Chapter 804: New Crisis

"The restrictions around the Abyss haven't fully lifted yet. You won't be able to return."

Pang Lin pressed her lips together in a gentle smile and softly said, "My brother has already destroyed the vessel of that Celestial Sovereign.

"Yan Lie, along with three other mid-ranking Gods who served that Sovereign, has fled from the Abyss.

"The chaos in the Abyss, the war of ascension sparked by the Fifth World's foreign races, has officially come to an end."

Pang Lin spoke with casual ease as she divulged the full situation without hiding anything.

The Bronze-Masked God gasped, reeling at the barrage of revelations. "Are you serious? Is that all true?"

Pang Lin nodded with a smile and gestured toward the bizarre mist behind her. "The Outer Gods lingering just outside the Abyss would tell you the same things."

The Bronze-Masked God was both shocked and uncertain. After a brief pause, he chose his words carefully. "In the Seventh World of the Abyss, deep in a world of absolute darkness, there is—"

"You mean the remains of that Sovereign of the Fey Race?" Pang Lin blinked innocently.

"That's no longer a secret?" the Bronze-Masked God asked in a low, cautious voice.

"Mm. My brother's been to the Seventh World. He saw the remains of that Sovereign," Pang Lin replied with a light laugh, as if finding the matter oddly amusing. "I heard that the path of that Sovereign's nirvanic rebirth has already begun. It's possible that somewhere, it is rapidly forming a new body."

The Bronze-Masked God's expression darkened. "In the Fifth World, those seven complete continents, and the seven towering Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars were all constructed to prevent that possibility. Are you saying they have all failed?"

Pang Lin shrugged. "I don't know."

"Little girl"—the Bronze-Masked God was no longer able to restrain his curiosity—"what realm are you?"

"The same as you. The Transcendent God Realm." Pang Lin's sweet smile did not change in the slightest. With a mischievous gleam in her eye, she added, "After I became a True God, I skipped the Ascendant God Realm and jumped straight to the Transcendent God Realm."

Hearing that, the Bronze-Masked God looked as if he had been struck by lightning. He was completely dumbstruck.

How long did it take me to reach the Transcendent God Realm after I left the Abyss? How long did I cultivate to gain strength on par with high-ranking Gods?

How is it that Pang Jian's sister, as a True God, had jumped past the Ascendant God Realm and reached the Transcendent God Realm?

What kind of talent was this? What kind of monstrous brother and sister were these two?

Out of genuine concern, the Bronze-Masked God decided to offer her some advice on her path forward, hoping that this promising seedling would survive. "Girl, you should know that in the starry skies, the Outer Gods hunt the True Gods of your human race. You'd best keep a low profile for now. I suggest—"

"My affairs are none of your concern." Pang Lin smiled faintly. Having lost interest in toying with the Bronze-Masked God any further, she gave him a casual wave and said, "Farewell and best of luck."

"Wait! Where are you going?" the Bronze-Masked God called out, alarmed.

"To find a Gray Ape with ice-blue eyes," Pang Lin replied flippantly.

In the next instant, lightning engulfed her body. Before the Bronze-Masked God could react, she vanished from before his eyes.

***

After Yan Lie, Sha Jia, Ah Man, and Lie Yang all left the Abyss, the foreign races who had ascended toward the upper worlds obediently activated descended back to the Fifth World, returning to the continents that they knew best.

The Fourth and Third Worlds still teemed with murky energy, but the foreign races had vanished from sight.

Instead, all manner of Vicious and Spirit Beasts began to leave the Fey Spirit and Sacred Soul Continents, stepping into the torn continents and scattered fragmented lands.

The Ice Armor Eel Dragon, in the desolate Primordial Wilderness, had used a cluster of Corruption to ascend and became a Fey God, just like the Black Dragon King and the black turtle.

Its silver-white body, wreathed in frost and lightning, now hovered arrogantly in the skies above the fragmented land as countless members of the Fey Race looked up in reverence as it cried out, "I'm a Fey God again!"

Beneath it, a Silver Python, an Ice Bear, and a Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf raised their eyes that were filled with intelligence and awe.

"Lord Ice Armor! We wish to follow you!" The three Great Fey cried out in unison.

Not long ago, they were Rank Seven and had yet to awaken many of their bloodline abilities.

After the Ice Armor Eel Dragon absorbed a cluster of Corruption and broke through to become a Fey God, a surge of dense, murky energy gathered in response, washing over the others and cleansing their bloodlines.

Thanks to that surge of murky energy, they advanced with ease. One after another, they advanced to become Rank Eight Great Fey. Even those with low rank bloodlines had rapidly broken through their shackles and advanced into higher ranks.

The trio that had reached Rank Eight shared a strong and growing conviction that the Abyss had become far more tolerant and accepting of Fey like them, as if the fundamental laws of the Abyss seemed to be changing, subtly shifting, becoming increasingly favorable to the Fey Race.

"Yuan Qi, Rock Bear, the black turtle, the Black Dragon King, and now me!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon bared its fangs in a wild, unrestrained grin. "At last, our Fey Race has ushered in its golden era in the Abyss! So long as we stand united, there will be a place for us in this world!"

"The Third and Fourth Worlds!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon's massive body loomed in the sky as it gazed out across the fragmented land and bellowed. "The two worlds the foreign races abandoned will be paradise for our Fey Race!"

The Ice Armor Eel Dragon's roar stirred something deep within many of the Great Beasts and newly ascended Fey Kings below. All around, the Fey Race responded with thunderous howls of their own, echoing his primal fury and awakening ambition.

***

After Pang Jian departed from the Second World, the True Gods gathered together. They discussed the realms that followed after the True God Realm, seeking clarification from Zhu Ji. They hoped to outline a simple, easy-to-understand path of advancement that every newly ascended True God could grasp.

When the roars of the Great Feys and Fey Kings in the lower worlds reached their ears, the expressions of gathered True Gods subtly shifted.

"An Ice Armor Eel Dragon has succeeded in becoming a Fey God in the Primordial Wilderness. There is also a Gray Ape, a Rock Bear, the black turtle, and apparently a Black Dragon King as well." Li Wang furrowed his brow and rubbed his temples. "I have a bad feeling about this."

The others fell silent, their expressions growing grim. They realized that, if the Fey Race were allowed to continue growing and more Fey Gods emerged, then the human race might lose control of the Abyss. After all, Fey Gods were stronger than Outer Gods of the same rank."

"Li Zhaotian, you can reach Pang Jian. Let him know," Li Wang said cautiously, "Tell him to keep an eye on this."

Li Zhaotian nodded. "Understood."

***

In the Fourth World, amidst a region of countless fragmented lands, an especially lush and verdant tree emitted a dense vitality. The gentle glow it released fell upon members of the Wood Race, soothing their spirits and easing their minds.

Recently, the Wood Race had seen a surge in bloodline awakenings. Many among them had broken through their limits, with several rising to Rank Eight and even Rank Nine.

When Pang Jian entered the region, the tree, Pang Ling, manifested her spirit body and shared her concerns. "Father, the black turtle reached out to me. He asked for my life energy to help bring the Black Dragon King back to life."

With a pause, she quietly added, "I...I'm also planning to leave the Abyss."