Cloud Ship capturing those fleeing from the burning area.

Among them was Yang Yuansen from the Shadow Specter Sect.

Yang Yuansen was unaware of the approaching flame and had not found a suitable place to escape the fire. Thus, he was forced to reveal himself and was captured by the Radiant Sun Sect.

Pang Jian was indifferent to his fate, apathetically closing his eyes to continue his cultivation.

He soon discovered that, with the life energy from the leaf in his chest, his efficiency in refining blood essence had significantly improved.

Another day passed, and when he established a connection with the little tree again, he found it had sunk deep underground.

This meant the flames had completely engulfed Misty Swamp.

The gradually spreading tainted energy would soon reach Divine Fortune.

That same day, Pang Jian was having his meal when he glanced at the white jade porcelain bottle floating on the blood water and recalled something.

The old copper chest.

Yuan Shishan, the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, had absorbed the blood of his descendant, Yuan Lengshan, through the copper chest and resurrected himself.

Like Luo Hongyan’s white jade porcelain bottle, the copper chest also came from the pool in the City Lord’s Mansion.

Could it also isolate the murky energy?

With that thought in mind, Pang Jian retrieved the large copper chest from the bottom of his spatial pouch.

He placed the copper chest on the ground, studying it carefully. It still had snapped remnants of gold and copper wires wrapped around from when Yuan Shishan emerged. The chest was also no longer locked.

Pang Jian touched the copper chest. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief.

The terrifying negative emotions that once filled the copper chest had dissipated over time.

"This chest!" Luo Hongyan exclaimed, "You actually brought it from Eight Trigrams City?"

Although she found that she could move the white jade porcelain bottle, the Startling Slaughter, and the garment from the pool, she ultimately chose the porcelain bottle with the Crystal Snow Lotus.

However, she had not been able to move the strange copper chest at the bottom of the pool at all.

Later events proved the strangeness of the chest as the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, Yuan Shishan, resurrected through it.

"I took it after the City Lord died, but didn’t touch it afterward because of its peculiarities," Pang Jian explained. "Now, I want to see if it can isolate the murky energy. Since it, like the white jade porcelain bottle, also came from the City Lord’s Mansion, it might have the same properties."

With that said, he lifted the lid of the copper chest.

"Be careful!" Luo Hongyan cried out in alarm, hastily floating out of the white jade porcelain bottle to hover above the open chest.

The chest was empty aside from a yellow cloth lining the bottom. This cloth emitted a yellow light similar to that of the chest.

Pang Jian leaned in and took a sniff, then infused it with spiritual power, but sensed nothing unusual.

The copper chest looked like an ordinary large chest.

Luo Hongyan released her divine sense, scanning the box inside and out, but found nothing special.

"How strange..." She murmured with knitted brows. The chest’s ordinary appearance made it even more suspicious in her eyes.

"I’ll go inside and have a look," Pang Jian said, jumping into the chest and closing the lid from inside, lying flat within it.

A bright full moon and dazzling stars appeared inside the pitch-black chest!

Pang Jian felt like he was lying beneath the night sky.

The moon and stars were so close, they were almost within reach!

Before he could investigate further, the chest was abruptly opened.

Luo Hongyan’s beautiful face was lined with concern as she anxiously asked, "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine. When the lid was closed, I saw the stars and the moon," Pang Jian said, dazed, as he sat up inside the chest.

"What?!" Luo Hongyan was taken aback.

Swapping places with Pang Jian, she also entered the box, closing the lid from the inside like Pang Jian.

She saw neither stars nor moon in the pitch-black chest. Instead, she felt like she was sealed in endless darkness!

Terrified, she felt around with both hands, but could not find the lid. All she touched was emptiness!

After closing the lid, she could no longer feel the confines of the chest. It was as if she had been transported to another dimension.

She screamed desperately, calling Pang Jian’s name, but her voice did not carry through to the outside

It was not until Pang Jian, concerned for her safety, opened the lid from the outside that she returned to the real world.

She instantly flew out in fear!

Hovering in mid-air, she gazed at the chest like it was a terrifying demon. Her voice trembled as she said, "I felt like I was back in Eight Trigrams City, but it was enveloped in darkness! Only there was no dense murky energy, just endless void and silence!"

Pang Jian shook his head in confusion. "That’s not right. My experience was completely different."

Luo Hongyan said nothing.

She silently recalled how the hidden barrier of Central Lake Island triggered as soon as Pang Jian landed, causing the Divine Spirit Pagoda to crash and the island to sink slightly.

After that, the Mirror Tunnel only appeared after Pang Jian stepped out of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

Hesitating slightly, she softly suggested, "How about you try entering the chest without the bronze pendant?"

Pang Jian gave her a strange look but did as she suggested, placing the bronze pendant on the ground.

"Do you trust me that much?" Luo Hongyan asked with a gentle smile. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as her heart filled with delight at being trusted.

"I didn’t before, but I do now," Pang Jian replied softly before once again entering the box.

When he closed the lid again, he experienced the same thing as Luo Hongyan had!

There were no dazzling stars or bright moon, only endless darkness. He could not feel the lid or even the bottom of the box.

His limbs were unable to touch anything substantial. All he could feel was deathly silence and emptiness!

The bronze pendant had given him a different experience in the chest!

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