Trials of the Abyss

Pang Jian truthfully recounted the large, black-furred ape he had found here.

The ape had been embedded within a stone pillar, holding a black iron staff and clad in chainmail.

A thousand-zhang-tall giant ape had appeared when he gave the black iron rod to Yu Xin of the Celestial Race, ferociously wiping out the Bat-Winged Race warriors and the Outer God they worshiped.

"The ancient Fey Race?" Fan Chen was startled. Peering around at the stone pillars, he asked, "Are you saying there may still be Fey Race corpses hidden within these pillars?"

"Yes, though once they're exposed to the air, the corpses rapidly disintegrate into dust, just like the Frost Dragon at the edge of the Fey Spirit Continent," Pang Jian explained. "But their artifacts remain unaffected by the passage of time."

Pang Jian paused briefly.

"All of you have discarded your Mystic Eyes without redeeming your contribution points to support Zhou Qingchen and I," he added with slight embarrassment.

Dong Wenjian shook his head with a laugh. "Pang Jian, you're underestimating us! A few contribution points could make a difference to other disciples, but not us!"

Lin Manhe smiled and pointed at Dong Wenjian. "His elder is a True God of the Ancient Law Sect. Pang Jian, do you truly think we'd be interested in those meager contribution points?"

"The current True God of the Supreme Monad Divine Nation is surnamed Fan," Liu Youyu chimed in.

In other words, like Dong Wenjian, Fan Chen was also descended from a True God.

Fan Chen smirked proudly. "I don't care about contribution points, but I am somewhat interested in artifacts from the ancient Fey Race."

"Let's split up and search," Hu Yuanfei said, excitement palpable in her voice.

The young elites of the Abyss started their search of the stone forest outside the Spirit Offering.

Liu Youyu was the first to make a discovery.

She had spotted a Golden Eagle within an unremarkable stone pillar using a secret technique of the Celestial Profound Mirror.

The Golden Eagle was roughly the size of a human, with a human body and the head of an eagle.

Embedded in the chest of the Golden Eagle was a golden feather that, under the illumination of the Celestial Profound Mirror, emitted a dazzling light.

Liu Youyu sent a message to the others, and everyone soon gathered.

"I'll break open the pillar!"

The eager Hu Yuanfei took out a spirit sword and sliced the pillar open with a single strike.

Once the Golden Eagle was exposed, the passage of thousands of years caught up to it and it turned to ash before their eyes.

However, the golden feather remained intact.

Although the reflection of the feather in the Celestial Profound Mirror emitted a golden glow, it looked entirely ordinary to the naked eye.

They probed the golden feather from a distance using their divine souls, blood essence, and spiritual power, but could not detect anything special about it.

"This is no ordinary object." Hu Yuanfei approached the golden feather. When she picked it up to hand to Liu Youyu, she gasped. "It's much heavier than I expected!"

The feather was no bigger than a palm, but she had to exert some spiritual power to pick it up.

Fan Chen, well-versed in the secrets and history of the Abyss, drifted over and took the golden feather from Hu Yuanfei's hand to examine more closely.

"This is a feather from a Rank Ten Golden Eagle!" he exclaimed. "This golden feather once protected the Golden Eagle in the stone pillar. It's too bad the partially transformed Golden Eagle couldn't escape its fate."

Noticing the others' puzzled expressions, Fan Chen gathered his thoughts to offer the rest a plausible explanation.

"It was likely that a Rank Ten Golden Eagle removed a feather from its body to help its young descendant survive during the war between the ancient Fey Race and the foreign races.

"The Golden Eagle in the pillar couldn't fully transform into its human form, so it was likely only Rank Seven or Eight.

"It was probably the descendant of a Rank Ten Golden Eagle. If the ancient Fey Race had won and the Rank Ten Golden Eagle survived, it could have found its descendant through this feather and freed the young Golden Eagle from the pillar," Fan Chen surmised.

According to him, the Rank Ten Golden Eagle had used this golden feather to conceal the young Golden Eagle within the stone pillar.

Unfortunately, the Fey Race had lost the war. The Rank Ten Golden Eagle likely had not survived and so could not come to free its descendant.

The young Golden Eagle, unable to break out of the stone pillar alone, eventually perished inside.

"Liu Youyu, this golden feather is extremely valuable. Keep it safe!"

Fan Chen placed the golden feather on the Flying Fish Boat and eagerly resumed his search.

The others also become excited.

The discovery of the golden feather had convinced them that more artifacts were just waiting to be discovered in the stone forest surrounding Spirit Offering.

Over the next several days, the group combed over every stone pillar, boulder, and even the rocks underground around Spirit Offering with their unique techniques.

After searching millions of stone pillars, they found two additional artifacts: a blood-colored beast's eye and a grayish-brown wooden staff.

The stone pillar where they found the beast eye contained no ancient Fey Race warrior, while the one with the wooden staff housed a Rock Python, a nearly extinct Fey Race species.

Like the Golden Eagle before, the Rock Python had also turned to dust as soon as it was exposed to the air.

Dong Tianze had found the blood-colored beast's eye while Hu Yuanfei had found the grayish-brown wooden staff.

Neither could figure out how to use the two artifacts.

They turned to Fan Chen for advice, but he admitted he was also unsure.

"Either have someone from the Divine Treasure Sect have a look at it, or bring them to the Sacred Soul Continent and consult with the high-ranked Spirit Beasts there," Dong Wenjian suggested.

"High-ranked Spirit Beasts are called 'Great Feys,'" Zhou Qingchen corrected.

Dong Wenjian chuckled. "Right, they're called Great Feys now."

Pang Jian's gaze swept across the group.

"Everyone here has thrown away their Mystic Eyes and isn't planning to take orders from above. The foreign races and Vicious Beasts also don't seem like they're going to attack the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents anytime soon.

"So, how about we make a trip to the Sacred Soul Continent?" he suggested.

Fan Chen was taken aback. "The Sacred Soul Continent?"

"Yes," Pang Jian replied with a serious expression. "I'm certain something significant is happening there.

"It's the last continent in the Abyss that still belongs to the Fey Race. There are likely mysteries there that we're unaware of."

"You've been wanting to go for a while?" Hu Yuanfei asked.

"If not for Zhou Qingchen, I'd already be on the Sacred Soul Continent by now," Pang Jian answered frankly.

Dong Wenjian was the first to voice his support. "Since you're the one extending the invitation this time, and not bastards like Zhou Yi or Hong Qiming, I'm willing to go with you!"

Liu Youyu and Fan Chen nodded in agreement.

Zhou Qingchen, Dong Tianze, and Hu Yuanfei were close allies of Pang Jian, and their participation was a given.

Soon after, a small Sword Boat departed from the Dark Abyss Continent and headed straight for the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World.

***

A tall Celestial Race man with eight pairs of white wings and a black iron staff gazed solemnly at the bizarre-mist-shrouded Northern Qi in the Fourth World.

Several flying vessels were anchored behind him.

Warriors from the Celestial Race, the Demon Scale Race, the Ghost Race, and even the one-eyed giants were present.

"Yu Qing, are we just going to wait?" A Rank Nine Demon Scale race warrior frowned. "Our young lady ventured in and hasn't been heard from since!

"Hundreds of Vicious and Spirit Beasts have quietly slipped in recently.

"If this continues, even the high-ranked Vicious Beasts under our control could attempt to enter as well, trying to awaken their ancient bloodlines!"

None of the foreign races brought any Vicious Beasts on this journey, fearing the ancient Fey Race would sway them to their side.

Yu Qing sighed deeply.

"My younger sister was the first to enter Northern Qi with a Giant Abyssal Serpent. After that, Xuan Ying went in along with several Rank Nine warriors.

"I need to approach this cautiously. If we go in and fail to return as well, then"—he turned to face the foreign race warriors behind him—"it would mean a Rank Ten Fey God resides within Northern Qi!"

"A Fey God?" the Demon Scale Race warrior exclaimed.

"Yes, Vicious and Spirit Beasts that have advanced to Rank Ten are known as Fey Gods.

"Fey Gods are terrifying existences that require several True Gods of the human race to suppress and kill.

"For us, it would take multiple warriors of Li Bai's caliber to stand a chance."

Despite Yu Qing's terrifying words about the might of a Fey God, he still resolved to venture into Northern Qi.

***

A Sword Pavilion's Sword Boat soared above fluffy clouds and crossed the edge of the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World.

The spiritual qi on the continent felt ancient and timeless.

"It's a good thing we're on a Sword Boat," Fan Chen said with a relieved smile. "The Spirit Beasts would have attacked any other factions' flying vessels if they traveled near the Sacred Soul Continent."

Dong Wenjian laughed awkwardly. "That's exactly why I insisted we take a Sword Boat!"

The human race's betrayal in the past had led to fierce animosity from the high-ranked Spirit Beasts on the Sacred Soul Continent toward the human race.

Only the Sword Pavilion, whose Sword God had honored the agreement to bestow a portion of the continents in the Abyss to the Spirit Beasts, had earned their respect.

Whoosh!

A White Python leaped out of a vast sea, watching somberly as the Sword Boat approached from afar.

She transformed into an old woman in a white robe and stood on a wave.

"Little ones from the Sword Pavilion, the Sacred Soul Continent has been in turmoil lately. You'd best stay out," she advised coldly.

Then, carefully scrutinizing them, she noted the patterns on Fan Chen, Dong Wenjian, and Liu Youyu's clothing. Her expression turned icy.

"The Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom, the Ancient Law Sect, and the Primeval Pillar Divine Kingdom?"

"If you have a death wish, then by all means, go ahead!"

With that, she dove back into the sea.

"Pang Jian, any regrets about dragging us along?" Dong Wenjian asked with a dry laugh.

Pang Jian shook his head.