Trials of the Abyss-Chapter 503: Exposed

The connection was abruptly severed.

Pang Jian sat at the center of the altar, staring in astonishment toward the distant sky.

His sight pierced the barrier of the Abyss as he searched among the bright stars.

Like the Moon God Ying Yue, the peculiar Frost Crystal God also resided in the starry skies.

She had to be on one of those distant stars.

Strange...why does the Frost Crystal God behave so differently from the Moon God? he wondered.

At the moment, in the starry skies above the fragmented land in his dantian, a single star shone with brilliant, icy light.

That star stood far from the others, exuding an intense, frigid glow.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Streams of cold energy surged from the altar and the six ice pillars surrounding Pang Jian.

Unexpectedly, the cold energy did not flow into the ice pool on the fragmented land within his dantian but instead merged with the frigidly glowing star.

The Frost Crystal God is...bestowing divine power.

Pang Jian's heart stirred.

The Frost Crystal God had bestowed a portion of her divine power onto him while they were connected.

She not only pardoned the Ice Race but also made no hostile move despite knowing that Pang Jian had the Heart of Winter.

Is it because I pleased her? Because I brought her joy and satisfaction? Could it really be that simple?

Pang Jian felt doubtful.

As he made to leave, he briefly explained, "The Frost Crystal God no longer seems to demand your faith and devotion. In other words, there likely won't be any issue for you to return to your homeland."

Bing Yuan stood in stunned silence. "But why?"

The Frost Crystal God had killed the Ice Demon in a fair battle and had seized control of his territories. Afterward, she used her influence to eradicate the remaining Ice Race.

This ruthless Outer God had long been the object of the Ice Race's nightmares.

The Ice Demon sent the Frozen Land into the bizarre mist, hoping to preserve it as a final refuge for his people so their bloodline could continue.

She simply was not the type to give up so easily.

"I'm not entirely sure," Pang Jian replied vaguely. "Perhaps time has dulled her obsession with the Ice Race."

Pang Jian had been feeling restless lately. He had initially intended to provoke the Frost Crystal God into descending, hoping to test his strength and the Abyssal Demon Sword against an Outer God. However, her unexpected behavior led him to abandon the idea.

Afterward, Liu Junhong and the others pressed on with the transformation of the Resolute Expanse.

Fully aware of the brutal war that would follow the murky energy's rise, Pang Jian remained in the Resolute Expanse, cultivating tirelessly to enhance his strength as much as possible.

The brief entanglement with the Frost Crystal God at the altar became nothing more than a fleeting distraction.

***

The Frost Crystal God found herself increasingly restless within her grand temple atop a frigid star.

Whenever she meditated on the Dao of Cold, her mind wandered to a young human man clad in blue, standing as tall and sharp as a spear. His cold, chiseled features left ripples across her heart.

He hasn't activated the altar again.

A barrier seals the Abyss. I cannot accurately project my divine consciousness there without the guidance of an altar.

Was I not clear enough when we parted? I even pardoned the Ice Race for him.

I saw the Ice Demon's Heart of Winter as well. It would enhance my divine power considerably, but at the end of the day, it's just a divine artifact. It's not like I can't live without it.

What I truly desire...isn't the divine artifact.

The Frost Crystal God broke out of her meditative state once again. After a long hesitation, she departed from the frigid star.

Ying Yue has followers in the Abyss. Perhaps she has experience with this. I'll ask her.

The Frost Crystal God was reclusive and had few companions among the Outer Gods. Moon God Ying Yue was one of the rare exceptions.

Unfortunately, a vast scratch of cosmic skies separated her star from Ying Yue's moon.

Had it not been for Pang Jian rousing her heart, she would not have considered making such a journey so soon after her last visit.

Even Gods had to expend considerable time and effort to traverse the starry skies in their divine vessels.

***

Beneath the endless blue of daytime, a Godrise Ark from the Forsaken Expanse Sect hovered silently above a massive bank of white clouds.

"This is the place." said an Immortal Realm cultivator named Yue Fengxian, long hair draping casually over his shoulders as he stepped off the Godrise Ark and onto the clouds.

His divine sense swept across the area like a tide.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three Nirvana Realm protectors landed behind him, curiously observing the area below.

The Godrise Ark was tasked with sailing through the Second World, selecting talented young individuals from among the rogue cultivators and noble families from the lower worlds.

Recently, rumors about flying vessels mysteriously vanishing into this cluster of white clouds had spread, sparking their curiosity.

Yue Fengxian's expression subtly shifted.

"Cold mist has been interwoven with the clouds to form a barrier."

He suspected that powerful forces from the Fifth World had secretly established a hidden outpost here.

Unwilling to act rashly, Yue Fengxian quietly withdrew his divine sense and pulled out a sound-transmitting conch shell to send a message.

"Brother Yue." Liu Junhong's resigned voice echoed from the cluster of white clouds.

"Elder Liu of the Sword Pavilion!" Startled, Yue Fengxian halted the transmission of his message and asked in surprise, "What's going on? Aren't you supposed to be on the Heaven Awakening Continent? Why are you hidden within this cloud cluster?"

"The Sword Pavilion relocated a fragmented land here and is developing it into a concealed outpost," Liu Junhong explained calmly, having prepared a response in advance. "You and I both know that the foreign warriors from the Fifth World will inevitably invade when the murky energy starts to rise.

"Our early preparations are meant to deal them a devastating blow when they reach the Second World.

"We're constructing large-scale killing arrays within the fragmented land, ready to greet the invading forces when the time comes," Liu Junhong said, voice brimming with killing intent.

"The Sword Pavilion is thorough!" Yue Fengxian cupped his hands respectfully. "The Sword Pavilion has become the backbone of the Second World now that the Demon Sect has defected.

"Rest assured, the war against the foreign races is the shared responsibility of all factions. The instant the murky energy surges, the Forsaken Expanse Sect's strongest will descend to join the battle!" Yue Fengxian declared.

He then paused, hesitating.

"Would it be possible for us to have a look?" he asked curiously.

A trace of embarrassment flickered across Liu Junhong's face. "Apologies, many of the arrays are still being finalized. It's not convenient to allow visitors just yet."

Yue Fengxian nodded in understanding. "I see. In that case, we'll take our leave. Rest assured, the Sword Pavilion's efforts will remain confidential."

Liu Junhong quickly cupped his hands. "Many thanks."

***

After the Godrise Ark drifted a thousand li away, Yue Fengxian retrieved the conch shell and said, "Elder Li, the Sword Pavilion is concealing a fragmented land. There are Blessed Lands on it."

"A fragmented land with Blessed Lands?" Li Chu responded immediately, tone laced with surprise.

"The treasure-seeking stone aboard our vessel reacted strongly." Yue Fengxian smirked. "And it isn't just one Blessed Land. There are several."

"Don't stray too far. I'm going there myself."

***

Liu Junhong descended back onto the Resolute Expanse and said to Mu Aichuan, "This could be trouble. Yue Fengxian wouldn't normally let something like this go.

"I know the Godrise Ark has artifacts capable of detecting rare treasures. He likely already sensed something."

Liu Junhong immediately sent transmissions summoning Guang He and Wang Ce.

He felt slightly more assured once the two other Immortal Realm elders arrived.

"We should be fine with the four of us unless a True God from the Forsaken Expanse Sect personally intervenes."

"If Yue Fengxian detected Blessed Lands on this fragmented land, the one coming could very well be a True God," Wang Ce said with a deep frown. "You're an elder of the Sword Pavilion. Yue Fengxian knows he can't suppress you, but..."

Liu Junhong's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "But if a True God comes..."

The Sword Pavilion's influence within the Abyss had visibly waned since Li Zhaotian's failure to ascend to the True God Realm.

Throughout history, half of those failing to break through to the True God Realm perished outright, with their bodies and divine souls destroyed.

Those that survived fell from grace, their cultivation realms regressing as their will crumbled.

Those making a second bid for the True God Realm rarely fared better than the first attempt. Most efforts ended in complete annihilation, with their divine souls scattered.

This was precisely why Jiang Ran, despite having restored his cultivation realm since his failure, dared not challenge the path to godhood a second time.

A second attempt was practically suicide.

Only one individual in the entire history of the human race in the Abyss had ever succeeded in ascending to the True God Realm on their second attempt.

For this reason, most considered Li Zhaotian's path to godhood severed after his failure. At best, they believed he would one day return to the peak of the Immortal Realm, but nothing more.

Consequently, many no longer considered the Sword Pavilion among the ranks of the most powerful sects.

"Why don't we ask the Pavilion Master to invite Lady Yin over?" Wang Ce suggested.

Lady Yin was one of two rogue True Gods and a known female confidante of Li Zhaotian. If she were to take residence on the Resolute Expanse, no True God from the Forsaken Expanse Sect would dare force their way in.

Guang He snorted coldly. "Since when has Li Zhaotian ever relied on a woman to handle the affairs of the Sword Pavilion?"

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Wang Ce's expression stiffened with embarrassment. He gave an awkward laugh but said nothing more.

Half a day later, a bright voice echoed from outside the Resolute Expanse, audible to all within.

"It's Li Chu of the Forsaken Expanse Sect. I was passing through and thought I'd stop by to visit my friends from the Sword Pavilion."