The reason why the Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to borrow the Good Fortune Divine Furnace was to create more Yin and Yang Element materials in the Sixth Order and above, so how could they use those materials to exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace?
Yang Kai’s statement had undoubtedly rendered everybody else speechless.
“I just came back to the Star Boundary, so I have many affairs to deal with. Please excuse me,” Yang Kai said and departed with a flash, leaving behind many Open Heaven Realm Masters looking at each other perplexedly.
Dong Su Zhu looked up into the sky from the top of a certain Spirit Peak. Hua Qing Si had immediately sent a message to inform the two Elders about Yang Kai’s return as soon as he arrived in the Star Boundary. Overjoyed to learn that her Son had returned, Dong Su Zhu had specially come out here to wait for his arrival.
Yang Ying Feng walked out of the bamboo building behind her, his arms clasped behind his back, and snorted, “He doesn’t even come back to visit his Parents as soon as he returns. We truly wasted our time raising this Son.”
Although he said those words, his eyes would glance around from time to time with an earnest expression.
Dong Su Zhu turned around to glare at him, “You talk too much! Our Son has a different status now. High Heaven Palace is so enormous and he has not returned for so many years; I’m sure he has many things to discuss with Manager Hua. You can go back if you’re upset. Nobody is forcing you to wait here.”
Yang Ying Feng sighed and muttered, “Defeated by a loving Mother!”
During their conversation, space nearby rippled. Immediately after that, a figure emerged. It was none other than Yang Kai, whom these two Elders had been yearning all day and all night to see.
Dong Su Zhu hurriedly went forward to greet him, “Son, you’re back!”
“Mother!” Yang Kai nodded in greeting before he turned to look at Yang Ying Feng nearby, “Father!”
Yang Ying Feng grunted sullenly in response, then he turned around and entered the bamboo building.
Dong Su Zhu took Yang Kai’s hand and examined him carefully. After a while, she finally said in satisfaction, “You didn’t get thinner. In fact, you’ve gotten stronger. You must have suffered a lot outside all these years.”
Yang Kai smiled and shook his head, “I’m used to it.”
He carefully perceived her aura and raised his eyebrows in surprise, “Mother, have you already advanced into the Open Heaven Realm?”
She nodded, “That’s right. I’m also in the Open Heaven Realm now.”
It all felt like a dream whenever she recalled everything that she experienced over the years. Starting from the Yang Family in the Great Han Dynasty up until now, it was difficult to imagine that she would advance into the Open Heaven Realm one day.
“Which Order?” He looked concerned.
She smiled, “Fifth-Order.”
Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s great.”
Thanks to the feedback from the World Tree in the Star Boundary back then, his parents had been lucky enough to condense their Dao Seals. Yang Kai had personally examined them once, and with his parents’ original aptitude, the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm would have been their limit even if they managed to advance into the Open Heaven Realm. It was only thanks to the Star Boundary’s World Tree that they had hopes of a better outcome.
With a two-pronged approach involving the Divine Dao Water and the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, Dong Su Zhu managed to advance into the Open Heaven Realm in recent years.
“What about Father?” Yang Kai asked.
“He is also in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” Dong Su Zhu laughed.
Speaking of which, there had been some risks involved when the two Elders advanced into the Open Heaven Realm. Their aptitude had barely been enough after all. Advancing into the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm would have been the safest choice. Be that as it may, they both knew that their future limit would be in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm if they could advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was why they decided to take the risk.
It was not purely for their own future achievements of course. They had been living under Yang Kai’s protection all these years; hence, they wished that there would come a day when they could help their Son instead of simply staying at home in retirement.
A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was bound to have some qualifications, right? That was why the two Elders had been working hard on their cultivation after their advancement. In any case, there was no shortage of resources in High Heaven Palace. Not to mention, Hua Qing Si strongly supported their cultivation and freely gave them whatever resources they needed.
“Come, come. Let’s go inside and talk,” Dong Su Zhu led Yang Kai into the bamboo hut by the hand.
The family of three spent a joyous and harmonious time together as they casually chatted with each other.
Dong Su Zhu suddenly said, “By the way, how are Xiao’er and Xue’er doing?”
Yang Kai replied, “They’re both doing well. Before I came here, Xiao’er followed a Senior to the Divine Spirit’s Ancestral Land. The environment in that place will be highly beneficial for his cultivation. Xue’er couldn’t follow him, so she stayed behind at Void Land to cultivate in retreat.”
Dong Su Zhu complained, “That little girl… Why doesn’t she know to come back and visit us?”
Yang Ying Feng stroked his neatly combed beard and quickly said, “Speaking of Xiao’er and Xue’er, there’s something we need to discuss.”
Yang Kai asked in confusion, “Father, what do you wish to discuss?”
Yang Ying Feng and Dong Su Zhu exchanged a glance with each other. In the end, Dong Su Zhu was the one to speak, “The two children can be said to have grown up together. Disregarding their hierarchy in the family, they can be said to be childhood sweethearts. Moreover, they spent so many years living and cultivating together. I’m sure they’ve secretly developed feelings for each other by now. As their Big Brother and Foster Father, you’ve always been running around outside all the time, so I have no idea whether you noticed anything, but it is as plain as day to the two of us.”
“But, there is a generational gap between them in terms of seniority and hierarchy. Xiao’er is your Adopted Son. When it comes to honorifics, he has to call Xue’er ‘Little Aunt’ by right.” Yang Ying Feng elaborated, “Kai’er, you’ve always been assertive. How do you think this matter should be handled?”
Yang Kai pondered in silence for a moment.
The truth was that he had given some thought to Yang Xiao and Yang Xue’s matters in the past. When a man and a woman lived and cultivated together for hundreds of years, starting from when they were just little children, it was only natural for feelings to grow between them. It was just that the two little ones had never expressed anything to him, so he did not wish to speak rashly. Nevertheless, it was time to make up his mind now that his parents had brought up this matter.
A short while later, he answered, “In terms of seniority and hierarchy, there is no denying that Xiao’er is one generation younger than Xue’er, but if we look at it from the perspective of them as Disciples under the same Master, they share a Senior Brother and Junior Sister relationship. What I’m trying to say is that we should let nature take its course. We can leave this matter to them. If something really does come of this, then they each have their own seniority over the other. It’s not a big deal anyway. Cultivators don’t really care about these minor details. Besides, there is no real blood relationship between them. Even if they were to marry each other, it would be an auspicious matter.”
Yang Ying Feng and Dong Su Zhu exchanged a glance with each other, with Yang Ying Feng asking worriedly, “Even if that’s the case, will outsiders say anything?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Just let them follow their hearts. Why should we care what other people might say? If they can’t even withstand a few unsolicited remarks, then there is no need for them to be together.”
Dong Su Zhu nodded, “That’s true… To cultivators, age and seniority are not very important. Even among our Daughters-in-Law, many of them are much older than you. If we really had to follow honorifics, then we would have to call her ‘Senior’.”
Needless to say, she was referring to Yu Ru Meng.
As one of the Demon Race Demon Saints, Yu Ru Meng was countless times older than Yang Kai. Even Xue Yue, Shan Qing Luo, and Ji Yao were also much older than Yang Kai. There was no need to even mention Zhu Qing in this regard. Only Xia Ning Chang and Su Yan were of similar age to Yang Kai.
Yang Ying Feng also nodded, “Putting it this way, then we have nothing to worry about. We only need to clarify the two children’s intentions.”
“That’s right!” While speaking, Yang Kai laughed again, “By the way, Mother, Father, I came back to ask you for a favour.”
Dong Su Zhu smiled, “You are our Son. Just speak up if there’s something you need from us. Why would you need us to do you a favour?”
With a wave of his hand, two figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. One was a stunning beauty, and the other was a slightly foolish-looking man. These two had been in the middle of doing something when they were summoned from the Small Universe by Yang Kai without any warning, so they were a little confused at first.
After looking around their surroundings and seeing Yang Kai, both of them quickly bowed in greeting, “Honoured Master!”
“Honoured Master?” Dong Su Zhu looked at Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai in surprise, “Kai’er, did you take on Disciples?”
Yang Kai nodded and made the introductions, “This boy with the silly look on his face is Zhao Ye Bai; this smart and quick-witted girl is Zhao Ya.” Then, he turned to those two and added, “These two are your Master’s parents!”
Zhao Ye Bai immediately became dumbstruck and asked in a panic, “Master, you have parents too?”
Yang Kai kicked Zhao Ye Bai, “Nonsense! Why wouldn’t I have Parents? Did you think I popped out of a rock!?
Zhao Ye Bai quickly waved his hand and responded in embarrassment, “No, no, no, Master! That’s not what I meant!”
Zhao Ya tugged at Zhao Ye Bai and knelt on the ground with a thud. She bowed respectfully, “Zhao Ya greets Grand Masters!”
Only then did Zhao Ye Bai return to his senses and hurriedly bow in greeting, “Zhao Ye Bai greets Grand Masters!”
Dong Su Zhu smiled brightly, waving her hand to help the two up as she called out, “What good children. Stand up, stand up.”
A gentle force wrapped around Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai, and they stood involuntarily.
“Oh my, this little girl is really quite pretty,” Dong Su Zhu examined Zhao Ya and did not hesitate to praise the girl.
Zhao Ya smiled sweetly and shyly said, “Thank you, Grand Master.”
Dong Su Zhu quipped, “I wonder which smelly brat will be so lucky to have you in the future.”
Zhao Ya blushed slightly and glanced at Zhao Ye Bai. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was standing with his hands clenched tightly into fists, his head straight, and his chest raised slightly. It was obvious that he was very nervous. There was even a sheen of fine sweat covering his forehead.
[Numbskull!] Zhao Ya pouted to herself.
Seeing this scene, Dong Su Zhu immediately understood the situation. She then beckoned Zhao Ya over. When Zhao Ya approached, she took the young woman’s small hand, and took off one of the bracelets on her own arm before placing it in Zhao Ya’s hand, “Since this is our first time meeting each other, you can consider this a gift from your Grand Master.”
Zhao Ya looked down. Although she could not identify the Grade of the bracelet, she knew that it was an extraordinary item; thus, she quickly shook her head and said, “Grand Master, this is far too precious. I can’t accept this.”
“Just take it. It is the first time your Master has ever taken a Disciple. As your Grand Master, how can I fail to show some sincerity?”
Helpless, Zhao Ya turned to look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded, “The gifts from your Elders cannot be refused!”
Upon hearing what her Master said, she finally pursed her scarlet lips and said, “Xiao Ya thanks you for the gift, Grand Master!”
“Good girl!” Dong Su Zhu smiled and patted Zhao Ya’s head.
Seeing this, Yang Ying Feng could only dig out a chainmail-like Artifact Armour from his Space Ring and hand it to Zhao Ye Bai, “This isn’t a particularly expensive item, but it suits your current cultivation. Consider this a meeting gift from your Grand Master.”
Having learned from Zhao Ya’s previous experience, Zhao Ye Bai did not refuse; instead, he cupped his fist and shouted in a deep voice, “Zhao Ye Bai thanks Grand Master for the gift!”
He took two steps forward and reached out to take the Artifact Armour with both hands. It was almost as though he was carrying a supreme treasure as he respectfully stepped back.
Although it was only the first meeting, the performance of the two children was enough for the two Elders to obtain an idea of their personalities.
Zhao Ya was undoubtedly more likeable thanks to her cheerful personality. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was relatively slow-witted in comparison. He also had a simple and honest temperament. What’s more, these were the Disciples that Yang Kai took in. Regardless of their aptitude, there was nothing wrong with their characters.
Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai had been living in Yang Kai’s Small Universe ever since they were born. Although the environment in Yang Kai’s Small Universe was not bad, it was impossible to compare it with the current cultivation environment in the Star Boundary.
Among the countless Universe Worlds in the 3,000 Worlds, the Star Boundary was the only place deserving of the nicknamed ‘Open Heaven Realm Cradle’ throughout history. Why else would the Cave Heavens and Paradises be so eager to send their disciples trillions upon trillions of kilometres away just to come here?
The reason why Yang Kai had made Zhao Ya suppress her cultivation previously was out of fear that her cultivation would improve too quickly. If her cultivation became too high, she would lose most of her malleability and fail to enjoy the full benefits brought by the feedback of the World Tree as a result.
“Xiao Ya.” Yang Kai looked at Zhao Ya, “In the past, I asked you to suppress your cultivation because I had my concerns. Now that we have arrived at the Star Boundary, there’s no need to deliberately suppress your cultivation anymore.”
Zhao Ya’s beautiful eyes lit up, “Master, are you saying that I can advance as I please now?”
He nodded in confirmation, which caused her to cheer in exhilaration.
Others could not understand her pain. There were times when she could clearly feel that the opportunity to break through was upon her and she would only need to enter retreat or even engage in a single battle to advance to the next stage. Unfortunately, she could only forcefully suppress herself because of her Master’s orders.
That feeling was similar to a starving person who could only stare at the mountain of delicacies in front of them and not take a single bite. Therefore, it was only natural that she would be ecstatic when she heard Yang Kai saying that she could advance as she pleased and that she no longer needed to suppress herself like before.
Yang Kai then turned to look at Zhao Ye Bai, “Xiao Bai, your aptitude is much poorer than Xiao Ya, but as your Master, I’ve always told you this, diligence makes up for lack of natural talent. Work hard in the future. Don’t let your Junior Sister leave you behind by too much!”
Zhao Ye Bai quickly said, “Yes, Master! This Disciple will work hard in my cultivation and live up to your expectations!”
“Mother, I will have to trouble you and Father to take care of these two children in the future,” Yang Kai looked at Dong Su Zhu.
Dong Su Zhu smiled from ear to ear, “No problem. Don’t worry and leave them to me. We will definitely take good care of them for you.”
The old couple disliked the fact that Yang Kai could not accompany them often. That was why they had worked hard to give birth to Yang Xue even though they had long passed the suitable age for childbearing. In the end, Yang Xue had left along with her Big Brother when she grew up.
With no children to accompany them, the two Elders had often felt lonely over the years; hence, there was no reason for them not to be happy when Yang Kai suddenly placed Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai under their care.
It would have been one thing if it were anybody else, but the key point was that these two children were Yang Kai’s Disciples! What was the difference with having their own grandchildren!? Not to mention, Zhao Ya was a naturally beautiful girl with a sweet tongue. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai had a gentle temperament although he could be a little stiff. They were both good children
It could be said that Dong Su Zhu was becoming increasingly satisfied the more she observed the two children.
When Yang Kai noticed his Mother’s attitude, he quickly reminded her, “Don’t spoil them too much. You need to punish them if they make a mistake. They will not grow up well without proper rules in place.”
“I know!” She waved her hand impatiently.
Yang Kai shook his head in frustration. Turning to look at Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai sternly, he warned them, “From today onward, the two of you will cultivate hard under your two Grand Masters. Be obedient. If I learn that you have committed any mistakes, I will not forgive you!”
“This Disciple would not dare!” The two children replied in unison.
Only then did he nod his head in satisfaction, “Father, Mother, I still have other matters to discuss with the Head Manager. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Dong Su Zhu nodded in understanding, “Go on then.”
After a quick bow, Yang Kai turned around to leave. He had just been about to discuss the matters regarding the New Great Territory with Hua Qing Si when they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Yu Chang Dao and the others; hence, he was still unclear about the situation over there.
When Yang Kai met Hua Qing Si again, the first thing he did was ask, “Just what is the situation in the New Great Territory?”
She replied, “The New Great Territory is extremely rich in resources. It’s a fertile land that has never been developed before. We have found many good things over the years. A few years ago, we even discovered a very interesting Universe World.
“A Universe World?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “How is it interesting?”
She gave a little hint, “You will have to find out the specifics for yourself when you see it. Believe me, you will be surprised, Sect Master.”
While saying so, she took out a Communication Bead to send a message. It didn’t take long before a person arrived. That person was slightly stunned to see Yang Kai and quickly bowed in greeting, “Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded, “Long time no see, Hei He.”
The person who arrived was the second person Yang Kai included in the Loyalty List, Hei He. The first person to leave their name in the Loyalty List was Chen Tian Fei, who gave Yang Kai the Loyalty List in the first place.
When changes first occurred in the Star Boundary thanks to the World Tree, it was Hei He who brought Lan Xun to the 3,000 Worlds and travelled to Void Land to report the news to Yang Kai.
Hei He had been in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when he was first taken in by Yang Kai, and there was no change to his cultivation at present. He was still in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, his aura had obviously become much more profound. It was clear that his strength had improved significantly. It was just that the Open Heaven Realm required time to accumulate and precipitate experience, so it was not that easy to advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Hua Qing Si instructed, “Hei He, bring the Sect Master to the Small Stone World!”
He quickly said, “Yes!”
Yang Kai nodded at Hua Qing Si lightly before pushing his Space Principles to wrap around Hei He. The two of them instantly vanished from the spot, and by the time they reappeared, they had already arrived at the New Great Territory’s Territory Gate.
There were two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters guarding the Territory Gate. It turned out to be Iron Blood Great Emperor and Martial Beast Great Emperor. These two were sitting cross-legged in the void with their eyes closed in meditation.
Upon detecting movement nearby, Martial Beast Great Emperor Mo Huang’s eyes opened and immediately lit up, “You’re back?”
“You’ve both worked hard,” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
Mo Huang smiled, “It’s not hard at all, just a little boring. At least I can still cultivate, which helps to pass some time.”
Yang Kai asked, “Has anybody tried to set their eyes on the New Great Territory over the years?”
Mo Huang laughed, “Of course! How could they not? Look over there at that guy sneakily looking around curiously. He is practically drooling to plunge in to check out the situation inside.”
Yang Kai looked in the direction that Mo Huang was pointing and saw several gazes staring in this direction from Star City.
The New Great Territory’s Territory Gate was located about a million kilometres from the Star Boundary. That distance could not be considered far, but it was located much closer to High Heaven Star City. It was possible to see most of what was happening inside Star City just by standing next to the Territory Gate.
Iron Blood Great Emperor Zhan Wu Hen said indifferently, “The two of us are Great Emperors of the Star Boundary, so as long as we are here, we can cope even if a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were to rashly attack us. Combined with the agreements you made with the Cave Heavens and Paradises previously, they don’t dare to do anything even if they are curious.”
Yang Kai nodded, “If anybody dares to act without regard for the agreement, please feel free to retaliate. I will bear full responsibility if anything happens.”
Mo Huang grinned, “That statement is enough for me. However, everything has been relatively stable over the years. Nobody has done anything to upset the balance yet.”
Yang Kai nodded. All of a sudden, he took a closer look at the two of them and exclaimed in astonishment, “Your cultivation…”
Mo Huang and Zhan Wu Hen exchanged a glance with each other and chuckled. They seemed to have expected Yang Kai’s surprise.
Mo Huang explained, “We didn’t notice anything initially either. It wasn’t until after you departed that the Great Emperors of the Star Boundary discovered something. Our cultivation improves rapidly if we cultivate in the Star Boundary. There is practically no need for us to refine any cultivation resources.”
Zhan Wu Hen added, “Because we are the Great Emperors acknowledged by the Star Boundary’s Will, the Star Boundary’s World Force is extremely compatible with our Small Universes. That’s why we can easily refine the power of the Star Boundary’s World Force for our own use.”
Mo Huang elaborated, “An average Universe World would not be able to withstand having seven or eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters refining its World Force in this manner. It wouldn’t take more than a few years before the World Force was completely exhausted, but the Star Boundary is different. Thanks to the feedback from the World Tree, the might of this World will only become stronger and stronger. Even if we cultivate and refine some of its World Force, our actions will not affect the Star Boundary.”
Those words made Yang Kai’s eyes gleam, “I can’t believe there’s something that great!”
Thinking about it again though, it was not that surprising.
In order to face Zuo Quan Hui back then, Yang Kai had borrowed the Star Boundary’s World Force to temporarily advance from the Sixth Order into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although he fell back to his original state in the end, he gained great benefits from the experience. The heritage of his Small Universe had gotten much stronger, which saved him many years of hard cultivation.
It was precisely because of the compatibility between the Star Boundary’s World Force and his Small Universe that his heritage was enhanced significantly after he borrowed the Star Boundary’s World Force. If that was the case for himself, it would naturally be the same for the other Great Emperors of the Star Boundary!
The Open Heaven Realm cultivation was a long and arduous journey. One of the shortcuts was to refine the heritage of a Universe World that was compatible with themselves for their own use. Unfortunately, finding a Universe World in the vast 3,000 Worlds that was perfectly compatible with oneself was not an easy task.
However, the relationship between the Star Boundary and the Great Emperors was much simpler. The Great Emperors who were acknowledged by the Star Boundary’s Will were extremely compatible with the Star Boundary in the first place.
It was just as Mo Huang had mentioned earlier. An average Universe World would not be able to withstand seven or eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters refining its World Force in such a manner. The Universe World would surely decline once its World Force was exhausted.
The Star Boundary had no need to worry about this issue though. Under the constant feedback from the World Tree, the World Force would only get stronger and stronger. As long as the World Tree existed, it could be said that the Star Boundary’s World Force was practically inexhaustible.
That was why even though Mo Huang and Zhan Wu Hen had only advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm several decades ago, Yang Kai’s observation indicated that their heritage was no less than Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who had already broken through for hundreds of years.
Yang Kai couldn’t help becoming excited about this discovery. If that was the case, then the Star Boundary Great Emperors, himself included, would have a much easier time advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm compared to others. That was because cultivating in the Star Boundary was a shortcut for them!
What’s more, he initially planned to find an opportunity to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm upon his return from the Shattered Heaven.
The Proprietress had been in retreat for close to 100 years now, but even so, she was nowhere near breaking through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. It could be seen just how difficult it was to cross over from the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm!
It had not been long since Yang Kai advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Be that as it may, his heritage was extraordinary thanks to various opportunities he had come across. Ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could not compare to him at all. He had just enough qualification to try advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
It was precisely because of this plan that he came up with the brilliant idea of asking the Cave Heavens and Paradises to provide the opportunity to train in the Small Source Worlds in exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
He only needed to enter one more Small Source World for training to accumulate his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm heritage to the peak, then he could enter retreat with peace of mind. But, he would need to fulfil his 100-year contract with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven before that.
Qu Hua Shang was put in isolation for 100 years, but based on a quick calculation of the time, there were only a couple dozen or so years left before she would be released.
There was no saying how long it would take for Yang Kai to try advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, he could not keep Qu Hua Shang waiting. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and Xu Ling Gong would not approve either. That was why he needed to wait for Qu Hua Shang’s 100-year isolation to end before he could proceed with his plan.
Enter a Small Source World belonging to one of the Cave Heavens and Paradises to train and accumulate his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm heritage to the peak, then head to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to pick up Qu Hua Shang, and finally enter retreat with peace of mind to attempt advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was Yang Kai’s original plan.
Now that he learned about the situation in the Star Boundary though, the opportunity to train in the Small Source World no longer mattered. Such opportunities were rare after all, and it was better to leave such opportunities to the other people in Void Land. It was enough for him and the other Star Boundary Great Emperors to cultivate with the help of the Star Boundary’s World Force alone.
Just as Yang Kai was quietly making plans in his heart, he heard Mo Huang saying something with a small laugh, “It’s because of the current situation in the Star Boundary that the Star Boundary Great Emperors have not gone to the Small Stone World to cultivate. All of us have stayed behind in the Star Boundary. Although the situation in the Small Stone World is similar to the Star Boundary, there are more limitations in the Star Boundary. With the exceptions of the Great Emperors, the other Open Heaven Realm Masters do not benefit from cultivating in the Star Boundary.”
Yang Kai asked in astonishment, “The situation in the Small Stone World is similar to the Star Boundary?”
This was only his second time hearing about the Small Stone World. Hua Qing Si had also mentioned the name earlier; however, he did not ask any questions and she did not explain in detail. It was unexpected to hear about the situation in the Small Stone World from Mo Huang at this moment.
“Don’t you know?” Mo Huang looked at Yang Kai questioningly.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I just came back not long ago. Head Manager Hua did not tell me anything in detail and simply asked me to check out the situation myself.”
Mo Huang nodded in understanding, “In that case, you should go. The Small Stone World is the name that Head Manager gave that Universe World. You will understand immediately once you arrive there.”
Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, I’ll be going now.”
The Territory Gate was protected by a special Space Array that Yang Kai had personally arranged together with Luan Bai Feng; therefore, a special token that he created was required for people to travel through it safely. Recklessly trying to trespass would only cause the trespasser to be exiled to the Void. This was the final defence he left behind to prevent the Cave Heavens and Paradises from putting their hands on the New Great Territory.
Other people might require a special token to use the Territory Gate, but Yang Kai had no such difficulties. Yang Kai activated his power to wrap around Hei He once more, then the two of them passed through the Territory Gate and entered the New Great Territory.
Hei He took the lead and Yang Kai followed closely behind. Along the way, they occasionally encountered figures shuttling through the void or ships speeding past them.
There were a total of about 2,000 Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace combined. Out of these 2,000, approximately 1,500 of them had been dispatched by Hua Qing Si to explore and develop the New Great Territory.
It was all thanks to the hard work of these 1,500 Open Heaven Realm Masters over the past few decades that Void Land and High Heaven Palace had so many resources to splurge.
The cultivation resources and materials of various Orders produced by the New Great Territory accounted for half of Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s total income. Meanwhile, the other half came from the combined output of the two Star Cities and the Black Prison. It could be seen just how rich the New Great Territory was.
The pair travelled for more than half a month before a Universe World finally appeared in front of them. It was a green Universe World and Yang Kai could already sense the abundant aura coming from it before he even got close.
This Universe World was much bigger than the Star Boundary, almost five times the size in fact. Looking down from above, the entire Universe World seemed to be covered in large swathes of green, indicating it was filled with dense forests.
Hei He briefly checked his bearings before he led Yang Kai halfway around the Small Stone World and plunged into the clouds on the opposite side.
There was a Spirit Peak below them that soared into the clouds. Furthermore, there was a bamboo building atop the Spirit Peak where two familiar auras were residing.
Yang Kai and Hei He sped over in that direction.
The two people cultivating inside the bamboo building clearly noticed the arrival of Yang Kai and Hei He and immediately came out of the building and looked up into the sky.
A short while later, Yang Kai and Hei He landed lightly as Yue He greeted them joyfully, “Young Master!”
Behind her, Zhou Ya bowed elegantly, “Greetings, Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded and looked around his surroundings, “Are you the only ones here?”
There were over 20 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. The Great Emperors had stayed behind in the Star Boundary while Mo Mei, Yang Xue, and Yang Kai’s numerous Wives had stayed behind in Void Land. On the other hand, the others such as Yue He, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, Hua Yong, Shu Mu Dan, Xiang Ying, and Fang Yue had all gone to the New Great Territory.
However, the others who were stationed in the New Great Territory were nowhere to be seen at this moment.
Yue He explained, “The others are helping with the development of the New Great Territory. Although there are few dangers in this place, there are many tasks that require the presence of a Master to prevent any unexpected accidents. After some discussion, we decided to work in groups of two and take turns to rest. It happened to be my turn to rest with Senior Sister Zhou, so we returned to this place.”
Yang Kai nodded, “You’ve worked hard.”
Yue He smiled and shook her head, “It’s not hard at all.”
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Yang Kai gestured, to which the two women nodded in response.
Hei He cupped his fist and said, “Sir, this subordinate will return to his duties now.”
“Good, go on.” Yang Kai nodded.
Hei He took a deep breath and looked around somewhat reluctantly before soaring into the sky.
The three of them entered the bamboo building. While Zhou Ya was brewing tea, Yue He and Yang Kai talked about the development of the New Great Territory. Hua Qing Si had explained some of it to Yang Kai, but her understanding of the situation was not as detailed as Yue He’s; after all, Yue He and the others had been staying in the New Great Territory over the past few years. They were the first to know about any changes that occurred in this place, and it was only later that they would report the incident to High Heaven Palace.
The resources in the New Great Territory were extremely rich, indeed. The countless Universe Worlds that had yet to be developed contained a seemingly inexhaustible supply of cultivation materials of various Orders, as well as many rare and precious treasures.
For example, the newly-born Universe World that they discovered at the very beginning harboured precious treasures such as World Source Liquid, which was the main ingredient for refining Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills.
This was part of the reason why Yang Kai had sealed the New Great Territory’s Territory Gate and monopolised the resources in this place.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills had brought a lot of income and fame to Void Land, which in turn gathered large numbers of people to Void Star City. If a large quantity of World Source Liquid was leaked out into the world, then the advantage Void Land enjoyed would be gone forever.
In addition, many treasures such as the Divine Dao Water that could fortify a person’s Dao Seal and the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water that could cleanse the Powers from the Dao Seal to give a cultivator a chance to start over had also been found in great abundance here.
“Young Master, have you heard of the Four Universe Pillars?” Yue He asked all of a sudden.
Yang Kai’s expression became strange as he nodded, “I’ve heard of them before.”
He had more than heard of them before. During his trip to the Shattered Heaven, he had been hunted relentlessly because of the World Spring. In the end, he finally escaped by fleeing into the Ancestral Land.
Yang Kai thus asked suspiciously, “Did you discover one of the Four Universe Pillars in the New Great Territory?”
The Four Universe Pillars were incredible treasures. He himself had refined the World Spring, so he had profound experience in this regard. Thanks to the World Spring, Yang Kai’s Small Universe was incredibly firm and stable. His Small Universe would not be shaken when he engaged in brutal conflict with powerful enemies, allowing his World Force to always flow smoothly.
Without the risk of his Small Universe being shaken or destroyed, he could also raise living creatures inside his Small Universe to steadily enhance his heritage and reduce the time he needed for intense cultivation.
Even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Bright Sun Divine Monarch would go crazy with jealousy over the Four Universe Pillars. It would be an amazing discovery if one of the Four Universe Pillars was found in the New Great Territory.
“Yes, and no.” Yue He smiled, “Since you know about the Four Universe Pillars, Sect Master, I’m sure you’ve also heard of the Four Great Universe Pillars and the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars.”
Yang Kai nodded.
“What we discovered in the New Great Territory is not one of the Four Great Pillars, but one of the Twelve Minor Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo. It’s just that we don’t have any Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters at the moment, so we can only place it aside for now. We agreed to wait for you to return and decide what to do with the Profound Yin Bamboo, Sect Master.”
The Twelve Minor Pillars and the Four Great Pillars were not the same although their effects were similar in that they fortified a cultivator’s Small Universe. There was no doubt, however, that the effects of the Four Great Pillars were stronger.
Refining any one of the Four Great Pillars was enough to reinforce a cultivator’s Small Universe and prevent any external force that was not beyond a certain critical threshold from affecting it. In comparison, the Twelve Minor Pillars did not have such magnificent effects. The Profound Yin Bamboo, for example, could only produce about 30% of the effect of one of the Four Great Pillars.
While the Four Great Pillars could be refined by any Open Heaven Realm Master regardless of their Order, the Twelve Minor Pillars could only be refined by High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Small Universe in their bodies had to materialize before they could refine the Twelve Minor Pillars; hence, those below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm could not refine the Twelve Minor Pillars.
That was why even though one of the Twelve Minor Pillars had been discovered in the New Great Territory, Yue He and the others could only leave the Profound Yin Bamboo untouched and place a seal around the area for protection.
Yang Kai already had the World Spring, so he had no interest in the Profound Yin Bamboo. After a brief consideration though, he came up with a plan, “Give the Profound Yin Bamboo to whichever Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among yourselves advances into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm first.”
Yue He pursed her lips into a smile, “There is a large patch of Profound Yin Bamboo growing here, more than enough for many people. Besides, it is said that the Profound Yin Bamboo will continue to reproduce when placed in one’s Small Universe. Each person will only need to take a small piece of the root. You don’t need to worry about not having enough resources for everyone, Young Master.”
Yang Kai smiled after hearing her assurance, “That’s for the best.”
In this way, anybody from Void Land who advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm would receive a stalk of Profound Yin Bamboo. Even so, it would take a long time to nurture the Profound Yin Bamboo shoot so that it could produce satisfactory effects. The Profound Yin Bamboo could never compare with the World Spring in this regard.
“Young Master, do you want to harvest some of the Profound Yin Bamboo to sell? Many people will be interested in this item,” Yue He asked.
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before he said, “There’s no rush. Let’s revisit this topic when we’ve gotten stronger; otherwise, we don’t know how many people will become greedy once we reveal such treasures to the world.”
High Heaven Palace was monopolising the New Great Territory, so the Cave Heavens and Paradises were bound to hold some resentment. Unfortunately, given the existence of the Star Boundary’s World Tree, they could not voice their objections. They wanted to use the feedback from the Star Boundary’s World Tree to nurture the disciples of their respective Sects after all. Be that as it may, an uproar was bound to break out if news of the Profound Yin Bamboo’s existence were to leak out.
“What’s so special about this Small Stone World?” Yang Kai asked again, “Sir Martial Beast mentioned that the situation here is similar to the Star Boundary. Why don’t I detect anything?”
Yue He and Zhou Ya glanced at each other, then Yue He pursed her lips and smiled, “Young Master, why don’t you try refining the World Force of the Small Stone World?”
“Refine the World Force?” He looked surprised to hear those words, but soon a bold guess suddenly formed in his heart, “Don’t tell me, this place…”
Yang Kai closed his eyes while saying so and focused his mind. He then activated his power to refine the World Force belonging to this world.
A short while later, his expression became filled with astonishment. That was because he discovered that the World Force in this world could be refined and absorbed directly. What was even more surprising was that there was no backlash from doing so.
It had to be said that every Universe World had its own unique World Force. That was because their Heavenly Way and World Principles were different, so the World Force would also contain some subtle discrepancies. These subtle discrepancies were the deciding factors as to whether the compatibility between a Universe World and an Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe was high or low.
If an Open Heaven Realm Master wanted to refine the World Force of a Universe World to enhance their heritage, then they had to choose Universe Worlds that were highly compatible with themselves.
Refining the World Force of a Universe World that was incompatible with them would not enhance their heritage. On the contrary, the World Force they absorbed would become an impurity that would damage their foundation. For non-severe cases, they would need to spend some time to remove these impurities. Not only was doing so a waste of time and energy, but they would also have nothing to show for all their efforts. For severe cases, the impurities might even cause their Small Universe to become unstable and their Order to regress.
However, the Small Stone World was obviously different. Yang Kai had only refined a small amount of the World Force, but he could clearly sense that the World Force that he refined just now was extremely compatible with his own Small Universe. There was not the slightest hint of discomfort.
“How is this possible? Is it the same for you?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Yue He and Zhou Ya nodded in unison.
Yue He then explained, “It’s because the Small Stone World has such a unique cultivation environment that we come here to cultivate whenever we have the time. As for why this World is like this, we have been unable to figure out the reason yet.”
Yang Kai suddenly recalled Hei He’s reluctance to leave earlier. He now understood the reason for Hei He’s reaction. The Small Stone World was an excellent cultivation paradise. Refining the Small Stone World’s World Force for one’s own use was much faster than refining various cultivation resources or consuming Open Heaven Pills. It was no wonder that Hei He wished to remain here to cultivate and increase his strength. Unfortunately, he had to return to the Star Boundary for his duties and could not stay here for long.
It was just as Mo Huang had mentioned before, the situation in the Small Stone World was similar to the Star Boundary!
Nevertheless, the limitations in the Star Boundary were certainly greater when comparing the two. That was because only the Great Emperors who were born in the Star Boundary and received the acknowledgement of the Star Boundary’s Will could absorb the Star Boundary’s World Force without any reservations to enhance their Small Universe’s heritage. Other people did not get to enjoy this privilege.
In comparison, the Small Stone World was open to all. Anybody could cultivate here without any worries.
Although the Small Stone World had its advantages, it also had its disadvantages.
When Yang Kai compared these two Universe Worlds, he could clearly sense that the World Force in the Small Stone World was not nearly as abundant as the Star Boundary. That was only to be expected though as the Star Boundary had the World Tree providing nourishment to it at all times. It was only natural that the Small Stone World could not compare in this regard.
Be that as it may, both Universe Worlds had their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Yang Kai was overjoyed, but also a little worried, “How long have you been cultivating here? Has the World Force in this world changed in any way?”
Logically speaking, the World Force of a Universe World was not inexhaustible. The Star Boundary was an exception to this rule thanks to its unique circumstances, but while the Small Stone World’s World Force might be amazing, there was a high possibility that the heritage of this World would be lost and it would be exhausted if the Open Heaven Realm Masters were to cultivate here over a long period. If that were to happen, this place would become a dead World.
The foolish act of killing a chicken for its eggs was naturally something Yang Kai wanted to prevent.
“This place was discovered 40 years ago,” Yue He replied, “We soon realised that this place was a little different from other Universe Worlds. As an experiment, we had eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating here together. If I really have to say, the Small Stone World’s World Force has indeed gotten a little weaker compared to 40 years ago, which was why we decided 20 years ago that only two Sixth-Order Masters can cultivate here at the same time. There have been no changes to the situation in the Small Stone World over the past 20 years since we implemented such a system.”
Yang Kai nodded at her response, “In other words, the World Force created by the Small Stone World itself is enough to support the continuous cultivation of at least two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters without decreasing. What about three people? Have you experimented before?”
Yue He nodded, “We experimented with three and four people. We did not detect anything with three people, but we noticed a slight reduction in the Small Stone World’s heritage with four people. To be on the safe side, we decided that we would only have two people per group, taking turns to rest and cultivate here.”
Yang Kai rubbed his chin with a pensive look, “The production of a Universe World’s World Force is mainly driven by the proliferation of the living beings within. The more prosperous these lives are, the more intense the World Force. The reason why the Small Stone World is so unique must be related to the living beings of this world.” Abruptly looking up, he asked, “Are there any special living beings in this world?”
Yue He nodded, “En. Please follow me, Young Master.”
She turned to lead the way while saying so, and Yang Kai followed behind her. They headed towards the foot of the Spirit Peak, and when they reached the base of the mountain, Yue He pointed in a certain direction, “Look there, Young Master.”
Yang Kai looked in that direction only to see a cave entrance that was as tall as a person at the bottom of the mountain. There were obvious signs of excavation around the cave; nevertheless, what surprised him was not the cave but the situation at the cave entrance. There was a bunch of strange-looking creatures going in and out of the cave-like ants
These living creatures looked like the Stone Spirit Clan that Xiao Xiao belonged to at a glance. Their entire body seemed to be made from rocks, but they were smaller and more delicate than Xiao Xiao. Every one of them was only around fifteen centimetres tall.
Not only had Yang Kai never seen this Race before, but he had never even heard about such a Race. It could be certain that there was no such living creature in the 3,000 Worlds, but they were right there in front of him. Under his Divine Sense’s perception, Yang Kai could be certain that these little ones were living creatures indeed. Each of them had their own distinctive aura.
“We call these little ones the Small Stone Race. That’s where the Small Stone World’s name came from.” Yue He explained from the side.
“What are they doing?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
In his field of vision, these fifteen-centimetre tall Small Stone Race clansmen stood with their arms raised, holding rocks of varying sizes above their heads. Seeming to come from various directions, they lined up neatly in a long queue to carry the stones into the cave. There were also some Small Stone Race clansmen walking out of the cave in a line. They were walking in the opposite direction, heading outward. It was obvious they were going to transport rocks again.
Strangely enough, those rocks were the most ordinary ores with no cultivation value. They were not cultivation resources either. The rocks came in varying shapes and sizes, with the largest ones almost as big as a woven basket. Even so, the Small Stone Race clansmen carried them with ease.
“They seem to feed on these ores,” Yue He beckoned to Yang Kai and strode towards the cave.
“Won’t we disturb them?” He asked worriedly.
To which Yue He pursed her lips into a smile, “We won’t. Don’t be fooled by their small size. They are very brave.”
During their conversation, they had already arrived at the cave entrance. It might be that the two of them were blocking the path of these Small Stone Race clansmen, so the Small Stone Race clansman nearest to Yang Kai held up a rock and glared at him. A strange shouting noise came from his mouth.
Yang Kai’s expression was strange, “Is this guy… angry?”
Yue He covered her mouth and giggled, “I’m afraid he is more than just angry…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the Small Stone Race clansman let out a shout and smashed the rock down hard. The rock hit Yang Kai on the toe.
Yang Kai quickly shifted sideways to let the Small Stone Race clansman pass. Only then did the Small Stone Race clansman pick up his rock again and march into the cave triumphantly as though he was a General who had won a war.
“They are quite hot-tempered indeed!” Yang Kai nodded. All of a sudden, he noticed a commotion at his ankle. He looked down to see a Small Stone Race clansman that wanted to exit the cave pushing hard against him. He quickly stepped to the other side, trying to stick to the wall so as not to block their path again.
These little ones didn’t seem to pay much attention to the two tall and large Humans in front of them; it was not a problem as long as these two did not block their way.
“Young Master, have you ever seen an ant’s nest?” Yue He asked from where she stood pressed against the other side of the wall.
“I’ve never seen one, but I’ve heard of them.”
She nodded and continued, “The nest of the Small Stone Race is very similar to an ant’s nest. An ant’s nest consists of the Queen, the soldier ants, and the worker ants. Similarly, there is a clear hierarchical structure in the nest of the Small Stone Race.”
“Let’s go inside and have a look,” Yang Kai said.
Before the two of them could continue further inside, Yang Kai detected another series of movements. The ground was trembling slightly, as though many things were rushing in this direction from somewhere.
The Small Stone Race clansmen who were transporting the rocks also seemed to have noticed something. At this moment, they retreated into the interior of the cave in an orderly manner. It didn’t take long for all of them to vanish out of sight.
A short while later, in the direction where the strange noises had been coming from, a large swarm of menacing Small Stone Race clansmen suddenly appeared in Yang Kai’s field of vision!
What surprised him was that the Small Stone Race clansmen who just appeared were distinctly different from the Small Stone Race clansmen earlier. The Small Stone Race clansmen from earlier were only fifteen centimetres tall and the colour of their body surface was relatively dull.
On the other hand, the Small Stone Race clansmen who just appeared were approximately thirty centimetres tall. The rocky surface of their body was noticeably brighter and shinier. Even the edges and corners were more distinct! More importantly, they had a mouthful of sharp teeth that resembled the serrated fangs of a shark. Their fangs gleamed with a cold light.
“Young Master, what we saw earlier were the equivalent of worker ants. The ones that just appeared can be considered soldier ants!” Yue He explained.
“Are they… having a war?” Yang Kai tutted in amazement.
While he was speaking, a strange sound also reverberated from within the cave. The Small Stone Race clansmen inside the cave had also dispatched their soldiers who were in charge of the battle.
The Small Stone Race clansmen that marched out of the cave were also around thirty centimetres tall. The surface of their bodies was not only covered in sharp and well-defined edges, but also shone with a glistening lustre. They were clearly different from the clansmen earlier who had been responsible for transporting rocks.
Looking at both sides, they seemed to be fairly equal in numbers. The invading Small Stone Race had around 1,000 clansmen among their ranks, and the same was true for the Small Stone Race clansmen who came marching out of the cave.
Both sides took up battle positions at the entrance of the cave, separated by a distance of several hundred metres between them. The Small Stone Race clansmen were lined up neatly in ranks and files that resembled a phalanx.
Furthermore, there were several clansmen holding stone hammers and stone clubs in both camps. Wielding these weapons made them look taller and fiercer. When they bared their fangs at each other, the cold light reflecting off their fangs looked even more sinister.
On the side of the Small Stone Race who came marching out of the cave, the largest Small Stone Race clansman among them came to stand at the front of the camp. He was holding a pair of stone hammers that were almost the same size as him. Walking along the front of the phalanx, he shouted out a series of battle cries in a rhythmic fashion.
Following his movements, all the clansmen began shouting in unison. Their shouts reverberated through the air incessantly, “Hah! Hah! Hah!”
Yang Kai watched the scene with a strange expression and whispered a question to Yue He, “Is this to boost morale before the battle?”
Yue He nodded, “Something like that.”
The Small Stone Race clansmen who came marching out of the cave were not the only ones performing this ritual. The invading Small Stone Race clansmen were doing the same. The actions on both sides were so similar that they looked like they were carved from the same mould. It didn’t take long for them to complete the ritual to boost morale.
Afterwards, both sides began to advance towards each other in an orderly manner. The distance of several hundred metres was closed in the blink of an eye as the two armies belonging to different Small Stone Race Clans charged towards each other. They soon became indistinguishable from one another.
Yang Kai and Yue He watched quietly.
The Small Stone Race clansmen might be small in size, but they were fierce and fearless in battle. Those with weapons would charge towards their enemies, raise their clubs and hammers high above their heads, and bring them down viciously. Oftentimes, it would only take one hit from a stone hammer to smash their enemy to pieces.
Meanwhile, those without weapons would lunge themselves at the enemy and engage each other in a melee. They would open their mouths to reveal their fangs and bite down hard on the bodies of their enemies. There was no doubt that their teeth were exceptionally sharp. Every bite was capable of tearing off pieces of rock from the bodies of their enemies.
During the fight, the sound of cries coming out of their mouths undulated throughout the battlefield!
For a time, the scene became extremely tragic. The Small Stone Race clansmen were dismembered one after another, turning into piles of rubble that scattered across the ground.
There were nearly 2,000 clansmen on both sides at the beginning, but it only took an incense for almost 300 to be killed in battle. After another quarter hour, only half of their numbers remained.
All of a sudden, the battle ceased. The two sides that had been fighting to the death earlier abruptly stopped and made peace without any warning. Immediately after, the surviving Small Stone Race clansmen began picking up the bodies of the dead Small Stone Race clansmen and returned the way they originally came. Even the many Small Stone Race clansmen who had lost various limbs in battle struggled to move their bodies and returned to where they came from.
Yang Kai was very puzzled by what he saw, “What are they doing?”
Yue He replied, “You will understand if you continue watching, Young Master. This Race is very strange. These battles seem to be a means of survival for them and happen quite often.”
“How high is their sentience? Have you tried communicating with them?”
Yue He shook her head, “Of course, we tried. Unfortunately, their sentience is not high enough for us to actually communicate with them.”
Yang Kai nodded and said nothing more.
The battlefield was cleaned up quickly, with both sides having lost some of their troops in the battle. The invading party slowly retreated. Likewise, the party defending the cave earlier carried the corpses of their clansmen or enemies back into the cave in an orderly manner.
Yue He beckoned to Yang Kai and followed behind the Small Stone Race clansmen into the cave.
The cave was generally as tall as a person, but some places were lower than average; hence, the two of them needed to bend down from time to time. Nevertheless, it was certainly as Yue He had mentioned earlier. The nest of the Small Stone Race was very similar to an ant’s nest. There were countless twists and turns inside, not to mention tunnels and passageways everywhere that stretched out in all directions to form a huge network of underground caves.
There were many Small Stone Race clansmen who had dug out little enclaves along the walls and were resting within them. Disturbed by the presence of Yang Kai and Yue He, they poked out their heads out of their little enclaves to stare at the two Humans with their black eyes.
As they headed deeper into the tunnels, Yang Kai carefully perceived his surroundings and was secretly shocked to discover that the ground had almost been hollowed out by the Small Stone Race.
After reaching a depth of almost a dozen kilometres, they suddenly arrived at a huge cavern. Inside the cavern were several bridge-like passages that connected to a large platform in the centre. A figure on the central platform that was much larger than the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen appeared in Yang Kai’s field of vision.
“That’s the Stone King of this Small Stone Race Clan!” Yue He said softly.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and looked up at the Stone King.
The Stone King had an extremely bloated body. Lying horizontally across the platform, his body, which was approximately ten metres long made him look like an enormous fatty; moreover, his entire body was as white as jade.
There was a group beside the Stone King that consisted of Small Stone Race clansmen who were almost as tall as a normal person. They were patrolling back and forth around the Stone King. Their numbers were few, only several dozen in total. In contrast, they were unusually large compared to the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen and the rocky surface of their bodies resembled a full set of armour. They were truly an impressive sight to behold.
“Are those the Stone King’s Elite Guard?” Yang Kai raised a brow and asked.
Yue He nodded, “Most likely!”
At this moment, those Small Stone Race clansmen who withdrew from the battle earlier were carrying their loot along the passages leading to the central platform. The loot they were carrying was none other than the stone left behind by their clansmen or enemies after their death.
When they arrived in front of the Stone King, the Small Stone Race clansman in the lead raised the stone in his hands high above his head. The Stone King’s extremely fat body wriggled slightly as he lowered his head to sniff at the stone. Then, he opened his mouth that was larger than a washbasin and chomped down on the stone to swallow the entire thing whole.
*Kacha kacha…*
Crisp, crunching sounds echoed throughout the cavern. The Stone King’s teeth were extremely sharp, so chewing on the stone was almost like he was biting down on brittle bone instead. It only took several bites before he swallowed the entire stone.
The next Small Stone Race clansman holding a piece of rock had already approached the Stone King. When he delivered the rock to the Stone King’s face, the Stone King opened his mouth again.
One after the other, the Small Stone Race clansmen offered up their loot from the battle earlier and the Stone King did not refuse anything that was presented.
A short while later, the Stone King’s fat body suddenly shook violently. Yang Kai could sense that the Stone King seemed to be straining with great force. It was immediately followed by a plopping sound, and something came out of the Stone King’s posterior.
The Stone King was lying horizontally in the middle of the platform, but his posterior was suspended in the air. That was why the object fell straight down to the ground after popping out.
Yang Kai took a closer look.
The object that fell out of the Stone King’s posterior was an oval stone egg! It resembled a small pebble, and only after rolling around on the soft ground for a moment did the stone egg come to a stop. A Small Stone Race clansman who had been waiting nearby quickly rushed forward to pick up the stone egg before running into one of the tunnels nearby with small steps.
Yang Kai was amazed, “The Small Stone Race is oviparous?”
Yue He nodded, “This is another reason we say the Small Stone Race are very similar to ants, both in terms of their colony structure and their life cycle.”
Yang Kai released a small thread of his Divine Sense to follow after the Small Stone Race clansman carrying the stone egg. The Small Stone Race clansman soon arrived at another cavern. Inside the cavern were hundreds of stone eggs that were already neatly arranged together. Each stone egg contained a pulse of vitality.
Furthermore, there were specialised members of the Small Stone Race inside the nest who were responsible for taking care of these stone eggs. They monitored these stone eggs like nannies, examining them or touching one from time to time.
There were also several other caverns in the vicinity that were similar to this one. They were all used to store the stone eggs.
Yang Kai even witnessed the scene of Small Stone Race clansmen hatching from the stone eggs.
The Small Stone Race clansmen brought back some loot from the battle, but the harvest was not that great. The Stone King finished eating all the offerings in just a little over two hours. During this period, he laid as many as several dozen stone eggs.
After all the loot was offered up, the Small Stone Race clansmen who lost various limbs in battle also lined up and headed towards the Stone King. However, they had no loot to offer.
Just as Yang Kai was wondering what they were doing, the Stone King opened his mouth and chomped down on an armless Small Stone Race clansman. He finished eating that clansman in two of three bites.
The clansmen standing next in line did not show any reaction at the sight. They simply continued to wait in line and offered up their broken bodies to the Stone King. None of them showed any complaints, regrets, or fear.
“They even eat their own clansmen!” Yang Kai was shocked, “It seems that this Small Stone Race really doesn’t have much sentience after all.”
Yue He sighed slightly, “It’s also for the sake of the Clan’s continuity. The Stone King will only lay stone eggs after eating. He does not lay eggs under normal circumstances.”
Yang Kai frowned, “If it’s for the sake of the Clan’s continuity, then what was the reason for the battle just now? They lost several hundred clansmen in the battle, but less than 100 stone eggs were laid even after feeding all their winnings to the Stone King.”
“We believe that their actions are a means to control their population. Reproducing to ensure the continuity of their Race is their entire mission in life, but the resources in the Small Stone World are extremely scarce. They may perish with time if their population is not controlled. With their level of sentience, they might not understand the extinction of their entire Race, but they are still living creatures. It makes sense that they can instinctively sense the issue and take the corresponding measures to solve the problem!”
“Population control…” Yang Kai rubbed his chin as he pondered in silence. Everything that he witnessed earlier indicated that Yue He’s explanation made sense. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been cultivating and observing the environment in this place for more than 40 years, so it was only natural that they had a deeper understanding of this place compared to Yang Kai.
“The truth is that… Aside from the extremely unique cultivation environment here, we did not discover any valuable resources anywhere on the Small Stone World. We were initially confused by the situation, but we finally figured out the reason after realising that the Small Stone Race is scattered across the entire Small Stone World.”
Yue He explained quietly, “It might be that the Small Stone World used to have various resources, including cultivation materials. Unfortunately, these resources must have been devoured clean by the Small Stone Race. Although they can only feed on common ores nowadays, their reproductive ability is still too strong. It is necessary for them to control their population, and carrying out battles between different Clans is the best method to control their numbers.”
Upon hearing those words, Yang Kai nodded and said, “That makes sense. No wonder they fought so viciously just now only to stop and make peace abruptly. They even brought the corpses of their respective clansmen back to their nests.”
“There are no other living creatures in the Small Stone World apart from the Small Stone Race. If there is anything that can be said to be related to the unique cultivation environment in this world, then it can only be the Small Stone Race. It’s just that we have yet to figure out the relationship between the two,” Yue He said.
The World Force of a Universe World was closely related to its Heavenly Way and its World Principles. It was also closely related to the living creatures thriving within. Seeing as the only living creatures in the Small Stone World were the Small Stone Race, then the peculiarity of the World Force must be related to the Small Stone Race in some way.
Nevertheless, certain experiments would need to be carried out to verify this fact.
As soon as that thought crossed Yang Kai’s mind, his figure flickered. He came directly to the platform and stood in front of the Stone King. The Elite Guard patrolling the surroundings quickly noticed the abnormality and came charging towards him with a roar.
Even though he remained motionless though, Yang Kai’s Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura permeated the air. Space seemed to congeal, and the Small Stone Race Elite Guards immediately froze in place. They were unable to budge in the slightest. Then, Yang Kai wrapped his power around the Stone King, transferred him into his Small Universe, and placed him in a remote corner somewhere.
There were several million humans living in his Small Universe at this moment. Many cities and villages had also been established over the past 100 years or so, but many undeveloped areas still remained. Accommodating the Stone King was not an issue.
When the aura of the Stone King vanished, the entire Small Stone Race Clan panicked. Leaving aside the Elite Guard whom Yang Kai had immobilised, the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen immediately began running around like headless flies. Horrified cries escaped from their mouths as they searched for the whereabouts of the Stone King.
Upon seeing this situation, Yang Kai decided to manifest the portal of his Small Universe. Traces of an oval gate immediately appeared in front of him, and the Stone King’s aura leaked out from within. The Small Stone Race clansmen that had been running around immediately snapped out of their panic like lost travellers who found their way and swiftly rushed towards the portal.
For a time, the entire nest was in chaos as the Small Stone Race clansmen plunged into Yang Kai’s Small Universe and vanished out of sight.
Under his watch, Yang Kai could clearly see that the initial group of Small Stone Race clansmen to rush into his Small Universe had gathered around the Stone King. They were working together as though attempting to carry the Stone King back to their original nest, but although it had been easy for them to enter, it was not the same when it came to leaving. How could they leave without Yang Kai’s approval? The portal he created through a Secret Technique was an entrance that only worked one way.
Yang Kai’s intentions were very simple. Since Yue He and the others had observed the situation for so many years but could not figure out the relationship between the Small Stone Race and the World Force of the Small Stone World, then he might as well transfer them into his Small Universe to investigate the situation. After all, even the slightest changes would not escape his perception in his Small Universe.
More and more of the Small Stone Race clansmen charged into the portal. This particular Small Stone Race Clan had quite a large population, about 3,000 members in total. Although they had experienced hundreds of casualties in the previous battle, those losses did not have much impact on the whole.
In less than an hour, all the Small Stone Race clansmen in the nest had poured into the portal and gathered around the Stone King. Panic spread out among the clansmen. Having been thrown into a whole new environment without any warning, it was only natural for them to have some difficulty adjusting.
Yang Kai carefully perceived the Small Stone Race, but could not detect what was different about them compared to other living beings. Nevertheless, now that the Small Stone Race had been migrated into his Small Universe, he would be able to discover something sooner or later as long as he waited patiently.
After that, Yang Kai brought all the unhatched stone eggs into his Small Universe and placed them beside the Small Stone Race clansmen. Only then did he beckon to Yue He, “Let’s go back.”
The two of them returned to the bamboo building where Zhou Ya was still waiting for them.
In the following days, there was nothing else to do. Yue He and Zhou Ya focused on their own cultivation, so there was no need to bother them for the moment. Meanwhile, Yang Kai monitored the Small Stone Race that he migrated into his Small Universe while scribbling something in the void in front of himself with his finger.
The New Great Territory was extremely large, and it had taken him half a month to travel from the Territory Gate to the Small Stone World with Hei He previously. Even so, this could only be considered the outer periphery of the New Great Territory. The inner region of the New Great Territory was even more expansive. As a result, it would take a lot of time to travel across the New Great Territory.
This was a problem that all Great Territories would face. Not everybody was proficient in the Dao of Space like Yang Kai, allowing them to rapidly move from one place to another. Throughout the various Great Territories, the best way for cultivators who wanted to travel quickly was to make use of Universe Temples.
Yang Kai was planning to build several Universe Temples in the New Great Territory to connect the entire New Great Territory together. In this way, his people would only need to transfer between the Universe Temples to travel quickly. There would be no need to waste so much time on the road again.
If it were in the past, he might have been at a loss for what to do, but after he was asked by the Cave Heavens and Paradises to fix the Universe Temples that had been in disrepair for many years, Yang Kai had gotten very knowledgeable about the mysteries of the Universe Array. If he really had to say, there was not much difference between a Universe Array and a Space Array. It was just that the Universe Array could function over a larger range than an ordinary Space Array.
For a Great Territory, the distance of several hundreds of billions of kilometres could not be covered by a Space Array; however, the Universe Array was different. As long as there were no obstructions, any two points could be connected together regardless of the distance.
Needless to say, the larger the distance, the greater the pressure faced when using the Universe Transference Law. If anybody were to try to travel across a distance too great for their physical body to bear, it was not uncommon for them to become heavily injured or even die before reaching the Universe Temple. That had been a common occurrence in early times, but nowadays, such occurrences were quite rare. That was because everybody would choose a suitable destination point and activate the Universe Transference Law according to their respective limits.
Yang Kai had already been planning on building these Universe Temples when he was back in Void Land, so he had instructed Bian Yu Qing to prepare enough supplies for him in advance. All he needed to do now was arrange a complete Universe Array, and then build a Universe Temple around it.
Yang Kai had been wondering as to where he should build the Universe Temple, but it would seem that the Small Stone World was no doubt a good choice.
The cultivation environment in this place was unique, so when the Universe Temple was completed in the future, the Open Heaven Realm Masters could return to this place to cultivate after accumulating fatigue from working hard outside. As for the locations of the other Universe Temples, Yang Kai would need to carefully survey the Great Territory before he came to a decision.
It took half a month for him to figure out the array pattern of the Universe Array and for everything to finally be ready.
During this half month, the Small Stone Race Clan that had been migrated into his Small Universe gradually adapted to their new environment. Yang Kai had deliberately chosen to place them in a mountain range when he migrated them into his Small Universe. At present, the Small Stone Race Clan had dug out a nest underneath a certain Spirit Peak and all the clansmen were living inside.
The new nest was not that different from the previous one. It was deep underground with a network of countless twists and turns. Thanks to the structured division of labour, the Small Stone Race clansmen were all performing their own tasks in an orderly manner.
After the past half month of careful observation, Yang Kai finally figured out the wonders of the Small Stone Race.
It was well-known that the survival and continuity of the living creatures in one’s Small Universe could be used to produce World Force and enhance the heritage of that cultivator. That was part of the reason why Yang Kai had placed the ten million people from Pear Flower Cave Heaven into his own Small Universe.
Pear Flower Cave Heaven had been destroyed, and those living there lost their home. Taking into account that his Small Universe was very stable because he had refined the World Spring, there was not much risk to place those people in his Small Universe. What’s more, their presence would continuously strengthen the heritage of his Small Universe.
Normal Open Heaven Realm Masters were generally unable to raise living beings in their Small Universe. It was not that they were disqualified to do so; it was just not worth the effort. Their Small Universe might become turbulent due to a battle with a powerful enemy, and there was a high possibility that all those living inside would suffer heavy casualties as a result. The losses would be impossible to recoup. That was why only Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm or above would even try to raise living beings in their Small Universe, as such Masters would rarely have any enemies to fight.
On the other hand, Yang Kai dared to do such a thing because he had refined the World Spring.
If those from Pear Flower Cave Heaven thriving in his Small Universe could continuously enhance the heritage of his Small Universe, then so could the Small Stone Race. Be that as it may, the benefits they both brought to his Small Universe were simply incomparable.
Yang Kai had carefully observed the benefits brought by similar numbers of Humans and the Small Stone Race clansmen, and during this past half month, there was practically a tenfold difference between them. In simple terms, having 3,000 Small Stone Race clansmen living in his Small Universe gave the same benefits as 30,000 Humans! That was an extremely terrifying comparison.
The situation would not have been so remarkable if that was the only difference. The key point was that the World Force produced from the survival and reproduction of the Small Stone Race was extremely pure. It could be said that they themselves were constantly producing extremely pure World Force.
Yang Kai was starting to understand why the Small Stone World was so special. It was all thanks to the Small Stone Race living there.
The entire Small Stone World had no other living creatures except the peculiar Small Stone Race. As the Small Stone Race thrived and reproduced in the Small Stone World, the World Force that they produced was similar to the powers of a World Fruit in that there were no impurities whatsoever. That was why the World Force was compatible with any Open Heaven Realm Master, as well as why it could easily be refined and absorbed.
After realising this point, Yang Kai suddenly had a very bold idea in his heart! This was just the result of bringing in one Small Stone Race Clan, so what would happen if he were to raise even more Small Stone Race Clans in his Small Universe? As long as there were enough of them, the heritage of his Small Universe would continue to grow stronger even if he did not cultivate.
The truth was that he had already begun to benefit from migrating those living in Pear Flower Cave Heaven into his Small Universe. It was just that not much time had lapsed, so the benefits were not that obvious.
On the contrary, the Small Stone Race could bring about ten times the benefits per individual. Yang Kai could almost imagine the scene where his cultivation soared steadily in the future. How wonderful would that be?
At present, he was not far from advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, there was still the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm after the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was an extremely distant goal at the moment. While others might take tens of thousands of years or even longer to advance from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Yang Kai would only need to take several thousand years or shorter if his current plan worked out…
The Small Stone Race was undoubtedly an extremely precious treasure to Yang Kai. Looking at the fearless Small Stone Race again, while incredibly innocent and naïve, they also had a certain glow of wealth about them now.
In order to achieve his goal, Yang Kai would need to migrate enough of the Small Stone Race into his Small Universe; hence, he did not hesitate and acted immediately.
The Small Stone Race had a massive population in the Small Stone World, with many clans of varying sizes scattered across the Universe World. The larger Clans might number from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. In contrast, the smaller Clans might number only a few hundred. The Small Stone Race Clan that he previously brought into his Small Universe could be considered a relatively small Clan.
In the following month, Yang Kai travelled around the Small Stone World and collected numerous Small Stone Race Clans into his Small Universe. The population of the Small Stone Race in his Small Universe had reached nearly 10 million by the time the month was over.
Once he reached this number, Yang Kai finally stopped. It was not that he did not wish to take in even more. If possible, he wanted to collect all of the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World into his Small Universe; however, if he did that, then the treasured cultivation land that was the Small Stone World would lose its foundation. Such benefits could not be enjoyed by him alone.
What Yang Kai needed to figure out now was how to expand the Small Stone Race’s population. The growth of the various Small Stone Race Clans mainly depended on the reproductive abilities of the Stone King. In this aspect, they were similar to ants.
Yang Kai previously observed a Stone King devouring all kinds of ores and even the broken bodies of their own clansmen in order to gain the energy to reproduce; thus, it could be seen that the Stone Kings were not picky about their food. Even common ore could be eaten, so what else could they eat? What if they were fed with cultivation materials of varying Orders? Would that give the Stone King even greater reproductive abilities?
The Small Stone World probably contained cultivation resources in the past, it was just that all those cultivation resources had been eaten by the Small Stone Race. That was why Yue He and the others could not find anything of value in the Small Stone World. All they found was this strange existence they named the Small Stone Race.
Yang Kai split off a Soul Clone inside his Small Universe and stood inside the nest of the initial Small Stone Race Clan. With a flash of his thoughts, a piece of pale gold ore appeared in his hand. This was a Third-Order Metal Element material that was not that high in value.
He initially wanted to test if the Small Stone Race would be interested in such a material, but how could he have known that all the Small Stone Race clansmen in the nest would react as soon as he took out this item?
Countless Small Stone Race clansmen seemed to smell something in the air, and all of them turned their gazes in his direction. Even the Elite Guards patrolling around the Stone King stopped and looked his way. Meanwhile, the fat and bloated Stone King, who basically had no strength to move on his own, gave a strange cry that sounded extremely urgent.
Yang Kai couldn’t help raising his brow at the sight. Nevertheless, this situation proved that his conjecture was correct.
In the next moment, a dense wave of Small Stone Race clansmen poured towards him from all directions like the waves of the tide and surrounded him firmly in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai hurriedly dropped the material in his hand.
Unexpectedly, there was not much of a scramble over the material as one of the Small Stone Race clansmen happened to raise a hand and caught the fist-sized material, which he then quickly rushed over to the Stone King.
A short while later, he arrived in front of the Stone King. Holding out the material in his hand high above his head as though he was offering a treasure, he delivered the material to the Stone King’s mouth. The Stone King took a bite, then following some crunching sounds, he swallowed.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai paid close attention to the changes in the Stone King. The effects were almost instantaneous! The Stone King quickly began trembling after consuming the Third-Order Metal Element material. Just like what Yang Kai had observed previously, he seemed to clench hard with great force and a moment later, a stone egg fell from his posterior that was suspended in mid-air with a light pop.
The Small Stone Race clansman who had been waiting below picked up the stone egg and placed it in the specialised cave.
However, the Stone King’s movements had not stopped. His fat body continued trembling, expanding and contracting in intervals. After a half cup of tea’s time, another stone egg popped out.
This cycle continued non-stop for the next two hours. It wasn’t until he produced nearly 40 stone eggs that he finally stopped.
Yang Kai watched in delight, feeling extremely excited inside. [As I guessed. The cultivation materials of various Orders turned out to be very useful for the reproduction of the Small Stone Race!]
If a mere Third-Order material was enough to stimulate the Stone King to produce some 40 stone eggs, then a Fourth-Order or Fifth-Order material would surely produce even more stone eggs. Therefore, Yang Kai took out a Fourth-Order material followed by a Fifth-Order material to feed to the Stone King.
The results of his experiments showed his conjecture was correct.
After eating the Fourth-Order material the Stone King produced more than 130 stone eggs. On the other hand, he reproduced non-stop for several days to produce more than 500 stone eggs after consuming a Fifth-Order material!
Hence, the reproduction issue of the Small Stone Race could be considered to be resolved. There was no need to worry about expanding the population of the Small Stone Race as long as the Stone King was given enough cultivation resources. Moreover, the increase in the Small Stone Race population would be highly beneficial to both the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe and the Small Stone World.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai discovered something from his experiment. Feeding the Stone King Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order materials was not cost-effective.
When it came to materials of various Orders, the value of materials that were one Order higher was generally ten times the value of materials that were one Order lower. In comparison, the number of stone eggs produced by the Stone King after eating Third-Order, Fourth-Order, and Fifth-Order materials was far less than 10 times the difference.
When the Stone King consumed a Third-Order material, he had produced some 40 stone eggs. Conversely, with a Fourth-Order material he had produced slightly over 130 stone eggs, whereas with a Fifth-Order material, he had produced slightly over 500 stone eggs…
There was only a three to four-times difference between these results, which was vastly inconsistent with the difference between the value of the materials themselves.
By comparison, feeding the Stone King with Third-Order materials was the most cost-effective by far. That was because cost performance was higher and Third-Order materials were generally more abundant. Void Land itself had a huge demand for Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order materials. Whether it was for the disciples’ cultivation or advancement, these materials would all come into play.
Yang Kai did not have any First-Order or Second-Order materials in his possession, so he could not experiment with them. Nonetheless, judging by the Stone King’s appetite that never turned down anything, First-Order and Second-Order materials would definitely be useful too.
He collected almost 1,000 Small Stone Race Clans into his Small Universe one month ago, and seeing as each Clan had its own Stone King, there were over 1,000 Stone Kings in his Small Universe. If he wanted to nurture the Clans and expand their population through reproduction, then he would surely need large amounts of cultivation resources. Not to mention, the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World also had to be nurtured.
Fortunately, High Heaven Palace and Void Land had large businesses and abundant resources, so what was this price compared to the benefits that could be gained in the future?
Besides, the Stone Kings were not picky towards cultivation resources. First-Order, Second-Order, and Third-Order materials could all be used. More importantly, materials below the Third Order were of little significance to Open Heaven Realm Masters. Yang Kai had originally thought of sending these materials to Great Evolution Paradise and tossing them all into the Good Fortune Divine Furnace to see if he could get materials of higher Order, but in contrast, it would now seem that using them to feed the Stone Kings was a much better choice. Tossing these materials into the Good Fortune Divine Furnace might not yield any profit in return, but feeding the Stone Kings would surely result in even more of the Small Stone Race.
Thankfully, Yang Kai had many materials already in his possession, so with a flash of his thoughts, he divided all the Third-Order materials among the 1,000 Stone Kings and placed these resources in their respective nests. Only then did he withdraw his Soul Clone.
Inside the bamboo building, Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes. Yue He and Zhou Ya were meditating and cultivating beside him.
He woke them both and said, “I’ve figured out the situation in the Small Stone World.”
The two women immediately looked at him in curiosity, so he explained his experiments and speculations to them. After listening to Yang Kai’s explanation, they revealed looks of understanding.
They had guessed that the unique cultivation environment of the Small Stone World was closely related to the Small Stone Race, but since there were no Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, they had no means of collecting the Small Stone Race into their Small Universe for observation and could not confirm their hypothesis.
Yang Kai’s words undoubtedly confirmed their previous speculations, and it was only at this moment that they finally understood the reason why the Small Stone World was so special. It was all because of the existence of the Small Stone Race.
“We need to expand the population of the Small Stone Race. In order to control their population, they even go so far as to wage war with each other to reduce their numbers. That indicates that they instinctively realise that the materials in this world would not support them for much longer. They have no means of leaving the Small Stone World to search for resources, but it would be different if we helped,” Yang Kai said a little excitedly, “I’ve already done some experiments. A Stone King births dozens of stone eggs after consuming a Third-Order material and over 100 stone eggs after consuming a Fourth-Order material. As long as the resources are in sufficient supply, it will not be a problem to help them expand their population.
“Once the Small Stone Race population in this world increases to a certain level, the World Force will also become more abundant. When that happens, this World will be able to support more than two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating at the same time. It might even be possible for 10 or more Masters to cultivate here at the same time. This place will become a veritable cultivation paradise where any Open Heaven Realm Master can quickly improve their cultivation.
“Also, the benefits brought about by the Small Stone Race become even greater if we collect them and raise them in our Small Universe! Compared to raising the same number of other living creatures, they bring about ten times more benefit to the Small Universe!”
Both Yue He and Zhou Ya knew that Yang Kai’s Small Universe had fully materialized, so their beautiful eyes immediately brightened upon hearing those words.
Zhou Ya said, “We previously discovered one of the Twelve Minor Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo, in the New Great Territory, and now, we have the Small Stone Race. They are simply a perfect match!”
Similarly, Yue He nodded, “With the Profound Yin Bamboo supporting our Small Universes, they will become more stable. If we were to raise some Small Stone Race in our Small Universes on top of that, our heritage would increase steadily even without spending time to cultivate!”
The two women exchanged a glance with each other and could almost imagine the scene in the not-too-distant future where all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace placed these two treasures in their Small Universes.
More importantly, both the Profound Yin Bamboo and the Small Stone Race could be cultivated, so as long as these resources were managed carefully, they could be said to be inexhaustible. With the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace enjoying such advantages, how could there be any worries for the future?
“That’s why you need to work harder and advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible.” Yang Kai laughed, “But, the top priority at the moment is to obtain some supplies from High Heaven Palace.”
Yang Kai thus turned to look at Yue He, “Yue He, go and pay a visit to the Head Manager. Gather all the materials in the Third Order and below that are not being used by High Heaven Palace at the moment and bring them here.”
“En!” Yue He nodded and hurriedly turned to leave. She knew that this matter should be handled as soon as possible. The sooner they invested in this venture, the sooner they could all benefit from the Small Stone World.
Yang Kai turned to look at Zhou Ya, “You need to take a trip too. Find all the people who are exploring the area nearby and ask them to send over all the harvested materials in the Third Order and below. In addition, relay the message to everyone else. From now onward, all the materials in the Third Order and below that are harvested will be delivered here. There’s no need to send them back to High Heaven Palace.”
Nurturing the Small Stone Race was a long-term project. This process would definitely consume many resources in the future, but the New Great Territory should be able to satisfy these requirements. In any case, the value of materials in the Third Order and below was not that substantial. Using them on the Small Stone World would be perfect.
Zhou Ya nodded, “Big Brother and the others are not far from here. I’ll go there now.”
The ‘Big Brother’ she was referring to was none other than Mao Zhe.
Yang Kai waited in place for close to three days. Then, a huge ship broke through the clouds and hovered in mid-air. Several figures flew out from that ship and came in this direction.
When those figures approached, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, and Zhou Ya bowed in unison, “Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’m sure you’re already aware of the situation.”
Mao Zhe said excitedly, “We’ve heard about the news. Sir, what do we do now?”
He couldn’t help but be enthusiastic. If the matter related to the Small Stone World was handled properly, it would benefit all the Open Heaven Realm Masters under Yang Kai’s command. Mao Zhe was only one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so if he could cultivate in the Small Stone World, he would surely be able to advance faster.
“How many materials in the Third Order and below do you have here?” Yang Kai asked.
Mao Zhe causally reported a number.
Yang Kai raised his brow when he heard the number and commented, “That’s quite a lot. It will probably last for quite some time.”
Yue He was already on her way back to High Heaven Palace, so it would not take too long before she returned with even more materials.
A short while later, dozens of Open Heaven Realms of varying Orders flew out from the ship. They each carried different amounts of materials in the Third Order and below and began scattering them across the Small Stone World to feed the Stone Kings.
Mao Zhe and the others did not stay for long either. When all the members returned, they set off again and headed deeper into the New Great Territory to continue developing this frontier land.
After waiting for another month or so, Yue He finally returned together with Hua Qing Si.
The matter regarding the Small Stone World was extremely important. It was not that Hua Qing Si had not paid attention to this matter in the past, but rather that she had not understood the specific situation here. Now that Yang Kai had discovered the truth, it was only natural that she wanted to investigate the situation in person.
They brought even more materials with them on this trip. All the materials in the Third Order and below that had been stored in High Heaven Palace all these years had been brought over. Thus, the number was simply astounding.
Furthermore, Hua Qing Si had ordered her subordinates to make large-scale purchases of the materials in the Third Order and below from High Heaven Star City. At the same time, she sent a message to Void Land so that they could also deliver the materials in the Third Order and below over to the Small Stone World.
Third-Order and below materials were extremely abundant in the 3,000 Worlds, but aside from the Third-Order materials, the First-Order and Second-Order materials were basically worthless.
If a cultivator had the aptitude to advance into the Open Heaven Realm at all, then it would generally not be difficult for them to ascend directly to the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm under normal circumstances. Only those whose aptitudes were too poor or could not obtain cultivation materials would choose to advance to the First or Second-Order Open Heaven Realm.
For that reason, there would always be a large surplus of First-Order and Second-Order materials regardless of the Sect or Great Territory. Naturally, it was not difficult for High Heaven Palace to acquire these materials. There would definitely be many people who were willing to sell the Low-Order materials in their possession.
Hua Qing Si personally went to investigate several Small Stone Race Nests and witnessed how the Stone Kings reproduced after eating the materials with her own eyes. Hence, she couldn’t help feeling amazed. [The Heavens have blessed High Heaven Palace and Void Land!]
She could not believe that the New Great Territory would have such a peculiar living creature like the Small Stone Race. In the future, it was practically impossible for the cultivation of the Open Heaven Realm Masters from High Heaven Palace and Void Land to progress slowly.
Hua Qing Si went up to Yang Kai who was busy working and declared, “Sect Master, I’m afraid we need a designated person to manage the Small Stone World.”
Yang Kai put his work down and nodded in agreement, “That’s what I was thinking too. I was just about to discuss this matter with you.”
The Small Stone Race’s population was incredibly large, and if they wanted the Small Stone Race to multiply rapidly and expand their population further, they would need to have somebody here to constantly feed them on a regular schedule. To that end, they would need a designated person to manage this matter.
“What do you think?” Yang Kai asked.
Hua Qing Si quickly replied, “I’ve travelled around the Small Stone World over the past few days. This Universe World is so vast that the land is several times larger than the Star Boundary. If you wish to manage this place, you will need at least 20 Masters present at all times. My suggestion is to divide the Small Stone World into twenty regions and then select twenty Third or Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Sect and assign them to a specific area. In this way, they will not be overworked and would have time to cultivate. I chose Third-Order or Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters for this task because the heritage of the Small Stone World is not that strong at the moment. If the Order is too high, the consumption when cultivating in this World will be too great. It may affect the increase of the Small Stone World’s heritage.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “You have given great consideration to the matter, Head Manager. Good, we’ll use a complement of 10 Third-Order and 10 Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. We’ll consider it a benefit to them.”
Hua Qing Si pursed her lips into a smile, “I’m certain many people will be jumping at the opportunity to come here.”
The Small Stone World was such an excellent cultivation environment, so who would not want to come? It was just that High Heaven Palace was putting great effort into exploring and developing the New Great Territory, so almost all the Open Heaven Realm Masters were dispatched as a result, leaving most no chance to come and cultivate in the Small Stone World even if they wanted to. But now, 20 people were needed to manage the Small Stone World. How could they not compete for these 20 spots?
Unfortunately, the troublesome task of choosing 20 people to come here belonged to her.
“Perhaps, we should let them take turns. We can set a fixed duration. When that duration expires, someone else will take over.” Hua Qing Si muttered in a pensive tone.
“You can come up with a plan for this matter on your own. This situation is temporary anyway. When the Small Stone Race’s population increases to a certain extent, the conditions in this World will definitely be able to satisfy even more people cultivating here at the same time. The quota will not be such a competition by then.”
Hua Qing Si nodded, “When that time comes, the disciples can use their Sect Contribution Points to exchange for the qualification to enter Small Stone World.”
After a brief conversation with Yang Kai, Hua Qing Si formed a rough idea of the plans for the Small Stone World’s future. She suddenly looked at him and asked curiously, “Sect Master, what are you doing? Should I summon people over to help you?”
Yang Kai just shook his head, “Others won’t be of help. I’m planning to set up a Universe Array here.”
“A Universe Array!?” Hua Qing Si’s eyes lit up at his words. She had always remained in the Star Boundary and had basically never taken a step outside, let alone travelled the vast 3,000 Worlds. However, it did not mean that she lacked common knowledge about the Outer Universe.
It was only natural that she had heard of the Universe Array, which was the central Grand Array of the Universe Temples.
Almost every single Great Territory in the 3,000 Worlds had their own Universe Temple where cultivators could transfer to, thereby reducing their travel time by a significant margin.
It was a pity to hear that those Universe Temples were ancient creations and that the Universe Array itself was shrouded in mystery. As such, some Universe Temples in the 3,000 Worlds had lost their function as transit points due to long years of disrepair because the Cave Heavens and Paradises had no way to repair them.
[I can’t believe Sect Master has the ability to arrange a Universe Array here! Does that not mean that he has figured out the mysteries of the Universe Temple!? If that’s the case, it’s a huge boon for High Heaven Palace!]
With a Universe Temple acting as a transit point, the development of the New Great Territory would surely progress much faster. It would also be more convenient for High Heaven Palace disciples to travel back and forth.
“Arranging a Universe Array should cost a lot, right? Sect Master, do you need any material support?” Hua Qing Si asked.
“Before coming here, I already took adequate supplies from Second Manager. There should be enough supplies to set up three Arrays, so I don’t need anything for the time being. I will come to you if I need something.”
She nodded.
“Right!” Yang Kai suddenly recalled something, “How have the Cave Heavens and Paradises reacted to the matters involving the Good Fortune Divine Furnace?”
Hua Qing Si quickly reported, “Elder Yu came to discuss this matter with me once, but there seems to be no consensus among the Cave Heavens and Paradises yet.”
Yang Kai laughed when he heard those words, “They sure are in no hurry!”
Hua Qing Si nodded, “There is still quite a lot of time until the disciples they recruited from the Star Boundary fully mature, so they are in no hurry.”
“Good, just leave them hanging,” Yang Kai replied nonchalantly.
In any case, Void Land was currently using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, so the longer it took for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to come to a consensus, the more High-Order materials Void Land would obtain. Otherwise, Void Land would not have a turn when the Cave Heavens and Paradises began using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
“Sect Master, if they reach a consensus and come to discuss the matter with me again, how should I respond?” Hua Qing Si asked.
As things stood, Yang Kai would not be returning for some time. Arranging the Universe Arrays was by no means an overnight effort after all. It would take a long time to complete.
Yang Kai pondered for a while before he responded, “The rights to enter their Small Source Worlds for training must be obtained! Void Land has so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and it will take a long time for them to advance into the next Order without opportunities. Besides, there will only be more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters emerging in the future. Their growth period will be shortened significantly with the use of those Small Source Worlds. For that reason, there’s no need to discuss anything if they refuse to agree on this point.”
She nodded.
He continued, “There’s no reason for them to disagree since the Cave Heavens and Paradises each have more than one Small Source World. It’s just the right to enter their Small Source Worlds once per turn after all. There’s no reason for them to stubbornly refuse. Well… We can make some concessions on the duration they can use the furnace. The previous condition I offered was one month’s right of use in exchange for one right of entry into the Small Source World. If they try and discuss this matter with you again, three months is the bottom line! Any longer, and they will have to wait for my return.”
“I understand!” Hua Qing Si said in acknowledgement.
Yang Kai thus waved his hand lightly, “Good, you should get back to your work.”
“This Mistress will take her leave now.” After saying so, she soared into the sky and returned the way she came.
As Head Manager, there were many things that Hua Qing Si had to deal with. Leaving aside matters of the distant future, just looking at the near term, she had to choose 20 Open Heaven Realm Masters to manage the Small Stone World, arrange for High Heaven Star City to purchase materials in the Third-Order and below, and negotiate with the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Most of High Heaven Palace’s burden rested on her slender shoulders.
With Yang Kai’s current capabilities, it would not take more than half a day for him to set up a normal-scale Space Array with enough resources; however, it took him three whole months to arrange the new Universe Array.
Although the Universe Arrays and the Space Arrays basically came from the same source and had many similarities, the Universe Array was undoubtedly more complex and sophisticated. In addition, Yang Kai was arranging a Universe Array for the first time. As he was unfamiliar with the method, he would occasionally make mistakes and his efforts for the past few days would be in vain whenever that happened.
Nevertheless, he finished setting up the first Universe Array after three months of hard work. The Universe Array was located directly on the Small Stone World, close to the bamboo building where Yue He, Zhou Ya, and the others were cultivating. Using a Secret Technique to leave his Imprint in the Grand Array, he immediately soared into the sky.
Now that the Universe Array was completed, the next step was to verify its effects. Matters like these could not be done by others because the consequences would be extremely serious if something were to go wrong. On the other hand, Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, so even if he activated the Universe Transference Law and discovered a problem, he would at least be able to protect himself.
He travelled swiftly, and under the urging of Space Principles, his figure flickered as he left behind a trail of Space Beacons in his wake.
Exactly half a day later, a Grand Hall suddenly appeared in the void. The Grand Hall was huge, and the entire building was built on an abandoned Spirit Province. Even though it was obvious that the Grand Hall was built recently, there was nobody here.
Standing in front of the Grand Hall, Yang Kai looked around briefly. Only then did he raise his hands and form a set of seals to activate the Universe Transference Law. He could vaguely sense a connection with something in a far-off place, which was the exact direction where the Small Stone World’s Universe Array was located. When this feeling emerged, Yang Kai knew that there were no issues with the Universe Array he set up earlier.
He had spent more than 20 years repairing the Universe Temples that had long lost their function after years of disrepair. The ability to repair the Universe Temples indicated that he had already figured out the mysteries within them, so it was not a problem for him to set one up now.
There was no resistance, and his figure vanished from the spot three breaths later. By the time he came back to his senses, Yang Kai was already standing on the Universe Array in the Small Stone World.
Yue He had been waiting by the side all this time and her eyes immediately lit up at the sight of him as she looked at him in anticipation, “Young Master, is it done?”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s done. But, using the Universe Transference Law is as time-consuming as ever.”
Even for a person like him who was proficient in the Dao of Space, using the Universe Transference Law took three full breaths before he was transferred back here. If it were anybody else, the duration would have been even longer.
This little bit of time would not matter under normal circumstances, but in a dangerous situation, such as being pursued by a powerful enemy, even a single breath could be the difference between life and death, much less three. That was why very few people in the Great Territories would use the Universe Transference Law to escape when being pursued. There was no chance for them to use the Universe Temples at all, unless they could find a way to escape from their enemies and create the space and time needed to activate the Universe Transference Law.
“There’s no helping it. The distance is too large when transferring to a Universe Temple. It’s only natural that it will take some time.”
Yang Kai pensively muttered, “The Universe Transference Law was passed down from ancient times. It is a Secret Technique specially used to communicate with the Universe Arrays. If we can figure out a method to modify the Universe Transference Law, we might be able to shorten the time taken.”
Yue He just laughed, “In that case, you will need to work hard on your own, Young Master. When it comes to the Dao of Space, there are not many people in the 3,000 Worlds who can help.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Arrange for somebody to build a Universe Temple around the Grand Array. Also, instruct the people who are still in this area to find an opportunity to leave their Soul Imprint here. That way, it will be much more convenient for them to travel back and forth in the future.”
“Don’t worry, Young Master. I will handle it properly!” She nodded.
Now that the central Universe Array had been completed, building a Universe Temple around it to protect it did not require any special skills. Anybody could do something like that.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai teleported with the help of the trail of Space Beacons that he left behind earlier and quickly returned to the Grand Hall from earlier.
During the three months that he spent setting up the first Universe Array, he had already asked his subordinates to construct two other Universe Temples in the New Great Territory beforehand. This Grand Hall was one of them while the other one was located close to the Territory Gate.
This arrangement was mainly to facilitate travel across the New Great Territory. When all three Universe Temples were finished, the speed at which the cultivators developed the New Great Territory would definitely increase by several times.
After entering the Universe Temple, Yang Kai took a rest for a few days before he started arranging the next Universe Array. The first Universe Array had taken him three months to complete, but practice made perfect in everything; therefore, the second Universe Array only took him two months to complete.
He tested the Grand Array in person again, and once he confirmed that there were no issues with the Universe Array, he headed to the Small Stone World to look for Yue He and asked her to arrange for somebody to guard the Universe Temple. After that, he rushed to the Universe Temple by the Territory Gate without stopping.
After another two months, the Universe Array at the Territory Gate was also successfully completed.
The three Universe Temples formed a triangle across the New Great Territory, covering more than half of its area. The Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land could freely choose any of the three Universe Temples as their destinations when they used the Universe Transference Law as long as they were in the New Great Territory.
Based on these different locations, Yang Kai divided the three Universe Temples into A, B, and C to distinguish between them. The one near the New Great Territory’s Gate was Universe Temple A, the one in the Small Stone World was Universe Temple B, and the last one in the further depths of the New Great Territory was Universe Temple C.
There had never been a Great Territory with so many Universe Temples before, so nobody could be certain as to what the outcome would be if the Universe Transference Law was activated in such a situation.
Fortunately, Yang Kai’s personal experimentation showed that he could subtly sense all three Universe Temples if he activated the Universe Transference Law in the New Great Territory. By focusing on one particular Universe Temple, he could successfully transfer himself to it. It was no trouble at all.
After half a year, the population of the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World had expanded to a certain extent, and the Small Stone World’s heritage was also enhanced accordingly.
Large batches of materials in the Third Order and below were steadily delivered to the Small Stone World. The Open Heaven Realm Masters in charge of managing the Small Stone Race were in charge of feeding these materials to the Small Stone Race. The Stone Kings in their respective nests practically laid 100 to 200 stone eggs a day now. If that was the case for one Clan, then there would be even more with thousands or tens of thousands of Clans.
The Small Stone Race that Yang Kai migrated away from the Small Stone World had more than been made up for.
Previously, the Small Stone World could only support two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating at the same time, but the current Small Stone World could support three with no trouble, and that was already after taking the Third and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters managing the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World into account.
The growth of the Small Stone World’s heritage could easily be seen.
The same held true for Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
When High Heaven Palace previously delivered massive amounts of materials in the Third Order and below to the Small Stone World, Yang Kai had directly taken half of them and tossed them into his Small Universe. The materials were divided equally and scattered around the nests of the Small Stone Race.
Yang Kai no longer needed to feed them in person. In any case, the Small Stone Race clansmen would automatically search for resources, so as long as he tossed the materials nearby, there was no need to worry too much about them.
In the past half year, the number of the Small Stone Race clansmen in his Small Universe had increased from 10 million to 12 million. The unique Small Stone Race seemed capable of growing infinitely in number as long as they had enough resources. With every passing moment, the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe was steadily growing stronger; hence, he also benefited from this growth.
The same numbers of Small Stone Race could bring 10 times more benefits to him compared to any other living creatures.
In the past, Yang Kai had been planning to search for an opportunity to raise even more Humans in his Small Universe; however, there was no such need anymore. Why would he need any other living creatures when he already had the Small Stone Race? What other living creatures could possibly bring more benefits than the Small Stone Race?
Yang Kai also took the time to look at the Profound Yin Bamboo, one of the Twelve Minor Pillars.
It was a dark and gloomy Universe World with no signs of living creatures whatsoever, and the Profound Yin Bamboo was located at the spot where all the World Energy in the Universe World seemed to converge. It was as though all the energy in the world was being used to support the existence of this particular Minor Universe Pillar.
There were not many stalks of Profound Yin Bamboo, only around a dozen or so, but each of them was as tall as a man.
Yang Kai tentatively relocated one of the Profound Yin Bamboo into his Small Universe.
Seeing as he already had the World Spring in his Small Universe, which was one of the Four Great Universe Pillars, his Small Universe was already extremely stable, so there was no need for him to use the Profound Yin Bamboo. The only reason for his action was to personally verify the effects and special characteristics of the Profound Yin Bamboo, lest the Open Heaven Realm Masters suffered from any mistakes when they collected and refined the Profound Yin Bamboo after advancing into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
Moreover, Yang Kai deliberately placed the Profound Yin Bamboo next to one of the largest Small Stone Race Clans. This Clan had nearly 100,000 clansmen, so it was second to none compared to the other Small Stone Race Clans. The World Force produced by this particular Clan was naturally very rich.
As soon as he planted the Profound Yin Bamboo, Yang Kai immediately frowned.
It was not that the Profound Yin Bamboo was incompatible with the environment in his Small Universe. As one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo was compatible with anybody’s Small Universe.
What made him frown was that the Profound Yin Bamboo seemed to be devouring the heritage of his Small Universe and turning that into its own growth nutrients.
That was very different from the World Spring. Refining the World Spring had not produced any such problems whatsoever.
When he realised that the World Spring and the Profound Yin Bamboo were completely different in the first place, Yang Kai relaxed slightly and began to wait quietly.
The Profound Yin Bamboo broke through the ground after a month. The World Force that was being devoured also increased with its growth, becoming more and more with time. Although the overall amount was not great, it was still a constant drain.
Who could withstand such consumption? When an Open Heaven Realm Master wanted to advance to the next Order, they needed to spend long years accumulating the heritage of their Small Universe, but if they planted the Profound Yin Bamboo in their Small Universe, it would be equivalent to feeding a ferocious beast that was benefitting from the heritage of their Small Universe. That would inevitably slow down the speed of their cultivation progress.
Yang Kai’s brow furrowed tightly together. If this was all the Profound Yin Bamboo did, it would never have been listed as part of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars. This was nothing more than a slow-acting poison to any Open Heaven Realm Master. Nevertheless, he patiently continued his observations.
The growth of the Profound Yin Bamboo was closely related to the World Force it consumed. Yang Kai tentatively tried to inject the power of his Small Universe into the Profound Yin Bamboo and discovered that he could increase the speed of its growth.
Another month passed, and the Profound Yin Bamboo finally grew to the height of a person. At this point, it finally showed some changes. The speed at which it was devouring the World Force became extremely slow. In fact, it was reduced to a point where it was practically negligible. Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief. If it was at this kind of rate, then the consumption was bearable. It would only take refining some Open Heaven Pills regularly to replenish the lost energy.
Following a series of experiments, Yang Kai discovered the differences between the Profound Yin Bamboo and the World Spring.
The effects of the World Spring, which was one of the Four Universe Pillars, was undoubtedly much stronger. He only needed to refine and integrate the World Spring with his Small Universe for the World Spring to strengthen and enhance it. There was no other price to pay.
On the other hand, the Profound Yin Bamboo was different. During its growth period, there was a need for the Profound Yin Bamboo to devour the Small Universe’s World Force and convert it into nutrients for its growth. The situation would only get better when it reached maturity.
Looking at the situation, it would seem that a cultivator would only need to pay the price to nurture the Profound Yin Bamboo for it to benefit their Small Universe.
Nevertheless, it was just as Yue He had mentioned. The Profound Yin Bamboo needed to exist on a large scale to be useful. One or two stalks did not prove to be very effective.
Fortunately, it was not difficult to make the Profound Yin Bamboo reproduce. Just like how a normal bamboo grew, it only needed enough nutrients for a single stalk of bamboo to grow into a whole bamboo forest.
With these special characteristics of the Profound Yin Bamboo, it was in line with being listed among the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars.
When the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, they would only need to consume some of their Small Universe’s heritage to nurture a Profound Yin Bamboo Forest. Nobody would refuse this level of sacrifice compared to the benefits that they would gain.
When it came down to it, the effects of the Profound Yin Bamboo would never be as strong as the World Spring no matter how much it reproduced. The two of them were not of the same grade in the first place.
Yang Kai did not remove the Profound Yin Bamboo from his Small Universe. On the contrary, he continuously poured his strength into it so that it reproduced even faster even though the Profound Yin Bamboo did not help him in any way.
Looking ahead into the future, Void Land and High Heaven Palace would surely generate countless Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Everybody would eventually need some, so it would be better to nurture as many of the Profound Yin Bamboo as possible now. It would be bad if there was not enough to go around when the time came.
Another month passed and Yang Kai was investigating the growth of the Small Stone Race population in the Small Stone World when a figure sped over from afar.
When the figure landed nearby, his fat body jiggled like a giant meatball. He ran over to Yang Kai in surprising agile steps and cupped his fist, “Subordinate Chen Tian Fei greets Sir!”
Looking up, Yang Kai swept a gaze over Chen Tian Fei and joked, “It’s been a few years since we last met, fatty. You’ve gotten even rounder.”
The blubber on Chen Tian Fei’s face bunched up into a smile and his small eyes were squeezed together so much that they were nowhere to be seen. He then spoke flatteringly, “It’s all thanks to you, Sir. This subordinate is living a good and carefree life with delicious food and beautiful clothes. That’s why I put on a little weight.”
His obesity was related to the Secret Art he cultivated. The larger his body, the stronger the power he could exert. Although he had been forced to submit himself to the Loyalty List and lost his freedom as a result, Yang Kai had never made things difficult for him over the years. Conversely, the development of Void Land and High Heaven Palace had allowed his cultivation to progress smoothly.
Over the years, he had become increasingly grateful for the choice he made back then. Even though he was listed as a slave in the Loyalty List, his future was undoubtedly more promising than the time when he served as Second Manager in Scarlet Star.
“I see.” Yang Kai nodded, “Is there something you need from me?”
Chen Tian Fei’s expression became solemn, “The Head Manager sent this subordinate to invite you back.” He lowered his voice as though afraid that others might hear him and whispered sneakily, “The Head Manager mentioned that the negotiations with the Cave Heavens and Paradises have reached a conclusion. She asks that you return and decide as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding, “I got it.”
Yang Kai had spent a long time at the Small Stone World without returning, so the Cave Heavens and Paradises were bound to become anxious; after all, the last time he left, he vanished for 30 years. If he vanished for another few decades or even hundreds of years, who would they discuss the matter relating to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with?
They originally planned to leave Yang Kai hanging so that he would lower his price, but who could have known that he was in no hurry at all? Seeing as Yang Kai was not anxious, the Cave Heavens and Paradises became anxious instead. Moreover, they could not enter the New Great Territory. They had no idea what Yang Kai was doing inside or how long they would need to wait for him to return.
“Sir, is there anything this subordinate can do?” Chen Tian Fei asked solemnly, “This subordinate is willing to climb a mountain of swords and cross a sea of fire for you. Even if I have to sacrifice this fat body, I am willing to complete your orders.”
Yang Kai smiled and lightly patted Chen Tian Fei’s stomach. A ripple of meaty waves immediately spread out, “What I want you to do is simple. Just keep on cultivating hard. We were too weak and small in the past, so the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm was acceptable. Unfortunately, Void Land and High Heaven Palace are on a different scale now. The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm is not enough. You should hurry up and advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Chen Tian Fei’s expression immediately became bitter, “Sir, as you know, the cultivation of an Open Heaven Realm Master is all about accumulation. It’s not that this subordinate does not wish to hurry up. It’s just that my accumulation is simply not enough. This subordinate is devastated too.”
Yang Kai pondered for a moment and said, “Forget it. You don’t need to return to High Heaven Palace for now. Just find a place to cultivate in the Small Stone World. You are not allowed to leave until you reach the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Tian Fei’s eyes filled with tears and he sobbed gratefully, “Sir, you took such good care of this subordinate. This subordinate vows to devote his entire life to you in return!”
He was truly moved.
Back then, both Chen Tian Fei and Lu Xue had submitted to Yang Kai, but the difference was that Chen Tian Fei left his name on the Loyalty List as a slave while Lu Xue took the initiative to join Yang Kai.
Both of them had been in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the time, while Yang Kai was only in the Emperor Realm! However, Lu Xue left on a trip with Yang Kai and returned in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Conversely, Chen Tian Fei remained stuck in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Yang Kai later took in Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, and Luan Bai Feng. They were all powerful Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Thus, Chen Tian Fei couldn’t help feeling a sense of crisis. His cultivation was simply too low in comparison. The rest were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even Hei He was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He knew that there were only nine pages in the Loyalty List. In other words, Yang Kai could only accept nine slaves! Now that all nine pages had been filled, would he be disdained and abandoned by Yang Kai because his strength was too low? If he was truly abandoned, then he would not be able to continue living.
Once a person left their name on the Loyalty List, their name could not be removed unless they advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Loyalty List’s owner took the initiative to remove it, or they simply died!
For that reason, Fatty Chen had been living on the edge for all these years. He was scared that he would simply drop dead one day. That was why he always presented himself in a flattering manner every time he met Yang Kai. He was afraid that Yang Kai would consider him useless and decide to abandon him.
Now though, Yang Kai had allowed him to remain in the Small Stone World to cultivate, so it could be seen that Yang Kai had no thoughts of abandoning him at all. How could he not be emotional? The fear that he had been carrying in his heart all these years was finally resolved.
What’s more, this was the Small Stone World! Who among the Open Heaven Realm Masters in High Heaven Palace did not know about the wonders of the Small Stone World? All of them had worked hard to accumulate contribution points just to compete for the 20 slots to manage the Small Stone Race. It was a pity that only 20 people were chosen out of the 2,000 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters. Only a few people were destined to be the lucky ones.
Now that Yang Kai had spoken, Chen Tian Fei was also one of them. Not to mention, he did not even need to take care of the Small Stone Race, he only needed to find a quiet spot and focus on cultivating in retreat!
Chen Tian Fei was tempted to put his hands on his hips, throw his head back, and howl with laughter to show his happiness.
“Scram, scram!” Yang Kai kicked Chen Tian Fei in the butt.
Sure enough, Chen Tian Fei rolled over several times like a ball. Only then did he scramble to his feet and fled out of sight. Watching Chen Tian Fei’s departure, Yang Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. [Should I bring Yun Xing Hua over too?]
Among the nine people listed in his Loyalty List, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, and Luan Bai Feng were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Hei He and Xin Peng were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Only Chen Tian Fei and Yun Xing Hua belonged in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He had not felt anything about it in the past, but as his strength steadily improved and the number of Masters Yang Kai came into contact with increased, a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master became indeed a little undesirable.
Upon further consideration though, he decided against the idea. Yun Xing Hua had been assisting Mo Mei in Void Star City all this time after all.
He dropped by to greet Yue He, then he activated the Universe Transference Law and arrived directly at Universe Temple A that was located near the Territory Gate.
Yue He had already arranged for several Open Heaven Realm Masters to guard this place, so when they noticed Yang Kai’s appearance, they bowed respectfully, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai nodded and casually made some encouraging remarks to them before he headed straight towards the Territory Gate.
A short while later, he arrived at High Heaven Palace. The first thing he did was visit his Parents and check on the cultivation situation of his two Disciples.
Zhao Ya was as dazzlingly talented as ever. Even though it had only been half a year since she arrived at the Star Boundary, she had already advanced by three Minor Realms. It could be seen just how terrifying her aptitude was.
Naturally, it was also related to the extremely favourable cultivation environment in the Star Boundary. While inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, she would not have been able to advance so quickly even if she did not deliberately try to suppress her cultivation.
In comparison, Zhao Ye Bai seemed a little pitiful. His cultivation was lower than Zhao Ya’s by several Great Realms, so it stood to reason that the speed of his cultivation should be much faster than hers. Even so, he only managed to advance by two Minor Realms.
After asking some questions and resolving certain issues that the two little ones faced during their cultivation, Yang Kai left.
He had not informed anybody about his return, but the representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had clearly sensed his aura. It didn’t take long before Hua Qing Si came to report, “Sect Master, Elder Yu has sent a message. In three days, the representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises will be visiting High Heaven Palace to discuss the matter related to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with you.”
“Understood.” Yang Kai nodded, “Be sure to make some preparations in advance.”
The last time the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had gathered at High Heaven Palace, it was to discuss the construction of the Dao Temples in the Star Boundary and the recruitment of disciples. Hence, High Heaven Palace had some experience in providing hospitality to them.
“Yes!” She answered.
“By the way, how did they communicate with you all this time?” He asked.
Hua Qing Si briefly replied, “It’s basically Elder Yu acting as the middle-man to pass the messages to me. I have stubbornly kept to the three-month period and refused to budge, and they seemed unwilling to make things difficult for me. Since they are planning to gather at High Heaven Palace, I’m sure they have come to a consensus. They are coming to negotiate an outcome with you, Sect Master.”
Yang Kai laughed softly, “They can’t keep procrastinating. The earlier they start using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, the earlier they will start harvesting benefits. It will be too late if they wait until their disciples are all grown up. It’s such a pity that there is so little time. If we could delay things a little longer, Void Land would surely receive even more benefits.”