Trials of the Abyss

Cao Mang's domineering presence filled the air.

Rumble!

The first peak of the Primordial Wilderness trembled violently as if in response to his anger.

"Impressive! Truly impressive!" Huang Qi smacked his lips and mocked, "No wonder they call you Old Monster Cao, a cultivator in the mid-to-late stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm. Oh, by the way, are you in the middle stage or the late stage?"

Lady Hua frowned coldly as she asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Huang Qi's repeated provocations were testing her patience.

"Huang Qi. I'm just a rogue cultivator." The sly-looking Huang Qi let out a derisive laugh and cast a meaningful glance at Pang Jian. "I also come from the Fourth World and am not from one of the seven major clans.

"I was fortunate to hitch a ride on a flying vessel to the Third World after breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

"I don't have a noble background like the two of you. I'm just a rogue cultivator who has had some fortunate encounters. But I don't pretend to flatter the major sects while secretly harming other rogue cultivators."

She felt more at ease now, figuring that once Huang Qi left the Primordial Wilderness, it would be simple to deal with him discreetly.

"Are you that interested in whether I'm in the middle or late stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm?" Cao Mang asked in a deep voice.

Huang Qi ignored his question. Dropping his jovial facade, his thin face turned serious as he recounted, "Three years ago, a rogue cultivator named Huang Yu successfully won a Spirit Condensation Pill for three hundred thousand spirit stones in the Primordial Wilderness. He was in the late Profound Abode Realm and had bought the pill to increase his chances of a smooth breakthrough to the Spirit Condensation Realm."

He glanced at Cao Mang, then Lady Hua. The two remained silent under his gaze.

"Huang Yu disappeared without a trace shortly after leaving the Primordial Wilderness," Huang Qi continued, eyes scanning the faces of the Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivators in the crowd, words heavy with implication. "I know of at least a dozen similar incidents."

The crowd fell into a contemplative silence.

"We only oversee the happenings of the First Peak. We don't interfere with what happens outside, not even the fights and robberies between rogue cultivators," Lady Hua said coldly.

She knew Huang Qi was trying to intentionally cause trouble by exposing her and Cao Mang's dirty deeds.

Huang Yu? She tried to recall. If he had only been in the Profound Abode Realm, Cao Mang would not have bothered to deal with him personally, so she would have been the one to kill him.

"Don't spread baseless rumors. Huang Qi, the Primordial Wilderness no longer welcomes you. Leave immediately!" Cao Mang said, expression unchanged. He would have struck Huang Qi down if not for the fact that killing him now would be seen as silencing a witness.

"I knew this would happen." Huang Qi nodded, satisfied with planting the seeds of doubt, and left the trading hall.

So, they have even more dark secrets... Pang Jian thought. He was certain Cao Mang and Lady Hua were involved in many sinister deeds.

The mentioned victim, Huang Yu, likely had a deep connection with Huang Qi. Huang Qi had likely been waiting for this day to expose Cao Mang and Lady Hua.

Pang Jian wondered if Huang Qi had a plan to leave the Primordial Wilderness alive.

"Now that unrelated guest is gone, let's continue!" Cao Mang raised his voice.

Everyone present could sense that Old Monster Cao was in a foul mood.

"Who's next?" Lady Hua called out.

"It's my turn!" Jiu Yuan stepped up impatiently and reached into the round wooden bucket.

Inside the bucket, the silver glow that blocked divine sense suddenly dissipated. Seeing the character "Winner" on one of the bamboo sticks with his divine sense, Jiu Yuan's eyes lit up and he pulled it out in a burst of laughter.

"I knew my luck was good lately!" he exclaimed.

Jiu Yuan knew the spiteful Lady Hua had rigged the draw in his favor after Pang Jian's offense of addressing Old Monster Cao by name. This was why he could successfully draw the lot for Luo Hongyan!

Holding up the bamboo stick with the "Winner" character for all to see, Jiu Yuan laughed maniacally. "Pang Jian, you've ruined my plans multiple times. I didn't even get a chance to see the pair of sisters from the lower world before they committed suicide on Ice Rock Island. What a waste.

"Your sister is so beautiful and has a body reforged from a Crystal Snow Lotus. I've never had the taste of such a rare beauty. Haha, a million spirit stones for her is a steal! Lou Yunming after I've had my fill, you can buy her soul for a million spirit stones!"

His lecherous gaze lingered on Luo Hongyan's pale cheeks and neck.

Luo Hongyan closed her eyes in despair. Her fate was sealed the moment Jiu Yuan drew that bamboo stick.

"Our Sinister Soul Temple only wants her soul. Her body doesn't matter," Lou Yunming said coldly, glancing at Luo Hongyan. "I'll contact you in half a month to discuss the purchase of her soul."

"Deal!" Jiu Yuan laughed.

Whoosh!

A palm-sized crystal flew from Cao Mang's hand to Jiu Yuan.

"The sealing techniques are all in there. Instructions for breaking and maintaining the seal are detailed inside."

"Great!" Jiu Yuan started counting the spirit jades in his spatial bracelet.

"Sister Luo..." Jiang Li's eyes filled with tears. She cursed her inability and low cultivation realm.

Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, Liang Ying, Lian Feng, and many others stared at Pang Jian.

Luo Hongyan had closed her eyes in resignation, no longer having the will to look at anyone.

Pang Jian stood before the prismatic crystal like a frozen statue, utterly motionless. A bone-chilling cold emanated from his body, making him appear as though he had turned into a block of ice.

Qi Qingsong stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "Pang Jian..."

Snap!

The layer of ice covering Pang Jian's shoulder cracked, and his piercing gaze shifted toward the maniacally laughing Jiu Yuan, the grim-faced Lou Yunming, the gloating Yang Rui, and then finally to Lady Hua and the imposing Cao Mang.

Everyone he looked at frowned. There was a strange coldness in his eyes, and they could sense a hidden danger behind his silence.

However, no one felt truly threatened when they remembered his cultivation realm and his origins as a young hunter from the Fourth World.

A mere hunter from the Fourth World. His cultivation is only at the Innate Realm. He can't stir up much trouble, even with friends like Qi Qingsong.

To think he wanted to rescue someone! He may not even leave the Primordial Wilderness alive himself!

Pang Jian turned and walked out of the trading hall under the weight of their mocking and disdainful gazes.

Qi Qingsong hurried after him and called out softly, "Pang Jian, don't leave the First Peak! Wait for me in your cave dwelling. After I get what I need, I'll personally come to take you out of the Primordial Wilderness! Remember, wait for me in the cave!"

Pang Jian only hummed in response as he left the trading hall.

"Be careful," Qi Qingsong added quietly.

Regardless of how displeased he was, Old Monster Cao would not break his own rules, so as long as Pang Jian stayed on the First Peak, he would be safe.

The major figures in the Primordial Wilderness were all bidding on treasures in the trading hall. Thus, Qi Qingsong was not overly worried about Pang Jian.

Jiu Yuan contacted his subordinate telepathically, Xu Li!That kid has left the trading hall. Keep an eye on him. After the trade fair is finished, I'll deal with him! Watch him, and see whose Cloud Sail he boards! Cloud Sails are slow, so even if he leaves the Primordial Wilderness, he can't escape!

Xu Li was a Blood Moon Sect disciple in the late stage of the Innate Realm and was stronger than Zhu Yuanxi. He mingled with rogue cultivators outside the trading hall, and once he saw Pang Jian leave, he followed.

"Elder, he's left the First Peak!" Xu Li reported via a transmission talisman.

Watch him, but don't act yet. Observe his every move, Jiu Yuan instructed.

Noted.

***

Between the Sixth and Seventh Peaks of the Primordial Wilderness lay a sparkling Emerald Lake.

Many Cloud Sails and tents were scattered around the lake. This was the chosen spot to stay for rogue cultivators with not much wealth and no enemies.

These cultivators were mainly in the Meridian Opening Realm, the Marrow Cleansing Realm, or the Innate Realm, and were not qualified to participate in the final day's grand event.

Some were negotiating with Cloud Sail owners about leaving and inquiring about their next destinations to see if they matched their own.

Zhang Bin approached a green tent, face stern as he said coldly, "Han Ting, you were deceived by him. He's not from a noble family. He fooled all of us. We really thought he was someone important! He's just a hunter from the Fourth World. I was worried for days over nothing!

"Han Ting, I found out everything. He doesn't know Zhao Yuanqi; he only knows Jiang Li from the Red Mountain Sect! Also, the Pang Jian that Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple was searching for earlier? It's him!

"Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion is also just using him, probably eyeing the precious materials he has!"

"He's just a fat sheep with valuable treasures, without a strong background or the cultivation realm to match. Han Ting, there's no way he can leave the Primordial Wilderness unscathed, yet you...

"You're truly foolish to have let someone like him deceive you!" Zhang Bin burst out angrily.

"I wanted to," Han Ting replied disdainfully. "I wanted to sleep with him. I even offered myself to him. It's none of your business."

"Say that again!"

"Zhang Bin, just being near you makes me feel disgusted. Get lost!" Her contempt for him was written all over her face.

"You'll regret this!" Zhang Bin growled as he turned and left.

On his way back to his tent, he saw a familiar figure in black walking toward Emerald Lake with a cold expression on his face.

Pang Jian!

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