The space around them shattered. At the same time, several Dead Stars nearby exploded and turned into rubble flying in all directions. The rage of a Star Field Master could affect the entire Star Field.
A Dragon Roar rang out, resounding throughout the Heavens. In the midst of the disorientation, a burst of golden light was released and a Golden Dragon appeared out of nowhere. Its Dragon’s Eyes were imposing as they looked down on the world. All living creatures were nothing but ants in its eyes. Shaking its head and flicking its tail, the Golden Dragon rushed towards the green giant palm.
“Dragon Language!?” The feather-crowned man’s expression changed drastically. He was extremely amazed and shocked. He had heard that obscure and complicated language once before. It was undoubtedly the Dragon Language. Besides, that Great Dragon shining with a golden light was definitely one of the Dragon Clan’s Secret Techniques.
[What is going on!?]
“What’s the relationship between you and the Dragon Clan?” He burst out. The green giant palm paused for a moment in mid-air.
Even if Yang Kai was a Star Field Master, he had the right to kill him since Yang Kai had provoked him. At most, he would receive some light punishment upon his return to the Star Court; however, he had to proceed carefully if this young man in front of him turned out to be related to the Dragon Clan.
The Dragon Clan was extremely arrogant, and such arrogance meant that they were extremely protective of their own. In other words, it meant that they would never forget a grudge. Offending a member of the Dragon Clan was equivalent to offending all of Dragon Island. Even he did not have the confidence to face the fury of Dragon Island. As far as he knew, whether it was the Dragon Language or the Dragon Clan’s Secret Technique, those were things that only Pureblood Dragons had the right to learn and could learn. It was basically impossible for those with the Half-Dragon bloodlines to comprehend the intricacies within the obscure Dragon Language.
[Could it be possible… That this boy did not cultivate some sort of Secret Technique that allowed him to transform into a Half-Dragon? Could he actually be a member of the Dragon Clan!?] The moment he heard Yang Kai’s Dragon Language Secret Technique, he immediately became fearful and subconsciously reduced the power of his Divine Ability by a considerable amount.
Yang Kai was overjoyed at the sight and immediately understood the reason behind this change, secretly thinking to himself, [The words ‘Dragon Clan’ sure make for powerful protection! They can even scare a man like this. Their reputation sure precedes them.]
There was no way he was going to explain himself to the feather-crowned man of course as any negligence would result in death in a life-or-death battle, much less in a situation where he was weaker than his opponent in the first place.
In the midst of the Dragon Roar, the Golden Great Dragon slammed into the green giant palm. Two waves of energy clashed against each other, and be it the green giant palm or the Golden Dragon, they were both stuck in a strange stalemate. Both green and golden lights intertwined around each other, and an invisible wave of energy spread into the surroundings with a loud explosion.
Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
[That was dangerous! Fortunately, that old dog held back slightly just now, otherwise, I would be no match for him at all.]
“Boy, answer my question!” The feather-crowned man shouted authoritatively.
Yang Kai glared at the feather-crowned man so hard that his eyes were about to pop, urgently summoning all the Dragon Aura within his body as he roared, “What’s so great about the Dragon Clan!? I’m the man who is going to become the Dragon Emperor!”
The feather-crowned man was taken aback by the words that left Yang Kai’s mouth. [Dragon Emperor!? That’s the highest title a Dragon can ever achieve!]
Although Dragon Island currently had two Masters on par with Great Elders overseeing their clan, even Great Elder Zhu Yan was not qualified to claim the title of Dragon Emperor.
[Shameless boasting!] The feather-crowned man suddenly felt amused as he secretly mocked himself in his heart. [I was being overly cautious. Even if this boy was lucky enough to come across the opportunity to learn the Dragon Clan’s Secret Technique, it doesn’t mean that he is related to the Dragon Clan. How could someone like him be from the Dragon Clan?]
Even so, the situation did not feel that simple.
*Kachaca…*
The sound of bones cracking entered the feather-crowned man’s ears, and looking in the direction of the sound, his eyes narrowed abruptly.
Yang Kai, who was originally 200 metres long, suddenly became substantially taller, his figure rising to a full 250 metres long in the blink of an eye. Not only did he become taller, but the Dragon Clan features on the surface of his body also became more distinct than before. The Dragon Horns on his head had gotten longer, the Dragon Scales covering his body became fuller, his facial features squirmed and completely transformed into a gigantic Dragon Head, and his Golden Dragon Eyes were filled with an arrogant aloofness that looked at all the living creatures in the world as though they were beneath him.
Under the tremendous pressure he faced, Yang Kai’s Dragon Transformation Secret Art advanced again. Moreover, it was a huge leap forward. The Dragon Blood in his body seemed to flow even more joyfully than before and he could vaguely feel that even his vision and mentality had undergone a subtle change, birthing a compulsive sense of superiority in his mind.
The Dragon Clan claimed to be the strongest among all the living creatures and the head of all Divine Spirits. Although it was a self-proclaimed title, there was no living creature in the world that could object to it. That was because nobody in the world had the right to refute those claims. Any member of the Dragon Clan was inherently prideful and treated everything and everyone with contempt.
Looking into that pair of majestic Dragon Eyes, the feather-crowned man involuntarily felt his heart rate increasing as ripples of uncertainty washed over him.
After Yang Kai’s Dragon Transformation Secret Art made a breakthrough, the power of the Dragon Clan’s Secret Technique seemed to soar as well, and the original stalemate between golden and green light immediately tilted in his favour.
The feather-crowned man gritted his teeth and increased his strength in response, taking quite a lot of effort to offset Yang Kai’s sudden counterattack.
“Divine Dragon Tail Sweep!” Yang Kai shouted, and though his body did not move, the Dragon Tail behind him whipped out and struck in the direction of that feather-crowned man.
As if in a trance, the feather-crowned man felt a terrifying force sweep towards him, and by the time he reacted and tried to dodge, the Dragon Tail had already slammed into his body.
He was completely caught off guard by the Dragon Tail that came sweeping towards him seemingly ignoring the barriers of space. Furthermore, it was so swift and powerful that he had no chance to block it.
His entire being felt as though he had been hit by a Star and he couldn’t help grunting as the sound of bones breaking came from his body. Fortunately, he had prepared some defences in advance, so he was not sent flying this time around. Nevertheless, that attack had undoubtedly and completely angered him.
Gritting his teeth, he roared, “Do you really think I don’t dare to kill you!?”
After being humiliated so many times, the feather-crowned man didn’t even care anymore if this boy was a member of the Dragon Clan. This was a Lower Star Field, so even if he killed Yang Kai here, the Dragon Clan might not be able to prove anything. He might have some scruples over angering the Dragon Clan, but that did not mean he would silently endure such humiliation over and over again.
Power erupted from the feather-crowned man’s body while, at the same time, the green giant palm that had been struggling against the Golden Great Dragon all this while pressed down violently again.
Another Dragon Roar rang out, but even so, the Golden Dragon was overwhelmed and soon collapsed, allowing the giant palm to crash down on Yang Kai’s head, sealing space on all sides and preventing him from escaping.
At that critical moment of life or death, the frenzied look on Yang Kai’s face disappeared, and instead, he appeared incredibly calm.
When their gazes met, the feather-crowned man felt his heart clenching as a sense of unease gripped him, it felt as though something terrifying would occur if his palm strike were to land on its target. It was accompanied by a sense of crisis in his heart. Still, he had already committed himself to the battle, so how could he back down now? Gritting his teeth, he hardened his resolve.
[Die!]
All of a sudden, a slender jade white hand appeared out of thin air and gently blocked the feather-crowned man’s palm strike from reaching Yang Kai.
“Enough!” A cold voice rang out, one that was clear and pleasant to the ears, like a babbling spring. The voice was soft, but it contained a dignity and authority that could not be questioned.
Then, a graceful figure slowly emerged to stand beside the feather-crowned man.
Yang Kai’s eyes widened as he stared at the person who had appeared out of nowhere with a blank look. That person was dressed in gold and had a red-gold Phoenix Coronet on her head; a pair of Phoenix Wings were spread out behind her like she was about to take flight; her black hair was tied into a neat bun behind her head; a red plum blossom mark stood out between her eyebrows; her starry eyes were bright and beautiful; her nose was exquisite; her skin was delicate, flawless, and as white as snow; and her figure was enchanting. The gold outfit that would seem gaudy and vulgar on most gave off an inexhaustible grace and nobility when worn on her instead.
“Yang…” Yang Kai began to utter; however, he didn’t dare to identify her and simply froze in place as a result. Meanwhile, the green giant palm, which was about to land on his head, dissipated, the remaining power fizzling out and fading into nothingness.
The feather-crowned man turned his head to look at this newcomer and frowned when he saw her face clearly. Although he had met her many times before, he was still amazed by her every single time. In the path toward the peak of the Martial Dao, the number of females decreased with increasing cultivation. The most obvious example of this was Flower Shadow Great Emperor, who was the only woman among the Ten Great Emperors while the rest were men. It wasn’t that women had a lower aptitude for cultivation compared to men, it was just that women were more susceptible to distractions, especially when it came to romance.
Many young women became enamoured with young men and became troubled because of love, causing their cultivation to stagnate. Ultimately, it led to the end result where women were fewer among those with higher cultivation. On the other hand, the woman in front of him was one of those few people who could rival him, an existence close to the Ten Great Emperors, qualified to stand on an equal footing with him.
The feather-crowned man had high cultivation and status, so he could afford to look down on Yang Kai and even go so far as to secretly kill off a suspected member of the Dragon Clan, but even so, he had no choice but to face this woman seriously.
“What are you doing here?” He asked.
The woman smiled back lightly and asked, “What’s wrong? Why can’t I be here?”
He pondered for a moment and nodded, “That’s true. This Star Field is under your jurisdiction after all.”
She said, “That’s right. A Star Field Master appeared in my Star Field, so it’s only right that I come over to take a look. Otherwise, he might have died at your hands.”
He snorted, “He is the one with a death wish.”
Yang Kai immediately felt displeased upon hearing those words. He immediately retracted his gaze from the woman and lifted his chin at the feather-crowned man in a smug posture, “If you’re not happy with the results, we can have a rematch. Let’s settle who is stronger between us!”
The feather-crowned man’s expression sank before he sneered, “You should rejoice for escaping with your life. If you dare make another sound…”
“What are you going to do?”
The feather-crowned man flicked his sleeves and snorted, “Forget it. I won’t stoop to your level.”
Now that this woman was here, he couldn’t act against this young man anymore. The only reason he decided to kill this young man was that nobody would know about it; however, there were witnesses now. His intention to get rid of Yang Kai once and for all had to be shelved as a result. What’s more, this woman would not stand idly by if he attacked Yang Kai. This Star Field was under her management after all. In short, things were going to have to end here today.
“Return my Star Severing Sword to me. Then, we’ll consider today’s matter settled!” The feather-crowned man crossed his arms behind his back aloofly and glared at Yang Kai coldly.
[So it’s called the Star Severing Sword,] Yang Kai’s brow twitched but he looked to the side as if he had not heard the feather-crowned man.
The veins in the feather-crowned man’s forehead bulged as he shouted, “Boy, I’m talking to you! Have you gone deaf!?”
“What did you say? I can’t hear you!” Yang Kai tilted his Dragon Head to the side and put one hand on his ear while shouting loudly.
[What a joke! This guy is the one who appeared out of nowhere to stand up for Wu Heng for some reason and even picked a fight with me! Now, he wants me to return his Star Severing Sword!? He can go and screw himself!] The feather-crowned man wasn’t the only one who was upset, Yang Kai was upset too. [My rescue sure arrived at an untimely moment. It’s a little too early!]
If the feather-crowned man knew what Yang Kai was thinking at this moment, he would surely mock him for being overconfident again.
[In any case, that Star Severing Sword is my trophy. I can’t return it to him. En, I might consider it if he gets down on his knees and begged me though.]
“Peace reigns throughout the land, but foolish people create trouble for themselves. Did you really think I can’t get my Star Severing Sword back myself?” The feather-crowned man looked at Yang Kai coldly before glancing at Gun-Gun that was hovering nearby.
Gun-Gun had not been able to contribute in this fight, but that wasn’t because Yang Kai was deliberately hiding Gun-Gun’s abilities. It was just that the Star Severing Sword was rampaging in the Small Sealed World after being swallowed by Gun-Gun. Gun-Gun needed to mobilize the power of the entire Small Sealed World just to keep it under control, but there were still signs that it was not fully suppressed. The slightest bit of carelessness could cause great damage to the Small Sealed World.
Yang Kai was about to speak when the woman said, “Leave this to me.”
The feather-crowned man glanced at her and nodded gently, “Good!” He could not contradict her words now that she had spoken up.
Then, the woman turned around and studied Yang Kai.
Yang Kai thought he saw her winking at him when their eyes met, but it felt like an illusion. A pleasant voice then sounded in his mind, “You need to return the Star Severing Sword.”
Yang Kai frowned, “Can’t I keep it?”
That sword was extremely peculiar. It could sever the connection between him and Heng Luo Star Field. Besides, the only reason he could confront the feather-crowned man was thanks to the injury the latter sustained when the Star Severing Sword was swallowed by Gun-Gun. Yang Kai had the feeling that if he had not done that, he would have lost a long time ago.
“You can’t keep it. The Star Severing Sword doesn’t belong to him, it belongs to the Star Court. I have one too. They are assigned to all Star Envoys. If you forcefully hold on to it, you will make the entire Star Court your enemy.”
“It’s something that belongs to the Star Court!?” Surprised, Yang Kai excitedly asked, “So it’ll be a disaster for him if I refuse to return it, right?”
She was visibly stunned as she clearly did not expect him to come up with such ideas. Generally speaking, most people would immediately think of returning the Star Severing Sword once they learn that it belonged to the Star Court; the weak could not contend with the strong after all. Contrarily, Yang Kai’s thinking was focused on another outcome entirely.
Failing to stifle her laughter, she commented, “That’s right. He will be severely punished and his identity as a Star Envoy might even be revoked.” Then, she turned the conversation around, “But, you won’t feel any better.”
“Alright, alright!” Yang Kai agreed reluctantly.
As a Star Envoy, losing the sword issued by the Star Court was a serious dereliction of duty, but in the same vein, Yang Kai stealing a Star Severing Sword would also be an open display of contempt towards the Star Court.
“Do you trust me? If you do, leave this to me. I won’t let you suffer a loss.”
“Of course I trust you.” [How can I not trust you? As long as you really are her.]
“Good. I’m going to negotiate with him for a bit.”
“Butcher him mercilessly!” He encouraged.
With a smile, she turned to the feather-crowned man and communicated with him. Their Divine Senses surged during the exchange and Yang Kai did not know what they were talking about, but the feather-crowned man’s expression changed constantly. It was solemn at times and angry at others. Furthermore, he shook his head constantly. It was clear that the woman had given him conditions that were unacceptable to him, which pleased Yang Kai to no end.
The battle started out as a fight between two Star Field Masters, and in the end, it even involved two Star Envoys.
[Does that mean I have a backer too?] Yang Kai glanced at that familiar yet unfamiliar face, his thoughts swirling in his head. [It makes sense when I think about it. She came to this Star Field before in the past, so it’s only natural for her to govern it as a Star Envoy.]
Yang Kai quietly dispelled his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique and returned to his original size. Finally able to relax, a wave of exhaustion immediately washed over him, and the pain in his left hand was utterly unbearable.
The battle today might not have gone on for long, but it had been extremely dangerous. Despite being a Star Field Master, Yang Kai couldn’t enjoy the advantages of fighting in his own territory at all. He had relied on his own strength throughout the entire battle. Fortunately, his Dragon Transformation Secret Art had undergone a breakthrough, so it was not totally without gain.
Urging his strength to heal the injury on his left arm, Yang Kai quietly waited for the results, and after a while, the woman smiled at Yang Kai and held out her hand, “Hand it over.”
Yang Kai naturally understood what she was referring to and quickly communicated with the Small Sealed World, causing Gun-Gun to open its large mouth. Following that, a flash of sword light instantly shot out of its mouth as swiftly as lightning and a terrifying Sword Qi slashed toward him. Nevertheless, the look of derision on his face did not change.
The Star Severing Sword abruptly turned away from him at the last moment and circled around him once before landing in the hands of the feather-crowned man.
On the other hand, the feather-crowned man looked livid. He returned his sword into its sheath then cupped his fists at the woman, “I’ll be going ahead.” Turning around, he stepped into the darkness behind him and disappeared in the blink of an eye. From start to finish, he did not learn Yang Kai’s name. Similarly, Yang Kai did not know his name either; even so, they had formed an enmity with each other by pure coincidence.
After the feather-crowned man left, the woman turned around and looked at Yang Kai with a smile.
Yang Kai grinned back at her. Striding forward, he rushed over to her and looked her up and down, as if to get to know her all over again.
Then, the woman stopped smiling, her pretty face filling with rage as she shouted, “How dare you cultivate the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!? Tell me; how do you want to die? I’ll grant you the mercy of a swift death!”
Stunned, Yang Kai suddenly felt as though the woman in front of him had become extremely unfamiliar and he couldn’t help wondering if she really was the person he knew.
“Enough!” Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Yang Kai opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace without giving her a chance to refuse.
Her long eyelashes fluttered as she blinked several times, her bright eyes filled with astonishment. Not having expected such a situation to occur, she allowed him to hug her before she realized what was happening.
Fortunately, he was not hugging her out of lust. This wasn’t a display of intimacy between a man and a woman, it was simply a hug between old friends to commemorate their reunion after such a long separation.
A slender jade-white hand swiftly lifted and pressed against his chest, pushing him away. That hand was delicate yet conveyed in a powerful force. Separated by an arm’s length now, he smiled carelessly and complained, “Yang Yan, do you know how hard it has been to find you?”
Yang Yan tilted her head and asked, “Yang Yan? Who is that? I don’t know who that is!”
Yang Kai nodded repeatedly, “I almost couldn’t recognize you either.”
Back then, she had an extremely introverted personality and wore a black robe all the time, even covering her head with a veil and shawl, seemingly afraid that people might see her true appearance. After meeting her again several dozen years later, who could have imagined that she would have such a graceful and luxurious side to her? That noble temperament of hers almost made Yang Kai believe that he had mistaken her for another person.
All of a sudden, he couldn’t help but recall the scene when she plunged into his arms in fright, causing him to involuntarily glance down below her neck.
“What nonsense are you thinking about?” She reached out and knocked her knuckles against his head as if she could perceive his thoughts. It made a soft thud, and he rubbed that sore bump on his forehead while complaining, “Why did you hit me? Be careful, or I might get mad at you.”
She glared at him, “Go ahead and try.”
Smiling cheekily, he said, “I-I was just saying. Don’t take it so seriously. En… Oh, right! Are you a Star Envoy of the Star Court too? Does that mean that you returned to the Star Court after we separated back then?”
“That’s right.”
“No wonder,” He nodded. [No wonder she handed Lin Yun’er to the Iron Blood Great Emperor. She is a Star Envoy of the Star Court, and the Iron Blood Great Emperor is the current Great Emperor overseeing the Star Court. It’s easy for them to communicate with each other since they are working together, but it looks like the Iron Blood Great Emperor isn’t very serious about his duties and doesn’t remain at the Star Court much. Otherwise, Lin Yun’er would not have been out of contact with Yang Yan for so many years.]
Yang Kai suddenly clenched his fists and asked, “If you were in the Star Boundary, why didn’t you come and look for me!?”
She wondered, “Are you my son? Why would I look for you?”
He staggered backwards at those words and looked at her sadly, “How ruthless and cold. Sure enough; there’s nothing more poisonous than a woman’s heart!”
Brushing her hair back behind her ear, she lifted her eyes to stare at him, “What kind of relationship do we have between us?”
Yang Kai waved his hands dismissively, “Alright, let’s not mention the past. The past is in the past. Let’s talk about the present instead. That bastard just now mentioned that a Star Envoy is in charge of numerous Star Fields, does that mean that, as a Star Field Master, I have to accept your authority?”
[It’s nice to have somebody supporting me, but I don’t like being controlled. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like I’ll have much choice in the matter.]
Yang Yan patted his chest in response, “Good. From now on, I am your immediate superior. Little brat, you seem quite promising, so you better be dutiful towards me in the future, and I will support you well in return.”
Yang Kai widened his eyes and reached out to squeeze her neck with all his strength to throttle her back and forth, “What happened to the Yang Yan I know! Hurry up and return that Yang Yan to me!”
[The Yang Yan of the past was the best! Why is she like a totally different person now!?]
In that moment of chaos, she glared at him furiously, “Take your dirty paws off of me!”
He immediately released his hold on her and rubbed his chin nonchalantly like nothing had just happened, “Forget it, forget it. This isn’t that bad either. If any fool comes again to bother me, I’ll just use your name as a shield.”
Although he was subjected to their control and restraint, at least he wouldn’t be bullied by another Star Envoy again like what happened previously. His expression changed as he asked, “Can I get a Star Severing Sword too?”
Yang Yan brushed her neck and tidied her hair before speaking with great contempt, “In your dreams. It’s a sword assigned only to Star Envoys. A trivial Star Field Master like you… Don’t even dream about touching it. You should look at yourself in the mirror first! Hahahahaha!”
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched and he strongly regretted not strangling her to death just now. At the very least, he could have kept his favourable impression of her as a beautiful memory in his heart. Sighing, he asked, “So, what benefits do I get if I accept the authority of the Star Court?”
She spread both hands out in a slight shrug with her palms facing upward, “Nothing.”
“I refuse!” He resolutely declared.
“Sorry, you can’t refuse. Star Field Masters who are not bound and governed by the Star Court are generally deprived of their qualifications.”
Clenching his fists, he protested, “You’re just a bunch of bullies! You don’t even give me any benefits, so why should I obey you?”
She glanced sideways at him, “Do you think you are visiting a brothel or something? Bullies? Good, it’s not like there’s no way to get out of being restrained.”
“How do I do that?” His eyes brightened at those words.
“Just become a Great Emperor yourself.”
He cursed under his breath.
“What did you say?” Yang Yan glared at Yang Kai.
“Nothing.” Yang Kai sniffed and heroically said, “Forget it. I will accept that authority or whatever for the sake of this Star Field. As the saying goes, ‘I am but a small sacrifice for the greater good’. Heh. I am such a magnanimous person.”
You guys already know since the previous chapter… Well, I changed my decision after Yang Kai thought, ‘if you really are her’.
The biggest part of the reason that Yang Kai resigned to his fate so quickly was that his immediate superior was none other than Yang Yan. If it had been the feather-crowned man from earlier instead, he would not have been so easy-going.
Yang Yan gazed at him strangely, “What in the world do you want to do in this Star Field? Why are you so against the Star Court’s authority?”
“What can I do with it?”
She laughed, “You really don’t need to act like this. It might be labelled as control, but nobody actually cares about it. You are the Star Field’s Master. You can do whatever you want here. Of course, the only thing you cannot do is… Destroy Star Fields!” At the end, her voice suddenly became low and her beautiful eyes looked at the boundless darkness with a solemn look.
Yang Kai hurriedly changed the subject, “I understand. By the way, how did you show up at such a timely moment? Could it be that you were monitoring the Star Field all this time?”
“Not really. It was a coincidence.” She might be in charge of Heng Luo Star Field, but she couldn’t pay attention to it at all times. Not to mention, monitoring Heng Luo Star Field while she was in the Star Court required immense effort. How could she spare so much time and effort to do so? It was just that the feather-crowned man had received a summon and came down to Grand Desolation Star Field. Noticing that, Yang Yan inadvertently looked at the situation in Heng Luo Star Field and discovered Yang Kai’s presence. In the end, she had no choice but to come down and shelter him.
Even so… She had the feeling that Yang Kai had a hidden trump card and would not have died from that attack even if she did nothing just now. He might even have the power to fight back.
[I can’t believe he grew this much in just a few dozen years!]
Back then, she deliberately left him to his own devices rather than taking him with her. She did not want to bring him along because she felt he would gain more experience this way; after all, the power one worked hard to gain was the only strength that they could claim as their own. Anything bestowed upon them would never be anything more than something borrowed.
Yang Yan had long known that Yang Kai was no ordinary cultivator; nevertheless, she did not expect him to achieve so much in such a short time. It seemed she had underestimated him!
“Regardless of whether it was a coincidence or not, I have to thank you for your help,” Yang Kai casually touched the seal on his dantian. That seal had nearly been released just now, and if Yang Yan had not arrived, he would have broken it and underwent demonification along with his Half-Dragon Form. That would have given the feather-crowned man a huge surprise.
“By the way, you haven’t told me yet. What conditions did you reach with that guy? He took back his Star Severing Sword, so don’t tell me he doesn’t need to pay a price at all! He’s getting off way too lightly…”
“What do you mean by ‘that guy’? His name…”
“Stop!” Yang Kai raised his hand, “I have no interest in knowing his name.”
Yang Yan smiled lightly and quipped, “How petty to still hold onto that grudge.”
She had watched the battle between Yang Kai and the feather-crowned man from beginning to the end, so it was only natural that she knew about their verbal spat.
Yang Kai sternly added, “One day, he will take the initiative to tell me his name before he dies.”
“That will depend on whether you have the ability.” Yang Yan didn’t try to dissuade him as it was not a bad thing for him to be so resentful. At the very least, it would make him try harder after tasting shame and spur him forward. Hatred and women had always been the two strongest driving forces for men to become stronger in their cultivation.
Yang Yan instead waved her hand and pointed at the boundless darkness, “The portion of the Star Field you engulfed will belong to you from now on.”
Yang Kai looked at her expectantly, but she said nothing else even after waiting for a long time; thus, he speechlessly asked, “Is that all?”
She replied unkindly, “What else do you want?”
Yang Kai gritted his teeth and shouted, “I’m sure of it now! You are not Yang Yan! Tell me; who are you!?”
[She used to go around spending Crystal Stones like water! How is she so stingy now!? I was hoping to devour the entire Grand Desolation Star Field! What the Hell is this!? Besides, that piece of Starry Sky I engulfed belongs to me already, it cannot be separated! Even if I refuse to return it, that feather-crowned man can’t do a single thing to me. This benefit… Is no benefit at all!]
“Do you think you suffered a loss?” Yang Yan smiled coldly.
Yang Kai’s heart was practically bleeding from the pain, “How is this not a loss?”
“Wake up. If he reported this matter to the Star Court, I can guarantee that it won’t take more than three days before you get captured by Iron Blood and chopped into pieces!”
“That’s an exaggeration.” Yang Kai felt extremely guilty for some reason, “Senior Iron Blood is one of the ten Great Emperors. Why would he personally deal with me?”
“If you were just an ordinary Star Field Master, Iron Blood wouldn’t be able to care less about you, but are you an ordinary Star Field Master!? What Secret Art have you cultivated!?”
Yang Kai muttered, “The one you taught me, the Star Refining Art!”
“I’m not blind!” Yang Yan pointed at her eyes, then pointed at the darkness in front of her, “This familiar feeling; did you think I wouldn’t notice!? Aren’t you amazing, little brat? After just a few years of separation, you actually dared inherit Heaven Devourer’s legacy? You even cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!”
“What Heaven Devouring Battle Law? I’ve never heard of it before.”
“You still dare lie to me!?”
“Alright! Alright! It is the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!” Seeing as she had already seen through it, Yang Kai readily admitted the truth.
Hearing this, Yang Yan’s expression changed sharply, “So it really is the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!?”
Yang Kai gawked at her in surprise before he growled through gritted teeth, “Why you little! You tricked me!”
On the other hand, Yang Yan was trembling all over. Her expression was incredibly furious, her jade-white hands clenched into fists. Her aura flashed with murderous intent for an instant, which made all the hair on Yang Kai’s back stand. He had never exchanged blows with Yang Yan before, but he had the feeling that she was stronger than the feather-crowned man earlier. Even if he used his Demon Half-Dragon Form, he might still be no match for her.
The killing intent dissipated just as quickly as it came, though, and Yang Yan lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes casting shadows on her face. Her expression was unreadable as she bitterly asked, “How are you acquainted with Heaven Devourer?”
She was different from the feather-crowned man. All the feather-crowned man could perceive was that something was off about the darkness; however, he simply thought that whatever Secret Art it was, was extremely mysterious. It wasn’t something somebody like Yang Kai should be able to master or even come into contact with. Meanwhile, Yang Yan had participated in the Great Emperor War back then and personally witnessed the strength of Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, so she knew the horrors of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law well.
Yuan Ding, Martial Flame, Azure Sea, Cyan Lotus… All four of these Great Emperors were extremely famous, geniuses that had left their names in the annals of the Star Boundary to be remembered forever, but all of them had perished at the hands of Wu Kuang back then.
Yang Yan had not dared to confirm that the Secret Art used here was the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Holding on to the mentality that she would rather deceive Yang Kai than to let it slide, she tested him and received an unexpected answer that filled her with despair instead.
Wu Kuang was an eternal sinner and the root of his sin could be traced back to the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Anyone who cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law could not be tolerated in the world.
“If Iron Blood learned about this, he would surely rip your corpse into ten thousand pieces,” she said solemnly.
This was no exaggeration. Iron Blood was a man with a straightforward personality. He liked to fight and was incapable of turning a blind eye to injustice. Moreover, Azure Sea Great Emperor who died at Wu Kuang’s hand during the war between the Great Emperors was his best friend; therefore, Iron Blood would never let things slide if he were to learn that there were people out there with Wu Kuang’s inheritance. It would be useless even if Yang Yan and Lin Yun’er were to beg for mercy on Yang Kai’s behalf.
The agreement that Yang Yan reached with the feather-crowned man was that Yang Kai would return the Star Severing Sword while the devoured Starry Sky would belong to Yang Kai. That was an easy condition for him to accept. Besides, she did not need to demand he keep his silence as he had already regarded today’s incident as a huge shame. As such, he would never mention this incident in front of others.
Nobody would notice the changes in Heng Luo Star Field; moreover, Grand Desolation Star Field was under the feather-crowned man’s jurisdiction while Heng Luo Star Field was under Yang Yan’s jurisdiction. Things would be fine as long as both Star Envoys did not report this incident to their higher-ups. That was why she claimed that Yang Kai did not suffer any losses. Just concealing matters here alone was enough to put the feather-crowned man at great risk.
Yang Yan’s voice was sorrowful. She was sad that Yang Kai had not turned out the way she anticipated.
Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling as though he had done something wrong and pursed his lips to explain, “It’s not that big a deal, right?”
He was aware that the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was not something that could be shown in public. Hence, he had been very cautious over the years. It was just that he believed that there were no evil Secret Arts in the world. The evil ones were cultivators. The characteristics of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law might be a little overbearing, but regardless, a Secret Art was just that, a Secret Art.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai had not expected Yang Yan to show such a huge reaction to it. The thought warmed his heart. Even if Yang Yan had changed a lot, she still cared for him. Only a person who cared would feel sad. If she didn’t care for him, she would have captured him immediately and handed him over to the Star Court to clear her name.
“What do you know!?” Yang Yan sighed as she thought, [It’s no wonder his cultivation improved so quickly within just a few dozen years. How can his cultivation not progress quickly if he is cultivating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law!? That is a Secret Art that can enhance cultivation and strength the most, after all.]
Looking up abruptly, she suddenly came to his side, grabbed him by the arm, and stared at him with burning eyes.
“What are you doing?” Yang Kai was startled by her sudden actions as he could feel a fierce determination in her gaze.
She said, “You have good aptitude and an unwavering will, so it’s not a big deal even if you start over from scratch. Rest assured; this time, I will take you back to the Star Court with me and personally guide you in your cultivation. I promise that you will regain your strength within a hundred years.”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai suddenly had a bad feeling.
To which Yang Yan resolutely declared, “I have to waste your cultivation!”
Furious, Yang Kai raised his fist at her, “Try it if you dare!”
[How many life-and-death situations did I go through just to obtain my current strength? How can she destroy my cultivation just because she says so!?]
“You have no choice but to agree!” Yang Yan insisted with a look of self-blame, “I am also at fault for this. I left you to your own devices thinking it would be for your own good, but I never imagined that you would walk down the wrong path.”
“You are the one who walked down the wrong path! Your entire family walked down the wrong path! Hurry up and release me! Otherwise, I’ll hit you! Don’t think that I won’t hit you just because you are a woman!”
“Go on! Hit me then!” She tilted her head sideways and pushed up against him on her own.
His fist came smashing down on her head, and a powerful force blew in her face, but even so, she neither avoided nor defended against it.
When the fist stopped just above her head, she smiled triumphantly.
“Insane woman!” Yang Kai cursed through gritted teeth.
Yang Yan solemnly replied, “Don’t be scared. It will be over in a flash. Just bear with it for a bit.”
“Calm down!” Yang Kai grabbed her other hand and clutched it firmly, “Just calm down first!”
“You’re the one who needs to calm down!”
“Fine. I’ll calm down too! I’m so furious right now, and it’s all because of you!” He looked speechless as he declared, “Listen. Let me finish talking first. If you still want to cripple my cultivation after that, I won’t resist anymore.”
“Really?”
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded firmly.
“Good, go on then!”
Yang Kai took the time to sort out his thoughts for a bit before speaking, “You’re right about the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. I possess it, but I never cultivated it myself.”
Immediately, Yang Kai began recounting the entire story. Starting from the moment he entered the Star Boundary, to his arrival at Blue Feather Sect, to meeting Wu Meng Chuan, to being ‘gifted’ the Heaven Devouring Battle Law for helping the latter escape from his imprisonment. Afterward, Yang Kai went to the Shattered Star Sea, killed Wu Meng Chuan, and perfected the Secret Art for his Embodiment.
He told Yang Yan everything without concealing anything from her.
Yang Yan listened quietly. Sometimes, her eyebrows furrowed together. Sometimes, her brow relaxed. Only when she finished listening to the entire story did she turn to look at the Embodiment, which had been summoned by him, with a thoughtful look on her face.
The Embodiment had been standing nearby all this time. Yang Kai originally planned to release the seal on his dantian, undergo the Demon Transformation, then summon the Embodiment to fight the feather-crowned man together, but Yang Yan had appeared at the very last moment to stop the fight, so the Embodiment lost his role as a trump card.
“So, are you saying that your Soul Clone is the one that cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law?”
“That’s right.” Yang Kai looked at her with some caution, “You’re not going to destroy his cultivation, are you?”
Then again, the Embodiment did not have a physical body nor any meridians to speak of. There was nothing she could do to him even if she wanted to, unless she smashed him to pieces.
“Using a Stone Puppet to cultivate the Heaven Devouring Battle Law…” She circled around Embodiment several times with a curious and amazed expression on her face. It was as though a new and novel toy had appeared in front of her, “How did you come up with that idea?”
“It was just a lucky coincidence.” Yang Kai laughed, “Back when Wu Meng Chuan taught me the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, I could not understand his motives, but I instinctively felt he had some hidden agenda. However, the Secret Art was so profound and powerful that I was reluctant to discard it outright, so I tried letting my Embodiment cultivate it. Who could have known that I’d stumble upon such great fortune?”
Yang Yan nodded, “It might not be a coincidence, but an opportunity. Members of the Stone Spirit Clan are born with a body of stone, so the way their emotions or desires manifest are vastly different from those of flesh and blood. Moreover, their Innate Divine Ability allows them to easily refine and reject all kinds of impurities. Letting him cultivate the Heaven Devouring Battle Law may have been the best choice possible.”
She knew about Stone Spirits, as well as the drawbacks of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law; thus, she had a vague feeling that the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was practically tailor-made for Stone Spirits. It wasn’t a cultivation technique that was suitable for anyone with a fleshly body.
Wu Kuang might not have been born a cold and ruthless killer, but by cultivating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, his mentality had distorted over time. It made him look at all living creatures like they were ants, or worse, food. For that reason, he was capable of destroying countless Star Fields for the sake of his own power.
On the other hand, there was no need to worry about a Stone Spirit in that regard. Its Innate Divine Ability allowed it to refine and reject all impurities it absorbed, so it would not be affected by them at all.
“No wonder all those who cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law back then encountered uncrossable bottlenecks. It turns out that they had to devour another person who cultivated the same evil cultivation technique as the key for them to break through those shackles.” Yang Yan’s beautiful eyes flickered as many things suddenly made sense all at once to her.
Yang Kai was surprised, “Were there many who cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law?”
“It happened many years ago.”
The ‘many years’ she was referring to wasn’t just several hundreds of years or thousands of years. It was something that happened over ten thousand years ago! Wu Kuang was the creator of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, but such a Secret Art was highly coveted. Who knows what happened back then for the cultivation method of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law to become so widespread that people with malicious intentions obtained it? There were even Emperor Realm Masters who destroyed their cultivation just to start over again with this Secret Art.
Unfortunately, those who cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law found themselves stuck in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm with no hope of advancing to the Emperor Realm for the rest of their lives. It wasn’t that they had made any mistakes while cultivating or that the Secret Art they had obtained was flawed. It was simply the special nature of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Even Wu Meng Chuan, who was Wu Kuang’s descendant, had been stuck in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm for many years, let alone others.
It was simple enough to break through that bottleneck. They only needed to devour another person who had cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law to the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, assimilating everything that belonged to that person. It was like raising the strongest and most venomous insect by stuffing many of them into a jar and letting them kill each other until only one survived. The last one standing was the only one with the hope of achieving glory.
There were two reasons why Wu Meng Chuan had taught Yang Kai the Heaven Devouring Battle Law back then. First, it was used as a condition to entice Yang Kai to rescue him from Blue Feather Sect’s Bone Prison. Secondly, it was to cultivate a target that he could devour in the future. Unfortunately for Wu Meng Chuan, Yang Kai was a cultivator from a Lower Star Field who was completely clueless about the reputation of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. That was how Yang Kai managed to resist the temptation of learning the Secret Art.
Most natives of the Star Boundary would have jumped at the opportunity to cultivate the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, which would in turn result in a tragic ending.
After Wu Kuang, nobody else managed to advance into the Emperor Realm even though they cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. It caused many to wrongly believe that the Secret Art was flawed or that Wu Kuang had not passed down the true Heaven Devouring Battle Law, that the true cultivation method was lost with him in the Shattered Star Sea.
As time went by, the Heaven Devouring Battle Law gradually disappeared from memory and nobody tried to cultivate it anymore.
All of a sudden, Yang Yan recalled something else. [If the Heaven Devouring Battle Law has such sinister conditions, then who did Wu Kuang devour back then for him to advance further in the cultivation of his Secret Art? There must have been another existence that also cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Perhaps… There was an unknown story behind it all, but too much time had passed for it to be traced back…]
She then lifted her head to look at Gun-Gun again and hesitated, “Is this… The Artifact Spirit of the Sealed World Bead?” She was familiar with the Sealed World Bead as it was hers originally, an artifact she had brought to the Star Field from the Star Boundary back then. When Yang Kai acquired it later, she left it in his possession; however, she never expected it to change so much in the short time they had been separated. Not only did it give birth to an Artifact Spirit, but it also evolved to have a nature that relished in devouring.
“Yes!” Yang Kai laughed, feeling proud. The Sealed World Bead had been in his hands for many years and helped him out of trouble numerous times. In addition, it provided him with many insights into the Dao of Space. For that reason, he valued it greatly. Now that it had given birth to an Artifact Spirit, it felt as though he had gained a son.
Suddenly thinking of something, Yang Kai scratched his head awkwardly and asked, “Are you going to take it back?”
“What would you do if I really tried to take it back?” Yang Yan glanced sideways at him.
He waved dismissively at her, “Fine, fine, take it.”
[It was originally hers anyway.]
Yang Yan was stunned as she had not expected him to agree so readily.
“But, there’s something you need to promise me. You can’t destroy its spirituality. I might have used it as a proxy to display the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, which resulted in it gaining sentience, but it has done nothing wrong. If you can agree to that, then I don’t mind returning the Sealed World Bead to you.”
After barging into Grand Desolation Star Field and devouring as many Cultivation Stars as he could, the space of the Small Sealed World had expanded many times over.
At the same time, Yang Kai gained a deeper understanding of the Dao of Space.
Yang Kai had the feeling that he could now refine a world and condense it into another Sealed World Bead now; therefore, it wasn’t something he couldn’t part with if Yang Yan really wanted to take it back. In the worst case, he could just make his own and transfer the Immortal Tree, Firmament Tree, and his other treasures out of the Small Sealed World and into his new creation.
Everything else didn’t matter.
Yang Yan simply laughed, “I was just asking. You don’t need to take it seriously.”
This was an independent Sealed World, so if one was not proficient in the Dao of Space, it was pretty much useless. Taking it back would only result in the Sealed World Bead collecting dust in some corner. Otherwise, she would not have left a treasure like this to Yang Kai.
Still, she solemnly declared, “Use it with caution!”
“I understand.”
“Also, don’t devour the other Star Field anymore. If this matter escalates to the top, it will only cause trouble for everyone,” she said while pointing at the boundless darkness.
“Good.”
“One more thing, don’t ever reveal the Heaven Devouring Battle Law to the world when you return to the Star Boundary one day. Otherwise, you will be bringing trouble down on yourself.” She warned him with a stern expression. She was willing to believe in Yang Kai and his Embodiment, but that did not mean that others would. If the Iron Blood Great Emperor knew that there were people in this world cultivating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, he would be the first to attack. The rage of a Great Emperor was not something Yang Kai could withstand at his current realm.
“I know.” He nodded, secretly sighing in relief. [I’ve finally managed to get through this hurdle.]
Hesitating for a moment, he asked, “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“What was the cultivation of that guy just now?”
She didn’t answer his question, choosing to reply with one of her own instead, “What do you think?”
“Great Emperor!” Yang Kai answered quickly. That was not some illusion or figment of his imagination. The feeling he got from the feather-crowned man was similar to when he was facing a Great Emperor.
The reason that man ended up with his pride wounded was that his strength had been suppressed here and because he had been looking down on Yang Kai.
If Yang Kai had met that man in the Star Boundary, he had the feeling that he would not have any power to fight back whatsoever.
Yang Yan smiled and shook her head.
“What?” Yang Kai looked shocked, “He’s not a Great Emperor? Don’t tell me he’s just a Third-Order Emperor? No, that can’t be, a Third-Order Emperor would not have such strength.”
“He is not a Third-Order Emperor either.”
Yang Kai was utterly dumbfounded, “Don’t tell me there’s another Realm between the Third-Order Emperor Realm and the Great Emperor Realm!”
“There’s no such thing. It’s just that that person… Is both a Great Emperor and not a Great Emperor at the same time!”
Yang Kai was confused by her words, “What do you mean?”
“How should I put it…” She pondered for a moment.
If any other First-Order Emperor had asked her this question, she would not have answered as sometimes, knowing too much without the strength to back it up could become a kind of obstacle in one’s cultivation journey. However, Yang Kai was no ordinary First-Order Emperor. With the power he had shown just now, he was more than qualified to know about this.
“Think of the world as a giant bottle, one filled with sand and the stones which represent cultivators. The capacity of the world as a bottle is limited.”
A corresponding image appeared in Yang Kai’s mind and he soon nodded slightly to indicate for her to continue.
“All the living creatures exist inside the bottle, each one insignificant on its own, but as a whole, they can fill the entire world. Furthermore, the larger the size of the clump of sand or stone, the stronger the power that person wields. In other words, the Great Emperors are the biggest stones inside the bottle!”
“And there is only space for ten such stones?” Yang Kai revealed a look of inquiry.
Yang Yan smiled in response, “Correct. The bottle might be large, but it can only accommodate ten stones. It can’t hold a single stone more than that. That’s why there have only ever been ten Great Emperors at once since ancient times. Regardless of how much time passes, this number will never change. However, that isn’t to say that there are only ten stones inside the bottle. Other powerful existences have surpassed the Emperor Realm but cannot receive the recognition of the World. These people are Great Emperors, but at the same time, they are not Great Emperors. From a cultivation standpoint, they are in the Realm of the Great Emperors, but due to the limitations of the bottle, they cannot become true Great Emperors.”
“Like that guy?”
She nodded.
“Like you?”
She smiled at those words but did not reply.
Yang Kai felt as though he received a sudden enlightenment. The long-standing question he had was finally answered. [No wonder there have only been ten Great Emperors throughout the ages. It turns out that there are limitations caused by the world’s capacity.]
It was just like how Tong Xuan Realm could only produce cultivators in the Saint Realm and the Star Field could only give birth to cultivators in the Origin King Realm. It was the limit of the world; it was beyond the control of mortals.
Similarly, the Star Boundary was limited to only accommodate ten Great Emperors at a time! Although many people were not inferior to the Great Emperors in terms of cultivation, they could not become true Great Emperors as long as the world did not recognize them. It was so for the feather-crowned man, Yang Yan, and all the others in the same situation. The same went for the Divine Spirits as well.
Yang Kai had always found it strange. The Divine Spirits were obviously stronger than those in the Emperor Realm and yet they could not compare to the strength of the Great Emperors. That question was finally explained today. The ten Great Emperors were existences recognized by the Star Boundary itself. They themselves were part of the Principles that govern the world. Even in the same cultivation realm, an ordinary Divine Spirit was no match for them if it came down to a fight.
“Are there many others like you?”
“You can say that there are many, but you can also say that there are not many.” Yang Yan smiled, “Most of them won’t reveal themselves, so there’s no need to worry about them.”
Existences like her were rare. Even so, as time passed, many people eventually reached this stage only to go unrecognized by the world and reach an impasse in their cultivation. Since their life spans were extremely long due to their cultivation, their numbers slowly grew over the millennia.
Yang Kai suddenly thought about something and frowned, “If it’s as you say… An eleventh Great Emperor can’t appear due to the limitations of the world. Then, what am I to do in the future?”
She looked astonished, “You sure are thinking far ahead into the future.”
He solemnly replied, “It’s only a matter of time.”
He was so certain that Yang Yan was stunned by his conviction. She smiled at him, “You can only wait until one of the Great Emperors passes and fight for that empty position.”
To which Yang Kai shook his head in response, “Who knows how long I’ll have to wait until one of them passes away.”
The lifespan of a Great Emperor was extremely long. If nothing unexpected were to happen, they could live tens of thousands of years… maybe even more… It might be an exaggeration to say that they would live until the end of the world, but the practical reality was not too far off from that statement.
“There is one other way.” Seeing that he was being very serious, Yang Yan couldn’t help entertaining him.
“What way?” His eyes lighting up at those words.
She reached out her hand and closed her fist, “Destroy one of the stones inside the bottle and the position will open up naturally.”
Yang Kai was taken aback for a moment before nodding in agreement, “That’s a good idea. I guess I’ll have to find a Great Emperor and kill them in the future.”
She looked at him with a weird expression, “Are you serious?”
He laughed out loud, “Of course I’m joking, don’t get so worked up. The Great Emperors are recognized by the world, how could they be so easy to kill? I’m not that reckless.”
The succession of the ten Great Emperors would not take so long if it really were that easy. Still, it was undeniably one of the methods to choose from. Who would hesitate if it really reached the point where there was a fight for the Grand Dao? Were the Great Emperors impossible to kill? Four Great Emperors, excluding Wu Kuang, had fallen in the Great Emperor War. To some extent, the four Great Emperors who later broke through to reach that position had Wu Kuang to thank for giving them the opportunity. If Wu Kuang had not killed those four, they would still be waiting for a chance to become a Great Emperor today.
Seeing the unreadable expression on Yang Kai’s face, Yang Yan wasn’t sure whether he was seriously entertaining the idea, but she did not try to dissuade him, instead just hoping he would understand the difficulties of the task in the future.
Rubbing her temples, she continued, “Good. I’ve said everything I wanted to say. I should get going now.”
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Yang Kai grabbed her hand.
She glanced at him in disgust, “If you have something to say, then speak! Get your dirty mitts off me!”
He said, “Why don’t you visit High Heaven Sect? Great Elder Ye misses you very much.”
Ye Xi Yun and Yang Yan went way back together. If that were not the case, the former would not have come out of seclusion back then to help High Heaven Sect. She might not have much respect for Yang Kai as the Sect Master, but Ye Xi Yun practically worshipped Yang Yan.
“No need. You are this Star Field’s Master now. We will have many chances to meet again in the future.”
“Speaking of which, I remember something now. I’m going to bring the entire High Heaven Sect to the Star Boundary. Is that okay?”
“You’re moving the entire Sect?” Yang Yan was slightly surprised at his words.
“Is it not okay?”
She frowned, “Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Not really. It’s only about a few tens of thousands of them.”
“Only!?” Yang Yan looked at him in annoyance, “In each Star Field, only the cultivators who reach the peak have the right to open the Starlight Corridor and enter the Star Boundary. For each Star Field, no more than five cultivators enter the Star Boundary every hundred years on average, yet you want to bring more than 10,000 people to Star Boundary all at once!? Don’t you think it’s too much!? Don’t you think it’s unfair to the other Star Fields!?”
“It’s not too much, and it’s not unfair!”
“Stop speaking nonsense with such a straight face!”
“It’s their own fault for not having a good superior.”
“As a Star Envoy. It is my duty to protect the balance of the Star Fields! I cannot condone your dishonest behaviour!”
“Why can’t you close an eye to this on account of our friendship? We created High Heaven Sect together. As the saying goes, ‘When one man ascends to the Heavens, his entire family goes with him’. I am now the Master of this Star Field, and you are its Star Envoy. I am asking for the good of Heng Luo Star Field!” Yang Kai argued back angrily.
In his plan, he not only wanted to relocate High Heaven Sect as a whole, but he also wanted to gather up all those with talent in Heng Luo Star Field to support him.
“Hahaha, that’s your problem.”
Yang Kai was hoping to argue his stance a little more; however, he suddenly raised his brow and followed Yang Yan’s gaze to the side. Since just now, she had been staring at Gun-Gun the whole time they were speaking.
[Isn’t she acting a little weird?]
Then, he grinned and said, “Me returning to the Star Boundary alone isn’t a problem, right?”
“Of course that’s okay.” She slowly withdrew her gaze and lowered her voice, “Little brat, you better show some restraint. If Iron Blood notices you, you will be done for.”
“I know! I know!” Similarly, Yang Kai responded softly, a mischievous glint flashing across his eyes.
“Alright, then that settles it. I’m going back now. I still need to register you. Otherwise, your title as a Star Field Master will be considered illegal. You can only hold your position secure if the Star Court approves of it.” She lowered her head to look down at his hand on her arm and sneered, “Hey, you better get your head screwed on properly. In the future, I’ll be your superior. You can’t show such disrespect for me!”
He hurriedly released her arm and awkwardly straightened out the wrinkles before stepping back and cupping his fists, “Safe travels, Madam!”
Yang Yan showed a triumphant expression that seemed to indicate that he was a promising young man worth educating, then something flashed in her hands and a sharp sword suddenly appeared. From its appearance, it looked like the same one the feather-crowned man had. Obviously, the Star Severing Sword was part of the standard equipment handed to Star Envoys. With a flash of sword light, Yang Yan shattered space and transformed into a spot of light that gradually disappeared from his vision.
Yang Kai shouted after her, “By the way, I created High Heaven Palace in the Northern Territory! Come visit us whenever you have the time!”
The light disappeared, and he had no idea whether she had heard what he said. Looking in the direction she left, he suddenly felt a sense of loss. It took a long while before he slapped his thigh and muttered with regret, “I forgot to ask her where the Star Court was located…”
Still, that was only a minor issue. Just as she mentioned, there would be many chances for them to meet in the future.
Thinking back on his life, he came from nothing but was now a Star Field Master. He also successfully established a stable foundation in the Star Boundary. He only spent around a hundred years to achieve these feats, so what would it be like in another hundred years?
Be that as it may, the position of Great Emperor needed to be contested. If it really came down to a fight, then he would not hesitate to break one of the stones in the bottle.
[But… Who should I choose?]
Yang Kai was suddenly faced with an extremely difficult dilemma. The scenario at this moment was as though an ant was trying to figure out a way to kill an elephant. If Yang Yan saw him like this, she would have mocked him mercilessly.
Yang Kai rubbed his head roughly to clear his thoughts before communicating with the Star Field Source and immersing himself into it. A majestic image of his figure appeared inside the boundless darkness next and glancing out, he shouted, “Hey, you pitiful dog, Wu Heng! I will let you off today, but if you dare to encroach on Heng Luo Star Field again, don’t blame me for showing no mercy to you!”
In the Starry Sky of Grand Desolation Star Field, Wu Heng glared at the churning darkness with great ferocity, his eyes filled with hatred and anxiety. His complexion paled all of a sudden and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
This time around, he really lost his rice after trying to steal a chicken. He had originally wanted to devour Heng Luo Star Field to help improve his cultivation, but who could have known that things would backfire on him instead? He failed to gain anything, while on the contrary, the opposing party devoured millions of kilometres of his Starry Sky and destroyed several of his Cultivation Stars instead.
The loss of his Starry Sky and his Cultivation Stars for no apparent reason had resulted in damage to the Source Strength of Grand Desolation Star Field and it now seemed to be punishing him. The Source that he had refined was showing signs of rebelling already, so how could he withstand being agitated by Yang Kai now?
Wu Heng was tempted to rush to the opposite side to fight to the death with Yang Kai; however, he became despondent again the moment he recalled the instructions the Star Envoy had issued before leaving.
[Even Sir Star Envoy could not help me, so what can I do on my own? How am I supposed to exact my revenge?]
Wu Heng was currently a Third-Order Emperor, so only the Great Emperor Realm remained. He was an ambitious one though, so how could he possibly accept his defeat and downfall at this point? Still, ten years was not too long for a gentleman’s revenge, so he would just have to take his time with this matter.
He did not dare to respond to Yang Kai’s provocations and there was no way for him to respond either. After a long time, the churning darkness stabilized, re-forming a kind of barrier between the two Star Fields. At the same time, it felt like a scar was left in his mind.
As of this moment, Yang Kai had already ridden on Gun-Gun and returned to Shadowed Star. The problems in the Star Field were more or less resolved, but it had taken more than 10 years of effort. Before coming here, he never imagined that it would take such a long time. Even so, everything was worth it. The Star Field was peaceful again; furthermore, he became its Master and Yang Yan became his immediate superior. Having somebody to take care of him whenever something occurs made him feel rather happy.
A short while later, he arrived at Shadowed Star and left Gun-Gun in the Starry Sky for it to digest its ‘food’. Meanwhile, he went back to High Heaven Sect by himself.
Inside a pavilion at the top of the Main Peak of High Heaven Sect, Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Shan Qing Luo, and Xue Yue had gathered together. They were chatting about something and their alluring laughter rang out continuously.
Yang Kai appeared suddenly and coughed lightly. Rubbing his palms together as he warmly said, “Ladies, I’m back. Many thanks for waiting for such a long time.”
The chattering laughter disappeared instantly, and several pairs of beautiful eyes swept towards Yang Kai.
Xia Ning Chang got up excitedly, “Junior Brother!”
“Hmph!” Shan Qing Luo snorted, grabbed Xia Ning Chang’s arm and made her sit back down. Xia Ning Chang looked at him apologetically and stuck her tongue out with an expression of helplessness.
Similarly, Su Yan and Xue Yue retracted their gazes and continued talking to each other in low voices. One was expressionless while the other had a smile that was not a smile on their face.
Aside from Xia Ning Chang, the other three women were acting as if he was invisible to them.
Yang Kai’s eyes widened in surprise. [What’s going on?]
Meanwhile, Liu Yan was sitting next to Su Yan. He glanced at her and silently mouthed several words at her. She lifted her small hand and made a swiping gesture around her neck. She even stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes backwards, imitating the look of a dead person.
He laughed and immediately understood the situation. These women were probably blaming him for disappearing for so many years without sending them any news. They were working together to punish him. Still, he was not afraid.
[Oh, well. They are women after all. I just have to coax them. If that doesn’t work, we’ll see each other in bed.]
Just as he was about to speak, he saw a small figure crawling out from under the stone table, running over to stand in front of him, putting her hands on her waist, and looking up at him. He studied the little figure in surprise. The little figure turned out to be a four or five-year-old girl. She was born strong and healthy, looking innocent and cute with her hair tied into twin pigtails. Moreover, she was dressed quite well. She wore a gold locket around her neck and several silver bracelets around her wrists. They sparkled in the light and seemed to be rather powerful artifacts.
Their gazes met, and he was astounded beyond words as he wondered, [Whose child is this?]
The little girl pointed at him and spoke in a child-like voice, “Who are you!? Why have I never seen you before!?”
He immediately felt his spirits lifting. Crouching down, he asked, “What kind of person do you think I am?”
She tilted her head to the side and studied him carefully. After a moment, she shook her head, “You don’t look like a good person. Take my fist!”
Her tender little hand clenched into a ball and she sent out a punch towards his face. However, Yang Kai just gently used a single finger to block her attack. The little girl was shocked. Despite using all her strength, she couldn’t even budge this evil man’s finger. She became so worked up that her face flushed from her efforts as she kept up a babble of noises.
When Yang Kai relaxed his hand suddenly, the little girl became unsteady on her feet and fell towards him. Catching her, he stretched out his hand and pinched her cheeks. Her small face instantly changed shape, stretching out to the sides.
His actions clearly enraged her, and she punched and kicked at him repeatedly.
He lifted his head to ask, “Whose child is this? Why is she here?”
Shan Qing Luo turned around and crossed her knee over her leg. The flesh of her inner thighs was faintly visible, making it seem irresistible. She looked at Yang Kai with a smile, “Whose child can she be? She’s right here. Isn’t it obvious that she’s part of our family?”
Yang Kai exclaimed in shock, “Our family!?”
He quickly turned the little girl in his arms around, looked at her carefully, and widened his eyes in astonishment, “Hey, she actually looks a little like me!” He had not paid much attention before, but with Shan Qing Luo’s comment, he noticed that the little girl’s eyes were similar to his own.
“We had a child!?” He held the little girl and lifted her high into the air while laughing.
In the midst of his laughter though, he suddenly couldn’t bring himself to laugh anymore. His brow twitching, he looked at the little girl and asked, “How old are you?”
The little girl ignored his question and waved a clenched fist at him, “Put me down right now or I’ll get rough with you!” Her voice was incredibly childlike, but her attitude was extremely big. Of course, although she was flailing about wildly, she could not even touch a single hair on his head.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at the others and asked seriously, “How old is she?”
[Could it be that she is not just four or five years old but more than ten years old? She can’t be that young if she is a child from our family.]
Shan Qing Luo quietly replied, “She just turned five.”
“Five… years old!?” Yang Kai gnashed his teeth violently, the veins in his forehead bulging and twitching. He was away for ten years, so how could he have a five-year-old child?
Babies were made between a man and woman, they don’t just pop out of a rock!
All of a sudden, he noticed Shan Qing Luo’s expression. Her delighted expression looked like she was watching a good show. Even Xue Yue’s shoulders were trembling slightly, like she was holding in her laughter. On the other hand, Su Yan had her back to him so he couldn’t read her expression while Xia Ning Chang looked troubled. Hence, he instantly understood the situation and smiled, “Whose child is she?”
Shan Qing Luo changed her sitting posture, uncrossing and crossing her legs the other way round, a smile hanging at the corners of her lips, “Will you believe me if I say she’s mine?”
He shook his head in response, “No, I won’t.”
It would seem that asking them anything else would be fruitless. These women had clearly agreed to make him the butt of the joke. They even found a little girl from somewhere to aid their plan.
[It seems like Little Senior Sister was about to tell me, but she didn’t dare to provoke the others, so she decided to keep quiet in the end. There’s no need to say anything though, this is definitely the work of Shan Qing Luo, that devilish woman! She is the only one that dares to act so wantonly!]
“Did you think I won’t find out just because you won’t tell me?” He scoffed. Putting his four fingers together, he tapped with his thumb for a moment before muttering, “Let me see… Aha! I have it! Are you my little sister?”
He was originally the Star Master of Shadowed Star, and although he gave up that status to refine the entire Star Field instead, it was still a piece of cake for him to silently gather some intelligence. It only took a moment for all sorts of information from High Heaven Sect to flow into his mind, and he came to a surprising conclusion, this little girl was his biological sister!
[I actually have a younger sister!?]
He suddenly recalled that his mother might have mentioned something like that the last time he came back to visit them; however, he never expected to see that it had worked out so quickly.
[Father sure is strong and healthy for his age!] Yang Kai felt impressed. Upon learning the little girl’s identity, he became more cordial towards her. He vaguely felt a subtle yet unbreakable connection between himself and the child in front of him. That was the connection known as blood relationship.
[No wonder I felt as though her eyes were similar to mine. It’s not strange since we are siblings.]
He gently placed the girl down, but to his surprise, she actually kicked at him and angrily declared, “I am your Great Aunt!”
“You’re so small, but your temper sure is big!” Yang Kai laughed.
Even though he did not move, that little girl’s kick hit nothing but air. Furious, she prepared to kick him again only to see him curling one finger and lightly flicking at her forehead.
With a soft thud, the little girl staggered backwards. She covered her forehead with her hands and looked at Yang Kai in shock, as if she never expected that he would dare to hit her.
Everyone in High Heaven Sect treated her preciously and complied with all her wishes ever since the day she was born. Ordinary children would not have received such treatment, but she was different. She was the daughter of Yang Ying Feng and Dong Su Zhu, the younger sister of Yang Kai. Even the Sect Masters of all the top Sects on Shadowed Star had to address her as the ‘Second Young Lady’. Moreover, her Sisters-In-Law doted over her. They gave her everything she ever wanted, seemingly willing to pick the Stars and the Moon for her.
Therefore, the little girl could almost be considered a queen in High Heaven Sect. Forget about being hit, she had never even suffered a single harsh word. As such, she was stunned by the fact that she was hit today.
“I am your Big Brother!” Yang Kai looked at her with a smile, “Don’t get the hierarchy between us wrong.”
The little girl blinked her eyes and her mouth twitched. She seemed about to burst into tears.
“You are not allowed to cry!” He flexed his middle finger again, acting like he was going to flick her forehead again.
The corners of her mouth were completely downturned. Even so, she held in her tears and did not cry. She simply turned her head to look at her Sisters-In-Law, as if asking for reinforcements. Unfortunately for her, Su Yan remained motionless, Xue Yue pretended not to see, and Shan Qing Luo was watching the events unfolding with great interest. Only Xia Ning Chang still had the same troubled expression on her face.
The Second Young Lady of the Yang Family might be a little pampered and spoiled, but she was not a bad-natured or wicked child. Xia Ning Chang had spent the most time with her and had the deepest understanding of her.
One time, when the little girl had been playing in the back mountains, it suddenly began to rain heavily; however, instead of running back home, she braved the storm and seemed to be busy working on something under a tree. Xia Ning Chang watched curiously and discovered that there was an ant’s nest under the tree and the little girl was building a shelter for them out of leaves. She was only three years old at the time.
After seeing that, Xia Ning Chang pampered and doted on the little girl even more than ever. It was rare for a child to have such a kind nature, so Xia Ning Chang wanted to show her all the favour and love in the world.
“You know how to judge the difference in strength,” Yang Kai smiled slightly, raised his hand and rubbed her head a few times, “This is the first thing Big Brother will teach you, forbearance. A person will break easily if they are too rigid or stubborn, do you understand?”
The little girl nodded blankly, but obviously did not quite understand what he meant.
He laughed and said, “Look at you. You still won’t admit that you’ve lost. Let’s do this then. If I can guess your name, you will call me ‘Big Brother’. Okay?”
The little girl angrily said, “Deal!”
She felt a little smug inside.
[It’s the first time we’ve ever met each other. How can he know my name?]
It was too bad that she didn’t wonder how he knew that she was his sister even though it was their first time meeting.
Putting his fingers together again, he smiled, “Yang Xue?”
“H-How did you know!?” Yang Xue widened her eyes, thinking that Yang Kai was incredibly amazing. Her clear eyes were filled with admiration.
“Just tell me whether I’m right or not,” Yang Kai said.
She let her hands hang by her sides and dejectedly admitted, “You’re right!”
He prompted, “So, what should you do?”
Pouting, she turned her head away and reluctantly muttered, “Big Brother…”
He smiled, “This is the second lesson Big Brother will teach you. A person is only as good as their word, you must never break your promises!”
“En,” she looked thoughtful.
“Alright, that’s it for today. Go back and tell our parents that I will visit them in a few days,” While speaking, he shot a look at Liu Yan.
Liu Yan stood up from where she sat next to Su Yan, walked to Yang Xue, and stretched out a small hand. Yang Xue voluntarily took the hand stretched out to her, then Liu Yan pushed her strength slightly and the two little figures immediately flew down the peak. During that time, Yang Xue looked back at Yang Kai a few times.
“They sure look like sisters.” Yang Kai watched them leave with a smile. His heart felt warm.
Yang Xue was only five years old, while Liu Yan appeared to be a girl of seven or eight years, so it was only natural that they would look like sisters when standing next to each other.
Turning around, he lowered his gaze and grinned widely, “Who was it that just said she gave birth to Xue’er?”
“I’ll be leaving first!” Su Yan got up and tried to leave.
“Thinking about it, I have something to do too,” Xue Yue looked flustered.
Xia Ning Chang blushed furiously and stammered, “My pills…”
Only Shan Qing Luo remained motionless, staring at Yang Kai provocatively.
“Are you trying to leave now? It’s too late! Stop right there!” Yang Kai laughed mockingly before using his words to mobilize the world’s power. The surrounding space became a prison, and the four women immediately froze in place. Only their eyes could move.
He calmly walked over to Shan Qing Luo with his hands behind his back and held her smooth chin with one hand. Leaning close to her, he whispered, “You were the one who said those words just now, right?”
“Bah!” Shan Qing Luo scoffed lightly in disdain, “So what if I did?”
He nodded, “Good. It looks like you really want to have a baby after all. As your husband, I will do as you wish.”
“Hmph! That’s only if you have the ability to do so!” She snorted.
“You will know soon as to whether or not I have that ability.” After saying that, he walked over to Xue Yue, stretched out his finger, and stroked her face lightly, trailing it all the way down her neck, causing her to blush furiously in response, her tender body trembling.
“Do you still remember the promise from back then?”
She looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. Gritting her teeth, she asked, “What promise!?”
To which Yang Kai laughed, “You said it yourself. If I can help Ning Chang fully recover, you will…”
“Don’t say it! Don’t you dare say it!” She panicked. At the time, she had been so worried about Xia Ning Chang that she did not hesitate to agree to anything. It was only afterwards that she came back to her senses and realized how inappropriate it was. Although she was well-versed in these matters now, she had never acted so outrageously before. She felt frightened whenever she thought about the promise she made, let alone facing it in person. Fortunately, there had been no news from him for the past ten years. Who could have known that it would be the first thing he brought up the moment he returned?
“What promise?” Xia Ning Chang asked curiously as it sounded like this matter was related to her.
He replied, “Xue Yue said that as long as I could restore you back to full health, she would let me be with you all at once…” He stretched out his hands and made a few obscene gestures.
“What!?” Xia Ning Chang was shocked, and her face turned bright red, stuttering out loud, “H-How can that be…”
Shan Qing Luo glanced sideways at Xue Yue and said in astonishment, “That’s surprising. I couldn’t tell that you have such an open-minded side to you, Little Sister Yue. But, it’s a good idea!” She looked eager to try. In fact, she seemed even more interested than Yang Kai was.
“You think it’s a good idea too, don’t you?” Yang Kai turned and looked at her.
“Of course!” The look in Shan Qing Luo’s eyes was velvety, almost as if she could already imagine the scene.
*Pa…*
He snapped his fingers, and Shan Qing Luo immediately regained her freedom. Standing up, she walked over to Xue Yue, bent down, and blew in Xue Yue’s ears, “I might think it’s a good idea, but I don’t like the idea of being sold off in secret. Little Sister Yue, how do you think I should punish you later?”
After Shan Qing Luo softly blew her ears, Xue Yue was feeling extremely ticklish. Closing her eyes, she said dejectedly, “Qing Luo, how can you help a tyrant oppress the innocent?”
Shan Qing Luo chuckled, “You were the one who made that promise, so why can’t I accept it?”
“I didn’t agree to this!” A frosty voice rang out and it instantly made the surrounding temperature plummet.
Shan Qing Luo straightened back up and glanced over at Yang Kai upon hearing that, “Husband, Big Sister says she disagrees.”
Yang Kai laughed, “You don’t have a say today. Luo’er, bring Xue Yue over!” While speaking, he wrapped one arm around Xia Ning Chang and wrapped the other arm around Su Yan. After that, he headed toward the bedroom.
Meanwhile, Shan Qing Luo stretched out her hand, placed it on Xue Yue’s shoulder, and flew into the sky, following closely behind Yang Kai.
Soon, three tender bodies lay on top of a large bed, with Yang Kai and Shan Qing Luo standing side by side, smiling slyly as if they were weasels that had stolen a chicken.
Xia Ning Chang closed her eyes tightly, her long eyelashes trembling as if she had resigned to her fate. Xue Yue turned her head away, biting her cherry lips softly in anxiety. Only Su Yan glared at Yang Kai coldly, a frigid aura radiating from her entire body, “Release me immediately. Otherwise, don’t blame me for ruining your fun.”
“Luo’er, take care of her!” Yang Kai pointed at Su Yan.
“I guarantee your satisfaction!” Shan Qing Luo laughed lightly as she walked over to Su Yan and looked into the latter’s eyes. Then, her beautiful eyes instantly transformed into a well of spring water, exuding an alluring charm. She had the Bloodline and Source of the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, so she was inherently proficient in the art of seduction. If Su Yan had access to her full strength, she could have shrugged off such a technique, but unfortunately for her, her cultivation was currently being suppressed by Yang Kai. Even moving a single finger was extremely difficult, so how could she defend against such an attack?
Su Yan met Shan Qing Luo’s gaze and felt herself sinking into a whirlpool. Her icy-cold body gradually began to heat up, and a pleasant sensation washed over her. After a short while, the ice began to melt…
Amorous sounds could soon be heard from a myriad of voices…
…..
A few days later, Yang Kai brought Su Yan and others to visit his parents. It was only to be expected that he couldn’t escape from being reprimanded by Dong Su Zhu. Fortunately, she had little Xue’er accompanying her so his mother wasn’t as lonely as before.
Since the previous incident, Yang Xue seemed to be a little in awe of her Big Brother and kept glancing timidly at him. Later, Yang Kai took her around the magnificent and beautiful Starry Sky on a sightseeing tour, causing his position in her heart to rise by leaps and bounds. It soon surpassed Xia Ning Chang and the others to a place right behind their parents.
While Yang Kai was spending a few days with his parents and enjoying this family time, the preparations for the relocation of the entire High Heaven Sect were also in full swing under his orders. All the major Sects on Shadowed Star gathered together to find out more information about the matter when they heard the news, and upon receiving a confirmation from Ye Xi Yun, they became ecstatic and overjoyed. All of them expressed that they wished to join in on the ride.
As per Yang Kai’s instructions, Ye Xi Yun neither agreed nor disagreed with their requests. She simply asked them to go back, select their best disciples, and gather at High Heaven Sect again. There were already quite a lot of people in High Heaven Sect itself, so if Yang Kai planned to bring those from the other Sects along as well, the number would certainly exceed a hundred thousand.
Even if High Heaven Palace had a good heritage, it could not afford to feed so many people all at once; thus, Yang Kai had no choice but to be selective.
And this situation wasn’t unique to Shadowed Star; all the Cultivation Stars across the entire Star Field received this grand news. Yang Kai, the Star Field Master, was planning to leave the Star Field and head to a higher world, but before he left, he was going to bring a group of excellent cultivators with him.
These cultivators would be chosen through several different types of rigorous selection methods, and each Cultivation Star only had at most a thousand spots. The cultivations of these candidates did not matter, only their aptitude would be considered. No matter how high one’s cultivation was here, it could not exceed the Star Field’s limit of the Origin King Realm, which was nothing in Star Boundary. Hence, what Yang Kai wanted was talent. He wanted those with excellent aptitude who would one day become the pillars of support for High Heaven Palace. It had nothing to do with their current cultivation. As long as they had the aptitude, they could be nurtured in High Heaven Palace.
Following that news, the entire Star Field trembled.
If Grand Desolation Star Field’s invasion brought disaster to Heng Luo Star Field, then this was a huge blessing. Being able to reach the sky in a single bound was something to be celebrated. Any cultivator with the slightest bit of ambition would not want to miss this chance; therefore, all the Cultivation Stars in the entire Star Field became lively within a short time.
During this period, Yang Kai took the opportunity to bring Su Yan to a world of ice and snow. When he first entered the Star Boundary, he had gained huge benefits by virtue of being a Star Master. Now that he was going to bring Su Yan and the others back to the Star Boundary, it was only natural that he wanted them to become Star Masters before they left.
Xia Ning Chang was the Star Master of Tong Xuan Realm, so she didn’t need to go to the trouble of doing so. On the other hand, Su Yan, Shan Qing Luo, and Xue Yue had never refined a Star Source before.
Although Yang Kai still had some remaining Star Sources in his possession, they all originated from the Shattered Star Sea and their corresponding Stars had long been destroyed, so there was no room for further growth. In that case, it would be better to refine the Star Source of a Cultivation Star in Heng Luo Star Field.
As the Star Field Master, Yang Kai could understand the situation in the Star Field just by referring to the Star Chart in his Knowledge Sea. For that reason, he could easily choose the most suitable objects of refining for his three women.
Shan Qing Luo was accompanied by Lu San Niang, while Xue Yue was accompanied by Liu Yan. Both were heading towards good destinations. Between their cultivation and the Star Refining Art, there was no danger to them whatsoever. Conversely, he needed to watch over Su Yan in person.
Although Su Yan was already in the Dao Source Realm, the Star he had chosen for her was a little unusual.
The entire Star was pure white, and when viewed from the Starry Sky, it looked like a huge ball of ice, magnificent.
Ice Soul Star.
This Cultivation Star was an extremely famous existence in the Star Field, one Yang Kai had already heard of before he left the Star Field the first time but had never had the chance to see for himself.
Ice Soul Star was extremely inhospitable, making it uninhabitable for both Humans and Monster Beasts, a completely untouched pure land; however, its unique World Principles actually gave birth to a group of extremely strange beings known as the Ice Spirits!
The Ice Spirit Clan was extremely scarce in number, and could not be found anywhere else in the Star Field. They could only live on Ice Soul Star. Needless to say, they were not afraid of the cold. The freezing aura was the cradle of their growth, so the colder the environment, the happier they were.
It was said that the Ice Spirit Clan was extremely hospitable at the beginning. If wandering travellers were to arrive on Ice Soul Star by accident, these travellers would be received warmly. Unfortunately, the Ice Spirits gradually became more and more xenophobic as time went by. That was because the guests they received would often turn around and cause them harm instead.
The men of the Ice Spirit Clan were extraordinarily handsome, while the women were as beautiful as blooming ice flowers. Coupled with their special bodies and unique physiques, they were naturally coveted by others.
What’s more, since Ice Spirits were born from such a unique environment, those who cultivated Ice Attribute Secret Arts saw them as incredible resources to rapidly gain strength. Simply capturing any random Ice Spirit for dual cultivation would allow a cultivator to accumulate strength rapidly. Furthermore, there were no hidden dangers in this undertaking.
For that reason, many who cultivated Ice Attribute Secret Arts held malicious intentions toward the Ice Spirits. Even if they did not cultivate Ice Attribute Secret Arts, they could still sell the Ice Spirits at exorbitant prices if they could capture one. It was just that capturing a live Ice Spirit was extremely difficult. It was rumoured that the Ice Spirits would die of heartbreak if they experienced sadness. Even though there had been Ice Spirits who were caught, sold, or even defiled, they would not survive the night away from home. Only a few Masters had powerful enough Divine Abilities to keep the captured Ice Spirits alive, change their inherent nature, and make them obey.
The existence of a single Ice Spirit was of great value, so what more could be said about the entire Ice Soul Star? It was practically a treasure trove.
Ice Soul Star was extremely cold, and the unique environment created numerous special products. Many incredibly precious Ice Attribute spirit flowers and spirit grasses grew on this Star. There were even many species of Spirit Herbs long thought extinct that grew on this Star.
Even if not for the Ice Spirits, who could easily die of a broken heart, the world covered in treasures was enough to entice many cultivators to brave its dangers.
Ice Soul Star was deserving of its fame. When Yang Kai and Su Yan arrived, they saw that the world of ice and snow was enveloped in a layer of silver. It was an extremely enchanting sight. The plants, the land, the mountains, and the rivers seemed to be carved from ice. They were crystal clear and incredibly gorgeous. The mountains were covered in Ice Attribute spirit flowers and exotic grasses. These Ice Attribute spirit herbs were exceedingly rare in the outside world but could be found everywhere here.
However, these items no longer held much use for both Yang Kai and Su Yan even though they were highly valued in the Star Field. They were simply amazed for a moment but had no intention of collecting these herbs.
It was extremely cold here, so most people could not stay for a long time. Fortunately, Yang Kai’s body was tough and his cultivation was superb, so he was naturally not afraid of a little bit of cold. Similarly, Su Yan did not find the cold uncomfortable. Rather, she felt a sense of joy comparable to the feeling of returning home. When she came to this Star, she could feel the power in her body flowing more smoothly. This freezing cold environment did not suppress her strength and instead bolstered it.
She cultivated an Ice Attribute Secret Art and possessed the Ice Phoenix Source inheritance; therefore, an environment like this was perfect for her. This was like her natural habitat. If she had cultivated in this environment for an extended period of time, then the speed of her cultivation would be beyond the reach of anyone.
Yang Kai summoned his Embodiment to clear the way for them while he led Su Yan all the way down, diving deep into the Star to search for Ice Soul Star’s Source.
The Stone Spirit Clan was good at Earth Escape Techniques as they had the innate ability to swim through rock and soil with ease.
A quarter-hour later, the darkness in front of them brightened suddenly. They had arrived at an underground cave. The surrounding environment was getting colder and colder, which amazed Yang Kai greatly. Although he was not affected by this place, he had a feeling that even a Third-Order Origin King would not last long here unless they cultivated an Ice Attribute Secret Art.
Ice Soul Star was like a dead zone in the Star Field. Unless one exceeded the limit of the Origin King Realm, they could not come here to take a closer look; however, the highest one could reach in the Star Field was the Third-Order Origin King Realm.
Ice-blue flames flickered inside the cave, delivering an extremely cold aura. Just a glance at these flames seemed to make one’s Soul freeze. It was obviously a kind of Spirit Flame; moreover, it was a freezing type of flame, which made one realize just how unpredictable nature and the work of the Heavens was. There was a relatively conspicuous ball of light at the centre of the cave that was twisting, wriggling, and changing constantly, seemingly containing spirituality.
“Is this the Star Source?” Su Yan asked, turning her head to look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai looked at it for a while before he grinned, “It’s a fake.”
“A fake?” She was taken aback by those words.
“En, a fake!” He repeated with certainty. Yang Kai had come into contact with thousands of Star Sources; plus, he was now the Star Field’s Master, so it was only natural that he could see through the deception in front of them at a glance. That was a condensation of the ice-cold flames. It was not the Ice Soul Star’s Source but a trap.
*Pa…*
With a snap of his fingers, the cave was filled with light and one by one, lifelike ice sculptures suddenly came into view. These ice sculptures maintained a seated cross-legged posture, scattered around every corner of the cave.
As the light was very dim inside the cave and there was no flow of aura whatsoever, all Su Yan’s attention had been attracted by the ‘Source’, so she failed to notice these things before.
“These are…” She frowned.
“Probably the people who came here in hopes of refining Ice Soul Star’s Source.”
Su Yan looked around carefully and discovered that there were more than just a few dozen or so ice sculptures in the surrounding area. There were hundreds of them! If it was just as Yang Kai had claimed, then all these people had died here trying to refine the Ice Soul Star’s Source. How strong were the people with the qualifications to enter this place and attempt to refine the Source? They were definitely all Third-Order Origin Kings!
They had died very peacefully, with not the slightest sign of pain on their faces. It was as if they had ended their lives while in a deep sleep; in other words, they were completely unaware that death was coming for them when they died!
Never had the Source of any other Cultivation Star been so dangerous before. Ice Soul Star was probably unique in that regard; there was no other Cultivation Star like it in the entire Star Field. To think that it caused so many Third-Order Origin Kings to die without even knowing.
Looking at the clothes they were wearing, Su Yan immediately noticed that their robes exhibited the flow of time. The people who died here were not from the same era. These Third-Order Origin Kings came from vastly different ages, separated by thousands of years, maybe even tens of thousands of years.
She felt a chill running through her body. Although she was now in the Second-Order Dao Source Realm, the consequences would have been dire if she had come alone and attempted to refine the so-called ‘Source’.
“The Source is not here!” Yang Kai shook his head.
“Where is it?” Su Yan asked.
He looked around and fixed his gaze on a certain spot. Then, he smiled, “It’s there!”
At that moment, he clearly felt someone spying on them. It was very well concealed, but there was no way it could hide from his perception. Tracing it back to its roots, Yang Kai immediately locked onto its position.
Under normal circumstances, a Star Source was close to but not a real living being. Despite it being a manifestation of the World’s Will, it was incapable of thinking or moving on its own, but Ice Soul Star’s Source seemed different. It seemed to have true spirituality!
[Interesting. How interesting!] Yang Kai suddenly recalled the Source Strength of Tong Xuan Realm that he once saw back then. When Tong Xuan Realm’s World Energy was exhausted and the world was on the verge of collapse, the Star Source had been unwilling to quietly wait for its death; thus, it transformed into a grey mass that travelled all over the world. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, it encountered Xia Ning Chang, and in the end, it was refined by her and revived from its withered state.
The Star Source of Ice Soul Star was similar to that of Tong Xuan Realm’s.
Tong Xuan Realm had been about to collapse, and aware of the crisis, the Star Source had taken the initiative to seek opportunities for its survival; however, this was not the case for Ice Soul Star.
[Can a Star Source actually give birth to sentience?] Yang Kai was filled with a strong sense of curiosity and had a feeling that Su Yan’s trip was going to be very beneficial.
Following the path created by his Embodiment, he hugged Su Yan and carried her upward to soon arrive on the surface of the Star again.
Unlike the calm from before, the entire Ice Soul Star was currently engulfed in a blizzard, with cold winds and frigid ice cutting through everything like knives. A thick layer of clouds gathered in the sky; lightning flashed and thunder boomed as though the Star was roaring in a fit of rage.
Seeing this, Yang Kai broke into a huge grin, lifted his hands to the sky, and waved his arm as he roared, “Disperse!”
The thunder was extinguished, the lightning stopped, and the blizzard ceased. Subsequently, a bright and clear sky appeared, with not a cloud in sight for ten thousand kilometres.
He might not be the Master of Ice Soul Star, but his status as a Star Field Master was higher than that of a mere Star Master. With a few gestures, he could manipulate even the World Principles here, so controlling the weather of a Star was child’s play to him.
The Star Source hiding in the dark seemed to realize that something was wrong and no longer confronted Yang Kai in an overbearing manner. Instead, an ice bridge that seemed to connect Heaven and the Earth suddenly appeared amidst the ice and snow. It began from where Yang Kai and Su Yan were standing and connected to an unknown destination far off into the distance. The ice bridge was beautifully carved, pure and flawless. Moreover, its sudden appearance nearly shocked Su Yan out of her skin.
Yang Kai laughed heartily, “It seems to be rather hospitable. Let’s go.”
Of course, if not for Yang Kai’s extraordinary display of power, he would never have enjoyed such courtesy. Taking Su Yan’s hand, he stepped onto the ice bridge. There was no need to expend any strength, but even so, they headed towards the end of the ice bridge at a very fast pace.
…..
Atop a certain snow-covered mountain, a cold voice sounded, “There are guests. Prepare to greet them.”
The snow-covered mountain trembled and numerous figures emerged from the ice caves, one after another. These people looked no different from ordinary Humans at first glance; however, one would realize that they were not Humans upon closer look. Each of these figures looked like they were carved from jade, pure and flawless. The men were handsome while the women were gorgeous. They were all dressed in white, and their sharp ears resembled that of beasts. Surprisingly, their sharp ears did not destroy their overall beauty but added a noble temperament to them instead. They were the Spirits of the ice and snow. They were the Ice Spirit Clan that remained unsullied by the outside world.
There were as many as tens of thousands of Ice Spirits on the snow-covered mountain. If others knew of this, they would surely go mad with greed. Just a single Ice Spirit could sell for exorbitant prices in the Star Field, so what more need be said about tens of thousands? Their existence in itself was a huge and unparalleled wealth.
Many Ice Spirits seemed shocked. They looked at each other, seemingly unable to believe what they had just heard. The owner of that cold voice just now was the supreme existence within the Ice Spirit Clan, the foundation of the Ice Spirit Clan’s birth, their Ice Deity.
The Ice Spirits were xenophobic. They had no friends of the other races. Therefore, they were astonished, to say the least, to hear the Ice Deity saying that they had a visitor.
They wondered. [Since when has the Ice Spirit Clan needed to welcome guests?] Even so, it was the command of the Ice Deity, so even if they held doubts in their hearts, they still quickly hurried to make preparations.
Ice Spirits were extremely pure, not just physically, but mentally too. With a kind of innocence born of that purity, they did not dare to disrespect the Ice Deity’s words.
Soon after, an ice bridge stretched from a distant place and connected to the side of the snow-covered mountain.
A man and a woman travelled side by side on the ice bridge and quickly arrived at the end of the ice bridge.
After landing on the ground, Yang Kai immediately looked around in surprise. It was his first time seeing the fabled Ice Spirits, and with the perception of his Divine Sense, he saw that the bodies of these Ice Spirits seemed to be made from ice crystals. Their entire being exuded freezing cold aura, one that was quite strong and penetrating. Moreover, cultivation seemed to be meaningless to them. Classifications such as the Origin King Realm or the Origin Returning Realm could not sum up their strength, nevertheless, he could tell that many among the Ice Spirits were not inferior to Origin Kings.
[What a powerful force!] Yang Kai secretly felt shocked. It was difficult to believe that there was such a group of powerful Masters in the Star Field.
[If Netherworld Sect attacked Ice Soul Star when it invaded the Star Field, it would have been wiped out. There would have been no need for me to take action.]
Fortunately, the Ice Spirit Clan rarely appeared in the outside world, only being active on Ice Soul Star. Otherwise, they were fully capable of ruling over the entire Star Field.
A handsome male Ice Spirit stepped forward and asked curiously, “Are you the guests of the Ice Deity?”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “If nobody else came, then we probably are.”
[The Ice Deity… I wonder if that is a self-proclaimed title or one given by the Ice Spirit Clan to show their respect for it. In any case, it is quite an appropriate title; after all, it is the very Source of this Star, making it akin to a God on this Cultivation Star.]
The male Ice Spirit carefully looked Yang Kai up and down for a while. Then, he slowly shook his head, “You are not!”
He then pointed to Su Yan, “But, she is!”
“We came here together.” Yang Kai smiled, “You saw that too. It was the Ice Deity who brought us here.”
The male Ice Spirit stubbornly shook his head, “You are dirty. She is pure, so she must be the guest.”
The corner of Yang Kai’s eyes twitched at those words, “You brat, the last man who dared to speak to me in such a manner has grass growing on his grave by now.”
[I am the Star Field Master. Everything in this Star Field is under my control. How dare this guy point at me and claim that I am dirty!?]
The male Ice Spirit frowned and looked at Yang Kai with a look of disgust. He could not understand why the Ice Deity brought such a person here. Yang Kai’s very existence was enough to tarnish the purity of this place.
Su Yan patted Yang Kai’s hand. Then, she looked at the male Ice Spirit and said, “Please bring me to the Ice Deity.”
She knew that the Ice Deity was the key to whether or not she could refine Ice Soul Star’s Source, so she did not plan to continue wasting time.
The male Ice Spirit nodded but did not lead the way. Instead, he reached out his hand to remove an ice pouch from his waist and handed it to Su Yan, “Drink this!”
The ice pouch was shaped like a bottle, and she could not tell what it contained. All she could hear when she shook it was the sound of liquid sloshing around.
Taking it from him, she asked, “Can I meet the Ice Deity after drinking this?”
“You will be regarded as a guest if you drink this!”
It would seem that meeting the Ice Deity wasn’t so simple. There were some trials Su Yan needed to pass beforehand.
“Good.” She opened the seal on the ice pouch while she was speaking and a sweet scent immediately filled the air.
Yang Kai was taken aback by the scent as he initially thought that the ice pouch was filled with some kind of wine, but it would seem that it was something different. It was probably a local product of the Ice Spirit Clan. He might not know what it was, but one thing was certain, the contents of the ice pouch were not something ordinary people could withstand.
Meanwhile, Su Yan lifted the ice pouch to her mouth and gulped down the liquid inside in a rare heroic manner.
At first, the Ice Spirits crowding around seemed to be waiting to see a good show; however, their expressions gradually changed over time. In particular, the male Ice Spirit, who handed her the ice pouch, slowly widened his eyes as though he was very shocked and exclaimed in distress, “Stop! That’s enough!”
Su Yan put down the ice pouch, lifted her hand to gently wipe the corners of her lips with her sleeve, then asked, “Does this mean I pass?”
He took the ice pouch back from her, shook it slightly, and turned away with a painful expression, “Please come this way!”
Su Yan glanced at Yang Kai and gave him a wink to indicate that he should remain calm. After that, she leisurely walked upward along the winding road. She walked no more than a thousand metres when a female Ice Spirit jumped out and blocked her way. The female Ice Spirit was holding a plate sculpted from ice. There were several snow-white things similar to silkworm chrysalis on the plate. She tilted her head with a smile, looking directly at Su Yan, “Would you like to try this?”
Su Yan used two fingers to pick up one of the delicacies from the plate and placed it inside her mouth. A burst of cold exploded when she did and it was accompanied by a sour taste that was very difficult to describe. A short while later, Su Yan finished off the entire plate and walked on, leaving the female Ice Spirit staring at the empty tray blankly.
Halfway up the mountain, Yang Kai stood waiting in place. He might be the Star Field’s Master, but the purpose of this trip was for Su Yan to refine Ice Soul Star’s Source. That was something that she had to achieve by relying on her own abilities; only by doing so could she obtain the Star Source’s acknowledgement and assistance for her future growth. It went without saying that Yang Kai was fully capable of forcing Ice Soul Star’s Source to submit to him with his current strength, but doing so would make this endeavour pointless.
It shouldn’t be too much of a problem since this was just a test. Besides, the Ice Deity, which was Ice Soul Star’s Source, probably never imagined that the so-called tests would not be a problem for Su Yan since she had already reached the Second-Order Dao Source Realm.
Feeling bored, Yang Kai fixed his gaze on that male Ice Spirit’s ice pouch and said, “Let me try too.”
The male Ice Spirit immediately shook his head so hard that it rattled, “No!”
He was still feeling the pain after Su Yan drank so much just now.
“How stingy!” Yang Kai pouted in response.
The male Ice Spirit simply declared, “You will die if you drink it.”
Yang Kai sneered, “It’s not that easy to kill me off. Hurry up and give me a taste.”
“You really will die,” the male Ice Spirit replied seriously, “You might not be a guest of the Ice Deity, but I cannot endanger you since you came here with the guest from before.”
“Stop talking nonsense. Give it to me.” Yang Kai stretched out his hand, snatched the ice pouch, tipped his head back, and drank from it in big gulps. A sweet taste immediately filled his mouth, followed by an extremely cold aura. It nearly made his entire mouth go numb and his entire brain froze over for a moment.
Needless to say, Yang Kai was shocked as he wondered how these Ice Spirits brewed this drink.
He could taste more than a hundred types of spirit fruits in the drink; moreover, each of these fruits were of the Ice Attribute. If a Third-Order Origin King were to drink this fruit wine, they would surely suffer. It could even cost them their lives if they drank too much of it.
[No wonder this Ice Spirit told me that I would die from this. Drinking it may have endangered my life if not for my cultivation that goes beyond the limits of the Star Field.]
The reason Su Yan was unaffected despite drinking so much of this fruit wine was undoubtedly thanks to her Ice Crystal Jade Body.
On the other hand, the male Ice Spirit was shocked by Yang Kai’s recklessness. Yang Kai might not be the Ice Deity’s guest, but he was still the companion of that guest, so things would not end well if he died here.
The male Ice Spirit felt extremely anxious, but in the midst of his panic, he suddenly noticed Yang Kai’s body shuddering slightly.
A moment later, Yang Kai laughed as the frost covering his face disappeared and he shouted, “Refreshing!”
He tipped his head back further and poured the fruit wine down his throat again, drinking even faster than Su Yan had just now. All the Ice Spirits surrounding him were dumbfounded by the sight and instantly felt a sense of admiration towards him.
The ice pouch might not be big, but the space inside it was not so small. It contained several dozen litres of the fruit wine, at the very least. Even so, Yang Kai drank it all in one go. It wasn’t until not a single drop was left that he stopped.
Letting out a loud belch, Yang Kai savoured the lingering sweetness on his tongue. He also felt a slight sense of drunkenness.
[How strange. This fruit wine doesn’t have any alcohol in it, so how is it making me drunk?]
Waving his hand at the Ice Spirits, he said, “Bring out all the delicious things you have.”
Meanwhile, the male Ice Spirit looked at Yang Kai like he was a monster. He shook the empty ice pouch slightly and seemed lost for a long while before he beckoned to the others with his hand.
A short while later, an ice table was placed on the platform and Yang Kai boldly sat at it like a King. The table was filled with various specialties of Ice Soul Star, including more of the fruit wine he had drunk before. There was also food that he had never seen. Every plate was exquisite, pure, and clean. Although none of the dishes contained meat, the tableful of delicacies was still very tempting and appetizing.
A group of Ice Spirits gathered around him, watching him in a daze as he ate and drank his fill without hesitation. Several female Ice Spirits kept pouring him wine as though they were trying to knock him out on the spot.
Yang Kai refused nothing, finishing everything he was served without the slightest hesitation. Watching this display opened the eyes of the Ice Spirits, who had never seen much of the world before, to what the meaning of the word ‘bold’ was. As time passed, more and more Ice Spirits gathered around and the fruit and wine on the table were constantly refilled, plate after plate, cup after cup. It was to the point where Yang Kai was slightly drunk and his speech was no longer comprehensible.
Even so, he fought on.
Three whole days later, Su Yan’s figure suddenly appeared in front of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai squinted at her for a moment before circulating his Emperor Qi slightly, instantly sobering up as he asked, “How did it go?”
*Zheng…*
A cold light flashed by as she pulled her sword out of its sheath, “It’s done.”
“Profound Frost?” Yang Kai raised his brow at her. She brought Profound Frost with her when she left Ice Heart Valley on Scarlet Wave Star decades ago. It was a sword left behind by Ice Heart Valley’s Ancestral Founder, Bing Yun, and all these years, Su Yan had kept it as her sword.
However, right now, it was just a sword that could no longer keep up with her cultivation after she had entered the Dao Source Realm.
Yang Kai had considered asking Hou Yu to refine a sword for Su Yan when they returned to High Heaven Palace, but it now seemed to be an unnecessary worry. Profound Frost had undergone tremendous transformation. The entire sword was as thin as a cicada’s wings, and even when Su Yan was not pouring her Source Qi into it, it exuded a cold aura and showed faint signs of becoming a Dao Source Grade Artifact.
Additionally, there were two words carved into the hilt, ‘Ice Soul!
He wondered, “Did you refine it into an Artifact Spirit?”
She shook her head in response, “It chose this itself.”
Inside the ice palace, Su Yan and Ice Soul Star’s Source’s manifestation had fought for three days straight. It wasn’t a fight with their lives on the line, but rather a competition over their mastery of Ice Principles. When Su Yan received its approval, it voluntarily entered Profound Frost and transformed into an Artifact Spirit.
This Artifact Spirit was unique in the sense that it was the Star Source of the entire Ice Soul Star.
No one had ever used a Star Source as an Artifact Spirit before, so for that reason, even Yang Kai could not say whether Su Yan’s move was good or bad. Nevertheless, one thing was certain. Su Yan had become the Master of Ice Soul Star. She and Ice Soul Star were closely linked and could no longer be separated from each other.
“What happened to them?” Su Yan asked curiously. When she arrived just now, she was greeted by the sight of a group of Ice Spirits with sad expressions. They looked as though somebody had sliced several kilograms of flesh off their backs.
“Uh…” Yang Kai hiccupped, “They are feeling petty because I ate some of their food.”
She glanced at the ice table and immediately understood the situation. She smiled in amusement, “You ate at least several thousand years’ worth of accumulated treasure.”
“Did I? Haha. Then, it looks like they were very gracious hosts, weren’t they?” He patted his stomach. Although he was in his Human form right now, Yang Kai had a 250-metre-long Half-Dragon Form, so forget about several thousand years’ worth, he could even finish off a hundred thousand years’ worth of accumulated food.
“Ice Deity!” The surrounding Ice Spirits suddenly focused their attention on the sword that was previously Profound Frost but was now the Ice Soul Sword. The expressions on their faces were rather complicated.
All of a sudden, a brilliant light flashed as a pure and peerless woman appeared from the Ice Soul Sword, causing Yang Kai’s eyes to widen to the size of saucers. Although he had long known that Ice Soul Star’s Source had gained sentience, he had never expected it to actually have a Human form. The Source’s current state was similar to that of Liu Yan’s, though their attributes were the complete opposites.
Liu Yan was a Fire Attribute Spirit, while the Ice Soul was Ice Attribute.
[I wonder if they will fight when they meet?]
“Ice Deity!” Many Ice Spirits knelt to the ground and shouted loudly, but the peerless woman simply swept her beautiful eyes over them and spoke in a cold voice that resounded throughout the world, “I will be leaving this place.”
The expressions of many Ice Spirits became more sorrowful and unwilling upon hearing those words.
After making her announcement, she turned to Yang Kai and requested, “Please give them your protection before we leave this place.”
“A simple matter.” Yang Kai nodded.
Even if she had not mentioned it, he would have done so anyway. This Cultivation Star was linked to Su Yan, so Yang Kai could not be careless about this matter. He immediately communicated with the Star Field Source and guided its power to conceal all traces of Ice Soul Star’s existence.
Amidst the towering ancient trees that rose up into the sky, lightning and thunder flashed down from above. Something strange was occurring and the space shattered as if someone had torn it open. A dangerous aura leaked out of that gap into the Void, giving off a feeling like the end of the world was coming.
A Monster Commander with two horns on his head hid under a tree tremblingly as he looked up at the strange sight.
*Hong…*
Thunder roared deafeningly and the Monster Commander was so scared that he fell back onto the ground, his complexion deathly pale.
Then, the storm cleared up all of a sudden. The sky became clear and blue again in a flash. There was not a single cloud in sight for tens of thousands of kilometres.
The Monster Commander glanced in the direction the storm had first appeared again and was surprised to see that a Human figure had appeared in the sky at some point in time.
This place was the Monster Race’s territory and few Humans dared to wander this deep because those that did, died. Besides, he was certain that there was nobody there just now, so he was curious as to how this person appeared out of nowhere. Stranger still, upon a closer look, he had the vague feeling that this person looked familiar, like he had seen him somewhere before.
Before the Monster Commander could sort out his thoughts, the newcomer’s expression suddenly changed. That person closed his eyes and spread his arms wide. Following that, the World Energy churned and gathered towards him.
*Hong…*
An invisible force suddenly exploded without warning, transforming into a pressure wave that was visible to the naked eye. The impact swept out for hundreds of kilometres in an instant, shaking the trees so hard that they were nearly uprooted from the ground.
The Monster Commander’s eyes widened in shock as it was easy to tell from the aura of this person that they were not to be trifled.
Thus, the Monster Commander quickly concealed his aura and hid his presence while quietly retreating.
He was only a Monster Commander, which was equivalent to a Human Dao Source Realm cultivator; on the other hand, the Human that appeared out of nowhere was clearly an Emperor Realm Master. Moreover, it would seem as though they had just undergone a breakthrough.
The Monster Commander did not know if this person was a Second-Order or a Third-Order Emperor, but in any case, this was not an opponent he could face.
[This matter has to be reported to Sir as soon as possible! Sir can decide on what to do next.]
There was just one thing that the Monster Commander couldn’t understand no matter how he thought about it. [Why would this person come to this place for his breakthrough? Does he have a death wish? Although a Human Emperor Realm Master is not weak, there are many powerful Masters here who are much stronger than him. Any one of them can easily take his life at any time.]
In the sky, Yang Kai felt extremely refreshed. Feeling his long-sealed power, which gave him the ability to move mountains and split seas with ease, flooding into his body, he couldn’t hold back the excitement in his heart and let out a long celebratory shout.
Returning to the Star Field for more than ten years had been extremely suffocating. At the start, he had to seal his cultivation meticulously in order to avoid rejection from the Heavenly Way. Although he later became the Star Field Master, he still didn’t dare to throw his power around carelessly for fear of causing damage to the Star Field. It wasn’t until now that these shackles were finally removed that he tasted freedom again.
Furthermore, it was just as he expected. The experiences he accumulated in the First-Order Emperor Realm were incredibly rich; hence, it was a matter of course for him to break through to the Second-Order Emperor Realm as soon as he returned to Star Boundary. Increasing his cultivation by a Minor Realm had given his power a sharp boost, which made him feel as though he could do anything at this moment.
As the movement around him gradually calmed, Yang Kai swept his Divine Sense around to survey his surroundings. Although he was certain that he had returned to Star Boundary, he first had to figure out where he was!
After returning from Ice Soul Star with Su Yan, he stayed on Shadowed Star for another half a year until everything was prepared. Then, he moved everybody into the Small Sealed World, tore space, and returned to the Star Boundary.
The process had been fairly simple and it was not difficult for him to locate a channel that connected to the Star Boundary with his ability as a Star Field Master. He even left the channel intact to allow anyone from Heng Luo Star Field who was strong enough to travel to the Star Boundary. This approach was tantamount to reconnecting Heng Luo Star Field with Star Boundary. In the future, peak level Masters from Heng Luo Star Field would no longer need to worry about wasting their life away despite having a strong enough cultivation to break through to the next realm.
Yang Kai sensed an ancient and somewhat desolate aura from the towering trees around him. These trees were enormous, wide enough that a dozen people could not wrap themselves around their trunks. These trees looked vaguely familiar as well, and the surrounding environment also exuded an air of wildness.
Yang Kai couldn’t help lifting a brow as he muttered, “Can it be that much of a coincidence? Am I once again here?”
He had no way of pinpointing his destination when departing from Heng Luo Star Field to the Star Boundary. The Starlight Corridor, which he used great means to reopen, could only connect to a rough location.
A kilometre away, Yang Kai sensed a Monster Commander that was sneaking away.
Yang Kai’s figure flickered and blocked that Monster Commander’s path. In response, the Monster Commander with two horns on his head stopped mid-stride with a startled look as he stared at Yang Kai vigilantly.
“Is this the Ancient Wild Lands?” Yang Kai asked, looking at the Monster Commander.
The Monster Commander could not figure out Yang Kai’s origin nor purpose. He only knew that he was no match for this person, so he was more cooperative, “Yes!”
[How strange, why doesn’t this guy know that this is the Ancient Wild Lands even though he is already here? Humans sure have worryingly low intelligence.]
“That’s great!” Yang Kai grinned, “Which Divine Venerable’s subordinate are you?”
The Monster Commander was stunned once more, “Do you know the Divine Venerables, Sir?”
“Stop wasting my time. Am I asking the questions, or are you?” Yang Kai glared at the Monster Commander.
The Monster Commander paled instantly. He had not seen when or how Yang Kai moved to appear in front of him. In other words, if this Human wanted to take his life, it would be as easy as picking up a bug and crushing it. Standing in front of the gates of death, the Monster Commander felt a chill running down his spine, so he became even more docile than before, “I am a subordinate of Monster King Ying Fei under the West Divine Venerable.”
“Oh! So this is Ying Fei’s place!” Yang Kai couldn’t help smiling.
The Monster Commander found this situation even stranger, “Are you acquainted with Sir Monster King?”
For a moment just now, this Human’s expression became significantly more amiable; moreover, he addressed the Monster King directly by the name. It could only mean that they were acquainted with each other.
“Ying Fei is working as my subordinate, so you tell me; am I acquainted with him?”
“Huh?” The Monster Commander was taken aback by those words. His first reaction was to think that this person was bluffing. Monster King Ying Fei is one of the eight Monster Kings under the West Divine Venerable, Cang Gou. How can a Human be fortunate enough to know him much less dare to shamelessly boast about Sir Monster King being his subordinates!
All of a sudden, though, the Monster King seemed to recall something and his eyes bulged wide as he stuttered and pointed, “Y-You…”
He finally understood why the Human in front of him seemed so familiar. More than 10 years ago, a group of Humans had once barged into the Ancient Wild Lands and were caught up in the strange phenomenon surrounding the Blood Gate.
The North Divine Venerable, Shi Huo, lost his life after a great battle with them, and from then on, the Four Great Divine Venerables became the Three Great Divine Venerables. It was rumoured that a descendent of Heaven’s Order had entered the Blood Gate at that time and furthermore, there was a Human male that had a close relationship with that descendent. Even the Three Great Divine Venerables had to be polite to him because of this and they had even allowed that man to bring three Monster Kings away with him when he departed from the Ancient Wild Lands. Monster King Ying Fei was one of those three.
The Monster Commander had watched the battle from a distance, and although he did not see what happened very clearly, he vaguely remembered Yang Kai’s physical characteristics. Now, with Yang Kai’s reminder, that dusty memory at a corner of his mind surfaced again.
[What was that Human called… Oh, right…] The two-horned Monster Commander cupped his fists excitedly and greeted Yang Kai, “Senior Yang!”
“You recognize me?” Yang Kai asked with great interest. There were countless Monster Commanders in the Ancient Wild Lands, but he never expected to meet one that could recognize him. When did he become so famous in the Ancient Wild Lands?
“Yes. I was fortunate enough to get a glimpse of Senior Yang’s noble bearing in the past.” The two-horned Monster Commander was incredibly excited, and his expression became more and more ingratiating.
[How can I not know you!?]
‘Enter the Blood Gate, undergo rebirth by stimulating one’s ancestral bloodline, and transform into a Divine Spirit!’ This was the rumour that had been passed down through the generations and circulated in the Ancient Wild Lands since ancient times. Every member of the Monster Race was familiar with that saying.
Now that the Blood Gate was closed and the descendent of Heavens Order, who was in charge of managing thousands of Divine Spirit Sources, was gone, a new rumour sprang up in the Ancient Wild Lands that a Human called Yang Kai was the key if one wanted to revive the glory of their ancestors and become a Divine Spirit.
If not for that, how could the three Monster Kings, Xi Lei, Ying Fei, and Xie Wu Wei, willingly let themselves be ordered around by a mere Human!? They even left the Ancient Wild Lands, where they lived for thousands of years, to follow him back to work as his subordinate. Was that not in hopes of vying for the most advantageous position next to Yang Kai so that they could benefit from him in the future?
Among the 32 Monster Kings of the Ancient Wild Lands, only these three were lucky enough to receive such a blessing. Thus, the remaining 29 Monster Kings were extremely envious of them. If it were not for the strict suppression of the three Divine Venerables, the remaining 29 Kings might have all left the Ancient Wild Lands to follow Yang Kai too.
The two-horned Monster Commander did not expect an opportunity even the 29 Monster Kings could not obtain would suddenly fall into his lap. Standing in front of him was not an ordinary Human, it was a shortcut to becoming a Divine Spirit, becoming the strongest!
The impassioned, almost ravenous expression on the Monster Commander’s face disgusted Yang Kai greatly, causing him to back off slightly and say, “Since you can recognize me, then this will be simple. I have something I want you to do for me. Do you have time?”
“Of course! Of course!’ The two-horned Monster Commander replied eagerly. [Are you kidding me!? I managed to run into the God of Fortune! Of course, I have to grab hold of the opportunity! I will squeeze out some time for him even if it’s impossible!]
“What do you need, Senior?”
The corners of Yang Kai’s brow twitched and he couldn’t help feeling that this Monster Commander was looking at him a little strangely. Thus, he didn’t want to waste time talking any longer and simply instructed, “Go tell Luan Feng that Yang Kai is back, and ask her to prepare herself for when I collect the debt she owes me.”
“A debt? What debt?” The two-horned Monster Commander looked confused.
“Why are you asking so many questions? Hurry up and go.” Yang Kai lifted his foot and kicked the two-horned Monster Commander.
“Yes, yes, yes,” the two-horned Monster Commander turned around to leave. He only took several steps though before realizing something.
[No! If I leave now, won’t I lose the chance to approach this Human!?]
He hurriedly turned back to look, but there was nobody behind him. Yang Kai had left this place a long time ago. Feeling frustrated, the Monster Commander slapped himself on the thigh and cursed himself for being a fool. Even so, he did not dare to go against Yang Kai’s orders after openly agreeing to them. He could only hope that he would have another opportunity to meet with Yang Kai again and perform some distinguished service. Thus, he set off toward Luan Feng’s palace.
On the other hand, Yang Kai’s figure flickered as he flew up above the towering treetops, heading in a certain direction by relying on his memories.
An hour later, he landed softly. The air was fragrant and all the living creatures here were bursting with life. Although this place was still within the Ancient Wild Lands, there were none of the killings or hidden dangers that were pervasive throughout the rest of this land. Instead, it was a peaceful sanctuary that had a completely different atmosphere from the other places.
Birds were resting on the treetops and beasts were peacefully grazing on the ground. Sights that were rare in any other place within the Ancient Wild Lands were common here. It was as though there was an invisible force protecting this land stretching out for tens of thousands of kilometres from being ravaged.
The wind blew lightly and the trees rustled and swayed in response, as if whispers were being passed around among them. All of a sudden, tiny figures the size of a palm flew out from behind the trees, each one of them exquisitely beautiful and exuding a pure Wood Attribute aura from their bodies.
They were Wood Spirits!