Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 499: Bolstering Ranks

The Hollow Yin was crescent-shaped and not particularly large.

Pang Jian enveloped the entire fragmented land with his divine sense. Every inch of the Hollow Yin lay bare before him. He could hear the murmurs below and see anyone he wished to observe. The only exception to this was Dong Tianze.

Dong Tianze's aura was hazy in the damp valley below. Faint traces of blood-colored light veiled him, making it impossible to discern him at a glance.

It was clear that Dong Tianze had sensed Pang Jian the moment he arrived above the crescent-shaped fragmented land.

Still avoiding me?

Pang Jian raised an eyebrow. With a thought, he formed threads of divine sense capable of transmitting sound and sent them to a few familiar faces.

Lei Kun and Han Ting lit up with joy as they left the gathering of Sinister Soul Temple disciples.

Pang Jian, once again dressed in his signature blue Sword Pavilion robes, stood in a forest on the fragmented land with his sword token hanging from his waist.

"It's me, Pang Jian," he said, eyes falling onto a Profound Abode Realm cultivator from the Red Mountain Sect. "Why weren't you taken to the Cosmic Skies Continent?"

The Red Mountain Sect had claimed the forest, which only spanned a few dozen li. Less than a few hundred resided within, with most in the Meridian Opening Realm, the Marrow Cleansing Realm, or the Innate Realm.

Only a handful had reached the Spirit Condensation Realm, but even those were in the early stages, likely having just broken through.

"Pang Jian! It's really you—Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!" Excitement filled Shao Yang's face as he bowed deeply. "The Sword Pavilion's flying vessels weren't the only ones bringing us up from the Cosmic Skies Continent.

"The major sects and Divine Kingdoms of the First World also sent their flying vessels.

"At the time, the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion had gone radio silent, and the Sword Pavilion was temporarily under the control of Great Elder Jiang Ran.

"The Great Elder...even though he was well aware of the Red Mountain Sect's ties to the Sword Pavilion, refused to arrange for all of the Red Mountain Sect's disciples to be brought to the Heaven Awakening Continent.

"Jiang Li and a few others were lucky enough to board Sword Pavilion's flying vessels and were sent to the Heaven Awakening Continent, but the rest of us weren't so fortunate."

Shao Yang knew Pang Jian was close to Zhou Qingchen, Jiang Li, and Han Duping. Thus, he deliberately mentioned familiar names to appeal to Pang Jian.

"Some of us here are descendants of clans that once pledged allegiance to the Red Mountain Sect. Others are families of the Red Mountain Sect disciples. Not everyone here is a direct disciple of the Red Mountain Sect.

"I heard that Great Elder Jiang Ran and the Pavilion Master have reconciled. Are you here to bring us to the Heaven Awakening Continent?" Shao Yang asked hopefully.

Before Pang Jian could respond, Shao Yang pressed on, speaking more to himself than anyone else.

"The nearby fragmented lands are in chaos. No one wants to die, but we can't ascend to the First World.

"When the foreign races invade, they'll start with the fragmented lands before moving on to the continents.

"Even if we can't reach the First World, surviving a little longer on the Heaven Awakening Continent is better than nothing."

Five recently ascended Profound Abode Realm disciples of the Red Mountain Sect stood scattered around Pang Jian, mirroring Shao Yang's hopeful gaze. Their eyes brimmed with longing, silently pleading to be taken to the Heaven Awakening Continent.

Shao Yang was the youngest of the group at just over forty, while the oldest surpassed a century.

A forty-something Profound Abode Realm cultivator indicated that his talent was average at best. He was destined to achieve little on the path of cultivation.

"Pang Jian!" Lei Kun's voice rang out with hearty laughter as he approached. "You spent too little time in the Dark Abyss Continent. You had already rushed off to Sacred Soul Continent by the time I heard of your exploits and headed over to meet you.

"Pang Jian, I owe you and the Sword Pavilion a great debt for taking in my son!"

Pang Jian smiled faintly, mind drifting to memories of their time aboard the Lei Kun's Cloud Sail, where they feasted and drank after leaving Cloud Lightning.

"No need to thank me. I gave you my word long ago." Then, hesitating briefly, he added with a hint of guilt, "Your wife and...

"I couldn't protect everyone."

Lei Kun waved dismissively. "Don't worry about them. They weren't that important to me anyway. I've had plenty of women, but I only have one son! Women are replaceable, so what's the big deal? It's not like I'm running out anytime soon!"

A murderous glare from the side sent a chill down Lei Kun's spine.

"Han Ting..." Lei Kun laughed nervously, ducking his head. "I was just joking,"

The fiery Han Ting paid him no mind. She took a deep breath, her bright eyes clouded with complex emotions as she greeted, "Pang Jian, long time no see."

"It's been a while," Pang Jian replied with a gentle nod. Brows arching slightly, he asked, "Where's Gao Yuan?"

"Dead. He died on the Dark Abyss Continent," Han Ting said softly, a faint sorrow lingering on her beautiful face. "Many of the rogue cultivators in our group died, including Gao Yuan, Lian Feng, and several others with higher cultivation realms.

"We fought desperately against the foreign races, hunting Vicious Beasts to accumulate contribution points, hoping to trade for a place in the First World."

Han Ting chuckled bitterly, pulling out her Mystic Eye with a flick of her wrist.

"The contribution points I have barely covered pills and trinkets. Ascending to any continent in the First World costs at least five thousand points. I only have three hundred left."

Lei Kun grinned. "I've got about seven hundred, still not enough to get into the First World. I've spent most of mine on a lightning-attribute spirit artifact. Pang Jian, I'd like to go to the Cosmic Skies Continent. Do you think you could speak to the Sword Pavilion on my behalf?"

The Red Mountain Sect disciples had lacked the qualifications to fight in the lower worlds and so looked on enviously at the pair with their Mystic Eyes.

"I have another place in mind where you can settle and establish yourselves," Pang Jian replied. "The spiritual qi there is richer than this fragmented land. In time, it could even ascend to the First World."

Everyone gasped in shock. "Ascend to the First World?!"

Pang Jian glanced at Lei Kun. "Lei Kun, go to the valley and speak with Dong Tianze. Tell him I'm willing to take all the Sinister Soul Temple disciples to the Resolute Expanse. See what he thinks."

"Aren't you two close? Do I really need to relay the message for you?" Lei Kun asked in bewilderment.

"Yes."

"Alright then."

With Lei Kun's Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation, the round trip took no more than half an hour.

"Dong Tianze said you can take all the Sinister Soul Temple disciples, but he's not interested in returning to the Resolute Expanse."

"That'll do for now."

***

Pang Jian had already consulted his master, Li Zhaotian, beforehand about opening up the Resolute Expanse.

He informed his master of the Resolute Expanse's vast size and its true nature, as well as the presence of the black turtle, the Rank Nine Ice Armor Eel Dragon, and the Ice Race.

Li Zhaotian was not only surprised but immediately regarded it with great importance, sending a message through his sword token without delay.

In Eternal Crossing, Mu Aichuan set down his sword token, strode toward the teleportation array, and started to dismantle it without a word.

"Elder Mu, what are you doing?" A fellow Nirvana Realm elder flew over from a nearby docked Sword Boat, shocked at Mu Aichuan's actions. "Is the Sword Pavilion abandoning Eternal Crossing?"

"The Dragon Lair Sect has made it clear they wish to sever ties with the human race, so there's no point in us staying here." Mu Aichuan replied calmly as he continued to disassemble the array.

"Every Sword Boat docked here will soon depart. We're abandoning Eternal Crossing and cutting ties with the Fey Race of the Sacred Soul Continent."

"Are we returning to the Sword Pavilion?"

"No, the Pavilion Master has arranged for us to relocate elsewhere."

"Where to?"

"A place called the Resolute Expanse."

***

Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan made their way through the Zhou Clan's estate in a small town called Skyheart Town outside White Cloud City on the Heaven Awakening Continent.

There, they found Zhou Qingchen drowning in alcohol, with Jiang Li tending to him day after day.

"What happened to him?" Qi Qingsong raised an eyebrow, frowning as the overpowering stench of liquor hit him.

Zhou Qingchen's beard had grown so wild and unkempt that his original features were barely discernible. Based on his appearance, he likely had not shaved for over a month.

"He's like this just because Han Duping died?" Qi Qingsong snorted coldly. "My close friends—Jiang Yang, Duan Jing, Xu Xuanlun, Tang Can, Zeng Yulan, Song Zihe. All of them died one after another before my very eyes. Perhaps I should just slit my throat and be done with it."

Zhou Qingchen shook his head, downing another mouthful. "It's not just Han Duping."

"Jiang Li, what's going on?" Qi Qingsong frowned.

Jiang Li hesitated before replying, "The Sword Pavilion, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Skyveil Cliff Sect have already started quietly relocating key disciples below the Spirit Condensation Realm to the First World.

"But no one cares about the Zhou Clan or the disciples from the Red Mountain Sect here in Skyheart Town.

"There are thousands of them here. Most are in the Meridian Opening Realm, the Marrow Cleansing Realm, or the Innate Realm. Among them are also many non-cultivators.

"How are they supposed to survive if the murky energy engulfs the Heaven Awakening Continent?

"Junior Brother Zhou has lost hope. He feels powerless, so he drinks to numb himself," Jiang Li explained helplessly.

Zhuang Yuyan sighed softly, bitterness lacing her words.

"The Sword Pavilion doesn't even have a foothold in the First World. You've heard the news too. The Pavilion Master failed to ascend to the True God Realm.

"We spent a great deal to send disciples with lower cultivation realms up there to preserve the sect's legacy.

"As for the Red Mountain Sect, the Zhou Clan, and the others...

"The Sword Pavilion simply doesn't have the capacity to take them in.

"However..." A soft smile tugged at the corners of Zhuang Yuyan's lips, attention turning to Zhou Qingchen. "The Pavilion Master has sent word. Pang Jian has asked us to bring Zhou Qingchen and his clan to a place called the Resolute Expanse."

The haze of drunkenness that clung to Zhou Qingchen vanished the instant he heard the words "Resolute Expanse."

He immediately circulated his energy and expelled the alcohol from his body.

"I'll make arrangements for my clan and the disciples of the Red Mountain Sect to head for the Resolute Expanse as soon as possible!" Zhou Qingchen barked. "Qi Qingsong, get me some Cloud Sails or flying vessels. That won't be too hard for you, right?"

Qi Qingsong's face remained stiff as he grunted, "That's asking a lot."

"Aren't you Liu Junhong's disciple, damn it? I'm not asking for a Sword Boat, just some flying vessels! Why are you still dragging your feet?" Zhou Qingchen snapped, temper flaring.

Qi Qingsong rolled his eyes. "Why bother with Cloud Sails when there's already a teleportation array? One blink, and you're there—why go the long way around?"

Zhou Qingchen froze. "The Resolute Expanse...already has teleportation arrays set up?"

"What do you think?"