Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 225: An Opportunity Arises

One of the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples noticed Pang Jian was not wearing the typical blue robe of the Sword Pavilion and, after a moment of hesitation, asked, “Little Brother, could I take a look at your token?”

The woman from the Celestial Lagoon Sect was taken aback. “Senior Brother Xiao, would anyone dare to impersonate a Sword Pavilion disciple in the Third World?”

“It's happened before.” The young man named Xiao Hang was unflustered as he stared into Pang Jian's eyes as though trying to detect any hint of deception.

"Sure." Pang Jian casually tossed the token over, knowing they would find nothing wrong with it.

Xiao Hang caught the token, held it in his palm, and infused it with spiritual power. The sharp aura of the Sword Pavilion could be sensed within the token.

Xiao Hang stepped forward with a smile and returned the token to Pang Jian.

“I’ve been active in the lower worlds and know that some audacious rogue cultivators forge tokens of upper-world sects to swindle others," he explained gently. "My name is Xiao Hang. I'm an outer disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.”

Xiao Hang pointed to the other man in the trio. “This is Lin Ruilin, also an outer disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.”

Lin Ruilin nodded in greeting.

Xiao Hang then glanced at the woman. She had eyes as clear as autumn dew, skin as white as snow, and silky hair cascading down her back.

He smiled, and instead of pointing, said softly, “Lu Xiangyi, an inner disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.”

The voluptuous Lu Xiangyi proudly puffed up her chest and added, "My master is Yuan Xi."

Pang Jian did not know who Yuan Xi was. Even so, he cupped his hands and responded with feigned politeness, "I've heard a lot about you."

Back in cave-dwelling number fifty-six, Pang Jian had listened to Qi Qingsong drunkenly vent about his circumstances in the Second World.

As a result, Pang Jian knew about the differences between the cultivation sects in the Second World and the Third World.

The five major sects in the Third World did not distinguish between inner and outer disciples. Jiang Li, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhao Yuanqi were all simply disciples of the Red Mountain Sect.

Elders of the Red Mountain Sect could choose any new disciples to teach and guide.

The Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple were similar.

However, sects in the Second World were different.

Long-standing sects like the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, the Black Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect distinguished between inner and outer disciples.

New disciples looking to join a sect in the Second World had to pass a strict selection process before their names were recorded in the registry. After that, they would undergo rigorous testing for their aptitude, cultivation realms, talent, perseverance, and other qualities.

Whether a disciple became an inner or outer disciple was usually determined at the outset.

Outer disciples could choose from the sect's authorized cultivation methods and secret techniques for cultivation, participate in sect activities, and act on behalf of their sect when venturing outside.

Those proving to have exceptional talent and potential became inner disciples. Sect elders often took in inner disciples with high cultivation realms as their students.

Their master would guide their cultivation and help them understand difficult or complex cultivation methods.

If a master took a special interest in a disciple and saw potential in them, they would often provide them with additional cultivation resources such as spirit artifacts, secret techniques, and pills.

As a result, inner disciples were always destined to achieve greater success than outer disciples.

“You are...?” Xiao Hang prompted when Pang Jian did not introduce himself in return.

“Luo Yuan, an outer disciple of Sword Pavilion. I don’t have a master,” Pang Jian said calmly.

At that moment, the white crane returned.

Whoosh!

The white crane's eyes gleamed maliciously as it flew straight toward them.

“There really is a white crane!” Xiao Hang exclaimed.

Lu Xiangyi smiled apologetically at Pang Jian. “Luo Yuan, it seems we misunderstood you."

She then tossed several talismans into the air.

The talismans released dense mist that coalesced into a sphere of water infused with spiritual power.

The talismans darted around within the sphere of water, gradually increasing its size.

"Mystic Water Prison!"

The water sphere flew toward the approaching white crane.

Xiao Hang, seeing the more powerful Lu Xiangyi take action, held back and instead shouted coldly at the crane, “Wretched beast, how dare you kill our Celestial Lagoon Sect member!”

A look of disdain could be seen in the intelligent white crane's eyes as the water sphere approached.

It opened its beak and spat out a thumb-sized ball of lightning.

As the small lightning ball left its beak, it caused a sudden upheaval in Cloud Lightning.

Boom!

Slender white lightning bolts engulfed Lu Xiangyi's water sphere in a deafening roar of thunder.

The water sphere was instantly riddled with holes and the talismans floating within it were torn to pieces.

Crack!

Boom!

Thunder rumbled and clapped as more and more lightning bolts burst forth, engulfing the trio and Pang Jian.

The white crane cried joyfully, spreading its wings high above their heads.

The trio from the Celestial Lagoon Sect cursed loudly as the white crane's lightning bolts struck them repeatedly.

Gripping their talisman, they summoned transparent protective shields resembling water curtains to fend off the relentless lightning.

Not wanting to reveal his abilities too soon, Pang Jian also gathered his spiritual power and summoned a green protective shield to withstand the lightning strikes.

Even so, he deliberately allowed a few lightning bolts to pass through his protective shield.

Crackle!

A white lightning bolt struck his arm, causing a burst of numbing pain. Pang Jian quietly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and attempted to absorb the lightning.

Now that he was in the Profound Abode Realm, he could clearly see as the strands of lightning entered his body, only for his own power to neutralize it.

My body automatically eliminates any harmful foreign force that enters my body in self-defense. I must consciously suppress my power.

With this thought in mind, Pang Jian allowed the white lightning to strike his body while actively stopping his power from counteracting it.

Astonishingly, despite suppressing his power, the threatening strands of lightning were still reduced to delicate wisps that posed no danger to his body.

His spiritual sea then attempted to absorb these wisps.

Unfortunately, the weak lightning dissipated before it could be fully drawn into his spiritual sea.

The natural lighting in Cloud Lightning can definitely be absorbed into my spiritual sea, but it needs to be stronger and more sustained!

Rather than being discouraged at the failed attempt, Pang Jian felt excited and hopeful.

While Pang Jian was occupied with this, the wicked white crane transformed into a streak of lightning and swiftly flew away.

"That white crane is truly sinister!" The disheveled Xiao Hang exclaimed.

His protective shield had been breached and a lightning bolt had struck him, leaving his hair slightly charred.

Staring dejectedly at the departing white crane, he muttered in confusion, “Why has a white crane appeared in Cloud Lightning?”

Lin Ruilin shook his head wordlessly.

His arms were visibly smoldering as he had raised both arms to shield himself when his protective shield had also shattered like Xiao Hang's.

Among the three, only Lu Xiangyi's protective shield had remained intact and she only appeared slightly tired.

Taking a jade pendant from her waist, she held it in her palm and shouted into it, “Everyone, be cautious of a treacherous white crane. It killed our Junior Brother Liu and just attacked us.

“If you see that white crane, immediately summon your protective shields and defend with all your might.

"The white crane seems capable of controlling the lightning in Cloud Lightning and can concentrate the lightning in one place.

“Stay in contact and report any strange occurrences. I have a feeling this place is more troublesome than we thought.

Lu Xiangyi then quietly listened to the responses from the pendant and issued new instructions.

The excited Pang Jian dispelled his green protective shield and stared toward where the white crane had vanished. He then said to the trio, “Until we meet again.”

He did not wait for the trio to respond before swiftly dashing away, covering dozens of meters in an instant.

The white crane could manipulate and concentrate the lightning in Cloud Lightning. This was a pivotal chance for Pang Jian to break through to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

Thus, he eagerly hoped for another fierce assault from the white crane.

“Why does Luo Yuan seem to dislike our company?” Xiao Hang frowned as he put on a small green hat to cover his singed hair. “His protective shield didn’t last long before the lightning breached it.”

“He's in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm. That’s about all he can manage,” Lu Xiangyi said indifferently.

“What I mean is—he can’t face that white crane alone. Why doesn’t he stay with us?” Xiao Hang wondered aloud. “From the looks of it, he seems to be chasing after that white crane.”

“We can’t stop him from seeking death if that's what he wants to do.” Lu Xiangyi snorted dismissively.

Xiao Hang nodded. “You're right. It's not our concern if he's seeking death.”

***

In the following days, Pang Jian did nothing but pursue the strange white crane and keep a close eye on it.

The white crane attacked anyone venturing in Cloud Lightning.

It did not matter if they were rogue cultivators or members of the Demon Sect, the Black Valley Sect, or the Celestial Lagoon Sect from the Second World. The white crane would attack them on sight.

Its attacks were straightforward and violent.

The white crane could draw out the seemingly sporadic lightning of Cloud Lightning and concentrate it to attack.

Each time this happened, Pang Jian would rush toward the victims' locations and deliberately jump into the lightning, enduring the strikes with his protective shield.

Pang Jian's strong tendency for self-punishment and peculiar behavior drew the white crane’s attention.

The cultivators in Cloud Lightning found the white crane strange and eerie, but the white crane thought the seemingly fearless human cultivator was even more peculiar than itself.

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