Trials of the Abyss

In the center of the courtyard lay a pool, with green raised platforms several zhang high erected at each corner.

These platforms appeared to be designed to allow those standing atop them to have a clear view of the four exotic treasures displayed within the pool.

At this moment, seated on the platforms were Lan Xi from the Demon Sect, Lin Beiye from the Black Valley Sect, Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion, and Dong Tianze, who had obtained an essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

The rest were scattered around the edge of the pool.

The pillar light was still retracting and was about to vanish into the pool.

Not only Lan Xi, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong, but also the look on Dong Tianze’s face that turned grave.

As greedy, fiery gazes pierced the pool’s surface like needles, many people’s breaths quickened.

Pang Jian grew wary. As he silently observed his surroundings, he noticed the people around him were all in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

However, there were no obvious emblems on their clothes, so they likely did not have prestigious backgrounds like Qi Qingsong and the other two did.

In the space between Dong Tianze’s and Lan Xi’s raised platforms, a portion of the pool water had solidified into ice, forming a translucent ice crystal that floated on the pool’s surface.

This peculiar ice crystal was the Mirror Tunnel and was the hope for survival in the eyes of many.

As Pang Jian studied the situation, he spotted the girl in white approaching Qi Qingsong’s platform in a move reminiscent of Pang Jian’s earlier actions.

Pang Jian let out a soft gasp. "You..."

Noticing him, the girl pressed a slender finger against her lips beneath her veiled face, signaling him to keep quiet.

Pang Jian gently nudged Zhou Qingchen’s shoulder, bringing the girl’s movements to his attention.

"Hm," Zhou Qingchen hummed in acknowledgment. He had also been vigilantly watching the girl in white and secretly preparing himself.

A sudden upheaval occurred!

As the pillar of light completely retracted into the pool, the figures gathered around all rushed toward it.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Those lingering around the pool had been waiting for this opportunity!

Their plan was simple; rush into the pool, retrieve the desired treasures, then promptly enter the Mirror Tunnel, thus acquiring the treasure and escaping in one fell swoop.

If they were fast enough and the situation devolved into sufficient chaos, even the trio from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the Black Valley Sect could not stop them in time. Or rather, they could not stop everyone.

Someone among them was bound to succeed!

"Be careful!" Zhou Qingchen warned in a low growl.

He had not expected that the dozen or so people left would move with such unity and rush toward the pool the instant the pillar of light completely retracted into it.

However, he knew that the individuals on the raised platforms would never allow these people to have their way.

On one of the raised platforms, Lan Xi remained sat cross-legged. Her ordinary-looking face bore a disdainful smirk as she regarded the group below like a bunch of clowns.

She gently flicked her skirt.

Numerous colorful "Demon" characters flew out from her skirt with a rustle. Like a swarm of bloodthirsty butterflies, they gracefully flew toward anyone daring to approach the ancient chest and the robe.

These eye-catching "Demon" characters pierced through several people in the pool. Those in the water were unaware of what had struck them and floated belly-up like dead fish.

The faces of these floating corpses were filled with terror. They looked as though the horror continued to haunt their souls even in death.

The taciturn man with a hoarse voice had been watching the white jade bottle in the pool the whole time. Icy killing intent flickered in his eyes.

Standing at the edge of the raised platform, he extended his palms toward the pool and murmured incomprehensible words under his breath.

Two dark halos emerged from his palms, like bottomless ancient wells filled with life-reaping darkness.

Whoever his palm faced in the pool would be swirled around, their flesh and bones torn into pieces as they spun.

The clear pool water was now tainted with blood, and body parts were scattered everywhere.

"What a hassle." Qi Qingsong sighed, drawing the spirit sword that had caused great trouble for Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Beams of ethereal white sword light fell onto those in the pool. Those touched by the sword light were cleaved apart like blocks of tofu.

Pang Jian’s eyes widened in horror. He could not help but take a deep breath. The Dragonwood Spear in his hand felt like it had become heavier.

Although Lan Xi of the Demon Sect, Lin Beiye of the Black Valley Sect, and Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion were also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, their conduct in killing those in the same cultivation realm was relaxed and casual like slaughtering mere animals.

"I knew it would turn out like this. What a bunch of short-sighted fools. They deserved to die the way they did," Luo Hongyan said disdainfully as she watched the scene unfold. She shook her head and snickered. "They actually believed that acting together in a group meant that someone could seize the treasure and escape. How naive."

Meanwhile, Dong Tianze had stood up on one of the raised platforms, intending to join the battle when he noticed those in the water were being slaughtered one-sidedly.

Some were cut in half by Qi Qingsong’s sword light before they even entered the pool, causing their severed limbs and belongings to scatter outside the water.

Those in the pool could not even get close to the treasure before they met their untimely demise.

Corpses floated along the surface, and the once crystal-clear water turned crimson with blood.

The blood did not taint the ancient chest, the floating robe, the silver spear, and the white jade bottle, and the treasures remained as radiant as ever.

The gruesome scene before them caused Dong Tianze to knit his brows, while Leng Yuan pursed her lips behind him.

After scratching his nose awkwardly, Dong Tianze sat down once again.

He finally understood why the trio only needed to show off the emblems on their chests to be avoided. They did not need to go through the bloody slaughter like he did to claim a seat on the raised platforms.

Dong Tianze was puzzled by how the trio acted in such unison when the dozen or so cultivators rushed into the pool.

It was like some sort of rule book guided their actions within their respective sects.

"Are you two really going to work together with that girl?" Luo Hongyan asked with a cold snort as she turned to look at Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen. The pair’s faces darkened with each passing second. Those few fellows did quite well in showing off their strength.

The two beside her should have reined in their impulsiveness and refrained from acting recklessly by now.

Rumble!

An explosion erupted from the raised platform where Qi Qingsong had been standing, sending debris flying in all directions.

Pang Jian turned toward the explosion and saw the girl in white raise her hands high like she was levitating a massive object in the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The shattered rocks gathered above her head, seemingly enveloped by a violent storm that was madly swirling them.

Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion was caught in it, pulled in by the storm’s terrifying magnetic field. He was tossed and spun wildly within.

The petite girl could seemingly control gravity and used it to create a violent storm above her head.

Her eyes were filled with coldness as she twisted her waist and pivoted in place, spinning the massive storm. Qi Qingsong was trapped in the violent storm, unable to fly away or descend.

"It’s your turn!" she shouted.

Although Luo Hongyan had warned them, when Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen saw the girl had single-handedly trapped Qi Qingsong in a violent storm, they unhesitatingly dashed forward.

"The two fools! They don’t even realize they’re being used as pawns!" Luo Hongyan cursed, stomping her foot in frustration as she felt her advice had fallen on deaf ears.

Zhou Qingchen took the lead, tossing a bag of poison powder toward the storm. He nullified all the defensive properties of his Heartguard Mirror and transformed it into a crimson beam that blasted at Qi Qingsong.

"Qi Qingsong! Die!"

Rumble!

The shattered rock debris swirling in the violent storm with Qi Qingsong disintegrated one after another under the assault of the crimson beam. The beam also hit Qi Qingsong, causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

Whoosh!

Following the crimson beam, a spear resembling a fiery meteor streaked toward the violent storm.

Qi Qingsong hastily raised his spirit sword to block and deflect the spear hurled by Pang Jian.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Pang Jian picked up the short swords and spears strewn across the floor and infused them with spiritual power before hurling them at Qi Qingsong.

Zhou Qingchen tightened his grip on the Heartguard Mirror and wildly infused his spiritual power into it, unleashing the full force of its offensive potential.

The refined spiritual power, enhanced by the arrays on the mirror’s surface, converged into a ferocious beam that hit its target with unrestrained power.

Each time the crimson beam struck Qi Qingsong, he let out a stifled groan, leaving him in a state of weightlessness as blood spewed uncontrollably from his mouth.

Pang Jian alternated between picking up his Dragonwood Spear and other miscellaneous spirit artifacts found nearby and launching them into the storm at Qi Qingsong.

Before long, Qi Qingsong was covered in wounds from head to toe.

However, not a drop of his splattered blood fell to the ground. Instead, it vaporized into a bloody mist, dyeing the violent storm a deep scarlet hue.

"That girl is quite strong." Luo Hongyan stared in astonishment at the girl in white.

She was finally convinced the girl in white robes had not lied to them and truly possessed the combat prowess to match Qi Qingsong.

Her ability completely restrained Qi Qingsong. Just a few allies on her side allowed her to defeat him without any difficulty.

Due to their previous aggression toward Qi Qingsong, Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen were naturally prime candidates for such a role.

After observing for a while, Luo Hongyan could tell that without external intervention, Qi Qingsong would soon be overwhelmed by the trio. "They might actually succeed."

Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong could not contain his frustration as he shouted hoarsely, "Lin Beiye, you bastard, how much longer are you going to watch?"

Luo Hongyan’s expression changed, and she shouted, "Pang Jian, come back!"

Zhou Qingchen was greatly shaken.

Even the girl in white looked astonished at Qi Qingsong’s words.

Lin Beiye had been silently focused on the white jade bottle in the pool this whole time and replied impatiently. "You’re not dead yet."

Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen cried out in near unison.

"Young Master Zhou, quick, return to Black Orchid Lake!"

"Pang Jian, let’s go!"

Pang Jian retrieved his Dragonwood Spear while Zhou Qingchen fully activated the defensive abilities of his Heartguard Mirror. They then sprinted toward the Mirror Tunnel in perfect coordination!

The treasures in the pool were the least of their concerns. All they wanted now was to escape before Lin Beiye made his move.

The pair understood that Lin Beiye from the Black Valley Sect and Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion had long since formed an unspoken alliance.

No matter how reckless or impulsive Zhou Qingchen was, he knew that the joined forces of Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong spelled certain death for them. They would not stand a chance.

Their only chance for survival was to leave through the Mirror Tunnel as quickly as possible!

Luo Hongyan stood below the raised platform of the Demon Sect’s Lan Xi. Pang Jian, determined to retreat, glanced at her from afar and urged her to leave as well, "Let’s go!"

Luo Hongyan’s hesitant gaze fell on the white jade bottle gently bobbing in the pool.

It was so close to her.

"You two go ahead, don’t worry about me. I’m just a burden no one cares about anyway," Luo Hongyan stubbornly retorted, ignoring Pang Jian’s urging.

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