Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 378: Berserk Beasts

"We're not going!" Pang Jian shouted as if responding to Liu Youyu's warning.

Then, turning the Sword Boat around, he departed.

Liu Youyu breathed a sigh of relief.

Huddled within her Flying Fish Boat, she stuck out her tongue and muttered softly, "Auntie kept reminding me to take special care of him.

"He—I just hope he doesn't act too recklessly." The young girl frowned.

Meanwhile, the abrupt departure of the Sword Boat had left Han Duping and the rogue cultivators aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat looking bewildered.

Zhou Qingchen called out, "Old Han!"

"I understand!"

The Scarlet Dawn Boat quickly turned to follow suit.

While all the other luxurious flying vessels were heading toward Brocade Cloud, the Sword Boat and the Scarlet Dawn Boat did the opposite, retreating like turtles into their shells.

An officer of the Blazing Rainbow Army growled, "Your Highness, those Red Mountain Sect people are defying orders. In my opinion—"

Zhu Wenle shook his head. "It's not Zhou Qingchen speaking but Pang Jian from the Sword Pavilion. We can order around the Red Mountain Sect, but we have no control over the Sword Pavilion."

Ning Shuo from the Demon Sect and Yu Huan from the Celestial Lagoon Sect also murmured, "The Sword Pavilion indeed has that kind of clout."

The Sword Pavilion always had world-shaking figures backing them in times of chaos. This was simply an unchanging truth.

Although the Sword Pavilion had dropped from the First World to the Second World, many top factions still saw them as equals with the most powerful sects.

None of the three Divine Kingdoms from the Eastern Land had the authority to command the Sword Pavilion, nor did they view themselves as superior to them.

Countless Sword Gods had built up the Sword Pavilion's prestige, making outstanding contributions to the human race in the Abyss and earning universal respect.

"Forget about them. Let's work together to enter Brocade Cloud!" Zhu Wenle rallied.

Ning Shuo, Yu Huan, Qin Xiao, and the others shouted their agreement.

The flying vessels resumed their course, turning into streaks of light as they shot toward Brocade Cloud.

On the Sword Boat, Zhou Qingchen's expression was solemn. "Pang Jian, you think something's wrong too?"

"Before coming here, I heard that something was off with Brocade Cloud," Pang Jian said as he glanced at the dissatisfied rogue cultivators on the Scarlet Dawn Boat. "If any of you want to go back, you can still catch up."

"No, no." Wu Xuanfeng quickly shook his head, grimacing as he said, "Miss Liu from the Primeval Pillar Divine Kingdom already said that Brocade Cloud is dangerous—how could we dare to ignore that?

"It's just that we're rogue cultivators with no sect to back us. I'm afraid the Zhu Clan will hold a grudge and make things difficult for us later."

The other rogue cultivators chimed in, "Yeah, The Zhu Clan of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom has a True God overseeing them. I'm worried this will come back to bite us."

Pang Jian narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "They may not even survive."

The rogue cultivators were dumbfounded.

Whoosh!

The Flying Fish Boat circled Brocade Cloud and quietly reappeared near the Sword Boat.

Liu Youyu finally revealed her petite figure, glaring at Pang Jian in frustration while shaking the wooden token in her hand.

"Liu Youyu!" the rogue cultivators and Zhou Qingchen exclaimed in surprise.

Han Duping grinned. "Little Brother Pang, you and her...do you know each other?"

"You could say that."

Pang Jian retrieved the wooden token from his spatial bracelet and held it in his hand.

Liu Youyu's gentle and ethereal voice rang out from the wooden token.

"The finer details of how to use the Primal Sphere—I've recalled some of them, so I'll share them with you now.

"Also, you'd best stay away from Brocade Cloud. Let me scout things out first. If it's not too dangerous, you can go in afterward to earn contribution points."

Zhou Qingchen's expression turned peculiar as he gave a light cough.

"A wooden token engraved with the character 'Liu'," he said with a suggestive tone. "Pang Jian, you know the saying—don't bite off more than you can chew. When it comes to relationships, you should stay focused.

"The women you've gotten involved with all have pretty intimidating backgrounds. If you're not careful, even your position as a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master won't be able to protect you," Zhou Qingchen advised, though his face was green with envy.

"That's irrelevant," Pang Jian replied, already engrossed in deciphering the mysteries of the Primal Sphere.

Whoosh!

The grayish-green iron ball shrank to the size of a marble, zipping through the air like a bullet, only to expand a hundredfold and crash back with the force of a millstone when it returned.

The Primal Sphere is as swift as lightning when small and light. When enlarged, it becomes incredibly heavy. Its true power lies in its ability to change size at will.

The key lies in the infusion and withdrawal of different energies—pure spiritual power keeps it small and nimble, while imbuing other energies makes it large and heavy.

Pang Jian had no intention of rushing into Brocade Cloud.

He remained on the stationary Sword Boat, experimenting with the techniques Liu Youyu had shared, striving to master the Primal Sphere.

Zhou Qingchen, similarly unhurried, continued to temper his long blade, appearing perfectly at ease.

The rogue cultivators had many thoughts about the situation, but the Scarlet Dawn Boat was under Han Duping's control, and they could only reluctantly follow along.

Not long after, Liu Youyu's alarmed voice came through the wooden token in Pang Jian's hand. "Brocade Cloud is extremely dangerous! Many Vicious Beasts have become frenzied and are attacking everything in sight. Their bloodlines have been significantly enhanced as well!

"Someone has forced the bloodlines of these Vicious Beasts to evolve, and many people have been slaughtered already.

"Pang Jian, this battle won't be easy. It's best you stay out of it.

"You all should return to Auspicious Light. You can communicate with the redemption point on the Cosmic Skies Continent from there. The Mystic Eyes can keep you in their sight there," Liu Youyu urged.

Pang Jian frowned. "Big Brother Zhou, if we kill foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts beyond Auspicious Light, will we need to bring their heads as proof for redemption?"

"Yes," Zhou Qingchen replied. "The Cosmic Skies Continent is too far from here, so the Mystic Eyes can't function properly."

"Old Han, take the Scarlet Dawn Boat back to Auspicious Light. Big Brother Zhou and I will head to Brocade Cloud," Pang Jian ordered. "Many people have already died inside. The Vicious Beasts within have gone berserk—they feel no pain, don't fear death, and have become extremely difficult to handle."

Zhou Qingchen quickly added, "Old Han, you go back!"

"Alright!" Han Duping agreed readily.

His cultivation was only in the Profound Abode Realm and was the weakest among the Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Thus, when he learned about the dire situation, he did not hesitate to turn the Scarlet Dawn Boat around and sail away.

"We want to join the fight!"

"Young Master Zhou, we have Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation and are willing to take the risk!"

"Please allow us to come along, Young Master Zhou!"

Some Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators pleaded.

Zhou Qingchen turned toward Pang Jian. "What do you think?"

"The situation on Brocade Cloud is unlike the other fragmented lands. Many will die." Pang Jian said coldly.

"We're not afraid!" shouted a rogue cultivator named Wu Xuanfeng.

Pang Jian nodded. "Very well."

The Scarlet Dawn Boat sped over, and a few daring Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators leaped onto the Sword Boat.

Others, unwilling to take the risk, stayed aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

The Sword Boat and the Scarlet Dawn Boat then parted ways, one returning to Auspicious Light while the other headed toward Brocade Cloud.

As soon as the Sword Boat entered the airspace above Brocade Cloud, it witnessed a swarm of massive Ice Sculpture Beasts pulling a Mountain Stream Spirit Boat of the Celestial Lagoon Sect to the ground.

Boom!

The Mountain Stream Spirit Boat crashed and was reduced to debris in the blink of an eye.

Ice Sculpture Beasts surrounded and attacked the cultivators from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the affiliated noble families. Many met a gruesome fate, with the Ice Sculpture Beasts' razor-sharp claws tearing them apart.

"Good heavens!" Wu Xuanfeng exclaimed in horror at the sight.

Elsewhere, a colossal ten-zhang-tall Goldrock Beast smashed a Black Cloud Sail from the Black Valley Sect.

Its body gleamed with a metallic golden hue that protected it from the fierce attacks from the Black Valley Sect's cultivators. Although sparks were sent flying with each attack, Goldrock Beast's massive frame was hardly even scratched.

Blinding golden beams shot from its eyes, mouth, and palms, piercing through the air like golden spears, inflicting heavy casualties on the cultivators from the Black Valley Sect.

The Goldrock Beast's previously golden eyes had turned red as blood seeped into its pupils.

Boom!

One of its eyes burst.

The golden beams from its body turned a terrifying crimson, power surging dramatically.

"Retreat! Retreat now!"

Qin Xiao, the Soul Wandering Realm cultivator from the Black Valley Sect, unleashed a series of massive palm strikes that stretched across the sky, hoping to fend off the rampaging Goldrock Beast.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The palm strikes pressed down on the Goldrock Beast like distorted vortexes, but instead of subduing it, they only provoked it further.

With a roar, the Goldrock Beast unleashed an endless barrage of blood-tinged beams toward the massive palm strikes, shattering them into a shower of light.

The Goldrock Beast's bones fractured, and its heart burst, leaving a massive hole in its chest.

The lingering blood-tinged beams struck Qin Xiao, killing him instantly.

"Senior Brother Qin!"

"Qin Xiao is dead!"

"A single Goldrock Beast killed a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm!"

Screams of despair echoed across the battlefields in Brocade Cloud.

On the Sword Boat, a female rogue cultivator in the mid-Spirit Condensation Realm felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched the brutal scenes unfold.

"This isn't like anything I've seen before! A Soul Wandering Realm cultivator—slain so easily? I've never seen such savage Vicious Beasts!" she cried.

This battle was truly unlike any they had faced before.

In the past, the human race had always hunted down the foreign races and Vicious Beasts, easily crushing their primitive flying vessels.

She never imagined cultivators like herself would one day become prey under the claws of the Vicious Beasts.

"Senior Brother Duan!"

"Junior Brother Wang!"

Cries of anguish echoed from every major sect and faction fighting in Brocade Cloud as cultivators mourned their fallen comrades.

"You guys shouldn't have come along." Zhou Qingchen sighed, summoning several long blades and leaping from the Sword Boat to join the fray.

"Little Brother Pang Jian, can we still go back?" the female rogue cultivator asked desperately.

"You can try, but I'm not turning the Sword Boat around."

The Sword Boat plummeted suddenly, dropping all the rogue cultivators on board near Zhou Qingchen.

When it stabilized again, only Pang Jian remained onboard.

He fixed his gaze on the tallest mountain in Brocade Cloud, where a stream flowed down from the snowy peak.

That's the source.

Ignoring the carnage below, he guided the Sword Boat higher into the air and cut straight toward the mountain.