Inter-Abyss

Within a colossal canyon, a massive fortress city stood imposing amidst the bitter winds and swirling blizzard. Atop the ramparts, two middle-aged men in white armor leaned against the frost-covered battlements, chatting idly to pass the time. "Old Li, when do you think this life of ours will ever come to an end?" Hearing this, Old Li glanced over. Slipping a hand into the lining of his qujiang armor, he fumbled for a moment before withdrawing a small wooden case and waving it in front of the other man. "Stop complaining, Wang Cheng. Whining all day long like a woman. Want one?" Wang Cheng’s eyes lit up slightly at the sight of the wooden case. "Hiss... Old Li, those rations aren't easy to come by. We’ve been out here for more than six months—how do you still have good stuff like this? You didn't trade your military merits with the supply corps for it, did you?" Licking his lips, chapped and dry from the cold, Wang Cheng stared at the case. "You'd really waste your merits on that?" "How could I? I'm waiting for this war to end so I can use my merits to get promoted to yajiang." Old Li chuckled, the faint wrinkles on his face bunching together in a sly grin. "You just don't have the right connections for rolled cigarettes. Plenty of qujiang among our ranks don't smoke them; you just have to trade some wine and meat for them." With that, he slid the wooden box open, tossed one to Wang Cheng, lit his own with a fire-striker, and dropped the spent striker over the edge of the ramparts. The burning striker fell along the frozen city walls, its faint light cutting through the driving snow to reveal the gruesome corpse pyramid erected below. Countless bodies of barbarian women and children were piled into a mountain, frozen by the snow and wind into grotesque ice sculptures. Neither of the men batted an eye at the sight. Their own troops needed to live within the Barbarian Sacred City, and leaving too many corpses around would breed pestilence. So they had moved all the barbarian corpses outside the city and piled them into a pyramid. Smoke mingled with hot breath before quickly dissipating into the freezing air. Staring down at the pyramid of corpses, Old Li suddenly murmured, "Right, Wang Cheng. If I remember the disciplinary manual correctly, whenever a corpse pyramid is erected, the bodies need to be treated first." "Yeah, because too many corpses will breed ghost mist. But out here in the snowfields, it doesn't matter." Wang Cheng practiced a fire-element cultivation method. With a crisp snap of his fingers, a tongue of flame sparked on his fingertip, lighting the cigarette at the corner of his mouth. He grinned. "This is barbarian territory anyway. Even if ghost mist breeds, it's their misfortune. Heh, the Marquis has already slaughtered seven or eight tenths of them. Having to deal with ghost mist on top of that, these barbarians probably won't recover for centuries." At this, Wang Cheng smacked his lips, took a couple of long drags on his tobacco, and resumed his rambling grumbling. "Still, Old Li, if the barbarians are wiped out completely, how are we supposed to earn military merits in the future? The two of us have been qujiang for nearly ten years, haven't we? If we don't get promoted after this war, will we stay qujiang for the rest of our lives?" Old Li asked with a chuckle, "Are you suggesting our Marquis should play that game of sparing the enemy to bolster his own importance?" Wang Cheng's expression changed instantly. Glaring at Old Li, he pointed at his nose. "Li Yongliang, I'm warning you—if we weren't on good terms, I'd smack you right now." With that, Wang Cheng's resentful expression returned. "Still, the Marquis took the main force deeper to hunt down the barbarians, so what's the point of leaving us behind in this godforsaken city? Guarding these corpse pyramids day in and day out, staring at this desolate snow where even birds won't shit. We don't even have camp courtesans..." Old Li held the cigarette between his fingertips, smiling faintly. "Who says we don't have any? Aren't there females among the barbarian captives awaiting interrogation? According to Bai Jiaqi, the experience isn't half bad." "......" Wang Cheng froze, the muscles on his face twitching slightly. Years on campaign meant seeing flesh and blood everywhere, growing numb to severed limbs. Dancing on the razor's edge of death day after day left everyone a little twisted in the head. Still, with the barbarians... Qujiang Bai really had peculiar tastes. Old Li took a deep drag, puffing out a cloud of smoke before suddenly adding, "Don't go telling anyone about this. Qujiang Bai only told me. If word gets out, he'll probably try to take my life." "Relax." Wang Cheng snorted. "My lips are sealed." Old Li nodded, finishing the cigarette in a single long pull. "Our units were the first to breach this Barbarian Sacred City. Barring any accidents, promotions should be coming our way. Stop complaining; you have to give the other brothers a chance to earn some merits..." "Hush." Wang Cheng cut Old Li off abruptly, gesturing for silence. Seeing Old Li's puzzled look, Wang Cheng drew the saber at his waist and drove it into the ground with a crisp *shing*. Old Li frowned. "What are you—" "Look for yourself." Wang Cheng stared somberly at the saber plunged into the rampart. Silence fell over the wall. Under their watchful eyes, the spirit-blade ring-pommel saber embedded in the stone began to tremble. Like the vibration of ten thousand charging steeds, the ice encrusting the battlements cracked. Heavy snow cascaded over the edge in sheets. Wang Cheng and Old Li began to sway with the tremor, and fine cracks spiderwebbed across the gate tower where they stood. Glancing back into the city, numerous dwellings had already collapsed from the shockwaves. After a dozen breaths, the falling snow and the dust from collapsed buildings drifted away, and everything returned to stillness. Standing atop the sturdy ramparts, the two exchanged a look. Wang Cheng pulled his saber from the stone, sheathed it, exhaled a breath, and chuckled. "I thought it was an enemy raid. Turns out it was just the earth dragon turning over." Old Li glanced at the relieved Wang Cheng, stroked the goatee on his chin, and twisted his lips. "Wang Cheng, when the earth dragon turns over, it causes disturbances in Source Qi. But those disturbances are chaotic and directionless..." "......" Wang Cheng's brow furrowed. He closed his eyes to sense for a moment, then opened them, confusion flickering in his gaze. There was indeed a disturbance in the Source Qi, but it wasn't chaotic at all. Instead, it was rippling outward and upward in distinct, rhythmic pulses. It was very faint—so faint that one wouldn't notice without focusing intently—yet the fluctuation undeniably existed. Old Li stared into the blizzard beneath the walls, his tone growing grave. "There seems to be something beneath the ground." With that, an excited gleam entered his eyes as he looked at Wang Cheng. "Wang Cheng, you hold down the fort here. I'll take a hundred white-armored cavalry to report this to the Marquis." "Huh? Why shouldn't it be me?" "......" *** Blood Demon Cave. The white light faded, the tremors ceased, and as everything returned to silence, the thunderous hissing of the Black Serpent from behind was gone. Amidst the quiet, Bai Muxi stopped in her tracks. She glanced at the young master clinging tightly to her, hesitating slightly before deciding not to remind him to get down. Held in Bai Muxi's arms, Xu Yuan adjusted his posture slightly. He held one of her delicate shoulders with one hand, hooked his other arm under her armpit to wrap around her smooth back, and naturally rested his chin against her soft shoulder. Bai Muxi shivered slightly, but she didn't resist, standing obediently in place without moving a muscle. Warm, soft sensations filtered through the woman's thin gossamer dress. Xu Yuan could feel the yielding curve pressed against his chest and catch the faint, refreshing fragrance drifting from her hair. The reason he hadn't gotten down wasn't to enjoy himself. In a life-or-death crisis, what normal person would indulge in such thoughts? Desperate times called for desperate measures; he was waiting for Li Qingyan's signal. Although the power of that 1.2-million-tael blast had been astonishing, if it hadn't managed to blow that aberrant ghost Black Serpent to pieces, they would still have to run for their lives. Getting down would only invite unnecessary danger; it was better to stay attached. "......" Time ticked by. From the darkness, the soft sound of footsteps suddenly emerged. Soon, a graceful silhouette in crimson robes stepped into view. Even after such a fierce battle, her red garments remained completely intact, without the slightest tear or blemish. *Well, looks like with this black death armor, it'll be hard to ever see Her Royal Highness in battle-damaged attire again.* Just as the thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan's eyes met hers. A pair of half-lidded phoenix eyes glimmered with crimson light. Li Qingyan stared at the two who were still holding each other. Her lotus-embroidered boots stepped lightly and steadily across the stone, though the crimson blade in her hand gleamed with a chilling edge. Her cool gaze seemed to say nothing, yet said everything. "......" After a moment of eye contact, Bai Muxi acted sensibly. She immediately bent down and set Xu Yuan onto his feet. "Young Master, it's safe now." Under the scrutiny of those crimson pupils, Xu Yuan cleared his throat, straightened his posture, and patted down his robes. "I already told you that Black Serpent couldn't possibly have survived, and that you should put me down. Yet you insisted on shielding me." "......" Bai Muxi immediately lowered her head and curtsied. "Young Master, forgive me. It was Muxi's fault." Xu Yuan waved his hand nonchalantly. "Considering you were looking out for my safety, I'll overlook it this—" "Quite the practiced double act you two have." As Li Qingyan spoke, the icy chill in her gaze melted instantly, and a faint smile flashed in her phoenix eyes. "I haven't said a word. Is there any need to be so nervous?" "......" Xu Yuan rolled his eyes inwardly. He truly couldn't fathom this princess's mind. She seemed intensely possessive, yet in certain matters, she appeared not to care in the slightest. Composing himself, Xu Yuan stepped forward and asked softly, "What's there to be nervous about? Desperate times call for desperate measures. But what about you..." Looking Li Qingyan up and down, Xu Yuan asked gently, "You aren't hurt, are you?" He knew very well that Li Qingyan was injured, and not lightly at that. But knowing was one thing; asking was another. All women needed to be cared for. Li Qingyan's phoenix eyes curved slightly. With a flourish of her hand, the crimson blade traced a flash of cold light before sliding into its sheath with crisp, martial grace. "My meridians suffered some damage, but it's nothing too severe. A few days of circulating my qi will restore them completely." "You still need to be careful. You're our only hope of getting out of here right now." Xu Yuan raised a hand and intimately wiped away the lingering trace of blood at the corner of her lips. Turning his other hand over, a jade vial appeared in his palm. "This is a Three-Vein Meridian-Protecting Pill. It should help your injuries." A flicker of surprise crossed Li Qingyan's eyes. Without opening her hand to take it, she looked at him with a curving smile. "Why does it feel like you have everything in that Sumeru ring of yours?" Xu Yuan blinked with a grin. "The sect spent thirty million on that Cloud Qi Bomb. We didn't have enough silver, so most of it was converted from various supplies. Most things you can think of, I probably have here." With a sly chuckle, Xu Yuan added, "Your Royal Highness, sometimes money really can save your life." "Shameless." Li Qingyan let out a soft laugh and opened her palm toward him. "Once we're out, I will repay you." "We're family; why talk about repaying? But if you truly insist, you can always pay me back in kind with your body." With the Black Serpent disposed of, Xu Yuan was in good spirits. He joked as he placed the jade vial into her palm. Just then, however, his eyes caught the bright crimson blood staining her palm. Frowning slightly, he caught her wrist and pushed her red sleeve upward. A fair, jade-like forearm came into view, marked by several horrific, mangled wounds, fresh blood trickling steadily down her pale skin. Xu Yuan looked up at Li Qingyan, his brow furrowed. "Didn't you say only your meridians were damaged?" Meeting his concerned gaze, Li Qingyan smiled and replied, "The Black Serpent possessed immense strength. To delay its pursuit, I had no choice but to take the blows directly. I broke them a few times, that's all. A minor injury." "Broke them a few times?" Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed, his grip on her wrist tightening slightly. "You call that a minor injury? I have—" "No need." Li Qingyan pulled her hand back, speaking with complete nonchalance. "I entered the Dao through martial arts. While I can't match aberrant ghosts, my body's regenerative power is formidable. The pain from external wounds won't impair my combat strength—if anything, it only keeps me sharper." "......" Hearing this, Xu Yuan looked at her with a rather strange expression. *Sharper? You mean aroused.* Xu Yuan smiled playfully. Saying more now was pointless; time would tell. Turning the topic, he asked, "Where is the Black Serpent's demon crystal?" Ignoring his suggestive look, Li Qingyan glanced back toward the darkness of the passageway. "I haven't had time to retrieve it yet." "Let's go immediately." Without a second thought, Xu Yuan held out his arms toward Li Qingyan. "We made such a massive commotion that nearby aberrant ghosts might already be drawn this way. We need to collect it quickly and leave." "You certainly don't seem to resist having me carry you at all." Li Qingyan rolled her eyes at him, then naturally bent down and scooped Xu Yuan into her arms. "I haven't seen a single shred of a man's pride in you." "A true man knows when to yield and when to stand tall." Hooking an arm around her soft shoulder, Xu Yuan retorted, "Wait until I cultivate to the Origin Realm. Then Your Highness will learn what real manhood looks like." "Big talk." With a push off the ground, Li Qingyan vanished from the spot, Bai Muxi following close behind. Several breaths after their departure, an eerie crimson mist surged rapidly from the depths of the Blood Nest, swallowing the area where the three had stood in the blink of an eye. *** Standing at the exit of the passageway, Xu Yuan gazed at the colossal, artificially created cavern before him and clicked his tongue softly. Money truly was a wonderful thing. The cavern carved out by the Source Crystal bombs had remarkably smooth edges. Had the shockwave of the blast not shattered the boulders on the inner walls, this cavern would have formed a nearly perfect sphere. Soon, the eyes of all three settled on the bottom of the spherical cavern. There, a charred, elongated mass lay quietly. The aberrant ghost Black Serpent. By now, it had lost all its previous ferocity and terror, lying motionless on the ground, its tough serpentine body sizzling with a foul, burnt stench. Even after taking the brunt of such a massive yield of Source Crystal bombs, it still wasn't dead. New buds of flesh were striving to sprout from the charred gore. Unfortunately for the beast, the surrounding black death creep had been vaporized in the explosion. Without the creep to supply it, it lacked the vitality required to regenerate its physical body. Yet, as if summoned by this Transcendent-tier aberrant ghost, the black death creep from the surrounding areas had begun creeping slowly toward the cavern. Its progress, however, was agonizingly slow—scarcely faster than an ant's crawl. The three leaped down. Shielding the two women slightly behind him, Xu Yuan walked slowly toward the Black Serpent. As if sensing the approach of living beings, the charred mass emitted a faint, raspy hiss of warning. Seeing that it could still make a sound, Xu Yuan signaled the two women to stop, letting Li Qingyan finish off the serpent with her fiery blade qi imbued with Dao Charm. Caution was never a mistake. *Hum! Hum! Hum!* Streaks of fiery radiance illuminated the pitch-black cavern as dozens of blade lights tore through the Black Serpent's utterly fragile flesh. The Black Serpent made no further sound. Even so, the three did not approach. Li Qingyan raised a slender hand toward the Black Serpent. Fiery red Source Qi surged forth, condensing into a giant hand that lifted the serpent's body from a hundred meters away. Then, she clenched both hands together. *Squelch!* Flesh and blood splattered as the Black Serpent's body was crushed completely into pulp, leaving a pitch-black crystal glowing with dark light suspended in midair. Holding her hand raised, Li Qingyan looked back and asked softly, "Changtian, is this the demon crystal?" Xu Yuan's eyes flickered. "That should be it." Hearing this, Li Qingyan hesitated no longer. Drawing her hand back, her Source Qi pulled the demon crystal straight into her palm. It felt warm to the touch. With a slight probe of her senses, she could perceive the unnervingly dense vitality contained within it. Handing the demon crystal to Xu Yuan, Li Qingyan let out a long breath and pressed her lips into a smile. "Let's go—" "Young Master..." Before she could finish, Bai Muxi, who had been standing quietly beside them, cut her off, her voice laced with disbelief. "Inter-Abyss... an aberrant ghost Inter-Abyss." "......" Li Qingyan's brow furrowed slightly. Xu Yuan instinctively looked back, his blood-red pupils shrinking violently. Without them noticing, the surrounding darkness had vanished. In its place was a blood-colored mist, dense to the absolute extreme.