Chapter 689: Legend of the Nether Abyss

In the Thunder Abyss, Pang Jian took the initiative to establish a connection with the Moon God, using the moon within his chest to convey his thoughts under the moonlight.

How much do you know about the Nether Abyss?

he asked, voice rippling gently around the moon in his Immortal Divine Soul.

He knew that the Moon God would hear his message from the faraway moon.

The recent chaotic events both inside and outside the Thunder Abyss meant he and Ying Yue had been in constant communication.

The Moon God had recently forged a new artifact that allowed her to sense him from the starry skies and keep track of his actions.

Of course, this only worked as long as Pang Jian remained where the moonlight could reach him. Once he entered the bizarre mist, their connection would be severed. For now, though, he had returned to the Thunder Abyss.

You've come into contact with a divine soul from the Nether Abyss?

Ying Yue swiftly responded, her voice resonating through the moon within Pang Jian.

The divine beings of the Nether Abyss are collectively known as Nether Gods. They rarely leave the bizarre mist.

There exists a mysterious race known as the Nether Race in the Nether Abyss. Nearly all Nether Gods are born from this lineage.

Nether Gods are said to have the ability to traverse the boundary wall of the Nether Abyss in the form of their divine soul. Not only can they leave, but they can also return to the Nether Abyss.

This ability is quite different from the True Gods of the Abyss.

The Moon God sat upon her throne in the vast Lunar Divine Palace, one hand holding a crystal token as she conversed with Han Yi, while the other formed a luminous full moon conjured from pure moonlight.

When her voice flowed into that moon, Pang Jian could hear her from within the Thunder Abyss.

"The man you think about day and night is asking me about the Nether Abyss. What's this? Did the two of you encounter some Nether Gods while wandering the bizarre mist?" Ying Yue mischievously asked through the crystal token in her hand. "Han Yi, both you and I know about the Nether Abyss. Why didn't he ask you?"

Soaring toward the moon on her divine platform, Han Yi pursed her lips and playfully teased, "We're sisters, after all. I don't mind sharing if you're interested. Ying Yue, I can't believe that all this time, you've been interfering with me because you had ulterior motives.

"If you like him, just admit it. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. If I recall correctly, you mentioned that the two of you had contact long before I met him. Isn't that right?"

The Frost Crystal God was in an exceptionally good mood, giddy from the victory over Yang Luo and the sight of Pang Jian's smile.

Thus, knowing very well that Ying Yue was deliberately provoking her, she took no offense and simply played along.

"You're hopeless!" Ying Yue snorted.

Han Yi chuckled softly. "I'm on my way to you now. When I arrive, let me hear what he's been telling you."

In the Lunar Divine Palace, Ying Yue's face turned cold as she put away the crystal token connected to Han Yi.

Returning to her conversation with Pang Jian, she explained seriously,

Once the True Gods of your human race break free from the barrier and leave, it seems they can no longer return to the Abyss.

The Nether Gods face similar limitations. When both their bodies and divine souls leave the Nether Abyss, it becomes extremely difficult for them to return. However, if only their divine souls leave, they can easily return to the Nether Abyss.

Most Nether Gods operate within the bizarre mist, where they take pleasure in hunting down stray Outer Gods. Even mid-ranking Gods like You Kui and Yang Luo can easily fall victim to them if they linger too long in the bizarre mist.

The Outer Gods once joined forces to venture deep into the bizarre mist in an attempt to eradicate the Nether Gods, but the results were far from ideal.

When faced with danger, the Nether Gods in the bizarre mist would simply retreat into the Nether Abyss. They only struck against those gathered Outer Gods when they sensed an opportunity.

Over time, the Outer Gods from beyond the bizarre mist developed a lasting enmity with the Nether Gods.

Ying Yue then shared everything she knew about the Nether Abyss and the Nether Gods in great detail.

Is there any connection between the Nether Gods and the True Gods of the Abyss?

Pang Jian asked.

I'm not sure.

Ying Yue shook her head.

Our understanding of the Nether Abyss is even more limited than the Abyss. We at least know how many layers exist in the Abyss and have a grasp of its history across different eras. The races that worship us in the Abyss relay everything to us.

The Nether Abyss, on the other hand, is a place where no Outer Gods have any followers. We know very little about what happens there. Moreover, the divine consciousnesses of the Outer Gods can barely linger within the Nether Abyss.

***

Pang Jian was about to arrive at the Prime Thunder Continent in the first layer of the Thunder Abyss.

Releasing his divine sense to scan his surroundings, he noticed the Thunder Race warriors had taken full control of the continents where the Fey Race's chaos had been quelled.

They mobilized teams and boarded warships, setting out for the continents where the Fey Race still lurked.

The death of the three Fey Gods left the Fey Race in a vulnerable state, leaderless and without any Gods to protect them. Meanwhile, the Thunder Race still had Lei Fan and Lei Ying to hold the line.

The Thunder Race intended to capitalize on this opportunity to prevent any new Fey Gods from emerging in the near future.

Their goal was to hunt down and annihilate any powerful Fey Kings that remained, ensuring that none lived long enough to ascend as a Fey God.

The Fey Race's future in the Thunder Abyss looked bleak with this turn of events. As long as Lei Fan and Lei Ying refrained from recklessly breaking through the barrier and venturing into the starry skies in pursuit of greater power, they could easily prevent the Fey Race from regaining its former strength.

When Ying Yue had nothing more to add about the Nether Abyss, Pang Jian said,

Do me a favor.

Let's hear it first,

Ying Yue replied cautiously.

Find a way to contact the Bronze-Masked God. Tell him that I asked you to inquire about this. Ask him whether the Nether Gods of the Nether Abyss can be trusted.

Pang Jian still had reservations about the envoy from the Nether Abyss in the bizarre mist.

The Bronze-Masked God was known in the starry skies as a master artifact refiner, and many Outer Gods could communicate with him through the methods he provided.

If the Bronze-Masked God vouched for the Nether Gods, then there would be little cause for concern.

You want me to ask the Bronze-Masked God in your name? You do realize that if I do this, it'll expose my private dealings with you?

Ying Yue's tone was cold. Then, after a brief pause, she exclaimed in realization,

The Bronze-Masked God is a human?!

Yes.

Pang Jian answered stiffly, not expecting Ying Yue to figure it out so quickly.

I trust you, which is why I‘m asking you to keep this secret.

Ying Yue fell into a long silence.

Just as Pang Jian was growing impatient, she finally replied,

I've never had direct contact with the Bronze-Masked God before. I'll need time to ask around and figure out how the arrays he left behind were constructed.

I'll be staying in the Thunder Abyss for a while. I'll wait for your response,

Pang Jian said.

He did not offer any thanks despite knowing his request meant another person would know about Ying Yue's secret interactions with him, potentially giving others another means to control her.

After all, the Bronze-Masked God was a predecessor of the Sword Pavilion. Pang Jian firmly believed that all Sword Pavilion elders were worthy of trust. He was certain that the Bronze-Masked God would keep Ying Yue's dealings with him a secret.

Moreover, he had relinquished his portion of the Star Devourer and Yang Luo's spatial ring to them. This request was nothing in comparison to the risks he had taken in killing You Kui for the two women.

***

At Thunder God Mountain, the Thunder Pool continued to draw in lightning, forming an increasing number of grandiose palaces.

Thunder and lightning intertwined within the Thunder Pool.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

A total of nine palaces stood like islands rising from the sea of lightning, surrounding the central silver-white palace that belonged to the Duke of Thunder.

"I've seen depictions of the complete Divine Court of Thunder in my race's ancient scrolls before," Lei Ying said, voice dazed as though in a dream, as she stood beside the Thunder Pool. "At its peak, the Divine Court of Thunder was filled with magnificent palaces, each representing a powerful Thunder God.

"All Thunder Gods, regardless of rank, had to come to the Divine Court of Thunder to pay homage to our ancestor. Only the strongest among them were qualified to leave behind a palace. Of course, our ancestor was always the true master of it all.

"If the Divine Court of Thunder ever returns to its former glory, those palaces will stand outside, no longer remaining submerged within the Thunder Pool."

Lei Ying sighed deeply, her heart filled with emotion.

The surrounding lightning dimmed as the steady influx into the Thunder Pool ceased.

The turbulent lightning raging around the thirty-thousand-zhang-tall Thunder God Mountain seemed to have eased significantly.

"The Thunder Pool has absorbed about two-thirds of the lightning. It feels about right," Lei Ying murmured.

Noticing Pang Jian's return, she immediately stepped away from the Thunder Pool to avoid giving the impression that she harbored any desires for it.

"How's the situation outside?" Li Yuqing asked half-heartedly, having lost her enthusiasm after learning of her father's death in the Abyss.

Even after the three Fey Gods were dead, she simply no longer had the desire to explore the rest of the Thunder Abyss or experience its wonders. She only wanted to return to the Abyss as soon as possible.

"The danger has been averted," Pang Jian said. "But I can't tear open a spatial rift to send you back to the Abyss just yet."

A trace of reluctant brightness returned to Li Yuqing's dim eyes. "What about your physical body?"

"My physical body has descended into the Seventh World, severing my connection to it," Pang Jian said truthfully.

After his physical body descended into the Seventh World, his Immortal Divine Soul in the Thunder Pool could no longer sense it, making any further attempts to establish a connection meaningless.

"I remember you mentioning that there are six spatial rifts in the bizarre mist of Absolute Heaven. I haven't ascended to the True God Realm yet. I'm still only in the Immortal Realm. Can't I pass through?" Li Yuqing asked.

Pang Jian silently mulled over her words, then replied, "Powerful foreign race warriors guard those six spatial rifts. It's extremely dangerous. More importantly, it would be nearly impossible for you to break through the boundary wall of the Thunder Abyss without my help."

"The Abyss already allows Immortal Realm cultivators and Rank Nine foreign race warriors to pass through. Is the Thunder Abyss any different?" Li Yuqing asked, puzzled.

Pang Jian shook his head. "I don't know."

"Then I'll give it a try," Li Yuqing said, taking a deep breath. "I can ascend to the True God Realm now, and I desperately need the Fortune of the Abyss to assist me. This is critical for me. I have a feeling I can't wait any longer. I have to take the risk."