Chapter Fifteen: Entering the Abyss of Fallen Dragons

Mo Bufan instantly understood upon hearing those words.
So that was the reason—he realized his own perspective had been too narrow.
“To be honest, the Abyss of the Fallen Dragon is not an especially dangerous place for training. Firstly, when the great emperor died, the power of the heavenly order he left behind still strongly suppresses everything; the beasts and monsters within have limited cultivation. Secondly, there aren’t many forbidden zones within this fragment, nor are there many killing arrays that can be triggered. As long as you don’t wander recklessly, you’ll be fine…” the disciple in green explained.
Mo Bufan nodded in agreement, thinking, “Yes, this is recorded in the library’s tomes.”
“Furthermore, you must be careful not to let greed rule you. There are many treasures inside—some even weapons left behind by experts above the Celestial level—but you must not touch them. The murderous aura lingering on those weapons hasn’t dissipated; one careless touch can trigger deadly forces and lead to your demise…”
“Indeed, that’s also written in the library…” Mo Bufan mused, patiently waiting for the disciple to continue.
The others appeared to listen intently, whether they truly hadn’t researched in the library or were simply putting on a show was unclear.
“Another thing: you may pick up treasures suited to your cultivation level, but do not touch anything beyond your rank—such as ten-thousand-year medicine kings or millennium spirit fruits. These are fraught with danger. You must restrain your greed; such spiritual medicines possess intelligence. Even if you accidentally obtain one, it may bring greater peril—monsters and beasts within are far more sensitive than you imagine, and their strength is incomparable…”
“This has been mentioned before…” Mo Bufan grew impatient, for he had yet to hear anything unfamiliar.
The others, however, listened with even greater seriousness, including the supposedly experienced Chen Tianwen and Zhao Sinan.
…
Half an hour later, the disciple in green had spoken at length, but everything Mo Bufan heard was already recorded in the library; not a single piece was unfamiliar. Mo Bufan was growing weary, yet the others only seemed more attentive.
“Last—and most important—the greatest threat comes from other cultivators training inside. Murder and theft are common occurrences. Even as disciples of the Celestial Profound Sect, you must avoid trouble and entanglements; aside from the four great sects, most seekers are rogue cultivators or members of minor sects…”
The disciple finally exhausted all he knew.
Mo Bufan scratched his head, realizing he’d heard nothing new. In fact, he’d read much more—detailed maps and crisis zones—which this speaker had scarcely mentioned, suggesting he hadn’t entered many times himself.
Of the other five, only Zhao Sinan’s expression was somewhat calm; the others looked deeply grateful, as if they’d just received profound instruction.
Mo Bufan reminded himself that these people might simply be flattering him, fully aware of the facts and using this as an opportunity to build alliances. Yet the reality suggested they truly didn’t know.
They traveled for three hours straight, covering twenty or thirty thousand miles by sword flight, before Qingchenzi finally began to descend.
They landed deep in a mountain forest, surrounded by endless peaks and towering woods, with no sign of any manmade structure.
Qingchenzi stowed his sword, pulled a bamboo slip from his robe, and surveyed the area. His gaze settled on a massive, smooth boulder, taller than two men. He pressed the bamboo slip against the stone, and as a surge of energy flowed, the stone rippled like water; a doorway appeared on its surface.
Through the door, they immediately glimpsed a four or five-story building, resembling a mundane tavern. The signboard gleamed with the words “Abyss of the Fallen Dragon,” and only three people stood at the reception, looking like inn servants.
A group of five or six was speaking with the innkeepers, clearly preparing to enter the Abyss as well.
Qingchenzi beckoned his group through the gate, and a vast space unfolded before them.
The scene here was utterly different from outside.
It was a vast wilderness; though trees towered everywhere, there were no undulating mountains. Instead, a colossal ravine—thousands of miles long and deep—cut across the land, with the inn perched at its sharp edge.
Qingchenzi led them inside, asked them to wait, and walked to the counter.
Seeing Qingchenzi head to the desk, the five who hadn’t greeted Mo Bufan before now quickly introduced themselves.

After brief introductions, Zheng Feng asked, “May I ask where you cultivate, Fellow Mo? To be frank, we’ve spent several days asking around the outer disciples, but never heard your name. We’re quite curious about you.”
Mo Bufan realized then that these five already knew each other before this expedition, had met several times and discussed the training, and had wanted to contact him but failed.
He replied, “When I joined the sect, I was fortunate enough to catch the eye of an inner disciple. I’ve been working under a senior in the inner sect, rarely leaving—so it’s normal you haven’t met me.”
“Oh…” The group nodded in sudden understanding.
Yet after their realization, each one’s expression changed. Gao Xiu maintained his aloof demeanor, Zheng Feng smiled warmly, Zhao Sinan nodded gracefully but betrayed no emotion.
Chen Tianwen’s eyes flashed with contempt, but he quickly resumed his gentlemanly facade.
As for Zhao Yunfan, he simply curled his lip and turned away, clearly uninterested in speaking with Mo Bufan.
Mo Bufan gave an awkward laugh and, sticking to his original plan, said, “I hope you all will look after me during this expedition.”
Zheng Feng smiled, “No need for such words, fellow. As disciples of the Celestial Profound Sect, we should naturally support one another.”
Before Mo Bufan could thank him, Zhao Yunfan snorted, “You haven’t even entered for training and already want to rely on us? If you’re so afraid, you’d be better off staying out. It’s dangerous in there—we won’t have time to babysit the weak.”
Mo Bufan’s face flashed with embarrassment, but he merely smiled and saluted without reply.
He realized his view of the cultivation world had been too optimistic—cultivators were still human, and human vices could not be avoided.
Seeing Mo Bufan’s discomfort, Zheng Feng quickly interjected, “Zhao is blunt, but he’s a good person, so don’t take it to heart. Isn’t that so, Gao?”
This last remark was directed at Gao Xiu.
Gao Xiu glanced at Mo Bufan, nodded slightly, and grunted an affirmation.
With Gao Xiu’s response, Zhao Yunfan said nothing further, merely shooting Mo Bufan a glance.
Chen Tianwen, after hearing Mo Bufan’s background, lost interest and stared at Zhao Sinan; Zhao Sinan nodded to Mo Bufan, her eyes carrying a hint of apology.
Mo Bufan smiled back and turned away—he must avoid entanglements with women on this journey—so he chatted idly with Zheng Feng.
Meanwhile, the other group completed their preparations and, led by a middle-aged man, headed out the back of the inn. As they departed, they eyed Mo Bufan’s group with a hint of hostility.
“These are disciples of the Kaiyuan Sect. We’ve always been at odds with them, so be careful once inside,” Zheng Feng told Mo Bufan.
Mo Bufan nodded, recalling that the Celestial Profound Sect’s grand elder once challenged the four great sects single-handedly for his wife, and the sect in question was likely Kaiyuan. He wondered if their rivalry originated from that event.
At this moment, Qingchenzi finished the paperwork and, holding a bamboo slip, called, “Follow me.”
The group hurried after him.
Passing through the counter into the inn’s backyard, they saw a network of faintly shimmering seals enveloping the entire ravine—clearly the Abyss’s seal.
“One last reminder,” Qingchenzi said, “Avoid acting alone once inside. Moving as a group of five is safer. I hope you’ve already discussed how to divide the spoils—don’t let internal conflict arise.”
The six saluted in acknowledgment.
Qingchenzi nodded, handing each a bamboo slip. “Keep this close. If you survive a month, it will activate and take you out. If an accident befalls you, its power will fail.”

Mo Bufan accepted the slip, examined it, and found it contained only a faint trace of energy, its workings inscrutable. He stowed it away carefully.
Seeing everyone secure their slips, Qingchenzi raised his own in mid-air. As he chanted, it flew into the seal array, and ripples shimmered across the energy wall, opening a doorway as tall as two men.
“Go in!” Qingchenzi commanded.
None dared delay, entering in single file.
Mo Bufan was the last; as he stepped into the Abyss, the seal rippled again, closing behind him.
Upon entering, Mo Bufan was immediately enveloped in a primordial aura—whether psychological or inherent, the place felt perilous, like a beast waiting to devour intruders.
The vast canyon of the Fallen Dragon Abyss had gently sloping walls covered in towering trees; occasional broken cliffs and exposed rocks dotted the landscape. If not for the frequent roars of monsters, it would have been breathtakingly beautiful.
The valley floor was quieter, though still forested, with occasional lakes, marshes, or ruins. Yet when movement occurred, it was terrifying.
Mo Bufan watched as a giant, armored bird burst from a ruin, only to be swallowed mid-flight by a suddenly appearing enormous serpent. Compared to the trees, both beasts were immense.
The valley floor was the domain of the beast kings of the Abyss!
Many of these beast kings were ancient species; though their cultivation was suppressed, their sheer size made them nearly invincible among their peers.
The six did not linger—everyone knew that staying in one spot too long risked attracting monsters; even the entrance was dangerous, as many monsters favored consuming humans.
Once inside, Gao Xiu called, “Let’s go.”
Without Qingchenzi, Gao Xiu had evidently become the group’s leader, and the others followed immediately.
Mo Bufan trailed behind, asking Zheng Feng, “Where are we headed?”
Zheng Feng explained, “Gao once encountered a Purple Flame Fruit in the nearby forest, though it was unripe at the time. We’re going to see if it’s been harvested.”
Mo Bufan nodded, keeping pace, his eyes scanning the depths of the Abyss. Not seeing any traces of demonic energy, he felt a bit relieved.
“If you’re unwilling, you don’t have to follow,” Zhao Yunfan’s discordant voice rang out.
Mo Bufan glanced at Zhao Yunfan, finding him increasingly disagreeable, and ignored him.
“Brother!” Zhao Sinan glared at Zhao Yunfan in anger; Zhao Yunfan snorted and stopped bothering Mo Bufan.
“So they’re siblings,” Mo Bufan realized. “No wonder Zhao Sinan gave me that apologetic look earlier.”
“Don’t mind him, Fellow Mo,” Zhao Sinan turned to reassure him.
Before Mo Bufan could reply, Chen Tianwen, ever eager to please Zhao Sinan, interjected, “Of course Mo won’t mind. Brother is just thinking of everyone’s safety… Sinan, are you thirsty? I have…”
“Damn it!” Mo Bufan cursed inwardly, catching Zhao Sinan’s helpless rejection of Chen Tianwen’s offer in his peripheral vision and feeling a bit better.
Just then, Mo Bufan sensed a faint aura, tinged with energy, approaching from nearby. He was startled: “A monster!”