Chapter 609: The Reinvigorated Black Dragon King!

Under the overcast sky of the Fourth World, the World Tree bathed in the downpour of blood, growing ever taller.

As the Nine-Headed Bird's corpse fell to the earth, razor-sharp branches pierced its flesh, feasting on the Fey God like they had devoured Li Chu's corpse not long ago.

Trees from the Fifth World—infamous for their sinister natures—also joined the feeding frenzy after receiving permission from the World Tree.

Pang Ling harbored boundless hatred for the Nine-Headed Bird and sought to erase every last trace of its corpse as quickly as possible. Only then could she truly ensure that the elusive Fey God would never again rise from the dead.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"You arrived just in time," she said, smiling sweetly up at Pang Jian's figure in the sky. "I thought you wouldn't make it."

Pang Jian hovered above Misty Swamp, his vast divine sense sweeping the area to confirm that Yuan Qi's ice-blue eyes were not with the Nine-Headed Bird's corpse.

"The Nine-Headed Bird isn't completely dead yet," Pang Jian replied. "It still has one head, hidden deep within the bizarre mist of Northern Qi.

"It once fought the Celestial Phoenix for the title of the King of All Beasts but was gravely wounded and forced into hiding.

"Gui Mu once severed nine of its heads, but it managed to resurrect itself deep within the bizarre mist with its hidden tenth head. The black turtle knows much about its past and has told me quite a bit.

"You just focus on breaking through your bloodline rank. I need to go ahead and finish it off completely."

With that, Pang Jian soared away on his sword.

The Wood Race slowly emerged from the surrounding fragmented lands and the towering branches of ancient trees, silently watching as Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul disappeared into the distance.

Mu Yuan lowered her head and asked telepathically,

Pang Jian...is he the same man who once aided us in the Primordial Wilderness? He also prolonged my life through the Giant Abyssal Serpent, right?

That's right

, Pang Ling replied.

He's a True God of the human race. We of the Wood Race dwell in the Fifth World, and you...you've already made a pact with the Sovereign

. Mu Yuan hesitantly reminded.

A Fey God dared to strike at me despite supposedly being allied with the foreign races in the Fifth World. The Sovereign did not appear when I was in danger.

Pang Ling gazed at Pang Jian's fading figure from the canopy of the World Tree,

I hold only reverence for the Sovereign, not devotion.

The Nine-Headed Bird also claimed the Sovereign is merely raising me, waiting until I grow stronger before consuming me.

Perhaps it's time I start considering my own future.

Pang Ling was poised to ascend to even greater heights thanks to the corpses of Li Chu and the Nine-Headed Bird.

Soon, she would ascend to Rank Ten.

This era of turmoil presented an opportunity to break through the barrier of the Abyss and escape this world entirely.

When that time came, she could create a new home in the unfathomable bizarre mist or the vast starry skies above.

True freedom was not beyond reach, especially with Pang Jian's help.

"Father, I hope I'll get to soar through the stars with you soon," Pang Ling murmured softly.

Pang Jian's reply resonated through the air.

"You will. That day is not far away."

***

Misty Swamp was relatively close to the Fey Spirit Continent, so Pang Jian decided to make a detour and revisit an old battleground.

He stopped directly above a cold, shadowy pool and tossed the black scepter, obtained from the Dark Bat, into the depths below.

The Rank Nine Giant Abyssal Serpent burst forth from the water.

His transformation was nothing short of astonishing.

The olive-toned skin of his past had been replaced with black, iron-like dragon scales that radiated an ominous dark glow.

His pupils resembled black suns, emitting eerie ripples that shrouded the pool and the surrounding dozens of li in pitch-black darkness.

Opening his cavernous maw, the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallowed the black scepter whole.

Why did you come here?

The Giant Abyssal Serpent growled through their connection.

By arriving so brazenly at my hiding place, you've made it clear to every Fey Race on this continent that I have ties to you!

So what?

Pang Jian asked, spreading his divine sense across ten thousand li to scan all the Fey Race on the continent.

I've just severed the few remaining heads of the Nine-Headed Bird hiding in Northern Qi.

That old Fey God's final head, which is still in Northern Qi, won't be left to regenerate either. Xiao Hei, the Nine-Headed Bird, will soon be dead for good, and a vacant Fey God position will open up.

I have faith that you can claim this position. After all, you're a Black Dragon!

You've since regained your memories of Long Xiao killing you. You're already a Rank Nine Fey King. Do you still not dare to seize what was rightfully yours?

Within the scepter lies the Dark Bat's insights into the Dao of Darkness. It will help you reclaim your true self.

Pang Jian then soared away.

Moments later, a Rank Nine White Wolf and a Rank Nine Golden-Horned Beast arrived in their beastly forms.

"That's Pang Jian, a True God of the human race! He was just here at this pool!"

"Who was meeting with a True God of the human race?"

Landing heavily beside the cold pool, the pair peered into its dark depths, their gazes sharp and interrogative.

"Who I choose to meet with is none of your concern. Not even Long Xiao can interfere, let alone you two."

Ripples of darkness spread across the pool's surface, forming an impenetrable veil that engulfed the two intruders.

A savage dragon's roar erupted as the Giant Abyssal Serpent's serpentine body lunged out of the water and toward the two Rank Nine Fey Kings.

Devouring the hearts of other Rank Nine Fey Kings was the only way for him to accelerate his evolution, awaken the latent crystal bloodline chains in his heart, and reclaim his lost power.

He had decided to trust Pang Jian. A vacant position for Fey God awaited him once the Nine-Headed Bird fell.

That was why he no longer hesitated. The opinions of the other Fey Race did not matter anymore.

Don't disappoint me,

Pang Jian said.

I want to see you ascend as a Fey God.

With the black scepter in hand and his sights set on the position of Fey God, the Giant Abyssal Serpent unhesitatingly unleashed his true power.

The White Wolf and Golden-Horned Beast were merely his first targets.

Soon, the Fey Spirit Continent descended into a blood-soaked slaughter as the Black Dragon King hunted Fey Kings with bloodlines that would most enhance his own.

He was determined to forge his path to godhood through their deaths.

***

A prismatic radiance streaked across the Fourth World with unmatched speed.

Pang Jian raced from Misty Swamp to the Fey Spirit Continent, then to Northern Qi like an impending storm.

Teleporting to Pang Ling or the Giant Abyssal Serpent was not an option without his bronze pendant and true body, so he had no choice but to tear through the skies at full speed.

Fortunately, the speed of his divine body defied imagination.

His radiant figure streaked openly through the Fourth World. Despite passing through fragmented lands teeming with powerful foreign race warriors, none dared to intercept him.

On a fragmented land once belonging to the Shangguan Clan, warriors of the Ghost Race and Geospirit Race were forging artifacts using spiritual materials from the upper worlds when they noticed him.

"That's Pang Jian!"

"That's the newly ascended Sword God, Pang Jian!"

"He slew the Divine Son of the Radiant Race, Lie Yi, and defeated Xuan Ying of the Demon Scale Race!"

Their expressions twisted as they watched the multicolored radiance shooting across the sky.

"How can a True God of the human race be so brazen in the lower worlds? Has Lord Lie Yang of the Radiant Race not considered avenging his son?"

"Shh! You don't understand. The Sovereign has summoned all the Rank Ten powerhouses to the upper worlds to battle the True Gods. No one has the time to deal with Pang Jian at the moment."

***

On a Demon Scale Race warship, two Rank Nine Demon Scale Race warriors stood behind the now Rank Nine Xuan Ying. Their eyes widened in shock as they watched the prismatic radiance streak across the sky.

Yu Qing of the Celestial Race turned to Xuan Ying with a transmission feather in hand,

"It's Pang Jian. My younger sister saw him descend into the lower worlds from outside the Sacred Soul Continent.

"For a moment, I thought he came to the lower worlds to hunt down future elites like us," the tall, handsome youth of the Celestial Race said with a wry smile.

If they could see that the radiant streak was Pang Jian, it meant that he, too, could easily see them.

Despite this, the radiance never even faltered.

That implied that Pang Jian no longer acknowledged Yu Qing and Xuan Ying as worthy opponents, even with their Rank Nine bloodlines.

Xuan Ying took a deep breath, her scaled chest rising slightly.

"We're not qualified to be taken seriously until we reach Rank Ten.

"Soon, I will attempt to break through to Rank Ten. When I succeed, I'll challenge this new Sword God!

"I want to see for myself whether the Sword Gods of the Sword Pavilion are truly as invincible as others claim!"

Her fighting spirit burned fiercely.

In her opinion, Pang Jian only ascended to a True God through sheer luck, having snatched a piece of Fortune ahead of time to become an unconventional Immortal Realm God.

Xuan Ying firmly believed that she could also achieve the same things Pang Jian had. As proud as she was, she had never once entertained the idea of being inferior to anyone.

A Rank Nine Demon Scale Race warrior standing behind Xuan Ying suddenly heard an urgent sound from the beast-bone bracelet on his arm.

Grasping it and listening intently, his expression quickly contorted in shock as he shouted, "Pang Jian just killed the Nine-Headed Bird in the Wood Race's fragmented land! All nine of its heads were completely severed!"

"Is that true?!" Yu Qing's face paled.

At that moment, both his and Xuan Ying's transmission artifacts chimed as they were flooded with the news.

Xuan Ying lowered her head, her once-unshakable pride crumbling to pieces.

"I have no confidence that I could single-handedly slay an ancient Fey God, even if I advance to Rank Ten."

***

Pang Jian soared through the bizarre mist on his divine sword.

It had been years since he had returned to his homeland.

Spreading his divine sense outward, he took in the sight of unawakened Spirit Beasts and Vicious Beasts alongside the ancient Fey Race scattered across the once-familiar lands.