Chapter 36: Gaze from the Dark Abyss

Over three hundred thousand Star Islands were slowly rotating in an orderly manner, divided into six layers.

At the very top, the sixth layer still had only that solitary Star Island, while slightly lower, the fifth layer had twelve Star Islands slowly rotating.

“Rumble——”

Among the more than a hundred Star Islands on the fourth layer, one began to slowly ascend upward.

“What.”

“That is——”

“It’s breaking into the fifth layer.”

The countless World-level cultivators on the lower Star Islands, who every day looked up to see the higher-layer Star Islands suspended in the sky, now witnessed this scene—a Star Island rising from the fourth layer to the fifth.

At this moment, many World-level cultivators felt a complex mix of emotions. They dreamed of ascending to the fifth layer, for that would grant them the protection of the Star Island! But it was far too difficult…

“A change of fate…”

Countless World-level cultivators sighed with emotion.

…

“So fast. He was captured along with me, yet he broke into the fifth layer faster than I did.” On the fourth layer, a green-haired woman in a translucent silver gauze robe murmured to herself, “And he’s a cultivator. I’ve never met a cultivator at the World level who could match me. Yet here in Mangya Kingdom, I’ve encountered one so quickly. How interesting. And Mangya Kingdom treats cultivators and special lifeforms equally.”

“I like this place.” The green-haired woman smiled, and around her, water vapor naturally condensed.

…

“I never thought a weak cultivator could produce one who can match me, and break into the fifth layer faster than I did.” A silver-haired youth with an eerily handsome face murmured to himself.

He was a descendant of the Eternal Clan, and had long since touched the path to becoming a Dao Lord of Life and Death. But he wanted to grow stronger, to awaken his Eternal bloodline and gain greater benefits.

Yet he had to admit that the World-level prodigies in Mangya Kingdom were indeed numerous. Even on the fourth layer, he had to struggle to win, which made him cautious.

To break into the fifth layer so quickly…

Was a formidable opponent.

“Though cultivators are weak overall, their numbers are far too vast—countless times more than my Eternal Clan. Eventually, prodigies will emerge,” the silver-haired youth thought. “Once I enter the fifth layer, I must compete with him.”

…

Ji Ning’s Star Island rising to the fifth layer indeed drew the attention of many sufficiently monstrous World-level cultivators. Breaking into the fifth layer represented strength!

“So we have another one on the fifth layer?”

…

“Interesting. In a few days, I’ll have a good fight and test his ability.”

…

“I’m afraid Thousand Star Child will be the first to issue a challenge again. Forget it, let him go first.”

…

The fourth and fifth layers were completely different.

The unprotected World-level cultivators on the fourth layer did not easily accept challenges; they were very cautious. But the twelve monstrous prodigies on the fifth layer could hold their positions long-term, and even if they occasionally fell, they would return in a very short time, because their strength was truly formidable.

They, on the contrary, loved battle.

They stayed here precisely for battle.

As for inheritances? Biting off more than one can chew—finding the few inheritances they needed was enough. The best thing here was the large number of World-level cultivators at the same level; the tempering of battle greatly benefited them.

…

On a Star Island on the fifth layer.

A lean, dark-skinned child in a silver cloak was examining a golden scroll and laughing heartily: “Hahaha, he didn’t disappoint me. He actually defeated that special lifeform Shabafuyi. Though Shabafuyi is a bit stupid, defeating him is no easy feat.”

“Interesting.”

“But merely defeating Shabafuyi means nothing. Shabafuyi can’t even hold his ground on the fifth layer. Little one, I’ll show you that there is always someone stronger.” The lean, dark-skinned child smiled.

“Challenge!”

He directly sent a challenge to Ji Ning through the golden scroll.

“Hehehe, the other eleven on the fifth layer will all give me face. As per the old rule, when a newcomer arrives, I go first.” The lean, dark-skinned child’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

They had been here for a long time and had long formed a convention.

Every time someone first broke into the fifth layer, ‘Thousand Star Child’ would go first. Perhaps Thousand Star Child’s strength was not absolutely the best among the twelve, but he had the fewest weaknesses. No matter what opponent he faced, Thousand Star Child could handle it.

Even if he encountered that terrifying figure on the sixth layer… Thousand Star Child could at least protect himself! That is to say, at the World level, no matter what kind of prodigy, Thousand Star Child could cope.

…

Below the floating three hundred thousand Star Islands lay the Dark Abyss.

At the bottom of the Dark Abyss.

“Sizzle sizzle sizzle.”

Strange nine-colored flames were burning.

Above the flames lay a spear several hundred zhang long, and on the huge spear was impaled a massive chunk of meat, likely a hundred zhang in size.

Under the nine-colored flames, the surface of the exotic beast’s flesh gradually began to redden. It would take a long time to roast it thoroughly.

“Delicious.”

“So satisfying.” A large man with disheveled black hair, wearing only a simple battle skirt with the rest of his body bare, sat there. Before him was a huge basin over ten zhang wide, filled with roasted meat. He ate ravenously.

Across from him sat a golden-haired man in golden armor, also with a huge basin of roasted meat before him.

“King Wu, your hunting skills are impressive. This ‘Bloodflame Dragon Beast’ should be an exotic beast comparable to the Dao-merging threshold, right? The meat has such a kick.” The golden-armored man crunched and chewed with his teeth—this meat was not something just anyone could bite through. “Capturing it is no easy task, and in the endless territories, they’ve almost been hunted to extinction by your royal clan.”

“Long since extinct.” The nearly naked black-haired man in the battle skirt said, “That bastard Sovereign caught the most. He can instantly reach any territory. I ran all over many territories back then and finally found one Bloodflame Dragon Beast. I even deliberately disguised myself as a cultivator… afraid that the beast would detect my identity and self-destruct. After all that effort, I killed one. Hehe, kill one, eat slowly, and it lasts a long, long time.”

The Bloodflame Dragon Beast was a very fearsome exotic beast. Its cultivation path differed from cultivators and the Eternal Clan. It cultivated neither divine power nor magic power—simply put, it was much like an insect beast, but far more powerful.

However, the Bloodflame Dragon Beasts in the endless territories were nearly extinct, rarely seen, because the royal clan of Mangya Kingdom loved to eat them the most.

A Bloodflame Dragon Beast that had reached the Dao-merging threshold had a true body the size of a chaotic star. Eating a few hundred zhang at a time would last a very, very long time.

But even that couldn’t withstand how long these ancient beings lived.

“King Wu.” The golden-armored, golden-haired man looked into the distance, where a flame-wreathed exotic beast—naturally born incredibly powerful—was now pitifully suffering various torments. “The royal clan has gained another clansman this time. Won’t you take the training seriously?”

“It’s already good enough that I’m here to keep an eye on things. Anyway, this abyss is full of all kinds of dangers. As long as I pay a little attention and don’t let the little one die, that’s fine.” The black-haired man spoke as he devoured meat.

“Eh?” The black-haired man looked up.

His gaze pierced through the darkness and the obstruction of the Star Islands, landing on Ji Ning, who was flipping through the golden scroll on his Star Island.

At that moment, Ji Ning suddenly felt a formless dread, as if some terrifying existence had locked onto him.

“It seems your Twelve Palaces have gained another little one.” The black-haired man looked at the golden-armored man. “He rose to the fifth layer so quickly, and like you, he’s a cultivator.”

“Not bad, I suppose.” The golden-armored man laughed. “We cultivators are generally very weak. It’s rare for one to become extremely strong. We can’t compare to you innately heaven-defying beings.”

“How can it be the same? How can it be the same?”

The black-haired man glared. “How many of you are there? How many of us? That old bastard Sovereign walks the endless territories—how long does it take to find one clansman? By the time one of us is born, you cultivators have already produced ten Dao Lords and a bunch of prodigies. Take your Twelve Palaces—how many Dao Lords do you have in total? How many do we in the royal clan have?”

…