Chapter 9 Ninth Layer of the Dark Abyss

"Congratulations everyone on reaching the ninth level of the Dark Abyss. The rules for this round are the same as the last: only 256 participants may enter a higher level of the Abyss." A grand voice echoed from the sky as Xu Jingming and the others began searching for weapons.

Although he had a dagger, Xu Jingming hoped to find a more suitable weapon!

A sword or a spear would definitely be more powerful than a dagger! Of course, a spear was his most coveted weapon.

"That hooded girl must be an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform." Suddenly, a voice rang out, and a silver-haired man pointed at the somewhat bewildered petite girl, Tata. Of course, Tata's actual age was much greater than anyone else present.

"I'm an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform?" Tata pointed at the silver-haired man and said with a chuckle, "There are only two eighth-order Starry Sky lifeforms in this competition. Are you so confident that I am one of them?"

The surrounding participants immediately moved away, keeping a safe distance from Tata.

"Because we were on the same team in the previous team battle," the silver-haired man said. "I am quite skilled in mental aspects, but I discovered that I was unconsciously influenced mentally! After filtering and eliminating possibilities, I determined that you were the one influencing me! Among seventh-order Starry Sky lifeforms, my mental techniques are top-notch. To influence me so silently, you must be an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform."

"Keep making things up," Tata said, pouting.

"There's another way to verify." As soon as the silver-haired man finished speaking, he attacked Tata, a rapier in his hand.

He transformed into a phantom, forcing his way close to Tata. The rapier in his hand had disappeared, leaving only streams of light enveloping Tata.

This scene shocked the participants.

Xu Jingming was also secretly alarmed: "This silver-haired man is much stronger than me. In the Blood Rain World, he would be considered a top-tier expert."

Faced with such terrifying swordsmanship, Xu Jingming knew he would be killed in two or three moves.

The petite and adorable girl, Tata, was empty-handed, without a weapon. She sighed, "You have a good eye."

As she spoke, her figure eerily avoided all the thrusts of the rapier.

At the same time, she rushed towards a tall man holding a large hammer. The tall man panicked, dodging and using his hammer techniques to defend.

Whoosh.

The two figures crossed paths!

The tall man's eyes widened, and a hole had appeared between his eyebrows. The 'large hammer' that he had been holding was now in the hands of the adorable girl, Tata.

Tata, who was about 1.5 meters tall, held the meter-long hammer in one hand. She looked at the silver-haired man and smiled, "Since you discovered it, then I'll indulge you."

With that, Tata wielded the hammer and charged.

"Everyone, attack together." The silver-haired man retreated as other participants surrounded her.

Everyone could see that this girl was terrifyingly strong!

Anyone who wanted to win the competition wanted to eliminate this 'eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform'!

There were more weapons on the ninth level of the Dark Abyss. At this moment, five 'top-tier experts' charged forward with weapons. Even though it was their first time working together, their coordination was perfect as they besieged the girl, Tata.

Tata wielded the large hammer with an imposing aura, like a demon god, combining speed and power in her hammer techniques, her skill reaching an unbelievable level.

On the field, one against five, Tata actually had the upper hand.

"One!" Tata suddenly shouted, and the hammer erupted with fierce force. In the midst of the siege, it still mysteriously pierced through the obstacles, the edge of the hammer sweeping across a participant's abdomen, directly blasting the participant into nothingness.

"Retreat!"

"Scatter and flee!" Seeing this, the other four top-tier experts scattered without hesitation, fleeing in all directions. As they fled, they also attacked other participants.

Tata, wielding the hammer, stared at the silver-haired man and gave chase!

"Don't even think about escaping," Tata said with a smile as she pursued him.

"How can this eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform be so strong? I was too reckless! I should have waited until everyone had weapons before besieging her." The silver-haired man was filled with regret. Tata had only shown her terrifying mental abilities, not her combat strength.

The silver-haired man was also a top-tier expert, considered quite good among seventh-order Starry Sky lifeforms. He thought that with cooperation, he could take down an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform.

Who would have thought…

Tata far surpassed ordinary eighth-order experts.

As the top experts fled and killed, the fighting on the field became even more chaotic.

"Get to the eighth level as soon as possible! Otherwise, none of us can stop her," a participant shouted.

The silver-haired man was ultimately not fast enough and was caught up by Tata. With just three hammer strikes, she smashed the top-tier expert to death.

"Haha…" Tata, carrying the hammer, smiled as she scanned the other participants. None of them dared to approach her.

The other participants quickly fought each other, and soon only 256 people remained! Xu Jingming, armed with his dagger, had once again survived. After all, having a weapon was a significant advantage. Without knowing the true strength of others, the participants were unwilling to fight experts with weapons.

"Buzz." Beams of dark red light descended, enveloping each surviving participant.

Xu Jingming became even more serious: "Entering the next round. The next round will definitely be crazy."

…

On the eighth level of the Dark Abyss, only 256 of the original one million universe citizens remained!

The 256 people stood on the vast earth.

"Congratulations on reaching the eighth level of the Dark Abyss. Each of you may choose any weapon. In this round, only 128 will enter a higher level." A voice echoed from the sky. Each person's body was protected by a layer of light as they chose their weapons.

Xu Jingming also put away his dagger and chose a spear, three meters long!

"I revealed my strength in the last round," Tata said to the tens of millions of viewers in her livestream. "My chances of getting through this round are less than ten percent! Because all the participants will choose the weapons that suit them best. And the top experts among them will definitely join hands to eliminate me first! Because they know very well that in the final stages, they won't be able to stop me."

There were still quite a few participants, so they could still deal with Tata.

But if it really came down to the last few rounds, with only twenty or thirty participants left! It would be almost impossible to eliminate Tata.

"Hiding my strength still doesn't work," Tata said. She had already thrown away the large hammer and replaced it with a pair of larger, hexagonal hammers.

These hexagonal hammers had larger heads and sharper edges.

Tata held one in each hand, her signature weapons.

"It's Tata!"

"Double Hammers Tata!"

Many participants immediately recognized her.

After all, throughout the Hunter Cosmos Domain, Tata was one of the top 100 star streamers in the 'Escape from the Abyss' livestreaming category! When she took out her signature hexagonal hammers, many participants who regularly watched 'Escape from the Abyss' knew who she was.

"It's actually Tata."

"Surround her."

"With her strength and mental techniques, once she reaches the fifth level of the Dark Abyss! None of us will be able to stop her, and she will definitely take first place."

Although the later stages of Escape from the Abyss would greatly affect the mind! Tata was known for her mental strength!

"Wahahaha… My fans, come on, let me send you on your way." The moment the protective light around each participant's body disappeared, Tata wielded her hammers and launched the first attack!

"My only chance of survival is to rush into the crowd of participants," Tata explained to her livestream audience.

"Attack."

"Surround her."

At this moment, all the participants had obtained weapons. For a moment, archers shot arrows, and hidden weapons were used for sneak attacks, all targeting Tata.

Furthermore, almost all of the twenty-odd experts at the top-tier level among the 256 participants joined the attack!

"My fans are too enthusiastic." Tata's movements changed, dodging arrows and hidden weapons, while also using her hammers to defend. And many top-tier experts had already surrounded her, their moves coordinated! Giving Tata no chance to catch her breath.

Tata used her hammer techniques, her person and the two hammers becoming one, moving with a strange rhythm.

From a distance, Xu Jingming felt as if Tata's figure had disappeared, leaving only two hammers colliding and attacking in all directions! The two hammers, working together, were unpredictable, and the formation of the twenty-odd top-tier experts was torn apart time and time again.

But these top-tier experts immediately made up for the gaps in their formation.

They were all top combat geniuses! Their cooperation made Tata feel suffocated.

The two hammers, crashing and fighting madly, were finally overwhelmed by the encirclement after half a minute.

Tata was killed! Eliminated!

Under her terrifying counterattack, three 'top-tier' experts had died, and others had been injured.

"How terrifying. Surrounded by twenty-odd top-tier experts, and with the coordinated attacks of archers and hidden weapon experts, she still killed three top-tier experts? According to the rules of Escape from the Abyss, everyone has the same physical abilities." Xu Jingming was shocked.

With Tata's death, the top-tier experts who had surrounded her naturally dispersed, attacking other weaker participants.

They wanted to ensure their advancement! They were unwilling to fight other top-tier experts to the point of mutual destruction. Having eliminated Tata, they were already among the strongest.

…

Xu Jingming also encountered a formidable opponent, a three-eyed man wielding a shield and axe.

Xu Jingming held his spear in one hand, staring at his opponent.

The three-eyed man charged ferociously. When they were less than ten meters apart—

Swish!

A cold light shot out from Xu Jingming's sleeve. They were too close! The hidden weapon was too fast! The three-eyed man's left-hand shield was habitually used to block his upper body, but this cold light was aimed at the alien's calf.

He immediately lowered his left-hand shield and forcibly changed his footwork! In fact, they were about to engage at a distance of less than ten meters. Forcing a change in footwork at this point… caused the three-eyed alien's movements to become somewhat chaotic.

As Xu Jingming threw the dagger with his right hand, he charged forward, unleashing a swift spear thrust!

While the opponent was dodging the dagger, Xu Jingming sensed the opponent's state, seizing the moment of his chaotic movement, and thrust his spear forward! Chi! The spear and the axe touched at the same time, and with a slight twist, the spear changed direction and pierced through the three-eyed man's shoulder, tearing! An arm flew into the air.

"Ah."

The three-eyed man cried out in pain, hastily using the remaining axe to defend.

With the shield and axe combination, he might have been able to fight Xu Jingming, but after losing an arm, his defense was significantly weakened. Xu Jingming's spear techniques, incorporating the mysteries of the Flowing Water Scroll and the Time-Space Scroll, became increasingly fierce with each thrust. With just five consecutive spear strikes, he pierced through the three-eyed alien's chest.

"Without the dagger, the outcome would have been uncertain." Xu Jingming killed his opponent and breathed a sigh of relief.

Not long after killing his opponent, beams of dark red light descended!

128 people had survived.

…

"Congratulations on reaching the seventh level of the Dark Abyss. You are getting closer and closer to escaping the Abyss. From now on, each round will have different rules. The rule for this round: kill one person to enter a higher level." A voice echoed in the sky.

Xu Jingming, holding his spear, had just heard the voice when he saw a woman wielding twin blades rushing towards him.

"It's her?" Xu Jingming's heart trembled. This woman had been among the top-tier experts who had surrounded Tata.

The twin-blade woman had cold eyes. She knew who the top-tier experts were, and by avoiding them, she could easily enter the next round. She had simply chosen a participant who was relatively close to her.

With two quick movements, she was already close to Xu Jingming.

Xu Jingming used his spear techniques to try and create distance.

"Clang."

One blade broke through Xu Jingming's spear move. Xu Jingming immediately pulled back his spear, trying to defend! But the woman had already closed in, the twin blades whistling. Xu Jingming managed to block one blade with a roll of his spear, but the other blade swept across Xu Jingming's body.

Xu Jingming's body turned into an illusion.

"It only took three blades, and I'm gone?" Xu Jingming was a little dazed. The gap between them was too large.

Xu Jingming was eliminated!

He ultimately stopped at the seventh level of the Dark Abyss!

"Oh."

"Very impressive."

"He managed to escape all the way to the seventh level of the Abyss."

"One of the 128."

Director Zhou and the other high-level officials of Blue Star all breathed a sigh of relief. They had been quite nervous watching the battle earlier. They all praised Xu Jingming, considering his results excellent.

"After all, Xu Jingming hasn't been training for very long. There are still many who are stronger than him in the vast universe. Being able to reach the seventh level of the Dark Abyss is already very commendable. This is still the result of the game officials favoring him," the Blue Star officials were well aware of this. Newcomers were always luckier the first time they played. Of course, being able to escape to the seventh level required not only luck but also strength.

At the same time, the Blue Star officials felt a sense of helplessness.

Xu Jingming was already the highest level of martial power on Blue Star! The highest level of evolution on Blue Star was currently sixth-order Starry Sky lifeforms.

As the highest level of martial power on Blue Star, he seemed quite ordinary in a 'medium' Escape from the Abyss event!

This showed just how weak Blue Star's overall strength was on the path of evolution!

"The protection period for newly ascended civilizations will end in half a year. We will truly face the storms of the universe." The Blue Star officials felt increasingly pressured.

…

Eliminated.

Xu Jingming appeared in a void of darkness.

"Xu Jingming, you started from the 20th level of the Dark Abyss and escaped all the way to the 7th level. Although you ultimately failed to escape, your outstanding performance still earns you a considerable reward."

"Based on the current prize pool amount, you will receive a reward of: 25.39 million cosmos coins! Because this 'Escape from the Dark Abyss' event is still ongoing, the total prize pool is still increasing. You can withdraw 25.39 million cosmos coins now, and the game officials will supplement the remaining amount later. You can also choose to receive the total amount in one lump sum after the Escape from the Abyss event ends."

Xu Jingming lightly tapped: "Withdraw."

Immediately, 25.39 million cosmos coins were credited to his account.

"Reminder: Please spend wisely. According to the regulations of the Cosmos Human Alliance, every cosmos citizen is required to pay the corresponding taxes at the end of each cosmos year."

Seeing this, Xu Jingming sighed inwardly.

The Cosmos Human Alliance collected taxes from every cosmos citizen.

Based on your expenses and income for the cosmos year, the corresponding tax would be calculated naturally! No one dared to think about evading taxes, not even the high-ranking members of the Cosmos Human Alliance Council.

"After the Cosmos Human Alliance collects taxes, it will also allocate a portion of the tax revenue to the Star Alliance," Xu Jingming thought. "I heard that one's home civilization also has the right to collect taxes."

For example, the Blue Star civilization had the right to collect taxes from the civilization's cosmos citizens.

"But the Blue Star civilization is currently exempting cosmos citizens from taxes," Xu Jingming murmured to himself. He was well aware of the reason. This was very common in the universe. Many weak civilizations exempted their cosmos citizens from taxes! They didn't dare to collect taxes because… they were afraid! They were afraid that the cosmos citizens would immigrate.

Immigrating as a cosmos citizen was a very simple matter. Many powerful civilizations welcomed cosmos citizens to immigrate. Throughout the Cosmos Human Alliance, only the immigration of cosmos citizens from advanced cosmos civilizations was subject to many restrictions.

Other civilizations, including medium cosmos civilizations, welcomed cosmos citizens to join.

Weak civilizations mostly exempted cosmos citizens from taxes but encouraged cosmos citizens to donate to their home civilization.

"This time, I earned more than twenty million cosmos coins." Xu Jingming was very excited. "I really hit the jackpot! But I was really lucky. In the three team battles, my team won every time! And I didn't encounter any experts in the early stages."

Evidently, when the game officials deployed the participants, Xu Jingming was not surrounded by any powerful experts in the early stages. They fully looked after this 'noob' who was participating for the first time, making his gaming experience very enjoyable!

"Escape from the Dark Abyss is limited to five times a day?" Xu Jingming opened the interface and took a look. "Calm down, calm down. I was just lucky this time. I can't become addicted."

…

However, having earned a huge reward once, how could he resist trying again?

In the next half month, Xu Jingming played a total of ten more times! Each time, it was a 'medium-sized Escape from the Abyss' event. During these ten times, the game officials no longer favored him and started to be fair and just. Xu Jingming was placed right in the middle of the crowd, with participants all around him.

As a result, he failed to pass the third round four times! He frequently encountered 'first-rate experts' and occasionally even encountered 'top-tier experts'.

He only passed the third round twice! Earning back the registration fee.

And four times… he stopped at the seventh round!

"Ten times, and not once did I pass nine rounds. Overall, I didn't lose money, but I made a small profit." Xu Jingming reviewed his past experiences. "After all, this is just a cosmos game. I heard that the 'Dark Abyss' main quest is the real struggle in despair, a way to temper one's state of mind."

"However, my focus in the early stages of cultivation is on the Blood Rain World."

…

Time passed, and the day of his appointment with the Fei family finally arrived.

"Blood Rain World." Standing inside the spaceship, Xu Jingming tapped lightly, and once again descended into that vast world—the Blood Rain World.