Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Grand Convergence

Perhaps the black giant ape had truly been frightened off, for even after Chu Jie and his companions descended from the high ground, its shadow was nowhere to be seen.

“All right, is everyone ready? We’re heading to the ninth terrace,” Du Xuan announced.

“I’m ready, fully recovered,” one martial artist replied, rising to his feet.

“Captain, I’m good to go,” another martial artist echoed, also standing up—his strength had clearly returned.

…

As for Chu Jie, he had long since replenished his spiritual power. Now, he and Duan Kun stood at the edge of the group.

“Should we keep moving with them?” Duan Kun asked.

He posed the question because, despite having fought alongside this group, he and Chu Jie had always found Zhou Jie, one of its members, particularly disagreeable. At a critical moment, Zhou Jie might well turn on them. Duan Kun was reluctant to remain with the group any longer.

“It’s time for us to leave,” Chu Jie replied. “Let’s hurry ahead to the ninth terrace and see what awaits us there. If we keep following this group, trouble is bound to find us.”

Chu Jie, too, was wary that the group might turn against them, since the ninth terrace was the final one and would certainly draw a large crowd. If their team tried to ambush them for their treasures, it wouldn’t be surprising.

By now, the rare artifact—the Celestial Wheel—must have already attracted greedy eyes.

Chu Jie turned to Du Xuan. “I have something to attend to. Duan Kun and I will go on ahead.”

Du Xuan responded, “We’ve wronged you during your time with this team, but I hope you’ll reconsider. Staying together gives us all a better chance at survival.”

“The situation has changed now,” Chu Jie said. “Even if there are still stray beast tides, their threat is minimal. It’s the perfect time for us to go.” He was eager to leave immediately.

Du Xuan sighed, regretful. Chu Jie was a formidable ally; with him, the team’s safety was all but assured. Yet, he understood that the team was of little use to Chu Jie now.

“Very well, you may go,” Du Xuan said, his tone heavy with disappointment.

At that moment, Zhou Jie approached and sneered, “Good riddance. I hope we never cross paths again.”

Chu Jie responded with a cold smile. Once inside the ninth terrace, he would seize the opportunity to eradicate Zhou Jie—such precious treasures were wasted in his hands. They belonged with someone more deserving.

“Let’s go,” Chu Jie said, and with that, he and Duan Kun left the group.

Though the depths of the Abyss of Gods and Demons still occasionally emitted dazzling rays of light, the beast tide had completely vanished. The two advanced together, encountering no further hordes of beasts. Instead, they saw more and more people.

Small groups of martial artists appeared within the eighth terrace, all heading toward the mouth of the abyss.

“Chu Jie, do you think they’re all here for the treasures?” Duan Kun asked, somewhat bewildered. In just a short span, they’d seen at least a hundred people heading toward the ninth terrace.

“So many… It really is unexpected,” Chu Jie murmured, equally astonished by the sheer numbers.

They pressed on, heads down, wisely avoiding conflict—now was not the time for skirmishes.

Back in Du Xuan’s group, a heavy silence lingered after Chu Jie and Duan Kun’s departure.

Zhou Jie seemed pleased, but the others were anything but. Chu Jie’s exit had cost them a powerful asset, greatly diminishing the group’s strength.

“Captain, something just occurred to me,” a tall, thin martial artist suddenly spoke up.

Du Xuan’s heart skipped a beat. “What is it?”

“Do you recall the information we received about two peerless fiends?” the man asked.

A chill crawled up Du Xuan’s spine. Chu Jie and Duan Kun matched the descriptions of those infamous murderers. If they truly were the very fiends the rumors spoke of, it would explain their overwhelming strength.

A wave of dread swept over Du Xuan. The stories claimed those two killed without hesitation, slaughtering all in their path. Yet, their recent behavior suggested something more complex.

When the thin martial artist voiced his suspicion, the entire group froze; an uneasy atmosphere spread among them.

“Why didn’t you mention this sooner?” Du Xuan demanded, glaring at him.

“I wanted to, but at the time they were in our midst. If they’d decided to start killing, who could have stopped them?”

Upon reflection, everyone saw the sense in this.

Only Zhou Jie remained silent, his thoughts inscrutable.

…

Meanwhile, Chu Jie and Duan Kun searched for the entrance to the ninth terrace. After reaching the eighth terrace, the terrain had become confusing and labyrinthine, with only occasional sightings of lone beasts—large packs were nowhere to be found.

After wandering for some time, they still couldn’t locate the entrance. The place felt like a maze. In the end, they could do nothing but trail others, believing that following the crowd was the only sure way to reach the ninth terrace.

They ended up following a small group of four martial artists, all seemingly at the fourth stage of the Spirit Gathering Realm. Oddly, these four seemed to have noticed Chu Jie and Duan Kun and grew visibly nervous, constantly glancing around as they walked.

Chu Jie and Duan Kun exchanged helpless looks. Still, this small group was ideal—they were unlikely to provoke a fight and could be more easily managed if necessary.

Of course, Chu Jie kept his distance, not wanting to get entangled. The group was as skittish as startled birds; he suspected that if he got too close, they might immediately attack out of fear, forcing him and Duan Kun to wipe them out.

The whole situation was a nuisance, so he simply followed at a distance.

“No wonder the path before was so confusing—it makes sense now,” Chu Jie realized as he and Duan Kun trailed the group. The eighth terrace was indeed tricky to navigate. In hindsight, they should have stuck with Du Xuan’s team until they reached the ninth terrace.

As they followed the small group, more and more people appeared, all heading in the same direction.

No one knew exactly how many had come to the Abyss of Gods and Demons, but it was clear that a great many forces had sent their people.

Now, the abyss had become the focus of everyone’s attention, each person hoping to find some rare treasure. The mass migration toward a single goal was enough to stir the blood.

From the very bottom of the abyss, pillars of dazzling radiance shot upward, swirling into a vortex above, casting an ever-changing spectacle across the sky. The transformations within the abyss grew more astonishing by the moment, and everyone waited with bated breath, hoping for even greater wonders—ideally, the emergence of a peerless treasure to reward their efforts.

Though the beast tide no longer appeared on the eighth terrace, smaller bands of monsters still roamed. Yet to Chu Jie, they posed little threat. He and Duan Kun dispatched any that attacked with ease, slaying dozens along the way.

The four martial artists ahead became increasingly terrified, viewing Chu Jie as a calamity incarnate. They could not sit still or think straight.

Chu Jie wished he could reassure them of his peaceful intentions, but they clearly believed otherwise. Not only were Chu Jie and Duan Kun more powerful, but their unique characteristics matched the rumors of the two peerless fiends—a fact that struck terror into their hearts.

So, with Chu Jie and Duan Kun trailing them at a measured pace, they were nearly driven to collapse. No matter how fast they went, Chu Jie and Duan Kun matched their speed.

Chu Jie could only sigh. All he wanted was to follow them to the entrance and then part ways, yet they were so fearful.

Along the way, they encountered several other groups. Chu Jie noticed that some had even less cultivation than Du Xuan’s team—how had these people made it through the seventh terrace? Had the beast tide there also ceased?

In any case, the rising numbers confirmed that the path had become easier; otherwise, so many would never have made it.

What puzzled Chu Jie even more was the absence of the peerless fiends. Previously, news of their murderous rampages had been frequent, as if their very existence was devoted to slaughter. But since their last sighting, there had been no further reports or traces of carnage.

This was strange indeed. Chu Jie even wondered if something had happened to them.

In any case, more and more people were reaching the ninth terrace. This had its pros and cons: with greater numbers, any sudden danger could be met with collective force. But if a rare treasure emerged, chaos would surely ensue—a terrifying scramble for supremacy.

At last, Chu Jie and Duan Kun followed their small group to the entrance of the ninth terrace. The passage was narrow, barely wide enough for ten people side by side, and martial artists were streaming through at intervals.

Excitement surged within Chu Jie. After so long, he had finally arrived.

The four ahead seemed relieved of a heavy burden, passing quickly through. As Chu Jie and Duan Kun came to the entrance, a team of six or seven approached, all of them exuding considerable strength.