Only the cultivator who spat out blood after being punched by Yang Kai remained in the skies above the swamp, staring ahead blankly. The changes that took place in front of him were so sudden that he could not understand what was going on. He didn’t even manage to see what it was that had attacked from under the water. By the time he realised what was going on, his companion and the other man were gone. Only bubbles remained, emerging from underwater to burst at the surface of the swamp. It was absolutely terrifying!
Without even bothering to think twice, he immediately turned around and fled. How could he even think about rescuing the others? He had just seen a whip-like object piercing through his Junior Brother’s chest. Furthermore, his companion had been dragged into the swamp. It was almost certain that his Junior Brother was dead by now. They might be Fellow Brothers, but even a Husband and Wife would escape separately in the face of great danger. What was abandoning a Junior Brother under such dangerous circumstances? It was only natural that protecting his own life took precedence.
He had only just turned around when he heard a loud explosion coming from behind him. Turning around in shock, he saw a humanoid figure flashing out from under the swamp water at the speed of lightning. That person was dripping wet and his hair was a clumped mess. Even so, he immediately recognised that person as the man he and his Junior Brother had tried to ambush just now.
*Hong…*
A huge spout of water erupted from the place where that man came out of the water. Droplets filled the sky, falling down like torrential rain. Following closely behind that person, a huge figure leaped out of the depths of the swamp and landed heavily on the surface. It cast a dense shadow over the water, obscuring the two humanoid figures.
“A toad…” The cultivator raised his head to look, the word ‘toad’ flashing through his mind. It was not until this moment that he finally got a good look at the perpetrator’s true appearance. It turned out to be a large toad with bumpy warts all over its body and a pair of eyes that nearly bulged out of their sockets. Awe-inspiring Monster Qi exuded from its body and it was easy to see that this toad was not a creature to be trifled with.
When he realized he had been watched by this large toad during the time he and his Junior Brother had been secretly lying in ambush, he couldn’t help feeling a tingle of fear crawling across his scalp. At least he knew what that whip-like object was now. It was obviously the tongue that came flicking out of the toad’s mouth.
Ten metres above the ground, Yang Kai wiped the mud away from his face and secretly cursed his bad luck. He never imagined that such a Monster Beast would be hidden beneath the swamp. When he detected the hidden trace of vitality beneath the swamp earlier, he had simply assumed that it was a third person in this group of ambushers. It wasn’t until this incident occurred that he realised he was mistaken.
The first young man who launched a sneak attack on him earlier was gone. It was most likely that the young man had been eaten by this toad. At this moment, the Monster Beast was staring at him with bulging eyes; its gaze never left him as its lower jaw expanded and contracted, making a rumbling sound.
Yang Kai was just about to check which Order this Monster Beast was when the evil beast suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a large water ball. The water ball burst with a loud bang. Following that, a thick and dense fog covered the entire surroundings in a flash. Yang Kai’s entire vision was filled with white in an instant and he could not see anything. Even his Divine Sense was obstructed and could only stretch out approximately fifteen metres around him.
Pain spread out across the surface of his body as if burned by fire. It was also accompanied by a strange hissing sound. Yang Kai’s expression turned solemn. This fog was truly impressive. Not only did it have the effects of obstructing both his sight and Divine Sense, but it was also highly caustic! The poison was so strong that Yang Kai had never seen a match for it before.
If ordinary cultivators fell into such an environment, only death would await them. It was fortunate that he had a powerful Dragon Clan bloodline and Half-Dragon Body, so Yang Kai had a natural resistance to poison. The poison in this fog might be powerful, but it was not enough to kill him, it would only cause him some external injuries at most. With his restorative abilities, he would recover quickly once he was outside the range of this fog.
Not far away came the screams of the other cultivator from earlier. The screams were filled with great agony, as though suffering from horrible injuries. Judging by how the screams kept shifting around, he was probably searching for a way out.
“Don’t move!” Yang Kai shouted quickly.
Unfortunately, it was too late. The sound of a mighty wind slicing through the air rang out and that cultivator’s screams turned into a muffled groan.
“Help…” A cry for help resounded through the air, fluctuating erratically due to the rapid movement of his body. He only managed to shout for help once before he went completely silent.
Yang Kai could not see anything, but he could imagine what had happened to that person. That person must have been caught and delivered into that toad’s mouth, suffering the same fate that befell his companion.
[This is a Fifth-Order Monster Beast at the very least!] Yang Kai quickly made a judgement in his heart.
The cultivators that could enter the Blood Monster Cave Heaven were not generally weak, and if they were weak, then it would only mean that they had very good luck. Otherwise, they could not have managed to secure an entrance for themselves. Even so, the two cultivators from earlier were killed by the toad in an instant. Launching a sneak attack might have helped somewhat, but a Fourth-Order Monster Beast could not have killed a peak Emperor Realm cultivator in one move.
Yang Kai stood motionlessly in place and waited for a while, but the toad made no movements either.
Mulling over the situation, he had the feeling that this toad retained its wild instincts even though it was a high Order beast. Hence, it turned a blind eye to any stationary targets because it could only hunt with great accuracy when its target moved. This logic was in line with the previous two times it attacked.
After considering all this, Yang Kai could not be bothered to waste more time in this place. He immediately began to sway his body. He had only just begun moving when the soft sound of something slicing through the air came from the depths of the fog. Immediately after that, he felt something tightening around his body as though he had been caught by a whip. It was followed by a powerful pull that tried to drag him in that direction.
Yang Kai was waiting for this very moment; thus, he immediately broke out into a grin and reached out both hands to grab the thing that was binding him. The slippery feeling was extremely disgusting as there was no need to think to know that it was the toad’s tongue.
His hands transformed into Dragon Claw. Gripping the tongue firmly, his body abruptly sank downward as he shouted, “Come up!”
An overwhelming force poured out of his hands as he grabbed the toad by the tongue and forcibly threw it up into the air. At the same time, he silently surged the Fire Element Power in his Dao Seal. A layer of black flames covered his entire body. Burned by the Golden Crow’s True Fire, the toad’s tongue involuntarily loosened its grip.
The moment the restraints binding him disappeared, Yang Kai released his grip and threw the toad away. Standing still, he cocked his ear to the side and listened attentively. He soon heard the sound of something being sliced into pieces. These sounds were immediately followed by the sounds of large objects falling into the swamp with loud splashes.
[Done!] He dusted off his hands and quietly stood there waiting. A short while later, the fog in the swamp slowly dissipated and his vision returned to normal.
He looked in the direction of the sounds he heard towards the end and saw pieces of a corpse scattered all across the swamp. The incisions on the corpse were precise and crimson red blood dyed the ground red. The direction in which he threw the toad was where the Void Cracks were distributed. Those Void Cracks were something even he was reluctant to touch, let alone the toad. Its huge body had passed through several of those Void Cracks. The only ending for the toad was to be sliced into pieces, thereby losing its life in an instant!
Yang Kai waved his hands in front of him to disperse the fog that still lingered before walking in that direction and lowering his head to examine the pieces of the corpse. He soon found two Human corpses that were so badly corroded that they were no longer Human-shaped. He was secretly rendered speechless. It had not been long since these two people were devoured by the toad and yet they were already in such a state. It could be seen just how corrosive the acid in the stomach of this toad was.
These two men had been lying in ambush in this place, hoping to earn some money from the dead. Who could have known that they would end up in the stomach of this Monster Beast? It could be said that they got what they deserved.
After retrieving the Space Rings belonging to these two people, Yang Kai got to work and finally found the toad’s Monster Core. As expected, it was in the Fifth-Order. Moreover, it was a Water Element Monster Core. The energy contained within the Monster Core was extremely pure and singular, which was perfectly suitable for a cultivator to refine and use.
Blood Monster Divine Monarch was certainly impressive. The method to cultivate and modify these Monster Beasts was absolutely invaluable. It could guarantee every single Monster Beast would have a Monster Core that could be transformed into an Open Heaven material. If one could obtain this method, it would not be long before their great force rose to power and prosperity.
It was uncertain whether this method was included in Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance, but if it was, the value of the inheritance would greatly increase.
This was the first Fifth-Order Monster Core that Yang Kai received so far, so he carefully put it away. However, he was in no hurry to leave. On the contrary, he carefully searched his surroundings until he found a certain spot. After that, his figure sank and disappeared into the swamp.
He had discovered something interesting when the toad dragged him into the water just now. It was just that he was attacked without warning and did not dare to take his enemy lightly until he could figure out his strength; therefore, it stood to reason that he would investigate the area carefully now that the fight was over.
There was poison in the water. Moreover, it was even stronger than the poison in the fog. It was obvious that the toad Monster Beast had been living in this place for countless years. During that time, the toxins in its body must have merged with the nearby water source and caused this phenomenon.
Yang Kai activated his Dragon Source and a layer of Dragon Scales appeared on the surface of his body, instantly making him feel much more comfortable.
After sinking to a depth of several dozen metres, Yang Kai came to a halt. Although the muddy water was turbid and his visibility was poor, he could clearly perceive his surroundings with his Divine Sense. There was an area in front of him that was several tens of metres wide. More importantly, the area was filled with a dense and pure Water Element Power. The Water Element Power was so dense that it condensed into a fog, occupying a small space underwater that was incompatible with the turbid and dark muddy waters in the surroundings!
Yang Kai slipped into the fog and took a sniff. What entered his nose was a faint but clean scent. This was most likely the hiding place of the Toad Monster Beast. It had probably relied on this dense Water Element Power to become a Fifth-Order Monster Beast. If a cultivator were to refine and absorb the dense Water Element Power in this place, they would definitely be able to condense a Fifth-Order Power. It was no different from refining Fifth-Order materials.
This place was one of the Cultivation Paradises scattered across the Blood Monster Cave Heaven that he had heard so many stories about.
The Blood Monster Cave Heaven was the Small Universe left behind after the death of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. After the death of Blood Monster Divine Monarch, this place experienced the baptism of countless years. The Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers in this Cave-Heaven were divided and transformed as a result. Eventually, they gathered and accumulated in numerous areas within the Cave-Heaven to form Cultivation Paradises.
That was why it was not a must for cultivators to slay Monster Beasts for benefits when they entered the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. They could achieve the same results if they could find a Cultivation Paradise that was suitable for their cultivation use.
If any other cultivator came to this place, they could only choose to cultivate and refine the Water Element Power; however, Yang Kai had the Sealed World Bead. He could transfer this Cultivation Paradise into the Small Sealed World and transfer it out again when he returned to Void Land. By doing so, Void Land’s disciples could use this Cultivation Paradise for their cultivation.
To make a comparison, it was like going to an inn for dinner. The others could only dine in, so they were limited as to how much food they could eat. Yang Kai, on the other hand, could choose to either dine in and take-away. This ability naturally had its own advantages.
When Yang Kai emerged from the swamp again, he had already transferred the Cultivation Paradise that contained the Water Element Power into the Small Sealed World.
He turned around to look at the corpse of the Fifth-Order Monster Beast and secretly thanked the Heavens for his luck. That Monster Beast was not weak in any way; otherwise, it could not have killed two peak Emperor Realm cultivators in the blink of an eye. He might have been able to defeat the Monster Beast if it really came down to a frontal fight, but it would have taken him quite a lot of effort. By taking advantage of the Void Cracks in this place, Yang Kai swiftly slaughtered the Monster Beast and saved himself a lot of time and trouble.
According to his estimation, the strength displayed by a Fifth-Order Monster Beast was almost equivalent to the strength of a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master. Fortunately, the singular Attribute of the Monster Cores of the Monster Beasts in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven made them easier targets.
Take the Toad Monster Beast for example. It had a Water Element Core, so it was naturally weaker to Fire Element Power. The reason Yang Kai used the Golden Crow’s True Fire in his Dao Seal was out of this consideration.
Although such a Monster Beast had a weakness that was easy to target, a Fifth-Order Monster Beast was still equivalent to a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of raw strength. Most Emperor Realm Masters would be in danger if they encountered a Fifth-Order Monster Beast. If that was the case for a Fifth-Order Monster Beast, then what about a Sixth-Order Monster Beast? Wouldn’t a Sixth-Order Monster Beast be equivalent to a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in strength?
This information was in line with his understanding and knowledge; after all, he had used the Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Light to fight Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. The power of the Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Light was great, so many Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would have a hard time blocking its attack.
What about a Seventh-Order Monster Beast, which should be much stronger? Wouldn’t a Seventh-Order Monster Beast be equivalent to a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in strength?
Yang Kai was secretly alarmed by the prospect. Not too long ago, he had wanted to find a Seventh-Order Monster Beast in order to slay it for its Monster Core. Looking at the current situation though, he might have no choice but to turn tail and flee if he encountered a Seventh-Order Monster Beast.
There was no point thinking about such possibilities at the moment. It was true that Seventh-Order Monster Beasts existed in this place, but they were not something that could be found so easily. If he really were to run into a Seventh-Order Monster Beast, then he could only react as the situation called for.
He took out the Space Rings from those two people earlier and checked the contents. Both of them were extremely poor, with only a couple hundred Open Heaven Pills between them as well as some random trinkets that Yang Kai turned his nose up at. Looking at the situation, it had not been long since they arrived in this place. It was a pity that they died before they could even make a fortune from the assets of the dead.
[What a tragedy…] Yang Kai did not mourn their deaths. They should have been mentally prepared to be killed when they entered the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Just as he was about to put their Space Rings away though, his expression changed drastically as he took out a piece of animal skin from one of the Space Rings.
It was easy to tell that the animal skin was very old at a glance. In addition, there were jumbled patterns drawn closely together on the animal skin. It was just that many spots on the animal skin were blurry and hard to read after countless years of wear and tear.
At first, he could not understand what was drawn on the animal skin; however, he seemed to remember something a short while later. Hurriedly taking out the jade slip the Proprietress had given to him, he split his Divine Sense into two parts. He immersed one part of his Divine Sense into the jade slip to study its contents and used the other part of his Divine Sense to pay close attention to the patterns on the animal skin.
Sometime later, he revealed a look of astonishment, “A map?”
What was recorded on this animal skin turned out to be a worn-out and incomplete map. Moreover, it was a map of a certain area inside the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. It was only because part of this animal skin map was relatively consistent with the map recorded in the jade slip that he could identify it.
That was not to say that the animal skin map was more comprehensive. On the contrary, the map in the jade slip given by the Proprietress was much more complete. It was a map purchased through auction from Red Clouds Auction House after all. This map was compiled from all the experiences of countless cultivators exploring the Blood Monster Cave Heaven over the years. Be that as it may, the animal skin map contained additional locations that were not recorded in the jade slip map, although there were parts in both maps that overlapped with each other.
Holding the animal skin map in hand, Yang Kai fell into deep contemplation. The hundred copies of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven map that Red Clouds Auction House sold off might not have been complete, but it was enough to provide the cultivators with an idea of their position and bearings. Yang Kai was also not so naïve that he would believe Red Clouds Auction House publicised this secret information out of kindness; after all, a relatively complete map could bring about huge and unimaginable benefits in a place like this.
Red Clouds Cave Heaven, who was the actual figure behind the Red Clouds Auction House, would definitely have a more complete map in their possession. That was their biggest trump card after all. The only information they could disclose to the public would be information on places that they had thoroughly explored and deemed to be of little value.
It was not just Red Clouds Auction House of course. All the other Cave-Heavens, Paradises, and even the Second-Class great forces would have their own respective maps compiled from information and experiences over the years. It was hard to say who had a more comprehensive map or who had a more valuable map.
That logic applied even to the map in Yang Kai’s hands. He was certain that this was not an exact copy of the map obtained from Red Clouds Auction House. The Proprietress would have definitely added some information of her own into this map; after all, she herself had been to the Blood Monster Cave Heaven in the past.
Yang Kai did not know to which great force those two who died just now belonged. This animal skin map could also have been an accidental acquisition by one of the two, which would explain why it had accumulated such an ancient aura.
There was a certain location on the animal skin map that had been circled and was very eye-catching. Generally speaking, places that were marked with such great emphasis would surely contain some sort of treasure.
Just looking at that spot on the map made Yang Kai’s heart itch with anticipation. When he compared the two maps, he discovered that the circled location on the map would take several days of travel to reach. He would first need to pass through the areas where the two maps overlapped.
Still, Yang Kai put away the animal skin map for now. He was in no hurry to make a decision. It would not be too late to decide once he arrived at the location. Raising his head, he looked at the swamp in front of him and did not choose to take a detour. The first reason was that it would consume more time if he wanted to bypass this region, and the second reason was that this place was the best battlefield for him even though there were Void Cracks all over the place. If he were ambushed by another Monster Beast like the Toad Monster Beast earlier, he could make use of the Void Cracks to slaughter it for its Monster Core. Not to mention, it would not take much effort on his part.
Thus, Yang Kai spread his Divine Sense into the surroundings then headed towards the depths of the swamp at a high speed. There certainly were quite a few Void Cracks in this damned place but fortunately, he was proficient in the Dao of Space. He was also staying vigilant at all times, so he generally detected the Void Cracks in advance and smoothly avoided them.
Contrary to his expectations, he did not encounter any other Monster Beasts. It would seem that this place was also an extremely dangerous place to the Monster Beasts in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Thus, they were reluctant to step foot here lightly. Even the toad had only been living at the edge of the swamp. Since there were no Monster Beasts, Yang Kai focused only on travelling and quickly crossed most of the swamp.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai heard a person’s voice coming towards him, “Friend, please wait! The road ahead is dangerous!”
Yang Kai immediately stopped and turned to look in the direction where the voice came from. A group of five was standing above the swamp more than a dozen kilometres away. All of them were dressed in full armour and carried weapons in hand. Although there were only five of them, their aura was so overwhelming that they gave off the impression of a mighty army.
Yang Kai couldn’t help thinking that this method of dressing was very familiar. Raising his brow, he recalled the name of a certain great force. His figure flashed and he arrived in front of those five people in a matter of moments as he tentatively asked, “Great Battle Heaven?”
Only the disciples of Great Battle Heaven would dress in this manner. It was only his guess, but he became more confident of his guess when he got closer. That was because all five of them gave off a chilling iron-blooded air. That was an aura that could only be acquired over the years if one lived under permanent military discipline.
Furthermore, Great Battle Heaven was the only great force in the entire 3,000 Worlds that was governed and managed by the iron law of an army. Any military order that was issued could not be disobeyed!
Thousand Birds Territory’s Star City was governed by Great Battle Heaven, so Yang Kai had seen a few Great Battle Heaven disciples at the Void Dock before. These people were not so much cultivators as they were soldiers!
These five people consisted of four men and one woman. They were staring at Yang Kai as though they were looking at a ghost. Shock and disbelief were written all over their eyes.
Upon hearing Yang Kai’s questions, the young man in the lead nodded, “That’s right.” Then, he examined Yang Kai once more and exclaimed, “Your luck is quite good.”
As soon as Yang Kai heard this young man’s voice, he immediately identified this person as the one who called out to him earlier. This person had thick brows and large eyes, making him look lively and spirited. The lines of his face were rigid though, giving him the feeling of an insightful but battle-tested young man. It could be seen that this person was the leader among these five.
Yang Kai smiled, “And your luck is not very good. How did you get trapped here?”
He could tell at a glance that these five were standing motionless in this place not because they did not wish to move, but because they were stuck here. There were Void Cracks surrounding them in all directions; moreover, some of the Void Cracks were moving about slowly and silently. These Void Cracks were imperceptible even with the help of Divine Sense.
Among these five, three of them were covered in blood, making it obvious that they were injured by these Void Cracks.
The young leader shook his head in response, “It’s difficult to explain! Let’s not talk about this for now. How should I address you?”
“Yang Kai!”
The young man was visibly taken aback by Yang Kai’s answer, “You are Yang Kai?”
The four people behind him also looked surprised and glanced at Yang Kai curiously.
Similarly, Yang Kai was stunned, “Do you know me?” Then, he immediately understood the reason, “Of course. You’ve probably heard of me.”
He most likely caught the attention of many Cave-Heavens and Paradises after the battle in Thousand Birds Territory’s Star City’s Asura Arena. First, there was the warning given by the man in charge of the Asura Arena; then, there was the recruitment offer from Senior Brother Guo from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. Seeing as both Asura Heaven and Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven had noticed his existence, it was not surprising that the great force in charge of Thousand Birds Territory’s Star City, Great Battle Heaven, had also heard about him.
The young leader did not deny the statement. He simply cupped his fists and said, “So it is Brother Yang. I apologise for my disrespect. This one is Bu Lian Zhong.”
“You’re too polite, Brother Bu!” Yang Kai nodded.
Bu Lian Zhong pointed at the four people behind him and introduced them to Yang Kai. After that, he solemnly said, “Brother Yang, this one has a request.”
Yang Kai gestured, “Please speak freely, Brother Bu.”
Earlier, Bu Lian Zhong had shouted a warning to him after seeing him travelling at high speed, so it was obvious that this person was good-natured. Yang Kai had always believed in the philosophy of mutual respect, so he would not show enmity to a person who showed him kindness. Nevertheless, he would not agree to a request easily until he knew what kind of help the other party wanted from him.
Bu Lian Zhong explained, “We are trapped in this place and I’m afraid things will not end well for us. Brother Yang, when you leave here, please head to the Governor’s Mansion in Thousand Birds Star City and report our deaths to Governor Ye!”
The Governor in charge of Thousand Birds Star City, Ye Tian Xiong, was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even Yang Kai knew of him. There was no denying that Thousand Birds Territory’s Star City was a large one; therefore, only a Master as capable as Ye Tian Xiong could manage it. After all, he would not have been able to control the situation in the Star City if he was not strong enough.
Yang Kai was wondering what kind of help Bu Lian Zhong would request of him, but he hadn’t anticipated such a request.
He couldn’t help bursting into laughter, “Brother Bu, you can tell that to Governor Ye yourself, but I don’t think he will believe you.”
Bu Lian Zhong frowned, “Brother Yang, it’s just a small effort on your part. It won’t take up much of your time. Since it won’t harm your interests, why refuse my request?”
The other four people were also looking at Yang Kai, frowning.
Yang Kai knew that they had misunderstood him, but he could not be bothered to explain himself. Instead, his figure flashed as he passed through the area surrounded by the Void Cracks and came to stand before Bu Lian Zhong.
Bu Lian Zhong was startled. Involuntarily taking a few steps back as he stared at Yang Kai in shock, “Why… Why did you come in!?”
The few of them had been trapped inside this space for a long time now. It was not as if they had not tried to escape from this place, it was just that they could not determine which path was safe. Three of them had been injured after several attempts to escape and they ended up unable to move from their current spot. On the contrary, Yang Kai entered this place with so little effort. It was almost as though the Void Cracks trapping them here did not exist.
[Isn’t his luck a little too good?] To their knowledge, this person had travelled across the swamp without encountering any danger, and just now, he even slipped into this highly dangerous place so easily. It was a miracle how he managed to survive until now.
Yang Kai smiled and said nothing. He simply pushed his strength to wrap up the five of them. Before Bu Lian Zhong and the others could react, Yang Kai’s figure flickered again and he escaped from the area surrounded by the Void Cracks together with the others.
“Brother Bu, it’s best if you report to the Governor yourselves,” He nodded at Bu Lian Zhong.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others were stunned. They quickly looked around their surroundings and confirmed that they were no longer standing in the same spot as before. Rather, they had left that place by several kilometres. Only now did they reveal expressions of surprise and joy.
A realization struck Bu Lian Zhong as he turned to Yang Kai in astonishment, “Brother Yang, can you see those Void Cracks? Could it be that you cultivate the Dao of Space?”
Yang Kai replied reservedly, “I know a little something!”
Bu Lian Zhong was extremely impressed. Yang Kai had brought him and his fellow Brothers and Sister out of that place so easily; that was far beyond the level of ‘knowing a little something. It definitely required a high level of attainment in the Dao of Space, so he quickly understood. [It’s not luck that allowed him to safely travel through the swamp! There was simply no danger to him in the first place!]
“Many thanks, Brother Yang!” He cupped his fist solemnly, with the four people behind him following suit.
“It was nothing.” Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “This swamp is extremely dangerous and there are hidden dangers everywhere. Strangely enough, the map did not mark this place as hazardous.”
He had the map bought from Red Clouds Auction House in his possession; likewise, Great Battle Heaven’s disciples would definitely have a superior version of it. That map not only indicated various routes but also various dangers and opportunities. These were the results of countless cultivators exploring this place throughout the ages.
It was just that the map in Yang Kai’s hand had only indicated the location of the swamp. There were no warnings about the dangers hidden in this area. Thus, he guessed that the map owned by Great Battle Heaven disciples was similar; otherwise, they would not have ended up in this situation.
Bu Lian Zhong explained, “The Blood Monster Cave Heaven is unstable, so the situation inside sometimes changes. This place was probably safe 200 years ago. These changes must have occurred recently, which is why the dangers were not marked on the map. Brother Yang, although maps are useful, you should not trust them completely. We have already learned our lesson. Please be careful in the future.”
Yang Kai understood, “You’re right, Brother Bu!” Turning to look at Bu Lian Zhong, he asked, “Where were you trying to go?”
Bu Lian Zhong pointed in a certain direction.
Yang Kai smiled, “It looks like we are heading in the same direction. Let’s go together then.”
After saying that, he took the lead.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others exchanged glances with each other before hurriedly following after him. Since Yang Kai could bring them out of that place surrounded by Void Cracks so easily, it should not be difficult for him to bring them out of the swamp. It was only natural that they did not wish to pass up on this opportunity.
It was hard to tell whether Great Battle Heaven’s disciples were generally on the reticent side, but along the way, Bu Lian Zhong and the four others barely spoke. Even if they occasionally made conversation, it was because Yang Kai was the first to bring up a topic.
After a casual conversation, Yang Kai learned that these five had entered the swamp from another direction. They had not encountered any dangers at the beginning, and by the time they realised that something was wrong, it was already too late for them to turn back. If not for their luck in meeting Yang Kai, they would most likely have lost their lives in the swamp.
Even though they did not say much, the gratitude in their hearts was overflowing beyond words; after all, Yang Kai had saved their lives. Great Battle Heaven’s disciples were generally taught to be straightforward and upright. They would always repay the kindness they received and return the grudges they were given.
Despite having five people in tow, Yang Kai’s speed did not decrease in the slightest and they managed to leave the swamp after travelling for half a day.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others exhaled fiercely, finally feeling relieved. The feeling of not being in control of their own lives was simply awful. They never wanted to experience something like this again.
“We’re now out of danger, so we’ll be parting ways here.” Yang Kai cupped his fist to Bu Lian Zhong and the others. He had only brought them out of the swamp since they were going the same way. Hunting for treasure was better done alone after all. In that way, he could monopolise anything he found.
Bu Lian Zhong returned the gesture, “We five will never forget the kindness you showed us today, Brother Yang. We will definitely repay this favour in the future.”
Pausing for a moment, his expression suddenly became extremely solemn as he continued, “Brother Yang, please be careful. Don’t trust others easily.”
Yang Kai frowned slightly. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to those words. Just as he was about to inquire further, he suddenly heard a cry for help coming from afar; moreover, it was getting closer.
Everybody hurriedly turned to look in the direction of the sound only to see two figures speeding in this direction like bolts of lightning. One was chasing while the other was fleeing. The person in the back continuously blasted out fierce attacks, causing the person in front to jump left and right to avoid those attacks.
The person who was being chased had probably noticed the presence of Yang Kai and the others, so he rushed in their direction while shouting for help. It only took a few breaths for him to arrive in their vicinity while his complexion was extremely pale.
Staggering to the ground, he hurriedly begged, “Senior Brothers, please save me!”
Yang Kai, Bu Lian Zhong, and the others simply looked at him calmly. They neither promised to help nor refused to. The main reason was that they did not know anything about this person nor what kind of grievances this person had with the other party. Therefore, it was not their place to interfere.
Be that as it may, the cultivator chasing after this person faltered and came to a stop when he saw this person landing in front of Yang Kai and the others. He glanced in this direction from afar and seemed to recognise the origins of the Great Battle Heaven disciples. Coldly snorting, he turned and left.
The Great Battle Heaven disciples were dressed so distinctively that it was difficult not to recognise them. With the reputation of one of the 36 Cave-Heavens behind them, nobody would willingly come into conflict with them.
When the cultivator who asked for help earlier saw his pursuer leaving quickly, he finally let out a breath of relief. He slumped to the ground tiredly as though all the energy in his body had been drained. His face was filled with lingering fears. After a while, he finally struggled to his feet and cupped his fist at Yang Kai and the others, “Many thanks, Senior Brothers.”
Bu Lian Zhong replied, “No need. We didn’t do anything.”
That person shook his head and said, “Although Senior Brothers did not act, this Junior Brother still knows that he only survived because of you. If I had not happened to meet you here, that person would not have given up so easily.”
Bu Lian Zhong waved his hand dismissively, “Since you survived, you should get a good rest. The Blood Monster Cave Heaven is a dangerous place. I’m afraid it will be difficult for you to do anything in your current state.”
That person’s expression darkened at those words as he smiled bitterly, “You’re right, Senior Brother. I will go and search for a place to treat my wounds. Before I leave, I want to tell you something. Somebody located about an hour’s travel in that direction found Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance. Many people have gathered there to compete for it. If you are interested, you should go and check it out.”
“Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance?” The expressions of Yang Kai, Bu Lian Zhong, and the others stiffened at those words.
That person explained, “That’s what they said. I don’t know if it’s true. I was just watching from the side when that guy suddenly tried to kill me. It’s probably because he was afraid that the news might leak out and attract more people to investigate.”
Yang Kai and Bu Lian Zhong exchanged a glance with each other and could see the excitement in each other’s eyes. If this person’s words were true, then a huge treasure had appeared, one that would definitely cause a reign of terror in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
That person continued, “I don’t know much about the situation there. You can check it out if you are interested, Senior Brothers. This Junior Brother will take his leave first.”
He bowed after saying that and swiftly left upon deciding a direction.
Yang Kai and Bu Lian Zhong watched as that person gradually vanished out of sight; then, Bu Lian Zhong asked, “What do you think, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai licked his lips, “If there’s a possibility of it being Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance, then we should go and check it out.”
If he could obtain the Seventh-Order materials that he needed there, then his trip to the Blood Monster Cave Heaven would be complete. It didn’t matter even if that person had been lying. It was only an hour away after all.
Bu Lian Zhong nodded, “I think so too.”
It was impossible to resist the temptation with such a huge prize dangling in front of them. Having come to a decision, they did not hesitate and immediately headed in the direction that man pointed earlier.
After going forward for a little less than an hour, Yang Kai suddenly frowned. He turned to Bu Lian Zhong and asked, “Brother Bu, do you notice anything?”
Similarly, Bu Lian Zhong had a serious expression on his face as he responded, “The smell of blood!”
Yang Kai nodded. He could also smell the scent of blood; however, this bloody scent gave him a strange feeling. It did not smell like when somebody was killed. Moreover, the smell of blood became stronger and stronger the further forward they went. It almost felt as though the World Energy itself was infused with blood.
A short time later, the group of six came to an abrupt halt and stared ahead blankly.
In front of them was a huge blood-coloured lake that spanned a diameter of a dozen or so kilometres. The lake water was crimson, as though it was made from fresh blood. The surface of the lake was strangely calm; there was not the slightest ripple in sight. Everybody couldn’t help feeling a little disturbed by the sight. It felt like countless ghosts and corpses would emerge from within the lake at any moment.
Currently, at least a few hundred people had gathered by the shore of the blood lake. They were either standing in groups of three to five, or standing alone. Many people were scattered around the edges of the lake, staring at its centre. Even more people were gathered in front of a large stone monument and looking up at something.
Yang Kai looked up and saw a palace standing in the centre of the lake; thus, he couldn’t help but wonder, [Could that be the Blood Monster Divine Palace? Is that where Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance is hidden? But, that can’t be right.]
According to the rumours, Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance was indeed hidden in the Blood Monster Divine Palace. Be that as it may, the Blood Monster Divine Palace was said to be located in the deepest depths of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. It was impossible for it to appear in this place. Regardless of whether Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance was hidden in this palace, there must be something precious inside a place like this. Therefore, countless cultivators were eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to explore.
Many cultivators were gathered around the stele by the side of the blood-coloured lake. Even more cultivators were rushing over from all directions, probably having heard about the news here. Otherwise, they noticed the strange movements here by chance.
Aside from that, Yang Kai also noticed that there were three small islands in the lake. Each island was separated by a distance of a couple thousand metres. They were located between the palace in the middle of the lake and the shore of the lake. In other words, one could use these three small islands as a foothold in order to reach the palace in the middle of the lake.
It was just that nobody was trying to head towards the palace in the middle of the lake even though many people were gathered around the shore. Most of them were gathered around the stele. Some stood with their hands behind their backs while others sat cross-legged on the ground. There were also some who were randomly shaking and swaying their heads. It was unknown what they were trying to do.
“Hahahaha! The Blood Monster Divine Palace!” A loud burst of laughter rang out. A burly figure rushed over from afar and charged towards the palace in the middle of the lake without hesitation. While doing so, he arrogantly yelled, “Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance is mine! Get out of my way!”
Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and saw the cultivator charging across the blood-coloured lake. The cultivator was heading for the first island that was nearest to the shore. Before he could fly very far though, a huge wave suddenly rose up from the blood-coloured lake, which had seemed like a pool of undisturbed and stagnant water all this time, before coming crashing down on him. He let out a furious roar and immediately surged his strength in defence. Splendid colours lit up around his body and a violent power fluctuation spread out.
It was clear that he was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master who had condensed the Fifth-Order Elements. He was only one step away from advancing into the Open Heaven Realm; thus, his heritage was quite impressive. Given enough time, he would surely become a powerful individual as long as he did not die along the way.
However, the burly cultivator was completely powerless to resist the blood-coloured wave. The wave crashed down on him, swiftly dissolving the layer of defence around his body like snow under the scorching sun. His defenses didn’t even last for a breath. Turning pale with fright, he didn’t have the time to do anything else before he was showered from head to toe in blood water.
After encountering such a sudden change, how could he not know that he had activated some sort of restriction with his rash actions? For a moment, cold sweat drenched his entire body. He stood in place and did not dare to move.
The wave subsided and the blood-coloured lake returned to its peaceful state. It was almost as if the scene just now had been nothing more than an illusion.
“Hahaha! I’m fine!” That person laughed heartily once more. That was because he turned out to be completely unscathed even after waiting for some time. He initially thought that he had activated some sort of restriction previously and assumed that he was going to die. It turned out that he had simply been overthinking things.
“Fool!” Somebody by the shore looked at the burly cultivator coldly with an expression of scorn and ridicule.
Yang Kai also found the situation strange. That burly cultivator had been doused in the blood water, so how could he come out unscathed? Just as he was mulling over this question, he heard that burly cultivator’s voice again, “The restriction in this place has fallen into disrepair. It lost its effects a long time ago! And yet, you guys are being so cautious! How laughable! Just you wait! I’m going to get the Divine Monarch’s inheritance!”
After saying that, he rushed towards the small island in the middle of the island again.
He had just made his move when a burst of exclamations rang out among the people along the shore of the lake. Some women even looked horrified. They covered their red lips with their hands, staring ahead with widened eyes as though they were watching something extremely horrifying.
Likewise, Yang Kai also narrowed his eyes and stared in shock at the burly cultivator who was charging across the surface of the lake.
As that burly cultivator continued to charge forward, pieces of his flesh began to peel off and fall into the lake. In the blink of an eye, his head had turned into a fleshless skull. All the flesh on his body was gone too. His wide robes covered his body, making flapping sounds with every step he took. Even so, he seemed completely oblivious to the fact and continued to charge forward. It was a chilling sight to behold.
A short while later, the burly cultivator who was turned into a skeleton finally fell apart. He collapsed straight into the blood lake and was swallowed up silently. The surface of the lake was so calm that it was almost as if nothing had happened just now.
“Blood Monster Divine Monarch is an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even if the restrictions he placed when he was alive had fallen into disrepair, how can just any stray cat or dog ignore them?” The cultivator, who called the burly cultivator a fool just now, sneered coldly.
It was obvious that it was not his first time seeing this situation. Somebody else must have died in this blood lake earlier; otherwise, it was impossible for so many people to be so indifferent towards the Palace in the middle of the lake despite gathering in this place.
Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and his eyes involuntarily narrowed all of a sudden. That was because he discovered that the speaker was brimming with Demon Qi. He couldn’t help thinking that it felt very familiar. After giving it some serious thought, he realised that he had felt this feeling from Great Demon God before.
[Is this person from Myriad Demons Heaven?] Yang Kai mulled over the possibility. Based on what he knew, there was a high probability that Great Demon God, Mo Sheng, had originated from Myriad Demons Heaven!
Seeming to notice Yang Kai’s gaze, the Myriad Demons Heaven disciple turned around and grinned fiercely, “What are you looking at, boy? Are you courting death?”
Yang Kai smiled slightly and looked away calmly. It was not that he was afraid of the other party, but that he was too lazy to be caught up in a conflict now.
Contrary to expectations, the other party was unrelenting. He studied Yang Kai with a measuring gaze and revealed a look of interest. With a shift of his body, he appeared within ten metres of Yang Kai as he rubbed his chin and said, “Brat, I realised that you resemble somebody a lot.”
Yang Kai turned to look at the other party and asked faintly, “Senior Brother, how may I help you?”
The Myriad Demons Heaven disciple observed Yang Kai carefully and nodded repeatedly, “I knew it! It’s you!”
When he said the last word, the Demon Qi in his body churned violently. He raised a hand and slammed his palm down on Yang Kai. Sixth-Order Elements surged in the palm of his hand, turning into a swirling vortex that tried to drag Yang Kai into the depths and strangle him to death.
Yang Kai was just about to counter the attack when Bu Lian Zhong and the four others activated their Powers at the same time and charged out from behind him. The auras of these five people connected tightly to form a peculiar Formation in an instant. Then, the power of these five gathered around Bu Lian Zhong’s body. Bu Lian Zhong raised a hand to counter the attack.
With a boom, the Myriad Demons Heaven disciple’s Demon Qi was shaken and he was pushed back several steps. On the other hand, Bu Lian Zhong and the others gave a muffled grunt and retreated. This fight was evenly matched.
It was just that Bu Lian Zhong had borrowed the might of that Formation to gather the power of all five of them. Meanwhile, the Myriad Demons Heaven disciple was all alone. It could be seen that the strength of Bu Lian Zhong and the others was far inferior to this Myriad Demons Heaven disciple.
“Great Battle Heaven?” The Myriad Demons Heaven disciple glanced at Bu Lian Zhong and the others coldly, “Are you courting death!? How dare you intervene in my affairs? If you dare make another move, I will kill you along with him!”
Bu Lian Zhong quickly said, “I have long heard that the disciples of Myriad Demons Heaven are extremely arrogant and tend to look down on everybody else. I originally thought that those claims were an exaggeration, but it turns out to be true! You might be powerful, Senior Brother Pei, but my Fellow Brothers and I are not weak either if we fight with our lives on the line!”
The Myriad Demons Heaven disciple tilted his head to the side, “Do you know me?”
Bu Lian Zhong said seriously, “Pei Wen Xuan of Myriad Demons Heaven. Senior Brother Pei, you are so famous, how can I not recognise you?”
His words might seem like he was answering the question, but he was actually explaining this person’s origins to Yang Kai.
Pei Wen Xuan grinned, showing off his fangs. He looked at Bu Lian Zhong with approval, “You can recognise me, yet you still dare to say such words to me. The people of Great Battle Heaven are courageous indeed! But, you’re dreaming if you think you can stop me with your abilities. It might work if it were your Eldest Senior Brother instead. Get out of my way if you don’t want to die!”
Bu Lian Zhong and the others were Great Battle Heaven disciples. It would not have mattered if he had killed them in secret, as long as the secret was not leaked. However, there were so many eyes watching in this place. It would be troublesome if he killed them here; after all, Great Battle Heaven was not to be trifled with.
“What if you include me?” A soft and gentle voice rang out. It was accompanied by a delightful fragrance that tickled the nose. At the same time, a beautiful figure appeared in front of Yang Kai.
The person who arrived had an extremely graceful image. Her appearance was exquisite and captivating. Her twin peaks were also so generous that it drew many people’s attention. Her dark hair was tied behind her head with a red ribbon and her beautiful eyes were mesmerising. Her every frown and smile gave off an amorous attraction. It was as though this woman was a flower in full bloom. Extremely eye-catching.
Many of the cultivators in the surroundings exclaimed in their hearts. [What a seductive woman!]
Their eyes were fixed relentlessly on this woman like leeches biting into flesh. They secretly swallowed nervously. As a result, many male cultivators were pinched hard by their Junior Sisters. They involuntarily grunted in pain and shifted their eyes away in embarrassment. Clutching the small hands of their Junior Sisters, they apologised profusely.
“Senior Sister Qu?” Yang Kai exclaimed in astonishment.
He had not expected to meet an acquaintance in this place. Many people had certainly entered the Blood Monster Cave Heaven this time. The entire 3,000 Worlds had been involved in this event, so it was only natural for the people he was acquainted with to enter the Blood Monster Cave Heaven as well. It was just that the Blood Monster Cave Heaven was simply too large so the possibility of running into them was simply too miniscule. Who would have known that he would meet one of them so quickly?
Qu Hua Shang of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven! Yang Kai’s memory of this woman was still quite fresh in his mind. She was the one and only woman who could clearly and eloquently discuss the matters of Yin-Yang Union Cultivation with him. Moreover, she did so with a straight and serious expression. She truly was a woman with a firm Dao Heart.
Although Su Yan had performed Yin-Yang Union Cultivation with him countless times, she had never discussed this aspect with him before. She was a woman who would blush if he so much as spoke affectionately to her, so how could she possibly discuss Yin-Yang Union Cultivation with him?
“Qu Hua Shang!” Pei Wen Xuan’s gaze turned cold.
He did not recognise Bu Lian Zhong and the others because they were not at his level even though their strength was not bad. However, that was not the case with Qu Hua Shang. Ever since she came out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and became a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Core Disciple, she had become quite famous in her own right. It could be said that her future achievements would not be inferior to his.
“Senior Brother Pei!” Qu Hua Shang bowed elegantly, “It has been years since we last met. I see you are still as arrogant as ever.”
He coldly snorted as his gaze shifted between Yang Kai and her before he asked, “Do you know who he is? Why are you so anxious to stand up for him?”
She smiled, “I’ve known Junior Brother Yang for more than 10 years now. Of course, I know who he is.”
He couldn’t help scoffing at those words. Then, he seemed to recall something and grinned, “Interesting. How interesting. I see that Yin-Yang Cave Heaven is playing these tricks again. But, you better watch him carefully if you want to protect him. I’m not the only one who wants to kill him.”
She smiled in response and thought to herself, [This fool has never seen how powerful Yang Kai is. That’s the only reason why he dares to boast so shamelessly!]
Unlike the others, she had accompanied Yang Kai for some time inside the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary; therefore, she had a deep understanding of how strong he was. Despite originating from one of the 36 Cave-Heavens, even she was confident there was no one in the 3,000 Worlds beneath the Open Heaven Realm who could be his opponent. Even Pei Wen Xuan would not survive for long against him.
“Forget it! This is boring!” Pei Wen Xuan glared for a while. Then, he flicked his sleeves in annoyance and strode towards the stele, “You can play by yourselves. I won’t accompany you.”
When Qu Hua Shang saw him leaving, she couldn’t help breathing a sigh of relief. [If that guy did not give up, he would have suffered great humiliation today. At the same time, it would be very troublesome if Yang Kai killed him.]
She turned around and looked at Yang Kai with a smile. The look in her eyes seemed to speak volumes, revealing a trace of pleasant surprise, as her voice was as soft and gentle as ever, “Junior Brother Yang, it truly is a small world. I never expected to meet you here.”
Yang Kai bowed, “It has been many years since we last met, but your noble bearing remains the same, Senior Sister. Many thanks for resolving that conflict just now.”
Qu Hua Shang giggled happily with her hand over her mouth, “If anyone should thank me, it isn’t you. That bastard should be the one showing his gratitude.”
She then waved her hand dismissively and continued, “Let’s not talk about that. Why are you with the people from Great Battle Heaven?”
She glanced curiously at Bu Lian Zhong and the others, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity.
Bu Lian Zhong stepped forward to reply, “We owe Senior Brother Yang our lives. We were stuck in a desperate situation and Senior Brother Yang came to our rescue.”
After listening to his explanation, she was struck by understanding, “I see! But, you don’t need to worry about it too much. Junior Brother Yang has always been a righteous man. He has saved the lives of many in the past. I’ve also received his life-saving grace. Since I have nothing to repay him for his favour though, I was just thinking about promising myself to him.”
Back then, Yang Kai used the Small Sealed World to bring all the surviving Bearers out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary at the last moment. If not for that, they would each have had to suffer the wrath of their Divine Spirits when they eventually lost the Spirit Seizing War. At least half of them would have died in the process.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others looked at each other and were surprised to learn that even Qu Hua Shang from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had been saved by Yang Kai before.
On the other hand, Yang Kai nearly choked for a moment when he heard her saying that she wanted to promise herself to him. [This woman is truly daring to say such things!]
Outwardly, he couldn’t help laughing, “Senior Sister, please don’t joke around like that.”
Qu Hua Shang covered her mouth and laughed gently, looking extremely charming as she did so.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others came from Great Battle Heaven, so they all had calm and steady temperaments. Even so, they nearly fell into a daze at the sight. [Eldest Senior Brother was right, all the women from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven are indeed walking catastrophes…]
“Senior Sister Qu, what is going on here? Why are there so many people gathered in this place? What is that palace in the middle of the lake?” Yang Kai changed the subject to prevent this woman from saying anything crazy again.
Qu Hua Shang composed her expression and replied, “The palace in the middle of the lake probably contains a part of Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance.”
Yang Kai and the others stiffened at those words and could barely believe their ears, “Is it really the inheritance?”
They had first heard about this from a random cultivator, but that person couldn’t be sure either. Now that even Qu Hua Shang was saying the same thing, it might actually be true.
Qu Hua Shang shook her head, “Blood Monster Divine Monarch was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. He was very powerful. While he was alive, he was proficient in the Dao of Blood and the Dao of Beast Taming. Aside from these two, his achievements would surely include many other Daos. Although this place might contain part of Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance, it is unknown what kind of inheritance it might be. Many people speculate that the inheritance hidden here is related to the Dao of Blood.”
“What is the basis of their speculation?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
“The blood lake is one reason.” While speaking, she pointed at the stele by the shore of the lake, “But, the greatest reason is the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. That’s the reason for their speculation.”
“Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture?” Yang Kai felt his heart trembling in anticipation. If memory served him right, that Secret Art was one of the main cultivation methods Blood Monster Divine Monarch used before his death. Its name was even recorded in the jade slip given to him by the Proprietress. It could be said that the reason Blood Monster Divine Monarch was able to become an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was partly thanks to the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture.
Bu Lian Zhong exclaimed, “Senior Sister Qu, do you mean to say that the secrets to the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture are carved on that stele!?”
She nodded solemnly, “That’s right. I was comprehending the mysteries behind it before you came.” While saying so, she invited them to join her, “Let’s go and check it out together.”
Yang Kai and Bu Lian Zhong exchanged a glance with each other before they immediately followed behind her and came to stand before the stele without any hesitation.
There were many people crowding around the stele. It was just that this stele was very big. Even with so many people surrounding it, they could still see the stele clearly. Sure enough, there was a line of characters that seemed to be written in fresh blood at the top of the stele which read ‘Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture’!
Yang Kai was speechless.
This was one of the main Secret Arts that Blood Monster Divine Monarch cultivated. People used to speculate that this Secret Art would be hidden within Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance. It was a Secret Art that allowed one of their Seniors to advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Who would not covet it? Nonetheless, who could have expected this Secret Art to appear unconcealed by the side of the blood lake? All the people who came here could observe, emulate, and comprehend this Secret Art. What was Blood Monster Divine Monarch thinking?
Be that as it may, this stele only had these few characters on it. There was nothing else aside from them.
Suppressing the suspicions in his heart, Yang Kai raised his head, focused his mind, and stared forward. An invisible force immediately seemed to pull his mind into the stele and a bizarre image involuntarily formed in his head. The circulation paths of the Secret Art flashed through his mind, shocking him so much that he hastily took a few steps back. The moment he moved, his mind was released and he immediately broke free of the stele’s hold.
Qu Hua Shang’s voice sounded next to his ear, “The circulation method of the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture is hidden within this stele. If you can comprehend this Secret Art thoroughly; if nothing else, you can at least obtain that!”
Yang Kai shook his head and said doubtfully, “Senior Sister Qu, this method seems to be incomplete.”
Although his mind had only been held by the stele for a short moment and what he saw was not much, he could sense that the knowledge contained within this stele was incomplete.
Hearing this, Qu Hua Shang glanced at him in surprise, “Junior Brother, you deciphered the mystery in such a short time? You’re as amazing as ever. It took me several dozen breaths to notice that.” Pausing for a moment, she continued, “But, you’re right, Junior Brother. The Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture recorded here is indeed incomplete. It is probably only the first segment. Unfortunately, you have to comprehend this segment carefully in order to advance towards the palace in the middle of the lake. Do you see those islands in the middle of the lake?”
Yang Kai nodded, having noticed them as soon as he arrived. The stele was situated on the shore while the palace was situated in the middle of the lake. On the other hand, there were three islands separated by a couple thousand metres each between the stele and the palace.
She pointed at the first island, “Only by comprehending the first chapter will you have the qualifications to set foot on the first island. And, you will find the second chapter of the Blood Light Scripture on that island. Following this logic, you still have the third chapter, the fourth chapter, and the fifth chapter! Only by combining all five chapters of the Blood Light Scriptures can you truly obtain the complete version of the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Only then can you obtain Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance, the Blood Dao Secret Art!”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai now understood.
He had witnessed the peculiarity of the blood lake with his own eyes just now. Even if one wanted to step foot on the islands in the lake, choosing to fly was simply courting death. Fortunately, Blood Monster Divine Monarch intended to pass on his inheritance. It stood to reason that he would prepare many tests. The contents recorded in this stele was one such test. Only by comprehending the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture could one obtain the qualification to receive this inheritance!
After considering all this, Yang Kai felt his heart sinking. He had never really dabbled in the Dao of Blood before. Even if the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture was right in front of him, he could only look on in despair.
Seeming to see through his concerns, Qu Hua Shang chuckled, “Don’t think too much about it, Junior Brother. I studied the Secret Art earlier. Although the Blood Light Scripture is mysterious and obscure, it is not as if we don’t stand a chance. Since Blood Monster Divine Monarch set up his inheritance in this place, then he must not want to see everybody going home empty-handed.”
“You’re right, Senior Sister.” He nodded lightly, “In that case, let’s give it a try.” [In any case, I won’t lose anything even if I fail. But, what if I succeed?]
The words had only just left his mouth when he saw one of the cultivators sitting cross-legged by the stele suddenly stand up and laugh loudly, “I’ve comprehended it! Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance is mine!”
He was speechless. [Uttering those words in front of so many people… That only serves to draw the people’s hatred. The last person who said something similar has already lost all the flesh on his body and turned into a skeleton that was lying dead at the bottom of the blood lake. I wonder what fate this guy will face.]
In front of everybody’s eyes, the man walked towards the lake. When he reached the shore, the space around his body abruptly shimmered. A layer of Blood Qi wrapped around his body, turning into a red blood mist that enveloped him. Immediately after that, he took a step forward and lightly stepped on the surface of the lake.
Many people turned their gazes away. They did not dare to watch, lest they saw him being dissolved by the blood water. Strangely enough though, he did not fall into the blood lake when he took a step forward. On the contrary, his foot stayed steadily above the surface of the lake. Then, he lifted his other foot and stood on top of the blood lake.
Everybody was shocked!
Meanwhile, that man let out a low chuckle, “This much is nothing!”
He strode forward and continued onward. Large blood-coloured ripples spread out under his feet with every step that he took, but he remained completely unhurt. As he moved forward, the blood mist around his body kept squirming and wriggling. It seemed to be operating under some sort of mysterious method to form a resonance with the ripples that formed on the surface of the lake under his feet to support him as he continued to move forward. It only took him a short while to cross the distance of a few thousand metres and he soon set foot on the first island.
A burst of exclamation sounded. Everybody stared at him in shock and envy. Although he was still two islands away from the palace in the middle of the lake, he had successfully taken the lead and seized an important advantage in this competition. Even if somebody else could comprehend the mysteries after this, they would still lag behind his progress.
“Amazing!” Yang Kai sincerely praised.
Qu Hua Shang whispered quietly, “If my guess is correct, he is probably a disciple of Great Thousand Blood Land.”
“Great Thousand Blood Land?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
“It’s one of the top Second-Class great forces. Although it is inferior to the Cave-Heavens and Paradises, it is quite an impressive great force. This great force is proficient in the Dao of Blood. The reason that person can comprehend the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter so quickly is that he already has a deep foundation in the Dao of Blood.”
Yang Kai sighed, “This part of Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance is related to the Dao of Blood. Doesn’t that mean this person had an unfair advantage?”
She said nothing. It was obvious that she had the same opinion.
At that moment, another burst of exclamation rang out from the side. Many people were staring fixedly at the small island. Yang Kai followed their gaze and couldn’t help being amazed.
On that small island, three round platforms had appeared in front of the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple at some point. A Monster Core was placed on each of the round platforms, covered in individual light barriers.
Three Monster Cores lay quietly on the round platforms, shrouded by transparent light barriers which isolated the power fluctuations coming from them. As such, they appeared to be identical from the outside, without the slightest bit of difference between them.
The distance of a couple thousand metres was not that great, so everybody on the shore could see the Monster Cores clearly if they focused their eyesight. Nevertheless, nobody could determine what Order those Monster Cores belonged to. Not even the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple standing on the small island could. He was rubbing his chin and examining the three round platforms in front of him with curiosity.
“Is that a reward?” Somebody asked in surprise and doubt.
These objects had appeared when the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple set foot on the first island; therefore, it was clearly a reward. It was just that nobody could say whether all three Monster Cores were given to him as a reward or whether he could only choose one out of the three.
Everybody stared blankly in that direction. A short while later, the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple made his decision and reached his hand out towards the round platform on the right. There was no resistance as his hand slipped right through the light barrier and he took out the Monster Core from within.
For a time, everybody was itching to know what Order the Monster Core was and what Element it was!
Unfortunately, the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple put the Monster Core away directly without giving the others a chance to investigate. Immediately after that, he stretched out his hand again at the speed of lightning to reach for the round platform in the middle; however, his attempt failed this time around. The light barrier enveloping the round platform might look as thin as a cicada’s wings, but it was extremely strong. There was no way to retrieve the Monster Core without breaking the light barrier.
After a brief delay, the three round platforms sank back into the ground and vanished out of sight. Everybody immediately understood that the Monster Core was a reward after watching this scene. How could they not? It was just that only those who could set foot on the island were eligible to obtain this reward. Although it was just a Monster Core, it still greatly roused everybody’s enthusiasm as a result.
All the cultivators who came here were attracted by Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Dao of Blood inheritance. It was just that many people had backed away from the challenge after witnessing the horror and peculiarity of the blood lake. Be that as it may, the appearance of this Monster Core reward made many cultivators become eager again. If they could just obtain a Sixth-Order, a Seventh-Order, or even an Eighth-Order Monster Core, then there was no need to worry about money for the rest of their lives. The riches they stood to gain would be enough for them to live luxuriously for an entire lifetime.
Once the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple took away the Monster Core, a loud rumbling sound came from the centre of the first island. Following that, a huge stele burst out of the ground and stood in the centre of the island.
“There’s a second chapter after all!” Qu Hua Shang’s beautiful eyes lit up. She had told Yang Kai about the existence of the second chapter, third chapter, and so on earlier, but those were simply her own speculations. It wasn’t until the appearance of this stele that her conjecture received immediate confirmation.
The people by the shore used all their might to stare in that direction, hoping to get a glimpse of the contents on the second stele. To their surprise, the stele seemed to be covered in a layer of fog. Nobody could see what was written on it. This immediately made it clear that one had no choice but to step onto the first island in order to understand the contents of the Blood Light Scripture’s second chapter.
Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance was designed to be interlinked so that one could only advance step by step. It would seem that he really had the intention to choose his successor; otherwise, there was no need to make the design so complicated.
The Great Thousand Blood Land disciple came to the stele and looked up at it for a while; soon after, he sat down cross-legged without moving as he began to comprehend the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture’s second chapter.
“Junior Brother Yang, do you want to give it a try?” Qu Hua Shang turned to look at Yang Kai.
“Of course.” Yang Kai nodded. Besides, he was already here. There was an opportunity right in front of him, so how could he be reconciled with himself if he didn’t even make an attempt? He might never have dabbled in the Dao of Blood before, but most of the cultivators here were no different from him.
Blood Monster Divine Monarch must have already taken this aspect into consideration when he set up a test in this place; after all, if his successor was chosen because of a prior foundation in the Dao of Blood, then it could almost be said that the disciples of Great Thousand Blood Land had secured the winning spot. There would also be no need for tests.
Yang Kai had the vague feeling that the tests for this inheritance could not be that simple.
Bu Lian Zhong and the others had no objection either. They quickly found a place to sit and immersed their minds into the stele to begin comprehending.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai did not begin studying the mysteries of the stele immediately; instead, he secretly manipulated Space Principles to see if he could directly teleport himself to the first island or the palace in the middle of the lake via Instantaneous Movement. If he could travel there instantly, then there was no need to comprehend the mysteries of the stele.
He had only started taking action when a huge sense of crisis flooded his heart for no reason. It felt like an imminent disaster would befall him if he tried to teleport himself there via Instantaneous Movement. This feeling shocked Yang Kai and he hastily gave up on the attempt. The sense of crisis that loomed over him vanished the moment he did so, causing him to sigh. [I knew it was not going to be easy. Blood Monster Divine Monarch had carefully prepared his inheritance. He would never allow later generations to take advantage of any loopholes. Those who tried to step foot on the small island or the palace in the middle of the lake without using his intended methods would definitely suffer a terrible fate.]
Unable to make use of Space Principles, Yang Kai had no other choice but to obediently begin comprehending the mysteries of the stele. Just like before, there was an inexplicable force that pulled his mind in, allowing the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture to flash through his head.
Yang Kai had only gotten a brief glimpse earlier, so he didn’t think much about the Blood Light Scripture. Now that he was calmly focusing on comprehending it though, he quickly realised that the Blood Light Scripture was not obscure or difficult to understand. Strictly speaking, that only applied for the first chapter. There was no way for him to know how difficult the rest would be.
Nevertheless, it was not difficult for a person to comprehend the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter as long as one’s heritage and comprehension abilities were not too poor. Focusing his mind, Yang Kai concentrated harder.
Time passed little by little. More and more people gradually stood up from under the stele to head towards the location of the first small island. One after another, they successfully stepped foot on the island. Moreover, the number of people who succeeded was not small.
Be that as it may, the number of cultivators gathered around the monument continued to increase steadily. That was because more and more people were arriving here. These people had clearly heard about the news and rushed over to get a piece of the pie.
By the time Yang Kai thoroughly comprehended the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter and was confident that he would have no problem circulating the Secret Art, half a day had already passed. He slowly opened his eyes, just in time to see Qu Hua Shang turning to look at him from where she sat beside him.
Qu Hua Shang was obviously taken aback, “You finished so quickly?”
After all, she herself had only just come to a thorough understanding of the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter.
She could not compare with the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple who already had a profound heritage in the Dao of Blood. She might be one of the Core Disciples of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but like Yang Kai, she had never dabbled in the Dao of Blood before; therefore, she could not compete with the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple who held a unique advantage since she had to start from zero.
It was just that she had already begun comprehending the Blood Light Scripture before Yang Kai arrived, so she did not expect to finish at the same time as him. However, she was not surprised when she recalled his extraordinary performance in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Pursing her lips into a coquettish smile, she commented, “It’s not a good thing for men to finish too fast!”
Yang Kai’s expression darkened at those words. [Has this woman gotten addicted to teasing me?]
He irritably replied to her teasing, “Would you like to try?”
Her eyes lit up and her expression changed, “Really?”
Feeling ashamed, Yang Kai quickly waved his hand to dismiss the notion, “No…”
He looked away only to see that Bu Lian Zhong and the others were still comprehending with their eyes closed. Just as he was wondering whether he should talk to them, Bu Lian Zhong’s eyes opened.
Bu Lian Zhong said, “Brother Yang, please go on ahead. We will catch up to you later.”
Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, we will go ahead and wait for you there.”
Bu Lian Zhong gave Qu Hua Shang a deep look and secretly sent a voice transmission to Yang Kai, “Brother Yang, remember not to trust anybody too easily!”
His words seemed to contain another hidden meaning behind them, causing the look in Yang Kai’s eyes to flicker in response. Yang Kai smiled and nodded at him in acknowledgement.
Afterward, Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang came to the shore of the lake together. Looking around them, they saw many cultivators circulating the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter on the surface of the lake. All of them were covered in a layer of Blood Qi as they carefully made their way across the blood water.
Most of these people moved forward cautiously, lest they encountered something unexpected. Only a few of them walked confidently and soon came to the first island. Like the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple from before, three round platforms would appear in front of each cultivator that stepped foot on the island. Each round platform would contain a Monster Core. Once one of the Monster Cores were taken, the remaining two Monster Cores would sink back into the ground along with the round platforms and vanish out of sight.
A miserable cry suddenly rang out. One of the cultivators had stumbled for some reason, causing one of his legs to sink into the lake. Panicking, he reached out to grab at a companion beside him. His actions made his companion who had also been extremely on edge make a mistake. Thus, both of them lost their balance for a moment. The blood mist surrounding their bodies dissipated and they immediately fell into the lake.
The tranquil blood lake was like a fierce beast that selectively devoured people. Not a single ripple would crease the calm surface of the lake under normal circumstances, but it reacted viciously when somebody fell into it. A blood wave surged and came crashing down. The two cultivators who made a mistake were swept into the blood lake and disappeared without even a single bubble emerging.
Many people were horrified by the sight. The cultivators standing by the shore and preparing to make their attempt suddenly lost their courage to step forward onto the lake. They hesitated for a time, unable to make up their minds.
Yang Kai said, “Let’s find a spot with less people.”
Qu Hua Shang expressed her agreement, “Good.”
Although both of them had confidence in their respective abilities, they could not withstand the interference of others. Things would most likely end in tragedy for them if they were dragged down by a cultivator who stumbled like what happened in the situation just now.
After searching around for some time, they soon arrived at a location with less people. Yang Kai turned to look at Qu Hua Shang, “Senior Sister Qu, be careful.”
Qu Hua Shang smiled sweetly, “Rest assured. If I sense that something is wrong, I will definitely drag you down into the water with me. Although we could not be born on the same day and year, we can always die together. We can be a pair of lovebird ghosts. I’m sure it’ll be better than dying alone. Right, Junior Brother?”
Yang Kai sighed out loud as he commented, “I never realised that you were such a vicious cunning snake, Senior Sister Qu. I’m considering whether I should stay away from you.”
To which she giggled, “It’s too late!”
At the same time, she reached out her hand and grabbed his arm. She even pressed her ample bosom against him without hesitation, transmitting a sense of amazing elasticity to him. Before he could react, she jumped into the blood lake and pulled him in with her.
Shocked and frightened, Yang Kai hurriedly circulated the first chapter of the Blood Light Scripture to control the Blood Qi in his body according to the Secret Art that he had just learned. A pale golden light immediately enveloped his entire body.
*Pa…*
The two of them landed steadily on the surface of the blood lake. Ripples spread out from beneath their feet, slowly spreading outward.
Yang Kai felt cold sweat drenching his entire body. A breeze blew by, making his body shiver from the cold. He turned around and glared at Qu Hua Shang furiously, “Are you insane!? Couldn’t you have given me a warning, at least!?”
Qu Hua Shang looked at Yang Kai with surprise evident in her beautiful eyes, “Junior Brother Yang, your blood… is golden?”
Under normal circumstances, it was impossible for other people to tell the difference unless he was injured; however, he was circulating the Blood Light Scripture at the moment. The blood mist covering his entire body immediately revealed just how different he was from the others.
She tilted her head to the side. Sniffing him like a dog, she furrowed her eyebrows together, “The aura of a Divine Spirit?” Then, she stared at him in shock and exclaimed, “Junior Brother, do you have a Divine Spirit bloodline? Are you part of the Monster Race?”
Yang Kai became visibly irritated, “Monster Race, my foot!”
On the other hand, Qu Hua Shang’s expression was pure and innocent as she pursed her lips and asked with a twinkle in her eye, “Junior Brother, are you angry?”
At this point, he was practically on the verge of exploding from rage so his expression became surly, “No.”
He extricated his arm from her embrace. Following that, he carefully observed the blood lake and sensed the flow of the blood water under his feet. It didn’t take long before he discovered the secret behind the blood lake.
The ‘water’ in the blood lake might seem calm and undisturbed, but it was actually constantly shifting. It was just that these changes were so hidden that they were very difficult to detect. These changes could only be detected if one was standing on top of the lake. Furthermore, these changes gave the lake a peculiar suction force that caused a person to involuntarily fall into it. Only those who were circulating the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture could resist this pulling force and stand above the surface of the lake.
After becoming aware of this fact, Yang Kai felt a sense of understanding flooding his heart. He became certain that the Blood Light Scripture recorded on the stele was indeed the foundation of passing this test. It could be said that there was no danger as long as one remained focused and constantly maintained the Blood Light Scripture at all times while standing on the surface of the lake. In fact, one would have no trouble reaching the first island at all. The cultivators who fell into the lake and lost their lives either failed to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture thoroughly or made a mistake due to their nerves. Whichever the case, their actions ultimately resulted in their deaths. In truth, the first part of this test was not difficult to overcome!
Yang Kai gained confidence from this knowledge and strode forward. Sure enough, he could walk safely across the blood lake as long as he continuously maintained the Blood Light Scripture. After taking a few steps forward though, he abruptly turned back to look at Qu Hua Shang, who was standing there blankly, “Why are you just standing there?”
Qu Hua Shang looked at him pitifully, “I was wrong. Junior Brother, please don’t be angry. Okay?”
He was speechless, “I’m not angry.”
She quietly said, “You clearly look angry. Haih… It looks like you won’t forgive me, Junior Brother. Then, this Senior Sister has no reason to continue living. I might as well die.”
While saying that, the blood mist around her body showed signs of dispersing on its own.
Yang Kai was shocked and shouted, “Senior Sister Qu, stop fooling around!”
At the same time, he hurriedly reached out to grab her, but to his surprise, she giggled and flicked her sleeves. A ribbon flew out and wrapped around his arm. Immediately after that, she fluttered like a dancing butterfly and threw herself into his arms. Lifting her head, she looked at him with her elegant and beautiful eyes.
Exhaling an orchid scent, she whispered sweetly, “I knew you’d be unwilling to let me go, Junior Brother.”
“Crazy woman!” He cursed through gritted teeth, “Is this the place to fool around?”
“I was wrong…” She said pitifully as she pressed her exquisite body up against him slightly.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai felt extremely uncomfortable. A gorgeous and seductive woman was literally in his arms. Moreover, she was rubbing herself up against him. Having such a mesmerising beauty in such close proximity left him feeling dry-mouthed and confused. Thus, he quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away slightly as he sternly said, “Senior Sister Qu, please behave yourself!”
[She was not this forward the last time we met each other in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary! What is wrong with her today? Her behaviour is too much to bear!]
Her expression turned cold and she glared at him, “Junior Brother, are you saying that I’m behaving badly?”
[Why is she suddenly being so unreasonable?]
Just as he was about to explain himself, she went against his expectations and stomped her foot in anger, “If that’s what you think, Junior Brother, then this Senior Sister won’t disturb you anymore! Hmph!”
Her hair slapped him in the face as she whipped her head around and strode away without a backward glance.
Stunned, Yang Kai was left standing stupidly in place, realizing once more that a woman’s heart is impossible to fathom.
The two of them looked like a pair of lovebirds quarrelling on the surface of the lake. Their flirtatious actions made many cultivators look at them in annoyance; therefore, many of them applauded in their hearts when they saw Qu Hua Shang abandoning Yang Kai.
Qu Hua Shang moved very quickly and it didn’t take more than a few moments for her to arrive on the first island. Meanwhile, Yang Kai was stunned for a while before he came back to his senses and hurriedly caught up to her.
The first test was not very difficult. As long as one could maintain the Blood Light Scripture smoothly, one could resist the pulling force coming from the blood lake
A moment later, Yang Kai also set foot on the first island. Three round platforms appeared out of nowhere in front of him the moment both his feet touched the ground. The round platforms were covered in a light barrier and they each contained one Monster Beast Core.
When he tried to investigate the Monster Cores with his Divine Sense, Yang Kai quickly determined that he could not probe into the contents of the barriers. He couldn’t even figure out what Element the Monster Cores belonged to. It looked like Blood Monster Divine Monarch had no intention of giving anybody any basis to make a judgement. The reward one would receive after arriving on this island was completely based on luck.
Realizing this, he randomly reached out towards one of the round platforms. The light barrier did not hinder his movements in any way. He was holding an Earth Element Monster Core when he retracted his hand from the light barrier. The three round platforms abruptly sank back into the ground and vanished out of sight after he retrieved the Monster Core.
Qu Hua Shang happened to be standing beside him and nudged him with her elbow before asking in a whisper, “Junior Brother, what Order Monster Core did you get?”
He turned to look at her and laughed, “I thought you were ignoring me, Senior Sister.”
She blinked, “I was joking just now. Couldn’t you tell? You sure are dense.”
[Who plays a joke like that!?] Yang Kai was speechless. Nevertheless, he revealed the Monster Core in his hand, “See for yourself, Senior Sister.”
She glanced at the Monster Core in his hand and said proudly, “You only received a Fourth-Order Monster Core. I got a Fifth-Order one!”
While saying that, she stretched out her hand to show him her Monster Core.
He glanced over and discovered that she had indeed received a Fifth-Order Monster Core. It would seem that the rewards here were not all the same. Turning around to observe the others around him, he saw that some had obtained Third-Order Monster Cores while others had Fourth-Order Cores like him. Only one other person received a Fifth-Order Monster Core, just like Qu Hua Shang.
Judging from the situation, the rewards for the first island ranged from Third-Order to Fifth-Order Monster Cores. Third-Order and Fourth-Order Monster Cores were far more common, but Fifth-Order Monster Cores were rare.
This discovery made his heart pump with excitement. If that was the case for the first island, then what about the second island, third island, and the palace in the middle of the lake. It might actually be possible to find Seventh-Order Monster Cores in this place! Hence, Yang Kai became even more determined to check out the palace in the middle of the lake.
At the moment, at least hundreds of people had gathered on the first island and more were heading here from the shore. Looking at the situation, the cultivators gathered on the shore had an 80% chance of reaching the first island. Furthermore, they would receive a reward as long as they arrived on this island. Those with great luck might even obtain a Fifth-Order Monster Core as a reward.
The first person to step foot on this island was the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple. Nearly half a day had passed since then. In other words, he had already been comprehending the stele here for slightly less than half a day. His progress was much faster than everybody else.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang did not dare to procrastinate. They quickly found a place to sit and immersed their minds in meditation, allowing the stele to guide them as they studied this Secret Art.
The stele on the first island indeed turned out to be the second chapter of the Blood Light Scripture. It was the continuation of the first chapter, but in comparison, the second chapter was much more esoteric and difficult to cultivate.
The expressions of many cultivators were difficult as they furrowed their brows together, looking as though they were having trouble understanding what they were seeing. Nonetheless, they tried their best to persevere.
Yang Kai immersed himself into the second chapter of the Blood Light Scripture, unable to extricate himself. About half a day had passed by the time he opened his eyes again. Looking around, he saw that the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple was nowhere to be seen. He immediately glanced in the direction of the second island and sure enough, he could see that person’s figure on the second island.
The Great Thousand Blood Land disciple had an extremely deep foundation in the Dao of Blood; therefore, he held a unique advantage over the others here. He also arrived on the first island earlier than all the others, so it was only natural for him to be in the lead. Aside from him, more than a dozen other cultivators had also arrived on the second island. Meanwhile, more than twenty others were cautiously making their way across the surface of the lake.
Yang Kai then turned to look at Qu Hua Shang and discovered that she was still in the middle of comprehending the Secret Art, and it did not look like she was going to wake up anytime soon. It was not to say that her aptitude was not as good as others. Having arrived later than the others, it stood to reason that she would be a little behind compared to the lead group. Be that as it may, Yang Kai did not rush to leave and simply sat beside her and waited patiently.
About an hour later, Qu Hua Shang slowly opened her eyes and gently let out a breath of turbid air. She turned to look at Yang Kai and said, “I apologise for making you wait such a long time, Junior Brother. Next time, you can set off on your own. You don’t need to wait for me.”
Although she had been comprehending the mysteries of the stele, she was not ignorant about what was going on in the outside world; hence, she was aware that he had been waiting for her for a long time. It was just that she was at a critical juncture of her comprehension so it had not been convenient for her to stop partway, forcing her to continue her meditation.
“It’s fine!” He smiled, “Besides, I didn’t wait that long.”
“Let’s go.” She called out to him.
Walking side by side, they headed in the direction of the second island. When they came to the lake, he said, “Be careful, Senior Sister Qu. The second stage is much more difficult than the first stage. The casualty rate is also much higher.”
He had been observing his surroundings for the past hour, so it was only natural that he noticed more things than the others. Compared with the first stage, it was obvious that the difficulty of the second stage had increased significantly. Many cultivators who passed the first stage had easily lost their lives in the second stage.
“You be careful too, Junior Brother,” she said.
Yang Kai nodded and stepped forward while circulating the Blood Light Scripture. A layer of golden blood mist immediately burst out from all over his body. It was denser and more imposing than before. After that, he gently stepped onto the surface of the lake. Resisting the pulling force of the blood lake, he moved forward step by step.
Qu Hua Shang followed close behind.
The pair immediately revealed how different they were from most people the moment they set off. Despite setting off a little later than others, their speed was not slow at all. They proceeded forward step by step with no hesitation at all. On the other hand, most of the other cultivators seemed to experience great hardship with every step that they took and many of them were sweating profusely. Their sweat slid down their faces and dripped into the blood lake. Every step required immense time and effort, so they could not move quickly.
It was only a short distance of a couple thousand metres, but Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang surpassed those who came before them one after another. It only took both of them less than a cup of tea worth of time to arrive at the second island. Unlike Yang Kai’s calm and relaxed demeanour though, Qu Hua Shang let out a sigh of relief. Her complexion was slightly pale and it could be seen that she had consumed a lot of energy to keep up with his pace.
Just like when they set foot on the first island, three round platforms that were covered by a light barrier immediately appeared in front of the two of them out of nowhere. Three Monster Cores lay quietly on the round platforms. After their previous experience, how could they not know that this was their reward for reaching the second island?
Qu Hua Shang was still comparing the three Monster Cores, feeling hesitant and uncertain about which Monster Core to pick. On the other hand, Yang Kai had already stretched out his hand to the round platform in the middle. There was nothing to compare. He could not tell which Monster Core was better, so he simply decided to leave it up to luck.
He easily passed through the light barrier sealing the Monster Core, took out the Monster Core in the round platform, and glanced at the Monster Core. It was a Fifth-Order Wood Element!
Turning to look at Qu Hua Shang, he saw that she had made her decision and took out a Monster Core. The power fluctuation coming from the Monster Core indicated that it was also in the Fifth-Order, but it was a Fire Element Monster Core.
The reward from the first island were Monster Cores ranging from the Third-Order to the Fifth-Order. Third-Order and Fourth-Order Monster Cores were common, while Fifth-Order Monster Cores were very rare. Upon arriving on the second island, both of them had obtained a Fifth-Order Monster Core each. The reward had clearly increased by a whole Order.
[Based on this conjecture, won’t the reward for the next island be in the Sixth-Order? In that case, there will definitely be Seventh-Order Monster Cores in the palace in the middle of the lake!] Yang Kai’s heart blazed with flames of excitement. He was becoming more and more determined to check out the palace in the middle of the lake. Although he could ignore Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Dao of Blood inheritance, he could not let the opportunity slip him by when there was a high possibility that the resources he needed were in that place.
Closely following behind them, a steady stream of people was beginning to arrive on the second island. When they received their rewards, Yang Kai secretly paid attention to them. He discovered that only those with terrible luck would receive Fourth-Order Monster Cores. Most of them received Fifth-Order Monster Cores, but nobody received any Sixth-Order Monster Cores.
After getting a taste of sweet rewards, the cultivators that arrived on the island became more and more motivated. They quickly found a place to sit down and began to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture on the stele. The stele by the shore had contained the Blood Light Scripture’s first chapter and the one on the first island had contained the second chapter. Hence, the second island probably contained the third chapter.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang each found a spot to sit down. They immersed their minds in the stele and discovered that it really contained the third chapter; thus, they concentrated on their cultivation.
Compared to the first two chapters, the third chapter was much more profound and mysterious. Be that as it may, the aptitudes of the cultivators who could reach the second island would not be poor. It should not be a problem for them to comprehend the mysteries of this Secret Art. The hard part was circulating and maintaining the Blood Light Scripture.
Yang Kai had failed to notice anything when he was learning this Secret Art earlier, and it was not until he reached the second island that he suddenly realised something. Those with more robust vitality had a greater advantage among those who cultivated the Blood Light Scripture. It was not hard to understand why. The Blood Light Scripture was a Secret Art related to the Dao of Blood, so it would naturally require a strong and robust vitality, and thus a strong Blood Qi.
After noticing this point, Yang Kai failed to stifle his laughter. He previously assumed that the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple would have a larger advantage when comprehending the Blood Light Scripture due to his foundation in the Dao of Blood; however, it would now seem that he had the greatest blessing of them all!
Due to the Dragon Source in his body, nearly pure Dragon Blood flowed through his veins. He could transform into a 3,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Form when he used his Dragon Transformation Secret Art. In a contest of the most robust Blood Qi, there was nobody among his peers who could compare with him. Even the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple who took the lead could only look up at him from behind.
All of a sudden, realisation struck Yang Kai. Back on the first island, he and Qu Hua Shang had started comprehending the Blood Light Scripture at the same time; however, he finished comprehending the Secret Art much earlier than her.
As one of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Core Disciples, it was a given that Qu Hua Shang’s aptitude and comprehension abilities were among the best of the best in the entire 3,000 Worlds; otherwise, she would not have the success she enjoyed right now. Even so, the reality was that he was much faster than her when it came to comprehending the Blood Light Scripture.
He had not given much thought to this matter before, but it would now seem that it was not because his aptitude and comprehension abilities were much better than hers. Rather, it was the abundant vitality in his body that gave him a natural advantage in comprehending the Blood Light Scripture.
It was not just Qu Hua Shang. The same went for Pei Wen Xuan from Myriad Demons Heaven. His speed of progress was similar to hers. Although he was slightly slower than her, it was by no more than a cup of tea worth of time. He also departed not long after they departed from the first island. Similarly, he also arrived on the second island not long after they arrived.
Just as Yang Kai’s thoughts were wandering, he suddenly felt an unusual power fluctuation coming from the side. He hurriedly jerked his eyes open and looked in the direction. Not far away, steam was coming out of a cultivator’s head as though he was a cooked bun that just came out of the oven. His exposed skin was blood-red and the veins in his neck throbbed wildly. It was a truly horrifying sight. That in itself was bad enough; unfortunately, the main point was that a dense blood mist was oozing out of the pores on his skin. He was completely enveloped in a blood-red mist in the blink of an eye.
“He’s experiencing cultivation dissonance!” Somebody exclaimed in horror, quickly standing up and distancing himself from that person.
Yang Kai’s expression stiffened. He knew that the person who spoke was correct. This cultivator was experiencing dissonance in his cultivation while cultivating the Blood Light Scripture. Things would end disastrously for that cultivator if he did not figure out a way to resolve this crisis. But, who could afford to take care of others at this time?
It happened right in front of everybody, and in less than three breaths, a cry of agony rang out from within the dense blood mist. The blood mist exploded to reveal that cultivator’s miserable figure.
“Save… Save me!” That cultivator reached out a hand and begged for help. His complexion was haggard and his body had become incredibly thin. Those words had only just left his mouth when blood lines spurted out of his body like tens of thousands of fine red strands. The blood shot out in all directions. Immediately after that, his head drooped and all the aura in his body disappeared.
Everybody on the island stared at the sight in horror. After this person suffered from cultivation dissonance, all the essence in his body swiftly dissipated and he became a corpse that was nothing more than a skeleton wrapped in dry skin. It went to show how horrifying the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture was. This was the first time somebody experienced cultivation dissonance while cultivating the Blood Light Scripture; moreover, most had never seen such a miserable and tragic way of dying before. Thus, they couldn’t help feeling worried.
“Ah!” Another miserable cry rang out.
Everybody turned to look in the direction of the sound. There was another person experiencing dissonance in his cultivation. All the Blood Qi in his body gushed out. His plump body quickly dried out and withered away. The essence of his body turned into a blood mist that covered him completely. A moment later, the blood mist exploded. Countless blood spouts shot out of his pores and turned him into a mummified corpse.
In just a short span of time, two people had suffered from cultivation dissonance and lost their lives as a result. It deeply drove home the realization that the Blood Light Scripture was not something that could be cultivated by just anybody, and the slightest negligence would result in death.
Nobody had suffered from cultivation dissonance back at the lakeshore or on the first island. That was because they had not cultivated critical parts of the Secret Art yet. It was not until the second island that the power of the Blood Light Scripture began to show.
Some of the cultivators scowled fiercely and the thought of withdrawing came to mind. The two who died might not be well-known, but since they could reach this point, it went to show that they were undoubtedly elite disciples of some powerful great force out there. Even a person like that had suffered such a terrible fate. If the others continued to comprehend the Secret Art, there was no saying who would follow in their footsteps.
“I’m not doing this anymore.” Somebody decided that he could not withstand the pressure. He knew the extent of his own aptitude and comprehension abilities. Things would not end well for him if he continued to comprehend this Secret Art so he shouted, “Screw the Dao of Blood inheritance! I don’t need it!”
Up to this point, he had received two rewards for managing to arrive on the second island. It was not as if he was leaving empty-handed if he turned back at this point. Besides, staying here would only take up more time. He might as well use this time to explore other places. Who could say whether he might obtain even better gains than staying here? Thus, he moved decisively. He went back along the way he came while speaking. Activating the Blood Light Scripture, he used the blood mist to protect his body as he headed towards the first island.
Contrary to expectations though, he had only just stepped onto the blood lake when the blood mist enveloping his body suddenly seemed to be drawn by something else and was immediately absorbed by the blood lake. There was no way for him to defend against the pulling force of the blood lake without the blood mist protecting him, so he sank into the lake before he even realised what was going on and without the slightest splash.
Everybody was dumbfounded! That person had arrived on the second island safely, which went to show that he was a rather capable individual. He had already comprehended the mysteries of the Blood Light Scripture’s second chapter. Nevertheless, he met his death on the way back; it came out of nowhere and seemingly for no reason.
More importantly, everybody clearly noticed that the blood mist did not disappear on its own. It had been absorbed by the blood lake. They did not encounter this phenomenon when they were coming here. It was almost as if the blood lake did not allow him to turn back.
“Blood Monster Divine Monarch was not a benevolent man. How could he allow you to come and go as you please at the place where he prepared his inheritance?” A cold sneer rang out. It came from Pei Wen Xuan of Myriad Demons Heaven.
Somebody politely cupped his fists, “Senior Brother, are you saying that… those who turn back will die?”
Pei Wen Xuan coldly snorted, “I didn’t say that, but anybody who wishes to return can go ahead and try. Even I would like to know for sure whether only death awaits us if we try to turn back. Who can satisfy my curiosity? I can thank him for his efforts.”
[Thanks!? What good will that do!? We may even lose our lives in the process!] With the previous example right in front of them, who would dare to make an attempt lightly? Although there was no way to confirm the truth, what Pei Wen Xuan mentioned was not without reason. This place was where Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Dao of Blood inheritance was located. It was impossible for people to come and go as they pleased.
A woman turned pale as she asked, “Does that mean we can only keep moving forward?”
If she had known that the path would be so dangerous, she would not have waded into these muddy waters. She initially planned to leave after obtaining enough benefits from this place, but it would seem that she no longer had the option of leaving even if she wanted to.
Looking at the current situation, it would seem that the rewards on the island were simply bait. The rewards were used to incite countless cultivators to penetrate deeper into the blood lake and force them to proceed forward in order to check out the palace in the middle of the lake.
Yang Kai’s expression was gloomy. He had also been lured into this place by the rewards; however, what attracted him was not the Dao of Blood inheritance but the Monster Cores provided as rewards.
“You can also choose to remain here!” Pei Wen Xuan grinned meaningfully. Without saying anything else, he continued to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture.
Everybody knew that what he said was unreasonable. Choosing to remain here was a dead-end option; they would be trapped here until they died. They couldn’t just stay here for the rest of their lives, right? At the very least, they might have a chance of survival if they continued to press forward. It could be said that their retreat was cut off the moment they set foot on the first island. The crisis of life and death gave them no choice but to continue.
What was obvious now was that Blood Monster Divine Monarch was an extremely insidious man. It was not difficult to reach the first island, so 80% of the cultivators present could succeed, which allowed them to obtain a reward with little effort. For that reason, everybody racked their brains to arrive on the island and fell into this trap as a result.
Regardless of what other people might think, Yang Kai refused to give up halfway. It was true that he was only lured in by the Monster Cores given as a reward, but be that as it may, his strong Blood Qi gave him some natural advantages. If even he could not pass this trial, then everybody else in this place could only wait for their deaths.
He then turned to look at Qu Hua Shang and likewise, her eyes were firm.
It could be said that most cultivators would not back down easily from challenges. People like the cultivator earlier, who wanted to return via the same path he came, were in the minority; after all, who among the cultivators present were not people with great perseverance? That was how they achieved everything they had so far in their lives. Which one of them did not experience life and death struggles countless times? If they turned tail and fled at every setback they encountered, they would not have reached the Emperor Realm in the first place.
Closing his eyes again, Yang Kai continued to comprehend the third chapter of the Blood Light Scripture.
In the meantime, a steady stream of people moved to head towards the third island. It was just that the casualty rate was noticeably higher than before. Many of the cultivators successfully arrived at the first and second islands with ease only to perished en-route to the third island.
A long while later, Yang Kai opened his eyes. He integrated the essence of all three chapters of the Blood Light Scripture from the three steles and circulated the Blood Light Scripture. A golden blood mist immediately appeared around his body. Nodding lightly to himself, he was certain that he would have no problem crossing the blood lake and reaching the third island in his current state.
He turned to the side and saw that Qu Hua Shang was still comprehending the Secret Art. Just as he was debating as to whether he should wait for her or not, she abruptly opened her eyes on her own, “Are you done, Junior Brother?”
He nodded.
She said, “Then, you should go ahead first, Junior Brother. I will catch up to you later. You don’t need to wait for me.”
He raised his head and glanced in the direction of the third island. Then, he slowly shook his head, “No. Let’s go together.”
It was obvious that she did not expect that response from him; thus, she couldn’t help blinking at him in surprise for a moment before she exclaimed with a touched expression, “You are so good to me, Junior Brother!”
He sweated slightly at those words, “I just think that Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance can’t be that simple. It’s better to let the others test the waters first.”
She leaned into his embrace, tilted her head upward slightly, and spoke in a coquettish voice, “This Senior Sister can’t help it anymore. I want to promise myself to you right now. What should I do?”
Yang Kai naturally acted like he heard nothing, “Senior Sister, stop playing around. Hurry up and finish comprehending.”
“En.” She nodded repeatedly, acting like an obedient little girl, “I will listen to everything you say!”
After saying that, she closed her eyes and continued to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture.
There was nothing to do, so Yang Kai watched the movements in his surroundings. Even now, many people continued to head in this direction from the shore. The number of people on the first island remained high. Similarly, there were over 300 people gathered together on the second island. In contrast, only 6 people were gathered on the third island. The Great Thousand Blood Land disciple was among those 6.
Yang Kai could not help being amazed. [It really is different when one has a foundation in the Dao of Blood.]
Among the cultivators gathered here, Qu Hua Shang and Pei Wen Xuan were not the only ones who came from various Cave-Heavens and Paradises. There would surely be others; even so, the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple remained in the lead. It clearly indicated that his heritage was also very impressive. At this rate, he might really be the first person to arrive at the palace in the middle of the lake.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai was not worried that the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple might get a head start over them and obtain Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance. It was unconfirmed whether the Dao of Blood inheritance was even inside the palace in the middle of the lake, and if it was, the test to obtain it would not be that simple. Just as Yang Kai mentioned earlier, the first to arrive might not have an advantage. Although the pioneer would get the first attempt at the prize, the very same pioneer might also end up paving the road for the others.
After waiting for approximately four hours, Qu Hua Shang finally opened her eyes. The look in her beautiful eyes was as gentle as water as she said softly, “Junior Brother, I’ve made you wait.”
“It’s fine.” Yang Kai stood up and called out to her, “Let’s go.”
They walked to the lake together. Circulating the Blood Light Scripture, he took a step onto the lake.
“Junior Brother, please be careful. I don’t wish to become a widow at such a young age,” she reminded him from the side.
Yang Kai stumbled upon hearing those words and the Secret Art he was circulating nearly stopped. Therefore, he couldn’t help glaring fiercely at her. It made her giggle madly. For a moment, she was so gorgeous that her flirtatiousness practically oozed out like water.
There was a cultivator standing next to them. They did not know which great force he came from. Unfortunately, he was so befuddled by the sight of her beauty that he fell into the blood lake with a splash and lost his life.
Qu Hua Shang stopped laughing with an innocent expression.
Yang Kai sighed, “Let’s go.”
She nodded and stepped onto the blood lake before him. Ripples spread out from beneath her feet as she stood steadily on the surface of the water. Turning to look back at him, she playfully said, “Junior Brother, stay close, okay?”
He involuntarily snorted at those words but followed behind her nevertheless as they set off for the third island; however, the smile soon slid off his face. It reached a point where he didn’t even dare to look forward anymore. The main reason was that this crazy woman was twisting and swaying her hips in front of him hypnotically. He could not tell whether she was doing so intentionally or whether her actions were simply a natural habit, but her graceful and seductive curves evoked endless imagination in his head. Unable to take it anymore, he quickly caught up to her in a few steps and walked side by side. Only then did he get some peace of mind.
The third island was also located a couple thousand metres away from the second. As long as they circulated the Blood Light Scripture correctly and maintained the blood mist around their bodies to protect themselves, they would be able to cross the blood lake safely.
In less than the time it takes to boil a cup of tea, the pair arrived on the third island. At this moment, there were only a dozen or so people present. The elimination tests at each stage were becoming more and more difficult. Accordingly, the number of people who safely passed those tests became lower.
Upon arriving at this spot, Yang Kai finally became a little nervous even though he had remained calm all this time. According to his estimation, it was possible that the reward they would receive at the third island was a Seventh-Order Monster Core. Although the possibility was not high, there was always a glimmer of hope.
Three round platforms appeared in front of the two of them once more.
Yang Kai stared at the three Monster Cores in front of him and was unable to make up his mind. While he was hesitating, he suddenly detected a strange energy fluctuation coming from the side. He turned to look and saw Qu Hua Shang staring fixedly at the Monster Core in her hand with her mouth gaping open in shock. Her beautiful eyes were filled with surprise and joy.
That Monster Core was Seventh-Order! Moreover, judging from the aura it was exuding, it was an extremely rare Yang Element Monster Core!
Yang Kai was completely dumbfounded by the sight! Although he had the feeling that a Seventh-Order Monster Core might appear on the third island, he never imagined that it would actually appear in front of him, much less that Qu Hua Shang would obtain it!
“Put it away!” He quickly sent her a transmission.
Qu Hua Shang snapped back to her senses and lifted her head to glance around. A dozen or so people in front of them were all staring in this direction. It was obvious that they had sensed the energy fluctuations coming from the Seventh-Order Monster Core. They all had shocked and greedy expressions on their faces.
That was a Seventh-Order Monster Core, a treasure worth hundreds of millions of Open Heaven Pills! Back at the exchange meeting in Red Clouds Auction House, Yang Kai had paid more than 200 million Open Heaven Pills in exchange for the Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng! In other words, the Yang Element Monster Core that she received was worth at least 200 million Open Heaven Pills!
For something like that to simply fall into Qu Hua Shang’s hands so easily… Even a Core Disciple from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven like her felt as though she had been struck by a huge blessing.
It wasn’t until she stored the Seventh-Order Monster Core into her Space Ring that those gazes slowly retracted. They could probably tell that she was not an easy prey; otherwise, it would not be surprising for them to attack and rob her.
After being stimulated by this incident, Yang Kai couldn’t help rolling up his sleeves in anticipation. He took a deep breath and reached his hand into the light barrier on the left. When he withdrew his hand and spread open his palm, his anticipation immediately turned into disappointment.
It was not a Seventh-Order Monster Core. It was not even a Sixth-Order Monster Core. It was a Fifth-Order Monster Core! He nearly spat blood when he saw it. [This is the third island! How can I obtain a Fifth-Order Monster Core as a reward!? Are you joking with me!? I would have grudgingly accepted even if it was only a Sixth-Order Monster Core!]
Compared to what Qu Hua Shang had obtained, the Fifth-Order Monster Core he received was trash. It deserved to be thrown away without a second glance. Upon further consideration, a Seventh-Order Monster Core would not appear so easily even though this was the third island. It was amazingly lucky of her to receive a Seventh-Order Monster Core. The others would never get another opportunity to obtain a Seventh-Order Monster Core again.
Seeming to sense Yang Kai’s disappointment, Qu Hua Shang whispered, “Junior Brother Yang, do you want my Monster Core? I can give it to you.”
“Give it to me?” He glanced at her in surprise. That was a Yang Element Seventh-Order Monster Core! How could she just offer to give it away like that? There would definitely be more than one Master in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven who would need this resource. It could be said that it would be a huge achievement if she brought this Seventh-Order Monster Core back!
She continued, “Don’t you need High-Rank materials?”
Even if not for the fact that they had known each other since the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and she was aware that he had condensed High-Rank Powers, his existence had caught the attention of the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises at this point. As long as Qu Hua Shang casually inquired, she would be able to get this information.
Yang Kai was stunned for a moment before he chuckled and shook his head, “Many thanks, Senior Sister. Unfortunately, I can’t use this Monster Core anymore.”
If it was before he participated in the exchange meeting, he might have considered trading with her for the Yang Element Seventh-Order Monster Core; however, he had already condensed his Yang Element now. This Monster Core was useless to him for the time being. Although it might be necessary for him in the future, that was still something far, far off from now.
How could he ask somebody else for something so precious? Nevertheless, he was moved by the fact that she wanted to give this Monster Core to him. [This woman can’t have truly fallen for me, right?]
Be that as it may, his current future was extremely bleak. There was no saying when he would have to face great pressure from multiple parties. Qu Hua Shang was no fool, so how could she fall for him at a time like this?
“Is that so…” She nodded, “Then, I’ll keep it for now. If you need it in the future, you can come to me at any time.” Glancing at him with a shy smile, she added, “Not just the Monster Core. I can even give myself to you.”
“Cough. Cough. Cough…” Yang Kai nearly choked to death on his own saliva. Qu Hua Shang’s boldness was a little difficult to handle. Looking at her was like looking at Shan Qing Luo from before. The seductive charms of the Beguiling Demon Queen were not something just anybody could withstand.
Yang Kai quickly pointed to the front, “Let’s just comprehend the Blood Light Scripture first. Is Blood Monster Divine Monarch sick in the head? Why does he have to make the test so complicated?”
Shaking his head, he walked towards the stele, listening to coquettish laughter coming from behind.
The stele was not small. Moreover, not many people had managed to reach the third island, so Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang casually found a spot and sat down together as usual. Afterward, they immersed their consciousness into the stele and immediately began to comprehend the fourth chapter of the Blood Light Scripture. Many subtle mysteries poured into their minds.
The two of them had only just sat down for less than six hours. They were comprehending the Secret Art when they suddenly heard a loud laughter, “I did it! I comprehended it! Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s inheritance is mine!”
The wild laughter was extremely wanton and arrogant.
Affected by this disturbance, all the cultivators who were quietly comprehending the Secret Art under the stele involuntarily opened their eyes. They looked forward and saw the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple laughing maniacally with his head thrown back. The blood mist surrounding his body churned violently. It was terrifying to see.
At this moment, he was laughing while striding towards the blood lake. His eyes were filled with a look of desire. As long as he could pass the final section of the blood lake, then he could arrive at the palace in the middle of the lake and get a glimpse of the inheritance!
A black mist suddenly surged forward and turned into a pitch-black python. The black python opened its mouth wide and lunged at him. It looked extremely lifelike. Moreover, it was overflowing with Demon Qi, making it all the more horrifying.
The man jumped in fright and hurriedly backed away. The blood mist around him shuddered, wriggling and changing to transform into a blood-coloured knife that came slashing down on the black python’s head.
The blood knife beheaded the black python, but before the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple could let out a breath of relief, the severed pieces of the black python suddenly exploded into countless tiny snakes. Their tongues flickered as they hissed and shot towards him like lightning.
He gave a roar and used both hands to send out Secret Techniques. The blood knife instantly turned into a thousand blades that he slashed out as he backed away.
Black snake after black snake was cut to pieces and dissipated as Demon Qi. The blood blades also vanished in a short time. By the time all the black snakes were beheaded, the blood mist surrounding the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple had weakened considerably. He abruptly turned around and glared in a certain direction, “Pei Wen Xuan, what’s the meaning of this!”
The attack just now had been too obvious. He didn’t even need to guess to know that the attack came from Pei Wen Xuan of Myriad Demons Heaven and he was both shocked and furious.
Pei Wen Xuan sat there motionlessly and stared at the Great Thousand Blood Land disciple coldly, “I just can’t stand the sight of you!”
The Great Thousand Blood Land disciple was absolutely livid. Unfortunately, his strength was lacking. He knew that he was not Pei Wen Xuan’s opponent, so he was forced to suppress his rage, “Brother Pei, this Zhou Yi will not forget your gift today and will be certain to return the favour in the future!”
The meaning behind his words clearly indicated that he would get his revenge one day.
After throwing out those harsh words, he moved to set out for the palace in the middle of the lake. He had only just started walking when he heard Pei Wen Xuan saying faintly, “I dare you to take a step forward and see what happens.”
Zhou Yi paused mid-step and did not dare to put his foot down. He glared at Pei Wen Xuan, “What do you mean, Brother Pei?”
He could sense that Pei Wen Xuan’s gaze was locked tightly on him like a panther that was about to pounce on its prey. The rage in his heart was like a volcano that was about to erupt, squeezing him to the point where it was very uncomfortable.
Pei Wen Xuan calmly replied, “If you left quietly after comprehending the Blood Light Scripture, this Pei would not have bothered to cause trouble for you, but you deliberately made such a ruckus to disturb me. Because of that, all of my previous efforts were wasted. Did you think this Pei was so easily bullied!?”
Zhou Yi gritted his teeth, “I was simply overjoyed just now and lost control of myself. It was not intentional!”
Pei Wen Xuan sneered, “Whether it was intentional or not, it’s up to me to decide. It’s pointless for you to argue with me.”
Zhou Yi shouted, “What do you want, Brother Pei?”
“Nothing!” Pei Wen Xuan lazily cracked his neck, “You just need to stand there quietly. Once this Pei finishes comprehending the Blood Light Scripture, you can set off together with me.”
Zhou Yi was furious. He had been in the lead ever since he came to the blood lake. Not to mention that it was the final stage and he was much further ahead compared to everybody else. How could Pei Wen Xuan force him to wait here!? How could he be willing!? If that truly were the case, then all his efforts and advantages from before would come to nothing. He had planned to set off early to see if he could obtain Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Dao of Blood inheritance. No matter what, it would always be advantageous to be the first to enter the palace in the middle of the lake before everybody else.
“Brother Pei, did you think that this Zhou was a pushover? You might be a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven, but none of us are in the Open Heaven Realm yet. The difference between our strengths is not that great. If you really want to stop me, Brother Pei, this Zhou will have no choice but to ask you for a demonstration of strength. If we end up fighting each other, it will only be advantageous for the others.”
His words were a mixture of reason and threat, but his response was not bad.
Pei Wen Xuan sneered and pointed at the people around him, “If you think that way, then you are sorely mistaken. Ask them yourself. Let’s see if they agree to let you leave first?”
Zhou Yi turned to look in that direction. Sure enough, there were many malicious gazes staring at him. Many of them looked like they were itching to take action; hence, he immediately became frightened. He realised that his actions just now had incited public anger. In addition to everything that he had done earlier, he had made himself into a target.
Therefore, his complexion turned pale. It was just as Pei Wen Xuan mentioned, he had deliberately laughed out loud to disturb the others who were in the middle of comprehending the Blood Light Scripture. He wanted to make them waste a little more time. Who could have expected that he would lift a rock only to drop it on his foot instead?
He might have gotten away with it if nobody had stepped forward to complain, but Pei Wen Xuan just had to stop him from leaving. With all the commotion they made, how could he possibly be allowed to leave now? If he really were to force his way out of here, he would instantly be besieged by everybody.
With that thought in mind, he gritted his teeth, “Good! I will do as you say, Brother Pei. I will wait for you. I just hope you won’t make me wait too long!”
Zhou Yi was a man who knew how to adapt to the situation. Now that things had come to this point, it was better to wait patiently than to be besieged by everybody. Even if everybody entered the palace in the middle of the lake together, he would still have his own unique advantages; after all, his attainments in the Dao of Blood were much greater compared to the others.
Pei Wen Xuan grinned and nodded, “Rest assured, this Pei won’t let you wait too long.”
The storm finally subsided. Aside from Zhou Yi who was standing there with a hideous expression on his face, everybody else on the third island continued to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture recorded in the stele.
Yang Kai was speechless. He initially wanted the others to enter the palace in the middle of the lake before him so that they could scout the way ahead for him. Unfortunately, his plans were completely ruined after what Pei Wen Xuan did. He had no other means to let the others take the initial risks for him.
Judging from the current situation, it was also not appropriate for him to stand out too much; otherwise, there was a high chance that he would be attacked by the others!
Aside from Zhou Yi of Great Thousand Blood Land, he had the greatest advantage among all the other cultivators here. His abundant and robust Blood Qi allowed him to comprehend the Blood Light Scripture more easily. He could confidently say that he would be able to finish comprehending the Secret Art in another hour. From the looks of things now though, he would have to conceal his advantage.
As expected, Yang Kai attained mastery of the Blood Light Scripture’s fourth chapter through comprehensive study after another hour. He came to realise something when he was on the previous islands; the more robust the Blood Qi of a cultivator, the easier it was for them to cultivate the Blood Light Scripture. At this point, this discovery was only becoming more obvious.
Still, Yang Kai pretended as though he was in the middle of comprehending the Secret Art. At the same time, he stealthily monitored his surroundings with his Divine Sense.
Zhou Yi was still standing there, not daring to make a careless move lest he provoke a violent reaction. It was just that his expression was uglier with the passing of time. He should have been investigating the palace in the middle of the lake by now, but he was forcibly held up in this place by Pei Wen Xuan. How could he not feel resentful?
During this period, more and more people arrived on the third island. Their numbers were not high, but the cultivators who made it this far were the elites among the elites. Bu Lian Zhong was one of them; however, his Junior Brothers and Junior Sister were nowhere to be seen. They probably remained behind on the second island.
Another 7 or 8 hours passed when Yang Kai suddenly noticed a short man secretly opening his eyes by a narrow slit. The short man’s eyes twinkled behind those narrow slits as he surveyed his surroundings.
Yang Kai couldn’t help laughing in surprise. Like Yang Kai, the short man had already attained mastery of the Blood Light Scripture. Despite having the qualifications to set off for the palace in the middle of the lake, he did not reveal the fact immediately. It was clear that he had his own plans.
Yang Kai quietly sighed in amazement. All the cultivators who could arrive on the third island were sneaky tigers hiding their claws. Pei Wen Xuan and Qu Hua Shang were still in the middle of comprehending the Secret Art, but this short man had already finished. It made Yang Kai wonder which great force he belonged to.
Another hour passed and Pei Wen Xuan suddenly let out a turbid breath of relief. He opened his eyes and sighed in amazement, “The Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture is profound indeed!”
While saying so, he stood up and glanced lightly at the cultivators who were gathered around the stele. A trace of murderous intent flashed through his eyes, but in the end, he shook his head and strode towards the blood lake. If possible, he would have liked to slaughter every single person here. After that, he could slowly take his time to explore the palace in the middle of the lake. However, he knew that it was not realistic to think that he could kill all these people.
After waiting for such a long time, Zhou Yi immediately followed suit when he saw that Pei Wen Xuan was finally moving forward.
In the next moment, the short man that Yang Kai noticed earlier also stood up. Another three or four others stood up at the same time. They looked at each other before tacitly shifting their gazes away.
There were five or six people heading towards the palace in the middle of the lake all at once, so it was only natural that it caught the attention of many people. They raised their heads to look in that direction with expressions of envy.
Yang Kai glanced at Qu Hua Shang suspiciously. Logically speaking, she should have finished around the same time, but on the contrary, she was frowning deeply. It was obvious that she was still immersed in comprehending the Secret Art and seemed to have encountered a problem.
This puzzled him; after all, she was one of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Core Disciples. Moreover, she condensed Sixth-Order Elements. Both her aptitude and her comprehension abilities were the best among the best, so why was she taking so long?
After further consideration though, Yang Kai realised that it might be related to her gender. She was a woman, so her body was inherently more Yin aligned which would make her Blood Qi less vigorous. These two points might be the reason why her progress was slower than the others. Not to mention, there were no other women on the third island aside from her.
Still, Qu Hua Shang was not that much slower than the others. An hour after Pei Wen Xuan and the others left, she finally opened her eyes and glanced at Yang Kai affectionately.
Yang Kai gestured, “Let’s go.”
He was slightly unsettled by this woman. He had not noticed anything when they were in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so he did not know why she was being so affectionate and forward when he met her again today.
“En!” She nodded.
The two of them walked side by side towards the blood lake. Circulating the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, a layer of blood mist immediately surged around their bodies to protect them.
When they stepped onto the blood lake, the various disturbances and the pulling force that came from the blood lake were more than ten times stronger than before. It was conceivable that one could not safely cross this stretch of the blood lake if they did not integrate and link all four chapters of the Blood Light Scripture recorded on all four steles together.