The further they flew into the great canyon, the deeper it seemed to descend underground. Ahead lay an expanse of pitch-black darkness, devoid of any light, as if it led straight to the underworld itself.
Yet all the Chiron tribesmen had eyes that glowed with an eerie red light, allowing them to see clearly in the darkness, each of them remaining perfectly composed.
Before long, strange screeches echoed from the darkness ahead, and a swarm of shadowy figures surged forth—grotesque bats the size of large birds, with glowing purple eyes, shrieking as they lunged toward the Chiron group.
Zhu Yinzi, flying at the forefront, showed no expression as he saw the aggressive bats. His wings suddenly trembled, and countless feathers shot forward like a net.
A flash of red light—the feathers transformed into fiery arrows, piercing through the bat swarm in an instant.
A series of violent explosions followed, and the bats burst into flames, plummeting from the sky, not a single one spared.
Without pause, the Chiron tribesmen continued their flight, their figures vanishing into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
If they followed this canyon for a day and a night, they would safely reach the second layer of the Abyss.
—
On a stretch of crimson earth, a massive shadow streaked across the sky, fleeing in panic.
Not long after it passed, flashes of spiritual light appeared on the horizon—over a dozen figures of various hues emerged, swiftly closing in.
These individuals bore different wings, but all had black tattoos on their faces—they were members of the Qiyue Tribe, the foremost branch of the Feiling Race.
At the forefront was a gaunt girl, none other than Ao Qing, a figure who had drawn the attention of all the Holy Sons.
Watching the distant, fleeing shadow, she wore a cold smirk, pursuing it unhurriedly.
“Sister Ao, this Golden-Toothed Beast is veering away from the entrance to the second layer. Shouldn’t we just kill it here instead of chasing it further?” After a while, a burly man among the Qiyue Holy Sons finally spoke up.
“What’s the rush? It’s rare to encounter a mid-tier demon like the Golden-Toothed Beast in the first layer. We should wipe out its entire nest. Or do you think following me to the next layer will hinder your trial?” the girl replied without turning, her voice devoid of emotion.
“No, I would never think that! I’m just worried others might find the Netherflame Fruits first,” the man hastily explained.
“If we’re late, we’ll just take them from the others. If necessary, the fourth layer has plenty of those fruits. At worst, we’ll just spend more time descending further,” Ao Qing said with a cold laugh.
Hearing this, the man fell silent, not daring to argue further.
And so, the group continued their leisurely pursuit of the fleeing shadow, like a cat toying with its prey.
—
Amid a field of scattered boulders, three Feiling tribesmen with blue wings and scaly faces were locked in fierce combat with a dark demon—a towering, deer-headed humanoid wielding a massive black trident.
Black mist roiled around the demon as it fought multiple Holy Sons single-handedly, not only holding its ground but growing fiercer with each passing moment.
The three besieging Holy Sons were inwardly panicking.
This was only the first layer of the Abyss—how could a high-tier demon like the Deer-Faced Fiend, which usually appeared in the third layer, be here?
But now that this bloodthirsty monster had set its sights on them, they had no choice but to fight for their lives.
Elsewhere in the first layer, most Feiling Holy Sons were encountering unexpected troubles. Some, however, progressed smoothly, even finding entrances to the second layer, much like the Chiron Tribe.
Meanwhile, Han Li, avoiding hostile branches of the Tianpeng Tribe, had no choice but to take the most remote route. He and Lei Lan had been driving their spirit chariot for most of the day.
Whether due to the chariot’s concealment formations or the lack of demons on this path, their journey remained uneventful. After two more days of travel, passing through dense forests and rolling hills, they reached the deeper regions of the first layer.
At this speed, they would likely reach the second-layer entrance in another day.
Lei Lan and Bai Bi were overjoyed.
But after flying several thousand miles further, a dark underground mountain range suddenly loomed ahead.
Startled, the three had no choice but to halt the chariot.
“According to the map, this should be a plain. How can there be mountains?” Bai Bi muttered, staring at the massive peaks blocking their path.
Lei Lan was equally bewildered.
From afar, the mountains were towering, some peaks piercing the upper reaches of the underground world, leaving only narrow gaps between them—sinister-looking passages that sent chills down one’s spine.
No one knew how long this range stretched or what other dangers lay beyond.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, then suddenly leaped from the chariot, landing nearby to inspect the ground.
Seeing this, Lei Lan and Bai Bi exchanged glances before following him.
“Judging by the traces, these mountains appeared within the last century—likely moved here by immense magical power,” Han Li said after a moment.
“Moving mountains?” Lei Lan paled, and Bai Bi’s expression darkened.
“Indeed, and not just one—the entire range was relocated. But there’s no need for excessive fear. Even the demon kings of the deepest layers couldn’t accomplish this unaided. They must have used artifacts or formations. Otherwise, we’d be facing a true spirit-level demon from the Abyss’s lowest depths,” Han Li said with a faint smile.
“I see,” Bai Bi murmured, his knowledge as a Tianpeng Holy Son allowing him to grasp the situation.
“Still, this is unusual. The desert we passed earlier also appeared suddenly. The Abyss demons must have some purpose for this,” Lei Lan fretted.
“Perhaps it’s due to the demon tide. Regardless, the trial won’t be canceled. Our only option is to hurry to the third layer, retrieve the Netherflame Fruits, and report this to the clan,” Han Li said calmly, unfazed by such unexpected events.
“Brother Han is right. But this mountain range seems ominous. Flying through the gaps might be risky, and going around…” Bai Bi trailed off uncertainly.
“Going around isn’t an option,” Lei Lan cut in. “According to the map, one side is the Abyss Wind Belt—its gales and extreme cold could freeze us solid, trapping us forever. The other side is the Black Abyss Ant Nest, home to hundreds of thousands of flying ants. With our strength, venturing there would be a death sentence.”
“So, our only choice is to brave the mountains,” Han Li mused, stroking his chin.
“Not necessarily. We could take a much longer detour, but it would waste at least seven or eight days—severely hindering our search for the Netherflame Fruits,” Lei Lan said hesitantly.
Han Li fell silent, gazing at the distant peaks.
Bai Bi and Lei Lan also quieted, leaving the decision to him.
“This mountain gives me an ominous feeling. If we force our way through, we’ll likely face grave danger, leaving us weakened for the trials ahead. As for delaying our descent to the second layer—that’s not a problem. The extra time might even throw off hostile factions tracking us. Besides, with so many trial-takers, the second layer won’t have many fruits left. I planned to take you to the third layer anyway. Let’s go—better to waste time than face unknown peril,” Han Li finally declared, then flew back to the chariot in a streak of azure light.
After a brief exchange, Lei Lan and Bai Bi followed.
“Brother Han, perhaps we should reconsider. The mountains might not be as dangerous as we think,” Bai Bi ventured, still reluctant to waste time.
“No. I won’t enter those mountains,” Han Li said flatly, ending the discussion. With a tap of his foot, the triangular chariot shot forward like a meteor.
Seeing his resolve, Bai Bi sighed and fell silent, as did Lei Lan.
Unbeknownst to them, Han Li’s mind was in turmoil.
A strand of his divine sense was linked to the Soul-Crying Beast in his spirit beast bracelet, soothing its agitation.
Ever since nearing the mountains, the Soul-Calling Pearl in his body had grown unnaturally warm. Startled, he checked on the beast—only to find it unusually restless, growling low in its enclosure.
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