Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 438: Fan Ao's Last Chance

Those on the Stargazing Platform fell silent.

All present were True Gods, and none dared to openly suggest sacrificing Fan Ao to make way for the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon.

After learning about the Outer Gods killing True Gods when they broke out of the Abyss, a strategy had been decided in previous discussions—all the True Gods were to breach the barrier and fight against the Outer Gods together.

Only then would the True Gods have a chance to survive in the vast starry skies beyond the Abyss!

When previous True Gods broke through the barrier before, they would only ever pierce a small opening.

Even if the True Gods were to work together to breach the barrier, they would still have to put in their all and expend significant strength in the process.

However, according to the ancient Thunder Dragon of the Dragon Lair Sect, Long Zhan, as a Five-Clawed Gold Dragon, could single-handedly tear open a passage in the barrier if he became a Fey God.

This meant the True Gods would no longer need to expend their strength to break through and could simply follow the path Long Zhan created.

This was undeniably an attractive proposition.

Moreover, the ancient Thunder Dragon claimed the Dragon Lair Sect would join forces with the human race and lead the Fey Race in the Sacred Soul Continent into battle against the foreign races if Long Zhan was permitted to ascend to the rank of Fey God.

The ancient Thunder Dragon even offered to resolve the issue of the ancient Fey Race in the Fourth World.

Sacrificing Fan Ao would temporarily cost the human race a True God, but the rising talents in the Immortal Realm could always fill his vacant position. The loss would be manageable.

Allowing the Dragon Lair Sect to gain a Rank Ten Five-Clawed Gold Dragon, could resolve the issue with the Fey Race and assist them in breaking the barrier in the future.

From a broader, long-term perspective, Long Zhan's ascension to the rank of a Fey God seemed to bring more benefits than drawbacks.

Despite this, none of the True Gods dared to openly support the idea.

After a moment of awkward silence, Li Wang said, "Fan Ao is willing to risk his life against the Rank Ten foreign race warriors for the future of the human race.

"He believes that allowing Long Zhan could pose a significant danger to the human race if he became a Fey God and would be even more terrifying than the ancient Thunder Dragon.

"Fan Ao's determined to kill Long Zhan. He's only willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good of the human race after Long Zhan is dead."

These words stirred respect among the True Gods.

After a pause, Zhu Ji asked, "Where is Fan Ao now?"

"His exact location is unknown. Usually, if I can't reach him, it means he's in the bizarre mist," Li Wang replied calmly.

"Isn't Long Zhan also in the bizarre mist?" Zhu Ji asked, visibly surprised.

Li Wang nodded. "I believe so."

"I personally don't think we can fully trust the ancient Thunder Dragon of the Dragon Lair Sect," Gui Mu said. "Fan Ao is deeply unsettled at the prospect of the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon ascending to the rank of a Fey God.

"That alone is a clear testament to Long Zhan's terrifying potential.

"The ancient Thunder Dragon's claims that Long Zhan can single-handedly tear through the barrier further underscores how formidable he is.

"I'm afraid..." Gui Mu trailed off, her projection flickering indistinctly. "If Long Zhan is allowed to ascend to the rank of a Fey God, that would mean the Dragon Lair Sect gains an even stronger Fey God.

"There's no guarantee we can restrain them once that happens.

"The future is uncertain. If new Fey Gods continue to emerge under the leadership of two Rank Ten dragons, the Fey Race may finally rise to prominence."

Her words caused the True Gods to fall into deep thought.

Li Wang mulled over the situation for a long time before saying, "I previously agreed with Fan Ao's course of action. I gave him a chance. There'll be nothing more to discuss if he kills Long Zhan while in the bizarre mist.

"But if Fan Ao fails and Long Zhan survives? Well, he only has himself to blame.

"What do you all think?" Li Wang asked.

"Agreed."

"I think that's fair."

"This way, we're not forcing Fan Ao into anything. We're already giving him an opportunity."

"I hope he kills Long Zhan, but if he can't even accomplish that, it just means he's too weak."

"I support this."

Once more than half of the True Gods had expressed their agreement, Li Wang stopped pressing further.

Having the majority vote was enough for him to make his decision.

***

Deep within the bizarre mist, Pang Jian gripped the Abyssal Demon Sword, allowing the consciousnesses from the two halves of the sword to clash freely.

His divine soul remained connected to the golden bees, keeping a close watch on Fan Ao's pursuit of Long Zhan.

Long Zhan was a Rank Nine Five-Clawed Gold Dragon and his extraordinary vitality amazed Pang Jian.

Repeated use of the Dragon Race's blood escape technique caused golden blood to scatter from Long Zhan's wounds as he vanished and reappeared repeatedly within the bizarre mist.

He traveled hundreds of li each time, even leaving the range of the golden bees' perceptions on several occasions.

This allowed him to temporarily evade Fan Ao's detection, forcing Fan Ao to rely on his golden platform and secret technique to locate him again.

The enigmatic nature of the bizarre mist obscured Fan Ao's senses, preventing him from immediately locking onto Long Zhan whenever he reappeared.

In the outside world, Fan Ao could detect the aura of any powerful being within tens of thousands of li and reach them with a single thought.

However, the bizarre mist made his pursuit far more difficult.

Worse still, Long Zhan showed no signs of significant blood essence depletion despite repeated use of the Dragon Race's blood escape technique.

It was as if he could continue the cycle indefinitely.

"I sense a terrifying soul fluctuation!" the White Lynx exclaimed in shock.

"It's Fan Ao, a True God. He's pursuing Long Zhan in this bizarre mist," Pang Jian calmly explained.

"Fan Ao!" The White Lynx gasped, instinctively shrinking back as she whispered, "Why would he try to kill Long Zhan at a time like this? Don't the human race want to ally with the Dragon Lair Sect and the Fey Race against the foreign races?"

"Why did Long Zhan dare to kill Fan Chen then?" Pang Jian countered.

"Long Zhan probably thinks that Fan Ao can't defeat the ancient Thunder Dragon and wouldn't dare to step into the Sacred Soul Continent," the White Lynx muttered. Glancing at Pang Jian, she asked anxiously, "What should we do now?"

"Why worry? Neither Fan Ao nor Long Zhan can track us in this bizarre mist." Pang Jian snorted coldly. "I have eyes everywhere in here, and I can teleport to any location instantly. Even True Gods would struggle to find me here, let alone get close. What's there to fear?"

The White Lynx gazed at Pang Jian in silent apprehension.

How are things on your end? Pang Jian mentally asked the Bee Sovereign.

Not bad, though I woke earlier than planned, the Bee Sovereign replied, standing atop the massive beehive in his semi-human form, wings folded in. The bizarre mist around Absolute Heaven no longer imposes any restrictions.

With a True God here, I worry the Outer Gods will also discover this unique region and use it as a springboard into the Abyss.

By the way, you can send your divine soul over. I have the means to strengthen it.

Strengthen my divine soul?

Yes.

Can it be done now?

Of course.

Alright. Give me a second.

Pang Jian turned to the White Lynx and pointed to a golden bee hovering above his head. "These golden bees act as my eyes. I'll be watching and communicating with you through it. Stay on this small ship. I need to leave for a while."

"Don't leave me!" the White Lynx cried in despair. "Please don't leave me alone! I'll die if Long Zhan and Fan Ao find me here! I can't teleport like you! A second's delay could mean my death!"

Pang Jian hesitated, resolve faltering.

"I swear on the ancient oath of the Fey Race! Everything I see and hear will remain a secret!" the White Lynx begged desperately, small frame trembling as she gazed at Pang Jian with pleading eyes.

"Fine," Pang Jian reluctantly relented.

Several teleportations later, Pang Jian and the White Lynx stood before the colossal beehive nestled in the dense forest in Absolute Heaven.

"She is?" the Bee Sovereign asked, staring at the White Lynx.

He could sense a sweet but slightly dangerous aura from her.

"A Rank Nine Fey King," Pang Jian casually replied.

Pointing toward a distant lake, he said to the White Lynx, "There's a Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon at the bottom of the lake. Go have a chat with him."

"He's reached Rank Nine," the Bee Sovereign corrected. @@novelbin@@

"What? Rank Nine?" Pang Jian's expression shifted.

The black turtle's words echoed in his mind.

There was likely a deeper secret behind the Fey Race with abnormally fast advancements through the bloodline ranks.

Yuan Qi was one such example, and this Ice Armor Eel Dragon that a World God brought to Absolute Heaven was likely another.

They were reborn Fey Race!

"Ice Armor Eel Dragon? Is it also from the Dragon Race? A Rank Nine dragon?" The White Lynx's eyes were filled with trepidation.

Her deep-rooted fear of the Dragon Race made her dread any encounter with them.

"He's not from the Dragon Lair Sect," Pang Jian assured. "Don't worry. Just tell him I sent you. If you don't want to go, you can just wander this restricted area."

Realizing Pang Jian wanted to send her away, the White Lynx sighed bitterly. "Fine, I'll take a walk then."

Once the White Lynx departed, the Bee Sovereign said, "Release your divine soul."

Pang Jian's golden divine soul flew out from his sea of consciousness and descended into a designated chamber within the beehive.

The chamber tightly encased Pang Jian's golden divine soul.

A strange, honey-like soul essence flowed toward his divine soul, nourishing and tempering it in a process surprisingly similar to cleansing his marrow and fortifying his bones, flesh, and inner organs.

Pang Jian's tempering of his divine soul using the magma beneath Blackflame Mountain paled in comparison to the miraculous effects of the honey-like soul essence.

In no time, waves rolled within Pang Jian's spiritual sea.

The spiritual qi of Absolute Heaven flowed into Pang Jian's spiritual sea as if reacting to the turbulence.

"You're about to break through," the Bee Sovereign said softly.