“What is the meaning of this!?” Lin Feng looked around with an ugly expression.
“Senior Brother Lin, please stay out of this!” The young man confronting him quickly said, “Otherwise, this Junior Brother will be very troubled.”
Like Lin Feng, he was a Core Disciple from one of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. As an existence who also advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, his strength was on par with Lin Feng’s; hence, they would be evenly matched if it came down to a fight. Neither could defeat the other. Moreover, their actions would simply harm the peace between them.
It was not just Lin Feng. Ning Dao Ran and Gu Pan were in similar situations. Only Yang Kai and Hui Gu were each facing two newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on their own.
Upon seeing this situation, how could Lin Feng not know what Zhao Xing and the others were planning?
Hui Gu was a veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The cultivators who came to intercept them knew that they were not his opponents on their own; therefore, they assigned two people to stop him
On the other hand, there were also two people surrounding Yang Kai…
It would seem that the real target of Zhao Xing and the others was Yang Kai. They were all newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with less than 100 years of experience, so it was impossible for Yang Kai to come out on top in a two-on-one battle. As long as they eliminated Yang Kai, Zhao Xing and the other guy would be free to assist in getting rid of Hui Gu. Even Hui Gu would be in danger if he had to face four enemies at once.
As for Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran, and Gu Pan… Lin Feng was not worried. With their forces behind them, Zhao Xing and the others would never kill them unless they wanted to start a war between their respective Sects.
But… were two trivial newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters enough to defeat Yang Kai?
Zhao Xing turned to look at Lin Feng, “Brother Lin, please don’t be impatient. Just wait by the side for a bit. This Zhao will apologise to you after finishing up here!”
“You don’t understand anything.” Lin Feng slowly shook his head, “Stop doing something pointless. Let’s end this incident here.”
Yang Kai was a master of the Dao of Space, so such obstructions were simply child’s play to him. The truth was that he was perfectly capable of escaping at any time. Unfortunately, Zhao Xing and the others were completely oblivious to that fact and foolishly believed that victory was within their grasp.
Zhao Xing replied, “Brother Lin, please have some self-respect! Don’t harm the relationship between us fellow brothers!” After saying that, he turned to look at Yang Kai and smiled, “Thousand Cranes Paradise Zhao Xing!”
The other young man with a jade-like appearance also bowed his head and introduced himself, “Huang An Yi of Pure Yang Cave Heaven!”
Yang Kai looked at them with an indifferent and expressionless look on his face.
Zhao Xing continued smiling as he asked, “Are you going to kill yourself, or do you want Senior Brother Huang and I to kill you instead? If you choose to kill yourself, you can choose a comfortable way to die. You will get to keep a whole corpse and I guarantee that your body will be brought back and delivered to Void Land for burial. But, if Senior Brother Huang and I take action, I cannot guarantee how much of your corpse will be left.”
Huang An Yi followed up, “I do not wish to attack you either, not unless there is no other choice. We might all be Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but we are from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It will be bad for our reputation if word spreads that we killed you in a two-on-one fight. It’s a pity…”
He glanced at the stars on Yang Kai’s wrist and slowly shook his head, “The tree which rises too far above the forest is bound to be destroyed by the wind!”
“Hah!” Yang Kai looked up at the sky and let out a soft sigh. His expression seemed rather annoyed, “How irritating!”
Zhao Xing and Huang An Yi were stunned to hear those words. Zhao Xing laughed, “You’re right. There are certainly many troublesome matters in the world. Grievances, fame, and fortune entangle people’s hearts. Only death will liberate you from them. Since you’ve already understood this point, then why do you still hesitate? Do you want to force Senior Brother Huang and I to take action?”
“You are seriously annoying!” Yang Kai lowered his head and furrowed his brow deeply, looking bitter and resentful.
Zhao Xing’s expression darkened slightly, “Yang Kai, don’t refuse our kindness and force our hand. We are being considerate of your identity as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which is why we don’t want to make things too difficult for you. Don’t sully the magnanimity that Senior Brother Huang and I are showing you. Kill yourself quickly; otherwise, Senior Brother Huang and I will be taking action.”
“You’re all so damn annoying!” Yang Kai let out a low growl. Abruptly stepping forward, he suddenly lifted his lowered head and a horrifying light burst out of his eyes, almost as blinding as two suns. He looked very aggressive and at the same time, an indescribable hostility mixed with murderous intent poured out of him, “I never wanted to make things difficult for you people from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. So why must you force me?”
Zhao Xing’s expression changed slightly as he shouted through gritted teeth, “Stubborn fool! Attack!”
As soon as those words left his mouth, he took the lead and charged towards Yang Kai. Huang An Yi did not hesitate either and quickly followed Zhao Xing’s example. They might come from different Sects, but their cultivations were both equally profound. At this moment, they cooperated flawlessly. Their figures were like two spinning tops as they crossed and flowed around each other. One person slammed a palm out while the other blasted out with a punch. The World Force of two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters surged from their attacks and loomed down upon Yang Kai.
Their attacks were merciless, showing their ruthless intent to kill. The truth was that they could not afford to hold back either. It had not been long since their advancement, so they were not too familiar with controlling their strength; as a result, whenever they attacked, they could only attack with all their strength.
Yang Kai let out a low roar and the power of his Small Universe erupted. Both his hands turned into a barrage of fist shadows that flew into the sky to meet their attacks.
*Hong hong hong…*
World Force collided and exploded into turmoil. Even with the suppression of the Prison Star Grand Array, the surrounding space shattered like a broken mirror. One could only imagine how much more violent the situation would be without the suppression of the Grand Array.
Immediately after that, two figures were sent flying backwards like paper kites while simultaneously coughing up blood in mid-air.
All but one present was shocked by the sight! Staring blankly at the two people who had been sent flying, they wondered if there was something wrong with their eyes. They originally thought that the cooperation between Zhao Xing and Huang An Yi was bound to defeat Yang Kai.
After all, everybody had only just advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nobody should be much stronger than the other. If two people joined forces, then it was impossible for a lone person to be their opponent. However, reality turned out to be very difficult for them to accept. The ones who were sent flying and spitting up blood turned out to be Zhao Xing and Huang An Yi instead!
Lin Feng’s eyes bulged while Gu Pan and Ning Dao Ran stared in shock!
Only Hui Gu, who was stuck between two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, seemed to have expected this outcome and slowly shook his head, “The young and ignorant are truly fearless!”
He had personally witnessed how Yang Kai killed Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch. Even a veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Giant Clam Heavenly Monarch had failed to last more than a few breaths against Yang Kai before dying miserably; therefore, he simply could not understand where these young and newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises got their confidence to attack this freak. Were they just sick of living?
It was precisely because Hui Gu had already anticipated this outcome that he had not been worried seeing Yang Kai being besieged by two newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“How… is this possible!?” Zhao Xing looked absolutely shocked. Blood spurted out of his mouth and the Small Universe in his body shook violently. Just now, he had exchanged hundreds of blows with Yang Kai, and he had suffered a loss every single time. Moreover, his Small Universe had suffered a heavy shock with every single blow.
There was only one possibility for such an outcome to occur, the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe was vastly superior to his own. That was the only reason for such a one-sided outcome.
A veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yellow Spring Heavenly Monarch might have been able to achieve an effect to this level, but Yang Kai… he had only advanced to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm recently. Moreover, Yang Kai’s time since his advancement should be shorter than his own since Zhao Xing had at least ten years since he broke through.
Before the thought finished forming in Zhao Xing’s head, he felt his vision going hazy for a moment. Then, he looked up and felt his soul nearly leap out from his body. Yang Kai had appeared right in front of him at some point. They were so close that their faces were practically touching.
“Why… must you force me!?” Scorching hot air blew out of Yang Kai’s nostrils.
“You…” Zhao Xing’s pupils contracted to the size of a needle. Without the slightest hesitation, he threw a punch in Yang Kai’s direction with all his strength. Unfortunately, the exchange just now had thrown his Small Universe into turmoil. Not only was he completely powerless to attack at this moment, but he could barely even draw out any World Force from his Small Universe.
*Pa…*
Yang Kai grabbed Zhao Xing by the fist. Standing in front of Zhao Xing, he shouted fiercely, “Are you going to continue forcing me!?”
While speaking, he punched forward and hit Zhao Xing squarely in the chest.
*Kacha…*
The sound of Zhao Xing’s ribs breaking echoed through the air. The clothes on his back exploded apart and a portion of his back bulged outward. The flow of blood coming out of his mouth became increasingly heavy as stars danced in his vision. It felt as though an extremely brutal force had slammed right into his Small Universe and nearly shaken it apart.
[I’m not his opponent! I’m not his opponent at all!] Zhao Xing started to panic. The heritage of the other party’s Small Universe was countless times stronger than his own, and if things continue at this rate, he would surely die!
Raising his hand, he beckoned at something behind Yang Kai.
“I guess you won’t regret your actions unless you see your coffin. If that’s the case, I will show you what true terror means! I will show you what real strength is!” Yang Kai’s fists transformed into a flurry of fist shadows that slammed into Zhao Xing’s chest.
Zhao Xing’s hand remained held high in the air as he shouted at Huang An Yi, who stood dumbfounded behind Yang Kai, “Save… Save me!”
“Brother Yang, show mercy!” Lin Feng shouted, his expression changing drastically.
Ning Dao Ran also came back to his senses and hurriedly yelled, “Brother Yang, don’t be impulsive!”
Everything had happened too quickly. They initially thought that Yang Kai would have no choice but to flee with Zhao Xing and Huang An Yi teaming up against him. Who could have known that he would simply crush them in a head on clash? With just a few kicks and punches, Yang Kai had already completely destroyed his two opponents’ ability to resist, which was why it took them some time to recover from their shock.
Seeing that the situation was turning dire, they quickly began shouting to stop Yang Kai.
Zhao Xing was a Core Disciple of Thousand Cranes Paradise, so his status was equal to their own. There would be huge trouble if Yang Kai killed him here; after all, the murder of a Paradise’s Core Disciple would surely cause huge consequences and great upheaval.
Yang Kai stopped, his scalding fists raised before him. His expression was fierce and brutal. When he looked behind him, he saw Huang An Yi looking pale with shock. Then, he glanced at Zhao Xing’s raised arm and quietly asked, “You were asking for help? You should have said so sooner, I thought you were still trying to fight back!”
*Pu…*
Zhao Xing vomited up blood and his aura weakened abruptly.
“Pathetic weakling!” Yang Kai cast a sideways glance at Zhao Xing and slowly drifted backwards before lowering his head to look at his fists with a sorrowful expression, “This is all so annoying!”
[I’ve created another grudge with somebody else again.] Back then, Yang Kai had been forced into a corner and had no choice but to break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in front of the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. His actions finally allowed him to escape the eyes of the Cave Heavens and Paradises that had been targeting him. But now, he had thrashed a Core Disciple from Thousand Cranes Paradise, which would probably generate a new grudge.
Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling deeply distressed. He hadn’t wanted to make a move against anybody, but there was always somebody forcing his hand.
The newly advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who flew over to kill Yang Kai were all frozen in shock. They made a foolproof plan before they departed. Three people were assigned to stop Lin Feng Gu Pan, Ning Dao Ran, and Gu Pan, while two others were assigned to suppress Hui Gu.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing and Huang An Yi were tasked with dealing with Yang Kai. Once they killed Yang Kai, they would then kill Hui Gu. Once they were done, they would successfully complete their mission. Afterwards, they planned to find a hiding place to conceal themselves for the next three months until the Dao Theory Assembly ended.
It was just that the situation in front of them right now was completely different from what they had imagined and they were at a loss for what to do.
“Move!” Lin Feng shoved the sluggish young man blocking his way aside and rushed over to Zhao Xing. He helped Zhao Xing up and reached out to examine his aura quickly before his expression changed drastically.
Ning Dao Ran also came over hurriedly and asked nervously, “How is he?”
Lin Feng’s expression was grim as he swiftly took out a bottle of Spirit Pills. He opened the bottle and pried Zhao Xing’s mouth open before pouring the entire bottle into his mouth. Be that as it may, blood continued to gush out of Zhao Xing’s mouth. He couldn’t even swallow the Spirit Pills. Lin Feng tried multiple times, but his attempts were all unsuccessful.
All of a sudden, Zhao Xing’s turbid eyes shone with a horrifying light. He grabbed Lin Feng by the arm and sputtered, “Avenge… me!”
After saying that, something seemed to escape his body rapidly. His body might not have changed much, but the scene resembled a balloon that had been popped.
A dense World Force swept throughout their surroundings! All the rest of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises turned pale at the sight.
“His Small Universe collapsed…” Not far away, Huang An Yi murmured in a daze.
They might not have witnessed something like this before, but that did not stop them from recognising the phenomenon. The Small Universe in Zhao Xing’s body had collapsed. That was the only reason for this phenomenon where the World Force had dissipated so violently to occur. Since the root of an Open Heaven Realm Master lay in their Small Universe, the only ending following its collapse… was death!
The escaping World Force slowly calmed down. When they looked over again, Zhao Xing was completely devoid of life. His two eyes were glaring forward furiously. Embers of hatred remained burning in his pale orbs, seemingly not yet extinguished.
Zhao Xing had died! A Core Disciple of Thousand Cranes Paradise, Zhao Xing, was dead! In a direct clash with Yang Kai, it had taken less than a dozen breaths for him to be beaten so badly that his Small Universe collapsed and he died!
Lin Feng and Ning Dao Ran looked at each other and saw the deep worry in each other’s eyes.
Even Yang Kai was stunned. He never imagined that the other party would be so weak as to succumb to a few punches. It was not like he had planned to kill anybody, but it seemed he used a little too much strength…
In reality, since his advancement into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm until now, Yang Kai had fought many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but all of them had been veterans like Mao Zhe and Ju Xian, so their Small Universes were far more robust. They might be no match for him, but they could still exchange a few hundred blows with him at least.
[Are all newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters… so weak?] Upon further consideration, Yang Kai realised that the Small Universes in the bodies of these newly-advanced Open Heaven Realm Master weren’t even stable yet, so it was certainly easy for them to collapse under a violent bombardment.
This was all a big accident, but now that things had reached this point… Yang Kai’s gaze turned solemn as he shot a look at Hui Gu.
Hui Gu immediately felt his heart clench at the sight as he understood Yang Kai’s intentions. He wanted to silence all the witnesses!
Lin Feng immediately noticed the spike in Yang Kai’s murderous intent. Seeing the look on Yang Kai’s, his expression changed drastically and he shouted to the crowd, “Why are you still standing there!?”
Ning Dao Ran also quickly reacted. Still in a state of shock, he stood in front of Yang Kai and blocked his sight while shouting, “Brother Yang, please calm yourself!”
“Move!” Yang Kai glared at Ning Dao Ran aggressively.
A faint sheen of sweat oozed out of Ning Dao Ran’s forehead, but he did not budge as he earnestly said, “Brother Yang, don’t be impulsive. If you really do this, then everything will be over!”
The newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters around them were still in a state of shock after witnessing Zhao Xing’s death. None of them could recover so quickly.
Lin Feng was both furious and anxious as he yelled, “Do you all want to die!? Why are you still standing there!?” While speaking, he tossed Zhao Xing’s Corpse at Huang An Yi and urged them desperately, “Scram!”
Huang An Yi hurriedly caught Zhao Xing’s corpse and finally returned to his senses as he felt Yang Kai’s murderous intent locked firmly onto him. It was difficult not to notice; hence, his expression changed immediately. Carrying Zhao Xing’s corpse in his arms, he hurriedly escaped.
Only then did the rest of the newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters snap back to the present, each of them transforming into a stream of light that swiftly escaped.
Lin Feng stood up and walked over to Yang Kai. Stopping next to Ning Dao Ran, he stared straight into Yang Kai’s eyes and declared, “Brother Yang, if you really wish to silence the witnesses, then please start with Brother Ning and I. Rest assured, we will not resist. Since we left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, we have both owed you our lives. We will just be repaying our life debt to you.”
Yang Kai glared at Lin Feng coldly as the latter returned his stare without revealing any weaknesses.
After a while, Yang Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. By the time he opened his eyes again, the sharp light in them had faded and only a sea of warmth remained. Smiling, he shook his head and spoke, “What nonsense are you two thinking?”
Lin Feng breathed out a sigh of relief, “I’m glad you reconsidered.”
While Lin Feng looked calm, he could still feel cold sweat dripping down his back. Judging from the way Yang Kai killed Zhao Xing just now, both he and Ning Dao Ran would definitely not be able to stop Yang Kai even if they worked together.
Lin Feng sighed once more before speaking earnestly, “Please don’t blame us. We were only acting in your best interests. Killing Zhao Xing might not be a trivial matter, but there could still be room for manoeuvre if he is the only one. On the other hand, there will be no going back if you actually slaughtered the rest.”
“I know,” Yang Kai nodded lightly. Xu Ling Gong had announced that deaths would not be questioned during the Dao Theory Assembly and that there was to be no resentment no matter who died on the Prison Star. Be that as it may, those words were mere words. If any of the Cave Heavens and Paradises Core Disciples were to die, the great forces behind them would never let the matter go.
Zhao Xing was a Core Disciple of Thousand Cranes Paradise and a genius who advanced directly to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Given enough time, he could have become one of the pillars of Thousand Cranes Paradise; however, he died at Yang Kai’s hands. The grudge that formed between them was bound to run deep.
This was an accident as Yang Kai never intended to kill Zhao Xing, but what was done was done.
Yang Kai looked down at his wrist and saw nearly 80 stars. He originally had close to 70 stars while Zhao Xing had approximately 30. Following Zhao Xing’s death, his achievements had been transferred to the others who were close by. Yang Kai was not the only person standing next to Zhao Xing earlier, so both Lin Feng and Ning Dao Ran gained an equal share.
Such great achievements would basically guarantee Yang Kai the top spot in the Dao Theory Assembly; hence, there was nothing else he needed to do now. All that was left was to sit back and wait.
“Let’s go,” Yang Kai composed his emotions and gathered the others.
Killing Zhao Xing might have been an accident, but he was destined to have a feud with Thousand Cranes Paradise now. He could not imagine how powerful the heritage of a Paradise would be; however, it was a little crazy to think that he could stop them with his current cultivation as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
[Strength! I need even greater strength!] Unfortunately, what Yang Kai needed at his level of cultivation in order to get stronger was time. Refining Open Heaven Pills and resources of various Orders all required great amounts of time. He couldn’t accomplish much overnight.
The hidden place Gu Pan mentioned was located in the middle of a mountain range. There was a hidden cave at the foot of a certain mountain, one that was almost impossible to notice unless one was searching carefully.
After entering the cave and walking for several kilometres, they arrived at a kind of utopia. The scenery in this place was extremely beautiful and peaceful; therefore, they settled in and quietly waited for the Dao Theory Assembly to end.
As time passed, Yang Kai and the others would occasionally gather together to drink tea or discuss the Dao or exchange various Secret Techniques. Regardless of the changes in the outside world, they lived in peace.
They were all newly-advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so it was only natural that they had many common topics to discuss. Besides, exchanging their respective cultivation experiences allowed everybody to gain something from each other.
Hui Gu was a veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and the amount of time he spent in this Realm was several times longer than the rest of them combined, so he naturally had far more say when it came to matters of cultivation in this Realm. His occasional guidance would also give Yang Kai and the others flashes of inspiration.
Although Yang Kai was much stronger than Lin Feng and the others, they came from various Cave Heavens and Paradises; hence, they had come into contact with many things that he had never heard of before. Yang Kai learned many interesting things over the months of their interaction.
On a certain day, the people chatting away happily suddenly stiffened in surprise and looked down at their golden wristbands. A distinct wave of Spiritual Energy was now pulsing from these wristbands.
They lowered their heads to perceive the phenomenon and immediately realized they had received a Divine Sense message.
“The Dao Theory Assembly is finally ending.” Lin Feng slowly got to his feet, “There’s another half a month’s time before the exit opens, but we should start making preparations.”
Needless to say, nobody had any objections. As there was nothing to pack, they simply prepared to set off on their journey a short while later.
Hui Gu sent them off as he had no way to follow them on this trip since he was still considered a Prison Star criminal. Nevertheless, he had written his name down on the Loyalty List so he believed that Yang Kai would not ignore him.
“Wait here for a while. I will talk to the people of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven later to negotiate your freedom,” Yang Kai instructed.
“I will obey your orders, Sir!” Hui Gu responded with a bow.
Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran, and Gu Pan watched quietly from the side. If they had not witnessed Yang Kai’s strength for themselves, it would have been difficult for them to understand why a veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would be so obedient towards him.
At first, they believed that Hui Gu had struck up a deal with Yang Kai to cooperate with each other in exchange for something. It was not until later that they realised the truth. These two had a Master-Servant relationship between them.
“Let’s go,” Yang Kai called out. Wrapping his energy around Lu Jing before he rose into the sky.
Su Ying Xue mentioned that the Prison Star Grand Array’s exit would open once more when the one-year period was up. Moreover, the location of the exit was specified in the Divine Sense Message from earlier. For that reason, what they needed to do was to rush to the location and arrive within the time limit.
They set off half a month in advance, so there was no urgency in terms of time. As they soared across the sky, the small group saw some of the cultivators participating in the Dao Theory Assembly flying out from their hiding places to follow behind them.
These participating cultivators had remained in hiding all this while, probably to avoid Prison League’s hunt. It was only natural for them to quickly follow along when they noticed several Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters leading the way forward. Joining this powerful group would give them a sense of security; otherwise, they basically had no power to resist if they encountered the Prison League along the way.
Yang Kai and the others ignored these people since they were only following at a distance and did not dare to approach too closely.
More than ten days later, Yang Kai’s group finally arrived at the specified location. There was a large rock that had been cut smooth to form something similar to a platform there and it seemed the exit would appear above it.
It was just that there was not a single person around at a glance. However, it was revealed that many people were hiding nearby when they scanned the area. It was obvious that many people had arrived in advance, but they did not dare to reveal themselves easily, choosing to remain in hiding.
Yang Kai and the others landed directly on the platform. Then, they each found a spot and sat down cross-legged. Their arrival could be considered early; after all, there were still three days left until the return passage opened.
As time passed, more and more cultivators arrived, most of them in small groups that simply decided to wait nearby. Meanwhile, the cultivators who came early and concealed their presences gradually revealed themselves.
At first, Yang Kai was vigilant as to whether the Prison League would make a move, but in the end and to his surprise, they did not show up. Even Huang An Yi and the rest were nowhere to be seen. There was no saying where they were hiding.
Three days later, the entire Prison Star rumbled noticeably. Everybody looked up to see a rainbow bridge swiftly spreading out across the sky. One end of the rainbow bridge connected to the depths of the void while the other end extended above the platform.
Yang Kai, Lin Feng, and the others glanced at each other and nodded lightly.
“It’s finally over,” Yang Kai stood up and, bringing Lu Jing with him, he was the first to step onto the rainbow bridge. Just like when he was first transported into the Prison Star, he immediately felt the world spinning around him. His vision distorted and changed rapidly, and by the time he recovered, he had already appeared in the palace square where he first departed from.
There were a dozen or so chairs lined up on the stage above the palace square. Moreover, there was a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises sitting in each chair. The one sitting in the centre was none other than Xu Ling Gong.
“Oh?” Xu Ling Gong couldn’t help looking surprised to see that the first person to return was Yang Kai. Although being the first to return did not represent anything, being the first to step on the rainbow bridge, under those circumstances, was undoubtedly a symbol of strength.
[This brat’s performance… seems to be rather unexpected!] Xu Ling Gong nodded lightly. Speaking of which, he might have forced Yang Kai to enter the Dao Theory Assembly, but he had not expected much from him. He simply did not want to wrong his own Disciple. Qu Hua Shang was a Core Disciple who advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all. Even if she married somewhere else, she had to marry a young handsome man whose aptitude was equal to hers. How could those old men whose lifetime limit was the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm dare to covet her?
The purpose of making special arrangements for Yang Kai was to disrupt the plans of the other Cave Heavens and Paradises. Xu Ling Gong wanted to force them into a position where they had to dispatch their Core Disciples to participate in the event, and his plan had worked perfectly. After those rising stars participated in the event, the level and quality of the Dao Theory Assembly immediately increased by a large margin. At the same time, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s pride was also protected.
The only thing that remained uncertain was who would win the top spot in this event!
Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran, and Gu Pan emerged closely behind Yang Kai. Afterwards, numerous figures appeared. They were all cultivators who participated in the Dao Theory Assembly. Soon, the square was filled with people.
Divine Senses surged as the Elders of the great forces quietly questioned their Juniors about the results of this event and whether or not their Juniors sustained any injuries…
On the other hand, the Elders whose Juniors and disciples did not appear couldn’t help feeling anxious and worried. The Prison Star was not a forgiving place, and every single criminal locked up inside was heinous and evil. If anything were to happen in that place, the outcome would most likely be death.
For the next hour, more than 100 people gathered in the square. At this point, the number of cultivators returning from the Prison Star had obviously reduced to an infrequent trickle. There was even a long period where not a single person came back.
Many Elders who led their disciples here became increasingly solemn. If their Juniors failed to appear after so long, then it could only mean that they were dead. The manner in which the Dao Theory Assembly was conducted had been completely out of their expectations. If they had known that the Dao Theory Assembly would be held on the Prison Star, they would never have brought their Juniors here. It was a pity that Xu Ling Gong’s last-moment changes to the Dao Theory Assembly were something that nobody could have predicted.
Not only were many of the Elders of the Second-Class great forces who led their teams here looking grim, but even the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters sitting in the dozen or so chairs above the square were starting to look solemn. This couldn’t be helped though as out of more than dozen or so Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, only three had come out so far. The others were nowhere to be seen.
[This doesn’t make any sense!] Xu Ling Gong maintained a smile on the surface, but his heart was pounding like a beating drum inside.
He had mentioned that the Dao Theory Assembly was not a game and that the participants would be responsible for their own lives. Nevertheless, he would be held partially responsible for this incident due to his position as the organiser of the Dao Theory Assembly if so many Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had lost their lives on the Prison Star.
Just as he was hesitating over whether to send Su Ying Xue to question Yang Kai about the situation in the Prison Star, the rainbow bridge connecting to the Prison Star suddenly fluctuated again.
Xu Ling Gong was stunned by the sight! This phenomenon could only mean that somebody was returning from the Prison Star. In addition, there were quite a number of them.
In the next moment, numerous figures appeared in the square, as many as 100 of them in total.
Most of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were filled with a slight sense of relief and their nerves finally relaxed when they saw their Core Disciples.
On the contrary, one of them stood up abruptly. His eyes widened as he looked down with an expression of disbelief. Then, he rushed into the crowd with a shift of his figure. The aura of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master spread out unchecked and the participating cultivators who just returned were immediately pushed off-balance by the impact. Those who were slightly weaker went pale and blood leaked out of the corner of their mouths.
“Martial Uncle Zuo…” Huang An Yi called out sorrowfully. The elderly man in front of him was somebody he recognised as an Inner Elder of Thousand Cranes Paradise, as well as Zhao Xing’s Honoured Master.
Zuo Quan Hui stared blankly at the corpse in Huang An Yi’s arms, and after reaching out to check for Zhao Xing’s aura, his body trembled slightly and his slightly short figure seemed to droop considerably.
“Who did this?” Although he asked lightly, Huang An Yi could sense the suppressed rage in Zuo Quan Hui’s voice. It felt like a volcano that was about to erupt was hidden in his chest.
“Void Land’s Yang Kai!” Huang An Yi pointed out Yang Kai in the crowd.
Zuo Quan Hui abruptly turned around, his eyes crimson. Like a wild beast that was about to devour its prey, his gaze crossed over the crowd to fix fiercely upon Yang Kai’s body. His gaze was so sharp that he could almost slice through space all by itself.
“Die!” Without any hesitation, he reached out his hand towards Yang Kai and roared.
Following a violent surge of the World Force, Huang An Yi, who had been standing beside Zuo Quan Hui, went pale with fright and was sent flying from the fallout.
Faced with the furious assault of a veteran Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yang Kai simply stood there indifferently and did not bother to move a single muscle.
In contrast, Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran, and Gu Pan swiftly came to stand in front of Yang Kai, surging their respective strength as they pushed their palms forward.
Lin Feng shouted, “Senior, please calm down!”
“Get out of my way, Juniors!” Zuo Quan Hui roared furiously. World Force flared and at the same time, he slammed his palm at Lin Feng and the others once each. His actions were as quick as lightning, but fortunately he was not completely blinded by his rage. His attacks might be overpowering but they were not meant to kill Lin Feng and the others.
*Hong hong hong…*
Lin Feng and the others quickly retreated backwards, their complexions deathly pale.
After repelling Lin Feng and the others, Zuo Quan Hui’s moves became much more violent. He reached out his large hand, like a claw that covered the entire sky.
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Yang Kai.
“This is Yin-Yang Cave Heaven…” Xu Ling Gong stood there like a mountain, his clothes flapping wildly as his hair that was tied behind his head flew about. He lightly clenched one fist and slowly pushed it out, “Why are you acting so presumptuously?”
*Hong…*
There was a loud explosion and Xu Ling Gong’s figure slumped slightly. On the other hand, Zuo Quan Hui was forced several metres back through the air. Both were Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who had advanced many years ago, so the difference in their strength was not very apparent. This exchange of blows had ended in a draw.
Zuo Quan Hui felt his rage surging. His most precious and prized Legacy Disciple had been killed; hence, his eyes were dyed red with rage. Even though Xu Ling Gong blocked his charge, he continued forward recklessly only to be stopped by Xu Ling Gong once more.
On the other hand, the Elders of Lin Feng and the other two received Divine Sense Messages from their Juniors. Although they were not certain about the exact situation inside the Prison Star, they could tell that these three were connected to Zhao Xing’s death. What’s more, the fact that Lin Feng and the others had stood up to stop Zuo Quan Hui made it difficult for them to remain on the sidelines.
Three Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters leaped forward and worked together with Xu Ling Gong to stop Zuo Quan Hui. One of them said, “Brother Zuo, calm down. Don’t embarrass yourself in front of the Juniors.”
“That’s right. Brother Zuo, stop for a moment. It’s not too late to act after getting the full story!”
Zuo Quan Hui was in a four-against-one situation, so how could he win? His several attempts were fruitless, so he was so furious that he roared. All of a sudden, his hostile gaze swept over Xu Ling Gong and the other three, “Are you all really going to stop me?”
Xu Ling Gong quickly said, “It is not that this Old Master wants to stop you, but rather that you are acting too outrageously! Don’t forget, this is Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, not Thousand Cranes Paradise!”
Zuo Quan Hui pointed at Yang Kai standing at the back, “That little bastard killed my Disciple!”
Xu Ling Gong snorted, “One is responsible for their own life during the Dao Theory Assembly! You should have been mentally prepared for Zhao Xing to be killed when you let him join!”
“Stop being a hypocrite! If your Disciple had been killed instead, you would not be spouting such nonsense!”
Xu Ling Gong replied,” My Disciple would not be such a waste!”
“You…” Zuo Quan Hui felt his rage ready to explode. The blood in his chest churned and a sweetness filled his throat, nearly causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood, “Xu Ling Gong, hand that brat to me and this Zuo will owe you a favour!”
Xu Ling Gong glanced back at Yang Kai, while Yang Kai just grinned back at him, looking so calm that it made his stomach sick. [Damn it! Isn’t this brat too good at causing trouble!? How could he dare to kill a Core Disciple of Thousand Cranes Paradise!? Who gave him the courage!? If you’re going to kill him, then you should have made sure it couldn’t be traced back to you! Don’t let somebody catch hold of your weakness! This matter just had to be exposed here…]
For a time, Xu Ling Gong was not sure whether arranging for Yang Kai to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly had been worth it now. Still, he turned back and declared, “He came to participate in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Dao Theory Assembly. His actions are within the rules of the Dao Theory Assembly, so Yin-Yang Cave Heaven will bear responsibility for the consequences!”
“You want to protect him, still?” Zuo Quan Hui shouted.
Xu Ling Gong glared at Zuo Quan Hui coldly, “You can’t touch him!”
Four eyes met as vague sparks filled the air.
After a long while, Zuo Quan Hui finally nodded, “Good. Let’s see how long you can protect him for then! I will remember this, boy. Sooner or later, this Monarch will twist your head off!”
While speaking, he came to Huang An Yi’s side and took Zhao Xing’s corpse with trembling hands. Following that, he soared into the sky and left. It was obvious that he did not wish to stay here for another moment longer.
Zuo Quan Hui’s Legacy Disciple had been killed, he had completely fallen out with Xu Ling Gong just now, and he was unable to kill his enemy who was right in front of him. It was no surprise that he was in no mood to stay.
Xu Ling Gong did not stop Zuo Quan Hui and simply watched until his figure disappeared out of sight before he coldly snorted, “Continue!”
With a leap of his figure, he returned to his seat. Likewise, the Elders of Lin Feng and the others also returned to their seats upon seeing that the situation had calmed down.
On the other hand, many participating cultivators in the palace square were looking at Yang Kai in horror. They might not have known what happened before, but how could they remain ignorant now? It turned out that Zhao Xing of Thousand Cranes Paradise had been killed.
Void Land’s Yang Kai… How could he be so bold?
Even the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters sitting on the stage were looking at Yang Kai with displeasure. Zhao Xing might be a member of Thousand Cranes Paradise, but throughout history, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had always been staunch allies. If Yang Kai dared to kill Zhao Xing, then it meant that he dared to kill anyone. It was only natural that they found a person like that displeasing.
Ignoring all the strange looks from the crowd, Yang Kai continued to stand there motionlessly.
Lin Feng and the other two approached him once more while Ning Dao Ran sent him a Divine Sense Message, “Brother Yang, you must be careful in the future. Zuo Quan Hui is Zhao Xing’s Honoured Master and he will never let this matter go.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “I know.”
It was precisely because of this that he wanted to silence the witnesses to his crime back then, but judging from the current situation, he might not have been able to kill every single one of them even if he attacked them at the time. These Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters all had their respective methods to protect themselves, so they were not that easy to kill and news would have leaked out eventually. Acting rashly would only have caused feuds with even more of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Following the return of those 100 or so people, the rainbow bridge became quiet once more.
Nobody else returned after that.
As a result, Elder Zhuo Bu Qun of Myriad Demons Heaven, Elder Yu Huan of Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, and Elder Lu Zhen Yang of Azure Nether Paradise looked very solemn.
This couldn’t be helped as more than a dozen Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had participated in the Dao Theory Assembly. Excluding Zhao Xing who was killed, all the others had basically returned except for the disciples of these three Sects.
The situation with Myriad Demons Heaven was not too bad as the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm disciple known as Mo Sheng had returned from the Prison Star and was currently standing quietly among the crowd.
Zhuo Bu Qun secretly sent a transmission and questioned Mo Sheng about the situation. Then, his expression became even more gloomy. He learned from Mo Sheng that Pei Wen Xuan and Yin Xin Zhao had been ambushed by many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Prison League and their fate was uncertain. Meanwhile, Mo Sheng was lucky enough to escape alive.
After waiting for another half an hour, Zhuo Bu Qun and the others could no longer sit still when they saw that nobody else was returning. The three of them pressured Xu Ling Gong to allow them to enter the Prison Star in person so that they could search for traces of Pei Wen Xuan, Yin Xin Zhao, and the others.
Xu Ling Gong reassured them repeatedly, all while murmuring to himself in his heart, [Those bastards on the Prison Star better not have been ignorant enough to dare to kill the Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises!]
An unexpected incident had already occurred earlier, but only Zhao Xing had died in that incident. If Pei Wen Xuan and the others had died on the Prison Star as well, then the Dao Theory Assembly would turn into a huge disaster.
Xu Ling Gong could withstand the pressure from Thousand Cranes Paradise if it was alone, but if three more Sects were added things would become untenable. He would probably be punished by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as a result.
He secretly regretted his actions as it seemed he had overplayed his hand in this Dao Theory Assembly!
In order to appease Zhuo Bu Qun and the other Elders, he quickly sent Su Ying Xue and Qing Kui to the Prison Star to inquire about the situation. Those two rushed into the rainbow bridge and returned together not long afterwards.
Su Ying Xue whispered something in Xu Ling Gong’s ear which caused him to nod lightly. With his expression relaxed considerably, Xu Ling Gong turned around and said something to Zhuo Bu Qun and the others. Only then did Zhuo Bu Qun and the others calm down.
“Good. The Dao Theory Assembly ends here. You’ve all worked hard for the past year, so it is now time to examine the results. Let’s see who obtained the top spot in the Dao Theory Assembly!” Xu Ling Gong sat upright in his chair and after his speech, he gave a slight wave of his hand.
Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples who had been prepared in advance flew down immediately and landed in the square. They each cast Secret Techniques to remove the golden wristbands around the participants’ wrists and record their achievements.
Compared with their original number, the surviving participants had been reduced by more than half, with those missing almost certainly having died on the Prison Star.
The Elders who brought their Juniors to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly couldn’t help looking sad and gloomy. Most of the Second-Class great forces had originally hoped to ride on the coattails of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and soar straight to success. That was why they had brought the most elite cultivators from their respective Sects to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly.
With the number of people who died on the Prison Star though, it could be said that their losses were heavy. But, who could have known that Xu Ling Gong would play such tricks during the Dao Theory Assembly that was only held to choose a Husband for Qu Hua Shang? It was too late for regrets now.
An incense stick later, all the scores had been counted with the golden wristbands having been retrieved and placed on a table in front of many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The dozen or so High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters swept a glance over the golden wristbands and quickly noticed the one with the most stars. The main reason was that the number of stars on this golden wristband was so high that the others couldn’t even compare. There was no need to search carefully at all.
“It looks like the top spot belongs to this person!” Xu Ling Gong chuckled, turning to look around him, “I wonder which Sect this Junior belongs to!”
Many of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters smiled reservedly as one of them said, “We’ll know once we check.”
In their opinion, it was impossible for their disciples to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven even if they took the top spot. They were forced to send their Core Disciples to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly, but it was simply to preserve everybody’s face.
Core Disciples who advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm were potential Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Who would willingly let go of such talents? As for how things would end if one of their Core Disciples obtained the top spot, it was bound to be an argument with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. In any case, they all had long lives, so bickering for several hundred or even thousands of years was not a problem. They could even use this kind of argument to relieve their boredom.
Xu Ling Gong smiled faintly. How could he not know what these people were thinking? Be that as it may, these Core Disciples had participated in the Dao Theory Assembly and would be named a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law if they won the top spot. How could he allow any objections or resistance? Even if he had to use force, he would make sure that the person remained here.
As such, he grabbed the golden wristband and looked inside it. Two large characters printed on the golden wristband entered his vision and the smile on his face abruptly stiffened.
[How… how can it be him?] Xu Ling Gong was absolutely stunned.
When the golden wristbands were being recovered, the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples in charge of recovering them were tasked with engraving the names of the participants onto them. Each golden wristband corresponded to only one person, so there could be no mistakes. In other words, the name and score recorded on this golden wristband was completely accurate.
“Brother Xu seems to have been met with quite a pleasant surprise.” The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who spoke up earlier couldn’t help making a joke when he saw the strange expression on Xu Ling Gong’s face. At the same time, he glanced at the golden wristband in Xu Ling Gong’s hand and immediately looked stunned at the result. The two large characters on the golden wristband shone so brightly with a golden light that he nearly couldn’t open his eyes.
“Who is it? Who took the top spot?” Somebody else looked over curiously.
Everybody who saw the results couldn’t help falling silent and wrinkling their brow.
The reason why they sent their Core Disciples to participate in the Dao Theory Assembly was to prevent this exact situation, but contrary to their expectations, their efforts proved fruitless even though more than a dozen Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had participated.
Su Ying Xue and Qing Kui, who had been standing behind Xu Ling Gong all this time, saw the two large characters on the golden wristband from the beginning.
[Yang Kai!?] They couldn’t help feeling absolutely shocked!
Moreover, the number of stars on this golden wristband was almost twice that of the second place, so there was no comparison. This result was simply overwhelming!
[He took the top spot?] They exchanged a glance with each other, feeling a little incredulous.
Yang Kai might also be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but his background was nothing special. He did not have any Elders teaching him or providing him with resources, artifacts, or powerful techniques. Therefore, there should be a huge gap between him and the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Now, however, it seemed it was the disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises who were very far behind him…
When they allowed Yang Kai to enter the Dao Theory Assembly, neither Xu Ling Gong, Su Ying Xue, nor Qing Kui held many expectations for him. Xu Ling Gong’s original intention was only to muddy the waters of the Dao Theory Assembly with the help of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yang Kai. They never imagined that they would stumble upon such fortune!
Su Ying Xue came back to her senses and immediately sent a message to Qu Hua Shang, who was waiting for news. When she told Qu Hua Shang about the results, she could only imagine how happy her Junior Sister would be.
It was just that the current atmosphere was a little strange.
Many participants standing below, including the Elders of the great forces who led their teams here were eagerly waiting for Xu Ling Gong to announce the results. However, Xu Ling Gong and the dozen or so High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters fell into an eerie silence.
Nevertheless, Xu Ling Gong quickly came back to his senses. It might be unexpected, but the result that came out was not something he could not accept.
Holding up the golden wristband in his hand and revealing the two large characters to the crowd, he raised his voice and announced, “The winner of the Dao Theory Assembly is Void Land’s Yang Kai!”
As soon as that statement came out, everybody turned to look at Yang Kai, again.
Lin Feng cupped his fist, “Congratulations.”
Likewise, Ning Dao Ran and Gu Pan also congratulated Yang Kai.
On the other hand, Yang Kai was not sure how to respond. Although he knew that he would obtain the top spot with no issues, winning first place in the Dao Theory Assembly meant that he would become a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law. In other words, he would have to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
[But, I don’t want to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven! Besides, how am I supposed to explain this to Su Yan and the others?] For a time, Yang Kai suffered a headache and gastric pains.
“Many thanks for coming from afar to participate in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Dao Theory Assembly. This event has ended on a successful note. In three days, this Monarch will hold a banquet. Please be sure to show up!” Xu Ling Gong announced.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Second-Class great forces quickly responded to his invitation while one of the Elders from the Cave Heavens and Paradises stood up, “Brother Xu, there is something I need to attend to back in the Sect. I’m afraid I won’t be able to participate in the banquet. Let’s meet again in the future.”
After saying that, he summoned his disciples and soared into the sky.
Xu Ling Gong did not stop them.
Similarly, the other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters slowly got up one after another to leave with their respective disciples. It did not take long before only the Elders of Myriad Demons Heaven, Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, and Azure Nether Paradise remained. They wanted to leave, but their disciples were still on the Prison Star, so they couldn’t depart even if they wanted to.
They glanced at each other with helpless expressions on their faces. The result of the Dao Theory Assembly could be said to have embarrassed all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Outsiders would not think too much once the results of this event got out. All they would know was that Void Land’s Yang Kai had suppressed more than a dozen Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises to come out on top and win the Dao Theory Assembly.
“Junior Brother Yang, please rest here for now. I need to help Honoured Master handle the rest of the Dao Theory Assembly, then I’ll come and speak with you.” After Qing Kui led Yang Kai to the reception hall on a certain Spirit Peak, he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder. His attitude was undoubtedly more affectionate compared to before.
Yang Kai had taken the top spot and could now be considered a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law. With this status set in stone, it was not strange that Qing Kui’s attitude would change with a connection like that. Qing Kui might not have imagined such an outcome at first, but it was what Qu Hua Shang had been hoping for, so as her Senior Brother, he was happy for her.
“Please go ahead, Senior Brother!” Yang Kai cupped his fist lightly.
Qing Kui winked at Yang Kai, “Don’t you dare mess around!”
“What?” Yang Kai was flabbergasted.
However, Qing Kui had already turned around and left.
Watching Qing Kui’s figure disappearing out of sight, Yang Kai finally shook his head before he turned around and walked towards the palace. There were maidservants elegantly bowing to him on both sides who all gave a crisp greeting, “Greetings, Young Master.”
These Yin-Yang Cave Heaven maidservants were all in the Emperor Realm; moreover, their figures and appearances were far above average. Their slim waists and ample peaks were very eye-catching.
Yang Kai gave a non-committal response, but just as he was about to enter the palace, his gaze suddenly landed on a certain maidservant and he failed to stifle his laughter, “Senior Sister Qu, what are you doing here?”
The ‘maidservant’ had her head lowered so that her hair covered her face, but even though she was trying hard to disguise herself, how could she hide from his keen eyes?
Qu Hua Shang looked up and smiled at him when he saw through her ruse and quipped, “Have I been discovered?”
While speaking, she walked over and reached out to hold his arm. Her ample bosom pressed against his arm without hesitation as she murmured sweetly, “You’ve worked hard, Junior Brother.”
He smiled, “It’s nothing.”
There was really nothing difficult about the Dao Theory Assembly for Yang Kai, as with his current strength, there was basically nothing on the Prison Star that could endanger him as long as he was not besieged by the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Prison League.
Qu Hua Sheng then instructed the rest of the maidservants, “My fiancé has worked hard for a whole year. Prepare the scented bath!”
“Yes!” The maidservants around them quickly responded.
A short while later, a huge bath was filled with warm water. Colourful flower petals floated on the surface while little waves made the water sparkle and steam permeated the air.
Yang Kai leaned against the wall of the bath and soaked his body in the water. This scented bath was probably filled with all sorts of expensive Spirit Herbs that had the effect of relieving fatigue and relaxing the spirit. There might not have been any danger on the Prison Star, but it was quite tiring after spending a year there; hence, his fatigue was greatly relieved at this moment.
Yang Kai was generally not one to enjoy such luxuries; however, he simply went with the flow since Qu Hua Shang had made these arrangements for him.
Suddenly, the sound of fine footsteps rang out. Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and saw several slender figures slowly walking towards him through the hazy steam filling the air.
Waving his hand dismissively, Yang Kai declared, “Stop. I don’t need your service!”
Those people ignored his instructions, however, and continued walking over. When they drew closer, Yang Kai discovered that these maidservants were only dressed in gauze that was as thin as a cicada’s wings. Their most precious places gleamed in and out of sight amidst the steam. They lowered their heads and entered the water lightly with slightly blushing faces. Disregarding whether he approved or not, they pressed against him from both sides and carefully helped to wash his body for him.
The situation left Yang Kai absolutely uncomfortable, and just as he was about to leap out, he suddenly heard a peal of giggling and charming laughter, “Junior Brother, are you feeling shy?”
The voice came from behind him, and leaning his head back, he looked up and saw Qu Hua Shang crouching in front of him, smiling down at him. The beautiful womanly scenery under her skirt was faintly discernible, so he could only withdraw his gaze speechlessly and mutter, “Senior Sister, what are you doing?”
Qu Hua Shang reached out her hand and made a light sliding movement. Slowly stroking her fingers over his firm chest, she murmured softly, “I heard you speak so eloquently about the Yin-Yang Union Cultivation in the past, so I thought you were a veteran of such matters. It turns out that you were just talking big.”
“Senior Sister, be careful when playing with fire, you might accidentally burn yourself. Most people won’t be able to withstand my passion once this Junior Brother gets started.” Yang Kai closed his eyes slightly and suddenly understood why Qing Kui told him not to mess around before leaving.
Qu Hua Shang giggled softly, “Go ahead and burn with passion. These girls can help you put out that fire if you’re willing.”
The maidservants helping him wash his body on both sides flushed even redder.
Meanwhile, Qu Hua Shang leaned down lightly and exhaled an orchid scent next to his ear, “Junior Brother, can you really hold yourself back? After this, I’m going to be cultivating in retreat for 100 years. You can devour every single person here if you want, including me.”
Yang Kai grabbed her small hands that were wandering across his chest and declared, “Senior Sister, stop fooling around.”
In response, she pouted, “How boring.”
Releasing her hand, he asked one question in concern, “Senior Sister, do you really have to cultivate in retreat for 100 years?”
She nodded, “That’s right. This is supposed to be one of the methods for the Sect to protect me. Since it has been announced to the public, we cannot fake it. But, it doesn’t matter. It will only be for 100 years. I’ve only just advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm anyway, so this is actually perfect for me to carefully consolidate my cultivation.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “I’m glad you think so, Senior Sister.”
He couldn’t help feeling slightly relieved. These 100 years could be considered a buffering period. Although he had won the top spot in the Dao Theory Assembly and was now a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law in name, many things could change in a century. Qu Hua Shang might have different ideas by the time she comes out of her seclusion.
After Yang Kai was bathed and dressed by the maidservants, he thoroughly learned how passionate a woman from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven could be. Throughout the entire process, Qu Hua Shang not only showed no intention to shy away but watched everything with great interest.
However, Qu Hua Shang did not stay for long because Su Ying Xue soon rushed over to take her away. Before they left, Su Ying Xue even threw a fierce and dirty glare at Yang Kai that made him feel like he was wronged.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Three days later, Xu Ling Gong hosted a banquet for all the representatives of the great forces who participated in the Dao Theory Assembly. The banquet was held on the open-air platform of a wondrous Spirit Peak, making for a grand and lively scene.
Yang Kai had been magnificently dressed up by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven in festive red robes, to the point that those who didn’t know better would have thought that he was getting married today.
In addition, he was seated in the first spot to the left and below Xu Ling Gong’s seat.
Young girls sang and danced in the square, showing off their beauty to the fullest. Plate after plate of delicacies were presented to the table while precious vintage wine emitted a charming fragrance. The atmosphere of the banquet was lively as Masters from various Great Territories weaved about the crowd and exchanged drinks with each other.
Such a large-scale gathering was rare across the whole 3,000 Worlds. Although many of their disciples suffered disastrous defeat and even death in the process, this was still an opportunity for these people to build relationships with other great forces and open up new opportunities for their own Sects. Therefore, except for the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises who left early, everybody else was basically in attendance.
Yang Kai looked at Pei Wen Xuan and Yin Xin Zhao sitting opposite him, feeling absolutely speechless!
After being ambushed by the Prison League, Yang Kai had used his Space Principles to escape along with Hui Gu, Lu Jing, and Wu Kuang, leaving Pei Wen Xuan and Yin Xin Zhao behind.
Yang Kai thought that those two would definitely end up dead, but who could have known that they would survive?
[What is wrong with the Prison League? Why didn’t they kill them!?] Yang Kai frowned slightly and quietly sent a transmission to Qing Kui to ask about the situation. Only then did he learn the entire story.
The truth was that the Prison League had not killed Yin Xin Zhao or Pei Wen Xuan. Additionally, they even caught another Core Disciple from Azure Nether Paradise later.
Even Yellow Spring Heavenly Monarch knew that the Core Disciples from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises could not be killed at will as doing so would surely invite the wrath of the Cave Heavens and Paradises!
If that were to happen, they might not enjoy a peaceful life even if they hid away on the Prison Star. It was a better choice to capture those people alive to use them as bargaining chips to negotiate with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
The final result of the negotiations was that the Prison League would return the three Core Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. In return, three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Prison League would be freed. This was similar to what Xu Ling Gong promised from the very beginning where the Prison Star criminals could earn their freedom as long as they killed enough participants.
Needless to say, a negotiation between two parties required leverage. Prison League had used the three Core Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises as their bargaining chips. This situation distressed Zhuo Bu Qun and the other Elders so much that they nearly spat blood.
Although Zhuo Bu Qun, Yu Huan, and Lu Zhen Yang joined forces to pressure Xu Ling Gong into agreeing to the Prison League’s demands, how could somebody like Xu Ling Gong accept such demands so casually?
Moreover, the three people caught by the Prison League were not Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples, so their lives had nothing to do with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. However, it was still true that their lives hung on a single thought from Xu Ling Gong.
In the end, the three Cave Heavens and Paradises were forced to pay a huge price and only then did Xu Ling Gong relent and pardon the crimes of three Prison League Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. By doing so, they finally got Yin Xin Zhao and the others back in exchange.
As for what price the Cave Heavens and Paradises had to pay, even Qing Kui did not know. That was the result of a secret discussion between Xu Ling Gong, Zhuo Bu Qun, and the other High-Rank Elders.
A total of four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and a dozen others below the Sixth-Order from the Prison League had received their freedom. Aside from the three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who received special pardons from Xu Ling Gong, the rest had accumulated enough stars to obtain their freedom themselves. Among them included the Prison League’s League Master, Huang Quan!
Huang Quan had personally killed Zhuang Wei of Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, earning him an astonishing 67 stars in an instant. Such achievements were enough for him to escape the Prison Star.
After knowing the truth of the matter, Yang Kai could barely stifle his laughter. There was nothing he could say about the transaction that Xu Ling Gong made as it was practically a free deal. No wonder Zhuo Bu Qun and the others had such ugly expressions during the banquet. It was obvious that they were hurting from being bled dry.
[It’s just a pity… I originally wanted to murder with a borrowed knife. In the end, my plans failed thanks to the Prison League’s petty greed.]
There was no doubt that the protagonist of today’s banquet was Yang Kai. As a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law, countless people should have come to offer him a toast on their own initiative. This was not out of consideration for him, but rather to honour the prestige of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and Xu Ling Gong!
However, the truth was that he simply sat there unnoticed.
It was not that the participating Open Heaven Realm Masters were being disdainful, it was just that they were afraid of Thousand Cranes Paradise. Zhao Xing had been killed by Yang Kai, so even though Xu Ling Gong had relied on his advantage as host in this place to forcefully suppress Zuo Quan Hui who led the team from Thousand Cranes Paradise, everybody knew that Thousand Cranes Paradise would never let this matter rest. They might be targeted by Thousand Cranes Paradise if they went up to congratulate Yang Kai at a time like this, so who would dare to be so bold?
Being aware of this fact, Yang Kai was not bothered by the issue. He was happy and content just to eat and drink by himself.
On the other hand, Lu Jing brought the Elders of Gathering Yuan Union over to offer a toast out of gratitude for Yang Kai’s protection on the Prison Star. Even so, he was soon dragged away by his Elders.
The banquet ended and Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s guests gradually left.
Before leaving, Lu Jing met with Yang Kai one more time to inform him that the Sixth-Order Yang Element treasure he previously promised would be sent directly to Void Land.
Three days later, Yang Kai was led by Qing Kui to the Spirit Peak where Xu Ling Gong lived.
Xu Ling Gong sat confidently inside the Grand Hall on the Spirit Peak, studying Yang Kai who was sitting below with piercing eyes and a strong sense of scrutiny.
After bowing in greeting, Yang Kai stood there quietly with a calm look on his face. He had no idea why Xu Ling Gong had summoned him, but Qu Hua Shang was Xu Ling Gong’s Disciple. Now that he was a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law, they had a much closer relationship with each other than most ordinary people.
After a while, Xu Ling Gong finally raised his hand and said, “Take a seat.”
“Many thanks, Senior,” Yang Kai responded before he turned around and walked over to a chair by the side. Flicking his outer robe slightly, he took a seat.
“To be honest, this Monarch was very surprised that you managed to win the top spot in the Dao Theory Assembly,” Xu Ling Gong said. The outcome had certainly astonished him. In his opinion, only disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises could have won, so Yang Kai coming out on top was a shock.
After all, the heritage of those who came from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises was generally superior to others, especially since they were newly advanced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Xu Ling Gong believed that was true even if he had heard the rumours about how Yang Kai had planned to advance directly Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and refined multiple Seventh-Order Powers to that purpose.
However, the reality was that Yang Kai had taken the top spot with almost double the achievements of the person in second place. In terms of performance, Yellow Spring Heavenly Monarch was the only person who could compare.
“It’s good that I didn’t disappoint you, Senior.” Yang Kai bowed.
Xu Ling Gong chuckled, “You definitely didn’t disappoint me. For this Monarch, it doesn’t matter who takes the top spot as long as it’s not those old farts in the Fifth Order. This Xu’s Disciple cannot be humiliated by others!” His smile faded and he quickly said, “But, the fact that you killed Zhao Xing is still quite a hassle.”
At the mention of this matter, Xu Ling Gong couldn’t help feeling a headache. He had been resisting the pressure from Thousand Cranes Paradise and protecting Yang Kai in order to maintain Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s face; after all, the Dao Theory Assembly was organised by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and he was the one who claimed that one would not be held accountable for any loss of life. Zhao Xing had been killed by Yang Kai, so if Yang Kai was killed by Zuo Quan Hui as soon as the Dao Theory Assembly ended, what would happen to the reputation of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?
At the time, he had not known that Yang Kai would end up taking the top spot and simply wanted to protect Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s reputation by defending him in public. As for whether Yang Kai could survive Thousand Cranes Paradise’s retaliation in the future, that was entirely on Yang Kai. He could not be bothered to care that much.
Unfortunately, the situation was different now. Yang Kai was now a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law and the future Husband of his Disciple. Xu Ling Gong had no choice but to meddle in this affair even if he didn’t want to; otherwise, Qu Hua Shang would become a widow if Yang Kai was killed.
“It was an accident,” Yang Kai replied. At the time, he had not intended to kill Zhao Xing, it was just that he used a bit too much strength…
Xu Ling Gong waved his hand, “It doesn’t matter whether it was an accident or not. It has already happened. You heard what Zuo Quan Hui said before he left.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Void Land will not be bullied so easily.” [Why is Xu Ling Gong telling me this? Could it be that he feels I have caused too much trouble and Yin-Yang Cave Heaven does not wish to be involved in this matter? If that’s the case, I can understand.]
Xu Ling Gong coldly snorted, “Do you think they will let you return to Void Land? If my guess is correct, they are waiting for you along your return path. There will be no escape for you the moment you show up.”
“Senior, do you mean to say…”
Xu Ling Gong continued, “If you’re in no hurry to return to Void Land, you should remain here for the time being. As for Thousand Cranes Paradise… This Monarch will try to negotiate with them to see if there’s any room for mediation.”
He glanced at Yang Kai and added, “Don’t worry too much. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven is perfectly capable of withstanding the pressure from Thousand Cranes Paradise. Zhao Xing was killed during the Dao Theory Assembly and this Monarch openly declared that no will be held accountable for deaths during the trial. It would be best if they give up on this matter, but if they refuse, this Monarch will show them whose fist is bigger!”
Yang Kai was slightly touched. The meaning behind Xu Ling Gong’s words could not be clearer, he would deal with this troublesome matter. Thus, Yang Kai’s impression of Xu Ling Gong improved considerably. He stood up and bowed deeply, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Xu Ling Gong nodded lightly, “Also, you should carefully regulate your condition in the near future. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven might have another opportunity for you.”
“An opportunity?” Yang Kai raised his brow at those words, keenly aware of the astonishment on the faces of Su Ying Xue and Qing Kui, who had been standing behind Xu Ling Gong all this while. It was obvious that this potential opportunity was not small.
“I can’t confirm anything yet. I’ll tell you when the time comes,” Xu Ling Gong did not provide any further explanation.
Yang Kai nodded lightly. Then, he suddenly remembered something, “By the way, Senior, this Junior has a favour to request.”
Xu Ling Gong glanced sideways at Yang Kai, “You are now my Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Son-In-Law, which makes you part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. As long as your request is not excessive, this Monarch can fulfil your request.”
“I would like you to help me free someone, Senior!” Yang Kai said.
“Who?”
“Grey Bones Heavenly Monarch from the Prison Star!”
…..
A short while later, Qing Kui led Yang Kai back along the way they came.
Xu Ling Gong had readily agreed to Yang Kai’s request. As an Inner Elder of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven who was in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he held a high position and great authority in the Sect. Aside from the Supreme Elders who essentially never came out of retreat, he was one of the most influential people in the entire Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Setting someone free from the Prison Star was a simple task.
It was also not until this moment that Xu Ling Gong understood how Yang Kai could obtain such great achievements during the Dao Theory Assembly. It turned out that it was all thanks to Hui Gu secretly helping Yang Kai from the shadows.
Be that as it may, Hui Gu had a criminal record, so Xu Ling Gong was honestly quite uneasy about releasing the former from the Prison Star. However, he happily agreed to the request after Yang Kai revealed the Loyalty List to him.
“Senior Brother Qing Kui, what is the opportunity Martial Uncle Xu mentioned earlier?” Along the way, Yang Kai raised this question. Judging by Su Ying Xue and Qing Kui’s reaction earlier, they definitely knew the secret behind this mystery.
Qing Kui smiled and shook his head, “I can’t say. If you receive approval, then you will be told in due time. If the matter falls through, then there’s no point in knowing. Just wait patiently. I can only tell you that even in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, only very few people are eligible to obtain this opportunity.”
Yang Kai was slightly moved hearing that. He never imagined that the so-called opportunity would be so precious that only a few people were eligible to obtain it, even in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Unfortunately, he was not in a position to ask further questions seeing as Qin Kui was not willing to talk.
It didn’t take long for Yang Kai to return to his living quarters.
After waiting for another two days, Hui Gu was brought out from the Prison Star by Qing Kui. Hui Gu couldn’t help sighing softly when Master and Servant reunited. From the day he was thrown into the Prison Star, he never even imagined that he would one day leave that place alive. It was just a pity that Bai Mo, who had served him loyally for so many years, had not survived.
“Yellow Spring Heavenly Monarch has also been released, but I don’t know his current whereabouts. Rest assured. I will ask somebody to investigate him in the future. There will always be a chance to seek revenge.” Yang Kai comforted Hui Gu.
Hui Gu bowed, “Many thanks, Sir! If I can avenge Bai Mo, then this Hui Gu will have no other regrets in life!”
Bai Mo’s strength was not impressive, but he was extremely loyal. It was impossible not to develop feelings after spending so many years together. Hui Gu had long since considered Bai Mo to be his disciple and family; therefore, Bai Mo’s murder that took place in front of him had caused him to thirst for revenge.
As time passed, Yang Kai and Hui Gu remained inside the residence. During this time, Qu Hua Shang came to inform Yang Kai that she was going to enter retreat. She also asked him to look forward to seeing her again in 100 years.
Yang Kai naturally agreed and after spending three days together, they parted ways for now.
After a few more days, Qing Kui suddenly dropped by the residence. He looked at Yang Kai with admiration and envy, “Congratulations, Junior Brother. The opportunity has come. Accompany me.”
Yang Kai was stunned, but suppressing the overwhelming curiosity in his heart, he instructed Hui Gu to wait for him and not to wander around arbitrarily. Then, he followed Qing Kui out.
They travelled at a hurried pace, though Yang Kai did not know where they were heading.
In the beginning, they occasionally encountered some Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples along the way. When these people noticed Qing Kui, they quickly stopped in their tracks and bowed deeply; however, the further inward they went, the fewer people they met. At one point, there were no traces of anybody else. It could be seen that the place they were going was located at an extremely isolated location.
Some time later, up ahead of them was a figure standing proudly in the void, quietly waiting for their arrival. It was none other than Xu Ling Gong.
Qing Kui led Yang Kai straight to Xu Ling Gong. Cupping his fist, he reported, “Honoured Master, I’ve brought him here.”
Xu Ling Gong nodded, “You should head back first.”
Qing Kui responded, “Yes!”
After that, Qing Kui turned around and returned along the way he came.
Xu Ling Gong gestured towards Yang Kai, “Let’s go. Up ahead is one of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Restricted Areas. Nobody is allowed to enter this place without permission; those who try will be killed without mercy!”
Yang Kai’s expression hardened. It was only natural for a giant organisation like Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to have their own Restricted Areas; however, even a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Qing Kui could not enter this place at will. It could be seen just how much Yin-Yang Cave Heaven valued this Restricted Area.
He was becoming more and more curious about this so-called opportunity as well as the Restricted Area he was about to enter.
Whilst travelling, Xu Ling Gong’s voice entered Yang Kai’s ears, “You might have taken the top spot in the Dao Theory Assembly, but it was only thanks to a convenient strategy. When it comes to your strength among the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, you are no different from the little ones who participated in the Dao Theory Assembly. All of you rank at the bottom of the Sixth Order since you’ve only advanced into the Open Heaven Realm recently.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Yes, Senior.”
He knew that Xu Ling Gong was unaware of his actions on the Prison Star, but it made sense when he thought about it. Almost all who witnessed his true strength were dead. Although the Core Disciples of the various Cave Heavens and Paradises had witnessed his strength when he killed Zhao Xing, they left the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as soon as they came out. On the other hand, Lin Feng and the others who remained were Yang Kai’s friends and would not spread his secrets if they were not forced to.
Therefore, Xu Ling Gong believed that Yang Kai’s strength was ranked at the bottom of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm since he had only just advanced into the Open Heaven Realm recently. In addition, he also believed that Yang Kai obtained the achievements that allowed him to win the Dao Theory Assembly only thanks to Hui Gu’s help.
As for how Yang Kai persuaded Hui Gu into cooperating with him, that was the result of his own ability and charisma. Xu Ling Gong didn’t bother to pay much attention to that matter.
“The cultivation of Open Heaven Realm Masters comes from the accumulation and precipitation of time. Refining Open Heaven Pills or cultivation materials of various Orders has been the most orthodox cultivation method among Open Heaven Realm Masters since ancient times. Although this is a lengthy process, it is also the safest and simplest method.
“Naturally, there are people who want to take shortcuts. Refining the heritage of Universe Worlds for one’s own use is one such method, but it has many drawbacks. The heritage of those Universe Worlds that have been refined might not be perfectly compatible with oneself. If any rejection occurs, one’s heritage might even plummet as a result. The benefits are simply not worth the loss. Moreover, every single Universe World is unique. That includes the Small Universes within Open Heaven Realm Masters like ourselves. It is unimaginably difficult to find a Small Universe that complements perfectly with your cultivation.”
Xu Ling Gong’s voice slowly entered Yang Kai’s ears.
Yang Kai nodded lightly. He once met an Open Heaven Realm Master who tried to refine the heritage of the Demon Realm to restore his strength. It was just that he stopped that Open Heaven Realm Master from succeeding and eventually killed him for trying. On the contrary, the World Force released during the death of that Open Heaven Realm Master had nourished the Demon Realm instead.
“But, just because it is difficult to use shortcuts does not mean that there are no shortcuts!”
Yang Kai’s expression changed with those words and he asked, “Senior, do you mean…”
Xu Ling Gong glanced at Yang Kai meaningfully, “You had high ambitions in the beginning and aimed to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Unfortunately, your actions touched on the tolerance of many people. In the end, you were forced to advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in Shattered Heaven. It has only been a few years since then, so how is it possible for a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm in such a short period? I believe that the information I received is accurate, so you should have only advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in Shattered Heaven, not the Sixth-Order.”
Yang Kai remained silent. That was not something he could hide even if he wanted to. Many people were there to witness his advancement after all. Even Qu Hua Shang had been present, so it was not strange for Xu Ling Gong to know about this matter.
“It is rumoured that there is a miraculous medicine in this world known as the World Fruit. World Fruits can be divided into Low, Mid, and High-Rank. The Rank of the World Fruit corresponds with the Rank of the Open Heaven Realm. More importantly, the World Fruit allows a cultivator to safely and directly advance to the next Order without any hidden dangers!” Xu Ling Gong continued speaking without regard for Yang Kai’s opinion, “Both you and Qu’er entered the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary in the past. Around that time, someone auctioned off a Low-Rank World Fruit in Yin-Yang Territory. That person had also entered the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary before. According to the information obtained by Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, that person obtained their Low-Rank World Fruit from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary!
“That is why I believe that you managed to advance from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order in such a short time by consuming a Mid-Rank World Fruit!”
“Senior is indeed insightful!” Yang Kai admitted frankly, “Indeed! I advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm by consuming a World Fruit!”
“Good!” Xu Ling Gong smiled slightly, “If that’s the case, then you and Qu’er are definitely a good match for each other! I was initially worried that there might be a gap between Qu’er’s future limit and yours. It looks like I was worried for nothing.”
If Yang Kai had advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, then his limit was the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm; however, if he reached the Sixth-Order with the help of a World Fruit, then his future limit would be the Eighth-Order, which was the same as Qu Hua Shang. With aptitudes like theirs, as long as they were given enough time, it was only a matter of time before they advanced into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
“You sure had good fortune to obtain such a precious treasure like a Mid-Rank World Fruit. No wonder you were willing to advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm back at Shattered Heaven.” Xu Ling Gong nodded lightly and glanced at Yang Kai approvingly, “Consuming the World Fruit is the best-known shortcut in existence!”
“Senior, are you saying that… there are other shortcuts?”
Xu Ling Gong smiled slightly, “Of course! The 3,000 Worlds is vast and contains endless mysteries. Even a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master like me may never discover all its mysteries in my lifetime. The only reason you’ve never heard of these shortcuts before is that you have not seen or experienced enough of the world yet.”
Yang Kai said seriously, “Please enlighten me, Senior!”
Xu Ling Gong asked, “Have you ever heard of a Temporal River?”
“A Temporal River?” Yang Kai was astonished.
“It is an innate phenomenon filled with the mysteries of time. The flow of time inside a Temporal River is different from the outside world. It can be 10 times, 100 times, or even 1,000 times faster. Do you know what that means?”
Yang Kai expression stiffened in surprise, “Does Senior mean that if one cultivates in a Temporal River for 1,000 years, only one year will pass in the outside world!?”
“En!” Xu Ling Gong revealed an expression of nostalgia, “Although only one year passes in the outside world, you can cultivate for tens, hundreds, or thousands of years inside. The heritage you accumulate will naturally be stronger than others. Moreover, this is the standard process of accumulation and precipitation, so there will be no hidden dangers whatsoever. Back then… I entered a Temporal River and gained great benefits as a result!”
Yang Kai looked shocked. [I can’t believe there is something as strange as a Temporal River in this world! If I didn’t hear this from Xu Ling Gong himself, I might not believe something like that exists!]
However, he soon remembered about Flowing Time Great Emperor!
Flowing Time Great Emperor was proficient in the Dao of Time, and the Flowing Time Temple he left behind was once sealed a rich amount of Time Principles. The two little ones, Yang Xiao and Yang Xue, had cultivated in retreat for several hundred years inside the Flowing Time Temple, but only several years passed in the outside world. Hence, the Flowing Time Temple was akin to an artificial Temporal River that Flowing Time Great Emperor created.
It was a pity that the Time Principles Sealed within had long been exhausted and the flow of time in the Flowing Time Temple had returned to normal.
Looking at things from this point of view, it could be seen that Flowing Time Great Emperor was an unprecedented genius. If he had not died after his encounter with Mo Sheng, he would certainly have a place in the 3,000 Worlds.
At that thought, Yang Kai’s expression changed slightly, “Senior, could the opportunity you mentioned be a Temporal River?”
Xu Ling Gong burst into laughter, “You wish! If anybody were to come across a Temporal River, they would have gone in to cultivate a long time ago. They would never leave that place until the Time Principles inside had been exhausted, so you should stop dreaming about Temporal Rivers.”
Yang Kai was astonished. Only then did he realise that a Temporal River was something like a consumable resource. If somebody were to discover one, it only made sense that they would not leave anything behind for others.
“Don’t bother dreaming about Temporal Rivers for the time being. It is a very rare occurrence in the 3,000 Worlds. Even if one did appear, you would not get a chance to experience it.” Xu Ling Gong paused for a moment before he continued, “A Temporal River is one of the shortcuts, but another type is Small Source Worlds!”
“Small Source Worlds?” Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly and revealed a dubious expression. He had never heard of such a thing before.
“Since you obtained a World Fruit, you must have entered the world inside the World Fruit.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right.”
Furthermore, he had done so more than once. Yang Kai couldn’t help recalling that time in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Using the Small Sealed World to cheat, he carried a group of people with him to experience more than a dozen worlds within the various World Fruits. He eventually angered the World Tree, which caused it to beat him up badly. [That incident… was truly traumatic.]
“A Small Source World is similar to what you experienced when you entered the world within the World Fruit. It can be said that a Small Source World is a weaker version of the World Fruit’s World.”
“Please enlighten me, Senior!” Yang Kai humbly said.
“The flow of time in a Small Source World is different from the outside world, and if you can refine part of the Small Source World’s Source Strength, then you will only obtain a part of the Small Source World’s World Force. If you integrate this World Force into your body, it will strengthen the heritage of your Small Universe and save you many years of cultivation!”
Yang Kai’s eyes brightened at those words.
If he could obtain the Small Source World’s World Force by refining the Small Source World’s Source Strength, then it was certainly as Xu Ling Gong mentioned. He would strengthen his heritage and save a lot of hard cultivation time. [No wonder he mentioned that a Small Source World is a weakened version of the World Fruit. A World Fruit can help an Open Heaven Realm Master advance directly into the next Order, but a Small Source World cannot.]
“Even so, the Small Source World has its own advantages compared to a World Fruit. A World Fruit can only be used by one person once. On the other hand, a Small Source World can become a training ground for many people. Small Source Worlds are one of the foundations that support the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Every Cave Heaven and Paradise will have at least one Small Source World. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven has a total of three Small Source Worlds!”
Yang Kai looked excited, “So, the opportunity you mentioned earlier…”
Xu Ling Gong replied, “That’s right. The opportunity this Monarch prepared for you is the chance to enter one of the Small Source Worlds. This Small Source World is the highest ranked among the Small Source Worlds in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. If you can refine part of the Source Strength, you will surely obtain great gains!”
Yang Kai gratefully said, “Many thanks, Martial Uncle!”
Such a precious gift was incredibly generous. Qing Kui also mentioned that few people received this opportunity, even among those in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
Yang Kai could roughly guess the reasons for such strict restrictions. Xu Ling Gong had mentioned that a Small Source World could become a training ground for many people; however, the Small Source World would weaken every time somebody refined a portion of its Source Strength. If care was not taken, the Small Source World would vanish completely one day.
Compared to a one-time-use consumable item like the World Fruits, a Small Source World could be used many times, although the effects were not as good as the World Fruit, but had their respective advantages. Be that as it may, there was a limit to how many times a Small Source World could be used within a certain amount of time. That was why only the most talented cultivators in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven could enter the Small Source World.
In any case, the existence of a Small Source World was no doubt more important for a Sect than a World Fruit; after all, the former could help increase the strength of many disciples over time, while the latter would only benefit a single person.
Xu Ling Gong must have gone through a lot of trouble to let a semi-outsider like Yang Kai into the Small Source World.
“You don’t need to think too deeply. This Monarch is only doing this for Qu’er. Since you only just advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, your foundation is unstable and your heritage is lacking. Entering the Small Source World will give you a chance to accumulate and precipitate some strength. Otherwise, it would be unfair for Qu’er if you encounter danger and die early,” Xu Ling Gong said lightly, “Besides, there’s no guarantee you will gain anything even if you entered the Small Source World. It all depends on your own effort and luck.”
“Rest assured, Martial Uncle. This Junior will do his best!” Yang Kai promised solemnly.
“We’re here!” Xu Ling Gong suddenly stopped in his tracks and stood in the middle of the void.
Yang Kai looked around but saw nothing.
Meanwhile, Xu Ling Gong formed a set of hand seals before he suddenly pointed to the front and shouted, “Please answer my call, Ancestor!”
A stream of light burst forth, causing ripples to spread out in the Void ahead. After the ripples settled, an old man sitting cross-legged eerily appeared in Yang Kai’s vision without warning.
The old man had white hair and a white beard. His brows were so long that they drooped to his chest. His upper body was unclothed and covered in firm muscles that gleamed with a bronze glow that seemed to contain an endless amount of power. His lower body was only covered in a pair of plain linen trousers. To top it off, he was barefooted.
When the old man opened his eyes though, it felt as though two bright suns flashed into existence!
“Greetings, Ancestor!” Xu Ling Gong bowed respectfully.
Yang Kai, who was standing behind Xu Ling Gong, hurriedly followed suit and bowed. After listening to the way Xu Ling Gong addressed this old man, how could he not know that this person was one of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Supreme Elders? More importantly, only those in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm could serve as a Supreme Elder in the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
This was Yang Kai’s first time meeting a cultivator in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although Bi Xi possessed strength on par with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was a Divine Spirit, so there was an obvious difference between him and an actual Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai snuck a glance in that direction and saw that the old man’s bare chest was covered in dense, criss-crossing scars. They looked like ferocious centipedes crawling all over his body. The longest scar extended from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist.
Yang Kai was slightly taken aback. An Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was extremely powerful, so who could injure an Ancestor of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven so badly? It had to be said that Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had extremely robust vitality and vigorous recovery abilities, so most injuries would not leave a trace on them. Even so, the scars of past injuries remained shockingly apparent on this old man’s body. It was conceivable just how severely injured he had been at the time.
“What is it?” The Supreme Elder asked quietly.
Xu Ling Gong replied, “Ancestor, please understand. This Disciple wishes to send this Junior into the Divine Armament World. Please open the world boundary and create a corridor, Ancestor.”
The Supreme Elder glanced at Yang Kai and furrowed his brow lightly, “This boy… is not a disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, right?”
His eyes were incredibly sharp, so he could tell at a glance that Yang Kai did not belong to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
Xu Ling Gong explained, “He might not be a disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but he can be considered a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law now.”
“So that’s how it is,” the old man nodded lightly. “Since he is a Son-In-Law of our Cave Heaven, he does have the qualifications to enter the Divine Armament World. Do you have the edict from the Sect Master?”
“The edict is here. Please have a look, Ancestor!” Xu Ling Gong raised his hand and shot out a stream of light.
The old man caught the stream of light and took a quick glance. Then, he nodded, “Everything is in order.”
While saying so, he suddenly lifted a hand and pointed to a spot beside him. A huge vortex suddenly appeared in the Void without a sound. The extremely clear and distinct aura of a Universe World came from within the vortex.
“Go on. The Small Source World is an interesting place. Don’t panic no matter what you encounter inside. Carefully explore and it will definitely benefit you!” Xu Ling Gong patted Yang Kai on the shoulder.
“Many thanks, Martial Uncle Xu! Many thanks, Ancestor!” Yang Kai nodded and plunged straight into the vortex. A feeling of weightlessness immediately washed over him.
It was not until Yang Kai’s figure disappeared that the vortex slowly faded away. The Supreme Elder glanced at Xu Ling Gong and asked, “You didn’t give him a seal to escape. What if he dies inside?”
Xu Ling Gong smiled, “If he dies inside, then it means that he is nothing special. In that case, he is not qualified to become a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-In-Law!”
“Good!” The Supreme Elder did not say another word. Closing his eyes, his figure gradually vanished once more.
…..
“Eldest Senior Brother! Eldest Senior Brother, wake up!” Yang Kai felt as though somebody was tugging at him in his dazed state. An urgent cry entered his ears and he slowly came awake and opened his eyes. However, the world spun around him and his vision was bleary.
“Ugh…” He held his head in his hands and groaned in pain.
“Eldest Senior Brother, stop drinking! You’ll die if you continue drinking like this!” The voice that woke him up rang out again.
A strong smell of alcohol lingered in his nose and Yang Kai instinctively sensed that he was drunk; thus, he couldn’t help feeling surprised. He was not such a heavy drinker. Besides, how could a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him get drunk so easily?
When he tried to urge his power to scatter the effects of the alcohol and recover from his hangover, Yang Kai stiffened in shock and his eyes abruptly jerked wide open. There was not much power in his body, only a faint trace flowing through his meridians and his body. Compared to his strength as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, this paltry bit of power was so weak that it was practically unnoticeable.
The shock was so great that he immediately broke out of his drunken stupor.
Before Yang Kai could understand what was going on though, he felt pain running through his head. An endless stream of complicated information poured into his mind, causing him to groan in pain like an injured beast.
The person in front of him was startled and quickly exclaimed, “What’s wrong, Eldest Senior Brother!? Don’t frighten me!”
A short while later, Yang Kai finally calmed down and stared at the table in front of him in a daze.
His name was still Yang Kai, but now he was a disciple of Void Spirit Sword Sect.
Void Spirit Sword Sect was an extremely small Sect with only several dozen members. It was nothing but a grain of sand when compared to the entire Divine Armament World. There were countless other small Sects like Void Spirit Sword Sect in this World.
He had entered the Sect early and became the Eldest Senior Brother of this generation of disciples. As the Eldest Senior Brother, he had a mild temperament and treated people generously. His aptitude was relatively good among the others in the Sect, so the Elders in the Sect had high hopes for him. They believed that he was their only hopeful candidate to enter the Earth Realm in the last 100 years.
There were four distinct Great Realms in this world, known as Mortal, Earth, Heaven, and Spirit! Furthermore, each Great Realm had nine Minor Realms. This was how the cultivators in the Divine Armament World categorised their strength.
At present, Yang Kai was only in the Fourth-Order Mortal Realm. He used to live up to the expectations of his Elders, working hard and cultivating diligently; however, ever since he met a girl one year ago when he was running errands outside, he became so enamoured with her that his entire life was turned upside down. Just a few days ago, he fought for the attention of that girl out of jealousy and lost her to another. As a result, he became depressed and tried to drown his sorrows in alcohol…
This information was what Yang Kai found from the memories that flowed into his head just now. Everything was so vivid and life-like, almost as if these events had happened to him.
[Am I… Yang Kai from Void Land? Or, Yang Kai from Void Spirit Sword Sect?] His thoughts were a mess. He could clearly recall Xu Ling Gong bringing him to the entrance of the Small Source World where he was supposed to enter for training. Why was he suddenly in this situation then?
In addition, his strength that was as vast as the sea could not be mobilised at all. He could clearly sense that his power was still there, but it was suppressed by some kind of inexplicable force.
[Is this the Small Source World?] All of a sudden, Yang Kai recalled what Xu Ling Gong mentioned just before he entered the Small Source World, “The Small Source World is an interesting place. Don’t panic no matter what you encounter inside.”
[This is… certainly very interesting!]
Yang Kai suddenly thought back to the time when he brought a group of subordinates with him to train within the World Fruits. Each World Fruit was unique. For instance, when he entered the second World Fruit, both he and Lang Qing Shan had been transformed into rusty iron swords. It turned out to be a world of swords. There was also a time when several of his subordinates transformed into Monster Beasts. That was a world inside a fruit where Monster Beasts ruled…
Inside each of those World Fruits, Yang Kai could only leave and obtain his prize once he found a method to escape. It would seem that the existence of the Small Source World was indeed somewhat similar to the World Fruit even though there were clear differences.
When he entered this Small Source World, it felt as though the Divine Armament World had given him a brand-new identity as the Eldest Senior Brother of Void Spirit Sword Sect. This was the identity accepted by the entire world, so that was why everything felt very natural.
“Eldest Senior Brother, what’s wrong with you? Please don’t frighten me!” The person in front of him was still shouting.
Yang Kai looked up, and after trying his best to focus his blurry vision, he finally managed to see clearly. A petite and adorable young girl was looking at him nervously from across the table, her expression filled with concern. She was only around 16 years old, but she had seemingly developed quite well for her age, as emphasized by the two large mountains on her chest. She was also wearing a light green dress that hugged her graceful waist.
[Wan Ying Ying, the Little Junior Sister of Void Spirit Sword Sect!] This thought popped into his mind out of nowhere.
“It’s you, Little Junior Sister…” Yang Kai murmured, his tongue involuntarily slurring over his words.
“How are you, Eldest Senior Brother?” Wan Ying Ying asked in concern, “Where do you feel unwell?”
“Ugh… My head hurts!” Yang Kai reached out to rub his forehead, “Wait for a moment. I need to sober up!”
She quickly nodded at his words, “Good, good, good. It’s good as long as you stop drinking.” Then, she turned around and called out, “Shop-hand, bring a bowl of hangover soup!”
The shop hand nearby responded immediately.
A short while later, a bowl of hot hangover soup was brought over. Wan Ying Ying personally brought the bowl to Yang Kai’s lips and fed him.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai sat motionless as he combed through all the new information in his mind. At the same time, he drew upon his strength to dispel the lingering effects of the alcohol. Although his cultivation in the Fourth Stage Mortal Realm could not be considered anything amazing, it was still not bad for a member of the younger generation. It was at least enough to help speed up the process of sobering up.
His current location seemed to be inside a restaurant, one that was filled with customers. Some were ordinary people while others were cultivators. These people were drinking together in small groups of three to five.
“The Divine Armament Tournament that is only held once every 100 years is finally over. When the Masters fight, it’s the ordinary people like us who suffer. I wonder how many lives were destroyed and how many people lost their homes during the Divine Armament Tournament this time.” A voice came from one of the tables by the side.
Yang Kai immediately became interested and quickly paid attention to the ambient gossip.
“There’s no helping it. The Divine Armament Tournament is the biggest event in the Divine Armament World. It only happens once every 100 years; moreover, winning a Divine Armament means wielding supreme power. How could people not be tempted?”
“Speaking of which, the Ten Great Divine Armaments of our Divine Armament World change hands every 100 years. When will these battles end?”
“If some Heaven-defying person can collect all of the Ten Great Divine Armaments, that might end the chaos in this land.”
“What a joke!” Somebody shouted, “It is said that just refining one Divine Armament takes infinite mental strength. Not to mention that each Divine Armament is extremely ferocious and bloodthirsty. If one’s willpower is insufficient, one will only become the Divine Armament’s puppet. It’s difficult enough to refine just one of them, so who could possibly collect all ten?”
After listening to the conversation in the surroundings, Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly.
This Small Source World was called the Divine Armament World. Furthermore, a Divine Armament Tournament would be held every 100 years. His purpose in coming here was to refine a portion of the Small Source World’s Source Strength to enhance his Small Universe’s heritage.
Judging from the current situation, it would seem that the Divine Armament Tournament was the key. Perhaps, he could obtain a part of the Small Source World’s Source Strength by obtaining the Divine Armaments.
[100 years… It’s not a short time, so I should have ample time to cultivate in peace. Besides, I don’t need to worry about the outside world right now. The Small Source World is similar to World Fruit; hence, the flow of time here is different from the outside world. 100 years in here might be less than 1 year in the outside world, maybe even just a month.] Yang Kai soon made up his mind. [I have to cultivate diligently. In 100 years, I will participate in the Divine Armament Tournament!]
“Young man, I can see a dark mark on your forehead. Moreover, your gaze is dull and your Essence Spirit has dissipated. I’m afraid a catastrophe will befall you soon!” A voice suddenly entered Yang Kai’s ears.
Yang Kai turned to look to the side and saw an elderly man standing in front of him with a smile. The elderly man wore a tall hat and a long linen coat. He was also holding a cloth banner that had big characters for ‘Fortune-Telling’ written on it!
“My Eldest Senior Brother is just drunk! What nonsense are you saying Old Man!” Before Yang Kai could respond, Wan Ying Ying shouted with a glare.
Yang Kai raised a hand to stop her and looked up at the elderly man with a smile, “A Divination Master?”
In his memories, there was indeed such a mysterious group of people in the Divine Armament World. He did not know whether their predictions were accurate or not, but he couldn’t help being interested since it was his first time meeting one.
“This Old Master is indeed a Divine Oracle. I can see five hundred years into the future and five hundred years into the past. Everything below the Heavens and above the Earth is not beyond my knowledge. There’s nothing I don’t know. Young man, if you wish to resolve this catastrophe, then you should let this Old Master divine your future for you. Perhaps, it might save you.”
“You certainly have a lot of confidence!” Yang Kai chuckled, “If that’s the case, then why don’t you divine my fate for me?”
“Sure!” The Divine Oracle immediately felt refreshed now that he had a sale in his hand. Placing the cloth banner in his hand aside, he sat down and asked, “Young man, do you want me to divine your handwriting or read your palm?”
“Let’s make it simple. Please read my palm. Do you want my left hand or my right hand?”
“It doesn’t matter! This Old Master’s fortune-telling is not so limited,” The Divine Oracle grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowing teeth.
Wan Ying Ying stood beside Yang Kai, looking hesitant. She wanted to tell her Eldest Senior Brother that this group of people made a living by scamming people, so there was no need to believe them. After thinking about it again though, she changed her mind. He had been so depressed and disheartened for the past year that it was rare for him to show interest in anything, so she couldn’t bring herself to dampen his mood.
[We’ll only lose some money, but it’ll be worth it as long as it can make Eldest Senior Brother happy.] With that thought in mind, she quietly shot a look at the Divine Oracle to warn him to speak carefully.
There was no saying whether the Divine Oracle noticed her look as he picked up Yang Kai’s hand and studied the lines on his palm with a frown, “Young man, it seems your life is not going very well and your path ahead is full of disasters. If this Old Master is correct, you encountered something sad recently, right?”
Wan Ying Ying angrily spoke up from the side, “Stop talking nonsense. Who wouldn’t know something like that?”
“Haha…” The Divine Oracle chuckled softly. He was not bothered by her outburst and continued his examination until all of a sudden, he frowned as if he had discovered something extraordinary and his expression became extremely dignified.
Wan Ying Ying grit her teeth at the sight and secretly vowed to herself, [If this old fart makes another rude remark, I’m going to beat him up and throw him out!]
“Old Sir?” Yang Kai called out softly.
The Divine Oracle stared at Yang Kai’s hand in his grip for a while, seeming to freeze in place. After a while, he slowly released Yang Kai’s hand and stood up. He grabbed the cloth banner he had placed by the side of the table and retreated, cupping his fist in apology, “I’m sorry for disturbing you!”
Wan Ying Ying looked at the Divine Oracle in confusion, wondering what tricks this old man was playing. However, she watched as the elderly man retreated to the door and turned around to run away. Who could have known that he would happen to bump into someone?
That person was an impressive and handsome young man who had a jade-like woman in his arms. One of his large hands fondled restlessly around the woman’s waist. When the Divine Oracle ran into him, he was caught off-guard and stumbled backward suddenly. Furious, he grabbed the old man by the collar and shouted, “Old dog, are you blind!? Don’t you look where you’re going!?”
The Divine Oracle apologised repeatedly before suddenly looking up at the young man and saying, “Young man, I can see a dark mark on your forehead. Moreover, your gaze is dull and your Essence Spirit has dissipated. I’m afraid a great disaster will befall you soon!”
This situation made Wan Ying Ying utterly speechless.
Meanwhile, the young man became even angrier. He slapped the Divine Oracle with his palm and knocked him straight to the ground. Then, he stepped forward and added two more kicks for good measure. His stomps made the Divine Oracle scream in agony. After fiercely venting his anger, he finally grinned savagely, “How dare you say that a great disaster will befall me? I’ll show you what a great disaster looks like!”
The Divine Oracle was powerless to resist and could only curl up into a trembling ball.
The young man called out, “Pull out all his teeth. Show him the consequences of speaking nonsense!”
“Yes!” Two attendants immediately rushed out from behind the young man. They grabbed the Divine Oracle from both sides and dragged him to the side.
On the other hand, the young man sauntered into the restaurant with the woman held snugly in his arms.
Wan Ying Ying immediately turned pale. She stood next to Yang Kai and grabbed him by the arm, “Eldest Senior Brother, let’s leave quickly.”
Who could have known that Yang Kai would be as immovable as a rock? She could not budge him whatsoever.
Near the door, the young man led the woman and his attendants inside. His gaze swept around and immediately landed on Yang Kai, causing him to grin meaningfully, “Isn’t that Yang Kai from Void Spirit Sword Sect? Goodness, what a coincidence!”
The gorgeously dolled-up woman who had been giggling away in his arms suddenly stiffened at those words. When she turned around to look at Yang Kai, her expression immediately became uneasy and she murmured softly, “Young Master Zhang, this old place has a shabby atmosphere. Let’s go somewhere else.”
The young man called Young Master Zhang sneered, “Does this place have a shabby atmosphere? Or, are you feeling uncomfortable after meeting an old lover?”
The woman looked embarrassed but did not open her mouth.
He sneered, “Since you’ve met an old lover, you should definitely go and greet him!”
While saying so, he dragged the woman in his arms over to Yang Kai and sat down opposite him. His attendants spread out to form a line behind him, giving off an impressive aura.
Yang Kai quietly watched the young man and information floated into his head. This person was Zhang Yu Lin from Tian Luo Hall!
Compared to a small force like the Void Spirit Sword Sect, Tian Luo Hall was much stronger. The cultivators in the Divine Armament World could be divided into four Realms, Mortal, Earth, Heaven, and Spirit. The same applied for the great forces.
Both Void Spirit Sword Sect and Tian Luo Hall had Earth Realm Masters assuming command over their Sect, so they could be considered Earth Realm great forces. However, the Earth Realm Masters in the Void Spirit Sword Sect were only in the Third Stage at most. In contrast, Tian Luo Hall had several Ninth-Step Earth Realm Masters.
Therefore, Tian Luo Hall stood on a different level compared to Void Spirit Sword Sect in terms of both quantity or quality of Masters. Any random Elder in Tian Luo Hall could easily wipe out the entire Void Spirit Sword Sect.
Zhang Yu Lin’s strength was only slightly higher than Yang Kai’s, so there was not much of a difference between them. Be that as it may, their statuses and authority were as different as night and day as the former was a descendant of a Tian Luo Hall Elder
Meanwhile, the woman next to him was called Zhou Cen. She was a disciple of the Zhou Family.
Yang Kai had gotten to know her and secretly fell in love with her when he went out to run errands in the past. He initially thought that she was a gentle, kind, and intelligent woman; an ideal companion. Who could have known that Zhang Yu Lin would appear out of nowhere?
Faced with a choice between Yang Kai and Zhang Yu Lin, Zhou Cen had chosen the latter. That was also the greatest reason why Yang Kai had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol lately.
[The identity given to me by the Divine Armament World was such a failure!] Yang Kai sighed slightly.
“I told you never to appear before me again. I also told you that I would beat you up every time I saw you. Did you think I was joking?” Zhang Yu Lin glared at Yang Kai coldly. He might have stolen Yang Kai’s woman, but he had no intention of forgiving Yang Kai either. His arrival in this place today was not a coincidence. It was intentional.
“What a coincidence. I don’t know why I get so worked up when I see your face. I have the urge to beat you up too!” Yang Kai grinned. The Divine Armament World had given him a brand-new identity that naturally came with many different emotions. At this moment, he was filled with an inexplicable rage when he saw his love rival standing in front of him.
Zhang Yu Lin was taken aback by those words.
Similarly, Zhou Cen also looked at Yang Kai in astonishment from where she stood within Zhang Yu Lin’s arms. Her impression of Yang Kai was that of a warm and kind-hearted young man who treated others with generosity. She had never seen him looking so aggressive before. He even gave off a… murderous intent! A Yang Kai like this was very unfamiliar to her.
“What did you say!?” Zhang Yu Lin cocked his ear to the side and leaned his head close to Yang Kai, “Can you say that again? I don’t think I heard you clearly!”
*Pa…*
Yang Kai raised his hand and slapped the other party without another word. His palm landed squarely on Zhang Yu Lin’s face, causing a bloody tooth to fly out.
The force of impact sent Zhang Yu Lin flying through the air, spinning several times before he collapsed heavily to the ground. Even Zhou Cen, who had been embraced in his arms all this while, collapsed to the ground with him.
Two screams rang out at the same time. They came from Wan Ying Ying, who stood behind Yang Kai, and Zhou Cen respectively.
“Young Master Zhang!” Zhang Yu Lin’s attendants went pale with shock and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, scrambling in panic for a moment.
At the entrance of the shop, the dishevelled Divine Oracle with several footprints still on his back rushed in with his cloth banner in his hand. He glanced at Zhang Yu Lin, who had collapsed on the ground with blood in his mouth, and roared with laughter, “This Old Master warned you that you will face a great disaster today, but you didn’t believe me! Hah! Let’s see if you believe me now!”
After saying that, he turned around and fled like a column of smoke.
Zhang Yu Lin stood up with some help from his attendants, feeling as though half of his face was swollen. Shaking his head vigorously, he stared at Yang Kai with a mixture of shock and fury, “You dare hit me!?”
Yang Kai replied nonchalantly, “I apologise. You stretched your head so far out that my hand just landed on it when I tried to turn!”
“Eldest Senior Brother, we need to go!” Wan Ying Ying was so anxious that her complexion was deathly pale. She tugged at Yang Kai’s arm with all her might. When she first saw Zhang Yu Lin, she had immediately wanted to drag Yang Kai away. Unfortunately, she failed to do so. Who could have known that things would take such a turn? [I can’t believe that Eldest Senior Brother hit Zhang Yu Lin! Now that things have gotten out of hand, there is no way to resolve this matter peacefully!]
“You want to leave!?” Zhang Yu Lin was livid, “Why are you still standing around doing nothing!? Get them! Break that bastard’s limbs! I want him to suffer!”
His attendants immediately rushed forward from behind him.
There was not much difference between his strength and Yang Kai’s as Yang Kai was in the Fourth-Step Mortal Realm while he was in the Fifth-Step Mortal Realm. It was not that his aptitude was better than Yang Kai’s, but rather that Tian Luo Hall had more abundant resources, so he received better support. However, the attendants that he brought with him were all in the Eighth-Step or Ninth-Step Mortal Realm. They might not be in the Earth Realm, but they were not far from it.
“Eldest Senior Brother…” Wan Ying Ying’s small face was as white as a sheet and her petite body trembled slightly. Although she was extremely terrified, she stood in front of Yang Kai, “Go quickly! I will stop them!”
Yang Kai laughed and stood up, pulling her behind him, “Your Eldest Senior Brother is here. There’s no need for you to come forward. Just stand there and watch. My journey in this world will begin here!”
*Ceng…*
Following a soft sound, a sword light dazzled his eyes. Yang Kai looked down at the long sword in his hand and gave an exclamation of surprise, “Oh? It turns out that I have a sword. It looks like this world treats me quite well!”
Void Spirit Sword Sect naturally focused on the Sword Dao, so it was only natural that the disciples carried swords. Yang Kai had been ignorant of this fact and it was not until he instinctively drew his blade that he discovered he had a sword.
*Chi…*
Soft stabbing sounds rang out as one of the Eighth-Step Mortal Realm Masters charging at Yang Kai froze in place and looked down at his chest. A longsword had pierced right through his chest and a stinging pain spread out from his heart.
“You…” The attendant lifted his head and looked at Yang Kai in disbelief. He neither understood what had happened nor how he had been stabbed by a sword.
“Pang San!” The expressions of the other attendants nearby changed greatly. From their point of view, it seemed as though this attendant called Pang San had accidentally impaled himself on the other party’s longsword. And, this was the outcome of the accident.
*Chi…*
Yang Kai pulled out his sword, causing blood to splatter everywhere. Then, Pang San turned pale and collapsed face-first to the ground.
“You court death!” The rest of the attendants were enraged. There were several Eighth-Step and Ninth-Step Mortal Realm Masters attacking a single boy in the Fourth-Step Mortal Realm, so how could they accidentally be killed by their opponent? It was a great humiliation to them. Roaring furiously, they circulated their strength and drew their weapons to attack from both sides.
A fight had suddenly broken out and one person had already died. Screams rang out in the restaurant and everybody quickly fled outside. Even the shopkeeper and shophands of the restaurant vanished without a trace.
Inside the restaurant, Yang Kai and the attendants were at each other’s throats. Sword lights flashed as Yang Kai retreated while protecting Wan Ying Ying behind him. At the same time, he raised his sword to parry the ferocious attacks that kept raining down on him. The sounds of swords clashing against each other rang out endlessly.
Yang Kai suffered from the impact of all the blows landing on him, and consequently, his arms went numb and his vitality churned violently. His cultivation was no match for his opponents, so he was bound to suffer at their hands. He was at a disadvantage in a frontal confrontation and his longsword trembled continuously, almost as though it could be sent flying at any moment.
*Chi…*
Another soft stabbing sound rang out as an attendant in the Ninth-Step Mortal Realm halted in his tracks and looked down at his chest in disbelief. His eyes instantly widened at the sight.
He had suffered the same fate as Pang San. Yang Kai’s sword had skewered him through the chest and stabbed straight into his heart. Before he could understand what had happened, he felt a large invisible hand squeezing his heart. All the vitality in his body rapidly drained away and he collapsed to the ground.
The remaining two attendants were shocked and horrified. They did not understand why their companions seemed to have the tendency to run straight into the opponent’s sword today! The boy opposite them was clearly much weaker than them, but he had managed to kill two of their companions in such a strange manner. Rather than being killed by Yang Kai, it was better to say that both their companions had impaled themselves on the opponent’s sword on their own.
“Weak! Too weak!” Yang Kai’s expression was filled with dissatisfaction. The body given to him by the Divine Armament World was so weak that he could not bear to look at himself. Compared to the strength of his original body, this Yang Kai of Void Spirit Sword Sect was no different from an ant.
He only managed to kill two of his opponents by relying on his overwhelming experience and skill. Although he could not use his actual strength in this place, he could freely wield the techniques he honed from so many years of fighting. It didn’t matter whether the enemy was greater in numbers or stronger than him, killing them was not difficult as long as he could seize the fleeting opportunities before him to make his move.
These attendants in the Eighth-Step and Ninth-Step Mortal Realm might have Spirit Qi protecting their bodies, but he could find openings at critical moments and position his longsword so that they impaled themselves on his sword all on their own. Rather than saying that Yang Kai had killed them, it was better to say that their own strength had killed them. That was why, in the eyes of outsider, those two people who died seemed as though they had committed suicide. It was extremely peculiar.
Zhang Yu Lin had brought along six attendants with him. Two of them had gone to dispose of the Divine Oracle and their current whereabouts were unknown. Out of the remaining four, Yang Kai had killed two; therefore, only two were left.
These two remaining attendants were frozen in place, horror spreading across their faces. Their calm looks from before were gone. Two of their companions had been killed in quick succession. It would be weirder if they failed to realise that something was strange about Yang Kai. It was just that Yang Kai was only in the Fourth-Step Mortal Realm no matter how they looked at him. Not to mention, the fluctuation of the Spirit Qi surrounding his body was much weaker than their own.
“In a deadly battle, hesitation is one’s greatest flaw!” Yang Kai flicked his sword and sneered coldly. When his body moved, he boldly took the initiative to charge straight towards those two and his sword flashed so swiftly that nothing could escape its reach.
The two remaining attendants paled with shock and hastily defended themselves; however, what depressed them greatly was that even though their strength was clearly greater than their opponent’s and their Spirit Qi was much denser than his, the figure in front of them was as slippery as an eel. They could not grasp his position and instead were the ones to reveal more flaws due to the fear and unease in their hearts.
A short while later, there were two additional corpses in the restaurant whose blood stained the ground.
“A family should never be separated!” Yang Kai flicked off the blood on his blade. The longsword in his hand was pitted and damaged along its entire length as it was not some extraordinary weapon. It was simply a Mortal Grade longsword, so after fighting with four Eighth-Step and Ninth-Step Mortal Realm Masters, the sword was at its limits.
Still, Yang Kai looked up at Zhang Yu Lin, only to see that the latter was utterly dumbstruck.
When the battle first began, Zhang Yu Lin had energetically shouted provocations from the sidelines, but as his attendants fell one by one, the horror on his face grew stronger and stronger. At this moment, he was shocked to the core.
[Is he really the same Yang Kai who grovelled and didn’t dare to say a word in front of me?] He felt as though he was dreaming. Everything felt almost surreal.
Even Zhou Cen beside him was full of doubts.
Seeing Yang Kai approaching step by step, Zhang Yu Lin immediately panicked, “Stay away!”
“Didn’t you want to chop off my limbs? How are you going to chop my limbs if I don’t come over?” Yang Kai stared at Zhang Yu Lin calmly, suppressing the rage in his heart. The Divine Armament World had given him a brand-new identity that came with its own set of emotions. These memories felt so real that he felt as though they were his actual life experiences.
“I… I was just joking.” Zhang Yu Lin shivered in fear. All of a sudden, he saw Zhou Cen standing next to him, pale-faced with fear. Without hesitation, he hurriedly shoved her in front of him and shouted, “Didn’t you like this woman? I’ll return her to you. Just don’t come near me.”
Zhou Cen was shoved so hard that she stumbled and slammed into Yang Kai’s chest, causing her complexion to turn even paler than before. When she looked up, all she saw was Yang Kai looking down at her coldly. The gaze was so unfamiliar that she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
*Chi…*
A sudden stab of pain came from her chest. Looking down, she saw the tip of a sword piercing her in the back and protruding from her chest. The sword had penetrated her body to stab into Yang Kai’s abdomen.
“Hahahaha!” Zhang Yu Lin’s hysterical laughter came from behind her, “How dare you act so arrogantly in front of this Young Master!? Let’s see if you survive that!”
Wan Ying Ying’s scream rang out.
On the other hand, Yang Kai gave a furious roar and raised his sword to slash at something behind Zhou Cen. A sword light flashed and Zhang Yu Lin’s head flew into the sky. His vicious and triumphant expression remained on his face as his headless corpse swayed slightly before slowly collapsing to the ground, blood gushing out from his neck like a fountain.
Zhou Cen went limp in Yang Kai’s arms. Yang Kai took two steps back and gently laid her down on the ground. Her gaze went slack, but she stared at Yang Kai fixedly and muttered, “I’m sorry!”
Wan Ying Ying rushed over and immediately saw the wound traversing Zhou Cen’s chest.
Zhang Yu Lin’s longsword had passed directly through Zhou Cen’s chest and pierced her heart. With such injuries… there was no hope for her. After she finished speaking that sentence, her eyes slowly closed and her aura disappeared. The stench of blood was incredibly strong inside the restaurant, permeating the air and causing one to gag.
“Eldest Senior Brother, are you alright?” Wan Ying Ying glanced nervously at Yang Kai only to see a patch of red slowly spreading across his abdomen and staining his clothes. Zhang Yu Lin’s final attack where he used Zhou Cen as a distraction had injured Yang Kai. That was not all. Both Yang Kai’s sleeves were also dyed in red blood, a result of him tearing his muscles from his earlier battle.
When fighting Zhang Yu Lin’s four attendants, Yang Kai had killed them by relying on his overwhelming skills. Nevertheless, the gap in their cultivation had caused him to suffer some losses. The force of recoil that rebounded back at him had turned both his arms into a bloody mess.
“I’m fine!” He waved his hand dismissively as he sent a complicated gaze towards Zhou Cen, who was laid out on the ground. [This world is strange indeed. I’ve never even met this Zhou Cen before, but sorrow fills my heart to see her die in front of me.]
The reason he had been injured by Zhang Yu Lin was that a ripple had involuntarily emerged in his heart when Zhou Cen was shoved into his arms. That feeling had left him reeling in shock for a moment.
“You’re bleeding so much! How can you say you’re fine!?” Wan Ying Ying was close to tears. She hurriedly dug through the small cloth bag at her waist and took out a bottle of pills. Tipping a single pill out of the bottle, she stuffed it into his mouth. Then, she took out some medicinal powder, tore his clothes open, and helped him to apply the powder on his wounds.
While treating his wounds, she also examined the severity of his injuries and discovered that the stab wound at his abdomen was just a flesh wound. It had not gotten further than three centimetres past his skin. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
“Eldest Senior Brother, we need to return to the Sect immediately. We must not stay here any longer!” It was her first time seeing so many people die and so much blood spilled. Despite that, she only experienced a short moment of panic before she quickly realised that they had to leave this place as soon as possible.
Zhang Yu Lin was the favoured descendant of one of the Elders in Tian Luo Hall, so Tian Luo Hall would never let this matter go now that he had died at Yang Kai’s hands in a place like this. Moreover, this town was under Tian Luo Hall’s jurisdiction. Once word of this incident spread, Tian Luo Hall’s members would surely swarm out to surround and suppress them.
Wan Ying Ying’s heart was filled with worry. [Eldest Senior Brother caused such a huge mess. How will we resolve this incident?]
“En!” Yang Kai nodded in agreement. The two of them gathered their things quickly and swiftly left the restaurant.
Walking on the street, he suddenly sensed something and turned around to look. The Divine Oracle stood at the corner of the street with his bruised and swollen face. He was stroking his beard and looking in this direction with an unreadable expression. When their gazes met, he bowed deeply. His attitude immediately became flattering and he kept bowing politely with a cupped fist.
[This old guy… is interesting! Did he notice something?] Yang Kai retracted his gaze and followed Wan Ying Ying to the horse stables to retrieve their mounts. Afterwards, they travelled in the direction of Void Spirit Sword Sect located several dozen kilometres away.
In this world, only Masters in the Heaven Realm and above could fly. Those in the Mortal Realm and the Earth Realm were incapable of such feats; therefore, most people could only travel by horse. Be that as it may, even those in the Heaven Realm would not choose to fly unless it was an emergency as doing so consumed too much Spirit Qi, making flight hard to sustain for long periods of time. Only those in the Spirit Realm would fly about without any care in the world.