“Brother Yang, please accompany me to Azure Sea Palace. With my Old Ancestor around, you’ll be sure to achieve great success in the future!” Yan Luo passionately invited him.
Yang Kai put on a faint smile, “Patriarch Yan, many thanks for your invitation, but I don’t intend to join Azure Sea Palace. We’ll part ways now, and let’s hope that we won’t meet each other again.”
When Duan Mu Qi, who was whispering something to Chen Chui Ling, heard that, his gaze darkened. He had no regard for Yang Kai whatsoever. The reason he came with Yan Luo to help him out this time was that they were on good terms. As for the grudges between the Yan Family and this young man, he couldn’t care less.
However, he had never expected that the young man would reject joining Azure Sea Palace, and it was apparent that the latter had no respect for his Sect. Displeased, he uttered, “Boy, Azure Sea Palace is one of the great forces in the Ancestral Domain. Most cultivators wouldn’t have a chance to join us even if they wanted to. Now that you’re given a chance, you’d better appreciate it. If you miss it, you might regret it in the future.”
Without uttering a word, Yang Kai shook his head slowly.
Duan Mu Qi’s expression darkened as he snorted, “What an ungrateful brat!”
[How dare a bumpkin from the Lower Star Field be so arrogant in front of me!]
Thinking so, he released his Dao Source Realm aura in an attempt to pressure Yang Kai.
Seeing that, Yang Kai almost burst out laughing.
Duan Mu Qi was just a First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator, so where did his sense of superiority come from? How could he dare act so haughty in front of an Emperor Realm Master? If Yang Kai unsealed all of his cultivation pressure right now, everyone present would immediately be forced to their knees.
“Duan Mu Qi, what are you doing?” Just then, another Dao Source Realm aura silently clashed with Duan Mu Qi’s and neutralised it. The person was a muscular man whose face also oozed masculinity, he appeared to be a forthright character, and since his cultivation was the same as Duan Mu Qi’s, he wasn’t afraid of him, “Don’t you know the rules? Are you trying to snatch him by force?”
“That’s right. He’s expressed his unwillingness to join Azure Sea Palace, so why are you still harping on about it? Follow the customs, otherwise, he might despise all of us in the Ancestral Domain.”
“Come on, young lad. You don’t have to be afraid of him. Not joining Azure Sea Palace is a wise choice, they have nothing worthy of note. Why not join my Holy Mountain Peak? Your future will be bright with us, and you’ll receive many benefits.”
“Nonsense, you should come to Nine Stars Palace. As long as you’re talented enough, I guarantee that you’ll reach the Dao Source Realm within ten years!”
“Haha, Little Brother, rather than those stuffy places, you should join Elder Sister’s Yin-Yang Sect. As long as you join us, you can take home one of our Senior Sisters or Junior Sisters. Moreover, the lady behind you is as beautiful as a peach blossom. Just the lovely countenance of her face proves that she is perfectly suited to cultivate our Sect’s Secret Arts.”
…
He Yun Xiang was dumbstruck. She watched dazedly as these people in a realm above the Origin King Realm invited Yang Kai and her to join their respective Sects.
[Are they all really in the realm above the Origin King Realm? Where’s their majesty? Where is their aloofness?] He Yun Xiang felt like she was a wealthy woman with a lot of cash who had accidentally stepped into a food market, causing all these people to call out to her passionately to hock their wares.
[What’s going on? Why are they so hospitable? Something must be amiss.]
In just a short moment, these Masters had all invited them to join their forces, more than a dozen of them at once.
After everyone else had made their appeals, an old man with a smoking pipe approached them, but he walked up to He Yun Xiang instead of greeting Yang Kai. Then, in a serious manner, he stuffed something into her hands and said in a low voice, “Come join Eternal Life Pavilion. As long as you can make a single contribution, there will be many more of these in your future.” The old man seemed to be taking an indirect approach. As long as he could persuade the woman beside Yang Kai, he was sure that Yang Kai would join them.
Lowering her head, He Yun Xiang took a look at her palm and saw a familiar-looking Spirit Pill.
[Isn’t this a Source Condensing Pill?] She had consumed a lot of Source Condensing Pills recently, so she was familiar with it and could recognise it at first glance. However, the pill in her hand appeared inferior to those given to her by Yang Kai. The pill wasn’t as fragrant, its size was small, and the colour appeared dull. Apparently, it was poorly made.
At that instant, she realised that those Source Condensing Pills given to her by Yang Kai were in a realm of their own, so the pill in her hand wasn’t comparable to them.
She was torn between tears and laughter, but at the same time, she grew more confident in Yang Kai. Judging from this pill alone, she was certain that the heritage of these people wasn’t comparable to that of Yang Kai.
On the nearby hill, Azure Sea Palace’s Duan Mu Qi and the two people from the Yan Family were extremely displeased. Yan Luo was especially anxious because he thought that he could rely on his Old Ancestor to teach Yang Kai a lesson after he arrived in the Ancestral Domain so that Yang Kai would understand the consequences of offending the Yan Family. However, he didn’t expect such an unforeseen event.
He understood what the Old Ancestor was wary of, as the latter couldn’t possibly make a move on Yang Kai in front of all these Masters.
If Yang Kai joined another Sect, then it would be hard for them to retaliate against him in the future, so he turned to look at his Old Ancestor in hopes he would have a solution. Unfortunately, Yan Ren Hao just shook his head, which hinted that he was powerless to do anything as well.
Yan Luo clenched his fists in resentment as he couldn’t get the fury off his chest.
“Everyone, many thanks for your kind invitations,” Yang Kai cupped his fists and put on a faint smile, “But I apologize as we do not intend to join any great force at the moment.”
All of them fell silent in an instant and stared at Yang Kai as though the latter was a fool.
The alluring lady from Yin-Yang Sect uttered in a small voice, “Little Brother, I don’t know what grudges you have with those from the Yan Family, but if you don’t seek refuge now, it will be hard for you to move around in the Ancestral Domain in the future.”
The old man with a smoking pipe also whispered, “A wise man should be able to adapt to his circumstances. As a man, you should know when to yield. It doesn’t matter if you take a step back temporarily to take two forward later.”
Yang Kai still shook his head, “Again, many thanks, but we have made our decision.”
He Yun Xiang immediately passed the pill back to the pipe-smoking old man. Since she wasn’t going to join his Sect, she didn’t feel right accepting this reward.
The pipe-smoking old man, however, waved his hand, “Since it is fate that brought us together today, just take it as a gift.”
He wouldn’t mind giving her a single Source Condensing Pill as he could just treat it as an investment, possibly making them change their minds in the future.
He believed that after He Yun Xiang took the pill, she would definitely want to join his Sect.
“Farewell,” Yang Kai said and walked away with He Yun Xiang who hurriedly summoned a flight type artifact and boarded it together with him. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared from everyone’s sight, leaving these people sighing in the same spot.
Yan Luo nearly failed to contain his laughter. [He has basically just refused the easy way out and headed to Hell instead. He could have joined a great force and left this place safely, but he’d chosen to walk into a dead end. Isn’t he trying to induce me to retaliate against him? Certainly, I wouldn’t let this chance slip through my fingers.]
Then, he traded glances with the Old Ancestor as they understood what was on each other’s minds.
Yan Ren Hao uttered, “Senior Brother Duan Mu, we should probably forget it. Let’s go back to Azure Sea Palace.”
“Good.” Duan Mu Qi played along and nodded his head. Then, he hurled a small boat forward, upon which it expanded along with the wind and transformed into a flying ship that could accommodate five to six people.
The four people from the Azure Sea Temple then boarded the boat and rose into the air, after which they headed in the direction Yang Kai had left without trying to hide their intentions.
“That boy…”
“He’s basically asking for death.”
“I think he must be out of his mind.”
“I don’t think so. Everyone coming from the Lower Star Field is haughty because they were overlords in their respective homes. Now that you want him to join a great force and work under someone else, it’s expected that he’s not willing to do so. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with his brain since he has cultivated to this point. It’s just that he thinks too highly of himself. I guess he’ll have to suffer a few setbacks before he’ll face reality.”
The others present agreed with such sentiments, because that was the path that many of them had gone through before, so they understood that it was important to adjust their mentality. It meant nothing that someone was able to rule over a Star Field, only if they could gain a solid footing in the Ancestral Domain would they be considered powerful.
[Unfortunately, it seems that he won’t live to see the sunrise tomorrow.]
“That poor girl…” The woman from Yin-Yang Sect heaved a sigh. She didn’t exaggerate when she said that, given He Yun Xiang’s alluring face, it was suitable for her to cultivate Yin-Yang Sect’s Secret Art. Before she could promise her any benefits or show her the Yin-Yang Sect’s power and heritage though, she had already left this place, making this woman quite displeased with that young man.
Nevertheless, she didn’t want to bother about it anymore since the young man was about to lose his life.
…
The view around them was quickly flowing past them as Yang Kai and He Yun Xiang took in the Ancestral Domain’s magnificence while riding her artifact.
The World Energy here was indeed more abundant than any place in the Star Field, but it still wasn’t comparable to the Star Boundary. There was a large difference between the two. Moreover, Yang Kai could feel that the World Principles here weren’t as perfect as those of the Star Boundary.
In other words, Dao Source Realm was probably the limit in the Ancestral Domain while it was practically impossible for anyone to reach the Emperor Realm here.
If the incident earlier hadn’t happened, He Yun Xiang would’ve been more than happy to enjoy the splendid view around her; however, she wasn’t in the mood to do so now as obviously there were multiple auras relentlessly tailing them.
She didn’t even need to give it a thought to know that they must be those from Azure Sea Palace and the Yan Family duo. She wanted to ask Yang Kai about his plan, but she gulped down her words in the end. In her heart, she consoled herself that there was nothing to be afraid of. Since Yang Kai was so confident, he must have a way to deal with them.
“Cultivators from their respective Star Fields who have managed to come here are all top talents, so their futures are naturally bright. That is why those from the Ancestral Domain were waiting at that portal to invite us to join their forces,” Yang Kai suddenly said something puzzling.
He Yun Xiang replied in shock, “Is that so?”
“Why do you think they’ve been staying there? Isn’t it better for them to meditate and cultivate if they have the time?”
He had a similar experience in the past. After he entered the Star Boundary, he was taken in by Bian Yu Qing.
However, it seemed that Ancestral Domain and Star Boundary were slightly different in a way. There were no fixed entrances to the Star Boundary. After he passed through the Starlight Corridor, he landed in a random place. However, judging from what happened earlier, he could see that the entrances to the Ancestral Domain were fixed.
That seemed to be a fixed passageway that connected the Ancestral Domain and the Star Fields, which gave those people a chance to keep watch in that place.
Yang Kai even felt that he could open the passageway in reverse and return to Unending Star Field.
The discovery made him excited. If he could find the corridor that connected to Heng Luo Star Field, he would be able to return to his homeland.
“However, those Sects are obviously not very powerful. The truly formidable Sects will never do such a thing.” Yang Kai came to this conclusion because he could see that those people were only in the First-Order Dao Source Realm. Cultivators would scramble to get into the truly powerful Sects, so those forces wouldn’t disparage themselves like that.
He Yun Xiang pondered on it and nodded, “Sir, I think you’re right.”
“Stop here,” Yang Kai tapped her shoulder.
Upon receiving his order, she stopped the Star Shuttle.
They were in a place that was surrounded by mountains. The area was beautiful with fragrant flowers dotted around, and birds could be heard chirping joyfully.
“You’ve found a good cemetery for yourself. It’s a nice place indeed.” Yan Luo’s voice could be heard from behind. When he uttered the first word, he was still in the distance, but when he finished speaking, he had already reached right in front of Yang Kai.
Then, the boat was put away as the four from Azure Sea Palace hovered in the air.
“It’s indeed a good place to be buried, but I’ve not chosen it for myself,” Yang Kai grinned.
Certainly, he knew that by turning down the other Sect leaders, they would attract those from Azure Sea Palace to chase after them once they left the scene. If those from Azure Sea Palace and the Yan Family decided not to race after them, they would have stood a chance to stay alive. After all, the Yan Family had helped him enter the Ancestral Domain, so it would be wonderful if their grudges could be resolved just like that. However, since they had chased after him, then he had no choice but to destroy them.
A true Master would never intentionally oppress the weak, he would only inadvertently destroy everything the weaker party had. Those who oppressed the weak all the time were not truly powerful, they were those who had lost the will to challenge greater heights and thus degenerated into cowards who could only handle those beneath them.
Certainly, Yan Luo understood the meaning behind his words, so he snorted, “How shameless! Now that my Old Ancestor is here, do you still think you can act however you please?”
Yan Luo had been forced to act obsequiously for a long time, so he felt truly gleeful that he would get his revenge soon. Gritting his teeth, he said, “Old Ancestor, please bring justice to our family and avenge the Second Elder’s death.”
Yan Ren Hao nodded slightly and stepped forward, upon which his First-Order Dao Source Realm aura surged and pressed down on Yang Kai.
Casually, Duan Mu Qi uttered, “I don’t care what you do to the man, but you have to keep the woman alive.”
Hearing that, Chen Chui Ling pouted in displeasure. With a smile, Duan Mu Qi explained, “I’m getting you a new Sister to share your burdens. Don’t you like it?”
Chen Chui Ling knew that she couldn’t dissuade him from doing this as he was always a lascivious man. Regardless, she just wanted to cling to him, so she said dispassionately, “I want to be the Elder Sister, then.”
“Sure. It’s up to you,” Duan Mu Qi replied with a smile.
Upon that, Chen Chui Ling put on a smile, but she still shot a disdainful glance at He Yun Xiang. By just thinking that there would be one more woman who would share her man from now on, she was displeased.
“Old Ancestor, you have to be careful. This man seems to have cultivated the Dao of Space.”
“Dao of Space?” Yan Ren Hao turned solemn, then he put on a haughty expression, “So what?”
When faced with absolute power, even Masters of the Dao of Space were useless. Dawdling no further, he growled, “Die!”
After that, he shot towards Yang Kai and reached him in the blink of an eye. Without using any artifact or Secret Technique, he clawed at the young man’s forehead as his Source Qi burst out from his fingers. The sound of something breaking through the air could be heard, as though his fingers had turned into a sharp weapon.
He wanted to end Yang Kai’s life with just one strike to avenge the humiliation that had been brought upon the Yan Family.
He Yun Xiang exclaimed as she witnessed the prowess of a Dao Source Realm cultivator for the first time. She couldn’t even clearly see his move. If she was in Yang Kai’s place, she wouldn’t have been able to avoid the attack. In an instant, her face turned pale and immediately tried to push her Star Shuttle to bring Yang Kai away.
When she moved, though, Yang Kai remained in the same spot.
*Dang…*
The crisp sound of metal clashing against metal sounded.
The ferocity on Yan Ren Hao’s face froze at that moment before it quickly turned into shock as he stared at the young man in disbelief.
He had accurately hit right on target, but unlike his imagination earlier, the young man’s head didn’t explode, nor did blood splash out. It didn’t feel like he was clutching at a person’s head but rather had grabbed an extremely hard piece of metal, only managing to leave a small white mark on the man’s forehead.
[What is his head made of? Why is it so hard?]
Not daring to hesitate, Yan Ren Hao immediately released his powerful Source Qi through his palm.
Upon impact, Yang Kai rocked his head back and forth lightly like a toy rattle, a mocking gaze on his face as he stared at Yan Ren Hao, who was now less than an arm’s length away.
In an instant, Yan Ren Hao’s heart sank, and while he was in a dazed state, Yang Kai managed to grab his hand. An immense power could be felt on his wrist as the sound of cracking was heard. The next moment, the bones in his wrist shattered to pieces.
[No! I’m definitely no match for him! Is he really from Unending Star Field? How is it possible that there’s such a monster like him in our Star Field!?] Flabbergasted, Yan Ren Hao opened his mouth, upon which a beam of light shot out and transformed into a sabre. However, instead of slashing at Yang Kai, the sabre was actually aimed at Yan Ren Hao’s own wrist.
Instantly, Yan Ren Hao’s wrist was severed from his arm as blood spurted out of the wound, thereby allowing him to escape Yang Kai’s grasp. He had not hesitated at all when he cut off his own wrist because he knew that if he didn’t do that, he would be killed by the young man.
He had managed to reach his current cultivation realm by not only relying on his talent and luck, but also on his sharp intuition.
Seeing Yang Kai leap into the air after him, his speed was even more rapid than his own, Yan Ren Hao was terrified and shouted as he retreated, “Friend! Please stop! There must be a misunderstanding between us! It must be my family’s descendants who were disrespectful and offended your honourable self! I have to thank you for teaching them a lesson and instilling a sense of respect in them. Friend, I haven’t managed to ask for your name yet.”
He spoke in a rapid yet clear manner, as though he was worried that he might not have the chance to speak again if he was slow.
“Just die.”
Yan Kai had given them a chance already, but since they didn’t appreciate it, they could reflect on their mistakes in the next life.
Then, he pushed out his fist with brute force, without any aura fluctuation around him.
The target, Yan Ren Hao, turned ashen as he shouted, “Senior Brother Duan Mu, save me!”
After he finished speaking, he was struck by the fist. Without the chance to utter one more word, he exploded into a blood mist that even those kilometres away would clearly be able to see.
Yang Kai lifted his hand casually and combed his hair back as it had been slightly disturbed by Yan Ren Hao just now. Then, he turned to look at Yan Luo.
Yan Luo’s jaw was dropped as he was still reeling from the shock that his Old Ancestor had just been killed.
The process was too fast. From the time his Old Ancestor made a move until he exploded into a blood mist was less than a breath. Unlike what he had imagined, his Old Ancestor didn’t manage to kill Yang Kai to avenge their family’s humiliation. Instead, Yan Ren Hao had been killed.
Yan Luo couldn’t accept this fact. He was so astounded that it felt as if someone had battered his Soul. His heart contracted, causing him to feel suffocated.
Meeting the young man’s gaze, Yan Luo began trembling uncontrollably as he could feel that he had been engulfed in an aura of death. Subconsciously, he hid behind Duan Mu Qi to gain a sense of security.
“How dare you kill someone from Azure Sea Palace!?” Duan Mu Qi was no longer in the mood to flirt with Chen Chui Ling. In the blink of an eye, Yan Ren Hao had been killed, and he didn’t even clearly see what had happened. Enraged, he shouted, “You must die today!”
Just like what Yang Kai had expected, although Azure Sea Palace had some fame in the Ancestral Domain, it wasn’t among the top Sects. They didn’t have many cultivators in the Dao Source Realm, so the death of any one of them would mean a huge loss for the Sect.
Initially, Duan Mu Qi thought that this excursion would be a simple, easy one; he never anticipated that a Master from his Sect would be killed. Once he returned, he would definitely be punished.
If he wanted to be spared from punishment, he had to kill the murderer to make up for his mistake.
“Is there something wrong with his head?” Yang Kai turned to look at He Yun Xiang and asked seriously.
With a smile, she replied, “I guess he’s so sick that not even the Heavens can save him.”
She had just witnessed that someone in the realm above the Origin King Realm couldn’t withstand a single punch from Yang Kai, so the worry in her heart had vanished instantly. She couldn’t comprehend the depths of Yang Kai’s strength, but she was certain it was beyond even her wildest imagination.
“Good, I should send him on his way then.” Yang Kai flickered and appeared before Duan Mu Qi in the blink of an eye. Although his figure wasn’t particularly large or burly, the moment he appeared there, he seemed to block out everything else in the world from Duan Mu Qi’s vision.
It was then that Duan Mu Qi came to his senses. His instincts were screaming to him that he was in imminent danger.
Despite that, he wasn’t flustered as he extended his hand into the air and summoned a long sword into it. It was apparently a Dao Source Grade Low-Rank artifact. Layers of cold glints radiated from the sword and turned into a net as it engulfed Yang Kai.
In response, Yang Kai just waved his hand, upon which a sword appeared in his grip. However, the sword was quite different from the other long swords. The hilt was unusually large as the average person would need both hands to take hold of it. It was apparently a heavy sword, but Yang Kai managed to hold it with ease. He didn’t attempt to use any splendid-looking moves as he brandished his Myriads Sword.
The net of swords broke into pieces with a loud clang. As if struck by lightning, Duan Mu Qi sprayed out blood as the Dao Source Grade long sword in his hand snapped in two.
Yang Kai didn’t pause for an instant as he slashed his Myriads Sword at his opponent.
As though a Binding Technique had been cast on him, Duan Mu Qi was rooted to the spot as he looked dazedly at Yang Kai, only able to mutter, “You…”
With a loud slice, his body was split into two from his head to crotch in a symmetrical manner. Falling apart, blood and organs splattered everywhere.
After a short moment of silence, the sound of someone sobbing could be heard from the side. Already drenched in tears, Chen Chui Ling was completely pale as she trembled and stared at Yang Kai. Her pupils had bulged to the size of plates, as though the person standing before her was a stone-hearted devil instead of a Human.
Two First-Order Dao Source Realm Masters were not even able to take a single blow from this young man. They were killed easily as though they were just ants.
In her heart, she was utterly regretful. If she knew this would be the outcome, she wouldn’t have followed Duan Mu Qi to this place.
When Duan Mu Qi was killed and his blood had splashed everywhere, she was right beside him, so she was immediately dyed red. The mixture of blood and tears slid down her face and got into her mouth, which tasted salty and fishy, causing her to retch.
Not sparing her a glance, Yang Kai grinned at Yan Luo, who had been hiding behind Duan Mu Qi just now.
At this moment, Yan Luo was drenched in blood as well. Fear and horror seemed to be filling his eyes as he lamented in the deepest part of his heart.
[Why is he so powerful?] He had never expected that there existed a person as formidable as Yang Kai in this world. When Yang Kai made a move, he couldn’t even sense any aura fluctuation around him, but with just a fist and a sword, he had managed to kill Yan Ren Hao and Duan Mu Qi with ease.
Therefore, Yan Luo decided to run for his life. His desire to stay alive had conquered the fear in his heart.
With a faint smile, Yang Kai stared at his figure.
He Yun Xiang uttered, “Sir…”
She wasn’t willing to let Yan Luo off. If it weren’t because Yang Kai was so strong, they would’ve fallen into Yan Luo’s trap. Since the situation had been flipped, she could not forgive him.
Yang Kai didn’t race after Yan Luo not because he was magnanimous, but because…
All of a sudden, a net shot out of a nearby forest towards Yan Luo. Yan Luo was caught off guard and swiftly captured. Shocked, he hurriedly pushed his Saint Qi to resist it, but he soon plunged into despair because he realised that the harder he tried to struggle, the tighter the net became. In just a short moment, he was wrapped up like a rice dumpling. The thin threads, which seemed to contain some sealing power, even dug into his flesh, causing him to be unable to use his Saint Qi.
At the other end of the net, an old man with a sallow face appeared. There was a smoking pipe in his hand as he gazed at Yang Kai with a conflicted expression.
After a moment of hesitation, he approached Yang Kai with his pipe in one hand and the bound Yan Luo in his other hand. Then, he sized up the young man and asked, “What is your cultivation realm?”
Although he was rejected by Yang Kai earlier, he wasn’t willing to give up so easily. Thinking that it would be a waste of talent if someone from the Star Field was killed by those from Azure Sea Palace, he secretly followed them. His intention was to save Yang Kai from trouble and make the young man owe him a favour, thereby luring him to join the Eternal Life Pavilion.
However, instead of reaching his goal, he watched a hair-raising show.
The two First-Order Dao Source Realm Masters were killed by this young man with ease, which meant that it also wouldn’t take him much effort to end his life either. What horrified this old man though was that he couldn’t even see through Yang Kai’s cultivation.
Even if Yang Kai had an artifact that could cover up his cultivation, he couldn’t possibly hide it after taking action; however, from beginning to end, his cultivation had remained a mystery.
“How should I address you, Elder?” Yang Kai smiled at him.
The old man replied, “Xu Hou Tu.”
Yang Kai uttered, “Elder Xu, many thanks for lending me a hand.”
In a helpless manner, Xu Hou Tu shook his head. Yang Kai was able to kill two Dao Source Realm Masters with ease, so there was no way a trivial Third-Order Origin King could turn the situation around. Even if he didn’t make a move, this man called Yan Luo would never have been able to escape. Given how he immediately changed the topic though, it was apparent Yang Kai was unwilling to answer the old man’s question.
After giving it a thought, the old man said, “There are about ten Dao Source Realm Masters in Azure Sea Palace. What’s more, the Palace Master is in the Second-Order Dao Source Realm. Since you’ve killed two of their people, they won’t let you off.”
Yang Kai replied, “I’m not interested in slaughtering an entire Sect, but if they insist on asking for death, I won’t be magnanimous.”
Xu Hou Tu was shocked upon hearing that. He was just telling Yang Kai some information about Azure Sea Palace, but at the same time, he was also trying to probe him. Seeing that the young man had no regard at all for a Second-Order Dao Source Realm Master, he knew that he had still underestimated him.
As such, he gave up the idea of inviting him to join the Eternal Life Pavilion. Even if a Master like Yang Kai was willing to join his Sect, he would bring immense pressure and worry to everyone else.
But, how was this possible? He had personally seen Yang Kai arrive from a Lower Star Field, so how could the latter possess such incredible strength? Which Star Field could nurture this kind of monster? There was no precedent like this in the past.
“Little Friend, why have you come to the Ancestral Domain?”
Since he couldn’t lure him to join his Sect, the old man reckoned he could at least strike up a relationship with him. Perhaps this friendship would be useful in the future.
After a moment of deliberation, Yang Kai replied, “I came here because I wish to travel to a different Star Field through the Ancestral Domain.”
Yang Kai knew that Xu Hou Tu wasn’t a wicked person judging from the fact that the latter had followed him to this place. Moreover, he knew nothing about the Ancestral Domain, nor could he rely on He Yun Xiang since she was as clueless as he. So, he might achieve his goal faster with the help of a local.
“I am not originally from Unending Star Field. I just happened to be stranded there and want to return to my native Star Field.”
Hearing that, Xu Hou Tu finally understood what was going on, “I see.”
The Ancestral Domain was supposedly connected to all Star Fields. Many Masters had discussed before the feasibility of using the Ancestral Domain as a terminal to head to other Star Fields. Their conclusion was that it was possible, but they would have to pay a hefty price, and it required them to be extremely powerful.
“But I’m not sure how I can go home. Elder Xu, do you have any suggestions?” Yang Kai asked.
Xu Hou Tu replied, “Little Friend, I’ll have to ask which Star Field you want to go to first. It’s not that I want to boast, but I’ve lived in the Ancestral Domain for many centuries now and have come into contact with many cultivators from different Star Fields. So perhaps I know someone from your Star Field.”
Yang Kai’s gaze brightened, “Elder Xu, then, have you heard of Heng Luo Star Field before?”
Xu Hou Tu gave it a serious thought, but to Yang Kai’s disappointment, he shook his head, “No.”
Then, he consoled the young man by saying, “However, the Ancestral Domain is extremely vast. People from my Sect have been guarding only five Star Road Portals, so I can at least tell you that these portals do not connect to Little Friend’s Heng Luo Star Field.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “You mean, there are many such portals like the one just now?”
“Haha. There are hundreds of them.”
Yang Kai was astounded.
Xu Hou Tu went on to say, “Your best option would be to visit other Star Road Portals and ask the ones waiting at them about it. If the people from your homeland have come to the Ancestral Domain, you will surely obtain some useful information from those at the portals.”
“Where are all these portals?”
Xu Hou Tu pondered on it for a moment before flicking his wrist, upon which two Space Rings flew towards him. The rings belonged to the deceased Yan Ren Hao and Duan Mu Qi. He forcefully erased the seals on those rings and then searched them.
Then, he took out something that looked like a scroll and tossed it to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai took it and looked doubtfully at him.
Xu Hou Tu uttered, “Try infusing your Divine Sense into it.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai unrolled the scroll open and poured his Divine Sense into it. The next moment, dots of light suddenly lit up on the scroll.
Yang Kai his brow and poured more Spiritual Energy into it, upon which the light dots appeared closer now.
These light dots were mostly very far from his current location, but there was one that looked like it was quite a nearby place.
Xu Hou Tu explained, “This is a Star Road Chart. All the portals that have been discovered in the Ancestral Domain are recorded here. The closest portal to you is the one you just passed through to reach the Ancestral Domain.”
Yang Kai withdrew his Divine Sense and stored the scroll. Elated, he said, “This is indeed a good thing.”
With a smile, Xu Hou Tu uttered, “This thing isn’t that valuable in the Ancestral Domain. Almost any Sect or individual with a little background can afford to buy a similar Star Road Chart.”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Many thanks for your guidance, Elder Xu.”
With this Star Road Chart, he could go to different Star Road Portals to ask for more information. At that instant, Yang Kai’s plan for the future had been set.
“It was just a minor matter, so there’s no need to thank me. I hope that you’ll achieve your goal soon.”
“I’ll take advantage of your auspicious words.”
“En, please carry on then, I’ll help you handle the situation here.”
Yang Kai bowed his head, “I’ll be troubling you then, Elder Xu. Farewell.”
Then, he beckoned to He Yun Xiang, upon which they left the place on the Star Shuttle.
Just as they left, something flew through the air. Xu Hou Tu reached out and caught a round object in his hand, and upon a closer look, he was astonished.
It was a Spirit Pill that he had never seen before, but he could feel that the pill contained medicinal efficacies that were beyond his imagination. Excited, he began fantasizing about what kind of transformation he would go through after he took this pill.
He had intended to gain some benefits in the future by helping Yang Kai, but he didn’t expect that the reward would come so soon.
Then, he took a look at the sobbing Chen Chui Ling and the bound Yan Luo. After that, he lit up his pipe and drew in a deep breath. Following that, he puffed out the smoke and it soon covered a large area. When the smoke disappeared, there was no longer anyone at the scene.
…
“Sir, where are we going now?” He Yun Xiang asked while she flew the Star Shuttle.
Having just witnessed that Yang Kai had killed two people who were in the realm above Origin King Realm, she grew even more respectful of him.
Yang Kai tossed the Star Road Chart to her and replied, “Visit every place that’s recorded on this.”
He didn’t know where the portal that connected Heng Luo Star Field and the Ancestral Domain was. He didn’t even know whether such a portal existed. Since he knew nothing, he had no choice but to investigate each portal one by one.
Although it was quite a silly and time-consuming method, it was the best way he could think of for now.
He Yun Xiang nodded before she took the Star Road Chart and infused her Divine Sense into it. Upon confirming their location and destination, she steered her Star Shuttle towards a particular light dot.
Five days later, they reached a desolate swamp area. There was a huge puddle of water somewhere in the swamp, and in the water, lights of different colours undulated. Looking at it from above, the puddle of water appeared quite mysterious.
The colourful lights were vivid and flowing, swirling in a particular pattern that was clearly a Star Road Portal!
Around the puddle, there were some cultivators standing guard. Some of them exuded an aura that suggested that they were in the Dao Source Realm as they sat in place to meditate and adjust their breathing.
Although they were waiting for new people here, it was quite a boring task. So, they spent most of their time cultivating. By doing so, they wouldn’t slow down their progress. Nevertheless, the environment here was hostile.
The flash of light in the distance had attracted the attention of those guarding this place and those cultivators, who were meditating, opened their eyes in displeasure in an attempt to find out who had the guts to disturb them.
The light faded, upon which a Star Shuttle was revealed. All of their gazes brightened when they saw an alluring lady piloting it. She was standing at the front of the Star Shuttle, and behind her was a young man. What made them displeased was that the young man was lying on the Star Shuttle with his head resting on his arms while his legs had crossed, appearing carefree.
[Who is this arrogant man?]
After they scanned the young man with their Divine Sense, they were all shocked, because they couldn’t find out whether he had cultivated before or not.
Standing on the Star Shuttle, He Yun Xiang put on an elegant smile and said in a soft voice, “Pardon me for disturbing all of you. There’s something I need to ask.”
A beautiful woman naturally had an advantage when it came to negotiations. Moreover, she was quite polite, so it was hard for them to feel repulsed by her.
“What do you want to ask?”
“Have you heard about Heng Luo Star Field before?”
One of them replied, “Yes.”
He Yun Xiang’s gaze brightened as she didn’t expect that they could gain some useful information on their first stop. With a joyful expression, she gazed at the person and asked, “Can you tell me more about it?”
It was a burly man whose muscles were bulged up noticeably. Upon hearing that, he replied with a meaningful smile, “Good. Why don’t you follow me to a quiet place? I’ll tell you everything you want to know.” As he spoke, he winked at her.
In an instant, He Yun Xiang’s face fell. Meanwhile, at the back of the Star Shuttle, Yang Kai closed his eyes again, seemingly going to sleep.
Suppressing her displeasure, He Yun Xiang uttered, “If any of you can tell me any useful information about Heng Luo Star Field, I’ll give you a reward.”
The burly man asked with a smile, “What kind of reward can you give us?”
It was apparent that she had just reached the Third-Order Origin King Realm not long ago, so it was impossible that she had any treasures on her. However, if she was willing to spend a night with them, they might help her find out more about Heng Luo Star Field.
At the very least, the burly man was willing to do so. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have teased her.
With a faint smile, He Yun Xiang fished out something and replied, “This is the reward.”
It was an ordinary-looking round mirror that looked like something a woman would use. It appeared simple and dated, but when He Yun Xiang infused her Saint Qi into it, a glint flashed across the mirror. At the same time, an amazing energy fluctuation propagated from it.
Everyone down below was immediately attracted to the mirror as their gazes were filled with greed and desire.
[It’s a Dao Source Grade artifact! Moreover, it’s Mid-Rank… No, High-Rank!]
Although they were not sure about the uses of the mirror, they couldn’t ignore the fact that it was a High-Rank Dao Source Grade artifact. All of those guarding this portal were merely First-Order Dao Source Realms. Although they had Dao Source Grade artifacts themselves, those were just Low-Rank items. None of them even had a Mid-Rank artifact, much less a High-Rank one. In fact, none of them had even seen a Dao Source Grade High-Rank artifact before.
Even the Sect Masters of their Sects didn’t possess such a treasure! Normally, only the strongest Sects in the Ancestral Domain had such artifacts, and they were seen as Supreme Artifacts in their respective Sects.
*Gudong…* All of them gulped.
It was said that everyone only acted for benefits. To cultivators, good pills and high-grade artifacts were unspeakably attractive. By obtaining either one of these treasures, they could significantly increase their power and reach a higher realm.
“I know some information about Heng Luo Star Field. Let me have a look at the mirror first. If it’s good, I’ll tell you all you need to know.” The burly man spoke as he leapt into the air. At the same time, he covered He Yun Xiang in his Dao Source Realm aura. With his fingers forming into a claw, it was apparent that he intended to snatch the treasure.
The other Dao Source Realm Masters were shocked and cursed at the burly man. They had been staying together in the same place for far too long, so they knew each other’s temperament well. This burly man was reckless and unreasonable. If he managed to snatch the treasure, it would be hard to make him cough it out.
At that instant, all of them shot into the air and pounced on He Yun Xiang, targeting the mirror.
After a sigh, He Yun Xiang looked pitifully at these people who were coming at her.
Faced with so many Dao Source Realm Masters, not only was she, a Third-Order Origin King, not afraid, she even put on that kind of expression. Some of her attackers were amazed upon seeing this while at the same time, they felt that something was amiss.
Just then, a fist appeared mysteriously and came at the burly man at an incredible speed. It was so rapid that a scar in space was formed where the fist passed.
Before the fist even reached him, the burly man’s expression drastically changed as he widened his eyes. He opened his mouth to shout something, but before he could utter a word, his face was struck by the fist.
Like a watermelon that had been dropped from a hundred metres up, his blood exploded out while the momentum of the fist sent his headless corpse flying backward for some time before it landed in the swamp and caused a giant splash.
Everyone gasped as they froze in place. They hovered in mid-air as all their blood seemed to have been frozen over, even having difficulty gulping.
Their focus was now on the carefree-looking young man, who was lying on the Star Shuttle. Their gazes were filled with horror.
Just now, they clearly saw this young man make a move, after which the burly man was killed.
They knew the burly man’s power very well and none of them had the confidence to defeat him in a one-on-one fight. However, just now, a single fist was all it took to end his life. He was killed as easily as though he were an ant.
[Who is this man!?] Feeling fearful, they even quieted their breathing, afraid they would displease him by being too loud while he relaxed.
He Yun Xiang kept a smile on her face as she swept a glance over them, “Has no one heard about Heng Luo Star Field before?”
None of them dared to reply to her now, as they were worried that they would be killed as soon as they spoke.
He Yun Xiang went on to say, “Sir is a man of his word. If any one of you can provide any information about Heng Luo Star Field, this mirror will belong to you. Of course, it’d be best if you could also point out the Star Road Portal that leads to Heng Luo Star Field. Sir has said that he’ll give you an additional reward if you can provide such information.”
Only after some time did an elderly man muster enough courage to reply, “Madam, we know nothing about Heng Luo Star Field, and we have never heard of it before.”
He just wanted them to leave as quickly as possible, as they felt pressured with these two people around.
“That’s a shame,” He Yun Xiang didn’t expect to get any useful information on their first stop. Perhaps they wouldn’t even get a lead after visiting all the Star Road Portals; however, they still had to work hard and make the attempts.
“I swear it is the truth.” The elderly man said sincerely.
He Yun Xiang replied with a smile, “It’s fine. I believe you, but since all of you are guarding this place, please keep an eye on it for us. If anyone comes out of this portal, please ask where they’re from. If they come from Heng Luo Star Field, tell them to head to Azure Dragon City after three years. Tell them that Yang Kai will be waiting for them.”
Azure Dragon City was one of the top cities in the Ancestral Domain, so everyone knew about it, which was why it was a suitable gathering place. As for the timeframe, Yang Kai had calculated that they would need three years to visit all the Star Road Portals in the Ancestral Domain. It would be great if they could find a clue by then, but if they couldn’t, then they’d have no choice but to wait in Azure Dragon City.
“Yes, yes,” the elderly man hurriedly agreed.
He Yun Xiang uttered, “If possible, please help escort the person to Azure Dragon City when the time comes. All of you will be rewarded for your efforts.” Then, she raised the mirror with a smile, “Sir has many such things after all.”
All of them were shocked and became excited.
This was indeed some incredible news. By just escorting a person to Azure Dragon City, they would be able to obtain a Dao Source Grade High-Rank artifact. They probably couldn’t find such a good deal anywhere else in this world. Of course, the prerequisite was that a cultivator from Heng Luo Star Field would come out of their portal.
They silently memorized Yang Kai’s name, as this might be their opportunity to rise. At the same time, they speculated that this young man must have some powerful background, otherwise, he wouldn’t have told them his name even after he killed someone. Apparently, he wasn’t afraid that the force behind the burly man would retaliate against him.
Moreover, judging from the young man’s single move just now, his cultivation was profound. Anyone who wanted to take revenge on him would basically be asking for death.
The Star Shuttle then turned into a beam of light and disappeared from everyone’s sight.
…
For the next period of time, the pair visited more Star Road Portals and left behind the same reminder and request.
Some greedy men were killed while most made sure to remember Yang Kai’s name before promising to bring any cultivator from Heng Luo Star Field to Azure Dragon City three years later.
Just like that, half a year had passed. During this period of time, Yang Kai and He Yun Xiang tirelessly visited every Star Road Portal they could. He Yun Xiang knew that this matter was important to Yang Kai, so she had been very meticulous when carrying out her duty. Besides driving the Star Shuttle, she spent most of her free time cultivating, and she never complained.
Although it had been half a year since she arrived in the Ancestral Domain, she hadn’t been able to take a proper look at the sights and scenes of this place as she spent most of her time on the road, looking for people from Yang Kai’s homeland.
“Sir, we’ll arrive at the next portal soon.” The Star Road Chart in her hands played an important role, without which it would be akin to looking for a needle in a haystack if they were to aimlessly search around the Ancestral Domain.
As she spoke, she took a look at a little girl who seemed to only be about seven or eight years old with a weird expression.
One day about half a month ago, after He Yun Xiang finished her meditation, she opened her eyes and turned around, only to be shocked to see this little girl riding on her Star Shuttle. The girl’s facial features were delicate and adorable. There was no impurity behind her clear gaze, which seemed to sparkle with the radiance of a spring river.
Hearing how Yang Kai addressed her, she knew that her name was Liu Yan.
However, she failed to notice how Liu Yan appeared on her Star Shuttle. Moreover, this little girl was as strange as Yang Kai. There were no aura fluctuations around her, as though she had never cultivated before.
Nevertheless, when facing her, He Yun Xiang could feel an immense pressure that was just as intense as when she was facing Yang Kai.
[Is she as powerful as Sir?] He Yun Xiang couldn’t believe she would have this thought. After a person began cultivating, they would age slower, so it was difficult to tell a cultivator’s age by looking at their appearance. However, this was just a little girl, so how powerful could she be?
She had asked Yang Kai where Liu Yan was from, but all he told her was that he had picked her up from somewhere, which caused her to be torn between tears and laughter.
Moreover, she was puzzled as to how Liu Yan addressed Yang Kai. The little girl kept calling Yang Kai ‘Master’ without feeling ashamed. He Yun Xiang even suspected that he had a special fetish, which was why he wasn’t interested in a charming lady like her.
At this moment, Yang Kai was sitting cross-legged on the Star Shuttle, while Liu Yan was lying in his embrace as she fiddled with her own long and smooth hair. Both of them appeared bored as Yang Kai yawned and grunted.
Then, he suddenly turned to look in the distance and said with a grin, “It’s certainly bustling down there.”
Liu Yan immediately said, “Let’s go over and have a look!”
“No. What’s the point of watching a group of ants fight? Focus on our task.”
Liu Yan pouted.
“Alright. Alright. We’ll take a look.” Feeling helpless, Yang Kai pinched her face.
It was then that Liu Yan beamed at him. Her temperament seemed to have changed significantly during her time of cultivating in seclusion on Spirit Beast Island. After acquiring her Phoenix Bloodline, she really seemed to have turned into a child. Perhaps it was due to her inheritance.
Without waiting for his order, He Yun Xiang changed direction and headed for the crowd. At the same time, she used her Secret Technique to hide their figures and auras.
It was truly bustling below them. Hundreds of people were using their own Movement Skills as they charged forward at a speed that was as swift as the wind. A small number of people were leading the way at the front as their sleeves flapped in the air. Their auras were stable and powerful, apparently Dao Source Realm Masters. The most powerful one was even in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm. Besides him, there were five others in the Second-Order Dao Source Realm.
He Yun Xiang could feel immense pressure coming from these people.
Her concealment technique naturally couldn’t fool the senses of these people so they shot her a glance before looking away. Apparently, there was a more urgent issue at hand for them.
The pressure was as heavy as a mountain on He Yun Xiang. However, since Yang Kai had remained silent, she had no choice but to continue chasing after them, all the time feeling as though she was a moth that was flying towards a fire.
After they kept flying at full speed for half a day, they finally saw those people stopping in front of a solitary mountain.
The mountain was about a thousand meters high, and there was a bamboo hut at the peak. The place was practically covered in bamboo forests as the plants swayed with the wind, which looked like a sight that came right out of a beautiful painting.
The arrival of these hundreds of cultivators had added a layer of murderous intent to this place. Apparently, they were all from the same Sect as their movements were orderly and organized. Upon arriving at this place, they immediately dispersed and surrounded the mountain.
Upon a closer inspection, He Yun Xiang was shocked to discover that these people were actually arranging a huge Formation. She wondered who the Master was that could make these people go all out and form into such a huge Formation to oppose him. In her heart, she lamented that there was always someone stronger out there. Then, she took a look at Yang Kai, who was still casually lying on the Star Shuttle, as though he was unperturbed by the tension below them.
At that instant, she realised she had forgotten that the person she was following was also an inscrutable Master and probably had no regard for the people below them.
After pulling herself together, she keenly looked down at the good show.
“It’s just a normal vendetta against someone. There’s nothing to see here,” Yang Kai pinched Liu Yan’s ear.
Liu Yan just let him be as she looked excitedly at the events down there and uttered gently, “There’s a Secret Technique in the Phoenix Clan that can be used to predict the future. Just now, I suddenly had a feeling that your wish would come true today.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai sat up straight and gazed at her in shock, “Really?”
Liu Yan replied, “It wouldn’t cost us anything to just watch.”
Yang Kai nodded slightly and released his Divine Sense to investigate the solitary mountain, but it was blocked in front of the bamboo hut and couldn’t go any further. In an instant, his expression turned awkward.
Just then, a grey-haired old man leapt into the air. Although his figure was thin, he appeared very energetic. There were some age spots on his wrinkled face, which made him look like he didn’t have much time left in this world; however, his eyes beamed with a horrifying glare.
He stared fixedly at the bamboo hut and bellowed, “How dare you break into Wild Dragon Pavilion and steal our Sect’s Supreme Artifact!? This place will be your burial ground today!”
“Wild Dragon Pavilion…” He Yun Xiang was stunned.
It had been half a year since she arrived in the Ancestral Domain, so although she had always been on the road to carry out Yang Kai’s orders, she wasn’t as clueless as before and had even gained a lot of information during her journey. Certainly, she had heard about Wild Dragon Pavilion before, which was one of the most powerful Sects in the Ancestral Domain.
It was no wonder that there was a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Master among them. They were all from Wild Dragon Pavilion, which was why there were so many formidable Masters.
It wasn’t that there were no other great forces that could go up against Wild Dragon Pavilion, but there were definitely not many. Who was it that was gutsy enough to steal the Supreme Artifact from Wild Dragon Palace? What amazed He Yun Xiang was that the person in question had actually succeeded and fled from the place.
It would take immense power and boldness for someone to achieve that.
At that instant, she felt curious about the person who was hiding in the bamboo hut.
“Stop hiding in your shabby hut and come face us now!” Gong Yang Xi was extremely furious. His Sect’s Supreme Artifact had been stolen, but there were no signs prior to that of anything amiss. If it weren’t because the thief didn’t intend to erase his traces, they wouldn’t have even been able to pursue him to this place.
The thief apparently had no regard for him or Wild Dragon Pavilion. He would like to find out who had the guts to steal something from the tiger’s den in the Ancestral Domain.
“Come out!” The people from Wild Dragon Pavilion were agitated as they chanted along with their leader.
Just then, a dispassionate voice could be heard from the bamboo hut, “I was just taking back my own thing, so how could you call me a thief? Trash like all of you should mind your language. I’m in a good mood today, so I don’t want to kill anyone. Go back to where you’re from now.”
Gong Yang Xi was so angered that he actually started laughing, “What a shameless man!”
[Who is this arrogant man? Who does he think he is? Wild Dragon Pavilion has stood in the Ancestral Domain for over ten thousand years! Our inheritance is rich, and our disciples are both powerful and plentiful.]
Gong Yang Xi was in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, which was the highest cultivation achievable in the Ancestral Domain, so he had never been afraid of anyone.
Moreover, what this man said was ridiculous. The Supreme Artifact was a relic left behind by their Ancestral Founder more than thirty generations ago, which meant that it was at least ten thousand years old, so how was it possible that it belonged to some outsider?
“Sir?” He Yun Xiang was shocked that the person was so haughty, as though he had no regard for anyone in the world, but just then, Yang Kai stood up on the Star Shuttle. He had always been calm and carefree, but at this moment, his expression had turned solemn for the first time as he stared fixedly at the bamboo hut, as though a formidable enemy was right before him.
[What’s going on?] He Yun Xiang’s heart was filled with doubts.
She still did not understand the full extent of Yang Kai’s strength, because since she started following him, she had never seen him use his true power. Be it Origin King Realm Masters or Dao Source Realm Masters though, he could kill all of them with just one punch. Certainly, he wouldn’t need to use all his power when faced with enemies that he could kill with one move.
He Yun Xiang had speculated that Yang Kai was probably at the peak of the Third-Order Dao Source Realm. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to kill those First-Order Dao Source Realm Masters as though they were mere ants.
Given his cultivation, he could be considered one of the top cultivators in the entire Ancestral Domain. Wherever he went or whoever he faced, he would still be confident enough.
So, why would this kind of Master appear so solemn all of a sudden? Who was that person inside the bamboo hut?
“Master?” Feeling that something was off, Liu Yan looked up at him and asked.
After a gulp, Yang Kai stroked her head and said in a bitter voice, “It seems that you’re right. My wish will come true today.”
Liu Yan’s gut feeling had indeed lit up a light that could show him the way forward, but the light was so dazzling that he was worried he would be blinded by it.
“Little Friend, you’re here as well! What a coincidence!” The voice sounded from the bamboo hut again.
Hearing that, Yang Kai stiffened. Up until a moment ago, he was 30 percent doubtful and 70 percent shocked, but upon hearing what this man just said, he was now 100 percent confident of his speculation. The man in the bamboo hut was exactly the one he thought it to be.
[I can’t believe he’s here!]
It was pointless to try to hide their figures in front of such a Master, so the moment Yang Kai’s trio arrived at this place, that person must have discovered them.
As such, Yang Kai let out a loud growl, “You thief! I don’t care how powerful you are, but you’re in the wrong to have stolen their Sect’s Supreme Artifact! Such heinous acts are contrary to how a true Master should behave! It wouldn’t matter if I hadn’t come across this incident, but since I’ve seen it now, I won’t just stand by!”
Then, he turned to look at the old man from Wild Dragon Pavilion and cupped his fists, “Old man, although this has nothing to do with me, it seems fate has brought us together today. If you require any help, please don’t hesitate to ask. I have always pledged to help those in need.”
He appeared righteous, and his voice sounded determined.
[O-Old man?] Gong Yang Xi was astounded. Since he took over Wild Dragon Pavilion, anyone who had come across him would always call him ‘Pavilion Master’ in a respectful manner. Now that he was called an ‘old man’, his expression turned weird, but it wasn’t the right time to flare up. So, his expression only slightly darkened.
The person in the bamboo hut fell silent for a moment before he uttered again, “Little Friend, are you pretending that you don’t know me?”
“I don’t know who you are!”
[I don’t know who you are either.] Gong Yang Xi felt helpless toward this young man. Although he had realised that the latter had been following him, he ignored him because he was busy. However, he didn’t expect that the young man would butt in on his affairs.
[He said he wanted to help me?] Gong Yang Xi wasn’t a fool, so he wouldn’t believe the young man’s nonsense. It seemed that the young man and the person in the bamboo hut were old acquaintances. It was just that they were on bad terms.
Still, he didn’t want the situation to become more chaotic, so he saluted the young man and said, “Young Friend, many thanks for your offer. However, this is an internal matter for Wild Dragon Pavilion, so we don’t want any outsiders to interfere in it. Please step aside now, as I’m worried that you might be accidentally harmed during the fight.”
In truth, he didn’t want Yang Kai to get involved in this matter because he was worried that the young man was the accomplice of that person in the bamboo hut.
“Alright.” Yang Kai bowed his head, “Old man, since you’ve said so, I’ll stand aside for now.” He intended to find out the strength of the man in the bamboo hut by using these people from Wild Dragon Pavilion in the first place.
He had been suppressed and repelled by the Heavenly Way since he came to the Lower Star Field, so Yang Kai knew that it was the same case for that person as well. When they fought later, Yang Kai could probably find out about it. However, he was worried that Gong Yang Xi would underestimate the person, so he said solemnly, “Old man, it’s not that I’m trying to frighten you, but the person in the hut is a difficult character to deal with. You have to be careful. Otherwise, you will suffer.”
Gong Yang Xi frowned and replied impassively, “Many thanks for your warning.”
However, his expression suggested that he didn’t take the young man seriously. He was a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Master, so he was already one of the top cultivators in the Ancestral Domain. Even if there was someone stronger than he was, that person wouldn’t be overwhelmingly more powerful. Now that all the top cultivators from Wild Dragon Pavilion had gathered here, there was basically no one in the world that could be a match for them. No matter how formidable the person in the hut was, he was determined to kill him.
Then, with a dark expression, he turned back and uttered, “It seems that you’re unwilling to return our artifact to us in a peaceful manner. I’ll ask you one last time. Will you give back what you stole or not?”
“I told you this thing belongs to me, so stop harping on it. You’re annoying.”
“Good! Since that’s the case, don’t blame this Gong for being ruthless! Die!” Gong Yang Xi pushed his Source Qi as his beard and hair flapped in the wind. Then, he leapt into the air and charged towards the bamboo hut like an enraged ram. His aura was strong, and his fury seemed able to burn through the air.
However, there was no reaction from the person in the bamboo hut.
Gong Yang Xi’s threat from earlier wasn’t effective at all. When he reached the bamboo hut, he attempted to land a palm on the door, “It’s disgraceful that you don’t even have the guts to show your face. Come out now!”
*Ziya…* The bamboo hut’s door suddenly flung open as a gale gusted out of the house. Gong Yang Xi’s pupils contracted as his expression was transformed by horror. Under the attention of hundreds of stunned cultivators, Gong Yang Xi was sucked into the bamboo hut.
*Hong…* The door was closed again, but no noises were coming from the house anymore, nor any signs of a struggle. It was so quiet that it was as though they were in the earliest stage of the universe.
With their eyes widened, everyone held their breaths and became all ears. However, the atmosphere was eerily quiet, which caused their hearts to be filled with horror.
At that instant, the bamboo hut looked like an ancient beast that had swallowed Gong Yang Xi whole.
A moment later, the bamboo hut’s door opened again, and under everyone’s stunned gazes, a pale Gong Yang Xi walked out of the house. He turned around and respectfully closed the door before bowing, “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Senior. Please rest well.”
The jaws of these hundreds of top cultivators from Wild Dragon Pavilion dropped as they couldn’t believe their eyes.
“Let’s go!” Gong Yang Xi yelled as he turned into a beam of light and shot into the distance.
Although the people from Wild Dragon Pavilion were doubtful, they didn’t dare to ask anything. After that, they summoned their own flight type artifacts or used their Movement Skills to leave this place. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of them disappeared from the place, as the solitary mountain became serene again.
After they flew for more than 100 kilometres, Gong Yang Xi, who was at the front, staggered and sprayed out a mouthful of blood as his aura weakened all of a sudden. His wrinkled face became even more withered, as though he would lose his life at any moment.
“Pavilion Master!” The other Elders were stunned as they surrounded him.
[What happened inside the bamboo hut? What did Pavilion Master and the thief talk about? Why did he step out of the house and leave the place in silence? Why does he look like he’s severely injured now?]
Their minds became a mess because of the mysteries.
Gong Yang Xi stabilized himself with difficulty and waved his hand to signal that he was fine.
“Pavilion Master, that person…” One of the Elders couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore, so he asked the question.
“Don’t ask anything,” A sense of fear flashed across Gong Yang Xi’s face.
“But our Sect’s Supreme Artifact…”
“Never mention it again!” Gong Yang Xi’s gaze was filled with conflicted determination, “Just treat it as if we have never had it before.”
“What!?” All of them exclaimed.
[Who was that person!? Why is Pavilion Master so terrified of him? Now, he doesn’t even want to get back the Supreme Artifact that has been with us for more than ten thousand years…] The Elders wouldn’t dare to keep thinking about it, as they were worried that the idea in their minds would make them lose faith in their Martial Dao.
…
Outside the bamboo hut, He Yun Xiang opened her mouth slightly, as though two invisible fingers had been stuffed into it. She watched dazedly as the people from Wild Dragon Pavilion left the place because what was happening before her eyes was beyond her ability to understand.
[Aren’t they from one of the top Sects in the Ancestral Domain? Why did they suddenly turn so timid when they were confronted?] If He Yun Xiang hadn’t sensed their power, she would have thought that there was another great force in the Ancestral Domain that was also called Wild Dragon Pavilion.
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth kept twitching. If possible, he would want to turn around and leave as well.
However, the person inside the house might be the key to obtaining what he wanted, so he was reluctant to leave. After hesitating for a long time, he clenched his teeth and made up his mind. In order to return to the Heng Luo Star Field, even if there was a pile of dung inside the house, he would go in and step on it!
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Yang Kai patted Liu Yan’s head.
Nevertheless, she grabbed his sleeve and wouldn’t let go.
“Let go.” Yang Kai glowered at her.
“No!” Not to be outdone, Liu Yan opened her eyes wider than him.
Yang Kai uttered, “We can’t put all the eggs in the same basket. If something goes wrong, I’ll notify you. Then, you’ll rush into the house and burn him to ashes.”
Hearing that, Liu Yan nodded and released him, “Alright then. Be careful.”
Yang Kai groaned and thought that it was useless to be careful in front of that person. Then, he walked up to the door and coughed slightly before he knocked on the door. In a loud voice, he asked, “Is anyone home?”
In an instant, the solemn atmosphere became hilarious. He Yun Xiang even burst out laughing, but she quickly covered her mouth and suppressed her voice.
Getting no response, Yang Kai adjusted his clothes and went on to speak, “Sorry for the disturbance then.”
Following that, he pushed the door open and stepped into the house. Just like what had happened just now, the door automatically closed.
Inside the dark house, a person was sitting cross-legged on a futon as he looked smilingly at Yang Kai.
When their gazes met, Yang Kai became extremely alarmed, but he still pretended to be nonchalant and cupped his fists, “Brother Wu, how are you?” [Since you’ve used the alias Wu Chen, I’ll call you Brother Wu, then. I’ll never call you Senior Wu because you’re the biggest scourge in the entire Star Boundary has ever known.]
Wu Kuang didn’t mind it as he extended his hand, “Have a seat.”
Yang Kai replied, “I don’t mind standing.”
He circulated his Qi and readied himself to battle against the man before his eyes at any moment.
Wu Kuang said, “But then I have to raise my head to speak to you.”
Yang Kai’s brow twitched. After giving it a thought, he decided that he didn’t want to take advantage of him in this matter, for he was worried that the latter might suddenly become enraged. So, he gave in and took a seat.
As they were sitting across from each other, Wu Kuang took out a tea set and started preparing tea.
At that moment, Yang Kai felt overwhelmed by this kind of treatment. Wu Kuang was the greatest disaster the Star Boundary had experienced in the past hundred thousand years and had devastated countless Star Fields, killing an innumerable number of people in the process. Nevertheless, he was still one of the strongest Masters in the entire Star Boundary’s history, even killing a few Great Emperors. So, it was quite an honour for Yang Kai that Wu Kuang was preparing tea for him.
In an instant, he felt less hostile towards Wu Kuang. That was indeed the kind of demeanour a Master should have. In the future, he would be quite honoured to tell others that he had had tea with Wu Kuang before.
“Little Friend, why are you here?” Wu Kuang asked nonchalantly. In fact, he hadn’t expected that he would come across Yang Kai in such a place.
With a serious expression, Yang Kai replied, “It’s a long story, but my intention was to hunt you down.”
Wu Kuang put on a smile, “What about now?”
“Will you let me kill you?” Yang Kai questioned.
“That’ll depend on whether you’re powerful enough.”
Yang Kai pondered on it for a moment and shook his head, “Even if I had the power to do so, I’m afraid I still can’t kill you.” By killing Wu Kuang, it would be akin to murdering Duan Hong Chen, so it was too hefty a price to pay.
In an instant, he turned furious and bellowed, “Just you wait. When I find a way to get you out of Senior Hong Chen’s body one day! I’ll certainly kill you!”
“Then you’ll have to work harder on cultivating.” Wu Kuang grinned.
Yang Kai felt uneasy, as this meeting was different from what he had imagined. [Isn’t he a murderous madman? Why is he acting like a wise and magnanimous old sage now?] He felt as though his fist had landed on a soft wad of cotton rather than an iron sheet he was expecting, making him feel all the more uncomfortable. It would have been more natural to have been dragged into an all-out battle from the start.
“Did you suddenly become a vegetarian?” Yang Kai suddenly asked.
“What do you mean?” Wu Kuang was puzzled.
“Why didn’t you devour those people from Wild Dragon Pavilion?” In fact, Yang Kai was utterly surprised that those from Wild Dragon Pavilion had left safely, which was an inconceivable idea. It must be the luckiest day in their lives that they had escaped from this place unscathed.
Wu Kuang’s temperament couldn’t have changed, as his Heaven Devouring Battle Law was his primary Secret Art. Just half a year ago, he had even eaten an Eighth-Order Dragon on Dragon Island.
“They’re not even enough to fill the cracks between my teeth, so why should I bother?”
Finally understanding the reason behind it, Yang Kai nodded and asked, “Why did you come to the Ancestral Domain, then? Did you go to Dragon Island in an attempt to come here?”
Wu Kuang replied, “I’ve come here to get back something and prepare for the future.”
“The future?” Yang Kai frowned.
“We’ll talk about the future in the future.” When the tea was ready, Wu Kuang filled one cup with it and took a sip.
Realising that there was no extra teacup, Yang Kai directly picked up the pot and drank a mouthful of it before he said, “You didn’t eat those people not because you didn’t want to, but because you couldn’t, right?”
Wu Kuang froze for a moment as a glint flashed across his eyes, “What do you mean? There’s nothing in this world that I can’t do!”
“Although those people are not powerful enough, a mosquito is still meat to you. Moreover, you’re still recuperating. The reason you’re hiding in a Lower Star Field is to absorb more energy, isn’t it?”
“So?” Wu Kuang looked smilingly at him but didn’t refute him.
Yang Kai went on to say, “Senior Duan would never allow that to happen though, he must have stopped you…” As he spoke, he frowned all of a sudden. Then, he fell back a little and sized up Wu Kuang.
For a moment, an inconceivable idea flashed across his mind.
Wu Kuang kept a smile on his face.
Yang Kai’s body shook as he asked hesitantly, “Senior… Duan?”
It was then that Wu Kuang’s smile turned helpless.
In disbelief, Yang Kai asked, “Are you really Senior Duan?”
All of a sudden, ‘Wu Kuang’ cackled, “Old Duan, I told you that you can never imitate my confident demeanour! It’s as if you want to draw a tiger, but it turns out to be a dog instead.”
Then, the same man snapped, “Shut up.”
Yang Kai’s forehead was beaded with cold sweat. He was just having doubts earlier, but now, his speculation had been confirmed. Since the beginning, it was Duan Hong Chen who had been talking to him instead of Wu Kuang.
In an instant, Yang Kai’s face fell as he questioned, “Senior Duan, what’s going on?”
He had thought that Duan Hong Chen had been suppressed by Wu Kuang. Otherwise, the latter wouldn’t have gone to Dragon Island to slay a Dragon and hidden in a Lower Star Field. However, now, that didn’t seem to be the case. Apparently, Duan Hong Chen hadn’t been completely suppressed as he still had some freedom.
Moreover, judging from the conversation between Wu Kuang and Duan Hong Chen just now, they were at least not fighting anymore.
No matter what evil atrocities Wu Kuang had done, Yang Kai would just think that it was typical of him to have done that. However, if Duan Hong Chen was involved in those evil acts, it would be an entirely different story.
Knowing what Yang Kai was questioning, Duan Hong Chen replied after a sigh, “I was only liberated after he came to this place. I didn’t mean to hide anything from you.”
Yang Kai heaved a sigh of relief because Duan Hong Chen wasn’t involved in any of those crimes. If Duan Hong Chen and Wu Kuang had become partners things would become troublesome.
Seeing Yang Kai’s expression fluctuating between ferocity and hesitancy, Duan Hong Chen uttered, “Don’t even think about it. Even if we team up, we won’t be able to kill him. It’s thanks to him that I’m able to take a breather now. If he decides to fully suppress me, I won’t be able to struggle out of his grip.”
Frustrated, Yang Kai pushed the idea to the back of his mind and asked helplessly, “What should we do, then?”
Duan Hong Chen replied, “Just let nature take its course. However, since we’re lucky enough to have come across each other today, I do have a favour to ask of you.”
With a serious expression, Yang Kai said, “Just tell me right away. I’ll surely do my best to fulfil it.”
Duan Hong Chen went on to say, “After you return to Star Boundary, they’ll certainly ask you about Wu Kuang’s whereabouts. Please don’t reveal it to anyone.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Why?” During this meet-up, he had a feeling that Duan Hong Chen’s attitude towards Wu Kuang had changed significantly. Duan Hong Chen wasn’t as hostile towards Wu Kuang as before, almost as if he had given in and was now partnering with him.
[What’s going on? Have these two Great Emperors communicated and come to some kind of agreement? Why is Duan Hong Chen trying to help Wu Kuang hide his whereabouts?]
“Please just agree to it.”
“Alright. Since you’ve said so, I won’t say no.”
It was then Duan Hong Chen nodded, “Work hard and continue to cultivate. Given your aptitude, you might be strong enough by then. In the future, we might have a chance to go to war together.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai became excited as it would be an honour to go to war with a Great Emperor. However, he soon became puzzled. [Who is the enemy? Wu Kuang?]
However, he felt that something was amiss. Also, Duan Hong Chen appeared grim when he said those words earlier.
Then, he went on to tell Duan Hong Chen about the recent developments in Azure Sun Temple and what happened after the latter left Dragon Island. After a sigh, Duan Hong Chen said, “It’s a shame that a Dragon Clan member was killed.”
After that, he suddenly chided, “What do you mean it’s a shame? All members of the Dragon Clan should become food for me!”
“Will you shut up!?” Yang Kai looked disdainfully at him. [I was having a chat with Duan Hong Chen, why did you come out all of a sudden?]
Wu Kuang put on a wicked smile and took a look outside before asking, “Where’s your Stone Spirit, your Embodiment?”
“What do you want with it?” Yang Kai looked vigilantly at him. It wasn’t strange that Wu Kuang knew about his Embodiment because they had come across each other before. Moreover, his Embodiment had cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, so they shared a kind of invisible connection.
“Actually, my Heaven Devouring Battle Law isn’t suitable for Humans to cultivate, but it does suit those from the Stone Spirit clan surprisingly well. I thought that if you had brought him with you, I could have given him a gift. Since he isn’t here, forget it then.”
As soon as he finished his words, the Embodiment appeared out of thin air.
Fortunately, after absorbing Shi Huo’s Source, the Embodiment could shrink to the size of a Human now. Otherwise, this house wouldn’t be able to accommodate him.
“The Dao of Space is indeed wonderful.” Wu Kuang complimented him. He didn’t even realise how Yang Kai made the Embodiment appear, he just assumed that this young man had some kind of special storage artifact on him.
After the Embodiment appeared, he immediately felt Wu Kuang’s aura, so he became alarmed as the scarlet fires in his eyes flickered.
“He said he’ll give you something,” Yang Kai uttered.
Embodiment asked in a low voice, “What is it?”
In response, Yang Kai shrugged.
With a faint smile, Wu Kuang extended his hand towards the Embodiment, who hesitated for a moment but didn’t resist in the end. The next moment, Wu Kuang’s large hand was pressed against the Embodiment’s angular head as an amazing wave of energy was released, causing the Embodiment to be rooted to the spot.
Although Yang Kai appeared aloof, he was extremely alarmed in his heart. He had no idea what Wu Kuang was up to; however, he was ready to make a move if something went wrong. Nevertheless, from beginning to end, nothing seemed to have happened to his Embodiment.
A moment later, Wu Kuang withdrew his hand, upon which Yang Kai turned to look at the Embodiment, only to see that the latter had fallen into deep thought.
Yang Kai pushed his Divine Sense and immediately understood what his Embodiment had obtained from Wu Kuang. After all, the Embodiment was his Soul Clone, so there were no barriers in their communication with each other. If Yang Kai wanted, he could even feel everything his Embodiment could feel.
What he received was a vast amount of knowledge and insight into the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!
Wu Kuang had infused practically all his experience in cultivating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law into the Embodiment, which was more than just a generous gift. Wu Kuang was the one who created the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, so he was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable about it. His millennia of experience and insights into this Secret Art were an unimaginable treasure.
Nevertheless, he still passed everything to the Embodiment without any reservation.
Although Yang Kai had always been hostile towards Wu Kuang, he was still moved at this moment. [Is it a bribe to keep our mouths shut? However, this is indeed a hefty price to pay.]
It could be imagined that after his Embodiment comprehended this knowledge, it would be smooth sailing in his cultivation journey from then on. Perhaps he would become as powerful as Heaven Devouring Great Emperor one day, or even surpass him; after all, the Embodiment was initially a Stone Spirit, and he had already assimilated Shi Huo’s Source, so his starting point was much better than Wu Kuang’s.
Noticing that Yang Kai was both doubtful and shocked, Wu Kuang said with a grin, “Maybe one day we’ll stop being enemies and become friends instead.”
“Don’t even think about it!” Yang Kai snorted, but his tone had softened significantly.
It couldn’t be helped, as it was said that gifts blinded the eyes. He wasn’t a shameless man, so after obtaining huge benefits, he was too embarrassed to keep acting aggressive. However, it was impossible that they would go from enemies to friends because Wu Kuang was the most detested figure in the entire Star Boundary.
It was said that there were no eternal enemies, only eternal benefits, but what Wu Kuang had done was beyond the boundary of morality. Yang Kai would be out of his mind if he became friends with him.
“Nothing is constant. Who can say what will be in a hundred years, or a thousand,” Wu Kuang didn’t seem to mind either way.
Yang Kai stored his Embodiment and grinned, “Only if you’ll live until then.”
With a wicked gaze, he stared fixedly at Wu Kuang’s neck, as though he was pondering on where to start.
Then, his expression turned solemn as he said, “Wu Kuang, since you’re willing to change for the better, I’ll give you a chance to make up for the crimes you’ve committed.”
With a smile, Wu Kuang asked, “What is it? Just tell me.”
Yang Kai replied, “I want to return to my homeland, but I can’t find any way to do that. Since you’re an expert in this matter, tell me how I can go back to my own Star Field.”
This was the reason he still stepped into the house despite knowing that Wu Kuang was inside.
Wu Kuang had destroyed countless Star Fields before, so he was apparently familiar with the ways to move between Star Fields. If Yang Kai could get his guidance, it’d be better than if he searched around aimlessly.
“What Star Field are you from?” Wu Kuang asked.
“Heng Luo Star Field!”
Hearing that, Wu Kuang shook his head, “Never heard of it before.” He had been to countless Star Fields, but he had never bothered to find out their names. To him, all Lower Star Fields were just resources to him.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but be disappointed. After giving it a thought, he realized that if Wu Kuang had been to Heng Luo Star Field, Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce, Purple Star, and Sword Union would already be in Wu Kuang’s stomach.
“If you want to return to a Lower Star Field from here, one of the ways is to pass through those Star Road Portals. The prerequisite is that the Star Field has a portal that’s connected to the Ancestral Domain. Apparently, you haven’t found it.”
“What about the other way?”
With a smile, Wu Kuang replied, “You’ll have to make use of the Star Field Source.”
“Star Field Source?” Yang Kai arched his brow as an idea flashed across his mind. It seemed important, but he couldn’t catch it.
“There’s a Star Source in every Star, so naturally, there’s also a Star Field Source in every Star Field. The difference is that a Star Source is hidden in a Cultivation Star. Anyone with enough power will stand a chance to refine it and become the Star Master. On the other hand, it’s much more difficult to look for a Star Field Source. A Star Field is extremely vast. Maybe a flower, a tree, someone you come across on the street, a rabbit running in the wild, an asteroid in the Starry Sky… Any of these could be the manifestation of the Star Field Source. The average person might not be able to discover it even if they see it. However, if you can refine it, you’ll take control of the Star Field and become its Master and its Guardian.”
Wu Kuang was speaking slowly, while Yang Kai was attentively listening to him as his eyes glinted. It wasn’t the first time he heard about Star Field Guardian. Someone had mentioned that title to him before.
In the past, when he left Heng Luo Star Field and headed to the Star Boundary, Yang Kai had made the decision to become the Guardian of Heng Luo Star Field one day.
“If you can become the Star Field’s Guardian, you’ll be able to sense the Star Field’s location no matter where you are. By then, you won’t need to exert any effort to travel to that Star Field from the Ancestral Domain.”
By then, Yang Kai would just have to think about the Star Field, and he’d be able to grasp the connection between them. In a calm manner, he uttered, “I see. Many thanks for your guidance.”
In his heart, he scolded himself for being an idiot. If he hadn’t come across Wu Kuang on this day and listened to him, he would have forgotten about the thing in his Knowledge Sea. The Star Chart!
In his Knowledge Sea, there was a massive Star Chart of the entire Heng Luo Star Field. It wasn’t a Star Chart that was drawn by a Star Chart Master to navigate through a Star Field. It was more like a mysterious inheritance.
He obtained it from a Star Chart Master not long after he first stepped into the Starry Sky from Tong Xuan Realm. At that time, the Starship he was aboard fell into a crisis and was torn apart. A Star Chart Master was killed in a place near Yang Kai, upon which a beam of light shot into Yang Kai’s mind. After that, the Star Chart of the entire Star Field suddenly appeared in his Knowledge Sea.
During his years in Heng Luo Star Field, it was the Star Chart in his Knowledge Sea that had given him directions countless times, which was why he was never lost in the Star Field.
In the past, there was a Master who broke into Yang Kai’s Knowledge Sea using a kind of Soul Clone, and upon seeing the Star Chart, he exclaimed as though he had obtained an invaluable treasure. Unfortunately for him, he was captured and taken away by Yang Yan before he could obtain anything.
Previously, Yang Kai still couldn’t confirm what the Star Chart in his Knowledge Sea was. But now, he knew that it was the Star Field Source!
He still remembered that after he reached the Star Boundary, he was still somewhat connected to his homeland thanks to this Star Chart. However, as time passed, this connection weakened.
The very elusive Star Field Source had been residing in his own Knowledge Sea for years. With this thing in his mind, he could easily find the path back to Heng Luo Star Field.
Although he was over the moon, he still pretended to be nonchalant as he uttered dispassionately, “I’ll ask you one more question.”
“Go ahead.” Wu Kuang seemed to be in a good mood, which was why he didn’t mind Yang Kai asking so many questions.
“How do you avoid being rejected by the Heavenly Way?” Tens of thousands of years ago, Wu Kuang had destroyed countless Star Fields. Yang Kai didn’t think he could do it with just an Origin King Realm cultivation.
Since Wu Kuang was able to act as he pleased in those Star Fields, he must have used a power that exceeded the Origin King Realm. Perhaps he had even showcased all his power, but even though he was a Great Emperor, the Heavenly Way’s repulsion was no laughing matter. How was he not punished?
Wu Kuang explained, “Every time I visited a Star Field, the first thing I’d do is look for the Star Field Source. I didn’t care if I had to dig it up or simply snatch it from someone. After I refined the Star Field Source, I became Master of that Star Field, so why would I be rejected?”
At that instant, enlightenment dawned upon Yang Kai.
Just like how a Star Master could become the ruler of a Cultivation Star by refining its Source, a Star Field’s Master could take control of the entire Star Field by refining its Star Field Source, so being repelled by the World Principles of that Star Field would naturally become impossible.
Certainly, if a Star Field Guardian didn’t want the Star Field to be damaged, he shouldn’t showcase a power that was too strong. Only someone like Wu Kuang whose intention was to swallow everything would be so reckless.
Outside the bamboo hut, Liu Yan was sitting on the Star Shuttle as she rested her delicate face on her palms. Every detail of the solitary mountain was reflected in her clear gaze.
“Were you really picked up by Sir?” He Yun Xiang stroked the little girl’s head. It was hard not to take a liking to such an adorable young girl. She especially liked to run her fingers through the young girl’s long and silky hair. She probably wouldn’t get bored even if she had to do it all day.
“Yes,” In a way, Liu Yan was picked up by Yang Kai. If she hadn’t come across Yang Kai, she would still be an Artifact Spirit that was trapped in an Artifact Refining Furnace. She considered herself extremely lucky that she had gotten her own body and the inheritance of the Phoenix True Fire.
“Who is the person inside that Sir is meeting?”
Liu Yan shook her head, for she also didn’t know who the person inside was. However, she could feel that the person was so powerful that even if she and Yang Kai joined forces, they might not be able to defeat him. Suddenly, she looked up at He Yun Xiang and asked, “Do you want to be my Master’s woman?”
“What?” He Yun Xiang started blushing. [This is not something a kid should ask about!]
Then, she crouched down and uttered solemnly, “Who taught you this?”
Liu Yan replied, “I don’t think you’ll stand a chance, because my Master already has several women.” Then, she turned her head and looked at the front.
Yang Kai pushed the door open and stepped out of the house. Rubbing his own chin, he fell into his thoughts on the same spot for a long time before he leapt into the air and landed on the Star Shuttle.
“Sir, shall we continue?” He Yun Xiang asked.
“En, let’s go.” Yang Kai waved his hand and sat down on the Star Shuttle with his legs crossed. Seeing that Liu Yan was staring longingly at him, he felt helpless and pulled her into his embrace.
It was then that Liu Yan beamed at him and sat properly. After that, the Star Shuttle turned into a beam of light and disappeared from the place.
Then, voices could be heard from inside the bamboo hut.
“My reputation has always been excellent, but I’ve never expected that I’d partner up with someone like you to do such a thing in the end.”
“Hmph. You shouldn’t bother about trifles if you want to achieve success. When that day comes, you’ll understand that you’ve made the right decision.”
“I hope so…”
The bamboo hut fell into silence again, as the person inside it had disappeared.
…
“This way!” One day later, Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes and pointed in a particular direction. His gaze appeared excited.
All of a sudden, he caught a faintly discernible trace. It was like a thread that would break apart at any moment, or a flickering fire amidst the rain that was shining faintly. It was this faint and almost imperceptible connection that pointed in the right direction for him. The direction that led to the Heng Luo Star Field!
There was no doubt that the Star Chart in his Knowledge Sea was its Source. However, it was impossible to refine it in one day. Despite that, Yang Kai had attempted to communicate with it multiple times, and now he had gotten something in return.
By just following this faint induction, he would surely find his way back home. It was like a kite that was high above the sky, but the thread was still firmly held by the kite runner.
Just then, different faces flashed across his mind. Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Shan Qing Luo, Xue Yue, his other friends and family… and even those whose names he had forgotten. However, at this moment, all of them sprang into his mind as though they were trying to tell him something.
All of a sudden, a subtle but intoxicating feeling rose within him. It was as though a warm stream was filling his chest and penetrating his heart.
Liu Yan seemed to have noticed the change in him, so she lay in his embrace and touched his chest to feel the vigorous heartbeat.
The induction coming from the Star Chart was faint and intermittent. While Yang Kai kept giving directions, He Yun Xiang drove the Star Shuttle and executed his orders.
One month later, they arrived at a deserted stretch of land. There was a vividly colourful Star Road Portal that was tens of metres above in the sky. Some cottages were scattered around the place, and there were some cultivators who were meditating in those houses. Apparently, they were the cultivators from different Sects that had been stationed here to attract newcomers if anyone emerged from the portal.
Almost every Star Road Portal in Ancestral Domain looked like this. These Sects seemed to be in favour of the cultivators that came from Lower Star Fields. Those cultivators who came from Lower Star Fields themselves would even proactively take up this task. This way, they would be in an advantageous position to attract newcomers if they came across those from the same Star Field.
With that said, while some Star Road Portals were bustling, some were quiet. The reason for that was that the number of Star Fields these Star Road Portals were connected to varied. Some portals were connected to a dozen and even more Star Fields, while some portals were connected to only one or two Star Fields, so the number of cultivators that would walk out of these portals would be different too. That was why some portals were viewed as more important than others.
The portal before their eyes was obviously the latter, so Yang Kai reckoned that it was probably only connected to a few Star Fields. Moreover, the cultivators that had been stationed here were all Origin Kings, none of them being in the Dao Source Realm, which went to show that this place wasn’t regarded as important.
However, in Yang Kai’s eyes, this portal was the most beautiful thing in this world. He pulled himself together and communicated with the Star Chart again, upon which he realised that the induction really pointed to the deepest part of the entrance.
[This is it!]
He was truly surprised that there was a portal that was connected to Heng Luo Star Field in the Ancestral Domain. In the past, before he left the Star Field, he had never heard of the Ancestral Domain, not even a rumour.
Just then, the doors of the cottages opened, upon which some cultivators walked out and looked up at Yang Kai and the others. One of them cupped his fists and asked, “Friend, where are you from? And where are you going?”
Yang Kai was in a good mood, so he waved his hand and uttered, “I’m just passing by, no need to concern yourself with me.”
The person frowned as he was disgruntled with Yang Kai’s attitude, but he didn’t utter another word.
The next moment, Yang Kai activated his Divine Sense and probed the Star Road Portal. Although the portal must be connected to Heng Luo Star Field, it would still take him some effort if he wanted to return to his Star Field through this portal.
Others might need immense power to break through the Void, but Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, so he would just have to grasp the proper path to take and he’d be able to go home with ease. He was already used to passing through the Void anyway.
A moment later, he made up his mind and clapped He Yun Xiang’s shoulder, “You have two options now. First, you could stay here in the Ancestral Domain. This is a good place. If you stay here, you’ll also have a bright future. I’ll give you some pills and supplies for your cultivation.”
“I’ll choose the second option,” He Yun Xiang declared without hesitation. If the recent incidents hadn’t happened, she would have chosen to stay in the Ancestral Domain; however, she had experienced many eye-opening events with Yang Kai, so she knew that the Ancestral Domain wasn’t the greatest world out there, and Third-Order Dao Source Realm wasn’t the peak of the Martial Dao.
She had followed Yang Kai all the way from Unending Star Field to this place, so she wouldn’t want to stop here. Before Yang Kai even told her the second option, she had already made a decision.
“Good.” Yang Kai nodded. It wouldn’t be a burden for him to bring along one more person.
Just when he was about to step forward, he suddenly stopped and looked down at the people below him, “Friends, have you ever met someone from Heng Luo Star Field?”
During this period of time, he would ask this kind of question every time he reached a new portal. Now, he was just habitually asking this question, so he didn’t expect any positive reply. Since he was going back to his Star Field, he would be able to meet his loved ones soon anyway.
“Why are you asking this question?” One person suddenly appeared vigilant as he stared at Yang Kai with a frown. It was the person who talked to Yang Kai earlier.
Shocked, Yang Kai blinked and asked, “You’ve really met someone from that Star Field?”
“No,” The person shook his head.
Naturally, Yang Kai wouldn’t believe him, so he extended his hand, upon which the person felt an immense power of attraction as his body flew uncontrollably forward. After his neck was clenched, his face reddened in an instant, and he realised that he couldn’t use his Saint Qi at all, so he couldn’t help but be horrified.
Appearing ferocious, Yang Kai demanded, “What I hate most is when others lie to me. You either have or have not seen anyone from Heng Luo Star Field. I’ll give you one last chance. Think it through before replying to me.”
Sometimes, being overbearing was more effective than appearing kind.
The other cultivators turned pale upon seeing how powerful Yang Kai was. It was then they realised that the young man was able to kill them with a wave of his hand.
“Y-Yes!” The person tried his hardest to squeeze out one word.
[Really?] Yang Kai couldn’t believe his ears as he slightly relaxed his grip and questioned, “When did you see that person? What did that person look like? Where did they go? Tell me everything in detail. If you dare hide anything from me, today next year will be the anniversary of your death!”
“I couldn’t remember exactly when it was, but it was about 20 years ago. At that time, I wasn’t the one who was responsible for welcoming her, but I heard that Senior Sister came from Heng Luo Star Field.”
“Senior Sister?” Yang Kai turned solemn, “What’s her name?”
“Su Yan!”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai was shaken to the core. The name of the woman he had been longing for was uttered by a stranger all of a sudden, and it was revealed that she was in the Ancestral Domain! The revelation had an unimaginable impact on him, which caused his mind to turn blank and all his thoughts to stop.
If any Master were to attack him now, they would certainly be successful.
Then, Liu Yan asked, “Are you sure she’s from Heng Luo Star Field?”
“Yes. Because Senior Sister Su has never tried to hide her background. Instead, she intentionally made it known to everyone. My fellow Brothers paid attention to her at that time.” They didn’t just pay attention to her background but also to her stunning, world-shaking beauty.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded. He was still doubtful earlier, but now, there was basically no doubt that Su Yan was here in the Ancestral Domain.
Her name wasn’t that special. In fact, it could even be said to be ordinary, so there must be many people with the same name; however, there was only one Su Yan in this world who was from Heng Luo Star Field and would be able to pass through that portal.
[Twenty years… It means that a few years after I left the Star Field, Su Yan arrived in the Ancestral Domain. How did she find the entrance to this place? She has never been one to speak carelessly though, so the reason she told everyone her background must be because she wanted me to hear about her! She didn’t know where she was or what place the Ancestral Domain was, which was why she did that to increase the chances of meeting me. If I were in the Ancestral Domain, I would’ve looked for her upon learning about her. She was venturing into this totally unfamiliar world on her own…]
At that instant, Yang Kai felt sorry for her, and at the same time, he felt extremely guilty.
Original Title – Su Yan Is in the Ancestral Domain
Yang Kai had personally witnessed what Chi Yue and Ai Ou had to experience when they ventured into the Star Boundary, and what kind of suffering they had to go through. Even Wu Dao, who was touted as the strongest cultivator in Heng Luo Star Field, had fallen, to say nothing of a woman like Su Yan who was on her own.
There was a voice that was shouting in the deepest part of Yang Kai’s heart. [I have to meet her! Now!]
His longing for the woman surged within him, almost causing him to drown in it.
“Master!” Liu Yan hurriedly took his arm. When Yang Kai felt the soft touch, he immediately came to his senses, only to see the man, whose neck was clenched by him, rolling his eyes. His face was completely pale, and he could hardly breathe, as though he would lose his life at any moment.
Seeing that, Yang Kai quickly released him and dropped him on the Star Shuttle.
The person fell on his knees and covered his neck as he coughed violently until his tears slid down his face. The eyelids of the cultivators on the ground twitched as they watched that.
“Sorry,” Yang Kai reached out to that person, but his hand was visibly trembling.
Given his temperament and cultivation, there was hardly anything in this world that could rattle him, but the news that Su Yan had arrived at the Ancestral Domain was one of those things. The man before his eyes called Su Yan ‘Senior Sister’, which meant that Su Yan had joined his Sect after she came to the Ancestral Domain. Whatever the case, it wasn’t appropriate of Yang Kai to bully her Junior Brother. Moreover, he still needed this man’s help.
The person pulled himself together before he took Yang Kai’s hand and got to his feet. He still appeared horrified as he looked timidly at Yang Kai.
He was a Third-Order Origin King, but he was as powerless as an ant when confronted by this young man. Apparently, he was no match for him. Moreover, Yang Kai’s rapid switch in attitude made him feel that this young man was subject to shifting moods, which made him grow more wary of him. To him, the young man was extremely strange, had shocking power, and was also temperamental.
“Junior Brother, what’s your name?” Yang Kai tried his hardest to appear benevolent.
The person gulped and replied, “Xiang Fei.”
“I’ll call you Junior Brother Xiang, then.” Yang Kai patted his shoulder with a grin, causing the latter to shrink back slightly, “I’m sorry for what happened just now. Please don’t mind it. Good, you called Su Yan ‘Senior Sister’ just now. Does it mean she’s joined your noble Sect as a disciple?”
During their conversation, Yang Kai obtained some useful information.
Just like what he had expected, after Su Yan came to the Ancestral Domain, she joined the great force behind Xiang Fei, Red Clouds Sect. Also, she had arrived in the Ancestral Domain through this very Star Road Portal.
However, it was someone else from Red Clouds Sect instead of Xiang Fei who welcomed her, so he knew little about the situation at that time. He only managed to learn more about Su Yan after she joined the Sect.
Su Yan was a cold but alluring lady who was also very intelligent, so a few years after she joined Red Clouds Sect, she managed to garner a lot of supporters. Many Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers were pursuing her, so she had become a popular figure.
There were always such figures in every Sect, though the number varied. As a disciple from a Lower Star Field, Su Yan would naturally attract more attention, which was how the news that she came from Heng Luo Star Field was spread.
Xiang Fei had met Su Yan several times before, but he had never had the guts to speak to her. Her icy aura and expression seemed able to deter anyone from approaching her. It was as though he might be frozen if he even approached.
“Senior Sister Su is extremely talented. Just five years after she joined our Sect, she managed to reach the Dao Source Realm. Her aptitude made many of us feel ashamed of ourselves,” Xiang Fei said bitterly. It was apparent to him that Yang Kai knew Su Yan, so he tried to only say good stuff about her.
As expected, Yang Kai appeared elated upon hearing that, “She reached the Dao Source Realm already?”
He was worried that she might be treated unfairly or marginalised in this world; however, it now seemed that she was having a good life here.
“How is she now?” Yang Kai questioned.
Xiang Fei replied, “I don’t know.”
Yang Kai scowled, “What do you mean you don’t know? Aren’t you a disciple of Red Clouds Sect?”
Shocked, Xiang Fei hurriedly explained, “I’m indeed a disciple of Red Clouds Sect, but I’ve been stationed here for more than ten years. I’ve rarely returned to the Sect, so I know little about any recent developments there.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai looked pitifully at him. Normally, people who were sent to keep watch on Star Road Portals were not considered important in their Sects, and they didn’t have any backers, which was why they were given this kind of task that was time-wasting and without any benefits.
Apparently, Xiang Fei was one of those people in the Red Clouds Sect.
“Do you want to go back?”
“Of course,” It had been a difficult life for him in this wilderness, making him miss the comfortable life in the Sect.
Yang Kai clapped his shoulder, “Congratulations. Your wish will be granted soon!”
“W-What?” Xiang Fei hadn’t grasped what Yang Kai meant, but he instinctively had a bad feeling.
“To Red Clouds Sect!” Yang Kai said to He Yun Xiang, who immediately activated the Star Shuttle.
“Tell us the direction.” Yang Kai turned to look at Xiang Fei.
Flustered, Xiang Fei shouted, “No, no! Please let me go! Without permission from the Sect Master or the Elders, I… Ah! Not that way, that way!” Faced with Yang Kai’s fist, he was forced to give in, for he couldn’t afford to offend this crazy young man. At the very least, after he returned to his Sect, if anyone asked him about it, he would be able to give an excuse. However, he wasn’t sure what kind of punishment he would receive. Perhaps he would have to forfeit his share of resources for the next year. At the thought of missing his important Source Condensing Pills, he felt dejected.
Just then, Yang Kai landed a fist on Xiang Fei’s chest, causing him to be terrified. Upon realising that he hadn’t been hurt, he said with a crying face, “Senior Brother, please stop scaring me.”
“Tell me more about Su Yan. If your information is useful, I’ll give you some benefits.”
[As long as you stop involving me, I won’t ask for anything else!] Xiang Fei wasn’t sure whether it would be a blessing or disaster to bring this man to Red Clouds Sect. This man was apparently close to Su Yan, and he was probably one of her admirers. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried to pry more information out of him about her. Moreover, he was clearly very powerful, so he was bound to fall into a conflict with those from Red Clouds Sect.
After giving it a thought, Xiang Fei realised that this matter actually had nothing to do with him though. Every man loved beautiful women, but most of them couldn’t obtain one, so they could only drool over them from afar. If Yang Kai were to make a scene at the Sect, he would be the one who would be taught a lesson.
With this thought in mind, Xiang Fei began telling Yang Kai what he knew.
In fact, he knew very little about Su Yan. Although Red Clouds Sect wasn’t one of the top Sects in the Ancestral Domain, it was still second class. There were more than a thousand disciples in the Sect, so people who weren’t familiar with each other would rarely come into contact. Most of his understanding of Su Yan came from hearsay.
Whether or not the news was true, Yang Kai kept a smile on his face as he listened to him, as though he was able to personally go through what Su Yan had experienced over the years.
“By the way, not long after Senior Sister Su Yan joined our Sect, she was taken in as a disciple by Elder Ruan. I heard that Elder Ruan had been extremely adamant at the time and raised a huge fuss. It’s because of this incident that Senior Sister Su became famous in our Sect.”
“Is Elder Ruan a man or a woman?”
“S-she’s a woman. Elder Ruan is the oldest and most seasoned Elder in our Sect!” Xiang Fei felt that a cold glint had flashed across Yang Kai’s gaze when the latter asked that question. However, after he took one more look, he realised there wasn’t any trace of hostility left in his eyes anymore, so he wondered if he had seen it wrong.
Yang Kai laughed and patted Xiang Fei’s shoulder hard, “Your Elder Ruan indeed has an acute vision.”
“Haha…” Xiang Fei pursed his lips and smiled, “Elder Ruan is a peculiar person. We wouldn’t dare to go near the Spirit Peak where she resides. Although she’s an Elder of Red Clouds Sect, she rarely gets involved in the Sect’s matters and she had never taken in any disciple before Su Yan. That was why after she decided to take in Senior Sister Su, the news caused an uproar in the Sect.”
After Yang Kai listened to Xiang Fei’s narration, the image of a peculiar, temperamental, and wrinkled old lady sprang into his mind. Nevertheless, he was grateful for this Elder whom he had never met before.
It was Su Yan’s good fortune to come across a Master who treated her well and cared for her. Otherwise, given her beauty, she would’ve attracted a lot of trouble after she joined the Sect. There were many talented people out there, so why was she able to reach the Dao Source Realm in just five years? Ultimately, it must be thanks to Elder Ruan’s support. It would take lots of Source Condensing Pills for anyone who wished to reach the Dao Source Realm. Su Yan had come to this place without any resources on her, so how was she able to collect so many pills?
The conversation went on while they were on the way. Xiang Fei racked his brain for anything knew about Su Yan; however, Yang Kai was still not satisfied as he kept pressing for more information from him. He was like a starving person who demanded someone else to give him more food.
Xiang Fei had nothing to say, but he didn’t dare to offend Yang Kai, so he felt rather miserable as he thought, [What kind of person is this?]
Gritting his teeth, he decided to tell him something that was supposed to be shocking, “Senior Sister Su has many admirers in the Sect.”
It was apparent to him that this young man must be close to Su Yan, and was likely an admirer of hers. Earlier, he avoided talking about Su Yan’s personal life because he was worried that he might irritate the young man.
Now that he had nothing else to say, he had no choice but to talk about it. [You’re basically asking for trouble, so you can’t blame me!]
Unexpectedly, Yang Kai only smiled at him in response as he appeared unperturbed.
He had guessed this point even before Xiang Fei told him about it. In fact, it would be strange if Su Yan didn’t have many admirers. However, she wouldn’t favour any man in this world. To Yang Kai, those admirers couldn’t even be considered his rivals.
Seeing that he was unfazed, Xiang Fei went on to say, “Most men have given up. After all, Senior Sister Su is Elder Ruan’s only disciple, so they wouldn’t dare to keep pestering her. After they were rejected, they would tactfully back off. But there is one person…”
“What? Is there such a shameless man?”
“I’ll tell you about it, but don’t tell anyone you’ve heard it from me.” Xiang Fei lowered his voice as he looked around.
“Just spill it!”
“Our Young Sect Master is very fond of Senior Sister Su. He’s announced to everyone in public that he will marry her.”
“What!?” Yang Kai was enraged as his expression turned hideous. His calmness from earlier vanished completely.
[Damn it! If I ever come across that man, I’ll beat him up until his mother can’t recognize him anymore! I don’t care if he admires Su Yan, but he shouldn’t have made such an announcement in public! How shameless!]
Red Clouds Mountain was a beautiful place that was covered in forests and rivers. The mountain range was long and wavy. Birds and animals could be seen roaming, making the atmosphere refreshing and peaceful.
Outside the entrance of the mountain, the Star Shuttle landed on the ground, upon which the disciples, who were responsible for guarding the mountain, stepped forward and stared at Xiang Fei in shock, “Senior Brother Xiang, why are you back? Who are they?”
Although Xiang Fei had no backer in Red Clouds Sect and he wasn’t favoured by the Elders, he was still a Third-Order Origin King. That was why these disciples wouldn’t dare to be disrespectful to him.
Xiang Fei hesitated for a moment as he didn’t know how to explain himself. He had already broken the rules by coming back to the Sect without permission. If he wanted to go in, he had to give an explanation to these disciples so that they could inform the Elders about it.
The other disciples looked doubtfully at Xiang Fei as they didn’t know what he was hesitating for.
“We’re looking for someone!” Yang Kai was eager to meet Su Yan, so he didn’t want to waste any time. He waved his hand to sweep the disciples away and stepped into the place.
Xiang Fei’s heart skipped a beat when he saw that. [Damn it! I knew that things were going to be messy, but I didn’t expect that this guy would be so impatient! If we politely asked, we would be able to get in without any trouble, so why is he being so rude and charging forward directly? Because of him, I might be regarded as colluding with outsiders to break into the Sect! Should I run away now? If I don’t run away, I’ll be punished by the Elders. However, where can I go if I choose to run away?]
At the thought of this, he clenched his teeth and raced after Yang Kai before pleading, “Senior Brother, please wait!”
He Yun Xiang immediately blocked his way and put on a smile, “Many thanks for your help so far. Take this bottle of pills as your reward. You may leave now.” After tossing a bottle of pills at him, she ran after Yang Kai.
The disciples were startled for a moment before they came to their senses. One of them hurriedly took out a communication artifact and infused his Divine Sense into it. A moment later, deafening alarms from Red Clouds Sect started ringing out.
Xiang Fei turned ashen as he fell on his bottom. The bottle of pills in his hand seemed to have become scorching hot.
Following that, beams of lights could be seen rising from the Sect and heading to the entrance from all directions.
Soon, Yang Kai came across the first hurdle, the Sect Defending Array.
Every Sect had their own Sect Defending Array, but it wouldn’t be activated fully in normal times. However, it would still provide detection and alarm functions in a passive state. Without permission or special methods, it was almost impossible for anyone to pass through this barrier. During a war, a Sect Defending Array could even be turned into a powerful shield.
Yang Kai had no choice but to stop in his tracks because there was an invisible wall in front of him.
*Shua shua shua…*
Many figures appeared around Yang Kai and glowered at him. Although Red Clouds Sect wasn’t one of the top great forces, it wasn’t so weak it could be bullied at will. The man before their eyes was trying to enter without permission, so it was apparent that he had no regard for their Sect at all. This was a taboo for any Sect because this was a sign of hostility.
“Stop right there! Identify yourself!” A red-faced man at the front growled. This person was in the First-Order Dao Source Realm, so he was obviously one of the important Masters in this Sect. It seemed that he was holding a major position, and he was probably an Elder.
Yang Kai frowned not because he was blocked by the Sect Defending Array or that he was surrounded by so many people, but because he couldn’t sense Su Yan’s aura in Red Clouds Sect.
In the past, he and Su Yan had shared a fortuitous encounter where they obtained the Yin-Yang Joyous Unification Art and the Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Empress inheritance. They became a couple after that moment and formed a kind of inextricable link between their Souls. As such, as long as they were within a certain distance, they would be able to sense each other.
Red Clouds Mountain was only a few hundred kilometres in diameter, so if Su Yan was here, he should have been able to sense her. Since there was no induction, it meant that Su Yan wasn’t in Red Clouds Sect.
[Is it just a misunderstanding, then? Does she just share the same name? Is the Su Yan in Red Clouds Sect not the one I know and love? However, according to Xiang Fei’s descriptions, that woman must be the one I’ve been longing for. Maybe Su Yan isn’t in Red Clouds Sect at the moment. En, that’s possible.]
The red-faced man was indeed an Elder of the Red Clouds Sect, but in front of so many disciples, his question was completely ignored, so he was rather furious. Then, he scanned them with Divine Sense and realised that one of the invaders was a Third-Order Origin King while the other two didn’t show any signs of cultivation. What shocked him though was that there was a little girl who was about seven or eight years old in this group.
[Has this family of three come out for a walk and lost their way or something?]
“Are you deaf? Did you not hear my question?” The red-faced man bellowed.
It was then that Yang Kai turned to look at him and raised his hand, upon which an illusory phantom appeared above the void, which looked so lively that it was as though it was a real Human. Her long hair waved in an invisible wind as her delicate gaze and alluring smile caused everyone to fall into a dazed state.
Yang Kai stared at the red-faced man and asked, “Is this woman in your noble Sect?”
Before the red-faced man could answer that question, the other disciples broke into commotion.
“Isn’t that…”
“Senior Sister Su?”
“She looks like Senior Sister Su. No, that’s exactly her!”
“My goodness. Senior Sister Su’s smile is so charming!”
The image of Su Yan that Yang Kai had formed using his Qi was her appearance that he remembered in his mind. However, these disciples had never seen Su Yan’s smile before. Her dispassionate temperament earned her the title of ‘Ice Fairy’. At this moment, these people almost couldn’t recognise her.
[Who is this person? Why was he able to see Senior Sister Su Yan smile?] At that instant, all of them felt furious and found the young man before them loathsome. [Why was he so lucky?]
The answer was pretty obvious now as Yang Kai listened to their chatters. He heaved a sigh of relief and asked, “Where is she?”
“Who are you!?” Having been ignored by Yang Kai several times, the red-faced man was infuriated.
“Where is she!?” Yang Kai stared at him and growled.
The red-faced man was so angered that he broke into laughter, “Why should I tell you?”
With a loud boom, the mountain shook as the Sect Defending Array in front of Yang Kai shattered into pieces and disappeared from everyone’s sight.
Then, Yang Kai withdrew his fist and uttered calmly, “Today, I am feeling a little impatient, so please forgive me if my behaviour is abrupt.” As he spoke, he stepped forward and instantly arrived in front of the red-faced man.
The red-faced man was still reeling from the shock when he was confronted by an intense aura. When he raised his head and saw that Yang Kai was only a few centimetres away from him, he couldn’t help but step backwards and question in a vigilant manner, “What do you want?”
Yang Kai had managed to destroy their Sect’s barrier with a single punch. Although their Sect Defending Array wasn’t running at maximum capacity, it should have been impossible for anyone to break it with such ease. Moreover, from beginning to end, this young man had not exuded any kind of energy fluctuation, so how was he able to do that with pure brute force?
Following that, Yang Kai grabbed his collar and questioned, “Are you deaf or dumb? I’ve asked you many times already. Where is she!? Tell me!”
The red-faced man was soon covered in spit, causing his rage to win out over his cautiousness, “Stop being so arrogant! You are now in Red Clouds Sect! If you’re clever, leave this place immediately, otherwise, you’ll regret it for the rest of your short life!”
Yang Kai had showcased incredible brute force, but as an Elder of the Sect, the red-faced man couldn’t appear weak. They had more than a thousand disciples in the Sect, and there were more than ten Dao Source Realm cultivators serving as Elders and Protectors. The Sect Master was even a Second-Order Dao Source Realm Master. If Yang Kai dared to make a scene here, they would be sure to make him leave this place on his back.
Moreover, after Yang Kai broke the Spirit Array, the red-faced man had secretly sent a message to the Elders and the Sect Master, so they should already be on their way.
Just then, a beam of cold light approached Yang Kai and turned into a long sabre before it slashed at him.
Yang Kai just flicked his finger at the spine of the sabre, upon which it flashed and was sent flying backwards. Following that, an old man grabbed the weapon as his face contorted as he felt that the spirituality of his artifact had been greatly damaged.
[Who is this young man?]
*Shua shua shua…*
More powerful auras appeared as eight people showed up. When the Sect’s disciples saw these people, they immediately turned respectful. These were all Dao Source Realm Masters as well as the Elders of the Sect. Normally, it would be quite hard to meet any one of them, but at this moment, so many of them had shown up in one place. Besides the Elders who were currently outside the Sect, basically all the powerhouses of the Red Clouds Sect had gathered.
Just then, a man in black clothes stepped forward as his long sleeves flapped in the wind. He appeared authoritative, and his aura was stronger than the others.
“Sect Master!” The man in black nodded slightly as all of them saluted him.
He was the Sect Master of Red Clouds Sect, Han Zheng Yuan. Since the Sect Defending Array had been damaged, he had to personally look into it without needing the red-faced man to inform him about it.
When he saw that a young man was clenching an Elder’s collar, his expression darkened.
“Let go!” The red-faced man sneered as he glared at Yang Kai with his sharp gaze.
By now, Yang Kai had calmed down slightly. He was partly responsible for this farce, as he became agitated since Su Yan was involved. Then, he released the red-faced man as he was told.
Upon seeing that, those from Red Clouds Sect thought that he was afraid. The red-faced man arrogantly scoffed at him before he turned to look at Han Zheng Yuan and cupped his fists, “Sect Master.”
At the very least, the red-faced man didn’t embarrass their Sect and still appeared very confident.
Han Zheng Yuan nodded and shifted his attention to Yang Kai, “May I ask who Your Excellency is and what your purpose here is?”
Yang Kai replied, “It doesn’t matter what my name is. I’m here to look for someone.”
“Who?”
“Su Yan!”
With a frown, Han Zheng Yuan questioned, “What’s your relationship with her?”
Yang Kai uttered, “I’m her husband!”
After he finished speaking, all of them broke into commotion. All the disciples were dumbfounded as they looked at Yang Kai as though he was a fool. Su Yan had been in the Sect for more than twenty years, but they had never heard that she had a husband. It was already quite rare for her to speak to a man, so how was it possible that her husband would appear all of a sudden? They first denied this statement and then became furious.
Su Yan was a popular figure in the Sect as many of the male disciples were fond of her. Certainly, they’d be enraged if a man came out of nowhere and claimed to be her husband. They felt that this guy had blasphemed the goddess of their hearts, so they were all eager to charge forward and rip him apart to soothe their anger.
“Lies!” Before Han Zheng Yuan could even reply to him, a young man suddenly stepped forward and scolded Yang Kai.
Yang Kai turned his head and saw a clean-looking man. His skin was fair, and his figure was thin. Although he was an Origin King, his aura was fairly unstable. Apparently, his foundation wasn’t solid, indicating that he had reached his current cultivation only with the help of many pills and precious treasures.
Upon a closer look, Yang Kai realised that the man looked similar to Han Zheng Yuan, so he immediately knew who he was.