Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 475: Demonic Energy

Outside the ruined city in the Demon Abyss, Li Jie watched as the Abyssal Demon Sword disappeared into the distance. Faint traces of bitterness tugged the corners of his lips downward.

Lowering his head to look at the sword scabbard he had meticulously crafted for Pang Jian, his frown only deepened.

The twelve arrays he had inscribed onto the sword scabbard were meant to suppress the demonic soul within the sword, severing its connection to the outside world and preventing it from drawing strength from the darkness within human hearts.

However, gazing at the Abyssal Demon Sword in the distance, Li Jie became bitterly aware that the arrays he had painstakingly inscribed were likely incapable of restraining it.

The sword scabbard had become nothing more than an ornament, a mere sheath for the Abyssal Demon Sword. Nothing more, nothing less.

Li Jie sighed. "Forget it. Even if it's useless, so be it. At least it represents my goodwill."

Ascending into the air on the Qilin Bell, he hovered above the ruined city and peered down at the Rank Flame Dragon's heart. It was gradually vanishing in Pang Jian's flames.

Wu Yuan's eyebrows knitted.

"Someone's watching me. It's likely Xuan Ying of the Demon Scale Race.

"There's only one reason for her to come to the Demon Abyss. She's here for the demonic stone. If it's just her..." Wu Yuan called, "Pang Jian, we have to head for the demonic stone now."

"The Abyssal Demon Sword has gone ahead. I'll need a little bit more time," Pang Jian replied.

The fiery pool on his fragmented land devoured the Rank Eight Flame Dragon's blood essence and slowly refined it into a crimson pearl that exuded Long Yan's draconic aura.

The crimson pearl, suspended within the fiery pool, seamlessly merged with the raging flames.

An intricate crystalline network, woven from the Flame Dragon's crystal bloodline chains, extended deep into the fragmented land beneath the fiery pool. The Flame Dragon's profound insights into the Dao of Fire could be vividly seen within the network.

Pang Jian continued to refine the Flame Dragon's heart using the Primeval Demon Fusion Art, steadily absorbing the power hidden within it.

After a short while, the Primeval Demon Fusion Art started to draw a greenish-black demonic light into his body. This demonic light was imperceptible to the naked eye and only detectable through divine sense.

A greenish-black patch appeared In the void below the fragmented land in Pang Jian's dantian.

This greenish-black patch radiated an aura of mystery, expanding as Pang Jian continued to use the Primeval Demon Fusion Art.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

His Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea wildly pulled in the greenish-black demonic light emanating from the demonic stone.

Wu Yuan's eyes widened in shock. He stood close enough to Pang Jian to sense the unusual activity of the greenish-black demonic light.

"Pang Jian, you're absorbing demonic energy! This energy doesn't belong to the Abyss. It's from the demonic stone!

"The human body is ill-suited to withstanding demonic energy. Only those of the Demon Scale Race like Xuan Ying can integrate it into their bodies.

"Even I can't refine demonic energy! You have to be extremely careful!" he shouted in alarm.

At that moment, another bizarre sight unfolded before him.

The Purple Demon Eye in his hands was also absorbing the invisible demonic energy.

This demonic energy became visible the instant it entered the crystal-like Purple Demon Eye, turning into strands of greenish-black smoke that merged with the divine image of the Great Demon God He Motian.

The ethereal divine image refined the demonic energy, gradually transforming it into part of his body.

He Motian's aura intensified!

"The manifestation of He Motian's Dharma Idol is almost beyond my control!" Wu Yuan yelled. "Pang Jian, I need to get to the demonic stone and use its power to suppress He Motian!"

With that, Wu Yuan rushed toward the center of the Demon Abyss.

"Xuan Ying could be nearby. Stay vigilant!" Pang Jian cautioned.

Maintaining his connection to the Abyssal Demon Sword, Pang Jian focused on absorbing the demonic energy, working tirelessly to expand the greenish-black sea beneath the fragmented land within his dantian.

Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, chaos...

Pang Jian faintly sensed a tremendous opportunity.

The two dominant forces of the Abyss—the murky energy and the spiritual qi of heaven and earth—constantly clashed. They were incompatible and irreconcilable, a conflict mirrored within his dantian.

Despite this, Pang Jian found himself able to refine demonic energy in his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea using the Abyssal Demon's Primeval Demon Fusion Art.

Moreover, this demonic energy did not even belong to the Abyss!

Pang Jian could integrate foreign demonic energy into his dantian. This begged the question of whether the incompatibility between the murky energy and spiritual power was simply a matter of method.

Maybe it requires a specific technique? Or perhaps a special environment? Or both? Pang Jian wondered while refining the Flame Dragon's heart.

Deciding not to rush toward the demonic stone, he told the Abyssal Demon, Keep an eye on Wu Yuan, the one holding the Purple Demon Eye. Don't let that Demon Scale Race woman kill him.

I'll do my best, replied the Abyssal Demon

Whoosh!

The black-gold sword came to an abrupt halt.

A massive, prism-like purple crystal stood like a towering mountain on the floor at the center of the Demon Abyss.

The inside of the crystal was murky, and it emitted a continuous wave of greenish-black demonic light.

When this close to the demonic stone, the demonic light was no longer invisible or intangible, becoming dense enough to resemble an undulating greenish-black sea.

The enormous purple crystal was like a mountain that had stood tall in this sea for millennia.

Hundreds of intact corpses were scattered on the ground near the demonic stone, in the depths of the sea-like demonic light.

Among them were Demon Scale Race warriors, other long-extinct Demon Races from the Abyss, human cultivators, and the massive Fey Race.

There were even a few remains of the Ghost Race and Celestial Race.

Although countless years had passed, the erosion of time had not affected these bodies at all, leaving their flesh and blood perfectly preserved.

Whoosh!

Xuan Ying darted past the preserved corpses and headed straight for the massive demonic stone.

As her gaze swept over the remains of the Demon Scale Race warriors, she could not help but let out a soft sigh.

"The forebears of my race. Thirty thousand years have passed, but our forebears still rest unburied.

"As a descendant, I am fortunate to enter this sacred homeland and pay my respects to your remains. I swear to restore the glory of the Demon Scale Race!"

Her serrated demonic blade suddenly expanded.

Dark purple demonic patterns appeared on its smooth surface, twisting and writhing as if reflecting the gaze of a Demon God.

The unmoving black-gold sword resting beneath the towering purple demonic stone, stirred, sensing the change.

Woong!

A sword hum echoed sharply through the air.

The dark purple demonic patterns on Xuan Ying's blade burst apart under the resonance of the Abyssal Demon Sword's hum, vanishing one after another.

The voice of a supreme will echoed from within Xuan Ying's serrated blade. Seize that sword and destroy the soul within it!