The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 291. Into the Abyss

The Next Day... Back at Camp No. 640

Tyler stood in front of Sandra, the woman in charge of managing personnel within the camp. Her sharp eyes scanned him as she leaned back in her chair.

"You want to join the Abyss Exploration Group?" Sandra asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tyler nodded.

"Well, you already finished a big mission recently. Are you sure you wanna go inside the Abyss?" she questioned.

"I’m not affected by the Abyss’ corruption or anything," Tyler replied. "I don’t have a death wish either, if that’s what you’re worried about."

Sandra remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Some people might get affected by Abyss and wanted to dive in. But it seems like Tyler is not affected by anything like that.

"My friends went missing inside the Abyss," Tyler explained, his voice firm. "I have to search for them."

Sandra sighed. "Oh... I see."

"So, can I get permission to enter?" Tyler asked.

"No."

Sandra’s immediate rejection caught Tyler off guard.

She quickly elaborated, "Because an Immortal suddenly showed up, the Abyss entrance has become chaotic. A surge of monsters has made it incredibly dangerous, and the higher-ups decided to limit the number of entrants. Every available quota is already filled."

Tyler frowned. "So, there’s no way in?"

"Not unless someone gives up their quota, which is unlikely," Sandra said.

Tyler rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Then... can I buy a quota?"

Sandra looked surprised but not entirely dismissive. "You mean you want to buy a spot from another exploration group?"

Tyler nodded. "That’s right."

Sandra pondered for a moment before answering. "It’s not impossible, but you’d need to find someone willing to sell their slot. Not many people would give up their opportunity to explore the Abyss."

A small smirk formed on Tyler’s lips.

"Leave that part to me."

---

Half a Day Later...

Andrey, a commander from a small Ixalaria country, paced inside his camp. He had managed to secure a quota for his team to explore the Abyss.

If he found something valuable, his country would reward him with fame and wealth. However, he knew the risks.

The Abyss was notoriously deadly—even the strongest warriors only had a 50% chance of survival.

As he weighed his options, a messenger arrived with an offer.

A group was willing to buy his slot for a large sum of money.

Andrey’s hesitation vanished the moment he checked his bank account balance. The sheer amount made his head spin.

Turning to his soldiers, he chuckled.

"There are idiots out there willing to pay just to enter the Abyss," he said, shaking his head.

But before anyone could respond, a figure appeared behind them, moving so silently that they hadn’t even noticed his approach.

"Can I have that token, please?" a deep voice spoke.

Andrey spun around to see a Grandmaster-ranked warrior standing just a few feet away.

"W-who are you?" Andrey stammered.

"I was sent by those idiots," the Grandmaster said flatly.

Andrey swallowed hard.

After a brief verification process, the Grandmaster took the token and left without another word.

Andrey wiped his forehead.

He had underestimated the buyer.

If even their subordinate was a Grandmaster, the person behind this transaction must be someone extremely powerful.

Or so he thought.

---

Preparing for Departure

Tyler stood at the camp’s exit, saying his goodbyes to several people.

First, there was Human Kyla, the reluctant mercenary.

Then, Brolin, still recovering from his injuries, and Rabbit Kyla, who was helping support him.

"Once this is over, if you want, you can join my crew and travel north," Tyler offered to Human Kyla.

She looked at him for a long moment before nodding.

"I’ll think about it," she said simply.

There was no romantic tension between them—just mutual respect.

Tyler had one priority right now.

Find Lily and Astrid.

Tyler’s team was composed of: Himself – The leader, Mathilda – The Alchemist, Mana – The Spirit Ghost, residing inside Tyler’s body and Seven Grandmasters – Elite mercenaries hired for the mission.

Their destination is Twilight Mire City.

This city was the epicenter of the Abyss Breakout— it was catastrophic event where Abyssal creatures poured into the world, causing widespread destruction. It was also the only place with a giant Abyss passage in the continent, also called as Centre of Abyss Breakout.

---

Arrival at Twilight Mire City

Upon reaching the city, Tyler and his group immediately felt the uneasy atmosphere.

Twilight Mire City was once a calm city but had now become a battleground. The streets were lined with burned buildings, and the air carried the scent of ashes and blood. Despite this, the city was still teeming with mercenaries, and Immortal Practitioners seeking fortune in the breakout.

Tyler’s eyes locked onto the Abyss Spatial Passage at the city’s center.

It was a massive vortex, over 2000 meters high, swirling with a deep purplish glow. It was an entrance to another world, a land of darkness, horror, and mystery.

But what unsettled Tyler the most wasn’t the size or the color.

It was the feeling.

The feeling that, as he stared into the Abyss... something was staring back at him.

"Huh... ’When you gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss gazes back...’" Tyler muttered, shaking his head.

---

Checkpoint at the Abyss Passage ƒгeewebnovёl.com

As they approached the passage, a man with fox-like features stepped forward. His golden fur, sharp ears, and fluffy tail indicated he was a Foxkin Beastman.

"Welcome." The fox-man smiled politely before glancing at their group.

"I apologize, but only authorized individuals are allowed to enter the Abyss. This is a strict rule enforced by all major organizations across the continent."

Tyler nodded and tossed a token toward him.

The fox-man caught it and examined it. His expression changed slightly.

"Oh... You’re one of the allocated groups." He handed the token back. "My apologies for the inconvenience. Please, follow me."

As they walked, Tyler observed their surroundings.

Many Immortal Practitioners had set up temporary stalls, selling artifacts, potions, and materials recovered from the outer Abyss.

"They used to venture into the outer region of the Abyss and sell their loot here," the fox-man explained. "But now, after the entry restrictions, their numbers have significantly decreased."

Tyler was surprised.

Even with the restrictions, there were still over 100 people actively trading.

This only showed how valuable Abyss-related resources were.

Finally, Tyler’s group arrived at the entrance of the spatial passage.

Standing before the swirling void, Tyler’s eye twitched.

’How the hell did you cause this mess, Adam?’

He recalled what Adam—the mysterious guy—had mentioned before that He was the one who "accidentally" triggered the Abyss Breakout.

Tyler sighed and shook his head. ’I don’t even wanna know how that happened.’ He decided not to think about it.

Instead, he turned to his group and pulled out three pictures.

First Picture is Astrid Rosefall – The Half-Angel princess. Second Picture is Lily Gomes – His Vice Captain.

"The mission is simple. Find these two girls and save them." Tyler said.

Then he showed them the Third Picture - A Winged Man.

The last image depicted a man with blonde hair and pure white wings. His shining helmet covered half of his face, leaving only his cold blue eyes visible. He wielded a massive iron mace, giving off an aura of divine arrogance.

Tyler tapped on the third picture and said in a calm, yet menacing tone

"Lastly find this guy and Barbecue his wings."

The Grandmasters smirked and nodded in understanding.

---

The Descent into the Abyss

Tyler took a deep breath and reached for Mathilda’s hand. With his other hand, he grabbed onto one of the Grandmasters.

The rest of the team followed suit, linking hands to ensure they wouldn’t get separated upon entry.

This was crucial—the Abyss distorted space, and those who entered without a proper formation could be teleported to different locations.

With one final glance at the world behind him, Tyler stepped forward.

And then—

They dived in.

As soon as they entered, everything changed.

Gravity shifted unnaturally.

Colors faded, turning everything into a mixture of dark blues and purples.

The air felt thicker, almost as if it had a physical presence.

Tyler’s vision blurred for a brief moment before adjusting.

’This place... it’s worse than I expected.’

The ground beneath them was solid, but cracks emitted a dim red glow, as if the earth itself was bleeding.

Far ahead, towering structures—some resembling twisted castles, others appearing like giant bones—loomed over the abyssal landscape.

Then—

A low growl echoed from the distance.

Tyler’s group immediately went on high alert.

A colossal creature, the size of a skyscraper, lumbered in the distance, its footsteps causing the ground to tremble. Its thick, armored hide shimmered under the eerie glow of the Abyss.

Then—

A shadow loomed overhead.

Without warning, an enormous head, the size of a mountain, emerged from the abyssal darkness. Rows of jagged teeth glistened as its massive jaws snapped shut—devouring the skyscraper-sized beast in one bite.

A sickening crunch echoed through the desolate landscape.

The team froze, unable to look away.

The sheer scale of the monstrosity was beyond comprehension.

Their breaths quickened. Their hearts pounded.

Even the seasoned Grandmasters looked shaken.

The Journey into the Abyss had begun.

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End of the Volume 4

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