Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 492: Sealing the Demon Fetus

The four True Gods of the human race and the eight powerhouses of the foreign races stared at each other through the Mirror Tunnel.

Distance was no longer a factor restraining either side.

The Mirror Tunnel, hovering in the sky between the Second and Third Worlds, served as a gateway between them.

Those in the Second and Third Worlds held their breaths as they watched this extraordinary sight.

The space around the True Gods was still. The air was stagnant, and the world was silent.

Li Wang knitted his brows.

The other three True Gods, Liu Fu, Li Yuanli, and Dong Shangqing, all wore expressions as solemn as still water, eyes fixed on the eight figures in the Mirror Tunnel.

After a long pause, Li Wang said calmly, "So, they were prepared all along."

None of the eight Rank Ten foreign race warriors from the Fifth World were adept at spatial techniques, meaning someone else had mobilized the array cores of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars and revealed the seven Mirror Tunnels.

The mastermind behind this; the Fire God, Yan Lie; and the high-ranking Outer God of the Ghost Race, Zi Mo, were likely observing them from the shadows.

"Eight Rank Ten foreign race warriors and three Outer Gods," Li Wang muttered.

For the first time, he directly felt the pressure from the Fifth World.

The human race had fifteen True Gods. This more than doubled the number of Rank Ten foreign race warriors in the Fifth World in the past.

Thus, he believed this calamity, while still troublesome, would ultimately be no different from those of the past.

He thought they could handle the rising troubles of the foreign races.

However, as Li Wang stared at the eight Rank Ten foreign race warriors through the Mirror Tunnel, he could not help but feel a hint of doubt.

The foreign races had the three Outer Gods. The Fey Race also announced their intention to remain uninvolved.

As he considered the situation, a bitter feeling rose in his heart, and he found himself overwhelmed with regret as he reflected on his actions over the years.

Would the situation be so dire if the Celestial Phoenix hadn't perished? If the black turtle hadn't exhausted itself seeking another continent? If the Dragon Lair Sect still stood as their ally?

Was suppressing the Fey Race a mistake? Li Wang wondered.

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At that moment, the Mirror Tunnel drifted toward the Dark Abyss Continent in the Third World.

Dong Shangqing watched the Mirror Tunnel descend. He knew that pursuing it would be futile.

"They were well-prepared. The Demon Sect has been entirely uprooted from the Demon Abyss Continent," Dong Shangqing said gravely. "The Demon Sect was once the most powerful faction in the Second World, but now all its disciples have fallen onto the demonic path and have become part of the enemy's forces.

"The coming days will only become more difficult for us. Their next wave of attacks will only get fiercer as the murky energy rises.

"Will those from the Second, Third, and Fourth Worlds have to migrate further upward? Can they all even fit into the First World? Does the First World have enough land to sustain them?"

Dong Shangqing sighed in frustration, still in a foul mood from having his Dharma Idol shattered.

Feeling an overwhelming urge to retaliate, he recklessly suggested, "Rather than wait for the murky energy to keep creeping upward, I propose that all the True Gods descend and deal with them directly!".

"Have you gone mad?" Li Yuanli exclaimed. "Fighting those eight in the heavily polluted Fifth World will only put us at an even greater disadvantage!"

Liu Fu hurriedly said, "We have to consider this carefully!"

***

High above the Demon Abyss Continent, the distortions in the sky smoothed out as the Mirror Tunnels shimmered briefly before vanishing, taking the six artifacts with them.

Pang Jian, Li Jie, and Li Zhaotian briefly caught sight of mountain peaks in the lone Mirror Tunnel as it descended toward the Third World.

The Mirror Tunnel disappeared into the murky energy before any details could fully manifest, and they remained unaware of the eight Rank Ten powerhouses on the other side.

"A knife, sword, hammer, spear, mirror, and flag," Pang Jian murmured softly.

The Gate of the Abyss had resonated with the six artifacts when they appeared, sensing that they were array cores from the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars, just like the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest.

When he sent his divine sense into the bronze pendant, he discovered that he could enter any Mirror Tunnel that had not yet disappeared.

He could also use the bronze pendant to reach each of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars in the Fifth World.

At that moment, he also realized that a powerful being had taken control of the pillars.

Li Jie had also come to similar realizations as he exclaimed, "Those Mirror Tunnels correspond to the seven Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars in the Fifth World!"

Li Zhaotian's expression changed. "You mean—?"

"The foreign races of the Fifth World have likely deciphered the secrets of the seven Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars," Li Jie said gravely. "They're no longer suppressing the foreign races and have instead become deadly weapons for the enemy!"

Before Li Jie could say anything further, Li Zhaotian narrowed his eyes at the lone Mirror Tunnel remaining below and spotted the eight Rank Ten powerhouses within.

As Pang Jian was about to speak, the voice of the Abyssal Demon echoed from the black-gold sword in his hand.

Pang Jian, it's time. If we delay further, he could awaken again.

"Master, I have to leave for a while. We can stay in contact through the sword token."

Pang Jian bowed toward Li Zhaotian and flew a short distance away before Li Zhaotian could question him. He then vanished right before Li Zhaotian's eyes.

Deep beneath the Resolute Expanse, a hundred zhang below the Cloud Wilderness, Pang Jian took out the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest and tossed the Abyssal Demon Sword inside.

The Abyssal Demon then dragged the Demon Fetus out from the small world within the sword.

As the Primordial Demon awakened within the chest, Pang Jian decisively removed the Abyssal Demon Sword and snapped the lid shut in one seamless motion.

Pang Jian exhaled in relief.

Gripping the sword token, he said to Li Zhaotian. "Master, I'm in the Second World, on a fragmented land hidden within the clouds. I've just sealed the Demon Fetus, cutting off its connection to the outside world.

"Suppressing it long-term won't be an issue. It won't trouble the world for the foreseeable future."

"I know your location now. It would be ideal if you could seal the Demon Fetus long-term," Li Zhaotian replied. Then, after a brief pause, he cautioned, "Don't tell anyone you have the Demon Fetus. Stay where you are. I'll come find you later."

"Understood."

Pang Jian let out a long sigh as his tensions eased. Returning to the Resolute Expanse truly felt like coming home.

"Dong Tianze!" he called, voice echoing across the Cloud Wilderness. "Dong Tianze!"

When he received no response, he reached out with his divine soul and soon realized that Dong Tianze had left at some point without him noticing.

"Where did he go?" Pang Jian muttered to himself.

Setting aside the changes in the Demon Abyss Continent, he then established connections with the black turtle, the Bee Sovereign, and the World Eater Vine.

Young Rock Bear won. He's devouring the heart of the Four-Eyed Spirit Fox. We'll see if he can ascend to Fey God after this, the black turtle promptly informed. Where have you been? I haven't been able to reach you for quite some time. Did something happen?

I just returned from the Demon Abyss Continent, Pang Jian replied.

Dividing his focus to simultaneously communicate with all three beings, he recounted his experiences on the Demon Abyss Continent.

***

Whoosh!

The descending Mirror Tunnel settled in the center of Spirit Offering on the Dark Abyss Continent.

Xuan Ying, Wu Yuan, a wisp of Great Demon God He Motian's soul, Chen Xuanfeng, Qu Long, and many elders and protectors of the Demon Sect all emerged from the Mirror Tunnel.

The man-sized Demon Lair also materialized before expanding a thousandfold, towering like a purple mountain.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Greenish-black demonic energy spread from the demonic stone, swiftly displacing the murky energy in Spirit Offering.

Soon the restricted area was completely saturated in demonic energy.

Then, one final figure stepped out of the Mirror Tunnel.

It was Li Bai.

The Mirror Tunnel then silently vanished.

Li Bai gently nodded at Xuan Ying before respectfully greeting He Motian's strange soul form, "Lord He Motian! Congratulations on descending into the Abyss."

"Descending without my true body is hardly worth celebrating," He Motian replied as he retreated into the massive purple demonic stone. "When the Demon Fetus awakens to its true self, it will immediately resonate with the Demon Lair, no matter where it is.

"I will personally guard the Demon Lair and use the lingering malevolent thoughts to form an array capable of guiding its return.

"If it can restore its strength within the Demon Lair and forge a new body, it'll surpass the Ghost Race's Zi Mo. Even Fire God Yan Lie will be no match for it.

"When another human ascends into the True God Realm, it can devour their divine soul. A True God's divine soul will allow it to grow rapidly.

"The scattered fragments of the Primordial Demon's soul will reunite with it once it destroys the barrier surrounding the Abyss and returns to the starry skies.

"When that happens, no one will be able to stand in the way of it becoming a Sovereign," the Great Demon God He Motian said grandly.

In his eyes, the setback on the Demon Abyss Continent was insignificant and his confidence was not dampened in the slightest.

"My Lord!" Li Bai lowered his head. "Why was I not informed that four True Gods of the human race were present above the Demon Abyss Continent?"

Xuan Ying's expression shifted.

Elders Chen Xuanfeng and Qu Long—still retaining a measure of clarity due to willingly embracing the demonic path—were visibly startled.

Li Bai was questioning the Great Demon God He Motian!

He Motian's voice deepened as he asked in return, "Why did you not lead your force to the Demon Abyss Continent?"

Li Bai hesitated.

Deciding not to mention Luo Hongyan's orders, he simply replied, "I wanted to save Xuan Ying, but I knew there was no chance of success. My people would've been massacred if I'd charged into the Demon Abyss Continent while the four True Gods were present.

"The outcome would not have changed."

"How could you be so sure it was impossible if you never even tried?" He Motian asked coldly. "If you had stormed the Demon Abyss Continent, the divine consciousness of the Demon Gods could've descended into your Rank Nine warriors.

"They would have burned your Rank Nine warriors' souls and bloodlines, unleashing immense power to help you break free of the True Gods.

"Most of your forces would've inevitably perished, but you had a high chance of reaching the Demon Abyss Continent. Many matters could have been easily resolved had your forces arrived as planned, and we would not be in such a disadvantageous position.

"Li Bai, your hesitation and excessive concern for your people led to our failure. Indecision has always been your biggest flaw. This is why the demonic blade was placed in Xuan Ying's hands, not yours."