Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 24: Disappointment

Malicious gazes were cast toward Ning Yao.

She had suddenly become the center of attention. She sat motionlessly, still bound in the net, resembling a lifeless shell devoid of spirit.

The light in her once bright eyes had faded. The indifferent emptiness within them was akin to the fading embers of her soul.

She had expected the members of the Shadow Specter Sect to humiliate her and hold her ransom against the Ning Clan, not use her as bait for the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World.

Ning Yao had witnessed how the bodies of Zhang Heng and the others were used to test the corrosive pond water. Nobody knew whether the corrosive energy was confined solely to the surface of the pond or if it also permeated its depths.

She dreaded the possibility of turning into a skeleton.

There was also the matter of the feared Giant Abyssal Serpent, which lurked in the pond's depths.

Despite being terrified, she concealed her emotions behind a stoic facade. There was no point in pleading as the Shadow Specter Sect would undoubtedly ignore her.

All she could expect now was unrestrained mockery.

Hong Tai grabbed the rope connected to the giant silver net before addressing the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect, "Fetch me some iron chains."

He wanted to reinforce the connection while also ensuring the rope was long enough for Ning Yao to reach the bottom of the pond.

"The flesh of a young girl is irresistible to any living Giant Abyssal Serpent. They will eagerly savor each bite before swallowing." Hong Tai paid no mind to the blank expression on Ning Yao's face as he explained his plan, "If the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallows her, I'll sense its movements through the rope, confirming its presence in the pond. Should this occur, we will depart immediately."

"Jin Yang!" Hong Tai called out, raising his hand to point at his python. "Should unforeseen events arise, use him to escape."

Jin Yang stared at Hong Tai.

Hong Tai cherished his Spirit Beast dearly. His willingness to offer Jin Yang the python to escape showed his fear that the Giant Abyssal Serpent could rush out of the pond.

The self-centered Jin Yang exchanged a glance with Hong Tai before gratefully approaching the python.

He knew Hong Tai had other escape plans.

Were the Giant Abyssal Serpent to truly emerge from Blackwater Pond, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect surrounding the pond under Hong Tai's command would be the first to fall prey to it.

At that point, those slower than him and Hong Tai would serve as meat shields to slow the Giant Abyssal Serpent down.

As Jin Yang entertained such thoughts, Hong Tai attached the iron chain to the net. He lifted the giant silver net ensnaring Ning Yao and hurled her toward the center of the pond.

Splash!

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All eyes were fixed on Ning Yao as she submerged. To everyone's relief, she did not turn into a skeleton.

"Her cultivation is at the Meridian Opening Realm so she can hold her breath for a long time underwater. However, this could prove worse for her as she may have to witness the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallowing her with her own eyes." Hong Tai said with false casualness as he grasped the iron chain. Beneath the facade, however, he was actually very nervous.

He had already planned his escape.

If he felt a strong pull, that meant the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World was still alive and had swallowed Ning Yao.

If that happened, he could only retreat and report the situation to the higher-ups of the Shadow Specter Sect, awaiting their decision on how to deal with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

The masked man and the owner of the giant net instinctively distanced themselves from Blackwater Pond as soon as it touched the water.

Their cold gazes flickered as they observed their foolish subordinates recklessly peer into the pond, oblivious to the danger.

The two of them had already reached the Meridian Opening Realm and this was not their first experience with Hong Tai. When Hong Tai willingly entrusted his beloved python to Jin Yang, they understood they could be treated as cannon fodder at any moment.

The pair were also on high alert, ready to flee Blackwater Pond at the slightest hint of something going wrong.

***

Pang Jian awoke from his cultivation at the bottom of the pond.

He sensed a faint throbbing ache coming from his navel region. When he inspected it, he discovered his discomfort stemmed from the "membrane" surrounding his navel region being stretched from its expansion.

The whirlpool within his navel region continued to spin, refining Pang Jian's accumulated spiritual qi and transforming it into tangible spiritual power.

However, the corrosive energy in the dark-green Spirit Cauldron had vanished.

Reflecting on his recent experiences, Pang Jian realized the catalyst for his navel region's expansion was not spiritual qi, but the corrosive energy from the giant serpent's venom.

It seems my navel region was filled to the brim five times. Each time, the corrosive energy expanded it. Five times...does that mean I've reached the fifth stage of the Qi Practicing Realm? Pang Jian wondered quietly.

He also noticed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth in the pond water had become sparse. Even if he continued to cultivate, the effects would be limited.

The bone of the Celestial Phoenix and the strange figure were still present at the bottom of the pond. However, the long-awaited faint light had yet to materialize.

The blood and flesh essence of the giant serpent must've been immense. Even after being consumed, it's taking a lot of time to absorb, Pang Jian mused.

Pang Jian mulled over whether or not to leave now that there was no longer any corrosive energy in Blackwater Pond.

If he waited a little longer, the faint light would inevitably appear within the withered bone. There was also the strange figure eagerly waiting for the light to form.

But none of this has anything to do with me.

Pang Jian lowered his head to stare at his arms. The wounds no longer bled, and he recalled the strange events that had occurred to his body when he fought the Zhang siblings.

He also recalled his strange dream.

Pang Jian laid an anticipatory gaze on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

That cluster of faint light must be what boosted my strength, he thought to himself. Fortune favors the bold. I'll stay a little longer to see if there's a chance to seize the light from that strange figure!

After some time, a huge silver net was dropped into the pond.

Pang Jian stared in astonishment as he watched the ensnared Ning Yao sink further and further down. Her cheeks were puffed as if she had taken a deep breath before entering the water.

She no longer had the aloof, haughty demeanor of their initial encounter.

As she sank, her face paled, and her wide eyes filled with panic.

Her gaze fell upon the skeleton of the giant serpent with the Celestial Phoenix's bone pierced through its skull. She also spotted Ouyang Duanhai, brimming with intense desire for the bone.

Suddenly, she noticed a figure appear at the dimly lit rocky wall at the bottom of the pond and charge straight at her.

Pang Jian!

Ning Yao was in disbelief as she struggled to comprehend what she was seeing.

The young hunter she hired before venturing into the Solitary Mountain Range was, in fact, still alive!

He-he's here to save me!

Ning Yao was moved.

She reflected on how she and the Ning Clan had dismissed Pang Jian as insignificant and recalled her past threats towards him. A twinge of shame rose within her.

Pang Jian rapidly approached. His robust physique and sharply chiseled features resembled a sculpture. The young hunter had a unique charm—an unfamiliar wildness.

Her will to survive was reignited. She stayed vigilant and kept a watchful eye on Ouyang Duanhai.

Ning Yao feared the deranged Ouyang Duanhai would come to block Pang Jian's path.

Fortunately, the inhuman Ouyang Duanhai remained fixated on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, prompting her to inwardly sigh in relief.

Pang Jian was just inches away.

She used great effort to wave her hand from within the net, even releasing a small amount of air to alleviate the puffiness of her cheeks and hopefully improve her appearance. Squeezing out what she thought was a decent smile toward Pang Jian, she eagerly awaited his help to break free from the silver net.

Then, the smile on her face froze. Doubt and bewilderment flickered in her eyes.

She stared blankly at Pang Jian, watching as he retrieved the sack of spirit stones from her back through the gaps in the silver net. Then, with a wave goodbye, he swiftly retreated into the darkness at the bottom of the pond.

Confusion clouded Ning Yao's expression at Pang Jian's departure. The smile on her face stiffened.

Bang!

She returned to her senses when she hit the floor of the pond. With a sense of urgency akin to ignited gunpowder, she scrambled frantically in Pang Jian's direction.

The fact that she was a captive of the Shadow Specter Sect and at the bottom of a pond fraught with danger was no longer important. All she could think of was hunting Pang Jian down and turning the despicable, traitorous thief into ashes!

She had pinned all her hopes on Pang Jian only to find out he had merely been coveting her sack of spirit stones!

Sticking her hands and feet through the gaps of the net, she clumsily crawled along the floor of the pond, eyes blazing with fury as she rushed toward Pang Jian.

Crazy woman, Pang Jian thought, gripping the sack of spirit stones as he made his way back to the stone door. Concealed in the darkness, he observed Ning Yao's frantic actions and could not help but think that she was inviting disaster upon herself.

On the surface, Hong Tai felt as the iron chain suddenly moved.

Hong Tai's hands trembled as he commanded, "Prepare to retreat! There must be something alive down there; the giant net just shook violently!"

The two squad leaders at the Meridian Opening Realm had been closely observing Hong Tai's every move. Hearing his words, one dashed left and the other dashed right, swiftly disappearing into the depths of the valley.

Neither even glanced backward nor did they pay any heed to Hong Tai's following words. Their sole objective was to put as much distance as possible between them and the imminent bloodbath.

Jin Yang, too, had no time for anything else. He hastily mounted Hong Tai's python, intending to escape.

Hong Tai prepared to discard the iron chain and execute a secret technique to flee when he felt a pull on the chain, prompting him to tug at it.

He could actually pull it!

"Hold on, this isn't right! This movement...it isn't the Giant Abyssal Serpent! Its strength is certainly not so feeble!" Realization struck him like lightning. If the terrifying creature from the Fifth World had swallowed Ning Yao, he would not have been able to pull it. "This isn't the Giant Abyssal Serpent!"

He then exerted all his strength to draw the iron chain in.

Pang Jian had been observing Ning Yao's struggles from a dark corner of the pond and watched as she was lifted back to the surface.