Trials of the Abyss-Chapter 976: Defying Fate

The River of Fate, coiled around Li Yuqing, suddenly unraveled and dissolved as if it had never existed. Its mysterious fate energy scattered into motes of light before vanishing alongside the river.

The inhabitants of the Abyss warily eyed Li Yuqing, suspecting her of aligning with Yi Hao.

But Li Yuqing's aura was faint. Her breath was like gossamer, as if drained of vitality and divine sense.

Then, she fainted.

She had been nothing more than a vessel through which Yi Hao could channel his divine technique. Once her strength was exhausted, she held no further worth.

Her slender body fell from the skies.

The Heaven-Splitting Sword let out a mournful cry when it sensed its master's peril, and sword light spiraled around her falling body.

A dazzling flare of sword light exploded outward, as sharp as frozen blades—a warning to any lurking enemies seeking to take advantage of her vulnerability.

Lin Baixiang raised his hand to quell the voices of accusation before they could start.

"It's not her fault," he said firmly. "Had this grand event not erupted, Yi Hao would have likely brought her into the Temple of Fate.

"Alas, this war reaches too far. Even Sovereigns and God Kings cannot remain aloof. Even we are no more than ants swept along in the raging flood."

Lin Baixiang sighed deeply, voice heavy with resignation.

"Just as we cannot alter the grand design, nor could she escape Yi Hao's grasp. To lay blame upon her would be unjust."

Gaze sweeping across the powerhouses from the Eastern Land and other continents of the First World, he added sharply, "Also, aren't any of you afraid that Pang Jian will demand an explanation from you if you dare to move against her?"

The crowd turned mute as cicadas in winter, cowed into silence.

Pang Jian had stood against Fu Ya and Tian Yu in the starry skies. He had also stopped many catastrophes from befalling the Abyss.

The mere thought of him was enough to make everyone lower their banners and retreat.

***

A colossal bolt of lightning shot out from that silver eye and down into the bizarre mist. It struck the sacred Thunder Pool in the Divine Court of Thunder, causing a myriad of lightning Dao Seals to dance across its surface.

The azure dragon soaring above the Divine Court of Thunder threw back its head in a sky-shaking roar as patterns swirled across its scales. A magnetic pull seized the bolts of lightning from every palace in the Divine Court of Thunder and sent them streaking madly into the azure Thunder Dragon.

"Sovereignhood," Pang Lin said grimly.

The supreme will of the starry skies had marked the Duke of Thunder as a favored being. Profound insights into the Dao of Lightning were being poured directly into him, turning the high-ranking God into a Sovereign in the blink of an eye.

Glancing up, Pang Lin caught sight of Yi Hao above. The mocking quirk at the corners of his lips marred his otherwise expressionless face.

"You seek to become a Sovereign, or even an Exalted God, through fusing the Daos of Lightning and Soul. But we will not allow that."

Yi Hao referred to both him and the supreme will of the starry skies, embodied through the silver eye that had unleashed the profound truths of the Dao of Lightning upon the Duke of Thunder.

It seemed the will of the starry skies was not willing to be upstaged by the will of the bizarre mist.

A river of light, interwoven with profound truths of the Dao of Wisdom, poured forth from that silver eye and into Bai Zi. The tranquil azure of her sea of consciousness turned murky.

Fu Ya's insights into the Dao of Wisdom stirred Bai Zi's sea of consciousness into chaos, guiding her unwittingly toward ascension. The supreme will of the starry skies was forcing Bai Zi to become a second Fu Ya.

"Black Empyrean Phoenix, we have countless methods at our disposal. You wish to ascend through fusing the Daos of Lightning and Soul? We'll make sure to shatter that ambition," Yi Hao sneered.

Brilliant starlight burst from the silver eye. In the next breath, a boundless starry region was branded upon Xing Huan's forehead. Xing Huan of the Star Race found his body trembling with surging divine aura.

"You are my kin." Yi Hao's voice resounded from within the starry region imprinted on Xing Huan's forehead. "Now I will see you ascend as a Sovereign. This is your greatest honor. Remember well, Xing Huan. You belong to the Star Race in the starry skies, not to the World Gods of the bizarre mist."

Unlike the others, Xing Huan retained his clarity of mind. There was no need for an external force to corrupt him, for he had long since held Yi Hao in reverence and regarded him as the mightiest figure ever born of the Star Race.

After obtaining a World God Pendant, he had initially intended to use it to break through the shackles of his cultivation realm and eventually become a Sovereign like the old patriarch before him.

He had long since lost that pendant, but now, Yi Hao was personally paving him a path to higher realms, offering him a chance to step directly into Sovereignhood.

Xing Huan's loyalties immediately shifted.

"Patriarch, as you say, I am of the Star Race, born of the starry skies. You have always been my pillar of faith. I will naturally follow you without question." He bowed low, showing deep respect.

Opening himself fully, he let the vast starry region on his forehead merge into his Divine Persona. Radiant starlight streamed from his body, and he soon found himself able to sense every star in the starry region, even those shrouded in bizarre mist.

Yi Hao smiled and nodded, satisfied with Xing Huan's submission. "Never forget. You are of my Star Race."

The Black Dragon King, Yuan Qi, the black turtle, and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon writhed with frenzied killing intent after breaking through the barrier of the Abyss. Their roars echoed wildly through the starry region.

Yi Hao peered at the silver eye above him. "Why?"

The Duke of Thunder, Xing Huan, and Bai Zi were each far stronger than the four Fey Gods. They had become high-ranking Gods long before the four Fey Gods.

When those three broke through the barrier of the Abyss, their wills had twisted and bent without resistance. The four Fey Gods, on the other hand, managed to struggle against it, if only barely.

A hazy multicolored silhouette flickered in the eyes of the four Fey Gods, as though etched into the very depths of their souls. This blurry figure radiated resplendent light as it clashed against the invading will, slowly sharpening into focus as it did.

"Pang Jian!" Yi Hao's voice cracked in horror.

He had unleashed his divine technique through Li Yuqing, believing that he could wield the strength of those mighty beings to strike Pang Jian down with ruthless finality. He never expected that Pang Jian would embed his will within the souls of the four Fey Gods.

Pang Jian's figure in those Fey Gods was fighting against the supreme will of the starry skies!

"You're not Pang Jian!" Yi Hao cried out, terror swelling in his chest.

In his eyes, the only logical explanation was that the supreme will of the bizarre mist had descended upon Pang Jian.