Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 108: Scouting Divine Fortune City

Zhao Ling moved gracefully to the center of the hall and placed a map of Divine Fortune City on a long table. She then called softly, "Mr. Wu."

Wu Yi had been sitting quietly in a corner and stood up when she called him.

Pang Jian glanced over and saw a middle-aged man dressed like a scholar and holding a feather fan.

"Everyone, come and have a look," Wu Yi beckoned.

Pang Jian, Meng Qiulan, and Yang Yuansen moved toward the long table.

The two men behind Yang Yuansen remained motionless, like cold, hard statues.

Wu Yi pointed at a circled spot on the map with his feather fan. "This is the mansion where the beast-hunting sailboat is docked. Divine Fortune City’s layout is no different from most cities in the Fourth World. Four main streets connect to the city gates in the east, south, west, and north, dividing the city into four districts..."

He continued to explain to the group.

Pang Jian leaned in, committing the map to memory, trying not to miss any details.

"The eastern district houses the Shangguan Clan and other influential figures affiliated with them. The Blood Moon Sect's ship is docked at one of these luxurious mansions.

"The western district is where the commoners live, and most of our informants within the city are based here.

"The northern district is home to the families of the Shangguan Clan's loyal retainers. The retainers themselves stay in this area when not out on duty.

"The southern district is where rogue cultivators gather. It's filled with shops, taverns, and inns. Those who come to hunt Vicious Beasts in Misty Swamp or pass through Divine Fortune City generally operate in this area."

Wu Yi continued to point out key locations and even informed them that the eastern gate had the strongest defenses while the western gate was the least guarded.

Apart from Yang Yuansen, who was only pretending to listen, the rest were attentive to Wu Yi's words.

Pang Jian, in particular, had a sharp, focused look as if he were ingraining the map in his mind.

Wu Yi was surprised to see Pang Jian's intense focus.

An idea struck him, and he smiled. "Hong Jian, right?"

Pang Jian nodded.

"Here is the Blood Moon Sect's stronghold. If you were our leader, what would you do?" Wu Yi asked, wanting to test Pang Jian.

Pang Jian stared at the map on the table as he considered the situation. "It depends on our main goal. Are we trying to seize their resources? Or are we aiming to kill them?"

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"We need to rescue people too!" Meng Qiulan interjected, her gaze lingering on Pang Jian.

This kid saw that I agreed to Yang Yuansen's demand to hand over Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, so he's not even considering rescuing them. Truly cold-blooded and pragmatic, she thought.

"Killing them isn't the main objective. Our main goal is to seize the beast's blood and meat. Rescuing people is...secondary." Wu Yi smiled.

"Then there's no need to block the exits of the mansion. We should create as much chaos as possible. We can have our people poison the well and food supplies in advance. When we make our move, it would be best if Divine Fortune City is thrown into chaos. Our operations will become much easier if the different districts are set ablaze and violent disturbances break out."

After the events in Eight Trigrams City, and with Luo Hongyan's recent influence, Pang Jian had become more adept at handling such matters.

When he finished speaking, he noticed everyone had fallen silent, prompting him to look up.

Meng Qiulan, Zhao Ling, and Yang Yuansen shot him strange looks.

Wu Yi's eyes, however, lit up.

"Hong Tai, that bastard, has raised a nephew just as cunning and ruthless as he was!" Yang Yuansen sneered. "I only thought of blocking the doors and leading people in for a night raid. But you suggest poisoning, creating chaos, and inciting a riot in Divine Fortune City. These ideas must have come from Hong Tai, right?"

Pang Jian did not answer.

Zhao Ling's sharp eyes flickered with a strange light, staring deeply at Pang Jian before she asked, "Mr. Wu, what do you think?"

"My thought process is similar. We only need a few minor adjustments, but I agree with his approach overall." Wu Yi nodded to Pang Jian with a look of appreciation. "As expected of someone from the upper world, your planning is indeed prehensive."

Meng Qiulan snapped out of her daze and said, "Hong Jian, you may leave now."

"Hall Master Meng, could I have a few more of those pills that suppress blood essence?" Pang Jian requested.

"What do you need them for?" Meng Qiulan asked in surprise.

"I plan to go to Divine Fortune City to scout the area. I need to familiarize myself with the area because maps can only tell so much, and I need to understand the situation on the ground," Pang Jian replied.

Wu Yi's appreciation for him grew even more.

"Oh, alright." Meng Qiulan handed him a few yellow pills and reminded him, "You only need to take them near the Formless Sailboat. They only last for half an hour. Unless you're engaging in combat, others won't be able to detect your true cultivation realm, so there's no need to be overly cautious."

Pang Jian nodded, took the pills, and left.

"Elder Meng, when did he advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm? Does he have any combat experience?" Zhao Ling questioned as soon as Pang Jian disappeared. "We need to know if he can play his part or if he'll hold us back."

"I think he advanced about half a month ago," Meng Qiulan replied.

"Just advanced? Did Hong Tai previously assign him elsewhere for training?" Zhao Ling shook her head in disappointment. We can't rely on him to help share the burden. No matter how smart a new Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator is or how cautious he acts, without combat experience, he'll be of little use against those Blood Moon Sect members. Let's just hope he doesn't get scared senseless."

"Heh, it's a pity Hong Tai died early and didn't have the chance to acclimate him to the harsh battlefield of our Shadow Specter Sect." Yang Yuansen laughed. "Zhao Ling, you're still our youngest Marrow Cleansing Realm expert. You should be able to hold your own."

Yang Yuansen's words implied Pang Jian's chances of survival in this battle were slim.

***

Using the token Fan Liang had given him, Pang Jian easily entered Divine Fortune City through the west gate that evening.

As he walked along the dirty streets, looking at the small houses built with gray, blue, black, and white stones, Pang Jian felt a mix of emotions.

The commoners in the western district wore shabby clothes and lived in small houses, keeping busy day after day as they lived in a state of ignorance.

They either made clothes to be sold to the cultivators in the city or worked on newly reclaimed land outside the city, growing crops in exchange for silver coins.

Despite a lifetime of hard work, most did not live past fifty.

Most of them never even had the opportunity to leave the fragmented lands of Divine Fortune, let alone consider the upper world.

Pang Jian thought about how he had left Northern Qi and could now move about Divine Fortune City as a cultivator. He had also visited the Fifth World's Eight Trigrams City and witnessed the might of those Fifth World inhabitants.

As he considered this, Pang Jian suddenly felt he was quite fortunate.

Pang Jian was dressed neatly with clean hands. The members of the street gangs were all cunning individuals, and one glance was enough for them to realize he was on the path of cultivation.

Thus, no one dared to provoke him. They only wondered why he had not entered through a different gate.

After wandering around the western district and comparing the layout with the map in his mind, Pang Jian headed to the southern district.

The southern district was noticeably more lively.

The streets were bustling with rogue cultivators, and loud voices came from the taverns, shops, and inns on both sides.

This was entirely different from the streets in Eight Trigrams City.

"Finally, a place with some liveliness," Pang Jian muttered as he randomly entered a shop.

When he left, he had added several Earth Blaze Stones to his spatial pouch, but his attempt to purchase beast blood and meat was unsuccessful.

He learned from the shopkeeper that the Shangguan Clan controlled the sale of beast blood and meat. They bought the blood and meat of Vicious Beasts that rogue cultivators hunted in Misty Swamp at a low price, and these were also the main tributes the Shangguan Clan offered to the Blood Moon Sect.

The shopkeeper also told him that beast blood and meat were available in several towns outside Divine Fortune City and some strongholds within Misty Swamp, so he suggested he try there.

Pang Jian continued to wander around the southern district, visiting different shops and acquiring poisons and toxic powders.

As he passed a pavilion filled with laughter from women, standing on a street corner, he spotted a familiar figure.

Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect.

Fei Zheng was sat by a window upstairs in the pavilion. Several people in fine clothes flattered him while he drank and reveled in their attention.

Each of these people had a beautiful woman by their side, and they frequently offered a toast to Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect.

City guards dressed in the Shangguan Clan's uniform stood guard at the entrance, not allowing anyone to enter. The pavilion seemed to be reserved exclusively for Fei Zheng.

Glancing at the sign, Pang Jian noted the name: Fragrance Pavilion.

Fei Zheng, with his flushed face and drunken eyes, enjoyed the flattery of the local nobles.

No one in Divine Fortune City dared to oppose him, so he paid no mind to the rogue cultivators on the streets.

He had to be cautious in the Blood Moon Sect of the Third World, but in the Divine Fortune City of the Fourth World, he was like an emperor.

Even the City Lord, Shangguan Dong, had to serve him carefully, offering the best wine and the most beautiful women, making Fei Zheng reluctant to leave.

It looks like he doesn't spend every night on the beast-hunting sailboat. That makes things easier.

After observing from the shadows for a while, Pang Jian quietly left.

He then went to the northern and eastern districts, exploring Divine Fortune City and comparing the streets to the map he had memorized.

Finally, after taking a yellow pill, he arrived at the mansion in the eastern district where the Formless Sailboat was docked.

The Formless Sailboat had not been concealed at all.

It was docked in the mansion's courtyard, its deck higher than the pavilion. The blood-red crescent moon on its black flag was striking.

It seemed the Blood Moon Sect's cultivators never even considered the possibility that anyone would dare to attack them.

Pang Jian had learned from Meng Qiulan and Zhao Ling that the Shadow Specter Sect had previously never dared to target the upper world sects, fearing a ruthless retaliation by them.

Once night fell, Pang Jian stayed in a dilapidated building in the western district belonging to the Shadow Specter Sect. He took out the white jade porcelain bottle from his pocket, and removing the stopper, waited for a wisp of strong blood essence to escape. He then looked at the beautiful miniature figure of Luo Hongyan on the crystalline lotus.

He was momentarily dazed.

Luo Hongyan's devastating beauty could topple kingdoms, and it was because he was frequently exposed to her magnificence that he remained indifferent to women like Bai Wei and Bai Zhi.

"This is not Misty Swamp Village," Luo Hongyan observed. "The Shadow Specter Sect has decided to take action?"

"Yes, they plan to strike within the next few days," Pang Jian explained. He then detailed the situation and his observations of Divine Fortune City before asking, "What's your actual combat strength? You need to be clear so I can have a better idea."

"As long as I don't encounter an expert from the Sinister Soul Temple proficient in soul-capturing techniques, I can kill any Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. I didn't go to the Third World because there are too many strong cultivators. With our cultivation realms as they are, that would be far too dangerous, but there's nothing to worry about in the Fourth World as long as we're cautious," Luo Hongyan said proudly.

"Alright, that's good to know."