C1998 Enter the Abyss!
"Where is the Evil God?"
Yu Yuan, holding the Dragon Slash Platform, descended slowly from the sky, hovering above the realm wall of the land. Yet, he did not descend further.
Peering through the transparent, thin realm wall, he scrutinized the vast world below. There was no sign of the Evil God, nor any other Abyss creatures aside from the human youths.
This was highly unusual.
During his watch over the Abyss Gate, numerous Evil Gods had converged below. These bizarre and colossal Evil Gods had once furiously battered against the gate.
As the Yin God wandered the Abyss, he had encountered many peculiar species and knew that some Evil Gods did not acknowledge Supreme Wisdom as the new leader of the Abyss in place of Arthurs.
Not every Evil God would place their trust in Supreme Wisdom or wish to see humanity reclaim dominion over the Abyss.
Yet, now that the Abyss Gate was clearly shattered, the Evil Gods, who had longed to cross it into the Origin Realm, were nowhere to be found.
Where could they have gone?
"Sir."
Supreme Wisdom offered a wry smile and explained, "Once the Abyss Gate is shattered, the Evil Gods, scattered across different layers of the Abyss, no longer need to clumsily traverse this continent to reach the Origin Realm directly."
"With the gate's seal gone, many secret spatial passages within the Abyss World become accessible."
"Some of them, the Evil Gods, have likely already reached the Origin Realm."
Supreme Wisdom chuckled with satisfaction.
"They've already arrived?"
High Priest Reid was filled with dread. He surmised that the Evil Gods, having prepared before the Abyss Gate's destruction, had taken advantage of the different levels of the Abyss and the gates that once led to the Origin Realm. They had stealthily departed while Yang God Yu Yuan and Yuen Bu were engaged in battle, and while Cadorath was receiving the Light Origin Spirit.
The Origin Realm had only just resolved a threat from the Beast Gods, and now the Evil Gods had emerged.
The Beast Gods were merely the initial wave. Yuen Bu was still alive, and more Beast Gods might be amassing in the Desolate Realm, poised for a massive invasion.
With an increasing understanding of the Origin Realm, Yuen Bu and the Beast Gods would make the next incursion even more formidable.
It was conceivable that beings like Old Ape, wielding the Life Keychain and blessed with immortality, would soon make their presence known in the Origin Realm.
There were over a hundred Beast Gods in the Desolate Realm, and an untold number of Evil Gods lurking in the Origin Realm. How could they possibly stand against such forces?
The human race was on the brink of war, with the movements of the Demon Phoenix shrouded in mystery. Beilstein, their leader, had been out of contact for far too long. Cadorath was being guided by Yi Hui to embrace the inheritance of the Light Origin Spirit.
Reid was suddenly overwhelmed with pessimism, feeling that the situation in the Origin Realm had spiraled beyond his control.
He wished fervently for the Great Demon God Beilstein to emerge from the depths below and provide him with guidance, to tell him what to do.
"I need to return immediately and inform Andrea of everything that's transpired here, to prepare for the confrontation with the Evil God from the abyss," Reid declared, no longer hesitating. He turned to Taishi and added, "I'll also relay the human race's connection to the abyss. I can't predict how others will react, but you should brace yourself."
Taishi, his expression bitter, replied, "It seems we too will need time to come to terms with this."
"Don't rush," interjected Yu Yuan, his Eleventh Level Yang God handing off the Dragon Slash Platform to his physical form. The Yang God materialized beside Taishi and stated, "Just wait a moment, I'll depart with you."
Reid, anxious to leave, paused briefly before conceding with a hint of reluctance, "Well then... alright."
"I'll pass the message to Andrea and have Taixu relay it; there's no need for you to make a special trip," Yu Yuan assured him with a smile.
His Yang God form could reach out to Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, Taixu, Ann Ziqing, Grec, and Violent Bear.
Every member of the Blood God Cult and the Blood Devil Clan could also serve as his messengers, spreading his will.
With the secret now impossible to keep, it would soon become common knowledge, and he had no intention of continuing to conceal it.
As for the scattered peoples of the Origin Realm, those from the Silver Moon Sect, the Kingdom of Rewia, the Ancient Desolate Sect, the Silvermoon Empire, the Babel Chamber of Commerce, and the Luan Bird Empire, Yu Yuan was uncertain of the choices these commoners and cultivators would make.
Whoosh!
He steered the Dragon Slash Platform with his true form, plunging into the abyss just as the two Shrouded Towers had done. As he descended past the land of Extreme Intelligence and halted on the next tier, he noticed the light from the land above dimming, while the land below continued to shine brightly.
This land, harboring the Light Origin Spirit, remained a beacon in the abyss, its glow unceasing.
The second level of the abyss boasted two massive floating continents, each dwarfing the vast expanse of the ocean.
The inhabitants of these lands were among the most formidable races of the abyss: some with serpentine bodies and human heads, others with hooves as large as elephants, and still others resembling fierce plants.
The beings of these two levels possessed both intelligence and spirit, and their civilizations were highly advanced.
The kingdoms on the two continents featured palaces of strange and wondrous designs, with towers and buildings lining the broad streets in orderly rows. Many towers, crafted from cold jade and precious stones, shone brightly under the light from above.
Adorned in lavish garments and peculiar armor, clearly of great value, they emanated distinct energy fluctuations.
Suddenly, towering figures of the abyssal elite emerged from the palaces, their gazes icy as they fixed their eyes on him.
"The two worlds are now linked!"
"Our world's seal with that other world has finally vanished!"
"Is he... a human?"
The abyssal experts, bathed in the upper light, looked up at him. Initially poised to attack, they hesitated upon realizing his humanity.
Some even bowed respectfully, their demeanor humble. These were the ones who had once received the human race's benevolence in the abyss, whose tribes had been sheltered during humanity's era of splendor.
Their bows were gestures of hope that humanity might restore its past glory and resume dominion over the abyss.
Yet, there were many among the abyssal elite whose expressions were somber and unwelcoming.
But perhaps out of concern for the presence of Extreme Intelligence, and knowing that their kin from the abyss had already grown powerful in the world they were about to enter, they refrained from any rash actions.
The abyssal species residing on these two continents possessed highly advanced civilizations. Their auras were not only formidable but also exuded an air of remarkable restraint and composure. Similarly, the abyssal energy was incredibly potent and chaotic.
Yet, Yu Yuan's objective lay elsewhere. After a cursory glance, he bypassed these continents and continued his descent into the deeper Abyss.
The third level contained four continents.
The fourth level held eight.
The fifth level, sixteen.
The sixth level, thirty-two.
And at the very bottom, sixty-four continents.
He plunged swiftly downward. The further he descended, the more the abyssal energy thinned, and the dimmer the light grew. This experience mirrored the time Ji Huizhi's Yin God guided him to survey the various strata of the Abyss, only this time, it was his true form undergoing the journey.
Wielding the Dragon Slash Platform, his true form could perceive with greater clarity and discern the might of the abyssal species, as well as the hidden power within their flesh, blood, and souls.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
His rapid descent initially left him without any distinct sensations, but upon halting, as he arrived on a tract of land at the very bottom of the Abyss, he was struck by a revelation. The violent and chaotic energy of the Abyss was furiously rushing into his body.
His corporeal form absorbed the abyssal power like a sponge soaking up water. His flesh, bones, and organs were purified and tempered by this energy, which also filled the acupoints he had opened. Whether he willed it or not, merely being there meant he would naturally harvest energy, as instinctive as breathing.
Simultaneously, even the primary soul within his sea of consciousness seemed to be stirred, drawing in the strange abilities from the depths of the Abyss. He was enveloped by an immense sense of comfort, as if his physical body was perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions of the Abyss. Every cell within him, every thread of thought in his main soul, found solace in the Abyss and yearned to absorb its power without restraint.
In that moment, he was struck by an odd sensation: he belonged to the Abyss, or perhaps... the Abyss belonged to him.
Beneath the lowest layer of the Abyss lay an expanse of unfathomable darkness. According to legend, it was akin to the summit of the Abyss, a realm where only Evil Gods could roam and exert their influence.
Standing on the seventh tier of the abyss, the same land once visited by the Yin God and the Supreme Wisdom, Yu Yuan suddenly became aware of something—a presence.
The Evil God Temple!
Nestled in the darkest depths of the endless void, the Evil God Temple was so feared that even the Great Demon God Beilstein held a wary respect for it. This was the final resting place for all Evil Gods, shrouded in the darkness beneath the seventh tier of the abyss.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the source of this darkness should also lie below, likely connected to the Evil God Temple.
"Why can my soul sense the Evil God Temple?" Yu Yuan mused, momentarily perplexed. He looked up, trying to glimpse the sky, but the light source was gone, along with the land where the Supreme Wisdom resided.
The Supreme Wisdom had explained that the creatures of the abyss's lowest level, unable to ascend, were forever deprived of light. They were regarded by the beings of the upper levels as nothing more than lowly, beast-like creatures.
Despite the absence of light, the abyss's bottom level boasted sixty-four continents, teeming with billions of abyssal species.
Yet, the creatures on this level were not much different from wild beasts. Lacking in intelligence, they engaged in perpetual slaughter, devouring one another's flesh to grow stronger and mating purely by instinct.
Chaos and disorder appeared to be the unchanging theme of this realm.
The human race, however, stood as the sole exception.
Having lost a precious artifact of the abyss and plummeted from the highest echelon to the lowest, the humans could not instinctively absorb the abyss's power. Still, their intelligence remained unextinguished.
"Hmm?"
In an instant, Yu Yuan realized that all his sensory and spiritual connections with the Yang God had been severed in this light-forsaken place.
Yet he was certain the Yang God was still above, lingering at the fractured Abyss Gate, not having departed.
As his true body descended, the Yang God had not rushed to leave, instead waiting for news.
On the sixth level, the soul bond between him and the Yang God had persisted, allowing for communication and mutual awareness.
It was only upon reaching the seventh level that their connection had shattered.
"Without light, in places untouched by its reach, is it impossible for my true self and the Yang God to maintain our soul connection?"
Yu Yuan paused in contemplation, resisting the urge to ascend to the sixth level to confirm his suspicions.
Evil God Temple!
Deep within the shadows below, that eerie temple he had glimpsed in the Origin Realm seemed to stir with excitement at his presence.
Yu Yuan had not progressed to the point of condensing the main soul of his Primordial Spirit, yet he experienced a profound sense of kinship.
He felt as though he was on the verge of returning home, to the hometown of his dreams, and found himself involuntarily drifting across the land, descending into the darkness below.
Suddenly, he realized that the absence of light on this lowest level did not hinder his vision.
Previously, as a Yin God, his sight was limited; many areas remained unclear, other lands enshrouded in shadows, their features indistinct.
But now, everything was different.
His vision on the seventh level of the abyss was crystal clear, allowing him to discern even the landscapes of nearby territories.
Furthermore, as he left the abyss's deepest layer and continued to plunge into the depths, the oppressive darkness that disoriented many Evil Gods had no effect on him.
It was as though he was the true sovereign of the dark.
