Yang Kai watched for a while, but soon discovered that it should not be difficult for D-4 to win this battle because the latter was clearly much stronger than his opponent.
That was indeed the case. Following an intense battle, the opponent’s momentum gradually declined and D-4 grasped the opportunity to rush forward, using his twin daggers to slice a bright arc through the air as he brushed past his opponent.
The battle subsided in a single moment. When D-4 turned around, a crimson line of blood appeared on his opponent’s neck. Immediately after that, fresh blood gushed out like a fountain, and a powerful force sent his opponent’s head flying into the sky. The headless corpse swayed slightly and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Stretching out his hand, he tossed a World Sphere into the arena. The World Force escaping from the dead Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was immediately absorbed and sealed within the World Sphere.
D-4 held the World Sphere in both hands, then his short figure flickered several times. He came to stand in front of Nu Yan and bowed his head, “Master!”
Taking the World Sphere, Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good!”
Lang Ya, who was standing by the side, had an ugly expression on his face. Although he had several Black Ink Disciples under his command, they did not come easily. How could he not feel pained after losing one of them? The muscles in his face twitched slightly as he shouted, “Again!”
Nu Yan teased, “Why don’t we forget it and challenge each other again another day?”
“Cease your nonsense!” Lang Ya had just lost one of his Black Ink Disciples, so how could he be willing to back down now? He pointed at a sturdy middle-aged man beside him and shouted, “You go!”
Upon hearing the command, the middle-aged man nodded and jumped into the crater in a flash.
Lang Ya glanced at Nu Yan with a provocative expression, “If you’re scared, you can leave. I won’t force you!”
The Black Ink Clan was innately prideful, so how could Nu Yan admit that he was scared in front of such a large crowd? Giving a cold snort, he turned to look at A-1 and B-2. The opponent dispatched by Lang Ya was a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple; therefore, only A-1 or B-2 could face this opponent. After pondering in silence for a moment, he lifted his chin in A-1’s direction, “Go.”
A-1 silently cupped his fist before he turned around and stepped into the battlefield.
Inside the crater, the two Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciples took their positions. Neither of them attacked immediately; instead, they cupped their fists at each other in greeting. In the next moment, World Force flared. They both simultaneously unleashed their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at each other as though they had discussed in advance. Like before, this battle was also very intense. Both parties attacked mercilessly. Many Secret Techniques shone brightly, and World Force collided endlessly.
Yang Kai watched for some time but could not figure out who had the edge. Both the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters undoubtedly came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises and there was barely any difference between their strengths. It was similar to the first battle he had watched. In the end, the final winner would be decided by luck.
Afterward, he turned to observe D-4.
The battle earlier had consumed a lot of D-4’s energy. Fortunately, he did not suffer any serious injuries. As he had already battled once, the following battles would no longer involve him even if there were any; hence, he was no longer as anxious and uneasy as before. His expression had relaxed considerably.
Sensing Yang Kai’s gaze on him, he took the initiative to explain, “This is a gambling match between the Black Ink Clan. It’s very common. You should watch carefully. There’s no telling whether your turn might come in the future.”
“I heard something about a life bout and a deathmatch just now,” Yang Kai spoke softly, “What’s the difference?”
D-4 replied, “Exactly as the name suggests. A deathmatch does not end until one side is dead. Just like my previous battle, and the current battle. On the other hand, in a life bout, it’s enough once a winner is determined. As our Masters’ servants, we are the pieces in the deathmatch, as well as the prize. When either side dies, the World Force in their Small Universe will go to the winner. Meanwhile, in a life bout, both parties will agree upon a bet before the match. For example, betting on the ownership of the Black Ink Disciples or simply betting with Black Ink Coins.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly to indicate his understanding, “Did you say that this kind of gambling is common among the Black Ink Clan?”
D-4 shrugged nonchalantly, “That’s indeed the case. Didn’t you notice how many people are gathered here? They all came here to gamble. The Black Ink Clan is quite fond of this activity. If the Black Ink Disciples under their command are strong enough, then they can obtain many benefits for their Master. Don’t be fooled by the fact that we are the Master’s servants. Many times, the strength of the servants also symbolises the Master’s pride. The tide has to rise for the ship to sail after all.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Thank you for your instruction.”
D-4 waved his hand casually to indicate that it was okay. Then, he suddenly furrowed his brow and solemnly looked down at the fight below.
In such a short period of time, there seemed to have been some unexpected changes. A clear distinction had appeared between the two parties who were originally equal in strength. A-1 was gradually being pushed back under the opponent’s fierce onslaught.
Nu Yan’s expression immediately became tense. On the other hand, Lang Ya stood beside Nu Yan with a smirk on his face. He looked like somebody whose trick had succeeded.
“That person is from Bright King Cave Heaven!” D-4 suddenly exclaimed. His voice was neither loud nor soft. Although he looked like he was talking to Yang Kai, he was actually explaining the circumstances to Nu Yan, “The people from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly cultivate Body Tempering. We’ve been tricked!”
Likewise, Yang Kai had also noticed that A-1’s opponent inside the crater was from Bright King Cave Heaven. He once came into contact with a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven named Xu Wang in the Shattered Heaven. Later, a Seventh-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven also came to Shattered Heaven and captured Blood Crow Divine Monarch.
Cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven had extremely tough bodies. Whenever they fought against others, they rarely used any artifacts as their bodies were their greatest artifacts available. Be that as it may, A-1’s opponent had only used Secret Techniques at the beginning of the battle. That was why nobody had noticed his origins.
It was clearly one of the opponent’s tactics. A-1 was concentrating on a battle of Secret Techniques to decide the winner when his opponent suddenly rushed at him aggressively and launched a close combat assault. The sudden attack had taken him by surprise.
In a fight between Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, the slightest mistake could be fatal.
After A-1 fell into a disadvantage, he was steadily overwhelmed by his opponent and soon could only defend himself, becoming powerless to fight back. Although he wanted to put some distance between them, his opponent shadowed him closely like maggots on rotting bones. It was obvious that the opponent wanted to use his strong point against his enemy’s weakness.
“You cheated!” Nu Yan suddenly turned to glare at Lang Ya and shouted through gritted teeth.
Lang Ya chuckled, “How can one cheat in a fight between Black Ink Disciples? Your slaves are simply too weak!”
Nu Yan was practically spitting fire from his eyes. How could he not know that he had fallen for the other party’s tricks? Lang Ya first tricked him into complacency with the defeat of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, then sent out a Sixth-Order Master to battle instead. It was obvious that the trap had been prepared for him, and he had walked right into it.
The crater below might span several hundreds of metres, but that was far too little space for manoeuvring in a battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters. They would not be able to display their full abilities at all. If this were a battle in the void where there was enough space around them, A-1 might not necessarily have ended up in this situation. Unfortunately, in such an environment, the person with better close-combat ability would be at a big advantage!
Whether it was the Black Ink Clan or the Black Ink Disciples, they all knew that a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven held an absolute advantage in this gambling arena. That was especially true if they managed to close in on their enemy. They could be said to be almost invincible under those circumstances.
It was well known that nobody could defeat a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in this particular environment, unless they were also a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven. That was why Black Ink Disciples from Bright King Cave Heaven were very sought-after in the gambling arena. Furthermore, nobody would accept the challenge if a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven was sent into the arena.
Lang Ya’s provocation earlier had caused Nu Yan to carelessly send out A-1, his strongest Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple, without much consideration. It was not until this moment that he realised he had been tricked. Be that as it may, it was too late for regrets. It was impossible for Black Ink Disciples to retreat from the gambling arena during a deathmatch, regardless of the circumstances.
In truth, A-1 was very strong and had most likely been in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in his prime; however, his opponent was equally powerful. Despite facing a barrage of Secret Techniques from A-1, he neither dodged nor avoided the attacks and charged ahead like a mad beast on a rampage.
A-1 was flustered by this style of combat. What’s more, there was a barrier covering the crater that prevented him from bringing out his full abilities. His strength was gradually being shaved away as a result.
D-4 suddenly sighed, “A-1 is doomed!”
He might only be in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm now, but he had not lost his discerning eye. Besides, he was not the only person who could predict the outcome of the situation in the field. Anybody with the slightest insight would be able to tell that A-1 was simply struggling in the throes of his imminent death. As one of Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciples, D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little sad to see A-1 struggling futilely against a fate that was already determined.
Nu Yan’s expression was becoming more and more ugly. On the other hand, Lang Ya smiled extremely happily. The World Sphere in his hand was already at the ready. Playing with it in his hands, he was ready to toss the World Sphere into the crater to seal the World Force at any moment. The sight of Lang Ya’s behaviour made the rage in Nu Yan’s heart burn even hotter.
Watching this battle made Yang Kai despondent, but there was nothing he could do, making him feel extremely vexed in his heart.
After struggling for some time, A-1’s defences were finally broken through by his opponent. His opponent immediately approached him up close. Even though he fought hard, A-1 eventually lost to the indiscriminate bombardment of his opponent’s iron fists. Fresh blood splattered across crater; even A-1’s defensive artifact was broken to the point where its light grew dim. As those fists smashed his body fiercely, his aura swiftly weakened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
A loud explosion filled the air as blood mist scattered across the sky. A-1’s body was gone, smashed to death.
Meanwhile, his opponent landed lightly in the middle of the crater. He was soaked in blood that came from both himself and A-1. It was a grotesque sight indeed.
The entire arena was filled with cheers. It was obvious that the Black Ink Clan was very satisfied by this bloody scene.
Lang Ya threw his World Sphere into the crater to absorb and seal the World Force that originally belonged to A-1. Then, he immediately turned to look at Nu Yan, “A third round?’
Nu Yan was silent. His originally pitch-black face was now blacker than the bottom of a pot. He might have won the first round, but that was just a fight between Fifth-Order Masters. In contrast, he had lost a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple in the second round. This was such a huge loss that he felt as though he picked up some sesame seeds only to lose a watermelon.
Although Lang Ya invited him to a third round, how could he possibly agree? Without counting Yang Kai, he only had four Black Ink Disciples under his command in the first place. It was a blessing that he had picked up another Black Ink Disciple on the way to the Fierce Wind Estate; otherwise, this loss would have caused him distress for many years to come.
It was not easy for them to obtain Black Ink Disciples. First, a Black Ink Clansman had to keep themselves safe on the battlefield; then, they had to release their Black Ink Strength to corrupt a Human cultivator. More importantly, even if the Human cultivators were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, success was not guaranteed.
Nu Yan had spent thousands of years just to build up his current heritage, so how could he carelessly squander it at will?
For that reason, it was impossible for Nu Yan to accept Lang Ya’s invitation for a third round. Not unless there was something wrong with his head.
Coldly snorting in response, Nu Yan turned to leave.
“I will continue to use this servant. You can send any of your men into battle. What do you think?” Lang Ya’s voice came from behind.
Nu Yan froze and turned back to look at Lang Ya with a puzzled expression as if asking, “Are you speaking the truth?”
Lang Ya shrugged slightly, indicating that he was not joking.
There were countless eyes on them, watching curiously as though enjoying a good show.
Nu Yan immediately scowled upon hearing those words. Needless to say, there was nothing stopping him from leaving this place at this moment. Although he suffered a huge loss, it wasn’t like he hadn’t gained anything. The World Force of Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was still useful to him, and picking E-5 up along the way here had made up for the losses he sustained this time; however, if he left just like this, he would never be able to swallow the resentment in his heart.
Lowering his head, Nu Yan looked into the crater. A-1 might have been defeated and killed by the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, but he had not been completely powerless to fight back. His desperate resistance had also caused some injury to his opponent. In addition, the battle just now had consumed quite a lot of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s strength.
[A one-on-one fight might have been impossible against him, but won’t a series of continuous battles bring him down?]
It had to be said that the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master below was a huge temptation to Nu Yan. The most important reason was that the resentment in his heart could be wiped clean in one go if he won.
Seeing Nu Yan’s hesitation, Lang Ya immediately waved his hand dismissively and said, “Of course, you can leave if you’re scared. There’s no need to force yourself.”
He had said those words before. His statement had been a provocation earlier, and it remained a provocation now. It was just that his tone was completely different. He had spat out those words through gritted teeth earlier, but he was openly sneering now.
Nu Yan had already been hesitating earlier, so he immediately made up his mind after being agitated by those words, “Who’s scared? But, let’s make it clear now. You don’t get to regret your decision when you lose later.”
Lang Ya nodded repeatedly, “Don’t worry, I won’t regret my decision.”
His expression was calm and relaxed, seeming to have great confidence in the Black Ink Disciple under his command.
Looking at Lang Ya’s reaction made Nu Yan’s heart clench. He had the vague feeling that he had made a fool of himself again; unfortunately, he had already agreed to the challenge and could no longer back out of his decision. If he refused the challenge now, he would only become the laughingstock of his clansmen.
Gritting his teeth, Nu Yan gave B-2 a questioning look. A-1 was dead, so he could only count on B-2 now. There was no denying that B-2 was slightly weaker than A-1, but the difference was not too great. Against an injured and exhausted opponent, his odds of obtaining victory were quite high.
Under Nu Yan’s gaze, B-2 lowered his head and said nothing.
“Waste!” Nu Yan snarled.
B-2’s behaviour obviously indicated that he had no confidence in winning. Things were bound to end badly if he were sent to fight with such a mentality. Besides, he had diligently served Nu Yan for a long time. Even if he was a mere servant, B-2 had been very earnest and supportive throughout all these years.
Nu Yan was reluctant to send B-2 to certain death despite his angry cursing, so he turned to Yang Kai and snapped, “You go!”
Having only just picked E-5 up, he did not know what his strength was like. Be that as it may, the Open Heaven Realm Masters were all the same. Seeing that B-2 had no confidence of winning, then the situation was most likely hopeless for E-5 too.
At this point, Nu Yan already regretted not leaving immediately earlier. If he had left, even if he suffered some losses, they wouldn’t have been too unbearable. In contrast, the situation had worsened now. Even the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple he just picked up would have to die here.
Be that as it may, if he had to choose between B-2 and E-5, Nu Yan would choose to abandon E-5. He was not familiar with the new recruit, so he could simply act as if he had not picked anybody up in the first place. By thinking like that, he could comfort himself slightly.
“Yes!” Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist in response. He never imagined that this matter would fall upon his shoulders. Although he felt helpless, the Black Ink Clansman who was supposed to be his ‘Master’ had spoken, so he could only obey.
Nu Yan spoke through gritted teeth, “Even if you die, you have to drag him down with you!”
Yang Kai nodded and jumped into the crater.
Standing beside Nu Yan, D-4 sighed slightly. If it had to be said, he quite liked E-5. The main reason was that A-1 and the others were taciturn while E-5 was willing to chat with him despite being a newcomer. Now that E-5 had been ordered to enter the gambling arena, he would most likely never return again. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven was not an easy opponent after all. That was why D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.
Inside the crater, a bloody stench filled the air. Severed limbs and pieces of flesh could be seen everywhere. An innumerable number of Black Ink Disciples had died in this place, so much so that the blood they spilled had dyed the ground crimson.
The Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven looked over indifferently. His expression was calm. There were signs of injury on his body, but they were not serious. It was just that his battle against A-1 earlier had indeed consumed a lot of his strength. Regardless of his condition though, he was confident that he could defeat his opponent in this kind of venue.
“Please!” Yang Kai cupped his fist at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven.
The words had only just left Yang Kai’s mouth when the opponent shot towards him like an arrow released from its string. His World Force was wrapped around his figure for defence, but his momentum was very aggressive. Since he had already revealed his hand during the first round, there was no longer any need to hide his abilities. Besides, he planned to finish this fight as soon as possible. It was only natural for him to seize the advantage by closing the distance.
In the next moment, the Bright King Cave Heaven Master was slightly taken aback because his opponent was also rushing forward like him. There were no signs of activating a Secret Technique or traces of summoning an artifact, just a punch clad in World Force crashing down on him.
There was an uproar in the audience as countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples widened their eyes in shock and amazement.
Although Nu Yan was also shocked, he was even more furious! [That damn E-5! Knowing that the opponent comes from Bright King Cave Heaven and boasts a strong physical body, I can’t believe he dared to take the initiative to meet him head on! That’s exactly how A-1 was killed earlier!]
However, recalling his own words just now, he suppressed the flames of his anger. He had the vague feeling that E-5 was following his orders and trying to create an opportunity to drag his opponent down with him. If that was the case, then his current actions were understandable.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion boomed across the arena, and shockwaves visible to the naked eye erupted outward. Two figures collided fiercely against each other, then suddenly separated as they flew out in opposite directions.
The first collision went beyond everybody’s expectations.
In the previous battle, the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had already displayed the immense strength of his body. Seeing Yang Kai dashing forward without the fear of death, they all believed that it would be a one-sided massacre, but on the contrary, it turned out to be an evenly matched situation.
Nu Yan was stunned! Even Lang Ya, who had a smile at the corner of his lips, was also stunned. Meanwhile, D-4’s mouth gaped open in shock.
Nobody could have expected Yang Kai to withstand the punch of the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven. Nevertheless, one clash was not enough to prove anything, only the upcoming battle would determine the victor.
Two figures landed on the ground heavily.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had a surprised look in his eyes, but his figure kept charging forward without stopping. Putting some strength into his legs, he kicked off the ground so hard that an indentation formed. At the same time, he charged towards Yang Kai once more. When he was in mid-air, he saw his opponent making the same choice again!
*Hong… Hong… Hong…*
The two figures inside the crater constantly collided and separated. The cycle repeated again and again without the slightest pause. With every collision, the violent World Force kicked up the wind and the clouds. Like throwing a rock into the calm surface of the lake, shockwaves blasted out like ripples spreading into the surroundings.
The silent audience gathered around the crater immediately burst into cheer. This fierce battle enraptured and excited the Black Ink Clan.
There were no fancy Secret Techniques or exchanges between offensive and defensive artifacts, there were only bloody fists against flesh. It was the most primitive kind of conflict, a battle that had never been seen before in the gambling arena. It was enough to bring out the deep-seated murderous brutality buried deep within their hearts and intoxicated them greatly.
The smile on Lang Ya’s face gradually vanished, and his expression became solemn.
Meanwhile, Nu Yan’s expression was filled with surprise. He originally made the choice between abandoning B-2 or E-5, sending the unknown E-5 into battle. Who could have known that E-5 would give him such a pleasant surprise?
Despite facing a direct confrontation with a cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven, E-5 did not lose out in the slightest. Leaving aside the final outcome of the battle, just this scene alone had already broken his previous assumptions.
“Is he also from Bright King Cave Heaven?” Nu Yan turned to look at D-4.
Along the journey, D-4 and E-5 had gotten together and whispered to each other from time to time. It was not that he did not notice, but rather that he did not have to worry about the loyalty of the Black Ink Disciples under him, so he rarely bothered to care about their private lives. Nu Yan had not asked about E-5’s background and had even given him a name in a haphazard manner.
However, D-4 should know something.
Upon hearing the question, D-4 shook his head, “No. He claimed to be from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
The Black Ink Clan had a certain understanding of the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, so needless to say, even Nu Yan had heard of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. As a result, he immediately became puzzled, “Do the people from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven have such powerful bodies?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Those from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven are proficient in the Yin-Yang Union Cultivation. They are not known for the strength of their bodies. E-5… may just be innately gifted!”
That was the only explanation. It was not to say that others would not have strong bodies if they did not come from Bright King Cave Heaven. It was only a general comparison. The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly focused on Body Tempering, so their Secret Arts were also based on enhancing their physiques.
“Who do you think is better between them?” Nu Yan asked with great interest. Although he was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman with strength equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was not very familiar with the way Humans fought. He could only see that the battle was extremely intense, but he could not see who held the upper hand.
D-4 could not really say because he himself could not tell; thus, he could only speak conservatively, “E-5 has hope of winning!”
That was enough.
Nu Yan laughed heartily, “Good! Very good!”
[I’ve truly found a treasure! It’s a blessing that I sent him out to participate in this battle. I would never have known that E-5 was so amazing otherwise.]
At the same time, he began to worry about E-5’s safety. It would be good if E-5 won the battle, but if E-5 was defeated and killed, the loss would break his heart even more than the death of A-1.
Nu Yan turned his head to the side, and seeing that Lang Ya’s expression was solemn and no longer as calm and relaxed as before, he sneered, “D-4, what do the Humans say about such situations?”
Observing the situation, D-4 quickly said, “All your clever scheming has led to your downfall! There’s also a saying, ‘Tried to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice’!”
“Right! Right!” Nu Yan nodded repeatedly, “That’s how it goes.”
Lang Ya glanced sideways and coldly spat, “The Black Ink Disciple under your command is too presumptuous.”
Nu Yan snorted with laughter, “As you know, he is a Black Ink Disciple under my command. He is none of your damn business! Weren’t you laughing so happily earlier? Why don’t you show me a smile now?”
How could Lang Ya smile at this time when he was pale with rage?
Lang Ya originally thought that he would obtain another victory. Who could have known that Nu Yan would have such a talented servant under him? Lang Ya even suspected that Nu Yan had set him up. Why else would Nu Yan have behaved so reluctantly earlier?
Just as Lang Ya was gritting his teeth in anger, the Black Ink Disciple beside him suddenly exclaimed softly, “Master, something isn’t right!”
Ignoring Nu Yan’s pestering, Lang Ya quickly looked down into the crater below. What entered his field of view made his heart sink.
There was indeed something wrong.
At first, the two Black Ink Disciples had been evenly matched and there was no telling who was having the upper hand; however, in such a short time, the Black Ink Disciple under his command had clearly fallen behind. The Black Ink Disciple no longer showed the same heroic bravery as before and was steadily being pushed back by his opponent. He was in a wretched state.
This scene made Lang Ya’s expression become even uglier. He had been extremely confident in the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven under him; otherwise, he would not have ordered him to fight two consecutive battles. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to reap some benefits from Nu Yan, but how could he have anticipated such an outcome? At this rate, he would really end up trying to steal a chicken but losing his rice.
Another peal of smug laughter came from Nu Yan, which sounded extremely grating to Lang Ya’s ears.
The Black Ink Clansmen watching the battle cheered loudly, making Lang Ya become increasingly anxious. In the end, he couldn’t help roaring furiously, “Kill him! Otherwise, I will kill you myself!”
When the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven on the battlefield heard the command from his Master, he ferociously threw his fist at Yang Kai to open up some distance between them. His hands then moved swiftly to form a set of seals and cast a Secret Technique. Following the fluctuation of World Force around him, a dazzling giant illusory phantom enveloped his body. His entire being seemed to integrate with the illusory phantom, and his aura soared instantly.
Immovable Bright King Golden Body!
The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven focused on cultivating their physical bodies; hence, the Immovable Bright King Golden Body was their biggest trump card. If he unleashed this Secret Technique, then it meant that he was ready to fight with everything he had.
Yang Kai, who was now being pushed back, looked annoyed. With his current strength, it would not take much effort for him to defeat or even kill this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator in front of him; however, he was currently stuck in the depths of Black Ink Clan’s territory, so he did not dare to expose too much and was consciously suppressing his true strength. After all, if he killed his opponent in two or three hits, he would surely draw attention to himself. In the worst case, he might even pique the interest of a Feudal Lord.
A Black Ink Feudal Lord was equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Receiving the attention of such a Master was bound to cause unexpected complications to occur.
In contrast, the one he currently followed was no more than a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, Nu Yan. Even if an unexpected incident occurred, Yang Kai could easily resolve the matter with his strength alone.
That was why he had pretended to be going all out, as though he aimed to die together with his opponent, while in truth he was greatly holding back.
Now that his opponent had suddenly activated his Immovable Bright King Golden Body though, the strength that Yang Kai displayed so far was not enough to match. As this thought swirled around in his head, Yang Kai sighed softly and immediately activated the power of his Dragon Vein.
There was no other choice. If he did not do this, he would have no explanation for what would happen next. His opponent’s strength had soared, so if he did not use some sort of trump card as well, then he would have no way to explain his increase in strength.
In front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai let out a furious howl. His expression was filled with savagery. Immediately after that, a series of crackling and popping sounds rang out and his figure swelled up.
Yang Kai did not dare to perform a complete Dragon Transformation as that would turn him into a 20,000 metres long Grand Dragon. If he were to do that, he would most certainly be exposed.
While carefully supressing his Dragon Vein, Yang Kai’s figure abruptly swelled until he was a dozen metres tall. His exposed skin was covered in a layer of dense Dragon Scales, a Dragon Horn protruded from his forehead, his hands turned into Dragon Claws, and a Dragon Tail swished back and forth behind his back. With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he stood there in a Half-Dragon Form while a faint Dragon Pressure permeated the air and a Dragon Roar reverberated throughout the gambling arena.
Outside the crater, Nu Yan widened his eyes in astonishment and stared at the changes in front of him in shock. B-2, C-3, and D-4 standing beside him were equally shocked. Then, D-4 suddenly exclaimed, “So that’s it!”
Nu Yan looked back, “What?”
D-4 quickly cupped his fist, “Master, it looks like E-5 is not a pureblood Human. He probably has some Dragon Clan blood in him!”
“A Dragon Clan bloodline!” Nu Yan raised his eyebrows at those words, “Isn’t that what you Humans call the leaders of the Divine Spirits?”
Even though he had participated in the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Humans countless times, the truth was that Nu Yan had never seen the Dragon Clan in person before. At most, he only heard of such a Race.
Nevertheless, he immediately became excited, “Doesn’t that mean he is amazing?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Reporting to Master, E-5 may have some Dragon Clan blood running through his veins, but his bloodline is clearly not very pure. Judging by his appearance, he is what we call a ‘Dragonborn’. He is not part of the true Dragon Clan.” As if afraid that Nu Yan would not understand, he made an analogy, “If you compare the Black Ink Clan to the Dragon Clan, then the Dragonborn is similar to Black Ink Disciples. Although the Dragonborn have some of the Dragon Clan’s powers, they are far from the real thing.”
Nu Yan nodded without really understanding the explanation. In any case, he knew that the servant called E-5 was quite special.
D-4 continued, “The Dragon Clan is very powerful. They are known as the head of the Divine Spirits; hence, their physical bodies are extraordinarily powerful. E-5’s strong physique is probably related to the Dragon Vein in his body. It all makes sense now. He comes from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven after all, so how can his body be stronger than that of someone from Bright King Cave Heaven? It turns out he was a Dragonborn all along.”
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Turning to look at Lang Ya, he mocked the other party, “You have chosen the wrong opponent.”
Lang Ya coldly snorted, “It is uncertain who will win and who will lose. Don’t get carried away.”
Nu Yan snorted and said nothing more. Wasting time arguing with Lang Ya was meaningless. As long as his servant won the battle, he would be able to see Lang Ya’s angry and depressed face, which would make it all worth it.
On the battlefield inside the crater, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, who cast his Immovable Bright King Golden Body, and Yang Kai, who was in his Half-Dragon Form, attacked and collided with each other again.
This time around, the battle was more ferocious and cruel compared to before.
Everybody knew that both parties had played their final cards and the outcome of the life-or-death battle was about to be decided, so all were excitedly paying attention.
The two gigantic figures collided with each other, but they did not separate from each other as they did before. On the contrary, they became entangled together. Activating the powers of their Small Universes, they constantly attacked each other indiscriminately. Both of them had completely abandoned any form of defence and focused solely on a fierce offensive. They were behaving as though they wanted to kill each other or die trying.
Yang Kai even used his Dragon Tail and Dragon Fangs to attack.
This battle was not flashy, but it was ferocious and brutal. Fresh blood splattered everywhere, and the two figures rolled about in a tangle of limbs. When they slammed into the light barrier, the impact even made an indentation in it. Although the light barrier recovered quickly, the horrifying power behind their collision could be seen.
After some time, the light of the Immovable Bright King Golden Body gradually became dim; likewise, Yang Kai was drenched in blood and he looked as though he was in a precarious state.
Be it Lang Ya or Nu Yan, their expressions became solemn. Nobody had expected this battle to end up in this situation. It was impossible to tell who would win in the end; however, it had to be said that this was a satisfying battle to watch. That much was obvious just by looking at the exhilarated expressions of the Black Ink Clan in the audience.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion erupted. The two figures that had been tangled together since they pulled out their final trump cards finally separated, dropped out of the sky, and crashed to the ground.
The Immovable Bright King Golden Body had been shattered completely and the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator lay motionless on the ground. It was unknown whether he was still alive.
The corners of D-4’s mouth twitched slightly. Although he came from Nine Stars Paradise, he was aware that a Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s Golden Body was extremely powerful. It was unbelievable to think that it had been forcibly broken with brute force. If Bright King Cave Heaven learned about this situation, they would certainly feel ashamed.
Yang Kai’s Dragon Transformation slowly disappeared, and he returned to his Human Form. Similarly, he lay on the ground without moving.
[Did the both of them die?] The Black Ink Clan watched with eyes widened in surprise. If that was the outcome of the battle, then it would be quite interesting in and of itself. They did not care for the life or death of the Black Ink Disciples, so it would be a worthwhile trip here if they could witness such an exhilarating battle.
However, there were no signs of any Small Universes collapsing. In other words, both parties were still alive. It was just that the battle had been too intense, so they were completely exhausted.
Lang Ya’s furious roar rang out, “Stand up and kill him!”
[Victory or defeat is only one step away, how can I fall short now!?]
Seeming to hear his master’s command, the fingers of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator twitched in response; then, he struggled to his feet and staggered towards Yang Kai.
Nu Yan felt as though his heart was in his throat. Although he sent E-5 into battle because he originally planned to abandon him, this battle had completely exceeded his expectations. Based on the strength E-5 displayed so far, it was clear that he was much stronger than A-1. Nu Yan was reluctant to throw aside a servant like that, but there was nothing he could do at this moment. Masters were not allowed to interfere in the fights between their Black Ink Disciples. Those were the rules.
Seeing that the opponent was going to reach E-5, Nu Yan yelled anxiously, “Get up! Get up!”
Yang Kai remained motionless.
D-4 sighed sorrowfully, [In the end, he still lost.]
In this place, defeat meant death as the opponent would not be merciful.
In front of everybody’s eyes, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator staggered over to Yang Kai and stood before him. It was at that moment that Yang Kai, who had been lying there without moving, abruptly leaped to his feet and kicked his opponent in the chest. His opponent stumbled and fell to the ground. Then, he lunged forward, sat on his opponent, and threw a frenzy of punches.
Nu Yan had been so nervous that his heart was about to jump out of his chest, so when he saw this sight, he couldn’t help laughing out loud.
On the other hand, Lang Ya was flabbergasted. He never imagined such a turn of events would occur.
*Peng peng peng…*
Yang Kai’s fist smashed down, causing the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator to become bruised and bloody under his punches. Be that as it may, everyone could tell that he barely had any strength left even though he was attacking fiercely. His punches seemed almost weak and flimsy.
At the beginning, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator struggled to fight back; nevertheless, he quickly lost the strength to resist and just lay there to be slaughtered. He was also a dry oil lamp at this point.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped and struggled to his feet. Immediately after that, he did something completely unexpected. He grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator by one of the legs and staggered towards Nu Yan.
The cheers had died down. All the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples were staring at Yang Kai in confusion. Having reached this point, the winner of this battle was obvious; even so, the conclusion of the battle never came. In a place like this, one party had to die in order for a deathmatch to be considered over.
Although Yang Kai had won the battle, his opponent was still alive. The audience understood. It was not that he didn’t want to kill his opponent. He simply no longer had the strength to do so!
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was a dry oil lamp who didn’t even have the strength to fight back at this point. Be that as it may, thanks to how he normally focused on cultivating his physical body, his physique was incredibly intrepid all on its own. It was not easy for an opponent who was equally exhausted to kill him.
Such a situation had never been seen before.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was feeling extremely uneasy as he dragged the Bright King Heaven cultivator towards Nu Yan. He didn’t know whether the plan he had made up on the spot could be realised; even so, he had to try. This matter involved a life after all.
Inside the Sealed World, Meng Qi once told him that there was no need for him to show mercy to his opponents if he encountered another Black Ink Disciple in the future. On the contrary, he should kill them if he could as that would in and of itself be a blessing for them.
Yang Kai never imagined that the time to make such a choice would appear so quickly before him; however, he could not bring himself to ruthlessly slaughter the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in front of him. He had the means to solve the root issue after all. There might be an opportunity for him to rescue this Black Ink Disciple and restore his original nature; which was why he tried every means possible to defeat his opponent without killing him.
Staggering over to Nu Yan, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Master, fortunately, I did not fail my mission!”
Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good! I knew I was right about you.”
The truth was that he had made up his mind to abandon Yang Kai when he sent him into the battlefield earlier. Looking back on his decision now, it would seem like he had great foresight instead.
Nu Yan lowered his head and glanced at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator whom Yang Kai had dragged over to him. A greedy look flashed across his eyes as he stretched out his hand, “Hand him to me.”
Yang Kai had no choice but to obey.
Nu Yan reached out and grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, his large palm holding him upright as his Black Ink Strength surged and wrapped around the latter.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Nu Yan’s actions had not disappointed him. This situation was exactly what he had been hoping for.
On the other hand, the expression of Lang Ya, who had been gnashing his teeth and watching from nearby, immediately fell at this sight and he shouted grimly, “Nu Yan, what are you doing!?”
He initially thought that Nu Yan would simply enjoy the spoils of war. The World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was an extremely nutritious supplement to a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman after all. Nu Yan’s strength would surely increase sharply after devouring the World Force of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
How could he have anticipated that Nu Yan had no such plans at all? Contrary to expectations, Nu Yan used his own Black Ink Strength to corrode the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator; in this way, wouldn’t the Bright King Heaven cultivator become Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciple instead?
How could Lang Ya accept this situation? A living Black Ink Disciple and a dead Black Ink Disciple had very different values.
He had agreed on a death match with Nu Yan, so now that the outcome of the battle had been decided, Lang Ya had mentally prepared himself for his Black Ink Disciple to be killed. If Nu Yan had killed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, then he would have nothing to say; however, Nu Yan’s current actions were unacceptable to him. Doing this would greatly increase the overall strength of Nu Yan’s subordinates. Conversely, Lang Ya would lose a powerful subordinate. Thanks to this shift in numbers, the gap between his strength and Nu Yan’s strength would become very large.
“Do you have an objection?” Nu Yan glanced sideways at Lang Ya.
Lang Ya roared angrily, “You and I agreed to a death match! The battle must end with death to determine the winner! What do you mean by stealing my Black Ink Disciple now!?”
If it were a life bout where the ownership of the losing Black Ink Disciple was the wager, then Nu Yan’s actions would be beyond reproach; however, it was different for a deathmatch.
Nu Yan sneered, “What do you mean by stealing? The outcome of the battle has been decided and these are spoils of war. If I want him alive, he will live. If I want him dead, he will die. His life is mine now. It has nothing to do with you.”
Lang Ya insisted on the rules and refused to back down, “A deathmatch is a deathmatch! Between these two Black Ink Disciples, only one may survive. You may choose which one!”
Nu Yan shook his head slowly, “Nobody ever said that only one person can survive in a death match.”
It was true that nobody had ever specified such a thing, it was just that every deathmatch had ended with the same result, mainly because the Black Ink Disciples who fought in each battle were not significantly different in strength. There had never been a situation in which a Black Ink Disciple with a higher Order had utterly suppressed a Black Ink Disciple with a lower Order before.
Seeing as the Black Ink Disciples could not afford to hold back once the fight started, it was only natural that one side would eventually be defeated and killed. In this way, everybody had simply taken this rule as a given.
A situation like this, where Yang Kai had captured his opponent alive and returned to his Master, was unprecedented; hence, there was room for interpretation.
Lang Ya did not waste his time arguing with Nu Yan though. Raising his arms, he shouted to the audience, “Let’s ask our clansmen! What are the rules of a deathmatch!?”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Deafening cheers rang out from the surrounding audience. The Black Ink Clan did not care about who would benefit from this situation, they simply wanted to see blood and death.
Lang Ya gave Nu Yan a defiant look with a smug expression on his face.
Nu Yan’s expression became solemn. He really liked this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, so it would be great if he could take him under his command. However, his gains would not be worth the losses if he incurred the wrath of his clansmen here.
While Nu Yan was hesitating, Yang Kai suddenly cupped his fist, “Master, why don’t you let me fight him again? I can slowly, slowly torture him to death!”
Nu Yan frowned and asked, “Slowly torture him to death?”
What would the point of that be?
Yang Kai quickly followed up, “What do you think of a hundred years?”
Only then did Nu Yan understand and grinned to himself. Who would be willing to watch this fight drag on for 100 years? Even Lang Ya may not have such patience. Once Lang Ya was gone, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator would naturally become his Black Ink Disciple. It wasn’t a bad solution.
“You court death!” Lang Ya turned and glared at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai lowered his head, “If Master wants me dead, I will die!”
The implication behind his words was naturally ‘you are not qualified to order me around’.
D-4’s eyes widened when he heard those words. It was only at this moment that he realised how bold E-5 was, [I can’t believe he dared to speak to a Black Ink Clansman in such an aggressive manner!? Does he not know how to write the word ‘death’!?]
“Impudence!” Nu Yan rebuked, but the tone of his voice held no sense of reproach whatsoever.
Yang Kai bowed his head in deference.
Nu Yan then turned to look at Lang Ya, “I’m sure you’re not willing to spend 100 years watching a boring fight, right? If you’re really that leisurely, then I can allow the two Black Ink Disciples to continue their match.”
In any case, the cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven had already been imbued with his Black Ink Strength and could already be considered his Black Ink Disciple. As long as Nu Yan gave the order, it was really possible for the two Black Ink Disciples to fight for another 100 years.
Lang Ya’s expression was frigid, but he remained silent.
“Let’s do this. Why don’t we just invite the three Feudal Lords to adjudicate this matter? We can ask them for their opinions and decide based on the majority. Whatever the Feudal Lords decide, we will obey their decision,” Nu Yan suggested.
The reason Nu Yan made such a suggestion was that he would not suffer any losses, regardless of the outcome. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was allowed to live, then he would obtain an additional powerful servant. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was condemned to die, then he could take the opportunity to devour his World Force and increase his own strength.
On the contrary, no matter how the situation turned out, Lang Ya would not benefit in any way.
More importantly, Nu Yan did not have 100 years to waste either.
Seeing as Nu Yan had already made such a suggestion, how could Lang Ya refuse? He immediately nodded in agreement, “Good!”
Nu Yan turned to look around him, then he placed his hand on his chest, “I respectfully invite our respected Feudal Lords to pass judgement upon this matter.” Pointing at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, he continued, “The life of this Black Ink Disciple will depend on your judgement, Sirs.”
There were Black Ink Feudal Lords mixed among the Black Ink Clan watching in the surroundings; moreover, they were not few in number. As long as one could reach the appropriate level of strength, they would automatically become a Feudal Lord, but not every Black Ink Feudal Lord had their own territory.
This place was the Fierce Wind Estate, and there was naturally a Feudal Lord in charge here; as such, other Feudal Lords did not have a say in how this place operated. Since the Lord of the Fierce Wind Estate had a territory of his own, that could only mean that his strength was incomparable to an ordinary Feudal Lord. Still, that did not mean other Feudal Lords did not have any authority here.
It was the same as Void Land. There were so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, but despite also being one of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai was also Void Land’s Lord. The others might be part of Void Land, but they did not have the status of being the Lord.
After Nu Yan finished speaking, he waited quietly.
A short while later, a female Black Ink Feudal Lord finally spoke up with great majesty, “A deathmatch should involve death. What meaning is there for both to survive?”
The meaning behind her words was extremely clear.
Lang Ya and Nu Yan bowed with their hands on their chests as a sign of respect. Then, they quietly waited for the next Feudal Lord to speak. Nevertheless, Lang Ya’s expression was obviously much more relaxed thanks to the support of this female Feudal Lord.
Nu Yan was unaffected by the situation as he figured he would win regardless of the outcome.
After a while, another Feudal Lord spoke, “The Black Ink Disciple is also part of the Black Ink Clan’s strength. Let him live. He will be of use on the battlefield.”
The opinions of the two Feudal Lords had opposed each other. In that case, the last Feudal Lord would undoubtedly decide the life or death of that Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
A voice soon rang out from somewhere, “Let him live!”
The response was very concise. There was no need for much explanation. He probably had the same thoughts as the second Feudal Lord. The Black Ink Disciple could contribute more if he survived.
Nu Yan and Lang Ya bowed once more.
When they straightened their backs, Nu Yan gave Lang Ya a triumphant smile.
Lang Ya snorted in response. Turning around, he left with his remaining Black Ink Disciple in tow. He originally had three Black Ink Disciples gathered around him, including two Fifth-Order and one Sixth-Order. One of his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been killed by D-4, and his only Sixth-Order servant had been captured by Yang Kai. At present, he was only left with one Fifth-Order Master. It was a bleak sight to behold.
If Lang Ya wanted to obtain more Black Ink Disciples, then he could only buy them from other Black Ink Clansmen, participate in similar gambling battles, or wait for the war to break out so that he could corrupt a Human cultivator with his Black Ink Strength on the battlefield. In any case, he suffered a huge loss this time.
Nu Yan, who was in conflict with Lang Ya, was naturally overjoyed by this turn of events. The two gambling battles had resulted in the loss of A-1, followed by the acquisition of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
Although the line-up under his command remained at five subordinates, his overall strength had increased. Everything could be accredited to the newly-recruited servant called E-5. If E-5 had not given him such an unexpectedly pleasant surprise today, he would not be so ecstatic right now.
Turning around, he looked at Yang Kai, who was bloody and dishevelled from the fight. The more he looked at Yang Kai, the happier he became. He had never found a Black Ink Disciple so appealing before.
“From today onwards, you will be called A-1!” Nu Yan said while looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist and responded softly, “Yes!”
His name had changed from E-5 to A-1 all of a sudden. It was obviously a giant leap in status.
“Your name is E-5!” The Black Ink Clansman looked at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator again.
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had yet to recover fully after such a short rest, but he had enough energy to at least stand up now. Despite his pale complexion, he responded in the affirmative.
Thanks to Yang Kai’s performance earlier, Nu Yan’s attitude towards him became much warmer and friendlier; moreover, he would glance at Yang Kai from time to time with a thoughtful expression.
Leading the Black Ink Disciples under his command, Nu Yan left the gambling arena and found a place to rest. He even handed many cultivation resources to Yang Kai so that the latter could recover sooner.
Yang Kai could only show a grateful attitude. The truth was that the previous fight against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had not exhausted him to a great extent. He had been holding back his strength all this time, so he only looked like he was in a wretched condition on the surface. Nevertheless, in order not to expose his secret, Yang Kai was forced to suppress his recovery ability as much as possible. In this way, it took him three whole days before he returned to his peak.
During these three days, he repeatedly felt Nu Yan watching him with a vaguely meaningful look. These occurrences made him somewhat vigilant. He even wondered whether he had accidentally revealed his secrets and caused Nu Yan to become suspicious of him. Upon careful consideration though, Yang Kai realised that his worries were unwarranted. He had not made any mistakes, so Nu Yan could not have figured out anything; even so, he could not understand what Nu Yan was thinking.
When Yang Kai opened his eyes on the third day, it was obvious that Nu Yan had been waiting for a long time. Nu Yan’s gaze immediately swept in his direction, and he called out, “A-1!”
Yang Kai stood up and cupped his fist, “How may I help you, Master?”
“With your ability, how many battles can you win if you fought consecutive rounds against Humans in the same Order without any rest?” Nu Yan asked.
Yang Kai did not know why Nu Yan was asking about this. He thought to himself that it was impossible for him to lose against opponents in the same Order no matter how many of them he fought, but he answered cautiously, “Three battles, at most.”
Nu Yan raised his eyebrows, “Three? Very good!” While saying that, he stood up and looked in a certain direction, “I’m going to bring you to a gambling arena. Can you guarantee that you will be undefeated in all three battles?”
Yang Kai frowned and asked, “This subordinate has just shown his face in the gambling arena a few days ago. Will anybody be willing to be my opponent if we go again now?”
His previous battle against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had been witnessed by many Black Ink Clansmen. No matter how much he had suppressed his strength, his victory would not change. There might not be anybody who was willing to take up the challenge due to the skills Yang Kai showed in the earlier battle.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Rest assured, there will definitely be contenders. Even if there aren’t, I’ll think of a way. You don’t need to worry about this. However, I need you to guarantee me that you will never lose. If you think that you are incapable of continuing, then let me know in advance.”
He was reluctant to lose a servant like Yang Kai.
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded.
“Let’s go!” Nu Yan beckoned with his hand and led his Black Ink Disciples towards the gambling arena once more.
A short while later, they arrived at a crater where two Black Ink Disciples were fighting. The surrounding area was as lively as ever. This was undoubtedly a deathmatch. The two Black Ink Disciples were struggling desperately, each unleashing their respective Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities. It was an extraordinarily heated battle, and the cheers rang out endlessly from the crowd.
After waiting for some time, the fight between the two Black Ink Disciples finally came to an end. The winner survived, and the loser died. Sometimes, the fate of Black Ink Disciples lay at the whims of the Black Ink Clan.
When the victorious Black Ink Disciple left the arena, Nu Yan signalled Yang Kai with a look.
Yang Kai immediately understood and flew down into the crater. It had only been three days since he last fought a valiant battle here, so many Black Ink Clansmen recognised him when he suddenly showed up here. They immediately looked enthusiastic, chatting while watching with great interest. Be that as it may, no Black Ink Clansman sent their own Black Ink Disciple into the arena.
This couldn’t be helped as Yang Kai’s performance a few days ago had been too extraordinary. If somebody entered the arena without confidence, they would only suffer a tragic end. It was not easy to obtain Black Ink Disciples, so the Black Ink Clan was not willing to squander them carelessly. Naturally, there were many Black Ink Clansmen who showed interest in Yang Kai. It was just that they could only shake their heads regretfully after asking the opinions of the Black Ink Disciples under their command.
Despite waiting for a while, nobody stepped forward to accept the challenge. Yang Kai remained standing in the middle of the crater, looking rather bored. A Black Ink Clansman soon yelled from the surrounding area, “Nu Yan, nobody will accept your challenge if you send this person into battle! Change him for someone else!”
Nu Yan bared his teeth in annoyance. He initially thought that he could get lucky, and a Black Ink Clansman who was not aware of Yang Kai’s strength would send their Black Ink Disciple into battle. Who could have known that there were no reckless fools around today? The Black Ink Clansmen who witnessed the battle three days ago would not be deceived, and those who had not witnessed the battle in person learned about the situation after making some enquiries.
Since he could not rely on luck, he could only lure others in with the temptation of profit.
Nu Yan chuckled and spoke in a carrying voice, “It is true that my Black Ink Disciple is quite strong. I’ve never seen anybody else in the same Order who is more powerful than him. But, since he is already standing in the arena, it’s a pity to leave without even fighting. Let’s do this instead. We’ll fight a life bout. Whoever wins the battle can go ahead and take him away. Whoever loses the battle will only need to pay me 100 Black Ink Coins.”
As soon as this statement came out, an uproar broke out among the Black Ink Clansmen. Nu Yan’s words were too brazen. It was almost like he was implying that it was impossible for his Black Ink Disciple to be defeated.
A Black Ink Clansman immediately asked eagerly, “Nu Yan, are you serious?”
The value of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple was not low. If a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple were to be traded, they would definitely be sold for tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins. It had to be said that tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins would be a sizable chunk of wealth to a High-Rank Black Ink Clan.
Even if they lost, the compensation was not too high. There would not be any deaths either since it was a life bout. In other words, they did not need to worry about their Black Ink Disciples dying and only needed to pay 100 Black Ink Coins.
It was only 100 Black Ink Coins; who could not afford something like that? Even the Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen could bring out 100 Black Ink Coins at will.
Nu Yan nodded, “Of course, I’m being serious. That is something I announced in public, so how can I go back on my words?”
Upon hearing those words, the Black Ink Clansmen immediately became agitated and sent the Black Ink Disciples under their command into the arena. Dozens of Black Ink Disciples instantly took to the air and landed inside the crater.
Originally, Yang Kai stood alone in the gambling arena, now, a dozen or so figures were present.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Are you planning to gang up on me? If that’s the case, I will have to admit defeat.”
Many of the Black Ink Clansmen looked around at each other. Nobody was willing to let their Black Ink Disciples retire from this battle. It was a great opportunity after all. Therefore, they all waited for the others to withdraw their Black Ink Disciples from the battlefield.
After a period of stalemate, Nu Yan came up with a suggestion, “Let’s do this. I’ll ask my Black Ink Disciple to randomly pick an opponent. Whomever he chooses will be the opponent in this battle, so there’s no need to argue over this matter. What do you think?”
This suggestion naturally received unanimous approval from everybody, so they nodded in agreement.
Only then did Nu Yan lower his head to look at Yang Kai, “Choose one yourself.”
Yang Kai swept his eyes over the crowd and randomly pointed a finger at a handsome young man, “You!”
The young man nodded lightly, and the other Black Ink Disciples left the battlefield after receiving orders from their respective Masters. Soon, only Yang Kai and the young man were left on the battlefield.
Nu Yan said, “Once you’re ready, you may start at any time.”
As soon as those words rang out, Yang Kai slammed into his opponent like an arrow released from the string. His large hand reached out as World Force surged around his palm.
The young man had obviously seen the battle three days ago, so he knew Yang Kai’s strength. As soon as he saw Yang Kai making a move, how could he dare to let his opponent approach him? He immediately fled to the back and simultaneously cast a Secret Technique.
The Secret Technique blasted at Yang Kai, but Yang Kai neither dodged nor avoided the attack and instead threw out a punch.
The battle was quite fierce. The young man was quite strong. Having originated from a Cave Heaven or Paradise, he was not an average Master. Both parties exchanged blows furiously, allowing the Black Ink Clan to enjoy the battle with relish.
For Yang Kai, this kind of battle was nothing special. It was just that he needed to moderately show off his strength without exposing too much, so suppressing his power was actually the most difficult part.
The intense battle lasted for an incense stick, and in the end, Yang Kai found an opportunity to punch the young man so hard that he coughed up blood and flew out. During that interval, Yang Kai did not pursue victory and simply stood silently in place.
The young man gasped for breath for some time before he cupped his fist and flew away without a word.
The corners of Nu Yan’s mouth curled into a smile at the sight. After receiving the 100 Black Ink Coins from the master of the Black Ink Disciple earlier, he glanced at Yang Kai questioningly, to which Yang Kai nodded lightly in response.
Seeing that, Nu Yan suddenly became confident and shouted, “The rules for the next battle will remain the same, but the loser will have to pay me 500 Black Ink Coins!”
Many Black Ink Clansmen were stunned.
Generally speaking, Black Ink Disciples would need to rest after each fight. It was not common for them to fight consecutive battles. Of course, it had happened once three days ago, the result of which was Lang Ya’s Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven being snatched by Nu Yan.
The strength of Black Ink Disciples in the same Order did not vary greatly, so it was very difficult for them to bear the burden of continuous battles; hence, Nu Yan’s practice was undoubtedly reckless. The number of Black Ink Coins might have increased from 100 to 500, but it was still within an acceptable range. 500 Black Ink Coins was not too much. Not to mention, his Black Ink Disciple had already fought once, so his strength must have declined by now.
The astonishment of the Black Ink Clan lasted only for a moment. Following that, a dozen or so Black Ink Disciples flew down and stood in front of Yang Kai once more.
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. At this point, how could he not know what Nu Yan was planning? Nu Yan was totally regarding him as a money tree!
[No wonder he previously asked me how many battles I could last. He even repeatedly told me that I must not lose and to tell him in advance if I was too tired to continue fighting.]
Despite understanding the situation, Yang Kai could only go along with the arrangement. Fortunately, Nu Yan only wanted to earn Black Ink Coins, so the battles were not deathmatches; otherwise, Yang Kai truly had no idea whether he could kill.
The same scene as earlier, along with the same rules. Yang Kai randomly chose his next opponent.
The Masters of those Black Ink Disciples who were not selected sighed in disappointment, but there was nothing they could do. In their opinion, this was a great opportunity to pick up a bargain. It was a pity that they failed to grasp the chance twice.
Be that as it may, reality turned out to be beyond their expectations. At the end of the second battle, Yang Kai won again. Although it looked like the battle had exhausted him, he pummelled his opponent to the point where they were coughing up blood. It was obvious that his opponent could no longer continue the fight.
Nu Yan was smiling so widely that his teeth could be seen. After receiving the 500 Black Ink Coins, he shot another inquiring look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai regretted saying that he could fight three battles in a row. If he had known this would happen, he would never have given such an answer. His careless response had made things difficult for him to quit now, so he could only nod lightly in silence. Sitting down cross-legged, he seized the time to ‘recover his strength’ as though he was extremely exhausted.
Many Black Ink Clansmen turned their eyes to Nu Yan and waited for him to speak, and they were not disappointed as Nu Yan soon shouted, “This is the last match! The rules will remain the same. If you win, you can take him with you. If you lose, you have to cough up 1,000 Black Ink Coins.”
Compared to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple worth tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins, 1,000 Black Ink Coins were undoubtedly worth betting on. Especially since Yang Kai had already gone through two consecutive battles. The chances of winning were astronomical at this point.
Before the third match began, the Black Ink Clansmen began to quarrel among themselves. They had watched the previous two consecutive battles. Most notably, Yang Kai had been injured during the second match so his strength would surely have been greatly reduced.
In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, it was impossible for him to win the third match. This match was going to be a huge opportunity, so nobody was willing to back down.
Although Nu Yan appeared to be watching cheerfully, he was actually feeling nervous inside. It was true that Yang Kai had given him the signal that he could continue fighting and it was also true that Yang Kai had demonstrated incredible combat prowess. Even so, he was not confident as to whether Yang Kai could win the third battle. If Yang Kai were to lose, then he would have shot himself in the foot with his actions.
At any rate, now that things had reached this point, his only option was to persevere. This was a matter concerning 1,000 Black Ink Coins after all. If this method was feasible, then he would never need to worry about Black Ink Coins again in the future.
The Black Ink Clansmen quarrelled endlessly among themselves. In the end, they decided to follow the original rules and allowed Yang Kai to pick his own opponent. The opponent would be fighting whomever he chose, and nobody could object to his decision.
When the third battle began, everybody paid close attention to the fight, with Nu Yan looking the most nervous out of them all.
The situation on the battlefield changed rapidly. The two Black Ink Disciples exchanged countless blows with each other, and the battle was astoundingly intense. Yang Kai once again transformed into his Half-Dragon Form. His performance made it seem as though he had played all his cards, but the fight left him drenched in blood nevertheless. He looked like he was at risk of dying at any moment.
Nu Yan felt his heart sinking in his chest. He was starting to think that he was going to lose the battle. On the other hand, the opponent’s side was in high spirits because he could almost see the scene where he obtained a new and powerful Black Ink Disciple.
However, accidents always occurred when they were least expected. The opponent had clearly been holding the upper hand in the battle, but he experienced a sudden turn of events. In spite of the fact that Yang Kai had been fighting for three consecutive battles and looked like a wretched mess as a result, his attacks only became increasingly aggressive the further he was pushed into a corner.
When the opponent fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground unconscious, the entire gambling arena fell silent. Yang Kai also fell out of the sky at the same time, but he managed to stay on his feet at the last moment. His complexion was as white as a sheet.
“We won!” D-4 shouted from beside Nu Yan. Nu Yan also burst into cheerful laughter, his tense mood finally relaxing.
The other party handed over a Space Ring. Nu Yan took the Space Ring and checked the amount. After confirming that there were indeed 1,000 Black Ink Coins, he smiled and said, “My respects!”
The Black Ink Clansman’s expression was indifferent. The loss of 1,000 Black Ink Coins might hurt slightly, but the damage was not significant. He nodded lightly in response, “Are you interested in another match?”
Nu Yan immediately shook his head. While he regarded Yang Kai as a cash cow, he was not a fool. Yang Kai was no longer in a state to continue fighting. If he fought another battle, he would definitely lose. How could Nu Yan agree to such a proposal?
The Black Ink Clansman added, “2,000 Black Ink Coins.”
Nu Yan continued to shake his head, “Even if you offer me 5,000 Black Ink Coins, I won’t accept the challenge!” Nevertheless, he did not cut off the possibility of future negotiations and reassured the other party with a smile, “Until next time. There will certainly be chances to have a rematch in the future.” Having said that, he turned around and instructed D-4, “Bring him back.”
D-4 accepted the command and flew towards the crater to bring Yang Kai back.
Nu Yan did not stop there. Leading his Black Ink Disciples, he returned to the place where they rested previously and handed some resources to Yang Kai for cultivation and recovery so that his wounds could heal.
Yang Kai had earned Nu Yan a total of 1,600 Black Ink Coins from the three battles earlier. The amount might not be much, but this was not a one-time gig. What was there to fear about the lack of Black Ink Coins if he repeated this cycle a few more times? Looking at Yang Kai, who was meditating in a cross-legged position nearby, Nu Yan felt as though he could see a method to earn a fortune.
A few days later, Nu Yan led Yang Kai and others to the gambling arena again. Armed with the previous experience, he showed significantly more confidence in Yang Kai this time.
Yang Kai had shown off his great strength after winning three consecutive battles a few days ago, so the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples knew that he was not an easy opponent to mess with. Be that as it may, most people believed that they might get lucky and had thoughts such as “What if I strike gold?”
In any case, the losses were not too high even if they didn’t win the match. That was why, as soon as Yang Kai entered the battlefield, several Black Ink Disciples immediately flew into the crater under the command of their Masters.
Nu Yan’s rules did not change. All three matches were life bouts, and the bet increased with every round. The first match was 100 Black Ink Coins, the second match was 500 Black Ink Coins, and the third match was 1,000 Black Ink Coins. The number of Black Ink Disciples in the battlefield increased with every round, and Yang Kai would randomly choose an opponent each time.
The three battles eventually ended with three consecutive wins! Just like before, Nu Yan earned 1,600 Black Ink Coins. He was overjoyed!
For the next month, Nu Yan would lead Yang Kai to the gambling arena every few days. It was the same experience every time. Yang Kai never disappointed him. This Black Ink Disciple was definitely his greatest treasure that would bring him enormous wealth in the future. Nu Yan secretly rejoiced that he had accidentally picked up this servant while resting inside the Black Ink Cloud back then.
In just one month, Yang Kai became famous throughout the Fierce Wind Estate! Be it the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen or the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords, all of them were paying close attention to him now. They had never seen anyone who could defeat so many Black Ink Disciples before.
Most of the Black Ink Clansmen here had participated on the real battlefield in the past. To survive and return from the battlefield meant that they had battled and slaughtered Human cultivators. It had to be said that the situation would be very terrifying if all the Human cultivators were like Yang Kai.
Even Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords took the initiative to meet Nu Yan and made their intentions to purchase Yang Kai clear. The price they offered was very reasonable. Generally speaking, a Black Ink Disciple in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would be worth 10,000 or so Black Ink Coins. Nonetheless, many of the Black Ink Feudal Lords offered a price of 20,000 or even 30,000 Black Ink Coins.
Although Nu Yan was tempted, he refused all their offers in the end. A one-time sale could never be as beneficial as long-term financial stability. He had far more plans to implement, so how could he sell Yang Kai off?
However, on a certain day one month later, nobody stepped up to accept the challenge when Nu Yan brought Yang Kai to the gambling arena. After so many battles, Yang Kai had not lost a single one. He would fight three consecutive battles each time, and he would look as though he was on the verge of losing every time. Be that as it may, he would always win in the end.
The Black Ink Clan had also noticed this issue and began to suspect that Nu Yan was digging a pit for them to jump into; therefore, they all cursed Nu Yan for being insidious and cunning. Since it was a battle they could not win, who would willingly give money away for nothing?
There was nothing Nu Yan could do if nobody accepted the challenge. After waiting for some time, he summoned Yang Kai back and left the gambling arena with his subordinates.
His efforts during this period had indeed allowed him to gain enormous benefits. In the beginning, Nu Yan did not have many assets, but now, he had enough for him to carry out something important.
Silently following behind Nu Yan, Yang Kai vaguely noticed that they seemed to be heading towards the Black Ink Nest. He had secretly observed the Black Ink Nest on many occasions during the time he lived in Fierce Wind Estate.
D-4 had mentioned that it was the place where all Black Ink Clansmen were born. The Black Ink Nest was not only an important foundation of the Black Ink Clan, but the advancement of a Black Ink Clansman’s cultivation must also be done inside a Black Ink Nest.
Entering a Black Ink Nest cost Black Ink Coins. Even purchasing World Spheres required Black Ink Coins. That was why the Black Ink Coins were considered so valuable.
Yang Kai was very concerned about this Black Ink Nest. Unfortunately, he had not had the opportunity to approach it previously and could only watch from afar. It could be said that he finally obtained what he wished for.
The group soon arrived in front of the Black Ink Nest under Nu Yan’s guidance.
From a distance, the Black Ink Nest resembled a huge flower bud. Rich Black Ink Strength tumbled about and dissipated into the surroundings with every breath it took.
Standing in front of the Black Ink Nest, Yang Kai finally realised how large it was.
The thick roots were closely connected to the entire Fierce Wind Estate, and its existence was like a plant, but not a plant. The external surface looked like dried meat, which gave off an extremely malevolent aura. Meanwhile, the thick roots themselves were natural pathways leading upward to a portal at the bottom of the flower bud. A Black Ink Feudal Lord was standing guard beside the portal.
Nu Yan stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the Black Ink Feudal Lord. Then, he handed over a Space Ring filled with a certain amount of Black Ink Coins.
The Black Ink Feudal Lord checked the contents carefully before he nodded lightly.
Nu Yan turned around, looked at his Black Ink Disciples for a moment, and reached out to point at C-3 and D-4, “You two, follow me inside.”
C-3 and D-4 responded in unison and followed Nu Yan inside. Before leaving, D-4 cupped his fist at Yang Kai, “Take care!”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly. Although he looked confused, he returned the courtesy.
It didn’t take long for Nu Yan to lead C-3 and D-4 out of Yang Kai’s sight. Yang Kai, B-2, and E-5 moved to the side and waited quietly.
A Black Ink Clansman would lead their Black Ink Disciples over from time to time. What’s more, each Black Ink Clansman would take one or two Black Ink Disciples inside the Black Ink Nest with them, just like Nu Yan.
Looking at this scene gave Yang Kai a vague guess about what was happening, but he could not be certain. After enduring for some time, he finally blurted out, “Is Master planning to break through?”
Nu Yan had spent a lot of Black Ink Coins to enter the Black Ink Nest, so it was obvious that he was here for an advancement.
It was obvious that Yang Kai was highly valued by Nu Yan, so the other Black Ink Disciples had been quite friendly with him recently. Upon hearing the question, B-2 nodded in response, “That’s right. This is the second time.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Can a Black Ink Clansman fail in his advancement?”
B-2 replied, “Of course there’s a possibility of failure. If success was guaranteed for every attempt, then Master would already be a Black Ink Feudal Lord by now. It’s just that the consequences they face if they fail in their breakthrough are not particularly serious. They are very different from us. For us, the higher our Order, the more severe the consequences we suffer if we fail a breakthrough attempt. We might even end up dead. In contrast, they will only weaken for some time at most. It’s only a matter of time before they make a full recovery.”
Yang Kai gnashed his teeth. Nu Yan was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman who was equal to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. If he succeeded in his advancement, then he would become a Black Ink Feudal Lord.
Yang Kai was not afraid of a mere Black Ink Feudal Lord, but the stronger Nu Yan became, the more disadvantageous it was for him. Naturally, he hoped that Nu Yan failed in the advancement.
“Why did Master take C-3 and D-4 inside with him?” Yang Kai asked in confusion.
Logically speaking, the advancement was an extremely important process to both Human cultivators and the Black Ink Clan. They would need to concentrate fully, so why would Nu Yan take two Black Ink Disciples inside with him? Was it for standing guard? But, there should not be dangers inside the Black Ink Nest.
B-2 fell silent for a moment before he explained, “Just as how we need to accumulate our strength to advance, the same goes for Master. He brought them along in case of emergency.”
Yang Kai’s facial muscles tightened instantly.
B-2’s explanation might not have been explicit, but how could Yang Kai fail to understand the meaning behind those words? It was obvious that C-3 and D-4 were being regarded as emergency resources. In a pinch, Nu Yan could devour their World Force to aid in his advancement.
It was not just Nu Yan. From what Yang Kai observed just now, most of the Black Ink Clansmen who entered the Black Ink Nest would bring one or two Black Ink Disciples with them. Through the ages, who knew how many Black Ink Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had perished inside this massive, evil Black Ink Nest?
Yang Kai clenched his fist tightly. The urge to charge straight in and destroy the Black Ink Nest flooded him, but he firmly suppressed the impulse. This was not the only Black Ink Nest in the Black Ink Clan. Even if he were to destroy the Black Ink Nest in front of him, it would not change the fate of many Black Ink Disciples. On the contrary, it would only expose his identity. The existence of the Black Ink Clan was the root cause of the problem. Only by completely eradicating the Black Ink Clan from the world would the crisis faced by the 3,000 Worlds since time immemorial be resolved.
Yang Kai and the others waited silently, and Nu Yan’s figure finally emerged from the entrance of the Black Ink Nest a few days later. However, Yang Kai immediately noticed that Nu Yan seemed rather weak at the moment. Not only was Nu Yan’s aura fluctuating unevenly, but his expression was also dark and gloomy. It was obvious that he was not in a good mood.
Yang Kai’s heart stirred at the sight. Combined with what B-2 said earlier, how could he not realise that Nu Yan had failed his breakthrough?
Every time a Black Ink Clansman failed during their advancement, they would be weakened for some time. In addition, it was already the second time Nu Yan failed. It would be strange for him to be in a good mood.
Yang Kai glanced behind Nu Yan. There was a person following behind the tall figure. It was D-4. Meanwhile, C-3, who went inside with them, was nowhere to be seen.
Yang Kai’s eyes dimmed slightly. He understood that C-3 had probably met a tragic end. Nu Yan might have failed to break through, but he must have devoured the World Force of C-3’s Small Universe during the process. How could C-3 survive when his World Force had been devoured and his Small Universe had collapsed? Although Yang Kai had neither interacted much with C-3 nor built up a friendship between them during this period, the death of C-3 still weighed heavily on his heart.
Nu Yan walked out of the Black Ink Nest without saying a word. Yang Kai and D-4 glanced at each other and nodded lightly in greeting. Then, Yang Kai quickly followed after Nu Yan with B-2 and E-5 in tow.
Returning to the place where they rested again, Nu Yan sat down cross-legged. His chest and abdomen swelled as he inhaled the Black Ink Strength that could be found everywhere in the Fierce Wind Estate. As he absorbed the Black Ink Strength, his weakened aura gradually recovered.
D-4 seemed to be feeling a lingering sense of fear after narrowly escaping death. Even though he had known what kind of fate awaited him when he followed Nu Yan into the Black Ink Nest, it was impossible for a Black Ink Disciple like him to refuse his Master’s command.
Nevertheless, anybody would instinctively feel fear when faced with the threat of death. Even a talkative person like D-4 fell into a heavy, brooding silence for quite some time. It was fortunate that Nu Yan had failed in his breakthrough though. If Nu Yan had succeeded, then he too would have shared C-3’s fate.
An entire month later, Nu Yan finally made a full recovery. He slowly stood up and glanced in the direction of the gambling arena. Hesitating for a moment, he eventually shook his head slowly and beckoned to the others, “Let’s go!”
The Black Ink Coins that Yang Kai earned for him in the gambling arena had mostly been spent on the Black Ink Nest. If he wanted to enter the Black Ink Nest again for cultivation, then he would need to earn more Black Ink Coins.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai’s fame had spread throughout the Fierce Wind Estate. Nobody was willing to fight him again, so this method of making money had lost its effect. If he wanted to earn more Black Ink Coins, then he could only switch to another place and begin anew. That was one of the reasons why Nu Yang had rejected the offers from the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords when they wanted to purchase Yang Kai at high prices. His subordinate known as A-1 was practically a money tree after all. How could he sell off his source of income for a mere 20 or 30 thousand Black Ink Coins?
The four Black Ink Disciples left the Fierce Wind Estate under Nu Yan’s leadership and rushed towards a certain direction in the void.
More than ten days later, they arrived at another territory.
Yang Kai stealthily checked the Universe Chart that Meng Qi had given to him and discovered that this territory was known as the False Decree Estate. The False Decree Estate did not look very different from the Fierce Wind Estate. It might be slightly bigger in size, but the difference was not very significant.
Standing in the void, Yang Kai saw the towering Black Ink Nest in the False Decree Estate from a distance. The Black Ink Nest was releasing Black Ink Strength that covered the entire Spirit Province.
Upon arriving at the False Decree Estate, Nu Yan headed directly for the gambling arena without pause. There was a gambling arena in almost every territory because the Black Ink Clan seemed to like sending their Black Ink Disciples into battle.
When the battle in the gambling arena ended, Nu Yan shot a look at Yang Kai. Yang Kai understood and immediately flew downward.
Then, Nu Yan repeated his previous trick and recited the gambling rules that he used back at the Fierce Wind Estate. It was just that he had increased the compensation for the first match from 100 to 500 Black Ink Coins!
His statement caused a huge uproar in the gambling arena. If they won, they could walk away with a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple. If they lost, they would only need to pay 500 Black Ink Coins. Who could miss out on such a fantastic deal?
Nearly 100 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples immediately flew into the battlefield under their Master’s command and surrounded Yang Kai so tightly that not a drop of water could leak out. If somebody did not know better, they would have thought that these Black Ink Disciples were about to gang up on Yang Kai.
Nu Yan had long expected this situation as something similar had happened back at the Fierce Wind Estate. Therefore, he applied the same rule and allowed Yang Kai to choose his own opponent. The Black Ink Clan naturally had no objections to this.
Yang Kai did not hesitate and randomly chose an opponent. When the others left the battlefield, the match immediately began. Needless to say, the results went as expected. Nu Yan cheerfully received the 500 Black Ink Coins, then he recklessly announced that he wanted to continue with a second match. The bet for the second match was 1,000 Black Ink Coins!
The Black Ink Clansmen who failed to seize the opportunity earlier were both surprised and delighted, so they dispatched their Black Ink Disciples into the battlefield again.
It was soon time for the third match. Moreover, the wager for the third match had been increased to 2,000 Black Ink Coins.
After three consecutive battles, a blood-drenched Yang Kai finally withdrew from battle. Nu Yan happily earned 3,500 Black Ink Coins, which was more than double the income he received at the Fierce Wind Estate. One battle here was equivalent to two battles back at the Fierce Wind Estate. The efficiency had increased significantly.
Thanks to the bloody battle on the first day, Yang Kai caught the attention of many Black Ink Clansmen. Many people became interested in him. In fact, a Black Ink Feudal Lord immediately approached Nu Yan and expressed his intention to buy Yang Kai.
Nu Yan had already rejected such offers countless times in the Fierce Wind Estate, so naturally he would not agree here either. The Black Ink Feudal Lords might hold higher positions than him, but the Black Ink Clan had their own rules. No matter how much one liked another person’s Black Ink Disciple, they could not forcefully snatch them away; otherwise, Nu Yan would not have been able to hold onto Yang Kai.
He allowed Yang Kai to rest and recover for a few days before he brought him back to the arena.
A month later, all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples in the False Decree Estate had been soundly defeated and nobody accepted the challenge again. Nu Yan turned out to be surprisingly decisive. Once the challengers dried up, he immediately led Yang Kai and the others out of the False Decree Estate and travelled to the next place.
At times, Yang Kai had no choice but to admire Nu Yan’s business acumen. Nu Yan was obviously taking advantage of the lack of information circulation at the moment. Every time they arrived at a new place, the Black Ink Clan would be unaware of Yang Kai’s strength and as a result, all of them were tempted into taking their chances against him. Who could have known that they would fall into Nu Yan’s trap and contribute Black Ink Coins to him for nothing?
In any case, this continuous stream of battles was not without benefit to Yang Kai.
Unlike others in the Sixth Order, his Small Universe had fully materialized. Combined with the fact that his Small Universe had been integrated with the Sealed World Bead, his heritage had always been far greater than others in the same Order from the start; therefore, he always obtained crushing victories when fighting other cultivators in the same Order.
Be that as it may, he had to suppress his strength in every battle inside the gambling arenas. He did not dare to expose too much, lest he revealed his secrets to the others. Under the premise that he fought while suppressing his strength, repeatedly fighting battles that culminated with heavy injuries on both parties had the effect of polishing his combat techniques.
If that were not the case, Yang Kai would have considered losing some battles a long time ago. Being treated as a cash cow by Nu Yan was not a pleasant experience; however, things might not be different if he changed to a different ‘Master’.
They did not stay in any of the territories for more than two months. It was meaningless to stay any longer as once people learned about Yang Kai’s strength and stopped accepting the challenge, there would be no more Black Ink Coins to earn.
It could be said that Nu Yan swept from one territory to the next with Yang Kai and the others in tow. Furthermore, he earned a huge fortune everywhere he went. For every three battles, he would earn 3,500 Black Ink Coins. Even if he could only fight seven to eight times in each territory, that was an income of 20 to 30 thousand Black Ink Coins. It was an astronomical amount for a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Yang Kai had been worried that Nu Yan would attempt a breakthrough again. If that happened, D-4 would be in danger, but on second thought, Yang Kai realized that the reason Nu Yan brought C-3 and D-4 into the Black Ink Nest with him last time was to prepare for any emergencies. Now that Nu Yan possessed such a large amount of Black Ink Coins, he could buy some World Spheres to use instead of sacrificing a Black Ink Disciple under his command.
In a chat with D-4, Yang Kai learned that once a Black Ink Clansman failed their advancement, they generally did not choose to try again for the next few decades. That was because the probability of success was much lower. Only once the backlash from their previous failure had been completely removed would they make another attempt.
This discovery was a huge relief to Yang Kai.
Nevertheless, passing the days in this manner was not in line with his goal. Meng Qi had sacrificed himself so that the existence of the Void Corridor would remain a secret and Yang Kai could escape alive.
Originally, Yang Kai was supposed to rush to one of the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, then confront the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield. He was not supposed to impersonate a Black Ink Disciple and become the cash cow of a Black Ink Clansman. Unfortunately, Yang Kai did not dare to act recklessly and could only wait patiently.
Nu Yan was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, so it was impossible for him to avoid the battlefield forever. But, as long as he entered the battlefield, then Yang Kai would be able to find an opportunity to break free from him.
Two years passed by in the blink of an eye.
Inside the gambling arena, Yang Kai was in a closely matched battle with a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple. This was already the third fight of the day. Having won two other matches earlier, he had already earned 1,500 Black Ink Coins for Nu Yan. The outcome of the third battle involved 2,000 Black Ink Coins and even his ownership, so many Black Ink Clansmen were naturally paying close attention.
Outside the battlefield, Nu Yan watched the battle calmly. Although Yang Kai was covered in blood, Nu Yan was not worried in the slightest. On the contrary, he was cheerfully chatting with his clansmen beside him. That was because Yang Kai always had such a miserable appearance during the third match of each round of battles. Even though he looked like he was in a dangerous situation where he could be defeated at any time, he always won in the end.
In the beginning, Nu Yan had been extremely on edge whenever this happened. However, he had gotten used to the sight after two years. No matter how terribly Yang Kai seemed to perform, he had great confidence in the latter’s victory.
In the end, Yang Kai lived up to Nu Yan’s expectations and won the third battle with some difficulty. Before Nu Yan could receive the bet of the third match though, a sudden change occurred.
An extremely violent force surged throughout the territory, and an oppressive force simultaneously descended upon everybody. For an instant, everyone felt as though an entire Universe World was pressing down on their heads. Even their bodies involuntarily stooped slightly from the pressure.
Countless Black Ink Clansmen turned pale; meanwhile, World Force surged and fluctuated turbulently around them.
Inside the gambling arena, the blood-drenched Yang Kai abruptly raised his head to look at the sky. What entered his vision made his expression tense. In the sky, World Force that gathered like clouds was so dense that it could be seen with the naked eye.
Yang Kai was shocked by the sight. Although he had met many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the past, he had never seen such rich and pure World Force before.
Back in Black Territory, Yang Kai had been present when countless Eighth-Order Ancestors joined hands to besiege the Black Ink Royal Lord and the attacks of those Eighth-Order Masters had been absolutely extraordinary. Even so, all those attacks seemed insignificant compared to what he was seeing right now.
He did not know what was happening, but the World Force visible to the naked eye was clearly the power unleashed by some sort of Secret Technique activated by a Master.
“Enemy attack!” A furious howl reverberated through the world. It came from the direction of the Black Ink Feudal Lord’s Palace.
Yang Kai was stunned for a moment, then he felt a mixture of astonishment and joy. The situation in front of him turned out to be an enemy invasion, and the Black Ink Clan’s enemy was undoubtedly the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. In other words, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had launched an attack on this place!
He was surprised that the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were so bold. It had to be said that he had checked the Universe Chart when he first arrived here. Although this place was close to the front lines, it could still be considered part of the Black Ink Clan’s inner region. How could they do as they pleased after venturing so deep into enemy territory?
On the other hand, Yang Kai was happy because the Cave Heavens and Paradises had taken the initiative to attack before he had the chance to follow Nu Yan to the battlefield. Taking advantage of this chance, he might be able to break free of Nu Yan’s control and follow the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises back to the great pass.
The wind and clouds gathered in the sky above the territory at a rapid rate, and it only took a moment for an enormous and hazy green palm to form. Despite its slow and clumsy appearance, the palm that literally covered the entire sky actually descended at an incredibly fast pace.
Before the countless Black Ink Clansmen in the territory had the chance to react, the palm grabbed hold of the huge Black Ink Nest. Then, the green palm clenched tightly and hauled up the entire Black Ink Nest as though pulling up a mountain. Dense Black Ink Strength scattered and gushed out of the Black Ink Nest. Under the impact of the World Force palm, the Black Ink Nest turned into dust.
Inside the gambling arena, Yang Kai stared in amazement and secretly rejoiced. Everything that entered his vision was beyond his imagination. He had witnessed the power behind an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor’s attacks before, but that was definitely not as ferocious as this offensive. In other words, this attack had to be unleashed by a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor!
No wonder they dared to venture so deep into enemy territory! It turned out that a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor, an existence on par with a Black Ink Royal Lord, was personally leading the charge!
The female Black Ink Royal Lord had caused heavy losses to the Cave Heavens and Paradises despite being greatly weakened after being trapped inside the Black Ink Territory for so many years. It was difficult to imagine how powerful she would have been in her prime. Needless to say, a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor who could rival a Black Ink Royal Lord in strength would not be weak either.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai’s delight only lasted for a moment as his expression soon turned bitter. That was because the hazy green palm immediately slammed downward after destroying the Black Ink Nest. The incomparably enormous palm was almost the size of half the Spirit Province. Moreover, the entire palm was formed from a pure and dense World Force. If such immense force even grazed him, Yang Kai was not certain that he could survive. It would be too unjust to die because of this palm strike.
Fortunately, the Black Ink Clan did not sit around waiting for death. After the warning came out from the Feudal Lord’s Palace, Black Ink Strength immediately surged and gathered to form an incomparably huge figure that towered into the sky. The figure then raised a hand into the sky to defend against the attack. It was not a real entity, but rather a presence formed completely from the surrounding Black Ink Strength. Moreover, it was clearly being guided by the Black Ink Feudal Lord of this territory.
Watching the destruction of the Black Ink Nest had enraged countless among the Black Ink Clan, so there was no need for any command or dispatch. Regardless of their rank, every member of the Black Ink Clan quickly took action, blasting violent attacks at the hazy green palm in the sky. Furthermore, the Black Ink Disciples also unleashed various Secret Techniques and artifact attacks. Colourful lights filled the entire sky in an instant.
Nevertheless, the enormous palm continued to press downward. The countless attacks slammed into the palm, causing layers of ripples to appear on its surface, but although these attacks constantly weakened its power, they were unable to stop the palm’s downward progress.
The huge figure at the Feudal Lord’s Palace was the first to bear the brunt of the attack. Despite fighting back with all his might, he was only a Black Ink Feudal Lord whose strength was equivalent to a Seventh-Order Master’s. How could he contend against the power of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor?
Before the palm strike descended completely, the enormous figure had already bent slightly under the pressure. The Feudal Lord struggled desperately and roared in defiance, but his avatar composed of Black Ink Strength soon exploded into nothingness. Even his true body was heavily injured as a result.
It felt like only a moment had passed. At the same time, it also felt like a thousand years had gone by. The huge palm slammed down. Be it the Black Ink Clansmen or the Black Ink Disciples, many of them died a violent death everywhere the palm print covered. Only a few were lucky enough to survive. Countless Small Universes collapsed and the World Force within these Small Universes dissipated.
Following a violent earthquake, the entire Spirit Province broke into pieces. The destructive aftermath spread out into the surroundings after the attack, causing space itself to shake and become unstable.
The Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen didn’t even have the opportunity to resist and were wiped out by the fallout of this attack. Only the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen with strength equivalent to Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters managed to withstand the shockwave. As such, the brutality of the palm strike was clear to see.
Everything happened in a flash. Only a few thoughts went through Yang Kai’s mind before the aftermath of the attack came crashing down on him. Nevertheless, he could be considered lucky. In fact, it could be said that all the people in the gambling arena were lucky because they were not located within the range covered by the hazy green palm. All of them would have died in the impact otherwise. Even Yang Kai himself would have needed to transform into his Grand Dragon Form to survive such a powerful attack. What’s more, doing so would only allow him the possibility of survival.
Despite not receiving direct damage, the fallout of the palm strike had turned the entire gambling arena upside down. Numerous Black Ink Disciples coughed up fresh blood and even the aura of the Black Ink Clansmen churned fiercely. They were obviously having a tough time.
The Spirit Province under Yang Kai’s feet shattered, and like a drowning man caught in the tumultuous currents of the sea, he was swept away by the shockwaves and could not control his direction at all.
Startled exclamations and horrified screams entered his ears. When he turned to look in that direction, he saw an extremely pale D-4 bleeding from all seven orifices and struggling to hold on. Furthermore, there was a gleaming white light surrounding D-4’s body. It would seem that he had activated some sort of defensive artifact.
On the other hand, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple next to D-4 had reacted slightly slower and failed to summon his own defensive artifact as a result. Due to the churning of his aura, he was unable to withstand the bombardment of the shockwave and exploded after a short struggle.
The light covering D-4’s body was also fading away at a horrifying speed; hence, his expression became despairing. With the strength of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it was impossible for him to survive the impact without the defensive artifact. Just as he was about to give up and accept his fate, a figure suddenly rushed over and stood in front of him to help block most of the impact. He looked up gratefully, “A-1!”
He never imagined that A-1 would come and protect him at a critical juncture of life and death. It had to be said that he was standing next to Nu Yan, B-2, and E-5 earlier. All of them had used various means to save themselves, but nobody even bothered to care about whether he lived or died.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai grabbed D-4 by the shoulder. At this moment, he could not afford to care about what secrets he was exposing. Manipulating Space Principles, Yang Kai quickly moved away. The shockwave continued to follow closely behind him as he flew out.
After a few Instantaneous Movements, Yang Kai finally stabilised his figure and turned to look behind him. A huge light shone brightly approximately 100,000 kilometres away. The place where the Spirit Province used to exist was now completely devoid of anything.
The might of the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor was absolutely terrifying. The truth was that Yang Kai had not even seen the true appearance of the Old Ancestor up until now. In other words, the Ninth-Order Master had destroyed the entire Spirit Province simply by unleashing a Secret Technique from somewhere far away. Countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples also perished in the process.
D-4 was a little stunned. After being brought here by Yang Kai’s Space Secret Technique, he could be considered safe now. It was just that he could not understand how A-1 could run so fast. In fact, he had almost thought that he was doomed to die during those fleeting moments earlier. Nevertheless, now was clearly not the time to pursue this matter. D-4 gasped for breath slightly before he anxiously said, “We need to hurry and find Master. It’s not safe for us out here right now.”
It was not safe for any Black Ink Disciple without the company of a Black Ink Clansman. Take the first time Yang Kai encountered Nu Yan for example. A Black Ink Disciple without a Master would easily attract the greed of a Black Ink Clansman. Nu Yan could be considered relatively kind, having only used his Black Ink Strength to convert Yang Kai into his own servant. If Yang Kai had encountered a Black Ink Clansman with stronger murderous intent, then they might have tried to devour his World Force to enhance their own strength instead.
More importantly, the Black Ink Disciples themselves were absolutely loyal to the Black Ink Clan. It was clear to see that D-4 was worrying about Nu Yan’s safety.
Yang Kai turned to look at D-4 and thought to himself, [Why should I search for ‘Master’? I’ve never regarded Nu Yan as my Master. What’s more, I finally obtained this opportunity after waiting for two whole years. Why would I stupidly go back to Nu Yan?]
Too lazy to explain, he simply said, “Brother D-4, I’ll deliver you a huge present!”
D-4 was stunned, “What?”
Yang Kai raised both hands as soon as finished speaking, each hand lighting up with a different coloured light. Then, he pressed both palms together. When the yellow and blue lights combined, they turned into a pure white light that immediately enveloped D-4 on the spot!
D-4 never imagined that Yang Kai would attack him at this moment, mainly because it was Yang Kai who had saved him just now. If Yang Kai had malicious intentions towards him, there was no reason to rescue him in the first place. Who would be wary of their saviour?
Enveloped by the white light, D-4’s expression suddenly twisted in pain and a pitch-black aura seeped out of his body. Swiftly though, his pained expression gradually became calm. It didn’t take long before the white light faded away and his true nature was restored to him. He opened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai in disbelief and uncertainty.
“Enter my Small Universe before we talk about the rest.” Yang Kai shouted.
He had wanted to bring D-4 into his Small Universe a long time ago, but could not find the opportunity. Now that he finally had the chance to be alone with D-4, he could not let the opportunity slip by.
D-4 opened his mouth and said, “Brother A-1, you…”
He was still in a dazed state. The main reason was that so many things had changed so suddenly that he could not adapt to them all.
In particular, D-4 was puzzled by how Yang Kai wanted him to enter his Small Universe. He knew that Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and the Small Universe of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was no more than an immaterial existence that could not accommodate living beings. So, how could he enter Yang Kai’s Small Universe?
In the midst of his confusion, Yang Kai actually reached out to grab him, opened the portal to his Small Universe, and unceremoniously stuffed him inside. D-4 felt his vision blurring for a moment, then he found himself in another world all of a sudden. Looking around his surroundings, he was filled with utter confusion.
A moment later, Yang Kai’s Soul Avatar appeared in front of him and resolved his confusion.
…
In the void, the aftermath of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor gradually subsided. A large part of the Spirit Province was shattered, resulting in countless casualties among the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples.
Before those who were lucky enough to survive could recover from their shock though, numerous figures appeared in small groups. They silently emerged out of nowhere and charged straight at the survivors. These were the Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Human Race, as well as a large number of warships. The brutal attacks that blasted out from the warships sent the surviving Black Ink Clan into a panic.
This was definitely an attack that had been carefully planned for a long time, so the Black Ink Clan was completely caught off-guard as a result. Moreover, due to the immense gap in strength, they suffered huge losses in this encounter.
With each passing moment, either a Black Ink Clansman or Black Ink Disciple would lose their life. Whenever a Black Ink Clansman died, dense Black Ink Strength would erupt from their bodies to form Black Ink Clouds that scattered across the void. Similarly, numerous Black Ink Disciples perished. The movements caused by the destruction of their Small Universes reverberated through the void.
Even though all the Black Ink Disciples were once Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, nobody could afford to show any mercy under these circumstances. As soon as they encountered each other, it became a situation where one party had to die.
Yang Kai watched from a distance for a moment before he rushed forward with a flicker of his body. For him, this was an opportunity. As long as he could prove that he was not corrupted by the Black Ink, then he could join the Masters from the Human Race and leave the Black Ink Clan’s domain.
It was not easy to come across such an opportunity. Yang Kai had been serving beside Nu Yan for more than two years now, and during this period, he passed through countless Black Ink Clan territories and gained some information from the leisurely chats he had among the Black Ink Disciples.
Although the Human Race would occasionally take the initiative to invade the Black Ink Clan’s domain, these incursions occurred very rarely. One invasion in 100 years would be considered frequent. The main reason was that they could not occupy this territory for long even if their invasion turned out to be successful; therefore, the great pass guarded by the major Cave Heavens and Paradises was the line of defence that they had always steadfastly maintained. Their biggest aim, whenever they launched a raid, was to weaken the strength of the Black Ink Clan. Once they killed a certain number of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, they would swiftly withdraw their forces. That was why such raids generally did not last for long.
More importantly, Yang Kai might not encounter another opportunity this good again if he let this chance slip through his fingers. How could he afford to hesitate under such circumstances? Nevertheless, it was going to be difficult to prove his identity. There was not much time for him to prove his innocence on the battlefield, but it should not be an issue if he could kill a Black Ink Clansman in front of a Human Race cultivator. A true Black Ink Disciple was completely loyal to the Black Ink Clan, so it was impossible for them to turn against their Masters.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Yang Kai quickly came to a decision. His body swept forward more and more quickly. Under the urging of the Space Principles, it only took him a brief moment to return to the battlefield with a few flickering movements.
Everywhere he looked, Yang Kai could see numerous warship artifacts navigating across the battlefield. Powerful Secret Techniques constantly blasted out from these warships without pause, giving the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples endless grievances. There were also many Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and even Eighth-Order Masters who either fought in small groups or hunted down enemies on their own.
A sharp Divine Sense locked onto Yang Kai the moment he returned to the battlefield. Immediately after that, he felt his skin tightening as a great sense of crisis washed over him. He turned to look in that direction and saw a woman in white fluttering robes watching him intently with her beautiful eyes, an extraordinary aura pulsing from her figure.
Holding a sharp longsword in her hands, she slashed at him without hesitation. Her movements showed no mercy, and the strength she displayed unmistakably belonged to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The attack contained an overwhelming power, and the sword wave flickered irregularly like the tongue of a spirit snake. Yang Kai could feel an overbearing sense of pressure behind the attack before she even approached him.
Shocked, he lowered his voice and shouted, “Senior, stop!”
A trace of grief and pity flashed through the woman’s eyes when she heard those words; even so, she did not pause her actions. With a flick of her longsword, she transformed it into a sword curtain that shrouded over his head.
Yang Kai was desperate to cry but was unable to shed any tears. He knew that the other party thought of him as a Black Ink Disciple, which was why she was showing no mercy with her attack. Unfortunately, there was no point in trying to explain himself at this moment. No matter what he said, she would not believe him unless he killed a Black Ink Clansman in front of her.
He did not know which Cave Heaven or Paradise this woman came from, but her strength in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was absolutely extraordinary. Seeing the sword curtain that was looming over on him, Yang Kai did not dare to hesitate. He quickly raised his arm and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear before exerting his Supreme Limitless Spear Art to its maximum. At this time, his priority was to ensure his survival. It would truly be a huge joke if he was accidentally killed during the confusion and chaos.
A series of explosions rang out as Yang Kai’s eyes bulged with surprise. He was sent flying backward by a violent burst of power and the vitality in his chest churned restlessly. Dense sword wounds also appeared all over his body, causing his physique to tremble and writhe.
[This woman… is strong!] Yang Kai was secretly amazed. Although he was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he had killed a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master before and had fought many others in the past; he was familiar with the might of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. However, he had never come across anyone who could hold a candle to this woman among all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters he encountered previously.
While Yang Kai was surprised, the woman was even more taken aback. It had to be said that she had been immersed in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm for 3,000 years. Having lived most of her life on the Black Ink Battlefield, it could be argued that her strength had reached the very peak of the Seventh Order, leaving her just one step away from the Eighth Order. On top of that, her combat experience was beyond the comparison of those who lived a comfortable life in the 3,000 Worlds
Even though she did not use her full strength earlier, her attack was not something an ordinary Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple could resist. Since the beginning of the raid until now, more than twenty Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciples and Black Ink Clansmen of similar strength had perished at her hands. She was confident that her previous attack contained enough power to take this Black Ink Disciple’s life. Be that as it may, reality proved to be beyond her expectations. Yang Kai might have been injured, but he survived.
[This Black Ink Disciple… seems a little different!] The murderous intent in the woman’s eyes blazed more vigorously than before. The more a Black Ink Disciple stood out from the others, the more she had to ruthlessly kill him here and now. If she failed to kill him here, then her Juniors on the battlefield might end up dying to him in the future.
However, a loud whistle resounded through the void before she could pursue him once more. Raising her sword before her, she glanced in the direction where Yang Kai had been sent flying and hesitated for a moment before she turned and left.
The loud whistle seemed to be some sort of signal as after it sounded, all the Human Race Masters slaughtering their way across the battlefield immediately retreated from battle, quickly re-grouped, and left like a great gust of wind.
[They’re leaving just like that!?] It took great effort for Yang Kai to stabilize his figure. Nevertheless, how could he willingly give up when he saw the situation before him? He quickly chased after them, only to quickly notice something strange behind him, like something was swiftly approaching his position.
When Yang Kai turned to look behind him, the pupils of his eyes contracted at what he saw. A mass of Black Ink was rapidly permeating the void, flowing like the swift currents of the tide. Consequently, everything was dyed pitch-black wherever this mass of Black Ink went.
Moreover, the countless powerful auras hidden inside the mass of Black Ink made the scalp of Yang Kai’s head tingle with fear. There was one aura in particular, which made him shudder both mentally and physically despite the distance between them. This aura reminded him of the feeling he experienced when he first came into contact with the Will of a Black Ink Royal Lord. The Will was absolutely overwhelming and made him feel as insignificant as an ant.
[A Black Ink Royal Lord is coming!] Now that the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race had made a move, the Royal Lord of this region could not sit by the sidelines. Only a Royal Lord could fight back against the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race.
No wonder the Human Race was in such a hurry to retreat. It turned out that they were anticipating this situation and took the necessary precautions.
A Ninth-Order Old Ancestor might not be inferior to a Royal Lord in strength, but they would only be evenly matched in a battle. This place was still within the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan, so while it was okay to launch a swift raid and then flee after obtaining a certain degree of victory, it would not be wise to engage the Black Ink Clan in a prolonged battle here.
The darkness approached quickly. Almost as soon as Yang Kai noticed the invasion of the Black Ink Cloud, the darkness was already upon him. He did not dare to make any rash movements and simply stood quietly in place. It didn’t take long before Black Ink Strength washed over him like the advancing tide.
Gigantic figures of various shapes and sizes rushed past, each one of them exuding a powerful aura. They were the Black Ink Territory Lords and Black Ink Feudal Lords. These Masters had no interest in Yang Kai and regarded him as insignificant. Although the Divine Senses of several Black Ink Clansmen probed towards him, they did not take any action against him.
Yang Kai was secretly grateful for their indifference.
A short while later, the Black Ink tide swirled past him in tight pursuit of the Human Race retreating in the front and promptly departed into the distance. Yang Kai shuddered in fear, but just as he was about to chase after them, a voice entered his ears, “A-1!”
Yang Kai turned to look in the direction of the sound and felt his brow twitching slightly at the sight. The person calling him turned out to be Nu Yan! [I can’t believe this guy is still alive!]
During the chaos just now, Yang Kai had only focused on protecting D-4 and withdrawing from the battlefield. He had not bothered to pay attention to the survival of the others, much less thought about returning to Nu Yan’s side.
On the other hand, Nu Yan had managed to locate Yang Kai after some effort. Moreover, B-2 and E-5 were also by his side. It was just that all three of them seem to be suffering from varying degrees of injuries and their auras were clearly weakened. E-5 seemed to be in relatively good condition, but there were obvious traces of blood at the corners of B-2’s mouth.
Upon further consideration, this was not strange. They had been at the gambling arena when the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor attacked. The impact that struck the gambling arena was relatively small, so it was not strange for those with Sixth-Order strength to survive.
A hint of hesitation flashed through Yang Kai’s eyes, but in the end, he cupped his fist in greeting, “Master!”
On the other hand, Nu Yan seemed very happy, “It’s good that you didn’t die.”
Yang Kai was his cash cow after all. It didn’t matter if any of the other Black Ink Disciples under his command died, but Yang Kai was the sole exception. That was why Nu Yan began searching for Yang Kai’s whereabouts as soon as the Human Race Masters retreated. It was fortunate that he found him rather quickly.
“Let’s go! Follow me!” Nu Yan beckoned and took the lead to charge forward.
For the Black Ink Clan, it was impossible for them to stand around doing nothing now that even a Royal Lord had taken action. It didn’t matter how much or how little they contributed to the battle, they had to follow their leader to war.
Nu Yan didn’t even bother to pay any attention as to whether D-4 had survived. In his opinion, the most important thing was that A-1 had survived. As for D-4 who was only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, it would not matter much even if he died.
Conversely, it was B-2 who quietly asked Yang Kai, “Where did D-4 go?”
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before he responded solemnly, “He died!”
B-2 looked a little sad, but didn’t say anything more.
The three of them followed closely behind Nu Yan, doing their best to recover their strength as quickly as possible while pursuing the enemy.
Along the way, many Black Ink Clansmen continuously gathered nearby with their respective Black Ink Disciples in tow. These were the survivors of the sudden raid launched by the Human Race earlier. Several hundred of them soon gathered together like small streams converging to form a great river. Led by one of the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords, they charged forward aggressively in a mighty procession. Moreover, the number of troops steadily increased along the way.
Yang Kai secretly grumbled to himself. He originally thought that he would have the chance to meet up with the Human Race Masters, but the circumstances had changed to the point where he didn’t dare to act rashly and could only take one step at a time.
All of a sudden, blinding lights bloomed in the distant void and terrifying energy fluctuations that caused a person to tremble in horror simultaneously spread out from that direction.
Yang Kai looked up only to see the dazzling light contending with an intense pitch-black darkness that could not be scattered. His expression couldn’t help becoming cold and sombre at the sight. He speculated that the Black Ink Royal Lord was currently fighting the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race. Nothing else could have created such a great commotion.
The leading Black Ink Feudal Lord obviously noticed the situation too. Shouting for the procession behind him to speed up, he rushed forward to provide reinforcements.
Yang Kai, B-2, and E-5 followed closely behind Nu Yan, taking up protective positions around the latter, remaining in close proximity at all times.
Their pursuit had persisted for several days at this point. Not only did they come across the occasional corpses of the slain Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, but they also observed the wreckage of the destroyed territories nearby. The Human Masters had invaded deep into the domain of the Black Ink Clan after all, so it was impossible for them to pass through these lands peacefully. All the places where the Black Ink Clan generally gathered together had been obliterated in their wake.
In addition, there were also fragments of countless warship artifacts…
The sight of these warship fragments made Yang Kai’s heart grow heavy. He had personally experienced the strength of such warships in the past. The palace artifact Zuo Quan Hui wielded when he led the Heavenly Sword Union to war against Void Land had greatly troubled Yang Kai and the others at the time.
Mobile Palace Artifacts were not only difficult to refine, but the cost to refine them was also astronomical. In the 3,000 Worlds, ordinary Artifact Refiners were not qualified to refine such artifacts and most great forces would not have the financial strength to own one either.
In the past, Yang Kai had commissioned Grandmaster Ma Fan to create a Mobile Palace Artifact which was now in Void Land’s possession.
A Mobile Palace Artifact was a valuable treasure for laying siege to enemies and a powerful weapon that integrated both offensive and defensive abilities. After the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor attacked several days ago, numerous palace artifact warships had navigated their way across the battlefield and slaughtered countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. Be that as it may, many of these powerful warships had been shattered and destroyed here. It could be seen that the battle had been very fierce for the Human Race.
Judging from the current situation, the Black Ink Clan army had caught up to the Human Race army even though the latter had retreated in a timely manner. A battle must have broken out between them. Moreover, it was an extremely fierce battle. The number of casualties remained unknown.
Yang Kai’s group continued to give chase for another two or three days before, all of a sudden, the leading Black Ink Feudal Lord changed direction and led the hundreds behind him to the flank. The Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples quickly followed in his lead.
Yang Kai frowned slightly at the sight. He had hoped to follow the Black Ink Clan army to the front lines of the battlefield and find an opportunity to escape. Who could have expected the Black Ink Feudal Lord to change directions so abruptly?
“Master, are we giving up pursuit?” Yang Kai asked with a glance at Nu Yan.
Nu Yan did not understand what the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord was trying to do either, but he answered anyway, “Sir Feudal Lord must have his own considerations. We only need to follow him.”
If it were any other Black Ink Disciple, he would not have been so accommodating. It was just that Yang Kai was very useful to him, so he was much more tolerant towards Yang Kai’s behaviour.
It didn’t take long before Yang Kai understood the reason why the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord had suddenly changed directions.
Approximately an hour later, a raging battlefield came into view. There was a warship artifact there, trying to break out from the encirclement formed by the Black Ink Clan army.
Blinding lights constantly blasted out from the warship, each one containing terrifying force. Consequently, any Black Ink Clansman or Black Ink Disciple struck by the beams of light would either perish on the spot or cough up blood from the injuries they sustained.
That was the biggest advantage of a warship artifact. Every single attack unleashed by it was equivalent to the full power of a Seventh-Order Master. Furthermore, these attacks could be fired continuously as long as the warship was functioning properly.
Although the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples in the surroundings suffered huge casualties, they continued to fight to the death without any hesitation. Countless Secret Techniques blasted towards the warship, but even so, these Secret Techniques were blocked by the warship’s shield and could only create ripples on its surface.
For the Black Ink Clan, the fact that the Humans had invaded their domain and destroyed dozens of their strongholds was a huge humiliation for them. It had to be said that the Humans had been besieged in the various great passes by the Black Ink Clan for countless years, so it was very rare for the Humans to take the initiative to attack.
In any case, their humiliation could only be washed away with fresh blood. For that reason, the Black Ink Clan disregarded their casualties and dedicated themselves to destroying this warship that had fallen behind the main force, regardless of the price they had to pay.
This battle had probably been going on for a while by now as the void was littered with the corpses of the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Disciples. In fact, there were only a dozen or so survivors at this point!
If nobody hindered them, the Human Masters could likely use their warship to obliterate the remaining Black Ink Clan and flee with ease. However, when the group of several hundred people including Yang Kai rushed over, the Human Masters inside the warship immediately turned pale.
What they feared the most had finally come to pass. This place could still be considered to be within the domain of the Black Ink Clan, so enemy reinforcements could arrive at any time. They had killed the Black Ink Clan surrounding them as quickly as possible in hopes of escaping their predicament even a moment sooner, but who could have known that their efforts would still not be enough?
Similarly, Yang Kai was secretly anxious when he saw this scene after following Nu Yan to this place. He did not know why this warship had been left behind, but the situation on the battlefield was ever-changing so it shouldn’t have been a surprise.
Just as the Humans were in the process of retreating, the Black Ink Royal Lord had led many Masters to pursue them and later engaged the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor in battle. It might be that the powerful fallout from the battles between the two parties had impacted the Human Race army’s formation and caused this ship to fall behind.
Numerous figures stood on the deck of the ship, their World Force surging as they unleashed Secret Techniques indiscriminately in tandem with the attacks of the warship itself. Their assault continued without pause.
A furious roar suddenly rang out, “Kill them!”
Under the command of the leading Black Ink Feudal Lord, hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples charged towards the warship like the surging tide. It only took an instant for them to surround the ship tightly. That was not all. The leading Black Ink Feudal Lord was brave and fierce. With a shift of his body, he immediately rushed towards the ship. His enormous figure erupted with a horrifying force as he swung his fist out, smashing it into the protective shield.
At that moment, a shocking sword slash swept out. It was extremely brilliant, so much so that it seemed only this sword light remained in the entire world.
Pitch-black blood splattered everywhere as the arm that the Feudal Lord swung earlier was chopped off on the spot. He staggered backward unsteadily, thick pitch-black blood gushing out endlessly from his severed arm. The pain caused his face to twist hideously, but he still glared grimly at the slender figure standing at the bow of the warship.
The figure was dressed in white robes that were untouched by dust and fluttered around her in an ethereal manner. More importantly, she was staring at the Feudal Lord as though she was looking at a dead man.
Yang Kai was astonished. The shocking sword slash earlier had been extremely blinding, so it was only natural that he noticed the attack. At the same time, he also took the opportunity to glance at the Master who unleashed the strike.
The woman standing at the front of the deck turned out to be somebody he recognised. They could not be considered well-acquainted, but they had indeed met several days ago. It was the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm who tried to take his life the other day. If not for the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor’s signal to withdraw, this woman in the Seventh-Order would not have stopped back then.
Yang Kai never imagined that he would encounter her here, so he could only marvel at how unpredictable fate could be.
Her current situation was clearly a little less than optimistic though. The warship she was on was very powerful, and the Human Race also had a number of people on their side. Nonetheless, the Black Ink Clan had received hundreds of reinforcements out of the blue. As long as the Black Ink Clan could delay things here for a short while, even more reinforcements were bound to arrive. The people aboard the ship would not be able to escape if that were to happen.
Although the warship was large, it moved as smoothly as the wind under the control of the Human Masters. Relying on its unparalleled and unmatched defences, it shuttled back and forth among the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. At the same time, horrifying lights blasted out from all directions of the large ship.
From time to time, the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples would be struck by those beams of lights and lose their lives on the spot. Naturally, the Black Ink Clan did not sit around and do nothing as they unleashed their respective means in retaliation.
For a time, both sides attacked furiously, making the scene extremely chaotic.
Likewise, Yang Kai randomly unleashed various Secret Techniques, but did not dare to exert his full strength. How could he actually attack his comrades? It was enough if he just put on a show.
At the moment, he was currently wondering whether he should take the opportunity to fight his way over to the Human Race, prove his identity to them, and join their ranks; however, the idea only flashed through his mind for a moment before he dismissed it.
He had already suffered a loss previously. When he first encountered the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm woman, he had wanted to prove his identity, but who could have known that the other party would not give him the chance to explain himself?
Standing in the other party’s shoes, Yang Kai could understand the reason behind her actions.
The Black Ink Disciples looked no different from ordinary Humans in terms of external appearances. For the Humans who invaded the Black Ink Clan’s domain, they could not afford to hesitate in the slightest when facing either the Black Ink Clan or the Black Ink Disciples. On a battlefield like this, the slightest hint of hesitation could lead to their deaths; therefore, as long as the other party was not one of their own, they should kill first and ask questions later. In any case, the chances of making a mistake were basically zero.
Throughout history, nobody had ever been as bold as Yang Kai. He had disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple, remained by the side of a Black Ink Clansman, and involved himself in various gambling arenas for years now.
At this moment, he could only suppress the impulse in his heart and quietly wait for his opportunity. Unfortunately, he soon realised that something was wrong.
The warship belonging to the Human Race might be extremely powerful, but it could not withstand a sustained barrage forever. The light shield that covered the warship was clearly dimming now.
The Black Ink Clan clearly noticed this fact too and their attacks became more and more ruthless, adamant to bring down the warship.
During this short period, over 100 Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples had perished in the battle. Even Nu Yan had been hit by one of the light beams, which seriously injured him to the point where he coughed up blood.
Yang Kai secretly glanced sideways at Nu Yan and cursed in his heart, [this bastard sure is lucky. Why won’t he just die?]
The heavily wounded Nu Yan no longer dared to step forward in battle. Leading Yang Kai and the others, he constantly avoided any confrontation with the ship.
Suddenly, Yang Kai noticed something happening on the ship. The Human Masters seemed to be arguing among themselves. The woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm standing at the bow said something, which caused the expressions of the people around her to change drastically. They hurriedly tried to persuade her with agitated expressions; however, she slowly shook her head with a firm expression.
Yang Kai immediately felt a sense of foreboding wash over him.
Sure enough, a short while later, the white-robed woman leaped off the ship. With her sword in hand, she crossed the distance and stood between the warship and the Black Ink Clan. Then, she held her sword in front of her chest and slid her finger along the blade with a solemn expression. Following a violent surging of her World Force, thousands of sword waves abruptly appeared behind her back.
The sword waves trembled slightly, humming with a sound that resembled sad weeping. It was the sorrowful lament of her sword. At the same time, a desolate and chilling atmosphere filled the void and for an instant, it felt as though time had frozen.