Trials of the Abyss

The many Outer God Puppets wandering the lands below turned their gazes skyward when they heard the Observer's voice.

Eerie, malevolent stares fixated on Pang Jian. He had the feeling he had become the enemy of many Outer Gods.

Pang Jian hurriedly flew upward, passing through the layer of lightning to exit the fragmented land.

The Gate of the Abyss did not react.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

The lack of response from the Gate of the Abyss meant the fragmented land below did not have the terrifying restrictions of the Frozen Land.

That meant Pang Jian could teleport out of the fragmented land if need be.

His safety was more assured if he could teleport.

All of them are delicious prey, but the endless lightning is troublesome, the Bee Sovereign said. Master, the Outer God Puppets below contain divine consciousness, but none are particularly powerful. I can deal with them if they try to invade your sea of consciousness.

Also, no barriers are separating this fragmented land from the outside world. You can teleport here using the golden bees.

I know, I sensed that too, Pang Jian replied.

Whoosh!

A streak of silver lightning cut through the sky and stopped beside Pang Jian.

It was the white crane.

"Luo Yuan, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God isn't a place you should enter!" the white crane cried. "You should stay in Absolute Heaven with the people from the Abyss.

"The Thunder Race guards the destroyed Divine Court of Thunder, and so many foreign races covet the lightning within it. But you—you're far too weak to be here."

The white crane clicked its tongue and cast Pang Jian a disdainful look.

"Luo Yuan, have you still not reached the Spirit Condensation Realm? How slow. I'm already in Rank Six!

"If I can snatch the lightning containing the mysteries of the Dao of Lightning from that cursed place below, I could break through to Rank Seven! Even Rank Eight wouldn't be out of reach!

"After all, the Divine Court of Thunder is a miraculous place the first Thunder God once used to rule over the heavens!" the white crane screeched excitedly.

"The Thunder Race? The Divine Court of Thunder?" Pang Jian asked curiously. "What are you talking about?"

"Luo Yuan, do you remember the golden lightning I gathered in the Lightning Retribution Grounds?"

"I do."

"That golden lightning contained the divine power of a Rank Ten, and my master uncovered a secret while contemplating the profound Dao within." The white crane flew in restless circles around Pang Jian. "Its ancestor and six others from different worlds—all of whom had comprehended the Dao of Lightning and ascended to godhood—entered the Thunder Abyss.

"The seven of them overthrew the Duke of Thunder of the Thunder Abyss.

"The Duke of Thunder was the first and most powerful Thunder God born across the many worlds.

"He forged the Divine Court of Thunder within the Thunder Abyss to rule all those across the various worlds seeking to comprehend the Dao of Lightning."

"The seven Thunder Gods from different worlds joined forces to besiege the Duke of Thunder in the Thunder Abyss, destroying the Divine Court of Thunder and ending his domination over the Dao of Lightning.

"Before his demise, the Duke of Thunder used his divine powers to slice off the land where the Divine Court of Thunder stood from an entire continent and pushed it into the bizarre mist.

"That fragmented land became a restricted area known as the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and remained hidden in the bizarre mist for a long time. It only recently appeared again."

The white crane stopped, eyes gleaming with greed as it gazed at the lightning-filled fragmented land below.

"Luo Yuan, before the Divine Court of Thunder was destroyed, the Duke of Thunder could sense every being ascending to godhood through the Dao of Lightning across all the worlds. He demanded they leave behind their understanding of the laws and principles of the Dao of Lightning they had comprehended in the Divine Court.

"He used the Divine Court to restrict all those trying to ascend to godhood with the Dao of Lightning.

"Although the Divine Court of Thunder has since been destroyed, the laws and principles of those Thunder Gods still exist in the form of colored lightning scattered throughout the ruins of the Divine Court.

"Many have coveted the scattered fragments within the destroyed Divine Court of Thunder. And I am one of them," the white crane proudly explained. It then added haughtily, "As the most talented of the Thunder Crane Race in the Sacred Soul Continent, I'm qualified to comprehend and collect the scattered Dao of Lightning fragments from the Divine Court.

"Luo Yuan, you're not qualified, so don't go down there and get yourself killed."

With that, the crane shot back down to the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

Pang Jian was left in shock.

The information the white crane had revealed was truly astonishing.

It seemed a Thunder God could be born in different worlds.

The first Thunder God was the Duke of Thunder from the Thunder Abyss.

The Duke of Thunder had attempted to use the Divine Court of Thunder to dominate all beings cultivating the Dao of Lightning across the worlds, and had succeeded for many years.

The Duke of Thunder from the Thunder Abyss. The first Thunder God and the ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder… Pang Jian pondered.

Master, I have memories related to this, but they're unclear, murmured The Bee Sovereign.

He transformed into his humanoid form and covered his forehead with his transparent wings as he tried to piece together his fragmented memories.

Tiny flashes of golden light flickered in his compound eyes and flowed like a river of memories.

These flashes were disjointed, occasionally flickering backward in broken sequences or scattering chaotically.

The Bee Sovereign screeched in agony.

His screech made Pang Jian's scalp tingle and he felt the Bee Sovereign's pain as if it were his own.

Enough, stop trying! Pang Jian ordered.

The Bee Sovereign's cries abruptly ceased. Slumping on the beehive, he muttered dejectedly, I can't remember.

We'll think about it later, Pang Jian said sternly.

Then, contemplating what he had learned about the Thunder Abyss and the Duke of Thunder, Pang Jian wondered. Was the Duke of Thunder from the silver-winged Thunder Race below?

There's the Thunder Abyss, the Nether Abyss, and the Abyss—why are some called worlds and others abysses?

The Bee Sovereign replied, Worlds lay beyond the bizarre mist, while abysses are within it. I know of this from my memories. Worlds are eternally open and remain connected to each other.

Places with abyss in their name are closed most of the time, like prisons or cages, and are situated deep within the endless bizarre mist.

I'm not entirely sure of the reasons behind it though.

Both the Frozen Land and the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God contain divine consciousness we can harvest. Master, let's choose one and figure out how to collect it.

Pang Jian glanced at the volcanic fragmented land and said hesitantly, Let me think about which place to go first.

Master, are you planning to check all of them before deciding? the Bee Sovereign tentatively asked.

A golden bee hiding within the bizarre mist flew toward the fiery fragmented land.

Master, you can wait here and teleport over once the little one gets there.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

New golden bees emerged from the Gate of the Abyss on Pang Jian's chest and flew off in different directions.

These little ones want to explore the outside world as well, the Bee Sovereign explained.

How much do you know about the bizarre mist inside this pendant? And what about my father? Do you have any memory of him? Pang Jian softly inquired.

I know nothing. The Bee Sovereign shook his head. Then, looking around, he added hesitantly, I've sent the little ones to explore the inside of the pendant, but they couldn't find an end.

All I can see is a door. Outside is your chest, Master.

That door is the source of all my hope.

Perhaps, I'll finally learn about my origins when I'm strong enough to enter the Nether Abyss and come into contact with the Outer God there.

It appeared the Bee Sovereign had set a goal for himself.

Pang Jian grew wary.

Will the Outer God from the Nether Abyss tame the Bee Sovereign if he ever grows strong enough to venture there?

Will he want nothing to do with me once that happens? Pang Jian wondered.

Whoosh!

The dark yellow banner suddenly left the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and drifted into the empty void between the fragmented lands, filling the air with the crackle of lightning.

Pang Jian tightly gripped his Startling Slaughter Spear and established a connection with the golden bee nearing the fiery fragmented land.

This was not the Resolute Expanse. He had no natural advantage here.

He was not confident he could defeat the Observer and was prepared to teleport away If the fight did not go well.

The Observer is stronger than the other Outer God Puppets. You'll either need to invade his mind or lure his divine consciousness into your sea of consciousness, the Bee Sovereign advised.

Understood, Pang Jian replied, bracing himself for combat.

Unexpectedly, the Observer did not attack.

"Did the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees guide you here?" asked the Observer, gazing at Pang Jian through its countless eyes, as if trying to peer into his soul. "By all rights, you shouldn't have found your way here. You should've remained lost."

"Was it your doing?" Pang Jian sneered.

"I merely gave things a little push," the Observer dismissed. "You're from the Abyss. How are you able to nurture Nether Abyss Spirit Bees? Where did your first bee come from?"

"That's none of your concern," Pang Jian answered coldly.

After a moment of silence, the Observer abruptly asked, "Are you interested in working together?"

"Working together? With you? On what?"

"I know the nature of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees. It can devour the divine consciousness of all the Outer God Puppets in the fragmented land below, including the divine consciousness attached to this banner.

"If Nether Abyss Spirit Bees get inside this banner, even my divine consciousness will be devoured.

"I've already suffered losses because of it."

The Observer paused to gauge Pang Jian's reaction.

"I can help you," it added after a moment. "I'll assist your Nether Abyss Spirit Bees in hunting down the Outer God Puppets below.

"In return, I want to retrieve the scattered fragments from the Divine Court of Thunder and take them from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God."

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