Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 257: Master?

Half a day later, a Cloud Sail from the Qi Clan came to pick up Pang Jian and the others.

The Cloud Sail descended upon Snow Peak City after two days of travel.

Exhausted from their ordeal in Spirit Offering, the group retired to the rooms the Qi Clan had arranged for them to rest.

None of the remaining Outer Gods have caused any bloodshed on the Dark Abyss Continent, Pang Jian pondered in confusion inside his room.

According to Qi Pinghai, the head of the Qi Clan, the remaining Outer Gods that left the restricted area had not shown up anywhere on the Dark Abyss Continent.

The most horrific tragedy on the Dark Abyss Continent took place in Spirit Offering, where the leaders of both the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect perished.

That incident caused a huge uproar throughout the Third World.

Spirit Offering was now considered the most dangerous place in the Third World, with heavy warnings against any wishing to enter.

The Blood Moon Sect and Sinister Soul Temple had also recalled all their Spirit Condensation Realm elders and Profound Abode Realm cultivators back to their sects.

Many of the Dark Abyss Continent's native inhabitants fled on Cloud Sails, fearing the remaining Outer Gods would wreak havoc on the continent.

Everyone was on edge, anxiously waiting for the Outer Gods to strike, but nothing had happened.

The Outer Gods that vanished alongside Luo Hongyan seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

Where did they go? Pang Jian wondered.

Hanging the sword token on his waist, he decided to prepare for the Sword Pavilion to pick him up.

He spent his days and nights focusing on mastering his divine sense in the private room the Qi Clan had arranged.

During this time, he also maintained constant communication with the black turtle and the World Eater Vine.

The little tree in Misty Swamp continued to grow steadily, while the black turtle remained peacefully nestled in the Resolute Expanse, absorbing spiritual qi from the surrounding clouds.

The black turtle would occasionally express its desire for more spirit jades to strengthen the spirit vein.

Pang Jian could only sigh helplessly in response.

The astronomical number of spirit jades the black turtle desired was a challenge even for him.

It was no longer appropriate for Pang Jian to ask Yu Xin of the Celestial Race for expensive materials now that the foreign races in the Fifth World had successfully ascended to the Fourth World.

One day, Pang Jian took out Yang Rui's spatial bracelet and sifted through its contents.

He also laid out the black iron rod he had obtained from the stone pillar, along with the withered leaves and the beast hide from the two heretical cultivators.

All of this can be sold. I just don't know how much I can get for them.

Stepping out of his room, he told Zhou Qingchen about his intention to sell some spirit materials.

Zhou Qingchen immediately went to speak with the head of the Qi Clan.

"There's a place called the Dark Cloud Pavilion in the north of the city," he said to Pang Jian when he returned.

"Thanks, Big Brother Zhou."

That evening, Pang Jian went alone to the northern part of Snow Peak City and arrived at the shop known as the Dark Cloud Pavilion.

He laid out everything he intended to sell, including Yang Rui's spatial bracelet.

An hour later, he had acquired nine thousand spirit jades.

Unfortunately, the shop had firmly refused the black iron rod, the withered leaves, and the beast hide, so Pang Jian had no choice but to take them back.

After Pang Jian left, the master of the Dark Cloud Pavilion sent a message to Han Zhiyuan, informing him about Pang Jian's visit.

"Leave him be," Han Zhiyuan coldly replied.

***

Several days later, the sword token on Pang Jian's waist let out a strange sound.

Ding!

Pang Jian was unprepared. He did not plan on going to the Sword Pavilion quite yet.

"So soon?" he muttered, bracing himself as he firmly grasped the sword token.

In the next moment, a wild and unruly voice came from the sword token in Pang Jian's hand.

"Disciple, take this sword strike!"

The sword token in Pang Jian's hand sharpened so that every edge felt like it was slicing through his skin.

Pang Jian also keenly sensed the engraved back of the bronze pendant resting on his chest had abruptly turned smooth.

The characters "Gate of the Abyss" had inexplicably disappeared and the mysteries hidden within the bronze pendant were concealed!

"I—"

Pang Jian opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a fierce sword intent flowed through his palm and rushed straight toward his dantian and spiritual sea.

"Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea! There's the sun, moon, stars, ice, lightning, earthflame—how interesting!

"Huh, your foundation is the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art! Haha, I've hit the jackpot this time!

"Qi Qingsong, you've done the Sword Pavilion a great service! You deserve a hefty reward!"

The overwhelming sword intent in Pang Jian's dantian and spiritual sea condensed into a bulky, rotund man.

The man wore a loose blue robe and had thick joints, a large build, and wide facial features. His bulky frame exuded tremendous power.

Han Duping was a hefty figure, but this man was much larger in comparison. However, despite his broad facial features, he did not appear sleazy and instead radiated a rugged masculine charisma.

The man in Pang Jian's spiritual sea chuckled.

"My dear disciple, let me check out your sea of consciousness!"

Another wave of sword intent, formed from soul essence, flowed from the Sword Pavilion token in Pang Jian's hand and shot straight into his sea of consciousness.

"The middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm, divine sense...one hundred thirty-six strands? Am I seeing this right? Is it really one hundred thirty-six strands? Hahahaha!"

Another rotund man in blue robes laughed uncontrollably from where he hovered over Pang Jian's sea of consciousness.

"A Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea and one hundred thirty-six strands of divine sense! From now on, kid, you're officially my personal disciple!

"I won't take any more disciples for as long as you don't kick the bucket. With you as my personal disciple, I can confidently say I've done my part for the Sword Pavilion."

The two rotund men in Pang Jian's spiritual sea and sea of consciousness laughed heartily.

After they finished laughing, the blue-robed men looked upward in unison.

Pang Jian felt like he was simultaneously gazing at the pair of identical, rotund men—one formed from spiritual power and the other from soul essence.

The two men stroked their chins in contemplation.

"You've reached the Profound Abode Realm using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. It would be a waste to stop halfway."

"The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual I have only goes up to the Spirit Condensation Realm," Pang Jian said hesitantly.

"That's no problem. The Sword Pavilion wiped out the Divine Cauldron Sect, so we have the complete cultivation manual. And you know, combining our Sword Pavilion's aggressive sword arts and killing techniques with the orthodox life-nurturing Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art could be a surprisingly good match," the blue-robed men mused.

Pang Jian was stunned.

The Sword Pavilion wiped out the creators of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the Divine Cauldron Sect?

"I've also been cultivating the Grand Providence Sacred Body. It's also an incomplete technique..." Pang Jian quietly added.

"Heh, what a coincidence. We also wiped out the Providence Sect." The two men grinned mischievously. "If anyone else mixed so many random techniques, I wouldn't acknowledge them as my disciple! But you, with your innate Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, are perfectly suited to cultivating all sorts of messy and diverse arts!

"Feel free to cultivate these techniques. If you can't find the whole manual, I'll provide them to you.

"Hmm, I'll need to think about what sword techniques to teach you—your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea isn't suited for my Dao of Sword."

The men muttered to themselves for a while, then chuckled mischievously and asked, "Kid, how many close female companions do you have?"

Pang Jian was taken aback. "What kind of close female companions?"

The two blue-robed men laughed mischievously. "The kind you've slept with, of course!"

Pang Jian fell into silence.

"That won't do!" The rotund men said seriously, "As my disciple, you must share my taste. I have close female companions across various worlds! You can't disgrace me in this area!

"Are you planning to sleep with that girl, Li Yuqing?

"I heard from Li Yuqing that you have a special relationship with an Outer God named Luo Hongyan. If you're truly interested in that Outer God, your master can lend you a hand." The blue-robed men laughed heartily. "An Outer God? Tsk tsk. Even I, your master, have never tried that before."

Pang Jian's expression froze. "Are you really the Sword Pavilion's...Pavilion Master?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The rotund men sneered and proudly said, "Few dare to impersonate me in the Abyss! Even the True Gods in the First World don't claim they can easily defeat me.

"Once I achieve godhood, I'll tear through this entire world just to see who's been placing all these restrictions on us!

"Alright, I've seen and said enough. You can come to the Sword Pavilion whenever you're ready.

"I'll spend some time figuring out which sword techniques are best suited for you, or maybe...I'll develop an entirely new Dao of Sword just for you."

With that, the two rotund men retreated back into the sword token.

Pang Jian sat quietly in his room, sword token still in hand, feeling rather unsettled.

The unease did not fade even after a long time, so he decided to go knock on Zhao Yuanqi's door despite the late hour.

The silver-haired girl answered the door, eyeing him warily.

"What kind of person is the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion?" he reluctantly asked.

Zhao Yuanqi breathed a sigh of relief.

Recalling the description the Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect gave her, she solemnly replied, "It's said that he's charming and extremely handsome, with close connections to many beauties across various worlds."

Pang Jian's face darkened. He felt he had been tricked.

The rotund men in blue robes can't be the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion!

But who else besides the Pavilion Master can channel two extraordinary sword intents into my sea of consciousness and spiritual sea through a mere token?

"Sect Master Liu holds the Pavilion Master in high regard..." Zhao Yuanqi hesitated for a few seconds before whispering, "I heard the Red Mountain Sect's backer is the Sword Pavilion in the Second World."

Pang Jian blinked in surprise and asked, "Is your Sect Master male or female?"

"Sect Master Liu's full name is Liu Lingyun. She is, of course, a woman," Zhao Yuanqi replied.

"Alright, sorry to bother you." Pang Jian cupped his hands and left.