Chapter 770: Long Di's Meddling

Long Di's expression changed dramatically.

"Pang Jian!"

He knew Pang Jian's background and origins better than anyone. This included his Undying Soul Flames and his deep connection to the mysterious Soulstream.

Even so, Long Di had not expected Pang Jian's Undying Soul Flames to survive Yuan Yi's attack and reform within the Soulstream!

Long Di had been aware of Pang Jian's extraordinary nature since he arrived, not to mention his being the child of the previous World God of the Nether Abyss.

Pang Jian's reappearance within the Soulstream, attempting to use Fortune and the spiritual qi of the Nether Abyss to ascend to godhood once more, could bring far-reaching consequences to Long Di's ambitions.

He intends to seize control of this world from me!

Long Di's many manifestations surged.

The Soul Convergence Altar shot up from the heart of the continent. The patterns, arcs of lightning, ancient sigils, and Dao Seals above the altar radiated an aura that made one's soul tremble.

The countless fragments of Long Di's divine soul that had split off now reassembled in the sky above the altar.

A towering crystalline Long Di, over ten thousand zhang tall, manifested in the air. The moment it appeared, it cast a secret technique, intent on ripping the nine clusters of Fortune away from the Soulstream.

He and Bai Zi held dominion over different aspects of the Nether Abyss.

With this Soul Convergence Altar in his hands, and at the cost of some personal sacrifice, he could alter the natural flow of Fortune.

He sensed the Soulstream's affinity for Pang Jian, as well as the vast influx of spiritual qi. There was no way he would allow the rise of someone capable of threatening his position.

"Let the Fortune of the Nether Abyss move at my will!" Long Di's voice echoed from the Soul Convergence Altar, resonating with the barrier and in the hearts of the Nether Race.

***

Nine clusters of Fortune absorbed the boundless spiritual qi of the Nether Abyss and steadily merged with Pang Jian's divine soul in the Soulstream.

However, as soon as Long Di's voice rang out, the Soul Convergence Altar pulled on those nine clusters of Fortune, threatening to tear them away in the middle of fusing with Pang Jian's divine soul.

"Long Di!"

Pang Jian's ascension had been going far more smoothly than in Imperial Dominion City of the Abyss. He was just seconds away from reconstructing his Immortal Divine Soul.

With the nine clusters of Fortune from the Nether Abyss merging with him, his reformed Immortal Divine Soul would be significantly more powerful, and its resilience many times greater than before.

As he was filled with joy and anticipation, Long Di brazenly intervened, forcibly disrupting the process. This caused rage to surge in Pang Jian's heart.

His Immortal Divine Soul was still incomplete, meaning it could not resonate with his physical body to open a spatial rift and draw upon the strength of his physical body during this critical time. While ascending, he was vulnerable and could not fight at all, forced to rely heavily on external forces.

Thus, he could only watch in helpless frustration as the nine clusters of Fortune were slowly dragged away. If those nine clusters were taken, Pang Jian's path to godhood would be cut short, and his divine soul would likely suffer devastating damage.

His breakthrough had turned into a disastrous backfire.

"Long Di, you still have the leisure to meddle elsewhere while fighting me? Aren't you underestimating me a little too much?" The ferocious ancient ape grinned wickedly, the crimson glow from its fangs radiating an aura that chilled the soul.

He drew deep, heavy breaths as blood-colored mist spread across the continent, streaked with arcs of dark-red lightning that crackled in every direction.

Throwing his head back, he let out a manic laugh, and the gray fur covering his body shot out like steel needles.

Each strand of fur transformed into projectiles that rained down upon Long Di's Soul Convergence Altar.

Yuan Yi's assault partially destroyed the intricate patterns, arcs of lightning, ancient sigils, and Dao Seals above the altar, causing Long Di's grasp over the nine clusters of Fortune to waver.

"Someone's stealing the Fortune you're trying to absorb and tampering with the spiritual qi of this world!" The ancient ape smirked. "Heh. Fortune and the spiritual qi of the Nether Abyss are the foundation of your strength, Long Di. They're the reason you've been able to keep up this fight with me for so long!

"Long Di! I will wholeheartedly support whatever makes you suffer!" The ancient ape swung his fist with a roar.

Suddenly, the laws of the Nether Abyss started to take shape around Yuan Yi's imposing body, manifesting as dazzling chains that coiled tightly around his limbs, neck, and thick waist. Their brilliance was so intense that it forced the eyes of any onlookers shut.

One end of the chains vanished into the spatial rifts, where streams of light from beyond the Nether Abyss converged, continuously reinforcing them. The other end anchored Yuan Yi in place, restraining the savage might of the rampaging ape.

To wield the laws of the Nether Abyss and apply them directly upon his enemies was one of the signature abilities of Long Di, the leader of the Nether Gods. It was also the reason he dared to boast about having the strength to fight back even if a Sovereign descended into the Nether Abyss.

The ancient ape let out a strange laugh as he flung forth his World God Pendant. "World God Pendant, shatter the spatial laws!"

The pendant immediately expanded a hundredfold. Two ancient characters on its surface burst forth with an astonishing radiance—Demon Abyss.

A supreme power surged forth from the "Abyss" character. In the blink of an eye, the spatial rifts that had been reinforcing the chains were forcibly sealed shut.

The "Demon" character then erupted with a violent force that empowered the ancient ape. Thrashing with full force, Yuan Yi ripped through the chains and broke free from the constraints of the laws governing the Nether Abyss.

The chains shattered into a shower of light, dissolving into nothingness.

Yuan Yi licked the corner of his mouth and strode toward the constantly shifting Soul Convergence Altar.

"I don't care who it is. As long as they dare steal what's yours, I will stand with them, especially if that person is one of your own or one of your greatest rivals.

"If all the energies in this world end up in your hands alone, Long Di, then I will likely fall here in the Nether Abyss. But if they're split in two, then I have nothing to fear!"

With a laugh as wild as his presence, Yuan Yi charged toward the Soul Convergence Altar, deliberately obstructing Long Di. He could not see the Soulstream. Thus, he did not know that the one reconstructing his Immortal Divine Soul within it was none other than Pang Jian, the same man he had struck down with a single roar.

Even if he knew, he would have done the same. In Yuan Yi's eyes, Pang Jian was nothing more than an ant that could be wiped out with a wave of the hand.

No matter how much potential Pang Jian had, he could not possibly compare to Long Di. There was a limit to the chaos Pang Jian could stir.

Long Di, on the other hand, was a truly fearsome opponent, strong enough to determine whether Yuan Yi could ever become a Sovereign.

***

Bai Zi!

Long Di called desperately, maneuvering the Soul Convergence Altar to evade Yuan Yi's relentless assault.

Where are you, Bai Zi?! Yuan Yi has ruined everything! I command you to disrupt Pang Jian's ascension to godhood!

That boy is deeply connected to the Soulstream. You've likely sensed this yourself.

If he ascends using the Fortune we've gathered in the Nether Abyss, he'll take a portion of what rightfully belongs to me, and you could one day lose the favor of the Soulstream as well!

Bai Zi, I know full well what you're capable of. Don't let me down!

Long Di hoped Bai Zi would act swiftly and crush Pang Jian's attempt to ascend.

However, despite all his urging, Bai Zi gave no reply. She could undoubtedly hear his transmission, but she acted as if she could not hear a thing.

***

The nine restless clusters of Fortune in the Soulstream gradually settled down. Each cluster condensed into a unique, formless substance that was neither crystal nor jade, fusing completely with Pang Jian's divine soul.

As his divine soul transformed once more into an Immortal Divine Soul, Pang Jian also absorbed the streams of knowledge imprinted within the nine clusters of Fortune.

Attaining divinity marked one's entry into godhood.

Beyond that lies the Ascendant God Realm, the Transcendent God Realm, and finally the Exalted God Realm.

The Ascendant God Realm corresponds to a mid-ranking God, the Transcendent God Realm to a high-ranking God, and the Exalted God Realm to a Sovereign.

This comprehensive cultivation framework applies to both the Nether Race and the human race alike.