Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1355: Beneath the Abyss

The millennium-old Nine-Story Demon Tower, a structure belonging to the Demon Kingdom, largely crumbled under a solitary strike from the Lord of the Charnel Ground. Countless enormous stones, intermingled with skeletal remains, cascaded down like a colossal avalanche.

Not long after, a vast, gaping opening was revealed for all to see.

And the sight that emerged with it was one from which Zhang Yi and his companions found it impossible to avert their eyes.

For at the foundation of that immense demon tower lay a bottomless abyss, as black and impenetrable as ink!

Whispers of legend claim the Demonic People's power emanated from this very Demon Abyss.

The Demon Abyss, it is said, served as the foundation upon which the Demonic People constructed the Nine-Story Demon Tower for their sacrificial rituals.

Zhang Yi's thoughts drifted to the jar Totoro had pilfered earlier; if his suspicion was correct, its contents were none other than the Divine Source.

A sudden recollection surfaced of Mist Valley on Star Island.

It was in that very location that he had previously discovered a Divine Source.

The efficacy of the Divine Source paled in comparison to that of the sacrificial spirit; its sole function was to act as a key, unlocking the Genetic Lock.

Connecting this knowledge with all that had transpired today, a nascent apprehension began to crystallize within Zhang Yi's mind.

It was plausible that the Divine Source was a fragment, a portion intentionally divested from the sacrificial spirit.

This fragment, seemingly unnecessary for the subterranean race, was perhaps why they had distributed it among the populace of the Demon Kingdom.

Furthermore, it was conceivable that by harnessing the power of the Divine Source, the Demon Kingdom had been capable of producing two Epsilon-level entities.

The timing, with one ancient and nearing their end while the other was young and vibrant, perfectly ensured the Demon Kingdom always had peak-tier combatants available for their sacrificial rites and, possibly, to stand guard.

Before the colossal abyss, the superhumans of Garuda's Followers and the Knights of the Round Table stood, their hearts filled with both profound awe and a burgeoning sense of excitement.

"This is precisely what we journeyed across continents to find!"

The Demon Kingdom itself, in its entirety, hardly justified their extensive continental voyage.

The genuine secret realm concealed beneath the Demon Kingdom was their ultimate quarry.

Any discovery of a secret realm invariably carried immense, incalculable value for a nation.

Consider, for instance, the Qinling Abyss. Despite less than one percent of its potential being tapped, it had already propelled the Shengjing Region to surpass the Huaxu Kingdom, elevating it to the status of a super-region.

It was easy to surmise that any global power, while harboring trepidation towards such secret realms, also harbored an intense covetousness for them.

For while they presented a source of crisis, they simultaneously offered unparalleled opportunities!

Gazing into the abyss, the Lord of the Charnel Ground offered a smiling invocation, a Buddhist chant directed towards the assembled crowd.

By this point, the formidable forces of the Four Great Families and Sangha Monastery had also battled their way to this location. They were a bloody spectacle, having annihilated countless Demonic People along their arduous path.

One particularly zealous superhuman sported over a dozen severed heads tied around his waist—trophies, each representing a powerful combatant from the Demon Kingdom, viewed as spoils of war.

With the demise of the Demon Kingdom's two Epsilon-level combatants, the remaining forces were left utterly defenseless, akin to lambs awaiting slaughter.

The Allied Forces' might was, after all, overwhelmingly superior, and their armaments and equipment were far more advanced than the enemy's.

The loss of their apex fighters, coupled with the catastrophic destruction of the Nine-Story Demon Tower, had completely shattered the enemy's morale, rendering them too terrified to continue the fight.

Consequently, the ensuing engagements were entirely devoid of suspense.

Upon beholding the gargantuan Demon Abyss, Deji and his entourage abruptly ceased their advance. Their bodies quivered slightly, a complex mix of elation and an underlying tremor of something more.

That vast chasm bore an uncanny resemblance to the eye of some monstrous demon.

"When you stare long into an abyss, the abyss stares back into you."

A profound chill coursed down their spines, an involuntary reaction to this unsettling realization.

"The time has arrived to decisively resolve this millennium-old karmic entanglement! Everything you seek, everyone, lies within this Demon Abyss. I shall lead the way!"

With those pronouncements, the Lord of the Charnel Ground, without a shred of hesitation, plunged directly into the depths of the Demon Abyss.

Deji and the contingent of battle-hardened monks from Sangha Monastery, alongside the private forces of the Yasha Langtai family, followed suit in close succession.

If their revered object of faith, the Lord of the Charnel Ground, had entered, what reason remained for them to harbor fear?

Not every individual present entered the Demon Abyss.

Deji had already delegated a contingent of his soldiers to systematically eliminate the remaining remnants of the Demon Kingdom's forces.

In this decisive conflict, not a single soul from the Demon Kingdom would be permitted to survive!

They could not permit the seeds of malevolence to take root and propagate once more.

These Demonic People had evolved significantly, becoming fundamentally distinct from the humans of the outside world; one might even classify them as a separate subspecies of humanity. To allow them to persist would inevitably invite endless future calamities.

Due to their differing beliefs, making them difficult to control, a complete eradication was the simpler solution.

Observing their decisive entry into the Demon Abyss, it was surprisingly Zhang Yi's group that found themselves faltering.

Whether it was Zhang Yi's contingent, the Garuda's Followers, or the Knights of the Round Table, it was evident they had all encountered similar secret realms previously.

Without navigating through trials of life and death, how could they have achieved their current levels of strength?

In bygone eras, there had been superhumans with talents as remarkable as theirs, yet had they not ultimately perished within these secret realms?

After all, not everyone possessed Zhang Yi's foresight, prioritizing the maximization of defensive capabilities from the outset.

Furthermore, every secret realm harbored entities possessing overwhelming power, akin to the Gatekeeper of the Netherworld and Bai Longzi.

These apprehensions instilled a reluctance in those standing before the Demon Abyss to proceed inward.

Zhang Yi's brow furrowed as he contemplated the potential outcomes.

Moreover, he had already tasked Liang Yue and the others with gathering intelligence on the Demon Kingdom, necessitating a delay before their entry.

After a brief pause, Gao Changkong spoke with a smile.

"We have already arrived. What is the purpose of this prolonged hesitation? Since you harbor reservations, we shall venture in to investigate first."

With that declaration, he gestured to his team members and the auxiliary soldiers of the Xia Zha family, then proceeded towards the Demon Abyss.

Gao Changkong displayed an uncharacteristic swiftness on this occasion.

Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table felt a surge of curiosity but happened to cast their gazes toward Zhang Yi, who was observing from a distance, arms crossed, exuding an air of unflustered calm.

A hint of suspicion colored Lancelot's smile as he inquired, "Chaos, why do you not descend?"

Chaos directed a glance at him.

"I am the type who always proceeds with prudence. I will not blindly enter a place without undertaking thorough preparations."

Lancelot found Zhang Yi's explanation to be reasonable.

However, a sudden recollection of Zhang Yi's recent maneuver surfaced in his mind.

At that time, he had also spoken with such assurance, only to secretly orchestrate the theft of the Divine Source via Hua Hua and Totoro.

"That fellow, not a single word from him can be trusted!"

Disregarding Lancelot's exclamation, Zhang Yi turned to depart.

Among the Knights of the Round Table, a burly, middle-aged man of formidable build folded his arms and let out a hearty laugh. "Could that chap be planning to scavenge while the dust settles?"

His physique rivaled that of a colossal bear, clad in resplendent golden armor, with a wild mane of red hair and beard that sprang forth untamed.

He was the most senior member of the Knights of the Round Table.

[Guardian Knight] Galahad, bestowed with the codename [Golden Lion].

Galahad's jest illuminated the situation for the rest of the Knights of the Round Table.

To be at the Demon Abyss now, yet refrain from entering, and instead turn away—what other motive could there be?

Clearly, it was to thoroughly comb the area and seize the Demon Kingdom's scattered resources.

The Four Great Families had indeed stationed the majority of their private soldiers for the purpose of looting.

Yet, in this desolate Demon Kingdom, with the most valuable Divine Source already claimed by him, what other treasures could possibly remain?

Upon reflection, Lancelot surmised that the sprawling expanse of the Demon Kingdom's city would necessitate an entire day for meticulous exploration.

Therefore, he no longer hesitated, pivoting around and striding towards the Demon Abyss.

"Advance!"