Trials of the Abyss

Pang Jian stood in the darkness, spear gripped firmly in his hand.

Black murky energy surged through the spear shaft like black lightning, activating the arrays hidden deep within it in an instant.

Pang Jian keenly discerned that the intricate lines on the entire spear shaft acted like extensions of the meridians in his arms!

The fine lines were like insatiable sponges, greedily absorbing the black murky energy he infused into the Startling Slaughter Spear, causing it to glow in the darkness.

As the murky energy passed through the spear shaft, seven regions lit up as complex arrays silently activated.

Even without a single swing, as Pang Jian held the Startling Slaughter Spear, it seemed to fit naturally in his hand.

After being infused with his black murky energy, the silver spear felt like an extension of his body and soul.

The wondrous harmony between the spear and his soul deeply moved Pang Jian. It was a sensation that the Dragonwood Spear could never provide.

The destruction of the Dragonwood Spear no longer filled him with regret or dissatisfaction as Pang Jian now regarded the Startling Slaughter Spear as a key part of his life.

Recalling the spear technique, Pang Jian tried to wield the Startling Slaughter Spear in the darkness. The black murky energy in the spear suddenly flowed into three of the seven arrays on the spear shaft.

These arrays possessed the extraordinary ability to stack and amplify power exponentially. With each array that was activated, one’s spiritual power skyrocketed.

Bang!

Moments later, a dark sphere exploded at the spearhead.

The force of the explosion reverberated through the darkness, carrying with it a unique aura of destruction, devastation, and fury, and causing Pang Jian’s arm to tingle with a slight numbness.

Pang Jian’s eyes lit up.

The combination of the tainted energy of the Fifth World and the Explosive Dance spear technique of the Startling Slaughter Spear created an incredibly powerful attack!

The Explosive Dance is a wide-area attack...

Although he had grown accustomed to the Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian found himself unusually comfortable with the Startling Slaughter Spear. With a twist of his body, he thrust the long spear into the void.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Dark spheres exploded one after another in mid-air, resounding like deafening claps of thunder in the Fifth World.

A sea of frenzied explosive energy materialized in the sky above Pang Jian, created by the successive thrusts of the Startling Slaughter Spear.

This black sea of explosive energy emanated an aura of destruction and corrosion, almost seemingly like a forbidden zone for the living or a desolate realm for spirits.

Pang Jian’s heart swelled with tumultuous emotions.

If he had been wielding the Startling Slaughter Spear earlier, he could have easily shattered Dong Tianze’s sea of golden dagger light.

Realizing the potential of combining the black murky energy and the Startling Slaughter Spear, Pang Jian excitedly continued his experiments.

He soon discovered that the seven arrays engraved on the spear’s body could easily transform into other spear techniques with minor adjustments.

"Silver Crescent!"

Pang Jian swung the Startling Slaughter Spear, forming a massive black halo above his head.

The instant the halo formed, its core abruptly contracted, forcefully drawing a portion of the black murky energy from within him.

The core of the black halo transformed into a dark curtain and enveloped him in a protective barrier.

Pang Jian shook his head, dissatisfied with the result. "It’s too slow. I’m not proficient enough with it yet."

Engaged in repetitive drills, he strived to swiftly rotate the spear and effortlessly draw out a perfect circle in the shortest possible time.

New black halos materialized above Pang Jian’s head one after another.

With each new halo, the process became quicker as Pang Jian grew increasingly skilled with each subsequent attempt!

The most surprising thing to Pang Jian was the seemingly endless reservoir of black murky energy at his disposal when he stood in the darkness.

Whenever he utilized the black murky energy from his spiritual sea, the constant influx of new energy from his surroundings replenished it, ensuring his spiritual sea remained perpetually full.

This enabled him to practice his spear techniques outside the City Lord’s Mansion without having to rest or worry about depleting his strength.

***

Li Yuqing sat in the tunnel engulfed in darkness, nibbling on fruits and sipping fruit wine from a small jar. Her eyes filled with surprise as she watched Pang Jian.

She silently observed him before concluding, "He’s a genius. His cultivation talent almost matches mine."

She merely explained how to apply force and activate the arrays within the spear to activate the Explosive Dance and Silver Crescent spear techniques, vaguely demonstrating the spear techniques as she did so.

However, just by practicing a few times outside the City Lord’s Mansion, Pang Jian could now fully unleash those two spear techniques.

Moreover, he was using the black murky energy to unleash them, unexpectedly enhancing their potency.

"Those fighting inside the mansion have no idea the threat brewing outside, silently sharpening its fangs," Li Yuqing commented with an amused smile. Shaking the small wine jar in anticipation, she said, "It’s bound to be a spectacular sight when Pang Jian charges into the mansion with the Startling Slaughter Spear."

Seeing that Pang Jian had no issues, she quietly retreated into the tunnel.

***

Bang!

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion, "Demon" characters formed a large hand and sent Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion flying from the raised platform.

Qi Qingsong leaped out of the pool and glared at Luo Hongyan. "Are you merely a spectator in this battle?"

Throughout the battle, Luo Hongyan had yet to use her full strength.

He found himself at a disadvantage, but each time he was on the brink of being seriously injured, Luo Hongyan would shower starlight down to intercept Yuan Lengshan’s attack.

This frustrated Qi Qingsong endlessly.

"If I were just a spectator, you’d be dead by now." Luo Hongyan said from where she hovered over the edge of the pool. She sneered disdainfully, "You attacked Pang Jian with your sword intent. Consider yourself lucky I didn’t kill you."

"It was him who attacked me for no reason!" Qi Qingsong angrily exclaimed.

However, Luo Hongyan had no intention of reasoning with him at all.

"That’s also your fault. You shouldn’t have retaliated." Qi Qingsong was almost on the verge of spitting blood from anger when she finally said, "But the one who deserves to die the most isn’t you. It’s that despicable girl in white."

Yuan Lengshan was about to wave her hand to initiate another round of attacks when she heard Luo Hongyan’s words. She knitted her brows and asked, "When Dong Tianze chased Pang Jian, why didn’t you intervene?"

"He wasn’t in immediate danger," Luo Hongyan replied snappily as she snorted in disdain. "If he doesn’t face the consequences of his actions, he would’ve continued to be misled by that loose girl and would’ve ended up sacrificing himself for that big fool."

The derogatory terms "despicable girl" and "loose girl" were pointedly directed toward Yuan Lengshan, causing Yuan Lengshan’s eyes to fill with anger.

"A bunch of misfits from the Second World, strutting around in this Eight Trigrams City as if they own it. Don’t you guys feel ashamed?" Luo Hongyan condemned. Casting a sidelong glance at Qi Qingsong, she said, "You’re approaching twenty, but you’re still honing your swordsmanship at the Sword Pavilion. You haven’t even advanced to the Innate Realm. Yet, here you are, strutting around like you own the place."

Qi Qingsong’s face darkened but he stayed silent, offering no response.

He knew deep down that Luo Hongyan’s words held some truth.

As a member of the Sword Pavilion, he indeed held significant sway in Eight Trigrams City, and nobody dared to provoke him.

However, in the Sword Pavilion of the Second World, he was nothing more than an ordinary outer disciple often overlooked by others.

Luo Hongyan then glanced at Lin Beiye from the Black Valley Sect and sneered, "A sorry excuse of a man who had his tendons severed, plummeting him to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. He now clings to the hope of healing himself with Crystal Snow Lotus."

Lin Beiye’s complexion turned ashen.

"Then there’s the oldest among us. Who knows what connections she leveraged to join the Demon Heart Sect? Realizing her mediocre talents, she willingly plays the role of a protector for her junior sister, hoping to ride on the coattails of her success."

Luo Hongyan tutted, shaking her head. Her words dripped with sarcasm. "A bunch of misfits fighting tooth and nail for the treasures in the pool. It’s truly laughable."

Luo Hongyan insulted Yuan Lengshan as a "despicable" and "loose" girl but did not label her as a good-for-nothing like the others.

Despite not cultivating for as long as the others, Luo Hongyan could see that Yuan Lengshan’s cultivation realm and strength far surpassed that of Qi Qingsong, Lin Beiye, and Lan Xi. This was a testament to her exceptional cultivation talent and unwavering dedication.

She also did not mock or ridicule Dong Tianze. Since Dong Tianze hailed from the Fourth World, his cultivation realm was deemed passable.

Lan Xi from the Demon Heart Sect took a deep breath. Seeing Lin Beiye stop his attacks, she proposed, "Why don’t we first take care of this arrogant loudmouth inhabiting someone else’s body?"

"Agreed," Lin Beiye concurred.

Qi Qingsong hesitated.

"Hmph." Luo Hongyan flew to the raised platform where Lin Beiye had previously stood. Turning to face Yuan Lengshan, she said. "This is Eight Trigrams City and the City Lord was surnamed Yuan. This despicable girl spun quite a tale for us to hear. It appears she’s biding her time, waiting for the mysteries of the City Lord to reveal themselves."

Yuan Lengshan was taken aback. "Who exactly are you?"

Luo Hongyan responded with a cold smile.

Everyone suddenly turned to the wall in shock.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Shadowy figures emerged from the green walls of the mansion. Although initially faint and fuzzy, their figures soon became clear and distinct.

Many figures in ancient garb seemed to have stepped out from the depths of history as if transported from a distant place that existed three thousand years ago.

Some of these figures were engaged in lively conversations as if in a bustling market. Their varied expressions and interactions were remarkably lifelike.

The mansion was soon filled with the chatter of voices.

Even Lan Xi found herself bewildered by the scene before her. Yuan Lengshan had not mentioned anything like this to her.

"Junior Sister, who are they?" Lan Xi could not help but ask.

"They’re the original inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City. They knew nothing about the blood sacrifice." Yuan Lengshan’s face turned cold as she looked at Luo Hongyan. She said quietly, "Before my ancestors from the Yuan family even knew what was happening, they were sentenced to death and wiped out overnight!"

Qi Qingsong and Lin Beiye knitted their brows at Yuan Lengshan’s words, evidently finding the circumstances to be a little too cruel.

Li Jie had been observing them and decided to add in a small voice, "That’s because they deserved it."

Yuan Lengshan turned toward Li Jie.

Li Jie shrunk back. "I’m not looking for trouble. I’m just a spectator. Besides, I was just speaking the truth."

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