Chapter 135: Chapter 127: Inner Sect Trial, Perfection of Lihen

Fang Cheng walked into Zhenyuan Hall.

The vast Black Stone Hall was empty and immense. On the front wall was a large relief sculpture depicting a Daoist using Divine Techniques to suppress countless Celestial Demons.

Beneath the sculpture, a burly, towering man sat with his back to the door.

Fang Cheng recognized the man’s identity from his back alone.

Gao Chong!

This True Disciple of a Supreme Elder was exceptionally gifted. He was a towering two zhang tall, and even sitting cross-legged on the ground, he was nearly a zhang in height.

He wore a suit of Profound Iron Armor covered in Demon Patterns that made one’s head spin just by looking at them.

Fang Cheng bowed and said softly, "Outer Disciple Fang Cheng pays his respects to Senior Brother Gao Chong."

Gao Chong did not rise. He simply turned his head to the side, revealing a rugged face, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Fang Cheng.

His eyes were filled with a mesmerizing Magic Power that made it difficult to meet his gaze.

"What business do you have with me?" Gao Chong asked coolly, clearly having some impression of Fang Cheng.

Back then in the Southern Mang Mountains, at the bottom of Nightmare Demon Valley, if Fang Cheng hadn’t been the first to break the Xiao Family’s Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoon and rescue Lu Wei, ultimately foiling the plot of the Xiao Family and Ren Yan, Gao Chong would have long since died at the hands of that Third-stage Nightmare Demon.

His only regret was that he still hadn’t found Ren Yan to tear him limb from limb and vent the hatred in his heart.

Fang Cheng replied in a low voice, "This disciple has come to apply for the Inner Sect trial."

Although True Disciples seemed to be of the same generation as Inner and Outer Disciples, their status was actually higher than that of the Outer Elders. Thus, Fang Cheng spoke with great respect.

A glint flashed in Gao Chong’s eyes. He hadn’t expected this minor Outer Disciple to make such a surprising move.

He frowned. "The Inner Sect trial is no child’s play. Your Cultivation is only at the eighth level of the Sensation Realm. How dare you come to the Earth Abyss for the trial?"

Fang Cheng bowed once more. "Though my Cultivation is not high, this disciple has been in the Outer Sect for a full three years and believes he possesses a few Divine Techniques and tricks. Therefore, I wish to give it a try."

Gao Chong sighed, unwilling to persuade him further. "The Earth Abyss has nine levels and is one of the three great forbidden grounds of our Yinluo Sect. Take this Token and go, but remember to stay within the first three levels. Do not go any deeper, or even I won’t be able to save you."

With that, he took a Token from his storage bag and tossed it to Fang Cheng.

Fang Cheng took the Token and thanked him sincerely.

Gao Chong continued, "The so-called Inner Sect trial is merely a formality. The main purpose is to assess your Cultivation, temperament, and grasp of Magic and Divine Techniques. The first three levels of the Earth Abyss are home to Tier One Demons, which are only slightly stronger than an average Outer Disciple. However, you should still be cautious. If you encounter any Tier Two Demons that occasionally wander up, crush the Token to teleport back. Do not try to be a hero."

Fang Cheng nodded, committing it all to memory.

"Stay down there for ten days, and you’ll have passed."

With that, Gao Chong waved his hand. A beam of Demonic Light struck the floor of Zhenyuan Hall, instantly activating the Teleportation Array carved into the ground.

A flash of light emanated from the array, and Fang Cheng’s figure vanished within it.

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A thousand zhang deep beneath Yinluo Island, there was a peculiar place. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Five thousand years ago, Outer Celestial Demons invaded this world. After breaking through the Boundary Membrane, they did not descend from the sky, but instead tunneled up from deep within the earth to invade the Mortal World.

At that time, the founding patriarch of the Yinluo Sect, with his immense Magical Power, joined forces with other masters to quell this Demon Tribulation.

The land invaded by the Celestial Demons was sealed by powerful means, becoming what is now the Earth Abyss.

For thousands of years, the Demonic Qi has corrupted the creatures of the deep earth, transforming them into the Demons that remain in the Earth Abyss. The Yinluo Sect uses them as resources for practicing Demon Skills.

According to legend, the first three levels of the Earth Abyss contain first-tier Demons, the middle three levels hold second-tier Demons, and the lowest three levels are home to third-tier Demons, comparable to Life Soul Realm cultivators!

The Yinluo Sect’s founding patriarch first quelled the Demon Tribulation and then established the sect in this very place. Perhaps there was a deeper meaning to his actions.

The first level of the Earth Abyss.

A hundred zhang above the ground hung a boundless layer of crimson clouds.

Within the crimson clouds, lightning flashed intermittently, accompanied by rumbling thunder that shook the heavens and the earth.

Beneath the clouds, a black gobi stretched as far as the eye could see.

Strange monoliths, low hills, and twisted, bizarre trees dotted the landscape.

All kinds of energy signatures were in chaos, and the Spiritual Qi was turbulent!

On the black gobi, a circular array appeared out of thin air. Light flickered within it, and the faint silhouette of a person began to materialize.

On the ground, some creature seemed to sense the shift in energy and silently broke through the surface, burrowing its way out.

A Demon about a zhang long, dark red all over, and resembling a giant centipede, skittered on its hundred legs, rapidly closing in on the Teleportation Array.

Even before it drew near, it radiated a ferocious and blazing demonic might.

Suddenly, a sharp beam of sword-light shot out, cutting through the air. It coiled like lightning and instantly sliced the Blood Centipede into several pieces.

The figure in the Teleportation Array also grew clearer.

It was Fang Cheng.

As he fully appeared, the Teleportation Array beneath his feet silently vanished.

He frowned slightly as he looked at the remains of the Blood Centipede, which, though sliced into several pieces, still twitched and struggled before him.

’Celestial Demons are born from the universal intent of chaos, slaughter, consumption, and madness. Demonic Qi is adept at corrupting the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Mechanism and tainting Spiritual Qi.’

’It seems the so-called Demons here are all subterranean creatures that have been corrupted by Celestial Demons.’

He waved his sleeve, sending out a beam of Li Hen Demon Light that incinerated the Blood Centipede’s remains.

Not far away, a skittering sound arose. Fang Cheng turned his head to look and saw what looked like a dark red carpet writhing across the ground.

Hundreds, even thousands, of Blood Centipedes burst from the ground and swarmed toward him.

These Blood Centipedes were roughly on par with First-stage Mid-level Demon Beasts, but their life force was incredibly tenacious. Their mandibles were savage and sharp, and they were adept at spitting Demonic Light, making them difficult for ordinary Cultivators to handle.

An Outer Disciple like Liu Shiyan would certainly have a major headache dealing with so many Blood Centipedes, and might even have to flee for his life.