The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 142 - 127: The Sun Suspends in the Sky_1

Chapter 142: Chapter 127: The Sun Suspends in the Sky_1

Before dawn.

Pang Jian led Zhao Ling and the others out of the underground cavern and opened another rock cave next to the sparsely ordinary hill.

"For now, let’s just do this."

Standing in the small cave, Pang Jian said, "Don’t go out during the day. If you want to continue expanding the cave, try to do it at night and keep the noise to a minimum."

Pointing to the ceiling, he explained, "There are Fire Cloud Ships from the Raging Sun Sect anchored in the high skies."

"Can you really keep us alive?"

Zhao Ling was still half-doubtful.

"Hmm, the moment the Filth Alien Power starts to contaminate, I’ll be the first to know."

Pang Jian was calm and indifferent, speaking lightly, "When that time comes, I will come here to find you."

"Don’t worry, I have a way to keep you from being contaminated by the Filth Alien Power. When all sides lose interest in Sky Fortune Fragment Land and have all left this place, I will then take you out."

After speaking, he stepped out of the crowded small cave.

After he left, the Dark Ghosts used broken rocks to block the cave entrance.

Bai Wei, plump in figure, looked dazedly at the cave entrance from which Pang Jian had left and said, "Do you think he can really keep us alive?"

"Besides trusting him, we have no other choice."

Zhao Ling leaned against the uneven rock wall, took out some water to drink, and whispered, "The Ghost Leader has abandoned us, and the strong one from the Yin Spirit Temple, they have nothing to do with the Dark Ghosts. I’ve already despaired and was preparing to welcome death’s arrival... Then he suddenly came to us..."

Her dimly lit pupils gradually shone with light as she exclaimed, "I believe in him!"

Wu Yi furrowed his brows, "I heard that some big shots from the Upper Realm can enter the Fifth Realm and survive. Is there a possibility... that Hong Jian... might be related to the Upper Realm?"

"This Upper Realm, does not include the Third Realm."

Meng Qiulan interjected with a deep voice, her face full of wrinkles filled with worry, "Only the big shots from the Second Realm and the First Realm dare to venture into the Fifth Realm."

"Even those people would be extremely cautious when entering the Fifth Realm. They too need to constantly defend against the contamination of the Power of Filth, and their fighting strength will significantly diminish."

"Such big shots, we have no chance to come into contact with, so stop daydreaming."

...

Sky Fortune City.

Three slow-moving Cloud Sails rose gradually from the southern, northern, and western districts of the city.

People dressed in the uniforms of the Star River Alliance were active in different city districts, placing their unique "Star Eyes" at street corners and alleyways.

The "Star Eyes," made from Star Stones, were scattered in the city’s streets, allowing Huang Ying to see the city’s conditions through them.

On one of the Cloud Sails.

Dong Yao, Shangguan Dong, Ouyang Quan, along with He Hui and Su Hongfei, chatted idly while observing the scene below in Sky Fortune City.

In a corner of the Cloud Sail, cages that once held ferocious beasts now contained disheveled people like Yang Yuansen.

"Besides ordinary citizens, how cultivators like us would react in a land contaminated by Filth Alien Power is actually of more concern to those above," said Shangguan Dong, who was the City Lord of Sky Fortune City.

The current Sky Fortune City saw some civilians moving around, as well as Individual Cultivators who did not submit to the rule of the Shangguan Family.

——They were destined to be contaminated by the Power of Filth.

Su Hongfei looked at Dong Yao and asked, "Why do this?"

Dong Yao explained, "The Upper Realm wants to understand the nature of the sources of Filth through the people below."

"It is said that in the Fifth Realm, the Filth Alien Power in different regions contains different substances of Filth. The Upper Realm wants to find out how many types of Filth sources are present in this spread of Filth Alien Power and to understand the strength of the sources of Filth."

"Later, they will definitely arrange for people to come to the Fourth Realm, to enter the areas contaminated by the Filth Alien Power for inspection."

"The changes in body and spirit of those people stuck in the Filth Lands below can provide them with a reference. They may be able to determine the strength of the Filth Alien Power and the types of Filth sources based on that."

"This way, they can tailor their arrangements accordingly and avoid any major mishaps."

"..."

Dong Yao explained the intentions of the Upper Realm.

Yang Yuansen, after being tortured and abused, listened to their conversation and only now understood why they were still alive.

"If I had known earlier, I would have joined Zhao Ling and Meng Qiulan in killing more of Blood Moon’s people!" said Yang Yuansen, his bald head covered in bloodied cuts, glaring at the speakers, "I joined the Dark Ghosts back in the day just because I disliked you big families. You’re nothing but a bunch of kept dogs! Star River Alliance, Blood Moon, Raging Sun Sect... You do whatever these Upper Realm sects tell you to do!"

"Pfft!"

He Hui from the He family casually thrust his sword into the cage at Yang Yuansen.

As the blade was withdrawn, Yang Yuansen’s waist and abdomen gained another bloody hole.

Yang Yuansen bit down in pain but did not beg for mercy, instead baring a grim smile, "I hope this Power of Filth engulfs the whole Fourth Realm. I’d like to see where you lapdogs can run off to then!"

He Hui sneered, "We can go to the Third Realm."

"Haha! You can only strut around in the Fourth Realm. If you really go to the Third Realm, your lives might not even compare to dogs!" Knowing he was bound to be thrown down, Yang Yuansen scoffed without caring, "The areas of the Third Realm with pure Spiritual Energy have long been occupied by the local families, where would you find space for yourselves?"

"Make him shut up."

Annoyed, Dong Yao grunted, "A mute falling into the Filth-contaminated Sky Fortune City doesn’t hinder the Star River Alliance from examining his physical and mental conditions through the Star Eyes."

He Hui, getting the hint, stabbed a couple more times, silencing Yang Yuansen’s voice for good.

"If the Fourth Realm is truly completely contaminated, our future..."

Gazing at the dull skies, Dong Yao also felt worried, unsure of what future awaited their seven great families.

...

By the Blood Pool.

Inside the box.

Pang Jian, having lain down again, saw that the top of the box no longer displayed a bright moon or the small shattered stars.

It was a sun!

A great sun hung in the sky, casting down its fierce brilliance, warming him all over.

"Outside, it is now daytime. Inside the box, the day is symbolized by the sun, and night by the moon and stars!"

Pang Jian had an epiphany.

The vision at the top of the box was not forever unchanging; rather, it transformed with the alternation of day and night!

"Is this the sun? The legendary sun..."

As he lay in the box, Pang Jian, who had only seen the sun in some ancient scrolls, was astonished.

At that moment, he felt as though he was in the place closest to heaven, genuinely sensing the warmth and light of the sun.

Initially, with the divine power borrowed from Sun Bin and the slight resonance he had with him, Pang Jian had been fortunate enough to witness the moon and the starry sky.

Just as he had previously seen while inside the box.

Today.

He finally came face to face with the legendary sun and bathed in its glorious light, which excited him.

So, he did not hurry to cultivate or enter the "Pot Heaven Nourishing Qi Spell" Spirit Condensation state, but instead, he gazed at the sun in a trance.

Time passed without knowing how long.

"Plop!"

The lid of the box was lifted open by Luo Hongyan from outside.

The spectacle of the great sun hanging in the sky, being bathed in warm sunlight, also vanished in an instant.

Seeing that he was still gaping in awe, Luo Hongyan let out a soft chuckle and said in a gently expectant tone, "Counting the days, it’s also time for you to reopen the Ghost Altar and trade with Dong Tianze once more."

"Mm."

Only then did Pang Jian step out of the box.

He immediately noticed that the light released from the box had become more dazzling, brightening the cave even more.

It seemed that because he had entered the box during the day, and because he had seen that great sun, the sunlight had flowed into the box.

The box had absorbed the sunlight, which was why its brilliance appeared even more radiant and extraordinary.

"I will adjust your appearance."

Luo Hongyan floated over.

With her jade-like delicate hand holding a brush, coated with some dye of unknown origin, she approached to paint on Pang Jian’s features.

With his eyes shut, Pang Jian was still marveling at the box’s wonders.

"You’re quite handsome, it’s just that your contours are a bit too harsh, making you look cold..."

Hovering in mid-air, Luo Hongyan, with her mystical dye, applied it to Pang Jian’s cheekbone and said with a smirk, "Turning you ugly, I really feel a bit reluctant to do it."

After a while.

With her flesh and blood hand, she gently pinched Pang Jian’s cheek and said contentedly, "Off you go."

Pang Jian, having opened his eyes, felt that her final pinch was superfluous.

Pang Jian felt something odd inside but didn’t say much; he immediately entered the rock cave he had chiseled himself.

After sealing the cave entrance, he took out the materials to rebuild the Ghost Altar and started to place small brocaded flags one by one.

Shortly after.

The pretentious Dong Tianze quietly appeared in the center of the Ghost Altar and deliberately spoke in a hoarse voice, "I didn’t expect you to be still alive."

He, too, had learned through Yin Spirit Temple about the news led by the Raging Sun Sect and assisted by the major families to incinerate Cloud Marsh with flames.

Previously, he had been worried that the Spiritual Materials he had prepared might have to be sold at a low price.

Unexpectedly, the trade could still proceed as scheduled.

"This is what I’ve prepared."

Pang Jian displayed more pieces of Spirit Jade, Spirit Stones, and several uniquely shaped artifacts, placing them one by one into the grids in front of him.

This time, the items used for the trade were not his own hoard but had been scavenged by Luo Hongyan from those Spirit Evils.

Pang Jian did not know the actual value of the items, but he knew that Luo Hongyan had her own calculations and should be able to satisfy Dong Tianze.

Indeed.

"Mm."

Dong Tianze gave a few glances and then nodded slightly, setting out his recently purchased Spiritual Materials and said, "There are several kinds of Spiritual Materials here, involving the refinement of the soul, they are... unique to the Yin Spirit Temple."

Intending to say "ours," Dong Tianze corrected himself in time.

"You are of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and there is still a long way to go before reaching the Innate Realm. Why are you in a hurry to purchase Soul Nurturing Materials for the Hollow Profound and Spirit Condensation Realm Great Cultivators?" Dong Tianze asked with curiosity.

"Sooner or later, I will step into these two realms, so buying in advance is being prepared without alarm," Pang Jian responded with his head down.

"Sooner or later..."

With a chilling gaze, Dong Tianze scrutinized the new Hall Master who always kept him in awe and dared not lift his head to look at him, and said coldly, "The Power of Filth is about to infect the Sky Fortune Fragment Land, I hope in the days to come, I will still receive your messages from the Ghost Altar."

Then he disappeared.

...