This team of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters originally had seven people. It was just that Yang Kai had kidnapped two of them previously, so there were only five of them left. The leader was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master by the name Deng Chi. His cultivation was extraordinary and the heritage of his Small Universe was impressive.
When the five of them blasted out with their various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques, they quickly retreated at the same time, in hopes of escaping Yang Kai’s pursuit.
However, Yang Kai’s figure merely shifted from side to side before he swiftly escaped the barrage enveloping him. In the next moment, he charged towards them.
They immediately turned pale with shock.
Deng Chi gritted his teeth and roared, “Junior Brothers, go quickly! I will stop him!”
After saying that, boldly and without hesitation or looking back, he charged at Yang Kai.
He knew that he could not stop Yang Kai with his strength; after all, so many other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who were stronger than him had been defeated by Yang Kai, how could he be an exception? Therefore, he did not hope to actually stop or defeat Yang Kai. He simply wanted to buy some time for the four people in his team. Only then would they have hope of fleeing this situation and preventing a complete annihilation of their team.
Deng Chi’s determination and resolve touched the others. One of them shouted in grief and indignation, “Senior Brother Deng!”
“Go!” Deng Chi yelled, “Don’t let my sacrifice go to waste!”
The person who spoke earlier had originally intended to turn around to help Deng Chi, but, when he heard what his Senior Brother said, he had no choice but to turn around and flee into the distance with the other three.
Meanwhile, Deng Chi stood proudly. He reached out to grab at something, summoning a long spear into his hand. Staring solemnly at Yang Kai who was approaching him quickly, he grinned savagely, “I split this mountain and chopped this tree, if you want to… Wait! I’m not done speaking! Take this!”
*Hong hong hong…*
Deng Chi felt his vitality churning violently every time their World Forces collided, and his Small Universe shuddered unsteadily.
He had been immersed in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm for many years, so the heritage of his Small Universe was by no means weak. There were not many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise who could surpass him in terms of strength.
Prior to this, he had heard the messages from his identity token. Many of his Fellow Brothers had been captured, defeated, and eliminated by Yang Kai. In front of this person named Yang Kai, many of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise resembled nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered. They were completely powerless to resist.
Therefore, he had been wondering whether Yang Kai was actually that strong. They were both Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters after all. No matter how powerful Yang Kai was, there had to be a limit, right?
He also considered what he should do if he ran into Yang Kai. It was impossible for him to flee as the other party was proficient in the Dao of Space. How could he escape when the other party could ignore the barriers of space? This was something that had been proven through the defeat and the blood of his countless Fellow Brothers who were eliminated previously.
Since he could not run, then he could only choose to fight! He might not be Yang Kai’s opponent, but it should be possible for him to cause a little trouble for Yang Kai if he went all out. At least, that was what he previously thought…
It was not until he actually encountered Yang Kai himself that Deng Chi realised one thing, he had been far too naive. The terrifying power of his opponent gave him the illusion that he was facing a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master instead of one in the Sixth-Order! Nevertheless, the energy fluctuations coming from the other party undoubtedly belonged to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
[How can a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master be this strong!?] Even after being struck to the ground by Yang Kai, Deng Chi could not understand what had just happened. He even began to doubt whether something had gone wrong during his cultivation in the past. [No wonder so many other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters who were stronger than me were defeated by him! No wonder even Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang is not his opponent! What Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could be this monster’s opponent!?]
“Senior Brother…” Yang Kai crouched in front of Deng Chi, “Can I ask you something?”
Deng Chi coughed up blood while looking at Yang Kai, “What is it?”
The two of them had just been fighting fiercely against each other, but they were now talking to each other calmly. Not to mention that Deng Chi was still coughing up blood. No matter how one looked at this situation, there was no denying that it was strange.
It had to be said that the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had straightforward and righteous personalities. Despite being injured and defeated by Yang Kai, none of them held any real resentment against him. Most of them simply admired his strength.
Their strength was inferior to their enemy, so there was no point in being resentful. Although their journey of growth was a little crooked, their temperament was impressive. The defeat they suffered today would only fuel their motivation to get stronger so they could one day get back at him.
“I noticed many Senior Brothers and Sisters heading in a certain direction. What are they doing?” Yang Kai asked while handing a healing pill to Deng Chi.
Deng Chi glanced at the healing pill and stuffed it into his mouth. Chewing with a loud crunch, he swallowed and shook his head, “I can’t say!”
He had been defeated by Yang Kai and eliminated from the training. Nonetheless, he was not willing to reveal Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang’s plans. He, too, wanted to see Yang Kai being surrounded and captured by his Fellow Brothers. Then, they would drive Yang Kai to the depths of despair! Only then could he avenge this defeat!
While speaking, Deng Chi took out some items that were worth a set of Sixth-Order materials and handed them to Yang Kai.
From the start to the end, neither of them mentioned the healing pill or the materials. It was their first meeting, but their actions seemed to indicate a tacit agreement to keep silent about that matter.
Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang had already passed the word around. If they were defeated by Yang Kai, they should exchange money to avoid disaster. There was no need to struggle because their efforts would be pointless.
Yang Kai asked in a friendly manner, “Senior Brother, if you tell me, I will give you a 20% discount. What do you say?”
Deng Chi’s expression twisted, “This Deng is not such a materialistic person. Don’t even think of trying to bribe information out of me.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Senior Brother, your character is noble indeed! This Junior Brother admires you!”
Deng Chi grinned and wanted to laugh, but the movements pulled at his wound. Thus, he just smiled with great difficulty, “I’m a Lang Ya Paradise disciple after all!”
While laughing, he suddenly burst into tears. He looked behind Yang Kai and lost his cool, “Why did you return!? Ahhh! Just why did you have to come back!?”
The four people in his team who escaped earlier had turned back and returned!
All four of them had expressions of helplessness on their faces.
The Junior Brother who wanted to turn back to help Deng Chi earlier answered sadly, “We didn’t want to come back either. It’s just that the Sect Master issued an order saying that we are already ganging up on Yang Kai by forming teams. If all of us were to gather together and even set up a Grand Array in advance, it would be a total disgrace even if we won. After such a shameless action, he would be too embarrassed to show his face again. That was why he issued the order for us to return to our positions and stop using such underhanded methods. He wants us to defeat Junior Brother Yang with our own strength!”
Deng Chi was stunned, “The Sect Master issued such an order?”
He quickly checked his identity token. While he was speaking to Yang Kai earlier, a message had indeed entered his identity token, it was just that he had no time to check it. When he glanced at the contents, what his Junior Brother said turned out to be true!
Thus, he raised his head speechlessly to stare at Yang Kai. [Is Lang Ya Paradise’s Sect Master your Father or something!? Why does he favour you so much!?]
It was not easy for Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang to arrange that Grand Array and even come up with such an infallible solution. Unfortunately, just as the light of victory was about to shine on them, an order from the Sect Master instantly obscured it with a dense fog!
[Defeat Yang Kai with our own strength… If we had the strength to do that, Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang would not have done this in the first place!]
Regardless, Deng Chi had to admit that the Sect Master was not wrong. So many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had been eliminated by Yang Kai, so if the remaining people could not turn this situation around through fair means, then there was no meaning to this training. Relying on the remaining Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to lie in wait to defeat a single person was certainly a meaningless victory.
“Your intentions are sinister indeed!” Yang Kai suddenly spoke up from the side.
He had not known the reason why so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were gathering in one place. Although he had a vague guess, he had not dared to confirm his speculations. After listening to the conversation between Deng Chi and the others though, how could he remain ignorant?
It was obvious that somebody had set up a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array somewhere and gathered all the remaining Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise there. If Yang Kai wanted to gain any benefits, then he would have to walk into the trap himself. At that time, he would no longer have the support of the Dao of Space. No matter how powerful he was, what could he do against them?
Deng Chi laughed in embarrassment, “We had no choice…”
“Thank goodness Senior Li is righteous!” Yang Kai cupped his fist in the direction of the Main Spirit Province and bowed in a gratifying manner.
Deng Chi took the opportunity to signal his four companions!
In the next moment, World Force surged. The four of them took action and summoned their respective artifacts. Using the light of their Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities as a cover, they charged towards Yang Kai!
Now that they had met their greatest enemy, their only option was to fight to the end!
When the light subsided and the energy fluctuations died down, they looked over only to see that the spot where Yang Kai originally stood was empty. He had vanished at some point in time without their realising.
“Junior Brother Ding has been captured!” Somebody exclaimed in shock.
The other two looked around and saw that Junior Brother Ding was indeed nowhere to be found. They originally had four members left, but only three remained at this moment.
Deng Chi sighed, “Junior Brother Ding has been eliminated!”
Nothing good would come from being captured by Yang Kai. It simply meant that they would be beaten up, forced to buy a healing pill, and disqualified from participating in the training. Everybody suffered the same fate. Even the delicate Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters were no exception.
When Deng Chi and the others heard that even Junior Sister Gu Ling’er had been injured by Yang Kai, they could barely believe their ears. How could Yang Kai call himself a man!? How could he hit somebody like Junior Sister Gu Ling’er!? Did he not have the slightest sense of chivalry towards women!?
On the other hand, the Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters had maintained a fairly enthusiastic mentality before the incident where Gu Ling’er was injured by Yang Kai. They believed that they would have an advantage as women. Even if they fell into Yang Kai’s clutches, they would not suffer too badly. In the worst case, they could simply exchange money to avoid disaster.
It was not until the incident with Gu Ling’er that they began to lose confidence. How could they bear to hold their heads high in society again if their beautiful faces were beaten black and blue by Yang Kai? What consoled them was that Yang Kai never aimed for the face whenever he fought against a woman, even though he regarded both men and women as equals and did not hold back in his attacks. Thanks to that, none of them lost their beauty despite being beaten up. It was a stroke of fortune among all the misfortune.
However, at this moment, there was something that confused and puzzled Deng Chi and the others.
Out of the three people who had yet to be eliminated, the slightly older one asked, “Didn’t they say Yang Kai can easily fight against three or four enemies on his own? If that’s the case, then why did he run?”
The four of them attacked with such determination earlier because Yang Kai had a record of fighting in a one-against-four battle and completely annihilating the other party in the process. Logically speaking, he could have gone all out and disqualified all of them from the training just now. However, he had not done that. All he did was flee after capturing Junior Brother Ding!
One person’s eyes lit up, “Could it be that he is running out of strength!?”
Another person nodded in agreement after hearing those words, “There is such a possibility!”
Many days had gone by since the training began. So much time had passed, and Yang Kai had been constantly fighting alone. Even if he was very powerful and the heritage of his Small Universe heritage was incredibly impressive, it was only natural for his abilities to decline after enduring such a long period of consumption. It might be that he no longer had the ability to fight against four enemies at once!
“We must spread this information to the others!” The first person who spoke earlier looked excited.
All this time, they had felt extremely hopeless during this training. Although the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had an advantage in numbers, Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, which allowed him to excel at both ambushing and escaping. Therefore, he would periodically strike out of nowhere and flee immediately as soon as he captured somebody. They were having a hard time guarding against his attacks as a result.
However, there was finally a glimmer of hope in their desperate situation. It turned out that he was not invincible! Even Yang Kai could not maintain his terrifying combat strength forever!
Everything was thanks to the Fellow Brothers who had been eliminated previously. This outcome was obtained in exchange for countless resources and their own blood. Fortunately, their sacrifice would not be in vain. Victory would eventually belong to Lang Ya Paradise!
This information was soon spread to every single surviving Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, all of whom instantly became motivated!
There was nothing wrong with their conjecture per-say.
For an average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to endure such an extended and high-intensity battle, even if they were facing a group of enemies who were significantly weaker than themselves, they were bound to expend great amounts of energy. As such, they would eventually be defeated after exhausting all their strength. It was true that they could recover some strength by refining Open Heaven Pills during this time, but how much could they truly recover? Besides, how could the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise give Yang Kai any time to recover from his fatigue?
However, Yang Kai was not ordinary and he was now fully realising the benefits of rearing living beings in his Small Universe.
The living beings that he relocated from Pear Flower Cave Heaven numbered in the tens of millions now and constantly provided him with a large amount of World Force that enhanced the heritage of his Small Universe.
Furthermore, there was a large number of the Small Stone Race in his Small Universe. The population of the Small Stone Race had multiplied rapidly. Under the premise of equal numbers, the benefits brought to Yang Kai by the Small Stone Race were ten times that of ordinary Humans!
The flow of time in his Small Universe was also different from the outside world. There was almost twice the difference between them. Although Yang Kai had been unable to find any time to rest during this past month or so, he did not show the slightest sign of fatigue even though he had been fighting tirelessly this whole time. On the contrary, he remained lively and high-spirited.
The rate of his consumption was simply incomparable to the growth of his Small Universe. At this rate, he could continue fighting in such a high-intensity battle until the end of time!
Of course, there was a reason why Yang Kai did not challenge all four opponents to annihilate Deng Chi’s team in one go and instead chose to capture them one by one. The reason was consideration for those corrupted by the Black Ink. Even if there was anybody corrupted by the Black Ink among the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, they would not reveal anything to him with so many eyes watching.
Similar to the case of Gu Ling’er, it was only possible for him to discover some clues or uncover the identities of those who had been corrupted by the Black Ink if he remained alone with them.
In the following stick of incense’s worth of time, Deng Chi, who had been meditating on the spot to heal his wounds, watched helplessly as Yang Kai continuously went back and forth to capture his Junior Brothers one after another!
The Junior Brothers were on the verge of going crazy. If not for Li Yuan Wang’s orders, they could have fled to another Spirit Province to seek refuge. But, for some reason, the Sect Master had issued the order for them to return to their respective positions. No matter how they escaped, they could only escape within the confines of their respective Spirit Provinces.
They couldn’t even ask for reinforcements from the other teams like before. That was because those teams could not defy their orders and leave their Spirit Provinces to provide aid.
The Sect Master was clearly giving Yang Kai the opportunity to take them down one by one! Nobody knew the reason behind his actions. All they could guess was that the Sect Master was unhappy with their failure. Despite so many people being in a team, they could not defeat Yang Kai. It would be an even greater shame if they went so far as to request aid from the other teams.
With just one order from Li Yuan Wang, the situation had turned in favour of Yang Kai.
Meanwhile, as the only person who understood Li Yuan Wang’s intentions, Yang Kai was working hard to cooperate.
The flames of battle spread across the Spirit Provinces in Lang Ya Paradise. Everywhere Yang Kai went, the team of Open Heaven Realm Masters guarding that particular Spirit Province were obliterated. Every single person kidnapped by Yang Kai was beaten up badly, but not a single Open Heaven Realm Master in Lang Ya Paradise conceded defeat.
After Deng Chi’s team spread the message to the others, their resistance became more intense. Every single person, who was eliminated from the training, fought Yang Kai with all their strength to the point of exhaustion. Needless to say, these people suffered a harsher beating compared to those who were eliminated before.
Nevertheless, they were happy. That was because their elimination was not meaningless. Only by shaving off Yang Kai’s strength could they help their remaining Fellow Brothers obtain a greater chance for success.
They were looking forward to the time when somebody could eventually stand up and defeat Yang Kai and victory would then belong to Lang Ya Paradise! Be that as it may, with the passage of time, this anticipation slowly turned into despair once more.
Although the Open Heaven Realm Masters who were eliminated could no longer communicate any information to the Fellow Brothers who were still participating in the training, they were allowed to continue communicating with each other in general.
At this moment, many of the Open Heaven Realm Masters who had been eliminated were chatting endlessly through their identity tokens.
“We received exact information! Senior Sister Zhou’s team was targeted by that Bastard an hour ago!”
“How is the situation?”
“Four people have been eliminated so far! Only Senior Sister Zhou and Junior Brother Jia are left in the team!”
“I hope Senior Sister Zhou and Junior Brother Jia achieve success! Kill that bastard surnamed Yang!”
“Ahem… I’ve also been eliminated… Greetings, Senior Brothers!” Junior Brother Jia informed via message.
Everybody fell silent. A short while later, somebody responded with another message, “Senior Sister Zhou is in trouble!”
Senior Sister Zhou had been defeated by Yang Kai once before. That incident had taken place before the training began, so everybody knew that she was no match for him. Now that he had so many wins under his belt, Yang Kai was at the peak of his momentum, so how could she be his opponent?
As soon as that message came out, another message was delivered from another source, “Senior Sister Zhou has also been eliminated!”
“How fast! What is wrong with that Bastard!? Why does it feel as though his strength is inexhaustible!? Could it be that our Fellow Brothers lied to us!?”
“Senior Sister Zhou? Are you there, Senior Sister Zhou?”
“Get lost! Don’t bother me! I don’t want to talk!”
“Okay, okay. Please focus on your recovery, Senior Sister Zhou. This Junior Brother apologises for disturbing you.”
…..
At the same time, on the Spirit Province that Senior Sister Zhou’s team was overseeing, Yang Kai stood next to the dispirited Senior Sister Zhou and stared into the distance.
There were traces of fresh blood at the corners of Senior Sister Zhou’s mouth. She coughed lightly and studied the man next to her with a complicated gaze.
Compared to the last time she was defeated, there was not much difference in his strength. Nonetheless, she could clearly feel that there was an additional aura lingering around him. It was the aura of invincibility. Even though it could neither be seen nor touched, she could feel it clearly. This aura was something he gradually accumulated after winning against hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise. It was as brilliant as the Great Sun and as dazzling as the Stars. Moreover, she couldn’t shake off the illusion that he could even win against a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in his current condition.
There were many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, so there was no lack of talent. That was especially true for the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who ranked at the top. Who among them was not a dazzling genius in the outside world? However, they instantly became bleak and dull when compared to the man in front of her.
[I’ve never met such a man before…]
“There aren’t many left, right?” Yang Kai suddenly asked.
Nevertheless, Senior Sister Zhou understood his question. She pondered in silence for a moment before she responded, “Only Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang’s team is left. If you can defeat them, then this training will end.”
He nodded lightly, “Le Mang is pretty good.”
Having exchanged blows with Le Mang before, Yang Kai knew that the strength of this person known as the Eldest Senior Brother among the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise was quite extraordinary.
Senior Sister Zhou couldn’t help rolling her eyes at his reply. Only someone like Yang Kai could comment on Senior Brother Le Mang’s strength so casually, but there was nothing she could refute either.
“Can you fight seriously for once? Stop using such nefarious means!” She snapped in annoyance.
Yang Kai burst out laughing, “Your teams range from five to eight people. With so many people in the same Order gathering together in one place, how am I supposed to fight them all at once? Besides, I am using my abilities to capture those people. How can you claim that I am using nefarious means?”
Senior Sister Zhou flushed slightly in embarrassment because there was nothing she could refute in his statement. To a certain extent, it could be said that he obtained every victory through serious means. There was no trickery or underhanded means to his actions. That was something she herself had experienced before.
Nonetheless, she was reluctant to accept her loss because she had been defeated before she could even bring out her full strength! Failure to bring out her full strength in time was equivalent to having no chance to exert her strength at all. The battle had ended too quickly! In other words, the gap in their strengths was too vast. She had no choice but to admit the truth even if she was not willing to accept her defeat.
“Good! It’s time for this training to end! Senior Sister, please focus on your recovery! I’ll be leaving now!” After saying that, Yang Kai stepped forward and his figure rapidly faded out of sight.
Senior Sister Zhou turned to look in the direction of Void Flower Spirit Province where Senior Brother Le Mang’s team was stationed. Nobody could say for certain whether this battle would allow Lang Ya Paradise to narrowly retain its pride or whether Yang Kai would have the last laugh.
Messages began to fly rapidly between the identity tokens of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise.
“Quick! Quick! Yang Kai is heading towards Void Flower Spirit Province! This is the last battle! Let’s go and watch! We have to cheer for Eldest Senior Brother!”
“Senior Brother Le Mang will win! Lang Ya Paradise will win!”
…..
Following the fluctuations of the World Force, numerous streams of light took to the skies and sped towards Void Flower Spirit Province in unison. Many had been and still were recuperating from their injuries, but seeing as this was the last battle, they could not bring themselves to miss out on the show and quickly began moving.
By the time Yang Kai arrived at Void Flower Spirit Province, hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters had already gathered above it. Most of these Open Heaven Realm Masters were wounded. The bloody bruises on their faces had yet to subside, causing them to look extremely menacing.
Yang Kai travelled through the void and arrived calmly. Hundreds of gazes immediately turned towards him. Everywhere he passed, the crowd automatically split apart and opened a path for him. These bruised Open Heaven Realm Masters of Lang Ya Paradise might look like a mess, but they still gazed at him with admiration.
Throughout this training, Yang Kai acted alone. He fought all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise by himself. It didn’t matter what methods he used or whether the Sect Master’s orders had favoured him. For him to reach this point was enough to garner the respect of all those gathered here.
Yang Kai nodded lightly at the people around him. Passing through the crowd, he arrived directly at Void Flower Spirit Province.
Le Mang stood at the front with a solemn expression, giving off an air of dignity. Behind him stood four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters lined up.
His team could not be considered large. Including him, there were only five. Nevertheless, each one of them stood at the top of all the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. They had been immersed in this Realm for many years, and for that reason, despite their small numbers, they could be considered the team with the highest combat capabilities in Lang Ya Paradise below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
The four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters watched Yang Kai intently. So much time had passed since the training began, but this was their first time seeing Yang Kai in person; hence, they could not help being extremely curious towards the young man who caused such a ruckus in Lang Ya Paradise.
When their eyes met, Le Mang lowered his head slightly, “My apologies, Junior Brother Yang!”
If possible, he did not wish to join forces with his Junior Brothers to face a lone opponent, but he knew that he was no match for Yang Kai by himself. This battle was related to Lang Ya Paradise’s face, so even if he was unwilling to use such methods, he had no choice.
“It’s fine!” Yang Kai smiled slightly.
“Start the Array!” Le Mang gestured with his hand.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the four people behind him swiftly used various hand seals at the same time. Numerous bursts of lights scattered in all directions. Following that, the entire Void Flower Spirit Province rumbled and shook as though the World itself was shaking.
In an instant, the space around the entire Spirit Province was sealed off. This place had been transformed into a cage!
From the outside, there were no obvious changes to Void Flower Spirit Province; not even the entry and exit to this place had been affected. Nonetheless, countless invisible barriers had undoubtedly been imposed upon the Void. As long as Yang Kai was within Void Flower Spirit Province, he could not perform his Instantaneous Movement.
There was no doubt that this battle would decide the outcome of this entire event.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise in the surroundings watched with great excitement, and their Divine Senses interweaved madly as they communicated with each other!
“Senior Brothers, what are the prospects for this battle? Do you think Senior Brother Le Mang and the others have any chances to win?”
“That Brat surnamed Yang might be immensely powerful, but his greatest support is his Space Secret Techniques. Now that Void Flower Spirit Province has been sealed off by the Grand Array, his wings have been clipped. Without the ability to move about freely, it will be difficult for him to fight against five opponents!”
“You’re right, Senior Brother! Lang Ya Paradise is sure to win this battle!”
“Haih… That’s nothing to be proud of. Even if we win this battle, we only did so by overwhelming our opponent with superior numbers. It’s not an honourable victory. This training has really taught me that there are always Heavens beyond the Heavens. After this, I will have to go back and cultivate hard in retreat.”
…..
There was no doubt that the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise were not optimistic about Yang Kai’s prospects. His biggest reliance had been limited by the Grand Array. In spite of that, he had to face five opponents alone in battle. Not to mention, the five people led by Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang were veteran Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with profound experience and cultivation. If they lost despite such a line-up, then it would be far too unreasonable.
While the others were conversing wildly among themselves, Yang Kai took a shallow breath and focused his gaze on Le Mang and the others, “Are you ready, Senior Brothers? If you’re ready, then I… will begin!”
His figure, which was enveloped in an indescribably terrifying aura slammed directly towards Le Mang and the others even before he finished his sentence. When he pushed his immense World Force, even the people watching from afar could sense the suffocating aura blowing towards them.
On the other hand, the expressions of the ones actually involved in the situation changed greatly. Le Mang and the others simultaneously scattered in all directions without hesitation! Yang Kai’s momentum, which came from winning hundreds of battles without suffering a single loss, was simply too horrifying. Faced with this pressure, even someone as strong as Le Mang couldn’t help feeling intimidated.
There was a thunderous rumble that sounded as though the world was about to collapse, and Void Flower Spirit Province shook violently. When the dust finally settled, the sounds of World Forces colliding with each other could be heard. Everybody scanned the scene anxiously with widened eyes.
In the midst of the thick dust cloud, figures could be seen weaving back and forth like fish swimming in the sea. A short while later, two figures soared into the sky. Everybody looked in that direction and immediately gasped in surprise.
Yang Kai had summoned a spear at some point in time and was raining down strikes like a waterfall, his World Force surging rampantly. Standing opposite Yang Kai was one of their Senior Brothers. This Senior Brother was pale-faced and retreating in a fluster. At the same time, he constantly defended against the thrust of the spear with the artifact in his hand. Every collision between their weapons was a confrontation between the power of their Small Universes.
Yang Kai’s murderous intent had practically materialized. Moreover, his attacks were so frenzied that everyone couldn’t help wondering whether he planned to kill their Senior Brother with his spear!
Under this wanton offensive, the Senior Brother did not dare to waver in the slightest. He was forced to retreat continuously by Yang Kai; thus, the figures of those two sliced through the sky like two streams of light.
Shocked and enraged, Le Mang and the others hurriedly gave chase. Their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques bombarded Yang Kai’s back before they even drew near.
However, Yang Kai turned a blind eye to their attacks.
In the next moment, countless Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques accurately struck Yang Kai, causing Le Mang and the others to break out in cold sweat at the sight. This was not a life-or-death battle after all. They had always held back to a certain extent and prevented themselves from using their full strength as things would not end well if they accidentally killed Yang Kai.
Be that as it may, with the four of them working together, the power of their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques was not to be underestimated. If Yang Kai took those attacks head-on, he would most likely suffer a tragic fate.
[Why didn’t he dodge!? With his skills and abilities, he is perfectly capable of avoiding those attacks!] Nobody could understand his actions.
What happened next shocked all the onlookers to the core. Despite being hit by so many Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques, Yang Kai seemed totally unaffected. He ignored all the movements coming from behind him and simply focused on attacking the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was constantly being forced backwards.
The clothes Yang Kai was wearing were his transformed Grand Dragon Scales, and the defensive properties of a Grand Dragon’s Dragon Scales were extraordinary. To a certain extent, his Dragon Scales were capable of blocking the attacks of even Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
During his previous battle against Shi Zheng, Yang Kai had used his Dragon Scale Armour to block some of Shi Zheng’s Divine Abilities. If he could even block the Divine Ability of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, then what need be said about the attacks of a few Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who were holding back? Yang Kai might not be able to withstand such a bombardment over a longer period, but it was not a problem for a short time.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in front of Yang Kai was on the verge of tears. He did not know how he had provoked Yang Kai, but the other party had persistently targeted him from the beginning. Yang Kai’s ruthless posture left him reeling in discomfort. In the face of Yang Kai’s frenzied offensive, he only had the strength to parry while being steadily forced backwards!
Le Mang’s expression suddenly changed drastically and he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Junior Brother Feng, you can’t retreat any further!”
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Junior Brother Feng stiffened at those words, but before he could understand the situation, he saw Yang Kai grinning at him all of a sudden. Yang Kai’s large hand reached out towards him immediately after that, and under the fluctuations of Space Principles, the entire world spun dizzily!
Le Mang and the three others hurried over, but Yang Kai and Junior Brother Feng were no longer anywhere to be found. Only a slight fluctuation of Space Principles remained in place.
Le Mang was furious! Similarly, the Open Heaven Realm Masters watching in the surroundings were in an uproar!
Yang Kai’s sudden attack just now and his ruthless behaviour, as though he wanted to kill Junior Brother Feng, had left them extremely anxious. They were afraid that an accident might occur in this training; therefore, nobody noticed that the battlefield had been guided to the outside of Void Flower Spirit Province when Junior Brother Feng was forced to retreat by Yang Kai!
The Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array only covered Void Flower Spirit Province, so it was impossible for Yang Kai to perform Instantaneous Movement within its boundaries. However, those restrictions no longer took effect outside the Spirit Province. From the very beginning, Yang Kai’s plan was to control the battlefield on which they fought. That was the only method for him to defeat them one by one!
“What is he doing?” Somebody was puzzled.
Judging by Yang Kai’s fierce momentum and the strength he displayed just now, he stood a fighting chance in a five-against-one battle even if he did not escape. Although nobody could guess the outcome of the battle, it would be an unmistakably exciting and thrilling battle!
Be that as it may, he had fled. Just like he had done with the previous teams, he quickly escaped as soon as he captured Junior Brother Feng.
All the people who had been looking forward to the battle were absolutely devastated by the sight, feeling as though they were left hanging, half-satiated by the meal before them.
“That guy… Could it be that he is planning to coerce Junior Brother Feng into buying a healing pill and acted in that manner because it was inconvenient if other people were to disturb him?” Somebody guessed.
Many people had the same conjecture. That was because recently, Yang Kai had done the same even when only two people were left in a team. In any case, it was just a conjecture and they could not verify the truth, but the scene playing out in front of them made things clear that Yang Kai was planning exactly that.
“Just how greedy is that guy…” The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise were speechless. [This is the last battle! Can’t he fight properly for once so that we feel better even if we lose? Why does he have to be so miserly?]
Having said that, a set of Sixth-Order materials was indeed valuable, so Yang Kai’s actions were understandable. If they had such an opportunity, it was possible that they would have made the same choice.
Le Mang remained frozen in place, his expression extremely ugly. Less than ten breaths later, a series of ripples appeared in the Void. It was not until that moment that he reacted as though waking up from a dream. His expression changed drastically and he yelled, “Fall back! Quickly!”
Having given chase earlier, they had unknowingly followed Yang Kai out of Void Flower Spirit Province. They only realised what a dangerous situation they were in at this moment. Unfortunately, it was too late. Yang Kai’s figure appeared out of nowhere. He glanced around and immediately became delighted, “Senior Brothers, were you waiting for me?”
While speaking, he waved his hand and Space Principles surged as his Near Distant Horizon Secret Technique spread out into the surroundings. All of a sudden, space seemed to stretch out infinitely.
Everybody felt as though they experienced a momentary illusion. Even though they clearly saw their four Senior Brothers led by Le Mang struggling to escape towards Void Flower Spirit Province, they seemed to freeze in place for some strange reason.
Yang Kai took a step forward and came to stand beside one of them. Grabbing that person, he quickly turned around and left!
Le Mang howled miserably, “Junior Brother Yun!”
Junior Brother Yun had also been captured!
It was not until the figures of Yang Kai and Junior Brother Yun vanished out of sight that the Space Principles calmed down again. Accordingly, Le Mang and the others regained their freedom. Those three did not dare to remain outside for a moment longer and quickly fled back into Void Flower Spirit Province with humiliated and disgraced expressions.
In the short span of time taken to boil a cup of tea, two out of the five-man team had been captured. Only three of them remained!
Such a situation was something they never expected. They believed that preparing the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array in advance would prevent Yang Kai from using his Instantaneous Movement Secret Technique, thereby allowing them to attack him together. It was supposed to be the final blow that determined their victory! Who could have known that Yang Kai would retaliate so fiercely!?
Le Mang said solemnly, “Junior Brothers, Yang Kai is bound to return. We only have three people left, but we still stand a fighting chance. If he appears again, don’t leave Void Flower Spirit Province no matter what!”
Both of them nodded heavily, “Rest assured, Eldest Senior Brother!”
They had only just finished responding when they detected the fluctuations of Space Principles. Sure enough, Yang Kai had appeared again!
Yang Kai approached Le Mang and the two others in a few quick steps.
Le Mang quickly asked, “How are Junior Brother Feng and Junior Brother Yun?”
Yang Kai smiled, “They are fine, but shouldn’t you be worrying about yourselves?”
Taking a deep breath, Le Mang summoned a longsword into his hand and pointed at Yang Kai, “No matter what happens, I will never let you succeed again!”
“That… will depend on whether or not you have the ability!”
When Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, his figure launched towards the three of them like an arrow that was released from its string. At the same time, his World Force burst out like a tsunami and caused a pressure wave that was visible to the naked eye to spread out into the surroundings.
Le Mang and his two Junior Brothers roared in defiance. Activating the power of their Small Universes, they struggled desperately to block their enemy’s advance; however, their efforts were in vain!
Three figures were sent flying in three separate directions following the initial clash!
Le Mang finally stabilised his body with some difficulty. Looking over, he immediately felt as though his eyes were about to pop out of their sockets.
Yang Kai had set his sights on one of his two Junior Brothers and was indiscriminately bombarding him with attacks! Accordingly, this Junior Brother was steadily being forced back. It was the exact situation that Junior Brother Feng had experienced earlier!
Le Mang shouted, “Hold on, Junior Brother Peng!”
His figure shifted as he hurriedly pursued Yang Kai.
At this moment, Junior Brother Peng was filled with a deep sense of bitterness. When he previously saw Yang Kai forcing Junior Brother Feng out of Void Flower Spirit Province with ease, he believed that Junior Brother Feng had been too careless. It was not until he actually faced Yang Kai that he understood. Junior Brother Feng was not being careless. The gap between their strength was simply too large!
Yang Kai bore down on him from the front with crushing momentum, and no matter how he tried to resist, he could not fight back. He felt as though his Small Universe was about to collapse with every single collision of their World Forces.
Under this violent offensive, he had no choice but to retreat even if he was unwilling!
He distinctly saw Senior Brother Le Mang’s figure transforming into a stream of light and chasing after him. Nevertheless, it was obvious that it was too late. Under the tremendous pressure from Yang Kai, he was quickly forced out of Void Flower Spirit Province like a duckweed caught in the rapids.
[It’s over!] His heart thumped hard in his chest. Staring helplessly at Yang Kai’s large hand stretching out to fill his vision, he was unable to resist at all. His previous confrontation with Yang Kai had caused his Small Universe to be greatly shaken, so his power could not flow smoothly!
In the next moment, everybody watched as Yang Kai grabbed Junior Brother Peng by the neck and dragged the latter away like he was picking up a common chicken to be slaughtered.
Le Mang and the other Junior Brother stood at the edge of Void Flower Spirit Province, watching everything unfolding before them but being helpless to do anything. Their expressions were filled with despair.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters of Lang Ya Paradise who had been communicating unceasingly via their Divine Senses all this while suddenly sank into silence at this moment.
They initially thought that the outcome of this battle would be difficult to predict, but judging by the current circumstances, things were not looking optimistic for Lang Ya Paradise. Be that as it may, this outcome was very difficult for them to accept. Yang Kai had defeated all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise with his strength alone.
“Junior Brother Dai!” Le Mang took a deep breath, “There’s only the two of us left, but we still have a chance! Yang Kai will definitely come again! Don’t let your guard down!”
Junior Brother Dai was sorrowful, “Eldest Senior Brother, that’s what you said earlier.”
[Then, Junior Brother Peng was kidnapped… Even when we had three people, we were not his opponents. What can we do now that there are only the two of us left!?] It was not that his mental strength was lacking, it was just that he could not muster the strength when faced with an opponent like Yang Kai!
Le Mang shouted, “Junior Brother Dai, the honour or disgrace of Lang Ya Paradise lies in our hands. You need to get yourself together!”
Realisation suddenly struck Junior Brother Dai. His eyes instantly filled with fighting spirit, and he nodded repeatedly, “Got it, Eldest Senior Brother!”
Half an incense stick’s time later… Le Mang stared into the Void with a blank gaze.
There was nobody next to him. Junior Brother Feng, Junior Brother Yun, Junior Brother Peng, and even Junior Brother Dai had all been captured…
Such desolate loneliness! But, so what if that was the case? Even if he had to fight alone, he would never be discouraged! With so many Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters watching him, as the Eldest Senior Brother, Le Mang had to set a good example for the others.
Reaching this enlightenment, Le Mang’s aura abruptly began to swell. The wind and the clouds in Void Flower Spirit Province swirled and all the World Energy in the Spirit Province became agitated and flooded towards him.
The illusory phantom of a Universe World suddenly appeared behind him, but the Universe World was extremely distorted and ever-changing. Following the rise of his aura, the ethereal Universe World showed signs of becoming solid.
“That is…” Somebody among the crowd suddenly exclaimed, “What is happening to Eldest Senior Brother?”
“Eldest Senior Brother is advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm! Look at his Small Universe! It’s showing signs of materialising!”
“Hahahaha! That Bastard is dead meat now! No matter how powerful he is, how can he be the opponent of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!?”
“Advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm is not that simple. Eldest Senior Brother probably just grasped the opportunity for a breakthrough and is showing signs of advancement. He needs to enter retreat immediately. Only when his Small Universe fully materializes can he be considered to have truly advanced into the next Order!” An Open Heaven Realm Master of Lang Ya Paradise who had some understanding of how to advance from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm explained.
“Even so, Eldest Senior Brother will now possess some heritage of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. The power he can wield is definitely above that of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even if Yang Kai is powerful, he might not be Eldest Senior Brother’s opponent.”
“That’s right! It will now depend on how much strength Eldest Senior Brother can exert.”
“Sect Master has arrived!” Somebody shouted all of a sudden.
The advancement of a disciple from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was not a trivial matter, especially for somebody like Le Mang. Furthermore, Li Yuan Wang had always been monitoring this training, so he knew about everything that was taking place here.
Following the emergence of Li Yuan Wang’s figure, the hundreds of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters bowed in unison, “Greetings, Sect Master, Vice Sect Master!”
Li Yuan Wang did not come alone. He was accompanied by Gao Ting. Nodding lightly in acknowledgement, he gestured for them to be at ease. Only then did he turn to look at Le Mang below.
Upon sensing Li Yuan Wang’s gaze, Le Mang looked up and cupped his fist, “Disciple greets Sect Master, Vice Sect Master!”
Li Yuan Wang asked in concern, “How confident are you?”
Comprehending the opportunity to advance into the next Order did not mean that one could successfully complete the breakthrough. There was no saying whether an unexpected accident might occur during the process.
The transformation of one’s Small Universe from immaterial to material was no different from stepping over the threshold. Only by overcoming this threshold could a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Unfortunately, many Open Heaven Realm Masters failed to cross this chasm.
Le Mang replied, “Disciple is confident!”
“Good!” Li Yuan Wang nodded, “But, before that, you should end this training.”
Le Mang nodded and quickly said, “I will not disappoint you, Sect Master!” Turning his head to look at somebody among the crowd, he pointed with his longsword, “Junior Brother Yang, this Senior Brother is in a hurry to enter retreat. Let’s get this over with quickly.”
Unbeknownst to the others, Yang Kai had appeared in that direction at some point in time.
Most of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in the surroundings had been focused on Le Mang, so they had failed to notice Yang Kai’s presence and it was not until this moment that they saw him.
On the other hand, Le Mang had comprehended the opportunity for advancement. At this moment, his strength could no longer be judged simply by the standards of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. His strength was already beyond the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, though still below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
His words and attitude conveyed great self-confidence. His confidence infected the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Lang Ya Paradise, causing them to become extremely excited.
Yang Kai abruptly turned to look at Li Yuan Wang, “Sect Master Li, with Senior Brother Le Mang’s current condition, will there be any aftereffects if he were injured?”
Li Yuan Wang pondered in silence for a moment, “Go easy on him!”
Many of the disciples turned pale. [Why do the Sect Master’s words sound so much like he is favouring the outsider instead?]
Before they could understand the situation, Yang Kai broke out into a grin, “Since you are in a hurry, Senior Brother, I will do as you request!”
He shifted his body and charged towards Le Mang.
Immediately after that, all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise witnessed an incredible scene.
Le Mang, who now wielded strength beyond the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, suffered a fate no different from the rest of his comrades. He was overwhelmed and suppressed by the storm of attacks from Yang Kai, which gave him no time to catch his breath. In fact, he didn’t even have the strength to fight back.
Even Le Mang himself looked like he had seen a ghost!
He knew about the gap in strength between him and Yang Kai; after all, he had been defeated once in the past already. It was just that he was different from before. He had already comprehended the opportunity to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so his strength was much greater than before.
[I can’t believe nothing has changed!] It was not until this moment that he realised something. He had always underestimated Yang Kai. Yang Kai’s strength as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was not something that could be judged using common sense. As the saying went, ‘There are always people beyond people out there’!
In front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai continuously advanced while Le Mang steadily fell back. The moment the two of them left Void Flower Spirit Province, they disappeared out of sight together.
In the void where many Open Heaven Realm Masters of Lang Ya Paradise gathered, a blanket of dead silence filled the air! Such an outcome was very difficult to accept.
An energy fluctuation from the collision of World Forces seemed to come from afar before it was quickly extinguished.
A short while later, Le Mang flew over from that direction with a bruised and swollen face. He cupped his fist and said, “Sect Master, Disciple will enter retreat now.”
Li Yuan Wang nodded, “Go on, but don’t be impatient. You only need to allow nature to take its course.”
“Yes!” Le Mang nodded.
Meanwhile, the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Lang Ya Paradise were so stunned that they were in a daze. At this point, the situation was clear. Senior Brother Le Mang had lost, and Void Land’s Lord Yang Kai had single-handedly defeated all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise.
Hence, their faces burned with shame!
They looked towards Li Yuan Wang only to see that his expression was calm and collected. He didn’t seem to care that his disciples had failed so miserably, which only made them feel even more ashamed.
It was just… This training was over, so why was the Sect Master not announcing the results? Based on his appearance and demeanour, he seemed to be waiting for something.
The same seemed to be true even for Vice Sect Master Gao Ting who was standing by the side.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise were confused and puzzled. However, as long as the Sect Master and Vice Sect Master said nothing, they did not dare to say anything either. As such, they could only stand there quietly.
In front of a lake in a certain Spirit Province, Gu Pan rested her cheeks on her hands. There was a fishing rod in front of her, and the fish bait had been thrown into the water. Nevertheless, she didn’t even notice when the fish got caught on the hook. Her eyes were fixed blankly on the surface of the water, and she was clearly absent-minded.
When Yang Kai came to Lang Ya Paradise, he brought news of people corrupted by the Black Ink. She could not deny being extremely shocked at the time. There was no saying how many Fellow Brothers corrupted by the Black Ink were lurking in Lang Ya Paradise. Furthermore, there would likely be people whom she was familiar with among them. Once these people were identified, they were bound to suffer a tragic fate. She did not wish to see such a scene, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Suddenly, a strange aura appeared behind her. Although the aura only appeared briefly before disappearing in a flash, it gave her an extreme feeling of disgust. A sense of vigilance bloomed in her heart. Without the slightest bit of hesitation, she spun around and slammed her palm out. The World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master surged violently.
However, she immediately showed a look of astonishment and quickly retracted most of her strength. Nevertheless, her palm still landed lightly upon Yang Kai, who had appeared behind her without warning. As if struck by lightning, his figure was blown backwards. He coughed up fresh blood in mid-air and crashed to the ground weakly.
Gu Pan turned pale in shock, “Senior Brother Yang!”
Having withdrawn most of her strength when she recognised him, the power of that attack should not have been capable of threatening him. That was why she couldn’t quite understand how she managed to injure him. Also… what was that repulsive aura earlier?
Yang Kai climbed to his feet and clutched at his chest with an agonised expression. He quickly said, “Junior Sister, you’re amazing indeed! This Senior Brother admits defeat!”
Gu Pan stiffened in surprise but quickly came back to her senses. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she protested, “Senior Brother, there’s no need for that!”
[Senior Brother Yang is clearly giving me an opportunity!]
In this training, the person who could defeat him would receive the opportunity to enter the Five Lights World. Yang Kai had deliberately made a trip here, allowed her to strike him, and admitted defeat so readily. The motive behind his actions could not be more evident.
Moreover, he looked as though he had been severely injured. It was obvious that he had forced himself to cough up blood. Gu Pan was certain that her palm strike could not have actually harmed him in any way. With his abilities, he could have resolved her attacks with ease.
“Junior Sister, you have great skills! This Senior Brother is impressed!” Yang Kai continued to spout nonsense without batting an eyelid.
Seeing how insistent he was acting, Gu Pan could only play along with him. Thus, she elegantly bowed, “You have my respects, Senior Brother!”
He nodded lightly.
In this training, Lang Ya Paradise had to win! This was something Yang Kai understood clearly. If he won in the end, Lang Ya Paradise would lose all face. He came here for the people corrupted by the Black Ink Clan, not to turn the entire place upside down. What’s more, he had gained quite a lot from this training, so he was quite satisfied.
Seeing as the person who defeated him could enter the Five Lights World for training, it would not be bad to give Gu Pan this opportunity.
“It’s about time for the training to end. Junior Sister, come with me to meet Sect Master Li,” Yang Kai said.
“Good!” Gu Pan nodded and continued seriously, “Senior Brother Yang, thank you!”
A few years after she advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, she received the opportunity to enter Lang Ya Paradise’s Small Source World for training. Unfortunately, even if she was a Core Disciple who advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, she could not enter the Small Source World twice in such a short time. There were so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise who were waiting for their turn after all. The Elders of the Sect could not favour her too much.
If she could enter the Small Source World again for training now, it would be greatly beneficial for her growth.
…
In the sky above Void Flower Spirit Province, everybody continued to wait quietly for something.
A short while later, two streams of light sped over from afar. Upon noticing the movement, the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise turned to look in that direction.
“That Bastard is back!”
“The person beside him… It’s Junior Sister Gu!”
“Huh? Why does the Bastard look so pale? Moreover, his aura is so weak. He looks like he has been heavily injured. Was he beaten up by Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang?”
Le Mang had returned covered in bruises earlier, so it was obvious that he had been defeated by Yang Kai. Be that as it may, Yang Kai could not have gotten away unscathed after fighting with their Eldest Senior Brother. It would be understandable if he had suffered injuries against Le Mang.
Somebody’s eyes lit up, “Could it be that the Bastard was heavily injured after a tough battle against Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang, and then Junior Sister Gu took advantage of the circumstances to defeat him?”
Upon hearing those words, all their expressions became very animated. For a time, the image of Junior Sister Gu Pan teaching this heartless thief a painful lesson out of hatred born from love came to the minds of many people. They all felt that she had done a good job! Looking at Yang Kai’s pale complexion made their hearts feel so much better.
“Yang Kai greets Seniors!” Coming to stand in front of Li Yuan Wang and Gao Ting, Yang Kai bowed respectfully.
“Greetings, Honoured Master! Greetings, Martial Uncle Gao!” Gu Pan bowed.
Gao Ting looked at Gu Pan warmly.
Li Yuan Wang asked, “Who won and who lost?”
Yang Kai grinned and laughed, “This Junior lost to Junior Sister Gu!”
Li Yuan Wang lifted his hand and stroked his beard, looking at Yang Kai as though he was looking at a promising young man. Although he had already understood everything, Yang Kai’s actions made him very satisfied nevertheless.
Yang Kai had been causing so many troubles in Lang Ya Paradise during this period that many complaints had been flooding in as a result. If not because of his status, Li Yuan Wang would have been tempted to teach Yang Kai a lesson himself. Luckily, Yang Kai had enough tact to leave Lang Ya Paradise with a fig leaf. Their pride had not been ruined completely thanks to that.
After pondering in silence for some time, Li Yuan Wang announced loudly, “Lang Ya Paradise disciple Gu Pan has gone through many hardships and defeated Yang Kai. Therefore, I will reward her with the opportunity to enter the Five Lights World. The rest of the disciples should guard against arrogance and impatience. Work hard in your cultivation. When you enter the 3,000 Worlds in the future, you should remain proud but humble. Don’t disgrace the name Lang Ya Paradise.”
The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise shouted in unison, “We will obey your orders, Sect Master!”
Gu Pan blushed slightly. [What hardships? I can’t believe Honoured Master! All I did was randomly strike out with my palm and Senior Brother Yang spat up blood all on his own! I’m sure Honoured Master knows this fact. I can’t believe he is lying through his teeth!]
“Good! This training ends here. Gu Pan, come with me!”
“Yes!” Gu Pan responded.
Li Yuan Wang and Gao Ting turned and left, but Li Yuan Wang suddenly gestured with his large hand before departing. Following the swirl of the wind and the clouds, an invisible light barrier covered the entire Void Flower Spirit Province like an upside-down bowl.
The light barrier flashed. It was obvious that it was a Sealing Type Array. Seeing as he was the Lang Ya Paradise Sect Master, it was only natural that Li Yuan Wang had the authority to activate all kinds of Arrays in the Sect.
Yang Kai’s expression immediately darkened as he shouted, “Senior, what is the meaning of this!?”
Li Yuan Wang pretended to have heard nothing. Walking out of Void Flower Spirit Province in a few quick steps, he transformed into a stream of light and left quickly.
In the beginning, the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise didn’t understand why the Sect Master had suddenly activated the Sealing Array on Void Flower Spirit Province; however, they quickly understood and turned to look at Yang Kai in unison.
Standing alone, in the middle of the crowd, Yang Kai felt cold sweat dripping from his forehead in droves.
Numerous figures slowly approached Yang Kai from all directions and soon surrounded him so tightly that not a single drop of water could slip through. All of those gazes contained malice, and there were as many as several hundreds of them! Some even cracked their knuckles eagerly.
His face twitching violently, Yang Kai glanced at his surroundings with bright eyes and forced out a dry laugh, “Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, victory and defeat is a common thing in life. Revenge will only breed revenge, when will there ever be an end!?”
The current Void Flower Spirit Province had truly turned into a cage. Without destroying the Sealing Array, it was impossible for Yang Kai to even think of escaping. His Instantaneous Movement was completely useless under the power of the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array
Faced with the aggressive looks of hundreds of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, Yang Kai panicked!
Senior Sister Zhou glared at him and gritted her teeth, “You Bastard, I bet you never imagined that you’d experience such a day! You were so happy to beat us up earlier! Now you’ll know what it feels like when the tables turn on you!”
Yang Kai protested with an ashen face, “Senior Sister, you must have misunderstood me. It was only because of the training before that this Junior Brother had no choice but to act so ruthlessly. It was not my intention!”
“Was selling your healing pills by force also something you had no control over!?” Somebody questioned.
“Uh… Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, it’s okay if you want to understand it in that way!” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly.
“Don’t waste time talking nonsense with him! We can talk after we give him a beating!” Somebody shouted furiously.
During this period of time, the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had been nursing a grudge in their hearts. So many Fellow Brothers and Fellow Sisters had suffered at the hands of Yang Kai after all. However, he was as slippery as an eel and nobody could do anything to him. Thanks to the Sect Master’s help though, he was now trapped like a turtle hiding in his shell. What else was there to hesitate about?
“Senior Brothers, Junior Brothers, Senior Sisters, and Junior Sisters! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!” Somebody roared.
Immediately after that, a large number of people instantly swarmed towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai struggled to retaliate only to realise that his efforts were useless. Thus, he could only cover his head, “Not the face!”
Curling up his body, he silently endured the storm of attacks raining down on him.
“Move aside! Move aside! Let me kick him too!”
“This punch is for Junior Sister Gu Ling’er! How can you be willing to attack a person as gentle as Junior Sister Gu Ling’er!? This is driving me crazy!”
“Which Bastard just touched my butt!? You even dared to touch a man like me!?”
“Ah! Senior Brother, I apologise! I touched the wrong person!”
“Huh? Who were you planning to touch!?”
“…I wasn’t trying to touch anybody!”
“There’s another Senior Brother here who is trying to take advantage of the situation to get handsy! Senior Sisters, Junior Sisters, beat him up too!”
“Don’t hit my face! My face is important!”
…..
It was a sea of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Yang Kai himself didn’t know how many punches and kicks he suffered. It just felt as though his entire being was about to fall apart.
When the people in the inner ring got tired, they would be replaced by people from the outer ring. It was truly a scramble as an endless stream of people fought for their turn. For a time, the scene was extremely tragic!
After a whole incense stick’s worth of time, Senior Sister Zhou finally gave a commanding shout, “Enough! That’s enough! Stop hitting him! He’ll break if we hit him anymore! That will only break Junior Sister Gu Pan’s heart!”
She was quite a prestigious figure in the Sect; therefore, the chaotic scene finally became contained once she spoke up.
Yang Kai’s clothes were in tatters, and his entire body was covered in footprints. There was no describing just how dishevelled he looked. It was fortunate that he had protected his face in time, so he was not too embarrassed to meet others.
At this moment, he lay spread-eagle on the ground with an expression that looked like he was lucky to have survived.
Senior Sister Zhou came to stand in front of him and looked down at him from above. She snorted softly, “Luckily, you have enough conscience in you to hand the opportunity to Junior Sister Gu at the end!”
They were not fools. In the end, Yang Kai defeated Le Mang only to be defeated by Gu Pan. It was easy to figure out the real situation as long as anybody had some brains. It was obvious that he had given the opportunity to train in the Five Lights World to Gu Pan…
They were defeated by Yang Kai during the training because they were weaker. There was no reason to be resentful. Besides, Yang Kai had left a fig leaf for Lang Ya Paradise at the last moment. Although they were very grateful to him for that, that was not enough to stop them from wanting to beat him up.
Somebody abruptly took out a jade bottle and pushed it in front of Yang Kai’s face. He happily said, “Junior Brother Yang, this is Lang Ya Paradise’s special healing pill. Would you like to give it a try?”
*Shua shua shua…*
Countless jade bottles were taken out and shoved at Yang Kai. The entire space became densely packed with jade bottles!
Yang Kai yelled in grief and indignation, “Don’t you dare go too far!”
Senior Sister Zhou sneered coldly, “The tables have turned. We are simply returning to you what you gave us in the first place. Hurry up and stop wasting time. Each healing pill is worth a set of Sixth-Order materials.”
“Don’t even think about it!” He clutched at his Space Ring.
How could he possibly cough up the food he had already swallowed!? His biggest gains from the training were these resources. In total, everything was worth tens of billions of Open Heaven Pills!
Senior Sister Zhou’s pretty face darkened, “It looks like you don’t quite understand the situation that you’re in, Junior Brother!”
Yang Kai gnashed his teeth in frustration before roaring, “You are the ones who forced my hand… Dragon Transformation!”
…
Many weaker Lang Ya Paradise disciples witnessed an extremely bizarre scene today. A 10,000 metres long Grand Dragon that shone brilliantly with a golden light rose into the sky above Void Flower Spirit Province. Shaking its head and flicking its tail, the Dragon headed in some unknown direction.
A Dragon Clan member! Moreover, a Grand Dragon! This was a scene that many people would never witness in their lives. Who could have imagined that such a sight would appear in Lang Ya Paradise? The weaker disciples did not understand the situation or the reason why a Golden Grand Dragon appeared in Lang Ya Paradise out of nowhere. Could it be that the Master Sect had raised a Grand Dragon in secret all this time?
In the end, the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise failed to retrieve the resources they lost. When Yang Kai transformed into a Grand Dragon, they were momentarily stunned by the terrifying Dragon Pressure that spread outward; thus, he had taken the opportunity to break free of the Sealing Array on Void Flower Spirit Province and escaped.
Looking at the departing Golden Grand Dragon, they finally understood the reason why their strength was so insignificant compared to Yang Kai even though they were all in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even Eldest Senior Brother Le Mang, who had already comprehended the opportunity to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, was not his opponent.
That Bastard might seem like a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master on the surface, but he was actually a Grand Dragon! That was an existence that could rival a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength; hence, the Sixth-Order Masters in Lang Ya Paradise suddenly felt that their loss was not undeserved!
Inside the Main Hall, a bruised Yang Kai glared at Li Yuan Wang furiously. On the other hand, the latter acted as though nothing was wrong as he sipped on his tea
After a while, Li Yuan Wang finally spoke, “Know your limits. You gained a lot from this trip. Besides, this King does not expect you to return those resources. You only had to suffer a beating in return. It’s not like it’s a big deal.”
Yang Kai sneered coldly, “Sect Master Li, it’s easy for you to say. Why don’t you go and get beaten up as well?”
Li Yuan Wang’s neck stiffened, “Who would dare?”
Yang Kai coldly snorted, “I don’t care. In any case, Lang Ya Paradise has to pay me compensation for my losses.”
Li Yuan Wang was so angry that he laughed, “You want compensation for your losses? You robbed my people of resources worth several billions of Open Heaven Pills! What losses did you suffer?
Yang Kai tapped his fingers hard against the armrest of the chair and solemnly said, “Sect Master Li, I am contributing blood and tears to Lang Ya Paradise, risking my life in the process! It’s bad enough that you didn’t help me, but how could you stab me in the back at the last moment!? Is that something a person should do?”
Li Yuan Wang pondered seriously for a moment, then he suddenly came to stand in front of Yang Kai.
“What is it?” Yang Kai watched Li Yuan Wang warily.
Li Yuan Wang bowed deeply, “This King failed to consider matters carefully. Forgive me, Martial Nephew. Please accept the apologies of this Li!”
Yang Kai’s mouth fell open in shock. [This guy… sure is shameless! He is a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and the Sect Master of Lang Ya Paradise. How can he just apologise so easily!?]
Nevertheless, how could Yang Kai continue to pursue the matter when a Senior like Li Yuan Wang had already gone so far as to bow and apologise? He had no choice but to swallow this loss!
Li Yuan Wang resumed his seat and asked with a much more solemn expression, “Did you gain anything else from this training, Martial Nephew?”
Needless to say, Yang Kai knew exactly what Li Yuan Wang was asking. He mulled over the question before he answered gravely, “Gu Ling’er, Chang An Yi, Liang Qiu Hong, and Jiang Yan!”
Li Yuan Wang’s eyes narrowed slightly. Although he had hoped that Yang Kai could discover further information from this training, he couldn’t help feeling saddened when he actually heard the results! These four were among the elite of all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise!
“Are you sure?” He asked grimly.
Yang Kai nodded in response, “I’m sure!”
These four had said the words ‘Black Ink Eternal’ to him. Only those corrupted by the Black Ink would do that.
Although Yang Kai did not sense the slightest hint of the Black Ink’s power from them, there was nothing abnormal about Shi Zheng before his identity was exposed either! The Black Ink’s power was extremely hidden and strange after all. Unless they checked the Small Universe of each individual or the people corrupted by the Black Ink proactively exposed themselves, it was very difficult for others to detect any anomalies!
“At present, I can confirm the identities of these four. I don’t know whether there are others who have been corrupted by the Black Ink hiding among the rest.”
Besides, not all the people corrupted by the Black Ink would say that phrase to him in the face of danger. Yang Kai had no means to confirm if there were others who remained in hiding.
Li Yuan Wang raised his head and looked at Gao Ting.
Gao Ting looked pensive, “Gu Ling’er is a gentle and kind-hearted disciple with a beautiful appearance. She is very popular among all the disciples and even the Elders in Lang Ya Paradise. Zong Yu Quan oversees the Star City Void Dock, so it can be said that he holds a high-ranking position. Chang An Yi is one of the Elders in charge of the Outer Disciples’ cultivation. His position is unique and allows him to come into contact with many of the lower disciples. Liang Qiu Hong oversees one of the Restricted Areas in Lang Ya Paradise, which also gives him an outstanding status. Lastly, Jiang Yan is in charge of Lang Ya Paradise’s business affairs and holds great authority!”
Li Yuan Wang’s eyes flashed as he asked, “Do you mean to say…”
He continued, “The hidden Black Ink Clansman is targeting certain demographics of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise. The people they choose are those who hold important positions.”
There were many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, and based on their seniority and strength, they were considered to be Outer Elders. However, most of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise did not hold any specific post in the Sect. ‘Outer Elder’ was nothing more than an honorific title, one that did not actually hold any power.
It was not that Lang Ya Paradise treated them differently, it was just that most Open Heaven Realm Masters did not wish to be involved in such mundane matters. They only wanted to focus on pursuing the Martial Dao. This was the case for all the Cave Heavens and Paradises!
Be that as it may, the people named by Yang Kai were those who held important positions in Lang Ya Paradise!
Gao Ting added, “Moreover, they all share something in common!”
Li Yuan Wang nodded, “They are all expected to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm within the next 200 years!”
“That explains everything!” A look of realization appeared on Gao Ting’s face.
All this time, they had been wondering why the Black Ink Clan chose to corrupt the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. According to the ancient books in the Sect, the Black Ink Clan generally chose to corrupt Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters as they were the most valuable targets.
It would now seem that these Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink were expected to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm within the next 200 years. Comparing between corrupting a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it was only natural that the former was much easier to accomplish. Not to mention, they were expected to advance into the next Order soon.
If they were the Black Ink Clansman, they would have done the same.
With this information in hand, it would be much easier to proceed with the investigation. They only needed to identify the disciples who were expected to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in the near future and also held important positions in Lang Ya Paradise. Those who were corrupted by the Black Ink, but remained in hiding would have nowhere else to run.
Gao Ting sighed, “The training was only aimed at Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so we still don’t know who among the Seventh-Order Masters have been corrupted by the Black Ink. The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who have been corrupted are the greatest hidden dangers to Lang Ya Paradise!”
Every single Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was an Inner Elder that held great power. Take Shi Zheng for example; Shi Zheng was the foreign affairs envoy of Lang Ya Paradise, so losing him to the Black Ink was a huge loss to Lang Ya Paradise.
Yang Kai smiled, “There’s a chance that the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink will soon expose their whereabouts.”
Li Yuan Wang and Gao Ting turned to look at Yang Kai in unison. The former asked, “Do you have any clues?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t have any clues, but there’s a certain saying that applies here. ‘Rustle the grass to lure out the snakes’! Now that we have rustled the grass, the snakes won’t stay quiet for much longer!”
Li Yuan Wang and Gao Ting first showed puzzled expressions, then they showed understanding.
Gao Ting asked, “Is that why you transformed into your Dragon Form?”
Yang Kai replied, “It was just how things turned out!”
Under those circumstances, it was impossible for him to escape the siege of hundreds of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters without transforming into his Grand Dragon Form.
The Dragon Clan was the leader of all Divine Spirits! Furthermore, the Divine Spirits had a natural resistance towards the Black Ink. If not for that, the Dragon and Phoenix Clan would not have chosen to sacrifice half the Ancestral Strength in the Ancestral Land in ancient times to suppress and seal the Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
Under the erosion of the Ancestral Strength over countless aeons, even the Giant Spirit God corrupted by the Black Ink had been killed. That only served to showcase the tyrannical power of the Divine Spirits.
Yang Kai’s transformation into his Grand Dragon Form had been witnessed by hundreds of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even the weaker disciples on the nearby Spirit Provinces had witnessed this scene. This information was bound to reach the ears of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink. That being the case, they would surely become suspicious.
If Yang Kai was a Grand Dragon, then was he actually corrupted by the Black Ink? It was possible for Divine Spirits to become corrupted by the Black Ink, but it was much harder to accomplish.
Nevertheless, as long as this suspicion existed, the people hiding behind the scenes would surely do their best to verify the truth!
Li Yuan Wang suddenly spoke up, “Check what Jiang Yan is doing right now.”
Gao Ting understood and quickly sent out a message.
A short while later, he looked up, “Jiang Yan just led some people out of the Sect in the name of conducting business. He also brought many resources with him, claiming that he wanted to deliver them to the Star Boundary for the disciples there!”
Li Yuan Wang’s eyes narrowed slightly, “As expected, they can’t stay quiet any longer!”
The training had only just ended, but not only was Jiang Yan travelling even though he had yet to recover from injuries, but he was also heading towards the Star Boundary. It was obvious that he wanted to ask Shi Zheng for confirmation regarding Yang Kai’s true identity.
Gao Ting asked, “Should we stop him?”
Li Yuan Wang waved his hand, “No need. Travelling to and back from the Star Boundary will take at least several months. If we stop Jiang Yan now, Yang Kai’s identity will be revealed immediately! If we let him go, we will at least have a buffer of several months.”
Gao Ting frowned, “Then, what should we do?”
Li Yuan Wang lightly tapped his fingers against the table, “We wait. If somebody sent Jiang Yan to inquire for more information from Shi Zheng, then they might not be able to wait patiently. There’s a possibility that they might reveal something soon.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he added, “Nephew Yang, this Li thanks you in advance for everything you’ve done for Lang Ya Paradise.”
Yang Kai waved his hand casually, “Matters regarding the Black Ink Clan involve more than just Lang Ya Paradise.”
Li Yuan Wang sounded emotional, “You are righteous indeed, Nephew Yang. But, you will face some dangers after this. If you think it’s dangerous, you can leave now. We will do something about Lang Ya Paradise ourselves.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained!”
The training among the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had been extremely eventful. The final result might have been somewhat imperfect, but the outcome was acceptable to a certain extent.
Yang Kai had shone brightly during this training. As the target of this training, he had practically beaten up all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise!
It was true that many of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise had been resentful towards him during the training, but his immense strength had won the admiration of many as well.
With Lang Ya Paradise’s training, the disciples were not people who would lose their tempers after losing just once. Even if they lost this round, they would simply work harder and strive for victory next time. It was only natural for those walking the path of the Martial Dao to strive for improvement after experiencing setbacks.
That was why Yang Kai received many invitations after the training.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise scrambled to invite him to their respective secluded homes in order to exchange cultivation experiences among each other.
Such things were very commonplace. On the Martial Dao, it was easy to go down the wrong path if one only cultivated behind closed doors. On the contrary, they might experience a flash of inspiration or an epiphany while conversing with their peers.
There were at least dozens of these invitations, and they were all sent to Gu Pan’s residence.
Yang Kai had initially worried about how he could come into contact with those who had been corrupted by the Black Ink through natural means; therefore, the existence of these invitations was akin to receiving a pillow just as he was about to doze off.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise who invited him over would also invite their friends. Only when everybody shared knowledge with each other could the meeting truly be considered an exchange.
For the next half month, Yang Kai’s schedule was extremely hectic. He went around to all the Spirit Provinces in Lang Ya Paradise to visit the secluded homes of the Open Heaven Realm Masters who sent him invitations.
It could be said that there was a small feast every single day and a banquet every three days. The smallest gatherings consisted of three to five people, while larger gatherings might consist of eight to ten people. They would either gather together to express their respective opinions or compare their knowledge with each other.
Both parties gained quite a lot from each other, and Yang Kai also witnessed the impressive heritage of Lang Ya Paradise.
During the training, he had attacked viciously in order to sound out the identities of those corrupted by the Black Ink. That was why almost every single Open Heaven Realm Master who encountered him would be defeated within a very short period of time.
However, that was not to say that the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise were merely embroidered pillows. As part of the 72 Paradises, Lang Ya Paradise boasted an inheritance of countless years and established a solid position for itself in the 3,000 Worlds. That would have been impossible to achieve if they were nothing more than embroidered pillows.
Despite having the same cultivation, Yang Kai could clearly sense that the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise were significantly stronger than the Open Heaven Realm Masters outside.
If somebody like Mao Zhe was thrown into the midst of Lang Ya Paradise, he might not even rank in the top 100 among the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Many of Lang Ya Paradise’s Secret Techniques broadened Yang Kai’s horizons and expanded his knowledge. Some of this new knowledge also benefited him greatly. Hence, he would happily attend these meetings and leave with satisfaction every single day.
One early morning half a month later, Yang Kai held up an elegant-looking invitation. The writing on the invitation was very beautiful, and a faint but pleasant fragrance wafted from it. He could tell that the invitation was written by a woman at first glance. More importantly, the invitation was signed off with the name ‘Gu Ling’er’!
Gu Ling’er’s invitation had been sent several days ago, and the appointment that he was attending today was none other than her invitation!
Would there be any discoveries or gains from this meeting? Yang Kai did not know. However, he had the vague feeling that he was not far from unearthing the core of those who had been corrupted by the Black Ink! As long as he could find the core of the Black Ink, then he would have the chance to uncover the hidden Black Ink Clansman.
He heard the sound of something slicing through the air. It was the sound of somebody flying towards him from the outside. A moment later, a figure landed in front of the building and Gu Ling’er’s gentle voice rang out, “Junior Brother Yang!”
Putting the invitation away, Yang Kai pushed open the door only to see Gu Ling’er standing gracefully outside. She smiled at him when their eyes met, and all the colours in the world seemed to fade for a moment.
Yang Kai asked in surprise, “Senior Sister Gu, why did you come here in person? I was just about to head over.”
Gu Ling’er pursed her lips into a smile, “Aren’t you unfamiliar with Lang Ya Paradise, Junior Brother? I heard that you even took the wrong path on the way to visit Junior Brother Wang several days ago. In the end, they waited a long time for you to arrive.”
“Hahaha…” Yang Kai looked embarrassed, “That was an accident. There are too many Spirit Provinces in Lang Ya Paradise, so I got a little confused.”
She teased in a meaningful manner, “You must be feeling down because Junior Sister Gu entered the Five Lights World for training, Junior Brother.”
After the training, Gu Pan immediately entered the Five Lights World for training under Li Yuan Wang’s orders. For that reason, Yang Kai had been living alone on Gu Pan’s Spirit Province recently.
The reason for Li Yuan Wang’s actions was clearly out of consideration for Gu Pan’s safety. There was a Supreme Elder guarding the Five Lights World. Even if a disturbance broke out in Lang Ya Paradise, the effects would not spread that far. It was a fool-proof plan.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Senior Sister,” Yang Kai replied seriously, “There is nothing going on between Junior Sister Gu and I.”
She covered her mouth, “Say that to the other Fellow Brothers and see if they believe you!”
Those words gave him a toothache. Lang Ya Paradise had concluded that the relationship between Gu Pan and him was ambiguous, and all the explaining in the world could not change their perception.
[Just where did things go wrong?] Even though Yang Kai agonised over the question, he could not figure out how the misunderstanding started in the first place. Nevertheless, he could not be bothered to argue with them. His innocence would be proven with time.
“Senior Sister, shall we go?” Yang Kai asked.
Gu Ling’er nodded, “Please follow me, Junior Brother.”
After saying that, she took the lead and showed the way.
His figure flashed in response. Coming to stand beside Gu Ling’er, he proceeded to walk side-by-side with her. Their flying speed was not very fast, and they chatted casually as they moved. Her voice was as gentle as water, sounding very pleasant and comfortable to the ear.
Yang Kai couldn’t help sighing in his heart, [I can’t believe such a person has been corrupted by the Black Ink. I can only say that fate is truly toying with us.]
In the past, he once asked Li Yuan Wang whether there was hope of returning to normal after being corrupted by the Black Ink, but his answer contained only one word, ‘Impossible’.
In other words, the other party would completely turn into their enemy once corrupted by the Black Ink! Regardless of how normal they looked on the outside or how normal they behaved in public, somebody that had been corrupted by the Black Ink could not be saved.
Thinking about it again, it made sense. The root cause of a cultivator becoming corrupted by the Black Ink was their Small Universe being contaminated by the power of the Black Ink. Yang Kai could not think of a solution to remove the power of the Black Ink from someone’s Small Universe. That power was simply too strange.
When Gu Ling’er drew nearer to the Spirit Province where she lived, she suddenly spoke up, “Junior Brother, there will be an extremely important guest later. Please refrain from being disrespectful!”
Her expression was unnaturally solemn when she said that. It made her seem almost like another person altogether compared to her usual gentle demeanour.
Yang Kai’s expression remained unchanged on the surface, but his heart was filled with anticipation.
[Are they finally going to reveal themselves?] He answered, “Rest assured, Senior Sister. I will be mindful!”
In the eyes of the people corrupted by the Black Ink in Lang Ya Paradise, he had already been recognised as a companion; therefore, he did not need to worry about being exposed when talking to people like Gu Ling’er and Zong Yu Quan.
Nonetheless, how should he act after meeting this so-called ‘extremely important guest’? More importantly, was this guest the true Black Ink Clansman or was it just someone corrupted by the Black Ink?
A Spirit Province in the distance entered his field of view. It was neither too big nor too small. There were hundreds of similar Spirit Provinces scattered across the entire Lang Ya Paradise. Furthermore, there was a certain palace on the Spirit Province that stood out conspicuously.
Gu Ling’er guided Yang Kai to land directly on the Spirit Province and spoke with a smile, “This is where I live.”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s a beautiful place with wonderful scenery. No wonder an excellent person like you was produced, Senior Sister.”
She gave him a meaningful look and smiled slightly. With a wave of her hand, she activated the Grand Array around her Spirit Province and isolated the inside from the outside.
Afterwards, she took the lead to walk towards the palace. He quickly followed closely behind.
A short while later, they entered the palace and came to a courtyard after some twists and turns. Four others were already waiting in the courtyard.
Yang Kai had previously given Li Yuan Wang the names of four people. These four were Gu Ling’er, Chang An Yi, Liang Qiu Hong, and Jiang Yan. They were also the ones who said the words ‘Black Ink Eternal’ to him during the training and were subsequently identified as people corrupted by the Black Ink.
Among the people present in this place, aside from Jiang Yan who left on an errand, the other two were here. Zong Yu Quan was also here. On the other hand, the remaining person was not on his name list.
However, this person looked very familiar to him. It could be certain that he had seen the other party during the training, but he did not know the other party’s name. [Looks like I missed a few when trying to sound them out during the training!]
When Gu Ling’er and Yang Kai arrived, all four of those people turned to look in unison.
Yang Kai’s expression remained unchanged as he stepped forward in greeting, “Yang Kai greets Senior Brothers!”
Zong Yu Quan burst out laughing, “You are too polite, Junior Brother Yang. During the training, your performance was absolutely brilliant. We certainly admired your skill.”
Yang Kai looked slightly embarrassed, “It’s enough as long as you don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
The people present here had been horribly beaten up by him and subsequently forced to buy a healing pill. Even Zong Yu Quan was no exception.
Chang An Yi waved his hand, “Things were out of your control during the training. There’s no reason for us to blame you for anything.”
“That’s great!” Gu Ling’er said, “Junior Brother Yang, I’m sure you already know Senior Brother Zong, Senior Brother Chang, and Senior Brother Liang. This person is Senior Brother Gong Wen Shan. You probably met him during the training.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Of course! It’s just I never imagined Senior Brother Gong to be one of us too.”
Gong Wen Shan laughed, “I’ve never revealed myself, so it’s only natural that you didn’t know, Junior Brother Yang. On the contrary, we knew about you as soon as you arrived at Lang Ya Paradise.”
Zong Yu Quan exclaimed, “Now that we have somebody like Junior Brother Yang among the Black Ink Disciples, our future is bright!”
[Black Ink Disciple…] Yang Kai memorised those words. Whenever he spoke to Li Yuan Wang and the others, they called these people ‘those corrupted by the Black Ink’. Conversely, the people corrupted by the Black Ink seemed to call themselves ‘Black Ink Disciples’.
“You praise me too highly, Senior Brother.” He responded humbly, “If not for Elder Shi Zheng’s guidance to the right path, this Junior Brother would still be lost and unable to extricate myself. I am extremely grateful to Elder Shi Zheng!” After that, his expression turned serious. He placed one hand over his heart and quickly said, “Black Ink Eternal!”
The rest of them were taken aback for a moment, but they quickly lowered their voices and responded in unison, “Black Ink Eternal!”
Yang Kai once again confirmed that this phrase seemed to hold some sort of irresistible power over the Black Ink Disciples. As long as this phrase was mentioned in front of them, they would surely respond.
He couldn’t help wondering whether doing so would bring about any effects in the middle of battle.
Unfortunately, the possibility was not very high. The Black Ink Disciples might have been corrupted by the Black Ink, but their reasoning was no different from usual. It was just that their deepest beliefs had been completely changed, almost making them into another person altogether.
What’s more, they would consider the Black Ink to be supreme over everything! That was the most dangerous aspect of the Black Ink. Not only could the Black Ink Clan make one bend to their will with it, but they could also instil unwavering faith and force them to give up everything for their sake. Nothing else in the world could compare with the Black Ink.
“Let’s sit down and talk.” As the owner of this place, Gu Ling’er beckoned to the others.
Everybody sat down around a stone table. There were spirit fruits and wine laid out on the table so that anybody could help themselves to the refreshments.
Yang Kai originally thought that the Black Ink Disciples would surely discuss various shady topics when they gathered together, but the reality could not be further from the truth. Similar to the banquets that he attended recently, these people gathered together to discuss various topics regarding their cultivation and other common anecdotes. It was an extremely harmonious scene.
He couldn’t help feeling strange at the sight. Looking at such a scene, if he had not known that these people were Black Ink Disciples, he would not have suspected them of anything even if he came across this scene. They were no different from ordinary people in any aspect.
Zong Yu Quan and Chang An Yi were arguing over the methods of activating one of the Secret Techniques in Lang Ya Paradise. Both of them were fervently expressing their opinions.
All of a sudden, Gu Ling’er approached Yang Kai and whispered quietly, “Junior Brother Yang, it has not been long since you became a Black Ink Disciple. Have you had any trouble adjusting?”
She was sitting next to Yang Kai, and now that she took the initiative to lean over, the air was suddenly filled with the scent of orchids. Her attitude was incredibly intimate.
Gong Wen Shan and Liang Qiu Hong looked in this direction, and then they both smiled slightly. They realised that Yang Kai’s performance during the training must have caught Gu Ling’er’s attention. It was obvious that she was planning to snatch Yang Kai from Gu Pan.
Even after so many years, Gu Ling’er had yet to choose her Dao Partner. The first reason was that she had extremely high standards. Very few Open Heaven Realm Masters in the same Order could catch her attention. The other reason was her identity as a Black Ink Disciple. If she were to enter a long-term relationship with somebody else, there was a high possibility that her identity would be exposed.
Yang Kai was different, however. His strength could practically be said to be the best among all Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Moreover, he was a Black Ink Disciple himself, so there was nothing for her to worry about.
The path of cultivation could be extremely dull and dreary. In addition, Open Heaven Realm Masters generally had exceptionally long lifespans. It was a good thing to have the company of an excellent person.
Yang Kai naturally inhaled Gu Ling’er’s fragrance, but his attitude remained calm. He nodded in response to the question, “There is something I wanted to ask.”
Even Chang An Yi and Zong Yu Quan, who had been arguing fiercely, stopped speaking and turned to look at him.
Gu Ling’er smiled sweetly, “Please feel free to speak, Junior Brother Yang. We are all Black Ink Disciples. You can consider us family now, so there’s no need to hide anything.”
Yang Kai asked, “As Black Ink Disciples, our Small Universe has been enlightened by the Black Ink. But, will there be any effects on our cultivation in the future?”
They exchanged a glance with each other, and Zong Yu Quan laughed, “So that’s what you’re worried about, Junior Brother Yang! Hmm… If you’re talking about effects, then there are definitely some. But… they are good effects!”
“Oh?” Yang Kai was surprised, “Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Zong!”
Zong Yu Quan replied solemnly, “The Black Ink Strength is mysterious and unparalleled in this world. The biggest advantage we experience is in terms of our advancement. Senior Brother Le Mang received insight recently and will soon advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. You probably saw that too, Junior Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai nodded.
Zong Yu Quan continued, “However, even if Senior Brother Le Mang comprehends the opportunity to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, it will not be easy for him to succeed in his breakthrough. Advancing from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm will require overcoming a steep threshold. If you succeed in overcoming this challenge, then your horizons will be widened infinitely. On the other hand, if you fail, the best outcome is that you will be stuck in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm forever. If your luck is poor, then there’s a possibility that your Small Universe will become unstable and your cultivation will regress. In the worst case, you might even lose your life. Conversely, Black Ink Disciples like us have no need to worry about such matters. Our Small Universe is protected by the Black Ink Strength, so there won’t be any problems for us when we advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Yang Kai was absolutely amazed, “The Black Ink Strength is so amazing!”
If that was the case, then the Black Ink Strength truly had astonishing properties.
Gu Ling’er smiled and followed up, “That’s just one aspect. The biggest benefit that we enjoy as Black Ink Disciples is that we have broken free from the limitations of the Open Heaven Realm!”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai asked humbly.
Zong Yu Quan explained, “I heard that you only broke through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when you initially advanced. Is that true, Junior Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai nodded.
Zong Yu Quan gestured around him with his finger, “I’ll be straight with you, Junior Brother. The same was true for us. Logically speaking, the limit of those who advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm is the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, no matter how abundant one’s cultivation resources are. However, that is only true for other Open Heaven Realm Masters. For Black Ink Disciples like us… heh…”
Yang Kai suddenly revealed a look of excitement. Even his breathing became a little disordered, “Senior Brother Zong, are you implying that Black Ink Disciples like us are not bound by such limitations?”
Zong Yu Quan nodded lightly, “That’s right. As long as we work hard in our cultivation and as long as we do not lose our lives during the journey, we can even reach the Supreme Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
“Is that true!?” Yang Kai hastily asked. His animated expression was mixed with disbelief and a degree of worry.
Zong Yu Quan nodded sincerely, “It’s true!”
“Have you ever met such a Master, Senior Brother Zong?”
Zong Yu Quan laughed in embarrassment, “Of course not. Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters are not people we minor characters can meet whenever we want. Nevertheless, this is the truth.”
He could not produce any evidence, but he was absolutely convinced of this matter.
Yang Kai understood that this information was probably told to them by a Black Ink Disciple in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm like Shi Zheng. Be that as it may, he could not determine the truth of the matter. If this was the truth though, then the Black Ink Strength was far too tempting. For an Open Heaven Realm Master, one of their greatest concerns was their innate limitations.
The World Fruit was capable of breaking this limitation to an extent, but it could only be used once. What’s more, how precious were World Fruits? How could ordinary people ever get their hands on one?
On the other hand, if the Black Ink Strength surpassed or even ignored this limitation, then Yang Kai could not imagine what would happen in the future. Would people proactively seek out the Black Ink Strength simply for the sake of making further progress in their cultivation? There was no doubt they would! Who would not wish to become stronger? Who would not wish to stand at the top in the future so that they would never have to be at the mercy of others again?
Yang Kai suddenly recalled something. All the Elders in the Cave Heavens and Paradises were aware of the Black Ink Clan, and the Core Disciples would also be informed by their Honoured Masters after they advanced into the Open Heaven Realm. Aside from them, most others, even the ordinary disciples in the Cave Heavens and Paradises, had never even heard of such matters before.
Since ancient times, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had censored all information regarding the Black Ink Clan. This information was only limited to circulation among the Elders. Consequently, even the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Shattered Heaven were unaware of the reason why they were being targeted by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
In the past, Yang Kai had not understood the reason for this behaviour either. If the Black Ink Strength was really as corrosive and invasive as he imagined, then logically it would be better for everybody to know about the dangers so that they could take the appropriate precautions.
However, if the Black Ink Strength could also break the limitations of the Open Heaven Realm, then Yang Kai could understand why the Cave Heavens and Paradises had concealed all information regarding the Black Ink Clan! They were afraid that people might not be able to resist the allure of the Black Ink Strength… These were the preventive measures taken by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
With such considerations in mind, Yang Kai was slightly more convinced that the Black Ink Strength could actually break the limitations of the Open Heaven Realm.
“But… how could this be?” Yang Kai remained puzzled.
“How could people like us possibly understand the Black Ink Strength?” Zong Yu Quan sounded inscrutable. It was most likely that he himself didn’t understand it either.
Yang Kai lowered his head, his black hair casting a dark shadow over his forehead. At the same time, soft laughter suddenly came out of his mouth.
Gu Ling’er exclaimed in astonishment, “What’s wrong, Junior Brother Yang?”
“Hahahahaha!” He suddenly threw his head back and laughed maniacally with a wild expression on his face, “The Heavens have taken pity on me!”
The others exchanged puzzled glances with each other, not understanding why Yang Kai was going crazy.
Fortunately, Gu Ling’er was as intelligent as she was beautiful. After pondering for a while, she explained, “In the past, Junior Brother Yang used to have the ability to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Unfortunately, several Cave Heavens and Paradises spearheaded by Myriad Demons Cave Heaven were afraid of his potential and greatly suppressed him as a result. I heard that Junior Brother Yang was forced to advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the Shattered Heaven under helpless circumstances.”
Roughly 100 years ago, there was a huge uproar over Yang Kai; therefore, many disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had heard about what happened.
Gu Ling’er had inquired about Yang Kai’s, so it was only natural that she had some understanding on the matter. Besides, the fact that Yang Kai had advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm outside Shadowless Cave Heaven in the Shattered Heaven was not a secret. Many people had witnessed the incident at the time.
Upon hearing her explanation, everybody immediately understood the situation.
Yang Kai originally had the ability to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he was ultimately forced to advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It was a difference of two whole Orders, which was undoubtedly an unbridgeable gap! What’s more, the limitation of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm while the limitation of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm was only the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
It was no surprise for Yang Kai to be filled with frustration and rage for all these years. His bright future had been destroyed just like that. Anybody would have a difficult time accepting such a situation.
After learning that the Black Ink Strength could break the shackles of this limitation, it was only natural for him to feel as though he could finally see light in the vast darkness.
Therefore, they more or less understood the reason for his strange reaction.
Zong Yu Quan patted Yang Kai on the shoulder and said earnestly, “You have a long journey ahead of you, Junior Brother Yang. Let us take things slowly. The Black Ink Disciples will surely stand at the top of the 3,000 Worlds one day, and all the others will be dogs beneath our feet!”
Yang Kai gritted his teeth and nodded, “When that time comes, I will definitely raze those Cave Heavens and Paradises to the ground, starting with Myriad Demons Heaven! Only then will I be able to quell the hatred burning in my heart!”
Zong Yu Quan’s mouth fell open in surprise, “You really are ambitious, Junior Brother!”
Yang Kai asked, “Will it be alright for me to do so though? Will it ruin the plans of the higher-ups?”
He pointed to the sky while speaking.
Zong Yu Quan was not in the position to answer that question; after all, he had no clue what the higher-ups were planning.
At that moment, a voice sounded without warning, “If that time comes, this King will accompany you!”
Everybody hurriedly stood up. Likewise, Yang Kai also stood up and looked in the direction where the voice was coming from.
“Greetings, Martial Uncle Yuan!” The others called out in greeting.
“Greetings, Senior Yuan!” Yang Kai cupped his fist with a calm expression.
Yuan Du! One of the three Vice Sect Masters in Lang Ya Paradise! When Yang Kai first arrived at Lang Ya Paradise, Gu Pan had brought him to meet Li Yuan Wang. It was during that particular time that he encountered this person along the way.
Gu Pan mentioned that Vice Sect Master Yuan Du was extremely fond of receiving flattery from others. At the time, Yang Kai thought that this senior expert in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had been very friendly. He never imagined that Yuan Du would also be a Black Ink Disciple!
At this moment, Yuan Du had a gentle smile on his face as usual. He was looking at Yang Kai with an approving look, almost like how an Elder would look at the Juniors in the Sect.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai felt a chill running down his back! Even though he had speculated that there were other Black Ink Disciples among the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise, this person was actually one of the three Vice Sect Masters!
[Just what has Lang Ya Paradise been doing!? I can’t believe that one of their pillars has been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength!]
Upon further consideration though, he recalled the name list that Li Yuan Wang had previously given him. The list had the names of all the Open Heaven Realm Masters who were on friendly terms with Shi Zheng and Zong Yu Quan, and Yuan Du had been listed among them!
Yuan Du and Gu Ling’er had a Master-and-Disciple relationship between them. Having stood out from among the lower disciples, Gu Ling’er had been taken under Yuan Du’s wing and became his only Legacy Disciple. That would explain how Gu Ling’er had been corrupted by the Black Ink. The Honoured Master himself was in this state, what more was there to say about the Disciple?
On this occasion, Yuan Du had used his status as her Honoured Master to travel to the Spirit Province where Gu Ling’er lived. Even if his movements were noticed by Li Yuan Wang and the others, they would not suspect him of anything.
At this moment, he looked at Yang Kai warmly and smiled, “You shone very brightly in the recent training, Martial Nephew. This King was amazed by your performance.”
Yang Kai bowed, “You praise me too highly, Senior. I was simply lucky. Unfortunately, I was forced to harm my Senior Brothers and Sisters. I feel very bad about that.”
Yuan Du chuckled, “The circumstances were unavoidable, and you had no other choice. Don’t take it to heart. Besides, it’s not as if you didn’t know how to hold back.” Turning to the side, he looked at Gu Ling’er and asked, “How are the preparations?”
Gu Ling’er nodded, “Please don’t worry, Honoured Master. Everything is in order!”
He nodded, “In that case, let us begin.”
Zong Yu Quan suddenly winked at Yang Kai, “Thanks to you, Junior Brother Yang, we will also receive some enlightenment.”
The other Black Ink Disciples also looked very excited. Their faces were filled with anticipation, as though something good was about to happen.
Yang Kai was puzzled, “What do you mean, Senior Brother?”
Zong Yu Quan smiled mysteriously but did not explain himself.
At this moment, a ferocious World Force surged violently. Yang Kai was startled and quickly glanced at Yuan Du. Yuan Du’s robes flapped noisily even though there was no wind in the air. The illusory phantom of a vast Small Universe emerged behind him before expanding outward all of a sudden.
Yang Kai was slightly startled. Yuan Du was clearly trying to manifest his Small Universe around them! However, Zong Yu Quan and the others showed no response. They seemed to have expected this scenario, so he did not dare to make any rash actions. Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Yang Kai simply waited quietly.
In the next moment, Yuan Du’s Small Universe came crashing down and swept everyone up into it.
This was not Yang Kai’s first time encountering such a situation. Back when he was pursuing Zuo Quan Hui in the New Great Territory, Zuo Quan Hui had manifested his Small Universe in a last-ditch effort to fight to the death.
In the end, Yang Kai had done the same and manifested his Small Universe to confront Zuo Quan Hui. Although Void Land ultimately won that day, the battle caused Yang Kai’s Small Universe to become mixed with a lot of impurities derived from Zuo Quan Hui’s Small Universe, which the latter intentionally collapsed as a final act of defiance.
Afterwards, Yang Kai spent great effort to remove the hidden dangers in his Small Universe, causing his heritage to weaken significantly in the process.
Having experienced such a battle once, it could be said that Yang Kai was traversing a familiar path when faced with the current situation.
Under normal circumstances, the power of the Black Ink would leak out if Yuan Du spread out his Small Universe in this manner and that would have alerted the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise.
However, this place was Gu Ling’er’s private Spirit Province and there were many barriers and restrictions set up over this land to isolate the inside from the outside.
When Yuan Du asked Gu Ling’er whether the preparations were in order, he was probably asking about this matter.
In an instant, Yuan Du’s Small Universe spread outward with everybody being pulled inside. Yang Kai looked around only to see that Yuan Du’s Small Universe was identical to the Universe Paradise that Shi Zheng left behind after his death. Everything was dyed pitch-black, as though the entire world had been smeared with a thick layer of ink. The scenery in Yuan Du’s Small Universe gave off an extremely uncomfortable feeling.
Nevertheless, it was undeniable that Yuan Du’s heritage as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was very impressive. The Dao Essence was extremely abundant in his Small Universe, though Yang Kai could not determine what type of Dao Essence it was.
Everybody looked around after they appeared on the black-coloured land. Zong Yu Quan and the others looked confused, but Yang Kai did not know what was puzzling them.
As the owner of this Small Universe, Yuan Du simply looked at Yang Kai with a smile and asked in a pleasant voice, “Martial Nephew, I suddenly thought of something. May I ask you a question?”
Yang Kai was looking around his surroundings when he heard the question, and he nodded in response, “Please ask, Senior Yuan. This Junior will surely answer to the best of my abilities!”
Yuan Du asked, “You were enlightened by Elder Shi Zheng, right, Martial Nephew?”
“That’s right!” Yang Kai nodded.
“How did Elder Shi Zheng enlighten you?” Yuan Du inquired further.
[Is he suspecting me… He would not have asked me this question otherwise.]
Yang Kai’s heart was as bright and clear as a mirror. Besides, he had already prepared himself for such questions. It was just as he had mentioned to Li Yuan Wang and Gao Ting earlier. The grass had already been rustled, so there was no way the snakes would remain quiet after that.
It was precisely because of these considerations that Li Yuan Wang warned Yang Kai that staying here would be dangerous and asked him to consider his next course of action carefully.
In any case, Yang Kai came here for the Black Ink Disciples and the true Black Ink Clansman. If he wanted to remain safe, he would not have taken the initiative to propose going out to the front lines to gather information in the first place.
As such, he answered calmly and respectfully, “Elder Shi Zheng used a Black Ink Insect. When this Junior felt the wonders of the Black Ink Strength, I suddenly experienced an epiphany. Therefore, I boldly embraced the Black Ink. It is all thanks to Elder Shi Zheng that Junior is here today!”
Yuan Du gently nodded and asked meaningfully, “Did Elder Shi Zheng tell you anything else?”
Yang Kai mulled over the question, “He told me some things, but not everything. What may you be referring to, Senior Yuan?”
Yuan Du laughed, “To be honest, this King has known about your identity as a Black Ink Disciple since the day you stepped into Lang Ya Paradise and met Zong Yu Quan. This King has also been waiting for you to visit me on your own recently. It’s a pity that you never came. If not, this King would not have taken the risk to come and meet you here.”
Yang Kai bowed, “Please forgive me, Senior!”
Yuan Du continued, “Furthermore, your various actions during this time have led this King to believe that you didn’t know the identity of any other Black Ink Disciples aside from Zong Yu Quan. What’s wrong? Didn’t Elder Shi Zheng tell you these things after enlightening you?”
At first, Gu Ling’er and the others were confused as to why Yuan Du was mentioning these topics to Yang Kai. It was not until this moment that the realisation struck them. Yuan Du was clearly suspicious of Yang Kai’s identity.
If Yang Kai had been enlightened by Elder Shi Zheng, then Elder Shi Zheng should have informed him about the situation in Lang Ya Paradise to a certain extent. Yet, he had seemed ignorant of their identities during the training. Rather, they were the ones who took the initiative to reveal their identities to him.
Naturally, that did not prove anything. It might be that Yang Kai was simply being cautious, so he was reluctant to reveal his identity first; however, since Yuan Du was suspicious, it was only proper for them to show the corresponding attitude.
With a shift of their bodies, Gu Ling’er and the others quickly surrounded Yang Kai in unison. At the same time, they silently mobilised their World Force.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai remained calm, not the slightest hint of nervousness in his countenance as he replied, “Please forgive me, Senior. After Elder Shi Zheng enlightened this Junior, he only told this Junior to head to Lang Ya Paradise. As for what this Junior was supposed to do or who to meet, Elder Shi Zheng did not explain anything. It was only after repeated enquiries that Elder Shi Zheng finally told this Junior about Senior Brother Zong’s identity. He told me that I only needed to reveal my identity to Senior Brother Zong who oversaw the Void Dock when I arrived at Lang Ya Paradise. He also mentioned that there was no need to worry about anything else because someone would approach me when I arrived!”
Yuan Du frowned slightly upon hearing those words.
If it had to be said, Yang Kai’s words were reasonable and worth considering. There was nothing wrong with his explanation, and thinking about Elder Shi Zheng’s personality, it was not impossible for him to come up with this arrangement.
Even so, Yuan Du could not shake off his feelings of suspicion towards Yang Kai, one that seemed almost instinctive.
Despite calmly observing Yang Kai for a while, he did not detect anything unusual from the latter’s expression. Only after some time did Yuan Du speak again, “The Black Ink Strength is mysterious, but not omnipotent. Divine Spirits have a certain degree of resistance towards the Black Ink Strength. I believe you are a Grand Dragon, Martial Nephew. Have you truly been enlightened by the Black Ink Strength?”
Yang Kai glanced at Yuan Du, “So, you’re suspecting my identity, Senior?”
Yuan Du replied grimly, “This is an important matter. This King has no choice but to proceed with caution!”
Yang Kai nodded with an expression of understanding, “This Junior understands. I am a new Black Ink Disciple after all. It is only natural for you to doubt my words, Senior. In that case, please take a look at this!”
While saying so, he stretched out his hand. A ball of black energy immediately appeared in the palm of his hand. The energy wriggled on the palm of his hand like a living creature.
“Black Ink Strength!” Gu Ling’er exclaimed softly.
They had similar energy within their bodies; moreover, this energy came from the same source as the Black Ink Strength that flooded the entirety of Yuan Du’s Small Universe. It was only natural that they were familiar with the energy.
As soon as the Black Ink Strength appeared, the vigilance of Gu Ling’er and the others immediately vanished. Even Yuan Du’s expression became much kinder again.
The ability to mobilise the Black Ink Strength undoubtedly proved that Yang Kai had been corrupted by the Black Ink. That was not something just anybody could touch.
“In this way, have your worries been assuaged, Senior?” Yang Kai asked.
Yuan Du nodded lightly, “Since you can mobilise the Black Ink Strength, this King is willing to recognise you as our comrade.”
Before Yang Kai could breathe a sigh of relief though, he heard Yuan Du’s voice again, “However, just to be on the safe side, I ask that you open your Small Universe for this King to inspect, Martial Nephew. That’s the only way to truly confirm your identity.”
Yang Kai was speechless, he would be exposed if his Small Universe was investigated!
It was true that there was some Black Ink Strength suppressed and sealed in his Small Universe, but that was all thanks to the World Spring. The World Spring had strengthened his Small Universe to the point of impregnability, so the Black Ink Strength could not corrupt his foundation. That was why he was not taken over by the Black Ink.
Unfortunately, his identity would be exposed immediately if he were investigated by Yuan Du.
Without any hesitation, Yang Kai revealed a troubled expression, “What’s wrong? Are you still unwilling to believe me, Senior?”
Yuan Du answered calmly, “Martial Nephew, it is not that this King is unwilling to trust you. Nevertheless, investigating your Small Universe is the safest and easiest way to confirm your identity. Open your Small Universe and let this King take a look. Whether you are an enemy or an ally, everything will become clear at a glance. You have nothing to lose in doing so.”
Yang Kai quickly asked, “What if I refuse?”
Yuan Du’s gaze immediately sharpened once more. He glared intently at Yang Kai, “Why would you refuse?”
His initial doubts had been assuaged for the most part. Yang Kai had activated the Black Ink Strength after all, which was enough to prove his identity as a Black Ink Disciple.
However, Yang Kai’s reaction made Yuan Du suspicious again. [If he has nothing to hide, then why would he refuse? It’s just an investigation of his Small Universe. It’s not as if I was planning to do anything to him. Could it be that the power of a Grand Dragon is enough to resist the erosion of the Black Ink Strength even if one is affected by it?]
Yuan Du’s heart moved with his will. All of a sudden, the wind swirled about in his Small Universe World and his murderous intent surged.
Yuan Du’s attitude made Gu Ling’er and the others, who calmed down earlier, become nervous again. Crowding around Yang Kai, they mobilised their World Force and prepared to attack at any moment.
There was bound to be some trouble if they killed Yang Kai here, but compared to their identities as Black Ink Disciples being exposed, they had no other choice.
Besides, they only needed to come up with a random excuse. They could claim that Yang Kai became lustful and made unwanted advances towards Gu Ling’er. In this situation, those claims would be enough to conceal the truth; after all, his image as a heartless thief had been deeply engraved into the hearts of the people. Having abandoned Gu Pan after thoughtless sleeping with her, it would not be strange for him to set his eyes on Gu Ling’er’s beauty.
Yang Kai looked around him flatly. His ice-cold gaze frightened Gu Ling’er and the others. They couldn’t help remembering the scene of their battle against him during the training.
With the strength he previously displayed, it was extremely easy for him to defeat them. That was why they hoped from the bottom of their hearts that this battle would never break out, regardless of Yuan Du’s intentions.
“Senior…” Yang Kai’s head drooped low, and his voice was low, “One’s Small Universe is one’s greatest privacy. It is not something that can be investigated so casually. This Junior understands that you have doubts about my identity; however, this Junior has already provided proof earlier. Why are you being so insistent, Senior?”
Yuan Du quickly said, “I have to be absolutely sure!”
Yang Kai raised his head, looked Yuan Du straight in the eyes, and grinned fiercely, “Senior, since you know that I am a Grand Dragon, you should also know that it won’t be easy for you to kill me even if we are inside your Small Universe. If it comes down to a fight, I will definitely suffer, but it won’t end well for you either, Senior.”
Yuan Du’s expression changed slightly, “Are you threatening me?”
“I wouldn’t dare. I’m just telling you about the current situation, Senior,” Yang Kai smiled in a carefree manner.
Gu Ling’er and the others were stunned. Yang Kai had always been polite and courteous. He was also unusually humble in front of an Elder like Yuan Du. For him to become so intimidating all of a sudden made him seem like a different person altogether, so it was rather difficult for them to adjust to the change.
Thinking about it again though, it was true that he had the qualifications to speak to Yuan Du as equals on account of his identity as a Grand Dragon.
It was just that his identity as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master caused everybody to subconsciously forget about his terrifying combat prowess when he transformed into a Grand Dragon. Showing Yuan Du due respect as a Junior was nothing more than a courtesy. If any of them thought of him as nothing more than an ordinary Junior because of his behaviour, then they were greatly mistaken.
“It’s bad enough if that’s all that will happen. But, if the aftermath of our battle leaks to the outside, our identities as Black Ink Disciples will also be revealed to Lang Ya Paradise. The consequences of that will be disastrous!” Yang Kai took a light breath.
Yuan Du’s expression was unfriendly and his voice was frigid, “This King is well aware of that, but if you are not a Black Ink Disciple… Our identities will also be exposed to the world; therefore, no matter what happens, I must check your Small Universe today!”
Yang Kai furrowed his eyebrows tightly, “Why must you do this, Senior!?”
“What are you hiding!?” Yuan Du shouted.
The more Yang Kai refused, the more uneasy he felt. [I just want to check his Small Universe. Is there a need for him to react so strongly? Unless he is not a real Black Ink Disciple! But, I clearly saw him mobilising the Black Ink Strength just now! I just don’t understand!]
Yang Kai fell into silent contemplation for some time. A long while passed before he gave a long sigh, “You’re right, Senior. I am hiding some secrets, but they have nothing to do with my identity as a Black Ink Disciple. Forget it; even if it comes down to a fight, it won’t end well for anybody. Since you are so persistent, Senior, this Junior will do as you wish!”
While saying so, he activated his World Force. The illusory phantom of his Small Universe appeared behind him. However, he did not show them his entire Small Universe. He only showed them the part where he had suppressed and Sealed the Black Ink Strength.
At this moment, he was secretly glad that he collected all the Black Ink Strength left behind after Shi Zheng’s death into his Small Universe to suppress and seal; otherwise, he would have had no means to overcome the situation he faced today. In that situation, the end result would undoubtedly have triggered an intense battle. Inside Yuan Du’s Small Universe, things would not end well for him even if he transformed into his Grand Dragon Form.
In the eyes of Yuan Du and the others, the illusory phantom of the Small Universe behind Yang Kai churned chaotically with an energy that resembled Black Ink. They immediately felt relieved at the sight, but in the next moment, they were flooded with astonishment, puzzlement, and shock!
Retracting the illusory phantom of his Small Universe, Yang Kai looked at Yuan Du, “Senior, does that prove my identity?”
Yuan Du’s expression clouded slightly at those words. He nodded after some thought, “This King was overly suspicious. Please forgive me, Martial Nephew!”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “You were simply being cautious, Senior. I can understand that.”
Both of them spoke warmly, almost as if their aggressive argument earlier had been nothing more than an illusion.
Gu Ling’er parted her red lips, “Junior Brother Yang… Your Small Universe has already fully materialized?”
Similarly, Zong Yu Quan and the others also had extremely shocked expressions on their faces. They immediately realised the moment they saw Yang Kai’s Small Universe. His Small Universe was extremely solid, unlike their own.
But… Yang Kai was clearly only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! How could his Small Universe transform from immaterial to material!? Wasn’t that a privilege that belonged only to Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters!? No wonder he was against letting anybody investigate his Small Universe! This was the secret he was trying to hide!
That was truly an unbelievable secret. Since ancient times, the Small Universe of Open Heaven Realm Masters would only materialize when they advanced into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. That was the path forged by countless predecessors over innumerable years. There had been no exceptions recorded in history.
On the other hand, Yang Kai had crushed the common sense that everybody knew.
“No wonder Junior Brother Yang’s heritage is so much more magnificent even though we are all in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” Zong Yu Quan revealed a look of understanding.
Before this, they assumed that Yang Kai was invincible among those in the same Order because of his Dragon Clan bloodline; even so, he had not used the power of the Dragon Clan during the training. It was only at the last moment when he was being besieged by hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters that he transformed into his Grand Dragon Form to escape.
What he relied on the whole time was the heritage of his Small Universe! With a Small Universe that had transformed from immaterial to material, it was only natural that his heritage was beyond what ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could compare to.
Yang Kai pondered in silence for a moment before he casually explained, “To be honest, I don’t know the reason why my Small Universe is so different from others either. It was already like this when I first advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Over the years, I’ve speculated that this difference is related to my proficiency in the Dao of Space.”
Zong Yu Quan and the others gasped in surprise. For one’s Small Universe to transform into a substantial existence after advancing into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm was beyond their comprehension. In any case, they had no reason to suspect Yang Kai’s explanation. They were not knowledgeable in the Dao of Space after all. Who could know whether one’s proficiency in the Dao of Space could cause such changes in the Small Universe?
“This is my biggest secret. Please do not leak this information to the others,” Yang Kai urged.
Yuan Du nodded, “Don’t worry, Martial Nephew. This secret will only be limited to the few of us. Nobody else will learn of it.”
Yang Kai turned to look at Yuan Du. After hesitating for a while, he finally said, “Senior, although Divine Spirits can resist the Black Ink Strength to a certain extent, it doesn’t mean that Divine Spirits cannot be corrupted by the Black Ink.”
Yuan Du smiled, “You are a Black Ink Disciple. That’s something I fully understand now.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I’m not talking about myself. Rather… there are others!”
Yuan Du looked stunned, “Martial Nephew, have you seen other Divine Spirits who were corrupted by the Black Ink?”
Gu Ling’er and the others also looked over in curiosity. The Black Ink Disciples had always known everything about each other, and there were no Divine Spirits among the Black Ink Disciples.
Yang Kai shook his head again, “It’s not a Divine Spirit, but an existence far greater than the Divine Spirits.”
Yuan Du was slightly shocked, “What existence could be far greater than the Divine Spirits?”
Yang Kai stared straight into Yuan Du’s eyes, “A Giant Spirit God!”
The sound of people gasping rang out across the room. Even Yuan Du had a look of disbelief on his face. He shook his head and said, “That’s impossible. How powerful is a Giant Spirit God? A Black Ink Insect would have absolutely no effect against one.”
Yang Kai pointed at his eyes, “Everything is possible. I witnessed it with my own eyes!”
Yuan Du felt his heart pounding in his chest and his lips going dry, “Where!?”
For Black Ink Disciples like himself, it would be like adding wings to a tiger if they had a Giant Spirit God corrupted by the Black Ink on their side; after all, a Giant Spirit God was such a powerful existence that even the Cave Heavens and Paradises could only look up to them.
If there truly was a Giant Spirit God corrupted by the Black Ink, the strength of the Black Ink Disciple would soar in an instant. Even if they accidentally revealed their true identities, they could rely on the strength of the Giant Spirit God to deal with the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They would no longer need to act so carefully and secretively.
Contrary to expectations, Yang Kai abruptly changed his tune and shook his head regretfully, “It’s a pity that the Giant Spirit God is dead.”
“D-Dead!?” The enormous wave of disappointment after hearing those words was so at odds with his initial feelings of excitement and anticipation that Yuan Du nearly coughed up blood as a result.
“Even a Giant Spirit God can die?” Zong Yu Quan asked incredulously. The Giant Spirit God Clan stood at the top of all the other Races in the vast universe. Who could kill one?
Yuan Du was depressed for some time, then he suddenly collected his emotions and opened his mouth, “Even if the Giant Spirit God is dead, his corpse will not rot or decay. The Black Ink Strength inside his body will not disappear either. Martial Nephew, where did you see this Giant Spirit God?”
Yang Kai asked, “Senior, have you ever heard of the Divine Spirit’s Ancestral Land?”
Yuan Du pondered for a moment and exclaimed in realisation, “This King has heard rumours about the so-called Ancestral Land of all the Divine Spirits said to be located in the depths of the Shattered Heaven, but I’ve never seen that place for myself. Nobody has ever confirmed the rumours before either. Could it be that the rumours are real?”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s true. I saw the Giant Spirit God in the Divine Spirit’s Ancestral Land.”
Yang Kai had his own reasons to reveal the information about the Black Ink Giant Spirit God. The first reason was to remove Yuan Du’s doubts. The other reason was that the Giant Spirit God corrupted by the Black Ink would be an extremely important existence to the Black Ink Disciples. Even the Black Ink Clansman hidden in the shadows could not ignore this matter.
As long as this information was delivered to the Black Ink Clan, Yang Kai could use the chance to approach the real ringleaders and learn the hiding place of the true Black Ink Clansman.
“Several decades ago, I entered the Shattered Heaven for training. During that time, I ran into some trouble and offended some people. More importantly, I was relentlessly pursued by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Bright Sun Divine Monarch. With no other choice, I could only flee deeper and deeper into the Shattered Heaven.”
“Bright Sun Divine Monarch!” Yuan Du raised his eyebrows at the name, “I’ve heard of this person before. He is indeed an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!”
Meanwhile, Gu Ling’er had a mixture of shock and admiration on her face. While they were cultivating peacefully in Lang Ya Paradise, Yang Kai had gone to the Shattered Heaven and even been hunted by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. That must have been a thrilling and terrifying experience.