Trials of the Abyss-Chapter 649: A Noble Vision

The forces within the Abyss had exceedingly complex natures.

The more Pang Jian delved into their intricacies, the stranger it all seemed.

Lacking an innate bloodline, the human race was all mere mortals with short lifespans before stepping onto the path of cultivation.

Infants and young children were especially weak.

Throwing a non-cultivator into the murky energy of the Fifth World was no different from casting them into a pit of fire. It would be tantamount to sentencing them to death.

The humans living in the Fourth World proved this true when the murky energy surged upward.

Even those with low cultivation realms struggled to survive in the murky energy, let alone non-cultivators.

While the human race's flexibility with cultivation seemed to align with the multifaceted nature of murky energy, their inherent weakness at the early stages made it impossible for them to cultivate it from the start.

The human race had lived in areas with spiritual qi since appearing in the Abyss.

This was because they struggled to adapt to the Fifth World.

However, this did not account for outliers like Pang Jian, with his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea that allowed him to acclimate to murky energy early on. freēwēbnovel.com

There was also the possibility of powerful cultivators purging their bodies of spiritual qi midway through their path and switching to murky energy to break through to higher cultivation realms.

Even Pang Jian could not predict the result of such an action.

Perhaps many cultivators would no longer view the Immortal Realm as their limit, instead finding a gateway to infinite possibilities through murky energy.

It was possible that these cultivators could then fuse inherently compatible energies, such as cold energy with lightning, earthflame energy with solar energy, or stellar energy with lunar energy to ascend to godhood through Corruption.

If this were true, human cultivators would ultimately be inherently suited for murky energy in the later stages of their path.

The singular nature of the foreign races' bloodlines conversely aligned with the characteristics of Fortune.

There was no reason to assume they could not ascend to Rank Ten through Fortune.

Rather, it was possible that ascending to Rank Ten through Fortune would make them stronger than using Corruption.

Thirty thousand years ago, the foreign races dominated the upper worlds of the Abyss, living in a world brimming with spiritual qi.

Back then, Rank Ten powerhouses surely ascended through Fortune, allowing them to shatter the barrier and escape into the starry skies beyond.

The refinement and strengthening of their bloodlines through murky energy resulted in faster growth, but that did not make cultivating with spiritual qi any less viable for them.

The path to Rank Ten could have even proved more stable and powerful through Fortune. In that case, there was no reason for the foreign races not to cultivate using spiritual qi, even if it was slower.

An idea took form in Pang Jian's mind.

The human race could first cultivate in the spiritual-qi-rich upper worlds, focusing on tempering their bodies. Once their physique became strong enough, they could descend into the Fifth World and continue their cultivation using murky energy.

Of course, the process of purging spiritual qi and converting to murky energy would likely prove fatal for many.

Still, with the wisdom of the human race, they would surely be able to forge a new path of cultivation, one suited for the vast majority.

Future human cultivators could follow this new path, harnessing murky energy to progress through the Profound Abode Realm, Spirit Condensation Realm, Soul Wandering Realm, Nirvana Realm, and Immortal Realm before ultimately ascending to the True God Realm.

Such True Gods could surpass those ascended through a singular master in the upper worlds.

If another form of the barrier truly existed beneath the endless darkness, these True Gods would undoubtedly have a better chance of breaking through it.

The foreign races could take the opposite approach, starting in the Fifth World before heading for the upper worlds at Rank Five or Six.

They would then purge the murky energy from their bodies and refine their bloodline anew through spiritual qi, eventually advancing to Rank Ten through Fortune before breaking through the barrier and soaring freely through the starry skies.

If both sides could prove their paths viable, this would be the best possible outcome for all.

Pang Jian's thoughts continued to surge like a tidal wave.

At the same time, Qi Xu of the Flame Race was still processing his earlier words. Her mind was thrown into disarray, and her expression was dazed.

After a long pause, she finally licked her crimson lips and asked, "Pang Jian, are you truly willing to let us live in the upper worlds while consigning the human race to the depths of the Fifth World?"

The Fifth World was shrouded in eternal darkness and barren of resources. Nobody would willingly remain there for any prolonged time.

For thirty thousand years, the foreign races had struggled for a chance to bask in the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars above.

They were in contact with the Outer Gods. Naturally, they knew the worlds above were vast and full of wonders.

Although the Abyss provided everything they needed, they were well aware that it was, at its core, still nothing more than a massive prison.

It was the ambition of every foreign race powerhouse to break free from this prison and stand in the starry skies as divine beings!

If Pang Jian was truly willing to cede the upper worlds, he could be considered as being on the side of the foreign races.

"It's just an idea. I don't know if it'll actually work," Pang Jian added, not wanting to make any absolute claims. "If I successfully ascend to godhood once more using Corruption, I will delve into the endless darkness of the Fifth World.

"The only way this vision has any sliver of potential is if I find a way out down there."

"That's your grand plan?" Qi Xu scoffed.

Pang Jian nodded.

Her expression became openly mocking. "You want to draw in Corruption and ascend through an alternate method just to search for an exit from below?"

Pang Jian nodded again.

"Do you have any idea how many of our Fifth World's powerhouses have disappeared into that darkness?" Qi Xu pressed. "And that's not including the Fey Gods of the ancient era."

"I don't," Pang Jian answered honestly.

"Not a single one has ever appeared again. Whether within the Abyss or beyond," Qi Xu said firmly. "Your human race has long lost contact with your True Gods in the starry skies, but we're not like you.

"Whenever the Abyss opens, we can still communicate freely with the Outer Gods beyond.

"Pang Jian, let me tell you, not one! Not a single person who entered the darkness below has ever appeared in the starry skies!

"Some of those powerhouses were far stronger than us. If they escaped the Abyss and roamed the starry skies, their fates wouldn't remain ambiguous!

"Not a single one has returned. That alone is an ironclad fact. They failed to leave!

"That endless darkness below is a death trap. Any being that enters is doomed with no chance of ever returning, let alone breaking out!"

Qi Xu's emotions ran high.

If escape from below were truly possible, the foreign races would not have risked everything to ascend to the upper worlds.

It was precisely because there was no way out below that they were forced to look upward.

If there had ever been even a single precedent of a Fey God or one of their Rank Ten ancestors emerging in the starry skies after entering the endless darkness below, the foreign races would have at least had hope.

The arrogance of the man before her was unbelievable. He actually intended to charge headfirst into a dead end. She did not know whether he was bluffing, but she found it laughable nonetheless.

"I have two bodies at my disposal," Pang Jian said calmly. "One is still roaming the bizarre mist beyond. It just slew You Kui of the Ghost Race. I'm willing to take the risk and test the endless darkness below once this body fully ascends. Losing one means nothing to me."

"You Kui? But he's a mid-ranking God!" Qi Xu exclaimed in shock.

Pang Jian did not bother to explain further. "Too bad you can't leave the Abyss or contact the Outer Gods in the starry skies."

Qi Xu let out a derisive laugh, assuming Pang Jian had spun a ridiculous tale about killing You Kui to buy himself time while refining the cluster of Corruption.

"Aren't you just afraid I'll destroy your physical body while your Immortal Divine Soul is away?"

Her tall, seductive figure radiated a fiery aura as scarlet lightning resonated with her bloodline.

Crystalline embers splintered from the roaring flames surrounding her, and seething flames slowly unfolded into a world of burning destruction behind her.

"Pang Jian, I truly admire you. I won't even deny it. I may even be slightly infatuated with you.

"The strength you displayed back at Northern Qi was truly terrifying. You are the only True God besides your master, Li Zhaotian, to pressure us in such a way.

"True Gods like you always appear whenever a great calamity befalls the Abyss—bolder, fiercer, and stronger than the old generation.

"It's only a matter of time before you and your master surpass Zhu Ji and Gui Mu. We can't afford to wait for that time to come. We have to eliminate you while we still can. You stirred my heart, but that's not enough to save you. I'm sorry."

The blazing Fire World behind her surged outward in waves, weaving lightning, crystalline radiance, and clouds of fire together.

Qi Xu had fused her bloodline and blood essence with her insights into the Dao of Fire to create a unique domain.

Not daring to underestimate Pang Jian, she remained vigilant for anything he could throw her way.

Li Bai, the newly ascended Rank Ten powerhouse of the Ghost Race, and the Fey God Nine-Headed Bird had all fallen at Pang Jian's hands.

If what he said about killing You Kui was true, she could hardly imagine how much more powerful he would grow from here.

At that moment, a colossal silver-white sword light ripped through the bizarre mist.

Li Yuqing's appearance shifted. Gone was the shadowy appearance of the Dark Shadow Race maiden. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore a simple azure robe with no accessories.

At a glance, she appeared to be nothing more than a beautiful human girl, if not for the unbelievably massive silver-white sword looming behind her.

Though the sword remained motionless, its terrifyingly sharp sword intent—powerful enough to split the earth asunder and rend the heavens apart—sent a chilling sense of danger through Qi Xu, even despite her Rank Ten bloodline.

"Li Yuqing of the Divine Treasure Sect." Qi Xu narrowed her eyes, the corners of her lips curling upward. "You held the top spot on our kill list before Pang Jian's meteoric rise."

Li Yuqing showed no surprise, instead bowing gracefully. "Do enlighten me."

"Little girl, do you think you're Li Zhaotian? Even he didn't challenge Lord Li Bai until he reached the peak of the Immortal Realm." Qi Xu let out a laugh of disbelief. "You've only just stepped into the Immortal Realm. Not to mention, you're standing in the bizarre mist of the Fifth World. You dare to draw your sword against me?"

"Times have changed," Li Yuqing replied.

Qi Xu froze.

"Pang Jian and I are destined to surpass Senior Li. What was impossible for him in the past is only a matter of time for our generation."