The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 164 - 149 Goddess’s Worries_1

Chapter 164: Chapter 149 Goddess’s Worries_1

Fifth Realm.

In the depths of a sky as dark as a pool of ink, only creatures that have struggled to survive here year-round have clear vision.

"Pat-a-pat! Pat-pat!"

Scattered remains sparsely fall like drops of rain, tapping the ground filled with filth, which had dried up long ago.

"It’s of no use anyway..."

The Goddess of an alien tribe faced a black lake, watching the corpses of the human race fall and the water go "plop" with a sound.

She gently touched the tiny horns of the Dark Giant Python without a hint of joy but rather, expressed her sorrows and worries.

Pang Jian listened in silence, gradually piecing together some facts.

The woman with six pairs of pure white wings came from a tribe known as the Heaven Clan, which, though sparse in population, held exceedingly high prestige in the Fifth Realm.

The Goddess of the Heaven Clan held an even more honored and revered position, admired by all tribes.

Her daunting task was to gather members of all major tribes below level five and take advantage of the malfunction in the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar to swiftly send the warriors to the Upper Realm.

Since the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar’s seal was terrible, genuine powerhouses temporarily couldn’t pass through, and the various tribe warriors sent to the Upper Realm were very likely to suffer a bloody purge by the human race.

Despite knowing the dreadful fate those warriors would face, she had no choice but to comply.

Due to the continuous infiltration of Filth Alien Power, the several forces in the Upper Realm that had secretly communicated and traded with them using secret skills had completely cut ties with them.

They could no longer obtain the materials they needed through those Upper Realm forces as they used to do.

The intrusion of the Filth Alien Power clearly panicked these forces, fearing they had become the very power aiding their ascension, and apprehensive of being jointly annihilated by the various Upper Realm forces.

The result was that their resources became extremely scarce.

Whether forging the ultimate weapon to destroy the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar or crafting more vessels for ascending, they all relied on rare Spiritual Materials from the Upper Realm.

Without those materials, there was very little they could do.

They clearly saw the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar loosen, saw the glimmer of hope, yet material shortages led to great difficulties.

Forced, they had to focus their scant resources to craft a few Flying Spirit Artifacts, to send warriors below level five upward, to help them seek desperately needed materials in the Upper Realm.

Those warriors, constrained by the awe of the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar, lacked outstanding combat power.

The Alien Tribe Goddess fretted endlessly, feeling lost and dejected, and still burdened with guilt for sending warriors from all tribes to their death.

In secret.

Pang Jian listened quietly through the Dark Giant Python and, worn out, severed the connection with Rebel Kid.

After taking another Calming Pill, he sat cross-legged on the deck of Cloud Sail, eyes closed, deep in thought.

"I managed to reach the Lower Realm through the Dark Giant Python, maybe at some point in the future, I can communicate and negotiate with her."

Pang Jian thought to himself.

He had a feeling that as long as he could break through to the Hollow Profound Realm and successfully manifest his Divine Sense, he would be able to communicate with that Alien Tribe Goddess through the Dark Giant Python.

The various materials she desperately sought... perhaps he could acquire them in the Upper Realm.

With a bronze plaque in hand, he could directly reach the Fifth Realm, leave the materials she needed, and then depart smoothly with the plaque.

Sometime later, he shook his head and muttered, "Nonetheless, I must plan for the long term and minimize contact with the Lower Realm alien tribes to avoid becoming public enemy of the four great worlds once exposed."

...

That day.

"That Fragment Land..."

Gao Yuan stood at the forefront of Cloud Sail, frowning at a piece of land nearby, "That Fragment Land used to be a place where Individual Cultivators were active, why has it now been claimed by someone?"

Luo Hongyan, veiled, gracefully rose to her feet, glanced at the Fragment Land below, and said, "Raging Sun Sect has planted its flag there."

A brocade banner fluttered, within it a Fierce Sun blazing, extremely conspicuous.

"I’ll go down and inquire about the situation."

Gao Yuan steered Cloud Sail downward and landed near that Fragment Land in midair.

He flew out of Cloud Sail by himself to the spot where Raging Sun Sect’s flag was planted and sought to gather information.

A short while later.

Gao Yuan returned with a gloomy face, first steering Cloud Sail away from the Fragment Land before explaining to Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian, who had opened his eyes:

"The disaster in the Lower Realm continues. In recent times, powerful sect forces like Raging Sun Sect, Star River Alliance, Blood Moon, and Red Mountain, have been seizing the major Fragment Lands to accommodate those from the Lower Realm in the future."

Luo Hongyan furrowed her brows, "Haven’t the old ones from the Upper Realm solved the invasion of the Filth Alien Power yet?"

From what she knew, similar incidents had occurred before, but the most powerful sects and those with divine powers in the Upper Realm were usually quickly able to resolve them.

This situation, where Fragment Lands under the domain of the Ouyang and Shangguan Families not only failed to be contained but continued to spread, seemed to have not occurred in a very long time.

"The Fragment Lands governed by the He and Ning Families have also started to suffer from contamination and are likely to be overwhelmed by the Filth Alien Power soon," Gao Yuan sighed, "The Xuan You and Qian Tian Continents are tightly occupied by several large sects. The cultivators of those powerful sect forces, their family members, and those dependent on them, all live on the two best continents."

"Their offspring and families, and the cities and clans loyal to them, naturally refuse to accept the seven great families from the Lower Realm."

"Helpless, they could only overtake the many drifting Fragment Lands and use them to settle people migrating from the Lower Realm."

"Furthermore, many Fragment Lands are occupied by powerful Individual Cultivators like Cao and Individual Cultivator Cloud Ascetics, which they also cannot seize without good reason. Hence, the Fragment Lands where weaker Individual Cultivators live and gather have become their primary targets for seizure."

Gao Yuan heaved a sigh of lament.

For Individual Cultivators like him and Yuan Fei with no backing, their space for activity was becoming increasingly limited.

The incoming people from the four great families in the Fourth Realm seized their space, making the places where they could stand grow ever fewer.

"Oh, that’s right, Yuan Fei has spread the word about you two coming from the Upper Realm."

Gao Yuan switched topics and said to Luo Hongyan, "Upon hearing that you two siblings came from the Upper Realm, the Blood Moon... doesn’t seem to intend to stand up for Ling Yun. After all, Ling Yun isn’t a disciple of Blood Moon, and they don’t care much about his death."

"As for Zhu Yuanxi, with only the Innate Realm cultivation level, he is not important enough for Blood Moon to offend you on his behalf."

Gao Yuan briefly spoke about how the Yin Spirit Temple dealt with Dong Tianze.

He said that the Yin Spirit Temple pinned all the blame on Dong Tianze, outright denying any connection with the Dark Ghost, and insisted that Dong Tianze was the Dark Ghost Leader. They claimed they had only mistakenly taken him in as a disciple, and now they had detained him for questioning.

"Dong Tianze is just unlucky."

Luo Hongyan couldn’t help but chuckle in surprise.

If it weren’t for Pang Jian’s loud accusations, calling him the ’Ghost Leader’ at every turn, Dong Tianze wouldn’t have had to take the fall for the Yin Spirit Temple.

She glanced at Pang Jian and couldn’t help but "giggle" softly.

The thought that in two days, Pang Jian would have to start the Ghost Altar again and continue the third transaction with the "Ghost Leader" of the Dark Ghost made her feel that things were getting more and more interesting.

...

The Cloud Sail continued to soar.

As they got closer to the Fragment Land ruled by Cao, the old monster, Gao Yuan gradually encountered more Cloud Sails and familiar boatmen, learning even more news.

One piece of news caught the attention of both Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

"Qi Qingsong..."

Pang Jian was startled.

"Do you two know each other?"

Gao Yuan’s eyes showed a strange light, and then he realized, "It’s normal to know him. Qi Qingsong is from the Sword Tower in the Second Realm, and it just so happens that you two also come from the Second Realm."

After speaking, Gao Yuan slapped his thigh in admiration, "Qi Qingsong is truly extraordinary! He has now become a distinguished guest of Cao, the old monster, receiving his warm hospitality!"

"I heard that Qi Qingsong was a bright star in the Sword Tower, reaching the Marrow Cleansing Realm at the age of twelve."

"However..."

Gao Yuan’s tone shifted, "From the age of twelve to twenty, for a full ten years, the guy did not advance in his realm at all. Knowing his limit, he didn’t want to embarrass his master and voluntarily gave up his status as an Inner Sect Disciple of the Sword Tower."

"After the age of twenty, he remained in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and never achieved a breakthrough."

"He was ridiculed by his peers in the Sword Tower and the Second Realm for over a decade, and everyone thought he was destined to remain so for life."

"Who would have thought, he recently participated in a trial, and after it, he broke through using the Unity of Heaven and Man method."

"After reaching the Innate Realm, it took him only a few months to breakthrough to the Hollow Profound Realm! This Qi Qingsong, truly a late bloomer, an accumulation of potential bursting forth in a sudden revelation!"

Gao Yuan clicked his tongue in admiration.

"After coming out, he actually jumped two levels. I underestimated him."

Luo Hongyan said in surprise.

She hadn’t expected the Qi Qingsong, whom she had mocked in the City Lord Mansion and who was forced by Pang Jian to sever his own arm, to experience a major breakthrough upon his return.

Out of the blue, Pang Jian asked, "How many arms does he have?"

Gao Yuan was taken aback and said as if it was a matter of course, "Of course, two arms. Why ask such a question?"

"It’s nothing."

Pang Jian shook his head, naturally not admitting that the Qi Qingsong he considered a late bloomer had severed an arm before saying goodbye to him.

Two days later.

Gao Yuan finally found a Fragment Land where the nature’s spiritual energy was extremely thin, making even Individual Cultivators reluctant to come.

"All the nearby Fragment Lands have been seized by the various Sects. This is the only place where one can comfortably stay for the time being."

Gao Yuan appeared somewhat helpless, afraid of being blamed by Pang Jian and hastily suggested, "Or should we hurry on our way to the territory of Cao, the old monster?"

As Cao, the old monster, was personally powerful, the various Sects did not dare to provoke him, and the few Fragment Lands under his territory would surely not be forcibly taken over by others.

"There’s no need, this place is quite nice."

Pang Jian nodded, then left the Cloud Sail hovering in the sky with Luo Hongyan, landing on the desolate ground below, barren of vegetation, without mountains, rivers, lakes, or any valuable ores.

He casually dug out an underground cave, set up the Ghost Altar inside, left Luo Hongyan to stand guard at the entrance, and then activated the Communication Array.

Luo Hongyan, wearing a veil and smiling, stood at the entrance and looked at the Ghost Altar, "Do you really think he’ll bother with you?"

"In Bagua City, he used Ghost Howling to arrange the Black Gold Blade Sea and also injured me badly, forcing me into the Darkness. I did not hold it against him. Why wouldn’t he bother with me?"

Pang Jian said with a calm expression.

"You caused him to be blamed, and everyone knows he is the Dark Ghost Leader. The Yin Spirit Temple, having no choice, even locked him up."

Luo Hongyan’s lips curved into a smirk.

"He is indeed the Dark Ghost Leader. Am I not communicating with him on those two occasions?"

Pang Jian snorted.

Just then.

"Swoosh!"

Dong Tianze’s figure suddenly appeared on the Ghost Altar.

...