Trials of the Abyss

As Pang Jian stared at the massive Gray Ape statue within the bizarre mist, he could not help but think back to the Gray Ape from the Solitary Mountain Range.

The two shared the same appearance and were likely of the same species. The only difference was the color of their eyes.

His old friend had a rare pair of ice-blue eyes rather than gray ones that matched its fur.

Something unusual is happening on the Sacred Soul Continent. Li Yuqing went there to investigate, the giant Gray Ape appeared there, and even the black turtle mentioned it.

Pang Jian could not shake the feeling that the strange occurrences on this emerging continent were likely connected to the Sacred Soul Continent.

Flying ahead and descending behind the Gray Ape stone statue, he reached out to grasp the banner emblazoned with the yin-yang symbol.

Though the yin-yang symbol distinctly separated them, murky energy and pure spiritual power still miraculously coexisted within the banner.

Astonishingly, the two forces did not erode or cancel each other out.

The continent half-hidden in the bizarre mist differed from Northern Qi and Absolute Heaven.

In Northern Qi and Absolute Heaven, the bizarre mist only cloaked the fragmented land, leaving a clearing untouched between the bizarre mist and the ground.

This emerging continent, on the other hand, was entirely engulfed in bizarre mist. As a result, no energy existed here—neither murky energy nor spiritual power.

So, where did the two energies within the yin-yang symbol originate? Could it be a remnant from a previous era?

Puzzled, Pang Jian gripped the flagpole, sending his divine sense and the various energies within his spiritual sea to perceive its mysteries.

The flagpole and banner in Pang Jian's hand disintegrated.

The murky energy and pure spiritual power in the yin-yang symbol also dissipated into the bizarre mist.

"Pang Jian, stop touching everything!" Fan Chen of the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom said with irritation. "There's hardly anything left here. I need to examine what little remains to piece together what happened!"

Pang Jian frowned but said nothing.

Though the banner had disintegrated, the image of the murky energy and pure spiritual power coexisting in the yin-yang symbol had left a lasting impression in his mind.

He recalled Reverend Primal's words, Spiritual power and murky energy are complete opposites—like yin and yang; fire and water; the sun and the moon.

Pang Jian's Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea could hold either spiritual power or murky energy, but not both at once.

The two inevitably clashed the same way the foreign races were now clashing with the human race.

If my Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea could simultaneously hold both energies, like the yin-yang symbol... Pang Jian fell into deep thought.

"Time has eroded everything." Fan Chen sighed.

After studying the stone statue of the Gray Ape and the ruined city behind it, he lowered his head to note a few details with a brush and paper.

"From what little I've gathered, this continent seems similar to the Sacred Soul Continent and was once home to the ancient Fey Race," Fan Chen said. "Powerful foreign race warriors ultimately wiped out the Fey Race and the bizarre mist eventually swallowed this continent.

"The Fourth World likely had vast, complete continents in the early ages, but the wars between races shattered them, leaving behind fragmented lands," Fan Chen theorized.

Those from the First World, usually indifferent to ancient histories lost to time, listened intently to Fan Chen's speculations.

Fan Chen extended his divine sense to search the area around the city before helplessly remarking, "There are only bones left here—nothing else of value. Lead the way, Pang Jian. Let's explore further."

Pang Jian nodded. "Alright."

Over the next several days, the group wandered through the continent and encountered more cities.

Along the way, they saw more majestic statues of creatures like Qilins, Vermilion Birds, and white tigers, but the situation was largely the same as the Gray Ape.

The giant statues stood around the ruined cities like guardian deities.

These statues were just as damaged as the cities themselves, and not a single one was still intact.

Surprisingly, the first statue they had seen of the giant Gray Ape was also the most preserved.

Even without Fan Chen's explanations, the crumbling statues, the dilapidated cities, and the skeletons of Vicious and Spirit Beasts were enough to paint a clear image of the past.

A powerful force had invaded this continent and drove the ancient Fey Race to extinction.

The Fey Race's precious hearts, horns, sinews, and flesh had either been taken by the invaders or corroded by the bizarre mist.

"There were likely many continents like this back in those days, filled with Vicious and Spirit Beasts," Lu Yanshu from the Pure Land Sect mused, shaking his head. "Now, the Sacred Soul Continent is the only continent left for the Fey Race."

Lu Yanshu followed Fan Chen's lead and adopted the unified term for Vicious and Spirit Beasts.

"The continent isn't emerging from the bizarre mist. The bizarre mist is retreating." Liu Youyu's voice rang out from within the Flying Fish Boat. After a brief pause, she added, "I sense the presence of Ling Yimo from the Ghost Sacrifice Sect."

Pang Jian was taken aback.

Despite his divine sense having the widest perception range, he had not detected Ling Yimo's presence. It was surprising to Pang Jian that Liu Youyu had.

"Follow me."

The Flying Fish Boat sped through the bizarre mist.

A few hours later, they stumbled upon an illusory city built from green stone floating silently within the bizarre mist.

It resembled the estate or fortress of an Outer God.

The city felt like it did not truly exist. It was like a reflection in still water, a mirage, or perhaps a projection of a city from another world.

At the city gates was an inscription in ancient demon characters—The Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis!

"The Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis!" Fan Chen was dumbstruck. Pointing at the illusory city, he exclaimed, "Perhaps Ling Yimo did not lie! Hong Qiming also didn't deceive us!"

Pang Jian's heart trembled, and he instantly confirmed the writing with the Abyssal Demon.

Sure enough, it was the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis!

Hu Yuanfei screamed, "Ling Yimo!"

A ghostly figure drifted along the deserted streets and slipped past open windows within the phantom green-stone city.

It was Ling Yimo, the first to venture into the bizarre mist.

"Little Sister Ling! Why don't you come out and explain why what you said differs from Fan Chen's account?" Shen Yanxi called out.

Ling Yimo did not react, continuing to drift through the city like a wandering ghost, seeming not to have heard Shen Yanxi at all.

"That's not her body. It's her divine soul," Liu Youyu said softly. "I don't know where her physical body is. I can only sense her divine soul"

The reserved young woman from the Primeval Pillar Divine Kingdom emerged from her Flying Fish Boat with the Celestial Profound Mirror.

She aimed the Celestial Profound Mirror toward the illusory green stone city.

Pang Jian glanced over. Only Ling Yimo's drifting figure was reflected within the Celestial Profound Mirror—there was no city made out of green stone nor any Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis.

"Perhaps only the divine soul can freely roam this mysterious Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis." Liu Youyu bit her lower lip and put away the Celestial Profound Mirror before looking at everyone. "Ling Yimo separated her divine soul from her body to move within it. If she can do it, we probably can as well."

Hu Yuanfei's expression changed. "But is the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis real or an illusion? Can she not hear us because her divine soul is in another world?"

"The Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis may be only an illusion for us now, but it could become real once we enter with our divine souls," Fan Chen replied.

"You guys in the Soul Wandering Realm could try," Lu Yanshu said with a wry smile. "I'm only in the Spirit Condensation Realm and can't detach my divine soul from my body, so I'll sit this out."

Zhou Qingchen, Wu Yuan, and the couple from the Ancient Law Sect—also in the Spirit Condensation Realm—nodded.

"The divine soul maintains a link to the physical body," Fan Chen mused. "I suggest we don't recklessly send our divine souls inside without locating Ling Yimo's body first."

"Exactly," Hu Yuanfei agreed. "Finding Ling Yimo's physical body and asking her directly about the situation would be a safer course!"

"Isn't she in the Spirit Condensation Realm? How can her divine soul leave her body?" Zhou Qingchen interjected.

Except for Pang Jian, everyone once again looked at him as if he were a fool.

"Right, her soul is…unique," Zhou Qingchen muttered, frustrated.

"Let's spread out and search for Ling Yimo's physical body," Fan Chen said.

Some extended their divine sense, while others split into teams to search around.

Pang Jian stayed still and observed everyone's movements through the extensive range of his divine sense.

He then noticed the Flying Fish Boat drifting in a circle before coming to a halt.

Liu Youyu flew out, stopping at a petite skeleton dressed in a white robe, and shouted, "Ling Yimo is dead."

The others immediately gathered around Liu Youyu.

The skeleton wore a familiar white robe with blue and purple sigils at its hem and a spatial ring.

These were all distinctive features of Ling Yimo's attire.

All that was left of Ling Yimo was her sparkling white skeleton, still faintly exuding spiritual power, as if she had died not long ago.

"The Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis!" Hong Qiming's shout echoed in the distance, at the very edge of Pang Jian's divine sense.

Zhou Yi had previously been missing and Hong Qiming had been assumed to be trapped within the bizarre mist, but now they appeared one after another within Pang Jian's perception range.

Moreover, another group was with them, and among them was the familiar Su Li.

"Zhou Yi and Hong Qiming have brought another group here," Pang Jian reported.

Everyone, already shaken by the discovery of Ling Yimo's skeleton, was only further startled at the news.

"They've also spotted the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis and are approaching cautiously," Pang Jian informed. Hesitating briefly, he suggested, "Perhaps we should leave this place for now."

"Pang Jian, you can see them?" Hu Yuanfei curiously asked.

"Yes."

"And they can't see you?"

"That seems to be the case."

Hu Yuanfei proposed, "Then let's leave this place. Don't touch any of Ling Yimo's belongings! We'll leave this to Zhou Yi and his group. Pang Jian, keep an eye on their every move!"

Everyone readily agreed.

An hour later, Zhou Yi, Hong Qiming, and their group arrived and discovered Ling Yimo's skeletal remains.

"Is Ling Yimo dead, or did she abandon her body to enter the Sanctum of Godly and Demonic Genesis with her divine soul?" Hong Qiming asked grimly. Glancing at Su Li and Cao Jingbai, he added, "Someone has to send their divine soul to investigate."

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