Xiao He had always been a straightforward but crazy woman.
Yang Kai had never seen this kind of melancholic expression on her face before, and it made him think of something. Just when he wanted to ask her though, Qu Hua Shang suddenly grunted and started trembling.
With his expression changed, Yang Kai turned to look at her, “What’s wrong?”
“I-I’m fine!” Qu Hua Shang obstinately shook her head.
However, Yang Kai already realised that something was off. Under the moonlight, her face appeared slightly pale while her Internal Qi was unstable.
Xiao He placed her hand on the other woman’s forehead and exclaimed, “It’s cold!”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai took Qu Hua Shang’s wrist and placed two fingers on her pulse before injecting some of his power to check on her.
Just like Xiao He had said, Qu Hua Shang’s figure was as cold as an ice block. While being close to her, he could feel the coldness wafting from her body.
Nevertheless, the coldness soon dissipated and was replaced by scorching heat.
Qu Hua Shang gasped for breath. Her vision had turned blurry, and her face flushed.
Upon examination, he realised that her Qi was in chaos. The power she had obtained by cultivating was rampaging around her meridians like an out-of-control horse.
Yang Kai and Xiao He exchanged glances before saying at the same time, “Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill!”
There were countless kinds of pills in the world, but the wickedest of them all was the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill.
This pill was invented by the second Sect Master of White Lotus Sect, and its recipe was a top secret. Only the current Sect Master of White Lotus Sect knew how to refine it.
The pill was also one of the best ways for the leader of White Lotus Sect to control their subordinates.
The person who had taken this pill would see their aura turning chaotic if they didn’t consume the antidote at regular intervals, just like Qu Hua Shang was going through now. One would feel extremely cold or hot in a vicious cycle, and the situation would only exacerbate as time passed, eventually resulting in them exploding in a gruesome death.
There were countless disciples in White Lotus Sect. There were already a lot of disciples in the middle of the hierarchy, not to mention the grassroot disciples. Although the White Lotus Matriarch was powerful, she couldn’t ensure that her subordinates would always be faithful to her.
Therefore, many disciples in the middle of the hierarchy, especially the Hall Masters, were controlled by her using Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills. Only by gaining the White Lotus Matriarch’s trust would they be spared from this kind of treatment.
Yang Kai initially thought that as a Saintess, Qu Hua Shang had gained the White Lotus Matriarch’s complete trust, and she didn’t have to take the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill.
It wasn’t until the poison struck her that he realised he was wrong. Although Qu Hua Shang was one of the few Saintesses of White Lotus Sect, she was still controlled by the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill.
From what those from Grand Qi Temple had gathered, after a person took the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill, they would have to consume an antidote every three months; otherwise, life would become a living Hell for them.
After some calculations, Yang Kai realised that it had been three months since Qu Hua Shang was brought to this place.
In other words, the last time they met, she must have just consumed the antidote. Since time was up now, the medicinal efficacies of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill started taking effect.
“Whose blood was used?” Yang Kai asked with a solemn expression.
Needless to say, he knew that the White Lotus Matriarch’s blood had been used.
The refinement of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill required Human blood, and it also took the same person’s blood to produce the antidote.
Qu Hua Shang was the Saintess of White Lotus Sect; hence, only the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill made from the White Lotus Matriarch’s blood could ensure her loyalty.
“What should we do now?” Xiao He asked anxiously. She was fully aware of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill’s effects, so she was afraid that Qu Hua Shang would lose her life just like that.
If Qu Hua Shang died, she wouldn’t be able to see the things she had always wanted to get a glimpse of.
After a moment of hesitation, Yang Kai carried Qu Hua Shang up. While using his own strength to protect her meridians, he walked out and said, “Let’s go!”
In order to save Qu Hua Shang, they had to look for the White Lotus Matriarch.
He had underestimated the difficulty he had to face in his ninth life. Initially, he thought that after bringing her to this place, he just had to spend years with her, and she would eventually fall in love with him; however, since she had been struck by the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill, he had to give up on this plan.
The most important thing he had to do now was to save her life.
Although the fight between Grand Qi Temple and White Lotus Sect had been ongoing for many years, they still hadn’t found the location of White Lotus Sect’s Headquarters. It wasn’t that those from Grand Qi Temple were terrible at gathering information, it was just that those from White Lotus Sect didn’t have a fixed Headquarters.
White Lotus Sect had countless hideouts, so wherever the White Lotus Matriarch was located would be the Headquarters; however, she would always go to a different place after some time. Only the people closest to her knew the regular switching pattern. Usually, even the Hall Masters of White Lotus Sect were unable to find her.
Fortunately, Qu Hua Shang held a very important position, so she had the right to know the hiding place of the White Lotus Matriarch.
Sometimes, she was conscious, but sometimes, she would pass out. Yang Kai could only intermittently ask her about the White Lotus Matriarch’s whereabouts.
It took Yang Kai and Xiao He a month before they arrived at a certain valley.
There were some traces that suggested that there were people living here, and in the deepest part of the forest there were a number of buildings.
Apparently, this was another secret hideout of White Lotus Sect.
Certainly, the disciples of White Lotus Sect who were in the periphery had noticed Yang Kai and Xiao He’s arrival; therefore, as soon as they stepped into this place, they were surrounded by countless White Lotus Sect’s disciples from all directions.
Innumerable streams of Divine Sense had locked onto them. Some of them darted their gazes between Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang, who was in his arms, with doubtful expressions.
They definitely knew that she was a Saintess, but they had no idea why she was in a man’s arms at the moment. This prompted many of them to look resentfully at him.
Like an enraged cheetah, Xiao He growled from time to time while appearing tempted.
Since there were so many disciples of White Lotus Sect around, she had the urge to slaughter them all.
However, even though they were two of the most powerful cultivators in the world, they would be doomed if they had to deal with so many formidable enemies from White Lotus Sect.
In other words, the moment they stepped into this place, they already lost control of their own fates.
“I was wondering why the magpies were chirping early in the morning. I can understand now. There are some honoured guests here,” Someone was heard laughing as a middle-aged woman clad in white clothes emerged from the crowd.
Although she was no longer young, she was still charming. It was obvious that she must have been alluring in her youth. Despite her age, she was still pretty attractive as age didn’t seem to have left any marks on her.
Her white clothes made her look very pure, just like a lotus.
With a dispassionate expression, Yang Kai turned to look at her.
They had been arch nemeses for a long time, and it wasn’t the first time they dealt with each other, so there wasn’t a need to say anything else.
“Don’t be so nervous. Do you all know who that is?” The White Lotus Matriarch chuckled like a young maiden, “He is the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, Yang Kai. If he wants to kill you all, I won’t be able to save you.”
In an instant, the disciples of White Lotus Sect around her appeared flustered.
The name Yang Kai was intimidating to the disciples of White Lotus Sect as he had killed a lot of their companions. In their eyes, he was their greatest enemy.
Upon seeing how her subordinates reacted, the White Lotus Matriarch snorted. Then, she looked condescendingly at Yang Kai, “What brings you, a Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, here?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I’m no longer the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, and they have nothing to do with me anymore. So, you don’t have to be resentful of me. I’ve come all the way here to save a person.”
The White Lotus Matriarch’s gaze fell upon Qu Hua Shang, who was in Yang Kai’s arms, and then she asked, “Do you want to save her?”
“Yes.”
The White Lotus Matriarch scoffed, “There are only two kinds of people in this world; those that are useful to me and those that are useless. Since she’s been captured by you, she’s useless. You have the liberty to decide if you want to kill her.”
The beautiful women behind the White Lotus Matriarch were supposed to be the other Saintesses of White Lotus Sect. Upon hearing what the Sect Master had said, they appeared elated.
All of these Saintesses had experienced countless hardships before they were promoted to their current position. On the other hand, Qu Hua Shang was given the title of Saintess without making any contributions to White Lotus Sect. That was why they were jealous and thought that the Matriarch was biased towards her.
Nonetheless, they wouldn’t dare to complain about anything to the Matriarch. If they could see Qu Hua Shang lose her life, thus eliminating a powerful rival, they were expected to be joyful.
“I have to save her,” Yang Kai said impassively.
“Go save her, then!”
“She’s been struck by the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill’s poison!”
Upon hearing that, the White Lotus Matriarch started guffawing and looked mockingly at Yang Kai, “Of course I know she’s been struck by the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill, but what does that have to do with me? What benefits would I get by saving her?”
“She’s the Saintess of White Lotus Sect after all. If you don’t save her, aren’t you worried that your subordinates will feel disappointed?”
“Who would dare?” The White Lotus Matriarch roared as the disciples of White Lotus Sect were instantly frightened. As she swept a glance over everyone with her eagle-like eyes, those who met her gaze couldn’t help but hang their heads low.
Meanwhile, the Saintesses behind her were quivering like quails in the winter.
A moment later, she gazed at Yang Kai and said through clenched teeth, “Good, I wasn’t aware that you’re such a sharp-tongued person.”
“Are you saving her or not?” Yang Kai stared fixedly at her as his murderous intent spread out. It was as though he would go into a frenzy if the White Lotus Matriarch dared to say no.
“She’s a disciple of White Lotus Sect, and you have no right to interfere. I have the liberty to decide whether I want to save her or not!” The White Lotus Matriarch said through gritted teeth. Despite what she had said, she jerked her head to the side.
The next moment, one of the Saintesses leaped forward and soon stood in front of Yang Kai.
It was apparent that this Saintess was anxious; after all, she had to summon her courage in order to stand before a powerful cultivator like Yang Kai.
She cautiously extended both hands to show that she didn’t mean any harm.
Yang Kai passed Qu Hua Shang to the Saintess, who quickly brought her back to the White Lotus Matriarch and put her down in front of the latter.
The White Lotus Matriarch looked down at Qu Hua Shang and extended her left hand. As she activated her power, she sucked Qu Hua Shang towards her and struck the woman’s acupoints with her right hand.
After a cough, Qu Hua Shang slowly awakened.
She still appeared to be in pain. As the force in her body charged around, she felt cold or hot from time to time, as though she would lose her life by exploding at any moment.
Faced with the White Lotus Matriarch’s impassive gaze, she fell on one knee and said through chattering teeth, “I’ve brought you a gift, Matriarch!”
The White Lotus Matriarch nodded gently, “You’ve done well. You never disappoint me.”
Qu Hua Shang hung her head low, “It is what I should do.”
“Step aside for now,” The White Lotus Matriarch waved her hand.
Upon hearing that, Qu Hua Shang got to her feet and stood behind the White Lotus Matriarch. Then, she fished out a Spirit Pill from somewhere and stuffed it into her mouth.
As soon as she swallowed the pill, she was in a much better state.
Upon seeing that, a dumbfounded Xiao He exclaimed, “Hey, she lied to us! We’ve been tricked!”
It was apparent that Qu Hua Shang had the antidote to the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill with her all along, but despite the fact that she might explode at any moment, she insisted on not using it. Instead, she slowly lured Yang Kai to this place.
This was undoubtedly a risky bet. If she failed, she would lose everything. Nevertheless, the outcome showed that she had won her gamble.
She successfully lured Yang Kai to this place where he was surrounded by countless powerful cultivators from White Lotus Sect. The White Lotus Matriarch was also present.
Basically, she was making use of Yang Kai’s love for her. Perhaps she wanted to prove something, but the outcome was somewhat unbearable to the average person.
She secretly examined Yang Kai’s expression, but there was no hint of fury on his face. He still remained calm and collected.
On the other hand, Luo Ting He, who was beside Yang Kai, was infuriated, “That woman is so ungrateful! You’ve been treating her so well, but she still decided to harm you. Don’t you feel upset about it?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I’m fine.”
The White Lotus Matriarch guffawed, “Who could have expected that the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple would fall into a trap because of love? I’ve just watched a good show. Fortunately, my disciples are all very loyal to me. You’ve made a wrong move by trying to make her side with you.”
All of a sudden, her voice turned grim, “Yang Kai, you’ve killed countless White Lotus Sect disciples over the years. Now that you’ve fallen into such a state, do you have any last words to say?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “Are you confident you can kill me?”
The White Lotus Matriarch sneered, “I’m fully aware of how powerful you are; however, the disciples of White Lotus Sect are not weaklings either. I have the confidence to kill you.”
Yang Kai looked around, “Well, let’s see the price you’re prepared to pay for that.”
He then turned to Xiao He, “Do we kill half of them?”
An excited Xiao He unsheathed her sword, “That’s not enough. We have to kill 60% of them at the very least.”
“Why don’t we aim for 70% of them?”
“Sounds good!”
Yang Kai gazed at the White Lotus Matriarch and said with a smile, “Are you prepared to sacrifice 70% of the people here? I suppose they’re all the strongest Masters and brightest rising stars in White Lotus Sect. If so many die, White Lotus Sect will be all but crippled. By then, it’ll take you many years to recover.”
Instantly, the White Lotus Matriarch’s face turned livid. Although Yang Kai and Xiao He were arrogant, she didn’t think they were exaggerating.
For top cultivators like Yang Kai and Luo Ting He, it was very likely that they would be able to kill sixty to seventy percent of the people here if they were willing to throw their lives away.
Perhaps even the Matriarch herself would be badly injured. When that happened, Grand Qi Temple would be at a huge, possibly even decisive advantage.
However, the chance before her eyes was difficult to come by, so it would be unrealistic for her to give it up. At that instant, she was caught in a dilemma.
Yang Kai didn’t intend to make things difficult for her though, so he pressed Luo Ting He’s sword down and said loudly, “I have a suggestion. I’m not sure if you’re interested in listening to it.”
The White Lotus Matriarch scoffed, “Stop beating around the bush.”
Yang Kai stuck out two fingers, “Please give me two Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills.”
Upon hearing that, everyone was stunned.
Qu Hua Shang, who was standing behind the White Lotus Matriarch, widened her eyes and stared at Yang Kai in disbelief. She even suspected that she had heard it wrong.
The White Lotus Matriarch was equally shocked as she spurted out, “What do you want two Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills for?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Rather than risking the lives of so many people just to kill us, don’t you want two more powerful cultivators to work under you?”
“You…” The White Lotus Matriarch was dumbfounded. Although she already had a speculation before, she still found it hard to believe even after he spoke the words.
After all, the person standing in front of her was Yang Kai, the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple.
She even suspected that there was something wrong with the information she had gathered. Was Yang Kai stepping down as the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple just a pretence? Presently, was this place already surrounded by many cultivators from Grand Qi Temple and as soon as Yang Kai gave the order, they would storm inside?
The idea soon became rooted in the White Lotus Matriarch’s mind and started growing. She was instantly alerted as she looked around, thinking that many people had hidden behind the bushes. It was as though they would jump out at any moment to kill her.
“What are you playing at!?” The White Lotus Matriarch questioned sternly.
Yang Kai shook his head, “There’s no point in explaining anything. You just have to pass me two Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills and wait.”
The White Lotus Matriarch stared at Yang Kai as though it was the first time they had met. There was a conflicted expression on her face.
After all, she was no ordinary woman. Yang Kai’s suggestion was tempting to her. Rather than risking the lives of many in order to kill Yang Kai and Luo Ting He, the power of White Lotus Sect would be enhanced greatly if they could take control of these two people.
Other than being one of the most powerful cultivators in the world, Yang Kai was also the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple. As soon as the news was spread, it would deal a heavy blow to Grand Qi Temple.
Therefore, she soon made a decision and fished out a jade bottle, which was filled with red pills. She poured out two pills and flicked them at the two of them.
Yang Kai and Xiao He respectively took a pill.
The White Lotus Matriarch’s eyes started brightening as she stared fixedly at Yang Kai. If the man really swallowed the pill, it would prove that he was a trustworthy person, or he could at least be controlled. If he dared to pull a trick, she would immediately give the order to kill him regardless of what price she had to pay.
To her surprise, Yang Kai didn’t even hesitate to take the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill in his hand.
After examining the pill for a moment, Xiao He tossed it into her mouth and started chewing it. After gulping it down, she spat and complained, “It tastes terrible. What the Hell is it?”
Gazing at Yang Kai with an excited expression, the White Lotus Matriarch demanded, “Open your mouth and let me see.”
Yang Kai opened his mouth as he was told. There was nothing in it.
The White Lotus Matriarch’s eyes were as bright as stars. She couldn’t help but start laughing as the tears of joy slid down her face.
The tensed-up White Lotus Sect’s disciples could finally be at ease. They exchanged glances and smiled.
After Yang Kai consumed the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill, he would be under their control. Regardless of how powerful he was, he wouldn’t be able to escape now. In other words, the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple was now also a member of White Lotus Sect.
Life was truly unpredictable.
This kind of top cultivator was terrifying as an enemy, but now that he was one of them, he gave them a great sense of security.
They could already imagine that when he appeared in the battle against Grand Qi Temple, his presence would send shockwaves across the latter.
“Kneel down!” The White Lotus Matriarch suddenly stopped laughing and stared coldly at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “It seems you’re mistaken about something. Although I’ve willingly taken the pill, I won’t be led by the nose by anyone. From now on, I’ll only listen to one person.”
The White Lotus Matriarch’s eyes turned piercing as she took a glance at Qu Hua Shang. Then, she said to Yang Kai, “Only I am able to refine your antidote. She can’t.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I believe you won’t let the poison kill me.”
After giving it a thought, the White Lotus Matriarch nodded, “Of course I won’t. Someone like you is of great help to us. From now on, you shall be the Left Protector of White Lotus Sect and I will allow you to listen to Qu Hua Shang only.”
It was expected that a top cultivator was haughty. If the White Lotus Matriarch insisted on making things difficult for Yang Kai, it would only bring about the opposite of the desired outcome; therefore, she decided to make a concession by granting Yang Kai’s wish. Although she had given him the title of Left Protector, that was nothing more than another chain to bind him.
Regardless, when word got out that Yang Kai was now the Left Protector of White Lotus Sect, the reputation of Grand Qi Temple would be tarnished.
Yang Kai nodded his head, “Many thanks for the promotion, Sect Master.”
The White Lotus Matriarch then said to Qu Hua Shang, “You must treat him well from now on.”
“Yes,” Qu Hua Shang replied with a serious expression.
Appearing to be elated, the White Lotus Matriarch declared, “Since we have a new Left Protector, we should celebrate. Come, prepare a banquet now to welcome the new Left Protector!”
The disciples of White Lotus Sect immediately set to work.
There were a lot of animals in the forest that could be hunted. It must have been quite a long time since those from White Lotus Sect occupied this hideout. Following the Sect Master’s order, a banquet full of wine and dishes was presented. The disciples, regardless of their statuses, gathered together. The atmosphere was initially awkward, but the place was soon bustling with noises after they drank and celebrated.
Yang Kai just sat beside Qu Hua Shang while there would be people who came over to propose a toast to him from time to time.
Although Yang Kai had killed a lot of White Lotus Sect’s disciples when he was the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, things were different now. Presently, he was one of them, so they naturally had to strike up a relationship with him. Perhaps he would save their lives on the battlefield one day.
Yang Kai could actually handle his wine quite well, though he would usually steer clear of it. He wouldn’t turn anyone down when they proposed a toast to him, which was why the disciples of White Lotus Sect started growing fond of him.
It was the first time they discovered that this man that they regarded as a terrifying monster in the past was actually so amiable.
Xiao He was the most ecstatic of all. When no one proposed a toast to her, she would go around with a jar of wine and do so instead. Her straightforward attitude stunned the disciples of White Lotus Sect.
There was already a Left and Right Protector in White Lotus Sect, and they were both fairly strong; however, following the White Lotus Matriarch’s order, Yang Kai became the new Left Protector, and his predecessor didn’t even dare to object.
First of all, he revered the White Lotus Matriarch. Secondly, he was fully aware that he was indeed no match for Yang Kai. He would only be embarrassed if he fought for the position.
At the banquet, this previous Left Protector proposed a toast to Yang Kai many times.
After the welcoming party, Yang Kai and Xiao He perfectly mingled with those from White Lotus Sect. Since then, no one regarded them as outsiders anymore.
It was peaceful in the days that followed. There was no doubt that the White Lotus Matriarch regarded Yang Kai highly as she would frequently visit him to discuss the current situation in the world and analyse the difference in power between White Lotus Sect and Grand Qi Temple. It seemed that she had started treating him like a confidant.
However, she had never demanded Yang Kai to do anything. Instead, she essentially treated him as an equal.
A few months passed just like that.
One day, the White Lotus Matriarch was having a discussion with Qu Hua Shang about the assassination attempt on the current Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple when she abruptly stopped and turned her head.
Yang Kai and Xiao He were standing beside Qu Hua Shang like two personal bodyguards. Nevertheless, they couldn’t help but start trembling at this moment as a sense of coldness rose within their bodies.
Xiao He shuddered and asked in puzzlement, “Why do I feel cold all of a sudden?”
The White Lotus Matriarch said with a smile, “The effects of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills have started taking effect. It’s cold now, but you’ll feel hot in a moment. It will alternate between the two, and the feeling will intensify after every round until you can’t stand it anymore and explode.”
She spoke in such a nonchalant manner that it was as though she was talking about something insignificant.
“Hm? Three months have passed already?” Xiao He was surprised. She had fun playing with the other disciples of White Lotus Sect every day, so she had lost track of time. She extended her hand towards the White Lotus Matriarch, “Give me the antidote, then.”
The White Lotus Matriarch shook her head, “There’s no rush. It’s the first time you’ve been struck by the pill’s effects, so you should take some time to feel it; after all, you might not always immediately get the antidote every time the effects appear. You might have to persevere for quite some time. After getting used to it now, you won’t feel so terrible in the future.”
“You have a point,” Upon hearing her suggestion, Xiao He closed her eyes and focused on the sensation she was experiencing.
Yang Kai was in the same state as Xiao He. The sense of coldness in his body broke out without warning, seemingly using his own strength to disturb the flow within his meridians in an uncontrollable manner. The next instant, the coldness turned into a scorching stream of heat that burned every part of his physique like magma.
An excruciating pain overwhelmed him. Despite his impassive expression, he was already soaked in sweat.
He then turned to look at Xiao He in surprise.
Xiao He had a unique physique that allowed her to be immune to all sorts of poisons. Yang Kai didn’t know why she had this kind of physique, but it had always been like this since they got to know each other.
When they were in a secret hideout of White Lotus Sect half a year ago, it was thanks to her physique that she was still fine after eating so much poisoned food.
It could be said that ordinary poisons wouldn’t have any effects on her.
Nevertheless, even with such a physique, she was still unable to resist the medicinal efficacies of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill.
Therefore, it was apparent that the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill wasn’t purely a poison.
The White Lotus Matriarch and Qu Hua Shang were still talking about the details of the assassination as they deduced what would possibly happen and how they should proceed so that the assassination attempt would be successful.
Qu Hua Shang attentively listened to her as she ignored the pain that the two people behind her were going through.
About four hours later. the White Lotus Matriarch nodded, “That’s all. If you fail again this time, you don’t have to return.”
Qu Hua Shang replied, “Don’t worry, Sect Master. I will definitely succeed.”
The White Lotus Matriarch nodded her head again, then suddenly ordered, “Kill them!”
There were only four people in the room. Other than the White Lotus Matriarch and Qu Hua Shang, only Yang Kai and Xiao He, who were struck with medicinal efficacies of the pill, were left.
They had been tortured by rounds of alternating coldness and heat for the past four hours. The powers within their bodies were in chaos, and all their energy was used to resist the medicinal efficacies of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills.
Even an ordinary mortal would be able to easily kill the two of them, not to mention powerful cultivators like Qu Hua Shang and the White Lotus Matriarch.
Upon receiving the order, Qu Hua Shang didn’t hesitate to reply in agreement and appeared in front of Yang Kai. As she extended her hand, a sharp dagger suddenly appeared in her hand, then she directly stabbed it towards Yang Kai’s heart.
The dagger penetrated his chest barely a finger’s length before Qu Hua Shang’s wrist was grabbed. She was unable to continue pushing the dagger in further.
A puzzled Qu Hua Shang turned to look at the White Lotus Matriarch, who said with a smile, “It’s enough. Take them with you when you carry out your mission.”
Qu Hua Shang cupped her fist, “Yes.”
The next moment, the White Lotus Matriarch left behind two antidotes on the table and shuffled out of the place.
Qu Hua Shang picked up the antidotes and stuffed them into Yang Kai and Xiao He’s mouths, allowing them to quickly feel much better.
Upon opening his eyes, Yang Kai gazed at Qu Hua Shang and said with a light smile, “You’ve stabbed me another time. I suppose even the next life won’t be enough to pay off this debt.”
Qu Hua Shang replied dispassionately, “In that case, I’m not going to pay up at all. It’s not like I planned to from the beginning.”
She then turned around and reached for the door. When brushing past Yang Kai, she halted and said in a small voice, “Sect Master is a suspicious person. It was just a test, so you don’t have to mind it.”
Certainly, Yang Kai knew it was just a test. First of all, the White Lotus Matriarch wanted to find out if Qu Hua Shang was loyal enough to her.
If she had appeared hesitant upon hearing the order, she would’ve been removed from the position of Saintess. The White Lotus Matriarch only wanted subordinates who would unconditionally obey her orders, not those who had their own opinions.
Secondly, she wanted to ascertain whether Yang Kai and Luo Ting He had really been struck with the poison of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills.
Although the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills were powerful, both Yang Kai and Luo Ting He were some of the most formidable cultivators in the world; hence, the White Lotus Matriarch wasn’t certain if she could control them using the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills.
If they only pretended to be struck with the medicinal efficacies, she wouldn’t be able to find out the truth.
When Qu Hua Shang made a move, Yang Kai was completely powerless to resist, which suggested that he was really affected.
Just a simple order could allow the White Lotus Matriarch to cast away a number of her doubts. It could be said that she was a very cunning person.
After Yang Kai stepped down as the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, the sixth Temple Master was Yu Xing Zhou, who was from Shooting Star Palace. He was already one of the six Vice Temple Masters when Yang Kai was still the Temple Master, and he was slightly more powerful than the other Vice Temple Masters. Moreover, he had built up enough reputation, so it was reasonable that he became the next Temple Master.
Usually, it would be extremely difficult to assassinate the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple. When Yang Kai was still the Temple Master, he had encountered countless assassination attempts, but those from White Lotus Sect would always fail in the end.
Nevertheless, there was a great chance to succeed today.
It was the 80th birthday of the Palace Master of Shooting Star Palace. As his Legacy Disciple, Yu Xing Zhou was expected to return to celebrate the occasion. It was also the biggest news in the world recently as countless cultivators headed to Shooting Star Palace. Those from White Lotus Sect, who had been dormant for half a year, became active again.
After the White Lotus Matriarch was badly injured in East Star City back then, she went into hiding to recuperate. It wasn’t until recently that she fully recovered.
When those from White Lotus Sect finally made a move, it sent a shock wave across the world.
Temple Master Yu Xing Zhou was assassinated on the way back to Shooting Star Palace. All sixteen Masters from Grand Qi Temple who had accompanied him were also killed.
Many cultivators, who were heading to Shooting Star Palace, also lost their lives. It was apparent that those from White Lotus Sect were trying to create a disturbance.
The 80th birthday of the Palace Master of Shooting Star Palace was supposed to be a joyous event, but it turned into a calamity instead. Upon learning the news, the aged Palace Master fell ill.
Additionally, when it was revealed that Yu Xing Zhou was killed by Yang Kai’s Supreme Limitless Spear Art, all the people on the righteous side were shocked.
It had to be noted that the Supreme Limitless Spear Art was unique to Yang Kai, and no one else had mastered it.
Some experienced cultivators, who didn’t believe the news, headed to the scene and looked into the matter, but they all expressed with grief that Yu Xing Zhou was indeed killed by Yang Kai’s spear technique.
In other words, the sixth Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple was killed by the fifth Temple Master.
In fact, there was already a rumour spreading around that after Yang Kai stepped down as the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple, he brought his trusted aide Luo Ting He to betray the righteous path and side with White Lotus Sect. Now, he was the Left Protector of White Lotus Sect.
However, no one believed the news as everyone knew the efforts Yang Kai had made against the White Lotus Sect when he was still the Temple Master. Those from Divine Method Hall were especially resentful of people who spread such rumours and would always defend Yang Kai’s reputation in public.
Nevertheless, those from Divine Method Hall wouldn’t dare to say anything this time.
Yang Kai’s Supreme Limitless Spear Art was very special. He had tried looking for disciples with excellent aptitudes from Divine Method Hall in an attempt to pass down his spear technique; however, after two or three years, those bright disciples were unable to grasp the abstrusity of this Art. They could learn the basics, but none could master it.
Hence, Yang Kai was the only one who could use the Supreme Limitless Spear Art in this world.
Since there was solid evidence now, even those from Divine Method Hall were unable to stand up for Yang Kai.
After the Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple was assassinated, the world descended into chaos. In the meantime, those from White Lotus Sect made a comeback and caused everyone to fall into a state of terror.
The Palace Master of Shooting Star Palace passed away several days after he fell ill. He didn’t even last until his 80th birthday.
After Yu Xing Zhou was killed and the Palace Master passed away, those from Shooting Star Palace blamed it all on Yang Kai. Even Divine Method Hall was marginalised within Grand Qi Temple.
This kind of marginalisation was exacerbated after Yang Kai’s whereabouts were exposed.
After killing Yu Xing Zhou alongside Qu Hua Shang, Yang Kai and Xiao He headed to the next battlefield. As they fought against the Masters from Grand Qi Temple, it was only natural that Yang Kai’s identity was exposed.
In fact, he didn’t even try to hide his identity.
This Samsara World was built on Qu Hua Shang’s imagination and was thus not real. It was just an illusory world he had reincarnated into, so there was no need to worry about things like morality or innocents. He just had to shatter Qu Hua Shang’s Heart Barrier in order to achieve his goal.
On that front, progress wasn’t so satisfactory.
It wasn’t easy to shatter Qu Hua Shang’s Heart Barrier in this life. Yang Kai became aware of that after spending months with her.
Although she was still a woman who appeared obedient to the White Lotus Matriarch, she was clearly a very ambitious person. This kind of ambition was as scorching as the sun, something Yang Kai had never seen before.
Previously, she was captured by Yang Kai and went on to spend months living in the secluded valley. The way she reacted might be a pretence or a revelation of her true feelings; however, after she was freed, her latent ambitions were reignited.
With Yang Kai and Luo Ting He joining White Lotus Sect, the latter’s strength had greatly increased. Both of them were already two of the most powerful cultivators in the world, so with the two of them joining forces, rarely was there anyone in the world who could go up against them.
When news spread that more and more leaders of Grand Qi Temple were killed, the world became anxious.
If the seven major Sects could work together at this point, they might stand a chance to weather the storm; however, because of Yang Kai, the entire Divine Method Hall was marginalised. Even Emerald Smoke Sect, which was the Sect that Luo Ting He hailed from, received this treatment.
Moreover, following the assassination of Temple Master Yu Xing Zhou, Grand Qi Temple became leaderless. The entire Grand Qi Temple had descended into chaos.
At this point, the White Lotus Matriarch resolutely made a decision and led the disciples of White Lotus Sect to storm the Headquarters of Grand Qi Temple.
The battle went on for half a month. Countless people were killed on both sides.
In the end, those from Grand Qi Temple lost the battle and their Headquarters exchanged owners. The cultivators from the seven major Sects who survived retreated to their own Sects to recuperate.
The power that those from White Lotus Sect had showcased in this war sent a shockwave across the world. In the past, they would only launch sneak attacks as they were as furtive as rats. Although everyone knew that White Lotus Sect had taken on a lot of disciples, no one knew the exact figure.
This time, they finally experienced it.
When storming into the Headquarters of Grand Qi Temple, the countless disciples of White Lotus Sect were like a rising tide.
After the war, White Lotus Sect became a name that most people would fear.
The White Lotus Matriarch had done something that her predecessors had never managed to achieve; she had successfully occupied the Headquarters of Grand Qi Temple.
Over the past 100 years, those from White Lotus Sect had made three attempts on Grand Qi Temple, but all three attempts failed. There was even a time when the Sect Master of White Lotus Sect was killed in battle.
After successfully seizing the Headquarters of Grand Qi Temple, the White Lotus Matriarch saw her reputation rising to unprecedented heights.
Following the incident, those from White Lotus Sect also had their own Headquarters, which originally belonged to those from Grand Qi Temple. They were now visible to the public, which was unlike in the past when they had to hide in the dark.
In this battle, Yang Kai had put in a lot of effort as he had killed more than 20 Masters from Grand Qi Temple, which contributed greatly to the success of White Lotus Sect occupying the Headquarters.
It wasn’t until this moment that the White Lotus Matriarch had complete trust in him.
Because of him, Qu Hua Shang’s status in White Lotus Sect was fortified. Initially, there were other Saintesses who were equal matches for her, but she was now the most outstanding of them all. The White Lotus Matriarch regarded her especially highly. Although it was never made official, all the disciples of White Lotus Sect believed that Qu Hua Shang would be the next Sect Master.
White Lotus Sect practically had no other rivals now. On the continent, those smaller Sects that originally relied on Grand Qi Temple to survive had all pledged loyalty to White Lotus Sect now.
Like a snowball, the power of White Lotus Sect increasingly strengthened.
Yang Kai returned to this familiar Headquarters barely a few months after he had left. He still lived in the place he had previously resided, and every day, he would follow Qu Hua Shang around to protect her.
All the disciples of White Lotus Sect knew that whatever demands Qu Hua Shang came up with, Yang Kai would immediately execute regardless of whether they were reasonable or not.
It could be said that Yang Kai was the biggest contributor in helping Qu Hua Shang attain her current status. If not for him, the several assassination attempts wouldn’t have been carried out so smoothly and caused immense pressure to the leaders of Grand Qi Temple. Those from White Lotus Sect wouldn’t have been able to defeat Grand Qi Temple with ease either.
Qu Hua Shang became increasingly ambitious following her rise in status and the White Lotus Matriarch’s appreciation of her. She was practically the second most influential person in White Lotus Sect now.
Presently, Yang Kai and Xiao He were following Qu Hua Shang as they walked along a corridor.
From the opposite direction, a charming woman who was leading her two personal bodyguards approached them.
As their eyes met, the charming woman flashed a smile at Qu Hua Shang and nodded, “Little Sister Qu.”
Qu Hua Shang responded with a smile, “Big Sister Tian.”
This charming woman was one of the other Saintesses of White Lotus Sect. Before the rise of Qu Hua Shang, she was the most outstanding Saintess as she was slightly more beautiful and powerful than the others. She was also most valued by the White Lotus Matriarch at that time.
“Where are you going, Little Sister Qu?” Tian Jie asked with concern.
Qu Hua Shang replied, “I just visited the Sect Master, and was going to get some rest now. Are you going to visit the Sect Master as well, Big Sister?”
Tian Jie put on a faint smile, “No, I’m just walking around since I have nothing to do. In the past, I thought that Grand Qi Temple’s Headquarters was profound and mysterious. Now, there doesn’t seem to be anything special about this place.”
“We’ll feel that something is mysterious before we obtain it. After we get it, we’ll realise that there’s nothing special about it.” Qu Hua Shang smiled gently.
Tian Jie shot her a meaningful glance and chuckled, “You have a point, Little Sister Qu; however, we’ll long for something before we get it. As for whether it’s really so mysterious, we’ll only find out after obtaining it. Don’t you agree, Little Sister?”
“You’re quite right.” Qu Hua Shang nodded, then sported a cold expression, “I heard you’re interested in my personal bodyguard, Big Sister.”
A shocked Tian Jie refuted, “Where did you hear such a rumour, Little Sister? Everyone in the Sect knows that he’s your personal bodyguard. Why would I even have my eyes on him?”
Qu Hua Shang said with a smile, “Oh, really? Why did someone not sleep in the middle of the night yesterday and sneak into his room while naked, then?”
A sense of fury overwhelmed Tian Jie as she glowered at Yang Kai, who was behind Qu Hua Shang.
She had never expected that he would tell Qu Hua Shang about this kind of matter.
On the other hand, Yang Kai remained unfazed.
Just then, Qu Hua Shang charged forward as she extended her fair hand and circulated her strength in an attempt to seize Tian Jie’s neck.
Tian Jie had never expected that Qu Hua Shang, who was also a Saintess of White Lotus Sect, had the guts to make a move on her. The assault on a fellow disciple was a taboo in White Lotus Sect, which was why she hadn’t managed to react.
Fortunately, the personal bodyguards behind her never put down their guard. The moment Qu Hua Shang made a move, they unsheathed their swords and hacked at her.
If Qu Hua Shang didn’t retract her hand, her arm would be cut off. Personal bodyguards were the most loyal servants to their Saintess, and they wouldn’t care about killing others to keep their charge safe.
However, instead of withdrawing her hand, Qu Hua Shang only hastened her speed.
Their swords didn’t manage to come into contact with Qu Hua Shang as Yang Kai and Xiao He gently pushed their palms forward and sent the two personal bodyguards flying away. At the same time, Qu Hua Shang clenched Tian Jie’s fair neck and exerted more force with her hand. At that instant, Tian Jie froze and wouldn’t dare to move a muscle.
“A-Are you out of your mind?” The colour drained from Tian Jie’s face.
Qu Hua Shang stared coldly at her, “How did you even have the nerve to try to seduce my personal bodyguard?”
The intensifying force on her neck and the murderous intent in Qu Hua Shang’s eyes made Tian Jie feel anxious.
Upon realising that the other woman really wanted to kill her, she regretted the decision she had made last night.
In fact, all the Saintesses believed that it was thanks to Yang Kai that Qu Hua Shang had attained her current achievements. As long as they could lure the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple to their side, Qu Hua Shang would no longer be a threat.
Yang Kai was a man while the Saintesses were women. The only way they could think of to make him side with them was to seduce him. Tian Jie had never expected that not only would Yang Kai not accept her, he had also immediately told Qu Hua Shang about the scandal, which rendered her powerless to defend herself.
“Please forgive me, Little Sister. I’ll never dare to do it again. I’ll obey you from now on.” Tian Jie begged for mercy with a pitiful expression, “If you kill me here, you’ll be punished.”
Qu Hua Shang remained unperturbed.
Yang Kai frowned and recommended, “Forgive her for once. I believe she won’t do it again.”
*Kacka…*
The light in Tian Jie’s eyes went out as her entire figure went limp.
Qu Hua Shang turned around and glared at Yang Kai, “Why did you ask for forgiveness on her behalf?”
Yang Kai parted his lips, then let out a sigh.
Everything in this Samsara World was built on Qu Hua Shang’s Heart Barrier, so all the places and people here were nothing but illusions. As the Saintess of White Lotus Sect, she was obliged to go against those from Grand Qi Temple. Both parties tried to destroy each other because they had different stances. Therefore, Yang Kai wouldn’t say anything regardless of how many people from Grand Qi Temple that she had killed.
With that said, he wouldn’t want to see Qu Hua Shang act so ruthless and without qualms about killing her own people.
It never crossed his mind that his persuasion yielded the opposite of the desired outcome instead. Tian Jie lost her life because of that.
Certainly, the real Qu Hua Shang wasn’t like this. Her memory had been completely sealed in the ninth life, and she was a totally different person now.
“Although she was in the wrong, you shouldn’t have killed her,” Yang Kai replied with a frown.
Like a child who was defending her favourite toy, she spat through clenched teeth, “I’ll kill anyone who has their eyes on you!”
A joyful Xiao He watched on from the side as she poked Yang Kai with her elbow and said in a small voice, “She has fallen in love with you.”
Yang Kai wasn’t certain if he should be happy or sad.
Although the conflict didn’t last long, the White Lotus Matriarch soon got wind of it and rushed over to the scene a moment later.
Upon seeing Tian Jie’s corpse, she sported a gloomy expression.
Of all the Saintesses, besides Qu Hua Shang, she regarded Tian Jie as the most important; however, Tian Jie was killed by another Saintess that she treasured.
This had never happened before.
Qu Hua Shang was confined following her actions.
It was a taboo to assault a fellow disciple within White Lotus Sect, not to mention that a Saintess was killed for no reason in public. Everyone knew that if the murderer wasn’t Qu Hua Shang, she would’ve lost her life then and there.
The White Lotus Matriarch wouldn’t allow anyone to challenge her authority and the Saintesses were valuable assets of White Lotus Sect. Only the Sect Master had the right to determine their life or death.
There was no doubt that Qu Hua Shang had crossed the line.
Certainly, the other Saintesses were gleeful that such an incident had happened. Everyone believed that regardless of how much Qu Hua Shang was treasured in the past, the Sect Master would no longer regard her as important following the incident.
On the other hand, Qu Hua Shang was confined in an underground prison. The prison was where those from Grand Qi Temple imprisoned their enemies in the past. It was cold and damp, so it wasn’t suitable for Humans to live long-term.
The White Lotus Matriarch had also ordered that no one was allowed to visit her, and only a small amount of water and food would be provided to her every day. In that case, regardless of how powerful Qu Hua Shang was, her health would deteriorate as time went by.
The prison was guarded by some powerful cultivators, so there was nothing Yang Kai could do. Certainly, he could barge into the prison, and he believed that no one could stop him; however, by doing so, he would only bring bigger trouble to Qu Hua Shang.
He had to wait for a chance, and one came sooner than expected.
After those from Grand Qi Temple were destroyed, those from White Lotus Sect took over their Headquarters. Following the war, countless people from the seven major Sects were either killed or injured. Those who were still alive had returned to their own Sects to recuperate.
As expected, the White Lotus Matriarch wouldn’t miss this opportunity to destroy the rest of the survivors as it was her biggest dream to rule over the righteous path and the wicked path. Now, the chance was right in front of her eyes. As long as she could devastate the seven major Sects, she would pull off a feat that the other Sect Masters of White Lotus Sect had never been able to achieve before.
Since many of the powerful cultivators from the major Sects were either killed or wounded, it was the best time for White Lotus Sect to launch a decisive attack and destroy them once and for all.
However, those from White Lotus Sect were used to acting in the shadows, so it wasn’t their forte to deal with those Sects directly. The reason they could occupy the Headquarters of Grand Qi Temple previously was that they had some distinct advantages.
Moreover, they had also suffered a lot of losses after the war.
Now, the White Lotus Matriarch had fallen into an embarrassing situation as she didn’t have anyone who could help her to deal with the seven major Sects.
It wasn’t that her subordinates were weak. She had many underlings who were good at one-on-one fights or assassinations; however, they were not skillful enough when it came to leading an army and marshalling soldiers.
Such an opportunity was hard to come by, and if they missed it, they might not get another one.
It was at that moment that Yang Kai and Xiao He suddenly barged into the Main Conference Hall.
The White Lotus Matriarch sported a displeased expression and looked at him, “What’s wrong, Left Protector?”
Because of Qu Hua Shang, the White Lotus Matriarch had been giving Yang Kai the cold shoulder recently. Rumour had it that the reason Qu Hua Shang was so reckless was that she had Yang Kai on her side. That was why she was so haughty.
Regardless of whether the rumours were true, the White Lotus Matriarch had to show everyone that she was acting impartial in this matter.
Yang Kai cut to the chase by saying, “Give me 500 people and I’ll destroy Lion Hall within one month.”
The other Hall Masters broke into a commotion upon hearing that.
They were having a discussion on launching an attack on Lion Hall just now. Of the seven major Sects, Lion Hall was currently the weakest. That was the reason they had to target them first. This war was very important, so those from White Lotus Sect had to ensure they wouldn’t fail in their attempt.
If they won the battle, their morale would be boosted. If they lost the battle, the advantages they had accumulated would be gone for good.
The discussion hadn’t gone smoothly. According to their estimation, in order to destroy Lion Hall, they had to send 1,500 people to gain the upper hand, and they must be prepared to suffer an immense loss.
Certainly, they felt that Yang Kai had overestimated himself even though he was the former Temple Master of Grand Qi Temple.
The White Lotus Matriarch gazed at him with narrowed eyes, “What if you can’t destroy them?”
Yang Kai replied flatly, “You have complete control over my life or death. If I can’t achieve my goal, I’m willing to die as a punishment.”
The White Lotus Matriarch’s lips curled up, “So, you are aware that I also have control over your life or death. Since your life belongs to me, it’s not up to you to make decisions about it; otherwise, you won’t be risking anything.”
Yang Kai frowned, “What condition do you have, then?”
The White Lotus Matriarch was apparently well prepared. In fact, she had already come up with such a plan after Qu Hua Shang was imprisoned following Tian Jie’s death, so she said, “If you fail, Qu Hua Shang will lose her life!”
Yang Kai was willing to take the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill and join White Lotus Sect for Qu Hua Shang. The White Lotus Matriarch believed that by threatening to kill Qu Hua Shang, Yang Kai would do his best to achieve his goal.
That was the reason she had only confined Qu Hua Shang instead of punishing her according to the Sect’s rules.
She needed a competent General who could lead the army for her, and Yang Kai was the most qualified. However, she didn’t want to take the initiative and asked him to do it lest she appear desperate.
Now, everything was within her control.
“Good.” Yang Kai directly agreed to it, “However, I’d also like you to agree to a condition I have.”
The White Lotus Matriarch was fully aware of his intentions. Upon hearing that, she said with a smile, “Don’t worry. If you can really destroy Lion Hall in one month, I’ll forgive Qu Hua Shang for what she has done.”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s a deal, then.”
“I’ll give you 800 people, and I want to see success within a month,” the White Lotus Matriarch ordered.
The next day, 300 people departed from the Headquarters of White Lotus Sect and headed straight towards Lion Hall. More and more people joined them along the way, and by the time they arrived at the gates of Lion Hall, there were exactly 800 of them.
Yang Kai already had some experience in mobilising soldiers during the war between the Star Boundary and Demon Realm. Forget 800 people, he had even commanded 800,000 people in battle before.
Attacking Lion Hall might be a difficult task to others, but it was just a matter of time in his eyes.
Those from Lion Hall were alerted long before the soldiers of White Lotus Sect arrived. Not only was the entrance closed, but they had also set up some traps and a Grand Array to deal with the enemies.
These 800 disciples from White Lotus Sect didn’t immediately launch an attack though.
Yang Kai and Xiao He spent the next ten days leading the powerful cultivators from White Lotus Sect to launch continuous probing attacks both day and night.
Sometimes, several raids would take place at the same time. Lion Hall was like a dilapidated house during a storm, so they were unable to fend off the disciples of White Lotus Sect, who relentlessly attacked them from all directions.
Ten days later, those from White Lotus Sect had lost more than 300 people while half of the Lion Hall’s leaders were killed. Countless other cultivators from Lion Hall were also killed or injured, and morale was low.
It wasn’t until this moment that Yang Kai gave the order to deal directly with the opponents.
The remaining 500 White Lotus Sect’s disciples were high-spirited as they stormed into Lion Hall. Following a bloody carnage, they occupied Lion Hall.
When Yang Kai returned to the Headquarters of White Lotus Sect, about one month had passed since he offered to destroy Lion Hall.
The White Lotus Matriarch was elated as she held a celebratory feast for Yang Kai. At the banquet, Qu Hua Shang, who had been confined for one month, reappeared and she was seated beside the White Lotus Matriarch. They looked as close as a Mother and Daughter.
Destroying Lion Hall served as a good start as those from White Lotus Sect aimed to conquer the world. In the next three years, they launched even more attacks on the remaining six major Sects. There were victories and losses on both sides, but generally speaking, White Lotus Sect gained the upper hand.
After Lion Hall was destroyed, Divine Method Hall, Swaying Willow Sect, Shooting Star Palace, Hidden Sword Villa, and Emerald Smoke Sect were also wiped out. White Lotus Sect practically had no rivals in the world anymore.
It had come to a point where those who showed the slightest disapproval of White Lotus Sect would be killed without mercy. The smaller Sects either had to go into hiding in the mountains or submit to White Lotus Sect.
Of the seven major Sects, only the struggling Grand Battle Sect remained.
A hero would always emerge in chaotic times. An extraordinary person from Grand Battle Sect soon attracted everyone’s attention. He was the Legacy Disciple of the current Sect Master of Grand Battle Sect. His name was Lin Tai Dou, which had something to do with the Sect’s name. He was brought back to the Sect when he was a young child and was a righteous man who hated all things evil in the world. Besides that, he also had exceptional aptitude and intelligence.
It had only been 20 years since he joined the Sect, but he was already more powerful than all the previous Sect Masters of Grand Battle Sect. He was only 25 years old now.
Those from White Lotus Sect were high-spirited as they charged towards Grand Battle Sect. They initially thought that it would be an easy victory, but it turned out that they were faced with an unimaginable challenge.
Under Lin Tai Dou’s leadership, the battle against White Lotus Sect went on for about half a year. A lot of disciples from White Lotus Sect were killed, but they hadn’t managed to achieve their goal. An infuriated White Lotus Matriarch directly ordered Qu Hua Shang to occupy Grand Battle Sect within three months. Failure to do so would lead to the loss of her life.
The White Lotus Matriarch was not joking. Grand Battle Sect was the last obstacle for White Lotus Sect before they could declare hegemony over the world. By destroying Grand Battle Sect, she would pull off a feat that the previous Sect Masters had never been able to achieve. She would be able to be the ruler of the world. Certainly, she wouldn’t allow such an obstacle to get in her way.
All of them knew that the White Lotus Matriarch valued Yang Kai’s capabilities; however, when he joined White Lotus Sect back then, he said that he would only obey Qu Hua Shang’s orders.
The White Lotus Matriarch was unable to directly give orders to Yang Kai, so she could only make use of Qu Hua Shang.
Upon receiving the order, Yang Kai once again showcased his talent and capabilities in leading an army.
It took them two months before they finally seized Grand Battle Sect. The White Lotus Matriarch personally made a move to kill the Sect Master of Grand Battle Sect, which would mean that they had finally gained total victory.
However, after the war, they realised that many of the important figures from Grand Battle Sect had already fled, including the young and famous Lin Tai Dou.
Although the White Lotus Matriarch had given the order to find their whereabouts, she wasn’t really bothered; after all, the seven major Sects had been destroyed. From now on, White Lotus Sect was the only supreme entity that could lead the righteous and wicked paths on this continent.
Nevertheless, a single spark could start a huge blaze.
The White Lotus Matriarch had never expected that Lin Tai Dou would bring huge trouble to her one day.
Over the next six months, everyone on the continent went through a period of terror under the rule of White Lotus Sect. The disciples of White Lotus Sect became increasingly ruthless, which caused everyone to be resentful of them.
On the other hand, Lin Tai Dou gathered the remaining members of the seven major Sects together and attracted other disgruntled people to join him before he started a 20-year war against White Lotus Sect.
When the seven major Sects were destroyed, not everyone was killed. Some of them were lucky enough to have survived. Since they had a blood feud with White Lotus Sect, they naturally wanted to obtain their revenge.
Other than the seven major Sects, countless people in the world were resentful of White Lotus Sect. Under their reign of terror, innumerable people lost their friends and family.
That was why more and more people gathered around Lin Tai Dou.
Since White Lotus Sect now ruled over the world, they had no more rivals left. The Sect’s leaders all indulged in an extravagant life, and even the White Lotus Matriarch had put down her guard.
It wasn’t until half a year later when Righteous Union, led by Lin Tai Dou, rose into the light that the White Lotus Matriarch was alerted.
However, she still wasn’t bothered by it; after all, Grand Qi Temple and the seven major Sects had been destroyed by White Lotus Sect, so how was Righteous Union supposed to last long?
Nevertheless, every time White Lotus Sect clashed with Righteous Union, they would always suffer a loss. More and more disciples were killed, and even several Hall Masters lost their lives within half a year.
It was only then that the White Lotus Matriarch woke up to reality and became wary of the newly founded Righteous Union. She ordered some powerful subordinates to find out the whereabouts of those from Righteous Union and kill them ruthlessly.
Nonetheless, Righteous Union was different from Grand Qi Temple or the seven major Sects.
When White Lotus Sect was going up against Grand Qi Temple and the seven major Sects in the past, they were in the dark while the latter was exposed under sunlight, but it was the other way round now.
After destroying Grand Qi Temple, those from White Lotus Sect had their own Headquarters now, but they also exposed themselves to the public.
On the other hand, those from Righteous Union remained hidden since their founding.
Furthermore, Lin Tai Dou was a powerful and charismatic Union Master. Every time those from Righteous Union launched an attack, they would bring huge trouble to White Lotus Sect. It had also earned Lin Tai Dou unrivalled reputation and influence.
In just five years, Righteous Union became increasingly powerful instead of being destroyed by White Lotus Sect.
Although they were still unable to go up against White Lotus Sect in a frontal clash, they were strong enough to not be simply wiped out. There were even times when they were able to pose serious threats to White Lotus Sect.
Certainly, the White Lotus Matriarch wouldn’t allow an opposing power to rise in her territory. She initially thought that she had pulled off a feat that the previous Sect Masters had never been able to achieve after destroying Grand Battle Sect. Now, it seemed that she could not achieve her goal before she destroyed Righteous Union.
Upon realising the dangerous situation she was in, the White Lotus Matriarch stopped being decadent and focused on fighting against Righteous Union.
She had never expected that it would be so hard to deal with this new foe though.
By the tenth year, Righteous Union was already as powerful as Grand Qi Temple was back then. There were victories and losses on both sides as Righteous Union and White Lotus Sect clashed with one another.
This made the White Lotus Matriarch infuriated as she felt regretful of what she failed to do after destroying Grand Battle Sect.
If she had paid more attention to Lin Tai Dou and ordered her subordinates to hunt down and kill him at all cost, all of this wouldn’t have happened.
However, there was no use crying over spilled milk. Her negligence in the past had caused her to be in so much trouble now. Regardless of how furious she was, she had to deal with it.
Over the next ten years, the entire world was dragged into the battle between the righteous and wicked paths.
All cultivators would either have to join White Lotus Sect or Righteous Union, there wasn’t a third option, nor could they steer clear of the fight. The battles between both sides could be seen everywhere on this continent.
The White Lotus Matriarch’s days were numbered as she was now old and frail. Her dark hair had turned grey, and her face was full of wrinkles.
She could feel that she wouldn’t live for much longer. When she was young, she suffered a lot of injuries when fighting against Grand Qi Temple, and these dark injuries had started affecting her health as she became older.
Perhaps she would slumber off one night and not see the sun the next morning.
However, she hadn’t managed to obtain total dominance over the wicked and righteous paths. Her victory more than ten years ago was nothing more than an illusion. She would never be able to rest in peace before destroying Lin Tai Dou and Righteous Union.
Therefore, she did whatever it took to crush her last remaining foe.
In just one year, more than half of the cultivators from both White Lotus Sect and Righteous Union were killed. Every battle was significantly more intense than the ones in the past decades.
Eventually, the White Lotus Matriarch’s wish was granted. The White Lotus Sect’s army managed to trap those from Righteous Union inside Crimson Wind Canyon.
Crimson Wind Canyon was a natural canyon where the wide path could accommodate dozens of horses while the narrow spots would only allow several people to pass by at once.
The sides of the canyon were tall precipices.
With both sides of Crimson Wind Canyon blocked, those from Righteous Union had practically fallen into a death trap.
Yang Kai was the biggest contributor in successfully blocking them here. It was thanks to his skills in mobilising soldiers that they managed to lure the enemy to this place after just three months of battle. During that period of time, they fought with those from Righteous Union multiple times and almost failed their mission on numerous occasions. Fortunately, they succeeded in the end.
The final battle was right before their eyes. The well-prepared White Lotus Sect disciples stormed into Crimson Wind Canyon from both sides as both parties clashed.
There would be people losing their lives every breath, and within just one hour, a blood river had formed in Crimson Wind Canyon.
After days of intense battle, those from White Lotus Sect were still being pushed back despite their multiple attempts to charge forward. Both parties were exhausted as their eyes had turned bloodshot.
The White Lotus Matriarch stood on a boulder above Crimson Wind Canyon as she looked down at the fight in silence. All of a sudden, she beckoned in a particular direction.
Qu Hua Shang took a few steps forward and stood beside her.
The White Lotus Matriarch asked, “Qu’er, do you have any solution to destroy the enemy?”
Qu Hua Shang was fully aware of what was going on as she had been watching the fight all along, so she frankly replied, “We have to kill their leader. The others in Righteous Union pose no threat to us. As long as we can kill Lin Tai Dou, Righteous Union will collapse.”
Upon finishing her words, she cupped her fist, “Sect Master, please allow me to personally slay Lin Tai Dou!”
The White Lotus Matriarch shook her head with a smile, “I’m glad that you’re so loyal. I believe that White Lotus Sect will be in good hands after you take over my position.”
“Sect Master…” Qu Hua Shang hung her head low. In recent years, the White Lotus Matriarch had repeatedly told her this. It was as though she intended to pass the position of Sect Master to her after she passed away.
Although Qu Hua Shang was indeed the most qualified one to take over the position of Sect Master in White Lotus Sect, she wouldn’t dare to reveal her true feelings. She would always appear obedient every time the White Lotus Matriarch mentioned it.
The White Lotus Matriarch cut her off by raising her hand, “I’m old, and my predestined time is near. Every night, I can feel those I’ve killed in the past come back to haunt me in my dreams. I’ll pass the position of Sect Master to you sooner or later.”
She appeared sincere as it didn’t seem like a test, but Qu Hua Shang remained silent.
“Lin Tai Dou is formidable. Even though you are strong, you’re no match for him. There’s only one person in this world who can deal with him!”
As the White Lotus Matriarch spoke, she suddenly looked fervently at Qu Hua Shang.
Although she never said it, Qu Hua Shang knew who the person was that the older woman was talking about.
Yang Kai!
Although they had spent nearly twenty years together, Qu Hua Shang still hadn’t figured out how strong Yang Kai truly was. If there was anyone in the world who could defeat Lin Tai Dou, it had to be Yang Kai.
“Tell him to make a move. After Lin Tai Dou is killed, there won’t be Righteous Union anymore,” the White Lotus Matriarch ordered.
Qu Hua Shang had been staying by the White Lotus Matriarch’s side all along, so she had discovered something that those disciples of White Lotus Sect were not aware of.
She suddenly realised something upon hearing what the White Lotus Matriarch had said, so she appeared conflicted for a moment.
The White Lotus Matriarch took the younger woman’s hand and patted it, “I know you’re an ambitious person who wants to take over the position of Sect Master. You want to be the noblest woman in the world. Love doesn’t really matter to you, does it? I’m sure you’ve realised Yang Kai’s feelings for you after spending 20 years with him. Why do you always keep a distance from him? I promise you that after this war, I will pass you the position of Sect Master. That’s my only wish before my death. After you become the Sect Master, you’ll rule over both the wicked and righteous paths.”
Qu Hua Shang pressed her lips together and appeared hesitant.
“Think it over,” The White Lotus Matriarch shot her a glance and spoke no further.
She knew that Qu Hua Shang would make a wise decision.
As expected, Qu Hua Shang lifted her head a moment later and replied, “I will give him the order.”
“Go on,” The White Lotus Matriarch nodded.
It was only then that Qu Hua Shang turned around and flew towards the canyon.
On one side of the canyon, Yang Kai was monitoring the battle.
Time didn’t seem to have left any marks on him even though 20 years had passed. He looked almost the same as the time when he first joined White Lotus Sect. Although he was also older now, he wasn’t as wrinkled as the White Lotus Matriarch.
Xiao He still steadfastly stayed by his side.
Yang Kai saw Qu Hua Shang the moment she arrived as he flashed a smile at her, “Is the Sect Master running out of patience? Tell her that Righteous Union will collapse within seven days. Although Lin Tai Dou is impressive, this is all he can do.”
Qu Hua Shang stared silently at him for a moment before saying, “I want you to kill Lin Tai Dou.”
“Now?” Yang Kai arched his brow.
Qu Hua Shang nodded almost imperceptibly.
After a moment of silence, Yang Kai put on a smile, “Anything you say. If you want him dead now, I’ll behead him right away. I’m sure he won’t be able to go against my spear.”
Qu Hua Shang’s face turned pale. She parted her lips in an attempt to say something, but she couldn’t utter a word in the end.
Seemingly thinking of something, Yang Kai fished out something from his pocket and passed it to her, “Keep this and don’t let anyone discover it.”
A flustered Qu Hua Shang took it in a dazed manner.
After taking a glance at where the White Lotus Matriarch was located, Yang Kai said in a small voice, “You must never trust the White Lotus Matriarch!”
In an instant, Qu Hua Shang became stunned as if struck by lightning while the colour drained from her face.
When she raised her head, she realised that Yang Kai was already stepping towards the battlefield with his spear.
Xiao He followed him closely. All of a sudden, she turned her head and said to Qu Hua Shang, “You have to take good care of yourself from now on!”
Upon finishing her words, she pulled a face at her.
Qu Hua Shang’s eyes were soon drenched in tears as they slid down her face.
When she returned to the White Lotus Matriarch’s side, the intense battle had begun. The morale of White Lotus Sect’s disciples had been boosted with Yang Kai joining the battle. Those from Righteous Union, who initially could go up against them, were instantly put at a disadvantage as more and more of them lost their lives.
The White Lotus Matriarch looked down at the battle with a smile, “Qu’er, you’re lucky to have a man who is so loyal to you.”
Qu Hua Shang remained silent while feeling heartbroken.
Both sides had respectively sent more than 10,000 people to take part in the battle. Towards the end of the battle, only 10% were left. Even the most powerful cultivators were unable to ensure their own safety in this kind of situation.
Lin Tai Dou was eventually killed by Yang Kai while the rest of the leaders of Righteous Union were all destroyed.
However, Yang Kai had been badly injured; after all, he was much older than Lin Tai Dou, so he was no longer as energetic as in the past.
He had to take the risk of getting wounded in order to kill Lin Tai Dou with his spear.
Xiao He was also soaked in blood as her aura was weak.
Both of them were on their last legs.
Before the remaining White Lotus Sect’s disciples could cheer for their victory, they heard rumbling sounds coming from the cliffs. At that moment, the ground started shaking.
When those who were still alive looked up, their expressions changed drastically.
That was because huge rocks could be seen rolling down the precipices while burning arrows rained down on them.
Although Yang Kai was drenched in blood, he still held his spear firmly and looked up in a particular direction.
Over there, the White Lotus Matriarch no longer appeared frail as she looked down with a flushing face. Behind her was Qu Hua Shang, who clenched her fists while trembling slightly.
When rocks and burning arrows finally buried the entire Crimson Wind Canyon, the White Lotus Matriarch couldn’t help but start guffawing.
The last obstacle that hindered her from ruling over the world wasn’t Righteous Union, but Yang Kai!
She had never been a match for Yang Kai since the beginning. Even though Righteous Union was destroyed, she still couldn’t be the overlord of the world.
Now, this obstacle was finally wiped out.
The Death Qi that had surrounded her over the years vanished in an instant, and there seemed to be fewer wrinkles on her face now. Judging from how healthy she looked, she could probably live for decades to come.
Qu Hua Shang knew that she had been set up. The White Lotus Matriarch had made use of the ambition that had been burning in her heart for years.
In recent years, the White Lotus Matriarch always appeared to be frail in order to help fan the burning ambition in her heart.
The boisterous White Lotus Sect’s disciples around Qu Hua Shang cheered for their victory; however, the noises sounded so distant to her, as though everything in this world had nothing to do with her anymore.
Righteous Union and Lin Tai Dou were destroyed while Yang Kai was killed. There was nothing in the world that could stop White Lotus Sect from dominating the world.
White Lotus Sect was now the only great force in the world, and the White Lotus Matriarch finally showcased zest that was unlike her age. She was worshipped like an overlord in the Headquarters of White Lotus Sect by all others.
Two months later, a metallic tang permeated the Grand Hall.
There was a dagger plunged into the White Lotus Matriarch’s chest as she lay on her throne, her clothes soaked in blood.
She pressed her hand against her chest while gazing at Qu Hua Shang in disbelief, “Y-You dare!”
Qu Hua Shang was standing on a spot that was a couple of metres away from her. Even though the White Lotus Matriarch was dying, a cunning person like her might make the final strike before her death. Certainly, Qu Hua Shang wouldn’t give her the chance.
Despite her alluring face, she looked as devious as a viper at this moment. With a dispassionate expression, she said, “Why wouldn’t I dare?”
The White Lotus Matriarch coughed up blood, “I haven’t passed you the recipe for the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills. If I die, you won’t be able to live either. You’ll die in just three months!”
She had complete trust in the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills, so she had never been suspicious of Qu Hua Shang. That was the reason she was caught off guard.
Only the Sect Master of White Lotus Sect had the right to take control of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills. Every Sect Master would pass the recipe to their successor before their death.
“Are you talking about this?” Qu Hua Shang suddenly fished out a jade bottle from her clothes and poured out dozens of red pills.
The White Lotus Matriarch widened her eyes in disbelief, “H-How can this be? W-Where did you get the recipe?”
She was certain that she had never told anyone the recipe before, nor had she left behind any clues about it. There was no way Qu Hua Shang could have obtained it.
“He gave it to me,” Qu Hua Shang appeared melancholic when she spoke about that person and recalled the incident in Crimson Wind Canyon two months ago.
Yang Kai passed her something before he left. After the war ended, she checked it and realised that it was the recipe for the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pill’s antidotes.
Judging from the weathered look of the scroll, it must have been more than ten years old.
In other words, Yang Kai had already obtained this recipe more than ten years ago. He and Xiao He had probably resolved the poison of the Freezing Blood Burning Soul Pills long ago and were no longer controlled by it.
He could have left at any moment, but he had always stayed by her side instead. Regardless of how unreasonable her demands were, he had never refused her.
Even when she ordered him to die, he still willingly obliged!
Certainly, the White Lotus Matriarch knew who the person was that Qu Hua Shang was talking about. After becoming startled for a moment, she put on a bitter smile, “I’d never expected that he was an expert in the Alchemic Dao on top of everything else.”
Yang Kai had somehow obtained the antidote recipe while being clueless about it. The only possibility that the White Lotus Matriarch could think of was that merely through ingesting and studying the antidotes he got every three months, he was able to determine the ingredients and figured out the recipe.
Ordinary Alchemists would never have been able to pull off such a feat. The White Lotus Matriarch even doubted whether her speculation was right despite it being the only possibility.
“Yes… Who could have expected that?” Qu Hua Shang muttered under her breath.
The White Lotus Matriarch suddenly put on a smile, “Good, very good! The Sect Master of White Lotus Sect must be cruel and cold-hearted. You’re a woman, so you’re already weaker than men to begin with. If you remain so indecisive, you will destroy our foundation that has been built up for hundreds of years. I knew you were the right person. I’ll be able to rest in peace, knowing that you’ll be the next Sect Master.”
Qu Hua Shang saluted her in an elegant manner, “I ask Sect Master to go on ahead!”
The White Lotus Matriarch nodded and closed her eyes. Her aura became increasingly weaker until it was completely gone.
A moment later, Qu Hua Shang stepped forward and placed her finger under the White Lotus Matriarch’s nose. Upon confirming that the older woman was really dead, she moved her corpse and adjusted her own clothes before sitting on the throne of the Sect Master.
She had always dreamed of becoming the Sect Master, and now, her wish had finally been granted.
The magnificent throne symbolised unlimited power. She had the right to determine anyone’s life or death and command both the righteous and wicked path.
The power she had obtained was even greater than the dreams she had as a young child. In this world, White Lotus Sect had no more rivals.
She looked down at the hall as though she could already envision the countless Masters who would come over to pay respects to her.
The corners of her mouth curled as she suddenly began to laugh.
Life was too short to have a lot of dreams, and a person would be considered lucky if they could make even one of them come true.
Qu Hua Shang had managed to achieve that and more though.
However, innumerable people had lost their lives for her victory.
Her unrestrained laugh reverberated across the empty hall, but no one could share her happiness. Presently, she was only accompanied by a corpse.
As she laughed, she suddenly broke down into tears.
Her tears slid down her face like pearls after the string had snapped. Appearing heartbroken, she covered her face with her hands.
There was nothing in the world she feared while she had the unconditional love of that man. It wasn’t until she lost him that she realised he had become an inseparable part of her life.
While sitting on the throne, she finally discovered that her dream wasn’t worth anything. The man she had always neglected in the past was the most valuable treasure she had; however, she had lost him forever. All she could think of now were those few months she had spent living in that log house by the lake. That was undoubtedly the happiest time in her life.
At that moment, she felt she could feel the gentle breeze brushing past her cheek as she placed her hands behind her head. While looking up at the starry sky, she listened to the love story of nine lives. At that time, there were no deceptions and battles in her life. All she had was that man’s unconditional love.
She missed that time so much.
“In the next life, I’ll repay what I owe you!”
Qu Hua Shang lifted her sword to her neck as the sharp blade cut her delicate skin, preparing to end it all, but while her eyes were drenched in tears, she suddenly caught sight of a figure abruptly appearing before her.
The person was wearing a mask made from iron, but even though his face was covered, his figure was all too familiar.
Qu Hua Shang thought that her sorrow was causing her to hallucinate as she looked dazedly at the person, so she did not hesitate to exert more force with her hand.
It wasn’t until her wrist was clenched by the person that her entire figure shook.
Behind that person, Xiao He stuck out her head while appearing puzzled, “Why are you trying to kill yourself all of a sudden? You looked so happy a moment ago. How strange!”
“O-Old man?” Qu Hua Shang quickly wiped away her tears and asked in a shaking voice.
The person took her sword and tossed it away before the weapon clanged to the ground. He gently stroked her head and said, “Good people don’t live long while a scourge lasts 1,000 years. I won’t die so easily.”
Qu Hua Shang couldn’t believe her eyes as she attempted to take off the person’s iron mask.
“My face was burned. It might scare you,” Yang Kai said.
Without hesitation, Qu Hua Shang took off the mask and saw a contorted face that was caused by burn marks. The face was so hideous that a toddler would break into tears upon seeing it.
However, Qu Hua Shang crashed into the man’s embrace and hugged him tightly as though she was trying to merge with his body. She sniffed at the man’s scent as if she was trying to imprint it in the deepest part of her mind. Regardless of how many rounds of reincarnation she had to go through, she would never forget his scent.
Yang Kai’s clothes were smeared by her tears and snot while the woman was laughing and crying at the same time.
Xiao He looked at them with a tilted head and couldn’t help but remark, “The couple has finally gotten together. How wonderful!”
All of a sudden, Qu Hua Shang froze, and the next moment, she lifted her head from the man’s embrace and looked up at him with a perplexed expression, “Junior Brother?”
Yang Kai let out a long breath, “You’re finally awake, Senior Sister!”
It had been a difficult life for him as it was much harder to wake Qu Hua Shang up compared to the previous eight lives.
This couldn’t be helped, as Qu Hua Shang was overly ambitious in this life to the point that she neglected her own feelings. Yang Kai had been working hard to win her heart by staying by her side for 20 years. Even though he had made some progress, he still hadn’t managed to shatter her Heart Barrier.
Therefore, he decided to take a risk by helping her fulfil her wish and satisfy her ambition. She would only have time to examine her true feelings after that.
Even if the White Lotus Matriarch hadn’t come up with the plot during the battle at Crimson Wind Canyon, Yang Kai would still have pretended to die to fulfil his plan.
However, the White Lotus Matriarch’s plot almost caused him to really lose his life there.
Yang Kai had no idea what would have happened if he was really killed. Fortunately, the outcome turned out to be what he had hoped to see.
After going through nine rounds of reincarnation, Qu Hua Shang finally resolved her heart and regained herself after her Heart Barrier was shattered.
“Yes, I’m awake.” Qu Hua Shang snuggled up to Yang Kai with a joyous expression, “Thank you, for everything.”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head and ran his fingers through her hair.
Then, Qu Hua Shang lifted her head and looked over his shoulder before asking in puzzlement, “What’s going on with Xiao He?”
Since her Heart Barrier was shattered, her memory was also restored. Certainly, she had recalled everything that had happened in the rounds of reincarnation. Since the sixth life, Xiao He had always appeared in the Samsara Worlds that were built upon her Heart Barrier, which concerned her.
She didn’t remember anything about a woman named Luo Ting He. Supposedly, such a person shouldn’t have appeared in her Samsara Worlds.
“I have no idea either; however, I think we’ll find out about it after we leave this place.”
Qu Hua Shang nodded and lifted her head from the man’s embrace before looking at him with a sly gaze, “Well… I’ll see you in the next life then!”
Yang Kai was flabbergasted upon hearing that and in a half-panic asked, “There’s a next life!?”
Without replying to him, Qu Hua Shang winked at him in a cheeky manner. Just then, everything around him started dissipating like a burning picture scroll.
Yang Kai watched his own figure disappearing into the void as his consciousness seemed to have set off on a long journey.
When he came to his senses, he realised that it was pitch-black around him.
Soon, a light tore through the darkness and expanded as the view inside the Samsara Pavilion came into his sight.
Yang Kai was startled for a moment before realising that there wasn’t a next life. Nine lives was the limit in the Samsara Pavilion, which was also the number of lives Qu Hua Shang had set up for her Heart Barrier. She was just pulling a prank earlier.
He slowly shook his head as he was torn between tears and laughter. After stepping out of the tree cave, he looked up at the sky.
Although he finally returned to the real world, Yang Kai still found it to be surreal. The experiences and hardships he had gone through in the nine lives were so vivid that it was as though they had just happened the day before.
The experiences felt so real that it could be said they had actually happened.
Yang Kai could clearly feel that after nine rounds of reincarnation, he was now in a much calmer state. Only a bit more than 100 years had passed after nine rounds of reincarnation, but it was equivalent to 1,000 years of training for his mental state.
The Samsara Pavilion was indeed a place where hearts were trained and tempered.
If a person’s cultivation had progressed too quickly while he was in an unstable mental state, he would gain a lot of benefits by training inside the Samsara Pavilion.
Without the need for any reason, Yang Kai started walking in a particular direction. Although there were no clear indications, he was certain that Qu Hua Shang was in that direction.
Their hearts were now connected after nine rounds of reincarnation.
While he was on his way, he saw an alluring woman moving towards him.
As their eyes met, Qu Hua Shang put on a smile and shuffled over.
Yang Kai extended his hand and said, “Let’s go. Martial Aunt Yu must be worried about us.”
“En,” Qu Hua Shang obediently placed her hand in Yang Kai’s.
A lot of people were moving around outside the Samsara Pavilion.
It had been about 130 years since Yang Kai entered the Samsara Pavilion. To an ordinary mortal who had never cultivated before, this was a period of time that was longer than their lifetime; however, to an Open Heaven Realm Master, it was no more than a short, secluded cultivation session.
When Yu Xiang Die had some free time recently, she would come here to wait outside the Samsara Pavilion.
Unfortunately, after she waited for many years, Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang were still nowhere in sight. On the other hand, Chen Xiu’s two disciples had walked out of the Samsara Pavilion not long after they entered it.
During the past ten-plus years, Yu Xiang Die had spent more time waiting in this place. That was because according to her estimations, if Yang Kai could successfully bring Qu Hua Shang out of the Samsara Pavilion, it would happen around this time.
Waiting wasn’t something that felt boring to her. She had been waiting for a particular man to notice her for many more years, so she was already used to the feeling.
When two familiar figures stepped out of the Samsara Pavilion hand in hand, Yu Xiang Die let out a long breath as the worry in her heart over the years finally abated.
“Martial Aunt Yu!”
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang saluted her at the same time.
Yu Xiang Die darted her gaze between the two of them with an amiable smile before nodding with satisfaction, “I’m glad that both of you are back. You must have suffered a lot.”
She had received training in the Samsara Pavilion before, so she knew what they would face inside. Contrary to her initial assumptions, the Heart Barrier that Qu Hua Shang had set up must have been extremely difficult to overcome, so the hardships they had gone through must be more intense than her own experiences in the past.
“Many thanks for your concern, Martial Aunt,” Yang Kai said.
Yu Xiang Die shook her head, “It’s nothing. In any case, both of you must be exhausted. Go get some rest now.”
“There’s no hurry.” Yang Kai shook his head and turned to look in the Samsara Pavilion’s direction, “Let’s wait a while longer.”
A puzzled Yu Xiang Die asked, “What are you waiting for?”
Qu Hua Shang knew what Yang Kai was waiting for, but just when she was ready to ask Yu Xiang Die whether the latter knew someone named Luo Ting He, Yu Xiang Die widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked over their shoulders.
At that moment, a powerful aura could be felt rapidly approaching them.
Qu Hua Shang turned her head and saw Xiao He descending from the sky with a smile. She soon landed on the ground.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang traded glances as they had already expected it.
Xiao He had always appeared by their side since the sixth life; therefore, they speculated that she must be a powerful cultivator from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven who for some reason was swept into their Samsara Worlds.
Now, they had gone through nine rounds of reincarnation and left the Samsara Pavilion. It must be the same case for Luo Ting He.
The person Yang Kai was waiting for was naturally Luo Ting He.
Judging from Yu Xiang Die’s expression, it was apparent that she knew Luo Ting He. Moreover, they seemed really close.
“Senior Sister Luo…” Disbelief was written all over Yu Xiang Die’s face as she spoke in a shaking voice, clearly on the brink of breaking into tears as she asked, “Is that really you?”
[Senior Sister Luo…]
Upon hearing how Yu Xiang Die addressed the woman, Qu Hua Shang realised something. Luo Ting He and her Honoured Master were supposedly from the same generation, but she had never heard of her before.
“Xiao Die!” Luo Ting He called out with a smile.
The next moment, Yu Xiang Die crashed into Luo Ting He’s arms and hugged her tightly as her shoulders trembled.
Luo Ting He’s face twitched as she gazed at Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang with a helpless expression. She patted Yu Xiang Die’s back and said, “There, there. You’re an adult now, so why do you still love to cry just like when you were a child? Where’s that good-for-nothing boy? Did he bully you?”
While hugging her tightly, Yu Xiang Die shook her head.
A helpless Luo Ting He muttered in a small voice, “They’re watching you.”
It was only then that Yu Xiang Die started flushing as she bashfully moved away. Then, she turned her head to glower at Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang.
One of them quickly looked up at the sky while the other gazed at the ground.
“Why haven’t you saluted her yet?” Yu Xiang Die spoke in a stern voice in an attempt to restore her authority.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang quickly cupped their fists, “Greetings, Martial Aunt Luo!”
Luo Ting He waved her hand, “Stop calling me that. It’s not like we’re strangers. Just call me Xiao He as usual.”
Yang Kai’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, “This Junior wouldn’t dare.”
In their ninth life, he had always called his crazy and muddle-headed personal bodyguard ‘Xiao He’. Since he was aware of her true identity now, Yang Kai wouldn’t dare to be impolite.
A perplexed Yu Xiang Die gazed at Luo Ting He as she had no idea why her Senior Sister and Yang Kai seemed to be so familiar with one another.
Just then, Luo Ting He frowned as though she was bothered by some kind of difficulty, “We’ll catch up later. There’s something I have to do now.”
Yu Xiang Die quickly asked, “Do you need any help?”
With a smile, Luo Ting He stroked the other woman’s head, “My Internal Qi is surging and my Small Universe is trembling now. I’m about to achieve a breakthrough. How are you going to help me?”
A pleasantly surprised Yu Xiang Die asked, “You’re about to achieve a breakthrough?”
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang were shocked as well.
Luo Ting He’s aura had been conspicuous since she stepped out of the Samsara Pavilion, and the fluctuations she gave off indicated that she was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Yang Kai initially thought that she was unable to curb her aura after staying in the Samsara Pavilion for too long.
Apparently, that wasn’t the case though. The reason behind it was that she was about to achieve a breakthrough.
Since she was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now, naturally she was going to ascend to the Eighth-Order.
An Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would be considered a Supreme Elder or Ancestor in any of those Cave Heavens or Paradises.
It wasn’t that Yang Kai had never seen Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters before, but it was the first time he was about to witness a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master ascending to the Eighth-Order. His interest had been piqued.
If nothing unexpected happened, he would make it to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm one day as well. If he could observe the process now, he might gain something from it that would help with his breakthrough in the future.
Qu Hua Shang shared the same sentiment, so she stared fixedly at Luo Ting He.
The next instant, Luo Ting He leaped into the air and said to Yu Xiang Die, “Wait for me. I’ll be right back.”
Certainly, Yu Xiang Die would wait for her return.
Luo Ting He didn’t head to a faraway place, stopping at a spot that was 1,000 or so kilometres away from the Spirit Province where the Samsara Pavilion was located as she sat down with her legs crossed and formed a hand seal. The World Force swirled around her as the illusory phantom of her Small Universe flickered behind her back.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang stared fixedly at her.
All of a sudden, Yu Xiang Die turned around and saluted the two of them, “Thank you!”
A flabbergasted Yang Kai stepped aside and asked in puzzlement, “What do you mean, Martial Aunt Yu?”
Qu Hua Shang also had no idea what was going on. She didn’t understand why Yu Xiang Die saluted them as they were her Juniors.
Yu Xiang Die said, “Thank you for bringing Senior Sister Luo out of the Samsara Pavilion.”
Yang Kai exchanged glances with Qu Hua Shang, then shook his head, “You’ve got it wrong, Martial Aunt Yu. We didn’t do anything. Instead, Martial Aunt Luo helped us a lot. It is we who should thank her.”
Yu Xiang Die put on a smile, “Do you know how long Senior Sister Luo has been trapped inside the Samsara Pavilion?” Before they could reply to her, she went on to say, “It has been 2,000 years. 2,000 years.”
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang were astounded upon hearing that.
Although they had speculated that Luo Ting He was a powerful cultivator from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven who had barged into their Samsara Worlds, they hadn’t expected that she had been trapped inside for 2,000 years.
The Samsara Pavilion was a place where Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples trained their hearts. Although the place appeared serene, it was paved with danger.
Regardless of whether they cultivated the Heartfelt Dao or the Heartless Dao, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s disciples had to fall in love at some point in order to advance.
It was rumoured that the disciples of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven were all lascivious people; however, they didn’t know that these seemingly unscrupulous people were the most loyal partners out there.
A lot of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s disciples entered the Samsara Pavilion to receive training and set up Heart Barriers for themselves, but they became lost inside forever.
Since time immemorial, countless Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s disciples had been trapped inside the Samsara Pavilion as they were no longer able to tell reality and illusion apart. They had lost their way in the rounds of reincarnation.
Luo Ting He was one of them. There had never been any news about her since she entered the Samsara Pavilion 2,000 years ago. It wasn’t until this day that she reappeared.
“Senior Sister cultivated the Heartfelt Dao, and she had a partner who was also deeply in love with her. Although the challenge was difficult for them, they were supposedly able to surmount it. Unfortunately…”
“What happened?” Qu Hua Shang asked with anxiety. Although she knew that something must have happened that caused Luo Ting He to be trapped inside the Samsara Pavilion for 2,000 years, she still couldn’t help but feel nervous at this moment.
Yu Xiang Die shook her head and let out a sigh, “Senior Sister is a willful person. When she decides to do something, no one can stop her. That day, Brother Xu had an argument with her, saying that no one could pass the test of nine reincarnations in the Samsara Pavilion. Senior Sister argued that she could do it, so she entered the Samsara Pavilion without telling anyone about it. Brother Xu and I were unable to stop her and, at that time, Senior Brother Sun was trying to break through to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Although she didn’t explain who Senior Brother Sun was, Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang knew that he was supposed to be Luo Ting He’s partner. She had faith in the love between them, and she believed that Senior Brother Sun would be able to bring her out of the Samsara Pavilion, so she didn’t have a discussion with him before that.
“An accident happened when Senior Brother Sun was trying to ascend to the Eighth Order, and he passed away.” Yu Xiang Die appeared melancholic as she recalled the incident from 2,000 years ago, “The higher the Order in the Open Heaven Realm, the harder it is to achieve a breakthrough. Although Senior Brother Sun was well prepared, he still failed in his attempt in the end.”
“Was that why Martial Aunt Luo was trapped inside the Samsara Pavilion?” Qu Hua Shang asked.
Yu Xiang Die nodded, “Since Senior Brother Sun had passed away, no one could shatter Senior Sister Luo’s Heart Barrier anymore. That was why no one was able to bring her out of that place.”
Qu Hua Shang suddenly recalled something as she said, “So, the person that Honoured Master had mentioned was Martial Aunt Luo.”
Yu Xiang Die shot her a curious glance, “What did Brother Xu say?”
Qu Hua Shang replied, “There was once when Honoured Master was quite drunk. He said he had wronged a Senior Sister long ago, but he didn’t delve into it, so I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Now, it seems that the person he had mentioned was Martial Aunt Luo.”
If he hadn’t argued with Luo Ting He, she wouldn’t have dashed into the Samsara Pavilion on a whim and become trapped inside it for such a long time.
Yu Xiang Die snorted, “Hmph, he’s guilty of wronging more than just one Senior Sister!”
Qu Hua Shang knew a thing or two about what was going on between her Honoured Master and Yu Xiang Die, but she wouldn’t dare to say anything now, so she just stuck out her tongue at Yang Kai.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai realised a problem, “Martial Uncle Sun passed away after Martial Aunt Luo entered the Samsara Pavilion. It wasn’t until 2,000 years had passed that she got out of the Samsara Pavilion. Does it mean that she isn’t aware of what happened?”
“I suppose she’s aware of it.” Yu Xiang Die put on a bitter smile, “Back then, Brother Xu and I entered the Samsara Pavilion to look for her. There was once when we finally found her and told her about the news. At that time, her memory had been restored, but she soon reincarnated into the next life. Brother Xu and I couldn’t find her again after that.”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
A puzzled Qu Hua Shang asked, “In that case, how did Martial Aunt Luo manage to leave the Samsara Pavilion together with me?”
Yu Xiang Die replied, “That’s where I have to thank you. Both of you have been through nine reincarnations, right?”
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang nodded their heads together.
“At that time, Brother Xu argued with Senior Sister that no one could ever pass the test of nine reincarnations. Senior Sister said that she and Senior Brother Sun could do that, so she entered the Samsara Pavilion without telling anyone. Brother Xu and I thought that the Heart Barrier she had set up must have something to do with Senior Brother Sun and her, and that they must experience nine reincarnations together for her to leave. However, now it seems that it was just one of the ways to break the Heart Barrier. Another way to do it was to witness another couple passing the test of nine reincarnations. The two of you completed just that, so Senior Sister Luo’s Heart Barrier was also shattered. That was why she could leave the Samsara Pavilion.”
Upon hearing her explanation, Yang Kai said, “It was no wonder that Martial Aunt Luo had started appearing by our side after the sixth life. It seems that our reincarnations had something to do with her Heart Barrier.”
That was the only reasonable explanation.
Yang Kai had always wondered why Xiao He had started appearing by Qu Hua Shang and his side with different identities since the sixth life. He initially thought that she was a powerful cultivator from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven whose consciousness happened to be tangled up with their reincarnations. Now, it seemed that it had something to do with the Heart Barrier she had built as she had to witness another couple completing the test of nine reincarnations. Hence, she started taking part in their journey in the sixth life.
The experiences in the previous lives were still alright, but when Yang Kai recalled that he had been bossing Luo Ting He around when she was his personal bodyguard in the ninth life, he couldn’t help but feel guilty.
He thus asked in a small voice, “Martial Aunt Yu, is Martial Aunt Luo a small-minded person?”
Yu Xiang Die shot him a glance, “What’s wrong? Did you do anything wrong to her in the Samsara Pavilion?”
Yang Kai quickly denied it, “No, no, no. How could that be possible?”
Yu Xiang Die smiled gently, “I don’t know if Senior Sister is a small-minded person, but Brother Xu was always bullied by her when he was a boy. Both of us were raised by Senior Sister, so while she’s like an Elder Sister, she is also like a Mother to us. If Brother Xu finds out that she has gotten out of the Samsara Pavilion, I’m sure he’ll be relieved.”
Yang Kai said nonchalantly, “When Martial Uncle Xu returns to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, he’ll naturally find out about this good news.”
Yu Xiang Die and Qu Hua Shang fell silent.
“A lot of people are coming.” Yang Kai suddenly looked into the distance. Although they were 1,000 kilometres apart, Yang Kai could still feel the surging World Force coming from Luo Ting He. As they spoke, the elders from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven who had rarely stepped out of their homes began showing up. It was apparent that they became aware of the ascension attempt.
Chen Xiu rushed over to this place with his two Disciples as they watched the ascension from a place that was several dozen kilometres away from Yang Kai. Beside him were Tao Ling Wan and Feng Cheng Si, who gently nodded at Yang Kai.
In response, Yang Kai nodded back at them.
There were also a lot of Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters that Yang Kai had never seen before.
In just over an hour, hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters had arrived in groups or as individuals as they found suitable locations to observe Luo Ting He’s ascension.
It was rare to see a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master ascending to the Eighth-Order even in the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so whenever that happened, it would attract countless Open Heaven Realm Masters to come over.
To those who intended to make it to the Eighth-Order, such observation was greatly beneficial to them. Even those who didn’t have the chance to ascend to the Eighth-Order, they could still watch it as they might get something out of it.
Although Yang Kai couldn’t detect the presence of any Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, he could faintly feel that some people were paying attention to this place in the dark. There was no doubt that they were the Ancestors of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
“Senior Sister is a genius who is one of the most talented people in the Cave Heavens and Paradises. When she ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, she did so directly to the Seventh Order.” There was a proud expression on Yu Xiang Die’s face when she mentioned Luo Ting He.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang were astounded, “She directly broke through to the Seventh Order?”
Yu Xiang Die nodded.
The two of them exchanged glances and saw the shock in each other’s eyes.
Most of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in the world had no hope of making it to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm in their lifetime. Their starting point determined how far they could go in the Open Heaven Realm.
Those who started out below the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm would never see the High-Rank.
Even those who directly ascended to the Fifth Order would be at risk of losing their lives when trying to break through.
However, Luo Ting He had directly made it to the Seventh Order. In other words, her starting point in the Open Heaven Realm was already much higher than 99% of all Open Heaven Realm Masters.
This kind of disparity was truly dispiriting.
Yang Kai knew that there were people who could directly ascend to the Seventh Order as he too had such a dream in the past. Only by directly ascending to the Seventh Order would one stand a chance to reach the highest Ninth Order.
That was the peak of the Open Heaven Realm.
Nevertheless, life was not a bed of flowers. Although he had a solid foundation and heritage, Yang Kai was forced and made his decision to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm outside of Shadowless Cave Heaven in the end.
After he consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit, his starting point in the Open Heaven Realm became the Sixth-Order, which was equivalent to the Core Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
At that time, he didn’t understand why those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises repeatedly stopped him from ascending to the Seventh Order and even risked tarnishing their reputations to oppress him, so he was furious about it. Although he found out that it had something to do with the Black Ink Clan at a later time, he still couldn’t get over it completely.
After all, his pursuit of the peak of the Martial Dao had been cut off.
This was something that was unforgivable.
In the 3,000 Worlds, apparently, only the disciples born in the Cave Heavens and Paradises who were proven to be loyal and righteous had the right to directly ascend to the Seventh-Order.
Even taking all 108 Cave Heavens and Paradises into consideration, only one such disciple would emerge every 1,000 years or so.
Luo Ting He was one such disciple.
It was the greatest honour to be able to directly ascend to the Seventh Order, and it was also a symbol of power.
Only a person like her had the right to take a peek at the greatest power of the Ninth Order.
Yang Kai had never expected that Luo Ting He was a cultivator who had directly broken through to the Seventh Order. It was also his first time meeting such a person.
He could imagine that those from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven must have been heartbroken when Luo Ting He was trapped in the Samsara Pavilion back then. They must have put in a lot of effort to save her, but it was apparent that their attempts had failed.
By going through nine reincarnations, Qu Hua Shang and Yang Kai accidentally brought Luo Ting He out of the Samsara Pavilion. In other words, both of them had made an incredible contribution to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
That was because they didn’t just save a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, but a potential Master who could rise to the greatest heights in the future.
There was no doubt that of the two of them, Yang Kai had made a bigger contribution. That was because he was the one who had been working hard to shatter Qu Hua Shang’s Heart Barrier throughout the nine reincarnations. It was not an exaggeration to say that he had saved both Luo Ting He and Qu Hua Shang.
An ascension from the Seventh-Order to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm couldn’t be achieved in a short time. Perhaps it would take days or even months; however, the spectators didn’t appear to be impatient at all as they wouldn’t miss any details.
The Samsara Pavilion was where hearts were trained, so regardless of how long a person stayed inside it, their cultivation wouldn’t increase one bit.
Luo Ting He must have reached the critical point of achieving a breakthrough 2,000 ago; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to achieve an ascension as soon as she got out of the Samsara Pavilion. 2,000 years of reincarnation may have even been what triggered the chance for her to achieve ascension.
In other words, if she hadn’t dashed into the Samsara Pavilion on a whim, she would’ve become an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master a long time ago.
“Xiao Qu’er, you directly ascended to the Sixth Order back then, so you’ll have a chance to make it to the Eighth Order. It will be beneficial for you to observe,” Yu Xiang Die said.
Qu Hua Shang nodded with a solemn expression.
“The danger that an Open Heaven Realm Master faces when achieving an ascension is related to the strengthening of their Small Universe. There is a limit to a Small Universe’s capacity, so if the cultivator is unable to bear the sudden increase in power, their Small Universe would be at risk of collapsing. That is the kind of risk that Senior Sister Luo has to face now, and it is also the kind of risk that all Open Heaven Realm Masters have to deal with. In your case, you’re a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who will make it to the Seventh-Order one day. The risk you will have to face at that time is that your Small Universe must materialise, which is the hardest part. It’s even more dangerous than what your Martial Aunt Luo is facing.”
Qu Hua Shang said respectfully, “Please enlighten me, Martial Aunt.”
Yu Xiang Die let out a sigh, “Brother Xu is supposed to be the one who tells you this; however, since he’s not around, I’ll do so on his behalf. During the materialisation process, your Small Universe will face an unimaginable impact. It’s just like a Monster Beast that has to condense a Monster Core in their body when their cultivation reaches a certain level. If your power is unstable, you won’t be able to achieve your goal; therefore, before you ascend to the Seventh Order, you have to make sure that you have accumulated enough heritage. If your heritage is insufficient, your Small Universe won’t be able to materialise, and that will be a fatal disaster. Countless disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises have lost their lives during the process. That’s the reason there are so few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises.”
Since time immemorial, there were not many in the Cave Heavens and Paradises who directly ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but there must be many people who had directly made it to the Fifth-Order.
After years of accumulation, these disciples who had directly ascended to the Fifth Order were supposed to make it to the Sixth Order and even the Seventh Order if nothing unexpected happened; however, if it was so easy to ascend to the Seventh Order, there would have been more than 10,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in each of the Cave Heavens and Paradises by now.
Besides the Cave Heavens and Paradises, there should also be a lot of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Second Class great forces.
Nevertheless, the truth was that none of the Cave Heavens or Paradises had a lot of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. There were likely other reasons for this situation as well, but the huge risk associated with crossing over to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm was undoubtedly a big one. Those disciples who had the right to attempt an ascension to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm either didn’t have the confidence to give it a try as they hadn’t accumulated enough heritage, or had lost their lives during the process.
The gap between the Sixth Order and the Seventh Order was a dividing line, and even after one made it to the Seventh Order, it would be extremely difficult to ascend to the next realm.
Yang Kai suddenly recalled something as he asked, “In that case, the Four Great Pillars and Twelve Minor Pillars must be very useful for the Open Heaven Realm Masters when ascending to the next Order.”
Yu Xiang Die nodded, “That’s to be expected. When an Open Heaven Realm Master achieves an ascension, their Small Universe will be faced with a violent impact. The Four Great Pillars and Twelve Minor Pillars are very useful in stabilising one’s Small Universes; however, you have to understand that only the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters have the right to refine the Twelve Minor Pillars. Although those things might be useful to cultivators below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, they’re unable to use them. The only things that are useful to them are the Four Great Pillars. Nevertheless, those are even rarer. How is the average person supposed to get their hands on them?”
As she spoke, she shot Yang Kai a wry glance to mean that he was truly lucky.
It wasn’t a secret in the Cave Heavens and Paradises that Yang Kai possessed the World Spring, which could protect his Small Universe from external intrusion or impact. Even the Black Ink Strength didn’t have any effect on Yang Kai. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were envious of him because of that.
Yang Kai initially thought that the only uses of the World Spring were to help him fend off external forces and fortify his Small Universe, so it surprised him to learn that it was also useful during breakthroughs.
With one of the Four Great Pillars in one’s body, not only could they ensure that their Small Universe would be freed from any external influences, but it could also allow the cultivator to have no worries about raising living creatures in his or her body to strengthen their heritage. Additionally, it could fend off the invasion of Black Ink Strength. Furthermore, it was very useful when the cultivator achieved an ascension.
Now, it seemed that the Four Great Pillars were indeed some of the most precious treasures in the world. They were just as precious as the Soul Warming Lotus and the Immortal Tree that Yang Kai had obtained. To the Open Heaven Realm Masters, perhaps the Four Great Pillars may even be more valuable.
“Martial Aunt Yu, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask you about,” Yang Kai said humbly.
Yu Xiang Die replied, “Go ahead.”
“I’m sure you know a thing or two about my situation. I’m a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now, and I feel that I’m just one step away from the Seventh-Order. What would I face when I try to break through to the Seventh Order?”
Yu Xiang Die was shocked by how fast Yang Kai could accumulate his heritage.
It had to be noted that it had only been 300 or so years since he directly ascended to the Fifth Order outside of Shadowless Cave Heaven in the Shattered Heaven. On top of that, the 130 years he had spent in the Samsara Pavilion had to be excluded because he wasn’t cultivating at all during that period.
Not only had Yang Kai ascended from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order so quickly, but he was also now just one step away from the Seventh Order.
She had never heard that anyone was able to cultivate so quickly in the Open Heaven Realm. Accumulation was of utmost importance in the cultivation of an Open Heaven Realm Master. There were no other ways to rapidly increase one’s heritage. A long period of accumulation was inevitable for all Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Every Open Heaven Realm Master had to spend a painfully long time cultivating to reach the next Order.
It was possible for a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to ascend to the Fourth-Order after 300 years of cultivating, but it was close to impossible for a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to make it to the Seventh-Order within the same amount of time.
However, the truth was right before Yu Xiang Die’s eyes. She knew and could even feel that Yang Kai was indeed strong. In Lang Ya Paradise, he single-handedly defeated all its Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. No one was a match for him. It was apparent that the average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master couldn’t compete against him. He must be at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Nevertheless, she was unable to answer Yang Kai’s question.
Usually, the most important thing when a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master ascended to the Seventh-Order was the materialisation of the Small Universe, but Yang Kai was different. His Small Universe had already materialised when he made it to the Fifth Order, so he didn’t have to face the biggest problem that troubled other Open Heaven Realm Masters.
After giving it a thought, Yu Xiang Die shook her head, “To be honest with you, I’ve never met an Open Heaven Realm Master like you before. I’ve discussed with my Fellow Brothers and Sisters regarding your situation, and we believe that the uniqueness of your Small Universe might have something to do with the fact that you’re an expert in the Dao of Space.”
“Has no one cultivated the Dao of Space before me?”
“There were many people who had cultivated the Dao of Space before, but none had attainments as high as yours; therefore, I’m not sure what you will face when ascending to the Seventh Order. However, I suppose you won’t face the common problems that trouble other cultivators. Moreover, you have the World Spring to protect your Small Universe, so I think that there won’t be a problem when try to reach the Seventh Order.” She then paused for a moment before continuing, “With that said, you’d still better be careful. Look for a quiet place and cultivate in seclusion. Deduce the problems you might face when achieving an ascension so that you won’t be flustered when that time comes.”
“I understand,” Yang Kai nodded.
He already had the intention to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm a long time ago; however, his 100-year promise with Qu Hua Shang was about to be due at that time, so he put it off until now. Presently, Qu Hua Shang had gotten out of the Samsara Pavilion, so after everything was settled in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Yang Kai planned to start cultivating in seclusion.
As he thought of the Proprietress all of a sudden, he quickly asked, “Martial Aunt Yu, has Lan You Ruo from Void Land exited seclusion yet?”
Yu Xiang Die replied, “She had already left seclusion while you were inside the Chaotic Dead Territory. Don’t worry, she’s now a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.”
Yang Kai arched his brow. He had spent several dozen years in the Chaotic Dead Territory and more than 100 years in the Samsara Pavilion. So, it had been quite a long time since the Proprietress stopped cultivating in seclusion.
Upon learning that she had successfully made it to the Seventh Order, he was relieved. The main reason was that the Proprietress had cultivated in seclusion for a very long time, so he wasn’t sure if everything was going well for her. Even if she was facing any problems though, outsiders were unable to lend her a hand.
Since she had ascended to the Seventh Order, she had to face the problem that the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, who were not from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, had to deal with.
“What’s the stance of the Cave Heavens and Paradises about her?” Yang Kai asked.
Yu Xiang Die replied, “Si Tu Kong from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven has stepped forward to vouch for her, so no one will make a move on her. Don’t worry about it.”
Because of the matter regarding the Black Ink Disciples, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were wary of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters that emerged in other great forces. As such, they would lure those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to their own Sects to keep an eye on them, which caused a misunderstanding among the general public.
Some people would secretly ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm and then sneak into the Shattered Heaven.
It was the same case for Bright Sun Divine Monarch Cheng Yang, Xia Lin Lang, and others; however, those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were unable to explain anything about the Black Ink Clan to the public. Even the Vice Sect Master of Lang Ya Paradise, Yuan Du, was unable to resist the allure of the Black Ink Strength as he took the initiative to give a sacrificial offering to the Black Ink Clan in order to break through his own shackles. It couldn’t be guaranteed that others wouldn’t be tempted upon learning the powers of the Black Ink Strength.
After turning into Black Ink Disciples, they would no longer be restricted by their starting point in the Open Heaven Realm, which was temptation enough for a lot of people, especially those ambitious people who had a low starting point.
However, the Proprietress was originally from First Inn, which was a business backed by Si Tu Kong, who was from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. With his assurance, together with the connections the Proprietress had built up over the years, she could ensure her own independence. At the very least, she wouldn’t fall into the situation that the other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were not from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had to deal with.
All of a sudden, Yu Xiang Die shot a meaningful glance at Qu Hua Shang, “Xiao Qu’er, you must be careful in the future. This brat is not someone who is content with his lot. He might even bring back more women in the future.”
Qu Hua Shang nodded repeatedly, “Yes, Martial Aunt.”
An aggrieved Yang Kai refuted, “Please stop slandering me, Martial Aunt Yu. I’ve never been a licentious man. I’m a well-behaved person who always stays within his bounds.”
Qu Hua Shang looked smilingly at him, “Oh, really? What’s going on with you and Senior Sister Tao then? Weren’t you supposed to tell me about that?”
Yang Kai hurriedly said, “I was just about to explain.