Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 49: Ruthless Adversary

The blood-soaked man acted as though no others were present, nonchalantly washing off the blood under everyone's gawking stare.

The boldness and haughtiness he displayed caused displeasure among those watching him. However, no one dared to act rashly as they had yet to figure out who he was.

Pang Jian's eyes were fixed on the man's chest. When the man jumped into the lake, he did not see the sinister tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on his chest.

Zhou Qingchen knitted his brows. Then, with unwavering certainty, he said, "That's Dong Tianze!"

Su Yuntian's and He Rong's complexion abruptly changed. They turned their heads toward Zhou Qingchen. "Dong Tianze?!"

"Yes, there's no mistake about it. He's the killing machine of the Dong Clan," Zhou Qingchen said in a cold voice.

Luo Hongyan had been feeling uneasy. However, when she heard that the man was Dong Qianfeng's adopted son, she breathed a sigh of relief.

No matter how powerful Dong Tianze was, he could not be the creator of the three forbidden zones in the Solitary Mountain Range.

Pang Jian's eyebrows knitted as he carefully examined the man in the lake. His expression turned serious. "This guy..."

The young man bathing in Black Orchid Lake had clearly seen those gathered on the small hill, but he did not seem to be worried or alarmed. Conversely, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

Pang Jian had only seen that excitement in the eyes of the strongest wild beasts in the Solitary Mountain Range. When these wild beasts saw their prey banded together, their eyes would shine with anticipation.

The eagerness in this young man's eyes was the same as that of cruel wild beasts hunting their prey.

Pang Jian was instantly on guard.

"Who is he?" Pang Jian asked.

Han Duping answered with a bitter smile, "A wolf cub addicted to killing."

"The masked man you killed in Blackwater Pond was called Dong Qianfeng. He was Dong Tianze's adopted father," Zhou Qingchen said grimly. His expression deepened into a look of disgust as he continued, "Dong Tianze isn't from the Dong Clan. Dong Qianfeng brought him back to the Dong Clan when he was a child and gave him the name Dong Tianze.

"In the beginning, the Dong Clan didn't treat him as one of their own, and they made him go through the bloodiest trials of the Dong Clan.

"However, he successfully passed every one of those trials. He killed almost everyone who participated in the trials alongside him, regardless of whether they were from the Dong Clan or not.

"Because of this, he managed to gain the Dong Clan's recognition. Whenever there are conflicts between the Dong Clan and other clans, he's the one tasked with carrying out assassinations.

"Many members of my Zhou Clan died by his hand, and that's not to mention the people he killed from the other clans!"

Zhou Qingchen's mood noticeably soured as he spoke, his anger threatening to erupt at any second.

"All six major clans despise him. He's not even a true member of the Dong family. His end will come sooner or later!" He Rong snorted.

"But despite his reputation, the Radiant Sun Sect took notice of him and they even extended an olive branch. However, due to Dong Qianfeng's expulsion from the Radiant Sun Sect, he refused their goodwill," Han Duping interjected.

Han Duping paused to glance at the pristine Divine Spirit Pagoda before adding, "He must've joined the Sinister Soul Temple a while back, or he wouldn't be able to control the Divine Spirit Pagoda!"

"The Sinister Soul Temple!"

Shock rippled through the crowd. However, the more they thought about it, the more Han Duping's words rang true.

In terms of influence, the Sinister Soul Temple rivaled the Radiant Sun Sect, and its origins were even more mysterious. They also rarely interacted with the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, or the Red Mountain Sect, and did not recruit disciples from the seven major clans.

Having joined the Sinister Soul Temple, Dong Tianze was qualified to go to the upper world and did not need to care about the Radiant Sun Sect or the Dong Clan.

"It's good that it's him," Luo Hongyan said offhandedly. The terrifying soul array in the white pagoda had already been destroyed. Besides, Dong Tianze was not the person she feared.

With a relaxed demeanor, she descended the small hill.

Zhou Qingchen had broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Seeing her descend, he followed her and said, "I've fought with Dong Tianze before. I'm not afraid of him."

Staring curiously at Dong Tianze from afar, Pang Jian hurriedly followed behind Luo Hongyan and Zhou Qingchen.

Meanwhile, Dong Tianze, in the middle of washing up, suddenly dove into the lake. When he resurfaced, a black-gold dagger was clenched in his mouth.

He seemed to have stashed the dagger in the lake.

The dagger's handle was wrapped in tough shark skin, and its crescent-moon-shaped jet-black blade let off a faint golden glow. Along the crescent-shaped blade was a row of nine holes that whistled when the wind blew through them.

"That dagger is called Ghost's Cry," Zhou Qingchen said in a low voice.

Pang Jian nodded lightly.

Splash!

Dong Tianze returned to the edge of the deep hole, bare-chested with his waist wrapped in the same sharkskin as the dagger's handle.

His upper body was covered in wounds. It was evident that he had endured countless bloody battles and survived severe injuries through sheer resilience and tenacity.

Having washed away the blood, Dong Tianze grabbed the black-gold dagger from where it was clenched in his mouth. His slender phoenix eyes exuded a chilling madness.

When he reached Shangguan Qin, he said in a sinister yet pleasant voice, "Auntie, those people gathered on the small hill sneakily damaged my Divine Spirit Pagoda. Would you happen to be aware of this?"

Shangguan Qin was horrified, trembling as she shook her head frantically. "I don't know! I don't know anything!"

Dong Tianze chuckled. He grabbed her by her jet-black hair and turned her fear-stricken face toward Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan, and Zhou Qingchen as they approached.

"I'll ask again. When I was using the blood essence of the black turtle to undergo the bone forging, marrow cleansing process, did you see them?" Dong Tianze wore a charming smile. He looked harmless, his voice still gentle and pleasant.

Shangguan Qin was terrified beyond measure as she watched the three figures approach. Unable to bear it any longer, she screamed in terror, "Yes, I saw them! I saw them!"

"That's more like it. You know, I've always disliked liars," Dong Tianze said offhandedly, tracing the black-gold dagger across Shangguan Qin's face.

Then, without warning, he dug the dagger in, slicing a deep gash across her once beautiful face. The wound was deep enough to expose bone, utterly destroying the alluring face she had once been so proud of.

"This is just a small punishment for you." His voice never shifted from its gentle, pleasant tone, even as he held Shangguan Qin's hair and inflicted this cruel act on her.

Shangguan Qin did not have exceptional cultivation talent and could only rely on her beauty. However, her face was now ruined by Dong Tianze.

Her cries were filled with pain and anguish.

Luo Hongyan knitted her brows and stopped in her tracks.

"You sick wild dog!" Zhou Qingchen roared.

Pang Jian's expression turned frosty. This was the first time he had met someone as crazy and cruel as Dong Tianze.

"Auntie, don't you like accompanying me on this island?" Dong Tianze asked mockingly, demeanor disturbingly psychotic. He affectionately called her "Auntie" as if taking great pleasure in using the title.

"Auntie, when you were in our Dong family, you managed to kill two of your husbands. You either found them ugly or lacking in taste. Tsk tsk, but strangely enough, you seemed quite enamored with that spineless Ouyang Duanhai, who has nothing but a pretty face," Dong Tianze continued as if he could not see Pang Jian and the others.

He maintained his smile and said gently to Shangguan Qin, "Wasn't that useless Ouyang Duanhai possessed by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix after obtaining a drop of it?

"Everyone in the Solitary Mountain Range who has obtained an essence of the Celestial Phoenix will eventually come to this island to fight me. I'm just undergoing the bone forging, marrow cleansing process with the black turtle's blood essence while waiting for useless individuals like Ouyang Duanhai to come and fight me on their own accord.

"Auntie, the reason I'm keeping you here is so that when Ouyang Duanhai comes, I can threaten him with your life. When that time comes, I will ruin your face in front of him," Dong Tianze said, reaching out to pinch the unharmed side of Shangguan Qin's face.

"Kill me! Just kill me!" Shangguan Qin screamed hysterically, flailing her arms like a frightened bird.

Everyone on and around the small hill fell silent. A myriad of thoughts raced through their minds as they watched Dong Tianze and Shangguan Qin.

Shangguan Qin's clan had arranged for her to marry into the Dong Clan. Her first husband had been a distant relative of the Dong Clan with a somewhat exceptional cultivation talent. Despite his unattractive appearance, he had treated her with genuine affection.

Unfortunately, he had met his untimely death during an exploration of a secret realm. After his death, Shangguan Qin had been arranged to become a concubine to another member of the Dong Clan.

Dong Tianze had been adopted by Dong Qianfeng and was technically considered a member of the Dong Clan. Thus, he used to address Shangguan Qin as "Auntie" in the past.

Shangguan Qin could not have expected that Dong Tianze would hold her captive on this secluded island in the Solitary Mountain Range. Furthermore, he planned to use her as a hostage against Ouyang Duanhai and kill him as quickly as possible.

"From what you've said, this is your meeting point with that worthless wretch. Did you really think you could wait for him here?" Dong Tianze chuckled lightly. His face brimmed with anticipation as he said, "I do hope he shows up. I hope he can see your new appearance with his own eyes.

"My adoptive father was also handsome once. No worse than that wretch, at least. He pulled me from a pile of corpses and gave me a chance at life. After I kill Ouyang Duanhai, I might just give you to him. He might appreciate someone like you"

Dong Tianze's mocking words came to an abrupt halt.

His gaze landed on a person, then at an object in that person's hand.

Confusion filled his eyes.

At some point, Pang Jian had pulled out a bamboo flute. He waved it at Dong Tianze.

"The Jadeite Flute?" Dong Tianze was taken aback.

"After I pierced the forehead of the individual wearing the golden mask, his mask shattered, revealing a face covered in scars." Pang Jian eyed Dong Tianze's bare upper body with disgust and disdain, "The scars on his face are just as ugly as the ones on your body."

The usually silent and reserved Pang Jian unexpectedly chose to provoke the deranged Dong Tianze.

Zhou Qingchen and Luo Hongyan stared at him in bewilderment. Neither could understand why he would act in such a manner.

Pang Jian's words had also stunned the members of the Su Clan and the He Clan on the top of the small hill. Their attention involuntarily shifted from Dong Tianze to Pang Jian.

Su Meng clenched her fist, her round face flushing red as she whispered, "Those covered in scars looked really ugly!"

Luo Hongyan rolled her eyes and scolded Pang Jian, "That woman only has herself to blame. Why are you sticking up for her? Her two husbands treated her very well, but she plotted to kill them with Ouyang Duanhai. A woman like that deserves her fate. She brought it upon herself."

Pang Jian said in a low voice, "I just detest people like him."

Zhou Qingchen broke into laughter before praising Pang Jian, "You always manage to surprise me with your actions, yet I can't help but admire them."

Dong Tianze paused. He then grinned maliciously before sinking his teeth into Shangguan Qin's snowy white neck.

Shangguan Qin screamed and thrashed wildly, but she could not escape. The more she struggled, the more blood flowed from her neck.

Dong Tianze trembled slightly before gradually calming down.

He soon relaxed his bite. He did not bother to wipe the blood from his mouth as he casually tossed Shangguan Qin's body away like a piece of trash.

Returning from a state of morbid savagery, Dong Tianze regained his composure. He no longer allowed anger to distort his mind.

He stared calmly at Pang Jian and asked gently, "May I know your name?"

"Pang Jian."

"Alright, I've noted that. You will be the last one to die." Dong Tianze nodded seriously.

Boom!

With a stomp of his foot, Dong Tianze shot straight toward the small hill like a dazzling bolt of lightning!

A sharp tip cut through the air as if slicing the space above Pang Jian's head in half, causing even Zhou Qingchen's face to pale slightly.

Dong Tianze leaped past Zhou Qingchen and Luo Hongyan, appearing on the small hill where he started to ruthlessly slaughter the members of the Su Clan and the He Clan.

The black-gold dagger named Ghost's Cry emitted a piercing and mournful shriek. Dong Tianze darted between the members of the He Clan and Su Clan like a deadly wraith.

One by one, heads fell to the ground like watermelons. Blood gushed from the necks of the headless bodies and rushed toward the sky like a reverse waterfall.

The gruesome and bloody scene shook Su Yuntian and He Rong to their cores. Even the previously indignant Su Meng was now trembling in fear, unable to utter a single defiant word.

"Mister Han, please save my daughter!" Su Yuntian's face was drained of color. Without hesitation, he pushed Su Meng toward Han Duping.

Han Duping watched Su Meng stumble toward him as he transformed himself into a large silver ball. He shouted back at Su Yuntian, "I may not be able to save her!"

"Su Meng! Hurry! Go down the mountain and find Zhou Qingchen!" Su Yuntian urged desperately. His heart was torn with anguish as he watched as the heads of his servants fell to the ground one by one, blood gushing from their necks like fountains.

"A very tragic yet beautiful sight," Dong Tianze remarked as he stood among the falling bodies and heads, relishing in the spectacle of blood.

Blood splattered all over his bare upper body, staining his grim scars crimson, revealing a terrifying and evil image.

He smiled up at the sky.

Watching as the Spirit Devils preyed on the ghostly apparitions, he said, "It doesn't matter who's controlling you. Since you dared to damage my Divine Spirit Pagoda, you'll stay here with me."

He cut Ghost's Cry through the air, causing the holes in the blade of the dagger to whistle in the wind.

A magnetic field similar to the soul array in the Divine Spirit Pagoda suddenly appeared!

The Spirit Devils and the ghostly apparitions were all drawn to the black-gold dagger known as Ghost's Cry, disappearing into the holes in its blade.

Luo Hongyan's eyebrows knitted at the sight.