Chapter 788: Pang Lin Ascends to Godhood

The many True Gods stood with their heads grimly bowed in the Abyss. None dared to look anywhere but down, not even to glance at those beside them.

Their minds replayed the sight of that blinding radiance suspended in the starry skies beyond and the unbearable pressure it had exerted, each trying to process what had just happened.

Even with a barrier separating them, the Sovereign's mere gaze had caused Dong Shangqing to perish. If not for Pang Jian breaking them out of their reverie, the rest of them would likely have met the same end.

When the day comes for us to stand in the starry skies and face the Sovereign's true body, will any of us be able to even look at her without dying, let alone fight back?

The vast chasm in strength left everyone feeling hopeless. The destruction of Luo Hongyan's vessel and the retreat of Yan Lie and the others brought no relief to them. If anything, the oppressive weight in their hearts had only deepened.

"The fundamental laws of the Abyss are changing," Li Zhaotian said bitterly. "Before long, low-ranking Gods will be able to enter, then mid-ranking Gods, and possibly even high-ranking Gods."

Pang Jian interrupted Li Zhaotian's lamentations, "She's no longer releasing light. You can relax now."

Everyone let out a quiet sigh of relief, finally daring to glance up at the starry skies.

The suffocating light was indeed gone. The trail of fire that marked the departure of Yan Lie and the others had also vanished. Only the moon and the stars remained, eternally watching from the skies above the Abyss.

"Senior Dong..." Pang Jian let out a quiet sigh.

Talismans drifted from Dong Shangqing's shattered body, mingling with streaks of flowing light as they flew toward the Ancient Law Sect. A new crystalline radiance emerged from his remains and flew straight for the barrier.

Dong Shangqing had been the weakest among the True Gods present. His physical body and divine soul had not been tempered enough.

Realizing this, he had resolved to advance as quickly as possible so he would have a chance of surviving in the starry skies. Unfortunately, he had died before he could even attempt to break free of the Abyss.

"Death just came sooner for him than it did for us. If things continue as they are..." Li Wang trailed off, casting a meaningful gaze toward Su Wanrou and Pei Yishan. "If we can't break through soon, we too will face death. We'll be cast aside, one by one."

"Our situation is still precarious," Su Wanrou agreed grimly.

"Senior Zhu," Pei Yishan called out, "What lies beyond the True God Realm? What did you see when you broke through? How did you manage it?"

The first time Pei Yishan had encountered the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains, Ah Man, he had held the upper hand. However, after Ah Man's breakthrough into mid-ranking godhood, even the combined forces of Pei Yishan, Li Zhaotian, Li Wang, Su Wanrou, and Dong Shangqing had not been enough to defeat him.

Had it not been for Li Yuqing's River of Fate, Ah Man would have likely picked them off one after another. That realization struck Pei Yishan hard, fueling his urgency to break into the next realm and prepare himself for the battles they would face in the starry skies.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Senior Zhu, could you tell us what cultivation realm awaits the human race after the True God Realm?" Su Wanrou asked.

Zhu Ji, having withdrawn his Dharma Idol, looked slightly embarrassed under their expectant gazes. "I broke through by sheer accident. I can't explain the steps. To be honest, I don't even know what realm I'm in."

The other True Gods erupted in disbelief.

"It's called the Ascendant God Realm," Pang Jian suddenly said. "The next stage for human cultivators after the True God Realm is the Ascendant God Realm. It corresponds to a mid-ranking God. Beyond that is the Transcendent God Realm, which matches a high-ranking God. Further still lies the Exalted God Realm, which is comparable to a Sovereign.

"These complete cultivation paths were revealed to me through the clusters of Fortune I gained in the Nether Abyss. That world shares far more with our Abyss than we ever realized.

"Now, let me explain the path of cultivation that lies ahead for the human race."

Everyone looked at him as if staring at a monster.

"Wasn't your other body in the Nether Abyss destroyed long ago?" Li Zhaotian asked.

Li Yuqing looked just as confused. "I only managed to ascend to the True God Realm because that other you died in the Nether Abyss. "

"The other me has already come back to life," Pang Jian replied calmly. "Just like the black turtle, Yuan Qi, and soon, the Black Empyrean Phoenix."

***

In the bizarre mist near the Sacred Soul Continent, a cluster of crystalline radiance, dark at its core and thin as a strand of fishing line, descended silently onto the crown of Pang Lin's head.

Her lips curled into a faint smile. Deep within her eyes, two phoenixes, one black and one white, shimmered to life.

The illusory figure of the majestic Black Empyrean Phoenix appeared behind her. Its eyes carried an arrogant disdain, as if it looked down upon all living beings. This figure was not a soul or spiritual body, but a kind of soul projection, identical to the one in the Seventh World.

Unlike the one in the Seventh World, however, this illusory figure was no lifeless shell. Its eyes gleamed with awareness as it gazed down silently at Pang Lin, watching as the cluster of crystalline radiance descended into Pang Lin, sinking into her deep-blue sea of consciousness and staining it pitch-black.

"It's done," Pang Lin said with a smile.

The shadow-like Black Empyrean Phoenix transformed.

Dense soul essence and vitality poured into it, turning the projection tangible. In the blink of an eye, the phantom Black Empyrean Phoenix became an anomalous creature of spirit and will.

It twirled gracefully before vanishing into Pang Lin's body, becoming a profound imprint on her divine soul.

Pang Lin did not use spiritual qi to break through, nor had she prepared any divine pills or rare elixirs to aid in the endeavor. She used only the power within her own body to ascend as a True God.

"After the True God Realm comes the Ascendant God Realm," she murmured, immediately starting her advancement to the next realm. "There should be enough time."

Glancing up at the sky from within the bizarre mist of the Abyss, she smiled, eyes narrowing.

Neither the bizarre mist nor the barrier could block her gaze. She watched as the Sovereign above withheld her overwhelming radiance, no longer projecting her divine might.

"Just you wait and see."

***

In the shadowy depths of the starry skies, just beyond a divine domain that had retracted its terrifying radiance, stood He Motian, Zi Mo, and Mou Qi of the Spirit Race.

The three high-ranking Gods each presented themselves with humility before the divine domain.

From within, the true body of Luo Hongyan said coldly, "As I expected, she's awakened."