Chapter Twenty-Four: The Abyss of Gods and Demons

Chu Jie’s brows shot up, and in that instant, power erupted from his body. His feet smashed into the ground, leaving a crater, and he became a streak of light, barreling ferociously forward.

“No! No! Don’t come any closer!” the servant stammered in terror, stumbling backward.

Chu Jie’s arm shot out, a stream of light blasting forth—his Heaven and Earth Wheel spun from his hand.

With a sickening squelch, the servant’s upper body was obliterated by the wheel, flesh and bone bursting apart, blood splattering everywhere.

Duan Kun wiped the blood from his face, his expression twisted and vicious. “That was close. Just a fifth-stage Spirit Convergence, but already so deadly. Who knows what will happen when the other Luo clan elders arrive.”

Chu Jie brushed the blood from his body. “Whoever comes, we kill them.”

“Haha! Now that’s boldness! I like it!” Duan Kun coughed up blood as he laughed.

After composing themselves, the two turned and left, gathering their composure before heading back to the stronghold.

An elder of the Luo clan was dead—surely this would draw the attention of their people. Acting swiftly, Chu Jie called together a few of his men and left the stronghold in haste.

Between Chu Jie and Duan Kun, their combined forces numbered nearly five hundred, with about fifty of them above the fifth layer of the Body Tempering stage. Chu Jie gathered thirty of his strongest men and departed without delay.

Blood Butcher City’s outer district sprawled wide, encompassing lakes, mountains, and unique terrains. Among these was the Abyss of Gods and Demons, a particularly strange landmark, shrouded year-round in layers of fierce celestial winds—a forbidden ground outside the Dark City.

Rumor had it the abyss was bottomless, but within, one could find precious crystals. Occasionally, powerful cultivators would venture inside to seek these treasures.

By midday, Chu Jie stood at the edge of the Abyss of Gods and Demons. The chasm yawned infinitely below, with intricate patterns winding through the darkness, forming paths like great roads. The abyss was larger than two of the city’s black districts combined, as if a giant sword had pierced through the earth.

“Jump,” Chu Jie ordered, eyes narrowed. The Luo clan could arrive at any moment. If discovered, their entire camp would be doomed.

“Boss! It’s all celestial wind down there!” one of his men protested, grinning nervously.

Chu Jie nodded. “Of course I know it’s celestial wind—get down there. It won’t kill you.”

Seeing their hesitation, Chu Jie began kicking them, one after another, straight into the abyss.

The abyss was said to be layered like terraces—nine layers in total, reaching the very bottom. Each level was several hundred, even over a thousand meters deep. And the lower they went, the fiercer the celestial winds became. For years, no one had ever reached the deepest part of the abyss.

The first terrace was just over two hundred meters from the surface. The burly men landed in a cloud of dust. Around them, the winds howled, lashing at their clothes like blades.

They quickly cloaked themselves in spiritual energy, but still cried out in pain. Chu Jie frowned. “Stop using your spiritual power! A true warrior must rely on a strong body!”

“Boss, that’s easy for you to say! How come you’re fine?” one of the men shouted, withdrawing his energy—only to have the wind slice several fresh gashes across him.

Chu Jie replied coldly, “Hmph! Have you seen me using even a scrap of spiritual power?”

The men stared at him, astonished. They realized that Chu Jie was surrounded by a faint aura that repelled the winds entirely, without a trace of spiritual energy.

“A cultivator’s physique comes first! With a strong body, true power will follow!” Chu Jie’s eyes swept over the group, his voice icy. “Now move! Run!”

They exchanged glances, then resignedly set off at a run.

The celestial wind moaned and shrieked through the abyss, blades of air slashing at their arms. But these were only surface wounds, and though they grumbled, these hardened men bore it.

After more than an hour, seeing they were flagging, Chu Jie distributed some mysterious crystals. “Use these to absorb spiritual energy.”

They stared at the crystals in disbelief. “Boss, are these for real?” asked one man, Chen Long, astounded.

His surprise was understandable—such crystals were precious in the outer districts of Dark City. Even Spirit Gathering Grass was highly sought-after; crystals were an even greater luxury.

Luo Huang nodded. “That’s right. As long as you train hard, our ambitions won’t stop at the Spirit Cloud District. You must all become stronger!”

In the outer districts of the Dark City, trust was the rarest commodity. Yet Chu Jie placed his trust in these men.

After about half an hour of meditation, Chu Jie rallied them, and they set off running once more.

By midday, Chu Jie had each man add extra weight to their load. Echoing with their shouts, they ran back and forth across the abyss.

Five days passed. Each man now bore nearly a hundred jin in weight, but their bodies had been honed by the ordeal. The first layer of celestial wind no longer frightened them—at worst, it left only pale welts on their flesh.

What truly surprised Chu Jie was Xu Meng, who had arranged for a medicinal diet, using ingredients easily found in the abyss.

The thirty men trained in the most secluded corner of the abyss, undisturbed by others.

Seven more days passed, and Xu Meng’s medicinal cuisine began to take effect. Every day they ate the food, bathed in the herbal broth, and soon the scars faded from their bodies. Their skin grew as tough as bronze, ringing under a tap—clear proof of the medicine’s power.

Chu Jie couldn’t help but feel a growing curiosity toward Xu Meng.

After another five days, the men no longer feared even the fiercest winds of the first layer. Their strength had improved significantly, each experiencing some breakthrough, and their spirits were high.

Chu Jie glanced down from the mountainside, curled his lip, and with a grand gesture called out, “Let’s go down.”

This time, he didn’t need to push them. With wild yells, his men leapt into the second terrace of the Abyss of Gods and Demons.