In front of everyone’s eyes, Yang Kai slowly returned from three kilometres away.
All of them were dumbstruck as they looked dazedly at him. A long while later, Xu Zhen put on a helpless smile and commented, “Alright. You win.”
He decided to cast away the plan he had come up with. First, Yang Kai showcased exceptional combat strength, then he revealed his Space Secret Technique. Basically, no one at the scene could defeat or capture him.
He was fine with battling against them, but no one could stop him if he wanted to leave, unless someone could seal off the local space in advance. Nevertheless, once a battle took place, any hastily arranged seal would be broken.
At that instant, many of their expressions turned dark and solemn.
Since the Spirit Seizing War started, Yang Kai had undoubtedly become the clear winner, and the other Bearers only served as foils, which was why they were upset.
“Brother Yang, do you mind enlightening us on what you want?” Ning Dao Ran asked with a frown.
Yang Kai had already snatched the Innate Spirit Fruit, so he must have his own intentions for not leaving. Nevertheless, no one knew what he was up to.
“I wouldn’t dare to enlighten Brother Ning in any way.” Yang Kai shot him a look, “I just want to give all of you a chance to live.”
“Yang Kai, stop stalling and just spit it out!” Lin Feng appeared incensed. He was one of the top disciples from True Martial Cave Heaven, but he was now defeated by some guy that came from nowhere, which was why he was displeased.
Yang Kai explained, “There’s only one Innate Spirit Fruit. Now that it’s in my hands, you’ll have to kill me if you want to snatch it, but that will be difficult. However, if you can’t get the spirit fruit, you won’t be able to explain yourselves to your respective Divine Spirits.”
Everyone’s expression darkened when they heard that. This matter was what they were worried about. Divine Spirits were naturally not easy-going beings. They had paid a hefty price to nurture these Bearers and increase their strength. Some of the Divine Spirits even used the powers of their Monster Cores to help their Bearers so that they could leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Now that these Bearers had failed to accomplish their missions, they would have to face the Divine Spirits’ wrath right after they left this place.
“Do you have a suggestion, then? Can you appease the Divine Spirits?” Someone yelled. In that case, their safety could be guaranteed at the very least.
Yang Kai replied with a wry smile, “No one can appease the Divine Spirits. I’m not capable of doing that. But… What if I told you that I can help you avoid them? If they can’t find you, they won’t be able to harm you. Right?”
Ning Dao Ran’s interest was piqued, “Tell us more.”
All of these Bearers had been left with an imprint by their respective Divine Spirits, so once they left the Primordial Land, there was no way they could escape from their eyes.
They had no idea whether Yang Kai was given such an imprint, but they believed he had one.
Yang Kai opened his palm and summoned a bead into it. Then, he raised it and said, “This is the Sealed World Bead, a self-contained world. It can accommodate any living creatures that are below the Open Heaven Realm. If all of you trust me, you can hide inside the bead and avoid the Divine Spirits’ eyes.”
“Sealed World Bead?”
“An independent world?”
“Isn’t that like a Small Universe?”
A commotion broke out as everyone observed the Sealed World Bead in amazement.
There were rarely any artifacts that could accommodate living creatures; however, the Small Universe inside an Open Heaven Realm Master’s body could do that because it was a world of its own. It could be said that an Open Heaven Realm Master’s strength was directly correlated to the Small Universe inside their body.
After Yang Kai fished out the Sealed World Bead, many gazes brightened as they became less hostile. If they could make use of this thing to avoid the Divine Spirits’ search, it was actually a feasible solution.
However, all of them were cautious. Yang Kai’s suggestion sounded terrific, but they didn’t know what was really on his mind.
A moment later, someone asked what everyone else was wondering, “What benefits will you get from doing this? What do you want?”
Just like what Yang Kai had said, no one at the scene could stop him if he wanted to leave; however, instead of doing just that, he made such a suggestion, which was why they were doubtful.
Yang Kai broke into laughter, “There’s nothing that I want. If there’s any benefit to be gained… It’s just that, we can end the Spirit Seizing War. Moreover, after all of you enter the Sealed World Bead, you won’t tell anyone that I’ve obtained the Innate Spirit Fruit. After I leave the Primordial Land, I can buy some time to flee that way.”
He was left with no other choice. It wasn’t that he was selfless, but if he didn’t do this, regardless of whether these Bearers could stop him, they would never let him off, which was troublesome. Furthermore, once they left the Primordial Land, the Divine Spirits would immediately find out what had happened. By then, not only would Yang Kai be hunted down by these people, but also by the Divine Spirits behind them.
In that case, Yang Kai decided to bring them all away. By doing so, he could also make them owe him a favour. These people were bound to achieve great things in the future, so having them owe him a life-saving debt would not be a bad idea. Moreover, just like what Yang Kai had said, he could buy some time to flee by doing this.
The Spirit Seizing War didn’t stop after someone snatched the Innate Spirit Fruit, it would only end if he could safely leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
If it weren’t for this reason, Yang Kai would’ve fled as soon as he got the Innate Spirit Fruit instead of remaining here.
Many people were convinced by his sincerity and it was not long before someone was heard laughing. With his sword over his shoulder, Ding Yi strode towards Yang Kai and said happily, “Brother Yang, I trust you. This Ding will quit the Spirit Seizing War!”
Upon reaching Yang Kai, he turned around and faced the others.
Qu Hua Shang and Gu Pan traded glances before stepping towards him. Previously, they had come to an agreement with Yang Kai that they would fend off their opponents and snatch the spirit fruit before coming up with any further plans. Since there was a way that could avoid a battle now, they no longer had the urge to snatch the spirit fruit.
After giving it a thought, the little fatty, Xu Zhen, approached Yang Kai, and he was followed by Xiang Ying.
Just a moment later, seven or eight Bearers had come to Yang Kai’s side. Following this good start, things became easier. Subsequently, more people flew over and nodded at Yang Kai before curbing their aura and hostility.
With an apologetic expression, Fang Yue came over with the Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus beneath his feet, “Senior Brother Yang, count me in!”
Yang Kai nodded at him, and seeing as Yang Kai didn’t hold a grudge with him, Fang Yue breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he turned his head and glared at the Bearers who were still hesitant, “Senior Brother Yang is magnanimous enough to leave the past behind and bring all of us out of this place! What are you hesitating for? Or, do you want to inform the Divine Spirits what has happened after you leave the Primordial Land?”
Fang Yue’s words were extremely vicious, and as soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of the people beside Yang Kai turned cold as they looked cautiously at the Bearers who remained indecisive.
Since they had accepted Yang Kai’s suggestion, they were now riding the same boat as him. If Yang Kai was safe, they would stand a chance to live; however, if he fell into a perilous situation, they would also suffer.
Earlier, Yang Kai was the only one who was worried that word would get out, but now, a large group of people had the same concern. Faced with the threatening glares, the twenty or so Bearers who hadn’t made a decision yet felt their hearts jumping to their throats. They came to the realisation that if they didn’t make their stance clear immediately, they would have to face their rage.
Hesitating no more, they leapt towards Yang Kai and cupped his fists at him before calling him ‘Senior Brother Yang’.
Yang Kai replied to them in a humble manner.
Things were looking up as none of the Bearers had rejected his suggestion.
Since everything had been decided, Yang Kai told them to set their minds at ease and put them all inside the Sealed World Bead before settling them down in a particular place. After he was done with all that, he let out a long breath.
The Spirit Seizing War had finally come to an end. He had gotten the Innate Spirit Fruit, and now, he had to deal with those Divine Spirits. In order to safely leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, he had to come up with a proper plan.
With a deep gaze, he stared fixedly at the abstruse pattern on the back of his hand. With this thing in his possession, Yang Kai could flip the situation around and make Zhu Jiu Yin pay for what she had done.
While he was lost in his thoughts though, he suddenly felt an immense repulsive force coming at him from all directions. Looking up, he saw that the Innate Fruit Tree disintegrated and turned into points of light before leaving with the wind.
The Innate Fruit Tree was intangible as was just a convergence of energy. Now that the spirit fruit was taken away by Yang Kai, the foundation on which it existed was gone.
Since the fruit tree fell apart, the Primordial Land would soon close.
Yang Kai relaxed and let the force send him away. After the world around him spun for a moment, he realised that he was already outside the Primordial Land. Without hesitation, he summoned the Shadowless Veil and covered himself with it in order to conceal his aura and whereabouts.
Right after he was done with all that, many powerful Divine Senses swept across the place he stood from all directions and engulfed him.
It was apparent to Yang Kai that these Divine Senses belonged to the Divine Spirits who had been waiting outside the Primordial Land.
Since the Primordial Land had closed, they had to immediately look for their Bearers to find out whether they had succeeded.
Yang Kai held his breath and fell silent.
Soon, the Divine Senses left and went on to investigate other places. Knowing that the Shadowless Veil had worked, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
In the outside world, there was no way an artifact like the Shadowless Veil could deceive the Divine Spirits’ senses as each of them was just as powerful as a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. The Shadowless Veil could only block off the investigation of Low-Rank Masters while Mid-Rank cultivators would not see through it without careful probing. These Divine Spirits on the other hand were immensely powerful in comparison.
However, they were now in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary where the powers of these Divine Spirits had been greatly suppressed, giving Yang Kai a chance to take advantage of the situation.
The area around him was a mess. After the Primordial Land was closed, all the cultivators who were still alive inside it were sent out and scattered in a radius of a few hundred kilometres.
Yang Kai swept a glance over his surroundings and realised that only forty or fifty thousand cultivators had survived. It had to be noted that more than two hundred thousand people had entered the Primordial Land, but after just a short period of time, so many people had lost their lives, which went to show how dangerous this adventure had been.
Yang Kai dared not stay in this place nor use too much of his strength, so he cautiously moved away in silence.
The Divine Senses of the Divine Spirits kept criss-crossing one another, forcing Yang Kai to stop and hide, which significantly slowed him down, resulting in him taking an entire hour just to move a hundred kilometres.
At the same time, the Divine Spirits outside the Primordial Land sported dark expressions because they couldn’t detect the auras of their Bearers at all.
It wouldn’t have mattered if it happened only to some individuals, which would suggest that these Bearers were too weak or unlucky and had died in the Primordial Land. However, something clearly was off as all of them had gone missing.
Throughout history, the Primordial Land had opened countless times, and there wasn’t a single time where the situation was so strange. All of the Bearers had gone missing, and it wasn’t certain whether they were dead or alive.
The Divine Spirits looked inquisitively at each other as they were both shocked and doubtful. What happened in the Primordial Land that made all of their Bearers disappear?
Atop a certain hill, Yue He anxiously gazed around. Even though she was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it wasn’t easy for her to detect Yang Kai among these several tens of thousands of people. Unable to find him, she looked to Zhu Jiu Yin and asked, “Have you found Young Master?”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s expression was extremely dark, and hearing this question, she snorted, “No. I guess that little brat has lost his life.”
Since Yang Kai couldn’t immediately leave the Primordial Land, he must have fallen into danger.
She didn’t understand though. Yang Kai couldn’t be considered weak; in fact, he was undoubtedly the most powerful among all the Bearers, so how was it possible that he had lost his life? His death didn’t matter to Zhu Jiu Yin, but it had ruined her plans, [Am I going to be stuck in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary again?]
No one knew when the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary would open up again, and even if it did, there might not be a single person who could come in.
Guo Zi Yan comforted Yue He by saying, “Sir is an extremely lucky man, so I’m sure he’ll be fine. Lady Yue He, please don’t worry. Maybe he was held up by something.”
Hearing that, Zhu Jiu Yin sneered, “When the Primordial Land closes, all who are still alive inside it will be forced out. Since Yang Kai hasn’t appeared, there’s no way… Hmm?”
As she spoke, she suddenly turned to look in a particular direction as her eyes flashed. For a brief moment, she detected Yang Kai’s aura before it disappeared. Recalling a certain artifact in Yang Kai’s possession, Zhu Jiu Yin soon figured everything out.
Following a loud boom, a surge of energy caused over a thousand cultivators to lose their lives on the spot. Some Divine Spirits furiously made a move because they couldn’t find their Bearers.
With no hope to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, these Divine Spirits wouldn’t care whether these people lived or died, so they went on a killing spree to vent their fury.
Fei Yi’s burly figure moved across the crowd as he hissed and widened his bloody mouth. There was a horrifying suction coming from his gaping jaws as he continuously swallowed up cultivators. Previously, Qu Hua Shang was around to stop him from feasting on these cultivators, but now that she was gone, and with no hope to leave this world, he decided to fill his stomach.
The place descended into chaos. Several tens of thousands of cultivators were both stunned and horrified. Many people had finally escaped from the Primordial Land after having gained immense wealth and opportunities. Initially, they thought that they could surge to great heights in the near future, but before their dreams came true, they were slaughtered.
Countless figures hurriedly ran away. In just half a cup of tea’s time, 30% of the cultivators were killed.
A hundred kilometres away, Yang Kai turned a terrified gaze towards this slaughter.
Fortunately, he had run away earlier; otherwise, he would’ve lost his life by now. Pulling his Shadowless Veil tighter, he thought that if Zhu Jiu Yin had really left a tracking technique on his body, she should’ve noticed him by now.
Regardless, he couldn’t stay in this place. He reckoned that he’d just contact Yue He at a later time.
Half a day later, all the noises behind him died down. Upon entering a certain valley, Yang Kai dispelled the Shadowless Veil’s concealment for a moment before quickly covering himself up again.
A moment later, a ray of light was seen rapidly approaching him from the horizon. Seeing that, Yang Kai snorted, knowing that Zhu Jiu Yin had really left a tracking mark on his body; otherwise, she couldn’t have found him so quickly.
The ray of light was so swift that in the blink of an eye, the distance between them had significantly shortened.
Yang Kai took off the Shadowless Veil and revealed himself fully. Narrowing his eyes, he saw four figures in that ray of light, who were none other than Zhu Jiu Yin, Yue He, and the others.
However, the next instant, Yang Kai’s expression changed drastically as he shouted, “Zhu Jiu Yin, are you stupid!? How could you not know people were following you!? If I die it will be all your fault!”
Upon finishing his words, he turned around and fled because several rays of light were seen relentlessly chasing after Zhu Jiu Yin.
Among the rays of light, Jin Wu was leading the way while he was followed by Zhu Yan, Kun Sha, and several others. There were seven or eight Divine Spirits in total.
Fei Yi had turned into a two-headed man as one of his heads was seen cackling, “Brother Jin Wu, you’re indeed clever. How did you find out that something was off with the cheap slut Zhu Jiu Yin?”
Jin Wu snorted, “That woman had three captives with her. If they became useless, why would she keep them alive? She wouldn’t let them survive for no reason. What this King doesn’t understand is why the other Bearers have gone missing. Why has only this cheap slut’s Bearer appeared?”
Kun Sha scoffed, “We’ll know after we capture and interrogate him.”
Zhu Yan said, “Since he’s the only one out of the dozens of Bearers who has appeared, it’s likely that the Innate Spirit Fruit is with him. If we capture him, one of us will be able to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary!”
“Let’s see who will be able to catch him, then. Oh… that Brat is running away pretty quickly. Is he using some kind of Space Secret Technique? Incredible!”
Given Yang Kai’s cultivation and speed, there was no way he could get rid of the Divine Spirits, but his Space Secret Technique made it possible for him to stay ahead of them somewhat.
Between them, Zhu Jiu Yin was so mad that she almost spat blood. Certainly, she wanted to secretly contact Yang Kai and obtain the Innate Spirit Fruit. She didn’t know what was up with Jin Wu, but as soon as she left, he immediately chased after her, and she was unable to get rid of him.
Given enough time, she could have attempted to get rid of these annoying fellows. Nevertheless, since the Primordial Land had closed, it meant that there wasn’t much time left for them. That was why she didn’t have the time to brush off Jin Wu and the others as she directly chased after Yang Kai.
As she approached him, she spoke to him via Divine Sense, “Smelly brat, stop running! Did you get the Innate Spirit Fruit?”
A furious Yang Kai naturally hastened his pace further as he shouted, “Should I wait for death if I don’t run? Of course, I obtained the Innate Spirit Fruit!”
“Show me.” Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice was trembling.
Yang Kai almost couldn’t contain the urge to curse. He was trying his best to hide the spirit fruit, but this woman was making him fish it out instead.
Nevertheless, she couldn’t be blamed for this suggestion. If she couldn’t see the spirit fruit, she couldn’t be certain whether Yang Kai was telling the truth. If he had obtained it, the coming fight would be worth it. However, if he was lying, she didn’t have to keep wasting time.
With a dark expression, Yang Kai raised his right hand and revealed the pattern.
A puzzled Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “What is this?”
Yang Kai bellowed, “It’s the Innate Spirit Fruit! The fruit broke apart and became this.”
After becoming startled for a moment, Zhu Jiu Yin soon realised something and exclaimed, “I see!”
“Are you happy now?” Yang Kai said through clenched teeth. He didn’t mind showing her the pattern, but the problem was that Jin Wu and the others could also see it. Presently, their gazes sparkled as they had also realised the crux of the matter. They stared fixedly at Yang Kai as their expressions were filled with greed and excitement.
“Come close to me. I’ll take you away!” Zhu Jiu Yin secretly spoke to him as she suppressed the excitement in her heart.
Without turning his head, Yang Kai kept dashing forward. He didn’t care that his energy was rapidly depleting, “You should get rid of them first, then we’ll talk!”
Following that, Jin Wu suddenly yelled, “Brat, whatever Zhu Jiu Yin promised you, I can double it! Besides that, if you help this King leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, this King can be your Protector for 300 years!”
Hearing that, Zhu Yan hurriedly countered, “Brat, I’m willing to give you my entire collection and become your Protector for 300 years!”
One of Fei Yi’s heads was seen grinning, “This King can be your Protector for 500 years!”
All of these Divine Spirits competed against each other and made very attractive offers, and upon hearing them, Yang Kai was indeed tempted.
Nonetheless, to Yang Kai, all of these Divine Spirits were not as important as Jin Wu. That guy’s Monster Core was of the Metal Attribute, which was what Yang Kai needed the most right now. If they could come to an agreement, Yang Kai wouldn’t have to worry about gathering his Metal Element Power.
Apparently, Zhu Jiu Yin understood what was on his mind though. She was aware that Yang Kai needed a Metal Element treasure because she had helped him look for one before. Unfortunately, she was unable to find one.
Worried that Yang Kai would be tempted by Jin Wu’s offer, Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “Brat, don’t forget that these three people are still in my hands!”
Before Yang Kai entered the Primordial Land, Zhu Jiu Yin had captured Yue He, Lu Xue, and Guo Zi Yan. Unless he didn’t care whether they lived or died, he would have to listen to her commands.
Lu Xue could be ignored as Yang Kai wasn’t that close to her. They came into contact because of the matter regarding Sword Pavilion and she decided to side with him to seek his protection. That was all.
Nevertheless, he could never abandon Yue He and Guo Zi Yan. The former had helped him a lot while the latter was extremely loyal to him.
Zhu Jiu Yan didn’t dump them because she had to use them to threaten Yang Kai. By bringing these people with her, she had to expend more energy and it only served to slow her down.
Yang Kai scoffed, “Since I’ve come to an agreement with you, I won’t go back on my word, so you don’t have to worry. However, how are we supposed to get rid of them now?”
Zhu Jiu Yin hurriedly said, “After the Primordial Land closes, there isn’t much time left. A fog will cover the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary at any moment, and when that happens, all of you will have to leave. Stop running and come closer to me!”
“The entire Grand Ancients Ruins Boundary is closing as well?” Yang Kai was elated upon hearing that, knowing that she wouldn’t lie to him at this point. It was no wonder that Zhu Jiu Yin was so eager to look for him even if she had to expose herself.
According to her, a fog would cover the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary at any moment. If she couldn’t achieve her goal by that time, all her efforts would go to waste. After giving it a thought, Yang Kai slowed down and waited for her to reach him.
Seeing that, Jin Wu and the others knew that they were in an unfavourable position. As soon as Zhu Jiu Yin and Yang Kai came together, their plan would fall through. At the thought of this, a ferocious glint flashed across Jin Wu’s eyes as he bellowed, “Zhu Jiu Yin, if this King can’t leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, I won’t allow you to feel any better! I’ll make sure you stay here forever!”
Upon finishing his words, he widened his mouth and roared, after which a golden light that lit up a hundred-kilometre radius shot towards Yang Kai.
A great sense of danger rose within Yang Kai as his pupils contracted. He had a feeling that he was engulfed in an aura of death.
Even though the Divine Spirits were suppressed in Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, which made sure that they couldn’t fully use their strength, this strike was still horrifying. Wherever the golden light passed, Heaven and Earth collapsed and space warped and tore asunder.
What terrified Yang Kai was that Jin Wu’s world-shaking strike had shattered the surrounding space, which disrupted the local Principles, making it impossible for him to use Instantaneous Movement.
Following a howl, the aura of a Divine Spirit permeated the air. A gigantic eight-legged spider illusory phantom suddenly appeared behind Zhu Jiu Yin. The spider was so massive that it almost covered the entire sky. There was a silver crescent moon on the back of the spider. It was the manifestation of her Heavenly Moon Demon Spider True Body.
At that instant, the entire world seemed to be filled with Monster Qi.
The golden light clashed with the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider’s Manifestation, which then shook and dimmed a little.
“Jin Wu, you court death!” Zhu Jiu Yin was so infuriated that her beautiful facial features contorted.
Fortunately, she had reacted quickly just now; otherwise, Yang Kai would’ve been killed by that attack. Once that happened, she wouldn’t be able to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and she could only wait for the next opportunity.
However, it never crossed her mind that Jin Wu would be so resolute. As soon as he realised that there was no hope for him, he decided to end Yang Kai’s life. Even though he didn’t get the opportunity, he wouldn’t let someone else have it either. He was basically harming another person’s interest without benefiting himself.
Jin Wu cackled, “Cheap slut, kill this King if you can! I’m just afraid that you can’t!”
The competition between them had continued for countless years, so they basically had an irreconcilable grudge between them now. However, both of them were equally matched, so neither of them could gain the upper hand. Seeing as Zhu Jiu Yin was furious only pleased Jin Wu further.
Then, Jin Wu said in a grim voice, “Brothers, what are you waiting for? Stop your wishful thinking! That brat has to save those three captives, so there’s no way he’ll side with any of you!”
He had practically hit the nail on the head. The other Divine Spirits sighed and made a move without hesitation.
The horrifying attacks came right at Yang Kai, as though the Divine Spirits were determined to end his life on the spot.
All of Yang Kai’s hair stood on end as he felt a crawling sensation on his head. Earlier, Jin Wu’s attack alone almost sent him to the Yellow Springs. Now that eight Divine Spirits had made a move together, there was no way he could survive.
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin would protect him at all costs, he was still doomed.
Without hesitation, Yang Kai hurriedly used his Golden Crow Casts the Sun. A Great Sun immediately leapt from behind him as his aura surged.
*Hong hong hong…*
The attacks from the Divine Spirits collided with Zhu Jiu Yin’s True Body Manifestation and caused it to shatter. Her Soul shook and blood started leaking from her lips.
The Great Sun was destroyed at the same time and Yang Kai sprayed out a mouthful of blood as he became battered.
Just one round of attacks almost made him unable to endure. Fortunately, Zhu Jiu Yin had blocked most of the attacks for him, and he had a strong foundation as well as a sturdy Half-Dragon Body; otherwise, he would’ve lost his life by now.
“Oh, that brat actually survived!” Jin Wu was slightly shocked, but that was all. Even though Yang Kai could survive the first round of attacks, there was no way he would still be alive and kicking after the second round struck.
Before they could make a move again though, a severely injured Yang Kai suddenly vanished into thin air.
Despite the fact that this place was covered with the Divine Spirits’ Divine Senses, they had actually lost track of Yang Kai’s aura entirely.
Jin Wu was stunned as he gawked and asked, “Where is he?”
The other Divine Spirits were both shocked and doubtful, not knowing what had happened.
On the other hand, a glint flashed across Zhu Jiu Yin’s eyes. A blood mist suddenly surged around her as she shot forward in a particular direction like a bolt of lightning. Apparently, she had used a Secret Technique to significantly increase her speed.
“Follow her!” Jin Wu bellowed and relentlessly raced after her.
Yang Kai had disappeared for no reason, but as long as they pursued Zhu Jiu Yin, they could definitely find him.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai suddenly appeared in his home in the Scarlet Star’s Star City. As soon as he appeared, he sprayed out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground, his aura extremely weak. Still reeling from the shock, he panted heavily.
He was fairly powerful now, and he emerged to be the top among the Bearers in the Spirit Seizing War. Without fighting against the Bearers, he was able to convince them to concede defeat and entrust their lives to him. However, compared to those Divine Spirits, he was still far too weak, to the point that they could kill him at will.
Just now, before the Divine Spirits launched the second round of attacks, he found an opening to flee by making use of a Space Beacon to return to the Star City.
It couldn’t be helped. If he remained there, he would’ve been greeted with even more horrifying attacks. He managed to survive the first round, but Yang Kai wasn’t confident that he could do the same again.
After he scanned himself with Divine Sense, his expression darkened. His injuries were truly severe. His physique was battered, and many of his bones were broken. His five viscera and six organs were shifted heavily and even his Dao Seal was shaking violently. Anyone else with such injuries could only wait for death. Fortunately, Yang Kai’s Wood Element Power was condensed from the Immortal Tree’s essence and his Dragon Vein was also extremely strong. As long as he wasn’t struck by a fatal attack, he could definitely restore himself.
With difficulty, he sat up by pressing his hands against the ground. After stuffing many Spirit Pills into his mouth, he started circulating his strength to adjust his breathing.
Just now, before he left, he had told Zhu Jiu Yin where he was heading. The Star City of Scarlet Star was pretty far away from the Primordial Land, and while he could make use of a Space Beacon and return in the blink of an eye, it would take Zhu Jiu Yin at least a day to come here.
With one day as a buffer, she might be able to get rid of Jin Wu and the others. The crux of the problem now was whether he had enough time to wait for her arrival.
She had said that after the Primordial Land closed, the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog might appear at any moment. Once that happened, outsiders like Yang Kai would be ejected. If she hadn’t come back by then, things would become terrible.
Therefore, Yang Kai had to restore some strength as soon as possible and then go look for her. By doing so, he could save some time.
Four hours later, Yang Kai pushed the door open and left. Even though he was still injured, he was able to move around at the very least.
As soon as he passed through the door, he saw two burly figures waiting for him in the yard. They were none other than the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon. After the Primordial Land opened up, everyone in the Star City left, leaving only these two exotic beasts behind to guard this place.
Both of them had been subdued by Yang Kai not long after he arrived at the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and they had stayed by his side for a long time and been quite loyal to him.
When the Scarlet Flood Dragon saw Yang Kai, a hint of surprise lit up in its huge eyes. On the other hand, the Earth Dragon directly widened his mouth and squirmed as its saliva scattered everywhere.
Yang Kai burst into laughter and respectively gave them a Dragon Blood Pill; then, he patted their heads and said, “Thanks for your company, but I have to leave soon. Take care. I hope that we will meet again one day.”
These guys had a bit of the Dragon Clan’s bloodlines, and Yang Kai had been feeding them with Dragon Blood Pills over the years, so they might be able to become Divine Spirits one day. If there was an opportunity for them, they might be able to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Nevertheless, that wasn’t likely to happen as their competitors were people like Jin Wu.
They already had some spirituality, and after Zhu Jiu Yin taught them, they had developed some sentience. Hearing what Yang Kai had said, they fell silent.
The Scarlet Flood Dragon looked longingly at him as it was unwilling to part with him. The bean-like eyes on the Earth Dragon’s smooth-looking head batted as well.
“Alright. I have to leave now,” Without wasting any more time, Yang Kai waved his hand and shot into the sky.
While the Scarlet Flood Dragon growled in a small voice, the Earth Dragon howled loudly.
The next instant, Yang Kai returned and sized up the two guys before glancing at the peculiar pattern on the back of his hand.
He had figured out the uses of this pattern as soon as he obtained it. Rather than a mere tattoo, it was actually a strange space, which could accommodate a Divine Spirit.
The Divine Spirits were born and bred in this place, so they were marked with the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary’s aura. That was why even when the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog appeared, which caused it to close, they were still unable to get rid of this place’s restrictions. However, if they hid inside the strange space, they could deceive the Heavens and avoid the inspection, thus allowing them to break free from the cage called the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
There was no other way they could achieve this.
Even if Yang Kai kept the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon inside the Small Sealed World, they would be intercepted by the World Principles here when he was forced to leave. That was why he had never intended to keep them inside the Sealed World Bead.
However, since the pattern on the back of his hand was able to accommodate a Divine Spirit, it should be alright for him to stuff these two into it as well. He shook the pattern and infused his energy into it, and the next moment, a glow radiated from the back of his hand and engulfed the pair.
Following that, these two guys were sucked into that strange space.
Yang Kai grunted and felt that half of the energy he had just restored was drained. It then dawned upon him that he had to pay a price for activating this pattern.
A lot of energy was needed to stuff these two into it, so he wondered how much energy he would have to spend to put Zhu Jiu Yin inside; after all, she was a Divine Spirit who was far stronger than these two.
A moment later, Yang Kai shot into the sky again and moved in a particular direction. Without any delay, he kept consuming pills to restore his strength on his way to his destination.
Two hours later, while he was moving forward at full speed, he suddenly sensed something and looked around, only to quickly curse, “Damn it!”
At this moment, a seemingly endless fog was billowing from the Void and filling the world. Yang Kai found the fog familiar as it was none other than the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog.
In the past, the entire Star City where Scarlet Star once stood was covered in this fog, whereupon they were sent into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Now that the fog reappeared, it meant that the process was about to be reversed.
Since the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was closing, all the outsiders would be forced out. If Yang Kai couldn’t reach Zhu Jiu Yin before that, Yue He and the others would be forced to remain here forever.
Without the hope to break free from this cage, Zhu Jiu Yin would vent her anger on them without a doubt.
With no time to spare, Yang Kai ignored the fact that he was seriously injured as he continuously manipulated Space Principles to charge forward at full speed.
Two hours later, the fog had thickened and was weltering. It seemed that the entire world would be filled with it soon.
Yang Kai could clearly feel that there was an aura in the fog that was connected to a different world. He knew that the fog had built a bridge between the outside world and the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary now.
However, Zhu Jiu Yin was still nowhere in sight, which made him feel anxious.
A moment later, Yang Kai’s gaze brightened as a ray of light was fast approaching him from the distance. It was none other than Zhu Jiu Yin. At this critical moment, they finally reunited.
Nevertheless, things were on the gloomy side as Jin Wu and the other Divine Spirits were still relentlessly pursuing her.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s gaze lit up when she saw Yang Kai as she hastened her pace. Before she even came close to him, she pulled him towards her using a thread of spider silk and continued fleeing.
“Why haven’t you gotten rid of them yet?” Yang Kai asked with displeasure.
Previously, he had made use of a Space Beacon to return to the Star City. First of all, he had to flee because Jin Wu and the others were determined to end his life. If he had stayed there, he would’ve fallen into mortal danger. Secondly, he had intended to distract their attention so that Zhu Jiu Yin would stand a chance to shake them off.
Nonetheless, his efforts apparently yielded no results.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “This Queen is not skilled at fleeing. How am I supposed to get rid of them?” Her face was pale as she spoke.
In order to return to the Scarlet Star’s Star City as soon as possible, she had no choice but to use a Secret Technique that sacrificed her Blood Essence. Besides that, she was attacked by Jin Wu and the others on the way to her destination, so she was badly injured.
If she were on her own, she would have fared better. The problem was that she was bringing Yue He and the others with her and had to protect them.
Yue He and the others were what allowed her to control Yang Kai, but they had also become her burden while running away and made her suffer a setback. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t dare to dump any of them. If Yang Kai became infuriated, she wouldn’t be able to achieve her goal.
“Brat, we’re in trouble,” Zhu Jiu Yin sported a gloomy expression. She had completed the first step of her plan by reuniting with Yang Kai. Now, she just had to get into the strange space on the back of his hand, and when the Boundary closed, she would be able to leave with him.
All that took time though, and no matter how quick she was it would still require a few breaths, but that was enough for Jin Wu and the others to cut Yang Kai into ten thousand pieces.
“Can you leave this place just like how you did it previously?” Zhu Jiu Yin asked in a grim voice.
In a solemn manner, Yang Kai shook his head, “I’m sure you can sense that these guys have sealed off the surrounding space. Apparently, they’re worried that I’ll use the same trick again.”
As soon as Yang Kai and Zhu Jiu Yin came into contact, Jin Wu and the others surged their auras to seal off a large area of space around them. They had suffered a setback previously, which was why they wouldn’t allow Yang Kai to use the same trick.
“But…” Yang Kai paused for a moment, “If you’re able to break their seal, we can escape. Can you do it?”
“I’ll give it a try,” Zhu Jiu Yin nodded solemnly.
“Pass them to me,” Yang Kai said.
With a doubtful look, Zhu Jiu Yin shot him a glance.
Yang Kai snarled, “We’ve gone through so much together already, are you still worried that I’ll go back on my word now? Now that the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog has appeared, there’s not much time left. Who else can I work with other than you?”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s expression turned milder and nodded, “I hope that you are not lying to me.”
Upon saying that, she released Yue He and the others.
After telling them to relax, Yang Kai summoned the Six Fated Paths Bag and stuffed them into it. The three of them were Open Heaven Realm Masters, so there was no way the Small Sealed World could accommodate them; he had no choice but to put them inside the Six Fated Paths Bag.
Just a moment later, the fog around them thickened as they almost couldn’t see the view around them clearly. Upon realising that they were running out of time, Jin Wu and the other pursuing Divine Spirits became agitated and their auras flared. While they were preparing to strike out again, they also cursed incessantly at their opponent.
Yang Kai took Zhu Jiu Yin’s wrist and said, “Do it now.”
Zhu Jiu Yin yelled, “Act swiftly!”
Saying so, a horrifying aura exploded from her body as the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider’s Manifestation reappeared. All eight of its legs were dancing through the air while the silver moon on its back radiated a blinding glow. Countless threads of spider silk broke through the Void and attacked Jin Wu and the others in the next moment.
The Divine Spirits became furious and counterattacked, causing waves of energy to surge and turn the world pale.
As Zhu Jiu Yin’s Manifestation came apart under the bombardment, she grunted and sprayed out a mouthful of blood. She was facing eight Divine Spirits all on her own, which was why she suffered a total defeat. Even her Source had been damaged and her aura, which was originally near its peak still, plummeted significantly.
However, after the Divine Spirits traded moves, a crack appeared in their seal.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai’s gaze brightened as he activated his Space Beacon. A light covered Zhu Jiu Yin and him before they disappeared.
The next instant, eight attacks whizzed past the place where they had stayed earlier and shattered the Void; however, they were nowhere to be seen.
Jin Wu and the others reached the place and scanned the surroundings with their Divine Senses. Discovering nothing, they knew that Yang Kai had fled again. Unable to take it anymore, Jin Wu howled at the sky while the other Divine Spirits sighed, knowing that Zhu Jiu Yin was the winner this time.
On Crouching Dragon Mountain, two figures abruptly appeared in front of a small log house and collapsed to the ground.
Yang Kai had spent two years cultivating his spear technique here, so he had naturally left a Space Beacon in this place. He wouldn’t dare to return to the Star City as he was worried that Jin Wu and the others would go there to search for him, so Crouching Dragon Mountain was a natural choice. There was no way Jin Wu and the others were aware of this place, and they didn’t have the time to come all the way here to look for him. It could be said that they were completely safe in this place.
Yang Kai suddenly felt a soft and tender body under him and he caught a whiff of a pleasant scent tickling his nose. Raising his head, he saw Zhu Jiu Yin staring at him with a pair of ice-cold eyes.
Yang Kai flashed a smile at her and rolled away from her. With his limbs spread on the ground, he panted heavily.
Zhu Jiu Yin remained unmoving as she lay beside Yang Kai. The last strike cost her an immense amount of strength. After trading moves with Jin Wu and the others, she became severely injured so now she didn’t even have the strength to move a finger.
After batting her lashes though, Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly started laughing in a pleasant voice.
Upon escaping Jin Wu’s pursuit, she could achieve her goal and leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. When she reached the outside world, she would definitely become one of the most powerful Masters as she was a Divine Spirit.
“Hand over your entire collection and be my Protector for a thousand years,” Yang Kai suddenly said, which made her abruptly choke on her laughter.
Suppressing the fury in her heart, Zhu Jiu Yin turned her head and glared fiercely at him, “Brat, don’t go too far!”
In a calm manner, Yang Kai looked up at the sky, “You can sleep on it. I’m in no rush.”
While he could remain calm, there was no way Zhu Jiu Yin could. The Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog was extremely thick and might send him away at any moment. There wasn’t much time for her to ponder on it. If she wanted to leave this prison, she had to agree to Yang Kai’s terms.
Since Zhu Jiu Yin found him and made him a Bearer, he had never talked about conditions with her. The other Bearers had already come to an agreement with their Divine Spirits in advance.
It wasn’t that Yang Kai didn’t want to get any benefits, it was just that he was waiting for the last moment when Zhu Jiu Yin would not be able to reject him.
“Brat, don’t forget that it was me who taught you the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture. It was me who gave you the Divine Dao Water to strengthen your Dao Seal. It was also me who helped you look for a Metal Element treasure without any complaint,” Zhu Jiu Yin said through clenched teeth as she had the urge to bite Yang Kai to death.
Yang Kai grinned, “Of course I will never forget those favours. but I know you only made such efforts so that I could snatch the opportunity for you to leave, and I’ve proven that I did not disappoint you, haven’t I?” As he spoke, he raised his hand and showed her the pattern on the back of his hand.
“As for the Metal Element treasure… you didn’t find one in the end. By the way, Jin Wu’s Monster Core is a Metal Element treasure. If I had cooperated with him, I would’ve gained the maximum benefits; however, I didn’t do so because I’m a man of my word. Since I’ve come to an agreement with you, I won’t betray you.”
Zhu Jiu Yin had the overwhelming urge to spit in his face when she heard that. If it weren’t because she had captured Yue He and the others, she knew Yang Kai would’ve dumped her in an instant and sided with Jin Wu.
“Your conditions are too harsh,” Zhu Jiu Yin suppressed her fury and haggled with him.
“Wealth doesn’t matter as you can’t bring it with you when you pass away.” Yang Kai grinned, “Moreover, you’re a Divine Spirit. Once you leave this place, you’ll be able to use your full strength and become as powerful as a Seventh or Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. What do you need those items for?”
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “I can give you those things, but a thousand years is too long.”
“Divine Spirits live extremely long lives. I know a thousand years will pass in a snap of your fingers.”
“Brat, are you sick of living?”
“Do you have any energy left to kill me?”
Zhu Jiu Yin took a deep breath as her plump trembled, “Three hundred years!”
“A thousand years!”
“Five hundred years!”
“A thousand years!!”
“Eight hundred years!!” Zhu Jiu Yin screamed hysterically.
“A thousand years!!!” Yang Kai said through clenched teeth, “Oh, no! The fog has thickened. I’m worried that I’ll need to leave soon.”
“Little bastard!” Zhu Jiu Yin was utterly incensed.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Have you agreed to it? Your word carries no weight. I want you to swear on your Source!”
“This Queen swears she will make you suffer the most excruciating torture after a thousand years!” Zhu Jiu Yin bellowed as she widened her mouth and spat out her Heavenly Moon Demon Spider’s Source. The Source was a petite eight-legged spider, but its glow had dimmed. Apparently, it was injured.
After swearing on her Source, Zhu Jiu Yin put it back inside her body.
It was only then that Yang Kai set his mind at ease. Zhu Jiu Yin was incredibly powerful, but she could not take an oath sworn on her Source lightly. Just like a cultivator swearing on his Dao Heart, if there was no special way to render the oath ineffective, they had to honor it; otherwise, the backlash would be intense.
[As for a thousand years later… we’ll see if you can still defeat me by then.] Yang Kai grinned.
After everything was settled, Yang Kai directly raised the back of his hand and infused his energy into it, “Come in.”
A glow radiated from the pattern and engulfed Zhu Jiu Yin before sucking her into the strange space.
Instantly, Yang Kai’s face turned as pale as a white sheet as his forehead was drenched in sweat. Despite the fact that he already knew that it would cost him a lot of energy to put her inside the space, the exhaustion he felt was still beyond his expectation.
The next instant, Zhu Jiu Yin’s furious voice was heard coming from his Soul, “Why are these two little kids in here as well? It’s so cramped!”
With his limbs spread on the ground, Yang Kai couldn’t even move a muscle so he lethargically replied, “They’re just hitching a free ride. Bear with it for now.”
Yang Kai now realized why there was only one Divine Spirit who could be the winner in every Spirit Seizing War. He didn’t feel anything when he stuffed the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon into the special space, but now that he did the same to Zhu Jiu Yin, he immediately felt that it was filled to the brim. It was no wonder she said it felt cramped.
This special space could only accommodate one Divine Spirit. There was no room for another one.
The breeze was cold and the fog roiled. Yang Kai’s breathing slowly stabilised. Soon, the entire Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was filled with fog, and he couldn’t even see his hands before his face.
It felt like a short moment, but it also felt as if many years had passed. When the fog dissipated, Yang Kai was startled to hear noises from all around him.
Opening his eyes, he realised that he was already floating in the void. Several tens of thousands of cultivators were scattered everywhere as they exclaimed and cried tears of joy, as though they had been reborn. They could hardly contain their excitement.
Over ten years ago, the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog swept across an entire Star City and engulfed it. More than ten years later, the same fog sent them back.
In the past, there were several hundred thousand to over a million people in and around the Star City, but now, only twenty thousand to thirty thousand had come out alive. In the past dozen years or so, countless cultivators had lost their lives in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and only a small number of them survived.
Yang Kai immediately checked on his Small Sealed World, and upon realising that the Divine Medicines that he had obtained were still with him, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Principles in the Boundary wouldn’t intercept living creatures without flesh and blood bodies. If those three Divine Medicines were intercepted, he would’ve felt dejected.
Pu Bai Xiong and Little Mushroom were not so important, but the gourd vine was a Supreme Treasure.
Inside the Small Sealed World, the other Bearers stayed quietly in a particular area. They were either meditating or looking around curiously. As the Master of the Small Sealed World, Yang Kai had imposed a limit on where they could go, so they were unable to see the Small Sealed World in its entirety.
After their initial excitement died down, the surviving cultivators started dispersing. Now that they had escaped unscathed, they wouldn’t dare to stay in the same place. It would be terrible if the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog returned for some reason.
These cultivators bid each other farewell and left in all directions.
It took Yang Kai a long time before he could restore some of his energy. As a thought flashed through his mind, he released those Bearers from the Small Sealed World.
After several dozen people appeared, they became startled for a moment before a pleasantly surprised Xu Zhen asked, “Have we left?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Fortunately, I didn’t disappoint you all. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary has closed, and we’ve all left that place safely.”
Xu Zhen turned his head, and seeing as Yang Kai appeared completely battered, he became shocked and said, “Brother Yang, you must have suffered a lot.”
Although he wasn’t sure what Yang Kai had gone through, it was apparent that a lot of misfortunes had befallen the latter; after all, so many Bearers had entered the Primordial Land, but only Yang Kai had come out in the end, so there was no way those Divine Spirits would let him off.
“Many thanks, Brother Yang!” Xu Zhen solemnly cupped his fists.
All the others lightly bowed their heads as well, “Many thanks, Senior Brother Yang.”
If Yang Kai hadn’t put them inside the Small Sealed World, as soon as they left the Primordial Land, their respective Divine Spirits would’ve immediately found them. Many of them would’ve lost their lives because of that. It could be said that Yang Kai had saved their lives, so they now owed him a favour.
“It was a minor matter,” Yang Kai saluted them back.
“I haven’t returned to the Sect for years, so Sect Master must be worried about me. I’ll take my leave now, Senior Brother Yang. If you ever come to the Free and Unfettered Territory, please pay a visit to our Sect. This Ning will personally welcome you.” Ning Dao Ran placed one hand on his chest and sincerely invited him.
With a smile, Yang Kai replied, “I’ve heard much about the Thirty-Six Cave-Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises. If there’s a chance, I’ll definitely pay your Sect a visit.”
After a nod, Ning Dao Ran turned around and left.
“I also have to return to my Sect. Yang Kai, I’ll definitely repay your favour in the future, so don’t get yourself killed too soon.” Lin Feng snorted and cupped his fists before leaving with Ning Dao Ran.
“I have to leave as well. Little Brother Yang, come look for me when you’re free,” Upon finishing her words, Qu Hua Shang flicked a token at him, “With this token in your possession, you can come to my Yin-Yang Cave Heaven whenever you want.”
Yang Kai stored the token and nodded his head, “Senior Sister Qu, take care.”
Following that, Xu Zhen, Gu Pan and the others also left. They were from Cave-Heavens and Paradises, so it was expected that they had to leave in a hurry. The opening of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was a major event; moreover, many people had been sucked into the Boundary this time while all the survivors had had their own opportunities. The Bearers had especially gained immense benefits, and many of them had condensed Sixth-Order or even Seven-Order Element Powers. Therefore, they had to immediately report this matter to their Sects. With so many new rising stars, it was a great opportunity for those Cave-Heavens and Paradises to recruit them and nurture them into future powerhouses.
This matter had to be settled as quickly as possible. If the news was spread around, it would be too late for them to recruit these people.
Before Xu Zhen and Gu Pan left, they had respectively given Yang Kai a token and told him that with them in his possession, he could contact them as long as he came to their Sects.
Yang Kai carefully kept them. He had intended to ask Gu Pan about Zhang Ruo Xi, but there were too many people around, so he decided to give up on that idea. In any case, with Gu Pan’s token in his hands, he could go to Lang Ya Paradise when he was free.
Following that, all the Bearers left one by one. All of them bid Yang Kai farewell before leaving. They had gained a lot of benefits in the Boundary this time, so they wouldn’t dare to remain here lest an accident happened.
Some of these Bearers were not famous, while some of them were the top disciples in their respective great forces, but regardless, they were all Emperor Realm cultivators who would be easy targets for those who wanted to rob them of their wealth. A while later, Yang Kai amassed twenty or thirty tokens in total. He watched them leave, and soon, there was no one around him.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. This time, he had gained unimaginable benefits from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Besides the immense resources for cultivation, he had also brought back a Divine Spirit and made her agree to become his Protector for a thousand years.
There were also the rewards he had gained in the Primordial Land, which included three Divine Medicines, a large amount of Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water, sixteen World Fruits and a World Tree root.
Apart from these tangible benefits, there were also the intangible ones, which included forging friendships with other Bearers. These guys had been nurtured by Divine Spirits in the Boundary, and if they could grow to become famous and powerful, they would be able to influence the 3,000 Worlds’ affairs. It could be expected that hundreds or thousands of years later, they would all become powerful hegemons.
At that instant, Yang Kai felt extremely lucky and pleased that he was part of these changing times.
“Brother Yang, do you have a place to go?” A figure approached Yang Kai. It was Ding Yi.
As soon as Ding Yi left the Boundary, he started gathering his subordinates together. He was the founder of Emperor Heaven. Initially, there were many people in his group, but a lot of them were killed in the Primordial Land, and many more were slaughtered by the Divine Spirits at the last moment. This was a loose organisation that only banded together to survive in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Now that they had returned to the outside world, many of them were not willing to stay.
Presently, there were only a few hundred people around Ding Yi. These people didn’t have a Sect or background, so after they left the Boundary, they had nowhere to go. Upon Ding Yi’s calling, they gathered around him again.
Hearing that, Yang Kai nodded and then shook his head.
Before he was swept into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by the strange fog, he was part of First Inn; however, at that time, Bai Qi was ambushed when he was breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm, so he was almost destined to die. A furious Proprietress had sworn to kill Qin Ji and the others in order to avenge him. Over ten years had passed since those events, so Yang Kai wondered how they had been doing.
Ding Yi grinned, “If you have nowhere to go, why not join me?”
Yang Kai asked with a smile, “Brother Ding, where are you going?”
With a proud expression, Ding Yi replied, “I’m going to look for a Spirit Province to found a Sect and make a name for myself.”
“Brother Ding is a man of ambition.” Yang Kai praised him. In the past, Ding Yi didn’t have the right to do such a thing. Nevertheless, he had obtained tremendous benefits from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and as long as he could ascend to the Open Heaven Realm, he would be a Fifth or Sixth-Order Master. That was enough for him to found a Sect.
“As long as you’re willing to help me, I’ll definitely achieve my goal. If you decide to come with me, you will be the Leader.” With a pair of bright eyes, Ding Yi looked excitedly at him.
He was fully aware of Yang Kai’s capabilities. Knowing that he was inferior to him, he was eager to make him become part of his plan.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai shook his head, “Many thanks for your kind invitation, Brother Ding, but I have other matters to attend to, so I’m afraid that I can’t join you.”
Hearing that, Ding Yi appeared disappointed and sighed, “That’s a shame.” Nevertheless, he was an optimistic person, so he pulled himself together quickly, “In that case, we’ll part ways here. I’m sure we’ll meet again. Farewell.”
“Take care,” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
“Guys, let’s go. Follow this Ding to make a name for ourselves and let the 3,000 Worlds tremble beneath our feet. Hahaha!” Ding Yi swung his arm and proudly led these hundreds of people to leave this place.
Yang Kai watched him leave and shook his head with a smile. He appreciated Ding Yi being so ambitious, but he knew the latter might face some trouble in the future. In order to increase his strength, Bi Fang had forced him to condense a Seventh-Order Fire Element Power, so he might not be able to smoothly ascend to the Open Heaven Realm.
When a cultivator condensed their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements Powers, they would naturally strive to look for the ones that were suitable for them rather than the highest Order ones. The limits of their physique, Dao Seal, and foundation were invisible, but they would restrict a cultivator’s growth. If they condensed Elements beyond those limits, it wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Although Ding Yi had an excellent aptitude, he was unable to bear the impact of a Seventh-Order Element. As a result, he suffered a backlash after he activated his Fire Element Power.
Besides him, there were other Bearers who faced similar problems. If they couldn’t solve this issue, they would fall into danger when ascending to the Open Heaven Realm.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai had no right to interfere in their matters.
Next, he released Yue He, Lu Xue, and Guo Zi Yan from the Six Fated Paths Bag. Upon learning that they had left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and returned to the outside world, they were elated.
At this time, no one else was around them as all of the other cultivators were gone. Only Yang Kai and they were left.
He took a glance at Yue He and felt that life was full of uncertainties. The reason he came into contact with her was that she was worried that the Proprietress would find fault with her, so she decided to hold him hostage; however, none of them could have expected to be engulfed by the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog when they were in the Star City.
They had spent over ten years suffering together and supporting each other in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so there were no more grudges between them now.
Nonetheless, since they had left the Boundary, it was time they parted ways.
Realising that as well, Yue He no longer felt joyful about leaving the Boundary. Hanging her head low, she fiddled with the hem of her clothes and fell silent.
“Sir, where should we go?” Guo Zi Yan cupped his fists and asked.
Previously, he was a Great Commander of Scarlet Star, but now, the Star City was gone, and he had nothing to do with Scarlet Star anymore. Naturally, he wanted to follow Yang Kai around.
Yang Kai fished out a Universe Chart and took a look at their current location as well as the Star City where First Inn was in. Then, he felt speechless as the inn was far away.
In order to return to First Inn, he would have to cross five Great Territories. Without the help of the Universe Transference Law, it would take him a few months to fly over.
Then, he turned to look at Yue He, “Do you want to come with me and apologise to her?”
He had no idea about the relationship between Yue He and the Proprietress, but judging from their conversation over ten years ago, they knew each other, and they were on pretty good terms prior to that. Something must have happened that made them go against each other. Yue He even joined forces with Qin Ji and the others to frame the Proprietress and almost ruined Bai Qi’s ascension.
This was a serious matter. Fortunately, with Yang Kai’s help, Bai Qi got out of the woods and there wasn’t any irreversible outcome. If Bai Qi lost his life because of that, the grudges between the Proprietress and her would’ve become irresolvable.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too late to repair their relationship.
“Why should I apologise to her? I’ve done nothing wrong.” Yue He looked away and pouted.
“You should apologise to her because you’re in the wrong!” Yang Kai sported a grim expression, “Since you two were as close as Sisters, why did you fall out in the end? You two should sit down and talk it out. The Proprietress isn’t an unreasonable person.”
After a moment of silence, Yue He replied in a hushed voice, “Young Master, since you’ve told me to apologise to her, I will do so. The worst that can happen is that she will beat me to death.”
Yang Kai burst into laughter, “That won’t happen. Alright, follow me to see her. If she really wants to beat you up, I’ll help you fend off her attacks.”
Yue He nodded gently.
Following that, Yang Kai turned to look at Lu Xue, “What about you? Is there any place you can go to?”
There was a sense of perplexity behind Lu Xue’s eyes as she shook her head. Since Sword Pavilion was gone, she was practically homeless. Nevertheless, she was a powerful Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it wasn’t difficult for her to support herself. Even if she decided to join a Second Class great force, she would be warmly welcomed.
“We’re going to a certain Star City. If you don’t mind, you can join us,” Yang Kai suggested.
When they reached the Star City, she could go wherever she wanted, and Yang Kai wouldn’t stop her.
Lu Xue replied, “En.”
He didn’t bother to ask Guo Zi Yan. This guy and another group of people had become his subordinates, so they were supposed to follow him around. First Inn probably couldn’t accommodate so many of them, but after they arrived at the Star City, the Proprietress could find some jobs for them.
These guys were loyal to him, and they had gained immense benefits from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Given enough time, they would grow to be powerful and help him make a name for himself in the 3,000 Worlds.
After a brief discussion, Yang Kai mapped out a route and set off towards the Great Territory where First Inn was located.
He decided to go to First Inn to meet up with the Proprietress and Bai Qi and then help Guo Zi Yan and the others to settle down before returning to the Star Boundary.
He had obtained a World Tree root in the Primordial Land. The amazing root was able to stabilize a world, so he was eager to go back and find out whether it could repair the Star Boundary.
If it was feasible, Yang Kai would have no more worries; however, if that didn’t work, he had to keep looking for the World Tree that Ah Da had mentioned. He could never set his mind at ease as long as the crisis facing the Star Boundary wasn’t solved.
As they flew forward, Yue He’s mind seemed elsewhere. Apparently, she was apprehensive; after all, she had committed a huge mistake, so she was anxious about seeing the Proprietress and worried that the latter might not forgive her.
Yang Kai wasn’t in the mood to comfort her as he had expended too much energy in Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. On his way to his destination, he grasped at every chance to restore his energy.
Suddenly, Lu Xue spoke to Yang Kai via Divine Sense, “Someone is tailing us.”
A shocked Yang Kai turned his head and saw that there was indeed a tiny black dot in the distance behind them. The black dot was too far away, so Yang Kai wasn’t able to make out that person’s face, but he could tell it was an Open Heaven Realm Master.
A thought flashed through his mind as he realised that someone must have their eyes on him because he was practically the brightest star in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. With the suppression of the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog in place, Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to fully use their strength; therefore, some of them must be displeased that a mere Emperor Realm Junior like him was able to stand peerless. There were rewards to be gained by targeting him; after all, he had gained lots of benefits in the Boundary. Besides the income from Scarlet Star, they must be jealous of the rewards he had gotten from his numerous adventures.
Benefits moved the world. Just like tigers returning to mountains or Dragons plunging back into the ocean, these Open Heaven Realm Masters became unrestrained after they left the Boundary, so it wasn’t surprising that some of them had their eyes on Yang Kai.
Although Yang Kai was unafraid, he preferred to avoid trouble for now. As he led the other three to keep changing directions, he intended to get rid of the person behind them; however, that person was relentlessly pursuing them, which made Yang Kai furious.
A while later, Lu Xue suddenly raised her hand and exclaimed, “Wait a moment! There’s something off in front of us!” Then, she stared at the front with narrowed eyes.
Yang Kai scanned the surroundings with his Divine Sense but couldn’t find anything.
This wasn’t surprising though as he was just an Emperor Realm cultivator, so his heritage was no match for that of Lu Xue, who was a Fourth-Order Master. It was expected that she could discover things that he couldn’t see; thus, he turned to look at Yue He.
This woman had been absent-minded all the way, but she was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so she was much stronger than Lu Xue. Supposedly, if there was something that was amiss, she should be the first one to discover it. Nevertheless, the fact was that without Lu Xue’s warning, Yang Kai wouldn’t even have found out that they had been targeted.
Finally, Yue He came to her senses as her eyes flashed coldly. She scanned the front with her Divine Sense and stared fixedly at a particular spot. Then, she raised her hand and gently pushed it towards the void.
Her attack was soft and light, but following her movement, World Force undulated. A layer of ripple swept across the void in front of them and like a fog that had been uncovered, several dozen people were abruptly revealed.
Yang Kai swept a glance over their faces and scoffed, “It’s you guys!”
The people that had blocked their way were none other than those from Scarlet Star. With the Head Manager Zhao Bai Chuan at the front, Chen Tian Fei, the Ou Yang Brothers, Lady Qin, and Bei Yu Shan all present. Apart from these Mid-Rank Masters, the others were all Low-Rank. There were indeed many people as over forty people had gathered.
Apparently, the person who had been tailing them was also from Scarlet Star.
Yang Kai felt his heart sinking as he hurriedly spoke to Zhu Jiu Yin, “We’ve come across some trouble and might need your help.”
Although he had Yue He and Lu Xue, who were respectively Fifth-Order and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, on his side, the people on the opposing side had greater numbers. What’s more, the Head Manager of Scarlet Star, Zhao Bai Chuan, was a Fifth Order, and the other Managers were all in the Fourth Order. Besides the fact that there were more people on the opposing side, their collective power was also much stronger. If they got into a fight, those from Scarlet Star were bound to gain the upper hand.
Now, Zhu Jiu Yin was the only person who could help them win the battle. Given her strength as a Divine Spirit, as long as she made a single move, these Fourth and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would be easily defeated.
Yang Kai knew that these people had come all the way here to seek revenge as he had oppressed Scarlet Star horribly in the past.
While he had placed all his hope on Zhu Jiu Yin though, she unexpectedly replied, “Run. I can’t fight with anyone for now.”
Yang Kai widened his eyes as he asked, “What do you mean?”
He regarded Zhu Jiu Yin as his trump card, so he hadn’t expected to hear such a reply.
Zhu Jiu Yin said, “First of all, my Source has been damaged, so I need time to recuperate. If I fight against others, it will worsen my injuries. Secondly, I was born and raised in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary where the World Principles are different from those in the outside world. Even if I make a move, I can’t use my full strength. I need some time to adjust to the new World Principles.”
“Some time? How long will that be?” Yang Kai asked.
“Three to five months? Maybe six months to a year. Perhaps it will take ten to twenty years. I’m not sure,” Zhu Jiu Yin replied solemnly, but her tone suggested that she was taking pleasure in Yang Kai’s misfortune.
Yang Kai almost wanted to curse. He was aware that her Source had been damaged as at the most critical moment, she fended off the attacks from eight Divine Spirits on her own, so there was no way she wasn’t harmed in the process. Damage to a Divine Spirit’s Source was indeed horrifying, so she truly needed time to recuperate; otherwise, she would be left with some grave concerns.
Yang Kai wasn’t certain whether she really needed time to get used to the new World Principles; however, he was in deep trouble, and she would not get off easy if he were to fall here, so she most likely wasn’t lying to him.
Yang Kai said through clenched teeth, “Don’t forget your oath! If I die, you’ll end up in a miserable state as well!” As Yang Kai’s Protector, Zhu Jiu Yin had a duty to ensure his safety. If something unfortunate happened to him, she would also suffer a backlash.
Zhu Jiu Yin replied, “That’s why I told you to run. Aren’t you adept at it?”
Their secret conversation lasted only for a moment. On the other hand, Yue He stared at Zhao Bai Chuan with a cold face and said grimly, “Head Manager, why have you blocked our way?”
She was asking the obvious. These people must have some ill intentions for blocking them in this place. At the same time, she secretly spoke to Yang Kai, “I’ll hold them up later. You should seize the chance and run.”
She was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even though she couldn’t defeat these people from Scarlet Star, it wouldn’t be easy for them to kill her.
Without replying to her, Zhao Bai Chuan gazed dispassionately at Yang Kai as though the latter was an ant.
There was an amiable smile on Chen Tian Fei’s face as he stepped from behind Zhao Bai Chuan and cupped his fists, “Greetings, Foreign Elder Yang, Lady Yue He!”
He was putting himself in a lower position as though they were still in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Yang Kai replied impassively, “Manager Chen, is something the matter?”
Chen Tian Fei said, “Not at all. This Chen just wanted to ask where you’re going. If you don’t mind, why don’t you join us?”
“Where are you going?”
There was a bitter smile on Chen Tian Fei’s face, “The Star City has been destroyed, so we’re practically homeless right now and don’t know where we can go. You are a Foreign Elder from Scarlet Star, so we’re all on the same boat. If there’s a good place you know, please bring us with you so that we can have a place to settle down. We don’t want to wander around anymore.”
Yang Kai didn’t show any emotions on his face, but he thought that something was amiss. It was apparent that these guys had ill intentions by blocking his way; however, why didn’t they make a move when they were at an advantage? Instead, Chen Tian Fei was having a small talk with him, and judging from his expression, it was obvious that he was wary of something.
[What are they wary of?] A thought flashed through Yang Kai’s mind and soon realisation dawned upon him. They hadn’t made a move because they were wary of Zhu Jiu Yin!
It was a well-known fact that he was a Bearer; after all, Zhu Jiu Yin had lived in Scarlet Star’s Star City for a few years. At that time, Zhao Bai Chuan had even brought Chen Tian Fei and the others to greet her. Now that the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was closed, they weren’t certain whether Yang Kai had brought her out.
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin was nowhere in sight, they had to be careful. If she was really with Yang Kai, there was no way they could defeat her. That was the reason they were acting so polite yet insincere.
[So, that’s why.] Upon realizing what was on their minds, Yang Kai relaxed and curled his lips into a smile, “Manager Chen is right. All of you have assisted me greatly over the past few years. As a Foreign Elder of Scarlet Star, this King will not stand on the sidelines when you’re in trouble. Good. If all of you are fine with it, you can come with me.”
Chen Tian Fei’s brow twitched when he heard that as he asked probingly, “Foreign Elder, where are you going?”
Yang Kai summoned a Universe Chart and infused his energy into it. A route immediately appeared on the chart, which was the one he had mapped out earlier. He then pointed at a spot and said, “There’s a Star City here. I’m going there.”
“A Star City?” Chen Tian Fei was puzzled.
Yang Kai chuckled, “Oh, I’ve forgotten to tell you. This King is from First Inn, and my Proprietress is Madam Lan. I was trapped in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary in the past. Now that I’m free, I certainly have to look for her.”
“Madam Lan?!” Chen Tian Fei was stunned, and even Zhao Bai Chuan, who was originally calm and collected, narrowed his eyes.
Lady Qin asked hesitantly, “Are you talking about Lan You Ruo?”
In the 3,000 Worlds, there were not many famous women, but many people had heard of the Proprietress before. As a woman, Lady Qin was naturally aware of the matters regarding the Proprietress.
“En.” Yang Kai nodded and stared at her, “Madame, do you know my Proprietress as well?”
Lady Qin smirked, “I’ve heard a lot about her.”
Madam Lan was someone she looked up to greatly. She thought to herself countless times that if she could ever have any achievements that were as great as those of Madam Lan, she would die with no regret.
Chen Tian Fei said in shock, “Foreign Elder, you’re from First Inn?”
A bashful Yang Kai replied, “It is embarrassing to admit, but I am just a shophand in the inn.”
Realising that the matter was thornier than expected, Chen Tian Fei turned to look at Zhao Bai Chuan. The reason they blocked Yang Kai’s way was indeed to kill him; after all, he had snatched countless treasures from Scarlet Star over the years, which was why they were unresigned. Moreover, they knew he had obtained many Yuan Magnetic Divine Stones from the Yuan Magnetic Mountain, which translated to some immense wealth. They had heard that Yang Kai had collected over a dozen Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stones.
Their Star City had been destroyed, so they had suffered tremendous losses. In order to rebuild, they needed a lot of resources, which was why they had their eyes on Yang Kai.
However, they had never expected that he was from First Inn.
They were not aware of his background previously, so it wasn’t until this moment that they found out he had something to do with First Inn. It was no wonder that he had such a strong heritage as an Emperor Realm Junior. With guidance from Madam Lan, it wasn’t so surprising.
“So, are you coming to First Inn with me?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhao Bai Chuan chuckled, “I’ve heard a lot about First Inn. In fact, I had even made some deals with First Inn in the past. The way they do business is always fair. However, what can we do if we head to First Inn? As far as I’m concerned, it isn’t so easy to join them.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Of course the average person wouldn’t be accepted; however, if all of you are willing to start from the lowest positions, I can put in a word for you. You know how to serve customers, right?”
While Zhao Bai Chuan’s face twitched, Chen Tian Fei let out a hollow laugh.
They were Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters after all, so there was no way they would serve customers in a lobby. If word got out, they would be too embarrassed to show their faces.
Zhao Bai Chuan resolutely said, “Many thanks for your invitation, Foreign Elder, but we will have to respectfully decline. We are used to living a free life, so we can’t be restrained in any way. We will not be going to First Inn.”
“That’s a shame.” Yang Kai sighed and patted Chen Tian Fei’s shoulder, “Manager Chen, I thought I could help you get rid of some extra weight if you could join me.”
The muscles around Chen Tian Fei’s mouth were stiff as he smiled fawningly.
Zhao Bai Chuan said, “You’ll have to pass through several Great Territories, so the road ahead of you is long and paved with danger. If you don’t mind, we’re willing to escort you.”
“Oh… there’s no need to go through so much trouble.” Yang Kai raised his hand and smiled lightly, “If anyone dares to rob me, I’ll make sure that they do not return alive.”
At that instant, a light flashed across the pattern on the back of his hand, whereupon a Divine Spirit’s aura filled the air.
That was the result of Yang Kai’s discussion with Zhu Jiu Yin. She was unable to make a move, but there was no problem for her to reveal her aura.
The expressions of Zhao Bai Chuan and the others changed drastically as their backs became drenched in cold sweat.
Swiftly withdrawing a few steps, Zhao Bai Chuan cupped his fists, “In that case, we’ll not delay Foreign Elder Yang any further. Farewell.”
Yang Kai nodded smilingly, “I’m sure we’ll meet again.”
Following that, he led Yue He and the others to pass through the crowd and left in a casual manner.
After they were gone, Chen Tian Fei wiped the sweat from his forehead as he said fearfully, “That brat really brought Zhu Jiu Yin out!”
The expressions of the Ou Yang Brothers were dark, with Ou Yang Lei saying, “A Divine Spirit’s aura is indeed terrifying!”
When the aura descended upon them, he didn’t even have the courage to resist, as though he would suffocate and die the next moment if he even tried.
Ou Yang Bing looked admiringly at Zhao Bai Chuan, “Head Manager indeed stands higher and sees further. It was the right choice not to confront him immediately; otherwise, we would have fallen into a terrible situation right now.”
Chen Tian Fei put on a fawning smile, “There’s no doubt that Head Manager is brave and intelligent. Now that that brat has Zhu Jiu Yin with him, I’m afraid we can’t do anything to him.”
Then, all of them looked at Zhao Bai Chuan and waited for his decision.
A myriad of expressions came over Zhao Bai Chuan. There was a glint behind his eyes as he seemed lost in his thoughts.
A moment later, he raised his head to look in the direction Yang Kai had left, then he bellowed, “Damn it! We’ve been tricked!”
“What?” Chen Tian Fei and the others gazed at him in puzzlement.
“That brat was just bluffing. Pursue him, now!” Zhao Bai Chuan yelled and charged forward. Not daring to disobey his order, Chen Tian Fei and the others hurriedly followed him.
Lady Qin asked on the way, “Head Manager, why did you say that the brat was bluffing?”
Zhao Bai Chuan snorted, “If he weren’t bluffing, he wouldn’t have mentioned Madam Lan from First Inn and revealed Zhu Jiu Yin’s aura. We’ve dealt with that boy for years now, so how can you not be clear about his temperament yet? If he was able to defeat us, he would’ve used force right away instead of wasting time talking.”
Their hearts sank, and upon pondering on it, they realised that it was indeed the case.
The first time they came into contact with Yang Kai was when he forcefully took control of Scarlet Star and killed two of their Managers, Gan Hong and Poison Lady. Then, he showcased a peerless power and oppressed others in the Star City as he stole most of Scarlet Star’s income and resources.
It could be said that it was difficult to get along with such a person; however, Yang Kai was polite to them just now. He had never treated them in such a way over the past few years. His behaviour suggested that he was diffident.
They all agreed with Zhao Bai Chuan’s remark. Yang Kai was just bluffing by revealing his relationship with First Inn and Madam Lan as well as Zhu Jiu Yin’s aura.
A cautious Chen Tian Fei said hesitantly, “Head Manager, what if he is just playing the pig? How should we deal with him?”
Zhao Bai Chuan snorted, “Whether he was bluffing or feigning weakness, we’ll find out after we capture him.”
At the same time, in a place that was a few thousand kilometres away, Yang Kai and the others were flying at full speed. A perplexed Yue He asked, “Young Master, why are you running away so quickly?”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai replied, “I have not frequently come into contact with Zhao Bai Chuan, but since he’s able to be the leader of Scarlet Star, there’s no way he’s dumb. What I had said could stun him for a moment, but he would soon figure out everything. When that happens, he’ll certainly chase after us. So, we’d better quickly run away.
A quarter-hour later, Yue He’s expression changed as she exclaimed, “Damn it! They’re really pursuing us!”
Yang Kai turned his head and saw dozens of lights coming at him at full speed. He was furious because as the weaker one, he was unable to resist any form of oppression. Then, he stared at Lu Xue, “I’m worried that this matter can’t be resolved peacefully. If you don’t want to be dragged into this mess, you’d better part ways with me now.”
A surprised Lu Xue shot him a glance as she had never expected that he’d think of this at this point. Feeling warmth in her heart, she shook her head, “Even if I part ways with you now, I still can’t get away from them. By staying here, I can help you fend them off.”
Without trying to dissuade her again, Yang Kai nodded and summoned the Six Fated Paths Bag before covering her and Guo Zi Yan. Knowing his intention, they didn’t resist and were put inside the bag.
He let Yue He stay by his side so that they could support one another, then they hurriedly fled.
First of all, as a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yue He was swift. Secondly, if something happened, she could help ward off the enemy’s attacks.
Guo Zi Yan and Lu Xue, who were respectively Second and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, were weaker. They might slow Yang Kai down if he brought them with him, so he decided to keep them inside the Six Fated Paths Bag.
Behind them, Chen Tian Fei’s gaze brightened as he yelled, “He was really bluffing. This brat is too cunning!”
If Yang Kai were confident, he wouldn’t have quickened his pace upon seeing them, which suggested that he didn’t have a way to deal with them. Chen Tian Fei even suspected that he hadn’t brought Zhu Jiu Yin out. The Divine Spirit’s aura they had felt might not necessarily be coming from Zhu Jiu Yin. The aura was true, but there were other ways to release it; she might have planted a Secret Technique on Yang Kai prior to this.
“He’s running pretty fast,” Ou Yang Lei snorted.
His brother, Ou Yang Bing, said, “Yue He is a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, after all. Only Head Manager can be as swift as her.”
He had unobtrusively buttered Zhao Bai Chuan up.
A puzzled Lady Qin asked, “Why are two people missing?”
Chen Tian Fei explained, “That brat surnamed Yang has an artifact that can accommodate living creatures. In the past, the Earth Dragon and Scarlet Flood Dragon were released by him all of a sudden using a similar method.”
They had witnessed the battle in which Yang Kai killed Gan Hong and Poison Lady, and although many years had passed, they could still remember the incident vividly. After giving it a thought, they realised that the weaker Guo Zi Yan and Lu Xue must have been put inside that artifact.
Zhao Bai Chuan snorted and raised his hand. Following a flash of light, a thing suddenly appeared and spun around. Soon, it expanded to be a 300-metre-tall mountain.
“Board!” Head Manager yelled and shot towards the mountain.
Their eyes lit up as they realised that Head Manager was determined to get Yang Kai by using this artifact. Without hesitation, they all leaped towards the mountain.
There were many peaks on the mountain and the several dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters landed on these peaks and infused their energy into the mountain. The Head Manager stood on the highest peak as he was on top of everything, then he started forming hand seals to activate a Secret Technique.
The 300-metre mountain immediately charged forward at a speed that was as swift as lightning.
Noticing the disturbance behind them, Yue He turned her head to look and became pale, “Zhao Bai Chuan has summoned the Hundred Refinements Peak. How shameless!”
The Hundred Refinements Peak was a flight-type artifact with great defensive and offensive strength. It was a true multi-purpose vessel. This artifact was famous among Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, so it wasn’t surprising that Yue He was aware of it.
As a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, she was initially able to drag Yang Kai along with her at a speed no less than that of Scarlet Star; after all, there was only one Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, who was Zhao Bai Chuan, on the opposing side. The other Managers were all in the Fourth Order, and the rest of them were Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Therefore, the speed at which they moved forward wasn’t unified.
However, with the Hundred Refinements Peak, all of them could infuse their strength into it at the same time. Not only could their movements be unified, but their speed had also significantly increased.
Hurriedly, Yue He summoned her own flight-type artifact, which was a small ship. After she pulled Yang Kai towards the ship, they turned into a ray of light and shot forward.
Apparently, her flight-type artifact was inferior to that of Zhao Bai Chuan. Moreover, there were over several dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters powering the Hundred Refinements Peak at the same time. The gap between the two sides was rapidly shortening.
Initially, there was a distance of several tens of thousands of kilometres between the two parties, but it soon became just a few thousand kilometres and then several hundred kilometres.
Zhao Bai Chuan’s voice was heard coming from behind and penetrating the Souls of Yang Kai and Yue He, “Wait a moment. Foreign Elder Yang, this Zhao has suddenly thought of something and would like to discuss it with you. Please stop running.”
The reason he still hadn’t confronted him at this point was that he was a prudent man; after all, even though he was confident that his speculation was right, he was still wary of that Divine Spirit’s aura. He had to be prepared for any eventualities.
It was because of his prudence that he was able to build a great force in the 3,000 Worlds without a powerful background; otherwise, he would’ve been killed countless times over by now.
Yang Kai was standing on the stern of the ship as he stared coldly at Zhao Bai Chuan and scoffed, “Head Manager, what is it that you want to discuss with me?”
Zhao Bai Chuan said, “This is an important matter that has something to do with the survival of Scarlet Star, so I have to discuss it with you face-to-face. Please stop for now.”
Yang Kai secretly cursed at him, knowing that the latter was coveting the treasures he had obtained from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. It was just nonsense that the Scarlet Star’s survival was at stake. Without showing any emotions on his face though, Yang nodded lightly, “That does sound serious. In that case, I can spare some time to listen.”
Then, he turned his head and called out to Yue He, “Stop the ship.”
Yue He obeyed his order and slowed down the ship.
Seeing that, Zhao Bai Chuan was both shocked and doubtful. Initially, the Hundred Refinements Peak was moving at full speed, but just ten breaths later, it directly stopped in the void.
Yang Kai mocked, “Head Manager, did you not want to discuss something with me face-to-face? Why have you stopped so far away? Were you making a poor joke? Come over to my ship now if the matter is so urgent.”
Hearing that, Zhao Bai Chuan was stunned and almost suspected that his speculation was wrong. Was this boy putting on a pretence or luring him into a trap? If his speculation was wrong, he would end up dead after boarding that ship.
At that moment, he fell into a dilemma.
Yang Kai kept urging him, but seeing as Zhao Bai Chuan remained unmoving, he bellowed, “Zhao Bai Chuan, you dare mess with me?”
Zhao Bai Chuan’s face twitched but he remained silent.
A resentful Yang Kai said, “This King has important matters to attend to, so I’ll not settle the score with you. If this happens again, I’ll not let you off so easily!” Then, he turned to look at Yue He, “Let’s go!”
Yue He was already covered in cold sweat as she hurriedly activated the ship and fled. Secretly, she admired Yang Kai for his audacity. He had repeatedly bluffed, but Zhao Bai Chuan was still fooled.
Then, she reckoned that Zhao Bai Chuan’s intelligence had actually backfired. If this happened to Chen Tian Fei and the others, they wouldn’t have been easily fooled. It might not necessarily be a good thing to be overthinking.
“We’ve fallen for his trick again!” Zhao Bai Chuan sported a gloomy expression as he watched the ship leave, “I’ll crush his bones, pull out his flesh, and skin him alive!” He snarled through clenched teeth.
Chen Tian Fei hurriedly said, “Head Manager, please calm yourself. That brat is indeed cunning; however, in the face of absolute power, all schemes are useless. Once we catch him, I will personally bring him before you to allow you to do whatever you want to him.”
All of them quickly surged their powers and drove the Hundred Refinements Peak forward. The gap between them quickly shortened again.
Standing on the stern of the ship, Yang Kai bellowed, “Zhao Bai Chuan, if you’re so eager to go to Hell, I can grant your wish. Do you think I don’t dare to end your life?”
Without replying to him, Zhao Bai Chuan sent out a beam of light from his peak.
Yang Kai shrank his neck and directly snuck into the cabin while Yue He moved the ship sideways and dodged the horrifying attack.
“I can no longer fool him,” Yang Kai sighed, knowing that he had reached the limit. Zhao Bai Chuan was a sly person, so it was impossible to brush him off with some cheap deception without showing him some true power. He had been fooled twice, and the limit had been reached. Now, it could only be a life-and-death getaway.
Yang Kai was furious as he was hunted down by the Divine Spirits in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and after he returned to the outside world, he was chased after by those from Scarlet Star. He suddenly felt that most of his life was spent running away from his enemies.
The Hundred Refinements Peak could attack as well as defend, and it was also a fast flight-type artifact. There was no doubt that it was a powerful treasure. Now that several dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters were standing on it, the mountain had become immensely powerful. While they were racing after Yang Kai, they sent out attacks from their respective peaks, which forced Yue He to keep dodging. The ship felt as if it was on an ocean in the middle of a thunderstorm, at risk of capsizing at any moment.
Seeing that, the cultivators from Scarlet Star were excited. They had confronted and made a move against Yang Kai. If he had any way to counter their attacks, he wouldn’t have hidden it.
He could only flee and avoid their attacks. In other words, he hadn’t brought Zhu Jiu Yin out of the Boundary. The Divine Spirit’s aura he had released must have been left on him by Zhu Jiu Yin previously.
With their minds at ease, they infused even more energy into the mountain.
As time passed, the distance between both parties continuously shortened. Sensing a ray of light from behind, Yue He hurriedly drove the ship to avoid it. At the same time, another attack shot in the direction the ship was fleeing, as though it had already predicted it.
Yang Kai’s vision was immediately filled with a dazzling light. Engulfed by a great sense of danger, he bellowed, “Damn it!”
On the other hand, Yue He appeared despondent. The attack was about to reach them, so it was too late for them to dodge it. Judging from the fluctuations of the attack, she and Yang Kai would suffer horribly if they were struck.
While she was at a loss, Yang Kai wrapped his arm around her waist, and following that, the world started spinning around them. When she recovered, she realised that she was already somewhere that was several hundred kilometres away.
A dazzling light was expanding from a particular spot in the void and Yue He felt her heart sinking as her Soul shook. At that instant, she realised that the connection between the ship and her was broken off as it was destroyed.
In an instant, Yue He’s face turned ashen. She wasn’t heartbroken because her artifact was shattered. Even though the artifact was not bad, it wasn’t extremely precious; however, their future appeared bleak as their ship was destroyed while they were fleeing.
She knew that Yang Kai was an expert in the Dao of Space, so he was adept at fleeing, but as they were being hunted down by all of Scarlet Star, Space Principles might not be useful.
In the past, she had chased after Yang Kai and had a taste of his Instantaneous Movement; however, in the end, he had to surrender without a fight. She was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and it was the same for Zhao Bai Chuan. Since she was able to capture Yang Kai at that time, there was no way Zhao Bai Chuan would fail in his attempt now.
Just when she was ready to tell Yang Kai to leave first so that she would stay here and fend off their attacks, she heard the man sneering, “Since you want to mess with me, I’ll gladly accept your challenge. Let’s see who will have the last laugh.”
After that, he manipulated Space Principles and used Instantaneous Movement. The next moment, they were already a thousand kilometres away.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t even a place where they could hide in this expansive void. Even though they had moved a long distance, those from Scarlet Star soon discovered and pursued them. The Hundred Refinements Peak was unbelievably fast as their gap shortened again.
Yue He said, “Young Master, why don’t we go to a Universe Temple? There’s one in this Great Territory, and I’ve left a Universe Transference Seal there, so I can bring you with me.”
Universe Temples were jointly built by the Cave-Heavens and Paradises, and no fights were allowed in any of them. As long as they could enter a Universe Temple, they would be safe. It was impossible for Zhao Bai Chuan and the others to rush into a Universe Temple and make things difficult for them.
Yang Kai shook his head, “We can’t hide forever. Even if we manage to get into a Universe Temple, it will be impossible for us to leave again.”
After giving it a thought, Yue realised that he was right. Even though it was safe in a Universe Temple, they couldn’t hide inside it for eternity; therefore, she stopped persuading him.
Following the Instantaneous Movement, Yang Kai set his mind at ease and let Yue He drag him along. His pure speed was inferior to that of Yue He’s, so he let her take charge at this point.
Soon, the Hundred Refinements Peak was about to reach them again, but once it closed to a certain distance, Yang Kai took over and widened the gap with Instantaneous Movement again.
On the Hundred Refinements Peak, Zhao Bai Chuan stomped his foot while Chen Tian Fei cursed. This brat surnamed Yang was truly adept at fleeing. Even though they knew that he was an expert in Space Principles, it wasn’t until this day that they witnessed it. If they couldn’t seal off the space around him, they would never be able to stop him.
However, Yang Kai had always kept a certain minimum distance from them, thus ensuring that they couldn’t block his escape.
After a few days of pursuit, those from Scarlet Star were still unable to capture him and there came a moment when Yue He suddenly exclaimed, “Young Master, some of them have left the artifact!”
Yang Kai turned his head and saw a few figures leaping away from the Hundred Refinements Peak. As they flew into different positions, a Spirit Array beneath their feet started glowing. It was apparently the glow of Universe Transference Law.
He couldn’t help but snort, “They’re going to the Universe Temple.”
They too were heading in the direction where the Universe Temple in this Great Territory was located. Those from Scarlet Star must be thinking that Yang Kai and Yue He were going to seek refuge there, so they sent some people ahead to block them.
However, they had no idea that if Yang Kai and Yue He really wanted to go to the Universe Temple, they would’ve done so a long time ago instead of slowly flying over. With that said, it was the outcome Yang Kai wanted to see. After those people left, he immediately told Yue He to move in a different direction.
Knowing that they had fallen for Yang Kai’s tricks again, Zhao Bai Chuan almost spat blood in rage atop the Hundred Refinements Peak. Nevertheless, it was no use crying over spilt milk. The Universe Temple those Open Heaven Realm Masters had gone to was too far away, so they couldn’t rejoin them for some time.
A puzzled Chen Tian Fei asked, “Where is that brat going?”
Zhao Bai Chuan wasn’t certain about it either, but two days later, he figured out Yang Kai’s plan. Yang Kai intended to leave this Great Territory and enter another one.
In front of the Territory Gate, Yang Kai summoned his Territory Shuttle and passed through it with Yue He, whereupon they arrived at a different Great Territory.
Half an hour later, the Hundred Refinements Peak rushed into the Territory Gate, but as they looked around, they realised that the Void was practically desolate, and Yang Kai was nowhere in sight.
“Look for him at all costs! If we miss this chance, we will never be able to capture him!” Zhao Bai Chuan bellowed.
Hurriedly, over thirty figures flew away from the Hundred Refinements Peak and dispersed in all directions. Some of them activated the Universe Transference Law and headed to the Universe Temple.
On the other hand, Zhao Bai Chuan drove the Hundred Refinements Peak forward and kept searching.
After what Yang Kai had done, his opponents had no choice but to scatter in different directions. Now, only more than ten Open Heaven Realm Masters were left on the Hundred Refinements Peak. The more people there were to activate this artifact, the faster it could move, so with only a dozen or so left, the artifact’s speed had significantly slowed down.
Soon, one of Zhao Bai Chuan’s subordinates informed him that they had found Yang Kai. Judging from the direction he was heading, it seemed that he was going to another Territory Gate.
Then, Zhao Bai Chuan took out a Universe Chart and identified their location. After making a decision, he stored the Hundred Refinements Peak and activated Universe Transference Law with the remaining Open Heaven Realm Masters as they headed to the Universe Temple in this Great Territory.
Soon, they left the Universe Temple and met with a subordinate. That person immediately said, “Head Manager, we’ve found them. They came to this Universe Temple earlier, and they’re now moving in that direction.”
Without hesitation, Zhao Bai Chuan summoned the Hundred Refinements Peak again and swung his hand, “After them!”
Two days later, they really saw Yang Kai and Yue He from a distance.
Noticing them, Yang Kai turned his head as his expression darkened, “They’re so relentless!” These guys from Scarlet Star were just like maggots on rotting bones, impossible to shake off.
Yue He suggested, “Young Master, why don’t we go to Small Orchid Palace?”
Small Orchid Palace was her force. According to the categorisation in the 3,000 Worlds, with a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master as its leader, her force could be considered a Second Class one; however, the situation was pretty complicated because she was the only Open Heaven Realm Master in Small Orchid Palace, and it was just a small Spirit Province. Other than her, the rest of the people were homeless Emperor Realm or below cultivators.
There were only several hundred people in Small Orchid Palace, so her force was not really strong. Even though there was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master assuming command, it was still quite weak. Therefore, it was just a matter of time before it faded away.
With that said, Yue He had managed Small Orchid Palace for years, so they had a pretty good defensive power. As long as they could arrive, they wouldn’t have to be afraid of those from Scarlet Star.
“Where is Small Orchid Palace?” Yang Kai asked.
After taking out a Universe Chart, Yue He infused her energy into it and pointed at a location, “Here.”
Yang Kai took a glance and shook his head, “It’s too far away as we have to pass through seven Great Territories. We don’t have so much time to spare.” Accidents might happen if they were to move through seven Great Territories.
“What should we do, then?” Yue He had run out of ideas.
Yang Kai replied, “I know a place, but it will be risky.”
Initially, he intended to return to First Inn, but now it seemed that this wasn’t feasible. First Inn was far away as they had to go through several Great Territories. In that case, he would rather take a risk. In the worst-case scenario, they would just head to a Universe Temple to seek refuge.
Three days later, the pair passed through another Territory Gate and arrived at the next Great Territory. After just an hour, the Hundred Refinements Peak reached them again, which went to show that it was incredibly fast. If Yang Kai wasn’t a Master of the Dao of Space, he would’ve been captured by now.
On the other hand, Zhao Bai Chuan had learned his lesson. He immediately told his subordinates to head to the different Territory Gates and block them to prevent Yang Kai from fleeing again.
During the pursuit, the several dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters working under him were scattered everywhere, but from time to time, some people would rendezvous with him. Therefore, he could still command over thirty subordinates at this moment.
Yang Kai had Yue He, who was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, by his side, so apart from Zhao Bai Chuan, the rest from Scarlet Star were no match for her. Nevertheless, he had some Fourth-Order cultivators on his side, so he could deploy them to at least hold her up.
At this moment, Chen Tian Fei and Lady Qin, the Ou Yang Brothers, and Bei Yu Shan had taken some people with them to block the Territory Gates while Zhao Bai Chuan was still relentlessly pursuing Yang Kai.
A few days later, Yang Kai and Yue He suddenly stopped and remained unmoving in the void.
Seeing that, Zhao Bai Chuan frowned as he had no idea what Yang Kai was up to. Nevertheless, he was determined to ignore whatever Yang Kai had to say. He would capture him first and think about it later.
Then, he drove the Hundred Refinements Peak forward and sneered, “Keep running. Why have you stopped?”
“We have no more strength left,” Yang Kai grinned.
Zhao Bai Chuan snorted, “In that case, you’d better surrender without a fight so as to prevent being tortured.”
Yang Kai said, “Head Manager, if you make a move on me, aren’t you worried that Madam Lan will pursue this matter? My Proprietress is very protective of her subordinates. If she becomes furious, you will suffer miserably.”
It was a well-known fact that the Proprietress was protective of her subordinates. In the past, when Bai Qi was disturbed while ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, she became incensed and swore that before she trampled flat the great forces like Golden Rainbow Province that belonged to Qin Ji and the other ambushers, she would never ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. This kind of oath showed her determination. If she couldn’t follow through, she would never be able to reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
At the mention of the Proprietress, Zhao Bai Chuan appeared wary. Although he had been trying to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, his heritage was insufficient; therefore, he was certainly no match for a peak Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like the Proprietress. If she targeted Scarlet Star, they would be doomed.
Nevertheless, his hesitation lasted only for a short moment as the immense wealth in Yang Kai’s possession was too tempting a target; thus, he scoffed, “As long as I kill both of you, Lan You Ruo will never find out about it!”
After a nod, Yang Kai replied, “So, you want to ruthlessly kill us. How could you tell me to surrender without a fight, then?”
“Are you really such a naïve boy?” Zhao Bai Chuan sneered. As he spoke, he was already just a few hundred kilometres away from Yang Kai. He would soon reach the minimum distance from where he could make a move to seal off the space around Yang Kai to prevent him from disappearing again.
Just then, Yang Kai grinned at him and waved his hand, “Head Manager, I shall never forget what you’ve done to me today and will definitely make you pay for it in the future.”
Sensing that something was off, Zhao Bao Chuan hurriedly reached out his hand towards Yang Kai and bellowed, “Where do you think you’re going!?”
A gigantic hand suddenly appeared and stretched across the void, but as soon as that happened, Yang Kai and Yue He vanished into thin air.
Zhao Bai Chuan quickly looked around and realised that Yang Kai was nowhere in sight, and even after scanning the surroundings with his Divine Sense, he still couldn’t detect Yang Kai’s aura.
“How is this possible!?” He was stunned.
In the past, after Yang Kai snatched the Golden Crow carcass from the Sun Star, he was chased by several Open Heaven Realm Masters. In the end, he made use of a Space Beacon to escape unscathed. If it weren’t because he was ignorant and wasn’t aware of the Universe Transference Law, he could’ve gotten away cleanly.
Unfortunately, the Proprietress used the Universe Transference Law and returned to First Inn to block Yang Kai, forcing him to use a Mie Meng golden tail feather.
Even though Yang Kai was a Master of the Dao of Space, he could never outrun the Hundred Refinements Peak; hence, it was just a matter of time before he was captured. However, using a Space Beacon, he could move to a faraway place in an instant and easily shake off those from Scarlet Star.
“Look for him! I must have him!” Zhao Bai Chuan bellowed with an extremely gloomy expression.
Nevertheless, he wasn’t overly worried. Although Yang Kai had disappeared, he was still in this Great Territory. The other Managers had sealed off the Territory Gates, so it was impossible for Yang Kai to leave this Great Territory.
The people on Hundred Refinements Peak leaped forward and searched for Yang Kai.
In a faraway location, Space Principles undulated around a Space Beacon that was hovering in the void, whereupon two figures appeared out of thin air.
A glint flashed across Yang Kai’s eyes but instead of storing the Space Beacon, he left it.
The bead was left behind here when he was fleeing previously. In fact, he had left more than ten Space Beacons across this Great Territory. The Space Beacons were petite and inconspicuous in this expansive void, so hardly anyone would notice them.
He decided to leave it here as he might need it in the future.
Yue He looked around and realised that the people from Scarlet Star were nowhere in sight. Knowing that they were safe for now, she asked, “Young Master, where are we going now? Will we leave this Great Territory?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “We can’t do that. Chen Tian Fei and the others were missing. If I’m not mistaken, they must have headed to the Territory Gates. If we want to leave, we’ll have to confront them. You’re indeed powerful, but there are more people on their side, so you might not be able to get rid of them quickly enough. It’s like walking right into the trap if we go to a Territory Gate.”
After a pause, he asked, “Have you refined the thing that I gave you?”
There was a piece of jade in Yue He’s hand that she was continuously refining and studying. Hearing that, she replied, “We didn’t have much time to spare, so I’ve only managed to refine 10% of it.”
“10%…” Yang Kai gave it a thought, “It’s good enough.”
“Young Master, is this the Array Jade of a Grand Array?” Yue He asked in puzzlement.
While they were fleeing previously, Yang Kai suddenly passed this jade to her and told her to do her best to refine it. Although Yue He didn’t understand why, she didn’t ask any questions as she just had to do it; however, as she refined the jade, she realised that it was a token of a Grand Array.
It was just like the Master Token of the Grand Array in Small Orchid Palace. She had never heard that Yang Kai had something to do with any great force. Although he was from First Inn, it was impossible that he could keep the Array Jade of the inn. The Proprietress was the only person who was qualified to hold such a thing.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Do you know which Great Territory this is?”
Not knowing the answer, Yue He fished out a Universe Chart and took a look, whereupon a realisation dawned upon her, “Seven Wonder Territory.”
The 3,000 Worlds was made up of countless Great Territories, and in any Great Territory, there were numerous forces of different sizes. Generally, if a Second Class great force existed in a Great Territory, that territory would be named after that great force.
It was just like the Great Territories where those Cave-Heavens and Paradises were established. Free and Unfettered Paradise was located in Free and Unfettered Territory, while Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was located in Yin-Yang Territory. There was a Second Class great force called Seven Wonders Land in this Great Territory, so it was naturally named Seven Wonder Territory.
Those Great Territories without any Second Class great force were usually nameless and only had identifiers like D9 Territory, C17 Territory, and so on.
“Yes, we’re in Seven Wonder Territory,” Yang Kai said with some reminiscence.
A thought flashed through Yue He’s mind as she covered her lips and said in shock, “Young Master, is this jade the Grand Array Token of Seven Wonders Land?”
The reason she had this speculation was that she could feel that this token was fairly powerful, which meant it should belong to a Second Class great force. Nevertheless, how did Yang Kai obtain the Grand Array Token of Seven Wonders Land?
Yang Kai guffawed, “This is exactly the Grand Array Token of Seven Wonders Land. With this thing in our possession, we can sneak into Seven Wonders Land and hide for a while. If those guys from Scarlet Star can’t find us, they’ll eventually leave.”
A startled Yue He looked dazedly at the jade in her hand and became speechless. This was indeed the Array Jade of Seven Wonders Land; however, she still didn’t understand.
Such a precious item was normally in the sole possession of the leader of a great force, so why was it in Yang Kai’s hands? As far as she was concerned, the leader of Seven Wonders Land was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch. It wasn’t easy to deal with him as he was just as powerful as Yue He.
A puzzled Yue He asked, “Young Master, how did you obtain this?”
After identifying the direction, Yang Kai replied, “It’s a long story. I’ll explain it to you on the way.”
Upon hearing Yang Kai’s explanation, Yue He learned that when he first arrived in the Outer Universe, he was tricked by Duan Hai, who was the Venerable Protector of Seven Wonders Land’s Fire Spirit Land, and abducted to become a Worker. After living in that place for some time, Yang Kai was ordered to hunt down a man called Fang Tai. It was then he came across an old man called Xu Huang, who was deeply connected to Seven Wonders Land. Yang Kai speculated that Seven Wonders Land originally belonged to Xu Huang, and for some reason, Qi Qiao managed to snatch it from him.
After his territory was taken away from him, Xu Huang was determined to get his revenge. The Six Fated Paths Bag was his treasure.
At that time, Xu Huang planted an Exotic Ancient Insect called the Soaring Black Centipede in Yang Kai’s Dao Seal and threatened the latter to bring him into Seven Wonders Land using the Six Fated Paths Bag.
Xu Huang was the original owner of Seven Wonders Land, so he naturally possessed the Grand Array Token. Secretly, he stayed there and took control of the Grand Array. Before he achieved his goal though, his plan was unexpectedly exposed. Left with no choice, he was forced to confront all the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Seven Wonders Land before he was fully prepared.
The battle shook the world and dyed the rivers red with blood. Several Venerable Protectors of Seven Wonders Land were killed. Yang Kai knew at least two of those Venerables who died. The Venerable of Water Spirit Land passed away right in front of Yang Kai, who then snatched away the former’s Space Ring. It was the reason he had so many Open Heaven Pills to stay in First Inn in the past.
The Venerable Protector of Fire Spirit Land, Duan Hai, was also killed while Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch was seriously injured.
During the battle, gaps started appearing on the Grand Defence Array of Seven Wonders Land, allowing many unwilling Workers to flee from that place. It was also the time when Yang Kai seized the chance and escaped.
At that time, he had also brought Fang Bi Qi, Dié You, and Ah Sun with him. Subsequently, he helped Ruler of the Dawn Great General look for his mother, checked into First Inn, explored the Sun Star, then snatched the Golden Crow carcass.
Seven Wonders Land was the first great force Yang Kai came into contact with after he arrived at the 3,000 Worlds; however, he wasn’t fond of this great force at all. If it weren’t because Xu Huang was accidentally exposed and forced to make a move, Yang Kai’s Wood Element Power would’ve been taken away by Duan Hai.
While Yang Kai was fleeing, the severely injured Xu Huang chased after him. With his last breath, he passed this Array Jade to Yang Kai and told him to get revenge for him by taking back Seven Wonders Land.
Yang Kai didn’t dare to reject him, so he took the jade. Following that, Xu Huang passed away, and Yang Kai buried his remains in the Small Sealed World.
Certainly, Yang Kai wouldn’t seriously seek revenge for Xu Huang. He had indeed suffered a lot of setbacks in Seven Wonders Land, but he eventually escaped unscathed. When he became powerful enough in the future, he could come back here and settle the score with them; however, before that happened, he never thought about returning to Seven Wonders Land and it was completely beyond his expectations that this jade would be useful to him so soon.
While Yang Kai was calmly narrating his story, Yue He became incensed upon hearing it and snarled, “How can those bastards abduct newcomers to the 3,000 Worlds and enslave them? This is absolutely unforgivable! Such a great force doesn’t need to exist at all. Young Master, don’t worry. I’ll settle this score with them on your behalf.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “We don’t necessarily have to do it now. Let’s see what the Heavens have arranged for us.”
The speed at which they were moving forward was slow, as they had to conceal themselves. The several dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters of Scarlet Star were scattered across this Great Territory, so Yang Kai and Yue He might come across them at any moment. That was why they had to be careful. Fortunately, it had been smooth sailing for them.
A few days later, a fog bank suddenly appeared in the void in front of them. The fog was so thick that one couldn’t even penetrate it with their Divine Sense.
They finally arrived at Seven Wonders Land. Respectively, they used a Secret Technique to conceal themselves before stealthily approaching the fog.
Yue He was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so her concealment methods were naturally extraordinary. Unless the other party was as powerful as she was, it would be difficult to notice her. On the other hand, even though Yang Kai was weaker, he had the Shadowless Veil, which could deceive the senses of anyone below the Mid-Rank, so his whereabouts were not easily exposed.
As they approached the fog, Yang Kai could see that it was roiling like a large grey storm cloud. Nevertheless, there were many obviously weaker patches in the fog.
Yang Kai knew that Xu Huang must have caused some catastrophic damage to Seven Wonders Land previously. These weaker parts in the fog were the vulnerable spots of Seven Wonders Land’s Grand Array.
More than ten years had passed, but it wasn’t easy to repair these flaws, not to mention that Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch was still recuperating. Therefore, he didn’t have much energy to deal with this issue.
Yang Kai finally set his mind at ease. Although the jade was the Grand Array Control Token of Seven Wonders Land, Yue He had only managed to refine 10% of it. Initially, he was worried that they might not be able to sneak into this place, but now it seemed that there was no problem.
Without the need for Yang Kai to say anything, Yue He flew towards one of the weak spots, and after observing it for some time, she spoke to him via Divine Sense, “Young Master, I am confident in bringing you in, but I’m not sure whether we’ll be exposed after we enter. If someone sees us, we’ll have to leave immediately.”
“I understand. Let’s get started.” Yang Kai nodded. They were already hunted down by those from Scarlet Star. In the worst-case scenario, they just had to seek refuge in the local Universe Temple.