Chapter 4: The Great Abyss Pool (Part 2)

Fan Zhen Tong finally spoke up, “Nine… nine layers… I… I’ve finally seen the ninth layer… the ancestors of the ninth-layer altar… I…”
Guo Shier interjected, “Look closely—it’s a professional who has surpassed the ninth layer… even reaching the tenth-layer altar.”
Fan Zhen Tong and the others swallowed hard at the same time, producing loud gulping sounds, which made Guo Shier laugh uncontrollably. Hai Miluo, Feng Miluo, and Fang Miluo also couldn’t help but smile. They hadn’t expected Li Ran to have such an effect—using it to scare people was quite amusing.
“Surpassing… the ninth layer! Good heavens…”
Only then did Fan Zhen Tong count how many layers the altar above Li Ran’s head had. He also realized that Li Ran’s control was extremely precise, not revealing even the slightest fluctuation in his soul. No wonder he had misjudged.
It wasn’t until Li Ran retracted the altar that the three regained their senses. Almost in unison, they said, “Ancestor, we wish to join the Ancient Miluo family.”
Li Ran also wanted to expand his team. Having seen the advanced talisman beasts on this continent, he knew that his own strength alone wasn’t enough. With a gentle smile, he said, “There’s no need to be nervous. I’m just a guest patriarch myself.”
Fan Zhen Tong had traveled far just to find an expert with an eighth or ninth-layer altar to guide him. He had met professionals with eighth-layer altars before, but they were either too arrogant or unwilling to share their progression techniques. He had no choice. Unexpectedly, he now had the recognition of a professional who had surpassed the ninth layer, which filled him with both nervousness and excitement.
Guo Shier inwardly sighed. He remembered the first time he met Qi Wu Zhen—he had been terrified back then too.
Fan Zhen Tong lost all his arrogance, adopting the demeanor of a good student. He stood up and bowed respectfully to Li Ran. Mi Luo and Pu Ye also stood up to bow. Their expressions were solemn, as if bowing to the dead in their past life. Guo Shier almost burst out laughing.
Li Ran didn’t mind and said, “Don’t be so formal. Sit down.” He wasn’t averse to guiding others; he had taught many people in his life. Unfortunately, they all lacked potential and got stuck at a certain stage, unable to progress further.
Fan Zhen Tong said, “I’m sorry. The information I gave earlier wasn’t entirely accurate. Actually, we know where the Great Abyss Pool is, but we’re too afraid to go there for now.”
Li Ran couldn’t help but laugh. These professionals liked to keep some secrets. He said, “Do you have the talisman maps of this continent?”

Fan Zhen Tong said, “No, we don’t have a detailed map of the continent. We only have a very simple map with a few locations marked on it. It cost quite a lot of money to obtain, and I’m not sure if it’s accurate. The main thing it shows is the coordinates of Da Yuan Tan. Well, many ancient clans have purchased this map, so I guess many people will go there to hunt.”

Hai Mi Luo was delighted but also slightly troubled. He knew that without Li Ran, he would never have been able to recruit these three people or obtain the exact coordinates of Da Yuan Tan. With such a skilled person in the clan, their power could definitely grow. But Li Ran was a guest patriarch who could leave at any time, and the clan had almost no control over him.

Fan Zhen Tong took out a jade talisman and handed it to Li Ran. Li Ran examined it briefly, did some calculations, and said, “It’s about a half-month flight from here. It’s not far. Everyone can get ready. We’ll set off tomorrow. For today, you can do as you please and rest.”

Feng Mi Luo replied, “Okay.” Among this group, although he was the head of the Gu Mi Luo clan, Hai Mi Luo held the highest status. As for Li Ran, he was even above them all. Of course, Li Ran wouldn’t interfere in their clan affairs, but once he gave an order, no one dared to ignore it.

Guo Shier asked thoughtfully, “Many ancient clans have purchased these coordinates?”

Mi Luo said, “Yes. I saw seven or eight clan patriarchs buy them. This seems to be a hunting spot. The discovery of this continent has caused a huge sensation. As far as I know, dozens of ancient clans have come here, and many high-level altar professionals from various continents will also arrive.”

Fan Zhen Tong nodded and said, “After all, the chance to find a large hunting ground is rare. Every clan’s patriarch hopes to find enough sacrifices. If they have to search slowly in secret realms, they won’t know how many places they’ll have to visit, which is very inconvenient. I guess ancient clans will soon come here to establish their own base cities.”

Li Ran nodded and said, “Hmm, this is all within expectations. This is a big piece of meat, and everyone wants a bite. Hehe, large-scale wars aren’t far off here.”

Guo Shier understood that once conflicts of interest arose, war would be the ultimate solution.

Feng Mi Luo shook his head regretfully and said, “Our clan… can’t establish a foothold here. We can come to hunt, but if a powerful ancient clan takes control of this place, it will be difficult to hunt even then. We need to hurry and get as many sacrifices as possible. There might not be another such good opportunity in the future.”

Hai Miluo could only smile bitterly. If Li Ran were the true ancestor of the ancient Miluo family, the family would be qualified to have a foothold here. Unfortunately, Li Ran could leave at any time, and even if they occupied a piece of land, the family wouldn’t be able to hold it. This was both a precious and a dangerous place. Although the ancient Miluo family had a solid foundation, it still fell far short compared to other powerful families. Both Hai Miluo and Feng Miluo understood this well and had no confidence in joining this battle over territorial division. Many family ancestors had come here, and failure would bring immeasurable losses to the family.

Guo Shier said with a smile, “We don’t need to build a city here. That place is like a target. Unless some ancient family has a professional who surpasses the ninth-tier altar and is willing to guard it, they might succeed in building a city; otherwise, it will ultimately fail under the repeated attacks from other ancient families.” “We should just hunt here as much as possible and reap enough benefits.”

Everyone agreed. With Li Ran by their side, they could hunt without restraint, fearing no other ancient families. If anyone dared to provoke them, the consequences would be similar to those faced by the Gu Ming family—either death or severe injury.

Of course, everyone also understood that this was a one-time opportunity. Once Li Ran left, they wouldn’t have much advantage on this continent. If they encountered a stronger ancient family, like the Gu Ming family, they would be in trouble.

The three new members further strengthened the family’s power. A professional at the seventh-tier altar was considered advanced. An ordinary ancient family needed at least one such person to defend it. But here, the seventh-tier altar wasn’t the highest level—only those with professionals at the eighth-tier altar belonged to the truly powerful ancient families.

Two professionals at the seventh-tier altar might not be able to defeat one at the eighth-tier altar, but they were still formidable. Professionals from other ancient families would never provoke them. No one wanted a battle that would harm both sides.

A day later, everyone packed up their Hidden Talisman House, left the area, and flew toward the Great Abyss Pool.

……

The Great Abyss Pool was located in the southwest of the continent, at the junction of several mountain ranges, surrounded by peaks towering tens of thousands of meters high. Countless mutated and aberrant talisman beasts gathered here.

The peaks here are covered in snow, and some massive valleys contain vast glaciers. At the foot of the mountains lie extensive primeval forests filled with huge trees—trees with diameters of over ten meters are common. Vines entwining these trees are as thick as water jars, and their leaves, several meters long, are covered with thorns as thick as fingers.

The climate of Da Yuan Tan is also unpredictable—conditions can change drastically within just a hundred miles, with four seasons existing within that distance. Only advanced mutated or aberrant beast symbols can enter here. The complex terrain, volatile climate, mudslides, avalanches, and frequent earthquakes mean that even those with weaker abilities have no chance of survival.

This place is not only home to countless mutated and aberrant beast symbols but also to numerous rare plants and various uncommon minerals. Although Da Yuan Tan is extremely dangerous, it is also a vast treasure trove. Those who manage to enter and exit successfully will surely reap great rewards.

This mountainous region is enormous, covering millions of square kilometers. Due to the towering mountains, disrupted air currents, and fluctuating temperatures, along with frequent flights of mutated or aberrant birds, the sky is not safe either.

The ancestors of the Gu Mi Luo family stayed at the periphery while Li Ran carefully observed the ahead. Along the way, they encountered many ancestors of ancient families, but everyone was in a hurry and did not interact with each other. Fortunately, they had accurate coordinates, allowing them to progress smoothly and even hunting some mutated beast symbols along the way.

Li Ran asked, “Have you sensed anything?”

Gu Er Shi said, “Yes, there’s a strange fluctuation… very weak, but I can feel it.”

Hai Mi Luo said, “I haven’t detected any fluctuations.”

Fan Zhen asked doubtfully, “What kind of fluctuation? A soul fluctuation?”

Gu Er Shi shook his head. “I’m not sure what it is. It’s too far away.”

Li Ran said, “I feel… this fluctuation might be the reason why mutated and aberrant beast symbols gather here. As for what it is, I’m not sure either.”