Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 265: The Black Turtle’s New Ability

Pang Jian's eyebrows raised.

Another Outer God?

He had waited fruitlessly for the Observer and could not help but feel excited at the sight of the wooden Outer God descending upon Divine Fortune.

I can refine more strands of golden divine sense if I hunt down more Outer Gods and obtain more divine consciousness!"

Pang Jian continued to observe the situation in Misty Swamp.

Soon, he realized the ten-zhang-tall wooden figure was not actually heading for the World Eater Vine.

Instead, the Outer God circled it, causing all the plants and trees around the World Eater Vine to wither and die.

Its sinister divine power slowly seeped into the ground, rotting and decaying the roots of the trees.

Meanwhile, the corrupted Wood Race warriors were exhausting their life force in battle with their uncorrupted kin.

These corrupted Wood Race warriors were wrapped in a shroud of deathly aura and collapsed one after another as their life forces drained.

The Outer God's grayish-brown eyes remained fixed on the World Eater Vine, brimming with a fiery light.

According to the World Eater Vine, this Outer God was its destined nemesis!

Although the Outer God had merely anchored its divine power onto a wooden carving as it could not fully descend, it was still a formidable opponent the World Eater Vine needed to eliminate as fast as possible.

Otherwise, it would severely hinder its growth and advancement!

The fusion of the lush, abundant Divine Fortune and Divine Fortress was crucial for the World Eater Vine's growth.

The invading Outer God was spreading its deathly aura to enhance its power. If it were to reduce these fragmented lands to a dead wasteland, the World Eater Vine would be forced to seek out new territory and start its evolution anew.

Don't worry, I'll do everything in my power to help you slay this Outer God, Pang Jian solemnly vowed

The thought of an Outer God destroying the flourishing land he and the World Eater Vine had painstakingly built ignited a fierce killing intent within him.

Stomping his feet, Pang Jian shouted to the black turtle, "Wake up! We're going to the Fourth World to hunt an Outer God!"

The black turtle had been digesting the divine power of the arachnid Outer God in the depths of the earth and lazily sent out a querying thought in response.

After learning about Pang Jian's intention to lead it into a contaminated fragmented land to hunt another Outer God, it carefully considered for a moment before declining his invitation.

It candidly admitted that it was not in the right condition to leave the Resolute Expanse, and the contaminated environment would poison its flesh and blood.

Moreover, its strength was significantly lower outside of the Resolute Expanse.

Thus, it suggested that Pang Jian instead find a way to lure the Outer God to the Resolute Expanse, where it could be more easily defeated.

"I'll see if I can lure it here. If not, I'll just have to fight it head-on."

Pang Jian turned his attention back to the ongoing battle in the Fourth World.

The wooden figure moved leisurely through Misty Swamp, spiraling inward toward the World Eater Vine and destroying the surrounding plants and trees as it steadily approached.

It seemed it was planning to first wither the flowers, plants, and trees surrounding the little tree before engaging it.

Seeing that there was still time before a battle broke out, Pang Jian decided to first teleport to Spirit Offering.

He then dove deep into the ground with Earth Dive and retrieved the black turtle scute before placing it over his chest.

Whoosh!

The scute radiated a blackish-yellow light as it absorbed wave after wave of Pang Jian's blood essence.

The peculiar scute was granting him a new ability after returning to his body—Gravity Manipulation!

Pang Jian's eyes lit up.

He immediately established a connection with the black turtle, seeking to comprehend the intricacies of this new, third ability.

The new ability, Gravity Manipulation, could be applied to both himself and his enemies.

When used on himself, it allowed him to become as light as a feather, as if unaffected by the pull of gravity.

Activating the ability, he leaped into the air without the aid of a spirit artifact and shot up a hundred zhang into the sky.

The blackish-yellow glow enveloping him allowed him to move freely with just a single thought. The glow bore a striking resemblance to the blood-colored mist that often surrounded Luo Hongyan.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Pang Jian soared through the air at a hundred zhang off the ground, gradually developing a better sense of the ability.

So, a hundred zhang is the maximum height this black turtle scute can allow me to fly, Pang Jian noted. As for using it on others...

Soaring above Spirit Offering, he searched for a target to test his Gravity Manipulation on.

However, even after circling the restricted area a few times, he found no living beings.

Spirit Offering was littered with charred craters after the Flame Dragon had burned it to the ground. Neither rogue cultivators nor sect experts from the Dark Abyss Continent dared to venture into the dreaded restricted area.

Forget it. I'll just wait until I go to Misty Swamp. It's time to return.

Pang Jian then instructed the little tree to command the Wood Race warriors to remove themselves from the area where he would soon appear.

The Wood Race warriors with independent will fought the corrupted warriors as they distanced themselves from the little tree.

The corrupted warriors were slowly lured away from the little tree, and soon, the area was completely vacated.

Moments later, a dark shadow appeared behind the World Eater Vine—hidden from the Outer God's sight—and vanished into the ground.

At that point, all the vegetation within a ten-mile radius around the World Eater Vine had withered away.

After some time circling the World Eater Vine, the Outer God finally stopped, satisfied. It then released its malevolent divine power and scanned the area before heading toward the little tree.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Waves of grayish-brown light rippled outward whenever its feet came into contact with the ground, corrupting the earth beneath.

The waves of decaying light snuffed out all life within the land, even down to the smallest of insects.

Pang Jian, having dove thirty zhang underground with Earth Dive, could see as the waves of light killed off the worms in the mud above him.

Fortunately, the light only penetrated about ten zhang deep, or he would have been prematurely exposed.

Whoosh!

Tendrils resembling thorny vines shot out from the Outer God's feet and burrowed into the ground.

These thorny tendrils twisted like monstrous serpents as they slithered their way toward the roots of the little tree.

The World Eater Vine's thick, intertwined roots radiated a brilliant green light as it met the Outer God's thorny tendrils head-on in a fierce clash underground.

Vibrant life energy and decaying divine power clashed like two armies of celestial soldiers, battling in the form of intertwining roots.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground of Misty Swamp split into deep ravines from the intense battle.

Underground, the verdant roots of the World Eater Vine and the thorny tendrils of the Outer God tore at each other like ferocious dragons.

Two small tendrils sprouted from the forehead of the Outer God. Its face had turned ancient and weathered.

The fierce battle forced it to fully unleash its divine power, revealing more of its true form.

The little tree has grown quite strong.

Pang Jian realized it was time to act as the battle intensified.

Activating his teleportation ability once again, he instantly transported himself back to the base of the World Eater Vine.

He stood before the radiant World Eater Vine and coldly eyed the wooden Outer God.

The Outer God froze.

The Outer God had been spreading waves of decaying divine power and fiercely battling the little tree when it saw Pang Jian.

It was just as startled to see Pang Jian as the arachnid Outer God had been before.

After all, this young man was the reason their leader had called an end to the bloody feast that should have taken place in Spirit Offering.

A cold, fierce anger flickered in the Outer God's eyes.

They could have eradicated the powerful human cultivators of the Third World and devoured their flesh and bones to strengthen themselves.

Instead, they lost their leader and failed to amass the power they needed because of the young man before it.

"We meet again," Pang Jian calmly greeted the Outer God.

As he spoke, Pang Jian threw out the Star Crushing Umbrella, summoned the Startling Slaughter Spear, and called forth the Nine Suns Cauldron.

The giant umbrella hovered high in the air as Pang Jian summoned a green protective shield.

Hiss!

The decaying energy started to eat away at Pang Jian's protective shield as soon as it formed.

"Die!" The Outer God roared, grayish-brown eyes firmly locked onto Pang Jian.

A wave of divine power shot out from the Outer God's chest and shattered Pang Jian's green protective shield.

Bang!

Pang Jian's body was sent flying through the air and crashed heavily into the trunk of the World Eater Vine behind him.

Tender green vines instantly extended toward Pang Jian, wrapping him into a large green cocoon.

The World Eater Vine, assuming Pang Jian had been severely injured, hurriedly tried to heal him, fearing he would be killed in just one exchange.

"There's no need for that." Pang Jian shook his head and broke free from the green cocoon infused with life energy.

Although Pang Jian's chest ached fiercely and corrupting energy was invading his body, his bones and internal organs remained intact.

The toughness of his Illusory Bone Realm body and the resilience of the black turtle scute had allowed him to withstand the Outer God's blow despite his protective shield shattering.

"I'm fine. Its divine power is terrifying, but I can withstand it," Pang Jian assured. "You're still locked in battle with it, so it can't unleash its full strength against me."

Pang Jian cautiously checked the condition of his body again and confirmed he could indeed endure the attacks from the wooden Outer God after deploying all his abilities.

"Also, I'm confident I can help you kill it," Pang Jian added as he directed the Star Crushing Umbrella.

Whoosh!

The giant umbrella shimmered brilliantly as it floated toward the Outer God.