Chapter 1396: Suspicion

As expected.

Fairy Ziwei said, “Perhaps due to their ancient giant bloodline, most half-giants are cunning, greedy, and tyrannical.”

“Therefore, even across the Heavenly Abyss, half-giants frequently harass human cultivators.”

“Pillaging, killing, and looting are common occurrences.”

“Even women are often raped by them.”

At this, Fairy Ziwei frowned, not bothering to hide her disgust.

“The more renowned a woman is, the more likely they are to target her.”

“They claim it’s to sow the ‘excellent seeds’ of half-giants across this land.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan’s eyes gleamed with cold light.

The half-giants’ cunning, greed, and tyranny didn’t surprise him.

After all, these were characteristics of the ancient giants.

Since half-giants possessed their bloodline, they naturally inherited these traits.

However, ancient giants would never rape human women!

But half-giants would!

“These beasts!” Jiang Fan exclaimed coldly.

“So, the change in the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss is likely due to half-giants causing trouble again?”

Fairy Ziwei looked at the old woman with the eight-aperture Nascent Soul, her voice slightly solemn:

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

“The Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss are guarded by many powerful human cultivators; there are at least twenty eight-aperture Nascent Souls like this old woman.”

“Furthermore, there’s even a revered Spirit Transformation Venerable defending them.”

“Yet, this old woman managed to escape to relay information, and ancient giants pursued her, attempting to intercept and kill her at all costs.”

“It’s likely that what’s happening in the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss is more than just ordinary trouble.”

Hearing this, Jiang Fan pondered for a moment.

He said in a deep voice, “Take her to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to see the Grand Libationer.”

“I’ll make a trip to the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss.”

Since there’s no immediate trace of the Luminous Moon Pearl, he decided to investigate near the teleportation array in Heavenly Relic City.

On the way, he would check on the situation in the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss.

Fairy Ziwei’s eyes showed a complex expression.

After such a long time, Jiang Fan was still the same: righteous and quick to act against injustice.

After a moment’s thought, she picked up the old woman and said, “I’ll go with you.”

“As for the Imperial Astronomical Bureau…”

She parted her red lips and gently exhaled a jade orb covered in a faint starlight, saying:

“Master, there’s a change in the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss. Please inform the Grand Libationer.”

With that, the starlit jade orb vanished into the void and sped away.

Fairy Ziwei summoned a cloud and said, “No time to lose, let’s go.”

Jiang Fan was secretly astonished.

What kind of communication method was that, to be able to travel through the void?

Fairy Ziwei, standing before him, was truly mysterious.

Nodding, he jumped onto the cloud and sat cross-legged.

Taking advantage of the journey, he decisively took out the Lightning Mountain.

Although he had used some while escaping in the spatial tunnel, a considerable amount remained.

Enough to fully replenish the Heavenly Abyss Core.

Previously, with the Heavenly Abyss Core fully activated, the Yin-Yang Heavens successfully withstood the dying blow of a cultivator undergoing the Three Heavenly Decrepitudes.

Now, with the Heavenly Abyss Core recharged, if he unleashed an offensive lightning ability, its power should be comparable to a Spirit Transformation Venerable’s attack during their first Heavenly Decrepitude!

Adding to that, the Grand Evolution Sword Array.

With his current eight-aperture Nascent Soul, he could use it twice consecutively.

If he encountered great danger, he would have the means to protect himself.

An hour later.

As the last wisp of lightning energy was absorbed, the entire Lightning Mountain was depleted.

The Heavenly Abyss Core was filled once more.

He felt a little relieved and opened his eyes to look around.

Towering stone monuments, piercing the clouds, receded past them.

Jiang Fan looked down at the ground in surprise.

It was a colossal graveyard, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Within it, there were countless tombs.

Some of them had gigantic stone tablets rising into the sky, while many others were small.

Some tombs had even collapsed and decayed under the erosion of time.

So many tombs should have given off an eerie feeling.

However, this place was filled with righteous vitality, instilling no fear.

Even small animals playfully ran around the graveyard, creating an exceptionally peaceful scene.

“What is this place?”

Fairy Ziwei was also gazing at the land, her eyes filled with deep reverence, and she said:

“It’s the graveyard of Guixu Province.”

“Established a thousand years ago during the Ancient Great War, it buries all humans who nobly sacrificed their lives in the war against the ancient giants.”

“Among them are Spirit Transformation Venerables, Nascent Soul realm cultivators, and even some Core Formation realm cultivators.”

Jiang Fan gazed at the dense, countless tombs stretching to the horizon.

Respect naturally welled up in his heart.

Adult ancient giants started at the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

How desperate must the human race of Guixu Province have been a thousand years ago to send even Core Formation cultivators into battle?

How did these martyrs endure until the final moments of that war?

He instinctively cupped his hands and bowed to them from afar.

The present state of the Central Lands was bought with their lives and blood.

They were worthy of respect from every future generation.

After a full 'zhan cha'.

Only then did they pass over the immense graveyard.

A gigantic, dark chasm stretched across the center of the land.

That was the junction of the two lands: the Heavenly Abyss!

To the west, a massive city came into view.

Fairy Ziwei focused her gaze and said, “That is Yaoguang City, one of the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss.”

Jiang Fan also secretly prepared himself, ready for any unforeseen circumstances.

However.

When the two arrived above Yaoguang City, both frowned slightly.

Looking down, Yaoguang City was bustling with endless traffic and lively chatter.

There was no sign of it having been attacked by half-giants.

Fairy Ziwei said, “Could it be that only one of the cities was affected?”

Jiang Fan’s face showed confusion.

That shouldn’t be the case.

As strategic strongholds, the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss should have very close ties with each other.

It made no sense for one city to be attacked while the others remained oblivious.

Yet, Yaoguang City before them was indeed peaceful.

They could only go to the other cities to find out more.

Next, they successively visited the six cities: Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, and Kaiyang.

Standing above Kaiyang City, both their eyes were filled with confusion.

Everywhere they had passed, including Kaiyang City beneath them,

all Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss were bustling.

There was absolutely no sign of them being under half-giant attack.

Jiang Fan was a little puzzled and said:

“Could the ‘change’ in the Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss that the old woman spoke of be some kind of unfulfilled premonition?”

Fairy Ziwei was also somewhat bewildered.

The old woman, despite being gravely wounded and on the verge of death, had still insisted on them hurrying to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to report.

It made no sense for nothing to have happened.

She looked at the old woman she held, who was still asleep, and had no way to ask her anything.

Jiang Fan stroked his chin and said, “That’s not right.”

“If nothing had happened, why would those half-giants have risked their lives to kill me and silence me?”

He closed his eyes in thought, carefully considering if he had missed anything.

Suddenly.

He faintly sensed something and abruptly looked inward at his Nascent Soul.

A hint of surprise appeared on his face.

Fairy Ziwei asked in surprise, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Fan’s expression turned strange: “Check your own Nascent Soul power.”

Fairy Ziwei was puzzled, but upon inspecting her own Nascent Soul, she was also startled: “When did I lose two tenths of my Nascent Soul power?”

Jiang Fan had also consumed one tenth of his Nascent Soul power.

However, this amount of travel couldn’t possibly consume so much.

Jiang Fan’s eyes narrowed: “The Seven Cities of the Heavenly Abyss have indeed undergone some changes!”