Chapter Fifty-Five: The Fifth Terrace

Chapter Fifty-Five: The Fifth Terrace

With the Nine Heavens Gale gone, everyone traveled much faster. They reached the entrance to the fifth terrace in only a third of the time it had previously taken.

“Let’s go down and have a look,” Chu Jie said.

Soon, the fifty-odd people descended into the fifth terrace, where the Nine Heavens Gale was also absent. When the gale was present, the constant winds made scents dissipate intermittently; now, the smells spread much more distinctly. As soon as they arrived, a strong stench of blood assaulted them. At the entrance to the terrace, over a hundred corpses lay scattered.

Most were from the outskirts of the Chaos Zone, though their cultivation levels were high. Gathered here, it was clear they had been acting under someone’s orders, but all had perished. Among them were several experts at the Soul Gathering Realm—none had survived.

Witnessing this, Chu Jie felt a surge of relief at not having rashly entered the fifth terrace earlier; it was the right choice. He realized that the underlings they’d brought along weren’t strong enough and could easily fall victim to the dangers here. He and Duan Kun, however, possessed higher cultivation and stood a better chance of survival. If something truly dreadful occurred, he and Duan Kun could escape, but their followers might not be so fortunate.

“Mad Dog Battalion, you return to the Lingyun Zone,” Chu Jie immediately ordered, deciding it was too risky for them to continue.

Duan Kun had the same thought and sent his own followers back with the Mad Dog Battalion.

“Boss, we want to stay with you,” Chen Long stepped forward.

“Not this time. You see how many have died here—who knows what lies ahead? Go back and protect our territory,” Chu Jie replied.

Only then did the Mad Dog Battalion obey and leave.

Watching his men depart, Chu Jie breathed a sigh of relief. He had a sense that something terrifying awaited them, yet he still wanted to press on, hoping to find some rare treasures that could propel him forward in cultivation.

At that moment, Chu Jie and Duan Kun saw another group descending—outskirts folk from the Chaos Zone—drawn by the absence of the gale, eager to explore deeper and perhaps reap rewards.

When they saw the pile of corpses at the entrance, their faces changed dramatically. Spotting Chu Jie and Duan Kun nearby, the group leader stammered, “Did you kill these people?”

Chu Jie was speechless—now they were mistaken for mass murderers.

The newcomers didn’t attack immediately, but kept their weapons ready, eyes full of wariness. After a few breaths, the leader shouted, “Retreat!”

They fled in panic, not lingering, heading toward the sixth terrace.

“We should move on as well,” Chu Jie said.

They continued downward, growing more uneasy with every step. Corpses appeared sporadically along the way, though fewer than before. Those dead were mostly high-level cultivators: many were at the Eighth Layer of the Body Gale Realm, and the number of Soul Gathering Realm deaths was increasing—mostly those who had just reached that stage.

Apparently, the beast responsible was no longer in the fifth terrace. Along the way, Chu Jie saw several teams—some ahead, some behind—all eager to delve deeper in hopes of finding treasures in the Abyss of Gods and Demons.

Chu Jie doubted their chances; most would likely meet the same fate as the dead before them.

Just then, a voice called out, “You two up ahead, stop! Our boss has something to say to you.”

The speaker’s tone was commanding, showing little regard for Chu Jie and Duan Kun.

The two exchanged glances and turned, curious to see who dared block their path.

Not far behind them was a group nearly a hundred strong. Many were at the Fifth Layer of the Body Gale Realm, several at the Ninth Layer, and four or five at the Soul Gathering Realm. The boss, their highest cultivator, was only at the Fifth Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm. Clearly, most had been recruited just for this expedition.

“What is it?” Chu Jie asked flatly.

“Good, you’re bold—I like that.” The speaker was the boss, Liu Qing, an outer city cultivator. He’d come to the Abyss seeking spiritual crystals, and when the Abyss mutated, he began recruiting, intimidating others into joining him. Though progress was slow, he’d amassed nearly a hundred followers.

Chu Jie frowned. “Speak quickly—we’re pressed for time.”

Liu Qing’s triangular eyes studied Chu Jie for a moment, noting their similar cultivation, while Duan Kun’s was slightly lower. This gave Liu Qing confidence; his own followers provided strong support, and if he could recruit Chu Jie and Duan Kun, contesting treasures in the Abyss would become much easier.

“You two, become my followers. If you refuse, that’s fine—just cripple your own cultivation and I’ll let you leave,” Liu Qing said coolly, as if victory were certain.

“Chu Jie, I feel like killing them,” Duan Kun licked his lips. After seeing so many corpses, his urge to kill had been simmering; now, these fools had walked right into his path.

Both Chu Jie and Duan Kun possessed strength far beyond their current cultivation, so dealing with these people posed no threat.

“Then let’s kill them,” Chu Jie agreed, his anger long pent-up after seeing so much carnage—the scent of blood still lingered in his breath.

Liu Qing scoffed at them, “Did you not hear me? Come and swear fealty, or cripple your cores and get out of my sight!”

Seeing their lack of response, Liu Qing ordered his men to attack.

The first wave, over thirty strong, led by a Soul Gathering Realm cultivator, quickly advanced. Their formation suggested they’d once belonged to a small faction before Liu Qing forced them into his ranks.

Chu Jie charged into their midst, attacking before they could react. His Great Sun Heaven Flame Fist battered them mercilessly—an orb of sunlight circled him, each strike felling an enemy.

Duan Kun moved swiftly as well, relying solely on the power of his body, his fists smashing through the opposition.

Within moments, over half of the thirty had fallen.

“Useless rabble! What’s the point of you? All of you, attack—kill those two!” Liu Qing was furious; his painstakingly recruited men proved worthless, so he ordered everyone forward.

Now, more than eighty surrounded Chu Jie and Duan Kun, but neither showed fear. Their combat prowess was overwhelming. Chu Jie hadn’t yet used the Nine Sun Splitting Sky Claw—a single-target move—since he was beset by a horde. Had his constitution been weaker, he might have struggled.

As for Duan Kun, he simply kept killing—one after another, no matter who came.

After a round of slaughter, only half remained; two Soul Gathering Realm cultivators had fallen.

The survivors dared not advance. They realized Chu Jie and Duan Kun hadn’t even unleashed their full power, yet were more than enough to handle them.

Liu Qing snorted and strode forward, flames flickering around him as if his body were ablaze.

Clearly, Liu Qing cultivated some fire-attribute technique; when his inner energy was fully mobilized or he was about to use a skill, he appeared as he did now.

“Would you like to take him, or shall I?” Chu Jie asked.

Duan Kun replied, “Either is fine. You go—I think your cultivation is higher; let me see your strength.”

“Two fools, daring to disrespect me! I offered you the chance to follow me—a kindness—and you slaughtered so many of my men,” Liu Qing growled. His pride was wounded, yet he found himself intrigued by the two.

But under the circumstances, he could only kill them—what a waste of potential followers.

“If none of your men can stand against us, perhaps you should hand your position over to me,” Chu Jie sneered.

Liu Qing's face darkened. He hadn’t expected such insolence. The Fifth Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm was considered expert—respected everywhere, especially in the outskirts of Blood Slaughter City.

“After I kill you both, I’ll throw your bodies to the beasts for them to devour,” Liu Qing threatened.

He drew a gourd from his robes, exquisitely carved from jade. Once revealed, a swarm of black insects poured forth.

Liu Qing was evidently fond of raising insects—and could command them in battle.

The insects flew swiftly, quickly enveloping Chu Jie.

“Soul-draining insects—they can siphon spiritual energy from a distance!” Duan Kun warned.

Chu Jie felt the insects employing unknown methods, frantically draining his inner energy. Not only were they feeding on him, but also on Duan Kun.

“Hahaha, you’ve never seen these before! I paid a great price to obtain them—now you know why I was so confident! Hahaha!” Liu Qing laughed triumphantly.

The swarm troubled Chu Jie and Duan Kun greatly; already more than half of Chu Jie's spiritual energy was gone. If they didn’t act soon, their energy would be exhausted, leaving them powerless to fight back.