Trials of the Abyss

Before long, the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf had slaughtered every foreign race warrior in the vicinity.

Flesh clung to his fangs, fresh blood dripped from his claws, and a river of flames manifested from his bloodlines flowed slowly before him.

Many Rank Seven and Rank Six Vicious Beasts were surprised to find themselves unharmed.

"You're my kin! Trust me, and I will bring hope to you all!

"There is a region called Northern Qi shrouded in bizarre mist where more of our kin dwell!

"I will lead you there and awaken your bloodline and intelligence so you can transform into the real Fey Race!" the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf roared.

He then selected the corpses of the stronger foreign race warriors to consume, digging out the hearts of the two Rank Eight warriors and devouring them as if savoring a rare delicacy.

Pang Jian frowned as he watched from atop the Heart of Winter in the distance.

The sight of the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf devouring some of the Wood Race warriors who revered and worshiped Pang Ling left him slightly uneasy.

After all, the Wood Race had also enslaved the Vicious Beasts in Divine Fortress and Divine Fortune. They fed them Bloodthirst Elixirs and sacrificed them in battles against human cultivators from the upper worlds.

The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf saw these Vicious Beasts as his younger kin.

The ancient Fey Race warrior's display of formidable prowess, his slaughter of the foreign race warriors, and primal feasting on his fallen foes was nothing more than a demonstration of the natural order for the Vicious Beasts.

After all, the foreign and human races also harvested Vicious and Spirit Beasts for their rare cultivation materials.

Pang Jian himself relied on the meat and blood of high-ranked Vicious Beasts to temper his body.

The strong preyed on the weak—this eternal truth governing all beings had remained unchanged since ancient times.

When Pang Jian realized this, he could not help but feel it reasonable for the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf to consume the corpses of his defeated foes.

The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf's eyes gleamed fiercely as his gaze swept across the trembling Vicious Beasts.

"Feast as you please!

"Those who called themselves your masters and rode on your backs—those who suppressed your bloodlines and intelligence—they're nothing more than food for you now!

"Eat them! If you refuse, I'll kill you myself!"

He menacingly raised his sharp claws.

Some of the Vicious Beasts retreated in fear at the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf's threats.

He nonchalantly spat a burst of flames in their direction.

A Rank Six Vicious Beast was instantly engulfed in flames. Its body crackled as it burned, and it was reduced to a charred skeleton in the blink of an eye.

Realizing they had no choice, the remaining Vicious Beasts reluctantly started devouring the corpses of their former masters.

The crunching of bones and flesh filled the air.

"Now, that's more like it!"

The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf laughed as it paced.

Shifting back into a red-haired man, he abruptly turned to face Pang Jian.

"Human! I'll let you live!

"I want you to let those humans in the upper worlds and our kin on the Sacred Soul Continent know that the ancient Fey Race has emerged once more!"

He pointed his bloodstained finger at the Vicious Beasts devouring their former masters.

"More Vicious and Spirit Beasts in the Abyss will come here upon learning of our return.

"We have the means to awaken their intelligence and rekindle the ancient bloodlines within them!

"Those accursed foreign races from the starry skies are using vile substances like Bloodthirst Elixirs to turn them into mindless killing machines!

"The Fey Race has never been their allies. They've only ever sought to exploit them.

"I, and the rest of the Fey Race, will wipe them out!" the red-haired man declared, fury rising with every word.

Pang Jian froze as he recalled the hordes of Berserk Beasts in the Third World.

A foreign race warrior from the starry skies had indeed concocted the Bloodthirst Elixir that imbued Vicious Beasts with strength in exchange for their lives.

The foreign races from the Fifth World suffered minimal losses in the Third World. The main casualties were the Vicious Beasts turned Berserk Beasts and the human cultivators fighting them.

It was no wonder the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf would brutally massacre the foreign races and even encourage the Vicious Beasts to devour the corpses of their former masters.

After some consideration, Pang Jian asked, "What will you do with the Giant Abyssal Serpent?"

Though cautious around the ancient Fey Race warrior, he was not afraid.

He had preemptively stoved away the Heart of Winter and was prepared to teleport away if necessary.

Even if he was not confident he could defeat the Rank Eight Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, he was certain of his ability to escape.

"The Giant Abyssal Serpent comes from the lineage of the Black Dragon," the red-haired man explained. "Once he understands the truth behind the Fey Race's seclusion and learns what those foreign races have done, he'll naturally join us!

"We'll trade that Celestial Race girl he serves for Fey Race warriors with ancient bloodlines!

"Once their ancient bloodlines are awakened, they'll become powerful allies for us!

"But you…" The red-haired man knitted his brows. "He called you 'master' as well."

Pang Jian's mind raced and he hastily asked, "A Gray Ape recently left the northern region of the Solitary Mountain Range and went to the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World. Is his departure related to the Fey Race?"

The red-haired man was visibly startled. "Who are you?"

"My name is Pang Jian."

"Pang-Pang Jian..."

The scarlet eyes of the Rank Eight Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf shone with a peculiar light.

"The soul of a black turtle that had left Central Lake Island said it received your help," the red-haired man recalled slowly. "The Giant Abyssal Serpent previously residing in Blackwater Pond also told me about you.

"And Yuan Qi—that Gray Ape you spoke of—he's my friend. He's mentioned you to me as well!

"You're Pang Jian!" the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf exclaimed.

Pang Jian was shocked. "You've met them all?"

"Of course I have!" The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf grinned. He was about to continue when his expression changed. "Powerful foreign races are approaching!

"Pang Jian, do us a favor and tell all the beings in the Abyss that the ancient Fey Race has resurfaced in Northern Qi!

"Let all the Vicious and Spirit Beasts know of our return!"

He then turned to the Vicious Beasts still gnawing on the corpses of their former masters and howled before darting into the bizarre mist.

"You can find Yuan Qi and learn about us through him!" he called. "Pang Jian, I have no enmity toward you—at least, not yet!"

All the Vicious Beasts followed him into Northern Qi shrouded in bizarre mist, scraps of their former masters still hanging from their mouths.

Though initially reluctant, the Vicious Beasts could not help but wonder what they would become once their bloodline and intelligence were awakened.

Pang Jian was astonished.

"Yuan Qi, with 'Yuan' standing for 'Ape' and 'Qi' representing the 'Qi' in Northern Qi? The Ape of Northern Qi?"[1]

The Rank Eight Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf's words sparked a strong curiosity within him and ignited a desire to uncover the truth.

Moments later, Pang Jian's divine sense detected flying vessels speeding toward him.

Dozens of Demon Scale Race warriors were on board, natural armor gleaming with each wielding a weapon.

Leading them was none other than Xuan Ying.

Behind her stood at least nine Rank Eight Demon Scale Race warriors.

This formidable force had caused the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf to cut their conversation short and hurriedly retreat into Northern Qi.

The Sacred Soul Continent, Yuan Qi, the black turtle, Li Yuqing…

Pang Jian's brow twitched and he teleported himself to the Cloud Wilderness in the Resolute Expanse using the Gate of the Abyss.

A quarter of an hour later, Xuan Ying and the Demon Scale Race warriors disembarked their flying vessels to the sight of charred belongings and dismembered limbs of warriors from the Radiant Race, the Mountain Ghost Race, and the Wood Race.

Their scorched bones and severed heads painted a brutal image of the battlefield.

"A terrifying Vicious Beast slaughtered them and feasted on their remains," a Rank Eight Demon Scale Race warrior remarked as he gazed toward the bizarre mist shrouding Northern Qi. "Yu Xin of the Celestial Race likely encountered a powerful beast horde within Northern Qi as well."

Xuan Ying frowned. "I can sense the presence of a divine artifact. That heart-shaped artifact Pang Jian uses was here."

"Are you suggesting the beast's attack is connected to Pang Jian?"

"Perhaps."

The Demon Scale Race warriors continued examining the battlefield and used communication artifacts to gather information about the perished warriors.

They soon learned that the fallen warriors included a Rank Eight Radiant Race warrior and a Rank Eight Mountain Ghost Race warrior.

"Miss Xuan Ying, I suggest we hold off on entering Northern Qi for now," a Demon Scale Race warrior advised. "Let's wait for reinforcements from the Radiant Race and the Mountain Ghost Race to arrive before exploring Northern Qi!"

He was concerned that Xuan Ying would act impulsively due to her past grievances with Pang Jian and sought to dissuade her from hasty action.

"I'll contact my father to arrange for Rank Nine reinforcements," Xuan Ying agreed, sharing his caution."Tell the Radiant Race and the Mountain Ghost Race to send at least one Rank Nine warrior to assist!

"There's something monumental happening in Northern Qi.

"I noticed no Vicious Beast corpses, meaning they all survived.

"The Vicious Beast responsible for the massacre of the Radiant Race, the Mountain Ghost Race, and the Wood Race had to possess remarkable intelligence to rally all those Vicious Beasts to follow it.

"A Vicious Beast like this, in ancient times, would've been called a Great Fey. Its strength surpasses anything you could imagine!"

As the daughter of Li Bai, the Patriarch of the Demon Scale Race, Xuan Ying naturally knew a lot about the history of the Abyss. Thus, she was more cautious than even the senior Demon Scale Race warrior advising her.

1. The name Yuan Qi combines the characters 袁 (Yuan) and 歧 (Qi). 袁 sounds the same as 猿, meaning 'Ape' in the name 'Gray Ape', while 歧 is the same character as in 北岐 (Northern Qi). ☜