The Endless Abyss was a nightmarish stretch of land on the Demon Race Continent. Anyone who fell in was never seen again. Wings were useless here; even Void Spirit Stage experts who fell in were never seen again!
It was rumored that those with a Spirit King Stage Cultivation could make it out, but no one had ever witnessed it firsthand. As for those who refused to believe escape was impossible, they were never seen again after putting it to the test.
It was a bizarre place, filled with a peculiar aura, and no one knew how it had formed. The continent had many such strange locations. The Human Continent had them as well; the Demon Cloud Sea, for example, was one such place.
No one knew its origins, but everyone knew it was exceptionally dangerous, so they generally kept their distance. If you slipped and fell, you were in for a world of trouble. You would never make it back out.
"The Endless Abyss! Run alongside it!" Bingxin grabbed Lin Xuan and quickly fled along the chasm’s edge. As they scrambled to escape, Jin Wei and the others followed suit.
Since they were forced to follow the curve of the abyss, their escape wasn’t as fast as a straight path. The members of the Black Dragon Race had already fanned out in an arc to encircle them, their speed no slower than Bingxin’s group.
"Trying to escape? It’s useless!"
Hei Chen sneered. They had already arranged for their forces to encircle them. The strongest Void Spirit Stage members of the Demon Race outflanked the group, blocking their path with incredible speed. They swiftly brandished their Dragon Devouring Spirits, which shrouded down upon their targets!
Even Hei Chen joined the fray. Black light flashed from his palm, and with a wave of his hand, a dark cloud surged forward at extreme speed. In an instant, it formed a wall of black clouds before them, blocking their path.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Jin Wei and the other Void Spirit Stage experts combined their attacks, frantically bombarding the black clouds. But whenever they managed to blast an opening, it would seal itself shut almost immediately.
The black cloud wouldn’t have been so terrifying on its own, but with so many Void Spirit Stage experts working in tandem, the effect was on another level. It was proof of the terrifying power of teamwork. Individually, they were no match for Jin Wei’s group, but their combined strength was a different story entirely.
’It’s going to be hard to break through this...’ Jin Wei watched as the black clouds closed in, leaving them with almost nowhere to run. Even the ability to fly was useless now. The entire sky was shrouded—how could they possibly fly away?
This time, the Elders from the Phoenix Race had been intercepted, so they couldn’t come to help. As more and more enemy forces joined the battle, Jin Wei’s group seemed terribly fragile.
’Is this really the end?’ Bingxin’s face was pale. The back-to-back battles had taken a toll on her, and now, facing this assault, she felt utterly powerless.
"None of you will escape! I’ll turn you all into my Blood Slaves! Your Essence Blood is far too precious, heh heh!" Hei Chen cackled maniacally. This time, they had finally succeeded; Lin Xuan’s group hadn’t gotten away.
"In a moment, I’ll unleash my power one more time. I’ll burn my Essence Blood for one final burst. When I temporarily Charm them, you all need to break out!" The Fox King bit her lip, her face deathly pale. This wasn’t the first time she had resorted to burning her Essence Blood.
She had already done it two or three times during their escape. If she did it again, she would likely collapse and die right here.
"Fox King, you can’t! If you keep this up, you’ll die!" Jin Wei urged, trying to stop her.
"If I don’t, none of us will escape!" The Fox King’s face was filled with grim resolve. She had long been prepared to sacrifice herself. She didn’t fear death; she was only worried about the Demon Fox Race and, even more so, her own daughter.
But now, with the protection of the Golden Dragon Race and the Ice and Snow Tower, she could choose to sacrifice herself!
Sheltered within the group, Lin Xuan’s expression was grim. He clenched his fists so tightly that they bled. ’This isn’t my fault. Even if I hadn’t obtained the Heart of the Fire Phoenix, they would still be doomed. The Black Dragon Race was already prepared to wipe them all out in one fell swoop; they never planned on letting anyone escape!’
What he hated now was his own powerlessness. ’If Bingxin had been the one to obtain the Heart of the Fire Phoenix, things might be completely different. Her cultivation is higher. If she had the Heart of the Fire Phoenix, her combat power would be even greater, and she could have been of much more help.’
At his current level, he could only last a few rounds against a Core Formation Stage opponent; he was useless against anyone stronger. Among all these experts, he was still just a burden—though, of course, none of them actually thought of him that way.
But seeing that he couldn’t help, and staring at his enemies, he truly hated his own weakness. He still needed to give the Essence Blood to his father. ’If I can’t escape, my father will never wake up.’
’This Endless Abyss...’
Lin Xuan noticed that the black clouds couldn’t cover the Endless Abyss. Whenever the dark mist drifted over the massive fissure, it would vanish in the blink of an eye, proving that the chasm was filled with some unknown, terrifying power. If you fell in, you were as good as dead.
After staring blankly at the Endless Abyss for a moment, a look of resolve filled Lin Xuan’s eyes.
"Stop, all of you!" Lin Xuan suddenly roared. All the Elemental Power in his body erupted, fueling a shout that echoed across the battlefield, stunning every member of the Demon Race.
"Stop? Are you joking? Who do you think you are? You want us to stop just because you say so? You’re not qualified!" Hei Chen sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.
"If you don’t stop, I’ll jump into the Endless Abyss right now. If you want my Essence Blood then, you can come down and find me. I certainly won’t mind." Lin Xuan gave a cold smile, gently pulling his arm free from Bingxin’s grasp and walking closer and closer to the edge.
At these words, Hei Chen’s expression changed. If Lin Xuan really jumped into the Endless Abyss, he wouldn’t dare follow. Even if he managed to get the Essence Blood down there, it would be meaningless. If he couldn’t get back out, he would be dead for sure.
He would probably die the moment he jumped. How could he possibly survive?
"You... What do you think you’re doing!" Hei Chen quickly raised a hand to halt his men, his eyes fixed on Lin Xuan. He could see from Lin Xuan’s resolute expression that he wasn’t bluffing.
"It’s simple. You want my King Grade Essence Blood, don’t you? Let them go. Let them leave this place, and I’ll surrender," Lin Xuan said coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
It was a threat, a blatant one. But it was the only thing he could do now. By using himself as leverage, he could give Jin Wei and the others a chance to escape.
His reasoning was simple. The Fox King’s sacrifice might not be enough to stop their pursuers. It was a long flight to safety, and they could very well be caught again. If that happened, who knew who would be the next to make a sacrifice.
Since that was the case, he would be the one to save them all!