The Dao Theory Assembly officially commenced a few days later.
As a loud bell tolled, the cultivators, who had been cultivating on their respective Spirit Peaks, stepped out of their residences.
On Intertwining Fate Peak, as soon as Yang Kai left his room, he saw many people looking at him with fearful eyes. Although a few days had passed, the sight of Kong Tian Yu’s head being blown up by Yang Kai’s spear attack remained vivid in their minds. Kong Tian Yu was the strongest Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among them, but he was unable to survive a single move from Yang Kai. Certainly, as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yang Kai stood out among them.
They were previously worried that Yang Kai would kill all of them on Intertwining Fate Peak so that he would have fewer opponents; however, after he dealt with Kong Tian Yu, he went on to cultivate in seclusion and didn’t bother anyone else, allowing the others to have some peaceful days to live.
Honestly speaking, if it weren’t because they couldn’t back down halfway, everyone on Intertwining Fate Peak would have fled already. None of them would be a match for a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the Dao Theory Assembly, so rather than staying there and getting humiliated, they could save themselves some time and embarrassment by backing down.
However, the Dao Theory Assembly was held by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, and no one had the guts to leave halfway. The consequences would be dreadful if their backing down was taken as a sign of disrespect towards Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
Just then, Lu Jing approached Yang Kai in a friendly manner.
Yang Kai nodded gently at him and looked up. There was a slim woman clad in revealing clothes who was hovering in mid-air. Her short skirt could barely cover her alluring bottom, and as the wind whisked through her skirt, one could almost catch a glimpse of the spring scenery hidden below.
The woman was weak as she was only in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm; however, her skin was delicate, and her eyes were extremely enchanting.
“Since all of you are ready, please come with me,” the woman stated in a sweet voice. As she turned around and flew forward, the men were aroused when they saw her bare back.
None of them moved a muscle as they gazed at Yang Kai.
It wasn’t until Yang Kai flew up that the others followed him.
More than a dozen people left the Spirit Peak and they soon reached the endless void. They had no idea where the woman was leading them to, but they could only follow her as it wasn’t appropriate to ask her about it.
One hour later, they finally saw a huge Universe World in the distance. The Universe World was much larger than average, and looking from afar, they could see that the terrain was pretty complex with the environment quite hostile. There was also a layer of grey mist around the Universe World, seemingly shielding it from complete view.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but study the Universe World in puzzlement. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was one of the 36 Cave Heavens, so why was there such a strange Universe World in their territory? Given their strength, it wasn’t hard for them to change the environment of this Universe World, so there must be a reason for them to keep it as it was.
Outside the Universe World, there was a gigantic palace hovering in the void, in front of which was a square that was filled with many people.
The Third-Order woman from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven led the group from Intertwining Fate Peak to land on the square. After stabilising herself, she performed a salute in a particular direction, “Greetings, Elder Xu. The participants from Intertwining Fate Peak are all here.”
Xu Ling Gong was seated on a chair in that direction while Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue were standing behind him.
Seeing Yang Kai, Qing Kui nodded at him.
Xu Ling Gong swept a glance over them as his gaze eventually fell on Yang Kai. He seemed to be in a jovial mood as he said amicably, “Good, you may leave now.”
“Yes.” The Third-Order Open Heaven Realm woman bowed and departed, leaving Yang Kai and the others where they stood.
Yang Kai scanned his surroundings and realised that many cultivators had gathered together in groups in the square. There were somewhere between 300 to 400 of them in total. It seemed that they were also participants in the Dao Theory Assembly. The weakest ones were in the Fourth Order while there were many Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Just like those from Intertwining Fate Peak, these cultivators were supposed to be staying on their respective Spirit Peaks previously, but they were now all brought to this place.
Soon, Yang Kai fell into a dazed state as he stared fixedly in a particular direction, a hint of shock on his face.
That was because a petite woman was standing over there. Many of the participants around her were also examining her in shock.
The existence of such a woman among a large group of men was like the bright moon in the dark night sky. It was expected that their attention was drawn to her.
After all, the Dao Theory Assembly was meant to help Qu Hua Shang select a Husband. Although those from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven hadn’t set any strict rules, the participants were basically all men.
Why would a woman take part in such an assembly? However, there really was a woman standing right on the square. Moreover, Yang Kai actually knew her. She was none other than Gu Pan from Lang Ya Paradise.
Yang Kai could barely suppress his laughter. It wasn’t surprising that Gu Pan was in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven because she and Qu Hua Shang were close friends. Since this matter was about Qu Hua Shang’s future happiness, it was only to be expected that she had tagged along with her Master to this place. Nevertheless, it was quite awkward for her to appear in this square.
When Yang Kai came across Gu Pan and Qu Hua Shang in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary in the past, they were also Emperor Realm cultivators just like himself. After such a long time though, everyone from back then had ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
[Qu Hua Shang and Gu Pan both ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. In that case…]
Yang Kai kept darting his gaze around and soon found two other familiar faces. One of them was Lin Feng from True Martial Cave Heaven, and the other was Ning Dao Ran from Free and Unfettered Paradise.
Of the friends he got to know in Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, only little fatty Xu Zhen wasn’t around. It wasn’t certain whether he didn’t come or he hadn’t ascended to the Open Heaven Realm yet.
When their eyes met, Lin Feng snorted as he seemed to be displeased with Yang Kai. On the other hand, Ning Dao Ran just nodded at Yang Kai as a polite gesture.
There were also some other unfriendly gazes that were examining Yang Kai.
As Yang Kai swept a glance over them and soon saw Pei Wen Xuan from Myriad Demons Heaven and Yin Xin Zhao from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. These two guys had formed grudges against Yang Kai in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. At that time, Yin Xin Zhao relentlessly tried to kill Yang Kai. Fortunately, Qu Hua Shang never gave up on Yang Kai as she carried him on her back and eventually escaped from danger.
There were some other people that Yang Kai didn’t know, but he had a feeling that they were also Core Disciples from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises just like Qu Hua Shang.
There seemed to be a lot of powerful opponents in this Dao Theory Assembly.
The disciples of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven continuously led more participants to this place from various Spirit Peaks where they formed into different groups and waited patiently.
On a platform overlooking the square, Xu Ling Gong sat in the centre seat among the other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, all of whom sported dark expressions.
This couldn’t be helped, as Xu Ling Gong had suddenly changed the content of the Dao Theory Assembly.
According to the original plan, the participants would just have to go on stage and fight against one another until the final winner emerged. It was a brutal but simple way as the stronger cultivators would be at an advantage.
Nevertheless, Xu Ling Gong informed them at the last moment that the rules had been changed, which infuriated the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from more than a dozen Cave Heavens and Paradises. They didn’t mind changing the content of the assembly, but Xu Ling Gong had crossed the line by changing it at the last possible moment, leaving them unprepared.
Presently, Zhuo Bu Qun from Myriad Demons Heaven was seated to the left of Xu Ling Gong. He turned to look at him and asked impassively, “Brother Xu, what are you trying to do?”
“What do you mean?” Xu Ling Gong glanced over at him.
Zhuo Bu Qun asked, “Have you changed the rules at the last moment for a particular person?”
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” Xu Ling Gong appeared innocent, “If you think there’s something wrong with the assembly, you can leave now. I don’t mind.”
Zhuo Bu Qun snorted, “Is it really so easy, Brother Xu? Since we’ve joined the assembly, why would we leave halfway? If news spread, Myriad Demons Heaven would become a laughing stock.”
“Stop spouting nonsense if you’re not going to leave then. I’m in charge of the Dao Theory Assembly, and I can do whatever I want!” Xu Ling Gong seemed ready to fight it out if need be.
Seeing that both of them were incensed, the people beside them hurriedly calmed them down.
Xu Ling Gong looked smilingly at the square, but he secretly felt bitter in his heart. If Qu Hua Shang hadn’t pestered him, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to change the rules of the Dao Theory Assembly.
If they carried out the original plan and let the participants simply go on stage to fight, the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises would have a distinct advantage. The winner would be one of those disciples from the aforementioned great forces, not Yang Kai.
Although Yang Kai was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it had only been two years since his ascension. Be it his heritage or foundation, he wasn’t comparable to the disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Only when the rules were changed would he stand a chance to become the winner.
Xu Ling Gong knew that Qu Hua Shang was trying to help Yang Kai, but despite that, the young man would have to rely on his own power if he wanted to win first place. Now, they could only hope that this brat wouldn’t disappoint them.
As time passed, all the participants of the assembly were brought to this place.
Yang Kai looked around and realised that there were about 500 or 600 people who were taking part in the assembly; however, he reckoned that there were originally more who were now buried on the various Spirit Peaks, just like what had happened to Kong Tian Yu.
Therefore, there were probably about 1,000 people who had registered to join the assembly.
It had to be noted that all 1,000 of these people were in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm and above. None of them were minor characters.
There was no doubt that the Dao Theory Assembly was a major event in the 3,000 Worlds. It seemed that Lu Jing was right to say that many of the people who joined the assembly didn’t intend to become the winner as they had to be fully aware that they were not powerful enough to win. The reason they still participated in the event was to give themselves some training.
Certainly, if they were lucky enough to be the winner, it would be life-changing for them.
Previously, more than a dozen Cave Heavens and Paradises had cordoned off the Territory Gates around Yin-Yang Territory and chased off all the foreign Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, which allowed the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to have some hope.
However, following the participation of more than a dozen Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters now, their hope was thoroughly crushed.
Many well-informed people had some complaints about Yang Kai at this moment. If it was not for his sudden participation, the Dao Theory Assembly would not have had any Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in attendance. In the current situation, they no longer expected to obtain any of the top positions, they simply hoped that they would not be ranked so lowly that they besmirched the names of their Sects.
After a while, nobody else was guided to this place. It would seem that all of the participants had gathered here.
Qing Kui leaned over and muttered something in Xu Ling Gong’s ear, after which he nodded lightly and said, “Since everybody is gathered here, let us begin.”
Behind him, Su Ying Xue immediately took one step forward and raised an arm upon hearing those words. Hundreds of streams of light burst out all of a sudden and swept across the huge square.
A short while later, all the participating cultivators were surprised to find a pale gold wristband floating in front of each of them. The wristbands were made from some kind of unknown material that exuded a faint pulsing aura.
Su Ying Xue’s expression was cold and indifferent as she explained, “All participants, please wear these wristbands. These wristbands are very important. They are the key items that will determine your ranking in the Dao Theory Assembly, so do not lose them or destroy them. Do not remove them without authorisation either or you will be disqualified.”
Everybody curiously looked at the pale gold wristbands after hearing those words. Despite studying the wristbands from all angles, they could not figure out anything about them. Nevertheless, they could only obey since these arrangements were something Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had prepared for them.
It didn’t take long before everybody was wearing the wristbands. What was surprising was that the wristbands transformed into a circular brand that imprinted itself on their wrists when worn.
Yang Kai quietly scanned the wristband for a moment but did not detect anything unusual. He could not even sense the slightest hint of something wrong. As for what these wristbands were meant for, he remained clueless and turned to look at Lu Jing curiously.
Unfortunately, Lu Jing shook his head to indicate that he did not know anything either.
Yang Kai could only give up. In any case, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven would eventually give an appropriate explanation for the situation.
Once everybody was wearing the wristbands, Xu Ling Gong slowly got to his feet. The majestic aura of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master unfolded and with a dignified expression, he spoke, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven has been established in the 3,000 Worlds for countless years. Our inheritance is steeped with history. Today, I will be choosing a Husband for my youngest Disciple. It is comforting for this Monarch to see so many handsome young men standing here. I hope you will perform well and achieve satisfactory results.”
His voice was not loud, but everybody could hear him clearly with the help of his Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm aura. It sounded almost as though he was standing next to each person while speaking.
“The location of the Dao Theory Assembly this time lies within the Universe World behind you.”
The expressions of many people changed to reveal knowing looks. The truth was that many of the cultivators had already made some guesses when they saw this Universe World. If that was not the location where the Dao Theory Assembly was going to be held, then why guide people to this place?
Yang Kai noticed that Lu Jing, who was standing next to him, had turned slightly pale. Lu Jing seemed apprehensive about something, almost as though this particular Universe World contained some kind of deadly threat.
“The Universe World before you is known as Prison Star. It is the place where Yin-Yang Cave Heaven exiles certain dangerous criminals. The people in that Universe World consist of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples who committed grave crimes, as well as vicious and atrocious villains who were captured and brought back from the outside world. It can be said that every single existence within that place is a criminal. You can kill them at your discretion!”
“I knew it! It really is the Prison Star!” Lu Jing murmured softly.
Yang Kai turned to look at Lu Jing. [He knows something about this Prison Star. Unfortunately, it’s not convenient for me to ask him about this matter under the current circumstances. I can only figure things out once Xu Ling Gong finishes his speech.]
“This Prison Star is a training ground for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples. What you need to do now is enter the Prison Star and slaughter those who can be killed. The wristband will record your achievements. In the end, the person with the highest score recorded in their wristbands will be the winner!”
As soon as those words left Xu Ling Gong’s mouth, a commotion broke out among the cultivators in the silent square and many of the cultivators couldn’t help revealing joyous looks.
That was particularly true for many Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. They originally thought that they would only be accompanying their charges on a study trip to the Dao Theory Assembly; after all, they did not have the slightest chance of winning against the ten or so Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in a straight-up fight.
On the other hand, if the Dao Theory Assembly was carried out in this manner, then they could avoid fighting with the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters entirely There was even a chance of winning first place if they could obtain a good enough result on the Prison Star.
Xu Ling Gong coldly observed the commotion below only to break into a grin after a long while, “You will know how the wristband records your achievements later, but there is something else this Monarch needs to inform you about first. All the criminals on Prison Star have been notified of this event, and have been told that if they kill enough participants, they will be able to obtain their freedom. That’s why… it’s not just you hunting them, they will also spare no effort to hunt you down; after all, it has been many years since they last tasted freedom.”
The commotion throughout the square died down abruptly.
One of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters frowned at those words, “Brother Xu, why was I not informed about this?”
If that were the case, then every single person who participated in the Dao Theory Assembly would be in mortal danger. There were many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on Prison Star, and if anybody were to encounter those people, even a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from the Cave-Heavens and Paradises might not escape alive.
Similarly, the other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters turned to look at Xu Ling Gong in unison. It was clear that it was also the first time they had heard about this.
Xu Ling Gong slapped his head lightly, “Oh? Did I not tell you? No worries! It’s not too late for you to find out now!”
“Brother Xu, is this your own idea? Or, is this Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s idea?” A High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master questioned.
Xu Ling Gong glanced sideways at that person and simply stated, “I am in charge of the Dao Theory Assembly. Whatever I say goes. If you are worried about your Disciples, you can withdraw right now. This Xu will not stop anybody.”
[Withdraw!? We’re already here! Who would have the nerve to quit now!? If we did that, won’t other people look down on our Sects!?] They originally assumed that the Dao Theory Assembly was an explanation given by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as a result of the joint pressure exerted by the various Cave-Heavens and Paradises for Qu Hua Shang’s actions. It would now seem though that everybody had been fooled by Xu Ling Gong.
If they had known that the Dao Theory Assembly would be so dangerous, they wouldn’t have allowed their most treasured Disciples to participate. Those whom they brought here were newly promoted Sixth Open Heaven Realm Masters. How could they compare with the old ghosts on Prison Star?
“Martial Uncle Xu, how will the achievements be calculated if two people worked together to kill a criminal?” Yin Xin Zhao of Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven suddenly cupped his fist and asked.
Xu Ling Gong grinned, “Rest assured, as long as you are nearby when the criminal dies, you will share a certain amount of the achievements. You can figure out the secrets behind this mechanism yourselves.”
Yin Xin Zhao nodded lightly and asked again, “What if we were to… accidentally kill another participant?”
Xu Ling Gong said, “Of course, there will also be achievements for that. Moreover, all the results previously obtained by that person will be passed on to you.”
Yin Xin Zhao licked his lips and smiled, “I see. This Disciple understands now.”
The expressions of many participating cultivators were rather ugly. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Dao Theory Assembly was now a chaotic free-for-all. There was no doubt that Xu Ling Gong set this up to promote killings. It didn’t matter whether it was the criminals on Prison Star or the participating cultivators, as long as they killed another, they would receive achievements for their deeds!
Lu Jing turned deathly pale as he gulped nervously and looked at Yang Kai pitifully, “Senior Brother Yang…”
The rules of the Dao Theory Assembly had suddenly become so brutal that he was not sure if Yang Kai was still willing to fulfil their previous agreement.
Yang Kai, however, just said, “Rest assured. Just follow me later.”
Lu Jing was overjoyed, “Many thanks for your care, Brother Yang.”
He was incredibly grateful that he made such a timely move back on Intertwining Fate Peak. How else could he have had the chance to follow a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now? He was just a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If he had entered Prison Star with his current strength alone, it would not be long before he ended up as somebody else’s meal.
“Are there any other questions?” Xu Ling Gong scanned the audience.
Nobody answered.
Thus, he nodded in satisfaction, “In that case… Let the Dao Theory Assembly begin!”
After saying that, he sat back down again.
Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue stepped forward at the same time and walked out from behind Xu Ling Gong. They each used a set of hand seals before pushing their palms out towards Prison Star. In the next moment, a wide, multi-coloured road appeared out of nowhere, connecting Prison Star and the palace square like a rainbow.
Su Ying Xue shouted, “All participants, please enter. The event will last for one year, during which Prison Star’s Grand Array will remain closed. Nobody will be allowed to enter or leave without authorization. Once the one-year period is up, we will guide you back here!”
Everybody glanced at the rainbow bridge for a moment and not long after that, somebody moved and landed atop it. A distorted light flashed by and that person vanished out of sight in an instant, probably transferred somewhere on Prison Star.
The rest of the cultivators quickly stepped onto the rainbow bridge, either alone or in small groups of three to five.
Yang Kai was in no hurry to move and simply stood there waiting.
“Junior Brother Yang!” A coquettish voice suddenly rang out. Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and saw a figure flying out from the depths of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. It was Qu Hua Shang.
On the stage, Xu Ling Gong was taken aback by the sight and asked Su Ying Xue, “What is that girl doing here?”
Su Ying Xue slowly shook her head.
His facial muscles twitched slightly in annoyance. Regardless of the circumstances, the purpose of the Dao Theory Assembly was to choose a Husband for Qu Hua Shang; hence, it was truly inappropriate for her to make a public appearance at a time like this. Be that as it may, she was already here so it was already too late to stop her.
The cultivators who had yet to enter Prison Star looked up upon hearing her voice and many people recognised her identity and looked enamoured at the mere sight of her.
Leaving aside the fact that she was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Qu Hua Shang’s figure and looks alone were first-class throughout the 3,000 Worlds. If they could take the winning spot in the Dao Theory Assembly, they would be able to win the hand of such a gorgeous beauty. If that had happened, then their lives would not have been in vain.
In front of everybody’s eyes though, Qu Hua Shang landed lightly in front of Yang Kai.
“Senior Sister Qu, what are you doing here?” Yang Kai asked.
He had not seen her since the last time the two of them had been caught in bed by Xu Ling Gong; therefore, he never expected for her to come here at this time.
“I came to see you.” She looked at him with a smile. All of a sudden, she took two steps forward and threw her soft body into his arms, “Come back soon, Junior Brother. I will be waiting for you!”
Yang Kai immediately froze in place. The two of them had been in the throes of passion and nearly sealed the deal in her bedroom last time, but that incident had simply been a trap devised by Xu Ling Gong so it could not be counted. But now, she was the one who took the initiative to hug him. Furthermore, she did it in front of so many people that he was completely caught off guard. When Yang Kai looked around, he saw that the expressions of many participating cultivators were as black as the bottom of a pot!
The Dao Theory Assembly was held in order to choose a Husband for Qu Hua Shang; therefore, all the cultivators who came to participate in this event carried at least a glimmer of hope in their hearts. They dreamed of winning first place and bringing home a beautiful bride. It was for that reason that they rolled up their sleeves and prepared to put their lives on the line.
To their greatest dismay though, Qu Hua Shang took the initiative to embrace one of the participants with a look that seemed to indicate that she was secretly in love with that man right in front of all of them…
That atmosphere instantly became tense. For a time, many people glared at Yang Kai with hatred and rage in their eyes. Even more people decided that what the eyes did not see, the heart did not grieve. They turned around and rushed onto the rainbow bridge and were transported into Prison Star.
“Junior Brother, please be careful!” Qu Hua Shang did not show too much intimacy in her actions and quickly let go. Then, she took two steps backwards and winked at him.
Yang Kai nodded lightly. Turning around, he strode towards the Rainbow Bridge.
“Senior Brother Yang, please wait for me!” Lu Jing finally came back to his senses and quickly caught up with Yang Kai’s pace. At the same time, he drew upon his World Force and covered both of them in it.
Yang Kai noticed and did not resist.
When the two of them stepped onto the rainbow bridge together, they felt a swirling sensation washing over them and their vision blurred for a moment. In the next instant, they were in another world.
Overwhelming pressure pressed down on them from above, and Yang Kai involuntarily slumped slightly. It felt as though his Small Universe was being covered by something and his power could not flow properly.
“Please forgive me, Senior Brother Yang. The transfer to the Prison Star is set to a random location. If I had not done that, you and I would have been separated and it would have been difficult to meet up again.” Lu Jing explained his actions just now.
Yang Kai looked surprised, “This place… is a little strange!”
Lu Jing said, “Senior Brother, don’t panic. The Prison Star…”
He was about to explain something when he suddenly heard a piercing scream coming from not far away. Turning to look in that direction, he saw a strong and burly man riding on top of a woman in a bush nearby.
The man was grinning and laughing. His hands were busy ripping apart the clothes on the woman’s body without care, quickly exposing her snow-white skin to the air. It didn’t take long before all she had left were her undergarments that concealed her most private parts. The woman kicked and punched desperately, crying and screaming at the same time; however, her actions only seemed to fuel the man’s excitement, causing him to become more and more aggressive.
“Stop! How dare you do such a despicable thing in broad daylight!?” Lu Jing felt the blood rushing to his head at the sight and roared in their direction. He never imagined that he would be greeted by such an ugly sight the moment he and Yang Kai entered the Prison Star.
Lu Jing’s voice startled the burly man who was about to finish what he started. That man turned to look in this direction, his eyes sweeping over Lu Jing. Then, he grinned savagely, “Where did this baby come from? How dare you ruin my fun? Scram if you don’t want to die!”
Lu Jing snapped angrily, “The people of the Prison Star are heinous indeed! Now that I’ve run into you, I can’t forgive your deeds!”
While speaking, he reached out and summoned a longsword into his hand before pointing it at the man.
The power of Lu Jing’s Small Universe fluctuated, making that burly man’s expression change slightly, “Fourth Order?”
His expression couldn’t help becoming solemn in response. He was only in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm, on the other hand, this brat who popped out of nowhere turned out to be in the Fourth-Order. How could he dare to be negligent? He couldn’t care less about the woman pressed underneath him anymore and hastily drew upon his own World Force to confront Lu Jing.
Yang Kai glanced in their direction once then stopped paying attention to them.
One was in the Third Order while the other was in the Fourth Order, so there was no doubt about the outcome. Although Lu Jing was nothing compared to Yang Kai in terms of strength, it did not change the fact that a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was in the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm. Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters generally commanded a certain level of respect in the 3,000 Worlds.
Instead, Yang Kai lowered his head to look at the jade slip in his hand, immersing his mind into it as he carefully inspected the contents.
This jade slip was something Qu Hua Shang had secretly stuffed into his hand under the guise of hugging him earlier. He did not know what information was recorded within the jade slip, but even so, it had to be important seeing as she did not hesitate to destroy her own reputation by making an appearance at the Dao Theory Assembly just to hand it to him.
On the other side, Lu Jing was caught in a fierce battle with that burly man, but thanks to the difference in their Orders, he still held the absolute advantage.
It didn’t take more than ten breaths of time before the burly man was suppressed to the point where he could not fight back. Sword wave after sword wave flashed out, slicing across the man’s torso, blood flowed freely from those wounds, and in a panic, the man hurriedly begged for mercy.
A hint of hesitation flashed across Lu Jing’s eyes, but he quickly responded firmly, “The death of scum who oppress others and forcefully seize women aren’t worth pitying!”
With a flick of his longsword, Lu Jing created a rain of sword waves that crashed down on the burly man. When the light died down, he gave a soft snort and flicked off the blood staining his blade.
Meanwhile, the burly man remained standing there motionlessly until a soft breeze blew past his body and shattered it like a wooden block that had been sliced apart. Blood flowed out like a river.
Inadvertently or otherwise, Lu Jing glanced at Yang Kai as though to say that he was not completely useless; unfortunately, he turned around only to see Yang Kai looking down at a jade slip. He couldn’t help feeling disappointed as a result.
Following the death of that burly man, a black light escaped from one of the pieces of his corpse and split into two. One part rushed into the golden wristband around Lu Jing’s wrist while the other part rushed towards Yang Kai, who was standing not too far away, and slipped into his golden wristband.
“Oh?” Lu Jing exclaimed in surprise, “Is that how our achievements are recorded?”
They had heard about this from Xu Ling Gong previously. As long as the participants were nearby when the criminals were killed, they would all share a certain amount of achievement. They had not understood how the mechanism of sharing worked at the beginning, but how could he not understand after witnessing the situation just now?
Lu Jing lowered his head to examine his golden wristband and discovered something. The golden wristband that was initially blank had been dyed black at a certain spot. It seemed to be part of a pattern, but the pattern was not fully revealed because the achievements he accrued were too few.
There was no time to think too deeply about this matter though. Putting his longsword away, Lu Jing walked towards the woman and gently asked, “Are you alright?”
The woman’s body and all her womanly charms were on full display. There were only a few torn pieces of cloth left covering her body and her suet-white-jade-like skin shone with a porcelain-like lustre. She was shivering violently and curled up in place. When she saw Lu Jing approaching her, her eyes filled with fear and panic as she kept shaking her head and pleading, “No! No! No, please…”
Her weak and vulnerable appearance made one subconsciously pity her.
His heart moved, Lu Jing tried to comfort her, “Miss, please don’t be scared. I don’t have any ill intentions.”
Walking over to her, he removed his shirt and draped it over her body to cover up her womanly charms.
Her body continued to shiver violently, and it was obvious that she had been scared witless by what had happened to her. The sight made Lu Jing feel helpless, but just as he was about to reassure her once more, an inexplicable sense of danger flooded his heart and chills spread across his entire body.
Before he could understand what was happening, he noticed that Yang Kai, who had been standing a few paces away earlier, had suddenly appeared before him at some point in time. Yang Kai was squeezing the woman’s neck and the expression on the woman’s face had become even more terrified than before.
“Senior Brother Yang, you…” Lu Jing looked at Yang Kai in puzzlement.
*Kacha…*
Yang Kai exerted some force into his hand and the woman’s head fell forward limply, the vitality in her eyes dissipating quickly. A black light escaped from her wrist and just like before, the light divided into two pieces and disappeared into their wristbands.
Lu Jing was shocked! Be that as it may, he was no fool, so after a moment of hesitation, he lifted the shirt he had draped over the woman’s body and instantly broke out in cold sweat at what he saw.
A dagger glowing with a faint blue light had appeared in the woman’s hands at some point. Moreover, the dagger was clearly aimed at his chest. Just a little further and it would have pierced into his body. Only then did he understand where the sense of crisis had come from just now.
The person he initially thought to be a powerless woman being assaulted turned out to be a poisonous snake that was hiding her fangs! If Yang Kai had not acted decisively, he would either be dead or heavily wounded by now!
“It turns out that everyone in the Prison Star is an extremely vicious person after all! They are all people who deserve to be killed!” Lu Jing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and cupped his fists, “Many thanks for saving my life, Brother Yang.”
Even a woman they met while she was being assaulted turned out to be so dangerous. It could be perceived what kind of people were locked up in this damned place from this experience alone.
Yang Kai smilingly said, “Brother Lu, don’t forget that indulging in lust is equivalent to hanging a knife above your head. Take care to avoid such mistakes in the future!”
Lu Jing blushed furiously, “It’s not what you think! I… I just… Haa…”
There was no way to explain away his mistake. That was because he had truly been fascinated by that woman’s beauty and charm for a time; otherwise, he would not have dropped his guard so easily. What Yang Kai said was not far from the truth.
“This Prison Star is odd indeed,” Yang Kai muttered to himself.
Lu Jing explained, “Brother Yang, you might not know this, but the Prison Star is a place used by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples as a life-and-death training area, so the entire Prison Star is shrouded and suppressed by a powerful Grand Array. All cultivators, regardless of their cultivation, will experience a huge decrease in strength here. Not to mention that the stronger they are, the more intensely they will be suppressed. I’m sure you saw my fight against that man just now.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I noticed.”
He had noticed this phenomenon as soon as he entered the Prison Star. There was some sort of suppressive force that existed everywhere, making him feel as though a mountain was pressing down on him.
Lu Jing was in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm while that burly man was in the Third-Order. Even so, their fight had not demonstrated the majesty that a Third-Order and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master should have. That was clearly due to the suppression of the Grand Array covering the Prison Star.
Logically speaking, it should have been as simple as lifting a finger for a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to eliminate one in the Third-Order. Nevertheless, it had taken Lu Jing a whole ten breaths of time to finish his opponent. While Lu Jing’s strength was indeed much greater than the burly man’s, the suppression he faced was also much stronger. Thus, the wide gap in their respective strengths was narrowed greatly.
“Because of the Grand Array, all the people on the Prison Star are unable to exert their real strength. Since you are in the Sixth Order, Senior Brother Yang, you will also face the greatest suppression among us. That is why you have to be careful when you encounter an enemy. Even a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master might have the power to fight you on equal terms in this place.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. Looking down at his golden wristband, he murmured thoughtfully, “The way the Dao Theory Assembly records our achievements is quite interesting as well.”
The golden wristband was originally just a blank golden brand; however, a small black mark appeared on one part of the golden wristband after they killed that man and that woman. He examined the golden wristband carefully and said, “It appears to be a pattern of a star.”
Similarly, Lu Jing looked at his wrist and compared the pattern on Yang Kai’s wrist with his own. Their situation at the moment was completely identical, “You’re right, Senior Brother Yang. This is most likely a star.”
It was just that the pattern of the star was not completely stained black yet. At most, only 10% of the star had turned black.
Recalling their encounter just now, Lu Jing commented, “Those two were probably in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm. Moreover, you and I shared our achievements equally. Only 10% of this star was stained black. In other words, we have to kill 10 Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on our own in order to get one star’s worth of achievements! What if it were Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters or Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters…”
“We just need to test it out on somebody to know,” Yang Kai replied casually.
“That’s true!” Lu Jing nodded. Following behind a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yang Kai gave him a great sense of security. Even if they really were to encounter a powerful foe, he had nothing to worry about. He only needed to protect himself well and leave everything else for Yang Kai to solve.
Thus, he secretly decided that he would keep some distance the next time Yang Kai killed somebody. It would be bad if he stole more of Yang Kai’s achievements; after all, he only wished to return home safely from this trip. As for his final placing, Lu Jing wasn’t too bothered either way.
“But, before that, we have to figure out where we are located on the Prison Star,” Yang Kai rose into the sky while speaking.
He initially wanted to observe his surroundings from above, but to his surprise, he had only just taken flight when he suddenly felt the pressure on his head increasing sharply. Furthermore, the pressure became more and more horrifying the further up he went. When he reached a height of 1,000 metres, he became completely powerless to ascend further.
Yang Kai was speechless. The Prison Star’s Grand Array was truly amazing. It was able to make a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him unable to resist. Thinking about it again though, it made sense. This place was where Yin-Yang Cave Heaven locked up all the most heinous criminals, many of which were in the Sixth Order. If it were so easy to break free of the Grand Array’s suppression, then all the criminals within would have escaped a long time ago.
With his current strength, Yang Kai was only able to fly 1,000 metres up into the air. Any other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would probably fare worse in his shoes. In this way, escaping from the Prison Star was nothing more than a dream.
Standing 1,000 metres above ground, Yang Kai studied his surrounding environment whilst comparing the topography with the information contained within the jade slip in his hand.
This jade slip was something Qu Hua Shang had handed to him at the last moment. Recorded within the jade slip was various information related to the Prison Star, including a complete map and details on the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm prisoners.
Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had been managing the Prison Star for countless years, so they knew everything about it and its inhabitants. It would not have been difficult for Qu Hua Shang to obtain this information. Nevertheless, her actions could be construed as favouritism if they were known she only did this because she was worried that accidents might happen if Yang Kai ran into an enemy that was too strong for him.
Unfortunately, the information he obtained from his current investigation was too little for Yang Kai to confirm their current location; therefore, he could only continue to proceed forward.
Lu Jing followed behind Yang Kai with a relaxed expression.
Both of them experienced a sharp decrease in travel speed thanks to the suppression of the Prison Star’s Grand Array. Yang Kai originally thought that the one-year period of the Dao Theory Assembly was far too long; after all, the cultivators participating in the event were all in the Fourth Order and above. The Prison Star might be large, but it could not withstand the damage caused by hundreds of Open Heaven Masters battling each other. It would not take more than ten to fifteen days for the entire Prison Star to be turned upside down.
Now, however, it would seem that their travel speed and strength had dropped significantly due to the various suppression effects of the Prison Star’s Grand Array. One year might not even be enough time for a person to tour the entire Prison Star.
Yang Kai would stop and study the topography of his surroundings from time to time, and after half a day, he finally confirmed his location. He carefully went through the information recorded in the jade slip once more before he turned to look in a certain direction.
[You’re first!]
While leading Lu Jing forward, the pair occasionally came across wandering criminals, some alone, some in small groups.
Xu Ling Gong had spoken the truth. All the criminals locked up in the Prison Star had been informed in advance about a large number of cultivators participating in the Dao Theory Assembly who would pour into the Prison Star. If they killed enough of the participants and obtained the necessary achievements, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven agreed to set them free.
Tempted by this offer, the criminals on the Prison Star were actively searching around. Many of them had been imprisoned in this place for hundreds or even thousands of years. Some might even have been here for longer than that. As long as Yin-Yang Cave Heaven did not agree, they had no way of escaping this place. This opportunity was so difficult to come by, so they had to make good use of this opportunity.
If they were lucky enough, they might even receive a new chance at life!
Although there were many criminals imprisoned on the Prison Star, most of them were not particularly strong. Along the way, Yang Kai and Lu Jing only encountered those who were in the Third Order and below. Yang Kai had not bothered to attack, but Lu Jing enthusiastically killed them all.
After multiple attempts and experimentation, the two of them finally gained some understanding of how things worked. As long as the distance between them exceeded 300 metres, then the credit for the kill would not be shared. On the other hand, the black light escaping from the wrists of the criminals would split into two as long as they were within 300 metres of each other.
Yin-Yang Cave Heaven probably designed this system in this manner after taking into account that some people might travel together. This profit-sharing method would make dividing their achievements more convenient. Naturally, there was an issue regarding who contributed more and who contributed less; however, that could be solved through negotiation among those travelling together.
Three days later, the two of them entered a dense jungle. The dense jungle was covered in a thick fog that reduced their visibility to just ten metres at most. The surrounding area also had a faint suppressive force that dampened the perception of their Divine Senses. It was obvious that some sort of Spirit Array had been arranged here.
The presence of a Spirit Array could only mean that there were people living here, and judging by the traces and strength of the Spirit Array, the person living here was not weak.
Lu Jing nervously followed closely behind Yang Kai, peering into his surroundings from time to time. He did not know why Yang Kai wanted to come here, but Yang Kai seemed to have had a very clear goal throughout their travels.
*Kacha…*
A soft sound rang out, causing all the hairs on Lu Jing’s body to stand in fear, but looking down he saw that he had simply stepped on a dried branch. Laughing in relief, he felt that he might have been a little too nervous.
The thought had only just crossed his mind when a black shadow suddenly loomed over him. Immediately following that, Lu Jing felt an extremely sticky feeling wrapping around him while his nostrils were filled with a nasty and pungent stench. It felt as though he had accidentally fallen into a smelly swamp. Shocked, he hurriedly activated his Small Universe. World Force surged and spilled forth as he punched forward ferociously.
Lu Jing’s vision abruptly returned to him while his entire body felt wet and sticky; he was covered from head to toe in a turbid yellow liquid. Turning to look behind him in shock and terror, Lu Jing saw a huge flower with a gaping hole that had been blasted open by something. The flower was oozing with a liquid that was identical to the liquid covering his entire body.
Lu Jing’s expression darkened. Only then did he realise that he had been swallowed by this strange flower just now. He had seen many of these enormous flowers along the way, but he never imagined that they were capable of eating people.
“Oh?” Yang Kai looked at the flower with interest.
*Ci ci ci…*
An odd swaying sound rang out around them as a dozen or so of these gigantic flowers in their surroundings suddenly burst open to reveal rows and rows of jagged fangs. The tendrils of the flowering plants stretched out like poisonous snakes towards them. Then, these flowering plants bit down on the two of them.
“How dare mere Monsters act so brazenly!?” Lu Jing yelled with a stomach full of grievances. With a flick of his hand, he summoned his longsword. Sword light flashed out, slashing at the attackers and tearing them to pieces one after another. These flowers might be strange, but it was not strong enough to actually harm a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him.
*Shua shua shua…*
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out. The branches of the ancient trees in their surroundings seemed to come alive and began whipping towards them. Moreover, each attack contained an extremely heavy force behind it.
Before Lu Jing could recover from his shock, the branches lashed all over his body. He was so badly beaten that he became flustered and quickly shouted for help, “Brother Yang!”
“What an impressive Spirit Array!” Yang Kai commented casually before pitch-black Golden Crow’s True Fire suddenly erupted from his body and spread outward, instantly burning the branches that stretched out towards them to a crisp.
Terrified faces appeared on the ancient trees in the surroundings. There was a series of rustling sounds as many of the ancient trees pulled their roots out from the ground and fled as though they had encountered their natural enemy!
The surroundings around Lu Jing and Yang Kai suddenly became empty.
“Let’s go and meet the Master of this place!” Yang Kai grinned.
Lu Jing was covered in wet and sticky goo, but he could only dejectedly follow behind Yang Kai as he murmured, “Brother Yang, I don’t feel so good.”
“You’ll be fine. We’ll borrow the bath from the Master of this place to wash up later.”
Lu Jing sighed, “I guess that’s all we can do.”
The slime all over his body contained some corrosive properties, but his cultivation as a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master allowed Lu Jing to withstand them. Doing so would only consume some of his World Force, so it wasn’t too difficult. What was annoying was the foul stench that made him want to vomit.
The pair moved forward smoothly. After what happened just now, the flowers and strange gigantic trees had vanished out of sight, but the Array in this place also seemed to have bewildering abilities. Yang Kai and Lu Jing wandered around for a while but could not leave, much less discover where the Master of this place was located.
Yang Kai impatiently stopped in his tracks and shouted loudly, “Are you here, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch!? Come out and face me!”
According to the information given by Qu Hua Shang, the person who lived here was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master by the name Hui Gu.
When Hui Gu arrived at one of the Universe Worlds under the jurisdiction of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, he brought catastrophe to it and caused all life to be annihilated. His actions provoked the anger of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and he was eventually captured by one of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Elders who was in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Hui Gu was then thrown into the Prison Star where he had been imprisoned for more than 800 years.
This dense forest was basically an existence akin to a Restricted Area for all the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples who entered the Prison Star for training. After all, the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples who came for training would not be too strong. Who among them could survive a direct confrontation against an established Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like the Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch?
Only people on the level of Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue would be an opponent for Hui Gu. It was just that their identity and status did not allow them to enter the Prison Star without sufficient reason. The only exception being that they received a special mission from the Sect. When they were promoted to become Outer Elders, they were each sent into the Prison Star to kill a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master as a kind of test.
“Where did this thing with no eyes come from!? How dare you run wild in this Monarch’s territory!? Hurry up and scram if you don’t want to die; otherwise, don’t blame this Monarch for being ruthless!” A sharp voice rang out, and listening to this ear-piercing voice felt very uncomfortable. Furthermore, the voice seemed to come from all directions. It was difficult for anybody to pinpoint where it was coming from.
“Are you sure you want to speak to me in such a manner?” Yang Kai glanced sideways in a certain direction.
A strange cackling laughter rang out, “Brat, you sure are arrogant! This Monarch is in a good mood today, so I will overlook your transgression. Hurry up and scram before I reconsider!”
Yang Kai gently nodded, “I hope your bones are as hard as your mouth is stubborn!”
When those words left his mouth, the pitch-black Golden Crow’s True Fire burst out and filled the surroundings, turning everything around Yang Kai into a sea of flames!
Yang Kai did not know much about the Dao of Spirit Arrays; but there was clearly a Bewildering Array set up in this place. Neither he nor Lu Jing could find their way around as a result. In order to destroy the Spirit Array, he could either locate the Array Core or shatter its structure with brute force. Given that it was simpler, he chose the latter option.
The pitch-black Golden Crow’s True Fire filled the air, burning everything that it came into contact with and forcing its way outwards. The sharp voice initially taunted him unceasingly, but the other party quickly realised that something was wrong with the current situation. The whole array was on the verge of falling apart under the engulfment of the Golden Crow’s True Fire.
The voice suddenly became incredibly furious. That person controlled the Array from the shadows and triggered all sorts of changes that turned into an endless variety of attacks. These attacks then shot towards Yang Kai and Lu Jing from all directions, each one containing great power.
Yang Kai’s expression remained unchanged, however. While casually blocking each and every one of those attacks, the Golden Crow’s True Fire continued to spread outwards.
Lu Jing hid beside Yang Kai, looking pale and not daring to move a single muscle. As a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he would have been killed on the spot if he had fallen into this array on his own. The only reason he remained safe and sound was thanks to Yang Kai’s protection.
The attacks that came from all directions were not only dense but also never-ending. Not to mention, every single attack contained power equivalent to the full-strength blow of a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
An incense stick later, Yang Kau suddenly turned to look in a certain direction and grinned savagely, “Found you!”
The power in his body surged and wrapped around Lu Jing. Following that, he charged forward in that direction and rammed straight through the Bewildering Array before he plunged headfirst into an enormous tree cave.
A violent force spread out, accompanied by a series of muffled groans and screams of agony. The huge tree swayed, leaves and branches falling. Three breaths later, everything became calm again.
Inside the tree cave, Yang Kai held a midget by the neck. This fellow was half the height of an ordinary Human with a long and sharp chin that jutted out. Yang Kai held the midget up in front of him and gave a gentle shake. The midget remained motionless, swaying back and forth like a limp noodle. Even the aura around his body was completely obliterated.
“Is he dead?” Yang Kai furrowed his brow tightly. All of a sudden, he licked his lips and added, “Well, if he is, I shouldn’t let him go to waste.”
Under Lu Jing’s stunned watch, Yang Kai opened his jaw wide and lifted the midget to stuff him into his mouth. His actions made it seem like he was going to eat him alive. Lu Jing’s eyes twitched violently at the sight.
Just then, the midget that had been motionless and pretending to be dead suddenly began to struggle and scream frantically, “Mercy! Have mercy, Sir!”
Yang Kai looked at the midget with a playful expression, and as their gazes met, how could the midget not know that Yang Kai had simply been messing around with him? His little trick of playing dead had been seen through from the start.
Yang Kai casually tossed him to the ground and said lightly, “Don’t even think about running. You won’t get away.”
While speaking, he walked over to a bench and sat down grandly with a swish of his robes.
The midget trembled violently and crawled on the ground. How could he dare to run? He had only exchanged a couple of moves with Yang Kai before he was captured alive. With his meagre strength, he wasn’t even worthy of carrying Yang Kai’s shoes. In addition, his plan to play dead had failed miserably. How could he have any other thoughts at the moment?
Glancing around, Yang Kai noticed that the furnishings inside the tree cave were very simple. It could be seen that the master of this place was not a materialistic person. After confirming that there was nothing worth taking notice of, in the room, he finally lowered his head to look at the midget in front of him and asked disappointedly, “Are you Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch?”
Contrary to the information that Qu Hua Shang had given to him, the midget in front of him was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm, a far cry from a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
The midget hurriedly explained, “Sir, please understand. This little one is only a servant of Sir Hui Gu!”
“So, you are not Hui Gu?” Yang Kai raised an eyebrow at those words.
The midget looked up and squeezed out an ingratiating smile, “This one is called Bai Mo!”
While speaking, he raised his hand and stroked the cluster of white hair on his head.
(TL Note: Bai Mo = White Hair, literally)
“Pfft!” Lu Jing couldn’t help bursting into laughter from where he stood nearby. Even he could sense that the midget was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm after observing the fight between Yang Kai and the midget earlier.
The midget might have held a leadership position among slightly weaker Second-Class great forces, but he was nothing more than a servant here on the Prison Star. Moreover, he had been given such a random name. This was clearly not his real name, but there was no need to inquire further into this matter.
“Where is Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch?” Yang Kai furrowed his brow tightly together, feeling a little disgruntled. He had come all the way here, thinking that he could go on a killing spree and earn some achievements, but who could have known that he would only find a weakling in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm here? This trip was a waste of his time and energy.
Bai Mo replied respectfully, “Thanks to a grand event on the Prison Star recently, Master has gone to visit Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch to discuss countermeasures.”
“Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch?” Yang Kai’s expression changed upon hearing those words. He thought back on the contents recorded within the jade slip given to him by Qu Hua Shang and there was indeed somebody by the name of Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch, who was also in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It was said that he had the bloodline of a Great Monster, so his strength was not to be underestimated.
“Sir, you came here to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly hosted by Yin-Yang Heaven, right?” Bai Mo asked, carefully observing Yang Kai’s expression.
“So what if I did?” Yang Kai studied Bai Mo seriously. Yang Kai was staring so hard that Bai Mo felt all the hairs on his body standing upright. Whenever he recalled the time when Yang Kai had tried to eat him up in one bite, he couldn’t help shuddering.
Hastily squeezing out some tears, Bai Mo prostrated himself on the ground, “Sir, please have mercy! This one’s cultivation is low. I did not commit any heinous crimes either. Back then, I simply had eyes but failed to see and made fun of a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple! For just that, I was actually thrown into the Prison Star. Sir, please have mercy! I’m really not a criminal!”
Upon confirming that Yang Kai and Lu Jing were here to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly, how could Bai Mo not know that his very life was just a trophy in their eyes? He was no match for them in terms of strength, so he could only beg for his life.
Yang Kai kicked Bai Mo to the ground, “Stop snivelling if you want to live!”
Bai Mo immediately fell silent and stared at Yang Kai pitifully with traces of tears still in his eyes.
Sitting on the chair, Yang Kai mulled over the issue for a while. After pondering in silence, he got to his feet and picked Bai Mo up from the ground, “Do you know where Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch is?”
Bai Mo quickly nodded, “I do! I do! Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch is on good terms with Master, so they keep in contact with each other. Master once brought me to Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s Palace!”
“Guide me!” Yang Kai released Bai Mo and instructed.
Ba Mo looked at Yang Kai incredulously for a moment, then he immediately became overjoyed, “Sir, please come with me!”
At the same time, a middle-aged and fair-faced man along with another burly and stocky man sat opposite each other inside an enormous palace that was located approximately 100,000 kilometres away. There was nothing about the fair-faced man that made him seem particularly special. On the other hand, the stocky man was one head taller than most people. His muscles stacked high upon each other, giving off the feeling of explosive power.
These two were none other than Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch and Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
Bai Mo had not lied. As soon as it was announced that a large number of cultivators would enter the Prison Star to participate in some kind of Dao Theory Assembly and their targets were all the criminals on the Prison Star, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch had immediately departed for Giant Clam Palace to discuss countermeasures with Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
The two of them might be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but they did not dare to underestimate the elite disciples of the various Cave-Heavens and Paradises. Besides, the Dao Theory Assembly was an opportunity for them. If they could kill enough of the participating cultivators, they could regain their freedom.
In any case, they were not worried about whether or not Yin-Yang Cave Heaven would play fair. Seeing as they were notified of this matter, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was bound to fulfil their promises no matter what. That was why both Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch and Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch took this matter very seriously.
Contrary to their expectations, however, the two of them were in the middle of their discussion when Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch suddenly sensed an anomaly back at his secluded home. He performed a Secret Technique and immediately found out about the situation.
At this moment, a transparent light screen appeared and floated between the two Masters. The light barrier was projecting the current situation within Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s secluded home. Naturally, the conversation between Yang Kai and Bai Mo entered their ears clearly without any deviation whatsoever.
Dispelling the Secret Technique, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch looked up at Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch, “What do you think, Brother Ju Xian?”
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch replied grimly, “Not surprising. That brat must be from one of the Cave-Heavens or Paradises; otherwise, where would he find the confidence to come charging straight at us both at once?”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch nodded, “It’s a given that he comes from one of the Cave-Heavens or Paradises, but which one is uncertain.”
“Who cares where he comes from? It’s one thing if he does not provoke this Monarch, but if he dares to run wild in this Monarch’s territory, then he will not walk out of this place alive.” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch waved his hand boldly, his voice filled with great self-confidence.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch said, “Don’t get careless, Brother Ju Xian. This brat knows that we are together in the same place. Even so, he dares to come charging straight at us. It’s clear that he has something to support his confidence.”
“Hui Gu, you are too cautious. What is there to fear if you and I join forces? No matter how powerful he is, he is no different from us. We are all in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all. Moreover, according to the information we received, all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters participating in this Dao Theory Assembly are newly advanced with less than a hundred years’ accumulation. How strong can this boy’s heritage be? Don’t forget; a battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters is nothing more than a competition between the strength of their respective Small Universes’ heritage.”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch mulled over the issue and nodded, “Your words make sense, Brother Ju Xian, but it is still better to err on the side of caution.”
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch chuckled, “Rest assured, this Monarch is no fool. If that brat really does come here, I will send somebody else to test him first to learn more about his foundation and origins. Brother Hui Gu, I’ve always told you that you should have gathered more subordinates under you. You just had to ignore my advice and keep only Bai Mo. He is just a trivial Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. What can he do?”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch laughed, “I’ve always liked my peace and quiet.”
“In any case, that doesn’t matter anymore. If you and I seize this opportunity during the Dao Theory Assembly, then we can escape from this place. When that time comes, we can go anywhere we want.” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch licked his lips, “How many achievement points will someone in the Sixth Order give us?”
“I don’t know, but it’s obvious that it won’t be too few.”
The two of them exchanged a glance with each other and were very eager to make a move. Since they knew that Yang Kai was heading straight for this place, it was only natural that they made certain arrangements to ensure that the brat did not walk out of this place alive.
…
“Brother Yang, what is the cultivation of Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch?” Along the way, Lu Jian suddenly asked this question.
Yang Kai did not respond. On the other hand, Bai Mo proudly said, “Master is in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! He is also one of the supreme existences on the Prison Star!”
Lu Jing’s expression couldn’t help becoming solemn. He even felt a sense of lingering fear creeping into his heart. Although a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master could also call themselves a Heavenly Monarch, the gap in strength between one Order and the next was extremely wide. As a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Lu Jing also had the right to address himself as ‘Heavenly Monarch’; however, the weight and power of his title as a Heavenly Monarch were as different as night and day compared to Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch.
“Is this Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s Palace?” Yang Kai looked up at the huge palace built into the towering mountain above them, one that was constructed almost completely out of odd-shaped boulders, giving it a simple but crude air.
Under Bai Mo’s guidance, the three of them travelled 100,000 kilometres and finally arrived at this place. Before they even went up the mountain though, Yang Kai could already perceive the malicious gazes that seemed to come from the above clearly. Those gazes seemed to be looking in this direction.
It was conceivable that this place was different from Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s home in that there were a number of subordinates around, instead of just one. The palace was clearly teeming with Masters, not just Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch alone.
Nevertheless, this was exactly what Yang Kai was hoping for. The more people there were, the greater the benefits he would reap once he succeeded in his endeavour. It would also save him the effort and time of going around searching for prey.
“Brother Yang, are we going up the mountain just like this?” Lu Jing’s complexion was turning paler and paler by the moment. Although his cultivation could not compare to Yang Kai’s, his perception of danger was extremely sharp. The hidden but powerful auras coming from the mountain were far too oppressive for him.
“Do you want to wait here for me?” Yang Kai glanced at Lu Jing.
Lu Jing hesitated for a moment before he shook his head, “I’m going with you, Brother Yang.”
There were many dangers in the lion’s den, but staying outside alone might not be as safe as staying beside Yang Kai. At the very least, staying with Yang Kai meant that they could take care of each other even if they ran into any powerful enemies.
“Let’s go,” Yang Kai took a step forward. When he first advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he had single-handedly destroyed Profound Yang Mountain and defeated the three Mountain Lords. His current strength was much higher than back then, so no matter how impressive this palace might be, it was nothing compared to Profound Yang Mountain back then. Hence, there was nothing to fear.
Their path forward was unobstructed, with not a single person in sight; however, Lu Jing could distinctly sense the hidden and suppressed murderous intent around him that was poised to attack at any time.
It didn’t take long before the trio arrived at the top of the mountain. Many people were standing on a smooth and flat square located at the mountain peak. A rough estimate indicated that there were a dozen people gathered in this place, and their eyes immediately lit up at the sight of Yang Kai.
The cultivation of these dozen or so people was uneven, ranging from the Third Order to the Fifth Order. Furthermore, there were two figures standing quietly behind this group, looking on with interest.
Yang Kai immediately focused on these two people, but that couldn’t be helped as the aura around them was obviously much stronger than the others. While it was impossible to determine their exact cultivation, if his guess was correct, then these two were most likely Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch and Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
“Master!” Bai Mo looked up at Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch pitifully. In addition, his eyes were filled with tears and untold grief.
The Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch nodded lightly, “I know what happened. It’s not your fault. Come here!”
Bai Mo glanced at Yang Kai with some trepidation and did not dare to move away.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch said lightly, “Rest assured. Nobody can hurt you in front of this Monarch.”
“Yes!” Bai Mo hurriedly replied before his figure shifted as he moved away from Yang Kai, rushing towards Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch.
Yang Kai did not move, almost as if he didn’t notice Bai Mo running away from him. He simply counted to himself, and after a while, he nodded and said, “13 people. It’s a little lacking, but such is life.”
Everybody was taken aback by his words. Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch frowned, “Little friend, which Cave-Heaven or Paradise do you belong to? Identify yourself!”
“Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch?” Yang Kai squinted in that direction and asked another question instead of answering the previous question.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch nodded in response, “It is this Monarch.”
“So, you must be Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch?” Yang Kai then turned to look at the burly man.
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch coldly snorted, “Indeed. Brat, I don’t care which Cave-Heaven or Paradise you come from, since you dare to barge into my palace, don’t even think about leaving this place alive!”
Yang Kai exclaimed in surprise, “You sure are hospitable, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch!”
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch coldly snorted again, “I can’t believe you still have the mood for wisecracks. Let me show you just how this Monarch treats unwelcome guests!” With a wave of his large hand, he shouted, “Kill!”
In an instant, all 13 Open Heaven Realm Masters standing in front of Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch and Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch drew upon the power of their Small Universes in unison. The might of their Secret Techniques and artifacts burst forth, blasting towards Yang Kai.
Lu Jing paled visibly. Without even thinking about it, he pulled away and quickly retreated! In the face of such an overwhelming barrage, he had no way to defend himself. The only thing he could do was withdraw!
He had only just steadied himself when he heard a series of explosions coming from in front of him. The aftermath of violent energy spread out in all directions.
Before the dust had even settled though, flashes of spear light erupted, and a mix of muffled groans and screams of agony rang out. Fresh blood splattered in all directions as wave after wave of sharp energy burst out like ripples spreading outward in all directions.
The fallout from these clashes caused Lu Jing’s vitality to roil and his Small Universe to quiver. For a time, he felt dizziness washing over him and horror flooded his heart. Not daring to be careless, he hurriedly circulated his strength to stabilize his Small Universe.
It took a full ten breaths of time before Lu Jing finally recovered, and at the same time, the vibrations from in front of him subsided without warning. When he looked up, he couldn’t help letting out a soft cry of surprise, his mouth gaping open so wide that he could have stuffed a fist into his mouth.
1,000 metres ahead, Yang Kai stood motionless, hefting a spear over his shoulder. The wind blew, causing his black hair to flutter and his robes to flap noisily. Blood flowed around his feet while pieces of meat and severed limbs were scattered all around him. It was a bone-chilling scene that looked like purgatory itself.
Every one of the 13 Open Heaven Realm Masters who had attacked him just now was dead, with not many even retaining complete corpses. Most of their bodies were torn to pieces as though they had been hit by a storm of brutal attacks.
Lu Jing was stunned. Likewise, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch and Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch were frozen in shock. Meanwhile, Bai Mo was so terrified that he nearly fell backwards to the ground. Just thinking about the fact that he had been travelling with somebody so powerful that he could have been casually crushed to death filled him with a sense of overwhelming dread.
Numerous black lights flew out from the corpses and plunged into the golden wristband on Yang Kai’s wrist, instantly causing three stars to light up at once.
“You…” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s eyes bulged in disbelief.
He never expected his subordinates to actually kill Yang Kai. According to his joint speculation with Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch, this person was most likely in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm; after all, the other party had dared to come charging directly into this place despite knowing two Sixth-Order Heavenly Monarchs had gathered
Therefore, he initially planned to use his subordinates to test Yang Kai’s abilities before he made further plans. His plan would also make it more convenient for him and Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch to launch a targeted assault on their opponent. Who could have known that 13 of his subordinates would be killed in such a swift and brutal manner?
Although the strength of those 13 subordinates had varied quite a lot, there were still 2 Fifth Orders among them. Even so, none of them could defend against the opponent’s spear!
“How dare you do this!?”
Yang Kai licked his lips as though he had just eaten a full meal, “You are hospitable indeed, Heavenly Monarch!”
“I’ll kill you!” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was infuriated. He might be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but it was not easy for him to recruit so many subordinates under him on the Prison Star; after all, he was not the only Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in this place.
Besides, the cultivators on the Prison Star were ruthless and vicious people, so most of them were unwilling to be subservient to others. Compared to serving under someone, these outlaws preferred to be free so that they could act without restraint.
The main reason Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch only had Bai Mo as his subordinate was that he personally preferred having peace and quiet. The second reason was that he had not been able to find other suitable candidates.
The dozen or so subordinates under Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch were people whom he had spent a lot of effort to subdue. Their strength might not compare to his, but he could leave various matters to their discretion. It had saved him a lot of time and effort in the past; hence, it was only natural that he was filled with boundless rage when they were slaughtered by Yang Kai’s spear.
In his rage, the muscles on his body bulged and his entire being swelled in size by a considerable margin. He grabbed at something in the void and two round war hammers appeared in his hands. His huge and stalwart figure was indescribably imposing. It only took him a single step forward for him to appear above Yang Kai’s head. The war hammers came swinging downward.
“Impressive attack!” Yang Kai commented, his desire for battle stimulated. He had exchanged blows with various Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on multiple occasions, but he had not had a proper fight against another Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master since his return from Shadowless Cave Heaven. For that reason, he wanted to know just how much he had grown since the time he had initially broken through.
Yang Kai’s spear stabbed forward like a leaping dragon. There was nothing fancy about his movements, but there was a kind of indescribable beauty in their simplicity. There was no fixed style of form to his movements as his spear seemed to flow freely and without restraint.
*Hong…*
Turbulent World Forces collided with each other and Yang Kai’s figure swayed slightly. He clearly felt his Small Universe World shake from the impact.
On the other hand, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was sent flying backwards like a sack, his eyes filled with pure astonishment.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch initially planned to follow up after Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch to attack Yang Kai, but when he saw this scene, his pupils contracted abruptly. He simultaneously suppressed the World Force that was gathering in the palm of his hand as quickly as possible.
As a fellow Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he clearly knew the extent of Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s heritage. Their strength was basically on par, with neither having any kind of discernable advantage over the other.
Just now though, Ju Xian had been forcefully sent flying after a single clash with this unknown enemy, which went to show how powerful this boy’s heritage was!
With such a mighty enemy, things wouldn’t end well for them even if they joined forces. How was it possible for someone in the Sixth Order to exert so much power? Just which Cave Heaven or Paradise did he belong to?
On the other side, Ju Xian crashed to the ground in a mess, both his eyes still widened in shock. He could scarcely dare to believe that he could be so vulnerable. Although the attack just now had not injured him, the Small Universe in his body was shaking restlessly.
Shaking his head vigorously, Ju Xian hurriedly suppressed the shaking in his Small Universe. Only then did he feel a little better.
“Weak. You’re too weak!” Yang Kai shook his head slowly. Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s strength could not even compare to Mao Zhe’s, so it was only natural that the other party was no match for him.
Back then, Yang Kai had enough strength to fight Mao Zhe even though he had only just advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so what more was there to say about his current strength? He had devoured a massive amount of World Force from the Wind Spirits in the Astral Wind Source; hence, his current strength was significantly higher than after he just rose to the Sixth Order.
“Junior, how dare you humiliate me!?” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was livid. Raising his twin war hammers above his head, he charged forward again without regard for anything else. He drew upon all the power in his Small Universe and poured his World Force into his twin weapons. Then, he ferociously smashed them down on Yang Kai in a barrage of attacks. Every hammer that came crashing down tore space apart and caused the surrounding world to collapse.
Yang Kai’s spear swept out as he met each blow head-on.
It might not have been long since he advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, but Yang Kai already had countless experiences fighting other Open Heaven Realm Masters, giving him a firm understanding of such conflicts. A battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters was simply a competition between the heritage of their respective Small Universes. The stronger their heritage, the greater their strength, and vice versa.
Yang Kai might not have advanced into the Open Heaven Realm long ago, but he had fully integrated his Sealed World Bead into his Small Universe during his advancement. The Small Sealed World had always contained a huge heritage, among which included some of the Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s legacy. It was only natural that ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could not compare with him.
After exiting Shadowless Cave Heaven, he also refined many Wind Spirits and obtained the World Force contained within their bodies, saving him at least 100 years of cultivation.
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch might be strong, but he couldn’t even compare with Mao Zhe, so how could he be a match for Yang Kai? There was a loud explosion and his burly figure was sent flying backwards once more. He slammed straight into the mountain and a violent force struck his body, causing him to bleed profusely.
*Hong…*
A huge hole appeared along the stretch halfway up the mountain as Ju Xian smashed right into the mountain and vanished out of sight. The mountain peak swayed unsteadily for a while, as though it was about to collapse as gravel and loose rock tumbled down its sides.
Yang Kai casually flicked his spear and turned to look at Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch, who had been watching the battle, “It’s your turn now.”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s expression was solemn. In all the years since he advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he had fought countless Masters of varying Orders, but even so, he had never met anyone who was as strong as Yang Kai. If Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was no match for this young man, then he would naturally be no match for this person either.
When he saw Yang Kai looking in his direction with malicious intentions, he sullenly said, “Ju Xian will not be so easy to defeat. It’s not too late for such big talk after you beat him!”
“Hmm?” Yang Kai suddenly turned his head to look at the hole that had been smashed open in the mountain. A surging but hidden power seemed to be reviving in that direction. An extremely terrifying power spread outward, interlaced with an extremely pure…
“Monster Qi?” Yang Kai raised his brow.
He suddenly remembered something. According to the information recorded in the jade slip that Qu Hua Shang had given to him, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch seemed to carry a Monster Race bloodline. Although he had not noticed this factor when exchanging blows with the other party just now, it would now seem that the information Qu Hua Shang had given to him was accurate. Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch did indeed carry a Monster bloodline. Moreover, a powerful one at that.
“The reason why ants will always be ants is that they will never experience the power of a Master! Brat, you’ve angered me now! The consequences of angering this Monarch are dreadful!” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s majestic voice rang out from within the walls of the mountain. Following the sound of his voice, the entire mountain peak swayed and dense cracks appeared along the entire side of the mountain.
*Dong dong dong…*
A steady heartbeat that sounded like the beating of a drum reverberated through the air, influencing the flow of vitality in everybody. Bai Mo and Lu Jing immediately flushed red, looking like they were in great pain.
A rumbling sound came from the walls of the mountain, as though some sort of behemoth was walking out from inside it.
*Kacha…*
Two gigantic hands suddenly protruded from the mountain wall. The sturdy rocks were crushed into dust by these gigantic hands, almost as if they were as fragile as tofu. Just by looking at these gigantic hands, it was easy to imagine how enormous their owner was.
“Moo!” The sound of a bull’s mooing shook the entire sky.
The two gigantic hands violently wrenched apart the mountain walls, creating a large split that extended across its entire length. Then, a bull’s head with two curved horns emerged from within, one that carried a slight resemblance to Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s original appearance. The ‘giant’ then opened his mouth and roared, “Junior, today will show you what true power…”
The roar coming from the bull’s head suddenly caught in his throat. He suddenly felt a large shadow blocking out the light from his eyes and the Monster bloodline in his body couldn’t help shuddering in fear. When he looked up, he saw a gargantuan Dragon Head looking down at him with great interest.
The Dragon Head had twin horns, Dragon Scales covered its entire body, and the Dragon Beard below its maw flapped in the air magnificently. Moreover, the two Golden Dragon Eyes, like two huge suns staring at him, emitted a dazzling light.
*Gudong…*
The bull’s head swallowed audibly at the sight, while Bai Mo and Lu Jing shivered in fear. Meanwhile, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch shouted with an extremely solemn expression, “Dragon Clan!”
He had personally witnessed the small young man suddenly swelling and transforming into this behemoth in front of him in less than a breath of time. The 1,500 metres long body in front of him was something he would never forget for the rest of his life.
“Oh?” Yang Kai snickered, “What were you saying just now? I’ll allow you to finish your sentence!”
The bull’s head remained silent, but his expression was as gloomy as could be.
Yang Kai shook his head slightly, “The Prison Star’s Grand Array is truly amazing. I can’t believe it managed to suppress me so much.”
When he was fighting earlier, Yang Kai had already noticed this phenomenon. Under the suppression of the Grand Array, he could only exert approximately 30% of his full strength. Needless to say, the same held true for everybody here.
It was just that he was astonished to discover that the Prison Star’s Grand Array could even suppress his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique. Under normal circumstances, his figure would have reached at least 4,500 metres in length; however, he was barely 1,500 meters now.
Their four eyes suddenly met, and the bull’s head slowly retracted back into the mountain.
Yang Kai stretched out his Dragon Claw, reached into the mountain without the slightest hindrance, and dragged out Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch who had activated his Monster bloodline.
At this moment, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s image was completely different from before. His body was several dozen metres tall and every single muscle stacked on top of each other indicated great underlying strength. Unfortunately for him, his figure, which would have been terrifying in front of an ordinary person, now looked as ridiculous as a child’s toy in front of Yang Kai.
“A Kui Niu descendant?” Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.
Kui Niu was an Ancient Divine Spirit, and although it was not ranked very highly, it was still a Divine Spirit. Any mature Divine Spirit would have the strength of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was clearly a descendant of Kui Niu, but his bloodline was obviously not very pure. The only reason he obtained that kind of physique was by activating his bloodline with the heritage of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If not for the suppression of the Prison Star’s Grand Array, his body would have been much larger. Unfortunately, regardless of how much larger he would have been, the difference between him and the current Yang Kai wouldn’t change.
“Die!” Knowing that he was standing on the juncture of life and death, Ju Xian opened his mouth and let out a roar after being captured by Yang Kai. Dense World Force transformed into a pure plume of smoke under the influence of a Monster Race Secret Technique and shot towards Yang Kai. This plume of smoke looked almost ethereal and non-existent. Nevertheless, it was a blow that contained the full power of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai clenched his hand hard while at the same time, he opened his ferocious mouth and took a deep breath, causing his abdomen to abruptly swell up as a result.
“Fire Dragon’s… Flaming Breath!” Pitch-black Golden Crow’s True Fire spewed out from Yang Kai’s Dragon Maw, colliding with the white column of smoke.
The intense forces collided with each other, causing an enormous shockwave to spread out in all directions. The impact pushed Yang Kai’s body backwards slightly. Taking this opportunity, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch launched a fierce storm of attacks on Yang Kai’s claw that was grabbing him.
The pain nearly made Yang Kai loosen his grip and throw Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch away. Fortunately, he collected himself in time. Before Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch could break free of his grip completely, Yang Kai tightened his grasp around the other party’s legs and immediately after that, he raised his arm and smashed Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch into the ground.
*Hong…*
An earthquake shook the ground and the surface cracked open.
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch felt a wave of dizziness washing over him, but before he could recover from his shock, Yang Kai lifted him up and swung him down to the opposite side to smash him into the ground once more. Ju Xian fought back desperately, but any form of resistance was futile in the face of such overwhelming strength.
*Hong hong hong…*
Lu Jing stood frozen on the spot. With every explosion that rang out, his body bounced upward involuntarily due to the shockwaves travelling along the ground. He stared blankly at Yang Kai who was toying with a behemoth that was several tens dozen metres tall as though throwing a ball of dough from side to side…
“The end has come…” On the other side, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s eyes widened in horror. He wanted to escape, but he could clearly sense that Yang Kai had separated out a thread of aura that locked onto him from a distance while he dealt with Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
If he did not escape, then this aura would simply remain idle, but the moment he ran, Yang Kai would move to stop him. He had no confidence that he could escape from this monster.
[Is Yin-Yang Cave Heaven planning to purge us all this time?] The Prison Star had existed for over a hundred thousand years and had always been an important training ground for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples. Although there were countless criminals locked up in this place, there was no denying that they had greatly contributed to the growth of many Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples. [Why did Yin-Yang Cave Heaven let such a monster into the Prison Star? Could it be that they no longer feel the need for the Prison Star to exist and want to wipe out everyone within?]
Looking at Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch who was completely helpless to fight back and could only allow himself to be slaughtered like a cow, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch couldn’t help feeling a sense of sorrow and sympathy because he knew he would be next.
*Hong hong hong…*
The loud explosions continued. Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch had activated his Monster bloodline, which strengthened his physique and made him far more resistant to physical punishment, but even so, he could not withstand being tossed around by Yang Kai in this manner.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped. He held the several dozen metres tall Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch upside down and gave him a little shake. Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s body swayed like a limp noodle. Blood flowed profusely, dripping downward like a trickling river. Even the bull horns on his head were broken.
“Is he dead? How boring!” Yang Kai’s voice rumbled loudly as he lifted Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch to his eye level.
The motionless Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch abruptly jerked his eyes open. The rage and humiliation burned brightly in his eyes, like rampant flames that threatened to burn everything to ashes.
“Die together with me, you bastard!” Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch roared furiously. All of a sudden, his originally burly figure swelled in size and his World Force became extremely disordered.
Yang Kai gingerly picked up the toothpick-like Azure Dragon Spear from the ground and thrust it at Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
The Azure Dragon Spear grew rapidly and soon became 1,500 metres long. The spear stabbed straight into Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s chest, pinning him firmly against what was left of the mountain wall.
Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s eyes widened. He glared hatefully in Yang Kai’s direction but could not break free of the Azure Dragon Spear’s suppression no matter how much strength he drew out. A terrifying force surged up from the spear and poured into his body, destroying his innards wantonly. Even his Small Universe was shattered and began to collapse.
“I can’t believe that I, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch, will die like this!” The light in his eyes slowly dimmed. Even though his face was filled with resentment and unwillingness, his vitality eventually dissipated.
“En, he should be dead this time,” Yang Kai muttered to himself; however, he did not see any black light rushing towards him despite waiting for a little while. He pondered in silence for a moment before the realisation struck him. They were probably too far apart. According to the hypothesis that he and Lu Jing came up with earlier, they had to be within 300 metres in order to obtain the achievements from killing their enemy.
Grabbing the Azure Dragon Spear with one hand, he dragged Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s corpse that was speared onto its tip closer to him. The moment he did so, a dense black like flew out from Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch’s right hand and plunged into his wristband.
Slightly more than three stars had been illuminated on his golden wristband before, but when the black light from Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch poured in, five more stars lit up all at once.
“I can get five stars from killing someone in the Sixth Order?” Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at the sight. He was starting to get a vague understanding of how the achievements in the Dao Theory Assembly were calculated.
Along the way here, Lu Jing had killed several insignificant parties. Combined with the achievements that Yang Kai obtained from slaughtering the 13 Open Heaven Realm Masters from earlier, the correlation between the Order and the number of achievement points became clear.
The achievements in the Dao Theory Assembly were most likely calculated with Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters as the base; in other words, killing a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would fully light up one star on the golden wristband. Accordingly, it would take ten Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters or five Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to fully light up one star on the golden wristband.
Meanwhile, killing a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would give five times the achievement accrued from killing someone in the Fifth-Order. It would seem that killing a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would provide the highest gains. Be that as it may, how could someone in the Sixth Order be so easy to kill?
Apart from Yang Kai, all the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters participating in the Dao Theory Assembly were young rising stars, each of them having broken through less than 100 years prior. Even if their starting points were extraordinary, they could not compare with the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Prison Star who had undergone millennia of cultivation to strengthen their foundations. Therefore, they could only manage to kill a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master if two or three of them worked together!
There weren’t many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the entire Prison Star, but there were still about 20 of them. If Yang Kai could kill all of them, then he was bound to firmly occupy first place in the Dao Theory Assembly. Unfortunately, it was far too troublesome to search for them one by one. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were scattered across the Prison Star and the area covered by the Prison Star was vast. Under the premise of being suppressed by the Grand Array, he might not find many of them even if he searched non-stop for the next year!
Yang Kai gathered his thoughts and turned to look to the side. Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch, who had been standing there and watching the fight, had disappeared at some point. Even Bai Mo was gone. It was obvious that they had fled hastily when he sank into contemplation.
“Senior Brother Yang, they escaped in that direction!” Lu Jing loudly called out to Yang Kai while pointing in a certain direction.
“They won’t be able to escape,” Yang Kai broke out into a savage grin. His enormous figure shrank rapidly and returned to his original appearance. Manipulating Space Principles, he then vanished from the spot.
Trying to escape from a person who was proficient in the Dao of Space was nothing more than a fool’s dream. It didn’t matter how capable Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch was, as long as the slightest traces remained, he would never escape from Yang Kai’s pursuit. In this regard, Yang Kai had absolute confidence.
10,000 kilometres away, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch brought along his one and only subordinate Bai Mo as he escaped as swiftly as the wind. There was a layer of blood mist around his body and it was obvious that he had activated some sort of Secret Technique that had a heavy consumption rate. It seemed he was burning his own Blood Essence to flee with all his strength.
The sight of Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch being killed had frightened him out of his wits. Before today, he could never have imagined that Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch would be so vulnerable. [No. It’s not that Ju Xian is incompetent. The strength of that guy from the Dragon Clan is just too tyrannical and outrageous.]
Despite both parties being in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was killed effortlessly, completely incapable of fighting back against Yang Kai.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch was on par with Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch in terms of strength, so seeing as Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch was no match for Yang Kai, neither was he. That was why he decided to run away when Yang Kai was distracted; after all, that man was an existence akin to a living nightmare. If he did not flee, then all that awaited him would be death.
*Shua…*
All of a sudden, his figure that had been speeding forward came to an abrupt stop. Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s expression was extremely solemn as he stared forward, a drop of cold sweat sliding from his forehead to his cheek.
“Master?” Bai Mo looked at Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch hesitantly.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch did not respond. He simply continued to stare hard into the space straight ahead. This place was shrouded in a fog so dense that he could barely see ten metres in front of him, and even his Divine Sense was suppressed to the limit. Nevertheless, he could clearly sense that there was an extremely ferocious gaze upon him from up ahead. It felt like an evil Dragon was hiding there!
[How… How can he be so fast!?] Hui Gu was filled with disbelief. He had fled with all his might, so how could that monster have gotten ahead of him?
Realisation seemed to hit Bai Mo at that moment. Although he could not see anything ahead, it did not stop him from inferring something from the expression on Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s face. A hint of panic filled his expression, but that panic soon turned into determination. His power surged with a loud roar, “Master, go! I’ll stop him for you! You have to remember to avenge me, Master!”
After shouting those words, he charged straight ahead.
Two bright crimson rays of light shone from within the fog, like two red lanterns in the dark night.
*Pa…*
A thud was accompanied by a miserable scream. Bai Mo was mid-charge when he was slapped to the ground by a palm that seemingly stretched out of nowhere, his life or death uncertain.
“Foolish loyalty!” The two crimson rays of light swayed and slowly loomed closer. Then, the figure of that Dragon Clan member gradually entered Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s vision.
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch glanced towards Bai Mo and discovered that the latter had simply been smacked to the ground and he was in no life-threatening danger. Only then did Hui Gu look back at Yang Kai, who was approaching him one step at a time, and solemnly asked, “Are you going to kill me?”
Yang Kai stopped and stood 30 metres away from Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch. Tilting his head to the side, he said lightly, “That will depend on whether you wish to live or die.”
“What if I choose to live?” Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch asked. Who would willingly choose to die if the option to live existed? Unfortunately, he did not have the confidence to defeat such a terrifying opponent. If it came down to a fight, the fate that awaited him would be no different from what happened to Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch.
*Pa…* An ancient book was thrown at his feet.
“Use your Blood Essence to write down your name. Then, you can live!”
“This is…” Hui Gu frowned deeply and picked up the ancient book. Flipping through it, he saw that each page contained the name of a different person written in blood. There were six people whose names were written in total, while the book itself had nine pages in all. Seeing as there were six people’s names written in the book so far, there were only three pages left blank.
The first three names were nothing special, so Hui Gu was not too bothered by them; however, the dried bloodstains that made up the last three names clearly revealed the residual aura of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. In other words, the last three people who wrote down their names were also in the Sixth Order like himself!
“May I ask a question? The six people whose names are written in this book… Are they still alive?” He looked up at Yang Kai.
“They’re alive and well. It’s just that the moment you write your name down in that book, your life or death will be under my control!”
“So, it is the Loyalty List!” A look of understanding flashed through Hui Gu’s eyes. He had a slight guess when he first saw this item and his conjecture had just been confirmed.
“Oh? You know about the Loyalty List?” Yang Kai looked at Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch in surprise.
“It is rumoured that an ancient Master known as Loyalty Demon refined the skin, flesh, and bones of Xie Zhi to produce this item. I have only heard of it and have never seen it for myself. So, this is what it looks like.”
Yang Kai grinned, “Since you already know about it, then that saves me the effort of explaining how it works. Choose. Do you submit or meet your death!?”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch sighed, “The winner is the King and the loser is the villain. Do I really have a choice?”
While saying so, he decisively turned to the seventh page. He then bit the tip of his tongue and forced out his Blood Essence before leaving his name on the page.
Yang Kai immediately felt a vague connection forming between himself and Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch; thus, he immediately broke out into a big smile, “A wise man will submit to the circumstances. A talented person chooses his Master. Hui Gu, you will not regret the decision you made today.”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch remained silent. Although he had been captured and thrown into the Prison Star, he was still free to a certain extent. As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, there was nobody who could force him to submit in this place. At most, there were some who were slightly stronger than him. Now though, his life lay in the hands of another. This feeling was very difficult to accept in such a short time.
Bai Mo, who had been smacked to the ground earlier, crawled up and ran over to Yang Kai, speaking with a flattering smile, “Sir, this one is also willing to write his name down in the book. I will serve you faithfully from now on!”
His Master had been subdued by the other party, so he didn’t really have much of a choice.
Yang Kai glanced at Bai Mo coldly and put the Loyalty List away, “You are not qualified.”
There were only nine pages in the Loyalty List and he had used up seven of them. The pages contained the names of Chen Tian Fei, Hei He, Yun Xing Hua, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, and the newly subdued Hui Gu. Hence, there were only two pages left. There was no way Yang Kai was going to waste one of the pages on someone only in the Fourth Order.
Bai Mo’s face paled and he quickly began to beg for his life, “Sir, have mercy! Please have mercy, Sir!”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch spoke up from the side, “Sir, Bai Mo is loyal to me. His cultivation might be on the weaker side, but it is better than nothing. I hope you will show him some mercy.”
The fundamental essence of the Dao Theory Assembly was to hunt. It did not matter whether it was the criminals on the Prison Star or the cultivators participating in the Dao Theory Assembly, both parties considered the other’s existence to be worth a certain amount of stars. Therefore, Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch was worried that Yang Kai might kill Bai Mo for those points.
Yang Kai replied lightly, “Since you’ve said as much, then he can continue working by your side.”
Bai Mo was overjoyed and quickly said, “Many thanks, Sir!”
He hurriedly ran to stand beside Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch, gazing at Yang Kai with awe. He had watched Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch being killed with his own eyes. For a man who could effortlessly kill such a powerful figure, a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like himself was probably no different from an ant.
“Wait here for me,” Yang Kai said before he vanished from the spot with a flash.
“This is…” Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s expression suddenly became focused. He carefully perceived his surroundings and exclaimed in understanding, “A Space Secret Technique! So, that’s how it is!”
No wonder he was overtaken by the other party, it turned out this extraordinary young man was proficient in the Dao of Space! His loss was truly not undeserved.
Yang Kai returned a short while later with Lu Jing, whom he left behind at Ju Xian’s Palace earlier.
Lu Jing couldn’t help feeling shocked to see Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch standing there. When he heard how Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch addressed Yang Kai, his shock grew even greater. He simply could not understand what had happened during the short time he separated from Yang Kai that could make a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master submit to another one so easily.
On the other hand, Bai Mo cheerfully walked over to greet Lu Jing. He probably wanted to create a good relationship with the latter.
“Sir, where are we going now?” Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch asked.
Yang Kai replied, “We’ll return to your tree cave.”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s expression scrunched in confusion as he asked, “Return to my tree cave?”
Yang Kai asked, “You’ve been on the Prison Star for a long time, right? How many of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters here do you know?”
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch answered, “I know seven or eight of them. The rest live too far away, so I don’t have much contact with them.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Send a message to them saying that you and Ju Xian are discussing countermeasures for the Dao Theory Assembly. Invite them to come over and join you.”
“Sir, are you planning to lure them into a trap?” Hui Gu’s expression changed when he realised what Yang Kai planned to do.
In the beginning, he had not understood why Yang Kai had let him go free or why Yang Kai had specially used the Loyalty List to subdue him. It had to be said that the power Yang Kai displayed was such that no Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master on the Prison Star could be his opponent. Furthermore, Hui Gu’s very existence undoubtedly represented a sizable chunk of achievement in his eyes.
It was only at this moment that Hui Gu understood the reason why Yang Kai had subdued him. Yang Kai wanted to use his connections.
“It’s too much trouble to go searching for them one by one. There’s nothing more enjoyable than for them to walk to their deaths on their own accord!” Yang Kai grinned.
“I understand.” Hui Gu lowered his head, “But, Sir, the ones that I am acquainted with don’t always live in the same place. Some of them like to wander around while some of them are even more secretive about their whereabouts. I might not be able to get in touch with all of them.”
“Just do your best!” Yang Kai said.
If not for this, he would have no reason to subdue Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was worth five stars to him after all. It was just that the information in the jade slip given to him by Qu Hua Shang had mentioned the same thing, most of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Prison Star did not have fixed residences and were extremely difficult to find as a result. Hence, he subdued Hui Gu as part of his plan to use him to lure the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters into his trap.
Hui Gu immediately began making arrangements. It was not easy to communicate with the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although many of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters occasionally interacted with each other on the Prison Star, only a few of them could be considered friends. He sent Bai Mo along with his Faith Token to some of the places he knew in order to pass the message to those Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, inviting them to his secluded home to discuss countermeasures for the Dao Theory Assembly.
Bai Mo’s loyalty to Hui Gu was unquestionable. He even had the guts to stand up against Yang Kai so that he could create an opportunity for Hui Gu to escape. For that reason, there was no need to worry about their secrets leaking out if he was the one to handle the communications.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai took Lu Jing with him and returned to the forest tree cave with Hui Gu in tow.
The forest had been badly burned by the Golden Crow’s True Fire; therefore, Hui Gu needed to fix up the Spirit Array, lest the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters noticed that something was wrong.
On the other hand, Yang Kai cultivated in retreat inside the tree cave while refining Open Heaven Pills.
After waiting for a few days, the criminals on the Prison Star began to enter the dense forest in a steady stream, though the ones who came were not just the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. There were also Third-Order, Fourth-Order, and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who either came alone or in small groups of three to five. It was thanks to Bai Mo, who loudly announced that his Master had joined forces with Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch to resist the participants of the Dao Theory Assembly whenever he came across others while on his way to deliver the original messages.
Many of the criminals on the Prison Star were currently operating without proper leadership, so learning that many foreign Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were going to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly had filled them with apprehension. Hence, they quickly came to join the undertaking upon hearing that two Sixth-Order Heavenly Monarchs were willing to lead the fight against the invaders from the various Cave-Heavens and Paradises. Unfortunately, their trip here was akin to a journey to the Yellow Springs!
Yang Kai didn’t even need to lift a finger as Hui Gu did all the work for him. Anybody who entered the forest was captured and brought to him alive before they were killed on the spot. It didn’t take more than a few days for more stars to appear on Yang Kai’s wristband. Moreover, the number of criminals who came to the forest increased as time passed and his gains increased accordingly.
Lu Jing couldn’t help feeling envious at the sight.
Right now, Yang Kai simply needed to sit on his hands and do nothing for the criminals to voluntarily arrive here and become part of his achievements. It was easy and convenient.
Even so, Lu Jing knew that there was nothing to be envious of. The only reason Yang Kai could harvest such gains so easily was thanks to his overwhelming strength. Without that strength backing him up, everything was just empty talk.
Half a month later, as many as 15 stars had lit up on the golden wristband. Excluding the five stars contributed by Ju Xian, the rest were obtained by killing criminals below the Sixth Order.
It had only been less than a month since the Dao Theory Assembly began, but Yang Kai had already obtained such astounding results. Lu Jing simply could not imagine who else could compete with Yang Kai at this rate. Even if the other participants sought out and killed criminals without pause, they still would not be as fast as Yang Kai.
This was all thanks to the huge effect of subduing Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch. Compared to killing him directly, it was undoubtedly more beneficial to make use of his connections and reputation.
On this day, Yang Kai was refining Open Heaven Pills inside the tree cave while Lu Jing quietly sat to the side. All of a sudden, they heard a loud roar coming from the outside, “Hui Gu, Ju Xian! This Monarch is here! Why haven’t you come out to greet me!?”
Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes, his eyes glinting with anticipation. [A big fish finally took the bait!]
Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch’s figure appeared inside the tree cave and cupped his fist, “Sir!”
“I know,” Yang Kai stood up slowly, “Who is here? How strong is he?”
Hui Gu replied, “The one who came is Shen Luo, also known as Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch. In terms of cultivation, he is a little weaker than me and Ju Xian, but not by much. Of course, he could never compare with you, Sir.”
Those words were not flattery. Having seen Yang Kai’s true strength, Hui Gu truly believed that nobody in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm could match up to Yang Kai. Only those in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm could suppress his monstrous strength.
“But, Shen Luo did not come alone. He brought many subordinates with him.”
There was a Spirit Array set up in this forest, which allowed him to observe the situation as long as another person entered its range.
“That’s perfect!” Yang Kai licked his lips and got to his feet, “I’ll leave the small fries to you. Shen Luo is mine.”
“Yes!” Hui Gu replied grimly.
Inside the Grand Array, the tall and bulky Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch shouted impatiently, “Hui Gu, Ju Xian, are you all deaf!? This Monarch came here on your invitation to discuss important matters! Why are you avoiding me!? What’s the meaning of this!?”
A Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master beside Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch furrowed his eyebrows deeply before whispering softly with a vigilant look on his face, “Sir, be careful. Something seems to be wrong here!”
Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch frowned at those words. He had not paid much attention earlier; after all, Hui Gu and Ju Xian were gathered here. Who would dare to be so blind as to cause trouble with two Sixth-Order Masters watching? Nevertheless, he immediately noticed that something was indeed wrong after being warned by his subordinate. This place seemed to be a little too quiet.
It wouldn’t have been strange if it was just Hui Gu as he didn’t have many subordinates in the first place. His only aid was Bai Mo, who was out delivering the messages; however, Ju Xian had quite a few subordinates under him.
[Why is there nobody around?] Just as that thought crossed Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch’s mind, two figures suddenly appeared in front of him with a whooshing sound.
He looked up and frowned before interrogating, “Hui Gu, what the Hell are you doing? Who is this guy? Where is Ju Xian?”
The unfamiliar young man looked down at him condescendingly. Those eyes contained an intriguing look that revealed a strong sense of aggression, which made Shen Luo feel very uncomfortable.
Hui Gu only said lightly, “Sorry!”
“What?” Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch was puzzled.
Yang Kai grinned at Shen Luo and answered, “Ju Xian is dead, but don’t worry, I’ll send you to meet him soon!”
Saying so, he suddenly appeared in front of Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch. They were so close that he was practically touching the Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch’s face.
Shocked, Shen Luo punched out on instinct. All the strength in his body was condensed in his fist and the World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master erupted out!
Yang Kai also punched out in defence.
There was a loud explosion. Following the shockwaves of World Force, Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch felt as though a storm had blasted through his Small Universe, causing it to rock and tumble uncontrollably while his entire being was violently thrown out.
“Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!?” His expression changed drastically, “Are you from the Cave-Heavens and Paradises!?”
There were only 20 or so Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Prison Star, and all of them at least knew each other even if there was no friendship between them. However, Shen Luo had never seen this young man in front of him before.
There was only one explanation for the current situation. This young man was not one of the criminals from the Prison Star but one of the participants from the Cave-Heavens and Paradises!
“Hui Gu, how dare you collude with the Cave-Heavens and Paradises to destroy us!?” Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch roared furiously.
Hui Gu lowered his eyes, “I had no choice. Shen Luo, it’s every man for himself.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Forget that nonsense! Eat my fist!”
Another punch blasted out, causing Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch to stagger backwards. After exchanging just two blows, he had gotten a rough estimate of Yang Kai’s heritage. The World Force of the other party’s Small Universe was much stronger than his own.
[Didn’t they say that all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters participating in the Dao Theory Assembly are newly advanced with less than 100 years of experience!? How can a newly-advanced brat have such overwhelming strength!? Just where did this shitty piece of information come from!?] While those thoughts ran through his mind, a barrage of fist shadows entered his vision. Shen Luo did not dare to underestimate these attacks and could only defend himself desperately.
*Hong hong hong…*
Explosions burst out one after another and his figure was steadily forced backwards. He was suppressed so badly that he could only defend himself without any ability to counterattack. When he turned to look at the side, he saw that the subordinates he brought with him were being indiscriminately bombarded with attacks from Hui Gu.
Although some of his subordinates were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, it was impossible for them to resist against an established Sixth-Order Master. It was only a matter of time before they lost the battle and died.
[I can’t continue staying in this treacherous place! Once Hui Gu frees up his hands, he will surely join together with this young man. I might not escape alive if it turns into a two-on-one battle!] Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch frantically punched out as soon as that thought crossed his mind. Ignoring the lives of his subordinates, he forced Yang Kai back before turning to flee.
“Trying to run?” Yang Kai shouted and Space Principles fluctuated madly, turning the surrounding space viscous. At the same time, he activated Near Distant Horizon and the space around Shen Luo stretched out infinitely.
They were both Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch would not be completely suppressed by Yang Kai’s Space Techniques, but even so, his speed was greatly affected.
An overwhelming sense of crisis loomed over Shen Luo from behind, and with no other choice, he could only turn around to defend himself.
A series of explosions rang out again as Shen Luo felt a heavy blow striking his Small Universe World with every clash. The impact made all the vitality in his body roil violently and he felt dizzy as a result.
When another punch was thrown at him, he pulled back and hurriedly retreated. He looked down and saw that all the bones in his fists were showing in a bloody mess. Moreover, he could not suppress the uncontrollable trembling in his arms.
On the opposite side, the young man looked at Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch calmly. His leisurely manner seemed to indicate that he had not even used his full strength yet.
Spirit Collector Heavenly Monarch felt his heart sinking at the sight! He had a vague feeling in his heart that things would end badly for him today!
“If that’s all the strength you have, then… please die!” While Yang Kai was speaking, he reached out and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear into his grip. Lifting his spear, he thrust it out wildly.
By the time Hui Gu finished dealing with the subordinates that Shen Luo brought and looked up, he saw that the latter was in critical danger. Spear shadows filled the sky and transformed into a violent storm that enveloped Shen Luo from above; moreover, his body was covered in wounds of all shapes and sizes that were bleeding profusely
Hui Gu’s eyes narrowed slightly. Even though he had already seen Yang Kai killing another Sixth-Order Heavenly Monarch before, witnessing the same scene all over again still gave him a huge shock.
It had to be said that Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were only one step away from entering the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. They were considered extremely powerful existences across the entire 3,000 Worlds. They could even serve as Outer Elders in the Cave-Heavens and Paradises. Even so, such Masters seemed completely helpless in front of Yang Kai.
Shen Luo was not weak, only slightly weaker than Ju Xian; however, even Ju Xian was not Yang Kai’s opponent, so how could Shen Luo possibly defeat Yang Kai?
Knowing that it was time to show his value, Hui Gu did not hesitate. He joined the battle with a flash of his figure and cooperated with Yang Kai to besiege Shen Luo.
Shen Luo’s complexion immediately turned ashen. He was already in a life-threatening predicament just facing Yang Kai, and it was only a matter of time before he lost the battle and subsequently his life. Now that Hui Gu had joined in, his situation was becoming worse and worse.
“Damn you, Hui Gu!”
The entire process only took about a quarter-hour in total. Following Yang Kai’s furious roar, the Azure Dragon Spear stabbed into Shen Luo’s head and caused it to explode. Fresh blood and brains splattered everywhere and a new headless corpse twitched violently before falling straight down.
A black light rushed out from Shen Luo’s wrist and plunged into Yang Kai’s golden wristband. Five new stars lit up instantly as Yang Kai looked down at his achievements and nodded in satisfaction.
Standing in front of Shen Luo’s corpse, Hui Gu stared at it silently with extremely complicated feelings. At this moment, he felt a little shaken. He was starting to doubt his own years of perseverance and cultivation.
The subordinates that Shen Luo brought had not been killed as Hui Gu had simply captured them alive and imprisoned them nearby. Yang Kai walked over and killed each person with a stab of his spear, gaining more achievements as a result. In this way, as many as 24 stars lit up the golden wristband.
“Clean up. I’m going back into retreat!” Yang Kai instructed as he put his spear away and returned to the tree cave.
Hui Gu silently cleaned up the battlefield. All traces of the battle here had to be removed completely, lest the next group of victims notice any clues that something was wrong. There was also the Spirit Array in the forest that needed to be repaired.
Lu Jing ran over to help. Fighting was not his forte, but something as trivial as this was well within his means.
Over the next two months, Yang Kai continued to linger in the tree cave. He refined Open Heaven Pills to enhance the heritage of his Small Universe while waiting for more fish to take the bait.
During this time, another three big fish were lured into the trap. These groups were all led by Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and every one of them gave Yang Kai a bountiful harvest. In addition, there were many small fish that came too. At this point, Hui Gu’s forest home had become a bottomless pit where not the slightest trickle would leak out despite how many people were devoured.
At this point though, fewer and fewer people appeared in the forest. It was hard to say whether the strangeness in this place had finally been detected and people were becoming wary or whether Bai Mo failed to contact more criminals to lure in.
In any case, Yang Kai was feeling pretty good about his situation. The Dao Theory Assembly was said to be held over a one-year period, and while only three months had passed so far, he had already obtained nearly 60 stars. Among these 60 stars, 5 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had contributed a total of 25. The rest of the stars were obtained from slaughtering those below the Sixth Order.
Even Lu Jing had managed to mooch off some of the achievements, filling up two stars on his golden wristband.
There were no more than 20 or so Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters throughout the entire Prison Star, but Yang Kai alone had annihilated 5 of them. It was an absolutely horrifying number. With such achievements, he was certain that nobody else could defeat him. It had to be said that 60 stars were equivalent to the lives of 60 Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters or 12 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Regardless of how hard the others tried, it was practically impossible for them to obtain greater achievements than him.
Be that as it may, one should always take precautions against all possibilities. Yang Kai had made such a bold declaration in front of Xu Ling Gong, so he could not afford to lose the Dao Theory Assembly. He secretly decided to wait in this place for another two months, and if no more big fish fell for the bait, then he would take the initiative to attack instead.
As time passed, the criminals who came to the dense forest steadily dwindled in numbers.
On a certain day, Yang Kai and the two others were cultivating in retreat inside the secluded home when Hui Gu suddenly opened his eyes. He seemed to have sensed something and cast a Secret Technique to investigate the situation. Then, he raised his eyebrows in surprise, “Sir, somebody is here!”
“Somebody finally came.” Yang Kai opened his eyes and cracked his neck to the side. Over the past half month, not even small fish had shown up. He was so bored that he was about to start growing mushrooms; therefore, he immediately became spirited when he heard that somebody had arrived. He turned to the side and asked, “How many people are there?”
“There’s only one person!” Hui Gu’s expression was a little strange, “Moreover…”
“Moreover, what?”
“Sir, are women allowed to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly? Wasn’t the Dao Theory Assembly for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to choose a Husband for one of its Core Female Disciples?”
“A woman?” Yang Kai was astonished, but he immediately recalled something. Standing up, he strode out of the tree cave and it didn’t take long before he appeared in front of that person. With a big laugh, he called out, “Junior Sister Gu? What are you doing here?”
Not far away, a petite figure holding a paintbrush in her hand was studying her surroundings vigilantly. When Gu Pan turned to look at him, she immediately looked stunned, “Senior Brother Yang? Why are you here?”
Then, she glanced at Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch standing beside him and her expression became even more confused than before.
“It’s a long story. Why don’t you come inside first?” Yang Kai beckoned to her. He had a vague guess when he heard Hui Gu saying that their visitor was a woman; after all, Gu Pan was the only woman who joined the Dao Theory Assembly. Sure enough, it turned out to be her when Yang Kai came out to check on the situation.
A short while later, both host and guest were seated. Hui Gu served them some tea before taking a seat behind Yang Kai and next to Lu Jing, his demeanour completely subservient.
Yang Kai then briefly explained Hui Gu’s identity.
Gu Pan nodded, “You made a wise move, Heavenly Monarch. If Senior Brother Yang can take the top spot in the assembly, he might be able to make a request to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and bring you out of the Prison Star.”
Hui Gu became excited when he heard those words, “Really!?”
He had originally been forced to sign the Loyalty List; thus, he surrendered himself to Yang Kai without thinking too much into the matter. Nevertheless, a great hope suddenly blazed in his heart upon hearing what Gu Pan just said. If he could leave the Prison Star, this miserable and barren land, then it would indeed be a wise move to submit to Yang Kai.
“I’ll do my best! I cannot say whether Yin-Yang Cave Heaven will agree to my request.” Yang Kai nodded lightly. [Hui Gu is restricted by the Loyalty List, so there is no need to worry about being betrayed by him. It should not be a problem if I discuss this matter with Xu Ling Gong when the time comes.]
“Many thanks, Sir! It’s enough as long as you have the intent!” Hui Gu said excitedly.
Gu Pan said, “Senior Brother Yang, your current achievements should be enough to put you way ahead of everybody else. As long as you can keep up your current rate of progress, it will not be difficult for you to win.”
The densely packed stars on Yang Kai’s golden wristband were visible at a glance; hence, she had noticed it as soon as she arrived.
“Junior Sister, your harvest isn’t bad either.” Yang Kai glanced at her fair wrist and smiled slightly.
Needless to say, her achievements could not compare to his, but even so, Gu Pan had obtained about a dozen stars of her own. These stars probably came from slaughtering criminals below the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Based on her situation, the others were probably in a similar situation.
“Why did you come here, Junior Sister?” Yang Kai asked, changing the subject.
Gu Pan replied, “I overheard some of the criminals saying that something was strange about this place. Many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had entered this forest only to disappear without a trace. So, I came to investigate the situation. I didn’t expect you to be here, Senior Brother Yang.”
It would now seem that all the Sixth-Order criminals who entered this place and vanished without a trace had been reduced to the stars on his wrist.
“Oh? Has the news spread out that far?” Yang Kai raised his brow upon hearing this. It was no wonder nobody came here recently. His actions must have been too glaring, which caused the criminals outside to become wary of this place. Thinking so, Yang Kai realized he couldn’t just sit around here anymore. The fish had been alerted to what’s going on, so there would be no more harvest. If he wanted more stars, he had to stop being passive and start attacking.
Having made up his mind, Yang Kai asked Gu Pan about Zhang Ruo Xi. He had not seen her ever since the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
He learned from Gu Pan that the Elders of Lang Ya Paradise had taken their disciples back to the Sect after the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. In addition, Zhang Ruo Xi was accepted by one of the Outer Elders as a Disciple and she was currently training hard to prepare for her future breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm.
Upon learning that Zhang Ruo Xi was doing well, Yang Kai felt very relieved.
She would not suffer any grievances with Gu Pan taking care of her in Lang Ya Paradise; furthermore, Lang Ya Paradise was one of the 72 Paradises with a strong heritage. The fact that Zhang Ruo Xi’s ancestor was a Lang Ya Paradise disciple also gave her a sense of belonging there, so staying was not a bad choice for her.
Yang Kai then chatted with Gu Pan for a little longer before she left.
The reason Gu Pan participated in the Dao Theory Assembly was not to win a bride, but rather because she was the only Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master that Lang Ya Paradise brought along on this trip. With no other choice, she participated as a way to train herself.
Yang Kai did not stop her from leaving. Since she was here for training, then it would be better for her to travel alone. Besides, she was a Lang Ya Paradise disciple, so her methods and cultivation were both extraordinary. Even if she encountered an enemy in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm on the Prison Star, she would have no trouble escaping even if she couldn’t defeat her opponent. Her life would be in no danger in this place.
When he saw her off outside the dense forest, she suddenly looked back and said, “Good luck, Senior Brother!”
He nodded, “Be careful.”
She nodded, “You too, Senior Brother. The criminals on the Prison Star… are heinous people. Every one of them has blood on their hands. Don’t trust them too much.”
He knew that she was warning him to be careful of Hui Gu. Unfortunately, it was inconvenient for him to explain, so he just smiled in response, “I know.”
“Also, I’ve heard rumours that the criminals on the Prison Star have recently established a force called Prison League. Most of the criminals have joined Prison League to hunt and kill the cultivators participating in the Dao Theory Assembly. Many people have already died at their hands, so don’t be careless if you meet them, Senior Brother. There are many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Prison League and they are not people who newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like us can resist.”
“Prison League?” Yang Kai raised his brow, the news immediately piquing his interest.