Trials of the Abyss

Li Yuqing slowly sipped from her delicate wine flask as she explained, starry eyes occasionally glancing at the sky.

Everybody present listened in captivation.

"The True Gods of the First World are also uncertain about the situation beyond the Abyss," she said. "They're both curious and worried about the world beyond.

"Many True Gods want to venture out, but they fear doing so, hoping instead to learn about the outside world through the Outer Gods."

She then shook her head and did not elaborate further on the topic.

"Beyond the Abyss?"

"The world beyond the Abyss..."

Her words left many people in deep thought.

No new Outer Gods appeared even after a long time

Pang Jian was chatting with Zhou Qingchen and the others when Li Yuqing abruptly spoke up.

"Pang Jian, let's talk," she said before flying off into the distance.

Pang Jian knew there was no avoiding this so he obediently got up and followed her.

Several hundred zhang away, the young girl in green traced a circle with her sword light, creating a barrier that shut out all prying eyes.

As soon as Pang Jian entered, she huffed, "You forgot my voice."

Although her face was slightly flushed, her clear eyes remained bright, showing no trace of drunkenness.

Pang Jian froze, unsure of how to respond. He had braced himself to be interrogated, so her casual complaint was a surprise.

Li Yuqing glared at Pang Jian with dissatisfaction, then brought out a familiar set of tables and chairs alongside an array of prepared dishes.

"I'm a bit hungry," she said, taking a seat before staring pointedly at the empty chair across from her.

Pang Jian sat down stiffly and she immediately started devouring the food.

"There were too many people watching me just now. I felt too embarrassed to grab anything to eat," she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

Watching her tear into the meat with greasy hands sent a wave of nostalgia through Pang Jian. He felt like he was back in the dark tunnel in Eight Trigrams City two years ago.

Li Yuqing had not changed. She was still the same girl who loved meat and wine.

However, Pang Jian's mindset had shifted.

He now knew her esteemed identity, had witnessed her terrifying strength, and was aware she held some leverage over him.

These factors combined meant he felt far less at ease than he used to when facing her.

"How could you forget my voice?" Li Yuqing stared at Pang Jian with a cold expression, a greasy chicken leg grasped in her hand.

Pang Jian awkwardly explained, "We didn't even meet once after leaving Eight Trigrams City. It's been a long time. Isn't it normal for me to not immediately recognize your voice?"

"Is that so?" Li Yuqing's gem-like eyes gleamed with a piercing light that seemed to see through Pang Jian. "Then can you explain why the World Eater Vine in Divine Fortune wrote that message when I was about to kill it?"

Pang Jian fell silent.

After some thought, he tentatively asked, "You know I can communicate with it?"

"Obviously!" Li Yuqing rolled her eyes, picked up a piece of braised beef, and confidently said, "No matter what kind of relationship you have with it, the fact that it wrote that message proves you two are connected!

"When I was about to kill it, it deliberately wrote that line. You must've told it to do so.

"And you still dare to say you haven't seen me?"

Pang Jian awkwardly scratched his head.

"You've changed. You've started to lie. You're no longer as straightforward and honest as you were in Eight Trigrams City," she commented. Noticing Pang Jian sitting stiff and not touching any food, she pushed a plate of chicken wings toward him. "Tell me, where did you find that World Eater Vine sapling?"

"The Solitary Mountain Range," Pang Jian continued to lie, now gnawing on a chicken wing. "A bone from the Celestial Phoenix fell from the sky and pierced through a World Eater Vine buried deep in the ground. I found the sapling next to its dead roots."

Li Yuqing was surprised. "The Solitary Mountain Range?"

"Yes, the one now covered by the bizarre mist."

Pang Jian thought this would deter her from investigating.

Li Yuqing looked intrigued.

"This mountain range seems interesting. I'll make time to check it out," she said, contrary to Pang Jian's expectations. "The World Eater Vine can't grow into a World Tree without the nourishment of murky energy and the support of the Wood Race.

"In the past, no matter how much it grew in the Solitary Mountain Range, it had its limits. However, it has endless possibilities with Divine Fortune as it is now.

"Before I left the Fourth World, I took another look at the fragmented land. The World Eater Vine is already trying to merge with other fragmented lands, and a powerful tribe from the Wood Race is protecting it.

"Even if I wanted to kill it now, it would be tough given that it's in control of its own domain," Li Yuqing said with some frustration.

She had not expected the World Eater Vine to grow so powerful in such a short time. It had grown strong enough to be a headache even for someone like her.

Pang Jian remained composed on the surface, but he was inwardly excited.

Has the little tree really become that formidable?

"Be honest with me. Can you control it?" Li Yuqing's gaze sharpened. Pang Jian could almost feel a slight stinging sensation on his face. "Think carefully before answering. If you can't control it, I'll have to find a way to destroy it."

"I can!" Pang Jian answered resolutely.

"You're so weak, how can you control it?"

"I'll keep getting stronger."

"I doubt you can grow faster than it. I'm worried it'll turn on you."

"It won't!"

They argued as they ate.

Before long, they had finished all the food on the table. Not even a single piece of meat was left.

"Forget it." Li Yuqing clapped her hands and brought out a basin to wash up. "The world is already chaotic enough. Adding one more World Eater Vine that might never become a World Tree won't make things much worse. I can always cut it down once I become a True God if it does."

It appeared she was giving Pang Jian some leeway and had decided not to preemptively eliminate the potential threat.

Pang Jian hastily expressed his gratitude.

After she finished washing up, Pang Jian did the same, just like they once did in Eight Trigrams City.

"What's the situation with your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea?" Li Yuqing casually asked.

"I have solar energy, stellar energy, lunar energy, cold energy, earthflame energy, and lightning," Pang Jian shared openly. "When I was stuck in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm and could not break through, I went to Cloud Lightning and absorbed the lightning there.

"After I formed a lightning vortex in my spiritual sea, my realm advanced."

Li Yuqing's eyes brightened. "Oh, so you're Luo Yuan?"

"How do you know everything?!" Pang Jian was shocked.

"I'm from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect. Our family has a vast information network. Word got around that someone named Luo Yuan in Cloud Lightning killed that annoying crane from the Pure Land Sect.

"Of course, I also know the crane didn't die. It's already returned to the Pure Land Sect."

Li Yuqing put away the table and chairs, then wiped her hands with a handkerchief.

After a moment of thought, she added, "The sky above Spirit Offering is riddled with seals the Outer God created long ago. When the Abyss opens, these seals will activate, and I can only use my sword to take one person away.

"Pang Jian, remember to stay close to me. If something truly unexpected happens, I'll take you out of Spirit Offering.

"We're acquainted. Not to mention, the Sword Pavilion intends to take you as a personal disciple and I owe them a favor.

"So, if I can only take one person with me, that person will be you," she said seriously

Pang Jian was stunned. "Are you saying you may not be able to handle the Outer Gods scattered around Spirit Offering?"

"I can deal with the scattered ones. The problem is, they have a leader now." Li Yuqing frowned. "An Outer God capable of uniting the weaker Outer Gods—I'm not confident against that.

"Pang Jian, what I'm relying on is a divine artifact. I'm only in the Soul Wandering Realm myself," the young girl said helplessly.

"What about everyone else?" Pang Jian asked.

"Everyone else?" Li Yuqing pursed her lips. "The Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Star River Alliance will lose their leaders, but new ones will rise.

"Pang Jian, you have to learn to let go. More and more people will die as time goes on, and we can't save everyone.

"The Outer Gods may wipe out the sects in the Third World, but new ones will eventually rise after the Outer Gods are cleared out.

"Countless sects have been lost to history already. As for cultivators?" Li Yuqing sighed and shook her head. "Far more of them have perished."

Despite her young age, she exhibited an extraordinary detachment—or perhaps, a cold indifference—regarding the cycles of life and death.

With that, she rose into the air and gracefully landed atop a black stone pillar to quietly rest with her eyes half-closed.

Pang Jian returned to the sight of Zhou Qingchen's cheerful face; Gao Yuan and Han Ting chatting nervously with the members of the Red Mountain Sect; and the chubby Han Duping standing with Jiang Li.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Pang Jian thought gloomily as he made small talk with the group.

He struggled to maintain the carefree demeanor that came so naturally to Li Yuqing.

The next day, the blazing sun hung high in the clear sky.

Whoosh!

An Outer God with the face of a human and the body of a spider appeared in the distance and slowly flew closer.

It's him! Pang Jian's expression changed.

The appearance of the arachnid Outer God fully confirmed that the Outer God possessing Xie Xiwen had been defeated.

Unlike before, the spider limbs and human face had since merged to form a complete being.

This Outer God's power has definitely increased, Pang Jian noted.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

A ten-zhang-tall wooden figure emitting corrupting energy appeared from the opposite direction.

It had an aged, male face, with a sinister force capable of withering all life into desolation emanating from the depths of its grayish-brown eyes.

Just looking at it drained Pang Jian's vitality.

The wooden figure stared straight at Li Yuqing with its eerie eyes.

It clearly knew she was the most formidable opponent among their group.

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