Thanks to Feng Ying’s secret introductions earlier, Yang Kai had memorised the identity of this Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor. This person was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Lu An. Yang Kai had originally planned to visit this person when he had the time. Now that the situation had come to this, he could only reveal his identity in advance.
Lu An raised his brow, looking extremely surprised. He had not expected Yang Kai to be part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Even if Yang Kai was not born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the fact that he could marry two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples indicated that he was not an ordinary person; otherwise, the Sect would not have allowed the two disciples to marry him.
Everybody else was also extremely flabbergasted. It turned out that the little brat standing in front of them was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises!
Not only was he not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, but he was also only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. How did he come to the Black Ink Battlefield!? Even if he was a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-in-Law, there was no such precedent throughout history.
In the Black Ink Battlefield, all the cultivators in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and below were the elite disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises exclusively. Only a few of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were from outside Sects. They had been forcefully dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Knowing that Yang Kai was part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Lu An’s expression immediately became much friendlier. He nodded lightly and asked, “Whose disciple did you marry?”
He was not asking out of simple curiosity. Words were useless without proof. There was a need to verify the truth in case Yang Kai turned out to be lying. If he believed those lies blindly and something were to happen in the future, it was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s reputation that would suffer a heavy blow.
Yang Kai replied, “The disciples that this Junior married are the Legacy Disciple under Xu Ling Gong and the Legacy Disciple under Chen Xiu.”
Lu An murmured, “So it was Xu and Chen Boy…”
If Yang Kai had mentioned the names of Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan, there was a possibility that he would not have recognised them; after all, it had been a long time since Lu An came to the Black Ink Battlefield. The two women might not have even been born yet when he left the Sect.
However, Lu An recalled the names of Xu Ling Gong and Chen Xiu to some extent. That was especially true for the person called Xu Ling Gong. Although Xu Ling Gong was nothing more than a rising star in the Sect who had yet to advance into the Open Heaven Realm when Lu An left the Sect, he was already being trained and nurtured as a Core Disciple at the time.
Furthermore, Lu An heard that Xu Ling Gong joined the Black Ink Battlefield several decades ago. It was just that Xu Ling Gong did not come to Blue Sky Pass. Nevertheless, it would not be difficult for him to verify these facts.
Listening to the conversation between those two, the others could basically confirm that Yang Kai was indeed part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Somebody immediately cupped his fist at Lu An and said, “What a blessing, Brother Lu!”
“Congratulations, Brother Lu!”
…
Despite the congratulatory words, Lu An did not seem happy. He simply smiled bitterly while shaking his head and waving away their congratulatory wishes. On the other hand, the frown on Zhong Liang’s face deepened.
“Yang Kai, was it?” Among the congratulatory wishes, somebody spoke up suddenly.
Yang Kai looked in the direction of the voice and discovered that the voice belonged to Tian Xiu Zhu. He immediately cupped his fist and bowed, “Yes!”
“What Order were you when you first advanced into the Open Heaven Realm?” Tian Xiu Zhu asked.
Yang Kai answered, “The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
“Fifth-Order…” Tian Xiu Zhu nodded lightly, “You must be wondering why we are offering our congratulatory wishes. In truth, this is something related to you.”
Yang Kai looked puzzled. Just why would this be related to him? Besides, he was certainly curious as to why the others were congratulating Lu An.
Lu An raised a hand to interrupt, “Brother Tian, let’s talk about this later.”
There was a hint of reluctance and guilt in his expression.
Tian Xiu Zhu looked at Lu An, “The Black Ink Clan is currently besieging Blue Sky Pass. This is the time when we need to strengthen the might of our forces the most! Therefore, this matter cannot be delayed any longer. Since all the Eighth-Order Masters have basically been gathered here, it’s a good opportunity to speak openly about this matter. Brother Lu, I’m sure you understand that this Tian has no selfish intentions. This is all for the greater good of the Human Race!”
Lu An sighed softly.” Of course, I know that you are not being selfish, Brother Lu. But…”
Tian Xiu Zhu said, “This matter concerns the entire Human Race, not just Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Brother Lu, you may remain silent if you feel guilty.”
Lu An sighed again and said no more.
Afterward, Tian Xiu Zhu turned to look at Yang Kai, “You not only possess one of the Four Universe Pillars, but have also suppressed and sealed Black Ink Strength in your body. So, you should know how the Four Universe Pillars hold up against the Black Ink Strength.”
Yang Kai nodded, “This Junior naturally understands.”
It was thanks to the World Spring that his Small Universe remained flawless.
Back when he was in the Black Prison, even the Secret Technique of the Black Ink Royal Lord had no effect on him at all. It could be said that he would never need to worry about the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength as long as he had the World Spring. In fact, as long as he was strong enough, he could charge right into the middle of the Black Ink Clan army without any worries.
Tian Xiu Zhu bluntly got to the point, “The Four Universe Pillars are very useful to the Human Race, but they are very rare and hard to find. That is why, if any of the Four Universe Pillars appear in the 3,000 Worlds, the Cave Heavens and Paradises will spare no effort to obtain and deliver it to the Black Ink Battlefield. The Four Universe Pillars would then be refined by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and used to fight the Black Ink Clan.
“The Old Ancestors are strong enough that they have no need to fear becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Unfortunately, there have been precedents where Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were corrupted. The Four Universe Pillars can protect an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master on the battlefield, which will allow them to fight the Black Ink Clan freely and without fear of becoming corrupted. This matter is something that holds great significance to the Human Race!
“On the Black Ink Battlefield, only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters are eligible to possess a Four Universe Pillar. That is because only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters can protect such a treasure. You are only in the Sixth-Order at the moment. If you enter the battlefield, there is no guarantee that nothing will happen to you. More importantly, if anything were to happen to you, the Human Race would not only lose you as an individual but also an extremely rare and precious treasure.
“In addition, the Black Ink Clan will surely target you if they learn that you possess one of the Four Universe Pillars. It would be very detrimental for you; after all, the Black Ink Clan is extremely repulsed by the Four Universe Pillars. If given the chance, they will never allow any Human cultivator with a Four Universe Pillar to walk free. As you are now, you are not strong enough to protect the Four Universe Pillars.
“Do you understand what I am trying to say?” Tian Xiu Zhu looked at Yang Kai solemnly.
At first, Yang Kai had not quite grasped the situation, but Tian Xiu Zhu had spoken so clearly that it was impossible for him not to understand now. He immediately nodded in response, “If I have heard you correctly, Senior, you are asking me to offer up my World Spring.”
Tian Xiu Zhu nodded, “Good steel should be used to forge excellent blades. This Old Master’s words may be somewhat cruel, but I do not have any selfish intentions. I am speaking for the sake of the entire Human Race. Of course, please do not worry. This Old Master does not covet the World Spring in your possession. Since you come from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the World Spring will be taken over by Brother Lu instead.”
Yang Kai immediately understood. It now made sense as to why they asked him which Cave Heaven or Paradise he came from earlier; they had been preparing for this moment. Depending on which Cave Heaven or Paradise he came from, an Ancestor of that particular Cave Heaven or Paradise would naturally be the one to take possession of the World Spring.
“If you had the potential to advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, this Old Master would not have had to play the part of the villain. Unfortunately, you only advanced into the fifth order as a starting point, making your limit the seventh order. Even if you became a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, you would still lack the necessary strength required to protect the World Spring!” Tian Xiu Zhu exhaled softly and looked at Yang Kai sternly, “So, Little Friend, this Old Master asks that you offer up the World Spring in contribution to the entire Human Race!”
Yang Kai remained silent and said nothing. He certainly did not expect to encounter this situation after coming to the Black Ink Battlefield. Although he heard Feng Ying mention that all the Four Universe Pillars belonging to the Human Race were in the hands of the Eighth-Order Masters, he had not thought much about her statement at the time. It would seem that it was not because the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had amazing opportunities, but that the situation had resulted from intentional distribution of resources.
In the past, people who were not in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm might also have obtained one of the Four Universe Pillars, but they had always voluntarily offered up these treasures so that the Ancestors of their respective Sects could make best use of them instead.
The Black Ink Clan must also be privy to this information, which was why they did not bother to perform a thorough check on cultivators below the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm after converting them with Black Ink Strength. If not for that, the Black Ink Clan Territory Lord would not have departed with such peace of mind after he corrupted Feng Ying.
If this were any other place, Yang Kai would definitely have suspected Tian Xiu Zhu of malicious intentions for bringing up this topic; however, this was the Black Ink Battlefield. There might be some friction and conflicts among the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, but they were of one mind and one will when it came to the war between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
It was just like how Chen Xiu had schemed for his own Disciple to suffer from cultivation dissonance in front of Yang Kai in order to protect Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s face. He had no malicious intentions towards Yang Kai at the time and was simply acting in the best interests of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
Likewise, Tian Xiu Zhu held no malicious intentions towards Yang Kai. Yang Kai himself could perceive that fact; after all, even if he offered up the World Spring, his actions would not benefit Tian Xiu Zhu in any way. The World Spring would only be handed over to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Lu An.
It was just as Tian Xiu Zhu had said, this was all for the sake of the greater good of the Human Race.
When Yang Kai remained silent, the atmosphere in the hall turned colder. Everybody knew that this situation was very unfair to Yang Kai, but it was not as if they had never encountered similar situations in the past. They had always handled such situations in this manner. There was no reason for them to make an exception for this case.
Tian Xiu Zhu continued, “Please rest assured. Giving up the World Spring will indeed damage the integrity of your Small Universe; however, the Inner Sanctum will prepare a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit for you. We will help you repair your Small Universe so that your cultivation will not be affected in the future. In any case, there is no hurry. You are only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the moment. Even if you wanted to offer up the World Spring right now, you don’t have the necessary ability to do so. We will only ask this of you when you advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and your Small Universe transforms from immaterial to material.”
When Yang Kai first obtained the World Spring, he had been placed in captivity by Xia Lin Lang in the Shattered Heaven for some time. That incident had occurred for this very reason.
She had also wanted to obtain the World Spring, but she had to consider Yang Kai’s inadequate cultivation. She believed that his Small Universe was still immaterial and that he could not cut off a part of his Small Universe for her. Therefore, she had provided him with various cultivation materials to help him advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible. Unbeknownst to her, his Small Universe had transformed from immaterial to material a long time ago. He could have separated the World Spring from his body at any time if he wanted.
Needless to say, there was another method available. That method was much easier, which was to kill him. Once Yang Kai died, there was a chance the World Spring would emerge when his Small Universe collapsed.
However, even for the Human Race, forcibly asking a Junior to give up the World Spring was already very cruel, so how could they outright kill him? Nobody would agree to carry out such a heinous act.
Zhong Liang stood silently by the side. There were two reasons why he had previously inquired about Yang Kai’s initial Order when advancing into the Open Heaven Realm. The first reason was that he had been confused as to whether Yang Kai was part of the Human Race or the Dragon Clan. The second reason was that he wanted to know the limits of Yang Kai’s future cultivation.
As soon as he learned that Yang Kai had initially advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he immediately decided to ensure that the news regarding Yang Kai’s possession of the World Spring would never be leaked to others. That was because he knew that they would face this issue once the information was exposed to the public.
If anybody else had possessed one of the Four Universe Pillars instead, Zhong Liang would have wholeheartedly agreed that they should offer up the World Spring. But, Yang Kai was different. The ability to cast Purifying Light would be instrumental for the Human Race; hence, it would not be beneficial for the Human Race to incur his wrath and resentment at such a time.
Secretly glancing at Yang Kai, Zhong Liang discovered that Yang Kai looked calm and indifferent. There was no sign of anger or resentment at all; thus, he couldn’t help feeling impressed.
No matter who was faced with such a situation, it would be difficult for them to remain calm; therefore, Zhong Liang was quite impressed by Yang Kai’s reaction.
It was true that Yang Kai did not feel any resentment; he could understand that Tian Xiu Zhu’s actions were not aimed at him. Rather, Tian Xiu Zhu’s actions and words came from a place of righteousness.
In order to protect the secret of the Void Corridor, Meng Qi was willing to sacrifice his own life. In comparison, how could Yang Kai not endure such insignificant grievance?
“Yang Kai, this is for the greater good of the Human Race!” Tian Xiu Zhu earnestly persuaded.
Seeing that Yang Kai remained silent, he thought that the former was unwilling to compromise. Ultimately though, the willingness of the other party did not matter. This was how such matters had been handled since ancient times. It was a given that those who stepped foot into the Black Ink Battlefield had to put their individual lives aside; therefore, he believed that Yang Kai would eventually come around.
Yang Kai shook his head, “Senior, you have misunderstood. This Junior is not an unreasonable person. You have made yourself very clear, so how can this Junior not understand?”
Tian Xiu Zhu nodded in relief, “It’s good that you understand.”
“But…” Yang Kai changed the subject, “From what you mentioned earlier, Senior, this Junior will not need to offer up the World Spring if I can advance to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future, correct?”
For him, offering up the World Spring would definitely cause some damage to his Small Universe. Although a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit could repair his Small Universe, he would no longer be able to ignore the corrosion of Black Ink Strength. That would be extremely dangerous on the Black Ink Battlefield.
It was not that he was unwilling to sacrifice himself for the Human Race. Had the Cave Heavens and Paradises not made far more sacrifices for the Human Race throughout the ages? They had silently waged war against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless aeons and invested unimaginable amounts of manpower and resources into the effort. It could be said that the stability of the 3,000 Worlds was inseparable from the contributions of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
In the safe and stable environment behind them were Yang Kai’s subordinates and disciples in Void Land, as well as his friends and relatives in the Star Boundary. If he were an ordinary Open Heaven Realm Master, he would not have hesitated to give up the World Spring.
However, Yang Kai was confident in himself. He had always been able to crush opponents in the same realm as himself. In other words, if he could advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future, the role he could play and the strength he could exert would definitely be greater than any of the Ancestors in front of him right now.
Tian Xiu Zhu was stunned for a moment, but he nodded anyway, “That’s how it is. If you can advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, then there is no need for you to give up the World Spring. The Inner Sanctum will also spare no effort to help you advance to the Eighth Order as soon as possible so that you can contribute to the Human Race.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “This Junior can advance to the Eighth Order!”
Everybody else was startled by his words and somebody scowled and pointed out, “Brat, didn’t you say that your initial breakthrough was to the Fifth Order? How can you advance to the Eighth-Order? Don’t tell me you have an Innate Open Heaven Pill from the Universe Furnace on hand!”
Innate Open Heaven Pills produced by the Universe Furnace were natural products of the World that contained the mysteries of the universe. They could help a person break through the shackles of their limits and ignore the bottleneck of the Open Heaven Realm. As long as they had enough of such Spirit Pills, they could even advance into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm, regardless of their starting point.
Unfortunately, one could only encounter such treasures serendipitously. The Universe Furnace was one of the most profound and mysterious treasures in existence. Not only was it extremely elusive, but its occasional appearance in the world was also very short-lived; therefore, it was no easy task to obtain Innate Open Heaven Pills.
What’s more, even if such treasures were on hand, Yang Kai would not have the chance to consume them. They would be given to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master instead so that he could advance into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It would always be highly beneficial for the Human Race to gain an additional Ninth-Order Master.
Yang Kai calmly explained, “It is true that this Junior only broke through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm initially; however, this Junior was later fortunate enough to consume a Mid-Rank World Fruit and advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
“A Mid-Rank World Fruit!?” Somebody exclaimed in surprise while the others looked on in shock.
As Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, how could they not know about the existence of the World Fruit? That was an even rarer treasure than an Innate Open Heaven Pill!
Somebody said, “It is rumoured that there is a World Tree that grows in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary is extremely difficult for ordinary people to enter. Could that be where you obtained your World Fruit?”
Yang Kai nodded affirmatively, “I accidentally became involved with the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and spent some time inside that place. It was also inside the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary that I obtained the World Fruit.”
A series of gasps rang out throughout the Conference Hall. That was an incredible opportunity indeed! A Mid-Rank World Fruit could not only increase one’s cultivation by an entire Order, but it also increased the limit that they could achieve in the future.
Lu An probed further, “Does that mean that even though you were only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when you first advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, you actually have the opportunity to advance to the Eighth-Order in the future?”
The Four Universe Pillars had a huge appeal to Open Heaven Realm Masters, especially Eighth-Order Masters like themselves. Possessing one of the Four Universe Pillars would allow them to fight with greater efficiency on the battlefield.
Lu An was truly reluctant to snatch the belongings of a Junior, but in light of the bigger picture, Yang Kai was powerless to protect the World Spring. Leaving this matter alone would only result in a huge loss for the Human Race. That was why he had remained silent all this while.
He had silently considered this matter in his heart. If Yang Kai was made to offer up the World Spring, he would definitely have to compensate Yang Kai for the gesture. At the very least, he had to protect Yang Kai as much as possible within the scope of his ability. Nevertheless, he did not expect to learn that Yang Kai had consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit before.
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded firmly, “That is why this Junior has the confidence to advance to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
Lu An nodded lightly, “You should put in more effort in the future then. If you need anything, please let this Old Master know.”
Since Yang Kai could be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, it was only natural that Lu An would pay more attention to him when they resided at the same great pass. Although there was no strong sense of factionalism in the great passes, it stood to reason that most people would be closer to others of the same Sect.
“Many thanks, Elder,” Yang Kai bowed.
On the other side, Tian Xiu Zhu fell silent for a moment before he said, “If that’s the case, then the matter regarding the World Spring is settled. However, this Old Master would like to say something.”
Yang Kai looked at Tian Xiu Zhu, “Please enlighten me, Elder.”
“The Black Ink Battlefield is extremely dangerous. You need to be very careful. If anything were to happen to you, it would be a huge loss to the Human Race.”
“This Junior will bear that in mind!” Yang Kai bowed.
Zhong Liang, however, just snickered at those words, “Brother Tian, if you knew what this brat did in the past, you would not bother to warn him about such things.”
Tian Xiu Zhu asked curiously, “What did he do?”
Zhong Liang glanced at Yang Kai, “This brat is the boldest one I’ve ever seen. He disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and spent several years in the Black Ink Clan’s territory. It was all thanks to this brat that Feng Ying and the others managed to come back safely.”
Everybody in the Conference Hall immediately became speechless, too dumbfounded to say anything.
The corners of Lu An’s face twitched, and he was filled with lingering fear, “You disguised yourself as a Black Ink Disciple and spent several years among the Black Ink Clan!?”
[That’s not bold! That’s reckless!]
Tian Xiu Zhu’s mouth quivered in anger, “What if your identity was discovered and something happened to you!?”
He had tried his best to protect the World Spring. Not only did he not hesitate to use his authority to coerce the other party, but he even demanded that Yang Kai offer up the World Spring without any regard for his pride. Who could have known that Yang Kai had done such a terrifying thing!?
Yang Kai smiled bitterly, “I had no choice.”
He had not wanted to do something so risky either; unfortunately, the place connected to the Void Corridor was located inside a Sealed World in the Black Ink Clan’s domain. Having found himself in the Black Ink Clan hinterland as soon as he arrived, what else could he have done?
Lu An scolded, “Don’t be so reckless again in the future.”
Yang Kai nodded repeatedly, “Yes!”
Many of the Eighth-Order Masters in the hall were staring at Yang Kai with strange expressions now. Nobody had ever done such a thing throughout all of history. If it was said that they had only paid attention to him earlier because of the World Spring, then they were now paying attention to him because of his conduct.
Somebody suddenly turned to look at Zhong Liang, “Brother Zhong, you mentioned that Feng Ying and that group of people only returned thanks to Yang Kai. What did you mean?”
Zhong Liang did not bother to explain; instead, he turned to look at Yang Kai and instructed, “Show them.”
Seeing was always better than listening in terms of clarity. That was why he had gone out of his way to capture a Black Ink Disciple. It was so that Yang Kai could easily demonstrate his ability.
Outside the palace where the Old Ancestor was in retreat, Yang Kai had used the Black Ink Strength suppressed inside his Small Universe to demonstrate the effects of the Purifying Light. It was just that Zhong Liang was reluctant to reveal the fact that Yang Kai possessed a World Spring, so he had gone to the trouble of preparing in advance.
Who could have known that Tian Xiu Zhu had already inferred the truth? He couldn’t keep the secret hidden at all. If he had known earlier, Zhong Liang could have saved himself the trouble of capturing a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai responded affirmatively and strode towards the captured Black Ink Disciple.
The Eighth-Order Masters watched curiously, wondering what Zhong Liang was selling in his bottle gourd.
A seal had been placed on the Black Ink Disciple, so he could not circulate any strength and he had not dared to act rashly after being thrown here by Zhong Liang. Of course, he had been observing his surroundings vigilantly in hopes of finding an opportunity to escape, so when he saw Yang Kai walking towards him at this moment, he stepped back defensively. But, where could he go in his condition? Furthermore, it only took Zhong Liang a casual wave of his hand to completely lock the Black Ink Disciple in place.
A yellow and blue light suddenly appeared in Yang Kai’s hands, which immediately attracted everybody’s attention to him.
Zhong Liang also paid close attention. Even though he had witnessed this sight before, he could not tear his eyes away at this moment.
A distinct Yin and Yang Element Power radiated from the blue and yellow lights respectively. Then, in front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai clapped his hands together. A pure white light bloomed into existence when the yellow and blue lights merged together.
The white light immediately cascaded down on the Black Ink Disciple. In the next moment, the Black Ink Disciple revealed a look of pain on his face. A thick layer of Black Ink Strength simultaneously seeped out from his body, accompanied by a series of sizzling sounds.
To the onlookers’ astonishment, the Black Ink Strength was then purified by the white light and vanished into nothingness.
The Eighth-Order Ancestors who were watching closely widened their eyes instantly at the sight. There was a loud clatter as most of them knocked over their chairs and involuntarily jumped to their feet in astonishment. Their expressions were filled with shock, and their widened eyes overflowed with disbelief. Even though they were worldly Masters, they had never seen such an incredulous situation before.
The Black Ink Disciple’s pain only lasted for a moment, and his expression soon calmed down. Under the shroud of the white light, both his figure and his expression appeared hazy.
Yang Kai withdrew his hand and nodded lightly at Zhong Liang. Only then did Zhong Liang dispel his power around Black Ink Disciple and take a step back.
The entire hall was deathly silent. Everybody was staring at the Black Ink Disciple in stunned silence and it was only a long while later that the sound of people nervously gulping echoed throughout the room. Somebody finally asked, “B-Brother Zhong… W-W-What is this?”
He had a guess in his heart, but he could not be certain. That was because what he saw with his eyes might not be what he was thinking in his heart.
There were many people with similar thoughts. All of them turned to look at Zhong Liang with an inquiring gaze, hoping to gain a more definite answer from him.
Zhong Liang smiled slightly, “Don’t tell me you don’t understand what just happened.”
Tian Xiu Zhu’s expression was grim and cold, “Brother Zhong, this is an important matter. Now is not the time for jokes. Could it really be the same as what we are thinking?”
Zhong Liang nodded seriously, “En. What you are thinking is exactly how things are. And, that’s also the reason why I summoned you all here.”
“Impossible!” Tian Xiu Zhu faintly lost his composure, “Black Ink Strength is extremely corrosive; once a person’s Small Universe is corroded by it, they will lose themselves completely! It is not as though we have not tried various methods to reverse this phenomenon throughout the ages. Even the Old Ancestors have been trying to find a solution, but they have never succeeded. H-How is this possible?”
It was not that he did not want to believe the truth, he was simply afraid that having great hope would only lead to greater disappointment.
“Seeing is believing!” Zhong Liang quickly said.
He was feeling a little more comfortable with himself at the moment. When he first learned about this matter, he had also been filled with a sense of incredulity. In fact, he was so shocked that he lost the composure of an Eighth-Order Ancestor. Therefore, he secretly felt cheerful to see the others reacting much more dramatically than him.
It was not that he was trying to mock them, he was simply in a good mood. Turning to look at the Black Ink Disciple he captured previously, he asked, “How do you feel?”
After the Black Ink Strength had been dispelled, the Black Ink Disciple remained standing frozen on the spot with a deep frown on his face. He seemed to be confused by the situation; however, he had not forgotten everything he did when he was a Black Ink Disciple.
Looking back now, he could not understand how he had become so fanatical or how he could willingly follow behind the Black Ink Clan to attack his fellow comrades. Even though he understood that his actions were caused by the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, he was filled with guilt at this moment.
Upon hearing Zhong Liang’s question, he looked up with a strange expression. It seemed as though he did not know whether to laugh or cry, “Answering Senior’s question, this Junior feels as though he has just woken up from a long nightmare.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “Now that you have awoken, you should be more careful in the future.”
“Yes!”
“Open your Small Universe. We would like to investigate,” Zhong Liang instructed.
The former Black Ink Disciple nodded and opened the portal to his Small Universe with great enthusiasm. In the next moment, the Eighth-Order Ancestors who had been waiting for what seemed like forever quickly poured their Divine Senses into the Small Universe to investigate.
The Eighth-Order Masters probed very carefully without missing any nook or cranny. Only after a thorough sweep did they slowly withdraw their Divine Senses. Most of them had looks of disbelief on their faces, but even more of them were delighted beyond words.
Throughout the ages, the Human Race had fought against the Black Ink Clan. Although they had always guarded the various great passes and prevented the Black Ink Clan from invading the 3,000 Worlds, the price they paid was the continuous investment of generation after generation who would eventually meet their deaths!
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan endlessly sprung up like bamboo shoots after the rain. As soon as one was cut down, another would immediately sprout up again. They would never be wiped out for good!
The Human Masters who passed through the No-Return Pass would forever lose their chance to return home. That was because nobody could guarantee that they had not been corroded by Black Ink Strength on the Black Ink Battlefield. If they accidentally allowed a Black Ink Disciple to return, it would be a disaster for the 3,000 Worlds.
The key was in the Black Ink Strength! This was an extremely strange and intractable power. Even a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor could not dispel Black Ink Strength that had invaded a Black Ink Disciple’s body; hence, their only option was to slaughter the Black Ink Disciples to prevent future troubles.
However, they had just witnessed a method that could easily purify and dispel Black Ink Strength inside the body of a Black Ink Disciple. Not only could this Secret Technique restore order to chaos, but it also allowed the Black Ink Disciple to break free from the corrosion of Black Ink Strength and recover their true nature!
How could they not be excited and elated? All of them could understand the preciousness of this Secret Technique. This was definitely something that could rewrite the endless years of conflict between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
Taking a deep breath, one of them turned to look at Lu An and asked, “Brother Lu, since when did Yin-Yang Cave Heaven become capable of such a feat? Why have we never heard you mention anything before?”
Yang Kai could be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Even if he was not born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, he was a Son-in-Law; therefore, it was not strange for the speaker to associate them together.
What’s more, when Yang Kai cast the Secret Technique just now, he had clearly used Yin and Yang Element Powers. The two Powers had converged into one when he pressed both his left and right palms together. There were some similarities with how certain Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Secret Techniques operated.
Lu An shook his head with a serious expression, “I don’t know anything either.”
He could not be certain whether this was a Secret Technique from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; after all, he had been stationed on the Black Ink Battlefield for thousands of years. It would not be strange for him to know nothing if this was a new Secret Technique that was recently developed by his Juniors.
After listening to the conversation between these two, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Reporting to Seniors, this Secret Technique did not originate from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
Tian Xiu Zhu chuckled, “Regardless of where the Secret Technique comes from, an ability that can dispel and purify Black Ink Strength is a good ability! If this Secret Technique can be spread to the public, we Humans will never need to fear the Black Ink Clan again!”
Somebody else immediately nodded in agreement, “That’s right! We have been troubled by the Black Ink Clan for so many years. If everyone can master this Secret Technique, then we will no longer need to fear the corrosion of Black Ink Strength. Nobody else will ever be converted into a Black Ink Disciple again. We can even charge straight into the Black Ink Clan’s territory and purge all the Black Ink Clan once and for all!”
His face flushed red as he spoke. It was as if he could see the glorious scene in front of him, and his heart was filled with excitement.
Everybody else was also influenced by the beautiful dream he described, and many of them looked extremely excited. At the same time, they finally understood why Zhong Liang had sent an urgent message to summon them despite knowing that the Black Ink Clan army was still attacking. The significance behind this Secret Technique was too great, and the news had to be announced to the public as soon as possible.
Although some people were originally dissatisfied with Zhong Liang’s impatience, their dissatisfaction had all but vanished at this moment. This was an important matter that could benefit the entire Human Race after all.
Seeing the heated discussion, Yang Kai sighed inwardly as he had no choice but to disappoint them, “Seniors, this Secret Technique cannot be taught to the public. Nobody else can cultivate this Secret Technique either. Only this Junior can use it.”
The discussion in the Conference Hall stopped abruptly as countless pairs of eyes turned to look at Yang Kai. Even Zhong Liang stared at Yang Kai in astonishment.
He had known that Yang Kai had the means to cast the Purifying Light, but he did not know much else. There had been no time for him to ask either.
Hence, he made some assumptions since Purifying Light was a Secret Technique. Even if it was impossible for everybody to cultivate it, there were thousands of talented individuals in Blue Sky Pass, so there were bound to be some who would succeed. He never imagined that he would hear such words from Yang Kai.
“Why can’t others cultivate this Secret Technique?” Lu An asked in confusion. He had the same thoughts as Zhong Liang. Since it was a Secret Technique, there would definitely be a method to cultivate it. As long as this method could be spread to the public, there was bound to be somebody who could successfully cultivate the Secret Technique.
Yang Kai explained, “This Secret Technique was not obtained through this Junior’s own cultivation, but was rather granted to me by senior experts. There is no cultivation method, so naturally, it cannot be taught to others.”
Having said that, he lifted his hands and activated the two marks. The marks that resembled a sun and moon instantly appeared before the eyes of the Eighth-Order Ancestors.
Yang Kai then continued, “These two marks are the foundation to cast Purifying Light, and they were given to me directly by the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer respectively. The Yin and Yang Element Power that this Junior used to condense the Purifying Light before also comes from the source of those two Seniors’ power.”
“The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer!” Somebody gasped in awe.
Meanwhile, most of the others looked solemn instead.
These two famous existences were so well-known that it was difficult not to have heard of them. It was rumoured that they were Ancient Masters born alongside the world itself. Moreover, they represented destruction and annihilation. The Chaotic Dead Territory where they resided was filled with dead silence. Nobody could enter that place and survive for long, much less meet these two supreme beings.
For Yang Kai to claim that the two marks were given to him by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, they could hardly believe their ears, but on second thought, it was possible that the powers of such beings were the only thing in the universe that could restrain the Black Ink Strength
Lu An frowned, “You’ve met the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I spent some time with them in the past, and we can be considered friends.”
The Eighth-Order Ancestors felt their faces twitching hard when they heard those words. On the other hand, Zhong Liang widened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai like he was looking at a ghost.
If Yang Kai had claimed that he was fortunate enough to meet the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, then they would have reluctantly accepted his explanation; after all, neither the marks on his hands nor the Purifying Light could be faked. However, Yang Kai claimed that he had spent some time with them and could even be considered friends!
[He was friends with those two existences!? Those are words not even the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors would dare to say!]
“It is quite easy to get along with Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, but… they have some unique hobbies.” Yang Kai casually explained.
“Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan?” Zhong Liang was puzzled.
“Oh! That’s how the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer requested I call them.”
Upon hearing those words, Zhong Liang felt his brow twitching as though he was playing the drums! [What kind of relationship do they have!? Why is he calling them Big Brother and Big Sister!?]
Lu An coughed lightly and asked cautiously, “What unique hobbies do they have?”
Yang Kai looked ashamed, “It’s hard to look back on the past, let alone mention it.”
He could not speak the truth out loud. He could not bring himself to tell them that he had played house with those two for a long time in the Chaotic Dead Territory. Every time he thought about that time, he couldn’t help feeling ashamed deep inside.
Changing the topic of conversation, Yang Kai added, “But, it is precisely for this reason that this Junior was blessed with these two marks by them. It is only with their strength as the source that I can unleash Purifying Light; therefore, it is not that this Junior is unwilling to teach this Secret Technique, it is simply that I cannot teach it. For the same reason, no one else can cultivate this Secret Technique.”
After listening to his explanation, everybody finally understood. This was certainly a Secret Technique that could not be spread to the public. They had been imagining a better future just moments ago, but they were forced to give up that hope at this moment.
The value of a Secret Technique that could be taught to the masses and a Secret Technique that could not be taught to the masses was not equal. It could be said that the significance of Purifying Light had been greatly reduced. For that reason, all the people who had high expectations earlier were extremely disappointed.
After a short silence, Zhong Liang finally opened his mouth, “Although it is impossible to spread this Secret Technique to the public, Yang Kai is able to perform this Secret Technique. That in itself is already very helpful in the war between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. Now that you have gathered here and witnessed the power of Purifying Light, please announce this good news when you return. Tell the disciples that they no longer have to hold back when fighting the Black Ink Clan. They can fight without any inhibitions. Even if they accidentally become corroded by Black Ink Strength, they no longer need to sacrifice parts of their Small Universe as before. They only need to return to the Inner Sanctum as soon as possible. I will designate an area where Yang Kai can help them to purify Black Ink Strength that has seeped into their bodies.”
“Also, as long as your lives are not at risk, please try to capture the Black Ink Disciples alive when you are on the battlefield. There’s no longer a need to kill them outright.”
On the Black Ink Battlefield, the Human Race had always upheld an unchanging stance towards Black Ink Disciples: Kill without mercy! It was not that they were being ruthless; rather, there was simply no other solution.
The Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength would always hold the Black Ink Clan supreme over all else in their hearts; in other words, they stood against the Human Race as mortal enemies. If the Human Race did not kill the Black Ink Disciples, then the Black Ink Disciple would kill them instead!
Over the years, countless people had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength and converted into Black Ink Disciples by the Black Ink Clan. On a similar note, the number of Black Ink Disciples who died at the hands of their original allies was too high to count.
Which one of these Black Ink Disciples did not come from one of the major Cave Heavens or Paradises? Which one of them was not one of the elite disciples of these forces?
This was the cruel reality faced by the Human Race. Even so, they were powerless in this situation. All they could do was prevent themselves from being corrupted by Black Ink Strength as much as possible, and the price they had to pay for their safety was to voluntarily sacrifice parts of their Small Universe. Unfortunately, their sacrifice would cause their cultivation to decline, their Order to fall, and their Martial Dao to be cut off forever.
At least 20% of the cultivators at each of the various great passes had an incomplete Small Universe, regardless of their Order in the Open Heaven Realm. Their damaged Small Universe was the best evidence of the deadly struggle against the Black Ink Clan.
There were many Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the various great passes. Where did these Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters come from? All of them were originally cultivators in the Sixth-Order whose strength had declined by an Order.
Throughout history, the lowest Order among the personnel dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield by the Cave Heavens and Paradises was the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. They would never send somebody in the Fifth-Order as they were too weak to join the war against the Black Ink Clan.
As a result, almost all of the talented individuals accumulated by the Human Race over the aeons had been gathered on the Black Ink Battlefield. That was also the reason why Yang Kai felt that the overall strength in Lang Ya Paradise was hugely different from what he imagined when he went there in the past. It turned out that what he saw was not the full heritage of Lang Ya Paradise.
The existence of Purifying Light had resolved the problem that had always been insurmountable to the Human Race; hence, it was only natural that the news would rouse the excitement of the people.
It was conceivable that the morale of the Human Race Army would increase sharply once this information was spread to the public. Morale was something intangible, but it played a big role in any war, even the one between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai gave a gentle reminder, “Seniors, I must inform you that using this Secret Technique is not without cost. Just as this Junior mentioned earlier, this Secret Technique is cast by drawing upon the powers of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer through the two marks on my hands. Since this Secret Technique and the means to activate it were given to me by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, casting it is essentially effortless on my part; however, performing the Secret Technique requires a certain amount of resources. This Junior has some materials on hand, but they are not inexhaustible. So, this Junior would like to ask the Seniors present to warn others to try and avoid being corrupted by Black Ink Strength as much as possible.”
Lu An nodded and said, “That’s only natural. After fighting for so many years, it has become a habit. Even if the news spreads, the disciples will not allow themselves to be easily corrupted by Black Ink Strength.”
Zhong Liang looked at Yang Kai and asked, “Do you have anything else to say?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “No.”
“Good.” Zhong Liang turned to look at the others, “The Black Ink Clan is still besieging Blue Sky Pass at this moment, so it is not convenient for you to stay here for a long time. Let’s deal with the war first.”
Somebody inquired, “Where will you place Yang Boy?”
Zhong Liang had mentioned earlier that he would set up an area within the Inner Sanctum where Yang Kai would be responsible for helping the disciples to purify the Black Ink Strength in their bodies. It was only natural for this location to be clarified in advance.
Zhong Liang pondered for a while before he spoke, “How about the Central Square? It’s the most central spot!”
Everybody nodded in unison, “Good!”
Now that the discussion was over, everybody left quickly. They were the Masters in charge of the various defence lines after all, so it was not appropriate for them to remain here for too long.
Before leaving, Lu An said a few words with Yang Kai in private. He did not say much and simply told Yang Kai to let him know immediately if there was anything he needed. They were one family after all. He was happy to help out Yang Kai within the limits of his abilities. For that, he even left his contact information with Yang Kai.
Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling grateful.
After everybody left, Zhong Liang beckoned to Yang Kai, “Come with me.”
The two of them strode out of the Conference Hall. Feng Ying was waiting for them outside and, with a flicker, all three of them sped off in a certain direction.
A short while later, they arrived in the sky above a huge square. Zhong Liang explained, “During the battle, you will be stationed here. There will likely be an endless stream of disciples who come asking for help after becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. When that happens, we will be relying on you.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Senior Zhong may rest assured. As long as it is an issue caused by Black Ink Strength, this Junior will definitely solve it.”
Zhong Liang nodded in satisfaction before turning to Feng Ying, “From now on, your task is to protect him. Do not allow any harm to come to him. If you lack the necessary manpower, I grant you the right to mobilise the people of the Inner Sanctum at will!”
“Disciple understands!” Feng Ying cupped her fist.
After watching Zhong Liang leave, Yang Kai glanced at Feng Ying, “Many thanks for your hard work, Martial Aunt Feng.”
Feng Ying shook her head, “It’s nothing. On the contrary, you should take some time to treat your injuries and recover. You were rushed off your feet earlier and didn’t even have the time to tend to your wounds. I’m afraid you will become very busy soon.”
In the previous battle with the Black Ink Clan Army, Yang Kai had transformed into a Grand Dragon and used his body as a shield to protect his allies. Naturally he was battered and bruised from the Black Ink Clan’s assault. After entering the Inner Sanctum, Zhong Liang had then brought him all over the place; therefore, Yang Kai had not had the time to treat his injuries so far.
His appearance at the moment could only be described as unkempt, and there were various bloodstains all over his body. Of course, his injuries were not important given his recuperative abilities, but his strength had indeed been heavily expended. Even he would need some time to recover and recuperate.
“Alright, then I shall trouble you to stand guard, Martial Aunt Feng,” Yang Kai nodded and sat down cross-legged without another word. Stuffing a recovery Spirit Pill into his mouth, he slowly began to refine the medicinal efficacies.
Despite being inside the Inner Sanctum, one could still vaguely hear the sound of battle coming from outside the great pass. In addition, the impact caused by the shockwaves of battle would occasionally be transmitted from the outside. It could be seen that the war was very intense.
Although the life-or-death battle outside raged on incessantly, Yang Kai and Feng Ying enjoyed a peace that was as calm as water. They waited for half a day only for nobody to come. Yang Kai focused on healing in the meantime, without feeling bored or frustrated.
All of a sudden, there seemed to be a commotion coming from the side. Feng Ying immediately looked in that direction and saw several streams of lights speeding over at a high speed. There were six or seven figures in total.
The person in the lead stood in mid-air and looked around below him with all his might. Without warning, he pointed in the direction where Yang Kai and Feng Ying were located and shouted loudly, “This way! This way!”
At the same time, he took the lead and rushed over.
Feng Ying instantly became vigilant. Zhong Liang had entrusted Yang Kai’s safety to her, so naturally she did not dare to take her mission lightly. Having seen Purifying Light in action, she deeply understood the importance of Yang Kai’s existence.
Fortunately, the newcomers did not act rashly. As they approached, the group’s leader immediately cupped his fist, “Senior Sister Feng!”
Feng Ying nodded lightly and asked, “What’s the situation?”
That person pointed behind him and explained, “They have been corroded by Black Ink Strength. Martial Uncle mentioned that we should withdraw as soon as possible if we ever find ourselves in such a situation and come here to find somebody named Yang Kai. Supposedly, he has the means to resolve the situation.”
Truthfully speaking, if it had not been an Eighth-Order Ancestor who told him about this matter, he would not have believed those words at all.
In the past, the people who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would sacrifice a part of their Small Universe as soon as possible to resolve the crisis; however, it was too late for that now. The speed of the Black Ink Strength’s corrosion was very fast. If they wanted to sacrifice their Small Universe at this point, there was no saying how much they would need to give up. There was a high possibility that doing so would endanger their life. In other words, if Yang Kai could not resolve this matter, then the people who were corroded by Black Ink Strength would most likely die on the spot.
It was just that those words had come from an Eighth-Order Ancestor. If they could preserve the integrity of their Small Universe, then they were willing to give this method a try.
While speaking, he glanced at Yang Kai who had already stood up, “Are you Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Indeed!”
[I’ve never seen him before… Moreover, the aura coming from him does not seem very powerful. He is definitely not in the Seventh-Order. Can a person like him really remove the threat of the Black Ink Strength’s corrosion?]
That person felt his heart sinking in his chest and did not dare to hope for too much.
Yang Kai looked behind that person and saw that seven people had come in total. Leaving aside the leader, there were six others in groups of two. Each group contained one person who seemed to be struggling and urging their power as if resisting something, while the other person in the group had an expression of great concern mixed with a trace of vigilance on their face.
Yang Kai immediately understood the situation.
The three people who seemed to be struggling and silently urging their power to resist something were probably the ones whose Small Universe had been corroded by Black Ink Strength. They were currently fighting the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, but their efforts were tantamount to drinking poison to quench their thirst. In other words, their efforts were not having much of an effect and could only serve to delay the process of becoming corrupted.
Meanwhile, the other three were most likely in charge of monitoring the ones who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength; after all, if things spiralled out of control, then it might become necessary to execute their comrades.
Lastly, there was also a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master acting as the group’s leader. This arrangement was fairly reasonable, lest somebody became completely corrupted by Black Ink Strength on the way here. If that were to happen, such a line-up would be capable of dealing with the situation.
“Can you save them?” The leader clearly did not dare to expect too much, but he couldn’t help asking anyway.
Yang Kai glanced at that person and nodded, “Don’t worry!”
He did not waste any more time and quickly activated the Yin and Yang Element Powers. Yellow and blue lights bloomed into existence and soon transformed into a pure white light.
“Let those three stand together!” Yang Kai instructed.
Although the three of them had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength, they were stubbornly holding on to their true nature by the skin of their teeth. With the help of their companions, they stood together in one place. The white light immediately engulfed them.
Feng Ying had seen this situation many times already, so it was no longer surprising to her.
On the other hand, the four others who escorted those three here felt as though their hearts were leaping up into their throats. They stared unblinkingly at the sight in front of them, not willing to miss a single thing.
Sizzling sounds filled the air, and the three men revealed expressions of pain. Fortunately, their pained expressions gradually calmed down as the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was purified and dispelled.
After a while, Yang Kai withdrew his hand and the white light continued to linger. Shrouded in the white light, those three men successively opened their eyes with surprised expressions on their faces.
“How is it?” The Seventh-Order leader asked nervously. Looking at them, it seemed as though the Black Ink Strength had truly been dispelled; however, until he received a definite answer, he did not dare to believe that it was true.
“Squad Leader, I think we’re alright now,” one of them replied.
“What do you mean by that!? Are you alright or not!?” The Squad Leader glared.
Another person added, “It’s probably fine now. The Black Ink Strength has been dispelled.”
“Open your Small Universes!” The Squad Leader ordered.
The three men obediently did as they were told and opened up their Small Universes.
The Divine Senses of the Squad Leader and the other three men surged as they probed the situation together. A moment later, they looked at each other with shocked expressions. There was not the slightest trace of Black Ink Strength left! It was unbelievable!
“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” The Squad Leader looked at the three of them with concern.
All three of them shook their heads, indicating that they were truly fine.
Only then did the Squad Leader turn to look at Yang Kai with a complicated look in his eyes. The Eighth-Order Ancestor had informed him about this matter, but he had not dared to believe those words.
The Human Masters who remained on the Black Ink Battlefield all this time were all too familiar with Black Ink Strength. Once they were touched by it, it would cling to them like maggots on rotting bones. The only way to protect themselves was to take decisive action within a limited time after becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength.
It was only because of the Eighth-Order Ancestor’s orders that he decided to give this method a chance.
Leading his Squad members, he brought them back to Blue Sky Pass and came to the Central Square. What happened next was beyond his expectations. Yang Kai had actually managed to solve this problem that had plagued the Human Race for countless years. What’s more, judging by the way the Secret Technique was cast, performing it did not seem to be difficult. It could even be said to be extremely easy.
He had never seen such means like the white light before, but he could clearly see the Black Ink Strength dissipating under its shroud with ease.
A sense of excitement suddenly surged up in his heart. [I can’t believe the Human Race has developed the means to resolve the corrosion of Black Ink Strength! This problem has tormented us for aeons, but will no longer be a problem in the future! I can foresee just how much the morale of our people will be boosted once the news spreads to the public!]
He solemnly cupped his fist, “Thanks are not enough for this kindness. In the future, please feel free to let us know if you ever need our help, Brother Yang.”
He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. In terms of status and hierarchy, he was definitely in a higher position compared to Yang Kai; nevertheless, he addressed Yang Kai as ‘Brother Yang’, which showed how grateful he was.
Likewise, the six behind him also cupped their fists and bowed. In particular, the gratitude of those three who were rescued earlier was beyond words. They knew that if it was not for Yang Kai’s help, the best outcome for them would be to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe and experience a decline in their cultivation. That was something no Open Heaven Realm Master would ever want to experience.
Although the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, which could mend damaged Small Universes, could be found on the Black Ink Battlefield, there were extremely few of them, certainly not enough to go around.
Even if they found one of the rare Profound Yin Spirit Fruits, they generally gave them up to those with higher cultivations. Naturally, that meant those with cultivation below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm would never get the chance to consume one.
Yang Kai not only helped them to resolve the issue regarding the corrosion of Black Ink Strength, but also ensured that their cultivation remained intact. Such a grace was not something that could be made up for with simple thanks.
“You are all too polite. This is my duty!” Yang Kai returned the bow.
“The war is ongoing, so we cannot stay here for long. We will now return to the battlefield. When the war is over, if we are lucky enough to survive, we will share a drink with you, Brother Yang!” The Squad Leader cupped his fist and quickly said.
Yang Kai’s expression became solemn, “I wish you good fortune in battle!”
The group of seven came and left in a hurry. Regardless of the Cave Heaven or Paradise they came from before, they had completely placed their own survival aside on this battlefield.
Looking at the seven departing figures, Yang Kai sighed softly. He did not know when these seven people had come to the Black Ink Battlefield or how long they could endure this cruel war. There might come a day when they were killed by a Black Ink Clansman and died a tragic death. Be that as it may, it should never be forgotten that they were also the sons and daughters of their parents or the parents of their own children.
After seeing the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield side with his own eyes, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling a little depressed. On the contrary, these people who had been living in this situation for so long had already become accustomed to such matters.
He suddenly turned to look at Feng Ying, “Just now, those people called the person in the lead ‘Squad Leader’. Is the formation of the Human Race Army divided into individual Squads?”
Feng Ying became more and more certain that Yang Kai knew nothing about the great passes. That was because all the questions he asked were related to general knowledge and common sense issues; however, she had already experienced similar situations several times before, so she was no longer surprised by his questions and explained patiently, “A Squad is the most basic unit at any great pass. In general 10 to 15 people form a Squad, 100 people form a Battalion, and 500 people make up a Division. Of course, the numbers vary slightly from case to case, but this is the general makeup. The framework of the Human Race Army was based upon how Great Battle Heaven organizes itself since they are very experienced in army warfare.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. He had heard of Great Battle Heaven even when he was new to the 3,000 Worlds, so he knew that this Cave Heaven was different from the others in the sense that they managed themselves like an army. He had wondered why Great Battle Heaven organized their disciples in such a manner; but now, it would seem that the reason was related to the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Tell me more about the great passes,” he said.
She asked, “What do you want to know?”
“Anything is fine.”
Feng Ying fell silent for a moment before she suddenly sat cross-legged in front of Yang Kai, stretched out her hand, and gestured on the ground in front of her. It didn’t take long for her to draw a picture of the Eight Trigrams on the ground before her.
“Generally speaking, the deployment of the troops at every great pass can be based on this diagram. I also told you just now that the framework of the Human Race Army is based on the Squad as the basic unit. Above a Squad is a Battalion, above a Battalion is a Division, and above a Division is an Army! Moreover, every great pass has four armies which are titled East, West, South, and North. This arrangement is so that four cardinal directions surrounding the great passes can be guarded at the same time.
“The formation can be further subdivided into smaller parts. Each Army is further divided into Left and Right Wings, each composed of a number of Divisions. For example, the North Army’s two Wings each have a First Division, Second Division, Third Division, and so on and so forth. Do you understand so far?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Yes!”
The situation on the Black Ink Battlefield side reminded him of the battle between Humans and Demons in the Star Boundary. At the time, all the Humans on the Star Boundary had been conscripted as soldiers. The Sixty-First Army he commanded had also made great contributions to the war against the Demon Race.
The past flashed through his mind, as vividly as though it was just yesterday.
Feng Ying continued, “Martial Uncle Zhong Liang is the Western Army’s Army Commander. He is responsible for overseeing the defence line protected by the Western Army, the direction we returned from before. Meanwhile, Elder Lu from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven belongs to the Southern Army. If I remember correctly, he serves as its Fourth Division Commander.
“Each Wing of an Army is overseen by one of the two Vice Army Commanders, while each Division is assigned a Division Commander. Only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors are qualified to take up these positions. Naturally the same goes for the Army Commanders. They are chosen from among the strongest and most experienced Eighth-Order Masters.
“When it comes to the Battalions, Peak Seventh-Order Masters generally fill such roles. The Battalions are named after the Eight Trigrams, in other words, Heaven, River, Mountain, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Lake. Take myself for example, formally, I hold the rank of Battalion Commander of the Western Army’s Right Wing First Division Heaven Battalion!”
“Below Battalions are Squads. There is no special naming system for Squads, and if they do have a special name, it is generally chosen by their Squad Leader according to his or her preference, or by the Squad members themselves. The higher-ups will not restrict them in that sense. Among the Squad Leaders, some may be in the Sixth Order, but most are Seventh-Order.”
Yang Kai listened silently, gradually gaining some understanding of the situation in the great passes. In any case, the division of troops was certainly very detailed and meticulous.
He raised his brow slightly after giving it some thought, “Back at the Grand Hall earlier, I saw a total of 53 Eighth-Order Masters. Leaving aside the 4 Army Commanders and the 8 Vice Commanders, does that mean that there are 41 Divisions in Blue Sky Pass?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “There are 60 Divisions in total. It is impossible for Martial Uncle Zhong Liang to summon all the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors; after all, somebody needs to be in charge on the battlefield. Those who came back were just the majority.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding and mentally calculated the total number of people in Blue Sky Pass. The answer left him feeling slightly horrified, “So there are some 30,000 people in Blue Sky Pass?”
30,000 might not seem like a huge number. Thinking back to the time he served as the Commander of the Sixty First Army in the Star Boundary, the number of people in his army had far exceeded that number. When it was first formed, the Sixty First Army had some 300,000 people in it, which was more than ten times that of the entire Blue Sky Pass.
However, the 300,000 people in the Sixty First Army were nothing compared to the 30,000 people in Blue Sky Pass, because everyone in Blue Sky Pass was an Open Heaven Realm Master. Even the weakest among them were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm! That was a terrifying line-up.
If such a group of people were recalled to the 3,000 Worlds, they could trample all the Great Territories with ease. They would be invincible since there was nobody who could be their opponent. Be that as it may, such an impressive army with such a glorious line-up was trapped in the Black Ink Battlefield. Even though they had been fighting the Black Ink Clan for countless years, there remained no hope of victory in sight.
More importantly, this was only the situation at Blue Sky Pass. There were 108 Cave Heavens and Paradises, which meant that there were 108 corresponding great passes. And, the situation at each great pass was almost identical to Blue Sky Pass.
The deeper he thought about it, the more his scalp tingled in fear. Throughout the ages, how much manpower did the Cave Heavens and Paradises pour into the Black Ink Battlefield? How long did it take for them to accumulate the power of the Human Race to such a scale?
“More or less.” Feng Ying nodded lightly. She did not know the exact number of people in Blue Sky Pass. In fact, nobody knew the exact number because there were always a number of Humans who would meet their deaths in each battle. However, the exact number should not be too far off from the numbers that he estimated.
Although 30,000 might sound like a huge number, after dividing them to the East, West, South, and North, their numbers were not that large anymore. The four directions surrounding Blue Sky Pass would have some 7,000 or 8,000 guarding them.
“Martial Aunt Feng, you are a Battalion Commander. Is it alright if you don’t go to the battlefield?” Yang Kai asked.
She shook her head, “My subordinates can take care of themselves even if I am not there. It’s not a big deal. On the contrary, your safety is of utmost priority.”
Nodding, Yang Kai began asking about other issues, “I noticed that there were many warships on the previous battlefield.”
Feng Ying nodded and explained, “Warships can be said to be the biggest reliance for the Human Race to compete against the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield. Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters have a certain degree of resistance to the Black Ink Strength even if they directly enter the battlefield. As long as the duration is not too long, the Black Ink Strength would not pose a problem for them. However, there are more than just Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Inner Sanctum. There are far more Sixth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Masters. In particular, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters have suffered a decline in their cultivation as a result of sacrificing parts of their Small Universes. Since their Small Universes are all incomplete to begin with, they are easily corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. Without a warship’s protection, they would instantly turn into Black Ink Disciples once they come into contact with the Black Ink Strength. Therefore, you would rarely see any Sixth-Order or Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the battlefield. They rely on their warships to fend off their enemies instead. Essentially each Squad is assigned a generic warship while Battalions have larger and more powerful Battleships.”
Yang Kai recalled the time when Feng Ying had been pursued by the Black Ink Clan army. At the time, she had leaped out of the warship to stop the enemy by herself. Judging by the situation, there was a high possibility that the people on the warship had belonged to her Battalion. They had all been her subordinates.
When they returned from the Black Ink Clan’s domain, they had brought back more than 300 people with them. These people were former Black Ink Disciples. Although 300 could not be considered many, these people were enough to form three Battalions based on Blue Sky Pass’ organizational structure. That was not a small number either.
Seeing as 500 people made up a Division, three Battalions’ worth of people could be said to be more than half the forces of a Division. As might be expected, the number of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among the former Black Ink Disciples who were brought back was a bit small and most were only in the Fifth and Sixth-Order.
During their conversation, two more streams of lights sped towards them from a certain direction. Yang Kai looked up and saw faint signs of Black Ink Strength coming from one of them. The other person seemed to be guarding his companion. After having prior experience, how could Yang Kai fail to realise that one of them had been corroded by Black Ink Strength while the other was a companion in charge of providing an escort?
The person who came swept his gaze around from above. Then, he immediately landed in front of Yang Kai and asked anxiously, “Are you Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai nodded. Two coloured lights bloomed from his hands as he walked towards the person who had been corroded by Black Ink Strength, “Leave this to me.”
The person who came glanced at Feng Ying, and Feng Ying nodded lightly in response. Only then did he step away from his companion.
A white light enveloped the other person. Accompanied by a series of sizzling sounds, Black Ink Strength was dispelled and purified from his body. It only took several moments for everything to be dealt with. Those two carefully checked the situation inside the Small Universe and were filled with a mixture of surprise and delight. Just like the first batch of people who came here, they returned to the battlefield quickly after fervently expressing their gratitude.
Afterwards, an intermittent flow of Open Heaven Realm Masters corroded by Black Ink Strength came to the Central Square with the support of their companions.
Yang Kai had been assigned to this area to help dispel Black Ink Strength in the first place, so it was only natural that he did not refuse anybody who came to him. Besides, Purifying Light was neither complicated to activate nor consumed large amounts of his own strength. He could basically help the people who came here restore order to chaos and recover their true nature in just a few breaths.
Not many people came at first, but those who did were filled with anxiety, anticipation, and uncertainty. Nobody had ever experienced such a situation before after all. The Eighth-Order Division Commanders had explained the situation, so it was unlikely for anything to go wrong; nevertheless, nobody could feel at ease without witnessing it for themselves. It was not until they saw the miracle with their own eyes that they finally felt completely relieved.
As time passed, the number of people who came to seek treatment from Yang Kai increased sharply for some reason. Most of them no longer seemed as worried as the others from before, and even the people who escorted their companions here simply observed Yang Kai with curiosity.
Yang Kai became extremely busy as a result. He generally rescued a dozen people a day, but there were also days when he had to rescue as many as 100. About half a month passed in this manner before he finally had time to rest. Yang Kai looked at Feng Ying in confusion and asked, “Is the situation where people are corrupted by Black Ink Strength usually so severe? Didn’t you say that they have the protection of their warships?”
If this was the case, then prior to his arrival, the casualties among the Humans after each war would be far too great. A rough estimate indicated that he had saved several hundred people in just this half month alone. This number only included those who were corroded by Black Ink Strength and not those who had perished on the battlefield.
Even Feng Ying had noticed that something was wrong. Fortunately, she had kept in contact with the outside world and understood the reason for all this. With a shake of her head, she answered his question, “It was not like this in the past. Although there had always been people who were corroded by Black Ink Strength on the battlefield, such incidences did not occur so often. It’s only like this now because of you.”
“Because of me?” Yang Kai seemed taken aback by her words. [What does this have to do with me?]
All of a sudden, he seemed to realise something and his face cramped, “Don’t tell me…”
She nodded, “Information about you has spread on the battlefield. Everybody knows that there is somebody like you in the Inner Sanctum, who can use mysterious means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength. That is why they have stopped being so reserved when fighting against the Black Ink Clan.”
In the past, becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength was an issue that could not be resolved; therefore, everybody acted cautiously to prevent themselves from coming into contact with the Black Ink Strength as much as possible. However, Yang Kai’s appearance had brought some changes to the situation on the battlefield.
Although the Division Commanders had explained Yang Kai’s existence and Purifying Light to the public from the very beginning, nobody had witnessed or personally verified the situation before. Who could be certain that this information was true? It was not that they did not believe in the Eighth-Order Masters, but that the situation was simply too bizarre to believe so haphazardly.
When those who were initially rescued returned to the battlefield though, the news began to spread rapidly. The increasing number of people whom Yang Kai rescued only caused the news to spread even faster.
These people came from all Armies and Divisions in Blue Sky Pass. Their companions had witnessed them becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength, returning to the Inner Sanctum, and reappearing on the battlefield in perfect condition after a short while. A quick inquiry was enough for them to learn about the treatment that could be found in the Inner Sanctum.
It was true that there was somebody in the Inner Sanctum who could dispel Black Ink Strength that had seeped into their Small Universes through some mysterious means. The Division Commanders had spoken the truth! Hence, morale instantly soared. The people in the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Armies no longer had any scruples and went all out in their battles against the Black Ink Clan. It was only natural for the number of people who became corrupted by Black Ink Strength to increase as a result.
When the Human Race fought the Black Ink Clan in the past, they would still feel shackled despite having warships as support. Now that they no longer had any scruples, not only was their morale boosted significantly, but their ferocity also increased considerably.
Upon learning the truth, Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry. What could he say? He could only remain in his post with peace of mind and help to dispel Black Ink Strength from the bodies of those who were sent here so that they could return to the battlefield.
The changes in the Humans were deeply felt by the Black Ink Clan. The reason behind the changes was unknown, but the Humans suddenly seemed extremely enthusiastic and full of fighting spirit. Due to the deaths of the Black Ink Clansmen, countless Black Ink Clouds of varying sizes would form all over the battlefield every time a war was fought. These Black Ink Clouds often became supplementary tools for the Black Ink Clan because the Humans generally stayed far away from them.
But now, things were different. The Black Ink Clouds could no longer act as deterrents against the Humans. In the past, by seeking refuge inside the Black Ink Clouds when injured, the Black Ink Clan could generally throw off their pursuers and preserve their lives. However, the Humans seemed to have gone mad now. Even if a Black Ink Clansman hid inside the Black Ink Clouds, the Humans would boldly rush in to attack them, as though they would never give up unless their opponent was dead.
The Black Ink Clan was stunned. The combat experience and doctrine they had built up over millennia suddenly became useless in the face of these changes. In their panicked and unprepared state, they suffered massive losses.
What particularly puzzled the Black Ink Clan was the Humans’ attitude towards the Black Ink Disciples. In the past, the Humans would put forth their best efforts to ruthlessly slaughter all of the Black Ink Disciples they encountered. Now though, they had begun to capture these Black Ink Disciples whenever possible! As a result, many of the Black Ink Clansmen lost their subordinates without realising and could only watch in anguish as their servants were taken away.
The situation of the Humans improved significantly on the battlefield. Feng Ying had always remained in contact with the front lines, so she was not surprised to receive this information.
“If this trend continues, it won’t take more than a few years to repel the Black Ink Clan!” She looked excited.
“A few years…” Yang Kai was stunned speechless. [How could a single battle last several years? Isn’t that too long?]
“A few years is considered a short time. Whenever the Black Ink Clan army besieges a great pass, the war tends to last several years. It might even take up to several decades or even 100 years to resolve.” She sighed slightly, “There is no way for us to get rid of the Black Ink Clan once and for all. Every time the Black Ink Clan army is defeated, they will retreat to their territory to recuperate and come back again after they have accumulated enough strength. This situation has repeated itself over and over again at every great pass on the Black Ink Battlefield for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Yang Kai was stunned by those words. [If this war lasts for several years, then won’t I have to remain in the Central Square for several years? This is a little different from what I imagined…]
He had initially assumed that he would follow the Human Race Army onto the battlefield to destroy the enemy after he came here. Contrary to his expectations, he had been assigned to treat his allies in the rear because of his ability to cast Purifying Light.
It was not to say that this was an unimportant matter and Yang Kai was well aware of the importance of his assignment. The stability of the rear would largely determine the outcome of the war after all. Not to mention, his actions had greatly increased the morale of the Human Race Army and affected the overall trend on the battlefield. But, if he had to stay here all the time… That would be too dull. He would prefer to kill the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield and contribute to the Human Race.
Seemingly seeing through his thoughts, Feng Ying smiled and said, “Be patient. Since your ability cannot be taught to others, Martial Uncle Zhong and the others will not let you go anywhere else.”
Those words troubled Yang Kai so much that he felt as though his teeth ached, his stomach ached, and his whole body ached.
Martial Uncle Zhong immediately arrived at the mention of his name, carrying an individual with a ferocious expression and eyes filled with pitch-black darkness in each hand. He appeared next to the two of them and tossed both people in his grasp in front of Yang Kai and smiled brilliantly, “Yang Boy, did you run into any trouble?”
[What trouble could I possibly face?]
At first, the people who came to Yang Kai for treatment had harboured some doubts about his ability; however, once the news spread, those who later came to ask for help only had big smiles on their faces. Every one of them had been very friendly. Some even tried to build a connection with him and tried to become Sworn Brothers on the spot.
Furthermore, all of them had promised to treat him to a drink if they survived the battle before departing again. If these people were to keep their promises, then he would need to spend a whole year just to attend all those banquets.
Yang Kai shook his head. Looking at the two men who had been tossed to the ground in front of him, he raised his brow inquiringly, “Black Ink Disciples?”
Black Ink Disciples had lost their true nature. They were different from the Human Masters who still retained some of their reasoning after being invaded by Black Ink Strength. During this period, Yang Kai had also rescued many Black Ink Disciples brought back from the battlefield.
Zhong Liang nodded, “I caught them on the battlefield and brought them back. Will it be a problem?”
Yang Kai replied, “Not at all.”
Taking a step forward, he used Purifying Light on the two Black Ink Disciples.
Meanwhile, Feng Ying stepped forward and whispered something to Zhong Liang. Zhong Liang nodded to indicate that he understood.
A short while later, the Black Ink Strength was fully dispelled. The two Black Ink Disciples who recovered their true natures had confused and ashamed expressions on their faces.
Every Black Ink Disciple clearly recalled all the actions they took in the past. It was precisely because they retained those memories that they felt ashamed; after all, some of them might even have killed their own clansmen on the battlefield.
Zhong Liang waved at them and motioned for them to step aside. Although those two had many questions, the Eighth-Order Ancestor had spoken, so they could only step back obediently.
Zhong Liang walked up to Yang Kai, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly, “Brat, what you are doing is very important to Blue Sky Pass. It may be boring, but please bear with it. Once the war ends, I assure you your contributions will be fully accounted for.”
“I am only doing my duty. I don’t dare to take credit!” Yang Kai said humbly.
Compared to his allies fighting on the front lines, it could be said that he was extremely safe inside Blue Sky Pass. Everybody else was doing their part in the fight against the Black Ink Clan. Some people had even died for this cause. In comparison, his ability to purify and dispel Black Ink Strength had been given to him by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer. It was not even his own ability, so how could he dare to take credit for it?
Zhong Liang nodded, “It’s good if you can think that way, but it does not change the fact that you have contributed greatly. Work should be rewarded, that is the rule here. The battle outside the great pass is fierce, so it is inconvenient for me to stay here for long. If you need anything, just let Feng Ying know. She will cooperate with you.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded.
After watching Zhong Liang and the two rescued Black Ink Disciples leave, Yang Kai sat down cross-legged and examined his Small Universe. He had been mulling over a problem recently, how was he going to find an opportunity to break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm? Unable to fight on the front lines, he could only remain at his position in the Central Square and passively wait for somebody to ask him for help; therefore, he had a lot of free time on his hands for idle thoughts.
Now that his cultivation could be said to have reached the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, further efforts to refine resources would have little effect on him; furthermore, he had been raising a large number of Humans and Small Stone Race inside his Small Universe. To add to that, the time in his Small Universe flowed several times faster than the outside world. As things stood, he didn’t even need to cultivate for the heritage of his Small Universe to grow stronger with every passing moment.
Therefore, he currently suffered from a faint bloated feeling. That was naturally because his heritage had exceeded the limit that his current cultivation could store. Like how one would feel bloated after eating too much food; his capacity as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master made it difficult for him to accommodate so much power. If he wanted to resolve this issue, then his best choice was to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Unfortunately, he had already gone into retreat when he was in Black Territory in an attempt to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. His attempt had turned out to be ineffective, and there was no progress in regards to a breakthrough. Since entering retreat once had proven to be ineffective, it would likely be futile to enter retreat again. The faint traces of opportunity could not be obtained from secluded cultivation.
In order to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Proprietress had spent over 100 years in retreat in Void Land. That showed just how difficult it was for an Open Heaven Realm Master to advance from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order; after all, it was a significant leap from the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
Throughout time immemorial, countless heroes had failed to overcome this obstacle and remained stuck in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm for their entire lives. It would be very difficult for them to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in that state.
In order to resolve the situation in his Small Universe, Yang Kai had been using his heritage to cultivate more Profound Yin Bamboo in his Small Universe. He had no other choice. The heritage of his Small Universe constantly became stronger and stronger, but he had no means of breaking through to the next Order. If he did not use up some of his heritage, his Small Universe would become painfully bloated. Consequently, the Profound Yin Bamboo thrived in his Small Universe and grew wildly in numbers.
Since he had one of the Four Universe Pillars, the World Spring, the Profound Yin Bamboo was of little use to him. Be that as it may, the Profound Yin Bamboo would be useful to the Human Masters in Blue Sky Pass. It would never hurt for him to cultivate more of them.
He had given a small batch of them to Feng Ying. Although he only gave her a dozen or so bamboo shoots in total, she was absolutely overjoyed. It stood to reason that she understood the power of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars; after all, there were quite a few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters among the Human Race who possessed one of them. It was just that the Profound Yin Bamboo had not appeared before.
The other eleven types of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars were different from the Profound Yin Bamboo in that they could not be cultivated in large numbers, much less shared with others. While the effects of the various Twelve Minor Pillars were relatively similar, the Profound Yin Bamboo was undoubtedly the most useful in a situation like the Black Ink Battlefield. That was because the Profound Yin Bamboo could multiply continuously. If the conditions permitted, every single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would be able to cultivate a bamboo forest in their Small Universe in the future.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had poured great efforts into searching for the Profound Yin Bamboo in the past, but their efforts had never been fruitful.
Feng Ying never expected that Yang Kai would possess the Profound Yin Bamboo. In this way, as long as enough time passed, all the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Blue Sky Pass would be blessed with their very own Profound Yin Bamboo. The Profound Yin Bamboo was highly effective at boosting their resistance towards the Black Ink Strength, which would be of great help in the war effort.
Unfortunately, the battle was raging fiercely at the moment, so it was not the appropriate time to bring up the matter of the Profound Yin Bamboo. Hence, Feng Ying suggested that Yang Kai inform the Eighth-Order Ancestors about this matter after the current war had ended, a suggestion he readily agreed to.
When he inquired about her advancement into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, Feng Ying recalled her memories for some time before she responded, “I was fighting the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield at the time. When my life was hanging by a thread, I felt a sudden enlightenment come to me. Thankfully, I survived that battle, and upon my return to the Inner Sanctum, I swiftly went into retreat and broke through to the Seventh Order.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. Most people would experience great terror when faced with death, but their minds would also become clear when faced with such a threat and it would often be easier to comprehend things that had remained unclear to them previously. He himself had also broken through his shackles when he was faced with death, so he did not doubt her answer. Besides, she had no reason to deceive him.
The next few days passed by as usual. Yang Kai was stationed at the Central Square of Blue Sky Pass, and countless people came to him for treatment. Under Purifying Light, the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was reduced to nothing.
During this period, there were also some Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who came to him for help. After treating them, he would question them about the situation surrounding their advancement into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. These Seventh-Order Masters were quite open about their experiences. He had saved their lives, and what he asked was not a secret either, so there was no need for them to conceal anything. On top of that, they were desperate to form a connection with Yang Kai, so it was only natural for them to answer his questions to the best of their abilities.
Everybody experienced different things when they advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but these experiences could generally be divided into three types. For the first type, their advancement just came naturally. Many of them eventually experienced the opportunity to breakthrough after they had accumulated enough heritage. The second type achieved their advancement through voluntary retreat and broke through to the next Order while they were in seclusion. Lastly, the third type experienced similar situations as Feng Ying. In fact, there were quite a few who gained valuable insight when wandering the border of life and death.
Yang Kai had already gone into retreat once, so going into retreat again would probably be futile. With his aptitude, he believed that his advancement was simply a matter of course if he continued to accumulate experience. The main reason he could not realise the opportunity for a breakthrough was that his cultivation time had been too short.
Most cultivators would spend hundreds or even thousands of years for their cultivation to improve until they reached the Open Heaven Realm, regardless of how great their talent and aptitude was. Furthermore, after advancing into the Open Heaven Realm, each advancement to the next Order would require an even longer period of accumulation. The higher the Order, the longer they would need to cultivate for.
Under normal circumstances, advancing from the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would require thousands of years’ worth of accumulation. It would take even longer to advance from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Accordingly, it might even take tens of thousands of years to advance from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
Not much time had passed since Yang Kai started cultivating. There was no need to mention the time before he advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, it was enough just to look at the amount of time he spent after advancing into the Open Heaven Realm to reach his current achievements.
Back when he was in the Shattered Heaven, Yang Kai had been forced to cut off his future prospects and advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in front of everybody outside the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Afterwards, he entered Shadowless Cave Heaven and consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit, which allowed him to smoothly advance to the Sixth Order. There was no time for him to accumulate at all during this brief period.
Furthermore, only a few hundred years had passed since he advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. He only managed to obtain his achievements by relying on various opportunities. The time he spent on accumulation was extremely short.
Although cultivating steadily was not a huge issue, nobody could say for certain how many years it would take before he gained insight on the fleeting opportunity for a breakthrough.
That was most likely the main reason why Yang Kai had not been able to comprehend the opportunity for advancement after so long. Even if the heritage of his Small Universe was saturated to the extent where he felt bloated, he would not be able to advance to the Seventh Order smoothly in his current condition.
After understanding this point, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling troubled. The passage of time was not something that could be accelerated after all.
Now that he was on the Black Ink Battlefield, his thirst for strength had grown far stronger than when he was in the 3,000 Worlds. On this chaotic battlefield, he could only ensure his safety by having enough strength to protect himself; otherwise, he would not have been so desperate to advance to the Seventh Order. It was not a bad thing to cultivate calmly and steadily after all.
Unfortunately, this place was not the 3,000 Worlds, where peace and stability could be found almost everywhere. Yang Kai had seen the situation where the Black Ink Clan army besieged Blue Sky Pass. Zhong Liang had assigned a post for him here so that his life would never be endangered; but, could he really hide in this place for the rest of his life without taking another step outside?
This was not the life he wanted. If he were honest, during the time he spent here, Yang Kai was practically raring to go after listening to the commotion from the fighting and explosions coming from the outside every single day. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to remain in this place because he had the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength.
He did not regret exposing his ability. Since he had the means to help, it was impossible for him to stand by and watch as his allies got corrupted by Black Ink Strength without doing anything. He was honestly thankful that he could rescue the allies who were corrupted by it.
It was just that… As a man, he looked forward to fighting the Black Ink Clan! On a battlefield where he could die at any time, he might even be able to perceive the opportunity to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. He was tempted to rush into the battlefield and experience the battle with his own body. Be that as it may, it was not easy for him to leave this place. If he were to leave this place, there was nobody else who could save those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Since he had the ability, and it was unique to him, he had to take the bigger picture into account.
In life, it was impossible to satisfy the desires of all parties.
Those corroded by Black Ink Strength continued to be escorted here by their companions to seek treatment, so Yang Kai was busy every day. One day though, he was helping two people who came to him for help in dispelling the Black Ink Strength in their bodies when he suddenly stared at the long-lasting white light and fell into deep thought.
The two, who had Black Ink Strength removed from their bodies, checked their condition and thanked him profusely after confirming that there were no issues with the treatment. However, his response was absent-minded and he continued to stare fixedly at the white light in front of him.
Upon seeing that, they quickly understood that he had discovered something and did not disturb him any longer. Thus, they quickly left with their companions after saying their goodbyes.
Once those people had departed, Feng Ying glanced at the white light; then, she glanced at Yang Kai in curiosity and puzzlement.
She had watched this treatment countless times by now. The same thing happened every time he finished treating the Black Ink Disciples, but she had never seen any reaction from Yang Kai before; hence, she could only wonder why he seemed to have discovered something new this time. It was just that she did not know much about Purifying Light, so she could not ask much.
As time passed, Yang Kai’s eyes suddenly brightened and a trace of excitement and elation also appeared on his face.
Feng Ying couldn’t stop herself from asking him, “Did you discover something?”
“Martial Aunt Feng, do you know how the Purifying Light is produced?” Yang Kai suddenly asked.
Feng Ying said, “No.”
She had been guarding him all this time, so she was present every time he activated the Purifying Light; however, she had only seen what was happening on the surface. She did not know anything about the inner workings of Purifying Light. Even when Yang Kai had taken the time to explain this matter to the Eighth-Order Ancestors in the Main Conference Hall, she had remained outside and did not hear his explanation as a result.
Yang Kai suddenly took out two crystals. One was yellow and the other was blue. Both crystals were the size of a fist and had distinct, sharp edges. Moreover, there was an unmistakable Yin and Yang Element energy fluctuation coming from the yellow and blue crystals.
Feng Ying raised her brow at the sight, clearly recognising them as two Fifth-Order Yin and Yang Element materials. In addition, these two materials gave her a sense of great purity. They seemed to be of better quality than most Yin and Yang Element materials of the same Order.
“These are the Yellow and Blue Crystals.” Yang Kai stared at the objects in his hand, seeming to be talking to himself but also explaining to Feng Ying at the same time, “They come from the Chaotic Dead Territory!”
Stunned, Feng Ying soon yelled in surprise, “The Chaotic Dead Territory!? Which Chaotic Dead Territory!?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Are you implying that there’s a second Chaotic Dead Territory in this universe? You’re right, Martial Aunt. It’s the Chaotic Dead Territory where the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer are located.”
Feng Ying was flabbergasted.
On the other hand, Yang Kai waved his hand and said, “It is rumoured that the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer are brutal and extremely dangerous. While there is some truth to that, the rumours are somewhat exaggerated. I spent some time in the Chaotic Dead Territory and interacted with these two beings before.”
[Interacted with them before…] Feng Ying was confused and could barely believe what he was saying.
“A Black Ink Clansman once appeared in the 3,000 Worlds. Elites from all the Cave Heavens and Paradises had to be dispatched just to suppress the chaos. Unfortunately, many people were corroded by Black Ink Strength and were converted into Black Ink Disciples because of this incident. In the end, I went to the Chaotic Dead Territory to seek help. The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were the ones who gave me these two marks! “
She asked, “The ones on the backs of your hands?”
During this period, two distinct marks would appear on the backs of Yang Kai’s hands every time he activated Purifying Light. Naturally, that had not escaped Feng Ying’s notice. She had not understood the mystery and heritage hidden in the marks, but she immediately realised after listening to his explanation.
“Exactly.” He nodded, “With these two marks as the foundation, I can channel the powers of those two beings that are contained within these Yellow and Blue Crystals. When Yin and Yang converge, the Purifying Light is produced!”
Feng Ying seemed to have an epiphany, “In other words, you need to consume these Yellow and Blue Crystals whenever you use Purifying Light.”
“That’s right.” Yang Kai looked at the objects in his hand, “Purifying Light consumes these two objects when cast.”
His words immediately made her anxious, “How many of these crystals do you have on hand?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Martial Aunt, are you worried that I will run out of these Yellow and Blue Crystals?”
“Aren’t you worried?” Even the cleverest woman could not cook a meal without rice. Nobody would be able to purify and dispel the Black Ink Strength if Yang Kai ran out.
“It’s useless to worry. Besides… I have a lot of these on hand. They will not be used up in such a short time.” Yang Kai had made an astronomical fortune back in the Chaotic Dead Territory. Even he did not know how many Yellow and Blue Crystals he had received. The amount was so large that it was practically innumerable. What’s more, there were countless piles of these crystals stacked up like mountains in his Small Universe. How could he run out of them in such a short time?
Although he had split his collection in half and given one part to High Heaven Palace before his departure, he still had literal mountains of them in his possession. The Yellow and Blue Crystals consumed during this period were nothing but a drop in the ocean for him.
After listening to what he said, Feng Ying relaxed considerably. Even so, she admonished him lightly, “We need to plan for that eventuality in advance. Have you tried using other Yin and Yang Element materials to replace the Yellow and Blue Crystals?”
“I tried, but it didn’t work. Purifying Light has to be cast with the Yellow and Blue Crystals that come from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.” While speaking, Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively and continued “I didn’t bring this up to discuss this matter with you, Martial Aunt. Rather, I’ve always felt that the Purifying Light leftover from purifying Black Ink Strength within those I’ve treated goes to waste because there are no other immediate uses for it.”
Feng Ying nodded lightly. This situation had not escaped her notice. That was indeed the case. Every time someone infected came over, Yang Kai would use Purifying Light to dispel the Black Ink Strength from them. However, the remaining white light would linger for a time before dissipating.
In the past, she had thought that the ability came from Yang Kai himself and was not too concerned, but now that she knew the Purifying Light consumed Yellow and Blue Crystals, she immediately felt a twinge of pain in her heart. The Purifying Light that had been wasted was still an invaluable treasure that could dispel more Black Ink Strength if it could only be preserved somehow.
“What do you want to do?” She asked, “Is there a way to prevent this wastage?”
“I have an idea, but I don’t know if it can be realised.” He put the Yellow and Blue Crystals away, “Strictly speaking, the Purifying Light is just another form of energy. Since it is a type of energy, do you think it can be stored?”
“Stored?” She furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
“For example, with the help of a Grand Array. If we can achieve this, then there will be no need to worry about waste in the future.” Yang Kai continued slowly, “I have quite a few Yellow and Blue Crystals in my possession; nevertheless, it is better to plan ahead for the long term since we are on the Black Ink Battlefield. We should save wherever we can. In that way, more people can receive treatment in the future.”
Her eyes brightened at those words, “It’s exactly as you said. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about the Dao of Spirit Arrays. You will have to consult others regarding this matter.”
“Many thanks, Martial Aunt,” Yang Kai cupped his fist and bowed.
Feng Ying pondered for a while before saying, “Wait a moment. I will summon some people over.”
While saying that, she took out a communication artifact and sent out a few messages. Zhong Liang had already granted her the right to mobilise the people within the Inner Sanctum so that she could better protect and cooperate with Yang Kai; hence, there were no issues with her current actions.
Less than an hour later, an elderly man with a longsword descended from the sky. He greeted Feng Ying after he landed and studied Yang Kai with great interest.
Feng Ying introduced them, “Yang Kai, this is Senior Brother Fan Xun from Mo Sha Heaven.”
Yang Kai bowed, “Greetings, Martial Uncle Fan!”
Fan Xun stretched out his hand and laughed loudly, “No need to be polite. I have heard a lot about you, so I’ve been wanting to meet you all this while. Unfortunately, the ongoing war makes it difficult for me to leave my post without permission. Now that I see you today, I can see that you really are a talented young man.”
There was no doubt that Yang Kai was currently the most popular person in Blue Sky Pass. Quite some time had passed since his arrival, and at this point, almost every Cave Heaven or Paradise guarding Blue Sky Pass had a disciple who was rescued by Yang Kai. There was no saying how many people were indebted to him by now.
Those who had not been corroded by the Black Ink Strength were naturally curious about these mystical means that suddenly appeared in Blue Sky Pass. The Human Race had been deeply troubled by the Black Ink Strength for countless years because there had been no method to dispel it; therefore, Yang Kai’s arrival had undoubtedly brought a solution to this age-old problem. Who would not be curious about such a person and their means?
That was also why Fan Xun behaved so politely. Things on the battlefield could change at a moment’s notice and he could not guarantee that he would not be invaded by Black Ink Strength one day. So, even though he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he did not put on airs around Yang Kai. There was no saying whether he would need Yang Kai’s help in the future, so how could he act arrogantly now?
“You praise me too much, Martial Uncle Fan,” Yang Kai responded humbly.
Feng Ying said, “Within the Inner Sanctum, in the Seventh Order, Senior Brother Fan can be ranked among the top three in terms of his mastery in the Dao of Spirit Arrays.”
Fan Xun smiled and waved his hand dismissively, “Everybody has their talents. If your words spread to the public, Junior Sister, I will not be able to hold my head up anymore.” His expression turned solemn, “Why did you summon me, Junior Sister?”
Feng Ying said, “Yang Kai is the one who has something to discuss with you. But, don’t be in such a rush. I also summoned a few others, so let’s wait for them to arrive before we talk about that.”
Doing that would allow them to save some energy from repeating themselves over and over again. Besides, it would be better to explain things in one go after everybody had gathered.
Fan Xun nodded. With the goal of promoting a good relationship with Yang Kai, he spent the time chatting with him.
While they were waiting, a cultivator who was corroded by Black Ink Strength happened to arrive seeking help. Fan Xun witnessed Yang Kai casting the Purifying Light with his own eyes. The sight of the pure white light shrouding the cultivator and dispelling the Black Ink Strength amazed him greatly.
Four people arrived in quick succession after a short wait. All of them were proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Their cultivations might vary, but even the lowest among them was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. These people would be known as Grandmasters wherever they went.
According to Yang Kai’s own system of classification for the Dao, all of them had reached the sixth level, Exceeding the Ordinary to Reach the Extraordinary, in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, at the very least.
It had to be said that Yang Kai himself was only at this level in his Dao of Time.
Such talented people would not face the Black Ink Clan’s offensive directly on the battlefield and were generally stationed inside the Barrier Grand Array of Blue Sky Pass, ready to repair and maintain the operation of all the Grand Arrays at any time. As long as the enemies did not invade Blue Sky Pass, they usually would not face any danger.
Feng Ying introduced everybody to Yang Kai. Yang Kai memorised their details and greeted them in turn.
Like Fan Xun, the people who came were very friendly towards Yang Kai.
It was only then that Yang Kai revealed his purpose of inviting them over. In order to show them what they needed to do, he deliberately cast the Purifying Light in front of them.
After witnessing the Purifying Light, Fan Xun seemed pensive, “That is a great idea, Martial Nephew. If we can achieve that, it will certainly be possible to save on some materials for later use.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Fan Xun looked at the others, “If that’s the case, why don’t we discuss how we should proceed with this matter?”
The others naturally had no objections. They immediately gathered together and communicated with each other through their surging Divine Senses. During this period, some of them even demonstrated various Spirit Arrays in an attempt to come up with a feasible solution.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying remained idle by the side. They both knew nothing about the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so they could not provide any input. In fact, they didn’t even understand what these people were doing most of the time.
Several days passed in a similar fashion before the Spirit Array Grandmasters took action. In quick order, they set out various Array Boards and installed various Array Banners everywhere. Their movements were so smooth and skilful that the people watching could only gape in amazement. It didn’t take long for them to finish setting up a new Grand Array.
Fan Xun looked at Yang Kai, “Would you like to test out the Spirit Array, Martial Nephew?”
“I would indeed,” Yang Kai nodded and asked, “What is this Spirit Array?”
Fan Xun smiled, “This Spirit Array was specially researched and developed for this matter. It has the effect of sealing and storing energy. As for the name, we have yet to decide.”
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly. These Spirit Array Grandmasters had managed to create a brand-new Spirit Array after discussing with each other for just a few days. It could be seen that their achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays were very high.
Yang Kai stepped into the centre of the Grand Array and stood still. Then, Fan Xun made a gesture with one hand, gently waved the Array Banner with his other hand, and shouted, “Rise!”
A transparent light barrier immediately rose up from the ground and closed around Yang Kai.
Inside the nameless Grand Array, Yang Kai extended his Divine Sense to investigate his surroundings. He could not understand the workings of the Grand Array, but he knew it had been specially researched and developed for this purpose, so it certainly contained a sealing effect. As for whether it was effective, he would know once he tested it out.
He immediately cast the Purifying Light. Of course, he did not use any Yellow and Blue Crystals of a High Order. He only used Fifth-Order ones, just in case the experiment failed and they went to waste. A small ball of white light that resembled a small Sun suddenly appeared above his hand the next moment. Under his control, the white light remained condensed in the palm of his hand without scattering or dispersing. It was extremely dazzling.
Everybody watched intently as Yang Kai tossed the ball of white light that resembled a small Sun into the air. The white light instantly filled the entire Grand Array but was blocked from escaping and sealed within its boundaries by the light barrier.
Afterwards, Yang Kai waited quietly to see whether the Grand Array could keep the Purifying Light sealed for an extended time. This was a factor that would affect the next series of plans that he wished to implement, so he could not be negligent. He had to make sure that his plans were feasible. To that end, his Divine Sense monitored the changes in the white light at all times.
Outside the Grand Array, Feng Ying and others were also paying close attention to the situation. It was just that the entire Grand Array was filled with blinding white light, causing Yang Kai’s figure that was shrouded within the veil to become a little hazy when viewed from the outside.
Yang Kai gradually revealed a happy expression as more time passed, having discovered that his previous speculations were correct. The Purifying Light was a unique and profound kind of energy, but at its root it was energy nonetheless. Since it was a type of energy, then it could be sealed and stored away. In that aspect, the Spirit Array created by Fan Xun and the others had already achieved this goal. The Purifying Light had been sealed within the confines of the Grand Array; therefore, it could neither dissipate into nothingness, reduce in amount, nor become defective in any way. Moreover, it could be maintained for a long period of time.
In this way, as long as the Human cultivators corroded by Black Ink Strength were guided into the Grand Array, the excess Purifying Light that remained after the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was dispelled would no longer be wasted. Little by little, the many grains of sand would eventually build a tower. The existence of the Grand Array would undoubtedly decrease the consumption of the Yellow and Blue Crystals to a great extent in the long run.
“Martial Uncle Fan, that’s enough,” Yang Kai said.
Upon hearing that, Fan Xun who was controlling the Grand Array from the outside immediately formed a set of hand seals and the light barrier of the Grand Array cracked open slightly. However, a portion of the Purifying Light inside the Grand Array escaped outside before Yang Kai could leave the Grand Array. Fan Xun resealed the light barrier as soon as Yang Kai left its range, but it was obvious that the amount of Purifying Light inside the Grand Array had decreased.
Yang Kai looked back, and the look of joy on his face faded from his face. His brow furrowed tightly together instead. He had forgotten that while the Grand Array had an excellent sealing effect, and could easily contain the Purifying Light, a portal would open whenever someone needed to enter or exit, allowing the Purifying Light contained inside to flow out.
The losses accumulated from opening the portal once or twice might not be significant, but what about tens or hundreds of times? It had to be said that if this plan could be realised, then every cultivator who was corroded by Black Ink Strength would have to enter and exit the Grand Array. In that way, the entry and exit of a single person would cause some amount of Purifying Light to be lost twice. That would be far too much waste unless they could keep the Grand Array sealed at all times. But, if the Grand Array was sealed at all times, then those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would not be able to enter.
This was a difficult problem, and it was obvious that Fan Xun and others had also discovered this issue. All of them were frowning deeply at this moment.
Yang Kai looked at Fan Xun, “Is there a way to improve the Grand Array, Martial Uncle Fan?”
Fan Xun pondered for a while before he made a suggestion, “We might be able to add a gathering effect, which may stem the loss.”
The others nodded lightly with one of them agreeing, “That sounds reasonable.”
“Then, I shall have to trouble you.”
The Spirit Array Grandmasters immediately got to work. They were planning to add an additional effect to the foundation of the original Spirit Array. Unfortunately, it was not as simple as adding one Spirit Array onto another. Each Spirit Array was intricately constructed, so adding an entirely new effect onto an existing Array was by no means easy. The slightest change would affect everything else. That was why great changes had to be made to the Grand Array in order to add the gathering effect. They needed to make sure that the Grand Array not only operated perfectly, but also achieved the desired effects.
Fan Xun and the others gathered to the side, busy as bees. From time to time, they would set up numerous Array Banners. At other times, they would gather together and hold a deep discussion. There were times when they even quarrelled until they were red in the face due to various disagreements.
Unable to help them, Yang Kai could only wait by the side. Those corrupted by Black Ink Strength would occasionally come to him for help during this period. Needless to say, he swiftly dispelled and purified the Black Ink Strength in their bodies.
Those who came to seek treatment had no idea what Fan Xun and the others were doing, but most of the time, they would leave immediately after receiving treatment from Yang Kai and return to the battlefield to fight the Black Ink Clan. This battle would continue until the Black Ink Clan withdrew their forces. Only then would the current war finally come to an end.
Several days passed in the same manner before a brand-new Grand Array took shape. Fan Xun and others might have profound cultivation in this field, but even they were exhausted. Their exhaustion did not come from physical exertion though, but rather psychological exhaustion. Everybody knew that Yang Kai’s request was extremely important, so they had given their all to fulfil his request. The mental burden bearing down on them was very exhausting.
Just like before, Yang Kai stood in the middle of the Grand Array and cast the Purifying Light.
The Purifying Light was allowed to flood the entire Grand Array as an experiment. The sealing effect of the Grand Array remained the same as before, so there were no problems in that aspect. The Purifying Light was perfectly sealed inside the Grand Array; however, the same situation repeated once more when the Grand Array was opened. A small amount of the Purifying Light escaped when Yang Kai walked out of the Grand Array’s boundary. The amount that escaped might have lessened considerably compared to the first attempt, but it was obvious that the gathering effect could not achieve the desired result entirely.
The Purifying Light was the only way to treat those invaded by Black Ink Strength. Moreover, this ability consumed two unique materials known as the Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals. These materials only come from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer in the Chaotic Dead Territory, so they could not be found on the Black Ink Battlefield.
In other words, if Yang Kai exhausted his supply of Yellow and Blue Crystals, the Human Race would once again fall into a situation where they were powerless against the Black Ink Strength. That was something nobody wanted to see.
The trace amounts of Purifying Light that were wasted today might have been the last rays of hope for one of the corrupted at some point in the future. With those thoughts in mind, how could Fan Xun and the others dare to be careless? They all felt as though there was a heavy burden pressing down on their shoulders.
The second experiment had undoubtedly ended in failure once more. Nevertheless, the Spirit Array Grandmasters gathered together again to learn from their previous experience and improve upon their solution.
For the next two months, the Spirit Array Grandmasters would come up with brand-new solutions and prepare a different Grand Array every few days. Be that as it may, the results of each experiment were unsatisfactory. They were unable to solve the issue of the Purifying Light escaping when the Grand Array was opened, so they could not avoid the wastage caused when people entered or exited.
After just a short span of two months, all the Spirit Array Grandmasters had bloodshot eyes. For them, their inability to answer Yang Kai’s request was an indication of their lack of skill and their shortcomings in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. How could these people, who had always been proud of their ability, accept such a reality? They were the top figures who represented the Dao of Spirit Arrays in the major Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were only a handful of people in the world who could surpass their achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Therefore, they secretly vowed to develop a Grand Array that could solve this problem perfectly.
Following another failed experiment, they did not become discouraged. On the contrary, they seemed to become even more enthusiastic than before. It felt as though they had gone back to the time when they were young and learning as apprentices. Back then, they had yet to make great achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Despite facing all sorts of challenges, they had always figured out a solution to their troubles. The joy they would experience in their heart every time they solved a difficult problem was indescribable. They were looking forward to the day they would experience that feeling again.
On the other hand, Yang Kai was worried about this group’s mental condition. It was obvious that something was wrong with these Spirit Array Grandmasters. They were putting in special effort and competing against their very own selves. Although there were times when being persistent was a good thing, there were times when they could fall into an obsessive state instead.
During this period of time, Yang Kai had also formed a vague idea in his heart. It was just that he had been too embarrassed to mention his idea in front of them, lest he be suspected of trying to show off meagre skills before an expert. But, at this moment, he could not remain silent any longer. At the very least, he would be able to provide them with a different perspective.
“Martial Uncle Fan, what do you think of this idea? If we set up a Space Array inside the Grand Array, then we can use the Space Array to come and go freely. In that way, there will be no need to open the Grand Array at all.”
If they did not open the Grand Array, then no wastage caused by the loss of the Purifying Light would occur.
“A Space Array?” Fan Xun raised his brow at those words. His bloodshot eyes that were staring fixedly at Yang Kai gradually brightened, “That’s right! A Space Array! Why didn’t I think of that!?”
Similarly, the others also looked speechless and ashamed of themselves. How could they fail to realise such a simple thing until Yang Kai reminded them?
Feng Ying secretly found the scene amusing from where she watched them by the side. She knew that these Spirit Array Grandmasters had fallen into a spiral and were looking at things from the wrong direction. They had been constantly obsessing over creating the perfect Grand Array, so how could they even think about a completely different solution to the issue? There were times when overly complicated thoughts were not a good thing. It could be said that Yang Kai had brought them back to their senses with a single sentence.
Fan Xun and others immediately cheered up and began working on preparing another Grand Array.
With several Spirit Array Grandmasters joining forces, it was only natural that a small Space Array would not be difficult for them. In less than a day, there was an additional Space Array inside the Sealing Array. The Space Array was useless on its own; therefore, they prepared another Space Array at a place not far away from the Grand Array so that both Space Arrays could resonate with each other.
When both Space Arrays were ready, Fan Xun suddenly spoke up with a troubled expression, “Yang Kai, this Old Master suddenly realised a problem.”
“Please elaborate, Martial Uncle Fan!”
“In order to ensure that the Purifying Light does not go to waste, we worked very hard on the Sealing Array. The sealing effect is absolutely extraordinary as a result. To put it bluntly, the area covered by the Grand Array is completely isolated from the outside world. In other words, the two Space Arrays will not be able to connect with each other when the Sealing Array is in operation.” Fan Xun blushed slightly while speaking.
The other Spirit Array Grandmasters also revealed expressions of realisation at that moment.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was stunned by those words. When he finally recovered from his shock, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was truly a huge blunder. He had merely been expressing his thoughts when he suggested using a Space Array. Unfortunately, it would now seem that his efforts had been for nought.
Thanks to the Sealing Array, the space within was completely isolated from the outside world. The connection between both Space Arrays would naturally be cut off as a result, so it was impossible to transport something from the outside into the inside via the Space Array.
“Of course, it might not be completely impossible. I might be able to make some adjustments. When the Space Array is activated, the Sealing Array will activate at the same time to open a small portal. In that way, the two Space Arrays will be able to connect with each other. But, I cannot guarantee that the Purifying Light will not be lost by doing that.”
“Whether or not the Purifying Light will be lost, we will know once we test it out.”
Now that things had come to this, they had to explore every single possibility that came to mind.
Fan Xun and others got to work again tinkering with the Grand Array. Another two days passed before they finally completed their preparations.
As before, Yang Kai walked into the Grand Array and Fan Xun formed a hand seal to activate the Sealing Array. After that, Yang Kai cast Purifying Light.
Looking at the pure white, flawless light, Fan Xun and the others couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of pain and remorse. Over the past few months, their experiments had failed over and over again, resulting in them wasting quite a lot of the Purifying Light. These incidents had been eating away at their confidence, and they were starting to harbour great doubts about the craft they had honed over all these years.
Both the Space Arrays had been inspected before the Sealing Array was activated, and it was confirmed that they were in working order.
Now that the Grand Array had been activated, Yang Kai stood on the Space Array and tried to activate it, but sure enough, his attempt failed. It was just as Fan Xun claimed. They had poured massive effort into preparing the Sealing Array to isolate the inside from the outside. In other words, the space inside the Sealing Array could not connect with the outside world. Forget the two Space Arrays, even if Yang Kai wanted to perform Instantaneous Movement on his own, he could not escape from the confines of the Spirit Array without destroying the Grand Array first.
“Yang Kai, are you ready!?” Fan Xun shouted.
Yang Kai replied, “Yes! Martial Uncle Fan, please begin!”
Fan Xun nodded lightly and changed his hand seal. With a slight wave of the Array Banner, the Grand Array underwent some subtle changes.
Outside the Grand Array, everybody watched intently without even blinking. In the next moment, obvious fluctuations of Space Principles came from within the Grand Array, emanating from Yang Kai. Everyone quickly turned to look to the side. Sure enough, Yang Kai’s figure suddenly appeared on the other Space Array. Unfortunately, some of the pure white light emerged along with him. The light lingered around his body and quickly dissipated into the surroundings.
There was no doubt that the white light was the Purifying Light that was originally sealed inside the Grand Array. When the two Space Arrays connected with each other, Yang Kai was not the only thing to be transported out of the Grand Array. The Purifying Light had also escaped along the passage established by the Space Array.
Fan Xun frowned deeply. This outcome was both unexpected and expected; therefore, he couldn’t help feeling extremely helpless.
On the other hand, Yang Kai sighed softly. Even the Space Array could not solve their current conundrum. At this rate, he truly did not know how to solve this problem anymore. The failure this time had also affected him to a certain degree. That was because this matter was highly related to him. If they were unable to resolve this issue, the wastage of the Purifying Light was a secondary problem. More importantly, his future prospects would not be bright either. He was just about to console Fan Xun and the others so that they could think of other solutions when he heard Feng Ying’s voice, “Martial Uncle Dong Guo!”
Everybody quickly turned to look in Feng Ying’s direction only to see her bowing in a certain direction in the sky. They followed her gaze and saw a burly middle-aged man suspended in mid-air. He was quietly looking down at the situation below him.
Fan Xun and others hurriedly bowed in greeting, and Yang Kai followed suit.
Yang Kai did not recognise the person who came. Although he had met most of the Eighth-Order Masters in Blue Sky Pass back at the Main Conference Hall, a few of them had not shown up for that meeting. Feng Ying had explained that it was impossible for Zhong Liang to summon all the Eighth-Order Masters to the Main Conference Hall at once; after all, somebody needed to oversee the battlefield. Martial Uncle Dong Guo was clearly one of those people.
Having said that, Yang Kai had seen this person passing by several times recently even though he did not recognise him. Every single time, Martial Uncle Dong Guo would fly overhead with a group of people following behind him. He was always in a rush and seemed to constantly be busy.
Yang Kai had noticed him looking down curiously on several occasions, but he was most likely in too much of a hurry to come over and investigate the situation. It would seem that he had some time on his hands today. There was no saying how long he had been watching the situation; after all, everybody had been so focused on testing the effects of the Space Array that they did not notice his arrival.
Martial Uncle Dong Guo walked over as though there were invisible steps leading downward under his feet. He turned to look at the Sealing Array, then he turned to glance at Yang Kai. After a brief scan, he smiled and nodded at Yang Kai.
Even though Yang Kai did not know him, he knew about Yang Kai. He knew that there was a person who could purify and dispel Black Ink Strength in the Central Square. That person had helped countless resolve their crisis over the past few months. Many people he knew had also benefited from this person. That was why he had always paid attention to the situation every time he passed by this place.
Feng Ying knew that Yang Kai was not familiar with Blue Sky Pass and did not recognize the person in front of them, so she took the initiative to explain, “This is Martial Uncle Dong Guo An Ping of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven.”
[Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven…] Yang Kai raised his brow at the name and recalled the little fatty, Xu Zhen.
Speaking of which, he had not seen the little fatty again after they parted at the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Xu Zhen was a Core Disciple of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven after all. Not to mention, he had received the favour of a Divine Spirit while he was training in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and grew tremendously as a result. It was rumoured that Xu Zhen had successfully advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm a long time ago.
“Greetings, Martial Uncle Dong Guo.” Yang Kai bowed once more.
Dong Guo An Ping nodded and said, “No need to be so polite. I’ve heard about you for some time now. Although I’ve passed by a few times, I’ve always been busy with work and could not make the time to come down. It so happened that I had some free time when I passed by today, so I came to take a look.”
Feng Ying explained, “Every time the Black Ink Clan attacks, the people from Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven are the busiest. If the warships on the battlefield are damaged, they will require many Artifact Refiners to repair and replace them. The Fellow Brothers of Divine Cauldron Heaven are proficient in the Dao of Artifact Refining, so this task is naturally entrusted to them.”
Yang Kai was stunned when he heard those words. It was not until this moment that he understood the reason why he kept seeing Martial Uncle running around recently. It turned out that Dong Guo An Ping had been going around repairing the damaged warships. Since Divine Cauldron Heaven was famous for Artifact Refining, it was only natural that they were also capable of this.
It could even be said that most of the warships at the great passes were produced by Divine Cauldron Heaven disciples. They were considered extremely precious talents, similar to Array Masters like Fan Xun. Such talented individuals would never be allowed to carelessly set foot on the battlefield, lest they were killed or corrupted by Black Ink Strength and became Black Ink Disciples. On the contrary, they gave those at the front strong support from the rear.
“What are you doing here?” Dong Guo An Ping asked with a glance at the Sealing Array. Having passed by this place on several occasions, he had a vague idea about what they were up to, but he was not sure if the situation was the same as what he was thinking. It was precisely because he had some speculations on the matter that he deliberately took the time to stop and watch for a while today.
Feng Ying quickly explained what they had been working on for the past few months and the challenges that they were facing at the moment. The person in front of her was not just an Eighth-Order Master, but also a Division Commander. Even if he would not easily set foot on the battlefield, Dong Guo An Ping had the qualifications to intervene in such matters. Besides, she did not wish to conceal anything from him.
Dong Guo An Ping nodded after listening to her explanation, “So that’s how it is.” Then, he suddenly suggested something, “Since the Dao of Spirit Arrays is unable to perfectly prevent the wastage of the Purifying Light, have you considered using the Dao of Artifact Refining?”
Fan Xun was taken aback, “The Dao of Artifact Refining?”
They were all Spirit Array Grandmasters, so when encountering problems, it was only natural that they tried to solve them from the perspective of Spirit Arrays. Why would they consider using the Dao of Artifact Refining?
“The Dao of Artifact Refining…” Yang Kai murmured. His eyes lit up a moment later, and he rubbed his palms together, “Right… How could I have forgotten about that?”
There were times when one might not see the light at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary, the road ahead might end in a steep hanging cliff. He had been working together with Fan Xun and others throughout this period of time, so he had been influenced by them and only considered the problem from the perspective of the Dao of Spirit Arrays. He had totally forgotten about the Dao of Artifact Refining.
Back in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the little fatty, Xu Zhen, had helped him to refine the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd which sealed and contained a large amount of Yuan Magnetic Divine Light! In the past, Yang Kai had borrowed the strength of the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd to repel many powerful enemies.
Strictly speaking, the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light and the Purifying Light were essentially the same. Both were a kind of energy. Although they had different effects, there was no denying that both were a form of light! If the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd could seal the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light, then it could also seal the Purifying Light.
In his excitement, Yang Kai took out the empty Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and handed the object to Dong Guo An Ping, “Senior, please take a look at this.”
Dong Guo An Ping took the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and immediately raised his eyebrows in surprise, “This object contains traces of Divine Cauldron Heaven’s techniques, but… which lousy brat has such poor skills to refine something like this?”
Yang Kai was instantly ashamed.
When the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd was first refined, Xu Zhen had yet to advance to the Open Heaven Realm; in fact, he had only just condensed his Dao Seal. Xu Zheng had been in the process of accumulation, so his cultivation was not that high. Although he had received instruction from Divine Cauldron Heaven, in the eyes of Artifact Refining Grandmasters like Dong Guo An Ping, Xu Zhen’s methods were indeed clumsy and crude.
The Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd no longer contained Yuan Magnetic Divine Light. Back then, Void Land had been in desperate need of cultivation materials, and the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light was a Metal Element material. Moreover, it was a Sixth-Order material. For that reason, Yang Kai had used the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light as a cultivation material for the disciples to refine.
“This bottle gourd is interesting at least,” Dong Guo An Ping carefully examined the bottle gourd, “This gourd is born of the world, right?”
Yang Kai revealed a look of admiration, “Senior certainly has sharp eyes.”
Dong Guo An Ping asked thoughtfully, “Do you want me to refine something similar to seal the Purifying Light? In that way, even without you, others will be able to help dispel and purify Black Ink Strength.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “That’s not the case. Although doing so is feasible, that will only increase the wastage of the Purifying Light. Senior, this Junior was hoping to ask you to create an artifact that can satisfy the effect of sealing the Purifying Light, avoid any wastage, and even facilitate the entry and exit of personnel. Can that be done?”
Dong Guo An Ping held the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and furrowed his brow in thought. Everybody else watched him intently. A long while passed before he finally nodded and said, “It can be done.”
Yang Kai was overjoyed, “Are you serious!?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he realised that his words were inappropriate and quickly explained, “Please forgive me, Senior. It’s not that this Junior is not willing to believe you, it’s just that this matter is extremely important, so we have to be extra careful.”
Dong Guo An Ping smiled and said, “It’s fine. I understand your feelings. But, since this Old Master said that it can be done, then it can be done. Hm… The war is raging fiercely recently, so I might be quite busy. Let’s do this; I will make some time to refine this artifact for you. The shortest will take one month while the longest will take three months to complete.”
While saying that, he tossed the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd back to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai exhaled slowly and cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Martial Uncle!”
Dong Guo An Ping waved his hand dismissively, “It’s all for the sake of our people. We are just doing our respective duties.” Then, he glanced at Fan Xun and the others, “Come with me. The Sealing Array will be needed. When that time comes, I will need your help.”
Naturally, there was no reason for Fan Xun and the others to object.