Trials of the Abyss

Beneath the crystal-clear ice of the now-frozen lake, a magnificent city reappeared in the mortal world.

Three thousand years flew by as swiftly as galloping steeds, carrying away every living soul from the city’s embrace and leaving the city to stand alone in the realm of the unknown.

An ancient city that had been lost for three thousand years! Pang Jian’s heart trembled as he marveled at the city beneath the lake. He could not fathom how such a city could have vanished.

The city stood quietly at the bottom of the lake, seemingly untouched by the passage of time. Its streets remained pristine as if the stone brick had been newly laid, and the walls gleamed without a speck of dust.

The city comes from the Second World, where it once stood tall amidst the sky. Why did it appear in Black Orchid Lake after three thousand years? Pang Jian wondered. An abrupt realization struck him. The bizarre mist!

Pang Jian’s eyes widened in astonishment as he shifted his gaze from the ancient city to the motionless, dense gray mist.

Did the bizarre mist bring forth the lost ancient city and project it onto the bottom of Black Orchid Lake?

"Everyone, don’t act recklessly!" Luo Hongyan’s voice could be heard from within the Divine Spirit Pagoda, which hovered unsteadily in the air.

Pang Jian turned to see the white pagoda floating above his head. He was secretly amazed.

He did not expect that she could actually repair the Divine Spirit Pagoda just with the spirit stones that everyone had on hand.

Swoosh!

The wobbling white pagoda slowly floated upward under the gaze of Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

Luo Hongyan’s graceful figure could be seen from the window of the fifth floor of the white pagoda, peering down at Black Orchid Lake as her bright eyes gleamed in contemplation.

As Pang Jian observed her, he noticed that her eyes seemed to shimmer with countless specks of light when she was lost in thought.

Zhou Qingchen was still reeling from the shock of the long-lost ancient city’s appearance. He stared fixedly at the city and remained oblivious to Luo Hongyan’s presence.

"The bizarre mist has stopped its advance and a long-lost ancient city has inexplicably appeared at the bottom of the lake," Luo Hongyan muttered softly.

She controlled the white pagoda to hover over the lake to survey the city from different angles.

The wobbling white pagoda became increasingly stable.

All she needed to do at this point was lower the white pagoda to pick up Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen. They could then leave the strange Black Orchid Lake before the bizarre mist moved again.

But she did not do that.

After observing from the sky for a while, she directed the white pagoda to stop above the island. Following Pang Jian’s previous example, she gracefully leaped out of the window and landed lightly in front of Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

"Zhou Qingchen, how much do you know about Eight Trigrams City?" Luo Hongyan inquired.

After contemplating briefly, he answered, "I only know that it’s an ancient city that was once part of the Second World. It resided in a region near the boundary wall of the Second World. One day, the bizarre mist unexpectedly spread, and the entire city vanished without a trace.’"

"I’ve never been to the Second World, so I’m not familiar with the details," he added sheepishly.

Han Duping and Su Meng had also witnessed the magnificent city from within the white pagoda when it ascended into the sky. Both of them were equally astounded by the sight.

"The bizarre mist shouldn’t advance while Eight Trigrams City is below the lake," Luo Hongyan said. She pondered for a long while before reluctantly adding, "Someone once told me that when mirage-like phenomena like this appear near the bizarre mist, Mirror Tunnels will often form.

"A Mirror Tunnel will form somewhere on the surface of Black Orchid Lake. Eight Trigrams City exists, but it’s not actually under the lake beneath us. I don’t know where exactly it is, but what I do know is that the Mirror Tunnel should bring us to the real Eight Trigrams City."

"Mirror Tunnel?"

The unfamiliar term puzzled everyone. Even the experienced and knowledgeable Han Duping was unsure what it meant.

Seeing the confusion on everyone’s faces, Luo Hongyan continued her explanation.

"Yes. It’s called a Mirror Tunnel. When something like this occurs, not only the Solitary Mountain Range, but also certain restricted areas in the Third World, and some peculiar regions in the Second World might form similar Mirror Tunnels.

"These Mirror Tunnels will allow people to travel to Eight Trigrams City and explore the truth behind its disappearance. Once inside, one will face many uncertainties within the city and may encounter people from other worlds."

Luo Hongyan’s expression turned serious. She felt unsettled and feared Pang Jian would insist on going to the city.

"Eight Trigrams City holds profound mysteries within. You can consider the appearance of the Mirror Tunnel as a trial, but your opponents will come from different worlds," Luo Hongyan continued. Sighing, she added, "For those of you from the Fourth World, encountering people from the other two worlds might be..."

She shook her head.

Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and even Su Meng, all showed signs of curiosity. They were deeply intrigued by her words.

Pang Jian went straight to the point and asked, "What cultivation realms are our opponents likely to be in?"

"There’s an upper limit on the cultivation realm to enter the Mirror Tunnel. Since it also appeared in the Fourth World, the upper limit is the Marrow Cleansing Realm. You won’t encounter anyone with a cultivation realm over the Marrow Cleansing Realm," Luo Hongyan affirmed confidently.

"The strongest won’t be above the Marrow Cleansing Realm?" Pang Jian took a deep breath, eyes lighting up in a fiery blaze.

Seeing his determined look, Luo Hongyan sighed. She knew that she probably would not be able to dissuade him now.

Zhou Qingchen smiled wryly. "Pang Jian, the Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Third World and Second World are on a completely different level from those in our world. Their cultivation methods, spirit artifacts, and even their resources are beyond our wildest imaginations."

Pang Jian nodded. He understood what Zhou Qingchen was worrying about.

According to Zhou Qingchen, many geniuses in the Red Mountain Sect of the Third World had surpassed him. The Second World surely housed even more extraordinary talents.

The Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the two worlds above, with their special cultivation techniques and the trials they had endured, were incomparable to them.

Encountering such characters in Eight Trigrams City would be far from a pleasant experience.

Luo Hongyan reluctantly declared, "Pang Jian, if you want to go to Eight Trigrams City, I am willing to accompany you."

"What can we find in Eight Trigrams City?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

"Something that Red Mountain Sect would never be able to give you," Luo Hongyan answered.

Zhou Qingchen’s eyes lit up with curiosity, and he grinned. "I’m also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. I’d like to enter Eight Trigrams City and take a look. If I miss this opportunity, who knows when I’ll have such an encounter again!"

"I-" Su Meng timidly glanced at Luo Hongyan and asked softly, "Sister Ning, if you’re going, could you...take me along too?"

"You’re too weak. I should just use the Divine Spirit Pagoda to send you away from Black Orchid Lake," Luo Hongyan said coldly.

"I want to avenge my father. Dong Tianze is too powerful. Without a fortuitous encounter, I will never be able to get revenge in my lifetime," Su Meng pleaded, her round face contorted with anguish.

Zhou Qingchen abruptly shouted, "Dong Tianze briefly appeared at the bottom of the lake. He might have gone to Eight Trigrams City! He seemed to have been hiding near one of the black turtle’s limbs and was already at the bottom of the lake when Eight Trigrams City emerged."

Before Zhou Qingchen could finish describing Dong Tianze’s appearance, Pang Jian interjected, "I’ll enter Eight Trigrams City."

Luo Hongyan’s eyes gleamed with a sense of helplessness. However, she did not bother to dissuade him and instead asked, "Su Meng, do you want me to send you away?"

Su Meng frantically shook her head.

"Fine." Luo Hongyan nodded. She then raised her hand and pointed at the white pagoda, "Pang Jian, on the lowest floor of the white pagoda are some spiritual stones that I laid out but did not use. Go and draw upon the spiritual power within them, and open up the four meridians connecting to the soles of your feet as quickly as you can.

"While you do that, I’ll seek out the Mirror Tunnel on the lake’s surface and find a way for us to reach Eight Trigrams City. Pang Jian is an integral part of our group. Does anyone object to him using those spirit stones to enhance his strength?"

"I have no objections!" Su Meng hurriedly responded, not wanting Luo Hongyan to change her mind about allowing her to stay.

An excited Zhou Qingchen shrugged and grinned. "I don’t think Eight Trigrams City will lack spirit stones!"

Luo Hongyan’s lips curled with a hint of mockery. She glanced at him as though looking at a country bumpkin and said, "There are many legends about Eight Trigrams City of the Second World. All of them mention a plethora of cultivation materials."

"Hurry up and go to the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Don’t waste everyone’s precious time!" Zhou Qingchen chuckled as he playfully shoved Pang Jian.

Pang Jian headed toward the white pagoda.

"All of you, get ready. I’ll go look for the entrance to Eight Trigrams City." Luo Hongyan moved gracefully away from the island’s center. She did not step onto the crystalline lake surface and wandered around the island’s edge.

"Young Zhou, let’s have a private chat," Han Duping said, pulling Zhou Qingchen aside as he deliberately avoided Su Meng.

He quietly voiced his suspicions about "Ning Yao’s" sudden knowledge of spirit plants and complex arrays.

"Yeah, I noticed something was off a while ago," Zhou Qingchen agreed with a nod. "It’s okay, we’ll just have to be careful. I just wonder how much of what she said about Eight Trigrams City is true."

"We’ll only know once we’re in." Han Duping sighed with a solemn expression on his face. "Have you thought it through? How confident are you in facing off against those from the Third and Second World?"

"I’m not that confident, but I still want to try. Eight Trigrams City isn’t hidden deep within the bizarre mist. What’s there to be afraid of?"

"Alright then, this old man will accompany you!"

***

On the lowest floor of the white pagoda, Pang Jian glanced around at the spirit stones and returned to the spot he had previously used to cultivate.

When he entered the state of cultivation, all the distracting thoughts about Eight Trigrams City instantly left his mind.

Strands of spiritual power, mixed with different impurities, flowed into his dantian to be purified and refined.

Unlike before, the spiritual power this time was significantly inferior in purity and density.

However, he understood that this was the best he could do with what he had.

Even Luo Hongyan, with her resourcefulness, could not conjure something out of nothing. Getting the white pagoda back into the sky without the spirit jades was already quite the achievement.

***

The deep darkness of night descended once again, and with it, a sense of foreboding.

The frozen Black Orchid Lake shimmered brightly in the night of the Fourth World.

The light came from the city beneath the lake.

Eight Trigrams City gleamed brightly beneath the lake’s surface, illuminating the eerie atmosphere of Black Orchid Lake. Only the island in the center was shrouded in darkness.

Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and Su Meng observed the unusual scenes of Eight Trigrams City.

Suddenly, they noticed tiny dots of light, like fireflies, appearing on the edges of Eight Trigrams City.

These small dots of light moved through the dazzling streets of Eight Trigrams City, seemingly advancing toward its center.

Some of these lights collided with each other as if engaged in fierce combat, and some of them were occasionally extinguished.

Zhou Qingchen raised an eyebrow and shouted, "People have already entered!"

He realized that those dots of light were all cultivators like himself, possibly from the Third World or the Second World.

The extinguished dots of light likely signified someone leaving Eight Trigrams City, or perhaps meeting their demise within its confines.

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