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Chapter 198 A Living God, I Avoid His Edge!? (Updated 55 times out of 2 words)

A hearty meal.

It dispelled the gloom brought by the "abyss" and temporarily soothed my tense nerves.

Back at the Bamboo Creek Courtyard in the Longyuan Pavilion's blessed land, night had fallen. The starlight from the cave gently spilled onto the swaying green bamboo in the courtyard, casting dappled shadows.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

Fang Qingyu and Jiang Wei sat at the bluestone table in the courtyard, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

Jiang Wei contentedly sucked on her post-meal lollipop, a hint of laziness on her face.

"The ruins Chu Kuanglan mentioned," Fang Qingyu broke the silence, looking at Jiang Wei, "do they really exist?"

Jiang Wei raised her clear, large eyes and nodded without any emotional fluctuation: "Yes. Deep within the abyss, there are indeed some ancient things hidden. It may be the cave dwelling of a powerful being after its fall, or the remains of a lost civilization, or even traces left by gods."

Her voice was flat, as if she were stating a common sense statement.

“However,” Jiang Wei’s tone shifted, carrying a barely perceptible warning, “those places are beyond your current comprehension. Even if I knew the locations of one or two, telling you would only send you to your death.”

She paused, her small face becoming serious: "A place that can exist in that kind of environment and is called a 'ruin' must have originally belonged to someone at least at the level of a Martial Saint or an Apostle. Those who guard the ruins are either terrifying traps of rules that have been twisted over countless years, or ancient spirits of fate that are equally powerful, or even more terrifying. What kind of people do you think are qualified to compete for and explore those places now?"

Fang Qingyu listened, seemingly lost in thought.

The Martial Saint, an apostle.
That's the highest level he knows so far.

The allure of the ruins is undeniable, but as Jiang Wei said, to covet them now is nothing short of a pipe dream.

but.
Fang Qingyu's lips curled into a slight smile as he looked at Jiang Wei: "So, you really do know one or two places?"

Jiang Wei was stunned for a moment, forgetting to suck on her lollipop. Her mouth opened slightly, and she realized that she had let something slip.

She immediately shut her mouth, turned her head away, and looked like she hadn't said anything, except that the tips of her little ears were slightly red.

Seeing her like this, Fang Qingyu smiled silently and stopped teasing her.

He understood that Jiang Wei was doing it for his own good.

Fang Qingyu stood up, walked to the open space in the center of the courtyard, and began to slowly practice the "Crimson Bright Nine Revolutions Jade Scripture".

Blood and qi surged within the body, like molten lava from beneath the earth, and a faint dark red halo appeared under the skin.

Time passes in silence.

Only Fang Qingyu's steady breathing and the faint humming sound of his blood circulating were heard.

After a long while, Jiang Wei's voice rang out again, tinged with hesitation: "Are you still practicing the Heart Sutra?"

Fang Qingyu paused, slowly finished his stance, and looked at Jiang Wei with some surprise: "Yes, I'll practice when I have time."

Then, he focused his attention on the [map] and looked at the progress bar.

[Detected a fragment of the Heart Sutra, Realm 1, currently being activated (55/100)].

He's been quite busy lately, so he can only practice when he has a chance before going to bed each night.

Progress is slow, but we're more than halfway done.

Jiang Wei seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, a thoughtful look appearing on her face, as if she was weighing something.

After a moment, she raised her head, looked at Fang Qingyu, and said very seriously, "Once you have mastered the Heart Sutra, I will tell you the location of a ruin."

Fang Qingyu was truly stunned this time.

He hadn't expected Jiang Wei to bring this up, so he waved his hand, a sincere smile on his face: "I'm not really interested in ruins. I mainly want to know if there's any information about 'The Abyss' that I don't know but should know?"

"For example, a deeper danger? Or some underlying rules?"

This time, Jiang Wei was taken aback when she heard it.

She tilted her head, a hint of surprise and deeper contemplation flashing in her clear eyes.

She seemed to be recalling something, her brows furrowed slightly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the lollipop stick. After a long while, she slowly spoke in an almost muffled voice:

"Does a living god count?"

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

The rustling sound of the night wind blowing through the bamboo leaves seemed to be amplified infinitely.

The starlight seemed to have dimmed a bit.

Fang Qingyu's smile froze completely.

"A living god? In the 'Abyss'?"

Tiangang Martial Arts Hall, Zhenlei Cave.

The huge training ground echoed with dull thuds of blows.

Lei Pojun stood naked, his muscular, bronze-colored upper body covered in fine beads of sweat and dark purple lightning patterns.

He was unleashing a torrent of punches at a giant humanoid target made of high-strength energy-absorbing alloy.

Each punch was imbued with a violent, thunderous force.

The impact on the target pile produced a deafening roar, leaving the surface of the target pile pitted and crackled with electric arcs.

"drink!"

Lei Pojun roared and unleashed his final punch with tremendous force!

Boom!

The target pile trembled violently, and even a tiny trace of melting appeared at its center.

"Haha! That was great!"

Lei Pojun withdrew his fist, wiped the sweat from his face, and wore a hearty smile.

Just as they were about to continue, a young man dressed in the uniform of a core disciple of the Tiangang Martial Arts School ran over quickly, his face showing a hint of anxiety.

"Senior brother! Master wants you to go to the Thunderclap Hall to see him immediately!"

Lei Pojun grinned at the newcomer and said in a deep voice, "What's wrong, Xiao Liu? What good stuff is Master going to give me this time? A new martial arts technique or a body-tempering elixir?"

He thought his master was going to reward him for his recent hard work.

The disciple known as Xiao Liu looked troubled: "Master, our senior brother, doesn't look too good."

Lei Pojun's smile faltered, and his rugged brows furrowed: "You don't look well? What happened?"

He dared not delay, grabbed a towel from the side and hastily wiped his sweat, put on an outer robe, and strode after Xiao Liu toward the Thunderclap Hall where his master was.

The atmosphere inside the Thunderclap Hall was heavy.

An elderly man, whose stature was no less imposing than Lei Pojun's, with a dignified face and white hair and beard, stood in the hall with his hands behind his back.

He is one of the vice masters of Tiangang Martial Arts School and also Lei Pojun's master.

Lei Zhenyue.

At this moment, the old man had a furrowed brow, and a low rumble of thunder could be faintly heard around him.

"Master, are you looking for me?"

Lei Pojun entered the hall, bowed respectfully, but his tone still carried his usual boldness.

Lei Zhenyue slowly turned around.

His gaze was fixed intently on his exceptionally talented yet most unruly disciple, and his voice was like muffled thunder: "Po Jun, next time you enter the Abyss, don't go to the Anvil Fortress again."

Lei Pojun was taken aback, his face full of confusion: "Not going to Iron Anvil Fortress? Master, why? The Thunderstorm Cloud Sea is near Iron Anvil Fortress, and that's the area with the highest probability of finding high-purity lightning source essence on the outskirts! If I don't go there, where am I supposed to find source essence?"

Seeing the undisguised confusion and a hint of resentment in his apprentice's eyes, Lei Zhenyue snorted heavily and said irritably, "Go to 'Ash Outpost'!"

"Ash Outpost?" Lei Pojun was even more confused. "That place is too far from the Thunderstorm Cloud Sea! Moreover, it's close to the 'Wailing Barrier,' so the environment is harsh, and most of the spirits there are fire-poison and lava-attribute, which is completely different from the Heavenly Gang Overlord Thunder Fist I'm practicing! What would I do there?"

"Because of Fang Qingyu!"

Lei Zhenyue's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Fang Qingyu?!" Lei Pojun's eyes widened suddenly, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Master! You want me to avoid his sharp edge?!"

"Didn't you always teach me that the way of a martial artist is to forge ahead bravely, to become stronger when faced with stronger opponents, and to never give up?"

"madness!"

Lei Zhenyue roared, his voice like a thunderclap, making the entire Thunderclap Hall buzz and interrupting Lei Pojun's words.

He strode up to Lei Pojun, his imposing figure exuding a heavy sense of oppression.

He reached out and slapped Lei Pojun hard on his broad shoulder, the force making Lei Pojun feel a weight on his shoulder.

"If you can't beat them and still insist on going up to your death, that's not called courage, that's called being a fool! Do you understand?!" Lei Zhenyue's voice lowered, carrying the pain and indignation of an elder towards a younger generation.

"Project Hidden Dragon: Only by surviving can we have a future!" Lei Zhenyue said earnestly. "Thunder Source Essence isn't only found in Thunderstorm Cloud Sea. Although the environment near Ash Outpost is harsh, it's not without its opportunities. It's better than you provoking that evil star! Remember me, stay away from Fang Qingyu! That's an order!"

After saying that, Lei Zhenyue said no more, wearily waved his hand, indicating that Lei Pojun could leave.

He was genuinely afraid—afraid that his disciple, though highly talented, was somewhat brainless and lacked common sense, would provoke Fang Qingyu, the man who had displayed an astonishing sword strike in the Eternal Silent Pool.
Then, without realizing it, it's really gone.

Three days later, at the Dragon Abyss Pavilion training ground
Fang Qingyu's figure weaved through the rapidly moving alloy barbed walls, his movements more fluid and natural than before, carrying a rhythmic quality that blended into the wind.

I've already mastered the basics of the Nine Prisons Mountain-Crushing Fist.

The intent of the fist is constantly being deduced in my mind, and it corroborates the fierceness of Bajiquan.

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan were also practicing their martial arts and swordsmanship diligently in their respective areas, sweating profusely.

Jiang Wei sat on a bench at the edge of the training field, swinging her legs and watching quietly.

The group's bags were casually placed next to the bench.

Just as the training was getting into its stride...

Beep beep beep beep—!
A piercing, rapid, and extremely penetrating shriek erupted simultaneously from the black communicators carried by the five people without warning! The sound was sharp and carried an undeniable sense of urgency!
The five people froze instantly!

"Emergency mobilization!"

"go!"

Without the slightest hesitation, and without even having time to wipe away the sweat.

The group rushed to the sidelines and grabbed their bags.

Fang Qingyu picked up Jiang Wei in his arms.

The five of them transformed into streaks of wind and rushed towards the dedicated elevator leading to the underground teleportation area at top speed.

The elevator descended rapidly, passing through the spatial barrier.

Upon entering the teleportation area hall again, one finds a large number of participants in Project Hidden Dragon, who have received orders and appear solemn.

No one spoke; a tense atmosphere filled the air.

hum-

A familiar feeling of weightlessness washed over me, and a pale blue halo enveloped my entire body.

When their vision returned and their feet once again stepped onto the familiar land of "Abyss," which carried the scent of sulfur and rust, the five of them did not pause for a moment.

The wind whipped up icy raindrops that pelted my face, and thick, leaden-gray clouds hung low.

"direction!"

Wei Banmeng's cold voice rang out in the wind and rain.

Fang Qingyu activated his Night Visit, quickly scanned the surrounding terrain, and, using the simplified map on his communicator, immediately pinpointed the location: "Dingyuan Station, let's go!"

This time, they were teleported to a location closer to Dingyuan Station.

It also deviated from the familiar route.

Braving the wind and rain, the five moved quickly across the rugged, gray wilderness.

This time, their adaptation speed was astonishingly fast, and their movements were swift; within a dozen seconds, they had fully entered the "Abyss" state.

The scenery along the way was also completely different from the previous two times.

The ground was covered with fine, spiderweb-like cracks, and a dark red light emanated from the depths of the cracks, radiating a scorching heat.

The air was filled with a strong smell of sulfur and the pungent odor of some kind of molten metal.

When rain falls to the ground, wisps of white smoke with a sour smell rise up.

In the distance stretched an endless, dark red plain strewn with jagged rocks, dotted with scattered lava hills that resembled giant tumors, billowing with black smoke.

The leaden clouds in the sky also carried an ominous crimson hue.

"This place is even more eerie than Iron Anvil Fortress."

Chu Kuanglan muttered something in a deep, muffled voice.

The five maintained a tight formation and moved quickly across the land that looked as if it had been scorched by hellfire.

Suddenly, Jiang Wei, who was walking next to Fang Qingyu, tugged at his sleeve and pointed to a rocky plain on the right side of the group. A hint of seriousness flashed in her clear eyes.

Fang Qingyu immediately looked in the direction she pointed.

On the dark red plain with jagged rocks that Jiang Wei was pointing to, an unusually conspicuous "black line" was spreading toward them at an alarming speed!
The ground of the entire plain undulated up and down as if it were alive, forming a rapidly advancing "earth wave" several meters high. The "black line" was the crest of this terrifying earth wave!

"What the hell is that?!"

Chu Kuanglan followed the gaze and gasped in shock, his face instantly draining of color.

Lu Jiuyuan and Wei Banmeng both turned around, and their pupils shrank when they saw the scene sweeping towards them!
"Not good!" Wei Banmeng's usually cold voice was now filled with unprecedented urgency.

next second!
In Fang Qingyu's night vision, behind that "black line" was as if the gates of hell had been opened!
Countless black titles and symbols representing the Fate Demon, like an erupting black volcano, instantly filled his entire field of vision!
They were so densely packed, layer upon layer, that it was impossible to tell their exact number or individual shapes!
As far as the eye could see, there was only a wildly surging, black ocean that represented death!
They were swept and propelled by the undulating "earth waves," moving at speeds far exceeding their individual limits, like a black torrent bursting its banks, sweeping towards all living things near the teleportation point!

"run!!!"

Fang Qingyu's roar was like a thunderclap, instantly drowning out the sound of the wind, the rain, and the muffled rumble of the earth!

He grabbed Jiang Wei from beside him and turned to head in a direction perpendicular to the group of ghosts.

That is, the direction where Dingyuan Station is located, where the fastest speed is unleashed!

Lei Shunyun activated his full power, creating a shockwave beneath his feet, and his entire body transformed into a blurry afterimage!

"Fuck!!!"

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan were terrified. Without any hesitation, they turned around and ran away almost the instant Fang Qingyu's roar fell, pushing their movement techniques to the limit!

"Why would there be such a large horde of spirits in the abyss?!"

As Lu Jiuyuan ran wildly, he let out an incredulous roar, his voice distorted.

Wei Banmeng moved swiftly; though the Xuan Chi twin blades were not yet drawn, an icy aura already permeated her body, and her speed was as fast as a ghost.

They weren't the only ones who reacted.

Near the teleportation point, other participants in the Hidden Dragon Project who had just landed also witnessed the terrifying scene that swept in like a natural disaster.

“Run—!!!”

"Damn it! What the hell is this thing?!"

"Run to both sides! Run to both sides quickly!"

Some people shouted in terror, trying to break through to the flanks of the torrent of ghosts.

But despair immediately crept onto their faces!

The "black line" formed by that horde of ghosts spread too wide! And too fast!
Like a huge, rapidly closing black pocket!

Run to the sides?

There was simply no time to break out of the ever-expanding encirclement!

"It's too late! Follow the people in front!"

Someone roared and made the same choice as Fang Qingyu and the others.

Instantly, all the participants in the Hidden Dragon Project, realizing that they were in dire straits, ran frantically in the direction that Fang Qingyu and his group of five had fled, like a flock of sheep being driven away!

The wind howled in their ears, and the cold rain stung their faces, but no one cared about any of that at the moment.

Behind them, the black wave, like a tsunami, drew ever closer!

The roars, footsteps, and the rumble of the earth being torn apart by countless claws, seemingly from hell, blended into a soul-chilling noise, like the death knell, relentlessly pursuing us!
Despair, like cold vines, began to entwine the hearts of every runner.

No one expected that upon entering the "Abyss," the moment their feet touched the ground, they would be met not with exploration and opportunities, but with a catastrophe of such scale and such bizarre nature!

Fang Qingyu carried Jiang Wei and charged ahead, his eyes cold and sharp, his mind racing.

Force your way in? Impossible!

That magnitude of power would be enough to overwhelm even him instantly, draining him of his last bit of strength if he were caught up in it!
We must find an obstacle! Or a place to hide!
Just as he was about to stop and rally all those who could still fight to try and save their lives.
"Over here! Everyone, come quick!"

A rapid and loud voice.

Suddenly, something came from beneath a huge, twisted lava hill to their left!
All that could be seen was the bottom of that dark red lava mountain wall.

A young man wearing a federal standard combat uniform was leaning halfway out, waving frantically at them!
Beside him, on the lava wall, there was a dark hole that had been forcibly widened by some force!
Fang Qingyu's spirits lifted!
Wei Banmeng reacted quickly, her sharp gaze sweeping over the young man before she immediately shouted, "He's also part of Project Hidden Dragon!"

"Quick! Go inside!"

Without hesitation, Fang Qingyu immediately turned and shot towards the cave entrance!

"Keep up!" Wei Banmeng shouted to the sprinting crowd behind her, "There's a shelter! Hurry!"

Chu Kuanglan and Lu Jiuyuan, as if grasping at a lifeline, mustered their last strength and rushed over.

The other members of Project Hidden Dragon, who were running desperately, roared and used their last bit of strength to rush toward the hole, like drowning people seeing driftwood.

Fang Qingyu was the first to rush to the cave entrance, and without hesitation, he carried Jiang Wei inside.

Once inside the cave, the passage extends downwards for tens of meters.

Furthermore, the bottom is a relatively open cave.

A dozen or so people had already gathered in the cave. They had all escaped beforehand, and their faces were pale, filled with the shock of surviving a disaster. They were sitting or leaning, breathing heavily.

Fang Qingyu didn't have time to look at her any longer. He immediately put Jiang Wei down and turned to guard the inside of the cave entrance.

Wei Banmeng and the other two rushed in right behind them.

Immediately afterwards, seven or eight more members of Project Hidden Dragon, who had lagged behind, scrambled in. The last person to rush in was the one who had shouted the order.

And that was right after he came in.

The faint light overhead also disappeared completely.

It blocked out most of the terrifying noise outside, which was like a tsunami.

Boom, boom! ! !

Countless heavy, dense footsteps, the sound of claws scraping against rocks, mixed with roars and howls, crashed against the lava hills where they were hiding like a surging black tide!

The entire cave shook violently, and dust and small pebbles fell in a flurry.

Immediately afterwards, a dense "thump thump thump" sound, like a torrential rain pounding on a roof, came from above and the surrounding rock walls!

That was the sound of countless ghosts trampling, crashing, and even trying to dig into the mountain.

Interspersed among them were a few extremely short, piercing screams filled with extreme fear and pain!
Those were the sounds of those who couldn't escape in time, or those who failed to break out from other directions, being instantly swallowed up by the black torrent.
The sound stopped suddenly.

Inside the cave, all was deathly silent.

All that remained were the heavy, suppressed breathing of the crowd, and the ceaseless trampling and roaring sounds from above and outside the rock walls, as if they came from the depths of hell.
(End of this chapter)