The Violet Source Chamber of Commerce was one of the two top chambers of commerce in the Southern Territory, and they were in cooperation with many Sects in the territory when it came to business. If they really offended them, then it would not have any benefits to their Sects.
“This Old Master offers 21 million! Boy, up the bid if you have the guts!” The old man in one of the private rooms coldly snorted, seemingly convinced that Yang Kai was a hired troublemaker.
“30 million!”
The old man almost spat out a mouthful of blood when he heard this, and his face turned extremely ugly.
He originally thought that, since Yang Kai was hired to raise the price during the auction, then his task would have been completed after raising the price by 10 million. Even though it aggravated him so much that it made his teeth itch, being able to buy the Artifact Armor for 21 million was still a good bargain.
But he didn’t expect that little brat from Room A3 to raise the price to 30 million in one breath.
He wasn’t working for them! There was no way he was a hired plant as no one would be hired to make such ridiculous bids, and it was also impossible for them to make such irrational bids. If they were to hike up the price as madly as this, it would most likely scare most of the prospective bidders away.
That was to say, this little brat really intended to get his hands on the Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor.
This old man was not the only one who realized this; most of the Emperor Realm Masters at the auction realized this as well.
That person in Room A3 was definitely a man with a lot of money.
“31 million!” Only ten breaths later did someone make a bid with much difficulty.
“35 million!” Yang Kai immediately followed.
A sigh soon came from one of the private rooms, followed by many others soon after, but nobody raised the bid.
A normal Emperor Artifact could basically sell for around 15 to 20 million High-Rank Source Crystals. If it was a defensive Emperor Artifact, that number could go even higher, to around 20 to 30 million. Even though this Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor was an Emperor Grade Mid-Rank defensive artifact, it was damaged, so its price hovered between Emperor Grade Low-Rank and Emperor Grade Mid-Rank defensive artifacts.
35 million was already the bottom line for most.
Moreover, such an enormous amount of Source Crystals could not be taken out by just anyone.
At the auction in Flowing Shadow City a few months ago, most of the Emperor Realm Masters who attended only had a net worth of around 10 to 20 million. Rarely would any of them have 30 million High-Rank Source Crystals or more.
That was why Yang Kai was almost certain that this 35 million bid was going to be enough to seal the deal.
And so it was.
The beautiful auctioneer looked around for a moment, and once she was certain nobody would bid anymore, so she shouted at once, “Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor, 35 million High-Rank Source Crystals! Are there any higher bids? If not, then this armour will belong to our friend in Room A3.”
After counting to three, the beautiful woman smiled in Yang Kai’s direction, “Congratulations to our friend in Room A3!”
She couldn’t help but get a strange feeling welling up inside of her. This finale should have been a hard-fought battle between the Emperor Realm Masters, with many competing bids called one after another until ultimately the dust settled and one victor emerged. She never anticipated that this man from Room A3 would settle things so decisively, winning the auction in just a few rounds.
Most of the attendees who were thinking of bidding didn’t even manage to make a single offer. The only thing they got out of it was the show.
Even after hosting so many auctions, it was the first time she had encountered a situation like this. The man from Room A3 was truly a big patron. If she had the chance, she wanted to get to know him and perhaps even secure an opportunity to work with him.
With the dust of the final item settled, the auction came to an end. The cultivators in the hall all got up and headed out, still feeling a little dazzled. The Emperor Realm Masters in the private rooms were also led out of the rooms by the maidservants, leaving through secret passages.
In Room A3, Yang Kai waited quietly for a moment before a knock sounded at the door.
Yang Kai responded to the knock, and the door was immediately pushed open. A maidservant entered with two strong men who were carrying that metal storage box inside. A short while later, after the goods and payment were exchanged, someone else guided Yang Kai towards his private secret exit.
This was one way in which the auction house protected their customers in order to prevent any auctioned goods from being targeted by others. The Violet Source Chamber of Commerce built hundreds of secret passages leading in all directions out of Maplewood City. Without knowing the direction beforehand, no one could track a particular patron.
Even though Yang Kai wasn’t afraid in the first place, he didn’t refuse this arrangement.
Very soon, under the guide of the maidservant, they entered an underground tunnel.
Outside Room A9, Gu Hong knocked on the door and was allowed inside.
Le Dong Zheng, who was resting in the room, opened his eyes. A flicker passed across his eyes as his lips opened and closed, silently transmitting a question to Gu Hong.
Gu Hong couldn’t hide the excitement on his face and quickly responded.
Le Dong Zheng then got up, and with a flick of his sleeves, left quickly.
Gu Hong stood in place and pondered for a moment, but he still decided to sneakily follow him out. He knew Le Dong Zheng’s nature too well. For that Yang Kai guy to actually be so rich was something he did not expect before. If Le Dong Zheng really succeeded, then he did not believe that he would keep his promise to share fifty percent of the profit with him.
That was why it would be better for him to keep an eye on them himself. Once Le Dong Zheng succeeded, he would go over and catch him. He believed then that it would be difficult for him to deny him anything on the spot.
This was a matter concerning tens of millions of High-Rank Source Crystals, so how could Gu Hong not be careful? If this deal went well, then he wouldn’t have to compete with Kang Si Ran for anything anymore. He could just go wherever he pleased, living out the rest of his life without worries.
It was a cup of tea’s time later that Yang Kai and Qin Yu finally came out from the side of a small hill.
When they looked up, they could see the bright moon and the stars.
After finding his bearings, Yang Kai released his Emperor Qi, wrapping it around Qin Yu, before leaving in a certain direction.
In just a few moments, the two arrived above a small knoll. Looking down, they could see many people gathered below. Seemingly having sensed them approaching, those people looked up, wary expressions forming on their faces when they saw a stream of light shooting towards them.
“Grandpa!” Qin Yu shouted.
When Qin Zhao Yang heard her, he let out a relaxed laugh and shouted, “No need to worry, it’s just Little Brother Yang and Yu’er.”
The stream of light landed in front of the crowd, revealing the figures of Yang Kai and Qin Yu.
Looking over the crowd, Yang Kai asked, “Is everyone here?”
Before going to the auction, he sent a message to the Zhang Family, telling them to meet up with the Qin Family here. Looking at them now, no one seemed to be missing.
Old Lady Zhang said, “Everyone from the Zhang Family is here.”
The Zhang Family did not have many people to begin with, and they had also just about gotten everything prepared in the days before, so when they received Yang Kai’s message, they were able to move at once. The Qin Family was also in the same situation. Qin Zhao Yang had even managed to sell off the land deed. Now, both families were all gathered here.
Together, the two small families numbered around a hundred and fifty people with a wide variety of cultivations. The strongest one here was Qin Yu at the mere Second-Order Dao Source Realm. The others were either Origin King Realm, Origin Returning Realm, or even Saint King Realm and Saint Realm.
“Brother-in-law, are we really going to the Northern Territory?” Zhang Ruo Yu jumped out, her small face filled with tension and anticipation.
She hadn’t even travelled outside Maplewood City’s boundaries, despite how old she was, but now she would be going to the extremely far Northern Territory. As a native of the Southern Territory, she was extremely unfamiliar with the Northern Territory.
“Brother-in-law?” Qin Yu was stunned, feeling both confusion and anxiety.
“Who’s your brother-in-law? Don’t just shout randomly, little girl!” Yang Kai’s face went black.
Ning Su Wan also shouted, “Ruo Yu! Come back.”
“Oh,” Zhang Ruo Yu pouted and stood sullenly to the side. When she looked up, she suddenly met Qin Yu’s eyes. She grinned at her, revealing a bright, happy smile as she called out, “Elder Sister Qin!”
Qin Yu squeezed out a smile at her, “Little Sister Ruo Yu.”
“Since you’re all here, let’s go,” Yang Kai called out to them. If he were going alone, then he would be able to reach Thousand Leaves Sect in just two days, but since he had to bring along such a large group of people with varied strengths, he estimated that it would take them at least half a month to arrive.
As soon as he said that though, Yang Kai frowned. Sensing something coming from behind, he turned around just to see a stream of light speeding through the sky, and it seemed to be moving towards them.
Qin Zhao Yang, Ning Su Wan, and the others clearly noticed it as well, and they all instantly became nervous, especially Qin Zhao Yang. After all, Yang Kai had just offended one of Star Soul Palace’s disciples the other day, so if one of their Masters were to come after them, then the Qin Family would be done for.
“You should all go on ahead. I’ll be right behind you.” Yang Kai had already recognized who was coming when he released his Divine Sense, so after telling the Qin and Zhang Family to leave first, he turned around and waited.
“Which way do we go?” Qin Zhao Yang asked.
Yang Kai pointed in a direction.
“Be careful, Little Brother Yang,” Qin Zhao Yang said out of concern, and after a nod to Ning Su Wan, the two immediately led their clansmen forward.
If they stayed here, then they would only become a drag on Yang Kai, so the two of them made a quick decision to leave.
In the blink of an eye, the hundred and fifty people gradually moved further and further away.
A few moments later, the stream of light landed. Light fading away, an elderly man’s figure was revealed.
“Sect Master Le, where are you going in such a hurry?” Yang Kai smiled at Le Dong Zheng who had come chasing after him.
A cold glint flashed past Le Dong Zheng’s eyes and he snorted, “You already know the answer.”
Looking towards the two clans walking away in the distance, Le Dong Zheng asked, “Are those all your people?”
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded.
Le Dong Zheng sneered, “Very good. None of them will be able to escape. This Old Master will slaughter them all!”
Yang Kai smiled in response, “That will depend on whether you can live that long.”
Le Dong Zheng narrowed his eyes, “You talk big, little brat. You think you can win against this Old Master?”
Even if Yang Kai’s cultivation level was similar to his, Le Dong Zheng still didn’t put him in his eyes. They were both First-Order Emperors, but he had been immersed in this realm for a long time, so how could some insignificant unknown person be able to compare to him?
“You really are a frog in a well, aren’t you!” Yang Kai snickered.
“Impudence!” Le Dong Zheng fumed at his words.
But as he spoke, Yang Kai who was originally several dozen metres away suddenly appeared in front of him, his face almost sticking to his. The distance between them had instantaneously shrunk to an arm’s length!
Le Dong Zheng gasped, so shocked that all his hairs stood on end.
He didn’t even notice how Yang Kai moved before this young man was already in front of him.
Those eyes that were right in front of him were filled with disdain and mockery, causing Le Dong Zheng’s heart to sink straight down into the abyss.
He pushed his Emperor Qi out of instinct and moved his feet, trying to open some distance between him and Yang Kai, but Le Dong Zheng was shocked to find that no matter how he moved, Yang Kai would stick to him like maggots on rotting bones, not allowing him to get away.
Casually throwing out his palm towards Le Dong Zheng’s chest, the mocking look in Yang Kai’s eyes morphed into coldness as he snorted, “Die!”
Gu Hong chased Le Dong Zheng all the way over without rest, and was so tired he was gasping for breath.
He only had a Third-Order Dao Source Realm cultivation, which was vastly inferior to Le Dong Zheng’s own cultivation, so his speed was naturally worse. If Gu Hong had not known which passage Yang Kai was coming out of, then he likely wouldn’t have known where to find them.
After arriving at the scene, Gu Hong immediately found a bush to hide in and concealed his aura before looking around.
He didn’t hear any fighting nor feel any energy fluctuations though, so could it be that Le Dong Zheng had already dealt with that little brat?
But that shouldn’t be the case. He was right on their tail, so even if Le Dong Zheng was strong, that boy was still an Emperor Realm Master and should at least be able to hold on for a while.
Unless the battlefield shifted.
Gu Hong felt that the possibility of that was quite high. Perhaps their strength was almost the same with each other and they were still locked in a desperate struggle, but he had no idea where they were fighting now. It would be best if they were both in a lose-lose situation, then he would be able to pick them both off for a tidy profit. If the chance arose, Gu Hong didn’t mind double crossing Le Dong Zheng and tossing him into the same pot as Yang Kai.
While Gu Hong was fantasizing about such possibilities, a faint smell of blood suddenly wafted over in the wind.
When he smelled it, Gu Hong’s face changed.
When he looked over, he could see what seemed to be a man lying a thousand metres away from him, under the moonlight.
“This…” Gu Hong’s expression froze as he focused his sight.
The man lying on the ground had his face slightly tilted to the side, which just happened to be in his direction, allowing him to see his expression clearly.
“Le Dong Zheng!” Gu Hong jumped in fright while at the same time a chill ran down his spine.
Broken Mountain Sect’s Sect Master, who had left Violet Source Chamber of Commerce’s auction house just before him, was currently lying there, motionless and covered in blood. Gu Hong had no idea whether Le Dong Zheng was dead or alive, but there was a big chance that he may be dead, because Gu Hong was unable to detect any vitality from this figure.
The blood in Gu Hong’s body almost froze as he stood stiff for a long time, not daring to move.
Le Dong Zheng was a veteran First-Order Emperor, and there were many rumours that he could break through to the Second-Order at any moment, so how could a Master of this calibre actually fall to such a state? Who had done this?
Even though he was clearly alive and well just a moment ago, intent on seeking revenge on that little brat from Room A3, how did he end up here like a dead fish?
Gu Hong did not dare to move for a long time, for fear that a strong enemy may be lying in wait nearby. He was worried that he would only lure disaster upon himself if he were to move recklessly.
Only after waiting for a full hour and seeing no changes did Gu Hong find the courage to stand up and approach Le Dong Zheng vigilantly.
In just a moment, he arrived before Le Dong Zheng. Looking at how tragically he died, Gu Hong was astonished.
One move!
Le Dong Zheng had been killed in one move. There was a clear palm print on his chest, which had completely collapsed, and there were still traces of blood around his mouth and nose which had not dried completely. His wide eyes were filled with a look of disbelief, as if he had seen something unbelievable before he died.
*Gudong…*
Gu Hong gulped. For a Master like Le Dong Zheng who was such a towering existence in his eyes to be killed off in one move, how powerful would his killer have to be?
Whether it was that boy from Room A3 who was responsible for his death or not, there could be no doubt he was involved in this matter somehow. There was no way Gu Hong could stay in Maplewood City any longer. If that little brat were to find out that he was the one who revealed his location, then his own fate would not be any better.
Shivering, Gu Hong glanced at Le Dong Zheng’s hand and did not find any trace of his Space Ring. Clearly, it was taken away by the killer.
He didn’t dare to stay any longer, pushing his Source Qi to quickly flee from this place.
The speed of over a hundred people travelling was much slower than Yang Kai had expected, and there was a need to stop regularly. Only after ten days did they barely cover half of the distance.
Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any dangers. If this was any other time, then it would be easy for a group like them to be targeted by some unsavoury cultivators while wandering the Star Boundary, but with Yang Kai watching over them, anyone daring enough to trouble them would just die miserably.
Whether it be the Zhang Family or the Qin Family, they were a little sad to be leaving the place they had been living in for generations so abruptly, and the feeling was only magnified for the older members.
The young people, on the other hand, were filled with curiosity and anticipation about the outside world, especially Zhang Ruo Yu. She would constantly ask Yang Kai questions when there was time. Any strange fact she could learn was enough to keep her amused for a long time.
This girl’s personality was very different from Ruo Xi’s. She was lively and active, as if she had an endless supply of energy. Even her barrage of questions seemed to go on forever.
Yang Kai did not show any impatience with her behaviour though. He had to introduce the Northern Territory and the situation in his own Sect to the two families to begin with, so he would answer any questions Zhang Ruo Yu had for him, gradually filling the hundreds of people with longing for the Northern Territory and High Heaven Palace.
After more than twenty days of walking, the group finally arrived at the former Thousand Leaves Sect.
Bringing the two families into Emperor Heaven Valley, Yang Kai activated the Space Array and divided the group into several batches, teleporting them to High Heaven Palace.
Yang Kai brought up the rear, and as soon as he arrived with the last dozen people in High Heaven Palace, Hua Qing Si immediately came up to greet him, “Palace Master!”
When the first batch of cultivators was teleported over, the two Thousand Leaves Sect disciples who were on guard immediately transmitted a message to Head Manager Hua Qing Si. Hua Qing Si had no idea what was going on either, so she rushed over to investigate.
After some inquiries, she found out that it was Yang Kai who arranged for them to come here, so she naturally did not dare to be rude to them.
Yang Kai nodded and looked at the two families, smiling.
At this moment, each and every one of them had an amazed look on their face, and their eyes were filled with joy and surprise. Zhang Ruo Yu had even opened her arms wide, her face filled with joy as if she wanted to embrace this world.
High Heaven Palace was built on the foundation of the original Seeking Passion Sect, a paradise covered in spiritual mountains and great rivers. The World Energy here was so dense that it was not something that Maplewood City could compare to. All of them felt as if they’d been reborn to suddenly come to such a wonderland. If they were not actively restraining themselves, some of them would even be cheering and crying in happiness at this moment.
“Zhu Qing didn’t come back yet, did she?” Yang Kai asked Hua Qing Si in a quiet voice as he scanned the area warily.
“No,” Hua Qing Si shook her head.
“Good,” Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief even though he knew it was impossible for Zhu Qing to return so quickly. She was going to a famous Forbidden Zone, the Frozen Earth, and had to track down the Source left behind by her clansmen after their death, not an easy task. Still, it was best to be careful. If Zhu Qing really did return, then she would probably stick to him like a leech again, impossible to get rid of.
“Palace Master, what arrangements should be made for these two families?” Hua Qing Si asked.
Yang Kai responded, “Why are you asking me, aren’t you the Head Manager? Just settle them down wherever suitable, no need for preferential treatment or whatnot. Pick out some cultivators with good aptitude as well so they can become the first batch of disciples of High Heaven Palace, then focus on training them for a little.”
“Understood,” Hua Qing Si nodded.
After hearing what Yang Kai had to say, she knew what to do.
“You go make the arrangements, I still have something to talk to you about later.” Yang Kai waved his hand.
“Yes!” Hua Qing Si answered. Then, she flew into the sky and shouted, “Everyone, since you have entered our High Heaven Palace, you are all now one of us! Come with me.”
She was still an Emperor Realm Master after all, so as soon as she spoke, the two families immediately became serious and followed her.
In the blink of an eye, more than a hundred people left the plaza.
Body shifting, Yang Kai arrived at his own chambers.
Half a day later, Hua Qing Si came to report the situation to him. The two families were arranged to stay on a mountain peak with a decent World Energy density. There were ready-made buildings there that were enough for them to settle into. Hua Qing Si had also left them some cultivation materials, and told them that their cultivation situation would be checked on in a year. After that, they would be given different statuses depending on their progress.
There was nothing to criticize about her arrangements and Yang Kai believed that the two families would have nothing to complain about. The two families were barely eking out a living in Maplewood City and were constantly on edge against outside threats. Now, not only had High Heaven Palace provided them with a safe and secure place to live, they were even provided with an outstanding cultivation environment and resources, so they were naturally happy and excited.
“Palace Master, you said you had something to speak to me about earlier. What is it?” Hua Qing Si asked after she finished reporting on the situation of the two families.
“En, it’s like this. When I went to the Southern Territory, I made a deal with the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce,” Yang Kai briefly explained the details to her.
Hua Qing Si urged him on, “And?”
Yang Kai continued, “And then I suddenly wondered whether our High Heaven Palace could achieve a long-term business relationship with the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce. We’re in the Northern Territory, while they’re in the Southern Territory. The products of both regions are different. Some things may be cheap and abundant in the Northern Territory, but once you arrive in the Southern Territory, it becomes expensive and rare. The same is also true the other way around.”
“So, we buy low, sell high!” Hua Qing Si understood instantly.
Many merchants did the same in the Star Boundary, but they had to trek through countless mountains and across countless rivers, passing through many dangerous obstacles in order to move between the two territories. The slightest mistake could cost them all their wealth, or even their lives.
But it was different for High Heaven Palace. With the Cross-Territory Space Array, they could casually move between two territories. With this natural advantage, they were sure to make money with this deal.
Hua Qing Si smiled, “Even if Palace Master didn’t mention it, I’ve also thought of this point before.”
“Oh? Then, if you have any thoughts, let’s hear them,” Yang Kai looked at her with interest.
Hua Qing Si said solemnly, “It is a very good idea, and will definitely be profitable, but there is one difficulty that I’m not sure Palace Master has considered.”
“Please explain,” Yang Kai accepted advice with an open mind.
“Whether there is enough manpower or not is a problem. As Palace Master knows, our High Heaven Palace does not have many proper disciples. If we were truly to do this, then we would definitely require a large amount of manpower, but compared to this, sourcing materials is an even bigger problem. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
Hua Qing Si smiled, “Unless Palace Master can find someone to help gather supplies for us.”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, “Like Fire Dragon Palace and the Full Sky Sect, for example! Sister Hua, you’re quite wicked!”
Hua Qing Si pouted, “They owe us so many Source Crystals anyway. It’s gracious of us to even let them pay for it in materials.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Yang Kai smiled and nodded, “By the way, why don’t we ask Ice Heart Valley as well? Unlike us, Ice Heart Valley has deep and vast roots, so it should be easy for them to gather resources in the Northern Territory.”
“Good!”
“We also have to carefully consider what we have to buy and sell. If not, not only might we fail to make a profit, we might even suffer a loss.”
Hua Qing Si replied, “I will personally go to the Southern Territory to conduct an investigation.”
If this matter was handled properly, it would be a huge deal for High Heaven Palace’s future! Despite Yang Kai’s currently extreme level of wealth, and having both Fire Dragon Palace and Full Sky Sect owing a huge debt to the High Heaven Palace, the Sect would still need a way to support itself if he wanted it to grow in the future.
Not staying in the High Heaven Palace for long, Yang Kai returned to the Southern Territory the next day.
After a number of days, Yang Kai looked towards the continuous undulating mountain range in the distance as he travelled swiftly over.
That mountain range was Azure Sun Mountain Range where Azure Sun Temple’s headquarters was located. Although he only held an in-name disciple title within Azure Sun Temple, with Azure Sun Golden Token in his hand, Gao Xue Ting and even Wen Zi Shan treated him with importance. Having come back to the Southern Territory, it made sense to visit Azure Sun Temple.
Furthermore, Yang Kai also wanted to take a trip into the Divine Ascension Mirror to inform Tian Yan about the good news of having found the Flesh Incarnation Fruit.
Originally, he had planned to refine the Flesh Incarnation Pill personally; however, with a helper like Ji Ying working under him, Yang Kai would naturally hand this task over to him. Before leaving, Yang Kai had already left the necessary herbs behind in the High Heavens Palace, and he believed that he would be able to obtain the Flesh Incarnation Pill the next time he went back.
With the Flesh Incarnation Pill, Tian Yan would be able to mould a physical body for himself, and thus extricate himself from the fetters of the Divine Ascension Mirror. He would be able to enter the Star Boundary and become a strong ally for High Heaven Palace.
With a Great Emperor-level Master as his patron, High Heaven Palace would eventually become a Great Emperor Sect despite not being one at the moment. When that happened, its status absolutely wouldn’t be inferior to Star Soul Palace or Serene Soul Palace.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai came to a halt. Turning towards a certain direction, he furrowed his brow and called out, “Which friend is being so sneaky? Why not show yourself?”
As his voice rang out, a glow of light suddenly blossomed from the void in that direction. The dazzling brilliance forced Yang Kai to narrow his eyes, and by the time the light had dimmed down, two extraordinary silhouettes had appeared.
One of them was a middle-aged male, his face pale with no traces of facial hair. A look that was brimming with might, yet devoid of anger was present on his face. The other person was a youth who appeared to be close to Yang Kai’s age. Cutting a suave and elegant demeanour, his brow appeared like slanted swords, positioned above his twinkling star-like eyes. Standing beside each other, those two people seemed to share similar physical features, as though they were a father-son pair.
Compared to the latter, the middle-aged male had an indifferent look on his face. On the contrary, an eager, competitive spirit rose within the youth’s eyes when he looked over towards Yang Kai.
“Senior Xiao!” Yang Kai’s brow rose.
Xiao Yu Yang replied, “So it’s you, Yang Kai?”
“Indeed,” Yang Kai nodded his head before looking over to the youth and giving a faint smile, “Brother Xiao, I trust you’ve been well since the trip to the Shattered Star Sea?”
These two were members of Star Soul Palace, whom Yang Kai had recognized in a single glance.
There was no need to talk about the youth Xiao Chen, whom Yang Kai had had quite a few exchanges with and would always be by the side of Princess Lan Xu, playing the role of the protector. As for his father, Xiao Yu Yang, he was the first Emperor Realm Master Yang Kai had met after his entry into the Star Boundary. At that time, he was a Star Soul Palace Silver Star Envoy with a Second-Order Emperor Realm cultivation that made him an existence that Yang Kai needed to look up to.
After these years though, Xiao Yu Yang’s aura seemed to have grown increasingly vibrant and extraordinary, which meant that he had impressively reached the Third-Order Emperor Realm! As for Xiao Chen, his cultivation was not weak either, being at the First-Order Emperor Realm. From the look of it, Xiao Chen had benefited quite a bit since his trip to the Shattered Star Sea.
These two people had suddenly popped up here. Furthermore, they had just so happened to block Yang Kai’s path, so it was easy to see what their intentions were.
The deaths of Star Soul Palace Elder Tan Jun Hao and Deacon Wu Ming had left Star Soul Palace investigating ever since. As they continued to investigate, they had naturally ended up focusing on Yang Kai; however, the latter had been elusive in his recent movements, to the point where even a Great Emperor Sect like Star Soul Palace, with its long reach and extensive network, was still unable to get a good grasp of his location.
Suddenly, a month or so ago, they had received a message from a disciple of theirs by the name of Luo Ping, saying he spotted Yang Kai in Maplewood City.
Xiao Yu Yang proceeded to rush over without stopping. Being one of Star Soul Palace’s Elders and possessing extraordinarily high cultivation, him being dragged into this matter wasn’t because of them giving respect to Yang Kai, but rather, it was because of the information Star Soul Palace had collected about both Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming meeting their deaths at Yang Kai’s hands. This terrifying result meant that anyone lacking in cultivation would be useless against Yang Kai. Only a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master would be able to accomplish this task.
For the sake of Tan Jun Hao, the few Third-Order Emperor Realm Elders of Star Soul Palace had all been mobilized, searching for Yang Kai’s whereabouts in all directions.
Knowing that Yang Kai was a disciple of Azure Sun Temple, Xiao Yu Yang had faintly suspected that there was a possibility of Yang Kai returning to Azure Sun Temple after his sudden appearance in Maplewood City, which led him to lay in ambush here. Yang Kai’s appearance proved his decision to be correct, as he had finally managed to come face-to-face with Yang Kai after painstakingly waiting here for half a month.
After hearing Yang Kai’s words, Xia Chen grinned, “Who are you? Do I know you?”
His haughty and lofty stance gave him the appearance of having an exceedingly overwhelming superiority complex.
Having crossed paths with him several times, Yang Kai was well aware of this irksome trait of Xiao Chen’s; therefore, he did not get angry. On the contrary, he gave a faint smile and looked towards Xiao Yu Yang, “May I know why Senior Xiao had obstructed this Junior’s path?”
“You still dare to ask about the obvious?” In a fit of anger, Xiao Chen pointed his finger at Yang Kai, “Are you not clear about what you’ve done? You dare put on such a shameless act!?”
With a faint smile, Yang Kai replied, “I don’t understand what Brother Xiao is talking about.”
Xiao Chen’s expression instantly turned gloomy, “Are you really unaware, or are you just feigning ignorance?”
Not giving a damn about him anymore, Yang Kai proceeded to turn and look at Xiao Yu Yang, letting Xiao Chen continue fuming in anger.
Xiao Yu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, a calm expression present on his face. Nevertheless, he was sighing in admiration and astonishment within his heart. Before this matter had occurred, he did not know much about Yang Kai. The only thing he faintly remembered was that a Dao Source Realm Junior had refined a furnace of Extraordinary Treasure Pills in the Four Seasons Realm. That brought the person into the spotlight, and that person was precisely Yang Kai.
Other than that, Xiao Yu Yang did not know anything else about him. Therefore, he had talked about it in detail with Xiao Chen over the last few days on this matter. Only then did he discover how outstanding this youth was. From what he could tell, every matter that Yang Kai had done was exceedingly hard to accomplish. Although his son was a dragon among men, he still somewhat paled in comparison to Yang Kai.
At this moment, Xiao Yu Yang’s appraisal of Yang Kai rose another notch.
In front of an Elder of Star Soul Palace possessing a Third-Order Emperor Realm cultivation, this First-Order Emperor Realm Junior showed not even a trace of intimidation or fear. On the contrary, he continued to chat in a calm and relaxed manner.
Did he really kill Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming? Deep feelings of doubt surged within Xiao Yu Yang’s heart. With Yang Kai’s current level of strength, and with the fact that both Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming weren’t just ordinary Masters, how could that be possible? How could they have died at this Junior’s hand?
However, during the investigations conducted by Star Soul Palace, there were over twenty Emperor Realm Masters that testified to this effect. Even if Tan Jun Han and Wu Ming’s deaths were not caused by Yang Kai, it was absolutely related to him.
“Tan Jun Hao, Wu Ming!” Xiao Yu Yang only spoke those two names as he shot a deep gaze right at Yang Kai’s eyes, seemingly wanting to bore right to the depths of his soul to see any shift or sliver of fluctuation present within.
Raising his brow, Yang Kai replied, “So, it’s about that matter… Yes, if Senior Xiao is investigating the matter of those two people, this Junior can inform Senior Xiao that I was the one who killed them.”
He admitted this in an exceedingly frank manner, with not a single trace of wanting to conceal this fact.
“Bullshit!” Xiao Chen snapped back with a look of contempt and ridicule, an obvious indication of his disbelief.
“It’s said that you had an impressively strong Monster King by your side at the time, yes?” Xiao Yu Yang deliberately pointed out, “Where is that Monster King who acted?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “The Monster King wasn’t there at the time.”
Xiao Yu Yang said in a deep tone, “Yang Kai, you’re a talented youth, and this King doesn’t wish to cause difficulties for you. Tell this King the location of that Monster King, before following me back to Star Soul Palace.”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, “Does Senior Xiao believe that Tan Jun Han and Wu Ming met their deaths at the hands of that Monster King?”
“Is there any other possibility?”
Yang Kai burst into laughter and shook his head incessantly. Never did he imagine that no one would believe the truth that he had just stated. After mumbling to himself, his expression turned solemn before he replied, “Being an Elder of Star Soul Palace, Tan Jun Han represented Star Soul Palace and the Bright Moon Great Emperor. It was his solemn duty to protect and guide us Southern Territory cultivators; however, in Flowing Shadow City, he engaged in a plethora of perverse actions and used despicable methods to control various Emperor Realm Masters present at the time, before inciting them to attack this Junior all in order to kill me and pilfer my treasures. This Junior responded in kind and killed him, which can only be considered helping Star Soul Palace clean up their trash. This Junior doesn’t need the gratitude of the Great Emperor or Star Soul Palace and is fine with you all not trying to find trouble for me. Yet, Senior Xiao has obstructed my path today! If this is Star Soul Palace’s attitude, this Junior… feels extremely disappointed!”
“It’s not your place to decide about the matters of our Star Soul Palace!” Xiao Chen snorted coldly.
Xiao Yu Yang nodded and added, “Our Star Soul Palace has done a thorough investigation into the details of the matter. Tan Jun Hao was inhumane, oppressive, and tyrannical, damaging the reputation of our Star Soul Palace with his actions. There isn’t anything worth pitying about his death. If he was really killed by you, the matter would be confined between you and our Star Soul Palace; however, if he was killed at the hands of a Monster King… it would be a different story, do you understand?”
Yang Kai gave an impatient reply, “The Monster King did not take action. Didn’t those Emperors inform you of this?”
Xiao Yu Yang replied, “They’ve mentioned it. However, it is really hard to believe their words. Therefore, I need you to follow me back to Star Soul Palace. This Xiao will guarantee that no one will treat you unfairly. The only thing you need to tell this Xiao is the location of the Monster King.”
Yang Kai’s eyes narrowed, “I’m unable to agree with your request, Senior Xiao.”
“You don’t believe me…” Xiao Yu Yang’s forehead started to wrinkle up slightly.
Yang Kai replied, “I’m not close at all to Senior Xiao, so how can I trust you?”
“It’s a waste of breath to continue this discussion. Father, there’s no need to continue this nonsense with him. Let me take action and take him down.” Filled with eagerness, Xiao Chen could no longer contain himself. Drawing his sword, a metallic hum accompanied the blossoming of Sword Qi as he hurtled towards Yang Kai with a cold snort, “You think you’re extraordinary after being breaking through to the Emperor Realm, huh? Let me show you today the disparity between you and me!”
Emperor Pressure radiated out as Sword Intent filled the skies. The humming sounds continued to ring out as Xiao Chen’s expression turned solemn, before he growled, “The fragrance of plum blossoms wafts out from the snow, and the crescent moon reflects in the mirror to shine across the skies!”
His first action was to unleash an exceedingly powerful killing move. Furthermore, his Sword Intent had a beautiful appearance, causing people to be dazzled by it.
Yang Kai chuckled in response, “I was thinking something similar!”
Assuming a casual stance, Yang Kai sent a light palm towards the incoming Sword Wave.
Xiao Yu Yang felt a sense of satisfaction within his heart after seeing his son unleash his sword move; however, his expression changed drastically upon seeing Yang Kai’s palm.
Being a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, Xiao Yu Yang’s vision was far higher than a greenhouse flower like Xiao Chen’s, so with a single look, he was able to tell that Xiao Chen was completely outmatched by Yang Kai.
Shock filled his heart as he knew that their respective breakthroughs to the Emperor Realm after their trip to the Shattered Sea had occurred within a short period from the other. Yet, the gulf between their strength was akin to night and day.
“Retreat, Chen’er!” Xiao Yu Yang roared out.
Nevertheless, it was a pity that he had spoken too late. A palm came extending through the flurry of sword lights, smashing through them as if they were rotten twigs. The screen of swords instantly withered, turning Xiao Chen’s Sword Intent uncontrollably chaotic in the process.
Shock bloomed across Xiao Chen’s face as he hastily pulled back in retreat. Nevertheless, like a shadow, the incoming palm travelled along his path of retreat, moving threateningly close to his body.
Right at that instant, a gale came whipping from the side as Xiao Yu Yang was forced to take action to save his son.
With a tap of his foot, Yang Kai’s body came to an instant stop, right as a gale whipped past his fingertip.
Moving swiftly, Xiao Yu Yang had a solemn look on his face as he stood between Yang Kai and Xiao Chen, “Yang Kai, this King doesn’t want to be oppressive to the young, and doesn’t wish to take action against you. Would it be possible for you to cooperate?”
Yang Kai smirked, “That’s not possible!”
Xiao Yu Yang gave a soft sigh, “Since that is the case, pardon my offence.”
As his voice rang out, he extended his hand and made a grasping motion towards Yang Kai. Immediately, it appeared as though the entire surrounding space had been locked, as a buzzing sound started to ring out from the void.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai did not evade or dodge Xiao Yu Yang’s grab; instead, he replied indifferently, “Senior Xiao, it isn’t because this Junior looks down on you, but I’m afraid that you’re unable to keep this Junior here. The mountains and rivers always come together in the end, so let’s meet in the future.”
Space Principles started to ripple out, before Yang Kai’s body suddenly flickered, leaving behind only an afterimage in its place.
Upon grasping through the afterimage, Xiao Yu Yang’s face changed slightly as he growled, “A Spatial Ability!”
He turned and looked around; however, Yang Kai’s presence had totally disappeared, and no one could tell where he had run off to. Despite releasing his powerful Divine Sense, Xiao Yu Yang was unexpectedly unable to grasp Yang Kai’s aura, causing his expression to sink.
Originally, he believed that Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming’s deaths were due to the Monster King taking action; however, with what had just happened, the possibility of Yang Kai being the culprit had just become slightly higher. Being able to freely teleport was by itself an extraordinary skill that could overturn the most dangerous of situations, and it was also mentioned in the reports that this boy was in possession of the Yuan Ding Great Emperor’s Mountains and Rivers Bell.
That was an Ancient Exotic Artifact! No one knew exactly how powerful that Mountains and Rivers Bell was, but it was not to be underestimated.
Turning around, he noticed Xiao Chen standing slumped over there. The hand that held the sword was trembling incessantly, while an ashen and ugly expression was present on his face.
Losing to Yang Kai’s move was a huge blow for Xiao Chen. Earlier, despite having just broken through to the Emperor Realm, he had always assumed that no one could rival him in this realm. He was a Core Disciple of Star Soul Palace, and moreover, he was Xiao Yu Yang’s son! Having been nurtured since young, he was the best of the best within Star Soul Palace. In fact, he was well known to be an invincible existence among cultivators in the same realm.
However, at this moment, this sense of superiority that had accompanied him since young had been shattered apart by Yang Kai’s palm, something that was impossible for him to endure.
“Victory and defeat are commonplace in battle. Rather than dwelling in this moment of defeat, why not think of how to increase your strength.” Xiao Yu Yang said in an indifferent tone.
A tremor shook through Xiao Chen’s body. Finally coming back to his senses, he quickly replied, “Many thanks for your guidance, Father.”
“Let’s go.” Xiao Yu Yang waved his hand.
“Where to?” Xiao Chen asked.
“Azure Sun Temple,” Xiao Yu Yang replied, before taking the lead and flying off.
Having laid an ambush here, they had managed to run into Yang Kai. This was a clear indication of Yang Kai’s motives; he was headed to Azure Sun Temple. Since they weren’t able to hold him here, they would have to head to Azure Sun Temple to find him.
Regardless of the circumstances, they still needed to settle this matter.
…
“Halt!”
Not long after escaping, Yang Kai came face-to-face with two new figures. The lead figure shouted out loudly as he obstructed Yang Kai’s path of travel.
Having entered Azure Sun Temple many times before, Yang Kai naturally knew its rules. Immediately, he retrieved his Azure Sun Golden Token and tossed it to the two disciples on guard.
Catching the token, the lead figure’s face changed, “Azure Sun Golden Token?”
Only the few Core Disciples of Azure Sun Temple had the qualifications to hold this golden token. Although they were all disciples of Azure Sun Temple, there was a great disparity in their status compared to those Core Disciples.
They took another look at Yang Kai, whose face was extremely foreign to them, and did not recognise him as his profile looked nothing like one of the few Core Disciples they had seen among the Sect.
The lead disciple proceeded to shout out in anger, “How deceitful of you, daring to pose as a disciple of our temple! Where did you get this golden token from!?”
After those words rang out, the two disciples immediately summoned their artifacts and locked their auras onto Yang Kai, appearing to be ready to take action at any moment. Yang Kai was an in-name disciple of Azure Sun Temple, while this golden token was given to him by Gao Xue Ting back in Maplewood City many years ago, so it was not a widely known fact among the temple. Therefore, many disciples didn’t know about Yang Kai at all. At this moment, after seeing a foreign person holding a Core Disciple token in his hand, it was natural for them to raise their guard.
Yang Kai replied, “Elder Gao gave me this token. You two can ask Elder Gao or the other Elders about this. Just tell them that Yang Kai has arrived, and they will naturally give you an explanation.”
“Yang Kai!” The lead disciple frowned, shooting a look to his Junior Brother by his side before nodding his head and replying, “Wait a moment.”
He proceeded to retrieve a communication artifact, and from the looks of it, was contacting his higher-ups to report this matter.
A moment later, the communication artifact shook, and sending his Divine Sense into it, a strange look immediately appeared on the face of the lead disciple.
The Elders had replied that the token was genuine, and the person by the name of Yang Kai was an actual disciple of their temple.
“I apologize for the earlier offence. Please, Senior Brother!” Receiving the Elder’s command, the disciple on guard duty naturally didn’t dare to obstruct Yang Kai anymore. Moving his body to the side, he said, “Elder Gao said to find her on Myriad Saints Peak.”
Yang Kai nodded his head and retrieved his golden token. As he moved past the two disciples on guard duty, he suddenly thought of something and said, “That’s right. There will be two fellows coming here later. Think of a way to obstruct them for a while.”
“Yes!” Despite not knowing any details, the two disciples immediately acknowledged his command.
Myriad Saints Peak was the main peak within Azure Sun Temple. With routine ease, Yang Kai travelled towards it, and as he did so, he noticed a white figure standing in front of a distant palace, looking right in his direction.
The figure appeared just like a white lotus, pure and unstained. Her accompanying dress accentuated her elegant figure. Furthermore, there was another small and unassuming figure standing by her side.
From a distance away, Yang Kai revealed a faint smile and shot over.
As he approached, the pure white figure suddenly raised her hand, before a circular mirror with a sun-like appearance rose from behind her head. Just like a rising radiant sun, the temperature of the surrounding air proceeded to shoot up.
Emperor Artifact, Radiant Sun Mirror!
Incomparably hot beams of light shot out from the mirror, drawing beautiful arcs in the air before appearing right before Yang Kai in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai gasped in shock before summoning his Myriads Sword. Unleashing a defensive move, a protective sword barrier appeared before him.
*Chi chi chi chi…*
The scorching rays of light were blocked by the sword barrier, unable to hit their mark, though Yang Kai was forced to retreat as a result.
After dispelling those rays of light, the figures before him flickered, before Gao Xue Ting suddenly appeared right before him. Extending a slender, jade white hand, she formed a fist, exposing her middle finger slightly, before giving a knock towards Yang Kai’s head.
Not daring to evade, Yang Kai had no choice but to take the hit. With a dull thud ringing from his head, he felt as though his entire being had grown shorter by a head.
“Elder Gao…” Yang Kai revealed a look of injustice as he rubbed the place where he had been struck.
Gao Xue Ting gave a cold snort, before casting a sidelong gaze at him, “So, now your wings have grown hard, you dare take action against me?”
“When did that happen?” Yang Kai gave a wronged look, “Just now it was an instinctual reaction…”
“Do you know why I hit you?” Questioned Gao Xue Ting.
Yang Kai grinned, “Because I’ve not come back for quite some time, causing you to miss me.”
Gao Xue Ting snorted, “I don’t care whether you’ve come back or not. However, after causing such a big ruckus and encountering such great danger, why did you not seek help from the temple? Do you feel no sense of belonging with the temple, or do you see yourself as an outsider?”
Yang Kai immediately knew she was referring to the matter with Star Soul Palace, causing a burst of warmth to fill his heart and a smile to form on his lips.
“Stop grinning and get down for me!” Gao Xue Ting extended her hand, grabbed onto Yang Kai’s ear, and pulled him down towards Myriad Saint Peak.
“Pain, pain, pain, pain…” With his head twisted while still holding on to the Myriads Sword in his hand, Yang Kai was led about by Gao Xue Ting. Even though he was able to stand up against Great Emperors and Divine Spirits, he didn’t dare to muster any resistance at all. Nevertheless, he felt as though his ear was about to detach from his head, causing him to scream and plead, although his protests fell on deaf ears.
Only after arriving at Myriad Saints Peak did Gao Xue Ting release her grip, though she followed up with a slap towards the back of Yang Kai’s head.
Yang Kai staggered forward, though he did not dare to utter any complaints.
Raising his head, he spotted Wen Zi Shen, leading him to hastily move forward, “You’re looking well, Temple Master Wen!”
The corners of Wen Zi Shan’s mouth twitched as he looked towards the Heavens, appearing as though he did not hear anything at all. Nevertheless, he proceeded to send a Divine Sense transmission towards Yang Kai stealthily, “Little Xue Ting is very angry. You better quell her anger before talking. If not, this Temple Master doesn’t dare to talk to you.”
Yang Kai’s face turned black while a look of contempt flashed across his eyes.
Turning his head around, he looked towards the few people standing to the side. Vice Temple Master Qiu Ran, Elders Chen Qian, Di Rong, and You Kun; all of them evaded his gaze, as though they had not seen him looking over at all.
Gao Xue Ting was the only exception as she continued to stare coldly at him. Her gaze was sharp and penetrating as a sword, seemingly wanting to turn him into a pincushion.
Yang Kai obediently walked towards Gao Xue Ting and lowered his head, “Elder Gao, this disciple has made a mistake. Please mete out your punishment, Elder Gao.”
Gao Xue Ting replied in an indifferent tone, “You made no mistake, so why does this Elder have to punish you? That’s right, I still have to thank you. If not for you saving me that time, this Elder might not have been able to extricate herself from that situation.”
After saying that, she proceeded to bow towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai was scared stiff by her actions, leading him to leap aside.
Turning towards his direction, Gao Xue Ting gave another bow.
A crying expression appeared on Yang Kai’s face as he said, “What do you want, Elder Gao? Whatever it is, I’ll accept it, okay!”
Gao Xue Ting immediately raised her head and shot a scorching gaze at Yang Kai, “You better keep to your word! En, this Elder will not put you in a difficult spot. As long as you agree to this matter, this Elder will forgive you this time.”
“Please speak.” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up.
“Become an Elder of the temple.”
Yang Kai’s face immediately turned serious as he spoke out in a solemn tone, “Elder Gao, this…”
“You dare refuse?” With a flick of her hand, Gao Xue Ting aimed her sword towards Yang Kai’s throat and growled, “Let this Elder see if you dare to reject this Elder’s personal request!”
Yang Kai’s entire body turned stiff, not daring to move a muscle. A drop of cold sweat rolled down his forehead as he replied with a serious expression, “This Disciple was just about to say that he… accepts this request.”
“En, a promising young man!” A smile curled up from the corner of Gao Xue Ting’s mouth as she sheathed her sword.
Only after all of these antics had finished did Vice Temple Master Qiu Ran and the various other Elders present step forward with grins on their faces, cupping their fists as they proceeded to greet the future Elder Yang.
With a beaming smile, Wen Zi Shan said, “Good, good. Our temple has a new Elder! That’s something worthy to be celebrated! This Temple Master has made the decision to organize a Grand Canonization Ceremony to commence in five days. We will quickly make an announcement to the world.”
A tremor shook through Yang Kai’s body as he hastily interjected, “There’s really no need for this, Temple Master. As of now, this Disciple…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a grinning Wen Zi Shan had already patted his shoulders, “There’s no need to say anymore. I know.”
Yang Kai opened his mouth, though all of the words he was about to say turned into a sigh. He had killed Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming, and although there was a justifiable reason behind his actions, he had gone against a mighty power which was Star Soul Palace. Once he became an Elder of Azure Sun Temple, it would surely bring them trouble.
It was alright for him to hide and evade this matter, but why would Wen Zi Shan want to organize a Grand Canonization Ceremony about his appointment to the position of Elder? Wasn’t this a clear indication of wanting to redirect fire towards the temple?
Yang Kai felt touched, and uneasy at the same time. If he really brought a disaster to the temple, he would feel horrible. Nevertheless, despite clearly knowing the repercussions of his actions, Wen Zi Shan obviously wanted to use the might of the temple to protect Yang Kai.
Gao Xue Ting chimed in from the side, “Once any of the temple’s Disciples is promoted to the Emperor Realm, they will become an Elder of the sect, and thereby obtain the authority of an Elder. That was the case with Xia Sheng, so there’s no need to feel any burden over it.”
Yang Kai scratched his head and replied, “There’s a matter that I’ve to inform all of you. Recently, this Disciple founded a Sect of his own…”
“Huh?” Wen Zi Shan exchanged glances with Gao Xue Ting, both of them noticing the look of surprise within each other’s eyes. The various Elders present also gawked in response.
“As of now, this Disciple can technically be considered a Sect Master; therefore, I’m afraid that there will be some conflict with me becoming an Elder of the temple.”
Wen Zi Shan nodded his head in agreement, though Gao Xue Ting had a look of suspicion on her face as she asked, “You’re not lying to us, right? Just to avoid taking up this Elder position?”
Yang Kai hastily replied, “How would I dare to do so? This is really the truth.”
Gao Xue Ting frowned, “Although you’re an Emperor now, and possess the qualifications to establish a Sect, you’re still quite young. Diving into such matters will not be beneficial to your future. As of now, your main priority should be to increase your cultivation.”
“Many thanks, Elder Gao, for your concern. This Disciple also understands my priorities; however, there is a reason behind the need for this Disciple to establish an independent Sect,” Yang Kai replied while nodding his head.
Gao Xue Ting sighed, “Since you’ve already founded your Sect, you can’t dissolve it. How about this? Let your sect ally with the temple. If there’s anything you need help with, the temple will be able to extend a helping hand. In fact, the temple can send some people over to help you and relieve your burden in some of the routine affairs.”
Yang Kai smiled faintly, “There are already people assigned to take care of Sect matters, so there’s no need for me to worry about them.”
“That’s good. You’re a smart person, so you should know that one’s own strength is the foundation of everything,” Gao Xue Ting turned silent for an instant, before continuing, “However, since you’re now a Sect Master, it is indeed not as suitable for you to become an Elder of the temple. How about this? We shall confer you the title of High-Rank Guest Elder. What do you think of that, Temple Master?”
Wen Zhi Shan smiled, “Whatever you say, Little Xue Ting.”
Although a High-Rank Guest Elder was also an Elder position, there was much more freedom in that role, including freedom of movement. It was somewhat similar to Yang Kai’s previous position as an in-name disciple, just higher in rank.
“That’s right. What’s the name of your Sect, and where is it located?” Gao Xue Ting asked.
Qiu Ran, Cheng Qian and the others looked over towards Yang Kai with curious looks on their faces.
“High Heaven Palace, and it is situated in the Northern Territory,” Yang Kai replied with a grin.
“The Northern Territory, so far away…” Gao Xue Ting frowned. Azure Sun Temple was located in the Southern Territory, meaning that there was a distance of over a billion kilometres between them and High Heaven Palace. This meant that even an alliance would not be of much use as Azure Sun Temple was too far to provide any aid should anything serious happen to High Heaven Palace.
“How’s the strength of your Sect, and how many disciples do you have?”
An embarrassed look appeared on Yang Kai’s face as he looked at Gao Xue Ting, before speaking out in a meek tone, “Does Elder Gao want to hear the truth… or…?”
“I’d like to see if you dare say anything false!” Gao Xue Ting’s beautiful eyes shot a glare back at him.
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched, before replying, “We don’t have many disciples as of now, only about a hundred so far.”
“A hundred people…” Gao Xue Ting nodded lightly. It was not an indication of her looking down on Yang Kai’s Sect, as after all, having just broken through to the Emperor Realm, the Sect Yang Kai established would definitely be a small one at best. Being able to gather over a hundred disciples was already extremely good. A Sect was somewhat similar to a rolling snowball, where it would take a lot of time to become big and strong.
“As for strength… the cultivations of the disciples are quite varied. For Emperors… there are six excluding me.”
“What?” The various Elders present gasped in shock.
“There are six others? Doesn’t that mean that there are seven Emperors in total?”
“Are you sure that there’s only over a hundred people in your Sect?”
Some of the Elders were immediately unable to remain calm, with even Wen Zi Shan’s eyes snapping wide in response.
A Sect with only a few more than a hundred people actually had seven Emperor Realm Masters among its ranks? What kind of Sect was this? Wasn’t that a bit too terrifying? Even with its ten thousand or so disciples, Azure Sun Temple only had about a dozen Emperors among its ranks.
Gao Xue Ting was filled with shock, as she had originally assumed that Yang Kai’s newly established Sect would be small and weak at best. However, from the looks of it, his Sect already appeared to be somewhat extraordinary.
“Of those six… what are their cultivation realms?”
Yang Kai scratched his head and replied, “There’s a First-Order Emperor Realm Head Manager that helps me handle the Sect’s affairs. There’s also a First-Order Emperor Array Master, a Second-Order Emperor Realm Emperor Alchemist…”
Sii…
A wave of successive hisses rang out, as everyone present on Myriad Saints Peak shot a look at Yang Kai as though they had just seen a ghost.
A small Sect with only around a hundred disciples being overseen by seven Emperors was more than enough to shock the hearts of people; however, after hearing Yang Kai say that there was actually an Emperor Array Master and an Emperor Alchemist among them…
How was that possible? Even Azure Sun Temple did not have their own Emperor Array Master and Emperor Alchemist! Only those Great Emperor Sects were capable of matching the lineup of a Sect like that.
“What about the other three?” Gao Xue Ting continued probing, though shock had already filled her eyes.
Yang Kai lowered his head and replied in a somewhat apologetic tone, “The other three… are Monster Kings.”
Dumbstruck looks immediately appeared on everyone’s faces.
Monster Kings… furthermore, three of them!
Only members of the Monster Race with strength capable of rivalling that of Third-Order Emperors possessed the qualifications to be hailed as Monster Kings. In other words, the might of any Monster King was not one bit inferior to that of Azure Sun Temple’s Temple Master, Wen Zi Shan.
It was precisely due to Wen Zi Shan’s presence that Azure Sun Temple was capable of being ranked as a top Sect in the Southern Territory, rivalling Orthodoxy Temple and Heavenly Martial Holy Land, as both of them were led by Third-Order Emperors as well.
Yet, there were three such existences in High Heaven Palace which was established by Yang Kai not long ago.
Other than the lack of a Great Emperor to assume command and a slightly inferior number of Emperors, how was this Sect inferior to any of the Great Emperor Sects? If such a Sect was to develop and grow stronger, its power and influence might eclipse all of the other great forces within the Star Boundary, with the exception of those Great Emperor Sects.
Finally recovering from her shock, Gao Xue Ting suddenly spoke out in a solemn tone, “You have to be vigilant when dealing with races other than our own. Yang Kai, how are you able to control those three Monster Kings? How are they willing to listen to your commands?”
Wen Zi Shan chimed in with a serious look on his face, “That’s right, you have to be careful about this.”
Yang Kai nodded his head and replied, “Disciple naturally understands this.”
“You’re not a reckless person, so as you have already made this decision, there is no need for us to discuss it further.” Wen Zi Shan gave a gentle nod, before giving a sudden grin, “However, from the looks of it, your High Heaven Palace does actually possess the qualifications to form an alliance with our temple. The only issue would be the long distance separating us. Such a pity, such a pity. That’s right, since your High Heavens Palace has such a strong background, you must have chosen a good place to establish your foundation. The speed of development of a Sect is tied tightly with its location, so make sure to not make an impulsive decision when doing so.”
“Disciple actually occupied other people’s territory when founding his Sect, so there isn’t much to worry about this matter,” Yang Kai replied with a meaningful smile.
“Oh?” Wen Zi Shan raised his brow in response and asked, “Which Sect did you steal from? Although this Sect Master doesn’t know much about the Sects in the Northern Territory, I’ve heard of a few.”
“Seeking Passion Sect!”
Wen Zi Shan’s expression instantly turned into one that was a sight to behold as he gawked blankly at Yang Kai. This was accompanied by the slack jaws present on many of the Elders’ faces.
All of them naturally knew about Seeking Passion Sect, as it was one of the top Sects of the Northern Territory. In terms of status, it was on the same level as their Azure Sun Temple within the Southern Territory.
Yang Kai had actually snatched away the domain of Seeking Passion Sect and established his own Sect there! In other words, Seeking Passion Sect had definitely been wiped out.
Nevertheless, looking from another perspective, with the strength of force behind Yang Kai, it was not impossible for High Heaven Palace to wipe out the Seeking Passion Sect.
“Not bad, not bad, the Seeking Passion Sect’s domain definitely won’t be lacking…” Cold sweat formed on Wen Zi Shan’s forehead as he discovered that he had greatly underestimated Yang Kai. In the past, he had only assumed that the latter was brimming with potential and therefore used various methods to get Yang Kai to join Azure Sun Temple, leading to the latter’s status as an in-name disciple.
However, after just a few years of separation, this in-name disciple had actually managed to accomplish such a world-shaking matter. If not for the exceedingly far distance between the two territories, news of this matter might have already propagated across the Southern Territory, shocking the entire Star Boundary.
“Okay, enough casual talk. The Grand Canonization Ceremony will be held in five days, so there are still many things to do.” Gao Xue Ting changed the topic.
She did not dare to continue asking, as she was afraid she might hear even more shocking news if she did so.
Right at this moment, a frown suddenly appeared on Gao Xue Ting’s forehead. Retrieving her communication artifact out, she sent her Divine Sense into it, before raising her head to say, “Temple Master, Xiao Yu Yang is here.”
Wen Zi Shan’s eyes narrowed, “He’s quite quick!”
Yang Kai coughed and spoke up at this moment, “I actually bumped into him along the way here, though I shook him off. He might be here from chasing after me.”
Wen Zi Shan nodded his head and said, “I understand. Little Xue Ting, bring him away for a while.”
“En,” Gao Xue Ting nodded, before ordering Yang Kai. “Follow me.”
Yang Kai cupped his hands towards the other Elders present before flying away with Gao Xue Ting.
Although he was not afraid of Xiao Yu Yang, it definitely wouldn’t do any good if he were to meet with the latter. Therefore, Yang Kai decided to simply disappear for a while. Nevertheless, Yang Kai felt somewhat apologetic dragging Azure Sun Temple into this mess.
After a short while, Gao Xue Ting brought Yang Kai to her Purple Bamboo Peak. A vast forest of purple bamboo stretched across this peak, shaking lightly in the wind.
Present on the large and majestic Purple Bamboo Peak was a lone structure, appearing exceedingly desolate within this environment. This seemed to coincide with Gao Xue Ting’s stoic character.
Within Azure Sun Temple, every single Elder was granted their own Spirit Peak; Purple Bamboo Peak was Gao Xue Ting’s domain.
If Yang Kai were to be conferred the title of Elder in Azure Sun Temple, he would also be bestowed with the same level of treatment; however, since the Grand Canonization Ceremony would only be held after a few days, Yang Kai could only live on Purple Bamboo Peak in the interim.
The peak was peaceful and quiet, without a single servant present. Gao Xue Ting arranged for Yang Kai to reside in the guest residence, advising him to not run about recklessly, before turning around to leave.
“Elder Gao!” All of a sudden, Yang Kai suddenly shouted out to stop her.
Gao Xue Ting turned back.
“Disciple needs to request Elder Gao’s assistance for a matter,” Yang Kai said in a serious tone.
“What’s the matter?”
“I wish to take a trip into the Divine Ascension Mirror!”
“You want to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror?” A frown appeared on Gao Xue Ting’s face, “Why?”
The Divine Ascension Mirror was Azure Sun Temple’s greatest secret. Previously, Yang Kai was able to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror world only due to the numerous Star Seals he had brought back to the temple, a great merit that warranted his entry. Now, however, despite being a quasi-Elder of Azure Sun Temple, with the qualifications to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror, he still couldn’t simply go in there as he wished. Therefore, it was natural for Gao Xue Ting to want a thorough explanation for his request.
After a moment of silence, Yang Kai did not conceal anything and proceeded to tell her about his agreement with Tian Yan.
Gao Xue Ting gasped in shock, “You actually managed to make such an agreement with that Senior during your last trip to the Divine Ascension Mirror?”
“Yes,” Yang Kai nodded his head. “I agreed to it without much thought back then; however, after so many years, I should give him a proper reply.”
Gao Xue Ting replied in a slightly absent-minded manner, “I never expected you to have such great fortune… since you’ve made such an agreement, you should honour it. However, the Fleshly Body Pill isn’t easy to obtain.”
“I’ve already obtained the Fleshly Body Pill,” Yang Kai replied with a faint smile.
Gao Xue Ting’s expression shook, “You have?”
Yang Kai smiled in response, “I’ve already acquired the required materials and in a few days, my High Heaven Palace’s Emperor Alchemist should finish refining the Fleshly Body Pill.”
“What are the chances of success?” Gao Xue Ting asked in a somewhat impatient voice. Although this was the first time she had heard about the Fleshly Body Pill, she knew that such a pill would definitely not be easy to refine. Even an Emperor Alchemist might not be able to guarantee a one hundred percent refining success rate.
Yang Kai replied, “I forgot to inform Elder Gao, my High Heaven Palace’s Emperor Alchemist is the Fifth Disciple of the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor.”
Gao Xue Ting was instantly dumbstruck, taking quite a while before pushing out a shocked reply, “You managed to poach the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s Legacy Disciple to be your Sect’s Chief Alchemist?”
Such boldness! Originally, it was already shocking that Yang Kai’s High Heaven Palace had an Emperor Alchemist amongst their ranks; however, Gao Xue Ting had never expected that this Emperor Alchemist would actually have such an illustrious background. That was the Fifth Legacy Disciple of the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor! Even Third-Order Emperor Realm Masters would have to show great respect to such a person.
The matter that puzzled Gao Xue Ting the most was, why would the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor consent to this?
Nevertheless, with the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s Disciple personally taking action, the possibility of a refining failure was quite minimized.
“It isn’t too difficult if you wish to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror today; however, at this moment…” All of a sudden, a frown appeared on Gao Xue Ting’s face.
“What happened?” Yang Kai asked.
Gao Xue Ting replied, “Since you’re not an outsider, it’s alright for you to know about this. Right now, there are people currently using the Divine Ascension Mirror, and it is imperative to not disturb them unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, it is somewhat difficult if you wish to enter the Divine Ascension Mirror at this moment.”
A look of surprise appeared on Yang Kai’s face.
Earlier, the people he had met on top of Myriad Saints Peak included all of Azure Sun Temple’s higher-ups, so who could be using the Divine Ascension Mirror right now? Furthermore, they weren’t to be disturbed? It seemed as though the person using the Divine Ascension Mirror had an extraordinary status.
Even thinking along these lines though, Yang Kai was not able to identify this person.
“I’ll talk to Temple Master about this, to see if we are able to devise a win-win solution to this. If it really isn’t possible… you should just wait here for a while. In any case, it has been so many years since your agreement with that Senior and you don’t have the Fleshly Body Pill on you right now anyways.”
“Okay,” Yang Kai nodded. With the situation as it was at the moment, he had no choice but to agree.
He proceeded to ask about Xiao Bai Yi and Murong Xiao Xiao’s current situations, and found out that they had both entered retreat after returning from the Shattered Star Sea. Currently, they had yet to show any signs of coming out, so Yang Kai had to cancel his plan of catching up with them.
Those two were Core Disciples of Azure Sun Temple, future pillars of the Sect. Nevertheless, they were just a little lacking when compared to Xia Sheng, as the latter was able to break through to the Emperor Realm inside the Shattered Star Sea. In comparison, Xiao Bai Yi and Murong Xiao Xiao were unable to do so. Nevertheless, they had still reaped substantial benefits there, making them develop a will to not leave their closed-door cultivation until they broke through to the Emperor Realm.
After Gao Xue Ting departed, Yang Kai proceeded to sit down. Extending his hand, a large chest made of exquisitely crafted metal appeared before him.
The Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor!
Since he had purchased this Mid-Rank Emperor Grade Artifact Armor from Violet Source Auction, Yang Kai hadn’t had the time for a detailed inspection of it until this moment.
Extending his hand, Yang Kai opened the case and began gently brushing the Artifact Armor. In an instant, a furious roar suddenly rang out from within, before black Qi started to rapidly gush out from the pieces that made up the Artifact Armour. Coalescing together into a black mass, the light formed into a black flood dragon that stared sharply towards Yang Kai.
“Ah…” Raising his head to look at the illusionary phantom, a grin spread across Yang Kai’s face.
According to the descriptions from Violet Source Chamber of Commerce, this Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor was created from the scales of a Black Flood Dragon. Black Flood Dragons were extremely rare existences, and were renowned for their formidable defensive strength. During this armour’s refinement, the Black Flood Dragon’s Monster Core should have been fused into it, resulting in a wisp of the Black Flood Dragon’s Soul being sealed into the Artifact Armor.
In other words, this Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor seemed to possess an Artifact Spirit.
An artifact like this that was refined from the body parts of a powerful Monster Beast was capable of fusing perfectly with the Monster Core of its origin Monster Beast.
This wasn’t mentioned by the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce. Yang Kai guessed that they were afraid that this fact would affect their customers’ valuation of this item. Although an Artifact with an Artifact Spirit would generally fetch a much higher price, it would also depend on what type of Artifact Spirit it possessed.
The Artifact Spirit of this Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor was the Soul of a Black Flood Dragon. Despite only being a Flood Dragon, it still possessed the bloodline of the Dragon Clan. Therefore, most people would not be able to subdue an Artifact Spirit like this.
A good example would be the sudden appearance of the Black Flood Dragon’s Soul the instant Yang Kai made contact with the Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor. If the user didn’t refine this Artifact Spirit, making it recognise them as its owner, it would be utterly impossible for them to access the full might of this Artifact Armor.
The gigantic Black Flood Dragon Artifact Spirit appeared almost corporeal as it shot a disdainful look at Yang Kai, just like how one would look at an ant.
However, in the next instant, a suppressive dragon roar rang out from the ant-like figure before it. Golden light blossomed, before the Source Strength of the Golden Divine Dragon erupted mightily from Yang Kai, manifesting in a giant golden dragon far larger than the Black Flood Dragon Artifact Spirit behind Yang Kai’s head.
At this moment, the Black Flood Dragon, a dead object that didn’t possess any consciousness, unexpectedly revealed a sense of dread on its face, while its raised head drooped a little.
As the aura of the Golden Divine Dragon erupted, the Black Flood Dragon subconsciously shrank back into the chest.
The strength of bloodline suppression within the Dragon Clan was a strange and mysterious sight to behold; it was a terrifying oppression that no other race could fathom.
A good example would be when Li Jiao, a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, was unable to muster even an ounce of resistance against Zhu Qing. No matter how powerful they became, any existence with the bloodline of the Dragon Clan would have no choice but to be shackled by this unbreakable fetter.
Against any other ordinary Third-Order Emperor, Zhu Qing would still be able to obtain victory in a fight, though it would not be an easy fight. However, she would be able to reap Li Jiao’s life with ease.
“Afraid?” Yang Kai revealed a villainous grin, shooting a sinister look at the Artifact Spirit as he said, “If you’re afraid, scram back and let me use you at will. If not, I’ll erase your Soul!”
No one knew if the Black Flood Dragon Artifact Spirit actually understood words or not; however, right as Yang Kai’s words rang out, it retreated and fused back into the Artifact Armor.
As this was happening, with Wen Zi Shan in the lead, the group of Azure Sun Temple Elders had solemn expressions on their faces as they stood on top of Myriad Saints Peaks.
Two streaks of light flew over rapidly, descending before the group, revealing the figures of Xiao Yu Yang and Xiao Chen a moment later.
“Xiao Chen greets Temple Master Wen and various Seniors!” Xiao Chen cupped his hands in respect. Despite his pride and high self-esteem, as well as his unbridled arrogance against his peers, he still maintained proper etiquette, not forgetting to greet the Seniors present before him.
Wen Zi Shan smiled and nodded, “Young Master Xiao is thoughtful.” Cupping his fists to Xiao Yu Yang, he continued, “It has been a while, Brother Xiao.”
“Temple Master Wen!” Xiao Yu Yang replied in a serious tone.
Although he was a member of Star Soul Palace, and similarly a Third-Order Emperor, he did not dare to show any ounce of overbearingness before the Temple Master of Azure Sun Temple, Wen Zi Shan.
Without waiting for Xiao Yu Yang to speak, Wen Zi Shan cut in, “You’ve come just in time for a joyous occasion for my temple, Brother Xiao. You certainly have to be a guest here for a few days.”
“Joyous occasion?” A frown appeared on Xiao Yu Yang’s face as he replied, “What joyous occasion?”
Wen Zi Shan replied, “It’s like this. In five days, our temple will be canonizing a new Elder. If Brother Xiao isn’t in a hurry, please stay behind to drink some celebratory wine.”
Hearing those words, Xiao Yu Yang’s eyes narrowed before he gave a reply in a cold tone, “Temple Master Wen, from what this King knows, among your noble sect’s Core Disciples, Xiao Sheng already broke through to the Emperor Realm quite some time ago, and already holds the position of Elder, while the others are in closed-door cultivation and won’t be coming out in short order. The person you are able to confer this position to couldn’t be the person I am looking for, right?”
A confused look appeared on Wen Zi Shan’s face, “Huh? Who is Brother Xiao looking for?”
Xiao Yu Yang proceeded to speak while emphasizing every word he said, “Yang… Kai!”
Wen Zi Shan responded with a surprised look, “Brother Xiao, what a genuine surprise, you’re actually able to guess that! Admirable! Admirable!”
Xiao Yu Yang roared out in fury, “Temple Master Wen!”
Seeing Wen Zi Shan still playing dumb, Xiao Yu Yang’s anger erupted.
With a chuckle, Wen Zi Shan replied, “Did Brother Xiao predict such a matter beforehand and come earlier to offer your congratulations? You really are too thoughtful.”
The veins on Xiao Yu Yang’s temples bulged and throbbed as he quickly snapped back, “Having known you for so many years, this Xiao will give you advice to not attract disaster onto yourself, Brother Wen.”
Wen Zi Shan could not help but narrow his eyes as he replied, “I don’t understand what you’re saying, Brother Xiao. Our temple is only inducting a new Elder. How would that invite disaster onto ourselves?”
Xiao Yu Yang stared intently at Wen Zi Shan, “That boy killed Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming. I don’t think Temple Master Wen is unaware of this matter.”
Wen Zi Shan gasped in shock, “That’s impossible, right? Tan Jun Han is a Third-Order Emperor, while Wu Ming is a Second-Order Emperor. Compared to them, Yang Kai is just a First-Order Emperor. How could he have killed them? That’s absolutely impossible! Could there be some mistake?”
Xiao Yu Yang sneered in response, “Over twenty Emperor Realm Masters hailing from as many Sects of the Southern Territory bore witness to this matter, so how could it be a mistake?”
Wen Zi Shan quickly followed up, “Did those twenty-plus Emperors really bear witness to what happened? What did they say happened?”
A wrinkle appeared on Xiao Yu Yang’s forehead as he turned silent for a moment before muttering, “Tan Jun Hao used parasites to control them to fight against Yang Kai. Nevertheless, he underestimated his enemy and was killed by Yang Kai in the end. Wu Ming helped a tyrant to oppress the innocent, and was also killed at the scene.”
“Tan Jun Hao actually carried out such despicable actions and smeared the honour of Star Soul Palace! His death really isn’t worth pitying!” A solemn expression appeared on Wen Zi Shan’s face as he stared intently at Xiao Yu Yang and pressed, “From what you’ve said, Yang Kai can be considered to have helped your Star Soul Palace clean its house, so you should feel gratitude towards him, yes? Is Brother Xiao here to express Star Soul Palace’s thanks to Yang Kai? If that is the case, you really don’t need to, as Elder Yang’s heroic actions were to purge evil. Your Star Soul Palace is too polite.”
Xiao Yu Yang exhaled slightly, before quickly replying, “Temple Master Wen, Tan Jun Hao was a Soul Palace Elder. Furthermore, he was a Third-Order Emperor, so his death isn’t a small matter. This also concerns the face of my Star Soul Palace!”
Wen Zi Shan gave a faint smile in response, “It’s naturally a big matter. However, didn’t the statements given by those twenty or so Emperors already provide plenty of explanation?”
Xiao Yu Yang shook his head, “I’m afraid there’s no other choice but for Yang Kai to follow me back to Star Soul Palace.”
An awkward look surfaced on Wen Zi Shan’s face, “I’m afraid that that’s not possible. Currently, Yang Kai can be considered to be an Elder of our temple. In a few days, we will be holding our Grand Canonization Ceremony. If he goes with you, won’t our temple become the laughingstock in the Southern Territory? Although Star Soul Palace wants to keep their face, so does our temple.”
Xiao Yu Yang replied, “Just as Temple Master Wen had said, the Grand Canonization Ceremony will happen in a few days. At this moment, Yang Kai still isn’t considered an Elder of Azure Sun Temple.”
“Who said that?” Wen Zi Shan grinned, before turning his head around, “Little Qian Qian!”
Without any pause, Chen Qian raised her hand and hundreds of invitations in the form of streaking lights shot out in all directions, before disappearing in the blink of an eye. She then proceeded to cup her fists and reply, “Temple Master, this subordinate has just sent out the invitations for the Grand Canonization Ceremony to the various Sects and Families throughout the Southern Territory!”
“Good,” Wen Zi Shan nodded slightly.
By this time, Xiao Yu Yang’s expression had already turned gloomy, “Wen Zi Shan, do you know the repercussions of your actions?”
Wen Zi Shan’s face instantly turned solemn as he said in a calm voice, “Yang Kai is a member of my temple. Even if your Star Soul Palace wants to take him away, you have to obtain the agreement from our temple before doing so.”
Letting out a sigh, Xiao Yu Yang took out a communication artifact before speaking in an indifferent tone, “I’ve already reported this matter to the Great Emperor, so the Great Emperor will be the one to decide how to handle this affair.”
Wen Zi Shan had shown his hand, clearly wanting to use the weight of his Sect to protect Yang Kai. Therefore, even if he were to confront Wen Zi Shan for this matter, he might not be able to snatch Yang Kai away. This left Xiao Yu Yang no other choice but to report this matter and quietly wait for a reply.
Wen Zi Shan’s expression finally changed. Nevertheless, he still proceeded to give a faint smile, “With his wisdom, the Great Emperor will naturally make a fair and just decision. Since you’re a guest, why not stay in our temple for a few days, Brother Xiao?”
“Good. Pardon my intrusion.” Xiao Yu Yang nodded slightly.
“Please!”
…..
Within the guest residence on top of Purple Bamboo Peak, a series of clashing sounds rang out, before an additional layer of majesty radiated from Yang Kai as the black dragon armour covered his body.
After unleashing his Golden Divine Dragon Source in a show of might, Yang Kai discovered that it was extraordinarily easy to refine this Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor, so much so that it was in fact even easier than most Dao Source Grade Artifacts. Wearing the Artifact Armor, he found it fit him exceedingly well, and was also extremely flexible, to the point where he was not even afraid of damaging it when he used his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique.
The only small gripe he had was that there was substantial damage present on the abdomen section of this Artifact Armor, causing this Mid-Rank Emperor Grade Artifact to only be able to display the might of a Low-Rank Emperor Grade Artifact.
However, this was more than enough.
Yang Kai had not bought this armour for its defensive strength; he simply wanted something that was capable of covering his body up after he had displayed his Dragon Transformation. Regardless of whether it was now a Mid-Rank or a Low-Rank Emperor Grade Artifact, it wasn’t too much of a difference to him.
Nevertheless, what Yang Kai fancied most about this Artifact Armor was how light it felt, as though he wasn’t wearing it at all. After putting on some standard robes, it was basically impossible to even notice this armour beneath them.
After inspecting himself for a while, Yang Kai proceeded to sit down again and continued to refine the Great Soaring Black Dragon Armor.
Gao Xue Ting came back a few times, though she did not disturb Yang Kai after seeing that he had been in retreat ever since.
Five days went by in a flash.
As morning dawned, Gao Xue Ting pushed open the door, shocking Yang Kai awake.
Raising his head, he noticed five young women walking over per the instructions of Gao Xue Ting. Seeing the outfits they wore, he guessed that they were disciples of Azure Sun Temple.
“Stand up.” Gao Xue Ting said to Yang Kai.
Standing up, Yang Kai asked suspiciously, “What is this about?”
Gao Xue Ting continued to signal to those few female disciples while giving Yang Kai an explanation, “They’re here to help you clean up. Today’s your big day.”
Yang Kai grinned, “You sound as if I’m about to get married.” However, seeing the icy expression on Gao Xue Ting’s face, Yang Kai withdrew his smile and obediently followed her arrangements.
He sat down on a chair to the side and immediately, one of the female disciples walked behind him and started to brush his hair, her movements soft and gentle. Another disciple proceeded to half kneel before him and started to clean his face.
Standing to the side, Gao Xue Ting started to brief Yang Kai about the flow of the Grand Canonization Ceremony, as well as the things he needed to take note of.
This left Yang Kai in surprise as he asked, “I’m just going to become a High-Rank Guest Elder. Is there really a need to make this event into such a large one?”
He had assumed that this was just a ceremony for formality; however, the proceedings don’t seem to fit with what he had envisioned.
“Don’t worry about that. You just need to follow along obediently,” Gao Xue Ting said in a commanding tone.
Yang Kai snorted back a reply before obediently remaining seated and not moving. He closed his eyes and rested, while etching Gao Xue Ting’s words into his heart.
The few female disciples surrounded Yang Kai as they groomed him, all while occasionally sneaking a few peeks to size him up before sighing in amazement. The sudden canonization of a new Elder had caught all of them in surprise. This was especially so after hearing that this new Elder was around the same age as their Eldest Senior Brother Xia Sheng, leaving them even more intrigued.
After all, Xia Sheng possessed extraordinary fame within the temple. Who knew how many female disciples had ideas about him? Now, having seen Yang Kai, they discovered that he appeared to be not inferior when compared to their Eldest Senior Brother. In fact, his heroic air trumped Xia Sheng’s. The close-distance service left the hearts of the few disciples beating somewhat rapidly as daydreams filled their heads.
After about an hour or so, Gao Xue Ting sent those female disciples back and proceeded to make Yang Kai stand and spin around a few times, sweeping her eyes over him for a while before nodding lightly.
Dressed in a set of long purple robes, Yang Kai had managed to get rid of a sliver of his youthful looks, replacing it with an air of stability that fit the appearance of an Elder.
“Let’s go.” Gao Xue Ting waved her hand and took the lead to fly off, with Yang Kai following close behind.
Originally, she wanted to remind Yang Kai to not be overly nervous; however, through the surveillance of her Divine Sense, she discovered the calm and relaxed look hanging on Yang Kai’s face, appearing as though he was utterly not worried at all. Seeing this, Gao Xue Ting was disinclined to remind him anymore.
She knew that Yang Kai had come face to face with quite a few great storms in his travels, so although this Grand Canonization Ceremony was a big event, it was not sufficient to shake his mind and spirit.
On top of Myriad Saints Peak, huge streams of people were present as guests hailing from various places were arranged on the sides of the plaza in accordance to their status and cultivation. There weren’t many people in the crowd, just over two hundred or so. Nevertheless, these people represented nearly all of the great Sects and powers in the Southern Territory.
Many disciples of Azure Sun Temple shuttled back and forth busily, continuing to walk up and down the various rows of seats. There was an incessant flow of fine wine and fragrant delicacies as the Emperor Realm Masters who were familiar with each other continued to toast, turning the environment exceedingly lively and bustling.
It was a rare sight to see so many Masters present in a single space. Even the Canonization Ceremony of Xia Sheng as an Elder was not of this magnitude. For the latter, the various great forces were informed after the matter had happened. However, for Yang Kai, the buzz he had created was known throughout the entire Southern Territory. If not for the tight time constraints, there might be even more guests arriving than those present.
Xiao Yu Yang and Xiao Chen shared a table. With their high statuses, the former being a Star Soul Palace Elder, and moreover a Third-Order Emperor Realm Masters, there were naturally people coming forward to toast with them. However, after Xiao Yu Yang casually dealt with a few people, he proceeded to close his eyes, making the rest of the people not dare to head over to disturb him.
No one even dared to have any criticism of his actions.
All of a sudden, drums rang out before the entire plaza turned silent and the bustling guests hastily headed back to their seats.
All eyes then turned and looked over towards the same direction.
Over there, two groups of cultivators were flying over, one group of males, and one group of females. All of the males wore smart appearances, brimming with bravery and heroic spirit. On the other side, all of the females appeared as though they were beauties that had come out of paintings, brimming with an elegance that was paired with their pure white dresses. Every single one of them possessed a Dao Source Realm cultivation, with strong and vibrant auras radiating from them.
The group of males and females split apart to reveal an exquisite ship floating behind. Yang Kai stood at the bow, meeting the wind head-on. As his long hair blew along with the wind, he gave people a feeling as though he was flying leisurely through the air. Standing not far behind him was Gao Xue Ting, who wore a solemn and respectful expression on her face.
Landing on the top of Myriad Saints Peak, the two groups of males and females immediately moved to the sides. As the ship came to a halt, Yang Kai and Gao Xue Ting flew and descended from it.
In an instant, countless gazes turned towards Yang Kai as people started to size him up in curiosity.
This fellow by the name of Yang Kai had killed an Elder and Deacon of Star Soul Palace. News of this matter had sent the entire Southern Territory into a buzz as of late. At this moment, even people who didn’t know about this matter instantly knew that this person was the main focus of Azure Sun Temple’s Grand Canonization Ceremony.
Those who did not know Yang Kai were naturally curious about him, wondering exactly what kind of fearless fellow he was to dare to take action against an Elder of Star Soul Palace.
From their first look, they discovered that Yang Kai only possessed a First-Order Emperor Realm cultivation, causing looks of disappointment to appear on their faces. All of them secretly felt that there might be some kind of problem with the information they received, as how would a youth like Yang Kai be capable of killing Tan Jun Hao with that level of cultivation?
He might not even be able to resist a single move from Tan Jun Hao.
There were even more people carefully looking over towards Xiao Yu Yang. At this moment, being an Elder of Star Soul Palace, everyone was naturally very curious as to how he would react after seeing Yang Kai. However, the result left people disappointed, as the former continued to keep his eyes closed and not say a single word.
What was Azure Sun Temple thinking? They were actually conferring the title of Elder to a fellow who killed a Star Soul Palace Elder! Were they looking for trouble? Many people were unable to understand the current situation.
The flow of events for this Grand Canonization Ceremony was truthfully not complicated; after all, with everyone being a cultivator, the process was straightforward and not overly convoluted. Under Gao Xue Ting’s guidance, Yang Kai walked forward, ignoring the curious and examining gazes coming from the sides, all the way to before Wen Zi Shan.
With a faint smile hanging on his face, Wen Zi Shan extended a finger out and tapped on Yang Kai’s head before proceeding to speak sentence after sentence, spelling out the benefits, as well as the duties, that Yang Kai would have after becoming an Elder of Azure Sun Temple.
It took a whole half hour before Wen Zi Shan finished his speech. Looking at Yang Kai, he said, “Have you memorized this King’s words?”
Yang Kai replied in a solemn and respectful tone, “I have committed them to memory.”
“Good,” nodding in satisfaction, Wen Zi Shan extended his hand behind him. Immediately, Chen Qian, who was standing beside him, placed an object into his hand.
“Receive this Jade Elder Token. Yang Kai, from this day onwards, you will be an Elder of our Azure Sun Temple, advancing and living alongside our temple!”
“I will comply with the Temple Master’s orders!” Yang Kai cupped his fists and accepted the Jade Elder Token before returning his Azure Sun Golden Token to Wen Zi Shan.
From this moment on, Yang Kai was an Elder of Azure Sun Temple. The jade token was exceedingly light, and wasn’t large in size; however, it felt heavy when Yang Kai held it in his hands. This sense of heaviness came from the care and support he had received from the various Seniors of Azure Sun Temple.
“Sacrifice to the Heavens!” Wen Zi Shan roared out in a deep voice as he waved his hand.
“Huo…”
A beastial roar pierced through the skies. Looking over towards the source of the sound, Yang Kai saw Qiu Yan flying while carrying a cage with his Emperor Qi. Inside the cage was a mighty and impressive ape-type Monster Beast that radiated a golden light from its back which made its fur seem as if it had been cast from a golden metal. Despite being trapped within the cage, which restricted its strength, a violent aura that blotted the skies still radiated from it. It continued to smash its body against the cage, though its attempts to escape were futile, leaving it roaring incessantly in fury.
“Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape!” Someone exclaimed in shock.
The expressions of a number of Emperor Realm guests present at the ceremony changed.
This Sacrifice to the Heavens was the final event in the Grand Canonization Ceremony. This was also a chance for the new Elder to display his strength before the audience.
Generally speaking, the Monster Beast used in such ceremonies would be of average strength, neither strong nor weak. If it was too strong, it would result in the new Elder becoming a laughingstock if they were unable to kill it. If it was too weak, the new Elder wouldn’t have the chance to properly display his or her ability.
Although the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape was a Low-Rank Twelfth-Order Monster Beast, which was on par with a First-Order Emperor, an average First-Order Emperor could only hope to flee safely if they encountered this Monster Beast in the wild. That was because the defensive capabilities of this Monster Beast were astonishing, along with its strong restorative capabilities. Any First-Order Emperor would need to risk their lives in order to kill it, and even that wouldn’t guarantee success.
No matter how they looked at him, Yang Kai was just a First-Order Emperor. Could he successfully finish this sacrificial ceremony and deal with that Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape?
Apprehension rose in the hearts of quite a few people among the audience, afraid that a mistake made by Yang Kai would turn Azure Sun Temple into the butt of all jokes, with no way to wipe it clean.
Some were secretly guessing that the Monster Beast’s strength might have been restricted, to allow Yang Kai to kill it more easily.
Just as doubts and suspicions rose within the audience, Wen Zi Shan nodded slightly towards Qiu Ran. The latter made a few seals with his hands, and in the next instant, the cage imprisoning the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape opened. With a flash, even the restrictions on its strength were lifted.
“HOU…”
A violent aura exploded forth and as it left its cage, the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape seemed just like a tiger that had entered the plains, or a dragon that swam in the seas. Beating its fists against its chest, powerful thumping sounds rang out as it swept its scarlet red eyes towards its surroundings.
Shocked expressions appeared on the faces of quite a few people as massive waves of fear surged within their hearts.
All of the restrictions placed on this Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape had been completely removed. Furthermore, being enraged, it would probably react more aggressively than usual. Just this alone was enough for basically any First-Order Emperor to become insufficient to deal with it. Only a Second-Order Emperor Realm would be able to defeat such a beast.
What was Azure Sun Temple thinking? Being known to be astute throughout his life, how could Wen Zi Shan turn muddled at this moment? If a setback occurred in this ceremony, wouldn’t he become a laughingstock?
A sword glow flashed as Yang Kai took to the air.
Earlier, on Purple Bamboo Peak, Gao Xue Ting had already briefed him clearly about the sequence of today’s events. Therefore, he knew what he had to do during this Sacrificial Ceremony. Naturally, he did not regard this trivial Twelfth-Order Low-Rank Monster Beast as a threat.
Summoning his Myriads Sword, he pointed it towards the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape as he locked his murderous intent onto it.
Appearing to have sensed this, the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape immediately looked over right when Yang Kai’s murderous intent surged. Monster Qi gushed out from its body, and with a ferocious roar, it lunged towards him, wanting to tear him into shreds.
Right at this instant, an unexpected occurrence happened; a streak of light suddenly shot over from afar. Travelling like a bolt of lightning, it pierced through the body of the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape, before continuing unimpeded towards Yang Kai.
“Who!” Wen Zi Shan roared out as he attempted to save Yang Kai, though he was too late to do so.
A clear metallic sound rang out as the Myriads Sword in Yang Kai’s hand flashed. He was thrown back a whole thousand metres before being able to stabilize himself. His face abruptly turned pale, before he vomited out a mouthful of blood.
It was only at this moment that Wen Zi Shan arrived between him and the streak of light. In the next instant, Gao Xue Ting appeared by Yang Kai’s side. Standing before him, she turned her beautiful eyes vigilantly towards the newcomer.
*Peng…*
A dull bang rang out, as the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape, which had been raging about as mightly as a dragon and as fiercely as a tiger just now, exploded into a cloud of blood mist, dispersing in the air, not even leaving bones behind.
The audience was dumbstruck by what they had just witnessed, as all of them proceeded to stand up. No one had expected someone to actually come and cause trouble during the last event of this ceremony. Furthermore, that person had killed the sacrificial beast in a single move! Not only that, that person had dealt a blow to the lead figure of today’s Grand Canonization Ceremony!
This action was basically a slap towards Azure Sun Temple’s face! Who could endure it?
However, being able to smash the Twelfth-Order Monster Beast, the Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape into a blood mist was evidence of the astonishing strength this intruder possessed. There were absolutely no more than three people among the many Emperors present who could achieve such a feat.
Exactly who was this rampant in their actions?
Looking over, the audience could not help but to be dumbstruck once again, though looks of understanding soon surfaced on their faces as they started to slowly sense that this Grand Canonization Ceremony might not be able to proceed smoothly anymore.
“Elder Xue!” Wen Zi Shan’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the intruder, the tone of his voice deep, with an ugly expression appearing on his face.
The intruder was impressively Elder Xue Zheng Mao of Star Soul Palace! This was something that he did not expect at all. After all, Xiao Yu Yang was already present, which should have been sufficient for a delegation from the Great Emperor Sect of the Southern Territory. Why did Xue Zheng Mao run all the way here? Furthermore, he had caused trouble right as he arrived, not giving Azure Sun Temple any face at all.
As he roared out, he simultaneously shot a glance towards Xiao Yu Yang, only to discover that there was a slight frown on the latter’s face. It seemed as though Xiao Yu Yang wasn’t informed about this matter at all.
“Temple Master Wen!” Xue Zheng Mao replied indifferently before sweeping his gaze past Wen Zi Shan and landing on Yang Kai before he opened his mouth, “So, you are Yang Kai? You’re actually able to remain alright after receiving this Old Master’s strike. You can be considered outstanding for that, however… you must now come with this Old Master.”
As he said those words, he extended his hand to grab at Yang Kai.
Wen Zi Shan’s expression turned into one of fury as he raised his hand to send a palm right towards Xue Zheng Mao.
“Impudence!” As he roared out, Xue Zheng Mao turned his grab into a palm and smashed it against Wen Zi Shan’s incoming palm strike. A shock wave propagated out as space collapsed. Both parties retreated three steps back, appearing to be evenly matched from the exchange.
“Elder Xue, this King respects you as a guest! However, you’ve attacked my temple’s Elder right upon your arrival! Aren’t you going overboard with your actions?” Wen Zi Shan snorted coldly.
Xue Zheng Mao replied, “Your temple’s Elder? Wen Zi Shan, you’re really getting more muddled the older you get. Don’t tell me that you don’t know how big of a mess this little brat has created? And yet you still dare to protect him? Are you trying to uproot your Azure Sun Temple’s foundations?”
“May I know what mess Elder Yang had created that caused Elder Xue to be this angry? This King really wishes to know about it,” Wen Zi Shan did not back down in the slightest.
“I will not argue with you about this. Today, I will take Yang Kai from here.” Xue Zheng Mao snorted coldly, stubborn and headstrong in his ways. Turning his head to Xiao Yu Yang, he asked, “Elder Xiao, what do you think?”
Wen Zi Shan’s face changed slightly upon hearing those words.
Although he was a Third-Order Emperor, he was only able to deal with a single person of the same cultivation realm as him. If Xiao Yu Yang and Xue Zheng Mao were to collaborate, it would be hard for Yang Kai to escape from here. Even if all of Azure Sun Temple’s Emperors were to take action, they might not be able to save the situation.
Xiao Yu Yang frowned, “Five days ago, I reported this matter to the Great Emperor. I’m now waiting for the Great Emperor to give his verdict!”
Wen Zi Shan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Yu Yang not taking action was a good thing for him, as he was not afraid of Xue Zheng Mao alone.
“Hmph!” Not getting the answer he was looking for, Xue Zheng Mao appeared to be unsatisfied with Xiao Yu Yang. Nevertheless, with both of them being Elders of Star Soul Palace and having the same status, he did not say anything more despite the dissatisfaction that surfaced within his heart. Turning his head around, he looked at Wen Zi Shan, “Temple Master Wen, the ceremony has not been completed, so Yang Kai cannot be considered an Elder of your temple. Hand him over to this Old Master. This will benefit your temple, without any disadvantages at all.”
Wen Zi Shan shook his head and replied, “Although the ceremony has yet to be completed, Yang Kai has already received the Jade Elder Token. Who would dare to claim that he is not an Elder of our temple?”
“Are you going to be that obstinate and insist on making the Great Emperor furious before being willing to lower your head?” Xue Zheng Mao roared out in anger.
With a faint smile, Wen Zi Shan replied, “The Great Emperor’s wisdom and judgment are beyond question, so how could he be infuriated by such a matter? He might even reward Elder Yang for helping Star Soul Palace clean up its mess.”
“Impudence!” Xue Zhen Mao’s face turned ashen with rage.
Wen Zi Shan replied coldly, “If you want to take Elder Yang away, you have to go past this King before doing so.”
“Do you really think that I don’t dare to take action?” Xue Zheng Mao growled between his clenched teeth.
“Didn’t you already take action earlier?” Wen Zi Shan retorted.
These two Third-Order Emperors traded barbs back and forth, neither willing to back down. The flames of anger in their eyes grew stronger by the moment, as though they were about to viciously attack one another. Seeing this, the hearts of the guests started to pound in fear as cold sweat drenching their backs.
If these two started to fight, regardless of how amazing a sight it would be to see, being caught up in the fallout would be a disaster.
No one was willing for that to happen.
“Seniors, please calm yourselves. You two are pillars of our Southern Territory, and cross paths regularly, so there’s no need for this, right?” Orthodoxy Temple’s Feng Ming stood up in an attempt to mediate.
“That’s right. Please don’t let anger blind your judgment. Come have a seat and have some tea.” Seven Glories Chamber of Commerce’s Vice President Cheng Yang stood up and chimed in.
Chen Wen Hao from Heavenly Martial Holy Land quickly added, “Didn’t Elder Xiao say that he was waiting for the Great Emperor’s verdict? It has already been five days, so it won’t take long before the Great Emperor’s decision is sent out. Therefore, there’s no need to be in such a rush, right, Elder Xue?”
Xue Zheng Mao frowned, turning silent for a short moment before replying, “Good. This King will wait here for the Great Emperor’s judgment. When that happens, I want to see how you, Wen Zi Shan, will protect that little brat.”
After saying that, he shot a glare at Xiao Yu Yang. Today’s matter had caused a great deal of frustration for him. Originally, he had believed that Yang Kai would surrender without a fight when he personally made an appearance. Never did he expect Wen Zi Shan to actually not give him any face at all. More importantly, he was utterly blindsided by the presence of Xiao Yu Yang, as well as the latter having already reported this matter to the Great Emperor. If he had known about these details, he would have never made an appearance today. In any case, the Great Emperor’s verdict would arrive soon, and when it did, how would Wen Zi Shan dare to resist?
“Someone, please find this guest a seat!” Wen Zi Shan waved his hand as he took a breath of relief in his heart and mind. Regardless of the situation, it was enough as long as Xue Zheng Mao didn’t cause more trouble.
“There’s no rush!” Yang Kai, who had remained silent throughout the whole intrusion, suddenly spoke out.
Wen Zi Shan shot a stunned look at him.
Wiping the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, Yang Kai continued, “May I ask Temple Master, is there a backup for the Sacrificial Beast?”
Wen Zi Shan laughed bitterly as he shook his head.
That Twelfth-Order Monster Beast was not easy to find and capture. If not, it wouldn’t be valuable at all. That was especially so with such tight time constraints. Where would they go to find another one? The Golden-Backed Heavenly Ape that was just killed had been personally caught by Wen Zi Shan in a desolate mountain range tens of thousands of kilometres away.
It was a pity that it was killed by Xue Zheng Mao before Yang Kai could take action. This had caused this Grand Canonization Ceremony to turn into an exceedingly awkward situation.
Yang Kai lowered his head, “Since there’s no backup, I have no choice but to commit this offense.”
Wen Zi Shan’s heart jumped as he subconsciously blurted out a question, “What are you thinking?”
Before he could finish saying those words, he suddenly saw Yang Kai’s body flicker, before disappearing from its original position. Wen Zi Shan’s expression changed greatly as he could faintly guess Yang Kai’s intentions. Turning his head, he looked towards Xue Zheng Mao and indeed saw Yang Kai’s silhouette suddenly appear before him, sweeping his sword down towards the latter. A terrifying hundred-metre long sword wave coated the edge of the sword, appearing as though it wanted to tear the world apart.
Xue Zheng Mao was also shocked by Yang Kai’s actions. Raising his hand, he sent out a palm. Vigorous Emperor Qi gushed forth, whipping up howling winds, shattering the sword wave while Xue Zheng Mao’s figure shook slightly.
“Boy, you dare ambush this Old Master!” Xue Zheng Mao roared out, his nose askew in fury. He was a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, and furthermore, an Elder of Star Soul Palace! Yet, this youth dared to ambush him without saying even a single word?
Fortunately, he was able to react quickly enough to block the attack. If not, he might have really suffered from it. Regardless, he had been ambushed in full view of this vast audience, which was a huge blow to Xue Zheng Mao’s dignity, resulting in his anger bursting through the roof.
“Pay a man back with his own coin!” Yang Kai grinned, allowing the sword to leave his grip from the recoil of Xue Zheng Mao’s palm while he rapidly formed a set of profound hand seals. Time Principles surged around Yang Kai and as that happened, everyone present instantly felt as though time had stopped flowing, to the point where their thoughts froze for a moment.
While unleashing the Time Flies Seal, golden light blossomed from Yang Kai’s right eye as a lotus bud flashed within.
The enraged Xue Zheng Mao’s body turned rigid while a sharp pain surfaced in his head. Right before his eyes, a gigantic lotus flower started to bloom, causing waves of shock to surge in his heart. How could he have known that he would be struck by Yang Kai’s move the instant he relaxed his guard?
What’s more, this Soul Secret Technique seemed to be exceptionally powerful, not something a mere First-Order Emperor Realm should be able to unleash.
Biting the tip of his tongue, Xue Zheng Mao used the spike in pain to snap awake. Unleashing the full might of his Spiritual Energy, he resisted against the influence of the Blossoming Lotus Secret Technique. As he regained his clarity, the gigantic blossoming lotus had disappeared from his sight.
As he raised his head, cold sweat erupted throughout his body; in that instant that he was hampered, Yang Kai’s seal was on the brink of smashing against his chest.
Although he did not know how powerful this technique was, it gave him an exceedingly strong feeling of unease. He attempted to muster up his defence, only to discover that his thoughts had slowed immensely, to the point that his actions turned sluggish and uncoordinated.
With an explosive roar, the might of his Third-Order Emperor Realm cultivation erupted in full force as he threw out his palm. Nevertheless, before he could make any move, that seal had already pressed onto his chest.
He, who had just regained control over his body and mind, was frozen once more…
At the same time, Xue Zheng Mao’s retaliatory strike also smashed against Yang Kai. Everyone present could see a visible depression appearing in Yang Kai’s chest as clear sounds of bones cracking rang out, followed by Yang Kai’s face losing all colour.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai forcefully kept his silence while grabbing his Myriads Sword again and slashing towards Xue Zheng Mao’s chest.
*Chi…*
With a flash of his sword, Yang Kai’s body flickered before he reappeared at his earlier position. His body trembled slightly as his face turned into a pale shade of white.
With a grunt, Yang Kai’s face flushed red as he forcefully swallowed the blood that had surged up from within his chest.
This series of actions was simply too shocking for the crowd to keep up with. Furthermore, due to the interference as a result of Yang Kai’s Time Flies Seal, the audience only managed to come back to their senses after Yang Kai had retreated. Looks of shock and doubt covered their faces as they stared at this youth as if they had just seen a ghost.
Even Wen Zi Shan had a look of shock on his face, while Xiao Yu Yang had stood up abruptly, a light of disbelief filling his eyes.
“I sacrifice the blood of my enemy to the Heavens!” As Yang Kai roared, he waved his Myriads Sword, causing a streak of blood mist to erupt from the sword, filling a large stretch of the surroundings. “The ceremony is complete!”
*Chii…*
At this same time, blood abruptly spurted out from Xue Zheng Mao’s chest. As that audience raised their heads to look over, all of them sucked in a mouthful of cold air as they noticed the existence of a half metre long bloody wound on Xue Zheng Mao’s chest….
Xue Zheng Mao also appeared to be unable to believe what had happened, that he had actually been injured by a First-Order Emperor! His entire being seemed to freeze at that point in space and time as he stared blankly at the wound in his chest, where blood continued to spew out from.
An instant later, his entire body trembled as he extended his hand towards his chest. Suppressing the flow of blood from his wound, Xu Zheng Mao’s eyes turned scarlet with fury as he glared towards Yang Kai and roared, “Boy, you court death!”
He had suffered unfathomable humiliation by actually being injured by a series of moves from a First-Order Emperor Realm Junior! This was an utter embarrassment! Admittedly, he had underestimated his opponent; however, that did nothing to diminish the fact that this boy surnamed Kai was extraordinary. If it was any other First-Order Emperor, it would have been impossible for Xue Zheng Mao to suffer any injury at all, no matter how much he underestimated his foe.
Nevertheless, how could Xue Zheng Mao endure losing so much face before so many of the Southern Territory’s Emperors?
Murderous intent surged up and exploded forth as Xue Zheng Mao was truly engulfed with rage.
Right at this moment, Wen Zi Shan had appeared right before Xue Zheng Mao.
Although he was also shocked to see that Yang Kai was actually able to injure Xue Zheng Mao in that instant, he knew that Yang Kai had paid quite a high price to do so. Xue Zheng Mao’s retaliatory strike had definitely caused damage to Yang Kai’s organs. Furthermore, Yang Kai seemed to have used a few extraordinarily powerful Secret Techniques in succession just to injure Xue Zheng Mao. If Yang Kai were to engage in a head-on fight against Xue Zheng Mao, Wen Zi Shan did not favour Yang Kai’s chance of victory.
“Move!” Xue Zheng Mao roared out as he descended completely into madness.
Wen Zi Shan replied, “Elder Xue, you were the one who ambushed first. This forced Elder Yang into such circumstances. Being the Senior, you aren’t that small-minded and petty, are you?”
Xue Zheng Mao’s face turned black as he immediately thought back about the words ‘pay a man back with his own coin’ that Yang Kai had said earlier. That was indeed the case. When he had arrived, he had ambushed Yang Kai without any warning at all. Therefore, he was in no position to stop people from ambushing him back, right?
Nevertheless, he would absolutely not let this matter end here. Otherwise, he would not be able to soothe the anger that was erupting in his chest.
Turning his head around, he looked to his side and shouted, “Elder Xiao!”
Xiao Yu Yang let off a sigh before taking a few steps forward and appearing by Xue Zheng Mao’s side.
The situation had reached the point where Xiao Yu Yang was no longer able to watch from the sidelines. This was no longer just about Xue Zheng Mao’s face; it was now a matter of Star Soul Palace’s face. Therefore, he needed to stand by Xue Zheng Mao’s side.
“Hold Wen Zi Shan back. This Old Master will end that little brat’s life!” Xue Zheng Mao transmitted.
Xiao Yu Yang replied, “It won’t be a problem to hold Wen Zi Shan back. However… you won’t be able to kill that boy.”
“Are you looking down on this Old Master?” Anger flared once again within Xue Zheng Mao’s chest, akin to a boiling volcano that could erupt at any moment, “The earlier matter only occurred due to this Old Master’s carelessness.”
“I’m not looking down on you, but that boy is proficient in the Dao of Space. Without a way to seal the surrounding space, no one can capture him!”
“The Dao of Space!” Xue Zheng Mao’s pupils contracted as a feeling of helplessness gushed out uncontrollably from the depths of his heart.
Being an Elder of Star Soul Palace, he was abundantly clear what kind of abilities a cultivator proficient in the Dao of Space possessed. In the past, that fellow Li Wu Yi had offended the Flower Shadow Great Emperor, resulting in him being chased down by the Great Emperor personally. In the end, he still managed to escape, all due to his mastery of the Dao of Space!
Later, due to the intervention of the Martial Beast Great Emperor, Flower Shadow Great Emperor eventually pardoned him. To this day, Li Wu Yi was still living a good life, moving around without fetters on Spirit Beast Island.
If Yang Kai was truly proficient in the Dao of Space, Xue Zheng Mao would really be unable to capture the former.
The frown on Xue Zheng Mao’s face grew deeper, as he felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Two Star Soul Palace Elders stood side by side, causing the audience’s expression to change. Wen Zi Shan’s expression regained its earlier solemn look, while the many Emperors from Azure Sun Temple came up to surround Yang Kai, vigilant looks present on their faces.
No one had expected the Grand Canonization Ceremony to devolve into such a mess.
“Elder Xue, Elder Xiao, what are you two planning on doing?” Wen Zi Shan said in a deep voice, “Although our Azure Sun Temple cannot rival your Star Soul Palace, we will not be casually bullied.”
Xiao Yu Yang did not reply and neither did Xue Zheng Mao, who continued to glare angrily at Yang Kai.
The guests present for the ceremony were feeling extremely nervous, afraid that both parties would really start a grand battle. Once a conflict arose between Star Soul Palace and Azure Sun Temple, it would shake the entire Southern Territory, with no advantage for any party present.
A suffocating atmosphere engulfed the entire scene, with sweat drenching the backs of all of present, from Juniors to Elders.
“Stop!”
At that moment, a gentle voice suddenly rang out from the horizon, bringing along with it a mysterious power that immediately caused everyone’s tense nerves to relax.
Right at the instant when the voice rang out, Xiao Chen snapped out of the complicated gaze he was using to look at Yang Kai as he looked over with gleaming eyes.
A streak of pure light came shooting over before a young woman so beautiful that she seemed as though she did not belong to the mundane world appeared. With her long black hair tied up in a neat bun, leaving a few strands that draped down before her chest and a yellow dress that accentuated her exquisite appearance, this young beauty slowly floated down towards Myriad Saints Peak.
“Princess!” Xiao Chen shouted out in pleasant surprise.
Who would be unsure of her identity after hearing Xiao Chen’s words? Shock filled the hearts of the guests as they all stood up in succession, cupping their fists respectfully, “Greetings, Princess Lan Xun!”
The older Emperors were still able to remain calm due to the long years they spent tempering their wills, toning down their reactions to a shocked gasp upon spotting Lan Xun’s exquisite beauty. On the contrary, the youths that had followed their Elder here, be it male or female, proceeded to gawk at Lan Xun in a daze. This was especially obvious among the males, as obvious looks of infatuation covered their faces. This was not something they could prevent, as Lan Xun’s dazzling brilliance had enraptured their souls.
This person was the daughter of the Great Emperor. Without mentioning her extraordinary beauty that was sufficient to enrapture the soul of any man, even if she were horribly ugly, just her status was more than enough to curry favour with her.
This resulting scene caused Xiao Chen’s expression to sink. With a soft snort, he took the initiative to welcome Lan Xun.
Upon approaching, he revealed a gentle smile and said in a soft voice, “What are you doing here, Princess?”
Lan Xun nodded gently towards him to return his greeting, before her expression turned serious, “By order of the Great Emperor, I am here to deliver his judgment!”
The audience’s expressions were filled with reverence upon hearing her words.
There were ten Great Emperors under the Heavens. However, the Great Emperor that was mentioned by Lan Xun was without a doubt the Master of Star Soul Palace, the Bright Moon Great Emperor, the pillar of the entire Southern Territory. Just like how the Wondrous Pill Great Emperor would be respected by anyone in the Northern Territory, the Bright Moon Great Emperor was the existence that was respected by everyone within the Southern Territory.
“We respectfully receive the Great Emperor’s command!” Wen Zi Shan shouted back with a solemn expression on his face.
Solemn expressions were also present on the faces of the various guests present as they awaited the order.
Lan Xun nodded before commenting, “This is not the place to speak. May I trouble Uncle Wen to prepare a secure room?”
Clearly, she was indicating that this place was crowded and prone to induce gossip. Nevertheless, the guests present here did not dare to show even the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. From a certain point of view, Lan Xun was now representing the Bright Moon Great Emperor, so who would dare to not show due respect?
“This way, please!” Wen Zi Shan turned to give way.
Lan Xun nodded her head slightly, taking the lead to move towards the palace in front. As she moved past Yang Kai, she came to a halt and turned her head, “Please come too, Senior Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai remained silent for an instant, before moving and following behind. Lan Xun coming here was definitely something that was tied to him. Therefore, being involved in this matter, he definitely had to follow along.
Xiao Yu Yang and Xue Zheng Mao exchanged glances before they too appeared behind Lan Xun with a flicker. Being interested in what was about to transpire for many reasons, Xiao Chen was not willing to stay behind.
It did not take long for the group of people to appear within the palace. Wen Zi Shan waved his hand, and the large doors immediately closed shut.
Walking up to the platform within the palace hall, Lan Xun turned around and looked down. Present were three Third-Order Emperors, with Yang Kai and Xiao Chen standing by their sides.
A smile appeared on Lan Xun’s face as she looked over towards Yang Kai and spoke, “I have to first congratulate Senior Brother Yang for becoming an Elder of Azure Sun Temple from this day onwards!”
Wrinkles appeared on the foreheads of Xiao Yu Yang and Xue Zheng Mao upon hearing her words, as they were able to faintly gleam the underlying message behind her words.
Yang Kai replied, “You’re too courteous, Princess.”
Lan Xun replied in a displeased tone, “What’s with the overly formal tone, Senior Brother Yang? Little Sister Xiao Qi and I are as close as sisters, and with you being just like her Big Brother, just call me Lan Xun, alright?”
“He dares!” Xiao Chen’s eyes immediately turned red and round upon hearing those words. How could any man enjoy such a privilege to call her with such intimacy? He had grown up with Lan Xun since young, and till this day, was only able to address her as such in private settings while still maintaining formal etiquette in accordance with their social statuses in public.
“Since Sister Lan Xun has said so, I will not be polite. Congratulations to you as well for breaking through to the Emperor Realm,” Yang Kai replied while shooting a glance over at Xiao Chen, causing the latter to boil with such anger it appeared he was on the verge of exploding.
On the other hand, the three Third-Order Emperors present were filled with shock, firstly due to Lan Xun’s attitude towards Yang Kai, and secondly because of the words Lan Xun had spoke. A person that could be treated as a sister by Lan Xun was definitely no ordinary existence.
“Xiao Qi?” Xiao Yu Yang muttered, “Could it be that lass from Spirit Beast Island?”
Xue Zheng Mao and Wen Zi Shan snapped abruptly back to their senses before shooting astonished looks at Yang Kai. Both of them appeared to not have imagined that Yang Kai was actually able to form a relationship with the princess of Spirit Beast Island. Furthermore, the implied meaning behind Lan Xun’s words showed that this relationship was not just one of acquaintances.
“It’s precisely that girl from Spirit Beast Island,” Lan Xun covered her grin with her hand, “The few of you don’t know, but Little Sister Xiao Qi has a very intimate relationship with Senior Brother Yang. Earlier, when I followed my father to visit Spirit Beast Island, Little Sister Xiao Qi was constantly asking me for news about Senior Brother Yang. It’s a pity that Senior Brother Yang is like a hidden dragon who shows his tail but never his face, so I was unable to tell her much, leaving her disappointed for quite a while.”
With their relationship, Lan Xun might not have informed Mo Xiao Qi even if she was privy to news of Yang Kai.
Although Lan Xun did not place any emphasis on her words, huge shockwaves had swelled up in the hearts of the three Third-Order Emperors present.
Although Mo Xiao Qi didn’t count for much on her own, none of them were able to ignore the person standing behind her. That was an existence that stood shoulder to shoulder with the Bright Moon Great Emperor. Yang Kai’s close relationship with Mo Xiao Qi meant that he was being sheltered by the towering tree that was Spirit Beast Island. One would need to weigh the pros and cons carefully before daring to touch him…
The Bright Moon Great Emperor doted on Lan Xun greatly, but the same could be said of the Martial Beast Great Emperor towards Mo Xiao Qi. Any tantrum whipped up by the latter was more than sufficient to turn the Great Emperor’s knees weak.
At this moment, Xue Zheng Mao couldn’t help but feel relieved that he hadn’t done anything serious towards Yang Kai. If not, he would have no way of extricating himself. The matter of Tan Jun Hao could now only be handled by the Great Emperor.
With his brow twitching, Xue Zheng Mao asked, “Princess, what are the orders of the Great Emperor?”
Wen Zi Shan and Xiao Yu Yang both turned their heads towards Lan Xun in anticipation.
Lan Xun’s expression turned serious as she replied, “Despite being an Elder of Star Soul Palace, not only did Tan Jun Han not set a proper example for the billions of Southern Territory cultivators, he went on to commit disgraceful acts and harmed numerous Emperors of the Southern Territory. Wu Ming acted complicit in these heinous acts, helping a tyrant to oppress the innocent. These matters have already been investigated by the Great Emperor thoroughly and he has judged their deaths not worth pitying. By the order of the Great Emperor, the matter regarding Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming is hence resolved, and no one is allowed to raise any objections.’’
As soon as she finished giving the order, Xiao Yu Yang and Xue Zheng Mao both cupped their fists and bowed, “We heed the Great Emperor’s order!”
Wen Zi Shan grinned and cupped his fists too, “The Great Emperor is both wise and fair! Praise the Great Emperor!”
Yang Kai also added, “Many thanks to the Great Emperor!”
Yang Kai finally breathed a deep sigh of relief in his heart. A person that was able to become a Great Emperor was indeed wise and magnanimous. With the Great Emperor’s order, Yang Kai would no longer need to worry about this matter.
Nevertheless, generally speaking, Star Soul Palace should be grateful towards him for cleaning up their trash in the form of killing Tan Jun Hao and Wu Ming; however, these were just trivial matters, as being the overlord of the Southern Territory, it was already magnanimous for Star Soul Palace to not pursue the matter of the deaths of their Elder and Deacon, much less showing gratitude.
“There is another matter that father has entrusted to me that I have to discuss with Senior Brother Yang,” Lan Xun turned her eyes around and landed them on Yang Kai.
The people present did not miss the subtle change in the way she addressed the Bright Moon Great Emperor. Ever since her arrival, Lan Xun had always used the title ‘Great Emperor’ in her speech; however, it had just changed to ‘father’. In other words, the following discussion did not involve the status of the Great Emperor.
“Would it be possible for me to ask about the details?” Yang Kai asked.
Lan Xun replied, “My father wished to know the whereabouts of Tan Jun Han’s Golden Armor Heavenly Book.”
Right as her words rang out, everyone within the palace focused their gazes towards Yang Kai. Clearly, the three Third-Order Emperors knew about the famed Golden Armor Heavenly Book.
Although there were quite a few Emperor Artifacts present within the Star Boundary, there were only a handful of famous ones out there. An example would be the Mountain and Rivers Bell in Yang Kai’s possession, which was an Ancient Exotic Artifact that was precious enough for even Great Emperors to covet.
Although Tan Jun Han’s Golden Armor Heavenly Book was inferior to the Mountain and Rivers Bell, it was no ordinary Emperor Artifact. In fact, it was among the highest grades of Emperor Artifacts.
A frown appeared on Yang Kai’s face, while a sliver of unease surfaced from the depths of his heart. Nevertheless, he replied, “The Golden Armor Heavenly Book is with me.”
As he replied, he retrieved the Golden Armor Heavenly Book and placed it in his hand.
The golden light radiating from it instantly drew everyone’s eyes over.
Nodding her head, Lan Xun continued in a soft voice, “It’s like this, Senior Brother Yang. Father hopes that you are able to hand the Golden Armor Heavenly Book to me to bring back…”
Yang Kai’s expression immediately sank as he heard those words, as he understood that his prediction had come true.
He was all too clear of the might the Golden Armor Heavenly Book could unleash. During his fight against Tan Jun Hao, if not for the latter’s carelessness of underestimating him, Yang Kai might have needed to pay a huge price to kill Tan Jun Hao after the latter unleashed the full might of the Golden Armor Heavenly Book. In fact, it was possible that Yang Kai wouldn’t have been able to kill him even if he were to go all out once that happened.
Therefore, he naturally did not wish to hand such a good treasure over to other people. Furthermore, he had been refining the Golden Armor Heavenly Book for a while. Being able to use this artifact alongside his own abilities was something he was greatly looking forward to.
At this moment, Lan Xun’s single sentence of wanting him to return it was something that he truly could not accept. Yet, there would definitely be no happy ending if he did not return it. Nevertheless, Yang Kai knew that if it was a trade, Soul Star Palace would absolutely not resort to brutish tactics.
Raising his head, he looked at Lan Xun, wanting to hear what else she had to say.
“The Golden Armor Heavenly Book can be considered to be Senior Brother Yang’s spoils of war. By that logic, our Star Soul Palace doesn’t have the authority to ask you to return it. Therefore, we have no choice but to inform Senior Brother Yang that the Golden Armor Heavenly Book is not only an Emperor Artifact, but also a key that opens a Sealed World within our Star Soul Palace.”
“A key to open a Sealed World?” Yang Kai gawked in surprise.
“Indeed,” Lan Xun nodded lightly, “Our Star Soul Palace has a Sealed World that is known as the Grand Illusion Realm. It is naturally an Independent Small World, and can only be opened using the Golden Armour Heavenly Book. Both Elder Xiao and Elder Xue know about this too.”
Xiao Yu Yang and Xue Zheng Mao both nodded their heads in confirmation of Lan Xue’s words.
“En, the Grand Illusion Realm is something I too know of,” Wen Zi Shan chimed in from the side, “However, I never imagined that Sealed World would need the Golden Armor Heavenly Book to be accessed.”
“Access to that Sealed World was controlled by Tan Jun Hao. Therefore, the Golden Armor Heavenly Book was assigned to him. With the loss of that key, the Sealed World can no longer be accessed. This is a huge loss for our Star Soul Palace, as that is a place where many of our Star Soul Palace disciples go to train. Even now, there are a few dozen disciples trapped inside, unable to leave.” Lan Xun shot a sincere look at Yang Kai, “Therefore, regardless of anything, Lan Xun hopes that Senior Brother Yang can return the Golden Armor Heavenly Book. Before coming here, Father had informed me that if Senior Brother Yang is willing to return the Golden Armor Heavenly Book, he can choose one of three forms of compensation.”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up, “What three compensations?”
If Star Soul Palace insisted on taking back the Golden Armor Heavenly Book, Yang Kai would have had no way of keeping it from them. Therefore, he would have no choice but to hand it over regardless. However, Lan Xun mentioning three forms of compensation caused the turmoil in his heart to subside substantially.
“First would be Star Soul Palace will compensate Brother Yang with two hundred million High-Rank Source Crystals!” Lan Xun replied.
Wen Zi Shan’s expression changed immediately.
200 million High-Rank Source Crystals! That was not a small amount.
Most Emperor Artifacts were not worth more than ten or twenty million, with those better grade ones worth around thirty or forty million. 200 million was a very extravagant price to pay for one. Although the Golden Armor Heavenly Book’s worth as an Emperor Artifact definitely did not amount to that, being the key to a Sealed World would definitely drive its value up immensely.