The Abyssal Garden: No Room for the Idle

However.

Old Huang had guessed partly correctly.

Su Qi was indeed slacking off in a pioneering team, except this team... it was the Abyss Group, the one he least wanted to contact and had tried every means to avoid.

"Search for valuable items,"

"Then continue to the next world."

Old Huang didn't hesitate and led his team forward.

He didn't need to have any contact with the Heavenly Destiny People at this moment, as his pace was neither fast nor slow, since he needed to train his people, and there was no need to rush to the front.

Meanwhile.

He didn't mind spreading the name of The Hustlers Sect first.

"After all,"

Old Huang's eyes carried a bit of depth.

"After the sequence path is connected and countless ancient powers are revived, fame and belief... are more important than one might think."

"Su Buxian,"

"Let's see if you can catch this toss."

...

The abundance of world fragments on the periphery of the Dark Zone was being advanced by one team after another.

The strength of the fragments on the outer edge wasn't as high as everyone expected; only a small number flipped over or were completely wiped out, and, although there were various casualties, this... didn't affect the whole.

Meanwhile.

The people from the Meteor Alliance weren't taking action with the pioneering teams.

They numbered roughly a hundred and ten or so.

At this moment.

They were in a... weird world, where the mountains were full of sharp blades, and all the trees were covered with spikes and thorny iron blades.

"Be careful."

"It looks like others have been here before."

A white-haired youth from the Meteor Alliance spoke slowly as he looked at the flesh on the mountain slope: "Brother You, what do you think?"

You's eyes were deep, and his facial lines looked etched into his skin. Though he was only in his twenties, he appeared quite mature.

He was also dressed in a long robe decorated with patterns of fire-like clouds.

But this wasn't the key point.

What was important were his eyes, which featured crescent moon patterns that were slowly rotating with his gaze.

You, looking into the distance: "There were at least fifty people who died here."

He touched the bloodstains on the ground, his voice calm:

"The rest must have known that they couldn't venture further into this place and chose to abandon this world."

The members of the Meteor Alliance were all geniuses, and You was their current leader, possessing the strongest capabilities and fearsome judgment.

Most importantly.

You's past reputation—he was a fallen genius. Before his downfall, You had dominated countless rankings alone, and among the many geniuses present in his time, he was second to none.

However.

They all knew deeply that they were still far behind the man in front of them, You.

This was also why many geniuses of the Meteor Alliance were willing to let this man lead them.

The white-haired youth was named Lin Frost. He looked towards the top of Sword Mountain, where something was shimmering, and said softly, "What should we do? Try it, or retreat?"

As part of Paradise, they naturally knew... how to act. After all, the powers they had unlocked and liberated could contribute to the progress they made in this event.

Additionally.

Unlocking Present World powers would bring a sacred White Light, drawing towards them.

Previously in the Anxious Land, players had revealed... that this kind of protective sacred power seemed related.

Following a pioneering team was initially a good choice.

But.

Various restrictions, demands, and even exploitation from pioneering teams ultimately led them, a hundred or so individuals, to decide on their own path.

This was the pride of geniuses who refused to stand beneath others, and of course, part of it was because the overall strength of most pioneering teams was below theirs.

"We can give it a try."

The group stirred slightly: "Let's go!"

Even if they had once fallen and descended from high positions, their resurgence still carried extraordinary potential and strength!

The hundred or so people moved in unison!

And in less than a minute, they had already surpassed the bloody flesh zone halfway up the mountain.

This was the source of their confidence; each of them... possessed the strength to take on ten enemies, even without being part of any force.

They could still support each other and climb upward!

And...

Various sharp weapons in Sword Mountain began to roar and burst forth, launching attacks!

As they moved closer to the summit, the cold gleams grew more intense!

They could smell the stench of dissolving flesh at the tip of their noses.

"This place is..."

You's eyes narrowed: "All... the gathered corpses and flesh."

At the top of the mountain... were piles of flesh and blood, with a large pool formed from the copious blood.

In the middle of the pool was a spiked Blood Hammer, emitting a strange and terrifying aura.

Dark Abyss Power was sleeping on it!

Their expressions darkened slightly.

"This is... a weapon of the Abyss in slumber..."

Anything related to the Abyss is a horrifying taboo in the Present World and likewise a dangerous sign in Paradise.

The white-haired youth, Lin Frost, said gravely:

"We should not linger here for long. Since it's connected to the Abyss, it's likely that Abyss believers... and various other powers related to it might be approaching this world."

You, however, slowly pointed towards the giant Blood Hammer, his eyes' crescent moons closing fast in a spiral:

"That is not a weapon for sacrifice, but for Sealing."

"Underneath this Sword Mountain, an enemy of the Abyss is sealed."

Lin Frost's eyes moved slightly; an enemy of the Abyss... was naturally one of the ancient powers of the Present World.

Such a massive Sword Mountain was merely a seal; it suggested that this ancient power from the Present World must be quite significant.