Chapter 86: The Abyss World on the Verge of Upgrading

After a year of settling in, Qin Shu’s Golden Core cultivation base had fully stabilized, allowing him to proceed to the second stage of the Golden Core realm—the Water Turning.

Within the Inner Heavenly Cave, the young Pan Peach tree had already sprouted tips, imbued with abundant Ningui Water Qi.

Using this Qi to purify his Golden Core would make the second stage of cultivation remarkably easier.

However, after pondering it, he ultimately felt somewhat reluctant to part with it.

Ningui Water Qi wasn’t particularly rare; he could condense it himself, and quite swiftly too.

He dismantled the Five Elements Formation and inserted the Profound Origin Banner into the Heavenly River. The banner decomposed the river water, condensing the Ningui Water Qi, which he then directly absorbed into his body—a continuous stream of it.

The Ji water, being supremely yang, exerted a powerful pressure throughout his body, tempering him in a unique way, yet gentler than the gold qi.

The Gui water, being supremely yin, was intensely cold, penetrating every pore in his body.

After circulating these two waters through his body for a major cycle, they entered the Middle Dantian, enveloped the Golden Core, and gradually seeped into it.

The Profound Origin Banner condensed the Ningui Water Qi at a rate far exceeding Qin Shu’s imagination. In just three months, the second stage of the Golden Core realm—the Water Refinement—came to a conclusion.

The Cyan Lotus Dao Seed needed to evolve further, but that required venturing into an abyssal world of the next higher level.

The highest battle prowess one could attain there was the Void Stage, which exceeded Qin Shu’s current capabilities. He had no intention of taking such risks.

For him, time was abundant; there was no need to rush.

However, it was indeed time to explore the Heavenspan City’s Heaven-Piercing Tower.

After delivering the medicinal pills and spending some time with his family, he flashed with golden light and reappeared in the Abyss Realm.

Teleporting from the God Soul Continent to Celestial City required two hundred white jade celestial coins—too pricey for him.

In contrast, tasks within the Abyss Realm were manageable, and free teleportation was always welcome.

Without wasting much time, he accepted the mission at hand.

This miniature Abyss World had a maximum battle rating of fifth-tier. Due to increasing Abyssal essence, it was ripe for ascension.

At the world’s center, a ceremony was underway to elevate its status.

Qin Shu’s task was to disrupt the ceremony and prevent the world’s ascension.

Alongside him were nine other non-Abyss life forms, including awakened beings from the God Soul Continent.

“The world’s center! Where’s that? Not even a map!” He couldn’t help but grumble internally. Now he had to find his way through the abyss alone.

As for coordinating with teammates, they had no means of contacting each other. Naturally, it would be impossible to meet up unless they coincidentally appeared near the world’s center at the same time.

Qin Shu summoned Xiao Yan, riding it as they scouted from high above.

Occasionally, they’d encounter aerial predators—demonic birds from the Abyss—but these were usually of low caliber. Xiao Yan would effortlessly sweep them aside and devour them.

After several days, they hadn’t spotted a single Abyssal monster above Fourth Rank.

However, they did locate what appeared to be the world’s center.

It was a massive city, roughly one-tenth the size of Yangzhou City. Its walls towered over a kilometer high, with a perimeter measuring hundreds of kilometers.

Viewing it from above, at least twenty Fifth Rank Abyssal monsters were clustered within the city.

Every type was represented: Fallen Gods, Desolate Beasts, Abyssal Fallen Spirits, Evil Gods, and Evil Demons.

Among them, Evil Demons were the most numerous, with over a dozen making up half the group.

Curiously, this city was predominantly inhabited by humanoid Fourth and Fifth Rank Abyssal monsters, indicating they had all converged here.

The twenty-something Fifth Rank monsters encircled a colossal hundred-meter-high altar. Occasionally, they would seize a Fourth Rank monster, violently shake them, and reduce them to a haze of blood.

The blood mist drifted towards the altar, forming intricate crimson patterns.

The altar remained under construction.

Once completed, all the Abyssal monsters within the city would be sacrificed, triggering the world’s transformation.

Qin Shu estimated that he and Xiao Yan could handle around twenty fifth-rank Abyssal monsters.

But before he could act, a black-red light shot towards the sky—the altar finished construction just as he was about to intervene.

He couldn’t help but freeze, momentarily stunned.

In the distance, several lights appeared:

Two figures from the east.

One carried a sword at their waist, long hair cascading down their shoulders. A white jade crown adorned their head, and their white robes were as pristine as snow. Their cold demeanor immediately identified them as a high-ranking swordsman.

The other had a similar appearance, but wore blue robes and carried a golden sword at their waist. Their lively eyes suggested they were likely quite clever.

A single creature from the west—a Desolate Beast—had a pair of vibrant, five-colored wings on its back. With a sheep’s head and a wolf’s body, it stood on four sturdy hooves. Fangs protruded from its mouth, and while its coat was colorful, it exuded a fierce aura.

Two identical beings from the north— clearly twin sisters—were humanoid spirits lacking any clothing.

Four beings from the south also had wings and were similarly shaped. They radiated a potent glow, indicating their status as Divine beings—their white wings betrayed their connection to the Heavenly Realm.

These newcomers noticed Qin Shu, but their attention quickly focused on Xiao Yan, a powerful Monster emitting a fifth-rank aura.

The Painted-winged Horror Sheep sensed a profound pressure emanating from deep within Xiao Yan’s bloodline, immediately recognizing him as extraordinary.

And Qin Shu, who could ride on Xiao Yan’s back—well, he had to be quite extraordinary himself.

The altar glowed with a crimson light that pierced the heavens. If it were to absorb an entire city’s worth of Abyssal monsters, this world might very well elevate its status. Then they’d fail their quest, and getting back home would be all but impossible.

Qin Shu hesitated for a moment, completely ignoring the new teammates. Then he cried out, “Xiao Yan, let’s go!”

“Yes, master.” Xiao Yan’s wings thrummed as he shot towards the altar, spewing a torrent of flames from his mouth.

Qin Shu’s hands formed claws as he channeled the Great Fire Escape, manifesting the Primordial Fiery Hand. Two enormous green flames, each the size of a hundred men, materialized in mid-air and lunged towards the altar with a resounding thump.

The altar swayed, but the mystical markings etched on its surface suddenly blazed with radiant light, steadying it.

“Holy moly, is this guy for real?” The divine soul awakened being with the golden sword exclaimed to his friend, astonished.

“I’d say so,” replied the white-robed swordsman. Seeing Qin Shu take action, he wasted no time either. His sacred sword slipped from its sheath, instantly bathing the area in a frigid aura as he charged into the city, leaving a trail of slaughter in his wake.

Roar! The painted-winged horror sheep let out a thunderous bellow, fearlessly joining the fray. With a mighty flap of his wings, he dove towards the altar.

The remaining few were feeling helpless. What a coincidence that they had managed to regroup, but wouldn’t it be too impetuous to charge into battle without discussing a plan first?

But now, three of their comrades had already moved ahead, so they had no choice but to follow suit.

Let’s just hope our losses will be minimal this time around.

Cyanflame slammed down with his massive hand, causing nothing more than tremors in the altar—no meaningful damage at all.

“Detonate!” Qin Shu roared.

Cyanflame exploded with volatile force.

This was Xiao Yan’s spiritual life flame, a new type of heat generated by the flawless fusion of the Celestial Dragon and Vermilion Bird bloodlines, reaching extraordinarily high temperatures.

The intense burst immediately melted part of the altar, reducing the newly constructed structure to rubble in an instant.

The twenty-seven fifth-rank Abyssal Fallen spirits surrounding the altar were utterly helpless in preventing its destruction.

Seeing their altar ruined, they were livid.

“You’ve got some nerve, destroying my work. It’s time to die.” One of the Abyssal Fallen spirits emitted a powerful aura, hinting at a potential sixth-rank breakthrough.

Surrounded by the black Abyssal energy, he formed a thick layer of heavy armor around himself. With a surge of power in his legs, he charged towards Qin Shu at breakneck speed, aiming a punch directly at him.

His fist, condensed with overwhelming killing intent, left an afterimage that took shape in the air as an enormous looming figure, rapidly closing in on Qin Shu.