Trials of the Abyss

Pang Jian's golden divine soul soaked in a pool of bubbling black magma as if bathing in a hot spring.

Sizzle!

Golden smoke rose from Pang Jian's increasingly solidified divine soul as if being scorched.

His golden divine soul shrank slightly.

As the magma melted away Pang Jian's divine soul, he used the method recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to temper it.

Gold did not fear being tempered in fire. In a similar vein, a divine soul had to be equally adaptable yet resilient.

Whenever his divine soul grew too weak, Pang Jian would call it back to his sea of consciousness.

He would then consume Soul Enriching Pills and Great Blood Enhancing Pills, allowing his divine soul to recuperate with the nourishment of blood essence and potent soul essence.

Once recovered, he would send it back into the searing magma to be tempered once more.

Hundreds of li away, the Greencliff Mountain Range shook violently. The battle between the Rock Bear and Yuan Min had begun.

Hu Yuanfei informed the others that the brutal clashes between the other four Fey Kings had also broken out almost simultaneously, causing deafening roars to echo across the Sacred Soul Continent.

"Fights among Fey Kings are rarely short-lived. According to Elder Mu, there have even been cases where two Fey Kings battled for the position of Fey God for over a year.

"Of course, in most cases, it's resolved within half a month to a month.

"It's only when both Fey Kings are evenly matched in strength and endurance that the battle drags on," Hu Yuanfei explained.

At that moment, Pang Jian's divine soul was back in his sea of consciousness, recovering once more.

Pang Jian…

An unexpected voice echoed within Pang Jian's mind.

Pang Jian's heart skipped a beat as he hastily established a connection with the source.

A young man clad in black with striking greenish-blue eyes sat in a small wooden cabin made of withered branches.

Golden and silver threads entwined above the withered branches, forming intricate dragon-like patterns that emanated an aura of restraint.

The youth's expression was slightly wooden, as if not particularly quick-witted.

So, you're on the Sacred Soul Continent too, the young man said telepathically.

Pang Jian was shocked. Black turtle!

Yes, it's me, Young Pang Jian.

The black turtle had since advanced to Rank Eight and had taken the form of a young man. Smiling within the wooden cabin, he said, Listen, I've been imprisoned in the Dragon Lair Sect and confined to this special room built from withered branches.

I couldn't contact you before because of this room's sealing ability. I also dared not risk alerting the slumbering Thunder Dragon.

That bastard's perception of the entire Sacred Soul Continent is frighteningly sharp, even while asleep.

Although the Thunder Dragon has since awakened because of the struggle for the position of Fey God, it also has to use its power to both shroud the three main battlefields and monitor the battles of the six Fey Kings.

Only under such circumstances could I attempt to break a portion of the seal and contact you.

The Rank Eight black turtle let out a bitter laugh.

I never expected you to also be on the Sacred Soul Continent. He narrowed his eyes in thought, a flicker of surprise flashing through them before he said in astonishment. Your location is quite close to that of the Rock Bear. Are you at...Blackflame Mountain?

Yes, Pang Jian replied.

It seems the heavens are on my side. The black turtle laughed heartily, greenish-blue eyes gleaming with an unmistakable brilliance of wisdom.

For some reason, Pang Jian could not help but feel a sense of familiarity at the sight of the black turtle's human form.

After mulling it over for some time, he realized that the black turtle's youthful form bore a striking resemblance to the withered elder who had once appeared from the Gate of the Abyss.

I have something for you to deliver to the Little Rock Bear. You can descend underground to bypass the shroud using the fragmented land within your spiritual sea.

Young Pang Jian, whether or not the Little Rock Bear successfully ascends to the rank of Fey God will depend on your assistance.

The black turtle opened his mouth and spat out a blackish-yellow turtle shell.

This is the Black Turtle Shield. All you need to do is take it deep beneath the Greencliff Mountain Range and leave it there.

Wait! Pang Jian exclaimed in surprise, expression turning strange as he descended beneath Blackflame Mountain using the Mountain Phase ability.

Zhou Qingchen and Dong Tianze stared in astonishment at the spot where Pang Jian had just been.

"Where is he?"

"It seems he sank into the mountain."

Hu Yuanfei assured the group, "Don't worry, I'm sure he's just trying a different cultivation method."

One hundred zhang underground, Pang Jian stopped to stare at the weighty, solid Black Turtle Shield in his hands.

It was undoubtedly a divine artifact of the Fey Race!

Strangely enough, the Rank Eight black turtle had also adopted an uncharacteristically casual manner of speech, offhandedly referring to him as "Young Pang Jian" and even calling the Rock Bear "Little Rock Bear."

The ancient Rock Bear was nearing the limit of his lifespan, and apart from the ancient Thunder Dragon, there were few Fey Race older than him.

For the black turtle to call him "Little Rock Bear" seemed almost irreverent.

The Dragon Lair Sect sealed me here because they feared the Little Rock Bear would kill me and consume my heart to enhance his bloodline.

They also worry I'll deliver something to the Little Rock Bear, the black turtle said with a carefree smile. Still, the Dragon Lair Sect could never anticipate that I've actually uncovered many things while on the Sacred Soul Continent—in particular, memories!

His expression turned solemn and he fell silent for a beat.

Young Pang Jian, it's only been roughly ten years since I emerged from the bronze pendant.

Even if you poured everything you have into supporting me, by the Fey Race's standards, my bloodline should not be at Rank Eight.

It simply shouldn't be possible!

No Fey Race in history has ever advanced to Rank Eight in just over a decade.

It's not just me either—the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the World Eater Vine, the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee, and even the Gray Ape you briefly met last time—none of us should've grown this fast!

Normally, advancing to our present ranks in just over a decade would be impossible! the black turtle exclaimed.

Pang Jian was confused. Isn't the evidence right in front of us? I also advanced step by step to the Soul Wandering Realm. If I can do it, why can't all of you?

Everything accelerates when a great calamity is near, the black turtle explained. The human race in particular is renowned across the vast starry skies for their ability to advance quickly.

Your rapid breakthroughs are due to your constant fortuitous encounters—I've seen them myself.

The difference is that I'm not human, and neither are they. For us, achieving such progress in such a short time is almost inconceivable.

I rushed over to the Sacred Soul Continent because I sensed a new position for Fey God opening.

I found something here that revealed the truth to me.

Young Pang Jian, I'm not newly born, but rather was reborn inside the bronze pendant. It's not just me either, the others are too, including the Rank Eight Gray Ape.

None of us are newly born. We've all been reborn!

A newly born Fey Race could never reach the Rank Eight bloodline in just over a decade.

However, if I'm a reborn Rank Ten black turtle, it makes sense that I could rapidly elevate my bloodline to Rank Eight.

After all, I've already walked this path before.

I've already experienced these bloodline transformations!

Young Pang Jian, I'm that Rank Ten black turtle recorded in the history of the Abyss!

Pang Jian's mind was in turmoil.

The black turtle, the World Eater Vine, the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee, and even Yuan Qi had all been reborn!

This was why they could acquire extraordinary power and rapid advancement in their bloodline ranks in such a short time!

But Yuan Qi did not come out of the bronze pendant while it was in Pang Jian's possession.

If not while it was with Pang Jian, then it could have only emerged when the bronze pendant was still with its previous wielder, the former World God—Pang Jian's father!

I perished in the depths of the bizarre mist. I pushed the Fey Spirit Continent out.

I also died on Central Lake Island. The soul still in Northern Qi? That's me!

That soul carries fragments of my memories, and when we meet, those memories will merge with me.

The rest of my sealed memories will resurface as my bloodline rank advances, and more will be restored once that other part of me merges with this body.

I will eventually reclaim all of my lost memories, the black turtle said, voice brimming with confidence.

Deep beneath Blackflame Mountain, Pang Jian held the heavy Black Turtle Shield, silently processing these revelations.

The black turtle was one of the most renowned Fey Gods in the history of the Fey Race, predating even the Celestial Phoenix and the ancient Thunder Dragon,

The thought made Pang Jian feel like he was in a bizarre dream.

If the black turtle was once a legendary being, what about the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the World Eater Vine, the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee, and Yuan Qi?

Did they all used to be powerful beings rivaling the black turtle?

Why were these beings reborn through the bronze pendant?

Reborn Fey Gods and the Wood Race's worshiped God, the World Eater Vine, are appearing across the Abyss.

Is this a blessing or a curse for the human race?

The black turtle did not give Pang Jian much time to ponder the matter.

Take the Black Turtle Shield to the depths of the Greencliff Mountain Range, the black turtle instructed. The Little Rock Bear will sense it and make use of it.

Pang Jian took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure.

He then abruptly thought of another matter.

Like you, the Rock Bear is also tied to the Dao of Earth. If he ascends to the rank of Fey God, wouldn't that mean you won't get to become a Fey God? Pang Jian asked.

Yes. The black turtle gently nodded. I may not have regained all my memories, but I knew what I had to do the moment I found the Black Turtle Shield.

Even before my death, I supported the Little Rock Bear's ascension to the rank of Fey God.

I've been reborn, so even if I don't reclaim my seat as a Fey God, I won't be dying of old age any time soon. The Little Rock Bear, on the other hand, only has this one chance.

He's my junior. Isn't it only right to support the younger generation?

Or would you rather I follow the example of that bastard Thunder Dragon, eternally monopolizing a Heavenly Dao and hindering the Fey Race's progress?

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