Chapter 480: Those Who Flee and Those Who Hold Fast
Elder Duan Yun of the Black Valley Sect shared his suspicions, glaring in the direction of the Demon Sect as he did.
Despite this, he made no mention of going to confirm it for himself.
Powerhouses from different factions, like Duan Yun, similarly claimed the Demon Sect was responsible for the calamity that befell the Demon Abyss Continent, but none dared to charge into the Demon Sect and confront Xiang Shengwei.
The Demon Sect's fearsome reputation had long instilled a deep fear in the hearts of those in the Second World. An unshakable dread gripped those present, though whether it was out of fear for the sect itself or its peak Immortal Realm powerhouses was unclear.
A gorgeously dressed woman, over two hundred years old in the early stage of the Immortal Realm, said pointedly, "My Liang Clan is a vassal of the Demon Sect. We dare not hold them accountable, no matter what they did.
"The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect and the Sword Pavilion, on the other hand, are capable of putting pressure on the Demon Sect. Perhaps the two of you..."
The Liang Clan's Matriarch turned her heavily powdered face toward Pang Jian and Li Jie with a coaxing expression.
"The Demon Sect isn't far from here. Why don't you two pay them a visit and inquire about the situation?"
"Liang Lu! Are you trying to get me killed?!" Li Jie raged. "This entire continent is drowning in misery, but the Demon Sect remains completely silent. Even a fool can see there's something suspicious here!
"Either the Demon Sect is behind this or their situation is worse than what's happening outside!
"Regardless, Pang Jian and I would be signing our own death warrants if we just recklessly charged in!
"I still value my life! Don't even think about using me as a pawn!"
Li Jie was the most renowned artifact refiner prodigy of his generation and did not need to show respect to the Matriarch of the Liang Clan.
Pointing in the direction of the Demon Sect, he said coldly, "Since you're so eager to find out the truth, why don't you go take a look yourself? Or better yet, you can lead the way. Pang Jian and I will follow along behind you!"
The Matriarch of the Liang Clan fell silent, not daring to say another word.
The Divine Treasure Sect was the most powerful faction in the First World, and Li Jie was the youngest artifact refiner prodigy of his generation.
Liang Li was a mere vassal dependent on the Demon Sect and did not truly dare to provoke Li Jie. She tried to persuade him to go to the Demon Sect simply because she assumed his youthful arrogance would make him easy to manipulate.
Huang Xi, Sect Master of the Goldstone Sect in the early stage of the Immortal Realm, stood beside Duan Yun and said gravely, "When the incident first started, the fiercest battles erupted near the Demon Sect.
"Our sect is relatively close to their territory, and I could see thick smoke rising from a distance. Several of the Demon Sect's branch buildings and palaces have already been destroyed.
"The calamity could still be tied to the Demon Sect, but it appears they've borne the brunt of the devastation."
"You're saying the Demon Sect's situation is the most dire?" Duan Yun exclaimed in shock.
"We all know that cultivators from the Demon Sect are the most likely to succumb to cultivation deviation," Huang Xi said thoughtfully, carefully choosing his words. "In other words, those cultivating with the Demon Sect's methods are far more susceptible to harboring strong evil and malicious thoughts.
"It makes sense that the Demon Sect's disciples are inevitably the most likely to lose control in the face of this corrupting power."
Someone gasped. "Doesn't that mean the Demon Sect's territory now is nothing but endless slaughter and chaos?"
"Perhaps they're so quiet because their elders already died in the fighting or perished from cultivation deviation," said another.
"The Demon Sect could already be a dead zone!"
"The survivors could have already turned into mindless monsters. Anyone who goes there is as good as dead!"
The crowd erupted into heated conversation.
Pang Jian stood atop the Heart of Winter, channeling his golden divine sense into his eyes as he gazed toward the Demon Sect. Sure enough, the demonic energy there was the densest and most oppressive.
As the ones closest to the Demon Abyss, the Demon Sect likely suffered the brunt of the situation. There were probably few survivors left.
While everyone was still engrossed in their discussions, Pang Jian pondered the situation.
"The demonic stone towering over the Demon Abyss has undergone an anomaly," he eventually said. "It's drawing in negative emotions and pulling in the souls of those surrounding it.
"It's happened twice already. The first time, it caused the souls of anyone near it to be pulled away from their bodies.
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"The second tremor affected the entire Demon Abyss.
"If there's a third tremor..."
Pang Jian glanced at the Immortal Realm Duan Yun, Liang Lu, and Huang Xi, wondering if their divine souls were strong enough to withstand the pull of the demonic stone.
The others were stunned into silence.
Meanwhile, Pang Jian turned to Li Jie. "Have you tried to leave?"
"Not just me. Everyone's tried, but no one can get out!" Li Jie replied.
"I'll try it for myself too."
Pang Jian ascended toward the greenish-black barrier covering the continent on the Heart of Winter.
"You'd better steel yourselves," he called down in warning. "If a third tremor strikes, I hope you can hold fast to your divine souls.
"The demonic stone is strong enough to pull away the divine souls of those in the Nirvana Realm like me."
As soon as those words left Pang Jian's mouth, those not yet in the Immortal Realm turned pale as ash.
They anxiously deliberated, gazes shifting between the Demon Abyss below and the families or sects they had left behind.
"The anomaly with the Demon Abyss is beyond what we can handle."
"Exactly. We'll only lose our divine soul if we stay."
"This is obviously the doing of the Demon Gods in the outer worlds! They're clearly targeting the Demon Abyss Continent!"
"This is a matter for the True Gods to resolve, not us!"
One by one, the Nirvana Realm cultivators retreated from above the Demon Abyss, flying to the farthest reaches of the continent, putting as much distance between themselves and the demonic stone as possible.
They hoped the distance would reduce the overwhelming pressure, allowing them to cling to survival until the True Gods broke the barrier and restored order to the continent.
"My Liang Clan can't survive without me. If I fall, the entire clan is doomed. Brother Duan Yun, I'm sorry."
Despite being in the Immortal Realm, Liang Lu was overcome with fear. She bowed and retreated without another word.
"The Liang Clan is bound to collapse sooner or later with a matriarch like you!" Li Jie mocked bluntly.
Liang Lu turned a deaf ear to the remark as she left.
The remaining Immortal Realm cultivators could not help but waver as well.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three more Immortal Realm cultivators turned and fled without even so much as an apology.
Although chaotic battles and slaughter had consumed many regions of the Demon Abyss Continent, those with unwavering resolve could remain unaffected and distance themselves from the turmoil.
They just had to guard against the malicious thoughts in their hearts, avoid getting involved, and find a secluded corner far from the Demon Abyss.
This way they could escape the demonic stone's corruption, at least for the time being.
Those fleeing assured themselves that the True Gods outside the Demon Abyss Continent likely already noticed the anomalies and were working to break the barrier.
All they had to do was hold on and protect themselves until the barrier covering the Demon Abyss Continent disappeared.
After all, they were the patriarchs and elders, their clans and sects needed them alive.
Li Jie let out a bitter, almost manic laugh.
"Even the Immortal Realm cultivators are running away. This continent is probably beyond saving.
"I foolishly thought there was still a chance to fix things, and that this continent could still be saved. I can't believe they just fled like that, leaving their descendants and juniors to kill each other under the corruption of demonic energy.
"They can resist the demons in their heart and remain clear-headed. They have the power to help, but they still won't lift a finger to save the members of their own clans and sects.
"Why should I bother working so hard?
"My family and homeland aren't even on this Demon Abyss Continent!
"So what if this continent is destroyed? So what if all the living beings here die? What does that have to do with me?"
Li Jie could not help but feel like a fool.
His efforts in saving the lives of those on the Demon Abyss Continent seemed pointless. Disillusionment consumed him as he let out a bitter laugh, grin hollow and filled with despair.
"I'm only in the Soul Wandering Realm! I need to find the spot farthest from that demonic stone and hide myself too!"
His eyes swept over the continent and quickly pinpointed the region on the Demon Abyss Continent that was the farthest and safest from the demonic stone.
He did not know when the third tremor of the demonic stone would occur. All he knew was that the best way to survive was to leave as soon as possible.
Everything in him told him to flee, but even so, the Qilin Bell he was in did not move.
He recalled the scenes as he wandered from city to city, all the people locked in desperate battles for survival.
Women and children raised blades against one another over trivial household disputes.
Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law fought viciously, leaving both covered in blood.
Brothers, resentful over the division of family farmland, took up hammers and shovels to hack each other down.
Even young children, angered at their teacher's scoldings, lashed out thoughtlessly, hurling bricks with reckless fury.
The corrupting demonic energy twisted the smallest seeds of malice into horrific tragedies.
Li Jie had wandered aimlessly, watching it all unfold.
He had called on the strongest cultivators to join him because he could not bear to see this once-prosperous, thriving continent of the human race fall to ruin.
However, those old geezers had shamelessly fled, despite being one or two centuries older and two cultivation realms above him.
As the genius artifact refiner of the Li Family, his life was no less valuable than theirs.
Li Jie was barely in his early thirties and had yet to meet someone he truly loved. There were still breathtaking landscapes in the Abyss that he had yet to see, and he still carried many unfulfilled dreams in his heart.
Those old geezers, on the other hand, had lived for centuries, experienced all there was to experience, and likely had few regrets left in life.
Despite this, they seemed to cling to it more desperately than even Li Jie did.
Huang Xi of the Goldstone Sect broke Li Jie out of his thoughts as he ordered, "Li Family brat, find a place to stay alive. We'll try to resolve this. I don't care what the others do. I'm willing to lay down my life for this continent!"
With those words, Huang Xi plunged into the Demon Abyss.
Meanwhile, Pang Jian had just come into contact with the barrier above the Demon Abyss Continent. He brushed against it, and the Gate of the Abyss on his chest flared with searing heat.
Whoosh!
Returning the Heart of Winter to his dantian, Pang Jian shot through the barrier above the Demon Abyss Continent, becoming the sole individual to escape.
The Immortal Realm cultivators below were shocked at the sight.
"He got out!"
"Li Jie, Pang Jian broke free of the Demon Abyss Continent!"
"I saw it! He passed through the barrier!"