Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 504: Cultivation Realm Suppression

"Li Chu!"

"True God Li Chu!"

"What's he doing here?"

Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhuang Yuyan all stopped what they were doing when they heard Li Chu's voice.

"I suppose it can't be avoided." Liu Junhong sighed bitterly.

After a brief exchange with Guang He and Wang Ce, he braced himself to meet the guest head-on.

Inside his wooden hut in the Cloud Wilderness, Pang Jian's brow twitched as he emerged from prolonged seclusion.

The Resolute Expanse was his domain, meaning he could see Li Chu's every move as if the True God was standing before him.

Li Chu, Fu Wangchen's master... Pang Jian's expression darkened. What's he doing here?

His impression of Li Chu had never been favorable.

Years ago, Li Chu set his sights on Lu Lingchan of the Black Valley Sect, intending to pair her with his disciple, Fu Wangchen. The Demon Sect had even annihilated the Fang Clan under his orders.

Even Pang Jian's master, Li Zhaotian, showed obvious distaste whenever Li Chu's name came up.

Their relationship was clearly strained.

I hope he's not here to stir trouble.

Pang Jian quietly observed the situation from below, wanting to see what the True God from the Forsaken Expanse Sect was plotting before making his presence known.

***

Li Chu's impression of the Sword Pavilion was equally unfavorable as theirs was of him.

However, his distaste stemmed from Li Zhaotian defeating him before he ascended to the True God Realm.

Li Zhaotian's meteoric rise and widespread acclaim stemmed partly from his victory over Li Chu.

Back then, Li Zhaotian had just ascended to the Immortal Realm and acted in the Abyss much as he did now, with little regard for the rules.

Li Chu had once tried to rely on his seniority and peak Immortal Realm cultivation to reprimand Li Zhaotian.

Unfortunately, this was when Li Zhaotian was at the height of his defiance, and he refused to give Li Chu even the slightest respect.

This inevitably led to a "spar," one that stopped just short of a battle to the death.

Li Zhaotian, newly ascended to the Immortal Realm, had defeated Li Chu despite Li Chu being at the peak of the Immortal Realm. This one battle secured Li Zhaotian's fame.

From that day forward, Li Zhaotian was recognized as the strongest Immortal Realm cultivator.

The defeated Li Chu could only retreat into seclusion, remaining hidden until a divine seat opened up. Only after he ascended to the True God Realm did he reemerge in the Abyss.

After becoming a True God, Li Chu publicly declared that he would not stoop to "sparring" with Li Zhaotian due to being one cultivation higher than him, deeming it beneath his dignity to bully those of the lower cultivation realm.

Only a select few knew the truth. Even as a True God, Li Chu was not confident he could best Li Zhaotian.

Not long ago, Li Zhaotian, with his peak Immortal Realm cultivation, had a fierce and thunderous battle against Li Bai, one of the top Rank Ten warriors of the foreign races. Despite the difference in their cultivation levels, the fight still resulted in a draw.

This led many to privately believe that Li Zhaotian had the strength to surpass Li Chu even though he was one full cultivation realm below the True God.

Li Zhaotian's failure to ascend to the True God Realm had since emboldened Li Chu.

Naturally, Li Chu wasted no time rushing over to investigate when he learned about the Sword Pavilion's hidden fragmented land.

In his eyes, Li Zhaotian's failure stripped him of any threat. It was a defeat that marked the end of his potential.

The Sword Pavilion is destined to fall in the war against the foreign races. A Sacred Land capable of nurturing multiple Blessed Lands should not perish alongside them.

Li Chu's divine sense extended into the clouds in search of the Blessed Lands.

Suddenly, he detected a Blessed Land that radiated with abundant wood energy.

Excitement swept through him.

It's a Verdure Paradise!

Li Chu had ascended to the True God Realm through the Dao of Verdure.

In the Northern Ruin, his ascension to True God through the Dao of Verdure had breathed new life into the desolate continent.

However, despite his efforts, the harsh and unforgiving nature of the Northern Ruin made it impossible to transform it into a flourishing oasis.

If he could claim the Verdure Paradise, he could fundamentally reshape the Northern Ruin and allow the barren land to truly blossom anew.

The existence of a Verdure Paradise ignited Li Chu's desire to claim the fragmented land below.

After all, Li Zhaotian was still recovering from his failed attempt to ascend to the True God Realm and the backlash against his cultivation realm, meaning there was no immediate threat.

The Great Elder Jiang Ran had long lost his spirit and dared not attempt another breakthrough.

Elders like Liu Junhong and Guang He were only in the early or middle stages of the Immortal Realm, far from posing any real challenge.

Even rising talents like Chen Weihuang, though promising, were still in the Nirvana Realm and simply could not shoulder such a responsibility.

In other words, nobody in the Sword Pavilion could stop Li Chu from seizing the Verdure Paradise.

Li Chu, brimming with confidence, weighed his next move. His True God perception effortlessly pierced the veil of cold mist and swirling clouds, unveiling the Resolute Expanse below.

New towns, winding river valleys, lush forests, and glacier-capped peaks all came into focus.

Hmm? They've even taken in foreign races? Li Chu's expression darkened, and a calculating glint flashed in his eyes.

The three Immortal Realm elders of the Sword Pavilion rose from different corners of the Resolute Expanse, ascending into the sky to stand upon the rolling clouds.

"Liu Junhong of the Sword Pavilion greets Senior."

"Wang Ce of the Sword Pavilion greets Senior."

"Guang He."

They each addressed the True God from the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

"There's no need for formalities." Li Chu chuckled lightly, eyes narrowing as he gazed at the sea of clouds below. "I've heard the Sword Pavilion has been constructing some rather fearsome killing arrays down in the fragmented land below.

"I happen to have some unique insights into such arrays. I was passing through, and I thought I would help refine them for you," he said with an air of politeness.

Liu Junhong cursed inwardly. The Resolute Expanse could obscure Yue Fengxian's divine sense, but there was no way it could fool Li Chu.

Li Chu could clearly see the state of the fragmented land, yet he pretended otherwise, using the excuse of "refining arrays" to justify his meddling.

He was obviously up to no good!

Though he mentally seethed, Liu Junhong's outward expression remained composed.

"You're too kind, Senior Li," he said respectfully. "The killing arrays we construct at the Sword Pavilion are deeply tied to sword arrays. They're very intricate, and it's difficult for outsiders to provide much insight."

Li Chu tilted his head upward and said with quiet arrogance, "I am not unfamiliar with the Dao of Sword. Until the Sword Pavilion births a Sword God, there are few whose Dao of Sword surpasses mine.

"Li Zhaotian has already failed to ascend to the True God Realm. Not to mention, he's not here now. As for the three of you..."

Li Chu critically eyed Liu Junhong, Guang He, and Wang Ce, carefully assessing them before making a judgment.

"You three are still lacking. Your understanding of the true essence of the sword clearly falls short. If not, you would've long since reached the peak of the Immortal Realm and gained the qualifications to attempt the ascent to the True God Realm."

He made no effort to hide the fact that he was pressuring them with his superior cultivation realm.

Guang He's expression darkened, and he opened his mouth as if to retort, but Liu Junhong's subtle glance held him back.

Wang Ce, on the other hand, feigned ignorance, gaze wandering as if he had not caught the veiled insult, choosing to stay out of the confrontation.

"The internal affairs of the Sword Pavilion are no place for outsiders to meddle," Pang Jian said, suddenly stepping in front of the three Immortal Realm elders with his sword in hand.

He stood unwaveringly before Li Chu.

The True God of the Forsaken Expanse Sect was still suppressing his divine power and awe-inspiring aura.

Unless a True God exerted their full strength, they outwardly appeared no different from an ordinary mortal.

All True Gods could restrain their spiritual power, suppress the vitality of their flesh, and mask the ripples of their divine soul, rendering their presence so faint it was as if they barely existed.

Li Chu was no exception.

The True God of the Forsaken Expanse Sect had dark, weathered skin and wore the simplest of garments—rough linen robes and straw sandals.

Only the spatial ring on his finger and his ability to hover in the air betrayed his power. If not for that, he could have easily been mistaken for a humble farmer toiling long hours in the fields.

At a glance, he bore none of the grandeur expected of a True God, much less one of the two ruling True Gods of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

"Pang Jian?" Li Chu's expression stiffened as his gaze settled on the famous young man. "I heard you aided four True Gods with the issues on the Demon Abyss Continent not long ago."

Li Wang of the Nine Tribes Sect had chosen not to publicize that Pang Jian was the new World God.

At this very moment, Li Wang was at the Stargazing Platform, engaged in a secret council with the True Gods from the four great factions in the Fourth World.

The stronger True God of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Pei Yishan, was in attendance.

It was because Pei Yishan had gone to the council that Li Chu, the second-ranked True God of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, could swiftly make his way here.

Li Chu was determined to seize the Verdure Paradise on the fragmented land below.

"It was a mere coincidence," Pang Jian replied with an unreadable expression. "I just happened to have the right divine artifacts to shatter the arrays sealing the Demon Abyss Continent. Regrettably, the Outer Gods of the Fifth World intervened, spiriting away the traitorous disciples of the Demon Sect."

Unlike Liu Junhong, Pang Jian made no effort to veil his dismissiveness.

"While the fragmented land below falls under the Sword Pavilion's banner, it remains my domain. I hold absolute authority here. It doesn't matter whether I lay killing arrays or simply cultivate flowers and grass. Either way, the decision is mine alone to make. Your concern, Senior, is unwarranted."

Pang Jian cupped his hands politely, a clear sign for Li Chu to take his leave.

Liu Junhong and the others were stunned. None of them expected Pang Jian to be so blunt with Li Chu.

It was reminiscent of how Li Zhaotian behaved with Li Chu after stepping into the Immortal Realm.

The difference was that Pang Jian had yet to reach the Immortal Realm, while Li Chu was a True God!

"Pang Jian!" Li Chu reprimanded sharply. His gaze narrowed as he scrutinized Pang Jian, clearly puzzled by the young man's audacity. "Personal domain, was it? Regardless, why are there foreign races within? Since when has our human race permitted such close dealings with the foreign races?"

Pang Jian felt the weight of the Gate of the Abyss resting against his chest and recalled the significance of the World God to the human race of the Abyss.

"The rules for others do not apply to me," he said firmly. "Senior, if you're uncertain about the situation, I suggest you seek counsel with Li Wang, Liu Fu, Dong Shangqing, or Li Yuanli. They can enlighten you."

Pang Jian believed the nominal leader of the True Gods, Li Wang, would not trouble him over such trivial matters when he knew that Pang Jian was the World God of this era.

Li Chu was taken aback as Pang Jian's words struck an unsettling chord. Doubt rippled in his heart.

"It seems there are matters I'm not privy to. I will inquire further before pursuing the issue."

Li Chu then drifted away, vanishing into the distance.