“Let him go!” The woman ordered Yang Kai.
Yang Kai gazed down at Ji Lao San, who was being held by him and grinned slightly, “Then you have to make sure he doesn’t bother me again.”
The woman gritted her teeth and replied, “Rest assured, he won’t bother you anymore.”
Yang Kai lowered his eyes, “The same mistake can’t be repeated thrice. I hope he remembers this lesson.”
Even though he spoke in a casual tone, the message was clear. Ji Lao San provoked him twice, but he simply subjugated him without hurting a single hair on his head. His patience, however, had a limit. If there was a third provocation, the response would undoubtedly be harsher.
Of course, Yang Kai wouldn’t kill him, but he could beat him to within an inch of his life. Those from the Dragon Clan had great vitality and could recover easily from almost any injury. As long as their Source and Dragon Bead were not harmed, any wound could be restored no matter how severe it was.
With the strange skill Yang Kai displayed previously, Ji Lao San would be powerless to fight back if Yang Kai really wanted to deal with him.
However, since when had the Dragon Clan ever been threatened in this way before?
As a result, as soon as Yang Kai said those words, a large number of Young Dragons and Grand Dragons became enraged, and it was impossible for the female Grand Dragon who was in front of Yang Kai to stay composed.
After a lengthy period of holding herself back, the female Grand Dragon clenched her teeth and murmured, “He will.”
Upon her reply, Yang Kai flashed a smile and tossed Ji Lao San towards her. When she grabbed him, she gave Yang Kai a threatening glare before turning and fleeing with Ji Lao San in her arms.
“Great Evolution Pass’ Yang Kai greets three Seniors,” Yang Kai said as he turned to face the three visibly older people at the gate.
He had no idea what rank these three held, but according to their Dragon Pressure, it was clear that they were the strongest present.
Two of them were old men while the last was an old woman. They most likely held high statuses in the Dragon Clan.
One of the old men nodded lightly and said, “The Dragon Clan is well aware of the intention behind your arrival here, but we need some time to prepare. You shall temporarily live in the No-Return Pass and wait patiently for us.”
[I don’t even know what I am here for, so how do you know? If you do know, you should let me know first!]
However, the old man obviously had no intention of explaining anything to Yang Kai and just left with the two others once he finished.
Once those three Seniors left, the rest of the Dragon Clan also left, with no plans to further interact with Yang Kai.
Then, he was left alone, perplexed.
The Dragon Clan’s alienation became clear too.
This trip to the No-Return Pass was filled with uncertainty since Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao didn’t explain anything to him before he set out. Furthermore, the Dragon Clan didn’t bother to tell him anything either when he arrived. Instead, he was simply told to wait.
[So, why am I waiting? For how long should I wait?] He had no answers.
This sense of being completely out of control was quite distressing.
Fortunately, Yang Kai was not a child. In a situation like this, his only course of action was to seek information from someone.
So, Yang Kai hurriedly turned back, fixing his eyes on the colourful-robed young woman who was preparing to leave and said, “Miss, please stay for a moment.”
The young woman stopped when she heard him and turned back with a smile,” Are you referring to me?”
Yang Kai then approached her quickly, nodded, and said, “I was impulsive just now. I hope Miss won’t mind.”
His courteous manner was now in stark contrast to the domineering man who had just subjugated Ji Lao San.
“What’s the matter?” The colourful-robed young woman asked as her eyes flickered with interest.
“I’m new here and I don’t know anything. I would like to seek some guidance from you,” Yang Kai replied, blushing.
The brows of the colourfully robed young woman became crescent-shaped, and she proudly twitched her brows at her partner, giving an impression of how she was expecting this.
Her companion, meanwhile, was unresponsive to her.
Yang Kai on the other hand pretended he didn’t notice.
“What do you wish to ask?” Inquired the colourfully robed young woman.
“I’m not sure what Miss can enlighten me on,” Yang Kai replied.
The colourful-robed young woman laughed, “You are so strange. Don’t you know what you want to know? It’s really unreasonable for you to ask me to enlighten you without at least describing what you want to learn.”
Yang Kai responded with a wry smile, “Please don’t blame me, Miss. Regarding the current visit in the No-Return Pass, I’m genuinely baffled. I’m not sure what I am supposed to be doing here.”
“Didn’t your Old Ancestor mention anything to you?” The woman asked curiously.
“Not at all.”
“In that case…” The woman tapped on her crimson lips and then proceeded to say, “En, I’m in a good mood today. Follow me.”
With that being said, she led the way and Yang Kai followed closely.
After a while, they eventually arrived beneath the enormous Parasol Tree. The three figures moved around, and soon came to a branch. The young woman simply waved her hand and a portal emerged in front of them.
“Space Principles?” Yang Kai asked with furrowed eyebrows.
Just like how the colourful-robed young woman reacted when she saw Yang Kai’s use of Space Principles previously, Yang Kai’s reaction now was arguably the same as hers was.
“Come in,” the woman said with a triumphant smile that suggested she had anticipated his reaction.
Yang Kai followed the woman and her companion into the portal. They soon arrived at a location with stunning mountains and rivers.
The view was as beautiful and refreshing as a spring day. The mountains were pristine, and the lakes were crystal clear, not to mention the gently flowing clouds and mist. It was truly a majestic view.
This was some kind of Sealed World.
Yang Kai was no stranger to the existence of Sealed Worlds; after all, the Small Universe of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master was a Sealed World. The Universe Paradises and Universe Cave Heavens left behind after the death of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Black Ink Battlefield were also Sealed Worlds.
Yet this Sealed World gave him a different feeling.
This place seemed to still maintain the aura of the dawn of Chaos and the first division of the Heavens and Earth. The ancient aura was everywhere, giving Yang Kai the illusion of him entering a long-forgotten wilderness.
“These are the real Phoenix Nests.” The young woman’s words resonated in his ears, “The Nirvana Parasol Tree was there at the birth of the Phoenix Clan. There are as many Phoenix Nests on the Nirvana Parasol Tree as Phoenixes in this Universe. The Phoenix Nest is the root of every Phoenix, and this space is different from the outside world.”
Yang Kai instantly understood. It was no wonder the ancient aura was preserved here. It was because this aura was created by the Nirvana Parasol Tree itself, which had survived since long ago and remained pure and unspoiled like this.
[So these are Phoenix Nests!]
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel ashamed for having assumed that the Phoenix Clan would physically build their nest on the Parasol Tree just like any other bird.
Yang Kai quietly reminded himself to avoid basing future decisions solely on the surface.
Then, he saw the young woman straighten her body and move right into a huge nest.
Yang Kai looked up at the sky and silently followed.
The three figures flew inside and sat down cross-legged.
Yang Kai took an inquisitive look around and soon realised that from the outside, it appeared to be a massive bird nest, but that once he entered, it was totally different.
Without time to investigate carefully, Yang Kai briefly cupped his fist, “Great Evolution Pass’ Yang Kai. How may I address the both of you?”
The woman gave a gentle smile and replied, “Huang Si Niang.”
Then, she pointed at her companion, “Feng Liu Lang!”
Yang Kai wasn’t certain how to deal with it because their names seemed to be a little too simple. In the Phoenix Clan, the males were surnamed Feng while the females were surnamed Huang, which made it concise and clear.
At least, it was convenient to address them this way.
He was too lazy to delve into the subject, but as he wanted to say something out of courtesy, Huang Si Niang continued, “Before you ask something, I have something to give you.”
Yang Kai was taken aback. He had just arrived and he was already receiving gifts? [Were those from the Phoenix Clan all this friendly?]
Immediately, he sat upright, and said solemnly, “I dare not reject anything from Seniors.”
While he may have previously addressed her as though they were on an equal footing, he was actually aware that this woman’s age was measured in tens of thousands of years. She could even be his ancestor.
Huang Si Niang smiled, “You’re really good at talking. Humans sure are sweet.”
Yang Kai placed his hand on his chest, “Everything I have said, I said from the bottom of my heart. I wonder what Senior would like to give me?”
“This,” While speaking, Huang Si Niang took out a long feather and handed it to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai could tell it was extraordinary just by glancing at the flowing light of the long feather, which was the tail feather of a Phoenix.
[What did she give me this for?]
Seemingly noticing Yang Kai’s doubts, Huang Si Niang explained, “I lost the bet with Liu Lang just now, so this is the prize.”
Yang Kai instinctively felt something was wrong; after all, even if she lost the bet, why did the prize end up with him?
But now that it had been handed over, it wouldn’t do any good to reject it, especially when he had other requests for her. As Yang Kai received the feather, his body shook.
He didn’t perceive anything by just looking at the long feather’s flowing light, but once he held it, he at once understood that the long feather was covered with an exceedingly potent Space Principle fluctuation.
Although it was clear that he was holding the long feather in his palm, due to the fluctuations of Space Principles, it appeared to be both tangible and intangible at the same time, as if it could enter into the Void at any moment.
Ordinary people would have a tremendously difficult time just holding something like this, but fortunately, Yang Kai was also an expert in the Dao of Space. With just a little effort, the light flowing off the long feather suddenly took shape.
[This is wonderful!] Yang Kai felt that if he fully comprehended the secrets within this feather, it would help him improve his understanding of the Dao of Space.
Huang Si Niang and Feng Liu Lang exchanged glances, and both could see that the other was surprised to witness this scene.
They once saw Yang Kai use Space Principle and were aware of his mastery over the Dao of Space; however, now they felt as though they had underestimated him too much.
Yang Kai raised his head, “Si Niang is an expert in the Dao of Space?”
“Is there a problem with the highest-ranking members of the Phoenix Clan being experts in the Dao of Space?” Huang Si Niang covered her mouth and smiled.
“Are you saying that all the high-ranking members of the Phoenix Clan are experts in the Dao of Space?”
“You didn’t know?” She asked curiously.
Yang Kai blinked, “I was not informed of this.” Additionally, even though he had never seen a pure Phoenix Clan member, he was greeted by Qing Luan, Yuan Chu, and others in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land. They could be considered a branch of the Phoenix Clan, but they didn’t look as though they were Masters of the Dao of Space.
Similarly, even with her Ice Phoenix Source, Su Yan showed no indications of mastering or even understanding the Dao of Space.
Thus, Yang Kai was really caught by surprise.
“Most Humans won’t know much about the Divine Spirits, but you’re from a Cave Heaven or Paradise, no? How could you not have known? Didn’t your Elders tell you about it?”
Yang Kai became a little speechless and replied, “I’m actually not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.”
Huang Si Niang understood instantly, “No wonder. Since you’re not from any of them, it’s to be expected that you don’t know much about such things. Every Divine Spirit possesses their own unique Bloodline Talent, an innate Talent that is distinct from that of your Human Race. Just like how the Bloodline Talent of the Phoenix Clan is the Dao of Space, the Bloodline Talent of the Dragon Clan is the Dao of Time. If not, how could the Dragon and Phoenix Clans become the leaders of all Divine Spirits?”
Yang Kai’s eyes widened so much in shock that they almost fell out, “The Bloodline Talent of the Dragon Clan is the Dao of Time?”
Huang Si Niang became more confused, “You don’t even know that? Then, do you cultivate the Dao of Time?”
“I do.” He nodded.
“That should be expected. If you don’t have a Dragon Source or have Dragon Clan Blood in your, how would you be able to cultivate the Dao of Time?”
Yang Kai became speechless upon her saying this, but instinctively, he felt something was wrong.
His cultivation of the Dao of Time was not heavily influenced by his Dragon Vein or his Dragon Source. Instead, it all began for him with a piece of the inheritance left behind by Flowing Time Great Emperor. The opportunity he met by chance previously helped him comprehend the Time Flies Seal Divine Ability, which allowed him to begin cultivating the Dao of Time. After much studying, cultivation, and some other opportunities, he had reached his current level of proficiency in the Dao of Time. What did any of that have to do with the Dragon Clan?
But if he thought about it further, since the Dragon Clan’s Bloodline Talent was the Dao of Time, it could be argued that his success in the Dao of Time was due to his Bloodline Talent.
It made Yang Kai confused about whether his comprehension of the Dao of Time was due to his Dragon Clan bloodline, or his own talent.
Suddenly, he shook his head, “Wait, Si Niang, before I came to the No-Return Pass, I met quite a number of Dragon Clan members, but only one of them was proficient in the Dao of Time. In fact, forget being proficient at it, they didn’t even have a foundation in it. How can this be explained?”
“You met Dragon Clan members in other places?” Huang Si Niang was taken aback.
Yang Kai gave a serious nod. He was referring to Zhu Qing’s branch of the Dragon Clan. There weren’t many Dragon Clan members on Dragon Island in the Star Boundary at any one time, but there were always a few, yet none of them had ever cultivated the Dao of Time before Yang Xiao.
Now, all those Dragon Clan members had travelled with Yuan Chu to the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land, located in the depths of the Shattered Heaven, to continue their cultivation. Since it had been such a long time, they should all have grown stronger.
Some of them might even have advanced to become Grand Dragons.
Feng Liu Lang, who had been silent up until now, cut in, “It’s not surprising that there are Dragon Clan members roaming about outside. My forefathers once told me that there were other Dragon Clan members that committed mistakes and were exiled from the Ancestral Land as a result.”
Huang Si Niang appeared to have remembered this as she casually nodded.
“The ones you met must have been Young Dragons,” he continued while turning to face Yang Kai.
“Why Young Dragons?” Yang Kai inquired humbly.
Yang Kai was quite knowledgeable about Grand Dragons as they were equivalent to High-Rank Open Heaven Masters in their Dragon Forms which were at least 10,000 metres long. But, what about Young Dragons?
Huang Si Niang smiled and explained, “Anyone below the Grand Dragon rank is considered a Young Dragon.”
Yang Kai understood instantly. It was pretty much what he thought, but the Dragon Clan’s hierarchy was really thoughtless; everything only depended on the size of their true body and their strength. If any Dragon Clan member was unable to breakthrough to become a Grand Dragon, would they only be able to stay a Young Dragon for their entire life?
However, it was clear that nothing of the sort would occur. The Dragon Clan was extremely talented, so even if they did not cultivate and only lazed about all the time, their strength would keep increasing over time regardless. They would eventually be strong enough when they had reached a sufficient age.
The Human Race was incomparable in this aspect.
Once more, Yang Kai questioned, “What about the Dragons above the Grand Dragon rank?”
“Above the Grand Dragons are the Ancient Dragons,” Huang Si Niang stated.
Young Dragons, Grand Dragons, and Ancient Dragons were the three standard divisions of the Dragon Clan.
Yang Kai had a vague feeling that the three old Dragon Clan members he had met before were Ancient Dragons. If Young Dragons corresponded to the realms below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and Grand Dragons corresponded to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, then Ancient Dragons should at least correspond to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
This suggested that the Dragon Clan was likely running out of talent as there were only three Ancient Dragons in such a large Clan. If things continued in this manner, the Clan would eventually go extinct.
“According to what Si Niang said just now, I assume that Young Dragons are not proficient in the Dao of Time?”
“Not only the Dragon Clan, but nearly all Divine Spirits are this way. The three stages of our long life are the development stage, the adolescent stage, and the mature stage. The Young Dragons fall under the Dragon Clan’s developmental stage. As long as they enhance their Dragon Vein, they will inevitably become stronger and larger. When a Young Dragon becomes a Grand Dragon, their Bloodline Talent will fully awaken and they will be able to master the Dao of Time. The same goes for the Phoenix Clan, but the only difference is that our Talent is the Dao of Space,” Huang Si Niang replied.
“So, that’s how it is…” Yang Kai instantly understood the reason Zhu Qing and the others still had no grasp over the Dao of Time. Though the Dragon Clan was considered very strong in the Star Boundary, they were still just Young Dragons. Their Bloodline Talent in regards to the Dao of Time was still dormant and would only slowly awaken when they had grown to become Grand Dragons.
This made Yang Kai suddenly think of his Adopted Son, the little White Dragon, Yang Xiao.
Raising a brow, he asked again, “Are there any exceptions?”
Huang Si Niang smiled, “Exceptions are always possible. Some have their Bloodline Talents awaken while they are still Young Dragons. They are regarded as extremely gifted individuals; however, in the lengthy history of the Dragon Clan, such individuals could be counted within 5 fingers.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help but frown upon her answer. If that was the case, Yang Xiao seemed to be quite the gifted one.
Yang Kai deserved some credit for the birth of this boy as Yang Xiao’s dragon egg appeared to have some kind of accident after Fu Zhun gave birth to him. Yang Xiao had been unsuccessful in breaking free of his shell, resulting in his vitality growing thinner and thinner over time. Fortunately, when Yang Kai went to Dragon Island at that time to stir up trouble, he ‘unintentionally’ found the location of Yang Xiao’s dragon egg.
In order to hatch him, Yang Kai put in a great deal of effort.
As a result, this young boy had a natural sense of closeness to him and had known him as though Yang Kai was his Father, now Adopted Father, since birth. In addition to that, the relationship between Yang Kai and Dragon Island softened up a bit thanks to Yang Xiao.
Soon after his birth, this young boy demonstrated his talent in the Dao of Time. Yang Kai initially believed it was because of his own comprehension; after all he used a lot of his own Blood Essence when Yang Xiao was being hatched, so naturally, inheritance from Yang Kai was to be expected.
Yet, it appeared now that this was not inheritance from his Blood Essence.
This was unmistakably a Dragon Clan Bloodline Talent; yet, Yang Xiao had it since birth while other Dragon Clan members had to reach the Grand Dragon stage in order to awaken it.
Later, Yang Xiao and Yang Xue received Flowing Time Great Emperor’s Legacy Inheritance, became his Inheritance Disciples and gained possession of the Flowing Time Temple. Looking back now, it was as though everything was predetermined. The Bloodline Talent of the Dragon Clan was the Dao of Time, and Yang Xiao had become the Disciple of Flowing Time Great Emperor, which would greatly help him with his future cultivation.
Yang Xiao was clearly one of the few exceptions that Huang Si Niang spoke of. Of course, this was not limited only to the Dragon Clan, but also other Divine Spirits. There were always some existences that showed their uniqueness at a very young age and these existences would somehow achieve great things one day.
The trip to the No-Return Pass had been well worth it for Yang Kai.
Even just learning this information from Huang Si Niang was a very valuable; not to mention, he had something waiting for him on the Dragon Clan’s side as well.
Was his mastery of the Dao of Time thanks to his own talent or due to his Dragon Clan Bloodline?
After giving it some thought, he believed that it might be both. If so, Su Yan might be able to awaken her Phoenix Clan Bloodline Talent once she got strong enough. By then, she would be able to master the Dao of Space as well.
This was very exciting news to him.
His cultivation of the Dao of Space, however, must be the result of his own talent; after all, he lacked the Phoenix Clan Bloodline, so he could not have gotten influenced by it.
Looking at the long feather in his hand, Yang Kai said, “This Junior dares not accept such a precious gift so lightly. Si Niang, is there any way that I can assist you in exchange for this gift?”
Although it was only a feather from the Phoenix Clan, Yang Kai valued it highly. He would undoubtedly benefit if he used this feather to further understand and cultivate the Dao of Space because it carried insights of the Phoenix Clan’s intrinsic talent in the Dao of Space.
This was a precious opportunity, so Yang Kai couldn’t just take it for nothing.
Unexpectedly, Huang Si Niang covered her mouth and giggled, “I don’t need help with anything. This is only a prize. You should just keep it.”
Yang Kai sensed that it wasn’t quite right for him to simply accept the gift, but since she had said so much, he couldn’t object to it either. This gift was just too alluring and he also believed that the Phoenix Clan wouldn’t try to harm him.
Even if Huang Si Niang would ask him to do something by bringing up this gift matter later, he would comply under the condition that it didn’t go against his own principles.
Such was what he thought in his heart to repay her. Nevertheless, he still stated for show, “It’s not appropriate for me to be rewarded for nothing, is it?”
Huang Si Niang took a deep look at him and saw through his thoughts. With a snicker, she stated, “You just said that you dare not reject a gift from your Seniors and now you say you shouldn’t be rewarded for nothing? Humans really don’t know what they want, huh?”
Yang Kai let out a dry laugh upon hearing that.
“If you really feel bad, let me ask you a question. This feather would serve as a reward if you answered me,” stated Huang Si Niang.
Yang Kai straightened up his position, “Si Niang, please ask.”
“What technique did you use to defeat Ji Lao San just now?”
As soon as those words left his mouth, Feng Liu Lang looked over curiously as well. Though they were both strong, they couldn’t understand how Ji Lao San ended up that way.
Ji Lao San clearly had superior momentum in that confrontation. Moreover, it was incredible that a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was able to effortlessly capture a Grand Dragon who was approaching 50,000 metres twice.
It was impossible for a Divine Spirit to be so vulnerable, let alone someone from the Dragon Clan.
Though they were just spectating for fun previously, the defeat of Ji Lao San more or less embarrassed both Clans. If word of this situation spread, people would start looking down on the Divine Spirits.
“Oh, I did not do anything in particular,” Yang Kai was surprised that the Phoenix Clan members brought up the subject first. He thought the Dragon Clan would be the ones asking about it, but since Huang Si Niang brought it up, he did not intend to keep it a secret. In that moment, he suddenly had a feeling that it would have some effect, but he did not know it would have such a strong impact on the Dragon Clan until he tried it.
Having said that, Yang Kai extended his right hand, palm down, and with light pressure, a simple pattern appeared on the back of his hand.
At first glance, the pattern appeared to be nothing special but a simple circle; however, as soon as the two Phoenixes noticed this mark, their expression darkened.
“The Great Sun Mark!? You’ve been to the Chaotic Dead Territory!?” Huang Si Niang exclaimed in shock.
Feng Liu Lang remained silent yet his expression twitched non-stop.
These two must have identified this mark; otherwise, they would not have reacted in this manner and Si Niang would not have uttered ‘Chaotic Dead Territory’.
“This is the mark of the Sun’s Burning Light, and this…” Yang Kai remarked with a nod.
He stretched out his left hand, and with a slight exertion, a pattern appeared on the back of the hand as well. However, this pattern was different from the one on the right hand, and if the pattern from the right hand were to be inserted into the left one, the two should fit exactly; two for one.
“The Great Moon Mark…” Huang Si Niang was at a loss for words.
Now, they understood why Ji Lao San was so vulnerable in the face of this individual. Even with Yang Kai just showing them these two marks, the two Phoenixes felt breathless, so nothing need be said about Ji Lao San who had been targeted for suppression.
In the beginning, there was Chaos. When Chaos split apart, Yin and Yang were formed. From Yin and Yang, all Divine Spirits and living beings were born.
The Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer were regarded as the progenitors of all things and the first ancestors of all Divine Spirits.
With these two marks in hand, no Divine Spirit could lift their head in front of Yang Kai. It was also the first time he was aware that these two marks had such an effect.
The two marks he received from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer had always been utilised solely to condense Purifying Light; however, as he was facing Ji Lao San just now, Yang Kai felt a heat on the back of his hands and unconsciously activated the marks, which resulted in that unexpected situation.
Of course, any form of suppression had its limits. Ji Lao San freed himself from the suppression by pushing himself beyond his limits and summoning his Dragon Bead.
However, doing this would ultimately cause Ji Lao San serious harm, and his Dragon Bead would have been damaged if Yang Kai did not release him promptly.
On top of that, this effect was so pronounced because Yang Kai had been facing a Grand Dragon; if it had been one of the three Ancient Dragons, the effect of the marks would likely have been greatly reduced due to the vast gap in strength between him and them.
“Ji Lao San picked a bad fight,” Huang Si Niang grinned bitterly. Even the Dragon Clan would not dare to undervalue Yang Kai with these two marks adorning his hands. There was a huge chance that Ji Lao San would not have his position in the Dragon Pool this time.
The question had already been answered, and Yang Kai now officially owned the long feather that was in his palm. He carefully put it away with the intention of studying it later when he had more free time. The Dao of Space, was, after all, the Phoenix Clan’s Bloodline Talent, so he might have some unexpected gains.
“Was this long feather from one of your wings?” He inquired once again.
Huang Si Niang gave him a sullen look before ignoring him.
Yang Kai scratched his head in confusion, then, as he suddenly realised something, he glanced at her back.
“What are you looking at?” Huang Si Niang turned around and glared even more fiercely.
To which Yang Kai responded with a wry smile.
Huang Si Niang then sighed, “Sometimes, I am quite envious of you Humans. Despite having a short lifespan and a weak body, you have unlimited possibilities. For Divine Spirits like us, however, we are born with a strong physique and a promising future, but we are incomparable to the Human Race in many cases.”
Yang Kai asked humbly, “What do you mean?”
“Take you, for instance. You have a Dragon Clan Bloodline, so you can cultivate the Dao of Time. Plus, you have quite the talent in the Dao of Space, so you can use both Grand Daos. We Phoenixes, on the other hand, only have the Dao of Space as our sole Bloodline Talent, so we can’t cultivate the Dragon Clan’s Dao of Time. Furthermore, though Divine Spirits don’t encounter many challenges throughout our formative years, we will have to go through much more exacting challenges than you Humans if we want to reach our highest potential,” she replied.
“Like the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm?” Yang Kai frowned.
Huang Si Niang responded with a nod, “Even though there aren’t a lot of Ninth-Orders Open Heaven Realm Masters among the Humans, there are still more than 100 of them. It is very challenging for us, Divine Spirits, to cultivate to such a realm. Take the Dragon Clan for example. There is only one Divine Dragon among the whole clan.”
Above Young Dragons were the Grand Dragons, followed by the Ancient Dragon, then finally the Divine Dragons!
Yang Kai was aware that the Dragon Source that resided in his body was the Golden Divine Dragon’s Source.
This wasn’t to claim that he possessed the strength of a Divine Dragon as that would be equivalent to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Still, his Source originated from a Golden Divine Dragon.
What’s more, it was from a Dragon Emperor who lived in ancient times! Yang Kai had become aware of this when he entered the Crystal Palace in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land to cultivate.
Theoretically, every Dragon Clan member had the potential to become a Divine Dragon, but that was only in theory. In reality, there weren’t many Dragon Clansmen that succeeded in growing into a Divine Dragon since ancient times.
Furthermore, only the strongest of Divine Dragons were granted the title of Dragon Emperor.
The Phoenix Empress, on the other hand, was the title that corresponded to that title in the Phoenix Clan.
Yang Kai laughed as he heard Huang Si Niang bemoaning herself and said, “It’s not that simple. The vast human population is the reason why there are so many Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. On the other hand, there are only a few members of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans. Having one Divine Dragon is already quite a high ratio.”
“That may be the reason, but given that the Divine Spirits are rare to begin with, how would we know that it wasn’t due to the restrictions of the Heavenly Way?” Huang Si Niang smiled.
Her words made Yang Kai think.
Then, Huang Si Niang continued, “You came to me to ask the reason why Ji Lao San was so hostile to you earlier, right?”
This wasn’t the first time she had mentioned Ji Lao San, so Yang Kai immediately recognised that Ji Lao San was the Grand Dragon who had blocked him before. He thus nodded and said, “I have a guess, but I don’t know the specific reason.”
Huang Si Niang chuckled, “It seems like you’re quite the smart one. The reason why Ji Lao San targeted you was because you took away benefits that belonged to him.”
“What benefits?”
“The Dragon Pool! The Phoenix Clan lives in this Immortal Parasol Tree, and the Phoenix Nests here will help us strengthen our bloodlines and gain a better grasp of the Dao of Space. The Phoenix Clan has the Immortal Parasol Tree while the Dragon Clan has the Dragon Pool. They are very different existences, but serve almost the same function. A member of the Dragon Clan can quickly enhance their Dragon Vein when they cultivate in the Dragon Pool, saving them a lot of time. However, the Dragon Pool isn’t always accessible. The time between each opening is at least a few thousand years, with the last time it opened being 3,000 years ago. Ji Lao San has been waiting for this day for such a long time, plus it is finally his turn this time. How could he easily agree while you just came along and snatched the opportunity that belongs to him when he was so close to greatly increasing his strength?” Huang Si Niang said.
Yang Kai was at a loss for words. Although he knew that he must have somehow threatened Ji Lao San’s benefits as there would be no reason for the latter to wait for him outside the No-Return Pass otherwise, he didn’t expect it to be related to the Dragon Pool’s opening.
It was no wonder that Ji Lao San showed such rage when he first approached him. Yang Kai would have not tolerated it either if it was him.
“The Dragon Pool is only open to those of the Dragon Clan. You are the first individual who was born a Human with an acquired Dragon Clan Bloodline that has been allowed to enter the Dragon Pool. The Human Race must have paid a lot in exchange for this opportunity. Besides, Ji Lao San is not the only one who is unhappy; others in the Dragon Clan are also unhappy.”
This was also the reason behind the Dragon Clan’s approval of Ji Lao San’s assault against Yang Kai. If Yang Kai lost to Ji Lao San, the Humans wouldn’t be able to say anything about it either; after all, the chance to enter the Dragon Pool to cultivate was rare, so no weakling would ever be given such an opportunity.
However, neither Ji Lao San nor the Dragon Clan at the No-Return Pass imagined that Yang Kai, a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Human, would be able to defeat a Grand Dragon with such ease.
When Yang Kai heard this, he frowned, “What price did the Human Race pay?”
“I have no idea about that,” answered Huang Si Niang while shaking her head, “It must have been a trade between the Dragon Clan and the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors of the Human Race. Despite us living together in the No-Return Pass, we hardly ever speak to one another. As long as the Dragon Clan members do not disclose anything, we, the Phoenix Clan, won’t stick our nose into it either.”
Yang Kai sighed in his heart, finally understanding everything.
He would undoubtedly encounter numerous dangers during the upcoming crusade, and while he might be strong for his realm, he was ultimately only a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
On the Black Ink Battlefield, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could be killed at any moment, let alone a Seventh-Order Master.
Yang Kai had just ascended to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm a few hundred years ago, meaning he was still a long way away from the Eighth-Order.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao probably felt like he couldn’t make a breakthrough to the Eighth Order in the short time they had left, so she ordered Yang Kai to head to the No-Return Pass.
It seemed he now owed her a huge favour.
“The Dragon Clan has always acted aloof with the Humans, except for the Ninth-Order Masters, of course, as the biggest fist will always have a say in things. But relatively speaking, the Dragon Clan hates Humans like you who intentionally or unintentionally get the chance to integrate with a Dragon Source. The Source originally belonged to the Dragon Clan after all, but now, it has merged with Humans like you. In the eyes of the Dragon Clan, this is an intolerable blasphemy. If you had not come from the Black Ink Battlefield, I’m afraid that you would have been be torn apart by those Ancient Dragons on sight. They would take away your Dragon Source before you even left the No-Return Pass.”
This was another reason why the Dragon Clan had acted so cold towards him.
In the end, Yang Kai’s foundation was still Human.
It might be said that him merging with the Golden Divine Dragon Source was his own opportunity; yet, from the perspective of the Dragon Clan, it was disrespectful to their ancestors.
This applied not only to the Dragon Clan members of the No-Return Pass, but to the Dragon Clan members in Dragon Island as well. When Zhu Qing first encountered him, she engaged in a battle with him in an effort to reclaim the Dragon Source from his body. Of course, that little episode wound up with her losing the rice she wanted to steal a chicken with.
The later easing of the relationship with the Dragon Island Dragons was largely due to the birth of the small White Dragon, Yang Xiao, plus the fact that Yang Kai provided help when Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, Wu Kuang, caused trouble in Dragon Island.
Listening to all this, Yang Kai finally understood the reason for his visit to the No-Return Pass as well as the hostile attitude the Dragon Clan had towards him. Yang Kai believed his time cultivating in the Dragon Pool wouldn’t be simple or peaceful, despite the agreement between the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and the Dragon Clan.
As such, he needed to make some plans.
Of course, the attitude of the Dragon Clan wasn’t enough for him to just give up. Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao had hoped that he would be able to get stronger to defend himself with the help of the Dragon Pool, so he had to give it his best.
“When will the Dragon Pool open?” Yang Kai asked again.
“The Dragon Force of the Dragon Pool has recently surged, indicating that the opening of the Dragon Pool will be in the coming months; however, the opening of the Dragon Pool is a significant occasion for the Dragon Clan, so they are still in preparation.”
Yang Kai only feared that he would have to wait for several dozens to hundreds of years. If so, there was no point as the crusade would have already started or even ended by then. Such a situation wasn’t impossible either because, for Races with as long a lifespan as the Divine Spirits, several dozen to hundreds of years was just like a snap of the fingers to a mortal.
If it was only a matter of a few months, Yang Kai could still afford to wait.
After pondering for a while, Yang Kai asked, “Since the Bloodline Talent of the Phoenix Clan is the Dao of Space, why didn’t the Human Race come to you for help to repair the Universe Temples in the 3,000 Worlds during the early years when they were only damaged and not yet disabled?”
In the end, he was asked to solve this particular problem, causing him to spend a lot of time studying the Universe Array in the Universe Temple in order to repair those abandoned Universe Temples.
Yang Kai previously believed that the Human Race was helpless because there wasn’t anyone proficient enough in the Dao of Space until his appearance. But now that he was aware of the Phoenix Clan’s ability, it made him question this conclusion.
“It is true that those in my Phoenix Clan are naturally skilled in the Dao of Space, but this is a Bloodline Talent that we innately possess, which is very different from the Human Race’s mastery over the Dao of Space through rigorous training and studies. So, the way members of the Phoenix Clan interpret and use the Dao of Space is quite different from the way Humans do, which makes our methods and knowledge somewhat incompatible. Additionally, repairing the Universe Temple not only requires knowledge of the Dao of Space, but also of the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so it wasn’t an issue that the Phoenix Clan could easily resolve. Besides, both the Dragon and Phoenix Clans are restricted by the Great Ancestral Bloodline Oath to not leave the No-Return Pass.”
“Oh,” Yang Kai plainly remarked. To think of it, though the Phoenix Clan members were proficient in the Dao of Space, it didn’t mean that they knew how to repair the Universe Arrays.
On top of that, there was the Great Ancestral Bloodline Oath.
Yang Kai didn’t know much about what this Great Oath mentioned, but since ancestral bloodlines were involved, it was clearly something quite serious.
He also inquired about some Dragon Clan information that wasn’t confidential, so Huang Si Niang answered him honestly.
After half a day, Yang Kai stood up sincerely to show courtesy, “Many thanks, Si Niang, for dispelling all of my doubts.”
He would still be perplexed at this point if Huang Si Niang hadn’t explained so much to him. Even though there would always be a path to the destination, it would be preferable if he had known what he was about to encounter sooner so he could prepare himself.
Looking at it now, the Dragon Clan and the Ninth-Orders Old Ancestors must have reached an agreement. The Dragon Clan would uphold its end of the bargain as long as Yang Kai did not willingly withdraw. Regardless, Yang Kai was unsure if there would be any obstructions along the way.
“It’s nothing. It has always been boring living in the No-Return Pass all these years. It’s unusual for something interesting and fun to happen, so it was quite nice being able to watch the show just now,” Huang Si Niang said honestly. As to whether her words would offend the Dragon Clan, they clearly wouldn’t; they were prideful, but not neurotic.
“I have another request, and I hope Si Niang will agree to it,” Yang Kai bowed with a sincere attitude. He had to humble himself as he requested help. It didn’t matter because Huang Si Niang might appear to be a young woman, but she should already be quite old.
“Tell me. Then, I’ll decide.” Since Huang Si Niang was not a fool, she didn’t agree immediately.
Yang Kai chuckled upon her reply and said shyly, “This is this Junior’s first visit to the No-Return Pass, and I have nowhere to stay. The Dragon Clan doesn’t seem to have the intention of welcoming me either. I’m part of the Dragon Clan nevertheless, so it is sad to see them treating me like an outsider. Can I temporarily stay here at Si Niang’s place since there is still some time before the Dragon Pool opens? You won’t let me live on the streets, will you?”
“You want to borrow a place at my residence?” Huang Si Niang looked at him and chuckled.
“It’s not for nothing. Si Niang, do tell me if you need any help. Or perhaps I can pay for it?” Added Yang Kai hastily.
“What do you have that would benefit me?” Huang Si Niang spat disdainfully.
Putting aside that Yang Kai wouldn’t be very wealthy as he was only a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, even if he had anything valuable, Huang Si Niang might not be interested because Divine Spirits like her had acquired many great things over the course of their long lives.
Yang Kai hurriedly took out a set of Yellow and Blue Crystals and handed them over, “Si Niang, are these good enough?”
He had a lot of wonderful things in his possession, but Yang Kai surmised that the only items that could impress a Phoenix were the Yellow and Blue Crystals; after all, these things came from the Chaotic Dead Territory and were the condensed power of Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
The Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer were the common ancestors of all Divine Spirits, so these Crystals should be quite alluring to the Divine Spirits.
However, he was somewhat unsure as the Yellow and Blue Crystals, which he always regarded as resources to generate Purifying Light, didn’t hold any special meaning to him. He took them out just to give it a try.
What surprised him was when Huang Si Niang saw the Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal, her eyes lit up and she swiftly snatched them up. After some examination, she looked up and asked, “Are these from the Chaotic Dead Territory?”
“You’re right!” Yang Kai gave a big thumbs-up to Huang Si Niang, “Si Niang’s eyes are as sharp as a hawk’s. You have excellent observation skills!”
Huang Si Niang did not react to his obvious toadying.
She put away the crystals as she turned her palm, saying, “Good. You really do know how to show your sincerity. I’ll let you temporarily live here.”
“Many thanks, Si Niang!” Yang Kai rejoiced, “Then, this Junior shall go take a rest. It has been a tiring journey here. I won’t be disturbing Si Niang for now.”
With that being said, he rushed away in a blink of an eye.
The inner space of the Phoenix Nest was actually really large.
Watching his leaving figure, Huang Si Niang shook her head and said, “That slippery brat.”
Feng Liu Liang, who had been silent the whole time, said suddenly, “You normally don’t like to interact with Humans. You sure were acting very differently today.”
The arrival of Humans was not rare at the No-Return Pass as it was the only transit point between the 3,000 Worlds and the Black Ink Battlefield, so fresh manpower was sent here quite frequently.
Still, over the years, Huang Si Niang never had such interaction with any Human.
Huang Si Niang glanced at him and pointedly stated, “I don’t believe that you didn’t feel it.”
Feng Liu Lang replied, “It seems like it’s not my imagination. That kid has a Phoenix Clan’s aura on him.”
“This is also what I find to be unusual,” Huang Si Niang replied with a nod, “He already possesses a Dragon Source, so he couldn’t possess a Phoenix Source as well, right?”
“The coexistence of Dragon and Phoenix Sources in a single body is impossible; it should be that he has recently been in close contact with someone from our Clan.”
Huang Si Niang shook her head, “As far as I know, he has been on the Black Ink Battlefield for hundreds of years and has had no chance to come into contact with anyone from our Clan. Even if he had, the aura would have quickly dissipated. I’m not sure why this is happening either.”
“Those from the Phoenix Clan are rare, and most of them are currently living within the Immortal Parasol Tree. However, there are still some who wander outside. I have no idea if they are still living or not, but perhaps we can locate one of them if we identify who he interacted with,” he replied.
“That’s why I want to keep him here.”
By keeping Yang Kai close, they could observe him more easily. Although Yang Kai had taken out a set of Yellow and Blue Crystals, which contained the essence of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer from the Chaotic Dead Territory, they were actually quite useless to Huang Si Niang.
Just when they were talking here though, the entire Phoenix Nest shook abruptly, making Huang Si Niang’s beautiful face pale.
…..
Atop a mountain, some distance away, Yang Kai was sitting cross-legged.
His World Force surged, and Space Principles rippled, resonating with the rich Space Dao Essence contained in this Sealed World.
When Yang Kai entered the Phoenix Nest, he saw that the Universe’s ancient aura was still preserved here. Additionally, because it was a Phoenix Nest of the Phoenix Clansman, Space Dao Essence was incredibly rich and abundant.
With the help of these Space Dao Essences, the Phoenix Clan members could continue to cultivate and become stronger in their own Phoenix Nest, which was why it was said that the Phoenix Nest was the root of every Phoenix.
If someone else came to a Phoenix Nest, they would only get to experience the ancient aura of the Universe.
But it was different for Yang Kai as he benefited greatly from the incredibly rich Space Dao Essence present in this place. His mastery over the Dao of Space could be made stronger by absorbing and refining these Dao Essences. At the same time, comprehending the differences of the Grand Dao of Space between ancient times and now would further enhance his mastery.
In addition, as this Dao Essence was preserved in its most primitive form, it made it simple for Yang Kai to refine it as it was extremely pure, without any trace of impurity.
To Yang Kai, that place was a cultivation paradise!
This was an unexpected gain. He had intended to cultivate and better his Dragon Clan Bloodline in the Dragon Pool when he arrived at the No-Return Pass, but before he had even entered the Dragon Pool, he gained advantages from the Phoenix Clan.
Fate was truly unpredictable.
On his side, Yang Kai devoured and refined the Space Dao Essence in the Phoenix Nest eagerly, while on Huang Si Niang’s side, her beautiful face paled due to how quickly the Space Dao Essence in her Phoenix Nest was dissipating.
She needed to cultivate like him too, and although the Immortal Parasol Tree would gradually replenish the Dao Essences even if they dissipated completely, Yang Kai’s method of cultivating was akin to him drying out the lake to catch all the fish.
It was not beneficial for her if the Dao Essences here were all consumed; after all, replenishment took time, and if the balance in the Phoenix Nest was disrupted, the entire structure would be at risk of rupturing.
Yang Kai’s action right now was comparable to him stealing all of her family’s property.
To be honest, Huang Si Niang knew that once Yang Kai started to cultivate, the Space Dao Essence in her Phoenix Nest would definitely decrease, but she never expected such a situation.
She and Feng Liu Lang both greatly underestimated Yang Kai’s mastery over the Dao of Space; he might even be a level higher than them.
With the suction force emerging from Yang Kai, the Phoenix Nest experienced a world-trembling shock.
[Is he even Human?] Huang Si Niang and Feng Liu Lang felt that they were incomparable to Yang Kai when it came to cultivating the Dao of Space at this point.
A loud cry echoed throughout the Phoenix Nest as Huang Si Niang shot into the air quickly rushing over to Yang Kai.
Moments later on the Immortal Parasol Tree, a portal opened up. Yang Kai, who was held by the neck by Huang Si Niang, was tossed out onto his butt, “Scram!”
Yang Kai stood up and rubbed his behind, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, “Si Niang, if there’s anything wrong, you can speak to me nicely. Why get mad?”
“I have nothing to say to you, thief! Leave!”
With an innocent look, Yang Kai cried, “How can I be a thief? I’ve paid to stay… No. I have paid the rental and greeted you, Si Niang. I was just temporarily using your place to cultivate. Why did Si Niang kick me out?”
Just as the words left his mouth, a Yellow Crystal and a Blue Crystal were thrown onto him, “I’m returning those to you. Never come back again. Ever.”
Those crystals weren’t anything precious and she only kept them because they were unique. Did he really think that they meant a lot to her?
When angered, a Phoenix was incredibly strong. Yang Kai’s face was also swollen as a result of him not being able to dodge the crystals.
And as he saw the portal closing, Yang Kai said anxiously, “Si Niang, I have something to say! I’ll stop being so aggressive and be more easy-going when I cultivate!”
There was no response. Huang Si Niang had already sealed up the portal to her Phoenix Nest, fully restricting him from entering.
However, Yang Kai could feel minor traces of the portal, and if he tried, he might be able to forcefully break in. But, he would suffer even if he succeeded since the owner no longer welcomed him.
Things had changed once again…
Yang Kai stood alone on a branch of the Immortal Parasol Tree feeling dejected.
Multiple Young Dragons passing by looked up from below and glared at him, making him even more embarrassed.
Though the No-Return Pass was large, he had nowhere to go after Huang Si Niang kicked him out. Did he really have to spend his nights on the street? The situation would still be alright if it was only a matter of one or two days since he could just walk around and time would fly by, but this was a matter of months. If word of this spread, it would embarrass not just him, but the rest of the Human Race as well.
Moreover, he had just tasted the benefits of a Phoenix Nest. After merely whetting his appetite, he was kicked out, leaving him craving for more.
The Phoenix Nest was really an excellent place for him to cultivate. According to the levels of mastery he pioneered, his Dao of Space was currently at the Eighth Level, Summiting the Peak, so if his skill were to ascend to the level above, the Ninth Level, it would reach Shocking History and Dazzling the Present.
Yang Kai believed that when he successfully reached this level, even if he couldn’t make a breakthrough with his cultivation, his strength would certainly grow significantly.
How could he be content to just let himself be kicked out?
There was nothing he could do while standing outside the portal as no matter how he pleaded, appealed, or vowed to the Heavens and Earth, Huang Si Niang was adamant about not letting him back in.
After trying for some time, Yang Kai eventually gave up as he still had some shame.
At last, he sighed. There had to be a place for him somewhere else.
He raised his head and surveyed the surrounding area, and then he leapt and landed on another tree branch. He greeted the void in front of him, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior. This is my first time at the No-Return Pass and I have nowhere to go. Could you lend me a spot in your precious home to temporarily live in?”
The Void swirled in front of him, followed by the appearance of a portal, causing Yang Kai’s face to brighten up.
A woman with bright eyes and bright teeth protruded from the portal and looked at Yang Kai with a disgusted expression, scolding, “Go away!”
Saying so, she immediately retreated, followed by the portal closing.
That made Yang Kai terribly embarrassed. [Just say no if you’re not willing to lend me a place. Why come out and scold me?]
After appealing his case for some time, Yang Kai approached another branch, gave a respectful salute, and then asked for a place to temporarily live.
Due to his proficiency with the Dao of Space, it was simple for him to locate the hidden Phoenix Nests on the Immortal Parasol Tree.
However, the Phoenix Clan members’ attitudes towards him remained essentially the same. If they had a mild temperament, they wouldn’t show up at all and just ignored him, allowing him to just yell outside for a bit.
As for the hot-tempered ones, they either opened the door to scold him or assaulted him in moderation to chase him away, with no intention of hurting him.
Yang Kai realised there was likely no hope of seeking shelter from the Phoenix Clan after getting rejected about 7 or 8 times in a row.
He was also unsure whether the Phoenix Clan had some sort of mysterious way to communicate with each other. Either way, all the Phoenix Clan members should have already known what happened between Huang Si Niang and him previously, or they would have no reason to reject him so stubbornly.
Borrowing a place to stay for a month or two wasn’t an issue, the problem was him stealing from the owner while lodging in their home. How would anybody let him inside after learning about such thievery?
Now, he was not permitted to enter the Phoenix Nest and the Dragon Clan did not welcome him. Despite how large the No-Return Pass was, Yang Kai actually had no place to stay. This was certainly one of the most distressing situations he encountered after so many years of cultivation.
Again, he arrived in front of another portal, bowed to salute and asked sincerely for a place.
As expected, there was no reaction. Perhaps this was a mild-tempered Phoenix, so they did not bother with or assault Yang Kai.
No matter the situation, he couldn’t just force his way in if the owner didn’t open the door.
Exasperated and dejected, he wanted to head to another Phoenix Nest to try his luck; however, just when he turned to leave, he frowned, carefully examining the Void in front of him.
After some time of examination, he flashed to another Phoenix Nest.
He had changed multiple locations before making his way over to Huang Si Niang’s Phoenix Nest. He lifted his hand and knocked on the Void in front of him, saying, “Si Niang, I have a question.”
There was no response from Huang Si Niang, as she was obviously ignoring him.
Yang Kai continued, “I’m really here to just ask a question, not to borrow a place.”
The Void rippled a little, and Si Niang stuck her head out with a cautious look on her face, “What?”
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, [You’re still a noble and powerful Phoenix, there’s no need to be so on guard against me.]
He looked into the Phoenix Nest and before he could say a word, Huang Si Niang reprimanded, “What are you looking at? You can’t come in. If you need to say something, say it. Otherwise, leave!”
Yang Kai wanted to ask if he could come in for a conversation, but after seeing Huang Si Niang’s attitude, he was scared that he would receive another scolding if he did.
Brushing off that thought, he said, “I just made my way across the Immortal Parasol Tree, visiting many Phoenix Clan Seniors and I came onto something odd.”
Huang Si Niang sneered because she witnessed what happened. This Brat was thick-skinned enough to say that he was only ‘visiting’ them after getting rejected so many times.
Then, he pointed to the Phoenix Nest he visited last, “The portal of that Phoenix Nest seems to have not been opened for many years. Is the Senior cultivating in retreat inside? There hasn’t been any motion from it. Could they have encountered an accident?”
Huang Si Niang glanced in the direction he pointed, frowned, and replied in surprise, “You can tell that the portal hasn’t been opened for many years?”
“Every time a portal is opened, it will leave a few unnoticeable traces. These traces are undetectable to others, but you and I should be able to see them, right?” He nonchalantly said.
“En,” Huang Si Niang replied flatly, understanding that this Brat really did have a higher comprehension of the Dao of Space than her; otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to notice things like this.
She initially couldn’t be bothered anymore, but still explained out of kindness, “There are some Phoenix Nests that have no owners. The owner of the Phoenix Nest you were referring to hasn’t returned for a long time.”
Although members of the Phoenix Clan were scarce, some were still born over time. Most of the Phoenix Clan members lived on the Immortal Parasol Tree, but there were always some others venturing outside.
The majority of these venturing Phoenix Clan members had been involved in accidents and perished, whereas some might have come across accidents where they were stuck and were unable to flee. The Phoenix Nest of these members remained, but nobody had entered them for many, many years.
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up when he heard it, “An ownerless Phoenix Nest?”
Huang Si Niang knew what he was up to based on his expression and said with a smile, “There are as many Phoenix Nests on the Immortal Parasol Tree as there are Phoenixes in my Phoenix Clan. A Phoenix Nest is the origin of a Phoenix Clan Source. In other words, the existence of both is interconnected. Unless the Source is destroyed, the Phoenix Nest will remain forever. Those Phoenix Nests which currently have no owner may have already been involved in an accident and have fallen. Nevertheless, their Source survived. However, it is most likely that those carrying these Phoenix Sources aren’t pure Phoenix Clan members, so they can’t locate this place and arrive here.”
The slightly sidetracked Yang Kai then said, “What Si Niang means is that every Phoenix Clan member’s Source correlates to a Phoenix Nest. If the individuals who obtain the Phoenix Clan Source discovers this place, they will be able to own their personal Phoenix Nest?”
“Correct,” Huang Si Niang nodded.
Any existence that arrived here and cultivated in their Phoenix Nest would eventually transform into a pure Phoenix Clan member, regardless of how they attained their Phoenix Clan Source.
“So that is how it works!” Yang Kai muttered.
“Nothing else, right? If there’s nothing else, stop bothering me.” Without allowing Yang Kai to respond, she snapped and retracted her head.
“Si Niang, wait…” Yang Kai raised his hand to stop her but was too slow.
According to her attitude, Huang Si Niang made it obvious that she didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Of course, Yang Kai didn’t push the issue, but if what Si Niang stated was accurate, then one of these ownerless Phoenix Nests on this Immortal Parasol Tree would belong to Su Yan, another to Jiu Feng, and another to Liu Yan!
These three individuals possessed Phoenix Clan Sources.
Now, things were getting interesting.
Yang Kai scrutinised his surroundings, then once again arrived at the ownerless Phoenix Nest. He rubbed his chin and pondered.
On the other hand, in Huang Si Niang’s Phoenix Nest, Feng Liu Lang asked after holding it back for a long time, “Why did you mislead him?”
She snorted lightly, “To keep him busy. Or else, he would come to disturb me again. So annoying!”
Feng Liu Lang sighed, deep down knowing Yang Kai was about to get in trouble again.
Huang Si Niang did not lie to him, but she did not make things clear either.
It was true that each Phoenix Nest on the Immortal Parasol Tree corresponded to a Phoenix Clan Source; but also, those Phoenix Clan Sources were the only keys to unlock these Phoenix Nests.
Without the corresponding Phoenix Clan Source, no matter how proficient Yang Kai was with the Dao of Space, he would never be able to open these unowned Phoenix Nests.
There was an undetermined amount of Phoenix Nests. Since the creation of the Universe, the Immortal Parasol Tree, and the Phoenix Clan, the number of the Phoenix Nests had increased and decreased as a result of several factors over the ages.
A greater number of Phoenix Nests indicated a greater amount of Phoenix Sources remaining, and decreased Phoenix Nests indicated decreased Phoenix Sources; nonetheless, these two factors were unrelated to the life or death of a Phoenix. Even when a Phoenix Clan member fell due to an accident, as long as their Source remained, their Phoenix Nest would never be destroyed.
If anyone obtained that Source by chance and cultivated it in a Phoenix Nest in the No-Return Pass, they would have the opportunity to shed their former body to be reborn as a pure member of the Phoenix Clan.
In fact, just like the Phoenix Clan, the Dragon Clan was the same, with the exception that Dragon Sources were from the Dragon Pool; hence, for both the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, those places were the root of their entire Clan; the Dragon Pool being the Dragon Clan’s origin and the Phoenix Nests being the Phoenix Clan’s origin.
Yang Kai once wondered if the decline of talents would lead to the eventual extinction of the Dragon Clan, but this was simply impossible. As long as the Dragon Pool remained, the Dragon Clan would never go extinct. There might be situations where the Clan becomes momentarily weak and vulnerable, but that was unavoidable if it was the will of the Heavenly Way.
However, the fact that there were ownerless Phoenix Nests on this Immortal Parasol Tree surprised Yang Kai.
Didn’t that mean he could enter the ownerless Phoenix Nests at will?
As the saying went, one would wear out iron shoes seeking their feet.
Besides, Huang Si Niang didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping him from entering these ownerless Phoenix Nests. Wasn’t this a tacit agreement?
[Tsk… Si Niang isn’t so cruel after all.] Her seemingly unintentional words actually pointed him towards a beneficial path.
Yang Kai restrained his excitement as he made his way to an unowned Phoenix Nest. Verifying that the nest had not been opened in many years, he got to work.
Space Principles rippled as he made a wiping movement to connect to the Phoenix Nest Portal.
Initially, he thought that it wouldn’t be that difficult to open this portal because he was already proficient enough in the Dao of Space. Besides, this portal didn’t have any special barrier to it, making it simpler to access.
However, Yang Kai soon discovered that things weren’t so simple.
The Phoenix Nest portal indeed had no barrier and he could also sense that it was right in front of him, but no matter how hard he tried to open it, the portal showed no signs of budging.
The Phoenix Nest’s portal seemed to be locked by an invisible force.
Yang Kai at first believed that his approach was incorrect, but as the portal remained shut even after several days of trying, he gradually understood the issue.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t proficient enough in the Dao of Space but that the Phoenix Nest actually had some other requirement in order to be opened.
Yang Kai concluded as such because the Phoenix Nest portal in front of him appeared to be locked by an invisible force and he probably needed the right key to open it.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but sigh as he recalled what Huang Si Niang said to him and her attitude at that time.
He was tricked!
Now, Yang Kai figured the matching Phoenix Source was necessary in order to unlock this Phoenix Nest. In other words, the key to these Phoenix Nest portals was the Phoenix Sources themselves.
Even though he had a higher mastery over the Dao of Space compared to many, he was unable to enter without the key; after all, the Immortal Parasol Tree was a unique existence that was born soon after the Universe came into existence. It could be said that it was a type of Supreme Innate Treasure. How could anything related to such a treasure be so easily accessed?
The hope that was sparked previously was put out ruthlessly, causing Yang Kai to feel dejected again.
He would still be fine if he hadn’t known the benefits of the Phoenix Nests for his cultivation; however, not only was he aware, he even got a taste. It was simply a terrible feeling not being able to have access to it anymore.
Yang Kai, still a little in disbelief, circled the Immortal Parasol Tree once more, searching for portals that had been closed for a very long time.
He tried three other Phoenix Nests consecutively, all to no avail.
When he got to the fourth Nest, Yang Kai assumed the situation would be the same, but after exerting quite a bit of force, the Void in front of him rippled, and a portal hazily formed.
Yang Kai looked on in pleasant surprise.
As he was ready to use go all out to pry open this portal when he suddenly felt that something was wrong. This portal didn’t seem to be responding to his actions, but rather a different power from the inside.
Yang Kai’s expression darkened, [Oh no.]
Sure enough, a Phoenix’s head appeared from the portal, asking as it glared at Yang Kai with blood-red Phoenix eyes, “Little bastard, what do you think you’re doing disturbing me?!”
Saying so, its sharp beak was aimed at Yang Kai, attempting to peck him.
Yang Kai’s hair stood on end. This seemingly normal peck might actually open a big hole in his body if he was hit by it; possibly even tearing apart his Soul in the process.
This Phoenix Nest was not at all an unowned Phoenix Nest, its master had simply been in retreat for a long time, which was why it hadn’t been opened in many years.
Thinking about it now, Yang Kai realized that this was probably the case for other seemingly ownerless Phoenix Nests.
As the saying went, when one often walks by the river, getting wet is inevitable.
“Senior, this is a misunderstanding!” Yang Kai shouted as he pushed his Space Principles madly, instantly disappearing from where he stood.
When he reappeared, he had already 100,000 kilometres away from the No-Return Pass; however, he was in a mess quite dishevelled at this point; his clothes were torn, and he had a wound on his chest from which Golden Blood was oozing.
On the Immortal Parasol Tree, a cold snort resounded, “Next time, I’ll take your life!”
Then, the Phoenix’s head withdrew as the portal shut.
Now, things were really awkward for Yang Kai.
Though he reacted in the shortest time possible and even used Space Principles in order to escape, the Dao of Space was still the Grand Dao all Phoenix Clan members cultivated.
Yang Kai was unable to escape from that peck no matter how he struggled or tried to flee, suffering an injury in the end.
Fortunately, it seemed the Phoenix Clan had an innately gentle temperament, so the one Yang Kai offended did not have any intention of killing him ruthlessly. If it was the Dragon Clan that he had insulted, Yang Kai would likely be locked in a life-or-death battle right now.
Inside her Phoenix Nest, Si Niang laughed riotously as she watched the commotion, whereas Feng Liu lang shook his head, thinking that the Human would stop causing a commotion after suffering such a loss.
After all, Yang Kai had no idea which Phoenix Nests were unowned and which had simply not been opened due to the owner being in retreat for a long time.
But Feng Liu Lang immediately realised that he was wrong.
After spending some time outside, Yang Kai changed into a different outfit and casually ran back to the Immortal Parasol Tree to continue what he was previously doing.
Feng Liu Lang was speechless, [Why is this Human so stubborn? The Phoenix Nests will never open unless the owner’s Source is present. He should know this already, so why waste time?]
Still, Yang Kai, who had prior experiences now, started acting more cautiously. He dared not cause a huge commotion even with the Phoenix Nests that seemed to have no owner, fearing that there would be another Phoenix coming out to peck at him.
He was currently searching for specific Phoenix Nests.
Despite the size of the Immortal Parasol Tree, there weren’t many members of the Phoenix Clan. Consequently, there weren’t many Phoenix Nests.
There were only roughly 100 of them.
In other words, the number of Phoenix Clan members was only around 100. This also counted the numerous Phoenix Clan Sources lost outside. Yang Kai estimated that there were approximately only 40 or 50 members of the Phoenix Clan who were still residing on the Immortal Parasol Tree.
Still, this was already a huge force considering it was the Phoenix Clan! Each mature Dragon was equivalent to a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, and due to their long lifespan and inherited bloodline, they only required time to strengthen themselves to ascend to the level equivalent to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, without having to go through many risks.
A process similar for all Divine Spirits.
Since there weren’t many Phoenix Nests, Yang Kai had little trouble locating all of them and after 4 hours, he stood in front of a specific one.
This was another Phoenix Nest that had not been opened for many years.
If Yang Kai hadn’t felt a trace of a familiar aura flowing out of this Phoenix Nest, he would not have been able to determine whether there wasn’t an owner inside or not.
It was that familiar aura that confirmed that this Phoenix Nest was ownerless.
Or at least, the owner was not in!
This was because the Fire Phoenix aura coming from this nest belonged to Liu Yan.
The Phoenix Source that Liu Yan owned today dated back to Martial Flame Great Emperor who had attained the Phoenix True Fire by chance many years ago. After cultivating with it, Martial Flame eventually ascended to become a Great Emperor of the Star Boundary.
It was during that period that Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, Wu Kuang, had caused chaos. As a result, all the other Great Emperors of the Star Boundary fought him in a deadly battle in the Shattered Star Sea.
In that battle, Wu Kuang’s body was destroyed as a result of his defeat. Along with his ‘death’, several other Great Emperors, namely Azure Sea Great Emperor, Martial Flame Great Emperor, Yuan Ding Great Emperor, and Cyan Lotus Great Emperor perished.
That was the time when Wu Kuang overpowered everyone else and ruled like a tyrant. But, in the end, his actions led to public outrage which ultimately got him ‘killed’.
It was later revealed that Wu Kuang faked his own death, and many years later was resurrected. However, the tale of him using his own power to kill numerous Great Emperors remained, fascinating all who heard it.
No other Great Emperor had possessed strength on par with Wu Kuang’s.
After the fall of the Martial Flame Great Emperor, the Phoenix True Fire remained in the Shattered Star Sea. When Yang Kai travelled to the Shattered Star Sea for training, he obtained the Phoenix True Fire and later gave it to Liu Yan to refine.
Consequently, he could easily recognise the aura of this Fire Phoenix Source because he was very familiar with it.
The Phoenix True Fire, strictly speaking, was actually a Phoenix Source.
The aura that was just barely noticeable on the Phoenix Nest in front of him undoubtedly came from the same source as the Phoenix True Fire that he gave to Liu Yan.
Now that this had been confirmed, Yang Kai could act boldly without having to fear a Phoenix Clan member showing up to deal with him.
But to his disappointment, despite being certain that Liu Yan was the Phoenix Nest’s owner, he was still unable to open it.
He didn’t continue because he knew that the Phoenix Nest wasn’t that simple to open from previous experience.
After half a day of searching on the Immortal Parasol Tree, Yang Kai stood in front of another Phoenix Nest. If he was not mistaken, Jiu Feng should be the owner of this Phoenix Nest; however, he wasn’t really sure as he had not interacted with Jiu Feng frequently, so he didn’t have a vivid memory of her Source’s aura.
There was a high chance it was, though!
He had found Liu Yan and Jiu Feng’s Phoenix Nest, so what about Su Yan’s?
There would definitely be a Phoenix Nest here that belonged to Su Yan.
At this moment, Yang Kai had no hope of entering the Phoenix Nest to cultivate and further strengthen his understanding and mastery over the Dao of Space, so all he wanted was to find out where Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest was located so he could help guide her here in the future where she would be able to cultivate with peace of mind.
Moments later, as Yang Kai stood on a branch of the Immortal Parasol Tree and looked at the Void in front of him, he smiled gently.
[Found it.]
Su Yan should be the owner of the Phoenix Nest in front of him. He was very familiar with that aura; after all, she was his first wife, and their many times of cultivating together had already connected their auras. When Yang Kai arrived here, he almost immediately recognised this Phoenix Nest as Su Yan’s.
This familiar aura made Yang Kai sigh in reminiscence. He had not seen Su Yan for hundreds of years before entering the Black Ink Battlefield, and now several hundred more years had passed, yet his parting with her and the others felt as though it only happened days before.
To a Master like Yang Kai, the higher their cultivation, the less emphasis they put on time.
Back when he was still young, Yang Kai felt every day was extremely precious; but, as he became stronger, even a simple retreat could take years.
His greatest desire used to be to mature quickly and obtain the freedom and strength that came with it, but looking back now, he realised how precious the time when he was a carefree kid was.
That was a period of time that could only remain in his memories.
He had spent his entire life travelling around, from South to North and back again. Though there had been a lot of women around him, he had never really spent much time with them.
Yang Kai felt deeply that there was more time spent away from his family and loved ones than with them since he began his journey on the Martial Dao.
It was still fine before as there would always be occasions to gather, but after he had entered the Black Ink Battlefield, he knew he would never see them again unless the Blank Ink Clan was completely eradicated.
[Was all this really worth it?] He thought to himself.
But Yang Kai’s expression quickly changed to one of determination, [No, it is!]
The current short separation was necessary to prepare for the long-term reunion afterwards. He would finally be at peace and bring his lovely companions to travel across mountains and rivers and enjoy himself when the battle in the Black Ink Battlefield was over.
For that reason, he had to become stronger in order to survive.
The familiar aura lingered around his fingertips as he extended his hand to touch it, as if he was brushing Su Yan’s face.
As he reached out, Yang Kai’s expression soon filled with shock, which then quickly turned to joy. With a flash, he rushed into the portal in front of him and disappeared.
The next moment, two figures appeared on the Immortal Parasol Tree together. Both Huang Si Niang and Feng Liu Lang looked at the place where Yang Kai disappeared in extreme disbelief.
Si Niang’s eyes bulged as she muttered in a hoarse voice, “He went in?”
Feng Liu Lang nodded lightly, confirming, “He went in.”
Si Niang’s thoughts were all over the place, “How?”
Feng Liu Lang had no idea how to reply either, so he just said, “Just like that…”
“Nonsense!” She glared at him. She had been observing Yang Kai, so of course she knew he went in just like that. The point was, how did he get in?
That was a Phoenix Nest!
Besides, it was not just any Phoenix Nest!
While the two were talking, more Phoenix Nests opened up, and figures emerged from the portals, obviously having noticed something. These people were all attractive men and women of varying ages, and they were all staring in the direction of where Yang Kai had disappeared.
A woman with a particularly noble and dense aura emerged. She appeared to be 15 or 16 years old on first impression; however, if one paid closer attention, she seemed to be in her early 20’s. Strangely enough, after observing her for some time, she suddenly appeared to be in her mid 30’s.
This woman’s age seemed to be a true mystery.
She then asked in a soft voice, “Has someone returned to the Clan?”
Huang Si Niang and Feng Liu Lang exchanged glances before quickly bowing and explaining everything that had just happened.
The group of Phoenix Clan members were shocked to learn that a Human from afar opened this Phoenix Nest. What’s more, this Human was no ordinary Human, but rather a Human that had refined and fused with a Dragon Source!
The Phoenix Nest was opened by such a person!
This had never happened before.
The Phoenix Clan members started chattering and demanded that the brat be dragged out of the Phoenix Nest and punished. Phoenix Nests were the root of the Phoenix Clan after all, so no one other than the Phoenix Clan members were permitted to set foot inside of them. However, a half-Dragon Human had now entered one. How could such blasphemy be tolerated?
If this Phoenix Nest could be opened by an outsider, wouldn’t everyone be able to access the other Phoenix Nest in the future?
Many Phoenix Clans members shared the same thoughts and attitude. In the Immortal Parasol Tree, more than half of the 40 Phoenix Clan members supported this plan.
The smaller half did not explicitly state their viewpoint, but it was clear that they did not disagree.
What they were most concerned about was how this Human managed to enter this Phoenix Nest.
The ability to enter a Phoenix Nest indicated that an individual owned a Phoenix Source. But, how was it possible that a Human who was confirmed to possess a Dragon Source also had a Phoenix Source?
Despite the Dragon and Phoenix Clans being said to coexist, side by side, certain things like their Sources could never coexist inside a single individual. This was fundamental knowledge.
After countless years of peace and tranquility, the Immortal Parasol Tree became lively because of Yang Kai’s unprecedented actions, and almost all the Phoenixes Clan members that were able to come out from retreat, came out.
The Dragon Clan was immediately alerted by the commotion and many of them throughout the No-Return Pass released their Divine Sense, immediately understanding the whole story in an instant.
The incident shocked the Dragon Clan as well.
The Human who was sent over to take advantage of the Dragon Clan had entered a Phoenix Nest of the Phoenix Clan before even stepping foot into the Dragon Pool?
Having lived with each other for so many years, how could the Dragon Clan not know about the mysteries of the Phoenix Nest? They were equally perplexed as to how a bastard who refined a Dragon Source would be qualified to enter an ownerless Phoenix Nest.
It had been many millennia since the No-Return Pass had been this lively. Even though Masters from the 3,000 Worlds would frequently be sent to different Great Passes through the No-Return Pass, their stays here were always brief. Additionally, due to the authority of the Dragon and Phoenix Clan, these Humans were also well-behaved in the No-Return Pass, not daring to be the least bit presumptuous and always departing with haste.
This Human, on the other hand, not only embarrassed the Dragon Clan when he first arrived, but he also violated the Phoenix Clan’s sacred home. It made everyone speechless.
Phoenix Clan’s issue, though, was not the business of the Dragon Clan; thus, all they did in this situation was observe the commotion.
On the Parasol Tree, the Phoenix Clan members were filled with rage, especially the Young Phoenixes that denounced Yang Kai loudly. On the contrary, the older Phoenixes soon fell silent, their eyes filled with pensive light.
There were many things that the Young Phoenixes were unaware of, but the older ones had already heard certain stories from their forefathers.
The Phoenix Nest that was opened was not an ordinary Phoenix Nest, it was a Phoenix Nest that belonged to a previous generation Phoenix Empress. After a certain incident, that Empress’ Source went missing, its location unknown even now. As such, wasn’t the opening of this Phoenix Nest an indication of something?
Even this generation’s Phoenix Empress had shown herself. She was a noble woman who had an extremely dense aura. Her strength was comparable to the Dragon Emperor as well as the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Humans. It could even be said that a Dragon Emperor and a Phoenix Empress were stronger compared to Ninth-Order Old Ancestors.
Without such a Master assuming command, they wouldn’t be able to maintain the safety and security of the No-Return Pass throughout the years.
But in the end, even with the Empress present, the Phoenix Clan members were unable to drag Yang Kai out from the Phoenix Nest because they lacked the ability to do so.
Though they were Phoenix Clan members, they couldn’t simply open a Phoenix Nest that did not belong to them. In other words, they couldn’t really do anything unless the Human willingly came out.
…..
The Phoenix Nest belonging to Su Yan was fully covered with snow and ice, making the whole World snow-white in colour.
In mid-air, Yang Kai surveyed his surroundings as he admired the beauty and magnificence of this place.
This was a world sealed in ice and snow, so it was absolutely freezing. The fact that Su Yan owned this Phoenix Nest made it reasonable that this was the case.
Su Yan’s Phoenix Clan Source was an Ice Phoenix Source, so naturally, her Phoenix Nest was filled with Ice Principles.
The cold inside was the kind that permeated one’s soul. Even Yang Kai felt a bit uneasy when he first arrived here, but thankfully, he felt much better after circulating his World Force.
A moment later, he felt overjoyed.
Just like Huang Si Niang’s Phoenix Nest, this place was filled with dense, primordial Space Dao Essence. On top of that, this Dao Essence was 10 times denser than it was in Huang Si Niang’s nest.
That was an immense difference!
This was also a reasonable situation though. The Phoenix Clan members cultivated in their Phoenix Nests, where they refined the ambient Space Dao Essence to enhance their own understanding of this Grand Dao. At the same time, the mysterious power of the Immortal Parasol Tree would replenish the Space Dao Essence. Of course, as long as the Phoenix Clansman could maintain a balance, the Dao Essence of their Phoenix Nest would never completely deplete, allowing them to slowly cultivate for as long as they wished.
However, it was different for Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest.
Throughout the years when nobody refined the Space Dao Essence in this ownerless Phoenix Nest, the Dao Essence had accumulated to become very dense.
This did not apply only to Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest, but every ownerless Phoenix Nest on the Parasol Tree; with the abundance of Dao Essence varying with the years since they became ownerless.
If any Phoenix Clan member that was roaming outside managed to find their way here and open their Phoenix Nest, their strength would undoubtedly increase immensely in a short time. This was a type of reward for returning to one’s roots.
Right now, this circumstance was a great blessing for Yang Kai.
He had got a taste of it at Si Niang’s place, but was soon kicked out before he had eaten his fill.
The circumstance now here at Su Yan’s place was equivalent to serving him a table of delicacies when he was starving.
Of course, Yang Kai would want to feast.
He didn’t fear that this would harm Su Yan in any way since the Space Dao Essence in this place was dense after countless years of accumulation. As long as he cultivated in moderation, he would not dry out the Dao Essence here, which would also be replenished after he left. When Su Yan visited in the future, she could still enjoy the gifts of this Phoenix Nest.
Yang Kai sat down cross-legged after he found a random ice peak. As Space Principles rippled, the World resonated and the Space Dao Essence in this Phoenix Nest was quickly absorbed by him.
Refining this incredibly pure and ancient Dao Essence was of enormous advantage to Yang Kai’s comprehension of the Grand Dao. On top of that, it helped him understand the differences between the ancient and current Grand Dao of Space, which was also extremely beneficial.
Yang Kai already caused quite a commotion at Si Niang’s place, but now he caused a bigger one in Su Yan’s place.
He seemed to have transformed into a bottomless abyss, incessantly swallowing the ambient Space Dao Essence. Consequently, he felt that he gained a deeper, broader sensibility of the Dao of Space.
Though there was no one to guide Yang Kai as he cultivated in the Phoenix Nest, the primordial Dao Essence was the best teacher. By consuming and refining these Dao Essences, he was able to reflect, identify his weaknesses, and eliminate the bad while retaining the good.
His mastery of Dao of Space increased rapidly.
A few months flew by quickly.
Yang Kai opened his eyes and reviewed his gains.
He didn’t achieve a breakthrough, but his mastery of the Dao of Space had evidently been enhanced, and this enhancement of his Grand Dao improved his strength too.
By just lifting his hand, Yang Kai could feel the quivering motion of the Void around him.
Yang Kai remained as tranquil as an ancient well, though such a result was certainly pleasing to him. Cultivating in this Phoenix Nest for a few months was far more beneficial to him than cultivating outside for many years.
The only thing that saddened him was that despite greatly enhancing his comprehension of the Dao of Space, he didn’t seem to have any signs of breaking through to the next level of mastery.
According to his own division of a Grand Dao, the last stage was Shocking History and Dazzling the Present, a stage that few had ever attained throughout history.
Though he did not break through this level, he had gained a lot, so he had no regrets. He believed that he would eventually reach such mastery one day in the future.
Deciding it was time, he stopped cultivating. The initially dense Space Dao Essence in this Phoenix Nest had noticeably diminished after his months of intensive refining, precisely like those in Huang Si Niang’s Phoenix Nest had. He couldn’t just keep cultivating though because Su Yan would eventually return here to cultivate in the future; the more Space Dao Essence he absorbed, the less would be left for Su Yan.
The situation right now was just right. He had absorbed a sufficient amount of Dao Essence which would be replenished by the Immortal Parasol Tree over the coming years. That way, it would not cause any hindrance to Su Yan when she arrived here to cultivate.
Moreover, Yang Kai also believed that it was pointless for him to keep cultivating as he couldn’t break through to the final level of mastery simply by absorbing the Phoenix Nest’s Space Dao Essence. In order to reach the highest stage, he had to fully understand the Dao of Space by himself.
Besides, he didn’t know when the Dragon Pool would be opened. If he accidentally missed it while he was cultivating here, the Dragon Clan would definitely not wait for him.
It was thus time for him to leave.
After feeling the familiar aura of this place one last time, Yang Kai shifted his thoughts and pressed on something in the Void.
The Phoenix Nest portal opened, and he exited.
Yang Kai was startled by the scene in front of him. Many sets of eyes that were dispersed across the Parasol Tree glared at Yang Kai with all sorts of emotions including scrutiny, confusion and even hatred.
Under the envelopment of so many Divine Sense, Yang Kai’s body froze up.
[What’s happening?]
Yang Kai was confused. Without having the need to count, he could judge that at least 30 pairs of eyes were focused on him. Furthermore, based on the Divine Sense intensity, several Phoenix Clan members who were equivalent to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were present.
He knew that the whole Phoenix Clan had gathered in this place.
No ordinary person could have the opportunity to witness a single pure-blooded Phoenix throughout their entire life, yet Yang Kai was not delighted even if there were several dozens of them in front of him now. This was all due to their unfriendly expressions which looked as though they wanted to tear him apart.
[I’m being blocked by the Phoenix Clan now? Why? There’s no need for this. All I did was make use of Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest. The Phoenix Clan members won’t be that petty, right?]
“Why are you all here?” Yang Kai stated dryly while squeezing forth a smile.
There was no response.
Yang Kai secretly began condensing his Space Principles, preparing to flee at any moment. Although the Phoenix Clan members were also experts in the Dao of Space, and he might not be as fast as them if he tried to flee, it was his only hope.
That was his last resort since he didn’t want to cause too much trouble.
As he locked eyes with Huang Si Niang, intending to ask about the situation by glances, she openly pretended not to notice.
It made Yang Kai curse in his heart, [This woman is too wicked! If it weren’t for her invitation, how could I have come to the Immortal Parasol Tree? But, when things turn out like this, she pretends not to know me!]
Yang Kai made several assumptions about the existing circumstances. It was undoubtedly due to his entrance to the Phoenix Nest despite the fact that he was a Human, but wasn’t this just too much?
He couldn’t help but get a headache. Since ancient times, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans had guarded the No-Return Pass. Though there were other Divine Spirits, these two Clans were still the most crucial among them.
The Dragon Clan wasn’t very pleased with him already, so if he offended the Phoenix Clan as well, he might have no way out.
[What now?]
While he was pondering, a noble looking woman suddenly asked, “Do you possess a Phoenix Clan Source?”
Although he did not feel any kind of pressure or intimidation from this woman as he turned to face her, Yang Kai felt a kind of pull from her deep stare, as though his very soul was about to be pulled from his body.
Under such a gaze, any lies or deceptions would be seen through and extremely disrespectful.
Yang Kai’s heart trembled a little, knowing that this woman was not someone he should provoke. She had no intention to coerce him, but her strength was so great that even a simple gaze and question was enough to feel stifling.
He had experienced a similar feeling from a few other individuals before, and all of which were Old Ancestors.
“Senior, you are…” he asked, though he already had guessed it in his heart.
Following that, Huang Si Niang, who finally showed some righteousness, explained, because she was aware that Yang Kai was not well versed with the Phoenix Clan, “This is the current Clan Head of my Phoenix Clan.”
The Phoenix Clan Head was naturally just a title, similar to the Clan Head of the Dragon Clan.
Yang Kai quickly bowed to salute, “So it is Madam Clan Head. I apologise for my rudeness.”
The Phoenix Clan Head nodded lightly and frowned as she said, “Though you have the aura of our Clan, you don’t seem to carry a Phoenix Clan Source.”
Yang Kai replied honestly, “Madam, this Junior does not have a Phoenix Clan Source.”
“Then, have you come in contact with a Phoenix Clan member before this?” She asked again.
“Yes,” Yang Kai was secretly at a loss for words. It had been hundreds of years since he was in contact with a Phoenix Clan member, so how were these Phoenixes even able to sense that? Were the Phoenix Clan members’ noses that sensitive, or did they have any other methods to tell?
Yang Kai was unaware that Huang Si Niang had invited him for a conversation at the Phoenix Nest only because she could feel a Phoenix’s aura in him. Otherwise, how would any Phoenix Clan member allow a random stranger to enter their Phoenix Nest, given their haughty character?
Even the Dragon Clan members that were living in the No-Return Pass with them wouldn’t get such treatments.
“How is the individual you came in contact with doing right now?” The Phoenix Clan Head asked once again.
Yang Kai thought for a while before replying, “She is doing well and should currently be cultivating in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land.”
“The Ancestral Land…” She muttered softly, with a hint of nostalgia on her face. The Ancestral Land was something long not mentioned by both the Dragon Clan or the Phoenix Clan. Ever since they took charge of the No-Return Pass, they had never visited the Ancestral Land.
It appeared to be some sort of fate that a Phoenix Clan member entered the Ancestral Land to cultivate.
In the No-Return Pass, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans were somewhat aware of some of the secrets of the Ancestral Land.
“Is she a Human?” The Phoenix Clan Head continued to question. Most of the Phoenix Clan Sources left outside were found and refined by Humans. If the Source could be integrated, then their Bloodline would slowly be altered. In addition to that, if they were strong enough and had enough opportunities, they would be able to arrive at the No-Return Pass and cultivate in a Phoenix Nest on the Immortal Parasol Tree, allowing them to shed their former body and be reborn as a pure-blooded Phoenix.
Of course, this did not solely apply to the Human Race. Any other being with a pure enough Phoenix Clan Bloodline could easily refine and fuse with a Phoenix Clan Source.
“Indeed.”
“Are you close with her?” If it wasn’t for this reason, that person’s aura wouldn’t linger on him.
“Uh… she is my Wife,” Yang Kai scratched his cheeks shyly.
“Wife…” The Phoenix Clan Head was startled for a moment. Though the Phoenix Clan’s structure was different from the Human Race’s, she could somehow understand the meaning of the term “Wife”.
A woman with a Phoenix Source became the Wife of a man with a Dragon Source.
This type of occurrence had hardly happened throughout history. Both the Phoenix Clan and the Dragon Clan were equally arrogant. What was more was that there were not many Sources of these two Clans left outside.
“Have you both… bonded?” The Phoenix Clan Head asked again.
Yang Kai’s face blushed, [This woman… how could words like that leave her mouth? How am I supposed to answer that? Furthermore, wasn’t it normal to perform such acts as partners? Why does she have to ask about everything?]
“… Yes,” he murmured in response.
This time, many members of the Phoenix Clan were unable to control their anger, especially those who had previously been glaring at Yang Kai, were now much more furious with murderous intent blazing in their eyes. If it wasn’t for the Clan Head being there, they might have already jumped out to murder this brat who sullied the purity of the Phoenix Clan.
With an expression that indicated she had now fully understood the situation, the Phoenix Clan Head said, “No wonder you can open her Phoenix Nest.”
As they had bonded with each other, their auras naturally mixed. As a result, the aura of the woman’s Phoenix Source lingered on Yang Kai’s body, which was enough to gain the approval of the Phoenix Nest, allowing him to enter.
Of course, if enough time passed and the aura faded or dissipated, the Phoenix Nest would not be accessed so easily. It could only be said that the Phoenix Clan member aura that lingered on Yang Kai was just enough to get the approval of the Phoenix Nest.
After listening to the Phoenix Clan Head’s words, Yang Kai suddenly understood too, “Senior, you mean that the reason why I could enter the Phoenix Nest is due to the remnants of my Wife’s aura?”
She nodded lightly, “There is no other explanation than this.”
Yang Kai nodded in agreement.
In fact, he had made a guess when he entered the Phoenix Nest, but he wasn’t that concerned about it because he was just too happy at that moment. This woman’s words had just helped to confirm his initial suspicions.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense for him to be able to enter Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest but not Liu Yan’s or Jiu Feng’s. Putting Jiu Feng’s aside as Yang Kai rarely interacted with her, he had actually quite often been together with Liu Yan. The only thing he lacked with her was the interchanging of auras.
In that case, it was all thanks to Su Yan that he managed to enter the Phoenix Nest.
“The Ancestral Land…” The Phoenix Clan Head murmured softly again, she would not have paid it any mind it if she didn’t know the whereabouts of other Phoenix Clan members, but now that she knew there was one cultivating in the Ancestral Land, she felt it was time to find a way to bring her home.
The Phoenix Empress didn’t linger for long, and after inquiring as to how Yang Kai was able to access the Phoenix Nest, she turned and left.
The majority of the Phoenix Clan members were cold and aloof. Typically, they cultivated by themselves, without minding others’ business; there were very few members who enjoyed being nosey like Huang Si Niang. There wouldn’t be as many Phoenix Clan members coming out to investigate if they hadn’t noticed the odd occurrence in a Phoenix Nest.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was panicking. With the Phoenix Clan Head’s presence, these Phoenix Clan members dared not cause any trouble; at most, they would just glare at him. However, if she left, Yang Kai guessed that he would be in for a lot of pain, judging by the posture of these Phoenixes around him.
He just couldn’t understand how he had offended them.
Usually, he could use his magnificent Space Secret Techniques against the Black Ink Clan, but in the face of the Phoenix Clan, that might not be useful.
So, before the Phoenix Clan Head stepped into her Phoenix Nest, Yang Kai shouted, “Senior, please wait a moment. I have something to ask about my Wife.”
The woman turned around in confusion, “What do you have to ask?”
Yang Kai rubbed his hands and replied awkwardly, “Uhm… there are too many people, so it’s not convenient for us to speak here. Could we find a private place to speak, Senior?”
The Phoenix Clan Head looked at him with a tiny smile on her face, aware of his intentions. Yet, she didn’t think he was timid or a coward as anybody would be afraid if they were glared at by so many Phoenixes with hostile intents.
It was already quite the smart move, being able to quickly think of a solution to save himself in a situation like this as a Seventh-Order Human.
Though the Phoenix Clan members wouldn’t kill him, beating him black and blue was a possibility.
Thus, she nodded lightly and said, “Follow me.”
Without having to perform any action, a portal appeared in the Void, followed by her entering it.
Yang Kai was overjoyed and he hurriedly followed her. As he made his way through the crowd around him, he couldn’t help but smile and say, “Excuse me. Excuse me.”
The Phoenixes didn’t stop him, as it was clear that the Clan Head was offering him shelter. If they made the situation difficult for him, it would be the same as not respecting the Clan Head. Consequently, they could only give way, even though they felt tremendous indignation.
Moments later, Yang Kai entered the portal as well.
Huang Si Niang, who watched from start to finish, sneered, “He’s quite the bold one.”
Yang Kai’s situation was somewhat related to her, so she initially wanted to invite him to her Phoenix Nest to hide from the Phoenix Clan members temporarily, but who knew this brat was bold enough to seek help from the Clan Head herself.
[He really doesn’t see himself as an outsider here.]
Meanwhile, Feng Liu Lang, who was standing next to Si Niang, frowned slightly, “He’s too sly. I don’t like him.”
The setting of Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest and the current Phoenix Clan Head’s Phoenix Nest were polar opposites. This place was scorchingly hot as dense Fire Principles filled the air.
Yang Kai instantly understood that the current generation leader of the Phoenixes was a Fire Phoenix!
He was still surveying the surroundings as he followed the Phoenix Clan Head into the Phoenix Nest when she asked, “Is there really something you wish to ask, or was that just an excuse?”
In a more serious manner, Yang Kai replied, “I actually do have something to ask.”
In the previous moment of crisis, he didn’t give it much thought because all he wanted to do was to use the status of the Phoenix Clan Head to escape, but now, he genuinely had a question.
She nodded lightly, “Go on.”
Yang Kai then stated, “Si Niang explained to me something about the Dragon Clan and my position there as a Human with a Dragon Source. This Junior would like to know what mindset the Phoenix Clan has in such circumstances. Does the Phoenix Clan also think that other Races do not deserve the Phoenix Clan Source, and should be marginalized if not eliminated?”
Upon hearing that, she did not answer his question but instead asked, “Do you know where both the Dragon and Phoenix Sources are from?”
Yang Kai thought for a while and answered, “Si Niang said that Phoenix Clan Sources are born from Phoenix Nests. There are as many Phoenix Clan members as there are Phoenix Nests. As for the Dragon Clan… do they come from the Dragon Pool?”
No one had told him about the origin of the Dragon Sources, but since the Dragon Pool was the root of the Dragon Clan, it was not surprising that Yang Kai thought of it this way.
The Phoenix Clan Head nodded, “Not bad. A Phoenix Source originates from a Phoenix Nest, whereas a Dragon Source comes from the Dragon Pool. This is one of the reasons our two Clans are hailed as leaders of all Divine Spirits. Both Dragons and Phoenixes are extremely strong and their numbers are quite large as well. Of course, this is in comparison to other Divine Spirits. Since you are a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Human, I believe you have also come into contact with other Divine Spirits, but have you met a Divine Spirit Clan that is as numerous and powerful as the Dragon Clan?”
Yang Kai shook his head.
Although the Divine Spirits he encountered couldn’t be counted as many, they were unquestionably not few as well.
For example, Zhu Jiu Yin and Shan Qing Luo were the only two members of the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider Clan he knew of.
Then there was the Mie Meng Mother and her Son pair.
The Divine Spirits he saw in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary appeared mostly as individuals. There might be more of them, likewise, there were likely to be Clans that he hadn’t noticed.
Only the Kun Clan in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land had a few more members, but there weren’t more than 10 of them.
In comparison, the Dragons and Phoenixes each had dozens of clansmen, which indeed made them far stronger and larger Clans.
Logically speaking, the more powerful a Race, the more problems they would face in terms of reproduction, but the situation was somewhat different for the Dragon and Phoenix Clans.
Due to their ability to produce the Dragon and Phoenix Sources, the Dragon Pool and Phoenix Nests were the foundation of these two Clans. With more Sources, naturally, there would be more clansmen, and as long as the Dragon Pool and the Phoenix Nests were not destroyed, both Clans would never go extinct.
In contrast, other Divine Spirits did not have such advantages. The continuation of their bloodline and reproduction solely depended on the bonding between clansmen.
The Dragon and Phoenix Clans could not only rely on the bonding of their clansmen, but also on the Dragon Pool and the Phoenix Nests. With these two Supreme Treasures, they would not end up like the diminishing of other Divine Spirits even if their Clans did not expand too much.
“The Dragon and Phoenix Clans have produced a large number of Clansmen over the ages, no less than tens of thousands of them. Among these Clansmen, it is not unusual to encounter accidents outside which result in death. If they pass away, their blood and Source will naturally be lost too. If the blood or Source is acquired, refined, and integrated by a member of another Race, it will lead to that individual having either a Dragon or Phoenix Clan Bloodline. Of course, far more blood is lost than Sources, so the former is much easier to come across than the latter”
Yang Kai nodded his head continuously in agreement, as he was one such example, so he resonated with her words deeply.
“In most cases, blood lost by the Dragon and Phoenix Clans will be obtained by you Humans due to your enormous population and widespread activity. So, other than the pure-blooded in this world, there are also other living beings that have some Dragon Clan Bloodline or Phoenix Clan Bloodline in them. Naturally, your descendants might carry a thin trace of the Dragon Clan Bloodline or Phoenix Clan Bloodline.”
“This is something that both the Dragon Clan and my Phoenix Clan are aware of. A Divine Spirit’s Bloodline Inheritance is incredibly mysterious. No matter how thin the Bloodline is, given enough time, there will come a day when it will be purified and awakened. One becomes more and more like a Dragon or Phoenix as that day approaches, regardless of whether you are originally Human or a member of any other Race.”
“However, Bloodline alone is insufficient if one wishes to become a True Dragon or Phoenix; a Source is also required.”
“In reality, the Source and Bloodline are complementary. Those who possess a Divine Spirit Source are definitely owners of a Divine Spirit Bloodline, but many may have a Divine Spirit Bloodline but not necessarily own a Source. Do you understand so far?”
Yang Kai nodded, “The Source is the root, and the Bloodline is the derivative of the Source. Just like the Flood Dragons, though they have a Dragon Clan Bloodline, they do not have Dragon Clan Sources.”
“Indeed. This is exactly how it works. However, if these Flood Dragons managed to purify their Bloodline to a certain extent, a Source can evolve from it. When that occurs, they can transform into a True Dragon and become an official member of the Dragon Clan.”
“So… does that mean if I could refine my Dragon Vein to a certain degree, I would officially be part of the Dragon Clan?” Yang Kai seemed to have some thoughts in his mind.
The Phoenix Clan Head looked at him briefly and said, “You can put it that way. This is the same for the Phoenix Clan as well.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help but think of Qing Luan and others in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land. According to the woman’s words, existences like Qing Luan and Yuan Chu all possessed strong Phoenix Clan Bloodlines, which would only require one last step before evolving into Sources. After taking that step, they would officially become pure-blooded Phoenix Clan members.
Of course, even if they didn’t take this step, they were still powerful Divine Spirits.
“It is just that… You know how the Dragon Clan is. There is an abundance of living beings in this World with Dragon Clan Bloodlines whereas there are very few who have a Phoenix Clan Bloodline.”
Yang Kai gave an awkward laugh. [It’s the nature of a Dragon to be lascivious!]
“It’s still acceptable if you solely possess a Dragon Clan Bloodline. The Dragon Clan wouldn’t care about that since there are many living beings that have a Dragon Clan Bloodline as a result of the Dragon Clan’s own actions. You, however, possess a Dragon Source, which means something to the Dragon Clan. If your Source is taken away and returned to the Dragon Pool, the Dragon Clan will undoubtedly have an additional heir in the future.”
Yang Kai frowned, “The Dragon Clan do such things?”
To which she shook her head and replied, “Not anymore. If it was a long time ago, they would certainly do so. While it is also conceivable for you to strengthen your Bloodline and eventually turn into a pure member of the Dragon Clan, that is merely a possibility. Instead of clinging to that faint hope, it was preferable for them to simply extract your Source and return it to the Dragon Pool.”
The Phoenix Clan Head was referring to an extremely ancient period when she said that it was a ‘long time ago’, but the Dragon Clan definitely did such things back then.
However, given Yang Kai’s current standing, it was clear that the Dragon Clan didn’t like him but wouldn’t do anything to him either.
“What about the Phoenix Clan?” This was the issue that Yang Kai was concerned about.
The Phoenix Clan Head knew what he was thinking, so she smiled and said, “Rest assured, the Phoenix Clan will not be as unscrupulously as the Dragon Clan. Since your Wife has the Phoenix Clan Source, that is her opportunity and it also means that she is a member of my Phoenix Clan. If she comes to cultivate in her Phoenix Nest in the future, she will certainly be able to fully awaken her Phoenix Clan Bloodline.”
Yang Kai heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing her words.
The Phoenix Clan was indeed far more friendly than the Dragon Clan.
“My Wife can come and cultivate in her Phoenix Nest?” Yang Kai asked again.
“Of course.” She nodded.
This was great news. Su Yan had already been cultivating in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land for some time, which meant her strength must have been greatly increased. If she came to her Phoenix Nest to cultivate now, she might be able to purify her Bloodline and become a pure-blooded Phoenix Clan member.
After all, her Source was no ordinary Source, but the Source of a Phoenix Empress, even stronger than the woman in front of Yang Kai now.
He had to find a way to bring Su Yan and the others over here, but now that he was on Black Ink Battlefield, it was pretty challenging for him to do so.
It seemed like he had to ask for a favour from the Phoenix Clan.
After the matter was brought up to the Phoenix Empress, she smiled and replied, “Even if you didn’t ask, I would have done so. There is nothing I can do if I don’t know the whereabouts of my clansman, but now that I do, I will bring her back to the Phoenix Nest.”
Pleasantly surprised, Yang Kai quickly thanked her.
More and more, he felt that the Dragon Clan’s actions were unreasonable. Just look at the Phoenix Clan. The Phoenix Clan Head herself had already made plans to fetch Su Yan who was still currently in the Ancestral Land. Whereas for Yang Kai, he came all the way here, just to almost get punched by a member of the Dragon Clan upon his arrival at the No-Return Pass. It was just too much.
She smiled and remained silent. She did not lie when she spoke earlier. She indeed sincerely wanted to fetch the Human with the Phoenix Clan Source back to the Phoenix Nest to cultivate, hoping that she would be able to purify her Bloodline and transform into a pure-blooded Phoenix.
One thing, though, was not mentioned. If that Human was unable to become a pure-blooded Phoenix, she would have to spend her entire life in the Phoenix Nest until she died.
It was impossible for the Phoenix Clan to allow their Sources to be leaked out anymore, so this was also a way for them to retrieve and retain them.
Su Yan would be one of them if she had the ability to transform into a pure-blooded Phoenix. If not, her Source would remain in the Phoenix Nest to produce new clansmen after Su Yan passed away from old age.
“Within a few days, the Dragon Pool will open, and there will certainly be battles. Are you prepared?” The Phoenix Clan Head abruptly shifted the topic out of concern that Yang Kai would figure out the Phoenix Clan’s hidden intent.
Yang Kai was a little confused, “We need to fight to enter the Dragon Pool?”
The woman shook her head and replied, “There is no need to fight to enter it, but there will always be battles inside the Dragon Pool.”
Yang Kai continued to ask humbly, “Senior, would you care to further enlighten me?”
The Phoenix Clan Head paused briefly, as if debating whether or not to tell him, but even if she didn’t, Yang Kai would soon find out when he entered the Dragon Pool. So, she continued, “The Dragon Clan’s root is the Dragon Pool, so cultivating inside is significantly beneficial to purifying a Dragon’s Bloodline. This results in the Dragon Clan members battling for the few available slots every time the Dragon Pool is accessible.”
There was a limited number of spots available in the Dragon Pool. No one told Yang Kai about this before, but he had guessed it himself; otherwise, Ji Lao San would not have blocked him on his way to the No-Return Pass.
Just like how Huang Si Niang said, Ji Lao San had waited for this opportunity for a very long time, but just when his turn finally arrived, his spot was snatched by Yang Kai. How could Ji Lao San tolerate it?
“In general, when the Dragon Pool opens, a portion of the Young Dragons and a number of Grand Dragons will enter. As for the Ancient Dragons, it wouldn’t help much even if they cultivated in the Dragon Pool since their Bloodlines are already close to the peak. As such, no Ancient Dragons will enter the Dragon Pool.”
“As far as I know, there are 3 spots for Young Dragons and 10 for Grand Dragons. Ji Lao San had one of them, but his spot was taken by you,” the Phoenix Clan Head cast a thoughtful glance towards Yang Kai, as if to suggest that Yang Kai should now understand why Ji Lao San was after him.
Yang Kai simply listened in silence, after all, he sort of figured this out already.
“Unlike our Phoenix Nests, which are visible to the naked eye, the Dragon Pool is a mysterious place. Since ancient times, only Dragon Clan members have been able to connect with it and open it. It is also solely the Dragon Clan members who have entered the Dragon Pool, who would know exactly what the Dragon Pool is like. Even the Phoenix Clan is not fully aware of the details. That being said, from what I understand, the deeper you dive into the Dragon Pool, the greater the benefits you can obtain. So, when you enter the Dragon Pool, you should head as deep as you can. Who knows? You might be able to gain something unexpected if you can dive deep enough.”
“Since fighting is inevitable in the Dragon Pool and the Dragon Clan also loves battling, your time in the Dragon Pool might not be easy.”
Hearing this warning, Yang Kai was unconcerned and declared lightly, “As long as no Ancient Dragon enters, none of them can be my opponent.”
Yang Kai was also a Grand Dragon, so why would he be afraid of other Young and Grand Dragons in the Dragon Pool?
After entering the Dragon Pool, those Dragon Clan members would be fine if they didn’t make trouble for him, but if they dared to do so, they would definitely be humiliating themselves.
The Phoenix Clan Head appeared to want to warn him about something, but after some consideration, she replied as she softly nodded, “Fair enough. That is all I know about the Dragon Pool.”
With a courteous bow, Yang Kai said, “Many thanks, Senior, for enlightening me.”
The woman simply waved her hand and replied, “You must be worth it since the Human Race is willing to send you here. Even though the Dragon and Phoenix Clan are different from you Humans, everyone’s stance on the Black Ink Battlefield remains the same. You would have learned of these things when you entered the Dragon Pool even if I didn’t mention them to you.”
Shaking his head, Yang Kai insisted, “No matter what, it is always better to be prepared than to have to make decisions on the spot.”
The Phoenix Clan Head smiled lightly, “I’ll let you know when the Dragon Pool is about to open.”
Yang Kai understood her implications, “Then, this Junior shall not disturb Senior anymore.”
Saying so, he flew off and found a quiet spot in her Phoenix Nest. After sitting down cross-legged, he started to rest.
He didn’t refine or absorb the ambient Space Dao Essence here because he had already gained enough from Su Yan’s Phoenix Nest, so it would be pointless to do so again. Instead, he needed to figure out how to digest and absorb his recent gains.
Besides, the Phoenix Clan Head was kind enough to allow him to temporarily take refuge in her home, it would be extremely ungrateful of him to also try to steal her belongings.
Several days went by.
As Yang Kai was reflecting on the Dao of Space, a voice sounded in his ears, “The Dragon Pool will soon be opened. You should go.”
As the words sounded, the Void in front of Yang Kai rippled and a portal formed.
Yang Kai instantly stood up, paid his respects to the Phoenix Clan Head, then stepped through the portal.
Looking at the place where Yang Kai disappeared, the woman closed the portal while thinking to herself, [This time, the Dragon Clan will probably have to suffer a bit.]
The Dragon Clan was unable to determine what kind of Source Yang Kai had refined because he hadn’t shown any of its aura since arriving at the No-Return Pass. So, they only thought of it as any ordinary Dragon Source; after all, the Dragon Clan had left behind a sizable number of Sources outside, many of which now belonged to living beings that had a Dragon Clan Bloodline. Those Sources were not conceived by the Dragon Pool, but rather born after a Bloodline had reached a sufficient purity.
The Dragon Clan didn’t know about his Source, but the Phoenix Clan Head had some guesses.
Because he was able to access that Phoenix Nest.
In ancient times, a Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Empress of a certain generation sacrificed their lives to seal a Black Ink Giant Spirit God. They had fallen at that time and their Sources vanished along with the shattering of the Void.
Back then, the Black Ink Clan was threatening the 3,000 Worlds. Consequently, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans lacked the time and resources necessary to search for the Emperor and Empress’ Sources due to the urgency of the situation.
After many years, when the situation finally stabilised, no traces remained to be followed.
The Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Empress’ Source of that generation were thus lost forever.
However, based on the situation of the Phoenix Nest, even though the Phoenix Empress’ Source was missing, it should still exist somewhere. Otherwise, the corresponding Phoenix Nest would also be destroyed if the Source had been destroyed.
Since the Phoenix Nest remained, it indicated that the Source was safe. Only its location remained unknown.
Now, many years later, a Human boy with a Dragon Source arrived at the No-Return Pass, received the approval of that generation’s Phoenix Empress’ Phoenix Nest, and easily entered it.
There were several indicators that suggested the Source refined by this Human should be that generation’s Dragon Emperor’s.
Since the Sources of the Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Empress were lost at the same time, it was no surprise that they would be found at the same time too.
If this was the case, those trivial Grand Dragons would be no match for him, and even the Ancient Dragons of the Dragon Clan might face a lot of pressure in front of him.
At this moment, dozens of the Dragon Clan members had gathered in the massive square of the No-Return Pass.
However, except for a few Young Dragons, all other Dragon Clan members had transformed into their Human Forms. Those few Young Dragons lacked the proper fine control over their power, so they found it less energy consuming to simply remain in their Dragon Form.
Though they were titled Young Dragons, some were several thousands of metres long. Some were hovering above the square while some were curled up nearby, Dragon Pressure lingering in the air.
In the square, five statues had been erected, all of them in the form of a True Dragon, with the only difference being their colour.
One was red, another was white, one was gold, then green, and finally black. They were lifelike despite being statues, and at first glance, they looked like genuine Dragon Clan members.
The five statues formed a circle around the square; the mystery behind this unknown.
Other than the statues, the Dragon Clan members had all gathered, including the three Ancient Dragons that Yang Kai saw the other day.
When Yang Kai approached, the Dragon Clan members seemed to be making some preparations, and the three Ancient Dragons were each murmuring something.
There was no room for any mistakes because the opening of the Dragon Pool was a huge affair to the Dragon Clan.
Yang Kai didn’t stand on ceremony at all, flying straight over to Ji Lao San after a quick glance around and asking, “I’m not late, right?”
Ji Lao San was concentrating when he heard the voice. As he turned his head to see that it was Yang Kai, his expression darkened with rage.
When Yang Kai first came to the No-Return Pass, Ji Lao San was humiliated by him. He was a Grand Dragon, yet a Seventh-Order Human actually grabbed and carried him by the neck as if he was a common chicken. His dignity was fully swept away under the attention of all the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan.
Every time he thought of the scene that day, he felt so humiliated that he wanted to cough up blood.
Today’s unexpected encounter with Yang Kai was just like meeting an old enemy face-to-face. He was so enraged that he almost transformed into a Grand Dragon to fight it out with him again.
Fortunately, he understood that now was not the time to act impulsive, so he kept his temper under control, snorted bitterly, and disregarded Yang Kai directly.
Despite being rebuffed, Yang Kai acted like he and Ji Lao San were close friends and he chatted nonstop, “You’re Brother Ji, right? We’ve met before. Could you tell me what to look out for when entering the Dragon Pool? This is my first time, and I don’t even know what to do after entering Dragon Pool. If Brother Ji knows something, please teach me a thing or two.”
Ji Lao San gave him a cool look while remaining silent.
Yang Kai then continued with pursed lips, “Brother Ji, you are a Dragon Clan member after all. You wouldn’t be that petty, right? The previous occasion was really a minor misunderstanding, why take it personally? If nothing works, I am willing to be carried by the neck by you once.”
As the saying went, never mentioned someone’s pain. No matter how good Ji Lao San’s self-control was, he couldn’t bear it anymore and shouted, “You court death!”
With an innocent expression, Yang Kai blinked at him and asked, “Why is Brother Ji so angry?”
Just as Ji Lao San was about to speak, one of the Ancient Dragons abruptly opened his eyes and glared in their direction. He did not say a word, but the coercion in his silence was repleted with warnings.
Ji Lao San froze, whereas Yang Kai quickly controlled his demeanor.