Chapter 1462: Going to the Abyss

The middle-aged driver, with a proud smile, chuckled and began to answer Ling Yao's question.

“That’s because our ship is considered a star among the aircraft rental services nearby. We’ve handled several large orders and earned over 20% of the profits from those big clients, which brought us a lot of points. To put it simply, the higher the level of mercenary medals we crew members possess, the greater our credibility. This naturally means we have more extensive travel experience, and an increased safety factor is crucial for venturing into the Kunlun Abyss.

In a place like Jialan City, which borders the outskirts of the Kunlun Abyss, stepping outside the city limits is synonymous with the start of danger. Even in these plains where we rent aircraft, it’s common to see gigantic monstrous beasts flying to and from the areas beneath the Kunlun Mountains. Inside Jialan City, there are divine barriers and the spiritual protection of the Supreme God that keep those monstrous beasts at bay, preventing them from causing trouble. However, once you enter these outer wilderness areas, such protections no longer apply.

As the saying goes, ‘life and death are predestined, wealth and honor depend on heaven.’ Over the years, we’ve witnessed countless people perish beneath the Kunlun Abyss, instantly devoured into nothingness by these monstrous beasts. But what can be done about it? People like us are native villagers of Jialan City, and we primarily rely on such means to make a living. Of course, compared to residents of other inner cities within the ‘Heavenly Eye Divine Path’ regions, the people living in Jialan City possess quite superior combat abilities and economic conditions.”

Xu Yang nodded gently, sensing the diligent mindset of these ordinary people striving for their livelihoods. This seemed to add a sense of groundedness and weight to the perception of Xu Yang and his three companions. For years, they had constantly pursued the path of cultivation, conquering one powerful opponent after another, yet gradually losing their longing for the simple lives of ordinary people. Now, having joined this warship’s crew and embarking on an expedition as mercenary members, their casual conversations added a long-lost sense of enjoying life to Xu Yang’s four-person team. Pausing from their exhausting cultivation journey to appreciate the scenery along the way was certainly a pleasant experience.

Just as Xu Yang and his three companions were chatting and laughing with the crew members on the ship, the fast-moving clouds above them suddenly grew much darker. A terrifying and fierce aura suddenly enveloped the surroundings. Xu Yang and his group possessed an extraordinary level of insight, far surpassing that of the five crew members. However, even when confronted with power of this magnitude, Xu Yang’s four-person team remained completely unperturbed. In contrast, the veteran mercenary driver, who held a Level 4 mercenary medal, immediately turned pale.

“This can’t be our luck, can it? Gentlemen? To encounter a terrifying monstrous beast with a demonic power level of seven or higher on our very first entry into the mountains!”

Hearing the word “Level 7,” the other four mercenary crew members also instantly panicked, their faces turning ashen. Even their movements seemed to stiffen slightly.

“Oh, what exactly does a so-called Level 7 monstrous beast signify? It seems the power rating system for beasts in this region is entirely different from the one used within the ‘Heavenly Eye Divine Path’ area.”

Xu Yang inquired, and the old driver sighed helplessly, "The cultivation environments, ranking systems, and all other aspects vary significantly across each divine path region. You can think of these divine path regions as relatively independent worlds. Theoretically, the Kunlun Abyss is part of the Kunlun Divine Path's territory. The monstrous beasts here are also rated according to the unique cultivation levels of the Kunlun Divine Path. The overall strength of monstrous beasts is roughly divided into ten levels, and when a Level 7 or higher monstrous beast appears, these heaven-and-earth anomalies occur. On what was originally a clear, cloudless day, the appearance of a Level 7 or higher monstrous beast will cause extremely strong elemental changes in the surrounding void, based on its attributes. For example, if a Level 7 wind-attribute monstrous beast appears, the sky in its wake will be filled with a large amount of wind-attribute elements, leading to phenomena like winds rising and clouds gathering. The stronger the beast and the purer its elemental attribute, the more pronounced the anomalies it causes.

Of course, given our current flying distance, the chance of encountering a Level 7 or higher monstrous beast is quite small. Higher-level monstrous beasts tend to hide deeper within the Kunlun Abyss. Today, I don’t know what’s causing this, but there’s actually the roar of a Level 7 monstrous beast. If my judgment is correct, then along the designated trajectory route we’re taking into the Kunlun Abyss, there must be a large mercenary group besieging a great demon of around Level 7. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, such terrifying commotion wouldn’t occur at this location.”

It was clear that the old driver was somewhat uneasy because he genuinely worried about encountering dangers on the journey that he and his team wouldn’t be able to handle. Theoretically, since Xu Yang’s team chartered their aircraft, they were also entitled to the safety and protection provided by these five individuals. At the very least, any dangers encountered before reaching the entry coordinates of the Kunlun Abyss were to be primarily borne by the five crew members. However, the current situation had already exceeded what these five individuals could reasonably handle. Typically, for a Level 7 powerful monstrous beast to appear, entry points like this would only be chosen by top-tier mercenary groups, comprising twenty to thirty people or more, and involving the combined deployment of three to five large aircraft. Unexpectedly, Xu Yang’s four-person team happened upon such a situation this time.

“Gentlemen, the situation is quite unusual right now, and I must ask for your opinion. Should we immediately change our flight path, or continue along the original coordinates? There’s no doubt that a Level 7 monstrous beast is present on this route, and its power is far beyond what we can contend with.”

Before Xu Yang could respond, Long Kun beside him burst into laughter. “Old friend, you don’t need to worry about the monstrous beast. Just do what you’re supposed to do. Even if we encounter a Level 7 beast, your five people won’t need to fight it. Just leave it to us.”

Hearing Long Kun’s words, the old driver and the other four crew members all turned their heads, staring at Long Kun in disbelief. Then, they cautiously glanced at the other three members of the team. Although Xu Yang and his three companions had perfectly concealed their aura, their experiences and the presence they exuded still deeply astonished the crew members.

“There’s something I’m not sure if I should say, but I’ve always felt that you four gentlemen are quite extraordinary. Although you haven’t displayed your strength or exuded an overwhelming presence, I just have a feeling you’re not comparable to the other native mercenaries of Jialan City.”

The old driver was also a man who had seen much of the world, and his sudden inquiry prompted faint smiles from Xu Yang and his group.

“Our strength cannot be described with words, but the one thing we can guarantee is that none of you five will encounter any danger this time.”

Xu Yang’s understated words subtly revealed his immense power. Only beings of their caliber could speak so calmly and casually in a place like the Kunlun Abyss.