Trials of the Abyss

"Divine Cauldron, Divine Lake.”[1]

One day, while Pang Jian’s mind was in a relaxed and calm state, things just fell into place.

A human’s mind was like the tranquil and clear surface of a lake. So long as the surface was clear, one could see right through to the bottom, regardless of depth.

Whenever distracting thoughts flourished or bold, imaginative ideas arose, ripples would form on the surface of the clear and calm lake, as though stones were being thrown into it.

As the ripples formed and collided with each other, the surface of the lake would become turbulent, making it difficult to see through to its depths.

It was only by eliminating the many distracting thoughts in one’s mind and maintaining a calm state of focus on oneself that one could be free from their inner turmoil and gain insight into the subtleties of their body.

Upon realizing this, Pang Jian once again put all his attention into his cultivation. He felt more and more serene and his mind gradually became clear.

When he took a deep breath, Pang Jian could feel the subtle inflation of his abdomen. It was like his internal organs were receiving a gentle massage and thus becoming invigorated with energy.

He immediately understood that the so-called “awakening" was being able to comprehend the mysteries of his own body.

Merely reaching this step had brought tremendous benefits to Pang Jian. Every time he emerged from his meditation, he felt energized and his mind was clear.

His hearing and eyesight also showed small improvements and the stresses and worries he felt were greatly reduced.

On one particular day, while Pang Jian was concentrating on feeling the presence of qi, he noticed a warmth on his chest.

"Eh?”

Pang Jian lifted his shirt with a frown and looked at the bronze pendant on his chest.

Although the pendant looked primitive and crude, the back part that touched Pang Jian’s skin felt as smooth as jade. The front of the pendant was shaped like a bronze door with mysterious veins across its surface. This door also featured two ring handles, which appeared to be used for the opening of the bronze door.

Before Pang Jian’s father had mysteriously disappeared, he had torn off this pendant from his neck and gave it to Pang Jian.

Pang Jian had worn the bronze pendant for many years without ever noticing anything unusual or special about it. However, during his recent cultivation of the Qi Nourishing Divine Cauldron Art, whenever he sensed the presence of qi, the bronze pendant would become intensely hot.

Pang Jian held the bronze pendant that was on his chest and ran his fingertips over its front, feeling the rough pattern on the surface. He then gently pulled on the ring handles.

The pendant’s doors could not be opened and nothing unusual happened due to Pang Jian’s actions.

As Pang Jian’s concentration faltered, the pendant’s temperature returned to normal.

Pang Jian was unconcerned. After freshening up, he began another round of meditation with the purpose of understanding the flow of qi.

As he did so, the bronze pendant once again started heating up. However, Pang Jian no longer paid any attention to it.

***

One day, Pang Jian was quietly observing his inner state and focusing on his cultivation when he was disturbed by a noise outside.

Stepping out of his home, he noticed that in the murky sky above him, several dried-up bones suddenly appeared and fell on the northern part of the Fourth World like a meteor shower.

The bones disappeared into the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range and caused the surrounding ten thousand li to shake and explode. It also caused the stone house behind Pang Jian to sway violently.

Even from such a long distance away, Pang Jian could hear the frightened yet excited roars of the beasts in the mountain.

Pang Jian involuntarily thought back to the sight of a white sacred bone piercing the divine Green Condor and vaguely felt that the withered bones falling from the sky might be connected to it.

The difference was the sacred bone that killed the Green Condor appeared as bright as jade and shone with a brilliant light.

The withered bones that fell into the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range were gray and dull. The mysterious power they contained seemed to have been exhausted, making them appear dim and lifeless.

Alarmed by the abnormality, Pang Jian temporarily stopped his cultivation to pay closer attention to any changes in the sky.

Half a day later, Pang Jian saw a gilded chariot bathed in a magical golden light emerge from the depths of the thick clouds and fly toward the heart of the Solitary Mountain Range.

When the chariot landed, a loud sound erupted from the mountain. A dazzling pillar of golden light surged into the sky, lingering for a long period before finally subsiding.

Another day passed.

A huge sailboat descended from the sky. A pitch-black flag fluttered on it. At the center of the flag, there was a blood-colored crescent moon rising and falling, radiating an eerie brilliance.

Not long after, a rotating, translucent five-story white pagoda slowly descended from the upper world.

The chariot, the sailboat, and the white pagoda were all extraordinary sights, which greatly fascinated Pang Jian.

Gradually returning to his senses, Pang Jian realized that something major must have happened in the depths of the Solitary Mountain.

The cultivators from the upper world were either searching for the withered bones or investigating the abnormality of the bizarre mist.

Pang Jian had been hunting in the Solitary Mountain Range for many years and knew the ins and outs of the mountain. He knew exactly where the dangers were and which areas his father had forbidden him from entering.

Although he was curious, Pang Jian knew that huge changes had taken place in the Solitary Mountain Range. Therefore, for his own safety, he decided to postpone his hunting trip in the mountain and concentrate all his energy on the rare cultivation method.

When he saw that there were no more strange objects coming down from the upper world, he returned home to continue with his cultivation.

The qi mentioned in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was not like the air[2] he normally breathed. It was not simply breathed into the abdomen but required delicate guidance into one’s navel region.

This type of qi was also known as spiritual qi. It contained magical power and was the essence of a qi practitioner’s power.

Pang Jian suppressed his curiosity and desire to explore the Solitary Mountain Range. While he was trying to sense the presence of spiritual qi, he would often hear roars coming from the heart of the mountain, alongside angry screams of humans and the anguished cries of beasts.

He was certain that a fierce battle had broken out in the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range. However, he tried his best to bury his curiosity deep within his mind.

***

"It was here."

On this day, Pang Jian was working hard on his cultivation when he heard a sound coming from his courtyard. Alarmed, he rushed out to have a look.

A group of seven people riding tall, armored horses had arrived in front of his house and were standing at the fence.

Perhaps because he was too immersed in his cultivation and on observing the subtleties of his body, Pang Jian had not noticed the sound of the horses’ hooves.

Crack!

The visitors rode their horses forward without any hesitation and, in the process, destroyed the fence with the horses’ heavy hooves as they charged into the courtyard.

"The people of Linshan Town tell us that you always hunt in the Solitary Mountain Range and you are very familiar with the mountain. Is that true?"

A gloomy old man with a goatee rode an armored warhorse toward Pang Jian. He had no intention of dismounting as he spoke and he looked condescendingly at Pang Jian. With a tone that left no room for arguments, he stated, "We are preparing to go to the Solitary Mountain Range and we need a guide who is familiar with the area. We have decided that the guide will be you."

Pang Jian knew that the mountains had not been peaceful recently, and so, he gritted his teeth and refused. "I am not going."

"That is not up to you." The old man bared his teeth and laughed oddly. He untied a thick, black rope from the saddle, looking as though he was preparing to take Pang Jian away by force.

"Let me speak to him!" a young girl shouted lightly from behind the old man.

She urged her horse forward to stand in front of the old man, and it was clear that she also had no intention of dismounting. She tossed a pouch at Pang Jian as if she was giving alms to a beggar and said indifferently, "We are not unreasonable. We will reward you."

The pretty and curvaceous young girl was dressed in neat clothes that gave her a heroic appearance.

Comparing the young girl in front of him to the girls in Lin Shan Town was like comparing the shine of a grain of rice to the grandeur of a bright moon.

Since Pang Jian was a child, he had only stayed around the Solitary Mountain Range. He even rarely went to Linshan Town. So, when he looked at the young girl, he found himself in a daze.

Before Pang Jian could take a few more glances, a thin young man in a white robe riding a black horse scolded him.

"If you continue to stare, I will dig your eyeballs out.”

The young man’s narrow eyes were full of cold disdain.

Pang Jian said nothing. He just silently withdrew his gaze and picked up the pouch on the ground.

Upon opening it, he found that it was filled with large pieces of silver. It was enough for several years worth of supplies.

Pang Jian held the bag tightly, second thoughts creeping into his mind. The mountains had been silent for a long time, so perhaps the earlier riots and discords had already died down.

Since he was also curious about what had happened inside the mountain range, Pang Jian ultimately agreed to their demand. “Alright.”

"Heh, turns out he was a money-grubbing boy." The gloomy old man chuckled before raising his hand to point toward the Solitary Mountain Range. "Lead the way."

Pang Jian looked at the snow-white horse the girl was riding and said, "It’s too slow to walk. I’m going to need a horse."

"You’ll need a horse?"

The young man in the white robe glared at Pang Jian with his cold eyes. When he heard Pang Jian’s request, he became angry again. "You will do whatever I tell you to do. If you dare say another word, I will cut off your tongue."

Whenever he opened his mouth, the young man was either threatening to gouge out Pang Jian’s eyes or cut off his tongue. As Pang Jian guessed that the young man was in love with the girl in front of him, he could not help but look at the angry young man and then at the heroic, beautiful girl.

"Can you ride a horse?" the young lady asked coldly.

"I am a hunter in the mountains. What do you think?" Pang Jian asked in reply.

The girl was surprised, not expecting Pang Jian would dare to retort. With a sudden change in her bright eyes, she nodded lightly and ordered, "Liu Qi, you and Zhang Heng ride on the same horse. Let him ride yours."

"Alright.”

The man named Liu Qi reluctantly dismounted. He pulled the reins and led his crimson horse to Pang Jian. He patted the horse on the head before whispering something in its ear.

He then said, "This horse has a fierce temper. Don’t blame me if you get hurt.”

After saying this, he turned around with a smile and glanced at the young man in the white robe.

The young man’s eyes revealed his approval.

Pang Jian remained silent. He returned home and prepared his bow, arrows, and long saber before lifting a bamboo basket onto his back. After that, he took the reins and mounted the horse, whipping it to rush toward the Solitary Mountain Range.

The crimson warhorse suddenly dashed, and the sound of its footsteps reverberated through the air. It swayed wildly along the way like a violent and ferocious beast that had never been tamed.

Pang Jian’s upper body swayed violently with the horse, but his lower body always pressed close to the horse’s back, as if it had taken root. No matter how hard the horse tried to toss him, he was not thrown off.

The warhorse frantically dashed toward the Solitary Mountain Range, trying everything it could to toss Pang Jian, but, in the end, it still failed.

After a while, the exhausted warhorse accepted its fate and gradually calmed down.

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "This boy has some skill."

The heroic girl sighed softly. "I hope this trip goes well."

Her face was filled with worries. Her gaze was never on Pang Jian and the unruly horse. From the beginning, she was staring toward the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range, "Forces from the upper world, such as the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Radiant Sun Sect, have sent their people into the depths of the mountains. However, to this day, none have emerged and their fates remain unknown."

The girl paused momentarily. "The northern area of the Solitary Mountain Range is partially shrouded in bizarre mist and it has likely become a restricted area. Who knows how many terrors have spawned there."

"You shouldn’t have come here. You are destined to go to the upper world. Why would you risk your life here?" shouted the young man in the white robe.

The girl slowly shook her head, her white and flawless face full of determination. She calmly said, "From the moment we set foot on the path of cultivation, you and I were destined to not have a normal life. Furthermore, the great disturbances have subsided, and it has become relatively safe. If I die while exploring the Solitary Mountain Range, it only proves that my abilities and luck are lacking, and I wouldn’t survive long even if I went to the upper world."

"Let’s go." After giving the order, she took the lead and rode forward, with everyone hurrying to follow.

1. 壶 (Hu), which means cauldron, and 湖 (Hu), which means lake, have the same pronunciations but different meanings. ☜

2. The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron in Chinese is while air is (Kong Qi). Both qi and air share the same Chinese character 气 but the author is trying to point out that it’s not the same. ☜

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