10,000 swords swept out all at once. It was an absolutely spectacular scene. Every single sword wave was as solid as a material object; moreover, their sharp and unstoppable aura placed heavy pressure on the onlookers.
Many of the Black Ink Clansmen were frightened by this scene, and for a time, nobody dared to act rashly. This woman had taken the initiative to leap out of the ship’s protective range and stand before it. Anybody could see from her actions that she was planning to put her life on the line. On top of that, the attack she unleashed was by no means an ordinary Secret Technique. It was… a Divine Manifestation!
Yang Kai frowned slightly at the sight. When he fought against this woman previously, he had noticed that she was extraordinarily powerful. She was definitely second to none in terms of strength among all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters that he encountered in the past and judging by the current situation, it would seem that she truly had a strong capital to rely on.
Divine Manifestations were exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Only a Seventh-Order or higher Master could comprehend a Divine Manifestation that belonged only to them. Furthermore, each person’s Divine Manifestation was different because these Divine Manifestations embodied the essence of their comprehension of their respective Dao. However, not every High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master had their own Divine Manifestation.
Take Zuo Quan Hui, who was killed by Yang Kai in the past, for an example. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and an Inner Elder of the Thousand Cranes Paradise. Although he held a respected position, he did not have a Divine Manifestation. Yang Kai might not have emerged victorious from the battle back then otherwise.
The gap in strength between Open Heaven Realm Masters in the same Order could be extremely disparate at times, and those who had Divine Manifestations were often the best among them. In any case, unleashing one’s Divine Manifestation could only mean that the person in question was prepared to go all out.
Yang Kai also had two Divine Manifestations, Golden Crow Casts the Sun and Towering Evergreen. Be that as it may, his situation was unique. Before he even advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, he had already comprehended a Divine Manifestation while still in the Emperor Realm and it had remained one of his trump cards even today.
Strictly speaking, Yang Kai’s Sun and Moon Divine Wheel could also be regarded as a Divine Manifestation because the power behind it far exceeded that of any ordinary Secret Technique or Divine Ability. It was just that nobody had ever explained the intricacies of Divine Manifestations to him before, so he could not be too sure on its classification.
The 10,000 swords roared in unison as the woman’s expression became even more solemn. Meanwhile, on the ship behind her, the people who quarrelled with her earlier looked on anxiously and constantly stomped their feet in frustration. Even so, they were powerless to do anything.
In the next moment, the ship abruptly shot out to forge an escape path. Transforming into a stream of light, the ship quickly fled into the distance. The woman was left alone to face the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, but she showed no fear whatsoever. Her courage and will were incredible indeed.
Yang Kai suddenly understood the reason for the dispute earlier.
The warship had been surrounded by enemies, so it was impossible for them to escape unless they killed the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples in front of them. However, doing so would only further delay them. If more reinforcements for the Black Ink Clan arrived during that time, then they would lose their chance to escape forever.
The woman clearly wanted to stay behind and stop their pursuers so that the ship could escape. That was the reason behind their earlier argument. It was almost certain she was a stubborn and determined person, so without giving her comrades any chance to object, she had taken the initiative to leap off the ship and summon her Divine Manifestation.
In this way, the ship only had two options. Either they stayed behind and fought with her, or they took the chance to escape from the battle. The risk of them being wiped out if they chose to stay behind was high, while on the other hand, they would have a glimmer of hope to survive if they chose to escape. There were times when choosing to escape from battle was not an act of cowardice. Quite the opposite, their actions were taken to ensure their comrade’s sacrifice would not become meaningless. Besides, escaping while having to abandon one’s allies carried both a physical and mental burden that was not easy to alleviate.
As the saying went, ‘A strong man would make a prompt and resolute decision’. This woman had risked her life just to create an opportunity for her comrades to escape. It was for that reason that Yang Kai felt a sense of admiration and respect for her.
The warship was planning to escape, but how could the Black Ink Clan allow their enemy to flee so easily? Thus, they immediately rushed forward to intercept the ship.
Although the woman remained motionless, the sword waves behind her slammed forward with a roar. Fresh blood splattered across the void and severed body parts scattered everywhere as dozens of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples who rushed forward to stop the ship died instantaneously!
Upon seeing this situation, Yang Kai became quite certain that the woman was only one step away from advancing into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm! An ordinary Seventh-Order Master would never be as powerful as her.
It had to be said that the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples who perished were in no way comparable to Seventh-Order Master, but many of them were High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen who were at least on par with Sixth-Order Masters. Be that as it may, they were totally powerless to fight back under the bombardment of those sword waves. The woman slaughtered them so effortlessly that it almost seemed as though she was chopping vegetables. It was extremely scary.
With just one strike, nobody else dared to act rashly again. All the Black Ink Clansmen could only watch helplessly as the warship disappeared from their field of vision. When their gazes turned towards the woman again, their eyes were filled with a mix of rage and fear.
“Attack together!” The Feudal Lord, whose arm had been cut off by the woman before, roared furiously. It would be far too embarrassing if they failed to take down a single Human opponent despite their overwhelming numbers.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he took the lead to charge towards the woman. Before he even arrived, he swung his remaining fist and a dense cloud of Black Ink Strength came crashing down on her.
In a battle against the Human Masters, the Black Ink Clan would naturally make use of their innate advantage. The Black Ink Strength that they wielded was extremely corrosive. As long as the Human Master was careless for even the slightest moment, their Small Universe would be corroded by the Black Ink Strength. If that were to happen, they would quickly degenerate into a Black Ink Disciple if they did not sacrifice a part of their Small Universe.
Although a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had a certain degree of resistance towards the Black Ink Strength, they could not withstand being in contact with it for extended periods of time. That was the reason why Meng Qi had been reluctant to escape with Yang Kai back then. He knew that he would never be able to escape from the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory without being contaminated again.
As long as he left the Sealed World with Yang Kai, it would only be a matter of time before he was corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and became a Black Ink Disciple once more. At that time, the existence of the Void Corridor would no longer be a secret. That was why he decisively committed suicide inside the Sealed World to keep the Void Corridor a secret.
Following the attack of the Black Ink Feudal Lord, many of the Black Ink Clansmen acted as well. It only took an instant for the entire region to be filled with Black Ink Clouds that enveloped the woman from all directions.
All of a sudden, a sword cry resounded, accompanied by numerous scraping sounds. Yang Kai focused his eyes and stared into the pitch-black Black Ink Cloud. The sight that entered his vision inadvertently caused him to narrow his eyes.
The thousands of sword waves that had been suspended behind the woman all this time almost seemed to come alive at this moment. They quickly gathered near her and wrapped around her entire body in the blink of an eye. At the same time, countless sword waves continued to gather. The scraping and clanging sounds that could be heard were caused by the continuous collision between the sword waves.
A sensational aura erupted from the depths of the Black Ink Cloud, giving off the feeling that the end was approaching. In the face of such a devastating catastrophe, no one had any hope of survival.
*Hou…*
A ferocious roar suddenly burst forth, like the furious howl of an Ominous Beast, before a shockwave swept out. As a consequence, the Black Ink Cloud enveloping the woman was instantly blown apart, as though struck by an unimaginable impact, and the enormous figure hidden within was revealed.
The woman had long disappeared from sight, and standing in her place was a 1,000-metre-long behemoth! The behemoth had a skeletal frame made from metal. Like a giant beast of steel, the surface of its body glowed with a sharp and cold light while the lines on its surface were hard and sharp. It was a Dragon! More specifically, it was a Sword Dragon composed from thousands and thousands of sword waves.
This sudden turn of events left the Black Ink Clan in shock. Even Yang Kai’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
[You can even do that with a Divine Manifestation!?] Everything that entered his eyes at this moment was completely beyond his imagination. The Sword Dragon that was 1,000 metres long was certainly incomparable to his 20,000 metres Grand Dragon Form, but the oppressive aura coming from the Sword Dragon was not something his Dragon Form possessed.
Although they could both manifest Dragon Forms, if it really came down to a battle, Yang Kai estimated that he would be defeated by this woman within ten moves. It was no wonder she dared to stay behind on her own to stop hundreds of the Black Ink Clansmen and Disciples. It turned out that she had something to rely upon.
Yang Kai took a closer look and discovered that the woman stood inside the head of the Sword Dragon. Her spotless white robes could vaguely be seen among the gaps in the sword waves. As long as the Sword Dragon was not destroyed, she would remain safe and sound; therefore, he felt his anxiety over her safety reducing slightly.
The changes occurred so suddenly that the many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples rushing towards her were too stunned to change the direction of their movements. Under the leadership of several Black Ink Feudal Lords, they blasted out numerous Secret Techniques at the Sword Dragon.
In response, the Sword Dragon moved. The Dragon Head swayed from side to side, lunging forward at the nearby Black Ink Clansmen. The sword waves that formed the Dragon vibrated extremely fast, resulting in a sharp humming sound.
At the place where both parties collided, the Sword Dragon opened its mouth and swallowed up the one-armed Feudal Lord who stood at the forefront in a single gulp. Vague roars and screams of the Feudal Lord coming from the belly of the Sword Dragon rang out in the next instant, but the screams stopped abruptly not long after and a cloud of ink-coloured blood mist burst out from within the Dragon.
What followed could only be described as a massacre. Everywhere the Sword Dragon passed, Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples were practically powerless to fight back. They were wounded when touched, and some were even torn apart on contact!
Although countless attacks struck the body of the Sword Dragon, these attacks only destroyed some of the sword waves and could barely deal any damage to the woman’s true body.
Like cavalry charging through the front lines, the Sword Dragon swept through the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen before immediately turning around and crashing through their ranks again.
Following the Sword Dragon’s first charge, the tight formation of the Black Ink Clan fell apart. They couldn’t help feeling terrified and escaping in a fluster when faced with such a brutal Divine Manifestation. However, their actions only gave the sword waves a chance to break through their defences once more.
Numerous Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques incessantly blasted towards the body of the Sword Dragon. On that chaotic battlefield, a life was lost with every passing moment. Pieces of flesh and pitch-black blood scattered across the void. Furthermore, the energy from the collapse of many Small Universes resounded violently.
The Sword Dragon swept back and forth, charging through the Black Ink Clan army seven or eight times in quick succession. Out of the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen, more than half died and the remaining half looked as terrified as wild beasts running from a flood.
The might of the Sword Dragon was truly awe-inspiring and the sight left Yang Kai sighing in amazement. There was only one thing that upset him slightly.
Nu Yan had no special ability to speak of, but his ability to stay alive was definitely first-class. Three or four Feudal Lords had already been killed by the woman, but despite harrowing odds, Nu Yan remained perfectly fine. He somehow managed to avoid the Sword Dragon’s attacks and survive every single time.
At this point, Yang Kai was tempted to just summon his Azure Dragon Spear and kill Nu Yan himself.
After such a high-intensity battle, the Sword Dragon was naturally not unscathed. The final resistance of the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples before their deaths was particularly fierce. Coupled with their constant bombardment of Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities, the majestic Sword Dragon looked rather ragged at this moment. It was full of holes and missing pieces.
A large part of the Dragon Head where the woman was hiding had also been blasted apart by the constant attacks, revealing her figure to the world. Her complexion was pale and her aura was unstable. Activating her Divine Manifestation for such a long time must have been a great burden on her.
She had intercepted and slaughtered more than half of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples here all by herself. Moreover, quite a few of them were Black Ink Feudal Lords who were equivalent to Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in strength.
Having such achievements was truly remarkable; however, for her, this was only the beginning of her struggle.
The woman’s vulnerability did not escape the notice of the many fleeing Black Ink Clansmen. Although they had originally been filled with the terror of death, they seemed to see a glimmer of hope at this moment.
Four Black Ink Feudal Lords had survived up until this point. They exchanged glances and immediately understood each other’s intentions without the need for discussion.
Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples had died at the hands of a single Human. Their casualties were extremely heavy. If they allowed the enemy to escape on top of that, then it could only be said that they were far too incompetent.
More importantly, they would not have a reasonable explanation for their higher-ups. It would be difficult for them to escape punishment if their superiors were to hold them accountable for this incident; hence, their sole option was to take down this woman with all their might. Killing her here was the only way for them to wash away their shame.
With that goal in mind, the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples gathered together again. They split into several groups under the leadership of the remaining few Black Ink Feudal Lords and moved in different directions to surround the battered Sword Dragon.
All of them had a deep understanding of the Sword Dragon’s might. Out of the original hundreds of people on their side, more than half had been killed by the repeated assault of the enemy. How could they not realise the tyrannical might of the enemy at this point?
For that reason, the Black Ink Clansmen blocking the way immediately scattered in all directions when the Sword Dragon came charging in their direction. At the same time, the others fiercely unleashed various attacks at the Sword Dragon’s body from a distance.
After this manoeuvre was repeated a few more times, the results were as expected. The Sword Dragon not only failed to kill many Black Ink Clansmen, but the condition of its battered body deteriorated even further instead. Conversely, the encirclement stood strong whenever the Sword Dragon stopped moving. They were giving the woman no chance of escape whatsoever.
Despite everything, the woman’s pale face remained utterly indifferent when she looked at the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples surrounding her. It was almost as though she was not the one in crisis.
Cracking sounds rang out again and the sword waves that made up the Sword Dragon twisted and changed their form once more. Under the stunned gazes of the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples, a brand-new and perfect Sword Dragon was born!
It was just that the swords waves forming the Sword Dragon had suffered extensive damage earlier, so the current Sword Dragon was barely half the size of the previous Sword Dragon. Be that as it may, it was still over 500 metres long.
Yang Kai felt his admiration and respect for this woman deepening greatly. Prior to this incident, he had never even imagined that a Divine Manifestation could be manipulated in such a way. It went to show just how powerful she was. Her control over her Divine Manifestation had reached the point where she could wield it like an extension of her own body, which also meant her attainments in the Sword Dao were extraordinary.
The Sword Dragon charged forward once more. The current Dragon Form was a little smaller than before, but it remained enormous compared to the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. Moreover, it was much more agile than before.
Be that as it may, the Black Ink Clan continued with their established tactics to drag out the battle. They refused to have a direct confrontation with her and simply fought with the intention of wearing her down.
For a time, the woman was also extremely troubled by these tactics. She could not kill many of her enemies even though she charged forward repeatedly. On the contrary, the body of the Sword Dragon became battered again.
The repeated confrontations and stubborn resistance allowed the woman to stop the pursuit of hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen with her strength alone.
At this point, the 500-metre Sword Dragon had transformed once more and shrunk to just 100 metres in length. She would soon lose her ability to maintain the Sword Dragon Form if the situation persisted. In her weakened state, only a tragic fate awaited her once she lost the protection of her Divine Manifestation. Nevertheless, she had achieved her purpose of delaying the enemy. Regardless of her survival, the people on the warship would be able to escape safely.
At this moment, anybody could see that she was trying to break out of the encirclement and escape; however, the Black Ink Clan had paid a heavy price just to force her into a corner, so how could they allow her to escape? Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples continued to die, but the encirclement remained tight. They were not giving her the slightest chance to flee.
Yang Kai was feeling extremely conflicted inside. Watching the woman fighting alone, he was tempted to reveal his identity and fight beside her. Be that as it may, the thought only passed through his mind for a fleeting moment before he rejected the idea.
Even with his help, she would have a hard time pushing back her enemies in this situation. He was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all. How could he win against so many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples? What’s more, it would be difficult for him to gain her trust in such a short time.
On the contrary, if he continued hiding, he might be able to find an opportunity to turn the situation around.
The 100-metre-long Sword Dragon had been reduced to tatters and the woman was clearly an arrow at the end of its flight, her ashen complexion seeming completely bloodless.
Upon seeing this situation, the attacks of the many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples became increasingly vicious.
All of a sudden, the Sword Dragon suddenly turned around and charged towards Yang Kai’s position, causing the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples around him to turn pale in fright. Nu Yan was the first to dodge to the side. It had to be said that he might not be particularly skilful in anything, but he was very good at avoiding danger in a timely manner.
Nobody expected the Sword Dragon to charge in this direction because Yang Kai and the others were on the rear side of the encirclement. All this while, the woman had never bothered to target this area. She had repeatedly charged towards the front lines in order to break free of the encirclement and return to the Human Race army, but her wish never came true.
Her sudden and opposite behaviour was certainly very unexpected. Yang Kai even suspected that her previous actions were simply to mislead the enemy. Her real target had always been the rear of the encirclement.
Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples quickly retreated. On the other hand, the Black Ink Feudal Lord leading this side only hesitated for a moment before he rushed forward with a furious roar.
It was not as though he did not know how strong the woman was; however, it was obvious that she was a dry oil lamp after fighting for so long. How much more strength could she exert? What’s more, he had great confidence in his own strength. As long as he could delay her for a moment, his clansmen from the other side would surely come to his aid.
His self-confidence would be his undoing though.
The 100-metre-long tattered Sword Dragon spun like a top and collided with the Black Ink Feudal Lord. Without a sound, the Feudal Lord became a cloud of pitch-black blood mist and perished in an instant. Even the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples behind him suffered significant casualties.
Nu Yan had evaded in time, so he was completely unharmed.
In contrast, Yang Kai had failed to make a timely retreat because he had been worrying about the woman’s safety. He was wounded after being brushed by the Sword Dragon as it flew past. A gash deep enough to show bone appeared on his chest, and blood gushed out of the wound.
His golden blood was so striking that the woman couldn’t help but glance in his direction. When their gazes met, a look of obvious astonishment flashed through her eyes.
She had not noticed his presence due to the intense battle earlier, so it was not until this moment that she actually caught a glimpse of him and recognised him as the Black Ink Disciple who escaped from her a few days ago. At the time, she had wanted to kill him ruthlessly. It was a pity that she was forced to make a hasty retreat thanks to the signal from the Old Ancestor.
Nevertheless, she only glanced at Yang Kai briefly before she paid no more heed to him. Now was not the time for her to be worrying about such matters.
The final struggles of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples caused the 100-metre-long Sword Dragon to finally collapse, leaving only a few scattered sword waves around the woman for protection. Her Divine Manifestation had been completely destroyed, but she broke through the encirclement because of that very reason!
Activating the remaining dregs of power in her Small Universe, she transformed into a stream of light and shot out at a high speed. The Black Ink Clan’s domain was located in the direction she was flying, opposite of where the Human Masters had escaped earlier.
She had no choice but to make this decision. Her path forward had been obstructed by her pursuers, so she could only make a desperate choice in an attempt to survive this crisis.
How could the remaining Black Ink Clansmen allow things to go as she wished when they saw that she was attempting to flee? The three surviving Feudal Lords quickly gave chase. Likewise, the rest of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples followed closely behind.
For a time, a cat-and-mouse chase took place in the void.
Even though the woman was an arrow at the end of its flight, her speed was surprisingly fast. Wrapped in sword light, she seemed to transform into a sword wave that sliced through the void. The Black Ink Clansmen chasing after her could not keep up at all.
After leading her pursuers in circles for some time, she abruptly changed directions and fled towards the front lines.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief. Fleeing deeper into the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan would surely lead to a tragic ending. Without the deterrence of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor, no matter how strong she was, it was impossible for her to survive by relying on her strength alone. Only by fleeing back to the Human lines would she stand a chance to survive.
The distance between the two parties grew larger and larger, and if nothing unexpected happened, then the woman would be able to escape alive. That was also what Yang Kai hoped to see; however, at that moment, a powerful aura suddenly emerged from behind. Startled, he looked back only to see a pitch-black darkness rapidly approaching them.
This horrifying scene was rather familiar. When the Black Ink Royal Lord led a horde of Black Ink Clan Masters here in a rush, Yang Kai had witnessed a similar scene. Of course, the pitch-black darkness that was rapidly approaching this time was not nearly as large-scale as back then. Moreover, there was only one aura coming from within the darkness. It was… a Black Ink Territory Lord!
Yang Kai’s heart sank at the sight, and he clenched his fists tightly. A Black Ink Territory Lord was equivalent to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. [I can’t believe a Master of this calibre actually appeared at this time! She’s in danger!]
The woman fleeing in the front clearly sensed the danger looming behind her and her speed suddenly increased significantly. It was apparent that she was desperately trying to escape.
Unfortunately, the Territory Lord chasing her was in prime condition, so how could she possibly escape his incredible speed? The distance between them quickly closed and it didn’t take long before the pitch-black darkness retracted to reveal the gigantic figure hidden within. The figure raised his hand and slapped at the sword wave that was running away up ahead.
The void shuddered from the impact and Yang Kai clearly saw the sword wave freezing for a moment. Then, the impact forcefully separated the body of the woman who was fused with her sword. Blood mist sprayed from her mouth as a result.
Judging from the strength displayed by the woman earlier, at the peak of her strength, she would have been able to fight back to a certain extent even if she encountered a Territory Lord, but in her current exhausted state, how could she defend against such a blow? Just a single palm strike was enough to heavily injure her.
It was no longer possible for her to escape!
Still, this woman was very decisive. Knowing that it was impossible to escape, she immediately spun around and fused with her sword again. She transformed into an impressive sword wave that slashed out at the Territory Lord chasing her. The power behind that attack was enough to shake space itself. It was her final blow into which she poured all her remaining strength.
The Territory Lord stared indifferently at this attack and punched out with his fist. His enormous fist collided with the sword wave. Consequently, the sword wave shattered and scattered like fireflies dancing in the night.
His gigantic figure stood upright in the void. Stretching out his hand in front of him, he clenched his fist and captured a small figure in his grip.
The woman’s pure white robes were stained red with blood, her beautiful hair was completely dishevelled, and her weakened aura resembled a flickering flame in the wind that could be extinguished at any moment. Despite facing such a desperate situation, she did not simply sit around waiting for her death. Nevertheless, she could not break free from the Territory Lord’s grasp no matter how hard she struggled.
Yang Kai immediately became anxious. In this situation where the woman had been captured, it would only take the slightest pressure from the Black Ink Territory Lord to crush her to death.
The woman’s life was in danger!
Yang Kai suddenly couldn’t bear watching without doing anything any longer. Even if his identity were revealed, even if his future would be fraught with danger, he believed that he had to make his move now; otherwise, he was bound to regret his decision for the rest of his life.
Over the past two years, he had disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and carefully mingled among the Black Ink Clan because he did not dare to reveal his identity easily. Being faithful to Nu Yan’s orders and allowing himself to be regarded as a cash cow by fighting endless battles in the gambling arenas of various major territories were simply his methods of survival.
He had not lifted a finger to help when the woman had been fighting on her own because she had always remained in control of the situation; however, she was now only one step away from death. Yang Kai could not watch her die here without doing anything.
With his current strength, there was a high chance that he would die as well if he revealed his identity. The Black Ink Territory Lord was not easy to deal with after all, but throughout his life, Yang Kai had to admit that although he was not indomitable, he had a bottom line that could not be crossed. It was now the time where he had to take action!
Inside the Sealed World, Meng Qi from Exquisite Paradise had chosen to commit suicide in order to protect the secret of the Void Corridor. As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, when did he ever show the slightest hint of hesitation in his actions?
The people who fought and risked their lives every single day on the Black Ink Battlefield to fight the Black Ink Clan for countless years did so all to protect the 3,000 Worlds, all while the latter knew nothing of their sacrifice. How could he do any less at this moment?
However, Yang Kai suddenly froze in place. That was because he noticed that the Territory Lord who captured the woman was simply staring at her quietly. There was no murderous intent in those eyes. On the contrary, they were filled with a trace of admiration.
Yang Kai suddenly realised something. The Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises might not die if they were captured by the Black Ink Clan. Rather, what awaited them was another fate!
Sure enough, the Black Ink Territory Lord did not kill the woman immediately and instead sneered lightly, “You’ve got guts. In that case, become my slave forever!”
When the words left his mouth, Black Ink Strength dense enough to take shape seeped out of his hands. The Black Ink Strength instantly enveloped the woman and began sinking into her body.
The woman struggled desperately, but her efforts were to no avail. Combined with the fact that she had exhausted all her strength in the battle just now, she was completely powerless to resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength. A short while later, she became quiet as her eyes filled with Black Ink Strength.
Yang Kai watched quietly, feeling sad in his heart. It was hard to believe that such a Master had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Be that as it may, compared to death on the spot, this outcome could be considered acceptable as he might be able to find an opportunity to rescue her.
The Black Ink Territory Lord was clearly extremely satisfied with his newly subordinated servant. A Black Ink Disciple in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was very rare, so they were considered precious even among the Black Ink Clan. He studied her for a moment before he said, “Follow me once you recover.”
“Yes!” The woman with dishevelled hair bowed respectfully.
After that, the Territory Lord did not say anything else. Pitch-black darkness covered his enormous figure, and he charged forward quickly. It was obvious that he planned to pursue the Human Masters who had retreated earlier.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples left behind glared at the woman. The situation was extremely awkward, but there was no helping it. They had been fighting each other as though there was an absolutely irreconcilable enmity between them only for her to suddenly become one of their own in the blink of an eye. The shift in her position was rather abrupt. Even so, there was no denying that the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was now a Black Ink Disciple after being corrupted by the Territory Lord’s Black Ink Strength.
Under normal circumstances, it was easy for such a powerful Black Ink Disciple who was acting alone without being accompanied by their Master to attract the greed of Black Ink Clansmen; however, everybody had just witnessed the Territory Lord corrupting this woman with his Black Ink Strength. Who would dare to steal her away after that? They would not face any consequences if they stole her now, but the Territory Lord was bound to hold them accountable for their actions later. If that were to happen, they would lose all the Black Ink Disciples under their command and possibly even their life.
“Why did you run off!? Do you want to die!?” Nu Yan reprimanded Yang Kai.
In order to rescue the woman earlier, Yang Kai had increased his speed slightly and left his ‘Master’ behind. It was fortunate that he had reacted in time and held back from attacking the Territory Lord; otherwise, the person being hunted at this moment would have been him.
Hence, he lowered his head silently in response.
Thankfully, Nu Yan only reprimanded Yang Kai once and did not seem to have any other intentions.
In that way, the vigorous pursuit finally ended. The three surviving Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords gathered together for a quick discussion, then one of them said, “A few will stay behind to guard this place and prevent any misunderstandings from occurring. The rest will come with me to pursue the enemy!”
The woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had been converted by a Territory Lord, but she was a dry oil lamp at the moment and needed time to recover her strength. The Territory Lord had also commanded her to recuperate before catching up to him.
Be that as it may, it was inappropriate to leave her here alone. If any other Black Ink Clan Masters passed by this place and mistakenly killed her thinking that she was an enemy, they would not be able to give the Territory Lord a reasonable explanation; therefore, a few people had to stay behind to help her stand guard and explain the circumstances to any passing clansmen.
Ordinary Black Ink Disciples would never receive such special treatment, but they had just witnessed this woman’s strength with their own eyes. More importantly, she was personally corrupted by a Territory Lord. As the Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple, it was only natural for her to receive special treatment.
After the Feudal Lord finished speaking, his gaze swept across the crowd in front of him.
Nu Yan ‘dutifully’ stepped forward at the right moment and volunteered, “Sir, I’m willing to stay behind!”
Yang Kai glanced sideways at Nu Yan. During the two years serving under him, Yang Kai had not realised that Nu Yan was extremely scared of death. It was not until this battle against the Human Masters that Nu Yan’s cowardice was revealed.
In addition, Yang Kai had noticed something earlier. Although Nu Yan had no special abilities to speak of, his ability to sense danger and escape it were definitely first-class. In other words, his ability to survive in the Black Ink Battlefield up until today was not without reason.
Hearing that somebody was required to stay behind, how could Nu Yan fail to seize this opportunity? He quickly volunteered before anybody else could even react. It was not a major issue that needed to be negotiated, and since he took the initiative to volunteer, the other Black Ink Clansmen would naturally have no reason to compete with him.
The Feudal Lord who spoke earlier nodded and responded, “In that case, you will stay behind. The rest will come with me!”
After saying that, he took the lead to charge forward in pursuit. The others quickly followed behind him and it didn’t take long before only Nu Yan, Yang Kai, and the other Black Ink Disciples remained.
“Let’s take a rest. I’m sure you’re all tired from the battle earlier. It’s good that none of us died!” While speaking, Nu Yan turned to look in the woman’s direction with a thankful expression.
Several Black Ink Feudal Lords and countless High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen had died at the hands of this woman; therefore, Nu Yan was very lucky to have survived. What made him rejoice even more was that all the Black Ink Disciples under his command had also survived the battle.
They sat down cross-legged and consumed some Spirit Pills for recovery.
On the other side, the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had been quietly recovering her strength ever since the departure of the Territory Lord.
From time to time, Black Ink Clansmen of varying numbers would rush over from behind. When they stumbled upon this place, they couldn’t help feeling curious and came forward to ask about the situation.
Naturally, Nu Yan answered their questions truthfully. After hearing that the dishevelled woman recovering her strength was a Black Ink Disciple converted by a Territory Lord, they immediately gave up any ideas about her and left quickly.
After just half a day’s time, the woman opened her eyes under Yang Kai’s close watch. Her originally ashen complexion had already returned to normal. She casually tied up her hair and slowly got to her feet, and then she walked over to Yang Kai and the others. The crimson patches that blossomed all over her white robes were extremely striking.
Nu Yan had also gotten to his feet after he noticed her movements, but his smile was rather forced, “Have you recovered your strength?”
He fervently wished that the woman would take as much time as possible to recover. In that way, he would no longer need to chase after the Human Masters or take any risks that could endanger his life.
Still, he was part of the Black Ink Clan, so even if his strength was much weaker than the Black Ink Disciple in front of him, a Black Ink Disciple was nothing more than a servant in the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, regardless of their cultivation. Of course, this woman was a servant converted by a Territory Lord, so Nu Yan had to show her a certain degree of respect. Even his inquiring tone was rather polite.
The woman said nothing and simply stared at Nu Yan silently. In the next moment, she stretched out her arm and a longsword immediately appeared in her grip as a shocking light burst forth. The world seemed to lose all its colours at that moment.
Nu Yan’s forced smile remained on his face, but his eyes were flooded with a sense of horror and fear. Raising his hand slightly, he pointed at the woman, “You…”
The words had only just left his mouth when his enormous body suddenly split into two halves. Pitch-black blood and Black Ink Strength exploded to form a Black Ink Cloud.
Yang Kai and the others standing nearby were completely stunned. Nobody could have predicted this sudden turn of events. Black Ink Disciples were the servants of the Black Ink Clan after all. No matter how high their cultivation, it was impossible for them to have thoughts of betraying a Black Ink Clan. That was why Nu Yan had been completely caught off-guard when this woman walked over to them. Needless to say, with the gap in their strength, there was nothing he could have done to stop her even if he had been on guard.
In any case, this situation was totally unexpected. The woman who had just recovered her strength had killed Nu Yan with a single stroke of her sword!
Yang Kai had been praying for Nu Yan to die as soon as possible so that he could escape, but he never imagined that Nu Yan would perish just like that. If he had to be honest, he was feeling rather confused.
Before he had time to think though, the aura of death suddenly loomed over him. The woman did not stop after killing Nu Yan and swiftly slashed her sword down on him. Turning pale with shock, Yang Kai immediately summoned the Azure Dragon Spear and thrust forward without any hesitation.
There was a loud explosion, followed by an overwhelming force that erupted from before him. Yang Kai felt as though an entire Universe World had smashed into him, and his figure was sent flying backwards. A metallic taste flooded his mouth, and the vitality in his chest surged violently.
This was the second time he had suffered defeat at the hands of this woman, but a vague speculation formed in his mind at that moment.
The woman looked slightly surprised. Yang Kai had escaped from her deathblow during the previous raid, and the same thing had occurred again this time. Just as she suspected, this Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple was truly unusual!
On the other side, both B-2 and E-5 went crazy after witnessing Nu Yan’s death. As Black Ink Disciples, their Master and the Black Ink Clan were supreme. It was their responsibility to ensure the safety of their Master; however, Nu Yan had been killed right under their noses. How could they not be furious?
The two of them showed no hesitation whatsoever. One of them blasted a Divine Ability at the woman while the other lunged forward. His entire figure swelled significantly under the effects of his Secret Technique.
The woman’s expression remained indifferent, and the longsword in her hand transformed into a curtain of swords that rained down on B-2 and E-5 like a storm. With her strength, it would not take much effort for her to kill two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them.
At the critical moment, Yang Kai desperately yelled out, “Senior, Four Universe Pillars!”
Yang Kai’s yell caused the woman’s movements to pause slightly. It was precisely because of this momentary hesitation that B-2 and E-5 survived. Fresh blood splattered everywhere as both of them instantaneously suffered severe injuries and were forced to retreat; however, they were clearly unafraid of death and rushed forward again after being forced to retreat once.
The woman frowned slightly and murderous intent blazed brightly in her eyes. She had held back just now because of Yang Kai’s yell, but that did not mean she had lost her intention to kill B-2 and E-5.
Human Masters who became Black Ink Disciples after being corrupted by Black Ink Strength were destined to stand on the opposite side as the enemy, and there could be no mercy when dealing with the enemy. That was the lesson learned by the Human cultivators after innumerable years on the Black Ink Battlefield. It was a lesson they received in exchange for the blood of countless ancestors.
Before the woman could attack again though, Yang Kai rushed over in a flash. B-2 and E-5 were completely focused on the woman, so they were totally defenceless towards him. He easily approached them for that reason and knocked them down, rendering them unconscious rather than killing them. Unfortunately, due to the urgency of the situation, his attacks had been a bit too heavy so there was a high chance that they would need to recuperate for some time when they woke up.
The woman held her longsword in her grip. Watching the scene in front of her, a look of surprise flashed through her eyes. As a Black Ink Disciple, Yang Kai’s actions were undoubtedly puzzling; however, if she combined his actions with the words he shouted earlier, a vague speculation formed in her head, “Are you not corrupted by the Black Ink Strength?”
Holding B-2 in one hand and E-5 in the other, Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “I wanted to tell you when I met you for the first time, but I didn’t get the chance to speak.”
“You really have one of the Four Universe Pillars?” The woman raised her eyebrows.
“I have a World Spring!”
“Words are nothing without proof!” She did not lower her guard, and a sword wave continued to hum around the longsword in her hand.
Yang Kai nodded in acknowledgement and said, “Please see for yourself, Senior!”
While speaking, he opened the portal to his Small Universe. She took a deep look at him before she activated her Divine Sense and probed the interior of his Small Universe.
A short while later, she withdrew her Divine Sense, her eyes filled with astonishment. She had certainly seen a clear spring inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, in addition to the mysterious power that flowed out of it which stabilised his Small Universe. Thanks to this power, his Small Universe was not only extremely firm, but also completely impervious to any external forces.
She also saw that his Small Universe had already transformed from immaterial to material, which was what surprised her the most; after all, the young man in front of her was clearly only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm…
“Senior, do you also have one of the Four Universe Pillars?” Yang Kai inquired for verification.
If she did not have one of the Four Universe Pillars, then how was it possible for her to safely escape from the clutches of a Black Ink Territory Lord? The reason she had quietly endured the process and pretended to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength was that she had been running out of strength. If it was discovered that she had one of the Four Universe Pillars, she was bound to be killed on the spot; therefore, she waited until the Territory Lord departed and she recovered enough before she made her move.
Nu Yan’s death was simply collateral damage. He originally thought that staying behind to watch over her would be an easy task because he did not need to confront the Human Masters, but how could he have known that staying behind was actually the fastest way to die? If Nu Yan had known that his decision would result in such an outcome, he would never have agreed to stay beside this woman.
It was precisely because Yang Kai had such a guess that he shouted at the top of his voice when the woman made her move just now.
Unexpectedly though, she slowly shook her head, “I don’t have one of the Four Universe Pillars. The Four Universe Pillars are only given to the Eighth-Order Masters. I am not qualified enough to own one. Why else did you think that Territory Lord left without checking my Small Universe?”
There had never been a precedent of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength, so there was no need for them to worry about it and thus no reason for them to have one of the Four Universe Pillars.
Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were the strongest fighting force below the Old Ancestors and also the commanders and leaders of the Human Race army on the Black Ink Battlefield. Hence, a treasure like the Four Universe Pillars would naturally be given to them so that they could be used to the fullest. More importantly, they had enough strength to defend themselves on the chaotic battlefield and would not be killed by accident, leading to the loss of the Four Universe Pillar they carried.
If treasures like the Four Universe Pillars were possessed by Sixth or Seventh-Order Masters, they would be lost if these Open Heaven Realm Masters perished on the battlefield.
The Black Ink Clan was also aware of this point. The Humans did not have many Four Universe Pillars in their possession, and these treasures were always possessed by Eighth-Order Masters. There was no exception to this rule. It was precisely for that reason that the Territory Lord had left with peace of mind after corrupting the woman with his Black Ink Strength and did not bother to check her Small Universe.
Yang Kai was surprised, “How did you resist the corruption of the Black Ink Strength then, Senior?”
When he asked this question, he immediately became vigilant. If this woman had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, then the situation in front of him would be very bad.
The woman was silent for a moment before she explained, “Somebody once planted a Secret Technique based on the Profound Fish inside my Small Universe. It can help me to resist the erosion of the Black Ink Strength once.”
The Profound Fish was one of the Four Universe Pillars. Yang Kai did not know what kind of Secret Technique she was referring to and had never heard that the Four Universe Pillars could be used to plant such Secret Techniques. However, this kind of technique would naturally be developed only on the Black Ink Battlefield so it wasn’t surprising for him not to know about it. In order to fight against the Black Ink Strength, it was not surprising for the Human Masters to create some novel sparks after painstakingly struggling with all their might for countless years.
“Senior, do you mean to say that the Secret Technique can protect you only once?”
She nodded.
“May I verify the truth?” Yang Kai asked in a grim voice.
She said nothing and just opened the portal to her Small Universe. At a time like this, she knew that it was a necessary gesture to gain Yang Kai’s trust. In any case, on the Black Ink Battlefield, it was very normal for one’s Small Universe to be investigated by others.
After a quick investigation, Yang Kai discovered that the woman’s Small Universe certainly did not contain any signs of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. There were also no signs of a Universe Pillar inside either. He couldn’t help feeling amazed by his discovery.
“We can’t stay here for long,” the woman said softly. Nu Yan’s corpse was suspended there in open view, so if any other Black Ink Clansmen passed by this place, the two of them would have a hard time explaining the situation. While speaking, she glanced at the two Black Ink Disciples in his hand, “You can’t save them. Just kill them.”
However, Yang Kai shook his head, “If it was just me, then I would not be able to save them. But, it’s different with you around, Senior. Please put them into your Small Universe for now.”
She frowned, “Impossible. They are Black Ink Disciples. If I place them in my Small Universe, I will be in trouble when they regain consciousness.”
“Please wait a moment, Senior!” After he said that, Yang Kai’s left and right hands suddenly glowed with dazzling light. When he pressed his palms together, the yellow and blue lights merged together to form a pure white light that enveloped both B-2 and E-5.
Sizzling sounds rang out and the expressions of the two unconscious men suddenly twisted in pain. Immediately after that, dense Black Ink Strength seeped out of their bodies and faded into nothingness. Their expressions gradually softened again as the Black Ink Strength dissipated from them.
Dismissing the remaining Purifying Light, Yang Kai nodded at the woman, “It’s fine now.”
The woman was flabbergasted by what she just witnessed. Although she had some speculations, she couldn’t help feeling incredulous. She took a large step forward and casually grabbed B-2’s wrist, then she carefully probed his condition. After a while, she stared at Yang Kai as though she was looking at a ghost, “What method did you use to dispel the Black Ink Strength?”
Such a method was completely unheard of and unseen before. She had been fighting the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for some 3,000 years now, but she had never even heard of such a technique.
“I can’t explain in such a short time, but this is a unique ability that I have,” Yang Kai responded faintly.
She didn’t know what to say, mainly because Yang Kai had given her too much of a shock. Besides, she had the vague feeling that there would be a huge impact on the battle situation of this unchanging and eternal war if this method was spread.
In the past, the Black Ink Disciple corrupted by Black Ink Strength were destined to be mortal enemies. Any encounters between the Human Masters and Black Ink Disciples would only end with the death of one party or the other. However, there was now a method to restore order from chaos among the Black Ink Disciples! If this method was utilised properly, then the losses suffered by the Human Race would be significantly reduced!
[Where did this kid come from!? Why have I never heard of him before!? What’s more, he was wandering around alone in the Black Ink Clan’s territory! Should I say he is ignorant and foolish, or bold and courageous?]
Not only did he possess one of the Four Universe Pillars, but he also had the means to purify and dispel the Black Ink Strength; thus, she suddenly realised that she had picked up an immeasurable treasure. He would be a huge asset to the entire Black Ink Battlefield!
Upon confirming that all Black Ink Strength in B-2 and E-5 had been purified and dispelled, she did not hesitate to toss the two unconscious men into her Small Universe. Then, she grabbed Yang Kai by the arm, “Let’s go!”
Yang Kai did not resist and allowed her to lead him away.
Along the way, the woman would glance sideways at him from time to time. Finally, she could not suppress her curiosity any longer and asked, “Which Cave Heaven or Paradise did you come from? What is your name?”
Yang Kai was silent. In the end, he answered, “This Junior is called Yang Kai. I come from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
He did not mean to deceive her, but he figured she might not know of Void Land. If he mentioned that name, he would only need to explain even more. He was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises after all. Why would he enter the Black Ink Battlefield for no reason? That was a valid point of suspicion and since this matter was related to the Void Corridor, he could not speak carelessly.
He had not forgotten Meng Qi’s warning. Aside from the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors, no matter who questioned him, he could not reveal the existence of the Void Corridor to anybody.
The woman did not seem to think that he was lying. The main reason was that she never expected anybody to lie about their background, so she nodded lightly and said, “Blue Sky Paradise, Feng Ying.”
“Blue Sky Paradise…” Yang Kai raised his brow lightly, “Senior, do you know Elder Mu Zhuo?”
Mu Zhuo was the foreign affairs envoy from Blue Sky Paradise and was the person in charge of their Dao Temple in the Star Boundary. Although Yang Kai was not close with him, they had interacted with each other on multiple occasions.
Due to the Star Boundary’s World Tree, Yang Kai was more or less acquainted with several Elders from each of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises even though his cultivation was low. He was also quite friendly with some of them. There were times when the value of something like personal connections was reflected in such situations.
“Mu Zhuo? He is my Junior Brother. Do you know him?” Feng Ying was a little surprised.
Yang Kai answered, “I’ve met him a few times.”
Upon hearing his answer, she was tempted to ask why a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple would meet a Blue Sky Paradise Elder, let alone several times; however, she was not very familiar with the situation in the outside world after fighting on the Black Ink Battlefield for so long. It was meaningless to ask such questions, so she suppressed the curiosity in her heart.
On the other hand, Yang Kai suddenly looked around and realised that something was wrong. Taking out his Universe Chart, he checked his current position and the direction they were heading before exclaiming in astonishment, “Senior, aren’t we heading in the wrong direction?”
It turned out that the direction in which Feng Ying was leading Yang Kai was not heading towards the great pass defended by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They seemed to be heading in the opposite direction actually, so he was naturally quite confused.
Feng Ying explained, “The last operation has undoubtedly provoked the ire of the Black Ink Clan. The Black Ink Clan army is gathering at the front. We might not be able to break through their lines with just our strength alone. If we go there so recklessly, we will only be walking directly to our deaths; therefore, our best option is to find as many helpers as possible first.”
“Helpers?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows slightly at those words but soon understood, “Black Ink Disciples?”
Feng Ying nodded, “You have the ability to restore their true selves, so as long as we find a few more Black Ink Disciples, we might be able to gather a group large enough to create chaos at Black Ink Clan army’s rear. Only then will we have a chance to return.”
She originally did not have such a plan. Trapped in the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory alone, Feng Ying had already mentally prepared herself for her death. If not for that, she would not have killed Nu Yan immediately after recovering her strength. She had no plans of returning alive and simply planned to kill as many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples as she could, so she would not be dying in vain.
It was not until she witnessed Yang Kai’s astonishing method to dispel the Black Ink Strength that this plan sprang to mind. If they could smoothly implement this plan, then they would have a standing chance to survive and even rescue some Black Ink Disciples along the way; however, Yang Kai was an indispensable part of this plan. It was impossible to pull this off without him.
Yang Kai immediately understood after listening to her explanation. Looking around for a while, he glanced towards a Black Ink Cloud condensed in the void and made a suggestion, “Senior, how about we hide inside the Black Ink Cloud over there?”
Feng Ying followed the direction of his gaze, and her expression became pensive, “Are you suggesting…”
He nodded, “The Black Ink Disciples will definitely be travelling together with the Black Ink Clan. If we run around like this, even if we encounter Black Ink Disciples, we will only cause the Black Ink Clansman travelling with them to become vigilant. If that’s the case, it will be difficult for us to take action. However, it will be a different story if we hide inside the Black Ink Cloud and emerge when the enemy passes by this area.”
Pondering in silence after listening to his suggestion, Feng Ying nodded in agreement, “You’re right.”
With her intelligence, she didn’t need Yang Kai to explain much for her to understand the various advantages of this method. Unfortunately, there was one problem with this plan, “Can you guarantee my safety?”
She was powerful, and the immense heritage of her Small Universe gave her a certain degree of resistance towards Black Ink Strength; even so, it was impossible for her to remain inside a Black Ink Cloud for an extended period of time. She would eventually fail to withstand Black Ink Strength if too much time passed.
“We’ll know once we try!” Yang Kai declared firmly. Taking the lead, he rushed towards the Black Ink Cloud. It was impossible for him to not be in high spirits right now. He had been trapped in Black Ink Clan’s domain for the past two years, during which he always had to act with utmost caution, as though he was constantly walking on thin ice. Thus, Yang Kai inevitably felt his blood pumping when doing something so invigorating all of a sudden.
A short while later, Yang Kai charged into the Black Ink Cloud with Feng Ying following closely behind.
The dense Black Ink Cloud was almost as thick as solid matter. If the two of them hid inside this Black Ink Cloud, random passers-by would not be able to discover their whereabouts without careful investigation.
Yang Kai had a World Spring, so no matter how impressive the Black Ink Cloud was, it was completely ineffective against him. However, it was different for Feng Ying. She had to use her World Force to shield herself the moment she entered the Black Ink Cloud to prevent the Black Ink Strength from corrupting her. Not only would this consume her strength quickly though, she would also risk being corrupted at any moment.
Naturally, Yang Kai was prepared well in advance for this situation and released a burst of Purifying Light to completely dispel the Black Ink Strength around the space where they stood to create a safe zone for them. It was not until then that Feng Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief. Be that as it may, she could not figure out what kind of method Yang Kai was using even though she had carefully observed him when he cast the Purifying Light.
Still, now was not the time to ask such questions, so Feng Ying declared, “Take a rest. We might need to fight at any time.”
After saying so, she closed her eyes to replenish her strength.
Yang Kai had no need to recuperate his strength as the battle earlier had not consumed much of his energy. What’s more, he needed to keep a close watch on his surroundings. There were too many uncertain elements in waiting for gains without pains here, so he needed to carefully monitor the outside world for any possible complications that might arise.
Time passed slowly and fortunately, their luck was pretty good. Only an hour later, a dozen or so figures flew over from the depths of Black Ink territory.
Yang Kai was the first to notice them and quickly called out, “Senior.”
Feng Ying opened her eyes and focused her senses in that direction. The Black Ink Cloud formed a barrier that made it difficult for her to look outside, but her Divine Sense could perceive the situation clearly.
Assessing the situation, she reported, “Two Feudal Lords, six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen, and five Black Ink Disciples!”
The situation made her frown slightly. There were quite a few enemies in this group, so it might be difficult for them to handle. Nevertheless, this was the first batch of people to arrive after they started waiting here so they had to take action. As long as their initial attempts went well, their situation would only get better and better.
Feng Ying briefly checked her Small Universe, but the two former Black Ink Disciples she tossed inside earlier had yet to regain consciousness. Yang Kai’s previous attack had been rather heavy, so they could not rely on these two for help right now.
While she was hesitating, Feng Ying heard Yang Kai whisper, “I’ll leave the two Feudal Lords to you, Senior. I’ll deal with the rest.”
She glanced at him in disbelief, “Are you sure?”
After hastily exchanging blows twice with him, Feng Ying knew that Yang Kai was quite strong. Be that as it may, she was not familiar with his true abilities. It was not easy for one person to face six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen alone. On top of that, the five Black Ink Disciples would not simply stand around doing nothing once the fight broke out. They would surely attack to support their Masters.
“Rest assured, Senior. This Junior may be young, but I’ve experienced many things in life. I won’t screw up.” Yang Kai licked his lips with an eager expression. Having suppressed himself for so long, he could finally go all out again.
Feng Ying hesitated slightly before she nodded, “Be careful. I will dispatch those two Feudal Lords as quickly as possible then come to help you.”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
Exchanging a glance, the pair rushed out of their hiding spot in the Black Ink Cloud.
As soon as the two of them emerged from their hiding spot, the Black Ink Clansmen passing by noticed them and numerous gazes immediately turned towards them.
Upon seeing that these two were Humans, the two leading Feudal Lords revealed expressions of pleasant surprise. They exchanged a glance with each other and flew over in tacit agreement.
Likewise, Yang Kai and Feng Ying approached the Black Ink group. Both parties soon came close to each other.
One of the Feudal Lords reached out towards Feng Ying, but in the next instant his body suddenly stiffened without any warning. A sword wave sliced through him, from the top of his head to his crotch. The sharp and unstoppable sword wave broke through his defences and split his enormous body in two.
Feng Ying had made her move! She actually launched her attack even earlier than Yang Kai. Yang Kai had the protection of the World Spring, so he could fearlessly allow the Black Ink Strength to pour into his body and make the enemy lower their guard as a result; however, she did not have such luxury.
As soon as the Feudal Lord in front of her reached out towards her, she unleashed a killing move. She was among the strongest Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and not too long ago, she had slaughtered hundreds of enemies with her strength alone. She not only attacked decisively at this moment, but she also had the element of surprise on her side while striking from point-blank distance. How could the Feudal Lord defend against her attack?
It only took an instant for her to kill the first Feudal Lord on the spot; then, without delay, she slashed her sword at the second Feudal Lord.
The second Feudal Lord happened to be preparing to subjugate Yang Kai at that very moment, so how could he stand a chance against Feng Ying’s sudden assault? When the sword wave slashed down, he was chopped in half and died just like that.
The two Feudal Lords perished in an instant. Only then did Feng Ying breathe a sigh of relief, but when she looked over, she was slightly stunned. That was because Yang Kai was standing there with a spear in one hand, a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman hanging from its end. With a twist of his arm, the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman exploded into mist.
[As expected, this kid… is strong!] She had managed to kill two Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords by herself because she had enough confidence in her strength; however, in the short time taken for her to deal with her enemies, Yang Kai had already slain four of the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen. Meanwhile, the remaining two who were pushed back, looked greatly weakened. It was obvious that they were severely injured.
How could an ordinary Sixth-Order Master be so fierce?
Feng Ying felt she had seen something new today and also had the vague realization that Yang Kai was at the peak of the Sixth Order and would soon advance to the Seventh Order. It was impossible for him to be so strong otherwise.
Despite her swirling thoughts, her movements did not stop for an instant. She was already charging towards the two High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen who were heavily injured by Yang Kai earlier, and with one swing of her sword, she easily killed them.
These two High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen had been severely injured by Yang Kai when he swept his spear at them, and Feng Ying’s attack was sharp and overwhelming. How could they defend themselves?
In the blink of an eye, two Black Ink Feudal Lords and six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen perished. Although this was the first time the two of them cooperated together in a fight, they seemed as though they had known each other for a long time. There was not the slightest flaw in their cooperation.
It was not until this moment that the five Black Ink Disciples finally came to their senses.
Seeing the tragic deaths of the Black Ink Clansmen around them, these five Black Ink Disciples were absolutely enraged. They instantly summoned their respective artifacts and blasted various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at Yang Kai and Feng Ying.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying could not afford to act without restraint when dealing with these five Black Ink Disciples as their current mission was a rescue operation. It went without saying that they could not heavily injure or kill the people they were supposed to save, so their actions were a bit restricted.
Yang Kai hastily dodged to avoid a Divine Ability shooting towards him while simultaneously putting away the Azure Dragon Spear. He then shot towards the nearest Black Ink Disciple.
Feng Ying cooperated without any need to discuss matters with him. With a flourish of her longsword, sword light burst forth like a waterfall and enveloped the remaining four Black Ink Disciples to restrict their movements and capture their attention.
Meanwhile, yellow and blue lights glowed brightly before merging together to form a pure white light that flared brilliantly and engulfed the Black Ink Disciple.
The pure and flawless light did not contain the slightest impurity. As the pitch-black filth was expelled from the body of the Black Ink Disciple, his pained expression gradually returned to normal and his violent resistance slowly subsided.
Nevertheless, his expression remained confused. Despite being corrupted by Black Ink Strength for all these years, he had not lost his consciousness. He could clearly remember his condition and the things that he experienced during those years. Looking back now, his belief that the Black Ink Clan was supreme seemed so foolish and ridiculous. It could be said that his actions had been a complete betrayal of not just his humanity, but even his own convictions.
Yang Kai had no time to explain anything in detail, so after nodding at the man lightly, he quickly charged towards Feng Ying.
Seeing how swiftly Yang Kai dealt with the Black Ink Disciple, Feng Ying immediately withdrew her sword light before sending out another to pin down all but one target.
They repeated the same steps over and over again, their cooperation perfectly complementing each other’s movements; as a result, it didn’t take long for the Black Ink Strength to be dispelled from all five Black Ink Disciples.
There were no High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters among these five people. Three were in the sixth order, while the remaining two were in the fifth order. That was one of the key reasons why Yang Kai could finish dealing with them so quickly.
All five of them stared at Yang Kai in stunned disbelief, as though they were trying to find a flower on his face.
Feng Ying’s previous display had revealed her immense strength; however, they all came from different Cave Heavens and Paradises where countless Masters existed, so they were not impressed by raw power alone.
Conversely, what grabbed their attention was the method Yang Kai had displayed earlier. As Black Ink Disciples who became ordinary Humans again, they had personally experienced these changes and held deep feelings towards that pure white light.
[Does our side have such means now?] The five of them were genuinely happy from the bottom of their hearts. Since ancient times, any of their comrades who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would stand on the opposite side of the Human Race and become an irreconcilable enemy. Moreover, it was impossible to rescue them.
Now that they had such means, there was no need to reluctantly give up on their comrades whenever one of them became corrupted by Black Ink Strength. They could still rescue their comrades if the opportunity arose. That was definitely something that could change the entire tide of the Blank Ink Battlefield.
Although there were many things they wanted to ask, they knew that this was not the place for discussion. They silently cupped their fists at Yang Kai and Feng Ying to indicate their thanks.
“We cannot stay in this place for long. Enter my Small Universe!” Feng Ying ordered before opening the portal to her Small Universe.
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it stood to reason that Masters below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm were able to enter her Small Universe. On the other hand, Yang Kai could only take in those below the Sixth Order.
The five of them nodded and entered the portal leading into Feng Ying’s Small Universe to recuperate without any hesitation.
“Let’s go!” Feng Ying called out and took the lead to head in a certain direction. Yang Kai quickly followed behind her.
Since they were looking for helpers, then it was only natural to gather as many as possible. Yang Kai did not know what was waiting for them ahead, but since Feng Ying had mentioned that the Black Ink Clan army was gathering on the front lines, it would not be easy for them to pass through. Only by gathering enough force would they stand a chance to fight their way through the Black Ink Clan army and return to the great pass.
Half a day later, the pair repeated their earlier actions. Hiding inside a Black Ink Cloud, they prepared to wait for fish to swim by once more.
Less than a quarter of an hour after they hid, a large Black Ink Clan army passed by in the vicinity. There were very many of them, almost 1,000 in total, and the leader had a deep and profound aura. It was highly likely that it was a Black Ink Territory Lord.
Hiding inside the Black Ink Cloud, Yang Kai and Feng Ying did not dare to move a single muscle and concealed their auras as much as possible. If they exposed themselves in front of such a strong enemy, they would surely suffer a tragic fate.
Fortunately, luck seemed to be on their side today. Although the Black Ink Clan army passed close to their position, they did not bother to check the situation inside the Black Ink Cloud where they were hiding.
In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, Black Ink Clouds were extremely common and there was no need to investigate them carefully. Furthermore, they would never have imagined that two Humans would recklessly hide inside a Black Ink Cloud or that these Humans could resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength for an extended period of time.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief when the Black Ink Clan army disappeared from the scope of their senses. They saw another team of 100 or so passing by after some time, but just as before, they could only remain in hiding.
Judging by the current situation, it could be seen that Feng Ying’s previous guess was correct. The Black Ink Clan was marshalling their army on the front lines. The long-distance raid carried out by the Human Masters had fully provoked the wrath of the Black Ink Clan, so it was obvious that the enemy was planning a large-scale counter-attack to take revenge.
From time to time, they would see Black Ink Clansmen passing by in groups of varying numbers, but even if the numbers were small, these groups weren’t targets that they could defeat.
The current situation was different from when Feng Ying had previously repelled hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen on her own. At the time, she had no other choice but to go all out. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself in order to allow her comrades to escape, so she had fought with reckless abandon in order to drag down as many enemies with her as possible.
Now though, the two of them had to move around in secret.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai who had been keeping a close watch on their surroundings, suddenly brightened and whispered, “Senior, our prey is here!”
Feng Ying glanced at him wordlessly. His statement sounded as though they were bandits who were waiting to ambush unsuspecting travellers.
Be that as it may, she could not deny that tempting ‘prey’ had appeared. They had waited for so long and avoided several Black Ink Clan teams during this period, but at this moment, what entered their sight was a group that consisted of only ten individuals. In addition, this team was heading directly towards them.
Although the numbers of this team were similar to their first encounter, the line-up was considerably inferior in terms of strength. There were no Feudal Lords in this group, only several High-Rank and even Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen. There were not many Black Ink Disciples either, only three of them.
After confirming that there were no other dangers in the vicinity, Yang Kai and Feng Ying no longer hesitated. They rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud and charged directly at the oncoming team.
What followed was a swift massacre where the opponents were practically powerless to fight back. The Black Ink Clansmen were completely obliterated in the blink of an eye, after which Yang Kai used his means to dispel the Black Ink Strength from the three Black Ink Disciples. Once this was done, Feng Ying stuffed them into her Small Universe so that they could recover their strength.
In the two months that followed, Yang Kai and Feng Ying wandered around aimlessly. The Black Ink Clouds that could be found everywhere became the perfect hiding spots for them and whenever they came across a suitable opportunity, they would attack. If their opponents were too strong, then they would simply remain in hiding.
Their harvest over the past two months was bountiful. They slaughtered at least 100 Black Ink Clansmen, a number of whom were Feudal Lords. Moreover, they had rescued some 30 or 40 Black Ink Disciples by now.
Not every Black Ink Clansman had their own Black Ink Disciples; in fact, many of the Black Ink Clansmen harboured a deep hatred for the Human Race and even Black Ink Disciples were unbearable to them. Therefore, it was impossible for them to be accompanied by Black Ink Disciples. Even more Black Ink Clansmen simply never had the opportunity to subjugate their own Black Ink Disciples.
Nu Yan, who had five Black Ink Disciples under his command even though he was only a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, could be considered a rare example.
If a Black Ink Clansman wished to own their own Black Ink Disciple, they would either need to buy one at a great cost or subjugate one on the battlefield. Neither of these options were simple for a Black Ink Clansman to achieve.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying were currently hiding themselves inside a random Black Ink Cloud, taking their time to recover their strength after a rather intense battle.
A short while later, Yang Kai opened his eyes and looked at Feng Ying.
Seeming to sense his gaze, Feng Ying spoke without even opening her eyes, “Speak if you have something to say.”
He thus asked, “Senior, when are we heading back?”
Feng Ying decisively said, “We have too few people. It is dangerous to return like this. At the very least, we should gather 100 comrades before we make an attempt; otherwise, we will only be walking to our deaths.”
“100 people…” Yang Kai was tongue-tied.
During the past two months that they had been travelling together, they had only managed to rescue 30 or so Black Ink Disciples. At this rate, it would take half a year to gather 100 people.
“No need to worry,” Feng Ying opened her eyes and reassured him, “We didn’t have enough strength in the past so we had to be selective with our targets. Now that we have more manpower, we can take the initiative to attack. If we find the right opportunity, we will be able to progress much quicker.”
Yang Kai nodded and said nothing more. Since he did not know much about the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield, he could only follow her lead.
Half a day later, the two of them rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud after fully recovering before carefully concealing their figures and searching for a possible target.
The Black Ink Clan army was gathering up ahead; therefore, many Black Ink Clansmen were constantly rushed towards the front lines from the rear. If the opportunity presented itself, then these scattered Black Ink Clansmen would become their prey.
And an opportunity came quickly.
In the distance, the two of them saw an enormous ship sailing through the void in the direction where all the Black Ink Clansmen had been rushing towards during this period. It was undoubtedly heading to the front lines to provide support.
To have a flight-type artifact of this magnitude meant that the Black Ink Clansman aboard could not be weak. The owner of this ship had to be a Feudal Lord at the very least, and one with his own territory at that.
Across a large distance, Yang Kai and Feng Ying quietly observed the large ship. They could clearly see many figures swaying about on the ship, a large number of which were Black Ink Disciples.
“Senior, do you plan to attack that ship?” Yang Kai asked.
Feng Ying nodded, “It’s a good opportunity.”
Yang Kai was worried, “But, we don’t know what kind of existence is onboard that ship. What if there’s a Territory Lord?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “That’s highly unlikely. Two months ago, the Black Ink Royal Lord personally took action; therefore, all Territory Lords in the vicinity should already have followed him to the battlefield at the time. Even if they received the news late, they would not have waited until now to set out. That’s why there should not be any Territory Lords among the reinforcements. What’s more, the war has begun and Territory Lords are the backbone of the Black Ink Clan. Logically speaking, they should have rushed to the battlefield at the earliest notice. Bringing out a flight-type artifact like this ship to transport manpower indicates that the people on the ship have varying strength, so they have different flying speeds.”
There was some logic to Feng Ying’s statement, so Yang Kai nodded slightly in response.
She then added, “Of course, there are always exceptions. If we encounter a Territory Lord… I will delay them for as long as possible. You should escape immediately.”
During this period, she had witnessed his ability and recognised his value. A talented individual like Yang Kai could not be killed here; otherwise, the loss to the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be incalculable. She even mentally prepared herself to risk her life in order to create an opportunity for him to escape at a critical juncture.
“Let’s go!” Feng Ying beckoned and charged towards the large ship with Yang Kai in tow.
When the two figures appeared without warning, there was an immediate response from the ship. Several figures flew out to stand on the deck and focused their gaze in this direction from a distance.
Feng Ying and Yang Kai did not reduce their speed as they flew forward in a straight line. It didn’t take long for them to land on the deck.
Countless scrutinising gazes mixed with curiosity turned towards them.
At the same time, Yang Kai was also observing them. He discovered that there were no Black Ink Disciples in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm here, so he couldn’t help sighing in relief. Just as Feng Ying had predicted, these people certainly had varying levels of strength. It would seem that her previous speculations were correct.
Feng Ying placed her hand over her chest and glanced at the inside of the cabin, “Who is in charge here? Hong Lian Territory Lord has an order to convey!”
Her words made her seem as though she was Hong Lain Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple.
A group of Black Ink Disciples on the deck looked around for a while but did not answer. Yang Kai’s eyes flickered slightly, admiring Feng Ying’s courage and caution. She had used the name ‘Hong Lian Territory Lord’. If there was a Master on the large ship, he would certainly reveal himself immediately after hearing this name. In that way, they could quickly determine the strength of the enemy and come up with countermeasures.
Besides, Feng Ying was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it was normal for her to disguise herself as Hong Lian Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple.
The dull thud of footsteps soon came from within the cabin. Immediately after that, a tall Black Ink Clansman strode out.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that this Black Ink Clansman was nothing more than a Black Ink Feudal Lord. The sight immediately filled him with relief. Many Feudal Lords had died at the hands of Feng Ying during this period; hence, a single Feudal Lord was not much of a concern.
The only thing that bothered him slightly was the Black Ink Disciple accompanying the Feudal Lord. The Black Ink Disciple was undoubtedly in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and his aura was deep and profound.
After appearing on the deck, the Feudal Lord lowered his head and looked down at Feng Ying and Yang Kai, “I am Xiao Yue Feudal Lord. What are Sir Territory Lord’s orders?”
He held no suspicion towards Feng Ying’s identity, mainly because he did not expect a person to be so bold as to impersonate the Black Ink Disciple of a Black Ink Clan Territory Lord in front of him.
Feng Ying respectfully said, “Sir, please lean down. Master has commanded that this order can only be relayed to you alone.”
Xiao Yue Feudal Lord frowned slightly at those words. Although he did not understand why Hong Lian Territory Lord would give such an order, he lowered his body slightly, tilted his head to the side, and listened intently.
Feng Ying flew forward slightly and whispered, “Master said…”
Her sentence trailed off. Having piqued his curiosity and caused him to lower his guard, Feng Ying immediately pulled out her sword and slashed at him in the next moment. Pitch-black blood splattered everywhere as Xiao Yue retained his posture of listening intently, but his massive head had already been separated from his neck.
Feng Ying’s movements did not stop there. She quickly pushed back the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple beside the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord with another slash of her sword. Immediately after that, she opened the portal to her Small Universe and dozens of figures, who were raring to go, instantly emerged.
The Black Ink Disciples, whom Yang Kai and Feng Ying had spent two months rescuing, had been recuperating in Feng Ying’s Small Universe all this while. Having long since attained a full recovery, they had nothing to do every day and were practically dying from boredom.
Now that they came out from Feng Ying’s Small Universe, they were like fierce tigers coming down the mountain. They immediately summoned their artifacts and unleashed various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at the Black Ink Clan in the surroundings.
At this moment, the Black Ink Clan were reeling in confusion and shock. They never imagined that they would be ambushed by Human Masters in such a place, so they immediately suffered heavy casualties.
As soon as Feng Ying made her move, Yang Kai also complemented her actions and lunged forward. He ignored the rest of the Black Ink Disciples and focused his attention on the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple beside the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord.
At present, it was still unclear how many on the ship could rival a Seventh-Order Master in strength; however, Xiao Yue Feudal Lord had been eliminated, so as long as this Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was dealt with, they could stabilize the entire situation.
At the same time that Yang Kai lunged forward, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple who was repelled by Feng Ying earlier rushed forward aggressively.
In the eyes of a Black Ink Disciple, it did not matter whether or not Feng Ying had been sent by Hong Lian Territory Lord, he had to take revenge after witnessing the tragic death of his Master that occurred right in front of his eyes.
Feng Ying had not lowered her guard against him of course, and after releasing her allies from her Small Universe, she raised her sword and charged at him.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai was faster than her. He sprang out from behind her and swung his fist at the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple.
A cold light flashed in the opponent’s eyes and the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple raised his palm towards Yang Kai. World Force surged violently from the palm of his hand, like a tsunami. He seemed determined to kill Yang Kai with a single strike.
“Be careful!” Feng Ying exclaimed in horror.
She never expected Yang Kai to be so reckless. In her original plan, she would pin down any Seventh-Order Masters or Feudal Lords herself while Yang Kai only needed to go and rescue the subjugated Black Ink Disciples.
How could she have imagined that this brat would target the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple on his own? She didn’t even have time to stop him! Swiftly though, she recalled that Yang Kai had managed to block two of her killing moves in the past and felt slightly more relieved. He would not die so easily.
When the two attacks collided with each other, World Force exploded and Yang Kai’s figure was sent flying backwards.
Still, the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was stunned as a look of surprise flashed across his eyes. His strength might not be at its peak, but his Order was not something that could be ignored. Even so, an opponent who was one Order lower than him had successfully defended against his attack. He couldn’t help feeling astonished.
If it was a one-on-one battle, now would be the best time to hunt down Yang Kai; however, Yang Kai had only just been thrown off when Feng Ying approached. Her longsword transformed into sword shadows that covered the entire sky and slashed down on the Black Ink Disciple.
In that instant, the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple immediately fell into a precarious situation. Feng Ying was extremely powerful and even at his peak, he might not have been her opponent, what more in his current situation?
In just a few blows, he was cornered to the point where he could only parry her attacks and was powerless to fight back. Furthermore, he could not break free of her suppression no matter how hard he struggled and resisted.
Yang Kai, who had been forced back just now, returned and joined forces with Feng Ying. Their combined efforts left the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple increasingly helpless to fight back.
Yang Kai was extremely agile, his figure flitting around erratically, causing great trouble to his opponent. Moreover, the flickering white light in the palm of his hands filled the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple with an instinctive sense of fear.
The Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple had never seen such pure white light before. Even though he did not know what kind of attack that was, the Black Ink Strength in his body transmitted a message of fear and horror to him as though it had met its natural enemy. As a result, his already precarious situation became even more unbearable.
It didn’t take long before Yang Kai found an opportunity to approach the enemy. He shot forward and pressed his palm against the back of the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple. A pure white light flared brightly and enveloped the Black Ink Disciple. Following a series of sizzling sounds, the Black Ink Strength was dispelled and dissipated into nothingness. Accordingly, the resistance of the Black Ink Disciple gradually subsided.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped and nodded at Feng Ying; then, he hastily rushed towards the nearest Black Ink Disciple.
The dozen or so Open Heaven Realm Masters previously released by Feng Ying were currently fighting an intense battle on the ship’s deck.
In such a short span of time, several people had already lost their lives. Their deaths went to show the ferocity of the battle, but the main reason was that their actions were restricted to a certain degree. Not to mention, their numbers were fewer than their opponents.
They had not been able to take an accurate accounting earlier, so it was not until this moment that they realised there were some 300 people aboard this ship. Among them, only a few dozen or so were Black Ink Disciples. The others were Black Ink Clansmen.
While they were merciless towards the Black Ink Clan, they had to hold back against the Black Ink Disciples as unlike before, they could no longer just kill them.
Following the commotion of the battle, the Black Ink Disciples and the Black Ink Clansmen below deck emerged in twos and threes. It was fortunate that the enemies did not emerge all at once; otherwise, they were bound to suffer heavy casualties at first encounter if they challenged 300 enemies directly with only a few dozen people on their side.
After the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was rescued, Feng Ying immediately moved to block the hatch. She slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen who came her way, allowing Yang Kai to move freely and display his abilities.
Roaming around the battlefield with Purifying Light blooming from his hands, he helped the Black Ink Disciples return to their true natures. Every Black Ink Disciple he rescued was equivalent to increasing the strength of his side while simultaneously weakening the strength of the enemy.
As the battle dragged on, they gradually gained the upper hand.
There was something else that delighted Yang Kai. Aside from the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord and the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple accompanying the former, the large ship did not seem to contain any other personnel who could rival a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in strength.
As a result, the situation became better and better for them. Now that the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple had been rescued, there was no need for further discussion. He immediately understood what he needed to do and cooperated with Yang Kai to subdue the remaining Black Ink Disciples.
The Black Ink Clansmen died at a steady pace. Unfortunately, Black Ink Strength that dissipated from the corpses was extremely troublesome to deal with.
This couldn’t be helped. Although the Black Ink Disciples had been rescued by Yang Kai, they could easily be corrupted by Black Ink Strength once more; therefore, they had to avoid Black Ink Strength at all times. Some who had their Small Universe invaded by Black Ink Strength again had no choice but to rush to Yang Kai’s side and ask for treatment.
Naturally, Yang Kai did not refuse anybody who came to him.
During the two years he served under Nu Yan, Yang Kai had learned quite a lot about the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Disciples even though he had been living in disguise. As such, he knew that almost all of the Black Ink Disciples who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength had sacrificed parts of their Small Universe at least twice before they were converted. The first time they were eroded by the Black Ink Strength, they would always choose to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe to preserve their sense of self.
The integrity of one’s Small Universe was extremely important to an Open Heaven Realm Master because their Small Universe served as the source and foundation of their strength.
Once their Small Universe was damaged, their strength would definitely decline; moreover, as a result of their incomplete Small Universe, further improvement in their cultivation would become impossible. Therefore, no Open Heaven Realm Master would willingly sacrifice a part of their Small Universe unless they had no other choice.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to dispel the Black Ink Strength from their Small Universe once it was corroded by it. Their only option was to sacrifice the part of their Small Universe that had been corrupted in order to retain their clarity and maintain their true nature.
The Human Race Masters had contended and fought against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield since ancient times. There were bound to be people who were forced to give up part of their Small Universe in every battle. For that reason, the resolution to make a prompt decision was something their ancestors had repeatedly cautioned all of them about before they stepped onto the Black Ink Battlefield.
If they did not wish to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength and lose their autonomy, then they had to be willing to make sacrifices! If they were destined to be killed by their enemies, then they should strive to drag their enemies down with them!
At every great pass, these were the two warnings that the Seniors would always repeat to their Juniors who just arrived on the battlefield.
In many cases, sacrificing a part of their Small Universe would allow them to retain their sense of self and prevent them from being corrupted by Black Ink Strength; however, doing so would cause their Small Universe to become damaged. Not only would their strength decline, but their incomplete Small Universe would also make it harder for them to resist the erosion of the Black Ink Strength if they were subjected to it in the future.
Relatively speaking, the amount of time which an Open Heaven Realm Master could resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength was different between Open Heaven Realm Masters with complete Small Universes and Open Heaven Realm Masters with incomplete Small Universes. An Open Heaven Realm Master with a complete Small Universe would be able to persist for a much longer time.
When subjected to the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, an Open Heaven Realm would be able to sacrifice part of their Small Universe the first time. Unfortunately, their success rate would be uncertain on the second attempt…
Nevertheless, there would always be instances where the situation was impossible to prevent. That was why almost all the Black Ink Disciples corrupted by the Black Ink Clan generally had an incomplete Small Universe. When they were corroded by the Black Ink Strength, they had already done their best to prevent the situation from occurring; after all, they did not wish to be converted into a Black Ink Disciple either.
That was the case for Meng Qi from Exquisite Paradise, whom Yang Kai met previously. Yang Kai had also noticed the same pattern among all the Black Ink Disciples he fought in the gambling arena. Even B-2, D-4, and E-5 were no exceptions.
That was especially true for D-4. Although he was only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the moment, he had said that he used to be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. He was once the elite disciple of a certain Cave Heaven or Paradise, but he had been invaded by the Black Ink Strength. As a result, he was repeatedly forced to sacrifice parts of his Small Universe. That was the reason why his cultivation declined and he eventually regressed to the Fifth Order.
Generally speaking, almost all of the Black Ink Disciples could be considered Pseudo-Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was not to say that they were no longer Open Heaven Realm Masters. Having split Heaven and Earth apart in their bodies to form their Small Universe, they could be classified as Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was just that their Small Universes were no longer perfect, so the strength of the Black Ink Disciples would never reach the normal standards among cultivators of the same Order.
Take Meng Qi for example. He could be considered a Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master! Although he was much stronger than the average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was pitifully weak compared to ordinary Seventh-Order Masters.
On the other hand, B-2 and E-5 could be considered Pseudo Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
All the people Yang Kai and Feng Ying rescued while wandering around for the past two months were Black Ink Disciples. Needless to say, none of these Black Ink Disciples possessed a complete Small Universe.
Many Black Ink Clansmen had been slaughtered in this battle. Following the death of these Black Ink Clansmen, Black Ink Strength that dissipated from their corpses would gather together to form a cloud. In this way, it was very easy for the Open Heaven Realm Masters to become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again.
Thanks to their prior experience of being rescued though, these people immediately rushed over to Yang Kai as soon as they discovered that their Small Universe was being corroded by Black Ink Strength so that he could help them dispel it.
Combined with the Black Ink Disciples who originally needed rescue in the first place, Yang Kai was overwhelmed for a time.
It was fortunate that Feng Ying and the newly-rescued Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were relatively strong. In addition, the large ship also lacked the corresponding high-end combat power to deal with them. As the two of them rushed back and forth, the Black Ink Clan suffered countless casualties. As such, the situation slowly stabilised.
Seeing the strength of the Human Race Masters, the surviving Black Ink Clansmen knew that they were no match for the enemy and immediately dispersed in all directions.
Feng Ying’s gaze sharpened at the sight and she shouted in an authoritative voice, “Don’t let a single one escape!”
Leading a team of people, she pursued the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen; likewise, the other Seventh-Order Master chased down the others fleeing in the opposite direction.
They had been causing a storm in the Black Ink Clan’s territory, and the main reason they managed to stay safe until now was that they had never revealed their existence before. All this while, they had ruthlessly silenced all Black Ink Clansmen that they encountered and rescued all the Black Ink Disciples they came across.
If news of their activity were to leak though, the Black Ink Clan would surely take countermeasures against them. If that were to happen, they would be helpless to resist with the strength of so few people. Therefore, all the Black Ink Clansmen here had to die. Only the dead could be trusted to keep secrets.
The Black Ink Clansmen fled in a very scattered manner, so some still managed to slip through the net even with two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters chasing after them. Naturally, everybody else quickly split up to hunt down these fleeing Black Ink Clansmen.
Yang Kai did the same and took the lead in the pursuit. His figure latched onto the tail of several Black Ink Clansmen like a leech, and he manipulated Space Principles from afar to stall them. The Black Ink Clansmen who were fleeing desperately immediately felt as though they had fallen into a quagmire. The more they struggled, the stiffer their bodies became.
When he got closer, Yang Kai summoned the Azure Dragon Spear. The Black Ink Clansmen perished with a stab of his spear. Afterwards, his figure moved around the void as he stopped several others from fleeing. He killed every one of them and finally took a look around him. The originally chaotic battlefield had calmed down.
A short while later, everybody returned to the ship once more to count their casualties. The results were not too bad. Although they lost some people, they gained even more. Their line-up had increased to around 80 people, and they even gained an additional Pseudo Seventh-Order Master.
The large ship had been reduced to tatters during the battle earlier. This was just a simple flight-type artifact after all. Even though the ship had some defensive abilities, they were not deployed during the previous battle. What’s more, it might not have made a difference even if the defences had been deployed. The fallout of the attacks from so many Open Heaven Realm Masters was extremely brutal, and a flight-type artifact of this calibre was incapable of enduring such impact.
Feng Ying was very decisive and directly destroyed all the evidence lest the Black Ink Clan passing by this area noticed that something was wrong. Only then did she turn to the others and said, “Everyone, enter my Small Universe. We can talk about the rest later.”
It was too conspicuous for such a large group of Humans to gather together. Besides, it was inconvenient for them to move swiftly with their varying strengths. It would be more convenient and safer for them to hide in Feng Ying’s Small Universe.
Everybody knew that this was not the place for discussion, so despite the questions in their hearts, they entered her Small Universe in successive order. It didn’t take long before only Yang Kai, Feng Ying, and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master remained.
“Let’s go,” Feng Ying ordered and took the lead to head in a certain direction. Yang Kai and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Master followed behind her.
A quarter-hour later, a dense patch of Black Ink Clouds came into view. Feng Ying turned to look at Yang Kai with an inquiring gaze and Yang Kai nodded lightly in response. Then, the three figures headed straight towards the thickest Black Ink Cloud.
The Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master looked doubtful as Black Ink Clouds were not something Humans would approach carelessly. That was especially true in his current condition. His Small Universe had flaws in it, so this Black Ink Cloud was an extremely dangerous threat to him. However, considering the means Yang Kai displayed earlier, he said nothing and simply followed close behind.
Soon, the three of them plunged into the Black Ink Cloud. Yang Kai immediately created a safe area inside the Black Ink Cloud, and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Master finally calmed down.
“Blue Sky Paradise, Feng Ying!” Feng Ying turned to the Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, cupped her fist slightly, and introduced herself.
Yang Kai followed suit, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Yang Kai!”
The Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master returned the greeting and solemnly introduced himself, “Myriad Transformations Paradise, Shen Ao!” After introducing himself, he turned to Yang Kai with a serious look, “I will never forget your saving grace. In the future, please feel free to speak if you have anything you need, Little Brother. This Shen will not refuse as long as it is within my ability.”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “It’s just a minor matter. You are being too polite, Senior.”
Shen Ao shook his head solemnly, “I have been living in a fog for hundreds of years and finally regained my clarity today. I will forever remember this kindness.” He continued with a look of curiosity, “Since when did we obtain such means?”
For countless years, it had always been impossible to rescue a Black Ink Disciple who was corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Be that as it may, the method that Yang Kai displayed earlier had rescued all the Black Ink Disciples who survived. It was obvious that the Black Ink Strength in their bodies had been dispelled and purified.
Therefore, Shen Ao couldn’t help feeling extremely curious and a little excited. Just like Feng Ying, how could he fail to realise the immense value of this technique?
Feng Ying explained, “This method is not something everybody can use. It is a unique ability that belongs only to this kid. I myself have only learned about it recently.”
Surprised, Shen Ao looked at Yang Kai and asked, “Is this a Secret Technique or a Divine Ability? Can other people cultivate it?”
Yang Kai paused for a moment before he answered quietly, “It can be regarded as a Secret Technique, but nobody else can cultivate it.”
Shen Ao did not understand, “If it is a Secret Technique, then why can’t others cultivate it? The Cave Heavens and Paradises are filled with talented people. I’m sure there will be people among them who can succeed, even if the number is small.”
Similarly, Feng Ying looked at Yang Kai with curiosity. If she had to be honest, she had been extremely curious about Yang Kai’s methods throughout the duration of their travels. Although there were many times when she wanted to ask about it, she could not bring herself to do so; after all, Yang Kai seemed reluctant to say much about it. If she tried to get to the bottom of this matter, she would be suspected of trying to infringe upon his privacy.
At this moment, Shen Ao had asked the questions that Feng Ying wanted to ask. If this method could be spread to the public, the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield would surely change drastically.
Yang Kai shook his head and explained, “I’m afraid Senior has misunderstood the situation. Although I can use this method, I did not cultivate this power myself. It was granted to me by someone else!”
While saying so, he activated the seals on his left and right hands. The seal on his left hand was like a bright Great Sun, while the one on his right was a brilliant blue Moon.
Feng Ying and Shen Ao looked on in amazement.
“These two marks are the foundation of that Secret Technique. It is not this Junior’s ability. Moreover, the ones who gave me these two marks… are not on the Black Ink Battlefield.”
After listening to his explanation, the other two couldn’t help but look disappointed. Nevertheless, they could detect a trace of the terrifying aura that came from these marks and were certain that the ones who gave him these two marks were beings that should not be provoked.
Shen Ao was silent for a moment before he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder, “You need to protect yourself well. You can turn the tide of this war with your strength alone!”
That statement was so exaggerated that Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.
Shen Ao then turned to look at Feng Ying, “Senior Sister, what are your plans?”
The two of them were in the same Order; in addition, they had never encountered each other before. Since he did not know who was older or younger, addressing her as ‘Senior Sister’ was simply a sign of respect. There was no special meaning behind his words.
Feng Ying replied, “The Black Ink Clan army is probably gathering on the front lines to attack the great pass. I plan to gather more people and launch a surprise attack from the rear. That way, even if we are unable to break the siege on the great pass, we can still create some confusion among the Black Ink Clan. What do you think, Junior Brother?”
Shen Ao nodded in agreement, “I heard some information regarding the front lines while travelling beside Xiao Yue. There are indeed many Black Ink Clansmen gathering on the front lines to storm the nearest great pass; however, throughout the ages, the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises have never fallen. There is no need to be too worried. On the contrary, we will need to gather enough strength if we wish to return.” He turned to look at Yang Kai and continued, “With Little Brother’s means though, gathering more people will not be too difficult. Let us proceed as you planned, Senior Sister. I have no objections.”
Nodding, she said, “Good. Let’s recover our strength for now. If we want to gather more people, we will need to search for more Black Ink Clansmen.”
Shen Ao added, “I’m sure you know about my current condition, Senior Sister. Even if we encounter a strong enemy, I will have to rely on you to take action.”
She nodded in understanding, “Rest assured. I will do my best.”
Yang Kai suddenly turned to look at Shen Ao and asked, “Senior, is your Small Universe damaged?”
Generally speaking, most Black Ink Disciples had a damaged Small Universe. During the previous battle against the Black Ink Clan, the strength displayed by Shen Ao was somewhat inconsistent with the strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Shen Ao looked slightly depressed, “That’s right.”
This was a lingering regret of his. Many years ago, he had accidentally gotten corrupted by Black Ink Strength during a battle against the Black Ink Clan and was forced to sacrifice a part of his Small Universe as a result. Unfortunately, that battle had been extremely fierce and he had been exhausted from fighting with no time for him to rest or recuperate. In the end, he was unwittingly corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again and became a Black Ink Disciple. He had lived in a daze until now. Nevertheless, it truly was amazing to regain his clarity.
Hearing this, Yang Kai took out an object and handed it to Shen Ao, “Senior, please take a look and see if this is useful to you.”
Shen Ao took the object suspiciously and opened the box. His expression immediately stiffened in surprise, “Profound Yin Spirit Fruit!?”
Even Feng Ying looked over with a shocked expression. It was only natural that she recognised this object; after all, it was considered a precious treasure in the Black Ink Battlefield since it had an extremely significant effect on repairing one’s Small Universe.
“Where did you get that?” Feng Ying asked in astonishment.
Yang Kai shrugged, “I found it by accident.”
It was inconvenient for Yang Kai to explain any further as this was something Meng Qi had given to him, meaning he could not explain the circumstances. He looked at Shen Ao and inquired, “Will this help to repair your Small Universe, Senior?”
Shen Ao clutched at the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit tightly with a look of excitement in his eyes, “Of course! This is the only thing that can help me!”
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, his mental fortitude was quite strong, and there were few things in the world that could make him so excited. Even when he was rescued by Yang Kai, he had not been so emotional. Be that as it may, when he held the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit in his hand, he couldn’t help being shaken by the hope of restoring his Small Universe.
“How long will you need?” Feng Ying probed.
Shen Ao shook his head, “I don’t know. I have never used this before after all, but I don’t think it will take too long.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he added, “Little Brother, this object is extremely useful to me. I will not refuse your goodwill. I will definitely reward you handsomely in the future!”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “If your strength is restored, Senior, it will also be very helpful to our plans.”
At the moment, Feng Ying and Shen Ao were the only two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters by his side. While there was nothing to worry about when it came to Feng Ying, Shen Ao was only a Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Not only was his strength lower than average, his resistance against Black Ink Strength also left much to be desired. Shen Ao’s current condition would be highly detrimental to their future plans.
If a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit could resolve these issues, then there was no reason for Yang Kai to be stingy.
Yang Kai continued after some deliberation, “I still have a few more Profound Yin Spirit Fruits. Should we have some of our allies consume them?”
In his opinion, under their current circumstances, they should increase their combat power as much as possible. Besides, the restoration of one’s Small Universe would also increase their resistance towards the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength.
[He still has more…] Feng Ying and Shen Ao immediately became shocked to the core. The Profound Yin Spirit Fruit was extremely rare and precious. In the Black Ink Battlefield, only a few special Sealed Worlds could produce them. It was the blessing of a lifetime just to find one, but Yang Kai had more than one in his possession. Moreover, although they did not know how many Profound Yin Spirit Fruits he had, the number was definitely not few.
This was not something Feng Ying could decide for the others, so she responded after a short pause, “I’ll ask and see.”
Unexpectedly, Shen Ao laughed bitterly, “I don’t think anybody would take them.”
“Why not?” Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling astonished.
The Small Universe of the Black Ink Disciples they rescued earlier should be in a damaged state; hence, the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit should be extremely attractive to them. Why would anyone refuse such an offer?
Shen Ao did not explain and simply said, “You’ll soon find out.”
Meanwhile, Feng Ying closed her eyes and said nothing, probably communicating with the Open Heaven Realm Masters inside her Small Universe. A short while later, she opened her eyes and looked at Yang Kai, “You should hold onto those Profound Yin Spirit Fruits for now.”
As predicted, nobody wanted the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits.
Seeming to understand Yang Kai’s confusion, Shen Ao explained, “When they come across such opportunities, they will always choose to leave them for the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters. Forget the Spirit Fruits in your possession, even if they obtained one themselves, they would not consume it easily. On the contrary, they would choose to turn it over to the higher-ups.”
After saying that, he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder and walked over to the side. Sitting down cross-legged, he swallowed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit.
Yang Kai stood in silence for a long while, but in the end, he just sighed softly. He never expected the people they rescued to resist the temptation and refuse the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits. Nevertheless, this incident allowed him to experience the difference in culture on the Black Ink Battlefield.
In the 3,000 Worlds, such a precious treasure would have attracted the greed of countless people. On the contrary, the hearts and minds of the people were united as one on the Black Ink Battlefield. Everybody would choose the option that was most beneficial to the overall situation. They would never disregard the bigger picture just to satisfy their own selfish desires.
The Black Ink Cloud was filled with silence as the trio focused on their respective recovery and meditation.
From time to time, subtle fluctuations in the World Force would radiate from Shen Ao, most likely the result of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit at work to mend his Small Universe. It took more than twenty days for the intermittent fluctuations coming from him to finally subside. Another half day later, he slowly opened his eyes.
Yang Kai had been paying close attention to the changes in Shen Ao. Looking at Shen Ao at this moment, he could sense that Shen Ao’s aura seemed to be different from before and he had become much more confident.
When their gazes met, Shen Ao nodded lightly at Yang Kai to express his gratitude.
Feng Ying spoke up from the side, “Are you prepared?”
“Yes,” Shen Ao nodded.
“In that case, let us depart,” she said as she climbed to her feet.
Before their departure, the three of them made some preparations. All the Open Heaven Realm Masters they previously rescued were currently hiding inside Feng Ying’s Small Universe. As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, her Small Universe was big enough to accommodate these people; however, accommodating too many of them placed a burden on her and affected how much strength she could wield. In addition, if they were to launch another surprise attack on the Black Ink Clan like before, it would take some time for her to release all of them from her Small Universe.
Following a brief discussion, a dozen or so Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were taken into Yang Kai’s Small Universe while the rest were split equally between Feng Ying and Shen Ao.
At this point, the expression on Shen Ao’s face when he looked at Yang Kai could only be described as flabbergasted. They had not known each other for long, but Yang Kai had already sprung so many surprises on him in such a short period.
Yang Kai had the means to restore order to chaos, which could rescue the Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength. He had also given a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to Shen Ao, and now, he could even accommodate living beings inside his Small Universe… Leaving aside the matter of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, the two other matters could be said to be unprecedented in all the years that Shen Ao had been alive. These two events had certainly given him quite a huge shock.
Feng Ying observed Shen Ao’s expression and smiled slightly, [This brat also has a World Spring, one of the Four Universe Pillars. I wonder what Shen Ao would think if he found out about that.]
In all honesty, she herself had been shocked by Yang Kai on numerous occasions. She had never met a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him before. There were always all kinds of bizarre things about him, so she was often astounded by the unexpected incidents that he accidentally created.
There were times when she simply could not understand. Somebody like him should be carefully protected, so how did he end up in the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s domain where he had to disguise himself as a Black Ink Disciple to survive?
The main force of the Black Ink Clan had been gathering successively on the front lines, but there would always be some scattered Black Ink Clansmen who were slower to head for the battlefield. They were not as orderly as the Human Race, so they moved in a more scattered fashion. What’s more, the territory occupied by the Black Ink Clan in the Black Ink Battlefield was too vast. Even under the Royal Lord’s call to arms, there was bound to be a difference across the various territories in terms of the Black Ink Clan’s response speed. There were also Black Ink Clansmen who would delay or find excuses to refuse joining the front lines of the battlefield.
More importantly, these Black Ink Clansmen who belatedly rushed for the battlefield usually travelled in small groups, which gave the trio numerous opportunities to act.
If there were too many in a group, the trio would remain hidden and not reveal their whereabouts. If it was a small group, then they devoured their prey in one bite. They slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen and did their best to rescue as many Black Ink Disciples as they could.
In the past, just Yang Kai and Feng Ying were enough to kick up a storm in the Black Ink Clan’s rear lines. Now that they not only gained an additional helping hand in Shen Ao, but also dozens of helpers, it was only natural that these activities became even easier to carry out.
As the days passed, more and more Black Ink Disciples were rescued. Their lineup grew from tens to hundreds and soon breached the 200 mark. Among these people, they also gained two additional Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Including Feng Ying and Shen Ao, they now had a total of four Seventh-Order Masters on their side.
Needless to say, the two newly rescued Seventh-Order Masters received a gift from Yang Kai. They consumed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit and restored their Small Universes.
Over the recent period, at least 2,000 Black Ink Clansmen had died at their hands, including a dozen or so Feudal Lords. It could be said that their battles had been very fruitful.
After a particularly large battle, Yang Kai and the four Seventh-Order Masters hid themselves inside a Black Ink Cloud to rest and recover their strength. During such times, Yang Kai would always think about Meng Qi. The current situation could be said to have been jointly created by Meng Qi and Feng Ying with their own hands.
Meng Qi was not as powerful as Feng Ying in terms of strength, but he was also in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. If he had not chosen to commit suicide back then and instead leave with Yang Kai, he might have been able to survive. Be that as it may, he had resolutely chosen to sacrifice himself because there was always a chance that something detrimental might happen.
Meng Qi had been worried that he might become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again. If that were to happen, the secret of the Void Corridor would definitely be exposed and the 3,000 Worlds would be invaded by the Black Ink Clan army. He had not dared to take any chances so long as even the slightest possibility existed; thus, he had chosen to sacrifice his life instead.
Although Yang Kai understood the reason behind those actions, he could not help feeling regretful whenever he came across similar situations and remembered Meng Qi.
Other than Yang Kai, nobody else in this world knew that a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Exquisite Paradise had sacrificed his life in order to protect a secret related to the safety of the 3,000 Worlds.
As a matter of fact, countless Human Masters had risked their lives on the Black Ink Battlefield since ancient times. Who among them had not given blood and life to stop the invasion of the Black Ink Clan? Be that as it may, with the exception of the Elders and elite disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, most of the people in the 3,000 Worlds were not even aware of the Black Ink Clan’s existence.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had contributed greatly to the 3,000 Worlds.
“We’ve got movement,” A low voice sounded inside the Black Ink Cloud.
The others who were resting nearby quickly opened their eyes and focused their senses outside. Sure enough, they discovered movement. A large number of Black Ink Clansmen suddenly entered the range of their perception. Not only were there as many as 500 people in the approaching group, but several Black Ink Feudal Lords were leading it.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters exchanged a glance with each other and noticed the eagerness in the other’s eyes.
During this period of time, everybody had carried out numerous acts of intercepting the enemy, so it could be said that they had long since gotten accustomed to such acts. In fact, this large group of Black Ink Clansmen looked like nothing more than a delectable piece of meat in their eyes. With their current line-up, they were perfectly capable of destroying this enemy. Most importantly, there were many Black Ink Disciples among this group of enemies. If they could successfully rescue these Black Ink Disciples, they would further increase their strength.
In the beginning, if they had encountered such a group of enemies, they could only choose to make a temporary retreat. There was no helping it as the difference in numbers was too great. In contrast, even though they currently only seemed to have five people on the surface, the truth was that they each contained many helpers in their respective Small Universes. It was only natural for them to eye these enemies with relish.
“Something is wrong,” Yang Kai suddenly scowled.
“What’s wrong?” The person who asked the question was an elderly-looking man. He was one of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who introduced himself as Qi Tai Chu of Yuan Origin Paradise.
“Their direction is wrong!” Yang Kai shook his head.
Upon hearing those words, another Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Ning Qi Zhi of Red Sun Paradise agreed, “That’s right. Why is a Black Ink army coming from that direction?”
During this period, all the Black Ink Clansmen they intercepted had been heading towards the front lines of the battlefield from the Black Ink Clan’s territory. However, this group of enemies came from the opposite direction. From the looks of it, they seemed to have retreated from the front lines of the battlefield.
“Did they finish fighting on the front lines?” Shen Ao raised an eyebrow. If that was the case, then it was good news. They would only need to wait for the Black Ink Clan army to retreat, and then they could make the return trip. There was no need to continue hiding and sneaking around.
“It’s too quick.” Feng Ying slowly shook her head, “When has the Black Ink Clan’s attack not lasted at least a decade or two? There are times when they even attack for hundreds of years without stopping. How could they possibly retreat so quickly?”
“Then why did this group return?”
“Could they be escorting something?”
They whispered among themselves, each expressing their own opinions. Even so, none of them could provide a reasonable answer.
The enemy was approaching closer and closer, so if they did not make a move now, they would miss the opportunity to do so. Seeing this, Ning Qi Zhi asked, “Are we attacking or not?”
All of them turned to look at Feng Ying. Although she was a woman, she was also the strongest among them. Moreover, all of them were jointly rescued by her and Yang Kai, so it was only natural for her to take command.
Feng Ying turned towards Yang Kai with an inquiring glance.
Yang Kai pondered for a moment, “It’s probably okay to attack, but we should be extra careful. If you think that something is wrong, retreat immediately.”
She nodded in agreement, “In that case, let’s move!”
The moment the words left her mouth, she took the lead and rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud. Yang Kai and the others quickly followed suit.
As usual, when the five figures emerged from the Black Ink Cloud, the Black Ink Clan noticed them immediately and turned to look in their direction. The leading Black Ink Feudal Lords exchanged glances with each other, showing suspicious and puzzled expressions. One of them immediately raised his hand to stop the forward motion of the group they were leading; then, they quietly waited for the five figures to approach.
Although they did not seem to be on guard against the five approaching figures, it was not due to a lack of vigilance. The main reason was that no ordinary Human cultivator would conceal themselves inside a Black Ink Cloud. Those who dared to hide inside a Black Ink Cloud without fear of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength were definitely already Black Ink Disciples. Besides, they had hundreds of people on their side while Yang Kai’s party only had five. The gap in their numbers was too great.
Those were the same reasons why Yang Kai and the others could repeatedly approach their enemies in such a bold fashion and succeed in their sneak attacks.
The distance between both parties grew closer and closer, so much so that they could clearly see the expressions on each other’s faces.
Feng Ying, who was in the lead, suddenly stretched out her hand and grabbed at something. A longsword appeared in her grip, and she immediately slid her finger across the blade of her sword.
Following a surge of World Force, a crisp humming sound reverberated throughout the void. Thousands of sword waves appeared behind her, twisting and converging to form a 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon in an instant. At the same time, she concealed herself within the Dragon Head and vanished out of sight.
As soon as she attacked, she unleashed her Divine Manifestation. It was obvious that she planned to end this battle as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan clearly never expected this kind of thing to happen. They initially thought that these people were five Black Ink Disciples separated from their Masters; therefore, they had planned to wait for the other party to approach and enjoy some easy benefits. Who could have expected the other party to unleash a killing move instead? The sudden turn of events left the Black Ink Clansmen reeling in confusion.
The expression of the leading Feudal Lord changed drastically and he shouted ferociously, “Enemy attack!”
For a time, the 500-man team was engulfed in chaos.
At the same time, the 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon lunged towards the Black Ink Clan army while shaking its head and flicking its tail. Nobody could halt its rampage. The sword waves that formed the body of the Sword Dragon vibrated with a humming sound, turning into unstoppable weapons. All the Black Ink Clansmen who came into contact with the sword waves were either heavily injured or killed on the spot. In that way, the enormous Sword Dragon swept open an empty path through the Black Ink Clan army.
When Feng Ying made her move, Yang Kai and the others immediately opened the portals to their Small Universe. Numerous figures that had been prepared for a long time emerged from within.
In the blink of an eye, the seemingly lonesome five-man party expanded into a small army of over 200 people that charged towards the Black Ink Clan with a ferocious roar.
The Black Ink Clan was stunned by the attack. Targeted by Shen Ao and the others, the Feudal Lords were unable to issue effective orders. Consequently, the battlefield was soon split apart. The Black Ink Clan were separated into small groups that stuck together on the defensive.
Yang Kai ignored the Feudal Lords as his figure moved through the crowd as nimbly as a fish in water. Whenever he came across an opportunity to attack, he would not miss it.
The Azure Dragon Spear in his hand swept out left and right. Everywhere he passed, Black Ink Clansmen erupted into blood mist in his wake. With his current strength, as long as he did not encounter a Feudal Lord, nobody beneath them could defend against his spear.
Be that as it may, his main task was not to slaughter the Black Ink Clansmen but to rescue the Black Ink Disciples. Purifying Light flickered here and there, following Yang Kai’s figure as he roamed the battlefield. The Black Ink Strength was dispelled from the bodies of the Black Ink Disciples, and they regained their clarity one after another.
Although there were hundreds of people on both sides, the battle was an extremely one-sided slaughter. Not to mention, it was the Human Race with fewer numbers who held the upper hand. It was very strange indeed; however, this result came from catching the Black Ink Clan by surprise.
The Black Ink Clan never expected the five Human cultivators who approached them to carry malicious intent; in addition, Feng Ying’s Divine Manifestation had caused great casualties and instilled panic among the Black Ink Clan army right at the outset of the battle.
If both sides could reconstruct their formation and fight on fair terms, the Black Ink Clan would not suffer so badly even if they were, ultimately, outmatched.
Many Black Ink Clansmen tried to escape when they saw that the situation was not in their favour. Be that as it may, how could the Human cultivators allow these Black Ink Clansmen to survive? The Human cultivators immediately gave pursuit and quickly slaughtered the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen.
The intense battle took less than an hour from the beginning to the end. All the Black Ink Clansmen were eliminated, and the Black Ink Disciples were rescued. The Human cultivators also suffered some casualties, but their losses were within the acceptable range.
“Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts, this Junior Brother has important information to report!” While they were counting their losses on the battlefield, somebody walked over to Feng Ying and the others with a young man in tow.
Yang Kai turned to look at the young man and recognised him as one of the Black Ink Disciples he rescued earlier.
Feng Ying looked at the young man and asked, “What information?”
The young man solemnly cupped his fist, “Martial Aunt, this is a trap. We cannot stay here for long.”
She frowned slightly, “What do you mean? Explain clearly.”
He thus explained, “I don’t know much, but the Black Ink Clan seems to have noticed something strange. They believe that a small team of Human cultivators are causing havoc in the rear, so they dispatched some people to launch a search. They intend to locate and eliminate the hidden team. We were merely one of the search teams. There are another seven or eight teams in the vicinity. As soon as they discover something, they will immediately communicate with each other to provide support. Although you moved very quickly just now, Martial Aunt, the reinforcements from the Black Ink Clan are probably on the way. Moreover, I overheard several Black Ink Clansmen mention that this operation is being overseen by a Territory Lord.”
The expression of Feng Ying and the others immediately became grim. All the doubts and illogical occurrences from before were clarified at this moment.
Shen Ao pounded his fist against his palm and gritted his teeth, “I was wondering why this group was retreating from the front lines. It turns out that they have noticed our movements.”
Ning Qi Zi frowned, “Although we’ve always wiped out the enemy without fail, the Black Ink Clan has suffered quite a heavy loss recently. It was only a matter of time before we were discovered, but I never imagined that they would respond so quickly.”
The Black Ink Clansmen who should have headed to the front lines had repeatedly failed to arrive on the battlefield. One or two people might have gone unnoticed, but it was impossible for thousands to simply be overlooked.
This war began because the Human Masters had raided the Black Ink Clan’s domain and destroyed a number of the Black Ink Clan’s territories along the way; therefore, it was not strange for the Black Ink Clan to suspect that a small team of Human Masters were causing havoc in the rear.
This particular Black Ink Clan team had been ordered to perform a search of this region. Under normal circumstances, they would have been on guard when they encountered these five people, but Feng Ying and the others had emerged from within the Black Ink Cloud, which caused the Black Ink Clansmen to mistakenly assume that they were Black Ink Disciples. For that reason, the Black Ink Clansmen lowered their guard and allowed Feng Ying’s party to launch a sneak attack.
Everybody began moving swiftly. Although they slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen, the information would have leaked out by now. The other Black Ink Clan search teams in the vicinity would surely be on their way to provide support.