Abyss Summoner

The cave was dark and black, with only faint glows of phosphorescent moss dotted around, making it almost impossible to see one’s hand in front of them. But the creatures living here were long accustomed to the surroundings and mastered their dark vision, able to see clearly as long as there was even a bit of light.

Abyss.

This is the land of the Abyss.

Countless Demons were born here, along with many other races. To the weaker beings, the Dimension Wall is like an insurmountable river, forcing them to persist in living here until death.

Lily was carrying heavy luggage, walking towards a plain with heavy steps and slow actions.

As an underage Cat Race girl, she was only about 1.3 meters tall, with a flushed face indicating she had been carrying it for some time. What stood out most were her cat ears on her head, a beautiful orange color, delicately outlined with some elegant lines.

She was just a child, unlike those tribe members who could fight goblins; she was nothing but a little kitten.

However, Lily had no complaints about the heavy manual labor. Their lives had improved significantly compared to before, no longer worrying about the cold and hunger. Especially, the surrounding enemies no longer harassed the tribe, with most even coming to assist them.

All of this was because of Sister Flora’s strength.

Lily was still young and didn’t even have the concept of a Demon Lord, but she witnessed her tribe migrate from one unsettled place to another and then finally having a cave of their own.

In the Abyss, both Demons and dark creatures lived in caves since it’s a gathering place for madmen, and grand buildings would first become targets of attack. Because of this, caves became highly coveted, and without strength, one couldn’t live there long-term.

Lily remembered clearly that from the time she became aware, they had been in a state of migration, wandering without a home.

But since Sister Flora became a Demon Lord, that changed. They acquired a cave over ten thousand meters squared, with even an underground spring to satisfy their daily water needs.

Resources in the Abyss are scarce; food and water are contested by all factions. Previously, a strong tribe of kobolds resided here, but under Sister Flora’s suppression, most were enslaved, and this naturally became the territory for the Cat Race.

Lily didn’t find carrying luggage exhausting. From birth, the fate of Cat Race people seemed destined—to become food or die after exhausting their energy. Their life’s scenery only included mating for the purpose of reproduction.

As for the older Cat Race people, to save food, they would wander into the wild when they couldn’t do heavy work anymore. Everyone knew that only death awaited them, with no hope of survival.

"Children from poor families take charge early."

Growing up in such an environment, Lily had learned many survival skills. Even when she was only as tall as a tribe member’s leg, she had already become a little master scavenger, possessing extraordinary talent. According to Flora, if she received proper nutrition and training, she could become a renowned Master Assassin.

Lily was only thirteen years old and didn’t care about becoming a "Master Assassin." She merely glanced back at the cave she was reluctant to leave. To her, she was just unwilling to part from such a good living environment.

In the cave, there was water and even a small room of her own. Though it was only five square meters, it was the only room that belonged to her in her life. In the past, most times she slept on the ground, in trees, or even in mud.

"It’s said we can never return here. I had agreed to help Weiwei dig her house the day after tomorrow, but it seems I won’t be able to."

A gentle hand patted Lily on the head, startling her out of her thoughts. She quickly turned around and, upon seeing a familiar figure, softly said, "Grandpa Merck..."

A Cat Race elder with a long white beard nodded slightly at Lily. It looked like an old cat; its ears even drooped down with age.

This was the witness of the Cat Race people.

It was he who overcame all difficulties to recommend Flora as the new Clan Leader. There was no precedent of a female leader in the history of the Cat Race. Some so-called "upper echelons" tried to stop this, questioning how they could change the rules of the Cat Race.

But that time, Grandpa Merck, usually kind and smiling, known for his strong prestige among the tribe, raised his stick against the opponents, and only stopped his violent act when he was utterly exhausted.

"[You all should understand our current situation, and the initial purpose of the tribe’s rules was for the tribe’s well-being. Now, with everyone nearly dead, what’s the point of talking about rules?]"

Merck stood against opposition and supported Flora in becoming the Clan Leader, and time proved his decision correct.

"What are you thinking about, little one?" Merck asked with a smile as he looked at Lily.

Lily put down her luggage, nostalgically looking at the cave behind her and said shyly, "Grandpa Merck, I can’t bear to leave our home. We’ve finally settled here, and now we have to move again. What if the new place isn’t as convenient? You know, the water is right here in the cave, and we don’t have to travel miles to find it, nor will anyone be killed on the way..."

Merck gently patted Lily’s head and whispered, "Would you like to hear a story?"

Being still young, Lily looked at Merck. Hearing grandpa’s stories of the past was one of the rare lights in the difficult life of the Abyss for her and her little companions!

"We didn’t always live here. We used to reside in a vast forest, beside a river, with countless fruit trees. When we were hungry, we could reach out and eat. The river, too, was rich with fish, so abundant that a big fish like that would take little ones three days to finish."

"We lived in built houses, warming ourselves with wood fires in winter, without enduring the harsh environment, or losing tribe members to the cold in the wilderness."

"The sun would rise on a new day. Strong warriors went out to hunt, while the female tribesmen managed everything at home. By sunset, the lakeside was full of children’s laughter and joy..."

Although she didn’t understand what a river or what sunset meant, it didn’t stop Lily from being captivated. That was her dream world, a city that perhaps would only appear in her dreams!

Lily was inspired: "That must be the Goddess’s Celestial Kingdom!"

Merck’s smile froze slightly.

"Goddess? Perhaps, but that place doesn’t seem to welcome impoverished Believers like us..." Merck thought bitterly to himself.

The Cat and Dance Goddess is a Divine Spirit that indulges in enjoyment. Compared to these Cat Race people struggling in the Abyss, she seems more favorably inclined towards those with handsome looks and the ability to sing and dance.

Merck had lived in the Abyss for sixty-one years. If not for Flora becoming the Clan Leader, awakening as a Master of Fist and leading the tribe out of trouble, he would’ve gone out to the plains long ago, seeking redemption for his tribe.

In Cat Race history, elder tribespeople needed to make sacrifices due to poverty and adversity. Those elders wouldn’t refuse because their parents also experienced the same.

And in these decades, he never saw the Goddess descend, not even once, not mentioning any miracles. Merck’s faith had long wavered.

When did it start?

When his wife died of hunger, when his son lost his head in battle, when countless older siblings packed sparsely and walked into the wild, he was let down time and again. His faith cracked and eventually vanished.

Merck wasn’t inflexible. He knew that everything they now had wasn’t the Goddess’s doing but Flora’s and the miracles created by the man behind her.

He couldn’t forget, just when the tribe was on the brink, it was the man who brought them food and weapons, helping Flora repel one enemy after another and becoming a Demon Lord reigning over enslaved Demons!

Sometimes Merck felt he was dreaming. The little girl he had watched grow up had become a mighty Demon Lord!

Because of this, when Flora told him that she would move the tribe to truly pure land, Merck didn’t question it and directly ordered the relocation!

They were heading to the Human World!

According to Flora’s description, it was a land far more beautiful and fertile than any so-called Divine Kingdom!

Merck no longer held faith; leaving the land overlooked by the Goddess, he had no hesitation. Over decades, he’d realized that instead of charity, the Cat Race needed to rely on their own hands to fight for themselves!

They were no longer the pitiable creatures driven to the wild by goblins but the Cat Race tribe with a Demon Lord as their backing. Therefore, there’s no need to ask for a Divine Spirit’s permission; they have the right to seek their own happiness!

Merck looked behind him. Not just for Lily, but even for himself, he had never lived in such a "luxurious" cave, but he believed in Flora and the unseen man behind the scenes. He firmly believed in a brighter future for the Cat Race; thus, he intended to lead his tribe out of the Abyss and toward a new world!