Zhan Wu Hen looked at Huang Wu Ji with pity, “I’m afraid that also includes you!”
He did not know what kind of Secret Technique Huang Wu Ji was using or why it could steal the World’s Will from his body, but how could Zhan Wu Hen not see that there was a huge price to pay for using this Secret Technique, just like how there was a price to pay for keeping him trapped inside this place? That price was the reason why Huang Wu Ji had been unable to leave for all these years.
The severed palm stuck in Huang Wu Ji’s chest was constantly absorbing his Vitality. It would not take long before his strength would plummet greatly. At that time, it would be hard to say whether he could even maintain his cultivation as a Demon Saint.
[I can’t believe he willingly paid such a heavy price just to deprive me of the World’s Will.] Zhan Wu Hen knew that the others would be in no better situation than himself. After being trapped for so many years, he no longer had any understanding of the current situation in the Star Boundary, but judging from Huang Wu Ji’s behaviour, it would seem that things had reached a crucial point in the war.
Feeling extremely anxious, Zhan Wu Hen tried to break free of his shackles and escape from this place. Unfortunately, his will was strong but his strength was lacking. He couldn’t help gnashing his teeth in frustration and glaring at Huang Wu Ji furiously.
“Stop wasting your energy. Although I regret not being able to kill you myself, this kind of ending isn’t that bad either.”
“With your strength?” Zhan Wu Hen’s expression turned mocking, “Do you have the ability?”
Huang Wu Ji shook his head slowly, “It’s too late for you to say anything now.”
With that, he closed his eyes and said no more.
“Heh heh heh! Found one!”
At that moment, a burst of low laughter suddenly sounded in Zhan Wu Hen and Huang Wu Ji’s ears. Then, the laughter stopped abruptly. Zhan Wu Hen had a strange look on his face, wondering if he had heard wrongly.
On the other hand, Huang Wu Ji’s expression changed drastically, “Who!?”
Even though he was a Demon Saint, his expression at the moment was filled with fear and shock. That was because this inexplicable space was something the Lord Demon God himself had specially created in order to imprison the Great Emperors from the Star Boundary. Only he and Zhan Wu Hen had been stuck in this place for all these years, so how could a third person possibly find this place?
With a sound as if something was being torn apart, a crack appeared in the boundary walls of this inexplicable space. Two large hands emerged from the crack, forcibly pushing against both sides open. The boundary wall was torn apart like a fragile piece of fabric; the gap in the wall expanded rapidly.
Under Huang Wu Ji’s incredulous gaze, a person stepped out of that gap. That person looked around the space with a bright smile and when he saw Zhan Wu Hen, he teasingly said, “You sure look awful!”
The corner of Zhan Wu Hen’s brow twitched and he frowned at those words, “Hong Chen?”
Standing in front of him was an elderly man with a ruddy complexion and a child-like glint in his eye. Who else could this elderly man be but the Duan Hong Chen that he knew?
That person, however, grinned and declared, “That old fart has died at my hands!”
Zhang Wu Hen’s expression grew grim, “Wu Kuang!?”
“Are you Wu Kuang?” Likewise, Huang Wu Ji’s expression also changed when he heard those words. He had obviously heard of the terrifying existence who once eliminated four Great Emperors with his strength alone, so he couldn’t help feeling scared.
Wu Kuang was behaving like a lunatic, rubbing his chin as he studied Zhan Wu Hen with a malicious look. Then, he turned to look at Huang Wu Ji with an insidious smile, “Let me think… Who should this King eat first? This King’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law is starving!”
“You dare!?” Zhan Wu Hen shouted angrily.
Similarly, Huang Wu Ji had a bitter expression. Not only did he know about Wu Kuang, but he also knew about the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. That was the most terrifying Secret Art in the Star Boundary. The reason Wu Kuang became so famous was all thanks to this Secret Art.
Huang Wu Ji was stuck in this place with Zhan Wu Hen and could not move at will; therefore, he was practically powerless to resist Wu Kuang if a battle broke out. He simply could not understand one thing, how did this person appear at such a critical time!?
Huang Wu Ji was not the only person confused by this turn of events. Zhan Wu Hen was puzzled too.
After the battle on Dragon Island, Wu Kuang escaped from the Dragon Temple and fled to a Lower Star Field. There was no news from him after that incident. Zhan Wu Hen later learned from Yang Kai that Wu Kuang had entered the Ancestral Domain, but nobody knew what he was plotting.
If not for the fact that Wu Kuang was sharing a body with Duan Hong Chen, Zhan Wu Hen would have entered the Ancestral Domain to kill him. It was only out of concern for Duan Hong Chen that Zhan Wu Hen was somewhat cautious about taking action lest he hurt his friend in the process.
Now, it seemed they had been raising a wild tiger in their midst all these years.
At this moment, the aura emanating from Wu Kuang’s body was extremely tyrannical. He had already reached the Great Emperor Realm, and although his strength was not comparable to what it was at his peak during the Great Emperor War, the gap was not large.
The Heaven Devouring Battle Law was powerful indeed. It had to be said that Duan Hong Chen had crippled his cultivation and had only been a Third-Order Dao Source Realm when he entered the Shattered Star Sea. Yet, it only took such a short time for Wu Kuang to recover completely from that incident.
“Stop causing trouble! Our top priority is to rescue them!” When Wu Kuang spoke again, his expression changed all of a sudden. This time, it became much more solemn and even the voice coming out of his mouth changed slightly.
Zhan Wu Hen’s eyes flashed and he broke out into a grin. This was the Duan Hong Chen that he knew. As for what Wu Kuang said just now about killing him, it was simply nonsense. It would seem that Duan Hong Chen and Wu Kuang had reached a balance between their two Souls and were co-existing with each other. It was simply an astounding sight to see.
“How did you find this place!?” Huang Wu Ji shouted through gritted teeth.
Duan Hong Chen glanced at him lightly, “This King is also a Great Emperor. Why wouldn’t I be able to find this place?”
If the Great Demon God wanted to use the power of the seven Great Emperors to suppress Yang Kai, then he would inevitably reveal some traces. This inexplicable space might be hidden from all others, but Duan Hong Chen would be able to trace the clues back to this place as long as the slightest flaw was exposed. Therefore, he would be able to quietly carry out what Yang Kai did not have the time to do. Moreover, even Mo Sheng failed to notice his movements as, at this time, Mo Sheng’s full attention was fixed on Yang Kai.
“Why are you still wasting time on words? Let’s kill him first,” Wu Kuang grinned.
Zhan Wu Hen replied, “You can’t kill him! If he dies, I will die too!”
The Secret Technique had closely linked his vitality with Huang Wu Ji’s vitality. If one suffered, all suffered.
Wu Kuang frowned at those words, “That’s none of my business!” The words had just left his mouth when he looked annoyed again, “I know! I know! Stop nagging! This King’s head hurts! I’ll save him!”
Zhan Wu Hen smiled slightly at the sight.
Stepping forward, Wu Kuang looked down at Huang Wu Ji condescendingly, “Junior, falling into the hands of this King is the greatest misfortune in your life!”
As the First Demon Saint of the Demon Realm, Huang Wu Ji did not remember how many years he had lived at this point, so it was his first time being called a ‘Junior’ in who knows how long, but he couldn’t even muster any rage. Instead, he involuntarily shuddered under Wu Kuang’s cold and indifferent gaze. It felt as though something extremely bad was about to happen to him.
Meanwhile, Wu Kuang cackled softly, reached out a hand, and slowly placed it over Huang Wu Ji’s head. Huang Wu Ji could only watch helplessly, unable to resist. Clearly, the Great Demon God had not anticipated that somebody would barge into this space one day when he first made his plans.
…..
At the same time that Wu Kuang suddenly appeared, a crimson red gate revealed itself completely on a certain mountain peak in the Ancient Wild Lands of the Eastern Territory where the Blood Gate was once located. That gate looked like it was formed completely from fresh blood and the frame of the gate was engraved with intricate runes and patterns.
Void Cracks crisscrossed each other around the Blood Gate and it looked like this part of the world was going to collapse at any moment. In addition, boundless Demon Qi kept pouring into the Blood Gate, so much so that the crimson gate was dyed in a layer of black.
It was just as Yang Kai had predicted previously. Zhang Ruo Xi’s awakening was entirely due to his fight with Mo Sheng. The changes in the world had also affected the Blood Gate, so how could she be unaware of those changes when she was resting inside? Even whilst deep asleep, Zhang Ruo Xi had sensed the danger looming over her and had awoken as a result.
At this moment, two closed doors suddenly appeared on the crimson Blood Gate, accompanied by a flashing light. Then, the tightly closed doors slowly opened outward at an extremely slow speed. It would take quite a bit of time before those doors would fully open.
All the living creatures in the Star Boundary with a Divine Spirit Source sensed something the moment the door was revealed and they couldn’t help turning to look towards the east. Something seemed to be calling out to their bloodline in that faraway place, giving them a sense of cordiality. If not for the fact that the Star Boundary’s survival was on the line, they would definitely have gone to investigate that phenomenon at all costs.
“Yang Kai, a so-called Great Emperor is just a title, not a step on the Martial Dao. It is far from the final peak! If you defect to my side, this King can guide you to further heights!” Mo Sheng’s roar resounded across the world.
“Then this King will have to thank you in advance!” Yang Kai gritted his teeth. Despite saying so, his expression was unmoved as he continued to urge the world’s might wholeheartedly.
“Stubborn fool!” Mo Sheng coldly snorted, “Kill him!”
On the battlefield of the Pseudo-Great Emperors and Half-Saints, many of the Half-Saints who had defected to the Star Boundary suddenly turned away from their opponents as soon as those words left Mo Sheng’s mouth and rushed towards Yang Kai instead.
These Half-Saints included the ones who served under Yu Ru Meng, Bei Li Mo, and Chang Tian who had defected to the Star Boundary long ago. There were also some that Yang Kai had captured and planted a Soul Imprint in their Knowledge Seas when he first started devouring the Demon Realm back then. They had contributed a lot in the war between the two worlds. Even Bai Zhuo and Bai Ya, who were on friendly terms with Yang Kai, were also among these Half-Saints.
However, they seemed to become bewitched after hearing the order Mo Sheng gave, losing control over their bodies and minds.
“As I expected!” Yang Kai coldly snorted and with a flash of his thoughts, many of the Half-Saints rushing towards him stumbled and fell unconscious in mid-air.
The Great Demon God had mentioned that the entire Demon Race of the Demon Realm originated from him. It could even be said that they were born from his Demon Qi; therefore, it was no surprise that he had strong control over all Demons.
Being aware of this fact, how could Yang Kai not take precautions against something like this? He still remembered the second time the Demon Race invaded the Star Boundary. Tens of millions of Demons in the Western Territory had suddenly begun slaughtering each other after hearing a strange voice. Following their deaths, the Demon Qi in their bodies had dissipated to construct numerous Demon Lands that connected the two Great Worlds.
Looking back on that incident, it was obvious that the voice resounding in the heads of so many Demons was something that Mo Sheng had done. If he could make those Demons kill each other willingly, then he could also make the Half-Saints do his bidding!
The Half-Saints who fainted in mid-air were the ones with a Soul Imprint from Yang Kai in their Knowledge Seas. On the other hand, Bai Zhuo, Bai Ya, and the others were not affected by Yang Kai’s influence. Dozens of Half-Saints lunged at Yang Kai, so even though he was in such a critical situation already, he had no choice but to pay attention to them.
The sudden turn of events shocked the Pseudo-Great Emperors of the Star Boundary greatly. Even if they wanted to help, they were powerless to do anything. From the beginning, their numbers had been inferior to the enemy’s, so the current situation had become incredibly unfavourable in an instant. Moreover, some of them had been seriously injured in a moment of carelessness.
“Is it finally time for us to shine!?” Wen Zi Shan’s clothes flapped in the wind from where he stood not far away from Yang Kai. Despite facing several dozen Half-Saints, his expression was calm as he laughed, “We’ve been watching by the sidelines for so long. It’s finally our turn to act!”
Ma Qing glanced sideways at Wen Zi Shan, “Don’t die.”
Wen Zi Shan replied, “I won’t die even if you do!”
Ma Qing sneered, “We’ll see who survives the longest!”
Wen Zi Shan smiled before turning to look at Gao Xue Ting, a trace of guilt and reluctance flashing across his eyes, “If we survive…”
“I’ll marry you!” A blush crept across Gao Xue Ting’s face.
He reached out and stroked her head, just like what he used to do many years ago. The image of a little girl who used to follow him around and clutch at a corner of his clothes wherever he went flashed through his mind. His vision blurred for a moment before nodding, “Little Xue Ting is all grown up now!”
“They’re coming!” Ma Qing shouted in a low voice.
“Stay close to me!” Wen Zi Shan instructed Gao Xue Ting at the last moment. Lifting his hand, an elegant longsword that glowed with a purple light appeared in his hand. He pointed forward with the longsword in his hand, Sword Qi surging violently as he shouted, “Charge!”
He was the first person to rush forward, closely followed by Gao Xue Ting. Behind them was the entire Star Boundary army. At this moment, all the remaining combat power in the Star Boundary that resided within High Heaven Palace came out in full force. Wave after wave of the army turned into a torrent of steel. They bravely faced the several dozen Demon Race Half-Saints with the solemnity and resolve of not coming back alive.
*Shua shua shua…* Numerous figures brushed past Yang Kai as thousands in the army stepped forward. At the same time, countless artifacts and Secret Techniques blasted forward with an overwhelming force.
There might only be several dozen Demon Race Half-Saints rushing toward them, but the Star Boundary instantly suffered great losses the moment both sides clashed against each other due to the huge gap in their cultivation. One after another, figures exploded into a cloud of blood mist everywhere. Not even bones were left behind. Although the several dozen Demon Race Half-Saints were surrounded by the Star Boundary army, they acted as if there was nobody around them at all. Not a single person could withstand a single blow from them.
Wen Zi Shan was severely injured in the opening clash, and if not for Gao Xue Ting’s desperate efforts to save him, he would have died on the spot. Even so, he simply grit his teeth and continued fighting with the support of the other Emperor Realm Masters to fearlessly delay the advance of the Half-Saints.
Yang Kai’s eyes turned blood-red as he stared at everything around him in a daze. He felt as though his heart was bleeding and his eyes couldn’t help but moisten. After this battle, who knew how many would be left among the remnants of the Star Boundary army that were already far too few in the first place?
Fortunately, the target of those Half-Saints was not the Star Boundary army but Yang Kai himself. That was why they did not cause unimaginable losses even though they were rampaging in the midst of the army. They were under the influence of the Great Demon God and were only single-mindedly trying to approach Yang Kai to attack him; hence, they were simply killing some people who stood in their path along the way. As long as the Star Boundary army could grasp the right timing to retreat, they could avoid death by the skin of their teeth.
Several figures dashed through the Star Boundary army and approached Yang Kai at a very fast speed, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Without the Pseudo-Great Emperors, there was nobody who could match the Half-Saints in strength. The blood that drenched the ground and the courageous deaths only served to delay the Half-Saints from moving forward for a mere moment.
*Shua shua shua…* Numerous figures appeared beside Yang Kai, surrounding him like a bunch of stars crowding around the moon. Su Yan, Xue Yue, Shan Qing Luo, Xia Ning Chang, Ji Yao, Lan Xun, Mo Xiao Qi, Lin Yun’er, Xiao Chen, Xia Sheng, Xiao Bai Yi, Yao Si, Chi Gui, Li Shi Qing, Gao Zhan, and many others had all shown up around him.
Such a line-up could be called luxurious, and in the past, nobody would have dared to look down on them. These people might belong to the younger generation of the Star Boundary, but they could also be said to be its future. They were the rising stars of the Star Boundary, and given time, they would surely shine brightly.
Nevertheless, what were the chances of victory against the Demon Race Half-Saints even if a group of young people like them gathered together? And yet, none of them showed any fear. Every one of them had a calm expression on their faces.
“You…” Yang Kai frowned at them.
Chi Gui grinned, “The old guys are desperately fighting on the frontlines, but somebody has to guard you, right? Senior Void, you are the key to the Star Boundary’s survival. Please don’t let us down.”
Despite becoming a Great Emperor, Yang Kai did not know how to answer them. All he could feel was a sense of warmth flowing across his chest, making his entire body become extremely hot as he grimly replied, “This King doesn’t dare to guarantee anything else, but he has the determination to live and die together with you!”
Chi Gui looked back with a chuckle, “That’s enough.”
“They’re coming!” Su Yan shouted.
Everybody’s expression turned grim. Glancing in that direction, they saw three figures breaking out of the Star Boundary army’s encirclement and rushing in their direction. Before those figures even arrived, the sharp murderous intent they emitted made it difficult to breathe.
“Just concentrate on dealing with Mo Sheng. Leave these three to us!” Chi Gui shouted, his body turning into a crimson light as he rushed forward to meet those three figures.
Meanwhile, a phoenix cry rang out as an enormous Ice Phoenix spread its wings, covering the entire sky. Ice Principles spread out as Su Yan lifted her sword, leading Xue Yue, Shan Qing Luo, Xia Ning Chang, and Ji Yao up to face a Strength Demon Half-Saint.
Lin Yun’er stretched out her hand and threw out Unlimited Return, which came down over the head of a Blood Demon Half-Saint.
Mo Xiao Qi formed a set of seals with both hands and shouted, “Unlock!”
The butterfly mark on her face instantly came to life and transformed into a huge dancing figure that floated behind her. The butterfly flapped its wings, fluctuating with light that seemed to contain infinite charm.
Lan Xun lashed out with the World Pagoda, slamming it into the last remaining Half-Saint, a Flame Demon. The Tower Spirit had already taken root in the Earth and vines danced in a radius of a hundred metres, turning into countless violent attacks that struck at the three Half-Saints who were rushing forward.
In an instant, the sky went dark and the ground shook. By combining the power of many Emperor Realm Masters in the younger generation, they finally managed to halt the advance of the three Demon Race Half-Saints rushing toward them. Unfortunately, that was all they could manage. They might have an advantage in numbers and countless treasures in their possession, but their cultivation was lacking. It was near impossible for them to kill these Half-Saints, so all they could do was buy as much time as possible in order to delay them from arriving at Yang Kai’s side.
Yang Kai closed his eyes, not daring to look in their direction. It could also be said that he could not bring himself to look at them. He was afraid that he would become distracted if he saw something he did not wish to see. He had always been at a disadvantage in his confrontation against the Great Demon God, and even the pure land that he managed to expand with such great effort was slowly being suppressed again.
He questioned himself in his heart, [What can I do to make a comeback in this desperate situation? My only hope is to hold on until Ruo Xi returns and joins forces with me for us to stand a fighting chance. But, the Star Boundary will have to pay dearly for that hope.]
Blood and broken limbs were only the prelude to what was happening around him as one after another, the rise and fall of mournful screams performed the elegy of life. The numbers in the Star Boundary army continued to decrease as Emperor Realm Master after Emperor Realm Master died.
Suddenly, a low chant entered his ears, “Time Flows on Infinitely, Like a Mighty Stream, Like an Unending Dream!”
That voice did not come from just one person, it was a combination of two voices, one man and one woman. Their voices perfectly matched, be it the tone or the intonation. Then, Time Principles began to flow out.
Yang Kai opened his eyes and glanced over to see a huge palace flying in his direction. Yang Xiao and Yang Xue stood side by side on the steps of the main hall and slammed their palms downward in unison.
Time Flies Seal!
The Strength Demon Half-Saint that was fighting Su Yan and the others at that moment was caught unaware and received the full brunt of the attack. His figure involuntarily froze for a moment and upon seeing that, Su Yan and the others hurriedly lashed out with all kinds of Divine Abilities. Unfortunately, the most they could do was inflict some flesh wounds on the Strength Demon. They could not kill him.
On the other hand, Yang Xiao and Yang Xue immediately summoned the Infinite Hourglass after they executed the Time Flies Seal. Ten-thousand and eight grains of the Flowing Time Divine Sand blew up a fierce storm of time that swept through the Blood Sea of the Blood Demon Half-Saint. The Blood Demon’s roar sounded from within the Blood Sea as though he had suffered a heavy blow.
It wasn’t over yet, however, as those two then drove the entire Flowing Time Temple to slam into the last Half-Saint. That Half-Saint seemed to be aware of how powerful the Flowing Time Temple was; thus, he hurriedly dodged to the side to avoid the blow.
The precarious situation immediately turned around with the abrupt return of Yang Xiao and Yang Xue and many of those in the younger generation were overjoyed as a result.
It was not as if Yang Xiao and Yang Xue were clairvoyants who could predict the dangerous situation here and rushed over to help, they had simply charged forward with a group of Pseudo-Great Emperors and Half-Saints earlier. Although their cultivation was lacking, they could make up for their shortcomings with the help of their greatest weapon, the Flowing Time Temple. Hence, they were able to contribute to the battle from the side.
It was just that their situation became a little awkward when many of the Half-Saints fell under the control of the Great Demon God. Suddenly, they were completely out of their depth on that battlefield, so they had no choice but to fall back. It was not until they saw Yang Kai’s situation from afar that they immediately rushed over to help.
“It’s that old bastard’s aura!” A pair of eyes on the Great Demon God’s huge figure stared at the Flowing Time Temple with deep hatred, “So you two are that old dog’s Legacy Disciples! Very good! My enemy might be dead, but his descendants still live! I’ll kill you first!”
The second setback Mo Sheng received was all thanks to Flowing Time Great Emperor. If not for that time, Mo Sheng would have completely healed by now. He would not have needed to endure for so many years nor put so much effort into obtaining the power of the Star Boundary’s Auspicious Spirit Essence. That was why he immediately burned with hatred the moment he noticed Flowing Time Great Emperor’s aura.
While speaking, he raised a huge hand and slammed a palm down at Yang Xiao and Yang Xue. The black giant palm practically covered the entire sky and there was no place for them to dodge. Before the attack struck them, they were already feeling their vitality churn violently inside them.
“Little Aunt!” Yang Xiao paled, turning his head to look at Yang Xue.
Without saying anything more, the two of them hid inside the Flowing Time Temple with a flash of their figures. The huge palace also shrank abruptly at that moment.
There was a loud bang, and when the huge palm slapped down, the Flowing Time Temple smashed towards the ground like a falling meteor, the lights on its walls flashing wildly. An earthquake spread out when the Flowing Time Temple smashed into the ground and deep cracks formed around where it impacted.
Yang Kai felt as though his eyes were about to explode at the sight. He glanced towards the place where the Flowing Time Temple had crashed with a look of horror, his heart filled with unimaginable rage and powerlessness. Judging from the actions of the Great Demon God, Yang Kai could tell he was no match for this foe. Although he could not afford to get distracted, the Great Demon God had more than enough concentration and energy to spare to attack the others. Comparing the two, it was clear at a glance who was stronger and who was weaker.
Taking advantage of Great Demon God’s distraction, Yang Kai immediately mobilised the World Force to push the boundaries of the pure land outward by a slight margin. The results were not very satisfactory, but it was the first time he was able to counter Great Demon God’s advance since they started fighting.
When he turned back to look at the Flowing Time Temple again, he saw the palace that had been smashed into the ground shakily rising into the air again. Although its light had dimmed somewhat, it seemed like it was not too badly damaged.
He calmed down upon learning that Yang Xiao and Yang Xue were safe. The Flowing Time Temple was a treasure left behind by Flowing Time Great Emperor after all, so it would not be destroyed so easily. As a result, Yang Xiao and Yang Xue, who were hiding inside, were not in immediate danger.
Meanwhile, Great Demon God became livid when he saw that he had failed to destroy them in a single blow. Despite seeing the palace flying into the air once more, he did not bother to attack again, though, because Yang Kai was putting a lot of pressure on him. He might have borrowed the powers of the seven Great Emperors to mobilise the World Force and fight Yang Kai for control of this world, but it was not something that he owned after all. It was only something he borrowed, so he was unable to fully utilise it.
“Wastes!” He roared furiously. The situation was in his favour, and yet he had failed to defeat Yang Kai quickly and devour the Star Boundary completely. Therefore, Mo Sheng couldn’t help becoming angry out of shame. While speaking, a strange light flashed in those huge pupils of his.
At the same time, it was accompanied by a brief commotion. A figure came flying from the front, spitting blood countless times along the way. He was falling directly in Yang Kai’s direction; hence, Yang Kai quickly stretched out a hand to catch that person and asked, “Are you alright, Brother Xiao?”
The person who was flung backwards in Yang Kai’s direction was none other than Xiao Chen, and judging by the aura around Xiao Chen’s body, he was severely injured. Fortunately, his injuries were not life-threatening.
Xiao Chen did not answer, however; instead, he turned around and stabbed his sword at Yang Kai. His Emperor Qi surged wildly as this attack contained all the power in his body. His initially weakened aura swelled rapidly the moment he launched the attack and a smirk curled the corners of his lips.
Yang Kai was unable to react in time to the sudden turn of events and it wasn’t until the sword had nearly pierced his body that he flew into a rage, “What are you doing!?”
He reached out and slammed his palm towards Xiao Chen.
Under normal circumstances, a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master like Xiao Chen would not be a threat to Yang Kai; however, all his focus was currently directed toward the Great Demon God as they fought for control over the World. The slightest distraction could result in a catastrophe.
When Yang Kai struck out with his palm, he suddenly noticed that Xiao Chen’s eyes were completely pitch black and his heart sank at the sight, quickly withdrawing some of the power of his attack. This situation indicated that this was not Xiao Chen’s original intention. It was most likely that the other party had already been demonified.
[But… When did Xiao Chen undergo demonification? I didn’t notice anything before now.]
*Hong…*
Xiao Chen was sent flying backwards once more and his surging aura immediately died down as a result.
It was not over yet, though, as just as Yang Kai sent Xiao Chen flying with his palm, another figure lunged at him from the side with a sword pointed directly at him, all while a faint floral scent permeated the air and distracted his mind.
“Li Shi Qing!” Yang Kai gritted his teeth, staring at the figure rushing towards him with an outraged expression, “When did you undergo demonification!?”
Li Shi Qing turned a deaf ear to his words as her beautiful eyes were completely pitch-black. Her entire being transformed as Heavenly Blossom Rain wrapped around him. Flower petals danced in the air, each one a sharp weapon in and of itself.
Yang Kai reached out his hand and grabbed at something among the storm of flower petals. His actions were accompanied by a grunt, followed by the collapse of the storm of flowers. After the air cleared, Yang Kai was seen holding Li Shi Qing up by the neck. Exerting some strength into his arm, he knocked her unconscious and tossed her into the Small Sealed World.
Two former companions had switched sides in an instant and that caused quite a great shock to everyone and made them hurriedly look around. Upon confirming that nobody else was showing signs of having undergone demonification though, they finally relaxed slightly.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai immediately understood the reason behind this incident.
Li Shi Qing once spent quite some time with Mo Sheng’s Soul Clone on the three peaks in the Small Sealed World. It was quite possible that Mo Sheng had done something to her at the time. The reason Mo Sheng had kept this chess piece hidden for so long was that the timing had not been right. This moment happened to be the best time for a piece like Li Shi Qing to inflict the most damage.
While Li Shi Qing’s situation was probably caused by something Mo Sheng’s Soul Clone had done to her, Xiao Chen’s situation was much more complicated in comparison.
Prior to this incident, Yang Kai had already sensed that something was wrong with Xiao Chen’s mental state, more so after he returned as a Great Emperor. As the saying went, ‘a Demon is born in the heart’. If Xiao Chen had been entertaining some unsavoury thoughts, then he would definitely be taken advantage of by Mo Sheng.
With Great Demon God’s intelligence, it was a given that he knew these two could not do much harm to Yang Kai; nevertheless, Yang Kai would be conflicted about whether to kill two people he had known for such a long time. In any case, he was bound to be distracted regardless of his ultimate decision.
Consequently, the slight advantage he gained from Yang Xiao and Yang Xue’s return was instantly voided by the betrayal of Xiao Chen and Li Shi Qing. The initiative that he regained previously collapsed in an instant due to his momentary distraction and he was now being suppressed again. In addition, the situation this time was much more serious than before. Watching as the Demon Land expanded towards High Heaven Palace at an exceedingly fast speed, he couldn’t help feeling extremely anxious.
“Those who stubbornly resist will surely perish. Yang Kai, a wise man submits to his circumstances. It’s not too late to join this King’s side.”
“Good!” Yang Kai agreed readily, “Why don’t we stop for a moment and discuss this matter in detail?”
The Great Demon God laughed, “Of course, we can discuss this matter in detail. So, why don’t you stop resisting first? This King might even spare yo… Hm?” Before he finished his sentence, his expression changed abruptly. He seemed to notice something and immediately flew into a rage, “Wastes! All of them, nothing but wastes!”
At the same time, Yang Kai looked astonished. That was because he noticed a sudden and sharp decrease in the pressure coming from the Great Demon God. It seemed as though the other party’s control over the World was also gradually weakening, allowing Yang Kai to mobilise even more of the World Force as a result. The most obvious result of this change was that the boundary of the pure land was expanding outward at an incredible speed.
He did not know what was going on or why this was happening. Be that as it may, this was an unexpected but welcomed surprise for both him and the entirety of the Star Boundary, so how could he dare to hesitate? Yang Kai hurriedly focused all his efforts into mobilising the World Force to repel the erosion of the boundless Demon Essence and madly expand the pure land in response.
*Kacha…*
The sound of something cracking rang out. Then, enormous cracks appeared in the Void, one after another, like the scars in the sky.
Yang Kai could clearly sense some familiar auras coming from those cracks; therefore, he couldn’t help looking in that direction in surprise.
Several figures walked out from the cracks. The numbers were neither too many nor too little. There were a total of eight people and an overwhelming pressure descended from the sky along with their arrival. It felt as though what walked out of the cracks were not eight people but eight parts of the World’s Will. The world rumbled and the Void shuddered.
For a time, all eyes were focused on these eight figures.
A moment later, Yang Kai threw his head back and laughed. Crystal-like tears glittered at the corners of his eyes and a huge sense of relief washed over him. [They’re back… All of them are back…]
Ever since the start of the second war between the two Great Worlds, the seven Great Emperors had been trapped in an inexplicable space. They had gone missing, so the heavy responsibility of ensuring the Star Boundary’s survival had fallen on the shoulders of the Army Commanders of the Star Boundary army, as well as Li Wu Yi, their Supreme Commander.
After the Grand Dao battle, this heavy responsibility had been shifted over to Yang Kai instead.
Yang Kai had not dared to shirk his duties. In any case, he could not shirk even if he had wanted to. He was the only Great Emperor in the world, so it fell to him to ensure the safety of his homeland.
However, that was just… extremely tiring.
Watching as his companions dropped dead like flies around him, watching as the poison spread across the Star Boundary but was powerless to fight back… That gut-wrenching anxiety and enormous pressure that bogged down his body and mind was not something just anyone could ever understand.
At this moment, he suddenly calmed down at the sight of the eight familiar figures. There was no need for him to struggle alone anymore as he had companions now. There was no need to carry the burden of the World’s survival on his own anymore, he had people to share that burden with.
Therefore, he laughed almost maniacally. He laughed so hard that his tears came out. At the same time, he felt slightly aggrieved… It was as though the adults had gone out and he was left to watch the house alone. Not only did he get bullied by others during that period, but his bullies had also turned his home into a huge mess. At last, it felt like the adults had finally returned.
Eight pairs of eyes glanced in his direction, their first reaction one of surprise. That was because they could sense a similar aura coming from him. It was swiftly followed by approval and praise, however. Their home might be in a miserable state at the moment, but it had been defended to this day. It was fine as long as it was not lost. Needless to say, it was all thanks to the young man in front of them.
Zhan Wu Hen stepped forward and bowed to Yang Kai. His voice was low and solemn, “I am Iron Blood!”
Another person stepped forward, “I am Heaven’s Revelations!”
“I am Serene Soul!”
“I am Martial Beast!”
“I am Ice Feather!”
“I am Flower Shadow!”
“I am Wondrous Pill!”
“I am Bustling World!”
Following a series of soft murmurs, their titles rang out across the World and resounded in everybody’s mind, causing a turbulent storm to begin to brew.
All the Great Emperors were back! Aside from Night Shadow Great Emperor who died at Yang Kai’s hands and Bright Moon Great Emperor who lost his life on the Eternal Sky Continent, the other eight Great Emperors were gathered in this place at this moment.
Yang Kai’s expression was solemn. Likewise, he also bowed his head slightly, “I am Void! Welcome back! All of you!”
Zhan Wu Hen smiled, “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but we’ll talk after we finish dealing with the matter at hand.”
Yang Kai nodded in response. There were indeed many questions in his heart, such as where had they been trapped for all these years? How did they escape? Is Bustling World Great Emperor Duan Hong Chen? Or, is he Wu Kuang? Why did he appear together with the rest?
All sorts of questions swirled around in Yang Kai’s head, but there was no time to ask for an explanation. In any case, these questions did not matter right now. As long as they could right the wrongs in the world, there would be plenty of chances to ask them in the future.
Even so, his perception indicated that, aside from Bustling World Great Emperor, the auras of the remaining seven were rather weak. It would seem that they had used up a lot of energy after being trapped for so many years. They were not at their full strength even though they finally managed to escape from their predicament.
Following their brief conversation, numerous horrifying auras descended from the sky again. It was closely followed by several figures leaping out of the countless Void Cracks in the sky. It was the Demon Saints with Huang Wu Ji in the lead. There were exactly seven of them. They seemed to be in similar condition as Zhan Wu Hen and the others. The auras of Huang Wu Ji and the other Demon Saints were weakened. In fact, they seem to be in worse condition.
“Wastes! Wastes!” Great Demon God glared at Huang Wu Ji and the others furiously as his roars reverberated across the sky. Mo Sheng simply could not accept the fact that these Demon Saints had failed their tasks at such a critical moment and allowed the Great Emperors to escape.
In response, the Demon Saints were as silent as cicadas in winter.
The Demon Race had set up a Heaven Shaking Grand Array, which spread Demon Essence across the entire Star Boundary in order to devour its Auspicious Spirit Essence. All the living creatures left in the four territories had been obliterated, nine out of ten families had been wiped out, and great rivers and mountains had been turned into Demon Land.
The World was alive, however, and it opened the Profound Heavens Temple, and the Illusionary Heavens Furnace appeared as a result.
In turn, Yang Kai found his true Dao, received the honour of becoming a Great Emperor, and seized the small hope of survival at the border of life and death. As a Great Emperor, he mobilised the World’s strength to resist the erosion of the Demon Essence and guard the last remaining pure land of the Star Boundary. Great Demon God’s grand scheme could not be completed as long as this pure land remained.
As a last resort, the Great Demon God used a Secret Technique to suppress Yang Kai by harnessing the power of the seven trapped Great Emperors. Everything had been going according to his plan as, although Yang Kai becoming a Great Emperor in such a short time had caused a bit of trouble to Mo Sheng, it was not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
In such a terrible situation, all Yang Kai could do amounted to nothing but the dying struggles of a dead man!
Contrary to Mo Sheng’s expectations, however, the seven Great Emperors of the Star Boundary had been rescued from their predicament. Now that the Great Emperors had escaped, the most immediate consequence he faced was that he could no longer mobilise the Star Boundary’s World Force. The lack of means to control the World’s strength also meant that he had no way to devour the last piece of pure land. How was he supposed to proceed with his plans now?
That was why Great Demon God was furious! He was tempted to kill Huang Wu Ji and the other Demon Saints just to calm the anger in his heart.
Huang Wu Ji and the others obviously knew that they had failed their job and looked both annoyed and humiliated. Even though they did not lose their lives during this incident, they were extremely vexed by their helplessness. They did not dare to say anything in the face of the Great Demon God’s scolding, for fear of accidentally angering him any further.
Meanwhile, the raging battlefield calmed down in an eerie manner following the successive arrival of the eight Great Emperors and the seven Demon Saints. Everybody in the Star Boundary was staring at the eight figures standing in the sky in shock. What they saw was not as simple as eight figures, but hope for the future of the Star Boundary.
Zhan Wu Hen swept his gaze over the crowd and when he saw that his treasured apprentice was all bloodied and dishevelled, a strong murderous intent flashed through his eyes. He stared coldly at the Half-Saint who was fighting Lin Yun’er and the others earlier.
That look made a chill run down the Half-Saint’s back and without any hesitation, he immediately turned around and fled into the distance.
“Leave those Demon treats to this King!” Wu Kuang let out a strange laugh, staring at the Half-Saints on the battlefield with a burning look in his eyes. Nobody saw him making a move, but he suddenly appeared in front of the fleeing Half-Saint and reached out his hand.
The Half-Saint watched as the palm came down on him, blocking out the light in front of his eyes. Panicking in horror, he lashed out with both fists as his Demon Qi surged and transformed into enormous fist shadows that loomed down on Wu Kuang.
Wu Kuang ignored those attacks. Stretching out his large hand, the shadows shattered; then, he picked up the Half-Saint in his hand as though he was grabbing an ant. He grinned wildly and shouted, “Heaven Devouring… Battle Law!”
In the blink of any eye, Wu Kuang’s body seemed to turn into a black hole that swallowed all creation. The body of the Half-Saint that he captured earlier dried up at a speed visible to the naked eye, becoming a mummified corpse without a shred of vitality in less than ten breaths.
Everyone in the Star Boundary knew about the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor and Heaven Devouring Battle Law. They also knew that the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was the evillest Secret Art in the history of the Star Boundary. Despite knowing that fact, nobody truly understood how terrifying and horrifying that Secret Art was. Not until now…
It wasn’t until they all personally witnessed a Demon Race Half-Saint surviving for only ten breaths against Wu Kuang before turning into a mummified corpse that they all shuddered in fear. A Secret Art like that was disturbingly twisted. It was no wonder that the rumours claimed that Wu Kuang had turned the entire world against him when he went on a rampage in the past. Everywhere he went, all vitality was obliterated and everything ceased to exist. The rumours were true… The depravity and wickedness of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was more terrifying than what they had heard of in the past.
After devouring the Half-Saint, Wu Kuang unintentionally licked his lips in satisfaction as though he had just consumed a great delicacy. He then turned around and swept his bright-red eyes across the remaining Half-Saints on the battlefield.
*Shua shua shua…* The Half-Saints reacted as if they had encountered their natural enemy. Nobody dared to remain in this place, so they desperately used everything in their means to escape. Just like how they had rushed through the Star Boundary army as though there were no obstacles around them because those below the Half-Saints were no match for them, they were in a similar position at this moment; they were no match for Wu Kuang.
With a strange crackle, Wu Kuang went on a rampage. He was like a roc spreading his wings, lunging at the Half-Saints with an enthusiastic expression on his face. All of a sudden, he let out a string of curses, “Wu Kuang, you’re your eighteen generations of ancestors!”
After cursing, he began cackling in that eerie laughter again, this time even louder. Listening to him was extremely creepy…
If this was in the past, Zhan Wu Hen would have been the first one to jump out and fight Wu Kuang to the death; however, the Star Boundary was currently facing an extinction-level crisis and the Great Demon God was eyeing them hungrily, so how could he spare the time and energy to deal with Wu Kuang? Besides, compared to the troublemaking Wu Kuang, the Great Demon God was their number-one enemy at the moment.
Several figures came to stand beside Yang Kai, and with him at the centre, they spread out to the left and right. Eight people, eight figures, and eight pairs of eyes stared at the huge amorphous figure before them. Wherever these eight people were was where the world belonged; the place these eight people stood would become the axis of the universe.
“Everyone, this is the Great Demon God of the Demon Race. The entire Demon Race invasion is because of him…” Yang Kai began to explain. The Great Emperors had been trapped since the start of the second war between the two worlds, so he was worried that they might not know anything about Great Demon God; thus, he prepared to explain the situation to them.
Zhan Wu Hen quickly interrupted him though, “Who cares who he is? Anybody who dares to harm the Star Boundary will be killed without mercy!”
Yang Kai nearly choked, but soon smiled and nodded, “Good!” His expression became solemn, “Everyone, please help me!”
The other seven nodded in unison and their Divine Senses spread out like a raging tide. The Will of the entire World was mobilised. Majestic World Force gathered from all directions, turning into an invisible wave that spread out into the surroundings with these eight people as the centre. Everywhere this wave passed, Demon Qi retreated, Demon Essence dissipated, and the Demon Land fell apart.
Yang Kai’s expression was filled with excitement at this sight. Previously, he had only used his own power to mobilise the Star Boundary’s World Force. He had been able to resist the Great Demon God and even gained the upper hand for a while with his strength alone, but it had been a lonely battle. Now that he had the help of the seven Great Emperors, he immediately felt a distinct difference.
If it was said that the full force of the world was 100%, then Yang Kai only managed to bring out 50% at most on his own. However, the remaining 50% was fully activated with the help of the additional seven Great Emperors. What Great Demon God had to fight at this moment was the power of the entire Star Boundary. It was the rejection of the entire world.
With High Heaven Palace as the centre, the boundaries of the pure land were expanding outward at an unbelievable speed; moreover, the expansion became unstoppable once it started and would inevitably spread out to the entire Star Boundary.
“Kill them! Kill them!” The Great Demon God no longer possessed the calmness he had before. He became extremely frantic following the return of the Great Emperors and at this moment, he was pointing his finger forward and roaring furiously, again and again.
Huang Wu Ji and the others did not dare to hesitate. They immediately lunged forward, obeying the commands of Great Demon God without question. This was not surprising of course as the entire Demon Race had originated from him. No matter how strong or weak a Demon was, their body had been marked by the Great Demon God’s essence. How could they dare to disobey his orders?
“I’ll leave the rest to you,” Zhan Wu Hen turned to look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded, “En, leave it to me!”
A solid foundation had been laid, and now that Great Demon God could no longer borrow the might of the Star Boundary, Yang Kai would be able to remove all the Demon Essence in the world and return it to its original state even if he was on his own.
*Huala…*
Iron Blood’s banner floated behind Zhan Wu Hen’s back. It was as red as blood and fluttered proudly in the air. Zhan Wu Hen was the first to rush out, turning into a streak of red light as he charged towards the First Demon Saint of the Demon Realm, Huang Wu Ji.
The two peerless Masters clashed in mid-air like two meteors colliding into each other. The already cracked sky immediately collapsed as a result. The other six also engaged their respective opponents in battle, forming six pairs in total. They fought fiercely, seven Great Emperors against seven Demon Saints. It just so happened that their numbers matched perfectly.
The seven Great Emperors of the Star Boundary had been trapped for many years; moreover, they were injured by that strange Secret Technique the Demon Saints performed previously. Even so, the same held true for the Demon Saints. They had trapped the Great Emperors, but although they relied on the plans and methods of the Great Demon God, those means did not come without a hefty cost. It could be said that the overall strength of the seven Great Emperors and the seven Demon Saints was equal. Therefore, this was a battle between two evenly matched opponents and it would not be easy to determine a winner from amongst them.
Be that as it may, nobody had forgotten that the Star Boundary also had Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, Wu Kuang, on their side! Wu Kuang and Duan Hong Chen were two Souls living sharing one body at the moment, so they gave off the impression that they suffered from a multiple personality disorder. Even so, they would stand on the same side and work together when it came to the Star Boundary’s survival.
At this moment, Wu Kuang was dealing with the Half-Saints, but once he finished with them, the balance of victory and defeat would surely tip in favour of the Star Boundary.
“You lose, Mo Sheng!” Yang Kai looked at the huge figure coldly and shouted in a deep voice.
All eight Great Emperors had returned, so the precarious situation in the Star Boundary immediately stabilised. When it came to the Great Emperors, Zhan Wu Hen and the others fought against Huang Wu Ji, the two Dragon Clan Elders restrained Xue Li, Huo Bo, and Fu Yu, and Yang Kai suppressed the Great Demon God’s erosion of the Star Boundary. They were no longer in the same passive situation they once were.
Although the Star Boundary was at a disadvantage when it came to the Pseudo-Great Emperors, they had an additional Master on their side by the name of Wu Kuang. How could the Half-Saints survive against Wu Kuang?
As long as they could gain victory on these two levels, it would shatter the Great Demon God’s hopes and save the Star Boundary. Not to mention, Zhang Ruo Xi would soon come out of retreat! Nobody could say what kind of strength she now wielded, but the Star Boundary desperately needed any kind of power it could get at the moment.
“Ignorant Junior. Did a small advantage make you complacent?” Great Demon God coldly snorted, “This King has been planning this for tens of thousands of years! How can it fail just because of your stubborn resistance?”
“Hurry up and bring out all your hidden cards then! This King will defeat you so soundly that even you will be convinced! I just hope that your face won’t be so ugly at that time!” Yang Kai sneered.
“Arrogance!” The Great Demon God ground his teeth, “Since you are so eager to die, this King will fulfil your wish!”
After saying that, he shouted loudly, “Come out!”
*Kacha…*
Another huge crack appeared in the sky and the auras of three Demon Saints emerged from the Void Crack. Then, three figures walked out of the crack. It was one man and two women. The man was handsome and noble while the women were stunning and gorgeous. Even so, the powerful aura exuding from their bodies clearly identified them as Demon Saints.
“They came after all…” As Yang Kai looked at the three figures walking out of the Void Crack, a worried look flashing across his eyes. It couldn’t be helped. These three were Yu Ru Meng, Bei Li Mo, and Chang Tian!
Needless to say, Yu Ru Meng had long since become his woman and was also the first Demon Saint who helped him fight against the Demon Race. He received many benefits from her and thanks to her Primordial Yin, the strength of his Soul had soared to new heights.
On the other hand, Chang Tian had always been good to him. Back then, Chang Tian had wanted to make him the Young Master of Hundred Spirits Continent.
Although Bei Li Mo was forced to do his bidding because she was under his control, she had contributed a lot to the war between the two worlds over the years.
When Yang Kai first saw Huang Wu Ji and the others meekly obeying Mo Sheng’s orders, he had a faint feeling that Yu Ru Meng and the others would also do something similar. Judging by the current situation, they had not been able to break free of the Great Demon God’s control; moreover, they seem to be in a worse situation than Huang Wu Ji and the other Demon Saints. That was because the three of them currently looked like puppets that were being manipulated. The expressions on their faces were dazed and their eyes were vacant. It was as though their body and mind were not their own to control.
But, even if they were three puppets, they were still three Demon Saint-level puppets!
In addition to feeling worried, Yang Kai felt as though a large stone was pressing on his heart.
When the second war between the two worlds broke out, ten Demon Saints had broken through the World Barriers and used a Secret Technique to restrain the movements of the top ten Masters in the Star Boundary by trapping them in an inexplicable space. However, Xue Li, Fu Yu, and Huo Bo managed to escape those restraints not long after that. The opponents that these three escaped Demon Saints faced at the time were none other than Yu Ru Meng, Bei Li Mo, and Chang Tian!
It would seem that the reason Xue Li and the others could escape was that Yu Ru Meng and the others were also part of the Demon Race so there was no need for a Demon Saint to restrict their freedom. On the other hand, Zhan Wu Hen and the others needed Huang Wu Ji and the other Demon Saints to immobilize them at all times.
Seeing as Yang Kai had been clueless about the situation back then, he naturally worried about the safety of Yu Ru Meng and the others when he saw that Xue Li and the others had gotten away. He was worried that something might have happened to them. Yu Ru Meng and the others were not part of the Star Boundary’s Great Emperors, so he did not have the means to sense their auras.
Although the current situation was decidedly bad, at least Yu Ru Meng and the others were not in danger. That was a great fortune amongst so many misfortunes!
“Despair, you little brat! Things never end well for the people who disobey this King!” Mo Sheng’s voice rumbled like thunder. While he was speaking, the three figures who walked out of the Void Cracks rushed towards Yang Kai all at once.
Zhan Wu Hen and the others turned pale in shock at the sight. They knew that Yang Kai was in a state where he could not be disturbed right now, much less take on the attacks of three Demon Saint level Masters. If these three were to approach him right now, he would be powerless to fight back.
Although Zhan Wu Hen and the others wanted to help, Huang Wu Ji and the other Demon Saints were desperately holding them back and giving them no chance to. They could only watch helplessly as the three figures swiftly approached Yang Kai. Three incredible forces shrouded the spot where Yang Kai was standing while at the same time, three horrifying Divine Abilities blasted out before they even arrived.
“Wu Kuang!” Zhan Wu Hen roared.
At this moment, everybody else on the battlefield was occupied and the only person with attention to spare was Wu Kuang; therefore, they could only rely on him to protect Yang Kai right now.
Zhan Wu Hen never imagined that there would come a day when he would fight alongside Wu Kuang. After the Great Emperor War back then, he had always wanted to rip Wu Kuang into ten thousand pieces. Who could have thought there would come a day when he asked Wu Kuang for help? This situation could only be the Heavens mocking him.
It was fortunate that although Wu Kuang was evil, even he was aware that everything would be lost if the Star Boundary fell. If not for that, he would not have gone through so much effort to rescue the other seven Great Emperors earlier.
Wu Kuang’s figure drifted over and stopped right in front of Yang Kai, spreading his arms open with a cackling laugh. His expression was maniacal. It was as though he had gone back tens of thousands of years into the past, back to the high-spirited time when that great battle took place in the Shattered Star Sea.
The Heaven Devouring Great Emperor of that era was the brightest signboard in the Star Boundary. The Heaven Devouring Great Emperor of that era was feared by all living creatures. The Heaven Devouring Great Emperor of that era was an invincible existence!
“Heaven Devouring… Domain!”
An aura that devoured everything in the world spread out into the surroundings with Wu Kuang as the centre, creating a huge void around him. When the Divine Abilities of the three Demon Saints blasted into the range of this domain, they immediately weakened at a speed that was visible to the naked eye. It was almost as though something was extracting the power from these attacks.
Contrary to expectations, however, Wu Kuang grunted and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His body was simultaneously sent flying backward from the impact. Whilst he was sent flying, he cursed out loud, “Wu Kuang, you old dog! Don’t treat this old man’s body like it’s disposable!”
Duan Hong Chen, who saw what happened from his Knowledge Sea, was feeling extremely anxious. This body was his after all, so how could he bear to watch it getting injured?
“Jie jie jie jie…” Blood leaked out of Wu Kuang’s mouth, but he laughed like he was extremely happy, “Why don’t we just forget about the little brat’s life and take this opportunity to absorb more power?”
Duan Hong Chen was instantly rendered speechless. Yang Kai was the key to the Star Boundary’s survival. How could they just forget about him!?
Duan Hong Chen had not hesitated to destroy his own cultivation just to kill Wu Kuang back then; as a result, he fell from the Great Emperor Realm to the Dao Source Realm just so that he could charge into the Shattered Star Sea to look for clues. It showed just how much he was willing to sacrifice for the sake of the world and its inhabitants. His title was ‘Bustling World’ and the Dao he comprehended was the Dao of Bustling World. There was nobody else among the Great Emperors who cared about the common people as much as he did.
“Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up and bring out your trump card!” Duan Hong Chen anxiously yelled as he watched the three newly appeared Demon Saints rushing towards Yang Kai. He might not have feared the joint attack of the three Puppet Demon Saints if Wu Kuang had been at the peak of his power. Unfortunately, Wu Kuang only managed to recover somewhat by borrowing his body. It was incomparable to back when he was at his peak strength. Not to mention, he already suffered some injuries just now.
“Why are you panicking?” Wu Kuang responded with a snort, “That brat seems to have something up his sleeve too!”
He noticed that Yang Kai was not as panicked as he imagined. Rather, Yang Kai looked very calm.
As soon as those words came out, one of the women among the three figures groaned all of a sudden. In the next moment, her eyes rolled back and she fainted, falling straight out of the sky.
Even Wu Kuang, who had lived for tens of thousands of years and was incredibly knowledgeable, could not help feeling shocked by what he saw. He widened his eyes in astonishment as he muttered, “What just happened?”
The person who fainted and fell out of the sky all of a sudden was not an ordinary woman, she was one of the Demon Saints of the Demon Realm. How could a Demon Saint simply fall unconscious for no reason!? Yang Kai must have done something to her, but he had not seen any traces of Yang Kai making a move whatsoever!
The three Demon Saints had brazenly appeared without warning at the most critical moment, but one of them had been incapacitated almost immediately… A situation like this was simply unbelievable.
Just as Wu Kuang was puzzling over the situation, he heard the Great Demon God’s furious howl ringing in his ears, “A Soul Imprint!? You planted a Soul Imprint in her Knowledge Sea!?”
Wu Kuang’s expression immediately became animated as he turned to stare at Yang Kai in astonishment. [This brat is just too shocking!]
It had to be said that Yang Kai had only just become a Great Emperor and was a mere High-Rank Demon King not too long ago. Be that as it may, he had managed to plant a Soul Imprint in a Demon Saint’s Knowledge Sea and took control of her freedom and life with nothing more than his pitiful previous strength.
[How did he do it?] Wu Kuang was a self-proclaimed genius that only appeared once in a million years; otherwise, he would not have successfully created such a Heaven-defying Secret Art as the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Fighting those above his Realm was common on the journey of his growth and killing powerful enemies was a piece of cake for him. Nevertheless, he had never achieved a feat as shocking as Yang Kai’s just now throughout his rampage in the Star Boundary.
A Demon Saint was equivalent to a Great Emperor in terms of cultivation, and Wu Kuang did not have anywhere near the power to plant a Soul Imprint in the Knowledge Sea of a Great Emperor when he was in the Third-Order Emperor. If he had done something like that, he would have suffered a fatal consequence. Therefore, he was amazed.
Yang Kai never imagined that the Soul Imprint he planted in Bei Li Mo’s Knowledge Sea would come into play at this moment. When he was still a High-Rank Demon King, he had not been able to control Bei Li Mo’s life despite having placed that Soul Imprint. At most, he could only cause her some pain. It was also because of this that he managed to force Bei Li Mo to side with him.
However, he gained the power to kill Bei Li Mo on the spot now that he had the power of a Great Emperor. It was just that Bei Li Mo had not betrayed him out of her own volition, so he only knocked her unconscious. As for whether his actions would cause any damage or backlash to her… He could not afford to worry about that when time was so tight and their enemy was right in front of them.
The moment Bei Li Mo fainted, Yang Kai looked at the other graceful and extraordinarily charming figure, roaring furiously, “Ru Meng!”
His sorrowful voice reached the depths of Yu Ru Meng’s Soul, causing a ripple to spread out over her shackled heart. Her movements paused for a moment and a momentary hint of struggle flashed through her vacant eyes… But, that was all. She instinctively reacted after hearing Yang Kai’s voice through the layers of fog clouding her mind. Even so, she was part of the Demon Race and it was impossible for her to break free of the Great Demon God’s control.
Wu Kuang took up a defensive position in front of Yang Kai again. Without turning his head around, he said, “Little brat, if you have any more hidden cards to play, hurry up and bring them out right now. I’m afraid you won’t get another chance later!”
Yang Kai’s voice was filled with bitterness, “I don’t have any other cards to play.”
It was a stroke of luck that he managed to knock Bei Li Mo unconscious all thanks to the Soul Imprint he planted in her all those years back. Although he was connected to Yu Ru Meng via the Heart Seal Secret Technique, it was not comparable to a Soul Imprint. The Heart Seal Secret Technique was unable to produce much of an effect when her Yu Ru Meng was being controlled. She might be able to recover her consciousness if she received a huge shock, but the price of creating such a huge shock was not something he could afford to produce right now.
Wu Kuang grinned at those words, “Then, you can only leave it to this Old Master!”
After saying that, his expression suddenly turned vicious, “Foolish Juniors that don’t know your place! Did you really think that this King would be helpless against you!? You were still babies when this King was dominating the universe!”
Spreading his arms wide open, the devouring power appeared once more, challenging two Demon Saints all by himself.
Yang Kai urgently yelled, “Don’t hurt… Don’t kill that woman!”
“Fuck off!” Wu Kuang ignored Yang Kai. In a life-or-death match, holding back in the face of his enemy was only being cruel to himself. It was the stupidest thing a person could do to himself.
There was a series of rumblings as he fended off the joint attacks of the two Demon Saints with his power alone. Surprisingly, he did not lose against their strength and the aftermath of their battle soon spread out, causing the world to collapse and bringing great destruction to their surroundings.
Yang Kai gritted his teeth. Expecting Wu Kuang to hold back against Yu Ru Meng was unrealistic; besides, regardless of who won or who lost this battle, the result was not something he wanted to see. The only thing that could salvage the current situation was for him to destroy the Great Demon God’s plans as soon as possible.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, he calmed his mind and looked forward before shouting furiously, “Mo Sheng, suffer death!”
World Force flooded out and suppressed the remaining Demon Qi. The darkness that shrouded the Star Boundary was swept away and light was brought back to the world!
Mo Sheng roared furiously. A pair of eyes stared out from the enormous mass of Demon Qi, showing an intense look of unwillingness and murderous intent. [Just a little bit more! Just a little bit more and my plans could have had a perfect conclusion, but a mere boy made me fall short right in front of my goal!]
Hundreds of thousands of years’ worth of conspiring and forbearance were obliterated at the most critical moment by a young boy who lived for only a few hundred years at most. Therefore, the rage in Mo Sheng’s heart would not be appeased easily.
As long as he was unable to borrow the power of the Great Emperors, he had no means to fight Yang Kai for control over the World Force even if he was twice as resourceful. Moreover, Mo Sheng had placed his hopes in the last trump card in his possession only for Yang Kai to knock one of them unconscious right after they appeared. On the other hand, the other two were unable to break through Wu Kuang’s defence within a short period of time.
[I can’t let this drag on any longer! If this situation continues, I will only become more and more passive. Things will only worsen!] Having lived for so many years and travelled across so many universes, Mo Sheng was a decisive man. He could tell that he was unable to stop Yang Kai, so he came to a decision on the spot, “You will all pay for this!”
Following his furious howls, all the Demon Qi in the world churned violently as though it had turned into a living creature and poured into Mo Sheng’s body all at once. A storm blew across the world as Demon Qi from all over the Star Boundary was swiftly gathering in one place.
Yang Kai’s expression turned grim. He might not know why Mo Sheng was behaving in this manner, but it was clear the latter had no intention of dying quietly. It could be said that this was truly the most critical moment of the entire battle up until now, so how could he dare to show even the slightest negligence? He stared unblinking at what Mo Sheng was doing, refusing to miss anything at all!
At the same time, Yu Ru Meng, who had been fighting Wu Kuang, suddenly exerted her strength with no regard for her life. She fearlessly and recklessly began attacking Wu Kuang. Every single attack was lethal, but she left herself completely open to attack at the same time.
In response, Wu Kuang could only defend.
Taking this opportunity, Chang Tian withdrew from the battle and charged towards Zhan Wu Hen.
Yang Kai was stunned by the sight. Although he did not know the reason behind this behaviour, it was obvious that the Great Demon God was the one pulling the strings. He could not let the Great Demon God succeed, no matter what the Great Demon God was trying to do, so he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Stop him!”
But, who could stop Chang Tian? He was a Demon Dragon on par with a Demon Saint. If he really wanted to escape, even Yang Kai could not stop him, much less Wu Kuang who was being held up by Yu Ru Meng.
Therefore, Yang Kai could only watch as Chang Tian approached Zhan Wu Hen quickly, the ominous feeling in his heart growing stronger and stronger.
*Hong…*
Chang Tian barged into the battle, joined forces with Huang Wu Ji, and forcefully drove Zhan Wu Hen, who had been evenly matched with his opponent earlier, back. Taking this opportunity, Huang Wu Ji turned around and soared in the direction of the Great Demon God.
Zhan Wu Hen immediately tried to give chase, but Chang Tian recklessly blocked his path, leaving Iron Blood no choice but to meet him head-on.
Meanwhile, Huang Wu Ji’s speed increased after he obtained his freedom and, under Yang Kai’s gaze, the First Demon Saint of the Demon Realm plunged headfirst into the enormous body of the Great Demon God and disappeared out of sight.
Malicious laughter rang out across the world at that moment, “All of you will die!”
When those words sounded, the enormous amorphous body collapsed in on itself, shrinking and gathering towards its centre. The outline of another figure could faintly be seen, wrapped in a layer of boundless black Qi. That figure was none other than Huang Wu Ji, who had plunged into the Great Demon God just before!
Yang Kai’s expression changed drastically at the sight. How could he still not understand what the Great Demon God was planning at this point? He had always found it strange that the Great Demon God revealed himself, but his body was completely formed from Demon Qi rather than a solid figure. How was he supposed to recover completely even if he devoured all of the Star Boundary’s Auspicious Spirit Essence without a body?
Based on the current situation, using his Soul to take over a Master’s body was undoubtedly an excellent method. This method was similar to possession, and since the entire Demon Race originated from him, it was only natural that there would be no potential dangers to this method. It could be said that, as long as he was willing, Mo Sheng could possess the body of any member of the Demon Race without fear of repercussions.
When Yang Kai understood the situation, he broke into a cold sweat. It was fortunate that Great Demon God did not choose to possess Yu Ru Meng as he would have been at a loss for what to do otherwise. If he had to face her, he would have had to decide whether to kill or not to kill her. If he chose to kill her, she would definitely die. On the other hand, if he chose not to kill her, he would have no way to give the entire Star Boundary an appropriate explanation. Of course, Yu Ru Meng was a woman, so as long as Great Demon God was sane, he would not have chosen to possess her seeing as he was a man.
[Has he been forced into a corner? He previously fought me for the ownership of the last piece of pure land but encountered all sorts of hindrances in the process. Perhaps, he has no other choice but to change his plans, seeing as nothing can be done at this point?] Yang Kai did not know what would happen if the Great Demon God had devoured the last remaining pure land in the Star Boundary, but judging by the current situation, it was definitely an ending that the Star Boundary would never consider acceptable.
Even though Yang Kai was just guessing, he was fairly confident in his conclusion. Why else would Mo Sheng change his plans unless he was forced to do so?
There was no need for him to possess anybody in his original plan. As long as he could devour the power of the Star Boundary’s Auspicious Spirit Essence completely, he could use it to recreate his physical body from his severed palm that was being protected by Huang Wu Ji. Although he would not return to his former peak, there would come a day in the future when he would fully recover if he took his time to slowly recuperate.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai had stubbornly held on to the last piece of pure land, causing Mo Sheng to fail to devour a crucial part of the Star Boundary’s Auspicious Spirit Essence, forcing the latter to change his plans.
Compared to the entire Star Boundary, the area of the last piece of pure land in High Heaven Palace was almost insignificant and the remaining Auspicious Spirit Essence in that region was akin to a drop in the bucket. Nevertheless, a single missing drop meant an imperfection! A flaw in a piece of jade would dim the shine of a jewel. The consequences Mo Sheng would face from having an incomplete Auspicious Spirit Essence were far beyond what Yang Kai could imagine!
A furious roar reverberated across the sky and the surging rage swept out like a tidal wave. Anyone who felt that rage could distinctly sense the unwillingness of the Great Demon God.
The boundless Demon Qi gathered and poured into Huang Wu Ji’s body, causing him to scream in agony. Clearly, he was experiencing enormous pain and suffering.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai took a deep breath, took out a handful of Spirit Pills from his Space Ring, and stuffed them all into his mouth as he continued to stare ahead intently with a solemn expression.
The first battle against Great Demon God had ended, centred on the struggle for ownership of the last piece of pure land in the Star Boundary. Although Yang Kai managed to defend that piece of pure land to the very end, it could not be said that he won the war. At most, he only gained a slight upper hand in this battle. Be that as it may, the Star Boundary had paid an extremely painful price just for the sake of this slight upper hand. How many Star Boundary soldiers had died for this cause? How many Emperor Realm Masters had perished…
Even so, it was far from the end. The next battle was the true battle for the fate of the world. If they won, peace would return to the Star Boundary, but if they lost, they would all die and the World would be destroyed!
Despite facing a Master from the Outer Universe, Yang Kai’s fighting spirit was at an all-time high. That was because he was no longer fighting alone! Rather, it could be said that, from the very beginning, he had never fought alone. He had always had the Star Boundary army by his side and the World at his back!
All of a sudden, Huang Wu Ji’s screams stopped and were replaced by a low laugh. An enormous body rapidly swelled and expanded as far as the eye could see. Unlike the body that was completely formed from Demon Qi earlier, the Great Demon God now had a true physical form that he could call his own. The figure was almost 1,000 metres tall and extremely horrifying, and following the surge of Demon Qi within that body, that figure continued to enlarge even further.
3,000 metres, 5,000 metres, 8,000 metres… Mo Sheng’s head towered above the skies while his feet were still firmly planted on the ground, his enormous shadow seemingly blocking out all light in the world. It wasn’t until his body reached a height of 10,000 metres that it finally stopped expanding.
At this moment, the terrifying Master that appeared in front of all the living creatures in the world no longer had the slightest resemblance to Huang Wu Ji’s original appearance. The real Huang Wu Ji had been completely wiped out of existence.
Horns grew on his forehead, his enormous eyes were like two small suns that shone with a shocking light, air so hot blew from his nostrils that it seemed to burn space itself. When he raised his hand, the sky split apart, when he stepped on the ground, the earth shattered. Meanwhile, those disdain-filled eyes looked down on every other living creature in the world with scorn.
A terrifying pressure pressed down on the entire Star Boundary and even the Great Emperors felt their chests tightening as their vitality churned violently.
“Insignificant ants! Did you think you had won just because you protected this world!? Laughable! Today, this King will show you the true meaning of the word strength!” Great Demon God’s voice boomed like thunder and a dense fog quickly covered the sky. The aura coming from him was not something any Great Emperor could hope to match.
At that moment, a wisp of purple Qi suddenly sped out from the east and appeared behind Great Demon God in the blink of an eye. That purple Qi dissipated to reveal a graceful figure that held a greatsword in one hand. With a solemn expression, she slid her finger down the length of her blade as she shouted, “Sever!”
When that word rang out, her sword slashed forward. The moment she launched her attack, an enormous illusory phantom of a woman appeared behind her. The woman was so beautiful that it was almost as if she was an immortal fairy. The phantom woman was also holding a sword in her hand that slashed down at the Great Demon God without any mercy.
Everything happened so suddenly that even the Great Demon God could not react in time, much less Yang Kai. Having just possessed Huang Wu Ji and finally gaining a physical body, the Great Demon God had been in peak spirits, so much so that he had inadvertently let down his guard at the exact moment this sword slash struck.
In the end, the Great Demon God was still the Great Demon God and he managed to dodge sideways the moment he sensed danger, simultaneously striking out behind himself with his giant palm.
The shocking sword wave was intercepted, and as a result, the graceful figure was thrown backwards while coughing up blood.
*Cilala…*
The sound of a sharp weapon slicing through flesh sounded and blood splattered everywhere while the Great Demon God howled in pain. His figure staggered backwards, leaving huge craters in the ground with every step he took.
“Abominable descendant of Heaven’s Order!” He turned around at glared at the graceful figure, the rage in his eyes almost looking like real flames.
“Ruo Xi!” Yang Kai was delighted at first, then filled with shock. He was overjoyed that Zhang Ruo Xi had come out of retreat at this critical moment. A quick calculation indicated that it was not yet the time they had agreed on previously. She had asked him to delay the Great Demon God for half an hour; however, she had come out in advance… Judging by the current situation, it looked like she had deliberately spoken with such specificity to deceive Mo Sheng.
What shocked Yang Kai was that she was injured to the point of spitting blood as soon as she came out of retreat. He did not even know how badly injured she was.
Although Zhang Ruo Xi was beaten to the point where she was sent flying and coughing up blood the moment she came out of retreat, the power of her attack was by no means insignificant.
The physical body of the Great Demon God had been formed mere moments ago; however, his left arm was chopped off at the shoulder and fell to the ground with a loud crash. The severed arm looked like a small hill lying horizontally across the ground and blood gushed out like a river. Meanwhile, the Great Demon God howled multiple times in agony.
A figure instantly sped in that direction at a high speed, his eyes filled with greed, almost like a starving wolf that had caught sight of a tempting delicacy. With a few leaps and bounds, he arrived in front of the severed arm that fell to the ground and stretched out his hand with a flourish. Following that, the severed arm vanished out of sight. Nobody knew where he had placed that severed arm.
Yang Kai was rushing toward Zhang Ruo Xi at the time, but while in his haste, he stole a glance in that direction and realised that the figure was none other than Wu Kuang. Thus, his expression involuntarily darkened.
On the other hand, Wu Kuang who had stolen the severed arm couldn’t stop the joy from bubbling up within him. He laughed heartily, overflowing with self-satisfaction.
“Bastard!” Great Demon God roared. It was bad enough that his arm had been cut off in a moment of negligence as an injury like that was not considered light damage to him, but he would only need to pay a certain price to recover as long as he still had his severed arm. However, his severed arm had been taken away by somebody. How could he tolerate something like that? If his severed arm was taken away, that would mean that he would have to regrow the missing limb, and the price would be far larger.
Roaring furiously, he opened his large hand and grabbed at Wu Kuang. It felt as though even the world itself was sealed when the large hand came slamming down. Wu Kuang’s expression changed drastically and he immediately moved to dodge the attack.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai caught Zhang Ruo Xi who was sent flying earlier, and asked in concern, “Are you okay?”
Zhang Ruo Xi’s complexion was slightly pale, but she was smiling so brightly that her eyes were narrowed into crescents. She pursed her lips and said, “Sir, I haven’t seen you in so long!”
Yang Kai smiled in response, “En, it’s been a while.”
Several dozen years had passed since she entered the Blood Gate, so be it Yang Kai or Zhang Ruo Xi, it had been a long time for both of them. Nevertheless, there was no sense of unfamiliarity or distance between them despite not having seen each other in decades.
Even so, Zhang Ruo Xi was no longer the timid little girl she used to be. Now that she had inherited the power of Heaven’s Order, she was truly an inheritor now. The power behind her attack earlier fully demonstrated just how powerful she was now.
“Ruo Xi has long wanted to fight side by side with Sir, and now I finally have the opportunity to do so!” Even though there was a powerful enemy in front of them, and even though the World was on the verge of collapse, the smile on her face was as bright as ever.
Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, show me just how powerful you have become, Ruo Xi.”
“Hey, you two! If you don’t come and help me soon, this Old Master is going to die right in front of you!” Wu Kuang’s exasperated voice called out from the side. He was frantically dodging the Great Demon God’s attacks and nearly fell into a desperate situation on several occasions, but when he turned to look to the side, he saw that damned couple smiling and talking like they were exchanging sweet nothings with each other. The sight nearly made his nose crooked from the rage.
Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi looked at each other and smiled. Then, Yang Kai turned and said, “Wu Kuang, hold on for a little longer! This King will join you soon!”
Wu Kuang’s expression practically turned black upon hearing those words. He was cursing with all his might, but he did not dare to be careless and re-focused all his attention on dealing with the Great Demon God’s attacks.
“Ruo Xi, help me!” Yang Kai turned back to look at the other figure in the sky, his expression becoming solemn.
Zhang Ruo Xi held the Heavens Order Sword and gave a serious nod in response.
“Now!” Space Principles fluctuated to wrap around Zhang Ruo Xi when Yang Kai’s shout rang out. Then, they instantly appeared in front of Yu Ru Meng.
Yu Ru Meng had been fighting Wu Kuang before; however, Wu Kuang managed to escape her entanglement using some sort of unknown means. It would seem that his abilities were not as simple as they looked on the surface. After he escaped her rage, Yu Ru Meng had simply been standing there blank-eyed and motionless until this moment.
Her expression changed the moment Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi appeared in front of her at the same time. An incomparably pure Spiritual Energy surged out from her Knowledge Sea and turned into an infinitely alluring Soul attack that blasted towards Yang Kai.
Being a Charm Demon, Yu Ru Meng excelled in Soul cultivation. If it had been any other Great Emperor, they would have been strongly affected by this attack. That held true even if Zhan Wu Hen had been standing in this spot instead.
Yang Kai was a special case, however, all thanks to the power of Yu Ru Meng’s Primordial Yin that allowed his own Soul cultivation to surge back then. At the time, Yu Ru Meng also mentioned to him that no Charm Demon could ever affect him with a Charm Technique again. Even she was not an exception.
Therefore, Yang Kai ignored the Soul attack regardless of how powerful it was, remaining safe and sound aside from a slight shock to his head. Reaching out with both hands, he grabbed at her.
She was being controlled by the Great Demon God, so her body and mind were not under her control, even so countless years of fighting had instilled a natural combat instinct in her body, so she immediately retreated backwards when he reached out towards her.
On the other hand, Zhang Ruo Xi appeared behind her at just the right moment. The Heavens Order Sword came out of its sheath and her sword came slashing down!
“Don’t kill her!” Yang Kai shouted hurriedly. He had not had the time to explain his relationship with Yu Ru Meng to Zhang Ruo Xi, and he also had not expected her to be so ruthless in her attacks, which was why he shouted desperately.
Zhang Ruo Xi knit her brow at those words and the sword that came slashing down paused for a moment before she smoothly withdrew it.
Yu Ru Meng was being flanked from front and back. Moreover, the distance between them was so close that even a Demon Saint like her would have a hard time dodging. Something closed down over her shoulders at that moment. It turned out to be Yang Kai’s two big hands clasping her on the shoulders.
“Ru Meng!” Yang Kai stared straight into her eyes and her expression twitched at the sound of his voice as she struggled slightly, showing a slight reaction to his shout.
Taking advantage of this situation, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged madly and wrapped around her. He wanted to place her into the Small Sealed World. Everything would be fine as long as he could put her inside and isolate her from the outside world.
The struggle lasted for only a single moment, but in the next moment, Yu Ru Meng raised her palm and slammed it against his chest with great force.
*Hong hong hong…*
Those slender palms contained a Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering power in them, and a deafening explosion rang out every time her hand came into contact with his chest. Following that, shockwaves visible to the naked eyes spread out and shook the World around them itself.
Yu Ru Meng might not be proficient in melee combat due to her being a Charm Demon, but she was still a Demon Saint. Yang Kai felt as though he had been struck by lightning when her palm strikes landed. Blood trickled out of his nose and his mouth and several of his rib bones were also broken from the impact. Even so, he stubbornly refused to let go of her, his Divine Sense continuing to pour out like a tide.
When it came to placing a living creature into the Small Sealed World, the more the target resisted, the greater the energy consumption required. Hence, it was an extremely difficult task to forcibly place a Demon Saint into the Small Sealed World. Yang Kai might have the strength of a Great Emperor, but it was still impossible to successfully force Yu Ru Meng inside the Small Sealed World unless she cooperated.
Just as they were locked in a stalemate, a tender fist came from behind and struck Yu Ru Meng on the back of the head without any mercy. There was such a loud sound that Yang Kai wondered whether Yu Ru Meng’s head would be smashed in by the punch.
Fortunately, Yu Ru Meng did not have her head broken. It could be seen that Zhang Ruo Xi had taken great care not to go overboard with this attack. However, Yu Ru Meng was clearly in a bad state after taking that punch. The blow left her feeling dizzy and her palms that were aiming at Yang Kai became limp and she lost all strength in her body.
With a whoosh, Yu Ru Meng instantly vanished out of sight. She had been placed into the Small Sealed World by Yang Kai.
“Sir, are you alright!?” Zhang Ruo Xi anxiously came over to support Yang Kai.
Yang Kai coughed a few times, clutching at his chest. He slowly shook his head, concurrently immersing his mind into the Small Sealed World to check out the situation there. Yu Ru Meng was fine. Zhang Ruo Xi’s punch might have been heavy, but it had only given Yu Ru Meng a slight concussion at most.
After entering the Small Sealed World, the Great Demon God’s control over Yu Ru Meng seemed to weaken rapidly under the isolating effects of the Small Sealed World’s World Barrier. At this moment, the expression on Yu Ru Meng’s face was very strange. It was a sign that she was about to wake up from her sleep. Nevertheless, Yang Kai did not dare to let her out again even if she managed to break free of the Great Demon God’s control. Mo Sheng’s ability to influence the Demon Race was too strong and it would only bring more trouble to let Yu Ru Meng out again at this time.
There was no time for Yang Kai to wait until Yu Ru Meng woke up to explain the circumstances to her, however, as Wu Kuang’s voice was becoming more and more desperate, “Hurry!”
He was exhausted from facing the wrath of the Great Demon God with his power alone. If Yang Kai did not come over to provide support soon, he would be dead in less than a stick of incense.
“It’s time to end all of this.” Yang Kai took a light breath and reached out into the Void. There was a Dragon Roar, then the Azure Dragon Spear appeared in the palm of his hand.
The spear was simple-looking, but it instantly attracted Zhang Ruo Xi’s attention. With her current level of knowledge and insight, she could sense just how extraordinary this spear was at a glance. Moreover, this treasure did not seem like something that originated from the Star Boundary.
With the spear in hand, Yang Kai’s fighting intent soared.
“Sir, take good care of yourself! There will be a pleasant surprise later!” Zhang Ruo Xi said before a sword light flowed out and she flew over to slash at the Great Demon God from a distance.
[A pleasant surprise?] Yang Kai was confused, but before he could question her further about what she meant, she had already rushed off. Therefore, he suppressed the doubts in his heart. His expression became stern, and all that remained in his sight was the 10,000-metre-tall Great Demon God in front of him.
With a stoic expression and a dragon spear in hand, Yang Kai thrust out. A Dragon Roar resounded across the sky when he launched his attack. He was in his normal state when he first launched his attack; however, he had already transformed into his more than 1,000 metre-long Half-Dragon Form by the time he arrived in front of the Great Demon God. Likewise, the Azure Dragon Spear in his hand swelled accordingly and pierced towards Great Demon God’s heart.
The power of his attack made the world pale. World Force gathered on the Azure Dragon Spear, and combined with the blessing of the World’s Will, forget a 1,000-metre-tall mountain, this attack would be able to smash a million-metre-tall mountain to bits!
The Great Demon God did not dare to underestimate the power of this strike, so he pivoted and reached out a palm wrapped in a strange power to intercept Yang Kai.
Amidst the loud commotion, Yang Kai’s body trembled from the impact and his eyes widened in surprise, “World Force!?”
His more than 1,000 metre-long Half-Dragon Body was sent flying backwards. It took a lot of effort for him to stabilize his body once more while, on the other side, Zhang Ruo Xi had also been forced to retreat. Wu Kuang had long since escaped when the other two arrived. He had tried to attack with a few Divine Abilities, but to no avail.
Even with the combined power of these three, they were unable to hurt the Great Demon God in the slightest. Clearly, if Mo Sheng had not been careless back then, in addition to being taken by surprise by Zhang Ruo Xi’s sudden arrival, he would not have gotten his arm chopped off so easily.
At this moment, his severed arm had begun to re-grow, but the most obvious price of that regeneration was that his 10,000-metre-tall body had been shortened by 2,000 metres. It would seem that the sacrifice he had to make was not small.
The Great Demon God was extremely strong, and Yang Kai had long been mentally prepared for such a reality. If the Great Demon God was not powerful, then Flowing Time Great Emperor would not have lost his life in the past. It had to be said that the Flowing Time Great Emperor of that era was an invincible existence in the Star Boundary. Not to mention, the Great Demon God of that era was still heavily wounded.
The Great Demon God had killed Flowing Time Great Emperor, who was at the peak of his strength, with a wounded body. Although his physical body had been destroyed in the process, the gap between them was clear at a glance. Mo Sheng was much stronger than Flowing Time Great Emperor.
Yang Kai had always known that the Great Demon God was strong, but he never imagined it would be to this extent. He and Wu Kuang were both Great Emperors, while Zhang Ruo Xi was not a Great Emperor but her current strength was not inferior to that of one.
In other words, the Great Demon God was able to come out unscathed from the combined attacks of three Great Emperors.
The battle this time was different from the previous one. The previous battle was fought over the ownership of the last piece of pure land left in the Star Boundary. It was a battle purely based on their control over the World Force. Whoever had stronger control over the World would have a greater advantage. It had nothing to do with their actual strength. Furthermore, Yang Kai had a unique advantage in a battle like that because he had the Star Boundary’s World’s Will in his possession.
It was for that reason that he had not yet realised the horror of the Great Demon God. Only at this moment did he truly understand just how powerful Mo Sheng was. In addition, the burst of World Force just now also confused him greatly. Logically speaking, only those who bore the World’s Will could mobilise World Force.
How was Great Demon God able to use World Force then? Moreover, Great Demon God’s World Force was very unfamiliar to Yang Kai. It did not seem to be the power of the Star Boundary at all.
Seeming to notice Yang Kai’s confusion, Zhang Ruo Xi explained, “The Martial Dao can be roughly divided into the Inner Universe and Outer Universe phases. In the Inner Universe, the Emperor Realm is the peak. To go beyond the Emperor Realm, one must break free of the shackles of the Inner Universe and ascend above their World, allowing your body itself to become a World of its own. He is currently in the Open Heaven Realm, so he can mobilise the World Force even without borrowing the strength of a world.”
“Open Heaven Realm?” Yang Kai widened his eyes. It was just like how he had ascended from a Lower Star Field and first heard about the Dao Source Realm in the past. He was incredibly shocked and curious… There was also a trace of excitement in him.
[Is this the path after becoming a Great Emperor?] Mo Sheng had mentioned something similar in the past, that a so-called Great Emperor was simply a title and not a Realm. Now that he was also a Great Emperor, Yang Kai could relate to Mo Sheng’s statement.
It was precisely because a Great Emperor was able to mobilise their World’s World Force that they were given the title of a Great Emperor. In essence, they had not exceeded the limits of the Emperor Realm, they were simply more powerful than ordinary Emperor Realm Masters. It was only by relying on the world itself that a Great Emperor was a Great Emperor. A Great Emperor was simply a title in name only without their world.
According to Zhang Ruo Xi, after the Emperor Realm, he would need to break free of the shackles of the world, transcend beyond it, and form a world of his own in his body…
He could not help recalling the feeling he experienced when he swallowed the World Source Liquid in the Profound Heavens Temple. When the World Source Liquid erupted in his abdomen, Yang Kai experienced a strange feeling that felt as though the Heavens and the Earth were being split apart.
[Is that what it feels like?] Yang Kai did not doubt Zhang Ruo Xi’s words as she had the inheritance from Heaven’s Order. Like Great Demon God, Heavens Order was a Master from the Outer Universe; hence, she would not be unfamiliar with the Martial Dao of the Outer Universe.
[In that case, it’s not surprising that Great Demon God can mobilise World Force.] Yang Kai had wondered if something had gone wrong earlier, but now it would seem that what Great Demon God utilised was not the Star Boundary’s might, but his own. He had long since gotten rid of the shackles of the world, so his body had formed a world of its own.
“What Realm are you in right now?” Yang Kai turned and looked at Zhang Ruo Xi curiously.
Zhang Ruo Xi slowly shook her head, “Still within the Inner Universe!”
Her strength had increased greatly as a result of her cultivating in retreat for a time; however, it had taken her several dozen years to do so. Even with the inheritance she received, it was impossible for her to advance beyond the level of Great Demon God in such a short period of time. She might be as strong as a Great Emperor at the moment, but she had yet to reach the Open Heaven Realm.
“Aren’t we in a bad situation then?” He grinned. While his words sounded grim, there was no hint of fear in his expression. Rather, he seemed eager instead. Fighting beyond his Realm was all too familiar to Yang Kai, so he couldn’t help looking forward to this battle as a Great Emperor.
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head, “It’s not certain. His strength has decreased sharply. He is not at his peak, so who lives and who dies will depend on their respective abilities.”
“I was thinking so too!” As soon as the last word came out of his mouth, Yang Kai had already aimed his spear at the Great Demon God. A black ball flashed and disappeared at the tip of the huge spear before a world-collapsing aura burst forth.
Zhang Ruo Xi slashed down with her sword at the same time, her movements elegant and clean, almost as though she was an ethereal being.
Be that as it may, the power behind this attack made Mo Sheng pale slightly. He revealed a pained expression as if he had received some sort of invisible attack when the sword came slashing down and his body froze for a moment as a result.
The Azure Dragon Spear arrived in front of him at that exact moment, and he was unable to parry it in time, allowing the spear to strike him hard in the shoulder. When the World Forces collided, the flesh around Mo Sheng’s shoulder splattered everywhere. Large chunks of meat went flying and his enormous body staggered backwards by several steps, drawing a roar from his lips.
“So that’s how it is…” Loud laughter rang out as Wu Kuang flew forward, his eyes blazing fanatically, “Open Heaven Realm, was it? It seems this King was not going down the wrong path!”
While speaking, an illusory scenery suddenly appeared behind him. The scenery depicted a beautiful garden with small bridges, flowing water, standing rockery, as well as a small pond. The pond water was extremely clear and there were several koi fish swimming around. Beside the pond was a small pavilion with a checkerboard laying atop a stone table with the black and white pieces vying against each other. Next to the pavilion were several colourful peach blossom trees that rendered the scenery even more beautiful. However, a horrifying aura was coming from that illusory scenery, the aura of an entire Universe World.
When Yang Kai met Wu Kuang for the first time, he learned that the latter was devouring various Star Fields. Wu Kuang had even tried to target Heng Luo Star Field. Yang Kai had been to that garden before, so he knew about some of the mysteries behind it.
The small garden was a fusion of countless Star Fields, and the checkerboard placed on the stone table was a vast Starry Sky while each chess piece on the board was a Cultivation Star.
The last time Yang Kai went to this garden, there had only been very few peach blossoms blooming. Looking at it now, there were many additions to the garden that he had never seen before. It would seem that Wu Kuang had been making huge improvements to his garden over the years.
Yang Kai had the faint feeling that the Heng Luo Star Field had met its end. It had most likely been devoured by Wu Kuang. He used to think that Wu Kuang’s approach was crazy and unreasonable; however, it would seem that Wu Kuang was simply the pioneer of the entire Star Boundary.
In order to enter the Outer Universe, a person had to break free from the shackles of the World. What was the difference between Wu Kuang’s actions and splitting Heaven and Earth apart? Moreover, he could even gain a deeper understanding of the Martial Dao through his actions.
Looking at it from this point of view, it was not a fluke that he became a Great Emperor and dominated the Star Boundary. His talents and intelligence were extremely rare. Otherwise, he could not have created something like the Heaven Devouring Battle Law in the first place. With just his own intelligence, he also managed to figure out a way forward at a time when everyone else was left scratching their heads regarding their future.
Thus, Yang Kai couldn’t help but sigh in amazement. He finally understood why Duan Hong Chen had been letting Wu Kuang do whatever he wanted without stopping him.
Although the Bustling World Great Emperor was concerned about the lives of ordinary people in the world, it was impossible to remain indifferent in the face of the temptation of advancing further and deeper along the Martial Dao.
Besides, Wu Kuang’s method of devouring and merging the Star Fields this time around was different from what he had done in the past. He used to rely on the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, which annihilated all the vitality everywhere he went. In contrast, this time he used the Ancestral Domain as a core to merge those countless Star Fields together. This method did not harm the roots of the Star Fields. In fact, it would probably bring unexpected benefits to the Lower Star Fields.
The garden scenery emerging from his back was the best proof. The garden scenery had turned into a universe of its own. Although it was not comparable to Universe Worlds like the Star Boundary and the Demon Realm, it was much better than any of the Lower Star Fields were previously. As long as he had this universe at hand, Wu Kuang would have the power of a Great Emperor. More importantly, his strength would not diminish in the slightest even without the Star Boundary.
Laughing wildly, he raised his hand and the koi fish leisurely swimming around in the pond suddenly leapt out of the water and transformed into many ferocious giant beasts. They opened their huge bloody jaws to reveal a mouthful of gleaming serrated fangs as they viciously attacked Great Demon God.
“That old dog knows how to hide his cards!” Yang Kai secretly gritted his teeth at the sight. When Wu Kuang fought Great Demon God alone just now, he acted as though he was extremely hard-pressed and could fall dead at any time. But, it would now seem that he was simply hiding his true strength all along. It wasn’t until this moment that he revealed the true extent of his power.
The bodies of the giant beasts exuded a terrifying World Force and arrived in front of the Great Demon God in the blink of an eye.
Great Demon God responded with a fist, and one of the giant beasts exploded, but the remaining giant beasts bit him at different locations on his body. Pieces of his flesh were torn off the bone, but those giant beasts did not stop there. They immediately turned around and fled back, turning back into fish and falling into the pond once more.
Meanwhile, Wu Kuang looked as intoxicated as though he had eaten a scrumptious delicacy. Even the aura around his body seemed to increase slightly.
Despite being on the same side, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling a chill running through his heart at the sight before taking advantage of the Great Demon God’s distraction. The Azure Dragon Spear turned into a spear shadow that covered the sky, stabbing out towards Mo Sheng.
At the same time, Zhang Ruo Xi released a storm of sword waves that lashed against Great Demon God’s body, leaving deep and horrifying scars.
“An ant dares to wound this King!?” Great Demon God was furious. He waved his hands in the air, smashing the spear shadows and the sword waves in the sky to pieces. With a muffled cry, both Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi were thrown backwards together. Wu Kuang, who had been quietly sneaking up on Great Demon God, was also slapped aside by one of the flailing hands and screamed as he crashed into the ground, creating a huge crater from the impact of his fall. Meanwhile, Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi both coughed up blood…
Among the three Great Emperors, Wu Kuang was the only one who got away lightly from the aggressive onslaught of the Great Demon God.
The gap in their cultivation Realm was like a huge chasm that left a bitter taste in Yang Kai’s mouth. Still, he picked up his spear, stabilised his body, and locked his aura onto the Great Demon God.
“He’s here!” Zhang Ruo Xi suddenly sent a transmission, “Stop him for a moment!”
Yang Kai did not know who she was referring to when she said ‘He’s here!’; however, seeing as she had rushed forward once more, he could only grit his teeth and follow closely after her.
There were two loud explosions as the huge figure of Great Demon God exuded a boundless hostility. The attacks that Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi put all their might into only lasted for less than a breath when they felt an overwhelming force coming toward them. Thus, they were forced to retreat as space collapsed at the spot where they had been standing before.
At this moment, a terrifying aura descended from the sky…
The majestic power was mighty and the strength of the aura was no less than a Great Emperor’s.
Yang Kai looked up into the sky in surprise, only to see a small black spot was falling like a meteor, moving at an extremely high speed.
A warm feeling blossomed in his heart as it felt as though he was extremely familiar with the ‘meteor’ that was falling out of the sky. Raising a brow, Yang Kai immediately realised who was coming and couldn’t help looking pleasantly surprised.
The black spot rapidly enlarged as it fell, soon transforming into a thousand-metre-tall creature that slammed directly in the direction of Great Demon God. The incredibly fierce and unparalleled momentum gave off the feeling that being hit by that falling object would surely bring about unbearable consequences.
Clearly aware of the presence, Great Demon God looked up into the sky with a livid expression. He raised his hand to block the incoming object and roared, “Insignificant ants…”
*Hong…*
Before he could finish his sentence, the enormous creature had already smashed down to the ground. An overwhelmingly powerful force sent the 8,000-metre-tall body of Great Demon God tumbling backwards through the air. Countless cracks appeared in the ground, forming deep, abyss-like ravines as though a huge earthquake had taken place. The entire Northern Territory shook from the impact.
*Hou…*
A deafening roar rang out. The enormous creature that came falling from the sky threw his head back and let out a loud cry, releasing the excitement in his heart. He thumped his chest with fists as large as small hills. The thumping sounded like the pounding of war drums, creating waves of sound that exploded across the surroundings.
“Xiao Xiao…” Yang Kai looked dazed, staring blankly at the 1,000-metre-tall figure. If not for the instinctive feeling in his heart, he would not have dared to believe that they were the same person. Who else could this behemoth be but Xiao Xiao, who entered the Blood Gate together with Zhang Ruo Xi back then?
Compared to back then, Xiao Xiao had gotten much stronger. It was a completely Earth-shaking transformation. Moreover, Yang Kai could sense an extremely pure and ancient Divine Spirit aura coming from Xiao Xiao. That aura felt as though it had stepped out of history and crossed through an endless span of time.
Yang Kai abruptly recalled that the Stone Spirit Clan that Xiao Xiao came from were descendants of the Ancient Divine Spirit Tai Yue. The reason Zhang Ruo Xi had taken Xiao Xiao into the Blood Gate with her was for him to inherit Tai Yue’s Source inside the Heaven’s Order Palace.
Several dozen years had passed. Zhang Ruo Xi had been woken from her deep sleep and came out of retreat to kill her enemies, so how could Xiao Xiao remain inside? It was just that his speed could not compare to hers, so she arrived first.
At this moment, Xiao Xiao had completely exceeded the limits of a Stone Spirit and had become a true Ancient Divine Spirit. He was Tai Yue!
This was the pleasant surprise Zhang Ruo Xi mentioned earlier.
Yang Kai laughed happily. This was definitely a huge and pleasant surprise, one he was very satisfied with.
Right when the Star Boundary’s survival was at its most critical, the Great Emperors returned, Zhang Ruo Xi came out of retreat, and Xiao Xiao made such a grand entrance…
All of Yang Kai’s worries were resolved with their appearance. What was there to regret even if he died in battle today? To be able to fight alongside the people that he cared about filled his body and mind with great happiness.
The Dragon and the Phoenix were highly respected in ancient times when the Divine Spirits dominated the universe. Be that as it may, it was not as if the other Divine Spirits were inferior to the Dragons and Phoenixes. According to ancient rankings, many Divine Spirits were no less powerful than the Dragon and Phoenix Clan. Legend even claimed that the Divine Spirit Great Peng saw Dragons as food and were the mortal enemies of the Dragon Clan. As for the Tai Yue, they were extremely high-ranking Divine Spirits in ancient times.
Inside the Heaven’s Order Palace within the Blood Gate, Xiao Xiao had received help from Zhang Ruo Xi, the descendent of Heaven’s Order, to perfectly integrate the Source of his ancestors into his body, bringing honour and glory to them.
At this moment, Tai Yue Xiao Xiao was not inferior to the two Dragon Clan Elders or the Great Emperor in terms of strength! If not for that, he could not have dealt such a huge blow to Great Demon God the moment he arrived on the scene.
Great Demon God’s huge figure tumbled backwards, and everywhere he passed, mountains collapsed and rivers stopped flowing. It wasn’t until a distance of ten thousand kilometres that he came to a stop and immediately got back to his feet. He was in a wretched condition. Hence, his fury was beyond description.
Without giving Great Demon God any chance of respite, Zhang Ruo Xi and Wu Kuang were already following up with another attack. One came slashing down with a sword rain that covered the sky while the other relied on the power of the Universe World behind him. He waved his large hand and the peach blossoms on the trees scattered their petals in the wind. Each petal was a sharp blade, slicing into Great Demon God’s enormous body.
Each attack contained a Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering force, and none were to be taken lightly. Blood gushed out of Great Demon God’s body as he howled in agony.
Even so, it was not over yet. Tai Yue Xiao Xiao came bounding in this direction once more. Taking advantage of Great Demon God’s momentary distraction, he rushed forward in a few steps and his hill-like fists punched out like a raging storm.
Mo Sheng did not dare to ignore these attacks and hurriedly defended himself.
The two giant behemoths fought each other in a deadly melee. Such a thrilling and mesmerising scene made everybody watch in anticipation. The sounds of their swinging fists rumbled throughout the world like deafening thunder.
Three breaths later, Xiao Xiao was sent flying with several huge fist-shaped depressions sunken into his chest and a hint of pain on his angular face. Even with Wu Kuang and Zhang Ruo Xi distracting Great Demon God, Xiao Xiao was still not Great Demon God’s opponent. It was easy to imagine the gap in strength between them.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai’s group currently had the qualification to fight Great Demon God on equal terms. At present, that was the qualification that the Star Boundary lacked. They were not afraid of being unable to win, they were afraid that the gap between them was so wide that they didn’t even have the qualification to struggle.
Yang Kai had already charged forward and his more than 1,000-metre-long Half-Dragon Body loomed, though it was still dwarfed by Great Demon God. Fortunately, the destructive power of the Azure Dragon Spear was what Great Demon God feared the most.
The invincible spear was supplemented by World Force that Yang Kai could now mobilise and the Martial Truth that he gained through his insights on the ancient battlefield. Even Great Demon God would suffer greatly if he received damage from this spear.
Spear shadows seemed to cover the entire sky, bringing with them a Divine Light as blood splattered everywhere and several bloody holes appeared on Great Demon God’s body.
“Miserable!” Great Demon God roared furiously, sweeping his hand in Yang Kai’s direction. The movements of his hand seemed slow, but were actually incomparably fast. The attack was simple, but it gave off an overwhelming pressure that simply could not be avoided.
“Sir, watch out!” Zhang Ruo Xi turned pale as the illusory phantom of a giant woman appeared behind her back once more. That woman raised her sword and swung down at Great Demon God’s shoulder.
On the other hand, Wu Kuang laughed maniacally, ignoring Yang Kai’s life-and-death situation as he pushed his Heaven Devouring Battle Law madly. The koi fish kept leaping out of the Universe World behind him, turning into ferocious beasts, and taking bites out of Great Demon God’s flesh before returning to the pond.
Although the attacks of these two people were not ineffective, it was difficult to make a difference in the overall situation in short order, so Great Demon God ignored them both and focused his glare at Yang Kai with eyes filled with murderous intent.
Yang Kai’s complexion turned pale as he withdrew his spear and raised it to defend himself.
Just as the giant palm was about to reach him, the ground suddenly began to shake with shock waves that sounded like a beating drum. Yang Kai glanced out of the corner of his eye and his facial muscles couldn’t help twitching at the sight.
Xiao Xiao, who was sent flying just now, was charging in this direction from not far away. It was just that he was holding a huge mountain high above his head with an aggressive air. Needless to say, it was an actual mountain. Who could say where he had picked it up from? He was striding over, leaving a deep footprint behind with every step he took.
It only took a few strides before Xiao Xiao arrived in front of Great Demon God. Then, he smashed the huge mountain in his hands down on Mo Sheng’s head. Great Demon God had no choice but to raise a hand in defence, using a palm strike to smash the huge falling mountain to pieces, sending rubble everywhere.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao borrowed the rubble as cover to charge forward. With one arm, he firmly restrained one of Great Demon God’s arms. Thus, the two behemoths became locked in a melee once more.
After suffering a small loss just now, Xiao Xiao had gotten a bit smarter. He probably realised that he was not Great Demon God’s opponent in a one-on-one battle, so without giving Great Demon God a chance to retaliate, he immediately clenched his other hand into a fist and slammed it viciously into Mo Sheng’s forehead after restraining the other party’s arm.
There was a huge noise and Great Demon God’s head tilted to the side, a slight fracture appearing above his brow. However, his other hand had also formed a fist that struck Xiao Xiao in the chest.
Xiao Xiao immediately showed a pained expression, but he stubbornly did not release his grip. Without waiting for Great Demon God to pull back, he used his other hand to grab Great Demon God’s wrist.
The two behemoths grappled against each other, falling to the ground and causing a cloud of dust to rise.
“Now!” Zhang Ruo Xi’s eyes brightened. Sliding her finger down the length of the Heavens Order Sword, coating it in fresh blood. The greatsword hummed violently as countless flowing sword lights appeared behind her. She pointed her finger again and those sword lights became sharp attacks that blasted in the direction of the Great Demon God.
Not to be left behind, Yang Kai held the Azure Dragon Spear with a solemn expression and poured all the strength in his body into it as he sent out a continuous stream of thrusts. Each stab was capable of severely injuring a Great Emperor or a Demon Saint, but was only capable of leaving several bloody holes in Great Demon God’s body.
A river of blood gushed out from Great Demon God’s figure as he was in an unprecedented state of disgrace. He had not been this dishevelled even in his two previous fights against top Masters in life-or-death battles.
Now that his movements were being restrained by Tai Yue Xiao Xiao, he was powerless against the attacks of Yang Kai and the two others. He was no different from being a fish on a chopping block at this moment. Furthermore, who among these three who were attacking him could be underestimated?
The Azure Dragon Spear in Yang Kai’s possession combined with the Martial Truth attached to the blade had given Mo Sheng a lot of trouble.
In addition, Zhang Ruo Xi was the descendant of his old enemy. The experience she obtained from the inheritance left behind by her ancestor had given her knowledge of the kinds of attacks that would cause the greatest damage to him.
Lastly, Wu Kuang was proficient in the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, which was continuously devouring his vitality and strength at all times!
Mo Sheng had always been confident of his victory and looked down on all the living creatures of this world from above. He had thought nothing of the living creatures in the Star Boundary or Demon Realm. Even when his plans had been destroyed, he had felt only a sense of rage, not fear.
Even if his plans had been destroyed, he could simply search for another Universe World. It would only take some time for him to devour that Universe World’s Auspicious Spirit Essence and there would come a day when he recovered completely.
However, he could not suppress the faint unease that was budding in the depths of his heart now. These four ants that he had scorned might actually have the power to slowly eat away at his strength and eventually cause his demise!
The Earth-shaking sounds continued as this battlefield was the key to the Star Boundary’s survival. Yang Kai and the others were giving their all in this fight without holding back whatsoever; therefore, the other Masters engaged in smaller battles could not help but divide some of their attention to keep an eye on this ongoing struggle.
Seeing that Great Demon God was being suppressed by the joint efforts of the four Masters, the rest of the Great Emperors from the Star Boundary couldn’t help feeling overjoyed. On the other hand, the Demon Saints from the Demon Realm became ashen-faced.
Using their Divine Senses, it became clear that Great Demon God’s overwhelming aura was weakening at a subtle speed. Great Demon God tried multiple times to break free from Tai Yue’s grasp; however, Xiao Xiao did not show any signs of loosening his grip regardless of how Great Demon God attacked him or how much damage Mo Sheng caused to him. His behaviour seemed to indicate that he would drag Great Demon God down with him even if he died in the process.
The Demon Saints and the Great Demon God were shocked!
Great Demon God falling to a disadvantage on the main battlefield left many of the Demon Saints feeling very uneasy. It even caused a change in the battle between the Great Emperors and the Demon Saints. The stalemate in the evenly-matched battle finally broke and the Great Emperors slowly gained the upper hand.
The emergence of the Divine Spirit Tai Yue, Xiao Xiao, was like the last straw that broke the camel’s back, resulting in an unexpected chain of events. For both the survivors from the Star Boundary and the Star Boundary itself, it was truly a pleasant surprise. If the situation continued to develop in this direction, Yang Kai and the others would have a high chance of actually killing Great Demon God.
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust! My subjects, return to me!” Great Demon God’s shout resounded across the world suddenly, conveying a peculiar power.
Yang Kai felt his eyes burning all of a sudden, as though his eyes were being stabbed by hot knives. The agony pierced right through his heart while at the same time, a powerful force came from the shadows and his eyes showed signs of leaving his body. That wasn’t all. Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and the Black Purgatory Eye activated all by themselves without his control. His left eye was golden while his right eye was pitch black.
It startled Yang Kai so much that the momentum of his vicious attacks paused for a moment. He hurriedly fled to the rear, putting some distance between him and Great Demon God while concurrently gathering his power in his eyes to suppress them.
Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and the Black Purgatory Eye originated from the Great Demon God. Back when Great Demon God fought the Flowing Time Great Emperor, his physical body had been destroyed but both his eyes that contained his innate Divine Abilities had been lost. Over the years, both eyes had gained sentience and went through a series of fateful encounters.
Strictly speaking, the Great Demon God in Tong Xuan Realm and the One-Eyed Great Demon that once invaded the Star Boundary were both Soul Clones of the Great Demon God. It was just that these two Soul Clones were not intentionally refined by Great Demon God and were instead born by chance, so their actions were completely unrelated to the main body. Regardless of the circumstances, both eyes had a constant and unbreakable connection with the Great Demon God.
It was only thanks to the fact that Yang Kai was now a Great Emperor with the protection of the World that he remained safe. Otherwise, the Great Demon God could have stolen both his eyes with a single thought and rendered two of his greatest Divine Abilities useless as a result.
It was precisely because of these concerns that Yang Kai had not tried to use the Demon Eye of Annihilation or the Black Purgatory Eye when battling the Great Demon God. He was afraid he might give Great Demon God an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. Who could have expected that Great Demon God could still exert some influence on him even though he had not used those eyes?
[What is he trying to do?] Yang Kai was extremely vigilant towards the movements of his enemy; thus, he stared at Great Demon God unblinking. The only thing that gave him a small sense of comfort was that nothing was wrong with his eyes even though the burning sensation had not gone away. However, he soon understood what Great Demon God was attempting.
The moment those words rang out, all the Demon Saints who were locked in a fierce struggle against the Great Emperors suddenly abandoned their opponents, turned around, and headed straight for the Great Demon God, completely ignoring all the attacks that shot in their direction from behind them.
An ominous feeling bloomed in Yang Kai’s heart as he roared, “Stop them! Don’t let them approach!”
There was no need for him to warn the Great Emperors. The moment their opponents turned around and fled, they gave chase. Principle Strength surged and countless attacks blasted out. All the Demon Saints were wounded so badly that they constantly coughed up blood, but even so, they turned a blind eye to the condition of their bodies.
A Dragon roar shook the sky as the Great Elder and Second Elder of the Dragon Clan pursued their enemies. In front of them, Xue Li, Fu Yu, and Huo Bo each fled in three different directions; thus, the two Elders did not know who to chase.
In a matter of breaths, the Red Demon, Huo Bo, who was the furthest ahead had already come within ten thousand metres of Great Demon God, his crimson-red eyes filled with a fanatical look. Like him, the other Demon Saints had the same look in their eyes. There were no exceptions. All of them seemed almost insane.
Yang Kai had a sense of foreboding, and stretching out his Dragon Claw, he made a grabbing motion at the area around Huo Bo from a distance as he shouted, “Solidify!”
Space Principles harmonized with World Force under his control was something even a Demon Saint like Huo Bo could not escape, causing the latter’s forward rush to abruptly come to a halt. The change from extreme motion to complete stillness was very abrupt.
“Bind!” Yang Kai squeezed his hand tightly and space began to condense. A Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering force compressed towards the place where Huo Bo was located.
Huo Bo coughed up boiling blood as he began glowing with a scorching light, “Explode!”
His round body, which looked like a winter melon, suddenly began to swell rapidly. The surface of his skin turned red like he was being burned by flames and an Earth-shattering explosion blasted out. A wide stretch of space around him collapsed due to the impact.
The self-destruction of a Red Demon was their Innate Divine Ability, so there was no preparation time required or any way to suppress it. It was something that could be done with just a single thought. The self-destruction of most Red Demons would bring about devastating results, so what more need be said about a Demon Saint like Huo Bo? It was just that he was different from all other Red Demons. Ordinary Red Demons would die without leaving a corpse behind after self-destructing, but Huo Bo could come out unscathed.
Yang Kai staggered backwards. Although they had a distance of thousands of metres between them, the terrifying shockwave from Huo Bo’s self-destruction still managed to push him back by several giant steps.
The moment the glaring light disappeared, Huo Bo’s short and round body was reformed and he immediately continued charging forward, though his momentum had been reduced considerably. Although self-destruction did not kill him the way it did for other Red Demons, it would seem that his actions still cost him quite a lot.
There was nobody else to stop him after that. Tai Yue Xiao Xiao was suppressing Great Demon God with all his might and could not get away while Wu Kuang was greedily devouring Great Demon God’s essence and Zhang Ruo Xi was continuously slashing out with sword lights. None of them could afford to be distracted as they were afraid that Great Demon God would escape the moment they moved away.
In the blink of an eye, Huo Bo had already arrived in front of Great Demon God. There was a hideous smile on his face as he formed a set of seals with his hands before a single word came out of his mouth. Even though that word was uttered lightly, it gave everybody chills down their backs.
“Explosion!”
There was a deafening bang and several figures were sent flying, causing the stalemate to be broken in an instant.
A thousand-metre-long enormous figure tumbled endlessly. It wasn’t until he had been pushed back by several thousand kilometres that he finally managed to stabilise himself once more. Xiao Xiao was enraged! It wasn’t easy for him to finally restrain the movements of the Great Demon God, but Huo Bo’s self-destruction had wasted all of his efforts. How could he not be enraged?
Zhang Ruo Xi’s hair was a dishevelled mess and she was drenched in sweat as blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.
The Universe World behind Wu Kuang was turbulent. The peach blossoms on his peach blossom trees had scattered all over the ground. Waves rippled across the surface of the pond. Furthermore, his complexion alternated between flushed and pale. It was clear that he had suffered greatly from the attack just now.
*Xiu xiu xiu…* Numerous figures rushed over from various directions. They plunged into Great Demon God’s body, one after another, as though they were jumping head first into a lake. Ripples spread out across Great Demon God’s body as the Demon Saints that plunged into his body vanished out of sight just like that.
Red Demon Huo Bo, Blood Demon Xue Li, Feather Demon Fu Yu, Stone Demon Mo Kan, Bone Demon Ge Meng, Sand Demon You Qiu, Shadow Demon Wu Hua, Corpse Demon Zu Liao, and Flame Demon Chi Yan… Each and every one of them had been a Demon Saint in the Demon Realm for countless years, but at this moment, their auras disappeared from the world as if they never existed in the first place.
Seeing that even Chang Tian was going to rush over, Yang Kai’s expression turned grim. At this point, how could he not know what Great Demon God’s intentions were? He might not know what kind of changes the sacrifice of Demon Saints would bring to Mo Sheng, but Yang Kai could tell that it was not a good thing for the Star Boundary even if he used his foot to think about it.
Zhan Wu Hen was chasing close behind Chang Tian, proving his worth as the Great Emperor with the highest combat ability in the Star Boundary. The rest of the Demon Saints had all fled, but Iron Blood managed to forcefully delay Chang Tian halfway. Although he could not stop Chang Tian completely, it was not a problem to tie him down for a dozen breaths or so.
Yang Kai shifted his body and instantly arrived in front of Chang Tian.
When a high-pitched Dragon Roar rang out, a huge golden Dragon Head suddenly appeared in the air behind Yang Kai and a pair of majestic Dragon Eyes stared down at Chang Tian solemnly. As Dragon Pressure filled the air, the aura around Chang Tian’s body froze for a moment.
Chang Tian was part of the Dragon Clan, it was just that he was a Demon Dragon of the Demon Realm. Even so, he would still be affected by the power of the Golden Divine Dragon Source as long as he was part of the Dragon Clan.
The Dragon Clan was a very unique Race. Their individual strength was extremely powerful, and even a newly-born member would have advantages that most other living creatures could never hope to rival. However, all Dragon Clan members were deeply affected by Bloodlines and Source Strength. A superior Source would have very obvious suppressing force on a lower Source.
When Yang Kai first met Zhu Qing, she was already an Eighth-Order Red Dragon and most Third-Order Emperor Realm Masters would not be a match for her. Moreover, Yang Kai was only in the First-Order Emperor Realm at the time, so in terms of raw strength, he was vastly inferior to her.
But contrary to common sense, the reality was that Zhu Qing was unable to touch him at all and in the end, she lost more than she gained by trying to take advantage of the situation. The reason for that was the suppression caused by the power of his Dragon Source. She could not bring out her strength under the influence of the Golden Divine Dragon’s Source Strength.
That was the case for Zhu Qing back then, and the same went for Chang Tian right now!
If Yang Kai had not been hindered by the previous situation, he would have taken care of Chang Tian first. It was just that he could not afford to be distracted in his fight against the Great Demon God. Now that the situation was a chaotic mess, there was no need to worry about such things anymore.
Chang Tian was wholeheartedly trying to flee toward the Great Demon God and had no intention of fighting Zhan Wu Hen; hence, his momentum decreased sharply upon being suppressed by the Golden Divine Dragon Source.
At that moment, Zhan Wu Hen attacked mercilessly, using his great fists to fill the sky while aiming straight for Chang Tian.
There was a series of rumbling sounds, after which Chang Tian coughed up blood mid-air. The sound of bones breaking could be heard coming from his body as he could not withstand receiving such serious impacts.
On the opposite side, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged, turning into a sharp attack that penetrated the defences of Chang Tian’s Knowledge Sea.
In response, Chang Tian’s complexion turned pale and his figure swayed slightly in a daze. He looked like he was going to collapse at any moment.
Yang Kai reached out to grab Chang Tian and with a flash of his thoughts, he placed the latter into the Small Sealed World.
Success!
Even though both his and Zhan Wu Hen’s attacks had gravely injured Chang Tian, they could not afford to worry about such things at a time like this. If they chose not to injure him, then their only other option would be to kill him.
Compared to losing one’s life, that was undoubtedly an acceptable outcome.
“This is bad,” Zhan Wu Hen stared at the enormous figure blocking out the sky in front of him with a grim expression. Likewise, Yang Kai’s expression was not much better.
Ever since the Demon Saints plunged themselves into Great Demon God’s body, Great Demon God’s aura had been increasing at a continuous rate. His already exceptional aura was becoming more and more terrifying with every passing moment, and that was not all. The wounds inflicted upon Mo Sheng’s body previously were healing at a speed that was visible to the naked eye and it didn’t take long before they vanished without a trace. The Demon Saints’ actions that were akin to moths flying straight into open flames seemed to have not only replenished but also greatly enhanced Mo Sheng’s strength.
Based on Yang Kai’s perception, the 8,000-metre-tall body really did seem to contain an entire Universe World as a burst of World Force rushed out at him.
[The Open Heaven Realm is so terrifying…]
*Shua shua shua…*
Numerous figures appeared beside Yang Kai, each of them exuding the aura of a Great Emperor. Aside from Night Shadow, who was killed by Yang Kai earlier, the remaining nine Great Emperors of the Star Boundary were gathered here. That wasn’t all, of course, as there were also the two Elders of the Dragon Clan, Heavens Order’s descendant, and Divine Spirit Tai Yue…
All the most powerful people in the Star Boundary were gathered here. Nobody was missing from the group and their combined momentum was no less than that of the Great Demon God.
Great Demon God’s eyes slowly opened amidst the body shrouded in darkness. His eyes no longer held any anger like before, there was only indifference as his gaze swept across the ten or so figures before him. This look was not unfamiliar, as even ordinary people would be dismissive when looking at mere insects on the ground.
“Although this King does not want to admit it, you have all performed admirably. To push this King to this point is beyond my expectations. However… that stops here. This King has been plotting this for longer than all of you put together have been alive! How can my plans be destroyed by insignificant ants!? It is an honour for you to die at this King’s hands!”
When his words rang out, his cheeks bulged slightly and a snort-like sound came out of his mouth. His breath blew towards the place where the Great Emperors were gathered in a slashing motion, an invisible and intangible but extremely destructive power accompanying it.
The expressions of many Great Emperors changed drastically at the sight. They felt the aura of death looming over them from the front, so how could they dare to hesitate? Thus, they hurriedly took action to defend themselves.
A large Moon Blade slashed forward, and with Yang Kai in the lead, the Great Emperors fully displayed their Divine Abilities. World Force gathered and pushed these attacks to their utmost limit.
Following a loud explosion, the world turned pale. Countless Void Cracks split the sky, slithering out like Spirit Snakes. The world seemed to shatter at that moment, as if it were a sign that the end was nigh.
Everybody combined their strength and successfully fended off Great Demon God’s attack, but even so, there was no joy on their faces. That was only just the breath of the Great Demon God. His power was so tyrannical that they could scarcely imagine what kind of scene would ensue if he were to go all out.
Being Great Emperors meant that everyone present on this battlefield had gone through countless battles and challenges where their lives were at stake. Nevertheless, none of those previous experiences could compare to this in terms of danger and intensity. Even the Great Emperor War in the Shattered Star Sea was dwarfed by this experience.
In the face of such a powerful enemy, attacking was always the best defence, all the more so when the enemy was in a higher Realm. How could the Great Emperors be unaware of this simple truth? Following their joint defence, they simultaneously rushed toward the Great Demon God without the slightest hesitation whatsoever. There was not a single word of discussion among them, not even the slightest eye contact; even so, their actions were completely in-sync with each other. That was because every one of them knew that defending would only drag out their deaths, no matter how tenaciously they held on. The only way out of this desperate situation was to attack head-on with all their might.
The figures of the nine Great Emperors travelled across the sky like nine meteors to slam into the Great Demon God. Each figure carried the Will of the Star Boundary, as well as the hopes of all the survivors of the Human Race.
On both sides of the nine figures were the two Great Elders of the Dragon Clan in their more than 1,000-metre-long Dragon forms. Their Dragon Roars shook the sky and their Dragon Pressure was awe-inspiring.
Above them all stood Zhang Ruo Xi with the Heaven’s Order Sword in her hands. The illusory phantom of the gigantic woman behind Zhang Ruo Xi seemed to come alive at that moment, and the giant sword in her hands radiated with a dazzling light.
The ground rumbled as Tai Yue ran forward, every step surpassing the barriers of space and leaving a deep imprint on the ground.
This grand battle that was destined to be passed down over tens of thousands of years began with the slash of the Heavens Order Sword. Only the brilliance of this sword remained in the world the moment that attack was unleashed and its radiance caused everybody to be blinded for a moment.
In the face of this terrifying sword wave, the Great Demon God simply swung his fist to counter. The sword light shattered upon coming into contact with his fist and Zhang Ruo Xi groaned as the illusory phantom of Heaven’s Order behind her wavered.
“Your ancestor might have been powerful, but she was too inflexible. If she had emulated this King’s actions, she would have already recovered from her injuries by now and would not have died in this backwater Universe World. This King will send you to Hell first, so as not to tarnish the prestige of your ancestor!” Great Demon God’s voice rang out like thunder and the power behind the fist slammed out unabated, arriving in front of Zhang Ruo Xi in an instant.
Zhang Ruo Xi was as small as a mosquito in front of that incomparably huge fist and there was no doubt that her slender body would shatter to pieces if she was hit.
“You don’t have the right to criticize my ancestor!” Zhang Ruo Xi coldly snorted through gritted teeth. The Heaven’s Order Sword shook all of a sudden and the broken sword light turned into a sword rain that blasted forward.
Countless years ago, Great Demon God and Heaven’s Order had encountered each other in the Outer Universe. They fought and competed against each other on multiple occasions until finally, both sides ended up with severe injuries.
Great Demon God had landed on the Peerless World while Heaven’s Order came to the Star Boundary. In order to heal from his injuries, Great Demon God turned his attention toward the Auspicious Spirit Essence of the Peerless World. He spent a great deal of energy draining the Peerless World and transforming it into the Demon Realm, but just as he was about to succeed, Flowing Time Great Emperor appeared. The two fought each other to the death, and although Flowing Time Great Emperor’s Soul was extinguished in the fight, he managed to destroy the body of the Great Demon God.
Great Demon God was capable of using the Peerless World’s Auspicious Spirit Essence to heal himself, so it only made sense that Heaven’s Order was also capable of doing so since she was in the same Realm and possessed similar strength to him.
It would seem that Heavens Order had not chosen to go down that route, and instead, she left behind a shocking legacy after arriving in the Star Boundary. Even though she was feared by the Ancient Divine Spirits and rumoured to be their natural enemy, she had not done anything to endanger the Star Boundary itself. It could be seen from this that she was not one to harm innocents indiscriminately. Rather, she must have been quite kind-hearted; otherwise, how could she choose death over harming the Universe World known as the Star Boundary?
The Peerless World has turned into the Demon Realm because of Great Demon God’s existence, its World Principles twisted over millennia of time. Even the remaining survivors living in the Peerless World gradually transformed into the Demon Race. If nobody had stopped Great Demon God’s plans, the Star Boundary would have become the second Peerless World.
Flowing Time Great Emperor had been very far-sighted. When he left the Flowing Time Temple back then, he once mentioned that he gained some insight into the Outer Universe. As for what the mystery was, Qiong Qi had not known. Looking at it now, it would seem that the so-called mystery was related to the Star Boundary’s crisis.
If Great Demon God had recovered from his injuries at the time, he would surely search for Heaven’s Order. Unfortunately, Heaven’s Order had already passed away by then, so who in the Star Boundary could have stopped him once he recovered completely and came looking for her? It would surely have led to the annihilation of all life and the collapse of the Star Boundary.
Amidst the pouring light of the sword rain, Zhang Ruo Xi’s expression was solemn. She had inherited the many memories and experiences of her ancestor that came with the Heaven’s Order bloodline inheritance; therefore, she knew what happened back then better than anybody else in this world. She could proudly say that her ancestor had not done anything that would harm the Star Boundary. Her ancestor had chosen to die a slow and painful death rather than harm this splendid universe. As such, Zhang Ruo Xi had to protect this world, even if she died in the process!
The mighty and powerful sword rain could not stop Great Demon God in the slightest. That giant fist caused space to collapse and everything shattered upon contact. If Zhang Ruo Xi had been alone, she would have died in the next moment as Mo Sheng’s power had been enhanced greatly after the Demon Saints fused themselves into his body. However, she was not alone… Beside her were the nine Great Emperors from the Star Boundary, two Elders of the Dragon Clan, and Tai Yue, who had accompanied her for several dozen years in the Blood Gate.
Taking advantage of Great Demon God’s lack of vigilance, Xiao Xiao swung his fist and punched Great Demon God in the gut. A huge vibration force surged and spread outward when his fist connected. It was so strong that even somebody as powerful as Great Demon God was knocked sideways.
The giant fist that was blasting towards Zhang Ruo Xi was involuntarily deflected slightly and the murderous intent locked onto her also let up for an instant. With such a good opportunity at hand, she stepped aside like a butterfly and narrowly dodged the attack by a hair.
Great Demon God abruptly turned his head and raised his other hand high. It felt as though the sky was collapsing on itself as his hand came slapping downward.
Xiao Xiao raised his arms to block, but the palm strike contained an overwhelming power. The 1,000-metre-tall Divine Spirit Tai Yue was smacked so hard that he fell on his face and collapsed head-first to the ground. When his enormous body crashed into the ground, the earth split apart and formed countless cracks. Hot magma gushed out of these cracks in the ground and splashed against his body with fizzling sounds.
A Dragon Roar sounded as the two Dragon Clan Elders charged forward from both sides. Following the ancient and mysterious chant in the Dragon Language, a Dragon Clan Secret Technique came crashing down. A cyan light and a white light intertwined, transforming into an invincible Divine Ability that instantly enveloped the Great Demon God.
Boundless Demon Qi erupted outward and blocked the blue and white light from approaching, but still, a huge Dragon Claw protruded from amidst the dazzling light and swiped at the body of Great Demon God viciously. The sharp Dragon Claw tore off a huge chunk of flesh in its wake.
“You two worms court death!” Great Demon God roared furiously, reaching out his hand to grab at something, capturing a pure-white Dragon’s body. He squeezed his hand tightly and the Dragon roared in agony. Still, the Dragon in his grip turned around to bite at the hand grabbing her while at the same time, an even bigger Dragon came from the side and smashed into the chest of the Great Demon God with a Divine Dragon Tail Sweep.
Great Demon God ignored the attack and with a flick of his hand, he shook the white Dragon in his hand so that her body straightened like a spear. Then, he used her like a whip to lash out in front of himself. The two Dragons became tangled together as a result and tumbled into the distance.
Meanwhile, World Force gathered. In the middle of that vortex of power, a spear came stabbing forward. The body of the spear hummed, sounding faintly like a Dragon Roar, and the power behind that attack was magnificent.
Eight figures rushed out from behind Yang Kai’s more than 1,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Body. The Divine Abilities of the Great Emperors that were enough to shatter the universe blasted toward the Great Demon God, causing the light of the world to dim!
Even if Great Demon God was unparalleled in terms of strength, the combined attack of all Great Emperors integrated with the World Force of the Star Boundary supporting them was not something that could be easily ignored.
Great Demon God’s furious howls shook the sky. The air that he exhaled with every howl formed violent sound waves that crashed outward. These sound waves in turn became shockwaves visible to the naked eye. It wasn’t until this howl of fury that everybody realised the true horror of the Great Demon God. The power of that howl felt like a storm blowing past the Starry Sky from the Outer Universe. The soil and the rocks on the ground instantly flew tens of thousands of kilometres away and disintegrated in mid-air.
The Divine Abilities of the Great Emperors were affected by the shockwave passing over them and their power decreased significantly. By the time they struck Great Demon God, they failed to cause much damage. Only Yang Kai’s spear that was stabbing straight at Great Demon God was barely affected as a large black ball appeared out of thin air at the tip of the spear, emitting an aura that could destroy everything.
Great Demon God reached his hand out towards the Azure Dragon Spear, causing Yang Kai to raise his brow at the sight. The spear became even more deadly as he poured all his strength into the thrust. Even if he could not do much against the powerful enemy in front of him, he was determined to at least open a hole in the enemy’s palm!
In the next moment, the giant fist closed around the spear. The black ball at the tip of the Azure Dragon Spear was crushed and the Space Principles were wiped out by an overwhelming force. Grinning at Yang Kai, Great Demon God jerked the spear backward with great force. Yang Kai involuntarily stumbled towards the Great Demon God as a result and a giant fist came straight at him, rapidly becoming larger and larger in his field of vision.
His 1,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Body was imposing in its own right, but in front of Great Demon God, it felt like the difference between an adult and a child. If he took this punch head-on, he would not get away lightly even with his resilience. In the worst case, his head would be smashed open. At best, his Soul would be shaken…
In that instant, Space Principles fluctuated wildly. His entire being suddenly merged with the Void and all that was left in place was an illusory figure. The giant fist smashed into the spot where Yang Kai’s head had been previously and the violent force shook space itself, oscillating through his body.
Yang Kai coughed up a mouthful of blood, as although he had used Nihility at the last moment and avoided the lethal blow coming from the Great Demon God, the power that shook the entire Void still caused him some damage.
Yang Kai used all his strength to pull on his spear but could not retrieve it no matter how he tried; thus, his complexion became ashen. He considered abandoning the Azure Dragon Spear, but his heart was extremely reluctant to do so. There was a huge gap between his strength and the Great Demon God’s in the first place, so if he lost a powerful weapon like the Azure Dragon Spear, it would be difficult for him to even cause any damage to Mo Sheng.
Fortunately, this momentary respite allowed the other eight Great Emperors to attack once more.
Iron Blood’s banner fluttered in the wind and a crimson red light that looked like it was formed from a fountain of fresh blood burst forth. Zhan Wu Hen charged forward and his ant-like figure swung a tiny fist at Great Demon God.
This scene looked like an ant was trying its best to slap an elephant. Normally, the elephant would not feel anything; however, Zhan Wu Hen’s punch caused a loud explosion to come from the Great Demon God’s arm. Consequently, Great Demon God’s enormous figure reeled backwards slightly from the impact. There might be a huge difference in their body sizes, but how could Zhan Wu Hen be compared to an ant? How could the all-out attack of a Great Emperor be completely ineffective?
“Falling Flower Decay!” A light cry rang out as Flower Shadow Great Emperor wore a stern expression on her face. She raised an unadorned hand and waved, causing a Heavenly blossom rain to scatter in the air, gathering to form a colourful light that swarmed towards Great Demon God’s left eye.
“Ice Avalanche!” The Ice Feather Great Emperor held a crystal longsword in his hand. Sliding his finger down the length of the blade, he slashed down with his blade, unleashing a chill that penetrated the heart. At the same time, a sword light that seemed capable of splitting Heaven and Earth apart slashed towards Great Demon God’s other eye.
“Serene Soul Finger!” Wrapped in an ethereal aura, a pure Spiritual Energy burst forth as Serene Soul Great Emperor thrust his finger out at Great Demon God. All the power in his body was gathered into a single point that while unable to harm the physical body, directly affected Great Demon God’s Soul.
“Beasts of the world, obey my command! Myriad Beast Stampede!” Martial Beast Great Emperor shouted, punching out multiple times with his fists. Numerous strange beast phantoms appeared from his fist shadows, ones that were extremely life-like and of numerous shapes and sizes. There was no shortage of Divine Spirits among these beast phantoms and in the blink of an eye, a veritable horde was charging towards Great Demon God with ferocious roars. They attacked with fangs and claws, using everything they had in their arsenal.
“Chaos!” Wondrous Pill Great Emperor lightly shouted as he used a Secret Technique that condensed a flame in his palm. That flame seemed extremely weak, giving off only a faint yellow light that flickered like a candle. Even in the dark of night, that flame could only illuminate a radius of several tens of metres at most.
However, everywhere the flame passed, space itself was burnt black. It was as though even the World could not withstand the scorching heat of this flame. The Divine Chaos Flame was a kind of Heavenly Flame, one that was no less potent than the Phoenix True Fire and was capable of burning down everything in inexistence.
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor did not specialize in combat as he devoted his entire life to the Alchemic Dao, but not specializing in combat did not mean he could not fight.
The Divine Chaos Flame was his strongest weapon and it was something he came across by chance during his youth. Having nurtured this flame over tens of thousands of years, the power of the Divine Chaos Flame was so great that even the other Great Emperors did not dare to take it on directly.
The Great Emperors held nothing back in the face of an enemy as powerful as Great Demon God. They attacked with all their strongest methods right from the beginning, hoping that they could either inflict heavy damage on Mo Sheng or even kill him as quickly as possible; otherwise, even if they could persevere, the World could not and would collapse completely at some point. If that really were to happen, then the Star Boundary would cease to exist.
Things hadn’t ended yet, however, as at some point in time, Wu Kuang had arrived on top of Great Demon God’s head and slammed his palm downward as he shouted, “Earth Prison!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, an enormous Divine Tree appeared out of thin air. The Divine Tree was even taller than Great Demon God and the gigantic canopy enveloped the latter completely. Simultaneously, numerous roots burst out from the ground and wound themselves around the Great Demon God like Flood Dragons. It only took an instant for Great Demon God to be wrapped as tightly as a dumpling.
“Wind!” Wu Kuang shouted again, unleashing a gale from his mouth. An Astral Wind blew and turned into wind blades that slashed at Great Demon God’s figure. Although the wind blades looked plain and ordinary, their destructive power was not something even Great Demon God could take lightly.
Astral Wind! Divine Tree Bai Yi!
These two methods were familiar to Yang Kai. He abruptly recalled the battle between Duan Hong Chen and Wu Kuang in the Shattered Star Sea back then, where they had each used one of these moves, and even now that they were two Souls residing in one body, there was not the slightest sense of obscurity in their control of these techniques.
The eight Great Emperors attacked all at once, and aside from the Heaven’s Revelations Great Emperor who only threw out several punches, the remaining eight Great Emperors had revealed all their hidden trump cards. That was not to say Heavens Revelations was not contributing, though, as his eyes were as deep and profound as the sea, seemingly peering into the vague trajectories of fate.
Such violent attacks and decisive moves made the entire Star Boundary shudder.
Taking this opportunity, Yang Kai struggled to free his spear and finally broke out of Great Demon God’s grip.
The Astral Wind suddenly condensed and sliced into Great Demon God’s shoulder, sending blood splattering everywhere.
The attacks of Flower Shadow and Ice Feather each slashed at one eye. In response, Mo Sheng simply closed his eyelids, forming an extremely powerful defensive barrier. He simply allowed the two Great Emperors’ Divine Abilities to run rampant on his eyelids, creating showers of sparks.
Meanwhile, the Divine Chaos Flame flew over and left long burnt marks all over Mo Sheng’s body, creating a terrible stench of something burning in the air.
That was not all. Countless strange beasts were gathered around his enormous body, biting and scratching at his flesh.
“Begone!” Great Demon God roared furiously and an unparalleled force erupted from his enormous body. The Divine Tree Bai Yi rustled and crackled as its roots were shattered. Then, the enormous tree suddenly dissipated and vanished. The countless strange beasts biting at his flesh also disintegrated at this moment, turning into faint wisps of light that filled the sky like fireflies.
Mo Sheng then punched out. It was a straight punch with nothing fancy to it, looking extremely casual to the outside observer. Even so, everyone’s expression changed drastically at the sight of this punch. That was because they each felt as though the punch was aiming directly at them. Moreover, it sealed the world and locked onto their aura, preventing them from escaping or avoiding the blow.
*Peng peng peng…*
There was a series of groans and grunts as numerous figures were sent flying backwards. Everybody coughed up blood and the vitality in their bodies was churning wildly as their minds shook.
“I’ll start with you!” Great Demon God spread open his fist and slammed his palm down viciously. That gigantic hand covered the sky and blocked out the sun, while the person underneath his hand was none other than Flower Shadow Great Emperor!
Flower Shadow Great Emperor had never experienced such a dangerous moment in her life before and her beautiful face could not help but turn pale at the sight. Still, she reacted swiftly, drawing the Heavenly Blossom Rain back to wrap around herself to form layers upon layers of defence. Nevertheless, the Heavenly Blossom Rain fell apart rapidly like snowflakes in the sun when that palm strike came crashing down.
At that critical moment of life-and-death, a figure sped through the sky and Heavens Revelations Great Emperor stood in front of Flower Shadow. He lifted a hand and tossed out an object. That item immediately swelled rapidly in the wind and quickly turned into a large Tortoise Shell that shielded the two beneath it. The Tortoise Shell was covered in natural complex patterns and exuded an extremely ancient aura.
At the same time, Yang Kai’s figure flickered and he arrived with his spear to stab at Great Demon God’s hand. This attack finally achieved something as his spear pierced through Great Demon God’s palm and caused a great deal of blood to gush out. However, he was also sent flying by that palm strike. Several bones in his body were broken and the sound of an explosion came from his body while he was suspended in mid-air.
*Hong…*
Although his attack had slowed the palm strike somewhat, it still came smashing down in the end.
A Black Tortoise illusory phantom suddenly appeared above the large Tortoise Shell, roaring up at the sky. The Black Tortoise shattered when the giant palm slammed down and the light coming from the Tortoise Shell dimmed considerably. When Great Demon God withdrew his palm, the Tortoise Shell turned into a stream of light to reveal the figures of Heaven’s Revelations and Flower Shadow. Fortunately, the two Great Emperors did not look worse for wear even though their expressions were ugly.
On the other side, Yang Kai was thrown out several thousand kilometres before he could stabilise his figure. He looked up at the sky with a bitter taste in his mouth.
[Is this the absolute difference in strength?] The truth was that Great Demon God was forced to bring forward his plans and seize Huang Wu Ji’s physical body to revive himself. He even fused with all the other Demon Saints to enhance his strength. It was just that he did not have a single treasure or weapon in his possession, so all his attacks had been made with only his body.
Be that as it may, his overwhelming strength made all the Great Emperors’ attacks ineffective against him. They could not inflict a fatal injury on him and their defences were as flimsy as paper against his attacks. It was fortunate that Heavens Revelations Great Emperor was keeping an eye on the battle situation at all times. If he had not come to her timely rescue, Flower Shadow Great Emperor would have died just now.
In the face of such a powerful enemy, it felt like the Star Boundary had no choice but to resign itself to its fate and die.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai refused to accept it. Likewise, the Great Emperors refused to lie down and die. Regardless of whether the enemy was unstoppable or everybody was killed in the process, they stubbornly continued to fight with great spirit. This was the world where they were born and raised, how could they just abandon it? What’s more, a Great Emperor would no longer be a Great Emperor without the blessing of this World!
Since Great Demon God had revealed himself, the Star Boundary would die if they did not kill him here and now. If the Star Boundary was destroyed, then the only future waiting for the people was death!
Strictly speaking, it was not as if Great Demon God was invincible in the eyes of the Great Emperors. Their previous attacks had caused some damage to him and although the injuries were not serious, it still gave them hope. The main reason for their current predicament was that the seven Great Emperors, who had only just escaped the shackles of their prison, were unable to bring out their full strength.
They had been trapped in that inexplicable space for many years and exposed to the Demon Saints strange Secret Technique during that time. Hence, they were no longer at their peak. At this moment, the seven Great Emperors led by Zhan Wu Hen could only bring out about 70% of their peak strength. They might not lose when facing the Demon Saints whose strength had also decreased sharply, but they were slightly overwhelmed when facing Great Demon God who had absorbed all the Demon Saints. In that case, they could only fight with their lives on the line!
*Weng…*
A strange humming sound came out suddenly, and it was followed by an extremely powerful force that suddenly erupted out of nowhere. Yang Kai turned to look and saw that the space around Zhan Wu Hen was becoming distorted, his long hair flying without any wind and his clothes flapping wildly. Moreover, a layer of crimson blood light was being emitted from the surface of his body.
Yang Kai’s eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. He was worried at first, but he soon became relieved.
Zhan Wu Hen’s actions undoubtedly indicated that he had burned his own Blood Essence in exchange for more power. His actions were akin to drinking poison in order to quench his thirst as Blood Essence was the foundation of a person’s vitality. It was not something that should be used so easily. Once burned, it would severely damage his foundation afterward, regardless of whether he won or not. If the damage was too serious, it might even cripple his cultivation. As a Great Emperor, why would he do something like that unless he was forced to?
It was just that he could no longer afford to have such scruples at this point in time. If the Star Boundary was destroyed, everything would perish along with it. For the sake of his home, forget something as trivial as burning his Blood Essence, Zhan Wu Hen wouldn’t even bat an eye if he had to sacrifice his life for this cause.
*Weng…*
As if they had discussed this in advance, the other Great Emperors followed suit after Zhan Wu Hen began burning his Blood Essence. In an instant, their declining momentum started rising steadily. Not only did they recover their peak strength, but they even surpassed their original limits.
The power of the Great Emperors’ vitality was so strong that the entire world immediately shone with dazzling rays of light that were as dense as blood the moment they started burning their Blood Essence!
Yang Kai felt excitement stirring in him and an unstoppable impulse flooded his chest. With a deafening Dragon Roar, his Blood Essence also began to blaze; however, his situation was different from the other Great Emperors. Zhan Wu Hen and the others were surrounded by a red glow after burning their Blood Essence, but Yang Kai gave off a brilliant golden light instead. It was almost as though he had transformed into a blazing sun that dispelled the darkness covering the world.
The dazzling golden sun suddenly rose into the sky where it paused for a moment before charging straight towards Great Demon God. The Azure Dragon Spear stabbed out from within the golden glow, forming countless spear shadows that seemed to cover the sky. Every thrust contained extremely strong Martial Truth, and each spear shadow that stabbed forward carried a -pitch-black ball at its tip that hollowed out space itself.
Struck by this blow, Great Demon God staggered back, roaring in rage, “How dare you miserable ants continue to resist!?”
He swung his fists and a violent force came sweeping out which Yang Kai lifted his spear to block. His entire body shuddered and a mouthful of blood rose up in his chest, only to be forcefully swallowed back down.
Dragon Roars shook the sky as the two Dragon Clan Elders attacked from opposite sides. Their more than 1,000-metre-long Dragon Forms were impressive and magnificent. Opening their mouths, they sprayed the huge body of Great Demon God with their Dragon Breaths.
Great Demon God did not evade these attacks. Rather, it could be said that he had no intention of dodging in the first place. He simply allowed the Dragon Breaths to wash over his body while stretching out his arm, his right hand suddenly becoming abnormally dry and shrivelled but now radiating with an extremely dangerous aura.
Fresh blood suddenly splattered into the sky as the Great Elder screamed in agony and retreated. A large piece of flesh had been gouged out of his chest and his abdomen, Dragon Scales and all. If Fu Zhun had not come to his rescue at the last moment, it was doubtful whether he would have survived that blow.
Yang Kai was also thrown backward by the impact. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the right hand of Great Demon God, unable to shake the faint feeling that something was unusual about this limb. The right hand of Great Demon God was not like this previously. It was only at that moment that his right hand seemed to change all of a sudden.
“Be careful of that right hand! It’s probably the remains of his original body!” Zhan Wu Hen’s voice entered Yang Kai’s ears. Nobody knew the horrors of that hand better than Zhan Wu Hen. Back then, Huang Wu Ji had once used a shrivelled severed palm to deal with him when he was still trapped in that inexplicable space. The severed palm might be shrivelled and decayed, but the destructive power it could wield was extremely terrifying. He once wondered about how powerful the owner of the severed palm could be when just a severed palm was so powerful. That was, until he met Great Demon God!
That severed palm undoubtedly belonged to Mo Sheng. When he fought Flowing Time Great Emperor in the past, the latter’s Soul had been extinguished while Great Demon God’s physical body was destroyed. Only this severed palm remained and survived to this day.
Having possessed Huang Wu Ji’s body, it was only natural that Mo Sheng had taken back the severed palm that was in the care of Huang Wu Ji. It wasn’t until this moment that the severed palm finally revealed its appalling true appearance. In Huang Wu Ji’s possession, that severed palm was nothing more than a dead hand, so the power that could be wielded was limited, but the power of this severed palm had undoubtedly been triggered fully in the hands of Great Demon God.
With a single palm strike, everything was broken in an instant.
While sending out transmissions to the others, Zhan Wu Hen had already rushed forward. He reached out, grabbed the Iron Blood War Banner behind him, and charged towards Great Demon God. The banner flapped wildly, instantly expanding to cover a radius of 50 kilometres around him and enveloping the huge space inside.
Unexpectedly, there was a ripping sound in the next moment, accompanied by a large hand reaching out from within the area covered by the banner. Great Demon God had broken free of the restraints and the Iron Blood War Banner was torn to pieces.
All the other Great Emperors took this opportunity to rush forward like shooting stars. Countless Divine Abilities of the Great Emperors blasted out from within the clumps of dense blood light.
Great Demon God might be almighty and invincible, but in the end, two fists could not block four strikes, so even he failed to defend against all the attacks under the joint efforts of all the Great Emperors. There were several loud explosions and Mo Sheng’s 8,000-metre-tall body swayed slightly as a large amount of blood spurted from his injuries.
Wounded and in pain, his eyes became filled with rage. Then, he suddenly ignored all incoming attacks, completely abandoned all of his defences. Instead, he reached his hand out to grab at something.
In that direction, Fu Zhun was currently protecting Zhu Yan so that he could retreat first, and when she saw the giant palm that blocked out the sky reaching towards her, she realized she was unable to avoid or dodge. Thus, she was caught by the Dragon Tail. Her more than 1,000-metre-long body was no more than a small snake in the hands of Great Demon God as he dragged her back to him.
Shocked, Zhu Yan instantly rose to resist regardless of the condition of his body.
“This King will rip out your spine and skin you alive!” Great Demon God roared and really did just as he declared, thrusting his right hand into Fu Zhun’s back. The Dragon Clan’s defences that they were so proud of was as frail as paper in front of Mo Sheng and blood splattered in all directions as she screamed in agony. Following that, Mo Sheng firmly gripped onto something and viciously yanked. With a massive chunk of her flesh torn off, Fu Zhun’s spine was now exposed, visible to the naked eye, and seemed as if it was going to be ripped out in the next moment.
Space Principles surged violently at that moment as Yang Kai arrived in front of Great Demon God and smashed his spear into his left eye with all his might.
In response, Great Demon God leisurely closed his eyes while at the same time, billowing Demon Qi converged towards his left eye. The Azure Dragon Spear struck against the closed eyelid as though it had stabbed into the hardest metal in the world, resulting in a harsh grating sound and metallic sparks flying everywhere. This menacing attack only managed to leave a faint trace of blood on Mo Sheng’s eyelid and did not manage to cause any substantial damage to him.
At that moment, a small flame flew over, wrapped around Mo Sheng’s right wrist, and instantly transformed into a ring of fire. The Divine Chaos Flame burned fiercely, releasing a burning smell into the air.
Great Demon God roared in pain, involuntarily loosening his grip. Taking this opportunity, Fu Zhun turned around and sank her sharp Dragon Fangs into his arm before tearing off a large chunk of flesh.
Tai Yue threw a punch heavy enough to shatter space into the back of Great Demon God at that moment…
The other Great Emperors also followed up with a barrage of Divine Abilities. All of them were aimed at Great Demon God’s right hand. One person’s strength might be insignificant, but the combined force of all the Great Emperors was not to be underestimated.
No matter how reluctant Great Demon God was, his movements couldn’t help but freeze for a moment. Fu Zhun took this opportunity to lash out against his chest with her Divine Dragon Tail Sweep and a loud bang rang out. Mo Sheng staggered backwards several steps while on the other hand, Fu Zhun finally broke free of his grip, her Dragon Blood raining down from the sky.
Great Demon God had struck twice since the changes occurred to his right hand, and both times, the two Dragon Clan Elders had been severely wounded. One had a large chunk of his flesh gouged out from his chest and abdomen. The other almost had her spine ripped out of her back. The situation was extremely dire and heart-wrenching to see.
Be that as it may, no one backed down… Not even the heavily wounded Zhu Yan and Fu Zhun withdrew from the battlefield. After the husband and wife reunited, they turned around and charged towards Great Demon God again. The auras surrounding the two Dragons seemed to become one at this moment and their resonance with each other became stronger. The two Dragons struck at Great Demon God from both left and right.
The battle had already been joined, so unless one side was completely defeated, it was impossible for them to even rest for a moment. Therefore, the furious howls and roars reverberated across every corner of the Star Boundary as the fight raged on. The tremors in the world even spread to the most remote corners of the Star Boundary.
Yang Kai bled, the two Elders of the Dragon Clan bled, the other Great Emperors bled, even Great Demon God bled…
Tai Yue’s body that seemed to be formed from a cluster of rocks had broken open to reveal countless terrifying cracks…
In this battle, everybody was going all out. Nobody dared to hold back in the slightest. This battle would only end when one side lay dead!
Heavens Revelations Great Emperor had saved the others at critical moments on multiple occasions with the Black Tortoise Shield that had accompanied him for so many years having been shattered by Great Demon God as the price of his actions.
The light of the Divine Chaos Flame was growing dimmer, like the flickering flame of a candle in the rain that was threatening to go out at any moment. At this moment, it was being trapped inside a mass of pure Demon Qi. Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was constantly forming seals with one hand, controlling the Divine Chaos Flame to burn away the Demon Qi while consuming Great Demon God’s energy with his other. His complexion was as pale as a sheet of paper despite stuffing handfuls of Spirit Pills into his mouth like they were common candy.
One of Tai Yue’s arms was hanging limply by his side, and his overwhelming momentum from before had decreased sharply.
Yang Kai was dripping with blood; furthermore, the blood light shrouding the surface of the Great Emperors’ bodies was becoming extremely dim…
The Great Emperors were violently gasping for breath, while on the other hand, the Great Demon God was covered in countless wounds.
The battle had reached its most critical juncture. Great Demon God was acting like he stood above the rest, calling them ants with every sentence he spoke; however, the ‘ants’ in front of him were indeed qualified to threaten his life.
He was not at his peak after all! Even if his plan had been completed perfectly and he devoured the Auspicious Spirit Essence of the Star Boundary, the only effect that would achieve was that he would be reborn anew. If he wanted to recover completely, it would still require many years of accumulation and cultivation, so what more need be said when even his original plans had suffered many setbacks? Nobody could say for sure how much of his original power he could bring out in his current condition, but even that small portion of his strength was enough to make the entire Star Boundary throw everything it had against him to even stand a chance.
There were loud rumbling noises occasionally interspersed with ferocious roars and furious howls. Numerous figures fluttered about in the sky and various Divine Abilities shone brightly. The power that each participant in this battle could exert was gradually declining. This was the case for the Great Demon God, as well as the Great Emperors; after all, a battle as intense as this one would be extremely taxing for anybody.
At a certain moment, Zhan Wu Hen suddenly charged forward resolutely and his weakening momentum increased sharply as he shouted, “Break his arm!”
After fighting for so long, everybody could tell that the power the Great Demon God could exert would reduce greatly without the right hand from his original body. It was just that the power of this right hand was simply too horrifying, so much so that it had blocked all their attacks for a time. As long as they could chop off his palm though, it would be equivalent to depriving Mo Sheng of his sharpest weapon. That would definitely cause a change in the current situation.
It was with that aim that Zhan Wu Hen targeted the right hand of the Great Demon God. Naturally, everyone else understood his intentions.
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor bit his tongue and sprayed out a mouthful of Blood Essence which merged with the Divine Chaos Flame that had been tightly wrapped in pure Demon Qi, causing it to burst with a dazzling radiance that burned away all the surrounding darkness. Then, the Divine Chaos Flame shot out and wrapped itself around the right hand of Great Demon God like a Fire Snake.
Martial Beast Great Emperor swung his fists wildly while both Ice Feather and Flower Shadow attacked with their swords. Even Heavens Revelations Great Emperor, who had been in charge of defence all this time, summoned a simple-looking bronze coin and channelled his strength into it, causing it to turn into a blue light that slashed at the right hand of Great Demon God.
The Spiritual Energy of Serene Soul Great Emperor poured out of his body and slammed into the Knowledge Sea of Great Demon God, causing blood to flow from Yao Jin’s seven orifices as his complexion went so pale that it was scary.
The two Dragon Clan Elders also charged forward together, intertwining with each other as they released a brilliant cyan and white light. They were shrouded in the resolute determination that they would succeed or not return at all.
Wu Kuang let out a strange cackle, “Satisfying! This is too much fun! Hahahahaha!”
He laughed maniacally and attacked even more enthusiastically. The illusory phantom of the Universe World behind him had completely integrated into his body at this point as he struck forward with his entire cultivation.
The expression of Great Demon God finally changed. Although he had been fighting all the strongest Masters in the entire Star Boundary with his strength alone, he had always held the upper hand in the battle. It wasn’t until now that he finally felt a sense of crisis looming over him. Even he could feel a shudder running through his heart in the face of this fierce onslaught.
The enormous Tai Yue swooped down from the sky at that moment and punched out.
Mo Sheng let out a furious roar and swung his fists to parry Tai Yue’s attack. The two mountain-like fists collided with each other and made a deafening bang. Mo Sheng felt his feet sinking downward as his entire being sank into the ground, splitting it into a spiderweb of bottomless ravines.
On the other hand, Xiao Xiao was thrown backwards and horrifying cracks appeared on his 1,000-metre-tall body. Large pieces of his figure crashed to the ground and disintegrated while he flew out several hundred kilometres…
Yang Kai felt as though his eyes were going to pop at the sight. Unfortunately, he could not spare the effort to check on Xiao Xiao’s condition as he aimed his spear directly at the Great Demon God’s right hand which was still stretched out after the encounter with Xiao Xiao.
Blood splashed in all directions as the enormous Azure Dragon Spear pierced forward with unstoppable momentum, slicing a huge wound across Great Demon God’s wrist and exposing the bones inside.
“Scram!” Great Demon God roared, unleashing a Qi wave out from his mouth that sent Yang Kai tumbling into the distance.
At that moment, Zhan Wu Hen arrived. Likewise, Ice Feather and Flower Shadow’s attacks also landed. There were several ripping and slicing sounds that resulted in Great Demon God’s right hand being severed to a great extent. Blood and Demon Qi gushed out of his wound forming a red black cloud.
The two Elders of the Dragon Clan struck next, their Dragon Claws stretched out as they stubbornly restrained Great Demon God’s movements. They opened their bloody mouths and bit down on the exposed wound, tearing off chunks of flesh. In return, Mo Sheng’s left hand came smashing down on them. The two Elders let out roars of agony as they crashed to the ground.
The Divine Chaos Flame subsequently shot forth and wrapped around the broken section of the severed palm. Accompanied by crackling sounds of flame, the wound on the severed palm rapidly enlarged while even bones were shattered.
Great Demon God was furious. Stretching out his other hand, he grabbed the Divine Chaos Flame and yanked fiercely. He unexpectedly managed to dislodge the Divine Flame that could burn all creation, and to everybody’s disbelief, he shoved the flame into his mouth and chomped down on it. Flames shot out of his nose and mouth, but Mo Sheng forced himself to endure with a grim look on his face.
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s complexion immediately turned as pale as a sheet and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Having been refined by him for tens of thousands of years, the Divine Chaos Flame had long since become one with him; thus, Great Demon God’s actions caused a lot of damage to his body.
“Break!” Wu Kuang roared as he focused all the strength into his finger and pierced at the wound on Great Demon God’s right hand.
*Kacha…*
A crisp sound rang out and Great Demon God’s right hand was separated from his arm, sending an ocean of blood splattering all over the ground.
[We did it!]
This blow was the result of all their concerted efforts. Having practically played all their cards, their efforts were finally paying off; however, a sense of unease suddenly permeated the entire world.
Even though Great Demon God’s right hand had been severed, he actually grinned wickedly and roared, “Die!”
After that, a terrifying aura emerged from the severed hand as it began to swell up rapidly…
Everybody’s pupils instantly contracted to the size of pinpoints at the sight. Nobody could have imagined that Great Demon God would use his own severed palm to play such a dirty trick on them. The signs of swelling and the dangerous aura undoubtedly indicated that he planned to make his original palm explode. Although this would cause great damage to his body, the price the Star Boundary would have to pay would be infinitely greater in comparison.
At this point, everyone was an arrow at the end of its flight and no one was confident that they could survive the detonation of the severed palm. It was hard to even say whether the Star Boundary itself would survive.
The aura of death enveloped the entire Star Boundary and a hint of sadness flashed across Zhan Wu Hen’s eyes. They had given their all, risking their lives, but in the end, still failed to save the world… Even so, they resolved to die alongside the Star Boundary!
His figure did not retreat; instead, he charged toward Great Demon God as he gathered his strength to unleash his greatest attack yet.
At that moment though, a figure appeared out of nowhere and arrived next to the severed palm. He grabbed the severed palm and vanished once more with a flicker of his body. Everyone could clearly tell that the figure that appeared so suddenly belonged to Yang Kai. Besides, only a person proficient in the Dao of Space like him could arrive in time at such a critical juncture. Nobody else had that ability.
There was no doubt that he had taken that dangerous severed palm into the Void Crack at this moment. In the next moment, a huge shockwave emerged from the spot where Yang Kai had vanished. Immediately after that, a black hole appeared at that spot and expanded rapidly, devouring a huge part of the surrounding space in the blink of an eye…
Everyone was stunned as they stared blankly at the dark void that continued to expand outward. Even though their enemy was still before them, they could not help feeling a deep sense of loss. The spreading Void was undoubtedly caused by the explosion of the severed palm. It was so powerful that the impact directly affected the Star Boundary through the Void Crack. That power turned out to be more horrifying than they initially imagined and they understood that if that severed palm had exploded in the Star Boundary, the World itself would have broken apart and ceased to exist!
It was all thanks to Yang Kai taking that severed palm into the Void Crack at the last moment that this Universe World was saved.
But, what had happened to Yang Kai? The power of the severed palm’s explosion was so great, so could he have withstood the impact? There was no way he could! Nobody could escape unscathed from such terrifying destructive power. At this moment, it was likely that the only thing left of him were broken fragments. Even if nobody wanted to admit it, the Great Emperors had no choice but to accept this cruel reality.
“No!” A mournful cry resounded throughout the world.
Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Shan Qing Luo, Xue Yue, and Zhu Qing had been watching the battle from among the crowd below and all of them screamed hysterically at that moment. If not for the people around them holding them back, they would have rushed forward immediately.
In a battle among Great Emperors, no one could intervene except for other Great Emperors. Not even the Pseudo-Great Emperors or other Divine Spirits were qualified.
Xiao Xiao was a special case as he had fully stimulated the Source Strength of his ancestor in the Heavens Order Palace, so his strength was comparable to the Great Emperors, allowing him to participate in this battle. Even so, he had been constantly sent flying during the fight and at this moment, his body had been badly broken. It was unknown whether he would survive.
So what could Su Yan and the others do? They had been watching the battle anxiously from below, feeling extremely nervous whenever they saw Yang Kai cough up blood or becoming excited whenever Great Demon God was wounded badly. Who could have thought that they would witness such a scene without any warning? There had been no signs whatsoever telling them in advance that the man who was supposed to accompany them for the rest of their lives would simply vanish into the Void Crack just like that.
Su Yan’s tender body trembled violently as she could not feel Yang Kai’s existence at all. Even the Spiritual Connection between them that would never vanish was completely cut off at this moment.
On the other side, Dong Su Zhu’s eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted on the spot.
Yang Kai had only just become a Great Emperor a few days ago. How could he die so young? Wouldn’t that make him the shortest-lived Great Emperor in the history of the Star Boundary?
Likewise, Zhan Wu Hen and the others were mourning the loss of Yang Kai in their hearts. They were distressed by the death of one of their companions, but unfortunately, they had no time to grieve. Each of them composed their emotions as quickly as possible and resumed attacking with the dying breaths in their bodies! Void Great Emperor had perished. Nevertheless, they would not hesitate to give up their lives as long as they could protect this world.
The rumbling noises of battle resounded throughout the world again, shaking the entire Star Boundary.
As they had previously guessed, Great Demon God instantly became as weak as an old tiger without fangs after his right arm was chopped off. Not only did his aura reduce significantly, but even his attacks were not as fierce as before. It would seem that losing his original palm had inflicted a great deal of damage to him.
Unfortunately, the same could be said for the Great Emperors. The joint attack they unleashed just now had basically exhausted the majority of their remaining strength. Nobody could tell how things would turn out until the battle actually ended. It was just that, based on the current situation, there was a heavy price to pay regardless of who won the battle in the end.
The world was on the brink of collapse and the World Energy itself churned chaotically. Several figures constantly threw themselves at Great Demon God, only to be knocked back. Then, they would struggle to get up and rush forward once more. The cycle repeated over and over again, causing the entire sky to be dyed red with blood.
…..
Yang Kai floated inside the Void, falling into a peculiar state. It felt as though he had broken free of an invisible shackle and his entire being was filled with a deeply profound sense of peace. He no longer experienced the pain from before nor any other senses for that matter. When he tried to clench his fist, he discovered that he could not move as he wished. When he tried to move his head, he found that he was similarly powerless in that regard. All of a sudden, he realised that his body was gone…
He suddenly recalled what had happened to him. He brought the severed palm into the Void Crack with him; then, he felt a violent shock slamming into him. After that, he found himself in this current situation.
[What is this? Was my physical body completely destroyed?] He was completely at a loss. [No way! I don’t want to become the shortest-lived Great Emperor in the entire history of the Star Boundary! I only just became a Great Emperor not too long ago. Besides, I’m still so young, I still have a long future ahead of me!]
When he sensed the critical danger contained within that severed palm, his mind blanked out completely. Only one thought remained in his head, [I have to get it away from here as soon as possible; otherwise, a huge catastrophe will befall the Star Boundary!]
Nevertheless, he couldn’t help finding the result of his actions rather difficult to accept now that he was faced with the consequences.
[Do I regret my actions?] He asked himself. [Not really. If I had to do it all over again, I would have made the same choice even if I knew what was going to happen to me as a result.]
In the Star Boundary, there were many people who cared for him, loved him, and regarded him as the most important person in their lives. What was the loss of his physical body compared to the safety of those people?
[But… If I was blasted to pieces… Then, what is this situation? My physical body was destroyed, but my Soul remained intact? But, my physical body was turned to dust by the explosion of the severed palm. How is it that my Soul is fine?]
At this moment, he could clearly sense that his Soul was unharmed and perfectly intact. Next, he realised that his Soul was not floating aimlessly in the Void Crack. He was shielded within the petals of a seven-coloured lotus. The flower petals were wrapped around him, isolating him from the dangers in the surrounding.
[The Soul Warming Lotus!] Yang Kai immediately understood the situation. [So that’s how it is! It was the Soul Warming Lotus that protected my Soul from that terrifying blast which had allowed me to survive.]
The Soul Warming Lotus was a Supreme Treasure that possessed unimaginable abilities and effects. He had obtained it when he was still very weak and placed it inside his Knowledge Sea. It had continuously nourished his Soul for many years, which allowed his Soul to grow at a steady pace without him intentionally cultivating it. It was not surprising that it could protect his Soul when he was in a pinch.
After figuring this out, Yang Kai calmed down. As long as his Soul was indestructible, it was not scary even if his physical body was smashed to bits. In the worst case, he could do what Great Demon God did and possess somebody else’s body instead. He would still be able to start over anew.
It was just that this place was the Void Crack, and aside from him, very few people would venture into a place like this; hence, there was no hope of possessing somebody else’s body.
[This is difficult… I don’t have a physical body at the moment, so I can’t exert much of my strength. I don’t have the power to leave this Void Crack even if I wanted to. By the way, what happened to the situation in the Star Boundary? Great Demon God should be at his limits by now. I wonder if the rest of them can manage to kill him? What price would they have to pay to achieve that?]
Too many thoughts swirled about in his head, but he could not be bothered to think about it anymore. After losing the shackles of his physical body, leaving only his Soul behind, his entire being seemed to become lazy and carefree. Furthermore, the surroundings wrapped around him with a warmth that reminded him of home even though he had no physical body. It was an extremely comfortable feeling.
[Falling asleep here just like this doesn’t seem like such a bad choice…] Whilst thinking like that, Yang Kai’s cognitive processes gradually slowed, as though he was going to fall into eternal slumber. All of a sudden, the image of several tear-stricken women flashed across his mind and he jerked awake, a great sense of fear enveloping his heart.
[How are Su Yan and the others doing right now!? They probably saw what happened to me, so they must be heartbroken and in great despair! If I don’t go back, how much grief would they be in!? I have to go back! Even if I don’t have a physical body, I need to tell them that I’m fine! Besides, as long as I can return, I can get Wondrous Pill Great Emperor to refine a Flesh Incarnation Pill for me!]
Back then, Tian Yan did not have a physical body either, and it was precisely by relying on the Flesh Incarnation Pill that he could create a physical body for himself.
[If he can do it, then so can I!]
As for the Flesh Incarnation Fruit needed to refine a Flesh Incarnation Pill, Yang Kai currently did not have one; however, he had a fruit tree in the medicine garden of his Small Sealed World. He was the one who personally brought the fruit tree into the medicine garden back then; therefore, he only needed to wait and there would definitely come a day when the fruit tree would bear fruit.
After considering all this, Yang Kai froze in shock for a moment before gasping to himself, [Where is the Sealed World Bead!?]
All this while, the Sealed World Bead had been contained within his body, so now that his physical body had been torn to pieces, the Sealed World Bead might not be in good condition either. In the worst case, it might have shattered along with his physical body! The moment that thought crossed his mind, Yang Kai panicked and desperately began searching his surroundings.
A sweep of his Divine Sense revealed that the Void was filled with mashed pieces of flesh. There were also large patches of Golden Blood… [The appearance of my shattered physical body sure is an ugly sight.]
On the other hand, his mood brightened and he felt relieved. He did not see any traces of a shattered Sealed World Bead. The interior space inside the Sealed World Bead was extremely large, so if it had truly been shattered, then this Void Crack would surely contain a large portion of the Sealed World Bead’s remains. Since he did not see any such traces, that could only mean that the Sealed World Bead was safe.
[Everything will be fine as long as the Sealed World Bead is safe. It can even be considered a blessing amidst all the misfortunes.]
Relying on the invisible connection in his mind, Yang Kai soon found the Sealed World Bead among the messy Void. It was not too far away from him, so he locked his mind onto it and with a flash of his thoughts, the Sealed World Bead responded, flew over to him, and dropped into the Soul Warming Lotus.
Afterwards, Yang Kai transformed into his Soul Avatar, picked up the Sealed World Bead, kissed it fiercely and repeatedly, and heaved an emotional sigh. It was not a fluke that the Sealed World Bead was safe. It had always been hidden within his body, and when the severed palm self-detonated, the blast caused his body to explode into little pieces. That had to have cushioned most of the impact, so not much force would remain to affect the Sealed World Bead.
The Soul Warming Lotus and the Sealed World Bead were the two treasures that had accompanied Yang Kai the longest on his cultivation journey, so he could not bear to lose either of them.
At this moment, he did not know the situation in the outside world and he was powerless to affect it; therefore, he decided to abandon that thought and focus on his own future.
His top priority right now was to check on the condition of the Flesh Incarnation Fruit Tree. The growth cycle of the fruit was extremely long, but he could not wait for tens of thousands of years for the fruit to grow. If everything else did not work, then he could only ask the two little Wood Spirits to find a way to hasten the growth. With their abilities, that should be something they were capable of doing.
His thoughts flashed and his Soul Avatar slipped into the Small Sealed World and appeared directly within the medicine garden. Mu Zhu and Mu Lu came to greet him when they heard his arrival, “Master!”
Nothing about the situation was strange to them as Yang Kai constantly entered the medicine garden with his Soul Avatar, so they were used to this sight. They could never have imagined that, this time around, he could not come in the flesh even if he wanted to.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, then, he continued with a solemn expression, “I ran into a little trouble. No, it’s a very big problem. As the saying goes, ‘A King nurtures his army to use when necessary’. The time has come for the two of you to help me.”
Mu Zhu and Mu Lu exchanged a glance with each other before the former retorted wryly, “Master, you have never nurtured us…”
It had always been the two of them slaving away in the medicine garden and unless Yang Kai needed their help, he basically never came to visit them. The two little Wood Spirits were no different from two hard labourers ever since they started serving under him. Not to mention, they had to help heal him every time he got hurt.
Shamelessly as always, his Soul Avatar did not even blush at those words as he raised his hand and said, “Only the two of you can help me with this.”
“Master, what do you want us to do? Don’t hesitate to ask!” His words kindled a spark of enthusiasm in the innocent Mu Lu. She clenched her fists tightly, looking as though she would devote her best efforts even if she died for the cause.
In contrast, Mu Zhu stretched out a hand, covered her forehead in exasperation, and shook her head with a sigh.
“I died!” He looked at them with a stern expression.
Mu Zhu blinked in astonishment.
On the other hand, Mu Lu’s eyes immediately reddened and she anxiously cried out, “What!? What do we do now!? Are you alright, Master!?”
Mu Zhu slapped her in the back of her head and chastised her, “Why do you believe everything he says!? Can’t you use your brain a little!?”
“But… But… Master has been killed!” Her tears flowed uncontrollably.
Mu Zhu snapped in frustration, “If he was truly dead, then how did he enter this place to talk to you!?”
Mu Lu was a little stunned, but she soon came back to her senses and cried out excitedly, “That’s right!” Turning back to look at Yang Kai, she asked, “Master, you’re joking, right?”
“I wish I were joking with you, but I’m not in the mood for that right now.” He shrugged, “I’ll say it again in all seriousness. I was beaten to death.”
Mu Zhu frowned, looking him up and down, “Are you serious?”
“It’s not a lie.”
“Then, you…”
“I have the protection of the Soul Warming Lotus, so even if my physical body is gone, my Soul survives!” He gave a wave of his hand and an image appeared beside them. It was an image of the Void Crack.
After looking at the pieces of flesh and puddles of blood scattered throughout the Void, the two little Wood Spirits turned pale as they finally realised that he was not playing a joke on them. The body of the person in front of them had really been shattered to pieces!
“Master… Does it hurt?” Mu Lu’s tears began to flow again. That terrible scene made her heart go cold with fear. What more for him, the one who actually experienced it?
“What do you want us to do?” Mu Zhu’s expression became serious. The destruction of a person’s physical body was an extremely serious matter. If it were anybody else, they would really be dead right now. It was only thanks to the protection of the Soul Warming Lotus, Yang Kai was in fairly good shape despite being in such terrible condition.
“The Flesh Incarnation Fruit!” He looked her in the eye, “I need to find somebody to help me refine the Flesh Incarnation Pill.”
Mu Zhu’s expression sank as she replied, “It takes a thousand years to flower, a thousand years to fruit, and a thousand years to ripen. Since it has not been long since the last fruit was picked, you will need to wait for at least three thousand years…”
“Is there a way to shorten the growth period?” Yang Kai frowned. Although he had already guessed that this might be the case, he still felt troubled when he actually heard the words coming out of Mu Zhu’s mouth.
“I’ll try!” After saying that, Mu Zhu turned around and flew into the depths of the medicine garden. Judging by her behaviour, she did not even want to delay matters for a single breath. She would surely do her best to shorten the growth cycle of the Flesh Incarnation Fruit.
Then, she suddenly turned back and smiled wryly, “Even if we do our best, we can only shorten the time by half at most.”
“That will still take 1,500 years…” Yang Kai couldn’t help gnashing his teeth in response. That was such a long time to wait. Although waiting for 1,500 years was nothing with his current cultivation, it had to be reiterated that he had only lived for over a hundred years but less than two hundred years so far. In comparison, 1,500 years was a little scary to imagine.
“Who did you encounter? A Demon Saint?” She was a little curious about the person who killed him.
“He is even stronger than a Demon Saint,” Yang Kai smiled bitterly. That was the Great Demon God, from whom the entire Demon Race in the Demon Realm was born. A single command from him was all it took for the Demon Saints to obey his orders regardless of their will. They even disregarded their lives and allowed him to devour them.
Mu Zhu exclaimed in surprise, “There’s somebody like that in the world!?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En. I don’t know how long he has lived, but his situation is somewhat similar to my current situation. His physical body was destroyed but his Soul remained until today. But, that guy does not have the Soul Warming Lotus. I wonder how a mere Soul could survive for tens of thousands of years. Could it be that his Soul is so powerful that it has become immortal and indestructible?”
“Tens of thousands of years…” Mu Zhu’s shock increased with those words.
The Soul was a mysterious thing. Every single living creature had a Soul, but Souls were also extremely fragile. No matter how powerful the Soul was, it would not take long for it to be extinguished once exposed to the world without the protection of a physical body. Even somebody as powerful as Tian Yan had to form a physical body first before he could leave the Divine Ascension Mirror.
It was difficult for Mu Zhu to even imagine how a person could survive without a body for tens of thousands of years with their Soul alone. Not to mention, this person was even more powerful than a Demon Saint. Just what kind of existence was he?
She was just about to ask for more details when she saw that Yang Kai’s eyes were practically shining with light. He was looking very pensive and muttering about something under his breath; thus, she listened carefully and heard what he was muttering to himself.
“Immortal and indestructible… Immortal and indestructible…” The light in his eyes was getting brighter and brighter. All of a sudden, he burst out laughing, “How did I forget about it!?”
“Master, what are you referring to?” Mu Zhu was puzzled. She did not know what was going through his head that would make him so ecstatic.
He looked at her with bright eyes and heavily emphasised his words, “Immortal and indestructible. Immortal and indestructible! Doesn’t that remind you of something!?”
Mu Zhu was starting to grasp what he meant; however, she saw his Soul Avatar floating over to the side before she could even react. He soon came to a stop in front of a small tree only as tall as a person and stared at it with a scorching gaze.
For some reason, there was not a single leaf on that small tree. It was so bare that it looked like it might die at any moment, but contrary to appearances, the small tree was overflowing with vitality. It could even be said that the vitality of all the plants in the medicine garden combined could not compare to the vitality within this small tree.
“The Immortal Tree!” Mu Zhu gave a surprised cry, instantly understanding why Yang Kai had been so excited just now. Legend claimed that a person who refined the Immortal Tree would gain an immortal and indestructible body. At that time, that person would be able to live for as long as the world.
The Wood Spirit Clan was a Race that had been dealing with all kinds of Spirit Flowers and exotic grasses since ancient times; thus, they were not unfamiliar with the legends surrounding the Immortal Tree. Nevertheless, that was just a legend and nobody knew whether it was true or false. It could even be said that both Mu Zhu and Mu Lu doubted whether there was such a thing as the Immortal Tree in the world until they came here.
“You want to refine it!?” Mu Zhu looked at Yang Kai.
“Of course.” Yang Kai nodded, “Is there any other way?”
The Flesh Incarnation Fruit was certainly one way, but he would need to wait for at least 1,500 years before it was ready. He could not afford to linger that long.
“But, didn’t you try refining it before?” She frowned.
Yang Kai grinned, “I did try once in the past, but not in this state. Who knows? I might just receive an unexpected but pleasant surprise this time!”
“In that case, be careful!”
Yang Kai did not say anything more. Seeing as he had already found a different method, then there was no reason to hesitate. The worst that could happen was that he would fail. It would still be better than sitting around and twiddling his thumbs. His Soul Avatar turned into a mass of pure Spiritual Energy that slowly wrapped around the Immortal Tree and soon, the entire Immortal Tree was enveloped in his Soul.
He had obtained the Immortal Tree from a peculiar Sealed World in the Lower Star Field, and even now, he could still remember that there was a Seven Coloured Divine Peacock guarding the tree inside that Sealed World. The Seven Coloured Divine Light that the Divine Bird unleashed had been devastating…
At the time, he felt that the Divine Peacock had been incomparably powerful, and looking back on his experience now that he was a Great Emperor, he still believed that the Divine Peacock might be unbeatable even from the perspective of a Great Emperor… That was definitely not a Divine Bird that should have existed in a Lower Star Field. It was a mystery as to why it appeared in such a place.
Yang Kai had tried many times to refine the Immortal Tree after obtaining it, but his efforts had all been to no avail. On the other hand, the leaves of the Immortal Tree had allowed him to save the lives of many people. The price of his actions was that the entire Immortal Tree had become as bare as it was today without a single leaf. It was precisely because of his repeated failed attempts and all the leaves were gone that Yang Kai no longer paid any attention to the Immortal Tree. He had also forgotten all about the legends surrounding it. If it wasn’t for the fact that his body had been destroyed, he would not have recalled this matter either.
A person’s physical body was not only just for the protection of the Soul, it was also a kind of shackle.
Immersing his mind, Yang Kai let go of the many distracting thoughts in his head. The destruction of his physical body was indeed a great loss, but it also allowed him to look at this problem from a completely new angle.
Everything in this world started without a form. Just like the moon reflected in a well and the flowers reflected on the surface of the pond, only the Heavens remain unchanging. The Heavenly Way was unchanging as it was neither living nor dead, neither pure nor defiled… The difference between life and death might be terrifying, but rebirth could only be achieved after death.
As his mind sank deep into his thoughts, Yang Kai gradually seemed to gain insight into some profound mystery.
Inside the medicine garden, Mu Zhu watched in amazement as Yang Kai wrapped his Soul around the Immortal Tree. His Spiritual Energy seeped into the small tree that was only as tall as a person at a rate that was visible to the naked eye. There was no resistance whatsoever and his entire being soon vanished from sight. It looked as though the Immortal Tree had completely devoured his Soul.
Shocked, she desperately called out, “Master! Master…”
How could she receive a response though? She could not even detect his aura with her perception anymore. At this point, she was truly panicking. He still had hope of recreating a new body for himself after his physical body was destroyed, but it would mean true death for him if even his Soul was gone. She never imagined that refining the Immortal Tree would result in this situation. If she had known earlier, she would have stopped him no matter what she had to say.
Mu Zhu’s shouts alarmed Mu Lu, who had been in the depths of the medicine garden trying to stimulate the growth of the Flesh Incarnation Fruit Tree; thus, her small figure hurriedly rushed over. After asking about the situation, she too was frozen on the spot in shock. A long while later, the two sisters looked at each other, hugged each other, and wept.
Mu Lu cried, “What are we going to do now that Master is gone!?”
Mu Zhu was also weeping but she still did her best to console Mu Lu despite the tears flowing down her face, “Don’t panic. Something probably happened to him. There’s no reason for him to disappear just like that.”
Mu Lu said, “We need to think of a way to rescue him quickly!”
“Right! We should think of a way! Think of a way!” Mu Zhu nodded repeatedly.
The two of them looked at each other, their minds churning in their small heads rapidly. After a while though, Mu Zhu finally said, “I can’t think of anything.”
Then, the two little people hugged each other and wept again…
Tired of crying. Mu Zhu gradually stopped weeping. She rubbed her red and swollen eyes, “Matriarch would know what to do if she were here.”
Mu Lu mumbled, “But, Master isn’t here. We don’t have a way to leave this place. How can we look for her?”
The Small Sealed World was a world of its own. Only Yang Kai and the Embodiment could open this world, and although the two of them had lived inside here for many years, they did not possess the ability to open the world.
“Then, we can only work hard to cultivate. When we become stronger, we can tear the World Barrier open and escape; after that, we can search for Matriarch…”
While Mu Zhu was talking, Mu Lu suddenly reached out to tug at her sharply. She looked at Mu Lu and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Big Sister Mu Zhu, look!” Mu Lu pointed in the direction of the Immortal Tree.
Mu Zhu looked in that direction and couldn’t help becoming surprised. It was because the branches of the Immortal Tree were swaying gently, as though somebody was stretching lazily. It was an amazing sight to see.
Her eyes lit up at the sight, “Master is fine!”
There was no wind in the medicine garden and the Immortal Tree had never moved before despite being here for so many years. For the branches to move now could only mean that it was related to the integration of Yang Kai’s Soul.
Under the watch of the two little Wood Spirits, the bare branches danced more and more violently. It was as though the tree was throwing a tantrum, so much so that the branches were cutting through the air with whooshing sounds.
In the next moment, a familiar voice rang out in the minds of the two little people, “What the Hell is going on!? Why did I become a tree!? What is this!?”
That voice belonged to Yang Kai!
“Master?” Mu Zhu widened her eyes and stared at the Immortal Tree in front of her with disbelief.
“That’s right! It’s me!” Yang Kai responded as the branches of the Immortal Tree continued to flail wildly, his voice sounding rather gloomy.
There was no way he could not be depressed! He had felt a shackle binding him out of nowhere after he immersed his mind into the Immortal Tree. Immediately following that, he found himself in his current situation.
It was true that he wanted to refine the Immortal Tree so that he gained an immortal and indestructible body, but even so, he never expected to succeed in this way! He had literally turned into the Immortal Tree and become immortal and indestructible, but what could this body do? Was he supposed to use his branches to flail at his enemies when he was in danger? Not to mention, the tree was so bare that it did not have a single leaf. It made him feel as if he was naked. There was no need to say just how uncomfortable that felt.
Mu Zhu couldn’t help laughing at the funny scene in front of her even though she knew that now was not the time to laugh. On the other hand, Mu Lu flew over and circled around the Immortal Tree, “Master, are you okay?”
“How can I be okay in this situation?” He replied with a stomach full of grievances.
Mu Lu shrank back slightly after being told off. As a Wood Spirit, she was naturally close to all sorts of flowers, plants, and trees. Be that as it may, even she would find it difficult to accept if she was turned into a flower or a tree. What more Yang Kai who was a living Human?
Mu Zhu comfortingly said, “Don’t panic, Master. Now that you have refined and used the Immortal Tree as your body, you might be able to take on a Human form in the future if you work hard on your cultivation. You must know about how plants and trees become Spirits, right? There are many plants and trees in this world that cultivate for many years to become Spirits and assume Human form. Besides, the Immortal Tree is a Supreme Treasure, so it might be a blessing in disguise. Who can say? When you take on a Human form one day, you might find that you not only regain your former strength but also experience tremendous growth.”
“That makes sense!” Yang Kai wanted to nod his head but could only make the branches of the Immortal Tree sway from side to side, “But, you must know that cultivation is much more difficult for plants and trees compared to those with flesh and blood. No matter how hard I try, it will take thousands of years for me to assume a Human form!”
Mu Zhu was struck speechless. Just as she was about to say something though, Yang Kai raised a branch to stop her, “No need for words of comfort. I’ll try and figure out a way to leave the tree.”
After saying that, the Immortal Tree fell silent again.
The two Wood Spirits looked on eagerly from the side and a short while later, the aura of Yang Kai’s Soul appeared above the Immortal Tree. Immediately after that, Spiritual Energy that was visible to the naked eye flew out of the Immortal Tree and turned back into Yang Kai’s appearance.
It was just that Yang Kai’s expression seemed to contain some lingering fears. More than that, he seemed to be contemplating something. The process of refining and coming out of the Immortal Tree had been unexpectedly smooth and easy, almost as though there were no obstacles at all. It was completely unlike his numerous attempts in the past that failed so miserably that he believed all the legends to be false.
The biggest difference between now and before was that he no longer had a physical body. In that case, the condition to refine the Immortal Tree seemed to be undergoing destruction in order to experience creation. Only by completely removing the shackles of the physical body could the Immortal Tree be truly refined. As such, Yang Kai failed to meet the requirements for refining the tree in the past because he had a physical body.
When that thought crossed his mind, he smiled bitterly. Leaving aside whether his theory was correct, even if somebody other than him had gotten their hands on the Immortal Tree instead, who would willingly abandon their physical body just to refine it? It was a lucky coincidence that his body had been smashed to pieces and he had no other choice but to attempt this feat. It was surprising that it turned out to be such an easy success.
[If that’s the case…] Yang Kai frowned deeply, sinking deep into contemplation. Soon though, his eyes brightened and all of a sudden, he seemed to make up his mind about something and declared, “I’m going out for a bit.”
After saying that, his Divine Sense surged and he plunged headfirst into the Immortal Tree, vanishing out of sight. A short while later, the Immortal Tree pulled up its own roots and broke free of the ground in the medicine garden. The bare branches swayed and danced, sweeping through the air and leaving the Small Sealed World in an instant.
Back in the Void, where the Soul Warming Lotus was floating, a small tree the size of a person appeared out of nowhere. It was the first time for the two Supreme Treasures to meet each other. The Soul Warming Lotus had always been contained within his Knowledge Sea, so this chance had never presented itself before.
Yang Kai reached out a branch and wrapped the Soul Warming Lotus in his embrace. The seven-coloured light enveloped the entire small tree, protecting his Soul from being affected by the erosion of the Void.
The small tree then began emitting a surging vitality as it navigated through the Void. Everywhere this vitality passed, the pieces of scattered flesh and severed limbs seemed to gather together. It didn’t take long before the pieces of flesh completely enveloped the Immortal Tree.
From an outside perspective, the Immortal Tree quickly disappeared from view. All that moved through the Void was a huge meatball. The meatball was composed of countless pieces of flesh and looked extremely weird, but the pulse of life was slowly growing inside of it.
Yang Kai was ecstatic! He never imagined that the fanciful idea he tried on a whim would actually work. As time went by, the meatball became larger and larger, gradually turning into a several-dozen-metre-diameter behemoth. A slow and heavy thumping sound came out from within the fleshy mass, beating rhythmically, and with every rise and fall of the sound, the entire meatball gently expanded and shrank in response.
Finally, all the scattered pieces of meat had been gathered in one place and the meatball was quietly suspended in the Void, the thumping sound beating loudly and strongly. The surface of the meatball bulged from time to time as though something was about to break out of it.
Inside the meatball, Yang Kai felt as though his entire body was overflowing with vitality. The density of the life aura was simply unprecedented. The Immortal Tree that was as tall as a person seemed to dissolve into pure vitality and merge together with the pieces of flesh. Then, the flesh began to squirm and the severed limbs began to reassemble themselves.
Yang Kai soon felt his head forming, then his hands, followed by his torso, and then his legs… The entire process took less than half a day in total. At this moment, he could finally perceive his existence once more. It wasn’t just the ethereal existence of his Soul, but a rebirth in the truest sense. The feeling of being born anew gave him an indescribable sense of joy.
Afterwards, he spread his arms out in front of him, his actions accompanied by a loud explosion as the enormous meatball burst open to reveal a strong, brave, and heroic figure!
Closing his eyes, Yang Kai scanned the internal condition of his body and quickly determined there were no hidden dangers. Rather, his body was in a better than peak state. Not only was his physique reformed completely, but even the wounds he suffered from the previous battle with the Great Demon God were gone. In addition, the vitality surging through his body was so dense that even he found it difficult to believe. Since he had a Dragon Source, his vitality had always been stronger than others; even so, the difference was like clouds and mud when comparing his previous self and his current self.
The Immortal Tree was nowhere to be seen, seemingly having integrated itself into every piece of his body and every drop of his blood. He felt as though even the Void itself would shatter in his grip if he so much as gently clenched his fist.
Opening his eyes, Yang Kai studied his appearance. After this resurrection, his skin was fair and clear, like that of a newborn. Even the spattering of grey hair he had recently acquired was replaced with a head of black that was as dark as night itself.
His grey hair had come from the time when he fought Wind Lord in the Flowing Time Temple. The Time Principles that had been used at the time had eaten away at him and drained a lot of his lifespan, leading to damage to his foundation. Yang Kai had failed to recover from that damage even after becoming a Great Emperor, but the damage was now gone without any treatment whatsoever. It was quite an unexpected but pleasant surprise.
The fact that his grey hair had turned black again meant that the lifespan he lost had been returned to him once more. Thinking about it again, the legend claimed that a person would become immortal and indestructible after refining the Immortal Tree. If that were the case, would a person’s lifespan still have any meaning?
Yang Kai didn’t know whether he was immortal and indestructible now, but refining the Immortal Tree had definitely increased his lifespan by a great extent; otherwise, a change like this would never have occurred.
The corners of his mouth broke into a wide grin and he laughed heartily before he shouted, “I’m alive again!”
The two small Wood Spirits were waiting nervously inside the medicine garden of the Small Sealed World, but when the voice entered their ears, an image of Yang Kai standing in the Void immediately appeared in front of them. The two of them widened their eyes in surprise, but in the next moment, Mu Zhu lifted her hands and covered Mu Lu’s eyes as she blushed furiously and exclaimed, “Clothes! Your clothes!”
Yang Kai slapped his forehead and quickly cut off the connection with the Small Sealed World before hastily taking out a set of clothing and getting dressed. After thinking about it, he added another snow-white mantle on top of his clothes. The erected collar stood tall, almost covering the back of his neck. A Dragon and a Phoenix was sewn into the back of the mantle to form a ‘Kill’ character. Wearing this mantle made him look extremely bloodthirsty.
Back when the Sixty-First Army had been founded, Shan Qing Luo and the others had asked Hou Yu to refine this mantle. The raw materials they selected were all extremely precious materials and it could be considered a fairly good artifact. In addition, it provided a certain level of protection and could work well together with his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique since it could be enlarged or minimised at will.
Their original intention was that it would resonate with the ‘Kill’ character on the banners when he led the Sixty-First Army against their enemies and thereby increase his intimidating factor. Unfortunately, Yang Kai had found it too ostentatious and never wore it. It would come in handy at a time like this though as a newcomer arriving on the scene definitely needed a decent sense of style!
His Divine Sense surged and spread around to his surroundings. He soon detected an aura that was connected to his heart and reaching out his hand into the Void, he shouted, “Spear, come!”
There was a humming sound and a stream of light sliced through the air towards Yang Kai. He grabbed that light in the palm of his hand. It was none other than the Azure Dragon Spear he lost after his body was blasted to bits.
With the spear in hand, his aura suddenly became sharp and fierce. He fixed his gaze forward as though he could look into the war-torn world through the barriers of space and time.
“Time for round two, Mo Sheng!” The moment those words left his mouth, Yang Kai took a step forward and vanished from that spot in an instant.
…..
Shan Qing Luo looked at Su Yan with red and swollen eyes inside High Heaven Palace in the Star Boundary and asked, “Big Sister, are you sure Husband is not dead?”
Likewise, Su Yan’s eyes were red and there were still traces of tears on her cheeks, but she firmly affirmed those words, “I’m certain!”
Xue Yue said, “Big Sister, please don’t lie to us. We… We…”
Su Yan lifted her hand to wipe her face as she explained, “He is now a Great Emperor. If he truly did die, then an anomaly would have occurred in the world. But, half a day has passed since then and the world has not shown any changes. So, he can’t be dead yet. Did you forget what happened when Can Ye was killed previously?”
After hearing her explanation, the other women also cheered up. Her words were the truth. A Heavenly Manifestation had indeed appeared in the world when Can Ye was killed. Everybody in the Star Boundary, regardless of their strength, had instantly known that a Great Emperor had fallen. Looking at it in this way, there was a high possibility that Yang Kai was fine after all. The world would have shown a reaction otherwise.
“But… He is in the Void Crack. What if it was because of the World Barrier…”
Su Yan shook her head and replied, “Don’t forget about Bright Moon Great Emperor!”
The other women were stunned for a moment, then the realisation struck them suddenly. Bright Moon Great Emperor lost his life in the Demon Realm, but even so, his death still caused an anomaly in the Star Boundary. If something had truly happened to Yang Kai, then there would be signs even if he was in a Void Crack. On the contrary, there had been no strange signs appearing in the world up until now. That undoubtedly indicated that Yang Kai was still alive and well. It was just that he had not been able to return for some reason.
If it were somebody else, they might have been worried; however, Yang Kai was the Void Great Emperor who became a Great Emperor through the Dao of Space. It was impossible for anything to happen to him in the Void Crack no matter how dangerous it might be. The reason he had not returned might be that he was healing from his injuries. He had brought the severed palm into the Void Crack after all, so it was a certainty that he had been hurt.
[It’s just…] Su Yan glanced at the battle in the distance with a worried look, secretly praying in her heart, [Please come back quickly. If you don’t come back soon, the Star Boundary won’t be able to hold on anymore.]
The world shook as numerous figures flew about and fresh blood rained down from the sky as the fallout from the fierce battle swept out. Even the Pseudo-Great Emperors did not dare to approach carelessly.
Li Wu Yi had tried to lend a helping hand in the battle on multiple occasions but was forced back by the terrifying shockwaves. Even the strongest Master beneath the Great Emperors like him was unable to participate in the battle, what more the other Pseudo-Great Emperors? Besides, there were many Half-Saints among the Demon Race that were still eyeing them menacingly, so they could not let their guard down.
The situation of the battle was not looking too optimistic. Great Demon God’s right hand had been severed, which indeed caused heavy damage to him, almost equivalent to pulling out his fangs. Even so, the Great Emperors had paid a huge price to achieve that feat. The auras of every one of them were weak and unstable, with the only one in relatively better condition being Wu Kuang.
The Heaven Devouring Battle Law was certainly worthy of being called the greatest Evil Art in history. The ability to devour the enemy’s strength and convert that power into the user’s own strength to keep fighting was obvious to all. If the Heaven Devouring Battle Law had not possessed such Heaven-defying power, Wu Kuang could not have fought against nine other Great Emperors all by himself during the Great Emperor War in the Shattered Star Sea. At that time, he had also killed four Great Emperors with his strength alone!
The current Great Demon God was extremely powerful, so much so that he single-handedly caused all top Masters in the Star Boundary to fall into a wretched state. However, nobody died in this battle. Aside from Void Great Emperor who had gone missing, the others were still alive and well. Just from this point alone, Wu Kuang in his heyday might not necessarily lose to Great Demon God at this moment.
The Great Emperors had managed to tide through the battle in the Shattered Star Sea, but they were having hard time overcoming this challenge. Great Demon God’s cultivation surpassed that of the Great Emperors after all, and that was a gap that could not be erased.
Countless Dragon Scales fell off the bodies of the two Dragon Clan Elders and many huge wounds all over their bodies dripped with Dragon Blood. The drops of Dragon Blood that weighed several thousand kilograms crashed into the ground to form deep pits.
The banner behind Zhan Wu Hen had become dim and dull while his vitality was also weakened to the extreme. Ice Feather’s sword had broken. Flower Shadow had a wound that penetrated her abdomen from front to back that still oozed Demon Qi. Wondrous Pill was breathing heavily, constantly coughing up blood. Heavens Revelations’ hair was dishevelled and his eyes were bloodshot. Martial Beast Great Emperor’s fists were trembling uncontrollably and all ten of his fingers were broken.
Xiao Xiao was still present, but had shrunk to under half the size of his original appearance. His aura was also much weaker than when he was at his peak. It would seem that the disintegration he experienced previously had greatly diminished his strength.
Zhang Ruo Xi, Heavens Order’s descendant, was also covered in fresh blood. Nevertheless, her eyes were blazing with the fiery flames of rage and the murderous intent she was releasing was so strong that she almost scorched the Heavens and Earth.
It was an unimaginably brutal battle, and the universe screamed in agony under its weight. The world trembled as the Star Boundary was vaguely showing signs of collapsing. Countless large Void Cracks stretched across the world and the World Principles themselves were completely in a disarray.
If the Great Emperors themselves could barely hold on anymore, how could the world last much longer? Initially, the Star Boundary was eroded by Demon Essence and lost much of its Auspicious Spirit Essence. Then, World Force was constantly being mobilised during this battle, bringing the Star Boundary to the brink of exhaustion.
Similarly, the Great Demon God seemed to be an arrow at the end of its flight. His enormous body was covered in various wounds and the more severe injuries had gouged out large chunks of his flesh to reveal the white bones inside. No matter how powerful he was, he still had to pay a price to fend off the Great Emperors’ ferocious offensive.
“In the end, it is still this King’s victory. Why did you even bother struggling so hard in the first place?” Great Demon God sneered while gasping for breath.
Nobody responded, and their lack of response made him look like a bumbling clown performing foolish antics. Understanding this, Mo Sheng coldly snorted and raised his huge palm to cover the sky, “Let’s end this. Although you have fought valiantly, the difference in our strength is not something that can be compensated for with courage alone.”
His huge palm came slamming down, blocking out the light in front of everybody’s eyes. The aura of death enveloped all of them at this moment, causing them to feel a chill running down their backs and their limbs to go cold.
In that moment of despair, Zhan Wu Hen suddenly raised his head and looked up at a certain Void Crack. Likewise, Great Demon God halted his actions and hurriedly looked behind him.
A cold light glinted from the depths of the pitch-black Void Crack, and in the next moment, a spear came flying out as a terrifying aura descended from the sky, accompanied by a burst of laughter, “I’m… back!”
Great Demon God’s pupils shrunk as he shouted, “How can you still be alive!?”
Nobody knew better than Great Demon God just how much power was contained in the explosion of his severed palm. A trivial Yang Kai could not possibly come out of that explosion unscathed. Even if the latter was proficient in the Dao of Space, there was no way he could escape the destructive force of the severed palm’s detonation. At best, he would be smashed to pieces by the impact.
And yet, the person leaping out of the Void Crack was completely unhurt. Even the injuries he previously sustained in the battle were completely healed. Moreover, his aura was stronger than before. The power behind the current attack gave Great Demon God a sense of danger, as if something very bad would happen to him if he did not stop that blow.
The wind blew wildly around Yang Kai, making his white mantle flap as he descended from the sky like a divine warrior, causing all the Great Emperors’ eyes to brighten.
Meanwhile, the Great Demon God hurriedly pulled back his hand that had been slamming down on the Great Emperors and swatted at Yang Kai instead. In the next moment, a furious howl came out of his mouth as his giant palm had been pierced through by a violent force.
Wrapped in a layer of murderous intent, Yang Kai spilled the blood of his enemy across the sky but remained spotless throughout it all. He subsequently arrived at the top of Great Demon God’s head, gripped his spear firmly, raised it up high, and chopped down fiercely.
*Hong…*
The ant-like figure’s ferocious blow made the several thousand-metre-tall Great Demon God stagger from the impact. His knees bent and he nearly knelt down on the ground. That blow from the spear stunned him slightly and his enormous body swayed as if he was drunk.
How could the others allow such a good opportunity to slip by?
A Dragon Roar rang out as the two Elders of the Dragon Clan joined forces and attacked. Meanwhile, Zhan Wu Hen and the others charged forward from all directions to unleash the last of their strength.
*Hong hong hong…*
Great Demon God’s body staggered from the impact as all those attacks and new wounds were added before his old ones could heal. Blood splashed everywhere and he subconsciously let out a roar of pain. However, he quickly regained his composure in the short span of three breaths. His body jerked slightly and a formidable burst of Demon Qi rushed outward, sending all the Great Emperors flying into the distance.
When they crashed to the ground, none of them could get up again. Flower Shadow and Ice Feather fell unconscious on impact and nobody could tell if they were even still alive. Tai Yue’s enormous body disintegrated once more and a small figure escaped from the enormous pile of rubble, plunging into the ground and disappearing out of sight.
Li Wu Yi hurried over to where the Great Emperors had crashed, rescuing them one by one.
Only Yang Kai remained.
With a flick of the Azure Dragon Spear, innumerable spear shadows shot at the Great Demon God and blood splattered everywhere. Every single spear blasted a hole in Great Demon God’s body, gouging out large pieces of his flesh.
“I’ll kill you!” Great Demon God roared, reaching for the tiny figure in front of him with his giant hand.
“Kill me? How? By talking me to death!?” Yang Kai sneered. When he saw the giant palm grabbing at him, he didn’t even bother to dodge as he shouted, “Dragon Transformation!”
There was a crackling sound, Dragon Scales covered his entire body and Dragon Horns grew out of his head. Both his hands turned into Dragon Claws and a Dragon Tail flicked behind him. A supreme Dragon Pressure descended in the next moment.
After assuming his Half-Dragon Form, Yang Kai’s aura soared. However, he was stunned for a moment because he noticed that there was something wrong with his field of vision. He seemed to stand much higher than the last time he underwent his Dragon Transformation.
His thoughts flashed and he immediately understood what had happened. He had grown taller after performing the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique. Not only that, but it was a tremendous growth spurt! His formerly 1,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Body had increased to an incredible 2,000 metres! He had doubled his original size! Such a huge change made it difficult for him to adapt to his body quickly as he wondered if this was another benefit of refining the Immortal Tree.
The root of the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique was to develop the Dragon Source in his body. The more his Source Strength was developed, the larger his body became after taking on his Dragon Form. When Yang Kai previously gained insight into the Martial Truth back at the ancient battlefield, he had managed to improve his Dragon Source and obtained his more than 1,000 metre-tall Dragon Body through several dozen years of intense cultivation.
After the incident where his body was shattered and reformed, it turned out that refining the Immortal Tree actually stimulated the Dragon Source to a great extent. If not, how could Yang Kai now possess a 2,000-metre Dragon Form?
It only took a moment for those thoughts to run through Yang Kai’s head before he re-focused and thrust out his spear.
With a stab, the Azure Dragon Spear penetrated the body of the Great Demon God from front to back.
At the same time, Great Demon God’s palm impacted Yang Kai’s head. An overwhelming force came from that palm strike and Yang Kai felt as though his head was about to explode. His entire being was stunned by the impact. However, he quickly realised that it was not just a feeling. Half of his head was really smashed to pieces.
Great Demon God could not stop laughing, “Overconfident!”
If Yang Kai had not fought him head-on, he might have needed to spend some effort to kill the former in his current state. Unfortunately, the gap in their cultivation could not be overcome in such a direct confrontation even if Mo Sheng was an arrow at the end of its flight. He might not know how Yang Kai managed to escape death before, but there was no chance of survival now that his head had been smashed in.
“Seal!” Yang Kai was also grinning, however, his smile particularly creepy given that half his face was mashed up.
World Force moved in accordance with his will, infusing into the Azure Dragon Spear. Yang Kai clutched the spear with both hands and thrust forward fiercely, directly pinning Great Demon God to the ground.
Lifting his head, Yang Kai stared forward grimly and shouted, “Let’s see where you run now!”
With the might of the world intertwined around the Azure Dragon Spear to form a shackle, there was no way for Great Demon God to break free unless he could destroy the entire Star Boundary.
“You…” Great Demon God widened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai in disbelief. Despite all his knowledge and experience, despite travelling the universe for so many years, he had never seen a person who could still behave so energetically after having their head bashed in.
Immediately after he spoke though, his expression changed and he muttered, “This vitality…”
He could sense an unimaginable vitality coming from the wound on Yang Kai’s head. That vitality was so strong that even he couldn’t help feeling moved. When the words left his mouth, he saw the edges of the wound on Yang Kai’s head squirming slightly before the latter quickly returned to normal.
Mo sheng’s eyes widened even further at the sight.
Even the Great Emperors watching from the sidelines were incredibly surprised.
“Regrowing flesh and bone… Reviving from the dead…” Su Yan’s complexion brightened as he realized something and shouted, “The Immortal Tree!”
Only the Heavens knew how much despair she had felt when she personally saw half of Yang Kai’s head being destroyed. Now that she understood that Yang Kai had managed to refine the Immortal Tree, however, she finally felt a sense of relief washing over her.
“Immortal Tree! You actually refined the Immortal Tree!” Great Demon God finally reacted. Everything in front of him indicated that this person who had ruined all his plans had refined the legendary Supreme Treasure, drawing an extreme sense of jealousy from Mo Sheng’s heart.
[If I had the Immortal Tree back then, I would have been resurrected and reborn a long time ago! Why would I need to wait and plan for tens of thousands of years!? Why would I have to suffer such a difficult battle today!?]
“Why do you have the Immortal Tree!?” Great Demon God felt as though he was about to go mad from envy.
The only answer he received was Yang Kai’s fist swinging at him fiercely. That punch landed squarely on his temple, causing his vision to black out for an instant. His head buzzed slightly from the impact. He instinctively raised a hand, grabbed Yang Kai’s arm, and tore off a large piece of flesh.
Yang Kai ignored the attack and unleashed a storm of punches, his fists raining down on the Great Demon God. It was followed by a series of booming sounds that rang out incessantly.
Similarly, Great Demon God ignored those attacks. He stuffed the flesh he tore off from Yang Kai’s body into his mouth and chewed before swallowing. Since Yang Kai had refined the Immortal Tree, it could be said that his entire body was the Immortal Tree itself. Yang Kai’s flesh was full of the Immortal Tree’s essence, and as the surging vitality entered Mo Sheng’s abdomen, it began suppressing all the terrible injuries that were inflicted on his body.
The final battle had arrived at its climax, but nobody could have expected this outcome. The enormous body of the Great Demon God was nailed to the ground by Yang Kai using the Azure Dragon Spear that was infused with the Star Boundary’s Will. Great Demon God was completely immobilised as a result. Yang Kai’s 2,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Form was practically riding on top of Great Demon God as he desperately launched attack after attack. On the other hand, Great Demon God flailed his hands above him to tear off Yang Kai’s flesh and stuff the meat into his mouth.
Every punch was accompanied by a muffled grunt that spread throughout the world. Great Demon God felt as though his head was about to become deformed and there were countless cuts and bruises all over his face. Yang Kai wasn’t in any better condition. His body was missing quite a few chunks of meat, exposing his Golden Dragon Bones.
Their injuries were quickly being healed by the essence of the Immortal Tree, and for a time, they were stuck in a stalemate. Neither could do anything to the other, and at this point, it was simply a matter of who could persevere the longest.
A figure flew over unsteadily from not too far away and finally came to a stop above Great Demon God’s head. It was Wu Kuang, who was chuckling under his breath with an expression of madness on his face. His hands danced swiftly, forming a set of complex seals before he suddenly slammed one palm downward and shouted, “Heaven Devouring… Battle Law!”
It did not look like he had exerted much strength into his palm strike; however, waves of pure vitality visible to the naked eye were being extracted from the Great Demon God’s body and integrated into his body. Wu Kuang’s expression was ecstatic as he looked like he was sampling the most delicious delicacies in the world, causing his laughter to become more and more insane by the moment.
“Bastard!” Great Demon God glared at the ant above his head and roared.
Wu Kuang met Great Demon God’s eyes with a mocking look and provocatively taunted, “Glare me to death if you can!”
Under normal circumstances, his actions would not have bothered Great Demon God as Wu Kuang had been devouring his strength with the Heaven Devouring Battle Law since the battle had begun. It was just that the results had not been significant before.
Be that as it may, the current situation was different. Great Demon God was stuck in a difficult situation with his body pinned down by the Azure Dragon Spear and Yang Kai’s attacks raining down on him like a storm. With Wu Kuang devouring his strength on top of that, it became somewhat overwhelming for Mo Sheng. The power in his body flowed out quickly, vanishing into thin air just like that. Even the essence of the Immortal Tree could not replenish his strength in time.
A feeling of panic bloomed in Mo Sheng’s heart and his expression changed greatly. He raised his palm to grab at Wu Kuang, but a Dragon Tail curled around him without warning at that moment. The mighty force imprisoned one of his arms, and despite struggling to break free of the restraints, Great Demon God found he could not move in the slightest. Howling furiously, he slapped Yang Kai’s chest with his other arm. Halfway through his attack, he used his hand like a knife to stab straight into Yang Kai’s chest and grab his still beating heart.
Before Great Demon God could exert any strength, however, Yang Kai grinned and grabbed Great Demon God’s large hand with both his hands, tightened his grip, and spat out a single word, “Explode!”
Space Principles fluctuated violently and erupted at the base of Great Demon God’s arm. Blood splattered everywhere as Great Demon God’s arm was completely severed by the blow, drawing a miserable howl from his lips. On the other hand, Yang Kai casually tossed the huge arm behind him and continued his barrage of punches.
Demon Qi flourished where Great Demon God’s arm was severed and his flesh squirmed as though a new arm would soon grow back. However, Wu Kuang’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law continuously devoured the blood and pure energy that gathered at the fresh wound; consequently, Mo Sheng’s injury showed no signs of healing, much less regenerating.
Amidst the loud rumbling, Great Demon God’s monstrous aura continued to fall while Yang Kai’s aura was also declining. Even though Yang Kai had refined the Immortal Tree and fully recovered from his previous battle before fighting a second round, it was still difficult for him to withstand such a brutal confrontation.
“Scram!” Great Demon God seemed to recover all of a sudden and his weakening aura suddenly erupted with great vigour. When he opened his mouth to shout, a violent force was unleashed that turned into a deadly attack that slammed into Yang Kai’s body.
Yang Kai’s 2,000-metre body was sent flying from the impact without the slightest ability to resist. The sound of bones breaking came from his body while he was suspended in mid-air. Numerous wounds exploded across his chest and golden blood gushed out of his numerous wounds.
Yang Kai crashed into the ground heavily, but immediately tried to get back up on his feet. Before he could stand up fully, however, he stumbled and half-kneeled on the ground again while gasping for breath. His vision was blurred by blood and the entire world looked as though it was shrouded in gold.
“It’s time!” Wu Kuang had been hovering above Great Demon God’s head all this time, unceasingly devouring Great Demon God’s power, when all of a sudden, he exclaimed softly and raised his arms above his head, he shouted, “Brat, don’t hesitate to rip this corpse into ten thousand pieces if the situation seems off! The consequences will be dire otherwise!”
After saying that, he plummeted headfirst from the sky and inserted his hand into one of the wounds on Great Demon God’s head. Immediately after that, Wu Kuang’s body shuddered slightly. His eyes dimmed for a moment, but they soon brightened once more and he hurriedly pulled out his hand, backed away from Great Demon God, and came to Yang Kai’s side, staring forward with a solemn expression.
These actions did no harm at all, but unexpectedly, Great Demon God, who was on his back, nailed to the ground, looked as though he had been struck by lightning after Wu Kuang’s odd move. His eyes widened in astonishment and he roared furiously, “Ignorant ant! You truly do not fear the Heavens! Get out!”
As those words left Mo Sheng’s mouth, however, his weak aura fluctuated erratically. The Demon Qi in his body also surged and fell violently as though he was going through an intense battle.
Yang Kai panted heavily as he watched. At first, he did not understand what was happening; however, he soon thought of something and turned to look to the side with a frown, “Sir Hong Chen?”
Duan Hong Chen gently nodded and replied in a solemn voice, “Prepare yourself. If the situation turns bad, you will need to cooperate with this Old Master to kill him immediately!”
Yang Kai was shocked, “Wu Kuang is trying to possess the Great Demon God!?”
Duan Hong Chen and Wu Kuang shared the same body ever since the last time the Shattered Star Sea opened. Wu Kuang seemed to dominate the body most of the time, but the person standing in front of Yang Kai at this moment was none other than Duan Hong Chen. As such, it was not hard to guess where Wu Kuang had gone.
Yang Kai couldn’t help being shocked by Wu Kuang’s audacity. That was Great Demon God! How could Wu Kuang even think about possessing such a Master?
Upon further consideration, however, Yang Kai was reminded of the saying ‘the greater the risk, the greater the reward’. Bustling World Great Emperor and Heaven Devouring Great Emperor could not remain as two Souls sharing one body forever. If he were standing in Wu Kuang’s shoes, he would not let such a rare opportunity slip him by either. Even if he had to take a huge risk, the reward if he succeeded was undoubtedly worth it.
Duan Hong Chen shook his head slowly, “He is not possessing the body. He is devouring Great Demon God!”
Yang Kai immediately understood. Possession was very different from devouring, and the latter was what Wu Kuang excelled at doing. Great Demon God was practically a dry oil lamp after fighting several consecutive battles while on the other hand, Wu Kuang had the Heaven Devouring Battle Law on his side. He might actually stand a chance at succeeding in his endeavour.
“What are the odds?” Yang Kai asked in a grim voice.
“Less than 30%!”
Yang Kai drew in a breath of cold air at those words. He couldn’t believe Wu Kuang dared to attempt this feat with less than a 30% chance of success! Did he not take his own life seriously?
Duan Hong Chen had shared one body with Wu Kuang for so many years, so nobody knew the characteristics of Wu Kuang’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law better than he did. If he claimed the chances were less than 30%, then it must be so.
“Do we need to guard against Wu Kuang?” Yang Kai asked another question.
Needless to say, they would have to face a third battle against Great Demon God if Wu Kuang failed in his attempt. They had to kill Great Demon God even at the cost of their lives. On the other hand, how they dealt with Wu Kuang if he actually succeeded was another problem altogether. Duan Hong Chen had restrained Wu Kuang in the past, so the latter could not act recklessly and cause unnecessary trouble. Once Wu Kuang escaped Duan Hong Chen’s body and obtained Great Demon God’s, however, the damage he could cause if he turned hostile would be no less than Mo Sheng himself.
The Star Boundary could not withstand any more conflict. Yang Kai was the Void Great Emperor who possessed part of the World’s Will now; hence, he knew better than anybody that this battle would cause the Star Boundary to suffer endless hardships in the future.
“No need!” Duan Hong Chen shook his head slowly, “If he succeeds, there will be nothing here he cares about. His pursuit of the Martial Dao has always been firm. It was different because he had no clue in the past how to progress; but, do you think he will remain in this place after learning that there are people stronger than him out there?”
Yang Kai pondered for a while before he nodded and agreed, “That’s true. In that case, I hope he succeeds.”
He was not afraid to fight Great Demon God again. After refining the Immortal Tree, his healing abilities had become quite terrifying. The injuries he suffered just now were mostly healed and he would recover completely with a little more time. Comparatively, how much could Great Demon God recover even if he ate a few chunks of Yang Kai’s flesh?
The second battle had ended with both sides suffering injuries, but Yang Kai was confident that he could kill Great Demon God by himself in their third confrontation! Still, he immediately began meditating and adjusting his breathing to recover his strength as much as possible. At the same time, he paid attention to the movements of the Great Demon God.
Great Demon God had been struggling and roaring continuously ever since Wu Kuang’s Soul barged into his body, it was just that the Azure Dragon Spear had pierced his chest, so he was powerless to escape even if he wanted to.
There were clearly two different auras clashing with each other inside that enormous body. They intertwined and blended with each other so that it was very difficult to distinguish between the two. An overwhelming power swept out from the body in all directions and the Qi waves propagated into the surroundings with Great Demon God at the centre.
In the meantime, several figures flew into the sky unsteadily to surround Great Demon God. They were none other than the Great Emperors who were exhausted from the previous fight. They had recovered as best as possible while Yang Kai was fighting Great Demon God alone, and it wasn’t until now that they finally regained enough strength to move once more. Even Flower Shadow and Ice Feather who had fainted previously had woken up.
Yang Kai looked up. His gaze swept over the familiar faces and he smiled knowingly. Removing his Dragon Transformation, he flew into the sky with Duan Hong Chen.
Nine figures; nine Great Emperors. They were connected to each other in spirit. The power of the entire Universe World circulated among the nine people as they quietly looked at the Great Demon God below them, ready to act at a moment’s notice!
Time had never passed so slowly before. Every moment, every breath that passed by seemed agonisingly long. Nine figures stood in the sky, waiting quietly. The two auras in the body of Great Demon God, who was pinned to the ground by the Azure Dragon Spear, clashed with each other fiercely and continuously. With time, the confrontation gradually weakened and finally subsided altogether.
No one knew how long had passed, but Great Demon God closed his eyes and lay there motionless, almost as though he was dead. Nevertheless, Yang Kai and the others could still perceive through their Divine Sense that there was a weak trace of vitality remaining in Mo Sheng’s body. Great Demon God was not dead yet, but he was certainly a lamp running out of oil. The current Great Demon God was nowhere near as imposing as he had been when he was first resurrected. His current appearance was incomparably wretched and gruesome.
All of a sudden, he opened his eyes without any warning. His appearance might be miserable, but his eyes were burning brightly. The corners of his mouth lifted as he started to laugh. His laughter started out soft but the volume increased steadily until it became riotous, filled with elation.
The Great Emperors simply watched coldly from above.
Yang Kai turned to glance at Duan Hong Chen while the latter’s expression was as tranquil as an ancient well. There was no way to determine who was currently in control of Great Demon God’s body.
“Mo Sheng?” Yang Kai called out in a cold voice.
The laughter disappeared abruptly and Great Demon God looked up, “What do you think?”
He then hissed softly and snapped in annoyance, “Hey brat, hurry up and remove this damned spear from this King’s body!”
Yang Kai glanced at Duan Hong Chen once more. He had no way of determining whether Wu Kuang had successfully devoured the Great Demon God. The only person who could accurately make a judgement here was Duan Hong Chen, who lived with Wu Kuang for many years. Likewise, the others also turned to look at Duan Hong Chen.
Duan Hong Chen shook his head, “I can’t tell!”
Yang Kai grinned, “That makes things easy. Better to kill an innocent than let an enemy go free!”
Besides, Wu Kuang was anything but innocent. He had destroyed countless Lower Star Fields when he dominated the Star Boundary in the past; killing him here would simply be revenge for all those who lost their lives back then.
‘Great Demon God’ was enraged, “Hong Chen, you Old Ghost! You have to take responsibility for the words you speak! Do you think this King won’t spill all your secrets!” Then, he turned to look at Flower Shadow Great Emperor, “Hua Ling Long! Do you remember the time you stayed at Azure Sun Temple…”
“You shut up!” Duan Hong Chen’s expression changed dramatically as he raised a hand to interrupt the rest of the sentence. To everybody’s surprise, cold sweat was oozing out of his forehead.
Flower Shadow Great Emperor frowned deeply at those words and her beautiful eyes were filled with suspicion.
“Well?” ‘Great Demon God’ raised an eyebrow and looked at Duan Hong Chen with a wicked grin.
Duan Hong Chen glared at ‘Great Demon God’ fiercely for a moment before sweeping his gaze over the others and affirming, “He’s Wu Kuang!”
“What happened to Mo Sheng?” Yang Kai asked.
Wu Kuang grinned, “This King is still alive. What do you think happened to him?”
Yang Kai was amazed. He never imagined that Wu Kuang would succeed. In this defeat, Mo Sheng not only got his resurrected body possessed by another, but he also had his Soul devoured. No matter how talented Mo Sheng was, there was no way he could cause trouble again as he could not be more dead.
As soon as Yang Kai calmed down, an indescribable wave of exhaustion swept over him. He heaved a sigh of relief and his body slowly sank downward.
Yang Kai was not the only one. All the others who remained floating in the air, including the Great Emperors, the two Elders of the Dragon Clan, and even Heavens Order’s descendant Zhang Ruo Xi, fell to the ground like dumplings being dropped into a pot of soup.
This Earth-shaking battle had not lasted for long as only a few days had passed since Great Demon God revealed himself. The Great Emperors had all gone through countless life-or-death battles after traversing the Star Boundary for so many years, so forget battles that lasted several days, they had even fought battles that spanned several months or even several years. It was just that there had never been a battle as difficult nor as exhausting as this one.
Upon confirming that Mo Sheng was dead and victory belonged to them, their tensed nerves loosened so suddenly that all their strength seemed to drain from their bodies. Fortunately, their cultivation was not just for show and they did not fall headfirst to the ground but simply sank downward unsteadily and stood weakly on their feet.
Yang Kai was in the best shape out of them all, having refined the Immortal Tree and possessing a Dragon Source, granting him restorative abilities far higher than the others. As such, he still had some strength left. His Divine Sense swept out, imprinting everything in the world in his heart.
All of a sudden, he sensed numerous gazes staring at him and noticed the anxiety everybody in the Star Boundary was feeling, so he shouted loudly, “Mo Sheng is dead! We have won!”
His voice was not loud, but it spread to every corner of the Star Boundary with the blessing of the World and entered the ears of all those who remained alive at this moment.
There was a short pause of silence, followed by a loud cheer that shook the Heavens. All those inside and outside High Heaven Palace celebrated wholeheartedly as a sense of joy from finally seeing the light of dawn permeating the air.
Grinning, Yang Kai then lay spread-eagle on the ground and looked up at the sky which remained gloomy and filled with churning Demon Qi. Gathering his strength, Yang Kai blew out a breath of air. A huge gap instantly broke through the Demon Qi that covered the whole world and dazzling sunlight shone down. The sunlight dispelled the darkness in the world, giving off a sense of warmth.
Numerous figures rushed over from within High Heaven Palace, their tender bodies leaping into his embrace, sobbing endlessly. Xia Ning Chang was crying the hardest and her eyes were as swollen as peaches. Xue Yue was also crying profusely while although Shan Qing Luo was trying to hold back, she could not stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Zhu Qing and Su Yan were slightly better, but the light of lingering fear remained in their beautiful eyes. When Yang Kai brought the severed palm into the Void with him, the following explosion had even crossed over into the material world, nearly stopping their hearts. At that moment, Su Yan and the others had felt as though the sky had come crashing down on them. Fortunately, Yang Kai returned half a day later. Moreover, he was alive and well. Even thinking about it now still felt like a nightmare.
Yang Kai hugged them and consoled them for a while but his efforts did not seem to have much of an effect. In the end, Su Yan scolded them with a stern expression and only then did the women stop crying.
“Hey, boy! If you’re done fooling around, can you come and help this King? This King is still being pinned to the ground. This King is going to die if you don’t come soon!” An unhappy voice sounded from not too far away.
Yang Kai didn’t even bother to look in that direction, “Why are you in such a rush? It’s not like you’ll die so quickly. Let me rest for a bit!”
He was exhausted; completely exhausted. After refining the Immortal Tree, his body rapidly recovered from any injuries so his physical form was basically unharmed and fully intact; however, the energy he consumed could not be replenished so easily. If he did not rest for at least ten to fifteen days, Yang Kai would not have the strength to fight anybody again. Unfortunately, the Star Boundary was still a huge mess that needed to be cleaned up even though Mo Sheng was dead.
Things were far from over.
Yang Kai enjoyed the warmth and tenderness for a while before he asked Su Yan to lead the others away. Only then did he force himself to stand up again and slowly walk towards the enormous body of the Great Demon God. When he got closer, he took to the air and grabbed the butt of the Azure Dragon Spear. His thoughts flashed and the Azure Dragon Spear swiftly shrank, soon returning to its original three-metre length.
Wu Kuang suppressed a grunt as the spear was pulled out. Blood shot out from the wound in his chest, but nevertheless, he could finally sit up again now that the Azure Dragon Spear was gone.
Looking down at his body, he coughed.
“How is it?” Yang Kai glanced sideways at Wu Kuang.
Wu Kuang replied angrily, “I’ll live.”
“I mean, how is your new body?” Yang Kai snickered.
After quietly perceiving for a bit, Wu Kuang grinned, “It’s excellent! It’s a thousand times better than Old Ghost Hong Chen’s rotting body!”
“I guess you got a good bargain.”
With this body, Wu Kuang would immediately become an Open Heaven Realm Master as long as he could recover from his injuries. He had devoured Mo Sheng’s Soul after all, so it stood to reason that he inherited Mo Sheng’s everything.
Doing this would have certain potential dangers and it was not as good as if he had cultivated to this level by himself; however, for Wu Kuang, the pros outweighed the cons at the moment. He would have had to continue sharing a body with Duan Hong Chen otherwise, something both he and Duan Hong Chen could not tolerate.
There were two reasons why Wu Kuang had not possessed another body for so many years. One reason was that he could not find a suitable vessel. He was a Great Emperor after all, so how could he be satisfied with the body of an ordinary person? The second reason was that Duan Hong Chen did not dare to let him leave easily; therefore, this was a rare chance that even Duan Hong Chen did not object to.
While these two were conversing with each other, an unusual aura suddenly emerged from a distant land. The aura was so powerful that only a Great Emperor or a Demon Saint could compare. Besides, judging by the special characteristics of the aura, it belonged to one of the Demon Saints.
All the Great Emperors were shocked. They were all powerless to do anything at this point, so even if it was a single Demon Saint, nobody had the strength to fight back.
Yang Kai lifted his head and looked in that direction, but upon seeing the stream of light rushing over, he couldn’t help bursting into laughter. [This woman sure woke up at just the right time. She perfectly missed out on this entire fatal disaster.]
The stream of light stopped in mid-air in front of everybody to reveal Bei Li Mo’s figure. Her beautiful eyes swept over the scene below her, taking in the miserable state of the Masters below. Her gaze soon landed on Yang Kai and Wu Kuang, a look of surprise flashing across her face.
[What… is this situation?] She was stunned to see Yang Kai chatting leisurely with ‘Great Demon God’. They were less than a thousand metres apart and Yang Kai was holding the Azure Dragon Spear, but there was no hostility between them. On the other hand, Great Demon God was sitting on the ground with not the slightest shred of murderous intent either. There were no signs of the rest of the Demon Saints while in contrast, the Great Emperors of the Star Boundary were all dry oil lamps, their auras extremely weak.
[What the Hell happened during the time that I was unconscious? Could it be that the Star Boundary and the Demon Realm made peace with each other? But, how is that possible?] Bei Li Mo felt extremely dizzy, almost as if she was dreaming.
“Your luck is impressive!” Yang Kai nodded lightly at her.
His words left her feeling even more confused. Her memories had stopped at the moment when Yang Kai knocked her unconscious. At the time, she remained conscious even though she was under Great Demon God’s control and could not move her body at will. She, Yu Ru Meng, and Chang Tian had walked out of the inexplicable space, but before she could do anything, the Soul Imprint Yang Kai had planted in her Knowledge Sea had activated and instantly knocked her unconscious. Even now, the pain in her head was so intense that it felt like her head was splitting apart.
She could tell that her Soul had been damaged slightly.
Yang Kai had been extremely anxious at the time, so how could he spare the thought to control the strength of the Soul Imprint under those circumstances? He simply wanted to knock Bei Li Mo out as soon as possible. Later, Great Demon God became overwhelmed and fused with all the other Demon Saints as a last resort. Bei Li Mo missed out on the call due to her being in a comatose state; otherwise, she would have faced the same fate as Xue Li and the others, becoming part of the Great Demon God’s power. If that had happened, she would no longer have existed at this moment.
Seeing the confusion in Bei Li Mo’s eyes, Yang Kai said, “Mo Sheng is dead!”
Bei Li Mo blinked, almost wondering whether she had heard wrongly as she turned to look at the enormous body nearby, [Great Demon God is right here. Why is Yang Kai saying that he is dead?]
However, her expression soon changed drastically as she stared at Wu Kuang intently and said, “You’re not Lord Demon God!?”
Although the enormous body belonged to Great Demon God, the aura emitted by this figure was completely different. It did not belong to the Great Demon God.
A low chuckle entered her ears, “This King is Wu Kuang!”
Her pupils immediately contracted to the size of pinpoints at those words. She was horrified, “You possessed him!?”
She was not a fool. On the contrary, she was a Demon Saint. How rich were her knowledge and her experiences? That was why she immediately thought of the key point when she realised that Wu Kuang’s Soul was inside the Great Demon God’s body.
“More or less,” Wu Kuang responded nonchalantly, too lazy to explain further.
She took a deep breath in shock. She glanced at Wu Kuang, then glanced at Yang Kai. Afterwards, she glanced at the Great Emperors surrounding them and could not help feeling lost.
[Great Demon God is dead. Not only is he dead, but his body was also being possessed by this Wu Kuang…] Even if she did not dare to believe it, the truth was right in front of her, so she had no choice but to believe. Although she did not participate in the battle, she could tell from the aftermath and the condition of the Great Emperors that it was extremely brutal.
She couldn’t believe this was the final outcome of the war! The Demon Realm had lost and the Star Boundary had won, but it was a tragic victory. This world was on the verge of falling apart after the battle that had severely damaged its foundation.
Even though she was a Demon Saint, she did not feel much sadness. She had already defected to the Star Boundary because of the Soul Imprint, which drew a clean line between her and the other Demon Saints. Besides, the feeling of being controlled by Great Demon God was terrible. She couldn’t help being a little happy that Great Demon God was killed. Yang Kai might be able to control her through the Soul Imprint, but his control over her was not as thorough as Great Demon God’s.
“So that’s how it is!” She gently nodded, “What about the others?”
Looking around, she was the only Demon Saint present; thus, she couldn’t help feeling rather alone.
“Chang Tian and Ru Meng are fine. The other Demon Saints are dead.”
She nodded lightly. This outcome was something she could accept. Smiling, she said sincerely, “Congratulations.”
Yang Kai snorted with laughter. This battle had been so brutal, what was there to celebrate? He waved her off and said, “There are quite a number of Demons left. Go and take care of them.”
Bei Li Mo nodded at his words. Then, she turned and flew away.
The final battle between the Great Emperors and the Demon Saints had been so intense, so how could the other battlefields be any different? In particular, there were many casualties among the Half-Saints and Pseudo-Great Emperors. After Great Demon God revealed himself, even the Half-Saints who originally defected to the Star Boundary had turned their backs on their companions. Now that Great Demon God was dead, however, they were no longer under his control.
The remaining Demons had long since lost their will to fight back after seeing that the war was lost. At this moment, they were gathered together, their eyes filled with confusion about what was going to happen to them now. Therefore, it was best to leave them to Bei Li Mo.
The Star Boundary also suffered great losses. Many of the Spirit Peaks in High Heaven Palace had been flattened and the once beautiful scenery was a total mess. Between accounting for the casualties and treating the injured, the Star Boundary was very busy even after the war ended.
One day later, Yang Kai was the first to recover and released Chang Tian and Yu Ru Meng from the Small Sealed World. Yu Ru Meng was perfectly fine, but Chang Tian was in a similar condition to Bei Li Mo.
Chang Tian’s Soul had been damaged slightly and it would take a long time for him to heal completely. After this battle, he had obviously aged considerably; even his hair had grown grey. He was not far from his predestined time of death in the first place. If not for that, he would not have tried to take Yang Kai as his Adopted Son to inherit Hundred Spirits Continent the moment they met.
Now that his Soul was damaged, it would be very difficult for Chang Tian to recover. It was most likely that only a few hundred years remained of his lifespan. For an ordinary person, several hundred years represented several lifetimes, but for a Master like Chang Tian, several hundred years was but a blink of an eye. Even so, a person like him had long since put aside matters such as life and death. He had lived a long and colourful life, so he was calm even in the face of death.
The three Demon Masters busied themselves corralling the remnants of the Demon Race. Meanwhile, Yang Kai used the power of a Great Emperor and communicated with the World’s Will to completely dispel the Demon Essence from the Star Boundary. He had done something similar during the war, but Great Demon God had obstructed his progress at the time, so he could not complete the task. Now that Great Demon God was dead and there was nobody to stop him anymore, it was only natural that he put everything in the Star Boundary back in order; otherwise, the remaining Demon Essence would only cause further trouble down the road.
The entire Star Boundary finally saw the light again after a whole day’s work, which completely exhausted Yang Kai as a result. Unfortunately, the world was still unstable. The sky was filled with countless large Void Cracks that looked extremely horrifying and the World Principles were in disorder. It was as though the World had lost most of its ability to repair itself.
The Great Emperors, who received the recognition of the World, felt this extremely clearly, and as a result, they could barely mobilise any World Force at the moment.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the Star Boundary died. Moreover, it would not take long before that happened. It might range from another thousand years to ten thousand years, but the Star Boundary would eventually follow in the footsteps of the Demon Realm. When that happened, the Star Boundary would collapse and cease to exist.
Another three days later, the rest of the Great Emperors gradually recovered and regained some of their mobility, and although each of them carried wounds that would require many years of recuperation to heal, these matters could not be rushed.
High Heaven Palace was a complete mess; thus, they temporarily used Yang Xiao and Yang Xue’s Flowing Time Temple as the place to hold their meetings. The temple floated mid-air as the Great Emperors, the two Elders of the Dragon Clan, and Heaven’s Order descendant Zhang Ruo Xi gathered inside. All the strongest powerhouses in the Star Boundary came together to discuss what to do next.
Li Wu Yi stood below them, reporting on the post-war efforts that had been completed. All the survivors from the Star Boundary were settled outside High Heaven Palace at the moment. Some were being treated for their wounds while others were cultivating. After having escaped from the jaws of death, they were looking toward the future. The only matter he was having trouble with was how to deal with the survivors of the Demon Race.
It was one thing for the Demon Race Half-Saints such as Bai Zhuo and Bai Ya. They had been involuntarily subjected to Great Demon God’s control, so defecting to the enemy was not their intention and they could not be blamed for their actions; however, the Demon Race army had killed many among the Star Boundary in the past.
Now that the tides had turned for the Demon Race, it was difficult to decide whether or not to slaughter these surviving Demons.
If it was decided to kill the Demon Race survivors, they would not have any power to resist. Most of the Demon Saints were dead, and the three remaining Demon Saints had defected to the Star Boundary years ago. If the Great Emperors were to take action, the three Demon Saints would not stop them either. The problem was that there were simply too many Demon survivors. There were at least millions of them, so who would bear the sin of killing them all in cold blood?
If the choice was not to kill the Demon Race survivors, however, how would they explain their decision to the dead of the Star Boundary?
Unable to make a decision, Li Wu Yi brought this matter to the Great Emperors instead.
Inside the temple, the Divine Sense of the Great Emperors surged as they communicated soundlessly among themselves. A short while later, Zhan Wu Hen said, “The two armies were at war under their respective banners and casualties were inevitable. Now that the war is over, we will let them live. However, the Star Boundary will not take them in. This matter will be handled by Void himself.”
“Yes!” Li Wu Yi bowed, feeling relieved.
Yang Kai had used the Sealed World Bead to devour the entire Demon Realm in the past. Besides, one of the regions in the Sealed World Bead was already being used to contain billions of Demons that had until now not been released. Therefore, it was reasonable for him to place a few million war prisoners in the Small Sealed World. It could be considered a way out.
Li Wu Yi took his leave and relayed the decision to Yu Ru Meng and the others so that they could start making arrangements for the withdrawal.
Inside the temple, Zhan Wu Hen continued, “Yang Kai, we will leave the Demon Race to you.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Rest assured, I will take care of this matter.”
Zhan Wu Hen said, “The matter regarding the Demon Race is a trivial one, what we urgently need to deal with is the mess left behind in the Star Boundary. I’m sure you don’t need me to say it as you probably all sensed it for yourselves during this period. The Star Boundary will not last much longer. It will fall apart and die, sooner or later. We need to find a way for the people of the Star Boundary to survive.”
Mo Huang suggested, “Since Yang Boy could refine a second Demon Realm, can’t he refine a second Star Boundary?”
The situation in the Demon Realm back then was now a precedent to what the Star Boundary was currently facing. Yang Kai had used the Sealed World Bead to devour the continents of the Demon Realm; consequently, the third region of the Sealed World Bead could be considered a second Demon Realm. If they imitated his previous methods and used the Sealed World Bead to devour and merge the entire Star Boundary, they could then create a second Star Boundary.
Yang Kai nodded at those words, “That is an option, but it’s better not to do so unless we have no other choice.”
“Why?” Mo Huang was puzzled.
“The second Demon Realm might have been formed, but it is confined to the Sealed World Bead. At the moment, I have not found a way to separate the second Demon Realm from the Small Sealed World. I’m afraid there might be unintended consequences if I devour the Star Boundary in such a situation. Furthermore, the second Demon Realm gives me the feeling that it is different from the original Demon Realm, like a newly born world with World Principles not yet matured. It might need a long time before it could repair itself and recover to how it used to be, a very long time indeed.”
Upon hearing this, Zhan Wu Hen said, “Let us leave that as our last resort then. If we cannot find a better solution, we can only choose to do that.”
“Sirs, with all due respect, there might be a way to save the Star Boundary.” Zhang Ruo Xi spoke up suddenly.
Everybody turned to look in her direction with shocked expressions and Zhan Wu Hen asked, “Young Lady, do you have a way to rescue the Star Boundary?”
Although she was not a Great Emperor, she had the strength of a Great Emperor. What’s more, she had inherited the memories and experiences of Heaven’s Order, so she had knowledge of and insight into the mysteries of the Outer Universe. For her to speak up at this moment could not be for nothing.
“I do not dare to make any guarantees, but there is a method depicted in my memories.”
“Please speak freely. The situation in the Star Boundary cannot get any worse. If you truly have a method to save the Star Boundary, then you will become the saviour of this world.”
Zhang Ruo Xi simply smiled, “Sir, your words are too much. I was also born and raised in this world, so it is my duty to contribute to the Star Boundary.” Pausing for a moment, she continued, “There are two reasons as to why the Star Boundary is in this condition. The first reason is the impact from the war, while the second reason is that it has lost a large portion of its Auspicious Spirit Essence. The main problem is actually the latter. When a Universe World loses its Auspicious Spirit Essence, it loses its vitality. As a result, the World Principles fall apart and lose their ability to self-repair. To put it in a different perspective, if we can bring back the vitality of this world by restoring its Auspicious Spirit Essence, it will be able to repair itself once more. No matter how broken the world is, it will be able to recover to its original state.”
“So, the key point lies in what we can do to restore the vitality to this world?” Flower Shadow Great Emperor’s eyes lit up.
Zhang Ruo Xi nodded in reply, “That’s right.” After a short pause, she continued, “Have any of you ever wondered about the Demon Realm’s Auspicious Spirit Essence that Mo Sheng had successfully devoured back then? The Demon Realm of the time was powerless to fight back against him. In other words, he was successful in his attempt; therefore, the Demon Realm’s situation should be worse than what the Star Boundary is currently facing. So, why did the Demon Realm continue to exist?”
Yang Kai folded his arms in front of him and smiled, “Enough with the riddles, get to the point.”
Zhang Ruo Xi stuck her tongue out at him and answered, “It’s life!”
“Life?” He raised his eyebrows at her words.
“The Demon Realm’s Auspicious Spirit Essence was devoured, but the living creatures in the Demon Realm weren’t exterminated. Where life exists, there is hope. Thus, the vitality and Auspicious Spirit Essence of the Demon Realm that was lost slowly recovered… The only thing I don’t understand is… Why did Mo Sheng come to the Star Boundary when the Demon Realm still had its Auspicious Spirit Essence?”
Yang Kai explained, “You have never been to the Demon Realm, so you don’t know about its situation. The Demon Realm had long ago fallen apart due to the battle between Mo Sheng and Flowing Time Great Emperor. The entire Universe World was broken into countless fragments. Some of the continents even lost their vitality and were swallowed up by the Void.”
“So that’s how it is!” She immediately understood, “That explains why he went around the sun just to reach the moon.”
Zhan Wu Hen looked at Zhang Ruo Xi, “So, what you’re saying is that, as long as there are enough living creatures in the Star Boundary, there will be a chance for this world to recover?”
“That should be correct,” Zhang Ruo Xi nodded.
He then turned to look at Yang Kai, “Yang Kai, if I remember correctly, didn’t you accept a lot of people from the Star Boundary into the Sealed World Bead?”
Yang Kai said, “I’ll handle it right away.”
He had indeed taken in many people from the Star Boundary who had nowhere else to go during the war between the two worlds. As a result, the first territory of the Small Sealed World was currently overcrowded with people. Moreover, he was not the only one who had done so. Many of the Army Commanders had also sheltered refugees in their World Beads.
These people were not strong enough to play a role in the war between the two worlds, but they could not be left exposed to the dangers of the Demon Race either. Therefore, they had been placed in either the Sealed World Bead or the various World Beads Yang Kai had refined and thus safely survived to this day. Nobody could have imagined that their strength would be needed to rebuild the Star Boundary.
“I’ll go and talk to Wu Kuang. If we need people, then Wu Kuang has as many people as we need.” While speaking, Duan Hong Chen stood up and strode out.
Wu Kuang had used the Ancestral Domain as a core to refine and integrate all of the Lower Star Fields. Those Lower Star Fields were overflowing with countless living creatures. Now that nine houses out of ten in the Star Boundary were vacant, it was a good opportunity to ask him for some people to replenish the numbers. He would not refuse the request.
Zhang Ruo Xi followed up, “But, even though this is a feasible method, it is not something that will take effect in the short-term. It might take a very, very long time for results to show. Sirs, you will need to be mentally prepared for that.”
Zhan Wu Hen replied, “It doesn’t matter how long it takes. It’s fine as long as there is hope.”
Yang Kai got up from his seat, “I’m going to settle the placement of the people in the Sealed World Bead. There is also the matter regarding the Demon Race that I have to handle, so I will take my leave first.”
“Go on.” Zhan Wu Hen waved his hand dismissively.
Yang Kai vanished from the spot with a flash of his thoughts. By the time he reappeared again, he was standing inside a simple palace. The palace was located a thousand kilometres away from High Heaven Palace. Yu Ru Meng stood beside him while, not far away, the gazes of Chang Tian and Bei Li Mo also fixed on him in unison.
“Husband!” Yu Ru Meng called out, “What did the Great Emperors say?”
Yang Kai stroked her hair and smiled, “I will be in charge of the matters related to the Demon Race.”
She immediately breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing those words. She was also part of the Demon Race, so although most of the surviving clansmen had been enemies of the Star Boundary, they were basically just following orders from their superiors and had no freedom to decide for themselves. Now that the Star Boundary was victorious and the Demon Realm had suffered a crushing defeat, it was understandable even if the Star Boundary advocated for the Demon Race to be exterminated mercilessly. It was just that, as a Demon Saint, Yu Ru Meng would inevitably feel disturbed if that were to happen.
Fortunately, the results would not be too pessimistic if this matter was handled by Yang Kai. Sure enough, Yang Kai responded under the watchful eyes of Bei Li Mo and Chang Tian, “All members of the Demon Race will be taken into the Small Sealed World and never be allowed to step into the Star Boundary again.”
Chang Tian nodded, “That’s for the best.”
Similarly, Bei Li Mo exhaled softly in relief.
Accompanied by the trio, Yang Kai accepted the surviving Demon Race army into the Small Sealed World and placed them in the third region. The army of millions entered the vast third region like a stone that sank into the sea without creating any ripples.
Half a day had passed by the time Yang Kai was done with this first matter. Without pausing for a moment, he then travelled all over the Star Boundary, selected some places that were not too affected by the war, and released the natives of the Star Boundary taking shelter inside the Small Sealed World in large batches. He even went so far as to spend his power to create a more suitable environment for the Human survivors to live in.
It took more than ten days to complete this effort. In that time, Yang Kai travelled across all four territories in the Star Boundary. Now that he had lit the spark, he wondered how long it would take before a blazing fire arose.
Nevertheless, running around for this task made Yang Kai more aware of just how damaged the Star Boundary had become. The reason why the Great Emperors and Demon Saints had agreed not to make a move when the war between the two worlds broke out was that they were afraid the impact of their fight would be too great. They were worried about causing indelible damage to the Star Boundary.
Unfortunately, following the progression of the war and the return of the Great Demon God, everything spiralled out of control. Most of the Auspicious Spirit Essence in the world had been devoured, the World Principles had been broken, and the lands had been torn apart. It looked like the apocalypse had occurred everywhere in the world and all the beautiful sceneries of the past were now gone.
The damage from the final battle with the Great Demon God would not recover for at least tens of thousands of years. Hopefully, the method Zhang Ruo Xi suggested would work. It might take a long time, but it was perfectly fine for a Universe World to wait that long.
More than ten days later, Yang Kai finally returned to High Heaven Palace where he saw Wu Kuang sitting cross-legged on the ground. Moreover, Wu Kuang was smiling and waving at him.
At this moment, Wu Kuang still had his several-thousand-metre-tall body. He had only just devoured Great Demon God’s Soul, so he probably had yet to fully digest everything that he received; hence, he was powerless to make his body shrink for the time being.
Yang Kai hesitated for a moment but flew over in the end, floating in front of Wu Kuang, he asked, “What is it?”
“This King is leaving!” Wu Kuang grinned.
“Leaving?” Yang Kai frowned, “Where to?” After the question slipped out of his mouth, the realisation struck him and he exclaimed, “The Outer Universe!?”
Wu Kuang nodded, “Do you know why this King continued to devour power without stopping even though he was already the most powerful in the Star Boundary back then?” Without waiting for Yang Kai to respond, he continued to answer his own question, “It is because ‘Great Emperor’ is just a title, because this King can feel that there exists an even higher Martial Dao, it was because this King wants to become stronger… Flowing Time was not the only person who realised the mysteries of the Outer Universe!”
Yang Kai gently nodded in response. Before he became a Great Emperor, he had thought that it was the highest Realm that existed. He believed that it was the pinnacle of the Martial Dao; however, now that he stood in this position, Yang Kai also knew that what Wu Kuang and Great Demon God said was true. The so-called Great Emperor was nothing more than a title. It was not a Realm in itself.
The ones at the highest peak of the Emperor Realm and had the qualification to scratch on the surface of the mysteries of the Open Heaven Realm were the Pseudo-Great Emperors, and only a select few from among the Pseudo-Great Emperors would be recognised by the World and gain the qualifications to mobilise World Force. Those people were known as the Great Emperors. At this moment, Yang Kai, Zhan Wu Hen, and the others belonged to this group.
On the other hand, Wu Kuang had single-handedly opened a gap in the door to the Open Heaven Realm tens of thousands of years ago to walk ahead of everyone else.
Yang Kai even suspected that Flowing Time Great Emperor had reached the Open Heaven Realm! How else could he have destroyed Great Demon God’s body back then?
“In the past, this King was ignorant and clueless about the sky beyond what we know! After learning about all the wondrous things that can be found in the Outer Universe, how can this King not see them for himself? The Star Boundary might be big, but it is only a corner of this vast universe. It is too small to hold Flood Dragons like you and me!”
Yang Kai was flattered by those words and waved his hand repeatedly in embarrassment, “I don’t dare to put myself on equal terms with you, Senior.”
Wu Kuang retorted, “It’s not that you don’t dare. It’s that you find it disdainful!”
He himself was well aware that his reputation was terrible. Still, laughing, he continued, “This King pursues the Martial Dao. Secret Arts are simply a means. As long as it is useful, who cares what I have to use? The others are blind, a bunch of stubborn old ghosts. This King could care less about them. But, you are a little interesting, boy. While your aptitude cannot be said to be the best, you managed to become a Great Emperor at such a young age. You will most likely be a force to be reckoned with in the future. This King might be slightly more powerful than you now because I devoured Mo Sheng, but I don’t have the confidence to win against you in the future.”
“There are times when even you lack confidence?” Yang Kai was surprised.
“There are many extraordinary things in the world…” Wu Kuang laughed and pointed a finger at Yang Kai, “You are one of them.”
“I will take that as a compliment,” Yang Kai shrugged nonchalantly, thinking to himself that somebody as arrogant and rebellious as Wu Kuang might not have praised others before.
“I will wait for you in the Outer Universe. I hope we meet each other again in the future!” Saying so, Wu Kuang stood up, his giant body blocking out the sunlight above Yang Kai’s head.
“Wait!” Yang Kai hurriedly raised a hand to stop Wu Kuang. He looked up at Wu Kuang and shouted, “What about the Lower Star Fields that you refined!? Are you bringing them along with you!? I don’t care about the others, but what about my Heng Luo Star Field!?”
Wu Kuang chuckled, “I only refined them to find a way forward. Now that I have found my path, those Star Fields are useless to me. This King has already handed them over to that old fart Duan Hong Chen. You can ask him about it.”
“Good,” Yang Kai was relieved. There was no need for him to go and confirm anything with Duan Hong Chen seeing as Wu Kuang had already said so and clearly disdained to lie to him.
“Little brat, work hard!” Wu Kuang lowered his head and smiled again. Immediately after that, he took a step forward. His body looked very heavy and clumsy, but he climbed upward as though there were invisible stairs in the sky. It didn’t take long for his enormous figure to disappear out of sight.
Yang Kai crossed his arms in front of him with a smile on his face, watching Wu Kuang leave.
“Is he gone?” Duan Hong Chen’s voice suddenly came from beside Yang Kai.
Yang Kai looked to the side and saw all the Great Emperors, along with the two Elders of the Dragon Clan and Zhang Ruo Xi standing next to him. Even Xiao Xiao had shown up, it was just that Tai Yue Xiao Xiao was now only knee high and was currently sitting on Zhang Ruo Xi’s shoulders.
“He left!” Yang Kai responded as he stretched out a hand to play with Xiao Xiao. Xiao Xiao immediately crawled along his arm and came to his side. It was hard to imagine that this little one could transform into a giant like Tai Yue and wrestled with the Great Demon God.
In the previous battle, Tai Yue was defeated twice to the point where his body disintegrated. He was in no immediate danger, but like all the other Masters, he needed to have a good rest to recover.
“He sure left in a carefree manner,” Duan Hong Chen laughed.
“It’s good that he left,” Flower Shadow Great Emperor breathed a sigh of relief. While speaking, she secretly snuck a glance at Zhan Wu Hen.
Zhan Wu Hen was staring coldly in the direction that Wu Kuang left with a trace of murderous intent in his eyes.
Four Great Emperors had died at the hands of Wu Kuang during the battle in the Shattered Star Sea back then, and one of them had been Cyan Lotus Great Emperor, who was a close friend of Zhan Wu Hen’s. That was why Zhan Wu Hen greatly detested Wu Kuang and hated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law.
Nobody among the existing Great Emperors hated Wu Kuang more than Zhan Wu Hen. If possible, he did not mind fighting Wu Kuang to death in order to avenge his dead friend.
It was just that Great Demon God had been running wild earlier, so all the forces of the Star Boundary had banded together like strands of a rope. Zhan Wu Hen had no choice but to put aside his personal grudge. What more at this time when the Star Boundary could no longer withstand any more hardship? Besides, Wu Kuang had devoured Mo Sheng, so there was no way for Zhan Wu Hen to defeat Wu Kuang with his current strength.
“It’s good that he left. It’s good that he left,” Duan Hong Chen couldn’t help nodding at those words. All those years of sharing one body with Wu Kuang had been extremely suffocating for him. Now that Wu Kuang had his own body, it could be said that Duan Hong Chen was finally free of Wu Kuang. The only thing that upset Duan Hong Chen was that Wu Kuang had used his body to cast the Heaven Devouring Battle Law to devour the Spiritual Essence of Great Demon God during the last battle. Although that move had brought him a lot of benefits, it also left some residual hidden dangers. It could be said to be both beneficial and harmful.
“I wonder when we’ll meet again,” Yang Kai mentioned it casually while playing with Xiao Xiao. [Perhaps… we might never have the chance to meet again. The universe is so vast. Even if I break free of the shackles of this universe one day and head to the Outer Universe, what are the chances of meeting each other again?]
The words had only just left his mouth though when he suddenly furrowed his brow and looked up at the sky. Likewise, the others seemed to sense something at that moment. When they looked up into the sky, they saw a black spot rapidly descending, wrapped in a ferocious aura. The black spot quickly enlarged in their field of vision to become a several thousand-metre-tall giant. Who else could it be but Wu Kuang, who had just left mere moments ago?
Yang Kai placed Xiao Xiao on his shoulders and asked with a laugh, “Why did you return? Did you forget something?”
Wu Kuang’s expression was a little strange, but it was more solemn than not as he said, “You’d better come with me. The Star Boundary may be in big trouble.”
“What do you mean?” Zhan Wu Hen’s expression turned grim.
“You’ll understand when you see it,” Wu Kuang did not say much. Turning around, he flew towards the Outer Universe again.
Everybody looked at each other before quickly communicating with each other via Divine Sense. Yang Kai shouted, “Let’s go!”
While speaking, he was the first one to follow after Wu Kuang.
“Be careful of deceit!” Zhan Wu Hen warned via transmission. He was still unable to trust Wu Kuang’s character, but he nevertheless followed along.
A group of more than a dozen figures marched towards the Outer Universe in a mighty procession. The higher up they went, the stronger an invisible layer of resistance became. It felt as though there was a mountain pressing down on their shoulders to force them back.
“It’s gotten a lot weaker,” Mo Huang couldn’t help sighing. “Is this also the result of the World Principles collapsing?”
“Probably,” Zhan Wu Hen nodded.
The Great Emperors had traversed the Star Boundary for so many years, so how could they not have tried to leave and see what the outside world was like? Not only did they try, but they even attempted it more than once; therefore, they were more than familiar with this invisible resistance. They would encounter this force every time they tried to leave the Star Boundary, but it was different this time. The resistance was obviously much weaker than before. This force was none other than the shackles of the universe. Those who were not powerful enough would not be able to break free of these shackles and leap out into the Outer Universe.
All the Great Emperors had this ability, it was just that they would lose the World’s blessing the moment they left the Star Boundary, so a Great Emperor would no longer be a Great Emperor. The world of the Outer Universe was extremely dangerous and they would not be able to withstand the resistance force for long before they had to return. Hence, even the Great Emperors knew nothing about the Outer Universe before the arrival of Great Demon God.
The entire process took no more than ten breaths before everybody felt their bodies relaxing and the invisible pressure vanishing. At the same time, their connection with the Star Boundary became extremely weak.
At this moment, a muffled but thunderous sound entered their ears. Everybody turned pale in unison and in the next moment, a gust of wind blew towards them. The wind was so strong that even the Great Emperors could not remain steady. They were blown off balance and staggered around unsteadily. It took quite some time before the wind subsided. Everybody looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what just happened.
Wu Kuang sullenly led the way without explaining anything. A short while later, he suddenly shouted, “Be careful!”
When his words rang out, an extremely strong suction force came from the front. All the Great Emperors felt their bodies involuntarily being dragged in that direction. Their expressions became extremely colourful all of a sudden. Although they no longer had the support of the Star Boundary and could not mobilise World Force, their heritage remained. Just what kind of suction force was it that they could leave them so helpless?
Fortunately, the suction force was similar to the gust of wind just now. It came as quickly and bizarrely as it left, stopping after a short while. Before they could feel relieved, that muffled yet thunderous sound came again. It was immediately followed by another gust of wind.
Yang Kai’s expression was a little strange as he couldn’t help feeling that this situation seemed to be rather familiar…
“Heh heh, we’re here.” Wu Kuang suddenly gave a chuckle and moved his enormous body aside to reveal the scene in front of him.
Everyone was completely stunned by the sight that greeted them while Yang Kai was absolutely speechless! There was an incomparably large figure lying down in the void in front of them. He looked like a rolling mountain range and none of them could tell how tall or how long he was. Wu Kuang’s several thousand-metre-tall body was even smaller than a child’s compared to this figure.
It was an extremely terrifying giant.
In front of everybody’s eyes, the giant inhaled and exhaled. When he exhaled, the Astral Wind that spewed from his nose and mouth turned into a wind storm that swept across tens of thousands of kilometres of space. When he inhaled, the suction force affected everything within a similar radius. That muffled but thunderous sound turned out to be the sound of the giant snoring.
Furthermore, an incredible aura was emanating from the giant’s body. It was so powerful that it made the Great Emperors feel despair. It was also countless times stronger than when Great Demon God was at his peak strength. Even the two Elders of the Dragon Clan felt like insects in front of this aura.
“What is that…” Flower Shadow Great Emperor could not stop herself from gulping nervously, her pretty face turning pale. She had not felt so powerless even when facing Great Demon God. She knew instinctively that this recumbent giant in front of her could effortlessly crush her with just one finger.
Similarly, Zhan Wu Hen’s expression was extremely solemn. The expressions of the other Great Emperors were not much better either.
Regardless of what kind of existence this sleeping but terrifying giant was, the Star Boundary could not withstand any further shocks. He was sleeping so close to the Star Boundary that they even suspected that the Star Boundary would be blown apart by his breath if he exhaled slightly more violently than now.
Yang Kai was the only one who looked like he did not know whether to laugh or cry. He never imagined that he would see this fellow again so soon. It had not been long since he last met him, not to mention, he recalled that this big guy had sped off into the distance after saying goodbye, but why was this guy still here?
“Heaven’s Order descendant, you should know what he is, right?” Wu Kuang turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi with a low chuckle.
Upon hearing those words, everybody hurriedly turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi. Zhan Wu Hen asked with a frown, “Young Lady Ruo Xi, what is this?”
Before witnessing this sight with his very own eyes, he would never have thought that such huge creatures existed in this world.
“A Giant Spirit God!” Zhang Ruo Xi replied in a pained voice and smiled bitterly, “The Star Boundary is truly in trouble this time.”
“Why do you say that?” Zhan Wu Hen frowned as he all but whispered, seemingly fearful of waking the Giant Spirit God by speaking too loud.
Zhang Ruo Xi explained, “Giant Spirit Gods are a very special Race in the Outer Universe. They are born inherently powerful and unparalleled. They practically stand at the apex of the entire Universe. Nobody is their opponent except for a select few equally powerful beings.”
“How does Great Demon God compare?”
Zhang Ruo Xi smiled bitterly, “Even when Great Demon God was at his peak, this Giant Spirit God could kill him with a casual flick of his finger.”
Zhan Wu Hen’s expression sank at those words. Zhang Ruo Xi’s information obviously came from Heavens Order’s memories. How could the Star Boundary fight back if this Giant Spirit God was so powerful? Just a resurrected Great Demon God had almost shattered the entire Star Boundary and Great Demon God was not even at his peak at the time. If this Giant Spirit God was capable of killing Great Demon God at his peak at will, then this Giant Spirit God’s strength far exceeded the limits of their imagination.
“Should we take the initiative to attack?” Mo Huang was eager to take his chances. The giant in front of them was still asleep. If everybody launched an attack with all their strength right now, they might just stand a chance to win.
“Absolutely not!” Zhang Ruo Xi hurriedly stopped Mo Huang, “The Giant Spirit God Clan is innately powerful, but they are inherently peaceful, and essentially always avoid conflict with others. Although they are extremely strong…. they’re quite innocent, almost childlike, to the point that it’s like they have slight problems up there.”
Saying so, she pointed at her head.
“Why did he come to the Star Boundary?” Zhan Wu Hen was puzzled.
She replied, “The Giant Spirit God Clan does not live in any fixed place. They wander throughout the Outer Universe all their lives to look for food. I’m afraid he is here in search of food.”
“What do they eat?”
“Dead Universe Worlds.”
“Dead Universe Worlds?” Zhan Wu Hen raised his eyebrows.
“That’s right. They have a very special Innate Divine Ability. They can smell the aura of dying worlds even from extremely far away. Whenever they smell a dying world, they will rush over and wait quietly. They will wait until the world dies to eat the Dead World.”
Upon hearing those words, everybody drew a deep breath of cold air. It was so incomprehensible that they had neither heard of nor dreamed of such a thing before. Just what kind of living creature could feed on a dead Universe World!?
[Seeing as this guy is here, does that mean that he smelled a dying aura coming from the Star Boundary!?] Everybody was shocked and horrified, but Yang Kai recalled something. The last time he met this giant in this vast Outer Universe, the other party had also been sleeping deeply. As a result, he nearly got sucked into the giant’s stomach right after he came out from devouring the Demon Realm with the Sealed World Bead. He remembered the depressed look on this giant’s face upon seeing that the Demon Realm was gone. He also remembered how this giant had happily eaten the World Beads he provided.
Yang Kai did not quite understand the reason previously, but the realization immediately struck him after listening to Zhang Ruo Xi’s explanation. The Demon Realm had also been on the verge of dying at the time, so this giant must have caught a whiff of some sort of unique scent and rushed over to the vicinity of the Demon Realm to wait while sleeping. In the end, Yang Kai had stolen his food, which was why he looked at where the Demon Realm was originally located after he woke up and spouted words like ‘It’s gone. Why is it gone?’
The reason he left and returned again to stop in the vicinity of the Star Boundary was that the previous war had caused the Star Boundary to become unstable. The Star Boundary was showing signs of collapsing, so this giant was waiting here to feed on the dead Star Boundary.
“Based on what you said, doesn’t that make this big guy practically invincible? How do we chase him away?” Zhan Wu Hen’s brow furrowed tightly. They had only just been trying to think of a way to rebuild the Star Boundary, as well as recover its vitality and Auspicious Spirit Essence, but now, there was a Giant Spirit God eyeing the Star Boundary hungrily. Anybody would feel uneasy. What if the Giant Spirit God acted unconventionally and started eating the Star Boundary the moment he woke up? If that happened, there was nobody in the Star Boundary who could fight back whatsoever.
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head slowly, “That’s impossible. The Giant Spirit God is simple-minded. They spend their entire lives chasing after dead Universe Worlds. Nobody can do anything about that.”
“Then, what should we do now? We can neither win nor chase him away. Are we supposed to just wait for our deaths to come!?” Mo Huang glared.
She replied, “For now, all we can do is restore the Star Boundary’s vitality as quickly as possible. As long as the Star Boundary rejuvenates, this Giant Spirit God will not make a move. Don’t be fooled by his appearance, this Race seems to abhor fighting. Of course, that is under the condition that you don’t provoke him first. If anybody were to accidentally upset him, the consequences would be extremely dire.”
Zhan Wu Hen pensively asked, “How long does this guy usually sleep?”
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head slowly, “There are extremely few members of the Giant Spirit God Clan, making it very rare to encounter them even in the Outer Universe. My ancestor only caught a glimpse of one from afar during her entire life and did not come into close contact with that individual. But, judging by his enormous figure and mighty strength, it should be normal for him to sleep for several hundreds to thousands of years, possibly even longer. Naturally, there is no saying whether he will wake up suddenly during that time.”
“Several hundreds to thousands of years…” Zhan Wu Hen nodded lightly, “Then, we can only do this for now. We must not disturb his sleep. If we do our best to restore the Star Boundary’s vitality before he wakes up, he will discover that the Star Boundary is brimming with life again and hopefully stop eyeing it.”
It was just… How much could the Star Boundary recover in just several hundred years? Based on the terrible state that the Star Boundary was currently in, it would take at least tens of thousands of years to restore its foundation.
Everybody nodded at those words. Faced with such an enormous and terrifying existence, nobody would even think about actively provoking the giant. Rather, they hoped that this giant would sleep until the end of time.
There was only one exception. That person flew towards the Giant Spirit God while Zhan Wu Hen was speaking. Everybody turned to look in that direction, wondering what Yang Kai was trying to do, but as he got closer and closer to the giant, their expressions changed greatly and Zhan Wu Hen urgently sent a transmission, “Yang Kai, what are you doing!?”
Yang Kai waved Zhan Wu Hen away. When the Giant Spirit God breathed in, he took advantage of the powerful airflow to fly directly towards that huge nose. In the next moment, a Dragon Roar rang out. A Golden Dragon Head flashed and disappeared to reveal a 2,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon. Yang Kai grabbed hold of a nose hair and swung himself into the fleshy walls of the giant’s nose. Under various horrified looks, he raised his fist and punched out with great force.
That punch struck the Giant Spirit God on the nose, but Zhan Wu Hen and the others felt as though it was their hearts that had been violently struck. Their complexions paled in unison and their hearts nearly jumped out of their chests.
Likewise, Wu Kuang’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight and he cackled, “How bold!”
With a shift of his body, he swiftly fled and flew a thousand kilometres away in an instant, intent on watching what was happening from far away. However, he still did not feel very safe and retreated even further away.
Following that punch, the Giant Spirit God’s nose twitched several times. Then, he sneezed. The violent burst of air sent Yang Kai flying two thousand kilometres away, tumbling through the air and vanishing out of sight.
On the other hand, the Giant Spirit God did not show any signs of awakening after this punch. He simply rolled over and continued snoring away.
A short while later, Yang Kai returned and looked at the Giant Spirit God while scratching his head puzzledly. [That was how I woke this guy up last time. Why isn’t it working now?]
“Yang Kai, come back!” Zhan Wu Hen looked fearful as he called out. [Thank the Heavens Yang Kai’s punch just now had no effect; otherwise, none of us would still be alive!]
He intuitively realised just how terrifyingly powerful the Giant Spirit God was through that punch just now. Yang Kai’s punch was so powerful that none of them could have taken that blow head-on unprotected. However, the soft and fleshy wall of the Giant Spirit God’s nose was completely unscathed. It was simply difficult to imagine.
“Senior Iron Blood, please don’t worry. Leave this matter to me,” Yang Kai raised his hand. Hardening his resolve, he summoned the Azure Dragon Spear.
Zhan Wu Hen nearly coughed up blood at the sight and muttered in horror, “What does he plan to do!?”
There was no need for anybody to answer his question as in the next moment, Yang Kai gripped the tip of his spear, holding it upside down, and in a great arc, smashed its butt end down on the Giant Spirit God’s bald head with great force.
*Guang…*
The sound reverberated through the void, the blow causing a visible bump to form on the Giant Spirit God’s bald head. Immediately after that, the tightly closed eyes slowly cracked open by a small gap as though he was going to wake up.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai stood in front of the Giant Spirit God’s face with his spear. He even kept poking the other party’s face with the Azure Dragon Spear while fearlessly shouting, “Wake up! Wake up!”
“Heh heh heh heh…” Wu Kuang watched from a distance, subconsciously laughing softly. A voice in his heart kept warning him to escape as soon as possible, the faster the better. Even so, his curiosity made him stay and watch the events unfolding before him.
On the other hand, the other Great Emperors, the two Elders of the Dragon Clan, and Zhang Ruo Xi had extremely interesting and colourful expressions on their faces that warped constantly. At this moment, nobody knew what to say anymore. Yang Kai was determined to wake the Giant Spirit God. It was clear that he had a trick up his sleeve, so the others could only watch and see how things would turn out.
The Giant Spirit God finally awoke, his two large eyes emitting a bright light like two small suns that pierced through a person’s Soul. The look in those eyes was extremely fierce; furthermore, the flames of his monstrous rage from being woken up from a deep sleep felt like they could burn the Universe down. His enormous body slowly got up into a sitting position and he fixed a sullen gaze on Yang Kai’s figure in front of him before grabbing at him.
Yang Kai neither dodged nor evaded the hand, and despite being caught in the giant’s palm, he was smiling brightly and shouted, “Ah Da! It’s me!”
Ah Da’s expression was still a little dazed, like he was not fully awake yet. His large ears twitched slightly at the loud voice. Lifting his hand that was holding Yang Kai to eye level, he carefully studied the creature in his palm. A short while later, a thoughtful look flitted across his eyes. Following that, the corners of his mouth cracked into a grin that revealed a row of pearly-white fangs, “Ah Da knows you!”
“It’s me! It’s me!” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly. While speaking, he even used the Azure Dragon Spear to tap the back of the giant’s hand to remind the giant that the spear was a gift from him.
“Hehehe! Ah Da knows you!” Ah Da laughed even more happily.
“En, en!” Yang Kai leapt out of Ah Da’s palm and stood on Ah Da’s wrist. Slinging the Azure Dragon Spear across his shoulders, he looked up and asked, “Why did you return again? Didn’t you leave?”
Ah Da seemed stunned for a moment. Then, his expression became gloomy and he rubbed his stomach with his other hand, “Hungry! Ah Da is hungry!”
“Did you come here for food?” Yang Kai asked.
Ah Da nodded, “Ah Da came here for food!”
“Do you want to eat that?” Yang Kai pointed behind him. That was the direction in which the Star Boundary was located. Even without the Giant Spirit God Clan’s Innate Divine Ability, Yang Kai could sense that the world was broken beyond repair and shrouded in a layer of heavy Death Qi.
Ah Da nodded once more, seeming to be extremely happy, “Ah Da wants to eat!”
While speaking, he almost drooled and a loud gulping sound came from his throat.
Yang Kai sternly said, “You can’t eat that!”
Ah Da’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, seeming to become annoyed. The Giant Spirit God Clan was indifferent to worldly affairs; thus, Ah Da spent his entire life wandering between the worlds of the Outer Universe in pursuit of dead Universe Worlds. Even if his brain was not very sharp, he was unhappy to hear those words coming from Yang Kai suddenly and sullenly replied, “Ah Da must eat that!”
“You can’t eat that!”
“Ah Da must eat that!” He glared.
“I said you can’t eat that!”
“Ah Da must eat!”
Seeing the childish quarrel between Yang Kai and the giant, everybody couldn’t help feeling both horrified and amused. Zhang Ruo Xi had mentioned earlier that the Giant Spirit God Clan was very simple-minded, but they had not quite understood what her words meant. Now that they observed this giant’s behaviour, however, they realized what Zhang Ruo Xi mentioned was true in a literal sense. The giant was not just simple-minded; he was no different from a child.
Hua Ling Long did not know whether to laugh or cry, “Yang Kai knows him? How did they meet?”
It was difficult to imagine that Yang Kai had the courage to quarrel with such a terrifying existence. What confused her even more was when Yang Kai had befriended this Giant Spirit God. They even seemed to know each other by name.
Nobody could answer those questions while Zhan Wu Hen suddenly turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi, “Should we be nervous? Yang Kai seems to know this ‘Ah Da’, so things shouldn’t be dangerous, right?”
Zhang Ruo Xi slowly shook her head, “It’s true that the Giant Spirit God is simple-minded, like a child, but… I’m sure you understand what children are like… A child’s mood is difficult to predict. It… can change at any time.”
The expression of the Giant Spirit God Ah Da did not change. On the other hand, the expressions on the Great Emperors’ faces changed first. What Zhang Ruo Xi mentioned was true. The Giant Spirit God was as simple-minded as a child, but putting it in another way meant that he was subjected to ever-shifting moods. What if Yang Kai upset him by stubbornly quarrelling? The consequences would be dire!
Even though Zhang Ruo Xi was very nervous and uneasy, nobody dared to intervene at this moment. It was best to leave this matter to Yang Kai since he was acquainted with Ah Da. Regardless of the final outcome, the Star Boundary could only passively endure the consequences. It might cause more trouble if somebody rashly intervened in this matter.
“I can’t get through to you!” On the other side, Yang Kai was extremely angry after quarrelling with Ah Da for some time.
Ah Da scratched his face and looked away. When he pretended to glance over like nothing had happened, he noticed that Yang Kai was glaring at him. Thus, he hurriedly looked away again as though he was feeling guilty.
Yang Kai was frustrated, “Ah Da, this is my home. If you eat it, I won’t have a home anymore. Do you understand?”
Ah Da rubbed his belly, “Hungry!”
Yang Kai was tempted to use his spear to stab the other party to death. He seethed with anger and paced about on Ah Da’s arm. After a while, he stopped abruptly and tilted his head to the side, “You won’t be hungry anymore if you have something to eat, right?”
“Food?” Ah Da’s eyes brightened. He immediately lowered his head and looked at Yang Kai hopefully.
“Wait here!” After saying that, Yang Kai turned around and flew from whence he came. A short while later, he returned to the others and spoke with a speechless expression, “This is troublesome.”
Zhan Wu Hen asked, “Where will you find what he wants to eat?”
They had heard the exchange between Yang Kai and Ah Da, so they understood what Yang Kai was planning. It was just that… Where were they going to find something like a Dead World?
“It’s not hard to find what he wants to eat, but that will only appease him for a short while. I’m afraid there’s no way to send this guy away unless we find a way to solve the issue with the Star Boundary.”
“It’s fine even if we can only appease him for a short while. In the worst case, we can figure out a solution later.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s all we can do for now. This big guy is… stubborn.” While speaking, he turned to look at Duan Hong Chen, “We can only rely on Senior Bustling World to appease him.”
“Me!?” Duan Hong Chen was shocked.
“Dead Stars!” Yang Kai explained, “The last time I met him, I gave him some World Beads to eat and he liked them very much. I refined the World Beads from asteroids and Dead Stars from the Lower Star Field. Since he ate those World Beads, he won’t turn his nose up at Dead Stars. Or rather, the Dead Stars are exactly what he wants to eat.”
After listening to Yang Kai’s explanation, realization struck Duan Hong Chen and he nodded, “Give me a moment!”
At present, all the Lower Star Fields had been refined and merged into one by Wu Kuang. He originally planned to use this method to open a door into a higher Martial Dao, but now that he obtained the Great Demon God’s body, he no longer needed to spend effort on this anymore. He had borrowed Duan Hong Chen’s body to refine these Lower Star Fields; therefore, he left the Universe World he created by refining these Lower Star Fields to Duan Hong Chen.
There were countless Dead Stars in the Lower Star Fields, so it was not difficult for Duan Hong Chen to find some. In addition, the loss of these Dead Stars would not have much of an effect on their respective Star Fields.
It didn’t take long for a dozen or so chess piece-like objects to appear in his hand. These objects were refined from the Dead Stars. Wu Kuang could turn the Starry Sky into a chessboard and the Stars into chess pieces. Having experienced everything together with Wu Kuang, it was only natural that Duan Hong Chen could do the same.
“Give me more,” Yang Kai took the chess pieces.
Thus, Duan Hong Chen lowered his head and busied himself with his task once more. Another short period passed before Yang Kai turned and flew towards Ah Da.
Ah Da looked at Yang Kai expectantly, his expression was full of excitement.
“Open your mouth!” Yang Kai instructed after flying over to Ah Da.
Ah Da immediately opened his mouth which looked like an enormous black void. Zhan Wu Hen and the others felt scared just looking at that sight.
Yang Kai lifted his hand and tossed a chess piece into Ah Da’s mouth. Ah Da’s eyes suddenly brightened. There were loud crunching sounds as he chewed with an enraptured expression. Even his shining bald head seemed to shine even brighter. A short while later, Ah Da swallowed the Dead Star with a look that seemed to say he was craving for more. How could Yang Kai not know what Ah Da wanted? He immediately tossed out another chess piece.
Inside the void, the enormous Giant Spirit God voraciously ate up Dead Star after Dead Star, the sounds he made while eating terrifying the Great Emperors. As time passed, the chess pieces in Yang Kai’s hand were reduced, piece by piece. It wasn’t until he felt that the time was right that he spoke up, “Ah Da, we are friends, right?”
“Friends?” Ah Da was taken aback and blinked at Yang Kai blankly. It was clear that he did not quite understand the word.
“You ate my food. That means you are my friend now,” Yang Kai said enticingly. Then, he lifted the Azure Dragon Spear, “You gave me this spear, so I am your friend too.”
Ah Da seriously considered those words for a while before breaking into a huge smile, “Friends! En, friends!”
Yang Kai took advantage of the situation and threw another chess piece into Ah Da’s mouth. He nodded and said, “Since we are friends, then this will be easy. Look over there…”
He pointed in the direction of the Star Boundary, “That’s my home. You are my friend. That means it is also your home. A home is a place where you go back to rest when you’re tired from being outside. If I don’t have a home, I won’t have a place to stay anymore. So, you cannot eat that place. Do you understand?”
Ah Da shook his head so hard he resembled a rattle.
Yang Kai gritted his teeth, “It doesn’t matter even if you don’t understand. In any case, you have to remember this. That is not food! That is very important to both you and me! So, you need to protect it!” Seeing that Ah Da was about to shake his head again, Yang Kai flew into a rage, “Do you still want to eat!?”
The enormous figure immediately stiffened in place before Ah Da blurted out, “Yes!”
“That’s right! In the future, I will bring you food if you want to eat something, so you cannot eat that place!” Yang Kai lifted the chess piece in his hand and dangled it in front of Ah Da. All the while, he continued to persuade Ah Da, “Do you remember it now?”
Ah Da’s eyes followed the chess piece and he nodded heavily, “I remember!”
Only then did Yang Kai nod in satisfaction, “Good boy!”
He tossed out the last chess piece in his hand and dusted off his hands, “There’s no more left.”
Ah Da immediately looked disappointed and reached out and rubbed his belly. It was obvious that he had not had enough.
“Take a rest for now. I will bring more delicious foods for you another day!”
“Okay!” Ah Da smacked his lips. Surprisingly, he was very obedient and immediately lay down, snoring almost as soon as he closed his eyes.
Yang Kai flew back, drenched in a cold sweat. He soon met up with the rest and they hurriedly dropped towards the Star Boundary without further ado. After a while, everybody returned to the Flowing Time Temple. They stood in front of the temple and looked up into the sky. Everything still felt a little unreal. If they had not witnessed what happened with their own eyes, they would not have believed that there was an incomparably large behemoth lying in the void of the Outer Universe, just waiting for the Star Boundary’s vitality to be extinguished so that he could devour it whole.
Yang Kai sighed, “I managed to appease him for now, but what do we do in the future? We need to come up with an idea as soon as possible.”
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor frowned, “This Old Master noticed that Ah Da behaves like a child. Although you managed to calm him down for now and made him promise, it’s hard to say whether he will go back on his word in the future.”
Yang Kai replied, “That’s what worries me the most. There’s nothing we can do to him even if he regrets making the promise. But, since he behaves like a child, then we should teach him so that he knows that the Star Boundary cannot be eaten. We might be able to avert this disaster.”
“How do we teach him?” Serene Soul Great Emperor asked.
Yang Kai smiled, “He likes to eat. In that case, we’ll feed him and teach him while feeding him, just like what I did now. If we repeat it a few more times, he will probably remember it.”
Zhan Wu Hen quickly said, “But, we are placing our hopes upon somebody else with this method. Although it can be considered a strategy, it is not a long-term solution. It’s best if we can restore the Star Boundary’s vitality as soon as possible. Young Lady Ruo Xi also mentioned that the Giant Spirit God Clan is only interested in dead Universe Worlds. The reason this Ah Da came over was that he smelled the destruction of the Star Boundary. He will naturally take his leave if we can manage to bring the Star Boundary back to life.”
Mo Huang laughed, “The matter of the Star Boundary recovering its vitality is not something that will occur immediately. Although the living creatures in the Star Boundary have been replenished greatly, the perfection and self-repair of the World Principles will still need time. Besides, only time would tell whether our efforts are successful.”
Everybody was discussing this matter when a voice descended from the sky, “The Giant Spirit God Clan feeds on Dead Worlds, so there should be nobody more knowledgeable than them about the life and death of worlds. If you want the Star Boundary to recover quickly, why don’t you go and ask that big stupid guy directly? He might know something.”
Yang Kai looked up into the sky, “Wu Kuang, didn’t you leave?”
Wu Kuang smiled, “I was just about to leave. I hope we meet again in the future.”
While speaking, his powerful aura rapidly faded into the distance. It would seem that he really left this time.
The biggest scourge of the Star Boundary had just left, but a bigger uninvited guest had arrived. Nevertheless, what Wu Kuang said before he left had given them a wake-up call.
Yang Kai turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi, “Ruo Xi, do you know any methods to quickly restore the vitality of the Star Boundary?”
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head with a bitter smile, “I would have told you if I knew, Sir. But, what Wu Kuang said just now is worth a try.”
“I’ll go and ask right now!” He stood up while saying that.
Zhan Wu Hen raised a hand to stop Yang Kai, “There’s no hurry. That big fellow has just gone to sleep. It will be bad if he gets mad because you disturbed him again. Let’s wait for a bit first. Besides, we still have many things to do in the Star Boundary.” He turned to look at Duan Hong Chen, “Old Duan, please transfer some of the living creatures in the Lower Star Fields out for now. We will work together to fill up all the still inhabitable parts of the Star Boundary.” Then, he turned to Yang Kai, “Yang Kai, I will leave the Space Arrays and the like to you. The Star Boundary’s foundation has been severely damaged so we will need to rely on the surviving people if we want to quickly restore its vitality. Communication between them is extremely necessary. If they have enough Space Arrays to support them, I believe the Star Boundary will also recover a little faster.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s not a problem.”
He was the Void Great Emperor. Even if the Universe World of the Star Boundary was unstable, he only needed a flash of his thoughts to arrive anywhere. If he were to set up a Space Array on top of that, he could easily connect the entire Star Boundary in a short time with his strength alone. At that time, all the people living in the Star Boundary would be able to travel around quickly.
Nearly two months of busy work went by before some slight progress had been made. Practically all the forces in the Star Boundary came out to help. Even the Great Emperors were not idle during this period.
Duan Hong Chen had transferred countless living creatures from the Lower Star Fields to the four territories of the Star Boundary. At present, all the inhabitable areas in the Star Boundary had been filled with life. Yang Kai also set up Space Arrays at all the places where living creatures were gathered. In addition, the fifty-five Star Boundary armies had been dissolved, with their members free to choose a new place to settle down according to the origins of their Sects and Clans.
Yang Kai used a Secret Technique to rebuild the landscape of High Heaven Palace, and although he managed to restore up to 70 or 80% of High Heaven Palace’s original appearance, it was still far from how it was like in the past. Unfortunately, it was not something that would take effect in a short time. Like the Star Boundary’s recovery, the effects would be accumulated over a long period of time.
Lan Xun returned to the Southern Territory with the remaining survivors of Star Soul Palace and set about its revival. When they were about to part ways, she came to pay a special visit to express her gratitude. Xiao Chen came with her as well, looking ashamed of himself.
He had been bewitched by Great Demon God earlier and during a critical moment in the final battle, he had launched a sneak attack on Yang Kai together with Li Shi Qing. He almost caused an irreparable mistake and was injured by Yang Kai in the end. Although it was not his original intention to carry out the sneak attack, he would not have been eroded by the Demon Spirit if his heart had not been swayed.
After that experience, Xiao Chen seemed to have become a lot more mature. He had lost his former fastidious but arrogant manner. It was as though he had lost some of his edges. It was hard to say whether it was a blessing or a curse. He had yet to heal from his injuries, but those injuries did not leave any hidden dangers behind, so there would be a day when he recovered fully as long as he took a good rest in the future.
Army after army and batch after batch of people left High Heaven Palace to scatter across the Star Boundary. Two months later, only the original disciples remained in High Heaven Palace. After experiencing such a disaster, less than 60,000 remained of the more than 100,000 disciples of High Heaven Palace. That was also only because Yang Kai placed many of them into the Small Sealed World in advance to avoid the catastrophe since most of the disciples in High Heaven Palace had only cultivated for a short time and were lacking in strength.
If High Heaven Palace was in such a situation, it was easy to understand how the other Sects were faring. Saying that nine houses out of ten in the Star Boundary were empty was not an exaggeration. It was the actual situation. For the people who survived the infernal ordeal of war, the tranquillity after the war felt extremely surreal. Be that as it may, they cherished the current stability even more.
The enormous Giant Spirit God ate noisily in the void. Yang Kai turned into his large Dragon Form and sat cross-legged in front of the giant. Picking up a huge wineskin, he guzzled down the contents. The sweet smell of alcohol permeated the air.
After drinking for some time, he turned to look at Ah Da and blew out a breath of air that smelled strongly of wine. The smell of alcohol made Ah Da frown. The Giant Spirit God did not seem to eat anything else other than Dead Worlds and natural products. Yang Kai had tried to cajole him into drinking some wine before, but he staunchly refused the offer. He also seemed to be highly repulsed by the aroma of wine.
“Ah Da, do you have a better solution for the situation regarding my home?”
This was the third time Yang Kai came to chat with Ah Da. The first time, Ah Da had not responded at all. The second time, he seemed to understand what Yang Kai was asking but did not give an answer, only saying that he would think about it. Thus, this was the third time.
When Ah Da heard the question, he laughed and continued to chew non-stop.
“Don’t just eat! Come on! You have to help me think of a solution!” Yang Kai stared at Ah Da speechlessly.
“Hehe!”
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched slightly and he couldn’t help cursing for a moment. Then, he laughed again, “It’s rare to be as carefree as you are every single day. Tell me; do you have any siblings? Ruo Xi mentioned that the Giant Spirit God is a Race. If you are a Race, you can’t be the only member, right?”
Ah Da blinked. Raising his mountain-like fingers, he frowned deeply and used his fingers to count something with a serious look on his face. It was just that he could not come up with an answer despite counting for a long time.
Likewise, Yang Kai could not figure out the answer to his question either. He pressed his hand against his forehead in frustration, “Forget it! Forget it! You can take your time counting and thinking of an answer. Why don’t you tell me when I visit you again next time?”
While speaking, he stood up, looked in the direction of the Star Boundary, and grinned, “There’s a joyous event waiting for me there. It’s not good for me to be late, so I’ll be going now. Bye!”
After saying that, he headed towards the Star Boundary with large strides.
“World Tree!” A thunderous voice spoke like a whisper suddenly came from behind.
Yang Kai abruptly stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at Ah Da, “What did you say?”
However, Yang Kai was greeted by the sight of Ah Da frowning so deeply that his eyebrows formed three deep canyons. Ah Da was still vigorously counting with his fingers. How could he have spoken just then?
Yang Kai almost thought that he had been hallucinating. Be that as it may, that voice definitely belonged to Ah Da. He could not be mistaken about that. Scrutinising the other party for a bit, Yang Kai gave up on the idea of getting to the bottom of this matter. Instead, he silently made a mental note of the words ‘World Tree’ before he turned around, waved goodbye, and continued forward.
Azure Sun Temple in the Southern Territory.
Similar to High Heaven Palace, Azure Sun Temple was in ruins. This place had also once been a battlefield. The Demon Race army had invaded, the Spirit Peaks had collapsed, and Demon Essence had corrupted it.
Nevertheless, the situation here was much better than the situation at High Heaven Palace. The vicinity of High Heaven Palace had been the place where the final battle had taken place after all. The terrifying fallout that swept across that land had caused the surrounding ten thousand kilometres to become empty, unstable, and covered in cracks. In comparison, the overall landscape of this place had been preserved even though it might be slightly rundown.
After being fixed by Bustling World Great Emperor himself, Azure Sun Temple could be said to have been completely restored. The only difference was that the World Energy was not as rich as it was originally. There was no helping this. Most of the world’s Auspicious Spirit Essence was gone, so it was only natural that the World Energy would be greatly affected as a result. These effects would not return to normal until the Auspicious Spirit Essence was replenished.
At this moment, brightly-lit lanterns and decorations adorned the entire Azure Sun Temple. The sounds of beating gongs and drums mixed together, making the entire atmosphere extremely lively. All the Spirit Peaks were also decorated in bright-red festive colours.
There was no helping it. Today was the wedding day of Azure Sun Temple’s Temple Master, Wen Zi Shan. Prior to the Two Worlds Great War, Wen Zi Shan had been the Temple Master of Azure Sun Temple in the Southern Territory. He was a respected and powerful individual who had friends all over the world. After the war between the two worlds broke out, he had taken up the post of Army Commander and made even more friends during that period.
In addition, this auspicious event was the first joyous celebration to take place in the Star Boundary after the war. Azure Sun Temple was filled with guests as practically anybody who was somebody in the Star Boundary had shown up; there were no exceptions. Even most of the Great Emperors were present.
The Star Boundary currently needed such an auspicious event to inspire the people. This joyous event was needed to wash away the painful past of this war-torn world; therefore, Wen Zi Shan’s wedding today was being celebrated in full swing across the entire Star Boundary. It could be said to be the Star Boundary’s largest event in history.
When Yang Kai rushed over to Azure Sun Temple, the disciples of the Temple were busy working outside the mountain gate of the Sect to greet and usher their guests inside without pause. They guided the guests into the Temple, one by one, and settled them into a suitable seat to wait for the banquet to begin.
Yang Kai instantly felt the auras of several Great Emperors up above. They were hiding behind a certain mountain peak and after glancing in that direction, he clearly felt their gazes on him. Zhan Wu Hen’s question immediately sounded in his ears, “How is it? Did you manage to learn anything?”
“World Tree. I don’t know anything else,” Yang Kai replied.
“World Tree?” Inside the hall on the mountain peak, Zhan Wu Hen frowned with a pensive expression. He turned to look to his left and right. Unfortunately, both Duan Hong Chen and Mo Huang shook their heads slowly to indicate that they had never heard of it.
“I’ll go back and ask Ruo Xi later. She might know something.” Yang Kai replied via voice transmission.
Zhan Wu Hen nodded, “That’s all we can do anyway.”
Be that as it may, Yang Kai’s attempt this time was still better than the last two attempts. He had asked the same question the past two times only to return empty-handed. At least, he learned about the World Tree this time. This item might just be the key item to restoring the Star Boundary to normal. It was just that… Judging by the name, it appeared to be a tree! Where would he find it!?
After a brief exchange with Zhan Wu Hen, Yang Kai did not enter through the Main Gate. With his current status, going through the gate would only cause some unnecessary commotion. Besides, Azure Sun Temple was practically his second home. There was no need to inform anybody about his return home.
Turning to look to the side, he saw a Spirit Peak surrounded by a purple aura. Purple bamboo grew all over the mountain and the huge bamboo forests were dressed with bright red satin. Brightly-lit red lanterns hung from the eaves of the front door in a continuous line. The ground was covered with red carpet. Many people hustled and bustled about, going in and out in droves. It was Purple Bamboo Peak, Gao Xue Ting’s Spirit Peak.
With a flicker of his body, Yang Kai entered the Spirit Peak directly and came to stand in front of a certain building. Smiling slightly, he cupped his fists and greeted, “Senior Sister Gao, Junior Brother is here to congratulate you.”
The noise inside the building subsided all of a sudden and the entire place fell silent. Even the family members on the bride’s side who were hurrying about with their tasks abruptly stopped in their tracks and looked over in unison.
In the next moment, a group of flirtatious and alluring women rushed out of the building. Some Yang Kai knew, some he had never met before; however, they all gave an elegant bow and greeted him at the same time, “Greetings, Senior Void!”
Yang Kai nodded, stretched out his hand, and lifted his hand slightly. A gentle force spread out, helping everyone lift their heads. Then, he strode forward to enter the building.
“What are you doing!?” A beautiful figure immediately came to block his way. Yu Ru Meng’s eyes were blazing with fury as she looked him up and down with a look of vigilance.
“I’m here to give a wedding gift!” He blinked, “Why are you stopping me, Ru Meng?”
She sneered, “Can you use your brains a little!? Even I, who was born in the Demon Realm, know that the bride cannot meet any male guests before the wedding ceremony. What are you trying to do here?”
Yang Kai smilingly replied, “But, I’m part of the bride’s family. Can’t I come to give my wedding gifts and send her off?”
“No! Of course not!” She pressed her hand against his chest to stop him.
Yang Kai was not deterred, however, and argued, “You are a female Demon Saint. Why are you being so particular? Move aside, move aside. I haven’t seen how the bride looks in her wedding dress yet. That’s why I came here to see her.”
Yu Ru Meng was steadfast though and refused to budge, “You can see it during their wedding ceremony. Not now.”
While speaking, she summoned Su Yan and the others. Su Yan, Luo’er, and all the others came the moment they were called. In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai was surrounded by several of his wives.
Su Yan spoke up immediately, “Husband, Senior Sister Gao will not see you at this time. If you have any gifts, Brother-in-Law can convey them on your behalf.”
“You’re rebelling against me!” He laughed.
Shan Qing Luo said, “It’s not that easy to see how the bride looks in her wedding dress. When we return though, we sisters can dress up and show you one by one. I just wonder if you have this interest, husband.”
Xia Ning Chang and Xue Yue’s eyes lit up with anticipation at those words.
“Uh…” Yang Kai touched his nose, “If I think about it carefully, I should be part of the groom’s family today. I should probably go to Temple Master Wen’s side instead.”
After saying that, he turned to leave.
Yu Ru Meng grabbed him by the shoulder, however, and demanded, “You can leave, but the wedding gifts stay.”
He abruptly turned to look at her, “Whose side are you on?”
She sneered, “Today, we sisters are on the bride’s side!”
Speechless, Yang Kai could only leave the wedding gifts that he prepared beforehand behind. Only then could he make his escape. Since he could not meet the bride, his only other option was to go and visit the groom. The groom was on another Spirit Peak not far away, so he arrived in just a few steps.
A few disciples of the Temple like Xia Sheng and Xiao Bai Yi were waiting outside the room. Wen Zi Shan was the only person inside the room. Everybody was about to greet Yang Kai with a bow, but he raised a hand to stop them before pushing the door open and entering to see Wen Zi Shan sitting primly inside.
Wen Zi Shan was wearing an auspicious bright red robe with a huge red sash across his chest. He looked pensive and sighed constantly, seeming to be very apprehensive and nervous. When he lifted his head and saw Yang Kai, he immediately got to his feet, “You’re here, Senior Void.”
Yang Kai walked over to Wen Zi Shan, pressed the latter back into his chair, and sat down together. He studied the other party with interest before asking, “Temple Master Wen, are you not happy?”
Wen Zi Shan frowned slightly and replied with a strange expression, “I’m quite happy.”
“In that case, do you not like her?” Yang Kai pressed further.
Wen Zi Shan shook his head, “We’ve been together for so many years. How can I not like her?”
“If you are happy and you like her, then why do you look so sad and uneasy, Temple Master?”
“Haih.” He sighed, his aged face flushing slightly, “I raised her after all. I have no idea if doing this is a good thing or a bad thing for her.”
Yang Kai laughed, “I went to Purple Bamboo Peak just now.”
Wen Zi Shan looked over nervously, “How is the situation over there?”
Yang Kai scratched his nose, “I didn’t get to meet Senior Sister Gao. I was stopped by my wives, who claimed that the bride cannot meet any male guests before the wedding ceremony.”
“Hahaha!” Wen Zi Shan laughed heartily in response. He could almost imagine the scene at the time.
Yang Kai continued, “Although I didn’t get to meet Senior Sister Gao, I could sense that she was very happy and was looking forward to this very much. That’s why you shouldn’t look so down, Temple Master. She would be hurt if she knew.”
Wen Zi Shan grumbled, “But, I’m worried! Getting along is not the same as living well as husband and wife! What if she discovers that this Wen is not that great after all!? Will she hate me!?”
A sudden look of realization flashed across Yang Kai’s eyes, “I see. You’re actually worried about dragging her down for the rest of her life. It’s not about losing your freedom.” He chuckled, “You’ve known each other for so long and she knows better than anyone else just what is good about you and what is bad about you. If she were to dislike you, she would have disliked you a long time ago. Why would she be so happy today?”
“That is theoretically true…” Wen Zi Shan nodded but still looked unsure.
“Besides, the Star Boundary would no longer exist if Mo Sheng’s plans had been successful. You and I both would have lost our lives in battle. Danger always comes unexpectedly. The Star Boundary is at peace again for the moment, but who knows what the future will bring? Who can say that the Star Boundary won’t be ravaged again tomorrow? If that were to happen, you will have so many regrets because of all your unfinished business.”
Wen Zi Shan chuckled, “Are you saying we should enjoy life to the fullest?”
Yang Kai shrugged nonchalantly, “Why not?”
Wen Zi Shan let out a long sigh, “It’s enough as long as she doesn’t hate me.”
At this moment, Xia Sheng’s voice came from outside the door, “Temple Master, the auspicious hour has arrived. We have to go and pick up the bride now.”
“Good,” Wen Zi Shan replied.
Yang Kai reached over, picked up the bottle of wine on the table, and poured two glasses. He took one glass and handed the other to Wen Zi Shan, “Temple Master, I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend the banquet later. Allow me to present to you my well wishes now. I hope that you will have a loving and harmonious life together.”
His current status made things a bit difficult after all. Yang Kai wanted very much to join in the festivities, but the joyous celebration would become very reserved and formal if he really were to attend in person. Therefore, he might as well not attend. He had already delivered the wedding gifts to Gao Xue Ting and met with Wen Zi Shan. That was enough.
Wen Zi Shan drained the glass in one gulp and slammed the cup down on the table heavily before firmly declaring, “I’m going!”
Turning around, he marched off resolutely, as if even a thousand soldiers could not block his way!
The welcoming procession to pick the bride up was very lively and large and headed towards Purple Bamboo Peak with great fanfare.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai flew up into the sky. Duan Hong Chen, Zhan Wu Hen, Mo Huang, and Hua Ling Long hid and watched the procession below. Yang Kai glanced around and asked, “Where are the others?”
“They’re recuperating,” Duan Hong Chen replied.
Although the Star Boundary ultimately won in the war against Great Demon God, almost all of its most powerful Masters had suffered severe injuries. What’s more, they had been busy stabilising the situation in the Star Boundary after the war. Hence, it wasn’t until recently that they had the time to return to their respective residences to treat their wounds. They did not know how long would pass before they healed and could come out of retreat again.
Duan Hong Chen and the others were also injured and would probably enter retreat after the auspicious event today; thus, it was conceivable that the Star Boundary would be without any Great Emperors for the next few hundred to a thousand years.
Even though those Great Emperors did not come, their congratulatory gifts arrived without fail. Wen Zi Shan might not command such great respect, but Duan Hong Chen did. Gao Xue Ting was raised by Wen Zi Shan while Wen Zi Shan was raised by Duan Hong Chen. The relationship between them was akin to father and son.
Zhan Wu Hen said, “Yang Kai, I’m afraid the Star Boundary will be in your care after today.”
Among all the Great Emperors and those on the level of Great Emperors, only Yang Kai was in good shape. There was no helping it as he had refined the Immortal Tree. Even though he had also been severely injured in the battle against the Great Demon God, those injuries were nothing in the face of the healing abilities of the Immortal Tree’s essence; therefore, his injuries had healed completely over the past few months.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai could clearly perceive that he did not gain an immortal and indestructible body after refining the Immortal Tree. The legends surrounding the Immortal Tree were probably highly exaggerated. If his physical body had been smashed to pieces again, he had the feeling that he would have died for real. In other words, the essence of the Immortal Tree was limited. It was impossible to protect him infinitely.
“You may all rest easy.”
Duan Hong Chen sighed heavily as he gazed sadly at the welcoming processing heading towards the bride below.
Yang Kai was astonished, “What’s wrong, Senior Bustling World?”
Duan Hong Chen sorrowfully replied, “If I had known earlier, I would have taken in a little girl and raised her too.”
Yang Kai was instantly rendered speechless.
It was extremely festive on Purple Bamboo Peak. The welcoming procession surmounted all the obstacles in their way and finally welcomed the bride after much effort. After ushering the bride into the bridal sedan, they headed back towards the Main Hall of Azure Sun Temple with even greater fanfare.
Upon seeing that, Duan Hong Chen tidied his clothes and said, “This Old Master is off.”
Wen Zi Shan was getting married today, so it was only natural for him to pay his respects to his parent figure, Duan Hong Chen. For that reason, Duan Hong Chen had specially dressed up for the occasion. Compared to his usual sloppy attire, he looked like a different person altogether. After saying that, he transformed into a rainbow and quickly flew downward.
Zhan Wu Hen said, “Yang Kai, the rest of us will be heading back first. We will be leaving the Star Boundary in your hands. Don’t hesitate to come to us if you need our help.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists and replied solemnly, “Until we meet again.”
Following that, the other Great Emperors vanished out of sight with a flurry of bodies.
On the other hand, several figures were rushing over from below. Yang Kai looked at them and immediately broke into a smile. They were none other than his lovely wives. Yu Ru Meng was in the lead, followed by Zhu Qing, Su Yan, and the others. All of them were here today and exchanged a glance without speaking before looking down together.
At this moment, the welcoming procession had just ushered the bride into the Main Hall and Li Wu Yi’s voice rang out. The Master of Ceremonies for today’s wedding was none other than the strongest Master beneath the Great Emperors! He was also dressed in bright red and looked very festive.
First bow to the Heavens; second bow to the Parents; third bow to each other. After tying the knot, they entered the bridal chambers!
When the ceremony ended, the entire Azure Sun Temple seemed to boil with excitement. The banquet began and many guests began toasting to each other while exchanging pleasantries.
Yang Kai suddenly heard somebody crying next to him. He turned and looked sideways only to see Shan Qing Luo sobbing softly with reddened eyes. Moreover, she was looking at him while crying. There was a different kind of emotion in the beautiful and clear eyes of the Beguiling Demon Queen today.
Needless to say, Yang Kai was shocked, and just as he was about to question Shan Qing Luo, he realised that all the women around him were looking at him in the same manner as her. Even Xia Ning Chang pursed her lips lightly with an expectant look. He immediately understood what was going on. Stretching his arms out to them, he pulled them into his embrace, “Why don’t we get married too?”
The moment the words left his mouth, a yearning look appeared in the women’s eyes. They had been living together all this while without feeling the need for a marriage ceremony; however, they couldn’t help yearning for it when they saw somebody else performing the actual ceremony.
Despite longing for a marriage ceremony herself, Yu Ru Meng snorted at his words and declared, “Impossible.”
Yang Kai was taken aback, “Ru Meng, don’t you want to marry me!?”
She looked at him coldly, “Of course we sisters are willing to marry you, but have you thought about what would happen to the others?”
“Others? What others?” He was puzzled.
Su Yan quietly said, “Senior Sister Ji Yao…”
Yang Kai immediately flushed red.
Shan Qing Luo glanced sideways and added, “That little girl Mo Xiao Qi.”
He coughed lightly.
“Sister Ruo Xi…”
Yang Kai scratched his head in embarrassment.
Yu Ru Meng poked him in the chest with a slender jade finger, “Yang Kai, aren’t you quite impressive!?”
He stepped back repeatedly as she poked him over and over again. Then, he gave a dry laugh, “It’s one thing to mention Ji Yao, but there’s nothing going on between me and Xiao Qi or Ruo Xi.”
“Fine, then we’ll only talk about Ji Yao.” She sneered softly, “If you married only us, won’t Ji Yao be heartbroken? Do you have the confidence to convince her to join us?”
Yang Kai considered the question seriously and found that he was not sure if he could. His relationship with Ji Yao had always been rather secretive and discreet. What’s more, Ji Yao had never asked him for anything before.
Su Yan said, “We’ll wait until you manage to persuade Senior Sister Ji Yao, husband. We can hold a wedding after that.”
“You might have to wait for a very long time.”
To which she smiled, “It has been so many years already. It doesn’t make a difference anymore.”
Yang Kai sighed, “My life is complete with all of you.”
His words that came from the heart could melt even the hardest ice in the world, and all the women’s expressions became tender and loving.
However, Yu Ru Meng was resentful and snorted, “Have some respect for yourselves! At least stand your ground a little! Don’t be swayed by his words… Ugh… You bastard!”
FBI, we good now?
Inside one of the rooms on High Heaven Peak in High Heaven Palace sprawled several bodies on a large bed. Yang Kai extracted himself from the tangle of limbs with some difficulty. Putting on some clothes, he walked over to the window and opened it so that fresh air blew across his face. It had rained last night, so High Heaven Peak was shrouded in fog, making it hard to make out the buildings in the distance.
The sound of footsteps came from behind him; then, a warm and tender body pressed against him. Su Yan wrapped her arms around his waist and asked softly, “How long will you be in retreat this time?”
“It shouldn’t take long, but I’m afraid I’ll have to leave the day I exit.”
Her body trembled slightly at his words.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely come back.” He turned around and pulled her into his arms.
“Mmm… We will be waiting.” She nodded.
“I really don’t want to go…” He kissed her on the forehead. They had many partings throughout their lifetime, but few reunions in comparison. He originally thought that they could finally settle down together without needing to run around again, but who would have thought that the situation would repeat itself once more? Unfortunately, he had no choice but to do so for the Star Boundary’s sake.
After returning to High Heaven Palace from Azure Sun Temple, he had asked Zhang Ruo Xi about the World Tree; however, Zhang Ruo Xi had never heard of it before. Although she inherited a lot of her ancestor’s memories, they were merely an inheritance and the memories were not comprehensive. Heavens Order might have known about the World Tree, but the memories Zhang Ruo Xi received were fragmented. She did not know anything about the World Tree. Even so, she managed to point him in a direction despite not knowing anything.
There were enormous great forces in the Outer Universe that controlled places known as Star Cities. As long as one had enough resources, one could buy anything in such a place. It might be possible to buy information regarding the World Tree in a Star City.
At this moment, the Star Boundary was nearly broken beyond repair. Although they relocated countless living creatures out from the Lower Star Fields to restore the vitality and nurture the Auspicious Spirit Essence of the Star Boundary, nobody could say for sure whether this method would be effective. Even if it was effective, it might take tens of thousands of years to produce results.
The Giant Spirit God Ah Da was eyeing the Star Boundary hungrily and could turn it into his meal at any time. Yang Kai did not dare to guarantee that the giant would be absolutely obedient, that was why he had to think of another method to restore the Star Boundary’s vitality as soon as possible in addition to allowing it to simply self-repair.
The World Tree was the only clue he currently had. Aside from that, he himself also wanted to break free from the shackles of this Universe World and have a look at the outside world. An injured Great Demon God had all but annihilated the entire Star Boundary, so how would the Star Boundary resist if another powerful figure like Great Demon God appeared again? The only way was to become stronger; otherwise, was he supposed to hope that those powerful existences would never come to the Star Boundary? That was unrealistic.
There was an even higher Martial Dao and an even stronger power in the Outer Universe. Regardless of whether it was by his own will or being forced by the circumstances, it was a given to leave the Star Boundary and head towards a wider world.
Since he had made up his mind, then there was no need for hesitation. In any case, he still had to do the things that needed to be done; therefore, his top priority was to enter retreat to digest the benefits he gained during the last battle. Yang Kai’s current cultivation had reached the limits of the Emperor Realm. In addition, he received the support of a Universe World like the Star Boundary and became a Great Emperor. It was just that the truth was just as the Great Demon God had mentioned. ‘Great Emperor’ was not the highest cultivation Realm. The Realm above the Emperor Realm was the Open Heaven Realm.
Breaking free of the shackles of the Inner Universe, splitting Heaven and Earth apart and transforming one’s own body into an independent world… That was what was required to reach the Open Heaven Realm. Even without carrying a world, those in the Open Heaven Realm could exert far greater power than a Great Emperor. That power belonged to themselves and was not something they needed to borrow from an outside world.
Yang Kai had experienced the feeling of splitting Heaven and Earth apart before. When he consumed the World Source Liquid, there was a sense of chaos spreading out as the world was born. That sort of experience was extremely rare. Unless one had the chance to experience the initial birth of a world, it was impossible for a person to directly sense that feeling for themselves.
The Outer Universe was vast indeed. Even so, the birth of a new world was extremely demanding. World Source Liquid would only appear when a world was first created, not to mention that World Source Liquid that was initially created would gradually disappear as the world matured and aged. The only reason the Star Boundary’s World Source Liquid was preserved was all thanks to the Source Sealed World known as the Profound Heavens Temple. If not for this Sealed World preserving the most primitive environment of the world, the World Source Liquid would have ceased to exist.
Nevertheless, experiencing the feeling of Heaven and Earth splitting apart was pointless to Yang Kai at the moment. That experience would only benefit him greatly when he attempted to advance to the Open Heaven Realm. For now, he did not know how far he was from advancing into a higher Realm.
According to Zhang Ruo Xi, it was necessary to gather the power of Yin, Yang and Five Elements to become an Open Heaven Realm Master. That was because all the worlds were derived from Yin, Yang and the Five Elements. Only by gathering more of this power could one hope to split Heaven and Earth apart within one’s own body and completely break free from the shackles of the Inner Universe.
Having reached the limits of the Emperor Realm, reaching the Open Heaven Realm was a long process of accumulation. There were no exceptions to this process. Moreover, the more solid and vigorous the process of accumulation, the greater the strength one could wield upon becoming an Open Heaven Realm Master; therefore, there were times when the gap in strength between Open Heaven Realm Masters was extreme. One move might be enough to distinguish who was stronger in a fight between two Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Outer Universe. It was not an uncommon sight.
The gathering and accumulation of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements took one’s Dao Seal as a foundation. The Dao Seal’s existence was the greatest symbol that distinguished an ordinary Emperor Realm Master from an Emperor Realm Master with the hope of breaking through to become an Open Heaven Realm Master.
The only people that had Dao Seals in the Star Boundary were the Great Emperors. The others, including Li Wu Yi, did not have a Dao Seal that belonged to them. Only by obtaining a Dao Seal would one obtain the qualification to comprehend the Grand Dao and the right to glimpse into the secrets of the Open Heaven Realm.
The Dao Seal was formed from the essence of a person’s cultivation throughout their lifetime; therefore, Yang Kai looked no different from a normal person unless he used his power. In addition, while the Demon Qi in his body would churn violently whenever he activated his power in the past, there were no signs of that anymore. All the Demon Qi in his body and even his Divine Sense were condensed into his Dao Seal, transforming into the purest form of power.
The foundation for the gathering of the Power of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements was the Dao Seal. At first, Yang Kai could not understand this statement, but a single sentence from Zhang Ruo Xi immediately enlightened him.
Leaving aside the other powers in the Five Elements, he at least had already condensed the Wood Element from the Immortal Tree!
Across the 3,000 Worlds, the Immortal Tree was considered a peak Supreme Treasure. Even the Great Demon God had nearly gone insane with jealousy upon learning that Yang Kai had refined the Immortal Tree during the final battle. It could be seen just how valuable the Immortal Tree was. According to Zhang Ruo Xi, the Immortal Tree was one of the best choices to condense the Wood Element throughout the entire 3,000 Worlds. There were practically no better choices.
Seeing as Yang Kai had already thoroughly absorbed the Immortal Tree, he could omit the refining process altogether. When he learned about this, he couldn’t help feeling ecstatic. He had been forced to refine the Immortal Tree as at the time, his physical body had been completely destroyed by Great Demon God. He had no other options and could only try whatever means he could think of. In the end, he inadvertently succeeded in refining the Immortal Tree. Who could have known that it would also bring him these kinds of benefits?
There were two reasons behind his going into retreat this time. The first reason was to digest the various gains he received during the previous battle. The second reason was to condense the Wood Element into his Dao Seal.
He had experience in refining the Five Elements as he once cultivated a Secret Technique known as the Five Elements Indestructible Sword Tempering Art during the time he lived on Shadowed Star in Heng Luo Star Field. That Secret Technique had also required refining the power of the Five Elements. At the time, he also had a small baby fist-sized piece of Sun’s True Essence. It was just that most of it had been consumed to cultivate the Five Elements Indestructible Sword Tempering Art.
The power of the Five Elements Indestructible Sword Tempering Art was certainly impressive. As long as there were enough materials to refine, it would improve one’s control over the Five Elements. Hence, the power of this Secret Technique was almost infinite. It was just that Yang Kai later came to the Star Boundary, learned about a higher Martial Dao, and gradually abandoned the Five Elements Indestructible Sword Tempering Art. Now, it would seem that it was the wrong decision to make.
If he had accumulated enough power of the Five Elements back then, it might have been easier for him to advance into the Open Heaven Realm now. But, thinking about it in another way, all of his strength had been smelted into the Dao Seal when he condensed his Dao Seal, so no matter how much he had accumulated previously, it would not have made a difference.
It was all thanks to Zhang Ruo Xi; otherwise, Yang Kai would still be clueless about his future. At least he now had a clear direction.
There was no specific choice regarding which of the powers of Yin, Yang, or Five Elements to start with, but once one was chosen, a specific order needed to be followed afterwards. For example, now that Yang Kai had chosen to start the Wood Element, he would need to refine the Fire Element next. That was because the Five Elements mutually supported and restrained each other. Only wood could ignite fire.
In any case, that was something to be considered in the future as Yang Kai did not have any other materials on hand to refine the Five Elements. Seeing as he knew the secrets to the Open Heaven Realm, he could choose the best possible route to advancement in order to become the strongest Open Heaven Realm Master.
The door closed with a loud rumble and the lock clicked into place. Numerous seals were activated all at once as Yang Kai walked into the secret room and isolated himself from the outside world. He was going into retreat from today onward. For the next few decades or even the next few centuries, this would be his place of retreat.
He had made arrangements for all the affairs in the outside world as all the Great Emperors along with the two Elders of the Dragon Clan were also in retreat. Even Xiao Xiao was in the process of recuperating from his wounds. Even so, it was not as though no other powerful figures were remaining behind in the Star Boundary.
Zhang Ruo Xi was in a state of half-retreat and could take action at any time.
In the meantime, Yu Ru Meng guarded the Star Boundary. With her around, there would be no problems so long as no other Masters on the level of Great Demon God came to the Star Boundary. The task of appeasing Ah Da had also been handed over to her.
Before Duan Hong Chen went into retreat, he deliberately left many Dead Stars that had been refined into chess pieces to Yang Kai. Yang Kai then transferred them over to Yu Ru Meng and instructed her to feed Ah Da every so often. He was worried that the giant might get too hungry and forget the promise between them.
After the Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering war, the entire Star Boundary fell silent. Many of the Masters were pursuing their own path to becoming stronger while countless other living creatures in the Star Boundary settled down with their lives.
Just like that, fifty years passed in the blink of an eye.
Inside his cultivation room, Yang Kai slowly awoke from his meditation. His eyes were shining brightly as several dozen years’ worth of dry and boring cultivation had passed as though it was only a single day. He did not change much during this time, both in terms of appearance or temperament. He was no different from fifty years ago; however, the power contained in his body had undergone earth-shaking changes.
The essence of the Immortal Tree had all been condensed into his Dao Seal and when he looked inside at himself, his Dao Seal was now covered in a layer of green light and was overflowing with vitality and energy. The Wood Element was so dense, strong, and pure that it was an extremely rare sight in the world. Even if he had never met anybody else who refined the Wood Element, Yang Kai knew that his current situation was not something other people could possibly compare with.
Zhang Ruo Xi was right, the Immortal Tree was certainly among the best choices for refining the power of Wood. It was impossible for a better choice than this to exist across the 3,000 Worlds.
This time around, the condensation process left him with the illusion that he managed to achieve his goal in the shortest time possible. Unfortunately, there were some disadvantages to this as well.
Yang Kai had already noticed previously that the power of the Immortal Tree was not infinite and could not actually make him immortal and indestructible. Refining the Immortal Tree would allow him to be reborn after having his body shattered into pieces completely a few times at most before its power was exhausted. Even so, these opportunities should not be underestimated. Even in the world of the Outer Universe, precious treasures that could bring people back from the brink of death were extremely rare. They practically only existed in legends, which only served to highlight just how powerful the Immortal Tree was.
Unfortunately, even the opportunity to be reborn after having his body shattered into pieces completely no longer existed anymore. That was because all the essence of the Immortal Tree had been refined into his Dao Seal. It was no longer contained within his flesh and bones. In other words, he would die if he was smashed to bits again by a Master on the same level as the Great Demon God before.
Therefore, the change brought both disadvantages and advantages.
At the very least, Yang Kai did not have to worry about being seen through at a glance. He immediately recovered after having his head bashed in by the Great Demon God previously, and just from that, the Great Demon God could tell with a single glance that he had refined the Immortal Tree. As a result, the Great Demon God had continuously torn off chunks of his flesh and consumed it during the battle in an effort to prevent his own injuries from worsening.
In the future, Yang Kai would not expose himself anymore if he were injured. It would also save him from the fate of having people covet his treasures. He might be practically invincible in the Star Boundary as Void Great Emperor, but there were Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Outer Universe. It was only natural that he understood the meaning behind the saying ‘an ordinary man might be innocent, but the treasures he carried made him guilty’. If he accidentally exposed the fact that he had refined the Immortal Tree, he might end up being treated as a Human shaped treasure to be refined.
Although he lost the opportunity to be reborn after having his body shattered into pieces completely upon condensing the essence of the Immortal Tree into his Dao Seal, his restorative abilities had been greatly enhanced instead. Combined with the restorative abilities of his Dragon Body, ordinary injuries would not bother him anymore.
His current cultivation Realm was a little awkward. It could be considered to be above the Emperor Realm but not yet in the Open Heaven Realm. He was only on the path to advancing into the Open Heaven Realm and did not know how to define a cultivator at this level. Zhang Ruo Xi had not mentioned anything either, so it might be that there was no fixed definition for this stage in the Outer Universe.
Be that as it may, Zhang Ruo Xi once mentioned that anybody who had gathered any five out of the seven Yin, Yang, and Five Elements could be considered a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master. They had to refine two more Elements to split Heaven and Earth apart, but nevertheless, the power that they could exert was by no means comparable to somebody like Yang Kai who had only refined a single Element.
In any case, calling it a Realm was simply just a title. The true foundation of a cultivator lay in how much power they could actually bring out.
Looking back at it now, Flowing Time Great Emperor had most likely glimpsed the path to advancing into the Open Heaven Realm. Perhaps, he might even have already refined one or two Elements in his body. How else could he have entered the Demon Realm alone? How else could he have fought the injured Great Demon God to the death?
Even Wu Kuang would be slightly inferior at his peak. He might have vaguely felt the fetters of the Open Heaven Realm, but he had failed to actually step onto that path. It wasn’t to say that he was inferior to Flowing Time Great Emperor; it might be due to opportunity or some other reason, but Wu Kuang had yet to achieve what Flowing Time had already managed to.
Still, Yang Kai only recalled a thing or two about the past of his Seniors. There was no need to delve so far into it as focusing on himself was more important.
He gave a wave of his hand and the heavy gates opened with a loud rumble. Bright light shone into this secret room that had been shrouded in darkness for several dozen years as he stepped outside.
Sweeping his Divine Senses out, everything in the Star Boundary imprinted itself in his heart, causing him to frown slightly. He initially thought that some changes would have occurred in the Star Boundary after fifty years. So many living creatures had been transferred out of the Lower Star Fields when the war ended after all. Not to mention, various Masters in the Star Boundary even went so far as to join hands to create a suitable living environment for these people.
To his disappointment, however, it would seem that the Star Boundary was not showing any signs of improvement. Rather, it even seemed to be in slightly worse condition than before he entered retreat.
The huge cracks in the sky looked like beasts with their mouths opened wide, just waiting to devour somebody of their choice. Terrifyingly powerful turbulence would also leak out from those cracks from time to time, causing massive damage to the surrounding environment in the Star Boundary. Although the World’s vitality remained, it was not strong. The Star Boundary was still dying, little by little.
Yang Kai let out a soft sigh. His resolve solidified and he became even more determined to leave. Only death would await them here if he did not go out in search of a solution to this predicament.
A figure flashed by at that moment and Yu Ru Meng suddenly appeared in front of him, calling out gently, “Husband!”
Yang Kai smiled, reached out, and pulled her into his arms to hold her gently. He took in the sweet scent lingering in her hair, feeling his depressed feelings dissipating away, leaving behind a warm sense of peace. Likewise, she did not say anything, she simply leaned against him quietly and enjoyed the moment of tenderness.
“Where are the others?” He asked.
“All of them are in retreat.”
“You’ve worked hard.” Everybody else could enter retreat, except Yu Ru Meng. She was the only one who could not seclude herself because she was the only top Master left in the Star Boundary who was uninjured; thus, it was necessary for her to remain alert to the invasion of foreign enemies and monitor the changes in the Star Boundary at all times.
“Are you leaving now?” Her voice shook slightly.
Yang Kai nodded silently in response. He had informed his wives of his decision prior to entering retreat, so she was not surprised.
“Please take care of yourself out there, husband. Perhaps, we sisters will also head out to the Outer Universe to find you in the near future. If you wish to keep a secret mistress on the side, you had better hide your tracks well, otherwise, this Queen will deep-fry all those lovely young ladies if I find out about them!”
Yang Kai reached out and pinched her cheeks, “With you all beside me, how could I be tempted by those ordinary women outside?”
“You never know.” She pouted and wrapped her arms around his waist. Tightening her embrace, she reluctantly said, “Aren’t you going to say goodbye to them?”
Yang Kai just shook his head and declared, “I’ll be back.”
Every time they parted was an extremely sad and painful occasion, and Yang Kai was afraid that he would be reluctant to leave if he saw them.
“You are so cruel!” Yu Ru Meng lifted a finger and poked him in the chest. A short while later, she floated backwards and smilingly said, “Go. Don’t look back. I will cry if you look back.”
Yang Kai scratched his nose and quickly said, “Take care of yourself. Wait for me to come back.”
After saying that, he turned and strode into the sky. It only took a few steps before he became a small black spot in the distance.
In the next instant, a pair of eyes opened at each place where the Great Emperors were currently in retreat all over the Star Boundary. They looked up in the direction of the sky and cupped their fists in unison.
Yang Xiao was lying around in boredom on the steps in front of the Flowing Time Temple, basking in the sun in High Heaven Palace when he suddenly saw something. Sitting up straight, he rubbed his eyes vigorously and immediately became overjoyed. He was just about to fly out when a voice came out of nowhere at that moment, “Freeze!”
His body instantly froze in place. Turning his head with great difficulty, he saw Yang Xue standing not far behind him. Yang Xue had formed a seal with her hands and a mysterious force was emanating from her body.
“Little Aunt, why are you trapping me?” He blinked with an innocent expression on his face.
In response, Yang Xue smiled sweetly and asked, “Where were you planning to go?”
“I was bored, so I thought I’d go out for a walk,” he replied without even needing to think about his answer.
“Is that so?” She raised her head and looked into the sky. A look of understanding flashed in her eyes, “Why do I feel like you were going to chase after my Big Brother instead?”
“Adoptive Father?” He looked left and right before asking with a blank expression, “Where is Adoptive Father? Isn’t he in retreat? Could it be that he came out of seclusion?”
“Enough nonsense!” She coldly snorted, “You’ve kept coming here to laze about over the past ten or so years. I knew you were up to something! So this is what you were planning? I advise you to give up on this as soon as possible.”
Yang Xiao acted even more innocent than before, “Little Aunt, why can’t I understand what you are saying?”
She smiled, “Do you really not understand? It looks like I’ve been too indulgent towards you. Maybe you’ll understand if somebody else talks to you instead.”
Liu Yan suddenly appeared from behind her. The crystal-like little girl had a head of fiery-red hair and a cluster of flames burned at her fingertips, turning into a small Phoenix from time to time.
Yang Xiao turned pale at the sight of the little girl, and when he saw Liu Yan walking towards him, he swallowed nervously, “Great Aunt, let’s talk this out, okay? Violence is never the answer…”
“Were you trying to go after Master?” Liu Yan walked up to Yang Xiao and looked at him with big clear eyes.
“No…” The small phoenix immediately flew in front of him, giving out a scorching aura that could even burn a person’s Soul, so he hurriedly changed what he was saying, “Yes, yes, yes! I was going to go after Adoptive Father! I wanted to see what the Outer Universe is like! What’s wrong with that!? Why do you have to do this to me!?”
“I want to go too,” Liu Yan declared.
Yang Xiao immediately changed face, as though he had found an accomplice as even his eyes began to shine, “Great Aunt, in that case, we might as well go together! Adoptive Father just left, so he should not have gone very far. We can still catch up to him.”
“We can’t go!” She shook her head. Her movements slow and deliberate.
“Why!?” He glared at her.
“We will only hold him back!”
Yang Xiao sneered, “Great Aunt, you are overthinking this. You and I are not weak, so why would we drag Adoptive Father down? I will just tag along with him without asking for anything. I can at least serve him tea and run some errands for him, right? Hah… Adoptive Father must be having a hard time. He is going on a trip all by himself without a single person to talk to relieve his boredom. It’s one thing if I didn’t know about it, but now that I do, how can I turn a blind eye to his circumstances as his Adoptive Son!? I’m going to follow him. I’m going to support him!”
He spoke with great conviction and righteousness, indicating his sincerity and filial piety that overflowed beyond words.
Qiong Qi walked out from behind and sighed, “Young Master, stop talking nonsense. The Outer Universe is far too dangerous. It’s not too late to start making plans when your cultivation reaches this Old Master’s level.”
Yang Xiao’s face turned ashen, “Only the Heavens know when that will be…”
The more he cultivated, the more he understood the difficulty of increasing his strength. It was impossible to reach the level of Flowing Time Great Emperor without thousands of years of accumulated effort. With his playful, active, and impatient nature, how could Yang Xiao possibly wait that long?
“I can’t be bothered to waste time speaking nonsense with you!” Yang Xue coldly snorted. Reaching out a slender jade white hand, she pulled Yang Xiao by the ear. Yang Xiao was immediately in pain, begging for mercy as he was dragged into the Flowing Time Temple by the ear. Then, the main doors slammed shut and various barriers were activated. Nobody knew when those doors would open once more.
…..
“Sir!” Out in the void, Zhang Ruo Xi smiled beautifully. She looked exactly the same as when they last met. The passage of time had not left its mark on her.
“How is your family?” Yang Kai asked.
“Thanks to Sir, they are all doing well,” she replied.
When she first walked out of the Blood Gate, she immediately threw herself into the battle against the Great Demon God. After that, she followed Yang Kai around for some time to handle various matters in the Star Boundary. It wasn’t until fifty years ago when Yang Kai entered retreat that she had the time to reunite with her family again.
When the Zhang Family was living outside Maplewood City, it was not particularly powerful. The strongest Master in the family was only in the Third-Order Origin King Realm back then. There was nothing much they could do in the war between the two worlds with their strength; hence, Yang Kai placed them into the Sealed World Bead in the early stages of the war so that they were well taken care of.
At present, the Zhang Family had already set down roots in High Heaven Palace. As long as the descendants of the family were of suitable age, they would be accepted into High Heaven Palace as official disciples. Zhang Ruo Xi had been living with her family whilst recuperating from her wounds for the past fifty years.
Since the Blood Gate had opened, the Heavens Order Palace was now under the management of Luan Feng and the other Divine Venerables. Any living Monster with an Ancient Divine Spirit’s bloodline could enter the Blood Gate to pursue the glory of their ancestors in the Heavens Order Palace once they reached an appropriate Realm.
Zhang Ruo Xi had also finished dealing with all the matters at hand as she was going with Yang Kai on this trip to the Outer Universe. The others were either lacking in strength to follow or still recuperating and unable to leave.
“Good.” Yang Kai nodded before he instructed, “Go over to Ah Da first and wait for me there. I still have something to do. It will take several months at least and three to five years at most.”
“En,” She nodded before turning around and flying into the sky.
In the void, Yang Kai quickly determined his direction, transformed into a stream of light, and sped away. The void was lonely and his journey was long, but although he was all alone, he remained calm and composed. His journey was not boring at all.
It took him a month to arrive, and with his current strength, it was hard to tell just how far he was from the Star Boundary. Yang Kai glanced around and everywhere he looked he saw a vast and boundless expanse. Thus, he gently nodded in satisfaction.
[This place is good enough.]
Raising a hand, he summoned the Sealed World Bead. His thoughts flashed and the small bead changed instantly to become a huge creature that filled the void.
Yang Kai did not know if he would survive this trip to the Outer Universe. His future was unclear and it was most likely that he would face a lot of unimaginable dangers. On that note, there were trillions of Demons currently living in the third region of the Sealed World Bead. It was simply inappropriate to bring them along with him. If he ever found himself in a dangerous situation, then those trillions of Demons would be buried alongside him; therefore, he needed to separate the third region from the Small Sealed World before he left.
If it was in the past, he might not have had many clues about how to accomplish this; however, his strength had been greatly enhanced now. Combined with the experience of separating the second region previously, Yang Kai had some confidence to pull this off.
There used to be three regions within the Small Sealed World. The first region was the original space of the Small Sealed World. The second region was formed from devouring several Cultivation Stars from the Lower Star Fields in the past. The third region was created when he devoured the entire Demon Realm and could be considered the second Demon Realm.
Before the second battle between the two worlds broke out, Yang Kai had gone to the Lower Star Field and separated the second region from the Small Sealed World. It had taken him a lot of effort and energy to do so.
Now that he was merely repeating the process, Yang Kai believed that it would be easier. Contrary to his expectations, however, he realised that something was wrong once he got started. The area of the third region was simply too large. He had devoured the entire Demon Realm after all, so there was no saying how many times larger the third region was compared to the original region of the Small Sealed World. As a result, the distinction between the primary and secondary regions of the Small Sealed World became inverted. The third region was too large to remove.
Despite working hard for several days, Yang Kai’s efforts proved to be fruitless. He had already expected this situation to some extent though, it was just that he had not been too certain at the time. Seeing as his conjectures had been confirmed, he could only change his plans.
With a flash of Yang Kai’s mind, the Embodiment responded inside the Small Sealed World. The Demon Qi all over his body churned violently as he formed a set of hand seals, allowing his mind to permeate every corner of the third region.
The Sealed World Bead was Yang Kai’s artifact; meanwhile, the Embodiment was formed from a thread of Yang Kai’s Soul residing inside a Stone Spirit. Although the Embodiment now had a mind of his own, he could still be considered Yang Kai’s Soul Clone. If the main body could control the Small Sealed World, then it was only natural that the Soul Clone could as well.
The Embodiment wrapped his mind around the entire third region of the Small Sealed World, supporting Yang Kai who was using a certain Secret Technique outside. The whole world suddenly began to rumble.
Two figures took to the sky from within an enormous city located somewhere in the third region. It was Bei Li Mo and Chang Tian. Zhan Wu Hen previously decided to spare the lives of the remnants of the Demon Race army, but his condition was that the Demon Race never stepped foot into the Star Boundary again.
Yu Ru Meng had a special relationship with Yang Kai, so she was the exception to this rule and could remain in High Heaven Palace.
On the other hand, Bei Li Mo and Chang Tian had no choice but to stay inside the Small Sealed World. Over the past few decades, Bei Li Mo’s injuries had improved considerably even though she was not completely healed. In contrast, Chang Tian’s appearance became even older. He was showing faint signs of reaching the end of his life.
When they sensed the changes in the world, they couldn’t help flying out to investigate the phenomenon. Upon seeing the Embodiment, Bei Li Mo hurriedly asked, “Is it starting?”
Both she and Chang Tian were aware of Yang Kai’s plans, it was just that they did not expect that it would take him so long to begin.
The Embodiment glanced at her with his deep eyes and gently nodded.
“Is it going smoothly?” Chang Tian questioned, seemingly having noticed something was wrong from the Embodiment’s condition.
The Embodiment replied in a booming voice, “I will let you know if I need your help.”
“We are ready at any time!” Chang Tian cupped his fists and said nothing more. Afterwards, he and Bei Li Mo flew to the side to watch.
The rumbling sounds went on endlessly as the entire world seemed to be guided by some sort of invisible force. As a Demon Saint from the Demon Realm, Bei Li Mo was rather sensitive to the changes in the world, so a short while later, she suddenly turned her head in shock to look in a certain direction. She could sense that the world over there was separating.
If the world was a pancake, then that enormous force was separating this pancake into two pieces at this very moment. One piece was large and the other piece was small. The large piece was the territory of the Demon Realm while the small piece was the first region of the Small Sealed World.
Nobody knew how long the huge commotion lasted. The Embodiment’s strength was not that high as he was just a Half-Saint after all. Be that as it may, he could be considered the Master of the Small Sealed World seeing as he was Yang Kai’s Soul Clone; thus, he enjoyed a lot of advantages in the Small Sealed World. Furthermore, he also cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law and since he did not own a body of flesh, he could rapidly replenish the energy he consumed at any time. In that way, he could persist no matter how long this process took.
It wasn’t until two months later that the loud rumblings gradually subsided.
The Embodiment staggered unsteadily, dropping out of the sky as though he was drunk. Although he was not gasping for breath, his eyes were filled with exhaustion. It was clear that this Secret Technique had put him under enormous pressure.
Out in the void, Yang Kai reached out a hand and summoned something. A simple and inconspicuous bead appeared in the palm of his hand. He toyed with it gently as he lifted his head to look at the huge Monster in the sky. A trace of exhaustion flitted through his eyes.
The first region and the third region had been completely separated from each other. He had not removed the third region from the Small Sealed World. Rather, he removed the original territory of the Small Sealed World.
There was a distinct difference between these two actions. If he had succeeded in the former, it would not have made much of a difference to the Small Sealed World. It would still have its special ability to devour and merge worlds. Unfortunately, his previous attempts had not gone as he wished. In the end, he had no choice but to choose the latter option instead. In this way, the Sealed World Bead had changed back to the original Sealed World Bead, losing its devouring abilities.
Gun-Gun was now the Demon Realm. Even the Embodiment had been restricted within. Gun-Gun was accidentally created when the Embodiment activated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law through the Sealed World Bead back then and did not have a consciousness, only the instinct to devour. If the Embodiment did not stay behind to control Gun-Gun, who knew where he would run off to? If he were to wander aimlessly in this vast universe, he might encounter a powerful Master. It was possible that he would cause others to covet him. At that time, not only would the Demon Realm’s future be at risk, even the lives of all the Demon Race living inside would be endangered.
With no other choice, Yang Kai could only leave the Embodiment here to guard the Demon Realm. Even though doing so would restrict the Embodiment’s movements, it also brought him great benefits. The current Embodiment was in control of the new Demon Realm, so even Bei Li Mo and Chang Tian could not go against his will.
This Demon Realm was newly born, equivalent to having just split Heaven and Earth apart once more. With the growth of this new world, the Embodiment might even walk the path that Wu Kuang wanted to take before by using another way to reach the Open Heaven Realm. Wu Kuang had used the Ancestral Domain as a core to devour countless Lower Star Fields just to get a glimpse of the secrets of the Open Heaven Realm.
The opportunity to grow alongside a world was extremely rare after all. What’s more, the Embodiment was proficient in the Heaven Devouring Battle Law.
Gun-Gun had the intuitive power to devour. That ability had not been impressive when he was transformed into the Sealed World Bead and kept in Yang Kai’s possession. Now that he was released to the outside, he incessantly devoured the power of the Starry Sky in this vast universe.
It was conceivable that the growth period of the newly-born Demon Realm would not be too long. It could even be said that if the newly-born Demon Realm continued to grow in this manner, it might even grow to become a more advanced world than the previous Demon Realm.
It was just that… Yang Kai had never seen such a round, big-bellied fish-like Universe World before.
[Did I accidentally create something monstrous?]
In the past, he had not known what the Star Boundary looked like. It wasn’t until he looked at it from afar that he discovered that it was not a sphere as he had imagined. Instead, it was a crescent-moon-shaped world. [Seeing as there is a crescent-moon-shaped world like the Star Boundary, then it shouldn’t be that incredible to have a big-bellied fish-like universe, right?]
In the void, the huge Giant Spirit God sat cross-legged like a mountain. He massaged his stomach with his big hands as he watched the small figure in front of him pointedly with two small sun-like eyes on his sad face, looking hungry and unsatisfied.
Goosebumps covered Zhang Ruo Xi. Although she knew that the Giant Spirit Gods were born kind and disliked conflict, she did not have much sense of security in facing such a powerful existence that could easily kill her on a whim.
She obeyed Yang Kai’s orders to wait here, and since then, half a year had passed, yet Yang Kai still had not shown up.
The Giant Spirit God had awakened from his deep sleep, seeming dreadfully hungry. She also knew that the Giant Spirit Gods would always look hungry except when they ate and slept. This was their nature and no one could change it.
But the invisible pressure of being stared at by a starving-looking giant who was constantly rubbing his stomach still made her feel uneasy.
From afar, a figure was seemingly approaching.
Elated, Zhang Ruo Xi focused her sight there, and a moment later, she exclaimed delightfully, “Sir is coming!”
She was addressing Ah Da, the Giant Spirit God, when she said this; however, Ah Da did not react to her words. He had no idea who this so-called Sir was, and continued to gape at her.
But soon, Ah Da suddenly looked excited and turned in the direction Zhang Ruo Xi was watching. He obviously felt something.
In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai appeared out of thin air not far from the Giant Spirit God. He glanced at Zhang Ruo Xi, nodded lightly, then turned to Ah Da with a smile, “Are you hungry?”
Ah Da nodded vigorously, “Hungry!”
Yang Kai continued, “Open your mouth!”
“Ah!” Ah Da did as he was told, opening his mouth widely. Several refined chess pieces were thrown into his mouth, only then did Ah Da close his mouth and start chewing.
Yang Kai shouted, “Ah Da, I’m going for a long trip, and I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
Ah Da was enjoying his food with his eyes half closed and answered Yang Kai inaudibly.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?” Yang Kai questioned again.
Ah Da did not respond. He swallowed and looked at Yang Kai eagerly, who asked again, “Are we friends!?”
“Friends, friends!” Ah Da nodded.
“Since I’m a friend, you have to take care of my home while I go out, but you can’t eat my home. I’ll be homeless if you eat it.”
Ah Da’s face scrunched up at his words as if he was in pain.
Yang Kai pressed on with a smile, “If you really want to eat, you have to wait until I come back. But you can’t eat when I’m not here.”
Ah Da nodded joyfully, “Ah Da won’t eat until you come back!”
Yang Kai said no more. He casually tossed a few more chess pieces, and the crunching noise sounded again.
Looking back at the half-moon-shaped world, Yang Kai took a deep breath, and beckoned Zhang Ruo Xi, “Let’s go.”
Although he was notably reluctant to leave and wanted to go back to take a look now, he suppressed his desire. If everything went well, he would naturally be home as soon as possible and would be able to save the Star Boundary. If it did not, it would not be too late to think of a solution by then. He always had a chance to see it again in the future.
Although Ah Da was eyeing the Star Boundary, he should not be in a hurry to make a move until it really died, and it would still take at least a thousand years for that to happen.
In such a long time, Yang Kai did not believe he could not find the World Tree.
Moreover, there was another advantage to having Ah Da here. At least, the power of the Giant Spirit God could deter others. Even if a Master inadvertently passed through here, he believed that they would not approach easily with Ah Da present. In other words, Yang Kai did not have to worry about the safety of Star Boundary.
And so, Zhang Ruo Xi and Yang Kai flew away side by side.
Ruo Xi was in a cheerful mood. Although she did not talk much along the way, a smile was hanging on her face the whole time. She recalled when she followed her Sir out of the Zhang Family manor outside Maplewood City, she was almost powerless to face the world and its various dangers. It was Sir who protected her at that time. How would she ever think that she could one day stand side by side with him and help him to solve his problems? Her greatest wish at that time was to somehow be able to help her Sir, and after several decades of retreat inside the Blood Gate, she finally achieved the qualifications to do so.
“Tell me about the Outer Universe.” Yang Kai suddenly asked. He had no idea what to expect from this trip to the Outer Universe; therefore, the more information he gathered, the better.
Zhang Ruo Xi turned solemn and answered, “The memories of my ancestor are incomplete, so what I know is not comprehensive.”
“It’s better than knowing nothing. Just tell me what you know,” Yang Kai smiled.
Then, Zhang Ruo Xi disclosed everything she knew without reservation.
The Star Boundary was an independent Universe World. The number of such Universe Worlds in the entire Outer Universe was unknown, but collectively these worlds were the so-called Inner Universes, while everything else composed the Outer Universe.
The Outer Universe was vast and boundless.
There were various great forces in the vast Outer Universe, each occupying either a large or small territory and always competing against each other. Generally, it was chaos, which was not much different from the original situation of the Star Boundary, just that those beings in the Outer Universe had mastered more potent powers. Those who could mingle in the Outer Universe were Masters who had condensed their own Dao Seal. In other words, they all basically had the capability of Great Emperors.
Yang Kai secretly mocked himself, [Am I not the weakest being in the Outer Universe then? If I really encounter an Open Heaven Realm Master, I’m afraid I would be powerless to fight back.]
Although Great Demon God was also an Open Heaven Realm Master at that time, he had just been reborn and the battlefield was the Star Boundary. With the support of the Star Boundary behind them, Yang Kai and the other Great Emperors were able to unleash far more strength than they could elsewhere.
But now, without the support of the Star Boundary, Yang Kai understood that it was impossible to resist an Open Heaven Realm Master with just his own strength. He was still able to recognize his limitations.
In the developed areas of the vast Outer Universe, the top treasure lands had been occupied by various powerful great forces. Accordingly, these treasure lands could be divided into the Seventy-Two Paradises and Thirty-Six Cave Heavens. These great forces that occupied these treasure lands were all extremely indomitable and possessed incredible numbers of Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“Seventy-Two Paradises and Thirty-Six Cave Heavens?” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up hearing it, feeling as if a new door was slowly opened in front of him.
Zhang Ruo Xi nodded, “All these treasure lands are famous and represent the peak power of the Outer Universe and it is best if one can join such a power. In the past, my ancestor seemed to have come from a place called Lang Ya Paradise.”
“Oh?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “So, can you return to your origin if you want?”
Zhang Ruo Xi chuckled, “Ancestor is ancestor, and I am me. I’m not sure if they will recognize me since it’s already been hundreds of thousands of years. Furthermore, I have no idea where Lang Ya Paradise is now. Without a specific map, it will be difficult to find it, unless we have particularly good luck. As for returning to my origins, there is no need to think about it for the time being.” Her face flushed as she stopped and glanced at Yang Kai, “I still want to be with Sir.”
Yang Kai patted her little head, and returned a smile, “If you have a chance, and if the other party is willing to accept you and they are also good people, you should return to your origins. You also mentioned that it’s better to have the backing of a powerful force in the Outer Universe.”
Zhang Ruo Xi pouted, and immediately changed the topic, “But if Sir wants to condense the Metal Element of the Five Elements in the future, perhaps you can go to a place called Golden Antelope Paradise.”
“Why do you say so?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
Zhang Ruo Xi explained, “Sir knows he has to refine the powers of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements in order to break through to the Open Heaven Realm. Sir chose to refine the Wood Element first, and Wood sustains Fire, so the next element Sir requires is the Fire Element. Fire refines Earth and Earth begets Metal, so after Earth Element would be Metal Element. Given that it’s Sir’s first time entering the Outer Universe, I’m afraid it won’t be easy for you to find a suitable Metal Element material, but the Golden Antelope Paradise has ready-made Golden Blade Yuan Spirits. As long as Sir can afford the price, Sir can enter a certain place to refine his Metal Element.”
Yang Kai was stunned listening to the information, “Does this Golden Antelope Paradise do business? Why do I feel like it’s making it convenient for us?”
Zhang Ruo Xi replied with a smile, “Most of the Seventy-Two Paradises and Thirty-Six Cave Heavens only allow their own people to go in and out of their territory, but Golden Antelope Paradise is an exception. You may think of it as them doing business. Moreover, the quality of Golden Blade Yuan Spirits in the Golden Antelope Paradise is not low. As long as one refines the appropriate power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements to reach the Open Heaven Realm, the outcome would not be lower than the Fifth Order!”
Yang Kai nodded, “The Fifth Order is indeed not low.”
The Open Heaven Realm was not subdivided into First, Second, and Third Order like the Emperor Realm, but rather into a wider range with nine Orders in total. The First-Order was the lowest, while the Ninth-Order was the highest. The power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements was also divided into nine Orders.
For example, the Immortal Tree that Yang Kai possessed before was a Ninth-Order Wood Element. Its value was high enough to make even the greatest Masters of the Outer Universe covet it.
According to Zhang Ruo Xi, the Golden Blade Yuan Spirits in the Golden Antelope Paradise were all Fifth-Order materials at least.
The materials selected to condense the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements were crucial to an Open Heaven Realm cultivator. When a cultivator broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, his Order would be determined according to the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements materials he or she had refined. It was possible to improve one’s Order after the initial breakthrough, but doing so had its own difficulties and restrictions.
Although Golden Antelope Paradise opened its gates wide to the public, it was not without cost to enter it. One could only enter if they could afford the price, and there was also a time limit. Once time was up, they would be thrown out regardless of whether they had succeeded or not.
From their Golden Blade Yuan Spirits alone, the Golden Antelope Paradise was filthy rich.
“The Golden Blade Yuan Spirits in Golden Antelope Paradise are Fifth-Order materials, but if you are lucky enough to find a Spirit Essence there, it will be a pleasant surprise.”
“Spirit Essence? What Order is this material?” Yang Kai did not bother to ask what the Spirit Essence was, because he could guess that the Spirit Essence must be the origin or core of a Golden Blade Yuan Spirit, which was absolutely much higher than the Fifth Order.
“Seventh-Order!”
Yang Kai could not help whistling. For now, he was not familiar with the ranking system of the material quality to condense the power of Yin, Yang and Five Elements. He also had no clue how high the Order should be to be considered as valuable in the eyes of those Masters in the Outer Universe, but it was undeniable that the Seventh Order was not low. It was definitely a decent material that was worth fighting for.
“Has anyone ever obtained one there?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head, “I have no idea. Maybe my ancestor would know, but I didn’t get any memories related to that.”
Yang Kai nodded gently and came up with another question, “What is the currency in the Outer Universe?”
In different planes and different worlds, the currency was different too. Demon Crystals were the currency in the Demon Realm, while Source Crystals were the currency in the Star Boundary. They were all resources naturally generated that contained the energy of that world, which could be absorbed by the cultivators to enhance their strength.
If he was right, the currency in the Outer Universe should be something that could enhance one’s strength too.
“Open Heaven Pills!”
Yang Kai frowned, “Open Heaven Pills? Why does it sound like a kind of Spirit Pill?”
Zhang Ruo Xi smiled lightly, “They are indeed a type of Spirit Pill, one that is extremely useful for Open Heaven Realm Masters. As I’ve told Sir before, upon reaching the Open Heaven Realm, one’s Order is set, but it’s not impossible to improve it. The resource used to break through higher Orders are Open Heaven Pills. If one consumes enough Open Heaven Pills over a long time, they can generally improve their Order one or two times, and their strength naturally increases.”
Yang Kai was baffled, “If Open Heaven Pills are useful to Open Heaven Realm Masters, are they useless to people like us?”
“Of course, they’re not useless.” Zhang Ruo Xi explained, “In Sir’s realm, Open Heaven Pills as a standard currency allow one to purchase and trade for materials they need.”
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai, “Materials to condense the power of Yin, Yang and Five Elements?”
“En!” Zhang Ruo Xi nodded, “These materials are what cultivators at our Realm need most; therefore, everyone will generally exchange for what they need if they have a chance.”
“It seems that if I have a chance in the future, I will have to get a pill recipe for these Open Heaven Pills.” Yang Kai was immersed in thoughts. He was familiar with Alchemy, so if he could obtain the pill recipe for Open Heaven Pills, he might be able to refine them for himself. Of course, that would require appropriate materials as well.
Zhang Ruo Xi beamed, “Sir, there are two kinds of Open Heaven Pills. One type is spontaneously generated, and the other is refined by Alchemists.”
Yang Kai was flabbergasted, “Since it is a Spirit Pill, how can it be generated by the Universe?”
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head slowly, “The Universe has a will of its own and occasionally, an object called the Universe Furnace will appear. This furnace is not a physical object, but a projection that can absorb the power of the Stars and Universe itself to refine innate Open Heaven Pills.”
Yang Kai replied in amazement, “Such a wonder occurs?”
At that moment, he suddenly recalled a time when he was taught the Alchemic Dao directly by Heavenly Way. Since the Heavenly Way could pass on an Alchemy Technique to him, why could it not generate Spirit Pills by itself?
“Strictly speaking, it was all due to the Open Heaven Pills generated by the World that the Masters in Outer Universe gradually derived a pill recipe for refining artificial Open Heaven Pills.”
“There should be some differences between the two, right?”
“You are right, Sir. Although both are Open Heaven Pills, there are enormous differences between them, the biggest one being effectiveness. Although consuming the artificially refined Open Heaven Pills can improve one’s Order, it comes with a limit. After promoting one’s Order by two Orders, it is not possible to advance any further using this method. But the Open Heaven Pills generated by the Universe are different. They contain the purest power of the World, and rumour has it that this kind of Open Heaven Pill can raise the strength of an Open Heaven Realm Master without limits, making the Ninth-Order reachable!”
Yang Kai’s blood boiled with excitement as he heard this and he immediately began looking around.
Zhang Ruo Xi asked strangely, “Sir, what are you looking for?”
Yang Kai answered, “I’m looking for the Universe Furnace that you mentioned! Aren’t we going to be rich if we encounter it now?” Although he had condensed his Wood Element directly from the Immortal Tree and his starting point was incredibly high, he was afraid that it would be difficult to find materials of the same Order as the Immortal Tree. Even if there were such good things, he could not compete for them if he was not strong enough.
Therefore, Yang Kai had mentally well-prepared too. He would not reach the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm when he was first promoted to the Open Heaven Realm in the future, even getting to the Eighth-Order would be tough for him. It would be great if he got to the Seventh Order, but it was possible for him to just reach the Sixth Order or even the Fifth Order too.
If he wished to improve his own Order and strength then, these spontaneously generated Open Heaven Pills were necessary.
Zhang Ruo Xi giggled, “How can this kind of treasure be so easy to encounter? Even if the Universe Furnace is really born, it would have nothing to do with us. People from the Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises would probably swarm over for it at once, resulting in a furious battle.”
Ignoring her, Yang Kai frowned, “I seem to see something.”
Zhang Ruo Xi pouted, “Sir likes to make jokes.”
Yang Kai shook her arm, and pointed in a certain direction, “There’s really something over there. Did I see it clearly…” Just when he finished, his face changed drastically, “So fast!”
Previously when he looked around, he vaguely saw something coming towards them, but in the blink of an eye, the other party had shortened half the distance between them. The whole process was extremely abrupt, with no trace of movement.
When those words fell, Zhang Ruo Xi also saw the situation and her pretty face immediately paled, “Myriad Facets Insect!”
Yang Kai did not have time to ask what the Myriad Facets Insect was, but seeing Zhang Ruo Xi’s expression, he understood that this insect was not simple. From its look, it was a huge snow-white bug with holes all over its body. The bug’s body stretched over ten kilometres in length and it looked considerably swollen, but it was strangely fast as well.
Just as Zhang Ruo Xi’s voice fell, the Myriad Facets Insect had broken through more than ten thousand kilometres, and immediately arrived in front of the two. Its mouth was so huge and deep that it resembled a black hole, which enveloped the two people from above, swallowing a big piece of the void.
“Run!” Yang Kai grabbed Zhang Ruo Xi’s arm and Space Principles flared as he attempted to flee.
But Yang Kai was startled to find that the local space was completely locked, and they were immediately shrouded in darkness, all light in front of him suddenly lost.
The next moment, the world spun and even Yang Kai, who had now won the throne of a Great Emperor, was left feeling dizzy, as if he was plummeting endlessly.
He was speechless. He had just come out of the Star Boundary with Zhang Ruo Xi, so how could he just run into such a monster? He did not understand the danger of the Outer Universe until now.
Yang Kai’s heart skipped a beat when he thought of Zhang Ruo Xi, because his hands were empty. He was still grabbing Zhang Ruo Xi’s arm just a moment ago, but now, he was holding nothing.
[Where’s Ruo Xi!?] While enduring the discomfort in his head, Yang Kai hurriedly released his Divine Sense to examine his surroundings, but he found no trace of Zhang Ruo Xi anywhere. He forced himself to calm down and recalled what just happened. Instinctively, Yang Kai felt that he should have been swallowed by the Myriad Facets Insect, so both Ruo Xi and he should be in the Myriad Facets Insect’s stomach right now.
He was so infuriated. He came out of the Star Boundary full of hopes and ambitions, but how could have anticipated being swallowed by a bug before he could achieve anything? How could he bear this shame?
With a low roar, he used his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique, turning into a 2,000 meters tall Half-Dragon in an instant. The Azure Dragon Spear was summoned to his hand as his aura soared. Inside his body, his Dao Seal radiated brightly, and all his power was gathered in the Azure Dragon Spear before he thrust out wildly.
In the next moment, the world stopped spinning. His vision blurred and he suddenly appeared in the void. He was still in his previous stance in the momentum of stabbing.
Yang Kai felt extremely annoyed. He unleashed his strength but ended up stabbing nothing but empty space. When his power was exhausted and he finally came to a halt, he looked around at a loss.
[Where is this?]
Although he had just entered the Outer Universe and did not know much about it, Yang Kai was sure that he was no longer where he originally was. Everything around him looked completely different from before.
He did not see Zhang Ruo Xi or the Myriad Facets Insect, as if everything that happened just now was an illusion.
Yang Kai hefted his spear and looked around on alert, but it was quiet all around him, with nobody present except himself.
[What the Hell just happened? I have never been so confused like this.]
After confirming that there was no danger around, Yang Kai quickly dispelled his Dragon Transformation, took out a Space Spirit Bead, and tried to contact Zhang Ruo Xi, but he received no response.
Yang Kai grew anxious.
[I’m fine with encountering such weird things inexplicably, at least I’m unharmed, but where did that little girl Ruo Xi go?] He tried to recall carefully and remembered the moment when he attempted to get out of trouble, there seemed to be a subtle Space Principle fluctuation.
In addition to the strange environment in front of him, Yang Kai vaguely felt that he experienced some kind of exceptionally long-distance teleportation. He had no idea how far he was from the Star Boundary, and he was afraid that he could not even figure out where the Star Boundary was now.
Last time when he escaped from Demon Realm, he used the blessing of the World’s Will inside him to locate the Star Boundary in the vast Outer Universe, allowing him to successfully return home.
But at that time, it was because Demon Realm was not too far from the Star Boundary. The two Universe Worlds were close together, relatively speaking, otherwise Great Demon God would not have the idea to lay his hand on the Star Boundary in the first place.
But now the World’s Will would not work as he was too far away, so Yang Kai could not return to the Star Boundary even if he wanted to.
He was swallowed by the Myriad Facets Insect, and after forcefully escaping from it, he found himself in this new place.
[What the Hell was that bug? Where is Zhang Ruo Xi now?]
Yang Kai was totally clueless. He could only choose a random direction and try to find traces of Ruo Xi. He secretly prayed that she had also managed to escape the belly of the Myriad Facets Insect, otherwise he was afraid that even an Open Heaven Realm Master could not escape the fate of being eaten by such a monster.
Yang Kai was speeding through the void with a frown on his face. It was difficult to distinguish the passage of time in the Outer Universe, but it should have been half a year ever since he encountered the Myriad Facets Insects.
In the past six months, he had been looking for traces of Zhang Ruo Xi nearby. From time to time, he would try to use his Space Beacon; unfortunately, he found nothing and received no signal from Ruo Xi.
After wandering for half a year, Yang Kai experienced all kinds of dangers in the Outer Universe just as horrifying as the Myriad Facets Insect. There were countless frightening beings in this vast Outer Universe, and he had met several of them in this half year. Nevertheless, none of them were Myriad Facets Insects, but other monsters.
Basically, they were all massive in size, on par with the Myriad Facets Insect; however, although these beings had terrifying auras, they seemed to be lacking in sentience, just like the Myriad Facets Insect. As long as Yang Kai could see them far away and avoid them in time, he would be safe.
He even found a Universe World during this half-year of wandering.
It was a world similar to the Star Boundary, but before he approached, he felt that he was being targeted by several hostile intents.
Clearly, they were the Great Emperors of that world.
Although Yang Kai was also a Great Emperor now, it was extremely unwise to rush into someone else’s World recklessly; therefore, after realizing he was unwelcome, Yang Kai took a detour and left.
Thinking about it, given that Ruo Xi knew more about the Outer Universe than him and her strength was not low, there should not be a problem for her as long as she could escape from the belly of the Myriad Facets Insect.
But Yang Kai was not sure when they would meet again after the parting this time. The Outer Universe was so big that the probability of two people meeting randomly was just too small.
Another month later, Yang Kai had no choice but to accept reality. He gave up searching for Zhang Ruo Xi, identified a direction, and proceeded forward.
Now that he had leapt out of his original World and arrived in the Outer Universe, he should finish his unsettled business and look for clues about the mysterious World Tree.
Perhaps when he found the World Tree and returned to the Star Boundary, Zhang Ruo Xi would already be waiting for him there.
With such hope, Yang Kai forged onwards.
The lonely exploration and the wandering suddenly gave him a long-lost sense of familiarity. Long ago, when he first entered the Starry Sky from Tong Xuan Realm, and then to the Star Boundary from the Star Field, was he not facing the storm alone and eventually overcoming all obstacles spectacularly? Although the Outer Universe was dangerous, as long as he strived forward bravely, he would naturally make his way.
His mood was suddenly lifted, and he could not help looking forward to the path ahead.
One day, Yang Kai, who was speeding along, suddenly looked in a certain direction and his face changed drastically. Unsure if it was an illusion, he seemed to hear a vague call from that direction at the moment.
He immediately focused his mind and listened carefully, but he noticed nothing.
The void was dangerous, so Yang Kai naturally had to be vigilant at all times, and the Soul Warming Lotus was always closely guarding his consciousness against being invaded by foreign interference.
Yang Kai frowned slightly and felt strange about it, but he sensed no abnormalities; thus, he put down his worries and continued to move forward. After he travelled for a while though, the same noise called out to him again.
Yang Kai immediately halted his feet and his face turned solemn. It could be a misconception if it only happened once, but it did not make sense if it occurred again. It was not some figment of his imagination; there was really something out there.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai changed his direction and flew towards the source of the voice.
There were no changes in the Soul Warming Lotus, and he did not notice anything wrong either, so Yang Kai deduced that the voice should be harmless. His current knowledge about the Outer Universe was limited to the information Zhang Ruo Xi disclosed to him earlier, so if there really was someone out there, maybe he could learn something from them.
Of course, he had to be wary of danger, but asking for directions was better than him flying around like a headless fly.
There was no resistance travelling through the void, so Yang Kai could travel at his maximum speed easily. However, in order to watch out for some possible dangers, he still maintained a lower pace.
Moreover, Yang Kai had also found that the Outer Universe was remarkably clean over the past few months, unlike the Star Field which was dotted with Asteroid Seas. Now that he thought about it carefully, this phenomenon should have something to do with the Giant Spirit God Clan.
The Giant Spirit Gods had an Innate Divine Ability that allowed them to sniff out dying worlds in advance, which they could then move towards and wait to feed upon. Once the world died, they would devour the World clean.
Since the dead worlds had been eaten by the Giant Spirit Gods, it made sense there were no Asteroid Seas in the Outer Universe. They must have long been swallowed into the stomachs of the Giant Spirit Gods. Thinking about this, it seemed like the Giant Spirit Gods were the cleaners of the universe…
Yang Kai had no idea how long he had been flying, but the further he travelled, the more obvious the call in the dark became. Yang Kai could feel that he still had some distance from his destination, but it should not be too far now.
Until one day, a bright spot suddenly appeared in a nebula in front of him. Yang Kai’s eyes lit up, realizing that he had finally arrived. He fixed his eyes on it, and could not help being flabbergasted.
It was too far away for him to see clearly, but Yang Kai vaguely felt that… he was seeing something familiar.
He picked up speed, and a few days later, Yang Kai’s expression became strange.
In front of that, a huge oval light barrier stood quietly in the void. Strange lights constantly flashed on top of the light barrier, and from the oval light barrier were extremely clear Space Principle fluctuations.
[Territory Gate?] Yang Kai raised his brow.
He already found it to be familiar when he was far away. Now that he looked closer, it indeed looked familiar.
In the Demon Realm, the world was broken into pieces, and each continent relied on Territory Gates to connect to each other. The oval light barrier in front of him had the exact nature of a Territory Gate.
The only difference between them was their size. There was a world of difference between the size of this gate and the Territory Gates of the Demon Realm. The two were completely incomparable.
This Territory Gate was simply massive!
Yang Kai believed that even with the huge size of the Giant Spirit God and the Myriad Facets Insect, they could easily shuttle through this Territory Gate to the other side, that was how big this gate was.
Yang Kai could not help being fascinated by such a Territory Gate that emerged in the void all of a sudden, especially when the vague voice was calling out from this Territory Gate.
Although he had no idea what the exact name of this Territory Gate in the Outer Universe was, its function was clearly to shuttle between two places.
In a few days, Yang Kai finally arrived in front of the Territory Gate and stood ten thousand kilometres away from it. Feeling the vastness of the object and his own insignificance, Yang Kai sighed. The Outer Universe was truly full of wonders.
He could feel that this Territory Gate was not artificially refined but naturally occurring. The fluctuations of Space Principles were clearly transmitted from it, but they did not seem to be hazardous. Anyone should be able to pass through this gate as long as he possessed sufficient strength.
So the question was, where did this Territory Gate lead to? What was on the other side that kept calling out at him?
It took Yang Kai more than twenty hours to complete a circle around this enormous Territory Gate.
Standing in place, he scratched his head, debating whether or not to enter. It was really a tough decision for Yang Kai to make.
If he chose not to enter, what was the point of arriving here? Furthermore, other than encountering several gigantic and horrifying monsters in this more than half-a-year journey through the void, he only found a single Universe World, and had not experienced a single thing about civilization in the Outer Universe yet.
But if he chose to enter, he had no idea what would be waiting for him on the other side. What if Masters were waiting to ambush him? He could face some unexpected disaster as soon as he passed through the gate.
However, without a long hesitation, Yang Kai made up his mind, he would enter!
Along the way, he had encountered many dangers but escaped narrowly each time. If he became timid just because he was worried about the difficult path ahead, how could he continue to explore the Outer Universe? It was better to return to the Star Boundary and retire in that case. Moreover, his strength was not low now, so it was not like he was powerless to resist even if he really came across any danger.
Once a decision had been made, Yang Kai no longer hesitated.
With a flicker, he plunged into the Territory Gate in front of him.
The Territory Gate barely rippled as if a stone had been thrown into a vast sea. Only a small disturbance appeared at the place where Yang Kai entered, and it instantly recovered after.
Yang Kai, who entered the gate, felt the world spinning around him. The great pressure from the surrounding overwhelmed him, as if an infinite force was squeezing him from all directions.
Shocked, Yang Kai hurriedly circulated his Secret Art.
It was impossible to resist such pressure unless one was on par with a Great Emperor. In other words, only an existence who condensed their Dao Seal was qualified to pass through this Territory Gate.
After what felt like thousands of years, but was probably just an instant, the pressure around Yang Kai suddenly dissipated.
When he regained his senses, he realized he was still in an endless void, and after turning around, was even more at a loss.
[What the Hell?] After shuttling through the Territory Gate, the scene that he came to was just as inexplicable as after being swallowed by the Myriad Facet Insects. If it was not for the giant Territory Gate behind him, Yang Kai would think that he was still in the same place.
But after arriving here, the call in the dark became clearer.
Without hesitation, Yang Kai quickly rushed towards it.
Half a day later, Yang Kai suddenly stopped and stared ahead of him with a look of surprise.
In that void, a door appeared, and the voice that he kept hearing was reverberating from it.
Yang Kai almost could not believe his eyes and rubbed them vigorously before staring again. It was real, there was truly a door there, isolated, looking extremely out of place.
There was nothing extraordinary about the door. There was a door plate and a doorbell on the door, and two stone lions squatting on either side, baring their ferocious-looking fangs.
Usually, Yang Kai would not feel anything if he saw such a door in the Star Boundary, but in this vast empty void of the Outer Universe, how could a lone door like this not be bizarre?
When Yang Kai approached, he looked at the two stone lions squatting on either side of the door. He vaguely felt that these seemingly ordinary stone lion decorations were not as simple as they looked. Then again, if they were ordinary, how could they appear in the void?
Right at that moment, a voice came out of the door, “Where did this little friend come from? Forgive this Old Master for greeting you from afar. Please come in.”
The voice was gentle and welcoming, causing a warm feeling to fill Yang Kai’s body. Even though the voice appeared abruptly, it did not alarm him but made him feel comfortable instead.
However, Yang Kai was secretly stunned; after all, right in front of him was just a door. Although there were two stone lions squatting on either side of the door, there was no house behind it, so where was the speaker? Yang Kai peeped behind the door but found nothing.
By the sound of the voice, the speaker should not be young. After pondering for a while, Yang Kai felt like it was better for him to face things head-on and cupped his fists to ask, “Where is Old Sir? How can this Junior get in?”
The old voice laughed, “Just push the door.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow but still nodded.
He put his hands on the door plates and pushed gently and the door opened, but what came into his view on the other side was not the scenery of a void that he imagined. At the moment of opening the door, a colourful light flashed before him, followed by a powerful suction that drew Yang Kai inside before he could respond.
When he regained his senses, he was standing on an expansive reef. The sound of sea waves echoed around his ears and as he looked up, he could see a blue sky filled with clouds.
Yang Kai blinked, and could not help shouting, “A Small Universe!”
Reaching the Open Heaven Realm required splitting Heaven and Earth apart from within to create an independent world, and this independent world was known as a Small Universe. Only Open Heaven Realm Masters could possess a Small Universe.
Laughter burst out from the side, “Little friend has good vision, this is indeed this Old Master’s Small Universe!”
Yang Kai turned in the direction of the voice and saw an old man with white hair and a beard standing nearby, a kind smile on his face. The old man was a little chubby, and the deep and numerous wrinkles on his face revealed the signs of ageing.
The old man was wearing a black, spotless robe and had the demeanour of a Senior Expert. With a round bowl in one hand, the old man’s fingers tapped rhythmically.
Strangely, there was no sound following his taps, but Yang Kai could obscurely perceive something from the movement.
Recalling the call that guided him all the way here, a sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai, “Is Old Sir the one who called me?”
The old man smiled lightly, “Indeed, where might I ask did little friend come from?”
Yang Kai answered, “My homeland is not a place worth being mentioned. In fact, I’m not certain what to call it.” Although the old man in front of him seemed harmless, he was still a true Open Heaven Realm Master. If he really wanted to make a move on Yang Kai, Yang Kai would probably be powerless to resist, especially inside the former’s Small Universe. Yang Kai did not expect that the first person he met in the Outer Universe would be an Open Heaven Realm Master. He had to stay alert against the people here, and it was better not to expose the name of the Star Boundary.
The old man did not mind it, and smiled faintly, “I see.” He did not continue asking, which surprised Yang Kai.
“Why did Old Sir call out to me?” Yang Kai was puzzled. If it had not been for this sudden summon, he would not have come here.
The old man replied with a smile, “This Old Master did not just summon you. I have just been picking up various Juniors who manage to free themselves of the shackles of various Universe Worlds.” While talking, he stretched out his hand and pointed aside.
Yang Kai looked at the place he pointed and found that the old man and he were not the only people in this Small Universe. There were other people on the surrounding reefs.
Fear crept into Yang Kai’s heart as he did not notice anything when he came in just now, and he was sure that he had clearly checked his surroundings and saw nobody at all. It meant that if it was not for the permission of the old man, he was afraid that he would not be able to see anything at all in this place.
Four other figures were present, three men and one woman.
A burly man, a dignified woman, a naive boy, and the last one looked like he was from the Monster Race. He had two horns on his forehead, but it was unclear which bloodline he carried.
Each of them sat on a reef nearby, looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai swept his eyes across them, and except for the naive-looking one who smiled back at Yang Kai, everyone else was expressionless. Although Yang Kai had no idea what kind of Realm these four were, since they could appear here, it meant that each of them was a Master on par with a Great Emperor in their own right, and had condensed their own Dao Seal. Otherwise, they would not be qualified to wander the Outer Universe.
Seeing this, combined with what the old man mentioned just now, Yang Kai asked in amazement, “Were these people summoned by Old Sir too?”
The old man nodded with a smile, “There are many dangers in the Outer Universe. It’s not a friendly place for newcomers like you. If you rush around rashly, you are likely to encounter some unpredictable dangers. This Old Master has set up here and used a Secret Technique to spread a summon far and wide. Those who perceive this summon will come here to meet this Old Master, just like little friend and the others.”
“Why did Old Sir do this?” Yang Kai was baffled.
“If this Old Master told you that it was to protect newcomers like you, would you believe it?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly. After years of cultivation, even though Yang Kai dared not say that he had a clear understanding of Human nature, he did not believe that someone would do such a laborious task for no benefit whatsoever.
The old man guffawed, “It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not, but this is indeed one of this Old Master’s reasons.”
“Does that mean there are other reasons?” Yang Kai questioned.
“Another reason is that the force this Old Master belongs to needs to absorb new blood. There are countless large and small forces in the Outer Universe, and many will perform similar solicitations. It’s not uncommon to try to recruit new people who have just jumped out of the Inner Universe to strengthen their own forces. This Old Master is not the only one doing this. Little friend, it seems we share some common destiny, that is why you heard this Old Master’s call and came here.”
Yang Kai frowned slightly, “May I know what great force Old Sir belongs to?”
The old man replied, “You will know in the future. It’s useless to say too much now.”
“What if I don’t want to join Old Sir’s great force?” Yang Kai asked.
As soon as Yang Kai said this, he clearly felt the attention of the other four people on the reefs around him focus on him.
The old man responded, “That is your decision. This Old Master is only responsible for recruiting and guiding. Someone will explain everything to you when we go back. Whether to join or not will be up to you then. Just stay if you’re willing to join. If not, no one will force you.”
Yang Kai nodded. He had encountered this kind of situation once before when he entered the Ancestral Domain. Many great forces in the Ancestral Domain also sent out Masters to stake out territory and absorb new blood to strengthen their own forces.
But in comparison, the old man’s method was undoubtedly superior. Instead of waiting in place, hoping others would pass by, he actively used a technique to summon others to him across a great distance.
Yang Kai had nothing to lose in the Outer Universe, and now that he was separated from Zhang Ruo Xi, he did not even know where to go next. He just wanted to go somewhere with many people to get information. Since the old man had already said so much, Yang Kai naturally would not reject.
Of course, Yang Kai did not completely believe the old man’s words, but at least for now, he should be safe.
“Old Sir, I have one more question to ask you,” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
“You may ask.”
“This Junior leapt out of his Universe World with another friend to enter this vast Outer Universe, but we bumped into a monster called the Myriad Facets Insect on our way. After we were swallowed by it, I was brought to another place for some reason…”
At this point, the old man smiled lightly, “Don’t worry, your friend should not be in danger.”
“Please enlighten this Junior, Old Sir.”
“The Myriad Facets Insect is a special being in the Outer Universe. Its movements are unpredictable, but it is generally harmless. When you saw it from a distance, didn’t you see there were many holes on its body?”
“Exactly!”
“Those holes are connected to random corners of the vast Outer Universe. When you are swallowed up by Myriad Facets Insects, you inevitably come out of one of those holes and appear in a completely different place. Your friend’s experience is the same as yours, but where they were sent is unknown now.”
“Is that so?” Yang Kai was stunned.
Nevertheless, he instinctively felt that the statement of the old man in front of him should not be wrong. As he recalled now, from getting swallowed by the Myriad Facets Insect to escaping out of it, everything happened in just the blink of an eye. But when he got out, Yang Kai noticed obvious Space Principle fluctuations, as if he just experienced ultra-long-distance teleportation, which was consistent with the old man’s explanation.
In this way, Yang Kai was relieved to confirm that Zhang Ruo Xi was not in danger, but he had no clue where she was teleported to.
“Many thanks, Old Sir. This Junior still wants to ask…”
“You’ve travelled far, and must be tired. It would be best for little friend to rest first.” The old man looked at Yang Kai with a grin, and as he spoke, his fingers gently tapped on the round bowl again.
The doubt in Yang Kai’s heart calmed down at once, as if the question he had was something he should not have asked. He immediately looked ashamed and bowed, “Senior is right, then this Junior will not bother Senior any further.”
Yang Kai then retreated respectfully.
The old man nodded, closed his eyes, and continued casting his Secret Technique.
Yang Kai looked around, jumped onto an empty reef, sat cross-legged, and silently circulated his Secret Art. In the next moment, rich and pure World Energy poured into every pore of his body, greatly refreshing his spirit.
Although this was the old man’s Small Universe, it was also a world with the complete Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. The World Energy was also authentic, which could be absorbed to enhance Yang Kai’s strength.
Moreover, the World Energy in this Small Universe was far purer and more concentrated than in any natural place in the Star Boundary. Yang Kai opened his eyes quietly and saw that the other four people were devouring the World Energy around them hungrily. Seeing this, Yang Kai simply let go of his concerns, no longer worried about anything, and greedily began cultivating.
However, Yang Kai still used a portion of his Divine Sense to examine himself. When the old man uttered the last sentence, he clearly felt that he was unable to resist his words. In other words, he was completely obedient to the old man at that time, and that was the reason he felt ashamed. Fortunately, when the Soul Warming Lotus reacted, his mental state recovered.
Since the Soul Warming Lotus reacted like this, it proved that the old man definitely used some kind of Soul Technique on him in that moment. Yang Kai did not understand how it happened, it could be because of the old man’s high Realm and skill, or it could be due to the effect of the round bowl, but if he had not been protected by the Soul Warming Lotus, he could not imagine what would have happened just now.
Sure enough, nothing came for free in the world. The old man kept saying that he would not force anyone to join the great force behind him, but judging from his current behaviour, Yang Kai strongly believed that he may not end well if he rejected the old man’s offer.
But since Yang Kai was already here, there was no way for him to just leave now. Moreover, Yang Kai desperately wanted to travel somewhere with many people to get information. His understanding of the Outer Universe was only limited to the information disclosed by Zhang Ruo Xi before, and he was clueless about anything else as he had just entered this world. It would be good if he could follow the old man to join a great force, and then gather information carefully before making further plans.
On the other hand, Yang Kai was hoping that Zhang Ruo Xi could be attracted to this place too. Since Ruo Xi was swallowed by the Myriad Facets Insects with him at the same time, if luck was on their side, she may appear at a place not so far away and might be led here by the old man’s summon too.
If so, they could reunite.
Thinking this way, Yang Kai was no longer worried. He simply let go of his concerns and devoured the World Energy around him.
The three Humans and one Monster nearby acted like him too. Although Yang Kai did not know which Universe Worlds they all came from, it was obvious that they each came from different places. There were many differences in details from their clothing. However, no matter which Small World they came from, by their hungry looks for cultivation, they clearly had not stayed in a place with such a good cultivation environment before.
After what had happened earlier, Yang Kai suspected that these four people had already been influenced by the old man’s Secret Technique and were now obeying his commands.
The old man kept the same posture, holding a bowl in one hand and gently drumming it with the other hand. The invisible inspiration continued to spread into the world from this Small Universe, attracting more newcomers.
This was a bit like fishing, and the willing ones took the bait. If the person who perceived the inspiration did not have much curiosity or was paranoid enough, they would not come here.
Time flowed freely. Although the Small Universe was also a world, it was somewhere between ethereal and corporeal, and it would not be as wondrous as a true Universe World. The sun, moon, and stars were absent, and the scenery was invariable. By the look of it, it probably had something to do with the old man’s state of mind.
After an unknown amount of time, which Yang Kai estimated to be at least a year, the old man, still holding the bowl, smiled, “Where did this little friend come from? Forgive this Old Master for greeting you from afar. Please come in.”
It was the exact same speech as that of when Yang Kai arrived, not a single word was changed. When Yang Kai heard this, he knew that a newcomer was here. He could not help being excited, secretly hoping that it would be Zhang Ruo Xi.
Like him, the other four people who had been cultivating opened their eyes.
The next moment, a crisp and pleasant voice sounded, “Where are you, sneaky fellow? Show yourself!”
It was a woman’s voice, but it sounded quite young.
The old man laughed, “This Old Master is not a sneaky fellow. This Old Master is here, it is just that Young Lady cannot see me. Please come in.”
The woman outside the door squealed, “Why should I listen to you? This Young Lady doesn’t want to enter!” After a pause, she asked, “Are you in this door?” From the tone of the question, one could imagine that she was looking around the door curiously.
“En!” The old man nodded.
“Then come out and talk. I’ll wait for you outside the door.”
The old man chuckled, “Young Lady is quite vigilant.”
“Hmph, it’s necessary to be careful. I don’t even know who you are. Why should I enter easily?”
“You’re right.” The old man smiled. While talking, he suddenly formed his hand into a hand seal, “However, this Old Master insists on inviting Young Lady in.”
When the words fell, there was an exclamation outside the door, followed by the woman’s scolding, “Bastard, how dare you… Ahhh!”
After her shout, a wave of ripples permeated around the old man, followed by the appearance of a graceful figure. It was the woman who refused to enter the door earlier. She ended up being dragged in by the Old Master’s unknown method.
Yang Kai understood the situation. As long as one was led by the old man’s inspiration, whether they were willing or not, they had to enter the door and come to this Small Universe. Everything would go smoothly if one was willing; otherwise, they would be dragged in forcefully. A harmless smile was plastered on the old man’s face, but in fact, he was clearly quite domineering. In short, he was using his strength to bully the weak.
Yang Kai could not help raising his vigilance.
The woman seemed to have a hot temper and after being dragged in, a curtain of water immediately circulated around her. As soon as she raised her hand, the boundless water curtain turned into a white silk that shot towards the old man.
A gust of wind blew and joined itself with the white silk to form a rushing river. Yang Kai raised his brow and could not help praising this young woman in his heart.
How was this a real piece of white silk? It was clearly refined from a river. The rushing force contained a boundless Water Element that splashed everywhere wantonly.
“Impudence!” The four people who had been sitting upright on the reefs since before Yang Kai’s arrival rebuked in unison and rushed out together. The burly man swung his fists, the dignified woman took out a sword, the naive boy took out a treasure like a slingshot loaded with a stone, while the twin-horned Monster roared and turned into a tiger-like being.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded!
Nevertheless, he quickly regained his senses, jumped off the reef and sent the woman a palm strike.
The young woman’s face turned pale. Obviously, she did not expect to be besieged by so many people as soon as she entered this place. Although she was also a Master on the level of a Great Emperor and had condensed her own Dao Seal, all the others present were on par with her. It would be a draw even if it was a one-on-one fight, let alone one against five.
The white silk that was pumped out was immediately withdrawn and turned into a water curtain wrapping around her.
Following after a rumbling sound, the water curtain shattered and the young woman fell out of her wall of defence, the blood drained from her face.
A Master as strong as a Great Emperor, was now sitting on the ground with tears in her eyes, covering her rear with her hands, looking helpless as she cried, “You… You’re all bullies!”
She looked like a child who lost a fight…
Yang Kai wanted to laugh, but he did not find it to be appropriate.
“You are all bullies just because you have numbers on your side!” The young woman sat on the ground, unable to get up, glaring at Yang Kai and the rest before finally fixing her eyes on the old man and shouting, “Fight me alone with me if you have the courage!”
The old man maintained his smile, however, and asked, “Young Lady, do you really want to fight alone with me?”
“Yes, just you and me, don’t involve them!” The young woman stretched out her hand and pointed one by one at Yang Kai and the others.
The old man shook his head gradually, “You are no match for this Old Master.”
“How can you be sure before we fight?” The young woman looked unconvinced.
“Then, do you want to try?” The old man teased her with great interest.
“Of course I want to try!” The woman clenched her teeth and clamoured. There was still nothing unusual when she uttered the first word, but when she finished the last word, she had rushed in front of the old man, as vigorous as a tiger. Her slender palm turned crystal clear, a mysterious power fluctuating around it as it slammed towards the old man.
A smile still on his face, the old man just looked at her quietly and without doing anything, lightly spoke, “Solidify!”
The woman was instantly stiffened in front of the old man, completely immobilized. It seemed that she had only realized the huge gap between her and the old man now and her face turned pale involuntarily, her long lashes trembling endlessly.
“Do you want to try again?” The old man challenged.
The young woman blinked her eyes, and became exceptionally obedient, “I dare not.”
“If you don’t dare, stop,” The old man waved his hand.
As soon as he said this, the young woman immediately regained her freedom. Her offensive momentum did not stop at once, and her whole body swiftly charged forward. She quickly bent her knees and half-knelt on the ground, with her fists cupping, “Junior was naïve and thought that she was invincible in this world. Today, I have realized there are actually people beyond people after meeting Senior. Please accept this Junior as a Disciple. This Disciple will be respectful and filial to Master in the future!”
Her movements were slick and neat, without a single unnecessary motion. Her speech was also notably smooth, as if she had said it countless times before, but her look was extremely sincere.
Everyone present, including the old man, were shocked by the young woman’s behaviour.
Yang Kai was also dumbstruck and asked himself, [Who is this girl? Earlier, she was still yelling rudely in front of him, so how did she turn so quickly to worship the old man in the blink of an eye? This change of heart is a little too drastic…]
On the contrary, the burly man and Monster Race youth showed looks of regret after regaining their senses.
The dignified woman also seemed to be moved, but the naïve boy looked like he did not care at all.
There was dead silence, as if someone had performed a petrification technique; only the sound of the lapping waves remained.
Suddenly, the old man laughed and stretched out his hand to hold the young woman’s arm, “This Old Master is grateful to see your sincerity; however, we will talk about the matter being this Old Master’s Disciple later. This Old Master does not know much about your character or aptitude yet, so I will still need to observe you more in the future. If you match this Old Master’s requirements, I will consider accepting you as my Disciple.”
The woman was overjoyed, “Future Disciple thanks Master in advance!”
“What is your name?”
The woman replied with a grin, “Disciples name is Ah Sun.”
“Where are you from?”
Ah Sun shook her head, “This Disciple has no idea. The world where this disciple came from has been shattered. This Disciple is the only living survivor from that place.” Her eyes became full of sadness as she spoke.
“Everything comes to an end, even the world. Don’t mind it too much. Now that you have jumped out of the shackles of the Inner Universe, you will see a vaster world. Isn’t it better than being confined to one place?”
“Master is right!” Ah Sun nodded repeatedly with a happy face, “Ah Sun’s home is gone, so in the future, Master’s home will be Ah Sun’s home.”
The old man did not respond to her, but turned to the others, “Well, we have an appropriate number now, so let us return.”
Hearing what he said, Yang Kai and the others were delighted. Although the cultivation environment here was good, since all of them had leapt out of their respective Universe Worlds, they naturally wanted to explore more of this vast sky. They were looking forward to leaving this place, and following the old man to the force behind him.
The old man did not waste any time after announcing their departure. He beckoned everyone, pointed in front of him, and a door immediately materialized.
Yang Kai looked at it and realized that the door was the one he had seen in the void earlier.
The old man pushed open the door, which squeaked noisily, and all of them rushed into it and came to the place before they entered. The door immediately became distorted and transformed into a big ship. Two ropes of light extended from the bow of the ship and tied themselves around the two stone lions.
The stone lions were the two that were squatting on either side of the door previously, and seeing this, Yang Kai immediately knew that he was right. The two stone lions were really not ordinary things, otherwise, how could there be such a transformation?
At this moment, the two stone lions expanded, their bodies permeating a notably violent aura as they shook their majestic heads.
The newcomers on board the ship were dumbfounded. Not to mention the wondrous transformation of the stone lions, the aura permeated from the two was not inferior to, and possibly even exceeded their own.
In other words, the strength of these two stone lions was more likely to be higher than theirs.
They were each overlords of their own Universe Worlds, Great Emperors who had condensed their Dao Seal; however, now that they came to the Outer Universe, they could not help feeling bitter seeing these two beasts that were used to pull a ship were stronger than them.
The old man looked at the expressions of the people and smiled at their shocked faces.
“Wow, Master, what are these two things? They look so powerful!” Ah Sun stood on the bow of the ship, looking down and exclaimed with an astonished face.
The old man did not deliberately correct the way she addressed him, or maybe he just did not care about it, and instead smiled and answered, “These two little things were originally two stone fetuses of our Seven Wonders Land. They then gained sentience through a certain opportunity. This Old Master found them useful, so he used them as watchers and to pull this ship.”
“Seven Wonders Land?” Yang Kai raised his brow, “May I ask Senior, is the Seven Wonders Land that you mentioned just now the place we are going to?”
For a year in the Small Universe, he did not communicate with the old man, so he had no idea where the old man came from. Now when the old man mentioned this, it naturally piqued his interest.
“En!” The old man nodded.
“Is Seven Wonders Land one of the Seventy-Two Paradises?” The burly man suddenly asked with a fervent face.
“Oh? You know of the Seventy-Two Paradises?” The old man looked at the burly man with a smile.
The burly man replied respectfully, “Junior hails from Black River World. There was a Great Senior Expert who returned once to my world and shared some experiences with this Junior, so this Junior knows that there are Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises in the Outer Universe.”
The old man nodded in understanding, “Do you know this Senior well, or which great force he belongs to?”
The burly man shook his head, “I don’t know.”
“Did he leave a Faith Token for you so that you could find him?” The old man questioned again.
The burly man stretched his hand into his pocket, took out something, and handed it over respectfully, “This is the Faith Token left by that Senior.”
Yang Kai had sharp eyes and instantly saw that it was a piece of jade, but it was an unknown type of jade, unlike any he had seen before. There was a small fish swimming around like a living creature inside this jade, and although he had no idea what the fish in the jade was, Yang Kai could vaguely feel that it contained some mysterious Principle Strength.
Fear surged in Yang Kai’s heart as chills ran up his spine.
Not because of this Faith Token, but because of the burly man’s unreserved manner towards the old man.
He was ambushed by the old man once before and was only safe due to the protection of the Soul Warming Lotus. Yang Kai wondered at the time whether the old man had manipulated the others too.
However, it was still just a speculation, and Yang Kai did not really care about other people’s affairs.
It wasn’t until when Ah Sun was dragged into the Small Universe, attempted to hurt the old man, and was besieged by the burly man and the others that Yang Kai realized that his guess was accurate.
How could these four Great Emperors from different Universe Worlds act like that if they had not been manipulated by the old man? Even if they tried to please the old man, how could they make a move at the exact same time?
By the look of it, this jade was definitely an exceptionally valuable thing for the burly man. With the guidance of the jade, he could certainly find the whereabouts of his Senior from his own world and join him. At that time, he would naturally be well taken care of. Why would he have to plead with others?
The burly man took out such a valuable thing immediately after the old man asked casually, and the problem was, he had not the slightest reservations against the old man.
The several people nearby did not find it strange either; instead, they acted like everything was reasonable…
After the burly man took out the jade, the old man squinted his eyes slightly. He grabbed the jade and examined it carefully. After a moment, he revealed a smile, “Since it is a reward from your Senior, store it carefully. It could be useful in the future.”
The burly man nodded gently, put away the jade, and turned to glare at the others. He acted like this not because he did not know the value of his jade, but because he was influenced by the old man’s Secret Technique to lower his guard.
For now, Yang Kai could not see how much of an effect this mental suggestion had; however, he was finally able to confirm that those who entered the Small Universe were being influenced by the old man. That said, he wasn’t sure about Ah Sun yet.
“I know you all have a lot of questions. Let us talk on our trip back.” The old man gently raised his hand while speaking, and the two stone lions tethered to the ship in front immediately raised their heads and charged forward with a roar.
In an instant, the ship began moving at lightning speed.
Yang Kai was shocked. Although the two stone lions looked ordinary, he did not expect them to be so fast. No wonder they would be taken in by the old man as steeds to pull his ship.
After travelling for a while, the old man spoke, “Someone just asked if Seven Wonders Land is one of the Seventy-Two Paradises.” He turned to the burly man, and shook his head, “Seven Wonders Land is not one of the Seventy-Two Paradises.”
“Master, what are the Seventy-Two Paradises?” Ah Sun questioned curiously with her eyes blinking.
Other than her, the dignified woman, the naïve boy, and the male Monster revealed puzzled expressions. They obviously were clueless about it too. Yang Kai followed the crowd and looked at the old man blankly.
Perhaps it was because he was returning to his home, but the old man was clearly in a good mood and started explaining, “There are countless wondrous places in this vast Outer Universe, but they can also be divided into many different grades. The strongest great forces occupy the best territories, and the weak ones occupy lower-level places. Although all of you came from different Universe Worlds, this principle still applies. Among the many territories, the best ones are divided between the Seventy-Two Paradises and Thirty-Six Cave Heavens. They are the top great forces and can shake the entire Outer Universe.”
“Oh!” Ah Sun was enlightened, “Disciple understands now.”
The old man continued, “If our Seven Wonders Land occupied one of the Seventy-Two Paradises, we would not be called Seven Wonders Land anymore, but Seven Wonders Paradise. Do you understand?” The old man explained to the burly man.
The burly man nodded, “Many thanks for dispelling my doubts, Senior.”
“It’s fine, it’s not a secret anyway. You will naturally know this if you stay in Outer Universe for long enough.”
Yang Kai inferred, “According to Senior, does this mean those top great forces all have ‘Cave Heaven’ or ‘Paradise’ behind their names?”
“Basically so, but not all!” The old man shook his head, “For example, Myriad Demons Heaven occupies a Cave Heaven, but instead of calling itself Myriad Demons Cave Heaven, its name is just Myriad Demons Heaven.”
Yang Kai blinked his eyes, [Myriad Demons Heaven… This name sounds like the place where Demons gather. Did Mo Sheng come from that place?] Myriad Demons Heaven must be amazing to be recognized as a Cave Heaven in this vast Outer Universe. If they were told that Mo Sheng died in the Star Boundary, he was unsure whether they would avenge the latter or not.
But on second thought, Mo Sheng’s body was destroyed and he wasted tens of thousands of years scheming to acquire the Auspicious Spirit Essence of the Star Boundary. If the great force behind him knew his situation, how could they ignore it? At once, Yang Kai was relieved. Even if Mo Sheng was born in Myriad Demons Heaven, Myriad Demons Heaven definitely did not know about his case.
The old man pressed on, “However, although our Seven Wonders Land can’t compare with those Cave Heavens and Paradises, it can be considered outstanding in the 3,000 Worlds. The master of our Seven Wonders Land is Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch, who is proficient in the Alchemic Dao. The Spirit Pills that he refines have a good reputation. Even those Cave Heavens and Paradises request Alchemy Services from our Seven Wonders Land from time to time.”
“So powerful!” Ah Sun looked shocked.
The old man smiled lightly, “You will know in the future. This Old Master only disclosed this because you asked.”
Yang Kai immediately wanted to ask about Open Heaven Pills, since it was the currency in the Outer Universe according to Zhang Ruo Xi, equivalent to Source Crystals in the Star Boundary. Since Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch was proficient in Alchemy, he should also be able to refine Open Heaven Pills.
When Zhang Ruo Xi talked about Open Heaven Pills before, Yang Kai was thinking of trying to get the recipe for himself, but he did not expect to have a clue so soon.
However, according to the situation in the Outer Universe, the pill recipe of Open Heaven Pills was definitely one of the top secrets of any great force, certainly not easy to acquire.
Moreover, Yang Kai did not know what kind of great force this Seven Wonders Land was. Judging from this old man’s character and behaviour, Seven Wonders Land was definitely not a decent force, and he suspected all the old man’s previous words were just extravagant boasting.
In the following time, whether it was the dignified woman, the naive boy, or the Monster Race man, all of them asked the questions that they wanted to know. Like Yang Kai, they were led by the old man’s summon after leaping out of their own Universe World and were confused about the things here.
At least Yang Kai had Zhang Ruo Xi to solve his doubts. Although he did not know much, his knowledge about the Outer Universe was at least better than theirs, except for the burly man who had a Senior that left him some information about the Outer Universe.
The journey was long, but the old man answered all their questions, which benefited everyone on the ship greatly.
They passed several Territory Gates during the journey…
The so-called Territory Gates were almost identical to the Territory Gates that Yang Kai shuttled through before. It worked to transfer people between two places.
The Outer Universe was too vast, so without these connecting Territory Gates that were scattered all over, it would be extremely difficult to go from one place to another even for those powerful Masters, and the time it would take was absolutely unbearable for anyone.
But it was a different story with these Territory Gates. Although it would still take some time, it greatly improved the efficiency of travelling in general.
Yang Kai, who knew the convenience of Space Arrays, was deeply amazed by this.
The reason a Territory Gate was called a Territory Gate was that the Outer Universe was divided into numerous territories of various sizes. Countless great forces coexisted in these territories.
Although it was a lonesome journey, everyone communicated with each other apart from with the old man, making for a harmonious atmosphere. The young woman, Ah Sun, who was the liveliest of them all, had already gotten close to the dignified woman in just a few days.
It was only a month later when Ah Sun, who was looking around on the bow of the ship, suddenly spotted something and shouted, “Master, there’s something over there!”
They had travelled across this vast void, and although the surrounding scenery was beautiful, they lost their interest towards it after such a long time. A sudden appearance of something unusual immediately attracted Ah Sun’s attention.
Yang Kai and the others, who were leaning on the side of the ship, ran to the front when they heard her shouting. At a glance, there was a large cloud in the void from a distance. It was blurry inside, as if some sort of barrier was isolating it, which hindered them from seeing through even with the cultivation they had.
The old man smiled lightly, “We’re here.”
Ah Sun asked excitedly, “Is that Seven Wonders Land?”
The old man nodded, “En.”
Looks of anticipation filled their faces when they heard the old man, even Yang Kai was no exception. Although he felt that the old man and this Seven Wonders Land were not a righteous power, this was the first great force he came into contact with in the Outer Universe ever since he jumped out of the Star Boundary, so it was natural for him to be a little curious about it. More importantly, according to the old man, Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch, the master of Seven Wonders Land, was an Alchemy Grandmaster.
Perhaps he could count on him to obtain the Open Heaven Pill recipe.
When the old man’s words fell, the two stone lions that were pulling the ship suddenly changed their direction and galloped towards the cloud.
After a few hours, they finally came to the edge of the cloud. The old man stood on the bow of the ship and pointed, his fingertips gleaming with a golden light. The next moment, the dense clouds split to both sides on their own, opening a path forward.
The stone lions did not change their pace, and continued to charge into the path with the ship behind them, the clouds closing behind them.
After penetrating through the vast white world, everyone regained their vision, realizing they were in a new world. Above them was a clear blue sky, and below them were clear waters and lush mountains. It was amazing scenery.
Moreover, the World Energy was exceptionally rich. Compared to the cultivation environment that everyone had experienced in the old man’s Small Universe previously, it was just as good, superior even.
After all, the previous place was just the old man’s Small Universe, halfway between ethereal and corporeal. Nevertheless, this was a complete world, so it was normal to have some differences between them.
Yang Kai sensed the environment quietly. The World Principles were perfect and solid, stronger than the Star Boundary’s. If anyone with adequate aptitude cultivated in such an environment, there would be no problem for him to reach the Emperor Realm.
“Master, what’s over there?” Ah Sun, the one who was most curious, questioned as she pointed in another direction.
The old man answered, “You will know in the future.”
“Oh,” Ah Sun did not ask further. After more than a month of being together, she learnt that the old man would only answer if he was willing to; otherwise, no one could force him to say things that he did not wish to disclose.
Yang Kai glanced casually in the direction she pointed, and found that it was a land of fiery red mountains and fields, like a large orchard. Many fruit trees were planted there, and there were many people busying themselves tending to them.
The orchard was so huge that he could not see its end at a glance. Yang Kai estimated that the orchard occupied one-third of this world.
Curiosity grew in him. He wondered what Spirit Fruits were planted there. Given that so many Spirit Fruits were grown here, the nutrients needed to nurture them would surely not be small in quantity. Where did these nutrients come from though?
In addition to the vast orchard, there were some scattered buildings on the ground below.
In general, this place had beautiful and picturesque scenery.
The ship descended and soon came to a huge palace. There was already a group of people waiting in front of the palace. The group leader was a young man in blue, his eyes glowing with vigour and his brow sharp, giving him an outstanding air.
When the ship landed, the young man immediately shouted, “Welcome back, Venerable!”
A group of people behind them echoed him with high spirit.
In a flash of brilliance, the ship turned back into a door, which then disappeared. Everyone landed on the ground, while the two stone lions pulling the ship flew away and soon settled on the left and right sides of the palace, turning into two motionless lion-like stone mountains.
Behind the old man, Yang Kai and the others looked around curiously.
The young leader came forward, glanced at Yang Kai and the rest, then smiled lightly, “Venerable has found a lot of new blood this time.”
The old man returned with a smile too, “Luck is on our side. You may make arrangements for them.”
The young man responded respectfully.
The old man asked, “Is Heavenly Monarch here?”
The young man answered, “Heavenly Monarch departed after receiving a message from someone six months ago and has not returned yet.”
The old man nodded, “Remember to inform me when Heavenly Monarch returns.”
“Yes!”
After issuing the order, the old man turned to Yang Kai and the others, “Follow him and he will make arrangements for you.” Then, he went into the palace.
The young man took the lead, and the group of people saw off the old man respectfully.
“Just who is my Venerable Master?” Ah Sun asked curiously.
“Master?” The young man looked back at Ah Sun.
When Ah Sun pointed in the direction where the old man went, the young man’s face instantly darkened, “Where’s this little girl from? If you dare to talk nonsense again, I’ll cut out your tongue!”
An enormous aura swept in all directions as he bellowed.
Ah Sun’s pretty face changed drastically, and she stepped back staggeringly. Fortunately, Yang Kai reached out his hand and helped her so that she did not fall to the ground, but her face turned extremely ugly.
The faces of Yang Kai and the rest did not look good either. They were not angry about anything, but the young man’s aura was so strong that they could barely withstand it.
[He’s not an Open Heaven Realm!] Yang Kai had the experience of fighting against the Great Demon God, so he could see that the young man had not reached the Open Heaven Realm, but he should be very close to it.
It was probably the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm cultivation that Zhang Ruo Xi once mentioned, which was the existence that condensed the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements in his body.
The young man looked at Ah Sun coldly, “Venerable is the Venerable Protector of our Fire Spirit Land. Reckless little girl, where are you from? How dare you speak like this!”
Ah Sun’s face flushed. Under the suppression of this man’s aura, she could not utter a word, and could only respond with tears rolling in her eyes.
The young man snorted coldly, “I’ll forgive you this time as you’re new here and don’t understand the rules. If you dare spout nonsense again, you will be punished harshly, understood!?”
Ah Sun nodded bitterly.
The young man swept his eyes across Yang Kai and the others with both hands folded behind his back, “The same goes for all of you! No matter where you came from or what status or position you had before, since you have come to Fire Spirit Land, you must abide by the rules here! You will have no worries if you follow the rules, but if you don’t, your end will be miserable.”
The Male Monster cupped his fists and asked, “Sir, may I know what the rules of this Fire Spirit Land are?”
The young man announced arrogantly, “The words of this King are the rules.”
The Male Monster nodded, “Understood.”
Seeing that the Male Monster was so sensible, the young man’s expression relaxed, “This King is not sure if Sir Venerable has told you anything before. It doesn’t matter if he hasn’t, because I’m going to tell you now. This place is the Fire Spirit Land of our Seven Wonders Land. Sir Venerable is the Heavens and Earth here, so no disobedience to his words will be tolerated. Do you understand?”
Everyone nodded in acknowledgement.
“Good.” The young man continued, “However, Sir Venerable is busy; therefore, as a Disciple of Fire Spirit Land, this King will supervise you during normal times. My surname is Du while my given name is Ru Feng. If you have any questions in the future, you can inquire from this King. If it is something you should know, this King will tell you; otherwise, you won’t get an answer even if you ask.”
“Since today is your first day in Fire Spirit Land, this King won’t say too much. You will understand everything here given some time. You have three days to rest. After three days, someone will give you your assignments.”
After that, the young man waved his hand, and a cold-looking middle-aged woman immediately came out from behind and beckoned, “Come with me.”
Then she soared to the sky.
Yang Kai and the others exchanged looks, and could only follow after her.
During the whole conversation, no one dared to ask anything other than the Male Monster. As for what the old man declared at the beginning about those who wanted to stay could stay while those who wanted to leave could leave, it was clearly just empty talk. After leading Yang Kai and the rest here, he went into the palace and did not show up again. Du Ru Feng did not even ask Yang Kai and the others if they were willing to stay; instead, he made all the decisions on his own.
However, although Du Ru Feng did not disclose too much, Yang Kai caught some information. This place was Fire Spirit Land of Seven Wonders Land. In other words, there should be other places besides Fire Spirit Land. Furthermore, the name Seven Wonders Land seemed to be related to Yin, Yang and the Five Elements. Yang Kai could not help guessing whether Seven Wonders Land was composed of seven Spirit Lands. If so, this place would be interesting.
The middle-aged woman, who had a cold and fierce aura, did not talk much. In addition to the pressure from Du Ru Feng before, everyone remained silent while following her all the way. No one dared to ask more questions.
However, Yang Kai observed secretly and found that the direction they were going was the location of the huge orchard he had just seen from the sky. The cultivation of this middle-aged woman should also be about the Emperor Realm, but he could not see whether she had condensed her Dao Seal or not for the time being.
An hour later, a vast area of undulating houses appeared in front of them, surrounded by green mountains and clear rivers. At first sight, the place looked like a land of idyllic beauty.
There was a large plaque at the front of the village, with two characters engraved on it, ‘Worker’s Room’!
Yang Kai and the others exchanged dry looks.
Although they came from different Universe Worlds, they were not stupid enough to not understand the meaning of the word ‘Worker’. They could not help thinking, [We were brought to Fire Spirit Land by that Venerable to be labourers?]
Standing in front of the village, the woman took out a bell and rang it gently. The bell jingled, and a man as thin as a bamboo stick flew out of the village. He did not look old, but his clothes looked oversized, and hung loosely on him, which made him seem amusing from a distance.
When he flew closer, the bamboo man cupped his fists, “Senior Sister Yao.”
He glanced across Yang Kai and the others with a light smile, “These people look unfamiliar…”
The woman surnamed Yao interjected coldly, “They were all brought back by Sir Venerable.”
The bamboo man responded, “Sir Venerable is back?”
The woman surnamed Yao nodded gently and pointed at Yang Kai and the others as she continued, “These people are handed over to you now. It’s not often we have new people here. If you complain about the shortage of manpower again, find your own solution.”
“Enough, enough!” The bamboo pole man beamed happily, “If I, Zhou Zheng, still cannot finish the task after Sir Venerable worked so hard to find these helpers, I will offer up my head!”
The woman surnamed Yao snorted coldly, “You better!”
After speaking, she turned and left.
Zhou Zheng shouted at her back, “Senior Sister Yao, are you leaving now? Junior Brother has just harvested some good quality tea. Would Senior Sister like to try it?”
There was no response from her.
Seeing the woman surnamed Yao left, Zhou Zheng who was smiling rubbed his hands and started to examine Yang Kai and the others excitedly. He introduced himself with a smile, “My name is Zhou Zheng, the one in charge of this Worker’s Room. You can call me Manager Zhou!”
Everyone cupped their fists and greeted in unison, “Greetings, Manager Zhou.”
Zhou Zheng nodded, “You all are so blessed. Tsk tsk, really blessed.”
The burly man frowned, “May I know what kind of blessing you are referring to?” Although he did not know what they would face next, it was obvious that they would not have a good life in the future being sent to the Worker’s Room. In their respective Universe Worlds, they were all peak Masters, so it was natural for them to feel bitter to be treated this way when they came here.
Zhou Zheng laughed, “Are you new to the Outer Universe?”
Everyone nodded.
“Then do you know about the Open Heaven Realm?”
“Venerable briefly mentioned it on the way here.”
“That makes things simple.” Zhou Zheng grinned like a sneaky thief, and continued with both hands folded behind his back, “If you want to reach the Open Heaven Realm, you need to open a Small Universe in your own body by splitting Heaven and Earth apart. And in order to form said Small Universe, you must first condense the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. Do you know why this Seven Wonders Land is called Seven Wonders Land?”
Without waiting for an answer, Zhou Zheng explained himself, “Because our Seven Wonders Land is composed of seven Spirit Lands. Now you are in the Fire Spirit Land. Other than this, there is Yin Spirit Land, Yang Spirit Land, Metal Spirit Land, Wood Spirit Land, Water Spirit Land, and Earth Spirit Land. Our Seven Wonders Land is a unique existence in the entire Outer Universe. No other great force has such an advantageous environment.”
There was a change in the dignified woman’s expression at his words, “Does Manager Zhou mean that Seven Wonders Land can meet our needs in condensing the power of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements?”
Zhou Zheng answered with a smile, “Yes! In this way, it will save you from wandering around and looking for resources to condense the necessary Elements. In other words, as long as you stay in Seven Wonders Land long enough, you will have the opportunity to be promoted to the Open Heaven Realm. This opportunity is not something that disciples of other forces can obtain. So, don’t you think this is your blessing!?”
The Male Monster was pleasantly surprised and asked, “Really?”
Zhou Zheng cackled, “Why should I lie to you? You can go around and ask others. It’s not a secret anyway.”
“That’s indeed a blessing for us!” The Male Monster was overjoyed.
To the side, Ah Sun questioned with her eyes blinking, “Is Manager an Open Heaven Realm Master now?”
Zhou Zheng cleared his throat when he heard the question, “Not yet, but that is mainly due to my laziness in cultivation. If I worked harder, promoting to Open Heaven Realm won’t be a problem. Remember not to procrastinate when you cultivate in the future; otherwise, you’ll end up like me. Good, let’s not talk too much, there will be many opportunities in the future anyway. Follow me.” He then turned around and led the way.
Yang Kai and the others followed closely.
As they entered the village, they saw houses lining the street on either side. Each of the houses seemed to possess some barriers. Some doors were closed with activated barriers, while some doors were open, in front of which some people stood and watched Yang Kai and the others coldly. The owners of these houses were both Humans and Monsters, all of them with cultivations in the Emperor Realm, but there was still a difference in strength among them.
After a while, a charming voice called out, “Manager Zhou, are these new people?”
Zhou Zheng looked at the source of the sound with a smile, “Yes, Venerable came back and brought us some new blood.”
Yang Kai and the others also looked to the source of the voice. In front of a house over there, a lithe figure leaned casually on the door frame. The woman looked indolent and her hair was a little dishevelled as if she had just woken up. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and smiled, “That means less work for us in the future.”
She then turned to greet Yang Kai and the others, “This Elder Sister lives here. If you don’t understand anything in the future, just look for me. This Elder Sister likes to teach beginners.” She giggled while speaking. Her voice was euphonious, as if it had infinite attraction to it.
No one knew how to answer her, so they pretended they did not hear what she said.
They walked all the way to one of the houses with its door closed, only then did Zhou Zheng stop, turn to look at Yang Kai and the others, and point at the burly man, “You’ll live here from now on.”
Zhou Zheng tossed a Jade Token to the man casually, “This is the Access Token of this house. You can refine it yourself. You have three days to rest, after which this Manager will tell you what you need to do. You don’t have to think about anything in these three days; just have a good rest.”
The burly man nodded and held the Jade Token in his hand, circulating his power to refine it.
Zhou Zheng continued to lead the others forward.
It was Yang Kai’s turn when they arrived at the third ownerless house. Similar to the previous two people, Zhou Zheng gave him an Access Token and asked him to refine it before leading the rest of the people away.
Yang Kai was not sure if the house was inhabited before, but there was no trace of a former owner in the token, so it was easy to refine.
Yang Kai spent only a stick’s worth of incense to complete the refinement before waving the Jade Token in front of the house, opening the barriers, and pushing the door in.
There was no unpleasant smell and the facilities in the house were notably simple. It covered an area of only a few dozen square meters and was divided into two floors. There were tables and chairs on the lower floor, probably a place to welcome guests. Following the stairs up to the second floor was just a bed and a mattress, which should be a place for him to rest.
A Spirit Array was set up in the house, and Yang Kai could clearly feel that the World Energy was being gathered by it, making the environment feel quite comfortable.
Such a place would be a cultivation treasure land that everyone competed for in the Star Boundary, but in Seven Wonders Land, it was only the residence of a Worker.
It was hard to imagine where the Manager, the Disciples, and even the Venerable Protector lived.
After activating the barriers, the house was isolated again. While comprehending the various functions of the Access Token, Yang Kai was thinking about his current situation too.
No doubt it was a good thing to be introduced into Seven Wonders Land as he was a newcomer to the Outer Universe, but he was a little shocked to be a Worker as soon as he arrived.
Yang Kai couldn’t help recalling how he ended up being a floor sweeper because of his unsatisfactory progress when he first stepped onto the Martial Dao and joined High Heaven Pavilion.
His current scene reminded him greatly of that time. The only difference was that the power he mastered at that time was by no means comparable to his power now.
This time, he had the capital to resist.
However, this was someone else’s territory after all, and there were Open Heaven Realm Masters standing guard. Since his life was not threatened now, Yang Kai was not willing to cause trouble, so he decided to take things one step at a time.
In Yang Kai’s view, however, the ‘blessing’ Zhou Zheng mentioned was just an exaggeration.
The others had no idea about the secrets of breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm, but Yang Kai was different. It was true that he had to condense the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements to be promoted to the Open Heaven Realm, as Zhang Ruo Xi told him as much. Furthermore, he had condensed his Wood Element already, and of the highest Order possible.
Nevertheless, Zhou Zheng did not mention the most important information, which was the Order of the materials here!
Perhaps it was true that Seven Wonders Land gathered the power of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, which was sufficient to meet the requirements of a cultivator to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, but the Order of these resources certainly would not be high. Otherwise, there would be countless powerful Open Heaven Realm Masters in Seven Wonders Land.
From the information Yang Kai now had in his hands, there should not be too many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Seven Wonders Land; otherwise, they would not occupy just a small piece of territory like this, but would be competing to be a part of the Seventy-Two Paradises and Thirty-Six Cave Heavens.
Among these Open Heaven Realm Masters, Qi Qiao Heavenly Monarch must be one of them, much like the Venerable Protector who led them here earlier. As for others, Yang Kai had no way to know.
However, to have at least eight Open Heaven Realm Masters assuming command here, although a great force like Seven Wonders Land could not compete with the likes of Cave Heavens and Paradises, it was overall not too bad in the Outer Universe.
When Yang Kai first arrived here, what he saw and heard gave him a rough understanding of Seven Wonders Land’s strength; and now, as a Worker of Seven Wonders Land Fire Spirit Land, he did not know what kind of future awaited him in three days.
After pondering for a while, Yang Kai walked out of his room and towards a house on the left.
Yang Kai recalled that this house was occupied by a young man. Now that he had nothing to do, he decided to use the time to gather information.
He needed to know what exactly a Worker was supposed to do here.
But judging from Zhou Zheng’s attitude today, it was obviously not going to be a difficult task even if it required some hard work.
The houses here were not densely built, with each one being separated from the other by several tens of metres. Yang Kai reached the front of the neighbouring house with just a few strides to see that the barriers were deactivated. The door was closed, so Yang Kai raised his hand and knocked on the door. After waiting for a while, the door opened. The young man who greeted him earlier stood by the door and looked at Yang Kai indifferently “What?”
Yang Kai cupped his fists and started, “This friend, please enlighten this little brother. I’m new here and I don’t know anything about this place, so I thought…”
“Get out!” The young man slammed the door shut without waiting for Yang Kai to finish.
Yang Kai rubbed his nose, speechless. There was nothing he could do if others did not want to disclose any information. He contemplated for a moment and decided to move on to the next house.
The owner of the second house, a warm and hospitable, somewhat short elderly man, welcomed Yang Kai into the house.
Yang Kai repeated the same request he did not manage to finish earlier, and the elderly man looked at him with a smile while examining him up and down, “Where does little friend come from?”
Yang Kai shook his head and said, “My homeland is remote and unknown. I don’t even know what to call it.”
The old man continued to ask him, “Does little friend have a gift for this Old Master?”
Yang Kai blinked, almost thinking he must have heard wrongly, and asked surprisedly, “What did Old Sir say?”
The old man smiled and explained, “Little friend wants information, and this Old Master is willing to give it, but you can’t let this Old Master tell you in vain, can you? Some compensation is due, wouldn’t you say?”
Only then did Yang Kai understand that he was seeking some profit.
He indeed possessed quite a few treasures; the Azure Dragon Spear, Sealed World Bead, and numerous others. Even in the Outer Universe, such things would still be coveted by many people, but it was also impossible to give away these things, and his other possessions were of little value. Moreover, Yang Kai found it difficult to accept that payment was needed for just answering a few general questions.
Without another word, he gave a small smile, got up, and cupped his fists to leave.
The old man did not stop him.
After two failures, Yang Kai discarded any thoughts of asking others. In any case, he would get his answer after three days.
Back at his own residence, Yang Kai took out a Space Beacon and tried to reach out to Zhang Ruo Xi again, but to no avail. Resigning himself, he decided to settle down to adjust his breathing. Now that he had condensed the Wood Element, his next target was the Fire Element. It could be fate, or it could just be a coincidence, but he was incidentally brought to Seven Wonders Land’s Fire Spirit Land.
The catch was, he just did not know if there were suitable resources in Fire Spirit Land.
Unconsciously, a day has passed.
The loud crowing of a rooster announced that it was dawn. Yang Kai opened his eyes with a look of surprise.
He had not heard such a sound for many decades, because the rooster’s morning call was something that could only be heard in some ordinary commoner families. At first, he thought it was an illusion, but when he listened again, he confirmed it was indeed the sound of a rooster crowing.
Confused, Yang Kai walked down from his bedroom on the second floor, deactivated the barriers, pushed the door, and looked out.
It was dark outside, but it was notably lively. The Workers of Fire Spirit Land walked out of their houses, some in groups, some of them alone, and turned into streams of light rushing into the distance, disappearing somewhere unknown.
In the very centre of the village, a golden rooster as tall as a man’s waist hovered in mid-air, radiating golden rays like a small sun as it raised its head to crow again.
The crow came from this golden rooster.
Yang Kai looked at it in amazement.
He could sense that this golden rooster was a Monster Beast of a unique bloodline, and it seemed quite strong. Yang Kai wondered who raised it.
In just three crows, more than half of the village was emptied; at least hundreds of people had left.
Yang Kai found it intriguing, and thought to himself, [Do the Workers here need the rooster to wake them before they go out to work?] As he thought about it, the golden rooster turned to look at him. Although it was just a rooster, it had an arrogant look that made Yang Kai wonder if he should be laughing.
The next moment, the golden rooster flapped its wings and flew straight towards Yang Kai, and landed in front of him.
Yang Kai’s eyes met with its glaring eyes with surprise. He wondered what about himself had attracted this golden rooster.
However, it was his first time meeting this type of beast, so Yang Kai could not help feeling a little curious. He reached out and wanted to touch it, but just as he reached out, the golden rooster extended its neck and pecked with its sharp beak.
Yang Kai’s quick reflexes would not allow himself to be hit so easily, so he instantly withdrew his hand and chuckled, “You’re quite the hot-tempered one!”
“Oh oh oh…” The golden rooster was apparently offended and flapped its wings violently, every golden feather on its body standing on end.
“Stop crowing, there’s nothing to crow about!” Yang Kai glared at it.
The golden rooster was even more aggravated, and continued flapping its wings, which stirred up a violent wind. Its chubby figure jumped up and down in anger.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted, but seeing that the rooster was starting to cause a commotion, he stretched out his hand, grabbed its neck, and threatened with a low voice, “Stop crowing, or I will slaughter you for soup!”
It immediately fell silent, and the golden rooster’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Yang Kai looked at it up and down, and continued maliciously, “I’ve never seen a chicken like you before. The soup you make will surely be tasty.”
“And then you’ll be dead,” A coquettish voice floated towards him.
Yang Kai looked up and saw a graceful figure walking towards him. It was the woman who was talking to Zhou Zheng on the way over yesterday. He did not take a close look yesterday, but now he had the chance, the woman seemed to be in her early twenties and her demeanour was just as indolent as yesterday, her eyes seemingly perpetually sleepy, like she was severely overworked. She yawned as she walked over, but her little red lips were as alluring as ever.
Yang Kai smiled at her, “Is this your chicken?”
The woman covered her mouth and laughed lightly, “Don’t talk nonsense.” The exhausted beauty frowned lightly, “Let go of it now, nothing good will come out of it if someone sees you holding Ruler of the Dawn Great General.”
“Ruler of the Dawn Great General?” Astonished, Yang Kai looked down at the motionless golden rooster whose neck was still in his grip, [This chicken even has such an imposing name!]
The woman pressed on frustratedly, “Ruler of the Dawn is Venerable’s pet!”
“Ah…” Only then did Yang Kai understand that this golden rooster had a serious backer. In this Fire Spirit Land, Venerable was the Heavens and Earth, he held all the authority, so even his pet, which was just a golden rooster that crowed in the morning, should not be provoked.
With an awkward laugh, Yang Kai released his grip and the Ruler of the Dawn Great General immediately rushed and hid behind the woman, but its fat bottom was barely hidden at all. It stuck its head out from behind the woman and crowed at Yang Kai angrily.
Yang Kai naturally did not understand, but he could tell it was probably scolding him.
“It was just a little joke, don’t get so worked up,” Yang Kai shrugged.
Ruler of the Dawn Great General ignored him, and probably because it had someone to protect it now, its crows became increasingly fierce.
“Alright, alright, Great General, calm down, I’ll give you some treats.” The woman chuckled and flipped her little hand, summoning a fiery red, crystal-clear, worm. It looked like it was carved from fire jade, and although it was only about a palm’s length, it exuded a scorching aura.
The long worm was a living creature, but it was unable to move due to the restriction placed on it by the woman.
Ruler of the Dawn, who was angry at Yang Kai, saw the worm and immediately became energetic. It quickly stretched its neck, pecked the worm, and swallowed it with a look of satisfaction on its face.
The woman patted Ruler of the Dawn Great General’s head, and tidied up its golden feathers, chuckling, “The Jade Fire Silkworm is Great General’s favourite food. Bring some back if you ever encounter some.”
“Where can I find them?” Yang Kai asked.
“In the orchard. Although it’s hard to find, there are always some. Oh, I almost forgot, you’re new here so you don’t know anything about it.”
“Please enlighten me, Elder Sister,” It was rare to have such an opportunity, so naturally Yang Kai would not let it go to waste. This woman should be different from the other two people he asked yesterday. She looked notably warm-hearted; otherwise, she would not have warned him about Ruler of the Dawn Great General, “If Elder Sister is alright with it, please come in.”
“You want to talk inside?” The woman looked at Yang Kai teasingly with a meaningful expression on her face.
Yang Kai replied sternly, “I just arrived here and I don’t understand anything, I just want to ask Elder Sister to help clarify my doubts.”
“Okay, I’m bored anyway.” The woman nodded, then turned to the golden rooster, “Great General, go along now, I’ll talk to him.”
Ruler of the Dawn Great General responded by crowing a few times, and the woman covered her mouth as she laughed, “Okay, I’ll tell him.”
She turned to look at Yang Kai and explained, “Great General said he should be reporting you to Venerable for offending him today, so you can be punished severely to serve as a warning, but since you are a newcomer and are not aware of his status, the kind-hearted and generous Great General will not be harsh with you. But it is necessary to give you a small punishment, and the punishment is…”
She looked at Ruler of the Dawn Great General again, that crowed a few times again, and then continued, “To bring him five Jade Fire Silkworms within a month!”
Yang Kai expected it to be something much more difficult, but when he heard it was just to capture five Jade Fire Silkworms, he wanted to burst into laughter badly, but he still cupped his fists with a solemn face, “Many thanks for your magnanimity, Great General. I will definitely come back with five Jade Fire Silkworms for you.”
After receiving assurance and a sincere apology from Yang Kai, Ruler of the Dawn Great General departed proudly like a lord.
Yang Kai invited the woman into the house and offered her a seat.
There was nothing for him to serve her, but the woman did not seem to care about such pleasantries. As they introduced themselves, Yang Kai learnt that the woman’s name was Dié You.
After a short chat, Yang Kai went straight to the point, “Sister Dié You, may I know what the Workers in the Worker’s Room do every day?”
Dié You reclined on the chair lazily, her graceful curves outlined by her close-fitting clothes. And laughed lightly before replying, “What else can Workers do? Of course, it’s the work of Workers. To be specific, it’s to take care of the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees.”
“Where are the fruit trees?”
Dié You casually pointed in a direction, “There is an orchard over there. Everyone in the Worker’s Room works there.”
Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “Is this Fire Spirit Fruit a material for refining Open Heaven Pills?”
Dié You glanced at him with a surprised look, “It seems that you’re not entirely clueless.”
Yang Kai explained, “Venerable mentioned a bit about it when we followed him back here.”
Dié You nodded, “You’re better off than me then. I was totally clueless when I first came here…” As if she was recalling something, a hint of reminisce flitted in her eyes, but she clearly did not want to talk more about it and thus changed the topic, “En. The Fire Spirit Fruit is indeed one of the herbs for refining Open Heaven Pills. In addition, there are six other Spirit Fruits, which are all planted in Seven Wonders Land.”
Yang Kai raised his brow at that, “In other words, the situation of the other six Spirit Lands is not far from that of Fire Spirit Land? They all have their own orchards and a Worker’s Room?”
“Yes!” Dié You nodded, “If not, how can there be so many materials for Heavenly Monarch to refine the Spirit Pills? Open Heaven Pills refined by Heavenly Monarch are the main industry of Seven Wonders Land.”
Yang Kai’s heart was pumping rapidly when he heard this. He did not expect to get in touch with all kinds of things related to Open Heaven Pills just when he arrived in the Outer Universe, and it was absolutely excellent for his plan to get the recipe for the Open Heavens Pill. Initially, he was a little unwilling to be a Worker, but now he was looking forward to it after learning that the work that he had to do was to take care of these Fire Spirit Fruit Trees.
He wondered what the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees looked like.
“If it’s convenient for Sister Dié You, can you tell me the details of taking care of the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees?”
Dié You raised her eyes and looked at him before grinning, “I didn’t think you would be so interested in such things that you would ask about it before you even started working.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “There’s no harm in being informed.”
Dié You grinned, “What’s in it for me?”
That sounded familiar…
Yang Kai looked at her, “What benefits do you want?” He patted his chest as he continued, “I have nothing but this body. If you are interested in it, how about I spend three days with you?”
Dié You covered her mouth and giggled, “Forget it.” Then she shrugged her shoulders, “But my shoulders have been a bit stiff lately.”
With a flicker, Yang Kai came behind her, put his hands on her shoulders and kneaded gently.
Dié You was extremely elated, “Little brat, you’re quite quick. Not bad, not bad.” While praising, she guided Yang Kai to massage with her preferred pressure.
Yang Kai followed her lead and quietly surged his strength, applying pressure through his fingertips. Dié You’s face immediately melted in pleasure as her eyelids closed slowly, her face looking sleepier and lazier.
After a long time, while her eyes remained closed, Dié You suddenly opened her mouth, “Taking care of Fire Spirit Fruit Trees requires a lot of attention. There are certain restrictions on how often to water, how much to water, how often to fertilize, how much to fertilize, how often to extract the Qi from the Earth Vein, and how to extract. No more, no less. As for the pests, you’ve seen the Jade Fire Silkworm before. Fire Spirit Fruit Trees are most prone to having such pests. However, in appropriate quantities, these pests have certain benefits on the maturation of Fire Spirit Fruits, so they can’t be eliminated completely. We need to keep a certain number to maintain a balance. It’s hard to explain in just a few words, you’ll only master them with more hands-on experience.”
Behind her, Yang Kai nodded furiously and sighed, “I didn’t expect there to be so many things to pay attention to in taking care of these fruit trees. How long has Sister Dié You been here?”
“What do you think?”
“No idea, but it seems that you have been here for some time.”
“A thousand years…” Dié You smiled wryly, “A thousand years ago, I first leapt out of my Universe World and was brought here, and here I’ve stayed for a thousand years.”
“That’s really a long time,” Yang Kai was aware that she had remained in this Worker’s Room for a thousand years. Although he had no idea what Dié You’s cultivation was a thousand years ago, by the look of her now, it seemed that her strength did not increase much.
“So, if you have a chance, you better leave this Worker’s Room, because this place has no future.”
“How does one leave?”
“If you do well and are appreciated by the superiors, you would have a chance to leave, but these opportunities are rare. Furthermore… You don’t need to consider this now, just try to learn the work first.” While talking, she raised her eyelids and glared at Yang Kai with her beautiful eyes.
Yang Kai chuckled, withdrew his hands slightly, back towards her shoulders, and continued to massage.
Dié You closed her eyelids again, and continued, “You’re new here, so Zhou Zheng will arrange a suitable place for you. Don’t fall for that smiling face he puts on all day, though. The truth is he is a ruthless and greedy man. You’ll understand in the future. Also, you must remember that the Spirit Fruits on each Fire Spirit Fruit Tree are recorded. If one goes bad, you must inform the supervisors immediately. Don’t ever think about stealing it for yourself, otherwise no one can protect you.”
Yang Kai nodded solemnly, “I will remember.” After pondering for a while, he asked, “Are we paid for our work?”
“Yes.”
“Really?” Yang Kai was surprised. He had only asked casually, but he did not expect such an answer.
Dié You sneered, “Three Open Heaven Pills every year.”
“Three…” Yang Kai blinked his eyes. He had never seen an Open Heaven Pill before, so he did not know how effective it was or what kind of significance three pills had, but judging from Dié You’s look, it should be a pitifully small number.
Yang Kai quickly asked without really calculating, “Elder Sister Dié You, haven’t you saved 3000 Open Heaven Pills then?”
“Who’s your Elder Sister?” Dié You was a little upset.
“Little Sister Dié You?”
“How old are you?” Dié You hissed.
Yang Kai stayed quiet.
Dié You sneered, “Forget it. Since you called me Elder Sister, this Elder Sister will take care of you in the future. If you have any questions, come and ask me when I’m free.”
“Many thanks, Elder Sister.”
“You’re a sweet talker.” Dié You curled her lip, “As Workers, we depart for work every day when the rooster crows, and we get three days of rest every month. There is a market in the middle of Seven Wonders Land, and there are many good things for sale there. When this Elder Sister is free, I will take you exploring.”
“En, call me at that time,” Yang Kai nodded.
After asking more questions about Seven Wonders Land and Fire Spirit Fruit Trees, only then did Dié You pat the back of Yang Kai’s hand, “Alright, that’s it for today. You are new here, so be careful in everything you do. Don’t get into trouble.”
“Noted,” Yang Kai withdrew his hands.
“I’m off to have a rest. I’m so tired!” Dié You did not even look back. She just waved her hand, pushed the door out, and her slender and lithe body swayed with her footsteps.
Someone came in just after Dié You departed, staring at Dié You’s back with interest.
Yang Kai smiled, “What’s up, Sister Ah Sun?”
“Do you know that person?” Ah Sun was curious.
“We just met.”
Ah Sun revealed a suspicious look, “How can you two talk for so long when you two just met…”
Finding it funny and embarrassing at the same time, Yang Kai questioned, “Young Lady, were you watching me?”
“No, I just found out some information. Since we came here together, I just wanted to inform you about it.”
Yang Kai snapped his fingers, “I happen to know something too.”
Hearing this, Ah Sun’s eyes brightened, “Shall we exchange information?”
“Sure!”
…
Three days flew by, and during these three days, Yang Kai did not stay idle in the house all the time; instead, he went out for a walk. However, there was nothing special in the village where the Workers lived, and nothing great was discovered after wandering around. Initially, he wanted to visit the orchard, but when he arrived at the place, he found that it was enveloped with a barrier, and he could not enter without a token, so he could only give up his plan.
Yang Kai met many people from different Universe Worlds, but he didn’t get close to any of them yet, much less build a close friendships with them.
Every time Ah Sun acquired some information, however, she would come and share it with Yang Kai. She was actually quite kind-hearted. Nevertheless, the other people who came with them shut themselves in their own houses, it was uncertain what they were afraid of.
In the early morning of the third day, as the Golden Rooster announced the break of dawn, Yang Kai pushed his door out.
Numerous figures outside the house turned into all kinds of streams of light, rushing towards the orchard. Yang Kai also hurried to keep up, but before he flew too far, Ah Sun called him from behind.
Yang Kai slowed down a little and kept pace with her when she caught up, chatting along the way. It could be seen that Ah Sun was a little nervous. Perhaps because of going to a new environment, this little girl’s mood was a bit affected.
Yang Kai casually said a few comforting words to her.
In about half an hour, they finally arrived at their destination.
Several figures were waiting outside the light barrier. Other than Zhou Zheng, the Manager of the Worker’s Room, the remaining people were Yang Kai and all the other newcomers who were brought here together by the Venerable.
Seeing that Yang Kai and Ah Sun were late, Zhou Zheng was a little annoyed and warned them, “Be punctual next time.”
Yang Kai and Ah Sun nodded repeatedly.
As soon as Zhou Zheng turned around and waved the token in his hand, the barrier opened up a gap, and the group of people immediately rushed in. As soon as they entered the orchard, a scorching hot aura surged towards their faces. The world was filled with strong Fire Energy, which was so scorching hot that everyone could not help pushing their strength to resist it.
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai. Previously, he wondered why an ordinary land like this was called Fire Spirit Land. Now that he stepped into the orchard, he understood that this place was named as such because of the particular environment of the orchard. It was indeed matching the name of Fire Spirit Land.
However, the scorching heat was a little too severe, and the discomfort could only be resisted by exerting some power. No wonder the people in the Worker’s Room would hide inside their houses every time they came back to rest. Yang Kai initially thought that they were just cold, but it was not the case; they were just too tired from working in the orchard, and they really needed to rest and recuperate.
Because the few newcomers knew nothing about the orchard, Zhou Zheng guided everyone. First, he explained the details of caring for the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees, which Yang Kai was provided by Dié You previously, and the information was more or less the same and actually even more detailed than Zhou Zheng’s.
Judging from the doubtless expressions of the other people, it was obvious that they had all gathered this information beforehand.
Zhou Zheng even brought them around to observe and emulate how some other people took care of the fruit trees, even pointing out some details that needed attention.
After wandering around for a long time, Zhou Zheng led the few people into the depths of the orchard and assigned them to different places.
Yang Kai was allocated three acres of land, which was planted with a total of thirty Fire Spirit Fruit Trees. Before leaving, Zhou Zheng handed him an Access Token and left Yang Kai instructions to take good care of it, then continued to lead the others away.
Standing in the middle of the small orchard plot, Yang Kai took a deep breath which scalded his stomach and lungs, but also filled him with energy. He was going to live here for a month. It was never fun to work for others, but what piqued Yang Kai’s interest was the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees themselves.
If he had an opportunity, he could take one into his own medicine garden, and it would certainly bring him a lot of convenience when refining Open Heaven Pills in the future.
Each fruit tree had a fluffy crown, and red fist-sized fruits hung all over the branches of each of these ten-meter-tall trees. Yang Kai circled around his allocated three acres of land with his hands behind his back.
Dié You mentioned that every Spirit Fruit in the orchard was recorded precisely, and even missing one would be a big deal. Naturally, he had to keep count carefully.
It only took a short while to finish the job, and the number was consistent with what was recorded in the token. Yang Kai stood under a fruit tree, and glanced left and right to make sure that there was no one around, before stretching out his hand and pulling a branch towards him. There were three Fire Spirit Fruits hanging on the branch. He took a sniff and the invigorating scent rushed to his mind, immediately sending a shock to his senses.
[So this is how a Fire Spirit Fruit smells… I wonder what it would taste like,] Yang Kai smacked his lips, suddenly feeling a little hungry.
However, according to Dié You, it would take several dozen years for a Fire Spirit Fruit to ripen, and these fruits in front of him looked like they were still a little short, which meant that it would be a few years yet.
Due to his unfamiliarity with the task, Yang Kai was only allocated three acres of land. Other elderly Workers had at least several dozen or hundreds of acres of land, or even more.
There were at least a thousand people living in the Worker’s Room in the entire Fire Spirit Land, so with some calculation, the estimated area of this orchard was clearly quite extensive.
And that was just Fire Spirit Land. Seven Wonders Land also had six other Spirit Lands.
Gently loosening the branch in his hand, Yang Kai sat cross-legged under the fruit tree, holding the Jade Token Zhou Zheng handed over to him, refining it silently.
This Jade Token was the key to taking care of the fruit trees. There were various Arrays in the Fire Spirit Fruit orchard, and these Spirit Arrays were controlled by this token. Nothing could be done without it.
One even needed to use the token to enter or leave the orchard.
To the Workers of Seven Wonders Land, this token was more valuable than their lives. Once lost, the consequences would be disastrous.
While he was refining the token, he suddenly heard the sound of rustling footsteps. Yang Kai opened his eyes to look, surprised by the arrival of the visitor, “It’s you!”
The newcomer too, widened his eyes, and looked around in amazement, “Is this piece of land assigned to you?”
“En,” Yang Kai nodded, got up and smiled, “Why are you here?”
The person turned around and pointed with a laugh, “My land is beside yours.”
Yang Kai laughed too, “What a coincidence. We are neighbours in the Worker’s Room, and we are also neighbours here. It’s fate, Old Sir.”
The visitor was none other than the old man who stayed one house away from Yang Kai. He was the one who asked for rewards when Yang Kai wanted to inquire about information from him previously. Yang Kai ignored him and left, and they did not talk to each other for the next few days. Who knew that their orchard plots would actually be next to each other too?
The old man looked up and down at Yang Kai, his expression a little weird, and then he shook his head and sighed.
Yang Kai asked with a scowl, “What does Old Sir mean?”
“By the looks of it, you still don’t know what’s going on, but you’re facing imminent disaster!” The old man pointed at Yang Kai with a heartbroken expression.
Yang Kai laughed angrily, “Old Sir, you and I have only met once before, and we don’t know each other that well, yet today you came here to my site and make such an alarming statement. Does Old Sir think I’m an easy target to be bullied just because I am new here? Or have I offended you in some way?”
The old man shook his head, “You didn’t offend me. Even if you offended this Old Master, what can this Old Master do to you? Everyone is a Worker in the Worker’s Room, and no one is better than anyone, right?” He sighed again, “You didn’t offend this Old Master, but have you offended someone else?”
Yang Kai was speechless, “I’ve only been here for three days, who can I offend?”
The old man wondered, “Then why were you assigned to this land? Out of so many places in the orchard, why this land plot?”
Yang Kai frowned, “Is there anything wrong with this land?”
“There’s something wrong, something very wrong!” The old man remained in his position with his hands folded behind his back. He looked left and right, then lowered his voice, “To tell you the truth, the Worker for this piece of land has been replaced three times in the past ten years, you are the fourth person.”
Yang Kai frowned, “Why did they change people?”
“The trees died!” The old man pointed in a certain direction, “Haven’t you seen it? A few fruit trees over there are newly planted seedlings.”
Yang Kai nodded in agreement, “I have. There are indeed a few new seedlings over there.”
Yang Kai noticed that during the inspection before that three Fire Spirit Fruit Trees were obviously different from the others. It seemed that they had just been planted a few years ago. Based on the old man’s statement, he understood that the fruit trees before had died.
The old man laughed, “As Workers, losing a single fruit is already a big deal, not to mention the occurrence of a dead tree. All of these happened within the past ten years.”
Yang Kai was startled, “What was the punishment for the three people before?”
The old man shook his head, “I don’t know, I haven’t seen them since the fruit trees died.”
Yang Kai’s face suddenly darkened, “Do you know what caused the fruit trees to die?”
“How would I know that? Although my plot is nearby, this place is not under my management. If you want to know the reason, you have to work hard to investigate, and you have to be fast, otherwise, you might just follow in the footsteps of the previous three.” After speaking, the old man shook his head in a sigh, and cried out as he walked away, “Fate!”
As he watched the old man leave, Yang Kai had lost all intentions of refining the Jade Token. Zhou Zheng’s figure flashed across his mind, and he gritted his teeth and cursed.
He suddenly recalled Ah Sun asking him if he wanted to send Zhou Zheng a gift when she visited him last night; after all, he was the Manager of the orchard, and Yang Kai would be working as his subordinate. A gift would help to form a good relationship, and she even mentioned that several others from their group seemed to have done the same.
Yang Kai did not take it to heart at the time, and Ah Sun did not insist.
Now it seemed that sending a gift was not a bad idea, after all, at least this particular plot had not fallen to the other newcomers.
He thought of Dié You’s evaluation of Zhou Zheng again and had a sudden realization. It indeed was necessary to guard against others. Yang Kai had only met Zhou Zheng twice, and there was no conflict between them, yet this terrifying piece of land was assigned to him.
Although the old man did not say what happened to the three previous owners of this plot, since the fruit trees died, there was no doubt about what happened to them.
It was probably too late to go to Zhou Zheng now, and the only way out was to save himself.
At the very least, it was necessary to find out why the fruit trees were dying in order to find a solution.
Thinking of this, Yang Kai sat down cross-legged again and continued refining the Jade Token. Only after refining Jade Token could he connect with the orchard’s Grand Array to find out everything about his small plot.
The token was not difficult to refine fortunately and half a day later Yang Kai was finished. He wanted to try to care for the fruit trees by watering, fertilizing, and providing World Energy for them, but was afraid that he might not do it correctly, so he simply got up and headed out.
After a short while, he came to a thatched hut. Yang Kai raised his hand and knocked on the door.
The door opened, and the old man who had gone to Yang Kai before looked at him with a stunned expression, “Is there something wrong, Little Brother?”
Yang Kai cupped his fists and expressed, “I have come to ask Old Sir for guidance on caring for the fruit trees. This is my first time and it’s never bad to be careful. I’m afraid that something will happen. It would be better if Old Sir could teach me carefully.”
The old man said, “I can, but what benefit could this Old Master get?”
“None!” Yang Kai shook his head.
The old man laughed, “Why would this Old Master do something that won’t benefit him? The warning earlier was already a kind gesture from this Old Master. Don’t take it for granted! Do leave.” He waved his hand continuously.
Yang Kai grinned, “There’s no benefit to guiding me, but it’s definitely bad to not guide me.”
The smile on the old man’s face suddenly disappeared, “Little Brother, are you threatening this Old Master? After living for so many years, this Old Master is not afraid.”
Yang Kai shrugged, “Then it’s up to Old Sir. If any tree dies on my small plot, I will come here first and destroy one of Old Sir’s trees, if two of mine die, I will destroy two trees, three for three… In any case, if something happens, the consequences will be disastrous, so it would be good to have someone to accompany me in my fate.”
Yang Kai turned around and left as soon as he finished!
“Stop!” The old man yelled.
Yang Kai turned around and looked at the old man with a smile, “Old Sir, what else can I do for you?”
“You, you…” The old man pointed at Yang Kai, his beard shaking with anger, “I have never met someone as unreasonable and shameless as you! You really irritate this Old Master!”
Yang Kai replied with a snicker, “Life is hard, and I have no choice!”
The old man was gloomy, “Since you also know that life is hard, why do you have to make it difficult for this Old Master?”
Yang Kai turned his head to look around and stretched out his hand to draw a big circle, “Sir, even if it’s not eighty acres of land here, I believe there should be at least sixty, yes?”
Without knowing Yang Kai’s intention in the sudden change of topic, the old man dared not to answer rashly, but just looked at him with a wary face.
“If you can easily take care of sixty acres of land, it doesn’t matter if there are an additional three, right? It must be a simple matter for Old Sir. If Old Sir refuses to help me with this simple matter, don’t blame me if anything happens in the future.”
The old man glared at him, “Do you want this Old Master to take care of your three acres of land too?”
Yang Kai grinned, “Of course not. As long as Old Sir can take some time out to teach me, I won’t bother you again in the future.” After a pause, he pressed on, “Don’t worry, I’m a quick study. I will probably master it within a few days.”
The old man looked helpless, “This Old Master is fine with teaching you, but remember what you promised. If you dare to cause trouble again in the future, don’t blame this Old Master for being impolite!”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
The old man puffed with rage for a while before finally waving his arm wildly, “Let’s go.”
“No rush, no rush…” Yang Kai hurried up to support him.
The old man swung his sleeves and snorted coldly, “Enough with your false pleasantries! If this Old Master knew you were such a cunning brat, he would not have warned you out of kindness!”
Yang Kai chuckled, “Old Sir, you said it yourself, how can someone as kind as you let this Junior suffer without at least warning him? Good advice doesn’t cost you anything anyway.”
Yang Kai walked together with the old man, smiling, and soon they returned to the three acres plot.
Although the old man was coerced into helping Yang Kai, since he had given his word, he did his job seriously. Of course, this was mainly because he was afraid of Yang Kai’s delinquent attitude. If a tree died on Yang Kai’s small plot one day, he might really come to sabotage his own territory.
For his own sake, the old man taught Yang Kai diligently.
Standing in front of a Fire Spirit Fruit Tree, the old man solemnly began, “Although we are mere Workers here in Fire Spirit Land, a Worker’s job is not easy at all. There are a lot of techniques and skills involved, especially in taking care of these fruit trees. It’s hard to master all kinds of details without immersing yourself in the job for three to five years, or even more. Let me tell you first, I will only teach you for one month. It’s your own business on how much you can absorb in that time. Don’t bother me again after that.”
“En!” Yang Kai nodded seriously.
The old man sneered. Obviously, he thought that Yang Kai had overestimated himself; however, he was glad that Yang Kai had agreed. And so, he pointed to the fruit tree in front and asked, “Look for yourself. What does this fruit tree require?”
Focused, Yang Kai examined it up and down with his Divine Sense, but after a long while, he replied, “No idea!”
The old man continued patiently, “Put your hand on it and feel it carefully.”
Yang Kai followed the instruction and placed his hand on the trunk. After a moment, he questioned with his head tilted, “Does this fruit tree need to be fertilized?”
The old man rolled his eyes, “This is a healthy fruit tree. You don’t need to do anything.”
Yang Kai was infuriated, “Since it’s healthy, why do you still ask me what it needs?”
The old man stroked his beard with a look of deep wisdom, “This Old Master just wants you to remember what the state of healthy fruit trees is. Based on this, you will know what to do compared to other fruit trees.”
Yang Kai pondered for a while and had to admit that his words were somewhat reasonable. Although the old man clearly intended to mess with him, Yang Kai could only endure it, taking it as a payback for scamming him just now.
“I’ll remember.” Yang Kai nodded.
“Then let’s move on!” The old man beckoned.
A short while later, they came to another fruit tree, and after examining it for a long time, Yang Kai came up with an uncertain deduction, “Compared to the fruit tree earlier, this one seems slightly parched, so it needs watering?”
The old man glanced at him and nodded, “En.”
Yang Kai grinned, “Old Sir teaches well. En, so about how to water it… let me see the instructions.” He took out his own token, surging his Divine Sense to connect to the Grand Array in the orchard. Without any strong effort, a cloud soon gathered on top of the fruit tree.
“That’s not enough, keep going!” The old man shouted, “This place is rich in Fire Element Power and the environment is hot. If you gather too little Spirit Water, it will evaporate directly and become useless.”
Without further prompting, Yang Kai increased his power and gathered a larger and richer cloud above the fruit tree.
“Better,” The old man nodded.
Hearing this, Yang Kai immediately stretched out his hand and pointed. The cloud immediately enveloped the fruit tree, and it obviously became much more hydrated than before.
Yang Kai asked eagerly, “How is it?”
“So-so.” Of course, the old man would never praise him and continued to lead him forward.
Taking care of the fruit trees was meticulous and difficult work, especially for newcomers like Yang Kai. A tiny mistake may cause disaster. While checking the fruit trees, he watered, fertilized, and extracted World Energy accordingly.
The three seedlings were the top priority, and were the toughest to take care of; however, under the guidance of the old man, Yang Kai did a fair job. Seeing him like this, the old man seemed to be quite satisfied, and even his manner eased slightly.
Soon, Yang Kai finished working on his thirty fruit trees, but it was not enough for him. It was not because he was fond of this kind of work, but rather because he was planning for the future when he would begin refining Open Heaven Pills. As an Alchemist, one could not refine a pill well without understanding the characteristics of its ingredients.
Working hard to care for the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees today laid a solid foundation for the Alchemy he would perform in the future; therefore, Yang Kai was quite enthusiastic about it.
“Come on, let’s go to your side.” Yang Kai beckoned.
The old man raised a brow and asked, “What are we going to this Old Master’s side for?”
Yang Kai rubbed his hands in excitement, “So I can help Old Sir take care of his fruit trees!”
The old man was appalled, “It’s alright! Many thanks for your good intentions Little Brot…”
“Enough nonsense! Let’s go!” Yang Kai did not wait for him to finish talking and dragged him towards his own plot directly.
Begrudgingly, the old man followed Yang Kai with a worried face. Yang Kai shuttled through the old man’s several tens of acres, honing his own skills. Whenever he made any mistake, the old man would tremble with rage…
“Old Sir, this tree is infested. Is it a Jade Fire Silkworm?” Yang Kai suddenly peeped into a hole on the tree trunk. Seeing the hole, he instantly remembered that he had promised Ruler of the Dawn Great General five Jade Fire Silkworms.
“Is there a worm in it?” The old man suddenly became interested and pushed Yang Kai aside before continuing eagerly, “Let me see, let me see…” He checked the small hole and beamed, “There really is one!”
Head tilted, Yang Kai looked at him with a frown, “Why are you so happy?”
“You know nothing,” The old man was too busy to explain to Yang Kai as he took out a green box, and drew an incense fragment out of it. He lit the incense and gently waved it in front of the wormhole.
Looking at his posture, he should be attempting to lure the worm out. He was even well-prepared with the special tools. This was certainly not his first time doing this given his skilful action. A burning scent followed after igniting the incense. Yang Kai had no idea what material it was made of, but it was extremely strange.
Yang Kai had many questions, but he was afraid of disturbing the old man, so he simply held his tongue and observed quietly.
Given that the old man cared so much about this Jade Fire Silkworm after being here for many years, there must be some important reason for it. Moreover, Dié You mentioned before that if he ever caught a Jade Fire Silkworm in the orchard, he needed to keep it, so it must be of some value.
Needless to say, the old man was skilled at catching these worms. Just after burning the incense for a short while, a small scarlet head popped out of the wormhole. Yang Kai saw the Jade Fire Silkworm too, and he immediately recognized that it was the same worm Dié You fed Ruler of the Dawn Great General before.
After all, the Jade Fire Silkworm was only a worm. It was baited by the scent of the incense to crawl out of the wormhole, and was immediately captured by the old man into the box.
The old man extinguished the incense and smiled delightfully at the box in his hands.
Only then did Yang Kai question, “Old Sir, what’s the use of this Jade Fire Silkworm?”
The old man glanced sideways at him, and shook his head, “I can’t tell you…”
“Do you think I won’t uproot your tree!?” Yang Kai grabbed the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree in front of him.
“You…” The old man’s air of superiority was immediately snuffed out when he saw Yang Kai’s big hand grab the tree, “Let go first.”
“I’ll let go when you explain to me.”
“Alright, alright!”
He waited for Yang Kai to withdraw his hand before he began to explain, “This worm is useless to us, but do you know Ruler of the Dawn Great General? Jade Fire Silkworms are his favourite food.”
“I know, so what? Is a chicken worth your flattery?” Yang Kai looked at the old man with disdain.
The old man shook his head, “Ruler of the Dawn Great General is not an ordinary chicken, he is Venerable’s pet. In this Fire Spirit Land, he stands at the highest position other than Venerable.”
“So what? Will it speak good words for you if you feed it? Can it help you to get rid of your status as a Worker?”
“Of course not…” The old man chuckled, “But it’s always wise to have a good relationship with the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.”
“That’s all?” Yang Kai looked at him suspiciously.
“What else can it be?”
Yang Kai looked at him seriously for a while, and then he grabbed the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree again, “Do you really think I won’t uproot your tree!?”
“Stop, stop!” The old man shouted loudly, his beard trembling violently. Yang Kai was unmoved, however, and gradually increased the strength of his grip.
“Good, you win!” The old man wanted so badly to slap Yang Kai to death, but with a hostage at stake, he resisted the urge and explained, “Great General has Open Heaven Pills, and if he is in a good mood, he may give you one. Why else do you think we catch these worms?”
“That damn chicken has Open Heaven Pills?” Yang Kai could not believe what he just heard.
“Can you keep your voice down?” The old man looked around and continued, “Great General is not an ordinary chicken. If anyone hears you defaming him, you will not end well!”
“Fine, fine, I’ll be quiet…” Yang Kai accepted the old man’s advice and immediately lowered his voice with a sinister look on his face, “Has anyone ever gotten Open Heaven Pills from that dam… from Great General?”
Yang Kai asked because last time, when Dié You fed the chicken, he did not give her any Open Heaven Pills.
“Otherwise, why do you think this Old Master is willing to work so hard on catching worms?” The old man continued disdainfully.
Yang Kai rubbed his chin, “No wonder!”
As a Worker, one would receive three Open Heaven Pills every year. Although Yang Kai did not know how significant these three Open Heaven Pills were, he could infer from Dié You’s tone and attitude before that it was a rather insignificant amount.
Now he learned he could get Open Heaven Pills easily if he could please the Ruler of the Dawn Great General. Who would not pursue such a good thing? No wonder the old man was so happy to hear that there were worms on the tree just now.
Yang Kai’s eyes could not help following the worm squirming in the box in the old man’s hand.
“What are you planning to do?” The old man covered his treasure box, his beard flapping as he stared at Yang Kai, mainly because he had been threatened too many times by this bandit today. He already knew that the young man in front of him was nothing good. He could guess what Yang Kai was up to with just a look on his face.
“Old Sir…” Yang Kai reached out his hand and patted the old man on the shoulder, “There’s something you don’t know, I promised Ruler of the Dawn Great General two days ago that I would catch five Jade Fire Silkworms for him within a month, but you already know the situation of my land, there are thirty fruit trees in total, how can I get that many worms…”
“Scram!”
“If you don’t want to give me the worms, you could at least give me a set of worm-catching tools. That incense seems to be somewhat useful, and this box seems to be specially made too.”
The old man was silent, which confirmed Yang Kai’s guess.
“Old Sir, you don’t want me to haunt you day and night about this, do you?”
The old man sneered, “Do you really think you really can threaten this Old Master?”
Yang Kai quickly responded, “I wouldn’t dare. You are a respected Senior and I’m nothing but a newcomer, how could I be so daring as to be rude to you? But I really don’t have any tools to capture worms, and I don’t know where to acquire them. We’re all in a foreign land, so we should help each other, no?”
The old man’s face remained dark and unmoved.
Yang Kai continued, “It’s not a big deal, I’ll just buy a new set and return it to you in the future. Is that good enough for you?”
“I only have this set! I don’t have any extra, so I can’t give it to you even if I wanted to,” The old man’s expression softened a little.
“Then let me borrow it first…” Yang Kai snickered and pointed at the box in his hand, “Lend me that worm too. I’ll give you any Open Heaven Pills if I get them.”
The old man was moved, “Really?”
Yang Kai put his arm around the old man’s shoulders affectionately, “We are neighbours, and we’ll see each other regularly as we work together in the future. What’s the benefit of me lying to you? It’s because I made a promise to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, and I’ll be in trouble if I can’t complete the task within a month.”
“Seems you’re at least a bit sincere…” The old man pondered for a while, “If that’s the case, this Old Master can lend you this.”
Yang Kai quickly noted, “I should mention this, I can’t guarantee that the Ruler of the Dawn Great General will give me any Open Heaven Pills.”
“Naturally.” The old man nodded, “I also want to remind you that it is difficult to even catch five Jade Fire Silkworms within a month. We might not get that number even if we combined the worms of both our orchards.”
“Even five is difficult?” Yang Kai was stunned.
“There are not many Jade Fire Silkworms to begin with, and we also need to leave some behind to help nurture the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees, so we can’t capture them all.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “We just have to work hard together for one month. When the time comes, I will be able to complete the task and the Open Heaven Pills will be yours when we are rewarded by the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.”
“Deal!”
Yang Kai reached to grab the box, and the old man did not refuse this time, and the box went directly into his hand.
Yang Kai extended his hand again, “The incense.”
The old man handed over the incense fragments.
Yang Kai asked while examining the object, “Where did you get this thing? I’ll have to prepare a set for myself in the future.”
The old man replied, “You’re new, so of course you wouldn’t know. You can buy it at the shopping district when we go back.”
Yang Kai nodded. Dié You did mention that she would take him to the shopping district in the future. It looked like this trip to the shopping district was a must.
Yang Kai became much more enthusiastic when he received the new tools. He checked the trees one by one, searching for Jade Fire Silkworms, but as the old man said, there were not many, and some needed to be left behind.
He did not manage to find any worms that day, but Yang Kai had now gotten a hang of caring for the fruit trees.
The days went by smoothly as Yang Kai worked hard in his little plot of land as well as the old man’s under the latter’s guidance. In their free time, the two of them would play games together.
The old man was excellent at chess and defeated Yang Kai many times, but Yang Kai was not discouraged. Since he was not able to cultivate for the time being, it was a good way to kill some time.
After getting along for more than ten days, their relationship had become a little more cordial.
On the stone table next to a thatched hut under a fruit tree, black and white chess pieces were deployed in formation. Yang Kai sat on the stone bench, staring right in front of him dauntlessly, “Old Fang, it’s your turn.”
After more than ten days of getting along, Yang Kai learned that the old man’s surname was Fang, but he did not know his full name. The old man did not disclose it, and he did not seem to mind when Yang Kai repeatedly addressed him as Old Fang either.
On the opposite side, Old Fang smiled when he heard the words, picked up a chess piece, and taunted, “Smelly brat, you play chess too aggressively. Your killing intent is too strong!”
He placed the chess piece down, and the encirclement that Yang Kai had worked so hard to set up fell apart in an instant, allowing the black dragon to open up a bloody path.
Yang Kai could not help gaping.
Just when he was thinking hard, he heard a pop, and a figure appeared next to him.
Old Fang immediately got up and saluted respectfully, “Manager Zhou!”
The visitor was Zhou Zheng.
Yang Kai also stood up and cupped his fists, “Greetings, Manager Zhou.”
Zhou Zheng glanced at the two of them, and frowned, “What are you doing here when you’re supposed to be tending the fruit trees?”
Yang Kai replied, “I have already taken care of them. I have nothing to do, so I came to spend some time with Old Fang.”
“You’re done taking care of them?” Zhou Zheng smiled, “How can you be so confident as a newcomer?”
Yang Kai explained, “Although I am a newcomer, I have benefited a lot from Old Fang’s teachings, and already learned how to take care of the fruit trees. If Manager Zhou is doubtful, I can accompany you to inspect them.”
“There’s no need. This Manager is in charge of the entire orchard, and I don’t have the time to investigate each and every plot of land, but I want to remind you that a few fruit trees have died in your land over the past few years. You’d better pay more attention. If something goes wrong, no one can protect you!”
“Many thanks for Manager Zhou’s reminder!” Yang Kai sounded grateful, but in fact, he was disgusted. Why did he not inform Yang Kai at the beginning when he was assigned to such a piece of land? However, Zhou Zheng’s seemingly kind expression did not allow him an opportunity to complain about it. Furthermore, Zhou Zheng was the Manager of the orchard, and he was only a Worker. It would only put him at a disadvantage if he really started a conflict with him.
Zhou Zheng nodded and continued, “Be more diligent in your work. The Fire Spirit Fruit will mature in three years. It will benefit us a lot if we can complete the tasks assigned by Venerable.” He pointed at the chessboard, “You better not do such activities anymore, if the Chief Manager calls for an inspection and sees it, you will be in deep trouble.”
“Yes!” Old Fang nodded respectfully.
Without another word, Zhou Zheng took off into the sky. It seemed that he was going to visit other places.
When he was far away, Old Fang finally sighed, “Get an opportunity to send something over to him. It seems that you really offended him.”
Yang Kai wondered, “Why do you say so?”
Old Fang explained, “This is not the first time he has seen me play chess with others, but he has never said anything about it before, only today. Why do you think he did that?”
Yang Kai found it funny and infuriating at the same time, “I’m a newcomer, what do I have to give him? This person is really too petty,e” He wondered what happened to Ah Sun as she probably did not send him anything either.
Old Fang pointed at him and lectured, “Smelly brat, if you want to live a good life, you can’t be stingy, you know? We are his subordinates after all.”
Yang Kai did not want to continue the topic, so he changed the subject and asked, “He mentioned a Chief Manager, who is that?”
“The orchard in each Spirit Land has a Manager just like him, but there is also a Chief Manager above them, who reports directly to Heavenly Monarch. The Chief Manager is Heavenly Monarch’s right-hand man, so even Venerables have to pay him respect.”
Yang Kai nodded in acknowledgement.
“By the way, what’s wrong with your land, have you found anything yet?” Old Fang asked again.
“There’s no problem!” Yang Kai frowned, “I have checked the entire land inside and out more than ten times, but there’s nothing wrong with it! You can see how healthy the fruit trees are now. If there is a problem, the fruit trees would be the first to react to it.”
Old Fang sighed, “Actually, Manager Zhou also checked the place himself, but he found nothing, yet still the trees died somehow. You better pray for yourself.”
“Let’s not talk about this, what matters now is the five Jade Fire Silkworms. What do you think will happen if I fail to fulfil the requirements of Ruler of the Dawn Great General?”
“It certainly won’t be good.”
“Could he have forgotten about it? After all, he’s just a chicken!”
“Great General may forget other things, but he certainly won’t forget about Jade Fire Silkworms.”
“That’s troublesome…” Yang Kai frowned.
Since he caught the first Jade Fire Silkworm that day, he had not found a second one. Although Old Fang’s fruit trees did have Jade Fire Silkworms, they couldn’t be removed. Old Fang told him that a number of worms must be left behind as if all were caught, it would definitely have an undesired impact on the fruit trees, and a matter that affected the fruit trees was a matter of life or death to Workers.
Yang Kai believed that if he insisted on capturing the worms, Old Fang would go all out with him.
His eyes flickered, and Yang Kai immediately lowered his voice, “Do you think I can go to someone else’s orchard to search for the worms…”
Old Fang smiled wryly, “No one in their right mind would agree with you doing that.”
Yang Kai patted him on the shoulder, “So Old Fang, I’m counting on you to help.”
Old Fang exclaimed, “What can I do to help?”
Yang Kai bent his fingers and motioned for the old man to lean over, and whispered for a while.
Old Fang’s face became increasingly darker, and before Yang Kai could finish speaking, he burst out, “Scram! I can’t believe you could come up with such a terrible idea! If we get caught, both you and I will be finished!”
“Don’t exaggerate things,” Yang Kai was stunned, “I just want you to help me distract them.”
“Be careful. Don’t be too eager for quick success. Jade Fire Silkworms are timid and are easily scared away. If you let it run away, you will never catch it again,” In front of a fruit tree, Old Fang sent Yang Kai a Divine Sense transmission quietly while monitoring his movements nervously.
Yang Kai held a box in one hand and a burning incense in the other. His expression was solemn, as if he was having a life-and-death battle with someone. Upon receiving the transmission, he replied impatiently, “I know. You’ve said it many times. Can you not just relax?”
Old Fang smacked his lips and kept his silence.
The scent of the incense permeated the air, and a small scarlet head slowly emerged from the hole in the tree, attracted by the scent.
When half of its body was out of the tree, Yang Kai swung his other hand, directly sending the long worm into the box, then slammed it shut with a laugh, “It’s done!”
Old Fang looked sideways at him, “This is only the second worm. Why are you so happy? Don’t forget, you promised to catch five for Great General!”
Yang Kai’s laughter stopped abruptly, the corner of his mouth twitching, “What should I do?”
Old Fang sneered, “How should this Old Master know? There’s not much time left.”
“It’s already been a month?” Yang Kai was stunned.
As he was talking, a bell rang all of a sudden. Without waiting for Yang Kai to question, Old Fang announced, “We can leave now. The next three days are our break time.”
“Don’t go!” Yang Kai grabbed him, and continued surreptitiously, “Let’s wait for a while. Once the others leave…”
Before he could finish, however, he suddenly felt a strong and irresistible repulsion around him. A flash of light blurred his vision, and he was already outside the orchard when he regained his senses.
Yang Kai was dumbstruck.
Perhaps it was because he held on to Old Fang, so he found himself next to him.
“As soon as the time’s up, no one can stay inside. You better pray hard for yourself.” Old Fang explained.
When he finished, he turned around and rushed towards the Worker’s Room.
Yang Kai scratched his head and watched the others depart in streams of light. He had no choice but to keep up with them. Although the past month as a Worker had been safe and sound, he failed to fulfil his promise to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General regarding the five Jade Fire Silkworms. In fact, he only had two right now.
He had no idea how the golden rooster would react when he found out.
However, it was useless to think too much at this point, so Yang Kai could only move forward and solve things as they came up.
In the orchard, he had to circulate his strength to resist the scorching heat at all times, so it was truly hectic for him, though he believed that it was just as exhausting for the others. When Yang Kai returned to the village where the Worker’s Rooms were, he saw that every door was closed. Everyone was probably resting inside.
Returning to his own residence, he opened the barrier, sat cross-legged and adjusted his breathing, meditating for the whole night.
In the early morning of the next day, the golden rooster announced the breaking of dawn so loudly that even the barrier could not block out the sound. Knowing that he had three days off, Yang Kai did not bother to pay attention to it.
Beyond his expectation, a knock on the door came up a moment later, and continued without pause.
“Who is it?” Yang Kai opened his eyes and shouted.
There was no response outside the door, but the knock persisted in a steady rhythm.
He had no choice but to get up, and when he opened the door, he was dazzled by a burst of golden light. A half-man tall golden rooster stood as majestic as a statue outside the door
Their eyes stared into each other for a while, then Yang Kai closed the door with a slam.
After three breaths of time, the door was hammered viciously as if a volcano erupted. Not only that, but the Ruler of the Dawn Great General started to crow too.
Yang Kai understood that the situation was bad, and he knew that Zhou Zheng would be alarmed if he ignored things. Zhou Zheng intended to cause him trouble from the beginning, and if he had any excuse, Yang Kai would definitely suffer from it.
Without a choice, he opened the door again and put on a surprised face, “So it is Ruler of the Dawn Great General. What a rare guest!”
Great General seemed notably maddened and pecked at Yang Kai with its beak, which Yang Kai immediately dodged, and asked in shock, “What is the meaning of this, Great General?”
Great General blocked the door with its fat buttock and continued to crow as he flapped his wings.
Yang Kai cursed secretly in his heart, [This damn chicken has a good memory. It still remembers the agreement until now even if it was a month ago. I just came back to rest for a night and it already came to visit me.]
As its noise was getting louder and louder, many Workers had opened their doors to check what was going on. Therefore, Yang Kai had no choice but to take out the treasure box and announced, “Great General, do you want Jade Fire Silkworms? I’ve caught them for you. They’re inside here. Please calm down.”
As soon as he took out the box, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General immediately calmed down, its eyes locked on the box.
Yang Kai could not help complaining silently, [If you like to eat worms so much, why don’t you just go to the orchard to catch them instead of requesting others to bring them back for you?]
Under the Ruler of the Dawn Great General’s watchful eyes, Yang Kai took out a Jade Fire Silkworm from the box. The next moment, Ruler of the Dawn Great General extended its neck to peck, and the Jade Fire Silkworm disappeared.
“Eat slowly, no one will snatch it from you!” Yang Kai smiled, but he was thinking about what to say after he fed him the last Jade Fire Silkworm. The golden rooster did not seem to be fooled easily, and Yang Kai had no idea what would happen if he only produced two of the five promised worms.
[Why don’t I just drag it inside and butcher it?] Yang Kai gave up as soon as the thought flitted across his mind. Given that so many people saw the golden rooster in front of his door, if anything happened to Great General, Yang Kai would definitely be suspected.
After delaying as much as he could, he fed the second Jade Fire Silkworm to Great General.
Yang Kai scratched his chin and probed tentatively, “Great General may not know about this, this Jade Fire Silkworm has a strong Fire Attribute Strength. If you eat too many at once, I’m afraid it will be bad for your health. How about this, Great General should go back and have a rest first before eating the remaining three worms?”
Great General ignored the advice and instead turned his head to the side and stared at Yang Kai with one eye, full of humanized mockery.
Yang Kai suddenly became angry out of shame as he felt he was despised by a chicken…
Before he could say anything more, a pleasant voice came from the outside, “Yang Kai, you forgot this with me.”
When the words fell, an object was tossed into Yang Kai’s face.
Yang Kai reached up to catch it, and when he saw what it was, joy filled his face.
It was a worm-catching box, and when he scanned it with his Divine Sense, he could tell that there were exactly three Jade Fire Silkworms inside.
He looked up and nodded at the visitor to show his gratitude, then shook the box in his hand as he continued, “Does Great General still want to eat?”
“Oh oh oh oh…”
Yang Kai did not want to waste time on him anymore, only hoping to send this scourge away as soon as possible, so he swiftly fed the three Jade Fire Silkworms to him before letting out a sigh, “Great General, five Jade Fire Silkworms, no more and no less. Fortunately, I did not fail my mission!”
“Oh oh oh…” Ruler of the Dawn Great General crowed at him again.
Yang Kai’s face darkened, “Great General, what does this mean? We made an agreement a month ago. Do you want to renege on our deal now?”
Dié You, who leaned on the doorframe and watched the show, covered her mouth and smiled, “Great General says he is a man of his word, so how can he break his promise? Smelly brat, give him your hand, Great General is giving out a reward!”
“A reward?” Hearing this, Yang Kai raised his brow, but immediately understood what it meant and hurriedly extended his hand to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General opened its mouth and a mass of golden light floated out of it, falling on Yang Kai’s palm. When the light dispersed, a Spirit Pill glowing in seven-coloured light sat on his palm.
[Is this an Open Heaven Pill?]
Although Yang Kai had not seen Open Heaven Pills before, he could still identify it from the information that he obtained in the previous conversation with Old Fang. This Spirit Pill in his hand was definitely an Open Heaven Pill.
He had heard that if the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was in a good mood, he might give out Open Heaven Pills, but he did not expect to get one so soon.
Yang Kai was overjoyed and quickly cupped his fists, “Many thanks, Great General!”
At that moment, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General had already turned around and walked out of the door with his wiggling butt.
“Get home safe, Great General. Come and play again when you’re free!” Dié You greeted with a smile.
After the golden rooster left, Yang Kai grinned and shook the Open Heaven Pill in his hand, “So lucky!”
Dié You rolled her eyes at him and revealed, “Every newcomer will be rewarded an Open Heaven Pill when they feed a Jade Fire Silkworm to Great General for the first time.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “Is it for certain?”
Dié You shrugged her shoulders, “En, I haven’t seen an exception for all these years.”
Yang Kai was stunned for a long time before he began cursing through gritted teeth, “That old fox!”
It was no wonder Old Fang was so cheerful when he asked to borrow the worm-catching tools. It seemed that he knew about this custom too. Yang Kai thought Old Fang was a generous soul, but now it seemed that the old man had known about Great General’s habits and had been aiming for this Open Heaven Pill since the beginning.
Just as Yang Kai understood this point, the old fox appeared.
Old Fang rushed into the house with a flicker, and nodded at Dié You with a smile, “Sister Dié You is here.”
“Old Fang!” Dié You nodded.
“I’m here to find this little brat!” Old Fang pointed at Yang Kai and went straight to him, stretched out his hand, and continued, “Take it out brat. Don’t tell me you have nothing.”
Looking at his bright smile and his appearance of having achieved a great victory, Yang Kai really felt like taking out his Azure Dragon Spear and stabbing Old Fang to death!
“Hurry up, hurry up, what are you waiting for?” Old Fang urged, just like a predatory creditor.
Yang Kai clenched his teeth as he slammed the Open Heaven Pill on Old Fang’s palm. Old Fang immediately beamed and put it away carefully. Then he stretched out his hand again, “How about my things? Give them back to me too.”
“Lend them to me a bit longer!” Yang Kai turned his head away.
“What? How is this Old Master supposed to catch worms if he lends you the tools? Return them to me, or this Old Master will fight you to the death!”
“You can try!” Yang Kai glared sideways at him.
The old man turned to Dié You and complained, “Sister Dié You, be our judge. This shitty brat doesn’t want to return what he borrowed. Isn’t he too terrible?”
Dié You chuckled, “Since when did you two become so close?”
Old Fang rolled his eyes, “This Old Master is not close to him! It’s just that his plot is next to mine. You have no idea. This Old Master has been used by him as a slave this past month. It was a true living Hell.”
Dié You’s face changed drastically at Old Fang’s words and she questioned in a deep voice, “The plot next to yours? Isn’t that ‘that’ plot?”
Old Fang nodded, “En, that one…”
Dié You frowned. After pondering for a while, she turned to Yang Kai, “Return the tools to him. Elder Sister will take you to buy a new set later.”
Yang Kai was unwilling as he had only just gotten that Open Heaven Pill for a moment before it was taken away by Old Fang. He did not even have the time to study it carefully. Although he had made a promise earlier, he was still upset that Old Fang had set him up.
However, since Dié You had already spoken, it was unreasonable if he did not return it, so Yang Kai reluctantly returned the box and the remaining half of the incense. Old Fang took it and left happily.
Glancing at Yang Kai, Dié You laughed, “Alright, stop sulking. Although I don’t know what agreement you made with Old Fang, since it is an agreement, it has to be fulfilled. You feel that you are at a loss only because you know too little about this place. You will gain wisdom with every lesson, just be careful in the future.”
Yang Kai nodded and acknowledged. He was actually not really angry. Although Old Fang did hide information from him, he did teach Yang Kai a lot in the past month.
“Many thanks for your assistance, Sister Dié You,” Yang Kai thanked her with cupped fists.
If Dié You had not brought three Jade Fire Silkworms today, who knows what kind of commotion the golden rooster would have caused.
Dié You looked at him with a smile, “So, it’s not Elder Sister anymore?”
Yang Kai wondered, “Since when did I call you that?”
Dié You pursed her lips, “Didn’t you call me Elder Sister here, Elder Sister there back then…”
Yang Kai rolled his eyes and changed the subject, “So, did Sister come here on purpose because you knew that I couldn’t get five Jade Fire Silkworms?”
Dié You nodded, “You’re a newcomer, you don’t even have anything to catch the worms, how could you collect five? I was also there when it happened, and since it was something I knew about, I couldn’t just ignore it. I was even worried that I didn’t bring enough, but good thing that you had already caught two on your own, and just managed to complete your task.”
“No matter what, this Yang will remember the kindness Sister has shown today and will return the favour in the future.”
“You better focus on getting over your current difficulties first,” Dié You frowned.
“What difficulties?”
“There’s something wrong with your plot.” Dié You looked at him, “Didn’t Old Fang tell you?”
“En, he said that three fruit trees have died in the past ten years, and three people have been ‘replaced’, making me the fourth!” Yang Kai rubbed his chin and continued, “But I have also checked carefully, and there is nothing wrong with the land, and I can’t see anything wrong with the fruit trees either for the time being.”
“It doesn’t mean there’s no problem even if you can’t see it. The people before you had also investigated thoroughly, but it only takes one month from the discovery of a problem to the death of the fruit tree. If you really find anything, you must be careful.”
“Understood,” Yang Kai nodded sternly.
“Good, it’s rare to have a chance to rest, do you want to go to the shopping district?” Dié You giggled at him.
“Yes!” Yang Kai suddenly became energetic, “I’m going to buy a set of worm-catching tools.”
“Then come with me,” Dié You beckoned and led the way.
Yang Kai closed the door and followed closely.
The two soared straight into the sky.
Yang Kai wondered, “Isn’t the shopping district in Fire Spirit Land?”
Dié You shook her head and laughed, “The shopping district in Seven Wonders Land is for all Spirit Lands, so there are not only people from Fire Spirit Land there but also people from other Spirit Lands.”
Yang Kai frowned in confusion, “Will it matter if we just left like this? Will someone stop us or something?”
“Although we can go out of Fire Spirit Land, the entire Seven Wonders Land is covered by a Grand Array, and there’s no way to leave without an order and an exit pass, so don’t even think about it.” She suddenly whispered, “Seriously, don’t even mention it, you won’t end well if you get caught escaping.”
Yang Kai gave her a thoughtful look, and replied softly, “I understand.”
As Dié You mentioned, there was no hindrance when they left Fire Spirit Land. Dié You led him out easily, and the two of them zoomed towards a cloud-covered land, using only an hour to arrive right before the cloud.
Dié You sent him a transmission, “Follow me close and don’t get lost!”
And she dived into the clouds, followed closely by Yang Kai.
Everything seemed to be isolated from him as they sped through the clouds, except for the graceful figure in front of him. After a stick of incense, the surrounding cloud and mist dissipated, and what welcomed Yang Kai’s eyes was a world that was dead and still yet lively and noisy.
It was dead and still because there was not a single drop of World Energy or vitality here, and not even the slightest greenery could be seen.
The liveliness, on the other hand, was because of the packed crowds below that streamed back and forth. From a high altitude, buildings with different styles were arranged in a disorganized and unaesthetic way.
The area of the entire shopping district was not large, only about a hundred kilometres in diameter. One could see the end of the district at a glance, which was bordered by clouds and mist that rolled and churned with a sense of vitality.
Dié You explained beside him, “This shopping district is said to be a Universe World Fragment. Heavenly Monarch brought it back from a trip outside and put it here as a place for us Workers to exchange and trade.”
Yang Kai nodded with comprehension, “No wonder it’s so desolate.” Since it was a Universe World Fragment, such a desolate scene did not come as a surprise. If the Star Boundary failed to stop Great Demon God’s plan, it probably would fall apart into fragments just like this and be eaten by Ah Da, leaving nothing behind.
Suddenly curious, Yang Kai queried, “Where do the disciples in Seven Wonders Land do business?”
“They do it at another place, and the things we have as Workers generally would not pique their interests, but some Seven Wonders Land disciples are still needed here to maintain order. You should be careful if you see anyone wearing Seven Coloured Robes. There are of course a few stores owned by Seven Wonders Land that do business with us Workers here as well.”
“Understood.” Yang Kai nodded.
“The shopping district here is only open for three days a month, which are the three days when we get to rest, and it will be closed after that, so you have to come over during these three days if you have anything to buy. Let’s go down first, we’ll get you a set of worm-catching tools,” Dié You beckoned and flew down first.
Yang Kai followed after her, looking around curiously. They were not the only ones as many other Workers flew down from every direction, obviously taking advantage of this free time to do trading in the shopping district.
The pair landed in the crowd and were immediately surrounded by the hustle and bustle from all directions. Yang Kai was thrown into confusion for a while as he felt as if he had gone back in time, suddenly overwhelmed by nostalgia.
The shopping district felt notably familiar to him, though the people around him were very different from before as they had all condensed their own Dao Seal. They were all considered Great Emperor level Masters in the Star Boundary!
In the shopping district, most of the stalls were set up in no particular order, each displaying all sorts of strange goods. While some stall owners sat in the back and rested, some others were busy bargaining with interested buyers; some were even shouting vigorously in an attempt to attract onlookers.
There were also some stores, but they were all built carelessly. They were far from beautiful and only slightly larger than the stalls set up everywhere else.
Only a few storefronts were built in a stately manner, all of which were obviously the Seven Wonders Land storefronts that Dié You mentioned.
Yang Kai was overwhelmed as he shuttled through the crowd. The people who came and went were from different Universe Worlds, and the things they had on them were basically unique to their respective homes, so most of the items placed on the booths were completely unrecognizable to Yang Kai.
However, after walking for a while, Yang Kai found that despite its liveliness, there were not many successful deals made. Even if there were any, they were all barter trades.
He pondered for a while on this subject before he understood. As Workers, it was hard to earn just three Open Heaven Pills every year, so each one was an extremely valuable asset. Naturally, they would not use Open Heaven Pills as a currency for purchasing.
Yang Kai suddenly realized a problem and opened his mouth to ask, “Xiao Dié, what do I need to buy that worm-catching tool? Open Heaven Pills?”
“What did you call me?” Dié You turned to look at him.
Yang Kai snickered, “Dié You?”
Dié You glared at him, nodded, and replied, “That tool is made by Seven Wonders Land, and it can only be purchased with Open Heaven Pills.”
“I don’t have any Open Heaven Pills!” Yang Kai flailed his empty hands.
“I’ll lend you some!” Dié You smiled, since she brought Yang Kai to this place, how could she not have considered this issue?
“There’s no need to be so generous…” Yang Kai rubbed his hands.
“You’ll have to return it with interest!” Dié You smiled slyly.
Yang Kai nodded happily, “Deal. I’ll have to thank you in advance.” Then he frowned, “In this case, how can newcomers buy worm-catching tools? What if the worms on fruit trees needed to be caught?”
Dié You led the way while explaining, “They ask for help from the others, just like how you found Old Fang. No one will refuse such a good thing.”
Yang Kai suddenly understood. If someone else helped to catch the worms, the caught Jade Fire Silkworms would belong to them, and they could give them to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, who may grant them Open Heaven Pills. Naturally, no one would refuse such a deal. One could even make an agreement with a newcomer just like Old Fang, by letting the newcomer feed the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, and receive the guaranteed Open Heaven Pill as a reward.
Clearly, it was not easy for a newcomer to gain a foothold here at all.
While they were talking, the two had already arrived at the door of a certain storefront. Although this storefront was not built very magnificently, it was somewhat more impressive than average.
Needless to say, this store belonged to Seven Wonders Land.
The staff in the store were Seven Wonders Land disciples, all of whom donned Seven Coloured Robes. There was a stark difference between them and the Workers.
When the pair entered the store, they were not received with any warm greetings. A young man sitting behind the counter with his head down asked casually, “What do you want to buy?”
Dié You stepped forward and smiled, “Senior Brother, I want to buy a Cyan Wood Box and two boxes of Refined Incense.”
Hearing her sweet voice, the young man raised his head and replied with a smile, “Thirty Open Heaven Pills.” His eyes swept up and down as he spoke, stopping on her voluptuous peaks.
Dié You frowned and asked, “Senior Brother, are you mistaken? It was only 25 pills before.”
The young man leaned back on the chair and snickered, “The price has increased.”
“When did that happen? The price hadn’t gone up when I came here three months ago.”
The young man replied, “This month, does Little Sister not have enough Open Heaven Pills? It’s fine, do you want Senior Brother here to give you some? Not only that, I can give you an Open Heaven Pill every month!”
“Senior Brother’s kindness is appreciated but unnecessary,” Dié You shook her head slowly, then waved her hand over the counter, on which 30 Open Heaven Pills were placed.
The young man looked at the Open Heaven Pills on the table and asked, chuckling, “30 Open Heaven Pills is worth 10 years of pay as a Worker. It’s quite a long time. Are you sure?”
Dié You pursed her red lips, “Many thanks for Senior Brother’s concern. I can still afford 30 Open Heaven Pills.”
“Good!” The young man nodded, reaching out with his hand and swiping the Open Heaven Pills into his pocket before he took out a wooden box and two boxes of incense. He then nodded and continued to work on his own business.
Dié You kept the purchases, said goodbye politely, and led Yang Kai away.
“Take your time to think about it when you go back. You can find me here at any time. I will be here every time the shopping district opens.” The young man’s voice came from behind.
Ignoring him, Dié You kept walking, and soon disappeared into the crowd.
Yang Kai, who had been following behind her, could not help looking back at the storefront and sighing lightly. He had been hanging out with Old Fang in the orchard for a month, but he still did not know much about the situation as a Worker here. However, he started to understand now.
He was not a child, and given that the young man was willing to give Dié You items for no reason and promised to give her an Open Heaven Pill every month, Yang Kai knew his motive. A pill a month would mean 12 pills a year. Compared to working hard as a Worker, it was 4 times the income. Dié You could have just nodded and agreed to serve him, and she would not have to suffer anymore. Who knows, she might even stand a chance to get rid of her status as a Worker with the help of this Seven Wonders Land disciple.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai was relieved that the young man did not force her. He wondered if it was due to the regulations of his Sect or other reasons; otherwise, Dié You had no way to resist him at all.
Then again, even if Dié You really agreed to it, Yang Kai would not judge her. Firstly, they were not that familiar with each other, and Yang Kai had no right to tell her what to do. Secondly, if she could find a way out for herself, Yang Kai would be happy for her too.
A Worker’s life would remain unchanged even after a thousand years. How long would it take for her to shake it off through conventional means?
“You just arrived in the Outer Universe, but do you know how the power structure is divided?” Dié You suddenly turned to him and asked.
Yang Kai answered, “The Open Heaven Realm is divided into nine Orders?”
Die You smiled faintly, “Since you already know… There’s no need to waste time on it. There are many materials to condense one’s Yin, Yang and the Five Elements in this shopping district. It can be said that most of the stuff sold in this shopping district is related to that. You can look around more and maybe you can find something useful in the future.”
“Really?” Yang Kai was excited and immediately looked around, soon finding something interesting and hurriedly rushing over towards it.
When Yang Kai came to a stall, the stall owner immediately welcomed him enthusiastically, “Little Brother, are you looking for something? Take a look here, and pick anything you like. My stuff has the best quality and the lowest price. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
There were not many things on the stall, including several herbs that Yang Kai could not recognize, several weirdly shaped minerals, and a longsword.
What attracted Yang Kai’s attention was a scarlet-coloured fist-sized crystal, which the colour was so pure that it did not have a trace of variegation. Yang Kai felt a scorching Fire Element reverberating from the crystal.
“Little Brother has good eyesight. This Fire Spirit Crystal is the best item here. It took me a lot of effort to get it back in those days. If Little Brother buys it, I’m sure you will be able to condense your Five Elements and be one step closer to the Open Heaven Realm. Heh heh heh, once you reach the Open Heaven Realm, you can get rid of your status as a Worker, and soar to success!” The stall owner spared no effort to promote his wares.
“Why sell such a good thing instead of using it for yourself?” Yang Kai played with the Fire Spirit Crystal in his hand and looked at the stall owner with a smile.
The stall owner put on a long face, “Little Brother, do you know that once you choose one of the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements, the order in which you must condense the rest is set? There will be endless trouble if you deviate from the path. To be honest, what I need now is a Water Element material, so this Fire Spirit Crystal is temporarily useless to me. I just want to sell it first and then use the money to buy the material I need. If not, why would I be willing to sell it? “
After listening to his reasonable explanation, Yang Kai nodded gently, “How much?”
The stall owner drew a number with his hands, “Since Little Brother seems to be a nice person, I won’t quote any false price, and you don’t try to bargain either. 150 Open Heaven Pills. Pay now and you’ll have it, are you interested?”
Yang Kai turned to Dié You, and Dié You returned with a smile, “The price is reasonable.”
The stall owner beamed, “See, even your companion says the price is reasonable. This Liu only engages in clean business and never supports scamming. If you think it’s appropriate, we can make a deal now.”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly and put down the Fire Spirit Crystal in his hand, “Sorry, I’ve only been here for a month and I don’t have any Open Heaven Pill now.”
“Ah…” Instead of being annoyed, the stall owner gave Yang Kai a smile, “It’s alright. We can still be friends even if we can’t make a deal today. It’s not too late for you to save enough Open Heaven Pills to buy it later. Of course, only if my Fire Spirit Crystal has not met its destined owner by then.”
It would require at least 40 – 50 years to earn 150 Open Heaven Pills. Anything could happen in such a long time.
“Then I wish Brother Liu a prosperous business and bountiful wealth!” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
“I shall take advantage of Little Brother’s auspicious words!” The stall owner grinned.
When they were a good distance away from the stall, Dié You finally spoke, “If you’re not in a hurry, save more Open Heaven Pills first. That Fire Spirit Crystal that you just saw is only a First-Order material. If you use that kind of thing to condense your Fire Element, your future achievements will be very limited.”
“That Fire Spirit Crystal is only First-Order?” Yang Kai was shocked. There were nine Orders in the Open Heaven Realm so the materials that were used to condense the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements were also categorized into nine Orders, First-Order being the lowest while Ninth-Order was the highest. However, that was all Yang Kai knew, and without any reference, he was clueless about how to distinguish the Order of materials.
Still, even if Dié You did not mention it, he would have inquired about it.
“Yes, you can use First-Order materials to condense the required Elements before splitting Heaven and Earth apart within your body, but you will only reach the First-Order of the Open Heaven Realm.”
Yang Kai frowned, “Is anyone going to buy something like that?”
“People with profound backgrounds and origins naturally are not interested in buying such materials, but for Workers like us, we don’t really have a choice. Over the years, I’ve seen many Workers reach the Open Heaven Realm and get rid of their lowly status, but they generally only reach the First or Second-Order. What’s the point of escaping the status of being a Worker if they have to sacrifice their entire future for it.”
“There are Workers who reach the Open Heaven Realm?” Yang Kai was dumbfounded. If so, his previous estimation was wrong. He thought that there were around eight Open Heaven Realm Masters in Seven Wonders Land, but now it seemed that there could be more than eighty of them.
However, the strength that these First-Order and Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could exert must be limited. Still, it should be superior to any Emperor Realm Master.
“If First-Order materials cost 150 Open Heaven Pills, what about Second-Order materials?” Yang Kai questioned.
“Generally, the value difference of the materials between every Order gap is tenfold!”
“Tenfold!” Yang Kai was startled. According to her, a Second-Order material would be 1500 pills, a Third-Order material would be 15,000 pills, a Fourth-Order material would be 150,000 pills, a Fifth-Order material would be more than a million, and a Sixth-Order material…
Yang Kai suddenly felt a little dizzy.
“The Open Heaven Realm has nine Orders, and these nine Orders are also categorized into three grades by others, which were the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm, and Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm. The Seventh, Eighth and Ninth-Order belong to the High-Rank, the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth-Order belong to the Mid-Rank, while the First, Second, Third-Order belong to the Low-Rank. Among these, Fourth-Order and Seventh-Order are the two important dividing lines. If you want to be successful in this Outer Universe, you should at least achieve the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Yang Kai nodded with a solemn face, “Understood!” Suddenly he whispered, “Do you know what the Open Heaven Realm Orders of Heavenly Monarch and the Venerables are?”
Dié You shook her head slowly, “No idea, but I once heard that Heavenly Monarch is either Fourth-Order or Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. The Orders of the Venerables are probably a little lower than Heavenly Monarch’s.”
“En…” Yang Kai nodded.
As they walked and talked, Yang Kai would stop in front of the stalls from time to time to view the Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements materials and inquired about the price.
It was exactly as Dié You disclosed, the price gap between every Order or material was tenfold.
Moreover, looking at the whole shopping district, the materials put out in the Workers’ stalls were all just First and Second-Order, with nothing in the Third-Order and above.
Thinking about it, it was not surprising at all. All the Workers of Seven Wonders Land came from different Universe Worlds and were essentially the lowest of labourers in the Outer Universe. Even if they had anything good, they probably had no chance to keep it, for Zhou Zheng and others like him would always be expecting gifts from them. It was exactly because Yang Kai did not give Zhou Zheng anything that he was assigned a plot of land with a history of dead trees.
The Workers were only able to preserve these First-Order and Second-Order materials.
“Have you condensed your Wood Element?” Dié You suddenly asked.
Without denying, Yang Kai nodded, “En.” There was no point denying it. In any case, the Immortal Tree’s power had been completely stored in his Dao Seal, and no one could tell what Order it was now. Furthermore, it was not surprising that Dié You noticed this since he had paid a lot of attention to any Fire Attribute materials along the way.
Dié You continued, “If so, next time when you go to the orchard, you can try using your Wood Element power to nourish the fruit trees.”
“Wood sustains Fire?” Yang Kai raised his brow.
Dié You laughed, “Exactly. But remember to control the power well, even a good thing in excess can be bad.”
“I see. I’ll be careful.”
At that moment, they came to a shop. It could be regarded as the largest building in the entire shopping district. The three-story building stood out among the scattered shops in the shopping district like a crane amongst chickens.
“Let’s go in and open your eyes,” Dié You smiled.
“What do they sell?” Yang Kai looked up and saw three characters embossed on a plaque right in front of the store.
“Open Heaven Temple!”
Upon entering the store, Yang Kai immediately understood what business Open Heaven Temple did. It was also a place that sold Yin, Yang and the Five Elements materials, but the scale and layout were far better compared to the messy booths outside.
He followed behind Dié You and the two of them walked around the first floor. Yang Kai was dazzled by the display counters, which were filled with Ying, Yang, Five Elements materials. There were multitudes of options; however, the prices were a little higher than the ones placed at the stalls outside.
Even so, from time to time, deals were made with the Seven Wonders Land disciples donned in Seven Coloured Robes.
“Are all these First-Order too?” Yang Kai asked in a low voice. On this shopping trip, he learned to deduce the Order of these materials, and after walking around, he found that the materials on the first floor were all First-Order.
Dié You nodded, “The items on the first floor are all First-Order, items on the second floor are Second-Order, and the third floor, Third-Order!”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up, “Are Third-Order materials for sale here?” According to his previous calculations, a Third-Order material required more than 15,000 Open Heaven Pills, which was an impossible number for a Worker.
According to the worker’s wages, it would take at least 5,000 years to save up this much! But who would not spend a single Open Heaven Pill on anything else to eat or drink in such a long time? Not to mention that no Worker would really work here for 5,000 years.
“Want to see?” Dié You smiled at him.
Yang Kai replied, “Since I have come, naturally I want to.”
“Let’s go then,” Dié You beckoned and led Yang Kai up the stairs.
They didn’t stop at the second floor and went directly to the third floor. The area of the third floor was obviously much smaller than that of the first, and there was not nearly as much selection. Seven Wonders Land obviously knew it was extremely difficult for Workers to purchase Third-Order materials, so it was useless to display many of them here. Only some materials were laid out casually as a way to give the Workers some hope, and to motivate them to work harder.
Yang Kai could not help thinking that the items on the third floor to the Workers were just like carrots dangling in front of a donkey…
“See for yourself,” Dié You laughed, “As long as you don’t touch anything, no one will worry about you.”
Yang Kai nodded and walked around with his hands folded behind his back.
There were also disciples from Seven Wonders Land on the third floor, but as Dié You said, as long as he did not touch anything, they didn’t pay him any mind.
Yang Kai moved from one counter to another, slowly observing and memorizing the characteristics of each and every Third-Order material.
For a person who used the Immortal Tree to condense his Wood Element, Yang Kai was naturally not impressed by the Third-Order materials here. Although he was a newcomer to the Outer Universe, Yang Kai had set his aim high from the very beginning. For the sake of the Immortal Tree, he had to find other materials that matched its Order to advance to the Open Heaven Realm.
Otherwise, his excellent start would be wasted.
He came here mainly just to explore and expand his horizons.
The third floor was not big, so it did not take long for Yang Kai to finish viewing everything, after which he looked up and saw Dié You stopping in front of a counter and walked over.
Following her gaze, he saw a bundle of irregular-shaped objects filled with Metal Element aura placed on the counter. Dié You watched with longing at the objects that continuously twisted and contorted into eccentric shapes.
Yang Kai’s brow twitched and whispered, “Do you want to buy this?”
Dié You turned to look at him and smiled, “Are you done looking at everything?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Done, there is nothing much to see.” As soon as he mentioned this, Yang Kai felt a sharp gaze and when he looked up, a Seven Wonders Land disciple keeping the third floor threw him a sarcastic look, probably because what he said just now sounded a little like shameless boasting! After all, to any Worker, the price for all these objects was sky-high, and there were very few capable buyers. What Yang Kai said sounded ridiculous in this disciple’s eyes.
They didn’t know that for Yang Kai, the items here were really unattractive.
“How many Open Heaven Pills is this?” Yang Kai asked again.
“16,000!” Dié You replied. She obviously had already inquired about the price before, and it was a little higher than what Yang Kai had estimated, but there was little bargaining room as this was the only place a Worker could purchase Third-Order materials in the entire Seven Wonders Land. As the saying goes, what is rare will be more expensive, and the increased price was still within an acceptable range.
“Do you have enough?” Yang Kai tilted his head at her.
Dié You burst out laughing, “How is that possible? I don’t even have thirty percent of that.”
Yang Kai frowned, “But this is only a Third-Order material…”
Dié You tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, “I know what you want to say. I felt the same way when I first came to the Outer Universe, trying to find better materials to condense my Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. Even if I can’t reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm in a single bound, I have to at least achieve the Mid-Rank, but ideas and reality are two different things. It’s actually not too bad if I really reached the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm. Then I can consume Open Heaven Pills to increase my Order. If I’m lucky, I might even be able to reach the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in this lifetime, and a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master is already a hegemon in this vast world.”
Yang Kai nodded when he heard her explanation, “Fair enough.”
There might not be a single Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master in the entire Seven Wonders Land. Even if there was, it would most probably be the Heavenly Monarch only while the Venerable Protectors should not be Fifth-Order.
Yang Kai could not help but sigh, how many people’s ambition and passion had time extinguished? If one’s situation had not changed after a thousand years, could they remain as optimistic as they were before?
Yang Kai did not know…
“When I’ve earned enough, I’ll buy it for you.” Yang Kai declared.
Dié You covered her mouth and giggled, “Then Elder Sister will thank you in advance.” Obviously, she did not take his words seriously. After staying here for a thousand years, she knew better than anyone how difficult it was for a Worker to earn 16,000 Open Heaven Pills.
By the looks of Dié You’s longing for the Metal Element material, Yang Kai could not help but wonder if she had already condensed her Earth Element; otherwise, why would she act like that?
While the two were talking, a sudden sound of footsteps thundered from the stairs, and an imposing figure burst in from the stairwell, revealing a huge man, whose steps caused the entire Open Heaven Temple to tremble.
His copper-bell-like eyes swept across the floor and suddenly lit up. He walked towards them with a smile on his face, and greeted cheerfully, “Xiao Dié, you really are here!”
Hearing the voice, Dié You’s face darkened all of a sudden and she turned her head aside without giving a response.
Yang Kai looked over, and could not help feeling a little surprised. This tall and mighty figure was well over two metres high and in just two or three strides, he reached right in front of Dié You with a grin on his face.
Dié You, who already had a tall figure for a woman, looked like a child standing in front of him.
Even Yang Kai had to raise his head to look up at this man. The person in front of him resembled a big black bear standing on its hind legs, permeating a strong sense of oppression.
The bear was smiling from ear to ear, but the smile immediately vanished when he saw Yang Kai next to Dié You. He pointed at Yang Kai with a big fan-like palm and demanded, “Xiao Dié, who is this little brat?”
However, before Dié You could reply, the Seven Wonders Land disciple who was tending the third floor barked, “Quiet down or I’ll kick you out!”
The bear’s head immediately shrunk a little at the reprimand, and he swiftly nodded at the Seven Wonders Land disciple, “Senior Brother, please calm yourself. This Little Brother lost control of his emotions just now and was a little loud. Please forgive me.”
The Seven Wonders Land disciple snorted coldly but did not say anything more.
The bear threw Yang Kai a vicious look, then turned to smile at Dié You again, “Xiao Dié, have you come to see this Stainless Golden Dew again? You have been coming here every month just to see it. Let’s just buy it together. You have saved a lot of Open Heaven Pills, and I have some too. If we sell some of our things, we should be able to accumulate enough to buy it. By then you can look at it all you want.”
“No need,” Dié You frowned and beckoned to Yang Kai. “Let’s go, there is nothing else to see here.” After saying that, she took the lead and walked away.
Just as Yang Kai was about to follow, he was shoved aside by the bear. Seeing him chase after Dié You downstairs, Yang Kai scratched his nose and followed them leisurely.
After leaving Open Heaven Temple, Dié You dove into the crowd. The bear continued to follow her like a shadow, and although he was burly, his movements were extremely flexible, managing to squeeze between the crowd, trying to engage in a conversation with his target. It was a pity that Dié You’s response was nonchalant, apparently completely uninterested in speaking to him.
Even a blind man could tell that this bear-like man was interested in Dié You, but it was no surprise. With Dié You’s curvy figure and alluring appearance, it was only natural that she would attract the attention and admiration of some men. Even the Seven Wonders Land disciple from the place where they bought the wooden box and incense took a fancy to her.
But unfortunately, Dié You did not seem to care much about any of these men. The big bear did not mind, however, and just kept laughing with her all the way, talking constantly to engage in a conversation with her while trying his best to be courteous.
Yang Kai saluted him too, for his skin was so thick that it could be compared to the Dragon Scales on his own body…
All of a sudden, Dié You stopped abruptly, then looked back at Yang Kai and said, “I’m going back first, do you want to stay here a little while longer?”
Yang Kai was stunned for a moment before he understood what Dié You meant and smiled, “En, I’ll stay for a bit. Many thanks, Sister Dié You.”
“No problem!” Dié You smiled, then soared into the sky.
The bear was a little slow to respond as he was still standing where he stopped, rubbing his chin. Stealing a glance at Yang Kai, he then quickly chased after Dié You, shouting, “Xiao Dié, wait for me!”
Watching the two leave, Yang Kai chuckled softly, learning that Dié You was indeed quite thoughtful.
She asked that earlier, not because she was in a hurry to get rid of him, but because she did not want the bear to cause him trouble. Although Yang Kai was not afraid of trouble, it was better to avoid getting into any in this place, and the bear did not seem to be a reasonable individual.
Wandering around alone in this shopping district was an eye-opening experience, but not very rewarding.
It was getting late, and just when Yang Kai was about to leave, he heard someone calling his name.
Yang Kai turned around and saw a figure waving at him from a small teahouse in the distance. Yang Kai approached with a smile and called out, “Ah Sun, you’re here too!”
Ah Sun replied cheerfully, “En, I heard that there’s a shopping district here, so I came to have a look. I wanted to invite you to come along, but you weren’t in your house.”
He did not have the intention of inviting Ah Sun along with him earlier, but thinking that Ah Sun actually thought of him, Yang Kai could not help feeling a bit ashamed of himself.
Ah Sun was not alone in the teahouse as the several newcomers who came with the Venerable Protector were there too. It seemed that they came here together.
But what surprised Yang Kai was how these people got the money to have tea here. Although this teahouse looked simple and was also opened by a Worker, there was no way for them to drink tea for free. In other words, they needed to pay Open Heaven Pills in order to sit here and drink.
Yang Kai turned around and had a look at the price list of all kinds of Spirit Tea. The cheapest pot of tea cost 1 Open Heaven Pill, while the most expensive one was 10 Open Heaven Pills.
Everyone was new and poor. Even Yang Kai could only get 1 Open Heaven Pill all thanks to the reward of Ruler of the Dawn Great General, but he was robbed by Old Fang of that earlier. The question was, where did they get the Open Heaven Pill to pay for the tea?
Looking at the way they were seated, the burly fellow from the Black River World was sitting in the main seat, which obviously meant he was treating today.
“All of you are here,” Yang Kai greeted with a smile. Although they were not too close, since they had spent some time together in the Small Universe of the Venerable Protector, they were not strangers to each other either, and they had already exchanged their names and backgrounds.
The dignified woman Su Nian Yi, the Male Monster Shi Hao Cang, and the naive boy Qian Yu got up and greeted Yang Kai in return. Only the burly man Fang Tai remained seated on the main seat, giving just a small nod.
Yang Kai was astonished because Fang Tai was not so arrogant before. What changed him so much in this past month? However, Yang Kai did not have a deep relationship with these people, and Ah Sun was the only one he interacted with slightly more. It was impossible to judge a person’s heart from his face, so without getting along with them for some time, Yang Kai would not know their true nature.
In any case, he did not care too much about it and simply returned the gesture with a smile before asking, “Why are all of you here? Is the Spirit Tea here free?”
Su Nian Yi smiled, “How can it be free? This pot of tea cost one Open Heaven Pill.” She turned to glance at Fang Tai as she continued, “But since Brother Fang insisted on treating us, it would be impolite if we refused him. Brother Yang, would you like to sit down and try it? Although this Spirit Tea is a little expensive, it’s really good.”
“Since Brother Yang is here too, let’s drink together. We have something to discuss too.” Fang Tai invited.
“Many thanks then,” Yang Kai cupped his fists and sat down.
Ah Sun quickly poured a cup of tea for Yang Kai, who took a sip and tasted it carefully. The tea was exceptionally good and he emptied the cup in just a few sips, leaving him wanting for more.
Nevertheless, there was not much tea left in the pot. The few of them had drunk some of the tea before, so there was only one cup left for Yang Kai.
Yang Kai queried, “What did you want to discuss?”
Fang Tai answered, “After a month of being here, we managed to have a grasp of the general situation. Since Brother Yang could find this shopping district by yourself, you must have gathered some information from others as well. You should know how difficult it is for newcomers like us to gain a foothold here.”
Yang Kai nodded and sighed, “I know indeed!”
Fang Tai smiled faintly, “As such, this Fang thought that we should form an alliance and help each other. Everyone else has already agreed to it. How about you, Brother Yang?”
Hearing the proposal, Yang Kai answered, “Sure, we are all newcomers from the same batch, so if we don’t help each other, no one will.”
Fang Tai’s face turned serious, “That’s what this Fang means. United we stand, divided we fall. Everyone here must have been an overlord in their own Universe Worlds, but although we are a little suppressed in this Outer Universe, we will be able to achieve something in the future if the five of us work together.”
Yang Kai turned to glance at the others and found that they indeed had no objection, so he asked, “I have no problem with this alliance, but how should we go about it specifically? Since we are forming our own group, it can’t be just empty words. Let’s say Sister Ah Sun is bullied…”
Ah Sun pouted, “Why would I be the one being bullied? Do I look easy to bully?”
“It’s just an example…” Yang Kai chuckled.
Fang Tai answered, “Without violating the rules of Seven Wonders Land, we naturally have to seek justice for Sister Ah Sun!”
There’s nothing wrong with this answer, so Yang Kai naturally would not refute it.
Fang Tai added, “For another example, regarding the Jade Fire Silkworm that grows on the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees that we’re taking care of, if we catch them and give them to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, we might be rewarded with an Open Heaven Pill. In this regard, this Fang can also help everyone. Feel free to call me to help at any time to catch worms for Ruler of the Dawn Great General. If you really get the reward, this Fang will only claim half of the share.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Does Brother Fang have worm-catching tools?”
Shi Hao Cang interjected with a buzzing voice, “Brother Yang has no idea. Brother Fang successfully made a contribution as soon as he was assigned a plot in the orchard, and was rewarded with 30 Open Heaven Pills by Manager Zhou.”
Yang Kai blinked at Fang Tai while the latter continued modestly, “It was just good luck. If it were anyone of you, you could have done the same.”
Yang Kai kept smiling, but inside almost exploded from fury. The plot he was assigned had a history of dead trees and the same problem could happen again at any time; on the other hand, Fang Tai benefited from the plot he was assigned. There was simply no comparison between them.
Given that Fang Tai was rewarded with 30 Open Heaven Pills, he must have made a massive contribution; however, Fang Tai did not disclose much about it, so it was inconvenient for Yang Kai to ask what the contribution he made was.
However, it seemed like besides taking care of the fruit trees and offering Jade Fire Silkworms to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, there were other ways for Workers to earn Open Heaven Pills.
Only then did he realize why Fang Tai could invite everyone to drink tea. The 30 Open Heaven Pills he had were more than enough to buy a set of worm-catching tools, given that Dié You spent only 30 pills to purchase a wooden box and two boxes of incense previously.
Fang Tai pressed on, “If there was no cost involved, this Fang wouldn’t take a share of your benefits, but the Well-Refined Incenses have to be bought from this shopping district; therefore, if you really are rewarded by the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, it’s not too much for this Fang to share half of it.”
Everyone nodded, including Yang Kai. As Dié You mentioned before, the newcomers usually had no tools, and they had to ask someone for help in order to catch worms. But if so, the Jade Fire Silkworm they collected would belong to the loaner and if there was a reward, the borrower could not keep any of his own share at all. As such, it was a fair deal as Fang Tai just asked for half of the reward; after all, he needed to recoup his costs at least.
Fang Tai looked at Yang Kai and carried on, “If Brother Yang agrees, you can ask me for help by then. As long as this Fang is free, he will not refuse.”
Yang Kai did not reveal that he did not need help, because that would mislead the others to think that he was living off a woman if he told them Dié You had bought him a set of tools. Moreover, Yang Kai also planned to return Dié You the Open Heaven Pills once he earned enough in the future. Therefore, he just smiled and said, “Then this Yang will offer his thanks in advance. If I really need Brother Fang’s assistance in the future, I will inform him. However, my plot of land is very small with only a few fruit trees, so I might not need to catch worms.”
Fang Tai responded, “Just come to me if you ever need to. Let’s share a method of contacting each other later so that it will be easier for us to find each other.”
Although the pot of tea was finished, the waiter in the teahouse did not rush them to leave but allowed them to occupy the table to further discuss the matter of their alliance. Everyone became closer to each other during this chat and they exchanged the information they had collected over the past month, making it a fruitful gathering for everyone.
Yang Kai vaguely felt that Fang Tai was making the call in everything, but he could not blame him for this as he was the most successful one among these few newcomers here. Now that everyone wanted something from him, they had to show him some respect.
Fang Tai also requested the waiter to refill a pot of water for them, but it was free. The few of them continued to drink and chitchat, and did not disperse until half a day later.
Fang Tai and the others wanted to continue strolling in the shopping district, but Yang Kai did not join them and instead soared directly into the sky and rushed towards Fire Spirit Land.
The distance from here to Fire Spirit Land was not too far, so he did not have to worry about getting lost as he still remembered the way.
Now that he was in this Seven Wonders Land, Yang Kai naturally could not waste this opportunity. Yang Kai plotted to spend fifty years here at most to get the Open Heaven Pill recipe. If he failed, he would find a way to leave this place; after all, he still needed to find information about the World Tree to save the Star Boundary, so he could not stay as a Worker in this place and take care of the fruit trees forever.
Yang Kai left the Universe World Fragment where the shopping district was located easily and began flying back to his house.
After flying for a while, a vicious aura suddenly locked onto him, followed by a golden light shooting at him from a distance. Inside the golden light, a burly figure could be seen vaguely.
Before it arrived, a huge axe was swung at Yang Kai’s head, accompanied by a fierce shout, “I was still worrying that you wouldn’t come out. Luckily I didn’t waste my time waiting for you!”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, wondering who dared to fight him here. Moreover, it was an ambush. Subconsciously, he raised his palms and pushed them forward.
Time Principles flared as the Time Flies Seal shot out!
The golden light dispersed, revealing a figure as burly as a bear, while the power of Yang Kai’s palm strike was also dispelled. The two were repelled a few thousand meters back from the explosion before they could stabilize their figures.
The bear blinked before commenting in amazement, “Not bad, little brat. You’re able to withstand my axe!”
“What are you doing?” Yang Kai’s face darkened, feeling a light headache. He understood why the bear was waiting for him here, but he did not expect that even if he tried not to leave together with Dié You and acted like a stranger to her, this man would still cause him trouble. It was incredibly puerile.
The bear grinned hideously, revealing a mouthful of pristine fangs as he pointed his axe at Yang Kai as he roared, “Little brat, what’s your relationship with Xiao Dié? Be honest, or Father here will kill you!”
[As I thought… ] Yang Kai sighed in his heart, but replied surprisingly, “Do you mean Sister Dié You?”
“Nonsense!” The bear glared, “Who else can it be other than her? Why did you come to the shopping district with her!?”
“My friend, is this perhaps a misunderstanding? I have only known Sister Dié You for less than a month. What relationship could I possibly have with her?”
“If there’s no relationship between the two of you, why would she come to this shopping district with you? Father here has never seen her having any other companion before… Wait, did you say you’ve only known Xiao Dié for a month?” The bear suddenly frowned at Yang Kai, seeming to have recalled something, “Are you one of the newcomers who arrived a month ago?”
Yang Kai nodded and confirmed, “Yes!”
The bear patted his head and guffawed loudly, “No wonder you don’t look familiar, so you’re a newcomer!” The laugh stopped abruptly, and he growled savagely, “How dare a newcomer hit on Father’s woman, are you tired of living?”
Flabbergasted, Yang Kai defended himself, “Is this a misunderstanding, my friend? I’m not close to Sister Dié You. It’s just because I’m a newcomer and I’m not familiar with this shopping district that she kindly brought me here to explore the place.”
“That’s all?” The bear glared at Yang Kai with his copper-bell eyes, the big axe in front of him threatening to swing down at any time.
“What else can it be?”
“Hmph!” Hot air puffed out of the bear’s nostrils as he looked Yang Kai up and down carefully for a long time before speaking, “Seems you’re not stupid after all. Little brat, remember this, Xiao Dié is my woman. If you dare to hit on her, Father here will make you regret ever being born!” He rubbed his chin again, and a look of disdain surfaced on his face, “But then again, Xiao Dié probably wouldn’t be interested in you.”
[If she has no interest in me, it’s even less likely she’d be interested in you.] Yang Kai was tongue-tied, wondering where this bear got his sense of superiority from, but he still replied politely, This friend is right, Xiao Dié is indeed naturally beautiful and has a kind heart. Only someone like you, my friend… a man with a heroic spirit is compatible with her!”
The bear’s vicious expression was immediately replaced by glee, and his gaze became a lot more cordial. Nodding continuously, he boasted, “That’s right, in the entire Fire Spirit Land, no, the entire Seven Wonders Land, the only man who is worthy of Xiao Dié is me! Who else has this qualification? Little brat, you have a good eye! What’s your name?”
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “This Little Brother is Yang Kai!”
The bear nodded, “I’ll remember your name. It’s rare to see a newcomer with such sharp insight. From now on, you can follow me. If someone bullies you in Fire Spirit Land, just say my name.” Pointing his thumb at himself, he continued proudly, “Remember, Father’s name is Xiang Yong!”
“Brother Xiang… This name is indeed majestic and domineering, Little Brother can’t help but admire this name.”
“Save your flattery!” Xiang Yong said, though the smugness of his face could not be concealed.
“Is Brother Xiang also from Fire Spirit Land?” Yang Kai was a little puzzled.
“Yes! What’s so strange about that?”
“No, no, little brother was just a little curious, wondering why he hadn’t met such an imposing and noble man like Brother Xiang earlier.”
“It’s not too late to meet now!”
“Yes, yes, there’s nothing to regret in this lifetime to have met someone like Brother Xiang today.” Yang Kai cleared his throat lightly, and looked at him, “Since the misunderstanding is resolved, can this Little Brother go back now?”
“En, go!”
Yang Kai dismissed himself and brushed past Xiang Yong.
“Wait!” Xiang Yong suddenly flickered next to him and cut off Yang Kai’s path with his axe again, his eyes narrowed, “If Xiao Dié asks…”
“Brother Xiang and I bonded with each other like old friends the moment we met, and Brother Xiang took care of me in every possible way…” Yang Kai did not even need to think before replying.
Xiang Yong grinned happily, “You’re quite good! Father here appreciates you! Good, go back.”
Bidding farewell to Xiang Yong, Yang Kai flew back to Fire Spirit Land, to the village where the Worker’s Room was located, took out his token to open his house, entered, and was just about to sit down when there was a knock outside the door.
It was Dié You, who scanned him from top to bottom with her eyes the moment he opened the door and asked, “Are you all right?”
“Yes? What could have happened to me?” Yang Kai blinked confusedly.
“Good then. Someone told me just now that Xiang Yong left the Worker’s Room. I was going to take a look but I saw you come back first.”
“Xiang Yong? Who is Xiang Yong?”
“He’s that guy who followed me around today, the one who looks like a bear,” Dié You said, laughing at her own description.
“Oh…” Yang Kai nodded, looking surprised, “So his name is Xiang Yong. But what does he have to do with me and you leaving the Worker’s Room?”
“It’s best if it has nothing to do with you.” Dié You simply replied. She then took out two items, “Oh right, I bought this for you today, but I forgot to give it to you.”
It was the Cyan Wood Box, and two boxes of Well-Refined Incense.
Yang Kai took it and thanked her, “Once I’ve saved enough Open Heaven Pills, I’ll pay you back with interest.”
“No hurry.” Dié You laughed, “Have a good rest, I’ll go back now.” She started yawning as she spoke, and her typical weary expression appeared again.
“Take care.” Yang Kai nodded.
After Dié You left, Yang Kai shut the door and took a good look at the Cyan Wood Box and the Well-Refined Incense. He had borrowed such items from Old Fang before for worm-catching, so he was not unfamiliar with it.
Two boxes of Well-Refined Incense contained ten sticks of the incense, which were enough to last him one to two years, so for the time being, it did not matter even if he did not have any Open Heaven Pills.
Just after putting away the box and incense, there was another knock on the door.
Yang Kai felt strange, wondering who came to look for him again. He thought maybe Dié You had forgotten to tell him something again; however, when he opened the door, he was immediately blinded by a golden light.
At the door, a golden rooster half a person tall stood dignifiedly with his head high and chest puffed out, just like a proud General patrolling his territory.
The two looked at each other for a while, and then Yang Kai smiled, “So it is Great General! Is there something I can do for Great General? I don’t have any more Jade Fire Silkworms!”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General turned his head slowly aside, staring at Yang Kai with one eye.
Yang Kai scratched his head, confused.
After a while of glaring, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General turned and slowly stepped away, his fat buttocks swaying with every step as he walked off slowly.
Yang Kai was bewildered and looked down at himself, wondering if there was something strange about him. By the time he looked up again, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General had disappeared.
He shook his head speechless, shut the door tightly, and went to rest and adjust his breathing.
For the next two days, nothing happened.
Early in the morning of the third day, the sound of the golden rooster announcing dawn resounded throughout the village, and Yang Kai was awakened suddenly. He listened carefully with a frown, vaguely feeling that the sound of the Great General’s crow today was very much closer than normal.
He got up and opened the door and sure enough, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was screeching and crowing directly at him.
[Do you have a grudge against me?] Yang Kai was so tempted to ask. Ever since his arrival at the Worker’s Room, this rooster had been picking on him.
Glaring at Great General, Yang Kai closed the door behind him and flew into the sky.
Streams of light shot into the sky from all over the village, rushing towards the orchard.
In less than an hour, Yang Kai arrived at his plot. First, he went to inspect every fruit tree on his site to make sure that they were all growing well and recorded the number of Spirit Fruits, making sure that none were missing. Only then did he begin to care for the trees in accordance with their needs.
After half a day of work, Yang Kai finished tending to his thirty fruit trees without much trouble. Since he had nothing to do now, he strode over to Old Fang’s site leisurely with his hands behind his back.
Old Fang was still busy. Due to the many fruit trees under his care, he had to work for a few days every time he came back here before he could stop to rest.
After hanging out together for a month, the two of them could be considered acquaintances. Old Fang merely greeted him briefly before continuing with his work.
Yang Kai followed Old Fang, trying to engage him in conversation. At first, Old Fang entertained him, but it later became notably annoying; how could he be in the mood to chat with Yang Kai when he had not finished his task? Yang Kai, on the other hand, was acting as if he was the experienced one, giving advice and pointers on how to care for the trees, forgetting who was the one who taught him in the first place.
“If you’re really that free, let’s work together and finish early so we can play chess.” Old Fang looked up at Yang Kai, unable to endure it any longer.
Yang Kai turned to look around, silently calculated the amount of work and time Old Fang still needed and then said, “Forget it, since you are busy, I’ll come back to visit in a few days.”
After saying that, Yang Kai walked off casually.
“Ungrateful little wolf!” Old Fang scolded through gritted teeth, “Completely unsympathetic to this old man!”
Yang Kai turned the back of his head to him, pretending not to hear.
Yang Kai returned to his plot and soon grew bored as he could not cultivate in this environment. There really was nothing to do, but he soon remembered that this was a plot where trees had died. He had examined the place before and found no problems, but maybe this time he might get a clue.
Immediately taking out his control token, Yang Kai concentrated on investigating his land, but in the end, he found nothing…
Putting away the token, Yang Kai rubbed his chin, really befuddled with what went wrong with this damned place. Why would three perfectly healthy trees die all of a sudden?
Inadvertently, he remembered Dié You had mentioned before in the shopping district that since he had already condensed his Wood Element, he could use it to nourish his Fire Spirit Fruit Trees.
If he could not discover the problem with this piece of land, he could at least use his Wood Element to nourish his trees, hopefully staving off any issues in advance. After all, if anything did happen in the future, he would have to take responsibility for it.
Finally finding something to do, Yang Kai happily came to the centre of his plot and immersed himself in his mind. His fingers formed a seal a moment later as he urged the power in his Dao Seal.
With Yang Kai as the centre, a wave of energy spread out in all directions. If one looked closely, the wave of energy had a faint emerald-green colour to it and was filled with rich vitality.
Unsure of how his Wood Element would affect the fruit trees, Yang Kai only tried his hand slightly, not daring to take drastic measures.
His little attempt did not worry him at first, but Yang Kai jumped abruptly a moment after he began because his small plot suddenly rumbled noisily. He stopped immediately and stretched his neck to look around. There were no changes in the fruit trees, but subtle movements were rustling from the corner of the orchard.
Yang Kai walked over and stopped in front of the three seedlings. At this moment, the soil around the roots of the three seedlings was undulating. The seedlings seemed to be growing, their developing roots causing the soil to roll and lurch.
After staring at the three seedlings for two hours, Yang Kai found that they had truly grown taller. Although it was not even a finger’s length, it was enough to attract attention.
[Is it because of the Immortal Tree?] Previously, Yang Kai had merged with the Immortal Tree in order to bring him back to life. Then, he condensed its Wood Element into his Dao Seal. In this way, the ability of resurrection was lost; however, his Dao Seal gained a supreme Wood Element, which would be of great help in his future cultivation.
As such, when he surged the Wood Element in his Dao Seal, it was equivalent to triggering the power of the Immortal Tree, so it was possible to promote the growth of the seedlings in just two hours.
This was an amazing feat. According to Old Fang, it took at least two to three hundred years for the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree to grow from a seedling to maturity, and only a fully grown fruit tree could blossom and bear fruit.
The three seedlings have been planted for less than ten years, and only grew slightly every year. However, if someone found out that they suddenly grew a finger’s length overnight, Yang Kai might draw trouble to himself.
Nevertheless, what was done was done. Yang Kai could not reverse their growth anyway, so he silently decided to pay extra attention to the three seedlings if he was going to do something similar again, so as to prevent them from being affected by his Wood Element.
Moreover, an additional finger’s length should not be noticed unless someone paid particularly close attention to them.
This was his plot of land after all and no one would come to check on them for no reason; therefore, for the time being, his situation should still be safe.
In fact, if it was possible, Yang Kai would like to release the two Wood Spirits, Mu Zhu and Mu Lu, to take care of the orchard. The Wood Spirit Clan was unrivalled when it came to this kind of job. With their care, Yang Kai could act as the arm-flinging shopkeeper he always was.
But it was inconvenient to do so. Not to mention that the orchard was accessible in all directions and people would pass by from time to time, Zhou Zheng would come to inspect occasionally too, as well as the Chief Manager who had yet to appear. If someone saw his two Wood Spirits, Yang Kai was afraid that he could not protect them with his current ability.
As such, it was just a passing thought, along with the thought of moving some Fire Spirit Fruit Trees into his medicine garden so that the two Wood Spirits could take care of them inside.
Squatting in front of the three seedlings, Yang Kai observed carefully for some time to make sure that the finger length height change would not attract anyone’s attention, only then did he feel a little relieved.
Before he could get up, however, he heard the sound of wings flapping, as well as a familiar aura approaching him. Yang Kai turned around, and almost laughed at the sight.
About a hundred metres above the ground, a golden rooster was flying unsteadily, trying notably hard to flap its wings. Not knowing whether it was bad at flying or just because it was too plump, Ruler of the Dawn Great General swayed up and down, and it looked as though it might fall at any time.
However, at this moment, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was not as big as before. In fact, he even looked smaller than a normal rooster. He obviously used some Secret Technique to shrink himself.
After all, he was not a real chicken. Since he was the pet of the Venerable Protector, Great General must have some abilities of his own. Moreover, according to Yang Kai’s observation, Great General should possess some exotic bloodline and it just so happened that he looked like a rooster. Therefore, it did not really have much to do with the breed of chicken, and it was not surprising for him to have a grasp of some Secret Techniques.
Nevertheless, it was Yang Kai’s first time seeing him flying, and the way he flew was quite amusing.
The others in the orchard certainly noticed Great General too and in an instant, multiple streams of light shot towards him from the ground, causing Ruler of the Dawn Great General to be surrounded in the blink of an eye.
All of them saluted and bowed to him, and some even took the initiative to offer up Jade Fire Silkworms. Unfortunately for them, Great General ignored them and just flew ahead.
Seemingly annoyed by their fencing, Ruler of the Dawn Great General cock-a-doodle-dooed and flapped his two fat wings vigorously, like he was shooing them away.
Yang Kai was hugging his stomach by now, laughing hysterically as he enjoyed the scene above from below.
As if his laughter caused a chain reaction, for some reason, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, who was flying forward, suddenly stopped, faced downward, and plummeted straight towards the ground. No matter how hard he flapped his wings, he had no way to stop himself.
Exclamations echoed, and everyone’s face changed drastically.
Yang Kai’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot as his smile hung stiffly on his face. Why? Because the damn chicken was falling directly into his plot.
Instantaneously, following a great squawk, Ruler of the Dawn Great General crashed headfirst into the ground ten metres in front of Yang Kai, his plump hips and wings twitching lightly.
Yang Kai was dumbstruck.
Everything happened so fast that he failed to react. He could have moved to stop Ruler of the Dawn Great General, but he was so dumbfounded he just watched him crash face-first into the dirt!
Looking up at the sky, a group of people were staring at him, but in the next moment, as if they had all agreed beforehand, they scattered, turning into streams of light and returning to their respective sites, hiding away. The originally bustling sky suddenly fell silent.
Yang Kai opened his mouth and cursed angrily, then turned around and wanted to leave as well, but this was his plot. The others had places to hide, but where could he go?
[This is bad.]
Although he did not do anything to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, if something happened to the stupid chicken in his own territory, Yang Kai could guarantee that he would not see the sun rise tomorrow. It might not just be him as the people who had gathered around Great General earlier would not be able to escape punishment either.
Standing with a gloomy face, Yang Kai watched the stupid chicken twitch its wings while his face twitched too.
[Since this golden rooster possesses a special bloodline, he should be strong, and would not have suffered badly from such a fall, right?] Yang Kai comforted himself, went forward, and squatted in front of Ruler of the Dawn Great General, poking him with his finger.
Great General’s wings trembled even more violently, prompting Yang Kai to reach out and yank him out of the ground.
As soon as Great General was extricated from trouble, he flapped his wings violently, his beak transforming into a series of shadows that advanced towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai instinctively slammed his palm forward.
Followed by a sorrowful crow, Great General was sent flying as several of his feathers fell off.
“Are you crazy? Why did you peck me? It wasn’t me who brought you down!” Yang Kai retorted angrily.
Great General’s eyes widened, as if he could not believe what just happened. He did not seem to expect that someone would dare to lay a hand on him in this Fire Spirit Land. Soon after, when he saw the several feathers falling from the sky, Great General was instantly enraged. He leapt a metre high off the ground and his chubby body radiated a dazzling golden light as he shot towards Yang Kai.
Initially, Yang Kai felt a little guilty for hitting him out of instinct earlier, but now that he saw Great General was still acting stubborn, his heart burned with anger and he cared no more. He immediately went forward to face Great General, surging his power in every palm strike, hitting the Ruler of the Dawn Great General until he squawked crazily.
Old Fang, who was not far away, was alarmed by the commotion. He did not know what the situation was, and hurriedly came to investigate, but his face turned pale as soon as he saw the scene and he immediately retreated, not daring to come back again.
In the orchard, two figures, one big and one small, crisscrossed back and forth as golden feathers flew about.
Yang Kai had to admit that, although the Ruler of the Dawn Great General looked silly, he was quite strong, on par with any Pseudo-Great Emperor back in the Star Boundary, and Yang Kai could feel that he had not given his all yet.
It was impossible that the pet of the Venerable Protector only knew the two skills, which were just pecking and scratching. Clearly Great General did not plan on using any Secret Technique in their altercation.
Since Great General held back, Yang Kai responded in kind. He could easily stop the silly chicken from getting close just by using his two fists anyway.
After two hours of fighting, Great General was probably exhausted and the golden feathers all over its body had grown dim. Spreading his wings open, he glared at Yang Kai fiercely, but dared not to approach anymore.
Yang Kai lifted his chin at him defiantly, and announced proudly, “This King has travelled the Heavens and Earth for many years. How dare a trivial chicken challenge this King!? You’re overreaching!”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General was obviously maddened as he hopped up and down several times.
Yang Kai could feel that his opponent was being humiliated and unwilling to submit in defeat, and he could not help guffawing, “Get out of here now if you’re wise. If you dare to come at me again, don’t blame this King for being ruthless!” While speaking, he waved his big fist in front of the Great General.
Ruler of the Dawn Great General stared at him coldly before suddenly, his eyes flashed and he charged to the side.
Yang Kai frowned slightly as he wondered what this stupid chicken was up to now, but in the next moment, his face changed drastically and he roared, “You dare!?”
With a flicker, he appeared in front of Great General and launched a palm strike; however, Ruler of the Dawn Great General was prepared for this and leapt backwards, landing directly on a fruit tree and extending his neck to peck a scarlet Fire Spirit Fruit.
Yang Kai was infuriated. This damn chicken could not beat him in a fair fight, so he decided to deal with him through underhanded means, showing how vicious he could be.
There were several fruits nearby, and each one was counted and recorded meticulously. If any of these fruits were damaged by Great General, Yang Kai would not be able to explain to Zhou Zheng at all. By that time, instead of this stupid chicken, he was the one who would be punished.
Ignoring the barriers of space, Yang Kai reached out his hand and grabbed Ruler of the Dawn Great General by the neck before drawing him in front of him.
Yang Kai glared at him furiously and said coldly, “Do you want to die?”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General stared into his eyes fearlessly, his gaze still wandering between Yang Kai and the fruit tree. Its answer was truly obvious, it was daring Yang Kai to kill him, otherwise, he would destroy his fruits.
Yang Kai was speechless…
Although he had a fight with this stupid chicken, he actually did not really dare to harm him; after all, Great General was the pet of the Venerable Protector. If he killed him, Yang Kai would suffer dire consequences.
But holding onto Great General all the time was not a solution. After pondering for a while, Yang Kai decided to take a step back, “I won’t argue with you about this anymore. It’s none of my business that you fell down, but rather due to your own carelessness. If you want to find someone to blame, you can blame those guys who boxed you in. I’ll let you go now, so please just leave. Let’s just forget this incident and pretend nothing happened just now. If you agree with me, blink once.”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General blinked…
Yang Kai nodded, “Don’t try to play tricks with me!”
Yang Kai released his grip slowly, but as soon as the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was out of his grasp, he charged straight to the closest fruit tree.
Yang Kai grabbed it back and chuckled gloomily, “It seems that you really don’t know how to write the word ‘death’!”
After wrestling back and forth for a long time, the situation turned into a stalemate. As soon as Yang Kai let go, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General would rush towards the fruit tree, as if he was going to peck at the fruits, which irritated Yang Kai to no end.
The chicken was also quite devious. Every time Yang Kai was grabbing him by the neck to negotiate, he would agree and comply, but would go back on his word in a blink of an eye. He had no credibility at all.
Then again, Yang Kai felt a little sad and pathetic for arguing about credibility with a chicken.
Anger swelled up in him, and Yang Kai thought that if not because of the many people witnessing this stupid chicken plummeting into his territory, he would have thrown Great General into the Small Sealed World and eliminated him once and for all.
Since he could not use force, he could only use another approach, so Yang Kai gritted his teeth and declared, “This King admits his punishment is deserved, so why don’t you come up with a solution to resolve this issue? But let me warn you, don’t cross the line, at most we will just die together! If this King must perish, he will make sure you never see another sunrise!”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General’s eyes quivered, and it crowed twice, indicating that it clearly understood, but unfortunately, he could not speak, so there was no way to communicate with Yang Kai directly.
Yang Kai stared at him for a while, and then slowly released the big hand that was gripping Great General’s neck.
This time, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General did not fling himself to the fruit tree but stood there combing his feathers with its beak a little, spread its wings and shook its head, then glared at Yang Kai with one eye while it circled around him.
Yang Kai’s eyes followed it closely, remaining vigilant.
After circling Yang Kai several times, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General ruffled his wings again before he leapt lightly from the ground. Yang Kai almost thought he was going to go back on their agreement again, but he immediately felt his head sink a little, and his face went as black as the bottom of a pot.
This damn chicken had jumped on his head, turning it into a chicken coop!
How could this be tolerated? Yang Kai reached out to grab at him as he roared, “Get off!”
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General was caught, but his two claws were tightly clasped onto Yang Kai’s hair and would not let go. Yang Kai struggled with him for a while, but did not manage to separate them. Instead, his hair was dishevelled and his scalp hurt.
Yang Kai was speechless…
Ruler of the Dawn Great General squawked with glee as he swivelled his fat buttocks to find a comfortable position on top of Yang Kai’s head. Not only that, he even gently combed Yang Kai’s tousled hair with his beak.
“Fine! You win!” Yang Kai could not be angrier, but on second thought, apart from the fact that it was unsightly, he had nothing to lose, so he figured he might as well just let things be. As long as the matter today was resolved, this little effort was nothing.
Thinking this way, Yang Kai decided not to continue the argument. He felt quite pathetic thinking about how he and a stupid chicken were fighting with all their wits and courage for such a long time.
Yang Kai then walked over to put away the feathers that fell off from Ruler of the Dawn Great General. They were all criminal evidence, so if Zhou Zheng came over and saw it, he might use it as an excuse to pick on him.
“You may stay there, but don’t you touch any of my fruits, or I’ll beat you up!” Yang Kai warned anxiously, leaning back on a fruit tree.
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General ignored him.
The Human and chicken managed to quiet down for now.
But it did not take long before the Great General began to crow again softly a few times, while its claws clenched slightly.
“What?” Yang Kai asked impatiently, waking up from his meditation.
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General flapped his wings, his claws still clinging tightly to Yang Kai’s hair, pulling him in one direction.
Yang Kai frowned, guessing that Great General wanted him to go somewhere, so he stood up, followed the direction he directed, and stopped in front of a fruit tree before the Ruler of the Dawn Great General released his claws.
Immediately, it gently pecked at a hole in the tree trunk endlessly, like a woodpecker.
Yang Kai immediately laughed, “Are you hungry? You can’t eat it. Although there are Jade Fire Silkworms on that fruit tree, Old Fang said it cannot be taken away.”
Great General immediately became disgruntled and began to crow loudly. The intense workout he had with Yang Kai earlier probably made him hungry.
“I told you, you can’t eat it. It’s useless no matter how you crow,” Yang Kai remained unmoved. He was kind enough to let this chicken sit on his head, so it would be unreasonable to let him eat his worms too.
Great General was silent for a few breaths, then flapped its wings and dragged Yang Kai in another direction.
“Stop grabbing me, I can go by myself. Damn it, don’t you know that it hurts?” Yang Kai scolded and walked in the direction Great General was pulling, curious to see what he was going to do.
After a short walk, they came to the neighbouring plot. There were no strict boundaries in the orchard, but everyone knew which fruit trees belonged to them so no one got confused.
As soon as they arrived, Yang Kai was greeted by a young man with cupped fists, “Brother Yang!”
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched, and he cupped his fists in return, “Brother Hong…” After working here for a month, Yang Kai did not just make friends with Old Fang. His surrounding neighbours were not located too far away, and they all greeted each other at least once, it was just that Yang Kai was only close to Old Fang.
The person before him, Hong Yu, was one of his neighbours, and Yang Kai could not help feeling a little embarrassed that he was seen with a chicken using his head as a chicken coop.
“Why did Brother Yang come here?” Hong Yu asked, glancing at the Ruler of the Dawn Great General with a guilty conscience as he spoke. He was one of the witnesses who surrounded the Great General earlier.
Yang Kai did not know what to say, but before he could speak, Great General cock-a-doodle-dooed and led Yang Kai away again.
It was not until he reached a fruit tree that Great General lightly pecked Yang Kai’s head again with his beak.
Yang Kai looked at the hole in the fruit tree and immediately understood what he wanted, cursing lightly under his breath. This stupid chicken was ordering him around like a coolie.
But at this point, there was nothing he could do. Turning back to face Hong Yu, he started, “Brother Hong, Great General has worked hard and is a little hungry. You know the situation of my orchard and how there’s nothing to eat there, so we came to you to ask for something.”
Hearing this, Hong Yu’s face turned a little embarrassed, “To be honest, Brother Yang, I caught some worms here just last month, so it will take another ten days at the earliest to catch another. There are really no extra worms for Great General. Perhaps you should take Great General elsewhere.”
Yang Kai’s face sank when he heard the words, “Brother Hong, the reason why Great General is hungry is that he was hurt when he fell from the sky. We don’t know if any of his muscles or bones were injured, but a lot of his glorious feathers have fallen off. Look at how beautiful this feather is, it would be a pity if too many were lost. If Venerable finds out that Great General suffered injuries while inspecting the orchard, and did not get any food when he was hungry, we don’t know how Venerable will respond. This is not something you or I can take on.”
The blood drained from Hong Yu’s face and he did not dare to look at the golden feather in Yang Kai’s hand at all, mainly because he felt guilty. He then hesitated for a while before gritting his teeth, “Brother Yang is right. Great General must be tired from his inspection, and we should be considerate. Brother Yang may do as he pleases. Just take it as this Hong acting to compensate Great General.”
“Cock-a-doodle-doo…”
Yang Kai grinned, pointing at his head, “Great General is quite pleased with you.”
Hong Yu squeezed out a smile and reached out to signal Yang Kai to proceed.
There was no need for Yang Kai to be polite after that. He took out a Well-Refined Incense, lit it, and held it in front of the hole, moving it back and forth gently; the movements were smooth and familiar as it was not his first time to do this.
After a while, a fiery red worm wriggled out of the hole.
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General stretched out its neck and caught hold of the Jade Fire Silkworm, swallowing it whole. This time, there was no need for the Ruler of the Dawn Great General to urge him, Yang Kai had already moved toward another Fire Spirit Fruit Tree with a wormhole, and did the same, coaxing out a Jade Fire Silkworm.
Hong Yu watched anxiously from the side. Two Jade Fire Silkworms were not a big deal, though it may affect the growth of the fruit trees slightly, it should not be a big issue. What was a pity was that if he was the one who caught the worms and brought them back to Great General, he would have a chance to obtain an Open Heaven Pill.
Now, it was hopeless to expect any Open Heaven Pills, but Hong Yu was thankful that Great General did not hold a grudge against him.
After harvesting three Jade Fire Silkworms in Hong Yu’s orchard, and seeing the caretaker here turning blue in the face, Yang Kai finally grinned, “Good, we’re done here. Brother Hong, please continue your work, we’re leaving.”
As soon as Yang Kai finished speaking, a strange noise emitted from the top of his head, followed by a bundle of golden light falling in front of him.
The golden light looked familiar, and Yang Kai reached out to catch it. When the golden light dissipated, what appeared on his palm were three perfectly spherical Spirit Pills…
Yang Kai blinked, a little baffled!
Hong Yu’s eyes also widened, just as astonished!
But this pause only lasted a moment before Yang Kai quickly flipped his hand and put away the three Open Heaven Pills.
Hong Yu exclaimed hurriedly, “Brother Yang, those three Open Heaven Pills…”
Yang Kai looked at him with a sullen face, “What three Open Heaven Pills? How can there be any Open Heaven Pills here?”
Hong Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry, “Brother Yang, how can you sleep talk with your eyes wide open? Great General clearly rewarded three Open Heaven Pills just now. Brother Yang, Brother Yang, Great General’s reward was all thanks to my three worms. Shouldn’t you give me some? This Hong is not greedy, you can take two, I only want one!”
Yang Kai just snickered, “You want a share of the pills? Sure! I’ll report to Manager Zhou that you and a group of people harassed Great General, causing Great General to fall from the sky and lose many feathers and suffer such deep wounds to his body that he couldn’t even walk and could only sit on my head! Then we’ll see what Manager Zhou will reward you all with!”
Hong Yu exclaimed, “That’s so exaggerated! How can you make such irresponsible remarks!”
Yang Kai continued, “Manager Zhou would be able to tell if I made irresponsible remarks or not…”
Hong Yu gaped at him for a while before gritting his teeth and declaring, “This Hong has learned today of Brother Yang’s honourable character!”
He was also at fault for this matter. Regardless of what happened, he was partly responsible for Great General’s fall, and if Manager Zhou caught hold of this news, he would not have a good end.
Yang Kai asked, “Does Brother Hong still need a Spirit Pill?”
“Leave!” Hong Yu pointed aside.
Three easy Open Heaven Pills, Yang Kai felt like he was in a dream. He knew that the newcomers would only be rewarded when they honoured Great General for the first time, but the reward was only one Spirit Pill.
A few days ago, Yang Kai fed five Jade Fire Silkworms and only got one Open Heaven Pill.
But today, he obtained 3 pills with only 3 Jade Fire Silkworms! That was an entire year of a Worker’s salary. Perhaps, no one would believe it even if he told anyone about it.
Dié You mentioned that if Great General was in a good mood, he would reward Open Heaven Pills.
[In other words, the Great General in a good mood now?] Yang Kai looked up while thinking. He was unsure, but the resentment that he gained earlier had dissipated significantly.
If this silly chicken continued giving him Open Heaven Pills, not to mention letting it use his head as a chicken coop, Yang Kai would invite Great General to live with him permanently.
“Great General, do you want to eat more?” Yang Kai’s mood was lifted, and his tone was very cordial.
Great General did not respond, but did not say no.
Yang Kai took this as a sign and nodded happily, “In that case, let’s go and look for more, heh heh heh…” He grinned while walking towards another plot.
Previously, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was chased and intercepted by a large group of people, all of whom ran away at once when he fell into Yang Kai’s territory. In a sense, all those people were responsible for this incident. If any misfortune happened to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, Yang Kai would have been the innocent sacrificial lamb; therefore, Yang Kai would not let any of them escape trouble by hiding themselves. Even if the Ruler of the Dawn Great General chose to forgive them, Yang Kai would not.
Soon, Yang Kai came to another plot. Seeing Yang Kai approaching with the Great General from a distance, the Worker responsible for this plot immediately hid, afraid that Great General would bring him trouble.
[Hide, hide! Hide if you want!] Yang Kai did not even pay any attention to this Worker and instead took the Ruler of the Dawn Great General around to look for worms.
After extracting 3 worms, Yang Kai and Great General strode off. During the whole time, the Worker did not dare to show himself.
To Yang Kai’s great surprise, after eating the 3 Jade Fire Silkworms, Great General rewarded him with 3 Open Heaven Pills again! Yang Kai could not understand why the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was acting like this so suddenly.
When he fought with Yang Kai before, he seemed eager to kill him, but now, Great General was being incredibly generous to him.
Despite not understanding why, Yang Kai had no reason to reject this generosity.
One Human and one chicken moved from plot to plot in the orchard. Some owners were bitter like Hong Yu, but they could only grit their teeth and let Yang Kai take the worms from their trees while some Workers were like the one who dared not reveal himself. Either way, they could not escape from the fate of being ripped off 3 Jade Fire Silkworms while Yang Kai did not care if their fruit trees were negatively affected at all.
However, after visiting four plots, Great General seemed to be satiated. He gave a cock-a-doodle-doo, clenching its claws slightly to navigate Yang Kai in another direction.
Yang Kai was far from done, but since the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was already full, he could not force him. In any case, since Yang Kai had started this matter, he would naturally see it through to the end.
Taking Ruler of the Dawn Great General back to his plot, Yang Kai sat down under a fruit tree, took out the twelve Open Heaven Pills, and played with them carefully, all while cackling like a crazy man.
A few days ago, his one and only Open Heaven Pill was instantly snatched by Old Fang. Now that he suddenly obtained 12 pills at once, Yang Kai no longer considered the chicken that sat on top of his head an annoying enemy, but rather a God of Fortune!
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General was not so terrible after all. Yang Kai suddenly changed his impression of the Great General. He obtained 12 pills in a day, which meant that he would be getting 360 pills in a month, and more than 4,000 pills in a year…
However, when he thought more about it, he knew that was impossible. Yang Kai had no idea how many Open Heaven Pills Great General had, but there must be a limit as they were given to him by the Venerable.
In any case, in this way, Yang Kai’s situation suddenly became much better than that of other Workers. The salary of 3 Open Heaven Pills per year was simply a bonus to him now.
After earning enough Open Heaven Pills, Yang Kai could return what he owed Dié You, and even invite her to the shopping district to have a pot of good tea as a thank-you gift! Having made up his mind, Yang Kai began studying the medicinal properties of an Open Heaven Pill carefully while storing the rest away.
He was an Alchemist coveting for the Open Heaven Pill recipe of Seven Wonders Land, but although he had not seen the pill recipe yet, Yang Kai still could carry out his own research.
His research consumed the whole day, but he did not come up with anything useful. Yang Kai only knew that the refining of this Open Heaven Pill required seven main ingredients, including the Fire Spirit Fruit and the Spirit Fruits of other Elements. However, in addition to these seven main herbs, there must be other auxiliary ingredients. He was still new in the Outer Universe and was unfamiliar with the pharmacology here, so aturally he could not distinguish the other raw materials in the Open Heaven Pill.
Yang Kai noted down what he had learned silently so that if he ever encountered those herbs in the future, he would be able to recognize them.
Ruler of the Dawn Great General did not move for more than a day, seemingly sleeping after filling his stomach. It was not until a day later that he suddenly shook its wings, and blinded Yang Kai’s eyes with a familiar golden light.
Seeing him wake up, Yang Kai was excited at once and asked, “Is Great General hungry? Shall I take you to look for food?”
Ruler of the Dawn Great General crowed twice approvingly.
“Good, let’s go!” Yang Kai got up and strode forward. There had been thirty to forty people crowding Ruler of the Dawn Great General yesterday, and Yang Kai only visited four yesterday. There were still many plots he had not patronized yet. He had to finish visiting all of them no matter what!
The pair visited 5 plots that day, and by evening, Yang Kai had more than 10 additional Open Heaven Pills in his pockets.
Under the fruit tree, Yang Kai played with the Spirit Pills in his hand happily as he spoke, “Great General, I want to discuss something with you. If there is a reward again next time, can you give it to me when there is no one around? Did you see the eyes of those people before? They clearly couldn’t wait to rush over to snatch these from me. If we continue acting openly like this, I’m afraid I’ll become the public enemy of the entire Worker’s Room.”
Yang Kai couldn’t tell whether Great General had fallen asleep or not, but the latter gave no response.
Yang Kai sighed for a while, feeling pain and happiness at the same time.
“You… Where did you get so many Open Heaven Pills?” A cry of surprise called out from the side.
Yang Kai quickly put away his Open Heaven Pills and looked up to see Old Fang gaping at him.
“What do you mean, Open Heaven Pills? You must have seen it wrongly.” Yang Kai blinked, “Are you done with your work?”
“I’m done…” Old Fang answered casually, and then quickly responded, “Don’t try to change the subject, smelly brat. Tell me the truth, where did you get so many… Er, is the Great General still here?” Suddenly, his face changed drastically, and he retreated a few steps to keep a distance from Yang Kai, asking suspiciously, “Did you rob Great General?”
“How is that possible?” Yang Kai sneered, “Do I look like such a worthless man? No one would rob a chicken.”
“Then tell me, where did your Open Heaven Pills come from?” Old Fang obviously did not believe it.
“None of your damn business!”
Old Fang looked up and down at him, then turned around and left.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Yang Kai was unhappy, and with a flicker, blocked his path.
Old Fang explained with a dark face, “Boy, I’m afraid you’re going to face a tremendous disaster, yet you’re still relaxing here. Don’t tell anyone that you know me in the future. I don’t want to get into trouble because of you.”
“Old Fang!” Yang Kai patted him on the shoulder, “Are you thinking too much?”
“I hope so too. Anyway, you should take care of yourself.” Old Fang waved his hand to shoo him away.
“Look how afraid you are.” Yang Kai laughed, “By the way, do you have any extra Well-Refined Incense on hand? Share some with me.”
“Didn’t Sister Dié You just buy you two boxes?” Old Fang looked at him suspiciously.
“Yes or no?” Yang Kai stretched out his hand. Normally, two boxes of Well-Refined Incense were enough for one or two years. However, with the speed of his consumption, Yang Kai was afraid that it would not take long to run out, so he wanted some to spare from Old Fang.
Old Fang answered, “Good, this Old Master can give you a box, but under a condition.”
“Say it!”
“Don’t look for this Old Master again in the future. This Old Master never knew you.”
“You said it yourself, don’t regret it later!”
Without saying a word, Old Fang took out a box of Well-Refined Incense and slammed it into Yang Kai’s palm before quickly leaving, muttering under his breath, “A great disaster is coming… a great disaster indeed, young man…”
Yang Kai did not bother to pay him any attention. With a box of free Well-Refined Incense, Yang Kai estimated that it would be enough for this month, so he turned around and continued to rest.
In the following days, Yang Kai kept himself busy. After taking care of his fruit trees, Yang Kai would lead the Ruler of the Dawn Great General around in the orchard, catching several worms every time they reached a site.
The Workers were infuriated, but they all held their tongues. They had no choice, for the Ruler of the Dawn Great General sat proudly atop Yang Kai’s head. No one dared to refuse. They felt like their hearts had been ripped out as they watched Yang Kai bait the worms and feed them to the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.
These worms could be their Open Heaven Pills!
Fortunately, Yang Kai did not act ruthlessly and take all of their worms, so the Workers did not make a big fuss out of it.
Since Yang Kai’s request that day, Great General did not reward him with the Open Heaven Pills in public again. Every time, he would spit out the bundle of golden light after they returned to Yang Kai’s own plot which contained more or less ten Open Heaven Pills, the same number of worms he ate.
Yang Kai did not understand. As Dié You mentioned before, Ruler of the Dawn Great General would give Open Heaven Pills to the feeders only when he was in a good mood, and most of the time he did not. But when it came to Yang Kai, it was basically a ratio of one-to-one.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted. If others experienced the same thing as he did, the Workers would not need to worry about Open Heaven Pills at all. Yang Kai even began to wonder how many Jade Fire Silkworms they had fed the Ruler of the Dawn Great General over the years.
Moreover, no Worker had ever been treated like this by Ruler of the Dawn Great General. For a whole month, he took Yang Kai’s head as a chicken coop, not leaving even once.
A month later, the barrier of the orchard was activated, and all the Workers were moved outside.
In an instant, countless eyes focused on Yang Kai, but he could not blame them as the golden rooster on his head was simply too eye-catching. Many of them found it funny, wondering how Yang Kai had provoked the Ruler of the Dawn Great General to receive such treatment.
Yang Kai did not pay them any attention. The others may see it as a joke, but he knew that he was wearing the God of Fortune on top of his head.
He looked up and saw a few familiar figures. They were the newcomers who came in together with Yang Kai. They were about to greet him but were hurriedly led away by Fang Tai. Ah Sun was the only one who looked back as she walked away, a worried look on her face.
Yang Kai scratched his head, why were these people acting like he was a plague? He turned to look at Old Fang, who sighed heavily. Shaking his head slowly, he left looking distressed.
Yang Kai sneered, ignoring the strange gazes of others, and headed towards the Worker’s Room with a flicker.
Soon after, he landed in front of his own residence, and Ruler of the Dawn Great General, who had been perched on his head, spread his wings, plopped down on the ground, and slowly walked off with his head held high and chest puffed up like a true lord of his territory.
Yang Kai immediately felt a lot more relaxed. Although the Ruler of the Dawn Great General had given him a lot of Open Heaven Pills the past month, it was quite exhausting to carry a rooster on his head this whole time. Even his hair was completely dishevelled, but now the chicken was finally gone.
He turned around and entered the house to quickly straighten his hair, and just after he was done, he heard a knock at the door.
Yang Kai walked over to open the door, and a graceful figure flashed in, followed by a waft of fragrance.
“Xiao Dié?” Yang Kai looked at the guest, “You came just in time! I was about to look for you.”
“Were you looking for me?” Dié You asked, “Let’s leave that aside for now, what happened to you?”
“What do you mean what happened?” Yang Kai was stunned.
“There were rumours in the village that you offended the Great General and were punished. Many people saw Great General sitting on your head and using your head as a chicken coop. Is that true?”
Yang Kai burst out laughing, “There indeed is such a thing, but unlike the rumours were saying, I didn’t offend that stupid chicken.”
“Really?” Dié You looked at him suspiciously. They had not known each other for a long time, and the time they spent together was even shorter. She did not know what kind of nature Yang Kai had, but he did not seem like one to bow his head, so she was really worried that he might have fearlessly provoked Great General.
Yang Kai looked at her with a smile, “Xiao Dié, you seem to care about me very much.”
Dié You snorted, “I was once a newcomer too, and I know how difficult it could be. If someone helped me at the beginning, my situation would definitely be much better. Later, I swore to myself that if there was a chance in the future and if it was within my abilities, I would help the newcomers. Besides, if any of the newcomers get promoted, I will be able to gain some benefits.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai gently nodded.
Dié You suddenly punched Yang Kai on the shoulder, “Also, don’t be so arrogant you newcomer! Who gave you permission to call me Xiao Dié!”
“It doesn’t matter what I call you,” Yang Kai smiled, extended his hand, and flipped it over, “Look at this!”
Dié You looked down before her hand flew up to cover her mouth, “Where… Where did you get so many Open Heaven Pills?” It was the same sentence blurted from Old Fang’s mouth, but it sounded completely different.
“I’m paying you back!” Yang Kai pushed his hand forward.
Dié You looked at him suspiciously, “How did you get so many Open Heaven Pills?”
Yang Kai grinned, “Would you believe it if I said that I was rewarded by Great General? En, even I wouldn’t believe it, let alone you, but the fact is, these were indeed given to me by Great General.”
“What happened?” Dié You was shocked.
Yang Kai briefly reiterated the incident of how the Great General was surrounded by others and fell into his plot, and then how he brought him around to look for worms. Of course, Yang Kai omitted the part about his battle with Great General. It was simply too embarrassing to mention it. Dié You’s small little mouth grew into a beautiful circle at the news that Yang Kai received a one-to-one ratio of worms fed to Open Heaven Pills…
He decided to disclose this information not just because he needed to explain the source of these Open Heaven Pills clearly upon paying Dié You back, but also because she had helped him a lot. She answered a lot of questions he had without demanding any payment, then later took him to the shopping district and even loaned him money to buy a set of worm-catching tools. She even showed genuine concern when she heard something happened to him today. Since she was so sincere and kind-hearted, it was not right for Yang Kai to deceive her.
More importantly, it was impossible to keep this matter a secret for long. Quite a few people witnessed Great General bestowing Open Heaven Pills to Yang Kai when he took Great General around worm hunting, so Yang Kai had nothing to hide.
“And that’s the whole story,” Yang Kai shrugged.
“Really?” Dié You still found it hard to believe. She had never seen the Great General treat anyone so well in all the years she had been here.
“You don’t believe me? Then see for yourself… Do you have Jade Fire Silkworms?”
Dié You nodded absent-mindedly, “I caught two this month.”
“Pass them to me!” Yang Kai extended his hand.
Dié You handed Yang Kai her Cyan Wood Box, and Yang Kai immediately walked out the door, whistled loudly, and then returned to the house, “Wait a moment.”
Not too long after, a golden light shone through the door, and Ruler of the Dawn Great General, restored to his half-Human height, stood in front of the door, looking around curiously.
“Stupid chicken, come in, I’ll give you something delicious.” After one month of getting along with each other, Yang Kai and Great General had become close friends and there was no more need for formalities between them.
Dié You jumped, in fear that Great General might be infuriated, but instead, she watched the Ruler of the Dawn Great General walk in, taking absolutely no offence in how Yang Kai addressed him.
She was completely amazed.
Yang Kai opened the Cyan Wood Box and took out the two Jade Fire Silkworms. Great General did not refuse and gulped down both in an instant, then turned his head to eye Dié You who was standing at the side…
His stare left Dié You feeling anxious.
“Xiao Dié is alright, there’s no need to avoid her,” Yang Kai extended his hand.
Great General opened his beak and spat out a bundle of golden light. When the golden light dissipated, two Open Heaven Pills appeared in Yang Kai’s hand, which he waved triumphantly at Dié You.
Dié You was baffled by what she saw. Yang Kai actually got two Open Heaven Pills from Great General with just two Jade Fire Silkworms!
“No more. You can go play now,” Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively.
Great General turned, wiggling his fat butt, and strutted out the door.
“You… how did you do it?” After a long time, Dié You finally came back to her senses and looked at Yang Kai in disbelief.
“I don’t know.” Yang Kai answered truthfully as he only knew that it had become like this since their fight. He touched his chin and speculated, “Maybe that stupid chicken just likes me more…”
Even he did not quite believe what he just said.
“Anyway, I have the pills to pay you back now,” Yang Kai took out the 30 Spirit Pills again, together with the two he just received, and put them into Dié You’s hand.
Dié You took them in a daze, and was still unable to recover from the great shock for some time.
It was not until Yang Kai waved his hand right in front of her face that she came back to her senses.
“Do you want to go to the shopping district with me?”
“What are you going to do there?”
“I’m going to buy some Well-Refined Incense.”
“Didn’t I just buy two boxes last…” Dié You realized before she finished speaking, “Have you used up all of it?”
Yang Kai guffawed, “How do you think I got so many Open Heaven Pills? I took Great General around to all the nearby plots, so those two boxes of Well-Refined Incense are long gone.” In fact, if it was not for the extra box from Old Fang, he would not have been able to last until the end of the month.
Dié You immediately knew what he was up to, “Do you plan on taking Great General around again to look for worms like before?”
Yang Kai rolled up his sleeves, “It’s a great way to make money, there’s no reason not to use it.”
Dié You pondered for a while before asking, “But have you ever thought that you might offend a lot of people by doing that?”
Even without her warning, Yang Kai already knew that he had offended a bunch of people.
With a sneer, however, he replied defiantly, “Let them be offended. As long as I get Open Heaven Pills, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Dié You shook her head slowly, “No, no, no, if you really offend too many people, you won’t be able to survive in this Worker’s Room. Even though those people won’t dare deal with Great General, they can definitely come to trouble you.”
Yang Kai snorted arrogantly, “So what? I’m even afraid that they won’t come for me.”
Dié You glared at him, “If you trust me, why not listen to my suggestion?”
“Tell me.” Yang Kai turned to her. After all, she has been living here for a thousand years and was definitely more knowledgeable than him.
Dié You beckoned him to come closer.
Yang Kai leaned over, and was immediately immersed in the pleasant scent of orchids…
He listened closely, and his eyes slowly brightened.
After a while, Dié You leaned back and continued normally, “Of course, I’m just giving a suggestion, the decision is yours. But no matter where you go, not sharing your profit will attract a lot of jealousy.”
Yang Kai touched his chin and nodded, “This is a good idea, it will also save me a lot of trouble.”
“Then do you agree?”
“Of course, I agree, why wouldn’t I?” Yang Kai nodded sternly, “I get to eat the meat, so it doesn’t matter if they have the soup.”
“Also, they will happily drink what they get as it will be even more than what they would get if they fed Great General themselves, which may make many people grateful to you.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “Their gratitude doesn’t matter to me. En, let’s just do it your way. In this case, we still need to go to the shopping district, but there won’t be a need to buy so much incense now. By the way, Xiao Dié, if there are Jade Fire Silkworms here in Fire Spirit Land, what about the other Spirit Lands?”
Dié You answered, “You’re quite the quick one. I was about to tell you this. The fruit trees in the other Spirit Lands will also produce different Exotic Insects, but I don’t know if Great General will like them. We can go to the shopping district and buy some to test it out first.”
“This will be quite a big investment…” Yang Kai looked at Dié You with sparkly eyes, “Xiao Dié, you must help me.”
Dié You covered her mouth and giggled, “Since I’m the one who came up with the proposal, of course I will help you, but…” She leaned closer to Yang Kai, and rubbed her shoulders against him, “Little Brother, you can’t forget to support Elder Sister when you succeed in the future!”
Yang Kai guffawed and put his arm around her shoulder, “After making the money, we will share the profits equally.”
Dié You turned her head and stared at his arm, “Move your dirty claws away!”
After plotting carefully in the house and distributing their work, Yang Kai borrowed a thousand Open Heaven Pills from Dié You, soared into the sky, and went straight to the shopping district.
Not long after Yang Kai’s departure, a particular piece of news spread like wildfire in the Worker’s Room. Dié You was exchanging an Open Heaven Pill for every two Jade Fire Silkworms! The whole Worker’s Room went into an uproar, and countless people rushed to Dié You’s residence.
Normally, they would have to exchange at least 3 or 4 worms for a Spirit Pill from Great General, and this situation was considered quite lucky. If they were unfortunate, even if they fed more, Great General would just ignore them.
However, since now they were guaranteed to get an Open Heaven Pill for 2 Jade Fire Silkworms from Dié You, how could this not be a great deal? They would definitely come in flocks. Moreover, the Workers would stay in the orchard for a month each time, so they definitely would have caught a few worms.
Although they had no idea what Dié You was doing at first, after confirming the authenticity of the information and seeing others exchange 2 Jade Fire Silkworms for an Open Heaven Pill, everyone formed a line as long as a dragon at the door of Dié You’s residence. Since everyone had just returned from the orchard, they certainly had some worms on hand.
Dié You had always kept a good relationship with the others in the Worker’s Room. At the moment, some of her so-called ‘Sisters’ spared no effort to inquire about the reason for her doing so, but since this matter was related to the interests of her and Yang Kai, how could she disclose it? She just smiled and kept her mouth shut.
Only a few people looked at the lively scene with reservations…
On the other hand, after Yang Kai arrived at the Worker’s shopping district, he went straight to the store that sold Cyan Wood Boxes and Well-Refined Incense where he bought two boxes of Well-Refined Incense for 10 Open Heaven Pills.
He originally planned to use the few hundred Open Heaven Pills he earned before to buy as much Well-Refined Incense as possible, because he would still need to take the Ruler of the Dawn Great General to catch worms in the future, and the consumption of incense would definitely be tremendously high.
But after listening to Dié You’s suggestion, he agreed that her proposal was better. If he had done as he originally planned, not to mention offending a large number of people, the efficiency would be too low. With Dié You buying Jade Fire Silkworms from those Workers in Fire Spirit Land, it would save them time and effort, and also avoid offending others. Even if some came to know the truth in the future, they could only think that Yang Kai was the lucky one who was valued by Great General, rather than hate him.
As Dié You mentioned before, no matter where one went, hoarding all the profits for oneself would attract a lot of jealousy. Furthermore, his income through Dié You’s proposal would be higher than his previous plan.
However, although Yang Kai had no need to stock up on incense in bulk, he still had to keep two boxes on standby.
After leaving the shop, Yang Kai went on a tour of the shopping district, looking for a place to set up a stall, but he soon found that all the good spots were occupied by others.
After observing for a while, Yang Kai went straight to a stall, extended his hand and thrust 3 Open Heaven Pills at the stall owner.
The stall owner was a young man and looked up at Yang Kai in amazement and asked, “What do you want to buy, Senior Brother?”
“Your stall!” Yang Kai shook the Open Heaven Pills in his hand, “Store your things and give me this spot, and these 3 pills are yours.”
The young man pondered a little, then quickly put away all the things in his stall.
“Leave the signboard too!”
“It’s all yours!” The young man took the 3 Open Heaven Pills delightedly and soon disappeared into the crowd.
The stall owners on the left and right sides looked sideways at him with strange looks. They had never seen anyone buying a stall spot like he did. No one actually managed the stalls here, so they always went on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.
Yang Kai sat down where the young man previously sat, picked up the signboard, and erased the words on it. He then took a piece of charcoal from the ground, pondered for a moment, and then scribbled a line of big characters across the signboard before sticking the signboard next to the stall. He was now open for business.
The stall owner on the left side was an elderly man and stole a glance at Yang Kai before he broke out laughing. He thought Yang Kai was going to do a big business seeing that he bought the stall spot so generously, but according to the signboard he was just buying worms that grew on the fruit trees of the various orchards.
The old man also knew that there were worms in every orchard, but he did not find them to be important. Generally, they would crush the worms directly when they caught them, so he had no idea why the young man beside him wanted to collect them.
However, he was too lazy to pay attention to other people’s affairs. He shook his head, stopped paying attention to Yang Kai, and concentrated on his own business.
Yang Kai spent half a day sitting there. He rolled up his sleeves and was ready for a big showtime, but after half a day, although many people stopped to observe for a while, no one actually went forward to inquire, which made him feel a little irritated. On second thought, however, Yang Kai realized that not every Spirit Land had a ‘Ruler of the Dawn Great General.’ The stupid chicken in Fire Spirit Land was a pet tamed by their Venerable Protector, and it just so happened to love eating Jade Fire Silkworm; therefore, the Workers of Fire Spirit Land had the habit of catching and collecting worms, though the workers in other Spirit Lands would also catch worms, they certainly would not keep them.
After realizing this, Yang Kai frowned secretly. If so, his plan would not work.
Just then, a shy voice came to his ear, “Excuse me, Senior Brother, what worms do you want to collect?”
Yang Kai looked up and saw a petite young girl standing in front of his stall. The girl was beautiful, with little freckles on the tip of her nose, and when their eyes met, the girl’s face slightly flushed.
Yang Kai had long waited for someone to patronize his stall, so he was greatly refreshed and disclosed, “The worms that live on the fruit trees. Do you have any?”
The young girl shook her head, “I don’t…”
[Then why did you ask!?] Yang Kai almost cursed her, but seeing her timid appearance, he could not bear being mean and forced out a smile, “Girl, you can leave.”
The young girl did not leave, however, but stood on the same spot for a while before she asked, “How much are you buying?”
Since he had nothing to do and it was rare for someone to ask, Yang Kai replied casually, “4 worms in exchange for 1 Open Heaven Pill here!” He had agreed with Dié You to exchange with a ratio of 2:1 in the Worker’s Room of Fire Spirit Land, but the price of other Spirit Lands would not be the same.
As soon as Yang Kai made his offer, before the young girl in front of his stall could speak, the elderly man who set up the stall next to him suddenly widened his eyes and turned to Yang Kai to ask, “Young man, what did you just say? 4 worms for 1 Open Heaven Pill?”
“One hand gives the worms, the other hand gets the pill, but I need them alive.”
The elderly man could not believe what he was hearing and only stared at Yang Kai suspiciously, for he had never seen anyone use precious Open Heaven Pills to exchange for useless worms in all the years he had been here.
“In that case, please wait a moment. A friend of mine has worms. I’ll ask her to come over.” While the freckled girl said before she took out a bell and shook it gently.
The elderly man to the side was not interested in doing his own business anymore and instead stared at the situation at Yang Kai’s stall with great interest, as if to determine whether things were really true to what Yang Kai offered, four worms for an Open Heaven Pill.
Soon, a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties squeezed through the crowd, and looked at the freckled girl, “Xiao Mo, is someone really collecting worms?”
The girl who was called Xiao Mo pointed at Yang Kai as she answered, “Elder Sister Xue Ping, it’s him. He wanted the worms. Ask him yourself.”
Yu Xue Ping frowned at Yang Kai before looking at the signboard next to him to make sure she did not get it wrongly. Then she asked, “How many are you buying and for how much?”
“4 worms for 1 Open Heaven Pill!” Yang Kai illustrated the numbers with his fingers.
Although she had learned about it from Xiao Mo’s message, Yu Xue Ping still could not believe it when she heard it with her own ears. She really did not know what was wrong with this guy in front of her. Who would use Open Heaven Pills to buy worms? Did he have too many Open Heaven Pills?
However, since he was doing this, he must have a reason.
After pondering for a while, she took out a Cyan Wood Box and handed it to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai took it over, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and nodded gently, “En, 11 worms. Are these Blue Water Silkworms?”
“Indeed!”
“The number is not enough, but I’ll consider it as 12 since you’re my first customer. 3 Open Heaven Pills!” As Yang Kai spoke, he moved the Blue Water Silkworms into his own Cyan Wood Box. When returning the box, he handed over 3 Open Heaven Pills. This was his first sale, so he did not mind being a little generous.
Yu Xue Ping and Xiao Mo were completely flabbergasted as they confirmed that this young man was doing exactly what was written on his signboard.
This was an unexpected fortune. Yu Xue Ping only caught some Blue Water Silkworms for fun because she was bored; after all, there was not much entertainment for a Worker. Who knew that these worms actually benefited her at the moment?
Suddenly, Yu Xue Ping sensed a business opportunity from this transaction and asked hurriedly, “Senior Brother, how many Blue Water Silkworms do you want to collect?”
“No limit. I’ll take as many as you have.” Yang Kai smiled lightly.
“Will you come again next month?”
“Indeed!”
“I see.” Yu Xue Ping nodded heavily, “Then when the shopping district opens next month, I’ll come here to find you!”
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai, for he finally understood what she was going to do and secretly scolded himself for being stupid. He could have just hired an agent to help him to get what he wanted instead of sitting here waiting for customers.
The Workers in the other Spirit Lands did not have the habit of catching and keeping worms at all. If they were not given some incentive, how could he get those worms? Since this woman in front of him was smart enough to come up with this idea, however, he could cooperate with her.
“Fine!” Yang Kai smiled and nodded.
“May I know Senior Brother’s name? This Junior Sister is Yu Xue Ping.”
Yang Kai introduced himself too.
Yu Xue Ping carried on, “So it is Senior Brother Yang. I believe Senior Brother Yang isn’t from Water Spirit Land, and since this is our first meeting, we don’t know each other very well. What if I can’t find Senior Brother when I come back next month?”
Yang Kai assured, “I will definitely be here.”
Yu Xue Ping shook her head, “Words cannot be trusted!”
Yang Kai looked at her with great interest, “What do you suggest then?”
“What if Senior Brother offered 30 Open Heaven Pills in advance as a deposit?” Yu Xue Ping persuaded, obviously having planned this beforehand, “Of course, I will also use something as collateral, so Senior Brother won’t need to worry that I won’t come back after taking the Spirit Pills.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Good, but I wonder what Junior Sister is willing to use as collateral?”
Yu Xue Ping stretched out her hand and summoned a gleaming long sword, which she handed to Yang Kai, saying, “I’ll use this as collateral.”
Yang Kai reached out to take it and flicked the blade with his fingers. A crisp and light tinkle resounded, which continued to hum for quite some time, “Good sword, I’ll take it!” He nodded approvingly, sliding it into his Space Ring.
Yang Kai had no idea of the value of this long sword, but it was definitely worth at least 30 Open Heaven Pills, so when the shopping district opened next month, he and Yu Xue Ping would undoubtedly meet and thus secure their transaction.
He took out 30 Open Heaven Pills and handed them to her, causing Yu Xue Ping’s beautiful eyes to light up, “Many thanks, Senior Brother! We’ll see you next month.” She then beckoned her companion, “Xiao Mo, let’s go.”
The two hurriedly left the shopping district and headed straight towards Water Spirit Land.
They did not avoid any audience during their conversation, so the surrounding stall owners managed to eavesdrop, and they were not fools. After Yu Xue Ping left, the elderly man on the left immediately jumped in, “Little Brother, that girl came from Water Spirit Land, and this Old Master is from Earth Spirit Land, The orchard in Earth Spirit Land has worms too, so I wonder if we can work together?”
“I’m from Metal Spirit Land!” The stall owner on the right, too, came over, the expression on his face became much more enthusiastic, “I also know a friend from Wood Spirit Land. Would you like me to call him over?”
…
After two hours, Yang Kai closed his stall and left. Although he did not collect many worms during his stay, only the first 11 were sold to him by Yu Xue Ping, a path had been opened up, and now he just had to wait for various meetings next month.
Yang Kai could foresee swarms of Open Heaven Pills rolling his way.
Returning to the village where the Worker’s Room was located, Yang Kai could already see a long queue in front of Dié You’s house from a distance. Knowing that the plan was going well, Yang Kai cackled happily.
A figure slithered up next to him at that moment and Yang Kai turned to see Old Fang rubbing his hands together with a flattering smile, “Little Brother, you’re back.”
“En!” Yang Kai responded casually, “Is something wrong?”
“Not at all!” Old Fang laughed aloud, “If Little Brother is free, why don’t you come to my place, the fine wine I have kept for many years can be unsealed today. Rather than enjoying it alone, it would be an honour for Little Brother to enjoy it together with this old man.”
Yang Kai crossed his arms and looked at him with a smirk, “Fine wine? I’m not interested, and I distinctly remember someone asking this Yang to just pretend that we had never met.”
Old Fang lifted his hand and slapped himself bitterly, “This Big Brother was foolish, so please don’t take it to heart. Little Brother, we’re all away from home, and it’s not easy to get acquainted in this vast world. Give this Big Brother some face, and let me make amends to you.”
Yang Kai was still hesitating, but Old Fang had already grabbed Yang Kai by the arm and pulled him towards his house, “Little Brother, you’re a generous man, don’t be calculative with me.”
Yang Kai growled in a low voice, “If you want to drink then drink, stop dragging me around, it’s highly improper.”
“Good, good, good, I won’t insist!” Old Fang nodded his head repeatedly, immediately humbling himself yet still insisting.
Yang Kai entered the house with Old Fang, who closed the door behind him and took out a wine urn. He also took out two plates of Spirit Fruit, and then sat down opposite Yang Kai.
The strong aroma of the wine filled the room immediately after opening the seal, and Old Fang politely filled Yang Kai’s cup first, then poured one for himself before raising his glass and making a toast, “It’s really this Fang’s blessing to be able to meet Little Brother Yang in this Fire Spirit Land. This cup is Big Brother’s respect for you.”
He raised his head and downed the cup.
Yang Kai glanced at him and downed his cup too. A look of surprise involuntarily surfaced on his face. The wine was truly good; it was mellow and thick to the taste, and a warm, fuzzy feeling crept up from his abdomen, which made him feel warm and light all over.
Old Fang refilled Yang Kai’s cup and continued with a smile, “This Old Master has been saving this urn of wine for 800 years. Back then, I collected the most precious materials from my Universe World, which cost a huge amount of money and time, and only brewed three urns in total. One urn was drunk right before this Old Master set off to the Outer Universe, the other was given to Manager Zhou, and this is the very last urn in the world.”
“Good wine!” Yang Kai praised.
“If it’s good, drink more.” Old Fang’s face was radiant, “and this Spirit Fruit too was brought from this Old Master’s homeland, I’ve always treasured it and was never willing to eat it. Although the Outer Universe is wonderful, it is absolutely impossible to find these.”
Yang Kai nodded, picked up a bunch of grape-like berries and ate them.
As he ate and drank, Old Fang rambled on and on, reminiscing about how powerful he was in the past, and about how desolate his current situation was. Tears suddenly filled his eyes and he was unable to speak for a while…
Yang Kai finally couldn’t stand it anymore and snorted, “Just get to the point. Don’t talk nonsense and irritate others.”
Old Fang wiped the corners of his eyes, “This Big Brother doesn’t really have anything to say, I’m just wondering if Little Brother is willing to help Big Brother if he can.”
“How can I help you?” Yang Kai looked at him with a smile, “You know, I’ve only been here for two months while you’ve been here for hundreds of years. If anyone needs help, it should be me.”
Old Fang waved his hands frantically, “One’s achievements are not dependent on age. I haven’t made a name for myself here even after hundreds of years. It’s you, Little Brother, who has made an Earth-shattering move.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Yang Kai threw a Spirit Fruit into his mouth and munched happily.
The corners of Old Fang’s brow twitched. Gritting his teeth, he decided to stop beating around the bush as he knew if he continued to do so, he would always be the passive one, so he went straight to the point, “Sister Dié You is currently exchanging 2 Jade Fire Silkworms for one Open Heaven Pill.”
“Really?” Yang Kai blinked, “Then you better hurry up and sell to her, it’s a good deal.”
Old Fang lowered his voice, “I saw her enter your house earlier, and she took a long time to come out.”
“This Young Master is both handsome and talented, and it is not surprising that women come flocking.”
Old Fang growled through his teeth, “You said before that Great General gave you a lot of Open Heaven Pills!”
“I’m lucky that Great General favours me.”
Old Fang was about to cry, “Little Brother, when you first entered the orchard, this Big Brother was the one who taught you how to take care of the fruit trees, and let you practice in my own orchard, and when you didn’t have a Cyan Wood Box and Well-Refined Incense, I was the one who lent you them for free…”
“Didn’t I give you an Open Heaven Pill when I was rewarded by the Great General?” Yang Kai looked sideways at him.
Old Fang opened his mouth but was unable to give a reply.
After a long time, he sighed, “Forget it, it’s this Old Master who has no luck, and I’m afraid there is no hope left for me in this life.” In an instant, he seemed to become much older.
Yang Kai patted him on the shoulder with a smile, “Anyway, many thanks for your teachings in that one month. You are a bit stingy, but overall you’re not too bad.”
Old Fang looked at him in amazement.
“Go help Xiao Dié later, I think she’s getting a little too busy over there.”
Old Fang’s face lit up, and he grabbed Yang Kai’s hand with a look of extreme gratitude, “Many thanks, Little Brother, this Big Brother will never forget this! If there’s anything you need in the future, you can come to me anytime! This Big Brother will not ask for too much, and when Little Brother has made his fortune, you just need to give me a touch of it. I’ll go first, enjoy the wine!”
After saying so, he ran out the door with astonishing agility.
Yang Kai wiped his hands on his clothes with a disgusted face and continued drinking and eating until he finished the urn of wine and the Spirit Fruits before heading home.
Night fell, but Yang Kai’s house was brightly lit by a golden radiance. The Ruler of the Dawn Great General was present with his head raised high, looking straight ahead proudly.
Yang Kai stood in front of him, feeding him one Jade Fire Silkworm after another, while Old Fang and Dié You held their breath as they watched closely from the side.
Every time about 10 worms were fed, Yang Kai would stretch out his hand, into which the Great General would spit out a ball of golden light from his mouth…
After repeating the cycle countless times, Yang Kai finally finished feeding the worms. Great General burped heartily and walked out of the house slowly.
It was only then that Yang Kai realized that this stupid chicken had an unexpectedly huge appetite. It was a false impression that he could be full from just ten worms from the orchard before.
Great General’s stomach seemed to be a bottomless pit, and he could probably gobble down as many worms presented to it.
After closing the door shut and reactivating the barrier, Old Fang gulped and could not help asking, “How… how many?”
He had never seen so many Open Heaven Pills in his life. Today would be an eye-opener. He would never have believed that the Ruler of the Dawn Great General could be so generous if he had not seen it with his own eyes.
He fed Great General a few worms just now and did not even get a single Open Heaven Pill.
Dié You’s situation was better as she got 1 Open Heaven Pill for 5 worms, which was about average.
Only Yang Kai had a ratio of 1:1 for worms fed to Open Heaven Pills!
Under their scorching gazes, Yang Kai swept his Divine Sense over the Space Ring in his hand to check, then looked up and grinned, “More than 1,400 pieces!”
At the same time, Yang Kai could not help pondering, [How many Open Heaven Pills does that stupid chicken have?]
Great General casually gave him more than 1,400 pills, so he clearly had many more! But the pills were all given by the Venerable, and unless Great General was willing to share, no one would dare snatch them from him.
Despite expecting such a number already, Dié You’s hand could not help flying to her red lips as her beautiful eyes flashed fiercely. Old Fang, completely flushed with excitement, looked at Yang Kai and exclaimed, “Little Brother, you’re rich, you’re rich!”
He and Dié You had been living in the Worker’s Room for a long, long time, and had seen many Workers come and go, but none of them were like Yang Kai, who had gotten so many Open Heaven Pills in just two months. They would not be able to acquire so many even if they saved up for hundreds of years.
This was nothing short of a miracle, but it all came down to Great General’s peculiar bias towards Yang Kai. No Worker had ever been treated so favourably by him before.
The three people in the room were dazzled by a table full of Open Heaven Pills. When the business was finished, the next step was naturally to share the profits. This was an exciting moment.
Yang Kai looked left and right. With a swipe, he divided the Spirit Pills on the table into two and pushed one half to Dié You, “Xiao Die, this is your capital.”
Dié You smiled and stored them. The Spirit Pills that she spent on purchasing Fire Spirit Silkworm today was all her own asset. Without her, the plan would not work because Yang Kai did not have Open Heaven Pills, so it was fine for her to take back her initial investment.
Yang Kai swiped again, divided the remaining half into two, and then pushed half of them to Dié You, “This is yours.”
Dié You looked at him with beautiful eyes.
“What we have agreed is sharing the profit equally,” Yang Kai explained.
Then he separated out 50 pills from his half and pushed them to Old Fang, “Old Fang, these are yours. Don’t feel bitter about it. Xiao Dié came up with the plan and funded it, so she deserves more.”
Old Fang’s face flushed with excitement, “It’s enough, enough. I only ran some errands with Sister Dié You.” It was true that it was quite a lot to him. The Worker’s salary was only three Spirit Pills a year, and would only get more pills as occasional rewards from Great General or when he made some contribution in the orchard. But in general, the number of Spirit Pills a Worker could earn in a year was about 10 to 20 pieces, with the unlucky ones getting only 5 or 6. It was difficult for the Workers to achieve more than that.
However, Old Fang easily obtained 50 Open Heaven Pills just from assisting Dié You, which was equal to the income of several years of hard work. How could Old Fang not be satisfied? How would he dare to say so?
He had this opportunity all thanks to Yang Kai, so Old Fang was sincerely satisfied with his share. Excited, he wanted to put away the Spirit Pills, but when he saw that Dié You did not do it, he was afraid that he would be too rude if he acted too hastily, so he calmed down and waited.
Dié You smiled and divided the half share in front of her into two shares again, pushing the bigger share back to Yang Kai.
Both Yang Kai and Old Fang looked at her dumbfounded.
Dié You explained, “Since Little Brother is so kind, how can this Elder Sister take advantage of you? This time I’ve paid the capital, so I’ll take a bit more, but you keep the rest. You’re new here, and it’s exactly now that you need Open Heaven Pills.”
Yang Kai looked at the part that she separated, and estimated that there were about 100 pills before saying, “We agreed to share the profits equally. This Yang would be breaking his word if he received this.”
Dié You pursed her lips, “I know you’re a man of your word and Elder Sister is proud of you, but we should share the profit according to our own contributions. If you insist on giving it to me, I won’t feel comfortable receiving it… Moreover, since the path has been opened, this will not be the only time we will do business together. This Elder Sister is not afraid of not earning enough Open Heaven Pills with you in the future. I believe as long as I follow you, I will earn more Open Heaven Pills. Take this as my long-term investment!”
Noticing her sincerity, Yang Kai knew that she would not accept it even if he insisted, so he nodded, “Good, let’s cooperate and make a fortune together in the future.”
To the side, Old Fang became anxious. He made the least contributions and took the smallest share, but comparatively, the 50 Open Heaven Pills he got were actually more than he deserved. After struggling for a long time, he took out five Open Heaven Pills and pushed them back, “I’ll take less too. I hope that Little Brother will not forget me when there are more good opportunities in the future.”
Yang Kai looked at him and could not hold his laughter, “Forget it. Just keep it.”
Old Fang did not object and put the 50 Open Heaven Pills into his Space Ring with lightning speed, his face was full of satisfaction.
Yang Kai and Dié You, too, put away their Open Heaven Pills. The three people in the room exchanged looks, and could not help laughing together.
Who would not be happy about making a fortune?
“There’s something else I should tell you two. The business has already expanded to the other Spirit Lands. When the shopping district opens next month, we can go and collect a number of worms. By then, the profit will not be just like this, but seven times this!”
“Have you made an agreement with others?” Dié You questioned curiously.
Yang Kai disclosed his meeting with Yu Xue Ping and explained how he had found an agent in each Spirit Land and asked them to collect the worms at a price ratio of 1:4!
Dié You sighed after hearing this, “That Yu Xue Ping is a smart one. She saw the key of the matter at once.”
Yang Kai played with an Open Heaven Pill in his hand as he grinned, “It’s good for us. We can’t buy worms in other places without their help anyway.”
“That’s good… En, I have a proposal!”
“Enlighten me!” Yang Kai looked at her.
“Old Fang and I will follow up on this matter, and contribute in both effort and money. You don’t have to worry about anything, your only responsibility is to feed Great General and ask for rewards. After that, Old Fang and I will get ten percent each of the rewards, while the rest belongs to you.”
Old Fang chuckled, “I’m fine with just five percent.”
Dié You looked at him with a smile, “Old Fang, do you know how much ten percent is? Are you sure you won’t regret giving it out so generously?”
“How many is it?” Old Fang questioned.
Dié You beamed, “Our income this time, which is based only on our Fire Spirit Land worms, was almost 700 Open Heaven Pills. Ten percent of that is 70 pieces, and this is the number earned by acquiring worms in the price ratio of 1:2. The price ratio of the worms of the other six Spirit Lands is higher, so we will earn more from there. I believe that the ten percent will be worth six to seven hundred Open Heaven Pills…”
*Gudong…* Old Fang gulped and looked eagerly at Yang Kai, “Little Brother, I’m afraid I’ve been drinking too much just now and was not clear-minded when I said those things. Don’t take it to heart.”
Yang Kai guffawed, “How can I treat both of you badly after all your help? Ten percent it is!”
Old Fang was extremely grateful, but could not help calculating silently. If he and Dié You each took ten percent, which was six to seven hundred Open Heaven Pills each, there would be five to six thousand remaining. He could not help but be taken aback. This number was terrifying! He had never saved so many Open Heaven Pills even after living here for hundreds of years, but Yang Kai could earn such a huge income in a month!
With a solemn look, he continued, “Little Brother, this matter must not be known to others; otherwise, we won’t remain safe. This Big Brother swears that if I, Fang Bi Qi, leak this matter, I will be struck by lightning and my Soul will be shattered to pieces.”
Dié You shook her head slowly, “The things in Fire Spirit Land can’t be concealed for long, but the purchase of worms from other Spirit Land should be kept strictly confidential. When I meet those agents later, it should not be difficult for me to keep their mouths shut; after all, they stand to benefit as well, and no one would sabotage their own business.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Then I’ll leave that to you.”
“One more thing.” Dié You looked at Yang Kai, “You have to improve your relationship with Manager Zhou. If this matter in Fire Spirit Land is leaked, he will undoubtedly become jealous. If you don’t establish a good relationship with him, we will certainly be targeted in the future.”
Yang Kai became a little annoyed, but after giving it some thought, he realized she was right and immediately nodded, “I’ll find a chance to cosy up to him.” It would be best if he could take this opportunity to pull himself out of the problematic plot as well.
Thinking about it, if this business worked, the income from Fire Spirit Land would only represent a small portion, and it did not matter much even if it was exposed. At most, he just had to share some benefits with Zhou Zheng, which was not a big deal.
After chatting for a while, they were dismissed. Given that they had finished discussing everything, they had to wait to carry out the plan only when the shopping district opened next month.
However, the acquisition of Jade Fire Silkworm in Fire Spirit Land could be carried out in advance. Dié You and Old Fang were in charge of it, so Yang Kai did not need to worry about it.
Sitting cross-legged in his room, Yang Kai casually tossed an Open Heaven Pill into his mouth. He had not eaten one before because he could not bear to consume the few he had, but now, he naturally wanted to have a taste.
In the end, Yang Kai found it was nothing special. Zhang Ruo Xi mentioned that Open Heaven Pills had two functions. One was to improve the Order of an Open Heaven Realm Master, though with a limit of two additional Orders. The other was to help the cultivators to purify and condense their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. Therefore, the Open Heaven Pill was the hard currency throughout the entire Outer Universe. Basically, the improvement and growth of each cultivator’s strength were related to this Spirit Pill.
However, the medicinal efficacy of a single Spirit Pill was limited. Only the Open Heaven Pills spontaneously generated from Universe Furnace could help one reach the pinnacle.
Yang Kai was not an Open Heaven Realm Master, and the Wood Element he condensed was the essence of the Immortal Tree, so other than making him feel warm in his stomach, the Open Heaven Pill had no other effect on him. As such, he learnt that it would be a waste if he ate more, so he did not care about it anymore.
Three days passed by in a flash.
Early in the morning, the golden rooster announced the coming of dawn. The Workers of the Worker’s Room came out in herds, turned into streams of light and rushed towards the orchard.
In front of everyone’s eyes, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General’s body shone with golden light and shrank to the size of a small rooster. With a thump, he sat on Yang Kai’s head, his buttock wiggling to part away Yang Kai’s hair so he could find the most comfortable position.
Yang Kai’s face twitched, but thinking of the huge benefits this stupid chicken brought to him, he endured the shame.
When he arrived at his plot in the orchard, he took care of the fruit trees as usual. He fertilized, watered, nourished, caught worms, and surged his Wood Element to energize the fruit trees.
Nevertheless, he did not need to go around snatching worms with Great General like last month, for that would gain too much hatred from the others. Moreover, the final income would undoubtedly be worse doing things his way than Xiao Dié’s.
In his spare time, Yang Kai drank wine and played chess with Old Fang, living a carefree life. From time to time, someone would come to Old Fang to sell him Jade Fire Silkworms.
According to Old Fang, he and Dié You had spread the word to everyone. As long as the Workers in Fire Spirit Land caught 2 worms, they could exchange them for an Open Heaven Pill; therefore, people came to Old Fang’s plot every so often. He had no idea about the situation in Dié You’s plot, but it should be similar to here. When their rest time arrived, Yang Kai could feed the Jade Fire Silkworms that were collected to Great General all in one go.
The taste of making a fortune effortlessly was intoxicating. Yang Kai treated Great General like the God of Fortune, while Old Fang treated Yang Kai as the God of Fortune, complimenting and buttering up to Yang Kai every day, taking out any treasured food and drinks from his Space Ring without hesitation to share without reserve.
In the blink of an eye, another month flew by.
On their first day off, the group of three went straight to the shopping district.
They arrived at the previous stall, where two women were already waiting. It was Yu Xue Ping and the girl named Xiao Mo. Seeing that Yang Kai had fulfilled his promise, Yu Xue Ping’s beautiful eyes lit up.
Yang Kai beckoned at her, but instead of stepping forward, he turned around and left, leaving Old Fang and Dié You behind.
Yu Xue Ping and Xiao Mo looked at each other and quickly followed.
Following him all the way to a remote place, Yang Kai stopped and smiled at the two of them.
“Senior Brother!” Yu Xue Ping greeted.
Yang Kai nodded, sweeping their surroundings with his Divine Sense to make sure they were alone before lowering his voice, “What are the results, Junior Sister?”
“Senior Brother can see for himself.” Saying this, Yu Xue Ping handed over 3 Cyan Wood Boxes.
Yang Kai received the boxes and scanned them with his Divine Sense, then reported the exact number, “1138 Blue Water Silkworms, which comes to a total worth of 285 Open Heaven Pills. Discounting the previous 30 pills deposit, here are 255 Spirit Pills. Junior Sister can confirm it herself.”
“There’s no need to count, I trust Senior Brother.” Yu Xue Ping suppressed her excitement. She took the Spirit Pills handed over by Yang Kai and looked at Xiao Mo, who was equally excited.
To be honest, she was only able to breathe easy after this transaction was completed. Although Yang Kai had paid a deposit before, he was also holding on to her collateral, and in order to acquire these Blue Water Silkworms, she had invested a lot of Spirit Pills. If Yang Kai did not show up today, she would be at a big loss.
Now that the Spirit Pills were in her hands, there was nothing to worry about. Even counting her previous investment, she had made a solid profit.
Yang Kai returned the longsword given to him as collateral, and Yu Xue Ping asked, “Is Senior Brother still interested in more of these Blue Water Silkworms?”
“Indeed. You can come here every month in the future, and as I said before, I will take as many as you have!”
“Good, then I’ll continue collecting more from Water Spirit Land for Senior Brother.”
Xiao Mo asked curiously, “Senior Brother, what are you doing with these Blue Water Silkworms?”
As soon as she asked, Yu Xue Ping elbowed her and immediately apologized, “Xiao Mo is a naïve girl, don’t blame her, Senior Brother.” She also knew that Yang Kai would definitely not collect these seemingly useless worms for no reason. What was useless to them might not be useless to others. Yang Kai’s covert actions in bringing them to such a remote place to trade obviously meant that he did not want anyone to know about his activities. Xiao Mo’s question was too direct.
“It’s not an issue.” Yang Kai chuckled.
Yu Xue Ping was obviously in a good mood after completing their very first transaction, so they chatted for a while and also agreed on the time for their next transaction before they suddenly heard someone approaching. She turned around to look, only to see that the newcomers were the companions who arrived together with Yang Kai. She smartly excused herself, “We have a deal, Senior Brother. I will come to you again next month.”
“Good, I’ll wait for you right here.” Yang Kai nodded.
Yu Xue Ping and Xiao Mo left right before Old Fang arrived, together with the old man from Earth Spirit Land. The old man watched Yu Xue Ping leave, knowing that the deal negotiated last month had been reached. With much anticipation, he greeted Yang Kai enthusiastically.
The price had long been negotiated, so there was nothing much to say and the transaction was completed smoothly. However, the number of worms brought by the old man from Earth Spirit Land was not as many, only slightly more than 300.
He was probably doubtful about Yang Kai’s trustworthiness and dared not collect too many worms; because it was impossible to have collected only so few from the entire Spirit Land after a whole month. In this regard, he was not as bold as Yu Xue Ping.
When the deal with Earth Spirit Land was over, Dié You led another dealer over.
Within two hours, Yang Kai ushered in and received six groups of people, but except for Yu Xue Ping, the five from the other Spirit Lands brought only at most 600 worms. Most only had 300 – 400, just like the old man from Earth Spirit Land.
It was understandable as they were all not familiar with each other, and it was their first time working together. It was only correct to be cautious; after all, not everyone had the boldness of Yu Xue Ping.
The number of worms from all six Spirit Lands added up to a very impressive total.
After completing their deals, there was no reason to remain in the shopping district, so the trio immediately headed home, summoned the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, and hid in Yang Kai’s house to share the spoils!
The earnings for this month were in excess of 3,000 Open Heaven Pills. According to the previous agreement, Old Fang and Dié You each took ten percent, and the remaining 2,000 or so Spirit Pills entered Yang Kai’s pocket.
Old Fang cheered for their incredible profits. If they made more than 2,000 a month, they would earn at least 30,000 in a year, which was enough to buy two Third-Order materials.
As long as they had enough materials, there was no need to worry that one would not be able to advance to the Open Heaven Realm in the future! Once they were promoted to the Open Heaven Realm, they could immediately rid themselves of their Worker status and truly become a part of Seven Wonders Land.
In a good mood, Old Fang took Yang Kai and Dié You to the shopping district for a drink.
There was nothing else to do, and since Old Fang warmly invited him, there was no reason for Yang Kai to refuse, though Dié You did not join them due to having other commitments. Without Dié You, Yang Kai and Old Fang flew to the shopping district together.
There was a restaurant in the shopping district, which was also operated by Seven Wonders Land, but the servers inside were all Workers, and they were only open for three days a month. The expensive food and drinks served in the restaurant could barely be afforded by ordinary Workers, but since it was the one and only upscale restaurant in the entire shopping district, which was the shopping hub of Workers from all seven Spirit Lands, despite its prices, it was bustling with people every day, and the business of the restaurant was actually not as sluggish as one would imagine.
Following Old Fang into the restaurant, a Worker dressed as a shopboy immediately greeted them warmly.
Yang Kai looked around and found four out of eight tables on the main floor were occupied.
Old Fang was clearly a repeat customer because he fondly waved his hand and declared, “Give us a private room!”
There were not many people who could afford to eat and drink in this restaurant, and the rooms on the second floor were certainly not full, so the shopboy nodded and smiled, “Two Senior Brothers, this way please!”
They followed the shopboy up to the second floor and entered the room, where they took their seats.
Old Fang quickly ordered a series of dishes, and then waved his hands, “And ten urns of good wine.”
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him and chuckled, “Can we finish it?”
“We can take it away if we can’t finish.” Old Fang instructed the shopboy again, “Pack another ten urns to take away. That’s all for now, I’ll summon you if it’s not enough.”
The shopboy responded quickly, turned around, and went to work.
Yang Kai looked around and grinned, “Do you come here often?”
Old Fang forced a smile, “How could that be? At most, I will just buy a few urns to take back and enjoy slowly. I have been in Seven Wonders Land for hundreds of years, but I have come here no more than ten times. I am only willing to come here today all because of Little Brother.”
After a while, he followed up, “The food here is a bit more expensive, but it’s quite tasty and many of them are dishes we can’t get where we came from. Little Brother should eat more later.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Since Old Fang is treating me, I won’t refuse.”
Old Fang laughed, “It’s what I should do.”
In no time, the wine and food were served.
Old Fang took the initiative to pour the wine, warmly served the dishes, and sincerely treated Yang Kai as a God of Fortune. He chatted animatedly as they ate and drank; after all, Old Fang arrived here hundreds of years earlier and knew more about Seven Wonders Land than Yang Kai. Although he was just as clueless as to what was going on outside of Seven Wonders Land, he knew as much about Fire Spirit Land as anyone else, if not more.
Yang Kai listened eagerly.
According to what he disclosed, Zhou Zheng, Manager Zhou, was also a Worker in Fire Spirit Land before, but he was fortunate and was appreciated by his superiors at the time. He also made a few contributions in the orchard and saved enough Open Heaven Pills to buy all the needed materials to reach the Open Heaven Realm, allowing him to be promoted to Manager of Fire Spirit Land.
Yang Kai was surprised and the cup of wine he was holding stopped right in front of his mouth, “Manager Zhou is an Open Heaven Realm Master?”
He had no clue and always thought that Manager Zhou was simply working on breaking through just like him, having probably gathered several more Elements than him.
“His Open Heaven Realm is nothing!” Old Fang sneered, probably too excited and having consumed too much alcohol, seemingly a little tipsy, “He’s just a First-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. This Old Master could have broken through a long time ago if he wanted to.”
Yang Kai silently made some calculations. The value of a First-Order material was 150 Open Heaven Pills, so one would need at least 1,000 Spirit Pills to condense all seven Elements. Since Old Fang had been here for hundreds of years, he was not bragging when he stated that he had saved enough.
Emptying his cup, Old Fang sneered again, “First-Order Open Heaven Realm Master is the most unpromising Open Heaven Order. Doing this is akin to cutting off his own future. No matter how many Open Heaven Pills he takes in the future, he at most will only reach the Third Order. This Old Master is more ambitious than that and wants to promote straight to the Third Order.”
He had the same goal as Dié You, whose plan was also to achieve Third-Order Open Heaven Realm. In that case, there would be hope for them to promote to Fourth-Order or even Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, entering the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realms, a completely different class from the Low-Rank Open Heaven Realms.
Yang Kai nodded, “Even so, a First-Order Open Heaven is also an Open Heaven.” He was actually a little curious as to how much strength a First-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could display, but unfortunately, he could not compete with Zhou Zheng, so there was no way to verify it carefully.
Old Fang continued, “You don’t know, Little Brother, although that guy is also an Open Heaven Realm Master, he is only able to show his prestige in front of us Workers. The true Seven Wonders Land disciples, or anyone who condensed Third-Order materials, won’t even spare him a glance.”
Yang Kai suddenly recalled Du Ru Feng, the disciple he met when he first came to Seven Wonders Land. That guy was definitely a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, but Zhou Zheng’s status was definitely not comparable to his; even the woman surnamed Yao who brought them to Fire Spirit Land was also not an Open Heaven Realm Master, but Zhou Zheng was very respectful to her. It could be seen that in the Outer Universe, reaching the Open Heaven Realm did not mean that one achieved a high status. It was better not to break through if it meant a bright future would be cut off.
It was easy to say such things, but everyone had their own difficulties. Furthermore, higher-Order materials were not so easy to come by, so there were always some people who had no choice but to just break through to the Low-Rank Open Heaven Realms.
While the two were talking, the door was kicked open with a loud bang.
Like the cat whose tail was stepped on, Old Fang immediately slammed the table, stood up and shouted angrily, “Who!?”
He turned to look, but he did not recognize the person, though the person did look familiar. Nevertheless, Yang Kai recognized the person at once and was surprised, “Brother Shi?”
The visitor was one of several newcomers who came along with him. Shi Hao Cang, the Male Monster, had appeared and kicked the door impolitely for no apparent reason.
After hearing Yang Kai, Old Fang vaguely recognized him from the Worker’s Room in Fire Spirit Land and asked, “Do you know him?”
Yang Kai nodded, secretly thinking that he did not just know him, but also formed an alliance with him and several other newcomers to watch out for each other.
Since he was a person Yang Kai knew, it was inappropriate for Old Fang to show bad manners to him, so he relaxed a little and proceeded, “Since you’re Brother Yang’s friend, why don’t you sit down and have a drink together?”
Shi Hao Cang glanced at Yang Kai with a light frown, then fixed his eyes on Old Fang again and shook his head slowly, “I don’t dare to.” Then, he turned aside and invited, “Manager Zhou wants to see you two.”
“Manager… Manager Zhou?” The shiver running up his spine, sent Old Fang half-sober, “Which… Which Manager Zhou?”
Shi Hao Cang sneered, “How many Manager Zhous do you know?”
“Where is Manager Zhou?” Old Fang gulped hard.
Shi Hao Cang just stared at him quietly. Cold sweat started to bead on Old Fang’s forehead, and a sudden feeling of imminent disaster struck him.
At this time, he realized. He must have been too excited earlier from the wine, and lost control of his mouth, speaking so loudly that the people sitting next door had heard him. Perhaps, Manager Zhou was the one who was sitting next door.
He turned to Yang Kai for help, but Yang Kai was also smiling wryly. After pondering for a while, he got up, “Let’s go.”
What would happen would happen. Since he mentioned that the two of them were invited, Yang Kai must have been included.
Shi Hao Cang led the way, followed by Yang Kai and Old Fang. Old Fang’s legs were shaking. Although he belittled Zhou Zheng as a waste in his previous conversation with Yang Kai, he was still an Open Heaven Realm Master. Moreover, Zhou Zheng was an orchard Manager. Old Fang was unable to stand against him in any way. If Zhou Zheng was about to make him suffer, he could only bear it.
He could not wait to slap himself. How could he speak so casually just because of some wine?
Manager Zhou was indeed next door, and he was not alone.
As Shi Hao Cang entered the room next door, Yang Kai raised his eyes to see a table full of exquisite dishes, with five people seated around it.
Manager Zhou was in the main seat while on his left was Fang Tai of Black River World, and on his right hand was the woman Su Nian Yi. The young boy, Qian Yu and Ah Sun were also present. All the newcomers who had just come to Fire Spirit Land recently were there.
Yang Kai immediately revealed a surprised expression. It was obvious that Fang Tai and the group of people were hosting this banquet to treat Manager Zhou, but what surprised him more was that he did not know anything about it. No one informed him. Although he came to the shopping district as soon as he came back from the orchard, everyone left contact information with each other after they formed an alliance the last time. As such, it would have been simple for them if they wanted to find or contact each other.
Since he did not receive a message, it could only mean that they did not intend to inform him.
Sifting through the information in his head, Yang Kai quickly understood. He beamed from ear to ear, unaffected by the situation and went forward with Old Fang, cupping his fists, “Greetings, Manager Zhou.”
Zhou Zheng’s face was as cold as ice. He sat in the main seat steadily and did not even look at them, simply picking up a cup of wine and taking a sip.
Since he was silent, Yang Kai and Old Fang had no choice but to be silent as well. The atmosphere of the whole room was heavy to the extreme. The several newcomers also dared not to look at them, except for Ah Sun, who kept signalling Yang Kai with her eyes, but he did not understand what she meant.
After a long time, Fang Tai laughed softly, picked up the wine urn and poured Zhou Zheng another round, “Manager Zhou, don’t be angry. Why should you care about the words of these idiots?”
“Heh, heh…” Manager Zhou sneered softly and picked up the wine cup in front of him. Suddenly, he stretched out his hand and splashed the wine directly on Old Fang’s face.
Although it was just wine, his Open Heaven Realm strength was condensed into the liquid, and the impact was just as strong as a beating with a stick. When Old Fang was splashed, his head was thrown back and he stumbled a few steps back to stabilize himself. When he stood up again, his nose and mouth were full of blood.
Zhou Zheng got up, walked to Old Fang, looked at him and asked in a cold voice, “How is the Open Heaven Realm of this Manager? Is it good enough for you?”
Old Fang could not care to wipe the blood off his face, but just lowered his head. Like a quail without a nest in the cold winter, he trembled and kept muttering apologies.
Zhou Zheng snorted coldly, swung his big sleeve and slapped Old Fang’s face, then turned around and left.
Fang Tai was so anxious that he chased after Zhou Zheng while shouting, leaving the rest in the room looking at each other.
“Are you okay?” Yang Kai looked at Old Fang with concern. To be honest, he felt a little responsible for this. If he did not drink with Old Fang and start a sensitive conversation, they would not have fallen into such a disaster. However, no one would have thought that the one who Old Fang talked about would coincidentally be sitting next door, and all those words had tragically reached his ears.
[The soundproofing of these rooms is terrible… ] Yang Kai cursed secretly in his heart, but he knew this was due to their carelessness. They drank too much and did not notice someone was sitting next door.
Old Fang was obviously wholly sober now, and when he heard Yang Kai, he looked up at him bitterly and cried, “Little Brother, save me!”
Yang Kai was speechless and comforted, “Don’t panic, don’t panic. It’s not a big deal.” He looked away. Although it was rude, Old Fang’s bruised and swollen face was actually really funny so he had to try hard not to laugh.
“You two… I’m speechless.” Su Nian Yi looked at them with a frown, “Don’t you know that walls have ears? Today, even if we were not sitting here, there would be others sitting here and reporting to Manager Zhou about what you said. Can you bear the consequences?”
Yang Kai replied with a wry smile, “It’s too late to say this now.” He turned around and looked at them, “Why are all of you here?”
Before Su Nian Yi could answer, Fang Tai came back from the door with a dark face, “Of course to hold a banquet for Manager Zhou. Do you even need to ask?”
Ah Sun explained, “Yang Kai, you have no idea. Senior Brother Fang has made another contribution, so today he specially held a banquet to thank Manager Zhou.”
“Another contribution?” Yang Kai turned to look at Fang Tai, wondering, [Isn’t this guy too damn lucky? Didn’t he just make a contribution last month and get rewarded 30 Open Heaven Pills? Now this month he made another contribution? Is making a contribution a routine to him? Since he dares to treat Manager Zhou at this place, it seems he obtained quite some reward.]
Yang Kai suspected there was something off about Fang Tai’s contribution and wondered if it was even real, or if it was the result of building a good relationship with Zhou Zheng. He did not see any signs of him making a contribution, and he had no idea what he did to achieve it.
Fang Tai ignored him and was obviously upset. It made sense because he purposely invited Zhou Zheng today. By the looks of the wine and dishes on the table, it seemed that they had not been on the table too long and no one had started to eat yet. In other words, they probably just sat down and Zhou Zheng had already stormed out before the banquet began. How could the one paying be happy about this?
Sitting down again, Fang Tai, whose face was as dark as coal, ate the food and drank the wine without saying a word.
Old Fang grabbed Yang Kai’s arm with a pleading expression, as if he was grasping at straws.
Yang Kai had no way to save him though, but seeing that he could not calm Old Fang down, he simply pulled him to sit down. Although Zhou Zheng only vented his anger on Old Fang today, Yang Kai guessed that he was also marked by him too.
This was truly bad luck. Before this, he considered sending some gifts to Zhou Zheng after making money this time; after all, Yang Kai was working under Zhou Zheng currently. Even if he did not benefit from it, it would not be bad for him. But now, everything was ruined, for he had offended Zhou Zheng before he could carry out his plan. Including the previous incident, Yang Kai was afraid that he had thoroughly offended Zhou Zheng now.
“How are you two still in the mood to sit here!?” Fang Tai glared at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai asked, “What should I do then?”
Seeing Yang Kai fail to understand his place, Fang Tai felt resentful and snorted, “Tell me, there are so many people outside, why must you make friends with him? This old guy got you into trouble now. Let’s see how you will get a foothold in Fire Spirit Land in the future!”
Yang Kai was extremely stunned by Fang Tai’s manner, like an Elder scolding his Junior.
“And…” Fang Tai looked at Yang Kai with a cold face, “What’s the matter with you and the Ruler of the Dawn Great General?”
“What?”
“How did you offend him? It’s been rumoured that you offended the Ruler of the Dawn Great General. Isn’t he using your head as a chicken coop now? Don’t deny this. This Fang saw it with his own eyes before so it can’t be fake. Do you know who the Ruler of the Dawn Great General is? He’s the pet kept by our Fire Spirit Land Venerable Protector. To be honest, if you only offended Manager Zhou, you may still be able to live in Fire Spirit Land, but after offending the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, how could you have a good future? This Fang wouldn’t be surprised to see your dead body one day soon.”
Yang Kai was speechless.
Many people had seen the stupid chicken using his head as a chicken coop, so it was not surprising to have such rumours had started outside. Yang Kai did not bother to argue with them though and even thought that it was good for them to misunderstand. In this way, his secret would not be revealed so soon.
However…
Yang Kai frowned and was slightly displeased as he snapped, “Isn’t Brother Fang being too nosy?”
Fang Tai sneered coldly, “Do you think this Fang wants to be worried about you? This Fang just doesn’t want you to draw trouble to us. We are in the same batch of newcomers who came with Venerable. How you act has more or less some influence on us!”
“Isn’t Brother Fang overthinking things?”
“I hope so too, but if you’re still so stubborn, I don’t think we need to continue associating after today. From now on, we should go our separate ways.”
“Little Brother, this Big Brother has troubled you. Forgive me.” Old Fang apologized repeatedly as they made their way out of the shopping district.
Previously in the restaurant, Yang Kai and Fang Tai had parted ways bleakly due to their discord. Although he was greatly distressed at the time, Old Fang was still aware of the situation.
Yang Kai smiled, “You think too much, that guy made it clear that he wants to cut ties with me. Even if this didn’t happen today, he would have found another way to do it in the future.”
However, there was not much of a relationship between him and Fang Tai. All they had was a pot of tea together in the shopping district last month and verbally agreed to an alliance.
Yang Kai never placed much importance in such an unreliable alliance anyway.
Fang Tai took the opportunity to use this as an excuse to cut ties with him out of fear that he might be dragged into Yang Kai’s troubles. To begin with, everyone was not very close, and no one would be involved even if something happened to him; however, due to the alliance they formed, it would be unreasonable for Fang Tai to stay uninvolved if something happened to Yang Kai.
Well now, since they have parted ways, Yang Kai’s life and death had nothing to do with him.
“Were you close? Why does he want to cut ties with you?” Old Fang was puzzled.
Yang Kai shook his head, “We’re not.” He was too lazy to mention the alliance, and turned to Old Fang, “Let’s talk about you. How do you plan to solve what happened today? If you don’t handle it properly, I’m afraid you’ll be in trouble.”
Old Fang answered wryly, “I don’t know.”
Yang Kai sighed, “You should prepare for some massive haemorrhaging. Zhou Zheng seems to be a greedy man, so if you’re resolute and give him some benefits, it should be fine.”
“I hope so, it’s not too bad if the problem can be solved by money. Would you like to join, Little Brother? He saw you with me today. If I go alone without you, you’ll look even worse in contrast.”
“That’s true.” Yang Kai touched his chin, “Okay, count me in to put in a share, but I won’t be going. It’s indiscreet if too many people go to see him. I’ll count on you to be our representative.”
Old Fang thought for a while, and what Yang Kai said made sense. After all, bribery was not something honourable, so it was better if fewer people appeared. He nodded and agreed, and he was not afraid that Yang Kai would go back on his word. They had a massive income every month, and Yang Kai would not cheat him of a small amount of Spirit Pills.
They did not speak again as they returned to the Worker’s Room.
After what happened during their celebration meal, Yang Kai was not in the mood to stroll around, so he spent the rest of the time in his own room.
After two days, he entered the orchard again with the Ruler of the Dawn Great General on his head and began patrolling his plot as usual.
It did not take much effort to care for thirty fruit trees, but soon Yang Kai stopped in front of a certain one and a frown was revealed on his face.
It could be just an illusion, but something felt wrong with this specific Fire Spirit Fruit Tree. After carefully comparing it with the other several fruit trees next to him, Yang Kai confirmed that something was off. The leaves and Fire Spirit Fruits on this fruit tree seemed to be a little redder than they were three days ago, as though it was on the brink of ripening.
Unsure of what was happening, he hurriedly ran to Old Fang to ask.
Seeing him coming, Old Fang smiled, “Is something wrong, Little Brother?”
Yang Kai noticed his expression and laughed, “Is it done?” Because if it was not, Old Fang would not be so calm.
Sure enough, Old Fang nodded and confirmed, “That’s right, just that it cost a lot…”
“How much?” Yang Kai asked.
Old Fang gestured the number in distress, “100 Open Heaven Pills! That was my income for a few dozen years.”
It really was some big bleeding.
“It used to be.” Yang Kai looked at him with a smile, “How much do you earn every month now? There’s nothing to feel sore about, it’s best if you can spend money to solve problems.”
“En.” Old Fang kept nodding his head, “By the way, I gave him 30 pills on your behalf. Manager Zhou accepted it gladly and said that you were quite sensible. I think you’ll be able to get rid of this spoiled plot soon.”
“Good, I’ll give you more shares for the next payment.” Yang Kai frowned, “Speaking of that land, come with me and have a look at something.”
Seeing his solemn expression, Old Fang quickly put down his work and followed Yang Kai to the fruit tree. Upon arrival though, Old Fang’s face changed greatly and he exclaimed in an alarm, “This is bad.”
“What happened?”
Old Fang explained, “The same thing happened to the three fruit trees that died before. The colour of the leaves and fruits became darker. Once this symptom appears, within one month, the fruit tree will die.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Are you sure?”
Old Fang was as anxious as an ant on a hot wok, “My orchard is right next door, why wouldn’t I know what had happened here before? This is a great disaster.”
“Then what should I do?”
Old Fang turned around several times, desperately racking his brains, and did not stop for quite a while before muttering, “The only one who can help you now is Manager Zhou. Fortunately, I gave him some pills before on your behalf. He wouldn’t just sit idly by. Go to the pavilion located at the centre of the orchard where Manager Zhou usually stays. Go to him and explain the situation…”
“It seems there’s no need to look for him.” Yang Kai suddenly turned his head and looked in a certain direction. A figure was flying towards them quickly from above. Who would it be if it was not Zhou Zheng?
By the looks of it, he seemed to be coming straight here. It was probably due to the generous gift from Old Fang before, or he would not have come here at all except to inspect the orchard.
Shortly after, Zhou Zheng landed in front of the pair.
Yang Kai and Old Fang hurriedly saluted.
With his hands folded behind his back, Zhou Zheng nodded lightly and proceeded, “The two of you seem to have a good relationship. You are always together.” The smile on his face did not show that he was the one who splashed wine on Old Fang a few days ago.
Old Fang nodded and bowed, “Little Brother Yang is new and lives next door to this Old Master. Naturally, I need to take better care of him.”
Zhou Zheng nodded, “Very good. If everyone here was like you, Old Fang, this Manager wouldn’t have to always run around and tire himself out. I really want to rest early.”
Old Fang hurriedly continued, “This orchard can’t run smoothly without Manager Zhou. With power comes responsibilities. We Workers can only try to help Sir Manager as much as possible.”
Zhou Zheng cracked up and pointed at Old Fang, “You sure can talk.”
Old Fang laughed along, “By the way, Manager Zhou, there is something this Old Master wants to discuss with you.”
“Hm, what’s the matter?”
“It’s like this, Yang Kai has been here in the Worker’s Room for more than two months now and this Old Master has been teaching him diligently. Seeing that he is learning fast and doing well, he has the ability to take care of more fruit trees. We are lacking in hands in the Worker’s Room anyway, so it’s a waste to let him only take care of these thirty fruit trees. Manager Zhou, could you transfer him to another place? Otherwise, this little brat will only be idle all day with nothing to do but to harass this Old Master. It’s really quite annoying.” While speaking, he gave Yang Kai a wink.
Yang Kai quickly added, “Manager Zhou, this Yang is ready to contribute more to Fire Spirit Land.”
Zhou Zheng nodded, “Good, it’s rare for one to have this kind of heart. Since that’s the case, this Manager will grant your request. And to tell you the truth, this Manager came here for the same reason.”
Hearing this, Old Fang was overjoyed. He turned to look at Yang Kai and knew that the gift he gave before had worked, and it was quite effective, having an immediate effect.
“Many thanks, Manager Zhou.” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
Zhou Zheng smiled and was about to say something when his eyes suddenly fixed on the fruit tree behind them. He looked at it carefully for a while before his face suddenly changed and he quickly excused himself, “This Manager suddenly remembered that there is something more important that needs to be done. I will return later.”
He then turned and left without another word.
How could Old Fang let him go though? Quickly grabbing his arm, Old Fang begged, “Manager Zhou, Manager Zhou, don’t go yet, can you transfer Yang Kai to another place first?”
Zhou Zheng snatched back his sleeves and answered, displeased, “This Manager is responsible for the inspection and management of all of Fire Spirit Land’s orchard, and is burdened with many tasks. Any carelessness may lead to endless disasters. Now that there is an important matter to deal with, why are you delaying me? Can you bear the consequences if something goes wrong?”
Old Fang smiled apologetically, “There’s no need to be in such a hurry. Sir Manager simply needs to open his mouth to give the order to transfer Yang Kai.”
Zhou Zheng looked at him coldly, “It’s easy to transfer him, but after he leaves, who will take care of these thirty fruit trees? This Manager has not found a replacement yet, so why don’t you take care of them for now, Old Fang?”
Old Fang was stunned when he heard those words. How could he dare to agree? Old Fang subconsciously loosened his grip, and Zhou Zheng immediately freed himself and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“This is bad, this is bad!” Old Fang slapped his thigh angrily, “It’s all over now.”
Seeing Zhou Zheng’s reaction just now, it was obvious he saw the problem with the fruit tree. The reason he came here earlier was to transfer Yang Kai, but he immediately went back on his word after seeing the situation. Obviously, Zhou Zheng did not want to bear any responsibility and planned to let Yang Kai carry the blame.
He was pushing Yang Kai into a fire pit.
Old Fang has just had a taste of fortune with Yang Kai and had only begun to enjoy the good life. If something happened to Yang Kai now, he would lose all future hope.
Therefore, no matter what, he could not let anything happen to Yang Kai; but now that Zhou Zheng had left, he was as clueless as a headless fly.
“Why aren’t you worried at all?” Old Fang was surprised to see Yang Kai’s indifferent expression, without the slightest hint of nervousness.
“What’s the use of worrying?”
Old Fang froze for a moment, knowing that what he said was correct. The most important thing now was the fruit tree, and worrying would not solve the problem. On second thought, he just gave Zhou Zheng such a big gift the day before yesterday, but today he left them to die. Unable to suppress his anger, he spat in the direction where Zhou Zheng was standing and scolded angrily “That bastard is nothing but an ungrateful wolf! Those 100 Open Heaven Pills were completely wasted.”
If he had not offended Zhou Zheng so badly a few days ago, how could Old Fang have been willing to give away so many Open Heaven Pills? He even thought he could have a better life now, but was cornered again in the blink of an eye.
“Let’s check it first.” Yang Kai did not lose focus, “I inspected this tree several times before and found nothing wrong with it, but since there is a problem now, we might find some clues.”
Old Fang nodded, “Good, good, let’s investigate together. No matter what, we must first find the root of the problem; only then can we prescribe the right treatment.”
The two immediately got busy with the fruit tree. Old Fang did not hesitate to perform a Secret Technique over it. As his power fluctuated, a bundle of white lights permeated from his fingertip, swimming through every corner of the fruit tree bit by bit.
Unfortunately, after a four-hour examination, he still found nothing.
Old Fang was sweating anxiously and kept muttering, “How can it be? Why can’t I spot any problem? Little Brother, is there something different with your nurturing routine?”
Yang Kai stood aside with his arms crossed, and shook his head, on which the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was still sitting, “It’s impossible. If there’s really any problem with the routine, it should not be only this fruit tree that has a problem, but all thirty of my fruit trees.”
“That’s true.” Old Fang also felt that his speculation was nonsense. Although Yang Kai had been here for a short time, he had already learned everything regarding taking care of the fruit trees. Moreover, even if Yang Kai made a mistake, did the previous three owners make a mistake too?
“Since there is no problem with the fruit tree, the problem should be with this piece of land.” Old Fang frowned, “Don’t give up. Keep looking. We’ll find it.”
They busied themselves again, almost turning the entire plot over. In fact, if it were not for the fear of damaging the fruit trees planted above, they might really have done just that.
But in any case, they failed to find the root cause. Old Fang was becoming stressed out again and kept muttering as if he was the one who was in danger instead of Yang Kai.
Old Fang was not even in the mood to receive them when someone came to Old Fang to sell Jade Fire Silkworms.
Yang Kai was about to face a tremendous disaster, and without Yang Kai, even if he collected more Jade Fire Silkworms, they could not be turned into Open Heaven Pills.
“Old Fang, you should go back to your site first. Let me think about it alone for a bit.” Yang Kai could not stand his nagging anymore and took the opportunity to send him off.
Old Fang nodded and comforted Yang Kai before leaving, “Don’t worry, there is always a way out. I’ll ask Sister Dié You to come over later. I don’t believe we can’t find the root of the problem together.”
Then, he led the visitor towards his orchard.
As soon as Old Fang left, Yang Kai felt his ears relax. Yang Kai stared at the problem fruit tree, carefully recalling every single detail in the past two months when he had taken care of the trees, and confirmed that he did not neglect or miss anything.
Turning around and making sure that there was no one nearby, Yang Kai put his palm on the trunk of the fruit tree and quietly stimulated the Wood Element in his Dao Seal.
Ever since Dié You told him last time, he had used his Wood Element to nourish his fruit trees from time to time. Of course, the three seedlings were not included mainly because Yang Kai was afraid that they would grow too fast and arouse suspicion. With the nourishment of his Wood Element, the rest of the fruit trees were growing quite well.
But as there was one tree in trouble now, Yang Kai wanted to try to solve it with his Wood Element. After all, the Wood Element was condensed from the essence of the Immortal Tree. Although it could no longer resurrect him, Yang Kai believed this potent Wood Element could still produce some beneficial effects. It could at least delay the death of the tree and give him more time to find the root cause.
Or at least, that was his initial plan.
When Yang Kai poured his Wood Element into the fruit tree in front of him, the fruit tree did get better. The colour of its leaves and Spirit Fruits seemed to be fading a little, but at the same time, Yang Kai noticed another phenomenon.
From underground, a scorching power surged out uncontrollably and rushed into the fruit tree in front of him. The scorching power dispersed to the surrounding area, and the fruit tree that had just improved went back to its altered state again.
“Em?” Yang Kai frowned, looking dumbfounded.
He already knew that potent Fire Element leaked from the ground, for the whole orchard was located on a vast Fire Spirit Land. When taking care of the fruit trees, he had even used his command token to draw out some Fire Element Energy from the ground to nourish the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees, but that flower of Energy had always been well controlled.
Without using the token to trigger the Grand Array, it should be impossible for Fire Element Energy to flow out on its own.
However, the scorching power just now was not drawn by him intentionally.
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai and he felt like he had found the root cause of his troubles, but he could not figure out what it was exactly.
He tried his experiment again carefully several times, and he realized that every time he surged his Wood Element and poured it into the fruit tree, Fire Element Energy that was hotter and stronger than normal would gush out of the ground.
Although the Fire Spirit Fruit Trees needed this Energy to survive and thrive, it had to be in an appropriate amount. If the fruit tree absorbed too much Energy, it would obviously put a huge load on it.
Yang Kai had not noticed until now because he had not touched the fruit trees each time he surged his Wood Element. This time though, in order to focus his efforts and perform an exam, he touched this fruit tree directly.
“Did you find anything?” Old Fang finished his work and returned anxiously. Seeing Yang Kai frowning and pondering, he hurriedly asked.
Yang Kai touched his chin and answered, “I don’t really know how to put it in words. En, have you condensed your Wood Element?”
Old Fang nodded, “As long as it’s possible, the Workers in Fire Spirit Land will give priority to condensing their Wood Element.” Because Wood sustained Fire, it was of great benefit to the Workers to condense their Wood Element to better care for the fruit trees.
“Try to nourish this fruit tree with your Wood Element.” Yang Kai pointed.
Without further asking, Old Fang immediately did as he was told.
But a moment later, he frowned, “What’s the matter? Is there anything special?”
“Don’t you feel it?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
“What do you feel?” Old Fang stared at him.
It seemed that he truly felt nothing, so Yang Kai asked him to try again. This time, however, Yang Kai also put his palm on the fruit tree and after Old Fang surged his Wood Element again, indeed nothing really happened.
[Strange!]
Yang Kai told Old Fang to stop and pushed his own Wood Element Energy.
Old Fang’s brow immediately jumped as he muttered, “This power…”
He finally felt it and suddenly, his face was scrunched up with mixed expressions, making him look extremely strange. His voice trembled as he shouted, “Little Brother, try a few more times!”
Yang Kai had no idea why Old Fang seemed so eager, but it was obvious that he had found something. As such, he tried several more times as requested.
After a long time, Old Fang raised his hand, indicating that Yang Kai could stop, and after pondering for some time, he suddenly slapped himself.
“What are you doing?” Yang Kai was taken aback.
Old Fang looked at him with scorching eyes, “Why didn’t I remember? I should have thought of it long ago! It’s a blessing, not a curse. A blessing!” His two eyes, which used to be cloudy, suddenly lit up brightly.
Yang Kai frowned, “What do you mean by it’s a blessing, not a curse? Speak clearly.”
With an envious look, Old Fang stated, “Little Brother, you are really so damn lucky.”
Yang Kai clicked his tongue, “Fang Tai is the one who is lucky. He has already made two contributions since he came here two months ago.”
“How can his luck compare to yours? Although this Old Master doesn’t know what contribution that Fang Tai made, it’s nothing compared to what you’re about to do!” Old Fang rubbed his hands, exhilarated.
“What do you want to say?” Yang Kai was confused by him.
Old Fang explained, “The whole orchard is built above a vast Fire Spirit Land. You should know that the Fire Element Energy contained in this Fire Spirit Land is a nutrient needed by the fruit trees. If we categorize the Open Heaven Realm into Nine Orders, the ambient Fire Element here is categorized as First Order. In other words, we can utilize the Element in the air here to condense our own Fire Element for free. However, the Order of this power is too low, and not many people choose to do so. It was exactly because Manager Zhou accidentally absorbed the Fire Element Energy here at that time that he was forced to achieve the First Order of the Open Heaven Realm. However, there are exceptions to everything and it is also possible to produce higher Order materials in this place.”
Yang Kai nodded. Zhang Ruo Xi had told him about this before. It was said that among the Seventy-Two Paradises, Golden Antelope Paradise possessed a treasure land filled with Golden Blade Yuan Spirit. This Golden Blade Yuan Spirit was a Fifth-Order material. As long as a sufficient price was paid, anyone could enter that treasure land to condense their Metal Element. However, sometimes a Seventh-Order Spirit Essence could be born from that Golden Blade Yuan Spirit!
In the same way, the First-Order Fire Element Energy here could naturally produce higher Order materials. Back then, it was indeed unfortunate that Zhou Zheng was forced to achieve the First-Order Open Heaven Realm because he accidentally absorbed the Fire Element here.
“I remember that three hundred years ago, a Scarlet Clouds True Flame appeared on the site managed by a guy in this orchard. At that time, many people from Seven Wonders Land came and spent a lot of effort to collect that Scarlet Clouds True Flame, which was a Third-Order material!”
Yang Kai was flabbergasted, “Do you mean… there is a Scarlet Clouds True Flame here?”
“Exactly!” Old Fang exclaimed excitedly, “Back then, when those Seven Wonders Land disciples collected the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, many Workers including this Old Master were there to watch. Although we were blocked by a barrier and we could not see the situation clearly, when the barrier was lifted, I felt a slight difference in the ambient Fire Element in that area, just like what I felt just now.”
“Are you sure?” Yang Kai looked sideways at him, “Don’t lie to me. How can there be such a good thing?”
“Why would I lie to you?” Old Fang grinned from ear to ear, “Little Brother has such great luck! A random piece of land that was assigned to you turns out to have a Scarlet Clouds True Flame buried beneath it! You don’t have to worry now and can instead celebrate! How lucky are you? This Old Master is so envious of you!”
“Even if there is any Scarlet Clouds True Flame, it belongs to the people of Seven Wonders Land. What does it have to do with me?”
Old Fang continued, “How can you say so? If you hadn’t found the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, they wouldn’t have found it either. Besides, a Third-Order material is worth at least 15,000 Open Heaven Pills. Even in Seven Wonders Land, it’s considered a good material that those Seven Wonders Land disciples covet. When they collect it, you will definitely be rewarded something too! Of course, it probably won’t mean much to you with your current wealth.”
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed, “Since it’s a Third-Order material, what do you think would happen if I collected it for myself…”
Third-Order materials were incredibly valuable, and Yang Kai naturally did not want to miss out on this opportunity.
“Absolutely not!” Old Fang was shocked, realizing that Yang Kai was really ignorant and dauntless. He dared to say anything and dared to come up with the most outrageous ideas. Turning his head around to make sure that there was no one around, Old Fang lowered his voice and scolded, “Don’t even think about it, Little Brother. You have a great way to make money now, don’t ruin your future for this petty profit; after all, this is something that belongs to Seven Wonders Land. Once exposed…” He drew a line across his neck with his hand.
It made sense. Now that they were in Seven Wonders Land, even if they really obtained the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, there was no place to sell it, and Yang Kai was not interested in refining Third-Order materials.
After weighing the potential gains and the risks, Yang Kai dismissed the ideas in his heart and nodded, “Should I report this matter then?”
“Yes, what are you waiting for? I believe Manager Zhou will come to investigate immediately if he knows about this.” Old Fang urged, finally letting out a big breath of relief after finding out the root cause.
Yang Kai followed his advice and immediately set off to find Zhou Zheng in the very centre of the orchards.
If it was possible, he did not want Zhou Zheng to benefit from any of this as the latter had just received more than a hundred Open Heaven Pills from him and Old Fang but abandoned them right after. Zhou Zheng was nothing but an opportunistic wolf. Unfortunately, there was no way to leave the orchard without permission, let alone to report this to someone else; Zhou Zheng was his only option.
After Yang Kai had left, Old Fang suddenly had a doubt, [Why did Yang Kai discover the problem immediately when the previous owners here could not? Also, why did the Scarlet Clouds True Flame not respond when I used my Wood Element but responded to Yang Kai’s instead?]
He was suddenly confused.
It did not take long before two figures flew towards him; Zhou Zheng and Yang Kai.
Old Fang stepped forward and saluted as Zhou Zheng questioned suspiciously, “Yang Kai reported that there are traces of the Scarlet Clouds True Flame’s aura here, is it true?”
“It’s true, this Old Master can’t be wrong. It’s definitely the aura of a Scarlet Clouds True Flame, Yang Kai can show it to you if you don’t believe it, Sir Manager.”
Zhou Zheng turned his head to look at Yang Kai, who walked to the fruit tree without a word, placed his hand on it, and injected his Wood Element Energy.
In the next moment, Zhou Zheng’s face lit up in glee, “It really is a Scarlet Clouds True Flame!”
He was not even close to the fruit tree, but he had already felt it. It seemed that an Open Heaven Realm Master was indeed different, even if they were only First-Order.
After pondering for a while, Zhou Zheng’s face changed abruptly, “So, that’s the case…” He raised his head and commanded them, “You two stay here, this King will be back soon.”
When the words fell, he rose into the sky.
Old Fang watched him leave, then beamed at Yang Kai, “Little Brother, congratulations!”
Yang Kai was much less excited, “What is there to congratulate? This Scarlet Clouds True Flame doesn’t belong to us.”
“You can’t say that. Although this Third-Order material is indeed not ours, since Manager Zhou has confirmed it, it is a solution to a major concern, and naturally, it should be something worth being happy for.” He then lowered his voice, “It’s a Third-Order material, isn’t it? It’s just a little more than 15,000 Open Heaven Pills. With Little Brother’s current ability, are you afraid that you won’t be able to earn that much?”
Yang Kai knew he made sense, but he still felt a little disgruntled. He had already acted very humble. After coming out of the Star Boundary, he adjusted his mentality very well. There were plenty of others who jumped out of their Universe Worlds and were not able to adapt. If he still had the same ‘I am supreme beneath the Heavens’ attitude here, he probably would have already died multiple times.
In less than half an hour, Zhou Zheng led a large number of Seven Wonders Land disciples over. It could be seen that this Scarlet Clouds True Flame was also important to Seven Wonders Land; otherwise, they would not have been so efficient.
Yang Kai recognized the leader, Du Ru Feng, as the disciple in charge of Fire Spirit Land. Zhou Zheng, who usually stood proudly in front of the Workers, was nodding and bowing to him with every move he made now.
Du Ru Feng led the way, not bothering to lay eyes on Zhou Zheng. Many Seven Wonders Land disciples behind him did the same.
Landing in the orchard, Zhou Zheng dismissed Yang Kai and Old Fang, “Leave, you have nothing to do here.”
When the two heard this, how could they still stay? Although Yang Kai was a little curious about how they would extract the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, there was nothing he could do if they did not want to show him.
He returned to Old Fang’s plot and sat on the stone bench in front of the hut, while Old Fang took out some wine and filled their cups.
While drinking and chatting, Yang Kai occasionally looked over at his plot.
Old Fang smiled, “Don’t bother, Little Brother. They will set up a barrier and we won’t be able to see anything. There’s nothing to worry about over there. Come and have a drink with me.”
Yang Kai nodded absent-mindedly.
He soon discovered that, as Old Fang said, many restrictions were quickly placed in his plot, and everything beyond the barrier was obscured. As expected, nothing could be seen.
Confirming that he did not need to observe anything, Yang Kai gave up and started drinking with Old Fang.
After only a few drinks, however, he suddenly felt something and turned to look, only to see a figure hurrying toward them. It was Zhou Zheng.
At this moment, his face did not look very good and sweat was beading profusely on his forehead. For some reason, he called from a distance, “Yang Kai, come here.”
Yang Kai and Old Fang looked at each other, both of them as confused as each other, and got up to greet Zhou Zheng. Yang Kai cupped his fists, “What is your order, Manager Zhou?”
Zhou Zheng lowered his voice, asking, “How did you get that Scarlet Clouds True Flame to react?”
The question was rather baffling, but Yang Kai answered, “I simply injected my Wood Element Energy into that tree.”
“Bullshit!” Zhou Zheng gritted his teeth and scolded, “If it was so simple, would this King still need to come to you?”
Yang Kai was astonished, “Can’t Sir Manager trigger the Scarlet Clouds True Flame?” He suddenly recalled that there was no response when Old Fang surged his Wood Element either, but there was an immediate response from the Scarlet Clouds True Flame when he tried it.
Zhou Zheng retorted, “Not only this King, even Senior Brother Du and the others couldn’t do it either!”
“Could you have used the wrong method?”
“What method is needed to circulate Wood Element Energy?” Zhou Zheng scowled at Yang Kai, “Come with me and perform well when you get there. If you can help Senior Brother Du to collect the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, they will definitely reward you.”
After taking a few steps forward, he stopped again, and turned to Yang Kai, “If Senior Brother Du and the others ask, tell them that the Scarlet Clouds True Flame was discovered by this King, understand?”
[You want to take my credit for yourself?] Yang Kai was speechless, but he remembered what Old Fang said; receiving credit would mean receiving rewards. Zhou Zheng would definitely fight for it. If it was not because they could not extract the Scarlet Clouds True Flame, they would not even have summoned Yang Kai.
Yang Kai sneered silently as he thought Zhou Zheng was truly really insatiable.
After getting Yang Kai’s definite answer from his careful instructions, Zhou Zheng patted him on the shoulder, “Rest assured, if there is a reward from Venerable, you will definitely get a share of it, and this King will also arrange another place in the orchard for you, lest your talents be wasted.”
“Many thanks in advance, Manager Zhou.” Yang Kai responded casually.
Yang Kai returned to his plot with Zhou Zheng and entered the restriction. At a glance, the Seven Wonders Land’s disciples had set up an array around the fruit tree while each of their hands formed specific seals. Du Ru Feng had his hands folded behind his back, seemingly doing nothing but looking dashing.
Zhou Zheng stepped forward and reported, “Senior Brother Du, I’ve brought him.”
Du Ru Feng glanced at Yang Kai and ask casually, “Are you new here?”
Yang Kai cupped his fists and answered, “Greetings, Sir Du, this Yang has been in Fire Spirit Land for less than three months.”
Du Ru Feng nodded lightly, “Zhou Zheng said you can trigger the Scarlet Clouds True Flame?”
“Indeed!”
“Go ahead!” Du Ru Feng gestured at the fruit tree without saying another word.
Yang Kai did not hesitate, and stepped forward to the fruit tree, placed his palm on the trunk, and poured his Wood Element into it. In the next instant, a scorching power gushed out from the ground.
Du Ru Feng raised his brows, while Zhou Zheng was overjoyed and exclaimed at him, “Senior Brother Du!”
Du Ru Feng nodded and urged Yang Kai, “Continue!”
Hearing this, Yang Kai had no choice but to continue pouring more Wood Element Energy into the fruit tree. At the same time, Du Ru Feng signalled around him.
The hands of the Seven Wonders Land disciples who were in the array immediately switched their hand seals, and a light flickered under their feet. At the same time, a gentle Water Element Energy was poured into the ground.
Yang Kai was stunned. Water subdued Fire, so were they trying to use a Water Element to extract the Scarlet Clouds True Flame? That seemed feasible. It seemed that the Seven Wonders Land disciples brought here by Du Ru Feng were all carefully selected for the extraction of the Scarlet Clouds True Flame; otherwise, how could they be so well prepared?
One could say the entire process was quite uneventful, and there was no Earth-shattering phenomenon, only a fluctuation of a particular power in this little plot.
However, as time passed, Yang Kai could clearly feel that the Scarlet Clouds True Flame was being forced out little by little, but the condition of the fruit tree in front of him was getting progressively worse, its leaves and fruits gradually releasing a burnt smell.
Du Ru Feng did not speak, so Yang Kai did not dare to stop and continued to surge his Wood Element.
After half a day, the fruit tree in front of Yang Kai suddenly burst into flames, turning into a huge ball of fire and releasing scorching heat towards Yang Kai, who swiftly retreated.
“Do it!” Du Ru Feng, who had been observing, yelled in a low voice.
The Array activated and Water Element Energy gathered from all around, slowly turning it into a cage, closing in on the ball of flame with perfect timing.
Zhou Zheng looked excited, “It’s done.”
As soon as he finished speaking though, there was a loud bang and the cage formed from Water Element Energy shattered while the ball of flame escaped from the trap, trying to bury itself back into the ground. The group of Seven Wonders Land disciples exclaimed in surprise at the destruction of their Secret Technique and fell out of formation.
The situation was beyond everyone’s expectations, and not even Du Ru Feng could react to it. They had experience from three hundred years ago collecting a Scarlet Clouds True Flame as Du Ru Feng had been in charge at that time as well, so this should have been a simple matter for him. No one expected things to end up this way.
Everyone watched the bundle of scorching power about to escape deep into the ground when a soft shout was heard, “You can’t run!”
When the words fell, a layer of light swept across the area of a thousand meters of land, and the ground surface suddenly became extremely hard.
Zhou Zheng lifted his head and saw Yang Kai holding a token, activating the power of the orchard’s Grand Array to stop the Scarlet Clouds True Flame from escaping.
The Scarlet Clouds True Flame plunged to the ground, but it was hindered by the surface, unable to dive into it.
“Well done!” Du Ru Feng roared and with a lift of his hand, a large blue net plummeted from the sky, covering the Scarlet Clouds True Flame. It was unknown what kind of artifact the large net was, but it permeated a bone-chilling cold aura.
In the blink of an eye, the large net enveloped the Scarlet Clouds True Flame. The Scarlet Clouds True Flame bounced left and right within the net, but it could not break free of it. Du Ru Feng changed his hand seal and stretched out his palm, causing the large net to contract tightly, seizing the Scarlet Clouds True Flame tightly in his grip.
After examining carefully for a while, Du Ru Feng revealed a look of pleasant surprise, and could not help bursting out into laughter.
Only then did Zhou Zheng come back to his senses and hurriedly went forward with his fists cupped, “Congratulations for collecting the Scarlet Clouds True Flame successfully, Senior Brother Du.”
Du Ru Feng’s laughter abruptly ceased as he turned to Zhou Zheng and snorted coldly, “How dare you speak now!? Luckily this King had his Sky Seizing Net, otherwise, this Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame would have escaped!”
“Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame?” Zhou Zheng was dumbstruck.
Du Ru Feng put away the large net along with the thing inside, and continued with a cold voice, “You thought this was a Third-Order Scarlet Clouds True Flame?”
“Isn’t it?” Zhou Zheng was puzzled.
“This is the Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame!” Du Ru Feng bellowed with his teeth gritted, “Waste!”
“Fourth-Order?” Zhou Zheng exclaimed.
Yang Kai was amazed too. How could a Third-Order material suddenly become Fourth-Order? But given the change of events and Du Ru Feng’s previous actions, he readily believed him. Furthermore, Du Ru Feng had no reason to lie to them about this.
No wonder the Seven Wonders Land disciples almost failed the task despite all the preparations they made, it was because a Fourth-Order material was buried under the ground. Therefore, it was natural for them to fail by using Third-Order methods to deal with it.
A Four-Order material…
[First-Order materials are worth 150 Open Heaven Pills, Second-Order materials 1,500, Third-Order, 15,000, Fourth-Order…. 150,000?!]
The dispirited Seven Wonders Land disciples became excited when they realized what was happening. They followed Du Ru Feng here today to collect the Open Heaven material, and since they completed the task, the Venerable would definitely reward them, and the reward for a Fourth-Order material was definitely greater than that of a Third-Order.
Moreover, looking at the whole Seven Wonders Land, there were only a few Open Heaven Realm Masters who were Fourth-Order and above. In other words, the materials of the Fourth Order were also extremely precious to Seven Wonders Land, to the point where they could no longer be measured simply in Open Heaven Pills. They definitely would prosper from this achievement this time!
The group of people came forward, all smiling, gathering around Du Ru Feng and begging to have a look at it. Even these Seven Wonders Land disciples had never seen Fourth-Order materials before.
But how would Du Ru Feng agree? The Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame in the Sky Seizing Net was incredibly important and he considered himself quite lucky to be able to collect it now. If anything happened to it, he could not bear the consequences. As such, he reprimanded the group of disciples with a stern face, which dispelled their stray thoughts.
Looking up at Yang Kai again, Du Ru Feng’s face turned more pleasant, “What’s your name?”
In fact, Yang Kai had just reported his name to him, but he probably did not take it to heart earlier.
Yang Kai reported his name once more.
Du Ru Feng nodded, “You did a good job this time. I will report today’s affairs to Sir Venerable. You will be rewarded when I return.”
If it were not for Yang Kai’s quick reaction earlier, using the orchard token to focus the Grand Array here, delaying the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame for a moment, Du Ru Feng would not have had the opportunity to summon his Sky Seizing Net. Du Ru Feng then turned to Zhou Zheng, who was in charge of the whole orchard and frowned. Zhou Zheng’s performance was mediocre at best today. What’s more, he had reported inaccurate information, which almost cost them a great opportunity for Fire Spirit Land.
“Many thanks, Sir!” Yang Kai thanked, secretly wondering, [How much reward would I get? Given this thing is worth 150,000 Open Heaven Pills, I should be able to get at least a few thousand of them, right?] This was a huge income even for him, and he suddenly had a little expectation. Besides, he was still wondering how to make a contribution as a Worker in this orchard, but who knew he had made one in the blink of an eye.
Du Ru Feng waved his hand to the others, “All of you leave first. I still have something to ask.”
After receiving the order, the group of Seven Wonders Land disciples soared to the sky without any hesitation.
Du Ru Feng turned to look at Zhou Zheng again coldly, and Zhou Zheng immediately understood and hurriedly stated, “Junior Brother will take his leave first.”
After everyone left, Du Ru Feng waved his hand, placed a barrier around them, and stared at Yang Kai for a moment.
Yang Kai frowned slightly. He knew why Du Ru Feng kept him here. It was natural for him to be suspicious about what happened today, but Yang Kai was not sure if he discovered anything. Swiftly, Yang Kai cupped his fists and asked, “May I know what Sir wants to ask?”
Du Ru Feng stood with his hands behind his back and proceeded seriously, “You must have known that there was something wrong with this land. For the past ten years, this King has brought people to investigate here many times, but we could not find any clues. This time, through your blessing, I learned that it was the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame that was causing the trouble.”
“Many thanks for saying so, Sir, but it was just luck.”
“I don’t believe in luck. Since you found out about this, you must be capable.” Du Ru Feng continued, “Previously, this King also tried to use his Wood Element to stimulate the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, but couldn’t. None of the others could do so either. Why could only you do it? What’s the Order of the Wood Element you have condensed?”
[As I thought…]
Yang Kai already knew that he wanted to ask him about this; after all, none of the others’ Wood Elements could trigger the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame except his. This undoubtedly showed that his Wood Element was a little special, and the most obvious reason for that would be a difference in Order.
“What Order Element has Sir condensed?” Yang Kai questioned instead of answering.
Du Ru Feng replied proudly, “Fourth Order!” He was the most outstanding disciple of Fire Spirit Land and the person who the Venerable Protector placed high hopes on. Naturally, he would not be careless in the path of achieving the Open Heaven Realm. The reason why he has not been promoted yet was to collect other appropriate Fourth-Order materials.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t know the Order of the Element that I have condensed. I haven’t been in the Outer Universe for long, and am clueless about many things here. Before I met Venerable, I happened to encounter a Sealed Space in the Void and after inadvertently refined my Wood Element from an object I found there.”
Du Ru Feng nodded, “Let me see your Dao Seal.”
This request was somewhat rude as his Dao Seal was the crystallization of Yang Kai’s cultivation and his own Dao, which contained many of his secrets. Normally, who would make such a request? Moreover, releasing one’s Dao Seal was equivalent to a Monster Beast spitting out its Monster Core, which was an extremely dangerous thing.
Back then, if Yang Kai had a choice in the Star Boundary, he would not have released his Dao Seal to deal with the Can Ye.
However, given that he was in other people’s territory, Yang Kai was afraid that it would not be easy to refuse this request. Judging from Du Ru Feng’s look, if Yang Kai did not release his Dao Seal now, he definitely would not let him go, and it would only bring him more trouble later.
Therefore, after a short hesitation, Yang Kai surged his own Dao Seal.
An amorphous mark appeared on his forehead, which contained the Void Grand Dao that Yang Kai comprehended. In the Dao Seal, a rich Wood Element Energy was rotating. Yang Kai was secretly vigilant and paid close attention to Du Ru Feng, preparing to rebel if something untoward happened.
Staring at Yang Kai’s Dao Seal, Du Ru Feng made no secret of releasing his Divine Sense to examine it and soon his face changed, “Your Wood Element is above Fourth Order!”
Yang Kai was half-relieved from his anxiety. It seemed that Du Ru Feng could only judge that his Wood Element was higher Order than his, but he was not capable of distinguishing the exact Order. After all, Du Ru Feng’s insight was still limited. Yang Kai hastily pretended to be surprised, “Is Sir serious?”
“No mistake.” Du Ru Feng answered in amazement, “You’re really lucky to be able to obtain such an opportunity. Looks like luck does work sometimes.”
Yang Kai grinned, “I don’t know what Order my Wood Element is, but since Sir stated it’s above the Fourth Order, it can’t be wrong.”
Du Ru Feng pressed on, “What is it that you found in the Void?”
Yang Kai quickly came up with a story, “A crystal-clear, small tree like white jade, with several shoot buds and leaves. The tree was about this tall, and it had a strange scent!” He casually elaborated with his hand gestures, and looked at Du Ru Feng, “Does Sir know what it was?”
Du Ru Feng shook his head slowly, “I haven’t heard of it.” He had no way to study deep into it, so he allowed Yang Kai to put away his Dao Seal, lest he become jealous of him. After that, he asked again casually, “Are you the one who found the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame here?”
Yang Kai answered, “Yes!” Although Zhou Zheng warned him in advance, since the ungrateful wolf did not try to save him from trouble previously, Yang Kai did not bother to give away his own credit. In any case, it was only him and Du Ru Feng here, and Zhou Zheng would not know what he said.
Du Ru Feng sneered, “Zhou Zheng, that waste. I knew he was not the one who found the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame here.”
Soon, Du Ru Feng departed. He actually had to report to the Venerable as soon as he collected the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, for a Fourth-Order material was truly rare. Nevertheless, he stayed for a while to inquire about Yang Kai’s Wood Element. Since he had a clear picture of it now, he had no reason to stay longer.
After the departure of Du Ru Feng, Zhou Zheng came over hurriedly, “What did Senior Brother Du ask you?”
“He didn’t ask anything, but just offer a few words of praise.”
“Seriously?” Zhou Zheng looked at him suspiciously.
Yang Kai replied, “You may ask Sir Du yourself if you don’t believe me.”
Zhou Zheng snorted coldly, “It’d better be so!” After a pause, he continued, “You have made a great contribution today. There will be rewards from Venerable and Senior Brother Du. Wait for the good news.”
He flew away after stating it, with displeasure clearly etched on his face.
In the palace located at the centre of Fire Spirit Land, Du Ru Feng strode quickly, and stopped in front of the main hall at its deepest part, bowed, and saluted, “Venerable!”
The heavy gate of the main hall slowly opened up a gap that only allowed a single person to pass through. Du Ru Feng stepped in and soon, he saw Duan Hai, the Fire Spirit Land Venerable Protector, who was sitting cross-legged and refining Open Heaven Pills.
After an hour, Duan Hai let out a long breath and asked, “What is the situation?”
Du Ru Feng cupped his fists with a joyful look, “Reporting to Venerable, we have achieved a great harvest.”
“A Third-Order Scarlet Clouds True Flame cannot be considered a great harvest. What else did you find?” Duan Hai’s eyes flashed.
Du Ru Feng hurriedly reported, “The information was wrong. It was not a Third-Order Scarlet Clouds True Flame, but a Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame!”
“Fourth-Order!”
“Please have a look, Venerable!” Du Ru Feng took two steps forward and handed over the Sky Seizing Net. Duan Hai took it and nodded as he scanned it with his Divine Sense, “It’s really a Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame. You did well this time. Fourth-Order materials are precious in Seven Wonders Land. Keep it for yourself.” He threw the Sky Seizing Net back at Du Ru Feng.
Du Ru Feng was overjoyed, “Many thanks for your generous gift, Venerable!”
The Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame was exactly something he needed badly now, so it was natural for him to be happy.
Duan Hai continued, “Give some benefits to Zhou Zheng; after all, he was the one who found it and solved the mysterious danger in the orchard.”
“I was about to inform Venerable about this.” Du Ru Feng stored the Sky Seizing Net carefully, “Zhou Zheng had nothing to do with what happened today. It was a Worker who discovered the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame. Zhou Zheng lied in order to seize the merit for himself.”
Duan Hai sneered, “It’s not a big deal. Since he is the orchard Manager, he should still be given a reward for finding a Fourth-Order material in the orchard.”
“Yes!”
“But, given that a Worker actually found traces of a Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, he must have some skill.” Duan Hai was curious.
Du Ru Feng smiled, “Indeed, and he’s quite lucky too. Do you remember a group of newcomers that were brought back a few months ago?”
Duan Hai was surprised, “Is he one of those newcomers?”
“Indeed, a young man named Yang Kai. He also contributed to collecting this Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame.”
Duan Hai’s interest was piqued, “How did he contribute?”
Du Ru Feng briefly explained the matter of the trip to the orchard to collect Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, and then pressed on, “Disciple was a little suspicious at that time, wondering what was special about the Wood Element condensed by that Yang Kai as only he could stimulate the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, so this Disciple asked him to show his Dao Seal. As a result, this Disciple found that he had condensed a Wood Element above the Fourth Order!”
“Above the Fourth Order!” Duan Hai’s eyes flashed, “Are you sure?”
“Disciple has no doubt. His Wood Element was purer and richer than that of my own. If it were not above Fourth Order, it would never make this Disciple feel that way.”
“Interesting… What an opportunity for a young man who has just entered the 3,000 Worlds.”
Du Ru Feng continued, “This Disciple questioned him for a while and he said that before meeting Venerable, he accidentally found a white jade-like small tree about this tall in some kind of Sealed Space. It had several shoot buds and leaves and apparently gave off a strange smell. He says he inadvertently absorbed it and condensed his Wood Element.”
“A small, white, jade-like? One with a strange fragrance?” Duan Hai frowned and caressed his beard as he pondered.
Du Ru Feng watched from the side and dared not to disturb him.
After a while, Duan Hai suddenly stopped his hand movement and revealed a shocked expression.
“Venerable, what exactly is that small tree? What Order is this material?” Du Ru Feng questioned.
Duan Hai took a deep breath and answered in a solemn voice, “If this Old Master is not mistaken, what he found should be the White Jade Bodhi. Since it had grown into a small tree, it should be at least Fifth-Order, most likely Sixth-Order!”
“Fifth or Sixth-Order!” Du Ru Feng exclaimed, his eyes bulging with jealousy.
In the entire Seven Wonders Land, the most powerful person was the Heavenly Monarch who was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, while the other Venerable Protectors were just Fourth-Order, and all of them had promoted their current Order once after their initial breakthrough. In other words, when they achieved the Open Heaven Realm, the Heavenly Monarch was only Fourth-Order, while the several Venerables were all Third-Order.
But this Worker, Yang Kai, actually found a Fifth or possibly Sixth-Order material and successfully refined it! Was his luck not Heaven-defying? If he continued to find more Fifth or Sixth-Order materials, would he not be able to break through to the Fifth or Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm directly? At that time, he would be invincible in the entire Seven Wonders Land.
“He’s lucky, very lucky!” Duan Hai kept nodding.
Du Ru Feng’s expression fluctuated for a while, but eventually suppressing the jealousy in his heart, he cupped his fists again and said, “There’s another thing to inform Venerable about, which is also related to that Worker Yang Kai.”
“Proceed.”
“This Disciple has no idea how he offended the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, but the latter is currently using his head as a chicken coop now. Great General has perched atop Yang Kai’s head the entire time Disciple was with him.”
Duan Hai was surprised, “Ruler of the Dawn really perched atop his head?”
“Yes.”
Duan Hai could not help laughing, “It seems that the Ruler of the Dawn favours this Yang Kai quite deeply.”
Du Ru Feng was stunned, “Great General likes him? Why does Venerable say so?”
“If Ruler of the Dawn didn’t like him, he wouldn’t get so close to him.” Duan Hai explained.
Du Ru Feng was speechless when he heard this. He would rather not hope for this kind of affection, for it was a shame to be seen like that.
“Then about Yang Kai…” Du Ru Feng wanted to say something, but he stopped. He could ignore it if he did not know how high the Order of the Wood Element Yang Kai had condensed was, but since he knew now, he could not take it lightly. However, Du Ru Feng could not make up his mind about how to deal with him, so he could only wait for the Venerable’s order.
After pondering for a while, Duan Hai asked, “How many years has your Senior Brother Yu Lian been in the retreat?”
Du Ru Feng bowed, “Senior Brother Yu Lian went into retreat ten years ago to condense his Earth Element. Disciple believes it is about time for him to exit.” At this point, a sudden realization dawned on Du Ru Feng and he continued, “This Disciple knows what to do.”
“En, go.” Duan Hai waved his hand and closed his eyes again.
Du Ru Feng saw himself out respectfully, and after he walked out of the hall, the heavy gates closed slowly.
Back at the orchard, Old Fang exclaimed with his eyes widened, “A Fourth-Order Open Heaven material? Are you being serious, little brat? Or are you lying to this Old Master?”
Due to his excitement, Old Fang started calling Yang Kai a little brat instead of Little Brother again.
Yang Kai took a sip of wine from his cup and replied, “Why should I lie to you? Du Ru Feng himself said that it was the Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame. At that time, if he didn’t have a suitable artifact on hand, he would already have fallen short of success.”
“Amazing…” Old Fang muttered, “Then, isn’t it worth as much as 150,000 if it’s a Fourth-Order material?”
Yang Kai looked sideways at him, “What are you excited for? It has nothing to do with you.”
Old Fang explained, “Indeed it doesn’t, but it has plenty to do with you! You are the one who found it! How much of a reward will you receive?”
“Who knows?” Yang Kai shrugged. In fact, what he cared about now was not the reward, but his Wood Element. Before, he had to release his Dao Seal for Du Ru Feng to observe. Although it seemed Du Ru Feng did not figure out anything specific, there was still the Venerable Protector behind him. With Duan Hai’s level of knowledge and insight, Yang Kai was not sure whether the lies he made up on the spot could fool him.
After thinking about it, he asked, “Old Fang, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, Little Brother.”
“Have you ever heard of any Secret Technique that can forcibly seize the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements from another’s Dao Seal?”
“What kind of Secret Technique could do that?” Old Fang widened his eyes.
Yang Kai was speechless, “I also don’t know. That’s why I asked you. Why would I ask you if I knew?”
“I’ve never heard of anything like that.” Old Fang shook his head like a rattle, “But even if there is such a technique, it wouldn’t be surprising. Unfortunately, this Old Master arrived in this Fire Spirit Land soon after he left his Universe World, becoming a Worker for others. I haven’t gone out and don’t know much about the world outside… En, why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Yang Kai replied absent-mindedly.
Old Fang looked at him for a while and smiled, “Don’t worry too much, Little Brother. As the saying goes, there’s always a way out. Didn’t we worry about your land and the fruit trees before? Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, Little Brother would turn disaster into a great contribution? Fang Tai thought he could be arrogant after making two contributions, but if he knew your situation, wouldn’t he be ashamed to death?”
“Why should he be ashamed…” Yang Kai chuckled.
The reward of Fire Spirit Land came down quite fast. Perhaps it was because the Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame was too important, but on the third day after its collection, Zhou Zheng came again.
Yang Kai and Old Fang were playing chess when he arrived, and seeing Zhou Zheng come, they quickly got up and saluted.
With one hand behind his back, Zhou Zheng threw a Space Ring at Yang Kai with the other hand, stating flatly, “Yang Kai, you did a good job in collecting the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame last time. Venerable appreciates your effort. This is your reward.”
Yang Kai caught the ring and was a little surprised when he scanned it with his Divine Sense; however, he quickly composed his expression and put away the Space Ring, cupping his fists, “Many thanks to Venerable!”
Zhou Zheng nodded but did not say anything more. He just looked up at the sky with his hand behind his back, as if there was marvellous scenery up there, clearly not meaning to leave immediately.
Old Fang winked at Yang Kai, but seeing the latter not pay attention to him, he prodded him with his elbow.
Yang Kai turned to Old Fang and saw that he was pointing his lips and eyes at Zhou Zheng.
“Old Fang, what happened to your mouth?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Old Fang almost coughed up blood as he was certain that the hint was obvious enough. Yang Kai was not a fool, so how could he not understand what Old Fang was trying to say? It was simply inappropriate for them to whisper in front of Zhou Zheng, so Old Fang was anxious and did not know what to do.
On the contrary, Zhou Zheng’s face became uglier and colder.
Seeing Yang Kai’s aloof look, Old Fang had no choice but to take out a Space Ring and approach Zhou Zheng. He handed the Space Ring over with a smile, “I’m sorry to trouble Manager Zhou to come here in person. Please forgive the inconvenience, Sir Manager.”
Zhou Zheng took the Space Ring coldly, and scanned it with his Divine Sense and found that there were only twenty Open Heaven Pills in it. Following a cold snort, he threw the Space Ring on the ground and flicked his sleeve, “Never mind. I’m leaving!”
Normally, Zhou Zheng would gladly accept twenty Open Heaven Pills, but the situation now was a different case. Twenty Open Heaven Pills were nothing compared to the rewards Yang Kai received.
“Manager Zhou, Manager Zhou…” Old Fang quickly picked up the Space Ring and chased after him.
After a long time, Old Fang came back looking dispirited. By the look of his face, it was obvious that things did not go well.
When he came back, he found that Yang Kai was checking the Open Heaven Pills in the Space Ring, smiling from ear to ear. Old Fang was infuriated and pointed at him, “Tell me, why did you have to make enemies with him? You should’ve just given him some benefits.”
Yang Kai sneered, “I wouldn’t mind giving him some benefits if the previous gift had worked, but it’s clear that he did not bother saving us even when we had given him such a big gift. So, why do we need to be generous to him?”
Old Fang stomped his foot, “He is still the Orchard Manager! You should make friends with him with the money rather than offend him like this. Can you stand it if he causes you trouble in the future?”
“There is always a solution to a problem!” Yang Kai sneered, “Although he is a Manager, he can’t just do whatever he wants, and I’m not afraid of him even though I am just a Worker.”
Old Fang sighed, “Let’s stop talking about this matter. It’s useless to say anything now.”
After sitting down and drinking a cup of wine, he saw that Yang Kai was still smiling and he could not help but ask, “How much did Venerable reward you this time that you keep smiling like that?”
“See for yourself,” Yang Kai tossed the Space Ring in his hand to him.
Old Fang caught it, and exclaimed after scanning it with his Divine Sense, “So many?”
He did not count them properly, but there should be at least four or five thousand Open Heaven Pills in the Space Ring! This was a terrifying number for a Worker.
Although Old Fang expected the Venerable to give a great reward, the amount was still out of his expectation. He thought it would be just a few hundred to a thousand at most.
Yang Kai disclosed, “Five thousand pieces exactly! Though I’m not sure if Zhou Zheng took some beforehand.”
Old Fang shook his head, “Of course he didn’t. This is a direct reward from the Venerable; as a trivial Orchard Manager, Zhou Zheng wouldn’t dare touch it. Otherwise, his life would not be spared if Venerable found out. I see… No wonder he was uninterested in the twenty Open Heaven Pills that I just offered him.”
Yang Kai laughed “Now you understand why I pretended to be ignorant. If I share the benefits with him, how much would be an appropriate amount? Judging by his character, I’m afraid he won’t be satisfied without at least a thousand Open Heaven Pills. Since he was useless previously, why should I give him a thousand Spirit Pills for free?”
Old Fang nodded, “That’s true. He will only be more resentful if he gets a smaller share, but we will suffer losses if he gets too many. It’s better to just ignore him.”
“Exactly!” Yang Kai took back the Space Ring with a grin.
Old Fang admired Yang Kai for being able to gain five thousand Open Heaven Pills so easily. None of the Workers in Seven Wonders Land were a match for him. Old Fang had seen others making big contributions before, but the largest reward given out for those had been 60 Open Heaven Pills. 5,000 pills were equivalent to the pay of about a thousand Workers without any other expenses for almost two years. In addition to Yang Kai’s previous income, it was not an exaggeration to say that he was now the richest Worker in Seven Wonders Land.
And how long had he been here? It was only less than three months!
“Old Fang, don’t you think this reward is too much?” Yang Kai suddenly frowned. Although the Fourth-Order Open Heaven material was worth 150,000 Open Heaven Pills and Yang Kai had contributed greatly to its acquisition, such a massive reward was still somewhat surprising.
“Isn’t it good that it’s too much?” Old Fang was bewildered, “This is the first time I’ve heard someone complaining about being rewarded too much. If you think it’s too much, you might as well share half of it with me. I don’t mind.”
Yang Kai pretended he did not hear him.
Old Fang sighed again, “But after this, I’m afraid that you won’t be able to get rid of this small plot.” As Workers, everyone naturally wished to take care of as many fruit trees as they could. In this way, they could earn extra income, and also have more opportunities for making contributions.
None of the Workers in the Worker’s Room would be upset about managing a large area of the orchard. They all wanted it to be as big as possible.
“It doesn’t matter.” Yang Kai chuckled, “I don’t rely on this land to make money.”
After a single thought, Old Fang agreed with him. Yang Kai had his own way to earn a fortune now. Unlike the ordinary Workers, the size of his orchard made no difference to him. It could even be said that a smaller orchard would be more convenient and better for him.
He had been here for hundreds of years, and it was the first time he had seen a Worker acting so carefree. Old Fang could not help but admire Yang Kai.
Everything was calm for the next few days. From time to time, people would come to sell Jade Fire Silkworms to Old Fang, and Old Fang bought all of them without hesitation, then passed them to Yang Kai to feed the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, while the Great General spat out Open Heaven Pills seemingly endlessly.
Old Fang was beaming every day all day. He had experienced more glee these past two months than in the past few hundred years combined.
A few days later, Yang Kai, who was sunbathing under a fruit tree, suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a certain direction.
At the same moment, Old Fang, who was calculating his recent income, also turned to look. Then, his face changed slightly and called Yang Kai, “Little Brother, get up.”
Yang Kai turned over lazily, turning his back to him.
Old Fang was speechless as he got up and greeted the visitor. After a few minutes, a man approached him. It was Zhou Zheng, so Old Fang hurriedly saluted.
“En.” Zhou Zheng scanned around, but seeing that Yang Kai did not show him any respect at all, his face immediately turned cold and he snorted heavily.
A few days ago, he was upset that he did not get a share of benefits from Yang Kai. He had naturally checked the Open Heaven Pills in the Space Ring before, and he knew that there were 5,000 of them. With a twenty percent ‘gift’, he would acquire 1,000 pills. However, Yang Kai did not give anything to him at all.
If Du Ru Feng had not given him an order in advance, Zhou Zheng would have taught Yang Kai a lesson already. He was hoping Yang Kai would come to his senses and make up for his mistakes, but he did not expect Yang Kai to ignore him outright.
Coming here and seeing Yang Kai still lying under the sun, the anger almost blew out of Zhou Zheng’s chest.
“Yang Kai, what is the meaning of this!? As a Worker, why are you not taking care of the fruit trees and instead lazing around here!?” Zhou Zheng shouted.
Yang Kai turned over and squinted at him. Then he got up, and cupped his fists, “So it is Manager Zhou who came. Does Manager Zhou need anything?”
“You…” Zhou Zheng was maddened, “I’m asking you, have you finished taking care of the fruit trees in your orchard?”
“I’ve finished my task properly. If Manager Zhou doesn’t believe me, you may inspect it yourself. If there is anything wrong, I will correct it immediately!”
“Are you that confident?” Zhou Zheng sneered repeatedly. If he wanted to find fault with Yang Kai, it would be futile even if Yang Kai took perfect care of the fruit trees.
Old Fang noticed something was wrong, knowing that Yang Kai was digging his own grave. Taken aback, he quickly went forward to apologize, “Manager Zhou, please calm down. I went to see his fruit trees myself, and this little brat indeed has taken care of them. Since Manager Zhou came all the way here, please sit down to have some wine!”
Then he went to pull Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng reprimanded as he looked at him coldly, “Go away, what thing are you?”
Old Fang’s hand froze mid-air, and embarrassment filled his face. He knew that Zhou Zheng was really mad this time, otherwise he would not say such words. In the past, he was just greedy, but he always had an amiable attitude towards the Workers. Of course, the premise was that they had paid him enough, but today he actually rebuked them with harsh words.
Zhou Zheng turned back to Yang Kai and suppressed his anger because he needed to settle something with him today. Although he was upset with Yang Kai’s attitude, he could not delay this matter anymore. This matter should have been done a few days ago, but he was too enraged at the time, so he did not mention it. But he was getting anxious after a few days, and he was afraid of getting into trouble if he continued to delay.
“Yang Kai, come with me,” Zhou Zheng snorted coldly. Although he could not harm Yang Kai due to Du Ru Feng’s order, it did not mean he could not punish him slightly. With his identity as a Manager, it was too convenient for him to teach Yang Kai a lesson.
“I wonder if Manager Zhou has anything to tell me?” Yang Kai questioned.
Zhou Zheng retorted, “Enough nonsense. Just follow me as I ordered!” After saying so, he soared to the sky and rushed off.
Yang Kai frowned, for he had no idea what Zhou Zheng was going to do. [Could he be angry and want to beat me up? I don’t think he has the courage to kill me.] Although the status of the Workers in the Worker’s Room was low, each of them was a valuable resource to Fire Spirit Land. Otherwise, the Venerable Protector would not have gone out to attract more; therefore, Zhou Zheng definitely would not kill him. Only the Venerable Protector had the authority to execute Workers in the entire Fire Spirit Land.
Old Fang looked at Yang Kai worriedly, “Be patient and don’t be so impulsive later. Speak softly, and if Manager Zhou wants to do anything to you, bear it if you can and don’t fight back, otherwise, you’ll be doomed in the future.”
Yang Kai said nothing and glanced in the direction Zhou Zheng had left, having no choice but to keep up as he thought to himself, [If Zhou Zheng really attacks me later, what should I do?]
[Good, I will grab Ruler of the Dawn Great General and throw him at him. Let’s see if he dares to fight back then!]
After he decided, Yang Kai caressed the Ruler of the Dawn Great General on his head, [I’m putting my faith in you for later!]
Great General did not understand what was happening and just crowed twice.
Yang Kai sped after Zhou Zheng, and after a stick worth of incense, he saw him plummeting straight into the orchard. Yang Kai also landed and looked around suspiciously.
Even if Zhou Zheng wanted to teach himself a lesson, he should not have chosen this place. Zhou Zheng could not afford it if their fight caused any problems for the surrounding fruit trees.
If he was not here to teach him a lesson, what was his intention of bringing him here?
While Yang Kai was still puzzled, Zhou Zheng suddenly bellowed, “Where’s the Worker of this plot!?”
After only three breaths of time, a rumbling sound approached rapidly, as if thunderstruck across the ground, causing it to tremble. Then, a burly figure rushed towards them from a distance and bowed, “I’m here, I’m here. So it is Manager Zhou here. Please forgive this Xiang for being far away just now. Hahaha, Manager Zhou, have a seat.”
Yang Kai took a closer look, and found that the visitor was actually someone he knew.
Given that he had only been in the Worker’s Room for less than three months, he did not get acquainted with many people, but the one in front of him was actually one of the few he recognized. It was Xiang Yong, the bear who chased after Dié You in the shopping district and blocked him outside of it.
He only met Xiang Yong twice and only talked to him once, but Yang Kai had the impression that he was a simple-minded and domineering person. By the look of it, this plot was probably Xiang Yong’s territory.
[Why did Zhou Zheng bring me here?] Yang Kai was puzzled.
On the other side, Xiang Yong also saw Yang Kai. He suddenly widened his bronze bell-like eyes and pointed at Yang Kai while scratching his head, “You… You… I seem to have seen you somewhere!”
Yang Kai smiled, “At the shopping district!”
“Oh, yes, it’s you. I remember.” Xiang Yong was immediately enlightened by Yang Kai’s reminder.
“You two know each other?” Zhou Zheng observed from the side coldly. Listening to them, he looked at Yang Kai, then looked at Xiang Yong, the corner of his mouth slightly curving.
“No!” Xiang Yong shook his head and turned to Zhou Zheng, “Does Manager Zhou have any orders?”
Zhou Zheng put one hand behind his back and proceeded faintly, “This Manager is here to inform you that from now on, your plot will be taken over by Yang Kai.”
As soon as he declared this, Xiang Yong’s jaw instantly dropped so low that it could fit a giant fist inside of it. He was dumbstruck, and could not return to his senses for a long time.
Yang Kai too, was stunned for a moment, wondering if there could be such a good thing for him.
This was good news to any Worker. The plot that Yang Kai managed before was too small and there were very few fruit trees. It would be of great benefit for him to change to any other place, and this was also the reason why he requested Old Fang to send gifts to Manager Zhou on his behalf before.
But how was it possible that Zhou Zheng would treat him well after he offended him like that? Even if he could not do anything to him publicly, Zhou Zheng could still do some things discretely.
[Is there any problem with Xiang Yong’s land?] With a single thought, Yang Kai dismissed this idea and instead understood something. There was probably no problem with Xiang Yong’s land, but Zhou Zheng’s move had another hidden intention!
On the other side, Xiang Yong hesitated for a while and scratched his head, “Heh heh, Manager Zhou, what did you say just now? This Xiang didn’t hear it clearly.”
Zhou Zheng repeated word by word, “From now on, your plot will be taken over by Yang Kai. Did you hear me clearly now?”
Xiang Yong immediately jumped like a cat whose tail was stepped on, the veins on his forehead bulging as he pointed at Yang Kai with a stubby finger, “Him? Why?”
Zhou Zheng explained coldly, “Because this Manager has ordered it so, is that not enough of a reason? What now? Are you not putting this Manager in your eyes?” While speaking, his Open Heaven Realm aura gradually permeated.
Feeling the aura, Xiang Yong woke up from his rage and put on a fawning face, “I didn’t mean that, Manager Zhou. This Xiang dares not disrespect you. Is there any misunderstanding in this? What did this Xiang do wrong? Why is my territory being taken over by someone else all of a sudden?”
“It has nothing to do with you.”
Yang Kai also cupped his fists and started, “Manager Zhou, since Brother Xiang is so reluctant, let’s forget it. My land is still good and doesn’t need to be changed.”
Zhou Zheng sneered, “You’re in no position to speak. Let this Manager tell you, this is the order of Senior Brother Du, so you have to change plots no matter what!”
Yang Kai was speechless as he thought to himself, [Why is Du Ru Feng suddenly involving himself in such a small matter in the orchard? Isn’t he a Core Disciple of Fire Spirit Land? However, since Zhou Zheng said so, he must not be wrong. Is it because I helped him to collect the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame a few days ago?]
Xiang Yong kept blinking, “Did Sir Du purposely order him to take over my territory?” If so, there was nothing he could say. He could only blame himself for being looked down upon by Du Ru Feng.
Zhou Zheng answered, “Not really.”
“Then why does it have to be my place?” Xiang Yong was visibly upset. After that, he pulled Zhou Zheng over and leaned in to whisper something.
Yang Kai did not bother to eavesdrop, because they would find out if he tried; therefore, he had no idea what they were talking about, only that Xiang Yong was muttering endlessly while Zhou Zheng shook his head from time to time. Intermittently, Xiang Yong would turn to look at Yang Kai with his eyes full of vicious light.
For Xiang Yong, this was apparently a great disaster. He could not do anything to Manager Zhou for Zhou Zheng was stronger and had a higher status than him, so he could only turn his anger on Yang Kai.
Yang Kai folded his hands behind his back and turned his gaze away, avoiding eye contact with Xiang Yong, which made the latter even more furious.
Since Zhou Zheng brought Yang Kai here today, it meant that he had planned this long ago. Perhaps, Xiang Yong had no way to turn the situation around.
Sure enough, the two talked for a stick’s worth of incense as Xiang Yong’s face became increasingly ugly. Suddenly, he left Zhou Zheng, and charged towards Yang Kai directly while putting his fist in front of his face, and threatening fiercely, “Little brat, if you’re smart, hurry up and tell Manager Zhou that you don’t want this land, otherwise, this Xiang will not let you end well!”
Following a sigh, Yang Kai looked over at Xiang Yong and gazed at Zhou Zheng. Seeing the grin on his face, he knew that he was right. Zhou Zheng was trying to commit murder with a borrowed knife!
Since Zhou Zheng wanted to manipulate others to harm him, Yang Kai definitely could not let him succeed so he immediately explained, “Brother Xiang, I can’t help it. I’m innocent too. I was dragged here by Manager Zhou, and I don’t know what happened to cause all this. But since Manager Zhou has made a decision, there’s no way to change his mind. How about this? Even if I take care of this land for you, if any benefits or credits appear from this place, I will give them to you. Deal?”
“No deal!” Xiang Yong’s spit flew everywhere, “This is my Heavenly Paradise. I won’t give it away no matter how many benefits you give me!”
Yang Kai almost choked to death. How could this plot of land be a Heavenly Paradise? All the plots in the orchard were the same other than being bigger or smaller.
“The income of this land will belong to you as well!” Yang Kai added.
Xiang Yong waved his big hand like a cattail leaf fan and almost slapped Yang Kai’s face, “I already said I won’t give this place away for any price! You must quickly settle this issue for me!”
Yang Kai was becoming annoyed. He felt that he had made enough concessions and was even willing to give up the benefits of two pieces of land to settle things with Xiang Yong, but this bear indeed had a bear’s brain, making him near fanatical about his territory.
Given his attitude, Yang Kai knew that he could not talk sense to him, so he did not bother to waste further energy.
“When will you stop grumbling? If you’re finished, leave with me!” Zhou Zheng urged from not far away.
Xiang Yong turned to Zhou Zheng and wanted to say something; however, seeing the look on Zhou Zheng’s cold face, Xiang Yong knew that it was probably useless to say anything so he could only accept his fate. Still, he glared at Yang Kai hatefully and declared, “Just wait. I’ll be back.”
While leaving with Zhou Zheng, Xiang Yong would turn back every few steps to glare at Yang Kai with threatening eyes. Only after disappearing out of sight did Yang Kai click his tongue.
Zhou Zheng’s move was brilliant. By using the name of Du Ru Feng, he made it impossible for either side to object, and on top of that, Xiang Yong was clearly difficult to deal with. Zhou Zheng was able to justify himself, and no one would complain about him even if this matter was spread, because his move was considered as good news for Yang Kai.
But in fact, Yang Kai did not want to change his territory at all. Since the hidden danger of his original plot had been resolved and with the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, the God of Fortune, he was not expecting any harvest from the orchard like the other Workers did. Comparatively, Yang Kai preferred his small plot as he didn’t need to spend much time or energy to care for it. Furthermore, the main advantage of it was to be close to Old Fang. When they were free, they could drink and play chess together. Those days were so carefree.
But now that things have come to this point, Yang Kai could only take things one step at a time.
This plot was much larger than his previous one, and there was an exquisitely built thatched house on it. Yang Kai knew at a glance that it was not built by the bear Xiang Yong. It was probably left by the Worker who took care of the fruit trees here before.
Old Fang also had his own hut. The reason why Yang Kai did not have one was because the area of his plot was too small to build one. Otherwise, he would have built one for himself.
After all, the Workers had to spend nearly a month in the orchard at a time. Although it was fine for them to live without a house, it was more comfortable to live in a shelter.
When Yang Kai pushed the door in, so much dust blew into his face he almost choked.
Yang Kai was speechless, wondering how long the bear had not entered the house as the dust inside was visibly thick. After some simple cleanup, Yang Kai brought out some furniture from his Space Ring and only then did the small house look half-decent.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Yang Kai took out the control token for this plot and held it in the palm of his hand.
Before Zhou Zheng left, he exchanged his token with Xiang Yong’s. The tokens of each territory were distinct, so Yang Kai needed to refine it before knowing the details of this plot
Yang Kai immediately refined the token, though he remained vigilant after what happened today. He felt that he had to be on guard at all times now so that Zhou Zheng could not find fault with him.
The token was specially made by Fire Spirit Land for the Workers, and because their owners frequently changed, the tokens were not difficult to refine.
Yang Kai took less than two hours to finish refining the token, and he then poured his Divine Sense into it to investigate.
Yang Kai immediately clicked his tongue.
It seemed that Xiang Yong was quite valued. Although this plot was not excessively large, it was still 50% bigger than Old Fang’s, thus having 50% more fruit trees.
Yang Kai could not see the details of each fruit tree in the token, however, so he could only check them one by one to see if there were any problems that needed to be solved.
After leaving the house, Yang Kai wandered around his new plot and examined the fruit trees. Only then did he discover that Xiang Yong had not been doing a good job in taking care of the fruit trees. Xiang Yong had clearly made so many mistakes that Yang Kai had no idea how he managed to get such a large territory.
If this plot was given to Old Fang, he definitely would have taken much better care of the fruit trees than Xiang Yong.
Yang Kai had no choice but to take some time to fix these issues. After an entire day of hard work, Yang Kai was deeply missing his small plot of land. Fortunately, the number of fruits on the fruit trees was recorded correctly, without any discrepancies.
The next day, Yang Kai continued to patrol his plot, taking care of the fruit trees, but while he was deworming one of them, he heard a familiar voice not far away, “Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai looked up and saw a beautiful figure standing against the fiery red background, looking at him curiously from a short distance, her somewhat sleepy eyes full of puzzlement.
“Xiao Dié?” Yang Kai was pleasantly surprised, “Why are you here?”
Dié You rushed over, all the while peering around, “I was about to ask you the same. Why are you here? Isn’t this plot Xiang Yong’s?”
“It’s mine now.” Yang Kai chuckled, immediately understanding something, “Is your plot nearby?”
Dié You pointed to the side.
Yang Kai nodded, “No wonder it’s a Heavenly Paradise, I understand now!”
“What Heavenly Paradise?” Dié You was confused.
“It’s nothing.” Yang Kai shook his head and did not explain. He did not understand when Xiang Yong called this place his Heavenly Paradise yesterday. To others, this place may not be much different from any other plot, but to Xiang Yong, there was no better place in the orchard than here. No wonder he reacted so strongly when Zhou Zheng wanted to change his site yesterday.
Xiang Yong was nowhere to be seen when Zhou Zheng and Yang Kai arrived here together, so clearly he was pestering Dié You. How could Xiang Yong take care of such a large plot when he was spending most of his time and effort on Dié You?
The mystery of the dusty hut was also explained; he obviously had no time to go back to it.
Now it seemed that the person that Zhou Zheng used was not just a random choice, but was selected carefully. He must know how Xiang Yong felt about Dié You, and deliberately picked this plot for Yang Kai to take over. It would be strange if Xiang Yong did not hate him now.
“What did Xiang Yong do? Why did you take over this plot?” Dié You wondered.
Yang Kai smiled bitterly, “It’s a long story.”
“Take your time,” Dié You pursed her lips and giggled.
There was nothing to do, and since they were friends already, Yang Kai recounted what happened before. Hearing that Yang Kai actually found a Fourth-Order’s Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, Dié You’s hand flew to her scarlet lips in shock, and Yang Kai, who made such a great contribution, not only won a generous reward from Du Ru Feng but was also transferred to this plot.
However, he offended Zhou Zheng, and now Xiang Yong too. It was a blessing and a curse at the same time.
“Your days have been quite exciting,” Dié You laughed sweetly as her eyes upturned into crescents.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes at her, “Why do I feel like you’re taking pleasure in my misfortune?”
“No, no.” Dié You waved her hands quickly, “It’s true that I’ve never met a Worker who has caused such a big scene in just a few months, and this is not even inclusive of the matter regarding Great General.” As she spoke, Dié You took out a Jade Fire Silkworm and fed it to the stupid chicken, who pecked on it lazily but returned no reward.
“Do you think I want this?” Yang Kai was indignant; sometimes trouble would come looking for him even if he did not want it to.
“It doesn’t matter. According to what you said, you have made great achievements, so Sir Du is probably looking at you in a different light now and intends to promote you. So even if Zhou Zheng doesn’t like you, there’s nothing he can do. But of course, the premise is that you do not commit any huge mistakes.”
“If only it was that easy. Zhou Zheng is not so easy to deal with, you can see that from the matter regarding Xiang Yong.”
Dié You nodded softly, “He wants to murder with a borrowed knife… And Xiang Yong…” She looked like she was having a headache. It seemed like she was terribly harassed by the bear, “Don’t worry, if Xiang Yong comes asking for trouble, I’ll warn him.”
“Don’t, if you intervene when he comes to make trouble, the situation will only get worse.” Yang Kai stopped her hurriedly. He was already stopped once by the bear when he was seen going to the shopping district with Dié You. If Dié You showed up again, it would only give birth to more misunderstandings between him and Xiang Yong.
“You’re right.” Dié You frowned, “Then what should we do?”
“Nothing, just let it be.” Yang Kai shrugged, “By the way, how many Jade Fire Silkworms have you collected these days? Give them to me while we’re here.”
“Sure.” Dié You handed over the Jade Fire Silkworms she collected the past few days to Yang Kai, who then patted Ruler of the Dawn Great General on his head, “Time to eat!”
Even though he knew that Xiang Yong would not give up and would definitely come looking for trouble again, Yang Kai did not expect him to come so soon.
Not long after Dié You left, the big bear plummeted from the sky and landed in front of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai blinked at him, “Brother Xiang is here?”
Xiang Yong threatened with rage in his eyes, “Just you wait, I’ll be back to deal with you!”
After leaving that threat, he hurriedly walked towards Dié You’s plot. A moment later, Yang Kai heard a screech, followed by Xiang Yong howling in pain from the depths of the orchard.
After a while, Xiang Yong returned with a bruised nose and a swollen face. Although he looked terrible, his expression was full of contentment. He went straight to Yang Kai and stared at him condescendingly, “Little brat, you have any wine?”
Yang Kai turned his eyes away from him, for fear that he might burst out laughing if he continued to stare at Xiang Yong directly, and picked up an urn of wine and handed it over.
Xiang Yong slammed the seal on the mouth of the wine urn and gulped half of it down his throat, then nodded contentedly with a loud burp, “Little brat, you have the right attitude at least!”
Yang Kai asked while busying himself with work, “Doesn’t Brother Xiang need to take care of his plot? How are you so free to be here?”
Xiang Yong spat and complained, “Can that pea-sized place even be considered a plot? Father here can deal with it with just a glance. It’s so small that I don’t even want to care for it, so I left it all to that old guy next to me.”
Yang Kai turned to look at him, “Is that old guy surnamed Fang?”
“En, him!” Xiang Yong nodded, “He was very concerned about what happened to you, it seems that you two have a good relationship.”
Yang Kai suddenly realized that he forgot to report to Old Fang that he was safe. He had no time to go back after he was taken to this place by Zhou Zheng yesterday, so Old Fang was probably worried sick.
“What did you tell him?”
Xiang Yong sneered, “Why should I tell him anything?”
Yang Kai was speechless and immediately took out a communication artifact. After sending Old Fang a message, he immediately received a reply, asking him what happened. Old Fang was obviously waiting for news for the past two days.
Without going into detail, Yang Kai could only assure Old Fang not to worry, that everything was fine, and he would explain to him during their rest days.
After communicating with Old Fang, Yang Kai put away the artifact and turned to Xiang Yong, “Looks like she was quite ruthless.”
Xiang Yong was quite strong, so Dié You must have not held back to have beaten him up like this.
“I’m used to it, it’s no big deal.” Xiang Yong snorted.
Yang Kai could not help admiring it, “Brother Xiang is truly loyal.”
“What do you know?” Xiang Yong snorted, his mouth full of alcohol, “If it wasn’t for Xiao Dié, I would have been dead for a long time! My life is hers, what does it matter if she beats me up a few times?”
Yang Kai wondered, “Sister Dié You is Brother Xiang’s life-saver?”
Xiang Yong snorted, “I have nothing to say to you, why are you asking so much?”
“Just chatting, there’s nothing much to do anyway.”
Xiang Yong frowned and pondered for a while. He seemed to think that what Yang Kai said was reasonable, and softened his tone a little, “Then tell me, why doesn’t Xiao Dié like me? What am I doing wrong?”
[How am I supposed to know? You should ask Dié You. Love is a matter of two people, what’s the use when only one person is involved?]
“Aren’t you being too intense?” Yang Kai asked.
“What’s too intense?” Xiang Yong stared.
“You’re pushing her too intensely!” Yang Kai explained, “Take a moment to think about this, how would you feel if a woman pestered you all day long and didn’t give you any space to even breathe?”
“Is she beautiful?”
“Does it matter?” This time it was Yang Kai’s turn to stare.
“Of course it does.” Xiang Yong snorted, “If she’s beautiful, I will make her my woman on the spot. If she’s ugly, I’ll give her three punches and two kicks… Eh? Little brat, are you saying I’m ugly? How am I, your Father, ugly!?”
Yang Kai replied sternly, “Brother Xiang is brave and heroic, an extraordinary man in every way. How can he be associated with the word ‘ugly’? Sister Dié You probably doesn’t know how to appreciate your handsomeness!” As he spoke, Yang Kai for some reason, felt his conscience hurt a little.
Xiang Yong narrowed his eyes, “Are you saying Xiao Dié has bad eyes?”
There was nothing else he could say, so Yang Kai just waved his hand, “Brother Xiang, please go, I have work to do!”
A palm slammed hard on Yang Kai’s shoulder and felt his knees bend from the large impact, “Don’t go, don’t go, let’s talk this out.” Xiang Yong ‘requested’.
“Talk what out?” Yang Kai turned to look at him.
“Tell me, how can I get Xiao Dié to follow me willingly? As long as you can help Father here this time, this Xiang will let go of everything in the past!”
[Damn it, how am I supposed to help you with this? It’s all up to you!] Yang Kai was really speechless.
By the looks of it though, Xiang Yong would not let this go until Yang Kai came up with a sensible plan. After racking his brain hard, he finally suggested, “Why don’t you try playing hard-to-get?”
Xiang Yong’s eyes lit up, looking around for a while before asking sneakily, “How do I play hard-to-get?”
Yang Kai lowered his voice too, “Brother Xiang has been following Sister Dié You constantly for a long time now, so she’s probably used to having you look for her every day. In that case, if you suddenly stop looking for her, wouldn’t she feel something is odd? Then she would start wondering what you’re busy with, or wondering if you got hurt. As long as she has thoughts like this, she will start to care about you. Men and women are the same, we always want what we cannot have. She wouldn’t know how to cherish Brother Xiang if you constantly offer yourself to her.”
Xiang Yong’s heart was moved when he heard this and his face flushed as he pictured the possible scene of a wonderful future. He licked his lips and asked again, “Is this way possible?”
“You won’t know if you don’t try. In any case, Brother Xiang has nothing to lose. If it doesn’t work, just think of another way.”
“I’ll do it!” Xiang Yong loudly palmed his fist, “Let’s do as you suggested, when should I start?”
“Let’s start now.”
“Good!” Xiang Yong strode in big steps, “Then I’ll go back first. If Dié You asks about me later, remember to let me know.”
Seeing that Xiang Yong had left, Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief. He did not expect this guy to be so easy to fool.
However, after only two days, Xiang Yong returned again. Yang Kai’s head instantly started aching at the sight of him, but he had no way to hide, so he greeted him, “Brother Xiang is here again?”
Xiang Yong rushed over, looked around, then leaned over to whisper, “How is it? How is it?”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai was confused.
“Did Xiao Dié ask about me? Did she miss me? Did she cry and try to look for me?”
“Ah…” Yang Kai saw a face full of expectation and did not want to hurt him by telling him the truth, so he could only lie, “I’m not sure. I haven’t met Sister Dié You these two days. I’ve just come here and am busy taking care of the fruit trees.”
“Waste!” Xiang Yong snarled as he glanced sideways at Yang Kai, “Why don’t you inquire about it? Why do I need such an incompetent person like you?”
The corner of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched and he did not know what to say.
Xiang Yong shoved both arms, “I’ll ask myself.”
He went past Yang Kai straight to Dié You’s plot, and after a short while, the familiar screech and painful howl of Xiang Yong echoed through the air.
A moment later, Xiang Yong came back limping with bruises on his face. Yang Kai was shocked, because this time, his nose and mouth were bloody.
When he came in front of Yang Kai, Xiang Yong retorted angrily, “What kind of shit idea did you give me? It didn’t work at all! Xiao Dié hit me even harder!”
Yang Kai sighed, “Brother Xiang, I have something to say, but I’m not sure if I should!”
“Just say it!” Xiang Yong snorted coldly and wiped the blood under his nose with his hand.
“There are plenty of other fish in the sea…”
Xiang Yong guffawed, “Although there are many women in the world, Father here has identified Xiao Dié as the love of my life! Except for Xiao Dié, even if the most beautiful woman in the world stands in front of me, I won’t steal a glance. I have decided since she saved my life back then, she is destined to be my woman! Whoever dares to touch her, I will tear his flesh apart and drink his blood!”
Hearing this, Yang Kai was genuinely impressed. He did not expect Xiang Yong to be so infatuated. It was just that his method of picking up women was a little too annoying, while he was also quite dumb.
But then again, even though Xiang Yong was a little hateful, without a doubt he was sweet to Dié You, otherwise, he would not endure getting beaten like this every time.
“Are you planning to lay your hand on Xiao Dié?” Xiang Yong suddenly turned his head and glared at Yang Kai fiercely, with his eyes full of murderous light, as if he would kill Yang Kai on the spot if he dared to say yes.
“I’ve only known Sister Dié You for about two months. I don’t deserve such a Heavenly beauty like Sister Dié You.”
“It’s best you think so!” Xiang Yong snorted, “If you dare to touch her, I will tear you to pieces!”
“I wouldn’t dare!”
“I’ll give you a task!” Xiang Yong put on a grim face and ordered regardless of whether Yang Kai was willing or not, “Look after Xiao Dié for me. If anyone dares to pester her, tell me immediately and I’ll deal with him. Do you hear me?”
Yang Kai nodded silently.
Only then did Xiang Yong look satisfied. He reached out to touch the wound on his face, hissed as he winced in pain, and walked back.
After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and shouted, “Oh, one more thing, remember what you said last time.”
Yang Kai was puzzled, “What did I say?”
Xiang Yong continued, “You said last time that the income of this land and your previous land belongs to me. Your tiny plot is not really profitable, but mine can earn me twenty Open Heaven Pills every year. Remember to give it to me later.”
[Twenty?] Yang Kai could not help glaring at him. This was obviously nonsense. Although the area of this plot was not small, given that Xiang Yong was not focused on taking care of the fruit trees and devoted all his time to wooing Dié You, how much extra income could he get except above the normal salary of a Worker every year?
Twenty pills were absolutely impossible. It was obviously blackmail.
Earlier, Yang Kai still had some admiration for Xiang Yong’s unwavering infatuation, but now it seemed that this hateful man indeed had a hateful side.
Yang Kai did not bother to negotiate with him though because twenty pills were really nothing to him with his current wealth.
Right after the departure of Xiang Yong, Dié You appeared, “Sorry, Little Brother Yang Kai. I’ve caused you trouble.” Dié You apologized.
“It’s not because of you.” Yang Kai waved his hand. Zhou Zheng was the cause of this situation. If he had to blame someone, Zhou Zheng was the one.
He turned around and asked curiously, “Xiang Yong mentioned that you saved his life before?”
Dié You smiled wryly, “That’s a big exaggeration. When he first came to Fire Spirit Land as a Worker, he made some mistakes and was punished nearly to death. I only fed him a healing pill while he was able to survive thanks to his own good foundation, so it doesn’t have much to do with me. He has been like this since then. If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have meddled in his business.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Xiao Dié has always been kind it seems.”
“Actually, he isn’t a bad person, it’s just his character that is a little overbearing.” Dié You sighed, “And he’s quite stubborn.”
Yang Kai smiled, “Xiao Dié, have you ever considered him?”
Dié You shot a glare at him, “Don’t tease your Elder Sister!”
After saying so, she was too lazy to talk to Yang Kai anymore and turned back to her plot.
Since that day, Xiang Yong would come over almost every day, and he would get beaten as usual, but he actually seemed to be enjoying it. Yang Kai also gradually got used to it.
Sometimes, after being beaten, Xiang Yong would leave directly, but sometimes he would stay and talk to Yang Kai, just to find out if anyone harassed Dié You when he was away.
On a certain day, when Yang Kai was taking care of the fruit trees, he heard a sky-piercing sound, followed by someone falling nearby.
He thought it was Xiang Yong again, so he did not bother to turn around and continued to take care of the fruit trees; however, out of his expectation, the visitor did not mean to leave, so Yang Kai looked back curiously. At first glance, he immediately turned around in shock and cupped his fist, “Greetings, Sir Du!”
The visitor this time was not Xiang Yong, but Du Ru Feng.
Du Ru Feng did not act as cold and proud as before, but smiled instead, “I thought I saw you from above, so I came down to have a look.”
“Was Sir looking for me?” Yang Kai asked.
“I’m not looking for you specifically. I just came to inspect the orchard today. Head Manager will be coming to inspect things in a few days, so I have to perform a check in advance to avoid any mistakes.” Du Ru Feng explained.
Yang Kai looked enlightened. He had been here for several months, and he knew almost all the information about Seven Wonders Land that he should know now. There were seven orchards, and each orchard had a Manager like Zhou Zheng, who oversaw the day-to-day operations of the orchards of each Spirit Land respectively. Above them, there was a Head Manager who was directly in charge of all the orchards and reported only to the Heavenly Monarch. His status was no worse than that of the Venerable Protectors.
“Then Sir should really check carefully,” Yang Kai answered casually. Since he was not close to Du Ru Feng and only assisted him in collecting the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame last time, Yang Kai had no idea why the latter purposely came to talk to him.
“Is this the new place that you’ve been assigned?” When Du Ru Feng questioned, he glanced towards the Ruler of the Dawn Great General unintentionally. During their last meeting, he thought that Yang Kai had offended the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, and Great General was punishing him. However, he did not expect the Venerable to tell him that this was the way Great General showed his affection.
Now that he observed carefully, he realized that it was true. Great General just laid there with his eyes closed, taking its nap carefreely. Du Ru Feng found it funny and interesting, wondering which part of Yang Kai had gained the interest of the Great General.
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded, “After last time, Manager Zhou brought me here and appointed me to this plot. He also mentioned that it was on Sir Du’s order.”
Du Ru Feng nodded, “En, it was my order. You should be rewarded for your good work. It seems that Zhou Zheng has done his job well and found you a suitable place.”
Yang Kai replied, “The 5,000 Open Heaven Pills were already a generous gift. Yet, Sir still gave me such a good piece of land. This Worker is truly grateful.”
Du Ru Feng waved his hand, “Anyone who contributes should be rewarded. You deserve it.”
[But I don’t want it!] Because of this, Yang Kai was involved in the matter of Xiang Yong, and he had offended the fool for nothing. However, after a few words of probing, Yang Kai was sure that the original reward was indeed 5,000 Open Heaven Pills. Zhou Zheng had not meddled with the reward.
“So,” Du Ru Feng suddenly looked at Yang Kai, “Are you interested in following and working for me?”
Yang Kai was stunned, “What does Sir mean?”
Du Ru Feng folded his hands behind his back, “If you follow me, you will no longer be a Worker, but a disciple of Seven Wonders Land.”
Yang Kai could not help widening his eyes. He was dumbstruck, as if a pie had fallen from the sky and landed in his lap.
The Workers in Fire Spirit Land had the lowest status and had to do the most work every day. Therefore, getting rid of this status was every Worker’s dream. However, they could only achieve their wish by being promoted to the Open Heaven Realm. As such, the Workers had been working hard for countless years to store up Open Heaven Pills, using them to buy appropriate materials in the shopping district. Yang Kai would never expect that such good news would happen to him.
With Du Ru Feng’s status in Fire Spirit Land, since he proposed it himself, it was definitely not a lie. In other words, as long as Yang Kai agreed, he could instantly get rid of his status as a Worker and become a disciple of Seven Wonders Land.
This was absolutely advantageous to his plan of getting the Open Heaven Pill recipe.
[But… This is strange! Although I made great contributions last time, I already received 5,000 Open Heaven Pills and a bigger piece of land as rewards. What’s the purpose of Du Ru Feng sending such a big gift again?]
[Could it be that my Wood Element is being eyed by someone?] Yang Kai secretly became alert.
As if he noticed his hesitation, Du Ru Feng pressed on with a smile, “This is not the order of Venerable, but my personal proposal. The Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame that we collected last time has been awarded to me by Venerable, and it’s the exact Fourth-Order material that I will need within ten years. With this Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, I am a big step closer to the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Do you now understand the importance of that Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame to me?”
He paused for a while before he continued, “But you may rest assured. Although this is not the idea of Venerable, since I dared to mention this, I am sure that I can persuade Venerable to remove your identity as a Worker.”
“I’m a man who always returns favours. The Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame is of great importance to me. Now that I’ve profited, I’ll not forget your contribution.” Du Ru Feng looked at Yang Kai with a smile, “What do you think? Are you interested in joining me? I dare not promise anything else, but I still have the confidence to let you be promoted to the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm within three hundred years.”
“Third-Order Open Heaven Realm!” Yang Kai exclaimed.
It could be said that the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was the greatest that Workers could hope for, but so far, none of them had achieved it. After all, there were too many materials they needed to condense of that Order, and each of them was extremely pricey. The Workers simply could not save enough Open Heaven Pills for them. Of course, Yang Kai’s goal was definitely higher than the Third Order, but he had to act like a Worker should at this moment.
Du Ru Feng nodded, “I know you were fortunate to have condensed a Wood Element above the Fourth Order, but you should know that this is just a moment of luck. If you don’t have other high Order materials, your achievement in the Open Heaven Realm will be limited even if you have a Wood Element above the Fourth Order now.”
“I understand,” Yang Kai nodded.
“It’s good that you understand. I was afraid that your expectations have become extravagantly high due to your excellent starting point, which might lead you to accomplish nothing in the end.”
“Many thanks to Sir for your kind reminder,” Yang Kai cupped his fists, “But after considering it, this Yang should work in the orchard for the time being.”
“Why?” Du Ru Feng was slightly stunned. He did not expect Yang Kai to reject his proposal; after all, it was an irresistible temptation for any Worker.
“First, this disciple only arrived in Fire Spirit Land three months ago. Although I made a contribution, I’ve already received more rewards than I deserve. If there was another huge reward, I’m afraid that if the other Workers learnt about it, they would accuse Sir of being unfair. At that time, they might get impetuous, and I’m afraid that the work in the orchard will be affected.”
“Who would dare?” Du Ru Feng sneered.
Yang Kai continued, “They dare not in public, but I can’t guarantee that they won’t do it secretly.”
Du Ru Feng pondered for a while, and nodded, “Go on.”
“Second, this disciple wants to train further in this orchard. When the time comes in the future, more experience will allow me to better serve Sir. By that time, no one will dare to say anything about it, and it will be more convenient for this Yang to assist Sir. But if I join Sir now, I would not be able to accomplish anything other than just being protected under Sir’s wings.”
Du Ru Feng looked at Yang Kai with a grin, “It’s rare that you are so thoughtful. In that case, follow your thoughts. When you’re ready, you can come to me at any time.”
“Many thanks to Sir for your kindness.”
After encouraging Yang Kai with a few words, Du Ru Feng continued to inspect the orchard. Looking at the direction of his departure, Yang Kai frowned. What happened today was extremely strange to him. Du Ru Feng’s interest in him was very suspicious; therefore, he refused the offer, not just because of his doubt, but also because of the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.
He had just found a way to make a fortune, earning thousands of Open Heaven Pills every month, so he had no reason to follow Du Ru Feng. If he really went over, his income would definitely be cut off. Du Ru Feng guaranteed him that he would be promoted to the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm within three hundred years, but the materials needed for the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm were only worth about 15,000 Open Heaven Pills. Since he could earn this amount in a few years, why did he need Du Ru Feng’s promise?
The next few days were notably calm, but Yang Kai could sense a heavy air in the orchard. Perhaps it was because of the upcoming arrival of the Head Manager, the Workers stayed on their own land obediently and took good care of the fruit trees, for they feared making any mistakes. Even Xiang Yong did not dare to leave his small plot recklessly. It was likely that Zhou Zheng had passed down some orders.
When the time came, the orchard barrier was activated, and everyone was forced out.
Yang Kai quickly rushed back to the Worker’s Room. Soon, Old Fang and Dié You arrived too, and they went straight to the shopping district without hesitation.
They were busy collecting worms from the other six Spirit Lands in the shopping district for the whole day. At night, just like the previous month, the three sat on the ground and split their shares in Yang Kai’s house.
However, the income this time was much greater than the last time. Previously, the agents of those Spirit Lands had doubts and dared not buy too many worms at one time, except for Yu Xue Ping who was bold from the beginning, while the others only brought about six hundred worms at most.
But after confirming the business was legitimate, they no longer hesitated.
This time, more than 12,000 worms were purchased from all over the six Spirit Lands. Including the worms they bought from Fire Spirit Land this month, there were about 15,000 worms in total.
After feeding Great General for a whole day, despite the stupid chicken’s bottomless stomach, he was probably so stuffed that he walked away unsteadily when he left Yang Kai’s room, as if he were drunk.
After deducting the expenses, the income of this month was nearly 10,000 Open Heaven Pills!
According to the previous agreement, Old Fang and Dié You each took ten percent, which was 1,000 pills, while the remaining 8,000 belonged to Yang Kai.
Old Fang’s eyes turned red; it was not due to jealousy though, but excitement. Recalling the past hundreds of years when he had to work so hard for his Open Heaven Pills and had to be exceptionally careful with his spending, then thinking about how he could earn so many with such little effort now, he could not help being emotional.
Yang Kai laughed and patted him on the shoulder, “Old Fang, why are you crying? This is just the beginning. The good days are still yet to come!”
Old Fang wiped the tears off the corners of his eyes, “Shitty brat, I cried because you did not come to Fire Spirit Land hundreds of years earlier! If you came earlier, this Old Master wouldn’t have had to work so hard only to refine the Second-Order materials. If this Old Master had condensed Fourth-Order materials, he could have been promoted straight to the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Unfortunately, since things have been set, I don’t have a chance to change it anymore.”
“I wasn’t even born several hundred years ago!” Yang Kai sneered, “You’re talking nonsense again. Fourth-Order materials in Fire Spirit Land are incredibly rare. Even if you saved enough Open Heaven Pills, you wouldn’t be able to buy them. You should be content to be able to condense Second-Order materials.”
Old Fang nodded, “True. I’m content, I’m content!” His original goal was the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm, and he worked so hard to save Open Heaven Pills just for this goal. What could he be uncontented about now?
Dié You smiled on the side, “According to our current income, we can buy a material every one or two years, but… we still can’t compare with Little Brother Yang Kai.”
“Who can compare with him?” Old Fang smiled wryly. Previously, Yang Kai received 5,000 Open Heaven Pills as a reward, and he thought it was already a massive number, but who knew Yang Kai would earn 8,000 more each month?
“How about I share another ten percent to both of you?” Yang Kai looked at them.
Dié You and Old Fang exchanged looks, and waved their hands together, “No, we should just stick back to our original agreement, which is ten percent. If necessary, we can just borrow Open Heaven Pills from you in the future.”
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded, and suddenly asked as he remembered something, “By the way, if a Worker buys materials and wants to condense and absorb them, what should they do about their plot in the orchard? You can’t take care of the fruit trees and absorb Open Heaven materials at the same time, right?”
Dié You explained, “You can apply for a retreat. They can’t make a horse run without feeding it, so Seven Wonders Land is still quite understanding when it comes to this matter.”
Old Fang nodded, “Yes, you can apply for a retreat as long as you need to absorb Open Heaven materials. Of course, it also depends on the arrangement of each Manager. You can’t have too many people in retreat at the same time, or there will be no one to take care of the orchard.”
Dié You continued, “Therefore, this matter still needs the Manager’s approval. Even if you apply, you may have to wait more than ten or twenty years or even longer to get your turn. I once applied for a retreat, and had to wait for fifty years!”
Yang Kai laughed, “If I apply, Zhou Zheng certainly will not approve.”
After chatting for a while, the three dispersed with Yang Kai and Old Fang heading to the shopping district again. They had earned a lot this time, so they were going to enjoy themselves before the shopping district closed.
Dié You did not want to go, so they did not force her; after all, drinking was really not entertainment that was suitable for women.
When Yang Kai came back from the shopping district, he went straight to Dié You’s house and knocked on the door. Dié You was a little surprised to see him, but still let him in, serving him a cup of tea as she asked curiously, “Did you forget something?”
“Nope.” Yang Kai smiled as he acted mysterious, “Just wanted to give you something. See if you like it.” He took something out of his Space Ring.
Dié You blushed, “You came all the way just to give me something? What is it?”
“See for yourself,” Yang Kai grinned, and did not tell her what it was.
Dié You glanced at him, then looked down and saw a delicate box in front of him. It was not the Cyan Wood Box that was used for catching worms, but another box that looked quite familiar. Suddenly, she realized what was in the box, and immediately looked up at Yang Kai, “Did you buy it?”
“You know what it is?” Yang Kai was surprised.
Dié You replied, “I’ve been here for a thousand years, and have made purchases there before. I recognize this box.” As she spoke, she opened the box, and a bundle filled with a rich Metal Element that kept transforming in shape was revealed before her eyes.
“Stainless Golden Dew!” Dié You sighed lightly, “It’s really this. Why did you buy it?”
Yang Kai beamed, “I told you before that I’d buy it for you!”
“That was just a joke! No, this is too expensive. Take it back!” Dié You shook her head. This Third-Order material was worth 16,000 Open Heaven Pills in the Open Heaven Temple. She could only take a look at it every time she went to the shopping district, but she did not really expect to be able to buy it one day, so she could not believe that it was placed in front of her now. She closed the box and pushed it back to Yang Kai as she spoke.
“Since I gave it to you, I won’t take it back.” Yang Kai pushed the box back at her again and continued with a solemn face, “I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t have sufficient financial resources. Since I have enough Open Heaven Pills now, I naturally have to fulfil what I promised you before. Moreover, when I first came to Fire Spirit Land, you helped me a lot. Take this as a gift of thanks from me.”
Dié You still insisted on rejecting it, but Yang Kai pressed on, “It’s useless for me to take it back. I can’t get a refund on it anyway”
“Keep it for yourself. You’ll definitely need it in the future.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I’m not aiming for the Third Order!”
Dié You was a little baffled…
Looking at the entire Seven Wonders Land, the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was not only the Workers’ limit, it could even be said to be the limit of the achievements of most Seven Wonders Land disciples.
Apart from disciples like Du Ru Feng, who were highly valued by the Venerables, who else could get materials above the Third Order? There were very few in the entire Seven Wonders Land who had the opportunity to achieve anything above the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Dié You was not a fool, and when Yang Kai said that he was not interested in Third-Order materials, she naturally understood what he meant. Back then, when she first came to Fire Spirit Land, she was just as ambitious. Unfortunately, the passing of the years had dampened her spirit, and she had long lost such drive.
Who knew if Yang Kai would accept a fate equal to hers after many years…
“Where did you get so many Open Heaven Pills?” Dié You asked, then she suddenly remembered that Yang Kai earned 8,000 this month and received 5,000 as a reward, which added up to 13,000. Including his income from the last two months, it should be enough. Even if it was not enough, he could have borrowed some from Old Fang.
“Don’t worry about it.” Yang Kai grinned meaningfully, “Could it be that Xiao Dié wants to achieve a higher Order like me and doesn’t find Third-Order material attractive anymore?”
“How is that possible? Old Fang said it before too, we have already set our foundation, and we have no chance to change it. It’s just that…”
Seeing that she was still a little hesitant, Yang Kai started, “Don’t think too much, it doesn’t mean anything else. It’s just what I promised before. Now that I’m capable, I will naturally keep my word. I didn’t expect to be able to buy it so soon either.”
Dié You sighed softly, “Fine, I will accept it, but I’ll take it as a loan from you. Now that I can earn a lot of Open Heaven Pills from you every month, this amount is not something I cannot afford.” After a pause, she continued solemnly, “Little Brother, thank you!”
Yang Kai laughed, “I didn’t even thank you when you helped me so much.”
Dié You replied, “How can it be the same? It didn’t cost me much when I helped you, but this thing is worth 16,000 Open Heaven Pills.”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “Many are willing to add flowers to one’s bouquet, but few will send you charcoal in a frigid winter. It has always been like this. And to me, the value of the few Open Heaven Pills you loaned me back then can’t be measured.”
…..
At the same time, inside another house located in the Worker’s Room, two people sat opposite each other at a table fully plated with wine and dishes. One of them was serving the wine and dishes enthusiastically, the smile on his face never faltering for a moment, “Manager Zhou, try this, these are all specially bought by this Xiang from the shopping district.”
Zhou Zheng drank the wine and ate the food served to him for a time before he slowly put down his chopsticks, “I’m sure this table cost you a great deal.”
Xiang Yong replied hastily, “Not at all, not at all. As long as Manager Zhou is pleased.” All the while, he cursed silently how difficult it was to even invite him to a meal. When he came back from the orchard, he intentionally invited Zhou Zheng but was ignored. Only after persisting several times in a row did Zhou Zheng accept the invitation, but because he was not in a good mood, he did not want to go to the shopping district and insisted on dining here in the Worker’s Room.
What else could Xiang Yong do? He went to the shopping district and brought back a table of wine and dishes.
After three rounds of wine and tasting all the dishes, the atmosphere became livelier as they chatted, and Xiang Yong decided that now was the moment to strike, “Manager Zhou, is there something you can do about this Xiang’s matter?”
Zhou Zheng replied as he continued eating, “This Zhou is sorry, but this Zhou can’t do anything about it. Sir Du has spoken, and this Zhou had to find a place to switch with that fellow; otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to explain to Sir Du.”
Xiang Yong almost cursed out loud. [Sir Du did ask you to find a place for Yang Kai, but the orchard is so big, why pick my Heavenly Paradise!?] The displeasure was obvious on his face as he continued, “Since it was Sir Du who gave the order, it should be done, but Manager Zhou, can’t we change him to another place? I have taken care of that plot of land for so many years, and it is somewhat sentimental to me. I am reluctant to leave it.”
Zhou Zheng sneered in his heart, knowing that it was not the land that was sentimental to him, but Xiang Yong’s neighbour. Outwardly though, Zhou Zheng waved his hand, “Impossible, if it was a few days ago, it might have been possible, but today, it is impossible to move him.”
“Why?” Xiang Yong’s eyes widened, “That little brat can’t be so powerful that Manager Zhou can’t even move him!”
“Of course not.” Zhou Zheng smiled bitterly, “But that little brat made a massive contribution recently and is now heavily favoured by Sir Du. When Sir Du was inspecting the orchard a few days ago, he even went down to talk to him for a time. In other words, Sir Du already knows that he is in charge of that plot. If I moved him away casually, and Sir Du asked about it, how would I explain it to him?”
“Sir Du went down to talk to him on purpose?” Xiang Yong was stunned, unable to understand why Yang Kai had such good luck.
After a moment of silence, Xiang Yong poured some more wine and spoke in a low voice, “Manager Zhou, if we can’t move him, we can move others. This Xiang also doesn’t want that piece of land, couldn’t you find a way to transfer me to a land neighbouring it? It shouldn’t be difficult, right?”
“There must be a reason for a transfer of personnel. The others have done a good job, so why should I transfer them away?”
Xiang Yong was speechless, [Is this the first time you did this? Haven’t you done it before? As the Orchard Manager, mobilizing personnel is just a matter of one sentence, who can complain about it? It’s obvious that you don’t want to help Father here!]
Looking at Zhou Zheng’s hateful face, Xiang Yong could not help but get angry.
However, Zhou Zheng just sneered, “You might as well worry about that person instead of worrying about your little piece of land. If the land is gone, it can be replaced, but if the person is gone, what can you exchange for it?”
“Who?” Xiang Yong was confused.
“Who do you think?” Zhou Zheng looked at him coldly.
Xiang Yong blinked, “Xiao Dié? What happened to Xiao Die?” Suddenly nervous, he stood up abruptly, looking ferocious again, “What happened to her?”
Zhou Zheng chuckled, “What could have happened to her? Not only has nothing happened to her, but she’s also still alive and well at this time.”
Xiang Yong frowned and stared at him, feeling that Zhou Zheng was implying something, and he was disgusted with his pretentious attitude. Recalling how he was rejected by Zhou Zheng’s excuses, he could not help but remarked coldly, “Manager Zhou, if you have anything to say, please say it directly. This Xiang is a rather straightforward person and can’t understand people who beat around the bush.”
Zhou Zheng patted him, looking heartbroken for him, “It’s because you are too naïve that you don’t even know that you’ve been deceived.”
“Who dares to deceive me!?” Xiang Yong was furious.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about this, come and drink!”
“Bullshit!” Xiang Yong yelled and flipped the table in front of him to the ground with a large stomp. He would have drenched Zhou Zheng with wine and dishes if the latter had not dodged in time.
“Xiang Yong, what are you doing!?” Zhou Zheng was furious. Although he knew that Xiang Yong was an uncultured brute, he did not expect him to be this crude.
Xiang Yong’s face was grim and rebellious, “Manager Zhou, when someone kindly invites you for a meal, isn’t it not right that you stir up so much trouble in their heart?”
“It’s not this King that made you upset, but someone else. Why are you mad at me?”
Xiang Yong cracked his neck, “I don’t care, Manager Zhou, you have to make it clear right now!”
Zhou Zheng sneered again, “Are you sure you want to know?”
Xiang Yong’s glare looked as though he could eat him alive. His answer was obvious.
Zhou Zheng gritted his teeth, “Good, good, good. Since you want to know, then I’ll let you know. I hope you won’t regret it.” He did not explain further, but just took out a token and surged his power into it. Holding the token up, and waving it in front of himself, Zhou Zheng proceeded, “Open your eyes and look clearly.”
When the words fell, a projection of a scene immediately appeared in the air between the pair. There was nothing unusual about the scene. It was just an ordinary house, one of many in the Worker’s Room. There were at least five hundred huts like this in the entire Worker’s Room.
Xiang Yong, however, recognized it at a glance, “Isn’t that Xiao Dié’s house?”
“You have good eyesight!” Zhou Zheng snorted coldly.
“What does Manager Zhou want me to see?” Xiang Yong wondered.
“Just watch and wait, you’ll know soon enough.” Zhou Zheng did not bother to talk nonsense with him.
Xiang Yong stared at him for a while, guessing that he would not be able to get any further answers, so he just stared carefully. Nothing abnormal happened, however, and it was rather boring.
After waiting for more than half an hour, the door of the hut in the projection suddenly opened.
Xiang Yong was startled, and watched expectantly.
But in the next moment, his anticipation turned into shock, and then turned into anger. The fury in his eyes burned as though he was a volcano about to erupt.
“Yang… Kai!!” Xiang Yong growled through gritted teeth, “Why is this little brat coming out of Xiao Dié’s hut at this hour!?”
In the projection, Yang Kai seemed to be in a good mood as he walked out of the house with a smile on his face, and Dié You, who followed behind him, had a blush on her beautiful face. Yang Kai did not look back, however, and just waved his hand at her.
Zhou Zheng watched indifferently, clicking his tongue, “A man and woman meeting up in the dead of night, what do you think this little brat was doing just now? Tsk tsk, he has only come to Fire Spirit Land for a few months, and was already favoured by both Sir Du and a beautiful woman. He is truly enviable.”
Xiang Yong’s face twitched, and the anger in his eyes instantly turned into endless murderous intent, “Damn him!”
He turned around with an axe in his hand, a murderous aura boiling violently as he walked towards the door, “I’ll kill him!”
Zhou Zheng barked coldly, “Workers are not allowed to fight in private. The assaulter will be imprisoned for up to a hundred years depending on the severity of the assault. Murderers will be killed without mercy. Do you want to be buried together with him?”
Xiang Yong halted. Although he was angry at the moment, he still had some sense left. He knew that what Zhou Zheng said was right. If he really killed Yang Kai, he would definitely follow after him, and no one could save him then.
After just three breaths of time, Xiang Yong roared, “Then I’ll beat him up first!”
Zhou Zheng replied, “Even for a minor assault, three years of confinement is inescapable. While you spend three years in prison, this little brat and your Sister Dié You will be free to do whatever they want.”
Xiang Yong turned his head sharply, glaring at Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng sneered, “What are you looking at me for? It’s not me who messed with your woman!”
“Then do you want me to do nothing!?” Xiang Yong shouted angrily, his face contorting into all kinds of ferocious and scary expressions constantly; he was obviously struggling inside.
Seeing this, Zhou Zheng advised, “Xiang Yong, you have to be especially calm at this time; otherwise, your impulse may spoil everything.”
“It’s easy for you to say, and your advice is not helping at all!” Xiang Yong replied in a deep voice, “Manager Zhou, just pretend you don’t know anything today. I’ll kill him now!”
“If you want him to die, you don’t have to do it with your own hands!” Zhou Zheng sneered.
Xiang Yong, who was about to leave, immediately stopped and turned to Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng’s face changed, “I always talk nonsense when I drink. Don’t take it seriously. It’s late at night. I should go back and have a rest.” After stating this, he wanted to rush out of the door.
Xiang Yong stopped Zhou Zheng with a swing of his axe, and his burly body stood blocking the entrance, looking down at Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng was not scared but still narrowed his eyes slightly, “Xiang Yong, are you going to fight this King? This King is a little drunk after all that wine, but it seems that you are even more out of your mind.”
Xiang Yong answered in a deep voice, “Sir Manager is an Open Heaven Realm Master, and I know that I’m no match for you. If we really initiate a fight, I would only end up being humiliated; however, the matter of Xiao Dié is exceptionally important to me. If Manager has a good plan, please tell me directly. I will be very grateful.”
“What if I don’t?” Zhou Zheng stared at him coldly.
Xiang Yong snickered, “Although Sir Manager is an Open Heaven Realm Master, you’re just First-Order. I will fight to my death and probably be able to tear off a big chunk of your flesh!”
“You’re crazy!” Zhou Zheng was infuriated.
Xiang Yong rubbed his own chin with a ferocious look, “Please teach me, Sir Manager!”
Zhou Zheng was staring at him in the eyes quietly and saw only determination and viciousness in his eyes.
After a long time, Zhou Zheng started, “Xiang Yong, why do you have to be like this? Since Dié You doesn’t like you, why do you still not let go?”
“This is my own business. Sir Manager doesn’t need to care about it!”
Zhou Zheng sighed, “It’s actually not up to me to have a say about this matter, but for the sake of your infatuation, this King can give you some advice. However…”
Xiang Yong assured, “Don’t worry, Sir Manager. It has nothing to do with you. No matter what happens in the end, this Xiang will bear all the consequences!”
“Very good!” Zhou Zheng nodded, “If so, come closer!”
Xiang Yong hurriedly leaned in, and Zhou Zheng whispered to him in detail for a while. The expression on Xiang Yong’s face changed endlessly during the conversation, and he secretly sighed that Zhou Zheng was truly a cruel and merciless person. If the plan really worked, Yang Kai would die without doubt, and he could obtain victory without staining his own hands!
A moment later, Zhou Zheng informed in a deep voice, “This matter involves many pieces. If it is exposed, your end will not be pleasant, so you should think it over carefully.”
Xiang Yong snickered, “It’s a good idea, Sir Manager. If I don’t do it, I’ll waste your idea.”
“What does it have to do with me?” Zhou Zheng was appalled.
Xiang Yong quickly slapped his mouth, “Yes, yes, yes. It has nothing to do with Sir Manager. It was all my own idea. Come and drink.”
There was no point in continuing drinking when the drinks and food were flipped all over the floor of course, so Zhou Zheng flicked his sleeve and declared, “It’s already late. This King is going back to have a rest.”
Xiang Yong continued, “Then I’ll rely on Manager Zhou for the future affair.”
Zhou Zheng staggered, wondering whether it was a good idea to share this plan with Xiang Yong. However, it was too late to regret. By the look of Xiang Yong, he would definitely carry out the plan, so Zhou Zheng could only secretly pray that it would succeed in making Yang Kai have no way to recover.
Life in the Worker’s Room was uninteresting. After Yang Kai came back from Dié You’s house, he meditated and rested. The next day, he took Old Fang to the shopping district again, mainly to explore new places.
Although he knew about the general situation in the shopping district, there were still some quaint things selling in the stalls, which were brought out by the Workers from their own Universe Worlds.
In order to buy the Third-Order Stainless Golden Dew for Dié You, Yang Kai had spent his entire fortune and even owed Old Fang a few Open Heaven Pills. However, he was not worried, for he could earn a large amount of Open Heaven Pills next month anyway.
All the eating and drinking in the shopping district were Old Fang’s treat. Old Fang naturally would not be calculative with him and he even mysteriously brought Yang Kai to a special place this time.
The place was extremely well hidden and looked insignificant on the outside, but one would only know it was a different world inside when he entered. The people who came here were not only the Workers but also some Seven Wonders Land disciples. Many Seven Wonders Land disciples donned in Seven Coloured Robes were busy with their hands wrapped around beautiful women, having the time of their lives.
Yang Kai was so shocked that he tugged Old Fang’s arm, “Is there such a place in the shopping district?”
Old Fang sneered, “What’s so strange about this? Since ancient times, this industry can be seen everywhere.”
“Who are the… women?” Yang Kai looked around.
Old Fang sighed, “They are all Workers from various Spirit Lands. Everyone is working for a living. I didn’t have the capability last time, but since I have it now, I will try to help them as much as I can.”
Yang Kai looked at him strangely. This was the first time he heard someone making this activity sound so noble. Frowning, he asked, “The Workers should have no spare money, right?”
Old Fang answered, “That’s why most of the customers here are disciples of Seven Wonders Land. It’s quite rare for a Worker to have fun here. Although this place is not specially opened for Seven Wonders Land disciples, the business is mainly dependent on them.”
Just as Old Fang mentioned, most of the customers Yang Kai saw here were Seven Wonders Land disciples with Seven Coloured Robes. As for the Workers, there were only a few including the two of them.
“Stop talking nonsense and find a girl to take care of you.” Old Fang pushed him, and pointed to a group of more than ten women, “Just take one you like upstairs directly.”
After that, he swiftly went upstairs and knocked on the door of a room as if he was familiar with this place. A moment later, the door opened, and a jade white hand extended out of the room to pull Old Fang in.
Yang Kai’s jaw dropped at the scene. He stood there and scratched his head. Looking aside, more than ten women over there were looking at him curiously, but no one wanted to serve him.
This place was mainly maintained by the Seven Wonders Land disciples, and it was only open for three days a month. These women also understood that if they wanted to make money, serving those who wore Seven Coloured Robes was the better choice. Most of the Workers like Yang Kai were ignored by them unless they took the initiative to talk to them.
[It’s good that nobody cares!]
Yang Kai went straight to a table on the side, then ordered a table of wine and dishes from the server before enjoying himself.
Although this was a brothel, the environment here was clean, similar to a high-end teahouse.
If it were not to wait for Old Fang, Yang Kai would have left long ago.
It was a long wait though, and Yang Kai had to order another round of wine and dishes. Finally, a girl could not stand it anymore and approached him, “Senior Brother, are you waiting for your companion?”
Yang Kai nodded.
The girl smiled, “Then you shouldn’t wait anymore. I heard from the Senior Sisters over there that your companion will always stay overnight every time he comes.”
Yang Kai almost cursed. He thanked her with a darkened face, and settled the bill for the wine and food. Just as he was about to leave though, the girl suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
Yang Kai turned to look at her, and seeing her flushed cheeks, he asked, “What happened, Junior Sister?”
The woman lowered her head, “Senior Brother, are you only here to drink?”
Yang Kai was not a fool and certainly understood what she meant. After checking her out, he found that this woman was beautiful and did not look loose in any sense of the term, so he laughed and commented, “I came here to accompany my friend. I’ve never been to a place like this before.”
The woman replied with a soft voice, “There’s always a first for everything. Senior Brother, do you want to… Do you want to try?”
As she spoke, she almost buried her head into her chest, her face turning redder by the breath.
Yang Kai was a little speechless and wondered if the woman in front of him was shy due to her own nature or if she was still new.
While he was still thinking, the woman pressed on, “Senior Brother, let this Junior Sister tell you… It’s… It’s also my first time.”
Yang Kai frowned as he asked, “Junior Sister, why are you here?”
The woman kept silent; however, Yang Kai had been here for several months, so he naturally knew how hard the life of a Worker was. Their salary was just three Open Heaven Pills a year, and if they wanted to buy Second-Order materials, it would cost at least 1,500 Open Heaven Pills. If they wanted to be promoted to the Open Heaven Realm, they had to find an alternative method of making money.
Yang Kai sighed secretly and agreed with Old Fang. If it were not for living, who would be willing to work in a place like this?
Just then, a burly man suddenly walked in. He swept his eyes across the place and stopped on Yang Kai. Surprised, he approached.
Aware of the movement, Yang Kai turned his head and was astonished, “Brother Fang?”
“Why are you here?” Fang Tai looked at Yang Kai curiously, “Are you in the wrong place?”
“What does Brother Fang want to say?” Yang Kai frowned slightly.
“Nothing.” Fang Tai shook his head slowly. He probably did not want to talk to him much. He looked around, then saw the woman next to Yang Kai, and smiled as he advised, “Junior Sister, you have to know how to choose the right people. Some people might not be able to pay you after you serve them. It’s not worth working for nothing.”
The woman forced a smile, “Senior Brother must be joking.”
Fang Tai continued, “I’m not. The one you’re holding onto is a newcomer. He’s only been here for a few months and hasn’t even gotten his salary. How can he give you any reward?”
The woman looked at Yang Kai strangely as he certainly did not look like a newcomer when he splurged on wine and food.
“This Fang is different, however. I will definitely satisfy Junior Sister.” After saying so, he reached out and grabbed the woman’s arm. The woman could not avoid it, and was caught at once. She quickly turned to Yang Kai with a pleading face. Comparatively, she was more willing to serve Yang Kai; otherwise, she would not have taken the initiative to talk with him.
To her disappointment though, Yang Kai just glanced at her and commented, “Then I won’t interrupt Brother Fang’s business. Goodbye.”
“Hmph!” Fang Tai snorted coldly.
Yang Kai strode towards the exit, but he could clearly feel a pair of eyes staring at him from behind.
“Stop looking at him, why do you need to care about that waste? This Senior Brother will take you to have fun.”
Yang Kai stopped, then turned around and went straight to Fang Tai. He looked right at him as he asked, “Brother Fang, did you take the wrong medicine today?”
Fang Tai answered, “This Fang is not ill. Why would he need to take medicine?”
“If you’re not, why did you talk nonsense and insult me for no reason?”
Fang Tai was extremely surprised, “When did I insult you? Oh… Do you mean the ‘waste’ that I mentioned? I wasn’t talking about you. I was actually referring to others, but if you admit it yourself, this Fang can’t help it.”
Yang Kai stared at him calmly; Fang Tai’s eyes were full of ridicule and mockery.
Yang Kai nodded, “It seems that Brother Fang is really ill.”
When Fang Tai was about to say something, a fist magnified rapidly in front of his eyes! Followed by a buzzing sound in his head, he was sent flying as if he had been hit by a strong force that sent him into a daze for a while.
Dumbstruck, the woman beside Fang Tai looked at Yang Kai who was still holding his fist up.
If she had not seen it with her own eyes, she would not believe that this kind-looking Senior Brother actually had such a hot temper, and would punch people without hesitation. Did he not know the consequences of doing this?
Less than three breaths after Yang Kai punched, the women in the lobby had run out of the building in the blink of an eye with their respective Movement Skills.
On the contrary, the several Seven Wonders Land disciples were watching with great interest. It had been quite some years since a Worker dared to start a fight. Today, they finally had a show to watch.
On the other side, Fang Tai got up slowly. He felt a sticky patch between his mouth and nose, and he realized it was blood when he wiped it. He raised his head and glared at Yang Kai, and growled in disbelief, “You dare hit me?”
He was bewildered. He did not expect Yang Kai to attack him all of a sudden; otherwise, with his ability, he would not have been hit so effortlessly. For a moment, humiliation and anger surged into his heart, and his aura started to heave too.
“If you dare to curse me, why wouldn’t I dare to punch you?” Yang Kai sneered.
“Good!” Fang Tai roared furiously, kicked away the tables and chairs blocking his way, and pounced at Yang Kai like a ferocious Ancient Beast. Two large fist shadows completely shaded Yang Kai.
Fang Tai was also a newcomer who had just arrived in the Outer Universe, so his strength was on par with Yang Kai’s, making it an even match.
To the side, the several Seven Wonders Land disciples in Seven Coloured Robes cheered loudly as they enjoyed the battle.
However, after about more than ten breaths of fighting, a troop of people rushed in from the outside. The Captain, who had his hands behind his back, glanced at the two of them and shouted angrily with narrowed eyes, “Stop!”
Yang Kai and Fang Tai totally ignored him and continued fighting.
“Are you two rebelling!?” The Captain was infuriated and waved his hand violently. The Seven Wonders Land disciples on both his sides threw out ropes made of unknown materials. The ropes wrapped around Yang Kai and Fang Tai like Spirit Snakes and tied them up like rice dumplings in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai tried to struggle a little, but he could not get rid of the bindings. On the contrary, the rope tightened even more, which made him feel uncomfortable.
“You two are certainly brave to be fighting in private. Don’t you not know the rules of Seven Wonders Land?”
After the two people were tied up, the Captain came to Yang Kai and Fang Tai, looking at the two of them with a cold look on his face.
“Senior Brother…” Fang Tai had finally calmed down. He was mad mainly because of getting beaten by Yang Kai previously, otherwise, he would never dare to be so presumptuous. He knew that they were in big trouble this time, and they might be doomed if it was not handled well, so he immediately begged for mercy, “Senior Brother, this Little Brother has only been here for a few months and is not familiar with the rules of Seven Wonders Land. Can Senior Brother please spare me on account that it is my first offence? This Little Brother will be truly grateful.”
“Hmph!” The Captain snorted coldly, “Rules are rules. Who cares if it’s your first offence or not? You’ll learn to be obedient next time after suffering a loss this time.”
Fang Tai became anxious, “Senior Brother, I’m innocent. This bastard hit me first and I had to fight back. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the few Senior Brothers over there. They can be my witnesses.”
The Captain looked at him coldly, “All I know is that you were fighting with this boy when this King entered! As for who was the initiator, this King doesn’t care to know. Take them both!”
When the words fell, he turned around and went out. Fang Tai and Yang Kai, who were tied up tight, were detained in the rear. Fang Tai tried to explain himself, but only received a scolding from a Seven Wonders Land disciple nearby. Seeing this situation, Yang Kai also gave up on defending himself.
On the second floor, Old Fang was as white as a sheet, muttering, “It’s over, it’s over, it’s over…”
He naturally heard the movement from downstairs clearly. When Yang Kai fought with Fang Tai, he hurriedly got dressed and rushed out, but he was still a little late and could only watch Yang Kai being taken away. There was nothing he could do to save him.
It was the Seven Wonders Land Patrol Team in the shopping district who took Yang Kai away, so Old Fang had no authority to speak to them as a Worker. After thinking about it, he realized that only Zhou Zheng could save Yang Kai at this moment. As the Manager of the orchard and also an Open Heaven Realm Master, if Zhou Zheng was willing to show up, he should be able to help.
Old Fang prepared for another massive haemorrhaging as he hurriedly rushed back to Fire Spirit Land, not even bothering to tidy up his clothes.
In a dark, humid, shabby jail, Yang Kai and Fang Tai sat in opposite corners of a single cell.
The cell was located deep underground in the shopping district and was built with low-quality wood. Yang Kai could break out of the prison if he wanted to in an instant.
But neither he nor Fang Tai had the courage. Seven Wonders Land disciples were guarding outside, and they would be dragged back even if they broke out.
Therefore, even if they were left unattended at the moment, and the shackles on them were removed, they only stared at each other while keeping their distance.
Yang Kai was a little speechless as he did not expect to get into such trouble just by accompanying Old Fang to the brothel.
Nevertheless, he felt a bit strange about what happened today. Although Fang Tai had drawn the line with him because he offended Zhou Zheng, it was odd for him to insult him for no reason. It was as if Fang Tai had provoked him on purpose.
But what were the benefits of doing this? He ended up being imprisoned here with him too, and Yang Kai had no idea what punishment they would face.
From what Old Fang had told him, the punishment of Seven Wonders Land for the Workers who made mistakes was quite harsh. Perhaps, he would be locked up for three to five years.
He would suffer a great loss if he was locked up for such a long time. Once he was locked up there, his business would come to a stop, and he would definitely lose a lot of Open Heaven Pills.
The more Yang Kai thought about this, the angrier he became at Fang Tai. He turned to Fang Tai coldly and saw that this guy was looking in a direction with a look full of expectation.
Yang Kai frowned slightly as he did not know what Fang Tai was expecting.
After an unknown time, suddenly, footsteps could be heard from the outside. Fang Tai, who was sitting cross-legged, immediately stood up, and Yang Kai also turned his attention outside.
A moment later, a man came to the cell and looked at the two of them with a darkened face.
“Sir Manager!” Fang Tai shouted excitedly.
“Manager Zhou!” Yang Kai cupped his fists lightly. Although he did not get along well with Zhou Zheng, since he was still the Orchard Manager, he had to show some courtesy to avoid being accused by him of anything.
“The two of you have really brought shame to our Fire Spirit Land Worker’s Room!” Zhou Zheng gritted his teeth as he pointed his finger at the two in the cell, looking dreadfully disappointed, “You two fought in the shopping district just for a woman. Good, very good!”
Fang Tai replied awkwardly, “It’s a misunderstanding, Manager. Yang Kai and I fought not because of a woman. It’s just that our hands got a little itchy and we wanted to exchange pointers with each other, but we did not expect to cause trouble.” While talking, he turned to Yang Kai and gave him eye signals, but Yang Kai turned his head away and pretended that he did not see it.
“You were caught red-handed by the Patrol Team. How dare you still claim everything is a misunderstanding!?” Zhou Zheng reprimanded furiously, “And the wound on your eye. Do you think I’m blind?”
Fang Tai stretched out his hand to cover his eye that was hit by Yang Kai, and kept quiet.
Zhou Zheng snorted, “Do you know what punishment will be given to Workers for fighting privately?”
Fang Tai asked nervously, “What punishment?”
“Anywhere from 3 to 100 years of confinement!” Zhou Zheng sneered, “Do you want 3 years or 100 years?”
Appalled, Fang Tai begged, “Manager Zhou, please save me!”
Zhou Zheng continued, “Fortunately for you, this Zhou happens to know the Captain of the Patrol Team who arrested you, so I can still help you. Since you two are newcomers and this is your first offence, this King has asked for face and gotten you released. If this happens again, however, you will be punished severely!”
[He got us out?] Yang Kai was bewildered, thinking he was going to be locked up for a few years at least. He had already been mentally prepared for such an eventuality.
Fang Tai was overjoyed and cupped his fists while bowing repeatedly, “Many thanks for your grace, Manager Zhou! This Fang will never forget your kindness today!”
Without responding to him, Zhou Zheng opened the cell and barked, “Get out now, what are you still doing in there?”
Fang Tai and Yang Kai took turns to walk out of the cell.
Zhou Zheng snorted coldly, “If it weren’t because of what is happening in the orchard today, this King wouldn’t have bothered whether you two live or die!”
Fang Tai questioned, “Is it because of the inspection of the Head Manager?” This was not a secret as all the Workers in the Worker’s Room had heard about it from different sources.
“Good, Head Manager should have arrived in the orchard by now. You two quickly return. If Head Manager inspects your territories, you two better behave appropriately; otherwise, no one can save you if something goes wrong.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Fang Tai hurriedly nodded.
Only then did Yang Kai remember that the so-called Head Manager was coming to inspect the Fire Spirit Land orchard today. The reason the entire Fire Spirit Land was busy for the past few days was because of today.
However, it did not have much to do with him, so he did not worry too much. He just needed to do his own things well.
Soon after, the trio arrived outside. At this moment, the whole shopping district was quiet. The three-day rest period had passed, and the Workers had all returned to their respective orchards, so it made sense that the shopping district was empty. There were not even Seven Wonders Land disciples guarding the jail. It seemed that they were the only ones in the place.
“It’s getting late. Manager Zhou, I’ll leave first.” After a salute, Yang Kai soared into the sky and went straight towards Fire Spirit Land.
“He simply has no respect. He didn’t even thank Sir Manager for rescuing him.” Fang Tai looked at Yang Kai’s departure direction and snorted coldly.
“Why would I need his gratitude?” Zhou Zheng chuckled. He already got what he wanted, for Old Fang had spent a lot of Open Heaven Pills to ask for his help. For the sake of those Open Heaven Pills, he did not bother to care about Yang Kai at all. He then turned solemn as he whispered, “You did a good job this time.”
Fang Tai replied, “This Fang’s success is all thanks to Sir Manager, so this Fang will definitely fulfil Manager’s orders.”
“En, good.” Zhou Zheng nodded and was notably satisfied with Fang Tai’s attitude.
Fang Tai frowned, “But there’s something this Fang doesn’t understand…”
“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t!” Zhou Zheng seemed to know what Fang Tai was wondering, and immediately interrupted, “Remember, this was just a coincidence!”
“Understood,” Fang Tai bowed his head.
“Hurry back to the orchard. There might be a good show later! Furthermore, the Head Manager is here. As an Orchard Manager, I must be there to accompany him.” After stating so, Zhou Zheng soared into the sky.
Fang Tai was puzzled and did not understand what kind of good show there could be. He vaguely felt that it had something to do with yesterday’s events, but since Zhou Zheng warned him, he could not ask further questions.
When they set off, Yang Kai had already arrived at Fire Spirit Land. As he passed by the village where the Worker’s Room was located, he suddenly saw a golden light from the corner of his eye. He looked down and saw the Ruler of the Dawn Great General in front of his house pecking incessantly at the door, as if he was shouting for him to come out.
“Great General!” Yang Kai shouted.
As soon as he heard his voice, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General turned sideways to look, then turned into an ordinary-sized rooster, flapped his wings, and flew up and down unsteadily towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai laughed, “Great General, you should lose some weight.” Not sure if it was an illusion, Yang Kai felt that this silly chicken was fatter than when he first saw him.
He reached out his hand to welcome Great General over, placing him atop his head.
Great General wiggled his butt, found the most comfortable position as usual, and pecked Yang Kai twice with its beak.
Yang Kai explained, “Something came up. I didn’t mean to be late on purpose. Stop pecking me.”
Only then did the Ruler of the Dawn Great General relent.
Shortly after, the pair, one Human and one chicken, arrived at the orchard. Yang Kai landed in his territory to find Dié You waiting there anxiously.
Noticing his arrival, Dié You turned and was immediately relieved, “Are you okay? I heard from Old Fang that you fought with someone and got caught by the patrol.”
“Old Fang really has a big mouth!” Yang Kai was annoyed. It was not a glorious achievement after all, and he did not think Old Fang had to spread the news everywhere.
“I asked him. How are you? Did the patrol do anything to you?” Dié You asked with concern.
“Nothing. If something really happened, how could I be standing here unscathed?” Yang Kai beamed.
Dié You nodded, “True. Did Manager Zhou bail you out?”
“How did you know?” Yang Kai was dumbfounded.
Dié You disclosed, “Old Fang sent a huge gift to Manager Zhou…”
A sudden realisation dawned on Yang Kai, “No wonder!”
He was still wondering why Zhou Zheng had been so kind earlier. It was understandable that he went to save Fang Tai as they had some kind of cordial relationship, but Yang Kai could not understand why he saved him too. It turned out that Old Fang had helped him.
“How many did Old Fang have to offer?” Yang Kai questioned.
Dié You answered, “I don’t know, but I don’t think it was a small number; otherwise, it would have been impossible for there to be no punishment for Workers who were caught at the scene of a private fight. In any case, it’s all fine as long as you’re okay.”
“That’s true.” Yang Kai nodded.
“When you’re free, inform Old Fang that you’re safe. He probably doesn’t know you’ve come out.” Dié You looked around and continued, “Also, today is the day the Head Manager is coming to inspect the orchard. You have to be careful. Don’t act lazy.”
“I know. You should also hurry back. Before I came, I heard Zhou Zheng mention that the Head Manager should have already arrived at the orchard. If he found out that you didn’t stay in your own territory and came here, you would be in trouble.”
“Then I’ll head back first,” Dié You promptly returned to her plot.
After she left, Yang Kai took out his communication artifact and assured Old Fang that he was safe. Old Fang quickly replied to his message and asked him for details, so Yang Kai told him everything.
Old Fang warned him not to be so impulsive anymore.
When Yang Kai asked how much he had given to Zhou Zheng, the old guy immediately ended the conversation. Obviously, he did not want to disclose it, which further confirmed Yang Kai’s guess that Old Fang probably spent quite a lot this time. Otherwise, how could Zhou Zheng be kind enough to get him out of jail?
Yang Kai cursed Zhou Zheng silently for being greedy and swore that he would make him pay back everything and more if he ever had the opportunity. After that, he turned around and started busying himself in the orchard.
The orchard inspection of the Head Manager was a big deal, which could be seen from Du Ru Feng’s previous attitude. As such, Yang Kai dared not be careless.
Probably because of what happened yesterday, Yang Kai felt uneasy, and he had a feeling that something bad was about to happen, which made him more vigilant.
An hour later, Yang Kai stood in the orchard with his token in his hand, his face dark.
A Spirit Fruit was missing from his plot!
The number of Fire Spirit Fruits in each plot was recorded in each Worker’s token and they needed to report to the Orchard Manager if any fruits went rotten or spoiled. However, generally, the Fire Spirit Fruits would have no problems, let alone one of them disappearing for no reason.
But right now, this was exactly what happened in Yang Kai’s plot.
The number of Fire Spirit Fruits was one less than the number recorded in the token! Yang Kai double and triple-checked, confirming there was one fewer than there should be.
[How could there be one missing?] Before leaving last month, Yang Kai deliberately counted all the fruits, and the number was right at that time. But now, after just a few days, the number did not match anymore.
He swept his Divine Sense across and searched carefully among the fruit trees. A moment later, Yang Kai finally found a clue. He went straight to a Fire Spirit Fruit Tree and stared at a certain spot.
There should have been a Fire Spirit Fruit there, but there was no fruit present, only traces of a stem from which a Spirit Fruit was freshly plucked.
Even if Yang Kai had never harvested a Fire Spirit Fruit before, he knew that the fruit here was picked less than two hours ago!
[Did someone steal my fruit while I was away?] Yang Kai flew into a rage, wondering which fool was so bold enough to do such a reckless thing? Stealing a Spirit Fruit indeed could put him in danger, but if the truth were exposed, the culprit would suffer terribly.
[Who the Hell is doing something that would harm me and not benefit himself? Or rather, who holds such a deep grudge against me?]
Yang Kai did not know many people in the entire Fire Spirit Land, and those who had a grudge against him were only Zhou Zheng and Fang Tai who he had a fight with yesterday.
[Fang Tai did not have the chance, because when I was heading over here, he hadn’t even moved yet. Then, is it Zhou Zheng?]
[It shouldn’t be him! Zhou Zheng was bailing Fang Tai and me out of the shopping district jail during that time, so he did not have any time to do such a thing.]
[It was neither Zhou Zheng nor Fang Tai, but who else holds a grudge against me?] Yang Kai could not think of anyone else until the figure of the big bear Xiang Yong suddenly flashed across his mind.
Thinking about it, Yang Kai felt that it was possibly Xiang Yong.
[But there’s no resentment between us, why would he want to harm me?]
[Maybe I could ask Dié You. When I arrived, Dié You was in my plot, so she might have seen something.]
Just as he was about to leave though, he suddenly heard a rustle approaching from a distance and looked up, his expression stiffening.
A group of people was flying through the air at a moderate speed. The person leading the group looked like a dignified and calm 40 some year-old man and at first glance, it was obvious he was someone of high rank. On his left side, Du Ru Feng was just half a step behind and was talking to him with a smile on his face. However, the man just kept his hands folded behind his back and looked around from time to time, nodding occasionally with a cool expression.
Behind Du Ru Feng was Zhou Zheng, but by the looks of his position in the crowd, he did not seem to even have the right to speak.
Even if he had not seen him before, Yang Kai immediately recognized that the middle-aged man should be the Head Manager of the entire Seven Wonders Land.
Yang Kai’s neck instinctively shrunk. He would not be frightened if his plot was in order, but now he was worried about the missing fruit from his territory. He secretly prayed that these people would quickly leave and not pay attention to his side.
Nevertheless, his worst fears became reality. While he was praying for them to leave, Yang Kai heard the Head Manager remark, “Em… Isn’t that Duan Hai’s Ruler of the Dawn Great General? Why did it come here?”
Yang Kai almost spat blood! He only remembered to pray, but forgot that Great General was still perched on top of his head. The golden shining body of Great General was like a lighthouse in the dark. It was impossible to not draw attention. If he had known, Yang Kai would not have brought Great General with him today and should have just left him back in the Worker’s Room.
Du Ru Feng answered, “Head Manager is right. That’s Venerable’s Ruler of the Dawn Great General.”
The Head Manager chuckled, “How did that Worker offend the Ruler of the Dawn Great General that he would punish him like this?”
Du Ru Feng explained, “Head Manager, you have misunderstood. That Worker did not offend the Ruler of the Dawn Great General and is not being punished by him. I thought that was the case too at first, but later I was told by Venerable that this is how Great General shows his affection.”
“Showing affection?” The Head Manager was flabbergasted, “With the temper of the Ruler of the Dawn Great General that I know of, he wouldn’t care about ordinary people at all. What’s special about this Worker that he won over Great General’s heart?”
Du Ru Feng laughed, “This disciple has no idea. Maybe Great General has its own interest in people.”
“Let’s go down and have a look!” Interested, the Head Manager waved his hand and led the group of people flying downwards.
Seeing this scene from below, Yang Kai almost cursed. However, what would come would come. He had no choice but to compose himself and cupped his fists from a distance to welcome the group of people, “Yang Kai greets Sirs!”
The Head Manager was not looking at him but fixed his eyes on the Ruler of the Dawn Great General on his head with a smile on his face. He did not need to care too much about a mere Worker. The only reason why he came down was because of the Ruler of the Dawn Great General.
Du Ru Feng, who followed behind him, announced, “Yang Kai, this is our Seven Wonders Land Head Manager, who is in charge of all kinds of affairs in Seven Wonders Land.” He gave Yang Kai a signal to assure him to relax during his introduction.
Yang Kai saluted again, “Greetings, Head Manager.” He secretly thought, [There’s no way for me to be relaxed. There is a fruit missing in this plot for no reason. It will be fine if it’s not found out, but how do I explain it if it is? Should I say it was stolen? Where is the evidence? If I can’t find the thief who stole the fruit, I would have to bear the responsibility for losing the Fire Spirit Fruit. I wonder if Du Ru Feng can protect me at that time…]
He wanted to send a Divine Sense transmission to Du Ru Feng to explain the situation, but this Head Manager was certainly an Open Heaven Realm Master. How could Yang Kai send a transmission in front of such a Master without him knowing?
Yang Kai kept a calm look on the outside, though he was distressed on the inside. Even when he noticed the group of people who came with the Head Manager were scattered around his orchard and started their inspections, he remained tranquil and steady.
At this point, he could only pray that those people would not check the number of Fire Spirit Fruits carefully. Only in this way could he avoid a disaster.
Inadvertently, Yang Kai saw Zhou Zheng smiling at him faintly, which seemed to imply something.
Before he had the time to solve the riddle though, the Head Manager in front of him questioned, “How did you make the Ruler of the Dawn Great General get so attached to you?”
Yang Kai answered humbly with his head down, “I have no idea either.”
“You have no idea?” The Head Manager raised his eyebrows.
Du Ru Feng interjected, “Yang Kai, just say what you know. Head Manager is just wondering. Don’t be so nervous.”
Yang Kai put on a long face, “I really don’t know. When I first came to the orchard a few months ago, Great General fell from the sky right in front of me. Perhaps Great General thought I had done something to him, so he became angry that it wanted to peck the fruits in my orchard. How could this Worker let that happen? As an orchard Worker, it is my duty to take care of the fruits, thus I fought with him out of anger.”
“You fought with him?” The Head Manager guffawed, “You’re quite bold.”
Yang Kai replied embarrassingly, “This Worker was still new at that time and did not know the identity of the Great General, so I dared to offend him. If it was now, I certainly wouldn’t have the courage to do so.”
Du Ru Feng nodded, “Just so Head Manager knows, this Worker has only been in Fire Spirit Land for less than half a year. He is really a newcomer, but he has already made a great contribution!”
“Oh?” The Head Manager was surprised, turning to look at Yang Kai solemnly without asking what contribution he had made. Only after a brief silence did he nod, “Go on.”
Yang Kai spread his hands, “That’s the entire story. Since then, as long as I have come to the orchard, Great General has been like this.”
“So it’s a friendship born from a fight!” The Head Manager smiled and nodded, “Interesting.”
It was Du Ru Feng’s first time hearing this story too, so he pointed at Yang Kai as he proceeded, “Little brat, you should be glad that you didn’t injure Great General at that time, otherwise, Venerable would not let you go.”
Yang Kai forced out a laugh and secretly recalled that Great General lost quite a number of feathers that time.
At this moment, those people who scattered around the plot previously came back to assemble one after another. One of them glanced at Yang Kai, then handed a jade slip-like item to the Head manager.
Yang Kai’s heart skipped a beat, having a bad feeling.
The Head Manager took the jade slip, scanned it with Divine Sense, and then handed it to Du Ru Feng, “Look.”
Du Ru Feng took it curiously, looked at Yang Kai unintentionally, and wondered, [Is there something wrong with the orchard? Otherwise, why would Head Manager ask me to look at this? This is not within my authority after all.]
[But what can happen to this orchard?]
After careful examination, Du Ru Feng’s face turned slightly pale. He looked at Yang Kai coldly and asked, “Yang Kai, can you tell me why a Fire Spirit Fruit is missing from your orchard?”
“It’s really missing?” Yang Kai acted flabbergasted.
“You already know?” Du Ru Feng frowned.
Yang Kai explained, “Before the arrival of all Sirs, this Worker did a count of the Fire Spirit Fruits, and found that there was a difference from the record from before this Worker left last time. However, this Worker wasn’t very sure at that time. When this Worker was about to count them again, Sirs arrived.” He paused for a while before he continued, “Now it seems that there is no mistake in the previous counting and there is indeed a Fire Spirit Fruit missing.”
Du Ru Feng reprimanded in a deep voice, “As a Worker, you should take good care of everything in your plot of the orchard. Do you know what punishment you will be sentenced to for the loss of a Spirit Fruit?”
“This Worker doesn’t know!”
“Your cultivation could be crippled before you are expelled from Seven Wonders Land, or simply sentenced to death on the spot!”
Yang Kai was appalled, for he did not expect the punishment to be so severe and exclaimed, “Sir Du, this Worker is innocent. I counted the number of Spirit Fruits when I left a few days ago, and the number was correct. I haven’t had time to do anything yet today. The loss of the Spirit Fruit has nothing to do with me. Sir Du, please investigate this matter clearly.”
“How can it be none of your business?” Du Ru Feng’s face was solemn, “Since you are the Worker who takes care of this plot, everything here is related to you. The loss of a Spirit Fruit is the result of your negligence unless you have reported to the Manager here before.” Saying so, he turned to Zhou Zheng, “Zhou Zheng, did Yang Kai report anything to you?”
Zhou Zheng stepped forward, took out a jade slip, and examined it carefully. A moment later, he cupped his hand as he replied, “This subordinate has not found any such record!”
Du Ru Feng took a deep look at him, then turned back to Yang Kai, “What else do you have to say?”
“I object!” Yang Kai straightened his neck, “The loss of a Spirit Fruit is not the result of my poor care. It should have been stolen by someone, so it should be that person who is punished.”
Du Ru Feng immediately shouted with a dark face, “Be careful of your words! Who dares to steal Spirit Fruits in Seven Wonders Land?”
Yang Kai snorted, “If no one steals it, how could the fruit go missing for no reason?”
“Did you witness the crime?” The Head Manager, who had stayed quiet for a long time, suddenly asked in a deep voice. The loss of a Spirit Fruit was an easy case; whoever was supposed to take care of it would be punished. But now if someone dared to steal the Spirit Fruit, he must take action to set an example to the entire Seven Wonders Land, showing them the consequence of theft.
“I didn’t see it, but I have a suspect in mind!” Yang Kai shook his head, “Since Head Manager is an Open Heaven Realm Master, Sir definitely mastered some type of Soul Searching Technique. Just catch those people and interrogate them, and the truth will be revealed.”
The Head Manager grinned, “And if we gain nothing from this interrogation?”
Yang Kai answered, “Then this Worker will accept any punishment necessary.”
“You’ve thought this all out!” The Head Manager snorted lightly, “But who knows if you want to drag innocent people down with you? If we really want to start using Soul Searching Techniques, we should start with you!”
Yang Kai almost spat blood listening to him. He actually caused himself trouble by suggesting the wrong course of action. If a Soul Searching Technique was used on him, all his secrets would be revealed. Perhaps his Soul would be damaged and he might even lose his mind.
But now, he could not defend himself with words, and he did not have the strength to resist the Head Manager. For a person who was likely a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the Head Manager could pinch him to death as easily as an ant.
He had no way to escape or fight, so Yang Kai could only turn to look at Du Ru Feng.
Fortunately, Du Ru Feng did not disappoint him. He cupped his fists as he proceeded, “Head Manager, since this is the matter of Fire Spirit Land, Fire Spirit Land will take charge of it. I’ll take him back with me and give Head Manager a satisfactory explanation later.”
The Head Manager shook his head, “Ru Feng, since you’ve spoken, by all rights, I should just let this drop; however, this matter is not just about losing a single Spirit Fruit anymore, it now involves a possible theft. You should also know that the Spirit Fruits of each land are the foundation of our Seven Wonders Land, and there is no room for carelessness. Now that there are Workers who dare to lay their hands on the foundation of our Seven Wonders Land, it is not me who needs an explanation, but Heavenly Monarch, “
Du Ru Feng felt a chill down his spine. Since the Head Manager brought the Heavenly Monarch into this matter, he was not in the position to speak anymore. He looked at Yang Kai speechlessly and secretly thought, [Why did you have to involve stealing a Spirit Fruit in this? Now I can’t help you even if I want to!]
Yang Kai was also a little dumbstruck. He did not expect that he would actually suffer a loss from his own proposal. According to the words of the Head Manager, as long as it was not about stealing, it was not a big deal; after all, the Fire Spirit Fruits were things that could rot or spoil, and there would always be some shortages. However, it was a different case when it came to stealing.
“Capture him!”
At the command of the Head Manager, two people stepped out from the left and right, and walked towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai’s whole body tensed up and he secretly began circulating his strength, struggling between surrendering or fighting with his life on the line.
At this time, a cock-a-doodle-doo was heard. The Ruler of the Dawn Great General on top of Yang Kai’s head flapped his wings and a bundle of golden light was spat out of his mouth.
Yang Kai habitually stretched out his hand. The golden light soon dispersed, but what appeared on his palm was not the usual Open Heaven Pills that he collected, but a longan-sized fruit pit.
[A fruit pit?] Yang Kai’s eyes shrank!
Du Ru Feng was also stunned for a moment, but quickly responded, “Wait a moment.”
The two Seven Wonders Land disciples who approached Yang Kai immediately stopped. Du Ru Feng hastily came over to Yang Kai, picked up the fruit spit in his hand, looked at it for a while, and laughed, “Head Manager, the thief seems to have confessed. The Worker of this place is clearly not responsible for the loss of the Spirit Fruit.”
Then he presented the fruit pit in his hand.
The Head Manager took it, examined it for a moment, then turned to look at Du Ru Feng with a chuckle, “You said that the Ruler of the Dawn Great General favours him, but from the looks of it, he was waiting for an opportunity to frame him and almost kill him! Fortunately, things didn’t go too far, and he was saved at the critical moment.”
Du Ru Feng laughed too, “So that’s how it is, and I was wondering why Great General would behave like this? It turns out that everything was planned for today.” He paused for a moment, “Now that the truth has been revealed, the missing Spirit Fruit was not stolen by a Worker, but was eaten by Great General on an impulse instead. What does Head Manager think about Yang Kai…”
The Head Manager waved his hand, and the two Seven Wonders Land disciples who came out immediately retreated.
After this incident, the Head Manager had no more interest in staying, “Let’s have a look elsewhere,” He turned around, and walked into the distance with his hands behind his back.
The group of people shouted in response and left together. Du Ru Feng glanced at Yang Kai before leaving, and sent him a transmission, “Take care of yourself!”
Yang Kai watched everyone leave, his eyes fixed on Zhou Zheng’s back. When Great General spat out the fruit pit, the look of surprise on Zhou Zheng’s face was apparent, so Yang Kai could not help frowning. [Who did this to me? Is this incident related to Zhou Zheng?]
After carefully analyzing the details of what happened, he was sure that the person who stole the fruit was keen on killing him, and he must have only stolen the fruit today.
He and Fang Tai were imprisoned in a cell in the shopping district before, so they arrived a little late and gave the thief a chance to commit the theft. It was not Fang Tai who did it, yet he was arrested by the patrolling team because of Fang Tai. Fang Tai seemed to have intentionally provoked him yesterday, and it was Zhou Zheng who bailed him and Fang Tai…
His heart skipped a beat, and with a click, Yang Kai felt as if he had cleared the fog and saw the truth!
However… If the truth was what he thought it was, how did he make sure that the Head Manager would come to inspect his specific plot? Just because of the Ruler of the Dawn Great General? It was not impossible. The Head Manager would definitely be curious if he saw the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, and with a little push from that person, the Head Manager would have visited even if he did not have any initial intention to do so.
It was a pity that the Head Manager had the initiative to come down today; otherwise, Yang Kai would be able to verify whether his guess was correct.
Yang Kai was infuriated. He was almost struck by a fatal disaster, and if the Ruler of the Dawn Great General had not turned the tide at the last moment, he would not have been able to escape. Even Du Ru Feng might not be able to protect him. It could be seen that the Head Manager was not affected even when Du Ru Feng came forward to speak for him. Stealing among the Workers was serious. On the contrary, it was not a big deal if Great General had eaten a fruit or two.
Yang Kai realized he could not stay a Worker anymore… It had only been a few months, but he almost lost his life, and the days to come were still long.
Thinking of this, Yang Kai hurriedly picked up Great General who was lying on top of his head, held him in both of his hands, and examined him closely!
Yang Kai was indeed quite embarrassed when this chicken used his head as a coop, but he quickly let it go when he saw the potential of Great General as a God of Fortune. Never had he thought that he would save his life today! This fat chicken looked so lovable no matter how he looked at him now. Crushing him in his arms with all his strength, “It’s all because of you that I survived in this desperate situation!”
Great General’s feathers were ruffled in this sudden embrace, and he cock-a-doodle-dooed as he struggled with all his strength, but he still could not get out of Yang Kai’s grasp. Its squawking reverberated terribly in the air.
After a while, Yang Kai released him, sat down on the ground, and put him in front of him, cracking up.
Great General lost all his majesty at this moment, his feathers completely dishevelled. As soon as he was released from Yang Kai’s grasp, he charged at him with flapping wings, pecking endlessly at his assaulter.
Yang Kai raised his arms, “Okay, okay, just vent.”
After venting his anger for a while, Great General finally calmed down and started to comb his feathers with his beak in front of Yang Kai, tilting his head from time to time to glance at this Human, his eyes as arrogant as ever.
Elbow on knees, cheeks on hands, Yang Kai asked curiously, “How can you have a Fire Spirit Fruit pit? Did you eat some Fire Spirit Fruits before?”
Great General opened his mouth and spat out a ball of golden light. Yang Kai took it and found that there were several fruit pits.
“You’ve really eaten some!” Yang Kai was surprised, this explained why the Ruler of the Dawn Great General was able to save him at a critical moment today, “Why did you help me?”
In fact, Yang Kai had wanted to know why the Ruler of the Dawn Great General treated him differently for some time now. Normally, it was up to Great General’s mood at the time when it came to rewarding others with Open Heaven Pills for worms. Yang Kai was the only one who could exchange one worm for one pill, and was able to make a fortune out of this opportunity.
This was definitely not just because they talked with their fists before. Unfortunately, until today, the two of them had not had a proper conversation. If Great General could understand him, it meant that Great General had the ability to communicate with people, but was just too lazy to do so.
Since Yang Kai did not understand, he set the matter aside. Stretching out his arms to pick up Great General and place him on his head, Yang Kai spoke to him again, “Today, I owe you my life. If there’s any help you need in the future, just come to me, this Yang will never say no!”
It was uncertain if Great General had heard it clearly, but there was not much of a response.
Although the orchard was big, the Head Manager’s inspection was only a day’s work. Yang Kai waited until the next day before Du Ru Feng arrived again.
As soon as they met, Du Ru Feng started, “Yang Kai, I tried my best to help you yesterday; but unfortunately, there’s nothing much I could do about the crime of theft. Fortunately, Great General took the initiative to confess at the last moment, otherwise, things would be really unimaginable.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Sir Du is being too serious. This Yang remembers well how Sir Du cared for him.”
Du Ru Feng patted him on the shoulder, “It’s great that you understand. Good, what is it? Did you specifically invite me to come over to say something?” If it wasn’t for Yang Kai’s Divine Sense transmission yesterday, he would not be here today.
“There is something.” He reached out his hand and gestured, “Sir Du please!”
He sat Du Ru Feng down on the table beside him, and Yang Kai took out some tea and spring water, all of which were kept in the Space Ring for such occasions.
Du Ru Feng smiled, “If you have something to say, there’s no need to beat around the bush!”
Yang Kai pondered for a while, then began, “This Yang wants to ask, is the offer Sir Du proposed before still available?”
Du Ru Feng looked at him with interest, “What’s wrong? Why did you change your mind? Didn’t you reject this King not too long ago?”
Yang Kai laughed dryly, “The situation is different now. There was a reason that this Yang had reservations, but after what happened yesterday, I have discovered that many things are beyond a Worker’s control, and this Yang doesn’t like this feeling of not having control over his own destiny. Moreover, it’s only natural for people to aim for high places. Since Sir gave me the opportunity, this Yang should seize it.”
Still smiling, Du Ru Feng answered, “In Seven Wonders Land, the Workers occupy the majority of the population, but their status is the lowest. Some came to Seven Wonders Land and worked for three thousand years but still failed to succeed, while some people just needed a few years to rise up. It all depends on your capability, and you are a capable person, so this King wants to support you. Don’t worry, what this King offered before still stands.”
“Many thanks, Sir Du!” Yang Kai stood up and cupped his fists, but did not take his seat immediately after and continued, “This Yang would like to ask again, what would his status be after following Sir Du?”
“You’ll be promoted from the status of Worker to disciple of Seven Wonders Land.”
“What would I do then?”
“What do you want to do?” Du Ru Feng asked back.
Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “Can this Yang have his choice of assignment?”
Du Ru Feng laughed, “As long as it is within my jurisdiction, and as long as it does not violate the rules of Seven Wonders Land, yes.”
Yang Kai drew a big circle with his hand, “This disciple wants to be the Orchard Manager!”
“Huh?” Du Ru Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly, “You have a big appetite.”
“If Sir can’t fulfil this request, then just take it as this Yang being presumptuous.”
Du Ru Feng snorted, “Are you provoking this King?”
“I dare not!”
Du Ru Feng stared at him for a while, regretting that he had said such big words just now, and now he was placed in a position where he could not go back on his words. If he agreed to Yang Kai’s request, there was no guarantee that he could fulfil it as he was not the one to make such decisions; if he rejected Yang Kai though, it would be a big loss of face.
After weighing his options for a while, Du Ru Feng spoke again, “It’s a good thing that you want to be the Orchard Manager. As you said, people should always aim for higher heights, but the position of Manager belongs to someone else currently, Zhou Zheng. Although he is a little incompetent, he hasn’t made any big mistakes, and it’s unfair to revoke his position for no reason. How about…”
Before he could finish speaking, Yang Kai interrupted, “What if Manager Zhou made a mistake?”
Du Ru Feng frowned, “What mistake did Zhou Zheng make? No matter what mistake he made, no one can help him because everyone has to follow the rules.”
“If Manager Zhou is dismissed, could this Yang take over as the Orchard Manager?”
Du Ru Feng chuckled, “Is there some kind of grudge between you and Zhou Zheng? Why do you want to pull him down and replace him?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “This Yang will reveal the mystery to Sir after Sir answers his question.”
Du Ru Feng thought for a while with a serious look, then explained, “The position of Manager needs to be appointed by Venerable, and I only have the right to recommend someone to it!”
“Then, many thanks to Sir in advance!”
“Good, after going around in circles, what do you want to say? Hurry up and spit it out.” Du Ru Feng was getting a little impatient and his slight annoyance was apparent on his face.
“It’s about yesterday! That Spirit Fruit wasn’t taken by Great General, but was actually stolen by someone!”
Du Ru Feng paled and warned hastily, “Yang Kai, you can eat anything you want, but you can’t just blurt out words recklessly. Do you know that someone may die if you say this?”
Yang Kai looked down and nodded, “I didn’t know it before yesterday, but I do now.”
Du Ru Feng gently tapped the stone table with his fingers, “Tell me the details!”
“Good, the first thing I did after I came back to the orchard yesterday was to count the number of Spirit Fruits, and found that one was missing. I found where it had gone missing from and determined it had been taken away less than two hours before. When I was worried about what to do, the Head Manager and his people had already arrived nearby and I didn’t have time to find out the truth anymore. Sir also witnessed what happened later. This Yang was almost doomed.”
Du Ru Feng narrowed his eyes. A flicker of cold light in the narrow slit of his eyes as he asked, “Do you mean it has something to do with Zhou Zheng?”
“This Yang dares not to comment rashly before it is confirmed, but if you will allow, I wish to have Sir Du witness a good show!”
“Good show?”
…
After a stick of incense, Yang Kai landed in another plot of the orchard, directly in front of two people.
The reactions of the two were completely opposite. One greeted him with joy, while the other’s face changed slightly and took a step back, looking at Yang Kai with a horrified and confused look.
“Little Brother, are you alright?” Old Fang looked up and down at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai did not look at him, but stared at Xiang Yong instead and chuckled, “Frightened but not hurt. Didn’t I send you a message before?”
Old Fang remarked, “I was still worried until I saw you with my own eyes. Seeing as you’re fine, I’m not worried anymore.” He paused for a while before he continued, “Why are you here, Little Brother?”
Yang Kai grinned, “Can’t I visit you when I’m free?”
“Visit me?” Old Fang was confused. [If you came to visit me, why are you only staring at Xiang Yong?] Instinctively, he felt that there should be something wrong between them. He then turned to Xiang Yong, who avoided eye contact and looked guilty for some reason, making Old Fang sure that there was indeed some problem.
“Brother Xiang, it has only been a few days since we last saw each other, why are we strangers now?” Yang Kai looked at Xiang Yong with a cold smile.
Xiang Yong’s face turned vicious, “Does Father here know you very well? We are not close to each other in the first place!”
“That’s true. Brother Xiang and I truly are not close, but why is Brother Xiang so surprised to see me today?”
“Surprised? I’m not surprised!” Xiang Yong waved his hand as he yelled, “Father here was just born with big eyes!”
“Really?” Yang Kai chuckled, “To be honest with Brother Xiang, Head Manager came to my place yesterday and inspected my plot.”
Xiang Yong widened his eyes, “Head Manager went there?”
“Brother Xiang seems to be very concerned about me!”
“What should Father here be concerned about? I was just wondering. You don’t need to tell if you don’t want to!” Xiang Yong snorted coldly and sat down on the ground, leaning against a fruit tree, crossing his arms and leaning sideways to nap.
“Did the Head Manager really go to your place?” Old Fang looked nervous. It was not a good thing to be inspected by the Head Manager. The Workers would not be rewarded for taking good care of the orchard for it was their duty, but if they did a bad job, they would be punished; therefore, no Worker would hope for the Head Manager to visit his own territory and wished that he would just fly past them. Nevertheless, there would always be some unlucky ones every time the Head Manager came. Yang Kai was truly unlucky. Out of hundreds of Workers in the orchard, the Head Manager picked him. Even if there were no mistakes, they would still find a way to nitpick.
“Did he do anything to you?”
“I almost never saw Brother Fang again.” Yang Kai sighed with fear.
Old Fang was taken aback, “What happened? Why was it so serious?”
Yang Kai answered solemnly, “I lost a Fire Spirit Fruit from my plot!”
Old Fang’s face turned pale at once, “Little Brother, this is no joke! You may really die! You’re a newcomer, and although I told you a lot of rules in the orchard, you may not realize the consequences of losing a Spirit Fruit. Let me tell you this, the life of us Workers is not more valuable than a single Spirit Fruit!”
“I know, I know.” Yang Kai kept nodding, “It’s a great sin to lose the Spirit Fruits! Head Manager attempted to arrest me on the spot, and even Sir Du’s pleas did not work.”
“Then how did you…” Old Fang was befuddled. [If Du Ru Feng’s plea was useless, how could Yang Kai still be standing here? What happened to him later?]
With a grin, Yang Kai stretched out his finger and pointed at Great General on his head, “Great General saved me at the last moment. He spat out a fruit pit from his mouth and the truth was revealed.”
Old Fang blinked and understood, “So, the Spirit Fruit was eaten by Great General?”
“Exactly. Otherwise, how could there be a fruit missing from my plot for no reason? Who dares to steal it!?”
“This Old Master was almost scared to death!” Old Fang let out a sigh of relief. Even though he knew that Yang Kai had certainly overcome the disaster since he was standing here, he could not help being frightened when he heard the whole story.
“Why did Great General do such a thing?” Old Fang looked at Yang Kai’s head, bewildered.
“How should I know that? Maybe he wanted some variety after eating too many worms. However, although Great General caused this, he turned the situation around for me in the end, so I’m still thankful to him. Old Fang, do you have any Jade Fire Silkworm here?”
“Just a few, not many of them.”
“Bring them all!”
After receiving the Jade Fire Silkworms from Old Fang, Yang Kai did not stay any longer and just left.
Up in the sky, light flowed like a curtain of water as Du Ru Feng concealed himself and witnessed everything. His position was less than three hundred meters away from Old Fang, but he was not spotted by Old Fang during the entire conversation.
Just after Yang Kai left, he suddenly reached out and performed a hand seal. The light curtain fluttered slightly and Yang Kai flashed in quietly from the outside.
“Will they take the bait for such a poor performance?” Du Ru Feng raised a brow.
Yang Kai grinned, “The quality of the play depends on who is watching it. If it was someone like Old Fang, he wouldn’t be fooled, but it won’t be the same case for Xiang Yong, who is recklessness incarnate. Wait and see. If it’s exactly as I guessed, he will certainly take action.”
Du Ru Feng questioned, “What if you’re wrong?”
“Does Sir want to punish me?”
“Not really, but I don’t have so much time to spend here. I will give you half a day. If we still don’t see results in that time, I will consider this matter settled.”
“Alright, half a day then!” Yang Kai could not disagree with him, let alone bargain, so he turned around and asked curiously, “Sir, this artifact is quite interesting. If we really successfully bait the culprit out of hiding, can this be used to hide our traces while trailing them?”
Du Ru Feng answered proudly, “This artifact was granted to this Du by Venerable himself, it’s called the Shadowless Veil. Third-Order and below Open Heaven Realm Masters can’t see through it, even if it were Open Heaven Realm Masters that are above Third-Order, as long as they don’t search carefully, we can fool them too.”
Yang Kai could not help but click his tongue. It must feel good to have a backer as one did not need to worry about being promoted to the Open Heaven Realm. Du Ru Feng had a lot of treasures like the Sky Seizing Net and Shadowless Veil while Yang Kai had to struggle with all his wisdom and courage just to obtain a small title like Orchard Manager.
As he was talking, Yang Kai’s face suddenly brightened, “The fish took the bait.”
Below, Xiang Yong, who was supposedly having a nap slowly opened his eyes. He looked around for a while and stood up, looking serious and hesitant, as if he had encountered a difficult decision.
After hesitating for a long time, Xiang Yong made up his mind and turned around as he shouted, “Old Fang, take good care of my trees for me!”
Saying so, without waiting for Old Fang’s response, Xiang Yong rose straight to the sky and by the looks of his direction, he was heading to the centre of the orchard.
Under the Shadowless Veil, Yang Kai and Du Ru Feng exchanged looks, “I’m afraid it’s really as what you said.” Du Ru Feng remarked.
Yang Kai replied, “We will find out soon, Sir.”
Du Ru Feng stopped talking and under the cover of the Shadowless Veil followed quietly behind Xiang Yong. Xiang Yong turned back many times during the flight, but he did not see anything.
Not long after, a high and strange-looking summit appeared before them, like a sword stabbed into the ground. The scenery on the summit was good while it was surrounded by the orchards below. A rare solitary mountain.
There was a main hall on the high summit, which was the place where the Orchard Manager usually lived and worked. There were Workers going in and out from time to time, and it was obvious that they all came to see Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng liked to work in the pavilion at the edge of the mountain outside the main hall where he could see all the orchards below, giving him a feeling that everything was under his control.
At the moment, the number of Workers who came to Zhou Zheng was not many; after all, there could not be any serious matter in the orchard, and even if there were a problem, the Workers would want to solve it by themselves. They would only come to Zhou Zheng for help when they failed to solve these problems.
Xiang Yong did not go straight away to Zhou Zheng when he arrived. Probably because he also felt a little guilty. He waited for two hours before going forward when all the other Workers had left.
Inside the pavilion, Zhou Zheng asked without lifting his head, “What is it?”
“Manager Zhou!” Xiang Yong shouted in a buzzing voice.
Zhou Zheng’s face changed and he looked up and saw that it was Xiang Yong. He immediately looked around and gritted his teeth, “Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you not to come to me during this time?”
Xiang Yong twisted his neck, “I didn’t want to bother Manager Zhou, but there’s one thing that I really don’t understand. I’d like to ask Manager Zhou to solve my doubts.”
“What is it that is so important?” Zhou Zheng’s face turned ugly.
“About Yang Kai…”
“Shut up!” Zhou Zheng immediately got up. After glaring at Xiang Yong for a time, he bellowed, “Come with me!” He led the way with his hands behind his back, striding towards the main hall.
Xiang Yong scratched his head and kept up with him.
The two entered the hall one after another where Zhou Zheng waved his token and activated the barrier. Then, he turned around and glared at Xiang Yong, “Are you crazy? How dare you dare mention that outside? Don’t you know that the walls have ears? If someone overheard you, not just you, even this King would not escape death!”
Xiang Yong pressed on, “But Sir Manager said before that as long as I followed your instructions, Yang Kai would die without a doubt! I’ve followed your plan, risking my life, so why is the bastard still safe!?”
Zhou Zheng frowned, “How do you know that? Did you see Yang Kai?”
Xiang Yong sneered, “Manager Zhou doesn’t need to know how I found out, I just know.”
Zhou Zheng became sullen, “I was surprised by what happened yesterday. When Head Manager went to inspect his plot as I guided, and found out about the loss of a Spirit Fruit, I thought everything was settled, but who could have anticipated that Great General would come to that bastard’s rescue at the last moment.”
“Manager Zhou doesn’t need to tell me the details, I have already learned about it from others.”
Zhou Zheng was confused, “Since you already knew, why are you coming to me?”
“Naturally, I came here to ask Manager Zhou for an explanation!”
Zhou Zheng laughed, “Ask me for an explanation? What do you want me to say?” His face turned cold, “Why should this King give you an explanation?”
Xiang Yong snorted, “If it wasn’t for your instigation, how could I have done such a despicable thing? Now that the deed has been done, but the expected result did not happen, shouldn’t Sir Manager take some responsibility?”
Zhou Zheng’s face was so cold that it was practically frozen, “When did this King instigate you? I told you before that this was a serious matter that needed to be carefully considered before execution, and the consequences would be yours to bear. Now that something went wrong, is it this King’s fault?”
Xiang Yong cracked his neck, his posture turning vicious, “I don’t care, we are grasshoppers on a single rope now. If one suffers, all suffer.”
Zhou Zheng was so angry that he wanted to slap the bear in front of him to death, secretly regretting that he had fed such a bad idea to Xiang Yong a few days ago.
“What do you want?” Zhou Zheng asked in a cold voice. Xiang Yong was a fool, not worth Zhou Zheng’s attention, so it was quite hard for Zhou Zheng to hold his temper when someone like that was blackmailing him so blatantly.
Xiang Yong grinned meaningfully, “Sir Manager surely knows my intentions. As long as Sir Manager can satisfy me, I will also satisfy Sir Manager.”
Zhou Zheng narrowed his eyes, “Do you want to go back to your original site?”
“It doesn’t matter now, as long as you can transfer me near Xiao Dié.”
Zhou Zheng nodded lightly, “If that’s all you want, it’s not impossible. Go back and wait for my news. I’ll let you know when I’ve arranged it.”
Xiang Yong looked at him suspiciously, “Is Sir Manager trying to deceive me? Although I may appear uncultured, I’m not that easy to fool.”
Zhou Zheng was furious, “Why should I lie to you? Do I need to lie to you for something like this?”
“Then I’ll trust you one more time!” Xiang Yong nodded, “I’ll leave now, and wait for Sir Manager’s good news.”
“Wait!” Zhou Zheng raised his hand to stop him.
Xiang Yong turned around, “Is there something else Sir Manager needs?”
Zhou Zheng snarled through gritted teeth, “Where’s the fruit?”
“What fruit?” Xiang Yong was puzzled by what he said.
“What do you think?”
“Oh!” Xiang Yong suddenly understood, “You mean the stolen one…” He patted his stomach, “I’ve sacrificed it to the stomach, it actually tasted quite bad!”
“You…” Zhou Zheng looked at him, unable to come up with a retort, then shooed him away in disgust, “Leave, leave!”
After opening the barrier around the hall and sending Xiang Yong off, Zhou Zheng paced around for a while before sighing heavily. This plan was supposed to be perfect. In fact, if the Ruler of the Dawn Great General did not interfere at the last moment, Yang Kai would have been dead already; but now, Yang Kai was not only unscathed, Zhou Zheng was in deep trouble.
[Xiang Yong… He can no longer be kept alive. Since he dares to blackmail me once, he’ll dare to do it twice.] Zhou Zheng did not want to be blackmailed again; however, even if he was the Orchard Manager, he could not just kill a Worker at will. He had to wait for the right opportunity.
…..
Shortly after, in Yang Kai’s plot, a sudden brilliance flashed and two figures appeared out of thin air. It was Yang Kai and Du Ru Feng.
Yang Kai looked over to see Du Ru Feng’s expression as tranquil as an ancient well; there was no way to know what the latter was thinking.
Yang Kai did not ask either. What he saw and heard today had completely confirmed his suspicions. With this incident, Zhou Zheng and Xiang Yong would probably end in disaster. It was not a guarantee that Yang Kai would be replacing Zhou Zheng once he was removed, but at least he would not need to always be on guard against troubles from his superiors.
Yang Kai was only trying his luck when he requested Du Ru Feng to promote him to be the Manager of the orchard and did not really expect him to agree. Yang Kai knew he did not have adequate qualifications to begin with, as it had only been a few months since he came to the orchard. Secondly, his cultivation was insufficient, so it would be difficult to command respect from the Workers.
If he could not be the Orchard Manager though, Du Ru Feng would definitely compensate him in other aspects, so there would be a lot of room for him to negotiate.
If this incident did not involve his own life, Yang Kai would not have been this ruthless. If Zhou Zheng just made things difficult for him, wanting to extract some benefits, Yang Kai would have endured it if he could, but Zhou Zheng actually went so far as to frame him by stealing a Spirit Fruit! If Yang Kai continued to bear with it, he would not know how or when he was going to die.
Yang Kai invited Du Ru Feng to take a seat, poured some tea, and waited quietly.
After a long time, Du Ru Feng smiled lightly, “You’re quite impressive. In less than half a year, there are already two people who want to kill you. How did you offend them?”
“I’m curious too!” Yang Kai looked puzzled, “In regards to Manager Zhou, it’s probably because I didn’t offer him a share when I was rewarded last time, so he held some grudges. But I can’t think of a reason why Xiang Yong would do this.”
Du Ru Feng took a sip of tea, “No matter what the reason is, since they dared to steal a Spirit Fruit, they will end up dying no matter how many lives they have.”
Yang Kai was slightly stunned. Old Fang was right, the lives of the Workers were really worthless here, and it could even be said that Seven Wonders Land did not treat the Workers as people at all.
“I also said before that the position of Orchard Manager needs to be appointed by Venerable in person, and I only have the right to make a recommendation. I will recommend you, as well as report the cause and effect of this matter. As for whether Venerable agrees in the end, it’s up to him.”
“Whether it works or not, I thank Sir Du for his kindness.” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
“Wait for good news,” Du Ru Feng patted Yang Kai’s shoulder and flew away.
The next few days were calm. Yang Kai walked around the orchard, and from time to time he would visit Dié You. Xiang Yong did not appear recently and according to Old Fang, Xiang Yong has been very well-behaved, sleeping most of his time away.
On the fifth day, while Yang Kai was catching worms with Dié You in her plot, he received a message and quickly took out the jade plate.
“Is it from Old Fang?” Dié You asked, recognizing the communicating artifact.
“En!” Yang Kai nodded, and sent his Divine Sense into the artifact.
Suddenly, he turned to look at Dié You and declared, “Xiang Yong was captured!”
Dié You was flabbergasted, “Xiang Yong? What did he do?”
Yang Kai shook his head and said he did not know, mainly because he did not know what Du Ru Feng’s plan was.
Dié You frowned, “Although he is a little reckless, he’s still capable of distinguishing between right and wrong. Did Old Fang see him get captured?”
Yang Kai nodded in confirmation, “Some of the Seven Wonders Land disciples arrived to arrest him, and Old Fang saw it with his own eyes. It happened half a stick of incense ago.”
Yang Kai then looked up in the direction of the tall summit. Since Xiang Yong had been captured, it meant that the same must have happened to Zhou Zheng too.
He wondered what Zhou Zheng was feeling at this moment. Was he surprised? Since he dared to frame Yang Kai with such a vicious plot, he should be mentally prepared for revenge.
In just one day, a rumour spread throughout Fire Spirit Land.
The Orchard Manager, Zhou Zheng, together with a Worker, Xiang Yong, stole a Fire Spirit Fruit. After careful investigation, it was confirmed that the two had committed a heinous crime and had been handed over to the Fire Spirit Land Punishment Hall, to serve as a warning to the others!
The Workers could not believe it, but it was news directly from the Seven Wonders Land disciples, so it was not up to them to question anything.
Everyone knew that Xiang Yong and Zhou Zheng were done for. No one had dared to steal a Fire Spirit Fruit in many years. The question was, as the Orchard Manager, why would Zhou Zheng steal a Fire Spirit Fruit? It served no other function other than to refine Open Heaven Pills. What could he do with a stolen fruit?
Even before this news could be digested, another situation began brewing.
Since Zhou Zheng was in trouble, the Orchard Manager position would be vacant, and someone would definitely take over. It was out of the question for the Workers, as only disciples from Seven Wonders Land could take the position of the Manager.
The position of Orchard Manager may sound very attractive as one would have a huge number of people under his command, but the position was actually a hard and thankless job. Any Seven Wonders Land disciple with a promising future would not be interested. Only those like Zhou Zheng, a Worker with no future prospects, would covet such a position.
Two days later, Du Ru Feng descended from the sky.
Yang Kai, who was busy, hurriedly stopped and greeted him, “Sir Du!”
Du Ru Feng smiled and waved, “Get up!”
Yang Kai observed his expression, slightly surprised “Sir, is there a happy event? You look practically radiant.”
Du Ru Feng chuckled, “There is, but it’s not for me, it’s for you!”
“Me?” Yang Kai’s expression changed, “Could it be that…” Of course, he was already mentally prepared to be rejected.
“Look at this.” As Du Ru Feng spoke as he stretched out his hand and a new set of clothes immediately appeared.
“Seven Coloured Robe…”
“Exactly!” Du Ru Feng unfolded the Seven Coloured Robe, “Try it on.”
“But Sir, aren’t only disciples of Seven Wonders Land allowed to wear this?”
“En, and you are now a disciple of Seven Wonders Land!” Du Ru Feng announced with a smile.
Yang Kai was pleasantly surprised, and cupped his fists, “Many thanks, Sir, for the promotion.” He respectfully took the Seven Coloured Robe in both hands and put it on himself without reservations.
Du Ru Feng nodded approvingly, “Not bad, the size is just right. When you’re free, go to the Personnel Hall to get your disciple token and a few more sets of clothes.”
“Yes, Sir!”
All of a sudden, Yang Kai became a disciple of Seven Wonders Land. Although the Seven Coloured Robe was not particularly stylish, it was a symbol of identity and status in Seven Wonders Land.
In order for a Worker to become a Seven Wonders Land disciple, breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm had always been the only way. That was why so many Workers had no choice but to condense First or Second-Order materials in order to achieve the First or Second-Order Open Heaven Realm, because the materials needed for the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm were way too unaffordable for Workers. If the Workers aimed too high, they might only waste their whole life away only to end up not being promoted to the Open Heaven Realm.
No matter how many First or Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters there were, Seven Wonders Land did not need to worry about them causing any disturbance. Removing their status as a Worker and giving them the position of a Common Disciple could not only make them feel a sense of belonging to Seven Wonders Land, but also strengthened the Sect.
Yang Kai naturally understood all this with a little thought.
Seeing him in a trance, Du Ru Feng laughed, “Are you already happy with just this? Good things are yet to come.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Is there something more?”
Du Ru Feng smiled faintly, “Have you forgotten about the request that you made? If you want to achieve it, you must at least become a disciple of Seven Wonders Land, so your clothes are only the most basic premise.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “Did Venerable agree?”
Du Ru Feng nodded, “Yes.”
Without waiting for Yang Kai to say anything, Du Ru Feng continued with a change of tone, “But Venerable has a condition!”
“What condition?” Yang Kai asked, seemingly quite eager when in fact, he became vigilant. He knew it was impossible for them to agree to his request so readily. The condition was probably a difficult task for him, but it did not matter, because he had at least achieved his expected goal.
“Venerable stated that you haven’t been here for very long and your cultivation is not high. Even though you have made a great contribution by exposing the criminals responsible for stealing a Spirit Fruit, it’s not enough to appoint you as the Orchard Manager. You know, quite a few are coveting this position and if you are appointed without a valid reason, I’m afraid it’s difficult to convince the public.”
“This Disciple understands,” Yang Kai nodded.
“Venerable wants you to make another contribution!” Du Ru Feng looked at him with a smile, “As long as you can make another great contribution, with Venerable’s backing, no one will be able to complain about your promotion.”
Yang Kai scratched his head, “Luck is required to make a contribution. This Disciple couldn’t easily make another contribution even if he wanted to. Or, are there any other Scarlet Clouds Golden Flames in Fire Spirit Land that need this Disciple to assist in collecting?”
Du Ru Feng chuckled, “It’s extremely hard for a Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame to be formed, so it’s unlikely to be seen another one even in thousands of years. It’s a blessing from the Heavens for us to get one last time, how can there be a second one so easily?” He continued with a lower voice and a solemn face, “There’s something you need to do now. As long as you complete this task, the credit will come naturally.”
Yang Kai suddenly understood, “Venerable has already made arrangements!” He immediately cupped his fist, “In that case, please give the order, Sir. This Disciple will start now and complete the mission as soon as possible.”
Du Ru Feng patted him on the shoulder, “When you put on this robe, you and I became fellow brothers, so don’t call me Sir anymore. What Venerable wants you to do this time is to hunt down a traitor.”
“A traitor!” Yang Kai’s face turned solemn.
“That’s right.” Du Ru Feng declared coldly, “This man committed a huge crime a few days ago but refused to repent. On the contrary, he escaped from Seven Wonders Land. His sin is unforgivable, so Venerable wants you to find him, kill him, and bring his head back!”
Yang Kai blinked and asked embarrassingly, “This Junior Brother knows he should obey Venerable’s order, but this Junior Brother has to ask… What cultivation does this traitor have?”
He did not want to run after the enemy recklessly. If it turned out that the traitor was an Open Heaven Realm Master? How could he complete the task then? By that time, Yang Kai was unsure who would be the one getting killed.
Du Ru Feng smiled lightly, “Don’t worry, his cultivation is equivalent to yours. Furthermore, he is wounded.”
Yang Kai nodded, “No problem then, but how can I find him? Senior Brother, the world outside is so vast that I can’t even distinguish my direction. This traitor could be hiding anywhere…”
“Someone will go with you. It’s just a formality this time really, so you only need to go tag along. You don’t really need to do much.”
[Can there be such a good thing?] Yang Kai was dumbstruck.
Outwardly, however, Yang Kai quickly reacted by cupping his fists, “Many thanks to Venerable and Senior Brother for the promotion!”
Du Ru Feng patted him on the shoulder, “Good, you should move now. Someone will pick you up when you get out of Fire Spirit Land.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai answered and soared into the sky.
After Yang Kai departed, Du Ru Feng immediately disappeared from his spot with a flicker.
A moment later, in the main palace of Fire Spirit Land, Du Ru Feng stood in front of a heavy gate and saluted respectfully.
The door opened a gap and Du Ru Feng stepped in, standing straight as a voice reached his ear, “Is it done?”
“Reporting to Venerable, it is done.”
“En.” The Venerable answered softly, “From your look, it seems that you have some questions.”
Du Ru Feng smiled wryly, “Nothing can be concealed from Sir Venerable. It’s true that this Disciple has some questions.”
“Speak!”
“One of this Disciple’s questions is that given that Yang Kai is a newcomer and his cultivation is not high enough, is it really fine to promote him to a higher position?”
“Why not? It’s just a trivial Orchard Manager. Even if we promote him, how long can he stay in that position? At most, it will be for half a year.”
“Is Senior Brother Yu Lian coming out of the retreat soon?” Du Ru Feng got a clue from the statement.
“Exactly!”
“Then there should be no problem. It’s only half a year, so it’s really nothing.” Du Ru Feng nodded gently, “There’s something else that this Disciple doesn’t understand!”
“About the traitor?” Duan Hai chuckled.
“Yes, it’s about the traitor!” Du Ru Feng was puzzled, “The traitor entered Fire Spirit Land at the same time as Yang Kai, so his cultivation is not high. Although he made a mistake without knowing, it should not have been serious enough to lead to his death, so why did he try to flee? Furthermore, he actually succeeded in escaping!”
“Seven Wonders Land is covered by a Grand Array. If the Grand Array is not deactivated or opened, not even an Open Heaven Realm Master could come or go as they pleased. If it weren’t for the permission of this King, how could that traitor have escaped!?”
A sudden realisation dawned on Du Ru Feng. His guess was right. Otherwise, how could a mere Emperor Realm Master escape out of Seven Wonders Land while the Grand Array was functioning? After listening to Duan Hai’s words, he knew that he was right. It was the intention of the Venerable to allow the traitor to run. It could even be said that he was encouraged by someone to run away.
“Why?” This was the part that Du Ru Feng did not understand, “This Disciple can easily take care of trash like that, so why bother to let him out?”
“You don’t understand!” Duan Hai shook his head slowly, “You can’t kill him. This King found something when he brought that man back here. If we really let him die in the hands of Seven Wonders Land, it might cause trouble in the future.”
Du Ru Feng was taken aback. Seven Wonders Land was not weak. The Heavenly Monarch and the several Venerables were all Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, so a person who could cause them troubles should be at least a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, “Does it mean that he has a great backing??”
…..
As soon as Yang Kai left the orchard, Great General flew down. Yang Kai was used to such habits. This chicken always perched on his head only when he was in the orchard, and he would act on his own at other times.
Yang Kai did not care about him and continued to walk. Soon, he left Fire Spirit Land.
Two figures were waiting at the exit of the Grand Array. They approached Yang Kai as soon as they saw him. The fatter man on the left side spoke, “Are you Junior Brother Yang Kai?”
“It is this Yang!” Yang Kai stepped forward and cupped his fist, “Greetings, two Senior Brothers. My apologies for having caused two Senior Brothers to wait.”
While speaking, Yang Kai checked out the pair and was secretly frightened. Initially, he did not believe Du Ru Feng stated that it was just a formality this time; after all, he had not encountered such a good thing since his debut. Now when he saw these two people, he understood that it was indeed just a formality for him, because these two were impressively Open Heaven Realm Masters!
Their auras were similar to that of Zhou Zheng, so they should only be First-Order, but even a First-Order was an Open Heaven Realm Master
Although he did not know who he was going to kill, Du Ru Feng disclosed that his strength was almost the same as that of himself. In other words, the traitor was definitely not an Open Heaven Realm Master, or even a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master.
It seemed quite weird to Yang Kai that he had to go after an Emperor Realm Master with two Open Heaven Realm Masters.
When Yang Kai was checking them out, they were also examining Yang Kai. The fat man who spoke earlier pressed on, “So you are Junior Brother Yang. You really have a handsome and extraordinary look.”
The skinnier man on the right also nodded, “Junior Brother Yang has a majestic and prestigious demeanour. I can tell that you are a man who will go on to do great things.”
[What’s this situation?] Yang Kai was dumbfounded. The two guys bootlicked him so much that he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Since he came to Seven Wonders Land, Yang Kai was treated ordinarily among the Workers, and none of the Seven Wonders Land disciples in the shopping district had ever given him a second glance.
Nevertheless, these two Open Heaven Realm Masters here were actually flattering him openly… He could not get used to the current situation.
With a single thought, Yang Kai associated their behaviour with Du Ru Feng. He wondered what Du Ru Feng had told these two guys that they did not hesitate to praise him.
What else could Yang Kai say? He could only cup his fists with a smile, “Senior Brothers flatter me. Two Senior Brothers have vigorous auras and profound cultivation. This Junior Brother is far behind you two, and will need two Senior Brothers to take care of me this time, please.”
The pair exchanged looks and beamed lightly as they found that Yang Kai had a good attitude. The fat man immediately assured, “Don’t worry, Senior Brother Du informed us that even if we fall into danger this time, we can’t let Junior Brother get into an accident. We two brothers will absolutely protect Junior Brother Yang with our lives.”
“May this Junior Brother know how to address two Senior Brothers?” Yang Kai asked politely, silently confirming the reason why these two guys treated him with a good attitude. It turned out that Du Ru Feng had left them instructions before. They must have understood that Yang Kai was a very important person to Du Ru Feng and may stand out in Fire Spirit Land in the future. As such they hurriedly take this opportunity to make friends with him, and maybe they could follow him to make a success in the future.
They each reported their names. The fat one was Ma Liu and the thinner one was Jiang Sheng. After chatting a bit, the three departed together.
Seven Wonders Land was overlaid with a massive Grand Array, one that did not allow people to enter and exit without permission, but since it was under Duan Hai’s order, Yang Kai’s group was naturally well prepared.
They left Seven Wonders Land easily, but the void where it was located now was shrouded in fog. Yang Kai looked back and could only see a mass of fog so he asked worriedly, “Two Senior Brothers, we don’t know how long it will take us to run this errand, do you want to note down the way so we don’t get lost?”
Fatty Ma Liu guffawed, “You are not aware, Junior Brother, but in this vast Outer Universe, it is far too easy to become disoriented, so there is no point in remembering the way, but as long as there is a navigation chart to guide us, no matter how far away we travel, we can find our way back.”
Yang Kai had a sudden understanding. He vaguely recalled that Duan Hai mentioned something similar when he was brought to Seven Wonders Land, but he had never seen it with his own eyes and had no idea what such an object looked like.
Yang Kai guessed that it should be a treasure that showed directions.
“How do we track down the traitor?” Yang Kai asked again.
It was Jiang Sheng who replied this time, “Junior Brother Yang, don’t be impatient. We will find a way to track him. Junior Brother, you just need to follow us and kill him when we find him.”
“I understand, I’ll be counting on two Senior Brothers then.” Yang Kai cupped his fists and simply stopped worrying. Although he was curious about a lot of things, it would raise suspicion if he asked too many questions. Why bother when there was no need to worry? Now that he thought about it, this was his first time leaving Seven Wonders Land since his arrival a few months ago.
Seven Wonders Land was not a good place. Although he was fortunate to get great backing from Du Ru Feng and seemed to be appreciated, Yang Kai had a nagging feeling that there were other intentions involved.
This feeling was only reinforced when he recalled that everything happened after he assisted Du Ru Feng in collecting the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame!
Yang Kai highly suspected that his Wood Element had been exposed. Although he was not sure, he needed to be cautious. If he had a chance this time, he may be able to escape from Seven Wonders Land.
It was a pity he did not expect Du Ru Feng would have given him such a task, and he was not given time to prepare for his escape; otherwise, he might have been able to bring Old Fang and Dié You along with him.
Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were both Open Heaven Realm cultivators and sped through the void at incredible speed. It was all Yang Kai could do to barely keep up with them. Even so, these two were impressed by Yang Kai, for they thought he was just a little brat who was lucky enough to be appreciated by Du Ru Feng. Who knew that he actually had such skill?
After half a day, Ma Liu suddenly stopped, flicked his hand, and took out what looked like a sphere. Inside the sphere, a cloud of constantly shifting red mist drifted in a certain direction.
Ma Liu put the sphere away and sped in that direction.
When Yang Kai saw this, he knew that the artifact in the shape of a sphere was a tracker. Otherwise, in this vast Outer Universe, how could the traitor be found after escaping from Seven Wonders Land?
Yang Kai was secretly surprised. Since the traitor could be traced, could it be the same for him? He had no way of knowing if Duan Hai had secretly done something to them when he brought them back to Seven Wonders Land. After all, the gap between cultivation Realms was too great.
Duan Hai might just have done that! If this was really the case, Yang Kai had to figure out a way to escape Seven Wonders Land quickly before his intentions were exposed and he was tracked down.
Speeding through the void, Yang Kai took in his surroundings. The scenery was breathtaking, and the insignificance of his own being was somehow emphasized at this moment.
Time flew by. Yang Kai estimated that they have left Seven Wonders Land for at least ten days. As the three travelled, Ma Liu would take out the sphere from time to time and change directions accordingly.
And as time passed, the faces of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng gradually became ugly.
Yang Kai had to ask even if he did not want to.
“Two Senior Brothers, is something wrong?”
Ma Liu answered, “Junior Brother Yang, don’t be impatient, there is nothing wrong. It’s just that we’re too far away from Seven Wonders Land, and there are all kinds of dangers in this vast world. Although both of us are Open Heaven Realm Masters, we’re just First-Order and we may not be able to protect you if we encounter danger.”
Jiang Sheng cursed, “I thought it would be easy to track down that guy, but we didn’t expect him to be so fast. Maybe he cultivated some sort of sacrificial Secret Technique.”
It was only then that Yang Kai realized that things had gone far beyond their plan, and the traitor had run too far.
Ma Liu continued, “We have to speed up. We won’t know how long we have to chase after him if we continue to let him run like this.”
Jiang Sheng nodded, “Junior Brother Yang, forgive us,” Right after, he and Ma Liu clutched Yang Kai on the left and right, and their speed increased a level. Suddenly, they were moving as swiftly as the wind.
After another three days, a look of joy suddenly appeared on Ma Liu’s face, “He stopped.”
“He should be stopping to rest!” Jiang Sheng raised his eyebrows, “How far?”
Ma Liu looked at the sphere in his hand again, “Another half a day’s journey!”
Jiang Sheng turned to Yang Kai, “Junior Brother Yang, get ready. When you meet the traitor, it will be your turn to take action. These two Senior Brothers will be on the sidelines for you.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brothers!” Yang Kai bowed.
Ma Liu chuckled, “It’s not a problem. We just hope that Junior Brother won’t forget about us two Senior Brothers when he prospers in the future.”
“I will never!” Yang Kai replied, closing his eyes to adjust his breathing, he secretly felt speechless. With Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng literally holding on to him, he had no chance to run even if he wanted to, unless he killed them. But they were Open Heaven Realm Masters, so even if Yang Kai initiated an attack with all he had, he might possibly kill one off while they were unguarded, but it was unrealistic to take down two…
It seemed that there was no way to escape Seven Wonders Land for the time being; it was better for him to take one step at a time.
Half a day later, a Universe World’s aura suddenly appeared in front of them. Yang Kai opened his eyes and found that it was indeed a Universe World. From a distance, the blue world looked like a sky with clouds, a breathtaking sight to see.
Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng took him straight towards that world through the layers of clouds, and they were welcomed by a bright light. Yang Kai looked around curiously; after all, this was the first Universe World he had entered after leaving the Star Boundary. Naturally, he would want to see how other places were different from his home.
From the looks of it though, it did not seem to be much different, except for the slightly altered World Principles.
Also, this Universe World did not seem to be very strong, because when the group of three entered, there was no obstruction at all.
If there was a Great Emperor here, that would definitely not have been the case.
Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng let out a sigh of relief. Although they were Open Heaven Realm Masters, if there were Great Emperors guarding this Universe World, they would not want to create conflict.
The three broke through the sky and landed on top of a certain mountain.
Ma Liu took a deep breath, his already fat body became even more bloated as he bellowed in a single large breath towards the bottom of the mountain, “Come out!”
The mountain collapsed, and waterfalls flowed against the current when the words resounded. Birds and beasts were killed or injured in an instant, and the land rolled violently as if Dragons were trying to escape from beneath the ground!
In the midst of the rumbling, a figure escaped out of the collapsing peak and looked up at the place where Yang Kai and the others were in horror.
Jiang Sheng sneered, “This bastard can run quite well. This King has been chasing him for so many days!”
At this moment, the traitor clearly saw the Seven Coloured Robes donned by Ma Liu and the others and the colour drained completely from his face before he turned to flee.
Jiang Sheng’s laugh was even colder now, “This King is here now, where do you think you can run to?” He spat, and an artifact in the shape of a sphere was summoned, instantly sealing off the local space. He scrambled left and right but failed to escape from the bounds of the artifact, causing the fear etched on his face to intensify.
“Junior Brother Yang, it’s up to you now.” Ma Liu turned to Yang Kai, “Don’t worry, he is injured now and absolutely no match for you. Besides, both of us will be here to back you up, so just execute him boldly!”
Yang Kai nodded, “Understood.”
He walked forward into the domain confined by Jiang Sheng and stopped to look at the traitor who betrayed Seven Wonders Land with a complicated expression.
The traitor was still trying to break through the barrier but could not find a way to leave at all, so he turned, and when their eyes met, he asked with some confusion, “Yang Kai, why are you here?”
Yang Kai sighed, “That’s what I wanted to ask.”
When Du Ru Feng asked him to hunt down a traitor, he did not ask for any details; after all, he did not know many people, but now he realized that he knew the traitor as he was in the same batch of people who came to Seven Wonders Land with him.
Fang Tai!
“It’s all because of you!” Fang Tai glared at Yang Kai, his eyes glowing a shade of deep scarlet as if he had met his nemesis, “If it wasn’t for you, how could this Fang be put in this position!?”
Yang Kai scoffed, “How is this my fault?” This was simply illogical.
Fang Tai gritted his teeth, “The Fire Spirit Fruit that Zhou Zheng and Xiang Yong conspired to steal was yours, right?”
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded, suddenly realizing, “I understand now, you were involved in their plot.”
Fang Tai was furious, “I had no idea! All I knew was that Zhou Zheng asked me to delay you for a while. He is the Orchard Manager, so how could I refuse? I thought it was just a trivial matter, but who knew it would involve stealing Spirit Fruits!”
“You didn’t have to listen!” Yang Kai sneered, “Fate is always in your own hands.”
“Cheap words!” Fang Tai exclaimed, “The moment Zhou Zheng and Xiang Yong got into trouble, I knew I would be involved, so I ran, but I didn’t expect to be caught so quickly. What was even more unexpected is that you were the one coming after me!”
“What’s so strange about this? I’m the subject of the matter.”
Fang Tai was puzzled, “But you’re just a Worker… “
Yang Kai tugged at his collar and adjusted it…
Fang Tai’s eyes widened, “Seven Coloured Robe! You’re actually wearing Seven Coloured Robes… Are you a disciple of Seven Wonders Land now?”
In an instant, Fang Tai’s eyes turned red from jealousy. He, too, had been in Seven Wonders Land for several months. Naturally, he knew the difficulty of getting promoted from a Worker to a Common Disciple, but since Yang Kai was wearing a Seven Coloured Robe, it was clear that he had gotten rid of the Worker status and became a disciple of Seven Wonders Land.
[How did this happen?]
The last time he saw Yang Kai was only a few days ago. At that time, he had Zhou Zheng’s protection while Yang Kai was the target of Zhou Zheng’s anger. Fang Tai thought that he could be safe by relying on Zhou Zheng, but he did not expect to be implicated in this debacle and end up running for his life.
“Brother Fang, this Yang has been ordered to take your life now. Since we know each other, I don’t want to make things too complicated. Why don’t you kill yourself to avoid suffering!?”
“End my own life?” Fang Tai’s face changed drastically, “This Fang just made an unintentional mistake! For that, I deserve death?”
Yang Kai remarked faintly, “It’s an order from the higher-ups, I have no choice either.”
Fang Tai looked around and saw that Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were both eyeing him. He knew that he probably could not escape this disaster under the watch of the two Open Heaven Realm Masters here and for a moment, he became depressed, his face turning pale as he sent out a Divine Sense transmission, “Brother Yang, you and I have entered Seven Wonders Land together and even had an alliance before. Now, this Fang is in trouble, please show kindness and let me go. This Fang will surely repay this favour in the future.”
Yang Kai stared faintly at him and asked, “Did Brother Fang really take that alliance seriously?”
Fang Tai’s face turned ugly, knowing that he had done something wrong in the past. He isolated and forced Yang Kai out when he saw him get on Zhou Zheng’s bad side, but the tide had turned after just two months and now he became the one who had to beg for mercy. Still, Fang Tai pleaded, “Brother Yang, this Fang was wrong last time. Please be merciful and forgive me. It’s all because of this Fang’s foolishness in trusting the wrong person…”
Yang Kai raised his hand and stopped him, “It’s useless for you to say this now. Senior Brother Du ordered the other two Senior Brothers here to come with me. They certainly are not here just to lead the way for me. Even if I let you go, they will not. Furthermore… Why should I let you go?”
If it was just their disagreements from before, Yang Kai might not have been so forceful here; after all, everyone had their own free will to seek blessings and avoid disaster. Yang Kai offended Zhou Zheng, while Fang Tai depended on the backing of Zhou Zheng to succeed, so it was natural for him to stay away from Yang Kai. In order to survive and thrive, Fang Tai made the correct choice. They just had different ways of living and could not work together.
But Yang Kai could not forgive Fang Tai for cooperating with Zhou Zheng and Xiang Yong to frame him. Even though Fang Tai was ignorant of the full plot, if they really succeeded, Yang Kai would be dead now.
An unintentional mistake was still a great enmity.
Moreover, as he mentioned, since Du Ru Feng ordered Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng to accompany him, Yang Kai also had his hands tied. Even if he did not do it, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng would definitely not let Fang Tai go.
Reaching out his hand, a Dragon Roar sounded as the Azure Dragon Spear appeared in Yang Kai’s grip, “Fang Tai, suffer death!”
Yang Kai’s aura quickly rose to the limit as he already appeared in front of Fang Tai when he uttered the last word, the spear in his hand thrusting forward.
Fang Tai was taken aback, not having expected Yang Kai to make such a decisive move without giving him any time to react at all. Even though he was on guard, Fang Tai only managed to raise his arm and hurriedly summon a round shield before the spear reached him.
A loud metallic clang erupted and cracks ran all over the round shield as soon as it appeared, its radiance quickly fading.
After just a breath of time, the round shield exploded, revealing Fang Tai’s terrified face.
Not far away, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng looked at each other and saw the amazement in each other’s eyes. Although such a blow could be wielded at will with their current strength, they were sure that they could not achieve a similar level of power when they were at Yang Kai’s current cultivation. In other words, at the Emperor Realm, Yang Kai’s heritage was already much more powerful than theirs. In the future, when Yang Kai reached the Open Heaven Realm, even if he was the same First Order as them, they would probably be no match for him.
The Azure Dragon Spear penetrated the shattered round shield and through Fang Tai’s shoulder. Blood spurted, and Fang Tai’s face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.
Yang Kai’s face was emotionless. When he retracted the spear, he kicked right into Fang Tai’s stomach, sending him flying like a rag sack until he collided with the barrier of Jiang Sheng’s artifact, spewing blood from his mouth.
Fang Tai looked dreadfully frightened while Yang Kai seemed slightly surprised.
This was actually the first time that he had a real fight after leaping out of the Star Boundary and entering the 3,000 Worlds. Although his opponent was not an Open Heaven Realm Master, he felt that Fang Tai was not as strong as he expected him to be…
But Yang Kai figured it had something to do with Fang Tai’s wounds and the latter being on the run for so many days. Yang Kai had no idea how Fang Tai was injured, but it was probably because he had fought with someone when he escaped Seven Wonders Land.
Regardless, there was nothing to think about. With a flicker, Yang Kai rushed forward, and the shadow of the Azure Dragon Spear streaked beneath the sky to envelope Fang Tai.
Fang Tai was not too weak, and he kept releasing all kinds of artifacts one after another, especially defensive artifacts, which made Yang Kai wonder how he obtained so many and how insecure he was to have prepared them all.
However, under Yang Kai’s continuous and rampageous attacks, Fang Tai was put in a passive position with no chance to strike back. Fang Tai was shocked, as if he did not expect that even though they had the same cultivation, he was no match for Yang Kai at all.
When his last defensive artifact was shattered, Fang Tai covered his chest as he was torn by grief.
“Yang Kai, do you really insist on forcing me to death?”
Yang Kai said nothing, his spear pointing at Fang Tai, his face full of murderous intent.
Fang Tai gritted his teeth, “You forced me! Even if this Fang’s end is miserable, you won’t feel any better!” After stating so, he performed a hand seal with one hand, and his initially weak aura suddenly surged. At the same time, a mysterious aura permeated out of his body.
Yang Kai turned solemn. Just as he was wondering why this aura felt a little familiar, Fang Tai had already opened his mouth and spat out an ancient seal. Although the seal looked insignificant, it contained a terrifying power.
“Dao Seal!” Yang Kai’s face changed drastically. Now he understood why it felt familiar to him, because he had done this before. Back then in the Star Boundary, Yang Kai was forced to release his own Dao Seal to kill Can Ye. He truly did not expect that his first enemy in this Outer Universe would deal with him in the same way.
Yang Kai was aware of how powerful one’s Dao Seal could be. Watching the ancient seal rushing towards him in a stream of light, Yang Kai immediately withdrew. At the same time, he pulled back his arm and hurled the Azure Dragon Spear forward violently.
The two streams of light clashed mid-air. The deafening blast shook the world, sending terrifying waves in every direction while even the barrier of Jiang Sheng’s artifact rippled violently.
At this time, Ma Liu had rushed over and shielded Yang Kai with his fat body like a city wall, blocking the storm in front of him. He kept slamming his palms forward to offset the horrifying aftershocks.
After more than ten breaths of time, the dust finally settled.
Yang Kai, who was hiding behind Ma Liu, peeked out and saw Fang Tai’s burly body had completely shrivelled up. His aura was so weak that he was barely even alive.
Fang Tai was not as lucky as Yang Kai, nor as powerful as Yang Kai. His Dao Seal, which was the condensation of the cultivation of his entire being, was released and completely destroyed after colliding with the Azure Dragon Spear. Followed by the destruction of his Dao Seal, his strength dissipated too.
Although he was not dead yet, he would not live long.
Yang Kai was secretly frightened and vowed not to summon his Dao Seal unless he had no choice. It was just too dangerous.
“Junior Brother Yang, are you alright?” Ma Liu asked with concern.
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Many thanks, Senior Brother, for your protection. Junior Brother is fine.”
“Think nothing of it. Junior Brother must remember that battle in the Outer Universe is no longer the same as your previous experiences. The most important thing to guard against is this kind of desperate move. If you are not careful, you may suffer a loss.” Ma Liu advised kindly.
Yang Kai nodded sincerely, “I’ll remember.”
Ma Liu continued, “Good. Go and take down that guy’s head, then we can return to complete our mission. This journey is too far. If we don’t hurry back, Senior Brother will definitely worry.”
Yang Kai nodded, then slowly walked towards Fang Tai. He stretched out his hand in the air, and the Azure Dragon Spear immediately flew back into his hand.
Fang Tai was gasping for breath on the other side. Yang Kai approached and looked down at him. Fang Tai’s eyes had become cloudy, as if he had aged thousands of years in an instant. There was not much vitality left in his body.
It was uncertain if Fang Tai could see clearly, but his lips moved to whisper, “You won’t live well after you kill me!”
With a flick of his wrist, Yang Kai’s spear swept out and Fang Tai’s head soared up, though there was not much blood.
Jiang Sheng flew in at the right moment and wrapped the head with a black cloth that was prepared beforehand before putting it directly into his Space Ring, “It’s done!” He grinned.
The order they got was to help Yang Kai in claiming the head of the traitor Fang Tai. Now that everything was settled, they could naturally return home. Moreover, not only did they make friends with Yang Kai this time, but they also would receive rewards from Du Ru Feng later.
He turned to look at Yang Kai, to find that he was slightly distracted. He could not help patting him on the shoulder, “Junior Brother, do you rarely kill? You better get used to it if you want to survive. It’s either kill or be killed. We still have Seven Wonders Land as our shelter, but if you wander outside, your life will always be at risk, and you may be killed one day.”
Since when did Yang Kai rarely kill? Countless lives had been ended by his hands throughout his path of cultivation. The reason he was absent-minded was that something felt off after killing Fang Tai, but he could not put a finger on it.
He did not bother to clarify anything, but just nodded, “Senior Brother is right.”
Looking at the headless corpse in front of him, Yang Kai could not help recalling that they were brought into Seven Wonders Land together by Duan Hai just a few months ago, but in the end, they were forced to kill each other. Life was truly unpredictable.
Yang Kai picked up the Space Ring from Fang Tai’s hand with his spear, and then handed it to Jiang Sheng as he remarked, “I don’t know if there’s anything good in it. Since two Senior Brothers have been escorting me, I shall thank you for your hard work and effort.”
“You are too generous.” Even though Jiang Sheng said so, he did not hesitate, and quickly took the Space Ring with a grin, “Many thanks, Junior Brother.” He secretly praised Yang Kai for respecting them in his heart, and understood why he was appreciated by Junior Brother Du. He told himself that he really had to learn from him, and he might be able to succeed from then on. He winked at Ma Liu and put away the Space Ring without checking what was inside, for they would share whatever they got equally anyway.
“The job’s done. Let’s go back now.” Ma Liu proposed, and the other two naturally had no objection. Although Yang Kai wanted to stay and enjoy the customs of this new Universe World, he was really not in the mood at the moment.
The three rapidly rose into the sky.
However, before flying too far, the sky above them suddenly darkened.
Ma Liu looked up and muttered, “What is it?”
When he finished his sentence, he suddenly disappeared in the blink of an eye, as if he had not been there before.
Both Yang Kai and Jiang Sheng were appalled. They stopped simultaneously, leaned against each other’s backs without saying anything, and monitored the surroundings with their respective Divine Senses. Jiang Sheng kept calling for Ma Liu’s name, but there was no response.
A moment later, Jiang Sheng whispered, “Junior Brother Yang, did you see anything just now?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “Nothing.”
Jiang Sheng’s heart sank when he heard him. Nothing was worse than not knowing what was happening. It was extremely strange that they were totally unaware of what caused the sudden disappearance of Ma Liu even when it happened right before their eyes.
“Run!” Jiang Sheng no longer hesitated and rushed up to the sky with great speed after calling out to Yang Kai. Yang Kai also did not delay and immediately followed after him.
The next moment, there was another darkness above their heads.
Yang Kai hurriedly looked up and saw something shrouding them from above. At the same time, Jiang Sheng shouted, “Split up!”
Before Yang Kai could react, Jiang Sheng already ran far away from him; however, the darkness ignored Yang Kai and chased after Jiang Sheng. Followed by a flash, Jiang Sheng disappeared just like Ma Liu.
A chill ran down Yang Kai’s spine and he felt goosebumps all over his body. Because of what happened just now, he saw the outline of a dark shadow.
It was like an enlarged cloth sack…
The cloth sack slipped down and Jiang Sheng was taken away. He believed the same happened to Ma Liu.
Two Open Heaven Realm Masters were stuffed into this strange sack like they were helpless chickens. Yang Kai could imagine how powerful this artifact was, and understood that he probably could not escape it either. However, what frightened him more was the owner of the artifact!
Until now, he still could not see who was behind this!
Standing in the void, Yang Kai looked around, and cupped his fists, “May I know who Senior is? Seven Wonders Land Yang Kai hopes to offer proper greetings!”
There was no reply, and another darkness appeared above him.
Yang Kai, who was already prepared for it, immediately surged his Space Principles in an attempt to escape. Nevertheless, there was an invisible shackle that immobilized him, leaving him nowhere to hide.
Soon, his vision turned dark, and he felt like he had entered a tight space.
Before Yang Kai could adapt to it, he felt like someone was squeezing him nearby. Not only that, he could sense movements of punching and kicking, and a violent fist thrust towards him.
Yang Kai raised his hand to block it and shouted, “Two Senior Brothers, please stop!”
The bustling movement stopped for a moment, and the two exclaimed in unison, “Yang Kai?”
After shouting, they exclaimed again.
“Ma Liu?”
“Jiang Sheng?”
Ma Liu was enlightened, “Oh, so you were all brought in too. I thought someone was ambushing me.”
Jiang Sheng replied, “I wonder who did this, and what this place is?”
Yang Kai responded, “I didn’t see anyone, but this should be the inner space of some kind of artifact. When Senior Brother Jiang was captured just now, I caught a glimpse that it was a cloth sack-shaped artifact.”
Ma Liu questioned in a deep voice, “Cloth sack-shaped artifact? Old Jiang, do you know what it is?”
“I’ve never heard of something like that.” Jiang Sheng shook his head slowly and continued solemnly, “But since we were captured without us even spotting our captor, they should be a Senior Expert at the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm at least.”
“A Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master…” Yang Kai was shocked, “Why did he bring us here? “
Ma Liu did not know whether to cry or laugh, “I don’t know, but this Universe World might be his territory, and we have disturbed him when we killed the traitor just now.”
“Could it be an enemy of our Seven Wonders Land?” Yang Kai guessed, “I just introduced myself, but he didn’t care at all.”
Jiang Sheng gulped, “Stop talking, Junior Brother. You are scaring me now. It better not be an enemy of our Seven Wonders Land, otherwise, none of us will survive. I hope it’s just like what Old Ma said and we disturbed someone and he just wants to punish us slightly.”
Ma Liu suddenly shouted, “Senior, Senior, we were unaware of your presence and inadvertently offended you earlier. Please forgive us!”
Jiang Sheng also hurriedly pressed on, “Yes, Senior. Please forgive us, and let us go first. We are willing to talk to settle this problem. This Junior apologizes for the inconvenience caused.”
The two started to beg for mercy without knowing whether the person could hear them or not, which made Yang Kai feel speechless.
Nothing happened after shouting for a long time though, so they eventually stopped.
Ma Liu sighed, “I knew it wasn’t a good idea to leave so far. This is bad.”
Yang Kai asked, “Does our Seven Wonders Land have enemies?”
“Not that I know of.” Jiang Sheng shook his head, “But both of us only joined Seven Wonders Land a thousand years ago. Maybe there are enemies, but since this Senior only captured us and did not kill us immediately, I guess he probably wouldn’t harm us.”
Ma Liu nodded repeatedly, “Old Jiang is right. If he were really our enemy, I’m afraid he would have killed us by now.”
With some self-consolation, they were not so flustered anymore.
After staying in the narrow and cramped space for a time, a glimmer of light shone in, as if a skylight had been opened above them.
Without hesitation, the three trapped men used their Movement Skills to rush to the slit of light at the same time, escaping their prison and appearing in a cave.
Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng obviously were connected in mind, and as soon as they broke free, they immediately watched out for each other as they scanned the surroundings. Yang Kai also stayed focused and calm, scanning around with his Divine Sense.
Soon, their eyes were fixed not far from the front. There stood a thin, short, gloomy, middle-aged man. The man donned simple and plain clothes that looked as if they had faded with numerous washes. His hair was tied in a simple bun and he held a wooden sword in one hand and a bag in the other.
The bag was the cloth sack that Yang Kai had seen before, but it was only the size of a palm at the moment and was soon taken back into the man’s sleeve.
Needless to say, it was this guy who secretly abducted the three of them earlier.
It was good to be able to see him now, because not knowing who was behind their capture was the scariest thing. Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng exchanged looks, and the former cupped his fists and greeted, “Junior Ma Liu of Seven Wonders Land greets Senior. May I know Senior’s honoured name?”
It was somewhat pathetic to act so servile, but since this man was far stronger than them, they could only inquire about his name politely and be careful when dealing with him, lest they offend him.
“Hmph!” With just a light snort from the man, a great power descended from the sky. Yang Kai felt like a whole world was collapsing on his head for a moment as his bones creaked and his chest was squeezed so tightly that he almost coughed up blood. It was only because of his strong will that he did not fall to the ground.
On the contrary, the situation of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng was better than his since they had a higher cultivation, but their faces turned ugly too, looking dreadfully uncomfortable.
For the first time, Yang Kai witnessed the great difference between different Orders of the Open Heaven Realm from a close distance. Although they were all Open Heaven Realm Masters, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were only First Order, while the man was at least Fourth Order, so the latter was able to make Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng suffer with just a snort. If they really had to fight, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng would definitely not be a match for this middle-aged man. In fact, he could probably kill them effortlessly.
“Are you all from Seven Wonders Land?” The man glanced at the three of them, and gradually withdrew his pressure, which relieved Yang Kai and the others from the stress.
Ma Liu cupped his fists with a terrified face, “Reporting to Senior, the three of us are indeed Seven Wonders Land disciples.”
“Very good!” The man nodded, “I was still worried that I couldn’t find any Seven Wonders Land people, but now, you’ve brought yourselves to me.”
Their faces changed drastically as soon as they heard this. This man’s words did not sound good as they made it obvious this guy had a grudge against Seven Wonders Land. As expected, anything that could go wrong would go wrong. While the three people were still wondering whether this man was an enemy of Seven Wonders Land, their worry became true.
Ma Liu hurriedly explained, “Senior, we are just Common Disciples of Seven Wonders Land. If you really have any grudges against Seven Wonders Land, just Find Heavenly Monarch. We have nothing to do with it.”
“As long as you put on that robe, you have something to do with it!” The man sneered.
Yang Kai almost vomited blood after hearing the statement. Unlike Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, he had only put on this robe about ten days ago. How unfortunate was it for him?
“As for your Venerables and Heavenly Monarch, this King will eventually look for them, but now is not the time!” After the man declared, he reached out his hand and threw the cloth sack at them again.
Without having time to react, Yang Kai’s vision instantly turned black. Needless to say, he was put back into the bag again.
Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng obviously understood that the situation was bad, so after a brief exchange, they decided to take action and try to break the artifact from the inside to see if they could escape.
However, they soon realized this was a bad idea. The unbridled energy clashed in every direction, putting all three of them in a mess with Yang Kai almost becoming injured.
Without any viable solution, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng could only stop and started begging from inside the sack. However, whether the man was ignoring them or simply could not hear them, there was no response at all.
In the pitch-black darkness, an unknown amount of time passed as the trio were squished inside the sack. Suddenly, a slit of light broke open above them, but it rapidly closed after a moment before any of them could react to it.
Yang Kai wondered, “What does this mean?”
Ma Liu answered, “I don’t know. Junior Brother, does anything feel off?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “No!”
“Where’s Brother Jiang?” Ma Liu asked again, but he did not get any response. After calling several times, a realization dawned on him, “Brother Jiang is gone.”
Yang Kai was also surprised and quickly felt around only to find that Jiang Sheng had indeed disappeared. Thinking about the incident just now, Jiang Sheng had probably been taken out by their abductor.
Ma Liu was a little flustered, “Why did he take Brother Jiang?”
“Don’t worry, Senior Brother. Since Senior didn’t kill us earlier, he likely has plans for us. We’ll know more when Senior Brother Jiang comes back.” Although Yang Kai said so, he could not help worrying whether Jiang Sheng would come back alive. From the declaration of the middle-aged man earlier, it was not difficult to infer that he had grievances against Seven Wonders Land. Now that the three of them had fallen into his hands, they were totally under his control, and had no way to escape or fight back.
Ma Liu obviously understood this and felt quite pessimistic despite Yang Kai trying to cheer him up. He secretly regretted taking this job. Initially, he thought it was a good opportunity for him, but now he had gotten into this danger and was not sure if he could survive it.
The space in the sack was not as crowded without Jiang Sheng, and after grumbling for a while, Ma Liu quieted down. Yang Kai tried searching for any flaws in the artifact sack with his Divine Sense, but unfortunately, he found nothing.
After several days, the slit of light cut through the darkness again, the situation was exactly the same as the previous one. The mouth of the sack was swiftly closed right after it opened, so quick that Yang Kai could not react to it at all.
When the darkness settled in again, Yang Kai obviously felt Ma Liu, who had been squeezed together with him in the sack, had vanished. He knew that Ma Liu had been taken out too, leaving only him in the sack space.
Given that Jiang Sheng was not returned, Yang Kai believed that he was more unfortunate than fortunate. Now even Ma Liu had been taken away, and it was unlikely that he could come back. Yang Kai grew anxious at this moment.
He had been quietly searching for the flaws in the artifact these days but unfortunately, he found nothing. The artifact was obviously unusual for it had its own internal space that could accommodate living creatures; however, the size of the space inside was a little strange. It appeared to be able to resize itself. It could fit snugly around one person, but it could also fit three people. However, it felt crowded no matter how many people were thrown into the sack, as if there was a soft barrier surrounding the space.
Before, Jiang Sheng and Ma Liu tried to break the confinement of this sack artifact, but they failed. Since the two Open Heaven Realm Masters had no way to overcome it, Yang Kai believed that he could not break free even if he used his full strength.
He just did not know if the space of this sack had a limit and whether it could be broken.
Anyway, he did not really have a choice in his current situation. He could only try to stuff the sack till it burst and hope for the best. However, it was not too late for him to come up with another idea even if it did not burst. Regardless, it was better than being trapped here waiting to die.
At this point, Yang Kai no longer hesitated and took a deep breath before bellowing, “Dragon Transformation!”
A loud Dragon roar sounded. Golden light radiated brightly in the dark space, and a glimpse of a golden Dragon head flashed and disappeared into Yang Kai’s body. Followed by the cracking of his bones, Yang Kai’s body swiftly expanded.
100 metres, 300 metres, 500 metres, 1,000 metres…
The surrounding soft barrier tightly bound Yang Kai’s massive body, like invisible ropes. Yang Kai was about to spurt blood as he felt extremely uncomfortable, like his whole body was about to be crushed.
However, he endured all kinds of discomfort and continued to expand his body.
*Kacha…* Every one of his bones crackled noisily. Hot air sprayed out of Yang Kai’s nostrils, and the vitality in his chest surged, filling his throat with a bloody taste.
When he expanded to his limit, which was 2,000 meters, the sack artifact showed no signs of bursting. Yang Kai immediately knew that his attempt had failed.
He was unwilling to give up though and reached out his hand to summon the Azure Dragon Spear. With the fluctuation of the Space Principles, he thrust out his spear with a massive black spot forming at its tip.
Rupture…
Violent energy swirled and the crushing force could not be dispersed inside the confined space. It turned into an attack that covered the entire space, which ultimately rebounded on Yang Kai.
Yang Kai already had a hard time enduring the suffocation of the surrounding force, so with the additional disintegrating rebound force, he could not hold it any longer and spurted a mouthful of blood. As if he was a deflated balloon, his huge body rapidly shrunk as his aura dwindled.
He secretly thought to himself while gritting his teeth, [This really doesn’t work. I don’t know what the Hell this sack is. There’s no way for me to get out. I’m too weak. Only if I was an Open Heaven Realm Master would I have a chance to force my way out.]
Nevertheless, it was extremely difficult to be promoted to the Open Heaven Realm. First of all, one had to condense the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements in order to split Heaven and Earth apart inside one’s own body. Yang Kai was lucky to have started off with an excellent beginning when he refined the Immortal Tree to condense his Wood Element.
But having a good start did not mean he could achieve a higher Order Open Heaven Realm. If he wished to achieve his goal, he had to obtain high-Order materials.
However, high-Order materials were not that easy to find or obtain. Yang Kai had no idea when he could break through to the Open Heaven Realm, let alone when he could find the World Tree to repair the damaged Star Boundary.
After having all kinds of absurd thoughts for a while, his disordered aura gradually calmed down. Since he could not get out of trouble himself, he could only observe the situation and react to whatever came his way. Yang Kai secretly prayed that Jiang Sheng and Ma Liu were safe as he sat cross-legged and adjusted his breathing.
A few days later, when the slit of light broke open above him for the third time, Yang Kai was not surprised anymore. An irresistible force caught him, and when he regained his senses, he was no longer in the narrow space, but appeared in the previous cave.
In front of him stood the middle-aged man who, at this moment, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot. Yang Kai had no idea what incident had upset this man for him to be so visibly upset.
A strange smell filled the air, which Yang Kai could not identify precisely, but he did notice a trace of blood odour mixed in with it. Yang Kai looked around with a frown, and his gaze suddenly stopped at a corner of the cave.
Two dead bodies laid over there, one fat and one thin, both were wearing Seven Coloured Robes. Although Yang Kai could not see their faces clearly due to the angle, he could recognize that these two people were Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, who were dragged out before him. He did not know what happened to them earlier, as although the bodies were intact, they had long lost their vitality.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. Although he had long speculated that his two Senior Brothers would not end well, he could not help grieving when he saw it with his own eyes.
“Little brat, what’s your name?” The man suddenly asked.
Yang Kai did not want to speak, but he had no choice but to introduce himself. He actually had done it before, but this man probably did not take it to heart.
The man sneered, “You are much bolder than that fat man. I hope you’re luckier too.”
Yang Kai sighed, “Senior, with your strength, it’s a simple matter to kill us. Why bother torturing my two Senior Brothers?” During this short while, he noticed that Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng should have suffered inhuman torture before they died. The blood flowing out of their seven facial orifices were probably the source of the bloody stench in the cave.
The man snorted coldly, “This King doesn’t care about torturing them, but this King has a plan that required their cooperation. Too bad, they failed to live up to this King’s expectations.”
Yang Kai raised his eyes, “May I know what plan Senior has that needs me to cooperate with my life?”
The man looked at him strangely, “Do you want to try?”
“Can I refuse?” Yang Kai looked back at him seriously.
The man shook his head, “No, you can’t.”
“Then that’s enough. Since I can’t refuse, I can only cooperate, but before that, please explain to me how I should cooperate with Senior. I guess Senior doesn’t want me to follow the footsteps of my two Senior Brothers, right? If so, you won’t find any Seven Wonders Land disciples anytime soon.”
The man nodded lightly, “You’re right. Little brat, you’re quite interesting. This King didn’t expect there to be people like you in Seven Wonders Land.”
Yang Kai took a deep breath, “Actually, I don’t really belong to Seven Wonders Land. I barely arrived in Seven Wonders Land half a year ago.”
The man sneered, “Do you think this King will believe you?”
Yang Kai shrugged, “This is the fact, whether Senior believes it or not won’t change the truth. In any case, please tell me about your plans. If I can, I will try my best to cooperate; after all, I don’t want to die.”
“It’s not up to you to decide whether you can live with just words. It depends on whether you have the ability to survive what comes next.” As he remarked this, the middle-aged man took out his hand and turned it over. A delicate wooden box suddenly appeared on his hand that had an obvious aura of a living thing inside of it.
Without hesitation, the man opened the box directly and handed it to Yang Kai, “Swallow it!”
Yang Kai looked at him suspiciously, accepted the box and looked down. Chills ran up his spine as he saw a black centipede with the length of a thumb lying inside quietly. Although he had no clue what it was, anyone could see that it was not a good thing, and he could not imagine what would happen to him if he swallowed it.
At this moment, Yang Kai already knew how Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng died. It was clear that they were tortured to death from swallowing the centipede.
Yang Kai gulped his saliva with difficulty, and looked up at the man, “Senior, what do you mean?”
The man explained, “Swallow it. If you survive, your life will be controlled by this King. This King will need you to do something at that time. But if you die, no more words are needed.”
“Senior, is this just to control me?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows.
“Good.”
“Why all the hassle? Senior just needs to implant his Soul Imprint in my Knowledge Sea and it naturally will have the same effect.”
The man sneered, “It would work if you hadn’t condensed your Dao Seal, but since you have one Dao Seal, as long as your Dao Seal is not destroyed, you can naturally find a way to escape this King’s control.”
Yang Kai was stunned. This was the first time he heard this. Back in the Star Boundary, it was much easier to control a person. As long as he was strong enough and implanted a Soul Imprint in their Knowledge Sea, he could naturally control them. How could this proven method not work in the Outer Universe?
When Yang Kai thought about it carefully though, he suddenly realized that during the process of condensing his Dao Seal, all his Qi and Spiritual Energy had been amalgamated into his Dao Seal. In other words, for people like him, their Dao Seal was their foundation. If one wanted to completely control such a person, it must be done through their Dao Seal as it was not safe to do so through their Soul alone.
However, looking at the fate of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, Yang Kai was truly frightened. Who knew if he would go to Hell to reunite with his two Senior Brothers after swallowing the centipede? However, even the two Open Heaven Realm Masters could not resist it, so how could he?
Yang Kai wanted to say something to stall for time, but the middle-aged man gave him no chance at all. He grabbed his jaw, forced his mouth open, picked up the centipede with his other hand, and stuffed it directly into Yang Kai’s mouth. With a slight lift of his hand, the centipede was forced down Yang Kai’s throat with a gulp, and Yang Kai did not even have a chance to resist. Only then did he realize how huge the gap was between them.
A scorching feeling slid down Yang Kai’s throat into his stomach. Stumbling a few steps backwards, Yang Kai reached out his hand to pound his chest and purge the centipede from his throat, but he failed to do so. He could feel that the centipede, which was motionless in the box, became active after entering his body. It turned into a bundle of pure energy that crashed chaotically everywhere inside him. An unspeakable pain immediately overwhelmed Yang Kai, causing him to scream uncontrollably as his eyes widened like copper bells.
The man backed away and watched coldly from the side, not a single drop of emotion on his face. He did not mean to help at all, as if he was leaving Yang Kai’s fate to his own hand.
Inside the cave, Yang Kai screamed in pain endlessly. He had never experienced such unbearable torture in his life as his body kept interchanging between hot and cold. He would feel like he was on fire one moment, only to have his body temperature suddenly plummet in the next, releasing cold air while he shivered violently.
During the tormenting fluctuation between hot and cold, Yang Kai’s vitality weakened at a visible rate.
The man showed a hint of gloom in his eyes. Although he had long expected this outcome, he still felt disappointed to see Yang Kai’s poor performance. However, it was understandable; after all, the previous two First-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivators did not make it and were tortured to death. How could a little brat who had just condensed his Dao Seal do any better?
However, if he could not find a suitable pawn, he could not proceed to the next part of his plan. He had no idea when he could find another Seven Wonders Land disciple again.
After half a stick worth of incense, Yang Kai started suffocating. Blood flowed out of his seven orifices, exactly like the dead Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, and his vitality was so weak that his Soul could be extinguished at any time.
The man sighed and turned around to walk out of the cave. He looked into the distance, the flames of vengeance burning in his eyes.
After a long while, the man walked back into the cave again and went straight to Yang Kai. He looked down and watched Yang Kai curled up and enclosed in a thick layer of ice, even his brow and hair had turned snow-white.
After examining him, the man could not help revealing a look of surprise, because he found that the young man who was frozen in front of him was not dead yet. Although his vitality was barely there, he was still holding on, which truly shocked him. In theory, after such a long time, it was impossible for this young man to still be alive even if he had ten lives, but it turned out that he really had not died yet.
Feeling strange about it, the man checked carefully, and soon, his eyes were attracted by the blood flowing out of Yang Kai’s seven orifices. The blood was golden and the man clearly felt a surging vitality in it.
He scraped up a drop of the golden blood with his finger, and put it under his nose to sniff it slightly before his expression suddenly changed, “Dragon Blood!”
When he turned to Yang Kai again, the way the man looked at him had suddenly changed. He did not expect that there was a Dragon among the Seven Wonders Land disciples, or that he would be so lucky to catch him.
However, in this way, it could explain why the boy could survive despite his low cultivation and insufficient strength. It was not surprising that the vitality of those with a Dragon Vein has always been strong. They could persist through major injuries for much longer.
The man struggled. Several times, the man wanted to kill Yang Kai to avoid trouble in the future, but he could not do it when he recalled his purpose. It was not easy to capture Seven Wonders Land disciples. For some special reason, he did not dare to get too close to Seven Wonders Land, and had been hiding in this Universe World for so many years. After all those years of waiting, he finally got to capture Ma Liu and the others, but the two Open Heaven disciples were not competent enough and died under the poison of the Soaring Black Centipede’s influence. However, this little brat in front of him may become a useful pawn.
Of course, it would be unfortunate if he could not withstand the torment until the end.
After debating back and forth in his mind for some time, the man made up his mind and continued to observe the situation.
Time passed slowly as Yang Kai laid on the ground in a coma, his near-death condition not recovering while his weak vitality never died out, allowing him to survive under the severe torture.
The man had been quietly paying attention, but when Yang Kai survived for three days, he could not help feeling shocked again. And when he sensed that Yang Kai was still alive five days later, he was pleasantly surprised.
As he recalled, the previous two First-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivators only lasted two and a half days at most.
Seven days later, Yang Kai’s weak vitality suddenly began to recover, and all kinds of abnormal reactions after swallowing the Soaring Black Centipede began to subside.
Slowly, his vitality became more and more vigorous, as if a spark had ignited an entire prairie. At one moment, Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes with lingering fear on his face, gasping for breath.
With his current strength, even though he was in a coma for seven days, Yang Kai still had a trace of mental clarity. He might not know the situation during his coma, but he was aware of everything when he woke up.
He secretly felt lucky to have barely survived this time.
He had no idea what the strange centipede was that he had swallowed. Its violent toxicity rapidly consumed his own vitality. If his vitality was not strong enough, he would definitely have succumbed to death. One of the reasons that he was able to survive was because of the Dragon Vein in his body, which made his vitality much stronger than that of ordinary cultivators. The reason was the work of the Wood Element.
Yang Kai condensed his Wood Element from the essence of the Immortal Tree, and although he lost the ability to resurrect as a result, it greatly enriched his vitality. That was why he was able to sustain the last bit of vitality and stayed alive.
At this moment, Yang Kai clearly felt a centipede-like seal on his Dao Seal. The seal was extremely strange, looking like a living creature wrapped around his Dao Seal. It did not really hinder him in any way, but Yang Kai believed that as long as the man did something, he could destroy his Dao Seal, sending him to the next world.
He laughed wryly in his heart. Now that his life was really controlled by the man, he had no way to resist him but could only obey his orders.
“Good! Very good!” The man revealed a look of pleasant surprise when he saw Yang Kai open his eyes. He reached out his hand to help Yang Kai up, and patted him on the shoulder gently as he grinned, “Little brat, you really didn’t disappoint this King.”
It sounded like he had high expectations from Yang Kai before.
Although Yang Kai was sober, he was too weak to answer because he had been tortured for so long. Furthermore, knowing that his life was not his own to control anymore in the future, Yang Kai was not in the mood to talk, so he simply nodded.
The middle-aged man did not mind it, and simply laughed, “Little brat, serve this King with all your heart, and after this King has obtained his revenge, he will certainly set you free. By that time, if you’re willing to, you can follow this King and have the whole world at your command. Isn’t it better than being a Seven Wonders Land disciple?”
Yang Kai rolled his eyes in his heart. Although he did not know what resentment this guy had with Seven Wonders Land, if he wanted to use him for revenge, Yang Kai definitely would be put in danger, and be involved in the calamity. What good would come of that? Nevertheless, he dared not to reveal his thoughts and simply cupped his fists, “This Junior doesn’t have such lofty dreams. I just hope Senior will keep his word, fulfil his promise, and set me free in the future.”
The man snorted coldly, “Of course this King will keep his word. What? Are you reluctant to let go of your status as a disciple of Seven Wonders Land?”
Yang Kai coughed a few times and answered weakly, “Of course not, Senior. This Junior only entered Seven Wonders Land recently, so I don’t really care about my disciple status.”
The man looked at Yang Kai suspiciously, but the latter did not seem to be lying; therefore, he simply nodded, “I see. It seems that Seven Wonders Land didn’t treat you as one of their own either.”
Yang Kai frowned, “Senior, what do you mean?”
The man sneered, “If they treated you as one of their own, why would they harm you!?”
“Harm me?” Yang Kai was puzzled, “If you have something to say, say it clearly. This Junior doesn’t understand what you’re talking about.”
The man replied, “Who was the guy you killed before?”
Yang Kai did not know why this middle-aged man brought up Fang Tai again, but he just answered honestly, “A Worker in Seven Wonders Land, named Fang Tai. He escaped from Seven Wonders Land and this Junior brat was ordered to hunt him down.”
“What about these two?” The man pointed his finger at the bodies of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng.
“These two Senior Brothers were ordered to protect me.”
The man chuckled strangely, “Protect you? I don’t think so. I’m afraid they’re here to monitor you.”
“Is that a problem?” Yang Kai frowned. Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were Open Heaven Realm Masters after all. The mission was just to chase down Fang Tai, and it was excessive of Du Ru Feng to have them serve as Yang Kai’s protectors. Yang Kai was aware that they were keeping a lookout over him.
The man chuckled, “Didn’t you feel something wrong when you killed that Fang Tai?”
“Wrong?” Yang Kai was getting more and more confused, and became impatient, “What does Senior want to say? Please be direct.”
“Let me show you something first.” As he spoke, the man formed a seal before his thumb slowly pressed down between Yang Kai’s eyebrows. Yang Kai instinctively wanted to evade it, but when he remembered that his life was in the hands of another, he stopped resisting as it was futile regardless.
The moment the man’s thumb was pressed on Yang Kai’s forehead, an invisible force overwhelmed him. Yang Kai’s body wobbled for a moment as if his Soul had left his body, and his vision was suddenly extended backwards.
It was a notably strange feeling. He was still standing in the same place, but his perspective was now all wrong, and when he looked up, Yang Kai’s face changed, because he could see a layer of faint Black Qi fluttering on the surface of his body like a mist.
Yang Kai was stunned, he had never noticed it before. It was obviously the work of the man’s Secret Technique that allowed him to see some hidden things.
The man grinned meaningfully and slowly retracted his big hand, allowing Yang Kai to immediately return to his normal state. Yang Kai hurriedly asked, “What was that?”
He looked at his raised hands, but he could not see anything anymore. He scanned himself with Divine Sense and found nothing abnormal. It was as if the black fog did not exist at all, but what he saw earlier was definitely not an illusion.
“That Fang Tai probably had some kind of tracker on him.” The man snorted softly, “A Master implanted a seal on him, one that activated if anyone killed him, leaving behind a distinctive mark. This mark is very well hidden, and unless one’s strength exceeds that of the one who made it, it would be impossible to identify. The reason why this King knew of it is because he saw you killing that Fang Tai.”
“A seal…” Yang Kai was stunned.
The man sneered, “In this way, if that Master ever met you in the future, he would know that you killed his Junior, and he would not spare you easily.”
After a pause, he continued, “With Seven Wonders Land’s capabilities, why would they need to put in so much effort to kill a traitor? Why do you think they sent you to do the dirty job? Think about it.”
Yang Kai’s expression changed as many thoughts flashed through his mind and he quickly grasped the crux of the matter, “Seven Wonders Land has long known that Fang Tai had such a seal implanted on him?”
The grin on the man’s face did not fade away, “This King can’t say for certain, but that is the most likely answer. Seven Wonders Land probably did not want to provoke that Master, so they made you a scapegoat by sending you to kill that boy. Now, they’ll surely find a way to eliminate you, and they will be able to avoid all calamities.”
Yang Kai was taken aback, murmuring, “No wonder…”
Yang Kai had found the whole situation suspicious from the start. Seven Wonders Land was overlaid with powerful Grand Arrays, so how could a trivial Worker like Fang Tai escape? He thought it was Du Ru Feng’s way to create a chance for him to contribute a merit by deliberately letting Fang Tai go, but now it seemed like he was released on purpose not for Yang Kai to make a contribution, but to not let Fang Tai die in Seven Wonders Land, so as not to be traced in the future.
No wonder he was promoted to be a Seven Wonders Land disciple so easily. It turned out that he was not appreciated by Du Ru Feng at all and was always intended to be a scapegoat.
Yang Kai did not doubt the words of the man in front of him as this man already had total control of his life or death. There was no need to lie to Yang Kai for something like this, and what Yang Kai saw with his own eyes was absolutely not wrong.
When he finally understood the big picture, Yang Kai gritted his teeth silently, [Good, Du Ru Feng. I helped you to harvest the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, but in the end, you chose to frame me like this? All the previous favours and promotions were just a show!]
Although he had no sense of belonging in Seven Wonders Land and held no real gratitude towards Du Ru Feng, Yang Kai was still a little annoyed at being used by others.
He suddenly recalled that when they were still in Venerable Protector Duan Hai’s Small Universe, Fang Tai had once taken out a Faith Token and said that it was given to him by a Senior from Black River World. The seal on Fang Tai should have been implanted by that same Black River World Senior.
Although it was a vast universe, and there may not be a chance to ever meet the Senior expert of Black River World, one should always take precautions. There could be an unfortunate day when Yang Kai would bump into that Master. If that really happened, he wouldn’t even know why and how he was killed. Yang Kai could not help asking, “Senior, how can I dispel this mark?”
The man smiled, “Unless one’s strength exceeds that of the one who put down the seal, there is no way to disperse it.”
“Can Senior do it?”
“Regardless of whether this King is capable of doing it or not, even if I am, why would this King help you?”
There was nothing wrong with what he said. The two of them had no relationship whatsoever. As unpleasant as it sounded, he was the man’s slave now, so why would he bother to help Yang Kai to dispel that mark?
The man spoke again, “But don’t worry, as long as you can help this King with his great revenge, then this King will satisfy you with whatever you want.”
Yang Kai gritted his teeth, “Since they started this, I will respond in kind. Feel free to give me any orders, Senior.”
“Very good!” The man laughed loudly. Although Yang Kai would definitely not dare to resist since he was subdued by the Soaring Black Centipede, it was still pleasing to know that Yang Kai was willing to help; otherwise, why would he tell Yang Kai these things?
“By the way, I still don’t know Senior’s honoured name!” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
“This King is surnamed Xu!” The man replied lightly.
“Then what is the grudge between Old Xu and Seven Wonders Land?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Old Xu snorted coldly, “Don’t ask what you don’t need to know, just do your job properly.”
“Then what does Old Xu want me to do? This Junior’s cultivation is low, and I’m afraid that I am not capable of helping Old Xu. If I were to mess up Old Xu’s important affairs, this Junior would deserve to die a thousand times.”
Old Xu grinned again, “You can help me by just wearing this Seven Coloured Robe. Since you just received this King’s Secret Technique, cultivate and rest for two days first; this King will come back and fill you in with the details after that.”
Yang Kai could not protest, and although he was very curious, he could not ask anymore, so he cupped his fists and made another request, “Old Xu, Junior would like to make a request.”
“Speak!”
Yang Kai pointed to the side, “I want to bury their bodies.”
Old Xu looked at him coldly, “You are very affectionate and righteous.”
Yang Kai shook his head, explaining, “These two were only ordered to supervise me. I don’t think they knew anything about the situation, and they have also taken good care of me along the way. Now that they are dead, they should at least be buried properly.”
“Do as you please.” Old Xu did not seem to be fazed by Yang Kai’s gesture and left the cave after responding with a flick of his sleeves, soon disappearing, completely unworried about Yang Kai trying to escape.
Yang Kai sighed, feeling downcast. It seemed like nothing had gone well since he came to the Outer Universe. First, he was brought into Seven Wonders Land to be a Worker and was soon involved in the dramas of others; now Old Xu had taken control of his life, turning Yang Kai into his pawn. Although he did not know how Old Xu wanted to take revenge, Yang Kai could tell he was at least a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master, and what good could he get if he got himself involved in such a Master’s scheme?
If Yang Kai did not come up with a solution, he might really end up dying soon.
The only fortunate thing now was Yang Kai still held some value to Old Xu, so he would not need to worry about his safety for the time being, though Seven Wonders Land would be difficult to deal with.
Since Old Xu wanted to use him, Yang Kai had to return to Seven Wonders Land by himself. How was he going to explain the death of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng? It did not seem sensible that the two First-Order Open Heaven Masters died, but he was still alive.
Yang Kai’s head began to ache, so he stopped thinking about it and instead walked over to the bodies of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng before sighing, “You two have each other, and probably won’t feel lonely on the road to the Yellow Springs. Hopefully, you will bless this Junior Brother to turn misfortune into fortune.”
Yang Kai did not have a bad impression of these two Senior Brothers. As he told Old Xu before, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng must have been clueless about the arrangements of Seven Wonders Land. They were just ordered to supervise him during the mission and to make sure Fang Tai died at Yang Kai’s hand.
The two of them had treated him well during the entire journey. Now that they were dead at the hands of Old Xu, Yang Kai had no ability to avenge them, so the only thing he could do was to give them a proper burial.
He took the bodies out of the cave, searched for a nice location that was close to the mountains and water, dug two large pits, and buried them.
Of course, Yang Kai had taken both of their Space Rings.
Not only theirs but also Fang Tai’s.
The cave was too stuffy, so Yang Kai flew directly to a nearby mountain, sat cross-legged on a boulder, and examined the Space Rings.
After some inspection, he found that Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were dirt poor. Apart from some artifacts, there were only a few hundred Open Heaven Pills in each of their Space Rings.
Hundreds of Open Heaven Pills were a huge number for a Worker, but not for an Open Heaven Realm Master. The fact that these two were First-Order Open Heaven Masters, but only had such minimal savings, proved that they were not doing well in Seven Wonders Land.
It made sense though. After they reached the Open Heaven Realm, they surely would find ways to improve their Order, and to do so, they would need to consume large quantities of Open Heaven Pills over a long period of time. They probably consumed most of the Open Heaven Pills they owned, and it was good enough that they even had a few hundred left.
The grade of their artifacts were also mediocre. Uninterested, Yang Kai took the Open Heaven Pills, and threw away everything else, including the Space Rings, so as not to be found out later.
There was nothing much in Fang Tai’s Space Ring. Other than some special local products brought out from his Universe World, there were only about ten Open Heaven Pills, which was completely insignificant to Yang Kai.
The only thing he cared about was a Jade Token. It was the size of a palm, crystal clear, and had no other colour. Something like a small fish swam around inside like a living creature.
This was what Fang Tai showed to Duan Hai before. It was a Faith Token given to him by his Senior from Black River World. Yang Kai had no idea what the function of this Faith Token was. He initially wanted to throw it away, but after thinking about it for a while, he decided to keep it with him, but he did not dare to put it into his Space Ring, so he just threw it into the Sealed World Bead.
With the Sealed World Bead being its own independent world, Yang Kai believed that the Great Expert of Black River World would not be able to trace the Faith Token.
He turned to look around. The mountains and plains were all quiet so he swept his Divine Sense around him and found no trace of Old Xu, wondering where he went. However, he did not think about escaping. Since Old Xu dared to leave him here, he obviously was not afraid of him running away.
Yang Kai sat cross-legged and began examining himself. He soon saw the centipede seal wrapping around his Dao Seal. The seal was like a living creature. Yang Kai tried to surge his power, and felt no obstruction. He tried to exert a little more force on the centipede seal, but beyond his expectation, the centipede seal immediately fastened itself onto his Dao Seal, and Yang Kai felt that he was going to be crushed to pieces in an instant. He was drenched in sweat from the terror, and immediately stopped his action.
However, in this way, he confirmed that he could not remove the centipede seal with his current strength. Given that Old Xu should be at least a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he definitely would not use a simple thing to subdue him that could be dispelled easily. Yang Kai could only curse him secretly as he began healing himself.
Yang Kai consumed a lot of strength when the centipede entered his body, and although he was no longer in life-threatening danger, he was still extremely feeble.
Three days later, Yang Kai, who was meditating, suddenly noticed something different. When he opened his eyes, he saw Old Xu standing in front of him, looking at him quietly.
Yang Kai hurriedly got up, “Old Xu!”
Old Xu nodded and remarked faintly, “Seems you’re well-behaved. With your current strength, if you had forcefully tried to break the shackles of Soaring Black Centipede, I’m afraid you would’ve died already.”
Cold sweat beaded on Yang Kai’s forehead; he was a bit embarrassed to admit that he had tried, but only stopped because he was too powerless to overcome it. As such, he changed the topic, “Old Xu, what can this Junior do for you?”
After being subdued that day, Yang Kai did not have the chance to ask Old Xu about what kind of plans he had for him before the latter disappeared. All Yang Kai knew was that Old Xu had a feud with Seven Wonders Land and must be looking for revenge.
“This King wants you to take him into Seven Wonders Land.”
Yang Kai smiled wryly, “Old Xu, even this Junior doesn’t know how to go back now. How can I take you into Seven Wonders Land?” It was not really that Seven Wonders Land could not be found, for Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng had a type of beacon that pointed towards Seven Wonders Land.
Furthermore, even if Yang Kai did not know the direction, Old Xu must know the location of Seven Wonders Land. But what worried Yang Kai was how he should explain the death of Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng when he returned alone?
As if he knew what Yang Kai was thinking, Old Xu assured faintly, “Don’t worry. After you go back, just say that you met a Wandering Space Beast, and those two were accidentally eaten.”
Yang Kai was speechless, wondering how it was possible for him to pull off such a simple excuse. He would definitely suffer if Seven Wonders Land found out he was lying, and it was obvious that Old Xu did not care about his safety.
“But Old Xu, how can this Junior bring you into Seven Wonders Land?” Yang Kai questioned unwillingly, “Seven Wonders Land is surrounded by a powerful Grand Array. It shouldn’t be a problem for this Junior to go back alone, but if I appear with another person, I’m afraid I won’t be able to pass inspection and we will be exposed.”
Old Xu casually threw something at Yang Kai. Yang Kai caught it, looked down, and found that it was the cloth sack that captured him, Ma Liu, and Jiang Sheng previously.
“This Six Fated Paths Bag is quite the mysterious artifact, one this King only obtained by luck. If you bring this back with this King hiding inside of it, we can pass through the Grand Arrays of Seven Wonders Land safely.”
Yang Kai gulped. He had experienced the power of the Six Fated Paths Bag before. It was certainly not an ordinary artifact, because even the two First-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, had no way to get out of it. But now, Old Xu actually passed the Six Fated Paths Bag to him, and wanted to be put into the bag.
Yang Kai’s heart could not help beating rapidly.
Old Xu sneered, “Since this King dares to deliver you this artifact, I am certainly not afraid of you using it against me. If you don’t believe me, you can try.”
Yang Kai hurriedly explained, “I dare not. Old Xu misunderstands me. I just felt that the power of this artifact is incredible and was a little excited when I first came into contact with it. This Junior would not dare have an ill intent towards Old Xu.”
“You better.” Old Xu said indifferently, “I’ll pass you a Soul Secret Technique later. You just need to circulate it slightly and you will be able to control this bag in cooperation with this King.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai replied respectfully, “With the help of this artifact, there must be no problem entering Seven Wonders Land. But Old Xu, what about after getting into Seven Wonders Land? What should this Junior do?”
“What can you do with your current strength?” Old Xu sneered at him disdainfully, “As long as you take this King into Seven Wonders Land, your task is complete. You don’t need to do anything else. This King will deal with it!”
Yang Kai was relieved, but at the same time, secretly terrified. Listening to Old Xu’s words, it seemed that as long as he could get into Seven Wonders Land, he had the confidence to obtain his revenge. There were a lot of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Seven Wonders Land. Apart from the Seven Wonders Land Heavenly Monarch who was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the seven Venerable Protectors were all Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Besides them, there must be other Third-Order or Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. How could Old Xu still have such great confidence in facing countless powerful enemies alone? Yang Kai could not help wondering what Order of Open Heaven Realm Old Xu was. Could he be a Sixth-Order? Or possibly even higher…?
Only people with such strength would not put the entire Seven Wonders Land in their eyes. It seemed that Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng were wrong about their previous speculation regarding Old Xu’s strength. He was definitely an Open Heaven Realm Master that was higher than Fourth-Order.
After worrying for so long, it turned out that Old Xu just wanted Yang Kai to smuggle him into Seven Wonders Land. Yang Kai was speechless, but after thinking about it carefully, this matter really required a trustworthy person to work with; otherwise, a snitch could easily ruin Old Xu’s great plan in Seven Wonders Land. Therefore, the Soaring Black Centipede was obviously a part of the plan to prevent this.
At this point, Yang Kai did not have the ability to resist, for his life was totally in Old Xu’s hands. He had no choice but to agree with him with a nod.
After that, Old Xu really passed a Soul Secret Technique to him, and personally assisted him in refining the Six Fated Paths Bag. It took only half a day for Yang Kai to master opening and closing this artifact.
However, that was all he could do. He could not use the Six Fated Paths Bag against an enemy at all.
“All right, let’s go.” Old Xu was obviously well prepared, and he only needed a carrier. After that, without waiting for Yang Kai’s reaction, he grabbed him and soared into the sky. In mid-air, he drew the wooden sword he was carrying and had it transform into a massive sword light before charging swiftly in a certain direction.
There were no references around Yang Kai, so he could not tell how fast their speed was; however, Yang Kai felt that Old Xu was much faster than Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng.
After travelling for three days, the sword light suddenly stopped and Old Xu instructed, “Little brat, you have to travel the rest of the way yourself. With your strength, you probably need another three days to return to Seven Wonders Land. When you enter Seven Wonders Land, you can find a remote place to release this King.” After ordering, he continued faintly, “Don’t try to play any tricks, otherwise, you will suffer the consequences.”
“Don’t worry, Old Xu. I’ll take you into Seven Wonders Land safely and secretly.”
Yang Kai formed a seal with his hands and opened the Six Fated Paths Bag, which Old Xu dove into himself. After that, Yang Kai closed the mouth of the bag, stuffed it into his pocket, and continued to move forward.
Just as Old Xu remarked, Yang Kai saw Seven Wonders Land in the distance after three days. Without delay, he flew straight ahead. During the journey, Yang Kai had already made himself look miserable. His clothes were messy, and he also ruthlessly palmed himself several times until he spurted blood and weakened his aura.
After another half day, he finally reached the border of Seven Wonders Land. It was Yang Kai’s first time returning to Seven Wonders Land from the outside, so he had no idea how to get in. He shouted loudly, but there was no response from the inside, probably because they could not hear him. He stood in place and scratched his head for a long time before he came up with an idea. He took out his disciple token from his Space Ring, sent his energy into it, and then thrust it directly into the fog in front of him.
It turned out that this was the right method as, soon after the token disappeared, the fog in front of him split to both sides, revealing a path forward. Yang Kai flashed in and soon, he came to the huge gate. In front of the gate, two disciples donned in Seven Coloured Robes stood guard on either side, each holding swords, looking majestic.
Seeing Yang Kai, they revealed a suspicious look, “Junior Brother, which Spirit Land disciple are you? Why haven’t I seen you before?”
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Reporting to Senior Brother, I am from Fire Spirit Land and was just promoted from a Worker to a Common Disciple, so it’s natural for two Senior Brothers to not have seen me before.”
The two men exchanged looks, and one of them stated, “Wait a moment.”
As he spoke, he took out a round bead, which seemed to be a communication artifact.
A moment later, the man looked up at Yang Kai, and nodded gently, “Are you Junior Brother Yang Kai?”
“Yes!”
Only then did the man step aside, and return Yang Kai his disciple token, “Go in, Senior Brother Du asked you to see him immediately.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother!” Yang Kai took the token and passed through the gate. His vision blurred for a moment before he appeared in Seven Wonders Land. He lightly sensed around himself and found that the Six Fated Paths Bag was still in his pocket. Seeing how nothing happened, he finally felt relieved.
However, it was not the proper moment to release Old Xu, so Yang Kai could only delay the matter. He identified the direction and moved towards Fire Spirit Land, preparing himself to see Du Ru Feng first.
Yang Kai clenched his teeth with hatred while thinking about this. Although he knew that Duan Hai must be the one who made the call to use him as a scapegoat, he was still disgusted by all the fake kindnesses and favour that Du Ru Feng had shown to him.
Yang Kai flew straight to the hall that he had gone to when he first arrived in Fire Spirit Land as he guessed that Du Ru Feng should be living there.
In fact, Du Ru Feng really lived there. From a distance, Yang Kai saw a familiar figure donned in white standing in front of the hall, waiting quietly. Who else could it be if it was not Du Ru Feng?
After landing, Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Senior Brother, fortunately, I did not fail my mission. I have the traitor’s head here with me!” While talking, he took out Fang Tai’s head.
Du Ru Feng took a glance and confirmed that it was Fang Tai’s head. He tilted his head slightly, and a woman dressed as a maid behind him immediately went forward to collect the head. Du Ru Feng then stretched out his hand to hold Yang Kai’s shoulder and complimented, “Well done, Junior Brother.”
Curious, however, Du Ru Feng looked behind him and asked, “Why are you alone? Where are Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng? Didn’t they go out with you? Why are they not here?”
Yang Kai immediately put on a depressed face and replied, “Senior Brother, you have no idea. Everything was going so well, but suddenly, on the way back, we met a strange beast, and two Senior Brothers… Two Senior Brothers tragically died. Junior Brothers was unable to avenge them, and almost could not make it back. It took a lot of effort for me just to find the way home.”
“A strange beast? What kind of beast was it?” Du Ru Feng frowned.
Yang Kai thought carefully and proceeded, “I’ve never seen it before, but I heard two Senior Brothers say it was a Wandering Space Beast!”
“What did it look like?” Du Ru Feng questioned again.
Yang Kai quickly described it. Fortunately, he thought of this earlier and inquired about it to Old Xu. Otherwise, he would not be able to answer this question, because he just came to the Outer Universe and did not have a chance to see a Wandering Space Beast yet.
After listening to Yang Kai’s description, the doubt in Du Ru Feng’s eyes gradually disappeared. Since Yang Kai was able to describe the beast so vividly, Du Ru Feng believed that he must have seen it with his own eyes, and patted him on his shoulder, “Wandering Space Beasts are strong, and can appear anywhere. It is really dangerous to bump into them in the Outer Universe. Junior Brother must be extremely lucky to escape from it.”
“But Senior Brother Ma and Senior Brother Jiang…” Yang Kai’s eyes turned red.
Du Ru Feng sighed, “That is their fate. Junior Brother, don’t be sad. You must be tired, go back and have a rest first.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded. After getting into Old Xu’s mess, he was no longer interested in asking about a promotion to Orchard Manager. Now that he had brought Old Xu into Seven Wonders Land, who knew how long he could be a Manager here? Perhaps, Old Xu was going to take revenge in just a few days. Although Yang Kai was clueless about Old Xu’s strength and whether he could succeed, there was no way he could stay in Seven Wonders Land for long regardless of the result. It was better for him to find a way to get out of this place as soon as possible.
Du Ru Feng mentioned it himself despite Yang Kai’s silence, “It will be a new month in a few days. I’ll go to the orchard at that time and announce your promotion to Fire Spirit Land.”
“Many thanks, Senior Brother!” Yang Kai hurriedly put on a joyful look, “This Junior Brother will take his leave now.”
Du Ru Feng nodded.
Yang Kai turned around and left, but after just a few steps, Du Ru Feng laughed from behind, “Junior Brother, where are you going?”
[Does he want to kill me now?] Yang Kai looked back and carefully concealed the vigilance in his eyes, “Didn’t Senior Brother ask me to go back and rest for a few days?”
“Now that you are wearing a Seven Coloured Robe, you are considered a Seven Wonders Land disciple. You should go to the Personnel Hall to settle your affairs and register first.
Yang Kai patted his head, “I forgot.”
Du Ru Feng slanted his head to the side, “Xiao He, go with Junior Brother.”
“Yes!” The previous maid answered.
Under the guidance of the woman named Xiao He, Yang Kai reached the Personnel Hall. He went in to register and received several sets of new clothes with a cheerful face.
Xiao He then stated, “Sir Yang is truly lucky. Even after serving Sir Du for so many years, it is Xiao He’s first time seeing a Worker be promoted to a Common Disciple in only half a year.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists towards the direction of the previous hall before replying, “It is all thanks to Senior Brother Du.” He continued after a pause, “By the way, Sister Xiao He, where should I live now?”
Xiao He chuckled, “You can live wherever Manager Zhou used to live.”
“So it’s still the Worker’s Room!” Yang Kai snapped his fingers; however, Zhou Zheng’s residence must be different from that of an ordinary Worker’s hut. The place should be bigger and have a better environment, but since he had not been there yet, Yang Kai was not sure for the time being.
“Then Sir, please go back and have a rest. I must return to report on my task.” Xiao He bowed elegantly. Although she served Du Ru Feng, she was not a Seven Wonders Land disciple. Yang Kai guessed that she had been a Worker before, and Du Ru Feng kept her with him because of her beauty.
“Thank you, Sister Xiao.” As Yang Kai spoke, he slipped a few Open Heaven Pills to her.
Xiao He took the pills without refusing. She glanced at him with a smile, turned around, and soared into the sky, leaving Yang Kai to make his way to the Worker’s Room alone.
He arrived at the Worker’s Room shortly but the whole village was empty. All the Workers had gone to the orchard, so there was no one there.
Yang Kai did not return to his original residence, for there was not much for him to pack up there anyway, and instead went straight to the largest building.
This was where Zhou Zheng used to live, but it was his now. After checking both inside and outside of the building to make sure that there was no one around, Yang Kai secretly opened all the barriers, hid in a secret room, and released Old Xu.
“Not bad, little brat,” Old Xu was not surprised by the environment when he appeared. It seemed that even if he was held in the Six Fated Paths Bag, he was aware of Yang Kai’s recent activities. While speaking, he claimed the Six Fated Paths Bag back.
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Old Xu, I have completed your orders. There’s nothing I can do for you now, so I wish Old Xu good fortune and swift success.”
Old Xu chuckled, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise that you will not be involved in the rest of the matter. Just stay alive.”
Yang Kai turned solemn, “This Junior is truly worried; after all, Old Xu is all alone. Although this Junior hasn’t been here for very long, I do know that there are a lot of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Seven Wonders Land. How sure is Old Xu that he will succeed in taking revenge this time?”
“Hmph!” Old Xu glanced sideways at him, “Since this King dares to come, he is naturally well prepared.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
Old Xu quickly departed. Yang Kai sent him off and before he could close the door, he saw the Ruler of the Dawn Great General strutting proudly from the other end of the village, the golden light emitted by him as dazzling as ever.
Yang Kai was unsure if it was because the Great General could sense his aura, but it walked straight to him and eyed him appraisingly.
Yang Kai felt a little anxious, wondering if Great General had seen anything just now.
Great General obviously had the ability to understand Human speech, but because he was proud and aloof, he did not bother to communicate with others. After all, the Great General was still the Venerable’s pet so Yang Kai would be in great trouble if Great General reported to the Venerable.
But on second thought, since Great General already appeared in front of Yang Kai, he probably would not report him even if it saw something. Sometimes, Yang Kai had no idea whether this stupid chicken was truly stupid or not.
He let the Great General into the house and then ignored him as he paced back and forth inside with his hands folded behind his back, trying to come up with a way out of this mess for the future. Since Old Xu came to take revenge, Seven Wonders Land would definitely undergo a great upheaval. As such, it was the best time now for him to leave this place of trouble so as to avoid being involved.
However, Yang Kai did not have an excuse to leave. Without Du Ru Feng’s instructions or other legitimate reasons, he could not go out at all, and he really could not come up with anything.
By counting the days, Yang Kai estimated that there was still some time before the end of this month. This outdoor trip truly had delayed him a lot.
Yang Kai felt suffocated being alone in the house, so he decided to get some fresh air outside and flew towards the orchard. Without saying a word, Great General followed him and perched on his head as usual.
After entering the orchard, he went to meet Old Fang.
Old Fang’s face paled when he saw him and hurriedly pulled Yang Kai into his hut, “Damn brat, are you courting death? Where did you get the clothes? How dare you simply wear them? Quickly take them off!”
As he spoke, he tried to rip off Yang Kai’s robes.
Yang Kai raised his hand to stop him, “Why should I take them off? I’m a disciple of Seven Wonders Land now. What’s the problem with wearing this?”
Old Fang’s eyes were as wide as an ox’s now, “Have you lost your mind?” It was not that he did not believe Yang Kai, but rather that it was too hard to accept. Even if Yang Kai had made great contributions, how was it possible for him to be promoted to Seven Wonders Land disciple when he was only here for a short time?
“I’m too lazy to explain to you!” Yang Kai sat down, looking disgruntled.
Old Fang looked at him for a long time, and started again, “Are you really a Seven Wonders Land disciple now?”
“Nonsense, if I weren’t promoted, why would I dare to wear this coming from the outside? I would have been killed on the spot by those Seven Wonders Land disciples before reaching here.”
It made sense to Old Fang when he thought about it. The robe was not something that could be taken lightly, and Yang Kai would not be stupid enough to risk his life by wearing it. Furthermore, Yang Kai would not be able to get this robe if Seven Wonders Land did not distribute it to him.
[Did he really become a Seven Wonders Land disciple?]
Old Fang’s eyes were suddenly shining with admiration, “You’re great, Little Brother…” After that, he slapped his mouth and cupped his fists, “Sir Yang is a young rising star. You’re truly impressive. You have the admiration of this Old Master.”
Yang Kai looked up at him and could not help rolling his eyes, “On top of that, I will take over the position of Orchard Manager.”
“Manager!?” Old Fang’s eyes almost popped out of its sockets, “Are you being serious?”
Yang Kai knocked on the table, Old Fang received his signal and quickly poured him some tea. Yang Kai took a sip of the tea and proceeded softly, “After a few days, Senior Brother Du will announce the news. I’m here just to give you a heads-up so that you’re prepared for it.”
Old Fang was overwhelmingly exhilarated, “Little Brother, you’ve had great success. You should take care of your Big Brother in the future.”
Yang Kai let out a long sigh, not knowing what to say because Old Xu was a matter of secrecy. Therefore, he just nodded, “Don’t worry, I’ll try my best to take care of you.”
Old Fang burst into tears of gratitude.
Yang Kai left Old Fang and went to meet Dié You. Like Old Fang, Dié You was flabbergasted and could not believe him. She kept trying to take off his clothes too, until Yang Kai had no choice but to flee, hoping that she would believe it after the announcement in a few days.
A few days later, the orchard closed down and all the Workers returned to the Worker’s Room. Dié You and Old Fang went straight to Yang Kai’s house, but they could not find him. After they contacted each other, they learned that Yang Kai was in the Manager’s Room where Zhou Zheng lived before.
They did not doubt him anymore. Since Yang Kai dared to live in the Manager’s Room, he definitely had the authority. Furthermore, someone had been spreading the news among the Workers that Yang Kai was taking up the position of Orchard Manager.
Both Old Fang and Dié You swore that they did not leak anything. As such, Yang Kai guessed that Du Ru Feng must be the person behind it, in order to get everyone ready for the announcement in a few days, so that it would not be too abrupt for them.
Yang Kai would go to the shopping district to collect worms from various Spirit Lands every month, feeling completely motivated. However, because of the matter of Old Xu now, he was not in a mood anymore. For the whole day, he was dreadfully anxious, fearing that he would be implicated when the battle started in Seven Wonders Land.
He started a promising business with the aid of Great General, but now it seemed that it was not meant to last long.
He was demotivated, so he asked Dié You and Old Fang to go to the shopping district by themselves. After all, Yang Kai did not have many Open Heaven Pills left after buying the Third-Order Stainless Golden Dew for Dié You, and he needed them to pay for it anyway.
Dié You and Old Fang could not understand why Yang Kai seemed depressed after being promoted to a Seven Wonders Land disciple and taking over the position of Orchard Manager, but it was inappropriate for them to ask in detail. Therefore, they left and went to the shopping district to negotiate with the agents of the six other Spirit Lands.
Not long after the two left, a Worker came to visit Yang Kai.
Yang Kai did not know his name and had never even met him before.
Seeing that Yang Kai was living in the Manager’s Room and wearing a Seven Coloured Robe, it was obvious that the news spread around was not just a groundless rumour.
Since the person in charge had changed, the Workers at the bottom of the pyramid naturally wanted to build a good relationship with Yang Kai.
Yang Kai saw Workers for the rest of the day. There were nearly a thousand Workers in the Worker’s Room, so even if only ten percent of them visited, it would be around a hundred people. In order to build a good relationship, gifting was the most common practice.
The Workers were all poor, and they could not afford valuable gifts. As such, Open Heaven Pills were the most suitable gift from them. Each of them gave Yang Kai about five to ten pills, so he obtained quite a large amount in the end.
After three days, Yang Kai had met countless Workers, and received more than 5,000 Open Heaven pills.
It was hard for Yang Kai to reject the gifts from the Workers, otherwise, it would seem impolite. During the daytime, Yang Kai met the Workers and received gifts from them, while at night he fed worms to Great General together with Dié You and Old Fang. His empty pockets were suddenly filled up again.
Three days later, before going to the orchard, Du Ru Feng visited in person and announced that Yang Kai had taken over the position of Orchard Manager. Not many people were surprised, but everyone was satisfied with it.
During the ceremony, Yang Kai naturally made an impassioned speech in front of Du Ru Feng and vowed to ensure that he would manage the orchard well. Du Ru Feng added a few words of encouragement and then dismissed the crowd.
After arriving at the orchard, Yang Kai went straight to the solitary mountain in the centre of the orchard. He came here with Du Ru Feng before to eavesdrop, so this place was not unfamiliar to him.
With the Orchard Manager Token in his hand, the Grand Array of the entire orchard was under his control. Since he was still new to being an Orchard Manager, he was not familiar with many things; therefore, he only managed to straighten things out and started to understand the tasks of a Manager after several busy days.
The management of the orchard could be relaxing, but it could also be tough. When there was nothing to do, Yang Kai could just patrol around, but during busy hours, he had to assist the Workers of each orchard in taking care of the fruit trees. There was a lot of busy work.
A few days later, Yang Kai used his authority as Orchard Manager to transfer Old Fang and Dié You to his side in the name of assisting him in managing the orchard, and their sites were subsequently given to the other people to take care of.
Dié You and Old Fang were notably uncomfortable about this decision; after all, even Zhou Zheng had never used his power so blatantly for his personal gain when he was in charge before. Therefore, they persuaded Yang Kai to keep a low profile to avoid stirring up discontent with Du Ru Feng.
Yang Kai was too lazy to care about this though. Since Du Ru Feng had ill intentions for him, he would not mind such minor things. On the contrary, Seven Wonders Land was still so quiet after Old Xu disappeared for many days, which made Yang Kai anxious. He preferred Old Xu to cause trouble as soon as he arrived; however, the calm before the storm truly stressed him.
No one knew when Old Xu would start making trouble, or what situation Seven Wonders Land would be in at that time.
Old Fang and Dié You had been treating Yang Kai well since he arrived here half a year ago, so although he could not tell them about the crisis of Seven Wonders Land, he could keep them close by. In case anything happened, it would be convenient for them to take care of each other.
Since Old Fang and Dié You could not persuade Yang Kai, they had no choice but to help him manage the orchard quietly. Because of this, Yang Kai had nothing to do anymore.
Yang Kai thought that Old Xu would act soon, but after three months, nothing happened in Seven Wonders Land, and Old Xu did not come to look for Yang Kai again. If it were not for the faint but persistent uneasiness in his heart, Yang Kai really would have thought that Old Xu had left Seven Wonders Land.
However, Seven Wonders Land was completely covered by a Grand Array, and Old Xu only managed to get in with Yang Kai’s help; therefore, it was impossible for him to leave so quietly.
On this day, Yang Kai was playing chess with Old Fang when suddenly, he felt something and took an object out of his pocket. He examined it quietly, then explained, “Du Ru Feng is summoning me. I’ll be right back.”
Old Fang nodded, “En, come back quickly.”
Yang Kai dropped his chess pieces, went out of the door, and soared into the sky.
After a while, he came to Du Ru Feng’s residence and entered the hall. He saw Du Ru Feng standing there looking at him with a smile.
Over the past three months, Du Ru Feng summoned him to come over from time to time to ask about the orchard, and Yang Kai reported everything to him truthfully. He had done a good job in managing the orchard these months, so he did not have to be afraid of anything.
Every time when he came, Du Ru Feng was alone.
But this time was different. There were three people in the hall today, one was Du Ru Feng and the other was a young man he had never seen. As soon as Yang Kai came in, this man swept his eyes over him like a greedy poisonous snake, which made Yang Kai feel extremely uncomfortable. His gaze was full of examination, and with a trace of interest.
The two were standing, while the last one was sitting at the head of the hall. It was Duan Hai, the Venerable Protector of Fire Spirit Land!
Yang Kai turned solemn, and hurriedly cupped his fists, “Greetings, Venerable and Senior Brother Du!”
Since Duan Hai brought him to Fire Spirit Land last time, Yang Kai had not seen him again. Yang Kai had no idea why Duan Hai appeared here today. Yang Kai instinctively felt something was wrong, wondering if Old Xu was caught, and got himself involved. If so, Old Xu was truly useless.
“Is this him?” The young man whom Yang Kai did not know suddenly asked an inexplicable question.
Du Ru Feng answered, “It’s him!”
“There’s nothing special about him. How could he be so lucky?” The man chuckled.
Du Ru Feng continued, “This Junior Brother has no idea. You should ask him yourself.”
Yang Kai was confused, and asked suspiciously, “Senior Brother Du, this is…”
Du Ru Feng introduced, “This is Senior Brother Yu Lian. He was in retreat previously, and just came out, so you haven’t seen him yet.”
“So it is Senior Brother Yu!” Yang Kai saluted with his fists cupped, “Greetings, Senior Brother Yu!”
Yu Lian grinned, “Junior Brother Yang, right? Are you interested in guessing what I did in my previous retreat?”
[Why would I be interested? Is this guy crazy?] Yang Kai secretly felt disgruntled about him, but he still answered, “This Junior Brother has no clue. Please enlighten me, Senior Brother!”
Yu Lian smiled lightly, “If a cultivator wants to be promoted to the Open Heaven Realm, he needs to condense the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. This Senior Brother first condensed his Yin and Yang Elements, then moved on to the Five Elements. Among the Five Elements, the first one I condensed was the Fire Element. Fire supports Earth, Earth generates Metal, and Metal begets Water… The last time I went into retreat was to condense my Water Element.”
Yang Kai calculated quietly and was secretly surprised. This guy was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, and only needed one Element to complete his breakthrough, “Senior Brother seems to be in a good condition, so I assume the last retreat was successful. Now Senior Brother is only one step away from the Open Heaven Realm. Congratulations, Senior Brother!”
“Good, just one last step!” A hint of fanaticism flashed in Yu Lian’s eyes, “But how many people have been stopped because of this one last step? Junior Brother, this Senior Brother doesn’t mind letting you know that the materials that I condensed were all Fourth-Order!”
“Then if Senior Brother breaks through to the Open Heaven Realm, he would be a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master? There would be another Master in our Seven Wonders Land! It is truly a blessing for us!”
“En, but it is hard to find Fourth-Order Open Heaven materials. Even with Seven Wonders Land’s resources, if I want to find the right one, I have no idea how long I have to wait. I’m afraid it will take hundreds of years or even longer.” Yu Lian let out a long sigh.
“With Venerable’s ability, Senior Brother definitely could find a suitable one.”
Yu Lian turned to glance at Duan Hai, and carried on with a smile, “We shouldn’t bother Venerable with such a small matter. I just need Junior Brother to help me.”
Chills ran up Yang Kai’s back as he felt something wrong, “Junior Brother is incompetent. May I know what I can do to help?”
Yu Lian leaned forward slightly, and gazed at him solemnly, “Junior Brother just needs to contribute his Wood Element!”
Hearing this, Yang Kai was taken aback. His previous doubts were finally answered! No wonder after helping to collect the Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame, Du Ru Feng had been treating him well. It turned out that they were eyeing his Wood Element.
Although Yang Kai had speculated about it for a long time, he was not sure until now when his suspicions were confirmed. Everything had started on the day when he was forced to release his Dao Seal in front of Du Ru Feng.
Promoting him to be an Orchard Manager and asking him to hunt down Fang Tai were nothing but treating him like a pawn that could be abandoned. If his Wood Element was really taken away, Yang Kai guessed that his end would be miserable.
“Is that so!” As Yang Kai’s words fell, he had already punched forward. He surged his Space Principle and teleported out directly from his original place without even hesitating.
Yang Kai disappeared with a flicker. Duan Hai, who had been sitting calmly at the head of the hall, finally raised his brow and his eyes lit up, “Space Principles!”
While speaking, he stretched out his hand and grabbed at the Void.
Following his action, Yang Kai, who fled out of the hall hurriedly, immediately felt a great sense of crisis. When he looked back, he saw a gigantic hand overshadowing the sky behind, grabbing towards him with enormous power.
Yang Kai was taken aback and surged his Space Principles madly, teleporting over and over again. However, no matter how many times he tried, he could not escape the coverage of the giant hand. Moreover, he felt a powerful shackle lock firmly on himself.
The huge hand that covered the whole sky and blocked the sunlight caught hold of Yang Kai soon after. With a snort, Yang Kai’s vision rapidly changed, and when he recovered, he was already in a secret room.
Duan Hai, Du Ru Feng, and Yu Lian were all here. The two of them stood left and right behind Duan Hai, one looking indifferent, while the other seemed mirthful.
Yang Kai panicked. He looked around but he could not find a way to escape. He knew he was in deep trouble. He could not get rid of Duan Hai’s grip even by using his Instantaneous Movement. It could be seen that the gap between the Four-Order Open Heaven Realm and his cultivation was truly big.
“Junior Brother Yang, what are you running for? This Senior Brother didn’t say that he will eat you, just that he wanted to use your Wood Element.” Yu Lian grinned.
[If I don’t run, should I just wait to die?] Although he was not optimistic that he could escape from them, he still had to try it, “If Senior Brother wants my Wood Element, he could just ask for it and this Junior Brother will make his contribution. Why do you have to deceive me like this?”
Yu Lian chuckled, “Since Junior Brother is a sensible person, then don’t resist.”
Yang Kai questioned, “I’m curious, however. Can someone’s Yin, Yang, and Five Elements be forcibly seized?” He had asked Old Fang this question before, but Old Fang could not answer him. However, since he encountered this incident today, it meant that the power of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements could indeed be stolen; otherwise, why would they spend so much effort on this?
“There is only one situation where a person’s Yin, Yang, and Five Elements can be forcibly seized.” Perhaps because Yu Lian was close to his dream of being promoted to an Open Heaven Realm Master, he was in a particularly good mood and did not hesitate to answer Yang Kai’s question.
“What kind of situation?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows.
“When someone has only condensed a single Element, just like Junior Brother. If Junior Brother condensed two, we would be helpless.” Yu Lian explained with a smile, “However, Junior Brother’s Wood Element will also have its Order degraded by one or two after being forcibly seized. In any case, it doesn’t really matter. I heard that the Wood Element you condensed is at least Fifth-Order, and this Senior Brother only needs a Fourth-Order. So if I’m lucky, even if the Order is downgraded, it can still be used.”
“I see!” Yang Kai was enlightened.
Yu Lian continued, “Junior Brother, is there anything else you want to ask?”
Yang Kai asked with a darkened face, “What will happen to me if my Wood Element is seized?”
Yu Lian disclosed, “Are you wondering if you’ll die? Probably. You might live if you are lucky, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to cultivate again in the future.”
Yang Kai’s heart sank into the abyss after listening to this. Both of these options would be tragic for a cultivator. In fact, it was better to die if one could not cultivate.
No longer giving Yang Kai a chance to speak, Yu Lian turned around and cupped his fist at Duan Hai, “Venerable, please!”
Duan Hai nodded gently, raised his big hand, and swung fiercely.
Chains clattered noisily in the air and shuttled aggressively towards Yang Kai from all directions. Looking around, Yang Kai wanted to dodge the chains engraved with countless complex runes, but he was being immobilized and could not move an inch.
Followed by the clanging of metal, the seemingly immaterial chains penetrated through Yang Kai, causing him to scream in pain and immediately drench in sweat.
A powerful Array lit up below his feet and began to spin slowly.
The Array was already arranged here before they arrived, so it was clear they had been preparing for this day for quite some time, just waiting for the right moment to seize his Wood Element.
The chains were pulled taut, and Yang Kai’s trembling body was lifted into the air. Duan Hai and Yu Lian stepped into their respective positions in the Array, leaving Du Ru Feng alone guarding to the side
Yang Kai panicked. His situation was completely hopeless. He could not get out of trouble with his own strength, and the only thing he could count on was Old Xu.
However, Old Xu had not made a sound after he entered Seven Wonders Land for three months. Yang Kai had no idea where he was and what he was doing, so it was unrealistic to expect him to save him. Moreover, Yang Kai probably no longer had value to him despite Old Xu having complete control of his life. Even if Old Xu knew his situation, he may not care about him at all.
Sitting cross-legged in position, Yu Lian emptied his mind and calmed his breathing as the aura around his body fluctuated mysteriously.
On the other side, Duan Hai too, looked solemn, his hands constantly forming seals.
Yang Kai felt a strong power being transmitted from the clattering chains to him, shaking his Dao Seal, trying to extract his Wood Element.
Indescribable pain overwhelmed his body as Yang Kai clenched his teeth in endurance, the veins on his forehead bulging.
Suddenly, there was an unexpected change. A gigantic black centipede illusory phantom abruptly appeared behind Yang Kai, firmly wrapping him in its hundred feet. No matter what Duan Hai did, he was unable to extract the Wood Element out of Yang Kai.
“Soaring Black Centipede?” A hint of surprise flashed across Duan Hai’s eyes, pausing his hand seals and swiftly moving to Yang Kai’s side. He clasped Yang Kai’s neck and poured in a violent power to examine his Dao Seal before his face changed and he roared, “Boy, who implanted this Soaring Black Centipede in you!?”
Suffering from intense pain, Yang Kai kept gasping for air, his countenance as pale as a sheet, but a sneer on his face, “Your Father!”
He did not expect that the Soaring Black Centipede, which was supposed to restrain him, actually saved his life in this crisis. It was truly a mixed blessing. When he thought about it carefully though, it was not surprising at all. The Soaring Black Centipede was originally implanted to restrain his Dao Seal. On the other hand, Duan Hai set up an Array to try to seize the Wood Element which was condensed into his Dao Seal. These two processes obviously clashed with each other. At this moment, Yang Kai could not help thanking Old Xu. Although he did not know how long it could stall for, he felt hopeful for a moment.
Duan Hai looked back at Du Ru Feng, “Did you see anything else in his Dao Seal last time?”
Du Ru Feng was also a little confused. He was clueless about the Soaring Black Centipede, so he shook his head, “No!”
“Then it was implanted later…” Brilliant light flashed across Duan Hai’s eyes as he turned to stare at Yang Kai solemnly, “Boy, who did you meet when you went out?”
He truly had a sharp mind and saw through the truth at once.
But how could Yang Kai answer him? He just maintained a sneer. Duan Hai immediately applied force through his hand, causing Yang Kai to roar in pain, almost robbing him of his consciousness.
Duan Hai pressed on gloomily, “Do you think this King can’t do anything to you? It’s just a mere insect. This King will torture you slowly after this King destroys it.”
Saying so, he lifted his hand and palmed at the Dao Seal. Intense power slammed into Yang Kai’s body, shocking the Soaring Black Centipede that was wrapping around the Dao Seal.
With Duan Hai’s action, Yang Kai could obviously feel the uneasy mood of the centipede seal that was wrapping his Dao Seal. The initial binding strength was gradually relaxed, and it showed faint signs of being expelled.
A vague will suddenly extended from the Soaring Black Centipede, and like a drowning man clutching at a straw, Yang Kai immediately exclaimed with great joy, “Old Xu, save me!”
“Waste, you almost spoiled this King’s grand plan!” Although Old Xu was cursing Yang Kai in his mind, it was as sweet as Heavenly music to Yang Kai’s ears.
Duan Hai’s face changed wildly as he barked, “Who dares run wild here!?”
He obviously heard the voice just now. Since his will was connected to the Soaring Black Centipede, it was obviously from the seal’s owner who had been alarmed by Duan Hai’s previous actions.
[Is there a strong enemy hiding in Seven Wonders Land?] Duan Hai broke out into a cold sweat. Fortunately, he discovered this by coincidence today; otherwise, he had no idea what would happen when the enemy was fully prepared.
“Long time no see, Duan Hai. What? Do you not remember my voice?” Old Xu’s voice sounded cold.
Duan Hai’s expression changed several times as he blurted out, “Xu Huang! You’re not dead!?”
Old Xu laughed, “This King is blessed, how can he just die? You and those other traitors set me up and plotted to seize my Seven Wonders Land, but today this King will take back his capital together with interest!”
Duan Hai replied in a deep tone, “I didn’t know anything during that time!”
“Do you think this King will believe you? Today you will all die!”
When the word ‘die’ fell, a world-shaking movement came from the outside. Even if the secret room was covered by an isolation array, it shook violently, as if it were about to collapse. Then, a torrent of power suddenly emerged in the form of an unstoppable finger, flying towards Duan Hai.
Duan Hai’s face turned pale and he hurriedly retreated with a flicker. At the same time, he flipped his hands, completed a set of hand seals, and pushed his palm forward.
*Hong long long… *
A deafening blast sounded, and the world was turned upside down. The secret room exploded into pieces, and the Array collapsed.
Yang Kai, who was bound in mid-air, instantly felt like he was riding a small boat in the middle of a raging ocean, surrounded by boundless waves, at risk of being drowned at any time.
The aftershocks of the impact of the two Open Heaven Realm Masters spread out and caused massive destruction. Yang Kai’s body rolled and tumbled, his bones cracking noisily as blood spurted out of his mouth and nose while even his Soul became unstable.
Yang Kai was shocked. Although he had been with Ma Liu and Jiang Sheng, the two First-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters before, he did not witness them battle, so he had no idea how strong they were. However, the gap between the First-Order Open Heaven Realm and the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm was too huge. Just the fallout from the opening clash between Duan Hai and Old Xu had almost cost him his life!
This was the true Open Heaven Realm! If Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters already had such power, Yang Kai could not imagine how powerful High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were.
Blood kept gushing out of Yang Kai’s mouth and nose, but his eyes were as bright as stars!
The main hall collapsed, dust and smoke scattered everywhere, and darkness shrouded the world. Yang Kai was suffering tremendous pain as the collapsed buildings fell on him, but fortunately, the array that bound him had vanished.
This place had been destroyed, so the array that was arranged here naturally lost its function. Without these shackles, Yang Kai regained his freedom.
With a shake of his arms, Yang Kai shoved away the blocks that fell on him and was able to see light again.
Before he had time to look around, he heard a light cough not far away. Yang Kai turned to it and a hint of murderous intent flashed across his eyes. He stretched out his hand and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear. The spear trembled as Yang Kai poured all his power into it. With a mighty Dragon Roar, he stabbed toward the side with the spear.
*Hong…*
Large pieces of gravel were sent flying by an explosion, revealing Yu Lian who had been buried underneath.
Blood spurted wildly as Yu Lian widened his eyes, looking dreadfully terrified.
“Die!” Yang Kai roared as Space Principles flared, concentrating at the tip of the Azure Dragon Spear which was plunged into Yu Lian’s body.
Rupture!
A huge cavity immediately appeared in Yu Lian’s chest, and most of his internal organs vanished. In a desperate measure, he grabbed the Azure Dragon Spear with one hand and reached out to Yang Kai with the other.
Yang Kai took a deep breath and blew out through his mouth. His breath shredded off layers of flesh from Yu Lian’s arms like sharp blades, exposing the pristine bones underneath.
Screams echoed from Yu Lian’s mouth as Yang Kai swung his spear up, tossing the former into the air before a barrage of spear shadows emerged.
Just three breaths of time later, Yang Kai withdrew his spear, and Yu Lian fell to the ground like a ragged sack. Blood gushed out like spring water from the countless holes in his body, and his vitality rapidly faded. It seemed that he would not be able to survive this.
Before Yang Kai could celebrate his narrowly escaped death, however, a murderous intent rose behind him and he quickly turned around, swinging his spear horizontally to defend himself.
A tremendous force impacted him, sending Yang Kai flying, spurting blood mid-air.
Yang Kai hurriedly landed, looked up, and saw that not far from where he once stood, Du Ru Feng was looking over with a blank face, disbelief apparent in his eyes, “Senior Brother Yu?”
Yu Lian was moving his mouth, but he was just gasping for air like a fish out of water. Soon after, his head tilted and he breathed his last breath.
Du Ru Feng was horrified and could not accept that his Senior Brother, who was in high spirits and ready to obtain his Wood Element to finally break through to the Open Heaven Realm, had died in the blink of an eye!
He knew that the root cause of all these changes was the aftermath of the battle between the unknown enemy and Venerable Duan Hai. At that moment, Du Ru Feng almost thought he was going to die. Although he narrowly escaped death in the end, the aftermath of the attack had severely wounded him still.
Obviously, Yu Lian was not any better off and in his carelessness, he was attacked again, losing his life. Du Ru Feng’s heart suddenly clenched as he could not help wondering if he would have survived if Yang Kai had attacked him instead of Yu Lian just now.
He turned to Yang Kai, who was coughing up blood and obviously not in good condition either.
“You killed Senior Brother Yu!” Du Ru Feng’s face was so cold that it could freeze over.
“You’re next!” Yang Kai pointed his spear forward and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
“Ridiculous!” Du Ru Feng’s face twisted in rage, “How dare you speak such big words in front of Venerable…”
After saying that, Du Ru Feng suddenly frowned. He scanned around with his Divine Sense and his face changed slightly because he found that Duan Hai did not seem to be here anymore.
He knew that Seven Wonders Land was in deep trouble. The Venerable should be in a hurry to resist the enemy, and could not care about this minor situation at all. Du Ru Feng’s heart sank as he had no idea who Xu Huang was or how much of a threat he posed.
*Hong hong hong…*
Earth-shaking noise descended from the sky as dazzling lights flashed and violent energy fluctuations rampaged. It was obvious that the two Masters were still fighting.
However, it was not up to him to worry about this kind of thing. Such matters had to be left to the Heavenly Monarch and the other Venerables to handle. No matter how powerful the enemy was, it was impossible for him to stand against the joint force of so many Open Heaven Realm Masters.
*Shua shua shua…*
The explosive booms continued as Seven Wonders Land disciples from every direction swiftly rushed over to investigate the situation. At first glance, they could not help being shocked at the ruins here, and their faces changed drastically when they saw Yu Lian’s corpse lying on the ground. One of them stood up and questioned, “Senior Brother Du, what happened? Who killed Senior Brother Yu!?”
Du Ru Feng looked at Yang Kai coldly as he proclaimed, “Who else could it be? It’s this bastard! Kill him for me!”
“Madman! How dare you commit murder in Fire Spirit Land in broad daylight! Die!” The group of Seven Wonders Land disciples were furious, summoned their artifacts one after another, and pounced at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai already began circulating his strength as soon as these people arrived. Although he wanted to kill Du Ru Feng now, he was outnumbered, so it was better to escape first. Moreover, almost all of these people here were Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although most of them were just First-Order with a few being Second-Order, it was still more than what Yang Kai could handle for now.
With his Instantaneous Movement, as long as there were no Masters such as Duan Hai, Yang Kai was still confident that he could escape.
With a rumble, the Void shattered as countless attacks were thrown at Yang Kai; however, his figure flashed aside, stared coldly at Du Ru Feng, and rushed towards the direction of the orchard.
Du Ru Feng was infuriated, “Wastes! After him!”
Without needing his order, the Seven Wonders Land disciples immediately pursued Yang Kai as soon as he ran away. For a moment, in the sky above Fire Spirit Land, a group of people was seen pursuing one individual, making for quite a lively show.
*Weng… *
The earth shook suddenly as a dull sound reverberated through everyone’s head, causing them to shudder.
Following the noise, a glowing array abruptly emerged in the sky. The array was gigantic, covering almost the entire Fire Spirit Land.
When this scene appeared, a Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering aura fell from above. Everyone in Fire Spirit Land felt like they were enveloped by an aura of death.
Du Ru Feng, who was not far behind Yang Kai, exclaimed, “The Grand Defense Array!”
Yang Kai also had goosebumps all over his body as he could sense the incoming of an imminent disaster. Although he did not understand what had happened, it seemed that the Grand Defense Array of Fire Spirit Land was activated according to Du Ru Feng.
The next moment, a roar sounded, “Xu Huang, are you insane!? Are you going to destroy Seven Wonders Land!?”
Old Xu’s laughter resounded, “So what if it’s destroyed!? Since Seven Wonders Land rebelled against this King, this King doesn’t want it anymore! All of you can die!”
At the end of his sentence, the gigantic array pattern enveloping Fire Spirit Land suddenly rotated wildly, and a series of exquisite lights shot down from above like a rainstorm, pummelling the ground below.
Without further thought, Yang Kai immediately hid inside the Sealed World Bead.
He watched the situation outside from within and saw that the world was filled with beams of light. Everything in Fire Spirit Land began to collapse as huge ravines appeared on the ground. All the disciples of Seven Wonders Land who pursued him were terrified, dodging left and right foolishly, but few successfully avoided the disaster.
Casualties were caused as the light beams appeared everywhere as body parts fell from the sky like dumplings.
Yang Kai gulped and secretly prayed that the Sealed World Bead would not be hit. Although he had no idea what the consequences would be if the Sealed World Bead was struck, they definitely would not be good.
Fortunately, although the attack was continuous and dense, the Sealed World Bead was small. As long as he was lucky, there should be no problem.
Only now did Yang Kai understand why Old Xu dared to come here alone to take revenge.
The Grand Defense Array of Seven Wonders Land was obviously not activated by the Venerable Protector. It was unreasonable that he would kill his disciples; only Old Xu would do such a thing.
From the conversation between Old Xu and the others, Yang Kai vaguely realised that Old Xu should have a close relationship with Seven Wonders Land. It could even be speculated that Seven Wonders Land originally belonged to Old Xu, but for some reason, it was stolen from him.
Even so, Old Xu retained the ability to control the Grand Defence Array of Seven Wonders Land. During his previous three months’ disappearance, he must have been quietly trying to gain control of this trump card.
With Old Xu’s abilities and the aid of the Grand Defence Array, he might just stand a chance to complete his revenge.
Now in this situation, Yang Kai naturally wished that Old Xu would cause as much trouble as possible. Only in this way could he have a chance to escape from this place. If Old Xu failed and was killed, he would definitely be buried with him, because he could never escape from Duan Hai’s wrath.
The duration of the Grand Defense Array attack was not too long, only lasting twenty breaths of time.
But after twenty breaths, the whole Fire Spirit Land had fallen silent!
Yang Kai waited until the array in the sky disappeared before he emerged from the Small Sealed World and looked around. It was a mess. Scattered all over the ground were mutilated body parts donned in Seven Coloured Robes. It looked as if the apocalypse had arrived.
A huge net suddenly plummeted from the sky, enveloping Yang Kai. Shockingly, the huge net possessed the ability to seal off space. The grip on Yang Kai’s body swiftly tightened as he shouted, “Sky Seizing Net!”
[Du Ru Feng survived!] A thought flashed through Yang Kai’s mind. Since the Sky Seizing Net was Du Ru Feng’s artifact, it meant that Du Ru Feng was still alive.
Yang Kai rapidly plummeted from the sky, but the Sky Seizing Net was chasing after him like a maggot on rotting bones and he could not get rid of it.
The surrounding space was sealed, which made him unable to use Instantaneous Movement to escape. Watching the huge net above him, Yang Kai was notably anxious. He surged his power into the Azure Dragon Spear and thrust upward.
However, without being affected by the force, the Sky Seizing Net fell directly on Yang Kai and wrapped him up tightly. As the power of imprisonment transmitted from the huge net, Yang Kai could feel that his strength was restrained in an instant.
In mid-air, Du Ru Feng’s figure slowly emerged, a look of resentment and lingering fear on his face. If it was not because he was lucky during the activation of the Grand Defense Array, he probably would have followed in his fellow brothers’ footsteps.
Nevertheless, his condition did not look good at this moment. His face was pale, he was holding his chest with his hand, and the corners of his mouth were bloody. It seemed like the aftermath of the battle between Duan Hai and Old Xu had really wounded him.
“You’re not dead, how lucky are you!?” Du Ru Feng looked coldly at Yang Kai, who was bound by the Sky Seizing Net, and performed a hand seal, strengthening the binding power of the net.
Yang Kai grunted. Although the situation was unfavourable to him, he did not give in to Du Ru Feng and taunted back, “Aren’t you still alive too?”
Du Ru Feng snorted, “Shut up. This King will kill you now!” Yu Lian coveted Yang Kai’s Wood Element, but Du Ru Feng did not. Everyone’s condensed power was different and he had already condensed his Wood Element, so he was uninterested in Yang Kai’s life. Now that Seven Wonders Land had encountered a huge disaster, it was better to kill Yang Kai as soon as possible to avoid causing troubles later.
After that declaration, Du Ru Feng acted, lifting his hand as he summoned a long sword and bellowed, “Go!”
The long sword transformed into a sword light, shooting straight at Yang Kai.
In Yang Kai’s field of vision, the sword light was rapidly magnifying in front of him, and the aura of death closed in on his head. At the critical moment of life and death, Yang Kai’s heart became as tranquil as still water. A Dragon Roar resounded, his bones crackled noisily, and Dragon Scales quickly enveloped his rapidly expanding body.
During the Dragon Transformation, Yang Kai snapped his jaw at the oncoming sword light. Following a massive impact of power, Yang Kai felt that his teeth were threatening to crack, and his mouth was once again filled with blood.
Du Ru Feng was dumbstruck as his gaze followed the transformation of Yang Kai’s body size, never having imagined he had such an ability. A moment later, he exclaimed with a cracked voice, “You’re a Dragon?!”
The characteristics of Yang Kai’s body after the Dragon Transformation were too obvious, so how could Du Ru Feng not understand it?
In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai had turned into a gigantic 2,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon; however, he was still unable to get escape the binding of the Sky Seizing Net. Similar to the Six Fated Paths Bag, it was extremely flexible. It expanded together with the growth of Yang Kai’s body size, and continued to bind him tightly.
However, Yang Kai sensed some obvious signs of instability in the Sky Seizing Net and was overjoyed. Despite its function being similar to the Six Fated Paths Bag, it was clearly not as strong.
Without hesitating, Yang Kai clenched the Azure Dragon Spear and swung it violently.
The light of the Sky Seizing Net flashed wildly for a moment, then rapidly faded.
“In your dreams!” Du Ru Feng yelled and performed a hand seal. The sword light that was bitten by Yang Kai suddenly flew back to Du Ru Feng and he slashed out at Yang Kai after catching it.
Yang Kai saw the incoming sword wave, but could not dodge. Even if he were not killed by it, he would definitely be severely wounded.
At the critical moment, a golden light swiftly flew from the distance and shielded Yang Kai. It was only a small ball of golden light, but when it appeared, it suddenly expanded and turned into a giant golden chicken several tens of meters tall.
“Great General!” Yang Kai was surprised. He never thought that this unreliable chicken would arrive to save him at this critical moment.
He did not bring Great General with him during this meeting with Du Ru Feng, but left him in the orchard. Beyond his expectation though, Great General somehow managed to come here.
The sword wave slashed down, and following a short wail, Great General was blown away. In mid-air, his body reverted back to its original size, and his golden feathers greatly dimmed.
Yang Kai was infuriated and his Dragon Aura erupted. He hurled the Azure Dragon Spear forward and shouted angrily, “Break!”
The spear flew out like a true Azure Dragon diving into the sea, and space was pierced through by its power.
Following a crash, the Sky Seizing Net that had been binding Yang Kai shattered, its power of confinement vanishing in an instant. However, the momentum of the Azure Dragon Spear was not weakened and shot straight towards Du Ru Feng.
Sensing the power of this spear, Du Ru Feng’s face changed drastically and he hurriedly tried to dodge. Nevertheless, Yang Kai did not give him a chance to breathe. Du Ru Feng was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, who was stronger than Yang Kai, and he also had the Shadowless Veil artifact. If Yang Kai allowed him to summon out the Shadowless Veil, he would never be able to find him again.
He stretched out his Dragon Claw and grabbed at Du Ru Feng while at the same time, he surged his Space Principles.
The surrounding space suddenly solidified, Du Ru Feng’s body was frozen, and in that brief moment, Yang Kai grasped Du Ru Feng tightly in his giant claw.
“Scram!” Du Ru Feng roared as power fluctuated all over his body. Even with his Dragon Transformation, Yang Kai felt that he was about to be repelled, so he inflated his chest, and breathed out furiously at Du Ru Feng.
Fire Dragon’s Flaming Breath!
Dragon Breath spewed out from his mouth, shrouding Du Ru Feng who let out an ear-piercing scream and struggled even more violently. Yang Kai suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand and loosened the grip of his Dragon Claw involuntarily for a slight moment. Du Ru Feng quickly took the opportunity to escape.
Yang Kai fixed his gaze on Du Ru Feng and saw that he was in a great mess. He had already been hurt in the aftermath of the battle between Duan Hai and Old Xu and in addition to his Sky Seizing Net being destroyed and being attacked by Yang Kai, he was now completely covered in blisters and burns. He looked dreadfully miserable.
Their eyes met, and Yang Kai could clearly see the fear and uneasiness on his opponent’s face.
Unlike Yang Kai, who was used to fighting and killing with his life on the line, Du Ru Feng was born and cultivated in peace in Seven Wonders Land. Throughout his whole life, Du Ru Feng had not even left Seven Wonders Land many times, not to mention having the fight for his life. In the beginning, he was able to gain some advantage by relying on his own superior strength and artifacts. However, he was unable to handle it once he faced a slight setback.
Yang Kai had encountered many people like him, greenhouse flowers unable to weather the wind and rain.
Grinning, Yang Kai swung his arm, causing a surge of Space Principles which sent a massive Moon Blade towards Du Ru Feng.
Du Ru Feng’s face changed and he attempted to dodge the attack.
But Yang Kai now had complete control over the battlefield with his Space Principles. Following a slight flourish of the Azure Dragon Spear, he shouted in a low voice, “Shatter!”
When the words fell, space trembled and suddenly, innumerable Void Cracks filled the surrounding region, releasing an aura of chaos and nihility. Looking at the scene, Du Ru Feng’s face turned pale again.
“Du Ru Feng, this day next year will be your death anniversary!” With a loud roar, Yang Kai had already charged with his spear in hand, soon shrouding Du Ru Feng in a giant spear shadow that seemed to block out the entire sky.
Du Ru Feng felt constrained by the surrounding Void Cracks. He wanted to escape, but how could Yang Kai give him such an opportunity? His spear thrust had sealed off all chances of escaping.
In a moment of desperation, Du Ru Feng threw caution to the wind and went all out with Yang Kai.
That was exactly what Yang Kai had wanted though. Although Du Ru Feng was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master and stronger than him, his combat experience was certainly lacking and his restorative abilities were no match for Yang Kai’s. In a close-quarters life-or-death struggle, Yang Kai was not afraid of Du Ru Feng.
The Sky Seizing Net was broken, so now all Yang Kai had to worry about was the Shadowless Veil. If Du Ru Feng summoned the Shadowless Veil to conceal himself, Yang Kai would undoubtedly fall into a disadvantage; therefore, Yang Kai made continuous attacks without caring about his consumption or injuries in order to tie Du Ru Feng down and make it impossible for him to summon his artifact.
Their figures interlocked and blood spurted everywhere as time slowly dragged on.
After fighting for some unknown amount of time, Yang Kai withdrew his spear and panted heavily. At this moment, he had returned to his original size because he could not maintain his Dragon Transformation anymore. There were wounds of various sizes all over his body, some so deep his bones were exposed, looking dreadfully miserable. He staggered and barely managed to stand upright with the support of the Azure Dragon Spear.
Du Ru Feng’s condition was no better, however, as his whole body was stained with red blood, his hair dishevelled like a fierce ghost, his eyes quivering violently as deep down, he was in a panic.
Wheezing, Du Ru Feng remarked, “Yang Kai, since such a big incident has happened to Seven Wonders Land, no one knows what the future will be. Why do you and I have to fight to the death here?”
Yang Kai grinned meaningfully, “The battle has already begun, what do you want to do now?”
Du Ru Feng proposed, “Why don’t we both withdraw? You can’t stay in Seven Wonders Land after what happened today anyway. You better run for your life as soon as possible before Venerable makes his move. Otherwise, when Venerable returns, I’m afraid you won’t be able to escape even if you want to.”
“Makes sense!” Yang Kai nodded gently and tilted his head, “So you want us both to take a step back?”
Du Ru Feng nodded repeatedly, “Good!”
Before he could finish speaking though, his face suddenly changed and he stabbed his sword forward.
*Chi*
The long sword seemed to have pierced something, and when he looked forward, he saw that Yang Kai had already appeared in front of him, and the long sword in his hand had penetrated directly through his chest.
“Bastard!” Du Ru Feng scolded furiously.
Yang Kai grinned, “You plotted to kill me, how could I possibly spare you!?”
Du Ru Feng immediately felt the heart-piercing pain in his chest and his face turned pale as he looked down to see that his chest was also pierced through by Yang Kai’s spear.
“Rup…ture!” Yang Kai spat out the word slowly as Space Principles churned.
For a moment, Du Ru Feng felt that something in his body had collapsed. In his field of vision, a huge hole was suddenly gouged out around where his body was penetrated by the spear.
He looked up slowly and stared at Yang Kai incredulously, his eyes full of longing for life.
Yang Kai unceremoniously kicked him, sending him flying away. When the long sword was pulled away from his chest, another gush of blood spilled out of his wound. The world around him started spinning and he almost fainted. Struggling to keep his consciousness, he walked over to Du Ru Feng step by step and looked down on him from above.
At that moment, Du Ru Feng’s eyes went cloudy as the light faded from them and his aura was on the verge of being extinguished.
Yang Kai looked at him coldly before stabbing his spear through Du Ru Feng’s skull, splitting it open and spilling its contents onto the ground.
With a lift of the spear tip, Yang Kai picked up Du Ru Feng’s Space Ring, but he did not have time to examine it. He staggered over to one side, where Great General was sprawled on the ground, his golden feathers dreadfully dimmed.
Yang Kai bent down, picked him up, and examined him with his Divine Sense, feeling relieved a moment later. Although Great General’s aura was weak, his life was not in danger.
To be honest, Yang Kai did not expect Great General would leave the orchard to find him and even save him at the critical moment, only further confusing him as he wondered why Great General favoured him so greatly.
However, it was not the right moment to ponder this now. Ever since he started clashing with Du Ru Feng, the rumbling in the sky had not ceased. It was obvious that Old Xu was using the Seven Wonders Land Grand Array against many Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was good to know that they were still occupied; otherwise, Yang Kai probably would have had a bad time.
Although he had no idea whether Old Xu could successfully complete his revenge or not, now was definitely the best time to escape from Seven Wonders Land.
Nevertheless, before that, Yang Kai still had to locate Old Fang and Dié You first. He hoped that they were safe. Earlier when Old Xu activated a devastating attack from the Grand Defense Array, it caused tremendous casualties in Seven Wonders Land, so Yang Kai couldn’t help wondering how the situation in the orchard was.
He held Great General in his arms, but just after flying for a short while, he saw two figures flying side by side from the distance. It was Old Fang and Dié You. Yang Kai was immediately relieved. They were fortunately not affected by the attack of the Grand Defense Array. Otherwise, they certainly would not be able to survive with their current strength.
At this moment, the entire Fire Spirit Land was in chaos. Countless figures flew everywhere like headless flies and no one knew what was going on.
As soon as they met each other, Old Fang asked with a cracked voice, “Little Brother, what happened to you?”
Dié You also covered her mouth with her hand, her beautiful eyes quivered, “Such severe injuries…”
“It’s complicated!” Yang Kai smiled wryly and shook his head, “Now is not the right time to explain. It’s important for us to leave this place now.”
“What the Hell had just happened?” Old Fang questioned. Everything happened too abruptly today. A massive Grand Array pattern appeared over the entire Fire Spirit Land all of a sudden and unleashed a massive indiscriminate attack. More than half of the orchard was destroyed, and more than sixty percent of the Workers were killed in an instant. Old Fang and Dié You hurriedly escaped when they saw the situation and fortunately survived.
“I’ll explain on the way!” Yang Kai did not have much time to talk as he tried his best to push his strength and fly upwards.
On the way, he briefly explained the situation to Old Fang and Dié You, and also made it clear that Old Xu was brought in by him before. Their eyes widened in shock as Yang Kai told them what happened, for they could not believe such a strange coincidence had occurred. However, in this way, it created a good opportunity to leave Seven Wonders Land. Now that the Seven Wonders Land Masters were busy dealing with Old Xu, probably no one would care about their lives.
Many others had the same ideas as them, all of them basically Workers. After all, they had been all but enslaved by Seven Wonders Land for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and everyone knew that there was no way out of here. Although danger lurked in every corner in the world outside, they still at least had a little hope as long as they dared to step out. As Workers in Seven Wonders Land, there was no chance for them to stand out, unless they were willing to give up and settle for achieving the First-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Numerous Workers were flying out in all directions now.
However, when Yang Kai got close to the Grand Array, only then did he realize that his thinking was too naïve. The coverage of the Seven Wonders Land Grand Array didn’t have a single flaw, so no one could escape through it. It made sense as he thought about it though. Since Old Xu usurped control of the Grand Array, how could he let the people of Seven Wonders Land stand a chance to escape?
The battle in the sky went on without restraint and would cause an impact to Fire Spirit Land from time to time, causing mass chaos.
Once in a while, glowing array patterns of various sizes would appear in the sky as the Grand Defense Array activated, resulting in another rain of attacks.
Yang Kai saw with his own eyes how some Workers failed to dodge these attacks and were killed on the spot.
Just when Yang Kai was secretly beginning to worry, he heard a shrill scream from high up above, followed by the propagation of a violent energy wave which swept over the whole world, causing the vast Fire Spirit Land to rumble loudly.
A moment later, a figure fell from the sky straight among where the many Workers gathered.
Old Fang’s face turned pale as he shouted, “He’s the Venerable Protector of Water Spirit Land!”
Dié You’s voice trembled, “Is he dead?”
Old Fang shook his head, indicating that he had no idea.
The Venerable Protector of Water Spirit Land fell straight to the ground in front of everyone’s eyes and remained motionless for a long time. The Workers kept looking at each other, but no one dared to go forward to examine him.
Right at that moment, a rainbow light from the sky slashed down directly on the Water Spirit Land Venerable Protector’s motionless body, splitting it in two.
There was no need for Old Fang to answer now as everyone knew that the Venerable Protector was dead.
Ignoring his severe injuries, Yang Kai rushed to the corpse of the Water Spirit Land Venerable Protector with a flicker, lifted his hand, took down his Space Ring, and stuffed it into his pocket. Then, he disappeared with another flicker.
When Old Fang and Dié You regained their senses, a transmission from Yang Kai reached their ears.
Only then did the other Workers react and begin looking around for Yang Kai. Unfortunately for them, their efforts were in vain. Taking advantage of his Instantaneous Movement, Yang Kai had long disappeared, sending the crowd into a fury!
The wealth of a Venerable Protector was unimaginably valuable to a Worker. If they had the guts to act earlier, they might have grabbed the Space Ring, but now it had already fallen into the hands of another.
Old Fang and Dié You quietly left the crowd and flew in the same direction. Soon, they left Fire Spirit Land, and rushed straight to the shopping district.
Although no one could leave the coverage of the Seven Wonders Land Grand Array, travel within Seven Wonders Land was unobstructed.
The two soon arrived at a corner of the shopping district where Old Fang checked the surroundings before whispering, “Yang Kai, Yang Kai!”
Yang Kai’s head peeped out from the back of a building and he waved, “Here, I’m here!”
Old Fang and Dié You hurriedly ran to his side, turned a corner, and saw Yang Kai leaning against the wall with blood all over his body. He was pale, gasping for breath, and holding the Ruler of the Dawn Great General in his arms.
Finding it frightening and amusing at the same time, Old Fang remarked, “Little Brother, you really value fortune over your life!”
If those Workers reacted a little faster just now, Yang Kai would have no way to escape at all. As the saying goes though, birds die of food just as men die for wealth, everyone would have slaughtered him without a second thought for the Venerable Protector’s Space Ring.
Yang Kai coughed lightly, “The poor have to take risks!”
Dié You reprimanded angrily, “You call yourself poor!?”
Yang Kai waved his hand, “Let’s not talk about this first. No one has come to the shopping district for the time being, and the Grand Defense Array doesn’t cover this region, so I think we should be safe to hide here for now. I need some time to heal my wounds.”
Old Fang nodded solemnly, “You can heal at ease. Sister Dié You and I will stand guard for you.”
“Then I shall trouble you two.” Yang Kai accepted his favour. Given the situation now, it was pointless to think too much, and they could only take one step at a time. Everything now depended on the final result of the battle, which was either Old Xu successfully took revenge or Seven Wonders Land managed to defeat him. However, judging from the death of Water Spirit Land’s Venerable Protector just now, Seven Wonders Land was probably at a disadvantage.
Although Old Xu was alone, he may still be able to succeed with the aid of the Grand Defense Array.
Yang Kai did not really care what the outcome was. As long as Duan Hai died, it did not matter to him who ultimately won this battle, because if Duan Hai survived, he would have no way to live.
Grabbing a handful of healing Spirit Pills from his Space Ring and stuffing them into his mouth, Yang Kai also fed several to Great General. Then, he sat cross-legged to adjust his breathing.
Although his wounds were severe, they were not fatal. Yang Kai knew his body very well, and as long as the injuries were not too serious, he could recover sooner or later by relying on the shocking regenerative powers of his Dragon Vein and Wood Element.
The whole shopping district was quiet; after all, it was not the three rest days of the month, so it was naturally empty. After standing guard for a while, Old Fang seemed to suddenly think of something, “Sister Dié You, I’ll be right back. Please take care of Little Brother Yang.”
Dié You knew what Old Fang was up to so she replied with a smile, “Go and be safe.”
Old Fang grinned meaningfully and disappeared with a flicker.
The noise outside never ceased and it was obvious that the fight was still ongoing. Watching Yang Kai’s disordered breathing slowly begin to stabilize, Dié You was amazed. A normal person could not recover from such severe injuries without resting for at least ten days to half a month, but Yang Kai actually took less than half a day to begin showing improvement. Dié You was truly impressed by his vitality.
Old Fang soon returned, dejected. After Dié You asked, she learnt that there was nothing for him to loot in the shopping district.
Yang Kai was still healing while the fight outside persisted. The two of them had nowhere to go, so they gradually lost interest in talking.
After a long time, Yang Kai abruptly opened his eyes and muttered, “Someone is coming.”
Dié You and Old Fang were taken aback and quickly scanned their surroundings with their Divine Senses, and soon, they noticed someone. When they looked up, they saw a petite figure flying over. While flying, she kept checking around carefully, like a thief.
However, the person soon found Yang Kai and the others, and after hesitating for a moment, she flew straight towards them.
“Stop!” Old Fang roared.
Yang Kai raised his hand, “Relax, I know her.”
He then looked up and laughed, “Why are you here?”
The visitor was Ah Sun, who was brought to Fire Spirit Land by Duan Hai along with Yang Kai. Lucky for her, she had no signs of injury at all. She had probably avoided the attacks of the Grand Defense Array by luck.
Ah Sun was pleasantly surprised and called out, “Senior Brother Yang, you’re here too!”
Yang Kai remarked, “Fire Spirit Land is too dangerous, so we came here to hide.”
Ah Sun nodding repeatedly, “I thought so too. It’s too chaotic out there. Many fellow brothers have been killed, and even a Venerable is dead.”
“A Venerable is dead? Which one?” Although Dié You saw the Water Spirit Land Venerable die with her own eyes, there were seven Venerables in Seven Wonders Land, so she wondered which Venerable Ah Sun was referring to.
Ah Sun answered, “Our Fire Spirit Land Venerable.”
“Duan Hai?” Yang Kai was surprised, “Did you see it?”
Ah Sun nodded, “With my own eyes.”
Yang Kai clenched his fist and secretly celebrated. With Duan Hai’s death, Yang Kai’s secret was also buried with him. Even if Old Xu failed in his revenge and Seven Wonders Land managed to survive this disaster, no one would trouble him by then. However, if he could find an opportunity to leave here, Yang Kai did not want to stay any longer.
Two Venerables died back-to-back. One could imagine how fierce the fight was up there. Unfortunately, he was not strong enough now, otherwise he would want to watch the battle.
Old Fang and Dié You were not familiar with Ah Sun, but although Yang Kai was not too close with her either, he knew this little girl had a good heart. They got in touch several times when they first came to Seven Wonders Land, and Yang Kai had a good impression of her. It could be considered fate that they were brought together during this difficult time.
The battle continued, but it had not spread to the shopping district yet. As such, the four of them were safe hiding here.
As time passed, more people gathered in the shopping district. They were the Workers from various Spirit Lands, and also the Seven Wonders Land disciples donned in Seven Coloured Robes. Now that the Grand Array of the entire Seven Wonders Land was usurped, everyone probably had the idea that the other places were not safe at all, and only this shopping district which was a separate space added after the arrangement of the Grand Array was the last safe haven.
Yang Kai changed out of his Seven-Coloured Robe into his normal clothes to avoid raising attention.
The great battle persisted for more than ten days without stopping, and more and more people took shelter in the shopping district. Everyone was extremely worried, for they feared being involved in the disaster.
At a certain moment more than ten days later, a bright light suddenly lit up the dark shopping district. Everyone looked up and saw a hole had torn in the cloudy sky and light was now spilling down on them from the tear.
“The Grand Array is broken!” Someone shouted before many figures rushed towards the hole in the sky, disappearing into it.
Yang Kai and the others exchanged a glance and saw the delight on their faces. Without hesitating, the group of four people surged their power and soared into the sky together with the crowd.
The Grand Array covering Seven Wonders Land had finally broken. No one knew whether it was because Old Xu had spent too much power to activate the Grand Array these days, or whether Seven Wonders Land Masters used powerful means to disable it. Regardless, since the barrier was broken, no one could stop them from escaping.
After leaving Seven Wonders Land, Yang Kai did not know which way to go, so he just kept flying forward. Wherever it was, the farther away from Seven Wonders Land, the better.
Dié You, Old Fang, and Ah Sun followed him without saying a word. They had no place to go either, so anywhere was the same to them. After the initial excitement of escaping, Dié You and Old Fang could not help feeling lost. Ever since they jumped out of their own Universe Worlds, they had been taken into Seven Wonders Land, where they had not left even after so many years. They had fortunately escaped from Seven Wonders Land now, but where could they go in the future? Especially when they had not been promoted to the Open Heaven Realm, so their strength was insufficient to survive in this vast world.
The four of them flew for several days straight. Along the way, it was an endless void without any reference points, so they had no idea where they were at the moment.
Suddenly, Yang Kai felt a sense of apprehension in his heart, and when he looked back, he was frightened and his face turned pale as he shouted, “Run!”
Old Fang and the others were puzzled, so they looked back too. At a glance, their faces changed drastically. A streak of light in the rear was rushing towards their side, and by the looks of the brightness and speed at which it travelled, their pursuer was obviously an Open Heaven Realm Master. They were unsure which Order this Open Heaven Realm Master was, but no matter which Order they were, this person was not someone they could compete with now.
They changed directions several times, but the light continued chasing after them persistently. No matter how they changed directions, the light did not deviate, and the distance between them was getting closer and closer instead.
The group was anxious when suddenly, they heard Yang Kai scream and saw him suddenly stop.
Dié You was taken aback and shouted, “What’s wrong? Quickly run!”
Yang Kai smiled wryly, “I can’t run!”
Earlier, he had no clue who was chasing behind them, but he knew now. It was Old Xu. Yang Kai had the Soaring Black Centipede in his body, and his Dao Seal was clenched by the centipede seal just now. It was obviously Old Xu’s warning to him. If he continued to run, he would lose his life.
Yang Kai could not figure out how Old Xu found him after running so far, but he guessed that it was most probably due to the Soaring Black Centipede. Since it was a kind of Exotic Ancient Insect raised by Old Xu, there should be some kind of connection between the two. As such, it was not surprising that he could track him with it.
[Why is Old Xu here? Shouldn’t he be fighting with those Venerables and the Heavenly Monarch back in Seven Wonders Land? Since he came here at this time, does it mean he lost?]
Yang Kai was resentful, but he could only stand in place and wait, looking at Old Fang and the others as he declared, “You guys go.”
It was a blessing, not a curse, and if it was a curse, it could not be avoided.
Old Fang hurriedly replied, “Take care!”
When the words fell, he continued to speed forward, but Dié You did not move. Yang Kai turned to look at her only to see her smile, “If he really wants to harm us, we won’t be able to escape. Since that’s the case, we might as well take a chance and fight alongside you.”
Her speech was not convincing at all as there was always a glimmer of hope if she ran away; otherwise, she could only hand over her life to Old Xu.
Unsure whether Ah Sun was too kind or foolish, she continued, “I’ll stay with you…”
Yang Kai was speechless.
On the other hand, Old Fang, who had not run far, turned around and flew back, standing beside Yang Kai as he snorted and retorted angrily, “I’m dead now because of all of you.”
Yang Kai could not help but laugh.
During their conversation, Old Xu had already flown to them. Yang Kai sighed and cupped his fists, but when he was about to greet him, he saw Old Xu raise his hand. The Six Fated Paths Bag was summoned, enveloping them from above, and in the next moment, their vision turned dark and they were stuffed into the bag.
Old Fang exclaimed, “What happened?” He was taken in before he could see clearly what the enemy looked like, and he was totally clueless about the mystery of Six Fated Paths Bag.
Ah Sun complained, “It’s so crowded here. What is this place?”
Dié You panicked, “Who… Who touched me… Whose hand is this…”
Yang Kai coughed lightly, “Sorry, it wasn’t on purpose. Don’t move around, everyone. This place is like this. Just bear with it.”
The bag immediately became quiet as no one dared to move.
Suddenly, there was a loud squeaking noise, followed by a foul stench.
Ah Sun retched, “Who… Who farted!?”
Old Fang quickly clarified, “It wasn’t this Old Master!”
Dié You also clarified, “Well it wasn’t me…”
“Little Brother Yang, you…”
Yang Kai was immediately enraged and lashed out, “It wasn’t me, it was this stupid chicken!” Yang Kai would have crushed Great General if it were not for the small space. The stench lasted for a long time in this enclosed space, forcing everyone to hold their breath.
After an unknown period of time, a slit of light suddenly appeared above them and following a flash, Yang Kai instantly emerged in an empty cave.
There was a chaotic aura of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements coming from nearby, and when he looked over, he saw Old Xu sitting in a corner, clearly not in good condition.
As for Old Xu, he was simply staring back at Yang Kai indifferently.
Yang Kai hurriedly cupped his hand, “Old Xu!”
By the looks of it, Old Xu did not look like he was hurt, but it was impossible not to be wounded after so many days of fighting. Moreover, Yang Kai believed that his revenge plan probably had failed, otherwise, he would not be here. If it succeeded, he should have taken over Seven Wonders Land.
Yang Kai wondered how Old Xu was feeling now as his revenge plan failed after putting so much effort into it. He was probably upset, so Yang Kai had to be careful with his words.
Old Xu stared at him steadily, various complicated feelings flashing through his eyes before he finally started, “Little brat, you spoiled my good deed!”
Yang Kai looked confused, “Old Xu, why did you say so? I’ve never leaked any information about you to Seven Wonders Land.”
Old Xu sighed, “Although you didn’t leak anything, the Soaring Black Centipede has been exposed. Duan Hai could have followed that clue to track down this King within a few days, so this King was forced to act earlier!”
“This…” Yang Kai had nothing to say, “This Junior didn’t know things would turn out like this.”
It could be said that it was a coincidence. Duan Hai and Yu Lian arranged an array and tried to seize his Wood Element. As a result, the Soaring Black Centipede’s seal was triggered. Old Xu sensed it, and he had no choice but to act earlier. By the looks of Old Xu’s current state and according to his words, the result of his early action was a failure…
“If I had just three more months to prepare, things would not have ended like this.” Old Xu snorted coldly.
Yang Kai gulped and looked ahead warily, “What does Old Xu want to do now? Kill me?”
“If killing you could change the result, why would this King have let you live until now? In the end, this Old Master’s thousands of years of plotting have all ended in failure, falling short at the last moment!”
Hearing this, Yang Kai was relieved that his life was not in danger; however, falling into the Old Xu’s hands now was just like jumping out of the wok into the fire and he began wondering how he would be tortured in the future.
Yang Kai felt dreadfully aggrieved. If he knew it would be like this, he would have stayed back in Seven Wonders Land. Although his future prospect would be unpromising, he was still an Orchard Manager with a large number of people under him. Now that Seven Wonders Land suffered a great tragedy, it would definitely be short of manpower, so if he had stayed, he might have had better opportunities.
Old Xu snorted coldly again, “Although this King’s plan failed, those dogs did not get off any better. More than half of the Venerables died and Seven Wonders Land suffered serious losses. They won’t be able to recover without hundreds of years of effort.”
“Then it’s not for nothing.” Yang Kai congratulated insincerely, and comforted, “This time, Seven Wonders Land’s strength has been greatly damaged. Old Xu just needs to spend some time recovering before launching another assault. At that time, Old Xu will be able to stage a comeback and obtain his revenge.”
“Heh heh… Stage a comeback…” Old Xu laughed for no reason, “This King is afraid he won’t have such an opportunity.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “What does Old Xu mean?”
“This King is dying!”
Yang Kai was taken aback, “How?”
Even though Yang Kai knew that he must have been injured, he could not see any injuries on Old Xu’s body, certainly not one that would be fatal.
Old Xu did not explain anything more to him, but tossed something to him.
Yang Kai caught it and saw that it was a jade ring.
“What is this?” He wondered.
“It’s Seven Wonders Land’s main array token!” Old Xu answered faintly, “With this token, you will have the opportunity to control the Grand Array of Seven Wonders Land!”
Yang Kai’s heart jumped. Although he had not refined it yet, he could sense a mysterious fluctuation from the jade ring in his hand. Old Xu was not lying. This may truly be the main array token of Seven Wonders Land. It was probably the reason that Old Xu was able to usurp the Seven Wonders Land Grand Array in the first place.
“It’s yours now. Whether you dump it or keep it, it’s up to you.”
[How could it be so simple…] Yang Kai was in doubt. From his past experience dealing with Old Xu, he learnt that this guy was not a good man and wondered, [Are all people so kind when they are about to die?]
Old Xu explained, “This King has no strength left to take revenge, but if you can grow stronger in the future, you will stand a chance to seize Seven Wonders Land with this jade ring. You may rest assured that if Seven Wonders Land wants to change their Grand Defence Array, it cannot be done in a short time. This jade ring will still be useful within a thousand years, but this King can’t guarantee anything after that.”
Hearing his explanation, Yang Kai was relieved of his doubts. Old Xu just wanted him to avenge him. With this main array token in hand, when Yang Kai was strong enough, he certainly would covet Seven Wonders Land as it was a big piece of prosperous land.
Because of this, Old Xu did not vent his anger on him, otherwise, he would have been killed. Killing Yang Kai now could only ease his anger for a moment, but if Old Xu let him live, he might still have a chance for revenge.
As soon as he thought about this, Yang Kai quickly put away the jade ring and cupped his fists solemnly, “Rest assured, Old Xu. I will break through to the Open Heaven Realm within a thousand years and when that time comes, I will return to Seven Wonders Land.” No matter what, he had to act like what Old Xu wanted in front of him. As for whether he would help Old Xu to take revenge in the future, it depended on his mood and the benefits at that time. Although Yang Kai did not have a favourable impression of Seven Wonders Land, he did not want to waste too much time there either; after all, his hatred was not enough to launch a massacre.
Old Xu was noncommittal, probably aware of Yang Kai’s thoughts, but he did not have much time left now, and there was nothing he could do about Yang Kai so he just nodded lightly and closed his eyes.
As his eyes closed, the aura of his body rapidly weakened, and his vitality dissipated in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the chaotic Yin, Yang, and Five Elements aura coming from him became even more unstable.
Yang Kai asked anxiously, “Old Xu, can you take back the Soaring Black Centipede?”
Old Xu did not respond.
A moment later, an eruption of World Force occurred. It seemed Old Xu’s Small Universe completely collapsed and with that, the cave they were in exploded. Yang Kai found himself floating in the void and not far away he saw Old Xu, sitting cross-legged, but without any vitality.
Yang Kai stretched out his hand to check his breathing and confirmed that Old Xu had indeed passed away.
Yang Kai immediately felt distressed. Given that the Soaring Black Centipede on his Dao Seal was raised by Old Xu, he wondered if Old Xu’s death would have any impact on it.
Only after standing in place for a long time and not seeing any response from the seal did Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief.
However, Yang Kai felt insecure to have such a thing on his Dao Seal. Previously, Old Xu was still there to constrain it, but now that Old Xu was gone, Yang Kai probably would not know how he died if the Soaring Black Centipede suddenly went berserk and crushed his Dao Seal one day.
Yang Kai even suspected that Old Xu might have given some instructions to the Soaring Black Centipede before he died. He was worried that if he did not avenge him in Seven Wonders Land in the future, something would be triggered in the Soaring Black Centipede.
This was very likely to have happened, otherwise, what would Old Xu keep his life for?
However, now that Old Xu was dead, worrying was pointless. He could only try to break through to the Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible and get rid of it himself. Yang Kai reached out his hand next and took Old Xu’s Space Ring. After sorting through the ring, he did not find the Six Fated Paths Bag so he searched Old Xu’s body again, finding the bag in the latter’s sleeve.
Fortunately, Yang Kai had slightly refined the Six Fated Paths Bag before, so although he could not use it against his enemies, he had no problem opening and closing it at least.
Forming a hand seal, Yang Kai opened the Six Fated Paths Bag and Old Fang, Dié You, and Ah Sun appeared together with Great General.
As soon as Old Fang emerged, he cupped his fists, “Greetings, Senior!”
Yang Kai informed, “He’s dead!”
“Dead… Dead?” Old Fang looked up in surprise and examined Old Xu carefully, and found that he had really lost all vitality, so he could not help wondering, “How did he die?”
Yang Kai answered, “Probably because his injuries were too severe.”
Dié You asked, “Is he the one who attacked Seven Wonders Land earlier?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En, that’s him.”
Old Fang let out a long breath, “It’s good that he’s dead!” It would be stressful to have such a Master watching them. If he got into a bad mood and decided to vent on them, they would not be able to survive.
They did not expect to encounter such an incident during their escape. Fortunately, Old Xu succumbed to his injuries before he could harm them. Yang Kai kept Old Xu’s body in his Small Sealed World and secretly ordered Mu Zhu and Mu Lu to bury him properly. He did not know whether Old Xu had left a card up his sleeve, so Yang Kai decided to keep his body just in case.
“Let’s go.” After handling this matter, Yang Kai beckoned to the others.
Naturally, everyone had no opinion, but Great General just stood still. Previously, Great General blocked Du Ru Feng’s furious blow for Yang Kai and was seriously injured. He had been healing his wound and only woke up a short time ago. However, he did not follow Yang Kai and instead kept crowing at him.
Yang Kai was puzzled, so he looked around.
Seeing Yang Kai halt, Great General flew behind him and pushed him towards a certain direction with his fat body.
Old Fang remarked curiously, “Little Brother, it seems like he wants you to go somewhere!”
Yang Kai noticed it too and reached out to grab Great General before asking, “Where are you taking me?”
The Great General crowed twice and turned to look in a certain direction.
Yang Kai looked towards that direction, but he saw nothing.
Pondering for a moment, he continued, “Great General might have found something, so I’ll go with him and check it out. What do you all want to do?”
Dié You and the others exchanged looks before Old Fang answered, “We don’t know where to go anyway, so let’s go together. We can at least look after each other that way.”
“Let’s go together,” Dié You also nodded.
Ah Sun had no objections either.
Therefore, Yang Kai put Great General on top of his head and asked him to lead the way before the four of them continued to fly through the vast Outer Universe.
During the long journey, Yang Kai quietly counted the harvest of these past few days.
Although his life was in danger ever since he was summoned by Du Ru Feng, he also had a huge windfall! He obtained Du Ru Feng’s Space Ring, then the Space Ring of the Water Spirit Land Venerable Protector, and finally Old Xu’s Space Ring.
Without mentioning anything else, the Six Fated Paths Bag itself was an amazing artifact! Up to now, Yang Kai has never seen an artifact that could store living creatures other than his Small Sealed World and the World Beads that he refined personally. The Six Fated Paths Bag was the first one!
Entering the Outer Universe, if Yang Kai could not enhance his strength, he could only rely on external sources of power like artifacts for the time being. Although the artifacts he obtained in the Star Boundary were not bad, they weren’t sufficient when considering the Outer Universe. Whether it was the Mountains and Rivers Bell or the Soul Splitting Saber, even though they could be used to deal with other Emperor Realm cultivators without a problem, they would be useless against Open Heaven Realm Masters.
With the Six Fated Paths Bag he obtained, however, Yang Kai could make up for his shortcomings slightly. As such, he had to finish refining it as soon as possible so he could make use of its other miraculous effects if he encountered a strong enemy later.
Examining the Space Rings one by one, Yang Kai realized that he had truly gained a lot. There were as many as 300,000 Open Heaven Pills alone. About 10,000 were from Du Ru Feng’s Space Ring while the rest were from the Space Ring of the Water Spirit Land Venerable Protector.
Yang Kai was ecstatic! A month ago, he had to work hard to collect worms to feed Great General in order to earn a few thousand pills each month. But now he gained more than 300,000 Open Heaven Pills at once. His hands suddenly felt heavy.
However, after some pondering, he realized this was nothing much. A Third-Order material alone cost at least 15,000 Open Heaven Pills, so these 300,000 or so pills were only enough to buy a couple Fourth-Order materials, while they weren’t sufficient for a single Fifth-Order material.
In addition to the pills, however, Yang Kai had retrieved the Fourth-Order Scarlet Clouds Golden Flame that was collected by Du Ru Feng previously. This material was valuable and as long as he could find a suitable channel, he could exchange it for more than 100,000 Open Heaven Realm pills easily.
Nevertheless, what pleasantly surprised Yang Kai the most was the Shadowless Veil that was found in Du Ru Feng’s Space Ring.
Yang Kai had experienced the fantastic ability of this artifact which could turn one invisible and undetectable even to nearby eyes. Moreover, Du Ru Feng also mentioned that the Shadowless Veil was given to him by Duan Hai, and that any Third-Order and below Open Heaven Realm Masters would have no way to see through its concealment. Even if it was a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, one could miss it if they were not careful.
Compared to the Six Fated Paths Bag, this Shadowless Veil was a more suitable artifact for him at the moment.
Due to his low strength, Yang Kai had no way to resist strong enemies, so perhaps the Shadowless Veil could save his life in times of crisis.
In comparison, Old Xu’s Space Ring was actually quite empty. Other than a strange wooden sword, there were only a few personal miscellaneous items. It was not surprising though once Yang Kai thought about it. Old Xu had been focusing on taking revenge all these years, and probably did not have extra time and effort to do other things.
However, there was one thing Yang Kai was curious about. According to his own understanding, Seven Wonders Land should have belonged to Old Xu before, but it was seized from him later for some reason. He wondered what reason caused Old Xu to fail to protect his own territory.
No one could answer him, unfortunately. Old Xu was dead, so who else could he ask?
After sorting out the things in the three Space Rings, Yang Kai took out the Shadowless Veil, held it in his palm, and refined it silently. Because it belonged to Du Ru Feng, there was Du Ru Feng’s Soul Imprint on it, but since Du Ru Feng was dead now, the mark could be erased at will.
The journey was silent. After experiencing such a drastic change, the few of them lost interest in talking after narrowly escaping death. They all followed Great General silently, and let him guide them.
As time passed, they no longer knew how long they had flown. Yang Kai estimated that it was at least two to three months, yet Great General was still not stopping.
There was no great danger along the way. Occasionally, there would be some natural disasters like turbulence, but they managed to avoid such things in advance.
Finally, one day, a small black spot suddenly appeared at the end of their vision. At this moment, Yang Kai felt an obvious change in Great General’s mood. He became much more excited and his speed increased sharply.
It was too far away to see clearly what the black spot was, and it was not until a long time later that Yang Kai found it to be a huge Universe Fragment. He did not know which Universe World had shattered to leave this fragment, but despite its large size, it was completely desolate.
Great General led the group straight to the Universe Fragment.
A day later, the group of four landed on the Universe Fragment. At first sight, it was an endless desolate land without a single living soul there.
Great General flapped his wings and continued to lead the way, causing Old Fang to look around curiously and asked, “What did Great General lead us here for?”
“No idea.” Yang Kai shook his head, “Let’s just follow him and see.”
Just the fact that Great General risked his life to take a blow from Du Ru Feng for him, Yang Kai would not sit idly by if Great General needed help.
Great General seemed to be familiar with this place as he went in a specific direction after arriving here and came to a barren mountain. In the middle of the mountain was a deep, dark cave that led to unknown depths. Wind whistled eerily at the entrance of the cave. Yang Kai scanned it with his Divine Sense, but he could not find the end of the cave, so it was certainly very deep.
Great General finally stopped when they arrived here and turned his head to Yang Kai and crowed.
Yang Kai nodded and looked back at Old Fang and the others, “I’ll go down with Great General and have a look. You all stay here and wait for me for a bit.” Although he believed that Great General would not harm him, it was better to be careful in this unknown place. If he went in alone, he would stand a chance to escape in case of danger, but it would be inconvenient to do so with Old Fang, Dié You, and Ah Sun.
Dié You hastily proposed, “We should all go down together.”
Yang Kai shook his head as he rejected, “Just wait for me.”
Saying so, he grabbed Great General and flashed into the cave. Old Fang and Dié You looked at each other helplessly, only able to wait for him outside.
The cave was unusually dry. The terrain was initially flat, but after a short distance, it suddenly turned down steeply, like it was leading to the underground. The more they went forward, the darker it became as no light could be seen. Fortunately, Yang Kai’s cultivation was not low, so the absence of light did not bother him.
After venturing into the cave for four hours, when Yang Kai wondered if they had come to the deepest place in the Universe Fragment, light began to pour into their surroundings.
They arrived at a surprisingly massive yet unremarkable underground cave, but after arriving here, Great General was obviously excited and jumped out of Yang Kai’s arms, flying around and crowing excitedly. The intriguing noises gave Yang Kai a vague sense of grief and longing.
Yang Kai frowned lightly as he did not understand why this place had caused such a great reaction from Great General.
However, before he could figure it out, he suddenly noticed an aura permeating from the depths of the cave.
[There’s something living down here?] Yang Kai did not realize it at all when he arrived. Frightened, he quickly concealed his aura and peered ahead.
He could not see anything, but Yang Kai clearly felt an aura coming to life, like a sleeping creature who was awakened by Great General’s call.
What sent shivers up Yang Kai’s spine was that the aura was overwhelmingly powerful. The sense of danger he felt was far more intense than the one he felt in Old Xu’s presence, which undoubtedly showed that the owner of the aura was stronger than Old Xu.
In the darkness, two points of light suddenly appeared.
Yang Kai’s blood froze, as if someone had used a binding technique on him. He was stiffened in place, staring at the two twinkling lights in terror.
These were no ordinary lights, but rather a pair of eyes, exceptionally huge eyes the size of houses.
Following the opening of these eyes, a layer of golden light slowly expanded in the dark cave. The golden light grew brighter and stronger, and soon filled the entire cave in shining gold radiance.
Yang Kai could not close his mouth for a long time as the shock in his heart was beyond measure.
If he had not seen it with his own eyes, he would not have believed that such a giant golden rooster was before him. The golden rooster looked exactly like the Ruler of the Dawn Great General, but its size was many, many times greater.
The awakening aura, the dazzling golden light, and the eyes as large as a house all belonged to this giant golden rooster.
At this moment, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General had rushed to the strange beast and crowed endlessly. The strange beast’s originally fierce eyes slowly became gentle, showing a hint of kindness. It then lowered its head and nudged Great General tenderly.
Great General crowed even louder as he flew up on top of the head of the strange beast, and combed its feathers with his beak.
Seeing this, Yang Kai understood that the giant golden rooster in front of him was a close relative of the Ruler of the Dawn Great General. He just had no idea whether it was his father or mother, but he guessed that it was most likely to be his mother.
Great General was here to seek his family!
He had long thought that Great General was not an ordinary golden rooster, but rather an exotic beast with an ancient bloodline. At this moment, he realized his guess was correct.
However, if Great General had family, how did he end up being a pet for Duan Hai in Fire Spirit Land? Moreover, by the looks of his mother, it was obvious that her strength was astonishing. Without a doubt, Duan Hai was no match for her, so how did Duan Hai take away Great General?
[Did Duan Hai abduct him?] As Yang Kai thought about it, it seemed to be possible. Otherwise, why would Great General ignore Duan Hai’s life and death earlier? Instead, he followed him to escape from Seven Wonders Land.
Just as he was lost in thought, Yang Kai suddenly heard a voice call out to him, “Junior, you have an aura that I detest!”
Yang Kai was taken aback!
The voice sounded directly in his mind. It was a soft and gentle female voice, but the meaning of the words was quite the opposite. Looking up, he saw the giant golden chicken looking down at him, and he could see his own figure in her house-sized eyes.
Yang Kai gulped and looked around anxiously, but in the end, he fixed his eyes ahead and asked carefully, “Are you talking to me?”
Ruler of the Dawn’s mother narrowed her eyes lightly as a dangerous aura flashed across them, “What do you think?”
Yang Kai’s face twitched visibly as he quickly cupped his fists, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior. May I know how I should address Senior?”
“I am Mie Meng!”
“So it is Senior Mie Meng. I’ve long heard your name!” Yang Kai cupped his fists again. He was unsure whether Mie Meng was her name or her Race as he had never heard of it before; however, the Outer Universe was full of strange things, so it was normal to see something he had never seen before. The only thing Yang Kai knew for sure was that he did not want to mess with the Ruler of the Dawn’s mother.
However, even though she mentioned that he had an aura she detested, Yang Kai was not too worried. Because he brought Ruler of the Dawn back, his mother probably would not do anything to him.
Mie Meng examined Yang Kai quietly, with a hint of scrutiny in her huge eyes while on top of her head, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General crowed for a while. Mie Meng listened to him attentively, and nodded slightly after a long time, “I understand.”
Then she looked down at Yang Kai and spoke, “My child said that it is all thanks to you he could leave that place and return to me.”
Yang Kai replied sonorously, “Great General and I became fast friends at first sight. Such a small favour is nothing worth mentioning.” After a pause, he continued, “Senior, how did Great General end up in Seven Wonders Land?”
Mie Meng answered, “He was captured and taken away. My child was young and insensible, not understanding the dangers of the world outside, leading to him accidentally getting lost when he went out to play.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai nodded lightly. It was just as he thought. Since the Ruler of the Dawn had such a powerful mother, there was no way that he would end up in Seven Wonders Land as Duan Hai’s pet unless he was abducted somehow.
Perhaps, the Ruler of the Dawn Great General did not like Duan Hai either, so when Seven Wonders Land faced disaster, he did not care about the latter’s life or death at all but sought out Yang Kai instead.
At this time, Yang Kai received a communication from Old Fang. They were aware of the aura of Mie Meng from outside, and asked Yang Kai about his safety out of worry.
Yang Kai replied to him and asked them to stay outside, assuring them that he was safe.
Putting away the communication artifact, Yang Kai continued, “Senior, Ruler of the Dawn has returned to his home now, and Senior can finally reunite with your child. This Junior shall go now. I hope that we will meet again next time.”
To be honest, he truly wanted to receive some benefits from Mie Meng, for he had contributed more or less in bringing Ruler of the Dawn back; however, in the face of such a powerful existence, even if he knew that she would not harm him, he was still a little uncomfortable. It was better for him to leave as soon as possible. Although Mie Meng sounded gentle and reasonable, who knew what kind of temperament she really had. If he someone angered or offended her, he would not be able to leave here alive.
“There’s no hurry to leave!” Mie Meng sent a transmission hastily and declared, “I need you to do me a favour!”
Yang Kai was stunned, “May this Junior know what he can do for Senior?”
“Help me to leave this place!”
“Senior is trapped here?” Yang Kai was stunned. He did not notice it, but when he thought about it carefully, Mie Meng really did not move at all ever since his arrival. It seemed that she really was trapped. Still, Yang Kai could only reply hesitantly, “Junior may be strong in will, but he is lacking in strength to assist Senior.”
One must be stronger than Mie Meng to be able to trap her, and Yang Kai doubted that he could help her from the shackles imposed by such a being.
Mie Meng replied, “You can, as long as you are willing to.”
Since she said so, Yang Kai did not think that he could refuse her anymore. He was suddenly a little dispirited, and questioned with a frown, “What does Senior want me to do?”
Mie Meng did not answer, but the golden light on her body suddenly flickered endlessly. As the golden light twinkled, Yang Kai clearly saw many chain-like objects wrapping around Mie Meng’s giant body and sensed a familiar aura.
“A Dragon Clan Secret Technique?” Yang Kai’s brow rose in astonishment.
It had never occurred to him that the reason for Mie Meng to be trapped here was because of a Dragon Clan Secret Technique. Only a Dragon would be able to use Dragon Clan Secret Techniques.
When Yang Kai thought about this, he asked excitedly, “Has Senior met someone from the Dragon Clan?”
Mie Meng snorted coldly, “If not, how would this Queen be trapped in here?”
Although it was a little funny to hear a golden chicken claiming to be ‘this Queen’, Yang Kai was not in the mood to care about it at the moment and asked, “When and where did Senior meet that Dragon?” He queried eagerly.
He also possessed a Dragon Vein, so if he could find another Dragon in this Outer Universe, it would mean that he had found a backer, and would not have to travel around like a headless fly like now. Maybe he could use the power of the Dragon Clan to find the World Tree, making life a lot more convenient for him.
“I encountered him by chance in this vast Starry Sky and ended up in a conflict. I don’t know where that stupid Dragon is now, but none of you Dragon Clan are anything good!” Mie Meng snorted coldly.
Cold sweat beaded over Yang Kai’s face as he was scolded by Mie Meng for no reason. But in this way, he understood what Mie Meng wanted him to do. The Dragon Clan Secret Technique could only be executed or lifted by a Dragon. If Mie Meng wanted to get out of trouble here, he might really be able to help her.
However, there was only one thing that made Yang Kai curious.
“How does Senior know I’m a Dragon?” Yang Kai was pretty sure that he did not reveal any flaws about himself.
Mie Meng replied in a cold voice, “Your Dragon Clan aura is not detectable by ordinary people, but how can this Queen not be aware of it? This is also the reason why my child brought you here.”
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai. This explained why the Ruler of the Dawn Great General favoured him so much. He treated him differently compared to the others when they were in Fire Spirit Land, and even blocked Du Ru Feng’s blow for him later. Great General even went through all the trouble to bring him here. It turned out that he was aware of the Dragon Vein in Yang Kai’s body, and knew that he could help his mother.
Mie Meng stated again, “But you don’t seem to be a Pureblood Dragon. Whether you can help me or not will depend on the purity of your bloodline.”
Yang Kai frowned, “What does this Junior need to do?”
“I need your Dragon Blood!”
Yang Kai asked, “And what can this Junior receive in return?”
“What do you want?” A hint of ridicule flashed across Mie Meng’s eyes.
“It depends on what Senior can offer,” Although he got along with the Great General well, he was not close to Mie Meng. He probably would have to pay a great cost to help her this time, so he needed to secure some benefits in return.
Mie Meng looked at him solemnly for a while before she suddenly extended her beak out towards him.
Yang Kai was shocked and instinctively attempted to dodge. Unexpectedly, her movements were so quick that he did not even have the time to react before it was all over. At the same time, Yang Kai sensed something had left his body, as if he had gotten rid of a layer of shackles.
There was a strange noise and Yang Kai turned to look up. A struggling, pitch-black centipede with a hundred limbs was clamped firmly between Mie Meng’s beaks, emitting strange shrieks.
“Soaring Black Centipede!” Yang Kai widened his eyes and quickly examined himself, confirming that the centipede seal that originally existed on his Dao Seal had disappeared. He looked at the centipede in Mie Meng’s beak again and knew that she had removed Old Xu’s technique.
Overjoyed, Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Although Old Xu was dead, it was still disturbing to have such a thing curled up around his Dao Seal. Yang Kai had planned to get rid of it when he broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, but who knew that the Soaring Black Centipede would be easily removed through an unexpected encounter?
Mie Meng’s effortless move had made Yang Kai deeply aware of her strength. He could not help imagining how powerful the Dragon who trapped Mie Meng with this Dragon Clan Secret Technique was!
Mie Meng lifted her neck, and swallowed the Soaring Black Centipede with a single gulp before asking lightly, “Is this enough?”
“Enough, more than enough!” Yang Kai could not stop nodding. Mie Meng’s move was a great help to him, and he should repay her kindness. Therefore, without hesitation, he asked, “Please tell me what you want me to do.”
“I only need your Dragon Blood. The more, the better. I will deal with the rest. But before that, I have to see if your Dragon Blood is pure enough. If it is not pure enough, it won’t help even if I drain all your blood.”
Without delay, Yang Kai gently cut his fingertip and squeezed out a drop of blood. He then enclosed the droplet with his power and pushed it to Mie Meng.
Mie Meng gulped the blood and her eyes which were originally slightly narrowed suddenly widened. She looked at Yang Kai in shock for a moment before a hint of amazement flashed across her eyes.
“Does this Junior’s blood meet the requirements?” Yang Kai questioned.
“We can try!” Mie Meng nodded.
“So… what next?” Yang Kai looked at her.
Mie Meng instructed, “Apply your Dragon Blood on my chains, then leave the rest to me.” Saying so, the chains on her body reappeared.
Yang Kai examined the situation for a moment before he secretly rolled his eyes. Mie Meng’s body was massive, and there were several rounds of chains binding her. It would take a lot of blood if he wanted to coat all the chains.
However, since Yang Kai has received her favour, he would not back out now. He immediately took a deep breath and bellowed, “Dragon Transformation!”
Following a series of crackles, Yang Kai’s body quickly grew into a 2,000 metres tall Half-Dragon, making him no smaller than Mie Meng. Vigorous Dragon Aura radiated from his body from the tip of his horns to the end of his tail.
The hint of amazement in Mie Meng’s eyes intensified!
Yang Kai strode over to Mie Meng and cut open his palm roughly with his claw. Blood spurted as he grabbed a chain and smeared it with his Golden Dragon Blood.
As if being stimulated by the Dragon Blood, a faint Dragon Roar echoed from within the chain, its light flickering unsteadily.
Yang Kai ignored it, grasped another chain and repeated the process.
It was good to have powerful restorative abilities, but right now they made things a little awkward. The wound on his palm soon showed signs of healing, so Yang Kai had no choice but to cut himself over and over again while continuously draining his Dragon Blood.
More and more chains were soon covered with his Golden Blood, causing them to flicker even more intensely.
Excitement was revealed in Mie Meng’s eyes. She initially just wanted to give it a try, but it turned out that she might really stand a chance to escape the bindings which held her here all these years. How could she not be excited?
After half a stick worth of incense, the chains on Mie Meng were all covered with Yang Kai’s Dragon Blood. Even if Yang Kai had high vitality, it would take him a while to recover after such expenditure.
“It’s enough!” Mie Meng suddenly opened her mouth and shouted.
Yang Kai was relieved as he could no longer maintain the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique. His body rapidly shrunk, and soon turned back to his original appearance.
“Take my child out of here first,” Mie Meng turned to Yang Kai and ordered.
The Ruler of the Dawn Great General flapped his wings and flew towards Yang Kai, who caught him and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear before soaring upwards without delay.
The spear smashed everything wherever it passed, forcibly opening a path to the surface.
Yang Kai broke out of the ground in a rumble a short while later. Not far away, Old Fang and the others heard the noise and turned to look, but before they could ask for an answer, Yang Kai bellowed, “Run!”
Old Fang and the others were stunned but did not dare to question him as they immediately followed him into the sky.
After flying a long distance away, Yang Kai finally stopped and looked back at the still-silent Universe Fragment.
“What happened?” Dié You questioned.
“Great General’s mother is here. She is currently trying to break free of a binding technique which had her trapped,” Yang Kai said briefly, not having time for a detailed explanation.
“Great General’s mother?” Old Fang was bewildered as he stared at the silly chicken that was held in Yang Kai’s arms.
As soon as his voice fell, however, a loud noise came up from the distance. When he turned to look, his face paled.
The enormous Universe Fragment was trembling endlessly at the moment and a violent energy burst out from inside. Even standing so far away, they could clearly feel the overwhelming aura which made them feel as small as ants.
Old Fang was terrified, “Did Great General’s Mother do this?” Judging from Great General’s appearance, Old Fang had not thought highly of his mother; however, by the looks of it now, he realized Great General’s mother was extraordinarily powerful!
Before Yang Kai had time to respond, a loud boom resounded, and a violent power erupted. The Universe Fragment exploded into debris that scattered in all directions.
Among the scattered fragments, a dazzling golden light appeared.
When all the dust settled, a giant golden chicken was revealed in front of everyone’s eyes. She lifted her head and chest, looking around majestically, glowing as radiantly as a rising sun, her terrifying aura causing the world around them to tremble.
*Gudong…* Old Fang gulped hard as his teeth chattered, “Great General… Is she your mother?”
Great General ignored him.
In the distance, as soon as Mie Meng broke free, she spread her wings and looked up at her audience. Her sharp crow was ear-piercing and the invisible sound wave swept out endlessly, turned into a rampaging force that forced them all backwards.
Only after a long celebration did Mie Meng withdraw her wings and stop crowing. She then began striding towards them step by step.
Old Fang’s face turned pale, he whispered to Yang Kai, “How should I address her?”
“She calls herself Mie Meng!” Yang Kai replied.
Enlightened, Old Fang immediately cupped his fist before she reached them, and shouted, “Junior Fang Bi Qi greets Senior Mie Meng!”
Dié You and Ah Sun quickly followed after him and saluted.
Mie Meng swept her eyes across the crowd before stopping on Yang Kai. She nodded slightly as she sent him a Divine Sense transmission, “Many thanks little one.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “Senior is too polite. You’ve also helped this Junior greatly, so it was mutually beneficial.”
Mie Meng continued, “You’d better not let others know about your Dragon Vein!”
Yang Kai asked bafflingly, “Why?”
Mie Meng sneered, “Your Dragon Clan has many enemies in this vast world. What do you think will happen to you if you let those enemies know that you are a Dragon?”
Yang Kai was enlightened, and thanked solemnly, “Many thanks for your reminder, Senior, this Junior will remember your advice.” It seemed like he could not simply use his Dragon Transformation Secret Technique in the future, at least not before he got stronger, otherwise, he may bring himself some trouble.
Yang Kai learnt of the arrogance of the Dragon Clan back when he was still in the Star Boundary and guessed that the reputation of the Dragon Clan in the Outer Universe was not much better.
Mie Meng solemnly added, “However, your Dragon Clan is one with great unity. Although the Dragons are mysterious with their whereabouts, the others will certainly avenge you if you encounter disaster. Therefore, if you encounter any unavoidable danger, you might as well reveal your Dragon Vein as it may make others think twice before hurting you.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists, “This Junior has been enlightened!”
After a pause, he proceeded, “Does Senior know where I should look if I want to find other Dragons?”
Mie Meng snorted coldly, “Didn’t I just mention that every Dragon of the Dragon Clan is mysterious with their whereabouts? Most never lay eyes on one. However, it was said that the Dragon Clan lives in the Dragon Altar, which serves as both their homeland and origin. However, no one is sure where the Dragon Altar is as only members of the Dragon Clan can find it. Try to improve your Dragon Vein, and maybe one day you will be able to sense the location of the Dragon Altar.”
“Improve my Dragon Vein…” Yang Kai was slightly baffled. If he wanted to improve his Dragon Vein, he had to continue to assimilate the Golden Divine Dragon Source into his body. Although Yang Kai now possessed a 2,000-metre-tall Half-Dragon Form, he could feel that the Dragon Source in his body had not been fully integrated yet, and he still had a lot of room for growth. However, the growth of a Dragon was time-consuming and he could not afford to wait.
Great General jumped out of Yang Kai’s arms, flapped his wings, and flew up and down unsteadily towards Mie Meng. Mie Meng lowered her head, grabbed him with her beak, turned her head and place him on her back.
Great General crowed for a while, and Mie Meng listened to him attentively. Then, she looked at Yang Kai again, and sent him a message, “Little boy, take care of yourself. Here are three golden tail feathers sealed with three Divine Abilities of this Queen. If you run into danger, you can activate them to resist your enemy. Farewell!”
As she finished, a gust of wind so strong that everyone had to close their eyes blew and by the time they recovered, Mie Meng had already disappeared, leaving only a faint trail of golden light in the distance.
To Yang Kai’s surprise, three thirty-meter-long golden feathers were floating in front of him, as if they were made of pure gold without any impurities.
Yang Kai was stunned as he did not expect Mie Meng would leave such benefits to him. It was probably the result of the last request from Great General, because Great General did seem to be communicating with her before their departure.
Yang Kai reached out towards the feathers before they rapidly shrank down to palm length. He then stuffed them into his Space Ring. Looking in the direction of Mie Meng’s departure, he raised his hand and waved goodbye. After today, he probably would never see them again.
Old Fang stared at Yang Kai’s Space Ring fixedly. Although he was clueless about the use of the three golden feathers left by Mie Meng, he naturally saw that they were not ordinary. Following a gulp, he asked, “What did Senior Mie Meng tell you just now?”
Previously, Mie Meng and Yang Kai communicated through Divine Sense transmissions, so Old Fang and the others could not hear them at all.
“She didn’t say too much, just thanked me for helping her.” Yang Kai simply responded, looked at the crowd, and continued with a smile, “Where should we go now?”
All four of them were all relatively new to this Outer Universe, as although Old Fang and Dié You had left their Universe Worlds many years ago, they had been trapped inside Seven Wonders Land most of that time. Their understanding of this Outer Universe was no better than that of Yang Kai and Ah Sun.
Before, they still at least had a goal by following the guidance of Great General; however, with the departure of Great General, they truly were like headless flies with nowhere to go.
Ah Sun proposed shyly, “Do you want to go to a place with me?”
Yang Kai turned to look at her, “Where are you going?”
“Great Moon Province!” Ah Sun looked guilty.
“Where is that?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
Old Fang looked at Ah Sun thoughtfully, and explained slowly, “There are countless great forces in the Outer Universe. If these great forces are divided into three grades, the top are naturally the Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises, where there are the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Below these Cave Heavens and Paradises, there are Second Class forces which are led by Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters like Seven Wonders Land. Further below, there are various Spirit Provinces, which have neither High-Rank nor Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm cultivators. In these places, there are only Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Great Moon Province must be one of them, “
Ah Sun nodded, then shook her head, “I’m not sure, but it should be.”
Old Fang chuckled, “It seems that Sister Ah Sun also has a good background. Otherwise, how could you know such a place as Great Moon Province?”
Ah Sun could not help sticking out her tongue, “I have a Senior from Great Moon Province. I just want to find him.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Ah Sun, didn’t you say that the Universe World you came from had collapsed and perished, and that you were its last survivor?” He remembered clearly what Ah Sun said when he first met her.
Ah Sun explained, “Yes, that world has indeed collapsed and perished, and I am the only one left. But hundreds of years ago, a Senior from our world returned once.”
This sounded familiar… It seemed like Fang Tai had said the same before.
“That Senior left me a Faith Token so that I could find him with it one day when I entered the Outer Universe!”
This sounded even more familiar… Yang Kai was speechless for a while.
Fang Tai showed his Faith Token to Duan Hai at that time, but unlike him, Ah Sun kept it a secret. Judging from the current results, Ah Sun undoubtedly made the right choice. Although Fang Tai was sentenced to death because of assisting Zhou Zheng and Xiang Yong in stealing the Spirit Fruit, Yang Kai believed that his background might be the main cause of his death.
Thinking about it, if the senior expert from Black River World found out that his descendant, Fang Tai, was baited to be a Worker in Seven Wonders Land in the future, he would never let such a matter slide. As such, Duan Hai ordered him to hunt down Fang Tai to avoid future trouble.
If Ah Sun had followed in Fang Tai’s footsteps at that time, perhaps she might have ended up the same.
While talking, Ah Sun took out a small fox. The fox seemed to be made from an unknown Spirit Jade the size of a palm. It was white and crystal clear, looking vivid, just like a living creature.
“Can we find Great Moon Province with this?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
Ah Sun stated, “I think my Senior left the path guide in this Faith Token.”
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai. He immediately remembered the jade ring Faith Token left by Fang Tai. They probably had similar functions that would guide their possessor. Relying on the guidance of these Faith Tokens, one could find a specific location. Yang Kai had stored the jade ring in the Small Sealed World, but now it seemed that he needed to get rid of it as soon as possible, otherwise it could be a problem.
However, it was not enough to just get rid of the Faith Token, for he still had a mark on his body. If the mark was not removed, once he met that senior expert from Black River World, the latter would surely know that he had killed Fang Tai.
“Since you have a place to go, why didn’t you mention it before and just followed us all this time?” Dié You looked at Ah Sun as she questioned.
Ah Sun stuck out her tongue again, “I didn’t dare to run around in the Outer Universe alone, and I didn’t know what kind of people you were before…”
“So do you know now?” Dié You giggled.
Ah Sun hugged Dié You’s arm and grinned, “At least you all are not bad people.”
Dié You glanced at Yang Kai helplessly, and Yang Kai remarked, “It’s always better to be careful in the outside world. What do you all think?”
Old Fang shrugged, “I have no opinion. I can go anywhere.”
Dié You replied, “You can decide.”
They let Yang Kai make the call.
Seeing the situation, Ah Sun immediately came to Yang Kai, and shook his arm vigorously, “Senior Brother Yang, please come with me. Ah Sun really doesn’t dare to run around alone, and after you get there, you can stay there if you find it suitable for you. My Senior seems to have some power in Great Moon Province, so it shouldn’t be a problem to take in a few people.”
“Don’t simply guarantee things for others!” Yang Kai chuckled and continued after pondering for a while, “Alright, alright, stop shaking my arm. Since we have no place to go anyway, we’ll come with you.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother Yang!” Ah Sun was overjoyed.
“You only thank him?” Old Fang asked faintly.
Ah Sun grinned, “Thank you, Senior Brother Fang, Senior Sister Dié You!”
Old Fang nodded, “Good girl!”
Yang Kai pressed on, “But we can only decide whether to stay after seeing the situation there.”
Ah Sun nodded repeatedly, “Ah Sun understands, but don’t worry, if Senior Brothers and Sister really want to stay, you won’t be treated like Workers.”
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai raised his hand and tapped his knuckles on her head.
Ah Sun did not mind it. She held the fox-shaped white jade in her palm, her face suddenly turning solemn as she started muttering something. They had no idea what she was chanting, but a power surged around her, which was then poured into the fox.
A white figure abruptly shot out of Ah Sun’s palm and turned into a six-meter-long Three-Tailed Fox. The fox turned its head and looked at the people with intelligent eyes, and after nodding, it started running swiftly.
Needless to say, the fox was guiding them towards Great Moon Province.
“Keep up with it!” Yang Kai gave a low cry and the four of them immediately followed after the fox.
Fortunately, the fox was galloping in the same direction as they were travelling before. In other words, they did not waste time travelling here with Great General to save his mother and now just needed to continue to follow this path.
It seemed there was a long way to go as the four of them followed the fox, speeding along through the void.
None of them knew where Great Moon Province was, so they could only follow the guide. One month had passed, and the fox-shaped guide was still leading the way for them ahead, and it wasn’t certain when they would reach their destination.
Initially, they were still calm and collected, but as time passed, they began becoming fidgety, especially Ah Sun. She even doubted whether the guide given to her by her Senior was useful at all. Otherwise, why hadn’t they arrived at their destination even now?
One day, a Territory Gate that was hanging in the void suddenly appeared in front of them. The fox guide shot forward and stopped right in front of the gate, then it turned its head to look at them.
“It seems that we have to go through the Territory Gate.” Yang Kai muttered out loud. He was familiar with Territory Gates as he had moved past several of them when he and Duan Hai were heading to Seven Wonders Land. However, one had to be powerful enough to pass through a Territory Gate; otherwise, the person would fall into danger. Yang Kai wondered whether they would be able to do it. It would be terrible if they came out of the other side of the gate dead.
Apparently, Old Fang and the others shared the same concern as well, so they stopped in their tracks and stared forward with a frown.
Just then, the fox guide suddenly swirled around and turned into a mass of white light before engulfing everyone in it.
They traded glances and put on smiles, thinking that the Senior Ah Sun had come across was truly considerate. He must be aware that, given Ah Sun’s strength, she wasn’t able to pass through the Territory Gates, which was why he had given her a guide that could act as a protector.
Without the need for a discussion, all four of them dashed into the gate.
Following that, the world could be seen spinning around them, and as their vision refocused, they realised that they were already in a different Great Territory. The Starry Sky around them had changed and none of them knew how far they had travelled by just passing through the gate.
After that, the white light around them turned back into a fox, but at this moment, the fox no longer looked bright; instead, it appeared to be dim. It seemed that it had cost the fox quite some energy to shuttle through the gate.
Still, the fox led the way for them at the front while they followed behind, dashing forward at full speed.
Half a month later, the fox once again stopped in front of a Territory Gate. With a similar experience in the past, they already knew what to do. After they gathered together, the fox once again turned into a beam of white light and engulfed them.
Yang Kai took the initiative and led the others into the Territory Gate. However, they weren’t as fortunate as the previous time. After entering the gate, Yang Kai realised that a power that seemed able to tear them apart was pressing down on them from all directions as the white light around them became increasingly dim.
A shocked Yang Kai realised that they were in trouble. This fox was given by a Senior to lead Ah Sun to Great Moon Province, but that Senior probably never expected Ah Sun to be heading there with three others in tow. As a result, the fox guide had to use significantly more energy to pass through the Territory Gates.
Great Moon Province was just a Third-Class force, the lowest possible rank in the Outer Universe according to Old Fang’s knowledge. The strongest masters in such a force would only be Third-Order Open Heaven Realm. Apparently, the power of that Senior was limited as well, so there was no way the guide he had left behind was very strong. After passing through two Territory Gates, it was running out of energy.
“Don’t resist!” Yang Kai yelled and summoned the Six Fated Paths Bag before enveloping the others inside.
Apparently, they also noticed that something was wrong with the guide, so upon seeing what Yang Kai was doing, they immediately realised his intention and relaxed their guard. With a flash, the three of them were put inside the Fated Paths Bag.
After they were gone, the speed at which the white light around Yang Kai was diminishing had indeed slowed down, but it still turned dim after a moment. Yang Kai was extremely nervous as he wasn’t sure how he would end up without the guide’s protection. He could do nothing but pray that they would leave the gate soon.
In the chaotic time and space, a light could be seen up ahead. A highly motivated Yang Kai hurriedly manipulated Space Principles to drive himself forward. It felt like a short while, but also like an eternity had passed. Yang Kai soon realised that the view around him had changed as he dashed out of the gate.
Turning around, all he could see was Starry Sky. This Territory Gate was identical to the ones in the Demon Realm in the sense that they were unidirectional. Maybe there were bidirectional ones, but Yang Kai hadn’t come across any.
Then, he lowered his head and realised that the white light around him had disappeared, which rendered him speechless.
After Old Fang and the others were released from the Fated Paths Bag, Ah Sun asked, “Where’s the fox?”
Yang Kai shook his head.
Ah Sun’s expression changed as she quickly fished out the Faith Token given to her by her Senior, only to see that the palm-sized fox-shaped white jade appeared dim and full of cracks, as though it would break apart at any moment.
Obviously, the Faith Token could never be activated again.
“Ah Sun…” Yang Kai felt his head aching. “Maybe we’ve caused you some trouble.”
If Ah Sun was on her own, the guide should have had enough power to safely bring her to Great Moon Province; however, with three more people along for the ride, the guide had expended too much energy when passing through the Territory Gates. Before they even reached their destination, the guide was gone, which was pretty embarrassing.
Ah Sun fell into a dazed state as she hadn’t expected this to happen. There were two reasons why she had invited Yang Kai and the others to head to Great Moon Province with her. Firstly, she believed that they were kind-hearted people. The second reason was also the main reason. Just like what she had said, she wouldn’t dare to roam around the Outer Universe alone as she had only condensed her Dao Seal. If she came across any danger, she wouldn’t be able to protect herself.
With the fox in her hand, Ah Sun forced a smile and shook her head, “It has nothing to do with you all. I was the one who asked you to come with me.”
“What should we do now?” Dié You looked at Yang Kai and asked.
It took them a lot of effort to finally decide on a destination, but now, both the guide and the destination were gone.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai said, “The guide’s lead should be correct. Since it has brought us to this place, it means that Great Moon Province is in this direction. We just don’t know whether it is in this Great Territory. If it is, we’ll stand a chance to find it. If it’s not, it’ll be troublesome. We’d better ask around now.”
Old Fang put on a bitter smile. “How are you going to ask around? We’ve been roaming around for months, but we’ve never seen anyone else.”
“That’s because we didn’t look for other people. In any Great Territory, there must be great forces of different sizes. As long as we have the heart, we can find some people.”
“What if the great forces in this place are like Seven Wonders Land?”
“Consider us unlucky, then,” Yang Kai shrugged.
After he finished speaking though, Yang Kai caught a glimpse of a light flickering in the distance, which prompted him to turn his head. Realising that there was nothing over there, however, he frowned deeply. Just when he thought it was just an illusion, Dié You asked, “Did you see it?”
“You saw it too?” Yang Kai questioned.
Dié You nodded. “I saw something flickering in the distance.”
Old Fang craned his neck and looked in that direction, but he appeared puzzled, “I didn’t see anything. Were you mistaken?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “It might have been my imagination if I was the only one who saw it, but there’s no way two people would be mistaken at the same time. Something flickered over there.”
“Why didn’t I see anythi… Wait!” Old Fang suddenly exclaimed and pointed in that direction, “Look! Did you see that?”
He appeared as though he had discovered something strange, which shocked Yang Kai and the others as they looked in the direction he pointed. Initially, they couldn’t see anything, but when Yang Kai sharpened his vision and kept looking, his pupils suddenly contracted.
That was because he saw a building floating in the distant void.
After blinking a few times, Yang Kai could confirm that there was indeed a building over there. It was small with two flapping flags erected at the front of the door.
Upon seeing this, Dié You and Ah Sun appeared surprised as well.
“Is that a Small Universe?” Yang Kai frowned. When he came across Duan Hai in the past, the entrance to his Small Universe was a door in the void. Seeing this building now, he couldn’t help associating the two.
“I have no idea,” Old Fang replied and shook his head, “Why don’t we go over to have a look?”
Dié You and Ah Sun remained silent as they turned to look at Yang Kai, awaiting his decision.
Yang Kai looked around before bursting into laughter, “Well, we’ve finally come across other people, so it would be a shame if we don’t go over to have a look. However, we don’t know what’s going on over there, so we’d better observe it from a distance before making any decision.”
The three of them nodded at the same time, “Good.”
Upon making a decision, the group of four flew over and stopped in a spot that was far away from the building as they wouldn’t dare to go near. After concealing their auras, they started observing the building.
Soon, they were surprised because they could see people going in and coming out of the building. Even though there were not many people, the sight was pretty shocking in and of itself.
Some of them had companions while some of them were on their own. It wasn’t certain how powerful they were, but there was no way they were all Open Heaven Realm Masters. Some of them must be like Yang Kai and the others who had only condensed their Dao Seal as they were still trying to reach the Open Heaven Realm.
“Little Brother, look. There are characters on the flag,” Old Fang suddenly said.
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai realised that there were indeed words on the flags in front of the building. The character on the left flag was for ‘wine’, while the ones on the right flag read ‘First Inn’.
At that instant, Yang Kai’s expression turned stiff.
Dié You said, “Why does this place look like…”
“An inn?” Ah Sun widened her eyes.
“No way…” The corner of Old Fang’s mouth twitched.
“It’s possible.” Yang Kai fell into his thoughts. “Anything can happen in the Outer Universe. There are people going in and coming out of that building, and there are two flags in front of the door. What else is this place if it is not an inn?”
“Who would build an inn here?” Old Fang still couldn’t believe it. Could the owner earn any money by building an inn here? Was the owner expecting people passing by to stay for a meal and a rest?
“Well, we’ll only find out after we take a look.” Yang Kai clenched his teeth and turned to look at them.
A moment later, the group of four stood in front of what looked like an inn. There was an open space before the building, and the flags were erected on the ground. Even though there was no wind in the void, a rustling sound was heard as the flags flapped freely.
Now, they had nowhere else to go, and they knew nothing about the Outer Universe. More importantly, all of them were considered weak in this place. Now that they had finally come across what looked like an inn, they certainly had to take a look. It would be wonderful if they could find out where Great Moon Province was from the people here.
However, Old Fang appeared worried, “Little Brother, could this be a bandits’ inn?”
Yang Kai gave him a look and grinned meaningfully, “Even if it’s really a bandits’ inn, it’s too late for us to leave now.”
Upon hearing that, Old Fang turned pale as he looked up at the flags; however, before he could derive anything useful from the flags, a person stepped out of the inn with a bright smile on his face, “Welcome, honourable guests!”
Yang Kai turned his head, only to see a person who looked like a shop boy, flashing a fawning smile at them, a white towel draped over his shoulder. He looked just like the shop hands he had come across in the past.
At that instant, Yang Kai fell into a dazed state for a moment before he subconsciously activated his Divine Sense to find out about this person’s cultivation. However, he was stunned by the outcome as he couldn’t make out how powerful this shop hand was. Despite the bright smile on this person’s face, he didn’t seem to have existed at all, which was extremely peculiar.
Yang Kai believed that this person must have an artifact that could conceal his cultivation. Even if an Open Heaven Realm Master was standing in front of him, they probably wouldn’t be able to detect anything.
Since they had arrived at this place, there was no way they would just leave, so Yang Kai nodded gently and led his companions inside.
From the outside, there was nothing special about the inn as it was just a building that was made of red bricks and green tiles; however, upon entering, they realised that it was different from what they had expected.
The hall was spacious, easily accommodating over twenty tables. Besides that, there was a second floor.
Presently, it was hustling and bustling in the hall. Most of the tables had been occupied as the guests drank wine and chatted. The customers were dressed up in all different kinds of styles. Some of them were obviously from the same great force as they wore similar robes. Some of them were dressed up differently, but they were apparently from the same group.
There was a counter near the entrance, and behind it was an accountant who was loudly fiddling with a golden abacus. Inside the hall, shop boys could be seen moving around as the delicate dishes exuded an aromatic scent.
When Yang Kai and the others stepped into the hall, the accountant took one look at them and continued fiddling with his abacus.
The shop hand from before hospitably led them to an empty table and wiped it with the white towel on his shoulder before asking, “What would you like to order?”
“What do you have?” Yang Kai looked around and absent-mindedly asked.
The shop boy said proudly, “Whatever you want to eat, we’ll be able to prepare it for you.”
That was indeed a bold statement, so Old Fang grinned meaningfully and asked, “Are you able to prepare Dragon livers and Phoenix hearts?”
The shop boy replied, “We can get them for you, but you’ll have to wait as they’re out of stock now. If you’re not in the rush, you can stay for three to five years and we’ll definitely acquire the dishes for you.”
The corner of Old Fang’s mouth twitched as he muttered, “Are you serious?”
The shop boy said, “It depends on whether you’re patient enough to find out if it’s true.” He placed the white towel over his shoulder and declared, “Integrity is the key to our First Inn’s success; otherwise, we wouldn’t have survived until now. Don’t you agree?”
Yang Kai coughed, “We don’t need Dragon livers and Phoenix hearts. Just get us some of your signature dishes and some bottles of wine.”
“Good. I’ll be right back,” the shop boy replied and turned around to leave.
“It’s really an inn,” After the shop boy was gone, Old Fang looked around and spoke to Yang Kai via Divine Sense, his voice filled with disbelief.
Yang Kai nodded, “It doesn’t look like a bandits’ inn either. Maybe we can ask the shop boy whether Great Moon Province is in this territory.”
Ah Sun’s gaze brightened when she heard that and nodded her head repeatedly, “We certainly have to ask him about it.”
It was still noisy in the hall, and observing from the side, Yang Kai detected some auras that were clearly in the Open Heaven Realm. Apparently, there were Open Heaven Realm Masters present. However, some of those people were just like them who had only condensed a Dao Seal and had yet to reach the Open Heaven Realm.
After some observation, Yang Kai was finally able to set his mind at ease. This wasn’t a bandits’ inn, and the cultivation of the people coming in and out of the inn varied. In that case, they didn’t have to worry about their safety.
The workers in First Inn were pretty efficient and in just a quarter hour, the shop boy returned with four delicate dishes, a bowl of soup, and two bottles of wine, which were an ample meal for the group of four.
It wasn’t certain what the dishes were made of, but they looked appetising; moreover, the aromatic scent made them feel eager to have the food immediately. Ah Sun gulped repeatedly as though she hadn’t eaten anything for a few hundred years.
“All the dishes are ready. Please enjoy,” the shop boy said and wanted to leave.
Yang Kai quickly raised his hand, “Shop hand, there’s no rush. Can we get some information from you?”
The shop boy turned around with a smile on his face, “Our First Inn serves guests from all over, so we’ve gathered all kinds of information. We can sell the information to you, depending on what you want to ask.”
“Sell the information to us?” Yang Kai frowned, “Do we have to pay?”
The shop hand replied, “There are no free meals in this world. Regardless of what kind of information it is, it has some value in our inn.”
“How much do you charge?”
“It depends on what you want to ask. Some information is cheap, while some information is expensive.”
Yang Kai felt speechless at how profit-minded they ran their business, but after giving it a thought, he realised that it wasn’t surprising. In this Outer Universe, it was difficult to look for anyone to ask about any information. Since they were able to do this kind of business, they must have their own unique capabilities.
“I want to know the location of a certain great force,” Yang Kai said.
“Which great force?”
“Great Moon Province.”
The shop boy extended his hand, “One hundred Open Heaven Pills, please.”
Old Fang almost sprayed out the wine from his mouth, “O-One hundred Open Heaven Pills? Why don’t you just rob us?” Having served as a Worker in Seven Wonders Land, only receiving a wage of 3 Open Heaven Pills a year, Old Fan could not believe that this little piece of information cost 100 pills. Gazing at the dishes in front of him, he gulped. If such a piece of information was already so expensive, how much did these dishes cost? He subconsciously covered his Space Ring.
The smile on the shop boy’s face seemed to be eternal as he commented, “You’re free to decide whether you want to ask.”
After a nod, Yang Kai fished out a hundred pills from his Space Ring and passed them to him. The shop boy took them and gave Yang Kai a jade slip, “The location of Great Moon Province is inside. You just have to check it.”
Yang Kai infused his Divine Sense into the slip and immediately saw something like a Star Chart. Upon getting his bearings, he found their current location and that of Great Moon Province. After calculating the distance, he couldn’t help but be shocked.
“How is it?” Ah Sun asked anxiously.
Yang Kai passed the jade slip to her, “It’s not in this territory. We’ll have to go through two more Territory Gates before we reach the Great Territory that Great Moon Province is in.”
Ah Sun took a look and realised that just like what Yang Kai had said, Great Moon Province wasn’t in this Great Territory. If they wanted to go there, they still had a long way to go. That revelation made her feel dejected.
Yang Kai raised his head and stared at the shop boy, “How do we move past a Territory Gate?” As he spoke, he fished out another hundred Open Heaven Pills.
The shop boy replied, “Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters can pass through the gates as they please. People who are below that realm need to buy some defensive flight-type artifacts, which are sold in every Star City.”
“Is there a Star City in this place? Where is it?” Yang Kai passed a hundred pills to him again.
The shop boy gave him another jade slip, “Just follow this route and you’ll reach there in a month.”
Without the need to have a look, Yang Kai knew that it must be a map.
“Are all of you new to the Outer Universe?” The shop boy suddenly asked.
This wasn’t any kind of big secret; moreover, what Yang Kai had asked was all basic knowledge, so anyone could deduce that they were new to the Outer Universe. Therefore, he nodded, “En.”
“In that case…” The shop boy gave it a thought, “Since you’ve already paid for three pieces of information, I’ll give you some basics for free as a bonus.”
“Many thanks,” Yang Kai cupped his fists.
The shop boy went on to say, “Let’s talk about the First Inn first. Our business spans the entire Outer Universe, and we have a shop in every Great Territory. If you come across any trouble you’re unable to solve, like you’re being hunted down by your enemies, you can seek refuge in our inn. Inside our inn, no one is allowed to fight. Otherwise, the consequences would be dreadful for that person.”
A shocked Yang Kai asked, “Does your inn serve as a shelter as well?”
The shop boy smiled meaningfully, “Everyone who steps into our shop is our guest, so it is only natural we ensure they are provided a safe environment. If anything happens to our guests inside our inn, how would we continue running our business?”
Despite his nonchalant tone, Yang Kai understood the profound meaning behind his words. Initially, he thought that this was just an ordinary inn, but now it seemed that this business had some powerful backers. If that wasn’t the case, this shop boy wouldn’t have dared to say such a thing. It had to be noted that many people who roamed around the Outer Universe were Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“Let’s move on to the Great Moon Province…” The shop boy smiled gently, “Perhaps you won’t need to travel there yourselves. Just wait here for some time, and you may see some people from Great Moon Province.”
“Why?” Ah Sun hurriedly asked.
“Because something has happened in this Great Territory. Many people from different great forces have come to this place for a certain event.” The shop boy pointed at the hall, “Why else do you think so many people have come here?”
“What happened?” Yang Kai was curious as he reckoned that it must be something serious; otherwise, it couldn’t have attracted so many people to gather here.
The shop boy gave it a thought and heaved a sigh, “Forget it. Since you’re new here, you probably don’t have much wealth with you. I’ll give you the information for free.” Then, he passed one more jade slip to Yang Kai and swung the white towel across his shoulder, “Enjoy your meal. Call out to me if there’s anything else you need.”
After taking a few steps forward, the shop boy turned around, “By the way, we not only sell but also buy information. If you have any useful information in the future, you can sell it to any First Inn location. You can also sell some rare treasures to us. We have always been fair when doing business.”
After the shop boy left, the others stared at the jade slip in Yang Kai’s hand. Ah Sun asked, “What has happened in this place? Why did he say we might be able to meet people from Great Moon Province by waiting here?”
Yang Kai shook his head and infused his Divine Sense into the jade slip. A moment later, he arched his brow and appeared shocked. Gazing at the others, he passed the jade slip to them, “Have a look.”
After all of them took turns to see what was in the jade slip, they all appeared astounded and fell silent.
“A Sun Star is dying?” Dié You fell into her thoughts, “So, the glint of light we saw some time ago was the final radiance of the Sun Star?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I think so.”
When they left the Territory Gate some time ago, he and Dié You caught a glimpse of a bright light that flashed across their eyes, but the duration was short. At that time, they didn’t understand what had happened. Now, upon reading the content in the jade slip, they came to the realization that it was the final radiance of a Sun Star before its death.
The imminent death of a Sun Star was a major event in any place. If it was as simple as that, it wouldn’t have attracted so many great forces to come over though. The crux of the matter was that a Sun Star contained something called Sun’s True Gold. Usually, even an Open Heaven Realm Master wasn’t able to approach, much less dive into a Sun Star as the heat was simply too horrifying. However, a dying Sun Star was a different case. Given a chance, anyone could venture inside and have a look.
Even the lowest quality Sun’s True Gold was a Sixth-Order material. Moreover, it was one of the purest Fire Elements in existence. More importantly, on rare occasions, a Golden Crow Divine Palace could exist inside a Sun Star, and the reason behind a Sun Star’s imminent demise was that its Golden Crow was dying.
As the saying goes, men die for wealth just as birds die for food. If there was nothing to be gained in this place, no one would have come.
Be it the possible existence of Sun’s True Gold or the unlikely existence of the Golden Crow Divine Palace, it could attract great forces of different sizes from all the nearby Great Territories, which was why there were so many guests in this First Inn. Otherwise, no one would have stayed over and had their meals here in the void.
“Sun’s True Gold…” A glow radiated from Old Fang’s eyes, “If we can get just one piece of it, we’ll never have to worry about money again for the rest of our lives.”
According to the jade slip, Sun’s True Gold was at least a Sixth-Order material, making it worth at least 15 million Open Heaven Pills. Furthermore, it was so rare that if it was really sold, the seller could expect to get several million more pills on top of that.
Dié You pressed her lips together, “Even if we’re lucky enough to get our hands on such an item, we won’t live long enough to enjoy it.”
The great forces from the neighbouring Great Territories had gathered in this place as they stared fixedly at the dying Sun Star. It wasn’t hard to imagine that once the Sun’s fires really died down, countless people would go over to explore the Star. Given their strength, even if they were lucky enough to find a piece of Sun’s True Gold, they wouldn’t be able to leave with it alive.
When Old Fang heard what Dié You said, his expression dimmed as he thumped himself with a fist, “Damn it!”
“No one can tell whose side fortune will favour. We might stand a chance.” Yang Kai put on a smile, “In any case, we have to stay here and see if we’ll come across anyone from Great Moon Province.”
To the side, Ah Sun nodded repeatedly.
Compared to passing through two Territory Gates to head to Great Moon Province’s headquarters, waiting here was an easier option. If they were lucky enough, they might meet some people from Great Moon Province, and Ah Sun could reunite with them.
“So… we’ll try our luck, then?” Old Fang looked inquisitively at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai bowed his head, “That’s all we can do now.”
After the discussion, they finally relaxed and enjoyed the meal while chatting. It had to be said that the chefs in First Inn were truly skillful as the dishes were delectable. The group of four quickly finished everything that was served.
Then, the same shop boy passed them the bill. Upon seeing that the meal cost two hundred Open Heaven Pills, Yang Kai felt his hand shaking. Even though he had obtained several hundred thousand Open Heaven Pills previously, they would not last long if they continued to splurge like this.
After calming his nerves, Yang Kai asked the shop boy when the Sun Star was expected to perish. The shop boy had no idea unfortunately as the current situation had lasted for over three years, and may still take a few months to years before they would see any apparent results. After all, the death of a Sun Star was a gradual process.
The group of four had no other choice but to stay here. The accommodations were extremely expensive as well though. One room would cost five hundred Open Heaven Pills per night, and there was no negotiation on that price. The benefit of staying here was that they would provide free meals, and whether or not they ate, the price wouldn’t change.
Initially, they thought that they would just get one room for the four of them. They didn’t need to sleep anyway and just wanted to stay here because they were trying to come across anyone from Great Moon Province. Secondly, they wanted to observe the Sun Star. Given a chance, Yang Kai wouldn’t mind exploring it.
However, the shop boy wouldn’t agree to it. He told Yang Kai that one room could accommodate two people at most. They had to get another room if there were more than two people.
They had to obey First Inn’s rules since they were on their territory. Left with no choice, they booked two rooms. One room was for Old Fang and Yang Kai, while the other room was for Dié You and Ah Sun. They had to spend a thousand pills every day for a place to stay. Ah Sun had no idea what that number meant, but Old Fang and Dié You were heartbroken as they persuaded Yang Kai to just stay outside.
However, Yang Kai refused because all of them were too weak. By staying in this inn, they didn’t have to worry about their safety at the very least. If they stayed outside, they wouldn’t know what would happen to them. A lot of people came and went from the inn, so they might come across some wicked people if they lingered outside.
After they got the room cards from the counter, the shop boy hospitably led them to the inner court. Before the shop boy left, Yang Kai told him to take note of any news about Great Moon Province and immediately inform him if anyone from that great force came to this place.
The shop boy nodded.
The rooms were beside one another, so they could assist each other if anything happened. Then, they agreed to meet every three days and exchange information they had gathered. Yang Kai and Old Fang looked around and realised that the room was small with only a single bed, table, and chair. There was barely enough space for two people, and it really would be too cramped for four people to stay together.
Old Fang said, “Little Brother, you sleep on the bed while I take the floor.” Yang Kai had paid for everything, so Old Fang didn’t dare to request to sleep on the bed, nor would he want to do so.
Yang Kai didn’t turn him down as he directly sat down on the bed with his legs crossed. Then, he fished out the Shadowless Veil and started refining it.
The incident regarding the Sun Star was too complicated, as the major great forces would be gathering in this place. If Yang Kai wanted to participate in the upcoming exploration, he would need to become stronger. In that case, the Shadowless Veil was of utmost importance. When they were on the road previously, Yang Kai had been trying to refine it. However, this item seemed to be of high grade, making it difficult to refine, which was why he still hadn’t fully finished already. Certainly, he had to seize the chance to refine it as it might save his life at a critical moment.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed and it was time for their first meet-up. After leaving the rooms, Yang Kai and the others met with one another in the dining hall as they chatted and exchanged some information.
In truth, there was nothing new to share. The people from Great Moon Province hadn’t arrived, and the Sun Star was still in a half-dead state as it shot out a dazzling light from time to time. No one knew when the Sun’s fire would truly die.
After they were done with their meal, they decided to leave the hall. They didn’t have to pay for the meal anyway as it was included in their accommodation fees.
And so, the group of four went on to stay in the inn for the next three months, thus making them some of the longest staying customers in the inn. With 1,000 pills a day as the fee, Yang Kai had to pay 30,000 pills for a month, 90,000 pills for three months. In other words, his wallet had shrunk by almost a third already.
They would still meet up every three days; however, they had been staying here for three months now and still hadn’t got any information they wanted, which made them feel dejected.
On the other hand, Yang Kai had familiarised himself with the shop boy and the accountant, securing a slight discount if he needed any information. Furthermore, he had discovered that there was an elusive lady boss in the inn. It had been three months since he started living here, but he had only met her three times. She was a charming woman who always kept a smile on her face. Every time she emerged from the rear court, she would greet every customer and ask how they were doing, so it was apparent that she was an adept host.
There were many kinds of customers. Some would drool over her beauty and flirt with her, but she would never become incensed. Instead, she could have a good laugh with them.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai had once seen a man attempt to molest her. In the end, he was thrown out of the inn, and even those from his great force were chased away. They were barred from entering the inn again, and not just this location, but all First Inns in the Outer Universe had blacklisted them.
It was because of this incident that Yang Kai managed to speculate about this woman’s true power. She was a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Master at the very least, but he wasn’t certain which Order she was in.
After giving it a thought, he came to the realisation that no matter how powerful First Inn’s backers were, a top Master needed to be stationed at each branch in order to deter miscreants and thugs.
Even though he hadn’t gotten any useful information for the past three months, Yang Kai had actually gained something. He had fully refined the Shadowless Veil, so he decided to move on to the Six Fated Paths Bag.
However, the Six Fated Paths Bag that he had obtained from Old Xu was clearly of a higher grade than the Shadowless Veil, which meant that it was even more difficult to refine. Fortunately, in the past, Old Xu had taught him how to refine it because he wanted Yang Kai’s help to smuggle him into Seven Wonders Land. Furthermore, Old Xu had assisted Yang Kai with the initial refinement, so Yang Kai managed to make quick progress with it. He reckoned that he wouldn’t take long to fully refine it.
It had been four months since they started staying in First Inn. One day, Old Fang, who was meditating on the ground, suddenly heard Yang Kai calling out to him, so he opened his eyes; however, before he could ask anything, he saw a shadow engulfing him.
A shocked Old Fang tried to dodge, but the shadow seemed able to seal off the space around him, which made him feel he was unable to flee. While he was in a dazed state, his vision darkened as he plunged into a pitch-black space.
After blinking, he came to the realization that he had been put inside the strange bag by Yang Kai. Recalling what Yang Kai had been doing recently, he hurriedly asked, “Little Brother, have you successfully refined it?”
Yang Kai replied, “I can use it with some effort now.”
On the bed, Yang Kai was holding the Six Fated Paths Bag as he furrowed his brow. In the past, he could only open and close the bag, which meant that he couldn’t activate the artifact’s power. After some refining, he could finally use it to fend off his enemies.
To him, this item felt just like his Sealed World Bead. Both of them could be used to suck people in, but depending on the enemy’s power, the energy needed to do so varied.
The only difference was that Yang Kai was the ruler of the Sealed World Bead, so after he put someone inside it, he could do whatever he wanted to them. Fated Paths Bag was no match for the Sealed World Bead in this regard. Nevertheless, the bag wasn’t only useful for keeping people. He could also activate some seals and killing arrays within it.
He experimented on Old Fang by putting him inside the bag, but he didn’t intend to use any seals, so he soon released him.
Old Fang stared at the bag in Yang Kai’s hand with an envious gaze, “It’s such a treasure.” He had lived for a long time, but he had never seen such an artifact before.
Without replying to him, Yang Kai got to his feet and said, “Let’s go out to have a look around.”
After they left the inner court and entered the hall, Yang Kai was startled. The hall, which was usually hustling and bustling, was extremely quiet now while all the tables were empty. Raising his head, Yang Kai realised that the accountant was still loudly fiddling with his golden abacus behind the counter, and the shop boy was taking a nap on a stool in the corner.
“What’s going on?” Old Fang looked around as he appeared puzzled.
An astounded Yang Kai walked up to the shop boy and patted him, “Wake up.”
The shop boy shuddered and raised his head, only to see that it was Yang Kai who patted him, “It’s you.” After he finished speaking, he lethargically lay down again.
After a few months, they had become familiarised with one another. The shop boy was no longer as hospitable as before, and he spoke in a more nonchalant manner.
“Where are all the others? Why are they missing?” Yang Kai asked.
The shop boy turned over and pointed at the door, “They’ve gone out.”
Yang Kai’s chest tightened when he heard that, “Has anything happened to the Sun Star?” The reason so many people had been staying at the inn was that they were waiting for the Sun Star to die. Now that everyone had gone out, it was apparent that something had happened.
The shop boy replied, “En. It seems that the Sun’s fire is about to die out. All of them have gone over to try their luck.” All of a sudden, he sat up and stared at Yang Kai, “By the way, the people from Great Moon Province have arrived as well. They’re over at the Sun Star now.”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai gazed at Old Fang and said, “Call Dié You and Ah Sun.”
“There’s no need for that.” Dié You’s voice could be heard coming from behind. Yang Kai turned his head, only to see Dié You and Ah Sun stepping out of the inner court, “We’ve heard everything. What should we do now?”
Yang Kai turned to Ah Sun, “We’ll look for those from Great Moon Province first, then go from there.”
The Sun’s fire was dying out, so the time to explore the Sun Star had come; however, the four of them were too weak to participate on their own. If they could be protected by those from Great Moon Province though, they might stand a chance.
All of them agreed and set off on their journey.
The shop boy got to his feet and yelled, “Do you want me to keep the rooms for you?”
“Fuck off! I’ll never stay at this bandits’ inn again!” Yang Kai shouted as he didn’t even turn his head. He had spent over 100,000 pills just to stay in this inn for four months. If he hadn’t obtained a great fortune from some dead cultivators previously, he couldn’t have afforded to stay here. Whatever the outcome of their journey to the Sun Star, he would never come back to this inn again. He would even circumvent the inn if he had to return to this place!
The shop boy pointed at Yang Kai and roared, “Brat, I dare you to call our noble establishment a bandits’ inn to Proprietress! She’ll definitely skin you alive!”
However, Yang Kai was already nowhere in sight as he had fled from the scene.
After flying forward for a few days, they still hadn’t reached their destination surprisingly. They had come across some powerful people who were heading in the same direction, which frightened them, but nevertheless, this way, they could confirm that they were moving in the right direction.
A few days later, a dazzling light suddenly expanded in front of them and illuminated almost half of the Starry Sky. At the same time, a scorching power spread around like a ripple. Despite being far away still, Yang Kai could acutely sense how pure this power was. He became elated as he knew that the Sun Star might really contain Sun’s True Gold.
There were three reasons why he wanted to insert himself into this matter. Firstly, he wanted to join in the fun and have a look at the heritage of the different great forces in the Outer Universe. Secondly, he wanted to bring Ah Sun to reunite with those from Great Moon Province. The third reason was also the main reason. Now, he had condensed his Wood Element, and Wood sustained Fire, so he had to condense his Fire Element next. However, because of the high starting point of his Wood Element, he had to look for High-Rank Open Heaven materials; otherwise, it would be considered a waste. Nevertheless, it wasn’t easy to find such materials. There was no doubt that Sun’s True Gold could meet Yang Kai’s requirements. Despite the word ‘Gold’ in its name, it was a Fire Element material instead of a Metal Element one.
Yang Kai had set a new goal for himself, and that was to directly break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm at the very least. Only by achieving that could he make use of Open Heaven Pills to help him ascend to the Eighth Order or even the peak Ninth Order. Even the lowest grade Sun’s True Gold was a Sixth-Order material. If he was lucky, he might be able to find a Seventh-Order one. If not for the possible benefits, Yang Kai really wouldn’t have the guts to butt in on this affair when so many great forces taking part in it.
While they were flying forward, the group of four suddenly felt an immense pressure coming from behind. They became shocked as they turned their heads, only to see a giant ship coming at them at full speed.
The ship was apparently an extraordinary flight-type artifact with incredible speed. When they saw the ship, it was still in the distance, but in the blink of an eye, the gap between them had shortened by half. When they came to their senses, the ship was already right in front of them.
The ship didn’t slow down at all, as though the people it inside were not aware of their existence, and soon, it would collide with the four of them.
Yang Kai’s expression changed drastically as he shouted, “Scatter!”
All of them were fairly powerful as they had condensed their own Dao Seals; however, if they were struck by such a ship, they would certainly end up in a miserable state.
Even before Yang Kai finished shouting, all four of them separated to both sides, and the next instant, the ship flew past them and moved further into the distance. When they gathered together again, Old Fang said with a dark expression, “Which great force was that? This is outrageous! Can’t they see there are four of us here? Are they blind!?”
Dié You put on a helpless smile, “Alright, alright. At least all of us are fine. I guess they just have no regard for us at all.”
“How could they oppress us in such a way?” Old Fang was incensed.
Yang Kai heaved a sigh, “If we don’t want to let anyone oppress us, we have to grow stronger…” As he spoke, he suddenly knitted his brows because the gigantic ship had returned as it was coming towards them again.
Old Fang turned pale in an instant as he stammered, “W-What are they trying to do? Did they hear what I just said?”
Yang Kai said grimly, “If they intend to harm us, flee immediately.” Even though he had no idea why this ship had returned, he reckoned that they were up to no good. If they got into a conflict, the four of them were certainly no match for the other party, so their best option was to try to flee.
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in a solemn manner.
Just then, the ship stopped in front of them. A tall and thin man emerged on the deck as he looked down at Yang Kai and the others in an aloof manner. The man looked like he was in his late twenties, and his arms were wrapped around two alluring ladies whose outfits were on the skimpy side as a large amount of their fair skin was exposed. Their eyes were attractive, and even the smell of their breaths was pleasant. Snuggling up to the man from both sides, they followed his gaze and looked down with a smile.
Seeing this, Dié You and Ah Sun started blushing.
The young man only shot a brief look at Yang Kai before shifting his attention to Ah Sun and Dié You as he said with a smile, “Ladies, are you going to the Sun Star?”
His smile appeared sincere, and paired with his outstanding appearance, he gave off a clean-cut feeling; however, judging from the fact that he was hugging two women in his arms, Dié You knew that he was a licentious fellow. The reason he had even returned must be that he was drooling over their beauty.
She wasn’t willing to speak to him, but refusing to reply to him might infuriate this man as they were on the weaker side, so she had no choice but to bow her head and curtly reply, “Yes.”
The young man said, “What a coincidence. This Young Master is heading to that place as well. Why don’t you two come with me? My flight-type artifact is pretty quick, much better than if you keep flying on your own.”
Dié You forced a smile, “There’s no need for that. I have some companions with me already, so we’re going there together.”
It was then the young man took a look at Yang Kai and Old Fang, upon which he put on a smile, “In that case, all of you can come onboard together. I don’t mind having two more people.”
“Well…” Dié You was at a loss for words as she regretted not rejecting him right away, which caused her to fall into a dilemma. Even though she had no idea what great force this man was from, she knew that they couldn’t afford to offend him, but if they boarded his ship, their lives would be his to control.
Just as she was worrying over how to turn him down, Yang Kai stepped forward and cupped his fists, “Many thanks for your generous offer, Sir, but we’ve just met so I don’t think it’s appropriate for us to bother you.”
Then, Yang Kai turned to look at his companions and declared, “Let’s go.”
The young man kept a smile on his face as he stared at Yang Kai and asked faintly, “Where do you think you’re going without this Young Master’s permission?”
Yang Kai frowned and stared back at him, “What do you want, then?”
The young man sighed, “There are always fools in this world who don’t appreciate other people’s kindness. Normally, people like that don’t live long.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai sneered, “I don’t know which great force you belong to, but we, the disciples of Great Moon Province, are not so easily bullied!”
It wasn’t the first time Yang Kai pretended to be someone he was not. Now that they were on the weaker side, they would be put at a disadvantage if they got into a scuffle with the other party; however, they were not familiar with the great forces in the neighbouring Great Territories, with Great Moon Province being the only one they knew, which was why he decided to pretend to be their disciple.
In any case, Ah Sun indeed had something to do with Great Moon Province, so Yang Kai wasn’t worried that they would be exposed. That was the reason he wasn’t flushing when claiming to be their disciple. On the other hand, Old Fang and the others appeared to be on pins and needles.
Upon hearing that, the young man frowned, “Are you really from the Great Moon Province?”
“Of course,” Yang Kai replied solemnly, and his expression remained calm.
In an instant, the young man’s expression turned awkward. Even though Great Moon Province wasn’t a powerful great force, he didn’t come from a formidable background either. The great force he was from and Great Moon Province were basically equals. Now that Yang Kai mentioned Great Moon Province all of a sudden, he became slightly wary. However, he would be unresigned if he had to leave just like this. It would make him look like he was afraid of Great Moon Province.
While he was in a dilemma, an elderly man stepped forward and said in a hushed voice, “Young Master, the Sun’s fire is about to die out completely. The matter over there is of utmost importance, so we shouldn’t get into any conflict at this point.”
The young man snorted and shot a cold look at Yang Kai and the others before disappearing from the deck. A moment later, the ship charged forward, moving thousands of kilometres in the blink of an eye.
After the ship was gone, Old Fang and the others let out a long breath as they were finally able to set their minds at ease. Dié You stared at Yang Kai and giggled with her mouth covered, “You’re really something.”
She admired Yang Kai for his resourcefulness as he was able to come up with this solution to get them out of trouble, which went to show that he was truly a quick-thinking person.
Yang Kai heaved a sigh, “Let’s go. Be careful.”
After bumping into such a group of people, all of them became more vigilant. They hadn’t frequently come into contact with those from the Outer Universe, so they had no idea what the people were like. Now, it seemed that the Outer Universe was the same as the Inner Universe, where strength was everything. With enough strength, one could do whatever they wanted without consequence. When one was weak, he could do nothing but choke down their grievances after being oppressed.
Fortunately, they didn’t come across another such incident again in their following journey. Even though many flight-type artifacts had moved past them, none of them seemed to have the time to find trouble with them. They must be eager to reach the Sun Star quickly, which was why no one intended to make a fuss.
As the group of four moved forward, a humongous Sun Star gradually came into their sight. It was a crimson Star that was surrounded by a scorching heat that even contorted a wide range of the surrounding space.
The Sun Star was dying, which was why it was no longer glowing so brightly that one couldn’t stare at it. Otherwise, no one would have the guts to go near it. The further they moved forward, the hotter they felt and they were left with no choice but to circulate their strength to protect themselves.
After a few days, Yang Kai’s group finally arrived at the periphery of the Sun Star. From afar, they could see that countless people were standing on their flight-type artifacts in the void. Apparently, they were from the great forces in the neighbouring Great Territories who intended to get a share of the treasures.
Yang Kai also saw some familiar faces that he had met in First Inn.
The Sun Star was gigantic, which was why its periphery was also expansive. Even though many people had arrived at this place, they were far away from one another. Now, all of them were waiting quietly, trying to avoid getting into conflict with others.
Given their low strength, Yang Kai and the others wouldn’t dare to get to close and stopped in a faraway spot. Turning his head, Yang Kai stared at Ah Sun, “The shop boy told me that those from Great Moon Province are here, but we’ll have to rely on you to look for them. Did that Senior tell you about any special symbol that represents their force?”
Ah Sun shook her head, “No.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brows, “Do you remember anything special about the Senior’s clothes when you met him? Are any of them here dressed up like that Senior?”
“There was nothing special… He was just wearing normal clothes. He only passed me the jade white fox and told me that I could look for him with the token when I went to the Outer Universe.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai and Dié You traded glances. Dié You said, “That’ll be troublesome. Without any clues at all, how are we going to look for those from Great Moon Province? It’s not like we can ask them about it one by one.”
Yang Kai shook his head. It would be a waste of time if they really asked all of them one by one. They would be fine if they came across people who were friendly; however, if they met someone ill-tempered or ill-intentioned, like those on the ship they had bumped into earlier, they might be beaten or even killed.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai suggested by saying, “Let’s look around first. Maybe that Senior has also come to this place. In that case, Ah Sun will surely recognise him.”
Ah Sun nodded, “I can definitely recognise him if I see him.”
Once it was decided, they started looking around by circling the Sun Star. They wouldn’t dare to go near any of the great forces as they simply gazed at them from afar and ruled out those who were not the ones they were looking for.
After a few days, they still hadn’t found the people from Great Moon Province.
Nevertheless, they had come across many strange-looking flight-type artifacts. Ships were the most common ones, while some looked like palaces. This wasn’t so strange as the Flowing Time Temple was also an extraordinary artifact. After it was refined by Yang Xiao and Yang Xue, they could fly it around. Some people here were riding on very rare beasts which looked sturdy and tough. It wasn’t certain how they were tamed. Old Fang and the others were jealous because if they could also tame such beasts, they could go anywhere in the world without fear.
Ah Sun felt disappointed at the fact that their effort was futile. Yang Kai also found it pointless to look around aimlessly, so after giving it a thought, he said, “Ah Sun, can I have a look at the jade white fox?”
Ah Sun nodded and fished it out. After they passed through the second Territory Gate, many cracks appeared on the jade white fox, as though it would break apart at any moment. Furthermore, no illusory phantom would appear after it was infused with Spiritual Energy.
With the jade white fox in his hand, Yang Kai carefully infused his strength into it and he could feel that the fox was absorbing it, but no changes could be seen on it.
After trying for a while, he shook his head and passed the fox back to Ah Sun. Staring at the three of them, he said, “There’s no other choice now… We have to ask around. I reckon that we don’t need to ask many people. There must be people who know those from Great Moon Province or have met them before. As long as we can find someone to help us, we’ll be able to determine where those from Great Moon Province are.”
Dié You nodded her head, “That’s the only thing we can do now.”
While they were having a discussion, a bearded man, who was meditating inside a great ship’s room in the Sun Star’s periphery, suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of surprise flashing across his gaze as he grunted.
Then, he emerged on the deck and looked at a particular spot in the void.
“Martial Uncle Wei!” When the disciples on the ship saw the man appearing on the deck, they quickly cupped their fists at him. The man surnamed Wei waved his hand to motion for them to return to their own business as he kept staring in a certain direction.
A woman approached him from behind and followed his gaze as she asked curiously, “Senior Brother Wei, what are you looking at?”
The man turned to look at her and grinned, “Junior Sister Tao, do you remember that Junior I told you about before?”
The woman surnamed Tao gave it a thought and recalled something, “The one from your Universe World?”
The man nodded, “She should be the only survivor…”
The last time he returned to that world, it was already beginning to collapse. Now, the world must have ceased to exist, and after the Universe World was gone, he and his Junior were the only proof that it had once existed.
“What happened to her?” Junior Sister Tao asked in puzzlement, “Why do you mention her all of a sudden?”
Senior Brother Wei beamed, “She has come to this place. She must be somewhere near us.”
Junior Sister Tao covered her mouth, “Are you serious? How do you know?”
Senior Brother Wei said, “I just know that she must be here. Junior Sister Tao, will you please take care of everything here? I’ll be right back.” After he finished speaking, he stepped forward and disappeared into the distance.
On the other hand, Yang Kai and the others were wrapping up their discussion. Just when they were preparing to enact their new plan, a burly figure suddenly approached them.
A shocked Yang Kai quickly stood in front of the others and stared vigilantly at the bearded man. His outfit was quite casual and his muscles that were exposed appeared strong. He was the very definition of a scruffy, burly man. After scanning him with his Divine Sense, Yang Kai realised that this man was an Open Heaven Realm Master so, with his chest tightening, he cupped his fists and greeted, “Senior, how may I help you?”
Senior Brother Wei shot a look at Yang Kai and grinned meaningfully. Then, he tilted his head and gazed at Ah Sun, who was behind Yang Kai, “Xiao Sun’er, stop hiding. I can see you!”
Ah Sun shuddered, and then she appeared pleasantly surprised as she stepped away from Yang Kai and looked forward in disbelief. Upon making out the man’s face, she called out in a shaking voice, “Senior?”
“Hahaha. You’ve really come to this place. You’re really quite something.” Senior Brother Wei guffawed as his beard shook. It seemed that he was truly overjoyed.
Ah Sun’s eyes reddened in an instant as she recalled the grievances she had suffered recently, and then her tears slid down her face like pearls breaking off from a string.
Senior Brother Wei’s face twitched when he saw that, and then he put on a bitter expression, “Why are you crying? Please stop crying… Did Uncle Wei scare you?”
Right after he spoke, Ah Sun broke into tears and hung her head low before spreading her arms and crashing into the man’s embrace like a little bird returning to its nest. In an instant, her tears soaked the man’s clothes.
“Ah… em…” Senior Brother Wei’s big hands froze in the air as he had never expected that Ah Sun would react in such a way upon their reunion, which made him feel slightly uneasy.
Then, he coughed and said in a hushed voice, “Why are you crying? Has anyone bullied you? Tell Uncle about it and he will seek justice for you.”
Then, he shot a glare at Yang Kai and the others.
As they felt their skin tightening, Old Fang hurriedly waved his hands, “Senior, don’t get us wrong. We have never bullied Sister Ah Sun. Instead, we’ve been protecting her along the way.”
Senior Brother Wei snorted, “I don’t think you’d dare to bully her!”
“Senior…” Ah Sun uttered in a choking voice, “O-Our homeland is gone.”