Chapter Fifty-Four: Purifying the Thorn Armor!

On the far side of the Abyss, the territory of the Witch-Ghost tribe was shrouded in black mist, hazy and mysterious, instilling a sense of danger, yet at the same time, luring one irresistibly to explore. The bottomless chasm itself resembled a prehistoric beast, mouth agape, ever waiting for someone to plunge in. Flying above its depths only heightened the sensation of being moments from being swallowed whole, sending an involuntary shiver through the heart.

Yet Jiang Yuan and his two companions felt none of this. Zhang Kui, the most accomplished among them, was entirely unaffected by the ominous atmosphere. Jiang Yuan, protected by the aura of the Human Emperor, was impervious to all evil and unassailable by any sorcery, scarcely influenced at all. As for Nezha, that unruly child, fear was simply not in his vocabulary. Lawless and wild, the future celestial court he would establish would be thrown into chaos by his antics; what was this mere chasm to him? Put simply, Nezha was a true hardhead—and truth be told, he didn’t recognize the character for ‘fear’ because he was illiterate.

Jiang Yuan soared above the Abyss, casting a glance at its fathomless depths. A sudden urge arose within him to descend and uncover what lay at the bottom. Reason prevailed, however; his foremost task was to rescue Grand Preceptor Wen. The Abyss, for him, remained an enigmatic unknown.

He believed that it was wise to approach the unknown with reverence, especially since his understanding of this world of Investiture was still so limited. He had no wish to perish here for the sake of curiosity. If he truly wished to probe its depths, it would be prudent to first seek Grand Preceptor Wen’s counsel—the man had guarded this chasm for many years and must have gleaned some knowledge.

Even as he stood as the sovereign of Heaven and Earth, this world was vast and mysterious to both Jiang Yuan and the former King Zhou. Where did all those campaigns come from in the past? Not from rebellious vassals, but from the turmoil at the frontiers of the Shang Dynasty!

There were simply too many unknowns in this world. Jiang Yuan remained, at heart, a mortal, with limited understanding. One thing he was certain of: the world of Investiture was wholly unlike the Earth he had known before his crossing.

Reflecting on it, it seemed as if the Shang Dynasty was trapped upon these Nine Provinces. What wonders might lie beyond their borders? Jiang Yuan did not believe that all past Human Emperors had died of old age. In that primordial era when humanity lived on raw meat and blood, the emperors carved out their realms through raw strength! That meant their cultivation was not as restricted as it was now. Where, then, had all those emperors gone?

The founder Fuxi, whose power was not much less than that of a sage; the Yellow Emperor, who battled the Demon God Chiyou; Shennong, who tasted all manner of herbs; Suiren, who invented fire... This world was riddled with mysteries waiting for Jiang Yuan to unravel.

“What are you thinking about? Why did you stop all of a sudden?” Nezha flew over, curiosity in his eyes.

Jiang Yuan returned to himself and smiled. “Nothing. Don’t you think this chasm is shrouded in mystery?”

Nezha glanced down at the Abyss and replied offhandedly, “What’s so mysterious about it?”

“If I told you there was a secret below?” Jiang Yuan teased.

Sure enough, the word ‘secret’ made Nezha’s eyes light up with excitement as he eagerly suggested, “Then why don’t we go down and take a look?”

“No rush. Let’s rescue the Grand Preceptor first,” Jiang Yuan said, shaking his head.

At that moment, Zhang Kui, noticing the pair had paused, drew near. Seeing Jiang Yuan and Nezha staring down into the Abyss, he asked curiously, “Your Majesty, did you lose something?”

Jiang Yuan turned to Zhang Kui and inquired, “Why have I never found any record of the Abyss in the archives of Chaoge?”

Zhang Kui was taken aback. “Your Majesty visits the archives to read?”

Jiang Yuan was momentarily stunned as well. He realized that, ever since his arrival in this world, he had never so much as touched a book. This was awkward—he’d meant to show off, but had been exposed instead.

Damn. How ruthless.

Jiang Yuan cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment. Zhang Kui was too forthright, and Nezha, barely suppressing laughter, loved nothing more than seeing Old Jiang in an awkward spot.

“General Zhang, had you ever heard of the Abyss before coming to the Eastern Yi frontier?” Jiang Yuan pressed.

Zhang Kui shook his head honestly. “I had not, Your Majesty. I never knew such a peril existed on the borders of the Eastern Yi. As the commander of Mianchi County, I have always guarded the interior, never venturing to the edges of Shang territory. I know little of the Abyss.”

“It seems we’ll have to ask the Grand Preceptor about this,” Jiang Yuan mused aloud.

“Is Your Majesty interested in the Abyss?”

“I am merely curious. While flying above it just now, I couldn’t help but look down, drawn by its mystery,” Jiang Yuan replied offhandedly.

“Would Your Majesty like me to investigate below?” Zhang Kui offered.

He, too, sensed that the bottom of the Abyss harbored secrets—and peril. He would never rest easy if the king himself went to explore.

“No need. Let’s rescue the Grand Preceptor first,” Jiang Yuan declined once more.

For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt a near-instinctive aversion toward the Abyss.

Since the king had refused, Zhang Kui dropped the matter.

Jiang Yuan turned from the Abyss and flew directly toward the location Er Lai had earlier indicated on the map—the place where the Grand Preceptor was imprisoned.

This was the territory of the Corpse Fiend Tribe.

As soon as the three arrived at the Corpse Fiend settlement, a chilling, forbidding aura enveloped them: a clear warning for the living to stay away.

Everywhere reeked of corpses and blood. The parched land was blackened, stained by dried blood. Scattered corpses lay about—some human, others of the Witch tribe. The two were hard to tell apart, usually distinguished by their clothing.

Each body was mottled with corpse spots; not a single living creature lingered, not even a fly. The air was filled only with the stench of decay.

Jiang Yuan surveyed the Corpse Fiend settlement, his expression calm. He encountered not a single member of the Witch tribe. Though their houses remained, it was as if the entire tribe had vanished overnight.

He could surmise the cause: it must have been the work of Grand Preceptor Wen and his three thousand soldiers. The battle had clearly been fierce.

Suddenly, a whispering voice sounded.

“I curse you: your flesh shall rot!”

“I curse you: your powers shall fail!”

“I curse you: may a thousand arrows pierce your heart!”

In that instant, Jiang Yuan and his companions felt a strange force settle upon them, as if everything they attempted would be reversed. Well, this was quite the debuff.

But before Jiang Yuan needed to react, the Human Emperor’s aura responded on its own, flashing with golden light.

A five-clawed golden dragon, formed from the force of destiny, coiled protectively around Jiang Yuan, letting out a soft, low roar that instantly dispelled all negative effects from him.

Now, shielded by the Human Emperor’s aura, Jiang Yuan was impervious to all evil.

The one who had spoken the curses immediately suffered the backlash—a mouthful of blood spewed forth, and the staff in his hand clattered to the ground.

Jiang Yuan now saw him clearly: a frail, diminutive old man.

Seeing his miserable state, Jiang Yuan felt no pity, only a sense of satisfaction. Ha! Who would have thought I’d come with a built-in cleanse and a counterattack!