Surrounded by gentle waves of green light, Pang Ling's delicate face was full of sorrow and quiet anxiety. "Father, even after reaching Rank Ten as an Aberrant Spirit, I still haven't recovered my memories. The black turtle and the Black Dragon King have both ascended again. I've thought it through..." Her spirit body, veiled in green light, slowly rose under Pang Jian's gaze. She looked out calmly at the Wood Race that she had nurtured. Her eyes were filled with equal parts reluctance and compassion. With a trace of helplessness, she confessed, "The Abyss is truly miraculous, but it's now too small for me. There's no longer any soil here that suits my roots. I can feel that breaking through to the next rank will require me to absorb vast quantities of wood and life energies. I would need to draw upon lush continents that were full of life until they were drained dry. To reach Rank Eleven, I would have to turn every forest in the Abyss into a land of withered silence. Therefore..." Her spirit body glowed brighter than ever, and as she bit her lip lightly, her expression was filled with lingering attachment and quiet reluctance. Beneath the divine tree, Pang Jian also felt a heaviness settle over his heart. Ever since the day this little sapling first took root in the Misty Swamp, he had been constantly on the move, rarely staying long enough to be truly present. For the most part, he had treated this place as a sanctuary, a haven for healing, a refuge in times of crisis. Even after the divine tree gained sentience and came to see him as a father, his time with her had been too brief, their conversations numbered. He had simply been so busy that he hardly dared to rest for a moment. The pressure from the foreign races within, and the Outer Gods watching from beyond the Abyss, had forced him to push forward relentlessly. In every moment, he scrambled to grow stronger with everything he had. There were not many opportunities before now. Sovereign Luo's vessel had been destroyed, and even an Outer God like Yan Lie had been driven out. Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul had even pressured that ferocious ancient ape to flee the bizarre mist near the Nether Abyss. At last, he had managed to carve out a moment of peace. Just as he did, Pang Ling was preparing to leave. Forcing a smile onto his face, Pang Jian said softly, "An Aberrant Spirit like you won't have it easy once you leave the Abyss. It's easy to draw the attention of all sorts of powerful Outer Gods in the bizarre mist, or worse, the starry skies above. I'm worried..." "I know," Pang Ling interrupted gently. As she spoke, clusters of jade-like branches extending from her spirit body began to glow with radiant light. "From my connection to you, I already learned what I'll face when I leave the Abyss. But I don't have a choice. If I stay, I can't keep growing. I would never soar up to the Second or First Worlds and turn all those continents full of life into barren deserts." She let out a bitter laugh. "The True Gods of your human race would never allow it. Not even the black turtle and the others would stand by and do nothing. Even you, father, will find yourself torn." Just then, a low hum resonated from Pang Jian's sword token. Sending his divine sense into it, Pang Jian's heart stirred as he received word from his master that the Ice Armor Eel Dragon had become a Fey God in the Third World. The black turtle, the Black Dragon King, and Yuan Qi were mid-ranking Fey Gods and they were now joined by the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and the Rock Bear. This combined force was already beginning to surpass the current ranks of the True Gods in the Abyss. If not for him, the strength of the human race alone might no longer be enough to keep those Fey Gods in check. The Fey Race was experiencing a full resurgence in the Abyss, and this was just the beginning. Yuan Yi's invasion of the Nether Abyss had not been entirely unsuccessful. The ancient ape and the Outer Gods of the bizarre mist had been forced to flee under pressure from multiple forces, but something else was quietly unfolding in the Abyss. It had not been transformed into a new Fey Abyss as the ape had planned, but the fundamental laws of the world subtly tilted the balance of power to be more favorable for the Fey Race. "Master, the greatest threat in the Abyss is still that Black Empyrean Phoenix. I suspect it may have attempted to possess my sister, but I can't confirm anything just yet. Still, as long as it hasn't resurfaced or reclaimed the title of a Sovereign, I can keep the situation in the Abyss under control," Pang Jian communicated via the sword token. His confidence came from his Immortal Divine Soul that had reached the Transcendent God Realm. Wielding the demonic cloak and commanding the Thunder Pool, it had the qualifications to stand against even the ancient ape in the bizarre mist. Unlike his physical body, which could not leave the Abyss, Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul could return to the Abyss at any time and was fully capable of intervening in any battle that might occur. "Mm. It's just that the speed at which the Fey Gods are rising is alarming. Even Li Wang is growing uneasy," Li Zhaotian replied. In the Fourth World, after a long moment of contemplation, Pang Jian finally spoke to World Tree Pang Ling. "Wait a little longer. There's an ancient ape named Yuan Yi in the bizarre mist who deeply covets the wood and life energies you command. "He wanted to force his way into the Abyss and refine you in order to seize your power for himself. Let me first confirm his current condition. If you leave now, there's a good chance he'll instantly lock onto you." Hearing Pang Jian's warning, Pang Ling suddenly cried out fearfully, "Yuan Yi! I vaguely remember that name! I think that ancient ape was a World God too!" A deep, instinctive fear surged through her. Pang Jian, startled by her reaction, was suddenly reminded of something the Rock Devourer had once said—during a past gathering of the World Gods, his mother had brought the Rock Devourer while his father had brought along a World Tree. Yuan Yi, as one of the World Gods, must have been present at that gathering. If Yuan Yi's Dao centered around the Dao of Life, and he had encountered a World Tree radiating unparalleled vitality, then it was only natural that he would desire to use those wood and life energies to supplement his Dao. They were both World Gods, so what did my father do when Yuan Yi revealed his desire for the World Tree? Was he already a match for that ancient ape back then? In the Nether Abyss, at the center of a grand, imposing hall, the seventeen surviving Nether Gods stood alongside Long Di and Bai Zi. They gazed at Pang Jian with complicated expressions. The heavy atmosphere within the hall was suffused with a solemn pressure. "Yuan Yi has been defeated in the bizarre mist. The Outer Gods of various races that followed him have retreated as well." The one who spoke was Long Di, who stood out with his lean physique and androgynous handsomeness. In the quiet hall, his calm voice struck like lightning out of the blue, dazing the assembled Nether Gods. Their gazes toward Pang Jian gradually began to shift, now burning with fervent intensity. Long Di tried to maintain a composed tone. "The crisis you all feared and the threat looming over the Nether Abyss... it would seem it has truly passed." One of the Nether Gods suddenly cried out, "Leader!" Long Di waved his hand, signaling the Nether God to hold off for now, then continued calmly. "There's no need for anyone to worry about what lies ahead. No great crises will befall the Nether Abyss. As for me, I will be leaving this world before long. "I called you all here today for one reason: to set your hearts at ease. All these years, as your leader, I believe I've done right by you. Now that this world has found a better path forward, I am willing to heed its will and seek my own purpose beyond. "That's enough. You may go." Not allowing them a chance to respond, Long Di gestured toward the open stone door, dismissing even the Nether Gods who had remained loyal to him. Bringing Pang Jian back alive and letting the other Nether Gods see him with their own eyes was the final gesture he was willing to make to reassure them all. The reality was harsh but undeniable—Pang Jian, with a reforged Immortal Divine Soul and the Nether Abyss's blessing, had truly gained the qualifications to stand against that ancient ape. Pang Jian had clearly surpassed Long Di. "My Lord, you don't actually have to leave the Nether Abyss," Bai Zi said softly. Earlier, in the heat of confrontation, she had shed all cordiality and directly called out Long Di by name. However, even though Long Di knew he had lost, he had genuinely taken her advice. He went out to bring Pang Jian back and willingly stepped aside in the struggle for authority of the Nether Abyss. She could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. Seated atop a reasonably sized Soul Convergence Altar, Long Di narrowed his eyes, his expression calm as still water. "Pang Jian. Let's talk business." Having just returned to the Nether Abyss, still somewhat dazed, Pang Jian gave a faint hum of acknowledgement. "Go ahead." He had remained closely attuned to his physical body throughout. But now, with the situation in temporary calm, a rush of thoughts came flooding in, jumbled and relentless. His master's words, relaying Li Wang's concerns, Pang Ling's cryptic warning, and the looming mystery of the Black Empyrean Phoenix's whereabouts. One question after another surged into his mind, clouding it like rising fog. Why did both the human race and the Nether Race share the same path of cultivation? What exactly was Fortune? Why did both the Nether Abyss and the Abyss seem to have their own will? The questions boiled over all at once, blurring both his past and the path ahead. "So, do you have anything you want to ask?" Long Di's tone was relaxed, almost casual. When he had first made the decision to leave the Nether Abyss, there had been a lingering reluctance. But now, that feeling was quietly giving way to something else—a strange lightness, as if a great burden had finally been set down. "How did my mother die?" Pang Jian's voice was calm but firm. Beside him, Bai Zi's gaze sharpened like a drawn blade, cold, piercing, and fixed squarely on Long Di, awaiting his answer. "It wasn't me." The anguish in Long Di's eyes was on the verge of overflowing. His voice was trembling, filled with grief, but also fierce emotion. "It was Pang Qi who caused her death! I could never, never in this lifetime, harm the woman I loved most. Never!" He turned his glare toward Bai Zi, his expression turning cold. "How dare you suspect me? Bai Zi, after her death, if not for me carefully tending to you, guiding you, helping you earn the recognition of the Soulstream, do you think you'd even have the status you enjoy today? "Do you not realize it? The leader of the Nether Abyss and its Realm God can be one and the same! "I let you live. I allowed you to continue bearing the title of World God and inherit her duties. Did you truly think it was because I needed you? "Bai Zi, if you hadn't been her disciple, if she hadn't begged me with her dying breath to take care of you, you would've been dead long ago!" "You dared suspect me, after all these years?" Within the now-vacated hall, Long Di erupted in fury, jabbing a finger toward Bai Zi as he roared, "Yes, I held hostility toward Pang Jian. But that's because he's Pang Qi's son! But you? I gave you everything. I nurtured you with all I had! "And this is what I get in return? This is how you choose to see me?" That was what enraged Long Di the most. The World God of the Nether Abyss, now being berated and humiliated, could not lift her head. Shame flushed across her face as she muttered softly, "After I left the Nether Abyss... I heard things from others. They said you were driven mad by jealousy. They said it was you who killed her. That you also caused Pang Qi's death." "The one who killed her was named Fu Ya," Long Di growled, voice low and seething. "Fu Ya?" Bai Zi blinked, frowning. "I've never heard that name before. Who is she?" Pang Jian was equally puzzled. He thought carefully but could not recall ever encountering the name either. "She is also known as the God of Wisdom," Long Di added quietly. "The Sovereign of the Spirit Race!" Only then did Pang Jian and Bai Zi realize who Fu Ya was, and in that instant, a shock rippled through their minds.