Chapter 773: The Trajectory of the Cluster of Fortune

A dazzling cluster of crystalline radiance streaked down from the barrier and toward the worlds below. The spectacle immediately alarmed several True Gods.

So soon? Pang Lin's about to break through?

Li Wang wondered, seated in meditation at the Stargazing Platform.

Appearing in the sky above the Southern Gorge, he fixed his gaze intently on the trajectory of that crystalline radiance.

Everyone, it seems we'll soon be welcoming a new fellow True God,

Li Wang notified the other True Gods through the pillars on the Stargazing Platform.

Noticing that several pillars stood dark and empty, his expression turned grim. Many of his old friends had since passed away—Tian Du, Li Yuanli, Jiang Fan, Lin Qiyang, and more.

Gui Mu, also in the Southern Gorge, had just taken a soul-nourishing pill and immersed herself in comprehending the Dao of the Karmic Cycle when she received Li Wang's message.

Letting out a cold snort, she replied,

Let's hope she becomes what you expect and uses Jiang Fan's cluster of Fortune to ascend smoothly as a new True God.

Regardless of anything else, she's still a direct descendant of the Pang Family,

Li Wang said.

Pang Jian acted improperly, but you've also been harsh toward him. How long does this cycle of animosity have to go on? Pang Xuan, even if you one day leave the Abyss, I suspect you'll still have to rely on those siblings. I just think—

My affairs are none of your concern!

Gui Mu snapped.

You lost any right to tell me what to do after you chose to sacrifice both Jiang Fan and me back on the Fifth World!

Hearing this, Li Wang sighed softly and said no more.

***

Sensing the cluster of Fortune, Su Wanrou of the Pure Land Sect hurriedly flew into the teleportation array.

"I want to act as her protector and witness Pang Lin's breakthrough with my own eyes!" she shouted. "Send me to the Resolute Expanse!"

After arriving, Su Wanrou immediately looked up at the sky, but to her surprise, the crystalline radiance had not descended into the Resolute Expanse as she had expected.

"Pang Jian, what's going on?" Su Wanrou landed among the gathered juniors in a flash. "Where's Pang Lin?"

She spread her divine sense across the entire Resolute Expanse, but still could not sense a trace of Pang Lin's presence.

"She quietly left a few days ago," Pang Jian replied calmly. Smiling, he assured. "My bees are tracking the trajectory of that Fortune. We'll be able to find her where it settles. There's no need to worry."

Su Wanrou smiled, comforted. "That's true."

After all, nobody in the Abyss would dare compete with Pang Lin for that cluster of Fortune.

All the True God knew that Dong Tianze, that bloodthirsty madman, had assassinated Jiang Fan to secure a cluster of Fortune for Pang Lin's ascension.

Dong Tianze had been gravely injured. Meanwhile, Pang Jian had stepped in to protect him, even clashing with Zhu Ji.

There was already an unspoken agreement that this Fortune belonged to Pang Lin.

All they had to do was follow that Fortune to Pang Lin.

"Something's wrong!" Li Zhaotian's voice rang out from the teleportation array Su Wanrou had just used.

As someone deeply attuned to the barrier, he was the most sensitive to the movement of Fortune in the Abyss.

"It bypassed the Second World and is heading toward the Third!" Li Zhaotian cried out in alarm. "Pang Lin would be rooted in a region saturated with spiritual qi! This isn't her. Someone else is seizing that cluster of Fortune!"

"Master, I'm going ahead!" Pang Jian vanished from the Resolute Expanse, reappearing beside the golden bee closest to the cluster of Fortune.

His eyes followed the cluster of Fortune as it condensed into a comet-like beam, piercing through the astral wind between the Second and Third Worlds.

"I'd like to see who has the guts to court death!"

Pang Jian shot downward at high speed, tailing the cluster of crystalline radiance with a darkened expression. He vowed to kill whoever dared to seize this cluster of Fortune.

Dong Tianze had nearly died for this. Pang Jian himself had clashed with Zhu Ji and Li Wang over it. In his mind, this Fortune belonged to Pang Lin. No one else was allowed to lay a hand on it.

***

The foreign race powerhouses in the Third World raised their heads toward the radiant cluster of Fortune, detecting Pang Jian's terrifying presence close behind it.

"Pang Jian!"

"A cluster of Fortune is descending from above. Somebody has drawn it, but who?"

"Who in the lower worlds dares to stir the Fortune of the human race?"

Deep within Spirit Offering, Rank Nine foreign race elites like Yu Xin and Xuan Ying also took note of the crystalline radiance's unnatural path, their hearts trembling with dread.

With Fire God Yan Lie and the Rank Ten powerhouses still missing, they had neither the strength nor the courage to face the human race head-on.

They lived in constant fear. For the past two days, they had been deliberating and had already decided to retreat to the Fifth World until their leaders returned.

The person responsible for this Fortune descending did not matter under these circumstances. The foreign races truly had no power to intervene.

None among them dared to provoke a furious Pang Jian.

***

In the Sacred Soul Continent, Pang Lin stood atop the Nine Heavens Thunder God Tree, like a goddess receiving the reverent worship of the assembled Fey Kings.

Yuan Qi was at a critical point in his ascension as a Fey God, absorbing a mysterious force to initiate his breakthrough to Rank Ten.

For him to do this without killing the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and devouring its heart was truly upending the ancient rules of the Fey Race.

Pang Lin's one act had sent waves of astonished joy through the crowd.

They were convinced that the heir of the Celestial Phoenix was watching over them, granting protection and hope, paving the way for the weakened Fey Race to rise again.

Pang Lin had become the most honored guest of the Fey Race at that moment. The Fey Kings revered her as they would a divine being.

"A cluster of Fortune!" the Rock Bear exclaimed, noticing a crystalline radiance from atop his mountain peak. "Miss Pang, this cluster of Fortune, it belongs to you!"

The White Lynx grew anxious. "Miss Pang, someone is trying to steal your Fortune!"

The Fey Race in the Sacred Soul Continent was not cut off from the outside world. They, too, had heard that Dong Tianze had killed Jiang Fan to secure a cluster of Fortune for Pang Lin.

Pang Lin's status as the heir of the Celestial Phoenix and aid with the ascension to Fey God positioned her as a divine figure in their eyes. Naturally, the Fey Race deemed anyone daring to seize her Fortune utterly unforgivable.

"It's fine." Pang Lin's lips curled into a faint smile, a strange glint flashing in her eyes. "If my brother comes looking, tell him I've left the Abyss and will be cultivating in the bizarre mist.

"As for this Fortune, just let it be taken.

"That's all for now."

With that, Pang Lin and the Nine Heavens Thunder Divine Tree vanished into thin air.

The next time she reappeared, it was at the boundary wall of the Second World. The changing laws of the Abyss and her peak Immortal Realm cultivation meant she could effortlessly pass through the barrier.

Pang Lin had instructed Dong Tianze to kill Jiang Fan, claiming she lacked the Fortune needed to ascend. However, now that the Fortune had appeared, she turned a blind eye to it.

Not only did she refrain from seizing it, but she even waited until someone else drew it in before leaving the Abyss.

***

Pang Jian descended swiftly into the Fifth World after the crystalline radiance.

The cluster of Fortune pierced through the light barrier of the Fifth Continent, streaking toward Eight Trigrams City.

"Luo Hongyan!" Pang Jian roared. "I won't yield this cluster of Fortune to you!"

Pang Jian teleported before the City Lord's Mansion in the Eight Trigrams City, clad in the demonic cloak.

Standing in the courtyard of the City Lord's Mansion, he peered up at the descending cluster of Fortune, feeling a magnetic force welling up from the pool in the mansion.

With a flick, he unfurled the demonic cloak, transforming it into a vast black canopy that eclipsed the sky above the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillar.

Endless demonic energy surged forth, carrying the twisted malice of the Demon Realms. Wicked thoughts, vile intentions, and distorted emotions erupted from the canopy.

Even the Heaven-Encompassing Demonic Array that once enshrouded the Demon Abyss Continent paled in comparison to this canopy—this demonic artifact of a Sovereign.

"I won't tolerate it this time!"

The crystalline radiance crashed into the canopy like a meteor, only for the overwhelming demonic energy and malevolence to ensnare it.

Its blazing descent was slowed, inch by inch.

Pang Jian stood within the seething sea of demonic energy, gaze locked onto the radiant Fortune.

He also summoned the Thunder Pool, the Five Thunder Annihilation, and the Ghostflare, treating this as a battle against a mortal enemy. After all, for all he knew, he was about to confront a Sovereign. Even if it was not her true body, he would still have to go all out to have a sliver of hope at intercepting this cluster of Fortune.

In truth, he need not have acted with such urgency.

In the Nether Abyss, his Immortal Divine Soul was still stabilizing his Ascendant God Realm, perhaps even on the verge of something greater.

With the demonic cloak, his connection to the twenty-six Demon Realms and the Demon Gods would only strengthen.

Given enough time, even Great Demon Gods like Fa Ji and He Motian would have their wills eroded, eventually becoming his combat strength.

The many profound insights into the mysteries of the soul he had drawn from the Soulstream were also continuously reinforcing his Immortal Divine Soul.

Pang Jian could have waited. It would have been better for him to wait.

However, this cluster of Fortune was simply too rare, and more importantly, it belonged to Pang Lin. Thus, he chose to step into Eight Trigrams City and clash prematurely with Luo Hongyan.

"No one can stop me from getting what I want." A chilling voice rang throughout Eight Trigrams City as Luo Hongyan emerged, graceful and unhurried.