Chapter 363: Sword Honing

In his cave residence, Pang Jian retrieved the Abyssal Demon Sword from the copper chest and sent his divine soul into it.

Surprisingly, the clusters of light, flame, and intricate patterns within the sword had all dimmed.

The Abyssal Demon also seemed to be in a daze.

It did not react when Pang Jian's divine soul entered it and appeared unaware it had been removed from the copper chest.

After some time, the dark thoughts of the elders and disciples within the Sword Pavilion reached the Abyssal Demon, allowing it to draw strength from them, and it snapped back to reality.

"Pang Jian! Where did you throw me?! That place was suffering beyond despair!

"Damn you! You might as well have wiped out all my consciousnesses!

"I never want to return to that dreadful place again!" the Abyssal Demon screamed hysterically.

It appeared on the verge of madness.

Sizzle! Sizzle!

Eerie sword intent and sword light surged outward like flames as it attempted to escape.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A golden river of divine sense descended, eroding the Abyssal Demon's demonic wills and dissolving the clusters of flames, dark clouds, and intricate demonic patterns.

Pang Jian's divine sense possessed the unique traits of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and could extinguish the Abyssal Demon's demonic wills as effortlessly as crushing a dried leaf.

The weakened Abyssal Demon fell silent, no longer daring to rant wildly.

"I don't want to go back. Don't put me back in the chest," it said feebly, tone slightly pleading.

Pang Jian sneered in response.

He could still remember what it was like to enter the copper chest without the bronze pendant. It was a world of darkness, and his hands had been unable to touch the lid or find the bottom.

There was no sense of space or time—no sun, moon, or stars.

It was a still and empty void of sensory deprivation more terrifying than the bizarre mist!

At least there was still a faint glimmer of hope when lost in the bizarre mist. Void rifts could appear or one could happen upon others similarly lost.

However, the infinite void within the copper chest held only silence and despair.

It was enough to fill anyone with a sense of ultimate hopelessness.

Even thinking about it sent a chill down Pang Jian's spine.

"This is your punishment," Pang Jian said with a sneer. "How dare you conspire with the remnants of the Demon Sword Sect? Did you think I wouldn't find out about your underhanded schemes?"

Instead of asking for an explanation or giving the Abyssal Demon a chance to defend itself, he straightforwardly accused it to see how it would respond.

"You're not my rightful master," the Abyssal Demon muttered glumly after a long silence. "Mo Nan's followers still see me as the spiritual pillar of the Demon Sword Sect. They'll find me a more suitable wielder!

"I simply wanted to escape from your grasp. I don't want you to enslave me. What wrong have I committed?"

Its words were an undeniable admission that it was the mastermind behind the ambush.

Senior Brother was right,

Pang Jian thought to himself.

As Pang Jian quietly observed the Abyssal Demon, he soon noticed it slowly becoming increasingly muddled.

"No, please don’t put me back in that copper chest! The endless darkness will drive me insane!

"Mo Nan! Damn you for being so weak and for failing to ascend to the True God Realm!

"The old fools of the Sword Pavilion! Who gave them the right to suppress me?"

It started to ramble and rant in tangents, though much of its mutterings centered on its intense fear of the void within the copper chest.

Pang Jian silently watched the Abyssal Demon in its confused state. Despite its demonic wills being suppressed, he knew it would eventually recover as it absorbed more negative thoughts from the elders and disciples of the Sword Pavilion over time.

It's so terrified of the copper chest...

An idea struck Pang Jian, and he tossed the Abyssal Demon Sword back into the copper chest.

It's time to grind down its unruly nature so I can temper it later.

"Pang Jian, I'm begging you, don’t put me back into that horrible void! Even my demonic soul senses nothing but darkness there!

"That copper chest is like the fabled darkness beneath the Fifth World of the Abyss—an eerie, terrifying domain like no other.

"Pang Jian, why don't we talk this out? Please..." The Abyssal Demon pleaded desperately.

Pang Jian paid the Abyssal Demon no mind.

The more the Abyssal Demon feared something, the more Pang Jian would subject it to that thing.

After all, he had found the answers he sought and did not have an urgent need for the sword.

Pang Jian uncaringly threw the Abyssal Demon Sword back into the copper chest, content to slowly grind down its rebellious nature over time.

The area beneath the Fifth World of the Abyss is a sinister place filled with a darkness so profound that even the Abyssal Demon feels utter despair. And this chest...

Pang Jian's curiosity was piqued.

Stepping into the copper chest while wearing the Gate of the Abyss brought Pang Jian beyond the Abyss, allowing him to see the sun, moon, and stars up close.

Without the bronze pendant, it was like being thrust into the lowest depths of the Abyss—an endless void.

One brought him up high while the other plunged him down below. The presence or absence of the bronze pendant revealed a world of difference within the copper chest.

Pang Jian felt an abrupt desire to uncover the secrets of the copper chest.

Sending a thread of his divine sense into his sword token, he messaged Li Zhaotian.

"Master, I want to know more about the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars."

He waited for a long time, but Li Zhaotian did not respond.

Li Zhaotian had been in contact since Pang Jian had returned from Moonwater Town.

Is something holding him up?

After some hesitation, Pang Jian finally decided to ask Chen Weihuang, "Senior Brother, I can't seem to reach our master."

"I haven't been able to either," Chen Weihuang replied.

"Has something happened in the First World?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm looking into it."

"Who should I consult to learn more about the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars?"

"Grand Elder Jiang Ran."

"Is there anyone else?"

"You could try searching the archives at the Scripture Hall."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

With that, Pang Jian left his cave residence.

***

With Pan Zheng's help, Pang Jian found an obscure study on the fifth floor of the Scripture Hall on the Sword Honing Peak that was filled with ancient records about the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars.

He learned the seven Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars had stood in the Fifth World of the Abyss for millennia.

The most powerful factions of the First World, the True Gods of that era, and the mighty Celestial Phoenix were responsible for their creation.

The records particularly emphasized the pivotal role of the Celestial Phoenix.

Unfortunately, the specifics of its contributions remained vague, with the texts merely stating that the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars would not exist if not for the Celestial Phoenix.

In the beginning, there were no cities or villages atop the pillars.

The seals from the True Gods on the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars alone had been enough to suppress the foreign races.

After all, the human race had come out of the preceding war against the foreign races victorious. Many of the foreign races' most powerful warriors of the foreign races had been defeated, leaving them weakened and unable to resist.

With time, the exiled foreign races gradually adapted to the murky energy and, after long years of recuperation, started to produce warriors with high-ranked bloodlines.

The settlements were established atop the pillars in response to their growing strength to reinforce the seven Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars.

As a result, Eight Trigrams City, White Bone City, Blackwood Village, Blood Prison Village, Dead Spirit Town, Sinister Soul Town, and Ghost Spirit Town were moved onto the pillars over a long period.

Additionally, seven sacred and divine-grade artifacts—a blade, sword, hammer, spear, mirror, banner, and chest—were placed as array cores within the settlements.

The seven settlements and their respective array cores enhanced the power of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars, amplifying their deterrent force.

Although powerful foreign race warriors continued to emerge in the eras that followed, the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars successfully kept them from breaking through the seal.

This allowed the human race to live peacefully in the upper worlds without having to pay the foreign races any mind.

Pang Jian reached out to Chen Weihuang through his sword token again.

"The records don’t specify which of these items are sacred-grade and which are divine-grade, nor do they detail their names or effects. I want to know more about the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars," he said.

Chen Weihuang remained silent for a long time before replying, "Then you should speak with Grand Elder Jiang Ran."

"Why is it always him?"

"He's the one in charge of such matters. He’s also the disciple of the last Sword God and holds the most critical records related to the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars."

"Why is he allowed to keep those records?"

"Ask master."

Chen Weihuang stopped responding after that.

***

Over the next few days, Pang Jian cultivated the Grand Providence Sacred Body in his cave residence, tempering his body with the meat and blood of high-ranked Vicious Beasts as he worked toward advancing to the Golden Body Realm.

Knock! Knock!

A cheerful voice came through the door of his residence.

"Pang Jian, it's been years since we last met. May I come in for a chat?"

Pang Jian froze.

The voice was unfamiliar. Even after racking his brain, he could not match it to anyone he knew.

"Who are you?"

"It's Sun Bin. We met before at your home near the Solitary Mountain Range."

Pang Jian was stunned.

Feeling slightly flustered, he hastily opened the stone door to welcome Sun Bin inside and took a deep breath to steady himself before asking, "How did you find me?"

"Your name is well-known throughout the Abyss. It wasn't hard to find you," Sun Bin said with a broad smile, expression obsequious.

The man who once refused to take Pang Jian along now folded into a respectful bow.

"Little Brother Pang, it was my shortsightedness back then. Please, don't hold it against me!

"I came here today to apologize to you. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me!"

Sun Bin bowed repeatedly, face full of regret.

"I'm merely a guest elder in the Pure Land Sect, not a true elder. My position isn't high. While Young Mistress Pang Lin was naturally talented, she wasn't unmatched.

"I didn't have much authority, and didn't want to take on unnecessary trouble, so...

"In any case, I was wrong!"