Chapter 715: Investigating the Dark Abyss

At the border of the Great Zhou, in the Black Abyss, Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao stood atop a mountain, gazing at the region that remained as chaotic as it had been years ago. Since Zhou Yuan subdued the Black Venom King, the disorder had persisted. Many fierce criminals from various nations, fleeing pursuit, had sought refuge in the Black Abyss, turning it into a hotbed of vice and bloodshed.

However, despite the numerous factions within the Black Abyss, they had not dared to harass the Great Zhou border in recent years. After all, the Black Venom King's defeat served as a clear warning. Now, with Great Zhou having triumphed over Great Wu and its prestige soaring, the forces in the Black Abyss were even more hesitant to stir up trouble.

"There are incredibly potent fluctuations lingering in this land," Zhou Yuan remarked with a solemn expression. These fluctuations, surviving countless ages, were still present. If his guess was correct, they were likely remnants of the ancient Thunder Punishment. When he first visited the Black Abyss, he hadn't even reached the Qi Cultivation stage, so he naturally couldn't sense them. But now, having entered the Divine Dwelling stage, he could perceive their terrifying power.

"It is said that the Black Abyss is incredibly vast, located at the northernmost edge of the Boundless Continent, extending all the way to the continental boundary. The areas of the Black Abyss currently inhabited are merely the outermost fringes. In the inner regions, the residual Thunder Punishment is even more terrifying, and ordinary people dare not approach," Zhou Yuan said, gazing toward the deepest parts of the Black Abyss. "Our mission this time is to investigate the deepest parts."

Yaoyao, holding Tun Tun, looked at the familiar surroundings with a touch of nostalgia. "The Silver Shadow was obtained here," she said.

Zhou Yuan nodded. "It's a pity, though, that the Silver Shadow's enhancement for me has begun to diminish significantly." As he advanced to the Divine Dwelling stage, even activating the Silver Shadow provided far less of a boost than before.

"That's because the current Silver Shadow can only reach the level of the Primeval stage," Yaoyao said, gently stroking Tun Tun's soft fur. Her red lips parted slightly. "But don't underestimate the Silver Shadow. It was the peak creation of an ancient sect, the War Puppet Sect. I told you back then that it possesses potential for growth."

"But after so many years of research, it still hasn't grown," Zhou Yuan mumbled.

A rare blush appeared on Yaoyao's jade-like face. She bit her lip and stared at Zhou Yuan with bright eyes, retorting, "Do you really think I know everything?!" She was slightly flustered, annoyed. Over the years, she had maintained a perfect persona, seeming to know everything. But concerning the Silver Shadow, a product of countless generations of wisdom from an ancient sect, she had gained some understanding, but hadn't fully figured out how to make it grow.

Seeing Yaoyao's uncharacteristic fluster, Zhou Yuan was momentarily stunned, captivated by how vibrant and beautiful she looked at that moment. After a long while, he finally snapped back to reality and said with a pleased smile, "You're beautiful." He knew he was incredibly fortunate to witness Yaoyao in such a way.

Yaoyao gave him a sidelong glance, gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and said crossly, "Do you want to leave or not?"

"Yes, let's go!" Zhou Yuan laughed heartily. With a sweep of his sleeve, golden Genesis Qi surged forth, enveloping him and Yaoyao. They transformed into a streak of golden light and shot through the air, rapidly streaking towards the inner depths of the Black Abyss.

The two people and one beast traversed the outer perimeter of the Black Abyss in just two hours. As they delved deeper, traces of human activity became increasingly rare in the Black Abyss. The entire world was desolate, silent, and devoid of life. The ancient Thunder Punishment seemed to have utterly extinguished all vitality in this place; even after so many years, not a hint of life had appeared.

After an entire day, Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao saw no living creatures. Furthermore, as they went deeper, they could feel an extremely volatile aura of destruction emanating from the surroundings, many times more intense than in the outer regions. This aura could corrupt one's mind, driving people mad. Fortunately, Zhou Yuan and Yaoyao were now strong enough to circulate their Genesis Qi and isolate themselves from this corruption.

However, as night fell, violent thunder seemed to rumble across the Black Abyss. There were no thunderclouds in the sky, yet the thunder persisted, as if echoing from ancient times. When the frenzied thunder sounded, even Zhou Yuan's expression turned grim; the corrupting influence intensified rapidly in the darkness.

Eventually, Zhou Yuan dared not proceed through the night. He found a mountain, carved out a cave, and took Yaoyao and Tun Tun inside. He sealed the entrance and inscribed Genesis Runes to shield them, which allowed them to endure the night. After experiencing the nightly thunder, Zhou Yuan grew even more wary of the Black Abyss.

After enduring a night in the cave, Zhou Yuan and his companions resumed their journey, carefully exploring the inner regions of the Black Abyss.

Three days later.

In the depths of the Black Abyss, atop a bare mountain peak, Zhou Yuan gazed at the endless, desolate landscape before him with a hint of frustration. Their exploration over the past few days had yielded no results. The depths of the Black Abyss were like a dead zone, with nothing particularly unusual. "It seems finding clues about the Cangxuan Saint Stamp won't be easy," Zhou Yuan said with a wry smile to Yaoyao.

Yaoyao's delicate brows furrowed. She gazed at the desolate landscape, pondered for a moment, and said, "Indeed, there's nothing special in this Black Abyss besides its desolation..." She turned to Zhou Yuan. "The only peculiar thing... might be the sound of the nightly thunder."

Zhou Yuan paused, frowning in thought. The nightly thunder was filled with a tumultuous aura.