Xiang Shan said nothing more and changed the topic, “Where is Yang Kai?”
Mi Jing Lun answered solemnly, “We had some problems at the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction…”
Mi Jing Lun then gave Xiang Shan a rundown regarding the news that Ou Yang Lie brought back and Yang Kai’s warning. Upon hearing the situation, Xiang Shan frowned deeply and instantly understood the gravity of the problem.
A flaw had appeared in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, and an unknown number of Innate Territory Lords had escaped from inside. The strength of the Black Ink Clan at the No-Return Pass was bound to have increased significantly as a result. With an increase in the number of Innate Territory Lords, the Black Ink Clan would have more flexibility and manoeuvrability in making future decisions and arrangements.
Leaving aside everything else, just the creation of more Pseudo-Royal Lords alone was a huge concern to the Human Race!
In the past, the Black Ink Clan was extremely reluctant to produce Pseudo-Royal Lords because the price was simply too high. More importantly, the birth of a single Pseudo-Royal Lord had little impact on the overall situation between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race compared to the immense sacrifice required. However, there were many more Innate Territory Lords now. Those Innate Territory Lords also brought many High-Rank Black Ink Nests with them when they escaped from the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction.
At this rate, the Black Ink Clan no longer had any reason to hold back when it came to creating more Pseudo-Royal Lords. Coupled with the fact that the Universe Furnace was about to appear, the Black Ink Clan was bound to obstruct the Human Race in every possible way to prevent them from obtaining new opportunities.
A storm was coming!
A catastrophe would soon loom over the world with the emergence of the Universe Furnace as its herald. It was both an opportunity and a crisis for the Human Race.
In any case, such a huge event would not escape Yang Kai’s perception. Regardless of where he was now, he was bound to enter the Universe Furnace when the entrances were fully formed. The situation might not turn out too badly if he joined forces with Xiang Shan inside the Universe Furnace.
“Profound Nether Army’s Blood Crow requests to meet Supreme Commander Mi!” A roar suddenly came from outside the Grand Hall.
Xiang Shan and Mi Jing Lun exchanged a glance of astonishment.
Xiang Shan had a vague impression of the name ‘Blood Crow’. Not only was Blood Crow’s background somewhat special, but he also used to be a member of Yang Kai’s Dawn Squad. Xiang Shan had paid much attention to Yang Kai’s Dawn Squad back in the Great Evolution Army, so it was only natural for him to know about Blood Crow.
On the other hand, Mi Jing Lun seemed stunned for a moment; then, his eyes lit up in excitement, “I can’t believe I forgot about him!”
While saying so, he jumped to his feet and went to meet Blood Crow without any delay.
A short while later, Mi Jing Lun and Blood Crow entered the Grand Hall together. One person had a peaceful air around them while the other had an extremely flamboyant aura. The Blood Qi around Blood Crow was so thick that it was practically solid, lingering around him to form a layer of crimson Blood Mist that was visible to the naked eye.
Xiang Shan frowned upon seeing this…
Blood Crow’s cultivation gave Xiang Shan a strange feeling. He seemed to be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but also the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Regardless of whether he was in the Seventh Order or the Eighth Order though, he should be able to properly control his cultivation realm aura. However, his appearance seemed to indicate that he could not control his own strength. He was not deliberately being flamboyant with his aura; rather, it was because his power was slightly out of his control.
If Xiang Shan remembered correctly, Blood Crow cultivated a Secret Art known as Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, which was an Evil Technique. Blood Crow had caused great chaos in the Shattered Heaven some millennia ago and many disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had died tragically in his hands during that period. In the end, though, he was captured alive by a Master from Bright King Heaven and thrown into the Black Ink Battlefield to redeem himself.
All kinds of information about Blood Crow quickly flashed through Xiang Shan’s mind, and he eventually labelled Blood Crow as a heretic. He did not have a favourable opinion of this person, and if not for the ongoing struggle between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race, he would have taken matters into his own hands to ‘deal’ with this problem individual
At this moment though, Mi Jing Lun was enthusiastically welcoming Blood Crow inside.
Seeing Xiang Shan, Blood Crow generously cupped his fists in greeting, “Greetings, Brother Xiang.”
Blood Crow did not address Xiang Shan as ‘Senior Brother’ or by any other respectful title. Fortunately, Xiang Shan was not bothered by such formalities and simply nodded his head lightly to return the greeting. After all, he could not be called ‘Senior Brother’ by Blood Crow if they went strictly by seniority.
After asking Blood Crow to take a seat, Mi Jing Lun finally asked the important question, “Why did you come looking for me today?”
Although he had some speculations in his heart, he couldn’t help feeling overjoyed to hear the actual sentence coming from Blood Crow himself. Then, he heard Blood Crow’s indifferent voice, “I’ve been to the Universe Furnace before!”
…
In the Suppressing Black Ink Fortress outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, the Suppressing Black Ink Army of 6,000 had finally gained the absolute upper hand in their 1,000-year confrontation against the Black Ink Clan. Moreover, they suffered very few casualties.
In the end, the only purpose of the Black Ink Clan in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction in attacking the Suppressing Black Ink Army was to keep the Humans and Wu Kuang distracted while they searched for another way to escape, a venture they eventually succeeded in, at least temporarily.
At this moment, the void was deathly quiet. The gap in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction remained, but the Black Ink Clan was no longer rushing out to their deaths.
The flaw in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction that the Black Ink Clan opened with great difficulty had been exposed and patched by Wu Kuang. Now that there was no means for the Black Ink Clan to sneak out of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and the enemy was on guard against such attempts, they no longer had a reason to waste their resources by confronting the Humans outside.
Wu Kuang did not bother to close the gap either. Since it had already been opened, he would most likely cause further impact to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction if he tried to close it again. It was better to simply maintain the current state without making any changes.
As a result, the Suppressing Black Ink Army couldn’t help feeling bored now that they had nothing to do. It was fortunate that they could still focus on their own cultivation.
Just as Xiang Shan and Mi Jing Lun guessed, when the projections of the Universe Furnace appeared everywhere in the Universe, one also appeared outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction.
All the cultivators whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm were startled by a sense of resonance that welled up at the sight of the phenomenon. Looking at the projection gave them a sense of desire and yearning.
There were several veteran Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Suppressing Black Ink Army, so they immediately guessed the situation when they saw the projection.
As news that the Universe Furnace would be emerging soon spread throughout the entire Suppressing Black Ink Army, many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were shaken by the news.
There were a total of 400 Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Suppressing Black Ink Army to begin with, and several others had broken through to that realm over the last 1,000 years. However, less than 10% of them had the qualifications to advance to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even Yu Ru Meng, Su Yan, and the others had only advanced directly to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so their limit was the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
On the contrary, rising stars like Zhao Ye Bai, Zhao Ya, and Xu Yi had ascended to the Seventh Order directly and were expected to reach the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future.
As cultivators, it did not matter whether they were men or women, they all desired to seek greater heights in the Martial Dao. It was their greatest wish to climb beyond the peak in hopes of seeing an even broader and exciting scenery. For that reason, the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Suppressing Black Ink Army were riled up when news of the upcoming emergence of the Universe Furnace spread.
Be that as it may, neither the veteran Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters nor the rising stars in the same realm knew much about the Universe Furnace. All they knew was that it produced Innate Open Heaven Pills that could help cultivators break through their natural limits. As for what these Innate Open Heaven Pills looked like or how to obtain them, everything was a complete mystery.
Fortunately, there was a Divine Dragon amongst them. In terms of age and seniority, Fu Guang was undoubtedly leagues above everyone else here. He was well-informed and knowledgeable, so he might know something about the Universe Furnace.
Yang Xiao immediately turned to Fu Guang, who was standing nearby and staring at the projection of the Universe Furnace with a solemn expression, “Senior, is that how the Universe Furnace looks?”
Fu Guang smiled faintly, “How else should it look, if not this?”
Yang Xiao laughed dryly, “I don’t know. In any case, it is different from what I imagined.” After a brief pause, he added another question, “Senior, since the Universe Furnace appeared before us, does that mean we have the advantage of being the closest?”
Fu Guang glanced sideways at Yang Xiao, “You think too much. This is nothing more than a projection of the Universe Furnace. Its true body has always been hidden somewhere beyond the known Universe. Nobody has ever seen it before in history.”
“A projection?” Yang Xiao was stunned. He was not the only one; many of the rising star Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters around him were also stunned.
One of the veteran Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters explained, “It is rumoured that the Universe Furnace will reveal a projection of itself in the vast expanse of the Universe before it appears. Once it completely solidifies, it will transform into an entrance for us to enter the Universe Furnace in search of opportunities.”
Yang Xiao was even more confused by the explanation, “Enter the Universe Furnace in search of opportunities? Does that mean there is a Sealed World inside the Universe Furnace?”
The veteran Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master shook his head, “I don’t know the exact details either. These are just what I heard from my Elders when I was younger.”
Another person stepped up, “There’s a possibility that the projection appeared at more than one location. The appearance of the projection is apparently related to the number of powerful Masters who died in a specific place. Too many living beings have lost their lives in the wars here, so it’s not surprising for a projection to appear here.”
“Are you saying there are projections elsewhere?” Somebody asked curiously.
“Yes, I believe so. There are so many Great Territory Battlefields nowadays, and countless living creatures lost their lives in battle on every one of them. I believe there are projections on most, if not all the various Great Territory Battlefields too.”
“Doesn’t that mean we’re not the only ones with access to the Universe Furnace?”
“Of course. Anywhere with a projection would be connected to the Universe Furnace once they solidify into entrances.”
The veteran Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters reported all the information they knew.
Meanwhile, Yang Xiao listened curiously from the side. Scratching his ears thoughtfully, he leaned over to Yang Xue and murmured, “It’s different from what I imagined.”
Yang Xue nodded in agreement, “En, it’s different from what I imagined too.”
They had always heard that the Universe Furnace contained Innate Open Heaven Pills that could allow a person to break through their shackles. Now that the Universe Furnace was in front of them, they wrongly assumed that they would only need to wait quietly for the mysterious Innate Open Heaven Pills to fly out when the time was right. When that moment came, they would then compete for the Open Heaven Pills.
It was not until this moment that they learned that the Universe Furnace in front of them was nothing more than a projection. Even when the time was right, no Open Heaven Pills would fly out of the Universe Furnace. On the contrary, they would need to enter the Universe Furnace to seek these treasures out.
They held a whispered conversation between themselves for a short time; then, Yang Xiao turned to look at Fu Guang again, “Senior, do you know a lot about the Universe Furnace?”
All the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters abruptly stopped talking and looked at Fu Guang with expectant expressions. They clearly hoped to gain more information from him.
Contrary to expectations, however, Fu Guang just shook his head, “The Divine Spirits do not participate when the Universe Furnace manifests in the world, so all I know is hearsay. However… the Universe Furnace does indeed contain a Sealed World of its own. If you enter the Universe Furnace, you can search for opportunities. If you can obtain one of the legendary Innate Open Heaven Pills, it would not be impossible for you to break through your shackles.”
With just a few words, all the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were beside themselves with excitement.
On the other hand, Yang Xiao could barely stop himself from rushing forward at this very moment, [I might not require one of these Innate Open Heaven Pills since I’m part of the Dragon Clan, but Adoptive Father definitely needs them! He is already so strong; he shouldn’t be stuck in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. That’s right! Adoptive Father will definitely enter the Universe Furnace in search of opportunities. I’m no longer the little White Dragon who could only take shelter under his wings! It’s only right that I enter the Universe Furnace to help him!]
Seeing Yang Xiao’s eagerness, Zhao Ye Bai immediately stopped him, “Senior Brother, please don’t be rash. The projection might look ordinary, but the space around it is actually highly distorted. I can’t tell how many folds there are. You will definitely be trapped within if you rush in recklessly.”
Although there were many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters present, not many of them had cultivated the Dao of Space. In terms of attainment in the Dao of Space, Zhao Ye Bai was undoubtedly the best.
Not even Su Yan and Liu Yan, both of whom had Phoenix Clan Sources, could compete with Zhao Ye Bai in this regard. Neither of them was of orthodox Phoenix Clan origin after all. Although they had Phoenix Clan Sources and even cultivated in the Phoenix Nest for some time, their compatibility with the Grand Dao of Space could not compare to Zhao Ye Bai, who was blessed with natural talent and trained from young.
Others might not be able to detect the distortion in the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom with careful observation, but Zhao Ye Bai could perceive the truth at a glance. More importantly, he had made his point clear. There was no reason for Yang Xiao to distrust those words, so he immediately nodded in understanding and adopted a prudent demeanour, “This Senior Brother understands!”
Afterwards, he suddenly heard Fu Guang speaking to the crowd, “The Universe Furnace will soon manifest. It will represent a great opportunity for all of you. Seeing as the Suppressing Black Ink Army is not involved in any fighting at the moment, I will allow 50 of you to enter the Universe Furnace to explore. Once the entrance to the Universe Furnace is fully formed, you may enter immediately. As for how the quota should be distributed, you may discuss and decide among yourselves.”
50 spots out of 400 plus Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters might not seem like much, but it was actually the absolute limit. The Suppressing Black Ink Army might be at peace for now, but nobody could guarantee when the Black Ink Clan might suddenly launch an attack. The overall strength of the Suppressing Black Ink Army would be affected if too many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters left for the Universe Furnace, which would place them at a disadvantage against the Black Ink Clan’s assault. Therefore, after taking everything into consideration, only 50 Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could be allowed to leave.
As for the exact candidates to be sent into the Universe Furnace, it was not Fu Guang’s place to decide. In the end, the decision could only be left to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to discuss and negotiate among themselves. Such an opportunity was something anybody would want to obtain after all. He could only hope that the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would not ruin their comradery with each other over the competition to obtain this opportunity.
…..
In the depths of the Black Ink Battlefield.
Due to the sudden turmoil all around the Universe, a momentary lapse in strength caused Yang Kai to be struck by Mo Na Ye’s assault. His condition had gotten significantly worse as a result. He did not understand the phenomenon earlier; after all, he had a World Tree Clone sealing and stabilizing his Small Universe. How could he be affected by some inexplicable phenomenon which ultimately resulted in his difficult situation right now?
Despite coughing up blood, Yang Kai swiftly flew through the void. He was tracing the vague feeling in his heart, which steered him back along his original path. Even now, he did not know the cause of that mysterious calling. He had initially suspected that it was part of the Black Ink Clan’s trap, but he quickly realised upon careful consideration.
If the Black Ink Clan had such ability, they would have drawn him out with this method in the first place. They would never have allowed him to intercept and hunt down so many Innate Territory Lords, much less be forced to set an ambush and wait for him to fall into their encirclement. Therefore, this phenomenon was clearly not part of the Black Ink Clan’s machinations.
If it was not part of the Black Ink Clan’s schemes though, what did he feel earlier? At a time when his life was hanging by a thread, Yang Kai normally would not have paid any attention to such an inexplicable phenomenon; however, he had a hunch that he might have found the opportunity he needed to overcome his current crisis! That was why he only hesitated for a moment before he unswervingly headed in the direction he was seemingly being summoned.
During this period, he was struck by Mo Na Ye’s long-distance attacks on several occasions. The impact caused stars to appear in his vision and his figure to stagger unsteadily. He felt as though he was at the end of his rope.
Seeming to realise Yang Kai’s current condition, Mo Na Ye doggedly gave chase. His attacks did not ease up in the slightest and instead became fiercer and fiercer; after all, he was well aware of the principle that ‘a long night brings many dreams’.
Against an opponent like Yang Kai, he could not afford to slip up or provide any opportunities for the former to exploit. Otherwise, his previous efforts might all be for nought. Having gradually driven Yang Kai to a desperate situation, it was only a matter of time before Mo Na Ye caught up with and slaughtered his foe. Nevertheless, he became more and more cautious as the climax slowly approached.
His heart was filled with a sense of anticipation. After confronting each other for so many years, Mo Na Ye had always been forced to bear various humiliations. He had yielded to Yang Kai on countless occasions, which made his reputation plummet among the Black Ink Clan. The Territory Lords constantly criticized and ridiculed him, but he simply ignored them. That was because he knew that the Black Ink Clan would be the one to suffer if he did not surrender to Yang Kai on occasion.
All his efforts had been aimed at gaining more advantages for the Black Ink Clan. Compared to that, what was always being at a disadvantage in a confrontation against Yang Kai? So what if his reputation was terrible? So what if the Territory Lords constantly looked down on him? If he could return to the No-Return Pass with the glory of slaughtering Yang Kai, then all the humiliation he suffered before would be washed away immediately.
In any case, he was extremely relieved that Yang Kai was the only irregularity among the Human Race. He never wanted to encounter such a difficult opponent in his life again.
What delighted him even more was that the Royal Lord had always trusted in him and never interfered with his decision-making. Having such a generous leader was the biggest reason he could force Yang Kai into such a desperate situation today. The deaths of all those Innate Territory Lords would be honoured soon!
Although his heart pounded with excitement, Mo Na Ye did not reduce the intensity of his onslaught against Yang Kai.
Purifying Light covered Yang Kai and severed Mo Na Ye’s aura. Then, Space Principles began to fluctuate…
[Can you even escape?] Mo Na Ye sneered coldly. [It’s just the final and useless struggle of a cornered beast!]
The severed aura immediately exploded and shook the surrounding Void. Although Yang Kai successfully left via Instantaneous Movement, he did not manage to flee very far.
Mo Na Ye could instantly perceive Yang Kai’s position with a sweep of his Divine Sense, but just as he was about to give chase, he sensed something that made him scowl deeply. In addition to Yang Kai’s aura, he also sensed many auras belonging to the Innate Territory Lords up ahead.
[Why are they here?]
It was only at this moment that he abruptly realised Yang Kai had been leading him around in a wide circle. They had returned to the battlefield from before!
[Why are those Territory Lords still here?]
The pursuit had lasted for more than half a month, so it stood to reason that the Territory Lords should have returned to the No-Return Pass by now.
[These guys are heavily wounded! Why are they just loitering around!?] Mo Na Ye couldn’t help feeling extremely annoyed.
On the other side, Yang Kai reappeared from the Void and stared at the Innate Territory Lords in confusion. Not many Innate Territory Lords remained alive after the previous battle, less than 100 in total, all of whom were heavily injured, so he couldn’t help having the same doubts and questions as Mo Na Ye.
[Why are these guys still here?] However, Yang Kai soon figured out the reason. There was an enormous illusory phantom looming over a vast swath of the void. At first glance, the illusory phantom looked like… an Alchemy Furnace.
Be that as it may, the Alchemy Furnace seemed slightly different from the ordinary Alchemy Furnaces. Not only was the Alchemy Furnace gigantic, but the illusory surface was covered in various complicated runes and patterns. It felt as though the deepest and most profound truth of the Universe was contained within these markings.
A sense of insight and enlightenment subconsciously welled up inside Yang Kai when he glanced at the Alchemy Furnace. The patterns on its surface were also not static, but instead in a constant state of flow and flux. Moreover, he could clearly feel that the Alchemy Furnace was becoming increasingly solidified at an extremely slow speed.
[What is that?] Yang Kai frowned in puzzlement.
There had been no illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace in this place when he initially made his escape, so how did such a strange thing manage to appear here while he was wandering the void for half a month? Nevertheless, he was certain about one thing. The mysterious feeling in his heart was coming from this Alchemy Furnace! The inexplicable turmoil that shook his Small Universe was also caused by this Alchemy Furnace.
[What kind of Alchemy Furnace would have such a mysterious force?] Staring at the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace in front of him, a flash of understanding swept through his mind as an existence that only appeared in rumours and legends instantly sprang to mind.
The Universe Furnace!
During the Late Ancient Era, 10 Martial Ancestors, including Cang, had used the power of the World Tree to gain enlightenment about the Open Heaven Realm Method. It was only after their success that the Human Race began to prosper. At the same time, they finally had the means to confront the Black Ink Clan. Thanks to the capital that allowed them to compete for supremacy in the world, the Human Race gradually became dominant in the vast Universe.
Unfortunately, the Open Heaven Realm Method was innately flawed. All cultivators who cultivated this method were limited by their inherent shackles, the peak of their Martial Dao set in stone the moment they reached this Realm. Nevertheless, nothing was absolute. There was bound to be a loophole somewhere, and the mysterious Universe Furnace was one of those loopholes.
The Universe Furnace bred Innate Open Heaven Pills. If a cultivator could obtain these Innate Open Heaven Pills, then they could break through their shackles and overcome the disadvantages brought about by the limitations of the Open Heaven Realm Method. Be that as it may, the Universe Furnace was a thing of legend and myth, its whereabouts rarely revealed throughout history.
Yang Kai’s understanding of the Universe Furnace was limited to some rumours he heard in the past. According to the rumours, the Universe Furnace was extremely elusive and impossible to locate. Furthermore, the Innate Open Heaven Pills had miraculous effects that could help a cultivator break through their inherent shackles.
All the information he knew was limited to the information accessible by the general public. The Universe Furnace seemed to be even more mysterious than the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary; therefore, he couldn’t help feeling stunned when he realised that the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace belonged to the legendary Universe Furnace.
[I can’t believe the Universe Furnace appeared at this time and location!]
The first thought that sprang to mind was similar to the concerns that Mi Jing Lun had considered previously. This phenomenon might not be a good thing for the Human Race!
The emergence of the Universe Furnace would surely attract the attention of many Human Race Masters. Accordingly, the Black Ink Clan would resort to any means possible just to prevent the Humans from seizing this opportunity.
Up until now, the power accumulated by the Human Race was far from adequate. In stark contrast, the Black Ink Clan just experienced a huge leap in strength thanks to the influx of Innate Territory Lords and High-Rank Black Ink Nests. If the delicate balance that had been maintained for the past several thousand years was broken, the Human Race might not benefit from the outcome.
The second thought that sprang to mind was… that the Universe Furnace seemed a little different from what he had initially imagined. He had always thought the Universe Furnace as something similar to a Supreme Treasure like the Soul Warming Lotus. It would appear out of nowhere one day and exude a mysterious aura into the surroundings. When the time was right, the Innate Open Heaven Pills would fly out of the Universe Furnace and enter the possession of those who were lucky enough to seize them…
The Universe Furnace in front of him not only had the shape of an Alchemy Furnace, but it also exuded a mysterious aura; however, it was much too large. The Universe Furnace loomed over a massive region. Not to mention, it was obviously just an illusory image that was slowly solidifying over time.
[Could it be that the Universe Furnace will only appear once the illusory phantom completely turns solid? I wonder how long that will take.] There was no time for Yang Kai to ponder the mysteries of the Universe Furnace though as he soon noticed the distortion of the Void around it.
Even Zhao Ye Bai had seen through the strangeness of this phenomenon at a glance, so how could Yang Kai fail to notice it? The space around the Alchemy Furnace’s illusory phantom might seem normal on the surface, but the inside was extremely twisted and warped, constantly shifting and folding onto itself.
Yang Kai immediately became overjoyed. Even though he had been backed into a corner with no escape, a path had appeared before him in the end! His intuition proved correct. The opportunity to escape Mo Na Ye’s pursuit was right in front of him. His misery was caused by the Universe Furnace, but his salvation also came from the Universe Furnace. It was truly an object of both misfortune and joy.
The appearance of this mysterious object had shaken the very foundation of his Small Universe. As a result of the turmoil, he suffered a heavy blow from Mo Na Ye. Now, he was going to use this very object to escape his current crisis. The good and bad were even now.
With a single flash of thought, Yang Kai desperately drew upon his World Force. His Divine Sense surged wildly at the same time. The burst of his full force caused the entire surrounding void to become distorted. Like an Ominous Beast that was backed into a corner, he gritted his teeth and howled, “Mo Na Ye, if you want me dead, then I will slaughter those Territory Lords first!”
While saying so, he boldly rushed in the direction of the Innate Territory Lords and plunged directly into the illusory phantom’s space without the slightest hesitation.
Many Innate Territory Lords were trapped inside the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom. When they suddenly saw Yang Kai approaching them with such fierce momentum, they couldn’t help turning pale with horror and fright. Yang Kai was in absolutely dire condition, and his aura also seemed exceedingly weak; nevertheless, their experience during the fierce battle from before had traumatized them deeply, so they were naturally horrified by his arrival.
It had to be said that these Territory Lords were not in good condition either. They had been severely wounded when they snuck out from the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and had almost no chance to heal and recuperate from their wounds at all. After that, they were sent here under Mo Na Ye’s orders to besiege Yang Kai. Although they were lucky enough to survive the previous battle, their injuries had only gotten more severe. If Yang Kai were to attack them now, they would not have much power to fight back at all.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Yang Kai plunged into the illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace. He instantly felt the distortion of Space around him. Just as he had noticed earlier, the Space inside the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom was twisted and folded upon itself. It was impossible to make sense of this Space with common sense. Even if something seemed close at hand, there might be countless layers of space overlapping and folding over each other between them, so that the actual distance was unfathomably large.
The slightest movement inside this chaotic region would cause a person to land in a different layer of space. That was why the Territory Lords could not escape once they were surrounded by the illusory phantom. They were forced to remain here not because they did not want to leave, but because they simply could not.
The mysteries of the Universe Furnace were perfectly illustrated in this scenario!
For the Territory Lords, everything seemed so close yet so far inside the space shrouded within the illusory phantom, and the same was true for Yang Kai. The difference was that Yang Kai manipulated Space Principles as soon as he stepped into the Universe Furnace’s range. As a result, the layers of folded Space instantly became comprehensible and traceable to him.
Yang Kai lightly took a few steps forward. A layer of ripples spread out all over his body, then he abruptly materialised in front of a Territory Lord. Raising his hand, Yang Kai summoned the Azure Dragon Spear and thrust it directly into the heart of the Territory Lord.
On the other hand, the Territory Lord simply had a look of disbelief on his face. His eyes were also filled with complete incomprehension, as though he never imagined that Yang Kai would appear in front of him and stab him with such ease!
One thing had to be said about their current situation. Although these Territory Lords seemed to be gathered together in one spot, they were actually scattered across different layers of Space. After being trapped inside the Universe Furnace, they could neither escape nor rally together at the same spot. No matter how much they struggled, they could only spin around in circles.
It was also for that reason that the Territory Lords were not too worried about their safety even though they had been terrified to hear Yang Kai’s ruthless threat just now. That was because they knew the strangeness of this Space better than anybody else, but their confidence only lasted until this moment!
When one of their companions was run through by Yang Kai’s spear, the Territory Lords finally turned pale with fright. Yang Kai had easily and effortlessly achieved what they had not been able to do despite their best efforts!
At that moment, they promptly recalled the information given to them by Mo Na Ye regarding Yang Kai’s mastery over the Dao of Space! This place might be able to trap the Territory Lords, but Yang Kai could traverse it as though he were walking on flat ground!
With a shake of the spear, the Territory Lord who was stabbed in the chest immediately exploded into pieces. Yang Kai subsequently retrieved his spear and charged towards the nearest Territory Lord.
Having seen what happened to his companion just now, the Territory Lord was filled with absolute horror and shouted at the top of his voice, “Save me, Sir Mo Na Ye!”
Yang Kai smiled wickedly with a sinister expression on his face, “No one can save you now! Die!”
“Yang Kai, you dare?!” Mo Na Ye’s furious roar came from behind. While he was chasing Yang Kai, he had naturally seen the Territory Lords and the Alchemy Furnace’s illusory phantom surrounding them from a distance.
Yang Kai might have figured out that the phenomenon was caused by the emergence of the Universe Furnace, but Mo Na Ye was completely clueless about the situation. It was only natural though as Mo Na Ye was from the Black Ink Clan. Why would he know about the Universe Furnace? Not to mention, the Black Ink Disciples would not mention such things without reason either.
Mo Na Ye was initially vigilant towards the unknown object, but his vigilance was soon overcome by his rage when he saw Yang Kai casually slaughtering the first Innate Territory Lord and aiming for a second. His figure swayed, and he plunged into the illusory phantom after Yang Kai. In the next moment… his expression became blank with shock.
Yang Kai threw his head back as he laughed wildly. Meanwhile, the expressions of the Territory Lords changed drastically.
While laughing, Yang Kai suddenly coughed up a mouthful of Golden Blood. The power that he had forcibly gathered withered like a deflated balloon, and he rapidly collapsed. His entire appearance made him seem like he was about to die on the spot.
He was a dry oil lamp at this point. When he pushed himself just now to butcher a Territory Lord in one blow, his actions had only been to distract and provoke Mo Na Ye as he was worried that the latter would be too vigilant to follow him into the Universe Furnace.
In truth, Yang Kai would have been powerless to kill the second Territory Lord even if Mo Na Ye had not stepped forward to stop him. Fortunately, things had taken a turn for the better. Mo Na Ye had followed him into the Universe Furnace, which swung the situation in Yang Kai’s favour. He could sleep with peace of mind now!
“Mo Na Ye, oh, Mo Na Ye… Even a scheming and treacherous bastard like you can fall into a simple trap! Just wait for me to recover, then I will deal with you!” While saying that, Yang Kai took out a handful of Spirit Pills and stuffed them into his mouth as all the Innate Territory Lords watched. He subsequently took out a set of cultivation materials to refine while completely ignoring all the Territory Lords around him. The recent period had been too difficult on him. After all, he didn’t even have the time to swallow any Spirit Pills when he was being pursued by Mo Na Ye.
On the other hand, Mo Na Ye was livid. Unable to hold back, he threw a punch in Yang Kai’s direction. The power behind the punch could be said to contain his full strength. Be that as it may, the blow failed to cause the slightest disturbance to Yang Kai as all of the force was absorbed and dissipated by the layers of folded Space between them.
Mo Na Ye’s expression immediately became gloomy. He had sensed that something was wrong as soon as he plunged into this place. The Space inside the illusory phantom was evidently different from the outside world. Combined with Yang Kai’s previous attitude and current reaction, how could Mo Na Ye not know that he had fallen for this rascal’s trick? He could not believe that he was tricked into entering this strange place.
Looking around, he could clearly see the figures of the Territory Lords. The distance between them did not seem very far. Visually, the Territory Lord nearest to him seemed to be only a few steps away; however, the actual distance between them did not reduce whatsoever when he tried to walk over. Mo Na Ye clearly had the perception of moving forward quite a long distance, but he seemed to be walking on the spot without moving forward in the slightest.
“What is this thing?” Mo Na Ye wondered as he quickly realised that the root of the problem was the Alchemy Furnace’s illusory phantom.
Upon hearing Mo Na Ye’s question, the Territory Lords felt a chill running through their hearts. They had been hoping that he could resolve their doubts and bring them out of this place, but it would seem that he was just as clueless as they were.
Staring at the silent Territory Lords around him, Mo Na Ye lost his temper and roared, “Why didn’t any of you warn me about this place!?”
If any of the Territory Lords had warned him in advance, he would not have rashly plunged into this Space and caused himself to be stuck in this trap.
None of the Territory Lords made a sound, but Mo Na Ye knew that his question was unreasonable.
In this case, it was his fault for being too impatient. Yang Kai’s murderous attitude had also given him no time to consider his options. On the other hand, the Territory Lords had been so intimidated by Yang Kai that they were subconsciously expecting Mo Na Ye to protect them. That was how he ended up falling into this trap!
Sure enough, he could not afford to underestimate Yang Kai under any circumstances. Even in such a desperate situation, Yang Kai had actually managed to lure him into a trap. He had to admit that he made the wrong move this time.
Mo Na Ye did not know anything about the Alchemy Furnace’s illusory phantom, much less why the space shrouded by the illusory phantom was so treacherous. The only thing he knew was that he could not give Yang Kai any time to recover. The Black Ink Clan had paid such a large price and sacrificed so many Innate Territory Lords in battle just to push Yang Kai into a corner. He could not give up halfway.
As the saying went, ‘Beat the snake to death in order to avoid future calamity’. If he allowed Yang Kai to walk away alive, then he would be faced with countless troubles in the future. Mo Na Ye had always maintained a certain attitude towards Yang Kai, whereby he tried not to offend the other party as much as possible. Now that their friendly relations were thoroughly destroyed, he needed to ensure that Yang Kai died cleanly.
It was difficult to judge the distance within this strange space, but communicating with each other did not seem to be affected. Mo Na Ye pondered in silence for a moment before he sent a Divine Sense transmission to the Territory Lords around him and prepared a plan.
A short while later, Mo Na Ye and the Territory Lords sprang into action. Every one of them pushed their bodies and tried to move in Yang Kai’s direction. Yang Kai seemed to perceive their movements and opened his eyes to glance at them; however, he quickly ignored them and continued to focus on his recovery.
The Space inside the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom was extremely chaotic and distorted. Unless the Territory Lords had cultivated the Dao of Space and could figure out some of the rules of this place, it was simply a fool’s dream for them to approach Yang Kai by randomly struggling. It was not to say that they had no chance whatsoever as there were always some coincidences, but the chances were infinitesimal.
More importantly, Yang Kai could sense that the Space shrouded by the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom was becoming increasingly complicated as time passed. The Territory Lords could try their hardest to approach him, but even if they were lucky enough to enter his space by some great coincidence, he would only need to take a step in any direction and all their previous efforts would go to waste.
Leaving a thread of consciousness to keep an eye on the situation around him, Yang Kai completely immersed himself in recovering.
On the other side, Mo Na Ye finally realised that this method was futile after trying for some time. Several dozen Territory Lords and himself included had been trying to approach Yang Kai, but their efforts were to no avail. It was difficult for them to achieve any results even if they persisted in their efforts.
Besides, judging by the current condition of the Territory Lords… Even if a Territory Lord managed to reach Yang Kai’s location, the only fate waiting for them was death…
Mo Na Ye sent out Divine Sense transmissions again, telling the Territory Lords to cease their useless efforts. Then, he took out a miniature Black Ink Nest and attempted to contact the No-Return Pass. Regardless of the circumstances, he had to inform the No-Return Pass about his current situation. He also wanted to inquire about the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace, as well as if there was some method to escape this place after getting stuck inside!
It was fortunate that the connection between the Black Ink Nests was not cut off, so Mo Na Ye soon received a response from Meng Que, one filled with cynicism and mockery. It was no secret that he had been locked in a power struggle with Mo Na Ye for a long time now. Now that Mo Na Ye’s plans had not only been thwarted, but also resulted in heavy losses for the Black Ink Clan with even Mo Na Ye himself being trapped in this strange Space, Meng Que probably believed that he was the top dog now.
However, there was still a key piece of information that allowed Mo Na Ye to understand the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace. It was the Universe Furnace!
Although there were many Black Ink Disciples under the Black Ink Clan, most of them had neither high cultivation nor extensive knowledge and experience. That was why they did not know much about the Universe Furnace. Their level of understanding regarding the Universe Furnace was about the same or less than Yang Kai’s, so it was difficult for them to provide any valuable information. However, that was enough to make some guesses.
According to the information from the Black Ink Disciples, the Universe Furnace was the most mysterious treasure in existence. It was generally elusive and impossible to locate, so there was no way to discover its whereabouts unless it appeared on its own. More importantly, the Universe Furnace contained Innate Open Heaven Pills. These Innate Open Heaven Pills had the miraculous effect of helping cultivators break through their innate shackles!
Mo Na Ye was shocked by the information.
If these Innate Open Heaven Pills could help cultivators break through their innate shackles, then the Human Race Masters at the peak of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm would be able to advance to the Ninth-Order. It would be bad enough if an ordinary Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master advanced to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but the strength of one or two additional Ninth-Order Masters would not render the Black Ink Clan helpless.
However, what if Yang Kai was the one who obtained one of these Innate Open Heaven Pills instead?
Over the past several thousand years, most of the obstruction and pressure faced by the Black Ink Clan came from Yang Kai. Whether it was the peace treaty between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan or the matter regarding the surrendering of 30% of their cultivation resources, the Black Ink Clan had been forced to accept those terms due to the existence of the Human Race’s killing star.
That was especially true for the peace discussions between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. At the time, the Black Ink Clan had considered that they might be able to produce more Royal Lords in the future by accepting the peace deal. That would have greatly reduced the deterrent effect that Yang Kai, an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, had on the Black Ink Clan. Unfortunately, the Universe Furnace had appeared before the Territory Lords could even become Royal Lords.
If Yang Kai could get his hands on an Innate Open Heaven Pill and advance to the Ninth Order, then all the Black Ink Clan’s efforts and compromises over the millennia would be nothing more than a complete farce. With his tyrannical strength and ruthless means, the Black Ink Clan would be no match for Yang Kai once he advanced to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
After considering all these factors, Mo Na Ye felt alarm bells blaring in his heart.
[Yang Kai must never be allowed to obtain the Innate Open Heaven Pills no matter the cost! He cannot be allowed to advance to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm! If he does, the Black Ink Clan will be in mortal danger! Why did the Universe Furnace appear at this point in time!? Is the Human Race really blessed by the Heavens?]
Mo Na Ye’s main concern was stopping Yang Kai from obtaining the Innate Open Heaven Pills, but how was he supposed to achieve that? They were currently trapped inside the illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace with no means of escape. The distance might not seem far visually, but the space was actually extremely distorted and chaotic in reality.
The information from Meng Que indicated that there was more than one illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace as it had appeared on various battlefields across the Great Territories, as well as the Barren Territory…
After compiling all the information, the Black Ink Disciples from the Human Race speculated that the illusory phantoms were not the real body of the Universe Furnace but a mysterious projection. The Universe Furnace itself was hidden somewhere. Nevertheless, the appearance of the projections meant that the Universe Furnace was about to emerge. It might be that the Universe Furnace would finally be revealed when the projections became completely solidified.
These speculations were reasonable. Mo Na Ye pondered in silence for a while before he sent a message to Meng Que. He wanted the Black Ink Clan to search for more information. At the same time, he urgently summoned all the Innate Territory Lords wandering outside to return in preparation for the future.
Not only was Meng Que generally difficult to deal with, but he was also always attempting to take over control from Mo Na Ye. Be that as it may, he had one good point about him: He was self-aware of his shortcomings. He did not object to Mo Na Ye’s requests during such important situations because he knew that he was no match for Mo Na Ye when it came to schemes and tactics. Besides, Mo Na Ye had been appointed by the Royal Lord himself to take command. That was why he quietly did as Mo Na Ye asked.
Putting away the miniature Black Ink Nest, Mo Na Ye frowned and pondered for a long time. He calculated all the possible scenarios that might occur in the future and created countermeasures against these scenarios. After great consideration, he decided that his top priority was to obtain as much information regarding the Universe Furnace as possible.
[Yang Kai might know something…] When the thought crossed his mind, Mo Na Ye immediately glanced over at Yang Kai and offered a ceasefire, “Brother Yang, given the situation, what do you say we have a truce?”
He had called Yang Kai by name during their confrontation, but he was now respectfully calling Yang Kai by the title ‘Brother Yang’ again.
Yang Kai ignored Mo Na Ye. [He pursued me so fiercely earlier that I nearly had no escape, not to mention the curses and death threats that were thrown at me. How dare he propose to call for a truce now? What does he think of me? Does he think that I’m so easy-going?]
Mo Na Ye continued, “Now that you and I are both trapped here, why must you hold a grudge for everything that happened earlier? At the end of the day, the Black Ink Clan suffered the greatest loss. So many Innate Territory Lords died in battle already. Although you are wounded, Brother Yang, you came out alive in the end.”
This time around, Yang Kai failed to stop himself from responding and gave a cold sneer, “Serves you right! It’s your own fault that so many Innate Territory Lords died in battle. If not because you were trying to trap me, then they would not have died in vain. Besides… you might be trapped here, but do you really think this place can trap me?”
Mo Na Ye’s expression suddenly changed with those words. He suddenly realised that he had overlooked a major problem. It was true that both he and the Territory Lords were trapped in this strange space with no means to escape, but what about Yang Kai? This place would not be able to trap Yang Kai. If he really wanted to leave, it would not be difficult for him.
[This is bad…] Mo Na Ye quickly suppressed the distracting thoughts in his mind. Either way, it was a good thing that Yang Kai was willing to speak with him.
He thus casually probed, “Brother Yang, do you know what this illusory phantom shrouding this area is?” After asking that question, he chuckled to himself, “Of course, you’re aware, Brother Yang. This is the legendary Universe Furnace after all. I’m sure the Human Race Masters have heard about the Universe Furnace to a certain extent.”
“Oh?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows in astonishment, “It seems that the connection between the Black Ink Nests has not been severed. Does that mean you can gather intel from outside of here?”
Mo Na Ye looked proud, “The Black Ink Nest has its own mysterious ways. It seems that you are aware of the Universe Furnace, Brother Yang. In that case, do you have more information regarding the Universe Furnace?”
Yang Kai remained indifferent, “What does it matter if I do? And, what does it matter if I don’t?”
Separating out a thread of consciousness to chat with Mo Na Ye did not impede his healing process. Since Mo Na Ye wanted to discuss the Universe Furnace, Yang Kai was more than happy to fish for some information. Besides, he was honestly feeling quite troubled due to his lack of knowledge on the Universe Furnace. It would be great if he could extract some from the Black Ink Clan.
Mo Na Ye responded seriously, “The Universe Furnace has not been seen for hundreds of thousands of years. Even if you have some knowledge regarding the Universe Furnace, I’m sure your information is not comprehensive. Brother Yang, how about you and I exchange what we know?”
Yang Kai immediately snorted coldly, “The Universe Furnace is a great opportunity for the Human Race. Don’t tell me the Black Ink Clan has their eye on it as well?”
Mo Na Ye replied lightly, “It is precisely because the Universe Furnace is such a great opportunity for the Human Race that the Black Ink Clan will not allow the Human Race to succeed so easily. As you know, Brother Yang, the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race will soon engage in a battle to the death now that the Universe Furnace has emerged.”
Yang Kai fell silent…
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Mo Na Ye was correct. Over the past several thousand years, the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race had never ceased; however, both sides had been concentrating on accumulating their respective strengths since the peace talks. As a result, both the number of Masters among the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race had increased dramatically. The situation was only maintained thanks to the tacit cooperation between the higher-ups of the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race.
However, the delicate balance was bound to be broken with the sudden emergence of the Universe Furnace. The Human Race was desperate to seize the opportunities inside the Universe Furnace. Likewise, the Black Ink Clan was desperate to stop the Human Race from doing so. Once the war broke out, the bloodshed was bound to sweep across the entire world like a tidal wave.
This battle might be the deciding factor in the entire war; moreover, it would only end when one party was completely annihilated. The Human Race… was not ready, but the Black Ink Clan was not ready either!
Although there were more Innate Territory Lords and High-Rank Black Ink Nests at the No-Return Pass now, none of these newly emerged Innate Territory Lords would be able to recover from their injuries without spending at least 100 to 200 years healing. It was fortunate that the Human Race had some newly-advanced Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters while it seemed the Black Ink Clan had not produced any new Royal Lords so far.
While Yang Kai was silent, he heard Mo Na Ye speaking once more, “Brother Yang, did you know that this is not the true Universe Furnace, but just a projection looming over this piece of the void while there are many others out there?”
Yang Kai calmly went along with the flow of the conversation, “Of course, it is just an illusory phantom. Isn’t it only natural for it to appear in more than one place?”
However, he was actually very confused inside, [What does he mean? Could there be many other manifestations in other places? Mo Na Ye, this bastard! Is he trying to trick me? Or, is he up to something else?]
At the same time, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling rather annoyed. If he had known this would happen earlier, he would have studied more of the ancient records from the Cave Heavens and Paradises where there was bound to be some information on the Universe Furnace. Now that the Universe Furnace had appeared, Yang Kai was completely stumped by the situation. In fact, he knew even less than Mo Na Ye, who still could ask the Black Ink Clan to gather more intelligence.
Mo Na Ye studied Yang Kai’s expression carefully but failed to detect any clues. Thus, he bluntly said, “Brother Yang, why don’t we exchange information with each other? Although the Universe Furnace is about to emerge, it has yet to truly appear in the world. Gathering more information would not hurt.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help nodding in agreement, “There is some truth to your words. Why don’t you tell me what you know first, then I’ll tell you what I know. You should understand my character. Over the years, I’ve never broken a single promise I’ve made with the Black Ink Clan.”
Mo Na Ye nodded, “Of course.”
Speaking of which, this was true. Although they were mutual enemies who shared an absolutely irreconcilable blood feud, Yang Kai had never violated the agreements he made with the Black Ink Clan.
As such, Mo Na Ye suddenly broke into a smile, “But, you don’t seem to know much about the Universe Furnace, Brother Yang. Let’s forget about exchanging information with each other.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Who says I don’t know anything about the Universe Furnace?”
Mo Na Ye smiled lightly, “If you knew anything about the Universe Furnace, Brother Yang, then why would you agree to exchange information with the Black Ink Clan? The fact that you agreed to the information exchange shows that you don’t know much either; otherwise, you would not have mentioned your ‘excellent character’.”
Yang Kai was startled before snarling, “You tricked me!”
Mo Na Ye sighed, “As I suspected…”
Yang Kai’s expression immediately darkened at those words. It was only at this moment that he realised the truth. Mo Na Ye had not been sure about how much he knew regarding the Universe Furnace before, but the truth had been confirmed now…
[This bastard…] Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling secretly annoyed at his carelessness. Regardless, it did not matter much. This was just a small loss that did not affect the big picture anyway.
After confirming that Yang Kai did not know much about the Universe Furnace, Mo Na Ye lost interest in talking to him and instead took out the small Black Ink Nest again to maintain constant communication with the outside world.
Yang Kai secretly watched Mo Na Ye’s actions and coldly snorted to himself in his heart. [Once I’ve spent some time healing, I will find a way to make you cough up everything you know. So what if I lost in this verbal confrontation? This strange Space shrouded by the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom is practically my home ground! It will be my victory in the end!]
The emergence of the Universe Furnace’s projection triggered various changes among the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
The biggest change was that both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan recalled all their forces. Although there were no large-scale battles in any of the Great Territory Battlefields, there were many small skirmishes throughout the lands; after all, the newly advanced rising stars of the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan were constantly seeking out strong enemies to challenge and improve themselves.
Be that as it may, more than a dozen Great Territory Battlefields instantly became calm and peaceful soon after the Universe Furnace’s projection appeared in the world. Both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan withdrew all their outside forces. Nobody dared to make any rash moves before they figured out the mysteries and details of the Universe Furnace.
At the end of the day, the Human Race had a slightly better understanding of the Universe Furnace. They had various sources such as the records written in the ancient books of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, the stories narrated by the Elders who lived long enough to hear about the previous opening, the teachings from the Elders of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans, and the information obtained from Blood Crow’s personal experience…
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan did not have such rich sources of information…
Throughout history, the projections of the Universe Furnace would almost always appear on the Black Ink Battlefield whenever it manifested. There were occasional appearances in the 3,000 Worlds, but those incidents were very rare.
In the past, the Black Ink Clan had some understanding of the Universe Furnace too, but the Black Ink Clansmen who were active on the Black Ink Battlefield previously had been annihilated during the Human Race Army’s crusade. Even the Royal Lords had been slaughtered to the last, so how could the information be handed down to the current Black Ink Clan?
The current Black Ink Clan consisted only of members who recently emerged from the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, so they had never experienced the emergence of the Universe Furnace before. All they could do was respond according to the small amount of information provided by the Black Ink Disciples and the reactions of the Human Race.
Under Mo Na Ye’s orders, countless Innate Territory Lords across the Great Territory Battlefields were transferred back to the No-Return Pass to await further orders, news that was quickly relayed to the Human Race.
The mobilisation of so many Innate Territory Lords was bound to result in a disparity in the balance of power between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. In the past, this would have been a good chance for the Human Race to make an aggressive counterattack.
However, the Human Race did not make any moves against the Black Ink Clan and simply focused on preparing for the upcoming emergence of the Universe Furnace. Compared to the gains and losses that could be obtained on the Great Territory Battlefields, the Universe Furnace which represented the greatest opportunity in the world was undoubtedly what the Human Race valued more at the moment.
As time passed, numerous armies led by many Masters travelled to the periphery of the void where the Universe Furnace’s projections were located under the orders of the higher-ups of both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. Both parties faced off against each other across the void shrouded by the illusory phantoms.
The Black Ink Clan was acting as though they were determined to prevent the Human Race from seizing the opportunities in the Universe Furnace at all costs. Naturally, the Human Race would never back down. Nevertheless, it was foreseeable that a massive war between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race would break out once the Universe Furnace fully emerged.
There were more than a dozen projections scattered across the Great Territory Battlefields; therefore, the deployment of personnel and the organisation of the Armies were the greatest considerations of the leaders of the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race. Both Mi Jing Lun of the Human Race and Mo Na Ye of the Black Ink Clan had each deployed their troops to counter the other.
A storm was coming!
As the days went by, the atmosphere on the Great Territory Battlefields became increasingly oppressive. Nevertheless, the Armies of both the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race did not dare to make any moves without explicit orders from above, lest they trigger a war in advance.
…..
At this time, there were many High-Rank Black Ink Nests and Innate Territory Lords missing from the No-Return Pass…
Somewhere in the void shrouded by the projection of the Universe Furnace, located in the depths of the Black Ink Battlefield, Yang Kai finally exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. It had been several months since he first entered this place. Now, filled with energy, he slowly stood up and even brazenly gave a lazy stretch.
Several months of recuperation allowed him to recover all of his strength. The last battle with the Innate Territory Lords followed by the intense pursuit by Mo Na Ye had left him severely wounded and exhausted. It was fortunate that his physique was extremely tough, and thanks to his potent Dragon Vein, it was not difficult for him to recover as long as nobody was disturbing him.
As soon as Yang Kai showed movement, the Innate Territory Lords trapped in this place instantly tensed up in response. In stark contrast to the ruddy complexion on Yang Kai’s face, their auras were weak and unstable. There was no helping this as they could not heal as Yang Kai could in this space, so their wounds had not gotten any better even after being trapped in this space for so long.
Watching Yang Kai get to his feet with a lazy stretch, the complexions of the Territory Lords turned ashen. Looking panicked, many of them cast pleading looks at Mo Na Ye in a silent prayer for help.
Although Mo Na Ye had known that this day would come sooner or later, Yang Kai’s recovery speed still shocked him. He did not wait for Yang Kai to make any moves and quickly opened his mouth to speak, “Brother Yang, the Black Ink Clan promises to provide 30% of our cultivation resources as agreed in the past. We will not withhold any resources or delay any of the deliveries!”
Yang Kai turned around, but said nothing as he simply gave Mo Na Ye a silent grin!
Mo Na Ye gritted his teeth and snarled, “50%!”
Yang Kai put his hands behind his back with a leisurely expression on his face, “The war is about to begin. Do you really think we have the time to be bargaining about such trivial matters? 30%? 50%? What does any of that matter? It wouldn’t make a difference even if you offered 100%. I don’t have time to hang around outside the No-Return Pass anymore.”
It was enough that he had been extorting resources from the Black Ink Clan for the past 1,000 years or so, and similar opportunities would not come again in the future. That was why it was impossible for Mo Na Ye to offer those cultivation resources in exchange for the lives of these Innate Territory Lords.
“What do you want then, Brother Yang?” Mo Na Ye asked solemnly. There were dozens of Innate Territory Lords trapped in this space; however, he was helpless to protect them. The situation left him feeling extremely heartbroken and powerless.
Yang Kai casually summoned the Azure Dragon Spear and gave it a little twirl. At the same time, he pushed his Space Principles and walked towards the Territory Lord closest to him. Space rippled in his wake, making it seem as though he was walking on the surface of a calm lake. The mysterious Space that left Mo Na Ye and the Innate Territory Lords completely vulnerable and helpless seemed no different from the flat ground under his feet.
Watching Yang Kai gradually approach him, the Territory Lord tried to flee in terror; unfortunately, his speed was slower than a turtle’s crawl despite his best efforts. By the time Yang Kai reached him, he had only managed to cover a distance of less than a metre. It was not that he had only moved by one metre. On the contrary, he had actually travelled quite far, but with the folded nature of the surrounding space, that distance was equal to one metre.
Yang Kai pointed his spear at the Territory Lord and turned to look at Mo Na Ye, “One piece of information in exchange for the life of a Territory Lord!”
“Information?” Mo Na Ye raised an eyebrow at those words.
“Yes. Information regarding the Universe Furnace that is valuable and unknown to me,” Yang Kai smiled.
A few months ago, he had been tricked by Mo Na Ye on this matter, but so what if he had fallen for that ruse? Now that the lives of these Innate Territory Lords were at risk, how could Mo Na Ye continue to keep the information he possessed a secret?
Mo Na Ye was certainly decisive and immediately inquired, “Does the information I told you earlier count, Brother Yang?”
Naturally, he was referring to the information he disclosed to Yang Kai a few months ago, about how the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom had appeared in more than one place.
Yang Kai frowned and pondered for a while, then he removed his spear, “Fine, I won’t take advantage of you. That one counts.”
Having escaped from death, the Territory Lord had a look of lingering fear on his face, his entire body drenched in a layer of cold sweat.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai strolled over to the next Territory Lord nearby and turned to look at Mo Na Ye again.
Mo Na Ye did not even bother to wait for Yang Kai to speak and promptly offered an answer, “According to the information obtained by the Black Ink Clan, Profound Nether Territory also has a projection of the Universe Furnace!”
[Is there really more than one projection? What does that mean?] Yang Kai frowned deeply. [How can the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom be in two places at once? In that case, where will the Universe Furnace emerge?]
He did not suspect that Mo Na Ye was deceiving him; after all, Mo Na Ye would not dare to do something that reckless in this situation. Nodding lightly, he sidestepped the Territory Lord with the spear pointed at him and came to the third Territory Lord.
Mo Na Ye sounded a little guilty as he muttered, “Azure Sun Territory also has an illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace…”
Yang Kai raised a brow at those words and glared at Mo Na Ye. Nevertheless, he moved on and came to stand in front of the next Territory Lord.
Before Mo Na Ye could speak, Yang Kai interjected, “Don’t tell me… Did the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantoms appear on another Great Territory Battlefield?”
Mo Na Ye smiled awkwardly, “Well, there’s one in Twin Poles Territory too…”
Yang Kai laughed angrily but grudgingly nodded in respect, “Good, count it as my loss. Judging by what you’ve said so far, do all of the Great Territory Battlefields have projections?”
Mo Na Ye kept his mouth shut and considered his answer carefully. Before he could respond, Yang Kai raised a hand to stop him, “I was just talking to myself. You don’t need to answer the question. More importantly, I do not want to hear any more about the other locations of the illusory phantoms.”
Mo Na Ye sighed heavily, “But, Brother Yang, what I’ve told you so far is indeed information that you didn’t know. You’ve always been an honest man. Are you going back on your word now?”
Yang Kai raised his chin with a rebellious expression on his face, “What? Haven’t you heard the phrase ‘People under the eaves have to bow their heads’?”
Mo Na Ye was absolutely annoyed…
Yang Kai muttered under his breath, “Judging by the information so far, does the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom appear in places where a large number of living beings lost their lives? What about the Barren Territory? What about the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction?”
While speaking, Yang Kai studied Mo Na Ye’s reaction carefully. Unfortunately, Mo Na Ye was a cunning man, so how could he slip up at such a moment?
Yang Kai snapped angrily, “Enough. Is there an illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace in the Barren Territory? Tell me honestly. This will count as a piece of information.”
Upon hearing those words, Mo Na Ye finally nodded, “Yes!” Then, he added a casual compliment, “You’re very quick-witted, Brother Yang. The truth is I’ve also speculated that there is an illusory phantom of the Universe Furnace at the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. Unfortunately, we have no means of confirming the situation.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help teasing, “Have you lost contact with the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction?”
Mo Na Ye was expressionless, but he neither confirmed nor denied the statement.
Yang Kai frowned again, “The locations where the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantoms appear are all places where a large number of powerful Masters have lost their lives in battle, including this place… A lot of Innate Territory Lords died here. Does the Black Ink Clan know anything about the relationship between these two factors?”
Mo Na Ye shook his head, “No. The Black Ink Clan doesn’t know much about the Universe Furnace. The Human Race might know something.”
As he spoke, Mo Na Ye secretly thought to himself in his heart, [It looks like Yang Kai is completely clueless about the Universe Furnace. Otherwise, he would not have asked so many superficial questions.]
Yang Kai did not bother wasting his time and energy on threatening another Innate Territory Lord; instead, he stood in place and declared, “What other information do you have? Tell me everything. I am a man who means what he says. A piece of valuable information in exchange for the life of one Territory Lord.”
“That makes five pieces of information from earlier!” Mo Na Ye confirmed.
“I know,” Yang Kai agreed irritably.
Mo Na Ye seemed greatly reassured by those words. After considering his answer for some time, he began talking, “The illusory phantoms of the Universe Furnace are most likely some kind of projection! It’s impossible to tell where the Universe Furnace itself is hiding, but its projection is displayed at various places thanks to its mysterious powers.”
“A projection!” Yang Kai frowned. This was not something he had considered. He only thought that the situation was rather strange.
If the Universe Furnace was about to emerge, then why did more than a dozen or so illusory phantoms appear across the various Great Territory Battlefields? There was even one here. On the other hand, if these illusory phantoms were just projections of the Universe Furnace, then the situation would make much more sense.
“Was this information obtained by the Black Ink Clan?” Yang Kai inquired.
Mo Na Ye shook his head as he replied, “It’s my guess!”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. There was no need to doubt Mo Na Ye’s intentions too much. Based on the information he possessed at the moment, he would probably come to the same conclusion if he had the time to calm down and analyse the situation.
“What else?” Yang Kai probed further.
Mo Na Ye pondered in silence for a moment, “Based on my observations, the projections are slowly solidifying. I’m sure you’ve noticed as well, Brother Yang. It has been several months since the projections first appeared. By my estimation, it will take another two years for the projection to completely materialize. I speculate that the Universe Furnace will only appear in the world once the projections have fully solidified!”
Looking around, Yang Kai examined the degree of projection’s solidification compared to a few months ago and did some estimation, arriving at the same conclusion as Mo Na Ye. At the current rate, it would indeed take two years for the projection to solidify completely.
“Although the time of the Universe Furnace’s emergence can roughly be determined, the location of its emergence remains a mystery. There are more than 10 projections at different locations, so it is difficult to determine the exact location of the Universe Furnace’s emergence. Nevertheless, I believe there are two possibilities.”
“What are the two possibilities?” Yang Kai questioned.
Mo Na Ye glanced at Yang Kai in resentment. After being enemies for so many years, they were very familiar with each other by now. Yang Kai’s actions might seem rash and impulsive, but he only took them after much consideration. With his intelligence and the information he just received, it would not be difficult for him to reach his own conclusions if he bothered to put his mind to work on the matter.
However, he was either too lazy to think for himself or he was trying to figure out just how much information the Black Ink Clan had gathered. That was why he was holding the lives of these Territory Lords hostage in exchange for information. Unfortunately, there was nothing Mo Na Ye could do in retaliation.
“The first possibility is that the Universe Furnace’s true body will randomly appear at one of the locations of the projections, and the rest of the projections are mere illusions.” Mo Na Ye expressed his conjectures, not daring to conceal anything. In any case, he was simply guessing as well so there was no harm in sharing. “The second possibility is… all the projections are closely connected to the true body; hence, the Universe Furnace will appear wherever the projections are located!”
Yang Kai listened seriously and nodded lightly, “That’s a reasonable hypothesis. Indeed, these are the only two possibilities.”
It was not difficult to form these conjectures based on the existing information. Be that as it may, neither Mo Na Ye nor Yang Kai was aware of something crucial. The true body of the Universe Furnace would not be revealed even when these projections solidified. In fact, this Supreme Treasure had never been seen before throughout the long course of history. On the contrary, these projections would simply transform into entrances leading into the Universe Furnace once they were fully solidified. The so-called opportunities were hidden inside the Universe Furnace.
It was not that Mo Na Ye and Yang Kai were dull-witted, just that the information they possessed was too little for them to form an accurate conjecture. Besides, they both had preconceived notions about the Universe Furnace. Since it was called the Universe Furnace, they naturally assumed that it was something akin to a mysterious Alchemy Furnace. How could they have known that this Alchemy Furnace would contain a Sealed World of its own?
Mo Na Ye did not continue speaking. It was not that he didn’t want to, but that he had no other valuable information to share. Hence, he immediately started racking his brains for anything he could think of…
Yang Kai did not pester Mo Na Ye either. Sinking deep into thought, he suddenly recalled something. He honestly did not know much about the Universe Furnace. The only knowledge he had was that the Universe Furnace contained Innate Open Heaven Pills that could help a cultivator break through their inherent shackles.
However, he only heard that the world would be thrown into a storm of bloodshed whenever the Universe Furnace emerged!
At the time, Yang Kai had not known much about the 3,000 Worlds. His cultivation was also quite low, which resulted in a shallow understanding of that statement. He had simply assumed that a Supreme Treasure was something everybody would want to obtain, so the so-called storm of bloodshed would be caused by the infighting between the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It would now seem that his assumption had been incorrect.
For countless years since the Late Ancient Era, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had committed their elites to the Black Ink Battlefield to wage a never-ending war against the Black Ink Clan. All Ninth-Order Old Ancestors also resided on the Black Ink Battlefield to guard the Great Passes. There might be many Cave Heavens and Paradises, but they had always been united against their common enemy.
With an external enemy threatening them, how could the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises create a storm of bloodshed over the opportunities that could be found in the Universe Furnace? The Old Ancestors would never allow such foolishness to occur. If the Universe Furnace were to appear, they would step forward to manage the situation themselves. If that were the case, then where would the storm of bloodshed come from?
Yang Kai soon realised something important.
According to the information he received from Mo Na Ye, the projections of the Universe Furnace seemed to appear in places where a large number of living beings had died in battle. When the Universe Furnace appeared in the world recently, the projections had appeared on the various Great Territory Battlefields, the Barren Territory, the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, and even this place. This was the best evidence to support that statement. If this was the case now, then what about the past?
Although there had been conflicts in the 3,000 Worlds in the past, there were all some minor conflicts between various Sects. Even if there were any casualties during these conflicts, the cultivation of these deceased cultivators would not be high.
Unlike the tranquillity in the 3,000 Worlds, the war had never ceased on the Black Ink Battlefield. Every time the Black Ink Clan attacked any of the Great Passes, massive numbers of living beings would lose their lives.
If the number of deaths and the strength of the fall cultivators were related to the criteria for the projections of the Universe Furnace to appear, then the Black Ink Battlefield undoubtedly met these requirements. By that logic, had the projections of the Universe Furnace always appeared on the Black Ink Battlefield whenever the Universe Furnace manifested in the world in the past? In that case, the so-called storm of bloodshed could be explained. It was not caused by the internal struggles among the Human Race, but the confrontation between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai suddenly recalled that he had obtained a few Innate Open Heaven Pills from the Blood Monster Divine Palace in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
After he left the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Lan You Ruo had gone into retreat and attempted to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Yang Kai had given her an Innate Open Heaven Pill to help boost her chances of success, but she ultimately did not need it.
He later took the time to examine those Innate Open Heaven Pills carefully and discovered that the medicinal efficacies were indeed more potent and profound compared to ordinary Open Heaven Pills; however, they did not contain any miraculous effects. He then proceeded to toss them somewhere and forgot about them.
At the time, Yang Kai speculated that those Open Heaven Pills were too old and had not been preserved properly which caused their medicinal efficacies to deteriorate over the millennia. He had felt a slight sense of regret, thinking that Blood Monster Divine Monarch had wasted such precious resources. Looking back now, he realised that the medicinal efficacies of the Innate Open Heaven Pills should not have deteriorated even if they were improperly preserved.
The only explanation was that those Open Heaven Pills themselves were not as miraculous as the rumours proclaimed. In that case, where did the rumours about the Universe Furnace that were passed down from ancient times come from?
Also, the Blood Monster Divine Monarch… Since he managed to obtain Innate Open Heaven Pills, did that mean he had the opportunity to compete for the Universe Furnace? Be that as it may, he had clearly never gone to the Black Ink Battlefield before. Where did he get the opportunity to compete for the Universe Furnace? He was not from the Cave Heavens or Paradises after all. How did he obtain the qualifications for the opportunity?
[Looks like it’s time for me to have a chat with Blood Crow!] Yang Kai silently made up his mind. He was certain he could gain a lot from speaking with Blood Crow, but he had to escape from this place first.
Yang Kai was getting excited when Mo Na Ye finally thought of a topic worth mentioning, “Brother Yang, don’t you think this place is a little strange?”
Yang Kai replied indifferently, “A Supreme Treasure is present. It’s only natural for something strange to happen.”
Mo Na Ye nodded, “That’s true. The Space here is extremely twisted and distorted. Since it comes from the projection of the Universe Furnace’s true body, then there must be a close connection between them. You are proficient in the Dao of Space, Brother Yang. Why don’t you try to trace it back to its source and locate the Universe Furnace’s true body? You might find something if you can do that.”
Yang Kai glanced at Mo Na Ye in surprise. To be honest, he had not considered such a possibility. It was more accurate to say that he had not even considered things from this angle in the first place. Mo Na Ye must have been forced into a desperate situation for him to come up with such a great idea.
Thus, Yang Kai nodded at Mo Na Ye in respect, “Although I know you don’t have the best intentions, just this idea alone is worth three lives!”
Mo Na Ye did not know what expression to make, so he simply squeezed out a forced smile. This thought had indeed been an impromptu idea, but he had to admit he had another purpose. If Yang Kai could use the Dao of Space to determine the location of the Universe Furnace’s true body, then the Black Ink Clan could prepare specific countermeasures in a targeted manner.
Therefore, Mo Na Ye immediately concentrated on the movements around Yang Kai. He watched intently as Yang Kai sat down cross-legged and surged his Space Principles in an attempt to trace the mysterious roots of this place.
Yang Kai initially had little gain from his efforts. The space in this place was extremely warped and distorted. Even if he could use his understanding of the Dao of Space to eliminate the influence of this warped Space on his movements, he had little success in tracing the roots of the strange phenomenon occurring here. Nevertheless, he suddenly recalled his Cow Punch Secret Technique.
The principle of Cow Punch was to track the enemy’s aura back to its source. It was a Secret Technique specifically made to target the Small Universe of his enemies. He even managed to slaughter a Ninth-Order Black Ink Disciple with this Secret Technique!
[If something as ethereal as a Small Universe can be traced back to the roots, what more the true body of the Universe Furnace?] Yang Kai acted as soon as the thought occurred to him. The Space Principles around his body became more and more ethereal, almost as though he was about to melt into the Void. He slowly moved his hands as though plucking at invisible strings, trying to trace everything back to its origin.
While Yang Kai was working hard, the Black Ink Clansmen were secretly communicating with each other through a constant stream of Divine Sense transmissions. Although Mo Na Ye had made an agreement with Yang Kai that the lives of each Territory Lord would be spared in exchange for a piece of information, the information provided was clearly far from enough. There were several dozen Territory Lords trapped in this place. How much information could Mo Na Ye realistically provide?
At best, it would be amazing if Yang Kai could spare the lives of a dozen or so Territory Lords. As for the rest… they would not be able to escape his murderous reach. Hence, they had to come up with a self-protection strategy before Yang Kai started taking action. Otherwise, there was no guarantee whose life would be spared by Yang Kai.
At this time, the best option was to attack Yang Kai while he was distracted. Unfortunately, the Territory Lords were under the effects of the folded Space, so how could they attack him when they couldn’t even approach him?
It was even more impossible for them to escape from this Space. Trapped in this place and affected by the layers of overlapping space, they were no different from flies caught in a spider web. It was truly a pathetic situation. Despite much deliberation, the Black Ink Clan could not figure out a solution to their miserable situation. The realisation filled them with an inexplicable sense of sorrow.
Without warning, the Void suddenly trembled like the surface of a beaten drum. The vibration was so strong that all the trapped Territory Lords could feel the movement clearly. Startled, they looked around in bewilderment and discovered that the source of the trembling seemed to be coming from Yang Kai’s direction.
Yang Kai’s eyes were tightly closed. In the space around him, Space Principles fluctuated and various Dao Strengths danced. When he pointed a finger forward, countless ripples spread out from his position. The ripples continued on endlessly, extending into the inexplicable depths of the Void. As time passed, the number of ripples grew. Even the trembling in the local space became increasingly violent…
Mo Na Ye suddenly had a bad feeling that his suggestion for Yang Kai to track the traces of the Universe Furnace back to their source had been an extremely terrible decision! Just as the thought crossed his mind, he abruptly felt a sense of crisis flooding his heart.
He hastily surged his Black Ink Strength and condensed a layer of defence around himself. In the next moment, he felt an invisible and intangible force slicing across his body, cutting through the Black Ink Strength condensed around his figure, and carving into his flesh.
In spite of his immense strength, Mo Na Ye felt a stabbing pain burst through his body. He quickly shifted his position and looked back. At the spot where he had been standing earlier, a portion of the space slid sideways like a piece of broken mirror before quickly returning to normal. The force that had sliced across his body earlier was a tiny Void Crack!
His expression changed drastically at the sight and he hurriedly shouted, “Brother Yang, please stop!”
The Territory Lords did not know why Mo Na Ye was panicking all of a sudden, so they all turned to look in his direction.
At that moment, one of the Territory Lords abruptly felt an inexplicable sense of pain in his body. His vision seemed to tilt to the side, then turned upside down. What entered his sight was a body that had been cleanly sliced into two at a diagonal angle. The incision at the wound was as smooth as the edges of a mirror, and black blood gushed out from the opening.
[This severed body… looks so familiar…] A strange thought entered his mind, but he quickly came to a realization, [Isn’t that my body!?]
He lowered his head to look and sure enough, his lower half had been severed. Everything was so sudden that he failed to notice any abnormality before. Terrified, he screamed at the top of his lungs, “Sir Mo Na Ye, save me!”
But what could Mo Na Ye do? At this moment, Mo Na Ye looked so gloomy that he was practically oozing depression. He could only watch helplessly as the two parts of the Territory Lord’s body separated. Although the Territory Lord’s blood poured out continuously, his vitality was very strong, so it would take some time before he died…
“The space has become chaotic! Defend yourselves with all your might!” Mo Na Ye called out loudly.
After hearing Mo Na Ye’s warning, the Territory Lord finally came back to their senses and hastily summoned their strength to guard themselves.
Although Mo Na Ye did not know what Yang Kai was doing, his perception was not wrong. The whole Space had gotten extremely chaotic due to Yang Kai’s actions. This was a strange place formed by the distortion of countless layers of Space folded over each other in the first place. These layers of folded Space resembled pieces of a broken mirror that fit well together in the beginning. In short, there were no issues with the original arrangement as things were relatively static, or at least changing at a slow pace. However, the Space where these mirrors used to be pieced together had now become mobile and disordered due to Yang Kai’s actions.
The upper body of the dead Territory Lord had been located in one of the layers of the folded Space, while his lower body had been located in a different one. When the two layers of folded Space abruptly separated due to the distortion, his body had also been sliced apart as a result.
Territory Lords were very strong, and if they had been at their peak strength, it would have been impossible for them to be sliced apart so easily. Unfortunately, the Territory Lords here were all arrows at the end of their flight, on top of being heavily wounded. In this situation, they were completely defenceless against such a strange attack.
Nobody knew whether their position was safe because the layers of folded Space shifted around at random. Screams of agony periodically rang out from among the Territory Lords. It was a pity, but Black Ink Strength condensed around their bodies could hardly stop the sharp Space Principles from slicing them apart.
Within a short span of time, more Territory Lords lost their lives as their bodies were severed into pieces. This situation left Mo Na Ye feeling both horrified and furious, “Brother Yang, please stop quickly!”
At this moment, he deeply regretted his earlier words! [Why did I suggest Yang Kai trace the location of the Universe Furnace’s true body with his mastery over the Dao of Space!?]
Space was an extremely mysterious Dao in the first place, and the Space here was already so peculiar. Nothing good would happen to Black Ink Clan Masters like themselves after Yang Kai began fiddling with it.
Suddenly, there was another scream. Mo Na Ye glanced over only and saw the body of another Territory Lord separating into two parts. The Territory Lord’s eyes were filled with pure terror and resentment. He did not expect to lose his life in such an inexplicable manner after managing to survive so many crises until now.
“Brother Yang!” Mo Na Ye roared angrily.
“Shut up!” Yang Kai did not even bother to open his eyes. Although he was concentrating fully on tracing the location of the Universe Furnace’s true body, he retained some awareness of the surrounding situation.
He had not expected the current situation to occur, but it was quite a stroke of good fortune for him. How could he give up just because Mo Na Ye asked him to stop? In any case, their previous agreement indicated that he only needed to spare the lives of a dozen or so Territory Lords. As for the others, it would be even better for him if all of them died. It would even save him the trouble of killing them himself.
Mo Na Ye gritted his teeth and suppressed the anger in his heart. They were enemies in the first place, not to mention they were engaged in a life-and-death clash just a few months ago. What was the point of begging Yang Kai now? All Mo Na Ye could do was record his loss for today. If he had a chance in the future, he would return the debt a hundredfold!
The Territory Lords were tense and nervous. Although they constantly changed positions while simultaneously activating their power to protect themselves, the attacks caused by the distortion of space came with no warning whatsoever. It was very difficult to defend against these attacks. In the end, those destined for death would lose their lives no matter how hard they tried.
Even Mo Na Ye was inadvertently wounded. Fortunately for him, he was strong and in good condition, so there was no threat to his life for the time being, but it was hard to say what would happen if the situation dragged on…
It was hard to tell how much time had passed. More than a dozen Territory Lords had lost their lives by now and the space within the projection of the Universe Furnace was scattered with severed limbs. The wounds on these severed limbs were extremely smooth, and a large amount of black blood now floated around in the void.
Yang Kai suddenly paused with a slight frown on his face. It was not that he could no longer continue his search or that he had not gained anything from his efforts. The truth was that he had indeed been able to trace the Universe Furnace’s aura, but it was difficult for him to determine its exact location.
More importantly, Yang Kai had a feeling that something beyond his control would happen if he persisted in his attempt. It was difficult to deduce whether the phenomenon would be good or bad, but he had the feeling that it was not very dangerous since he did not detect any warning signals. To be on the safe side though, he decided to stop while he was ahead.
Yang Kai looked up at the dishevelled Mo Na Ye with an almost imperceptible light flashing through his eyes… A group of Territory Lords had tragically lost their lives during the events earlier while even a Pseudo-Royal Lord like Mo Na Ye had been wounded, although the latter’s injuries did not seem serious.
There was no denying that Yang Kai was no match for a Pseudo-Royal Lord like Mo Na Ye in a one-on-one battle, but his proficiency in the Dao of Space meant that Mo Na Ye could not hurt him either when he was at his peak.
Now however, Yang Kai might just have a chance to kill Mo Na Ye in this Space within the projection of the Universe Furnace! If he carried on with his previous exploration, he could cause constant damage to Mo Na Ye; then, he would make his move when Mo Na Ye’s injuries had accumulated to a critical degree…
[Let’s see if he can survive that!]
Mo Na Ye regarded Yang Kai as an enormous threat to the Black Ink Clan; how could Yang Kai not be wary of Mo Na Ye? Mo Na Ye could be considered an anomaly in the Black Ink Clan. If Yang Kai could remove Mo Na Ye from the equation, Royal Lord Mo Yu would lose an exceptionally dependable helper. In the future, the Human Race would also have one less threat to worry about in the final war.
[I have to thank Mo Na Ye for suggesting such a convenient and effective method to me.]
Seeming to sense the malice in Yang Kai’s gaze, Mo Na Ye’s expression changed slightly. They had been enemies for so many years now, so how could he fail to realise what Yang Kai was thinking?
He suddenly felt bitter and resentful. His suggestion not only caused heavy casualties to the Territory Lords, but he might also have doomed himself to a miserable death. The entire situation left a bitter taste in his mouth. At the same time, he couldn’t help feeling as though he had lifted a rock only to smash it onto his foot.
Yang Kai chuckled and slowly climbed to his feet when their gazes met.
Under the watchful gaze of Mo Na Ye and the many Territory Lords, he leisurely walked towards the outside. The distorted and folded space did not hinder his movement. It did not take long before he arrived at the edge of the projection.
“Are you leaving, Brother Yang?” In the end, Mo Na Ye could not stop himself and blurted out the question. It would be wondrous news if Yang Kai were to leave this place, but how could Yang Kai possibly depart so easily? He had clearly seen the malice in Yang Kai’s eyes earlier.
“What? Do you expect me to stay behind and chat with you instead?” Yang Kai replied without much thought. Thanks to his mastery of the Dao of Space, he easily stepped out of the folded Space!
Seeing that scene, Mo Na Ye felt a strange feeling wash over him, [This guy… It turns out that he could have really left at any time.]
Trapped inside this space within the projection, even a Pseudo-Royal Lord like Mo Na Ye was powerless. He couldn’t find a way out, but it was no trouble for Yang Kai at all.
While he did not know the meaning behind Yang Kai’s actions, Yang Kai’s departure was good news for him. At the very least, he would no longer be in danger once Yang Kai was gone. Besides, he had secretly made arrangements in advance. As long as Yang Kai dared to stray far enough, then those arrangements would come in handy.
Mo Na Ye stared after Yang Kai’s back expectantly, hoping that Yang Kai would venture further into the distance; however, Yang Kai only took two steps before he abruptly turned to look in a certain direction and shouted, “Mo Yu, I spared the lives of your Territory Lords, yet you dare try to ambush me?”
As soon as those words rang out, Mo Na Ye’s expression changed drastically. [Were we discovered!? That’s impossible! I even specially warned them not to expose their whereabouts when I asked the Royal Lord to set up an ambush nearby with the Territory Lords!]
Not to mention, he had secretly observed his surroundings and confirmed that the Black Ink Clansmen had hidden themselves very well. It was impossible for them to be discovered so quickly, so how did Yang Kai discover them?
There were indeed reinforcements that Mo Na Ye had arranged beforehand outside the projection!
The greatest difficulty in dealing with an enemy like Yang Kai was his Space Secret Techniques. Even if they were stronger than him, it was meaningless if they could neither capture him nor restrain him. For example, the Black Ink Clan once had an opportunity to annihilate Yang Kai in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land. Unfortunately, Di Wu had wasted the opportunity back then.
When Mo Na Ye chased Yang Kai into this strange place several months ago, he quickly realised that he had been tricked. At the same time, he was keenly aware that this was a rare opportunity to remove Yang Kai once and for all!
Yang Kai had been severely wounded at the time. Eager to treat his injuries, he had trapped himself inside the projection to recuperate from his wounds. Nevertheless, there was no denying that he could not move around freely for some time.
For that reason, Mo Na Ye had used the miniature Black Ink Nest to contact the No-Return Pass and asked the Royal Lord to set up an ambush nearby with some Black Ink Clan Masters.
Since the Royal Lord took charge of defending the No-Return Pass, he had not left it again. The only exception was when Yang Kai caused a ruckus in the No-Return Pass and the Royal Lord chased after him, resulting in only greater disaster.
After that debacle, the Royal Lord never left the No-Return Pass again, especially when Yang Kai began loitering around nearby as the latter posed a massive threat. Mo Yu subsequently became the most important force which ensured the safety and stability of the No-Return Pass.
Nobody knew when Yang Kai might suddenly cause another ruckus. Under these circumstances, how could Mo Yu dare to leave the No-Return Pass at will? He was practically a hostage to Yang Kai’s whims, unable to move around freely whatsoever.
Be that as it may, Mo Na Ye had mobilised the one and only Royal Lord in the Black Ink Clan in this endeavour to ensure the success of his plans. It could be seen that his determination and courage were unordinary. In addition, there were many Innate Territory Lords who had been transferred here from the front lines. They were hiding in the shadows and waiting for the signal to attack. Everything had been prepared in advance. As long as Yang Kai escaped from this prison, they would unleash an unrestrained assault on him!
There was only one inconvenient factor in these plans, and that was this strange space within the projection. According to Mo Na Ye’s speculations, there was a high probability that Yang Kai could come and go freely from this Space, and was essentially invulnerable once inside of it. If Yang Kai was to detect any danger when he left the confines of this prison, he could simply seek shelter inside again to protect himself! After all, this strange and eerie space within the projection was practically a natural fortress to him.
Therefore, Mo Na Ye and Mo Yu had secretly discussed their plans in advance. They decided to wait until Yang Kai was some distance away from the projection before the Royal Lord made his move to keep Yang Kai as busy as possible for some time. Doing so, the Territory Lords who were carrying the necessary Array Boards and Banners would have enough time to establish the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array. Once the Grand Array was activated, Yang Kai would be trapped in place with no hope to escape. At that time, Mo Yu could freely annihilate Yang Kai.
The plan could be said to be foolproof in all aspects. Although there was no guarantee for a 100% success rate, the estimated success rate was in the 70% range. It was enough for the Black Ink Clan to take a gamble and risk the possible dangers. The crux of this entire plan rested on how long Mo Yu could keep Yang Kai distracted. As long as he could delay Yang Kai for long enough, their plans would work perfectly.
Therefore, Mo Na Ye was excited to see Yang Kai leaving the projection even though he did not understand the reason for Yang Kai’s sudden departure. Never did he imagine that his plans would be exposed before the trap could even be implemented, much less that the reason would be Mo Yu’s failure to conceal his aura completely.
[Wait, that can’t be right! It’s impossible for the Royal Lord to be unable to conceal his aura! I’ve warned all of them so many times; not to mention, the Black Ink Clan has repeatedly suffered defeat at Yang Kai’s hands. There is no way the Royal Lord would relax his guard towards Yang Kai… Damn it, Yang Kai tricked us again!]
At that instant, Mo Na Ye realised the truth and opened his mouth to issue a warning; however, he was too late. A majestic aura erupted from somewhere in the void. The emergence of the aura was quickly followed by a black light that flew towards Yang Kai at the speed of lightning.
Mo Na Ye closed his eyes in sorrow…
The sounds of battle between Masters rang out from outside the projection, mixed with Yang Kai’s grunts.
When Mo Na Ye opened his eyes again, he saw that Yang Kai had retreated back into the Space within the projection. Meanwhile, Royal Lord Mo Yu stood quietly outside the projection with a pair of fleshy wings spread out behind his back. Countless bone spurs that resembled fangs protruded from his wings, making him seem absolutely terrifying.
Yang Kai’s arms were trembling uncontrollably, blood dripping profusely from them. He had suffered a direct blow from a true Royal Lord and nearly broke both his arms as a result, but instead of frowning, he was laughing. Furthermore, his laughter sounded extremely mocking.
Royal Lord Mo Yu stood outside the projection with a grim expression and scowled at Yang Kai for a while. Glancing at Mo Na Ye’s dull look, Mo Yu seemed to understand something and snorted coldly.
It was not that he was easily deceived. The truth was the exact opposite. The Black Ink Clan simply had too much vigilance towards Yang Kai. When Yang Kai spoke just now, Mo Yu’s first instinct was that he had been discovered. Everything would be for nought once Yang Kai activated Space Principles and escaped; hence, he believed that he would miss the opportunity to make his move if he did not attack now. It was the reason why he had acted so decisively.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai was only a short distance away from the projection. Although he was struck by the unexpected blow, he had quickly retreated back into the projection.
Numerous figures appeared from their hiding spots and slowly gathered around Mo Yu. These figures were all Innate Territory Lords. They were originally supposed to set up the Four Gates Eight Palaces Great Pagoda Array while the Royal Lord was keeping Yang Kai busy; however, they no longer knew what to do in this situation and could only wait quietly for further orders from the Royal Lord.
Staring at Mo Yu through the projection, Yang Kai swung his arms lightly. Then, he chuckled and turned to look back at Mo Na Ye, “The Black Ink Clan sure is hospitable!”
Mo Na Ye responded calmly, “There was no need for you to test the waters if you already expected an ambush, Brother Yang. You could have just asked me, and I would have given you an honest answer.”
At this moment, Mo Na Ye was certain about one thing. Yang Kai had predicted that he would make various secret arrangements in advance. That was why he had taken the initiative to step out of the projection as an experiment, and the results revealed that his predictions were indeed extremely accurate.
Just as how Mo Na Ye had a deep understanding of Yang Kai’s character, Yang Kai also had a good grasp of Mo Na Ye’s thought process after so many years of rivalry. In fact, it would be strange for the Black Ink Clan to ignore such a great opportunity.
“Who could have known whether you were speaking the truth? There are some things one can only learn after seeing it with their own eyes! Mo Na Ye, you have deeply disappointed me!” Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “I was going to spare the lives of these Territory Lords, but it looks like I cannot afford to be merciful towards the Black Ink Clan!”
Mo Na Ye smiled indifferently, “The Black Ink Clan has already sacrificed so many Innate Territory Lords just to annihilate you, Brother Yang. Losing a few more wouldn’t make a difference.”
His statement made the trapped Territory Lords turn pale with fright…
Meanwhile, he continued talking, “But, Brother Yang… What difference does it make even if you slaughtered all the Territory Lords trapped inside this Space? Will that help you escape? Indeed, there is nothing the Black Ink Clan can do to you at the moment; however, this Space will eventually return to normal once the projection completely solidifies in two years. At that time, the Black Ink Clan will only need to prepare a Grand Array in advance. With the Royal Lord personally leading the attack, you will be nothing more than a turtle hiding in its shell! Brother Yang, this place is where you will meet your doom!”
Mo Yu, who had been standing quietly outside the projection, decisively issued the order when he heard those words, “Set up the formation!”
The Territory Lords standing idly behind him immediately scattered in all directions and surrounded the local region where the projection was located with the Grand Array Banners in their hands. It did not take long before the Four Gates Eight Palaces Great Pagoda Array was formed, sealing this section of the void!
Mo Yu stared at the projection in front of him, eager to charge forward. Although he had heard about the strangeness of this Space from Mo Na Ye, he was tempted to enter the Space anyway…
Nevertheless, he decided to give up on the idea after further consideration. Mo Na Ye was not very different from him in terms of raw strength, the only difference being that the latter could only exert about 80% of his maximum power.
Seeing as the trapped Mo Na Ye was absolutely incapable of attacking Yang Kai inside the Space, Mo Yu realised that he would most likely face the same situation if he were to enter. Hence, he decided not to embarrass himself with futile actions. This strange Space was not something that could be overcome with strength alone.
While the Territory Lords were busy preparing the Grand Array, Yang Kai simply watched quietly without trying to stop them. In any case, there was nothing he could do to stop them even if he wanted to.
It was just as Mo Na Ye had said, the current situation was a death sentence to him. The Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Grand Array had sealed the space around him. Once he lost the protection provided by the Universe Furnace’s projection, he would have to face Mo Yu directly. A situation like that would only lead to a disastrous ending for him.
The projection was slowly becoming solid over time, and at this rate, it would probably fully manifest after two years. When that happened, Yang Kai would become vulnerable to the attacks of the many Black Ink Clan Masters surrounding him.
There had been many opportunities and coincidences inside the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land. Not to mention, the Ancestral Land had been favourable to him. That was how Yang Kai managed to escape the crisis and even kill a Master like Di Wu back then, leaving the Black Ink Clan with nothing to show for its efforts.
Unfortunately, there were no external factors or geographical advantages that he could rely upon here. No matter how strong he was, how could he be stronger than a true Royal Lord?
At this moment, many of the Black Ink Clansmen were certain of their victory even though they were trapped. On the contrary, Yang Kai’s future was bleak even though he seemed as unrestrained as a fish in water.
Be it Yang Kai or the Black Ink Clan, neither party knew that the projection would transform into an entrance to the Universe Furnace after the projection solidified completely. They also did not know that the Universe Furnace contained a Sealed World, and the so-called opportunity had to be obtained inside of it. In other words, the Black Ink Clan’s efforts were futile no matter how well-made their plans were.
Nevertheless, for Yang Kai who lacked this information, he was indeed stuck in a desperate situation. He had no means to escape in the face of absolute power. It could even be said that he had fallen right into the Black Ink Clan’s trap when he decided to plunge into this Space within the projection.
It was a pity that he had no other choice under the circumstances back then. Not only had he been an arrow at the end of its flight, but he was also being pursued by Mo Na Ye. He had urgently needed a place where he could properly treat his wounds, so plunging into the projection had been his only choice.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, he grinned at Mo Na Ye, “I’m guessing you have a suggestion for me!”
Mo Na Ye laughed, “You know me well, Brother Yang!”
“Speak!”
He bluntly said, “Sit quietly, don’t do anything unnecessary, and restrain your aura. You might have a chance of survival in two years if you do that, Brother Yang!”
Yang Kai inquired, “And where would that chance of survival come from?”
Mo Na Ye replied, “That would depend entirely on how Sir Royal Lord plans to deal with you. If Sir Royal Lord considers you a threat, you will probably lose your life. But, if Sir Royal Lord intends to spare your life so that you can contribute to the Black Ink Clan instead, corrupting you with the Black Ink Strength is not a bad idea either.”
Mo Na Ye was undoubtedly an intelligent man. Standing in front of the Royal Lord, he carefully made sure not to mention anything absolute. He always framed his words so that the final decision was up to Mo Yu. The same was true when they set up the Grand Array earlier. Instead of directly issuing the orders to set up the Grand Array himself, Mo Na Ye simply dropped some hints here and there so that Mo Yu would understand immediately. After all, issuing the orders directly would have put him under suspicion of overstepping his boundaries.
It was for this reason that Mo Yu had handed all authority over the Black Ink Clan to Mo Na Ye for so many years without any concern. Mo Na Ye knew his place and limits. In that regard, Meng Que, who was also a Pseudo-Royal Lord, was not nearly as quick-witted.
Outside the projection, Mo Yu announced graciously, “I know you have a treasure in your Small Universe that prevents the corruption of Black Ink Strength. If you sacrifice this treasure and allow me to personally corrupt you with the Black Ink Strength, then I will spare your life!”
Yang Kai laughed at those words. Lifting his slightly swollen arms, he casually cupped his fists, “In that case, allow me to thank you for the great consideration you’ve shown me, Sir Royal Lord!”
For the Black Ink Clan, it would definitely be highly beneficial if they could turn Yang Kai into a Black Ink Disciple.
He was powerful, after all. If he could contribute to the Black Ink Clan, he would be a significant boost in strength for them. Furthermore, he was part of the Human Race’s higher-ups with extensive knowledge of their activities, so he would be able to provide the Black Ink Clan with substantial inside information.
More importantly, he had become a living symbol of hope to the Human Race over the years! Not only was his name practically a legend throughout the various Great Territory Battlefields, but his outstanding achievements were also highly praised and admired by soldiers and civilians alike. In fact, his very existence struck fear into the hearts of all Black Ink Clansmen!
If such a symbol were to switch sides and turn upon his former comrades, it would be a huge blow to the morale of the Human Race.
The Black Ink Clan could not care less about ordinary Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but they would willingly fight for the chance to corrupt Yang Kai with Black Ink Strength. There was more value in converting a person like Yang Kai into a Black Ink Disciple than killing him directly.
When confronting Yang Kai in the past, Mo Yu had never even dreamt about corrupting him with Black Ink Strength. He did not have that ability, after all. Even his chances of killing Yang Kai were slim to none. Be that as it may, the emergence of the Universe Furnace’s projection had turned the impossible into a possibility. He couldn’t help becoming rather excited about such a prospect.
On the other hand, Mo Na Ye discerned the mocking tone in Yang Kai’s words and gave a heavy sigh, “Brother Yang, why must you be so stubborn?”
Yang Kai answered lightly, “Our paths are different, so it’s impossible for us to truly cooperate with each other!” He turned to look at Mo Na Ye, “In any case, it is no loss for me if I drag a Pseudo-Royal Lord and dozens of Innate Territory Lords into the grave with me. Mo Na Ye, between you and me, let’s see which of us dies first!”
Mo Na Ye’s expression immediately darkened.
In the next moment, Yang Kai began surging his Space Principles along with various Dao Strengths, causing the space within the Universe Furnace’s projection to become chaotic once more.
The expressions of the trapped Territory Lords changed drastically at the sight. After their previous experience, how could they not know what was about to happen to them? They hastily drew upon their strength to protect themselves and became vigilant of their surroundings.
Mo Na Ye shouted, “Yang Kai, the Human Race has these sayings, ‘A wise man will submit to the circumstances,’ and, ‘Where there is life, there is hope’!”
No matter how calm he seemed on the surface or how confident he was of Yang Kai’s eventual defeat, he was the first to panic when Yang Kai showed so little regard for life. He desperately tried to persuade Yang Kai otherwise, hoping to arouse Yang Kai’s desire to live. That was because he knew that the situation would not end well for him if Yang Kai continued in this manner. At this rate, he would not survive to see the end of the war, regardless of Yang Kai’s eventual fate.
It was indeed difficult for Yang Kai to be his opponent in a one-on-one battle, but that was on the premise that both of them were at their peak strength. If Yang Kai utilised the strange effects in this Space to inflict heavy injuries onto him, then attacked once he was considerably weaker, Mo Na Ye did not have the confidence to defend himself. At this moment, his life was tied to Yang Kai’s. If he wanted to live, then he could not let Yang Kai die!
Yang Kai laughed loudly, “There’s another popular saying among us Humans. Have you heard of the saying, ‘It is better to have a piece of broken jade than lose a complete tile?’ I’d rather die a glorious death than live on in dishonour!”
The fluctuations of Space Principles became increasingly violent. Under his efforts to trace the roots of the Universe Furnace, the Space within the projection began to tremble and become disordered. The terrified screams of the Territory Lords rang out endlessly as a result.
Even Mo Na Ye was not spared. Streams of black blood constantly gushed out of his body, and the Black Ink Strength protecting his figure was sliced to pieces by the chaotic Space. He kept moving about and changing position, but that barely slowed the pace of his injuries.
All of a sudden, a Territory Lord screamed in agony. His body had been sliced cleanly in two and black blood gushed out of his wound. After suffering this critical blow, which caused him to lose all ability to protect himself, the two halves of his body were quickly carved into fragmented pieces. His screams gradually weakened, and his aura faded away.
One after another, the Territory Lords were reduced to severed limbs and torn flesh due to the effects of the disordered space. At the same time, their auras gradually withered away into nothing.
Outside the projection, Mo Yu watched the situation in distress, so furious that he was practically spitting fire from his eyes.
Mo Na Ye had previously mobilised hundreds of Innate Territory Lords as bait to besiege Yang Kai. Although many of these Territory Lords had died in battle, their deaths had value. Their sacrifice created an opportunity for Mo Na Ye to remove Yang Kai once and for all. Therefore, Mo Yu had not stopped Mo Na Ye even though the sacrifices distressed him. He had tacitly allowed Mo Na Ye to proceed with the plan.
However, the deaths of those Territory Lords were meaningless now. The reason they went through the immense trouble of sneaking out of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and travelling for a dozen years just to arrive at the No-Return Pass was to contribute to the Black Ink Clan’s future prosperity. They had not come here just to die in vain.
As things stood, nothing would change no matter how furious Mo Yu became. Although both parties seemed to be separated by a few steps, it was as though they were living in two different worlds. He could not interfere with anything that was happening inside the projection.
The Space within the projection continued to tremble without end. The layers of folded Space shifted in a chaotic manner, constantly bringing harm to the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai had done this before. At the time, he stopped after causing the deaths of a dozen or so Territory Lords. That was because he had the vague feeling that something unpredictable would happen if the Space within the projection remained turbulent for too long.
The reason for the turbulence in the projection was the Secret Technique that he used to trace the location of the Universe Furnace’s true body. The Universe Furnace’s true body was hidden at some unknown location. It was because he was tracking the traces in reverse that the Space within the projection became so disturbed and chaotic. If he wanted the Space within the projection to keep oscillating, then he had to keep tracking the traces of the Universe Furnace’s true body. In this way, some things would be rather difficult to predict.
In reality, the other projections scattered throughout the different places were experiencing the same situation when Yang Kai was causing the Space within the projection to shake and become disordered. The Universe Furnace’s true body itself was being affected, so the feedback was reflected in its projections.
The Masters of both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan who were closely monitoring the movements of the Universe Furnace’s projection could not understand the reason for the strange phenomenon. They did not understand what was happening to the Universe Furnace.
In the Suppressing Black Ink Fortress located outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, many of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were also at a loss. Yang Xiao asked Fu Guang for guidance, “Senior, what is happening? Why is the Universe Furnace experiencing such a strange development?”
Fu Guang secretly thought to himself, [If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask?]
The Dragon Clan did not know much about the Universe Furnace since there was no need for them to enter it and compete for opportunities. Besides, this was also the first time a projection of the Universe Furnace had appeared in front of him. As for why the Space within the Universe Furnace’s projection was trembling and disordered, it was only natural that he was as baffled as the others. After much deliberation, he could only claim that the Heavens were unpredictable. His statement left the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters extremely confused.
In the Supreme Headquarters of the Human Race, Mi Jing Lun read through the numerous messages that had been sent with a frown on his face. Then, he looked up at Blood Crow, who was sitting beside him with a dense layer of aura lingering around his body, “Is it normal for the Universe Furnace to experience strange developments before the projection becomes completely solidified?”
Blood Crow was puzzled, “What kind of strange developments?
Mi Jing Lun handed the report over. Blood Crow took the report and glanced through the contents briefly before he shook his head, “I’ve never heard of such developments before. I don’t think this happened last time.”
“You don’t think?” Mi Jing Lun stared at Blood Crow fixedly.
Blood Crow looked slightly apologetic. Scratching his lower jaw, he explained himself, “Sir, as you know, I am not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. During the Universe Furnace’s last appearance, an entrance happened to emerge in the 3,000 Worlds. The cultivators in the 3,000 Worlds were lucky enough to receive an opportunity to enter and explore the Universe Furnace, but the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were naturally the first to enter. Moreover, I was only in the Seventh Order at the time and was placed at the outermost edges, being among the last to enter the Universe Furnace. As far as I can recall though, nothing strange occurred to the Universe Furnace’s projection last time. It remained very stable, from the day it appeared to the day it became completely solidified.”
Mi Jing Lun nodded lightly, but he had a slightly worried look on his face. There had to be a reason for this unexpected situation to have happened. It was a pity that the Human Race had such a poor understanding of the Universe Furnace.
Although Blood Crow had personally experienced the phenomenon in the past, the reality was just as he said. His situation at the time was rather awkward as he was not a disciple of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Adding to that, he was only in the Seventh-Order at the time. Even though he managed to enter the Universe Furnace, the information he possessed was not comprehensive. Be that as it may, the information that he provided recently had been extremely helpful to the Human Race!
At the very least, the Human Race far surpassed the Black Ink Clan in terms of understanding of the internal environment of the Universe Furnace and the opportunities waiting for them inside. This information was invaluable to their current planning.
Meanwhile, the Innate Territory Lords died one after another inside the projection located outside the No-Return Pass. Only half of them remained alive right now, and under Yang Kai’s constant influence, the vibration and the disorder in the Space continued to intensify.
The lives of the Territory Lords were hanging by a thread. Those who survived were not stronger than those who died earlier, they were just luckier than the rest. At this point, nobody knew when they might be the next unlucky one to meet their demise.
The movement of the chaotic space came and went without warning. No matter how hard they struggled, they could not discern any clues whatsoever. All they could do was protect themselves as best as they could. Even so, their efforts were to no avail. Their condition was poor in the first place. Combined with the distortion of the chaotic space, they could not defend themselves from the injuries caused by the shifting of the folding space.
Among the Territory Lords who survived by luck, many were missing arms and legs. They were as miserable as they could possibly be. In the beginning, they cried out for Mo Na Ye to save them, but they no longer shouted anymore, having realised that it was useless.
Mo Na Ye couldn’t even protect himself at the moment. It was only thanks to his immense cultivation that he was not in danger yet. Nevertheless, he was covered in wounds. Even his aura, which had initially been at its peak, had reduced considerably. If this were to continue, he would soon be facing the threat of death.
After becoming a Pseudo-Royal Lord more than 1,000 years ago, Mo Na Ye never imagined that he would be in such dire straits one day. The reason he tried so hard was that he wanted to gain the capital to influence the future of the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race. That was why he even risked his life to perform the Source Fusion Technique and became a Pseudo-Royal Lord.
As a Pseudo-Royal Lord, it was impossible for his life to be threatened unless he encountered a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Therefore, he had faced Yang Kai over the years from the standpoint of somebody who was superior in strength. The worst outcome for his schemes and calculations was failure. As long as the Royal Lord continued to trust in him, he would not be implicated in any danger.
To his horror, Mo Na Ye abruptly realised something crucial at this moment. Even though he was a Pseudo-Royal Lord, he could barely protect himself in a confrontation against Yang Kai! Di Wu’s death back then was not a fluke!
Yang Kai had always been capable of creating unimaginable miracles when he was caught in a desperate situation. Take this incident for example. There was nothing wrong with Mo Na Ye’s schemes and everything had gone smoothly at the start. However, the Universe Furnace’s projection just had to appear nearby and the space within the projection just had to be so strange. Worst of all, Yang Kai could even take advantage of the characteristics of this location to effortlessly slaughter the Territory Lords and threaten the life of a Pseudo-Royal Lord like Mo Na Ye.
“Brother Yang, tell me, what is it that you want? Please speak freely. This Mo Na Ye will not refuse any request that can be satisfied. Why must we kill each other?” At the critical moment between life and death, Mo Na Ye finally broke down. If he did not figure out a method to break this stalemate, he would die first regardless of whether or not Yang Kai eventually survived.
Space Principles along with various Dao Strengths fluctuated wildly around Yang Kai as he coldly snorted, “You can’t give me what I want.”
Mo Na Ye calmed down upon hearing those words. He had been worried that Yang Kai would ignore him and refuse to speak to him. Since Yang Kai was talking to him, that could only mean that Yang Kai had a request to make. The crisis today might not be unresolvable!
He immediately raised his voice and said, “Sir Royal Lord is right here. Even if this Mo Na Ye is unable to satisfy your request, are you saying Sir Royal Lord would not be able to? But… Brother Yang, I hope you don’t make any unrealistic demands.”
His greatest fear was that Yang Kai would demand that the Royal Lord commit suicide on the spot. If such words came out of Yang Kai’s words, then communication between them would break down immediately.
No matter how highly the Royal Lord valued Mo Na Ye, it was impossible for him to value him more than himself. He would never harm himself just for Mo Na Ye’s sake.
As soon as the words left Mo Na Ye’s mouth, Mo Yu, who was standing outside, hesitated for a moment before he agreed, “Negotiation is permissible!”
Mo Yu could tell that Mo Na Ye was in a precarious situation, and it would be bad to lose such a capable subordinate.
Throughout the years, the management of the Black Ink Clan had been well-organised under Mo Na Ye. The only exception was this plan to besiege Yang Kai, which had resulted in heavy losses. Even so, there was nothing wrong with the plan itself. It was simply a huge coincidence for the projection of the Universe Furnace to appear at this time and place, which unfortunately gave Yang Kai a chance to catch his breath.
In short, Mo Na Ye was extremely capable and loyal. If there was a way to save Mo Na Ye, then Mo Yu certainly would not mind taking a shot.
When Yang Kai heard those words, the movements of his hands gradually slowed down. The Territory Lords, who were exhausted from running around, were secretly relieved to witness the sight.
A short while later, Yang Kai quickly said, “Remove the surrounding Grand Array. I want to leave this place safely!”
Mo Na Ye turned to glance at Mo Yu. The latter pondered for some time before he finally nodded in agreement, “Good. I can remove the Grand Array. I can even lead all the Territory Lords away. Just stop what you’re doing!”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t trust you. Even if you leave this place, who can guarantee that you will not sneak back here in secret? I have experienced the strength of a Royal Lord in the past. How am I supposed to defend myself if you attack me after I leave this place? In that situation, you will only need to keep me busy for a short time until the Grand Array is formed again!”
Mo Yu quickly said, “I will not go back on my word!”
Yang Kai snorted in disdain. Mo Yu had agreed so readily, so it was obvious he was plotting against him. There was one thing Yang Kai knew for sure, if he left the space within the projection, the other party would definitely attack. It would be troublesome if his enemies cut off his escape routes and then concentrate on fighting him.
Mo Yu snapped impatiently, “What do you want? How are you going to leave if you want to leave but refuse to leave?”
Mo Na Ye persuaded, “Brother Yang, the Royal Lord is being quite sincere.”
Yang Kai replied, “Since he is being sincere, then he should do as I say; otherwise, all negotiations are off the table.”
Mo Yu suppressed his rage and spoke in a cold voice, “Let’s hear it.”
Yang Kai already had a plan in mind and immediately quipped, “I want the Black Ink Clan to contact the front lines and pass a messenger Black Ink Nest to the Supreme Headquarters. As for the rest, the Black Ink Clan does not need to worry themselves with such matters.”
Under the current circumstances, he would require the escort of a Human Race Master if he wanted to leave this place safely. However, he had no means to contact the Human Race at the moment. Borrowing a Black Ink Nest for communication was the best solution in his situation. In this way, he could contact the Human Race directly and explain the situation here clearly.
There was no need for many escorts. A single Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would be enough!
Although his actions would expose the fact that there was a hidden Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among the Human Race, now that the Universe Furnace was about to emerge, that would soon happen anyways.
In any case, the Black Ink Clan had always guessed that there was a hidden Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among the Human Race, it was just that they did not have concrete proof to support their suspicions.
After listening to Yang Kai’s demand, Mo Yu fell silent and Mo Na Ye frowned deeply. They had to admit that Yang Kai’s request was exceptionally simple. Be that as it may, the request was also extremely meticulous. There was no room for the Black Ink Clan to secretly interfere.
Mo Na Ye couldn’t help but sigh helplessly. He knew that the Royal Lord would never accept Yang Kai’s demand. The reason the Royal Lord had been willing to remove the Grand Array and leave with the Territory Lords was that the resulting situation would have remained within his control. There had been a possibility of ambushing Yang Kai again…
On the other hand, all their previous efforts would go to waste if they agreed to Yang Kai’s demand and allowed him to contact the Human Race. More importantly, the Territory Lords would have died in vain.
Yang Kai studied Mo Yu’s expression and sneered, “Mo Na Ye, it looks like the Royal Lord doesn’t value you very much!”
Mo Na Ye sighed lightly, “Now that things have reached this point, why bother trying to provoke discord, Brother Yang?” With a solemn expression, he turned and bowed respectfully in Mo Yu’s direction, his voice steady and sonorous, “Sir Royal Lord, this plan has already cost the Black Ink Clan hundreds of Innate Territory Lords. You must not allow our previous efforts to go to waste just because of this subordinate; otherwise, even more Territory Lords will lose their lives in the future.”
“Yang Kai is a great talent of the Human Race. It is necessary to annihilate him now, more than ever, especially since the Universe Furnace is about to appear in the world. If he were to obtain an opportunity from the Universe Furnace, he would surely become a catastrophe for the Black Ink Clan in the future. Sir Royal Lord, regardless of whether this subordinate lives or dies today, you must not let the efforts of our many clansmen be in vain.
“I, Mo Na Ye, am willing to sacrifice my life in exchange for the life of the Human Race Master, Yang Kai!”
His words were extremely sincere, and his voice resounded throughout the void. Mo Yu and the many Innate Territory Lords outside the projection were deeply moved by his speech. There were very few people among the Black Ink Clan who could disregard life and death for the greater good. Combined with his profound sense of righteousness, the Black Ink Clansmen could not help feeling a sense of admiration towards him.
Originally, many of these Innate Territory Lords had held negative opinions towards Mo Na Ye. They were all Innate Territory Lords after all, so none of them should have stood above anybody else. Many felt Mo Na Ye was simply lucky in that he succeeded in using the Source Fusion Technique and took the last spot available for the position. After he became a Pseudo-Royal Lord, he showed some measure of wit and intelligence that the Royal Lord appreciated, which was why he was put in charge of all matters regarding the Black Ink Clan.
However, over the years, he did not seem to gain anything from the war between the Human Race and his confrontation against Yang Kai. On the contrary, he caused heavy losses to the Black Ink Clan. Anybody could have done that in his place…
Nonetheless, many of these Territory Lords could not help but change their opinion of Mo Na Ye after listening to his speech. Leaving everything else aside, they could never bring themselves to speak such profound and righteous words or show such willingness to sacrifice themselves for the greater good!
Mo Yu glanced at Mo Na Ye, a hint of apology flashing through his eyes as his slight dissatisfaction towards Mo Na Ye over the heavy casualties among the Territory Lords dissipated into nothing. He had been hesitating, wondering whether he should follow Yang Kai’s demand and allow the latter to contact the Human Race. Although that would allow a tiger to return to the mountain, he would be able to rescue his capable subordinate, Mo Na Ye.
Nevertheless, Mo Yu made up his mind after listening to Mo Na Ye’s little speech.
Mo Na Ye was correct. Yang Kai was already a great threat to the Black Ink Clan even though he was only in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Now that the Universe Furnace was about to appear, the consequences would be unimaginably dire if he were to escape and obtain an opportunity from the Universe Furnace!
[No matter what, no matter how great the price, Yang Kai must die here today!] Mo Yu closed his eyes slightly. When he opened them again, his eyes were filled with murderous intent, “Yang Kai, if you stop now, I promise that I will only corrupt you with Black Ink Strength. But, if you dare harm another one of our Masters, I swear I will rip your corpse into 10,000 pieces when the time comes!”
“Were you… referring to this?”
While speaking, Yang Kai took a step forward. Nobody could see his movements clearly under the effects of the chaotic folding space. When he reappeared again, he was grasping a heavily wounded Territory Lord by the head in his large hand.
The Territory Lord had been flustered from concentrating on defending against the attacks of the disordered space. As a result, he was caught completely off-guard by Yang Kai. At this moment, he was fully immobilised and at Yang Kai’s mercy.
Yang Kai turned and stared into Mo Yu’s eyes with a fierce look on his face; then, he put some strength into his hand and the Territory Lord’s head shattered in his grip.
He had remained in one spot without moving, simply urging Space Principles to trace the location of the Universe Furnace’s true body. However, he was actively making his move now. Mo Yu’s ruthless threat was nothing but wind in his ears to him.
“Or, did you mean this?” He asked once more. At the same time, he abruptly appeared behind another Territory Lord. He summoned the Azure Dragon Spear and pierced it through the Territory Lord’s body. With a flick of his spear, World Force erupted and the Territory Lord exploded into blood mist!
After killing seven or eight Territory Lords in a row, Yang Kai finally stopped and glanced at Mo Yu mockingly.
Mo Yu was so furious that his entire body trembled with rage as he roared explosively, “Good, very good! You will regret this!”
After saying that, he closed his eyes. What the eyes did not see, the heart did not grieve.
Yang Kai could not be bothered to argue with Mo Yu and simply continued to manipulate Space Principles. At the same time, he turned to look at Mo Na Ye and smiled slightly, “How cunning!”
He was not sure whether Mo Na Ye’s speech earlier had been truly sincere or merely a show for the public. It might have been a mixture of both. Nonetheless, there was no denying that Mo Na Ye had driven both himself and Yang Kai into a corner.
In any case, this was the crisis that Yang Kai would eventually have had to face. It became impossible for him to leave the moment Mo Na Ye secretly arranged for the Royal Lord and the Innate Territory Lords to ambush him here. That being the case, he might as well slaughter all the Black Ink Clansmen trapped inside the space within the projection first. After two years, his survival would be decided by the Heavens in that decisive battle!
There were less than 20 surviving Innate Territory Lords trapped inside the space within the projection at this moment. If Yang Kai wanted to obliterate them, he could have killed them easily. Only Mo Na Ye posed some trouble for him. He needed to reduce Mo Na Ye’s strength and let the latter’s injuries slowly accumulate over time. Then, he would make his move when the time was right.
The Dao Strengths and Space principles became more and more chaotic. Inside the projection, the random movements of the folded Space increased in frequency. There were too many dangers lurking around with no warning signs. One by one, the Territory Lords who survived by luck eventually died over time.
On the other hand, black blood continuously gushed out of Mo Na Ye’s body as the number of injuries on his body gradually increased. Nevertheless, he was unwilling to wait for his death without doing anything even though he was stuck in such a desperate situation. He constantly changed positions and summoned his strength to protect himself. Although he had valiantly offered to sacrifice himself for the greater good earlier, it was only natural for him to struggle to survive in the face of death.
As time passed, the Innate Territory Lords trapped in the space within the projection gradually lost their lives until not a single one remained. The void was filled with the remains of these Territory Lords after their tragic deaths. It was a bloody and miserable scene.
The only survivors of the massacre were Yang Kai, who was not affected by the effects of this space, and Mo Na Ye, who was struggling to survive. Their situation could not be more different. Yang Kai was casually pushing his Space Principles to their limits. On the other hand, Mo Na Ye was in a terrible state. Their situations were in stark contrast to each other.