"In the Abyss…"
"Could civilization really exist?"
"Or is it even possible for any civilization to adapt to the Abyss?"
In Chu Hao's understanding, civilization should appear in the Endless Abyss, at least…
Those who had fallen into it would carry the seeds of their original world's civilization into this filthy and corrupt realm, allowing them to sprout and grow.
Moreover, given the extreme chaos that governed the Abyss, the birth of civilization was indeed possible.
After all, chaos represents the unknown—unable to be fully affirmed, nor fully denied.
But at this moment, Chu Hao already knew the answer.
At the bottom of the Endless Abyss, Chu Hao sat on the Dark Throne, observing the daily lives of some Abyssal beings.
In a certain Abyssal plane, formed from fragments of an elven planet and pieces of a dwarven world…
Clanging sounds echoed through a deep canyon.
These sounds came from thin, haggard dwarves wielding hammers.
These dwarves were the "lucky ones," the survivors dragged into the Abyss from their original world.
Unfortunately, survival did not mean freedom.
Instead, what awaited them was terrifying enslavement and torture.
A dwarf with shackles coughed up blood from the harsh air of the Abyss.
Then—
Smack!
"Work faster!"
A whip cracked, leaving a rapidly swelling mark on the dwarf's back.
Following the whip, a red-eyed, dark-skinned dwarf held the thick whip, mercilessly punishing any lazy comrades.
"Today, you must forge forty sets of qualified armor and one hundred weapons! Otherwise, I'll randomly select ten of you and throw you into that pit of man-eating worms!"
"To be eaten alive while fully conscious—that will be your punishment!"
The rest of the dwarves immediately increased their pace, hammering at the metal to avoid selection.
They had witnessed the fate of those tossed into the pit—the shattered skeletons were hung above the canyon.
"Master, they've sped up. I'll make sure they obey!"
After finishing, the red-eyed dwarf turned to a legendary demon covered in twisted steel armor, with dozens of arms wielding various weapons.
When he spoke, there was no shame or sympathy—he knew that, as a fully fallen being, he would serve this powerful entity for the rest of his life.
This legendary demon controlled half a plane.
The demon's muffled voice sounded through its iron helmet:
"Hurry… weapons… attack… or… slaves… die!"
Indeed, this legendary demon enslaved thousands of surviving dwarves to forge weapons.
The dwarves worked day and night, producing armor and arms for the demon's minions to expand their territory and seize resources.
Gradually, this enslavement spread throughout the Endless Abyss.
Captured intelligent races contributed their knowledge and skills to survive, forming a distorted but functional civilization system.
Many demons began to gain knowledge and learn tactics.
Their slaves, under the demons' blessings, acquired basic survival abilities in the Abyss.
Not only dwarves but gnomes, Nidel, and numerous humanoid races followed the same pattern.
They enabled the formation of primitive yet viable settlements across Abyssal planes.
Some special variants even adapted to survive without demon masters, such as the fallen drow elves.
These unique beings were visibly adapting to the twisted, chaotic environment of the Abyss, thriving in multiple planes.
Though their forms remained chaotic, a female drow elf named Rose seemed to be consolidating her people's strength, showing ambitious intentions.
"Though only sparks, this proves that civilization can arise in the Endless Abyss…"
"Their emergence will greatly enrich the Abyss's strength and capability."
Chu Hao shifted his vision to the distance.
A new Stage Ten demon was ascending to a legendary demon.
As it successfully transformed, its soul established a subtle connection with Chu Hao and the core of the Endless Abyss.
A faint Abyssal bloodline flowed into its soul, granting it new abilities.
This was not active assistance, but passive.
During the previous war, many powerful primal demons had perished, falling on terrifying battlefields.
Though dead, their bloodlines persisted within the Endless Abyss.
Now, with Chu Hao's ascension to a lower-tier god, the Abyss gained the ability to infuse these bloodlines into each newly ascending legendary demon, boosting their power.
Crucially, each demon could ascend multiple times, acquiring multiple bloodline abilities.
Consequently, the variety of demons became increasingly undefinable.
The newly ascended legendary demons far surpassed the old legends in strength.
Moreover, the number and level of true names determined each demon's standing in the Abyss.
The more true names a demon possessed, the stronger and more stable it became.
Though imperfect, a hierarchical system for demons was emerging, unified under…
The True Names of Demons.
While not as singularly powerful as divine authority, the power of true names was diverse and flourishing.
Even Chu Hao could not predict what kinds of demons would ultimately emerge from these true names.
Observing all this, Chu Hao felt reassured.
"The gains from the Abyss this time are immense—both in resources and strength."
"Next, I need to…"
Chu Hao closed his eyes and summoned his system.
"System, validate this formula!"
A formula perfected by Chu Hao was injected…