NOVPUB"Has… has this ever happened before?" Ace asked, eyes narrowing.
"N-No… this is a first." Hua Lin replied, her voice trembling. She was visibly shaken.
"Young Miss!" Two girls from her clan rushed over, steadying her by the arms.
Ace turned to Qiong Qi, who trudged over with a look of perpetual annoyance.
[Human. The gates are opening. And judging by that girl's reaction, she knows something… something that probably isn't safe.]
"I see." Ace muttered, gaze locking on the palace gates as they slowly groaned open.
He flicked his wrist, opening the system interface.
"Show my disciples' stats."
Target 1: Liu Mei [1st Disciple]
Rank: Initial Legend Rank
Pfft! Ace spat on the ground, the glob of phlegm splattering by his feet.
"What in the world? She's already at Legend Rank?!" he exclaimed, stunned. Still, he scrolled down.
Talent: Heavenly Grade
Soul Beasts:
Primary: White Fur (Eight-Tailed Snow Fox) – Mythic, Infant Stage
Secondary: Little Aoki (Tyrant Bear) – Epic, Adult Stage
"Hey, Qiong Qi," Ace muttered, brows furrowed. "Is it normal for someone to have two soul beasts?"
[Don't speak to me.]
"Tch. You only answer when it's convenient, huh?"
Just then, the system message blinked in rather conveniently, a knowledge prompt from the Divine Library:
[Two soul beasts within a single host:
— High probability: host is a demon.
— Moderate probability: a blessed individual destined to become a Spirit Bond Master.
— Low probability: host is being possessed by one of the soul beasts.]
Ace stared wondering which one Liu mei condition fell under, instinct tells him it was no. 2 but he can't help but worry.
Just then;
"Master Zhi," Hua Lin called, her voice firmer now despite the lingering tremble. She stood with the support of her two companions.
"Do you intend to go inside?"
"I do." ace respond without a moment of hesitation.
"Even if I say that it will be dangerous? Even if you might lose your life?" hua Lin asked,
her tone wasn't lf worry but more of a curiosity.
Ace nodded. "My disciples are in there. I don't have a choice. No, this is my choice and I'm all they've got."
"I see…" Hua Lin bowed gracefully. "Then I wish you success in your quest, Master Zhi." Her two companions followed with silent bows of their own.
She turned to her clanmates. "Use your jade tokens. We're going."
"Ah—what? Already?"
Slap!
"Don't question the Young Miss's instincts!"
"Ouch! Did you have to hit my back that hard?!"
Though some murmured unhappily, the group ultimately obeyed. One by one, they activated their tokens and vanished.
[Ho… it seems humans now obey women. Fascinating.] Qiong Qi mused.
"We are also going in. Unsummon," Ace ordered.
[Hey! Hey! Huma—]
His voice cut off mid-protest as his form vanished.
Ace turned back to the system screen.
Status: Liu Mei – Healthy and Alive
"Phew…" He exhaled. "So she's fine. Now…"
"Check Shan Yifeng."
Target 2: Shan Yifeng [2nd Disciple]
Status: Weak and Sick – Requires urgent care. Luckily he's alive.
Ace's expression darkened.
Unlike Liu Mei's screen, Shan Yifeng's current status appeared right away.
At the same time, unlike the Hua family, the members of the Boa Clan, Azu Clan, and Xiao Family wasted no time, choosing to enter the palace.
It had always been this way. The treasures were inside to begin with.
Every two years, they'd find a way inside, scouring its depths for treasure. But this year… there was no need for the extra steps.
In previous cycles, they were forced to sneak in through hidden paths and unstable breaches, even the usually cautious Hua family had always taken part in these ventures.
After all, what was the point of entering the Abyss if not to chase its secrets?
This time, they didn't have to waste time trying to open a path.
the palace gates had opened on their own.
Ace stood just outside the palace, arms crossed as he watched the younger cultivators prepare.
One pulled out a sword… and a pill.
Then another one pulled out a Sword and pill.
And another. Followed by another.
It didn't stop, not until everyone and their mother had a sword and a pill in hand.
Each one held a pill, popped it into their mouth, then levitated onto their blade with practiced ease, rising into the air with a swoosh before vanishing past the now-open gates.
Ace raised a brow. "Right… Abyss Repellent Pills. That makes sense."
He fished one from his pouch and bit down.
The taste was revolting. Bitter, acidic—like chewing on rotting herbs and ash. And the smell? Worse. Absolutely vile.
"Agh, what the hell is this filth?" he gagged. "I swear, this place is for masochists. I'll never enter another of this place again, never. "
Still muttering complaints, he stepped through the grand gates.
Inside, he was met with a breathtaking sight.
An enormous inner wall stretched across the chamber, adorned with vivid murals.
Dragons clashed with a phoenix in a violent dance of fire and fury—an ancient race war immortalized in paint and spirit.
In the final section, the phoenix dripped blood onto the battlefield. Yet nearby, the broken corpse of dragons hinted at the phoenixs victory.
Thanks to his connection with the Divine Library, Ace understood it at a glance—absorbing knowledge without ever having to read.
A fair trade, he supposed, given he still couldn't pull a single book from those damn shelves. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"Stingy library," he muttered under his breath.
But something else drew his attention now.
A towering monument stood ahead—massive in size, with a winding stairway spiraling around it, stretching all the way to the top.
Twenty steps in total.
"A stairway?" Ace narrowed his eyes, taking a few steps forward.
From the gathering crowd, someone gasped, "It's the Stairway of Aptitude!"
Ace instinctively leaned closer, eavesdropping.
The stairway was a rare phenomenon. Unlike the bi-annual treasure hunt, this tower only appeared occasionally—its emergence unpredictable. Rumor had it the odds of it appearing during each Abyss entry hovered around fifty percent.
The purpose? To test one's potential.
Those who climbed it were judged, and at each floor, a reward would be granted.
Four years ago, Xiao Ling—the Xiao family's prodigy—had reached the 15th step and earned a Grade Five dagger for the feat.
Now, one by one, cultivators rushed toward the base of the stairs, each eager to test their worth.
Ace stood still.
