Trials of the Abyss

The Scarlet Dawn Boat shot up into the sky.

Pang Jian stood by the rails and peered down at the shrinking sea of massive boulders below, eyes focused as he tried to spot the Outer God known as the Observer.

But still, there was nothing.

The massive boulders soon turned into specks in the distance as the Scarlet Dawn Boat left the Third World behind.

"Pang Jian, I must say, I'm only able to join this trip to Absolute Heaven thanks to you," Zhou Qingchen said, sitting next to him with a smile.

Pang Jian sat down next to Zhou Qingchen. "Big Brother Zhou, how many strands of divine sense have you condensed?"

"A bit over forty," Zhou Qingchen replied with slight embarrassment.

Many exceptionally talented individuals were on board this Scarlet Dawn Boat, such as Zhao Yuanqi, Fang Boxuan, the highly regarded Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple, and his life-and-death companion, Pang Jian.

Each of them was a brilliant genius in their own right.

Zhou Qingchen had always known his talent in cultivation was not on par with the others, but the knowledge that he was the weakest among them made him feel a bit self-conscious.

"Big Brother Zhou, do you remember what you told me back on Central Lake Island?" Pang Jian asked.

Zhou Qingchen was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing as he nodded.

"That's right, I shouldn't compare myself to you guys. The only comparison I need to make is with my past self!" The knot in his heart seemed to untangle at the reminder. Leaning in, Zhou Qingchen asked quietly, "Pang Jian, how many strands of divine sense do you have?"

The others on the Scarlet Dawn Boat—Fang Boxuan, Dong Tianze, and even the aloof silver-haired girl—cast curious glances over when they heard his question.

A few strands of silver hair danced across Zhao Yuanqi's forehead with the wind, cold eyes glinting with curiosity.

Sect Master Liu Lingyun had both openly and subtly suggested she get closer to Pang Jian. She even mentioned Li Zhaotian of the Sword Pavilion, stating that he had high hopes for Pang Jian as his cultivation talent was one in ten thousand.

However, Zhao Yuanqi had never seen Pang Jian's talent or combat prowess for herself.

During the incident in the Primordial Wilderness, she had left the slaughter early aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat and had not witnessed Pang Jian's battles. During their most recent encounter at Spirit Offering, they had all been under Li Yuqing's protection.

So, she could not help but be skeptical about Pang Jian's talent and found it hard to believe the rumors.

Noticing the attention Zhou Qingchen's inquiry had garnered, Pang Jian replied calmly, "Not much."

"Over a hundred, right?" Fang Boxuan questioned.

Pang Jian had left a deep impression on him back in the Primordial Wilderness. Thus, he felt slightly intimidated when he first heard that he would be going to Absolute Heaven with Pang Jian.

After mulling it over though, Fang Boxuan decided that he and Pang Jian could not be considered enemies anymore as both Sect Master Tang Hongxiong and Jiu Yuan were dead.

Fang Boxuan had seen Pang Jian kill Liang Ying and Jiu Yuan firsthand, and so harbored extreme wariness and a healthy amount of fear toward Pang Jian.

Therefore, he was convinced that Pang Jian's divine sense had undoubtedly exceeded a hundred.

"More or less," Pang Jian replied vaguely.

"I'm at one hundred and five strands, Zhao Yuanqi's at one hundred and seven strands, and Yang Rui used to be the strongest among us with one hundred and eleven strands," Fang Boxuan shared.

Glancing at the stern-looking Dong Tianze, he asked, "What's yours?"

"More than yours, that's for sure," Dong Tianze replied coldly.

Dong Tianze could not care less about anyone on board besides Pang Jian and had no interest in talking to them.

"More than mine…" Fang Boxuan knitted his brows and curiously sized up this thorny character. "No wonder the Sinister Soul Temple insists on protecting you, even after it was revealed that you were the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect."

Dong Tianze glared coldly at Pang Jian at the reminder of the reveal.

"How many exactly?" Zhao Yuanqi pressed, eyes fixed intently on Pang Jian

Fang Boxuan and Zhou Qingchen initially thought she was pressing Dong Tianze for a specific number, but realized her interest in Pang Jian when they saw her gaze locked onto Pang Jian.

"I'm about the same as Yang Rui, over a hundred and ten strands," Pang Jian reluctantly said.

After all, one hundred and forty-four was indeed more than one hundred and ten strands, so he was not technically lying.

"As expected…" Zhao Yuanqi nodded, unsurprised.

"Not bad, you're not far behind me," Dong Tianze said arrogantly, glancing up at a piece of continent growing larger above. "You can't make a name for yourself beyond the Third World if your divine sense doesn't exceed one hundred and ten."

"You!"

Zhou Qingchen and Fang Boxuan's expressions darkened.

Zhao Yuanqi wore a look of surprise.

They were all shocked that Dong Tianze had exceeded one hundred and ten.

"Big Brother Zhou, your number of divine sense is not yet determined. It might not be lower than his," Pang Jian comforted.

Zhou Qingchen smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying nothing more.

"One's total number of divine sense isn't fixed. It's possible to increase it even after breaking through the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm," Pang Jian added.

Zhou Qingchen was taken aback. "That doesn't match the information I have."

"Pang Jian, who told you that it's possible to refine more divine sense after the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm?" Fang Boxuan asked skeptically.

Pang Jian hesitated before ultimately deciding not to reveal the truth.

He would divulge the secret about the divine consciousness of Outer Gods refining more divine sense when it was just him and Zhou Qingchen in Absolute Heaven.

"Where do you get that information?" Dong Tianze's face darkened as he stood up from where he sat. He glared at Pang Jian and shouted, "You knew that hunting Divine Guards and absorbing the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on their foreheads could help me condense more divine sense, didn't you?

"You went to the sea of massive boulders to hunt Divine Guards. Did you tamper with the Black Iron Mountain as well?"

Dong Tianze's anger flared.

Dong Tianze had always been suspicious of Pang Jian's schemes and could not shake the feeling that Pang Jian harbored ill intentions toward him.

"I knew it! You wouldn't be so generous as to let me use the Black Iron Mountain to hunt Divine Guards for free! Pang Jian, you're despicable! Always scheming with underhanded tactics!" Dong Tianze accused harshly.

"Can you truly keep condensing more divine sense?" Fang Boxuan asked excitedly. "Hunting Divine Guards and merging with their Celestial Phoenix Imprint can increase the number of divine sense? Damn it, I would've done so too if I knew!"

Zhao Yuanqi was also tempted when she heard this.

The number of one's divine sense was closely linked to the refinement of the soul and was an important indicator of future potential.

Major sects in the First and Second Worlds placed immense weight on the number of divine sense their Profound Abode Realm disciples could form.

It was widely believed that the more divine sense in the Profound Abode Realm, the stronger one's future soul cultivation.

Dong Tianze sneered, "I'm the strongest Divine Guard in the Third World. Feel free to give it a try. Pang Jian, stop playing dumb—did you go hunting Divine Guards?"

Pang Jian wanted to twist Dong Tianze's head off. He took a deep breath and internally talked himself down.

He's a Divine Guard. He is Pang Lin's protector. Don't stoop to his level…

Pang Jian forced himself to remain silent.

"Despicable!" Dong Tianze shot Pang Jian a cold glare, convinced he had gone alone to claim the mysterious fragmented land and hunt Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards to condense more divine sense.

Half a day later, the Scarlet Dawn Boat flew through a clear sky when a powerful astral wind swept in.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Scarlet Dawn Boat had been crafted by the Divine Treasure Sect's Li Family and was armed with layers of radiant mist that could activate to withstand the impact of astral winds.

Crackle! Sizzle!

Sparks flew from the hull of the Scarlet Dawn Boat. Its upward momentum shifted and the boat shook violently.

"Everyone, be careful. We've just had the misfortune of running into the astral wind layer below the Second World," Fang Boxuan informed. "The Scarlet Dawn Boat can withstand astral winds, but we should also activate our protective shields."

With that, Fang Boxuan summoned a deep crimson protective shield.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zhou Qingchen, Dong Tianze, and Zhao Yuanqi followed suit and summoned their respective protective shields.

Pang Jian, on the other hand, did not rush to activate his protective shield. Standing by the railing, he used his body to feel the full force of the raging astral wind, sensing the sharp wind blades slashing at him from every direction.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Blades of wind slashed against Pang Jian's silver Illusory Bone Realm body, causing sparking streaks of silver light.

His body was strong enough to withstand the astral winds without a protective shield.

"Pang Jian, you'd better be careful," Zhou Qingchen shouted over the wind. "I heard that even the Sinister Soul Temple’s Divine Spirit Pagoda, the Radiant Sun Sect's Fire Cloud Ship, the Star River Alliance's Gilded Chariot, and the Blood Moon Sect's Formless Sailboat can be torn to shreds when the astral winds are bad.

"The only flying vessel from the Third World that can withstand the most intense astral winds is the Scarlet Dawn Boat built by the Divine Treasure Sect's Li Family.

"That's why we're taking a Scarlet Dawn Boat to the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World. So, don't be reckless!" Zhou Qingchen urged, concerned for Pang Jian's safety.

"Alright," Pang Jian acquiesced, activating his green protective shield.

Not long after, a fierce bout of astral wind did indeed blast through, causing his green protective shield to flicker.

Skrreech!

The wind scratched long narrow gouges along the refined iron hull and deck of the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

However, as Zhou Qingchen said, the Scarlet Dawn Boat managed to withstand the harsh astral winds and continued its shaky ascent.

"Everyone, hang in there. We'll break through the layer of astral wind in less than half an hour!" Fang Boxuan shouted encouragingly.

Pang Jian peered upward curiously. A massive expanse of land rested in a cluster of white clouds with smaller floating fragmented lands surrounding it.

A pure black ship sailed horizontally toward the continent.

"Down below, there's a Scarlet Dawn Boat from the Red Mountain Sect." Someone on the ship chuckled. "Haha, they're trapped in the astral winds. The Scarlet Dawn Boat is shaking quite violently."

"Let's go mess with them."

"Let's go!"

The pure black ship dove down like a ferocious beast, stirring up an even more powerful astral wind in the direction of the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

The Scarlet Dawn Boat was already struggling to ascend, only for this more intense round of astral wind to engulf it and stop it in its tracks.

It started to plummet.

"Haha, I bet it won't make it up here!"

"It can't make it up here even though that's only four times the force of a normal astral wind. The Scarlet Dawn Boat is indeed no match for our Demon Incursion Ship."

"That goes without saying."

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