As time passed, Yang Kai consistently refined a set of Seventh-Order materials every half a year. With that said, he didn’t just cultivate in seclusion all the time.
Cultivating was a monotonous activity, and if one wasn’t composed enough, he would become jittery by remaining in such a state for an extended period of time.
Even though it wouldn’t happen to Yang Kai, he would still try to prevent it from occurring. Every time he finished refining a set of Seventh-Order materials, he would leave his room and take a stroll.
Sometimes, he would walk around for three to five days. When he felt like it, he would travel around for ten days to half a month. After winding down and moving his body, he would cultivate in seclusion again. As he had taken time to get some rest, his efficiency would greatly improve.
When he was free one day, he headed to the War Materials Hall and traded all his Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order materials for Military Merits, which he then exchanged for Seventh-Order Five-Element materials.
He had brought these Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order materials from the 3,000 Worlds for his own cultivation. Now, the best way for him to cultivate was to refine Seventh-Order materials, so these Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order materials were of no value to him. Seventh-Order materials were his best choice.
In fact, the conversion rate for exchanging Seventh-Order Five-Element materials in the Inner Sanctum was quite favourable.
For every two sets of Sixth-Order Five-Element materials, he would gain enough Military Merits to trade for a set of Seventh-Order ones. The conversion rate was just 2 to 1.
It had to be noted that in the 3,000 Worlds, the value of the materials in each Order went up 10 times per Order; however, it was only 2 times greater in Blue Sky Pass.
After all, the higher-ups had to take care of the soldiers who fought against the Black Ink Clan, so they couldn’t possibly measure the value of the materials in each Order according to the conversion rate in the 3,000 Worlds. Secondly, the consumption rate of Seventh-Order materials was extremely low, so as time passed, a lot of Seventh-Order materials had been accumulated in Blue Sky Pass. There were even ample reserves of Eighth-Order materials.
There were quite a number of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Inner Sanctum, and the number of Eighth-Order Division Commanders alone came up to several dozen. However, none of them would be as wasteful as Yang Kai, who refined Seventh-Order materials directly, when cultivating. The main reason was that High-Order Yin and Yang Element materials were still exceptionally rare. Without Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order Yin and Yang Element materials, they simply couldn’t refine materials to cultivate regardless of how many Five-Element materials they possessed, or else their Small Universes’ would become imbalanced.
As more and more Universe Worlds were strip-mined outside Blue Sky Pass, a lot of Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order materials had been found. Nevertheless, these materials would generally be used for Artifact Refining and arranging Spirit Arrays, not cultivation.
In this situation, Yang Kai was at an advantage.
The materials he possessed now were more than sufficient to help him ascend to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He also took some time to head to the Pill Hall to find out about the progress of creating Purifying Black Ink Pills. Nonetheless, he didn’t meet the two Alchemy Grandmasters, Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang. He only saw Tang Qun.
According to Tang Qun, after Yang Kai left that day, the two Grandmasters started focusing on completing the Purifying Black Ink Pill recipe. Countless herbs had been consumed so far, but fortunately, they had made some progress.
However, they would still have to work harder in order to create Purifying Black Ink Pills. Those from the medicine garden had started nurturing more Obsidian Grass and Green Feather Rattan as well. Once the Purifying Black Ink Pill recipe was perfected, there would be enough ingredients to be used in their production.
One day, after Yang Kai finished refining a set of Seventh-Order materials, he left his room.
Feng Ying had been waiting for him and the moment she heard the door opening, she turned her head and flashed a smile at him, “You’re indeed disciplined when it comes to cultivating, Junior Brother.”
Over the past two years, Yang Kai would always stop cultivating after half a year. With that as a baseline, Feng Ying speculated that he might emerge sometime soon, which was why she decided to wait for him there.
“It’s boring to just sit and cultivate, so I need to relax and unwind from time to time.” Yang Kai stretched his back, “What’s wrong, Senior Sister?”
Feng Ying must have something to tell him by waiting for him here.
“Martial Uncle Zhong Liang said that you have to look for him as soon as you stop cultivating,” There was a solemn expression on Feng Ying’s face.
Yang Kai straightened his face, “Has something happened in the Inner Sanctum?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “Nothing major has happened in the Inner Sanctum. He revealed to me that it has something to do with the World Spring.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai realised what was going on.
After he refined the World Tree, he told the four Army Commanders of Blue Sky Pass that he was willing to give up the World Spring in his Small Universe; after all, he felt the World Tree’s clone was also able to protect his Small Universe even better than the World Spring. Although Yang Kai wasn’t able to verify this for the time being, he had a feeling that even without the World Spring, he still wouldn’t be affected by Black Ink Strength.
At that time, Zhong Liang and the others said that there was no rush to deal with this issue. Even though he was willing to give up the World Spring, they had to have a discussion about who would take it.
Yang Kai had never expected that it would take two years for a decision to be made. It seemed that the Army Commanders were quite cautious when it came to this matter.
“I’ll head over right now,” Yang Kai replied and shot into the sky as he headed straight to the Headquarters of the Western Army.
Upon his arrival, he told someone to inform Zhong Liang, and a moment later, he was shown inside.
After entering the hall, he saw Zhong Liang assigning some work to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. It wasn’t until Zhong Liang was done with his affairs and the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master left that Yang Kai took a step forward and cupped his fist, “Greetings, Sir.”
Zhong Liang nodded gently and rose from the chair, “I’m sure Feng Ying has told you why I’ve asked you to see me.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Yes, Senior Sister has informed me about it. Have all of you decided on who will take over the World Spring?”
Zhong Liang replied, “Yes, a decision has been made; however, this King has to remind you that since you’ve decided to give up the World Spring, you’ll have to sacrifice a small part of your Small Universe. Doing so will cause your Small Universe to be incomplete. It’s no big deal as you can repair it by consuming a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit; however, if you lose the ability to resist Black Ink Strength because of that, you have to stay here in the Inner Sanctum and must not go anywhere as you please.”
Yang Kai said obediently, “I understand.”
Zhong Liang looked at him with a gentle and approving gaze, “That’s thoughtful of you.”
Other than Yang Kai, no one knew what the benefits of the World Tree’s clone were at that time. Even if he wasn’t willing to give up the World Spring, no one would say anything; however, as soon as he refined the World Tree’s clone, he brought up this issue, which showed that he was not an ungrateful person. An Eighth-Order Master who possessed one of the Four Universe Pillars would be able to deal a greater blow to the enemy on the battlefield, for they would no longer have to worry about Black Ink Strength invading their body.
“Come with me,” Zhong Liang beckoned to him and shuffled out of the hall.
Yang Kai followed closely.
Soon, they stepped out of Blue Sky Pass and arrived in the void outside.
Someone was already standing there. It was apparent that he had been waiting since receiving a message from Zhong Liang.
Yang Kai was able to recognise the person at first glance and asked, “Sir Ding Yao is going to take over the World Spring?”
The person who had been waiting there was none other than the Army Commander of the Eastern Army, Ding Yao.
Zhong Liang nodded, “That’s right. Other than the Old Ancestors in the Inner Sanctum, this old fart is the strongest, so he’s the most suited to take over the World Spring.”
The corners of Yang Kai’s brow twitched. Zhong Liang could call Ding Yao an old fart, but he wouldn’t dare to be disrespectful.
In any case, he had already expected such an outcome.
Very few Four Universe Pillars had been found so far, and they were all in the hands of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Ninth-Order Old Ancestors didn’t need one of the Four Universe Pillars as they were strong enough that they didn’t have to worry about Black Ink Strength invading their bodies. On the other hand, a Seventh-Order Master might not be able to keep a World Spring safe. That was the reason Zhong Liang wasn’t willing to let Yang Kai outside for missions back then. Yang Kai was vital to the Human Race, but he wasn’t powerful enough at that time. If anything happened to him, Zhong Liang wouldn’t be able to explain himself to the Old Ancestor.
Ninth-Order Old Ancestors didn’t need the World Spring while Seventh-Order Masters weren’t strong enough to keep them safe or make use of them. It would be best for an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to have it.
Yang Kai already speculated that one of the four Army Commanders would eventually take over the World Spring, and it seemed that his speculation was correct.
The moment Yang Kai got closer, Ding Yao gazed at him and said, “It’ll be useless to regret it once you go ahead with your decision. It’s still not too late for you to back out.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Since a decision has been made, I’ll not go back on my word.”
Ding Yao nodded, “I won’t dissuade you, then.”
Zhong Liang said, “You can start now if you’re ready; however, you have to do your best to minimise the damage, Yang Kai.”
“I understand,” Yang Kai nodded and closed his eyes.
The instant he activated his Divine Sense, his World Force undulated around him as a buzzing sound was continuously heard in his Small Universe. Following his move, the originally complete Small Universe started trembling and the next moment, the ground started shaking violently.
Yang Kai widened his eyes and started growling like a beast.
The excruciating pain he was going through caused him to shudder uncontrollably.
Prior to this, he had no idea that it was so painful to give up a piece of his Small Universe. Before he brought the Purifying Light to the Black Ink Battlefield, the Human soldiers here had to give up parts of their Small Universes after they were contaminated with Black Ink Strength in order to survive. While bearing the excruciating pain, they also had to risk their lives to battle against the Black Ink Clansmen. It must have been a cruel experience.
It wasn’t hard to give up a part of his Small Universe as Yang Kai just had to cut it off. The most difficult part was that he had to suppress the World Spring’s aura to that particular territory.
Even though he had done his best, he still had to give up a considerable chunk of his Small Universe.
The moment the portal of his Small Universe opened, a Spirit Province that was more than 40,000 square metres appeared in the void, at the centre of which was a conspicuous spring.
As soon as this territory appeared, the void around the World Spring seemed to have frozen under the influence of its power.
That was the moment Ding Yao had been waiting for. He extended his hand to grab the territory. As he activated his World Force, the territory instantly disappeared into his body.
The next instant, Ding Yao sat down cross-legged to join Yang Kai.
Zhong Liang hurriedly presented to Yang Kai a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit he had prepared, “Quickly consume it now.”
Even though it wouldn’t matter to consume the fruit at a later time, he was worried that Yang Kai’s foundation would be damaged if they didn’t act quickly enough.
Presently, Yang Kai was in so much pain that his forehead was covered with cold sweat. He took the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit from Zhong Liang, but just as he was about to eat it, he frowned and became rooted to the spot.
Upon seeing that, Zhong Liang appeared anxious, “What happened? Is there anything wrong?”
Yang Kai shook his head. Instead of promptly replying to him, he focused on examining his Small Universe.
He could see that the originally complete Small Universe had been damaged after he sacrificed that piece of land.
The problem with giving up a part of one’s Small Universe wasn’t just about incompleteness, but also about a drop in strength.
If Yang Kai had done such a thing not long after he ascended to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, his cultivation would have regressed to the Sixth-Order.
However, he had previously consumed a High-Rank World Fruit and refined several sets of Seventh-Order materials over the past two years. He had accumulated quite a bit of heritage in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so there was no risk of him falling to the Sixth-Order.
It was apparent to him now that there were two reasons those from Blue Sky Pass rewarded him with a High-Rank World Fruit. First of all, he had indeed made many contributions, but secondly, they had to get him prepared for this moment.
They had surely taken this exact situation into consideration, which was why it wasn’t until two years later that they asked him to give up the World Spring.
What caught Yang Kai’s attention wasn’t the damage to his Small Universe though, but the anomaly happening around the World Tree’s clone.
At this moment, a humming sound was heard coming from the World Tree’s clone as a faintly discernible power exuded from it and streamed towards the damaged part of his Small Universe.
Yang Kai wasn’t in control of this process and he had no idea what was going on, but the instant the abstruse power exuded from the clone, his pain was significantly soothed, as though he had just come across a spring amidst the summer heat.
Besides that, he had a feeling that the anomaly happening to the clone would be beneficial to him.
With that said, it was just a feeling, so he couldn’t make a judgement yet. He didn’t immediately consume the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, but to make sure that Zhong Liang wouldn’t be worried, he said, “Please rest assured, Sir. I’m fine.”
As he spoke, he got to his feet, “I’ll take my leave now. It may take some time for my Small Universe to heal.”
Certainly, Zhong Liang wouldn’t stop him, so he nodded and replied, “Good. You have to promptly consume that Profound Yin Spirit Fruit after you go back.”
“Yes,” Yang Kai nodded with a solemn expression. After saluting him, he returned to the Inner Sanctum and headed to his place.
Hovering in the void, Zhong Liang watched Yang Kai leave, then turned to look at Ding Yao.
Presently, the World Force around Ding Yao undulated and gusted out from his body, assimilating into the void from time to time.
Just like Yang Kai had to refine the World Tree’s clone, he currently had to refine the World Spring as well. In order to do that, he had to get rid of the impurities that belonged to Yang Kai. After all, he had swallowed a part of the younger man’s Small Universe.
This territory contained a part of Yang Kai’s heritage, but instead of being beneficial to Ding Yao, it was harmful to him.
However, he was much stronger than Yang Kai, and the territory that had been cut off wasn’t big, so there weren’t a lot of impurities to begin with.
After just a few days, Ding Yao was done with refining the World Spring. When he opened his eyes, it was apparent that his aura had become more robust.
Upon seeing that, Zhong Liang said, “Congratulations, Brother Ding. Since you have the World Spring now, you’ll stand a chance to reach even greater heights.”
To Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them, the highest Order was undoubtedly the Ninth-Order.
There were dozens of Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Blue Sky Pass, but the reason they decided to let Ding Yao take over the World Spring wasn’t solely because he was the strongest amongst them. The main reason was that in the past he directly ascended to the Seventh Order, so the Eighth Order wasn’t his limit. In his lifetime, he could aim to become a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor.
In comparison, even though Zhong Liang and the others were strong as well, they had exhausted their potential. The Eighth Order was the best they could achieve in their lifetimes.
It had been thousands of years since Ding Yao ascended to the Eighth Order, but even though he had accumulated a lot of heritage in his current Order, he was still pretty far from the Ninth Order.
Since he had a World Spring now though, there was no doubt that it would take him a shorter time to make it to the Ninth Order.
Ding Yao said, “We all know that it will still take me quite some time to reach the highest Order. On the other hand, since I’ve taken over the World Spring now, I’d better give something back to that brat.”
In an instant, Zhong Liang had a bad premonition, “What are you going to do?”
Ding Yao grinned, “Since he has given me the World Spring, I’ll get him a gift.”
Then, he turned into a ray of golden light and disappeared into the distance.
A myriad of expressions came over Zhong Liang as he stayed rooted to the spot. Soon though, he couldn’t help but stomp his foot and snarl, “That reckless fool!”
Despite that, he didn’t intend to chase after him for he knew it was pointless to do so. Since Ding Yao had made a decision, he wouldn’t change his mind. Furthermore, given his strength, he most likely wouldn’t fall into any danger.
In his room, Yang Kai was seated with his legs crossed. As he refined Seventh-Order materials to cultivate, he examined the transformation going on in his Small Universe.
He didn’t consume the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit because he wanted to find out how the clone’s anomaly would influence him.
If he consumed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to repair his Small Universe, the clone’s anomaly would probably disappear.
As time passed, the changes in his Small Universe became increasingly conspicuous. The originally damaged part of his Small Universe started repairing itself.
This revelation astounded Yang Kai.
It wasn’t until this moment that he realised the outcome that the clone’s anomaly had produced.
This clone was able to repair damage to his Small Universe! In other words, even though he never consumed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, there still wouldn’t be any problems.
He couldn’t believe that the World Tree clone was able to do even that.
Including the fact that the clone was able to help increase his cultivation speed, he had discovered 5 benefits that the tree had given him.
After giving it a thought, he realised that the tree wasn’t named the World Tree for no reason. Even though he had only refined a clone, it was still a World Tree. A Small Universe was also a Universe World, and with the clone’s presence, it was expected that any non-fatal damage would eventually heal itself. Back then, after he planted a World Tree clone in the Star Boundary, the tree was even able to stabilise the collapsing Universe World.
Furthermore, the speed of self-repair was just as good as what consuming a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit would achieve.
However, this benefit wasn’t really useful to Yang Kai; after all, he wouldn’t be corrupted by Black Ink Strength, so he wouldn’t have to give up parts of his Small Universe to save himself. In any case, it was wonderful that he didn’t have to consume the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit as this thing had always been in demand in the Inner Sanctum.
He could return the fruit to Zhong Liang at a later time so that it could be placed in the War Materials Hall for someone else to use.
A few months later, a ray of light descended from the sky and landed in the courtyard.
Upon detecting the movement, Feng Ying hurriedly came over. The instant she saw the person, she saluted him, “Greetings, Sir.”
The person was none other than Ding Yao. It wasn’t certain what he had done recently, but he was now engulfed in murderous intent. Feng Ying could also see that he was injured.
With his hands behind his back, Ding Yao nodded and looked around, “Where’s Yang Boy?”
Feng Ying hurriedly replied, “He’s still cultivating in seclusion now. Please give me a moment, Sir. I’ll tell him to come out now.”
Ding Yao waved his hand, “Since he’s cultivating in seclusion, there’s no need to disturb him. I’ll wait for him to come out.”
Upon hearing that, Feng Ying said, “Junior Brother Yang will stop cultivating in seclusion every half a year. I suppose he’ll come out of his room in a few days. I’ll tell him to see you when he emerges.”
However, Ding Yao just adjusted his clothes and took a seat in the corridor, “There’s no rush. This King will wait for him here.”
Feng Ying was astounded as she wondered why Ding Yao insisted on waiting for Yang Kai here. She didn’t think Yang Kai had made any mistakes recently, so why did the Eastern Army Commander come all the way here?
While she was lost in her thoughts, she saw another person descending from the sky. It was none other than Zhong Liang.
She quickly saluted him and shot him an inquisitive look.
Zhong Liang waved his hand as he walked up to Ding Yao and sized him up. He tutted and asked, “What’s the point of doing this? Doesn’t it hurt?”
Ding Yao replied impassively, “Injuries are inevitable, but it was worth it. I had to let those guys know the consequences of invading Blue Sky Pass. Regardless of whether I’m in a good or bad mood, I can just go over and make a fuss so that they’ll have a taste of getting their home invaded.” He grinned.
The corners of Zhong Liang’s mouth twitched. He had already expected that Ding Yao would become more active after taking over the World Spring, and his speculation was right.
To the side, Feng Ying appeared puzzled as she had no idea what these Army Commanders were talking about. Nevertheless, judging from Ding Yao’s words, she reckoned that he had fought against the Black Ink Clan somewhere.
Now, the Black Ink Clan were hiding deep in their own territory. In other words, Ding Yao had launched an attack on the Black Ink Clan’s base. This notion shocked her. With that said, the Humans had invaded the Black Ink Clan’s territory before. With the Old Ancestor leading the way, those from Blue Sky Pass had previously done such a thing more than once. This always resulted in the Black Ink Clan’s Armies counterattacking resulting in a full-scale war.
However, every time they invaded the Black Ink Clan’s base, the Old Ancestor would take the lead to ensure the safety of most people. Even though Ding Yao was an Eighth-Order Master, it was risky for him to barge into the Black Ink Clan’s hinterland without anyone else supporting him.
Even though Feng Ying had no idea why Ding Yao had done such a thing, she wasn’t in any position to ask about it.
Zhong Liang turned to look at her, “Why are you just standing there? Don’t you see that your Martial Uncle Ding sitting here? Get him some tea.”
Feng Ying quickly responded and fished out a tea set. Considering the fact that Ding Yao was injured, she even took out her treasured Spirit Tea to help him recuperate.
After drinking the tea, Ding Yao couldn’t stop praising her.
When Yang Kai left his room a few days later, he instantly saw this awkward sight.
In the corridor of the courtyard, Ding Yao and Zhong Liang were seated across from each other with a table in the middle of them, sipping tea that Feng Ying was quietly preparing for them.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded as he thought that he was seeing things.
Zhong Liang beckoned to him, “Come here and have some tea. You’re in luck because your Senior Sister Feng has fished out some of the Peak-Rank spirit tea that she has always treasured.”
The atmosphere was somewhat awkward. After he was seated, Feng Ying poured him a cup of tea. While sipping the tea, he signalled at Feng Ying with his eyes to ask her what was going on.
Upon seeing that Feng Ying ignored him, leaving him flustered.
He couldn’t really tell what the spirit tea tasted like, but it was indeed beneficial to cultivators. He felt refreshed after drinking a few cups of it.
Ding Yao finally put down the tea cup and struck his own chest. The next instant, he turned his head and spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. Like a blood arrow, the clotted blood formed a hole in the ground.
After that, Ding Yao became evidently energised and he nodded at Feng Ying, “Many thanks, Martial Niece.”
Feng Ying saluted him, “Don’t mention it, Martial Uncle.”
Ding Yao then turned to Yang Kai and tossed a Space Ring at him, “For you.”
A doubtful Yang Kai took it and infused his Divine Sense into it. The next moment, his expression changed drastically as he muttered, “Why are there so many…”
The Space Ring was filled with countless Black Ink Clan corpses.
Although they were dead, the auras exuding from some of them suggested that there were even Feudal Lords among the piles.
A shocked Yang Kai asked, “Has the Black Ink Clan launched another invasion?”
Zhong Liang shook his head, “No.”
“So… why are there so many corpses here?” If they hadn’t been attacked by the Black Ink Clan, why were there so many corpses in this Space Ring?
Zhong Liang glared at Ding Yao, who said impassively, “This King personally went to the Black Ink Clan’s domain and destroyed some of their territories.”
Despite his dispassionate tone, Yang Kai could imagine how much danger the older man must have gone through. Even though Ding Yao was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it was still extremely risky for him to barge into the Black Ink Clan hinterland on his own. The injuries on his figure were the best proof.
“I almost killed a Territory Lord, but that guy ran away too quickly,” Ding Yao sounded regretful. Given his strength, it wasn’t hard for him to defeat a Territory Lord, but it wasn’t easy for him to kill one.
That was the reason Yang Kai and Bai Yi gained a lot of Military Merits after they joined forces to kill Zhu Feng.
To the Humans and the Black Ink Clansmen, Eighth-Order Masters and Territory Lords were indispensable assets. Any loss of such figures would be unbearably painful.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded. After hearing what Ding Yao had said, he figured out what a crazy thing this man must have done. Apparently, Ding Yao headed to the Black Ink Clan’s territory and made a scene after acquiring the World Spring.
Perhaps he had always wanted to do that in the past; however, despite being an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he would have to consume a lot of energy in prolonged resistance against Black Ink Strength. Now that he had the World Spring though, he didn’t have to worry about Black Ink Strength harming him. That was why he could barge into the Black Ink Clan’s territory on his own and give them an unpleasant surprise.
The World Spring wouldn’t increase an Open Heaven Realm Master’s strength, but it could offer incredible assistance to a powerful Master like Ding Yao on the Black Ink Battlefield. It could be said that the World Spring was more useful in Ding Yao’s possession than in Yang Kai’s.
It was for this reason that the Four Universe Pillars were usually given to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“You can bring this ring to the Merit Hall. It should get you a lot of Military Merits,” Ding Yao said impassively.
Yang Kai turned to Zhong Liang, “Is it… alright to do so?”
After all, he wasn’t the one who killed those enemies. These corpses were given to him by Ding Yao. If he really brought the ring to the Merit Hall, it would be akin to taking Military Merits that supposedly belonged to Ding Yao. That was why he felt uneasy about it.
Zhong Liang chuckled upon hearing that, “It’s definitely alright to do so. Just take it. Your Martial Uncle Ding doesn’t like to owe anyone a favour.”
“But… there are too many corpses here.” Yang Kai felt that the ring in his hand was quite heavy. He didn’t count those corpses, but he reckoned that there were several tens of thousands of them in total. Even though most of them were Low-Rank and High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen, there were also quite a number of Feudal Lords. He could get a staggering number of Military Merits by bringing this ring to the Merit Hall.
Ding Yao coughed, “If you feel like you have to give me something in return, I do have a request.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Please ask, Sir.”
Ding Yao went on to say, “If it’s alright for you, I’d like to get some Humans from your Small Universe.”
After a cultivator ascended to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, his Small Universe would materialise, thus giving him the ability to raise living beings inside his body. Doing this would allow the living creatures to help increase the heritage in their Small Universe as time passed. It would help the cultivator shorten cultivation time and grow faster.
Ding Yao already had this ability thousands of years ago; however, the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield was perilous, and every time the Black Ink Clan’s Army invaded, he had to personally fight against powerful enemies, which sometimes resulted in his Small Universe being shaken. If there were living creatures in his Small Universe when that happened, many would be killed.
Nevertheless, things were different now. With the World Spring’s presence, his Small Universe was firm and impenetrable. Even if he had to deal with formidable enemies, his Small Universe would be safe and sound.
Ding Yao was still quite some distance away from the Ninth Order, so it was expected that he wanted to raise some living beings in his Small Universe to shorten the time until his next breakthrough.
In the entire Blue Sky Pass, only Yang Kai had living creatures in his Small Universe, so he was the only one who could help Ding Yao.
Yang Kai instantly realised Ding Yao’s intentions when he heard that, “Do you want to raise living creatures in your Small Universe, Sir?”
“Yes,” Ding Yao nodded.
Yang Kai went on to say, “Since you have the World Spring to protect your Small Universe now, you’re indeed able to start raising living creatures safely. However, rather than Humans, I can offer you a better option.”
“A better option?” Ding Yao arched his brow. Zhong Liang also gazed at him with surprise.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai waved his hand and the portal to his Small Universe opened up. A moment later, a knee-high stony living creature appeared before him.
Presently, the creature appeared puzzled as he had no idea why he’d appeared in this place; however, it was apparent that he was a simple-minded creature with low sentience. He soon ignored the people around him and started strolling around.
“What’s this?” Ding Yao examined him with a frown.
Zhong Liang was also looking at the stone creature with curiosity.
Neither of them had seen such a special creature before, so their interest had been piqued.
“I call them the Small Stone Race. They were discovered in a New Great Territory.”
“A New Great Territory?” Ding Yao was astounded.
Yang Kai nodded, then explained to him the Small Stone Race’s background. Ding Yao and the others were amazed as they had never expected that a New Great Territory had been found in the 3,000 Worlds.
“Compared to Humans, raising these Small Stone Race members can give us more benefits. Assuming that there are equal numbers of Humans and Small Stone Race members, the latter can help increase the heritage of our Small Universe roughly 10 times quicker.”
“10 times quicker?” Zhong Liang exclaimed as a myriad of expressions came over him, “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” Yang Kai nodded.
“Why is that?” Zhong Liang was puzzled.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I have no idea either. Although they’ve been living inside my Small Universe for many years now, I still don’t know the reason behind it. I can only say that these special living creatures are beneficial to the Small Universes of cultivators like us; therefore, if you want to raise living creatures in your Small Universe, I’d recommend these Small Stone Race members. As for Humans, I have the World Tree’s clone in my Small Universe now, and with its nourishment, many geniuses will appear after three to five generations.”
Ding Yao’s eyes brightened, “It’s best to have these Small Stone Race members then. However, how many of them can you give me?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “You can have as many as you want. In fact, it’s not hard to raise these little guys. They multiply quickly, sharing similar characteristics to ants. As long as there’s a queen ant and enough food, you don’t have to worry about increasing their number. With that said, it takes quite a lot of materials to raise them. It might not have been possible in Blue Sky Pass in the past, but it shouldn’t be an issue now. I suppose those First, Second, and Third-Order materials are basically useless. Small Stone Race members are not picky when it comes to what you feed them.”
Ding Yao exchanged glances with Zhong Liang, then turned to Yang Kai and nodded, “I’ll listen to you, then.”
Certainly, Yang Kai didn’t have any objections. He then started taking some Small Stone Race members out of his Small Universe.
It took him several days to finally fish out a little more than half of the Small Stone Race members from his Small Universe. It was then that Ding Yao was satisfied.
With these Small Stone Race members as a foundation, they would certainly multiply quickly in his Small Universe as long as there were sufficient materials. As time passed, it would save him a lot of cultivation time and help him ascend to the Ninth Order earlier.
Ding Yao soon left. Even though he had killed a lot of Black Ink Clansmen and returned alive, he was injured after all. Moreover, with so many Small Stone Race members in his Small Universe now, he had to spend some time studying them, so he didn’t remain for long.
On the other hand, Zhong Liang wasn’t in a rush to leave. He gazed at Yang Kai and asked caringly, “Are you sure you can resist Black Ink Strength without the World Spring?”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai chuckled, “Have you forgotten about it, Sir? I still have a lot of Black Ink Strength suppressed in my Small Universe. I would have fallen into danger instead of still looking safe and sound if I were unable to resist the Black Ink Strength.”
Zhong Liang was startled as he soon recalled it. Finding it regretful, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
In fact, he hoped that the World Tree’s clone wouldn’t have the same effects as the World Spring so that Yang Kai would have to stay in Blue Sky Pass instead of running around everywhere; however, he knew that his wishes wouldn’t always be granted. It had come to a point where there was nothing he could do to change the situation.
“By the way, I should give this back to you.” As Yang Kai spoke, he fished out a box and passed it to Zhong Liang.
A doubtful Zhong Liang took the box, and upon opening it, he asked in shock, “You didn’t consume it?”
The thing inside the box was the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit he had given to Yang Kai some time ago.
Yang Kai nodded, “The World Tree clone is able to repair damage to my Small Universe, so I don’t need to consume this fruit. My Small Universe has almost fully healed now. This fruit is rare in the Inner Sanctum, so it should be given to another fellow Brother or Sister who needs it.”
Zhong Liang was astounded as he muttered, “I didn’t expect the clone to have this effect.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I just found out about it not long ago.”
Certainly, Yang Kai wouldn’t joke around about such an issue. Zhong Liang couldn’t help but think that the World Tree was truly amazing. Just a clone could bring so many benefits with it. What surprises would there be if someone could refine the Mother Tree itself?
With that said, he knew that it couldn’t possibly happen; after all, the Mother Tree was hiding in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, where not just anyone could enter. This Sealed World had always been elusive, and no one knew where or when it would appear. Entering was basically a matter of luck.
Eventually, Zhong Liang left with the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit. Yang Kai passed the ring that was full of Black Ink Clan corpses to Feng Ying and told her to bring it to the Merit Hall to exchange for Military Merits. He didn’t intend to keep the Military Merits to himself; instead, he decided to keep it in Dawn Squad’s account. After all, it required some Military Merits every time Dawning Light was repaired, so he had to be prepared for future emergencies.
After Feng Ying left, Yang Kai started cultivating in seclusion again, for his Small Universe hadn’t fully healed yet. However, with the World Tree clone’s presence, repairing his Small Universe wasn’t really an issue.
Another half a year passed before Yang Kai finally felt his Small Universe was complete once more.
After some calculations, Yang Kai realised that it took one year for his Small Universe to fully heal. During this period of time, he could feel that his foundation was slightly unsteady, which resulted in a decrease in his speed of refining materials. He hadn’t fought anyone, but if he had done so, he would’ve realised that his strength had plunged as well.
The Small Universe was the foundation of an Open Heaven Realm Master. Once it was damaged, the cultivator would be affected in many ways.
However, Yang Kai was surprised that the World Tree clone was able to fully repair his Small Universe in just one year, which could be considered rapid. He had asked Feng Ying about the effects of consuming a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit. It was said that after a cultivator consumed a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, while it would immediately patch the damage, it would take one to two years to fully repair a Small Universe. There were even those who spent three to five years or even more than ten years waiting for their Small Universes to fully heal.
It seemed that the clone’s healing ability was greater than that of a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit.
Not only had Yang Kai’s Small Universe been repaired, but his Dragon Bead, which was damaged during the battle against Zhu Feng in the past, had been repaired as well.
Yang Kai had overexerted himself to battle against Zhu Feng Territory Lord. In the end, he was forced to summon his Dragon Bead to deal with the formidable enemy. Even though such a move was powerful, it was also dangerous. The consequences would be dreadful if his Dragon Bead was destroyed.
After the battle, his Dragon Bead was damaged and full of cracks.
Fortunately, the Dragon Bead could be repaired by nourishing it with his Dragon Vein, and as long as he didn’t need to use his Dragon Transformation Secret Art, the problem with the Dragon Bead wouldn’t affect his usual strength.
Over the years, he hadn’t done anything special, but the Dragon Bead became perfect again with the Dragon Vein’s constant nourishment.
In fact, it had become better than in the past. He could clearly feel that the power of his Dragon Vein had improved.
He initially thought that it was just an illusion, but after examining himself, he realised that the power of his Dragon Vein had indeed increased.
The revelation puzzled him.
It was expected that his Dragon Bead would be healed one day, but it came as a complete and pleasant surprise that the power of his Dragon Vein had been strengthened as well.
After examining himself closely, Yang Kai reckoned that his quick recovery and improved strength were thanks to the gift the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer had given him in the past.
Rumour had it that Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were the origins of all Divine Spirits. The Dragon Clan was the leader of all Divine Spirits, so they were supposedly closely related to the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
It was for this reason that, when Yang Kai sought help from Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan to deal with Black Ink Strength, he was given the two marks that could be used to activate Purifying Light. Not everyone could activate the two marks and draw on the powers of Yellow and Blue Crystals to cast this technique.
If Yang Kai was not attuned to the two marks, he still wouldn’t be able to cast Purifying Light even if he had abundant Yellow and Blue Crystals.
Before he left the Chaotic Dead Territory, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan left a mysterious force in his body.
That force was harmless to Yang Kai and wouldn’t improve his cultivation in any way; however, it could stimulate the power of the Dragon Vein in his body and purify his Dragon Clan bloodline.
It was thanks to the help of these supreme beings that the power of his Dragon Vein had increased significantly. Initially, Yang Kai could only transform into a 10,000-metre Dragon after using Dragon Transformation Secret Art, which allowed him to just barely be regarded as a Grand Dragon. After the incident, he could reach 20,000 metres upon using his Dragon Transformation Secret Art. His figure had expanded by two times.
At that time, Yang Kai had a feeling that the mysterious force left behind by Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan in his body hadn’t been depleted and was instead hiding somewhere in his body.
Over the years though, he had never detected the presence of the mysterious force again.
It never crossed his mind that the damage in his Dragon Bead silently triggered it. His Dragon Vein had once again been improved without him noticing.
Yang Kai had no idea how huge his Grand Dragon Form would be after using his Dragon Transformation Secret Art now. Nevertheless, he believed that he would be longer than 20,000 metres.
He decided to use his Dragon Transformation Secret Art and examine the changes he had gone through when he was free one day.
After his Small Universe had healed, Yang Kai could once again refine a set of Seventh-Order materials every half a year, which allowed his heritage to grow rapidly.
Given the speed of his progress, he reckoned that it would take him less than 1,000 years to ascend to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
It was inconceivable that anyone could ascend to the Eighth Order from the Seventh Order in less than 1,000 years. There were a lot of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Blue Sky Pass who had been stuck in the same Order for thousands of years. First of all, they were limited by their own aptitude, and secondly, they hadn’t accumulated enough heritage.
Usually, regardless of how talented a cultivator was, it would take them three or four thousand years to ascend to the Eighth Order from the Seventh Order, while 5,000 years was considered average.
As for ascending to the Ninth Order from the Eighth Order, it would take a cultivator more than 10,000 years to do so. Open Heaven Realm Masters lived long enough to go through such a long process though, so most didn’t think too much of it.
It was because of how difficult it was for an Open Heaven Realm Master to grow their strength that there were not a lot of Ninth-Order Old Ancestors in the Cave Heavens and Paradises even though they had lived for countless years. No one could guarantee that it would always be smooth sailing while they were growing their power either. Even if a person had the chance to make it to the Ninth Order, they might lose their future or even their life if an accident happened.
There were three reasons why it would only take Yang Kai 1,000 years to achieve this same feat. First of all, he had been refining Seventh-Order materials, so he could increase his strength more efficiently. Secondly, the World Tree’s clone in his Small Universe helped increase his refining speed by several times. Lastly, the living creatures residing in his Small Universe continuously helped strengthen his heritage.
All these advantages added up and allowed him to grow his power in the shortest time possible.
Achieving a breakthrough in just 1,000 years was only Yang Kai’s estimation, of course. If he was held up by something during this period of time, it would take him longer to achieve his goal.
Just like he had done previously, Yang Kai would go out and unwind after refining a set of materials every half a year.
A few years went by in the blink of an eye.
When Yang Kai left his room one day, he saw Zhong Liang already waiting for him. It seemed that the latter had predicted the time he would stop cultivating.
Yang Kai was disciplined when it came to cultivating, so it wasn’t hard for anyone to know when he would leave his room.
It had been peaceful in Blue Sky Pass in the past few years, so Yang Kai was surprised to see Zhong Liang waiting for him. He quickly went over and saluted him, “Do you need something, Sir?”
Zhong Liang nodded, “Come with me.”
Despite not knowing what was going on, Yang Kai still hurriedly followed him.
Soon, he realised that Zhong Liang was heading to the Pill Hall.
Someone was already waiting for them outside. It was none other than Tang Qun, whom Yang Kai had met before. At that instant, Yang Kai had a speculation about the reason Zhong Liang had brought him to the Pill Hall.
With Tang Qun leading the way, they soon arrived at a Grand Hall.
Three people were already waiting inside the Grand Hall, and Yang Kai had met two of them before. They were Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang. He had no idea who the last person was, but the latter seemed energetic despite his old age. His aura suggested that he was in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, both Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang were excited as they came over.
Yang Kai saluted them. Even though they were excited, they appeared somewhat tired. Both of them had become much thinner than when Yang Kai met them for the first time.
It had to be noted that they were Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so even though they knew nothing about fighting, they were still fairly powerful. It wasn’t certain what caused them to go through such a transformation over the years.
Zhong Liang introduced the third old man to Yang Kai, “He’s the Hall Master of the Pill Hall, Fu Zhou.”
Yang Kai saluted him again, “So it is Senior Fu.”
Fu Zhou ran his fingers through his beard with a smile, “A talented young man indeed.”
The ever-impatient Zhu Ge Ming said, “Cut to the chase. We’re here for a pill test.”
Zhou Fang nodded repeatedly on the side.
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai realised that his speculation was right. Pleasantly surprised, he asked, “Have you completed the pill recipe for the Purifying Black Ink Pill?”
It had been a few years since he passed the incomplete pill recipe to these two Alchemy Grandmasters, and he would ask about the progress from time to time. Things seemed to be going well in the beginning, but they started facing some difficulties in the later stage. Those from the Pill Hall were unable to complete the pill recipe easily.
However, Zhu Ge Ming’s words suggested that not only had they completed the recipe, but they had also successfully refined some Purifying Black Ink Pills.
Zhou Fang nodded and replied, “We’ve completed the pill recipe and made some Purifying Black Ink Pills; however, we have to give it a test to find out whether it’s effective. We’ve asked you to come here to take part in the pill test.”
Yang Kai nodded as he finally understood why Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang appeared exhausted. They must have continuously exerted themselves to complete the pill recipe while experiencing countless failures. It was no wonder that they were worn out after years of such an endeavour.
Certainly, Yang Kai wouldn’t object to a pill test, for he also wanted Purifying Black Ink Pills to be mass-produced as soon as possible, so he asked, “What do you want me to do?”
Zhong Liang replied, “Since we have to find out the effectiveness of the Purifying Black Ink Pill, we have to let someone become corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Obviously, we don’t keep Black Ink Strength in the Inner Sanctum, but I know you have quite a lot of it in your Small Universe. We need you to use that Black Ink Strength. It will be fine if the experiment is successful; however, if the pill is not effective, we’ll need you to activate Purifying Light to help.”
“Understood.” Yang Kai nodded, then asked, “Who will receive the Black Ink Strength, then?”
Zhu Ge Ming immediately took a step forward, “Me!”
Zhou Fang directly pushed him aside, “Back down old fart. I’ll handle it.”
A furious Zhu Ge Ming snapped, “How dare an old fart like you call me old!? Take a piss and look at your own reflection first!”
Zhou Fang scoffed, “I’m younger than you by 300 years, so you should give a young person like me a chance.”
The corner of Zhu Ge Ming’s mouth twitched, “How do you have the nerve to call yourself a young person?”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded, thinking that they even had to compete against one another over such a trivial matter. It seemed that these Grandmasters were truly on bad terms.
Fu Zhou said with a smile, “I’m sorry for the farce, Little Friend. This matter has something to do with the effectiveness of Purifying Black Ink Pills, so it’ll be helpful to personally go through the experience. However, Junior Brother Zhou has a point. This matter is important, and we should give young people a chance.”
Then, he turned his head to the side, “You do it, Tang Qun.”
Tang Qun had been silently watching the show. Since the two Grandmasters were arguing, he didn’t have the nerve to say anything. In fact, he had remained silent after he led Yang Kai and Zhong Liang to this place. He hadn’t expected that Fu Zhou would call out to him at this point.
After being startled for a moment, he cupped his fist respectfully, “Yes.”
Since Fu Zhou had given the order, Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang wouldn’t dare to have any objection.
Yang Kai then fished out a bit of Black Ink Strength from his Small Universe and gazed at Tang Qun, “Tell me when you’re ready.”
Tang Qun took a deep breath, as though he was ready to sacrifice his life, “You can start now, Senior Brother.”
Yang Kai raised his hand and pushed the Black Ink Strength on him.
Tang Qun instantly opened up his Small Universe and accepted it.
The next instant, he shuddered and appeared to be struggling. Through the Small Universe’s portal, they could clearly see that as the Black Ink Strength seeped through the Small Universe that hadn’t materialised, the darkness spread around quickly. Just moments later, Black Ink Strength started billowing from Tang Qun’s skin, and even his eyes had been dyed black.
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he had some resistance against Black Ink Strength, so he wouldn’t be corrupted as soon as he came into contact with it. However, this was just a pill test, so he didn’t intend to resist. Instead, he tried to lead the Black Ink Strength to invade his entire body, which was why he was rapidly corrupted.
With little sanity left, he growled with difficulty, “Sirs… I’m about to lose control!”
As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes became completely black. The next moment, he roared with a ferocious expression and attempted to land a fist on Zhu Ge Ming, who was nearest to him.
Tang Qun was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so his attack was undoubtedly intimidating; however, he didn’t manage to hurt Zhu Ge Ming one bit, for Zhong Liang abruptly appeared beside him and placed a palm on his shoulder, instantly rendering him completely immovable.
Despite that, Tang Qun kept a hideous expression on his face as he continued to struggle.
This situation was within their expectations. Open Heaven Realm Masters who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength were destined to go against the Human Race; however, Yang Kai hadn’t expected that they would go all out in this pill test.
Even if the Purifying Black Ink Pill was not effective, he still had Purifying Light to save Tang Qun. Nevertheless, this certainly wouldn’t be an enjoyable experience for the latter.
It was no wonder that Fu Zhou refused to allow Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang to give it a try; after all, both of them were in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If they were really corrupted by Black Ink Strength, Zhong Liang would probably have to wound them seriously before he could subdue them.
Tang Qun was just a Sixth-Order Master, so they could take control of the situation by letting him become contaminated by Black Ink Strength.
Seeing that Tang Qun was subdued, Fu Zhou quickly took a step forward with a nail-sized Spirit Pill between his fingers and pried the younger man’s mouth open. After stuffing the pill into his mouth, he gently landed his own palm on the younger man’s chest.
Tang Qun was forced to gulp down the pill. Fu Zhou activated his power to help him refine the medicinal efficacies. All of them stared fixedly at Tang Qun as they wanted to find out whether the Purifying Black Ink Pill was effective.
A moment later, Zhu Ge Ming suddenly exclaimed, “It’s useful!”
Zhou Fang was evidently relieved as well.
The Purifying Black Ink Pill was indeed useful. As the medicinal efficacies were refined, they could see that the Black Ink Strength inside Tang Qun’s Small Universe became thinner.
Tang Qun also became less hostile towards them.
They observed him with hopeful gazes; however, the Black Ink Strength then stopped decreasing. When the medicinal efficacies of the Purifying Black Ink Pill were all gone, Tang Qun started growling and struggling again.
Zhu Ge Ming almost went mad as he pulled at his grey hair, muttering under his breath, “How can this be? How is it possible that it doesn’t work?”
Zhou Fang also appeared dejected as he was beside himself.
The two of them had spent several years exerting themselves to complete the Purifying Black Ink Pill recipe. During that period of time, they had experienced countless failures and consumed innumerable herbs. They initially thought that the pill would work, but the outcome turned out to be disappointing.
This had dealt a heavy blow to them.
Zhong Liang frowned and sent a signal to Yang Kai with his eyes.
Upon getting his hint, Yang Kai activated Purifying Light and engulfed Tang Qun with it.
Under the pure light, the Black Ink Strength in Tang Qun’s body rapidly dissipated as he regained his sanity; however, it was apparent that he was exhausted after the incident as his forehead was beaded with sweat.
Zhu Ge Ming and Zhou Fang came to their senses as they quickly asked Tang Qun about his experience just now.
Although Tang Qun had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength, he still remembered everything that happened, so he told them what he had gone through just now.
Upon hearing this, the two Alchemy Grandmasters fell into their thoughts.
A moment later, Zhu Ge Ming said, “Give it one more try. This time, don’t let him get completely corrupted by Black Ink Strength. There’s no problem with the pill recipe of Purifying Black Ink Pill, but the effects might not be the same as what we had imagined.”
Zhou Fang nodded, “That’s right.”
Fu Zhou gazed at Tang Qun, “Can you persevere?”
Tang Qun nodded, “I can make one more attempt.”
Fu Zhou then turned to Yang Kai, “Sorry for troubling you again, Little Friend Yang.”
“Don’t mention it, Hall Master.” As Yang Kai spoke, he stared at Tang Qun and took out a bit of Black Ink Strength again.
Just as he did earlier, Tang Qun opened up his Small Universe and accepted it. This time though, Zhu Ge Ming quickly passed him a Purifying Black Ink Pill. Tang Qun consumed it and refined the medicinal efficacies on his own.
They could see that as the medicinal efficacies of the Purifying Black Ink Pill spread, the Black Ink Strength in Yang Qun’s Small Universe started melting away like the snow under the scorching Sun.
All of them were thrilled upon seeing that.
After Tang Qun got to his feet, they thoroughly examined his Small Universe and confirmed that there was no Black Ink Strength left.
Zhu Ge Ming chuckled, “I told you that there’s no way it wouldn’t work! This must be how the pill should be used.”
Zhou Fang nodded, “You have a point. However, we can only come to a conclusion after carrying out more experiments.”
Zhu Ge Ming replied, “That’s right.”
They spoke in an oblique manner, and although Yang Kai had some speculations, he couldn’t be certain about them. Regardless, he reckoned that Tang Qun would have to suffer in the coming days.
In the days that followed, Yang Kai stayed in the Pill Hall to help with the pill tests. For this purpose, Zhong Liang arranged more than 10 Open Heaven Realm Masters of different Orders to come over and take part in the experiments.
It would be miserable for Tang Qun if he was the only one who had to experience all the hardship.
The experiments over the next few days showed that the Purifying Black Ink Pills were useful, but their effects were limited. After a person was invaded by Black Ink Strength, it would be best for them to consume a Purifying Black Ink Pill as soon as possible; that way, they would stand a greater chance of retaining their sanity.
Once they were completely corrupted by Black Ink Strength, it would be too late for them to consume a Purifying Black Ink Pill.
The reason it turned out to be a failure on the first try was that Tang Qun had been totally corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, so the Purifying Black Ink Pill was unable to help him restore his rationality.
Despite that, it could be considered that they had successfully made Purifying Black Ink Pills. That was wonderful news for the Human Race.
Before Yang Kai’s arrival in the Black Ink Battlefield, the Humans from the Great Passes had no way to deal with Black Ink Strength. Once a person was corrupted, he or she would either be turned into a Black Ink Disciple or have to give up a part of their Small Universe. This resulted in the Humans from different Great Passes seeing their powers plunging or even regressing to a lower Order. There were a lot of people who dropped from the Sixth Order to the Fifth Order as a result, and it wasn’t rare to see people who fell to the Sixth Order from the Seventh Order either.
Then came the day when Yang Kai Purifying Light brought with him, which could even save the people who had been Black Ink Disciples for a long time. The Humans from the Great Passes were heartened as each Great Pass created their own Purifying Black Ink Battleships. The ships were then brought to Blue Sky Pass by the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters so that Yang Kai could infuse Purifying Light into them.
However, only Yang Kai was able to use Purifying Light, it required specific materials to cast the Secret Technique, which they would use up sooner or later.
How were the Humans going to resist Black Ink Strength when that time came?
The rebirth of Purifying Black Ink Pills came at the perfect time. Even though it was not as powerful as Purifying Light, they could be universally used and were easily produced.
Those from Blue Sky Pass could just spread the pill recipe around, and the Alchemists from different Great Passes could begin refining the pills.
With Purifying Black Ink Pills as the most commonly used treatment, Purifying Light could serve as a backup move. When the Humans were corrupted by Black Ink Strength in the future, they wouldn’t be powerless to resist.
Since time immemorial, Black Ink Strength had always been the Black Ink Clan’s biggest advantage. Once this advantage was gone, the Black Ink Clan would be like a tiger without teeth, no longer so intimidating.
The Alchemy Grandmasters in the Pill Hall were ecstatic. While they planned to mass-produce the Purifying Black Ink Pills, they also vowed to improve the pill recipe so that even the Black Ink Disciples could be saved. Only then would the Purifying Black Ink Pills be considered truly complete.
This was an ambitious plan that couldn’t be achieved in a short time; however, the pill recipe was soon spread around and the Alchemy Grandmasters from all the different Great Passes would definitely study it. Perhaps Purifying Black Ink Pills that would be effective on Black Ink Disciples would be successfully developed one day.
The pill tests this time could be considered a success.
Zhong Liang took the pill recipe as he was ready to send it to the Great Passes through the Hyper Space Array. Certainly, those from the Pill Hall had no objection.
On the other hand, a lot of Alchemists in the Pill Hall had gathered together as they were ready to mass-produce Purifying Black Ink Pills. Fortunately, after Yang Kai passed the tattered pill recipe to the Pill Hall back then, he told Tang Qun to start growing more Obsidian Grass and Green Feather Rattan. Now, they were not lacking ingredients for refining the pills. Nevertheless, the demand for those herbs would only grow in the coming years.
As Yang Kai and Zhong Liang left the Pill Hall, they remained silent.
All of a sudden, Zhong Liang let out a laugh. A puzzled Yang Kai asked humbly, “What’s so amusing, Sir?”
With his hands behind his back, Zhong Liang replied, “I just find it exhilarating that we’ll be able to go all out to deal with the Black Ink Clan with Purifying Black Ink Pills in possession one day.”
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai nodded, “That is indeed an exciting prospect.”
Zhong Liang let out a sigh, “Humans have been fighting against the Black Ink Clan for countless years. We are restricted in many ways because it is difficult to deal with Black Ink Strength. Even though you’ve brought Purifying Light to us, and it’s more effective than Purifying Black Ink Pills, these pills are more useful than Purifying Light on the battlefield.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I understand.”
It was just like what happened in the resource harvesting area where forward base 4 was located. In the final battle, the Purifying Black Ink Battleship, which contained Purifying Light, was stationed back at the forward base, a two-day journey away. The cultivators who had been invaded by Black Ink Strength had to look for a chance to use the Universe Transference Law to return to the Purifying Black Ink Battleship in the forward base in order to be treated, taking them off the battlefield for quite some time.
Activating the Universe Transference Law required a few breaths of time, during which the person using it could not be disturbed; otherwise, it would definitely fail.
Even if the person successfully activated the Universe Transference Law and returned to the Purifying Black Ink Battleship in the forward base, it would take them two days to return to the battlefield. The battle would have ended by then; in which case, it was no different from weakening the Human Army.
However, things would be different if every Human soldier who fought against the Black Ink Clan had several Purifying Black Ink Pills with them. Even if they were invaded by Black Ink Strength, they wouldn’t turn into Black Ink Disciples as long as they could quickly consume a Purifying Black Ink Pill, allowing them to stay on the battlefield and continue fighting.
Therefore, Purifying Black Ink Pills would be more useful and convenient than Purifying Light on the battlefield.
“Since your arrival in the Inner Sanctum, Blue Sky Pass has become the centre of attention of all Humans. We’ve been in the limelight,” Zhong Liang let out a laugh again.
A puzzled Yang Kai asked, “What do you mean?”
Zhong Liang replied, “You see, you were the one who brought Purifying Light to us. When the news spread, the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from different Great Passes personally brought their Purifying Black Ink Battleships to Blue Sky Pass. That was the first event. Then, you came up with the Void Yin-Yang Mirrors, and we were the ones who informed the Humans from different Great Passes about their refinement method. That was the second event. Now, we’ve successfully developed Purifying Black Ink Pills. The pill recipe will be sent to the other Great Passes, and once they get it, they will all be over the Moon and grateful to Blue Sky Pass. That’s the reason we’re the centre of attention, and you’re the one who has brought us such glory.”
“It is this Junior’s duty, nothing more.”
Zhong Liang shook his head, “In the past, I’d never expected that one person could single-handedly change the status quo on this vast battlefield. As I grew older and started losing hope, there came a day when you arrived and changed everything.”
“Perhaps I’m just lucky.” Yang Kai put on a smile.
Zhong Liang flashed a smile at him as well, “It’s not just about luck. Perhaps we’ll finally see some changes on this seemingly never-changing battlefield. Never mind, let’s not talk about it. Is everything going well with your cultivation?” He suddenly changed the topic.
Yang Kai replied, “Everything’s fine.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “I can see that your aura has become denser compared to several years ago. It’s apparent that your power has increased significantly; however, the cultivation of an Open Heaven Realm Master is a process of accumulation. Hence, you must not be too proud or impatient. Don’t try to run before you can walk. You just ascended to the Seventh Order several years ago, so there’s no rush for you to try to make it to the Eighth Order. Given your aptitude and heritage, it will naturally happen when the time comes. If it’s not the right time yet, it’s pointless for you to work excessively hard.”
Yang Kai replied respectfully, “I understand.”
Zhong Liang went on to say, “Since you understand, there’s no rush for you to continue cultivating. There’s something I need you to do.”
“What is it?” Yang Kai gazed at him.
Zhong Liang replied, “Several years ago, you opened up 11 portals to Sealed Worlds in the resource harvesting area around forward base 4. Did Cha Hu tell you that the Sealed Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield tend to be clustered?”
Yang Kai nodded, “He did mention it.”
“Good.” Zhong Liang ran his fingers through his beard, “The thing is, we’ve found quite a number of Sealed Worlds in different places in the Blue Sky Theatre in the past. Most of the time, we could only find one to two Sealed Worlds in any given place, but we suspect that there are still a lot of hidden Sealed Worlds around the places where Sealed Worlds were previously found. It’s just that we didn’t have the means to look for the hidden portals. Hence, we’re unable to extract the resources in those Sealed Worlds.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai said, “Do you want me to go to the places where Sealed Worlds were previously found to look for hidden portals?”
“En,” Zhong Liang nodded, “You’re a Master of the Dao of Space, so it shouldn’t be difficult for you to find more hidden portals. There are a lot of valuable items in those Sealed Worlds, after all. Just getting more Profound Yin Spirit Fruit Trees would be extremely useful to the Inner Sanctum.”
Upon listening to his intention, Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, I’ll get prepared and set off.”
Zhong Liang waved his hand, “There’s no need to get prepared. Just set off now. I’ve informed Dawn Squad about it, and they’re waiting for you outside the Inner Sanctum. You just have to join them. I’ve asked someone to tell Feng Ying about the places where Sealed Worlds were previously found. She’ll lead you there.”
Yang Kai was stunned as he had never expected Zhong Liang to be so well prepared. He had even informed Dawn about it, so it was apparent that he didn’t intend to let Yang Kai continue cultivating; however, since it was his order, Yang Kai naturally wouldn’t disobey. He then cupped his fist and said, “I’ll get going now, then.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “There’s no rush in dealing with this matter. You can come back when you’re done with it. On the other hand, when you’re handling this matter, no one from the Inner Sanctum will contact you. Unless you fall into danger, you won’t have to inform us about whatever you do. Be safe when you’re outside.”
A puzzled Yang Kai responded and left. He had a feeling that Zhong Liang was acting strangely, but he couldn’t really tell what was off.
After he was gone, a figure abruptly appeared beside Zhong Liang. The person was none other than the Eastern Army Commander, Ding Yao.
“Has he left?” Ding Yao asked.
Zhong Liang nodded, “Yes.” Then, he asked, “Where’s that old fart surnamed Tang?”
Ding Yao shrugged, “Shen Tu is dealing with him now.”
Zhong Liang frowned, “What’s that old fart up to, coming all the way here to Blue Sky Pass?”
Ding Yao shook his head, “Tang Qiu never said anything; however, he’s an Eighth-Order Master, so he must have used a lot of resources to be sent to this place from Yin-Yang Pass. He certainly wouldn’t come here for no reason.”
Zhong Liang scowled, “Could it be what we think? He’s here to lure Yang Boy to his side seeing that he created so many wonderful things?”
Ding Yao instantly sported a ferocious expression, “How dare he!”
“Regardless of whether he has the guts to do so, I reckon that it’s indeed his intention. He already expressed such intentions when he visited previously. It’s just that Yang Boy didn’t leave with him. Since he has come all the way here again this time, it’s clear to us what he’s up to. In any case, Yang Boy is considered a member of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven while Tang Qiu is an Eighth-Order Ancestor from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as well as an Army Commander of Yin-Yang Pass, so it’s expected that he wants to bring Yang Boy back with him.”
“Once a member of Blue Sky Pass, always a member of Blue Sky Pass!” Ding Yao snorted, “If that old fart surnamed Tang really has his eyes on Yang Boy, I’ll definitely beat him up.”
Zhong Liang shot him a glance, “I’ll be looking forward to it, then. Don’t back down when the time comes.”
Ding Yao scoffed in response.
Zhong Liang chuckled, “Let’s go probe that old fart first. It’s been a few days since he arrived, so we can’t possibly keep ignoring him.”
Meanwhile, Shen Tu Mo was accompanying a middle-aged man who was clad in simple clothes. They were having a chat while walking around. Nevertheless, Shen Tu Mo remained impassive and didn’t speak much while the middle-aged man was apparently the more talkative one.
This middle-aged man named Tang Qiu was the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven whom Yang Kai had met before. He was also an Army Commander.
When Tang Qiu brought the Purifying Black Ink Battleships refined by Yin-Yang Pass to Blue Sky Pass back then, he met up with Yang Kai. He had also brought Xu Ling Gong with him.
A moment later, Tang Qiu suddenly stopped in his tracks and put on a bitter smile, “Brother Shen Tu, it seems that I’m not welcome in Blue Sky Pass. I’m truly saddened.”
There was a dispassionate expression on Shen Tu Mo’s face as he replied, “We’ve always been sincere and welcoming to our friends; however, if it’s an enemy, he’ll be greeted by the Secret Techniques of our several ten thousand soldiers.”
The corners of Tang Qiu’s face twitched, “Why is this Tang an enemy of Blue Sky Pass?”
Shen Tu Mo turned around, showing only his profile, “Brother Tang, it’s up to you whether you want to be our friend or foe.”
A speechless Tang Qiu broke into laughter, “I don’t understand, Brother Shen Tu. Please make it clear to me.”
Shen Tu Mo shook his head in silence.
Tang Qiu let out a sigh, “Forget it. Since you don’t welcome me here, I’ll leave now.”
“Farewell!” Shen Tu Mo extended his hand, as though he was eager to see him leave.
Tang Qiu’s chest heaved with fury. He suppressed his anger and said resentfully, “I’ll definitely leave, but there’s one person I have to see before that.”
Shen Tu Mo looked cautiously at him, “Who do you want to see?”
Tang Qiu replied, “Yang Kai!”
“You’ve finally revealed your ulterior motive, Old Fart! I knew you were up to no good coming all the way here to Blue Sky Pass! You’re really here to snatch Yang Kai!” Someone was heard growling. The next moment, two figures descended from the sky. They were none other than Zhong Liang and Ding Yao, who happened to arrive and hear what Tang Qiu had just said.
The moment they landed on the ground, Zhong Liang turned to Ding Yao, “Haven’t you heard what he said, Brother Ding? What are you waiting for?”
Ding Yao balled up his fist and palmed it loudly.
An alerted Tang Qiu yelled, “What are you trying to do?”
It wasn’t until this moment that he realised that three Army Commanders of Blue Sky Pass had surrounded him, causing him to sweat.
Ding Yao grinned in an eerie manner, “Well, it’s our duty to beat up anyone who’s ill-intentioned here.”
Tang Qiu was dumbfounded, “Why do you think this Tang is ill-intentioned?”
Zhong Liang snorted, “You failed in your attempt to get Yang Kai to go to your side previously, so we never expected that you would still have the nerve to come try again! It seems that we’ve been too magnanimous. You probably won’t learn your lesson unless we beat you up!”
Tang Qiu quickly raised his hands, “Wait a moment. That’s not this Tang’s intention! The reason I want to see Yang Kai is that one of the Purifying Black Ink Battleships from Yin-Yang Pass has run out of Purifying Light, so I’d like him to help replenish it.”
“Do you think I’ll believe you?” Zhong Liang sneered and waved his hand, “Kill!”
Three figures instantly shot towards him like they were arrows.
“You…” Tang Qiu was flabbergasted as he hadn’t expected that they would really dare to make a move. He was already surrounded by them, to begin with, and he had missed the best chance to escape. How was he supposed to counterattack at this moment?
He clumsily dodged their attacks, but to no avail.
Fortunately, these four Eighth-Order Army Commanders didn’t forget the fact that they were in the Inner Sanctum, so they made sure that their powers didn’t leak beyond a radius of 10 metres. Despite that, it was still a world-shaking battle.
A moment later, Tang Qiu, whose face was all bruised, found himself literally backed into a corner. Faced with three towering figures, he had no way to flee.
All of them were Eighth-Order Army Commanders, so they would be equally matched if they were in a one-on-one fight. However, how was he supposed to be a match for the three of them on his own?
If he hadn’t given up resisting early on, he would’ve been badly injured by now.
“Tell us what you’re up to by coming all the way here to Blue Sky Pass,” Zhong Liang looked down at him in a condescending manner.
Tang Qiu’s face twitched, “Brother Zhong, I’m really here to ask Yang Kai to replenish the Purifying Light.”
“Stop lying!” Zhong Liang directly cut him off, “If you really wanted to replenish the Purifying Light, you could’ve asked a Seventh-Order Junior to come over. You didn’t have to personally come here. Are there too many resources in Yin-Yang Pass for you to squander? It’s far more costly for an Eighth-Order Master to use the Space Array than a Seventh-Order one.”
At this point, his voice turned grim, “Something major must have happened in Yin-Yang Pass that prompted you to personally come over.”
Ding Yao asked, “What does that have to do with Yang Kai? Why do you insist on seeing him?”
There was a helpless smile on Tang Qiu’s face, “You never believed what I said…”
“Brother Tang!” Zhong Liang’s expression turned solemn, “If you do not want to tell us the truth, you can return now.”
A myriad of expressions came over Tang Qiu but eventually, he let out a sigh, “Fine. Things have come to a point where I have no choice but to tell you the truth. Do you have a quiet place we can talk?”
Zhong Liang and Ding Yao exchanged glances, thinking that the matter Tang Qiu was about to bring up must be serious; otherwise, he wouldn’t be acting so cautious.
“Come with me,” Zhong Liang said and led the way.
Soon, the four of them arrived at a certain hall.
After the door was closed, the restrictions were activated to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
Zhong Liang gazed at Tang Qiu, “Brother Tang, you can be completely honest with us. Even though we’re from different Great Passes, we’re all Humans. If there’s anything we can help you with, we won’t turn you down.”
Tang Qiu let out a long breath. He then fished out a jade slip and flicked his fingers, “Before we get to the main topic, I want you to have a look at this first.”
He exerted just the right amount of force with his fingers as the jade slip exploded in mid-air and turned into dots of light. Instead of dissipating though, the dots of light kept changing forms and transformed into a scene.
There was no doubt that this was a profound method. He used a Divine Ability to seal the scene that had happened before inside a jade slip, and he could show it to others whenever he wanted.
It wasn’t certain where on the Black Ink Battlefield the place was, but they could see that it was somewhere in the void.
In the scene, arrays were seen flickering on a Warship that belonged to Humans. As the arrays operated, attacks were continuously sent out.
Up ahead, there was another Warship that was fleeing as it counterattacked from time to time.
Nevertheless, this Warship was different from the ones owned by Humans that Zhong Liang and the others were familiar with. It was huge and rough. Even though it couldn’t frequently launch an attack, every strike that came from the vessel was intimidating.
Around the Warships were some Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who were locked in an intense battle with Feudal Lords.
Zhong Liang and the others stared fixedly at the larger Warship. Even though the image they saw was not very clear, there were apparently some burly Black Ink Clansmen who were moving around on the Warship.
Their expressions became increasingly solemn as they watched the scene.
After the intense battle lasted for a while, the larger ship suddenly started rumbling. The next moment, the Arrays on the warship exploded as they were not stable to begin with. They were all damaged in an instant, and without the Arrays, the larger Warship was like a tiger without teeth, no longer able to attack or defend.
The Warship belonging to the Humans seized the chance to continuously attack the vessel until it exploded, killing countless Black Ink Clansmen who were aboard the vessel.
After defeating the vessel, the Warship belonging to the Humans turned around and assisted the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Feudal Lords had no choice but to flee.
The scene ended here as the points of light disappeared.
The hall turned dead silent as the atmosphere grew solemn.
A long time later, Zhong Liang asked, “Was it made by the Black Ink Clan?”
“Yes.” Tang Qiu nodded.
“When did it happen?”
“Three months ago. A Squad from Yin-Yang Pass was patrolling the area and came across it. The Squad Leader realised that it was a serious issue, so he used a Secret Technique to capture the scene. That was what you saw just now.”
Zhong Liang frowned, “Had no one discovered it before that?”
Tang Qiu shook his head, “No. Based on our observations, the Warship made by the Black Ink Clan was not very reliable. That was the reason such an accident happened during the battle, allowing us to destroy it.”
“Even though it’s not reliable, they’re already capable of making such a thing.” Zhong Liang let out a long breath, “There will come a day when the Black Ink Clan might be able to field a Warship that is reliable enough to use in combat. If that happens, our greatest advantage will be gone for good.”
The Humans and the Black Ink Clan had been fighting each other on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless years, and they each had their own advantages. The biggest advantage that the Black Ink Clan had was the Black Ink Strength. Before Yang Kai brought Purifying Light to them, the Humans had suffered great losses because of Black Ink Strength.
On the other hand, the biggest advantage that the Humans had was their Warships.
With the help of these Warships, the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could display power on par with the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the battlefield; what’s more, as long as the Warship was not damaged, its crew wouldn’t be at risk.
Therefore, regardless of which Great Pass war broke out around, the Humans would always suffer fewer losses than the Black Ink Clan.
Most of the time, in smaller skirmishes, there wouldn’t be any casualties on the Humans’ side. That was because they had Warships, which could be used for defending and attacking.
The Black Ink Clan had always coveted Human Warships, and they had been trying to develop such vessels for a long time; however, due to a lack of talented people, they hadn’t been able to achieve it.
After all, not just any Artifact Refiner could refine a Warship. In the entire Blue Sky Pass, fewer than 10 people were able to build a Warship, and they were always well protected, never being allowed to step onto the battlefield lest they be corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
It was because of this reason that the method of refining Warships had always been kept in the hands of the Humans. There was nothing that the Black Ink Clan could do about it.
Yang Kai had brought Purifying Light and Purifying Black Ink Pills to the Human Race. With these two items in possession, the Humans would have a bright future as the advantage that the Black Ink Clan had relied on for years would be weakened.
However, the news that Tang Qiu had brought with him made Zhong Liang and the others feel their hearts sinking. If the Black Ink Clan could really make their own Warships one day, the advantage that the Humans had would be completely undermined.
More importantly, the Black Ink Clan had a massive population. Every time they launched an attack on the Great Passes, the Low-Rank and High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen would serve as mere cannon fodder in order to exhaust the strength of the Human cultivators. The Black Ink Strength left behind after their deaths would turn into Black Ink Clouds and further restrict the Humans.
However, if they had their own Warships, the innumerable Low-Rank and High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen wouldn’t just be cannon fodder anymore. Just like the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they could hide inside Warships and rely on them to exert power far greater than their own.
If the Black Ink Clan had enough Warships and invaded the Great Passes one day, the Humans wouldn’t be able to fend off the enemy anymore.
This notion sent a chill down the spine of anyone who thought about it.
“Do you know who helped them refine it?” Zhong Liang asked in a grim voice.
Tang Qiu replied, “We’ve narrowed it down to about 10 people who could be responsible for creating this vessel, but we’re not sure who it is.”
It was a well-known fact that the Black Ink Clan lacked any aptitude for Artifact Refining. The artifacts they owned were basically all made by Black Ink Disciples. The Warship belonging to the Black Ink Clan that they saw must have been made by a Black Ink Disciple as well.
Since this Black Ink Disciple was somewhat able to refine a Warship, it suggested that they were pretty skilled in the Dao of Artifact Refining.
Usually, such a talent wouldn’t be allowed to step onto the battlefield, but there were always exceptions. Some people might be gifted in the Dao of Artifact Refining, but have never focused on it. Since they wanted to focus on the Martial Dao, they would have to fight against the enemy.
After they were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, they were ordered by the Black Ink Clan to study Artifact Refining, and as time passed, their skills would improve, allowing them to refine a Warship.
It was with this criteria that those from Yin-Yang Pass had narrowed down the list of possible people to a group of 10 who had been confirmed to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
If there was anyone who could help the Black Ink Clan make such a thing, the person must be among these 10.
“What is Yin-Yang Pass’ stance on this?” Ding Yao asked.
Tang Qiu replied, “This matter has far-reaching implications that might change the status quo of the entire battlefield. If the enemy successfully develops Warships, we won’t be able to fend them off in the future. Therefore, the Old Ancestor intends to find the Artifact Refiner responsible for this thing and bring them back before the Black Ink Clan can achieve their goal. If not, we’ll have to kill him to stop the situation from worsening. This matter has to be settled without delay.”
Ding Yao nodded gently. That was indeed the only way to solve the problem.
On the other hand, Zhong Liang’s expression changed, “Brother Tang, have you come all the way here to Blue Sky Pass to ask Yang Kai…”
Tang Qiu said, “Yang Kai had lived among the Black Ink Clan for two years; moreover, he has a World Spring, so he need not fear Black Ink Strength, not to mention he has Purifying Light. He’s the best candidate for the job. We don’t need him to kill the enemy, he just has to find the Artifact Refiner’s identity and whereabouts. Yin-Yang Pass’s Old Ancestor will personally make a move once he accomplishes his task.”
Zhong Liang immediately shook his head, “No. It’s too dangerous. If the enemy were to find out about his identity, he would be doomed.”
Tang Qiu let out a sigh, “I know that it’s a dangerous task; however, he’s the only one who stands a chance to achieve it. You all know that he’s a Master of the Dao of Space, so he’s skilled at escaping. Moreover, he’s a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so even if his identity is exposed, he’ll still have a chance to flee.”
“What if an accident happens?” Zhong Liang shook his head, “We all know how valuable Yang Boy is to the Human Race. If anything happens to him, it will be an immeasurable loss for all of us.”
Tang Qiu let out a sigh, “Certainly, I know how valuable he is; after all, he is also from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. If possible, I wouldn’t want him to take the risk; however, the Black Ink Clan already have a half-functioning prototype Warship. Perhaps they will be able to perfect the vessels within 100 years. By then, how are we going to push them back? There’s no doubt that Yang Kai is important, but the fact that the Black Ink Clan are developing Warships will affect the entire Human Race. Don’t you see the severity of the matter?”
Zhong Liang said, “Despite that, Yang Kai has great value even beyond the Purifying Light. He’s not just an ordinary Seventh-Order Junior.”
Tang Qiu replied, “Of course I know that. However, if the Black Ink Clan successfully makes a Warship, Yin-Yang Pass will not be the only one that will be affected. Perhaps in just a few years, the Black Ink Clan in Blue Sky Pass will also be equipped with Warships. If they launch an attack on Blue Sky Pass then, how are you all going to repel them? By sacrificing the lives of several tens of thousands of soldiers?”
Zhong Liang fell silent. When that time came, they could only fight the enemy to the death. There was no other way.
Ding Yao refuted in a grim voice, “Those from Yin-Yang Pass have discovered a Warship from the Black Ink Clan, and the only solution you all can think of is to seek help from a brat? Old farts like you have lost your guts.”
A flushing Tang Qiu said resolutely, “Of course not. In fact, before I came to Blue Sky Pass, Brother Wu from Red Clouds Heaven already headed to the Black Ink Clan’s territory to gather more information.”
Ding Yao’s expression changed when he heard that, “Wu Qing from Red Clouds Cave Heaven?”
“Yes.” Tang Qiu nodded.
Wu Qing was the Southern Army Commander of Yin-Yang Pass. Even though he was from the Southern Army, he was the strongest Eighth-Order Master there.
Moreover, he possessed a Profound Fish, one of the Four Universe Pillars, so he was not worried about being corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
Since he had personally made a move, it showed that those from Yin-Yang Pass truly viewed this matter as important. It was because he had one of the Four Universe Pillars that he had the right to sneak into the Black Ink Clan’s hinterland; otherwise, he probably wouldn’t be able to come back despite being an Eighth-Order Master.
Take Ding Yao as an example. Before acquiring the World Spring, he had never barged into the Black Ink Clan’s domain on his own before. Nevertheless, with the World Spring in possession, he directly raised a ruckus in the Black Ink Clan’s backyard. Even though he was injured, he managed to kill a lot of Black Ink Clansmen.
Tang Qiu said in a bitter voice, “Even though Brother Wu has personally made a move, it’s not likely that he’ll succeed. Many Black Ink Clansmen have seen his face before. Simply killing enemies isn’t a problem, but he won’t be able to gather any information.”
This was understandable, as Wu Qing’s image had probably been spread across different territories of the Black Ink Clan. Once he showed up, the Black Ink Clan would instantly besiege him. How was he going to gather any information in such a situation?
Zhong Liang and the others nodded in agreement.
Tang Qiu went on to say, “We’ve thought about letting Brother Wu give up his Profound Fish so that one of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could refine it. Just like Yang Kai had done in the past, we would have that person pretend to be a Black Ink Disciple and sneak into the Black Ink Clan’s territory; however, there’s no Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the world that’s comparable to Yang Kai. If we really do that, not only would that Seventh-Order Master be in an extremely perilous situation, but we might also lose a Profound Fish once this plan is exposed. Therefore, in order to gather information, we need someone who is able to perfectly hide his identity and pretend to be a Black Ink Disciple. He also has to have some ability to preserve his own life. After a long discussion, we believe that Yang Kai is the best person for the job. Brothers, please think about the greater good and help me with this.”
Zhong Liang and the others remained silent.
They knew that Tang Qiu was right. No one was better suited for this task in the entire Black Ink Battlefield than Yang Kai. He had a similar experience before, so it wasn’t difficult for him to pretend to be a Black Ink Disciple. Furthermore, he was a Master of the Dao of Space. Even if his identity was exposed, he would be able to run away. Additionally, he was extremely strong, so the average Black Ink Clansmen wouldn’t be able to harm him.
Regardless, there was a huge risk that was associated with this matter. No one was able to guarantee that Yang Kai would be able to return if he took on this task. If anything happened to him because of that, they would all be ill at ease.
While they were silent, Zhong Liang suddenly frowned, “Wait a moment. The last time you visited this place, Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. How did you find out that he has ascended to the Seventh Order?”
If Yang Kai were still a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, those from Yin-Yang Pass wouldn’t have the confidence to let him take on this task.
Tang Qiu turned to look at Shen Tu Mo, who said in a muffled voice, “This old fart kept sounding me out. I didn’t expect him to have his eyes on Yang Kai.”
Tang Qiu smiled, “I didn’t have any high hopes before I came to this place; however, Yang Kai is indeed exceptionally talented. Not only had he ascended to the Seventh Order in such a short time, but he had also joined forces with a disciple from Divine Feather Paradise to kill an injured Territory Lord. He’s indeed extraordinarily powerful.”
Zhong Liang shot Shen Tu Mo a glare. It was apparent to him that it was Shen Tu Mo who told Tang Qiu all this.
“He’s a powerful Seventh-Order Master who possesses a World Spring, and he’s an expert in the Dao of Space. I cannot think of a better person to carry out the task.” There was a solemn expression on Tang Qiu’s face, “This matter does not only affect Blue Sky Pass, but rather the entire Black Ink Battlefield. It has to be dealt with as soon as possible. Please make a decision quickly.”
Both Zhong Liang and Shen Tu Mo remained silent.
An anxious Tang Qiu said, “Regardless, let me see Yang Kai first. I’ll tell him what has happened. It will be best if he’s willing to volunteer. If he doesn’t want to do it, I’ll not force him. What do you think?”
Zhong Liang shook his head, “He’s not in Blue Sky Pass.”
Tang Qiu was shocked, “Where is he if he’s not in Blue Sky Pass?”
Zhong Liang shrugged, “Well, I don’t know where his exact location is.”
Tang Qiu had the urge to roll his eyes. Zhong Liang was an Army Commander, so how was it possible that he had no idea where his subordinate was? It was obvious that he wasn’t willing to tell him about it.
Ding Yao suddenly said, “He doesn’t have the World Spring anymore.”
Upon hearing that, Tang Qiu was astounded, “What do you mean?”
Ding Yao replied, “Didn’t Brother Shen Tu tell you that he has given up his World Spring? I’ve taken it.”
Tang Qiu widened his mouth in disbelief, “When did that happen?”
He didn’t think Ding Yao would lie to him, for there was no reason for him to do so.
“A few years ago.”
Tang Qiu became startled for a moment, then put on a bitter smile, “Life is full of uncertainties, isn’t it? In that case, there’s no need to let him take the risk. Forget it. I’ll take my leave. We’ll meet again if there’s a chance.”
“I’ll go with you,” Ding Yao suddenly said.
Tang Qiu gazed at him with a frown, “What do you mean, Brother Ding?”
“Most Black Ink Clansmen have seen Wu Qing’s face before, so it’s impossible for him to gather any information. On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan in the Yin-Yang Theatre won’t recognise me. Even though I won’t necessarily be able to gather any useful information, I’ll stand a better chance than Wu Qing.”
Tang Qiu said hesitantly, “However, you’re the Eastern Army Commander of Blue Sky Pass, you can’t be absent from your duties. What if the Black Ink Clan’s Army launches an attack on Blue Sky Pass?”
Ding Yao shook his head, “The Black Ink Clan here is basically half-dead at the moment, they won’t dare to strike again without recuperating for at least another half a century. There won’t be any war in Blue Sky Pass in the short term.”
Zhong Liang nodded in agreement, “Yes, you don’t have to worry about Blue Sky Pass. It’s a good idea to let Brother Ding go with you.”
Tang Qiu cupped his fist, “I’m grateful that you’re willing to do something for the greater good. This matter cannot be delayed, so let us depart now,” He knew that Ding Yao probably wouldn’t be able to gather any useful information, but they had to give it a try regardless.
Gathering intelligence was unlike killing enemies. There was no doubt that Ding Yao and Wu Qing were peerless on the battlefield; however, what they had to do this time was not slaughter enemies but find out the identity and whereabouts of the Artifact Refiner who helped the Black Ink Clan create the new prototype Warship. This was different from simply fighting.
A moment later, a light flashed across the Hyper Space Array as Ding Yao and Tang Qiu disappeared.
Zhong Liang and Shen Tu Mo watched them leave.
A while later, Zhong Liang said, “Brother Shen Tu, Yang Boy will probably have to handle this matter.”
Shen Tu Mo nodded gently, “En, but we’ll be putting him in a dangerous situation by doing so.”
Zhong Liang let out a sigh, “Everyone on the Black Ink Battlefield is ready to sacrifice their life for the cause. When you and I came to this place in the past, we never expected that we would live for such a long time. It will be worth it if the crisis facing the Human Race can be nipped in the bud by sacrificing just one person; however, I’m worried that he’ll be killed without achieving his goal. That would be the biggest loss to us.”
After a moment of silence, Shen Tu Mo sighed, “It has only been a little over 10 years since he joined Blue Sky Pass, and he has made a lot of contributions to the entire Human Race. He’s also exceptionally talented. I’m sure he’ll be one of the most important figures in the Human Race in the future.”
Zhong Liang sighed again, “We’ll play it by ear. I hope that Brother Ding will be able to achieve his goal.”
…..
Presently, Dawning Light was moving across the void at the speed of lightning.
When Yang Kai went over Zhong Liang’s behaviour again in his mind, he felt that something was off.
The Army Commander seemed determined to chase him out of Blue Sky Pass and make sure he stayed out, which was basically the polar opposite of his usual stance. In the past, he would’ve liked nothing more than to keep Yang Kai inside Blue Sky Pass forever.
Even though he had a feeling that something might have happened in the Inner Sanctum, and it had something to do with him, Yang Kai wouldn’t dare to disobey Zhong Liang’s order.
Hence, he could only ask Feng Ying about it.
Unfortunately, Feng Yin had no idea what had happened either. She was cultivating in seclusion when she was suddenly ordered to gather the members of Dawn together and sail Dawning Light out of the Inner Sanctum.
She was told that she and the members of Dawn Squad had to assist Yang Kai in looking for portals to Sealed Worlds that hadn’t been discovered. They also had to extract the resources from those Sealed Worlds.
This task wasn’t dangerous, and they could get a lot of Military Merits from it, so it could be considered an easy job with high rewards.
Just two days later, Dawning Light reached a certain spot in the void.
On the deck, after having a look at the Universe Chart, Feng Ying nodded at Yang Kai, “This is our first destination. Those from the Inner Sanctum had found a Sealed World here before, but it was over 1,000 years ago.”
Yang Kai nodded and leaped out of Dawning Light. As he activated his power, Space Principles undulated around him with his figure as the centre.
A visible ripple was seen spreading out, like a stone dropping into a still lake, illuminating the anomalies in the Void.
Many of the Sealed Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield were clustered because they originated from the Small Universes left behind by Human Masters after their deaths in ancient times.
The more people passed away on any given battlefield, the more Sealed Worlds would be left behind.
In this area of the void, those from Blue Sky Pass had discovered a Sealed World 1,000 years ago. Even though they speculated that there were more hidden Sealed Worlds around this area, they could only give up as they didn’t have the means to find and open the portals to them.
On the other hand, Yang Kai was a Master in the Dao of Space, so he was the best person to find these Sealed Worlds and open up the portals.
As the ripple of Space Principles spread further, the traces of the Sealed Worlds were revealed. As long as he could find these traces, it wouldn’t be hard for him to pry the portals open.
After an inspection, he found three Sealed Worlds in a radius of several hundred kilometres.
The number wasn’t staggering, but it was impressive enough.
They would always find some good things in these Sealed Worlds. For example, the World Tree’s clone was found in a Sealed World. It was the biggest reward the soldiers from Blue Sky Pass had obtained so far after years of exploring Sealed Worlds.
A moment later, Yang Kai forcefully opened the first portal, whereupon the aura of a Sealed World was felt wafting from it.
Dawning Light then came forward and stopped in front of the portal.
Yang Kai ordered, “All of you, stand guard here. I’ll have a look inside.”
Upon finishing his words, he directly plunged into the portal. Feng Ying didn’t even have time to stop him.
Fortunately, there was no danger in the Sealed World. A dozen breaths of time later, Yang Kai returned and beckoned to the members of Dawn, “Come in.”
Feng Ying asked, “Should we let some people stay outside?” Even though the Black Ink Clan were resting and recuperating, no one could guarantee that some of them wouldn’t come over. By letting some people stay outside, they could monitor their surroundings lest they were later ambushed.
Yang Kai shook his head, “There’s no need for that. There are only a few of us, so we should stick together.”
Since he had said so, Feng Ying naturally wouldn’t have any objections.
Figures started dashing out of Dawning Light and disappeared into the portal. After they all entered the Sealed World, Yang Kai put Dawning Light inside his Small Universe and stepped into the Sealed World. Following that, he used a simple trick to cover up the portal.
There were 36 people in Dawn in total, all of them at or above the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Among them, there were 6 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters; therefore, it wouldn’t take them a long time to explore a Sealed World, though picking herbs would be pretty time-consuming.
They fully explored the Sealed World in half a month, and all the valuable items had been collected. With Yang Kai leading the way, the members of Dawn Squad left this place and headed to the next Sealed World.
Two months later, all 3 Sealed Worlds in this area were fully explored. They had obtained a lot of rare herbs and quite a number of Profound Yin Spirit Fruits, so it could be said to be a fruitful trip.
The members of Dawn were all elated, thinking that this task was easy and rewarding. Certainly, they would love to be given more of these tasks.
With that said, they were aware that it was all thanks to Yang Kai that this task felt easy. If not for the fact that he could find those portals, the members of Dawn couldn’t have collected any Spirit Herbs.
Yang Kai then fished out Dawning Light from his Small Universe. After they boarded the vessel, Feng Ying piloted the ship to their next destination.
In the two years that followed, the members of Dawn continued to navigate through the void. Whenever they arrived at a new area, Yang Kai would manipulate Space Principles to locate hidden portals. They would always be rewarded handsomely for their hard work.
Over the years, the soldiers from Blue Sky Pass had found a lot of Sealed Worlds on the battlefield; however, upon taking Dawn’s safety into consideration, Zhong Liang only wanted Yang Kai to explore the areas within a 10-day journey from Blue Sky Pass. He didn’t provide any information for the areas that were further away.
Therefore, it only took Yang Kai and Dawn Squad 2 years to go through all the places they had to explore. It had been peaceful during this period of time as they never came across any Black Ink Clansmen.
The members of Dawn then returned to Blue Sky Pass aboard Dawning Light.
After that, they returned to their own places to get some rest. Meanwhile, Yang Kai and Feng Ying brought the harvest to the Merit Hall to get their Military Merits.
Before they arrived, a figure descended from the sky and cupped his fist, “The Army Commander would like to see you, Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai instantly recognised that the person was Zhong Liang’s adjutant, so he put on a helpless smile, “The Army Commander is quick to gather the latest information.”
The members of Dawn had just returned to Blue Sky Pass, but Zhong Liang already knew and told someone to summon him. That was truly quick.
Yang Kai then told Feng Ying to head to the Merit Hall on her own. She naturally wouldn’t object to it.
After she was gone, Yang Kai gazed at the adjutant and said, “Please, Senior Brother.”
“This way,” the adjutant replied politely, then led the way for him.
They soon arrived at the Army Headquarters of the Western Army. Yang Kai had visited this place more than once, so he was familiar with the area; however, Zhong Liang didn’t ask Yang Kai to see him in his office. With the adjutant leading the way, they soon arrived at a vast hall in the deepest part of the Headquarters.
The adjutant stopped in his tracks, “The Army Commander is inside, Brother Yang.”
“Many thanks.” Yang Kai nodded and shuffled forward. At the same time, he wondered why Zhong Liang wanted to see him in such a place.
There was a restriction around the hall. Yang Kai flicked the restriction and revealed a portal, after which he stepped inside.
It was luminous and spacious inside the hall and a person standing there with his hands behind his back. He was none other than Zhong Liang. In front of him was a huge object.
Standing in front of this object, Zhong Liang looked up in a dazed state.
Yang Kai went over and saluted him.
Zhong Liang turned to look at him and nodded, “Was it a fruitful trip?”
Yang Kai replied, “It was. We’ve found more than 30 Profound Yin Spirit Fruits.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “With these Spirit Fruits, 30 soldiers from Blue Sky Pass will be able to restore their full strength. You’ve done well.”
Yang Kai replied, “I was only responsible for opening up the portals. I didn’t really do anything else. Is there anything you need to tell me, Sir?”
After a moment of silence, Zhong Liang said, “Look at this thing.” He pointed at the gigantic object in front of him.
Yang Kai already noticed it the instant he entered this place, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. He initially thought that Zhong Liang was just looking at something left behind by some Senior. It wasn’t until this moment that he realised it was more complicated than that.
He then activated his Divine Sense and examined it carefully.
A moment later, Yang Kai frowned and asked, “Is this a Warship?”
The large Mobile Palace Artifact before his eyes didn’t seem like a simple flight-type artifact; instead, it somewhat resembled a Warship. He had also found a lot of Arrays on the artifact, ones that would only be present on a Warship.
“Yes, it’s a Warship,” Zhong Liang nodded.
Yang Kai shot into the air and carefully inspected the ship. A while later, he landed on the ground and shook his head, “This Warship is terrible. Many of the Arrays are faulty. It won’t be useful on the battlefield. If the Arrays are frequently activated, they will fall apart on their own. By then, not only will the vessel be incapable of defending itself, but even the people on the ship will have to be wary of being injured by the explosions of these Arrays. Who made this?”
Even though Yang Kai wasn’t an expert in the Dao of Artifact Refining, he knew a thing or two about it; otherwise, he couldn’t have created the Void Yin-Yang Mirrors.
However, he never spent any time consciously improving his Dao of Artifact Refining.
Despite being an amateur though, Yang Kai was still able to see the flaws in this Warship at first glance. It couldn’t be said that the Artifact Refiner who made this thing was unskillful, just that he wasn’t skilled enough to make a Warship.
“Moreover, this thing is too big. It’s not suitable for Humans to operate.”
Zhong Liang asked dispassionately, “Who do you think this ship is suited for if it’s not for Humans?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Given the size of an average Black Ink Clansman, it would be perfect for them to pilot this thing.”
There was a cold expression on Zhong Liang’s face.
Yang Kai’s smile froze as he felt a chill rising from within. He then asked with a frown, “Sir, where did you get this thing from?”
Zhong Liang replied, “Your Martial Uncle Ding captured it from the battlefield.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai was flabbergasted, “Did the Black Ink Clan refine this?”
“Yes.”
A sense of unease overwhelmed Yang Kai as he sported a dark expression, “I was told that the Black Ink Clan couldn’t refine Warships. What is going on?”
After a sigh, Zhong Liang explained, “We’ve been fighting against the Black Ink Clan for countless years. While the Humans are constantly innovating, the Black Ink Clan naturally won’t stay stagnant. Perhaps one of the Black Ink Disciples on their side has been studying how to refine a Warship, and he happened to be gifted in Artifact Refining. That’s how this thing came about.”
Yang Kai felt his heart sinking, “In that case, when that person masters the art of refining Warships, our biggest advantage will be gone for good.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “That’s what we’ve been worried about.”
“However, why didn’t we discover that the Black Ink Clan were using Warships when we were battling against them back then?”
“This thing didn’t come from the Blue Sky Theatre, it was found in the Yin-Yang Theatre.”
“Yin-Yang Theatre…” Yang Kai muttered under his breath upon learning that the vessel was found on the battlefield that those from Yin-Yang Pass were in charge of. After giving it a thought, he asked, “When did Martial Uncle Ding obtain this thing?”
“Half a year ago,” Zhong Liang replied, then added, “It was only a short time ago that those from Yin-Yang Pass found this Warship, roughly two years ago.”
“Two years ago…” Yang Kai fell into his thoughts, “In that case, the Black Ink Clan in the Yin-Yang Theatre have only developed this Warship recently. Since it’s not perfected yet, it hasn’t been widely adopted by the Black Ink Clan in other war zones. It’s no wonder that we didn’t see it in the Blue Sky Theatre.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “It’s not widely adopted yet, but it doesn’t mean it won’t be someday. Once that person manages to build a functioning Warship, the Black Ink Clan will be equipped with such vessels. It will be a disaster for the Human Race.”
“Have those from Yin-Yang Pass come up with a strategy to handle this situation?”
Zhong Liang gazed at him, “If you were in charge, how would you deal with this situation?”
After pondering on it for a moment, Yang Kai replied in a grim voice, “We have to nip the crisis in the bud by finding the Black Ink Disciple who made this Warship. If possible, we’ll bring them back; however, if we can’t achieve that, we have to kill them.”
Upon hearing that, Zhong Liang nodded, “You share the same sentiment as those from Yin-Yang Pass. To be honest with you, it was for this exact reason that your Martial Uncle Ding headed to the Yin-Yang Theatre where he captured this Warship from the Black Ink Clan.”
“What was the outcome of the mission?” Yang Kai asked nervously.
Zhong Liang shook his head with a dejected expression, “He worked with another Eighth-Order Army Commander from Yin-Yang Pass, but they only managed to kill some Black Ink Clansmen and seize this Warship. However, they were unable to find the person who made it.”
There was a solemn expression on Yang Kai’s face. After giving it a thought, he said, “In order to find that Black Ink Disciple’s identity, we have to infiltrate the Black Ink Clan’s territory and then play it by ear. Both Martial Uncles had only alerted the enemies by making a scene there.”
“En,” Zhong Liang let out a sigh, “The Black Ink Clan will certainly treasure this Black Ink Disciple who can make Warships. Their identity must be a top secret within the Black Ink Clan, so the average Black Ink Clansman probably doesn’t know who they are. It’s extremely difficult to find the Black Ink Disciple without alerting the enemies. Is there anyone who can take on this task?”
Yang Kai batted his eyes. Upon realising Zhong Liang’s intention, he broke out into laughter, “Is that the reason you told me to come here, Sir?” After pondering on it for a moment, he said, “I can pretend to be a Black Ink Disciple and sneak into the Black Ink Clan’s hinterland in the Yin-Yang Theatre. As long as I’m cautious enough, I might be able to find that person.”
Since his intentions had been seen through, Zhong Liang decided to stop beating around the bush and just let out a sigh, “I initially didn’t want to drag you into this; however, since your Martial Uncle Ding has failed in his attempt, we have no other choice. There’s no hurry though. You can sleep on it and make a decision at a later time.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “That Black Ink Disciple had already developed this thing 2 years ago. The longer this matter drags on, the more likely he’ll be able to perfect his craft. By then, it will be too late to find him. There’s nothing worth considering. I’ll take on this task.”
Zhong Liang said with a serious expression, “It will be a dangerous mission, and if you’re not cautious enough, you’ll lose your life.”
Yang Kai replied, “Sir, have you forgotten that I’d pretended to be a Black Ink Disciple and spent 2 years with the Black Ink Clan before I came to Blue Sky Pass? No one is more experienced than me when it comes to pretending to be a Black Ink Disciple.”
After a pause, he went on to say, “Even if I fail in my attempt, or if anything unexpected happens, I can still rely on Space Principles to escape. Even if the worst-case scenario where I’ll lose my life does occur, it will still be fine. Now that the Purifying Black Ink Pills have been successfully developed, Humans have a method to deal with Black Ink Strength other than Purifying Light. Taking all that into consideration, I’m the best person for this job.”
At this point, he cupped his fist and said solemnly, “Sir, I’m willing to head to the Yin-Yang Theatre to gather more information. Please allow me to do so.”
There was a conflicted expression on Zhong Liang’s face. After hesitating for a bit, he let out a sigh, “I’m sorry for putting you in such a tight spot.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “Since time immemorial, countless Human Masters have come to the Black Ink Battlefield in order to hold back the enemy and ensure the safety of the 3,000 Worlds. In every battle, all of them exert themselves to kill the enemy even if it means losing their lives. It is my duty to do something for the Human Race, so I will definitely do my best.”
On the first day he arrived at the Black Ink Battlefield, Yang Kai learned a valuable lesson from Meng Qi, who sacrificed his life in order to keep the existence of the Void Corridor a secret. It was because he was worried that he would be corrupted by Black Ink Strength again and reveal the Void Corridor’s existence.
In all the previous battles, innumerable Humans risked their lives in order to drive back the Black Ink Clan. They were just as noble as Meng Qi.
The fact that the Black Ink Clan were close to developing fully functional Warships had far-reaching implications. If the Black Ink Disciple managed to master the art of refining Warships, it would mean that all the sacrifices that the Humans had made over the years would be pointless. By then, the entire 3,000 Worlds would be at risk of being destroyed.
No one would be willing to see such a crisis taking place.
Since Yang Kai had arrived on the Black Ink Battlefield, he was also a part of the Human Army. He didn’t think that there was anyone else who was more suited than him to sneak into the enemies’ territory and gather information.
“Sir, there’s one more thing I’d like to know,” Yang Kai said solemnly.
“Go ahead.”
“Have those from Yin-Yang Pass speculated how long it would take for the Black Ink Clan to successfully develop Warships?”
After giving it a thought, Zhong Liang replied, “Those from Yin-Yang Pass do have a speculation. The Warships that the Black Ink Clan have made so far are not really useful, probably just prototypes used to test out various functions. It is estimated it will take them about 100 years to perfect this thing. If everything goes well, perhaps they’ll achieve it in 50 years, though they might need longer than 100 years as well. After all, the speed at which the Black Ink Disciple improves in their Dao of Artifact Refining is key, and given their current mastery, it won’t be easy for them to improve further.”
“To be on the safe side then, we’ll assume that they’ll be able to do it in 50 years,” Yang Kai muttered under his breath, “There’s still something we can do about it with that much time. Sir, before I carry out this task, I have a request.”
“Just tell me whatever you need. I’ll not turn you down as long as there’s anything I can help you with.”
“I’d like to study Artifact Refining.”
Zhong Liang was startled for a moment, then his eyes brightened, “You mean…”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “I have to get prepared in order to achieve our goal; moreover, I’d have to learn more about Artifact Refining to make it easier for me to gather information regardless.”
Zhong Liang nodded repeatedly, “You’re indeed a clever young man. It never crossed the minds of old men like us to approach the issue from that angle. You can go ahead with that.”
One hour later, Yang Kai arrived at the Refining Hall with the token given to him by Zhong Liang. He found Dong Guo An Ping, who was leading a team of people to refine a Warship. The two of them could be considered friends. It was Yang Kai, Dong Guo An Ping, Fan Xun, and several others who worked together to make the first Purifying Black Ink Battleship; therefore, they didn’t need to be overly polite with each other.
Upon learning the purpose of the young man’s visit, Dong Guo An Ping felt his brow twitching slightly as he asked, “You want to learn Artifact Refining?”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Please help me with this, Senior Dong Guo.”
Dong Guo An Ping examined him with a puzzled expression, “Why do you want to learn Artifact Refining all of a sudden?”
Yang Kai replied, “I’ve progressed too quickly, so I need to take a break from just cultivating in seclusion. I told Martial Uncle Zhong about it, and he suggested I come here to study Artifact Refining. He said that the Dao of Artifact Refining might be of help to me.”
Dong Guo An Ping couldn’t help but laugh, “What does the Dao of Artifact Refining have to do with your cultivation? Moreover, I heard that you’re well-versed in the Alchemic Dao. If there’s anything wrong with your cultivation, why did you come to this place instead of the Pill Hall?”
Yang Kai replied respectfully, “It was Martial Uncle Zhong’s order. I don’t really know the reason behind it.”
It was a secret that the Black Ink Clan were able to refine Warships. Other than the Army Commanders and the Old Ancestor, no one else in Blue Sky Pass was aware of this fact, lest morale was affected.
Since Zhong Liang didn’t inform Dong Guo An Ping about it, and Yang Kai naturally wasn’t in any place to reveal this secret; therefore, he just came up with an excuse by saying that it was Zhong Liang’s order.
In that case, there was nothing Dong Guo An Ping could do about it. He passed the token back to Yang Kai and asked, “Did you learn Artifact Refining before?”
“I know a little about it,” Yang Kai replied humbly.
Dong Guo An Ping frowned and beckoned to him, “Come with me.”
Soon, he brought Yang Kai to an Artifact Refining room and pointed at some materials that were stacked up in a messy pile, “Just make whatever you want. I’ll evaluate it.”
After taking a glance at the materials, Yang Kai started working on it.
A patient Dong Guo An Ping stayed on the side and watched him.
A few days later, a sword that was as reflective as a mirror was born. The blade shone brightly and appeared extraordinary.
However, Dong Guo An Ping couldn’t help but roll his eyes. As an Artifact Refining Grandmaster, he could see that other than looking nice, this sword was practically useless. If not for the fact that the materials used were robust, the sword couldn’t even have withstood an attack from an Origin King.
After a few days of observation, Dong Guo An Ping figured out that Yang Kai indeed knew a thing or two about the Dao of Artifact Refining, but he had never studied it in a systematic way. Even though some of his ideas were creative, the way he refined artifacts was overly simplistic.
The Dao of Artifact Refining was as much an art as it was a craft. Yang Kai’s Artifact Refining session could even be described as unpleasant to the eyes of a Grandmaster like Dong Guo An Ping.
“En, give me a moment,” Dong Guo An Ping said, then activated his Divine Sense to communicate with someone.
A moment later, a young man arrived in a hurry and cupped his fist, “Honoured Master!”
Dong Guo An Ping nodded and pointed at Yang Kai, “This is your Junior Brother, Yang Kai.”
That person cupped his fists again, “Junior Brother Yang.”
Dong Guo An Ping then introduced the young man to Yang Kai, “He’s my Sixth Disciple, Chai Hao.”
“Greetings, Senior Brother Chai,” Yang Kai saluted him.
Dong Guo An Ping said, “Chai Hao, your Junior Brother Yang would like to learn Artifact Refining, so you’ll have to give him some guidance from now on.”
Chai Hao was startled upon hearing that, “Junior Brother Yang, you want to study Artifact Refining?”
“Yes.” Yang Kai nodded.
Chai Hao replied with a smile, “Since you’re interested in the Dao of Artifact Refining, I’ll definitely teach you everything I know.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother,” Yang Kai expressed his gratitude.
Dong Guo An Ping coughed, “Yang Kai, you’ll learn Artifact Refining from Chai Hao from now on. Just ask him if there’s anything you don’t understand. I still have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.”
Upon finishing his words, he left the place in a hurry.
Yang Kai and Chai Hao saw him off together.
After he was gone, Chai Hao said, “Junior Brother, since you’re going to learn Artifact Refining, I’ll need to know how skilful you are in Artifact Refining. Would you…”
Before he could finish his words, Yang Kai held out a sword to him.
“What’s this?” Chai Hao was puzzled.
Yang Kai replied, “Senior Dong Guo told me to make something, and this is the result of my work.”
“I see,” Chai Hao took the sword and examined it. Soon, his face began to twitch as he finally realised why his Honoured Master left in a hurry just now.
He initially thought that Yang Kai was already well-versed in the Dao of Artifact Refining; otherwise, he wouldn’t have directly sought some guidance from a Grandmaster from Divine Cauldron Heaven.
After taking a look at this sword though, he realised that Yang Kai couldn’t even be considered a novice when it came to the Dao of Artifact Refining. There was no doubt that Yang Kai was no match for Dong Guo An Ping in this regard, but even a random disciple from Divine Cauldron Heaven could easily bring him to his knees.
Now that his Honoured Master entrusted Yang Kai to him though, it meant that he would have to teach him everything from scratch.
Chai Hao suddenly felt a huge pressure on his shoulders, thinking that this was going to be a troublesome task.