The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 358 - 337

Chapter 358: 337

In the depths of the endless Mysterious Fog.

A massive piece of Flame Fragment Land streaked through the void like a meteor.

It had a predetermined direction and goal, never pausing for a moment as if it would never lose its way.

Behind the fragment, a hundred miles away.

A Golden Bee Insect trailed far behind it, like a bolt of golden lightning.

When the connection between the insect and its master was about to break, a new bee insect would fly by, serving as a bridge for communication.

One after another, these bee insects, like lighthouses, were laid in the Mysterious Fog, capable of sensing and communicating with each other.

And for this reason, the sensory limit of the bee insects was extended, allowing them to follow that piece of Flame Fragment Land heading towards Purgatory.

After an unknown amount of time.

"Swoosh!"

Escaping the Mysterious Fog, the bee insect watched the meteor-like Flame Fragment Land dragging a brilliant trail of fire, plunging from the Second Realm of Purgatory straight down to the Third Realm.

The meteor continued to fall until it vanished into the Fourth Realm, shrouded in Filth Alien Power.

Only at this moment did the bee insect return to the Mysterious Fog, resuming its role as a guiding lighthouse.

Years passed silently, time flowed on.

The dutiful Golden Bee Insect, hidden in the fog next to the Second Realm of Purgatory, silently awaited its master’s command.

Time went by.

"Whoosh!"

A White Crane, stirring up lightning, also crossed the vast Misty Sea, finding its way home from somewhere.

"Purgatory!"

"I’ve finally made it back!"

As it emerged from the Mysterious Fog, the White Crane flapped its wings and ascended, heading directly for the First Realm.

Following the White Crane, the Golden Bee Insect that left the Mysterious Fog once again, looked at the empty sky devoid of anyone, and after lingering for a while, returned to the deep Mysterious Fog.

The entrance to the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land would occasionally see world-shocking powerhouses sweeping over, but they revered the heavenly laws within the Mysterious Fog too much to dare explore it deeply.

Those who were not above the Spirit Condensation Realm, when passing by this area, all wore faces of fright.

From the news they brought, the genius of the Desolated Terrains, Fu Wangchen, the Demon Sect’s Wu Yuan, Black Valley’s Lu Lingchan, Sky Water Swamp’s Jiang Chao, and Pang Jian, the direct disciple of Pu Zhaotian...

All had perished deep within the Forbidden Land.

...

Second Realm, Sword Tower.

"Confirm, all perished in the Forbidden Land?"

Pu Zhaotian’s expression was somber.

In the hall, Yao Junhong, the master of Qi Qingsong, Guanghe, the benefactor of Zhuang Yuyan, and several other Elders stationed by different stone pillars, bore equally grave expressions.

"A Divine Crane from Pure Land, the only creature from Purgatory that left the Forbidden Land,"

Yao Junhong sighed, then said, "Recently, a ball of flame carrying a piece of land fell from the depths of the Mysterious Fog to the Fourth Realm, then straight to the Fifth Realm."

"What secret the intense flame hides, nobody knows, but it went to the Fifth Realm."

"Shortly after its landing, the Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm seemed to suddenly have a backbone, continuously having powerhouses breaking through the seal of the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar."

Yao Junhong’s expression grew uglier as he continued, "The higher-ups said that all the Heavenly Tribulation Pillars have had problems recently, and they may no longer be able to contain the mighty Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm."

Guanghe coldly said, "Are we going to start facing the Alien Tribes risking everything to ascend again?"

"Hmm, once the Heavenly Tribulation Pillars lose their deterrent power, level seven, eight, and nine Alien Tribe powerhouses will start stepping up from the Fifth Realm," Pu Zhaotian frowned, "The problem likely originates from that piece of land wrapped in flames. But under the current circumstances, it’s difficult to delve into the Fifth Realm for investigation."

"Alas."

He sighed heavily and slowly said, "I regret it for myself, for that successor I chose for Sword Tower, who also died in the Forbidden Land. Otherwise, once I took him to a certain level, I’d be preparing for my True God ascension."

The Elders looked surprised.

In that moment, everyone realized how much hope he had placed on that yet unseen direct disciple.

"The Sword Dao that I cultivate, the Great Tao, is too extreme and intense. The path of Divine Enthronement is treacherous and rugged. Successful, Sword Tower can return to the First Realm, and I will become one of the top five ranked True Gods."

"But there’s also a great chance of failure. I’m not fully confident, so..."

Pu Zhaotian, aware of the looming crisis in Purgatory, seemed weighed down with worries, "Let’s wait and see how it goes for now. If the situation becomes so dire that I must undergo Divine Enthronement, I’ll make that final move."

"Tower Master, what about your other two disciples and the younger generation within the tower? Can’t they take your place?" inquired Wang Ce.

Pu Zhaotian shook his head, "Everyone is still a bit lacking."

"Was Pang Jian truly so gifted?"

The Elders gasped.

Pu Zhaotian said, "His path of Great Tao is even more mysterious, and only an unconventional path of Different Kinds can inherit my mantle and lead Sword Tower to a new height."

...

Time flew swiftly, years passed quickly.

In the void, devoid of sun, moon, and stars to mark time, the passage of time could only be measured by special instruments.

Months later, Ice-thunder Forbidden Land.

"Boom!"

Atop the glacier where Pang Jian was, the rock and ice suddenly exploded.

Astonished gazes shot towards him from the nearby mountains, from the hillocks of the pits, from the broken cities.

"Master!"

"Pang Jian!"

Those who had been waiting arduously for such a long time shouted.

Everyone’s patience was almost worn thin – Pang Jian still hid in the cave, never appearing, tormenting them endlessly.

But the commotion at the mountain peak gave everyone a sudden jolt of spirit, feeling at last that a breakthrough was about to come.

In an instant.

A towering figure, as if cast from gold, radiating bright golden light, rose from the summit of the glacier.

He stood nearly a hundred feet tall, emitting a vast divine might, like the soul projection of an Alien God from an outer realm.

Yet he was unmistakably in the shape and likeness of Pang Jian.

"Spirit Condensation?"

"Pang Jian has forged a Spiritual Soul!"

"How can his Spiritual Soul escape from the fleshly body as soon as it’s condensed?"

Qi Qingsong and the others cried out in shock, unable to accurately assess Pang Jian’s condition.

Because there is a fundamental difference between the Spirit Condensation Realm and the Soul Wandering Realm.

All human race cultivators, when initially refining their Spiritual Souls, are extremely fragile, unable to withstand the wind and the sun.

In the Spirit Condensation Realm, the entire realm requires bit by bit tempering of the Spiritual Soul to prepare for its journey outside the body.

Yet Pang Jian’s Spiritual Soul, from the moment it was forged, grandiosely detached from his True Body, imparting a sense of solidity as mystical as gold.

This was completely different from everyone’s understanding of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

"My lord!"

Ice Surplus, Ice Mirror, and other Ice Tribe elders, riding flying birds, arrived beside Pang Jian from another mountain peak.

They immediately saw that Pang Jian’s True Body had just stepped out from the cold ice cave below.

"Hmm."

Pang Jian responded indifferently, then tapped the center of his forehead.

"Whoosh!"

His golden Spiritual Soul suddenly re-entered.

Glancing at Elder Ice Mirror, Pang Jian said directly, "If you do not wish to go to Purgatory, you may take advantage of a warship, taking with you those who are willing to follow you on a distant journey."

"My lord, I..."

Ice Mirror wanted to explain.

Pang Jian waved his hand impatiently, and the nine towering glaciers in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God exerted a mighty force all at once.

Elder Ice Mirror, whose bloodline had also advanced to level seven, had his body frozen by an Alien Power and was directly transported onto a warship of the Alien Tribes above a glacier.

"Gather, the people of the Ice Tribe you can gather."

"If you few are willing to go with him to another world, seeking a way out for the Ice Tribe, you may as well go."

"Only those who remain on this Fragment Land and are willing to accompany me to Purgatory will I protect in the future."

Pang Jian made his stance clear.

Apart from Ice Mirror, the other five Ice Tribe elders dumbfoundedly looked at Pang Jian, as if he had become a different person.

"I am willing to follow you."

"I am willing to accompany you to Purgatory."

All five elders made their stance known in succession.

"Good."

Pang Jian nodded slightly.

"Whoo!"

The enormous "Heart of Winter" flew out from his Spiritual Sea and resettled on the Altar of Praying to God in the Frozen Land.

At the next moment.

"Boom!"

The unified Ice-thunder Fragment Land, deep below the ground, suddenly vibrated, and this vibration generated a propelling force, starting to shift the Ice-thunder Fragment Land from this void very slowly at first, then increasingly faster.

"Hoo!"

Zhao Yuanqi arrived riding her gourd.

Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen, Zhuang Yuyan, one after another, landed beside Pang Jian, all looking at him with astonishment and uncertainty.

In their eyes, Pang Jian, having refined his Spiritual Soul, seemed to have undergone some changes.

"Are you alright?" Zhou Qingchen said with concern.

"I’m fine."

Pang Jian tried to calm his mind.

Waving his hand, he first signaled the elders of the Ice Tribe to leave, then said, "The reappearance of Luo Hongyan, His identity that I can’t fathom or see through, makes me..."

"Have a drink."

Zhou Qingchen threw over a flask of wine.

He didn’t talk about Pang Jian’s extraordinary Spiritual Soul, nor did he ask about Pang Jian’s next plans, but simply asked, "What do you really think about Him yourself?"

"It feels like He is suddenly infinitely far from me. So far that I must look up, and I dislike this feeling..."

Pang Jian took a big gulp of wine, looking dazed, "I don’t know what He wants to do, but I feel that what He intends to do will be bad for Purgatory World. The whole Purgatory might be turned upside down by Him, and I’m not sure how to deal with Him next."

Zhuang Yuyan, Zhao Yuanqi, and Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect also landed at various spots on the mountain peak.

They too were surprised to see Pang Jian at this moment.

In their impressions, Pang Jian was cold and rarely confided in others, nor did he talk much about himself.

But now, for the first time, Pang Jian spoke vaguely of a... member of the opposite sex.

However, when they thought of that all-pervading divine might stretching across heaven and earth.

Some sought wine from Zhou Qingchen, others took out their flasks to drink on their own, and all of them were sighing and lamenting.

They felt a deep pessimism for themselves as well as for the future of Purgatory.

"Has our human race really run out of options?"

Zhao Yuanqi sighed softly, lowering her head and saying, "The Alien God with thorns on its back, before leaving the Ice-thunder Fragment Land, spoke words we also heard."

"The present-day God Sealers, upon stepping out of Purgatory World, begin to suffer the siege of the gods from the Outer Realm."

"Even earlier True Gods could only wander through the vast Star River, still being hunted by many gods."

"Below us, those Alien Tribes who worship Them are pressing forward, taking advantage of the rising Filth Alien Power, bit by bit eroding our territory."

"What is the destiny of our human race?"

Below were oppressors, and beyond the firmament, gods lay in wait to kill.

Those who learned some truths from Yang Luo and witnessed the terror of Luo Hongyan felt that the extinction of the human race was imminent.

All this time, they had taken pride in their origins, taking pride in being part of the human race.

The human race, controlling the First Realm, the Second Realm, the Third Realm, the Fourth Realm of Purgatory, suppressing all Alien Tribes who dared to rebel, were the true rulers of the Purgatory World.

They thought they were the favored children of this world and even set apart as elites in the vastness beyond.

But now...

When they realized that Purgatory was a prison and also a protective screen that prevented their annihilation, their so-called pride and arrogance suddenly seemed utterly laughable.

It turned out that the human race was just living in a very small cage, delusional about their own grandeur all along.

...