The subterranean abyss wasn't entirely a realm of darkness.
When Fang Han stepped onto its soil, he was surprised to find it not barren or desolate at all. The earth was rich and fertile, streams flowed between ridges, and towering vegetation spread across the horizon. Most of these towering plants were mushrooms—massive, umbrella-like fungi that glowed faintly with scattered points of light. Their soft radiance shimmered through the air, granting the underworld a thin, ghostly illumination.
"These are called Luminous Mushrooms," Fang Qingxue explained, gliding effortlessly over the soil without so much as stirring a speck of dust. "They grow everywhere down here. Once your cultivation reaches a certain level, you can absorb this faint light to enhance your night vision. This underground world is a place of endless danger—and the perfect training ground. In the darkness, countless beasts lurk, ready to tear you apart. But danger forges willpower. Constant peril sharpens the mind and awakens potential. Half of our Feathered Gate's true disciples train here before reaching the Divine Ability Realm."
Fang Han nodded, his eyes tracing the glowing sprawl of mushrooms.
"The depths are also rich in minerals—Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron, Ink Crystal, Violet Silver, Refined Gold, White Shining Steel, Earth Crystals, Azure Jade, Tidal Gemstones… materials you'd rarely find on the surface," she continued. "All of them are essential for refining flying swords and magical artifacts, some even strengthen one's spirit directly. The beasts here are… unpredictable. Some have blood so potent it's prized for alchemy. Even the Unicorn Serpent you once ingested comes from this very domain. You've read about the abyss in the Book of Worlds—I needn't explain further. Now, take the lead and clear the path ahead."
"Yes, Senior Sister."
Fang Han's figure blurred into motion, his body flickering forward like a ghost's shadow, taking point before her. His movements were fluid, steady, and deliberate.
Fang Qingxue watched him carefully, her gaze sharp as ice. His progress had been… unnaturally fast. Bringing him into the abyss wasn't just a test—it was an investigation. Watching him in live combat would reveal the truth.
I can't use the Star Gate techniques, Fang Han thought, his mind racing. If she sees even a trace, she'll know I took something from Bai Haichan. I'll have to blend truth and illusion… fake what I can't hide.
He pressed deeper into the dark, step by step. The mushrooms thickened, casting strange glows over the winding terrain. Now and then, centipedes and scorpions skittered by, only to recoil from the protective aura of his enchanted robe.
Then—
"Roar…"
A chilling growl rolled through the gloom. Fang Han's instincts screamed in warning. From the mushroom forest ahead, a red blur streaked out like blood given life, its killing intent crushing the air itself. White fangs gleamed within the blur—aimed directly at his throat.
Shing!
Fang Han reacted on pure instinct. His sword flipped in a perfect arc, like a fisherman casting his line, and a beam of steel light split the dark.
A cry of pain followed. The red shadow tumbled and crashed to the ground—a massive wolf, its fur blood-red and gleaming like fire, its fangs as long as fingers, sharp enough to gnaw through stone.
"Abyssal Blood Wolf," Fang Han muttered.
He knew the beast. Its bite could crush granite; its speed, lightning-fast. It was cunning, born for ambush. Even Spirit Force experts had fallen to its jaws. Whole villages had been wiped out by a single wolf. Down here, they even preyed on lesser demons.
But their pelts were worth a fortune. Nobles on the surface wore blood-wolf coats as symbols of status. And embedded in each wolf's skull was a small crimson crystal—the Blood Essence Stone—saturated with dense life energy. To cultivators, it was a priceless alchemical gem.
Without hesitation, Fang Han's sword flicked again. He pried a thumb-sized Blood Crystal from the wolf's skull. The gem pulsed warm in his palm, glowing like living jade.
"Immortal Angler technique? That's from the Ten-Thousand-Return Immortal Isle," Fang Qingxue murmured, her eyes narrowing in mild surprise. She had recognized the sword form immediately.
Fang Han bowed slightly. "After I joined the outer sect, I often sparred with others to refine my skills. This move I saw used by a prince of the Great Virtue Dynasty. I studied it afterward, and… managed to imitate part of it. I hope for your correction, Senior Sister."
"Hm." Fang Qingxue's tone softened, though her gaze stayed discerning. "You've captured the essence, but it's still incomplete. Immortal Angler hides a far deeper secret—it's not as simple as it appears."
Her explanation unraveled layers Fang Han had never considered. Every word from her carried weight, reshaping his understanding of martial flow and essence.
No wonder they say: three years of bitter training can't match a single sentence from a true master.
They continued onward, stopping now and then to rest and eat. Fang Han stayed alert, leading through danger after danger—Blood Wolves, Abyss Bears, Three-Headed Serpents, even hunting parties of subterranean demons—all fell to his sword. His mind stayed taut like a drawn bowstring.
Under Fang Qingxue's guidance and the constant life-or-death pressure, his spirit and skill honed rapidly. Occasionally, he dared to use a move from the Star Gate techniques, covering it with excuses of imitation. Fang Qingxue, satisfied with his prior explanations, seemed none the wiser.
Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the caverns.
A line of torches appeared ahead—like a blazing dragon winding through the dark. The figures holding them were massive, muscular beings with steel forks in one hand and fire in the other. Their backs bulged grotesquely, as if wings were about to burst out.
Fang Han's eyes narrowed.
"Nightshades," Fang Qingxue said coolly. "We're near the Demon Shrine. Go. Eliminate them."
He froze for a moment. Nightshades—second-tier abyssal demons, one step above the Underfolk. Their strength equaled that of cultivators in the Divine Valor Realm.
Above them stood the Flying Nightshades—equivalent to the Divine Transformation Realm—and beyond even that, the Asuras, whose might rivaled the Divine Ability Realm itself.
And now, Fang Han was being sent to face a whole pack of them alone.
The challenge was more than a test—it was a crucible.