Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 442: Only a True God Can Contend with Another True God

The Ice Armor Eel Dragon impatiently exhaled bursts of lightning.

He could sense that the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon's strength and size had been reduced to a mere tenth of its norm due to the exhaustion of his blood essence.

Even so, the profound mysteries etched into Long Zhan's heart and the imprints within his soul remained unscathed.

The Ice Armor Eel Dragon believed he could absorb Long Zhan's innate talents upon devouring his heart. This would inevitably promote the advancement of his bloodline and deepen his comprehension of his innate abilities.

He was convinced this would give him the qualifications necessary to compete for the position of Fey God!

The Bee Sovereign stood on one of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon's horns, commanding a nearby golden bee to scout ahead with an order to keep as much distance as possible.

He feared the True God would kill the golden bee if it got too close.

"I have a direction, but we can't go there now," The Bee Sovereign said, addressing not only the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and the White Lynx but also the mentally connected Pang Jian. "A True God has appeared beside the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon. This is the second time this True God has intervened to save him."

"A True God?" the Ice Armor Eel Dragon asked uneasily. "Why would a True God rescue the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon? What's his intention?"

"I don't know." The Bee Sovereign shook his head. Glancing at the silent White Lynx, he asked, "Do you know anything?"

The White Lynx stammered nervously, "I-I know nothing!"

She had simply wanted to watch from the sidelines. Earlier, she had observed Long Zhan's weakened state and was confident he would meet his end in the bizarre mist.

She had not even planned to take anything from Long Zhan after his death as she did not want any trace of the dragon's aura lingering within her out of fear that the ancient Thunder Dragon would sense it.

All she had wanted was to see Long Zhan die.

Unexpectedly, a True God of the human race had come to Long Zhan's rescue.

"I'm doomed. Long Zhan saw me perched on your horn. If he survives, he'll surely kill me when I return to the Abyss," she lamented, internally cursing her curiosity.

She had mistakenly assumed that Long Zhan would die and stepped forward to watch.

In doing so, she had once again brought disaster upon herself.

How about you? Has your breakthrough come to a halt? asked the Bee Sovereign.

I believe my breakthrough is complete. It seemed to end once my spiritual sea vanished and a fragmented land took its place, Pang Jian replied. This transformation only affected my spiritual sea. My divine soul hasn't changed much, though it feels like it's been cleansed anew.

Pang Jian then stood up from his seated position and casually picked up the Abyssal Demon Sword.

The Abyssal Demon's consciousness immediately surged forth from the demonic flames.

This sword is still not strong or sharp enough, the Abyssal Demon said without preamble. If the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon's horns and claws were refined into it, the sword would reach a new level of refinement!

Pang Jian, pierce that Five-Clawed Gold Dragon's horns and claws with this sword once he's dead and I'll be able to refine them!

Take out the Demon God Lamp too! I want to devour its flame and truly ignite the six mysterious realms.

Pang Jian, I've died once already! I'm willing to work with you wholeheartedly this time!

Pang Jian, I'm serious!

I won't call you master anymore. We can be allies and redefine how we work together.

Pang Jian, I...

The Abyssal Demon's many consciousnesses talked over each other, voices echoing throughout the world within the sword.

Pang Jian gripped the Abyssal Demon Sword tightly, narrowing his eyes in contemplation before finally summoning the Demon God Lamp that once belonged to Hong Qiming.

Following the Abyssal Demon's instructions, he gently touched the tip of the sword to the Demon God Lamp's wick.

Whoosh!

The Abyssal Demon absorbed the Demon God Lamp's wick and oil into the sword.

The six mysterious realms had come to life within the sword.

These six mysterious realms appeared to resonate with distant worlds scattered across the starry skies.

As the demonic flames, light, and clouds seeped into them, they left behind deep imprints of the Abyssal Demon.

Six clusters of light appeared on the black jade body of the sword, like gateways to distant worlds.

Pang Jian could sense that the sword had undergone a change and developed new abilities.

Unfortunately, all these new abilities belonged solely to the sword and the Abyssal Demon within.

Pang Jian, let's go kill that Five-Clawed Gold Dragon. I can faintly sense his deep malice toward your human race. He also wants to kill that White Lynx, the Abyssal Demon clamored excitedly.

The Abyssal Demon knew that the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon was on the brink of death because of thoughts it had absorbed from the White Lynx and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

As it had no access to the golden bees' vision, it was unaware of the appearance of a True God.

A True God has appeared to save the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon. We probably can't kill him now, Pang Jian informed.

The Abyssal Demon was taken aback. A True God of the human race? @@novelbin@@

The many consciousnesses of the Abyssal Demon discussed briefly among themselves before asking, Can you use the golden bees to get close to him?

I can.

Without hesitation, Pang Jian teleported to the golden bee closest to the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon.

As the Bee Sovereign commanded, the golden bee had kept its distance from the silver-armored True God and the gravely injured Long Zhan.

It was far enough that it could not directly see them, only sense their general location.

The True God is strong, the Abyssal Demon said. His divine sense is so expansive that any golden bee entering his range will be reduced to dust.

This is close enough! You can't see them but I can sense the soul of the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon. I can even discern his thoughts.

After the two halves of the broken sword merged, the Abyssal Demon had become like an Outer God and could analyze Long Zhan's malicious intent using its innate abilities.

Hah!

As I suspected, he harbors deep malice toward the human race. The Dragon Lair Sect never intended to ally with the human race. The ancient Thunder Dragon simply desires more Rank Ten dragons.

I can sense the dark thoughts of the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon. He'll eventually betray the human race, regardless of whether he becomes a Fey God.

The Dragon Lair hasn't given much thought to Fey Race either. They act solely for themselves and only care about the dragons born in the Dragon Lair Sect.

As the Abyssal Demon continued to explain, Pang Jian learned some crucial information about the situation in the Abyss.

The Dragon Lair Sect planned to use Fan Ao's death as a bargaining chip to form an alliance with the human race. They claimed Long Zhan could tear through the barrier and lead the True Gods into the starry skies once he became a Rank Ten Fey God.

The masked True God intended to sacrifice Fan Ao to secure an alliance with the Dragon Lair Sect, hoping Long Zhan would one day break through the barrier.

***

"You're fortunate. You managed to survive because of your unique abilities," the True God in silver armor said to the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon.

"There are Nether Abyss Spirit Bees in this bizarre mist. Fleeing without direction with your blood escape technique could lead you straight into a trap.

"I'll help guide you out of this bizarre mist so you can escape as quickly as possible."

With that, the True God then took the lead to show Long Zhan the way out.

Finally granted some respite, Long Zhan silently swallowed a heart to recover his strength as he followed the True God in his Five-Clawed Gold Dragon form.

He suppressed all the questions swirling in his mind and obediently trailed behind the True God.

***

Pang Jian pondered deeply for a long time but was still unable to figure out how to kill the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon while it was under the protection of a True God.

Any attempt would only result in certain death, even with the combined efforts of the Bee Sovereign, the Rank Nine Ice Armor Eel Dragon, and the White Lynx.

A spark of realization flashed in Pang Jian's mind.

Only a True God can contend with another True God!

With that thought in mind, Pang Jian mobilized more golden bees into the bizarre mist, spreading them far and wide in search of Fan Ao from the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom.

Pang Jian was certain that Fan Ao had not given up and was still scouring the bizarre mist for Long Zhan.

He was unsure whether Fan Ao was aware of his situation and planned to inform Fan Ao about the Dragon Lair Sect's proposal to the other True Gods of the human race once he found him.

You use the golden bees to keep an eye on Long Zhan and that masked True God's location. I'll look for Fan Ao, Pang Jian instructed. If Fan Ao takes on that True God, we'll have a chance to kill the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon!

Alright.

Pang Jian and the Bee Sovereign worked together in silence as they used the golden bees to search for or keep an eye on their respective targets.

The number of golden bees in the bizarre mist grew from dozens to hundreds.

It did not take long for Pang Jian to find Fan Ao.

***

Fan Ao, also lacking a direction, sat atop his golden platform with a weary expression.

His divine sense had been stretched outward the entire time, never once relaxing. It had left even a True God like him mentally exhausted.

Even so, he refused to give up.

There was no way for him to guarantee that he could hold the path to godhood through the Dao of Metal with the war.

If Long Zhan escaped the bizarre mist alive, he would likely ascend to become a Rank Ten Fey God.

"Long Zhan has to die here."

Fan Ao wandered the bizarre mist with this unshakable resolve, aimlessly searching for the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon.

Suddenly, a familiar object appeared within the range of his divine sense.

"Fan Chen's spatial ring? It's Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!"

Fan Ao's spirit rose.

Whoosh!

The golden platform came to a stop in front of Pang Jian.

Fan Ao glanced at Pang Jian and said frankly, "To be honest, I planned to use this spatial ring to lure Long Zhan out of the Sacred Soul Continent.

"At first, I had no intention of hiding my identity and was willing to kill Long Zhan out in the open.

"I didn't expect you to lead him into the bizarre mist. No one would know if I killed Long Zhan in the bizarre mist.

"I thought my plan would go smoothly."

Fan Ao laughed bitterly.

"In the end, it didn't work out.

"Pang Jian, Fan Chen died on the Sacred Soul Continent because you invited him there. It's only right that you bear some responsibility."

As a True God, Fan Ao felt no need to waste his time building rapport or appealing to emotions.

"Return Fan Chen's belongings to me. I'm chasing Long Zhan, but I don't know his whereabouts.

"A True God, unaware of the threat Long Zhan poses to the human race, has already intervened and saved him once."

Fan Ao waved his hand and the spatial ring flew into his grasp.

"I know where Long Zhan is," Pang Jian said bluntly, not one to waste his words either.

With that, he took the lead, guiding Fan Ao as the masked True God did with the Five-Clawed Gold Dragon.