The Proprietress looked at Yang Kai strangely, “Forget about Lang Ya Paradise for now. Tell me what happened with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven first.”
“Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?” Yang Kai immediately thought of Qu Hua Shang when he heard the name, hoping she was safe as well.
As such, he subconsciously asked, “What happened with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?”
The Proprietress gritted her teeth slightly as she snapped, “I’m amazed that you have the cheek to ask me! A representative came to me to propose marriage! They are asking you to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
“Propose marriage? Marrying into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?” Yang Kai’s eyes widened in surprise, “Y-you are joking, right!?”
The people surrounding them also turned to look at Yang Kai in astonishment. Yue He’s expression was resentful as she bit her scarlet lip lightly, looking like a wife who had been thoughtlessly abandoned.
“Hah…” The Proprietress gave a short humourless snort, “I thought they were joking at first, but they’re not. They even handed me a list of dowry gifts. Would you like to take a look?”
Yang Kai was oozing sweat like a waterfall as he shook his head, “No need. I’m afraid there must be some sort of misunderstanding somewhere!”
The Proprietress gave him a savage look, almost as though she was going to slowly shave off several pounds of flesh from his body, “It’s not a misunderstanding if Yin-Yang Cave Heaven is proposing marriage. I heard that you were very close with Qu Hua Shang in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.”
[You even know about that!?] Yang Kai was tempted to ask just which loud-mouthed person had told her this information. Be that as it may, this was not something that could be hidden anyway. Many people had seen him travelling with Qu Hua Shang before they arrived at the Blood Monster Divine Palace.
As such, Yang Kai solemnly answered the question, “Senior Sister Qu offered me great assistance in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. I would have been killed if not for her.”
“What happened?” The Proprietress’ eyes narrowed at those words and a chill began lingering around her. She only heard that Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang had travelled together inside the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and that their relationship looked very intimate, but she was ignorant of everything else. She had no information about how the two of them had supported each other in the face of several deadly crises.
In response, Yang Kai waved his hand to push the matter aside and simply said, “In any case, I owe a life-saving grace to Senior Sister Qu.”
He was reluctant to elaborate on this matter, not because he was afraid of causing further misunderstanding, but mainly because the person trying to kill him at the time was Yin Xin Zhao from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven.
The supporter behind First Inn was a Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven Elder in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. If the Proprietress learned about this matter, she would certainly stand up for him, but it would not benefit her if she burned her bridges with Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven.
She had protected him for so many years, so how could Yang Kai possibly cause trouble for her? As for the grudge of being hunted by Yin Xin Zhao back then, he would exact his own revenge one day!
The Proprietress gave Yang Kai a deep look before finally sighing, “It’s not that I want to speak badly of somebody behind their back. I also know the Qu Hua Shang girl. She is a good person, but she is also a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. It might even be possible for her to inherit the position of Sect Master one day. It’s not a good thing for you if she falls in love with you.”
“Rest assured, Proprietress. I will handle this matter myself.”
She sighed again and said, “In that case, you better take good care of yourself. We’re done here. It’s time for us to head back.”
As for those people who had not been found so far… Even if something bad had happened to them, it was the result of their own choices. On the other hand, if they survived, they would naturally find a way to return to First Inn in Thousand Birds Territory or Void Land; therefore, there was no point in lingering here further.
The ship quickly turned around and headed towards one of the Blood Monster Territory’s Territory Gates.
Inside his room, Yang Kai took a bath and changed into a set of clean clothes. These simple actions immediately refreshed him. Then, he checked his harvest from this trip and smiled brightly.
Strictly speaking, he did not gain many things from this trip, at least nothing compared to his harvest from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Even so, he was very satisfied. The main reason was that he had obtained a Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core! This was what he needed the most right now.
However, he was in no hurry to refine the Monster Core. Refining a Seventh-Order Monster Core would definitely take some time, so he had to wait until he returned to cultivate in retreat.
Aside from the Seventh-Order Monster Core, his largest harvest was the 5 Innate Open Heaven Pills formed in the Universe Furnace! These were treasures that would make anybody jealous.
[I should give one of these to Proprietress later. It might allow her to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm!] If the Proprietress could advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, then her status and strength would be greatly improved. It would give her the capital to speak even if she stood up against Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven.
In addition, Yang Kai had high hopes for the cultivators from Abundance City. From the City Lord Mo Mei, Pang Duo, and the other Great Elders, down to Deacon Fan Wu Xin and the many ordinary residents, many of them had remained in the Emperor Realm for centuries, constantly improving themselves. In his eyes, they were all seeds that could sprout into Open Heaven Realm Masters. As long as the Blood Principles Restriction in their bodies were removed, they could advance into the Open Heaven Realm at any time! At that point, Void Land’s heritage would soar!
Yang Kai himself had been targeted by various major Cave-Heavens and Paradises, so a strong sense of crisis now existed in the depths of his heart. Unfortunately, he himself had no means of advancing into the Open Heaven Realm any time soon. So, he could only think of other ways to increase the strength of Void Land. Otherwise, how would Void Land fight back if a powerful enemy were to attack one day?
The Seventh-Order Monster Core, the Innate Open Heaven Pills, and the cultivators of Abundance City; these were Yang Kai’s greatest harvests during this trip. The partial method of cultivating Monster Beasts, the Alchemy Furnace, and the various pills obtained in the Blood Monster Divine Palace, and even the fragments of the Blood Light Scripture were only incidental gains. There was no comparison with the former gains that he obtained.
Naturally, there was also his Wood Element Divine Ability. Yang Kai had to take some time to properly comprehend the Divine Ability. At the time, the aura of the Divine Ability had burst out without any warning and came out of him directly. Hence, he himself was not clear how that Divine Ability worked. It was only natural that he had to understand his own methods; otherwise, how would he activate them again when he faced an enemy next time?
[That’s right! Mo Mei and the others are acquainted with the Proprietress. It’s time for me to let them meet.] Yang Kai had not had the time to tell the Proprietress about Abundance City in detail. After considering this, he immediately entered the Small Sealed World. When he swept his Divine Sense over his surroundings, he couldn’t help revealing a look of surprise.
He collected plenty of Spirit Provinces into the Small Sealed World back in the Blood Monster Territory but only the Spirit Province with Abundance City on it had received special treatment. Yang Kai used his authority as Master of the Small Sealed World to seal and contain the World Force of the Spirit Province. On the other hand, he had not bothered to do anything to the other Spirit Provinces. For that reason, the World Force contained in those Spirit Provinces had already begun to merge with the Small Sealed World.
At this moment, the World Force in the Small Sealed World was many times denser than before. As the Master of the Small Sealed World, Yang Kai could feel this difference very clearly.
He secretly sighed to himself. [Truly worthy of the Universe Cave Heaven left behind by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. All I did was collect some broken fragments, but the Small Sealed World experienced such a huge leap in growth as a result. What will become of the Small Sealed World if I devoured the entire Blood Monster Cave Heaven?]
What’s more, the fusion of the World Force would not be completed after just a few short days. The World Force in the Small Sealed World would only become richer and richer with the passage of time. The benefits enjoyed by the Small Sealed World were also extremely beneficial to him! If the idea he concocted in his head could be completed, then his strength would surely be greatly enhanced in a short period of time.
Focusing himself, Yang Kai came to Abundance City with a flicker.
This place had been sealed by him. Consequently, the Blood Monster Cave Heaven aura had been preserved and the people of Abundance City remained safe.
Mo Mei and the others were gathered in one place, so they quickly came over to welcome Yang Kai when they noticed his arrival. After greeting each other, Yang Kai said, “Everyone, I came here to help you remove the Blood Principles Restriction. After that, I’m going to bring you to meet some old friends.”
“Old friends?” Mo Mei was astonished, but she quickly understood the situation, “Is it Big Sister Lan?”
“Exactly!” Yang Kai nodded, “My independent world is incomplete and cannot accommodate Open Heaven Realm Masters, so the Proprietress cannot enter this place. In that case, I can only bring you out to meet her instead.”
Mo Mei revealed a look of pleasant surprise and nodded repeatedly, “Good. I haven’t seen Big Sister Lan for many years. I wonder how she is now.”
He smiled, “You’ll know when you see her, City Lord Mo.”
Yang Kai immediately began using the Secret Technique without further ado. Thanks to his previous experience, it was not difficult for him. It was just that every time he cast the Secret Technique, some of his blood would be consumed in the process.
Numerous seals shot out and entered Mo Mei and the others’ foreheads. Closing their eyes, they perceived their conditions and soon Mo Mei said with a look of pleasant surprise, “Although there is no proof, it feels like something in my body has been freed and I feel more relaxed. I think the Blood Principles Restriction no longer exists.”
Pang Duo, Jin Yuan Lang, and the others also nodded in agreement.
“We’ll know whether the restriction has been lifted after we test it out!” Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged and wrapped around them. Then, he slipped out of the Small Sealed World. By the time Mo Mei and the others realised what had happened, they were already standing in a room.
Yang Kai watched them nervously. Although he was fairly certain that they would not suffer any backlash from the Blood Principles Restriction, there was always a possibility. Under his careful watch, he saw that they were in perfectly fine condition. Thus, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. [Hei Ya might have been despicable, but he at least did not deceive me in this matter.]
“Where is Big Sister Lan?” Mo Mei turned to look around but did not see the Proprietress.
Yang Kai beckoned to them and said, “Come with me.”
Leading them out of the room, he came to another room on the top deck of the ship and gently knocked on the door
The Proprietress’ voice soon called out, “Enter.”
Yang Kai opened the door to see the Proprietress and Yue He sitting opposite each other at the table. They seemed to be discussing something, but their expressions stiffened in surprise when they looked up.
In the next moment, the Proprietress slowly got to her feet. She stared at the people behind Yang Kai in shock, her beautiful eyes trembling slightly. Meanwhile, Yue He couldn’t stop herself from covering her red lips with her hands as she asked in a trembling voice, “Mo Mei?”
Even though so many years had passed, the memories they had of each other had not faded. Both Yue He and the Proprietress had recognised Mo Mei and the others as soon as they appeared.
Mo Mei’s eyes reddened. She walked forward and gave an elegant bow, “Big Sister Lan, Big Sister Yue He, we finally meet again after so many years! Have you been well?”
The Proprietress reached out to lift Mo Mei up, her cherry lips moving as though she wanted to speak, but she couldn’t bring herself to in the end. Her eyes reddened too.
Pang Duo and the others cupped their fists, “Greetings, Senior Sister Lan, Senior Sister Yue He.”
Yue He murmured in a daze, “You… Why are you here? What about the Blood Principles Restriction planted by Blood Monster Divine Monarch in your bodies?”
Mo Mei wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes and explained, “It’s all thanks to Sir Yang. He removed the restriction on us. That’s how we broke free of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven’s shackles to appear here.”
The Proprietress looked at Yang Kai in astonishment, “You can remove the Blood Principles Restriction from their bodies?”
Yang Kai replied, “Black Crow Divine Monarch obtained Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Dao of Blood inheritance. I made a deal with him previously and received the necessary Secret Technique from him in exchange.”
A look of realisation appeared on her face, and she nodded at him. The truth was that she had never forgotten the people in Abundance City even though so many years had passed. After all, Lan Ting Yu had made a promise to them when he was still alive. Following his death, the Proprietress had wanted to fulfil this promise and thought about sending somebody into the Blood Monster Cave Heaven to help bring the people from Abundance City out.
Unfortunately, bringing them out without removing the Blood Principles Restriction was equivalent to sending them to their deaths. Blood Monster Divine Monarch’s Blood Principles Restriction was also extremely difficult to remove; hence, she was strong in will but weak in strength. She never imagined that her wish would be fulfilled by Yang Kai at this moment.
Yang Kai was certain that they had a lot to say to each other; after all, it had been centuries since they last met each other. Besides, Mo Mei would surely want to ask about Lan Ting Yu; therefore, he did not stay for long after bringing Mo Mei and the others to the room. Yang Kai quickly left them there and returned to his room alone.
Returning to the Star City in Thousand Bird Territory from the Blood Monster Territory would take a long time, but Yang Kai did not want to remain idle. His top priority was to completely remove the Blood Principles Restriction from all the people in Abundance City. He might have sealed the Spirit Province containing Abundance City to prevent its World Force from dissipating, but he could not guarantee how long this solution would last. If he failed to free all the people in Abundance City before time ran out, they would be met with a gruesome death.
For that reason, Yang Kai remained inside the Small Sealed World over the next few days and constantly performed the Blood Secret Technique, consuming copious amounts of blood during this process. It was fortunate that his healing abilities were extraordinary; otherwise, he would not have been able to persevere for so long.
There were many people in Abundance City; therefore, Yang Kai decided to temporarily house them inside the Small Sealed World until he arrived at a safe place and could figure out his next course of action.
Four or five days later, Yang Kai was busy working in the Small Sealed World when he suddenly sensed somebody knocking on his door in the outside world. He asked the Abundance City cultivators who were waiting in line to wait for him, then returned to his room with a flash. Pushing the room door open, he saw Mo Mei and the others standing outside the door.
“Sir Yang!” Mo Mei bowed elegantly. Pang Duo and the others also cupped their fists in greeting.
“City Lord Mo, Elders, please come in!” Yang Kai did not know the reason they came to him, but he stepped to the side and invited them inside to talk. After they took their seats, he served them tea and finally asked, “Is there something you need from me?”
Mo Mei explained, “We came here to thank you, Sir Yang. Those of us who were born in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven lived our entire lives there. We have never left that place in our lives, and had very faint hope we ever would. It’s all thanks to your life saving grace that we can finally break free from the shackles of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and be released from the Blood Principles Restriction inherited from our Ancestors. We finally obtained our freedom.”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “You’re too polite, City Lord Mo. This was a simple matter for me.”
If not for the jade slip he received from Black Crow Divine Monarch, it would have been impossible for him to bring them out. But, with the Secret Technique recorded within the jade slip, this matter was truly not an issue for Yang Kai. All it cost him was some blood and some time.
Mo Mei shook her head sternly, “It might be a simple matter to you, Sir Yang; however, what you did amounts to a life-saving grace for all of us in Abundance City. Such great kindness is not something Abundance City can ever hope to repay. Even… Even now, this Mistress has a request.”
“City Lord Mo, please speak freely. I will not refuse as long as it is within my means to help.” He looked her straight in the eyes.
Hesitating for a moment, she began to speak, “It’s like this, Sir Yang. I heard from Big Sister Lan that you have a Spirit Province called Void Land in the 3,000 Worlds. It is a beautiful place with a vast area…”
She looked a little ashamed of herself. Even Pang Duo and the others looked apprehensive.
Yang Kai nodded, “En, indeed.”
“The Blood Monster Cave Heaven has been destroyed, so we… have nowhere else to go. May we… may we request that Void Land take us in, Sir Yang?” Mo Mei asked tentatively.
Pang Duo and the others sat up straight and placed their hands on their knees, looking very uneasy.
Yang Kai was taken aback for a moment, but immediately after, he was overjoyed and burst out laughing, “City Lord Mo, you’re far too polite. What do you mean by take you in? If you are willing to join Void Land, then there’s nothing more that I could wish for!”
He was certain that recruiting the people from Abundance City into Void Land would be easy; after all, he had just saved all their lives and they had nowhere else to go. It was just that he had yet to figure out how to broach the subject. He never imagined that Mo Mei would take the initiative to come and discuss this matter with him.
A moment later, realisation struck him. The Proprietress had probably helped by acting as the middle-man. She knew that Void Land was desperately in need of manpower. On the other hand, Mo Mei and the others were seeds that would eventually become Open Heaven Realm Masters. If they joined Void Land, they would not be the only ones benefiting from the deal. Their affiliation would also be tremendously beneficial for Void Land. It could be said to be a win-win situation.
Seeing how readily Yang Kai agreed to their request, they all breathed a sigh of relief and stood up in unison, “Greetings, Sect Master!”
Yang Kai raised a hand to stop them and smiled at them, “Please don’t be so uptight. In the future, we will all be one family. We can discuss the specific details once we arrive back at Void Land.”
They responded, “We obey your orders, Sect Master.”
Yang Kai was so elated that flowers were practically blooming in his heart. He swept his gaze over Mo Mei and the others, seeming to see them as future Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters! The people in front of him had experienced thousands of years of accumulation and precipitation in the Emperor Realm, so their heritage was extremely impressive. Advancing into the Open Heaven Realm would not be an issue for them. What’s more, he also had the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. These Spirit Pills would dramatically improve their chances of successfully breaking through. It could almost be said that there was no risk of failure at all.
Pang Duo, Jin Yuan Lang, Mu Qian Xuan, and Gong Yang Xi had condensed the Fifth-Order Elements, while Mo Mei had condensed Sixth-Order Element Powers! And this was just a few of them. When Yang Kai helped to remove the Blood Principles Restriction from the Abundance City cultivators, he noticed that there were quite a few of them who had condensed Fifth-Order Elements.
It could be said that once these people advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, Void Land’s strength would increase by several folds. At the time, Void Land would no longer have a severe shortage of Open Heaven Realm Masters. It would become a true Second-Class great force!
During their conversation, the ship groaned loudly for some reason and came to an abrupt halt. A person’s voice rang out a moment later, “You there, stop! Lower your defences and prepare to accept our inspection!”
Yang Kai swept out his Divine Sense and frowned slightly. Many flight-type artifacts were floating around in the void ahead. Each artifact was magnificent in shape and huge in size. He could tell that they belonged to the Cave Heavens and Paradises at a glance. More importantly, there was a large Territory Gate slowly rotating behind these ships.
A sudden thought flashed through his mind, and he vaguely guessed that this matter was related to Black Crow Divine Monarch.
The Proprietress had mentioned that the news of Black Crow Divine Monarch coming back to life via possession had already spread everywhere. All the Cave-Heavens and Paradises were searching for his current whereabouts. For this reason, they even went so far as to seal all the Territory Gates in the Blood Monster Territory to prevent him from escaping. Any cultivator or flight-type artifact that wished to leave the Blood Monster Territory would be subjected to careful inspection; therefore, it was not strange to be stopped here.
Nevertheless, the origins of Mo Mei and the others were a little special, so it would be best if they were not discovered.
After considering everything, Yang Kai said, “Everyone, please hide inside the Small Sealed World for now. I will let you out again once we reach our destination.”
Mo Mei and the others had no objection to his suggestion and did not resist.
Yang Kai successfully placed them back into the Small Sealed World, and when he was done, he moved to the deck.
On the deck, the Proprietress swept her beautiful eyes in Yang Kai’s direction. Seeing that Mo Mei and the others were nowhere to be seen, she knew that he must have hidden them away.
At this moment, everybody had gathered on the deck. Four figures came from the opposite side and slowly fluttered down.
Yang Kai looked at them and immediately felt a little sick. This couldn’t be helped. He recognised two out of the four figures. They were both from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. One was Guo Nu and the other was Yin Xin Zhao’s Master, Chu Liu Shan.
During their time inside the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Yin Xin Zhao had attempted to murder Yang Kai when he was heavily injured. It was only natural that Yang Kai did not hold a favourable impression towards Yin Xin Zhao’s Honoured Master. Be that as it may, both Guo Nu and Chu Liu Shan were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so they could not be underestimated.
It was not just them. The other two who landed on the ship were also in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
This was not difficult to understand though. The opening of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven was a grand event, so the Masters leading the disciples of the Cave-Heavens and Paradises could not have weak cultivations. Those in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm were considered High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, so there was no need for them to appear at these kinds of occasions. It was just right for Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to come.
Yang Kai did not recognise the other two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but he could be certain that one of them was from Great Battle Heaven. That was because the people of Great Battle Heaven were very recognisable in terms of the aura surrounding them and their uniforms.
This Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Great Battle Heaven wore a set of golden armour and had a full plate helmet. He also had a longsword at his waist. His appearance was similar to a Great General who just returned from battle. It was a glorious sight!
Yang Kai did not know which great force the fourth person belonged to, but that person most likely belonged to one of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Otherwise, he would have no qualifications to stand here.
“Why do I run into you wherever I go?” The Proprietress looked as sick and tired as Yang Kai as she gave Guo Nu an undisguised look of disgust.
Guo Nu chuckled, “This Senior Brother is relieved to see you so spirited, Junior Sister Lan.”
She coldly snorted and turned to look at the others. Then, she bowed only to the Golden Armour General from Great Battle Heaven, “Senior Brother Mao!”
The man with the surname Mao nodded lightly and cupped his fist, “Junior Sister Lan, this is routine procedure. Please forgive us. As you know, a person called Black Crow Divine Monarch appeared in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. This person is ruthless and cruel. He killed many disciples of the Cave-Heavens and Paradises. In order to prevent him from escaping the Blood Monster Territory, all flight-type artifacts and people who want to leave have to undergo a strict inspection.”
The Proprietress flicked her sleeve, “I know. Please go ahead, Senior Brother Mao.”
He immediately gave a wave of his hand, “Check carefully. Don’t let any corner go uninspected!”
Following his orders, a bunch of Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters stepped out from behind him and charged into the ship to investigate.
While everybody was waiting on the deck, Senior Brother Mao did not spare all the people who were gathered here either. Yang Kai clearly felt a powerful Divine Sense sweeping over him. It probably belonged to the man surnamed Mao; however, he soon furrowed his brow tightly together. The man surnamed Mao quickly had withdrawn his Divine Sense after a quick inspection, but there was another Divine Sense that was locked onto him the whole time.
Yang Kai could not figure out who the Divine Sense belonged to. The four people standing in front of him were all in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all, so the difference in strength between them was simply too great.
He vaguely guessed that the Divine Sense belonged to Chu Liu Shan. That was because this old man was on bad terms with the Proprietress. Not to mention that there was also now a feud between Yang Kai and his disciple, Yin Xin Zhao. It was not strange for him to be paying extra attention to Yang Kai at this moment.
Just as Yang Kai was making guesses in his head, the fourth Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master that he did not recognise suddenly spoke up, “Madam Lan, I heard that you have a little one called Yang Kai in First Inn. Which one is he?”
The Proprietress immediately looked at that person vigilantly, “Why are you looking for him?”
That person smiled and replied, “There are some things I want to ask him.” He turned his gaze to Yang Kai and continued, “If my guess is correct, it should be you, right?”
This person probably did not know Yang Kai directly. It was just that Yang Kai’s aura stood out distinctly from among the many Emperor Realm Masters here, so it was not surprising for his cover to be blown.
In any case, Yang Kai didn’t bother to hide his identity either after being called out so directly. There were so many people here who knew him that it made no sense to hide anyway. Instead, he quickly responded, “Yes. Who are you? How can I help you?”
That person smiled and nodded, “You might not know me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng.”
[Heavenly Sword Union? I can’t believe that this guy does not belong to one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises!] When Yang Kai first saw this person standing beside Guo Nu, Chu Liu Shan, and Senior Brother Mao of Great Battle Heaven, he had assumed that he too was from one of the Cave-Heavens or Paradises. Only now did he realise that this person was the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union.
Nevertheless, Heavenly Sword Union was one of the top Second-Class great forces. As the Union Master, this person was indeed qualified to stand in this place. After all, neither Guo Nu, Chu Liu Shan, or Senior Brother Mao were especially powerful people in their respective Sects. They could only be considered middle-management at most.
Knowing that this person belonged to Heavenly Sword Union, Yang Kai immediately recalled the few Heavenly Sword Union disciples he killed previously. [Is this person here to seek justice for his disciples? That can’t be it. Among those who witnessed me killing them were Qu Hua Shang, Zhang Ruo Xi, and that Lang Ya Paradise disciple called Du Xu.]
Those Heavenly Sword Union disciples had brought death upon themselves by persistently chasing and trying to kill Zhang Ruo Xi and Du Xu. Qu Hua Shang and Zhang Ruo Xi would never expose this matter to the public. [Could it have been Du Xu?]
Sure enough, the smile on Kong Feng’s face suddenly faded and he said, “I heard you killed some of the outstanding disciples belonging to my Union.”
Yang Kai was furious. [As I thought, it was that little bastard Du Xu who leaked the news! Otherwise, there’s no reason for Kong Feng to know about this matter. I should have killed him!]
It was bad enough that Du Xu had focused on running away alone without any regard for the safety of his fellow Junior Sister when they were in danger; however, it could also be said that Yang Kai had saved his life.
[I can’t believe he is repaying a live-saving favour with enmity! If I had known that he was such a despicable villain, I would never have allowed him to live at the time!]
Before Yang Kai could say a word, the Proprietress coldly snorted, “Union Master Kong, rice may be eaten at will, but some words should not be spoken casually. You claim that Yang Kai killed several of Heavenly Sword Union disciples. Where is the evidence?”
She was convinced that Kong Feng did not have any evidence. That was why she countered his question in this manner.
To her surprise, Kong Feng answered lightly, “Naturally, I have the evidence. I was informed about this matter, and I believe that person is not lying. I only came here to confirm the truth.”
Yang Kai coldly snorted, “Those Heavenly Sword Union disciples were blinded by greed and were trying to oppress the weak, so I killed them. What will you do now?”
Kong Feng didn’t seem to expect Yang Kai to be so hard-hearted, so he couldn’t help glancing at him again. He nodded lightly and said, “It’s good that you admit to your actions. It saves this King from wasting more time on nonsense. Since ancient times, debts are repaid with money and murder is repaid with one’s life. You killed several of Heavenly Sword Union’s Core Disciples and caused Heavenly Sword Union to suffer huge losses, including the loss of several talented individuals who were the backbone of the future generation. Don’t you think this King should avenge them? “
The Proprietress did not move, but her aura at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm permeated the air and her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, “I dare you to try!”
He glanced at her and calmly replied, “Madam Lan, your reputation precedes you. This Kong is aware that he is not your opponent. Besides, I have no wish to fight you. If this boy was unrelated to you, this Kong would have killed him to provide justice for my disciples. But, since you wish to protect this boy, Madame, then this Kong will back down out of respect for you. As long as this boy can provide some compensation, then we can forget about this matter. What do you think, Madame?”
She scowled fiercely, vaguely sensing that Kong Feng’s intentions were not noble; otherwise, he would not have brought up the deaths of his disciples at a time like this. It was just that she did not know what snake oil he was selling. She asked warily, “What kind of compensation do you want? Yang Kai is only in the Emperor Realm. What can he offer as compensation?”
He smilingly answered her question, “You don’t need to worry about that, Madame. This Kong will discuss with him myself.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he asked, “You don’t have any objections to that, right?”
The rage in Yang Kai’s heart blazed even higher. [If I had enough strength, I would not be wasting time talking nonsense with him! I only killed those Heavenly Sword Union disciples because they were doggedly chasing Zhang Ruo Xi. Why is Kong Feng talking about justice? How ridiculous!]
Unfortunately, the only reason he could stand here today was thanks to the Proprietress’ protection. If he made things difficult, it would only drag her into this mess; thus, he suppressed the rage in his heart and asked coldly, “What do you want?”
Kong Feng calmly said, “Don’t worry. What I want is definitely in your possession. Moreover, it won’t harm a single hair on your head.” All of a sudden, he stopped talking out loud and sent a Divine Sense transmission to Yang Kai instead, “I want that Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Beast Core!”
Yang Kai’s eyes narrowed at those words. His first reaction was to wonder how this guy knew that he had a Seventh-Order Monster Beast Core, let alone that it was of the Metal Element. However, he soon realised the truth.
Kong Feng learned about the fact that Yang Kai killed those Heavenly Sword Union disciples because Du Xu tipped him off. On the other hand, Old Hong of Heaven’s Border had witnessed Yang Kai obtaining the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Beast Core back then. He could also have tipped Kong Feng off about this matter.
[So, this is his true purpose!]
Yang Kai responded flatly without even thinking about it, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
If Kong Feng had asked for anything else, there might have been room for discussion. Yang Kai was not averse to exchanging money to avoid disaster. Be that as it may, it was impossible for him to hand over the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core. This matter was related to his future. If he lost the Monster Core in this place, he did not know when he would obtain another opportunity like this again.
Kong Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, “Boy, you should think carefully before you answer.”
Yang Kai coldly snorted, “I was wondering why those Heavenly Sword Union disciples were so despicable. Now I understand. If the house is crooked, then the foundation must be too.”
Kong Feng gave Yang Kai a deep look and calmly said, “I hope you don’t regret your choice.”
After that, he stopped conversing via Divine Sense and spoke out loud instead, “A Seventh-Order Monster Core might be a precious treasure, but you are only in the Emperor Realm. Don’t you think possessing something like that is very dangerous?”
“A Seventh-Order Monster Core?” Both Guo Nu and Chu Liu Shan murmured in unison, immediately turning to look at Yang Kai. Even Senior Brother Mao gave Yang Kai a surprised look. It was obvious that they had been kept out of the loop earlier.
A Seventh-Order Monster Core was an extremely rare object. When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, everything inside the Blood Monster Cave Heaven had flowed out as a result, but as far as they were aware, there was only one instance where somebody had killed a Seventh-Order Earth Attribute Monster Beast and obtained a Seventh-Order Monster Core. Aside from that, there were no other known Seventh-Order Monster Cores in existence. Therefore, it was unexpected to learn about another Seventh-Order Monster Core here.
Chu Liu Shan frowned, “Brother Kong, are you saying that this brat possesses a Seventh-Order Monster Core?”
Kong Feng gave Yang Kai a deep look and said, “That’s right. This boy is quite lucky. It seems he killed a Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Beast and obtained a Metal Element Monster Core.”
Guo Nu scowled, “Brother Kong, how did you find out about this? And… how could he possibly have the strength to kill a Seventh-Order Monster Beast?”
Kong Feng chuckled, “You don’t need to be so suspicious, Brother Guo. This Kong learned about this matter from a personal source of information, but there is no doubt about the truth of this matter. I can guarantee that this boy possesses a Seventh-Order Monster Core.”
He paused for a moment and continued with malicious intentions, “I heard that this boy is very ambitious. He plans to advance directly into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. He has already condensed many Open Heaven Powers. If he refines the Metal Element Monster Core, I’m afraid it won’t be long before he succeeds.”
Turning to Chu Liu Shan, he cupped his fist, “Congratulations, Brother Chu, Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven will soon have another talented individual!”
Chu Liu Shan’s expression was extremely ugly. If Yang Kai had been somebody from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, he would have been so happy that he would wake up laughing from his dreams for the next month. The problem was that Yang Kai was not from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. First Inn might have some involvement with Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, but they were ultimately unrelated. Besides, Lan You Ruo had always had a poor relationship with him.
More importantly, his disciple had a life-or-death feud with Yang Kai. If Yang Kai were to advance into the High-Rank Open Heaven, the future of his disciple would be disheartening. [This can never be allowed to happen!]
Looking at Yang Kai, he spoke in a cold voice, “Hand it over!”
Yang Kai glanced sideways at Chu Liu Shan, “What the Hell do you count for?”
“What an impudent Junior!” Chu Liu Shan’s expression darkened.
The Proprietress stepped forward and scolded, “Brazen old dog!”
Chu Liu Shan was livid, “Lan You Ruo!”
Guo Nu hurriedly came forward to mediate the situation. He stood between them, lest they actually got into a fight, “Alright, alright. Calm down, both of you. Stop arguing.”
He turned to the Proprietress and continued, “Junior Sister Lan, you’re not unaware of the boy’s situation. The Seventh-Order Monster Core in his possession is not a good thing for him.”
The Proprietress coldly snorted, “Why bother coming up with such high-sounding excuses when all you want is to snatch the Seventh-Order Monster Core by force?”
Guo Nu shook his head, “Junior Sister, what are you saying? We don’t want to snatch anything from him. If he does have the Seventh-Order Monster Core, we can purchase it from him. Ask him to set a price. As long as the price is reasonable, this Senior Brother will not quibble about it.”
Snorting, she replied, “Let’s put aside whether or not he does have a Seventh-Order Monster Core in his possession. Even if he does have one, it will never belong to Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven!”
Turning to look at Yang Kai, she asked, “Do you have a Seventh-Order Monster Core?”
Yang Kai replied decisively, “That’s a groundless accusation!”
Chu Liu Shan coldly snorted, “We’ll know whether he has the item or not if we perform a check!”
“I dare you to try!” the Proprietress glared at Chu Liu Shan.
Chu Liu Shan calmly said, “It doesn’t matter who has the Seventh-Order Monster Core, but it must not be in this brat’s hands. This matter is very important. There is no room for negligence. Lan You Ruo, I advise you not to make a mistake!”
She was so furious that she laughed instead, “This Queen will happily be your opponent if you want to fight. Why are you wasting time with nonsense?”
Saying so, World Force surged around her body.
Similarly, both the auras around Chu Liu Shan and Kong Feng fluctuated violently, seemingly ready to attack at any time.
Guo Nu revealed a troubled expression. He did not want to make an enemy of the Proprietress. Unfortunately, he could only side with Chu Liu Shan now that things had progressed to this point, so he sighed softly, “Junior Sister Lan, why must you do this?”
Yang Kai’s expression was extremely gloomy.
If it came down to a fight, the Proprietress would surely suffer a loss. Although both the Proprietress and Yue He were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they were still outnumbered. Leaving aside the fact that Chu Liu Shan and the others were also in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, even the Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters inspecting the ships were a formidable force that could not be ignored. It could be said that First Inn would definitely suffer a loss if it came down to a battle.
He was not willing to let the Proprietress and Yue He suffer because of him; thus, he sighed inwardly. [It’s so depressing to be weak. Even if I obtain something good, I can’t keep it. Do I really have to hand over the Seventh-Order Monster Core?]
Yang Kai was extremely reluctant. All the cultivation resources he obtained along his journey were the results of personal effort, great opportunities, and massive amounts of luck.
The Wood Element Power came from the Immortal Tree he obtained in his early years, which happened naturally. He later obtained the Fire Element Power by stealing the Golden Crow carcass from under the noses of a bunch of Open Heaven Realm Masters. It could be said to be a narrow escape from death. Next, obtaining the Earth Element Power was a daunting experience but not dangerous. He had picked up and refined the Monster Core of an Earth Attribute True Dragon. Nevertheless, it was only possible for him to find the Monster Core thanks to the Dragon Source in his body.
His Water Element Power came from the Moon Essence he obtained and refined in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, having to escape from Kun Sha at that time. Lastly, he obtained the Yang Element Power by refining the Seventh-Order Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng. Even that had come with quite a hefty price tag.
It had taken so much effort, and he had struggled so hard just to pave the way to advance directly into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. All his efforts had been for the sake of a brighter future. He wanted to set foot in a wider sky and enjoy better scenery.
Obtaining the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core this time had also been a lucky coincidence. Who could say whether he would come across another opportunity like this? What kind of dangers would he face to obtain the cultivation resources he needed again? How long would he have to wait?
Once he refined the Seventh-Order Monster Core, he would only be one step away from advancing into the Open Heaven Realm! How could he reconcile himself with the idea of falling short right at the last moment!? But, what could he do even if he was extremely reluctant? Under the current circumstances, a huge battle was inevitable unless he brought out the Seventh-Order Monster Core. It was a given that First Inn would be the one to suffer if a battle broke out.
The scene was tense and a battle could erupt at any time.
Yang Kai swore ruthlessly to himself, [Even if I have to destroy the Seventh-Order Monster Core, I will never sell it to Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven or allow Heavenly Sword Union to get their hands on it!]
At this moment, Senior Brother Mao, who had remained silent throughout the entire situation suddenly said, “Boy, do you have a Seventh-Order Monster Core in your possession?”
Yang Kai looked up and calmly replied, “There’s no such thing!”
Senior Mao Brother nodded lightly, “In that case, there’s nothing to be done here. You may leave.”
After saying that, he waved them away.
Everybody was dumbfounded by this turn of events and Kong Feng shouted, “Brother Mao!”
Senior Brother Mao asked coldly, “How can I help you, Brother Kong?”
Kong Feng exclaimed, “This brat definitely has a Seventh-Order Monster Core in his possession! We can’t let him just leave like that; otherwise, it will lead to a huge problem in the future!”
Senior Brother Mao replied indifferently, “He claims that he does not have one. Why do you keep insisting otherwise? Do you want to snatch his Space Ring from him to check?”
“That…” Kong Feng was suddenly at a loss for words. [I can’t do something so shameless. No matter how brazen he is, this Yang Kai is still just a Junior. How can a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like myself snatch his Space Ring in public!?]
Even he could not act so shamelessly as it would severely tarnish his reputation and face. Otherwise, instead of trying to negotiate with Yang Kai, he would have simply stolen it from him directly.
“Junior Sister Lan, I apologise for the commotion.” Senior Brother Mao cupped his fist at the Proprietress, then he turned to the ship and shouted, “Are you done with the inspection!? If you’re done, then return immediately!”
The group of people who boarded the ship for inspection earlier quickly leapt down. After that, he waved his large hand, “Let them through!”
Nobody objected when he allowed them to pass. Chu Liu Shan and Kong Feng exchanged a glance with each other and were unhappy with the situation, but they were also unwilling to fall out with this Senior Brother Mao. The people from Great Battle Heaven were not to be trifled with.
“Many thanks, Senior Brother Mao!” The Proprietress gave Senior Brother Mao an elegant bow before she drove the ship towards the Territory Gate.
Before they left, Yang Kai’s expression changed when he heard a transmission from Senior Brother Mao, “Take care of yourself, kid.”
He nodded at Senior Brother Mao gratefully. He knew that if not for Senior Brother Mao speaking up at a critical moment, things would not have been resolved so smoothly today.
When the ship passed through the Territory Gate and vanished out of sight, Chu Liu Shan finally said, “Brother Mao, I heard that several Great Battle Heaven disciples became acquainted with Yang Kai inside the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.”
Senior Brother Mao glanced sideways at Chu Liu Shan and responded lightly, “You are very well-informed, Brother Chu. But, if you have time to worry about Great Battle Heaven disciples, why don’t you spend it figuring out a method to track Black Crow Divine Monarch’s whereabouts instead?”
Chu Liu Shan’s gaze flickered slightly. Staring in the direction of the Territory Gate, he gave a soft snort.
…
At the same time, on the ship, the Proprietress gave Yang Kai a strange look, “Are you acquainted with Great Battle Heaven?”
Yang Kai pondered the question, “Perhaps, it’s because I rescued several Great Battle Heaven disciples in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.”
He couldn’t help thinking about Bu Lian Zhong and the others. Back at the swamp filled with countless Void Cracks, Yang Kai had helped the trapped Bu Lian Zhong and his companions to escape. It could be considered that he had saved their lives. It was just that he was separated from Bu Lian Zhong and the others when they later arrived at the blood lake.
In any case, Yang Kai had not taken such a trivial matter to heart. Rescuing Bu Lian Zhong and the others was just a matter of convenience. He never imagined that his actions would return to benefit him or that Great Battle Heaven would return the favour here.
The Proprietress immediately understood the situation and nodded lightly, “The people of Great Battle Heaven are upright and just. Since you rescued those Great Battle Heaven disciples, it makes sense why Senior Brother Mao reciprocated the favour just now.”
Yue He asked, “Young Master, did you really obtain a Seventh-Order Monster Core?”
Likewise, Old Bai looked over curiously.
These were people Yang Kai trusted friends and allies, so there was no need to hide anything from them. He nodded in response, “That’s right. But, it was a lucky coincidence. The Monster Beast was heavily injured in the first place, and I also used the Divine Ability Bead given to me by Proprietress from the outset. That’s how I managed to kill it.”
The Proprietress narrowed her eyes slightly, “What Elements are you missing now?”
Yang Kai replied, “After refining this Metal Element Power, then only the Yin Element will be left.”
Old Bai was shocked, “Only one left…”
It had not been long since Yang Kai came to the 3,000 Worlds, so it was shocking that he was going to advance into the Open Heaven Realm so soon!
Which Emperor Realm cultivator would not spend decades, if not centuries before advancing into the Open Heaven Realm? Very few people could successfully refine the Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements and advance into the Open Heaven Realm within a hundred years. The main reason was that finding suitable cultivation resources took much time, energy, and money.
This was true for any cultivator, including the disciples from the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises. The only exceptions were Core Disciples like Qu Hua Shang and Gu Pan who were carefully nurtured by the Sect and given basically unlimited resources.
Be that as it may, even Core Disciples like them would need to spend some time refining these resources and consolidating their foundations; therefore, it could take between several years to several decades just to refine the necessary Elements. Those with poorer aptitude would take an even longer time.
Soon, Old Bai became excited, “Tsk. Tsk. You’re going to advance directly into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm! Brat, you’re reaching the sky in a single step!”
If Yang Kai could advance directly into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, it would be no different from ascending to the Heavens in one bound. Be it in terms of strength or status, there would be Earth-shaking changes.
On the other hand, the Proprietress and Yue He were not happy; instead, they looked at each other worriedly.
Yang Kai was already being targeted by the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises. Although it could be said that not every Cave-Heaven and Paradise was out to cause trouble for him, there would always be some.
Those Masters had been holding back from making a move personally because they were still concerned about their respective reputations. They did not wish to be seen as oppressing the weak. The main reason for their inaction was that they believed it would take much more time for Yang Kai to grow and develop. However, if news about the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core spread out, some people might become desperate.
“Brat, you should focus on carefully refining the Metal Element Monster Core in retreat once you return. As for the Yin Element… I’ll search for you.” The Proprietress sent a transmission to Yang Kai.
She had warned him against taking this path in the past, but now that he was already so far down it, all she could do was support him as much as possible. She might not be able to acquire a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure, but she certainly had more connections than him.
“En!” Yang Kai replied respectfully. Suddenly recalling something, he hurriedly took out a jade bottle and handed it over, “Proprietress, take a look at this and see if it will be useful for you!”
This jade bottle contained one of the Innate Open Heaven Pills that he obtained in the Blood Monster Divine Palace.
She took the bottle from him suspiciously, but after opening it and sweeping the contents with her Divine Sense, her expression changed drastically. She quickly resealed the jade bottle and glanced at Yang Kai in astonishment, “Where did you get this!?”
With how knowledgeable and experienced she was, she immediately understood what this Open Heaven Pill was, as well as its true origins.
Yang Kai of course answered her honestly.
Upon hearing his explanation, she returned the jade bottle to him, “This is useless to me right now. You should keep it for yourself. If I ever have a need for it in the future, I will ask you for it then.”
She had advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so her cultivation would only reach its limit when she reached the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Taking this Open Heaven Pill now was a complete waste.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai understood that she was still restrained by the Heart Demon Oath she took in the past after hearing what she said. As long as Golden Rainbow Province and Boundless Altar remained standing, she would never be able to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Otherwise, she could have advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm even without the help of this Innate Open Heaven Pill!
Sighing softly, Yang Kai put the jade bottle away before adding, “In that case, please don’t forget to come to me when you need it.”
Yang Kai also secretly made a vow. [When I advance into the Open Heaven Realm, the first thing I’m going to do is eliminate Golden Rainbow Province and Boundless Altar to resolve her Heart Demon Oath.]
Old Bai probably guessed Yang Kai’s intentions, so he secretly gave him a meaningful look, one that said ‘make sure to call me when that time comes.’
During his advancement into the Open Heaven Realm, Bai Qi nearly failed because of Qin Ji of Golden Rainbow Province and Ling Chun Qiu of Boundless Altar. If Yang Kai had not given him the World Source Liquid at the critical moment, he would not be standing here today. This blood feud never left Bai Qi’s thoughts and was something that would need to be repaid one day.
In the deserted void, a ship sailed forward silently. All the people on board were consolidating their harvest from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Although Yang Kai lost five to six subordinates during this trip, those who came out of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven alive definitely had grown leaps and bounds. This experience would be of great help to their futures.
In his room, Yang Kai hid in the Small Sealed World, helping the cultivators of Abundance City to remove the Blood Principles Restriction.
Time passed, and it took almost a month for Yang Kai to finish this task. While helping them to remove the Blood Principles Restriction, Yang Kai took some time to meet and speak with each of them.
He found out that Abundance City had brought up quite a few talents. In addition to the several Great Elders like Pang Duo, there were more than ten people who had condensed the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Elements. Deacon Fan Wu Xin, who ‘captured’ him and Qu Hua Shang back to Abundance City, was one of them.
Although they had not been in the Emperor Realm as long as Pang Duo and the others, and had weaker foundations overall, they were still more than qualified to break through to the Open Heaven Realm.
Furthermore, plenty of other cultivators from Abundance City had condensed Fourth-Order and Third-Order Element Powers.
Yang Kai was extremely delighted about this. If he brought these people back to Void Land, once they broke through in the future, one could imagine a sharp increase in Void Land’s strength in a very short time!
However, the number of Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills needed would be huge too!
Initially, Yang Kai wanted to spare some time to comprehend his new Wood Element Divine Ability, but it seemed he would have to put that aside for now. It was crucial to refine more Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills as soon as possible.
Before leaving for the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Yang Kai had refined some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, but there were not many, and definitely not enough for those from Abundance City.
Yang Kai estimated he would need at least 500 Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to barely meet the consumption of the first batch of Abundance City cultivators.
For other great forces, it would certainly not be worth it to exchange a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill to secure a single cultivator’s breakthrough to the Third-Order or Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm. After all, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was essentially an extinct Spirit Pill. Anyone who obtained one would regard it as a treasure, leaving it for their Disciple with the greatest potential.
However, Yang Kai could refine this Spirit Pill on his own, and he possessed a large amount of World Source Liquid; thus, he need not be concerned in this regard. Now, his main priority was to enhance Void Land’s strength within the shortest timespan, giving it the capability to protect itself in this 3,000 Worlds.
Yang Kai kept himself busy in his room, refining Spirit Pills without rest. Furnace after furnace of Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills appeared, with each one representing the birth of an Open Heaven Realm Master for Void Land!
After refining for an unknown time, Yang Kai only realized that his job was done when all his auxiliary ingredients were consumed. He calculated the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills he had, coming up with 435 in total. Although there was still a little gap from his initial estimate of 500, it should be enough for now. Not every cultivator would need this Spirit Pill to break through after all. It was unnecessary to waste it on someone who was confident in breaking through.
Nevertheless, for those such as Mo Mei and Pang Duo, Yang Kai had to let them take this pill to assure their breakthrough, even if they were confident.
Opening the barrier of the room, Yang Kai stepped onto the deck, and looked at the scenery of the void around him. He suddenly realized that something was wrong. It should not have taken them so long to return to Thousand Birds Territory from Blood Monster Cave Heaven. He spent one month helping the cultivators of Abundance City to remove their Blood Principles Restriction, and about more than a month refining Spirit Pills. Given that it had been about two to three months, they should have arrived at Thousand Birds Territory by now.
Confused, he took out his Universe Chart to check their position, and was dumbstruck.
“Young Master!” Probably because of noticing Yang Kai coming out of his retreat, Yue He hurriedly came out of her room too.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, and asked puzzledly, “Why are we in Void Territory?”
With the help of the Universe Chart, Yang Kai could easily tell that they were now in Void Territory instead of Thousand Birds Territory.
Yue He explained, “Elder Sister wanted to send us back to Void Land first, then they will return to First Inn of Thousand Birds Territory.”
Yang Kai immediately understood what this meant. The Proprietress was worried that they might encounter some kind of danger during their journey, so she decided to escort them all the way here. His heart could not help feeling a little warm.
“I am going to see Proprietress,” He turned around and walked towards the room on the top floor.
It was necessary to pay the Proprietress a visit after coming out of his retreat, so Yang Kai knocked, entered the room, and had some casual conversation with her. Then, Yang Kai took out a bottle of Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, “Proprietress, Chef and Accountant will surely be breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm soon after returning. These Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills should be useful to them.”
Back then at the auction in Thousand Birds Star City, Yang Kai got the pill recipe for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill; furthermore, the Proprietress also learnt from Old Bai that Yang Kai had World Source Liquid on him, so she was not surprised that he could hand over Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills so casually.
There was no need for her to refuse as they were really useful for Chef and Accountant. As such, she immediately took the bottle and said, “I’ll accept it with gratitude. When Chef and Accountant reach the Open Heaven Realm Masters, I will ask them to thank you in person.”
Yang Kai waved his hand, “No need, we’re friends. I hope they can successfully break through to the Open Heaven Realm as well.”
The Proprietress nodded gently, and asked, “What are your plans after going back this time?”
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai answered, “No matter what, it’s important to refine the Metal Element Monster Core first; after all, such a treasure could only truly belong to me after refining it.”
“As it should be,” the Proprietress agreed, “After refining it, don’t be in such a rush to exit retreat. Stay to consolidate your cultivation. Although you have excellent aptitude, I’m afraid that your foundation will be unstable in the future given that you refined so many High-Rank materials so quickly. Fortunately, it’s not too late. There is still a chance to rectify some minor flaws before condensing the Yin Element Power.”
“Proprietress is wise,” Yang Kai accepted her advice humbly. He agreed that he should spend some time consolidating his cultivation. It was not necessarily good to progress rapidly when it came to cultivating. Although his Dao Seal was incredibly firm due to the Divine Dao Water he had used, it would not hurt him to settle down a little and stabilize his foundation.
During his adventures in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Yang Kai had comprehended a potent Wood Element Divine Ability, but he still lacked a Water Element Divine Ability and a Yang Element Divine Ability. When he condensed his Metal Element Power upon returning this time, he should finish comprehending these. He had a faint feeling that if he could fully comprehend all the Divine Abilities of the seven Elements before advancing to become an Open Heaven Realm Master, it would be of great benefit to him during and after his breakthrough.
It was an inexplicable feeling, but Yang Kai had no doubt about it.
After a few days, the ship finally reached Void Land.
Standing on the deck, the Proprietress praised, “Grandmaster Wu Liang has extraordinary skill indeed. This Grand Array is magnificent. It is so profound that even I can’t see through it. Run this place well. One day, it may be one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises!”
During her last trip here, she brought Grandmaster Wu Liang to patch or arrange a Grand Array for Yang Kai. At that time, Void Land was still Seven Wonders Land, but the current atmosphere had changed dramatically compared to that time.
Yang Kai grinned, “This Grand Array that Grandmaster Wu Liang set up is called the Nine Heavenly Layers and has nine Grand Arrays linked together, including Bewildering Arrays, Illusion Arrays, Killing Arrays, and Trapping Arrays. It’s indeed powerful.”
Grandmaster Wu Liang had excellent skills, but Yang Kai had to give him tremendous support to create this Grand Array. Even though he had made a huge fortune in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, he had to spend the majority of it for the sake of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. Only someone like Yang Kai would have the courage to support Grandmaster Wu Liang in arranging a Spirit Array like this. If it was any other Second Class great force, they would not have had the financial resources necessary to support such an endeavour.
Cost was also the main reason why it was so difficult for Grandmaster Wu Liang to implement his design before, even though he had conceived of it a long time ago. He had designed the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array many years ago and strongly recommended it to various great forces; however, those great forces rejected it despite their interest after hearing the price tag.
It was only after he met Yang Kai that he was finally able to display his true mastery over the Dao of Spirit Arrays!
After setting up the array, Grandmaster Wu Liang had a burst of inspiration and enlightenment and went into retreat. He estimated that his cultivation would improve after he came out of his retreat.
“En, a good Spirit Array!” The Proprietress did not hesitate to praise.
“There’s nothing special to see from the outside. You’ll understand its true mystery only from the inside. Please enter, Proprietress!” Yang Kai gestured.
Contrary to his expectations though, the Proprietress shook her head, “I’m not going in.”
Yang Kai was startled, “Are you leaving now?”
The Proprietress nodded gently, “This trip away from First Inn has taken too long. It’s not good to delay any longer. Don’t forget what I told you. Cultivate well after you go back.”
Yang Kai was a little reluctant to send her off. Void Land and Thousand Birds Star City were not close to each other, so it was not easy to have them here. Now that they were leaving before even stepping foot into Void Land, Yang Kai somehow felt like he lost an opportunity to welcome them as a host.
However, if the Proprietress did not want to enter, he could not force it either. As such, he just nodded as he replied, “I’ll remember. Don’t worry, Proprietress. I will work hard and not slack off.”
Leading Yue He and the others off the ship, Yang Kai solemnly bid farewell to the Proprietress and the rest. After seeing the ship, Yang Kai beckoned to the rest, “Let’s go home!”
It was Guo Miao’s first time coming to Void Land, and she could not help looking around curiously. She felt that this place was many times better than Blood Swan Continent, where she had stayed before. Although Void Land was also a Second Class great force, Blood Swan Continent could not be compared with it at all!
Yang Kai was the Master of Void Land, so the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array naturally could not stop him from leading his people inside. The alarm activated by the Grand Array startled Bian Yu Qing, who immediately came to investigate, but after finding that it was Yang Kai who returned, she quickly welcomed him delightedly, “Sect Master, you’ve returned!”
Yang Kai nodded, “Many thanks for your hard work, Second Manager.”
Speaking of the people who followed him all these years, besides Head Manager Hua Qing Si, it was Second Manager Bian Yu Qing who had worked the hardest.
Yang Kai was a well-known arm-flinging shopkeeper, always running around all year round while pushing the administrative work onto others. When he was not home, these two women were in charge of essentially all matters in the Sect. Many would feel envious of the two Managers for how much authority they possessed, but these people had no idea how much effort they had put in, and how much cultivation time they had sacrificed for the Sect.
Back then in High Heaven Palace in the Star Boundary, Head Manager Hua Qing Si was there to share the burden with her, but now in Void Land, Bian Yu Qing was doing it all alone.
Recalling the time when he was captured by Bian Yu Qing’s subordinates when he first left the Lower Star Field and entered the Star Boundary, Yang Kai could not help sighing nostalgically. All kinds of memories from the past were still vivid in his mind.
In the Main Hall at the centre of Void Land, Yang Kai sat in the head seat, while Yue He stood behind him. Although she was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, she was as humble as a maidservant, standing by the side to pour tea for Yang Kai.
Below, Chen Tian Fei and Lu Xue sat on the left and right. Hearing of Yang Kai’s return, the two of them hurriedly came to greet him. For now, Void Land was lacking Open Heaven Realm Masters, so besides Yue He, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, there were only Lu Xue, a Fifth-Order Open Realm Master, Chen Tian Fei, a Fourth-Order Open Realm Master, and Guo Zi Yan, a Third-Order Open Realm Master. These were all the Open Heaven Realm Masters Void Land had for now.
Of course, there was also Hei He, who was restricted by the Loyalty List, but Yang Kai stationed him outside the Star Boundary to ensure its safety.
In addition, there was the Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, Zhu Jiu Yin. This woman was extraordinarily strong, and after coming out of Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary for such a long time, a good portion of her strength should have been restored, but no one knew what her true condition was at the moment.
Bian Yu Qing’s voice echoed in the Main Hall as she reported the developments and transformations of Void Land during this period of time to Yang Kai. In fact, there were not many changes. The 600,000 people who Yang Kai brought back from the Star Boundary were mostly cultivating in the retreat. All the Great Emperors and Pseudo-Great Emperors had obtained some cultivation resources and now just needed time to refine them, so there would not be many results in the short term.
However, as a result, the expenses for cultivation resources had become shockingly high. Although Void Land was still quite rich, it was clear that it could not handle this rate of consumption for long. If they continued to consume without any means of replenishing, Void Land would eventually be completely drained. Signs had already started showing when Yang Kai departed, but after this period of time, the situation had become progressively worse.
In conclusion, the expenditures of Void Land were overwhelming. Before Yang Kai left, he basically handed over all the cultivation resources he had to Bian Yu Qing and allowed her to distribute them. But now, after listening to the reported figures, there was really not much left, and they would most likely be exhausted soon.
After reporting the spending, Bian Yu Qing continued, “Even taking into consideration the expenditures though, the current income is also pretty good.”
Yang Kai raised his brow as her statement piqued his interest, “Oh? Let’s hear about it.”
Bian Yu Qing turned to look at Chen Tian Fei, and smiled faintly, “Sect Master, just so you know, the biggest income in Void Land now comes from the Gourd Vine, which is under the care of Sir Chen. The Gourd Vine truly lives up to its name as a Divine Medicine. In essence, we can collect a full set of Fifth-Order Yin, Yang, and the Five Element materials once a month. It is truly valuable, and what makes it even more precious is that all of the materials stem from the same source. If a disciple can refine all their Fifth-Order materials from the Gourd Vine, there may be unexpected gains.”
Yang Kai gave a light nod. When he saw the Gourd Vine in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, he already had a vague feeling that it would become a foundation to the success of any Sect that obtained it. By the looks of it now, it seemed that he was right.
“Good work, Fatty,” Yang Kai nodded at Fatty Chen Tian.
Chen Tian Fei hurriedly got up. Although he replied humbly, his face was radiant, looking notably proudly. To be honest, it was a boring job to watch over the Gourd Vine, and the task of collecting the Element treasures was not something really worth praising, but he was still glad to be noticed by Yang Kai. Although he was forced to leave his name on the Loyalty List, and his fate was now Yang Kai’s to control, after even a short period of time, he realized the terrifying potential Void Land had. It was many times better than Scarlet Star. Although Void Land was still in its infant stage, it would definitely have the world at its feet in time.
His cultivation was not too high, but he had an exceptionally sharp vision, so he had no doubts about this. Even without the restriction of Loyalty List, he would never choose to leave Void Land. This place had a broad and promising future. If he continued to stay here, he would benefit as Void Land rose. How could he find any place better than this?
Not to mention, staying with Yang Kai could quickly improve his strength too. Until now, he still did not understand how Lu Xue could rapidly reach the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm after a simple trip out with Yang Kai. Initially, they were both Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and he had reached that realm long before Lu Xue, but she had broken through to the next Order first.
Besides Lu Xue, even Guo Zi Yan reached the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm!
Previously, Chen Tian Fei secretly tried to gain information from Lu Xue, but her lips were tightly sealed, so he could not figure out anything. However, he was not discouraged. He believed that as long as he could win Yang Kai’s trust, sooner or later he would be able to make sense of it all.
Additionally, since he was now in charge of collecting the resources from the Gourd Vine, he believed that he must be able to have a share of the collected resources when he was promoted to the Fifth Order in the future.
The Fifth-Order materials were exceedingly valuable as each one cost on after 1 to 2 million Open Heaven Pills, making a set of seven nearly 10 million. Fatty Chen had witnessed Yang Kai’s generosity towards his subordinates during this period of time, and he believed that as long as he could be promoted to the Fifth Order, he would definitely be able to obtain quite a number of Gourd Vine materials. With that, reaching the Sixth Order would be just a matter of time.
If he left Void Land, where could he find this many resources?
It could be said that Chen Tian Fei had now truly pledged his loyalty to Void Land.
Bian Yu Qing pressed on, “However, there is a problem now. The number of disciples who can refine Fifth-Order materials is limited, and a lot of the materials collected from the Gourd Vine may accumulate.”
The requirements for the Dao Seal of a cultivator to refine Fifth-Order Elements were somewhat high, and only Bing Yun, Wen Zi Shan, and other top Emperors could refine them safely. Therefore, although there were 600,000 people in Void Land, not many of them could refine the Fifth-Order materials. Therefore, as the resources were collected monthly from the Gourd Vine, they would naturally begin to pile up.
“In contrast, Third-Order and Fourth-Order materials are in extremely high demand, and we are short on them. Therefore, without Sect Master’s approval, this subordinate decided to exchange some Fifth-Order resources from the Gourd Vine for the Third-Order and Fourth-Order materials in the Star City. If there is anything wrong about this, this subordinate is willing to be punished.”
Yang Kai beamed, “How could I punish Second Manager for doing such a good job? I should be thanking you instead.”
It was a reasonable move to exchange the Fifth-Order materials that could not be used for Third-Order and Fourth-Order materials that they lacked.
Bian Yu Qing was slightly relieved when she heard him, and further reported, “Inside Void Land, aside from the income of the Gourd Vine, there are the Spirit Fruits collected in the various Orchards. Although Wondrous Pill Great Emperor is deriving the pill recipe for Open Heaven Pills, the progress has been quite slow because he is focused more on cultivating in retreat, so the accumulated Spirit Fruits cannot be refined into pills.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ve solved the matter of the pill recipe and will give it to the Great Emperor later so that he can begin refining pills.”
Bian Yu Qing nodded and continued, “That’s all for the income from within Void land. Regarding the external income, a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master named Yun Xing Hua came to Void Land and claimed that it was Sect Master that sent him to manage Void Territory’s Star City. The harvest there is also not bad, and there is a fixed income every month from taxes and rent. I have asked him to exchange all the income into cultivation materials of various Orders and ship them to Void Land.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I did send Yun Xing Hua over, but he is an outsider after all, so it’s difficult to entrust such an important task to him. It’s better to have someone in the Star City to assume proper command.”
Blood Swan Continent was originally Guo Miao’s great force, but after Yang Kai broke through its Sect Defending Array, he forced Yun Xing Hua to leave his name on the Loyalty List. There was a shortage of manpower in Void Land, so Yang Kai had ordered Yun Xing Hua to lead a group of people from Blood Swan Continent to enter and manage the Star City.
Although there was the Loyalty List to guarantee his compliance, and Yang Kai was not afraid of Yun Xing Hua betraying him, he worried that this guy would be tempted by the fortunes he made and would begin embezzling them for himself. In Yang Kai’s plan, the Star City of Void Land needed to be well managed and developed, and it would not be difficult to do so. As long as he threw out the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, the reputation of the Star City in Void Territory would soar overnight. When that happened, it would certainly attract countless people to the Star City of Void Land. The increase of population would bring the Star City to life, and by that time, even if he did not do anything, he could make a fortune just collecting taxes.
For now though, Void Territory’s Star city had no fame to its name and could only be regarded as a medium-sized Star City, incomparable to Thousand Birds Star City, not to mention the Star Cities in the Cave-Heavens and Paradises’ Territories. Although the Star City was making some income, it was not much, so Yang Kai was not worried about letting Yun Xing Hua take charge of it for now. However, when the Star City matured in the future, Yang Kai needed to station someone trustworthy there to manage it.
More importantly, that person needed to be strong enough! At that time, the Void Territory Star City would be bustling and full of all kinds of people. Without enough strength, the one in charge would not be able to maintain order and security.
That person had to be at least a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master! Currently, it seemed that Mo Mei was the only suitable candidate as there was no way Yang Kai could let Yue He take charge of the Star City as she had to take care of Void Land itself.
While thinking about it, Lu Xue got up and volunteered, “Sir, let me go to the Star City.”
Lu Xue was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now. If she went to the Star City, Yun Xing Hua would not dare to be presumptuous; after all, he had only just reached the Fourth Order.
Yang Kai waved his hand, “No, Lu Xue. Just focus on teaching in Void Land. The people I brought here from my homeland know nothing about the Outer Universe and the Open Heaven Realm, so I need you to guide them.”
There were only a few Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. Chen Tian Fei was in charge of the Gourd Vine, while Lu Xue taught the cultivators from the Star Boundary. Almost every day, she had to solve countless questions and doubts of the disciples. It could be said that her task was tough. Even the Great Emperors would ask her for advice during their spare time outside of retreat.
Although in the future, the achievements of Lu Xue may not be as great as those Great Emperors who were refining Sixth-Order materials, she was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now and had the experiences they needed most. At this stage, it was no problem for her to provide guidance to the Great Emperors.
Lu Xue sat down after Yang Kai announced what she should do.
Bian Yu Qing continued, “From the current situation, the income of Void Land is sufficient to cover the expenditure, and there’s even some revenue left over, but it will be difficult to maintain in the long run.”
This was because as time passed, there would be more cultivators who condensed their own Dao Seals. Once they had their Dao Seals, they would need Open Heaven materials, which would put more pressure on Void Land’s finances.
It would be fine if there were just one or two of them. The problem was that there were 600,000 people in Void Land!
Hearing that, Yang Kai asked, “Does Second Manager have a solution?”
Bian Yu Qing proposed, “Other than increasing the income of Void Land, I think we can let the disciples go out for training to find resources for themselves. Void Land can support them for the time being, but not for a lifetime!”
Yang Kai kept silent.
Bian Yu Qing added, “It’s an honour that Sect Master showed such generosity and care to the disciples. It’s truly a blessing for them to belong to a Sect like Void Land. But if they don’t contribute, they won’t appreciate their gains. Furthermore, while it’s safe for them to stay in Void Land, if they don’t go out for training, how can they fight alongside Sect Master in the 3,000 Worlds in the future? Flowers raised in the greenhouse will not be able to withstand wind and storms. Back then, when Great Demon God, Mo Sheng, caused disaster in the Star Boundary, everyone from High Heaven Palace participated in the battle. There were many casualties, but the ones who survived grew by leaps and bounds! “
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “What Second Manager says is reasonable.”
He certainly understood this. When he went to Blood Monster Cave Heaven this time, he also agreed to let Lang Qing Shan and the others move separately for training, because he knew that he could not always keep them under his wings. Similarly, he could not protect the 600,000 elites that he had brought back from the Star Boundary forever.
They needed to grow and gain experiences of their own.
“Since Second Manager proposed this, do you have a specific plan?” Yang Kai questioned.
Bian Yu Qing answered, “This subordinate does have an idea. As for whether it will work, I’ll need Sect Master to decide.”
Yang Kai gestured her to speak.
Bian Yu Qing suggested eloquently, “The 600,000 cultivators who came back from the Star Boundary have different strengths. There are the strong ones like the Great Emperors, who have long condensed their own Dao Seals, and are now refining Sixth-Order materials. As for the weaker cultivators, some of their cultivations have not reached the Dao Source Realm or even the Origin King Realm. It’s too dangerous for such cultivators to travel the 3,000 Worlds. Allowing them to leave would be the same as killing them. Therefore, this subordinate was thinking of letting them travel to the Universe Worlds within Void Territory first.”
Yang Kai roughly knew about the situation of Void Territory. Originally, other than Seven Wonders Land which was a Second Class great force, there were 7 third-class great forces, and more than a dozen Universe Worlds.
When Yang Kai occupied Void Land back then, the Masters of these third-class great forces and Universe Worlds paid him a visit. Since Yang Kai had become the ruler of Void Territory, these subordinate forces and Universe Worlds naturally had to pay him proper respect.
“There are many places to seek both training and opportunity in those Universe Worlds. If the disciples go there, not only can it temper their minds and bodies, but it will also let them learn the difficulty of obtaining resources.”
Yang Kai nodded at her suggestion, “This plan seems feasible!”
Seeing him approve, Bian Yu Qing added, “In addition, this subordinate feels that Void Land can follow the contribution system set up by other Sects and the prices of all kinds of cultivation resources should be clearly stated. If the disciples want to get the resources they need, they can exchange with their own contribution points. Of course, the disciples can get them by completing missions assigned by the Sect too, or turning in the contribution points that they obtained through their training.”
Yang Kai had experienced the system of contribution points many times in the past and such a system existed in High Heaven Palace as well. This system was used by many Sects with different names, but they were all similar. Up to now, there were many great forces in the 3,000 Worlds practising the same system.
The fact that the contribution points system was used by many Sects proved that it was helpful to their development.
Yang Kai beamed, “With the help of Second Manager, how can Void Land not be prosperous?”
Bian Yu Qing blushed slightly, “Many thanks, Sect Master, for your high praise. This subordinate only adopted this idea from others.”
Yang Kai waved his hand, “Whether it’s from others or not, I’m relieved to have Second Managers overseeing Void Land. Just proceed as you mentioned.”
Bian Yu Qing quickly bowed, “Yes!” After a pause, she continued, “Sect Master, this subordinate has another request!”
“En, name it!”
After organizing her thoughts, Bian Yu Qing remarked, “Although this subordinate has been following Sect Master for many years, my personal cultivation is too low for my current position. I was able to assist Head Manager in High Heaven Palace before, but now, it’s really overwhelming for me to support the operation of Void Land all alone. Sect Master, you are always away, and the Great Emperors are all in retreat. If Void Land encounters any trouble, it will be difficult for me alone to make decisions. I request Sect Master set up an Elder Council. If there is any problem, the Elder Council can discuss and act together.”
There were Sect Masters, Protectors, Elders, Deacons and so on in many other positions in normal Sects. Although Void Land had quite a number of people, other than having Yang Kai as the Sect Master, Bian Yu Qing was the only other one who had a specific status, which was Manager. Meanwhile, the rest were just ordinary disciples who had not been given any position yet.
It was not because Yang Kai forgot about this matter, but simply that the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land was far too limited, so it was hard to even appoint people to such positions.
Bian Yu Qing proposed this not only for the development of Void Land, but also to avert suspicion; after all, if she had all the power, it would inevitably cause some dissatisfaction among others. Of course, the main reason was that she truly needed help with the hectic workload.
“Does Second Manager have any suggestions?” Yang Kai asked.
Bian Yu Qing replied, “This subordinate has received a lot of help from Sir Chen and Madam Lu these days, and I ask for their advice at times. They have experience in management and have good cultivation. As such, this subordinate feels that we can allow them to join the Elder Council first, and be the first batch of the Elders of our Void Land!”
Chen Tian Fei was originally one of the Managers of Scarlet Star. Back then, when Zhao Bai Chuan was in retreat all year round to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Chen Tian Fei was in charge of Scarlet Star, while Lu Xue was a Manager from Sword Pavilion with numerous subordinates under her. Because of this, they both had experience in managerial positions.
Hearing Bian Yu Qing’s words, Fatty Chen, who was sitting to the side, hurriedly straightened his back, sat upright and looked in front of him steadily, while Lu Xue just remained indifferent.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Second Manager is right. Fatty Chen, Lu Xue.”
The two quickly got up, stood side by side, and cupped their fists, “Sect Master.”
“You two will establish an Elder Council with Second Manager to jointly manage Void Land. If there are any difficult decisions to be made, the 3 of you can discuss it among yourselves and follow a majority rule for the final decision!”
“Yes!” Chen Tian Fei and Lu Xue responded in unison. Fatty Chen did not forget to bootlick, “This subordinate assures Sect Master that he will do his best to assist Second Manager, and develop Void Land without slacking off!”
Yang Kai waved his hand and asked them to sit down again. He next took out several Space Rings and pushed them over to Bian Yu Qing.
Bian Yu Qing wondered, “These are…”
Yang Kai explained, “These are the cultivation resources I obtained during my trip. You should keep them and distribute them according to the situation. As for the Open Heaven Pills, keep some of them in reserve if you can and take the rest to the Star City to purchase more resources.”
Bian Yu Qing accepted the order before scanning the rings with her Divine Sense, and exclaiming, “So much!”
Yang Kai literally spent billions of Open Heaven Pills on his way to First Inn in Thousand Birds Territory to buy the Third-Order and Fourth-Order materials. Just when he spent almost all his Open Heaven Pills, he obtained another 1.25 billion Open Heaven Pills in the Asura Arena, all of which he spent wildly on purchasing items at the following auction and exchange meet. If he had not paid a large number of resources and pills to win the Seventh-Order Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng, there would be even more resources in the rings.
Bian Yu Qing let out a sigh of relief, “With these things, Void Land can still maintain itself for another five years without issue!”
Yang Kai coughed gently into his fist, “I’m afraid it won’t last that long.”
“Why?” Bian Yu Qing looked at Yang Kai puzzledly.
Yang Kai disclosed, “Because Void Land will have a new batch of members joining, and their demand for cultivation resources will certainly be much more than the current disciples from the Star Boundary.”
After saying so, he waved his hand, releasing Mo Mei, Pang Duo, and the other Elders from Abundance City.
Mo Mei and the others were stunned for a moment but then hurriedly saluted when they finally comprehended the situation, “Sect Master!”
Bian Yu Qing looked at Mo Mei and the others curiously, and asked, “Sect Master, these are…” Lu Xue and Chen Tian Fei looked confused too.
Yang Kai introduced everyone and briefly explained the background of Mo Mei and the others. Lu Xue and Chen Tian Fei were dumbstruck, for they did not expect Yang Kai to even bring back so many native cultivators from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. What’s more, they could sense that Mo Mei had condensed Sixth-Order Element Powers. Although Pang Duo and the rest looked a bit old to still be Emperor Realm cultivators, they permeated stable and powerful Fifth-Order Element auras. Once they advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, they would be in the Fifth Order!
“Second Manager, please settle the people of Abundance City down carefully. They will all be our Void Land’s disciples in the future.” Yang Kai ordered.
Bian Yu Qing was delighted, “Don’t worry, Sect Master. This subordinate will make proper arrangements for them.”
What Void Land lacked now more than anything was Open Heaven Realm Masters. These people in front of her were all seeds of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Once they broke through, there would be a sharp increase in Void Land’s strength. How could Bian Yu Qing not be happy?
However, after a moment of excitement, she suddenly understood what Yang Kai meant.
There were not many cultivators from Abundance City, only 3 or 4 thousand. Nevertheless, their needs would only be greater than the 600,000 disciples from the Star Boundary. Although there were a large number of people from the Star Boundary too, their cultivations were quite uneven and the vast majority had not even condensed their Dao Seals, so they needed far fewer resources. However, the cultivators of Abundance City were different. Many people had begun to condense Open Heaven Powers, which was exactly the time when they were extremely eager for the materials of various Orders.
Although Yang Kai brought back a massive amount of cultivation resources from his trip, they would not last long if so many people had to use them.
But overall, it was worth celebrating. Bian Yu Qing could even foresee the scene of the tremendous birth of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land.
Yang Kai turned to look at the several people from Abundance City, and asked, “Mo Mei, how many people from Abundance City can break through to the Open Heaven Realm right away?”
Mo Mei immediately replied without a second thought, “Besides this Mistress and the four Great Elders, there are four Deacons, who have condensed Fifth-Order Elements. Below the Fifth Order, there are at least 300 who can break through to the Open Heaven Realm at any time. However, we have just left Blood Monster Cave Heaven, so we must first become familiar with the outside world before proceeding.”
“As you should.” Yang Kai nodded before taking out a ring, “Here are some Spirit Pills. Take them and distribute them to those who can break through. Take one before they attempt to break through as it will ensure that they can successfully ascend.”
Mo Mei accepted and happily thanked Yang Kai.
To the side, Chen Tian Fei looked at Yang Kai with some surprise, “Sect Master, what Spirit Pills are these?”
Mo Mei and the others had lived in Blood Monster Cave Heaven for a long time so they did not know anything about the outside world and had never been in contact with the Open Heaven Realm before. Therefore, how would they know the hardships and dangers of breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm?
After a cultivator condensed their Dao Seal, they had to work hard to collect all kinds of materials to refine. Even after they gathered the Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers, they may not have the courage to proceed to attempt to break through; after all, their Soul was at risk of being extinguished upon failure. This was why there were countless Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Masters throughout the 3,000 Worlds. Some were limited by their financial resources and could not gather sufficient cultivation materials, while some lacked confidence in themselves or had problems with their cultivation and dared not attempt to break through.
It was for this reason that there were numerous Second-Order and Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, as well as many even in the First-Order. Not because these people did not have dreams to pursue, but because the lower the Order one attempted to break through to directly, the lower the impact on themselves would be. Likewise, the lower the risk they would need to take.
The risk of advancing to the Open Heaven Realm was well-known, but there was no way to avoid it, and auxiliary aids or Spirit Pills that could increase the chances of success had all but vanished over the ages.
Although Mo Mei did not fully understand how miraculous the Spirit Pills Yang Kai handed to her were, how could Fatty Chen and Lu Xue not know?
“Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills.” Yang Kai answered casually.
Chen Tian Fei replied with a cracked voice, “Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill? As in, the legendary Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills that have long gone extinct?”
Even Lu Xue had her beautiful eyes widen as she stared at Yang Kai in disbelief.
“They’re not extinct anymore. I won the pill recipe for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill during my trip to the Thousand Birds Territory Star City in an auction. These Spirit Pills were refined by me.”
Chen Tian Fei was stunned on the spot as if he was struck by lightning.
Lu Xue, who had been indifferent throughout the whole meeting, could not help covering her red lips with her hands as she gasped.
Seeing their reactions, Mo Mei and the others finally realized the value of the Spirit Pills in their hands. Although they had never heard of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, it did not mean that they lacked common sense. Earlier, when Yang Kai passed her the ring, she scanned it casually and found hundreds of Spirit Pills inside. She thought that these Spirit Pills were ordinary things that could be easily found everywhere, but now, she learnt how rare they were.
Tentatively looking at Chen Tian Fei, Mo Mei asked, “Elder Chen, is this Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill very precious?”
Chen Tian Fei gulped and started to explain with difficulty, “It’s more than just precious. It’s a treasure that one can essentially never find. It’s said that this Spirit Pill can stabilize one’s Dao Seal during their breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm, greatly improving their chances of success. Moreover, it is rumoured that taking it during one’s breakthrough can help a cultivator experience the birth of a new world, which harmonizes perfectly with the Grand Dao of the splitting Heaven and Earth apart…”
Then, he continued with a solemn tone, “Junior Sister Mo, let’s put it this way. If a cultivator has gathered Sixth-Order Element Powers like you, but their Dao Seal is not firm enough to support their breakthrough, they are likely to fail and die if they insist on it. But with such a pill, their chances of succeeding increase dramatically. In other words, each of these Spirit Pills can guarantee the successful breakthrough of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!”
After hearing what Chen Tian Fei said, Mo Mei and the others finally understood the value of these Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. Although it seemed to only be a Spirit Pill, it actually represented a powerful Open Heaven Realm Master!
Chen Tian Fei continued, “If you put such a Spirit Pill up for auction, it would be worth at least 10 to 20 million Open Heaven Pills, and that is the absolute lowest price possible. En, you may not know what 10 million Open Heaven Pills means. In the 3,000 Worlds, the value of a Sixth-Order material is generally 15 million.”
Mo Mei’s hand, which was holding the ring, started trembling.
Each of these Spirit Pills were worth 10 to 20 million Open Heaven Pills, and there were some 300 of them in the ring Yang Kai gave to her! Didn’t that mean this single ring was worth billions of Open Heaven Pills?
They had no idea about the value of an Open Heaven Pill, but they did understand the value of a Sixth-Order material as they had only obtained a handful of them even after centuries of accumulation.
“Sect Master, these Spirit Pills are too valuable!” Mo Mei hurriedly looked at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai waved his hand, and grinned, “What Elder Chen just said is not wrong. A single Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is worth a fortune, but that is only under the circumstances that they cannot be found.”
Previously at the auction, the price of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill and its recipe was indeed high, costing Yang Kai a great fortune just to win them.
“If a large number of these things were available in the world, their value would naturally reduce greatly. What our Void Land lacks now are Open Heaven Realm Masters, so you don’t have to feel pressured about these pills. I can refine them myself, so I can always make more when they are used up. What you have to do is to assist the people of Abundance City to advance to the Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible.”
Despite Yang Kai’s words, everyone knew that the value of Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills would not drop much even if a large quantity of them became available on the market. No cultivator could be absolutely certain that their breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm would succeed, so as long as they had enough money, anyone would definitely be willing to buy one as insurance.
Before Mo Mei could say any more, Yang Kai stopped her, “This has already been settled. You don’t need to think too much. Just use these Spirit Pills when you should.”
Realizing Yang Kai’s decision was firm, Mo Mei grasped the ring in her hand and bowed deeply, “Many thanks, Sect Master.”
“Good, that’s all for today. Second Manager, please help those from Abundance City settle in.”
Bian Yu Qing received the order and the group followed Yang Kai out of the Main Hall. After Yang Kai released all of the cultivators of Abundance City from the Small Sealed World, Bian Yu Qing led them away.
Yang Kai dismissed Yue He and then returned to his residence with his hands folded behind his back. Knowing that he was heading to see his wives, Yue He did not bother to follow him.
Chen Tian Fei and Lu Xue still remained in Main Hall with somewhat complicated feelings.
After a long time, Chen Tian Fei smiled bitterly, “If I had a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill in the past, I would have been confident in attempting to break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm…”
He chose to break through to the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm due to limitations in his aptitude, but if he had a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill to secure his breakthrough, he would stand a chance to directly advance to the Fifth-Order. Although there was only one Order difference between the Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order, the difference in upper limits was immense. The highest limit a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could achieve was the Sixth-Order, which was still in the Mid-Rank, but a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could attempt to reach the Seventh-Order, which was the High-Rank.
Lu Xue remained silent. She had always been quiet, but she could also understand Chen Tian Fei’s feelings right now. If she did not obtain a Mid-Rank World Fruit from Yang Kai due to unforeseen circumstances, how could she have the power and achievements she had today?
“Our Sect Master is not a simple man. The future of Void Land… is really worth anticipating!” Chen Tian Fei sighed. Although he did not have as much authority as he did back in Scarlet Star, he was still proud to be in a Sect with such high prospects!
What could he do even if he wielded power in Scarlet Star? Scarlet Star would forever be a small place that could never stand out in the one Star City where it was situated, while Void Land had unlimited potential and would one day rise to become an existence on par with the Cave-Heavens or Paradises! By that time, Chen Tian Fei would also be famous!
…..
When Yang Kai returned to his residence and pushed the door open, he saw Yu Ru Meng, Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Xue Yue, and Ji Yao standing side by side, with Yu Ru Meng in the lead.
They had obviously heard the news of Yang Kai’s return, so they had decided to wait here.
As soon as they saw him, happiness covered their faces. Under the lead of Yu Ru Meng, they all saluted and greeted in unison, “Husband, many thanks for your hard work.”
Yu Ru Meng smiled sweetly, Xia Ning Chang and Ji Yao blushed, Xue Yue grinned, while Su Yan lowered her head slightly, her long hair falling from both sides of her ears and resting on her ample peaks.
Yang Kai stared at all of them, stunned.
Yu Ru Meng’s face remained unchanged, but the rest flushed increasingly red.
It was mainly because they had never done something like this before. They were still in retreat previously, but were summoned out one by one by Yu Ru Meng. They still had not gotten used to the situation where they all gathered together to welcome their man back.
With a bang, Yang Kai closed the door again and left the room.
Standing at the door, Yang Kai touched his chin, frowned, and pondered for a long time. He secretly thought to himself that he did not do anything out of line in Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Although that enchantress kept trying to seduce him, he righteously rejected her and did not display any inappropriate behaviour towards her. Thinking so, he calmed down and put a smile on his face before pushing the door open again.
“Husband, why did you do that?” Yu Ru Meng asked puzzledly.
Yang Kai hurriedly answered, “I can’t help but be in such bliss when I see my wives welcome me like this, together. It took me by surprise. I forgot how to behave myself for a while. Please forgive me!”
Yu Ru Meng looked at him suspiciously, “Really? Why do you seem to look a little guilty?”
Cold sweat drenched Yang Kai’s back as he smiled, “Ru Meng, why would you say something so ridiculous? I wasn’t unfaithful to you all, so why would I feel guilty? Heh heh.”
Yu Ru Meng grinned, “This Mistress never accused Husband of being unfaithful… so why is Husband in such a hurry to explain himself, hmm?”
“Am I?” Yang Kai frowned, “Nonsense. There’s nothing of the sort. I’m afraid Ru Meng has misunderstood me. I haven’t seen you all for too long, and I miss all of you very much. Oh, Ning Chang, have you condensed your Dao Seal?”
Little Senior Sister nodded innocently, “En, I have condensed my Dao Seal. Not just me, but everyone has condensed their Dao Seal already. However, Elder Sister Ru Meng said that we should only start cultivating after you come back, so we haven’t condensed any Elements yet.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Ru Meng is right, it is exactly as she says. Come come, let me check everyone’s Dao Seal.”
After declaring so, he spread his arms open and grabbed all the women together without hesitation, pushing them towards the bedroom.
Su Yan, Ji Yao, and Xue Yue all exchanged looks, their faces flushed an even deeper red than before. They naturally knew what kind of ‘checking’ he wanted to perform on them; however, Little Senior Sister in all her innocence still had no idea that she was being led into the wolf’s den, so she continued to boast proudly, “We asked Senior Zhu Jiu Yin to check us once before. She said that we can condense Fifth-Order elements without a problem, and we can directly advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future!”
“En, en!” Yang Kai kept nodding, “Since Zhu Jiu Yin said so, it should be right. However, in the end, she is a Divine Spirit, different from us Humans. There could be errors in her judgement, so I still need to check each of you thoroughly.”
“Is that so?” Xia Ning Chang thought about it for a while, and nodded, “It seems like what Junior Brother said is reasonable.”
Yu Ru Meng sneered, “Then Ning Chang, you can be the first one he ‘checks;’ later.”
Xia Ning Chang replied, “En… Ah, Junior Brother, what are you…”
The ladies, whether it was Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Xue Yue or Ji Yao, had good aptitudes; otherwise, they would not have been able to cultivate to the Emperor Realm in such a short time while still in the Star Boundary. Especially Su Yan, who bore the Ancestral Ice Phoenix Source and possessed the Ice Crystal Jade Body. She had the most outstanding aptitude among all of them.
Their time spent on cultivation was not a lot, but there were never insufficient resources when they were in the Star Boundary, allowing them to build upon solid foundations.
They were restricted by the World Bottle of the Star Boundary and could not be recognized by the World’s Will, so they could not condense their own Dao Seal. Nevertheless, it was no longer the case when they leapt out of the Star Boundary and entered the Outer Universe. Here, it became a simple matter for them to condense their Dao Seals.
Due to their firm foundations, their Dao Seals were also extremely stable.
Zhu Jiu Yin was right. It would not be a problem for them to refine Fifth-Order Elements. As for Yu Ru Meng, she was the Demon Saint of the Demon Race, so she already had her own Dao Seal and had begun to refine Sixth-Order materials like the Great Emperors.
Yang Kai would be pleased enough if the common disciples in Void Land could refine Fifth-Order materials, but since they were his wives, he definitely wanted the absolute best for them.
As such, he took out the remaining Divine Dao Water and distributed it to them.
It was given to him by Zhu Jiu Yin in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Zhu Jiu Yin had lived in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary for many years and possessed a lot of valuable treasures. As a Divine Spirit though, the Divine Dao Water was completely useless to her, so she generously gave it to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai had used some for himself and traded a couple of drops away, but there was still about half of it left. Even though each one of them could only obtain three or four drops now, it was enough to further stabilize their Dao Seals.
One must first sharpen his axe before chopping wood. Ever since Yang Kai left the Star Boundary, he had realized the importance of a Dao Seal to cultivators. It could be said that the future achievements of a cultivator, and even one’s chances of successfully entering the Open Heaven Realm were tied directly to their Dao Seal.
The firmer the Dao Seal, the higher the Order of Elements they could condense, while the chances of failure during the final breakthrough would be smaller too.
Yang Kai and Yu Ru Meng stood guard, while the others entered retreat to refine the Divine Dao Water.
“Does Husband want them to condense Sixth-Order Elements?” Yu Ru Meng guessed Yang Kai’s plan and secretly asked via Divine Sense. At the moment, her clothes are a little untidy, her hair was dishevelled, and her cheeks were still slightly flushed, giving her an extremely seductive air.
Yang Kai grabbed her hand and played with it softly as he whispered, “Entering the Open Heaven Realm is not the end of the Martial Dao. The difference between just one Order is enormous, so if they can have a higher starting point, it will save them many years of cultivation and also allow them to have a more promising future. So, I’ll try to provide them with the best possible starting point.”
“En!” Yu Ru Meng nodded lightly. With a slight tilt, she fell into Yang Kai’s arms, gently stroked the stubble on his chin, and stated in distress, “My Husband has been running around all over the world these past few years. It must have been difficult.”
Although it was her first time hearing about the Divine Dao Water and she had never seen it before, how could anything that could improve a cultivator’s Dao Seal be common? It was definitely a treasure that most cultivators could only dream of.
Everyone wanted such a treasure, so to obtain it, Yang Kai must have gone through plenty of hardships and only succeeded after much hard work.
Yang Kai lowered his head, traced his finger over her ruby-red lips, and asked with a playful smile, “Indeed. How do you intend to compensate your hard-working Husband, Ru Meng?”
Yu Ru Meng glanced up at him shyly, “They are refining the Divine Dao Water. Don’t make trouble. It’s bad to disturb them.”
After a pause, she continued, “It’s not often that you return home. When they’re done, you should go and see Luo’er.”
Yang Kai nodded, “How has Luo’er been doing recently?”
His wives were all here, except for Shan Qing Luo. He could not help it, because when he brought her to Void Land from the Star Boundary, Zhu Jiu Yin instantly felt a familial aura from Shan Qing Luo and immediately took her away. Yang Kai could not stop this, and did not intend to either; after all, this was a good opportunity for Shan Qing Luo too, and Yang Kai believed that with Zhu Jiu Yin’s teaching, Shan Qing Luo would definitely have great achievements in the future.
Yu Ru Meng answered, “I don’t know. Luo’er has been following Senior Zhu Jiu Yin, and hasn’t shown up lately. However, I heard from Su Yan that when they met Luo’er last time, she looked well.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ll make time to see Zhu Jiu Yin then.”
The several women did not take too long, only about three days to refine the Divine Dao Water. They opened their eyes one after another, and Yang Kai checked their Dao Seals one by one. After confirming that their Dao Seals were indeed stable enough to support Sixth-Order Elements, he was relieved.
If he did not have the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill with him, he may not be bold enough to encourage his wives to condense Sixth-Order Powers; after all, having the capability to condense such Element Powers was completely different from having the courage to do so. The risks of breaking through directly to the Sixth-Order rather than the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm were orders of magnitude different.
However, Yang Kai did have the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, which could secure their breakthrough in the future.
After ordering them to find Bian Yu Qing to request Sixth-Order materials, Yang Kai departed to Zhu Jiu Yin’s residence.
Other than meeting Shan Qing Luo, he also wanted to know how much of Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength had been restored. She was a Divine Spirit born and raised in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. After escaping the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, she had to adapt to the World Principles of the 3,000 Worlds in order to regain her peak strength.
It had been several years since she left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so in theory, she should have fully recovered.
Zhu Jiu Yin lived in the grandest palace complex which occupied an entire Spirit Peak. There were no outsiders here, only her and Shan Qing Luo.
Yang Kai came to the foot of the mountain, climbed the stairs, and soon reached in front of the palace. He adjusted his clothes as he cleared his throat before cupping his fist, “Senior, Junior Yang Kai is here to visit you.”
The sound echoed back and forth through the mountain peaks.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice immediately reached Yang Kai’s ear, “Brat, you’re not dead yet?”
Yang Kai was speechless, “Why did you say so, Senior? You are my Protector. Why do you wish for me to die?”
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted coldly, “It’s true that I’m your Protector, but I can only keep you safe in this small place. Since you like to wander around, what does it have to do to me if you get yourself killed outside?”
In fact, she could not wait for Yang Kai to die in a ditch somewhere outside. If he did, she did not have to guard this place anymore, and could go wherever she pleased with Shan Qing Luo.
Yang Kai was annoyed, and if not for the vast gap in their strength, he would have charged inside to teach her a lesson. Forcing down his grievances, he swiftly changed the subject, “Senior, please show yourself.”
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “Just say what you want to say and don’t waste our time. This Queen is really busy and doesn’t have the attention to spare to see you.”
Yang Kai wanted to ask her what she was busy with, but on second thought, since Shan Qing Luo was with her, she probably was doing something related to Shan Qing Luo. Irritated but still willing to compromise, Yang Kai simply asked, “Since Senior has been away from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary for a few years, may this Junior ask how much of your strength had been restored? Do you need any assistance from me?”
Zhu Jiu Yin sneered, “How can you help me? I don’t need your help. If there’s nothing else, go back and don’t bother this Queen.”
Yang Kai ground his teeth. He really wanted to grab this woman out and bite her. He proceeded with a low voice, “It’s fine if Senior doesn’t want to show herself, but I want to see Luo’er.”
“Luo’er is busy too. She’s not free. Shoo shoo, go away!”
Yang Kai widened his eyes and burst out, “Senior, this is my Void Land. Not to mention, I am the Master here, Luo’er is my Wife. I just want to see her. Why won’t you allow me?”
“Bite me!” Zhu Jiu Yin sneered.
[I really do want to bite you to death!] Anger filled Yang Kai’s heart so he steeled himself and strode forward. [I was being polite just now for the sake of respect. Do you really think I have to look at your face? Do you think you can stop me from coming in?]
Just as he took one step forward though, a force travelled through the air and smacked him in the face. Yang Kai lost his balance and literally rolled down the mountain.
By the time he got up again, he was already at the foot of the mountain.
Yang Kai looked up at the top of the mountain with clenched jaws. [Zhu Jiu Yin, you crazy woman!]
“Brat, if you have time to bother me, why don’t you use it to study your Void Land? This place… is not as simple as it appears!” The voice of Zhu Jiu Yin resounded around his ears.
“Not as simple as it appears?” Yang Kai was stunned, “What’s not simple about it?” He shouted loudly a few times, but there was no response from Zhu Jiu Yin anymore. He had no idea if the woman did not hear him, or simply turned a deaf ear to him.
In the midst of his anger, a rumble happened nearby. The ground trembled and it sounded like a thunderstorm. Yang Kai turned to it in shock, and saw two huge figures flying rapidly towards him from the mountain forest. When they got close, he saw sticky, slimy fluid dripping from the mouth of one of them, while the other one extended its huge head over to him, its eyes full of joy.
“It’s you two…” Yang Kai was sulking, but his mood improved a bit at the sight. These two giant creatures were the Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon that he brought out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Yang Kai had fed them Dragon Blood Pills once in a while since the time in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary; therefore, every time they sensed Yang Kai’s aura, they would run over and beg for food.
Although Yang Kai refined a tremendous number of Dragon Blood Pills in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and the quality was excellent, he had been consuming them all these years, so he did not have many left.
However, Yang Kai had no choice but to sigh helplessly when he saw the pleading looks on these two. He took out ten Dragon Blood Pills, and fed them five each as he said, “This is the last time. You won’t get it anymore.”
Without knowing whether they understood or not, they just swallowed the Dragon Blood Pills one by one excitedly before circling around Yang Kai cordially.
It was not surprising for them to appear here, because Zhu Jiu Yin lived here. They were all from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so they were more comfortable with each other. Furthermore, Zhu Jiu Yin would teach these two from time to time.
Given their somewhat childish behaviour, it was natural for them to stay here.
Yang Kai looked at them and found that both the Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon were more than twice the size from the first time he saw them. The Dragon auras emanating from their body were also much stronger; after all, they both had Dragon Clan bloodlines, though only a trace amount. Nonetheless, the Dragon Blood Pills were extremely helpful to them and had strengthened them to a great degree.
“Zhu Jiu Yin, I will make you pay one day!” Hovering in the sky of Void Land, Yang Kai declared silently with his teeth gritted.
Since Zhu Jiu Yin stated that this Void Land was not as simple as it seemed, and asked him to investigate it carefully, Yang Kai naturally did not dare to neglect her words. This place was the foundation of his foothold in 3,000 Worlds. Not to mention, there were 600,000 people he brought from the Star Boundary here. If anything happened here, how could he face those that remained in the Star Boundary?
But after checking for days, he found nothing at all.
He had lived in this place for quite some time, and did not notice anything strange about it. At most, it was just a Spirit Province where a Second Class great force stood. There was truly nothing special about it.
He took Zhu Jiu Yin’s words seriously because she was a powerful Divine Spirit. That perhaps, she may have felt something.
But now, it seemed that it was either that woman had misled him, or he was too weak to detect it. Yang Kai believed that the former was more likely, which enraged him.
After a few bitter grumblings, Yang Kai gave up on continuing his investigation. He found Second Manager Bian Yu Qing, informed her that he would be in retreat for a while, and told her not to disturb him unless there was an urgent matter.
Bian Yu Qing respectfully acknowledged his orders.
Thus, Yang Kai returned to his residence, went into the secret room and activated the various barriers. He sat cross-legged and focused his mind for three days before solemnly taking out the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core.
The Monster Core was the size of a fist, its entire mass golden, and a strong and pure Metal Element Power surrounded it. When he probed his Divine Sense into it, he could clearly feel the massive energy contained within.
Yang Kai was delighted, but his face remained calm.
It was not easy to obtain such a treasure, and it could be said that he was very lucky to have held onto it. He initially hoped to find the materials he needed in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, but his efforts turned out to be in vain. He had completely given up, especially when the Blood Monster Cave Heaven was collapsing; however, when one door closes, a window opens. Yang Kai bumped into the severely injured Golden Wolf King that happened to have devoured the Monster Core of Golden Gorilla King, allowing it to advance from the peak of Sixth Order to the Seventh Order.
At that time, Yang Kai still had the Divine Ability Bead given to him by the Proprietress!
Part of the reason the Golden Wolf King could defeat the Golden Gorilla King and advance to the Seventh Order was because of Yang Kai. If he had not fought with Golden Gorilla King in Abundance City back then, there would not have been a decisive battle between the two Monster Beasts, both at the peak of Sixth Order. After all, they had fought with each other for many years, and neither had prevailed. It could be said that their strength was always on par with each other.
It was precisely because Yang Kai fought with Golden Gorilla King in Abundance City and greatly weakened it that the Golden Wolf King had a chance to succeed!
It was all kinds of opportunistic coincidences that brought Yang Kai the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core in his hand.
Now, it seemed that it was no longer necessary for him to go to Golden Antelope Paradise, where he was planning to head if he failed to obtain anything from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. After all, he might just be able to find something he needed there. However, he didn’t have to anymore.
No matter how indifferent he looked, Yang Kai was still a little exhilarated in his heart, because as long as he refined this Monster Core, he would be just one step away from the Open Heaven Realm. As soon as he found a suitable Yin Element treasure to refine, he could split Heaven and Earth within himself to create a Small Universe, directly advancing to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. By then, he would have the ability to protect himself in the 3,000 Worlds.
Yang Kai took a soft breath and closed his eyes. Before refining this Metal Element Monster Core, he still needed to make some preparations.
Among the Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers, Yang Kai first condensed his Wood Element, then Fire, then Earth. However, he had not found an appropriate Metal Element. Fortunately, Zhu Jiu Yin handed him the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture, allowing him to skip the Metal Element and condensed his Water Element as well as his Yang Element.
Nonetheless, although the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture was amazing, anyone who used it had to dedicate a part of their attention to maintaining its operation. Once it was interrupted, the Powers inside the Dao Seal would fall into chaos, leading to disastrous results.
When refining his Water Element, Yang Kai spared a part of his focus on operating the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture. Similarly, Yang Kai had to spare another part of his focus when condensing his Yang Element Power.
It could be said that Yang Kai has always been in the state of multitasking on at least three things at the same time. It was a great load on any cultivator who did this, because multitasking on three things would consume a lot of one’s focus. Without a powerful Soul, this could not have been done, let alone fighting with others in this state.
Maybe multitasking on three things would not be too difficult for a short time, but the problem was this circulation could not be interrupted and had to be maintained at all times.
Fortunately, Yang Kai’s Soul was much stronger than other cultivators in the same Realm; thus, he was able to maintain this state without making any mistakes.
Now, since he wanted to condense the Metal Element Power, he had to spare another part of his focus again.
Divine Sense surged, and his focus was divided. As the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture was operating, Yang Kai held the Seventh-Order Monster Core with both hands, surged the Powers within his Dao Seal, and began absorbing the Metal Element Power in the Monster Core.
The Metal Element was renowned for its sharpness, and specialized in attacking. As such, the Monster Core’s Metal Element Power had an unparalleled sharpness to it. As soon as Yang Kai absorbed a trace of this Power, he felt a stabbing pain in his physique and meridians, as if a tiny needle had poked into his body, shuttled through his physique and meridians, and pierced his Dao Seal.
Yang Kai’s face trembled while he endured the pain.
Soon, an almost imperceptible golden aura appeared in his Dao Seal, and it began to tremble slightly. The Powers of Wood, Fire, Earth and Water seemed to become a little lively at this moment.
Yang Kai did not know whether it was an illusion, but he did not have time to find out now. Since he had begun to refine the Metal Element Power, he could not give up halfway, and constantly utilised his Dao Seal, absorbing the energy of the Monster Core in his hand.
As time passed, Yang Kai felt as though countless fine needles were drilling into his body, as if thousands of ants were eating his physique, and he had to endure the unbearable pain the whole time.
However, the golden aura in his Dao Seal was gradually growing stronger. With the increase of the Metal Element Power, the rest of the Five Element Powers became more and more active in his Dao Seal. Even the vibration of his Dao Seal became more and more apparent.
The Five Elements were a complete cycle that brought about unity. The process of advancing to the Open Heaven Realm was to integrate this unity into their Dao Seal. Before, the Five Element Powers in Yang Kai’s body were incomplete and could not harmonize with each other properly, so they had to act on their own. But now, Yang Kai has refined the Metal Element Power, and finally gathered all of the Five Elements.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth were gradually integrated with each other in an infinite loop, connecting to each other in an endless and wondrous cycle. The Dao Seal vibrated more and more, and its light flickered constantly.
With the refining of the Metal Element Power, Yang Kai’s aura also became stronger and stronger.
It was not easy to refine a Seventh-Order material, and if it were any other cultivator, they would have to be extremely careful, especially towards the Metal Element Power, because its innate nature to attack and kill was too strong. One mistake would lead to irreparable losses to their own meridians and Dao Seal, possibly even death.
Therefore, the time required for refining would naturally be exceedingly long, ranging from three to five years to more than ten years.
Yang Kai was not worried about this though. His Dao Seal was extremely firm, and among the Five Elements, he had gathered the Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth already. As such, he had great experience in condensing this kind of High-Rank Power.
He refined rapidly, and the aura of the Metal Element Monster Core in his hand disappeared at a visible speed. On the contrary, the golden light in Yang Kai’s Dao Seal gradually expanded.
At a certain moment, when the last bit of Power within the Monster Core in his hand was absorbed and condensed, Yang Kai felt that his mind relaxed, as if a heavy burden was lifted from him. He instinctively withdrew the several parts of his split focus, which had now been spared, and stopped the operation of the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture.
Although the technique was interrupted, there was no sign of disorder with the Powers in his Dao Seal. On the contrary, as the Five Elements in his Dao Seal were complete now, the Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth Element Powers mutually reinforced and suppressed one another, forming a complete cycle.
Cultivators had to condense the Elements in a specific order, but the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture negated that necessity. Now that Yang Kai possessed all the Five Elements though, he naturally did not need this technique. It was a great relief for him, especially from the stress of maintaining it.
Yang Kai examined himself carefully and clearly perceived the endless cycle of the Five Elements in his Dao Seal. Following the cycle of the Five Elements, an inexplicable aura was released out of the Dao Seal. This aura felt like a newborn world, like the prototype of World Force, but at the same time not!
The feeling of the complete Five Elements circulating in his own body mutually reinforcing and suppressing each other was even more amazing. Yang Kai had long experienced the World Force; after all, he was the owner of the Small Sealed World, which was also an independent world itself and naturally had its own World Force. However, the Small Sealed World was not his own body, and the feeling that came from his own being at this moment was completely different.
A sudden realization suddenly dawned on Yang Kai, this was the true Half-Step Open Heaven Realm!
Although previously he had refined five Elements to reach the standard of the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, due to the scattered Powers in his body, he did not form an orderly cycle at all. Therefore, he had not truly stepped into the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm.
But now, he had finally reached the threshold of the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm. If he could take another step forward, he would be in the Open Heaven Realm!
Yang Kai concentrated his mind and immersed himself in this wonderful feeling. His Dao Seal constantly vibrated, and each vibration seemed to be a throb from the depths of his heart. The cycle of the Five Elements resonated with his Soul, giving rise to the illusion that his Dao Seal was about to evolve into a World.
And he himself was the creator of this World!
The feeling of dominating the World arose spontaneously, and his mood lifted a little. After condensing the Metal Element Power, Yang Kai stood firm in the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm. He could sense that his strength had increased by another leap. Even though it was not too outrageous, it was certainly different from before.
More importantly, with the completion of the Five Elements, it gave him another trump card to use.
Just when Yang Kai wanted to try a technique he had not used for a long time, a soft noise suddenly came out from within himself. Yang Kai was slightly stunned, unable to react to what had happened.
When the soft noise resounded for the second time, Yang Kai hurriedly examined its source and his face turned deathly pale.
A crack had appeared in his Dao Seal!
Yang Kai was beyond startled, his face turning green from shock. After reaching the peak of the Emperor Realm, the Dao Seal became the foundation of a cultivator. It was where their Grand Dao was stored, the product of a cultivator’s lifetime of hard work. If something went wrong with their Dao Seal, it would be the end of the cultivator.
Yang Kai never thought there would be a problem with his Dao Seal, because it was extremely firm and robust, especially with the nourishment of the Divine Dao Water.
But the most unlikely thing happened, and it happened so abruptly.
Yang Kai drew a deep breath and held it for a long while, focusing his Divine Sense closely on his Dao Seal. A small crack had indeed appeared in his Dao Seal, but he did not feel any discomfort. Instead, he felt light and refreshed.
[What’s happening?]
After waiting for a long while, the movement from his Dao Seal gradually stopped. Yang Kai tried to stimulate the Powers in his Dao Seal, but instead of any hindrance, they flowed smoother than ever. Still, the tiny crack was real, and there was no sign of it healing.
Yang Kai was baffled. Boldly, he raised his hand, and a wave of Sword Qi swirled around his fingertips, one that encompassed all Five Elements.
Five Elements Indestructible Sword Qi was a Secret Technique that Yang Kai cultivated a long time ago. Resources of the Five Elements needed to be consumed during its cultivation, but the grade of those resources he used to do so were not very high. With the improvement of his cultivation, this Secret Technique lacked utility and was thus set aside.
However, this Secret Technique was also good because of its unlimited potential. The stronger the Five Element Powers used, the greater the power of the Five Elements Indestructible Sword Qi. The Five Element Powers that Yang Kai refined to reach the Open Heaven realm were all High-Rank; thus, the current Sword Qi he could use was on a completely different scale from before.
That Sword Qi lingered around the secret room ceaselessly for a long time, and one could imagine how difficult it would be for the enemy to contend against it.
Of course, Yang Kai was not testing out the power of this Sword Qi, but was instead using it to investigate his own Dao Seal.
After a while, he concluded that there was really nothing wrong with his Dao Seal.
Yang Kai frowned, feeling even more confused about his situation. He had no mentor to guide him throughout his cultivating journey, and had been experimenting and fumbling on his own most of the time. Right now, he was secretly worried that something had gone wrong and he was simply unable to detect it.
Feeling uneasy, he opened the secret room and summoned Yue He to ask her for some advice; after all, Yue He was an experienced Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so she might know something.
Unfortunately, there was no reply even after a long time! As such, Yang Kai summoned Lu Xue, but there was no response from her either.
Yue He and Lu Xue were the two most powerful Open Heaven Masters in Void Land currently, a Sixth-Order and a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master respectively, and Void Land supposedly didn’t have any urgent matters going on currently, so how could they not reply to him? The only explanation was that they were not in Void Land!
This made Yang Kai’s heart clench tight. Did something happen to Void Land when he was in retreat? Completely abandoning the problems about his own Dao Seal, he hurried out and sent a message to Bian Yu Qing.
Fortunately, Bian Yu Qing quickly replied.
After the two met, Yang Kai quickly asked, “Second Manager, what happened to Void Land? Why are Yue He and Lu Xue not here?”
Bian Yu Qing was momentarily stunned, but then laughed lightly and reassured him, “Sect Master, don’t worry, something did happen to Void Land, but it’s something worth celebrating.”
Yang Kai raised his brow, “What is it worth celebrating?”
Bian Yu Qing pointed up at the sky and explained, “The people from Abundance City are breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm. There are many of them, and it was an important matter, so all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land are standing guard outside.”
“Oh?” Yang Kai was overjoyed when he heard the news, and his anxiety was immediately relieved. He thought something serious might have happened when he did not receive a response from Yue He and Lu Xue, but now he learnt that they actually left to stand guard for the people of Abundance City.
Yang Kai silently calculated the time and figured he should have taken three months to refine the Metal Element Monster Core in retreat. It was not too long nor too short, and during this period, the people from Abundance City should have familiarized themselves with the outside world and made the necessary preparations to break through to the Open Heaven Realm.
Suddenly feeling excited, he quickly left after saying, “I’ll go take a look too.”
In a flash, he opened a hole in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array and left Void Land, reappearing in the void alone.
The reason why the people of Abundance City chose to break through to the Open Heaven Realm outside of Void Land was mainly that they were afraid of what damage the failure of their breakthroughs might bring to Void Land.
The breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm did not have much requirement from the external environment. It could be done in a land rich in World Energy, or in the empty void as it was mainly dependent on one’s own heritage. Yue He and the others were naturally there too.
Outside of Void Land, Yue He, Lu Xue, Chen Tian Fei, and even Guo Zi Yan were standing by, spread out to the four corners of a huge space in the void where Mo Mei, Pang Duo, and several the others sat cross-legged, separated from each other by more than ten kilometres, each of them permeating vigorous auras.
There were not many of them, only 9. Besides City Lord Mo Mei, Pang Duo and the other four Great Elders, the remaining four were Deacons who had condensed Fifth-Order Elements.
Beyond that, there were many more cultivators clustered in another location.
Yang Kai arrived just in time for Mo Mei and the others to break through to the Open Heaven Realm. Without needing to approach, Yang Kai could already clearly feel World Force permeating from them.
He had witnessed Old Bai’s promotion to the Open Heaven Realm before, but he was the only one in that situation. Now that 9 people were breaking through together, how spectacular was the scene going to be? Void Land probably would be the only place to have such a spectacle in the entire 3,000 Worlds.
It was impossible for other Sects to find so many disciples who were all so close to Open Heaven Realm at the same time.
Yang Kai watched for a while, feeling that Mo Mei and others should have no problem with their breakthroughs, but he was still not sure so he flickered towards Yue He.
“Young Master, did you exit retreat?” Yue He was pleasantly surprised to see him. She felt around slightly, sensed the Metal Element Power Element permeating from Yang Kai, and confirmed that he had successfully refined it.
“En.” Yang Kai nodded as he motioned with his mouth to the people in front, “How are they doing?”
Yue He replied, “Everything is going well. I’m certain it won’t take more than three to five days for them to succeed.”
Yang Kai was delighted, “That’s good.”
Yue He covered her mouth and giggled, “Congratulations, Young Master, Void Land’s strength will greatly increase now.”
Yang Kai found what she said funny, then reached out and pinched her face, “You are also from Void Land, we should be celebrating together.”
After pinching her, Yang Kai froze. Although Yue He has always been obedient, he also knew the reason for it, so he had always been careful not to be too intimate with her. However, he was stunned by his own sudden action.
Yue He was also dumbfounded, and the both of them stared at each other.
After a while, Yang Kai cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly, “What’s their condition?”
There were nearly 300 people gathered there looking nervously at Mo Mei and the others, all of them likely cultivators of Abundance City.
Yue He reported, “They have broken through to the Open Heaven Realm already, Young Master. There are 315 new Open Heaven Realm Masters in total, including 35 Fourth-Order, 191 Third-Order, and 89 Second-Order Open Heaven Masters. This number is… quite unbelievable.”
Yang Kai was elated when he heard this.
Before now, the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land could be counted with just one hand, but the sudden rise in numbers to more than 300 of them meant that the strength of Void Land had soared.
With so many Open Heaven Realm Masters, Void Land still may not be as good as some top Second Class great forces, but how many years had they been established and developing for? How old was Void Land?
And this was just the beginning. Not to mention that there were even more cultivators in Abundance City that were only one or two steps away from the Open Heaven Realm, the more than 600,000 people brought from the Star Boundary were also all elites. Many people would definitely break through to the Open Heaven Realm in the near future.
But even if the number was not as good as other forces, Void Land was definitely not lacking in terms of quality. Of the more than 300 people who had broken through successfully, 35 of them were Fourth-Order Open Heaven Masters. This ratio was terrifying, and only a special environment such as the Blood Monster Cave Heaven could foster such potential, giving them the time to accumulate and break out of their shells all at once.
Not to mention, there were still 9 more who were still in the process of breaking through.
These 9 people, except Mo Mei, who was about to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, were all going to break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Once successful, Void Land’s background would become quite terrifying.
Why did Yang Kai spend so much to set up the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array? It was to prepare for rainy days. The strength of the people who came from the Star Boundary was uneven, and the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land was scarce. If anyone really decided to come looking for trouble, they may not be able to triumph against them. But with the protection of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, they at least would have a safe environment.
However, he did not need to worry about that anymore, unless those Cave-Heavens and Paradises launched a major attack on them. Otherwise, there were only a few great forces in the 3,000 Worlds that could compete with Void Land now.
Excited, Yang Kai suddenly felt much more relaxed.
Although he had occupied Void Land that day by chance, formed a Sect here, then spent a fortune to arrange the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, he always felt a little insecure. However, he no longer felt that way. With so many Open Heaven Realm Masters guarding Void Land now, this place had now become a true place of refuge for him.
In the distance, the World Force escaping from the bodies of Mo Mei and the others became more and more apparent, giving off a vague feeling that a new world was about to be born.
However, judging from their appearance, it would still take a few days before the real promotion to Open Heaven Realm took place. Yang Kai relaxed and then recalled the reason for coming out of his retreat, quickly asking in a small voice, “Yue He, I want to ask you something.”
Yue He turned her head and asked, “Feel free to ask anything, Young Master.”
Yang Kai reiterated what happened during his retreat, and Yue He could not help getting nervous, “A crack on your Dao Seal?”
“En.” Yang Kai nodded solemnly, “Common sense says that when the Dao Seal is broken, even if one’s cultivation is not completely destroyed, they would at least be seriously injured, but… I don’t feel anything is off about myself. In fact, I feel quite comfortable.”
Yue He pondered for a while before asking, “Young Master, will you allow me to investigate carefully?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En. I was hoping you would.”
The Dao Seal was the root of a cultivator, so it was not something to be opened up to others casually. If the other party had any malicious intentions, he would be dead without knowing how he was killed. Nevertheless, Yue He was trustworthy and Yang Kai was confident it was impossible for her to have any ill intentions towards him.
Yue He immediately stretched out and tapped her slender jade finger on Yang Kai’s chest, surging her Divine Sense as she probed him carefully.
After a while, Yue He retracted her finger, a frown on her face.
“What is it?” Yang Kai asked nervously.
Yue He thought carefully before replying, “I didn’t notice anything wrong, but Young Master, your Dao Seal has signs of breaking. This is something unprecedented, and…”
“And what?”
“There are signs of you advancing to the Open Heaven Realm.”
“Signs of breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm?” Shock surfaced on Yang Kai’s face, “What do you mean?”
Yue He explained, “Young Master may not be aware, but whenever a cultivator is about to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, one’s Dao Seal must be broken to integrate Yin, Yang, and Five Elements together with one’s Grand Dao to form their Small Universe.”
She then pointed at Mo Mei and the others, “They are currently in that phase. Once they succeed, they can advance to the Open Heaven Realm. If they fail, the consequences will be dire.”
“Such a thing happens?” Yang Kai was astonished. He really did not know that the Dao Seal would have to be broken while advancing to the Open Heaven Realm. He always thought that the Dao Seal would accompany a cultivator for the rest of their life, but now it seemed that there was no Dao Seal in those within the Open Heaven Realm, because their Dao Seal would shatter and merge into their Small Universe, imprinting the cultivator’s Grand Dao.
Yang Kai then asked with a frown, “But the Dao Seal is critical to a cultivator, wouldn’t it cause irreparable damage to us when it shatters?”
Yue He chuckled, “What Young Master described is the consequences of one’s Dao Seal being destroyed by external forces. For example, if a certain Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master was subjected to a Secret Technique that shattered their Dao Seal, even if this person did not die, their cultivation would be completely crippled. However, when breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm, this process is essential, otherwise, how would one integrate their own Grand Dao into their Small Universe? This can be considered as breaking the old to build up the new, that’s why the advancement to the Open Heaven Realm has always been extremely dangerous, and one careless mistake will put all previous efforts to waste.”
Yang Kai had a vague idea now but was still confused, “I am still one step away from Open Heaven Realm, but it is not easy to even take this step. So why did my Dao Seal change like this?”
Yue He did not understand what was going on either, so shaking her head, she replied, “I cannot say, Young Master. Do you really not feel anything wrong?”
Yang Kai answered, “If there was something wrong, I would notice it, but I truly don’t feel anything abnormal, except for the crack in my Dao Seal.”
Yue He pondered for a long time before opening her mouth hesitantly, “Perhaps, it has something to do with the Order of the materials you have refined, Young Master. Throughout the ages, there have been very few cultivators capable of condensing High-Rank Element Powers. Another might not appear for thousands of years, so no one would be able to predict what kind of abnormal situations may occur on the path of cultivation such as Young Master’s.”
If even Yue He could not give him an answer, Yang Kai did not know who else to turn to. She had the highest cultivation and was the most knowledgeable in Void Land, so it was impossible for the others to know more than she did.
Although Zhu Jiu Yin was a Divine Spirit and certainly stronger than Yue He, her cultivation method was completely different from that of a Human’s, so asking her would be pointless.
Seeing him still worried, Yue He comforted him, “But there is a benefit to the situation you’re in.”
Yang Kai smiled bitterly, “What’s the benefit? Let’s hear it.”
“Young Master’s advancement to the Open Heaven in the future will certainly be easier now as there are signs of your breaking through already. When you gather all of your Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers, your advancement will definitely come naturally without much obstruction.”
Although Yang Kai knew that she was just comforting him, he still felt somewhat relieved and nodded, “I hope so.”
Although talking to Yue He did not solve his doubts and he did not know why his Dao Seal had such a phenomenon, Yang Kai faintly noticed one thing; the long gorge of cultivation between Emperor Realm and Open Heaven Realm could be called a completely new realm, such as the Dao Seal Realm!
This was because when one’s cultivation had reached the peak of the Emperor Realm, they would need to condense their Dao Seal with their own Grand Dao and lifelong cultivation. When advancing to the Open Heaven Realm, one’s Dao Seal would be shattered and integrated into their Small Universe. The formation to the destruction of the Dao Seal was the rise and fall of a Realm, and its characteristics were extremely obvious.
The question was, why did such a Realm not exist?
Since he could not answer such a question, he decided not to think about it anymore. If there had never been the existence of a Dao Seal Realm before, there must be a reason for it.
Five or six days passed by in a hurry while Yang Kai was constantly paying attention to the situation of his Dao Seal. Suddenly, he sensed a notably obvious World Force swaying in the void. Looking up quickly, he saw Pang Duo get up with a smile and stood steadily.
However, at this moment, he was a lot stronger than before. His upright stature felt as though a new World had emerged, and a complete World Force lingered around him.
He has successfully broken though!
At almost the same time, World Forces constantly fluctuated around the void. Jin Yuan Lang, Mu Qian Xuan, Gong Yang Xi, and the others advanced to the Open Heaven Realm within just a half cup of tea’s time. These Great Elders of Abundance City had spent almost the same amount of time cultivating, and the Fifth-Order materials they refined were not much different in attributes, which was why their breakthrough was so close to each other.
After another half-day, Fan Wu Xin and the other Deacons also successfully broke through.
Finally, after another day, Mo Mei completed her breakthrough!
Yang Kai was overjoyed!
Although he gave Mo Mei many Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, which could greatly improve the chances of successfully breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm, Spirit Pills were only external aids after all. What truly mattered was their respective will and foundation. No matter how much any external assistance was provided, if one was personally insufficient, there would still be a risk of failure.
Now that they were all successful and no one had failed, it was well worth being delighted about.
Having long noticed Yang Kai’s presence, Mo Mei did not bother stabilizing her cultivation after her advancement to the Open Heaven Realm and flew straight towards him.
Behind her, Pang Duo and the others quickly followed, followed by the hundreds of Abundance City cultivators who had already broken through to the Open Heaven Realm.
In front of Yang Kai, Mo Mei saluted elegantly, “Greetings, Sect Master!”
Yang Kai stretched out his hand to lift her up with a small smile before cupping his fist as well, “Congratulations to everyone on your advancement to the Open Heaven Realm. From now on, like the Great Pengs of legends, spread your wings and soar into the sky!”
Mo Mei replied humbly, “Many thanks to Sect Master for removing the Blood Principles on us, taking us out of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, and giving us such precious Spirit Pills. We will never forget Sect Master’s grace!”
Although Mo Mei’s tone was calm, her expression could not conceal her excitement. She and the Great Elders of Abundance City had long met the requirements to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, but they could not do so because they were suppressed by the Blood Monster Cave Heaven itself. They have lived in that Universe Cave Heaven for generations, and although they knew about the existence of the Open Heaven Realm, they could never reach it. As cultivators, how could they not have the desire to progress further on the Martial Dao?
Even in their dreams, they had never thought that one day they could really achieve what they so desired.
It was Yang Kai who broke them out of that cage, lifted the Blood Principles Restriction on them, and brought them to this vast universe safely. To them, this was tantamount to a life-saving grace and an opportunity to be reborn.
Furthermore, there were the Spirit Pills given by Yang Kai to them. Before their breakthrough, Mo Mei and the others were not aware of the dangers of attempting this breakthrough; however, after having experienced the process first-hand, they realized the various risks of this process. It could be said that if they had no special Spirit Pills, at least a hundred cultivators from Abundance City would have died in this attempt. Even Mo Mei could not guarantee that she would succeed, as it was possible that she could have fallen short just with a slight change in her inner state, resulting in her death.
If even she had no guarantee, what about the others?
However, with the help of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, hundreds of people were able to advance successfully together, and no one was injured. It was nothing short of a miracle!
Mo Mei’s gratitude was completely sincere and heartfelt.
The 300-plus people chanted in unison, “Many thanks, Sect Master!”
Yang Kai chuckled happily, “We are all one family now, there’s no need to be so formal.” After a little pondering, he added, “Mo Mei, you have now reached the Open Heaven Realm, and are also in the Sixth Order, so you and Yue He will be promoted to the positions of Left and Right Protectors of Void Land. I wonder if you are willing to take up this responsibility?”
Mo Mei replied, “It would be my honour, Sect Master.”
Yang Kai nodded and continued, “Good, then Mo Mei, you will be the Right Protector of my Void Land in the future. Additionally, you and the other Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters will join Void Land’s Elder Council. Second Manager will inform you of the details.”
Pang Duo and the others chanted in unison, “We will follow Sect Master’s command!”
Yang Kai guffawed, his face full of exhilaration, and the worries brought about by his Dao Seal were also washed away. He shouted in high spirits, “Today, Void Land has gained a great boon. There won’t be any need to worry about being prosperous in the future. It is Void Land’s honour to have you join us, just as it is this Yang’s honour!”
Mo Mei replied humbly, “Sect Master is too modest.”
Yang Kai continued, “We should set up a banquet and have a good drink to celebrate such a joyous occasion, but you have all just finished breaking through, so you still need to stabilize your cultivations. Let us return to Void Land first. We will celebrate well after all of your cultivations have been consolidated.”
Naturally, no one had any objections. They did need time to stabilize their cultivation and familiarize themselves with the might of the Open Heaven Realm.
Upon returning to Void Land, Yang Kai summoned Bian Yu Qing, informed her about the advancement of Mo Mei and the others, filled her in on the matter of the Protectors and Elder Council, and delegated her to make arrangements for it.
Pang Duo and the others had now advanced to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and indeed were qualified to be part of the Elder Council. As for those Fourth-Order and Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai gave the responsibility of delegating their positions and responsibilities to Bian Yu Qing.
Yang Kai did not stay any longer and returned to his retreat.
After studying his Dao Seal carefully for a few days, he finally let out a breath of relief when he did not find any hidden dangers. According to Yue He, although the incident with his Dao Seal was strange, it may not be a bad thing. At least it would be much easier for him to break through to the Open Heaven Realm in the future.
Mo Mei and the others needed time to stabilize their cultivation, and so did Yang Kai.
The Proprietress said before she left that the progression of his cultivation was too rapid. Although there would be no problems in the near future, it was difficult to guarantee that there would be no hidden dangers during his advancement to the Open Heaven Realm. There was no other cultivator like him who had condensed six High-Rank Elements in such a short period of time and was only one step away from the Open Heaven Realm.
Even the oddity with his Dao Seal was likely related to this.
Yang Kai naturally had to be careful.
He would not be able to obtain the last Yin Element treasure in short order. Since the Proprietress would be keeping an eye out for him, Yang Kai decided to not worry about it. The Proprietress definitely had much better connections than he did, so if even she was unable to find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, he wouldn’t either, no matter how hard he tried.
Simply taking this time to consolidate his own cultivation was the best plan for the future.
With a clear mind, Yang Kai relaxed and entered retreat with peace of mind, focusing on exploring the current Powers he had.
“Towering Evergreen!”
Yang Kai’s lips murmured quietly in the secret room as the Wood Element Power in his Dao Seal shone brightly. Emerald light lingered around him, and a towering ancient tree suddenly sprouted behind his back, one so massive its crown seemed to cover the sky.
All kinds of mysterious sensations were imprinted in his heart, and Yang Kai could not help gaining a trace of enlightenment.
This was not a simple Wood Element Divine Ability, but a Divine Manifestation of the same grade as his Golden Crow Casts the Sun!
During his retreat, Yang Kai focused on consolidating his foundation and comprehending his gains, so as to avoid any twists and turns in his future advancement to the Open Heaven Realm. In order to do this, there was no better method than to comprehend the mysteries of his Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers.
As long as he could comprehend the secrets of these Powers within his Dao Seal, he would be able to completely master his strength.
Among the various Powers he condensed, Yang Kai had already comprehended the Golden Crow Casts the Sun from the Fire Element Power, and the Dragon Shield Secret Technique from his Earth Element Power, but he was still clueless about the Water Element, Yang Element, and Metal Element Powers he had condensed. Regarding the Wood Element Power, he came across an opportunity before entering the Blood Monster Divine Palace; however, he was in an urgent situation at that time, so after saving Qu Hua Shang, he hurriedly rushed into Blood Monster Divine Palace, and did not have time to carefully experience his new Wood Element Divine Ability.
Then, after returning to Void Land, he had been busy refining the Seventh-Order Monster Core in retreat until now!
Yang Kai was pleasantly surprised to find that what he comprehended through his Wood Element Power was no mere Divine Ability, but rather a Divine Manifestation!
It was no wonder that Yang Kai was able to block a terrifying blow from the Seventh-Order Star Turtle back then. Despite the High-Order of the Wood Element Power he had condensed from the Immortal Tree, Yang Kai could not believe that he managed to block that attack at the time; after all, there was a huge gap between him and the Star Turtle. Now, he finally understood that he had underestimated the might of this Divine Manifestation.
Divine Manifestations had always been exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Only they were eligible to comprehend Divine Manifestation, but that did not mean all of them could. There were many powerful High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who did not have their own Divine Manifestation.
It was a miracle that Yang Kai could comprehend the Golden Crow Casts the Sun as an Emperor Realm cultivator. When the Head Manager of Scarlet Star, Zhao Bai Chuan, saw it last time, he commented that Yang Kai could compete with ordinary Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters with just this Divine Manifestation alone. Thus, one could imagine the power of a Divine Manifestation.
Now, after learning the Golden Crow Casts the Sun, Yang Kai obtained the Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation. If Zhao Bai Chuan knew about it, he would most likely jump out of his coffin in envy.
Finally registering that the towering ancient tree behind him was a Divine Manifestation, Yang Kai could not help guffaw, his mouth opened wide as he let out genuine roars of laughter.
After comprehending carefully for a while, Yang Kai fully understood.
This Towering Evergreen was not just a defensive Divine Manifestation, but also possessed an extremely shocking healing ability. After all, this was the Wood Element Power that was condensed from the essence of the Immortal Tree, so it came as no surprise that it had such utility.
However, this Divine Manifestation was not really helpful to Yang Kai, because his own recovery abilities were already extraordinary, to the point that he did not need to rely on external forces.
The Golden Crow Casts the Sun was an offensive Divine Manifestation, while the Towering Evergreen was a defensive one. With both offensive and defensive abilities and also the newly refined Metal Element Power, there was a sharp increase in Yang Kai’s strength.
After studying it thoroughly for a while, Yang Kai dismissed this Divine Manifestation and began concentrating on comprehending his other Powers.
Being able to comprehend this Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation before the Blood Monster Divine Palace was greatly related to his perseverance in studying his Wood Element for a long time. Ever since he learnt about the Golden Crow Casts the Sun, Yang Kai put in effort to comprehend his Element Powers whenever he had spare time.
It was just that he had not perceived anything all this time. However, it was not because he was working in the wrong direction, but rather that the opportunity had not yet appeared.
Seeing the results now, Yang Kai knew that his efforts over the years had not been in vain, so he would spare no effort in doing so again.
Surprisingly, after half a year in retreat, Yang Kai made another achievement. In the secret room, a full moon suddenly rose slowly from behind him. It was the Moonlight Reflection in the Water, pouring down slowly in the room. The temperature dropped sharply, frost suddenly adorning everywhere in the room, emitting cracking noises.
The Water Element Divine Ability came into being!
He obtained his Water Element by refining a Moon Essence, and it could only produce such an amazing scene because of its Ice Attribute.
However, this Moonlight Reflection in the Water was not a Divine Manifestation, but rather a simple Divine Ability. Compared to Golden Crow Casts the Sun from the Fire Element and Towering Evergreen from the Wood Element, it was an order of magnitude weaker.
Yang Kai was not upset though. Given the rarity of Divine Manifestations, it was already exceedingly lucky for him to comprehend two with his current strength. How could he ask for more?
Now that he comprehended the Golden Crow Casts the Sun from his Fire Element Power and Moonlight Reflection in the Water from the Water Element Power, Yang Kai had gathered both the strength of the Sun and Moon. It was just a coincidence as it was truly rare.
As he thought about it, the full Moon set and the Sun rose.
The Sun rose when the Moon set, while the Sun set as the Moon rose… It was like an endless cycle. At this moment, Yang Kai actually felt that he had gained a deeper understanding of the Dao of Time.
In terms of attainments in the Dao of Time, Yang Kai knew he could not compare to Flowing Time Great Emperor, or even Yang Xiao and Yang Xue; after all, those two were the Inheritance Disciples of Flowing Time Great Emperor and had taken up his mantle. As such, their attainments in the Dao of Time were superior to Yang Kai’s.
Moreover, Yang Kai’s foundation was established on the Dao of Space. All along, he has been painstakingly comprehending Space Principles and did not invest much into the Dao of Time. Back then, it was only by chance that he learnt the Time Flies Seal, but he did not focus deeply on it.
However, at this moment, when he comprehended the Divine Ability, Moonlight Reflection, from his Water Element Power, Yang Kai could not help having a feeling of inspiration. If he could merge these Fire and Water Powers with the Time Flies Seal to form a new Divine Ability, it would definitely be one of his most powerful trump cards!
Without hesitation, Yang Kai started to surge his Fire and Water Element Powers in sequence in the secret room. Sometimes the Sun leapt out, and occasionally, the Moonlight poured down, while the Time Flies Seal fluctuated.
……
In the Void, a ship sailed forward slowly. Many people gathered on the deck of the ship in small groups, talking and laughing. It could be seen that this was a ship of a great force, and all the cultivators on board were the disciples of this great force.
Among the leaders, there was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and two Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm was an elderly man, while the two Third-Orders were a middle-aged man and a dignified woman.
An imposing young man stood beside the three of them. He was noble and handsome, and many Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters on the ship would steal glances at him quietly. From time to time, their eyes would meet his eyes, and they would quickly lower their heads shyly, but the young man just smiled gently, which sent the Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters swooning.
“Senior Brother Qi, does Void Territory’s Star City really have a complete set of Fifth-Order materials to be exchanged?” The dignified woman in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm asked, with a hint of disbelief in her beautiful eyes.
“Yes, Senior Brother Qi, we’ve crossed a few Great Territories to get here. It’d better not be false news; otherwise, we would have travelled all the way for nothing.” The middle-aged man also in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm questioned with a worried face.
The elderly man surnamed Qi stroked his beard lightly and smiled, “Don’t worry, the news is accurate, but it will be up to our own abilities to decide whether or not we are able to obtain these materials.”
The woman could not believe it, “But how could this Void Land be willing to sell their Fifth-Order materials? Don’t they need them?”
It was common to use lower Order materials to exchange for higher Order ones, but never did they expect that someone would be willing to exchange higher Order materials for lower Order ones, especially with other Second Class great forces. Why would anyone do such a thing?
Not to mention it was a complete set of Fifth-Order materials. The so-called ‘complete’ meant that it was a full set of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements materials. If one could get their hands on such a set of resources, it would completely meet the cultivation needs of a Junior who was looking to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, leaving no need to bother seeking out more materials.
The old man surnamed Qi replied, “I don’t know about this, but many people have traded for Fifth-Order materials from them already.”
Indeed, many people have exchanged for Fifth-Order materials from Void Territory’s Star City. Bian Yu Qing had reported this to Yang Kai before. It was because there were not many disciples who could refine Fifth-Order materials, but an enormous number who needed Third-Order and Fourth-Order materials, that she took the materials collected from Gourd Vine to sell in the Star City for the resources Void Land needed.
The move immediately created a sensation in the nearby Great Territories. Fifth-Order materials were neither high nor low in terms of Order. Perhaps, they might not be precious to the Cave-Heavens and Paradises, but they were strategic resources for any of the Second Class great forces. Not to mention those Third Class great forces that may not even know what Fifth-Order materials looked like.
Furthermore, the Fifth-Order materials that were brought out from Void Land were not just ordinary Fifth-Order materials, but obviously stemmed from the same source. If one could refine a complete set of such materials, there may be some unexpected gains; therefore, compared with normal Fifth-Order materials, a complete set of such materials was far more popular.
Initially, only a few great forces from the Great Territories nearby visited Void Territory’s Star City, but as the news spread, more and more people came. Many great forces even did not hesitate to pay a visit to Void Territory’s Star City despite all the obstacles in the journey, just to obtain a complete set of materials from the Gourd Vine.
Bian Yu Qing’s original plan was just to trade something they had for things they were lacking to solve the resource problems of Void Land. Beyond her expectation, she inadvertently promoted the reputation of Void Territory’s Star City.
The influx of cultivators coming and going from Void Territory’s Star City naturally livened up the city. Although it was only a medium-sized Star City and the differences were still significant compared with a large-sized one such as Thousand Birds Star City, the volume of trading in Void Star City had undoubtedly increased by more than ten times compared to before.
Void Star City was Void Land’s private property, so with the increase in trade volume, the tax that could be collected by Void Land would naturally rise too. Yun Xing Hua, who was sent by Yang Kai to take charge of this place, was delighted to see the development and growth of the Star City. He had even begun to consider ways to ask Yang Kai for credit and reward for it.
Yun Xing Hua was forced by Yang Kai to sign his name on the Loyalty List, and he had felt uneasy about it at first. He was worried that if Yang Kai was displeased with him one day, he could scratch his name off the Loyalty List, and his life would end.
On the boat, the old man surnamed Qi turned to look at the young man who had been standing beside him, “Han Jue, our Mountains and Seas Pavilion is prepared to spend all of our savings in exchange for a set of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements materials for you. You have to cultivate hard from now on, so as to live up to the expectations of us old fogeys.”
Mountains and Seas Pavilion used to be called Mountains and Seas Province, but because it had given rise to two Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, it renamed itself to Mountains and Seas Pavilion, barely qualifying as a Second Class great force. The original Seven Wonders Land, which consisted of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and several Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Protector Venerables, was more than just a little stronger than Mountains and Seas Pavilion.
But these were the rules of the 3,000 Worlds. Any great force which had Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters assuming command could be classified as Second Class, and any great force with High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would be classified as First Class. Great forces with only Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could only be considered Third Class.
A great force such as the Mountains and Seas Pavilion was not rich in financial resources, and a complete set of Fifth-Order materials was worth no less than ten million Open Heaven Pills.
Under normal circumstances, they would not be able to afford it, giving them no way to obtain Fifth-Order materials.
But when the news of Fifth-Order materials being traded in Void Star City was heard, Mountains and Seas Pavilion could not help being tempted.
This could not be helped as a disciple, the young man named Han Jue, was born in the Mountains and Seas Pavilion with outstanding aptitude.
Mountains and Seas Pavilion was never too ambitious, so even if they knew that Han Jue’s Dao Seal was firm enough to condense Fifth-Order Elements, they did not even consider doing so. They were more than satisfied with him breaking through to just the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
With Han Jue’s aptitude, reaching the Fourth Order was a certain bet. Although they felt as though they had let him down, they had no choice. Mountains and Seas Pavilion needed money in order to continue functioning properly. Where could they find the spare Open Heaven Pills to purchase valuable Fifth-Order materials?
It was at this point that news reached Mountains and Seas Pavilion that Fifth-Order materials could be purchased at Void Territory’s Star City.
The old man surnamed Qi was overjoyed and immediately consulted the Pavilion Master. After explaining the situation, he persuaded the Pavilion Master to support Han Jue’s promotion to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the best of his ability!
As long as Han Jue could reach the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, the entire Mountains and Seas Pavilion would rise to a new height and eventually gain a firm foothold as a Second Class great force.
Of course, the Pavilion Master of Mountains and Seas Pavilion knew this. They did not have much hope before now, for they lacked financial resources, but most of all, there was no way to find appropriate Fifth-Order materials. There might be hope for materials of the Five Elements, for some could be purchased with Open Heaven Pills in various medium-sized and large-sized Star Cities. However, in many cases, even money could not buy Yin and Yang materials.
Since ancient times, Yin and Yang materials had always been much rarer and more expensive than Five Elements materials.
Now though, the Star City in Void Territory was selling complete sets of Fifth-Order materials; as long as they had enough resources or Open Heaven Pills to exchange, it would undoubtedly serve as a glimmer of light in the darkness for Mountains and Seas Pavilion.
Mountains and Seas Pavilion’s Master did not hesitate much and soon decided to strongly support the decision of the old man surnamed Qi, which was why this trip took place. They spent a month on this journey and crossed several Great Territories to arrive at this place.
Loaded on the boat were almost all the reserves of Mountains and Seas Pavilion. In order to successfully exchange for the Fifth-Order set of materials, Mountains and Seas Pavilion was ready to wager everything.
In this way, the old man surnamed Qi’s expectations for Han Jue were naturally understandable.
Han Jue obviously understood this, so he cupped his fist with the utmost solemnity, “Honoured Master, rest assured. This disciple will work hard to cultivate and break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible, never daring to slack off!”
The old man surnamed Qi stroked his beard with a smile, and replied with great faith, “This Old Master is not worried about your aptitude. As long as your temperament can keep up with your cultivation, there won’t be too many dangers in your promotion to the Fifth Order in the future.”
Han Jue respectfully saluted, “Disciple will follow Honoured Master’s teachings diligently!”
To the side, the dignified woman suddenly spoke up, “Senior Brother Qi, someone is approaching.”
The old man surnamed Qi turned his eyes to the front and saw that there was indeed a ship approaching them at an incredible speed, and by the looks of its direction, it seemed to be coming straight at them.
The expression on the old man surnamed Qi’s face changed slightly, and he uttered in a low voice, “These visitors don’t seem to have good intentions, be on alert.”
As soon as the words fell, the ship had arrived in front of them, blocking the way. On the deck, a dozen figures stood and looked at them with cold eyes.
The expression on the old man surnamed Qi and the two Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from Mountains and Seas Pavilions turned stiff. That was because the dozen people on the opposing ship were all Open Heaven Realm Masters! Although the leader seemed to only be a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like the old man surnamed Qi, the other side had vastly superior numbers.
Although it seemed like the other party was ill-intentioned, the old man surnamed Qi still cupped his fist, “Qi Chang Ying of Mountains and Seas Pavilion greets fellow travelers. May I know why you have stopped us here?”
“Mountains and Seas Pavilion?” The leading Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master scoffed disdainfully, “What Mountains and Seas Pavilion? I’ve never heard of it.”
The expression on the old man surnamed Qi darkened, and was about to say something when the man suddenly waved his hand and growled in a low voice, “Kill! Don’t leave a single one alive!”
Everyone from Mountains and Seas Pavilion was appalled when they heard these words. They never thought that they would encounter pirates in the void, much less ruthless ones who would kill without a second thought!
How could the Mountains and Seas Pavilion disciples sit still? Not only did they come with all the wealth Mountains and Seas Pavilion possessed, but even the Sect’s hope for the future, Han Jue, was on board too. If something happened to them, Mountains and Seas Pavilion would be completely done for.
Qi Chang Ying immediately shouted, “Retreat!”
When the words fell, the Grand Array of the ship was immediately activated and it drove forward at shocking speed.
He did not back down, because retreating would be futile. The enemy’s numbers were overwhelming, and Mountains and Seas Pavilion was no match for them at all. They could only move forward, hoping to reach Void Star City. As long as they could reach Void Star City, they would be safe, and these people would not dare to cause trouble.
At this crucial moment, Qi Chang Ying made a firm and resolute decision. His thoughts were very keen, and his judgment was even more accurate, but in the next instant, the enemy leader waved his hand and a shocking beam of light struck the middle of their ship. This attack was not something a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could throw out, and a single strike greatly damaged the Grand Array of the ship, shaking it violently and throwing many people to the deck.
Seeing this, Qi Chang Ying’s heart sank as he surged his own strength desperately, struggling to support the Grand Array as he continued their attempt to flee.
More than ten figures had already rushed over from the enemy ship in that time though, and the brilliance of artifacts and Secret Techniques bloomed before swiftly smashing onto the ship.
After a stick of incense, accompanied by a loud bang, the Mountains and Seas Pavilion ship shattered. The violent force from the explosion swept through the disciples, causing countless casualties.
Han Jue, the future hope of Mountains and Seas Pavilion, died instantly without a complete corpse.
Qi Chang Ying’s eyes were about to burst out of their socket when a ray of light slashed towards him. His mind still in a daze, he was too late to evade the blow, which cut through his body. All he could feel was his body almost splitting in two.
The severe pain cleared his mind for a moment. At this moment, no matter how much he resisted, it would be useless, and he would only be dying in vain, so he immediately held his breath, and concealed his aura, quietly suspending himself in the void as if he was really dead.
Each of the miserable cries for help coming from his surroundings represented a disciple on the brink of death. Every scream felt like a knife stabbing through his heart. Despite the excruciating physical pain Qi Chang Ying felt, it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
After a while, everything returned to calmness.
The ten or so enemy Open Heaven Realm Masters gathered. Qi Chang Ying pushed his Divine Sense secretly, and only vaguely heard the words ‘Void Land’ and ‘Senior Yun’ before falling into a coma.
He did not know how much time had passed when he woke up again. Shuddering from the severe pain, he barely stood up, looked around, and saw corpses scattered across the void, all vitality drained from their familiar faces. The fragmented ship was stained with blood, and broken limbs and hashed meat was scattered everywhere.
A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out as Qi Chang Ying growled through gritted teeth, “Void Land, I’ll never forgive you!”
This was Void Territory, the Great Territory controlled by Void Land. Qi Chang Ying did not think to relate the ambush to Void Land originally, because this did not make sense. How could Void Land provoke others and risk their own reputation within their own territory?
However, the few words he heard before he fell into unconsciousness reminded him of something.
As far as he knew, the person in charge of Void Star City was named Yun Xing Hua, who happened to be a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master, which was equivalent to his cultivation!
If Void Land deliberately spread rumours about them selling Fifth-Order materials and lured victims like them to come with a lot of money just to rob them halfway, it would make sense!
[It’s over, Mountains and Seas Pavilion is finished!] All their wealth was swept away, and even the Sect’s most promising disciple that had a chance to break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm directly died tragically in front of his eyes.
Such a blood feud was absolutely irreconcilable! Qi Chang Ying panted violently for a while before hurriedly taking out a few Spirit Pills and stuffing them into his mouth. He then dragged his damaged body with gritted teeth towards the place where Void Star City sat, his eyes filled with vengeance.
…..
Time flew by, and soon a year had passed. In his secret room, Time Principles lingered around Yang Kai as the Sun and Moon rose and set in an infinite cycle above his palm.
It took a year to finally improve the Time Flies Seal. His comprehension of the Dao of Time and of his own Powers were much greater than before.
Yang Kai had not used the newly improved Time Flies Seal against any enemy yet, but he was sure that it was definitely not inferior to his Golden Crow Casts the Sun, and it could be even better!
Because this move integrated Golden Crow Casts the Sun and Moonlight Reflection in the Water, how could it be weak?
Yang Kai was confident that if a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was caught off guard, this Divine Ability was sufficient to take their life.
One could not guarantee that there would not be one in the future, but throughout the ages, it was absolutely unprecedented for an Emperor Realm Junior to make such an achievement!
While he was still rejoicing, the barrier of the secret room was suddenly disturbed.
Yang Kai frowned. He had left Bian Yu Qing instructions before he went into retreat that unless it was an urgent matter, he should not be disturbed. Now that the barrier has been touched, it was obvious that something major had happened.
“Sect Master, there’s been an accident in the Star City,” As soon as Yang Kai opened the door, Bian Yu Qing hurriedly reported, looking a little flustered.
Yang Kai raised his brow in surprise but quickly consoled her, “What happened, don’t rush and speak slowly!”
Letting her into the room, Bian Yu Qing took a deep breath to calm her nerves and then began to explain.
Something indeed had happened in the Star City, and it was a major issue.
Void Star City had been developing rapidly because of the availability of complete sets of Fifth-Order materials. Many people had been flocking towards the Star City, which increased its population, popularity, and daily trading volume.
However, since about a year ago, it seemed to have also attracted foreign great forces with ill intentions, ambushing and robbing others brutally and ruthlessly.
The news quickly spread to the Star City as these incidents happened in the space surrounding the Star City. Yun Xing Hua was not bothered by it at first; after all, such incidents were not uncommon in the 3,000 Worlds. Now that he was in high spirits ever since he took charge of Void Star City, he had no time to concern himself with such external matters.
However, as time passed, another ugly rumour began circulating. It was said that the robberies and murders were closely associated with Void Land; otherwise, why would Void Land sit idly by and allow criminals to act presumptuously at their doorsteps?
One after another, seven or so great forces travelling to and from Void Star City had encountered mishaps and suffered serious casualties. The site of the murders was even more appalling as not a single survivor was left, and all possessions were robbed.
As a result, the great forces that intended to trade in Void Star City in exchange for resources had all retreated. The most direct consequence was the sharp decline of Void Star City’s popularity and the sharp plummet in the number of cultivators residing in it. The rumours spread like wildfire, and after a brief period of fermentation, even the nearby Great Territories became aware of this situation.
Yun Xing Hua could no longer sit still. He was in charge of the Star City, and the income of the Star City had a lot to do with his position in Yang Kai’s eyes. If he could not even handle such a minor issue, how could he deserve such a good opportunity to be in charge of the Star City? He was afraid that Yang Kai might even punish him.
Therefore, he immediately sent a message back to Void Land to consult Second Manager Bian Yu Qing.
Bian Yu Qing could sense something was wrong. This was obviously the result of someone deliberately causing trouble out of envy of the development of Void Land and its Star City. Regardless of what happened behind the scenes, the tragedies did happen in Void Territory, so Void Land had to give a reasonable explanation.
Bian Yu Qing quickly took action and ordered Lu Xue and her subordinates to investigate the situation around the Star City.
Lu Xue, who was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master, brought more than ten Fourth-Order and Third-Order Open Heaven Masters from Abundance City with her, quite a luxurious lineup. Unless they had to face a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, there would not be any difficulties, so Bian Yu Qing was not worried at all. The instructions given to Lu Xue were very clear too, which was to find out who the criminals who caused all this trouble in Void Territory were, and report back immediately.
But it had been a month since Lu Xue left, and Bian Yu Qing still had not received any news from her!
Bian Yu Qing then sent a message to Void Star City, but there was no reply from them either.
She immediately realized that something went terribly wrong, and hurriedly came to report to Yang Kai who was still in retreat.
After listening to her report, Yang Kai’s face turned sullen and remained silent for a while, “It seems that Lu Xue and the Star City must have been attacked and captured, otherwise we would have heard from them already. Yun Xing Hua is a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master and the Star City has a group of his Blood Swan Continent Masters who are all pretty strong. What’s more, there’s also Lu Xue, a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master, who had a team of ten Fourth-Order and Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with her for support. It’s obvious that the enemy is very strong. There must be at least one Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among them!”
Bian Yu Qing repeated, “Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master… Doesn’t that mean that it’s a top-tier Second Class great force we’re facing?” To have a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master meant that the enemy was among the top Second Class great forces, “Would anything happen to Elder Lu and the others?”
Although she was the Second Manager of Void Land and stood above almost all others in terms of authority, she had only been in Void Land for a short time so there was still much for her to learn about the 3,000 Worlds. What she was most worried about was the safety of Lu Xue and the others at this moment.
Yang Kai tapped the table lightly with his fingers, his eyes narrowed into slits as he sneered to himself, [Is someone getting impatient?]
He was almost certain that this incident was directed against him.
The road to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm was difficult and filled with obstacles. The Proprietress had told him before that the Cave Heavens and Paradises would never sit by idly and watch him break through directly to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm safely. Qu Hua Shang had also confided in him some ancient secrets about why this was so.
Although he had caught the attention of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises before, because he was still not a threat to them, he had not faced any real danger. Those top Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises could not be seen bullying the weak as they had their status and reputation to consider, which would be besmeared if they were desperate enough to lay a hand on far weaker Sects.
It was inconvenient for them to take action, but their Juniors did not need to worry about such things. Any tragedies caused between cultivators of the same generation would only display one’s lack of aptitude and luck, it was no one else’s fault.
That was why there were some who were set on killing him, while some wanted to form an alliance with him when he was in Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Qu Hua Shang too, wanted to recruit him into Yin Yang Cave Heaven, but the price was that Yang Kai could never advance directly to the Seventh Order, only the Sixth Order!
In short, the major Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to stop anyone whose ability could exceed their control and challenge their authority and status one day in the future.
This was the same for every Cave Heaven and Paradise.
This was the situation before the Blood Monster Cave Heaven opened.
However, when Blood Monster Cave Heaven closed, there was a shift in the situation because Yang Kai obtained a Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core!
He had used his Golden Crow Casts the Sun and Dragon Shield Secret Technique more than once and even displayed the Towering Evergreen outside the Blood Monster Divine Palace. He also spent a fortune to purchase the Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng from Ye Jian from Thunderclap Hall at the exchange meeting in Thousand Birds Star City. Anyone who was paying attention would be able to realize he had condensed Fire, Earth, Wood, and Yang Elements, and as soon as he refined the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core that he had newly obtained, how far would he be from ascending to the Open Heaven Realm?
Although directly breaking through to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm was extremely dangerous, and no one dared say that Yang Kai would definitely succeed in doing so, what if he did?
They had not been oppressing him openly before because the situation was not yet urgent. The advancement from the peak of the Emperor Realm to the Open Heaven Realm was always a long process, and any accident along the way would be enough to take Yang Kai’s life.
But Yang Kai’s cultivation speed obviously exceeded everyone’s expectations, and there were even rumours now that Lan You Ruo of First Inn was sparing no effort to search for High-Rank Yin Element resources.
Many were aware of the relationship between Lan You Ruo and Yang Kai. Lan You Ruo was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, so she had no reason to be looking for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure other than for Yang Kai.
Rumour had it that she now had a lead on such a resource and had led several subordinates of First Inn to a certain Forbidden Zone. If she succeeded in coming out safely, she might just bring a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure with her. By then, Yang Kai would have a great chance of breaking through!
It was a matter that could not afford to be delayed any longer. If they wanted to make a move, it had to be done before Lan You Ruo returned. Otherwise, if this Sixth-Order woman went crazy, it would be hard to subdue her without a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master making a move.
Yang Kai was not aware that the Proprietress, Old Bai, Chef, and Accounted had risked their lives to venture into a Forbidden Zone to search for a Yin Element treasure for him, but he quickly realized after learning about the incident in Void Star City and the disappearance of Lu Xue and the others that someone had lost their patience and was now making a move against him!
[Is it the Cave Heavens and Paradises? Not necessarily, the Cave Heavens and Paradises are highly exalted and renowned, so they would not have acted out directly without a righteous cause; otherwise, it would put their reputations at risk. The loss would outweigh the gain.]
[Then, who could it be?] Only a top-tier Second Class great force could dispatch a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. After a little bit of pondering, a figure flashed across Yang Kai’s mind and a sneer appeared on his face.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai ordered, “Second Manager, be patient. Elder Lu and the others should not be in any danger, but they’re most likely captured and restrained.”
As long as that person still desired the Seventh-Order Monster Core he possessed, he would not mistreat Lu Xue and the others. If he pushed Yang Kai past his limits, what would he have to bargain with?
However, this was only Yang Kai’s speculation, and it was really hard to say whether it was accurate or not.
That person also knew that Yang Kai had Yue He, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, with him, and he was also only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Where did he get the courage to stir up trouble? Unless, he had someone even stronger backing him!
After some thinking, Yang Kai’s confusion slowly cleared. At this moment, Bian Yu Qing’s expression suddenly changed and she took out a communication bead. After reading the message she just received, her face filled with great panic as she announced, “Sect Master, there are many ships coming towards Void Land!”
Yang Kai’s face sank, “Such an ugly appetite.”
Although he had already anticipated the situation after learning that Lu Xue and the others were missing, he did not expect the other party to come so quickly. He had just received the news, and the other party was already at his gates.
“Follow me to have a look,” Yang Kai shot out of the room as soon as he spoke, followed closely by Bian Yu Qing.
They arrived at the edge of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. After opening a window in the Grand Array and stealing a peek, the colour completely drained from Bian Yu Qing’s beautiful face while Yang Kai’s too, looking extremely sullen.
Previously, Bian Yu Qing was only informed by the patrols guarding the Grand Array that many ships were advancing towards Void Land, but the number was not specified. Now, from the glance into the void she just took, it was clear that an overwhelming number of ships was filling the void!
“Why are there so many?” Bian Yu Qing’s beautiful eyes quivered.
Yang Kai did not expect this scene either, but after a little thought, he understood.
If Void Land was really just an ordinary Second Class great force, the other party would probably not dispatch such an overwhelming lineup; however, Void Land’s Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was extraordinary, and the other party was not confident it could overwhelm them with only a slight advantage in numbers, hence they had called out for help from allies.
Yang Kai glanced back at his own Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, sneering coldly in his heart. It seemed that many people would die here today!
“Young Master!” Followed by a fragrant scent, Yue He appeared next to Yang Kai. She was cultivating in retreat before this, but she sensed that Void Land was encountering a crisis, so the first thing she did was to rush here to ensure Yang Kai’s safety. Although Yang Kai had astounding aptitude, he was still only a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master; therefore, his ability to protect himself on such an occasion was quite limited.
Yang Kai nodded to her before glancing up coldly at the void. There were more than a hundred flight-type artifacts there. Each flight-type artifact represented a great force. Even for Yue He, who was not unfamiliar with all kinds of grand occasions, could not help feeling goosebumps arising all over her body, her pretty face turning solemn.
The 3,000 Worlds was vast and full of bloody massacres and fierce battles. Countless people succumbed to death every day. Even the Cave Heavens and Paradises had no way to guarantee their eternal survival, let alone the other great forces. The cycle of birth and destruction of all kinds of major and minor great forces was never-ending. They could establish, soar, weaken, and be destroyed for a variety of reasons…
Just like how Seven Wonders Land’s inheritance was destroyed after being occupied by others.
However, not many great forces would encounter a situation of being besieged by so many foreign forces. For those who had no idea about why this was happening, they may think that Void Land had committed some kind of outrageous crime.
“Yang Kai, your Void Land is vile and cruel! You lured people to your Star City with sinister intentions, intercepting them halfway to seize their wealth and take their lives! Many great forces have been exterminated because of you! Such monstrous acts cannot be tolerated. Devil-spawn, come out and face death!”
A furious howl resounded loudly throughout the sky, echoing back and forth for quite a long time.
Yang Kai turned to look in the direction of the voice. On a certain ship, an elderly man with a ruddy face stood at the bow, fire burning wildly in his eyes, as if he had an absolutely irreconcilable enmity with Yang Kai.
This elderly man was Old Hong of Heaven’s Border. It was this old man who happened to find out that Yang Kai had obtained the Seventh-Order Metal Element Monster Core and chased after him, only to lose him in the end and return in vain.
Soon after, the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng, came to Yang Kai and tried to coerce him into handing over the Seventh-Order Monster Core. Needless to say, Old Hong must have informed Kong Feng about it; after all, he was the only one who knew about the Seventh-Order Monster Core.
Old Hong was also the first person to stand up and condemn Void Land today.
Yang Kai believed that he did not have any real enmity with this old man. At most, he just teased the old guy when he seized the corpse of the Golden Crow, but it did not cause him to suffer any losses. How could this lead to a deep enmity? Looking at Old Hong’s eagerness though, Yang Kai could only wonder who he was representing this time!
Yang Kai swept his eyes across the flight-type artifacts and soon, he saw Kong Feng of Heavenly Sword Union!
The Heavenly Sword Union ship was extraordinary, which was not surprising considering it was one of the strongest Second Class great forces.
Compared to the artifacts of other great forces, the ship of Heavenly Sword Union was much bigger. There were many cultivators standing on the spacious deck and in the middle were two seats, one of which was occupied by Kong Feng, and the other by a young woman.
They were undoubtedly the owners of the ship. The woman looked young, but the aura that undulated from her body was not inferior to Kong Feng’s. Without a doubt, she was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai could observe the situation outside clearly from the safety of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, but anyone on the outside would not be able to see anything on the inside. However, when Yang Kai’s eyes landed on Kong Feng, the latter seemed to sense him. He turned to the place where Yang Kai was standing and revealed a faint smile.
Not only Kong Feng, but the young woman too had seemed to sense Yang Kai’s gaze and looked over before whispering to Kong Feng.
Although Yang Kai had no idea about what they were talking about, by the looks of their behaviour, the woman did not seem to be from Heavenly Sword Union, but rather from a different great force.
Seeing Kong Feng coming here in person, Yang Kai confirmed that Old Hong must be the pawn of Heavenly Sword Union. Back then, it was Old Hong who had informed Kong Feng about the Seventh-Order Monster Core, and now he was the first to jump out and denounce Void Land. Yang Kai wondered what kind of the relationship Heaven’s Border and Heavenly Sword Union had.
“What is that old thing talking about!?” Yue He cursed furiously as murderous intent surged from her body, “Young Master, let me kill him!”
She was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so she could easily kill Old Hong who was just a Fourth-Order Open Realm Master. However, even if she could successfully launch a surprise attack, it would be difficult for her to return safely under the circumstances; after all, there were too many great enemies assembled outside.
Yang Kai raised his hand and stopped her, “Don’t mind him. Just let him bark.”
Yue He ground her pristine teeth as she glared at Old Hong coldly. She secretly swore that if she had a chance, she would take this old dog’s life. She had been in retreat earlier, so she was actually clueless about what was going on outside and why there were so many forces surrounding Void Land all of a sudden, so she immediately sent a Divine Sense transmission to Bian Yu Qing to inquire about the situation.
Bian Yu Qing briefly told her everything she had explained to Yang Kai before. Yue He was a brilliant woman, so she instantly figured out the crux of the matter and couldn’t help turning to Yang Kai with worry.
The accusation of Void Land luring others in and then intercepting them was nothing more than an excuse. It was obvious that someone was using this matter to target Yang Kai!
With Heavenly Sword Union as the head of the assembly of these hundred or so great forces, Yue He could not help wondering which of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were the masterminds behind this, and how many of them were involved and just watching this show?
Yue He clenched her fists. This situation was somewhat similar to what had happened before. Back then, she was just a trivial Emperor Realm cultivator and she was helpless in the crisis. By the time she received word of what happened, that person had already died, leaving her completely heartbroken.
But she was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now! She finally had some strength to protect herself and others. Perhaps a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was nothing in front of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, but she would never let history repeat itself unless she died!
“Yang Kai, show yourself!” After Old Hong shouted, he was exasperated when Void Land did not react at all. After looking at Kong Feng for instructions, he called once more, “Do you think you can just hide behind your Grand Array? Today, we gather here to seek justice for our dead companions! It’s useless for you to hide in there like a coward. The Heavens have eyes, and wicked beings like you and your Void Land will be judged!”
“Come out now!” Someone suddenly yelled. Like a chain reaction, countless cultivators started shouting together. The scene was so spectacular that the void trembled endlessly.
Inside the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, Yang Kai watched indifferently and turned a deaf ear to these provocations. However, he also understood that this was truly a tough situation to resolve. The most important thing he needed to make sure was the safety of Lu Xue and the others, but he failed to find them even after searching around. Although he assured Bian Yu Qing that Lu Xue should be fine, it was just his own speculation. In truth, he was totally clueless regarding the real situation.
The commotion outside continued for a while, but seeing no response from Void Land, the people began to become furious and annoyed. On the Heavenly Sword Union ship, Kong Feng put down his teacup and waved his hand as he smiled, “Bring them up.”
When the words fell, the hatch of the ship opened up, and a group of people staggered out onto the deck.
The leader of the group was a woman dressed in palace robes. Other than the missing Lu Xue, who else could she be? It seemed that Lu Xue had just encountered a big fight. Blood stains were splattered all over her war-weathered robes, her hair was dishevelled, and her aura was weak. At the moment, she was bound tightly with her hands tied behind her back by a black rope-like artifact.
Following behind her was Yun Xing Hua, who seemed to be in much the same condition as Lu Xue. He too was bound by ropes, looking quite embarrassed.
In addition to the two of them, there were more than 30 Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Some of these people were from the batch of cultivators from Abundance City, while some were from the original Blood Swan Continent group.
Yun Xing Hua was ordered by Yang Kai to take care of the Star City with the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Blood Swan Continent. But now it seemed that he had been beaten and captured!
Lu Xue stumbled and almost fell flat onto the deck. A man, probably only a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master of Heavenly Sword Union, was pushing her from behind. He was extremely rude, pushing Lu Xue while also groping her waist and bottom as he grinned.
Lu Xue turned around and glared at him, but the man was not afraid at all. He was certain that Lu Xue and the others would be dead soon, so he had nothing to fear.
“What are you looking at? Move!” The man bellowed, whipping Lu Xue’s face with the whip in his hand, drawing a streak of blood from her delicate face.
Lu Xue grit her teeth, choked down the anger and humiliation in her heart, and walked up the deck.
“Hehe, Union Master Kong, isn’t it a little rude for you to treat a woman like this? She’s a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after all!” On the deck, the young woman sitting next to Kong Feng suddenly giggled as she glanced at Lu Xue. The young woman had a beautiful and innocent look, seemingly only 25 years old. If someone met her for the first time, they would think that she was just a naïve and ignorant little girl.
Only those who knew her well would understand that innocence had nothing to do with this woman. She was as cruel as she was merciless.
This woman was Black Prison’s Warden, Luan Bai Feng!
The Black Prison was a very special Second Class force, because it was literally a prison, one formed naturally in a dreadfully dangerous environment. There were countless Natural Spirit Arrays inside the Black Prison, and if one was not familiar with the safe paths inside, even a High-Rank Open Heaven Master would be at risk of dying.
It was rumoured that although Luan Bai Feng was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, a normal Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was not her opponent inside the Black Prison.
There were naturally prisoners in Black Prison, most of which were criminals who committed various crimes in the 3,000 Worlds. Others were individuals who were captured from defeated forces after battles between great forces. Normally such people would simply be put to death, but the Black Prison offered an alternative. Luan Bai Feng was happy to accept all such convicts, allowing them to escape death at the cost of their freedom.
Certainly, the Black Prison was not a safe place, and Luan Bai Feng was not a philanthropist who was happy to give alms. The reason she was willing to accept those Open Heaven Realm Masters was because the Black Prison was rich with a special cultivation resource which could only be collected by Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Luan Bai Feng often paid great forces to bring over Open Heaven Realm criminals to collect resources inside the Black Prison. With this, not only could those great forces get rid of these convicts, they could also make some profit from it. Naturally, many were more than willing to deal with her.
However, it was well-known that none of the Open Heaven Realm Masters who entered the Black Prison ever came out. The harsh environment and various dangers inside could take away the lives of cultivators at any time. Even if they survived there by chance, their cultivations would be devoured continuously. Eventually, the Small Universe in their bodies would be obliterated and they would suffer a fate worse than death.
Due to the special environment of the Black Prison, it had attracted many desperate cultivators seeking refuge, who Luan Bai Feng was more than willing to welcome. In any case, as long as she controlled the entrance to the Black Prison, no one could disobey her.
Every year, there would be countless casualties in the Black Prison, so as its owner, how could Luan Bai Feng be a naïve and innocent woman?
In the entire vast 3,000 Worlds, there were not many people who were as ruthless as her.
Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng were old acquaintances. This time, he invited her to join hands in dealing with Void Land. Since the closing of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Kong Feng had been gathering information about Void Land. As far as he knew, Void Land was once Seven Wonders Land, which was just an ordinary Second Class great force. It was nothing to him, as the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land was said to be extremely limited. Such a great force was simply vulnerable in front of Heavenly Sword Union.
If possible, Kong Feng would have preferred to act alone to seize Void Land. In this way, he could monopolize the benefits of Void Land without sharing with others.
However, he was dreadfully frightened by the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array protecting Void Land. Even a top tier Second Class great force such as Heavenly Sword Union did not have such a Spirit Array guarding its headquarters. It was truly hard for him to believe that Void Land had such a deep heritage.
He had gotten someone to investigate it before, and learnt that the array was arranged by a man named Grandmaster Wu Liang. He initially wanted to search for Grandmaster Wu Liang to inquire about the details of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. Unfortunately, Grandmaster Wu Liang was a lone wolf and did not serve any Sect or great force, so Kong Feng couldn’t track him down even after several months of searching.
In desperation, he could only invite Luan Bai Feng to assist him.
Luan Bai Feng was not weaker than him as she too was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. In addition, they knew each other, so they had the foundation to cooperate with each other. Of course, the main reason Kong Feng sought out Luan Bai Feng was because of her outstanding attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. For her to be able to live in a place where countless Natural Arrays existed, how could she not have a profound understanding about Spirit Arrays?
Among the people Kong Feng knew, Luan Bai Feng was definitely ranked in the top three in attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays.
With the help of this woman, they could crack the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, making it a simple matter to capture Void Land. However, before that, Kong Feng still needed to send some people to probe the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, so as to facilitate Luan Bai Feng’s analysis.
They definitely had to sacrifice lives to break such a Grand Array, but Kong Feng was naturally reluctant to sacrifice his Heavenly Sword Union’s disciples. As such, he could only gather others to use as pawns. This was what led to the current situation.
It could be said that Kong Feng was the main reason why 100 great forces were gathered around Void Land.
Hearing Luan Bai Feng’s complaint, Kong Feng smiled faintly, “Those who achieve great things don’t bother about small matters. How could we be soft when facing the enemy? If we were, how could we force that brat to show up?”
He secretly criticized, [Like I haven’t seen how cruel you are, Luan Bai Feng. Is it funny to say such a thing at this time?]
Luan Bai Feng replied with admiration, “Union Master Kong is truly a man who knows how to achieve great things. This Mistress appreciates your approach very much.” Then she giggled with her mouth covered, “It’s just that… will that Yang Kai really show up because of this?”
Kong Feng grinned meaningfully, “Void Land was established not long ago, and Yang Kai is just an Emperor Realm Junior. I have no idea how he recruited so many Open Heaven Realm Masters, but since most of his subordinates were captured by me, he will certainly show up. He simply has no choice.”
According to the information Kong Feng had gathered, there were not many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. Since he captured more than 30 of them at once, Void Land had definitely suffered a great loss. Therefore, he was confident Yang Kai would show up.
Luan Bai Feng nodded slightly, “That would be for the best. It will be easy if he shows up. Union Master Kong, don’t forget to share the benefits with this Mistress when this is all over.” While speaking, she glanced at Lu Xue and the others while licking her lips, as if she saw delicious food in front of her.
“Don’t worry, this Kong won’t go back on his word.” Kong Feng responded casually. Although he and Luan Bai Feng were old acquaintances, he still had to promise her some benefits when requesting her help; otherwise, how could he convince her to assist him? The condition he offered was to give her all the Open Heaven Realm Masters he captured in this battle!
The defeated party in the battle often ended up as captives. For example, when Yang Kai took over Void Land, he captured Chen Tian Fei. If Chen Tian Fei had not offered up the Loyalty List, Yang Kai would certainly have executed the fatty; after all, they had a deep blood feud, and Yang Kai could not guarantee his loyalty at all, so how could he let him live?
However, Chen Tian Fei was quick-witted. He immediately took out the Loyalty List as soon as he realized that he was cornered, allowing him to preserve his life until now.
In general, the fate of such captives was dreadful. Most of them would be brought back to the vanquisher’s headquarters to be killed, because after the death of an Open Heaven Realm Master, their Small Universe would collapse and their World Force would leak out and be absorbed by the Spirit Province, enhancing its background.
Only those captives who could prove themselves to be valuable could be exempted from death!
For other great forces, the greatest value of captives was to kill them in their headquarters to collect their World Force. However, Luan Bai Feng was different. What she needed most in Black Prison was Open Heaven Realm mining slaves; the more, the better. As such, after Kong Feng approached her, they only negotiated for about half a day before finalizing the conditions of their cooperation.
There were already more than 30 Open Heaven Realm captives on the ship at present, all of whom would belong to Luan Bai Feng in the end. It could be said that she had already reaped a great harvest from this trip. And that was not to mention that there may be more Open Heaven Realm Masters waiting for her once they captured Void Land.
Among these more than 30 people, Lu Xue was her favourite by far. There were many ore slaves in the Black Prison, but not many of them were Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like Lu Xue. The value a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could provide there was enormous.
Seeing that Kong Feng agreed to her terms without hesitation, Luan Bai Feng was extremely satisfied with him. Of course, she had no idea that Kong Feng had plans of his own.
Luan Bai Feng did not know that Yang Kai had a Seventh-Order Monster Beast Core, but Kong Feng did. It had only been about a year since the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, and according to common sense, Yang Kai couldn’t have refined that Monster Core. If he could conquer Void Land, the Monster Core would be his.
Seventh-Order materials were incredibly valuable. Being a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Kong Feng would sooner or later break through to the Seventh-Order. At that time, he would need these Seventh-Order materials to improve his strength. As such, he naturally needed to collect resources like this whenever possible.
However, it was not just the Seventh-Order Monster Core that attracted him. The biggest temptation for Kong Feng was the complete sets of Fifth-Order materials.
It was no secret that Void Land traded numerous complete sets of Fifth-Order materials for materials of other Orders, so Kong Feng naturally knew about it.
Heavenly Sword Union even purchased a set from Void Land secretly.
After a thorough examination, Kong Feng was shocked to find that all these Fifth-Order materials came from the same source! He vaguely believed that Void Land must have a secret method which could regularly produce these Fifth-Order materials; otherwise, they would not have casually traded away so many of them.
If Heavenly Sword Union could gain control over this production method, it would definitely be able to produce more Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the future!
It could be said this material source was a critical component to the foundation of a Sect. How could Kong Feng not be envious of it? To him personally, the Seventh-Order Monster Core was more important, but to Heavenly Sword Union, this method to produce a steady stream of Fifth-Order materials was the most valuable.
If Heavenly Sword Union became more powerful, Kong Feng would benefit from it too. At that time, Heavenly Sword Union may be able to rise to the level of the Cave Heavens or Paradises!
During the simple conversation between the two of them, the Grand Array that enveloped Void Land suddenly distorted for a moment and three figures appeared in everyone’s sight.
Kong Feng raised his brow as he stared at Yang Kai and smiled.
As he expected, Yang Kai could no longer ignore them after they brought up Lu Xue and the others, and had to show up himself. At this moment, Yang Kai’s face was incredibly dark!
Luan Bai Feng, who was sitting next to Kong Feng, stared at Yue He enthusiastically. She had excellent vision so she naturally sensed that Yue He was strong. Unfortunately, because of the distance between them, she could not determine Yue He’s exact Order. She licked her red lips again as she asked, “Union Master Kong, what Open Heaven Order is that woman?”
Kong Feng answered, “Is Junior Sister Luan interested in her? I’m afraid that will be a little difficult; after all, she is also a Sixth-Order!”
“A Sixth-Order?” Luan Bai Feng was obviously taken aback. Given that Void Land was just newly established, it was already beyond her expectation that it could have more than 30 Open Heaven Realm Masters, including a Fifth-Order one like Lu Xue. She never expected Void Land to have a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master too!
The owner of Void Land was just an Emperor Realm boy; how could he convince so many Open Heaven Realm Masters to serve him?
As she thought of this, Luan Bai Feng turned to Yang Kai and saw that although this young man looked dignified and possessed an impressive demeanour, there didn’t seem to be anything else special about him. The gap between the Emperor Realm and the Open Heaven Realm was just too big. How could he get Open Heaven Realm Masters to listen to his orders?
Failing to understand this, she shook her head lightly and chuckled, “Union Master Kong, this Mistress likes that woman very much. I hope that you can help me capture her later.”
Kong Feng hesitated a while before he replied carelessly, “If there is a chance, this Kong will do his best.”
Kong Feng was naturally just brushing Luan Bai Feng off while he secretly cursed her for being insatiable. How could it be so easy to capture a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master alive? Both he and Luan Bai Feng were also just in the Sixth Order. Although Yue He was certainly no match for them in a straight up fight, given that the gap between their overall strength was not too large, capturing her alive would be all but impossible.
If Yue He wanted to escape, he would have no way to stop her. As such, he did not dare to promise too much.
Ignoring Luan Bai Feng, Kong Feng waved his hand as he ordered, “Act according to the plan!”
“Yes!” On the deck of the ship, several men cupped their fists. Then, followed by hundreds of others, they split into ten or so groups and flew out of the ship before scattering in all directions. Soon surrounding the local region.
The leaders of these groups were all Open Heaven Realm Masters, and after getting into position, each of them took out something like a square array plate one after another, and threw them into the void. Then, they formed a set of hand seals and the array plates quickly vanished into the Void. At the same time, the surrounding space solidified.
The changes in the environment were not obvious to others. Even Yue He, who was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was only slightly aware of some unusual transformation in the surrounding region, but it was impossible to tell what the specific changes were.
Only Yang Kai could sense it so clearly that he could not help snorting coldly, “Old dog Kong Feng, you’re really well prepared.”
He watched the large group of people flying out from the ship, but he did not understand what they were doing. However, Yang Kai immediately understood when the surrounding space changed.
On the deck of the ship, Kong Feng turned to Luan Bai Feng, and nodded lightly, “Junior Sister Luan’s attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays are truly amazing. This Senior Brother salutes you!”
Luan Bai Feng smiled, “It’s the fruit of being forced in order to have a living, it’s not like I had a choice. But with the confinement of my Array, this area has become completely sealed. Even if that boy has high attainment in the Dao of Space, he has no way to escape from here.”
Kong Feng nodded lightly. He certainly learnt about Yang Kai when he inquired about Void Land, and knew that while he was not strong, he was good at escaping. Especially after hearing the report from Old Hong, Kong Feng learnt that Yang Kai had used Space Principles to slip away from even Lan You Ruo of First Inn before. As such, he understood that if he wished to capture Yang Kai this time, he had to use a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Array. It would not be easy for even a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him to stop Yang Kai once that happened.
Therefore, before they continued, they confined the space around Void Land in order to prevent Yang Kai from teleporting away.
With the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Array set up by Luan Bai Feng, Yang Kai had no way to run this time!
They did not arrange this Array earlier because Kong Feng wasn’t certain Yang Kai was in Void Land, but as soon as Yang Kai appeared, Kong Feng immediately ordered them to execute the plan.
Now that everything was set, they just had to wait for the right moment to attack!
Kong Feng turned to Old Hong and exchanged looks with him. After receiving the signal, Old Hong yelled, “Little thief Yang Kai, you’ve finally shown yourself!”
Yang Kai glared at him as he retorted, “Old dog, stop barking non-stop and disturbing the peace. You court death!”
Old Hong grinned, “How dare you speak wildly when facing imminent disaster? The folly of youth indeed!”
Yang Kai did not bother to talk nonsense with him and instead turned to Kong Feng with a clenched jaw, his eyes burning in anger, “Union Master Kong, why did you capture my Void Land’s people? How has Void Land offended you?”
Kong Feng remained silent with a smile, putting on a look like Yang Kai had no right to speak to him. Meanwhile, old Hong continued shouting, “Do you still need someone else to tell you what your Void Land has done? Junior, today you must die!”
Yang Kai glared at him furiously, “Our Void Land has never offended others who have not offended us. I swear to the Heavens and Earth that we have never acted without conscience. Old dog, stop talking nonsense.”
Old Hong sneered deviously, “You really won’t shed tears without seeing the coffin, will you? Little brat, if you don’t wish for others to condemn you, you should not do deeds worthy of condemnation. Since you insist on denying the truth, this King will give you the proof.” He waved his hand, “Please, Junior Brother Qi!”
As he spoke, an elderly man stepped out from the crowd. His face was filled with such lament and sorrow that there seemed to be nothing else that could hurt him anymore. After gaining a stable foothold, he cupped his fist towards Old Hong feebly.
In front of the public, this elderly man was instantly recognized as Qi Chang Ying, a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Mountains and Seas Pavilion. There were only two Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Mountains and Seas Pavilion in total, which were Qi Chang Yi and the Pavilion Master himself. However, the Pavilion Master of Mountains and Seas Pavilion did not show up most of the time, leaving most matters of Mountains and Seas Pavilion to be handled by Qi Chang Ying. As such, he was known by many Open Heaven Realm Masters of other Second Class great forces.
Old Hong patted Qi Chang Ying on the shoulder with a supportive look, and continued in a deep voice, “Junior Brother Qi, I know that your Mountains and Seas Pavilion encountered a disaster a year ago and suffered great losses. Our Heaven’s Border faced a similar situation, but the culprit is too powerful so we can’t do anything about it. However, murder must be paid for with blood. Now that Heavenly Sword Union is here to seek justice for us, speak your grievances. Under the witness of everyone here today, we must eradicate this evil and return a bright future to the 3,000 Worlds!”
Old Hong’s speech immediately reminded Qi Chang Ying of the tragedy that happened under his watch a year ago. His eyes turned red, and he could not help feeling sorrowful. He turned to the ship where Heavenly Sword Union was located from a distance, saluted and proceeded in a trembling voice, “Many thanks, Union Master Kong. This Old Master has nothing else to ask for today, but vengeance for this blood feud. If this wish can be achieved, I shall die with no regrets!”
After a pause, Qi Chang Ying spoke about what happened a year ago heartbrokenly, how he heard that there were complete sets of Fifth-Order materials being sold in Void Star City, how they gathered everything they had, how they travelled all the way to Void Territory, how they were attacked, and how he managed to stay alive… He disclosed every single detail in his speech.
Old Hong clenched his teeth, “Junior Brother Qi, did you mention that you escaped by faking death, and vaguely heard the words ‘Void Land’ and ‘Senior Yun’?”
Qi Chang Ying nodded slowly, “That’s right! This Old Master also knows that the person in charge of Void Star City is a man named Yun Xing Hua. He has the same cultivation with this Old Master, and matches the person who killed our Mountains and Seas Pavilion disciples! This Old Master lived an ignoble life after that, sneaking into Void Star City to investigate and confirm whether Yun Xing Hua was indeed the one who killed my Mountains and Seas Pavilion disciples. This Old Master swore he would take revenge no matter what!”
Old Hong immediately asked, “What is the result of the investigation?”
Qi Chang Ying shook his head slowly, “Yun Xing Hua lives a reclusive life, and this Old Master didn’t have the chance to see him.”
Old Hong raised his brows slightly, “If I show you Yun Xing Hua, will you be able to recognize him?”
Qi Chang Ying gritted her teeth ferociously, “Even if he were reduced to ash, this Old Master would still recognize him!”
Old Hong nodded, “Good, Junior Brother Qi, look over there, Yun Xing Hua is among that group!”
Qi Chang Ying was stunned before he hurriedly looked to the direction that Old Hong pointed at. After a moment, he widened his eyes and leapt towards the ship with raging murderous intent, “Yun Xing Hua, suffer death!”
Among the captives, Yun Xing Hua was absolutely appalled. He already felt humiliated enough being caught due to his incompetence and was still worrying about his own safety. Fortunately, Lu Xue stood at the head of their group, preventing him from sticking out too much. But now, his face turned white as this unfamiliar old man suddenly rushed towards him to take his life. Unable to care about face any longer, he retreated while shouting horrifyingly, “Mercy, Old Sir, there must be some kind of misunderstanding!”
He was totally clueless about what was going on. He had never met Qi Chang Ying, let alone killed the disciples of Mountains and Seas Pavilion. Ever since he signed his name on the Loyalty List and was sent to Void Star City by Yang Kai, he has been taking care of the Star City conscientiously, in fear of being punished by Yang Kai for any mistakes.
Initially, the Star City was blossoming with activity, but he did not expect a large number of people to attack all of a sudden half a month ago. The people of Void Land failed to defend themselves and were captured, and then were brought here.
Hearing the previous conversations from the crowd, Yun Xing Hua vaguely sensed that someone was conspiring against Void Land, and he was just a pawn caught up in this plot. Previously, he felt a little fortunate that he was not their target, but he did not expect that he would be the first to die.
Qi Chang Ying naturally ignored him. While flying out, Qi Chang Ying slammed his palm at Yun Xing Hua with murderous intent even from thousands of meters away.
Yun Xing Hua was unable to resist as his strength was currently sealed. Seeing that palm strike about to land on him, he could not help exclaiming, “My destined end has come!”
He could only close his eyes and accept death!
But a moment later, the attack did not arrive as he thought it would. It seemed that someone had saved his life. When he opened his eyes, he saw Qi Chang Ying shouting and falling back to where he came from.
Yun Xing Hua was thrilled that he escaped death and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the young woman sitting on the chair withdrawing her fair hand. It was she who saved him!
He glanced at the young woman gratefully. Even though he had no idea who this woman was or why she wanted to save him, he was sure that the cultivation that she had was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Luan Bai Feng brushed her hair back behind her ear and looked at Yun Xing Hua with a smile. Surprised by her action, Yun Xing Hua quickly thanked her.
Luan Bai Feng chuckled, “If you have anything to say, just say it with your mouth. Why resort to violence right away? Life… is very precious. Union Master Kong, do you think so?”
Kong Feng smiled faintly, but he did not say anything.
He knew why Luan Bai Feng wanted to save Yun Xing Hua; it was all because these captives belonged to her. Anyone of them dying was a loss to her; therefore, no one would be allowed to harm her interests while she was present.
After Luan Bai Feng’s interception, Qi Chang Ying acknowledged her terrifying strength and dared not to do it again. Still, he glared at Yun Xing Hua angrily, as if he wanted to peel his skin off.
Old Hong continued in a deep voice, “Junior Brother Qi, please calm your anger. Do you recognize the man who attacked your Mountains and Seas Pavilion that day?”
Qi Chang Ying immediately pointed out his finger, “It was him! He led people to intercept my Mountains and Seas Pavilion ship and killed hundreds of our disciples… None of them were spared!”
As he finished his sentence, he let out a long cry to the sky as two streaks of tears rolled down his cheeks.
Stunned, Yun Xing Hua could not help shouting back, “Old Sir, you’ve recognized the wrong person! I haven’t done anything like that, you should take a closer look!”
“Shut up!” Qi Chang Ying glared at him, his eyes spitting fire, “Despicable bastard, how dare you quibble with me!? This Old Master saw what you did that day with his own eyes, how can I be mistaken!? If this Old Master does not avenge this blood feud, he does not deserve to be human!”
Yun Xing Hua’s lips trembled, and turned his head to look in the direction of Yang Kai desperately, begging, “Sir, this subordinate is innocent, this subordinate has not done it. Sir, save me!”
Then, Old Hong sneered and patted Qi Chang Ying on the shoulder again, “Is Junior Brother Qi sure he’s the one?”
Qi Chang Ying closed his eyes, turned his head, and quickly replied, “Yes!”
There was no way to express the anger boiling in his heart. He could hardly breathe! He has lived for so many years, and he was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so how could he be a fool? He was besieged, completely robbed of his Sect’s properties, and everyone other than him was slaughtered, including his Legacy Disciple who shouldered the future of Mountains and Seas Pavilion. The pain Qi Chang Ying felt was like a knife stabbing through his heart.
At that time, he really believed that Void Land was behind this matter, but after escaping from the claws of death, Qi Chang Ying thought more carefully about it. Why would Void Land do such a thing? Was this not smearing their own reputation for paltry gains? He really did sneak into Void Star City to investigate Yun Xing Hua and quickly discovered that the latter was not the same person who attacked Mountains and Seas Pavilion’s ship that day.
Qi Chang Ying had a feeling that someone was trying to tarnish Void Land’s reputation, but before he could uncover the truth of the matter, Old Hong had appeared and had a long talk with him. After some consolation and intimidation, Old Hong ‘politely’ asked Qi Chang Ying to step forward to identify the culprit, with a promise of heavy compensation.
By that point, how could Qi Chang Ying still not understand what was going on?
Void Land was like a tall tree that attracted the wind, and Mountains and Seas Pavilion was coincidentally involved in this dispute. Qi Chang Ying was probably able to escape the catastrophe and keep his life only because the other party allowed him to.
Now that things have escalated to this point, what choice did Qi Chang Ying have?
He may be able to keep his conscience by rejecting Old Hong’s proposal, but it would certainly offend powerful people. The murderers who dared to blatantly slaughter Mountains and Seas Pavilion’s disciples could even cause trouble at the Headquarters of Mountains and Seas Pavilion. On the other hand, if he agreed to their conditions, he could at least obtain some compensation.
Mountains and Seas Pavilion could not endure any more struggle. With their most prized disciple dead and most of the Sect’s wealth lost, if Qi Chang Ying just returned home like this, Mountains and Seas Pavilion would not be able to recover for hundreds of years. But if he could get some compensation, the future would definitely not be so bleak.
Therefore, even though Qi Chang Ying knew the truth, he had no choice but to cooperate with Old Hong at this moment and lie with his eyes wide open. He had to consider the future of Mountains and Seas Pavilion.
“Boy, Junior Brother Qi of Mountains and Seas Pavilion had identified the culprit in person. It is ironclad evidence! Do you still wish to deny it?” Old Hong rebuked sharply.
Yang Kai snorted coldly, “For those determined to condemn others, there is never a lack of evidence!”
As soon as he finished speaking, shouts echoed from all directions. They were the representatives of the victimized great forces from the incidents in Void Territory.
Yang Kai looked around coldly before his gaze stopped at Kong Feng, “Union Master Kong is here in person. Did your allies’ ships suffer from the incident in the Void Territory too?”
Kong Feng smiled slightly, “Indeed. Many of my allied Sects encountered trouble and were robbed of all their property, with countless casualties. Naturally, as Union Master, I am here to seek justice for them!”
Yang Kai returned, “Then what justice does Union Master Kong want?”
Kong Feng tapped the armrest of his chair lightly, “If you are wise, you will deactivate this Defensive Grand Array, bind your own hands and feet, and follow this Union Master obediently. Rest assured, this Union Master will definitely investigate the situation thoroughly. If Void Land is innocent, you will be cleared of all guilt.”
Yang Kai sneered. How could he believe him? However, he still nodded gently, “Union Master Kong’s reputation is well known. I can trust this statement.”
Kong Feng raised his brow, “Since you trust this Kong, what are you still waiting for?”
Yang Kai raised his hand, “Union Master Kong, please wait a moment. I don’t know when I will be back. I must have a word with my family first.”
After saying that, he had already turned around and disappeared into Void Land without giving Kong Feng a chance to object.
Kong Feng frowned, vaguely feeling that Yang Kai was up to no good. However, after thinking about it carefully, Void Land would definitely not be able to resist. In the face of absolute strength, any conspiracy would be a joke.
He did not attack head-on mainly because he was afraid of destroying Void Land. There must be some hidden secrets in this place, so before he learnt the truth, he did not want to make a big move.
After pondering for a while, he spoke quietly, “Junior Sister Luan, your chance has come.”
Luan Bai Feng looked at Kong Feng with a smile, “What is Union Master Kong referring to?”
Kong Feng replied, “Don’t you want that Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm woman? She’s called Yue He, and she obeys Yang Kai’s words. When Yang Kai arrives, you are responsible for keeping Yue He in check while I capture that boy. As long as Yang Kai is restrained, Yue He will definitely not resist, and you can have her in any way you want!”
Luan Bai Feng’s beautiful eyes lit up when she heard the words and her scarlet tongue flicked across her red lips, “That would be best.”
She naturally knew why Kong Feng wanted her to deal with Yue He. The other party was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after all. It’s hard to say who would emerge the victor in a real fight, but if she could capture a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master to be an ore slave, this risk was worth taking, so she did not complain.
While the two were talking, a figure flickered next to Yue He, and Yang Kai reappeared.
Kong Feng was slightly surprised, “So fast?”
He thought that Yang Kai would definitely delay for a while, but who would have thought that he came back as fast as he left.
Yang Kai chuckled, “There’s nothing to explain, Union Master Kong. However, this Junior’s cultivation is low, and it is not safe to travel alone. So I request permission to bring my Left Protector along.” After saying so, he pointed at Yue He.
Kong Feng replied indifferently, “Only her then.”
He had already expected this. With his and Luan Bai Feng’s strength, a single Yue He would not be able to resist their united front.
Luan Bai Feng frowned slightly, vaguely feeling something was off, but most of her attention was drawn to Yue He at the moment, so she did not think much about it.
“Naturally!” Yang Kai nodded.
Signaling Yue He, he stepped forward and Bian Yu Qing, who was behind him, flew back into Void Land.
Kong Feng waved his hand and opened the barrier around the ship.
Yang Kai and Yue He landed on the deck soon after.
In the next moment, Kong Feng and Yang Kai shouted in unison, “Now!”
When the words fell, Kong Feng reached out to grab Yang Kai. Luan Bai Feng’s petite figure leapt up and rushed towards Yue He, who at the same time, raised her hand. A little flower umbrella appeared twirling in the air, then flew sharply in the opposite direction towards Luan Bai Feng and Kong Feng, obscuring their line of sight momentarily.
Yang Kai stepped back and opened the Six Fated Paths Bag. With a light pat, a dozen figures suddenly appeared.
The dozen figures, led by Mo Mei, immediately surrounded Yang Kai as soon as they appeared.
Heavenly Sword Union was a top-tier Second Class great force with outstanding strength. For this trip to Void Land, in addition to Kong Feng, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, there were also numerous Fifth-Order Open Heaven Masters, and even more Fourth-Order and Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. This could only be described as a mighty army with the finest arms.
However, among the dozen or so people who suddenly appeared on Yang Kai’s side, Mo Mei was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, while the others were all Fifth-Order. Everyone was momentarily stunned by their sudden appearance.
When they finally came back to their senses, fierce attacks were already bearing down on them.
In a flash, screams and shrieks resounded one after another, followed by splatters of fresh blood and corpses collapsing to the ground.
Beyond all their expectations, in an instant, Heavenly Sword Union suffered heavy casualties, with as many as a dozen of Open Heaven Realm Masters under the Fifth Order being killed, not to mention countless other disciples below the Open Heaven Realm. At the same time, Pang Duo, Jin Yuan Lang, Mu Qian Xuan, and Gong Yang Xi had already rushed towards Lu Xue and the others.
The strength of the Heavenly Sword Union disciples guarding Lu Xue and the others wasn’t anything notable because their prisoner’s had their cultivations sealed.
Seeing these four pouncing towards them like tigers leaving the mountain, these disciples froze in place, not knowing what to do.
A brief hesitation in battle could lead to disaster. With the combination of four Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, the guards were cut down as easily as melons and vegetables, while Lu Xue and the others were dragged back into the encirclement.
At this moment, Yue He shouted in a strained voice, “Young Master!”
As soon as the words fell, the little flower umbrella exploded, and the colour on Yue He’s face drained slightly before a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out of her lips. Her artifact was destroyed, causing a backlash to her Soul and body.
However, there was no other way. This was the only option if they wanted to rescue the captives from the hands of the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Kong Feng appeared with a livid face and spat through clenched jaws, “Junior, you court death!” He had never expected that in such a situation, Yang Kai would dare to attack first. He cursed silently, planning to give Yang Kai a taste of every kind of torture in the world once he was captured!
However, when he looked up, Kong Feng was stunned for a moment, because scattered all over his ship were broken bodies of countless disciples, including as many as a dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters under the Fifth Order.
Opposite of him, a formation of more than a dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters circled around Yang Kai as they, along with Lu Xue and the other captives, fled towards Void Land hurriedly.
[How did Void Land gain so many Open Heaven Realm Masters?] Kong Feng was dumbstruck. What made him even more terrified was that the more than a dozen people who suddenly appeared in front of him were all Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and one leading them was a woman in the Sixth-Order!
After escaping from the Little Flower Umbrella’s suppression, Luan Bai Feng swept her eyes around coldly and growled through gritted teeth, “We were too careless!”
She had finally understood where that sense of unease came from before. Yang Kai mentioned that Yue He was his Left Protector, and since there was a Left Protector, there must also be a Right Protector! Now, the truth was revealed that there was another Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in Void Land!
Everything happened too fast. It had only been three breaths from Kong Feng’s and Luan Bai Feng’s entrapment to their escape. Yue He lost her artifact and was hurt, but Lu Xue and the others had been successfully rescued from Heavenly Sword Union’s ship.
Seeing that the people of Void Land were escaping, Kong Feng became enraged from shame, and roared, “Kill them!”
As he shouted, he charged forward together with Luan Bai Feng. They were the strongest among all the people present, so they had to participate if they wanted to restrain the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land, because the others were not capable of doing so.
World Force flared as Yue He and Mo Mei turned solemn, executing their own Secret Techniques to meet the enemy.
Although they were all Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yue He and Mo Mei had just broken through recently. In comparison, Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng both had more than 1,000 years of accumulation in their current Realm. With the difference in their heritages, their strength would be different too, not to mention that Yue He was injured. As soon as they clashed, one side gained an obvious advantage.
However, although the situation was somewhat unfavourable to Yue He and Mo Mei, Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng still could not take them down within a short period of time.
At the same time, the Open Heaven Realm Masters on the 100 surrounding ships had charged forward together. As they were gathered by Kong Feng this time, they had already become enemies with Void Land. Initially, none of them put Void Land in their eyes; after all, it was just a recently risen great force, so how strong could it be?
But after Mo Mei showed up with more than ten Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, all of them were taken aback. Only now did they realize that Void Land possessed its own mighty army, equipped with the finest arms.
They had the advantage in numbers now that they were fighting against Void Land together, but if they failed to eliminate it today and allowed them to stage a comeback, Void Land would definitely not spare them in the future.
Since they had chosen to side with Heavenly Sword Union, they could only follow through to the end.
Countless Open Heaven Realm Masters from various great forces used their killing moves mercilessly one after another.
The people of Void Land continued fighting while retreating. Although there were two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and more than ten Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they were too heavily outnumbered. After just ten breaths of time, several were already injured. Fortunately, no one was killed; otherwise, Void Land would have suffered a terrible loss.
The wounded immediately stepped back and hid in the encirclement while hastily trying to heal themselves.
Yang Kai grit his teeth and shouted, “Hold on for just a while longer!”
Void Land was just right behind them, and as long as they could enter the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, everyone would be safe.
Kong Feng obviously noticed this too and his eyes burned with impatience as he roared, “Don’t let them escape!”
With a flash, the illusory phantom of his Small Universe behind him, he surged his might even more ferociously. Luan Bai Feng did not hold back either. Her face was as hard as steel as she moved swiftly and kept using killing moves!
The captives were supposed to be hers, but they all were rescued by Yang Kai. How could she tolerate this? At this time, there was no time to blame Kong Feng for gathering inaccurate information; they had to try their best to recapture as many of the people from Void Land as possible.
World Force collided endlessly as rumbling noises resounded continuously.
The short 30 breaths the clash had been going on for felt as though decades had passed.
When the people of Void Land finally rushed into the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, almost everyone was seriously injured, except Yang Kai and the captives, who were being protected in the center. Even Mo Mei had a long wound on her lower abdomen where blood flowed and continued seeping through her robes. Yue He’s pretty face was pale and her aura was somewhat unstable as a trace of blood could be seen on the corner of her lips. The two of them had the strongest cultivation so they were responsible for defending the rear of the group and had subsequently been under the greatest pressure. Pang Duo and the rest were also panting heavily, their vitality roiling somewhat.
It was tough for them, who had just advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, to fight such an intense battle. They simply could not unleash the true might of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm yet. Fortunately, all of them worked together and overcame the immediate disaster. If anyone had made a mistake at that time, everyone in Void Land would have fallen into danger.
The Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was reactivated, isolating the inside from the outside, and the battle paused for now.
A cold aura surged from Yang Kai’s body as he slowly turned around, glanced at Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng, who were filled with frustration, then at the enemy ships, before he took a deep breath before he declared firmly, “If our Void Land survives this disaster, this Yang swears he will visit each and every one of your Headquarters to teach you how to show proper respect in the future!”
Despite his soft voice, it struck everyone’s hearts like a heavy hammer and goosebumps rose all over their bodies while their faces turned pale.
They would not care if they were threatened by an ordinary Second Class great force, because to be able to attack another force’s Headquarter, one had to possess overwhelming strength.
But after witnessing the terrifying heritage of Void Land, no one dared to take Yang Kai’s declaration lightly.
Such a lineup, with two Sixth-Order and more than ten Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, could almost match up to Heavenly Sword Union! This was the heritage that a true top-tier Second Class great force possessed. Other than the Cave Heavens and Paradises, who could stand against such force?
90% of the 100 great forces here did not even have a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master assuming command. If Void Land showed up at their doorstep, they would have no way to stop them. The only result would be the extermination of their Sect.
[Is this the kind of heritage a new great force can have? Just how did Void Land develop so rapidly and obtain so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in such a short time?]
Kong Feng’s face turned dreadfully ugly as he remarked coldly, “Do you think your Void Land still stands a chance? Today, your Void Land will be wiped from the 3,000 Worlds!”
Yang Kai sneered, “Come and try if you can. We’ll see who survives in the end!”
Then he beckoned, “Let’s go!”
Leading the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land, they all turned and disappeared behind the clouds and mists of the Grand Array!
Infuriated, Kong Feng clenched his fist and wanted nothing more than the give chase, but seeing the unpredictable changes of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, he did not dare to take the risk rashly. He turned to Luan Bai Feng and asked, “What can you see, Junior Sister?”
Luan Bai Feng answered with a cold face, “This Grand Array is not even displaying its full might yet, what can I possibly see from it? Union Master Kong, you didn’t tell me that there are so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land.”
If she had known that Void Land was such a dangerous opponent, she would not have come here. Now that the captives that she obtained earlier were robbed away, it was natural for her to feel disgruntled.
Kong Feng replied while suppressing his anger, “What’s the use of blaming me now? It’s indeed this Union Master’s mistake for gathering incomplete intelligence about Void Land. This Union Master also didn’t expect that Void Land would have so many Open Heaven Realm Masters, but… isn’t this just what Junior Sister Luan wants? If we can conquer Void Land, you will be able to receive many times more benefits than you have expected.”
Luan Bai Feng snorted coldly, “But that can only be achieved if we take down Void Land. Now that the Grand Array has been activated, there’s nothing we can do unless we crack it.”
Kong Feng answered, “I invited Junior Sister Luan here precisely to resolve this issue. Don’t worry, I will arrange for someone to probe this Grand Array for you.”
Luan Bai Feng’s face softened a little bit, and she nodded, “It’s best if you make appropriate arrangements. But I wonder who Union Master Kong wants to assign to take the lead in this battle?”
Kong Feng’s eyes glinted slightly as he remained silent. Given this situation, it was highly unlikely anyone would volunteer to be the vanguard. Although their side looked imposing with 100 great forces seemingly joining hands, the truth was they were nothing but a fistful of loose sand. With the strength and prestige of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng had forced many to support him here; however, those who had come expected the battle to be a one-sided massacre. Now that Kong Feng was facing difficulties, how could he still convince these people to follow his orders?
This was especially true for those who had to lead the first assault, as they would bear the greatest risks.
But… it was exactly because of this Grand Array that Kong Feng gathered so many people here.
Just as Kong Feng was pondering what to do, an elderly man suddenly flew over, stood several tens of meters away from Kong Feng, and cupped his fist, “Union Master Kong.”
Kong Feng raised his eyes and replied faintly, “Brother Gao.”
This person was an Elder of a great force called Azure Clouds Temple. Azure Clouds Temple was also a Second Class great force, but it was not very strong. It was similar to Mountains and Seas Pavilion in that it did not have a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master, just three or four Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Like Mountains and Seas Pavilion, Azure Clouds Temple encountered a similar incident in Void Territory. Its ship and property were robbed, with many of its disciples being killed or injured.
This man surnamed Gao was one of the ones who shouted down Yang Kai earlier, calling for revenge.
With an ashamed look, Elder Gao spoke, “Forgive me, Union Master Kong. I just received a message from the Temple Master that there is an urgent matter which needs to be attended to back at our Headquarters. This Elder must take his leave.”
Kong Feng narrowed his eyes slightly as he glanced behind Elder Gao. A number of people were watching them attentively and Kong Feng immediately sneered in his heart.
It was obvious that after seeing the strength of Void Land, Azure Clouds Temple dared not to offend it further and was attempting to distance itself from this matter. By the looks of this situation, Azure Clouds Temple was not the only force having such thoughts.
Kong Feng knew that once he accepted the request of Elder Gao, more than half of the 100 great forces here would leave.
Kong Feng was enraged, but he remained calm on the outside and asked with concern, “It’s easy for Elder Gao to leave, but if you can’t avenge your blood feud, how can the dead disciples of your Azure Clouds Temple rest in peace?”
Elder Gao averted his eyes as he replied insincerely, “Ten years is not too long for a gentleman to seek revenge.”
Kong Feng nodded, “Since Elder Gao has said so, then this Kong will leave the decision in your hands.”
Elder Gao cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Union Master Kong, for your understanding. This Gao wishes Union Master Kong success!”
Kong Feng smiled and made no comment.
Nevertheless, the moment when Elder Gao turned around, Kong Feng swiftly stretched out his arm to grasp him.
Elder Gao felt a slight pain in his neck, but before he could react, Kong Feng suddenly came close to him.
Elder Gao was puzzled and his eyes widened, “Union Master Kong, you…”
Before he finished, he immediately realized something was wrong with his vision, as if his head was on Kong Feng’s hand. He wanted to look down to check, but he failed to do so.
Kong Feng sneered as he grabbed Elder Gao’s severed head, still dripping with blood, and muttered, “You don’t wish to offend Void Land, but don’t care about offending my Heavenly Sword Union? Ridiculous!”
For a moment, Elder Gao’s eyes almost popped out of its sockets before his vitality quickly dissipated and his consciousness completely faded.
He was just a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it was a trivial matter for Kong Feng to take his life once his guard was down.
Kong Feng held the bloody head high and shouted loudly, “The battle is imminent, but this old dog attempted to desert us and disturbed the morale of our army. This Union Master killed him to serve as a warning, I hope that all of you have learnt a lesson!”
After saying that, with a slight push of his hand, the wide-eyed head was sent flying to the crowd, stirring up fear in everyone present.
The Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was the culmination of Grandmaster Wu Liang’s lifetime of study into the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Nine interdependent Arrays which supported and reinforced one another.
Yang Kai spent nearly all of the wealth he acquired in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary on this Grand Array. Most forces did not have the boldness or even ability to pay such a huge price, but the returns would naturally be great too.
The array could be divided into three sections. The first, which consisted of three layers of the Array, was the foundation of the Grand Array. These three layers maintained the operation of the Grand Array, as well as drew in and stored Starlight Strength. These three layers had no lethality whatsoever; however, they formed the backbone of the Nine Heavenly Layers. On normal days, these three layers would draw in Starlight Strength to maintain the operation of the Grand Array without interruption, storing any excess for emergency use. Not only that, but the first three layers of the Grand Array were also capable of self-repair. As long as the damage was not too serious, it could fix any faults in the Grand Array.
The second section of the Grand Array was comprised of defensive mechanisms. It also consisted of three layers of the Grand Array. One layer was meant for concealment. Once activated, Void Land would become hidden from view. Anyone without a firm foundation of the Dao of Spirit Arrays would never be able to detect Void Land. The second layer was a powerful Bewildering Array, one that deprived ordinary cultivators of their external senses, blinding and misleading them. The third layer was purely protective, a shield to resist external bombardment. The Proprietress introduced Yang Kai to an Artifact Refining Grandmaster who produced two powerful Array Artifacts, one of which was the Heavenly Net Umbrella, which was used in this Defensive Grand Array as its Array Core.
The Heavenly Net Umbrella cost a fortune, but Grandmaster Wu Liang said that once the shield was activated, even the combined bombardment of ten top Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters for ten days and ten nights would not be able to break through it. It could be seen that the protective strength of this Grand Array was outstanding. Void Land now had a mighty army and was equipped with the finest arms, so how could it allow anyone to attack them for ten days straight without retaliating?
The last three layers of the Grand Array were the offensive parts. Most of the external Starlight Strength absorbed by the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was channelled here. Each of these three layers was different and more powerful than the one before.
The Heavenly Executioner’s Sword was placed by Grandmaster Wu Liang into the second layer of the offensive section of the Grand Array as its Array Core. The first offensive layer of the Grand Array did not have a specific core, but instead relied on a massive number of ordinary artifacts to function! These artifacts were brought back by Yang Kai after defeating enemies in this Outer Universe. Most of these artifacts were useless to the members of Void Land, but it would be too wasteful to simply discard them, so they were used to empower the Grand Array, which was a win-win solution.
As for the final offensive layer of the Grand Array, it was the trump card of Void Land, and it was saved for the most crucial of moments.
When the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was completed, Yang Kai had once considered that if someone was foolish to attack Void Land, he would teach them a lesson, and at the same time test the power of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array.
But this was just a random thought. No one would want their home to be besieged.
However, it was really under siege now, and the enemy’s numbers were overwhelming!
Yang Kai was extremely grateful that he did not make the stingy decision, but instead agreed to let Grandmaster Wu Liang arrange the complete Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array in Void Land. Otherwise, with the numbers and strength of the enemy today, even if there were hundreds more Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land now, it would be impossible to overcome such odds. Only by making use of the Grand Array could they possibly turn defeat into victory!
Standing in Void Land, Yang Kai looked out coldly. He was in control of the Array Jade and he knew the Grand Array inside and out. He rubbed his fingers together unconsciously as he stood nervously. In order to rescue Lu Xue and the others, he had no choice but to reveal some of Void Land’s strength. However, they immediately retreated. With such a display of weakness, old dog Kong Feng would certainly not just give up.
Behind Yang Kai, Left and Right Protectors Yue He and Mo Mei sat cross-legged and meditated to recover from their injuries. The Elder Council and the group of Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were also urgently restoring their own vitality.
Behind them were more than three hundred Open Heaven Realm Masters of various Orders, standing upright, their expressions solemn as a chilling air lingered in the void.
The majority of the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land were from Abundance City, and it was all thanks to Yang Kai, who removed the Blood Principle Restriction, that they could leave the Blood Monster Cave Heaven alive. In addition to that, he also provided them with an excellent living and cultivating environment, and supplied them with Spirit Pills to support their safe ascension to the Open Heaven Realm.
It was safe to say that Yang Kai was the one who made them what they were today.
After finally breaking free of the prison which held generations of their ancestors and entering the outside world; how could they sit by and bear it when someone came to oppress them before they had time to witness the wonders of this world?
So even though this was their first battle since they broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, everyone was incredibly motivated! Void Land was their home, where they would build a new family and future. They could not just take from this land without giving back, and right now was the time to pay their dues. Only by keeping this land could they provide a safe place for their future generations!
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Yang Kai, waiting for his order to rush out and take down the invaders.
After a moment, Yang Kai muttered, “Here they come!”
Outside Void Land, a hundred or so of people from Azure Clouds Temple, led by two Third-Order Open Heavens, rushed towards Void Land with dark, sullen faces. Elder Gao tried to withdraw before the battle began, but was ruthlessly killed by Kong Feng instead. Everyone, including Azure Clouds Temple and the other great forces who wanted to leave, did not dare to act rashly anymore.
Shuddering at Kong Feng’s ruthlessness, they all feared that they would be the next unlucky one should they speak out.
However, Azure Clouds Temple still had to be punished as they took the lead in escaping, so Kong Feng forced them to be the vanguard in attacking the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array.
Although the two Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were enraged, they were completely incapable of resisting, so they could only lead a hundred disciples they brought with them to the edge of the Grand Array.
After a slight hesitation, one of them sighed deeply and declared, “It may be a blessing and not a curse, and if it is a curse we cannot escape. Let’s go.”
Looking desolate, he took the lead and dived headfirst into the Grand Array. When the others saw this, they too rushed bravely into the swirling clouds and mists, soon disappearing from sight.
Aboard Heavenly Sword Union’s ship, Kong Feng turned to Luan Bai Feng, “Junior Sister Luan, it’s all up to you now.”
Luan Bai Feng coldly snorted, “Don’t worry, it would be one thing if the Grand Array was in an idle state, but once it begins operating, its intricacies cannot be hidden from this Mistress’ eyes.”
She pointed to her own eyes as she spoke, and a glamorous but sinister light flashed across her beautiful pupils, turning them a breathtaking shade of purple.
The reason why Luan Bai Feng had such profound attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays was not that it was taught to her by a powerful Master. In fact, she was completely self-taught, a feat only possible thanks to her innate Eye Secret Technique.
Within the Black Prison were countless Natural Spirit Arrays. After years of observing those Spirit Arrays with her Eye Secret Technique, she comprehended many mysteries from them, allowing her to accumulate a profound understanding of the Dao of Spirit Arrays.
From the outside, the 100 great forces watched the hundred or so Azure Clouds Temple disciples disappearing quickly into the rolling clouds, but through Luan Bai Feng’s eyes, their movements were actually traceable, and as long as she could keep track of them and the progress they made, she would be able to find a way to crack the Grand Array!
Inside the Bewildering Array, two small figures came together and whispered to one another quietly. One of them had a string of purple grapes on his head, his arms akimbo, looking as though he was second beneath the Heavens; the other figure had a large mushroom cap atop her head and a timid expression on her face, wearing a little floral dress.
These two little figures were Pu Bai Xiong and Little Mushroom.
Little Mushroom suddenly tugged at the roots of the grapes on Pu Bai Xiong’s head, “Big Brother Pu, someone is here, what should we do?”
Two strands of roots on Pu Bai Xiong’s head swayed around his forehead, “Someone came in? En, leave them alone, Yang Boy will take care of them.”
Little Mushroom spoke weakly, “But… But I’m scared. They’re wandering around everywhere… what if they find us? Will they eat us?”
Pu Bai Xiong consoled, “Don’t worry. They’re completely lost in the Spirit Array and won’t be able to find us. Yang Boy told you, you are the Array Core of this Bewildering Array, and will only need to make a move at the critical moment. Don’t easily expose yourself, but when you do, we’ll teach them a big lesson to show them how powerful you are.”
Little Mushroom nodded obediently, “En.” Then she suddenly exclaimed, “Ah, someone is right next to us…”
Pu Bai Xiong jumped and looked around. Sure enough, he saw a figure staggering around like a drunk, and quickly pulled Little Mushroom away.
In Void Land, Yang Kai asked, “About a hundred people entered the Array, among them are two Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters while the rest are all Emperor Realm cultivators. Who wants to deal with them?”
Fatty Chen Tian rushed out immediately and volunteered with a sonorous voice, “Sect Master, please let this subordinate go!”
How could Chen Tian Fei miss such an opportunity to showcase himself? He was not qualified to fight during the last mission to rescue Lu Xue and the others because he was only a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but now that he had the opportunity to exert his strength, he naturally would not let it fall into the hands of another.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him and nodded lightly, “Good, Elder Chen, be careful.”
Immediately energised, Chen Tian Fei replied, “Sect Master, please wait for good news, this subordinate will be back before you know it!”
After saying so, his rotund figure soared into the sky, dashing towards the Grand Array.
Outside Void Land, aboard Heavenly Sword Union’s ship, Luan Bai Feng suddenly frowned. Kong Feng, who had been observing her expression hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Luan Bai Feng replied without removing her gaze on the swirling Grand Array, “It seems that something has changed. Someone entered the Grand Array from Void Land.”
Kong Feng raised his eyebrows, “Oh? Could they not withstand the pressure any longer?”
Luan Bai Feng was silent for a moment before suddenly sighing.
Kong Feng faintly sensed that something was wrong, but before he could ask, there were bursts of exclamations all around him. Turning his head back, Kong Feng narrowed his eyes slightly at the sight before him.
Severed heads drenched in fresh blood flew towards the fleet one by one from inside the Grand Array. Those heads belonged to the people from Azure Clouds Temple that he sent out before. One head for every person who went in was sent out. The blank expressions frozen on the faces of these severed heads obviously indicated that they had no idea what happened to them, right up to the moment they died.
Kong Feng’s face sank. [What is Void Land planning? Killing someone and throwing their head back is a naked provocation!]
Kong Feng turned to look at Luan Bai Feng, who shook her head lightly, “It was too short!”
It really was too short. It had only been several breaths of time since the hundred Azure Clouds Temple disciple entered the Grand Array. Although they only had two Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters while the rest were Emperor Realm cultivators, meaning their strength was not great, it was still terrifying for them to be obliterated so quickly.
Chen Tian Fei descended from the sky, and landed in front of Yang Kai with a cupped fist, “Sect Master, fortunately, I did not fail my mission!”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Good work, Elder Chen!”
Chen Tian Fei possessed a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, while there were only two Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among the people from Azure Clouds Temple. Furthermore, Azure Clouds Temple’s cultivators had fallen into the Bewildering Array and were all blind and lost. How could they stand against this Fatty Chen? Killing them all had been a simple task.
With Yang Kai having full control of the Array Jade, he could naturally see the situation inside the Grand Array clearly and knew that Chen Tian Fei sent the severed heads of the enemies out into the void. Although this was not his intention, he did not disapprove.
Chen Tian Fei was delighted, “It is this subordinate’s pleasure to serve the Sect Master!” After that, he stepped back and stood still behind Yang Kai.
Outside Void Land, Kong Feng kneaded his forehead gently. He looked around coldly, and saw a riot rising up among the Hundred Sect Alliance. The swift annihilation of Azure Clouds Temple’s entire force obviously threw them into panic. Although the people of Azure Clouds Temple were not strong, it was still unbelievable that they died in such a short period of time.
Kong Feng immediately realized that it was the wrong decision for him to send the people of Azure Clouds Temple to serve as a vanguard. Instead of achieving what he wanted, he actually bolstered the morale and image of Void Land!
Now that Void Land was shielded by their Grand Array, if Kong Feng wanted to win this battle, he would first need to crack it.
After pondering for a while, he turned his head and asked, “Junior Sister Luan, with your ability, how long will it take to crack this array?”
“Just a stick worth of incense,” Luan Bai Feng answered proudly.
Kong Feng nodded solemnly, “Then I’ll give you that time.”
Luan Bai Feng turned to look at him and raised her brow slightly. Given the current situation, if they wanted to trace the details of the Grand Array, they would have to sacrifice many more lives. However, the people here were not fools. No one would be willing to follow in Azure Clouds Temple’s footsteps. Still, it was none of her business. She just needed to do her part in examining the Grand Array carefully whenever it began operating.
Kong Feng turned to look in a certain direction and began moving his lips, probably transmitting a Divine Sense message to someone.
In that direction, Old Hong looked up at Kong Feng helplessly, but Kong Feng remained stone-faced and unmoved by Old Hong’s pleading.
Left with no choice, Old Hong clenched his teeth, stepped forward, and shouted as he cupped his fist, “Union Master Kong, Void Land is simply too outrageous. This Old Master requests to lead Heaven’s Border forces to attack and capture that bastard Yang Kai. Please grant me permission!”
Kong Feng replied after a brief hesitation, “This Union Master appreciates Brother Hong’s determination, but with this Grand Array protecting Void Land, entering will be extremely dangerous. Think twice, Old Hong!”
Old Hong answered solemnly, “Void Land is a cesspit of disease and evil. Many Fellow Brothers have suffered at their hands, as has my Heaven’s Border. How can this Hong not step forward when the enemy is right in front of me? Even if I have to give up my life, I will rip a piece of meat from Void Land first! Please grant me permission, Union Master Kong!”
Kong Feng feigned reluctance for a while more before ‘reluctantly’ agreeing, “Good, since Brother Hong is so sincere, how can this Union Master refuse? How about this, this Union Master will send 80 disciples from Heavenly Sword Union to accompany you. Do not try to engage the enemy, we only need to stimulate the Grand Array so that Warden Luan can crack its secrets. Focus on staying alive and buying time.”
After saying that, with a swing of his hand, 80 people immediately appeared behind him. There were many Open Heaven Realm Masters among them, and their leader was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Overjoyed, Old Hong cupped his fists, “Many thanks, Union Master Kong!”
He was truly glad. He was only a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so after witnessing the powerful heritage of Void Land, he acknowledged that his strength was not enough to compete with them or even break into their Grand Array. If he really entered, he would definitely die miserably.
But now, he felt much safer being escorted by a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master sent by Kong Feng.
However, the people of Heaven’s Border and 80 members of Heavenly Sword Union alone were obviously still not enough. As such, Old Hong looked around and roared in a deep voice, “Who else will join this Old Master? Please step forward!”
All the others looked at each other awkwardly. They initially thought that they would easily take down Void Land under the lead of Heaven Sword Union, never having expected that Void Land would possess such strong forces and defences. They had also witnessed the frightening outcome of Azure Clouds Temple’s failed attempt to penetrate Void Land’s array.
But since Heavenly Sword Union had set an example for them, how could they do nothing? If no one was willing to stand out, Kong Feng would definitely hold a grudge against them. Even if they could escape today, they were afraid that they would have a hard time in the future.
Therefore, they had to send out some of their forces no matter what.
Just then, a man shouted, “Our Golden Rainbow Province will contribute.”
It was the leader of Golden Rainbow Province, Qi Jin. He had a great enmity with the Proprietress. Back then, he plotted to bait the Proprietress to bring Old Bai to a Restricted Area belonging to Golden Rainbow Province to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, then take the opportunity to besiege the Proprietress and kill her. Old Bai’s breakthrough had indeed been disrupted and the Proprietress had been thrown into a difficult situation. Fortunately, Yang Kai had World Source Liquid with him, which rescued Old Bai from certain death and allowed him to successfully break through.
Qi Jin naturally knew that Yang Kai had a deep relationship with the Proprietress, as did Kong Feng. It was for this reason that Kong Feng recruited Qi Jin to join the attack on Void Land this time. The enemy of one’s enemy was an ally, and Qi Jin certainly was more than willing to cooperate with Kong Feng.
Not only was Golden Rainbow Province recruited, but Boundless Altar was here too. After Qi Jin volunteered himself, Ling Chun Qiu of Boundless Altar also stood forward.
The enmity between these two and the Proprietress was inextricable. The Proprietress even made a Heart Demon Oath that until she wiped out their Headquarters, she would never advance to Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm!
The Proprietress had not tried to follow through on her oath because it was hard for her to accomplish it alone. Although she was a peak Sixth-Order Master and had outstanding combat capability, it was still too much for her to destroy two Second Class great forces, Golden Rainbow Province and Boundless Altar, alone.
Therefore, although Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu had witnessed the Proprietress’ Heart Demon Oath with their own eyes, they had not worried much about it. However, after seeing the powerful heritage of Void Land, a strong sense of crisis could not help rising in their hearts.
In the past, Lan You Rou had not taken action because she lacked the necessary power, but since Yang Kai had a close relationship with Lan You Rou, if this group of Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land joined her, both Golden Rainbow Province and Boundless Altar would stand no chance to resist. They did not have a Grand Array like the Nine Heavenly Layers to defend themselves.
As such, among the many great forces here, other than Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng, Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu were the people most motivated to take down Void Land.
Old Hong did not expect that these two would respond to his call so enthusiastically, for he just shouted casually without hoping for any results. But no matter what, it was better to have more forces. As such, he immediately smiled, “With the help of Brother Qi and Brother Ling, this Hong can rest assured.”
Given the examples of Golden Rainbow Province and Boundless Altar, the other great forces naturally could not stay silent any longer. Furthermore, Heavenly Sword Union was still looming over them threateningly. So, others immediately sent out troops one after another.
Soon, the Hundred Sect Alliance dispatched nearly 5,000 people in total. It was a large number, with a few hundred Open Heaven Realm Masters leading the charge. Although there were only five or six Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among them, there were plenty in the Third and Fourth-Orders.
Kong Feng let out a soft breath, looked at the thousands of people, and shouted sonorously, “If we can break this Grand Array today, all of you will be meritorious contributors, and this Union Master will not mistreat you. After entering the Grand Array this time, do not aim to kill the enemy, just prioritize protecting yourselves. We just need to trigger the Grand Array for a stick of incense worth of time, and Warden Luan will be able to break the array!”
The crowd agreed with a roar, led by Qi Jin, Ling Chun Qiu, and the other Masters. With these thousands of cultivators gathering together, their courage and confidence was greatly bolstered. Somehow, the Grand Array did not feel that scary to them anymore.
Kong Feng waved his hand, “Go!”
Upon receiving the command, thousands of people rushed into the Grand Array. As Kong Feng ordered, they did not attempt to kill the enemy after entering the Grand Array, but hurriedly activated their protective artifacts and techniques before surging their strength to trigger the Grand Array.
Previously, only about a hundred people from Azure Clouds Temple took the lead into the Grand Array. Their number was far too small, so it only took a short while for Chen Tian Fei to wipe them out, resulting in very little change in the Grand Array. However, with thousands of infiltrators rushing into it, the Grand Array kept displaying various transformations, and Luan Bai Feng quickly inspected these details with her piercing purple eyes.
In Void Land, Yang Kai saw thousands of people charging into the Grand Array; but instead of panicking, he revealed a cold smile, and ordered faintly, “Elder Fan!”
At the front of hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters, Fan Wu Xin stepped forward and cupped his fist, “Sect Master!”
Fan Wu Xin was also a cultivator of Abundance City. He was just a Deacon back in Abundance City, and it was he who captured Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang back then. However, he had condensed Fifth-Order Elements and had now broken through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, becoming a member of Void Land’s Elder Council.
When they rescued Lu Xue and the others earlier, Void Land had deployed all of its Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters except for him. This could not be helped, because someone needed to stay behind to lead the 300 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters Void Land had.
After being called by Yang Kai, he hurriedly came forward.
Yang Kai turned to look at him, “It’s your turn.”
Fan Wu Xin’s expression hardened and replied in a deep voice, “Yes!”
Similar to Kong Feng’s order, Yang Kai advised, “There are quite a large number of enemies this time, and there should be several Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among them. You must be careful. Prioritize protecting yourselves rather than quickly killing the enemies. Never underestimate them. You are all my Void Land’s precious talents, losing any of you would be a great loss to us all.”
Fan Wu Xin responded, “Don’t worry, Sect Master. I will bring everyone back alive.”
Yang Kai nodded.
With a wave of Fan Wu Xin’s hand, the 300-plus Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land soared into the sky and disappeared into the Grand Array.
Yang Kai held the Array Jade in his hand and surged his Divine Sense, cooperating with the 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters as he guided them to their targets while creating opportunities for them to kill the enemy!
The Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array had the same bewildering effect on allies as well as enemies. Without Yang Kai’s guidance, Fan Wu Xin and the others would also lose all sense of direction. However, it was different if Yang Kai shielded and guided them. In the Bewildering Array, the enemies lost all sense of direction, so under the current situation, although Fan Wu Xin’s group was outnumbered, they were not in great danger as they were all Open Heaven Realm Masters and had the support of the Grand Array.
Just ten breaths of time after the 300 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters entered the Grand Array, mangled dead bodies began to rain down onto Void Land one after another from the sky like dumplings. The scene was both gruesome and spectacular to witness.
The Hundred Sect Alliance had deployed nearly 5,000 people, which was quite a large number. Among them were hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters. With such a lineup, any ordinary Second Class great force would not be an opponent at all. These people came with high morale, and under the leadership of numerous Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they plunged into the Grand Array from multiple directions. Immediately, they were surrounded by rolling fog which obscured their vision and severely suppressed their Divine Senses. Anyone below the Open Heaven Realm became essentially blind while even the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could only inspect the situation within a radius of 300 meters around themselves.
However, they kept in mind Kong Feng’s orders, summoned their defensive artifacts immediately, and kept moving around, sending out probing attacks to disturb the Grand Array so that Luan Bai Feng could investigate its reactions and trace its structure.
A group of people from Heaven’s Border gathered around Old Hong. He wanted them to huddle together to keep a lookout for each other. It was extremely dangerous for them to disperse given the current situation.
However, within ten breaths after rushing into the Bewildering Array, Old Hong realized that his group was getting smaller and smaller.
His heart sank, and was about to open his mouth to rally his forces when he heard a sudden outburst of screams from all directions. It was the obvious and abrupt sound of death. Old Hong, who had killed plenty of people in the past, knew these cries very well. It was obvious that his forces had been ambushed by Void Land.
“Follow me, don’t panic!” Old Hong roared loudly, but by now there were only three people left around him.
Old Hong was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so his Divine Sense was able to extend a few dozen metres into the surroundings; however, if they were really ambushed, such a minuscule distance would not be sufficient for them to respond effectively.
Suddenly, an unusually aggressive force rushed towards them from the side. Old Hong’s face paled and shouted, “Defend yourselves!”
At the same time, he slammed a palm towards that direction, sending out a burst of World Force.
He came in contact with the incoming assaulter lightly before quickly retreating, not stopping until he was at least several dozen meters away. His face changed abruptly, as he called out in alarm, “Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
He had realized that the one who attacked him was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master,
[My predestined time has come!] He cried out silently. He was just a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so how was there any hope of surviving this crisis? Cursing Kong Feng silently in his heart, Old Hong did not dare to let down his guard and urged his defensive artifact to its maximum.
Another series of screams echoed, and Old Hong could not help but feel his heart bleed. Although the screams were short-lived, he could clearly distinguish that the voices belonged to the Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from Heaven’s Border who had until recently been with him.
How could a few Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters survive the assault of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master? They had all ended up on a one-way trip to the Yellow Springs.
Old Hong ground his teeth as he turned around to flee; however, the surging clouds and mists heavily obscured his vision. Knowing that if he did not leave this place he would die, he fled randomly.
Not far behind him, Fan Wu Xin looked at his silhouette with a frown. Unlike Old Hong, he and the others had Yang Kai’s assistance, which allowed them to come and go freely in this Grand Array without much restriction to their senses. As such, he was able to clearly see where Old Hong was fleeing.
Fan Wu Xin had just advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm and had not fully adapted to his new strength, making it impossible for him to unleash his full potential.
Nevertheless, he was still a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If he decided to be ruthless and pursued Old Hong doggedly, the latter would not be able to escape death. However, this would inevitably waste a lot of time. Rather than stubbornly chase after Old Hong, it would be better to kill more Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. There were quite a lot of enemies this time, so many they could be seen wherever he looked.
Therefore, after hesitating for a moment, Fan Wu Xin rushed to the side, and another scream erupted from that direction soon after.
Old Hong was terrified and fled forward like a headless fly without knowing how far he had escaped. Suddenly, a fierce attack came from the front, at the same time a voice boomed, “Die, bastard!”
Old Hong froze for a moment but quickly recovered to respond to the blow. Unfortunately for Old Hong, he was not fast enough and was struck by the blow, sending him tumbling as his blood churned unsteadily. Without waiting for the opponent to strike again, he shouted, “Brother Qi?”
A couple kilometres away, Qi Jin stopped and called out, “Old Hong?”
“It really is Brother Qi!” Old Hong was overjoyed and rushed forward. Sure enough, after a while, Qi Jin appeared in front of him. The two looked at each other and sighed when they realized that they were alone.
Old Hong inquired, “Brother Qi, are you able to see through the mysteries of this array?”
Brother Qi shook his head, “It’s difficult. This array is extremely profound, and this Qi is not very proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, how could I see through it?”
Old Hong looked aggrieved, “Does that mean we really have to wait for Warden Luan to rescue us?” Being trapped in this Grand Array, it was impossible for them to escape even if they wanted to, and the only hope was for Luan Bai Feng to crack the array as soon as possible and rescue them.
Qi Jin replied, “Warden Luan is renowned throughout the 3,000 Worlds, and Union Master Kong specially invited her to help out, so she is certainly capable. We can only trust in her for now. You and I should not separate, we need to keep a look out for each other to avoid disaster.”
Old Hong nodded deeply, “Brother Qi is right, but there are a lot of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. You and I are too weak to face them, so it would be better if we could find Brother Ling and the others.”
“En,” Qi Jin agreed.
The two immediately began moving together as they searched for Ling Chun Qiu and other allies.
But after a while, Old Hong suddenly turned pale, “Brother Qi, did you hear that?”
Qi Jin frowned and listened intently for a moment before his face changed and he sighed deeply, “I don’t know how many will survive this battle…”
The screams all around were obviously not as dense as before, but rather scattered. This situation undoubtedly meant that the nearly 5,000 people who poured into the array had already suffered heavy casualties, otherwise it would never have been the case.
The Hundred Sect Alliance suffered heavy casualties. 5,000 people rushed in, but more than half had died in less than half a stick of incense.
Although Void Land only dispatched 300 people, all of them were Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although the Hundred Sect Alliance had the numerical advantage, only a few hundred of them were Open Heaven Realm Masters, and in addition to being trapped in the Bewildering Array, they were forced into an extremely passive situation. This battle was almost a one-sided slaughter!
Void Land did not suffer much. Except for a few wounded Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who retreated hurriedly, no one had been killed so far.
Given enough time, Void Land would certainly have no problem wiping out these invaders!
Yang Kai looked up into the sky, his eyes fixed on Heavenly Sword Union’s ship. He was not looking at Kong Feng, but rather was staring at Luan Bai Feng instead. Seeing this woman’s abnormal movements, Yang Kai figured she had cultivated some kind of profound Eye Secret Technique and was using it to spy on the mysteries of the Grand Array.
He was not afraid that Luan Bai Feng might discover something, but rather that she would not be good enough to see through any of the mysteries of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. If that was the case, his next plan could not be implemented.
The Hundred Sect Alliance had the audacity to attack them this time, so if they did not retaliate fiercely, what would happen to Void Land’s reputation? How could they let the Cave Heavens and Paradises, who were watching from the shadows, know that they were not to be trifled with?
It was not Yang Kai’s intention to slaughter thousands of people; however, Kong Feng, the mastermind, had to die. If someone dared to mess with Void Land, then he would destroy them by any means necessary!
However, Kong Feng was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If Yang Kai wanted to kill him, he had to lure him into a trap.
The massacre in the Bewildering Array was just the first step!
Just when Yang Kai was considering whether to make it easier for them, Luan Bai Feng suddenly frowned, and the purple glow in her eyes dimmed as she let out a soft sigh.
Seeing this, Kong Feng, who had been observing her closely, quickly asked, “Junior Sister Luan, what happened?”
Luan Bai Feng pursed her lips and smirked, “Union Master Kong, order the troops to attack!”
Kong Feng was overjoyed, “Junior Sister Luan is indeed amazing, but this Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array probably has many other tricks, not just this Bewildering Array!”
Luan Bai Feng replied, “Of course I know this, but as long as this Bewildering Array is broken, it will be a simple competition of strength.”
Kong Feng pondered for a while, then nodded in agreement, “Junior Sister Luan is right.”
He no longer hesitated, amplifying his voice as he shouted, “This devil spawn’s Grand Array will soon be destroyed. Everyone, follow this Union Master to claim victory!”
Everyone was delighted when they heard these words. No one knew what was happening inside after sending troops into the Grand Array, and would naturally be worried about the safety of their disciples. Knowing that the array was about to be broken was great news to them.
While Kong Feng’s booming voice echoed across the void, Luan Bai Feng had already summoned more than ten Array Flags and Plates. Performing a set of hand seals, each and every of the Array Flag and Array Plate disappeared swiftly into the Grand Array.
Forming a final set of seals, Luan Bai Feng clapped her hands together before pulling them apart. As her hands moved, as though a great invisible force was acting, a hole was opened in the Grand Array, revealing Void Land.
The Bewildering Array of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was broken!
Seeing this situation, the morale of the Hundred Sect Alliance was greatly boosted, but after seeing the situation inside the array, anger began to boil within them. This was because at this moment, there were less than 1,000 cultivators alive within the array!
Nearly 5,000 people had entered just a stick of incense ago, but in this short period of time, nearly 80% had fallen!
The fellow brothers, relatives, and lovers of the fallen who saw this were enraged. If everyone had only come here to besiege Void Land because of the pressure from Heavenly Sword Union earlier, now a true blood feud had been formed between them and Void Land.
Aboard Heavenly Sword Union’s ship, Kong Feng, who sat firmly on his seat, only uttered a single word, “Kill!”
All the ships rushed towards Void Land upon receiving the command.
Inside Void Land, Yang Kai raised his brow and sincerely praised, “This woman really has some skills. It’s likely her attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays are even greater than those of Grandmaster Wu Liang!”
If she was not incredibly capable, there would have been no way for her to crack the Bewildering Array in such a short time. The difficulty between arranging an array and cracking one was very different. With the same achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, cracking an array was undoubtedly a lot more troublesome than arranging one. However, given that Luan Bai Feng could crack the Bewildering Array of the Nine Heavenly Layers in just a stick worth of incense, she certainly had great attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays.
“Who is that woman?” Yang Kai mumbled softly.
“She should be the Black Prison’s Warden, Luan Bai Feng!” Yue He spoke next to him.
Yang Kai turned his head to look, “Why are you here? Heal your wounds quickly. There will be a tougher battle ahead.”
When Yue He, Mo Mei and the others rescued Lu Xue, Yun Xing Hua and the rest, most of them were injured on the way back, not to mention the destruction of her artifact had also caused backlash to Yue He’s Soul. This was why Yang Kai ordered Fan Wu Xin to lead the 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters into battle, so that Yue He and the others could recover from their injuries.
Yue He shook her head slowly, “I’m fine now. The Spirit Pills provided by Young Master are very effective.”
Yang Kai looked at her and saw that she didn’t appear to be distressed, so he did not insist. In order to let Yue He and the others recover in the shortest time possible, he had passed out the Spirit Pills that he brought back from the Blood Monster Divine Palace. These Spirit Pills were of exceptional grade and all had Pill Veins, so they naturally had potent medicinal efficacy.
“The Black Prison’s Warden?” Yang Kai raised his brow and vaguely recalled that there was such a great force in 3,000 Worlds, but he did not know much about the Black Prison.
Yue He continued, “The environment of the Black Prison is extremely hostile and is filled with countless Natural Spirit Arrays. Even a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would not dare to enter the depths of the Black Prison recklessly, but Luan Bai Feng can roam within it like a fish in water. She is unique in her own way.” Yue He did not recognize Luan Bai Feng at the beginning, for they had never met before after all; however, there were not many such powerful female Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the 3,000 Worlds. Furthermore, given that she had great attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, Yue He could easily guess her identity.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, and grinned, “I really have to thank her this time!”
During their conversation, the enemy forces, including their hundred-plus flight-type artifacts, had charged towards Void Land at full speed. Across the endless void, Kong Feng stood on the deck of his ship and bellowed solemnly with fury burning in his eyes, “Yang Kai! Your death has come!”
Yang Kai withdrew his smiling face and replied furiously, “Old dog Kong Feng, my Void Land and your Heavenly Sword Union are irreconcilable!”
Kong Feng guffawed, “A beat dog still dares to bark wildly! Just watch how this Union Master wipes out your Void Land today!”
After saying so, he swung his hand, “Kill!”
The flight-type artifacts of the Hundred Sect Alliance charged straight at Void Land, while the cultivators who survived the Bewildering Array also returned to their respective forces with lingering fear and boiling anger.
All of the sudden, the Hundred Sect Alliance morale rose to new heights.
Yang Kai looked flustered. He grabbed the Array Jade in his hand and roared, “Activate the array!”
When the words fell, a buzzing noise suddenly was emitted from the entire Spirit Province. The world trembled for a while and an umbrella artifact flew out from the depth of the earth, rose into the sky, and transformed into a light curtain that enveloped the entire Void Land.
It was the Defensive Grand Array of Nine Heavenly Layers with its Array Core, the Heavenly Net Umbrella!
Yang Kai invested a lot of resources into this Heavenly Net Umbrella. Through the Proprietress, he met Grandmaster Ma Fan and hired him to refine this Array Artifact for Void Land. It possessed incredibly strong protective strength. As soon as this array was activated, the entire Void Land became as solid as gold. The light barrier that wrapped around Void Land was extremely sturdy and for a moment, the Hundred Sect Alliance did not notice it and smashed head-long into it one after another, hindered from crossing to the other side.
Kong Feng laughed as he shouted, “Still acting stubborn even when your time is up? Do you think this Union Master cannot do anything about this tortoise shell? Break it for me!”
At Kong Feng’s command, nearly 10,000 cultivators from the Hundred Sect Alliance launched attack after attack, using their artifacts and Secret Techniques to bombard the light barrier.
As the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was being arranged, Grandmaster Wu Liang introduced its many wonderful functions to Yang Kai. He once boasted that the Grand Array was sturdy enough to handle attacks from 10 peak Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters for ten days and ten nights without a problem. It could be seen that the Grand Array was truly powerful.
However, at this moment, far more than 10 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were attacking the Grand Array at the same time!
Although the Hundred Sect Alliance lost nearly 4,000 people in the Bewildering Array, with dozens of Open Heaven Realm Masters falling as well, they were not doomed yet. At this moment, their combined attacks shook the world.
Even though the power of those cultivators below the Open Heaven Realm was limited, there was a large number of them. Just like how many ants could bite an elephant to death, even if weak individual attacks could not play a decisive role, they could wear down the power of the Grand Array bit by bit.
Streams of light flew out all across the sky, turning into sharp and violent attacks, colliding on the light barrier of the Grand Array, sending ripples across its surface in all directions. The light of the Grand Array faded rapidly, but Void Land could do nothing about it.
Kong Feng sneered, “He’s running out of tricks.”
If it was not as a last resort, why would the brat surnamed Yang activate his Defensive Grand Array? He obviously ran out of options. Earlier, Kong Feng was worried that Void Land might still have more cards up its sleeves, but when he saw Yang Kai activating the Defensive Grand Array, he was immediately relieved.
It seemed that he had overestimated the ability of this Grand Array. He looked down coldly, and saw Yang Kai clenching his fists, his eyes seemingly about to pop out of their sockets as the veins on his forehead throbbed violently. He looked angry and nervous, which further confirmed Kong Feng’s judgment.
Luan Bai Feng frowned slightly as she warned, “Union Master Kong, stay alert.”
Kong Feng raised his hand, “How can a trivial Void Land stand against the might of our Hundred Sect Alliance? Earlier, we suffered a loss because this Brat had the defender’s advantage. Junior Sister Luan, just wait for the good news. When this Defensive Array is broken, you may collect all the captives you want.”
Hearing this, Luan Bai Feng spoke no more and just nodded lightly. Her eyes lingered on Yue He and Mo Mei as she secretly pondered whether it would be worthwhile to try to capture these two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. However, even if she wanted to do so, she did not have much confidence, unless… Luan Bai Feng looked at Yang Kai again, and licked her red lips, making for an alluring sight.
The light barrier of the Grand Array dimmed progressively as countless attacks rained down on it, forming endless indents. After a cup of tea’s time, cracks started to form on the light barrier of the Grand Array.
“Almost time…” Yang Kai mumbled to himself. If they continued to fight like this, the Heavenly Net Umbrella would probably be damaged. This artifact cost a fortune to refine, so Yang Kai was truly reluctant to lose it in this battle.
He turned to look at Yue He, and Yue He also looked at him at the same time. After exchanging looks, as if their hearts were connected, they nodded slightly at each other.
The next moment, Yang Kai stealthily performed a hand seal.
With a bang, the light barrier that shrouded the exterior of Void Land suddenly burst into pieces, turned into little fluorescent lights and disappeared.
The Hundred Sect Alliance, which had been attacking ferociously, were dumbstruck at first when they saw this phenomenon, but soon they let out a thunderous cheer.
Kong Feng pointed forward as he roared through his clenched jaws, “Kill!”
There was no obstacle ahead, so the 100 flight-type artifacts charged into Void Land furiously. Under the command of Kong Feng, Heavenly Sword Union rushed straight towards Yang Kai’s location, obviously attempting to capture him first.
Looking at each other across the air, the panic and tension on Yang Kai’s face suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a smirk.
Kong Feng was stunned for a moment before a sense of crisis rose from the depth of his heart, as if something terrible was about to happen.
Luan Bai Feng, who stood beside him, was alarmed too and shouted, “Union Master Kong, be careful! It’s a trap!”
Nevertheless, even if they realized that there was a trap at this moment, they could not turn back. The Hundred Sect Alliance was diving recklessly towards Void Land, their formation in complete disarray; it was simply impossible to re-organize them in short order.
Kong Feng ground his teeth and World Force exploded from him as he personally steered his ship. The vessel immediately turned into a stream of light that shot forward.
At the same time, Yang Kai lifted his hand and the Array Jade floated in front of him. Yue He appeared beside him in a flash, and both of them formed a set of hand seals with solemn looks on their faces, sending streams of light into the Array Jade one after another.
After just three breaths of time, Yang Kai bellowed, “Start the array again!”
*Chi chi chi chi… *
The air crackled as tens of thousands of streams of light overshadowing the world abruptly emerged from the depths of Void Land.
Each of these streams of light emitted wild energy fluctuations suffused with thick murderous intent.
Previously, Old Hong suffered a great loss in the Bewildering Array. The Heaven’s Border disciples he led all were all dead or critically injured, leaving only him alone trying to survive. He felt dreadfully humiliated, but when the Defensive Grand Array of Void Land was broken and a smooth path was revealed ahead, Old Hong was overjoyed, especially when he saw Yang Kai who was close in front of him, frustrated and panicking. At Kong Feng’s command, Old Hong was the first to rush forward driving Heaven’s Border’s ship, attempting to force Void Land to pay for his humiliation.
But as soon as the countless streams of light appeared in front of him, Old Hong could not help but freeze in shock. He looked up, and when he figured out what those streams of light were, his face instantly turned pale and his eyes almost popped out of its sockets.
“Turn back! Turn back now!” He exclaimed in a cracking voice.
Every stream of light was an artifact! Tens of thousands of the streams of light meant tens of thousands of artifacts!
It was the Offensive Grand Array of Nine Heavenly Layers!
The offensive functions of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array set up by Grandmaster Wu Liang consisted of three parts, and this was only the first.
Back then, Yang Kai had gained an enormous number of Space Rings in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. In addition to what he had obtained from Seven Wonders Land after that, he now possessed countless artifacts. These artifacts were mostly useless to him, but it was too much of a waste to discard them. He could certainly earn some fortune by selling them, but using them to arrange this Offensive Array was a better option.
Yang Kai naturally could not control tens of thousands of artifacts alone. Even Yue He, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was powerless to do so.
However, it was different with the support of the Grand Array.
Yue He had refined the Array Jade before; after all, Yang Kai would not always be in Void Land, so when he was away, Yue He had control over the Nine Heavenly Layers.
The Defensive Grand Array that Yang Kai triggered earlier functioned autonomously so it only needed to be activated, allowing him to do so himself; however, the Offensive Grand Array needed to be actively controlled, so he required Yue He’s assistance.
At this moment, Kong Feng realized that Yang Kai had baited them by acting as though he was at a disadvantage and was forced to activate the Defensive Grand Array. However, he figured it out too late.
He secretly cursed Yang Kai for being so deceitful. Instead of retreating, which was clearly impossible now, he ground his teeth and increased the speed of his ship. As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he had outstanding insight and possessed an exceptionally keen battle sense. There were only two Six-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, and they were both injured earlier. Since Yue He was busy activating the Array Jade, Mo Mei was the only one he needed to pay attention to.
If he could rush to Yang Kai and have Luan Bai Feng tie down Mo Mei, he could easily capture Yang Kai and control the whole situation. At worst, he could disrupt his focus so the Grand Array would no longer function properly.
Considering all this in an instant, Kong Feng decided to act boldly.
In such a situation, how could Yang Kai not have predicted his plan, though? Following a cold snort, Yang Kai swung his hand, and a good portion of the tens of thousands of streams of light immediately changed directions towards Heavenly Sword Union’s ship, while the rest continued their bombardment of the Hundred Sect Alliance like a meteor shower.
As soon as the flight-type artifacts of various great forces noticed the dire situation they were in, they rapidly retreated and activated their own Defensive Arrays. For a moment, innumerable flashes of multi-coloured light illuminated the sky.
A moment later, the endless streams of light enveloped all the flight-type artifacts of the Hundred Sect Alliance with a rumbling boom.
Although the Hundred Sect Alliance brought over by Kong Feng had large numbers, their strength was inconsistent. Most of them were Third Class great forces, so how powerful would their flight-type artifacts be?
As soon as they clashed, the Defensive Arrays of the more than a dozen ships at the head of the charge broke. As more streams of light flooded in, these ships were all torn to pieces, severely wounding and killing all the cultivators aboard.
The streams of light continued to shuttle forward, blasting into the shields of the other flight-type artifacts, all of which shook dangerously and flickered precariously. All of the cultivators on these artifacts held their breath nervously.
Fortunately, they quickly found that despite the seemingly ferocious wave of attacks from Void Land, it was not as terrifying as they initially imagined. The power of the tens of thousands of streams of lights varied greatly, so the damage caused by them was limited as well.
Of course, the most important thing was that they still had the numerical advantage, allowing the damage to be distributed among all of them. The situation was still within a manageable range.
Even so, more than 20 flight-type artifacts of the Hundred Sect Alliance were smashed after the first wave of attacks, with nearly 2,000 cultivators dying all at once. The shattered pieces of the artifacts and cultivators filled the sky and rained down in an extremely gory scene.
Before the survivors could regroup though, the streams of light that shuttled through their formation turned around sharply and struck at them again!
Everyone was appalled, and quickly scattered to avoid the barrage!
At the same time, lights continued to flicker around Heavenly Sword Union’s ship. Thousands of artifacts bombarded it, but they were all blocked by the Defensive Array. As a top-tier Second Class great force, and given that Heavenly Sword Union’s ship was Kong Feng’s personal vessel, it certainly was superior to the other flight-type artifacts here and possessed exceedingly powerful protective ability.
However, no matter how strong a defence was, it could not withstand continuous and uninterrupted attacks forever. If the Defensive Grand Array of Nine Heavenly Layers could be broken, what more need be said about the Defensive Array of a mere ship?
When Heavenly Sword Union’s ship was only several tens of kilometres away from Yang Kai, the light barrier that protected it shattered to pieces, and everyone on the ship was exposed to the attacks from the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array.
But that was close enough.
Several dozen kilometres might seem far at a glance, but to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Kong Feng, it was practically within arm’s reach!
Aboard his ship, Kong Feng clenched his teeth and roared, “Brat, let’s see if you can survive this time!”
As he shouted, he and Luan Bai Feng used Secret Techniques at the same time to push back the surrounding streams of light. Then, he stretched out to grab at Yang Kai, while Luan Bai Feng locked her Divine Sense onto Mo Mei firmly, so that she would not interfere with the situation. As long as Kong Feng could catch Yang Kai, they would win this battle, and she would be able to harvest all the captives at will.
Facing the incoming blow from Kong Feng, Yang Kai did not panic. His cold gaze still firmly planted on his enemy, Yang Kai and Yue He changed their hand seals together and the next moment, he lifted his hand high, clenched his fist tightly and bellowed, “Start the array!”
*Weng… *
A buzz echoed loudly throughout Void Land as the entire Spirit Province trembled.
From the Void, a sensational aura was suddenly born. With the appearance of this aura, threads of Sword Qi as thin as hairs permeated the entire Void Land, seemingly slicing through the World itself. At this moment, whether friend or foe, everyone felt sharp pain on their skin, as if there were invisible blades cutting their body.
Kong Feng widened his eyes, staring at a column of light that emerged from the depths of Void Land blankly, and exclaimed, “How is that possible!?”
Regarding the Grand Array of Void Land, he had witnessed the Bewildering Array, the Defensive Grand Array, and the Offensive Grand Array. He thought that was everything, but only now did he realize that this Grand Array literally had more layers to it.
Although there was only one stream of light this time, which was far less spectacular and magnificent than the tens of thousands of streams of light earlier, Kong Feng dared not look down on it. Previously, the streams of light were only large in number, but their real offensive power was not great. If this wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t have been able to plow through them to approach Yang Kai. It was precisely because he knew that Heavenly Sword Union’s ship could withstand such a bombardment that he decided to advance instead of retreat. However, the beam of light in front of him was different. Even a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Kong Feng felt threatened. If he was hit by this stream of light, even if he didn’t die, he would be seriously injured!
That stream of light was a mass of pure white Sword Qi. It was only 10 metres long, but it gave off an aura that seemed capable of splitting worlds.
Heavenly Executioner’s Sword!
Similar to the Heavenly Net Umbrella, this sword was Grandmaster Ma Fan’s creation, a powerful weapon tailored for Void Land to protect the Sect. Neither the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword nor the Heavenly Net Umbrella was an artifact that could be controlled by an individual cultivator, because they would both consume an extraordinary amount of energy. They were designed to be supported by Grand Arrays.
The Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was completed not too long ago, so it had not accumulated much Starlight Strength yet. Whether it was to activate the Defensive Grand Array or Offensive Grand Array, energy was required. Once this energy was consumed, the power of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array would be greatly weakened.
Therefore, Yang Kai purposely tricked the enemy into coming deeper by acting at a disadvantage, all so that he could fully utilize the Grand Array’s limited energy supply.
At this moment when the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword was unleashed, Heavenly Sword Union’s ship became his first target, and Yang Kai was determined to take down Kong Feng.
Kong Feng’s face turned pale. The Defensive Array of his ship had been broken, so he did not have anything to shield him from the incoming attack. He wanted to dodge, but if he did, everyone from Heavenly Sword Union he brought along would be doomed; therefore, even if he realized the horror of this sword, he could not avoid it.
Grinding his teeth, and bellowed, “Junior Sister Luan, help me!”
As he shouted, World Force erupted from his figure and he raised his hands up to the sky, as if he was trying to hold it up and stop it from collapsing on him.
Luan Bai Feng secretly cursed Kong Feng for his incompetence in gathering intelligence. She never expected to face such a powerful foe here. If she knew it would end like this, she would never have waded into these muddy waters. But right now, she and Kong Feng were on the same boat, so how could she sit back and let it sink?
Enduring the heartache she felt, she summoned three Array Plates and poured her World Force into them. With a flick of her hand, the three Array Plates turned into three light barriers, shielding Heavenly Sword Union’s ship.
She was a Spirit Array Grandmaster, so naturally, she had some Array Plates on her for emergencies. The three Array Plates contained exceptionally powerful Defensive Arrays. If she still could not resist the sword with these, she could only quickly escape. As for Kong Feng, his fate would be up to the Heavens to decide.
Other than Kong Feng and Luan Bai Feng, there were still quite a number of Open Heaven Realm Masters from Heavenly Sword Union aboard the ship, so at this moment, they all put everything they had into defending against this sword.
Sword light flashed as it slashed directly onto the ship.
With a sky-rending screech, the three layers of protection shrouding the ship exploded to pieces and disappeared into flashes of light. Even the three Array Plates were reduced to dust in a single strike.
The Sword Qi strike continued forward and as soon as it landed on the ship, cultivators with lower cultivation exploded into blood mist without being able to say a word, while the Open Heaven Realm Masters were all thrown out, many of them heavily injured and coughing blood continuously.
Kong Feng’s face paled slightly as even he was forced back two steps, the World Force coming from his body fluctuating erratically. Fear etched on his face while Luan Bai Feng looked incredibly gloomy.
On the other side, Yang Kai was so annoyed he couldn’t help cursing!
This was the first time he had activated the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array and he was completely satisfied with all the transformations and powers it displayed. His past sacrifices had finally paid off today. The power of Heavenly Executioner’s Sword was beyond his expectation, and if not for Luan Bai Feng interfering, Kong Feng would definitely be seriously injured even if he did not die.
But at the critical moment, Luan Bai Feng used three Array Plates to protect them.
Yang Kai glared at Luan Bai Feng, wishing he could gnaw her to death!
Without hesitation, Yang Kai made a hand seal again, and Yue He quickly cooperated with him. At the same time, she transmitted a Divine Sense message to Yang Kai, “Young Master, the energy consumption of the Grand Array is too great. I’m afraid it won’t last long.”
Yang Kai replied in a deep voice, “I know.”
Noticing the Sword Qi condensing again, Kong Feng’s expression immediately changed. As soon as his power surged, he drove the ship around to escape.
He was truly frightened by the Sword Qi’s previous attack.
Seeing this, Yang Kai could not help putting a weird look on his face, and stopped his action. He wanted to slash Kong Feng with another Sword Qi wave, because there was no way Luan Bai Feng could have so many Defensive Array Plates with her. Even if she managed to help block the strike once, she could not do so a second time.
But Kong Feng actually chose to run away!
Yang Kai guffawed, “There was a way to the Heavens but you refused to take it and chose to enter the gates of Hell instead! Old dog Kong Feng, you truly court death today!”
While remarking so, he put his hands on his back and grinned at the Heavenly Sword Union ship that was running away.
Heavenly Sword Union was not the only one escaping, all the surviving Hundred Sect Alliance ships were too. Although they came in high spirits, their morale instantly dropped after being attacked by Void Land’s Offensive Grand Arrays. Now, there were only about 70 flight-type artifacts from the 100 plus that came. More than 30 ships had been destroyed and countless casualties were suffered. It was not only animals that had the instinct to run away from calamity, but Humans too. They naturally wanted to escape, and many ran even earlier and faster than Kong Feng!
However, before the Hundred Sect Alliance could escape Void Land, thick clouds rapidly permeated ahead of them. They did not notice it at first, and entered the fog bank one after another. For a moment, they could not see anything, and their Divine Senses were suppressed to a great extent. They lost their sense of direction just like headless flies.
[Why does this situation look so familiar?]
This was clearly the Bewildering Array at the periphery of Void Land. Earlier, they were obstructed by this Bewildering Array when they came in from the outside, but Luan Bai Feng managed to crack it, allowing them to invade.
Everyone was appalled. They could not understand how this array could be reactivated again after it was cracked.
Kong Feng was clueless too. On the ship, he turned to Luan Bai Feng and bellowed, “Junior Sister Luan, what is happening?”
Luan Bai Feng’s stunning face turned sullen, “We fell into that Brat’s trap again. He must have intentionally deactivated the Bewildering Array before.”
She thought that she had cracked the Bewildering Array of Void Land, but by the looks of it now, the little bastard must have tricked her by removing it as she was working on it, luring them into the lion’s den. Since they attempted to escape now, he certainly could reactivate the Bewildering Array to stop them from running away.
Upon this realization, Luan Bai Feng clenched her pristine teeth so hard that they almost cracked. As the Black Prison’s Warden, she had never been fooled like this before in her life. She was maddened with rage.
Kong Feng asked anxiously, “Junior Sister, do you think you can crack the array?”
“I’ll try.” Luan Bai Feng replied with a solemn face, not daring to be too confident.
It was not like she gained nothing from observing the tremendous transformations of the Bewildering Array from the outside earlier. She found some details about the Bewildering Array, and she might be able to succeed if she focused on cracking it.
Her beautiful violet eyes flickered again as she stared at the Grand Array intently.
Shortly, Luan Bai Feng frowned deeply. She vaguely found that this Bewildering Array seemed to be dissimilar to the one she had previously cracked, but she could not tell the difference.
With her extraordinary attainments in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, Luan Bai Feng could tell that the Bewildering Array this time was truly different from that of earlier. The Bewildering Array earlier only had the might of an independent Spirit Array, but the Bewildering Array at this moment…
In the mists, two small figures appeared side by side. Pu Bai Xiong patted Little Mushroom’s and announced, “It’s time!”
“En.” After a quiet but firm response, Little Mushroom shook her body lightly and countless tiny spores undetectable by Divine Sense spread out, quickly integrating into the Grand Array.
The Bewildering Array of Nine Heavenly Layers had an Array Core, and it was a living Array Core, which was Little Mushroom. Little Mushroom was the Profound Multi-Coloured Illusionary Mushroom, born with innate hallucinatory powers; therefore, after the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was completed, when Grandmaster Wu Liang introduced its various functions, Yang Kai decided to place Little Mushroom in the Bewildering Array as its Core.
When the Hundred Sect Alliance launched their first attack, Yang Kai only activated the Bewildering Array in passive mode and did not unleash its active effects. One of the reasons was to keep its full potential a secret, while the other was to lure the enemy into a trap.
Since the enemy was attempting to escape now, it was naturally needless to hide this card anymore.
A Bewildering Array without an Array Core was just a Bewildering Array, but once the Core was activated, it evolved into an Illusion Array! There was a great difference between the two, with the latter being an order of magnitude more powerful. As such, Luan Bai Feng could not be blamed for not being able to see through it in short order.
The countless tiny spores suffused into the Grand Array, which drastically increased its effectiveness.
Many flight-type artifacts were lost in the Illusion Array, and many cultivators inhaled the spores into their lungs, unaware. Soon, they began to experience hallucinations.
Yang Kai was also affected by Little Mushroom in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, but he managed to overcome it by relying on his Golden Crow’s True Fire and Soul Warming Lotus. If not for these two factors, he would have suffered a fatal disaster.
Although there were still many cultivators left in the Hundred Sect Alliance, how many people could resist the hallucinogenic power of the Profound Multi-Coloured Illusionary Mushroom?
Aboard a certain ship, one cultivator’s eyes suddenly turned bloodshot. He raised his hand to summon his sword artifact before swinging it down. Blood spurted, and the person, who was slashed by the sword, stared at his Senior Brother in disbelief, not understanding what had just happened.
On a different ship, a woman fell into a pool of blood and sobbed desperately, “Senior Brother, didn’t you say you loved me? Why…” Before she could finish, another sword light flashed, and her head flew up into the sky.
Chaos erupted aboard every flight-type artifact almost immediately. The weaker cultivators soon lost their senses and started summoning their artifacts to kill the allies they could no longer recognize.
Only the Open Heaven Realm Masters could put up some resistance. They surged their World Force to protect their bodies as soon as they realized something was wrong. Facing the disciples who charged at them fearlessly, they were instantly caught in a dilemma, for they could not decide whether to kill them or not!
From Void Land’s side, led by Pang Duo and the others, the 300-plus Open Heaven Realm Masters soared up into the sky again and charged into the Grand Array to start killing.
This time, Lu Xue, Yun Xing Hua, and the other former captives joined in too. Although they had been imprisoned before, their lives were not in danger, nor were they beaten or tortured. Luan Bai Feng had kept them safe, for she needed them to serve as ore slaves; any damage they suffered would be a net loss for her. Furthermore, they consumed Spirit Pills and rested for a while, so they were almost fully recovered.
It was natural for them to feel the need to avenge their previous humiliation.
The spectacle of blood and corpses raining endlessly like dumplings dropping into a pot was quite shocking.
Aboard Heavenly Sword Union’s ship, Kong Feng was as white as a sheet as he stared up at the swirling mists with so much rage he almost coughed up blood.
[It’s over. It’s completely over. My alliance came to attack Void Land confidently but ended up in such a miserable state… If word of this spreads, what would happen to the reputation of my Heavenly Sword Union?]
[How can there be so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land? How can they all be so powerful? How can there be so many functions to the Grand Array here?]
Kong Feng was sharp-eyed and managed to stop his ship in time, preventing it from falling completely into the Illusion Array. But now, there were only seven or eight ships left outside of the Illusion Array. These ships noticed the dire situation too, and gathered around Heavenly Sword Union seeking some sense of security.
Luan Bai Feng had given up looking for ways to crack the Grand Array. Since so many Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land had rushed inside and started a massacre, there was no way she could help even if she found some flaws in it.
However, she was still a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. She was confident that if she wanted to leave, the Grand Array of Void Land could not stop her from doing so.
However, after coming all the way here, how could she be willing to return home empty-handed?
Looking down, Luan Bai Feng stated, “Union Master Kong, given the situation now, there’s only one solution.”
Infuriated and red-eyed, Kong Feng asked, “What’s that?”
Luan Bai Feng glanced at Yang Kai, “In order to destroy an army, take the general’s head! Although that boy is only an Emperor Realm Junior, it’s clear the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land follow his lead without question. If we capture him as a hostage, we can force the others to surrender and turn this situation around.”
Kong Feng’s mind was blinded by rage. Seeing the Hundred Sect Alliance suffering great losses, and knowing that his Heavenly Sword Union and his reputation would be gravely affected in the future, he had panicked for a moment. However, after listening to Luan Bai Feng’s suggestion, he instantly came back to his senses.
He nodded seriously, “What Junior Sister Luan says is true, but that brat is guarded by two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters…”
All of the Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land had rushed into the Illusion Array to slaughter the enemy, leaving only Mo Mei and Yue He behind to guard Yang Kai. After all, Yang Kai was still just an Emperor Realm cultivator who did not have the qualifications to participate in this kind of battle.
Luan Bai Feng chuckled, “Judging from how those two women moved just now, they must have just advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm recently, meaning they still cannot display their full strength. This Junior Sister can restrain one for you. As for the other one…” While speaking, Luan Bai Feng turned to look at the ships around them and continued with a faint smile, “We still have so many people. Why should we be afraid of her?”
Kong Feng’s eyes lit up, he could not help grinning, “That brat is too arrogant. He’s really courting death!”
There were so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, so if he retained some by his side, Kong Feng really wouldn’t be able to do anything to him. However, now that almost all of the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land had rushed into the Illusion Array, leaving just the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters back to protect him, this was a great opportunity.
Kong Feng swept his eyes across all the Open Heaven Realm Masters still with him and immediately made the deployment.
After making the decision, Kong Feng quickly led his remaining people to attack Yang Kai again without delay, not wanting to give time to the Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land to return and interfere.
His only worry now was the Offensive Grand Array of Void Land!
The previous sword light had frightened him greatly. If Luan Bai Feng had not summoned three Defensive Array Plates at the critical moment, he could have died to that attack while Heavenly Sword Union’s ship would definitely have been destroyed, and his subordinates would have been severely wounded or killed.
However, when he thought about it carefully, the energy consumed by such an Offensive Grand Array could not be trivial. Void Land was newly established, and the Spirit Array must have only been completed recently, so the energy that it had in reserve was probably extremely limited.
Since Void Land had operated the Grand Array so many times already, it probably would not be able to launch another strike again.
Even if the energy was sufficient, it may be difficult for Yang Kai, an Emperor Realm Master to act alone. Kong Feng clearly saw that when the Offensive Grand Array was launched, Yang Kai and Yue He had worked together to activate it.
In other words, as long as they could keep Yue He occupied and distract her from cooperating with Yang Kai, Kong Feng did not need to have any worries.
Yang Kai alone was not a threat. He could easily crush that brat to death with just a finger!
From Void Land, Yang Kai looked up and saw that the eight ships were rushing to him furiously under Kong Feng’s lead, “That old dog is at his wits’ end!”
He quickly sent a Divine Sense transmission to Yue He and Mo Mei. Immediately after, Yue He shook her head rapidly like a pellet drum and objected, “Young Master, no, it’s too dangerous!”
Mo Mei nodded too, and advised, “Sect Master, all of us Void Land depends on you. If anything were to happen…”
If Yang Kai died, Void Land would completely collapse. Now that the people who came out of Abundance City finally found a place to call home, how could they take such a risk?
Yang Kai chuckled playfully, “How is it dangerous? Don’t forget about our Void Land’s real trump card. If my life is in danger, I don’t believe she will remain a bystander!”
The true trump card of Void Land was not its 300 new Open Heaven Realm Masters, or even the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, but rather the Divine Spirit hidden in its depths, Zhu Jiu Yin!
Yang Kai was unsure how much power this woman could unleash currently, but he was certain that she could definitely match a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Judging by the standards of the 3,000 Worlds, a mature Divine Spirits possessed strength at least on par with the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, just like the Golden Crow and Mie Meng.
It was just that Zhu Jiu Yin was a Divine Spirit that was born and raised in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Although Yang Kai brought her out of that place, due to the differences in World Principles between the two worlds, she needed a long period of time to adapt before she could unleash her full strength.
It was hard to tell how much she had acclimated by now.
As Yang Kai’s Protector, she took an oath on her Source to protect him. Nonetheless, the oath was conditional. Only when Yang Kai’s life was in mortal danger would Zhu Jiu Yin take action. If Yang Kai was the one who provoked others or he encountered troubles during his adventures outside, Zhu Jiu Yin would not care about him.
Yang Kai was someone who liked to roam free, a fact Zhu Jiu Yin knew well, so she made sure to clearly set out such terms with him. Otherwise, she would have to follow Yang Kai around and guard him at all times. How could she permit such a thing? How could a noble Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider become a mere bodyguard? She really did not want to lose her status because of this hateful man.
To be honest, Zhu Jiu Yin could not wait for Yang Kai to die outside and not return anymore. That way, she could immediately get rid of the constraints of the oath.
However, they were in Void Land, and it was the Hundred Sect Alliance who initiated this battle. Once Yang Kai fell into danger, Zhu Jiu Yin would definitely have to do something, otherwise, she would suffer from the backlash of her oath. A Divine Spirit’s Source was their root, foundation, and heritage, a link between them and their ancestral bloodline, so there was no room for carelessness.
Although Yang Kai did not notice the presence of Zhu Jiu Yin’s aura yet, he was sure that this woman had been paying close attention to the battle.
With this woman looking after him in the dark, what did Yang Kai need to fear?
Although Mo Mei was a recent arrival, she was a full-fledged member of Void Land now and had learnt about Zhu Jiu Yin from Yue He before. She knew that a mature Divine Spirit was hiding in Void Land, and even though she had never seen her, she immediately understood what Yang Kai was up to after hearing his words.
After hesitating for a moment, Yue He nodded, “Then, Young Master must be careful.”
Yang Kai replied, “You two should also protect yourselves well!”
During their conversation, the eight ships had rushed down under the lead of Heavenly Sword Union. As soon as Kong Feng turned to look at Luan Bai Feng, she stretched out her hand and beckoned to Mo Mei with a grin, “Such a beautiful little girl. This Elder Sister likes women like you. Would you like to have a chat with me?”
With a slight swing of her hand, a powerful World Force descended from above Mo Mei.
Mo Mei’s face turned solemn. She did not dare to stay near Yang Kai to avoid him being involved in this battle, so with a flicker, she rushed straight at Luan Bai Feng. The two women made only light movements, but their World Forces collided with each other endlessly as they soon moved their battlefield further away.
However, Mo Mei had just advanced to the Sixth Order, so her foundation was not steady yet. After exchanging a few moves with Luan Bai Feng, she gradually fell into a disadvantage. Luan Bai Feng kept an indifferent look, obviously confident in handling her.
The gap between their strength was obvious, but although Luan Bai Feng was much stronger than Mo Mei and it was not difficult for her to suppress her, it would still be very hard to capture her alive or kill her, unless Mo Mei made a critical mistake.
Kong Feng was overjoyed to see that one of the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters around Yang Kai was easily lured away by Luan Bai Feng. He bellowed solemnly, “Act according to the plan!”
All the surrounding Open Heaven Realm Masters nodded.
On the ship of Golden Rainbow Province, Qi Jin shouted, “Yue He, for the sake of our many years of friendship, leave now. This Qi will speak for you to Union Master Kong to let you live. Otherwise, don’t blame this Qi for not showing due consideration.”
Ling Chun Qiu also advised, “Madam Yue He, one must know how to adapt to their circumstances!”
It was not surprising that the two had known Yue He for a long time. When they schemed against the Proprietress by using Old Bai’s breakthrough to the Open Heaven Realm, Yue He was their partner. But at that time, all three of them were still Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. After obtaining a World Fruit, Yue He had risen to the Sixth Order and now had a brighter future, while Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu were still lingering in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
After a cultivator breaks through to the Open Heaven Realm, each improvement in Order requires lengthy accumulation, and the higher the Order, the longer the time it took. Not everyone could obtain such a Heaven-defying treasure like the World Fruit.
Yue He snorted coldly, “I may be just a simple woman, but whoever wants to harm my Young Master must go through me first!”
“Foolish stubbornness!” Ling Chun Qiu felt pity for her.
Kong Feng roared lividly, “Stop wasting time and attack!”
At that command, more than ten figures flew out from the eight ships and charged at Yue He together. They were all Open Heaven Realm Masters. Among them were 3 Fifth-Orders, while the rest were Third and Fourth-Orders. They had a significant numerical advantage, so Yue He did not dare to take them lightly even though she was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
In addition, Kong Feng was eyeing Yang Kai from the side, so she still had to look out for his safety.
Therefore, Yue He instantly fell into a disadvantage.
Kong Feng stood on the deck of his ship, observing the battlefield coldly while staring at Yang Kai maliciously.
Yang Kai looked flustered. Although he was not in danger under the protection of Yue He, he was also helpless to do anything. Having weaker cultivation in this case truly put him at the disadvantage.
Not long after the battle began, Yang Kai suddenly clenched his teeth and shouted, “Yue He, I’ll leave first. Take care of yourself!”
Yue He nodded as she executed a palm strike, “Young Master, you be careful too.”
Yang Kai nodded. Taking advantage of an opening created by Yue He, Space Principles surged and he disappeared with a flicker.
Kong Feng’s eyes lit up as he guffawed, “I’ve been waiting for this moment!”
If Yang Kai stuck by Yue He stubbornly, he could only find a chance to launch a sneak attack on Yue He to injure her first before capturing Yang Kai. Given that Yang Kai was escaping by himself now though, it was exactly what Kong Feng wanted.
It was not difficult for Kong Feng to understand why Yang Kai made this choice. The brat obviously felt that he was dragging Yue He down, so he decided to retreat. With his attainments in the Dao of Space, it was easy for him to flee.
However, Kong Feng had firmly locked his Divine Sense onto Yang Kai, so he instantly noticed his escape. With a wild surge of his Divine Sense, Kong Feng turned his head to a certain direction, jumped down from his ship, and grabbed at the Void.
In that direction, a figure appeared faintly, and Yang Kai was suddenly revealed like a ghost; however, before he came to his senses, his body had been wrapped up in a great power, making it feel like a huge mountain was pressing down on him. His bones creaked dangerously and even his body was bent forcefully in an instant.
The power of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was simply something he could not resist.
Yang Kai remained calm, however. He closed his eyes and mumbled with a sneer, “Zhu Jiu Yin, Zhu Jiu Yin. If you still don’t appear, this Junior will die!”
At that moment, a cold snort reached his ears, one that didn’t sound happy in the slightest.
It was obviously Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice, but before Yang Kai had time to celebrate, he heard Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice, “Brat, things are a bit troublesome this time. You’d better watch out for yourself.”
“Huh?” Yang Kai was stunned, not understanding what she meant.
At the same time, Kong Feng’s face changed drastically as he shouted, “Who!?”
Just as he was about to capture Yang Kai, a shocking aura suddenly emerged from somewhere in Void Land, one that was so powerful it terrified him to his bones.
Previously, when Yang Kai triggered the Offensive Array of Nine Heavenly Layers, Kong Feng was frightened by the potent Sword Qi. However, at this moment, the aura that appeared was clearly orders of magnitude more powerful than even that Sword Qi.
Void Land still held a trump card! A horrifying Master beyond anything he could have imagined!
For a moment, Kong Feng felt incredible regret. If he had known that there was such a Master protecting Void Land, he would never have been bold enough to come offend them. Whatever the case, it was too late to regret now.
Kong Feng secretly cursed, [This little bastard, why did he keep such a Master hidden until now? Why didn’t he expose them earlier? Was it fun taunting and mocking me this whole time?] As he thought about it, it did seem that Yang Kai had been toying with him since he came to this place.
Of course, Kong Feng had no idea that if Yang Kai’s life was not in danger, Zhu Jiu Yin would not make a move even if he called her.
While his mind was still spinning with such thoughts, Kong Feng looked up and saw a delicate finger pointing straight at him from somewhere in Void Land. Although from the outside the finger looked gentle and beautiful, in Kong Feng’s eyes it was like an entire world was crashing down on him.
Such a strike could only be delivered by a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Kong Feng clenched his teeth, and he tried his best to surge his own power, going all out to protect himself. At the same time, he quickly retreated. Even though he knew he was no match for this opponent, as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, how could he just stand there waiting to die?
As he flew back, Kong Feng channelled whatever strength he could to his fist and punch forward.
But everything was in vain before this finger!
Kong Feng sprayed out a mouthful of blood and was sent tumbling uncontrollably as a number of his bones broke. The Small Universe in his body was sent into turmoil, disrupting his World Force.
Kong Feng was absolutely dumbstruck. This kind of might was beyond what an ordinary Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could exert with such a casual blow. The person who attacked him either was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, or was not far from reaching that height.
Furthermore… Kong Feng vaguely felt something was off about the opponent’s aura.
However, it was meaningless to think about this now. He was severely hit by this opponent who he stood no chance of opposing at all.
[Will I be buried in this place today?] Kong Feng sighed in his heart. He did not expect that after rising to become a hegemon in the 3,000 Worlds, reigning over a peak Second Class force for so many years, he would actually end up dying in such a place.
Kong Feng was not weak; after all, he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. However, given that the Master hidden in Void Land could severely injure him with just one blow, even though part of the reason was because Kong Feng was caught off guard, it was still enough to show the strength of his attacker.
The slender and fair finger that hit Kong Feng from across the sky pierced his defences like they were paper. Blood spewed out of his mouth but the power of the attack persisted without weakening.
Kong Feng’s body kept flying backwards, but that finger chased after him persistently, as if it was determined to kill him at all cost! Seeing this situation, goosebumps rose all over his body and his pupils shrunk to the size of needles. He continuously threw his fists out, trying to neutralize the power of the approaching finger.
However, everything was in vain. Seeing that the finger continued to press towards him, Kong Feng was dreadfully depressed and infuriated.
If he had known that there was such a Master in Void Land and was prepared for it, he might not have ended up in such a dire situation. Even if he was no match for such a Master, he would not be in immediate danger of losing his life.
The opponent did not reveal her aura before, but once she did, she launched a deadly attack without any hesitation. Kong Feng was far weaker than her, so he immediately ended up in such an embarrassing situation.
The aura of death enveloped him, and although Kong Feng was unwilling, he could only close his eyes and accept his fate.
Just then, a sudden change happened.
A cold snort suddenly came from the sky, followed by a startling sword light that flashed through the Illusion Array enveloping the periphery of Void Land, shattering it in one blow. The sword light directly greeted the slender finger and stopped it before Kong Feng succumbed. With a loud bang, the sword light was annihilated while the slender finger collapsed. The world trembled from the impact.
Immediately after the sword light, two figures plummeted from the sky. One of them let out a strange cackle and rapidly rushed in a certain direction upon entering Void Land. He stretched out his hand like an eagle’s claw, and grabbed towards the direction, with wind stirring and cloud rending World Force gathered in the palm of his hand.
It was in the direction of Zhu Jiu Yin’s palace!
However, the man retreated as quickly as he advanced when another Earth-shaking sound exploded and a fair palm approached him from the direction he was heading. A halo of light exploded as the man returned to the side of his companion.
The second person was holding a long sword. It was obvious that he was the one who broke the Illusion Array with the sword wave earlier.
Kong Feng was pleasantly surprised to narrowly escape death. Although he had no idea who saved him from the power of the finger just now, this person was definitely a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Looking up, he saw two figures standing side by side with heavy World Force auras permeating from their respective bodies. They were two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters! However, both of them were shrouded in a layer of haze, so he could only roughly see their silhouette, not their true faces. He could not even distinguish whether they were men or women.
With a single thought, Kong Feng vaguely guessed their background, but he had no idea where they came from exactly. Still, he quickly cupped his fist and saluted, “Many thanks to two Seniors for saving my life.”
The two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters did not say a word, but remained standing there quietly, facing one direction with a dignified air about them. In that direction, a slim figure approached meanderingly. Her beauty was enthralling, her long skirt fluttering behind with the movements of her graceful figure. Who else other than Zhu Jiu Yin could it be?
From Zhu Jiu Yin’s attack on Kong Feng, to the flash of the startling sword wave, Kong Feng’s narrow escape from death, and the appearance of the two ghostly High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, everything happened in less than three breaths of time. It was so fast that Yang Kai could not even react to it.
He thought that with the help of Zhu Jiu Yin, Kong Feng would certainly die today. As long as Kong Feng died, the so-called Hundred Sect Alliance would easily be scattered and destroyed. By then, he could entrap them within the Illusion Array outside Void Land, and wipe them all out!
But how could he have anticipated such a turn of events at this critical moment!
Yang Kai was frozen for a moment before a sharp light flashed across his eyes as he stared at the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. He grinned as he shouted, “Good, very good!”
Although he did not know the background of these two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, he was sure that they were definitely from some Cave Heaven or Paradise that did not want him to succeed. He believed the great forces behind these two were the same great forces that goaded Kong Feng into assembling the 100 great forces to invade Void Land!
Now, it seemed that these two had been following behind Kong Feng all this time. They did not show up earlier because there was no need to. Moreover, with such a huge lineup like the Hundred Sect Alliance, as High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, them appearing could only be considered shameless bullying of the weak.
That was why they just followed and observed the situation.
However, the heritage of Void Land was truly surprising. The large number of people brought back by Yang Kai from Blood Monster Cave Heaven was the biggest surprise. Due to the sudden increase of more than 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, its strength had undergone Earth-shaking changes.
No one would have anticipated Void Land gathering so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in such a short time, including a large number in the Fifth and Sixth-Orders.
However, the two observers remained on the sidelines even when the Hundred Sect Alliance fell into a disadvantage in the battle and suffered heavy losses. After all, the life and death of these people had nothing to do with them.
But they stopped hiding when Zhu Jiu Yin’s attack put Kong Feng’s life in danger. Although Kong Feng was the one who gathered the 100 great forces and took the opportunity to seek trouble with Void Land, anyone who had a little knowledge and insight could see that the Cave Heavens and Paradises were behind this move.
If they still failed in such a public plan, they would lose a great deal of face.
As such, Kong Feng could not die. Whether they liked it or not, they had to save him!
At this moment, they concealed their true faces with Secret Techniques, because they did not want to reveal their identities. Although it was obvious that they were from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, they still could not leave any evidence. Therefore, such a cover up was somehow meant to protect the prestige of the great forces behind them.
Only now did Yang Kai finally understand Zhu Jiu Yin’s statement that the situation was going to be troublesome.
Zhu Jiu Yin was a powerful Divine Spirit, so there was no way these two could remain unnoticed by her.
Yang Kai clenched his fist and glared at them, his blood boiling with anger, his heart feeling like a volcano about to erupt.
He had been cultivating on his own and did not bother anyone, but these people insisted on oppressing him again and again. Back in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, many from the younger generations made things difficult for him.
That was still fine, as they were all in the same Realm and generation. If he was killed, he could only blame himself for being incompetent.
After it became clear that the younger generations could not stop him though, the Old Monsters came out to interfere. It seemed that they were determined to remove him from this world.
Anyone who faced such oppression would definitely be upset!
Fortunately, he had Zhu Jiu Yin here with him; otherwise, how could he stand against these two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters? Should he just do nothing and accept death?
Yang Kai examined the bodies of the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although he could not see their faces clearly, he took note of their auras in detail. He could not be sure where the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters came from, but as long as he was still alive, sooner or later they would meet again.
“Divine Spirit!” The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master with the sword suddenly spoke. His distorted voice sounded a bit like an old man’s, but it was obvious that his original voice was disguised by a Secret Technique, “May I know which Divine Spirit Madam is?”
He could only detect the Divine Spirit aura from Zhu Jiu Yin, but he could not determine what her true form was, unless Zhu Jiu Yin revealed it herself!
“What will you do if I tell you?” Zhu Jiu Yin asked faintly.
The sword wielder replied, “We have no intention of disturbing Madam. So, we would be grateful if you could step aside!”
Zhu Jiu Yin chuckled softly and replied, “I should be the one saying this. In fact, this Queen doesn’t want to bother you either, so you’d best go back where you came from.”
The sword wielder shook his head slowly, “We have a duty to perform here, so we can’t leave. Forgive us, Madam!”
Zhu Jiu Yin raised her eyebrows, “What duty is that?”
“Madam, why do you ask when you already know?”
Zhu Jiu Yin turned her head to look in Yang Kai’s direction before chortling while covering her mouth, “You two are High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Why do you have to waste time on causing all kinds of trouble to a snot-nosed brat?”
Yang Kai snorted coldly, “Cowards! You’re bold enough to appear here, but lack the courage to show your true faces? Is it because you’re too ugly?”
The sword wielder remained silent, as if he did not hear Yang Kai, but his companion immediately turned to him and released a powerful burst of World Force towards him.
Yang Kai could not respond to it at all and his mind went black. When he regained his senses, a faint scent lingered at the tip of his nose as he saw Zhu Jiu Yin standing in front of him.
Yang Kai took a sniff, and found that the woman truly smelled pleasant…
Zhu Jiu Yin glared at the man with a darkened face, “Who gave you the courage to touch him in front of this Queen?”
Yang Kai peeped his head out from Zhu Jiu Yin’s shoulder, and rebuked, “Old cowards who only know how to bully the young and the weak! Show your faces if you dare to! When I advance to the Open Heaven Realm, I swear I will kill yo… Ack, hey, I’m not finished yet.”
Zhu Jiu Yin harshly shoved Yang Kai’s head back with her hand. His spit sprayed all over her neck when he shouted just now, which felt disgusting.
On the other side, a sudden distortion appeared on the man, and the Secret Technique that covered his appearance and figure dispersed. He actually showed his true face and grinned, “I’ll be waiting for you then!”
Yang Kai peeped and cried, “Myriad Demons Heaven!”
This man had Demon Qi wafting from his body, which was an obvious characteristic. If Yang Kai could not recognize his origin after seeing this, he would be blind.
Yang Kai found that he indeed had some fated rivalry with Myriad Demons Heaven. Back then, it was Great Demon God Mo Sheng who started a disaster in the Star Boundary. That guy definitely originated from Myriad Demons Heaven.
Next, he had an unpleasant experience with Pei Wen Xuan in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
Now, one of the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who came to Void Land was actually from Myriad Demons Heaven. It was truly annoying.
This person was from Myriad Demons Heaven, but Yang Kai did not know the origin of the other one. Although he had a guess, he could not be sure about it.
Yang Kai clenched his teeth and quietly memorised the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s appearance. He secretly swore that he would tear this bastard to pieces sooner or later.
The sword wielder suddenly spoke, “Madam, as a Divine Spirit, you should be free. Why get yourself involved in this dispute? It’s better for you to retreat and be on good terms with us.”
Zhu Jiu Yin answered faintly, “I have a duty to be here. I can’t retreat!”
The sword wielder was obviously stunned, then he snorted coldly, “Madam, do you insist on being our enemy?”
Zhu Jiu Yin repeated her answer again, which irritated the man because he thought she was messing with him. Although Divine Spirits were powerful, he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and even had a companion of equal strength, there was no need for him to be afraid.
But he did not know that Zhu Jiu Yin truly had a duty too. Since she was Yang Kai’s Protector, she had to keep him safe while he was in Void Land.
“It’s you two who are making things difficult for this Queen. What can this Queen do?” Zhu Jiu Yin glanced at them coldly.
Triggered by his own hot temper, the Myriad Demons Heaven High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master sneered, “This Monarch has never killed a Divine Spirit before. It seems like today will be a new experience.”
The towering Demon Qi around him expanded and powerful World Force permeated the air, causing the entire Void Land to tremble. He immediately charged at Zhu Jiu Yin.
If they could not come to an agreement, they could only fight!
The sword wielder sighed lightly, then followed after the High-Rank Myriad Demons Heaven Open Heaven Realm Master with a flicker, attacking Zhu Jiu Yin from opposite sides.
Zhu Jiu Yin hurriedly sent Yang Kai a transmission, “Be careful, brat. These two are not easy to handle. I’m afraid I can’t look after you and fight them at the same time!”
As soon as Yang Kai heard her words, he knew that Zhu Jiu Yin had to go all out. Facing two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, even a Divine Spirit could not act carelessly.
Instantly, the three clashed. Their battle caused a shocking effect on the surrounding World. Light dimmed, and Void Land trembled endlessly as it began to crack and fracture.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted.
Earlier, the battle between Mo Mei and Luan Bai Feng, two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, was already quite fierce, but it was simply incomparable to the current battle.
The entire Void Land was now divided into four battlefields. The first battlefield was naturally the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The second battlefield was the one between Mo Mei and Luan Bai Feng. The third battlefield was between Yue He and the many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Hundred Sect Alliance. The fourth battlefield was the battle in the Illusion Array.
Among the four battlefields, the most peaceful one was undoubtedly the battle between Mo Mei and Luan Bai Feng. Although both of them were Sixth-Order Masters, one had been immersed in this Order for many years while the other had just broken through recently, resulting in a huge difference in their strength. Luan Bai Feng had the upper hand, but she wanted to capture Mo Mei alive, so she was holding back quite a bit, allowing Mo Mei to cope with the situation for now. As such, their fight was still considered somewhat tepid.
As for the Illusion Array, it was a one-sided massacre. The 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land ripped into the Hundred Sect Alliance, who were all confused and disoriented by the illusions caused by the Grand Array. How could the latter resist? However, at the moment, a rift had been torn in the Illusion Array by the sword wave of the sword-wielding High-Rank Open Heaven Master. As soon as this rift appeared, the Illusion Array’s power dropped significantly, giving a glimmer of hope to the oppressed members of the Hundred Sect Alliance. They were no longer in complete disarray and could even fight back from time to time.
Yang Kai controlled the Array Jade of the Void Land Grand Array, so he was well aware of the situation in Void Land. With just a single thought, he had a grasp of the overall situation in his mind.
Understanding this, he couldn’t help shouting at Zhu Jiu Yin, “Can’t you move your fight somewhere else!? Why must you do this in my Void Land!?”
Zhu Jiu Yin and the two High-Rank Masters weren’t fighting on the ground per-say, but the fallout from their battle could not be underestimated. After all, Void Land was only a Spirit Province, and if they caused too much damage to it, it might collapse.
Void Land was Yang Kai’s base in the 3,000 Worlds. How could he not worry about it?
However, Zhu Jiu Yin did not respond to his words at all. Yang Kai was unsure whether she had even heard him. She did not shift the battlefield away and instead continued to shuttle around Void Land while fighting the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, which resulted in endless rumbling sounds.
“Brat, instead of worrying about your territory, you should pay more attention to your life!” A surly voice suddenly came from the side.
Yang Kai was startled. Only now did he remember that Kong Feng was still eyeing him! Now that all the forces of Void Land and the Hundred Sect Alliance were occupied, leaving only the leaders of the both alone, how could Kong Feng let go of such a great opportunity?
Although he was caught off guard and was seriously injured by Zhu Jiu Yin’s attack, he was still a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even with a severe wound, it was not hard for him to kill a mere Emperor Realm Junior.
Nonetheless, the purpose of his trip was not to kill Yang Kai. Even though Kong Feng wanted to kill him so badly, he could capture him alive for now.
As long as he could take Yang Kai down, he would claim victory in this battle. Since Yang Kai had no one left to protect him, he was just like a fish on the chopping block, waiting to be tortured by him.
Yang Kai turned to the side and saw Kong Feng spewing a mouthful of blood from nearby, looking at him with a face as white as a sheet.
When their eyes met, Yang Kai instantly realized that Kong Feng’s focus was firmly locked on him, and the surrounding space was locked by a suppressive force. It was obvious that Kong Feng was wary of him using Space Principles to escape. Not only that, Kong Feng was also approaching Yang Kai step by step, slowly pressuring him with his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura.
Letting out a soft breath, Yang Kai spoke faintly, “Kong Feng, if I were you, I would retreat to save my life. Being stubborn will only lead to tragedy!”
Kong Feng was taken aback and quickly stopped his feet, spreading out his Divine Sense to examine the surroundings.
He was truly frightened by Yang Kai. Yang Kai and Void Land had brought him too many surprises today. The few hundred Open Heaven Realm Masters, the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array and its seemingly limitless functions, the female Divine Spirit hidden in the depths of Void Land…
Who would have thought that a trivial Void Land would possess so much power?
So, when Yang Kai said this, Kong Feng did not dare to take him lightly, for fear that he would reveal another surprise.
However, after some observations, Kong Feng did not sense any kind of threat. On second thought, since such a powerful female Divine Spirit was already revealed, what other hidden trump card could there be in Void Land? It would be too ridiculous if it still held one. Although the strength shown by Void Land was not as great as that of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, it was enough to compete against Heavenly Sword Union.
“Boy, you dare bluff me?” He bellowed.
“You can try me!” Yang Kai replied with an indifferent look.
Kong Feng was in a dilemma. Yang Kai’s calmness unnerved him and he vaguely felt that if he really attacked, there might be an unpleasant surprise waiting for him.
But given that it was just an Emperor Realm Junior standing in front of him, how could a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master not have the courage to even attack him? If he retreated from this, Kong Feng was afraid that he would never be able to raise his head again from the disgrace! Furthermore, the Hundred Sect Alliance had suffered heavy casualties under his lead here. If he could not bring back a victory, it would be hard for him to explain to the outside world.
With a determined mind, Kong Feng clenched his teeth and thundered, “How dare a little bastard like you still play mind games with this King before dying!” He felt that Yang Kai was bluffing him, so he no longer hesitated. As soon as his power surged, he stretched out his hand straight towards Yang Kai’s head.
“Since you court death, don’t blame others for your demise!” Yang Kai grit his teeth as he roared. He raised his hand and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear into his grip. With a flourish, his power surged and his hair began fluttering wildly despite there not being any wind!
“Start the array!”
A buzz came out of Void Land as Yang Kai shouted, which shook Kong Feng’s heart.
He had lost count of how many times he heard these three words today, and every time he had, he suffered a grievous loss. As soon as Yang Kai shouted the word ‘array’, Kong Feng realized that there was something wrong.
Void Land… was still holding another trump card!
Not daring to be negligent, Kong Feng immediately accelerated, swiftly pouncing at Yang Kai who was not far from him now.
At the same time, all the remaining power in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array of Void Land poured into the Azure Dragon Spear, which absorbed it seemingly without end!
The Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was established not long ago, so the amount of Starlight Strength it had absorbed was still not much. It had almost depleted all of its stored power after launching various layers of the Grand Array, and Yue He had warned Yang Kai of this earlier.
Right now, the remaining energy in the Grand Array could only be used one last time.
This time, Yang Kai activated the last layer of the Offensive Grand Array of the Nine Heavenly Layers.
The Offensive Grand Array had three layers. The first one was filled with tens of thousands of ordinary artifacts, which had pelted the Hundred Sect Alliance once it was launched. The Array Core of the second layer was the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword. The power of one slash from the sword almost split Kong Feng’s ship in two. If Luan Bai Feng had not summoned three defensive Array Plates at the critical moment, Heavenly Sword Union would definitely have suffered heavy casualties, and Kong Feng would have been seriously injured even if he did not die.
The Array Core of the third and last layer was Yang Kai’s Azure Dragon Spear!
This spear was a gift from Giant Spirit God Ah Da. Compared to the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword and the Heavenly Net Umbrella, it was certainly more powerful; however, Yang Kai had never unleashed the true might of the Azure Dragon Spear before, because his own strength was too low to control the horrifying power hidden within.
But with the help of the Grand Array, the situation was totally different.
Earlier, when they activated the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword, Yang Kai was too weak to do so without Yue He’s help. However, the Azure Dragon Spear was different. Yang Kai had completely refined this spear, so it was linked to his body and Soul, unlike the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword. Nonetheless, the stress that was caused on him by using this move was unimaginable. If he failed to bear the pressure, Yang Kai would definitely kill himself before he could kill his enemy.
Yang Kai did not have a choice at the moment though. Kong Feng attempted to attack him, and Yang Kai would not stand a chance without the last layer of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array boosting his strength.
The world trembled as the energy in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array poured madly into the Azure Dragon Spear. The long spear vibrated so strongly that Yang Kai could hardly hold onto it. The violent energy not only stimulated the sleeping power of the Azure Dragon Spear, it also caused miserable pain to erupt all over Yang Kai’s body, causing his bones to crack and blood to leak from his pores.
As a mere Emperor Realm cultivator, it was impossible not to pay a price to channel the full force of such a powerful Grand Array.
Yang Kai remained silent, however, clutching his long spear and focusing all his attention on Kong Feng who was approaching him unblinkingly!
Suddenly, a sonorous Dragon Roar resounded across the sky!
As if a hibernated Great Dragon had awakened, a monstrous Dragon Pressure swept across the entire Void Land. Even the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were fighting with Zhu Jiu Yin could not help turning their attention to it.
“A Dragon Artifact!” The sword wielder gasped.
The Dragon Clan was an exceptionally special and powerful Race in the 3,000 Worlds, and it was also incredibly united. Dragon Altar of the Dragon Clan was considered to be one of the 36 Cave Heavens. However, no one knew where Dragon Altar was, except the members of the Dragon Clan who bore Dragon Veins. Other than that, anyone with a strong enough bloodline of the Dragon Clan would be able to sense Dragon Altar and find its location.
Since Ancient Times, the 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises were not always constant. The rulers were replaced with the passage of time, and there were Cave Heavens and Paradises that were destroyed and replaced by others. However, the status and existence of Dragon Altar had never been shaken, and would never be unless the Dragon Clan was exterminated.
In addition to Dragon Altar, there exited Phoenix Nest.
But it was undeniable that anything involved with the Dragon Clan was not a trivial matter.
No one expected that a mere Emperor Realm Junior could acquire a Dragon Artifact, and by the looks of its might, this Dragon Artifact was made from the remains of a Great Dragon.
Who in the world dared to be so presumptuous to use a Dragon Artifact? If the Dragon Clan found out, they would certainly take action!
Even the sword wielder was shocked, while Kong Feng was terrified. In his vision, Yang Kai was still standing there with a spear in hand, but when he looked up, he seemed to see a Great Dragon floating behind Yang Kai, covering the whole world with its figure, its Dragon Eyes staring down at him like he was an ant.
He felt a deadly sense of crisis.
Following a roar, World Force swirled around Kong Feng madly as he drew out the power of his Small Universe wildly and slammed it on Yang Kai.
He did not dare to have any reservations in this attack, using all the strength he could muster at the moment. At this point, he probably had no way to capture Yang Kai alive even if he wanted to. Given that Kong Feng was already badly wounded, if he did not give his best, he was afraid that he might really die!
If he accidentally killed Yang Kai because of that, that was just his fate.
At the same time, Yang Kai thrust out with his spear!
The attack was not fanciful, but it was fueled by all the remaining energy in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. A loud series of cracks and pops came out from Yang Kai’s body, along with a large amount of blood. His strength was too low to manage such massive power. Before he could do anything to Kong Feng, the rampaging power had already begun to feel unbearable.
After the thrust, Yang Kai nearly collapsed, his vision turning black as he was on the verge of losing consciousness. Forcing himself to remain standing and awake, Yang Kai stared at Kong Feng without blinking an eye.
Seeing the situation, Kong Feng was flustered and his pupils constricted to the size of a needle. The Azure Dragon Spear was thrown out, turning into a 1,000-metre-long Great Dragon, shaking its head and flicking its tail as it roared up into the sky before charging down at Kong Feng.
In front of the 1,000-metre-long Great Dragon, Kong Feng felt as insignificant as a speck of dust and was soon swallowed up by it.
This was the power of the Azure Dragon Spear! Yang Kai felt enlightened. Although he refined the Azure Dragon Spear and used it many times to kill strong foes, it was impossible for him to unleash its true power due to his own lack of strength. He had also wondered what it would be like if all the power of this long spear was unleashed…
He finally saw it today!
However, this should not be the limit of the Azure Dragon Spear. Although it was supplemented by a Grand Array to unleash its power to an unprecedented extent, Yang Kai still felt that the power of the Azure Dragon Spear was not fully released.
It seemed that he would have to wait until he was stronger before he could achieve his wish.
With a single thought, the 1,000-metre-long Great Dragon suddenly vanished, the Azure Dragon Spear reappeared, falling from the sky and was sunk obliquely into the ground.
In mid-air, Kong Feng stood on the spot, utterly terrified. He was drenched in blood, with not a single part of his body intact and his breathing dreadfully weak.
He had been severely injured by Zhu Jiu Yin earlier, and after being hit by the Azure Dragon Spear, his condition became even worse.
However, he was not dead yet!
Yang Kai ground his teeth, unable to believe that this old dog would be so tenacious! But then again, with the help of the Grand Array, he was the first Emperor Realm Junior in history to injure a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to such an extent. If he wanted to kill Kong Feng, he probably still needed more strength to do so.
Although Yang Kai had expected this outcome, he was still a little disappointed by it!
Kong Feng was appalled, but at the same time he was delighted to escape from death. At the moment, although 80% of his strength was depleted, he still had some remaining. Looking down, he saw Yang Kai’s wobbly stance and critical condition and immediately clenched his teeth to shout, “Let’s see if you can survive now!”
With a flicker, he pounced at Yang Kai again!
Yang Kai wanted to escape by surging his Space Principle, but his strength was completely exhausted from the blow just now, so how could he still be able to escape? Seeing Kong Feng was approaching, he could not do anything to resist him at all.
However, Yang Kai just cackled and shouted, “Come! Don’t be a coward and run!”
A sudden realization dawned on Kong Feng, and he seemed to remember something. When he looked around, he saw hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters rushing down at him from the sky, the leader of the group bellowing, “Stop right there, old dog!”
The person who shouted was Pang Duo!
A moment ago, 300 plus Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land had rushed into the Illusion Array to start a massacre. The Hundred Sect Alliance had no way to stand against them, resulting in countless casualties.
However, a rift was opened in the Illusion Array by the sword-wielding High-Rank Open Heaven Master, so its power was greatly reduced. The Hundred Sect Alliance naturally saw this opening and scrambled towards it. Many Open Heaven Realm Masters fought hard and found a chance to escape, but instead of Void Land’s forces giving chase, they prioritized cleaning up the stragglers while letting the others run away.
When these Void Land Masters turned around, they witnessed the scene where Yang Kai injured Kong Feng by summoning the Azure Dragon Spear.
Given that Yang Kai was in danger at that moment, Pang Duo and the others certainly had to rush over to rescue him.
Kong Feng felt his heart sink. He was in terrible condition. Not to mention 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters, even just 1 random Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could take his life at the moment.
As soon as he saw Pang Duo and the others, Kong Feng dared not to continue to entangle with Yang Kai. Following a flicker, he immediately soared into the sky.
How could Pang Duo and the others let Kong Feng escape? This man was the culprit behind all the problems caused today. If it were not for him, how would Void Land be in trouble today?
Pang Duo swung his hand, and commanded the 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters to split into more than ten teams, blocking Kong Feng from running away.
Seeing this situation, a hint of despair appeared in Kong Feng’s eyes. He did not have the ability to escape like Yang Kai as he was not proficient in the Dao of Space. Although he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was now seriously wounded and his strength has plummeted. How could he escape in the face of the seamless formation of others?
It was a messy battle, but after a short while, Kong Feng was terribly beaten. His hair was dishevelled, and blood spewed out of his mouth where several attacks hit his body directly, causing him to fall to the ground embarrassingly.
Pang Duo did not kill him directly, but instead used a Secret Technique to seal Kong Feng’s cultivation. After capturing the enemy leader alive, he took him to Yang Kai and saluted with his fist cupped, “My apologies for making Sect Master frightened.”
Yang Kai nodded faintly, “Don’t worry.”
As soon as he spoke, a mouthful of blood was spurted out of his mouth wildly, which startled Pang Duo.
Yang Kai waved his hand back and forth shakily, “It doesn’t matter, I will recover with some rest.”
Although he was in a miserable condition now, he possessed powerful vitality and a frightening ability to recover. He even managed to survive when he was on the verge of death in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven back then; therefore, he could certainly recover from the situation now after some rest.
Looking up at the two battlefields in the sky, Yang Kai saw Luan Bai Feng make a feint which forced Mo Mei back before she turned into a stream of light and quickly escaped.
The woman definitely saw Kong Feng’s tragic end and understood that she could not win this alone. If she did not leave now, she might end up just like Kong Feng, so she decisively escaped.
Mo Mei did not chase after her. After an Earth-shaking battle with her, Mo Mei knew that she was much weaker and would not be able to keep Luan Bai Feng from running away. As such, she did not bother to do so.
Mo Mei turned around and rushed towards Yue He. Yue He was fighting against more than ten Open Heaven Realm Masters alone, among which were three Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, one from Heavenly Sword Union, while the other two were Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu.
The battle had been evenly matched, with Yue He at a slight disadvantage. After all, she was outnumbered, so even if she had the upper hand in strength, she could not do anything to them.
However, the tide changed dramatically when Mo Mei arrived. With the two of them working together, the dozen or so Open Heaven Realm Masters were quickly reduced to tears.
Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu noticed the distressing situation and bellowed as they looked at each other, “Run!”
But how could they leave at will now?
Yang Kai pointed his hand forward and ordered coldly, “Kill them all! Spare no one!”
Pang Duo and the others rushed up into the sky again after receiving the command, leaving only Lu Xue, Mu Qian Xuan, and Gong Yang Xi, behind to guard Yang Kai. There were more than 300 Void Land people in the sky now, surrounding Qi Jin, Ling Chun Qiu, and the rest.
If the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were sufficient to secure a victory for Void Land, what more need be said after dispatching so many reinforcements at once?
Soon, only Qi Jin and Ling Chun Qiu remained alive among the more than ten Masters. Seeing that enemies were surrounding from all directions, Qi Jin decisively stopped and shouted, “I surrender, I surrender. From now on, Golden Rainbow Province will only follow Void Land. Sect Master Yang, please spare my life!”
Ling Chun Qiu also looked at Yue He pleadingly, “Madam Yue He, for the sake of our past friendship, please spare this Old Master!”
Yue He looked in Yang Kai’s direction.
Yang Kai put on a cold face, “How arrogant and domineering were you when you attacked our Sect earlier? Now you beg for mercy? It’s too late! Your death will not be the end! This King will trample on the residence of your two families, and wipe your Sects from the 3,000 Worlds. No one will be spared! Kill them!”
When the words fell, hundreds of attacks from all directions flew towards the two, and shrouded them in an instant.
Qi Jin roared depressingly, “Yang Kai, you will die misera…”
His voice stopped abruptly. When the dust settled, Qi Jin and Ling Chun could no longer be seen. Both of them were vaporized, leaving behind only the World Forces from the shattered Small Universes.
Three of the four battlefields in Void Land have been settled in short order, and the Hundred Sect Alliance had almost been completely annihilated. Void Land had made a clean sweep!
But the last and most important battlefield was still raging. The entire seven Spirit Lands of Void Land were turned upside down, even the shopping district of Void Land that was isolated from Seven Wonders Land was turned into ruins.
Void Land was in a mess. Numerous Spirit Peaks had been razed to the ground, and the seven Orchards had suffered heavy losses.
Yang Kai was heartbroken.
Void Land was his foothold in the 3,000 Worlds, and he spent a massive fortune to arrange the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array here. It would be a huge loss if it was damaged due to such a battle.
However, according to the current situation, even though the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was fierce, it was still insufficient to destroy Void Land outright.
And what made Yang Kai slightly relieved was that Zhu Jiu Yin also knew that there were many disciples living in Void Land, so the battlefield was not spread to areas with a higher population.
What Yang Kai could not figure out was why this woman decided to fight inside Void Land. He had asked her to lead the enemy out into the void, but Zhu Jiu Yin turned a deaf ear. No one knew what she had planned.
Yang Kai’s eyes were not quick enough, so although he knew three figures were constantly flashing back and forth, fighting against each other, and he could sense the turbulent World Forces and the shaking around him, he could not see who had the upper hand, so he could only ask Yue He humbly, “Which one of them is stronger now?”
Yue He replied, “Zhu Jiu Yin won’t be able to persist for long alone…”
Yang Kai frowned. He had a rough estimate of Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength, and it was indeed difficult for her to hold out against two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters alone. However, she did well for holding on for so long. In other words, Zhu Jiu Yin now possessed the strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; otherwise, the situation would not be like this…
[Is this Zhu Jiu Yin’s full potential?] Yang Kai was not sure; after all, although Zhu Jiu Yin had been with him since the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, no one knew whether she had fully adapted to the Principles in the 3,000 Worlds, and no one knew whether she could even restore herself to her peak.
If this was all of Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength, Zhu Jiu Yin was a Divine Spirit equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; if not, her peak strength must be on par with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
After thinking about it for a while, Yang Kai shouted, “Assist her!”
Yue He and Mo Mei received the orders and rushed towards Zhu Jiu Yin. In a battle between High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, they were the only two in the entire Void Land who could intervene. Although Pang Duo and the others had cultivations in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they were not strong enough to participate in such a battle. Sending them would be the same as throwing them into the tiger’s den, so it was better for them to stay out of it.
Therefore, Pang Duo and the others did not move at all but stayed by Yang Kai’s side to avoid being taken advantage of by the enemy.
But Yue He and Mo Mei were both newly promoted Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so it was hard to say how much help they could provide.
“Don’t come here!” Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly yelled, apparently aware of Yue He and Mo Mei’s movements.
Yue He and Mo Mei immediately stopped. Since Zhu Jiu Yin stopped them from approaching, it meant that the two of them would be more trouble than help. All of a sudden, everyone became tense.
Although Void Land had won three out of the four major battles, and the Hundred Sect Alliance was almost completely wiped out, with even Kong Feng, the main culprit, captured alive, the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realms was the one that would decide the fate of this conflict.
If Zhu Jiu Yin won, Void Land would be safe and sound. On the other hand, if she lost, all other victories would be in vain, no matter how many there had been. The power of the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was simply not something that Void Land could compete against right now.
The survival of Void Land now depended on Zhu Jiu Yin alone!
Yang Kai clenched his fists and teeth, his eyes glued unblinkingly on every movement on the battlefield. As time passed, even he could tell that Zhu Jiu Yin was at a disadvantage.
The two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had extraordinary strength and both of them worked together seamlessly. Zhu Jiu Yin let her guard slip for a moment and barely blocked a few attacks, allowing the Master from Myriad Demons Heaven to thrust his spear towards her chest.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s beautiful face paled and she pulled away, but the long spear chased after her like maggots on rotting bones.
When Zhu Jiu Yin was about to be stabbed, there was a loud bang and an enormous creature suddenly appeared.
It was a gigantic, silver-white spider. A crescent-shaped mark was branded on its back, permeating the void with the power of a Divine Spirit.
Heavenly Moon Demon Spider!
Zhu Jiu Yin was forced to reveal her true form.
Yang Kai’s heart skipped a beat. If she was not left with no other choice, Zhu Jiu Yin would not have revealed her true form. Now that she had, it was obvious she was forced to a fatal corner.
The Heavenly Moon Demon Spider had an odd appearance, both menacing and enchanting all at once. Swinging her eight legs, Zhu Jiu Yin weaved a Spirit Web across Void Land to trap the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The sword wielder launched at this web while scoffing, “It turns out that Madam is of the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider lineage. I haven’t seen one for many years. Since Madam is a Divine Spirit, why should you restrict yourself to this small place? It’s better to retreat quickly to avoid unnecessary suffering!” The sword slashed down, cutting through strands of spider web.
Zhu Jiu Yin gritted her teeth and did not answer, continuing to spin more Spirit Webs, sealing the skies and locking the earth. Every step she took on the ground shook the world.
The sword wielder frowned, wondering what the hell Zhu Jiu Yin was doing.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven shouted in a low voice, “Let’s not drag this longer. Finish it!”
The sword wielder gave a small nod, his Sword Intent soaring.
The combined attacks of the two were more than twice as fierce as before, and Zhu Jiu Yin’s situation became more and more precarious. If she faced either of these two separately, she would not be at such a disadvantage, but she had too many constraints inside Void Land, and had not restored herself to her peak. Worst of all, she could not escape because she had to protect Yang Kai, hence her current situation.
However, although she did pull back and tried her best to resist, she did not stop stomping the earth, causing a drum-like reverberation into the depths of the ground.
In the beginning, the two High-Rank Open Heaven did not think too much about it, but after a while, both of them realized that something was wrong. Zhu Jiu Yin was already struggling to deal with their attacks, so why did it seem like she was distracted?
The sword wielder muttered in a low voice, “I don’t know what trick this woman is playing, but stay alert.”
The Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven smiled grimly, “How dare you scheme against us when you’re about to die!”
As soon as the two of them spoke, their expressions suddenly changed, and they quickly backed off to look around in shock, as if they were about to face a great enemy.
Zhu Jiu Yin too, stopped and took a long breath, feeling quite aggrieved. If only she had recovered to her peak, these two would be nothing to her, and there would be no need for her to fight so hard. However, it would take at least three to five more years to completely restore her strength.
She made up her mind at that moment. If the situation turned dire, she would flee with Yang Kai and Shan Qing Luo immediately. These two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would not be able to stop her if she really wanted to.
She was Yang Kai’s Protector and had to ensure his safety no matter what. Shan Qing Luo possessed a Heavenly Moon Demon Spider Source, so she must protect her too. As for the lives of others, Zhu Jiu Yin had no concern for them whatsoever.
However, in this way, Yang Kai would definitely complain and reprimand her.
Fortunately, the crisis had finally been resolved. She relaxed a bit, and snarled through gritted teeth, “I thought you would never come out. Are you trying to be a turtle that hides in its shell forever? Try hiding if you still can!”
Outside the battlefield, Yang Kai and the others were completely confused. They were under the impression that Zhu Jiu Yin was in a precarious situation and were utterly astonished by the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s sudden retreat and change in expressions.
And they became even more puzzled by Zhu Jiu Yin’s words.
But soon, a strange look appeared on Yang Kai’s face. He faintly sensed an aura awakening from Void Land, as though the entire World had come alive. What’s more, this awakening aura made his Dragon Vein pulse slightly…
“Oh oh, little girl, it hurts when you’re jumping around on this Old Master’s head like this.” An aged voice suddenly boomed loudly, and then, a short figure appeared a short distance in front of Zhu Jiu Yin. His appearance was quaint and completely relaxed, as if he had been standing there all along, except that no one had seen him, including Yang Kai and even the two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“Besides, how can I be a turtle if I don’t hide?” The short figure spoke again.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted coldly. She was a Divine Spirit, so even though she looked young and beautiful, she had in fact lived in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary for many millennia; however, she did not rebuke when she was addressed by this old man as ‘little girl’.
Yang Kai looked strangely at the short figure who appeared. His hair and beard were completely white, and his face was so wrinkled and withered that he looked as if he was about to die. Bent forward with a thick turtle shell behind his back, one could see the intertwined ravines on his shell clearly. It appeared to be exquisite and profound patterns and texts, carrying the wisdom of the Grand Dao.
Aware that Yang Kai was looking at him, the hunched old man, who seemed like he was dying, turned his head to look at Yang Kai and smiled at him.
Based on his appearance, combined with the aura on him and the response in his own blood, Yang Kai’s eyes lit up!
“Another Divine Spirit?” Eyes narrowed, the Myriad Demons Heaven’s High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master squinted at the short old man. It was already surprising enough for a trivial Void Land to have a Heavenly Moon Demon Spider living here, who would have thought there would be a second Divine Spirit?
However, the true form of this Divine Spirit was not revealed at this moment, and there was no way to know which race he belonged to. The conspicuous turtle shell on his back piqued many assumptions though.
If it was only Zhu Jiu Yin, the combined forces of the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would give them the upper hand; however, with an additional Divine Spirit appearing, they had no chance of victory.
This Divine Spirit was so well hidden before that they had no way of realizing he was even here, and it did not appear right until the critical moment to disrupt the situation. While it wasn’t clear whose side this old man was on, it was certain he wasn’t an ally to them.
Thinking of this, the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters frowned.
The sword wielder took a step forward and crossed an arm across his chest, his long sword held in the other hand behind him, “How should I address Old Sir?”
The old man did not answer. His head was lowered because of his hunched back, and his two long white eyebrows dangled from his face, obscuring everyone from his expression.
The sword wielder waited for a while, but there was no response. He was naturally a little upset and was about to open his mouth to ask another question, but he suddenly heard a snore.
This old fart actually fell asleep!
The rhythmic snores showed how sweetly the old man was sleeping.
[Just what is happening right now?] It was in the midst of the battle, and Void Land was in a total mess. Two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were still watching covetously from the side, but the old man with a turtle shell who appeared all of a sudden actually fell into a slumber in the middle of the fight…
Everyone’s face couldn’t help twitching.
The sword wielder snorted coldly, “This old man is truly impressive!” He was a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters after all, a prestigious figure in the 3,000 Worlds, but this turtle-shelled old man actually disregarded him entirely and fell asleep right in front of him. Even if he was a Divine Spirit, he was way too scornful!
Followed by a shudder, the turtle-shelled old man woke up again and sighed, “I’m too old, I can’t be as energetic as young people like you all, but you little ones are just too much. If you have any grudges, settle them by yourselves. Why do you have to jump around on my head and interfere with my sleep? How rude!”
As soon as he said this, the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters’ faces turned ugly, but Yang Kai was immediately relieved.
Before, he did not understand why Zhu Jiu Yin chose to fight in Void Land, which caused a huge mess and collapsed many Spirit Peaks. During her battle with the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, she even put some effort into shaking the ground. It turned out that Zhu Jiu Yin had already noticed the existence of the turtle-shelled old man a long time ago and was taking this opportunity to wake him, which was why she was determined to fight on Void Land!
The turtled-shelled old man was a Divine Spirit, just like Zhu Jiu Yin. Although they were from different Clans, as a Divine Spirit herself, it was reasonable that Zhu Jiu Yin could detect his presence.
However, from Zhu Jiu Yin’s earlier actions, she did not seem to know where the turtle-shelled old man was hiding; therefore, she could only constantly shift the battlefield and disturb the entire Void Land.
‘If you have time to bother me, why don’t you use it to study your Void Land? This place is not simple!’ Yang Kai suddenly remembered what Zhu Jiu Yin had told him some time ago.
Yang Kai spent more than ten days examining both inside and outside of Void Land, but found nothing at that time. Now, it seemed that what Zhu Jiu Yin meant was that there was the Divine Spirit hidden in Void Land! Yang Kai had not figured it out because he was not strong enough. He could not even sense the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters lurking nearby, much less this Divine Spirit.
If Zhu Jiu Yin did not cause disturbances on purpose, the turtle-shelled old man would probably have continued to hide.
Yang Kai could not help feeling frightened. He was totally clueless about such a powerful existence hiding in Void Land. If the other party had ill intentions, Void Land would definitely have suffered heavy losses.
But judging from the turtle-shelled old man’s attitude, he was neither vicious nor violent, even seeming to be quite easy to speak with.
It reminded Yang Kai of the Seven Wonders Land’s history…
The predecessor of Void Land was Seven Wonders Land. Seven Wonders Land certainly did not realize the existence of the turtled-shelled old man either; otherwise, they would have asked him for help when they were being exterminated.
By the looks of it, the old man had been hiding here for many, many years. Given that he spoke like an old man and even addressed a Divine Spirit like Zhu Jiu Yin and the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters as ‘little ones’, Yang Kai really could not imagine how old he was.
“Old man, are you acting arrogant just because of your seniority? Do you really think this Monarch is afraid of you just because you’re a Divine Spirit?” The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven had a short temper and flared up. They were so close to their victory just now, but were blocked by the old man at the last moment. After enduring for a while, he could no longer hold it in. Leaping out, he stabbed at the old man with the long spear in his hand.
The move of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters was indeed magnificent and powerful. Under the surging World Force, Yang Kai and the others felt the mountain-like pressure plummeting on them, causing the blood in their chests to constrict.
This was only the radiant effect, so one could imagine how much pressure the turtle-shelled old man, who was being targeted directly, was facing.
Although it was only a single attack, countless spear shadows seemed to cover the sky, each one containing the killing intent of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Appalled, the turtle-shelled old man yelped as he stepped back repeatedly, “Why can’t we just talk things out peacefully? Why do we have to fight? Young men should know how to respect the elderly!”
He stumbled, lost his balance and fell straight on his butt.
Following the momentum, the old man withdrew his arms and legs like a turtle, into his solid shell. His small figure easily retracted into the shell, completely concealing himself.
*Hong hong hong… *
One after another, spear shadows struck onto the turtle shell, causing the Earth to shake and even space itself to tremble.
When the spear shadows dispersed, everyone stared in amazement at the scene before them.
The turtle shell remained intact on the ground, with not even a mark left on it. However, who knew if the old man hiding in the turtle shell was shaken to death?
The Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven who landed the attack squinted. Although he launched the attack in a hurry and did not use his full strength, the might of a Seventh-Order Master was still no joke. Even another Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would not end well after receiving such a move, but it actually failed to even leave a scratch on this turtle shell.
[Just how tough is this turtle shell?]
He wanted to make another move again, but the sword wielder raised his hand and stopped him, glancing at Zhu Jiu Yin vigilantly at the same time. He did not expect such an outcome today. Not to mention the Hundred Sect Alliance led by Heavenly Sword Union being destroyed, they were being hindered even when he joined hands with the Myriad Demons Heaven Open Heaven Realm Master. Void Land was full of unpleasant surprises.
The Heavenly Moon Demon Spider alone was already difficult to deal with, and now he had to face this turtle-shelled old man as well. He was quite hesitant. If they forced the old man to join hands with the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, they could only escape.
Thinking through numerous possibilities, the sword wielder proceeded, “Old Sir, please show yourself so we can talk.”
The turtle shell laid quietly on the ground, unresponsive. Just when the people wondered if the turtle-shelled old man was shaken to death, a head with a terrified, pale face suddenly peeped out, looking around sneakily, and asked nervously, “Are we not fighting anymore?”
This old fellow was so chicken-hearted that everyone was left speechless.
But the sword wielder did not dare to underestimate him and spoke politely, “Old Sir, please come out.”
After observing the situation for a moment and making sure that no one would hit him again, the turtle-shelled old man stretched his arms and legs out of the turtle shell and sighed as he wiped the dust off his body, “Alas, what an unlucky day. Sometimes unlucky things just happen even when you do nothing. Such misfortune.”
The sword wielder demanded again, “How should I address Old Sir?”
The turtle-shelled old man immediately shook his head like a pellet drum, “I can’t tell. I won’t tell. If you know my name, you will find trouble with me in the future. This Old Master won’t tell even if he dies.”
Yang Kai was speechless. Since this old man had already revealed himself today, could he run away from troubles if the others really wanted to cause any in the future?
The sword wielder did not intend to force him, so after a moment of silence, he continued, “We didn’t know that Old Sir resided here. If we offended Old Sir in any way, please forgive us.”
Hearing him, the turtle-shelled old man smiled, “It’s alright. One who makes mistakes unknowingly need not be held responsible. It’s fine as long as you don’t come around to disturb my sleep again.”
“We dare not!” The sword wielder nodded lightly, then he changed to the next topic abruptly, “But we still have a task to complete. Please stand aside, Old Sir.”
The turtle-shelled old man held his crutch and spoke, “As long as you stop fighting, everything can be negotiated.”
“Many thanks, Old Sir!” The sword wielder thanked politely, then he pointed at Yang Kai, “I want to take this boy with me!”
“In your dreams!” Yue He and the rest shouted angrily, immediately surrounding Yang Kai while circulating their strength to guard against unexpected events.
The sword wielder ignored them entirely and just stared at the turtle-shelled old man.
“Oh, hmm…” The old man hesitated for a while, then looked at Yang Kai again, and asked embarrassingly, “May this Old Master ask why you want to take him?”
The sword wielder did not answer him; instead, he asked, “Old Sir, are you protecting him? I wonder what kind of relationship Old Sir has with this boy?”
From the previous situation, the turtle-shelled old man did not seem to be related to Yang Kai in any way, but given that the old man was chicken-hearted even though he was clearly quite powerful, why did he have to stand up for Yang Kai?
The turtle-shelled old man coughed softly, “There’s actually no relationship between us…”
“Then…”
“But we share some heritage. It would be improper for this Old Master to just let him die.” The turtle-shelled old man was dying of embarrassment, his wrinkled face wrinkling even further.
“Share some heritage…” Even though the sword wielder’s face was shrouded in clouds and fog, and his expression could not be seen clearly, he was clearly puzzled by the old man’s words, for he had no idea what kind of connection this Divine Spirit who had been keeping a low profile had with Yang Kai.
However, taking away Yang Kai was not his real purpose. The reason why he requested this was just to cover his real intent. Therefore, he stopped pestering and continued, “Since Old Sir has declared so, we will respect your wishes.”
The turtle-shelled old man chuckled, “Many thanks.”
“Since I can’t take this boy with me, then I must take him away. As for this, I believe Old Master will not stop me, right?” The sword wielder pointed at Kong Feng, who was captured alive, as he spoke.
Kong Feng was extremely depressed. As a noble Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it should have been impossible for him to be captured alive. Even a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master might not be able to do that. But still, he was seized, had his cultivation restrained, and suffered heavy injuries one after another. At this moment, he looked absolutely wasted, his spirit completely depleted.
Being a prisoner, if he wanted to live, he could only rely on the sword wielder and the Myriad Demons Heaven High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. As such, when he heard the request of the sword wielder, he immediately looked at him gratefully.
The turtle-shelled old man nodded his head like a chicken pecking rice, “No problem, no problem. Just take him.”
The sword wielder nodded lightly, then turned to look at Yang Kai, “Yang Kai, this matter ends here, let him go.”
Yang Kai looked at him with a defiant face, “Why should I have to listen to you? Who the Hell are you to tell me what to do?”
The sword wielder replied faintly, “Today, your Void Land has reaped all the rewards. It’s better for you to spare others where it is possible.”
The turtle-shelled old man advised wryly, “Little one, it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble. These two are not to be trifled with, and the ones behind them are even scarier.”
Although he slept for many years, not caring about worldly affairs, this old man knew that only the Cave Heavens and Paradises could deploy High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters like this. He was timid to begin with, otherwise, why would he hide in Void Land for so many years? How would he dare to challenge the Cave Heavens and Paradises?
Yang Kai’s face darkened, and was silent for a moment before speaking, “Since Old Sir has said as much, this Junior will give some face.”
The turtle-shelled old man laughed, “A promising young man…”
Kong Feng let out a large breath of relief. When he was captured alive before, he was in despair, thinking that he was going to die in Void Land. Who knew that things would take a turn for the better? Feeling grateful to the sword wielder, he threw Yang Kai a vicious glare.
The Hundred Sect Alliance suffered heavy losses this time, and he was the only one left from Heavenly Sword Union. It could be said that this operation was a complete failure, but it was not without gain. At the very least, he exposed the details of Void Land to the ones above, allowing them to have a better understanding of its strength.
Although they failed this time, Void Land would not be able to resist their next attempt when they were properly prepared.
Ten years was not too long for a gentleman to seek revenge. As long as one was still alive, there would always be a possibility for a comeback.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven snorted coldly, “Little brat, seems you’re not too foolish.”
The sword wielder nodded too, “Why are you still not letting him go?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ll let him go now…”
Saying so, Yang Kai suddenly grabbed the cold water longsword from Lu Xue’s hand and slashed down, lighting up the space between Heaven and Earth with the brilliance of the sword.
The turtle-shelled old man’s smile froze, Zhu Jiu Yin was slightly absent-minded, and the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters too, were stunned…
Kong Feng looked at Yang Kai in horror, his eyes bigger than eggs!
With a kick and a shove, Yang Kai sent Kong Feng in the direction of the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. How could Kong Feng, whose cultivation was restricted, resist his kick? His body involuntarily flew towards that direction as he exclaimed in exasperation, “Yang Kai, you bastard! I won’t forget this even when I turn into a ghost!”
When the words fell, a thin red streak suddenly appeared on his neck, which was immediately severed, followed by his head soaring into the sky, sending fresh blood spraying out like a fountain!
Yang Kai’s sword cut off his head directly, but he moved so fast that the head and body were still connected for a moment. As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Kong Feng possessed a tenacious vitality, which allowed him to let out a deafening roar of resentment before his death…
However, if the head was cut off, nothing could help regardless of how strong one’s vitality was.
The fog around the sword wielder violently swirled, indicating the fluctuation in his mood. He growled through gritted teeth, “Bold Junior!”
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven on the other hand stared at Yang Kai with great interest. There was even a hint of appreciation. The people of Myriad Demons Heaven were all ruthless, and Yang Kai’s actions were undoubtedly very much in line with his tastes. If not because they were on opposing sides, he would have even applauded.
No one expected Yang Kai to act so decisively. A moment ago, he agreed to let Kong Feng go but took his life the next instant. The flipping of his attitude was hard to keep up with.
Kong Feng’s fate was tragic indeed. One would not dare say it would not happen again in the future, but it was definitely unprecedented until now for a dignified Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to be killed at the hands of an Emperor Realm Junior.
Yang Kai looked at the sword wielder coldly, and waved the long sword in his hand, “This Junior has never tried to act boldly, but when others try to bully me, I won’t sit still and take it. Anyone who dares to offend Void Land will never be forgiven!”
Since the enemy had shown up right at his doorstep, how could Yang Kai back down? Even if Kong Feng was released this time, would Kong Feng and the great force behind him be grateful to him? Enmity had been formed, and there was no possibility of a reconciliation. It was better to cut weeds and pull out roots instead of returning the tiger to the mountains. If Kong Feng was released today, he would certainly return for vengeance in the future.
Although a large number of Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Hundred Sect Alliance had died here today, that wasn’t too significant, but Kong Feng was different. With the execution of Heavenly Sword Union’s Union Master in Void Land, Void Land would definitely become famous. This would also serve as an example to others who might want to trifle with Void Land.
After this battle, anyone who had plans to cause trouble in Void Land would have to consider whether their necks were tough enough to survive its wrath.
“Very good!” The sword wielder quickly calmed his rage. He was only angry because Yang Kai killed Kong Feng in front of him. He had already opened his mouth to save Kong Feng’s life so killing Kong Feng was nothing short of a slap to his face.
But now that Kong Feng was dead, there was nothing to be gained by getting angry unless he had the ability to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin and the turtle-shelled old man.
The mental discipline of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master was naturally extraordinary. Although Kong Feng’s death has caused him some humiliation, it had nothing to do with the overall situation.
From behind the fog, Yang Kai vaguely felt a pair of eyes staring deeply at him. A moment later, the sword wielder turned and fled, transforming into a stream of light that shot straight into the sky.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master of Myriad Demons Heaven looked Yang Kai up and down with a meaningful grin before muttering, “Interesting…”
After saying that, he left as well. With two Divine Spirits guarding Void Land and the departure of the sword wielder, what could he do alone?
Despite their immense strength, the Hundred Sect Alliance was almost wiped out in this battle. Even Kong Feng, Heavenly Sword Union’s Union Master, was captured and beheaded in Void Land. This was probably something that no one would have thought of before today. Except for the Black Prison’s Warden Luan Bai Feng, only a few Open Heaven Realm Masters managed to escape. Though their escape was only thanks to the sword wielder who broke the Illusion Array, otherwise no one would have escaped today.
This news would soon spread and cause a great uproar in the 3,000 Worlds. The rise of Void Land would surely attract the attention of many parties.
Yang Kai looked up to watch the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters leave, feeling unwilling but unable to do anything. Zhu Jiu Yin was only responsible for protecting his life, so she was definitely unwilling to fight these two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to death.
[I wonder what kind of attitude that turtle-shelled old man has towards this?] Yang Kai did not know. There was no way for Void Land to force the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to remain if the two Divine Spirits did not make a move, so Yang Kai could only watch them leave.
Returning the long sword to Lu Xue, Yang Kai instructed, “Close the array, clean up the battlefield, and count the casualties!”
Everyone responded to the order and began performing their duties.
Zhu Jiu Yin turned into a stream of light and returned to the place where she was cultivating, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Yang Kai did not even have time to say anything to her, but as his Protector, she stood up when his life was in danger. This was originally agreed upon by the two of them, so there was no need to say anything more.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at the turtle-shelled old man, whose face was wrinkled into a ball, muttering anxiously, “What a disaster, a disaster!”
“Old Sir…” Yang Kai took two steps forward and cupped his fist respectfully, “Many thanks to Old Sir for his assistance today. This Junior will remember this favour!”
When the sword wielder said he was going to take him away, the turtle-shelled old man spoke up for him. If not, the sword wielder would definitely not have let him off.
Although it was just a few spoken words, it was also a life-saving grace. Furthermore, the result of what happened today was thanks to the sudden appearance of this turtle-shelled old man. Although he did nothing but stand there, speak a little, take an attack, and fall asleep, if he had not appeared, the situation today would not have ended so peacefully, and Void Land’s fate would have been precarious.
The turtle-shelled old man looked at Yang Kai sadly, tapping the floor with his heavy cane, “Little boy, you have caused a huge disaster.”
Yang Kai wondered, “Oh? What disaster is it?”
The turtle-shelled old man replied, “You slapped that guy’s face in public and offended a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, isn’t that a huge disaster?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “Even if I bowed down and gave him what he wanted, he would still have come to provoke my Void Land again. Since the grudges between us are already irresolvable, it doesn’t matter if I slap him once or twice.”
The old man frowned, “That’s true, but…”
He sighed, “Haa, such misfortune.”
“I have not gotten the chance to ask, how should I address Old Sir?” Yang Kai had already learned about his cowardice, so he ignored his defeatist mutterings.
The turtle-shelled old man looked around without answering, but simply replied, “You clean up first, we can speak later.”
After saying so, his figure flickered and suddenly disappeared.
Yang Kai was stunned. Although there was a huge gap in their strengths, he did not even see how the other person disappeared. However, he seemed to sense something and looked up at a peak not far away.
Yang Kai could never sit idly by when such a powerful, unknown Divine Spirit was living in Void Land. He had to investigate the old man’s details, but fortunately, the turtle-shelled old man showed no malice toward him, even speaking up to protect him instead. That relieved Yang Kai greatly.
Plopping himself on the ground, Yang Kai took out a Spirit Pill and stuffed it into his mouth, closing his eyes to refine it.
Although he only oversaw Void Land throughout the battle and did not participate physically, Yang Kai had been controlling the Grand Array from the outside, which consumed a lot of his energy. Whether it was the Bewildering Array or the Killing Arrays, they were all indiscriminate. Anyone would be affected by the Grand Array as long as they were involved in it.
That was why Yang Kai needed to constantly supervise the Grand Array to create opportunities for those from Void Land to kill enemies while avoiding the negative effects.
It was still bearable if supervising was all Yang Kai had to do, but the final layer of the Grand Array he used to fight against Kong Feng pushed him far beyond that. As a trivial Emperor Realm cultivator, it was extremely taxing for him to fight the enemy while wielding the power of the Grand Array.
With such injuries, it was impossible to recover without ten days to a half month of rest, and this was only thanks to Yang Kai’s awesome recovery abilities. If he were an average Emperor Realm cultivator, he would have been bedridden for a year and a half at least
But a huge effort meant a huge harvest. Not to mention the mountains of spoils from killing so many people, the deaths of the Open Heaven Realm Masters brought a fundamental enhancement to Void Land.
There were quite a few Open Heaven Realm Masters that came with the Hundred Sect Alliance, but very few escaped in the end. Among them, many were Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Small Universes within the many Open Heaven Realm Masters collapsed when they were killed, releasing their World Force into Void Land.
As long as Void Land could digest this World Force, its foundation would undergo Earth-shaking changes.
As Void Land’s heritage became stronger, the power of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array would increase accordingly. The efficiency of cultivators cultivating in Void Land would also increase, and the probability of those who lived here comprehending the Grand Dao would be boosted.
If it was not for their incredible heritage, how could the Cave Heavens and Paradises have such breathtaking sceneries? How could their disciples have such rapid cultivation?
That was why Yang Kai immediately ordered for the closure of the array! Once the Grand Array was sealed shut, the World Force released by the dead Open Heaven Realm Masters would be sealed in Void Land, and over time be absorbed and assimilated by it.
Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, and many others including the Great Emperors rushed over in a hurry. These cultivators from the Star Boundary had been in retreat for intense cultivation, and now they had all condensed their Dao Seals. It was the perfect timing to refine the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. They definitely should not waste any time over other things. Nonetheless, what happened today was extremely conspicuous, and it was difficult for them not to notice.
However, in such an intense battle, there was not much they could do, so even if they were aware of what was happening, they could only observe from afar and stay hidden. They knew their strength was limited, and they would probably be more of a burden than help if they tried to participate.
Now that the overall situation had been decided, they naturally came out.
Yang Kai was still tending to his injuries, so Second Manager Bian Yu Qing briefly explained the details of the incident to them. Only then did everyone know that Void Land had survived a great tribulation.
The Great Emperors glanced at each other and turned around to return to their retreat without disrupting Yang Kai, as did Su Yan and the others.
It was not that they did not care about the situation in Void Land, but what happened to Void Land today gave them a sense of crisis. Void Land managed to triumph this time, but what about the next time?
If they wanted to help, they had to advance to the Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible. So, they were racing against time to cultivate as quickly as they could, not daring to slack off.
Yang Kai had created such a good environment for them, one where they did not even need to worry about resources. It would be a waste of Yang Kai’s hard work if they did not show some accomplishments.
With Yue He’s administration, the Grand Array rolled shut with a loud rumble. The Bewildering Array was damaged, but the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array had self-repair abilities, and since Nanmen Da Jun had learned a lot from Grandmaster Wu Liang during the several months of apprenticeship, this damage could be repaired by him.
The only issue was that the energy stored in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array was completely exhausted. It was no longer possible to stimulate the power of the Grand Array, and this was a matter that could only be solved with time.
The battlefield was cleaned thoroughly as a mountain of corpses was gathered. The Hundred Sect Alliance dispatched more than 10,000 people, but only a handful of them had escaped. The intruders who came to Void Land, whether they be Open Heaven Realm Masters or Emperor Realm cultivators, had suffered heavy casualties, and their scattered corpses had to be found and piled up together.
A bloody stench filled the air, but with a wave of her hand, Yue He burned them all to ashes.
The plunder from the thousands of deaths was bountiful. Every cultivator had more than one Space Ring, so Void Land had harvested tens of thousands of Space Rings. Even if most of these Space Rings were not filled with abundant riches, the Open Heaven Realm Masters, especially the Mid-Rank ones, were naturally not poor. Every Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who came here was a representative of their respective Sects, so how could they have no savings?
For example, Qi Jin, Ling Chun Qiu, Old Hong…
Especially Kong Feng, the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, could never have shabby possessions.
However, Yang Kai was not interested in this loot at all and just handed all of it over to Second Manager Bian Yu Qing. Since all the future expenditures of various materials in Void Land would also be managed by her, she naturally would need to tally up these winnings.
“Young Master, the battlefield has been cleaned.” Yue He reported softly after cremating the several thousand corpses.
Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes. His aura was still a little weak and the colour had not yet fully returned to his face, but he looked much better than before. Hearing that, he nodded and asked in a low voice, “How about the casualties?”
“Dozens were injured, but no one died, and none suffered serious injuries. They just need some time to recover.” Yue He replied.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, letting out a sigh of relief.
They fought against the Hundred Sect Alliance all by themselves, and not only did the entire enemy army perish, no one from Void Land was even killed. Who would ever believe such an absurd story? How was it possible for one side to be defeated while the other did not suffer any casualties in such a fierce battle?
However, it was a fact that none of the 335 Open Heaven Realm Masters from Void Land died. Among these people, 315 were cultivators from Abundance City, about a dozen were from Blood Swan Continent, and the rest were residents of Void Land.
One had to say, this was nothing short of a miracle.
To achieve such a victory was undoubtedly thanks to the power of the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. The more than 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters fought in the Bewildering Array twice, where the enemy was blinded and confused, and with the addition of Yang Kai’s guidance, the victory was almost as easy as breathing. As long as they were careful enough, how could they die?
Injuries were inevitable of course, and with the enemy’s desperate counterattack, some were indeed sustained.
Slowly getting up, Yang Kai’s eyes swept over every direction, meeting pair after pair of eyes that flashed with elation.
Whether it was a cultivator from Abundance City or Blood Swan Continent, none of them had ever experienced such a fulfilling and satisfying battle before, and through this battle, they were able to deeply comprehend the power of their own Sect. Being a part of Void Land now was a great honour!
“We, Void Land, were able to overcome this difficult trial, thanks to everyone’s concerted efforts. Many thanks for your hard work!” Yang Kai’s voice boomed loudly.
Mo Mei answered, “Sect Master is too modest. Now that we are a part of Void Land, we all should contribute when enemies arrive at our borders. We were only able to achieve victory today thanks to Sect Master’s constant efforts. Void Land is our home, and we swear to live and die in Void Land!”
“We swear to live and die with Void Land!” The world shook with the crowd echoing in unison.
Reputation was a wonderful thing. Over 90% of Void Land’s Open Heaven Realm Masters now were cultivators from Abundance City. Yang Kai gave them the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to help them achieve the Open Heaven Realm, giving them an extra reason to be grateful. Additionally, Yang Kai did not reveal a single trace of fear in face of two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and even dauntlessly beheaded Kong Feng. This garnered even more of their respect for Yang Kai. It could be said that today’s victory had laid the foundation for Yang Kai’s supreme prestige in Void Land.
He achieved all of this although he was still just a trivial Emperor Realm cultivator!
Everyone was dismissed, each of them looking for a place to heal their wounds, while Bian Yu Qing was busy finalizing the cleanup.
Yang Kai spent a day in his room recovering from his injuries, but left to visit Zhu Jiu Yin once he no longer had difficulty moving about.
He wanted to find out more details about the turtle-shelled old man from Zhu Jiu Yin. Judging from the warning the woman gave him before, she must have been aware of his existence for some time. Maybe Zhu Jiu Yin knew something more about the turtle-shelled old man.
However, Zhu Jiu Yin’s door remained closed, probably busy recovering, or probably just deliberately ignoring him, which made Yang Kai extremely frustrated!
Unable to talk to Zhu Jiu Yin, Yang Kai had no choice but to head towards a different peak.
This peak was located in Earth Spirit Land.
Among the seven Spirit Lands of Void Land, Earth Spirit Land was located right in the centre and occupied the largest region. The previous Main Hall of Seven Wonders Land was located in Earth Spirit Land, while now, many important halls of Void Land were located here too.
Earth Spirit Land was comprised of many Spirit Peaks, and although the previous battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the two High-Rank Open Heavens caused a huge mess and flattened many of them, there were still a lot left.
On one of the more inconspicuous peaks, Yang Kai sensed the presence of the turtle-shelled old man, not through his aura, but rather by tracing a faint bloodline connection.
Yang Kai had to understand why this Divine Spirit was hiding inside Void Land. Based on his stance before, the turtle-shelled old man did not have any malice towards him, but it was always good to be careful in everything.
When he came to the peak, Yang Kai did not rush up it, but gave a respectful salute, greeting in a clear and loud voice, “Junior Yang Kai has come to visit Senior. May Senior show himself.”
After shouting, a fiery red figure rushed down from the peak towards Yang Kai.
When it got closer, the figure was revealed to be a little girl who looked about seven or eight years old. She looked exceedingly adorable dressed in a fiery red dress, and even her hair was a brilliant scarlet, weaved into two little braids. Her delicate features and tender white skin made her look as though she was a beautiful doll.
The little girl stopped in front of Yang Kai, clenched her two small fists tightly, raised her small head, and looked at him with large, bright, excited eyes, “Y-Y-You… Young M-M-Mast… Master!”
“Hm…” Yang Kai hesitated, [Who’s this girl? Did Void Land not only have a hidden Divine Spirit, but also a delicate little girl like this?]
What made Yang Kai feel even odder was that the aura of this girl was somewhat familiar to him, as if he had sensed it before.
However, it was such a pity for such a dainty little girl to have such a heavy stutter…
Nonetheless, although she was small, her strength was immense. The aura she exuded was on par with a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, and Yang Kai could sense a wisp of Monster Qi coming from her.
“Y-Y-Young… Mas… Mas… Master. It… it… it’s m-m-me… ah!” The little girl clenched her fists even more tightly as she shouted loudly, blood flushing into her face.
Yang Kai laughed and comforted, “Speak slowly, no one is rushing you.”
“I… I… I…” The little girl drew a big breath, unable to say anything audible and almost suffocating herself. She stomped her feet in frustration, shook her body, and exploded in a bright red flash, transforming into a massive creature in front of Yang Kai.
Stepping back quickly, Yang Kai looked up in shock and blurted out in a stunned voice, “Scarlet Flood Dragon?”
The creature in front of him was the Scarlet Flood Dragon he brought out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary!
The Scarlet Flood Dragon shook her head, exclaiming, “En, it’s me!”
It was the voice of the little girl from just now, just a little deeper.
Yang Kai was both surprised and delighted, “Have you gone through the Human Form Tribulation, and can now take on Human form?”
Any Monster Beast who wanted to cultivate and have a Human form must overcome the difficulty of Human Form Tribulation.
A Monster Beast’s Human Form Tribulation was related to its strength and level of sentience. If a Monster Beast’s sentience was developed and strong enough, it could assume Human Form, but if it was lacking, even the most powerful could not take Human Form.
Therefore, in the 3,000 Worlds, even though some Monster Beasts were as powerful as Open Heaven Realm Masters, they were still just beasts unable to assume Human Form, living on wild instinct alone.
The Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon were both Monster Beasts born in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and they possessed faint traces of the Dragon Clan’s bloodline.
It was not surprising to have Dragonborn in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary; after all, Yang Kai found the corpse of an Earth Attribute Great Dragon in Sleeping Dragon Mountain, and obtained its Earth Attribute Dragon Bead, which he used to refine his own Earth Element Power.
Since there was even a True Dragon in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, how could it be strange to have Dragonborn? If they were not Dragonborn, Yang Kai would not have been able to subdue them so easily back then. Living in the environment of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the strength of these two Monster Beasts was definitely not low.
However, the sentience of both the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon were in a muddy state before, so they could only be regarded as Monster Beasts. Since Yang Kai took them out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Zhu Jiu Yin would teach them once in a while. After all, they were all natives of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. After leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Zhu Jiu Yin would sometimes feel a bit nostalgic about her home, so she would teach the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon as a way of venting her feelings. In fact, she treated them much better than Yang Kai.
Yang Kai also fed the two a lot of Dragon Blood Pills, which greatly improved the purity of their bloodline.
With Zhu Jiu Yin’s occasional training, and much purer bloodlines, over time, these two would eventually become capable of assuming Human Form.
Yang Kai had no doubt about this.
But he thought the process for this would require a much longer time to achieve, so he never expected to see the Human Form of the Scarlet Flood Dragon today!
Seeing that Yang Kai finally recognized her now, the Scarlet Flood Dragon was obviously elated. She turned back into the little red-haired, fair-skinned girl again. However, probably because it had only just passed her Human Form Tribulation, the transformation this time was not complete. Her tail remained and wagged excitedly, looking extremely strange.
The Scarlet Flood Dragon smiled sweetly and stuttered, “Y-Y-Young… M-Mas-Master, it, it, it’s me!”
She must have followed in Yue He’s footsteps to address Yang Kai as Young Master.
Yang Kai was shocked, “You’re female?”
The Scarlet Flood Dragon turned and twisted her body, her face flushed red, and she did not say a word while just smiling.
Yang Kai added, “But why are you stuttering?”
Blood flushed into the Scarlet Flood Dragon’s face, “I-I j-j-just, just learnt to, to, to talk. So, so, so I-I-I’m n-n-not, not fluent y-yet!”
A sudden realization dawned on Yang Kai, then he chuckled, “I see! En… Why are you here?” If he was not mistaken, this should be the residence of the turtle-shelled old man; therefore, he was puzzled to see the Scarlet Flood Dragon’s sudden appearance.
“G-G-Grandpa T-Turtle asked m-m-me to, to pick you up. It, it, it’s t-t-thanks, thanks to Grandpa-pa-pa T-T-Turtle that Xiao Hei and, and, and I c-can assume Human Form!”
Yang Kai followed Scarlet Flood Dragon all the way up the path as he finally understood why she was here from her spluttery narration. The Dragon Clan bloodline in her and the Earth Dragon’s bodies was greatly purified due to extensive feeding of Dragon Blood Pills from Yang Kai. In addition to Zhu Jiu Yin’s teachings, they were actually not far away from assuming Human Form.
Yesterday, the turtle-shelled old man suddenly appeared, before moving into this peak. The old man must have summoned these two over, and assisted them through their Human Form Tribulation, allowing them to assume Human Form through some unknown method.
Hearing this, Yang Kai’s eyes lit up and the hypothesis in his heart was further verified.
The peak was exceptionally high, rocky, and rugged, surrounded by clouds and mists. The atmosphere was quite awe-inspiring.
There was a cave in the mountainside where Scarlet Flood Dragon led Yang Kai. Inside the cave was an extremely spacious cave, decorated and furnished like a grand hall, that looked quite ancient, and had obviously been here for many years.
Yang Kai wondered how long this Spirit Peak had existed in Earth Spirit Land. He had searched this place before, but never found this cave. This was certainly due to his lack of strength. If the old man intended to hide here, Yang Kai would have no way to find him.
The Hundred Sect Alliance came to attack, two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters emerged all of a sudden, Zhu Jiu Yin turned Void Land upside down, and then the turtle-shelled old man had no choice but to show himself. Since he had revealed himself, there was no need to hide anymore.
Inside this cave, two figures sat opposite to each other. One was the turtle-shelled old man Yang Kai had met yesterday, while the other was a boy with black skin in a short shirt and messy black hair on his head, looking quite funny.
The turtle-shelled old man was caressing the boy’s head with a smile and drooping eyes on his face. His two long eyebrows hung all the way down to his chest, giving him the demeanour of an immortal sage.
Aware of Yang Kai’s entry, the boy hurriedly opened his eyes and turned to look at Yang Kai, revealing a look of joy as he jumped towards him.
When he got close, he stood still and stared up at him.
After his experience with the Scarlet Flood Dragon, Yang Kai certainly could recognize the boy and smiled, “Earth Dragon?”
“Yes! It’s, it’s me, Young Master!” The boy kept nodding. Apparently, he spoke more fluently than the Scarlet Flood Dragon. At least he did not stutter as much. However, looking at his mouth, Yang Kai’s brow couldn’t help twitching slightly.
In terms of image, the Scarlet Flood Dragon was much more impressive than the Earth Dragon. The appearance of the Earth Dragon could only be described as hideous. Every time he opened his big, wide mouth, highly corrosive mucus spewed everywhere. Even if Yang Kai grew fond of him over time, he would still feel a little disgusted each time he saw this sight.
Yang Kai thought that the giant Earth Dragon had changed into Human Form, taking on the appearance of a cute little boy, but as soon as he opened his mouth, his former drooling image overlapped with his current one. The edges of his big, wide mouth almost reached the root of his ears, and a mouthful of fangs were bared every time he opened his jaw. As soon as he spoke, drool dripped from the corner of his lips, which was then quickly sucked back into the big mouth…
Yang Kai’s hand could not help reaching his forehead, feeling a bit of a headache!
“You’re here,” The turtle-shelled old man sat up and looked at Yang Kai with a smile.
Yang Kai did not dare to hesitate, so he hurried forward a few steps and cupped his fist, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior!”
“En, sit down,” the turtle-shelled old man gestured. Yang Kai thanked him before sitting on a futon opposite him.
The turtle-back old man continued, “Xiao Hong, Xiao Hei, go have fun outside first. I have some things to talk to your Young Master about.”
[Xiao Hong, Xiao Hei…] With a single thought, Yang Kai became aware of who he was referring to. It was the Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon. One of them was scarlet red and the other was dark black, so their nicknames were easy to understand.
“En!” The two little ones saluted respectfully and retreated obediently. They both held great respect for this old man who helped them through their Human Form Tribulation.
The turtle-shelled old man smiled at Yang Kai, “I know you have many doubts. If you have any questions, just ask. This Old Master will answer anything if he can.”
Yang Kai turned solemn as he did have a lot of questions. Since the old man was being so frank, he did not feel the need to act restrained. Still, before he got started, Yang Kai replied sincerely, “Firstly, this Junior must thank Senior for his timely assistance!”
The turtle-shelled old man waved his hand, “Don’t worry about it. Even if I didn’t show up at that time, there was no way for those two to take you away with the protection of that little Heavenly Moon Demon Spider that day.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Although Zhu Jiu Yin could have protected me alone, she could not protect the whole of Void Land. It is all thanks to Senior’s help that Void Land remained safe and sound.”
The turtle-shelled old man smiled faintly and said no more.
Yang Kai decided to change the topic, and went straight to the point, “May I ask if Senior is a Dragonborn?”
Since the turtle-shelled old man appeared, Yang Kai vaguely felt a connection in their bloodline. Given that Yang Kai was now much closer in terms of bloodline to the Dragon Clan than Human, if the old man had a connection with him, it was undoubtedly related to the Dragon Clan. In addition to his help in the Human Form transformation of Scarlet Flood Dragon and Earth Dragon, Yang Kai’s speculation was further affirmed.
It was precisely because he, the Scarlet Flood Dragon, and the Earth Dragon were all Dragonborn that this old man was willing to help.
“Correct, this Old Master is indeed a Dragonborn!” The turtle-shelled old man nodded calmly.
Yang Kai let out a soft breath. Many doubts were solved. It was exactly because Yang Kai was also a Dragonborn that this old man jumped out to save him, as they indeed shared some common heritage. Otherwise, as a Divine Spirit, why bother exposing himself to trouble after hiding in this place for so many years?
After pondering for a while, Yang Kai proceeded, “There is a saying that the Divine Dragon has nine sons. Which lineage of Dragonborn does Senior belong to?”
The turtle-shelled old man smiled, “Since you know about the Divine Dragon’s nine sons, do you know what they are?”
Yang Kai counted them out, “Qiu Niu is joyful, Ya Zi is bloodthirsty, Chao Feng is ominous, Pu Lao is loud, Suan Ni is shrouded in fog, Bi Xi bears a heavy load, Bi An is disputatiousness, Fu Xi is depicted on graves and monuments, Chi Wen swallows oceans…”
The turtle-shelled old man nodded, “Correct.”
“Then Senior…” Yang Kai looked at him hesitantly, and his eyes brightened, “Are you of the Bi Xi’s lineage?”
Among the nine sons, other than Bi Xi, there was nothing else that could match the image of the old man in front of him, which led Yang Kai to make such a guess.
“That’s right. This Old Master is indeed of the Bi Xi’s lineage.”
Yang Kai let out a soft breath. After clearing up this old man’s origin and background, Yang Kai knew that he truly did not mean to harm him. Since Yang Kai had a pure Dragon Clan bloodline and Bi Xi was also a Dragonborn, they were naturally all one family.
Before coming here, Yang Kai was still a little vigilant towards this old man, but now he was totally relieved. The old man in front of him was just like his Elder.
“Senior, have you been hiding in Void Land for many years?” Yang Kai talked to him casually with a smile.
Bi Xi chuckled meaningfully, “When this Old Master fell asleep, there was no Void Land here.”
Yang Kai patted his own head, “This place was originally known as Seven Wonders Land, but after defeating them it changed to Void Land.”
Bi Xi beamed, “No matter what its name, there was nothing here when this Old Master first arrived. If that little girl hadn’t jumped around on this Old Master’s back so much, this Old Master wouldn’t have awakened at all.”
He had mentioned this once before, so Yang Kai could not help laughing when he heard it again. For a dignified Divine Spirit like Zhu Jiu Yin to be called a little girl by Bi Xi was truly…
While laughing, Yang Kai’s face suddenly froze as a sudden realization dawned on him. He stared at the Bi Xi in front of him with his eyes widened, “What does Senior mean?”
Bi Xi chuckled, “Why do you even bother to ask when you’ve already guessed the truth?”
Yang Kai could not help gulping, the shock in his eyes becoming increasingly intense. He thought Bi Xi had been hiding in Void Land, slumbering for centuries or even millennia, but now it seemed that he had made a fundamental mistake.
“I’ll be right back!” Saying so, Yang Kai hurriedly flew off.
With a flicker, he left the cave palace with a surge of Space Principles and reappeared directly above Void Land. He took out the Array Jade, surged his power, and stretched out his hand. The churning clouds that enveloped Void Land quickly dissipated, and the entire Void Land was presented clearly to Yang Kai’s field of vision.
After a while of observation, Yang Kai sucked in a breath of cold air as his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
“Sect Master!” Bian Yu Qing suddenly rushed up from below in a panic, “What happened?”
She had been counting and cataloguing the tremendous gains from the previous battle when she noticed the sudden change in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array. She thought another formidable enemy had come to invade Void Land, only to realize that there was actually no one.
Yang Kai did not answer immediately but instead continued to scan across the entire length of Void Land. Puzzled, Bian Yu Qing quickly stood beside him and followed his eyes.
“Second Manager, look carefully. What does Void Land look like to you?” Yang Kai suddenly pointed his hand down and asked.
Bian Yu Qing replied without even thinking, “A turtle!”
Yang Kai gaped at her!
Bian Yu Qing giggled, “Doesn’t it? We have seven Spirit Lands in Void Land, with Earth Spirit Land, being the largest, planted right in the middle, representing the turtle shell. Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire Spirit Land are arranged in the four corners of Earth Spirit Land, which correspond to the limbs, then Yin and Yang Spirit Lands are located at the top and bottom of Earth Spirit Land, representing the head and tail of the turtle, isn’t it?”
“Indeed… indeed!” Yang Kai nodded lightly and laughed, “Why didn’t I see it before?”
Bian Yu Qing explained, “Sect Master has so many matters to attend to, so how could you have the time to notice something like this.”
She stopped for a moment, then added, “Sect Master, is there any problem with Void Land?”
Yang Kai grinned, “No problem, no problem at all, hahahaha!”
Still cackling, he dived down again. Bian Yu Qing watched him leave, confused, wondering what in the world Yang Kai was thinking.
Yang Kai returned to the cave, sat down in front of Bi Xi again, took a deep breath, and asked respectfully, “Senior, may I know how old you are?”
Bi Xi replied, “I don’t remember! After living for so long, such things tend not to matter anymore.”
“Senior, your…” Yang Kai pointed at Bi Xi, struggling to form a description.
Fortunately, Bi Xi knew what he wanted to express, and smiled lightly, “I am this Old Master’s Embodiment.”
Yang Kai’s expression became solemn as he became more and more aware of the strength of the man before him. The spear of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven did not even create a scratch on Bi Xi’s Embodiment. Bi Xi was also safe and sound, he just needed to shrink into his turtle shell. If a mere Embodiment already had such a strong defensive ability, what more need be said about his true form?
And Bi Xi’s true form was Void Land itself!
In other words, Bi Xi was not hidden in Void Land, but instead, Void Land was built atop Bi Xi’s body. Under the massive Void Land lay Bi Xi’s true form, but because the body was too large, it was far more convenient for Bi Xi to use his Embodiment to communicate.
This explained why Bi Xi was complaining that Zhu Jiu Yin was jumping on his back, since the whole of Void Land was built on his body.
He was a true, genuine behemoth! Yang Kai wondered how many years he had to live to reach such an enormous size.
However, Yang Kai was a little embarrassed and excited at the same time at the thought that the Void Land he established was actually built on such a Divine Spirit. It was embarrassing because Bi Xi was a living, breathing creature, a sentient one at that, so it was not exactly polite to build a Sect on his back, literally. However, based on Bi Xi’s reaction, he did not seem to care that much. If it was not for the intense battle previously, he might still have been asleep.
The exciting part was that Bi Xi was formidable, so as long as he was safe, Void Land would never suffer from disaster.
Though, it was still better to be more cautious. In the case Bi Xi no longer wanted to have a whole Sect living on him, Void Land would have to find a place to relocate.
After a bit of probing though, Yang Kai realized that Bi Xi obviously did not care about such things, allowing the former to breathe a sigh of relief.
Putting his mind at ease, Yang Kai spoke again, “As Dragonborn and having lived such a long life, this Junior has something to ask Senior!”
Bi Xi responded, “Let’s hear it.”
“Does Senior know where Dragon Altar is?”
Yang Kai had always wanted to find the Dragon Clan. Not to mention that he was considered to be carrying a pure Dragon Clan bloodline, Void Land had more than a dozen Dragon Clan members from Dragon Island. If he could locate Dragon Altar, he could return to his ancestral roots; and if he managed to form a relationship with the Dragon Clan, no one would dare to provoke Void Land anymore.
It was a pity that he had only heard of Dragon Altar, but did not know where it was located.
“Dragon Altar…” Bi Xi murmured and sighed slightly, “No one can trace Dragon Altar’s location except for the true members of the Dragon Clan. Although this Old Master is also Dragonborn and has lived an extremely long life, if you asked me where Dragon Altar is, this Old Master really cannot answer.”
“Even Senior doesn’t know!?” Yang Kai was stunned.
Bi Xi answered, “The place where the Dragon Clan is established is also the foundation of the Dragon Clan. It is reasonable for no others to be able to pry into it! The Dragon Clan is strong, but equally proud, so they have offended many over the years. If Dragon Altar were to be exposed, it may attract unnecessary trouble, so only true members of the Dragon Clan will know where Dragon Altar is.”
After a slight pause, Bi Xi looked at Yang Kai curiously, “Speaking of which, this Old Master has something to ask you.”
“Senior, please speak!” Yang Kai sat upright.
Bi Xi began, “The Dragon Clan bloodline in your body is extremely pure and rich, far more so than even this Old Master’s Dragon Vein. Logically speaking, you should be a member of the Dragon Clan, but why does this Old Master have a feeling that you’re not?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Senior is right, this Junior only obtained his Dragon Clan bloodline because he had fortunately refined a Dragon Source in his early years. I’m not of Dragon Clan origin.”
Bi Xi was enlightened, “So that’s the case. That Dragon Source must be very strong.”
Yang Kai was not sure of that, but judging from the reactions of those from Dragon Island, it was indeed not bad. But this was the Outer Universe after all, it could be a different case here.
“If you want to find where Dragon Altar is, this Old Master can’t help you. You can only rely on yourself.”
“Please enlighten me, Senior,” Yang Kai implored politely.
With a chuckle, Bi Xi explained, “With such a pure Dragon Vein, even as a Human, your bloodline can be continuously improved. Cultivate diligently while stimulating the power of your Dragon Source to further refine your bloodline. Keep doing so, and sooner or later, you will become a true Dragon Clan member. By then, you will naturally be able to sense where Dragon Altar is.”
Although Bi Xi was strong, his Dragon Clan bloodline was not of pure origin, and at his age, he could no longer improve it, so even if he was a rare Master in the 3,000 Worlds, it was absolutely impossible for him to locate the Dragon Altar.
Having said that, Bi Xi rubbed his hands together a little apologetically with an awkward smile on his face, “Someday, this Old Master would like to ask you, Little Friend, to take me to Dragon Altar as well.”
Yang Kai looked at him curiously.
Bi Xi explained, “This Old Master is also Dragonborn after all, and Dragon Altar is a supreme existence in the hearts of all Dragonborn. This Old Master’s greatest wish in life is to take a look at the origin of his own bloodline. If this wish can be fulfilled, I will die without regret.”
Yang Kai was stunned, but nodded and promised, “Don’t worry Senior, although I don’t know when it will happen, that day will come.”
Bi Xi lit up at his answer.
The old man, Bi Xi, was very talkative. Yang Kai was grateful for his previous help, and in addition to both having Dragon Veins, they naturally had a sense of familiarity.
However, although this old man was so powerful, he was extremely timid. He reminded Yang Kai countless times to avoid provoking the Cave Heavens and Paradises. All of Cave Heavens and Paradises were ancient monsters that must not be trifled with.
Yang Kai naturally nodded and agreed, but felt helpless on the inside. After all, since when did he want to provoke them? It was all because they were anxious that he wanted to achieve the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. That was why he became a target of the Hundred Sect Alliance.
But at this point, there was no room for turning back. Presumably, no one would be harassing Void Land again in the short term after the Hundred Sect Alliance was wiped out, unless the Cave Heavens and Paradises led the attack in person.
However, none of the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be willing to forego their dignity for this.
Therefore, as long as Yang Kai remained sheltered in Void Land, he should be fine. Now that there were two Divine Spirits in Void Land, one of which was Bi Xi, who had lived for countless years. If the enemy did not send an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, there was no way they could do anything to him!
After chatting with Bi Xi for a whole day and obtaining some guidance on how to improve his Dragon Clan bloodline, Yang Kai began to feel like he had spent too much time here and finally excused himself.
He had not recovered from his injuries completely, but because he wanted to get a feel for Bi Xi’s attitude and background, he decided to prioritize this meeting. Now, Yang Kai naturally had to go back to continue his recovery.
Before leaving, Bi Xi stopped him, “Little Friend, this Old Master has a presumptuous request!”
Yang Kai replied, “Senior, please speak!”
Bi Xi answered, “This Old Master won’t be falling asleep again for a short while after waking up this time. Time does bring great changes to life after all. The people who used to serve me have all passed away now, so this Old Master wants to request for those two little ones to keep me company.”
Yang Kai smiled when he heard the words, “Are Xiao Hei and Xiao Hong good choices to serve by Senior’s side?”
Bi Xi chuckled, “En, very good. Many thanks Little Friend.”
Yang Kai responded, “It is their blessing to be able to stay by Senior’s side since the two of them were only able to pass their Human Form Tribulations after Senior’s enlightenment.”
After a pause, Yang Kai added, “If Senior is bored, feel free to go down the mountain more, we have many members of the Dragon Clan in Void Land.”
It was indeed Xiao Hong’s and Xiao Hei’s blessing that they could follow Bi Xi. Bi Xi had lived for many years and had knowledge to match. Any wisdom that he could pass to them would benefit them for life.
Yang Kai also wanted to get closer to Bi Xi, so he took this opportunity to do him a favour.
After returning to his own room, Yang Kai continued to heal while in retreat.
Ten days later, in the Main Conference Hall of Earth Spirit Land, Yang Kai sat at the head seat, with the Left and Right Protectors, Yue He and Mo Mei, to his left and right. Further below were the members of the Elder Council.
Yue He and Mo Mei were Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, while among the members of the Elder Council, other than Chen Tian Fei being a Fourth-Order, the rest were all Fifth-Order. Void Land had now become a place full of upcoming talents, and not many places in the entire 3,000 Worlds could compare with them.
Furthermore, Void Land was founded just a few years ago. Compared to it, how many generations had those top-tier Second Class great forces inherited to become where they were today? Of course, Void Land had the upper hand mostly thanks to the recruitment of the Abundance City cultivators, but this was also due to Yang Kai’s capabilities.
It was the first time that the leaders of Void Land had gathered for such a meeting to discuss its future direction.
However, before that, they talked to each other about all the gains and losses of the previous battle. Although it was a landslide victory for Void Land, it did not mean that they did not make any mistakes. Any great force that rose would have to go through all kinds of hardships. Such a battle was the nutrient and catalyst for the growth of Void Land, and it only did good to Void Land but no harm.
The scene of everyone’s bustling discussion was rather lively.
When the crowd calmed down a little, Yang Kai started, “Although our Void Land has won a complete victory in this battle, we shouldn’t take things lightly. Don’t ever think that the great forces of 3,000 Worlds are easy to bully. This time, we had the upper hand because the enemy had extremely limited or outright inaccurate information about us and the power of our Grand Array, which is why we could have such outstanding results. If Kong Feng had known the heritage of our Void Land in advance, it would have been a far, far more difficult battle. Everyone should strive to cultivate and strengthen yourselves going forward.”
Everyone naturally agreed with him; after all, they were already aware of this without Yang Kai needing to say it. Although there were a lot of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, 99% of them had only just broken through. They were insufficient in terms of heritage and their foundations weren’t even stable yet. When fighting alone with the cultivators in the same Realm, they would obviously be put at a disadvantage. Regarding this, Yue He and Mo Mei clearly experienced it.
Especially Mo Mei. When she was fighting against Luan Bai Feng, she was being suppressed almost the whole time and could only keep defending herself.
However, they would need a lot of resources if everyone started cultivating, especially Open Heaven Pills and cultivation materials of all Orders would be in high demand.
If they did not recently experience such a battle, the finances in Void Land would be tight again.
Fortunately, they had killed almost 10,000 enemies in the recent battle, and gained many spoils of war, which was sufficient to meet the needs of Void Land for a short time.
Second Manager Bian Yu Qing immediately stood up and briefly reported the amount seized. After listening for a while, Yang Kai nodded lightly and ordered, “Second Manager, please take care of the matter of cultivation resources, we must make sure we meet the needs of all cultivators in the Sect.”
Bian Yu Qing replied respectfully, “Yes!”
A contribution points system had been implemented in Void Land now. All the cultivators who participated in the previous battle had earned a large number of contribution points and could exchange them for the resources they needed. As for how to keep supply and demand in balance, Yang Kai did not need to worry about it, for Bian Yu Qing and the Elder Council would come up with a solution.
Yang Kai looked around as his fingers gently clasped the armrest of his chair as he added, “But we can’t just sit idly and consume our resources. Any great force that wishes to prosper needs a variety of income sources, which our Void Land currently lacks. Although we earned a great deal this time, sooner or later, there will come a day when those spoils will be depleted. If we want to grow and flourish in the future, we need to start earning as well.”
Yun Xing Hua immediately cupped his fist, “Sir, please allow this subordinate to return to the Star City. I will definitely take care of it well for Sir!”
Yang Kai responded, “Naturally, we can’t lose the Star City as it is our greatest source of income and will likely continue to be so in the future. However, with the current scale of the Star City, I’m afraid it won’t be sufficient to supply Void Land in the long run.”
In the past, the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land was small, so the income of the Star City could still balance the budget, and even run a small surplus. But the situation was different now. With the addition of more than 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters all at once, the daily consumption of Open Heaven Pills alone became a massive number, so the revenue of the Star City was falling far short.
Yang Kai looked around and asked, “Does anyone have any good ideas?”
The group from Abundance City looked around at each other but did not know what to do. After all, they just entered the Outer Universe, and knew nothing about the outside world. Since now the topic was about the continuous development of Void Land, what good suggestions could they give?
Yun Xing Hua pondered a little and then cupped his fist, “Sir, perhaps we could find a way to procure more resources in Void Territory.”
Yang Kai turned to look at him, “Tell me more.”
Yun Xing Hua explained, “In any Great Territory, there are many great forces and Universe Worlds. The periphery of these great forces and the various Universe Worlds should have been developed long ago. If there were resources anywhere, they would have been pocketed by others by now. However, this does not mean that there is no value in searching the rest of the Great Territory. Perhaps there are some unknown places that contain undiscovered resources, especially the existence of Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. A Universe Paradise was found 3,000 years ago in our Shocking Swan Territory, inside Shocking Swan Pavilion’s domain. It was precisely because of the development of that Universe Paradise that Shocking Swan Pavilion became the overlord of Shocking Swan Territory!”
Yang Kai raised his brow, “A Universe Paradise?”
Universe Paradises and Universe Cave Heavens were the Small Universes left behind after the death of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Small Universes of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were essentially no different from true Universe Worlds; therefore, after such a Master’s death, there was a chance that the Small Universes in their body would not collapse but instead maintain its structure and merge with the Void.
The remnant of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s death would be a Universe Paradise, while the remnant of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s death would be a Universe Cave Heaven!
Blood Monster Cave Heaven was a Universe Cave Heaven!
Yun Xing Hua continued, “Since Ancient Times, how many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters have been born in the 3,000 Worlds? After the death of those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, the Small Universes in their bodies will sometimes be left behind. Although most High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters will return to their native territories before death, there are always exceptions. It could be said that almost every Great Territory of the 3,000 Worlds has Universe Paradises and Universe Cave Heavens. However, the entrances of these places are always closed and ordinary people can’t enter them at all. So, it’s natural to not be able to find them.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly.
Yun Xing Hua added, “Therefore, as long as we can find such an entrance, we can inherit all the legacies of that fallen High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master!” All High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had extremely abundant heritages. One could infer by the example of the situation in Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
To the side, Chen Tian Fei frowned, “I’m afraid it will not be that easy.”
Yun Xing Hua cupped his fist as he replied, “If we don’t even try, we will never know. There may be some opportunities! This subordinate should bear the burden of this search for Sir, but regarding this matter, it would be better to have someone with higher cultivation handle it…”
Pang Duo immediately got up and offered himself, “I’ll go!”
Yun Xing Hua quickly proclaimed, “Elder Pang is a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it would be appropriate for him to carry out this task. Moreover, even if we can’t find a Universe Cave Heaven or Universe Paradise, it would still be worth it if we found some undiscovered Universe World or Spirit Province.”
Yang Kai pondered for a while and announced, “Let’s discuss this again next time.”
Although the legacies of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were truly attractive and it would be of great help to Void Land if such a legacy could be found, there was no trace of such things appearing in Void Territory for so many years. If they looked for it now, they might not be able to find anything. The Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land needed time to consolidate their cultivations, so there was no time to waste for the time being.
It would not ne too late to look for such buried treasure when Void Land had completely stabilized in the future.
Yue He proposed, “It seems that we can only expand the scale of the Star City for now. If the scale of the Star City expands, we could increase our income.”
Yang Kai smiled lightly, “I think so too.”
But Yue He was still a little worried, “But Young Master, given that Void Land has just encountered a great battle, and with the rumours surrounding the Star City from before, the fame and reputation that was gained has almost all been used up. Although we don’t know what the situation in the Star City is now, it certainly will not be good.”
Before, Void Land attracted a large number of great forces by marketing complete sets of Fifth-Order materials, which brought the Star City its short-lived prosperity. However, with the invasion of the Hundred Sect Alliance, and with Yun Xing Hua and the others, who were guarding the Star City, captured alive, it must be in a mess now.
The news of this battle would definitely spread too. Of course, it would make Void Land famous, but it would not sweep away the many negative effects either. If someone was afraid of Heavenly Sword Union or the other Sects in the Hundred Sect Alliance, they may not have the courage to trade in Void Star City again.
Furthermore, there were some Cave Heavens and Paradises backing Heavenly Sword Union. No one dared to offend the Cave Heavens and Paradises by visiting Void Star City. If no one came, the Star City would naturally be deserted; therefore, being able to maintain the Star City was already good enough, while expanding it seemed hopeless.
Yang Kai smiled faintly, “Since fame can be depleted, it can naturally be regained too. As long as Void Land offers up something attractive enough, why would we worry about customers not coming?”
Yue He looked at Yang Kai thoughtfully, “What Young Master means is…”
Yang Kai answered, “If we sell Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, I believe the Star City will soon become famous!”
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill could greatly improve the chance of a cultivator successfully breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm. Such a good thing would be coveted by everyone, leading to a huge demand for it. Even the Cave Heavens and Paradises would want these pills too. It could be imagined that once this news was spread, perhaps the entire 3,000 Worlds would go crazy about it. By then, countless people would flock to Void Star City.
“But Young Master, if we do this, all of Void Land’s Open Heaven Realm Masters would be needed to guard the Star City,” Yue He frowned.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was an enviable treasure. Without enough power to keep watch over the Star City, it would be difficult to guarantee that it would not lead to riots. Thus, even if all the Void Land Open Heaven Realm Masters were dispatched, they may not be able to prevent such riots from occurring either. This was tantamount to playing with fire.
But if all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land were dispatched at the same time, what would happen to the Headquarters? It took a huge amount of resources to construct the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, so how could they just give it up? Not to mention the more than ten 600,000 disciples Yang Kai brought over from the Star Boundary to Void Land. It was impossible for him to abandon them.
In short, with Void Land’s current situation, they had to choose between the Headquarters or the Star City to care for. It was obvious to everyone, and worry filled their faces as soon as they heard Yang Kai’s words.
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “I have a plan, don’t worry.”
If it was before, Yang Kai may not have come up with this idea. Void Land was his roots, the foundation of his foothold in the 3,000 Worlds. Hundreds of thousands of disciples lived here, so he would be reluctant to give it up no matter what. He would rather allow the Star City to slowly deteriorate. Doing so would likely lead to Void Star City existing in name only within a few years.
But after learning about Bi Xi, a very bold idea crept into Yang Kai’s mind!
Of course, if this idea was to be realized, Old Man Bi Xi would need to cooperate with them. Yang Kai felt that this wouldn’t be much of an issue though.
Developing the Star City, expanding its scale, and re-establishing its popularity was a necessity to ensure Void Land’s continued growth.
For one, without the stable income provided by the Star City, the cultivation resources in Void Land would become a problem sooner rather than later. For another, the High-Rank Yin Element material that Yang Kai needed might be found in this Star City if it expanded enough.
The ambush by the Hundred Sect Alliance made Yang Kai realize that there were some Cave Heavens and Paradises that were already getting anxious to bring him down, and were prepared to suffocate him, a potential future threat, while he was still in the cradle.
In this case, it was impossible for him to search for the cultivation resources he needed outside; otherwise, he would be creating chances for others to kill him!
The Proprietress told him before that she would help him look for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, but even as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the Proprietress would need to be extremely lucky to obtain such a rare and valuable resource.
It was not that Yang Kai did not trust the Proprietress, but the current situation gave him a new sense of urgency. He needed to improve his strength, and fast. If he could get what he needed himself, he would not need to trouble the Proprietress.
Yang Kai still did not know that the Proprietress had already stormed into a Forbidden Zone with the three shop hands from First Inn, just to look for a High-Rank Yin Element material for him inside. With the presence of the Proprietress, there was a high chance of success.
It was precisely because of this news that Kong Feng had rushed the ambush with the Hundred Sect Alliance; otherwise, it would be too late once the Proprietress returned and Yang Kai managed to condense a High-Order Yin Element Power.
In the current situation, if Yang Kai could not search for resources outside, he could only wait for others to deliver what he needed to his door. But if he had nothing to offer them, how was he going to attract others to trade here?
Therefore, the reputation of Void Star City needed to be raised, and all he could use now was the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill.
Yang Kai was aware of the various risks that selling the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill could bring, but he had no choice. Compared to the risks involved, the possible gains were far greater.
High-Rank materials were hard to find, but Yang Kai was sure that the major Cave Heavens and Paradises would have some! So, to get his hands on a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, he would need to start with the Cave Heavens and Paradises!
There were 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises. While he was an eyesore to some and they wanted to clip his wings before he could fly, some just stood by and watched idly, while a few even wanted to win him over. There were differing opinions about him; however, regardless of which Cave Heaven or Paradise it was, none of them would be willing to watch him achieve the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly. As proof, Qu Hua Shang from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven proposed he marry into their Sect, but even that came with the prerequisite that he only break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
It could be said that Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had given him the warmest attitude, but could Yang Kai accept such a condition? His foundation was so solid that if he did not achieve the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly, he would regret it for the rest of his life. So, even though he had a close personal relationship with Qu Hua Shang, Yang Kai did not hesitate to reject Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s proposal.
He was well aware that all troubles would be gone as long as he joined Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but the stability that came at the cost of his own future might not last forever, for he feared that his regrets would overwhelm him in the future and hinder his Martial Dao.
No Cave Heaven or Paradise would allow him to break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but that was only while Yang Kai was not qualified to speak and trade with them on even terms. However, with the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills in his possession, Yang Kai was sure they would be moved.
As long as they were tempted, there would be a possibility for an exchange!
Aside from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, there just might be a cultivator out in the vast 3,000 Worlds who possessed a High-Rank Yin Element material. However, due to its exceedingly high value, even if someone did obtain such a treasure, they may not have the courage to take it out. There would probably be some who possessed such treasures but kept them hidden. People like this probably would not be very strong, but they may have descendants or Disciples who could possibly advance to the Open Heaven Realm.
Regardless of the circumstances, the High-Rank Yin Element treasure that Yang Kai needed had to fall into the Star City, and using the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was the best bait!
With all these considerations, the expansion of the Star City became inevitable.
Regarding the matter of Void Land and Void Star City, Yang Kai had made a decision. Since he said that he would take care of everything, even if others were still feeling doubtful, they dared not say anything more.
Immediately afterwards, Yang Kai ordered a number of Open Heaven Realm cultivators to head to the subordinate Sects under Void Land in order to ask them to contribute some territory to expand the Star City!
Void Land was not the only great force in Void Territory; there were also 7 Third Class great forces such as Golden Light Dock and Soaring Crane Sect, but even the strongest among these Third Class great forces were still just Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. They used to serve Seven Wonders Land, so after Seven Wonders Land was replaced by Void Land, they naturally followed the lead of Void Land.
In the 3,000 Worlds, the structure of these great forces had always been a hierarchical one.
Each of these Third Class great forces watched over a few Universe Worlds. Now that Yang Kai had requested to expand the scale of the Star City, they agreed, as it was not a big deal, nor did they dare to refuse to contribute some Spirit Peaks from their Universe Worlds to the process.
After the discussion was over, the crowd dispersed, and Yang Kai made another trip to Dragon Sons’ Peak.
Now that Bi Xi lived on that Spirit Peak, there had to be a name for it, and Yang Kai took it upon himself to name it ‘Dragon Sons’ Peak’.
They met and talked, and Yang Kai left after less than a stick of incense. Yang Kai came for a favour this time, and since it was just a small effort for Old Man Bi Xi, he did not refuse.
After a few days, everything was prepared.
Yang Kai stood in the air above Void Land, while a group of Open Heaven Realm Masters looked up from below. Waiting silently below were not just the many Open Heaven Realm Masters, but also many other cultivators who had received the news.
Everyone in Void Land, regardless of who, had received the same instructions, “Do not enter seclusion that cannot be interrupted, because there would be a lot of movement in Void Land today. If one was disturbed at a critical moment, they may be injured.”
Yang Kai personally sent someone to pass down this order, and everyone naturally attached great importance to it.
The several Great Emperors gathered together, and Zhan Wu Hen looked at the sky in confusion, muttering, “What is that brat doing?”
Mo Huang urged, “Why not just go and ask if you want to know?”
Zhan Wu Hen turned to look at him, “Why don’t you ask?”
Mo Huang shrugged, “I’ll know in a moment anyway, why bother asking?”
After speaking, Mo Huang and Zhan Wu Hen looked at each other for a moment before they turned away from each other.
How noble were the two Great Emperors back in the Star Boundary? When faced with this situation, they would definitely rush forward without hesitation to demand ‘Brat, what are you doing?’ And that brat would probably not dare to hide anything.
But now they did not think of asking at all. It was not that they had no courage, rather it was because Yang Kai was now dealing with all kinds of Open Heaven Realm Masters, and they were not capable enough to interfere.
They were not able to help in the battle against foreign enemies just recently, which really made them, the Great Emperors, very uneasy.
Mo Huang took a breath and declared, “We have to advance to the Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible!”
All the Great Emperors nodded like chickens pecking rice.
Elsewhere, Yue He and Mo Mei came together, “Big Sister Yue He, what is Sect Master doing?” Mo Mei asked curiously.
Yue He shook her head slowly, “I don’t know. Young Master just said that there may be a large movement today, but that everyone doesn’t need to panic.”
Mo Mei was surprised, “You don’t know either?”
In Void Land, the closest person to Yang Kai outside his wives was definitely Yue He, so Mo Mei naturally thought Yue He would know something about this, but even she had no clue.
Yue He smiled slightly, “Since Young Master has given such an order, he must have his own plans. We just need to wait and watch.”
Mo Mei nodded and agreed, still puzzled. The meeting before was regarding the Star City’s expansion and raising its popularity. In fact, Yang Kai had also immediately sent representatives to their subordinate forces to get them to contribute land to expand the size of the Star City.
The various signs showed that Yang Kai would be focusing on Void Star City, and manpower was needed to develop the Star City, so why were they all assembled here in the Headquarters, just waiting?
As they were all wondering, they heard Yang Kai’s booming voice from above, “It’s time, Senior!”
From the depths of Void Land came the voice of the turtle-shelled old man from that day, “It’s just a minor matter, everyone stand firm!”
When the words fell, rumbling sounds suddenly came from all over Void Land, and the ground shook violently. Countless cultivators lost their balance and many almost fell to the ground, forcing them to fly up into the sky.
In an instant, the sky above Void Land was densely filled with human figures.
A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Void Land, as if a sleeping Dragon was awakening. The aura was so powerful that it even terrified Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like Yue He and Mo Mei.
Fortunately, the aura was retracted a moment later; otherwise, the hundreds of thousands of weak disciples in Void Land would not have been able to survive.
With such a big movement, Void Land seemed like it was about to collapse, and everyone was naturally terrified.
Mo Mei turned her head to look around, trying to figure out what was happening, but her eyes soon bulged as she pointed in a certain direction and exclaimed, “Big Sister Yue He, look over there!”
Yue He’s gaze followed Mo Mei’s finger, her hand flying to her red lips when she saw what her fellow Protector was pointing at. In that direction, where the ground was shaking, a huge head had suddenly appeared.
A gargantuan behemoth that appeared like the head of a turtle had emerged at the location of Yang Spirit Land, with the entire Yang Spirit Land planted on this head.
Yue He suddenly seemed to realize something and she quickly soared into the air. When she turned around to look, thick and outrageously massive feet emerged beneath Metal, Wood, Water, and Fire Spirit Land. When she looked down further beneath Yin Spirit Land, there was even a tail…
A picture was drawn in her mind involuntarily. The entire Void Land seemed to be carried on the back of a giant turtle!
Yue He was stunned!
She had lived here for years now, but she never once thought that such a huge secret was ever hidden under Void Land. In conjunction with the appearance of the turtle-shelled old man a few days ago, she vaguely had an idea of the situation.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters were both horrified and shocked at the sight of Old Man Bi Xi’s true form, but more than anything, they were excited.
“Aoo…” Bi Xi raised his head and let out a long, Earth-shaking howl that shook the world, then slowly turned his body, and moved his limbs in the direction that Yang Kai pointed, carrying the entire Void Land in the direction of the Star City.
While his movements were not fast, his speed was anything but slow. Everyone in Void Land felt a rapid acceleration and soon saw the outside world moving backwards as quickly as lightning.
Realization dawned, and Mo Mei exclaimed, “So this is Sect Master’s plan.”
With the current strength of Void Land and the enemies it had made, they could only choose between their Headquarters and the Star City, abandoning the other. However, if the entire Void Land was migrated next to the Star City, the problem would be solved. For others, relocating a Headquarters was a near-impossible task, but it was not a problem for Void Land.
Looking at the entire 3,000 Worlds, Void Land was probably the only Sect which could so easily do something like this. It was impossible for any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises to emulate.
With the help of this giant Divine Spirit, Yang Kai did not need to worry about the rest. All he needed to do was to give Bi Xi a direction, and the latter would carry Void Land towards the Star City.
The journey took only seven days.
During that time, Pang Duo received orders from Yang Kai to bring some subordinates to check out the situation in the Star City ahead of them.
After Yun Xing Hua and the others were captured by Heavenly Sword Union while on duty in the Star City, no one knew what the situation had become. Since they planned to re-model and re-invigorate the Star City, much more focus would be placed on operating it as well.
On Dragon Sons’ Peak, Yang Kai and Old Man Bi Xi sat opposite each other, a chessboard planted between them, while Xiao Hong and Xiao Hei served tea. Bi Xi was a superb chess player, and Yang Kai was clearly not worthy to be his opponent. His soldiers were annihilated after two to three rounds, sending them flying pell-mell, while Yang Kai scratched his head and ears in embarrassment.
Bi Xi was quickly bored, “Boy, your skills are quite lacking. It’s quite boring to play with you.”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes at him, fighting the urge to simply flip the board. After getting along for a few days, the both of them became better acquainted. Yang Kai found that although this old man had extraordinary strength and knowledge, he was not the slightest bit pretentious. He was friendly and amiable, so Yang Kai naturally did not need to act overly polite.
While cracking his neck to try to break the game plan, Yue He suddenly stepped in, “Young Master, we are approaching the Star City.”
“Oh? We’re here already? That was fast!” Yang Kai hurriedly got up, ‘accidentally’ scattering the remaining chess pieces in his hand onto the board, completely messing up the arrangement. Patting his butt, he loudly declared, “Let’s go and have a look!”
Old Man Bi Xi naturally grabbed him, “Where are you going? Finish this game first!”
Yang Kai looked down at the chessboard, and snickered, “This board is a mess now, how can we continue to play? I’ll accompany Senior again when I have time.”
Bi Xi was relentless, “Smelly brat! Cheating and running away is not a good thing!”
Yang Kai retorted, “Important matters come first, and there will be plenty of chances to play again in the long run. Why are you in such a hurry?”
Bi Xi shook his head, “I don’t care, you are not allowed to leave until the game is over.”
Yang Kai had been humiliated by him on numerous occasions over the past few days. This old man had a bad habit of taunting Yang Kai verbally while crushing him at chess, and was thoroughly enjoying it. Perhaps he was just too bored after having been asleep for way too long.
Yang Kai simply had enough! Now that he had an excuse to leave, why would he remain?
But the old man continued holding on to him. Speechless, Yang Kai rolled his eyes before pointing at Yue He, “Old man, if you want to play chess, just ask her! Yue He’s chess skills are far superior to mine. She will teach you how high the Heavens are and how thick the Earth is!”
“Me?” Yue He blinked and pointed at her nose.
Yang Kai shook off Bi Xi’s hand in a moment of distraction, yanked Yue He over and pushed her down on his seat, encouraging earnestly, “This old guy likes to play chess, you accompany him!”
“But Young Master, I…”
“It’s been decided!” Yang Kai did not dare to stay any longer and immediately fled after he finished speaking.
Yue He and Bi Xi stared at each other.
After a long time, Yue He forced a smile, “Please show mercy, Senior.”
…
The Star City was right in front of them. Standing above Void Land, one could already make out the outline of the Spirit Province it was located on. Speaking of which, Yang Kai had never been to Void Star City, and he did not even know the scale of his own Star City until now. From the looks of it right now, this Star City did not seem to be impressive. Compared with an ordinary medium-sized Star City, it was even slightly inferior, not to mention comparing it to Thousand Birds Star City.
However, Yang Kai believed that as soon as the news of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill got out, Void Star City would be crowded!
A group of people approached, and Yang Kai reached out to open the Grand Array, allowing them to fly straight into Void Land. It was Pang Duo and the others.
“Sect Master!” Pang Duo cupped his fists.
Yang Kai nodded and asked, “How’s the situation over there?”
Pang Duo replied, “When this subordinate and the others arrived, the Star City was practically empty, with only a few people left.”
Yang Kai nodded. It was just as he expected.
Void Land was invaded by the Hundred Sect Alliance, and everyone would have agreed that Void Land was done for. Since this Void Star City was the Star City under Void Land’s jurisdiction, who would dare to stay here? If the Hundred Sect Alliance came to cause trouble after their victory, anyone left here would surely suffer a tragic fate. The merchants who originally entered the Star City had withdrawn one after another, so there would not be too many people left.
However, no one would have thought that the Hundred Sect Alliance would be completely crushed by Void Land, with almost their entire force being wiped out. Even the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was beheaded by Yang Kai’s sword and died.
The current mess in Void Star City was due to the lack of hope for Void Land and the lack of order maintained.
After Pang Duo and the others arrived, they immediately set about rectifying the situation. Although it had only been a few days, the order had been restored to the Star City, but nothing could be done about the ghostly stillness due to the extreme lack of population. If this situation continued, it would not be long before all the merchants in the Star City left, and Void Star City would only exist in name.
But now that Yang Kai had relocated Void Land, and with the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill as his ace, it was only a matter of time before the popularity of the Star City was revived.
Pang Duo added, “Golden Light Dock, Soaring Crane Sect, and the other Third Class forces all heeded the orders and brought some spirit land to expand the scale of the Star City. I believe it won’t take long to complete.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Offer them our sincere thanks. Second Manager!”
Bian Yu Qing stepped forward and reported, “Sir.”
“Go back and give them some compensation, Void Land does not take advantage of others.”
Although these Third Class Sects swore loyalty to Void Land, and dared not complain even if they were not compensated, the spirit lands they contributed were all taken out from their respective Headquarters or subordinate Universe Worlds, which would naturally cause some damage to their respective heritages. It was understandable to compensate them with something.
Bian Yu Qing received the order and quickly moved to carry it out.
While they were speaking, the Star City had come into full view.
It was impossible for the cultivators in the Star City to miss the massive Void Land charging at them through the void. Expressions of shock and confusion were etched on their faces. Some timid ones had even fled, for fear that Void Land would crash into the Star City. They did not want to fall victim to such a tragedy. The remaining cultivators continued to watch, but they looked as though they were ready to run at any time.
Fortunately, Void Land was clearly decelerating, and it came to a stop just a hundred kilometres away from the Star City. This situation relieved the anxious cultivators in the Star City who were about to escape.
But the situation in front of them really puzzled them. What was going on?
However, they were astonished again when they saw the giant turtle below Void Land.
Since Bi Xi’s true form had been revealed, he did not bother to conceal himself anymore. It would be known sooner or later, so it was meaningless to hide. However, it was still a true rarity to witness such a giant turtle shuttling through the void with a great Spirit Province carried on its back.
Just as the cultivators in the Star City were whispering amongst themselves, a group of people suddenly flew out from Void Land and headed straight to them in a vigorous and imposing manner. The leader was naturally Yang Kai, followed by many Open Heaven Realm Masters beside him.
Yang Kai and the others soon stopped in the sky over the Star City before the eyes of everyone. With a quick scan, Yang Kai took in the situation below. The condition of the Star City was neither bad nor good, which was expected. However, regardless of its condition, it would develop slowly in the future.
In the crowd, an elderly man bravely stepped out, cupped his fists and greeted, “So it is Sir Yun. This old man greets Sir Yun!”
Yun Xing Hua, who was standing not far behind Yang Kai, looked down and recognized the man. He had been taking care of the Star City for a while now, and was naturally familiar with these merchants. He glanced at Yang Kai, then nodded when Yang Kai remained indifferent, “So it is Shopkeeper Tong!”
Shopkeeper Tong replied, “I heard that Sir Yun was captured by wicked evildoers recently. This old man had been feeling uneasy and wanted to help, but was helpless due to his old age and failing strength. Now that Sir Yun has returned safely, this old man can finally breathe easily. Sir Yun is indeed a good person blessed with luck.”
Shopkeeper Tong appeared to be quite old, but he was only a Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. At first glance, he looked like a person from a humble background. There were countless cultivators in the Outer Universe, and most weren’t as lucky as the disciples of Void Land who had a good cultivation environment and abundant cultivation resources.
With limited aptitude and resources, even if many cultivators could reach the Open Heaven Realm, it would only be the trivial Second Order, and they would remain in that Order until they passed away.
Even among the more than 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters from Abundance City, 89 of them were Second-Order, not to mention cultivators from other places.
For people like Shopkeeper Tong, an Open Heaven Realm Master with no background and low strength, it was extremely difficult to survive in the 3,000 Worlds.
He worked hard all his life, spending most of his savings just to finally manage to open a shop in Void Star City and start a small business. He did not need to worry about food and shelter for now, but the sudden calamity in Void Star City had chased away most of the cultivators who came to shop or work here. Shopkeeper Tong was unable to sleep due to anxiety these days.
What business could he do when the Star City was desolate? If he had no business, how could he survive in the future?
He wanted to leave, but where could he go? He didn’t have enough funds left to set up another store elsewhere, and he could not bear to let go of the one that he spent most of his life’s savings to purchase.
It could be said that most of the cultivators still left in the Star City were in the same situation as Shopkeeper Tong.
It was hard to say if his intentions to help Yun Xing Hua were real or not, but it was not false that he sincerely hoped that Yun Xing Hua would return. The law and order of the Star City was managed quite well when Yun Xing Hua was in charge, so at least no one came to cause trouble during that time.
After Yun Xing Hua was captured, Shopkeeper Tong’s business plummeted, and scoundrels were attracted to the unguarded Star City from time to time, causing him so much trouble that he had to keep his shop closed.
Therefore, his words seemed very sincere.
After speaking, Shopkeeper Tong cupped his fist again, “Sir Yun, the Star City is in chaos now. This Old Master pleas for Sir Yun to stand up and preside over the situation quickly!”
Behind Shopkeeper Tong, a group of shopkeepers cupped their fists one after another, “Please take charge of the situation, Sir Yun.”
Yun Xing Hua heard the words and replied, “Shopkeepers, please remain calm. Sir Yang, Sect Master of Void Land, has now arrived to rectify the situation in the Star City. This Yun is simply a subordinate of Sir Sect Master and has only been obeying orders.”
Although many shopkeepers had noticed Yang Kai heading this group, they did not know him, so they could only address Yun Xing Hua. Now listening to Yun Xing Hua’s introduction, they all cupped their fists to greet him in unison, “Greetings, Sect Master Yang!”
Yang Kai’s Emperor Realm aura was obvious, but despite that, none of the many Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters present underestimated him. To be able to lead such a large group of Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai’s identity and status no longer had anything to do with his cultivation. Moreover, when even Yun Xing Hua, a dignified Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, claimed to be a mere subordinate of this young man, how could they dare to regard him as an ordinary Emperor Realm Junior?
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “This King understands all of your concerns, but please rest assured. The reason Void Land has migrated here today is to revitalize this Star City.”
When everyone heard the words, they looked at each other and were overjoyed.
They initially did not understand why Void Land had to migrate its Headquarters, but now they heard that it was all to revive this Star City, so how could they not be happy? They could feel Void Land’s determination from this act alone.
After all, Void Land was a Second Class great force with many Open Heaven Realm Masters. If they focused on resurrecting the Star City, the situation should not be too bad in the future.
Another person asked worriedly, “Sect Master Yang, I heard that many great forces led by Heavenly Sword Union were causing trouble in Void Land. What is the situation now?”
If they were to make a living in Void Star City in the future, it was only reasonable that they paid close attention to the relationships Void Land had, so as not to be affected by their disputes.
Yun Xing Hua sneered, “That group of pitiful weaklings? What could have they done? The Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng, was beheaded by Sect Master Yang, and the Hundred Sect Alliance was wiped out!”
Exclaims and gasps resounded loudly as everyone was stunned.
Although the Star City did receive similar rumours that the Hundred Sect Alliance was eliminated, and even Kong Feng was killed, no one had confirmed them yet. The incident happened not long ago, so the news has not fully spread out; as such, no one knew the full details of what happened.
But since Yun Xing Hua had said so, it must not be wrong.
How powerful was Void Land that even the Hundred Sect Alliance was annihilated, while Kong Feng, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was executed?
If this was all true, Void Land was definitely a top-tier Second Class great force. Besides the Cave Heavens and Paradises, there probably was not a more powerful existence than Void Land in the 3,000 Worlds.
The strength of Void Land naturally gave these people a sense of security. Shopkeeper Tong and the others were instantly overjoyed, secretly feeling affirmed that their decision to not abandon their businesses was the right one.
Yang Kai’s voice echoed loudly, “The Star City now lies in ruins, and we, Void Land, have the intention to remodel it completely. We of course won’t disappoint. This King is gratified that you chose to stay and weather through this period of difficulty with Void Land. To thank you all, this King has decided that after three days, an auction will be held by Void Land, and all are invited to attend!”
Shopkeeper Tong was puzzled, “Auction? May I ask what Sect Master Yang is planning to auction?”
Yang Kai smiled slightly and replied lightly, “A Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill!”
“Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill?” Some were puzzled. Obviously, they had never heard of this Spirit Pill before, which was not odd seeing how it had essentially been extinct for thousands of years. Unless one was extremely knowledgeable in Spirit Pills, rarely would anyone have heard about it.
However, although the number of people present was not large, there were still some who knew about the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, so audible gasps were heard coming from around the crowd.
Yang Kai did not explain too much, and simply replied, “After three days, if you are free, please join in the fun. There might even be a pleasant surprise for some of you.”
After saying so, he left, leading the group of people to continue to survey the situation in the Star City.
After everyone from Void Land left, the cultivators left behind burst into excited whispers. Since some people knew about the amazing effects of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, the information naturally spread quickly, and for a time, all the cultivators wore faces of disbelief.
Most of these cultivators in the Star City were only in the Emperor Realm and did not have an excellent aptitude. If they wanted to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, they were bound to face huge risks. One careless mistake could cost them their life. However, with the help of a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, their chances for success would improve greatly.
Who would not be moved by such an opportunity? Not to mention the Emperor Realm cultivators, even Shopkeeper Tong and the other Open Heaven merchants were extremely excited. They may have already advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, but who among them did not have a Disciple or descendants?
However, at the thought of the preciousness and rarity of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, these people became a little disheartened. Without millions of Open Heaven Pills, it would only be a dream to get their hands on such a treasure.
In the crowd, Shopkeeper Tong fell silent for a long time before he suddenly smacked his cheeks with both hands and summoned a young man, “He’er, quickly liquidate everything in the store, even if we need to take a bit of a loss. It’s important that we convert everything we have into Open Heaven Pills as soon as possible.”
Tong He asked haltingly after hearing the order, “Grandpa, are you going to participate in the auction of the Spirit Pill? Don’t tell me you’ve gone senile! Didn’t you hear Shopkeeper Chen and the others? They said that this thing is extremely valuable and could cost tens of millions of Open Heaven Pills. How can we collect so many pills?”
“Idiot!” Shopkeeper Tong raised his hand and knuckled the boy’s head, “This Spirit Pill is indeed very valuable, but in an auction it still requires someone to raise its price. The only ones left in this Star City are desperate and destitute people. So, how rich can they be? If we want to bid for that Spirit Pill, we don’t need tens of millions, we just need to be richer than everyone else.”
Tong He’s eyes lit up, “What Grandpa says makes sense. You really are an old fox… gah…” Shopkeeper Tong knuckled his head again before he could finish, so he quickly rephrased, “As expected, old ginger is spicier. Grandpa, I’ll get going right now!”
After saying that, he turned around and ran towards their store, but turned back after just a few steps.
Shopkeeper Tong frowned, “Why are you back?”
“Grandpa, I suddenly realize that this doesn’t feel right. Since the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is so precious, how could Void Land let it fall into the hands of outsiders? Someone will definitely drive up the price at the auction. This grandson thinks that the Spirit Pill will eventually return to Void Land.”
Shopkeeper Tong looked at his grandson gratifyingly with a smile, “Your worries are not without reason.”
Tong He questioned, “Then are we still going to gather money? We might just end up going for wool and coming back shorn…”
Shopkeeper Tong smiled and replied, “If it were normal times, your Grandpa might not even dare to covet this Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, but things are different now. Now, the popularity of Void Star City is at an all-time low. Since Sect Master Yang wants to reinvigorate this place, he will need something big to begin attracting people back. Auctioning this Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is his way of gathering fame for Void Star City, so naturally, he has to take the circumstances into consideration. Think about it, if word of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill spreads out from this Star City, the 3,000 Worlds will definitely be shaken, and many will come over to investigate.”
“So what?” Tong He was puzzled.
Shopkeeper Tong continued, “If Sect Master Yang wants to revive the popularity of the Star City, his first act cannot be to rig an auction. This is his public debut, so he cannot show duplicity or underhanded behaviour; otherwise, who would dare come here in the future?”
Tong He contemplated for a while, and agreed that what his Grandpa said was reasonable, but he still felt insecure, “But Grandpa, we’re just running a small business. We can’t afford a single mishap.”
A shrewd light flashed across Shopkeeper Tong’s eyes, and he smiled slightly, “With such a great opportunity sitting in front of you, how can you hope to be successful if you don’t even dare to take a gamble on it? He’er, your aptitude is pretty good, and if you have enough resources, you should be able to refine Fourth-Order materials to achieve the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future. With Grandpa’s ability, there’s no way I can satisfy your cultivation needs. If we do this right though, not to mention Fourth-Order, even Fifth-Order materials won’t be out of your reach!”
The words ‘Fourth-Order’ and ‘Fifth-Order’ slightly accelerated Tong He’s breathing. Clenching his fists, he replied decisively, “Good, grandson will listen to Grandpa.” After saying so, he disappeared without a trace.
Shopkeeper Tong turned to look in the direction of Tong He’s departure, and turned again to look in the direction the numerous Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land were gazing. Stroking his grey beard, his eyes flashed wildly while he considered his current situation. Despite what he said to his grandson, he was actually a little worried, for fear that, as his grandson said, Void Land would arrange for someone to raise the price to eventually win the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill back into its own hands.
But as he said, this was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If they succeeded, then the grandfather-grandson pair would soar in the future, and they would no longer have to struggle at the bottom of the world. If one did not grasp the opportunities right in front of them, one could only remain poor.
A large number of Open Heaven Realm Masters followed behind Yang Kai as he surveyed the Star City, allowing his identity to quickly spread, drawing the attention of all remaining cultivators in the Star City. People gathered together and whispered from time to time, pointing in his direction. At this point, many youths cast their eyes at him, admiration rising in their hearts. This was what a real man should be like!
They were Emperor Realm cultivators too, but while they were toiling away for a few trivial Open Heaven Pills, Yang Kai was already sitting high above, commanding many Open Heaven Realm Masters. The difference was simply overwhelming…
“Sect Master, are you really going to auction that Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill just to boost momentum?” Lu Xue, who was next to Yang Kai, asked softly.
Yang Kai nodded, “Right now, we can only rely on the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, so naturally we will need to raise some popularity.”
He mentioned this plan before, so no one was surprised, but there were advantages as well as disadvantages to taking out the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. The advantages included a large and rapid boost to the popularity of the Star City, while the biggest disadvantage was provoking greed from other great forces.
However, whenever potential gains appeared, risks would as well. If Shopkeeper Tong had the courage to gamble his life’s savings, how could Yang Kai not have the same courage?
Moreover, Void Land had now even migrated its Headquarters, and with the protection of two mature Divine Spirits, it more or less had some ability to defend itself.
“But with just three days, there will be no time to publicize the event. I’m afraid that only the cultivators who are still in this Star City will participate in the auction when the time comes.” Lu Xue was worried, “We won’t be able to fetch a high price.”
To auction an extinct treasure such as the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, it was necessary to start an advertising campaign a long time in advance to give the major forces time to gather funds, so as to obtain the maximum profit. Even the pill auction back in Thousand Birds Star City was advertised a year or two in advance, and with the addition of the opening of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, many Masters gathered in Thousand Birds the Star City, to profit from that.
It was really hasty for Yang Kai to announce an auction just three days before it took place.
Yang Kai, however, just smiled, “The price doesn’t matter. A Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill may be quite precious to others, but to Void Land, it’s nothing rare.”
Yang Kai had given each of the more than 300 cultivators from Abundance City a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill to assist their advancement to the Open Heaven Realm, including those who would only break through to the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm. What did it matter if one was auctioned now?
It was not necessarily a bad thing to lose profit sometimes.
It could be imagined that after this auction was over, Void Land would no longer need to deliberately promote itself because the news of this auction would spread like wildfire throughout every Great Territory in the Outer Universe. By then, there was no need to worry about the popularity of Void Star City.
Lu Xue pondered about it for a while and it seemed to make sense so she did not say anything more.
The Star City was not too large, so the inspection was soon completed. The representatives of the seven Third Class great forces, including Golden Light Dock and Soaring Crane Sect, had also heard of Yang Kai’s arrival and quickly came to greet him. Yang Kai naturally showed them a welcoming attitude and appropriate respect, allowing them to let out a sigh of relief.
As Subordinate Sects of Void Land, and being located in the same Great Territory, they lived and died at Void Land’s whim. Logically speaking, when Void Land encountered a crisis, they should have mobilized to help, but they did nothing at the time.
This was also Human nature. The strongest cultivators in these seven great forces were just Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Given the situation at the time, trying to intervene would be akin to trying to break a stone with an egg. If they were unlucky, their entire Sect could be annihilated. The Hundred Sect Alliance was hundreds of times more powerful than them, so how could they possibly stick their necks out?
Yang Kai knew their difficulties and naturally would not hold them accountable.
Still, they were afraid that Void Land would settle accounts after the incident was resolved, so after receiving the order from Yang Kai, they all contributed large pieces of spirit land from their Headquarters and busied themselves with the expansion of the scale of the Star City.
Yang Kai surveyed the work and soon calculated that the Star City’s landmass had now expanded to more than five times its original size! Although it was still not as good as Thousand Birds Star City, it was not far off. With such a vast area, the scarce population in the Star City became even more apparent; however, this was not a big deal. As long as Yang Kai’s plans for the Star City came to fruition, it would not be long before every inch of Void Star City would become priceless!
Yang Kai had stayed in Thousand Birds Star City for a while, so he had a deep understanding that even in such a large Star City, the annual rent for a store located in a good location was extremely high.
So, the current vacancy of Void Star City was not to be underestimated, because every bit of land here would soon bring enormous benefits to Void Land.
This place would surely become a treasure trove that continued to churn out Open Heaven Pills for Void Land, providing long-term funding for its development.
“Elder Chen!” Yang Kai called out.
Fatty Chen immediately stepped forward and replied respectfully, “Subordinate is here, what are your orders, Sir?”
Yang Kai pointed ahead and gave his command, “Take some people with you to record all the shopkeepers who own stores in the Star City. Contact them, and tell them that Void Star City will undergo a complete reconstruction, so all the original buildings will be levelled. Reassure them that Void Land will compensate them with a new store in the same location as their previous one and they will not suffer any financial losses.”
“Yes!” Chen Tian Fatty responded quickly and brought some people with him to carry out this task. In order for Void Star City to develop properly, it needed better planning. Even if there was no compensation, these shopkeepers wouldn’t dare to complain, not to mention that they would be compensated with a new store in the original site.
“Yun Xing Hua!” Yang Kai called out again.
Yun Xing Hua straightened his back, took two steps forward, and cupped his fist, “Subordinate is here!”
Yang Kai tapped his foot, “Build a grand auction house in this spot. You will be solely responsible for this matter!” This was the very centre of the entire Star City, the best location in the land. As this auction house would be directly affiliated with Void Land, it naturally had to occupy this spot.
Yun Xing Hua was taken aback, but he accepted the order sonorously, “Rest assured, Sir. This Subordinate will not fail!” After a pause, he added, “Sir, what are the requirements for this auction house?”
Yang Kai thought for a while before speaking, “It needs to be large enough to accommodate 10,000 comfortably! En, you can go back to the Headquarters to ask Yue He for her input.”
Yun Xing Hua had only broken through to the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm recently. As his strength was somewhat low, his knowledge and experience were obviously not comparable to Yue He’s. It would be much better if Yue He could give him some advice.
Yun Xing Hua immediately accepted the order and led a group of his subordinates straight to Void Land. Yue He was currently stuck with Bi Xi playing chess, unable to extricate herself, so she was in need of ‘rescue’.
“Elder Mo!” Yang Kai called again.
Mo Mei responded, “Subordinate is here.”
Yang Kai turned his head and looked at her with a smile, “The blueprint of the Star City’s construction is your duty now. I want this completed in the shortest possible time. Once plans are finalized, begin construction immediately.”
Mo Mei laughed lightly, “This is a big project!”
Yang Kai assured her, “All 600,000 disciples in Void Land are at your disposal. If you need anyone’s help, you may transfer them as you wish. If you need materials, consult with Second Manager.”
Mo Mei saluted elegantly, “I have received the order, and will definitely live up to the Sect Master’s expectations!”
As soon as everything was given their assignments, Yang Kai headed back to Void Land, allowing the resurrection of the Star City to begin.
The representatives of the seven Subordinate Sects led the disciples of their respective forces to expand the scale of the Star City with great enthusiasm, so it would not be long before the project was completed. At the same time, Chen Tian Fei led a group of people to convene the remaining shopkeepers still in the Star City and explained to them the plans made by Void Land. All the shopkeepers agreed without a single refusal.
For one, who had the courage to object? Void Land’s strength was overwhelming, and Chen Tian Fei, who was right in front of them, had a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation. For another, this was a good deal for them. They were getting new shops without needing to pay for them, all they had to do was to sit back and wait. Naturally, there was no need to object. For those reasons, Chen Tian Fei’s duties were progressing very smoothly.
Yun Xing Hua and his subordinates found Yue He, and together they began brainstorming various matters regarding the auction house, which was going to be built in the very centre of the Star City. Yue He had been to many places over the years, and participated in numerous auctions, so she had no trouble providing some ideas and references.
Mo Mei, after convening with Bian Yu Qing, brought 30,000 disciples from Void Land to carry out large-scale construction work across the Star City.
Neat rows of houses were quickly assembled, and streets wide enough to accommodate 20 people walking side by side were paved. Golden Light Dock and the other Subordinate Sects also took the initiative to contribute to the construction process once they were done expanding the Spirit Province. Although the number of people was not large, it was the intention that mattered…
The entire Star City was filled with activity.
Shopkeeper Tong and the others had been living without a fixed place for the past two days as there really was nowhere for them to stay after their shops were levelled. As such, these shopkeepers gathered either in groups of three or five to spectate the rapidly rising buildings in the Star City, excitement filling their hearts.
At this moment, they no longer had any doubt about their decision to remain. They initially had only stayed because they had nowhere else to go, but no one knew that it would turn out to be such a huge blessing in disguise.
Void Star City was not thriving yet because it was not built up, and its reputation has yet to be established; however, when the time came, this place would definitely prosper.
“Shopkeeper Tong!” A voice reached Shopkeeper Tong, who turned his head to look. He smiled slightly and cupped his fist in return when he recognized it was an acquaintance, “Shopkeeper Jin!”
Shopkeeper Jin was also an elderly man. Both he and Shopkeeper Tong were Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and were both unfortunate cultivators. They had always been at the bottom of the 3,000 Worlds, struggling and striving for every small profit, exerting themselves for a mere dozen Open Heaven Pills.
But now, both of them looked radiant, beaming and buoyant in spirits. If Shopkeeper Tong could see the bright future of Void Star City, how could Shopkeeper Jin not see it too? Now, all they needed to do was wait for the popularity of Void Star City to rise before getting back to work.
“What is it, Shopkeeper Jin?” Shopkeeper Tong asked while wondering, [This old fox always only appears when there is something that could benefit him.]
Both of them had been doing business in the Star City and were fond of each other’s character after having dealt with each other on numerous occasions.
Shopkeeper Jin chuckled, “This Jin is here to congratulate Shopkeeper Tong.”
Shopkeeper Tong snickered in response, “What is there to congratulate?”
Shopkeeper Jin replied, “Void Land’s doing something big and the Star City is going to be promising in the future. As part of the group who stayed behind, we will naturally be the first to reap the benefits. Isn’t this something worth congratulating?”
“Congratulations to you too then. Didn’t Shopkeeper Jin stay behind as well?”
Shopkeeper Jin sighed, “En, I was forced to stay, but I didn’t expect it to be a blessing in disguise. When Shopkeeper Sun and the others find out, they will probably rot in regret.”
The mentioned Shopkeeper Sun was one of the shopkeepers who escaped from the Star City as soon as the situation in Void Land deteriorated. It was truly expected that such a drastic change in circumstances would happen in Void Territory.
“What’s meant to be will be, it can’t be forced if it’s not.” Shopkeeper Tong chuckled.
Shopkeeper Jin pointed to the bustling construction activity in the Star City in front of them, “Shopkeeper Tong, this Jin probed Senior Chen earlier. The remaining shopkeepers like you and I can get a new shop lot at our original site. On top of that, we’re not required to pay rent. In other words, the shops will be yours and mine in the future, and no one can take them away.”
Shopkeeper Tong was overjoyed when he heard this, “Is this really true?”
Shopkeeper Jin nodded, “It’s absolutely true. This is what Sir Chen Tian Fei said.”
“That’s really great,” Shopkeeper Tong clenched his fists tightly. Although he managed to open a shop here before, he was only renting the space and didn’t own it. Now that Void Land had rewarded them all with new stores, stores that belonged to them, it was indeed great news. Whether they would operate the shops themselves or simply rent out the space, it was guaranteed to make a profit.
After pondering for a while, Shopkeeper Tong asked, “What about Shopkeeper Sun and the others?”
Shopkeeper Jin sneered, “Shopkeeper Sun and the others left the moment the Star City fell into troubled times. Do you think they’ll have a share of the shops even if they come back?”
Shopkeeper Tong nodded when he heard the words, “Void True Monarch is indeed fair with rewards and punishments.”
Regardless of whether they stayed back intentionally or were simply forced to, they stayed in the Star City and maintained its remaining population, that was why Void Land was willing to give them a new store. As for those who abandoned them, why would Void Land care about their interests?
Shopkeeper Jin added, “Now, Void Star City has expanded to more than five times its original size, with plentiful shops and grand architecture, as well as immaculate organization. It can be imagined that the Star City will definitely be very popular in the future, and every inch of this place will definitely be worth a fortune!”
“Shopkeeper Jin is right,” Shopkeeper Tong nodded in agreement.
Shopkeeper Jin turned his head to look at him, “Shopkeeper Tong, you and I are both people without any backing. Back then, all I could do was some small business. It’s rare to have an opportunity like this, so doesn’t Shopkeeper Tong want to do something big?”
Shopkeeper Tong frowned slightly, “Both of us have no connections nor any backing, how do we do something big?”
Shopkeeper Jin balled up his fist, “As long as we have capital, we can naturally do something big! Just with the funds you and I have on hand, even if we occupy a store, it’s hard to be too ambitious. We’ll probably just continue dealing in small trades.”
Shopkeeper Tong frowned and sighed, “What Brother Jin said is exactly what this old man has been worried about these days. Whatever plan it is, capital is still the problem!”
Shopkeeper Jin’s eyes blazed, “It’s easy to get the capital, it just depends if Brother Tong is willing to take a gamble with me.”
Shopkeeper Tong’s eyes lit up, “Does Brother Jin mean…”
“Tomorrow will be the first auction of Void Star City. Void True Monarch said it himself that they will be auctioning a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. This is our chance!” After Shopkeeper Jin finished speaking, he gave Shopkeeper Tong a meaningful look, “Brother Tong, I know you’ve been selling your entire inventory over the past two days at any cost. Don’t tell me that you have no plans for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill?”
“Hmm…” Shopkeeper Tong silently cursed the cunning old fox. He was able to catch a clue as soon as a move was made. It was pointless to deny it now, so Shopkeeper Tong simply nodded and admitted, “Yes, this Tong does have some plans for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, but this pill is precious, and this Tong is low on funds, so I’m just doing my best and leaving the rest to destiny.”
Shopkeeper Jin smiled slightly, “How about we work together?”
Shopkeeper Tong was moved when he heard the words, “How shall we cooperate?”
“Neither of us has a lot of funds, at least not enough to compete with the few big Shopkeepers still remaining in the Star City. If they participate in the auction, you and I may not be able to succeed. Since that’s the case, why don’t we pool all of our funds together and give it our all? It would be excellent if we succeeded, and we’ll just accept fate if we don’t! We’ll re-sell the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill at the right time when the price is right, then split the profit equally between the two of us.”
Shopkeeper Tong frowned deeply, struggling with his thoughts.
Shopkeeper Jin stood by and waited quietly without interrupting. He knew that Shopkeeper Tong would not reject his proposal; after all, it was a decision that was beneficial to both parties, unless Shopkeeper Tong had enough money to triumph over other competitors without his aid.
Sure enough, after a while, Shopkeeper Tong looked up decisively, “Good, let’s do it together!”
After saying that, he raised his palm forward, and Shopkeeper Jin raised his own palm to meet his. After three shakes, the two old foxes grinned knowingly.
…
The auction was held as scheduled without any publicity or marketing campaign, the only participants being the few cultivators who were still stranded in the Star City. There were not many people, a few thousand at most, of which some forty to fifty were Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, with only a handful being Third-Order and the rest all weaker.
The Void Auction House was still under construction, and Yang Kai’s requirements were not low. Yun Xing Hua was naturally not able to finish the construction within three days.
Therefore, the auction was held in the original auction house of the Star City.
Although Void Star City did have its own auction house, that didn’t mean other great forces didn’t have one. No one knew which great force owned this particular auction house, but it was already empty now, so Void Land did not need the consent of others to requisition it.
Although the number of people who attended the auction was small, it was extremely lively.
Void True Monarch had previously said that the auction item was a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, but no one had seen such a rare Spirit Pill before, so they all worried whether Void Land really had such a precious treasure.
And now was time to verify their doubts. Whether what Void True Monarch said was true or false would be revealed today.
Shopkeeper Jin and Shopkeeper Tong sat together, their heads leaning in together from time to time, while looking around silently observing potential opponents.
It did not take long before the auction stage lit up, the lights converging on a beautiful silhouette that was slowly making its way onto the platform.
The commotion in the audience suddenly died down as everyone turned their eyes to the stage, to see that the person who stepped on the platform was a slender woman with a beautiful face, looking no more than 30 years old, dressed in a light blue dress.
Many in the audience stiffened at the sight of this woman, not because of her beauty, but because of her shocking identity. Over the past few days, they had also come to be more familiar with the Masters of Void Land, so this woman was readily recognized as soon as she appeared.
She was an Elder of Void Land named Lu Xue, with a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation!
Those who participated in the auction were at best Third-Order Masters. In normal times, how would they dare stare at a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master so recklessly? However, now they were given a chance to look at one all they wished.
Lu Xue felt a little lightheaded, and her chest suddenly became tight.
She was forced to take up this task. Although she was a former Manager of Sword Pavilion, she had never hosted an auction before. Among all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, the cultivators of Abundance City had never participated in an auction ever, and had no clue on the auctioning procedure at all. Chen Tian Fei, Yun Xing Hua, and the others who were good at administrative and public works were all swamped with their own tasks, so Lu Xue was the only suitable candidate to be the auctioneer. Fortunately, although she had never hosted an auction before, she had participated in many. Besides, there was no need to raise enthusiasm or rile up the crowd for this auction, so it was not a difficult task.
She took a deep breath and thought about how she could crush everyone in front of her with a snort, allowing her nerves to quickly calm down.
Lu Xue had a somewhat aloof personality, so she did not say much and just immediately started the auction.
Since it was an auction, they could not possibly be auctioning off just a single Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Void Land had also prepared some other items suitable for the cultivators in the audience. Void Land had harvested plenty of loot when the Hundred Sect Alliance was wiped out, so it was just right to take some small things out to meet some of the auctioning demands.
This was a unique auction, because all the items, regardless of their value, had a reserve price of 1 Open Heaven Pill. Many cultivators were ecstatic when they found this out and did not hesitate to increase the price.
However, the financial resources of the people here were limited, and no matter how much they increased the price, no item exceeded 1,000 Open Heaven Pills so far, with most selling for around 100 or so.
No matter how one looked at it, this auction was a big loss for Void Land, because the market value of every auctioned item was far more than it was auctioned off for.
However, everyone knew that Void Land was willing to take a temporary loss to reap a long-term gain. The objective today was to raise the Star City’s popularity, therefore, it was understandable to take a small financial loss.
Fortunately, since all the items were essentially a steal, even if Lu Xue did not say much, the crowd was incredibly fired up and the bidding audience was not mellow at all. For these people, no matter what they bid for, they were guaranteed to make a profit, all they needed to do was wait a little while before re-selling these items.
Auction items were quickly displayed and sold under the hammer. An hour later, Lu Xue announced, “The next item is our finale for today’s auction, I hope you won’t be disappointed!”
Silence fell as everyone in the auction house immediately straightened their backs. It was so silent that needles could be heard falling on the ground.
As they all knew, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was coming!
Shopkeeper Tong and Shopkeeper Jin met each other’s eyes, and sat up involuntarily, staring at the platform unblinkingly. On the auction stage, a woman who appeared to be a maid walked up with a tray in her hand and a smile on her face, and stopped beside Lu Xue. The tray was covered with a red cloth, obscuring what lay beneath from the prying eyes below.
Lu Xue raised her hand to remove the red cloth, revealing to everyone a jade bottle.
Lu Xue’s crisp voice resounded throughout the entire auction house, “A Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. It can help one to comprehend the essence of splitting Heaven and Earth apart when a cultivator is attempting to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, thereby greatly improving the chances of one completing the process successfully. With the complement of this Spirit Pill, as long as one’s aptitude is not terrible, they can definitely advance to the Open Heaven Realm. The reserve price is 1 Open Heaven Pill, and there is no limit on the increase in price. Please!”
After saying that, Lu Xue stood on the auction platform and said no more.
Contrary to the previous scene where all kinds of items were auctioned and everyone responded heatedly, vying to increase the price, the appearance of this final item drew no bids. Everyone just stared at Lu Xue blankly, unable to believe their own ears.
Shopkeeper Tong and Shopkeeper Jin too, looked at each other, almost thinking that they had heard it wrong.
[The starting bid of a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is 1 Open Heaven Pill?]
Although all the previous items started from 1 Open Heaven Pill with no exception, this was the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill that had long since vanished from the 3,000 Worlds. Was its reserve price really just 1 Open Heaven Pill?
The information was so shocking that no one could open their mouth to start bidding, lest they desecrate the precious Spirit Pill with their lowly bids.
The auction house fell into a quaint silence for a while before the sound of rapid breathing began filling the air.
Lu Xue, who was standing on the stage, was a little stunned, thinking that she might have not explained clearly. How had the atmosphere, which was so heated earlier, suddenly turned so quiet?
Suddenly, a voice asked weakly, “Elder Lu, may I ask if the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill of your noble Sect really has an opening price of 1 Open Heaven Pill?”
Lu Xue said lightly, “Yes!”
The man hesitated, then asked again, “But the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is such an extremely precious thing, how could it only start from 1 Open Heaven Pill…? Elder Lu, please don’t kid with us. We have low cultivation, and our knowledge is very limited, so none of us have ever seen such a Spirit Pill before.”
If one had seen it before, there was essentially no way to distinguish its authenticity, and just how many were there in the 3,000 Worlds who had actually seen a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill before?
Although this man did not finish what he wanted to say, many quick-witted cultivators present understood what he meant. This guy was speculating if Void Land had fabricated a counterfeit Spirit Pill to pass it off as a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. However, he did not dare to say so outright and was just beating around the bush.
Shopkeeper Tong sneered in his heart when he heard this. The person who said this really was stupid. The reason Void Land was willing to take such a massive loss in this auction was to create publicity for their Star City. Were not all of the previous auction items sold at a loss too? Although it was a bit bizarre that the starting price of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was only 1 Open Heaven Pill, Void Land had the capacity and daring to do so.
On top of that, this was the first time Void Land held an auction. If they really did auction a counterfeit item, their reputation would be forever ruined. Who would come to support them in the future if they did such a despicable deed?
Therefore, regardless of the oddity of the situation, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill should not be fake.
On the auction stage, Lu Xue looked in the direction of the man and replied, “This Queen is here to preside over the auction under Sect Master’s direct order. This Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was bestowed to me by the Sect Master, who refined it personally. Many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land have also benefited from such Spirit Pills. If anyone thinks this pill is inappropriate in any way, they don’t have to participate in the auction. Please begin bidding!”
Shopkeeper Jin cleared his throat, and shouted, “This Old Master offers 1,000 Open Heaven Pills!”
Not to mention 1,000 Open Heaven Pills, this Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was possibly worth 10 million Open Heaven Pills. Shopkeeper Jin naturally did not expect to get the Spirit Pill with this bid, but he took the initiative to start the process. For one, he wanted to test the waters; for another, it was to show favor to Void Land. It was up to Void Land, however, if they saw through his intentions.
In the previous auctions, the highest price an item was sold for was just over 1,000 Open Heaven Pills. The price Shopkeeper Jin offered was just a fraction of the true value of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, but it was still reasonable in this strange situation.
Just as he finished speaking though, voices exploded from all directions in the auction house, filled with cultivators shouting their bids for the item.
In just three breaths, the price had already exceeded 10,000 Open Heaven Pills and was continuing to rise at an extremely rapid rate.
Shopkeeper Jin and Shopkeeper Tong turned their heads from time to time to look in the direction of the other bidders, observing the reactions and expressions of these potential opponents, inferring their limits.
The two old foxes were waiting for everyone to exhaust themselves before jumping out to make the final call!
The atmosphere of the auction house suddenly became scorching hot. People were shouting their prices over each other because their previous bids were quickly outdone.
Twenty breaths later, the price of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had exceeded 100,000 Open Heaven Pills!
At this point, there were only three people left in the competition. These three people were undoubtedly shopkeepers in the Star City. When it reached 120,000, there were only two people left.
However, these two were obviously approaching their limits. Each increase in price was not high, and they were gnashing their teeth each time they offered a new bid, as if they had a deep hatred for the other party.
Shopkeeper Tong and Shopkeeper Jin looked at each other and nodded lightly.
They had been holding back for the right timing to make a move, and it had finally arrived. The two had been observing from the sidelines, so they had a very detailed grasp and judgment of the situation. This was a good opportunity to make a move.
“130,000!” Shopkeeper Jin called out decisively. This time, he added 10,000 Open Heaven Pills all at once, which for the people present was not a small number.
In the crowd, a cultivator turned his head angrily at him with his eyes red, “Shopkeeper Jin, you…”
Shopkeeper Jin cupped his fist towards him with a smile, “Shopkeeper Zhou, please excuse me!”
Shopkeeper Zhou ground his teeth for a while before shouting decisively, “133,000!”
“140,000!” Shopkeeper Jin remained calm and relaxed.
Shopkeeper Zhou’s initially straight back slumped and he released a deep sigh as he shook his head.
On the auction stage, Lu Xue waited for a moment, but seeing that no one raised the price, after three breaths, the hammer finalized the deal!
Shopkeeper Jin’s and Shopkeeper Tong’s tightly clenched fists finally loosened as they both grinned wildly.
[We did it! We really did it!]
At this moment, Shopkeeper Tong felt extremely fortunate that he chose to partner with Shopkeeper Jin; otherwise, he would not have been able to win the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill with his limited financial resources. At the very least, Shopkeeper Zhou was much wealthier than he was.
A Spirit Pill that was worth tens of millions of Open Heaven Pills was now actually won by two old foxes for a mere 140,000 Open Heaven Pills. Such a lucrative trade was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The reason was that the cultivators remaining in the Star City were all from humble backgrounds and had limited financial resources. The people who really had the means and resources had already escaped; otherwise, they would not have the chance to grab such a great deal!
Now, although both of them have sold most of their belongings for cheap and could not do any business in the near future, as long as they waited for the right opportunity, they could resell this Spirit Pill for millions!
Lu Xue’s voice once again rang out, “Many thanks to all of you for your support this time. Though this auction has ended for today, in three months’ time, Void Land will be holding another auction, where another Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill will be auctioned. It will be like this every three months thereafter!”
After saying that, Lu Xue turned around and walked down.
In the auction house, many cultivators were stunned for a while, followed by a loud commotion.
There would be another auction in Void Star City in three months, and there would also be another Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill sold every three months from now on!
In other words, every three months, Void Land would be auctioning off a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill!
Simply astonishing! Many had made a large profit today, but they still could not help feeling moved at the news of another auction in three months.
There were not many opportunities like this for them to take advantage of a great force. If one missed it this time, one still may have another chance, but if one did not grasp the chance, it would be impossible when Void Star City truly flourished.
Shopkeeper Jin and Shopkeeper Tong stood there, the smiles on their faces suddenly stiffened.
After a while, Shopkeeper Tong took in a deep breath, “Just how many Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills does Void Land have?”
If they were willing to take one out for auction every three months, it meant that they had enough to spare. But wasn’t this Spirit Pill said to already be extinct? It was precisely because of this that the value was high. If it was available everywhere, it would not be worth much.
Shopkeeper Jin’s eyes flashed and speculated, “Elder Lu just said that this Spirit Pill was refined by Void True Monarch himself. It seems that Void Land does have a lot in stock!”
“Then our Spirit Pill…” Shopkeeper Tong’s initial joy turned into worry.
Shopkeeper Jin chuckled, “What are you worried about? As long as this kind of Spirit Pill is not released in massive quantities, its value will never decrease. Void Land is clearly planning to use these Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to draw in people to their Star City, so they will naturally only release a limited supply. In other words, we made a lot of money this time!”
Shopkeeper Tong thought for a while after hearing the words, then cracked into a smile, “You’re right, Void Land will never let the value of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill fall unless they want to sabotage themselves.”
“Let’s go!” Shopkeeper Jin stood up, “Let’s collect our Spirit Pill, I’ve never seen such a precious thing before in my life after all.”
As they walked out of the auction house, both Shopkeeper Tong and Shopkeeper Jin trembled, unable to contain their excitement.
A jade bottle was held in Shopkeeper Jin’s hand, containing the rare Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill!
Recalling what Elder Lu just said, Shopkeeper Jin praised admirably, “Void Land really is efficient and upright!”
“En.” Shopkeeper Tong stroked his beard and nodded, “There’s no more need for you and I to worry, we just need to wait for the right opportunity.”
When the two went to Elder Lu to retrieve the Spirit Pill, she assured them that before the two resold the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, their safety and that of their families would be guaranteed by Void Land. In addition, if they found a buyer in the future, if necessary, they could request Void Land to act as an intermediary to ensure impartiality and that the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was sold at a reasonable price.
The two shopkeepers were ecstatic to hear the news!
Earlier, they were a little worried that after obtaining the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, it would be hard to fend off greedy Masters who intended to bully or outright rob them with their meager abilities. Now, with Elder Lu’s assurance, what else did they need to worry about? Who in Void Star City would dare to cross Void Land?
Void Land obviously took their concerns into account, so they took the initiative, and Void Land also knew that even if they won the Spirit Pill, they would not use it themselves. They surely would be selling off such a precious item for a good price.
Logically speaking, after the two won the Spirit Pill, Void Land bore no responsibilities to them, but Void Land’s initiative to give them such a guarantee truly bought their trust and respect.
Shopkeeper Jin handed the jade bottle in his hand to Shopkeeper Tong and said, “Brother Tong, according to the agreement, you will be in charge of guarding it for the first month.”
Shopkeeper Tong smiled when he heard the words, “There’s no need, Brother Jin can keep the Spirit Pill by his side.”
If there was no guarantee from Void Land, Shopkeeper Tong would have to be a little wary of whether Shopkeeper Jin would pocket all the profits himself, but now he no longer needed to worry about this at all, unless Shopkeeper Jin was willing to take the risk of offending Void Land.
Safeguarding the Spirit Pill also meant that he had to bear the risk of losing it, so why would Shopkeeper Tong take up such an arduous but fruitless task? That was the reason for his forthrightness.
They were both cunning old foxes, so how could Shopkeeper Jin not know what Shopkeeper Tong was thinking? Still, he just laughed and nodded, “Brother Tong, you really are too lazy. Fine, I’ll keep the Spirit Pill. It’ll probably be sold off after a few months, and this Old Master is not going anywhere during this time.”
Shopkeeper Tong smiled and cupped his fists, “Many thanks for your hard work, Brother Jin!”
After the first auction of Void Star City, many cultivators left one after another in a hurry, especially the shopkeepers. It was unknown where they went.
The already deserted Star City was left with even fewer occupants now, but the 30,000 Void Land disciples continued the reconstruction projects without pause.
Construction done by cultivators was indeed different from mortals. There were obvious changes in the Star City every day, and in less than a month, the rebuilding of the entire Star City was completed.
Even the huge auction house ordered by Yang Kai was completed through the joint efforts of Yun Xing Hua and Yue He. According to Yang Kai’s request, the size of this auction house should be no less than that of Red Clouds Auction House back in Thousand Birds Star City, which meant it could comfortably accommodate 10,000 people. The huge auction house located in the very center of the Star City would soon become one of its most important landmarks.
Yang Kai personally inscribed ‘Void Auction House’ onto a giant plaque that hung proudly above the main entrance of the auction house.
Nanmen Da Jun had been working non-stop recently. The newly expanded and reconstructed Star City naturally needed a new Grand Array. That said, his accomplishments in the Dao of Arrays could not match that of Grandmaster Wu Liang’s, and Void Land was no longer as resource-rich as before, so it was impossible to create another Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array.
However, Nanmen Da Jun had been shadowing Grandmaster Wu Liang for a few months, so with his exceptional talent in Dao of Spirit Arrays, it was not difficult to arrange some decent Arrays in the Star City.
Of course, limited by his own cultivation and many other factors, the strength of the Spirit Arrays Nanmen Da Jun arranged was not high, and they would be unable to resist powerful attacks.
But Void Land was just 100 kilometres away from the Star City, which to Open Heaven Realm Masters was essentially within arm’s reach. Who would dare to attack the Star City under Void Land’s watch? If so, the 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land would not mind teaching the intruders a harsh lesson again.
The Star City was now completed, and compared with the original, its scale was several times bigger. Also, because of the strict planning, the buildings in the Star City were also well-organized, no longer chaotic like before.
The Star City had been built, but a Governor had yet to be chosen.
Yang Kai imitated the management system of the Thousand Birds Star City of Great Battle Heaven, establishing a Governor’s Mansion in the Star City, and charging Mo Mei, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, to serve as the first Governor of the Star City.
There was no other option really. In the entire Void Land, Yue He and Mo Mei were the strongest. Yue He did not want to take up the responsibility and just wanted to stay by Yang Kai, so Mo Mei had no choice but to take up this task.
Although she was born in Blood Monster Cave Heaven, she had been City Lord of Abundance City for many years, giving her plenty of experience in management. She only needed some time to get familiar with the new environment and things would proceed smoothly.
Under the jurisdiction of the Governor’s Mansion, the Star City was divided into four major districts – north, south, east, and west; each district having its own supervisor in charge. The East City District was overseen by Pang Duo, West City District by Gong Yang Xi, South City District by Fan Wu Xin, and North City District by Chen Tian Fei. These four reported directly to Mo Mei. With the four of them assisting her, managing the Star City would not be a problem for her.
This arrangement disappointed Yun Xing Hua a little; after all, he had been in charge of the Star City before this. As an official from Void Land, he had a high position and authority, and countless people attempted to curry favour with him every day.
However, he was not even a Commander in this new Star City.
He did not dare to complain though; after all, the Star City was lost right under his nose. Furthermore, he was only a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. He understood that it was impossible to entrust him with such an important task.
Fortunately, Yang Kai did not disregard his hard work and handed over management of Void Auction House to him.
The Void Auction House was located in the very centre of the Star City, not belonging to any of the four districts. It was directly under the control of the Governor’s Mansion, and everyone understood that auctions would play a pivotal role in the future of the Star City, so being its Head Manager was not worse than being in charge of a district.
Yun Xing Hua was naturally grateful for this arrangement.
Yang Kai originally wanted Lu Xue, a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, to serve as a Commander, but she refused. Her personality was not suitable for works that involved public relations, and she did not like communicating with strangers, so she decided to remain in Void Land as the Hall Master of the Martial Hall, while also serving as a member of the Elder Council.
Yang Kai took into account that the cultivators in Void Land would need a Master to guide and pass down their experiences, so Lu Xue deciding to assume command of the Martial Hall was also a boon.
With this arrangement, everyone in the Star City was assigned their own duties, and the general framework of the Star City was established. In the entire Star City, apart from Void Auction House, which was directly owned by Void Land, there were more than eight blocks of shops reserved for Void Land, while the other shops would be leased out.
Yang Kai had been relatively free recently, so after heating up his furnace and refining some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, he went into retreat.
His current situation was a little awkward. He could not leave because he was under close watch by a few Cave Heavens and Paradises, so he could only stay hidden in Void Land, waiting for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure to arrive at his doorstep.
He had a lot of free time now. His Wives were all cultivating in retreat so he could not bother them, which meant he could only cultivate by himself. Whenever he was bored, he would play chess with Bi Xi to kill some time.
At the Void Dock, a group of Void Land disciples had nothing to do but did not dare to slack off and decided to patrol in every direction in groups of three to five.
There was always at least one Void Dock in each Star City, which served as the gateway in and out of the Star City. It made managing the entries a lot more convenient; otherwise, anyone could enter the Star City from any location. Unrestricted and unregulated access could lead to unnecessary chaos and even unrest, allowing those with ill intentions to easily slip in and stir up trouble.
There was a Void Dock in Thousand Birds Star City. When the Proprietress first brought Yang Kai there, she was stopped by a Master on duty from Great Battle Heaven and had to undergo certain entry procedures.
Void Star City aimed to become a top-tier Star City, so it was naturally essential to have a functioning Void Dock. However, Void Star City only had a single Void Dock.
Of course, the current Grand Array set up by Nanmen Da Jun was not very strong, but no one would break the Grand Array unless they wanted to offend Void Land.
The one overseeing the Void Dock was Jin Yuan Lang!
The Void Dock was the face of the Star City, so the one guarding it could not have low cultivation; otherwise, the Star City would inevitably be underestimated. Jin Yuan Lang, who was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, was the perfect choice.
This was also a small means by Void Land to display their authority. It was believed that anyone who came here would not dare to look down on Void Land after knowing Jin Yuan Lang, a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was guarding the entrance.
No matter how big Thousand Birds Star City was, the one guarding its Void Dock was also a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
It had been almost two months since Void Land migrated here, and during this time, the Void Dock remained quite idle.
Since no one came to the Star City, naturally no one passed through the Void Dock.
On this day, however, a disciple was observing the void when he suddenly rubbed his eyes and stared carefully at a certain spot. A shudder ran through him as he shouted, “Someone is approaching!”
As soon as the shout resounded, the surrounding cultivators moved simultaneously towards the Void Dock.
Some disciples immediately went to report to Jin Yuan Lang, who was cultivating.
By the time Jin Yuan Lang had walked out of the nearby palace and come to the dock, a ship could be clearly seen approaching from the void.
Jin Yuan Lang narrowed his eyes slightly. He had been living in Blood Monster Cave Heaven all this time, so he was not very familiar with the 3,000 Worlds. However, after experiencing the battle that destroyed the Hundred Sect Alliance, he had gained a little bit of insight.
He could tell at a glance that the ship belonged to a Second Class great force!
The size of this ship was not small, and was clearly not of a size an ordinary Third Class great force could afford. Only a Second Class great force was qualified to own something like this.
After a while, a disciple from Void Land’s side approached the ship to guide it towards the Void Dock. As soon as the ship was properly berthed, a middle-aged man immediately disembarked, followed by a group of uniformly dressed cultivators with varying degrees of strength.
The middle-aged man had a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation and wore a light smile on his face. He walked straight to greet Jin Yuan Lang with a cupped fist, “Gathering Yuan Trade Firm, Li Jing Yuan, greets Sir. May I know how we should address Sir?”
Li Jing Yuan could naturally feel Jin Yuan Lang’s Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura and his heart shuddered slightly. It seemed it was not just a groundless rumour after all. The sudden rapid rise in numbers of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land seemed quite unbelievable to him; after all, the rise of a great force was not an overnight effort, it had to be accumulated slowly over countless years.
But he was a little convinced after finding out the man who stood guard over the Void Dock here was actually a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. To have a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master guarding their entrance obviously meant there were many more Open Heaven Realm Masters maintaining the operation of this Star City.
The news of the collapse of the Hundred Sect Alliance had spread like wildfire over the past few months, and Void Land’s name had been widely circulated in the 3,000 Worlds ever since. Since Gathering Yuan Trade Firm was a mercantile force that prioritized business, it was naturally well-informed about current events in the Outer Universe.
Jin Yuan Lang’s face was calm as he replied softly, “This King’s surname is Jin.”
Li Jing Yuan quickly responded, “So it’s Sir Jin!”
Jin Yuan Lang looked up at the ship, “This Jin has been entrusted by Sir Sect Master to safe keep this place by inspecting all who pass through our Void Star City’s Void Dock. For the sake of security, I must ask you a few questions and perform some simple checks. Brother Li, please understand.”
Li Jing Yuan smiled, “As you should. We will cooperate with Brother Jin’s inspection.”
Jin Yuan Lang nodded with satisfaction, his expression softening a little, “Sir Sect Master has left an order that anyone who enters the Star City, regardless of their cultivation, must register and report their intentions. Different Jade Tokens will be distributed according to each visitor’s intended length of stay. Is Brother Li planning to just stop by here for supplies or is he planning to stay in the Star City long term?”
Li Jing Yuan pondered for a while, and replied bluntly, “Sir Jin, we, Gathering Yuan Trade Firm, are always searching for business opportunities, following the Dao of Commerce. Our Trade Firm has never been to Void Star City before, so we will need to inquire about the situation here before we decide if we want to stay. I wonder how this will be handled?”
Jin Yuan Lang answered, “That’s simple. I will give you a Jade Token for a short-term stay, valid for one month. After a month, if you wish to continue your stay in the Star City, you need only report to the Governor’s Mansion to renew or upgrade your Jade Token. If you don’t renew your token in time, you may find yourself in trouble with the Star City law enforcement team.”
“Very good!” Li Jing Yuan nodded. He was ordered to come here this time by his Headquarters to one, verify the existence of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, and two, to inspect the future prospects of Void Star City. If possible, Gathering Yuan Trade Firm would definitely be willing to set up a branch here, but it also depended on whether Void Star City had the potential to develop in the future. If there was no such potential, naturally there was no reason for them to invest in this place.
Meanwhile, Jin Yuan Lang had ordered his subordinates to register the names of everyone from Gathering Yuan Trade Firm and their purpose for visiting. He then issued tokens to each of them.
Li Jing Yuan was pleased and nodded, “Many thanks Sir Jin. Please accept this small token of our respect!” While speaking, he shoved a Space Ring towards him.
Jin Yuan Lang’s brow furrowed slightly before accepting the ring and quietly waving his hand, “Let them pass!”
A crack opened in the Grand Array of the Star City, allowing everyone from Gathering Yuan Trade Firm to pass through.
Watching the group leave, Jin Yuan Lang looked at the Space Ring in his hand and found that there were 300 Open Heaven Pills inside.
After he was entrusted by Yang Kai to guard the Void Dock, Jin Yuan Lang sought out Chen Tian Fei for some advice; after all, it was the first time he had taken up a task like this, and he was really unfamiliar with it. Although Chen Tian Fei’s cultivation was lower than his, he was definitely more experienced than him in this aspect.
Chen Tian Fei had indeed mentioned that the task of guarding the Void Dock was a very profitable one because ‘gifts’ were a normal part of the job. It was likely for visitors to enter and exit more than once, so it was better to form good relationships with the one safekeeping the Void Dock, allowing them to save some trouble in the long run.
Even when the Proprietress took Yang Kai to Thousand Birds Star City for the first time, she did the same thing, so nothing need be said about others.
Jin Yuan Lang did not expect that he would be receiving gifts from the very first visitor…
300 Open Heaven Pills was really nothing to him as a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but many grains of sand would eventually build a tower, and this was just the beginning.
Just when he was about to distribute the 300 Open Heaven Pills to his subordinates, the lookout disciple shouted again, “Elder Jin, someone else is approaching, and there is more than one ship this time!”
Jin Yuan Lang looked up, and sure enough, he spotted five ships heading in this direction.
…..
Inside the Star City, Li Jing Yuan led a group of people around on a tour of the grounds. To be honest, the scale of Void Star City was indeed not small. If it was well managed and if the population was high enough, it would definitely become a First Class Star City, and this Star City had only just been expanded, so the majority of the shops and lots were still unowned.
For any profit-seeking businessman, this was undoubtedly a good place to flex their muscles.
After a short round of inspection, Li Jing Yuan was already confident that Void Star City had promising prospects. This could not be helped, for the news of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had already spread far and wide. If they had come here because of that, they certainly would not be the last ones to be attracted. Once more forces began arriving, the popularity of the Star City would not be an issue at all.
Furthermore… Li Jing Yuan could not help but turn his head to look in the direction where a great behemoth, which was Void Land’s Headquarters, was lying in the void.
Rumour had it that Void Land’s Headquarters actually rested on the back of an Ancient Divine Spirit. Many had witnessed this with their own eyes on the day it migrated here, causing a huge commotion.
Since Void Land’s Headquarters had migrated here, it showed that it was determined to build up this Star City. The sooner one grabbed hold of this kind of opportunity, the greater the rewards one could reap. As for the feud between Void Land and other great forces, Li Jing Yuan did not need to worry too much. If war really was initiated, the Star City would not be affected; after all, this was a land of gold, so anyone who planned to usurp this place would not allow it to be destroyed.
Therefore, after only three days of inspection in the Star City, Li Jing Yuan had already made up his mind to set up shop in Void Star City.
He was a Manager at Gathering Yuan Trade Firm and had some decision-making power. As long as this matter was done well, his status in the Trade Firm would also improve.
After just three days, Li Jing Yuan also noticed that a lot more people had arrived in the Star City. The inn where they had been the only occupants was now almost overcrowded.
Most of the inns that were open in the Star City were owned by Void Land. The eight rows of shops reserved by them were dispersed around the Void Auction House, and among these shops, some inns were opened, as well as a couple of restaurants.
Of course, it was not just Void Land’s property that was doing business. Many shopkeepers who had remained in the Star City from before had received new shops in their original spots as compensation and had begun operation hastily. Unfortunately, because of the Star City’s low population, the streets were still quite empty.
Nevertheless, accommodations were a necessity. One could not be expected to sleep on the street every night, which was why all inns were fully booked now. Void Land had opened five inns, but now it seemed that was far from enough.
Many cultivators were even forced to rent the empty cave mansions from the Governor’s Mansion!
A mountain range in the Star City that was no taller than three kilometres, was contributed by Golden Light Dock. Considering that many cultivators would definitely settle in the Star City in the future, it was impossible for them to live in inns every day, so Void Land opened up countless cave mansions in this mountain range. These cave mansions were divided into different categories, and also came with different prices, but all of them were managed directly by the Governor’s Mansion.
When the inns were filled, cultivators who had no place to stay could only rent the cave mansions. The cave mansions had a one-month minimum rental period, and because it was quieter and more private, many flocked to rent such places despite their higher prices.
The operation of the inns and restaurants, as well as the rental of the cave mansions, had already gained Void Land a small fortune in the Star City, and this was just the beginning!
Since the arrival of Gathering Yuan Trade Firm to the Star City, the Void Dock had not had a free moment. All the disciples on duty were exhausted, and because there was only one Void Dock in the entire Void Star City, a long line had formed outside, waiting for entry. No one dared to trespass or cut in line, so they could only wait for Jin Yuan Lang to slowly inspect and register them before allowing them to pass through one by one.
The popularity of Void Star City had soared through the roof, and showed no signs of cooling down anytime soon.
Li Jing Yuan led two attendants to the Governor’s Mansion, and after reporting his intention, was led into a certain Grand Hall.
In the Grand Hall, the Manager in charge of the Void Star City’s properties received him.
The Manager was an Open Heaven Realm Master from Abundance City and a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master, so Li Jing Yuan dared not underestimate him.
The Manager soon activated a projection, displaying the layout of the shops in the entire Star City.
Li Jing Yuan glanced at this map and pointed to an area that was glowing in green, asking, “Manager Liu, why are these places coloured differently?”
Manager Liu replied, “The green lots represent land that is already occupied. If you wish to open a storefront, please look for the white ones.”
Li Jing Yuan was stunned when he heard the words, [I thought we were already quite fast, how did others get ahead of us?]
He took a closer look at the areas that were highlighted in green and quickly understood that they were the most central and prosperous areas in the Star City.
He suddenly realized that these were the shops reserved by Void Land for itself!
The Star City belonged to Void Land, so it was inevitable for them to keep the best locations for themselves. This was something that would happen in every Star City. Secretly thinking to himself that it was a pity, Li Jing Yuan pointed to where the next best shops were located, “Here, here and here…”
He pointed at more than ten locations in one go, all of which were where the streets met.
Although Li Jing Yuan was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was a businessman after all and had very sharp eyes. Naturally, he could foresee that these more than ten places would be the second most popular places in the Star City in the days to come. Once the stores were in his hands, Gathering Yuan Trade Firm would be able to win the top spot in Void Land, and they would make a steady profit regardless of what kind of businesses they operated in the future.
“I’m sorry, Fellow Brother.” The Manager suddenly interrupted him, “The Governor has decreed that no one can own more than three shops in Void Star City. You have picked too many.”
Li Jing Yuan was taken aback for a moment, “There is such a rule?”
He had been to a lot of Star Cities, but this was the first time he had encountered such a rule. How confident was Void Land to be making such a decision? Were they so sure that the Star City would be so popular in the future that they were already limiting the number of stores one force could occupy in advance?
But after thinking about what he had seen and heard for the past three days, he felt relieved. As long as there were no accidents, Void Star City would indeed become extremely popular.
He pondered for a while, then with a smile on his face, he reached into his sleeve inconspicuously and pulled out a Space Ring. Placing it in front of the Manager quietly, he started, “Sir, we, Gathering Yuan Trade Firm run many types of businesses, so three shops are really not enough. Couldn’t you accommodate another one or two?”
The Manager glanced at the Space Ring on the table, then shook his head slowly, “Forgive me, the Governor has passed down clear orders, I am simply following them.”
“Is there really no other way?” Li Jing Yuan was a little reluctant.
The Manager shook his head without another word.
An idea suddenly struck Li Jing Yuan then and he quickly smiled, “Three shops then.”
He picked out the best three shops from his previous selection then asked eagerly, “How much does it cost to buy these three stores in total?”
The Manager answered, “The shops in the Star City are only for rent, not for sale!”
Li Jing Yuan frowned, “This is the case for all shops?”
“There are no exceptions!”
Li Jing Yuan’s tongue clicked. It was common for the major Star Cities to reserve their good locations, but there would always be some that could be bought and sold. He never thought that none of the shops in Void Star City were for sale at all.
Not wanting to discuss further on this matter, Li Jing Yuan replied shortly, “Then I will rent these three shops.”
The Manager replied, “There are options of ten-year leases and hundred-year leases, the prices differ too. Which one do you want?”
The corners of Li Jing Yuan’s brow twitched.
…..
After a long time, Li Jing Yuan walked out of the Governor’s Mansion feeling a little tired. He had been to many Star Cities and dealt with the people who managed properties numerous times, but he had never encountered a Star City that had policies like Void Star City did.
[They are already positioning themselves in such a manner before the population of Void Star City even gathers. How irritating.]
Moreover, the rental of the shops here was really not cheap, almost 20% more expensive than his original estimates. If it was an ordinary Star City, he would not be willing to splurge, but he was so optimistic about the future potential of Void Star City that he agreed to the conditions and signed the agreement with the Manager.
He originally planned to rent more shops through the hands of his subordinates, but at the moment he gave up on this idea. The rental price of Void Star City’s shops were quite expensive. Although he was optimistic about the development prospects here, he decided to act a bit more cautiously. It would not be a great loss to use three shops to test the waters first.
At least, that was his initial plan…
However, just after two days, he regretted his caution greatly.
That was because, after just a few days, the number of cultivators who had poured into Void Star City was nothing short of a torrent. From a distance, he could see several long lines of flight-type artifacts queuing up at the Void Dock, just waiting to enter the Star City.
The street in front of the Governor’s Mansion was brimming with visitors, and he even saw several familiar faces there, all of whom were Managers of other Trade Companies.
Needless to say, they were there to lease shops.
Li Jing Yuan made up his mind to lease more shops through his subordinates, and entered the Governor’s Mansion. Unfortunately, he found that all the shops with good locations that he had his eyes on before had already been rented out.
The Star City was beginning to get lively.
Since the arrival of Gathering Yuan Trade Firm, thousands of cultivators had been flowing in from all directions, and as time went by, the numbers continued to increase rapidly.
After just a few days, the number of people who were passing through the Void Dock daily exceeded 3,000, and the numbers were climbing rapidly! The dock was so jam-packed that Jin Yuan Lang was beginning to get overwhelmed. He had no choice but to requisition more support!
Yue He reported to Yang Kai immediately after receiving the news, and he naturally did not refuse, sending her to personally bring more disciples to the dock to maintain order.
With the arrival of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and a large number of Void Land disciples, the situation at the dock improved slightly.
A few days later, while reporting the situation in the Star City to Yang Kai, Bian Yu Qing became very excited when it came to the matter of the number of cultivators in the Star City, “Sect Master, the number of cultivators who have passed through the dock today alone has exceeded 5,300.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly while he took a sip from his teacup.
Although this situation was expected, he felt relieved by the news of the current progression.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill that was auctioned before was not wasted. With the emergence of this Spirit Pill, and the last sentence Lu Xue said at the end of the auction, there was no need for Void Land to deliberately promote the Star City, for others would naturally spread the news for them.
Once the news spread out, countless people would be attracted.
“What about the Star City? How many people are there now?” Yang Kai asked again.
“Approximately 80,000. Our Star City can accommodate up to 1 million people. At this rate, I’m afraid it will be overcrowded within a few months.”
Yang Kai instructed, “Mo Mei will need to increase the number of patrols and the number of law enforcers in the Star City to prevent troubles that could ruin our reputation. Make sure she understands that those who dare to cause problems in the Star City will not be tolerated.”
Bian Yu Qing smiled, “Protector Mo has already arrested a number of people in the past few days, all of whom have been sent to the dungeon.”
Yang Kai looked up in the direction of the Star City, pondering for a moment, “The auction should have begun by this time, right?”
Bian Yu Qing nodded, “Yes, the auction started about an hour ago, and should be finishing up soon.”
“Who is hosting this time?”
“Manager Yun himself!”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. The last time, he had no choice but to let Lu Xue take up the task. Still, now that the auction house was under Yun Xing Hua’s management, and with him being a far more sociable individual, Yun Xing Hua was a much more suitable candidate to host the auction.
As they were talking, Bian Yu Qing suddenly changed her expression, took out a communication bead, and poured her Divine Sense into it. After a while, she happily reported, “Sect Master, there’s good news.”
Yang Kai almost spat out his tea as his eyes widened, “Tell me!”
Bian Yu Qing giggled, “The auction has ended successfully. The finale item, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, was sold for 3.5 million Open Heaven Pills, and the total revenue with the rest of the auctioned items came to nearly 8 million Open Heaven Pills!”
Yang Kai almost choked. 3.5 million Open Heaven Pills was far from the true value of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Even 10 million was not sufficient for its worth. The reason for the price this time was probably because the cultivators here were still not fully prepared. The price of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill would surely soar again in the next auction, and by that time, the situation in the Star City would begin to stabilize.
As long as Void Land managed the Star City well, there was no need to worry about cultivation resources for its disciples in the future.
After solving the issue with resources for Void Land, the next issue was Yang Kai’s own resource needs.
A Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure… He did not even know where to start looking for one, giving Yang Kai a slight headache.
…..
Shopkeeper Jin and Shopkeeper Tong walked out of Void Auction House absentmindedly. They had participated in this auction mainly for research purposes and witnessed the popularity of the last Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill.
Compared to the first auction three months ago, the auction this time could only be described as brutal. When the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill appeared on the stage, voices screaming bids constantly overlapped each other, and the price climbed so fast that left them both feeling utterly shocked.
“Brother Jin, we truly picked up an enormous bargain.” Shopkeeper Tong spoke solemnly.
If it were not for a coincidental opportunity, how could the two of them obtain a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill for a mere 140,000 Open Heaven Pills? The same Spirit Pill was sold today for 3.5 million Open Heaven Pills, which was dozens of times the price they had paid.
At this point, they no longer doubted the authenticity of the Spirit Pill. Even though they could not recognize it, would all these others not be able to? Besides that, Void Land would never do anything to sabotage their reputation at this critical moment.
“What we need to do now is to find someone to sell the Spirit Pill to as soon as possible. Void Star City is becoming more and more popular, and our shops need funds to operate.”
Shopkeeper Jin replied, “Brother Tong, to tell you the truth, someone contacted me privately yesterday, offering 1 million Open Heaven Pills to buy our Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill!”
“1 million?” Shopkeeper Tong’s eyes widened as he snapped, “He might as well just rob us!”
If he had not participated in today’s auction, 1 million would be enough to impress him, but after witnessing the great struggle for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, 1 million was clearly not enough to excite him anymore.
Shopkeeper Jin chuckled, “I naturally refused, though I think that more people will be contacting us in the next few days. We should not stray far from each other, so we can talk if we encounter a good opportunity.”
Day after day, a large number of cultivators poured into the Star City, and in less than a month after the end of the second auction, the number of cultivators residing in the Star City had reached 200,000 according to the statistics of the Governor’s Mansion.
Such a number had far exceeded the limit of the previous Void Star City. If Yang Kai had not expanded the scale of the Star City in advance, it would have been extremely cramped.
The more people there were, the more problems would happen; there were people picking fights and provoking trouble every single day. The Star City law enforcement team had also arrested many people, which brought the Star City back to stability again.
The shopkeepers who had fled before also rushed back and gathered before the Governor’s Mansion to protest to get their shop back. Void Land ignored them, but later on had no choice but to send them to the dungeon after they ignored warnings to not cause a public disturbance.
About one-third of all the stores in the Star City had been leased out, and the profit from rent alone was a huge number.
Merchants from near and far had come to rent shops. This further drove the popularity of the Star City. Void Star City was no longer a desolate backwater, and one could buy any goods they looked for and could sell anything they wanted to sell.
Everything was on track.
As long as they could sustain this pace for a year and a half, the Star City could be completely stabilized and form a healthy circulation. By then, there would be no need to worry anymore.
Everyone was waiting for the start of the third auction.
Bian Yu Qing would come every half month to report on the situation of the Star City to Yang Kai at his residing palace, and today was no exception.
“Sect Master, according to the observation of this subordinate, people from the Cave Heavens and Paradises have arrived in the Star City, but have hidden their identities. It’s impossible to identify which Cave Heaven or Paradise they’re from.”
Yang Kai gave a small nod, “The matter regarding the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill is very important, it’s only natural for them to send people to investigate.”
“Then Sect Master… Should we make contact with them?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “Just ignore them. Since they have hidden their identities, they obviously don’t want to reveal themselves. If they really want something, they will naturally come to us… En, was it a pair of Star City shopkeepers who bought the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill in the first auction for 140,000 Open Heaven Pills?”
Bian Yu Qing replied with a smile, “Sect Master is correct. Shopkeeper Jin and Shopkeeper Tong both originally ran small shops, but had no choice but to stay back because they were reluctant to abandon their property, allowing them to pick up a great bargain instead.”
“Send someone to protect them. Be cautious if someone comes in contact with them and wants to buy the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill.”
Bian Yu Qing’s expression changed slightly, “Does Sect Master mean…”
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “No harm being prepared.”
Bian Yu Qing understood and bowed, “Rest assured, Sect Master. Elder Lu promised them before that if they needed help in the sale of Spirit Pill, they could inform Void Land, and we would act as an intermediary. They have no background or backing, so if they really want to sell off the Spirit Pill, they would definitely seek help from Void Land.”
“That’s good. In addition, quietly spread the news that I need a High-Rank Yin Element treasure.”
“Yes!” Bian Yu Qing bowed, “If Sect Master has no other orders, this subordinate will retreat now.”
“Go.” Yang Kai waved his hand.
Bian Yu Qing stepped back respectfully, but turned back as soon as she left.
Yang Kai looked at her, “Is there anything else?”
Bian Yu Qing reported, “Sect Master, I just received news that some of your friends have come to Void Land and want to visit with you.”
“Friends?” Yang Kai raised his brows, “Who?”
“I was told that they’re from Great Moon Province, but I don’t know who they are.”
“Great Moon Province!” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up, suddenly having an idea of who they were, so he immediately called out, “Bring them in!”
“Yes!”
After a while, Yang Kai stood outside his palace with a smile on his face, watching a group of people speeding towards him. When they approached, he took a few steps forward to greet them.
Led by Bian Yu Qing personally, the group landed not far in front of Yang Kai. The leader of the group was a burly man, accompanied by a pretty woman. Both of them were Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. They were Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang from Great Moon Province, whom Yang Kai had met years ago. Behind them stood two men and two women.
All six of them were familiar faces, and many memories flitted through Yang Kai’s mind as his eyes swept across them.
However, they all seemed very reserved. Great Moon Province was only a Third-Class great force, and its leader was only a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Void Land now possessed the atmosphere of a top-tier Second Class great force, with numerous Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was inevitable for them to feel stressed to be here.
The guests saw Yang Kai, who had come out to greet them, and the older looking man and one of the women were delighted, speeding up their pace a little, but they seemed to remember something a moment later and slowed down slightly.
“Great Moon Province’s Wei Que greets Sect Master Yang!” Wei Que took a step forward, cupped his fist and shouted.
Yang Kai stretched out his hand to hold him up and said with a smile, “Senior Wei, it’s good to see you again.”
Wei Que broke into a grin at the word ‘Senior’, and his stiffened body relaxed a lot.
Yang Kai turned to Tao Rong Fang again, nodding gently, “Senior Tao.”
Tao Rong Fang bowed elegantly, “Sect Master Yang!”
Yang Kai then looked at the two men and two women behind them with a happy smile on his face.
Old Fang too, was smiling, but his smile was a little stiff. Meng Hong on the other hand, who was standing beside him, looked perfectly calm. Meng Hong had been with Yang Kai for over ten years in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and formed a close friendship with him; therefore, even though Yang Kai was now the owner of a prosperous great force, with powerful subordinates, Meng Hong did not feel too much pressure.
Behind the two were Dié You and Ah Sun. At this moment, Dié You was looking at Yang Kai with a complicated expression. She could not help but recall the days when they all lived together in Seven Wonders Land.
Back then, when the very ground under their feet was still Seven Wonders Land, they lived a life without hope for the future, wasting away their time and resources for trivial Third-Order materials.
Even as a mere Worker, however, Yang Kai was able to find a way to thrive, and now, after years of separation, he was the owner of this land. It was indeed true that capable people were able to achieve more than what ordinary people could.
Old Fang was grinning, he did not know what to say. Before coming here, he thought about what to say to Yang Kai when they met, but was really intimidated by the prosperity of the Star City and the strength of Void Land when he arrived.
Yang Kai took two steps forward, and gave Old Fang a hearty bear hug while Old Fang continued to gaze at him dumbfounded, giving him a huge pat on the back, “I haven’t seen you for many years, Old Fang, you’re looking older than ever!”
Old Fang’s initially stiff body immediately twitched and he shouted angrily, “Nonsense, despite this Old Master’s age, he is still as mighty as a Dragon and fierce as a Tiger, how am I getting old!?”
Yang Kai’s warm welcome had made him forgo his embarrassment and anxiety. He chuckled and shook his head, “You brat…”
Yang Kai let go of him, turned to Dié You and Ah Sun with open arms, “You two on the other hand have grown even more beautiful!”
Dié You blushed and swerved away, glaring at Yang Kai. Ah Sun foolishly wanted to lean forward and accept the embrace, but Dié You hurriedly grabbed her and snapped, “He’s trying to take advantage of you, you silly girl.”
Ah Sun suddenly realized, then made a face at Yang Kai as she shouted, “My Master is here, be careful or she’ll beat you up!”
To the side, Tao Rong Fang laughed dryly. Given that Yang Kai’s identity was different now and she was just a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, how would she dare to make a move against him in Void Land? If her Disciple was really taken advantage of, all she could do was to pretend not to see it.
“It’s just a hug, you won’t lose anything!” Yang Kai complained, “Look how generous Old Fang was.”
“Bah!” Dié You spat, “He’s an old man, how can he be the same as us?”
Old Fang was suddenly upset, “Who’s an old man!?”
The group quarreled noisily, and the atmosphere suddenly became harmonious. The previous respect and caution was longer present. Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang exchanged glances, grateful that Yang Kai had deliberately broken the ice between them.
It seemed that their trip here was not a mistake. Even though Yang Kai now held a lofty position, he never despised them for their weakness, and all the previous worries had vanished.
“Brother Meng!” Yang Kai saluted to Meng Hong again.
Meng Hong saluted back, “Brother Yang!”
Meng Hong was quite likeable, and one of the three Mid-Rank World Fruits Yang Kai had was given to him by Meng Hong. In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Meng Hong received much help and protection from Yang Kai, allowing him and the other Great Moon Province disciples to remain unscathed. The Mid-Rank World Fruit was Meng Hong’s way of thanking Yang Kai.
However, only one out of the three Mid-Rank World Fruits were left. One of them was given to Yue He to help her advance to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and another was given to Lu Xue for her advancement to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
“You have travelled far. Let’s talk inside.” Yang Kai ushered them in warmly, and turned to instructed Bian Yu Qing, “Prepare a banquet. Today, I won’t go home unless I’m drunk with these old friends!”
“Yes!” Bian Yu Qing saluted elegantly and left immediately.
After a while, in the Main Hall, wine flowed freely and cups went gaily round, making for a lively atmosphere. Yang Kai, Old Fang, Ah Sun, and Die You were all Workers in Seven Wonders Land previously. Everyone reminisced sadly as they looked back on the days when it seemed that they would never see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Who would have thought they could ever escape Seven Wonders Land? Perhaps only Yang Kai, who had been planning his escape since the first day he entered Seven Wonders Land.
Old Fang and Dié You had been enslaved by Seven Wonders Land for hundreds of years, and if it was not for Yang Kai, who threw everything into chaos and finally led them to escape, they would not have been able to ever have a new life.
But now, the once Worker of the land was the overlord of Void Land, leader of over 300 Open Heaven Realm Masters, and even the owner of a thriving Star City that was renowned throughout the 3,000 Worlds.
Although Old Fang and the others did not have grand accomplishments like Yang Kai did, they were still doing pretty well in Great Moon Province. At the very least, there was hope for the future, and the days were no longer as dark as they used to be.
Yang Kai’s, Old Fang’s, and the others’ voices and laughter resounded endlessly in the banquet hall. Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang looked at each other secretly, feeling relieved. They had come here by the orders of the Leader of Great Moon Province to make a request.
They were initially a little worried about whether it would go well, but now it seemed that the two of them were unnecessarily anxious.
Yang Kai was obviously someone who cherished old friendships. In this case, the matter regarding Great Moon Province’s request should not be difficult. However, it was not a good time to bring it up, so they could only wait for an opportunity.
But who could have imagined that the owner of Void Land, the man who destroyed the Hundred Sect Alliance and killed off more than 10,000 thousand with a single order, the one who beheaded a mighty Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Heavenly Sword Union’s Union Master, Kong Feng, would be such a genial person?
Previously, the Hundred Sect Alliance was led by Heavenly Sword Union to besiege Void Land but instead had the tables turned on them. When they received such news, Great Moon Province found it hard to believe them. Even though they had learned that Yang Kai had occupied Seven Wonders Land, renamed it Void Land, and became its new owner, the Hundred Sect Alliance was formidable, not to mention that it had several Second-Class great forces such as Heavenly Sword Union in it.
After confirming from various sources that the information was true, Great Moon Province was greatly shaken.
Old Fang and the others had wanted to come and provide help. Although their strength was limited, they had gone through life or death together with Yang Kai. Back then, when Yang Kai was pursued by many great forces after robbing the Golden Crow corpse and hiding in First Inn, they had no choice but to follow Wei Que to Great Moon Province. They still felt guilty because of that.
They felt as though they had abandoned Yang Kai.
It was only natural that they felt uneasy when they learned that Yang Kai was in trouble.
However, Void Land had become famous through this battle. Later, when it was reported that the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had appeared in Void Star City, the Leader of Great Moon Province agreed to Old Fang’s and the others’ request and ordered Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang to be their escorts.
It may appear that they were just going to escort Old Fang and the others to Void Land, but in fact, Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang had another task.
After three rounds of drinks, Yang Kai asked Old Fang and the others about their cultivation.
Old Fang took a gulp of wine, wiped his mouth, and replied with a chuckle, “This Old Master is just an old man, I don’t want to fuss around anymore. It’s already not bad to achieve the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future, but Xiao You and the others used the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water that you gave them to wipe clean the Powers in their Dao Seals and have started cultivating from the beginning again.”
After leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and occupying Seven Wonders Land, Yang Kai sent Meng Hong to provide Old Fang and the others some cultivation resources, including the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water and complete sets of Fifth-Order Heaven Realm materials.
However, one needed great will and daring to use the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water. Old Fang had low ambitions and was already quite old. He might just die if he pushed himself too much. As such, he simply accepted his fate. Although Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was a lower starting point, as long as one worked hard over time, they still had hope to advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, it would just take a little longer.
However, with the combination of Meng Hong’s example and experience and their own careful consideration, it seemed that Dié You and Ah Sun had chosen to use the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water to cleanse their Dao Seals, and restarted their cultivation.
Now both of them were condensing the Fifth-Order Elements, with the hopes that they could directly achieve the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future! Their starting point would be much higher than that of Old Fang’s, and their road ahead would thus stretch further.
Wei Que and Tao Rong Fang were a little worried about the dangers they might encounter while advancing to the Open Heaven Realm in the future; after all, although both of their aptitudes were good, condensing Fifth-Order Powers was still quite risky.
Since Yang Kai was someone who cherished old friendships dearly though, he would not ignore them. Now that the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was auctioned here in Void Land, it should not be a problem to get two to help with their advancement.
Yang Kai turned to look at Dié You and Ah Sun and although he did not know how much suffering the two had gone through, he could imagine that it would not be far off from what happened to Meng Hong when he took the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water previously.
After pondering for a while, Yang Kai turned to address Wei Que, “Senior Wei, this Junior has a request that he wonders if Senior would agree to.”
Wei Que hurriedly sat up straight and replied sternly, “Sect Master Yang, please speak freely. I, Wei Que, will never refuse as long as I’m capable.”
The only reason Yang Kai called him Senior was because of his friendship with Old Fang and the others, so Wei Que did not dare to show a trace of arrogance. The handsome young man before him was capable of killing over 10,000 cultivators; he was the one who annihilated the Hundred Sect Alliance with a single order and was the one who personally cut off the head of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Wei Que was aware that his own Great Moon Province was not even worthy of carrying Heavenly Sword Union’s shoes.
Yang Kai proceeded, “Enemies targeted our Void Land recently, and the Star City faced a major downturn. Now that we have achieved a great victory, it is time to focus on raising our Star City’s popularity. Since you are already here, this Yang hopes you will not leave too quickly. I would like to ask Senior to continue his stay in the Star City. I can allocate a few shops to Great Moon Province. No matter what business Great Moon Province does, it will be of great help to me.”
Wei Que gasped and stood up quickly, his face turning red, “Sect Master Yang, t-t-this is…”
The mission given to him and Tao Rong Fang by their Leader was to obtain a shop in Void Star City, one shop. Great Moon Province was not a very accomplished or ambitious Sect, while Void Star City’s popularity was rising at an astonishing rate. If one could secure even a single stall here and run some small businesses, it could be a great help to maintain one’s livelihood and sustain the cultivation needs of one’s Disciples.
Wei Que was still pondering how to bring this issue up with Yang Kai, so he never thought that Yang Kai would take the initiative to mention it.
In all honesty, what could they do to help Void Land? Yang Kai was only phrasing it this way to give them face. They passed by the Star City before arriving here, and it was clearly overflowing with vitality while all the shops were doing very well. Why would Void Lan need a trivial Great Moon Province to help?
Yang Kai had long seen their intention of coming here…
Wei Que was now thoroughly embarrassed.
Yang Kai smiled, “Or does Senior Wei think that Void Star City is facing a bleak future? If so, I won’t insist.”
“That is absolutely not true, Sect Master Yang.” Wei Que flailed his arms wildly as he hurriedly stated, “Being able to stay in Void Star City is exactly what Great Moon Province wished for, and if that’s the case, I would like to thank Sect Master Yang for his deep kindness.”
He then cupped his fist solemnly.
Yang Kai nodded and turned to Bian Yu Qing, who was sitting next to him, “Go back to the Governor’s Mansion to make arrangements. Have the Manager in charge of the Star City shops to reserve five premium located stores under Great Moon Province’s name.”
Bian Yu Qing was slightly startled, but quickly replied, “Yes, Sect Master rest assured, I’ll see to it right away!”
Reserving shops under the name of Great Moon Province meant that ownership itself would be transferred to them, not leased. In other words, these five stores would belong exclusively to Great Moon Province in the future, and would no longer belong to Void Land.
Wei Que obviously understood the meaning of this, and exclaimed involuntarily, “Sect Master Yang, how could we possibly accept such generosity!? Five is too many for Great Moon Province, one is enough…”
Great Moon Province was a mere Third Class great force, so it was not an exaggeration that they would not know what to do with five shops. It was just as Wei Que said, one shop was plenty.
Yang Kai raised his hand, “Say no more, Senior Wei. These five shops will be entrusted to you, whether Great Moon Province chooses to do business with them or lease them out, it will be for you to decide. Old Fang and the others are dear friends of mine, and Brother Meng and I have faced many life-and-death tribulations together in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. On top of that, Brother Meng even gifted me an incredibly precious treasure. These trivial five shops are nothing compared to such things.”
How could Wei Que refuse after what Yang Kai had said? With no other choice, he cupped fists and bowed his head deeply, “Many thanks, Sect Master Yang!
However, he was still a little puzzled, [What did Meng Hong give to Yang Kai that could be called an ‘incredibly precious treasure’…?] However, now was not the right time to ask, so he could only suppress his curiosity.
Yang Kai was not just trying to be polite; after all, how could a mere five shops compare to a Mid-Rank World Fruit? Not to mention five, even fifty shops would still pale in comparison! That was a treasure that could help a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly advance by a whole Order, and would even increase their lifetime limit by an Order. Such a treasure would even be of extreme interest to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters!
It was not that Yang Kai was reluctant to give more shops to Great Moon Province, but he was also aware of Great Moon Province’s limitations, it was useless to give them more shops and would only attract the greed of others, causing more harm than good.
When the banquet ended, the members of Great Moon Province left, with Bian Yu Qing personally leading them to the Governor’s Mansion in the Star City to select the locations of their five new shops.
The news that the owner of Void Land required a High-Rank Yin Element treasure spread out quietly. Yang Kai hoped that someone would secretly come to him to trade, but no one approached even after waiting for a long time, though some people did come to give information of places where he might find High-Rank Yin Element treasures.
Yang Kai sent subordinates to inquire about the credibility of this information, but the results were disappointing. Most people just made fraudulent reports in the hopes of gaining some benefits, while the ones who did provide legitimate possibilities only did so for places Void Land could not confirm or even approach, so the matter was left to drift.
Yang Kai sighed, it seemed that High-Rank Yin Element treasures were only accessible by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
As time passed, the number of people residing in the Star City reached as high as 500,000. Such a scale had already surpassed the limits of a Second Class Star City and it was steadily developing into a First Class one.
On the eve of the third auction, another old friend came to visit.
After receiving the report from Bian Yu Qing, Yang Kai ordered her to be shown in.
In the reception hall, Yang Kai smiled as he watched a great beauty sashay in, “Senior Sister Qu!”
Qu Hua Shang smiled enchantingly, her eyes radiating an intense charm. As her lashes fluttered lightly, she asked sweetly, “Junior Brother Yang, have you been thinking of me?”
Bian Yu Qing, who brought her in, glanced at Qu Hua Shang with a strange expression, but quickly lowered her eyes again.
Yang Kai half choked, half laughed, thinking to himself, [This enchantress is still so unfiltered with her words].
He was about to tease her in return when suddenly his expression changed. With a raised brow he asked, “Has Senior Sister advanced to the Open Heaven Realm?”
At this moment, a World Force aura was lingering around Qu Hua Shang, but it seemed that she had just broken through so her cultivation had not been completely stabilized yet, so she was not able to withdraw her aura freely.
“Thanks to Junior Brother, this Senior Sister was fortunate enough to break through after leaving the Blood Monster Cave Heaven.” Qu Hua Shang covered her lips and giggled.
Yang Kai suddenly recalled something. This seductress told him before that she was cultivating the Heartless Dao. If she wanted to advance to the Open Heaven Realm, she had to fall in love with someone and then cut ties with that love.
At that time, she had told him frankly that he was the one who she chose to fall in love with and give up the love she had for him.
They went through dire situations together and supported each other throughout the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Being alone together, even a man like Yang Kai who had seen plenty of beauties could not help feeling some fondness for Qu Hua Shang. However, due to various reasons, he did not want to overstep his boundaries. However, Qu Hua Shan had apparently already fallen in love along the way.
It was easy to fall in love, but not so much to cut ties.
Now that Qu Hua Shang has advanced to Open Heaven Realm, it meant that she has successfully given up her love, but Yang Kai had no idea how she had done it and was still standing here in front of him, flirting so casually.
Obviously, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven should have some special methods. Whatever the case was, Yang Kai was truly happy that she had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, and he immediately cupped his fist with a smile, “Congratulations, Senior Sister. Having the Sixth-Order Open Heaven as your starting point, Senior Sister’s name will surely resound throughout the 3,000 Worlds in the future.”
Qu Hua Shang pouted, “What’s there to congratulate? This Senior Sister’s heart is hurting so bad. If you don’t believe me, you can feel it yourself!” After saying so, she puffed her chest out and leaned towards Yang Kai.
Bian Yu Qing’s head was lowered so far by now that it was like she wanted to bury her head in the ground.
Yang Kai could not stand it any longer and hastily took two steps back.
“Ahem, ahem…” A soft cough suddenly came from beside him, and a somewhat familiar voice followed after, “This Old Master is not dead yet. If the two of you are going to flirt, can you please not do it in front of this old man? This old man is getting old and his Blood Qi is not so strong anymore, the stimulation isn’t good for me.”
Yang Kai turned to look at him, “You are…”
Qu Hua Shang did not come alone. She was accompanied by another person covered in black clothes, making it difficult to make out the body, appearance, or even gender of this individual.
But as soon as Yang Kai heard the voice, he could tell that the person was a man, and he should be quite elderly.
Moreover, Yang Kai felt that he should have met this person before; otherwise, the voice would not have sounded familiar.
The man lifted his hood, revealing an old face with a slight smile. He cupped his fist, “Sect Master Yang, we meet again.”
Yang Kai pondered for a while, then suddenly asked, “Old Zhou?”
This elderly man was obviously the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Asura Cave Heaven. His surname was Zhou, and that was all Yang Kai knew about his name. He only knew Old Zhou because he was the person in charge of the Asura Arena in Thousand Birds Star City.
The last time Yang Kai went to Thousand Birds Star City in search of the Proprietress, he was forced by Yu Luo Sha, a Core Disciple of Asura Cave Heaven, to participate in a bout in the Asura Arena against her. In that battle, Yang Kai bet 100 million Open Heaven Pills on himself, and won a fortune with the 10:1 odds against him. In the end, it was Old Zhou who came forward and handed over his prize. At that time, Old Zhou also compensated Yang Kai an extra 150 million with an agreement that he would never set foot in any Asura Arena again in the future.
Yang Kai could truly be called invincible below the Open Heaven Realm. Even Yu Luo Sha was beaten by him in a single move. With such a display, Old Zhou really had no choice but to make such a proposal.
There was no way Yang Kai would not want to gain benefits without any cost. In addition to that, Old Zhou also revealed that some Cave Heavens and Paradises were targeting him, so it was a good trade.
Facts had proven that what Old Zhou said was right, the tree that rises above the forest would be the first one toppled by the wind. In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Yang Kai was targeted by many disciples from various Cave Heavens and Paradises, especially Pei Wen Xuan from Myriad Demon Heaven and Yin Xin Zhao from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven, both of whom repeatedly tried to kill him.
Yang Kai did not expect that the person who came to Void Land with Qu Hua Shang was actually Old Zhou. He had always thought it was some Master from Yin Yang Heaven who was sent to protect Qu Hua Shang.
Now that he thought about it though, this situation made more sense. Now that Qu Hua Shang was a Sixth-Order Master, despite not having full control of her strength, there were not many left in this world who could threaten her. All the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were old monsters, so who would embarrass a Junior for nothing?
Yang Kai was of course an exception. He stood out too much and represented a future threat that forced two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to secretly establish the Hundred Sect Alliance. In the end, these two Masters were forced to act personally, but were ultimately deterred by two Divine Spirits.
“Why is Old Zhou here instead of tending to Thousand Birds Star City’s Asura Arena? And with Senior Sister Qu too, for what reason have you come today?” Yang Kai asked suspiciously.
Qu Hua Shang replied, “This Senior Sister met Manager Zhou right outside Void Land. We didn’t make any arrangements in advance. Manager Zhou asked me to help bring him in, probably because he had something to discuss with Junior Brother Yang.”
The people of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were more or less allies. Qu Hua Shang had also been to Thousand Birds Star City, so she naturally recognized Manager Zhou. Qu Hua Shang could not refuse if Manager Zhou made such a request, and it wasn’t a big deal anyway. Yang Kai would not blame her for this, so she made the decision on her own.
Manager Zhou smiled slightly, “This Old Master is here to discuss something with Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed before replying with a smile, “Please come in and talk.”
They were guests after all, so Yang Kai could not let them stand outside forever, that would be quite rude.
The two of them entered while Bian Yu Qing made arrangements for the maidservants to serve fruit and tea before leaving.
After taking a few sips of tea and saying a few pleasantries, Manager Zhou got down to business, “This Old Master is here on the orders from the Master Sect. There are two things for which we would like to partner with Void Land.”
Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “Partner?”
“Indeed!” Manager Zhou nodded.
Yang Kai played with the teacup in his hand and asked, “Didn’t Old Zhou hear about the battle that happened in Void Land recently? The Hundred Sect Alliance suddenly ambushed us, and Void Land was forced to fight back. The battle resulted in over 10,000 casualties, including countless Open Heaven Realm Masters. Various Cave Heavens and Paradises are already openly targeting me. Are you not afraid that you might upset others if Asura Cave Heaven does business with me?”
Manager Zhou chuckled, “Even Sect Master Yang said that it was the Hundred Sect Alliance that invaded your Void Land. It has nothing to do with the Cave Heavens and Paradises.”
Yang Kai looked at him with a half-smile.
Manager Zhou shifted his gaze uncomfortably before lightly clearing his throat, “Sect Master Yang is a worldly man, there’s no need to state things so bluntly. The Hundred Sect Alliance seemingly had the upper hand, and they knew well about your Void Land, but still ended up in a disastrous defeat. Even Kong Feng was captured in the end; otherwise, those two would not have shown up rashly.”
Yang Kai replied lightly, “Does Manager Zhou mean that my Void Land should have been breached and all of our 600,000 disciples living here should have been ruthlessly exterminated?”
Manager Zhou noticed his displeased expression then quickly added, “Sect Master Yang is too serious, this Old Master did not mean to imply that.”
Yang Kai softly snorted.
Manager Zhou continued solemnly, “What this Old Master meant to say was that even the Hundred Sect Alliance couldn’t defeat Void Land, and unless the Cave Heavens and Paradises take action themselves, no one can do anything to Void Land in the 3,000 Worlds. Now Void Land even has two Divine Spirits protecting it, with one of them being Bi Xi, who has lived for countless millennia. One would have to gather at least five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters if they wanted to take down Void Land without suffering disastrous losses.”
[Has Bi Xi’s identity been exposed?] Yang Kai’s heart clenched; however, it was not surprising when he thought about it. It was not something that could be hidden any longer after so many people witnessed Void Land’s blatant migration.
“It doesn’t mean that the Cave Heavens and Paradises are not capable of dispatching such a lineup. Every Cave Heaven and Paradise has extraordinary heritage, so which one of them does not have at least a few Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters? It’s just that those Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters have long since stopped caring about worldly affairs, and are always cultivating in retreat. They will not show up unless a true disaster appears. So it’s essentially impossible to gather five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.” Manager Zhou explained eloquently, “So Sect Master Yang, as long as Void Land does not threaten the existence of any Cave Heaven or Paradise, there will be no more worries. No one would dare to attack Void Land again.”
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “So is that why Asura Cave Heaven wants to partner with me?”
Manager Zhou replied sternly, “Void Land is also qualified to partner with my Asura Cave Heaven.”
Yang Kai pondered for a while b efore nodding, “What does Asura Cave Heaven want to partner with me on?”
Manager Zhou answered, “Sect Master Yang has been to the Asura Arena, so you should know that it is my Asura Cave Heaven’s biggest source of income and one of its most important training facilities. All other First Class Star Cities have their own Asura Arenas, even some Second Class Star Cities have Asura Arenas. Now that Void Star City is so popular and it is still continuing to rise, Asura Cave Heaven naturally doesn’t want to miss out on such an opportunity, so the Master Sect has sent this Old Master here to build an Asura Arena!”
“I see. So that’s the proposal!” Yang Kai nodded lightly.
Yang Kai has experienced the popularity of the Asura Arena. As a place that used violence to solve all matters, the Asura Arena was a good place for hot-tempered cultivators with grievances that could not be resolved with words, or for blood-thirsty cultivators who were hindered by various rules to vent out their frustrations.
That was the reason why the Asura Arena was so well-liked.
When Void Star City was rebuilt and the new Governor’s Mansion established, the law enforcement team were deployed and anyone who dared to start a quarrel or stir up trouble would all be quickly suppressed and captured.
In this way, although the order of the Star City could be maintained, grudges and grievances would inevitably rise up in the long run.
Some things were better to be allowed to happen than to be prevented. If an Asura Arena was built in the Star City, it would be a good place to settle such issues and for those who liked to cause trouble to vent.
Furthermore, the existence of the Asura Arena could definitely enhance the popularity of the Star City and drive its development even further.
This was a win-win situation for Void Land and Asura Heaven.
Yang Kai had no reason to disagree.
So after just a moment of contemplation, Yang Kai nodded and agreed, “This Yang is glad that Asura Cave Heaven is willing to build an Asura Arena in my Void Star City, but Void Land will need to participate in this venture.”
Manager Zhou frowned, “What does Sect Master Yang mean?”
Yang Kai replied, “The land required for the Asura Arena will be provided by Void Land free of rent or taxes, but Void Land will require 30% of the profits made!”
Manager Zhou gaped at him but quickly smiled, “Sect Master Yang, isn’t your appetite a little too big?”
If the Star City was a goose that laid golden eggs, the auction house and Asura Arena would be the biggest and heaviest eggs.
The auction house was independently operated by Void Land, and no one else could intervene at all. It was the one and only auction house in the entire Void Star City, and Void Land was still not satisfied and wanted to intervene in the Asura Arena too? This was an extraordinarily large appetite.
Yang Kai chuckled, “Is it that big? I don’t think so. Old Zhou is a sensible person. My Void Star City has only been established for a trivial few months, yet it has already become so popular and is far from reaching its peak. One can imagine what the future will be like. Millions of cultivators will flow through this city regularly, and Asura Cave Heaven building an Asura Arena in my Star City would be equivalent to planting a tree that grows leaves of money here. Void Land will provide you with the venue, free of rent, free of tax, for just a 30% share of the profits. This deal is more than fair!”
Manager Zhou frowned as he spoke, “Sect Master Yang, Asura Arena is one of the most important industries of my Asura Cave Heaven, and there is no room for any mistakes. Can you change the conditions?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “Old Zhou, don’t tell me that no other great force takes a share of the Asura Arena’s profits in other cities! As far as I know, Great Battle Heaven takes a significant share of the profits earned by the Asura Arena in Thousand Birds Star City, yes? Why is it that Great Battle Heaven is cut in but my Void Land isn’t? Is it because my Void Land is not good enough for Asura Cave Heaven?”
Old Zhou hurriedly answered, “Sect Master Yang is too serious. This Old Master never said as such!” Although he was a Manager from Asura Cave Heaven and also a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he did not dare to be offensive in the slightest inside Void Land. This was the place where hundreds of Open Heaven Realm Masters recently died, and with two mature Divine Spirits keeping watch, who dared to underestimate Void Land?
No other Second Class great force could make someone like Manager Zhou set his pride aside like this.
After pondering for a while, Old Zhou offered, “Sect Master Yang is right, many other great forces do share profits of the Asura Arenas, but no one has ever taken 30%. Even Great Battle Heaven only gets 20% of the profits from the Asura Arena in Thousand Birds Star City. How about this, this Old Master will offer Void Land 10%, does that sound good?”
“30%, nothing less!” Yang Kai shook his head slowly.
Old Zhou smiled bitterly, “Sect Master Yang, such a price is unreasonable. 30% is really non-negotiable.”
Yang Kai flicked off imaginary dust on his clothes and smiled, “I only intend to allow Asura Cave Heaven to establish an Asura Arena in this Star City because the name of Asura Arena is well known, making it convenient for advertisement. But even without the Asura Arena, I can well build a similar venue on my own in this Star City, with a similar name, like Blood Arena, what do you think?”
Old Zhou’s face twitched slightly, completely speechless.
Then again, if Yang Kai really planned to build a ‘Blood Arena’ and completely cut out Asura Cave Heaven, there was really nothing they could do.
Asura Cave Heaven was one of the 36 Cave Heavens, so the existence or loss of a single Asura Arena did not matter much to the Master Sect, but it meant a great deal to Manager Zhou, who was just a trivial Manager. The matter could bring him a lot of benefits, so it was not something he could just ignore.
After a while of careful consideration, Manager Zhou spoke, “30% is really too much. This Old Master can’t make such a decision on his own and will need to consult his superiors. But if Sect Master Yang can agree to another condition, this Old Master can guarantee that the Master Sect will agree to this proposal.”
“Another condition?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows slightly.
Manager Zhou smiled, “This is the second matter this Old Master is here to discuss with Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai gestured for him to continue.
Manager Zhou coughed lightly, “I heard that your noble Sect has auctioned two Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills in recent months. I was wondering if that was true or not?”
Yang Kai knew that this old guy was really here for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, so his expression remained unchanged as he snickered silently to himself. After waiting for such a long time, it seemed things were finally getting started.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “En, Void Land did auction two Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills!”
Manager Zhou’s expression brightened, “And, it was said that the Void Auction House will host an auction every three months from now on, where a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill will be auctioned.”
“Correct!”
Manager Zhou’s eyes sparkled a little as he asked, “So, does that mean that your noble Sect is capable of refining this lost ancient pill? Could it be that your noble Sect has found a source of World Source Liquid?”
When he asked the question, Qu Hua Shang, who had been silent all the time, also had her beautiful eyes flash as she stared eagerly at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai smiled without answering.
Manager Zhou continued, “Before the Blood Monster Cave Heaven opened, Red Clouds Auction House once auctioned a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill and the recipe for this pill. As far as I know, those items were won by Sect Master Yang, but the Spirit Pill was exchanged for a Seventh-Order Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng with an Elder from Sword Pavilion, while the pill recipe was left… But according to the recipe, World Source Liquid was required to refine this Spirit Pill, and World Source Liquid has long since disappeared from the 3,000 Worlds. Now that Void Land is able to take out a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill every three months for auction, it could only mean that Void Land had found a way to obtain World Source Liquid. There is no other explanation for why so many rare Spirit Pills could be auctioned.”
The extinction of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was because of the extinction of World Source Liquid. It was a treasure that was formed by chance when a new World was born. Where could it be found now?
This situation was inevitable, and Yang Kai had already expected this would happen when he decided to use the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill to help bolster the popularity of his Star City.
Taking a sip of his tea, Yang Kai smiled, “Blood Monster Divine Monarch left many good things behind inside the Blood Monster Divine Palace, including some World Source Liquid.”
Manager Zhou looked at him hesitantly, not sure if he should believe him. However, obviously, the timing fit. Yang Kai obtained the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill and its pill recipe before the Blood Monster Cave Heaven opened, and the Spirit Pill was only first auctioned in the Star City after the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed. It was entirely possible that Yang Kai really got World Source Liquid from Blood Monster Cave Heaven.
Yang Kai moved the conversation forward with a smile, “Does Asura Cave Heaven also need this Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill?”
Manager Zhou replied, “Who wouldn’t want such a Spirit Pill? I’m afraid that many from the Cave Heavens and Paradises have quietly entered Void Star City, waiting for the next auction. Don’t tell me that you, Sect Master Yang, are unaware of this.”
It did not matter for the other Cave Heavens and Paradises whether they snuck in or announced their presence, but it was different for Asura Cave Heaven. If they really wanted to build an Asura Arena here, they would have to show up sooner or later. The Asura Arena was a symbol of Asura Cave Heaven, and that was the reason Manager Zhou visited Yang Kai.
However, he had no idea what Yang Kai’s impression towards the Cave Heavens and Paradises were after the previous battle, so he asked Qu Hua Shang to help bring him in.
Just in case he got rejected by Yang Kai after notifying him of his visit.
Yang Kai put down the tea cup and asked bluntly, “How many does Asura Cave Heaven need?”
Manager Zhou chuckled, “The more the better, of course.”
Yang Kai burst out laughing, “Does Old Zhou think that the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills are cabbages? If I hadn’t needed financial resources for Void Land and needed to build up my Star City, I would never have sold a single Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill to the public. These are very rare, and I don’t have much World Source Liquid on hand, so it will run out from refining some of these Spirit Pills.”
Manager Zhou nodded in reply, “This Old Master understands that. How about this? If Sect Master Yang sells 10 of these Spirit Pills to Asura Cave Heaven, this Old Master will guarantee Sect Master Yang’s request regarding the Asura Arena is granted!”
“10? Manager Zhou sure does know how to open his mouth wide!” Yang Kai’s face stiffened.
Manager Zhou chuckled heartily, “We will never take advantage of Void Land, we will offer 8 million for each Spirit Pill. What do you say?”
Yang Kai nodded, “The price is very fair, but 10 is really too many, Void Land doesn’t have such a quantity.”
The look on Yang Kai’s face showed Manager Zhou that he was probably pushing a little too hard; of course, if he knew that Yang Kai had given Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to people trying to advance to the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm, he would have coughed up ten mouthfuls of blood and died on the spot. These extremely coveted Spirit Pills really weren’t treated much differently than cabbages in Void Land.
“If 10 is too many, 8 will do, no fewer.”
“3 pieces max!”
Manager Zhou was a little speechless, “3 is just too few, Sect Master Yang is too stingy!”
Yang Kai replied sternly, “I’m not stingy, I really can’t come up with more.”
Manager Zhou urged further, “… How about 5?”
Yang Kai tapped the armrest of the chair lightly and pondered for a long time before he spoke, “Since Manager Zhou has made a proposition, allow me to make a counter-offer. If Manager Zhou can agree to this condition, I don’t even want the 30% share from the Asura Arena. Not only that, I will also give you the 5 Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills free of charge!”
Manager Zhou’s face became excited at the words, “What is it that Sect Master Yang wants?”
Yang Kai raised a finger, “A High-Rank Yin Element treasure!”
The excitement on Manager Zhou’s face was immediately replaced by bitterness, as he muttered embarrassedly, “Sect Master Yang, aren’t you intentionally making things difficult?”
Yang Kai replied, “Asura Cave Heaven runs many industries and has existed for aeons, a single High-Rank Yin Element treasure is surely just a drop in the bucket for you. How is asking for one making things difficult?”
“Sect Master Yang should know that what this Old Master referred to was not the value of this High-Rank material.” Manager Zhou replied exasperatedly. After a pause, he continued, “Since Ancient Times, despite the 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises having occasional disputes, we have always been generally united, especially regarding certain sensitive issues. Now that Void Land is guarded by two Divine Spirits, I’m afraid no one would be interested in provoking it anymore, but that doesn’t mean that some people will condone Sect Master Yang’s direct advancement to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. If they really find out that we, Asura Cave Heaven, provided you with a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, how will Asura Cave Heaven keep its foothold in the 3,000 Worlds in the future?”
Having said this, he persuaded earnestly again, “Sect Master Yang is truly a dragon amongst men, but you should take a step back and endure for a while. Why bother taking the risk of challenging the Ancient Order of the 3,000 Worlds? With Sect Master Yang’s aptitude, even if you achieve the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, you will still be able to soar. It’s better to follow the current than swim against the river.”
Yang Kai snorted at the words, “Whose order? What current? I, Yang Kai, entered this vast universe only concerned about my own cultivation. I have never sought trouble with or offended others intentionally, so I will not allow others to stand in the way of my Grand Dao!”
Manager Zhou asked with a bitter face, “Can Sect Master Yang change his conditions?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “I cannot.”
Manager Zhou couldn’t help but smile bitterly, and after pondering for a long time, he said, “This matter is very important, and this Old Master can’t make the decision. I will need to consult my superiors for instructions, but Sect Master Yang, I think there is a good chance that those in charge will not agree to your demands.”
Yang Kai said in response, “Manager Zhou, just ask, whether they agree or not is up to them.”
“Then… all right.” Now that it had come to this, there was no need for further discussion. Each of them had put forward their own requirements and conditions. The only thing remaining was to see whether the two sides could reach an agreement on the issue. It was not something for Manager Zhou to decide, so he stood up and said, “Alright, this Old Master will leave first and deal with this matter.”
Yang Kai personally sent him out of the reception hall before returning.
Qu Hua Shang, wrapped in a fragrant scent, rushed to Yang Kai’s side and stretched out her hand without hesitation and took his arm. With her large twin peaks pressing up against his arm, she delicately called out, “Junior Brother…”
Yang Kai looked at her with narrowed eyes and said with a headache, “Does Senior Sister have something to say? I promise I will never refuse if it is something I can do!”
Qu Hua Shang smiled and exhaled a breath filled with the scent of an orchid in Yang Kai’s ear, “I knew Junior Brother was the best. About those Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills…”
Yang Kai pulled his arms out of Qu Hua Shang’s grasp, and said with a smile while he faced her directly, “Before Senior Sister speaks, could she please confirm whether she came to Void Land this time for herself or for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?”
Qu Hua Shang’s long lashes fluttered when she blinked, “Is there a difference?”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Senior Sister, do you have to ask me that?”
“Junior Brother, you’re so ruthless.” Qu Hua Shang’s face was filled with resentment, like she was a weak woman abandoned by Yang Kai after a thoughtless night of fun, which would make one feel sorry for her, “Why ask such a cruel question, Junior Brother? Did you forget how tightly we held one another in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven just to stay warm?”
Yang Kai said sternly, “It is precisely because I remember that I have to ask clearly.”
Qu Hua Shang gave him a charming look. This woman had originally already been a seductress, but now that she had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, she had become more and more enchanting…
Yang Kai sat down and drank his tea without looking at her.
Qu Hua Shang, annoyed, came to sit down beside him angrily, after which she puffed up her cheeks and said, “Since Junior Brother wants to distinguish between public and private affairs, let’s talk about proper business first!”
Yang Kai gestured in agreement.
Qu Hua Shang continued, “My Yin-Yang Cave Heaven would like to buy some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills from Junior Brother!”
“No!” Yang Kai replied immediately.
Qu Hua Shang glared at him fiercely, slapped the table and said, “Just now you and Old Zhou said that you would sell 3 to Asura Cave Heaven!”
Yang Kai said slowly, “Naturally, that was the last available stock.”
Qu Hua Shang’s chest heaved as she grit her teeth and said, “You will not suffer a loss in terms of price, Junior Brother. I can make the decision on that.”
Yang Kai thought for a while, then smiled, “If Yin-Yang Cave Heaven can sell me a High-Rank Yin Element treasure…”
“Junior Brother, you should give up on that, those old farts agreeing to this condition is absolutely impossible.” Qu Hua Shang said speechlessly, “No matter how high a price you offer it won’t happen!”
Yang Kai raised his brow and asked, “Is Senior Sister certain?”
Qu Hua Shang gently nodded, “I don’t dare to say anything else, but what Old Zhou said was right. The attitudes maintained by the Cave-Heavens and Paradises are firm and united, no one will sell you a High-Rank Yin Element treasure.”
Yang Kai frowned.
Seeing that he was in a low mood, Qu Hua Shang also slightly regretted that she had spoken too much, and swiftly changed the subject, “Junior Brother, what if it is I, your Senior Sister, who wants Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills?”
Yang Kai casually asked, “How many does Senior Sister need?”
Qu Hua Shang looked at him in disbelief, “Do you have that many of them?”
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “I don’t have a lot, but it should meet Senior Sister Qu’s needs.”
Qu Hua Shang fidgeted for a while before muttering awkwardly, “Five… No, three is enough.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Kai put a jade bottle in front of her. Qu Hua Shang picked it up and opened it, only to see that there were five Spirit Pills inside. Although she had never seen this Spirit Pill before, she was certain that they were Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills.
With some slight shock, Qu Hua Shang called out, “Junior Brother, you…” She was now an Open Heaven Realm Master, so she had no need for these Spirit Pills. It was not possible that Yang Kai was unaware of this, but he still took out five of them the instant she asked.
Yang Kai followed up, “In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, if it were not for Senior Sister’s unwavering support, I am afraid that the consequences would have been disastrous. No cost can be put on a life-saving grace, so a few trivial Spirit Pills is nothing. Senior Sister asked for them, so how can I, as your Junior Brother, refuse?”
Qu Hua Shang was deeply moved, and as squeezed the jade bottle in her hand tightly, she whispered, “Junior Brother, thank you!”
Putting away the jade bottle, Qu Hua Shang added, “There is one more thing that I need the help of Junior Brother for!”
“Senior Sister, please speak.”
“When I came this time, I was also ordered by my Master to come to your Void Star City to set up a Dao Temple, but I came a little late, and the better locations were taken away by others, so…”
Yang Kai nodded knowingly, but was also a little puzzled, “Why does Yin-Yang Cave Heaven want to set up a Dao Temple? Could it be to open the door to accept disciples? But there’s no need to do that in this Star City.”
Qu Hua Shang smiled, “You should have some understanding of the situation in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Disciples, whether male or female, need to find a partner when the time is right, but how difficult is it to find a partner who is suitable for them and can accompany them for a lifetime? Even if they do find someone appealing, they may not be willing to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
She glanced at Yang Kai accusingly as she spoke.
Yang Kai looked down his nose, ignoring her stare.
“That’s why some of the outstanding disciples from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven need to go out for life experience and to mingle with fellow cultivators in various Dao Temples, so as to find a good match.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai nodded. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was trying to use this as a way to recruit people under them and enhance their own strength, “A simple matter. I’ll have Second Manager accompany you and let you choose whichever location you need for your Dao Temple.”
“Then this Senior Sister will thank Junior Brother in advance.” Qu Hua Shang thanked him, and after a pause, pursed her lips and smiled, “Now that proper business is over, let’s talk about private affairs.”
Yang Kai looked at her suspiciously, “What else does Senior Sister want to talk about?”
Qu Hua Shang blushed slightly and replied shyly, “Could it be that Junior Brother forgot what I told you in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven? Those words are still valid now, so if you could agree…”
She now seemed like a naïve young lady, one who would grasp everyone’s attention.
Yang Kai wanted to ask what was going on, but when he saw her eyes, he understood everything. In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Qu Hua Shang wanted to recruit Yang Kai on behalf of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, bluntly saying that she hoped that he could enter Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the premise being only after she broke through to the Open Heaven Realm.
However, at that time, Qu Hua Shang was still just an Emperor Realm cultivation, and had not yet reached the Open Heaven Realm, so she needed to fall in love with Yang Kai and cut off her emotions to reach a Grand Accomplishment in the Heartless Grand Dao.
But now that she was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, what was the point of mentioning this?
Qu Hua Shang added, “If Junior Brother becomes my partner, there is no need for you to join Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, since you are now the lord of Void Land, we only need to maintain it in name. If you want to stay in Void Land, you can stay here, or if you want to come to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, you can do that too.”
Yang Kai looked at her and said, “Is this what you want, Senior Sister, or is this what Yin-Yang Cave Heaven wants?”
Qu Hua Shang lowered her head, twisted her hands around the corners of her clothes, and said softly, “It doesn’t matter whose wish it is, what matters is what Junior Brother thinks.”
Seeing her act this way, Yang Kai was touched to know that Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had not requested this. Rather, it was completely pursued by Qu Hua Shang herself. She wanted to use Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to shield him, even at the expense of her own reputation.
He hurriedly got up and bowed, “Senior Sister’s good intentions, this Junior Brother has received them, but… I am only one step away. If I can’t take this step, my Dao Heart will forever be obscured, and even if I achieve the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, I am afraid that it will become difficult to continue in the future.”
Hearing this, Qu Hua Shang sighed. Although she had expected it, she was still a little disappointed to hear Yang Kai say this. She raised her head and said with a smile, “Senior Sister admires Junior Brother’s firm will in the pursuit of the Martial Dao. I will be stationed in this Star City in the future, so maybe I will come visit you in your Void Land from time to time. I hope it won’t be too troublesome when the time comes.”
Yang Kai laughed, “I’d like nothing more, how could it be troublesome?”
Qu Hua Shang stood up, “Then I’ll say take my leave first. I’ll return when matters related to the Dao Temple have been settled.”
Yang Kai got up to send her off, and at the same time summoned Bian Yu Qing to accompany her to the Governor’s Residence to help her choose the location for the Dao Temple.
Once the arrangements were made, Yang Kai entered retreat once more.
However, before he could start cultivating, he noticed that the isolation barrier had been touched and frowned. He opened the barrier, and Bian Yu Qing walked in from the outside, “Sect Master!”
“Has Qu Hua Shang’s business arrangements been completed?” Yang Kai asked.
Bian Yu Qing said, “Yes, the arrangements have been made.” As she spoke, she took out a wooden box and handed it to Yang Kai.
“What is this?” Yang Kai asked suspiciously.
Bian Yu Qing looked at him with a puzzled face, “Isn’t this something that Sect Master left behind? Some disciples saw it while cleaning the reception hall, and thought it was something that the Sect Master had accidentally dropped, so they handed it over to this Mistress.”
Yang Kai laughed, “How could I have left something behind, it should be Senior Sister Qu’s. Go and return the box to her.”
Bian Yu Qing replied, “Sect Master, if this was really Lady Qu’s, then it can’t be sent back, since this should be her gift to you. She is a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, how could she have taken out and then forgotten a box for no reason?”
When Yang Kai heard this, he pondered over it. After Qu Hua Shang entered the reception hall, he hadn’t seen her take out this box. Only after she left did a disciple discover it, which made it apparent that Qu Hua Shang had left it behind on purpose.
Her cultivation was now much higher than Yang Kai’s, so if she wanted to do something covertly, he would not be able to discover it. If it wasn’t for the disciples who saw it while cleaning the reception hall, it would not have been found.
“The contents of this box should be very valuable!” Bian Yu Qing casually stated.
“Why do you say so?” Yang Kai raised his brow.
“She must have secretly left it behind because it is precious and she knew Sect Master would not accept it if she passed it to you directly.” Bian Yu Qing made a slight bow, “If there is nothing else, this subordinate will retire first.”
After Bian Yu Qing left, Yang Kai held the jade box in his hand, slightly dazed. He didn’t know what Qu Hua Shang left for him before she left, but he vaguely felt that what his Second Manager said was not unreasonable.
The box was blocked by a seal, but the method to unlock it was not too troublesome. Yang Kai used a Secret Technique and opened the box, but after seeing what was inside, he was slightly startled.
The contents of the box were indeed, as Bian Yu Qing said, extremely valuable, and not just ordinarily valuable either.
It contained a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core!
This was clearly the one Qu Hua Shang obtained in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. At that time, she and Yang Kai comprehended the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, and crossed the blood lake to reach the central palace. On the third island, Qu Hua Shang obtained a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core, while Yang Kai only got a Fifth-Order Core, which made him envious.
Seventh-Order materials in general were worth at least 150 million Open Heaven Pills, while materials of the Yin or Yang Element would be even higher than that. Yang Kai originally bid for a Seventh-Order Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng at an exchange meeting, and it had cost him a great fortune. If such a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core was put up for auction, it would definitely cause a huge scramble, and it could easily be sold for 200 million Open Heaven Pills.
But now, such an item worth at least 200 million, was deliberately left here by Qu Hua Shang for Yang Kai.
It was only now that Yang Kai understood why Qu Hua Shang accepted the five Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills he had given her without hesitation, and never asked how much they were worth. It turned out that she had already planned on compensating him with this.
Five Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills were worth a lot, but they were nothing compared to a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core.
She also knew that he wouldn’t accept it, so she left it behind secretly.
Being a disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she could not help Yang Kai buy what he needed from her own Sect, and could only help him within her own abilities. Since this thing did not belong to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and was instead something she owned personally, she had the right to do whatever she pleased with it.
Yang Kai was extremely grateful and solemnly put away the Seventh-Order Monster Core.
A few days later, the Void Auction House’s third auction began.
The Void Auction House was filled to the brim today. The auction house, which was built by Yun Xing Hua himself, had an atmosphere of magnificence. It was constructed according to Yang Kai’s requirements, and could accommodate 10,000 people with ease in the main floor, and had many private rooms for VIP guests.
Compared to the previous two auctions, this one was undoubtedly of a higher standard.
Because the Star City now had a resounding reputation and a much higher population, many people that had great treasures and had no way to sell them entrusted them to the auction house to auction on their behalf. The Void Auction House was naturally happy to do so, so the auction conducted this time was much livelier and fiery than the previous two.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, which was the finale item, broke through the 10 million mark easily and was eventually won by a Master in one of the private rooms.
In Room A1, Yang Kai was sitting in a chair with Bian Yu Qing accompanying him by his side.
Seemingly sensing Yang Kai’s anticipation, Bian Yu Qing said, “Sect Master, it’s time.”
Yang Kai gently nodded, rubbing his fingers unconsciously.
In the past two auctions, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill marked the end, but this time was different.
On the auction stage, Yun Xing Hua said loudly, “Honoured Guests, today we have a special item we would like to present, and I believe many will certainly be interested in it!”
In the auction house, the people who were about to leave stopped and looked towards Yun Xing Hua curiously. The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had already been auctioned off, so what else did Void Land have to offer? Was it more precious than the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill?
In front of everyone’s eyes, Yun Xing Hua took out a wooden box, used a Secret Technique to open its seal, and declared loudly, “A Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven!”
The audience immediately flew into an uproar. Although the auction held by Void Auction House was quite good this time and many high-class items had appeared, no one had imagined that such a valuable item would appear. Even top auction houses like Red Clouds Auction House, which belonged to Red Clouds Cave Heaven, would often have Seventh-Order items for sale.
From the private rooms, powerful Divine Senses undisguisedly swarmed towards the wooden box to check whether it really was really true.
Although Yun Xing Hua was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master, cold sweat oozed from his forehead due to the pressure that was like a mountain engulfing him at that moment. He felt like he was a little sheep that was being targeted by a bunch of hungry wolves.
Suppressing the trepidation in his heart, Yun Xing Hua took a deep breath and continued, “This item is not for auction, and only an exchange will be accepted. My Void Auction House would like to exchange this for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure. If anyone has something suitable, please contact me, and rest assured, my Void Auction House will definitely give enough compensation!”
Yun Xing Hua looked around and waited for a long time, but no one made a sound.
In Room A1, Yang Kai also monitored the situation, but he did not feel too disappointed to see no response since he had expected this.
This time was just a publicity stunt. Yang Kai believed that due to this announcement, the news that Void Auction House was trying to exchange a Seventh-Order Yang Element treasure for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure would soon spread, and anyone who met the conditions would take the initiative to approach them. Of course, this was provided that this person was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.
Yang Kai was confident that in this way, the matter regarding his need for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure would be known to the entire 3,000 Worlds!
Yang Kai wanted to act secretively, but he had already revealed the fact that he had condensed multiple High-Order Elements. Anyone who was interested in him could deduce what Elements he currently lacked. There was no harm in letting others know that he needed a Yin Element treasure now.
This was probably not something that he would get in a short period of time. He might have to wait for a long time, maybe three to five years, several dozen years, or even hundreds of years…
But Yang Kai could wait. Compared to the pursuit of the Martial Dao, a small wait was but a trivial matter.
Moreover, he was still young, and he had only recently entered the vast Outer Universe. In a trivial twenty or thirty years, he had already accomplished what ordinarily took others hundreds if not thousands of years to complete. He had enough qualifications to wait it out.
While waiting, he could also accumulate and fortify his foundation, paving a smoother road to his future, thus saving himself time and effort when he eventually did break through!
Void Auction House held an auction every three months, and the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was the final item every single time. Even though one was sold every three months, the price of this item only got higher with time; after all, there were too many cultivators that needed this kind of Spirit Pill.
Which Cave Heaven or Paradise did not have a few Core Disciples? When these disciples advance to the Open Heaven realm, even if they were well prepared, and even if they had great confidence in themselves, accidents could always occur.
Throughout the ages, how many geniuses had fallen due to tiny mistakes, vanishing from the annals of history?
If those Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted their disciples to advance to the Open Heaven Realm successfully, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was the best guarantee! Across the 3,000 Worlds, the only place a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill could be acquired was Void Auction House.
Void Star City’s popularity was booming, and it had only taken a trivial year to become crowded. The Void Dock now had to limit the flow of people entering the city, because every moment, there were more flight-type artifacts queuing up outside, waiting to be let in. Only when people inside left were people outside allowed to enter.
Bian Yu Qing was planning on expanding the size of Star City, because under the current situation, it was already somewhat unable to meet its high popularity.
But she was overruled by Yang Kai after she made this proposal.
Void Land had sprung up suddenly and had been growing too fast, leading to a lack of experience in various matters. So right now, they had to focus on gaining stability, not endless expansion.
Therefore, even though he knew that expanding the Star City could bring even greater profits, Yang Kai did not agree to it.
Since there were two Divine Spirits in Void Land, Yang Kai felt that as long as he didn’t go out and cause trouble, the Cave Heavens and Paradises wouldn’t do anything to him. It would not be too late to make plans after he got his High-Rank Yin Element treasure and advanced to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
One day, when Yang Kai was in the middle of retreat, he felt the barrier being touched, so he opened his eyes.
Without an appropriate Yin Element material, he could not advance to the Open Heaven Realm. He had entered retreat this time only to further his understanding of the Elements he had already condensed, hoping he might uncover some kind of new Divine Ability from them. As such, it wasn’t a big problem that he was disturbed.
Opening the barrier, Bian Yu Qing walked in from outside.
Yang Kai asked, “Does Senior Sister Qu need something again?”
In the past six months, Qu Hua Shang had opened a Dao Temple in the Star City. She had just advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, so she had spent most of her time there for two reasons. One was to maintain the stability of the Dao Temple itself, and the other was to consolidate her new cultivation.
Yang Kai had also been to the Dao Temple once and participated in discussions about the Grand Dao, but he used Seven Faces to change his appearance and aura to do so. He found that the so-called Grand Dao discourse was actually just a group of young attractive people gathering together to market themselves, which wasn’t of any interest to him.
But Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had a need for this kind of place, since it was full of beautiful women and handsome men looking to find partners.
From time to time, Qu Hua Shang would come to Void Land to look for Yang Kai. It was never for any serious reason and instead just to casually chat with him.
Yang Kai knew that she wanted him to join Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but she never broached the topic directly.
Naturally, since Bian Yu Qing had come to alert him of a guest, he immediately thought it was that seductress again.
But Bian Yu Qing shook her head and reported, “It is not Lady Qu who is looking for you, but a young man named Fang Yue. He says he is an old acquaintance of Sect Master’s.”
“Fang Yue?” Yang Kai frowned slightly, vaguely feeling that this name was familiar, as if he had heard of it somewhere, but it did not immediately ring a bell.
After thinking carefully, Yang Kai finally remembered that among the people he knew, there was only one guy named Fang Yue, whom he met in the Primordial Land of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. But there was not much of a friendship between them as Yang Kai simply brought him out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary at the end of the Spirit Seizing War.
However, there were quite a lot of people who were brought out by Yang Kai at that time, all of whom were chosen by the various Divine Spirits as Bearers but had the misfortune of losing the battle to Yang Kai. Yang Kai still had a lot of Faith Tokens left behind by these disciples of various great forces. These young people had left these tokens with Yang Kai in the hopes that, if he had time in the future, he would visit their Sects so they could show their appreciation for the life-saving grace he had shown them.
Yang Kai did save their lives, after all. If he did not use the Sealed World Bead to bring them out, many of them might have been killed by the enraged Divine Spirits backing them.
However, now that he was seen by some Cave Heavens and Paradises as a threat to peace and order, they may have to rethink their proposal, since befriending Yang Kai could bring disaster to their Sects.
So even though Yang Kai had now become Void Land’s Sect Master, and the battle that ended with the destruction of the Hundred Sects Alliance had made Void Land famous, no one had come to visit.
Fang Yue was not like them and obviously did not share their worries, since he was a loner, not associated with any great force.
If Yang Kai remembered correctly, the Divine Spirit that stood behind this guy at that time was the Solid Earth Black Tortoise, and then in the Primordial Land, he acquired a Divine Medicine, the Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus. Both of these combined basically made his defences impregnable.
There were a number of Divine Medicines in the Primordial Land. Yang Kai got Pu Bai Xiong and the Little Mushroom, Fang Yue got the Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus, and a guy named Xiang Ying got the Purple Bamboo. The Divine Medicine Ah Ku was obtained by an unknown cultivator, and a man surnamed Gou obtained the Gourd Vine initially, but he was killed by Yang Kai, which led to the Gourd Vine falling into Yang Kai’s hands.
Thus, Yang Kai obtained three of the six known Divine Medicines.
Divine Medicines each had tremendous effects. Taking Pu Bai Xiong as an example, each of the berries on his head had unimaginable healing efficacies, and even a man half a step through the gates of death could be brought back to full health by eating one. In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, when Yang Kai was being chased by Yin Xin Zhao, if he had a berry from Pu Bai Xiong on hand, he would not have fallen into such a miserable state.
So, when Yang Kai came back after that, ignoring Pu Bai Xiong’s strong protests, he took a berry to keep for emergencies, earning him Pu Bai Xiong’s ire for several days.
Little Mushroom evolved from a Profound Multi-Coloured Illusionary Mushroom, which had unparalleled natural hallucinogenic powers. Yang Kai placed her in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array as the Array Core of the Illusion Array, strengthening both even further.
The Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus had supreme defensive power, the Purple Bamboo that Xiang Ying had could suppress all types of Principles, while the Gourd Vine could exert power equal to the strength displayed by a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The only thing Yang Kai didn’t understand was what Divine Medicine Ah Ku was, and since his Master had never used it to do anything, there was no way to guess.
Yang Kai had never thought of exploiting the life-saving grace he had shown to those people, so when he first heard of Fang Yue’s visit, he didn’t have much of a reaction at all.
But after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly understood why this guy had come at this time.
If things were really as he guessed, perhaps… Void Land could gain a powerful Master in the near future!
“If Sect Master doesn’t want to see him, this subordinate will turn him down,” Seeing Yang Kai hesitate, Bian Yu Qing thought that Fang Yue was taking the opportunity to climb the ladder, and felt a little unhappy. Now that Void Land had become famous, such an occurrence would not be unusual.
Yang Kai, however, just smiled and said, “Show him in.”
At his response, Bian Yu Qing took out a communication bead and sent a message outside.
After waiting for an incense stick’s worth of time, a Void Land disciple led a young man with thick brows and big eyes into the reception hall. It was Fang Yue.
When he saw Yang Kai, Fang Yue’s eyes lit up with a look of relief. He took two steps forward and cupped his fist, “Senior Brother Yang!”
“Brother Fang!” Yang Kai nodded lightly.
Fang Yue looked at him incredulously and said, “When we left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, I did not expect that in less than ten years, Senior Brother Yang would have made such a grand accomplishment. When I heard the name of the Void Land’s Sect Master, this Fang couldn’t believe it at first. I thought perhaps it was another man with the same name, but I never thought it would really be Senior Brother Yang.”
“Opportunities and coincidences.” Yang Kai smiled and gestured, “Brother Fang, let’s sit down and talk.”
Fang Yue did not stand on ceremony and sat down readily as the maidservant served tea.
Yang Kai looked at him and asked, “Does Brother Fang have some advice for me today?”
Fang Yue laughed and said, “Senior Brother Yang is now the Master of a great force with numerous Open Heaven Realm Masters for subordinates, not to mention, even a great force like Heavenly Sword Union has been defeated by your Void Land. I am but a trivial person with no roots, how can I give you any guidance? I came here today just to thank Senior Brother for saving my life that day.”
Yang Kai smirked in his heart, but he said with a solemn expression, “What happened that day was just a simple matter. Brother Fang need not worry about it.”
Fang Yue replied sternly, “To Senior Brother, it may have just been a minor matter, but to this Fang, it was a life-saving grace. I was selected as a Bearer by that Divine Spirit in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and spent a lot of effort to cultivate, but the result was a complete failure. I was unable to assist my backer in achieving what he wanted, and without your help, Senior Brother, the consequences would have been dire. I, along with many others, would definitely have been killed by those enraged Divine Spirits.”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Not necessarily. Some Divine Spirits were actually quite friendly.”
The Divine Spirit that took in Gu Pan would not have killed her, but Kun Sha, the Divine Spirit that supported Lin Feng, would definitely have eaten Lin Feng alive to vent out his rage. Naturally, each Divine Spirit had a different temperament and each of them acted in different ways.
“In any case, Senior Brother’s life-saving grace cannot be forgotten!” Fang Yue continued, “This Fang is not someone who does not know how to repay the kindness that he receives. The favour from that day has been etched into this Fang’s heart. If Senior Brother has any orders, just speak up, and this Fang will never decline.”
Yang Kai chuckled and said, “Junior Brother Fang is too serious, my Void Land is at peace now, so there is no need to speak of such heavy matters.”
“No no, no matter what it is…. this Fang wants to do something to repay this favour. If not, I will not be able to eat and sleep in peace.” Fang Yue’s face was earnest.
“It’s really fine.” Yang Kai said while shaking his head slowly.
Fang Yue asked anxiously, “When I came here, I passed through the Star City dock and it was quite overcrowded. Does Senior Brother need manpower to maintain order? Although this Fang’s cultivation is low, I will still do my best.”
Yang Kai said, “I have people guarding the dock, so I won’t bother Brother Fang. Well, if Brother Fang is free, you might as well spend some time in my Void Land. I still have some things to do, so I won’t be able to accompany you further.”
Saying so, he stood up.
Fang Yue rushed up to him in a stride, grabbed Yang Kai’s sleeve, and hurriedly said, “Senior Brother, please stay!”
Yang Kai turned around and looked at him with a smile, “Brother Fang, is there anything else?”
Fang Yue faltered and blushed slightly, unable to speak.
Yang Kai sighed, “Brother Fang, just say what you have to say, why beat around the bush?”
When Fang Yue saw his expression, he suddenly came to his senses, “Senior Brother, you already expected me to ask for help?”
Yang Kai said, “I had a guess, but I wasn’t sure. Now, I am. Brother Fang is here for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, right?”
Fang Yue’s face turned slightly red and he looked very embarrassed when Yang Kai said that, “Senior Brother, this Fang Yue would like to offer his services to you, and hopes Senior Brother will take me in!”
Yang Kai took a deep look at him and held out his hand, “Let’s sit down and talk.”
The two men retook their seats.
Yang Kai said slowly, “Brother Fang should have a great aptitude to be valued by the Solid Earth Black Tortoise and be chosen as his Bearer, but Sixth-Order Elements are probably a bit too much for Brother Fang. Of course, the Solid Earth Black Tortoise would not care about your future problems, he only wanted Brother Fang to be as strong as possible, so that he could win the first place in the Spirit Seizing War. In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the Solid Earth Black Tortoise helped Brother Fang to forcibly raise your strength, right?”
Fang Yue said with shame, “It appears I can’t hide anything from Senior Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai replied, “I was there in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary as well, and I was chosen to be a Bearer, so I know first-hand about such matters.”
At that time, Zhu Jiu Yin also wanted to forcibly raise Yang Kai’s strength by making him condense a Sixth-Order Earth Element. However, Yang Kai staked his own life against it, forcing her to back down.
Furthermore, considering that Yang Kai was originally refining Seventh-Order Elements and his strength was already phenomenal, Zhu Jiu Yin was willing to back down.
But others, such as Fang Yue, were not so lucky, and were forced by their Divine Spirits to condense Sixth-Order or even Seventh-Order Elements.
Even taking the entire 3,000 Worlds into consideration, those who could condense Sixth-Order Powers and directly achieve the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm were extreme rarities, often Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were only a few of such people in each generation, such as Gu Pan, Qu Hua Shang, Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran and so on.
Although Fang Yue and the others had good aptitudes and were valued by the Divine Spirits, they were still inferior to geniuses like Gu Pan and Qu Hua Shang.
Their limit was the Fifth-Order! Even though forcing them to condense Sixth-Order Elements could grant them more power for a short period of time, allowing them to gain some advantage in the Spirit Seizing War, it would leave fatal drawbacks!
These drawbacks would become more and more serious as they progressed in their cultivation. By condensing Elements beyond what they were capable of bearing, once they tried to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, they would most likely die!
Ding Yi, the leader of Emperor Heaven back then, was forced by Bi Fang to condense a Seventh-Order Fire Element Power, but every time he used this Power, he suffered a serious backlash. He would look like a cooked crab, all red and steaming hot from overheating.
Yang Kai had once asserted that if Ding Yi dared to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, he would die on the spot in nine out of ten cases.
Fang Yue was now facing the same problem.
The only thing that could help him and the others was the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills that Yang Kai had! This Spirit Pill could greatly increase the chances of success. If Fang Yue took one before attempting to break through, although there was no guarantee of success, the chance of failure would be greatly reduced.
However, Fang Yue was only an Emperor Realm cultivator without any background, so how could he earn enough Open Heaven Pills to afford to buy a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill? Thus, he thought that the only way he could survive was by joining Yang Kai. That was why Fang Yue had approached him today.
Fang Yue said with a bitter smile, “In the ten years that I stayed in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, this Fang traversed the path that others could not finish even in a hundred years. With the assistance of Senior Solid Earth Black Tortoise, I refined several materials for different Elements, and advanced straight to the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm. However, this Fang knows his aptitude very clearly. In this Fang’s present situation, I will not be able to bear the impact of advancing to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. The only possible way to survive would be to instead advance to the Third Order, but even then the chances are slim…”
It was easy for him to advance into the Third-Order since he would only need to refine a Third-Order material. The Powers of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements required to break through to the Open Heaven Realm were like the boards of a wooden barrel. The amount of water that could be stored in the wooden barrel depended entirely on the shortest board, regardless of how tall the others were.
“But with such a great starting point, how could this Fang be willing to settle for the trivial Third-Order Open Heaven Realm?”
These words couldn’t help but resonate with Yang Kai, because all of them had a high starting point, they couldn’t settle for such mediocre achievements. The gap was just too big.
Everyone had their own sense of greed, especially when it came to their Martial Dao. Once a person had experienced their first breakthrough, they would want to continue. Yang Kai was the same. He was not willing to waste his high starting point with all the rare materials he had condensed. Although he knew that his journey would be full of thorns and tribulations, he still had no intention of backing down.
Fang Yue was no different.
If it wasn’t for the rise of Void Land, if it wasn’t for Yang Kai using the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to increase the Star City’s popularity and make the fame of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds, Fang Yue would probably have been resigned to his fate. He would settle for the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm; otherwise, he would lose everything and disappear due to the backlash of trying to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, when he heard that there were Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills in Void Land, it was like a ray of light had pierced through the fog of darkness. Fang Yue felt a glimmer of hope.
That was why he had taken the liberty to visit Yang Kai.
However, Yang Kai’s Void Land already had a mighty army with the finest arms. What advantages could he, a trivial Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, offer Yang Kai in return for such a precious treasure? The only thing he could rely on was the small friendship all of them had in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Now, it seemed as if this trip had not been in vain. Thinking about it, Yang Kai was not a narrow-minded person. He brought out all the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, disregarding their former status as enemies. Instead, it was Fang Yue who had been overly sceptical and pessimistic.
Reflecting on this, Fang Yue couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed.
“I naturally welcome Brother Fang if you want to join my Void Land, but does Brother Fang know the current situation of my Void Land?”
Fang Yue replied, “I’ve heard a little bit about Senior Brother’s intention to reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly, which seemed to have touched the nerves of certain powerful figures, leading to targeted discrimination and suppression.”
Yang Kai looked at him with a smile, “That’s right, the Hundred Sects Alliance was formed to attack us because of this. When the time comes, my Void Land might face trouble. Does Brother Fang still want to join knowing this?”
Fang Yue said, “If I enter Void Land, this Fang will live and die together with Void Land. It’s better to die a glorious death than live a life filled with regrets!”
“Good!” Yang Kai laughed loudly, “If Brother Fang has expressed such an intention, how can this Yang refuse? From now on, you will be a member of my Void Land.”
Feeling overjoyed, Fang Yue got up and saluted, “Disciple Fang Yue, greets Sect Master!”
Yang Kai came forward to help him up, “No need to be polite, you and I will call each other Fellow Brothers in the future!” Fang Yue had condensed Sixth-Order Powers, and would sooner or later advance to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. At that time, he would become a powerhouse of Void Land, so Yang Kai did not want their relationship to stiffen due to their different positions.
Fang Yue said gratefully, “Many thanks, Senior Brother!”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Since you have joined my Void Land, you should practice well and tell me when you are about to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, I will help you then.”
Fang Yue said in reply, “I am not going to lie to Senior Brother. Right now, I am only one step away from advancing to the Open Heaven Realm. I only need to condense my last Element to break through, but I want to cultivate in retreat for some time to solidify my foundation first, so that I can have a better chance of success.”
“That is for the best.” Yang Kai nodded his head.
When he was in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Fang Yue had already reached the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm with the help of the Solid Earth Black Tortoise. It had been a few years since he had left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so it was not surprising that he was only one step away from breaking through.
“I’ll have someone arrange a place for you to live, so you can cultivate inside the Sect without worry.”
Fang Yue thanked him and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Senior Brother, do you remember Xiang Ying and the others?”
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him and asked curiously, “Junior Brother what do you…”
Fang Yue answered, “There were many Bearers in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. I believe that there are quite a few people who are facing the same predicament as me, such as Xiang Ying and Ding Yi. If Senior Brother offers them the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, I think they would not refuse to join you. Since they were chosen by the Divine Spirits as Bearers in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, they should have condensed at least Fifth-Order Elements. If they can successfully break through to the Open Heaven realm in the future, they will definitely become a great help to Senior Brother!
Yang Kai nodded and said, “While that is true, the 3,000 Worlds is vast. No one knows where they could have gone after leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.”
Fang Yue said with a smile, “I too have no way to contact them, but Senior Brother does not need to worry about that. Even if Senior Brother may not know where they are right now, they certainly know where Senior Brother is. I believe that sooner or later, they will come to you on their own initiative, just like me. All Senior Brother needs to do is to sit back and wait.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “That’s true!”
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the number of people chosen by the Divine Spirits to be Bearers was quite large, 50 at least. While the number of people that did not belong to any sect may not be that great, as long as that number reached thirty percent, that would translate to 15 to 20 people. These people had at least condensed Fifth-Order Elements. Furthermore, people such as Fang Yue and Ding Yi had condensed Sixth-Order Elements. As long as they had a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills as an auxiliary, there was a great chance that all of them could break through to the Fifth or Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
These Bearers already owned Yang Kai a life-saving grace, so if he offered them a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill now, delivering charcoal to them in the frigid winter, then Void Land should have no problem recruiting them.
That would mean, in a relatively short span of time, Void Land could have 15 to 20 more Masters in the Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! That was a terrifying force!
From the situation Fang Yue pitched, it could be seen that the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary needed Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills much more than others. The closer they were to breaking through, the more urgent their need would be.
Thus, what Fang Yue was saying had promise indeed.
“If what this Fang said assured Senior Brother, please let me handle this matter. If I act as an example, I believe they will be more assured.” Fang Yue volunteered. Since he had just joined Void Land, he needed to do something to prove his worth, not just silently cultivate.
“What does Junior Brother plan to do?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows.
Fang Yue smiled and said, “I would like to ask Senior Brother to allocate a store to me. This Junior Brother can open a ‘Grand Ancient Ruins Shop’ in the Star City, not to sell anything, just to allow people to be able to find and come to this Junior Brother.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Is Junior brother trying to ‘fish’?”
Fang Yue winked at him and said, “The ones who need it will take the bait.”
If Fang Yue personally ran the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, Yang Kai believed that those who came out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary would be much less wary, and it would be much easier to recruit them.
Yang Kai had no reason to refuse, anyway. It was only a single store, and it didn’t matter even if he could not recruit people. He immediately called Bian Yu Qing in and asked her to cooperate with Fang Yue.
Soon, a store called ‘Grand Ancient Ruins Shop’ opened in the centre of the Star City, near Void Auction House.
Grand Ancient Ruins Shop sold numerous goods, but none of the items were particularly valuable. In other words, it was a general store. There were also only a few shop hands in the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop.
The sudden appearance of such a shop in such a prime location naturally aroused the interest of many, who came to investigate, but after ascertaining the circumstances of Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, many people sighed, thinking that the Shopkeeper was simply stupid. It was an unwise decision to open the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop in such an area, which was a waste of money.
Therefore, the popularity of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary quickly died out a few days after it opened. The few shop hands had nothing to do all day long, and Fang Yue just sat behind the counter and cultivated in silence.
However, the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop had its first harvest after just ten days.
A young man called Li Ye approached Fang Yue, talked with him in a secret room, and was quickly introduced to Void Land! Li Ye was also one of the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Just like Fang Yue, he was a rogue cultivator; however, he was a little bit inferior when compared to Fang Yue as he had only condensed Fifth-Order Elements.
Still, even Fifth-Order Elements was beyond his limit.
When Fang Yue heard about the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, he took the initiative to come to the Star City, which Li Ye had also done. However, Li Ye had no relationship with Yang Kai whatsoever, except for the fact that he was brought out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by him. Thus, he did not take the liberty of visiting Yang Kai due to the fear that he would be ignored.
Moreover, he could not be sure that Void Land’s Lord was the Yang Kai he met in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If this Yang Kai was not the one that he knew, and they just had similar names, then he would be put in an awkward spot.
When Li Ye was at a loss for what to do, he passed by the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop and saw Fang Yue. He was not familiar with Fang Yue, but he had met with him face-to-face before, so he naturally remembered him. Li Ye felt surprised and delighted and decided to talk to him.
Fang Yue was waiting for this moment, so he didn’t hesitate, and immediately led Li Ye into the secret room.
Getting to know that he could obtain a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill when he was about to break through to the Open Heaven Realm as long as he joined Void Land made Li Ye feel overjoyed. He nodded in agreement without any hesitation.
To him, this was a life-saving straw he found when drowning, so why would he not grasp onto it firmly?
With his successful recruitment of Li Ye, Fang Yue became even more confident. He believed that as long as those Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary heard news of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, they would look for Void Star City sooner or later. All he needed to do now was wait patiently.
While Fang Yue was staying in the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, Manager Zhou from Asura Heaven visited Void Land again.
He and Yang Kai had bargained before, each putting forward their own conditions, but Manager Zhou was unable to make a decision and had sent a message to his superiors. This time, he had come to deliver Asura Heaven’s answer.
Yang Kai needed a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, which Asura Heaven insisted was not possible. This was their bottom line, and there would be no negotiations.
Even though Yang Kai had expected it, he was still slightly disappointed.
Asura Heaven also failed to buy any Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills from Yang Kai. Yang Kai’s attitude towards this matter was quite simple. They did not sell something he wanted, so naturally, he would not sell them what they wanted. If they wanted Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, they could go to the auction that happened once every three months and bid for it themselves.
The final results of the negotiations were that Void Star City would set aside a large plot for a new Asura Arena to be built. Void Land would take a 30% share of the profits, but the rent and taxes would all be free.
Void Auction House was already established now, so with the 30% stake in the Asura Arena, two giant money trees had been planted.
With the auction house and Asura Arena’s 30% share, plus the Star City’s rent and taxes, Void Land was now making a lot of money every day, more than enough to meet its current needs. It no longer needed to worry about making ends meet.
However, Sixth-Order materials were still a problem. Although materials of this Order were not as rare as those of the High-Rank, the amount of Sixth-Order materials one could find was definitely not great and they couldn’t easily be bought with money. Although the Star City was now popular and some Sixth-Order materials were now flowing in, there were still many in Void Land who needed Sixth-Order materials.
The Great Emperors, Yang Kai’s Wives, and even Mo Xiao Qi, Lin Yun’er, Li Wu Yi, Yang Yan, and several others all needed Sixth-Order materials.
Although Yang Kai made a huge fortune in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, including a lot of Sixth-Order materials, it couldn’t support the needs of so many.
Originally, after Yue He and Mo Mei advanced to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they wanted to use Sixth-Order materials to cultivate; however, due to the lack of materials, they could only cultivate with Open Heaven Pills. While refining Open Heaven Pills could certainly help steadily improve their cultivation, the efficiency was not as good as directly refining Sixth-Order materials.
Although Void Land had been spending a lot of money to acquire Sixth-Order materials, it still could not keep up with its pace of consumption, resulting in Yang Kai contributing even the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd.
The Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Light was sealed within the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd. It was a Sixth-Order Metal Element material that could be refined by cultivators.
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Xu Zhen had helped Yang Kai upgrade his Wind Gourd to this Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd. This item had played a significant role in Yang Kai’s hands and he repeatedly used it as a trump card to deal with strong enemies. However, now that Void Land had a shortage of Sixth-Order materials, Yang Kai could only prioritize the cultivation needs of everyone first. Besides, he had made up his mind to not leave Void Land easily, so the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd would also not be of any use for the time being. When he later broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd would also become useless.
On the other hand, Void Land wasn’t the least bit worried about Fifth-Order materials, because the Gourd Vine could produce a whole set of Fifth-Order materials every month. There were always enough Fifth-Order materials, and all they needed to do was slowly wait. So, Void Land never needed to buy Fifth-Order materials, and instead, they bought a lot of Fourth-Order and Third-Order materials.
The Star City was developing steadily, and everything in Void Land had gradually entered the right track. Day by day, Yang Kai’s retreats were also being rewarded. He had now refined six Element Powers, only missing the Yin Element. From these Element Powers, he had obtained the Golden Crow Casts the Sun Divine Manifestation by comprehending the mysteries of his Golden Crow’s True Fire, the Earth Great Dragon Bead helped him obtained the Dragon Shield Secret Technique, which was a powerful defensive ability, and the essence of the Immortal Tree helped him comprehend the Towering Evergreen tree, another Divine Manifestation which was remarkably effective in both protection and healing.
During these days of retreat, Yang Kai also comprehended Water Reflects the Moon. Although it was not a Divine Manifestation and instead just a Divine Ability, it complemented the Golden Crow Casts the Sun perfectly.
The Metal Element Power was refined by Yang Kai from the Monster Core of the Golden Wolf King, and around the same time as when Yang Kai realized the Divine Ability of Water Reflects the Moon, he was also blessed with the comprehension of Golden Wolf Howls at the Moon.
Among the six Elements he had refined, he had only not yet comprehended a Divine Ability from his Yang Element.
However, Yang Kai had obtained his Yang Element Power by refining the Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng, so he, who did not know what he would be able to comprehend in the end, could only wait in silence.
The Void Auction House held an auction every three months, and each time the finale was a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Most recently, the tenth Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had been auctioned off.
In other words, it had already been three years since the Great Void Land Migration. Void Land and its Star City had been developing quite well during this time. The only hiccup was the High-Order Yin Element treasure that Yang Kai needed, which there was still no news of.
However, Yang Kai had mentally prepared himself for this, so he was not anxious. Not to mention 3 years, he could continue to wait for several hundred years. He believed that as long as he had and was in this Star City, sooner or later, he could get what he wanted.
Yang Kai had originally planned to just sit back and wait, but life never went as one planned. He overestimated the patience of some people and underestimated their determination to target him.
While he was in retreat one day, the isolation barrier was touched. Yang Kai opened the restriction, and Bian Yu Qing hurriedly came in, her expression slightly unsightly, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai looked at her and asked, “What is it?”
“There is news from the Void Dock that Bai Qi was found.”
“Old Bai was ‘found’?” Yang Kai frowned, “What happened to Old Bai?”
Bian Yu Qing responded, “Bai Qi was severely injured by someone and fell into a coma. He was brought to the dock by a passing ship.”
“What!?” Yang Kai immediately jumped up.
More than a year ago, he had sent someone to Thousand Birds Territory to find the Proprietress, and to ask her to come to Void Land as a guest. He intended to ask her to open up a First Inn branch in their own Star City so that it would be convenient to take care of and meet each other. But the messenger he sent eventually came back and reported that the First Inn branch was closed temporarily.
The 3,000 Worlds was vast and boundless and filled with seemingly endless Great Territories. Yang Kai simply did not know how to find Old Bai and the Proprietress, so he could only give up.
Who would have guessed that today, when he finally got news of Bai Qi. That he was seriously injured and unconscious!
Old Bai was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master, so for another cultivator to injure him so gravely, they would have to be at least in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Being that he was a shop hand of First Inn, and the personal attendant of the Proprietress, who would dare attack him so recklessly?
If Bai Qi was so seriously injured, what about the Proprietress?
Yang Kai’s heart clenched, and he suddenly had a sinking feeling, like a big invisible net was covering him.
After receiving the news, Yang Kai immediately summoned Yue He and asked her to follow him to the Star City Void Dock.
Soon, Yang Kai saw Old Bai while Jin Yuan Lang personally reported the situation at the dock. Void Star City was now overcrowded, and every day there were many people waiting in line outside the dock to enter. Although the number of people was quite large, Jin Yuan Lang had been in charge of the dock for a few years now, so he was able to handle it.
When checking one of the ships waiting to enter, the owner reported that there was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Bai Qi on board, who seemed to know the Lord of Void Land.
Jin Yuan Lang did not dare to be slow and went to check, and when he saw that it was indeed Bai Qi, he urgently treated his wounds to stabilize his condition while also sending a message to Void Land.
When Yang Kai arrived, Bai Qi was still in a coma, his face as pale as paper. His aura was unstable, and his body was drenched with fresh blood. The dried blood was caked onto his clothes in a way that was unbearable to see.
“Sect Master, Brother Bai has already taken a Healing Pill, and there is no danger to his life for the time being, but…” Jin Yuan Lang, who was worried, stepped forward to whisper something to Yang Kai.
“But what?” Yang Kai asked in a deep voice, his face almost dripping with gloom.
“But, Brother Bai had pushed himself too far. When he was seriously injured, he did not heal his injuries properly and instead over-exerted his own strength, resulting in the Small Universe in his body showing signs of instability. There is a risk that it might collapse soon. It is difficult to say whether he will survive.”
Yang Kai’s face became uglier and uglier.
If the Small Universe in Bai Qi’s body really collapsed, then his cultivation would become completely useless, and he would become a cripple.
“Is there a solution?” Yang Kai asked.
Jin Yuan Lang shook his head slowly.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at Yue He; after all, someone from Abundance City would not know much about this kind of thing while Yue He might have some options.
Yue He promptly answered, “If we have a Star Gathering Universe Pill, it should help him stabilize his Small Universe! During battles between Open Heaven Realm Masters, there are cases like Old Bai’s, where the Small Universe in their body becomes turbulent. If the situation is mild, it is fine and can be resolved with some meditation and quiet cultivation, but if it is serious, it would require external help to restore. The Star Gathering Universe Pill has this effect, but that pill is precious and ordinary Alchemists would find it difficult to refine.”
Yang Kai immediately said, “Send out a message that my Void Land is offering a huge reward for a Star Gathering Universe Pill! If anyone has this Spirit Pill or can refine it, Void Land will fulfill any one wish they have, as long as it is within our ability!”
The Star City was now full of talented people from all walks of life and even many Alchemists from other great forces were stationed here.
The only way to get a Star Gathering Universe Pill was from the Star City, and Yang Kai could only pray that someone in Star City had or could refine one.
After asking Yue He to take care of Old Bai, Yang Kai asked in a deep voice, “What happened?”
Jin Yuan Lang cupped his fist and said, “Sect Master, my subordinates don’t know what happened exactly, but when they were checking a certain ship, someone reported that there was a seriously injured person on board, called Bai Qi. It turned out to be Brother Bai, so I hurriedly reported it.”
Yang Kai coldly snorted, “Bai Qi was unconscious, so how did the people on the ship know that his name was Bai Qi? Where is the owner of this ship?”
“He’s outside.” Jin Yuan Lang said before hurriedly asking someone to bring the manager in.
The manager, who was only in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm, said with some trepidation once he stepped into the room, “Profound Thunder Sect’s Lu Wen Fei greets Sirs!”
Yang Kai turned his head towards him, looked him up and down, and saw that this man’s hair was white. He looked elderly, with an unstable aura. Obviously, the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was his limit and Profound Thunder Sect was just a Third Class Force.
Jin Yuan Lang said, “Manager Lu need not be afraid. My Void Land will never bully the weak. I only called you over because my Sect Master has some questions he wishes to ask.”
Lu Wen Fei bowed his head and said, “Sir, this old man will tell you everything I know no matter what questions you have.”
Yang Kai nodded and asked, “Manager Lu, I want to know where you found Bai Qi and what the situation was at that time?”
Lu Wen Fei hurriedly reported, “Sir, this old man met Sir Bai Qi in this Void Territory. He was in a hurry at that time, but it seemed that because he was seriously injured, his strength was failing him and his speed was quite slow. This old man invited him onboard, but he only had time to report his name, and that he was to be taken to the Yang Kai of Void Land directly. After that, he passed out.”
“Hearing him mention Sect Master Yang’s name, this old man did not dare to neglect this issue. This old man immediately rushed to the dock and when I saw Sir Jin, this old man reported the matter.”
“Is that all?” Yang Kai asked in a deep voice.
Lu Wen Fei hurriedly said, “Sect Master Yang, please understand, this was really what happened. This old man would never dare to hide anything from you.”
Yang Kai looked at his face, nodded lightly and said, “I understand.”
He ordered someone to lead Lu Wen Fei out and to also reward him with some Open Heaven Pills. Yang Kai also instructed his men to monitor Lu Wen Fei’s movements.
Jin Yuan Lang mused, “Sect Master is suspicious of this Profound Thunder Sect…”
“Just in case, but they should have nothing to do with Old Bai’s matter. It is most likely just a coincidence.”
In the end, it didn’t matter. If Old Bai woke up, everything would become clear. But, right now, Old Bai’s situation did not look very optimistic. Yang Kai carefully put him into the Fated Paths Bag and brought him back to Void Land. At the same time, he sent a message to the Star City Governor’s Mansion, telling Mo Mei to personally put up a reward for a Star Gathering Universe Pill.
In a secret chamber, Old Bai was lying on the bed, breathing weakly, still unconscious. The aura surrounding him was extremely faint.
Yue He carefully used World Force to adjust the Small Universe in Old Bai’s body, to prevent his injuries from deteriorating. Yang Kai, on the other hand, used his Wood Element Power to heal Old Bai’s physical injuries.
Yang Kai really didn’t know where the Proprietress had gone for more than two years. Word of the previous battle against Void Land by the Hundred Sects Alliance had already spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds. Logically speaking, according to the Proprietress’s temperament, if she got to know that such an event had happened, she would have already come to Void Land to investigate the situation.
But she never showed up. Yang Kai sent someone to invite the Proprietress to Void Star City, but she was still nowhere to be seen.
[Where did she go after leaving the Blood Monster Cave Heaven? What happened to her? Just who managed to injure Old Bai like this?]
As long as Old Bai did not wake up, everything would remain a mystery.
Two days later, good news came from the Star City Governor’s Mansion. There was an Alchemy Grandmaster in the Star City who could refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill. With the help of Yang Kai’s Wood Element Power, Old Bai’s injuries were much better and his aura had also stabilized a lot, but the Small Universe in his body was still far from stable. If this was not resolved, Old Bai could die at any time, even if he woke up.
Yang Kai had been quite worried these past two days, but now, he had finally heard some good news.
He immediately ordered someone to invite the Grandmaster over, but soon Mo Mei sent a message back, saying that although the Alchemist was willing to help Void Land, he was asking for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe and 100 portions of World Source Liquid as his price!
Mo Mei was extremely annoyed by this shameless request. The only reason Void Star City was so popular was because of its Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. This kind of pill was only available in Void Land, so if someone else obtained its recipe and a large supply of its main ingredient, it would greatly affect the future development of the Star City.
The Alchemist obviously understood this, which was why he made such an excessive demand.
Yang Kai’s heart was filled with rage, but he did not hesitate to reply, “Promise him!”
Even if someone had the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe, they would need World Source Liquid, which was the primary ingredient. 100 portions of World Source Liquid could only make a total of a 100 Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. Although it was a lot, compared to Old Bai’s life, it was nothing.
After he sent the message, an idea flashed through Yang Kai’s mind, and he sent another message, “Tell that Alchemist that he can have the pill recipe, but we can only give him ten portions of World Source Liquid. Tell him to take it or leave it!”
It wasn’t that he wasn’t willing to hand over 100 portions, or that he didn’t have enough World Source Liquid to spare; in fact, Yang Kai had a literal pond of it. However, if he just agreed to such an excessive request, he would be revealing this fact, which would be detrimental in the future to all of Void Land.
It wouldn’t even matter if this Alchemist did refuse, since Yang Kai could just continue to negotiate.
After waiting for less than an incense stick worth of time, Mo Mei came back with a message.
The Alchemist agreed!
He probably thought that World Source Liquid was extremely rare and asking for 100 portions was just him trying to take the lion’s share, not really expecting to get it. Since Void Land had put forth a counteroffer, ten portions would be more than enough to satisfy him.
The Alchemist also put forth a condition that he would not come to Void Land to perform Alchemy, and would instead refine the Spirit Pill and then make the trade in the Star City.
Yang Kai believed that the Alchemist feared entering Void Land would be disadvantageous for him; after all, he openly coveted the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. The Alchemist, who dared to request such a thing, knew he had offended them. In Void Land, where his life or death would be under the control of another, how would he dare to perform Alchemy?
All that did not matter though, since Yang Kai agreed to his condition.
It would take a few days to refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill; after all, all kinds of materials were needed to make it. Fortunately, the Star City now had a wide range of goods for sale, so it would definitely not be difficult to collect the materials required.
Yang Kai was glad that he had made great efforts to develop the Star City; otherwise, where could he have found an Alchemist who could refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill while collecting the materials locally?
Two days later, Old Bai woke up!
Yang Kai was healing him at that time, and suddenly found that Old Bai’s aura had stabilized slightly. His eyelids twitched, so Yang Kai called out to him a few times, hastily.
Old Bai really did open his eyes, and when he saw Yang Kai, he grabbed his arm and said through clenched teeth, “Proprietress is in trouble, please save her!”
Yang Kai’s heart sank, and while suppressing the uneasiness he felt, he said comfortingly, “Speak whatever you want to say slowly. You’re gravely injured, so you can’t let your emotions fluctuate too much.”
Old Bai took a few deep breaths, lay down on the bed, and explained what had happened over the past two years.
After parting with Yang Kai and leaving the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, the Proprietress took Old Bai and the others to the Shattered Heaven instead of Thousand Birds Territory!
The Shattered Heaven was a famous place in the 3,000 Worlds, because that place was a battlefield that were the remains of a shocking war that happened during ancient times. No one knew which Masters participated in that calamitous war, but it was certain that many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were involved and had met their ends there.
In the Shattered Heaven, there were crises around every corner, with numerous ancient seals and Divine Abilities that either persisted to today, or could be triggered at a moment’s notice. There were even some extremely dangerous artifacts and entities that had gained spirituality and would attack with Earth-shattering and Heaven-destroying power.
In addition, there were many Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises left after the death of so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and if one was not careful, they could fall into one, never to escape.
Naturally, it was known as a Forbidden Zone in the 3,000 Worlds.
Even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were reluctant to set foot there, because no one knew when danger would strike in that place. Once, an Eighth-Order Open Heaven realm cultivator ventured deep into the Shattered Heaven, and simply disappeared. No one knew whether that person was dead or alive. More than a dozen Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had also disappeared in the Shattered Heaven in the last 1,000 years.
But even if the Shattered Heaven was notorious, many cultivators could not resist exploring it, because as the remnants of an ancient battlefield, where countless powerful Masters had died, countless riches had also been left behind!
Not to mention, if one could find the entrance to a Universe Cave Heaven or a Universe Paradise, they could scavenge the legacy left behind by those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
A single Blood Monster Cave Heaven drew forces from all across the 3,000 Worlds every time it opened.
But, what if there was more than one Blood Monster Cave Heaven hidden in the Shattered Heaven? It was possible that dozens, if not hundreds of Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises remained, so it was not hard to imagine what an irresistible temptation it presented.
After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, the Proprietress had said that Yang Kai should cultivate peacefully and let her take care of the matter of the High-Rank Yin Element treasure. So, after parting with Yang Kai, she led Bai Qi and the others directly to the Shattered Heaven.
The Proprietress was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, while Old Bai, Chef, and Accountant were all Fifth-Order Masters. The four of them made for a considerable force, and if they were lucky enough, they might just be able to find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in the Shattered Heaven.
In fact, the Proprietress’s luck was quite good. In the two years they spent in the Shattered Heaven, they really did come across a suspected High-Rank Yin Element treasure, but while they were trying to collect it, some sort of restriction that they had not discovered was triggered and it disappeared, along with Accountant and Chef. The Proprietress tried to escape, but her efforts proved futile. Just when Old Bai was at a loss on what to do, a voice reached his ear, “If you want to save them, go to Void Land and find Yang Kai. Don’t delay or it will be too late!”
After listening to Old Bai’s explanation, Yang Kai was dumbfounded.
He did not expect that the Proprietress would be in trouble because of him. If she hadn’t wanted to help him find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, why would she have risked going to the Shattered Heaven, where even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could die?
If she hadn’t gone to the Shattered Heaven, she wouldn’t have suddenly disappeared.
The voice transmission that Old Bai heard at the end clearly indicated something.
“Damn it!” Yang Kai ground his teeth. This was obviously a very complex and well-planned trap. If not, why would Old Bai hear that voice transmission? Some people were trying to lure the snake out of the hole. Yang Kai had been staying in Void Land for the past two years, so the forces aiming at him had no way to attack him. As such, they decided to target the Proprietress to lure him out!
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai suppressed the rage in his heart.
“Someone must have done it on purpose.” Old Bai looked at Yang Kai with shame present on his face, “I didn’t understand why the mastermind behind this wanted me to come to Void Land to find you, but after hearing some news along the way, I understood.”
Old Bai heard about the destruction of the Hundred Sects Alliance on his way here, and only then realized that Void Land was now a force that had a mighty army with the finest arms at the ready. Even Kong Feng of Heavenly Sword Union died in Void Land. Now that Void Land had two Divine Spirits protecting it, if they wanted to deal with Yang Kai, they would need to separate him from Void Land!
Bai Qi clearly knew this, and also knew that if he came and informed Yang Kai about what happened, Yang Kai would not sit idly by, but the Proprietress’s safety was at stake, and thus he had to do something. Naturally, this caused him to feel great guilt towards Yang Kai.
“Yang Kai, if you do not want to go, this Old Bai will not blame you. After I heal my wounds, I will go and save Proprietress myself.”
Yang Kai firmly and decisively shook his head, “Proprietress has shown great kindness and care towards me. Without her, there would not be a Yang Kai today. She is in trouble because of me, and the mastermind behind this is clearly doing this to target me. If after knowing this, I do not go, how can I still have the face to live in this world? Old Bai, you are underestimating me by saying that.”
Old Bai let out a soft sigh.
“Besides, in this condition, what more can you do? As for Proprietress, you can rest assured. Since this person is targeting me, he will not do anything to her until I show up.” Yang Kai comforted.
That said, Yang Kai still felt somewhat uneasy since, right now, no one knew what the Proprietress’ situation was.
Old Bai’s physical injuries had healed a lot thanks to his Wood Element Power and the healing pills he had taken. All remaining issues need to be taken care of slowly. Right now, the greatest problem he faced was the instability of the Small Universe in his body, but that required the Star Gathering Universe Pill to resolve.
Leaving Yue He to look after Old Bai, Yang Kai sent a Divine Sense transmission to Mo Mei, inquiring about the situation. Shortly afterwards, Mo Mei replied that the Star Gathering Universe Pill was being refined. While she didn’t know when it would be successfully completed, once the pill was ready, she would send it to Void Land immediately.
Yang Kai stood on the top of a certain Spirit Peak after breaking off the transmission with Mo Mei. Gazing at the sea of clouds, he sorted out his jumbled thoughts while his mind wandered.
The Proprietress was in trouble, and someone was trying to lure him out of Void Land, but in the face of this situation, he really did not have any good solution. Unless he acted like a shrinking turtle, he could not sit idly by.
However, if he really did rush out of Void Land, his enemy’s scheme would be successful.
After a long contemplation, Yang Kai’s gaze gradually hardened. His body flickered, and he suddenly disappeared.
By the time he reappeared, he had already arrived outside of a great palace, which was protected by layers of arrays. Entry into this part of the Void Land was forbidden for any uninvited person. Even its Open Heaven Realm Masters had to go around this place.
This couldn’t be helped, because this was the place where Zhu Jiu Yin cultivated in retreat.
Facing this palace, Yang Kai cupped his fist and shouted, “Senior, Junior Yang Kai requests an audience!”
There was no response.
Yang Kai shouted again, “Senior, I need to see you urgently, please show yourself!”
Even after calling for her three times in a row, Zhu Jiu Yin did not respond.
Yang Kai felt very annoyed. Although there were barriers here, Zhu Jiu Yin was incredibly powerful, so she certainly knew he was here. She must have also heard his voice; yet, she was not showing up. What did that mean? Ever since she came to Void Land, Zhu Jiu Yin had been living in seclusion, except for the last time when the Hundred Sects Alliance had come. Other than that time, she had basically not shown herself.
Normally, since Zhu Jiu Yin had taken such an attitude, Yang Kai would not impose himself on her. However, this time, since it was related to the safety of the Proprietress, he had no choice but to risk offending her.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai raised his hand and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear, its tip pointing forward. With a single thought, the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array roared to life, making the entire Void Land buzz.
It had been three years since the last time the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array had been activated, so while the Starlight Strength gathered in such a short period of time was not much, it was enough to support Yang Kai to activate it at least once!
The Azure Dragon Spear suddenly turned into a Great Dragon, shaking its head and flicking its tail. A high-pitched dragon roar resounded through the sky as Dragon Pressure filled the air. The giant dragon stared at the palace’s front door majestically, ready to pounce with its teeth and claws.
“You dare to display such impudence, you brat!?” Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice boomed in Yang Kai’s ears, and a slender figure entered his field of vision after the palace’s restriction disappeared.
Seeing her, Yang Kai hurriedly dispersed the power of the Grand Array and put away the Azure Dragon Spear. His action had made the Great Dragon disintegrated into thin air.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him with annoyance, “What madness possessed you to do this you smelly brat?”
Yang Kai’s face was slightly pale, and after taking a few sharp gasps for breath, he cupped his fist and said, “Please forgive me Senior, but the situation is urgent!”
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him suspiciously and frowned when she saw him so disturbed.
Last time, when the Hundred Sects Alliance had come, Yang Kai was as steady as a mountain and did not send any messages to her, asking for help, until the very last moment. It was only when the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters suddenly showed up that Zhu Jiu Yin really took action.
What could have happened this time for him to appear so disturbed?
Faintly aware that the situation this time was probably not a small matter, Zhu Jiu Yin softly snorted, “Come in and talk.”
“Many thanks, Senior!” Yang Kai followed Zhu Jiu Yin into the palace after he cupped his fist.
After the guest and the host were seated, Yang Kai looked around and saw no sign of Shan Qing Luo. She was obviously cultivating in retreat. With Zhu Jiu Yin, a Divine Spirit of the same lineage as her, personally teaching her, Shan Qing Luo’s future cultivation path was not something Yang Kai needed to worry about.
“So? What is it?” Zhu Jiu Yin proactively asked.
Yang Kai organized his thoughts and told her briefly about what had happened to the Proprietress.
Zhu Jiu Yin listened to him completely before she snorted, “What the hell did you do to provoke so many people to deal with you? Last time, it was the Hundred Sects Alliance, and this time, it is clear that some group is targeting you. This Queen and that old turtle are present in Void Land, which is why they are using that Lan You Ruo as bait to lure you out. It is only because of your relationship with her.”
“What Senior says is true. Someone is trying to lure me out,” Yang Kai nodded.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him with amusement, “Since you know this, why don’t you just not go out?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “I have to go.”
Since the mastermind behind this had told Old Bai to go to Void Land and inform him, it was clear that his target was Yang Kai. If Yang Kai did not show up, the crisis that the Proprietress was in would not be resolved. Furthermore, she would only be put into more danger. So, even though he knew that once he left Void Land, he would be stepping into a trap set by someone else, Yang Kai had to leap into it.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked up and down at him, “I didn’t know you were so foolish till now.”
Yang Kai quickly replied, “Senior, please don’t joke right now. This Junior is feeling really anxious.”
Zhu Jiu Yin laughed coldly, “What kind of bewitching soup did that woman feed you for you to even risk yourself to save her? Do you not know, if something happens to you, Luo’er will try to avenge you no matter what? With the inconsequential cultivation she has right now, it will be the same as impulsively jumping into death’s embrace. Even so, she will still do it.”
Yang Kai said, “Proprietress has shown great kindness to me. Now that she is in trouble, I can not sit idly by.”
Zhu Jiu Yin snickered, “Fool!”
Suddenly, she frowned and squinted at Yang Kai, “What are you doing here talking to this Queen then? I’m warning you, don’t get any ideas about bothering this Queen!”
Yang Kai said, “Since someone has set up such a trap, waiting for this Junior to throw himself in, I naturally cannot go unprepared. In all of Void Land, I can only rely on you, Senior, so I hope Senior can accompany me!”
“In your dreams!” Zhu Jiu Yin instantly snapped.
“Senior, please don’t forget that you are my Protector. You have sworn an oath on your Divine Spirit Source. If this Junior dies during this trip, you will be breaching your oath.”
Zhu Jiu Yin chuckled lightly and said, “Really? This Queen seems to recall there being many clauses in that oath, such as this Queen’s protection not extending to situations in which you cause trouble outside yourself and get killed? Ha, go ahead. This Queen will wait for the good news here in Void Land. Once you die, this Queen will be free! Just thinking about it certainly makes this Queen feel happy.”
Yang Kai said miserably, “Senior, I was the one who brought you out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, out of that prisoner’s cage! You can’t just sit back and watch when I’m in trouble now!”
“When those two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters attacked you last time, didn’t this Queen help? This Queen is your Protector, not your nanny. If you want to go around courting death, this Queen cannot stop you. Forget about this, this Queen will never agree to accompany you!”
Zhu Jiu Yin flicked her sleeve, “Get out, get out, don’t show this Queen your unlucky appearance! All it will do is bring misfortune!”
A strong force shoved Yang Kai, pushing him back.
Yang Kai gritted his teeth and shouted, “If Senior helps me this one time, ensuring that Proprietress is safe and sound, then I will consider Senior to have fully fulfilled her oath! From then on, Senior will regain her freedom!”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s movements paused, and her beautiful eyes glowed as she stared at him, “Is what you’re saying true?”
Yang Kai grit his teeth and said, “I always mean what I say!”
Zhu Jiu Yin was clearly moved. As long as she helped Yang Kai this time, she could be released from her oath, and for her, this was indeed a huge temptation. It would be a hassle for her to be a Protector for 1,000 years, especially since this brat in front of her had a propensity for stirring up trouble. She would not have to help this brat clean up after every mess he made.
But Zhu Jiu Yin slowly shook her head after pondering for only a little while, and declared, “No. Absolutely not!”
Yang Kai hurriedly asked, “Why?”
Zhu Jiu Yin grunted, “Do you think a Divine Spirit is invincible? This Queen’s strength has not yet been fully restored, and last time, they already tested this Queen’s depths. They would have obviously taken this Queen into consideration since they are targeting you. Perhaps the people targeting you have set up a terrifying trap outside, just waiting for this Queen to step into it!”
After saying this, Zhu Jiu Yin could not help but have a cold sweat, increasingly feeling a sense of an inexplicable crisis.
“I was almost deceived by your honeyed words, you damn brat!” Zhu Jiu Yin scolded furiously!
Yang Kai also snarled angrily, “Senior is so heartless, even refusing to grant this small favour!”
“Is this what you call a small favour!? Stop talking nonsense! You are asking this Queen to gamble with her life!”
“Fine then!” Yang Kai ground his teeth angrily, “Since Senior is so unwilling to help, this Junior will not force you. Just know that if this Junior really dies on this trip, Luo’er will become a widow, and we will see if she forever resents you or not!”
“Despicable little bastard!” Zhu Jiu Yin’s face turned red with rage, “Get out!”
With a flick of her hand, she drove Yang Kai out of the palace, causing him to tumble through the air for a few breaths before he slowly stabilized himself.
Glancing at the palace where Zhu Jiu Yin lived, Yang Kai heaved a heavy sigh. Even though he had been arguing so passionately with her just now, he was in no position to blame Zhu Jiu Yin for refusing his request. Zhu Jiu Yin was right. Her existence was already known to them, and this time, she would definitely be taken into account and targeted.
Even if Zhu Jiu Yin accompanied him, the other party may have the means to deal with her. However, right now, in Void Land, she and Bi Xi were the strongest Masters available. Yang Kai definitely needed their help to save the Proprietress.
After hitting a wall with Zhu Jiu Yin, Yang Kai turned his head towards the Dragon Sons’ Peak.
On Dragon Sons’ Peak, Yang Kai and the Old Man Bi Xi sat facing each other with a chess board in between them. They played in turns, and Yang Kai, who did not know how to play this game too well, was soon defeated.
Xiao Hong stood behind him, watching nervously and clenching her little fists from time to time, while Xiao Hei sat beside him, mindlessly giggling and drooling all over the place.
“Boy, you are a little unfocused today, no?” Bi Xi said smilingly, and casually placed a piece.
Yang Kai rolled his eyes at him and dropped the piece in his hand onto the board, saying, “Senior, why do you ask?”
Void Land in its entirety was carried by Bi Xi on his back; thus, if he so desired, nothing in Void Land could escape his perception. Yang Kai had gone to Zhu Jiu Yin’s place and had almost made a big scene just a few moments earlier; thus, he did not believe that the old turtle had not noticed.
Bi Xi laughed, “You didn’t come to this Old Master to vent the anger you feel towards that little spider, right?” While saying that, he raised his hand to wipe the drool off the corner of Xiao Hei’s mouth before stroking his head with a doting expression.
Yang Kai said with a bitter smile, “This Junior naturally dares not to, but…. the future is looking very dim. That is why I came to Senior this time, to ask for advice.”
Bi Xi slowly tidied up the pieces and gently said, “This is an unsolvable game. This Old Master can’t do anything about it, unless you learn from this Old Master…”
Saying so, he shrank his neck and made a very vivid action, “…and became a shrinking turtle!”
Yang Kai said with a dark face, “Senior knows that is impossible.”
“Then you’ll have to go and die!”
Xiao Hong looked towards Yang Kai nervously, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Is there really no advice Senior can give me?” Yang Kai looked at him expectantly.
Bi Xi sighed, “This Old Master really cannot help much with this. This Old Master can still be of some use if something happens in your Void Territory, but this time, you have to travel far away. You know the size of this Old Master; I would never be able to pass through the Territory Gate unless I transform and shrink. But if I do that, your Void Land will definitely be torn apart. Do you want to give up on Void Land?”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head.
Void Land had hundreds of thousands of disciples living in it. If he really gave up on it, where would they go? But there would be no way to get through the Territory Gate to other Great Territories if Bi Xi didn’t shrink himself first.
So, from the beginning, Yang Kai didn’t really expect Bi Xi to follow him with his real body.
“Senior, what about your Embodiment…” Yang Kai stared at him, not moving for a moment.
Bi Xi replied, “This Old Master’s Embodiment is able to borrow power only when it is in the vicinity of my True Body. It cannot exert much strength when it is too far away. Outside this Territory, it will at best be on par with a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Do you actually lack Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm subordinates?”
Yang Kai was stunned.
Last time, when Bi Xi’s Embodiment had appeared, it easily blocked a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s strike; thus, Yang Kai thought that the old man’s Embodiment was also extremely powerful. Now, he realized that the old man’s Embodiment was only able to do that by borrowing the power of his real body.
If Bi Xi’s Embodiment was really only equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, its presence wouldn’t be able to make much of a difference.
Zhu Jiu Yin had rejected him with no trace of politeness, and now, he could not even count on Bi Xi. Yang Kai felt his future looked completely bleak.
After pondering for a while, he asked, “Does Senior know anything about the Shattered Heaven?”
Bi Xi said, “I know a little bit about it. The Shattered Heaven formed a long time ago, even before this Old Master was born. Apparently, the birth of an Innate Supreme Treasure triggered a bloody struggle amongst all the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises. It almost swept up the entire Outer Universe. That battle was fought for over a hundred years. I don’t even know how many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters fell in that accursed place. Several Great Territories were broken to pieces, and the Shattered Heaven was formed from their remnants. The Cave-Heavens and Paradises that took part severely damaged their foundations. Even after recuperating for countless years after that battle ended, they still haven’t been able to recover completely. How could the current heritage of the Cave-Heaven Paradises even be compared to their former glory?”
Yang Kai was startled, “The Shattered Heaven was a result of a blood feud between the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises?”
“Indeed!” Bi Xi nodded, “Apart from a battle between the Cave-Heaven Paradises, what else could lead to the death of so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in this world? It was enough to fill the Shattered Heaven with so many opportunities and dangers. This Old Master once travelled the Shattered Heaven when he was young, but I did not go too deep. So, the only advice this Old Master can give you about the Shattered Heaven, is to be careful!”
“This Junior will remember.” Yang Kai nodded, at the same time, he felt both guilty and touched. The Proprietress also knew that it wouldn’t be convenient for Yang Kai to go looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure by himself; thus, she took this matter into her own hands after they left the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. However, even though she was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, finding a High-Rank Yin Element treasure would not be easy, with the Shattered Heaven as the only place she could think of.
Although she knew it was dangerous, the Proprietress still ventured into the Shattered Heaven boldly without any hesitation.
Nothing would have happened to her if it wasn’t for someone else’s hidden scheme, but someone wanted to use her to lure Yang Kai away from Void Land, and that was what got her into this mess.
Yang Kai also asked Bi Xi about what happened when he entered the Shattered Heaven, and Bi Xi told him everything he could. Unfortunately, he had only wandered around the outer edge so Yang Kai did not really get much information.
After half a day passed, Yang Kai got up to say goodbye.
Xiao Hong also stood up and said, “Young Master, I will come with you.”
Over the past few years, she had learnt to stop stuttering while speaking.
Xiao Hei sucked in his saliva and puffed out his chest, “I’m coming too.”
When Bi Xi heard them, he glared at them, “What are you two even capable of doing in a place like that right now? Be good and stay here with this Old Master!”
Xiao Hong replied, “Xiao Hei and I were brought out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by Young Master. We are only able to assume Human Form right now thanks to him giving us so many Dragon Blood Pills. If it were not for Young Master, Xiao Hei and I would still be living in that dark cage, trapped and ignorant of the world. Now that Young Master is in trouble, how can we ignore him? Since you can’t go, Grandpa Turtle, Xiao Hei and I will go!”
“Nonsense!” Bi Xi rebuked. He had been alone for countless years, but luckily, now, he had two little babies who possessed Dragon bloodlines like him to accompany him. He was happier and more comfortable than he had been in millennia, so how could he sit back and watch them walk into danger?
Yang Kai rubbed Xiao Hong’s head, “I understand how you feel, but don’t come to the Shattered Heaven with me. I survived the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so what’s the Shattered Heaven to me? You stay here, at home. This Young Master will be right back.”
Xiao Hong stubbornly replied, “No no no! I’m coming, I’m coming! If Young Master doesn’t take us, Xiao Hei and I will just secretly follow you by ourselves! We will live and die together with Young Master!”
Xiao Hei nodded vigorously, “Yes, we will live and die together!”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded and looked at Bi Xi for help.
Bi Xi’s face turned black with anger. It took a while before he grit his teeth and spoke up, “Little girl, you should just say it… If you want this Old Master to help, just say it openly, why do you have to beat around the bush like that!?”
Yang Kai was puzzled.
Bi Xi opened his mouth and spat out something, and handed it to Yang Kai with some reluctance, “Take it. It may save your life at a critical moment!”
Yang Kai reached out and took it, while curiously asking, “What is this?”
Bi Xi chuckled and said, “This was something this Old Master moulted in my early years. It has been refined by this Old Master. All you need to do to activate it is pour your strength into it.”
Yang Kai looked carefully and found that the object in his hand was a tortoise shell that was the size of a palm, and immediately lit up with joy while thanking, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Yang Kai had witnessed how strong Bi Xi’s defence was with his own eyes. Now that he had this tortoiseshell refined by Bi Xi himself, Yang Kai had some capital to protect his life during this trip. He was only in the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, and although he could compete with a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master if he used all his cards if he encountered a High-Rank Open-Heaven Realm Master, he still did not have enough power to fight back.
He did not need to fight and win in the Shattered Heaven this time. All he needed to do was protect himself. Right now, what Bi Xi gave him was akin to charcoal delivered in the frigid winter.
Xiao Hong stepped forward and started shaking Bi Xi’s arm with a smile, “I knew Grandpa Turtle was the best!”
Bi Xi said with a dark face, “Don’t play these kinds of tricks. I shouldn’t have let you see that thing last time. Little girls are really ungrateful wolves that can’t be raised well, they always side with outsiders instead of their own family!”
Xiao Hong placed her head on Bi Xi’s arm and said coquettishly, “Grandpa Turtle, don’t be angry, when Xiao Hong grows up and becomes stronger, she will be filial to you.”
At those words, Bi Xi smiled with great joy and comfort.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and said, “Senior, this Junior still has things to do, so I shall leave first.”
After saying that, he turned around to leave.
“Kid!” Bi Xi suddenly shouted behind him.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him, “What’s the matter, Senior?”
“If your life is truly in danger…” Bi Xi looked solemn, and took a long time before continuing, “You might as well reveal your Dragon heritage. If you do so, you may force your enemy to act cautiously, lest they incur dangerous consequences! But only expose it as a last resort. Even though the Dragon Clan is strong, it also has a lot of enemies, and exposing it will likely backfire as well.”
Yang Kai nodded to show that he understood, “This Junior will remember.”
Yang Kai vaguely felt that Bi Xi’s statement seemed to be somewhat familiar. Thinking about it carefully, he remembered that when he saved Mie Meng, she had said something similar to him.
Bi Xi also had the same advice, so, it seems that the Dragon Clan may have truly made quite a few enemies in the 3,000 Worlds.
But still, Yang Kai had gained something that was personally shed and refined by Bi Xi, which was at least something.
When he returned to the place Old Bai was currently recuperating in, Yue He spoke, “Young Master, I have thought about it for a while and I think you shouldn’t go to the Shattered Heaven. After Bai Qi recovers, I will go with him to save Big Sister Lan.”
Yang Kai shook his head and sighed, “If I don’t show up, Proprietress will never be able to escape from danger. This is a scheme purposefully aimed at me, and only I can resolve it. On the contrary, you shouldn’t go. Proprietress is stronger than you, but the person behind this still managed to subdue her. It’s easy to tell that your going won’t help.”
Yue He shook her head and replied, “Just like how Young Master has a reason to go, I also have a reason to go. Big Sister Lan treats me like her true Sister, and nurtured me from a young age. I’ve resented her for many years because of something in the past, but now, when she is in trouble, how can I stand by and do nothing? Young Master, you are not yet in the Open Heaven Realm yet you are risking your life going there for her, so how can I sit by and watch? Besides, the Shattered Heaven is full of dangers, so you must be accompanied by someone.”
No matter what he said, Yang Kai could not persuade Yue He, so he could only give up and let out a sigh, “Fine. This trip is dangerous, so it’ll be just you, me, and Old Bai.”
Yue He said, “What about Mo Mei?”
“Void Land needs someone to assume command, so Mo Mei can’t leave. No one else needs to know. I will write a letter to her explaining the situation.”
This trip to the Shattered Heaven was not a problem that could be solved with numbers. Since the mastermind behind this wanted to lure him out of Void Land, they must be fully prepared. Void Land’s current strength was most likely not worthy enough to be placed in front of their eyes. What’s more, if they sent too many people, they would easily expose themselves; thus, it would be easier for Yang Kai and the others to hide their movements if they embarked on this trip with only three people.
Subconsciously, Yang Kai was not optimistic about the prospects of this trip. If he really did take all the major pillars of Void Land with him and something went wrong, Void Land would be finished. The hundreds of thousands of disciples would become homeless and displaced.
On the contrary, if Mo Mei and the others stayed behind, even if something happened to him, with Void Land’s current scale and the almost perfectly prospering Star City, Void Land would still have the power to continue to exist and develop.
Yue He pondered for a moment before gently nodding her head.
Yang Kai summoned Bian Yu Qing and gave her a few confidential instructions.
A few days later, the Star Gathering Universe Pill was finally refined. Mo Mei delivered the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe and the 10 portions of the World Source Liquid Yang Kai prepared to the Alchemist in question, exchanging the Star Gathering Universe Pill with them. Afterwards, she returned to Void Land.
Yue He stood guard while Old Bai swallowed and refined the Star Gathering Universe Pill. It took a whole day for his Small Universe, that had been endlessly shaking, to finally settle down. There was no longer any more risk of collapse, he just needed to slowly recuperate.
With everything ready, Yang Kai set off, fearing that a long delay would only cause more problems.
At the Void Dock, a large, rough-looking man strode forward while leading a group of people. The disciple who was guarding the dock came forward and bowed while cupping his fist, “Sir Wei, are you on your way out?”
Although the person who had arrived was only a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the disciples guarding the dock recognized him because he was Wei Que, from Great Moon Province, and they had been instructed by their superiors to take special care of him.
It seemed that the Sect Master had some connections with Great Moon Province.
Wei Que chuckled, “Business is good these days, so I’m going back to the Sect to pick up some supplies and deliver some profits. I’ll have to bother you, Fellow Brothers.”
“Sir Wei is too polite.” The disciple nodded lightly and led a few other disciples to perform a casual inspection before waving them through.
After leaving the dock, Wei Que immediately summoned a boat and took several disciples from Great Moon Province aboard, speeding off into the distance. It was only half a day later that Wei Que, who was in the cabin compartment, reached out and took a bag from his waist, whispering after patting it gently, “Sect Master Yang, we’ve already travelled for half a day.”
Once he was done, the mouth of the bag suddenly opened and 3 figures appeared in front of him. The three figures were none other than Yang Kai, Yue He, and Old Bai.
Old Bai, who was still seriously injured, coughed.
Yang Kai put the Fated Paths Bag away and cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Senior Wei.”
Wei Que waved his hand, “Sect Master Yang is too polite. Void Land has been very kind to my Great Moon Province. What this Wei has done is nothing in comparison. It is hardly enough to return even one of the favours we owe.”
After a short pause, Wei Que continued, “This Wei is a simple man. Although I don’t know why Sect Master Yang is doing this, it is obvious he is going to do something big. If there is something that Great Moon Province can do, please feel free to ask!”
When Yang Kai suddenly approached Wei Que and asked him to bring him out of Void Land quietly, the latter realized that the matter at hand was not simple.
Void Land was Yang Kai’s territory. If now, as Void Land’s Sect Master, he needed to conceal his whereabouts when he entered and left, it would mean he suspected that there were people both inside and outside of Void Land that were watching him, which made it necessary for him to act so secretively.
How powerful was the enemy he was facing for him to still be so cautious even with Void Land’s current strength?
Great Moon Province was only a Third Class great force and could not afford to get involved in such muddy waters, but Wei Que was a man who believed deeply in repaying favours and grudges. He was willing to help even though he knew it would be extremely dangerous.
Yang Kai said, “This Junior appreciates Senior Wei’s kind intentions, but others can’t help me this time. Many thanks.”
Wei Que sighed, “In that case, Sect Master Yang must be careful not to let these wicked people’s schemes succeed!” He knew that this was Yang Kai’s personal matter. Also, he wouldn’t be able to help with his meagre strength, so he didn’t try to force the issue.
Bidding farewell to Wei Que, Yue He summoned a small wooden shuttle and the trio headed straight towards the nearest Territory Gate.
Two days later, the Territory Gate came into sight
There were Territory Gates between all Great Territories, and when crossing one, a cultivator would be exposed to a strong pressure. If one tried to cross a Territory Gate with their physical body without having a cultivation of at least the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm, they would face grave danger to their lives.
If a cultivator under the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm wanted to cross a Territory Gate, they had to use some type of flight-type artifact.
Although Yue He’s wooden shuttle was not a high-grade artifact, it wasn’t a low-quality item either. She also had a cultivation of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so it would not be a problem for them to pass through the Territory Gate.
In a matter of breaths, the swirling Territory Gate was right in front of them, and the wooden shuttle rushed straight in. Even before the slight feeling of dizziness could pass, the three of them were already in another Great Territory.
Before Yang Kai had the time to check the situation around them, he heard Yue He cry out, “Young Master, look out!”
The next moment, a great sense of crisis overwhelmed them. Violent World Force burst out, the wooden shuttle burst into pieces, sending Old Bai flying with a trail of blood behind him. Fresh damage was added to his already seriously injured body. Yang Kai also felt uncomfortable, but he was well protected by Yue He and did not suffer any kind of serious injury. Yue He, on the other hand, was bleeding from the corner of her lips, and had obviously been wounded.
Yang Kai’s face was instantly filled with rage. He could guess that his Void Land had to be littered with the prying eyes of outsiders, so he hid in the Fated Paths Bag and asked Wei Que to take him, Yue He, and Old Bai out quietly. He did think that the road ahead would be thorny, but he never anticipated being intercepted as soon as they left Void Territory!
The person who attacked was extremely decisive and had obviously determined that they would emerge from this Territory Gate; thus, the enemy did not hesitate to bombard them with their Divine Ability. Yue He and Old Bai were caught unprepared, plus they had just passed through the Territory Gate and were still a little disoriented, leading to them suffering a big loss.
Looking up, Yang Kai saw two people, an old man and a young man, standing in the void. The old man had a crane-like face, and looked hearty, full of energy. Cold light flashed through the slits of his long and narrow eyes, as he squinted them.
The young man looked like he was only a teenager, but the aura he was emitting showed that it was absolutely impossible for him to be a mere youth.
Both the old man and the teenager were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. One of them was holding a wooden branch with lightning flashing out of it, while the other was carrying a copper rod, which looked rather out of place.
The young man with the copper rod smiled at the three of them and fixed his gaze on Yang Kai, before asking warmly, “Void Land’s Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai shouted angrily, “It is this King! Who are you, announce your names!”
The young man smiled, “You’re young, but your tone is filled with arrogance. On the other hand, although your strength is low, you have managed to stir up the entire 3,000 Worlds, so you are qualified to know the name of this Monarch.”
After saying so, he cupped his fist while holding the copper rod in a backhand grip, and declared, “Heavenly Sword Union’s Union Master, Shen Liang!”
The old man, while holding the wooden branch behind his back and putting one hand on his chest, said indifferently, “Vice Union Master, Jiang Yun Shan!”
“Heavenly Sword Union?” Yang Kai raised his brow and said coldly, “Heavenly Sword Union has lost their Union Master not long ago, but two more have now popped up? Haven’t you people had enough yet?”
Shen Liang chuckled, “You mean Kong Feng? If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. This Monarch must thank you for killing that old dog; otherwise, how would this Shen have been able to become the current Union Master? Though, while I am thankful to you, I still have to take revenge. No matter what, Kong Feng was the previous Union Master, and he was killed at your hands. Since I am the new Union Master, I can’t just ignore this slight. Therefore, I am here today to take your head. I advise you to not resist, otherwise, it will be very unpleasant!”
Yang Kai grunted, “Since I can kill a Kong Feng, I can naturally kill you. If you want to die, just try it!”
While speaking, he urgently sent a voice transmission to Yue He, “Try to hold them back for a while, we can’t win this fight so we need to find a way to escape!”
Two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had come at once, and only Yue He could contend with them. Old Bai was definitely no match for them, not to mention himself. It was a fight they would definitely lose.
The only way for them to have any chance of survival was to use Yang Kai’s Space Secret Techniques to escape!
Yue He understood and gave a nod.
Shen Liang laughed lightly, “You are truly a brat who doesn’t fear the Heavens. No wonder you dare to act like that. Come come come, let this Monarch dig your heart out to see how big it really is.”
Saying so, the copper rod in his hand smashed down. Even though it was just the slash of a rod, it felt as if the whole world was crashing down. The terrifying World Force tumbled down, making both the Heavens and the Earth shake.
At the same time, Jiang Yun Shan also struck with the wooden branch in his hand which caused lightning to appear and turn into thousands of thunder swords, each thunder sword containing an abundant amount of World Force.
Old Bai roared with strong spirit. The power of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm poured out, transforming into a sky of fist shadows which clashed with the thunder swords.
Yue He summoned a vase with several flower branches in it, each branch with a flower bud on it. She took out a flower branch and shook it. In an instant, flowers filled the sky, gently flying all over the place. Each flower petal was like the world’s sharpest blade, able to cut even space.
The main reason why there was a huge gap between the strength of a newly advanced Open Heaven Realm Master and an old Open Heaven Realm Master was the difference in accumulation in their Small Universes. There was also a huge difference in the quality of the artifacts that they possessed.
Even if the artifacts one possessed before they advanced to the Open Heaven Realm were exceptional, they would not be useful after they broke through. The chasm between the Emperor Realm and the Open Heaven Realm was just too great; thus, one had to find someone to refine new artifacts or buy new ones that were suitable for their new Open Heaven Realm cultivation.
Artifacts of the Open Heaven Realm were graded on the same scale as the Open Heaven Realm itself.
Yang Kai was something of an exception as even though he had not advanced to the Open Heaven Realm yet, he had a powerful weapon like the Azure Dragon Spear in his hands. Thus, he need not pay much attention to this.
However, after the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, Yang Kai began paying closer attention to Open Heaven Realm artifacts.
This couldn’t be helped. There were too many new Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, and their base strength couldn’t be raised in a short period of time. After all, it took time to strengthen one’s foundation. Thus, if he wanted to immediately raise their combat power, he had to use external means, like artifacts.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance attacked, Mo Mei was pitted against Luan Bai Feng and ended up being completely outclassed. Of course, the biggest reason was because she had just broken through and her foundation was still unstable, but there was another matter as well, which was that she lacked suitable artifacts to assist her. Thus, she ended up having to use her bare hands to fight. If she had an artifact that suited her current cultivation at that time, the situation would have been much better.
As such, after the Star City was rebuilt and developed, Yang Kai asked Bian Yu Qing to allocate a large amount of money to purchase artifacts for Void Land’s Open Heaven Realm Masters. Furthermore, with the many spoils obtained after the battle, many of Void Land’s new Open Heaven Realm Masters could now exert much greater power than they were able to at that time.
The vase in Yue He’s hands was worth 40 million Open Heaven Pills! It was an artifact meant for those in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The artifacts used by Open Heaven Realm Masters were all capable of channelling and augmenting World Force, which were incomparable to the artifacts used by cultivators below the Open Heaven Realm.
Flower petals flew amidst the sky that was filled with flowers in the void, which made Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan lose all sense of direction. How could they find Yang Kai and the others, when the only thing they could sense around them were colourful flower petals and chilling murderous intent. It was almost as if they were trapped in a sealed world. Hurriedly, both of them used Secret Techniques to try and break out of the trap, which caused shockwaves and endless rumbles to sound.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai shouted without hesitation when he saw that the two of them were trapped, immediately wrapping Yue He and Old Bai in his Space Principles to escape.
The next moment, Yang Kai’s expression changed greatly. The space around them seemed to have turned into a cage, locking them in place, making it impossible to flee.
“We’re trapped!” Yang Kai’s face was gloomy. This feeling seemed familiar. Instantly, a person’s figure popped up in his mind, which caused him to grit his teeth and shout, “Luan Bai Feng!”
When the Hundred Sects Alliances invaded Void Land, Luan Bai Feng had been there to help Kong Feng. This woman was extremely proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. If there was anyone that could seal a local region of space so quickly and quietly, it was her!
When Kong Feng was captured, that woman resolutely fled. Yang Kai thought she had gone back to Black Prison, but unexpectedly, she was here. In other words, this time, they were not facing off against two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but three!
“Hehehe…” Luan Bai Feng’s figure suddenly appeared, along with a charming laugh. She spoke while playfully looking at Yang Kai, “Little boy, you have a good head on your shoulders. You could even guess that this Queen was also here. Then, guess again, will you be able to leave alive this time?”
Yang Kai glared at her, “Luan Bai Feng, my Void Land and your Black Prison have no grudges or enmity. Why do you keep coming to provoke trouble again and again?”
Yang Kai felt hatred surging within him. If it wasn’t for this woman, he could have taken Yue He and Old Bai away with his Instantaneous Movement. But this woman had sealed off that possibility, making him unable to escape with his Space Principles.
Luan Bai Feng flicked her jade-like finger and said with a smile, “We really do have no grievances, but this Queen is short of ore slaves and is very interested in your Open Heaven Realm Masters. How about this? Give me all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in your Void Land, then I will spare your life. How about it?”
“In your dreams!” Yang Kai ground his teeth and roared, “If I don’t die today, I swear to crush your Black Prison one day!”
Luan Bai Feng put her hands on her chest and delicately said, “I’m afraid of men with such big tempers!”
*Hong…*
When the boundless rain of flower petals broke apart, two figures appeared. It was Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan, who were trapped by Yue He before. Glancing at Luan Bai Feng, Shen Liang snorted coldly and asked, “Why are you talking so much nonsense? Kill them first!”
Luan Bai Feng said smilingly, “This Queen is a gentle woman. Although I am capable of bullying the weak, it is not something I am willing to do. Helping you trap them is the limit of what this Queen will do this time. If you want to kill them, do it yourself, I’ll just watch from the sidelines.” Saying so, she actually took a few steps back.
Shen Liang snorted coldly without worry and ordered, “You take care of Yue He, this Monarch will kill that brat!”
Jiang Yun Shan replied, “Good!” A thunderous beam of lightning headed towards Yue He with a single swing of the branch in his hand.
Right when he did so, Yang Kai shouted, “Zhu Jiu Yin! Until when do you plan to wait!?”
As soon as Yang Kai said so, Shen Liang and the others’ faces changed dramatically. Shen Liang, who was about to rush towards Yue He, immediately assumed a defensive stance, his eyes darting around as he pushed his Divine Sense wildly.
Luan Bai Feng also froze while Jiang Yun Shan directly summoned a defensive artifact to protect himself.
Before the Hundred Sects Alliances fought against Void Land, no one took Void Land seriously, and no one even considered the possibility that there could be two mature Divine Spirits hidden in this puny Second Class force.
After that battle though, Zhu Jiu Yin’s origins were made clear.
Yang Kai left Void Land this time seemingly followed by only Yue He and Bai Qi; however, who knew whether he had any hidden backup like Zhu Jiu Yin or Bi Xi.
The reason why Luan Bai Feng did not attack just now was because she was afraid that Zhu Jiu Yin was hiding nearby; thus, as soon as they heard Yang Kai shout the name ‘Zhu Jiu Yin’, the three of them acted as though they were facing a terrifying enemy.
Taking this opportunity, Yue He and Old Bai, who had been secretly instructed by Yang Kai, struck out in unison, targeting a certain spot in the void.
After the raging World Force exploded three times, the imprisoned space suddenly loosened.
Although Luan Bai Feng had set up a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Array here, it was not very solid as she had to act quickly. Thus, Yue He and Old Bai could easily break through it by force.
Luan Bai Feng’s pretty face turned red as she shouted, “It’s a trick, stop them!”
Yang Kai turned his head around and sneered at her as he manipulated Space Principles once again. As long as he could escape from here, he was confident he would be able to get rid of Luan Bai Feng and the others.
When he first entered the 3,000 Worlds, he was able to escape from the Proprietress. Now that his strength was far greater, it would not be difficult for him to use his Space Beacons and Space Principles to escape from Luan Bai Feng and the others.
Suddenly, Yang Kai’s expression became odd as he looked behind Luan Bai Feng in a daze. The next moment, his eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
Old Bai said anxiously, “Go! What are you doing?”
Yang Kai grinned meaningfully, his tense expression suddenly becoming completely relaxed.
Luan Bai Feng, however, shivered violently, because at that moment, a cold aura appeared behind her. It was as if a poisonous snake had climbed up to the back of her neck and gently hissed into her ear.
“Your name is Luan Bai Feng?” A voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
Luan Bai Feng’s body jolted, and the full might of her Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation burst out along with a roar. She struck behind her with the back of her palm, which, though hurried, still contained all her strength.
Whipping her head around at the same time, she saw the face of the person standing behind her.
Charming and enchanting, the person’s Heavenly beauty could topple kingdoms. Even though Luan Bai Feng was a woman herself, she could not help but be moved when she saw her.
Divine Spirit, Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, Zhu Jiu Yin!
This turned out to be a trick disguised as another trick! When she saw Yang Kai rushing to escape, she thought that the boy was just trying to distract her. However, who knew that Zhu Jiu Yin was really nearby, and at some point had snuck up behind her.
Facing Luan Bai Feng’s attack, Zhu Jiu Yin just gently slapped away her palm. This casual slap held the power of a mature Divine Spirit though and the sound of bones cracking rang out as Luan Bai Feng was sent flying like a paper kite without a string. Fresh blood sprayed from her lips as she tumbled uncontrollably.
A Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master was as weak as a three-year-old child in front of Zhu Jiu Yin.
Zhu Jiu Yin did not pause. Her whole body seemed to not move at all, yet somehow still managed to catch up to Luan Bai Feng. With a flip of her hair, each strand turned into a poisonous snake. There, a group of thousands of snakes opened their mouths, hissing endlessly as they bit Luan Bai Feng.
*Zheng zheng…*
Ethereal music sounded at that moment, as if someone was plucking a zither in the void. Yang Kai did not know when, but a woman with a breathtakingly beautiful face had appeared. Her white arms and calves were exposed with a pinkish tinge dyeing them. She sat cross-legged in the void, a zither before her and a sweet smile on her face. With a single move of her delicate hand, sound waves that were visible to the naked eye turned into sharp knives, heading towards Jiang Yun Shan.
Yang Kai turned his head to look, and exclaimed with widened eyes, “Senior Sister Qu!”
In truth, he really did just shout Zhu Jiu Yin’s name to distract Luan Bai Feng and the others to take advantage of their lapse in attention and create an opportunity to escape.
Who knew that his words would be prophetic and Zhu Jiu Yin would really appear.
His cultivation had not yet reached such a state where his words would become law, whereby the World would follow it; thus, Zhu Jiu Yin had only shown up because she had been secretly following him to protect him. His attempt in deception not only fooled Luan Bai Feng and the others, but also Zhu Jiu Yin herself.
When Yang Kai went to Zhu Jiu Yin and asked for her help, she had firmly refused. He thought that she would really not assist him this time, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn she had actually followed him in secret.
This warmed Yang Kai’s heart. No matter what the reason may be, Zhu Jiu Yin did follow him in the end.
Not only did Zhu Jiu Yin follow him, but Qu Hua Shang had also tagged along. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had opened a Dao Temple in Void Star City to attract young talents from all over the world to ‘discuss the Dao’. This Dao Temple was the reason Qu Hua Shang had been present in Void Star City for the past few years. She had even visited Void Land numerous times. It was just that this time, Yang Kai had not informed her about this incident, and he did not know why she had come here with Zhu Jiu Yin.
Zhu Jiu Yin was now equivalent to a peak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Meanwhile, Qu Hua Shang was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. With the two of them joining the battle, the roles of hunter and prey had instantly been flipped.
The melody of the zither was soul-stirring, forcing Jiang Yun Shan to retreat again and again. Jiang Yun Shan was definitely stronger than Qu Hua Shang in terms of raw strength; after all, it had not been long since Qu Hua Shang had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm. Thus, even with the artifacts given to her by her Sect, it would be difficult for her to make up for the gap brought by the difference in their foundation.
However, when Zhu Jiu Yin appeared, Jiang Yun Shan was also momentarily distracted and had to divert part of his attention to monitor her. Thus, for a while, he was caught off guard and greatly affected by Qu Hua Shang’s sound attack.
Meanwhile, there was another enemy remaining, Shen Liang, who was still watching.
Yue He decisively held a flower and swept it towards Shen Liang. The flower petals filling the void trapped him again. Violent sounds came out of the storm of petals, but Shen Liang was unable to escape in short order.
The situation had been decided. If Heavenly Sword Union did not have backup, Shen Liang and the others would not be able to turn the tide. However, Heavenly Sword Union was only a Second Class great force. After Kong Feng’s death, sending two more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to set up an ambush here was already their limit. Even if they still had another Master of such calibre, it was impossible for them to be here, since they still needed someone to assume command of their headquarters.
Only if this ambush was part of a greater plot, where a stronger mastermind was waiting behind the scenes, could the situation be reversed, but that was unlikely.
Since the mastermind was using the Proprietress to lure Yang Kai to the Shattered Heaven, they must be planning to strike there. Shen Liang and others were probably just the vanguard, sent to test Yang Kai’s depths.
In fact, Shen Liang and others had already accomplished their mission, since at least Zhu Jiu Yin and Qu Hua Shang had been exposed. This news could naturally not be concealed from those plotting behind the scenes, giving them time to prepare.
With so many unknowns though, Yang Kai did not dare to be careless. He continued to surge his Space Principles in case he needed to escape.
In front of Zhu Jiu Yin, Luan Bai Feng was simply unable to fight back. In a matter of just two or three moves, she was severely wounded and was coughing up blood. Luan Bai Feng was also a very decisive woman. Knowing that she was definitely not Zhu Jiu Yin’s opponent, and that a prolonged battle would lead to her death, she used a Divine Ability that Yang Kai had never seen before, and turned into a red beam of light, travelling thousands of kilometres away in the blink of an eye.
Zhu Jiu Yin didn’t pursue her as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was determined to flee was not so easy to kill. Not to mention, Zhu Jiu Yin was also worried about possible ambushes lying in wait for her. Seeing that she couldn’t kill Luan Bai Feng in short order, she simply gave up and turned her gaze towards Shen Liang.
Shen Liang felt so depressed that he almost spat out blood. Yue He alone was enough to constrain him, so with Zhu Jiu Yin joining in, how could he be their match? Even though he went all out to resist, he was surrounded by danger and was repeatedly walking along the edge of death.
On the other hand, Jiang Yun Shan, who was tied down by Qu Hua Shang, saw Luan Bai Feng’s escape and Shen Liang’s desperate situation and decisively attacked Qu Hua Shang with all his strength. Creating an opening, he immediately fled in the opposite direction.
He knew that Shen Liang, who was targeted by an existence like Zhu Jiu Yin, was finished, and if he didn’t leave, when Zhu Jiu Yin was done dealing with Shen Liang, he would be next!
Two of the three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had fled immediately after Zhu Jiu Yin and Qu Hua Shang showed up.
Shen Liang also wanted to flee, but how could he manage to escape? Seeing his own Vice Union Master running faster than a rabbit from the corner of his eyes, he felt a mixture of grief and anger as his face turned ashen.
Teetering on the brink of death, Shen Liang cried out, “Spare my life, and from now on Heavenly Sword Union will follow only Void Land!”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s jade-like white hand latched onto the top of his head at that moment and a violent and unstable power emanated from within her palm. Turning her head to look towards Yang Kai, she silently asked for his opinion.
Seeing this, Shen Liang understood that his survival depended entirely on Yang Kai’s thoughts, so how could he still care about their gap in cultivation and status? He hastily pleaded, “This Shen is willing to swear an oath on his Martial Heart. Please show mercy, Sect Master Yang!”
Yang Kai was not moved and uttered only one word, “Kill!”
Shen Liang’s eyes widened as Zhu Jiu Yin’s jade-like white hand clenched, and with a fierce twist, she directly wrenched his head off! The now headless body twitched a few times before it stopped moving!
If he really wanted to subdue Shen Liang, Yang Kai could use the Loyalty List; after all, right now, the Loyalty List only had three names on it, and there were still six pages left. Shen Liang, was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; thus, he could not resist the power of the Loyalty List. The only thing Yang Kai had to do was make him leave his name and imprint on it, and Yang Kai would be able to control his life and death. Chen Tian Fei, Hei He, and Yun Xing Hua, were all in this situation.
Perhaps Shen Liang really could be used to influence Heavenly Sword Union.
However, Heavenly Sword Union had already attacked Yang Kai twice, so how could he let them off so easily? He had long been determined in his heart to someday eradicate Heavenly Sword Union from the 3,000 Worlds. Naturally, when he was strong enough.
Shen Liang, the new Union Master, only held his position for two or three years before he was killed by Void Land. Including Kong Feng, Heavenly Sword Union had already lost two Union Masters at Void Land’s hands. There was absolutely no way to resolve such a deep grudge.
However, since Heavenly Sword Union was willing to be a blade in the hands of others, they should be prepared to be broken.
“En, many thanks to Senior for rushing to my aid.” Yang Kai hurriedly thanked Zhu Jiu Yin while cupping his fist in gratitude.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted coldly, “If it wasn’t for Luo’er’s incessant begging, do you think this Queen would have come? This Queen is only here for Luo’er’s sake, so don’t flatter yourself.”
“Yes, yes, it’s Luo’er’s good fortune that she is so valued by Senior.” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly while smiling secretly in his heart. Shan Qing Luo was currently in secluded retreat under Zhu Jiu Yin’s tutelage, so she knew nothing about outside events. How would she have gotten to know about Yang Kai’s trip? Zhu Jiu Yin’s statement was clearly just a pretence.
Yang Kai guessed that she was afraid Shan Qing Luo would blame her if he fell prey to any accidents during this trip of his, which was why she secretly followed him here.
Yang Kai did not reveal any such thoughts that flickered across his mind.
“But brat, don’t forget about the conditions you promised before. This Queen will help you this time. Whether you live or die, once this is over, you will consider this Queen’s oath fulfilled. This Queen will regain her freedom either way.”
“Naturally!” Yang Kai nodded sternly, “Although this Junior is young, he always means what he says. After this trip, Senior will no longer be bound by anything.”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s expression cleared up a little, “Seems you still have some sense.”
Yang Kai turned to Qu Hua Shang next and asked with a sigh, “Senior Sister Qu, why did you come here too?”
Qu Hua Shang withdrew her zither and said with a smile, “Naturally, I had to come because you were in trouble. Junior Brother Yang, you’re really something. Why didn’t you call me when you were short of hands? If Senior Zhu hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t have even known that you had left Void Land.”
Yang Kai realized that Qu Hua Shang was called by Zhu Jiu Yin, and hesitantly said, “With Senior Sister’s status…”
Qu Hua Shang smiled and said, “I am only acting in my personal capacity on this trip. My actions have nothing to do with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
While that sounded well and good, in the end, she was still a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. After this trip, she would definitely be reprimanded by her Sect. Perhaps it was precisely because of her identity that Zhu Jiu Yin specifically invited her, because it would be more convenient to act if she took advantage of Qu Hua Shang’s identity.
Yang Kai let out a slight sigh, “Forget it. No matter what happens next, you have my sincere thanks, Senior Sister.”
Qu Hua Shang pursed her lips and smiled, “Junior Brother, you could pledge yourself to me if you’re so moved.”
Zhu Jiu Yin coldly snorted from the side, “Stop flirting. You were ambushed right after you exited Void Territory, and there are undoubtedly many more dangers lying ahead. If you have enough time to profess your undying love, you may as well use it to think about how to overcome those dangers and defeat your enemies.”
Yang Kai coughed lightly and said, “Since Senior has shown up, there should be no more difficulties along the way, unless they want to fight Senior to the death! Those people have already used Proprietress to lure me out of Void Land, so they will definitely try to finish me off in the Shattered Heaven.”
Zhu Jiu Yin pondered for a moment and said, “According to your speculations, we should be safe until we reach the Shattered Heaven?”
“I believe so, but I can’t be sure. In any case, it’s better that we act carefully.”
“Saying that is the same as saying nothing.” Zhu Jiu Yin gave him a blank look.
Yang Kai scratched his nose and said, “No matter what, we should continue forward first. Right now, we can only take one step at a time.”
Yue He’s wooden shuttle had been broken in the battle; thus, Qu Hua Shang summoned her flight-type artifact. The small group entered the artifact, after which it zoomed ahead, following the Universe Chart’s guidance.
Even as they passed through one Great Territory after another, there were no further ambushes, just like Yang Kai expected.
Luan Bai Feng and Jiang Yun Shan had escaped from the previous battle, so the news that Zhu Jiu Yin was accompanying Yang Kai must have reached the ears of the people behind the scenes. Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength was close to that of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so they would need more than two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to join hands to deal with her.
As Yang Kai had said, unless they wanted to fight against Zhu Jiu Yin to death, they wouldn’t attack them easily. However, all High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had cultivated for many, many years, so which one of them didn’t cherish his or her own life? Who would want to fight with a Divine Spirit for nothing?
However, Yang Kai was clearly able to notice that someone was following and monitoring them, which was to be expected; thus, he did not pay attention to it. Now that his whereabouts had already been exposed, he simply prioritized reaching the Shattered Heaven, since no matter what, he would be exposed sooner or later when he arrived there anyway.
After nearly two months since he had left Void Land, Yang Kai finally arrived at the Shattered Heaven after passing through the last Territory Gate.
Yang Kai said hesitantly while looking straight ahead, “Is this the Shattered Heaven?”
As far as he could see, there was a vast region of Shattered Spirit Provinces that were filled with many shops and people. Cultivators were coming and going in droves from this place.
Yang Kai originally thought that since the Shattered Heaven was filled with dangers, there wouldn’t be too many people present, even including those who came to explore. But, contrary to his expectations, this place seemed very lively. While not as well organized or laid out as Void Star City, the level of activity in this patchwork-like area was no less.
After two months of recuperation, Old Bai had somewhat recovered. Hearing Yang Kai’s words, he smiled and said, “This is the Shattered Heaven, but we’re still only in the outermost periphery. This place has been explored by countless people, so there will be no danger here.”
“What’s that about?” Yang Kai pointed to the Shattered Spirit Province.
“Where there are people, there will naturally be trade. This is essentially the Shattered Heaven’s Star City, an ungoverned place that is more chaotic than any other in the 3,000 Worlds. People who come in and out of the Shattered Heaven need a place to rest and recuperate, and the people who come out of the Shattered Heaven’s depths also need a place to sell the treasures they acquired, which is why this Star City came into being.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly as he commented, “It’s quite lively.”
Old Bai replied, “It’s naturally lively. There are many people killing others and stealing goods every day there.”
“Understandable.” Yang Kai nodded, “Let’s go and have a look.”
Old Bai frowned and said, “We can always watch the liveliness later, but we don’t know how Proprietress is doing right now. We should prioritize finding her.”
Yang Kai, however, patted his shoulder and shook his head, “Believe me, I’m just as concerned as you are about Proprietress’ situation, but you don’t even know how she and the others disappeared or where she is trapped, so even if you go there, what would you do? Going to this Star City first is not to watch the commotion, but to wait for those people to come to us.”
After hearing this, Old Bai hesitantly said, “You mean….”
Yang Kai confirmed, “Those people lured me to come to Shattered Heaven. Now that I’m here, it’s time for them to get down to business, and do what they have planned to do. At the very least, we should be able to find out about the Proprietress’s current location and situation.”
After giving it a thought, Bai Qi realised that Yang Kai was right, so he nodded in agreement.
Following that, they moved into the lawless Star City. Not only was this place chaotic, but the buildings were also built in a haphazard fashion.
There were some people who had gotten into scuffles on the streets, and the stains of blood on the ground suggested that many lives were lost here.
As Yang Kai silently scanned his surroundings, he was horrified to learn that the cultivators moving around this damned place were mostly Open Heaven Realm Masters. There were rarely any cultivators like him who hadn’t ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
After pondering on it for a moment though, he realised that Shattered Heaven was a truly dangerous place, so no weak cultivators were able to venture into this area. Being an Open Heaven Realm Master was probably the minimum requirement. Furthermore, most Open Heaven Realm Masters here looked destitute, which explained why they took a huge risk to look for opportunities in this dangerous place.
Yang Kai was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master who was followed by Zhu Jiu Yin, Yue He, and the other strong cultivators, so this group of people looked rather conspicuous in this city.
The people who could make a living here were all cultivators with sharp vision, so they were able to easily tell that it was difficult to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin and the others; therefore, even though many people had their eyes on them, no one dared to go anywhere near them. Whenever Yang Kai and the others went, there seemed to be a pair of invisible hands that separated the onlookers.
“Some people are secretly paying attention to us,” Zhu Jiu Yin said in a small voice all of a sudden.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “That’s expected. It’d be strange if no one is paying attention to us.”
Upon seeing a restaurant, Yang Kai led all of them inside. People from all walks of life had gathered together in the restaurant and it was quite bustling, with shop hands running around with their backs soaked in sweat.
The shopkeeper looked grumpy and had ugly facial features, but he was truly powerful as he was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
After getting a private room, Yang Kai’s group ordered some signature dishes before sitting down and waiting.
Soon, the dishes and bottles of wine were served. Even though they were delectable, no one started eating as Yang Kai just sat with his eyes closed, waiting.
Since he hadn’t made a move, Yue He and the others would naturally stay still. On the other hand, Bai Qi kept squirming as though he was sitting on pins and needles. It had been half a year since the Proprietress got into trouble, but they hadn’t found out her whereabouts until now, so he was expected to be apprehensive.
Just one hour later, Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly took a look at Yang Kai, who seemed to have noticed it as well and opened his eyes.
Zhu Jiu Yin said impassively, “He’s here.”
Yang Kai gently let out a breath and replied, “Good.”
Even though he had comforted Bai Qi earlier, he wasn’t confident that the mastermind would show up to see him here. His plan was that if no one showed up after a day, he could only ask Bai Qi to lead them to the place where the Proprietress got into trouble, then they’d search for her slowly.
Now, it seemed that his speculation was right.
Since he had come to Shattered Heaven as he was told, the mastermind was supposed to show up and reveal his intentions.
Next, they heard a series of footsteps as some people were coming upstairs in a calm manner. Before they even arrived, a disturbing aura started permeating the place.
Yang Kai frowned and snorted, “They’re from Myriad Demons Heaven.”
He was certain that the aura was Demon Qi as he was familiar with it.
After the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, Yang Kai found out that Myriad Demons Heaven was the culprit behind the siege. Now, the mastermind behind the incident this time was also from that great force, so it seemed that the feud between them was bound to worsen.
A moment later, the door was pushed open from the outside. Yang Kai looked up and saw two figures stepping into the private room. As expected, they were from Myriad Demons Heaven as they were engulfed in black Demon Qi, which undulated and concealed their faces.
However, Yang Kai had a feeling that the person at the front was the same High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had appeared in Void Land previously. At the moment, this man was followed by another Open Heaven Realm Master, but this person’s aura suggested that he was only in the Fifth Order.
Faced with such formidable enemies, Yue He and the others immediately rose from the chairs and stood behind Yang Kai to protect him. On the other hand, Zhu Jiu Yin remained seated in a dispassionate manner, as though she hadn’t seen the people who came in.
Even though the person at the front was covered in Demon Qi, Yang Kai could clearly sense that the other party was examining him with a pair of piercing eyes.
An unafraid Yang Kai stared back at him, but the next instant, he felt the person’s Demon Qi turning into a swirl and sucking his Soul into it.
It was totally beyond Yang Kai’s control as he felt his eyes burning all of a sudden. The Demon Eye of Annihilation on his left and the Black Purgatory Eye on his right revealed themselves. At that moment, his golden eye was bright while his black eye was pitch black.
Just then, Zhu Jiu Yin gently flicked the wine glass in front of her. Following a clang, a ripple spread around in Yang Kai’s mind like a glimmer of light that tore apart the darkness, extricating him from that strange state.
Yang Kai hurriedly looked down and closed his eyes, which felt like they were burning.
“I respect you as a guest, but if you dare to make a scene, don’t blame this Queen for becoming rude with you.” Zhu Jiu Yin gave him a warning impassively.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven put on a smile and cupped his fist, “Myriad Demons Heaven, Ti Zheng, greets Senior Sister Zhu. The reason I did some probing just now was that I had some doubts, so I hope that you’ll forgive me.”
Even though he was covered in eerie Demon Qi, he was rather polite when he spoke, unlike how haughty he was in Void Land previously. It seemed he wouldn’t dare to be presumptuous in front of a Divine Spirit; after all, he had suffered a setback because of Zhu Jiu Yin back then.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted.
Then, Ti Zheng turned to look at Yang Kai and nodded gently, “The last time we met, this Monarch was curious about why you exuded an aura that was supposed to be exclusive to Myriad Demons Heaven. Now, it seems to be the case. Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye… Haha. These two are very abstruse Eye Secret Techniques from our great force that are never taught to outsiders. Even within Myriad Demons Heaven, rarely anyone has successfully cultivated one of the two Secret Techniques, let alone mastered both. Where did you learn these Eye Secret Techniques?”
Yang Kai was slightly taken aback, but he didn’t let his emotions show on his face and simply replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His two Eye Secret Techniques came from Great Demon God Mo Sheng. When Mo Sheng’s physical body was destroyed in the past, his eyes were cast into the Void and wound up far far away. As time passed, they gained their own sentience and life. One of them became the Great Demon God of Tong Xuan Realm while the other became a one-eyed giant monster.
There came an opportunity for Yang Kai as he obtained the Demon Eye of Annihilation first, followed by the Black Purgatory Eye, which was how he mastered both Eye Secret Techniques.
The moment Yang Kai found out that there was a Myriad Demons Heaven in the 3,000 Worlds, he warned himself to be cautious if he came across anyone from that great force so that his secrets wouldn’t be exposed. Those from that great force might not be aware that Mo Sheng eventually lost his life in the Star Boundary, but if he showcased the two Eye Secret Techniques from Great Demon God, it would catch the attention of those from that great force.
In fact, Yang Kai had been cautious enough as he rarely used these Eye Secret Techniques, he hadn’t expected that Ti Zheng had already noticed them when he came to Void Land previously.
Upon some probing this time, he easily found out Yang Kai’s secrets.
Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye were Secret Techniques that came from Myriad Demons Heaven, so the other party’s understanding of the two Eye Secret Techniques must be far greater than Yang Kai’s. As such, he was unable to resist Ti Zheng’s inspection.
With a faint smile, Ti Zheng took a seat and said, “It’s pointless for you to deny it as the characteristics of these two Eye Secret Techniques are too conspicuous. Even though this Monarch has never cultivated them, there are a number of people in our great force who have mastered these Secret Techniques. That’s why I can easily recognise them. However, there’s something I don’t understand. You’re not a disciple from our great force, so how did you get to learn these techniques? Over the years, only a small number of the disciples from our great force have had the aptitude to learn these Secret Techniques, and they’re also the most talented people in Myriad Demons Heaven.”
After he finished speaking, the Demon Qi around him dissipated and revealed his face. As he stared fixedly at Yang Kai’s eyes, he licked his lips and said, “This Monarch is interested in your eyes. Why don’t you sell them to me? I’ll offer a reasonable price.”
Yang Kai asked impassively, “I’m interested in your head as well. Are you going to sell it to me?”
Ti Zheng grinned, “You’re pretty bold; however, even though you have these Eye Secret Techniques, you’re unable to fully activate their powers without the core Secret Art. Furthermore, you’re not a disciple from our great force. It’d be a waste if you hold onto these eyes of yours.”
“That’s none of your business,” Yang Kai shook his head.
Ti Zheng examined him and also shook his head, “What a shame. This Monarch is not going to force you since you’re not willing to sell your eyes. In any case, I’ll be fine with it if you join our great force.”
Yang Kai arched his brow, “Oh? Are you trying to recruit me?”
Ti Zheng replied seriously, “Yes, but it’s because I don’t want the two Eye Secret Techniques from our great force to go to waste.”
A curious Yang Kai asked, “What are the benefits I will get if I join Myriad Demons Heaven?”
Ti Zheng said, “You’ll never have to worry about putting food on the table again, and all your trouble will be gone. This Monarch can give you everything you want, as long as you make a heart demon oath and start working for me from now on.”
“Everything?” Yang Kai raised his brow, “Does it include a High-Rank Yin Element treasure?”
“If you want, this Monarch can give it to you,” Ti Zheng said with a smile.
“That’s attractive, but your conditions are too harsh. I’m not used to being subservient to anyone.”
There seemed to be a look of regret on Ti Zheng’s face, “I wanted to lead you to a bright future, but you wouldn’t appreciate my kindness. Despite the fact that you have two great eyes, you’re no different from a blind man. How pitiful!”
Yang Kai snorted, “Enough nonsense. You told me to come to the Shattered Heaven, and I’m here now. Where’s my Proprietress?”
Ti Zheng asked, “Are you talking about the woman named Lan You Ruo?”
“Stop asking the obvious.”
“Well…” Ti Zheng smiled and fished out a jade slip before pushing it towards Yang Kai, “She’s in this place now. Do you have the guts to go there?”
Yang Kai frowned as Ti Zheng readily revealed the Proprietress’ whereabouts, so he wasn’t sure if he should believe him.
Then, he gave Zhu Jiu Yin a signal with his eyes, whereupon the woman picked up the jade slip and examined it. Then, she nodded at Yang Kai to mean that there was nothing wrong with it.
It was then Yang Kai picked up the jade slip and infused his Divine Sense into it. With a frown, he gazed at Ti Zheng and asked, “How would I know if you’re telling the truth?”
“It’s up to you whether you want to believe me.” Ti Zheng grinned and rose from the chair, then cupped his fist to Zhu Jiu Yin, “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Senior Sister Zhu.”
Following that, he turned around and nonchalantly left.
After he was gone, Bai Qi asked anxiously, “Where’s Proprietress now?”
Yang Kai replied, “Have a look.” Then, he passed the jade slip to him.
After scanning the jade slip, Bai Qi furrowed his brow, “Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
The jade slip indeed contained the Proprietress’ whereabouts, but it was actually a Universe Cave Heaven called Shadowless Cave Heaven, which was just as powerful as Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Both of them were Universe Cave Heavens left behind by Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters after they passed away.
“Old Bai, do you think we can believe the information in this jade slip?” Yang Kai asked.
Bai Qi replied, “It’s likely to be true. The location marked in this jade slip was where Proprietress and the others disappeared back then. It explains why they went missing if they really fell into a Universe Cave Heaven. However… I’ve never heard of Shadowless Cave Heaven before.”
Yue He said, “It’s rumoured that many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters lost their lives in the Shattered Heaven. After they died, they left behind many Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. So, it’s expected that you’ve never heard of it, but…”
“But what?” Yang Kai turned to look at her.
“Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises are usually sealed off from the outside world. No one can find entrances unless they’re extremely lucky. Since those people could make Big Sister Lan fall into this Shadowless Cave Heaven, it probably means that they already have control over its entrance.”
As Yang Kai suddenly thought of something and narrowed his eyes as he asked, “Old Bai, you said that the reason Proprietress came to the Shattered Heaven was that she was looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure for me. How did you all get wind of it? Did you find out about it yourselves?”
Bai Qi replied, “It was Proprietress who somehow got word of it. Do you think someone deliberately leaked news of a High-Rank Yin Element treasure to lure Proprietress into the trap that sent her into the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Yang Kai snorted, “I don’t think it was a coincidence. It seems that they’ve really discovered a portal into the Shadowless Cave Heaven. At the very least, they know how to enter it.”
The heritages of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were all extremely rich, so it wasn’t odd that they could control the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and it also wasn’t difficult for them to use it to trap the Proprietress and lure Yang Kai to the Shattered Heaven.
“In that case, are you still going?” Zhu Jiu Yin shot Yang Kai with a dispassionate glance, “The reason they generously told you the location must be that they’ve set up a trap. Even if this Queen goes with you, I can’t necessarily ensure your safety. You’ll probably lose your life there.”
Yang Kai pursed his lips and said, “I was ready for that before I came here. There’s no turning back now. Regardless of how dangerous the road ahead of us is, I have to move forward.”
Zhu Jiu Yin stared intently at him and said calmly, “Don’t worry. If you lose your life there, I’ll at least bury your corpse.”
An offended Yue He glared at her.
“Let’s go. I’m eager to find out what kind of an amazing trap they’ve set up for me.” Yang Kai rose from his seat without hesitation.
After shuffling out of the restaurant, they headed for the Star City’s exit. Yang Kai sported a solemn expression as he was worried about the Proprietress. Countless ideas flashed through his mind as he pondered on the circumstances that he might come across, but a moment later, he realised that someone was staring at him.
As their eyes met, Yang Kai became startled for a moment.
There was a middle-aged man across the street who had a look of disbelief on his face. It seemed that he hadn’t expected to bump into Yang Kai in this place. Following that, a sense of resentment rose within this man and his eyes seemed able to spurt endless wrath and hatred. His expression suggested that he was eager to skin Yang Kai alive and drink his blood.
However, as soon as he noticed the people around Yang Kai, he knitted his brow. Even though the auras of Zhu Jiu Yin and the others were concealed, it was apparent to this man that it would be difficult to deal with them. Given his power now, he was unable to kill Yang Kai to get his revenge.
As he darted his gaze around, he shot towards the Star City’s exit.
“Follow him!” Yang Kai yelled and chased after the man. Despite the fact that Zhu Jiu Yin and the others had no idea what was going on, they still promptly followed Yang Kai.
After leaving the Star City, they looked up and saw a ray of light shooting towards the depths of the void. Qu Hua Shang quickly summoned her flight-type artifact, after which they boarded and raced after him.
A puzzled Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “Brat, who is that guy?”
“Give me a moment to think!” Yang Kai frowned without answering her question. Innumerable memories flashed across his mind, and just a moment later, he seemed to have figured out something, “I got it!”
An impatient Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “What do you mean?”
Yang Kai grinned, “We might be able to recruit some helpers.”
Bai Qi asked curiously, “Helpers?”
All of them looked at him in puzzlement as they didn’t understand why he was chasing after someone unrelated to the matter instead of heading straight to the Proprietress’ location.
After letting out a breath, Yang Kai gazed at Qu Hua Shang and asked, “Do you remember Abundance City, Senior Sister Qu?”
Qu Hua Shang replied with a smile, “Of course I do. We were even held captive together there. Aren’t those people living in Void Land now?”
She had frequently visited Void Land over the years, so she had seen Mo Mei and the others a number of times. When she and Yang Kai were held captive in Abundance City, they had met Mo Mei and the other inhabitants of the city and found out about their situations.
“The ancestors of Abundance City were implanted with a Blood Principle Restriction by Blood Monster Divine Monarch, so their descendants had to live in Blood Monster Cave Heaven for their entire lives. Without the nourishment from the Cave Heaven’s aura, they would immediately lose their lives. Back then, I joined forces with Black Crow Divine Monarch and obtained a Secret Technique that could resolve the Blood Principle Restriction. After the collapse of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, I managed to return to Abundance City in time and brought Mo Mei and the others out, eventually bringing them to settle in Void Land. However, when we were still captives, there was an Elder from Abundance City who tried to kill me. Do you remember that, Senior Sister Qu?”
After giving it a thought, Qu Hua Shang nodded, “En, he was named Tan Luo Xing, right? It’s no wonder I found that man familiar just now.”
When Tan Luo Xing saw the Wooden Token given to Yang Kai by the Proprietress in the past, he attempted to kill him outright. However, Tan Luo Xing failed miserably and soon after forcefully opened the city’s Defensive Grand Array and fled as he was worried that he would get punished. After that, Golden Gorilla King stormed into Abundance City and made a scene.
The person Yang Kai came across just now was Tan Luo Xing who had fled from Abundance City.
After finishing her words, Qu Hua Shang asked in perplexment, “There’s something I don’t understand, Junior Brother Yang. Tan Luo Xing fled pretty early on, so he supposedly shouldn’t have survived. After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, all the cultivators in that place must have passed away except for the ones from Abundance City that you managed to save.”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “The only possibility is that his Blood Principle Restriction was also removed.”
“But who could have helped…” Before Qu Hua Shang finished her words, her gaze brightened as she figured everything out.
Yang Kai went on to say, “That’s right. There’s one more person who can resolve the Blood Principle Restriction other than me…”
Qu Hua Shang completed his sentence, “Black Crow Divine Monarch!”
Yang Kai chuckled, “He’s really something. He had killed many disciples from the Cave-Heavens and Paradises in Blood Monster Cave Heaven. After the collapse of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, all of the Cave Heavens and Paradises got wind of Black Crow Divine Monarch and began hunting him down. Initially, I thought that he must have lost his life in the Blood Monster Territory. Now, it seems that not only is he still alive and kicking, but he’s also come to the Shattered Heaven.”
After a moment of deliberation, Yang Kai nodded, “I’m sure he’s in the Shattered Heaven now. His life must be worse than mine since he’s being actively hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There’s nowhere in the 3,000 Worlds that he can go except for the Shattered Heaven where there’s nothing but chaos…” He tutted, “Did you notice, Senior Sister Qu? Tan Luo Xing is also an Open Heaven Realm Master now.”
Qu Hua Shang nodded, “En, Fifth-Order.”
Yang Kai went on to say, “There was no way Black Crow Divine Monarch would help Tan Luo Xing resolve his Blood Principle Restriction out of kindness. He was aware that he was on his own, so he had to recruit some subordinates. As a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Tan Luo Xing is powerful enough to be used as a pawn. Moreover, in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Abundance City alone was able to produce so many Open Heaven Realm Masters. What about other cities? If my speculation is right, Black Crow Divine Monarch must have amassed a lot of helpers who are in the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
After all, Black Crow Divine Monarch was a former High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, reborn after seizing someone else’s body. Since Black Crowd Divine Monarch possessed the necessary Secret Technique to resolve the Blood Principle Restriction, it would be easy for him to enslave some people when the Blood Monster Cave Heaven began to collapse.
Since Yang Kai was able to save the people from Abundance City at that time, Black Crow Divine Monarch could naturally do something similar. The fact that Tan Luo Xing was still alive was the best proof.
[Moreover…]
Yue He said, “Tan Luo Xing seems to be luring us somewhere, Young Master.”
Yang Kai said, “He’s completely resentful of me. After his failed attempt to kill me back then, he was forced to flee Abundance City and became homeless. When he saw me in the Star City just now, he wouldn’t dare to make a move as all of you were around me. However, if he can lure us to the place where his companions gather together, he can join forces with them and get his revenge.”
Qu Hua Shang remarked, “That must be the place where Black Crow Divine Monarch resides.”
Yang Kai nodded, “You’re right. He’s trying to make use of Black Crow Divine Monarch’s power to deal with us.”
Even though there were only a small number of people with Yang Kai, they were obviously all powerful Masters. Since Tan Luo Xing had the guts to lure them to that place, it meant that Black Crow Divine Monarch must have amassed a lot of subordinates, and he believed that the Divine Monarch was able to deal with Yang Kai and the others; otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a decision.
Zhu Jiu Yin warned him by saying, “Are you trying to make use of that Black Crow Divine Monarch’s power? Be careful, as you might go for wool and come back shorn.”
Qu Hua Shang said, “You should really think twice about it, Junior Brother. I remember that you made Black Crow Divine Monarch suffer a huge loss in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, so he also abhors you.”
“The reason Black Crow is resentful of me is that I ruined his plan to refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Now that the Blood Monster Cave Heaven is no longer around, it’s useless for him to keep on hating me. On the other hand, those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises hunted him in the Blood Monster Territory and even though he escaped from that Great Territory in the end, he was forced to live miserably in the Shattered Heaven. I believe that if there’s a chance, he won’t mind retaliating against those people.”
Back then, Black Crow Divine Monarch was trying to refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. If he had succeeded, the life or death of all the people in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven would have fallen into his hands. Unfortunately, Yang Kai foiled his plans at the critical moment. This was indeed an unresolvable feud.
However, fighting back in order to survive as Yang Kai had done, and the active hunt to exterminate him by the Cave Heavens and Paradises were not equal in weight. Yang Kai had ruined his plan while those from Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to kill him, so both of these parties were also his enemies. With that said, it was more difficult to deal with the Cave Heavens and Paradises in comparison.
Black Crow Divine Monarch must be fully aware of that, which was why he had hidden in the Shattered Heaven.
It was said that the enemy of an enemy was a friend. Perhaps they could join forces over this matter temporarily. As for their feud, they could settle it at a later date. Black Crow Divine Monarch had lived for a long time, so he must be able to see the big picture.
“Regardless, we have to meet him first. Maybe we’ll get what we want, but even if we don’t, we won’t suffer any losses.”
Since Yang Kai had made a decision, the others were not in any place to say otherwise, especially Qu Hua Shang; after all, she was a disciple from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven that was also involved in hunting down Black Crow Divine Monarch.
As they raced after the ray of light, they moved forward at full speed.
Broken Spirit Provinces were scattered everywhere in the Shattered Heaven. There was no vitality in these Spirit Provinces, and their World Principles were long gone. These shattered Spirit Provinces were supposed to be parts of Universe Worlds in the Shattered Heaven, but after the epic war in the past, the neighbouring Great Territories were all broken, and their Universe Worlds were destroyed, leaving behind only remnants.
On a certain small Spirit Province, many figures had concealed themselves while there were some strong cultivators who stood guard around the periphery.
All of a sudden, a shriek was heard coming from the deepest part of the Spirit Province, which sent a chill down everyone’s spine. The Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who stood guard shuddered upon hearing that as they mourned for the lost life.
These people were cultivators who were born and bred in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven broke apart, they were found by a person called Black Crow Divine Monarch, who helped resolve the Blood Principle Restriction in their bodies and brought them away.
Initially, they thought that they could finally break free from the cage that had confined their ancestors and them and start a new life; however, no one could’ve expected that it was just the beginning of their nightmare.
They were still Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Masters when they left the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, but Black Crow Divine Monarch gave them resources and helped them ascend to the Open Heaven Realm in a short period of time. Due to years of accumulation and Black Crow Divine Monarch’s help, they were able to ascend to the Fourth Order at minimum. Many of them were in the Fifth Order while there were a small number of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among them. Very few lost their lives when breaking through.
Following that, Black Crow Divine Monarch led them all the way to Shattered Heaven.
Due to the fact that Black Crow Divine Monarch loved drinking human blood, he would need an Open Heaven Realm Master to use as blood food from time to time. The Shattered Heaven was a chaotic and lawless place, where countless lives were lost every day. As a formidable force like them wandered around, they could wait for the right targets and make a move at the right time.
There were many unlucky Open Heaven Realm Masters who were captured by them and brought to this place to be served as blood sacrifices for Black Crow Divine Monarch.
However, even though they were powerful, there were times when they were not lucky enough to find any target.
For a time like this, Black Crow Divine Monarch would choose one of them to be his blood sacrifice.
Initially, 35 people had left the Blood Monster Territory with Black Crow Divine Monarch, but after just 3 years, only a little more than 20 of them were left. Those who were gone didn’t lose their lives in battle but instead had their Blood Essence sucked dry by Black Crow Divine Monarch.
Luck wasn’t on their side recently as they couldn’t capture anyone to serve as blood food, so as soon as they heard the shriek, they knew that one of their companions had perished.
Now, their life or death was basically in Black Crow Divine Monarch’s hands. Although some of them were stronger than him, none of them dared to rebel.
If this went on, all of them would be killed by Black Crow Divine Monarch in a few years. Nevertheless, there was nothing they could do. When Black Crow resolved the Blood Principle Restriction for them, he also left something in their bodies, which ensured that they wouldn’t be able to break free from his control even after they advanced to the Open Heaven Realm.
The shrieks didn’t last for a long time. After slightly more than ten breaths’ time, the voice weakened. The Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Spirit Province sported indifferent expressions as they were already used to this.
All of a sudden, someone exclaimed, “Someone is coming!”
The people who were responsible for standing guard immediately looked around and saw a ray of light approaching them at high speed and they quickly put their guard up.
However, just a moment later, someone recognised the person who was approaching and shouted, “Don’t panic. It’s Tan Luo Xing!”
As expected, Tan Xing Lu appeared within everyone’s sight just a while later, but before he even reached them, he exclaimed, “Hide yourselves! There are some new blood sacrifices following me!”
Upon hearing that, all of them became energised as they used their Secret Techniques to conceal their auras and figures.
They had been extremely unlucky recently as they were unable to capture any blood sacrifice at all. They had just lost another companion, and no one knew who the next among them would be; therefore, when they heard that some blood sacrifices were following Tan Luo Xing, they quickly got prepared. As long as they could catch those blood sacrifices, they would be safe in a short period of time.
On the other hand, upon informing his companions about it, Tan Luo Xing shot towards the deepest part of the Spirit Province.
Just a moment later, he arrived at a collapsed Grand Hall that was protected by powerful cultivators in all directions. However, all of them looked as pale as white sheets now. In the middle of the Grand Hall stood a figure that was engulfed in blood mist. For some reason, he was trembling violently, and the blood mist around him contracted and expanded irregularly.
There was a withered corpse lying on the ground in front of this figure. The corpse didn’t contain any moisture, as though it had been left in the burning sun for countless years. His skin was horrendously pale, and all his Blood Essence was gone. He must have gone through a terrifying experience before his death. His hollow eyes almost popped out, and horror was written all over his shrivelled face.
Tan Luo Xing took a glance at the corpse and instantly recognised his identity. Just a few days ago, he had chatted with this man over some casual topics, so it never crossed his mind that after he returned from the Star City in the Shattered Heaven, the other party would already be dead.
Still, he quickly retracted his gaze and called out, “Divine Monarch!”
All of a sudden, the figure covered in blood mist extended his hand and slapped Tan Luo Xing. The slap was so forceful that he flipped over several times in the air, and when he landed on the ground, half of his face was swollen up while several of his teeth were broken.
“How dare you disturb this Monarch when I’m having my meal? Is it your first day working for me? Or do you also want to be my blood food today?” Black Crow Divine Monarch’s grim voice was heard coming from the weltering blood mist.
Tan Luo Xing shuddered and fell on all fours as he pleaded, “Please forgive me, Divine Monarch! Please forgive me! I know I’ve made a mistake. Please don’t kill me!”
Black Crow roared like he was an injured beast. His eyes were bloodshot as he said through clenched teeth, “Old Dog Blood Monster, you still taunt this Monarch even after your death! What did you do to the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture!? Damn you!”
It wasn’t until Black Crow fled from the Blood Monster Territory and arrived at the Shattered Heaven that he realised there was something wrong with the Scripture that he had cultivated. That was because after he ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, he had to look for suitable blood sacrifices from time to time and swallow all their Blood Essence; otherwise, he would be at risk of self-detonation.
Even though the learner of the Scripture was supposed to consume others’ Blood Essence to increase their power, there was a difference between doing it proactively and being forced to do it. He had a speculation that the Scripture he had obtained was tampered with by Blood Monster Divine Monarch, which was why he had fallen into such a state.
Whenever he needed a blood sacrifice, he would feel unbearably itchy as though countless cats were scratching his Soul. He was unable to control his emotions as he’d become highly irritable.
Then, he turned his head and stared fixedly at Tan Luo Xing, “Why did you disturb this Monarch? If you can’t provide a good reason, I’ll devour you immediately!”
Tan Luo Xing became horrified as he knew that Black Crow wasn’t pulling his leg. If he couldn’t come up with a satisfactory reply, he would lose his life the next instant.
Not daring to be negligent, he pressed his head against the ground and said in a shaking voice, “I found Yang Kai in the Star City.”
“Yang Kai?!” Black Crow Divine Monarch became startled for a moment, then the blood mist around him exploded as he shot towards Tan Luo Xing and yanked him up before saying through gritted teeth, “Are you talking about that damn brat who ruined this Monarch’s plan back in Blood Monster Cave Heaven? Where is he!?”
If Yang Kai hadn’t foiled his plan, he wouldn’t have fallen into such a state. At that time, as long as he could refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and make use of its resources, he could wait until he recovered his strength before leaving. By then, he could go anywhere he pleased instead of hiding from his enemies in this place.
Tan Luo Xing quickly said, “I’ve lured him to this place. He’ll be here soon.”
Upon hearing that, Black Crow was elated, “Good, very good! That brat ruined this Monarch’s plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. I’ve been wanting to get my revenge, but I didn’t know where he was. Now that he dares to show up in the Shattered Heaven, he’s basically stepping right into his grave. This Monarch will definitely catch and kill him!”
After he finished speaking, he gently put down Tan Luo Xing and said with a mild expression, “You’ve done well.”
After getting a compliment, Tan Luo Xing put on a fawning smile, “It’s my duty to help solve your problems, Divine Monarch. However, Yang Kai is followed by some Open Heaven Realm Masters this time. I couldn’t see through their strength as they were concealing their auras, but I don’t think they’re pushovers.”
Black Crow sneered, “I was worried that they would be too weak. To this Monarch, the more powerful a blood sacrifice is, the better they’ll taste. Hmm?” As he spoke, he suddenly turned to look in a particular direction. Apparently, he had sensed something.
At the same time, explosive sounds were heard as World Force undulated. There was also an aura that was extraordinarily powerful and eerie. Obviously, the people who were responsible for standing guard had engaged Yang Kai in battle.
“A Divine Spirit!” Black Crow turned pale and widened his eyes in disbelief. Why was there a Divine Spirit following Yang Kai around? Moreover, judging from the Divine Spirit’s energy fluctuations, she should be a mature one! In other words, she was at least as strong as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Black Crow’s expression darkened instantly. To him, there was no doubt that a powerful blood sacrifice would taste better and be more beneficial to him. Still, he had to be wary of a mature Divine Spirit. Even though he had many strong cultivators in the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm who worked for him, they would be useless when faced against such a foe.
Despite his wariness, he wasn’t afraid. More than twenty Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were a force to be reckoned with. If they got into a life-and-death battle with this Divine Spirit, both parties would likely be equally matched.
While he was pondering on whether he should fight or retreat, he heard someone speaking to him, “Black Crow, your friend has come all the way here to see you. Why don’t you let me in?”
Upon hearing that voice, Black Crow immediately had the urge to kill. That was the voice of the accursed brat who had repeatedly ruined his plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. First, he failed to seize Yang Kai’s body and had to settle for an inferior one. Then, he foiled his plans to refine the Blood Monster Divine Palace, leading to the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven which forced him to flee to the Shattered Heaven. Yang Kai was the cause of all of his misery. Whenever Black Crow thought of that brat, he was eager to skin him alive and drink his blood.
In fact, he had secretly made an oath that as soon as he returned to his peak, he would scour the 3,000 Worlds to look for this boy and let him taste the cruellest torture imaginable. However, it never crossed Black Crow’s mind that they’d meet again so soon.
As he narrowed his bloodshot eyes, he raised his arm and bellowed, “Let them in!”
Black Crow was fully aware of his subordinates’ strength. Since Yang Kai had a Divine Spirit with him, there was no way his blood slaves could stop him. In that case, he decided to directly let them in. He wanted to find out why Yang Kai had come all the way to the Shattered Heaven to look for him.
The battle ended as the explosive sounds died down.
Soon enough, under the attention of many Mid-Rank Open Realm Masters, Yang Kai led Yue He, Zhu Jiu Yin, and the others to barge into the place and walked up to Black Crow.
*Shua shua shua…*
The cultivators who were hidden earlier flew over from all directions and surrounded Yang Kai and his group.
At this moment, nearly 30 Mid-Rank Open Realm Masters had gathered together in this small Spirit Province. There was also the Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider. People who had no idea what was going on would be shaken to the core if they saw such a powerful group.
As their eyes met, Yang Kai smiled and saluted in a friendly manner, “Good to see you again, Black Crow. Who could’ve thought that we’d reunite in this place?”
Black Crow’s eyes seemed able to spit fire as he snarled, “Quit being so presumptuous. How dare you call this Monarch by his name?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “It’s just a name. Please don’t mind it, Divine Monarch.”
Black Crow snorted, “Stinking brat, you ruined this Monarch’s plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, yet you still have the gall to show up in front of me? Do you think I can’t do anything to you just because you have a Divine Spirit to protect you?”
Then, he lifted both arms and put on a smug smile, “Do you see it now? I have many powerful subordinates with me. As soon as I give the order, they’ll kill you.”
Yang Kai spoke up with an amiable expression, “I believe that you’re capable of doing that; however, it’s pointless for you to kill me now. The Blood Monster Cave Heaven is gone, and you’re currently being hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. I believe that life has been terrible for you in the Shattered Heaven, am I right?”
At the mention of this, Black Crow became even more infuriated, “If you hadn’t interfered, this Monarch wouldn’t have fallen into such a miserable state!”
If he had managed to refine the Blood Monster Divine Palace, he could’ve taken control of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and made use of the resources left behind by Blood Monster Divine Monarch to restore his strength while remaining hidden from the world, rather than being forced to flee and getting hunted down.
“I was forced to do that, Divine Monarch. If you had really refined the Blood Monster Divine Palace, I would’ve died. In order to survive, I had to oppose you at that time,” Yang Kai said with a smile, as though he wasn’t the one who did that back then.
Black Crow barked, “What do you want, boy? Have you come all the way here just to annoy me? In that case, this Monarch will never let you off!”
“Of course not,” Yang Kai shook his head and said solemnly, “I’m here to join forces with you.”
Black Crow gawked for a moment before growling, “Are you saying that you want to join forces with this Monarch? Did you fumble your words? Or did I mishear you?”
Yang Kai replied, “You didn’t mishear me, nor did I speak wrongly.”
Black Crow looked around and laughed in a maniacal manner. His laugh reverberated across the entire Spirit Province.
A moment later, he stopped laughing and snorted, “Even though this Monarch has no idea what your intentions are, I know that you’ve not some kind-hearted saint. Scram while I’m still in a good mood; otherwise, all of you have to lose your lives here!”
Yang Kai stared at him and shook his head, “You haven’t even asked about what I want to join forces with you for, Divine Monarch. Why are you in a rush to chase me away?”
Black Crow scoffed, “If possible, you’re the first one this Monarch would kill. Are you taunting me by telling me to work with you? Who do you think you are? Do you even have a right to join forces with me?”
Ignoring his mockery, Yang Kai went on to say, “You had no choice but to flee from the Blood Monster Territory and hide in this broken Spirit Province because of those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Don’t you want to get your revenge?”
Black Crow stared at him with narrowed eyes as a dangerous glint flashed through his gaze. It was as though he was pondering on whether he should attack Yang Kai here and now. Certainly, he had no regard for the latter whatsoever. When he was in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven back then, he had just taken over someone else’s body, so he was only able to exert a fraction of his true power. That was the reason Yang Kai was able to repeatedly foil his plans.
But now, he was already a Fifth-Order Realm Master while Yang Kai was still just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm cultivator. They were not even comparable anymore.
However, he was wary of the Divine Spirit. With this Divine Spirit’s protection, it would be unrealistic for him to kill Yang Kai even though he had many strong subordinates with him.
“You hold some grudges against those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, and it’s the same case for me,” Yang Kai continued, “Since we have common foes, why don’t you join forces with me?”
Black Crow’s interest had been piqued as he asked, “Why is there a feud between you and those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises?”
Yang Kai explained, “That’s because I want to directly break through to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, and it seems to have affected some people’s interests, so I’ve been targeted by them. In fact, I was lured to this place and there is a trap waiting for me in the depths of the Shattered Heaven.”
Understanding now, Black Crow nodded faintly, “As expected, you really want to ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly. It’s no wonder that the Cave Heavens and Paradises won’t let you off. If I were them, I wouldn’t let you achieve your goal either. However, since you’re aware that it’s a trap, why are you still going straight into it?”
“There’s a reason I must go, but I’m not going to tell you about it. It’s a coincidence that we’ve come across each other here. I didn’t deliberately look for you.”
Black Crow turned to look at Tan Luo Xing and reckoned that the latter must have exposed his whereabouts by being followed. Faced with Black Crow’s deathly stare, Tan Luo Xing was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
Black Crow snorted, “Since those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises have set up a trap for you, it’ll be useless regardless of how many people you bring with you. This Monarch isn’t a fool, so why would I decide to perish together with you?”
“You’re wrong, Divine Monarch.” Yang Kai shook his head, “If all Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises had joined forces, there’s no way I would survive and even trying to resist would be pointless. However, we’re only going to deal with some of them here, so they can’t possibly summon a large number of their strongest cultivators. They are currently targeting me and the people around me, so if you seize the chance and make a move now, they won’t be able to counterattack. Since you have so many powerful cultivators with you, don’t you want to deal a heavy blow to them?”
While Black Crow was contemplating it with a frown, Yang Kai just stared silently at him without urging.
A moment later, Black Crow sneered, “Regardless of what you say, this Monarch will not believe even one word from your wicked mouth. I indeed hold some grudges against the Cave Heavens and Paradises, and I’ll storm into their Headquarters some day, kill all of their disciples and destroy their inheritances that have been accumulated over so many years. However, I also very much want to see you dead! Hahaha. You want to use me to ease your burdens? You’re too naive, brat.”
Yang Kai said with a frown, “We can settle the score between us in the future, Divine Monarch. Such a chance is hard to come by, if you don’t make a move now, you’ll regret it in the future, won’t you? Do you want to keep hiding in the Shattered Heaven forever? If they discover your whereabouts, do you think they’ll let you live peacefully here?”
“This is none of your business. Get lost now, or else I’ll kill you right here.” Black Crow waved his hand to chase them away.
“Divine Monarch!”
While Yang Kai attempted to keep persuading him, the blood mist around Black Crow undulated as he snapped, “If you don’t leave within three breaths, you’ll have to stay here forever!”
Following that, the twenty or so Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters circulated their strength. At that instant, the aura of World Force permeated the broken hall. Yue He, Qu Hua Shang, and Bai Qi became alarmed with only Zhu Jiu Yin remaining impassive as she stared coldly at Black Crow Divine Monarch.
A frustrated Yang Kai shot Black Crow Divine Monarch a glare and said through clenched teeth, “We’re leaving!”
Then, he turned around and swung his sleeve before walking off, seemingly quite vexed.
In the blink of an eye, they left the Spirit Province and headed straight to the depths of the Shattered Heaven.
It wasn’t until they flew for a long time after leaving the Spirit Province that Yang Kai’s expression turned milder as he let out a breath.
To the side, Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “You wanted to join forces with him, but he didn’t seem interested one bit. What are you going to do now? Walk right into the trap like a fool?”
There was a faint smile on Yang Kai’s face, “He wasn’t interested? I don’t think so.”
Zhu Jiu Yin said with a frown, “Black Crow made his stance clear. Are you blind or what?”
Yang Kai explained, “It’s exactly because he made his stance clear so quickly that I’m sure he’s interested. As for whether he’ll make a move, it depends on our ability to deal with the trap they’ve set up. If my speculation is right, Black Crow will secretly follow us then play it by ear. If there’s a chance, he’ll gladly have a hand in this matter; however, if the difference in power between our enemies and us is too great, he’ll stay clear of it. He’s not the charitable sort. Since he has suffered such an immense setback, there’s no way he won’t want to get his revenge. The most important thing now is whether we can create a chance for him to make a move.”
Zhu Jiu Yin refuted, “That’s just your speculation.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right. It’s just my speculation. Maybe Black Crow won’t make any move in the end.”
If they couldn’t use Black Crow’s power, they had no choice but to face the trap in the Shadowless Cave Heaven on their own. In any case, it was a surprise that they came across Black Crow in the Shattered Heaven. Yang Kai had never expected Black Crow to hide in that place, and the latter even had so many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters working for him.
In fact, it never crossed his mind that Black Crow had actually fled from the Blood Monster Territory. Initially, he thought that the latter must have lost his life there; after all, every single Territory Gate of that place had been controlled by the Cave Heavens and Paradises at that time, and all the cultivators who passed through gates were carefully screened. It wasn’t certain what trick Black Crow had used, but not only had he managed to flee, he had even brought many people with him.
This kind of old fox who had lived for countless years must never be underestimated.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai turned to look at Qu Hua Shang and asked, “Senior Sister Qu, since you’re a disciple from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, what kind of trap do you think those from Myriad Demons Heaven have set up in the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Following a moment of deliberation, she replied, “I know little about the information at the top level. Even though my great force did its best to gather information, we’re unable to do so as we’re not involved in this matter. However, High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters are all powerful figures with supreme identities, so they won’t easily make a move unless it’s absolutely necessary. Senior Zhu’s existence has been exposed, so if those from Myriad Demons Heaven want to set up a trap, they’ll specifically target her. Moreover, Senior Zhu showcased her power in the battle in Void Land a few years ago; therefore, I think at least three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters will be waiting outside the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai nodded gently. What Qu Hua Shang had said was the same as his speculations. Since they wanted to target Zhu Jiu Yin, they’d need three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters at the very least. That was because two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to defeat Zhu Jiu Yin previously.
Moreover, only Myriad Demons Heaven had exposed themselves in this matter so far. The other Cave Heavens and Paradises remained hidden. Yang Kai had no idea whether there were other players in this game apart from Myriad Demons Heaven.
However, Qu Hua Shang was right to say that High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were powerful figures with superb identities, so they wouldn’t easily make a move. Even if they did, they wouldn’t come in large numbers. That was because they had a reputation to preserve.
As the ship moved forward, Yang Kai stood on the deck and looked at the endless void while pondering on his future.
Before coming to the 3,000 Worlds, he would never have expected that a mere Emperor Realm Junior like himself would be able to raise such waves one day. Now, faced with an extremely difficult trial, he realised that he was still too weak after all.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, he was still able to use the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array to play some role. Since the Array Jade was in his possession, he could make use of the Grand Array to fend off his enemies.
However, he practically became useless after leaving Void Land.
Initially, he wanted to make use of the Star City’s development and wait for a chance to look for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure that suited him. Once he became a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, he would make a name for himself. However, those who had been paying attention to him thought that he was going to disrupt the order in the 3,000 Worlds, so they decided to take care of him before he had a chance and lured him out of Void Land.
Faced with the siege by Shen Liang, Jiang Yun Shan, and Luan Bai Feng, all Yang Kai could do was stay behind his companions’ protection as he watched Bai Qi and Yue He fend off the enemy while he looked for a chance to flee.
This ambush was just a probe to find out his true power, and the trap in the Shadowless Cave Heaven was the real deal. Given his current strength, there was nothing Yang Kai could do even if he reached the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Was he going to rely on Zhu Jiu Yin to save the Proprietress and then just run back to Void Land?
Since Zhu Jiu Yin’s existence had been exposed, it was expected that she’d be targeted. By then, she might not even be able to protect herself, let alone save the Proprietress.
Which path should he follow as he stepped into the unknown? Yang Kai was a resolute man who made decisions firmly. Even if the road ahead was paved with thorns, he had to charge forward despite knowing that he’d be injured. However, at this moment, he was at a loss.
As the ship sailed forward, Yue He and Bai Qi remained silent. They worriedly exchanged glances as they could sense that Yang Kai was feeling conflicted.
The Shattered Heaven was indeed a dangerous place. As they moved forward, they would come across unknown dangers from time to time. A series of mighty fluctuations could be felt spreading from seemingly ordinary Spirit Provinces, and some of these fluctuations were as strong as a strike from someone in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
If they accidentally triggered these fluctuations, they would be turned into dust.
These hidden dangers were left behind from the ancient war. Due to that great battle, countless restrictions and Spirit Arrays were left behind in the Shattered Heaven. Other than the Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques that might explode at any moment, there were also many Open Heaven artifacts that had gained spirituality.
Fortunately, as a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jiu Yin had sharp perception. It was thanks to her warnings that they were able to stay away from many of the dangers. With that said, she wasn’t able to detect all of them.
On the third day since they entered the Shattered Heaven, a ray of light suddenly came at their ship when they were passing by a Spirit Province.
The ray of light contained a horrifying power. The expressions of Yue He and Bai Qi changed drastically as they stood in front of Yang Kai while Qu Hua Shang quickly drove the ship forward. At the same time, Zhu Jiu Yin roared and spat out a snow-white spider web to intercept the ray of light.
The ray of light was soon covered in the spider web, but just one breath of time later, it broke free and continued shooting towards the ship.
Zhu Hiu Yin’s expression changed as she took Yang Kai’s arm and flew away for several dozen kilometres.
At the same time, Qu Hua Shang and the others also dispersed.
When they looked back, they realised that the ship had already turned into dust after coming into contact with the ray of light. Meanwhile, the ray of light exposed itself. It turned out to be a blue wolf that stood in the void and stared at them.
The wolf’s figure flickered, so it was apparent that it wasn’t a real beast. Moreover, one could see an arm-long jade sceptre floating inside its body.
Without stopping, the wolf turned into a ray of light again and disappeared into the depths of the Shattered Heaven.
After they regrouped, Yue He and the others all had pale faces. Zhu Jiu Yin sported a solemn expression as she gazed at Bai Qi and asked, “Was it also this dangerous the last time you were here?”
Bai Qi replied, “We didn’t come across that wolf previously; however, it’s a well-known fact that the Shattered Heaven is full of dangers. We bumped into different kinds of attacks from time to time.”
“What was that?” Yang Kai asked. He was the weakest among all of them, so just now, he couldn’t clearly see what was going on. All he saw was the wolf’s figure.
“It was an artifact that gained sentience,” Yue He said seriously, “It was likely the manifestation of the jade sceptre’s Artifact Spirit. The jade sceptre’s owner was probably an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master before his death. No ordinary Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could wield such a weapon.”
Yang Kai was stunned as he finally understood why the ray of light easily broke through Zhu Jiu Yin’s Secret Technique. No ordinary person could resist this kind of attack. If Zhu Jiu Yin hadn’t made a move, all of them would’ve been severely wounded.
Obviously, the jade sceptre had been hidden in that Spirit Province. It was triggered when Yang Kai and the others passed by this place.
The Shattered Heaven was indeed a place full of danger, but at the same time, it was also a treasure trove. If anyone could obtain the artifact they had seen earlier, even a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would also see their power increase significantly. However, in order to obtain it, the person had to be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm at the very least.
After pulling themselves together, they continued moving forward.
Wherever they went, they could see that some people had gotten into fights for one reason or another. Those who could make a living in the Shattered Heaven were all Open Heaven Realm Masters who were ruthless; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to survive in this lawless place.
They had no reservations when fighting and constantly used fatal blows.
Zhu Jiu Yin would spread her aura from time to time to intimidate the people who passed by or were fighting nearby, reducing the number of people who dared confront them greatly.
Even so, they were still only at the periphery of the Shattered Heaven. What would the core of the place look like?
According to Bai Qi, the core area of the Shattered Heaven was a place where only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had a right to step into. Despite that, there was no guarantee that they would come out alive. That was the reason so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had lost their lives here over the years.
When Bai Qi and Proprietress were looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, they never went near the core area. She was indeed searching for the resource for Yang Kai, but she wasn’t so foolish as to take such a risk.
As they flew forward carefully, they were relieved that the following journey was much safer. Half a month later, they arrived at their destination following the instructions in the jade slip given to them by Ti Zheng.
This was a quiet place in the void as Spirit Provinces of different sizes hovered around them. Yang Kai scanned his surroundings with the jade slip in his hand, and upon making sure that there was no mistake, he asked Bai Qi, “Is it here?”
After looking around, Bai Qi nodded with a solemn expression, “That’s right. It’s here.”
Yang Kai stared at the void in front of him. They had arrived at this place following the instructions in the jade slip given by Ti Zheng, and Bai Qi confirmed that Proprietress had disappeared here. It meant that the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven was somewhere around this place. As long as they could find the entrance, they could enter and save her.
However, this was easier said than done. The first difficulty they were facing was where to look for the entrance.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven had remained undiscovered in this place for countless years, which suggested that the entrance must be well hidden. After all, innumerable people had moved around the Shattered Heaven over the years. If the entrance could be found easily, the Shadowless Cave Heaven would’ve been exposed by now.
In reality, this Universe Cave Heaven had essentially remained undiscovered.
Only the masterminds here knew how to open up the entrance as they had lured the Proprietress to this place and made her fall into the trap.
Despite the fact that it was serene in the void, anyone could feel the hidden murderous intent.
With a solemn expression, Zhu Jiu Yin spoke up, “Brat, I have a bad feeling.”
As soon as she arrived at this place, she could feel that they were being watched over by countless pairs of eyes. After scanning the surroundings with her Divine Sense, she could clearly feel that many auras of living creatures had hidden in the Spirit Provinces around them.
Yang Kai said gently, “Please stand guard for me, Senior.”
Zhu Jiu Yin turned to look at him and realized that he had closed his eyes. As Space Principles swirled around him, it was apparent that he was looking for the entrance.
“Such a troublesome brat!” Zhu Jiu Yin snorted in disgust, but she wouldn’t dare to be negligent as she paid close attention to her surroundings. At the same time, she secretly made a decision that the moment things turned South, she would immediately take Yang Kai away. It wasn’t a wise choice to fight enemies in a trap set up by the other party. She wasn’t a fool, so she wouldn’t do such a silly thing. Now, she just had to ensure Yang Kai’s safety. As for the life or death of the others, it had nothing to do with her.
As Space Principles undulated, Yang Kai scanned the surroundings with his Divine Sense.
The Universe Cave Heaven was actually an independent Sealed World that lingered in the Void of the Shattered Heaven. If there was really an entrance, there would be some Space Principle fluctuations coming from where the two places intersected.
When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven opened up in the past, Yang Kai made use of Space Principles to discover entrances in advance,
Therefore, he believed that he could also find the entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven by doing the same thing here.
Even though Yang Kai was just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, which meant that he was the weakest among everyone here, even Zhu Jiu Yin was no match for him when it came to this. There was no doubt that she was powerful, but she knew nothing about the Dao of Space. The entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven was well hidden, so perhaps only some slight Space Principle fluctuations could be felt. She couldn’t sense them, but Yang Kai might be able to.
As long as he could find the entrance, he could try to enter it.
As he emptied his mind and carefully examined every part of the Void with his Divine Sense to observe the tiny differences, he fell into a kind of trance.
“Come out!” Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly bellowed and turned to look at a particular Spirit Province while raising her hand.
In silence, a Spirit Province of several hundred square kilometres exploded. As the stones scattered everywhere, a few figures appeared in embarrassment as they looked both horrified and doubtful.
However, before Zhu Jiu Yin could make a move again, she heard someone guffawing, “You’ve got a short temper it seems, Senior Sister Zhu. That isn’t good for you as it might make you grow old faster.”
Following that, a figure engulfed in Demon Qi shot out of a Spirit Province in a different direction. He was none other than Ti Zheng, who showed up in the restaurant in the Shattered Heaven Star City before.
He wasn’t on his own as he was followed by two others. Fog was seen weltering around them, so no one could clearly see their figures.
However, the auras exuding from their bodies suggested that they were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
*Shua shua shua…*
Many figures started appearing above the Spirit Provinces around them. Yue He and the others looked around and became alarmed. That was because, in the depths of the Shattered Heaven, more than 20 Open Heaven Realm Masters had gathered together in this part of the void. Apart from Ti Zheng and the other two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, the rest of them were Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even the weakest one was in the Fourth Order.
This kind of formation could be described as horrifying. Throughout the 3,000 Worlds, only the Cave Heavens and Paradises were able to mobilize so many powerful Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Judging from the current situation, Qu Hua Shang’s speculation some time ago was right. This time, they had indeed gathered three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters at the Shadowless Cave Heaven to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin. As long as they could hold her down, the rest of Yang Kai’s companions were no match for their people.
The difference in numbers on the two sides was glaring.
“I’m old enough to be your Grandmother, so what if I’m a little foul-tempered?” Zhu Jiu Yin snorted and reproached him.
Ti Zheng replied with a smile, “I hope that your power justifies your terrible temper, Senior Sister Zhu.”
Just then, someone beside Ti Zheng asked, “Qu Girl, what are you doing here? Don’t forget your identity,” He could apparently recognise Qu Hua Shang.
She pressed her lips together and replied, “Junior Brother Yang has saved my life on multiple occasions. Since he’s in trouble now, I can’t sit back and do nothing. My actions today are mine and mine alone; they have nothing to do with my Master Sect. After this incident, I will return to the Sect to accept any punishment they deem necessary.”
“There’s never a gentle fight in this world. Are you sure you can leave this place alive?” The person asked.
Qu Hua Shang replied with a smile, “If I die, I won’t have anything to worry about anymore.”
The person nodded, “Since you’ve understood, this King will say no more. We are all responsible for our own actions.”
“Many thanks for your lesson, Senior,” Qu Hua Shang elegantly saluted him.
An impatient Zhu Jiu Yin scoffed, “Cut the crap. Yang Boy has come here as he was told. Make a move now if you want to kill him. Let’s see if you’re capable of doing that.”
Ti Zheng grinned, “Senior Sister Zhu, since you can’t wait any longer, I’ll grant your wish!”
As soon as he spoke the last word, he turned into a fog of Demon Qi and brought with him a horrifying World Force as he pounced on Zhu Jiu Yin.
Meanwhile, the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters beside him made a move at the same time. One of them was wielding a sword while the other flicked his fingers and sent out numerous beams of light.
At that instant, the auras of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm permeated and shook the world.
As soon as these three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters took action, the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around them moved towards specific places to form an Array. Following that, they sent flags into the Void and started forming hand seals, linking them in a profound and mysterious manner.
A fight between High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was terrifying, so these Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to interfere at all. It seemed that their only purpose here was to operate some kind of Array, rather than to face Zhu Jiu Yin head-on.
This was undoubtedly a wise move as not only could they prevent any loss of life on their side, but they could also weaken Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength.
Before the Array fully activated, Zhu Jiu Yin already felt a pressure coming at her. She immediately realised that this mysterious Array was targeted at Divine Spirits.
Thus, she yelled, “Protect Yang Boy!” As she spoke, she charged towards the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own, initiating a world-shaking battle.
Yue He and the others formed into a triangular formation as they surged their powers to ward off the fallout from the battle, protecting Yang Kai behind them. Presently, Yang Kai was just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, so if he was hit by a shockwave from the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and her enemies, he would die on the spot. Therefore, Yue He and the others wouldn’t dare to be negligent.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land previously, Zhu Jiu Yin was able to fend off two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters; however, it seemed taxing for her to battle against three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters now as she fell into a disadvantage almost immediately. Faced with the attacks of Ti Zheng and the others, she could only protect herself but not counterattack.
Furthermore, the current situation was different from the previous one. Back then, Zhu Jiu Yin had nothing to worry about, so she could focus on the battle against her enemies. But this time, she had to ensure Yang Kai’s safety, so she was even more constrained.
Just a moment later, a rumbling sound was heard as the Array targeted at Divine Spirits took shape. An abstruse pattern lit up in the void as Zhu Jiu Yin and the others stood in the centre of effect.
Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly became slightly sluggish, and following a rain of attacks from Ti Zheng and the others, she fell into a perilous situation. Just a while later, wounds could be seen appearing on her body.
“What is this damned Spirit Array?” Zhu Jiu Yin bellowed through gritted teeth.
While Ti Zheng calmly attacked her, he replied, “Locking Divine Spirit Array. It’s an Array specifically designed to suppress Divine Spirits. Senior Sister Zhu, you’re extremely powerful, so this Array won’t have much impact on you; however, in a life-or-death battle, even the slightest influence might cost your life.”
“Despicable!” Zhu Jiu Yin snarled.
It seemed that the siege by Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan from Heavenly Sword Union previously was indeed just a probe. Zhu Jiu Yin was forced to make a move in that fight, so the other party brought out this Locking Divine Spirit Array to deal with her.
Ti Zheng grinned, “Senior Sister, you’re quite beautiful, so you shouldn’t waste your time protecting a boy in the Emperor Realm. Why don’t you side with me from now on?”
“Side with you?”
“That’s right.” Ti Zheng smiled faintly, “I do need a mount now. Since you’re a Divine Spirit, you would be qualified. As long as you side with me, I’ll treat you well.”
Murderous intent surged as Zhu Jiu Yin roared, “You dare blaspheme this Queen!? You court death!”
She couldn’t believe that someone had the gall to want to make her, a Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, their mount. There could be no greater humiliation. However, it was useless for her to be enraged at this moment. Under the restriction of the Locking Divine Spirit Array, her Divine Spirit Source had been slightly suppressed, so she wasn’t able to fully exert her strength. What’s more, she still had to protect Yang Kai. In short order, her fair skin was marred with wounds.
Fortunately, as a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jiu Yin’s vitality was quite astonishing; otherwise, she would’ve been weakened significantly from these wounds.
She secretly cursed at Yang Kai for being obstinate as she was dragged into this mess. There were times when she had the urge to grab him and simply flee from this place. However, she was even more infuriated by Ti Zheng’s words, so she became determined to teach him a lesson today.
On the other hand, when Yue He and the others, who were protecting Yang Kai, saw that Zhu Jiu Yin was suffering a setback, they realised that the Array had some impact on her. They wanted to break the Array, but the battle between the three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and Zhu Jiu Yin was so intense they didn’t dare to act rashly. Left with no choice, they could only remain in place with their anxieties.
Above a certain Spirit Province fragment that was a few thousand kilometres away, some figures hid and suppressed their auras.
Apart from the fact that there was not even a single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master around, this group of people were a match for the ones attacking Yang Kai and the others when it came to the number of people and collective strength.
The person at the front was seen with a pair of bloodshot eyes as though blood was swirling around behind them. He was none other than Black Crow Divine Monarch.
Just like what Yang Kai had expected, even though Black Crow had turned Yang Kai down outright, he was actually interested in this opportunity. However, he didn’t want to reveal his intentions in front of Yang Kai.
Certainly, he was aware that Yang Kai wanted to use him to deal with the Cave Heavens and Paradises, which was why he rejected him so firmly.
However, he wouldn’t want to miss such a good chance either; therefore, after Yang Kai and the others left, Black Crow led his people to secretly follow them to this place.
Presently, he could see that they had gotten into an intense battle. Even though he was several thousand kilometres away, he could still feel the horrifying World Force explosions sweeping across him, which made him feel elated, “Wonderful! Keep fighting so that this Monarch can appear at the last moment and reap all the benefits!”
He was resentful of both parties in this battle. The Cave Heavens and Paradises hunted him down and forced him to sneak into the Shattered Heaven. On the other hand, Yang Kai had repeatedly foiled his plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. It could be said that he had fallen into such a state because of Yang Kai; therefore, he was determined to kill both parties.
Seeing both his enemies fighting to kill one another, he was naturally quite jovial.
Regardless of which party emerged as the winner, he would be able to reap all the benefits by kidnapping some blood sacrifices for himself. Both Yang Kai and the other party had many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters with them after all.
To the side, Tan Luo Xing said with a fawning smile, “Everything is within your expectations, Divine Monarch. This dog-eat-dog fight between them is splendid.”
Black Crow grinned, “It seems that brat is on the losing side, though.”
Tan Luo Xing’s interest had been piqued as well, “Do you think Yang Kai will die?”
Since Black Crow was in a good mood, he decided to explain the situation, “He’s not going to have an easy time. Even though he has a Divine Spirit to protect him, there are three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the other side, and those Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters have set up the Locking Divine Spirit Array. As soon as they can break through the Divine Spirit’s protection, that brat will definitely die. Now, it seems that even though the Divine Spirit is powerful, she’s unable to ensure that little bastard’s safety. It’s just a matter of time before her guard is broken through.”
An excited Tan Luo Xing said, “I knew that he would have a short life. I hope he dies a horrible death!” Yang Kai was the main reason he had fallen into such a state. If Yang Kai hadn’t brought the Wooden Token to Abundance City, he wouldn’t have attempted to kill him and then been forced to flee from that place. Yang Kai was the cause of his misery.
Of course, if he hadn’t fled from Abundance City and come across Black Crow Divine Monarch, he would’ve exploded and lost his life just like Mo Mei and the others because of the Blood Principle Restriction.
At the thought of Mo Mei, Tan Luo Xing appeared dejected. Even though he was a slave now, he was still alive at the very least; however, the others from Abundance City were not so lucky.
Unbeknownst to him, the people from Abundance City were now living a great life in Void Land. It would be interesting if he ever found out about it.
It was apparent to Black Crow which party was on the losing side. Zhu Jiu Yin was in a perilous situation as she had to keep retreating, so he frowned and said, “This is bad. That Divine Spirit is no match for them. It’s time for us to make a move.”
Tan Luo Xing was shocked, “Are you going to help that boy, Yang Kai, Divine Monarch?”
Black Crow grinned, “The best scenario for this Monarch is if the battle drags on. If one side loses too soon, how am I supposed to get my blood sacrifices?”
Tan Luo Xing was unwilling to act, but since Black Crow had given the order, there was nothing he could do.
And so, they secretly began moving from the Spirit Province fragment towards the battlefield. There were countless such Spirit Province fragments in the Shattered Heaven, so neither side currently in combat could’ve expected that a large number of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was hiding behind this one like a pack of ferocious beasts, just waiting to strike.
Usually, regardless of how perfectly Black Crow’s group could hide, they would be unable to evade the perception of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and a Divine Spirit. However, Zhu Jiu Yin and her enemies were engaged in a life-or-death battle now, so they were unable to pay attention to anything else.
The Spirit Province fragment slowly approached.
Just when they were about several dozen kilometres away from the Array, a strange turn of events took place.
An unfamiliar aura abruptly spread around as a figure appeared in the battlefield like a phantom and turned into a ray of light before charging towards Yang Kai.
Black Crow’s expression changed, “There’s one more person here?”
The aura that had suddenly appeared was that of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. Initially, Black Crow thought that both sides had shown all their cards, with three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters being sent to deal with the Divine Spirit, so it surprised him when he realised that there was a fourth such Master who had been hiding all along.
This person was pretty skilful as Zhu Jiu Yin wasn’t even aware of his presence. As soon as he made his move though, Ti Zheng and the others bombarded Zhu Jiu Yin with their attacks to tie her down. As long as she was unable to extract herself from the fight, Yang Kai was bound to lose his life following the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s attack even though he had Yue He and the others with him.
Things played out just as expected. The moment the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master made a move, Zhu Jiu Yin was unable to rescue Yang Kai as she was forced to counter the attacks from Ti Zheng and the others. The fourth Master shot past her and lightly pushed out his palm, whereupon Yue He and the others spat blood and were sent flying away. Following that, the person pointed a finger at Yang Kai.
“Young Master!” Yue He wailed as she pushed all her power in an attempt to save Yang Kai, but her efforts were futile.
Right before the finger was about to reach his forehead though, Yang Kai, who had been looking for the entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, suddenly opened his eyes and clenched his teeth before summoning a small tortoiseshell, which spun around and rapidly enlarged in front of him.
Following a loud boom, Yang Kai was injured as he sprayed out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying. At the same time, the tortoiseshell was glowing brightly.
“Hmm?” The fourth Master arched his brow as he realised that it was no ordinary tortoise shell, he then pushed out his palm at Yang Kai three times in quick succession. As the horrifying World Force surged, Yang Kai felt like he was in a small boat caught in a tempest, at risk of drowning at any moment.
The tortoise shell obstinately stood guard in front of Yang Kai and glowing fiercely. It managed to fend off the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s successive attacks, but despite that, Yang Kai still felt his blood weltering in his body from the impact alone.
“Bi Xi’s tortoiseshell!” The person quickly figured out the tortoise shell’s origins.
As the saying went, ‘Bi Xi bears a heavy load’. Known for carrying a world on his back, Bi Xi naturally had exceptional strength and defence. The tortoise shell he shed was undoubtedly extraordinary. It was only natural that the shell could ward off several strikes from a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
However, regardless of how great a defence was, it could not withstand persistent bombardment forever. Moreover, Yang Kai was only in the Emperor Realm, so even though he could activate the power of Bi Xi’s tortoise shell, he was unable to persevere for a long time. Just the shockwaves from the clash would eventually be enough to kill him.
The fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master seemed determined to kill Yang Kai in this place, so even though he could recognise Bi Xi’s shell, he didn’t seem to have the intention of holding back as he was ready to strike again. As his murderous intent surged, a terrifying aura suddenly spread out.
At the same time, a woman was heard yelling, “Heaven Covering Web!”
As the Divine Spirit’s aura swept across the sky, a colossal figure suddenly appeared. It was a gigantic silver spider. As her terrifying figure hovered in the void, all her legs were seen dancing. The crescent moon symbol on her back was especially conspicuous.
Zhu Jiu Yin had shown her true form!
When a Divine Spirit assumed their true form, it meant that they had fully activated their power. Previously, Zhu Jiu Yin was forced to reveal her true form by the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. Now that she was faced with four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, she couldn’t possibly have any reservations.
Furthermore, as soon as she revealed her true form, a huge spider web suddenly appeared and unfolded in the void before engulfing all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. At that instant, a sense of danger rose within them as they felt like they were insects who had accidentally crashed into a spider web.
Zhu Jiu Yin was heard laughing in an eerie voice as she gently flicked a thread of the spider web with her huge leg. Following a clang, which sounded like a sword leaving the sheath or the music played by devils, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who was raining attacks on Yang Kai fell into a dazed state. When he snapped back to reality, he suddenly saw a ray of light coming right at him.
Horrified, he was forced to stop attacking Yang Kai and quickly defend himself.
Following a loud boom, the local space shook. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master flew backwards for a thousand metres as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Being injured after just one strike, he became quite wary when he turned to look at Zhu Jiu Yin.
While Zhu Jiu Yin made this move though, Ti Zheng and the others didn’t stand idly by and seized the chance and fiercely strike at her body. Unable to deal with both sides at the same time, Zhu Jiu Yin was seriously wounded. There was a thirty-metre-long wound on her back that revealed her squirming flesh.
However, she was still slowly flicking her gigantic spider web as clanging sounds were heard in succession, which seemed able to shake the universe. The sound contained a mysterious power that could bind Ti Zheng and the others to their spots regardless of how hard they tried to struggle out of the web.
Rays of light were seen moving around the spider web, and each one contained immense powers. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters wouldn’t dare to underestimate these rays as they jumped around in embarrassment.
Ti Zheng snarled through clenched teeth, “You were concealing your true strength all along!”
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin had showcased great strength in the battle back in Void Land several years ago, it was still only slightly difficult to deal with. Ti Zheng and the others had estimated that just three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would be enough to deal with her.
The reason they used the help of a fourth person was to make sure that no accidents would happen.
Furthermore, the Locking Divine Spirit Array was arranged here to suppress her Source and weaken her.
Now, it seemed that Zhu Jiu Yin hadn’t revealed all her might in the battle in Void Land. At the very least, she had never showcased this Heaven Covering Web.
She was able to hold down four Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters all on her own, so it was obvious that her power was equivalent to that of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
In truth though, Ti Zheng was mistaken.
Previously in Void Land, Zhu Jiu Yin used all the strength she had to fight him. The reason she appeared stronger now, on par with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was because she originated from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and needed time to adapt to the 3,000 Worlds’ Principles. It had been three years since the last battle, a period of time that was neither long nor short, but it was sufficient for her to restore more of her strength. That was the reason she seemed more formidable than in the past.
They had four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and used 20 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to form the Locking Divine Spirit Array. Nevertheless, instead of killing Yang Kai quickly, they had become bound in Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. Ti Zheng and the others naturally sported dark expressions because of that.
Following a roar, a grim voice was heard shouting, “Fear nothing, spare no one!”
Demon Qi surged as a gigantic demon phantom appeared behind Ti Zheng. The demon phantom was covered in narrowed and eerie-looking eyes. There were probably more than 1,000 eyes, and every one of them was darting around randomly as though they were suffering from hysteria. There was a huge blade that was almost 300 metres long in the demon phantom’s hand. Its horrifying presence was able to shake the universe and shatter space itself.
As soon as Thousand Eyed Demon Phantom appeared, Ti Zheng became even more overbearing than before.
“Divine Manifestation!” Bai Qi exclaimed.
Divine Manifestations were techniques exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but not all High-Rank Open Heaven Masters possessed one. The people who could successfully cultivate a Divine Manifestation were the top Masters among the High-Rank.
There had never been anyone in history who could comprehend a Divine Manifestation below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm except Yang Kai.
Ti Zheng was an Elder from Myriad Demons Heaven who had lived for a very long time. It had been a couple thousand years since he ascended to the Seventh Order, so it wasn’t surprising that he had a Divine Manifestation.
Once the Divine Manifestation was cast, it suggested that Ti Zheng was no longer holding back.
While the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom came into existence, another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master also used his Divine Manifestation. Unlike Ti Zheng’s Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom, this person’s Divine Manifestation looked ordinary as it was just a Spirit Peak that hovered behind him. However, a thick and dangerous Earth Attribute aura could be felt coming from the Spirit Peak.
The remaining two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters didn’t reveal Manifestations, either because they were concealing their strength or because they simply didn’t have one.
With that said, the latter was most likely to be true; after all, they had fallen into Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. Faced with such a formidable Divine Spirit, they could lose their lives if they still tried to hold back.
Even though they didn’t have Divine Manifestations, the Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques they used were still quite horrifying.
Clanging sounds were continuously heard as Zhu Jiu Yin kept flicking her spider web, binding everything within her domain. As the screeching music sounded, ripples were seen spreading across the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom and the Spirit Peak.
The Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom roared as all its eyes beamed out dark lights which pierced the void and flew at Zhu Jiu Yin from all directions. Even though Zhu Jiu Yin kept avoiding the dark lights, she was still struck as some parts of her skin became burnt. However, she ignored her injuries as though she couldn’t feel any pain. Her countless threads of spider silk turned into razor-sharp blades that whipped and slashed at the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The demon phantom raised his blade and forcefully brought it down, whereupon a few threads of spider silk snapped with a metallic clang.
In an instant, Ti Zheng felt less pressured as he became elated and attempted to break free from the Heaven Covering Web. Nevertheless, the moment he jumped up, he saw dozens of rays of light coming from above his head, which forced him to fall back down.
Looking up, he realised that the broken threads had been reconnected.
The sight of it made him feel vexed.
In the void, the lights of Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities glittered as Zhu Jiu Yin was locked in an intense battle with the four Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Even Yue He and Qu Hua Shang, who were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, were unable to join such a battle, let alone Bai Qi, who was only in the Fifth-Order. All they could do was stay by Yang Kai’s side and help him fend off the fallout. Fortunately, they were in the centre of the spider web, so most of the pressure was still being borne by Zhu Jiu Yin and the fallout that reached them was negligible.
However, anyone could tell that even though Zhu Jiu Yin appeared to be domineering, she was unable to persevere forever. Moreover, she was too heavily outnumbered, so she was in a really tight spot in this battle.
Once Zhu Jiu Yin’s Secret Technique was broken through, all of her companions wouldn’t stand a chance to counterattack.
Now, they could only hope that Yang Kai could find the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven as soon as possible so that they could enter and rest.
During the fierce battle, a shriek was suddenly heard from an unexpected place. Everyone involved in the battle was shocked as they turned to look in that direction.
Upon finding out what was going on, Zhu Jiu Yin remained indifferent while Ti Zheng and the other High-Rank Masters became enraged.
A Spirit Province that had been approaching them slowly exploded all of a sudden. Following that, more than twenty Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters shot out and bombarded the people who were supporting the Locking Divine Spirit Array.
This group appeared too abruptly, catching everyone off guard. By the time the Myriad Demons Heaven disciples realised what was happening, it was already too late.
The instant the attack began, several people already lost their lives, which included a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“How dare you! Who are you!?” Ti Zheng bellowed.
A grim voice was heard cackling, “It’s your Grandpa Black Crow!”
Upon hearing that, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were stunned and Ti Zheng widened his eyes in shock, “Black Crow Divine Monarch!”
[How can this be? Why is Black Crow Divine Monarch here?]
Back then, Black Crow ruthlessly killed many disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed and the Cave Heavens and Paradises got wind of Black Crow’s doings, they cordoned off all the Territory Gates in the Blood Monster Territory. Everyone who wanted to pass through the Territory Gates had to submit to inspection.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had spent an entire year trying to capture Black Crow, but they were unable to find any trace of him.
Since the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Black Crow seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Black Crow was an old fox who had lived for innumerable years and possessed an incredible Secret Art like the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Naturally, the Cave Heavens and Paradises wouldn’t let him off.
Ti Zheng had been paying close attention to this matter as well, so he immediately understood who the other party was when he heard the name Black Crow.
[How did this bastard flee from the Blood Monster Territory and sneak into the Shattered Heaven? Why does he have so many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters serving him?] Ti Zheng could not understand what was happening.
His heart sank as he knew that his side was in trouble now.
If he came across Black Crow at any other time, he would’ve been ecstatic. As long as he could capture this fellow, he could stand a chance to comprehend the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Moreover, this kind of old dog who had lived for countless years must have other secrets with him as well.
However, at this moment, Black Crow suddenly appeared with a group of Masters, giving Ti Zheng a big headache.
Now, all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were stuck in Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. They couldn’t break free from it if Zhu Jiu Yin wasn’t killed. Without their support, their disciples scattered around the Locking Divine Spirit Array wouldn’t be able to fight Black Crow and his band.
Like a tiger that had just left the mountain, Black Crow led his subordinates and attacked the enemy. In just ten breaths of time, they managed to kill five more Open Heaven Realm Masters, including the one in charge of the Array.
Black Crow pointed his finger at the front and ordered, “Kill them all!”
Ti Zheng yelled, “Don’t you dare, Black Crow!”
Black Crow glared at him and sneered, “Open your eyes wide and see whether this Monarch dares to!” He was forced to live miserably in the Shattered Heaven because he was hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Now that he had a chance to get some revenge, he certainly wouldn’t miss it. The grudges between those great forces and him had been formed, so it made no difference to him whether he killed even more of their disciples.
The cultivators behind him turned into rays of light and shot towards another Array Node where five more Open Heaven Realm Masters had gathered together to support the operation of the Array.
Seeing so many enemies coming at them, this group of 5 wouldn’t dare to remain.
Upon seeing that, the other Open Heaven Realm Masters in other Array Nodes ground their teeth and stopped operating the Array before gathering together in the same spot. If they worried about the Array, they would be killed by Black Crow and the others one by one. By then, none of them could hope to leave this place alive.
Only by gathering together could they stand a chance to go against Black Crow and his subordinates.
Soon, two groups clashed in a fierce battle.
Black Crow remained in the same spot as a mysterious aura swirled around him. The vitality of the deceased Open Heaven Realm Masters was attracted by this aura and converged around him. In the blink of an eye, Black Crow was engulfed in a thick layer of blood mist.
“So delicious! The Blood Essence of those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises tastes so different!” Black Crow was heard laughing from inside the blood mist.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters caught up in the Heaven Covering Web were infuriated. The Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom behind Ti Zheng kept beaming out dark lights and wielded his blade. At the same time, the gigantic Spirit Peak Manifestation behind another Master repeatedly attempted to smash Zhu Jiu Yin’s true form.
All four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were trying their hardest in an attempt to break free from the web.
However, without the restriction of the Locking Divine Spirit Array, Zhu Jiu Yin became even more powerful as she was able to hold down the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters more easily.
One would expect that the centre of the spider web would be the most chaotic, but it was the most serene spot instead. Space Principles undulated around Yang Kai as he kept using different hand seals before pushing out his palms at the Void in front of him.
He could sense that there were some unusual space fluctuations before him and he could even faintly feel the aura of another world from it.
[It must be the aura of the Shadowless Cave Heaven!]
As long as he could open up the portal, he would have a chance to look for the Proprietress inside and bring her out.
Despite that realization, Yang Kai was still unable to achieve his goal regardless of how hard he tried. The entrance of that Universe Cave Heaven was like a hefty door. No matter how much force he exerted, he was unable to open it.
The intense battle went on.
The appearance of Black Crow and his subordinates divided the battlefield into two separate clashes. One of which was Zhu Jiu Yin battling against four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own while the other was the intense battle between two groups of several dozen Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Even though the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was world-shaking, they all possessed incredible strength and abilities; therefore, despite the fact that they had fully used their powers, they had fallen into a kind of stalemate. With that said, it was inevitable that they became injured, especially Ti Zheng. Zhu Jiu Yin was incensed that this man humiliated her earlier, so most of her attacks were targeted at him, causing him to groan in exasperation.
In the other clash, people were heard shrieking as lives were lost with great frequency.
Both sides had roughly the same number of people, and they were equally matched when it came to their Orders. However, Black Crow and his subordinates were undoubtedly weaker when it came to their collective power. Just like how Mo Mei, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, wasn’t a match for Luan Bai Feng in the past, Black Crow’s subordinates were all newly promoted Open Heaven Realm Masters, so they hadn’t had time to consolidate their foundations and build up their heritage, leading them to be weaker than the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters brought to this place by Ti Zheng and the others.
Moreover, the Secret Techniques and artifacts they used were inferior to those of the other party.
Surprisingly though, Black Crow and his subordinates actually gained the upper hand quite quickly.
When Black Crow resolved the Blood Principle Restriction on these Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the past, he used a trick and made sure that he could control their life or death. Therefore, as soon as he gave the order, none of them dared to be negligent as they went all out, risking their lives.
Furthermore, Black Crow and his subordinates had killed some opponents in their initial surprise attack, so the momentum was already on their side.
Once they engaged in battle, the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises found it hard to breathe and were soon suppressed.
The situation was exacerbated for them when Black Crow joined the battle.
The body taken over by Black Crow was that of Zhou Yi from Great Thousand Blood Land. Even though Zhou Yi was a Core Disciple in his great force, he was still far weaker than Qu Hua Shang and the others as he only managed to condense Fifth-Order Powers.
Black Crow had inherited Zhou Yi’s heritage, so he could only reach the Fifth Order when he ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
However, after using the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture to absorb the Blood Essence of all the deceased Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around him, his aura surged to the point where it was on par with an ordinary Sixth-Order Master.
He was an Old Master who was reborn in someone else’s body; coupled with his Sixth-Order strength, no one beneath the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was his match.
He had mastered the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, which contained many powerful methods that he could now use with ease. Immediately after he joined the battle, countless Blood Crows flew around and squawked loudly, blinding and distracting his opponents. All of the Blood Crows were relentless, and even after they were destroyed, they would simply re-condense. The Cave Heavens and Paradises’ side soon found themselves overwhelmed.
If a person was covered in three to four layers of blood mist, he was basically doomed in such a battle.
Within an incense stick, six Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been captured alive. Black Crow sealed their cultivations and had one of his subordinates guard them.
Obviously, he was planning to bring these people back to serve as his blood sacrifices.
A lot of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had lost their lives already. In a short period of time, more than ten such Masters were killed on both sides, most of which came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Black Crow had only lost a couple of subordinates so far.
Whenever someone was killed though, Black Crow would use the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture to absorb all of their Blood Essence.
The Blood Qi around Black Crow thickened by the moment, and his aura became increasingly horrifying. He was starting to show signs of truly breaking through to the Sixth Order.
Certainly, the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were caught up in the Heaven Covering Web could see that the other battle wasn’t going in their favour as many of their subordinates had lost their lives. While Ti Zheng roared repeatedly, another person threatened that he would skin Black Crow alive sooner or later.
Of course, Black Crow just snorted and ignored them.
Such a great chance was hard to come by. Even though he was fairly strong now, he could only run for his life if he was faced with High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. That was the reason he had been hiding in the Shattered Heaven all this time.
However, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were presently held down by Zhu Jiu Yin, so Black Crow had nothing to worry about.
It felt exhilarating to take advantage of the disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in such a brazen manner.
Although he was indirectly lending Yang Kai a hand, he had indeed gained a lot of benefits; therefore, he decided to let Yang Kai off for now. As for the grudges between them, he would get even with him when he fully recovered in the future.
The subordinates of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were all either dead or injured now. If the remaining ones stayed any longer, all of them would be killed or captured. While facing Zhu Jiu Yin’s wrath, Ti Zheng yelled at those surviving Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, “All of you, leave!”
The reason he brought them over was to arrange the Locking Divine Spirit Array to pin down Zhu Jiu Yin. Now that the Spirit Array was destroyed and could no longer be used, it was pointless for them to keep staying here. They would only be killed by Black Crow in the end. Since some of them were still alive, the best course of action was for them to flee.
The remaining eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had been waiting for permission to leave, so as soon as they heard Ti Zheng’s order, they activated their Secret Techniques and ran for their lives without hesitation.
“None of you can flee from here!” Black Crow snorted and shook his figure, whereupon rays of blood light beamed out of his body. Like maggots on rotting bones, those rays of blood light chased after those disciples. Once someone was struck, his figure would be greatly weakened, and then Black Crow’s subordinates would pounce on and capture them.
Meanwhile, Black Crow charged towards a certain Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was engulfed in Demon Qi.
He had his eyes on that person not because the latter was powerful, but because he was running the fastest. As blood light broke through the air, Black Crow was about to reach that person and with a grin, he extended his hand and shouted, “You won’t get away!”
That person hurriedly turned around and pushed out his palm.
Black Crow sneered in disdain. He usually wouldn’t even have any regard for a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, not to mention that he had absorbed a lot of high-quality Blood Essence just now and was significantly more powerful than before.
As they traded moves, their World Forces clashed violently. Black Crow performed a hand seal and activated the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture.
Given his power and his mastery of the Blood Light Scripture, there was no way an ordinary Fifth-Order Master could get away from having his Blood Essence absorbed by him.
However, what took place next surprised him. As they traded moves, Black Crow could feel a horrifying suction coming from the other party’s palm. The suction power was similar to his Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, but there were some slight differences. Even though the person seemed inexperienced when using this technique, his suction power was just as great as that of Black Crow.
Instead of absorbing the other party’s Blood Essence, the overconfident Black Crow had some of his own Blood Qi sucked away by that person.
Following a loud boom, that person was sent flying away as Demon Qi around him undulated.
In the end, there was still a gap between their powers. Following the clash, this Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master suffered a setback as expected; however, he was pretty swift and using the momentum from being flung back, he turned into a cloud of Demon Qi and flew away.
Black Crow was still shocked by the exchange of attacks earlier, and by the time he came to his senses, the other party was already nowhere in sight.
Then, he looked down at his palm as his bloodshot eyes glistened, “Interesting! How interesting!”
He wondered what kind of Secret Art that Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven had cultivated. Through their brief contact just now, he could feel that the other party’s Secret Art must be extremely abstruse, but due to the fact that the person still hadn’t mastered it, his execution appeared somewhat amateurish.
That person could already display such an immense power before mastering his Secret Art. Therefore, the Secret Art must be as powerful as the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, if not even more so.
It seemed there truly were innumerable wonders in this expansive world.
As Black Crow stared intently in the direction that person had fled, he snorted before turning around with his hands behind his back.
In just a short while, the dust had settled and of the original twenty or so Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, other than six who managed to flee, all the others were either killed or captured.
Black Crow’s subordinates were also wounded as their auras faltered and World Forces trembled. There were over twenty of them initially, but now there were only about a dozen. He had lost ten subordinates in that battle.
Rays of blood light could be seen shooting out of the corpses and gathering around Black Crow.
Tan Luo Xing and the others stared at him in horror, but none of them dared to utter a word.
Meanwhile, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and the gigantic Heavenly Moon Demon Spider were still locked in an intense battle in the Heaven Covering Web that stretched across the void. Black Crow licked his lips as though he was drooling over some delicious dishes.
If possible, he wouldn’t mind interfering in that battle too. The Blood Essence of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and a Divine Spirit were on a completely different scale compared to what he had absorbed earlier. The Blood Essence of a powerful Master would be greatly beneficial to him.
However, he was incapable of interfering in such a battle. Even if he made all his subordinates join in, it wouldn’t make a difference.
Suppressing his greed, Black Crow sneered, “All of you from 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises, widen your eyes and look! This is the consequence of going against me! And this is just the beginning. There will come a day when this Monarch re-enters the 3,000 Worlds, storms into your Headquarters, and kills all of you!”
Ti Zheng bellowed, “Old dog, how dare you act so presumptuous! You court death!”
Black Crow scoffed, “You’ll find out whether this Monarch is the presumptuous one later. Let’s go!”
Following that, he turned around and left.
Ti Zheng and the others were both shocked and infuriated. One of them bellowed, “Don’t flee, you coward!”
There were four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around, so how could they possibly let Black Crow just take their subordinates away? However, even though they wanted to save them, they were unable to do so. Before destroying Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web, none of them could leave this place.
As they exchanged glances, they knew that they couldn’t hold back anymore. If they still wouldn’t risk their lives, Black Crow would escape from this place.
After they made a decision, layers of blood mist were seen exploding around the four of them. As these four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters burned their Blood Essence, their auras exploded. Even the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom behind Ti Zheng became reddened and more overbearing.
No one was willing to use this kind of technique unless they were left with no choice, as doing so would damage their foundation and it would be troublesome to recover from.
However, that was the least of their worries in this situation.
In an instant, Zhu Jiu Yin felt immensely pressured as her Heaven Covering Web was no longer able to restrict the movements of these four Masters. Following the attacks of the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom’s demonic lights and blade, the web was starting to show signs of collapsing.
Although Zhu Jiu Yin was trying her best to sustain it, she was unable to persevere indefinitely; after all, she hadn’t fully restored her power yet. Just now, she had caught her opponents off guard. She had already done her best by trying to confine them for such a long time.
Seeing as the four enemies were about to break free from her web, Zhu Jiu Yin realised that once they managed to do so, she would be unable to ensure Yang Kai’s safety on her own.
She suddenly had the intention of retreating.
While she was still lost in her thoughts, she felt her chest tightening. Following a loud boom, her gigantic true form staggered backwards while her Heaven Covering Web broke apart.
A ray of light shot out of the spider web and rushed in the direction Black Crow and his subordinates had left earlier. Apparently, he was trying to save the captured Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. He disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Ti Zheng and the others bombarded Zhu Jiu Yin with their attacks. The giant Spirit Peak repeatedly landed on her while the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom slashed across the void with its blade. A flustered Zhu Jiu Yin brandished all of her legs, and even the crescent moon mark on her back started glittering.
She wanted to weave a web again, but she didn’t have the chance to do so. As soon she spat out a thread of spider silk, it would be destroyed with overwhelming force.
The remaining three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters seemed to have tacitly come up with a strategy as two of them pinned Zhu Jiu Yin down while the last person pounced towards Yang Kai.
Their goal this time was to kill Yang Kai, so as long as they could achieve their objective, they could immediately leave this place. By then, Zhu Jiu Yin would never be able to stop them.
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin was powerful, she was faced with the Divine Manifestations of two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own. Meanwhile, the last person brought with him an immense World Force and broke through the spider web’s restriction before appearing before Yang Kai in the blink of an eye.
Yue He, Bai Qi, and Qu Hua Shang became alarmed as they hurriedly tried to intercept this person.
However, the difference in their strength couldn’t be made up with numbers. Faced with the tremendous force, the three of them were sent flying away after just three breaths. They looked battered as they sprayed out blood from their mouths.
Since there were no more obstacles in the way, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master looked at Yang Kai condescendingly. An Emperor Realm Junior to him was just an ant.
Engulfed in a sense of crisis, Yang Kai gritted his teeth and pushed all his might to use Bi Xi’s turtle shell to protect himself.
Yang Kai had used the turtle shell to fend off his opponent some time ago so he was naturally prepared to do so again. However, even though this shell was sturdy, the person using it was too feeble. Instead of destroying the turtle shell, this Master only had to continuously attack and Yang Kai would eventually die from the impact.
Therefore, even though Yang Kai had summoned the turtle shell, this person still didn’t seem to have the intention of holding back. As he brandished his fists, innumerable shadows engulfed Yang Kai.
*Hong hong hong…*
World Force surged like a storm.
Even though the light on the turtle shell remained strong and obstinately stood guard in front of Yang Kai, the fallout that passed through the shell and reached Yang Kai was enough to cause severe damage. Just a moment later, Yang Kai felt as though all his bones had been dislocated and the vitality in his chest was weltering. It seemed that he would lose his life at any moment.
At the critical moment, he could no longer hold back and shouted, “Dragon Transformation!”
Following a high-pitched Dragon Roar, the universe trembled. A huge and majestic Dragon’s head manifested behind Yang Kai’s back before disappearing into his body.
As a golden light glittered and explosive sounds were continuously heard. Yang Kai’s figure expanded rapidly. His hands turned into gigantic Dragon Claws and Dragon Horns grew out of his forehead. A long Dragon Tail swept out and his entire figure was covered in a layer of glistening golden Dragon Scales.
Simultaneously, a rich Dragon Pressure permeated the void.
An originally petite Human suddenly transformed into a 4,000 metres long behemoth. Yang Kai had refined all the Dragon Blood Pills he had obtained from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, which allowed his Dragon Form to evolve massively once again.
Bi Xi’s turtle shell expanded exponentially as it seemed to cover the void and hovered in front of Yang Kai, who extended his claw and grabbed it as though he was holding a colossal shield.
Following a Dragon Roar, Yang Kai shot a glare at the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who attempted to harm him. As his Dragon whiskers flapped in the air, he targeted the person and hurled the turtle shell at him.
“You’re part of the Dragon Clan!?” That person was flabbergasted.
He never expected to see Yang Kai undergo such a transformation. Feeling the pure Dragon Pressure, he fell into a dazed state, and by the time came to his senses, the turtle shell was already upon him.
Then, he roared and parried the attack with both hands. As the violent forces clashed, that Master was forced back several hundred metres before he was able to stabilise himself. On the other hand, Yang Kai slightly bent backwards as he almost flipped over. The flesh on his arms exploded as his golden Dragon Blood splashed across the void.
There was still an enormous gap between their powers, which was why Yang Kai immediately suffered a setback. If it weren’t because his Dragon Form was extremely sturdy, he would’ve exploded on the spot from the impact.
Meanwhile, Ti Zheng and the other Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were stunned as they looked dazedly at Yang Kai. Quickly, they used feints to withdraw and widen the gap between Zhu Jiu Yin and them.
Zhu Jiu Yin breathed a sigh of relief as she didn’t have the intention of relentlessly attacking them. Just now, for a moment, she thought that Yang Kai was doomed as she secretly cursed at him for being overconfident about his capabilities and interfering in this matter. If he really died in this place, Shan Qing Luo and the others would become widows. By then, she wouldn’t know how she could explain herself to Shan Qing Luo when she returned.
However, it never crossed her mind that the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would relent at this moment, allowing Yang Kai to escape from death’s door.
The intense battle came to an abrupt halt as Yue He and the others, who were coming back to protect Yang Kai, stood there in disbelief.
Ti Zheng and his companions gathered together as they vigilantly stared at Zhu Jiu Yin while examining Yang Kai. They appeared both doubtful and shocked.
Yang Kai sported a solemn expression as he hovered in the void like a true Dragon overlooking the Heavens and Earth. Even though he was the weakest at the scene by far, he was also the most overbearing.
“Are you really a member of the Dragon Clan?” Ti Zheng asked through clenched teeth with a pale face.
He was severely wounded when battling against Zhu Jiu Yin just now. The main reason was that he had humiliated Zhu Jiu Yin, so the woman targeted most of her attacks at him, which led to his current miserable state. At this moment, the Small Universe in his body was trembling violently.
“What difference does it make whether I’m part of the Dragon Clan or not? Cut the crap and fight if that’s what you want,” Yang Kai replied. Every word he said was like thunder that reverberated across the void, making all of their ears ring.
Despite what Yang Kai had said, he could clearly see a sense of wariness behind the eyes of Ti Zheng and the others. He became slightly at ease as he realised that Mie Meng and Bi Xi were right to say that it was useful to reveal his Dragon Form at the most critical moment.
Ti Zheng and the others were naturally not wary of him, but they were of the Dragon Clan. Revealing his Dragon Form had pros and cons. Even though the Dragon Clan was extraordinarily powerful, they had many enemies in the 3,000 Worlds, so this identity might attract some unwanted trouble for him.
However, he had no choice but to reveal his Dragon Form in that kind of situation just now.
Ti Zheng snorted, “How could there be such a strange Dragon Clan member like you in this world?”
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was naturally more familiar with the Dragon Clan than ordinary people. Although Yang Kai had many characteristics of the Dragon Clan, there were still some traces of a Human in him. That was why he was doubtful. With that said, he was puzzled at the purity of the Dragon Pressure he was currently feeling.
If Yang Kai only had a faint Dragon Clan bloodline, he couldn’t possibly exude such a pure Dragon Pressure.
There was a reason that the Dragon Clan was touted to be the Head of the Myriad Spirits.
“Whether I’m a Dragon or not is none of your business,” Yang Kai decided the less he revealed the better.
“Hmph! This Monarch has a way to find out!”
As Ti Zheng spoke, he rubbed his fingers together and obtained a drop of golden Dragon Blood that was floating nearby. After having a taste of the blood though, he sported a dark expression.
The other two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters turned their heads and observed his expression before realising that Yang Kai was indeed a Dragon Clan member; otherwise, Ti Zheng wouldn’t have sported such a solemn look.
At that instant, they furrowed their brows as a single thought crossed their minds, [This is bad!]
It wouldn’t have mattered if Yang Kai was just a random Dragonborn. The Dragon Clan was known for its lasciviousness, and they had left behind countless Dragon Descendants in the 3,000 Worlds. Half-Dragons and Dragonborn were not valued by the Dragon Clan at all, so they could be killed without any concern. However, a Pureblood Dragon couldn’t be killed as one pleased.
If they could erase all traces of the act, they could ensure the Dragon Clan never found out about it. It wasn’t like there had never been Dragons who were murdered in the past. Nevertheless, even if they could kill Yang Kai today, there was no way they would be able to kill Zhu Jiu Yin; hence, this news was bound to leak out. Although they were all Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they were not willing to risk offending the Dragon Clan.
It wasn’t that the great forces behind them were afraid of the Dragon Clan, but creating this kind of unnecessary conflict would be extremely detrimental to them.
At that instant, they found all their previous actions laughable.
They had summoned four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and more than 20 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to deal with Yang Kai, but in the end, many of them were either killed or injured, and they were unable to kill him as they pleased.
What was the point of doing all this?
If they knew Yang Kai was a Dragon Clan member, they wouldn’t have spent so much effort setting up a trap in this place. Now, they were all riding a tiger, unable to get off.
They couldn’t let Yang Kai go just like that as many of their subordinates were killed. How were they supposed to explain themselves to their respective great forces when they returned? What’s more, if they released Yang Kai, it would be troublesome should he manage to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
At that instant, they didn’t know what to do as they could neither kill him nor release him.
As Ti Zheng and the others traded glances, they were unable to make a decision.
Just then, the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, who had run after Black Crow earlier, returned. He had no idea what was going on, so he couldn’t help but ask, “What are you all doing?”
Another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master parted his lips and quietly informed him of the situation, causing the former to frown.
Ti Zheng asked, “Where’s Black Crow?”
“He escaped,” that person said resentfully. Black Crow was an Old Monster who had been reborn by taking over someone’s body, and he had also cultivated a Heaven-defying Secret Art. Even though the one who chased him was a High-Rank Open Heaven Master, Black Crow still managed to throw him off. Left with no choice, he could only come back.
They were not able to either kill or release Yang Kai, while Black Crow had captured their people and fled. Their plot this time could be said to be a complete failure; therefore, all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters sported extremely dark expressions.
While they were in a dilemma, Yang Kai suddenly asked loudly, “What’s going on with this Shadowless Cave Heaven? Why can’t I open the portal?”
Initially, Ti Zheng wanted to ignore him. The failure this time would definitely damage his reputation in Myriad Demons Heaven. When he returned to his great force, he would probably be demoted and punished. Presently, he was wondering how he could settle the issue, so he wasn’t in the mood to reply to Yang Kai. However, as he darted his eyes around, he suddenly thought of something and with a smile, he said to Yang Kai, “You’re just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, so you’re unable to open the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
“Why is that?” Yang Kai gazed at him with a tilted head.
Ti Zheng explained, “That’s because there’s a restriction around the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The minimum requirement to pass through this barrier is to be in the Open Heaven Realm. It’s just like how the barrier around the Blood Monster Cave Heaven dictated that only those below the Open Heaven Realm Masters could enter it. The Shadowless Cave Heaven is just the opposite. Only Open Heaven Realm Masters can go in.”
“I see,” Yang Kai muttered under his breath as though he had already expected it.
While both parties were locked in an intense battle just now, he had repeatedly attempted to open up the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Unfortunately, even though he had found the entrance, he was obstructed by some kind of repulsive force, which stopped him from succeeding. He had a feeling that he was not powerful enough to force it open. If he had sufficient strength, he could easily enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
“Do you want to go in? It’s easy. Just ascend to the Open Heaven Realm.” Ti Zheng grinned.
Upon hearing that, the other three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters arched their brows as they realised Ti Zheng’s intention.
“You want me to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm?” Yang Kai sneered at him.
Ti Zheng shrugged and coughed before saying, “It’s entirely up to you whether you want to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm, and no one can force you to do so. However, I have to tell you that the Shadowless Cave Heaven isn’t a pleasant place. Over the years, many people have entered it, but none of them have managed to come out, so no one knows what the situation is like inside or how dangerous it is. It has been half a year since Lan You Ruo fell into it. If you’re too slow, you might not even have a chance to retrieve her corpse. Nevertheless, I heard that you’re proficient in the Dao of Space. After you go in, you might be able to find a way out. Lan You Ruo’s life or death is up to you now.”
He seemed to be encouraging Yang Kai to break through right now, so upon hearing that, Yue He paled and exclaimed, “Don’t listen to him, Young Master!”
Yang Kai remained in his 3,000 metres Dragon Form as he narrowed his eyes and looked condescendingly at Ti Zheng.
Even though Ti Zheng’s face was somewhat pale, he still stared back at him smilingly.
A moment later, Yang Kai closed his eyes and returned to his Human Form. Things had come to a point where they wouldn’t fight again. Ti Zheng and the others were wary of the Dragon Clan, so they wouldn’t kill Yang Kai. On the other hand, Yang Kai had no way to defeat them, so it was pointless to sustain his Dragon Form.
Ti Zheng observed his expression and realised that Yang Kai sported a conflicted look, as though he was trying to make a difficult decision.
Upon that realization, Zhu Jiu Yin shot him a glance, “Brat, are you really…”
Yue He anxiously spoke up, “You have come so far in this path, Young Master. It would be an incredible shame if you fail at the last step. Please don’t even think about it!”
Yang Kai turned to look at her and realised that her eyes were filled with concern and anxiety. There was still a trail of blood at the corner of her mouth. All of a sudden, he stopped hesitating and calmed down as his gaze turned resolute. Then, he took a step forward and helped her brush away the blood on her lips before gently saying, “It’s indeed a shame to fail at the last step, but… I should have my own power now.”
As a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, he was too weak and insignificant in all these battles.
When he was besieged by Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan from Heavenly Sword Union back then, all he could do was stay behind everyone’s protection. Now, he was attacked by Ti Zheng and the others, but all he could do was let his companions protect him. He could only watch as Zhu Jiu Yin fought a life-and-death battle with the enemy while Yue He and the others repeatedly spat blood just to shield him from harm.
He wouldn’t want to go through this kind of terrible experience again as it pained him to see his companions being harmed while he was powerless to help.
As that realisation dawned upon him, all his worries melted away and he was left with a decision in his mind, which was ascending to the Open Heaven Realm!
All of a sudden, he felt as though he had been enlightened.
Only by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm would he have a right to be viewed as important in the 3,000 Worlds. Only by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm would he be able to enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven and stand a chance to bring the Proprietress out of this place.
“Please don’t do that, Young Master!” Yue He exclaimed. Yang Kai had been working hard, and coupled with his incredible luck, he had managed to condense six High-Rank Elements. As long as he could complete the last step, he would directly ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm and make a name for himself. If he failed at the very last moment, it would be the biggest regret in his life.
Yang Kai spread his arms and flashed a smile at her, “What do you see?”
A puzzled Yue He shook her head, her eyes filled with concern.
Yang Kai explained, “It’s a pair of powerless arms. What can I do with them? Proprietress has fallen into danger because of me, but I’m unable to save her because there’s no power in my hands.”
Then, he balled up his fists as though he was trying to grab something, “Only by having strength that I can call my own, can I change anything.”
He and the Proprietress were unable to wait any longer. Just like what Ti Zheng had said, no one knew what was going on inside the Shadowless Cave Heaven. It had been half a year since the Proprietress fell into it, so there was no telling what kind of danger she was facing. Although the Proprietress was among the strongest in the Sixth Order, she might not be able to break free from this trap.
Moreover, what was the point if he kept waiting? It was unrealistic for him to obtain a High-Rank Yin Element treasure now. This time, Myriad Demons Heaven led the way and used Proprietress to lure Yang Kai out of Void Land. What would come next? There was no way they would let him off, and the merchants wouldn’t dare to offend all the Cave Heavens and Paradises by selling him a High-Rank Yin Element treasure.
It had been 3 years since he started developing the Star City and business had been excellent, with all the streets filled with people buying and selling all manner of goods. However, although he had offered a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill and a High-Rank Metal Element Monster Core, he still couldn’t get what he wanted.
Even if he kept waiting, he might not be able to achieve his goal in the end.
Rather than waiting for a dream that was out of reach, the most important thing for him now was to have his own strength.
Affirming his decision, he turned around as his black hair flapped in the non-existent wind and bellowed, “I’ll ascend to the Open Heaven Realm as you wish, Ti Zheng. I hope you all won’t be too disappointed!”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng rubbed his palms together and guffawed, “You’re indeed a promising young man.”
If Yang Kai wanted to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm now, he wouldn’t be able to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master because he didn’t have a High-Rank Yin Element treasure. He could only make it to the Sixth Order at most. In that case, they were willing to accept such an outcome.
All this while, they had been worried that Yang Kai would directly ascend to the Seventh Order, giving him a chance to become a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and challenge the order of the 3,000 Worlds.
If he only ascended to the Sixth Order, there would no longer be any worries. The highest limit a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could achieve was the Eighth-Order. There were quite a number of Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who stood guard over the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so Yang Kai wouldn’t be able to cause a stir.
At that instant, Ti Zheng found Yang Kai to be less despicable as he secretly cursed at the latter for being so difficult. If Yang Kai had made up his mind earlier, they wouldn’t have had to go through so much effort. If word got out that some of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, led by Myriad Demons Heaven, joined forces just to suppress an Emperor Realm Junior, all of them would lose a lot of face.
“Young Master…” Yue He still wanted to dissuade him.
Yang Kai raised his hand and stroked her head, “Stand guard for me.”
With her lips pressed together, Yue He gazed at him with reddened eyes.
While Qu Hua Shang heaved a sigh, Bai Qi sported a conflicted expression, not knowing what to say. He felt extremely guilty and thought that things might not have come to such a point if he hadn’t gone to Void Land to look for Yang Kai.
However, he didn’t know what else to do. If he stopped Yang Kai, it was akin to letting the Proprietress perish. If he let Yang Kai ascend to the Open Heaven Realm at this point, the latter’s future would be ruined. He was truly caught in a dilemma.
“Why do you all wear such expressions?” Yang Kai flashed a smile at his companions.
Zhu Jiu Yin spoke after a sigh, “Brat, it’s up to you whether you want to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm or not. You have to think it through.”
Even though she had once tried to force Yang Kai to refine a Sixth-Order Element in Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary back then, that was because she wanted to increase his strength to prepare for the Spirit Seizing War so that he could stand a better chance to become the winner. Now that he had to voluntarily give up the dream he had been pursuing for years, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
The main reason she stopped forcing him at that time was that he threatened to kill himself, which showed just how firm his determination was.
“I’ve made up my mind.” Yang Kai smiled and nodded. He appeared completely at ease. Even though he would ruin the foundation he had built by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm today, he would never regret his decision.
That was because if he insisted on being stubborn, the people around him he cared about would be hurt. That was a future he would never want to see.
“Does any one of you have a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure? Give it to me.” Yang Kai gazed at his companions, who shook their heads at the same time.
He arched his brow and turned to look at Zhu Jiu Yin.
She said, “Why are you looking at me? This Queen does have some Sixth-Order materials, but none of them are of the Yin Element.”
Among all the seven Elements, Yin and Yang were much harder to find than Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Yang Kai had spent lots of Open Heaven Pills to buy all sorts of materials, so he was fully aware of that.
Yue He was now a part of Void Land, so it was reasonable that she didn’t have any Sixth-Order Yin Element treasures on her. That was because many people in Void Land needed Sixth-Order materials right now, and such materials were difficult to come by. Be it the items Yang Kai had acquired back then or the new Sixth-Order materials that had appeared in the Star City, they were all given to the cultivators who needed them in Void Land, so there was basically nothing left.
Certainly, Bai Qi and Qu Hua Shang didn’t have one either. The former had followed the Proprietress for a long time. If there were any precious items, the Proprietress would keep them and only give them to him when needed. As for the latter, even though she was a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she had just ascended to the Sixth Order. Hence, she didn’t need any Sixth-Order materials to improve her cultivation for now.
Yang Kai hadn’t expected that he would have to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm when he left Void Land, which was why he hadn’t prepared anything. Although he had made up his mind, he didn’t have the item he needed, and even the cleverest woman could not cook a meal without rice.
All of them appeared embarrassed in this situation.
Yang Kai glared at Zhu Jiu Yin and asked, “You’d been accumulating wealth for a long time in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Why don’t you even have a single Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure?”
Zhu Jiu Yin rolled her eyes and replied, “This Queen doesn’t need those things to cultivate, so what’s the point of collecting them? Moreover, it’s also hard to find Yin and Yang materials in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.”
This was giving Yang Kai a headache as he didn’t know what to do.
Across from them, Ti Zheng and the others were supposed to be at ease. As soon as Yang Kai ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, the burden on their shoulders would be lifted. However, this unexpected situation rendered them speechless at that instant.
Certainly, they were more than happy to see Yang Kai ascending to the Open Heaven Realm at this point as he would no longer be a threat to them once he did. Although they hadn’t managed to kill him as they had planned, the outcome was acceptable as they could explain themselves to the great forces behind them.
However, it would be troublesome for them as well if Yang Kai couldn’t achieve an ascension because there wasn’t a Yin Element material available.
Since they were not able to kill everyone here, they wouldn’t dare to make a move on a member of the Dragon Clan; otherwise, they would have to face the Dragon Clan’s wrath. Nevertheless, they were not willing to let Yang Kai go just like this.
While they were in a dilemma, they saw Yang Kai staring at them.
The corners of Ti Zheng’s brow twitched as he asked vigilantly, “Why are you looking at me?”
Yang Kai snorted, “Since you want me to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm here, I’m willing to grant your wish; however, you should show me some sincerity in return.”
“What do you mean?” Ti Zheng furrowed his brows.
“Stop asking the obvious. You know what I want.”
A speechless Ti Zheng gazed at him and fell silent for a moment before parting his lips to secretly speak to his companions. Although he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he didn’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material on hand; therefore, he could only ask the others whether they had such an item.
If they could solve this issue by offering up a Sixth-Order Yin Element material, it would be acceptable. Although Ti Zheng was displeased, he still suppressed his anger.
However, after asking around, he realised that none of them had such a resource.
Just like Zhu Jiu Yin, they had some Sixth-Order materials but not Yin and Yang ones. That was because Yin and Yang materials were extremely rare. Even if they obtained such items, they either had to give them to their respective Sects for the disciples’ cultivation needs or refine these items themselves. The Cave Heavens and Paradises were extremely powerful, so they needed more of these rare resources compared to Void Land.
Ti Zheng glanced at Yang Kai and declared, “None of us have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material.”
Yang Kai’s face fell, “All of you are Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who are filthy rich, and you’re telling me that none of you has a single Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure. Do you think I was born yesterday?”
Ti Zheng snapped, “Believe it or not, we don’t have the item you need!”
Upon hearing the reply, Yang Kai put on a sneer.
His expression enraged Ti Zheng. Instead of getting prepared for his ascension, Yang Kai was now blaming others for not having the item he needed, which was ridiculous. However, after giving it a thought, Ti Zheng realised that Yang Kai had always focused on looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in order to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even if a Sixth-Order Yin Element material was presented to him in the past, he probably wouldn’t even spare it a glance. This time, he was forced to achieve a breakthrough, so it was expected that he wasn’t prepared.
After a cough, Ti Zheng said, “Do you want a Fifth-Order Yin Element? This Monarch has a very good Fifth-Order Heavenly Yin Sand, which is hard to come by. It’s the best kind of material in the Fifth Order. If you want, this Monarch can give it to you.”
Yang Kai bellowed, “You may kill me, but you cannot humiliate me, Ti Zheng! You’ve forced me to ascend to the Sixth Order, which is my bottom line, but now you want me to ascend to the Fifth Order? What is this? Regardless of how great that Heavenly Yin Sand may be, it’s still a Fifth-Order material! Can it help me ascend to the Sixth Order? Why don’t we just fight it out and leave the rest to fate?”
Upon realising that his suggestion was indeed unrealistic, Ti Zheng fell silent. Yang Kai had built such a solid foundation, and he was gifted enough to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly. He was practically forced to ascend to the Sixth Order, so it would be outrageous if they still asked him to lower his expectations further and become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If they pushed him over the edge now, this young man might do something crazy to retaliate against them.
If they got into a fight again, they wouldn’t dare to ruthlessly kill Yang Kai. By then, they would be the ones who suffered losses.
After giving it a thought, Ti Zheng asked, “Why don’t you wait here for a while? This Monarch will send a message and tell someone to bring a Sixth-Order Yin Element material over.”
In fact, he was completely vexed deep inside. His goal was to kill Yang Kai to nip this problem in the bud, but things had come to a point that he seemed to be begging the young man to achieve an ascension as soon as possible. Moreover, he had to prepare a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure for him, which was simply preposterous.
He had lived for a long time, but there had never been a time when he felt so vexed.
Yang Kai asked in a grim voice, “How long will it take?”
Ti Zheng replied, “It’s unrealistic to go back to Myriad Demons Heaven now; however, this Monarch can tell someone to buy a Sixth-Order Yin Element material in the Shattered Heaven’s Star City where all sorts of goods are available, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find the item you want. It’ll probably take one month for the thing to be sent here.”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “That’s a long wait.”
Ti Zheng frowned, “It’s just one month.”
Yang Kai said, “I can’t wait any longer.”
“What do you want then?”
Yang Kai reminded him, “I want a Sixth-Order Yin Element material right now.”
Ti Zheng bellowed, “I told you we don’t have one. Do you want this Monarch to make it appear out of thin air?”
“I don’t believe you!” Yang Kai swept a glance over the Space Rings on their fingers, “Unless you let me examine your rings.”
The faces of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters fell. Ti Zheng stared coldly at Yang Kai and snapped, “Brat, do you know what you’re talking about?”
“Are you going to agree to it or not?” Yang Kai sneered and gazed arrogantly at him, “Fine, I don’t want to see your rings anymore. Let’s go back to Void Land. I don’t believe I’ll never get a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in my lifetime!”
Then, he seemed ready to bring everyone back home in a resolute manner.
Ti Zheng questioned, “Are you going to let Lan You Ruo perish here?”
Yang Kai shot him a glance, “You’d better pray that she’s safe. If anything happens to her, I’ll destroy Myriad Demons Heaven right after I ascend to the Ninth Order. I’ll remember what you’ve done to me and visit all of you one by one when the time comes. I hope you’ll still be able to laugh by then.”
“Impudence!” Ti Zheng roared.
“Wait a moment, Little Friend Yang,” another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master suddenly spoke up. His voice suggested that he was pretty old now.
Yang Kai shot him a cold glance, “What now?”
The old voice was heard saying, “Since you’re a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, it must have been quite some time since you started cultivating. So, you should know that a Space Ring is the most personal possession to a cultivator and it mustn’t be examined by anyone else easily. If you want to inspect our rings, it’s no different from humiliating us. We’ve lived for a long time, so we do have a reputation to preserve.”
Yang Kai scoffed, “You four are High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but you joined forces and plotted against an Emperor Realm cultivator like me. I’m surprised to learn that you actually still care about your reputation.”
The old voice replied impassively, “If you were on your own, all of us wouldn’t have shown up; however, since you have some powerful protectors, we have no choice but to come all the way here, but now is not the time to talk about such things. What this Old Master means is, we can let you examine our rings to prove to you that we didn’t lie to you. We really don’t have the Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure you need; however, what if you still don’t find any Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure after going through all of our rings?”
“What do you want?” Yang Kai questioned.
The old voice said, “Since you want to humiliate us, we can’t possibly bear it for nothing. There’s a price you have to pay, little friend.”
Yang Kai swept an impassive glance over them and frowned. After giving it a thought, he suddenly said through clenched teeth, “I don’t believe that you don’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material, but if I still can’t find one after examining all of your rings, I’ll ascend to the Fifth-Order.”
His expression was that of a gambler who had lost it all.
Upon hearing that, all of them were stunned.
An anxious Yue He said, “You can’t do that, Young Master!”
Yang Kai was unable to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the Sixth Order was supposed to be his bottom line; the Fifth Order was totally unacceptable. If he ascended to the Fifth Order, the highest limit for him would be the Seventh Order in the future. In other words, the end of Yang Kai’s Martial Dao was his initial starting point. The disparity between expectation and reality was too great to bear.
Bai Qi said, “You mustn’t ascend to the Fifth Order, Yang Kai!”
Qu Hua Shang also dissuaded him from doing so.
Yang Kai put on a bitter smile, “I can’t ascend to the Seventh-Order, and there isn’t a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure now. What can I do if I don’t ascend to the Fifth Order? Wait for them to get the item I want from Shattered Heaven’s Star City? Who knows what could happen to Proprietress in one month, we can’t wait any longer.” As he spoke, he secretly winked at Yue He, “Do you remember that thing I have?”
Yue He, who was about to dissuade him again, became startled as she suddenly thought of something.
[That’s right. Young Master still has ‘that’ thing. With that item in his possession, it makes no difference whether he ascends to the Fifth-Order or Sixth-Order, he can even use this to trick others into believing that he’ll only become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and stop them from targeting him. In that case, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.]
On the other hand, Ti Zheng and the others exchanged glances as they appeared ecstatic.
Even though a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was fairly powerful in the 3,000 Worlds, such a person was nothing in the eyes of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. If Yang Kai really ascended to the Fifth Order, it was something worth celebrating for the great forces behind them.
A Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would never be able to move the world order. For a cultivator who had the hopes of becoming a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to end up in such a state, it was no different from killing him.
Instead of ending his life, they had killed his future.
Ti Zheng’s gaze brightened as he asked, “Are you serious?”
Yang Kai gazed at him with a tilted head, “You look happy, don’t you?”
Ti Zheng coughed, “Not really. However, a wise man knows when to submit to the circumstances. This Monarch is gratified that you’ve made such a decision.”
“Cut the nonsense,” Yang Kai replied dispassionately.
Ti Zheng and the others then secretly spoke to each other. Certainly, they were sure that they didn’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material. Even if Yang Kai wanted to examine their rings, they weren’t afraid.
Although it was humiliating for these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to let an Emperor Realm Junior examine their Space Rings, it was better than remaining in this stalemate forever. It was especially true for Ti Zheng. He was injured in the battle against Zhu Jiu Yin, so he desperately needed a quiet place to recuperate and stabilize his Small Universe; otherwise, he might be left with some potential issues later.
The others were in a better state, but they were also wounded. Moreover, as High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, they didn’t want to keep wasting time on Yang Kai anymore. By settling this issue as soon as possible, they could go back and tell everyone that they had achieved their goal.
Therefore, they soon came to an agreement.
Ti Zheng scolded, “Brat, we all agree that we’ll let you examine our rings; however, if you can’t find any Sixth-Order Yin Element materials, you must not go back on your word. Otherwise, we’ll kill you right here even if we have to face the Dragon Clan’s wrath!”
Yang Kai sneered, “Don’t worry. Even though I’m just an Emperor Realm cultivator, I value my reputation. Unlike some other people, I’ll never go back on my word.” Then, he spread his palm, “Pass me your rings. Oh, take out everything from your Small Universes as well. I know that the Small Universes of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters like you all must have materialised. Not only can you store some stuff inside it, but you can also let some living creatures live inside it.”
Ti Zheng and the others sported dark expressions; however, things had come to a point where they didn’t want to argue with Yang Kai anymore. Therefore, they fished out a number of things from their Small Universes and put them inside their Space Rings.
Obviously, Yang Kai was unable to find out whether they had actually taken everything out, unless he could also inspect the Small Universes in their bodies.
However, that would never happen. Ti Zheng and the others had made a concession by letting Yang Kai go through their Space Rings, but there was no way they’d let anyone probe their Small Universes, or else they’d be risking their lives.
Even if they had some precious items stashed in their Small Universes, they wouldn’t put them into their Space Rings. Yang Kai was fully aware of that.
Soon, their Space Rings fell into Yang Kai’s hands. The restrictions on the rings had been erased so that he could easily examine them.
When Yang Kai scanned one of the rings with his Divine Sense, he couldn’t help raising his brow.
The wealth of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master was truly astonishing. Open Heaven Pills had been piled up like mountains, and there were countless resources, which included many Sixth-Order ones. There was even one Seventh-Order material in this particular ring. The number of artifacts in the ring was mind-blowing as well.
He didn’t have time to go through them one by one, but Yang Kai reckoned that the resources in this ring were worth more than 10 billion Open Heaven Pills.
Obviously, that wasn’t all this man’s wealth. The truly precious items must be kept inside his Small Universe.
Unfortunately, none of the Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order materials were Yin or Yang.
Yang Kai set the ring aside and looked at the next, finding it to be about the same.
Ti Zheng and the others were just standing nearby as they watched Yang Kai joyfully go through all the rings. All of them found it odd as they never expected that things would develop into such a situation.
Their initial goal was to kill Yang Kai in this place; however, not only was Yang Kai alive and kicking, but they would also have to help him ascend to the Open Heaven Realm. Besides that, they had also passed their Space Rings to him to inspect. What they had done was no different from financially supporting their enemy.
Nevertheless, they could not object.
Although they were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had lived for many years, it was the first time they had such a strange experience.
It only took Yang Kai a short time to examine all of the rings.
Ti Zheng asked, “Now you know we didn’t lie to you.”
Yang Kai looked up and roared, “The Heavens are unfair!”
Upon seeing that he appeared crestfallen, Ti Zheng and the others felt less frustrated. Since they had confronted and attempted to kill each other before, there wasn’t a need for them to be polite to him. Ti Zheng said, “In that case, you should give our rings back to us.”
Yang Kai nonchalantly tossed the Space Rings at Yue He and kept only a bottle that was half his height.
They were too gullible to think that he would return the rings to them. Yang Kai had relented and agreed to become a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but since he didn’t have the item he needed, he could only lower his expectation and ascend to the Fifth-Order.
With the existence of a particular item he possessed, it made no difference whether he ascended to the Fifth Order or the Sixth Order, and he would be able to deceive the outside world. However, there was a price to pay if he wanted to use that precious treasure.
The thing was so valuable that the Space Rings of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could only be considered as a slight compensation for it. There was no way he would give the rings back to them, for he still had Void Land to run. Even though he had a Star City to help gather resources, he wouldn’t mind more good things.
“You dare covet our Space Rings!?” Ti Zheng glared at Yang Kai. He was so exasperated that he laughed and nodded, “Very good! You’re indeed bold enough!”
Ignoring him, Yang Kai fiddled with the bottle and shook it. As he listened to the ringing sound coming from the bottle, he asked, “Is this the Heavenly Yin Sand that you’d mentioned?”
Presently, Ti Zheng was fuming within him, so upon hearing the question, he snorted and did not reply to him.
In fact, the moment he passed the Space Ring to Yang Kai, he had a feeling that he would never get it back; however, he was incensed at the fact that the young man did it in such a brazen way. It was apparent that he had no regard for them at all.
Yang Kai gazed at Ti Zheng and questioned, “Are you deaf? Is this the Heavenly Yin Sand?”
Ti Zheng looked away and pretended that he didn’t hear him.
Yang Kai said smilingly, “It seems that it’s not Heavenly Yin Sand. I won’t break through then.”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng glowered at him and said through clenched teeth, “Don’t you cross the line, Yang Kai!”
The faint smile on Yang Kai’s face made Ti Zheng have the urge to give him a punch. After taking a deep breath, he said, “Heavenly Yin Sand is extremely hard to come by. It’s one of the rarest among the Fifth-Order materials. It’s just that it isn’t a Sixth-Order material. However, the Divine Ability you’ll obtain through this item is as powerful as that of most Sixth-Order Powers once you condense it. The one in your hands was meant for another disciple in my great force. I have no choice but to give it to you.”
Yang Kai snorted, “I was supposed to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but I can only make do with the Fifth-Order because of you all. Who is the one taking advantage here?”
Ti Zheng fell silent.
“Forget it. I’m not in the mood to bicker with you.” Yang Kai lightly threw the bottle into the air and said to Zhu Jiu Yin, “Please stand guard for me, Senior.”
After a moment of silence, Zhu Jiu Yin reminded, “Brat, this is an important matter, so you must think it through.”
Yang Kai replied with a bitter smile, “I’m like an arrow on the string now; there’s no going back for me.”
If he went back on his word at this point, he was basically forcing Ti Zheng and the others to fight to the death with them. They had Zhu Jiu Yin’s protection, so they would easily escape from this place, but they wouldn’t stand a chance to save the Proprietress.
Furthermore, Zhu Jiu Yin had been wounded after the previous battle. Presently, she looked pretty battered as was covered in blood.
“Forget it. It’s your own matter and no one else can interfere. I hope you won’t regret your decision in the future.”
After she finished speaking, she flicked her fingers as threads of spider silk criss-crossed each other in the void, forming an impenetrable web which covered a large area except for the spot Yang Kai was in. If Ti Zheng and the others wanted to harm Yang Kai, they had to break her web first.
Ti Zheng and the others had experienced how horrendous this Heaven Covering Web was, so they didn’t dare to fall into it again.
“Young Master…” Yue He’s eyes reddened as she pressed her lips together. She seemed to be holding back her words.
Yang Kai waved his hand, “All of you stand back.”
Then, he gently closed his eyes and thought to himself, [Will I regret my decision?]
If it were for any other reason, he probably would; however, since he was doing this to save Proprietress, he didn’t think there would come a day when he felt regretful.
As he emptied his mind, he calmed himself and sat cross-legged in the centre of the Heaven Covering Web. His aura was curbed while he remained unmoving, as though he had fallen into a state of deep sleep.
Upon seeing that, Yue He and the others knew that it was pointless for them to say anything else, so they spread out and stood guard for Yang Kai in nearby spots. They stared vigilantly at Ti Zheng and the others to prevent them from disturbing Yang Kai while he achieved his breakthrough.
It was completely silent in the void. All of them were paying close attention to Yang Kai as they tended their wounds.
Time went by slowly, and half a day later, Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes and flicked the bottle. Following a clang, the cap flew up as a ray of light shot out of the bottle. It was apparent that the ray of light was made up from countless grains of sand. Every grain exuded a light glow and an extremely cold aura. They looked just like a galaxy that had been shrunk down innumerable times.
Heavenly Yin Sand was indeed one of the best materials in the Fifth Order. As soon as it appeared, the void seemed to have been frozen over as a layer of frost formed on Yang Kai’s clothes and hair.
Instead of resisting, Yang Kai circulated his Secret Art and pushed his Dao Seal to refine the Yin Element Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand.
At that instant, the galaxy formed from the sand seemed to have been attracted by a mysterious force as it swirled and danced around Yang Kai. Looking from afar, it was as if he was engulfed in a storm of silver rain.
Yang Kai had refined other Element Powers before, the last one being the Golden Wolf King’s Monster Core, which was a Seventh-Order Metal Element treasure. Although the Heavenly Yin Sand was extraordinary for its Order, it wasn’t comparable to that Monster Core at all.
Ti Zheng and the others stared intently outside the Heaven Covering Web. Upon seeing that Yang Kai had started refining the Fifth-Order Heavenly Yin Sand, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the process started, it couldn’t be stopped. That was because Yang Kai’s Dao Seal had been affected by the Yin Element Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand as he built his Open Heaven Realm foundation. There was nothing else he could do to reverse it unless he used something like Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water to wipe clean his Dao Seal.
However, in that case, all his previous efforts would also be erased.
Initially, they were worried that Yang Kai might go back on his word; after all, if they were him, they would never be willing to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when they had a chance to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm directly. Therefore, they wouldn’t be surprised even if he went back on his word at the last moment.
However, his action at this moment suggested that he was truly determined.
Therefore, they admired the fact that he was able to leave his aspiration behind and make do with such an inferior result.
Throughout history, only a small number of people were able to directly ascend to the Seventh Order. Given such a chance, Ti Zheng and the others reckoned that they would never give it up, but Yang Kai could do that.
“He’s indeed a loyal brat.” One of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters gently nodded.
“What a shame,” Another person shook his head. It wasn’t certain whether he felt sorry for the fact that Yang Kai had to waste his aptitude or something else. Although they were the ones who forced Yang Kai to take such an action, they still felt sympathetic when they saw him do it.
Ti Zheng put on a smile, “There’s nothing to feel sorry about since we can’t use him.”
The person who spoke earlier gave it a thought and nodded, “You’re right.”
The last person fell silent for a moment before uttering, “This brat’s Dao Seal is indeed very sturdy. Don’t you think the speed at which he’s refining the Heavenly Yin Sand is too fast?”
Upon hearing that, all of them immediately turned to look at Yang Kai. Just like what their colleague had said, the speed at which Yang Kai was refining the Heavenly Yin Sand was outrageously fast. The glowing grains of sand could be seen dimming at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Given his speed, it would only take him one or two days to fully refine the Heavenly Yin Sand.
All of them were stunned as this was a Fifth-Order Yin Element treasure. Its Order was neither too high nor too low. Usually, it would take an average Open Heaven Realm Master a few months to refine it. For someone with a great aptitude, it would still take him ten days to half a month.
The fact that Yang Kai was able to do it in one or two days was unbelievable.
This outcome suggested that Yang Kai’s Dao Seal was extremely sturdy, so the impact of the Fifth-Order Yin Element Power penetrating his body was almost negligible. That was the reason he was able to refine it without any concern.
All of them were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had lived for a long time and seen many gifted people, but none of those people were comparable to Yang Kai. Although they couldn’t inspect his Dao Seal, they believed it was far more robust than that of anyone else just by looking at the speed he was refining the Heavenly Yin Sand.
A person with a sturdy Dao Seal was able to condense Element Powers swiftly, and there was only a minimal risk for him to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm. Coupled with the fact that Yang Kai had Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, it could be said that it was practically risk-free for him to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Now, the crux of the matter was how strong the foundation of his Small Universe would be after he achieved his ascension. With a strong foundation, he would become powerful in the future, and vice versa. Nevertheless, he would still be just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it wouldn’t matter regardless of how strong his foundation would be.
While Ti Zheng and the others were paying close attention to Yang Kai, Zhu Jiu Yin and her companions were staring vigilantly at the other party. On the other hand, Yang Kai was focused on refining the Heavenly Yin Sand in the centre of Heaven Covering Web.
A sense of coldness penetrated his physique through his pores before converging in his Dao Seal under his guidance.
The Powers of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, and Yang had already gathered together in his Dao Seal, so he needed only one more. As he absorbed the Yin Element Power from the Heavenly Yin Sand, his Dao Seal gradually became complete.
The Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers mutually supported and suppressed one another as they formed an endless cycle in his body.
The power of the cycle clashed within his Dao Seal, and following every collision, there seemed to be a bell that rang loudly in his body, which shook his very soul.
Initially, this kind of movement was still not conspicuous, but as Yang Kai refined more of the Yin Element Power, the movement became increasingly violent.
When Yang Kai refined his Metal Element Power, thus gathering all Five Element Powers previously, he realised that a crack had appeared in his Dao Seal. He was shocked as he thought that something had gone wrong with his cultivation; however, he couldn’t feel there were any problems with him. Be it cultivating or using his strength, he faced no obstacles at all. Instead, he felt that his power had increased after he condensed the Metal Element Power.
Still worried, he asked Yue He about it.
It was then he learned that when a cultivator ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, his Dao Seal would break apart to allow his own Grand Dao to merge with the Seven Elements to form his Small Universe.
Nevertheless, the average cultivator would only see his Dao Seal cracking when ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, but such an incident happened to Yang Kai in advance. Perhaps the Order of the Elements he had condensed was too high, leading to such a result.
Regardless, this was a good thing for him. Anyone who wished to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm had to go through this trial. If he couldn’t successfully integrate his Grand Dao with his Small Universe, his ascension would fail. Since Yang Kai’s Dao Seal had started cracking earlier, things would become easier when he attempted his breakthrough.
As he condensed more of the Yin Element Power, more cracks started appearing on his Dao Seal, as though it would collapse at any moment.
At the same time, a chaotic aura started exuding from Yang Kai, who was seated in the centre of Heaven Covering Web.
Anyone who noticed this aura would be stunned as they stared fixedly at Yang Kai. All of them were Open Heaven Realm Masters who had tread the same path, so they were aware that it was the most critical moment for Yang Kai.
Before Heaven and Earth split apart, there was only chaos. It was apparent that Yang Kai was on the brink of achieving his breakthrough. So far, it had only been one day since he started refining the Heavenly Yin Sand.
Anyone could see that the Heavenly Yin Sand, which looked like a swirling galaxy, had lost all its glow and spirituality. That was because the Yin Element Power within it had been fully absorbed.
There was no doubt that Yang Kai was a genius.
Even the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to refine a Fifth-Order material in a day, not to mention a mere Emperor Realm Junior.
A mysterious power trembled violently within Yang Kai’s body. With him as the centre, visible ripples were seen spreading out in a regular manner.
Since all the Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand had been refined, it turned into dust and scattered with the wind as soon as it came into contact with these ripples.
Meanwhile, all of Yang Kai’s skin had reddened as his chaotic aura became even more conspicuous.
He felt like he had been trapped inside a thick membrane, as though he had returned to his mother’s womb. He was restricted in every way, which made him feel extremely unpleasant.
Inside his Dao Seal, Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers moved in a cyclical manner as they clashed with Yang Kai. Following every collision, he felt his Soul shuddering violently. Not only was he unable to make his mind focus, but he also couldn’t control one bit of his energy.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted as it was only now that he realised how dangerous the process of ascending to the Open Heaven Realm really was. If he wasn’t careful enough, he would instantly lose his life.
His Dao Seal was pretty sturdy to begin with, and he had consumed a lot of Divine Dao Water which fortified his Dao Seal to the point that there was no room for improvement.
It could be said that within the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, no one was a match for him when it came to the sturdiness of their Dao Seal.
Every time he condensed a High-Rank Element Power, his Dao Seal would be bombarded by that same Power. Fortunately, he managed to endure each time.
When he finally completed his Dao Seal with a Yin Element Power this time, he realised that the collisions he had experienced in the past were nothing compared to what he was going through now.
The Powers in his body, except for the Fifth-Order Yin Element Power he had just refined, were all High-Rank Powers. As they clashed with Yang Kai in succession, he felt his body and Soul shuddering. Only when the Yin Element Power collided with him did he feel an almost negligible impact.
He had to face such a difficult trial even though he was just ascending to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If he really attempted to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the difficulty he would have had to face would be far greater. It was no wonder that only a small number of people had managed to directly break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm throughout history. Even if someone had condensed the requisite High-Rank Elements like Yang Kai, they might still lose their life at this last step.
As more cracks appeared on Yang Kai’s Dao Seal, it seemed that it would break apart soon.
However, he realised that he was still unable to get rid of this thick restrictive membrane around him, and even his mind seemed to be lost in a foggy state. What was worse, the chaotic aura was increasingly thickening.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai came to the realization that if he couldn’t break through the barrier after his Dao Seal exploded, he would fall into danger.
At this life-and-death moment, he became calm instead as he attentively sensed the chaotic aura and let the Powers of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements clash with his Dao Seal without restraint.
He still had some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, but he hadn’t planned on using any of them. It was a good idea to use a Spirit Pill to assist his ascension, but it wouldn’t be as rewarding as if he achieved the ascension through his own perseverance.
He had initially intended to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm directly, but now he had to make do with the Fifth-Order. If he still needed to use a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill now, it would only mean he wasn’t gifted after all.
In the past, he had consumed a fair amount of World Source Liquid, allowing him to sense the magnificence of Heaven and Earth splitting apart.
However, he realised that he couldn’t recall most of the details now. Still, he would never forget that innate feeling.
As time passed, everyone could see that Yang Kai’s skin was alternating between red, white, and blue. That was the result of the Powers of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements weltering in his body.
The Primordial Elements of the Universe turned in an endless cycle, supporting and suppressing one another as the chaotic aura around Yang Kai thickened by the breath. One could see that Yang Kai had been engulfed by very thick fog, which couldn’t be peered through even using one’s Divine Sense.
Yue He was on pins and needles as she stared fixedly at the fog while Bai Qi balled up his fists and hoped that Yang Kai would succeed. To the side, Qu Hua Shang was secretly praying for him.
As Zhu Jiu Yin watched coldly, she couldn’t help but mutter, “What is this smelly brat doing?”
[Is it really so difficult to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm?]
“If this brat can’t break through the fog of chaos, he’ll definitely lose his life,” An old voice was heard coming from one of the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Ti Zheng and the others exchanged glances as they felt that they had probably overestimated Yang Kai’s potential. He was going through so much danger although he was just ascending to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so it probably wouldn’t have mattered even if they allowed him to obtain a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure. Based on their observation, if Yang Kai really attempted to achieve the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he wouldn’t stand a chance of succeeding.
The chaotic aura around Yang Kai was so thick that it had engulfed him entirely. Looking from afar, they felt as though he had been covered in a large cocoon that totally obscured his figure.
Inside the cocoon, Yang Kai was completely at ease as he silently felt the chaotic aura and the state before Heaven and Earth split apart. It was as though he had travelled through time and returned to the beginning of history, when there was still nothing but chaos.
Just then, cracking sounds were heard coming from his heart as his Dao Seal began to shatter. The Dao Seal was the very core of an Emperor Realm cultivator as it was the essence of their cultivation. When the Dao Seal broke apart, it meant that their Grand Dao also started dispersing. If this Dao Essence wasn’t quickly integrated into a Small Universe, the consequences would be dreadful.
Therefore, before the Dao Seal completely collapsed, a Small Universe had to take shape.
In order to achieve that, one had to break through the chaos by splitting Heaven and Earth apart in their body, melding the Seven Elements together into a new World.
At this life-and-death moment, Yang Kai seemed to be oblivious to the situation he was in.
He couldn’t help recalling the moment his body was destroyed by Great Demon God Mo Sheng. It was the final battle between the Star Boundary and the Demon Realm. In order to win that battle, all the Masters from the Star Boundary, including all the Great Emperors, waged war against Great Demon God.
It was in that battle that Yang Kai lost his life under a horrifying attack from the Great Demon God. If it weren’t for the Immortal Tree, he wouldn’t have stood a chance to be reborn.
It could be said that he was someone who had died and come back to life before, so he knew better than anyone else about the cycle of life or death.
Most other people wouldn’t have a chance to experience dying and then being reborn.
All of a sudden, a realisation dawned upon Yang Kai as he felt that he gained enlightenment.
“All life starts with chaos and returns to chaos in the end. What is life? What is death? That doesn’t matter. One will only realise life or death if he’s aware of it. There is no life or death if he knows nothing of it. What is reality? What is an illusion? There are no boundaries in this world, all is a construct of one’s mind!”
As his murmur was heard coming from the cocoon, there seemed to be a spiritual light that penetrated his mind and broke through the thick fog, which allowed him to see a glimmer of the future.
At the same time, the chaotic aura around Yang Kai seemed to have been seized by an invisible hand as it stopped churning entirely.
Just three breaths later, a crack appeared on the chaos cocoon, and soon after, it was covered in cracks.
The aura of Heaven and Earth exuded from it as a brand new World was taking shape, and through the cracks, Yang Kai’s own World Force began to permeate.
*Hong…*
The void shook.
The cocoon shattered all of a sudden and revealed Yang Kai’s figure. His eyes were still tightly closed as he remained seated with his legs crossed in the void; however, there was a storm swirling around him, which made his clothes and hair flap in the wind.
The Dao Seal in his body completely shattered, but there wasn’t a risk of his Grand Dao collapsing. That was because at this exact moment, his newly formed Small Universe absorbed this Grand Dao and integrated with it.
Chaos was broken, and a new World was born!
At that moment, the illusory image of a Small Universe manifested behind Yang Kai’s back. It was his very own world that had just taken shape.
Ti Zheng narrowed his eyes and spoke up, “He actually succeeded.”
He was puzzled as he could see that Yang Kai was about to be consumed by the swirling chaos just now; however, he somehow managed to break through that fog at the last moment and enter the Open Heaven Realm. He didn’t understand what Yang Kai had gone through during that life-and-death moment.
Only Yang Kai knew exactly what had happened.
The moment the Small Universe appeared, Ti Zheng exerted more power with his eyes in an attempt to peer into it. Unfortunately, the Heaven Covering Web was still in place, so he was unable to see it clearly even though he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Upon seeing that Yang Kai had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, Zhu Jiu Yin breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, she was stunned as she gazed forward with a frown.
That was because instead of immediately consolidating his newly formed Small Universe, Yang Kai actually turned his hand over and revealed a rounded bead.
Zhu Jiu Yin immediately recognised that it was his Sealed World Bead. She knew that there was an independent World inside this bead, but she had never entered it due to it not being able to withstand her immense power.
[What’s this brat trying to do by taking his Sealed World Bead out at this point?]
While she was wondering, she saw Yang Kai’s body shake as his Small Universe’s illusory image appeared behind him again. Following that, he nonchalantly tossed his Small World Bead into his Small Universe.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s brows twitched as she exclaimed, “What the hell are you doing, you crazy brat!?”
Yang Kai opened his eyes and grinned at her, “Just taking a little gamble!”
Zhu Jiu Yin felt her chest tightening while Bai Qi and the others widened their mouths in disbelief. Their expressions changed when they realised Yang Kai’s intention.
While they were staring anxiously at him, Yang Kai performed a hand seal and shouted, “Open!”
Following his shout, the Sealed World Bead exploded inside his Small Universe. The bead had been with Yang Kai for many, many years, and it had helped him overcome numerous dangers.
It could be said that the Sealed World Bead was one of the most important treasures throughout his cultivation journey.
At this moment, the bead had completed its last duty and detonated following Yang Kai’s order.
Following that, the Small Universe’s illusory phantom trembled violently because it was suffering from a huge impact that was coming from the collapsed Small Sealed World.
Although the Sealed World Bead looked like a small rounded bead, it contained an entire World within it. At this moment, it was exploding within Yang Kai’s Small Universe, so the immense impact could be imagined.
If Yang Kai was unable to bear such an impact, his newly formed Small Universe would be destroyed, and he would most likely lose his life.
There was no doubt that this was an extremely risky move because he was making a bet on his Small Universe and the Sealed World Bead. Once he failed, he would lose everything.
However, if he succeeded, the Sealed World Bead would integrate into his Small Universe and the benefits he would receive would be inconceivable.
Putting the newly formed Small Universe aside for now, the landmass in the Small Sealed World was quite expansive. When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, Yang Kai had collected many of its fragments and stored them inside the bead. Each fragment contained the heritage left behind by a deceased Eight-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. At that time, countless Open Heaven Realm Masters were trying to snatch these Spirit Province fragments. Yang Kai was weak, so he could only collect a few pieces.
Usually, even an Open Heaven Realm Master wouldn’t dare to absorb these fragments into their Small Universe, unless their aura was extremely similar to that of the Blood Monster Divine Monarch. The consequences of forcefully doing this would be akin to poisoning oneself.
Yang Kai didn’t have to worry about it as he had the Small Sealed World to act as a filter.
Over the years, the Small Sealed World had fully assimilated the aura of those fragments, which significantly strengthened the heritage within the bead.
Furthermore, Yang Kai wasn’t doing this on a whim.
In fact, a long time ago, he had already planned on merging his Sealed World Bead with his Small Universe while he was breaking through to the Open Heaven Realm.
Others didn’t have such an option, but it was different for him.
Both the Small Universe and the Small Sealed World were part of Yang Kai’s heritage, with the latter having been thoroughly painted with his aura, so there was absolutely no conflict when merging the two. However, the problem he was facing now was the impact that had been inflicted on his Small Universe after the Small Sealed World literally exploded. As long as he could get through this trial, he would be able to achieve his goal.
The task was as difficult as ascending to the Open Heaven Realm.
The illusory image behind him continuously expanded as Zhu Jiu Yin and the others watched, their hearts pounding against their chests.
Ti Zheng and the others were puzzled as they didn’t know what Yang Kai had done to make this kind of scene. They had been paying close attention to Yang Kai since the beginning, but after he achieved his breakthrough, all they saw was him toss some kind of bead into his Small Universe, and then this happened.
[What in the world was that bead?]
Although they couldn’t look into what was going on exactly, the ever-expanding illusory phantom suggested that Yang Kai’s Small Universe was experiencing an unimaginable impact.
Yang Kai sported a solemn expression as he repeatedly used different hand seals and focused on controlling his strength to stabilize his Small Universe while merging it with the collapsed Small Sealed World as soon as possible.
Inside his newly formed Small Universe, bolts of lightning flashed across the sky as a great thunderstorm blew through it, as if it was the end of the world. Mu Zhu and Mu Lu hugged each other tightly as they trembled in the medicine garden.
These two petite Wood Spirits had always lived inside the medicine garden in the Small Sealed World. When trying to assimilate the Small Sealed World, Yang Kai didn’t release them as he already had a plan in mind. Although it appeared even more perilous than when he was ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, everything was well within his control.
From time to time, Yang Kai would roar as the illusory image behind him expanded and contorted; however, as time passed, things were showing signs of improvement as the illusory phantom became more stable.
Just like what Yang Kai had expected, everything was going well. The Small Universe was formed by splitting Heaven and Earth apart when he was attempting a breakthrough. On the other hand, the Sealed World Bead had been with him for years, so he was able to control every part of the Small Sealed World as he pleased. That was why everything fell into place as there was no conflict when merging the two.
His Dao Seal had already fallen apart as it turned into Dao Essence which filled the entire Small Universe.
As time passed, the thunderstorm calmed and the illusory phantom behind Yang Kai stabilised, its violent energy fluctuations dissipating.
All the commotion died down.
An Open Heaven Realm’s aura swirled around Yang Kai. That was indeed a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s aura.
Every new Open Heaven Realm Master had to go through this phase and it would take them some time to fortify their cultivation and consolidate their aura so they could take it out and retract it at will.
Yang Kai was now an Open Heaven Realm Master. He had come a long way and encountered countless dangerous incidents. Finally, he took this vital important step.
His emotions undulated in his heart, and as he recalled everything that he had gone through, he couldn’t help but let out a long roar to express his excitement. His roar was so loud that the entire void seemed to be shaking.
It wasn’t until this moment that he had time to examine his own Small Universe. Sending his consciousness inwards, the entire Small Universe appeared in his mind.
The first thing he could see was a gigantic ancient tree. The tree crown stretched out like a colossal umbrella and seemed to cover the entire sky. Extremely rich vitality exuded from every part of the tree as it breathed life into the Small Universe.
At that instant, Yang Kai realised that it was the Manifestation of his Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation in his Small Universe.
He comprehended the Towering Evergreen from his Wood Element Power, which was derived from the Immortal Tree’s essence; therefore, the Manifestation of this Divine Manifestation had something to do with the Immortal Tree.
Upon realising that there was a shadow beneath the tree, Yang Kai became startled for a moment before looking up. There, a dazzling golden Sun hung in the sky. Caws sounded as there seemed to be a three-legged exotic bird flying around inside the Sun.
The shadow under the tree was caused by the great Sun’s glow. It was the Manifestation of his Golden Crow Casts the Sun!
Yang Kai arched his brow as he hadn’t expected his Small Universe to look like this. Besides that, he seemed to understand something at that moment.
As his thoughts flashed, time in the Small Universe seemed to accelerate rapidly. The radiant Sun in the sky traveled across the sky, disappearing beyond the horizon as a bright Moon rose from the opposite side. The Manifestation of Water Reflects the Moon seemed to have cast a silvery glow on the entire Small Universe, giving it an ethereal ambience.
There was a Golden Wolf standing atop a certain mountain as it howled at the Moon. Apart from that, innumerable Stars could be seen twinkling in the sky.
The round Moon was the Manifestation of Yang Kai’s Water Element Power while the Golden Wolf was the Manifestation of his Metal Element Power. As for the Stars, they were the representation of the Heavenly Yin Sand that he had just refined.
As his thoughts flashed, Yang Kai was able to make the Sun and Moon cycle in succession.
A strange feeling filled his heart as at that instant, he realised that his comprehension of the Dao of Time had improved significantly.
He had always been a novice when it came to his studies of the Dao of Time, and that was only thanks to him having learned the Time Flies Seal, without which he couldn’t even have comprehended the basics of Time Principles.
However, after such a long time, he was still considered a beginner in the Dao of Time. That was because most of his time was spent on the comprehension of the Dao of Space.
First of all, he didn’t have a natural aptitude when it came to the studies of Dao of Time, so it would be quite time-consuming if he insisted on learning it. Secondly, his time was limited so he had to focus on one Grand Dao. There were countless Grand Daos in the Universe, but while being versed in many had its advantages, mastering one was still a better choice.
Nevertheless, at this moment, the Dao of Time was like a generous Elder who opened up to him and taught him all kinds of skills and knowledge, tremendously enhancing Yang Kai’s comprehension of it.
The reason behind that was the formation of his Small Universe.
He knew nothing about other people’s Small Universes, but presently, there were Sun, Moon, and Stars in his Small Universe. As these celestial objects that moved in an endless cycle, like a flowing river of time. His entire Small Universe was filled with ample Time Principles, which was how he obtained such tremendous benefits.
There was no doubt that it was a pleasant surprise.
As his thoughts continued flowing through his mind, he saw Mu Zhu and Mu Lu sitting together on the tree branch of a certain Spirit Tree in the transplanted medicine garden. As their heads pressed against one another, they swung their legs and looked dazedly at the starry night sky. While the Stars twinkled, they also batted their eyes.
Mu Lu remarked, “It’s beautiful.”
Mu Zhu uttered, “En. It’s wonderful.”
In the past, although the Small Sealed World was an independent World of its own, they had never seen such a magnificent view before. Now, everything had changed. Since these Wood Spirits started following Yang Kai and settled in the Small Sealed World, they had never seen such a wonderful night sky. The sight before their eyes made them recall the time they grew up in the Star Boundary. Back then, they always loved to sit together and enjoy the mesmerising night view.
Yang Kai retracted his mind and sported a solemn expression.
The situation Mu Zhu and Mu Lu were in suggested that his Small Universe was able to accommodate living creatures, which was contrary to common sense.
In the 3,000 Worlds, only the Small Universes of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were fully corporeal, akin to real Universe Worlds.
Presently, Yang Kai was only a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which was two Orders below the requisite Seventh-Order.
Two Orders was a massive gap that countless cultivators failed to surmount in their lifetime. Although one could slowly cultivate over time, it would take them a painfully long period as well as many fortunate changes to achieve this goal.
However, Yang Kai wasn’t surprised at the outcome. If he attempted to break through like everyone else, his Small Universe would’ve become the same as those of other people. However, the moment his Small Universe was formed upon his ascension, he integrated his Sealed World Bead into his Small Universe, leading to this incredible transformation.
The Sealed World Bead was already able to accommodate living creatures, but due to the limitations of its grade, it was unable to take in Open Heaven Realm Masters without the risk of exploding.
After the Sealed World Bead merged with his Small Universe, the new Small Universe inherited the characteristics of the Sealed World Bead. Accommodating living creatures was just one part of that.
Moreover, there were Sun, Moon, and Stars inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, giving it a day and night cycle. Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements formed into a virtuous cycle. The Grand Dao and World Principles inside it were incredibly complete. Basically, his Small Universe was no different from a real Universe World.
Even the Small Universe of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master might not be as perfect as his.
The Great Sun was a Divine Manifestation he had comprehended after refining the Golden Crow’s True Fire while the Moon was the Manifestation of the Water Element Power he refined from the Moon Essence. If someone wanted to reproduce his success, they would have to refine the Golden Crow’s True Fire and Moon Essence as well.
However, it was extremely difficult to refine the Golden Crow’s True Fire and Moon Essence, both of which were High-Rank materials. One of them was scorching while the other was freezing. Either of them could easily kill a cultivator who absorbed them haphazardly.
In the entire 3,000 Worlds, probably only Yang Kai’s Small Universe contained the Sun and Moon that rose and set.
Upon seeing that Yang Kai was grinning from ear to ear, Zhu Jiu Yin couldn’t help but scoff, “Why are you so ecstatic when you’ve only ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm? Can you be more ambitious, you smelly brat?”
It was then Yang Kai opened his eyes and cupped his fist with a solemn expression, “Many thanks for your protection, Senior.”
If Zhu Jiu Yin hadn’t tagged along, he would’ve been dead by now. Since four High-Rank cultivators were waiting for him in this place, he would have had no hope of surviving. In front of absolute power, all strategy was meaningless.
“From today forward, I consider your oath fulfilled, Senior.”
Since Zhu Jiu Yin had fulfilled her promise, Yang Kai certainly wouldn’t go back on his word. Some time ago, he said that as long as she could escort him to this place, her oath would be completed regardless of whether he survived or not. From now on, she no longer had to protect him.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “Save your platitudes, this Queen is fully aware of that.”
Then, Yang Kai turned to look at Qu Hua Shang and thanked, “Many thanks, Senior Sister Qu.”
Qu Hua Shang shook her head with a bitter smile, “I wasn’t able to help you in any way.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “Simply coming with me is already more than I could have asked for, Senior Sister Qu.” He knew that when she returned to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she would be punished; after all, she had jumped in to interfere when those from Myriad Demons Heaven were dealing with Yang Kai. Since she was a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she was in all essence a representative of her Sect. Her actions this time had tarnished her Sect’s reputation.
Following that, Yang Kai gazed at Yue He and said, “Please take care of Void Land.”
A startled Yue He subconsciously asked, “Where are you going, Young Master?”
Without responding to her, Yang Kai put on a smile before he pressed his palms together and pulled them apart as he shouted, “Open!”
As Space Principles undulated, a huge crack suddenly appeared in front of them. The aura of another world exuded from the crack.
Naturally, it was the aura of the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Ti Zheng was right to say that there was a restriction around this Universe Cave Heaven that would bar anyone below the Open Heaven Realm from entering. Although Yang Kai had found the entrance using Space Principles earlier, he could feel that there was a force that stopped him from entering it.
Upon ascending to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he realised that the force no longer blocked him.
Without hesitation, Yang Kai slipped into the crack as he sent a Divine Sense message to Yue He, “Go back to Void Land and wait for me. I’ll definitely bring Proprietress out of this place.”
Yue He widened her eyes in disbelief and shot forward to follow him, but the crack disappeared the next instant. When she reached the spot, the entrance was nowhere to be seen.
Bai Qi was dumbfounded as well. As they exchanged glances, they inspected the Void around them but failed to find the entrance.
A pale Ti Zheng said, “Stop wasting your time. The entrance is so well hidden that even this Monarch is unable to sense it, let alone you all. The reason that brat can enter it is that he’s a Master of the Dao of Space. Still, it’s a wise choice that he went in alone.”
Zhu Jiu Yin shot him a cold glance, “What do you mean?”
Ti Zheng replied with a smile, “The Shadowless Cave Heaven is an extremely strange place where one can enter but not come out. Over the years, many Open Heaven Realm Masters have accidentally fallen into it, but no one has ever managed to leave, so no one knows what’s going on inside. Although that boy can enter easily enough, he probably doesn’t have the confidence to come out again. So, he doesn’t want to drag all of you into it. Hahaha. He’s just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Does he think he can change anything by going in?”
At this moment, he was completely at ease. Even though he didn’t achieve his goal of killing Yang Kai, he had managed to force him to become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which was good enough.
It could be said that the Cave Heavens and Paradises could stop worrying about anyone challenging their status as Yang Kai’s future was now ruined. The best a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could achieve was the Seventh-Order in the future, which was in the same Order as them now. Moreover, it’d take Yang Kai millennia to reach the Seventh Order by ordinary means, so there was truly nothing for them to worry about.
“Senior Sister Zhu, pardon my previous offence. I’ll take my leave now.” Ti Zheng cupped his fist at Zhu Jiu Yin and left.
They had engaged in a life-and-death battle just now because they were on opposing sides, but there wasn’t any feud between them. Since the issue had been settled, there wasn’t a need to be hostile towards each other. Zhu Jiu Yin was a Divine Spirit after all, so he had to show her due respect.
All four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters turned into rays of light and disappeared from Zhu Jiu Yin’s sight.
They had suffered immense losses in this battle. Other than their own injuries, the over 20 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters that they had brought with them were either killed or captured by Black Crow Divine Monarch. Only five or six of them had survived.
These losses were considered painful for the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It wasn’t easy to nurture Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters as it took a long time and countless resources.
Yue He and Bai Qi were still looking for the entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven as they continuously inspected the area but to no avail. Ti Zheng and the others must have a way to open the portal; otherwise, they couldn’t have made the Proprietress fall into it at an opportune time. There was no way Ti Zheng would tell them how to open it though, so it was pointless for them to ask him about it.
After standing around for a while, Zhu Jiu Yin sighed and said, “Stop wasting your time. The portal is so well hidden that even this Queen is unable to sense anything, so there’s no way you two will find anything even if you keep looking.”
“You cannot sense anything either, Senior?” Bai Qi was stunned.
If Zhu Jiu Yin also couldn’t sense it, there was no way he and Yue He could. After a long sigh, he looked in the direction Yang Kai had disappeared and fell into a dazed state.
In order to save the Proprietress, Bai Qi travelled to Void Land to inform Yang Kai about the incident. In the end, Yang Kai was forced to become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which basically destroyed his future. Now, he had gone into the Shadowless Cave Heaven on his own, and no one was sure whether he could come out again. All these results left Bai Qi feeling extremely guilty.
Yue He stopped making a move as her eyes were filled with anxiety and worry.
Qu Hua Shang came over and comforted her by saying, “Junior Brother Yang is a man who can create miracles that others can’t even dream of. Since he decided to go in on his own, he must have his own considerations and plans.”
Certainly, Yue He was aware of that. Just like what Ti Zheng had said, no one had yet been able to come out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven over the years, so no one knew what was going on inside. Yang Kai must have been worried that none of them could come out if they all went in together, so he decided to venture in alone.
As a Master of the Dao of Space, if he was unable to find a way out, it was pointless for the others to go in with him.
“Let’s go,” Zhu Jiu Yin said. She felt sorry that Yang Kai was forced to become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master on this day, and he had even dived into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so it wasn’t certain whether they’d have a chance to meet again. Since she had gotten rid of the oath restraining her, she felt completely at ease now. The problem now was how she was going to explain this matter to Shan Qing Luo when she returned. It gave her a headache just thinking about that young woman rashly deciding to come all the way here to look for him.
She truly valued this Junior of hers who had a Source from her lineage.
“You all can go back first. I must wait for Young Master here,” Yue He gently replied. Even though she was unable to go in with Yang Kai, she was determined to wait for his return regardless of whether it would take her a month or a century.
“What’s the point of doing that?” Zhu Jiu Yin snapped, “Before he left, he told you to go back to Void Land and take care of his Sect. What’s the point of you lingering here? Void Land is still in its development phase and there is no powerful Master to assume command of it now. Mo Mei has to manage the Star City, so who can take care of Void Land if you don’t go back? If you really want to help that brat, go back and help him manage Void Land well. Wouldn’t it be better if he returns one day and sees a prosperous Sect rather than a desolate one?”
After a moment of silence, Yue He replied in a small voice, “Senior is right.”
Upon seeing that she was willing to listen to reason, Zhu Jiu Yin nodded in satisfaction, “Let’s go.”
A while later, the four of them followed the previous route and left the Shattered Heaven, then Qu Hua Shang bid them farewell. Although she didn’t represent her Sect when she followed Yang Kai to this place, she had indeed caused some trouble; therefore, she had to return to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and receive her punishment. She probably wouldn’t be able to leave her Sect for a while.
…..
Meanwhile, a figure was rapidly shooting towards the Territory Gate in the Shattered Heaven. The person’s face was ashen as he coughed from time to time. Besides the fact that blood was still dripping from the corner of his mouth, his aura was a complete mess. He was none other than Ti Zheng.
Four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had joined forces to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin, but the result of that intense battle was that both parties had been injured. While Zhu Jiu Yin indeed suffered serious wounds, the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters didn’t fare any better.
Ti Zheng was in especially bad condition because Zhu Jiu Yin was incensed at his humiliating remarks towards her, so most of her attacks were targeted at him Ti Zheng during the battle. There were even times when he almost lost his life.
With a bitter smile, Ti Zheng mused on how it was indeed difficult to deal with a mature Divine Spirit. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but if he were to fight a one-on-one fight with Zhu Jiu Yin, he would probably lose his life within an incense stick.
He had never been so severely wounded before. The flesh wounds didn’t matter as they would heal eventually, the problem was his Small Universe. The fierce battle destabilised his Small Universe and caused his World Force to become chaotic.
Now, he desperately needed to look for a place to stabilize his Small Universe; otherwise, he would be left with huge problems in the future.
His situation was similar to what Bai Qi had recently experienced. The reason Bai Qi got out of danger was that he had consumed a Star Gathering Universe Pill. If there were also Star Gathering Universe Pills around at this moment, it could help alleviate Ti Zheng’s problem.
Bai Qi was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so just one pill was enough to fix his situation. On the other hand, Ti Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so he would require more pills.
Unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to refine such pills, so they were always scarce on the market. Back then, Yang Kai had paid a huge price to find an Alchemist to refine the pill; hence, even though Ti Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he didn’t have such a pill on him.
Furthermore, he had never expected that he would need such a pill one day. If he had only known, he would’ve prepared one in advance.
Presently, he had parted ways with the other three Masters. He had been feigning calm and nonchalance so that no one could tell how serious his injuries were; however, now that he was alone, he was unable to conceal his condition anymore. His Small Universe was continuously shaking while the weltering World Force caused his blood to churn.
All of a sudden, he looked to the side and bellowed, “Who goes there!”
Looking up, he saw someone surrounded by Demon Qi rapidly approaching him. Ti Zheng stared intently and saw through the Demon Qi, and upon making out the person’s face, he set his mind at ease.
When the person reached Ti Zheng, he cupped his fist and greeted, “Sir.”
Ti Zheng nodded lightly, and then he suddenly grunted and coughed out some blood.
The person asked in shock, “Are you injured, Sir?”
Ti Zheng waved his hand and replied, “I’m fine. Where are the others?”
The person said in a bitter voice, “They’re all gone. Only I managed to escape. Earlier, Black Crow Divine Monarch had been hunting us down, so we had no choice but to run and hide. When I sensed your aura just now, I immediately came to you.”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng felt speechless. This time, Myriad Demons Heaven had sent out seven Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but only one of them survived in the end, which was a complete tragedy. He secretly swore that he would capture Black Crow one day and let him know the consequences of offending him.
Then, he stared deeply at the person and said, “You’re pretty lucky.”
The person before his eyes was just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had died, but this Fifth-Order kid managed to survive.
Embarrassed, the person replied, “I’m too weak, so Black Crow didn’t target me immediately. Perhaps that’s why I had a chance to flee.”
Right then, Ti Zheng grunted again. Besides from his lips, blood was also leaking from his eyes and nostrils, which made him look extremely miserable.
The person exclaimed, “Are you alright, Sir?”
Still, Ti Zheng waved his hand.
The person immediately summoned a ship and said, “Please board and recuperate, Sir. I’ll bring us back to Myriad Demons Heaven now.”
Ti Zheng nodded and entered the ship. After finding a secret room, he opened the isolation barriers, sat down crossed-legged and stuffed some pills into his mouth. As he emptied his mind and circulated his Secret Art, he tried to bring order to the chaos in his Small Universe.
His injuries couldn’t be healed in a short period of time, so even if he returned to Myriad Demons Heaven, it would take him three to five years to fully recover.
Meanwhile, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven was standing silently on the deck as the ship moved towards somewhere in the Shattered Heaven. As Demon Qi undulated, a small part of the fog floated away and revealed a pair of fervent and tempted eyes. Soon, a sense of determination flashed through his gaze as beneath the Demon Qi, the person curved his lips into a ferocious grin.
One hour later, Ti Zheng, who was recuperating in the secret room, became alarmed as he hurriedly opened his eyes. A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him had incredibly sharp intuition, so he was often able to detect danger before it even befell him.
Before he could figure out what was going on, he heard an explosion and the ship rocked violently.
The ship had been struck and was about to explode!
Upon that realization, Ti Zheng roared and shot up as he used his immense power to repel the shrapnel around him.
Just when he tried to find out what had happened, he felt a violent force coming at him from all directions, which caused him to spray out a mouthful of blood.
Even though the explosion was powerful, it couldn’t possibly harm him. The reason he fell into such a state was that he had been interrupted while he was in a meditative state. These were no ordinary injuries as his Small Universe had been destabilised, so he couldn’t be interrupted while trying to stabilize them.
At that instant, he realised that the condition of his Small Universe had been exacerbated; instead of healing, it had actually worsened.
While Ti Zheng looked around in a dazed state, he saw a figure surrounded by Demon Qi come flying at him backwards.
The person was the only subordinate of Ti Zheng’s that survived. It wasn’t certain what kind of attack he had suffered from, but at this moment, he was spraying out a mouthful of blood and tumbling through the void like a sack.
“Sir! Run! Black Crow set up an ambush!” The person exclaimed.
“Black Crow!?” Ti Zheng was both shocked and infuriated.
If he were in peak condition, he, a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, naturally wouldn’t be afraid of Black Crow; however, at this moment, his Small Universe was in an unstable state, so he wasn’t able to battle against anyone. If he forcefully tried to stimulate his World Force, there would be a risk his Small Universe would collapse, and the consequences would be dreadful. He felt resentful, thinking that Black Crow must be aware that he was in a terrible condition, so the latter seized the chance and attacked him. There was no doubt that Black Crow was a despicable person.
After hesitating between fighting and fleeing for a moment, Ti Zheng gritted his teeth and turned to leave.
Presently, Black Crow had many powerful Open Heaven Realm Masters working for him, and he himself was a Master who had been reborn by seizing another’s body, so he probably had a lot of dangerous methods at his disposal. It would be a foolish decision if Ti Zheng decided to stay as he might lose his life here.
At that moment, he felt completely vexed. If he hadn’t been injured, he wouldn’t have been oppressed by someone much weaker than him. He had never felt so humiliated in his life.
While he was still lost in his thoughts, Ti Zheng suddenly heard a series of gentle thuds, then his entire figure shook as though something had penetrated his defence and reached for his vital points.
Following a sharp pain, he realised that it was difficult for him to use his strength, and even his figure had stiffened.
A hand had silently penetrated his body from behind and grasped his heart.
Ti Zheng widened his eyes in fury as he was bound to the spot. With difficulty, he turned his head and saw a face that was covered with Demon Qi, then his expression darkened.
The Demon Qi weltered and cleared away before a smiling but wicked-looking face was revealed. He was none other than Ti Zheng’s only surviving subordinate.
It was then Ti Zheng realised that he had been set up by his own subordinate, which was totally inconceivable to him. Certainly, he had figured out by now that Black Crow was nowhere near, and that it was this person who detonated the ship on his own.
“What are you doing, Mo Sheng!” Ti Zheng asked in a grim voice.
“Mo Sheng?” The man chuckled, “You’re wrong. This King isn’t Mo Sheng. Mo Sheng is long dead. This King is just using his body.”
“You took over his body?” Ti Zheng’s face fell as he recalled something.
Many years ago, a person named Mo Sheng suddenly came to Myriad Demons Heaven and claimed that he was the Sect’s disciple. However, he accidentally fell into a Sealed World and became trapped for many years. Right after he broke free from that place, he immediately returned to Myriad Demons Heaven.
However, since the incident took place too long ago, the records from that period were spotty at best, especially regarding a lower-level disciple.
Nevertheless, they still found a document from over a hundred thousand years ago that had some information about Mo Sheng, thus confirming that he was indeed their disciple. In the past, he suddenly disappeared for no reason, and there had never been any news about him since. This was similar to the statement he had given; moreover, his pure Demon Qi couldn’t be faked, so Myriad Demons Heaven accepted him in the end.
When Mo Sheng returned to the Sect at that time, he still wasn’t an Open Heaven Realm Master, but his aptitude was excellent, so he managed to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven in just a few years. He was then assigned to work under Ti Zheng.
Since they had to set up a Locking Divine Spirit Array this time, Ti Zheng decided to bring ‘Mo Sheng’ with him. However, it never crossed his mind that he’d be harmed by this person instead of getting killed by Zhu Jiu Yin.
Ti Zheng’s fury was burning within him as he widened his eyes and said through clenched teeth, “Who are you?”
The person replied smilingly, “Do you want to know? I don’t mind telling you.” Then, he sported a solemn expression and yelled, “This King is Wu Kuang, the one destined to conquer the 3,000 Worlds and one day become its supreme ruler!”
Ti Zheng was so exasperated that he started laughing, “You want to be the ruler of the 3,000 Worlds? Ridiculous!” He looked at Wu Kuang as though the latter was a lunatic. Usually, if he heard a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master say such a thing, he would’ve laughed out loud. Nevertheless, at this moment, he didn’t have the strength to do so.
Wu Kuang chuckled and said, “You won’t be able to find out whether I’m being ridiculous or not because… you’re going to die today! Don’t even try to use your World Force. This King’s All-Sealing Needle is an ancient artifact. Once it’s inserted into a person’s body, it will seal off his Small Universe unless he’s able to force it out. It seems that you’re really severely wounded; otherwise, I wouldn’t have stood a chance to succeed.”
Ti Zheng said grimly, “So what if you kill me? You want to become the ruler of the 3,000 Worlds? That’s a pretty ambitious goal. Why don’t you release me and let this Monarch lend you a hand instead?”
His Small Universe was in chaos, so he was unable to surge his power to begin with. Now, his World Force had even been restricted by Wu Kuang’s All Sealing Needle, so he was totally powerless to counterattack. Therefore, he was racking his brain to come up with a way to get himself out of danger.
Wu Kuang sneered, “Do you think this King is a three-year-old child who would believe such an empty promise? You’ll kill me the moment I release you, am I right?”
Ti Zheng said, “I can make a heart demon oath. As long as you release me, I’ll never settle accounts with you. What’s more, I can give you a lot of resources for cultivation. As a mere Fifth-Order Open Heaven cultivator, without my support, it will take you ages to reach the Seventh-Order. However, things will be different with my backing. I can assure you that I’ll help you ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm within 1,000 years as long as you have the necessary aptitude.”
Wu Kuang shook his head, “1,000 years is too long.”
Ti Zheng’s face fell as he said, “How can you say that it’s too long a time to go from the Fifth Order to the Seventh Order? Do you know how long it took this Monarch to go from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order?”
“I’m not interested to find out anything about you,” Wu Kuang scoffed.
A pale Ti Zheng snapped, “Are you determined to kill me? Even if you kill me here, you won’t get any benefits! Most of this Monarch’s assets have fallen into that brat Yang Kai’s hands, so what’s the point of you doing this?” This was what puzzled Ti Zheng the most. Even though Wu Kuang had taken over Mo Sheng’s body, Ti Zheng reckoned that he had been treating him well over the years as he rarely reproached him. What was Wu Kuang trying to do by taking such a huge risk to launch a sneak attack on him at this moment?
“Your very existence is the biggest benefit for me, Sir.” Wu Kuang looked fervently at Ti Zheng as he licked his lips, “I’ve never tasted a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master before. I’ll enjoy it now, Sir! Please do your best to persevere until the end!”
Following that, Ti Zheng suddenly felt a horrifying suction coming from the hand that was grasping his heart.
Under the influence of this suction force, his Blood Essence and the heritage of his Small Universe uncontrollably streamed towards Wu Kuang.
A horrified Ti Zheng widened his eyes and exclaimed, “The Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture!?”
Soon, however, he shook his head and realised that it wasn’t the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Even though he had never cultivated it before, thus not knowing the abstruseness of it, one of his disciples had comprehended some chapters of the scripture before. Therefore, Ti Zheng had some basic understanding of it.
As far as he knew, the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture was indeed an incredible Secret Art, but it could only be used to absorb Blood Essence. There was no way it could absorb the heritage of a person’s Small Universe like what was happening now.
Wu Kuang’s Secret Art shared some similarities with Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, but it seemed that his was even more powerful.
“What kind of evil technique is this!?” Ti Zheng asked in horror.
“Heaven Devouring Battle Law!” Wu Kuang seemed to be enjoying himself greatly, as though he was feasting on the most delectable delicacy in the world. Not only did he appear ecstatic, but his voice quivered in ecstasy, “It is the Secret Art that this King devised himself. How does it feel, Sir?”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng was flabbergasted.
This person was an extraordinary genius to be able to create such a Secret Art. Just now, Ti Zheng scoffed at Wu Kuang for shamelessly boasting that he would conquer the entire 3,000 Worlds and become its ruler. But now, Ti Zheng kind of believed him.
A person who was able to devise such a Secret Art was bound to achieve great things in life.
It was a shame that he had only ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the limitations of his future had been set in stone.
“Wonderful!” Wu Kuang guffawed, “A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master tastes much better than those Fourth and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivators. Sir, your power is sufficient for me to ascend to the Sixth Order! Many thanks for giving it to me!”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng recalled that there were times when several of his subordinates and Wu Kuang went out to carry out some tasks, but some of his subordinates would be killed in the end and only a battered Wu Kuang managed to return.
Ti Zheng had only thought that they had come across some kind of danger, but now it seemed that his subordinates were actually killed by Wu Kuang.
As he felt the foundation of his Small Universe leaving him like a flood and he couldn’t help but feel flustered even though he was usually a resolute person.
It wasn’t like he had never expected to die one day. There was no way a Human could live forever, but this kind of death was simply too miserable.
Presently, the All Sealing Needle in his body had sealed off his Small Universe, which disallowed him to use his own power as he pleased. If he rashly surged his World Force, his situation would probably exacerbate. Faced with this lunatic named Wu Kuang, Ti Zheng realised that there was nothing he could do to deal with him.
As his thoughts ran through his mind, he suddenly said through gritted teeth, “Since you want to devour this King’s power, I’ll give it all to you. Let’s see how much you can absorb!”
Upon finishing his words, instead of trying to stop his strength from leaving his body, he did the opposite and cooperated. As he bore the excruciating pain, he attempted to force the All Sealing Needle out of his body while frantically infusing the power of his Small Universe into Wu Kuang’s body.
Even though Wu Kuang’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law was an extremely evil art, he was just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Therefore, he was still much weaker than a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and the capacity of his body and Small Universe was limited. If Ti Zheng could push him over the edge, he might stand a chance to live.
Surprisingly, Wu Kuang started laughing like a madman, “Many thanks, Sir! Please give me all of your power!” As he spoke, a layer of blood mist formed around his body, and even all his seven orifices started bleeding. It was apparent that he had been impacted by Ti Zheng’s efforts.
Upon seeing that, Ti Zheng clenched his teeth and continued what he was doing to fight for a chance to survive.
Half a day later, Ti Zheng fell into a despairing state.
Most of the foundation of his Small Universe was gone. Even if Wu Kuang stopped sucking his strength now, his cultivation would definitely regress, and it would take him countless years to restore it, if that was even possible.
On the other hand, Wu Kuang had swollen significantly after absorbing so much power, now looking like a giant fatty. World Force could be seen spurting out from his pores and bringing with it streams of blood, which formed a thick layer of blood mist around his body.
It seemed that he would explode at any moment due to his inability to contain so much power, but in reality, he didn’t seem to have the intention of stopping as he still madly used his Heaven Devouring Battle Law to absorb Ti Zheng’s power.
Furthermore, as time passed, Wu Kuang’s aura increased rapidly.
It had only been seven or eight years since Wu Kuang ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. This amount of time was normally only enough for a cultivator to stabilise his cultivation, but presently, Wu Kuang seemed to be at the peak of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm as he was showing signs of achieving a breakthrough.
Upon seeing that, Ti Zheng was horrified.
[What kind of evil technique is this Heaven Devouring Battle Law!? Does it even allow him to rapidly increase his cultivation without any drawbacks!?]
Without saying a word, Wu Kuang madly circulated his Heaven Devouring Battle Law and greedily absorbed the last remnants of the Seventh-Order cultivator’s Small Universe.
This kind of chance was extremely hard to come by. Even though he had done similar things before, the ones he targeted had always been Fourth and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Now that there was such a great chance, he certainly wouldn’t want to miss it.
In fact, it was all thanks to Yang Kai that he managed to have this chance.
If Yang Kai hadn’t brought a mature Divine Spirit with him that severely injured Ti Zheng, Wu Kuang’s sneak attack wouldn’t have been successful.
It never crossed his mind that Yang Kai would manage to cause such a massive stir in the 3,000 Worlds just several decades after they separated, even becoming the Lord of Void Land.
It was true that a talented person would never fall into oblivion wherever he went.
Three days later, Wu Kuang stopped circulating his Secret Technique and took a deep breath to suppress his weltering vitality.
After three days of continuous absorption, he had swollen tremendously. From afar, he looked more like a balloon than a person. Blood was still streaming out of his seven orifices as the blood mist swirled around him.
However, his aura was already much stronger than when he started. There was no doubt that he had reached the peak of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
On the other hand, Ti Zheng’s breathing was extremely weak. His gaze was listless and his figure had withered as his Small Universe had been completely drained. Presently, he was already on his last legs. Even if Wu Kuang decided not to kill him, he would soon die.
“Do you have any last words?” Wu Kuang asked in a grim voice.
Without saying a word, Ti Zheng stared fixedly at him.
Wu Kuang nodded, “Farewell then, Sir.”
Then, he landed a palm on Ti Zheng, who exploded into dust and went with the wind. The fact that a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master fell into such a state was truly miserable.
After killing Ti Zheng, Wu Kuang immediately shot towards the depths of the Shattered Heaven. Soon, he found a Spirit Province and snuck into it. Then, he set up a number of Spirit Arrays that could conceal his presence and set the Spirit Province moving towards his destination. Following that, he sat down with his legs crossed and focused on refining the power he had just absorbed.
He was extremely full now, so it would take him a long time before he could digest it all. When he stepped out of seclusion next, he would be a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
He was the one who had created the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, and since he arrived at the 3,000 Worlds, he had modified and improved it several times. With this Heaven-defying Secret Art in his hands, he could just drain the powers of some Open Heaven Realm Masters to increase his cultivation, which was why he disregarded Ti Zheng’s promise to him.
Just like what Wu Kuang had said, 1,000 years was too long for him. If he wanted to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he just had to look for his own chances instead of waiting for others’ help.
…..
Under the grey sky, there was a barren land that was filled with Death Qi. The Principles and World Force in this place seemed broken and incomplete.
[Is this the Shadowless Cave Heaven?]
Presently, Yang Kai was standing on a barren mountain as he looked around with a frown.
Compared to the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, the Shadowless Cave Heaven was too dreary. Although the Blood Monster Cave Heaven was just a Universe Cave Heaven, it had a lot of different biomes and sceneries. However, the Shadowless Cave Heaven was extremely desolate as far as the eye could see, which puzzled Yang Kai greatly.
This was the first place he landed after he passed through the Void and entered the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Since there was a portal, one should theoretically be able to go in as well as come out; however, after scanning his surroundings for a long time, Yang Kai was unable to detect any Space Principle fluctuations nearby, let alone find the entrance where he had just passed through.
In other words, if he wanted to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he had to look for a different exit.
[Where’s Proprietress?]
Yang Kai looked around but found nothing. Nevertheless, since the Shadowless Cave Heaven was just a Universe Cave Heaven, its landmass shouldn’t be comparable to a true Universe World. As long as Proprietress was here, he would find her one day.
Before he even moved though, Yang Kai suddenly detected something and looked in a particular direction, only to see some figures rapidly approaching him. In the blink of an eye, they already reached him.
There were three people in total. Their auras suggested that they were all Open Heaven Realm Masters with the leading one being a middle-aged man in the Fifth Order, then there was a Fourth-Order woman and a Third-Order young man.
At first glance, they looked like they were a family of some kind; however, when a cultivator reached the Open Heaven Realm, it was impossible to tell his age by looking at his appearance. Therefore, Yang Kai couldn’t be sure that they were indeed related.
He was just trying to look for the Proprietress when he came across these people, which elated him.
Obviously, he had caused some disturbance when he entered this place, which attracted these people.
Before Yang Kai could ask anything, the middle-aged man sized him up and asked, “Are you a newcomer?”
Yang Kai saw no reason to deny it, so he simply nodded, “Yes.”
The middle-aged man said, “Judging from your aura, you seem to have just broken through.”
Yang Kai’s aura was too conspicuous as he was unable to completely control it yet. Anyone who wasn’t blind could easily tell that he was a newly promoted Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai nodded again, “Indeed.”
“Such a shame,” the middle-aged man shook his head while the woman and the young man behind him appeared sympathetic. It was truly miserable that Yang Kai had fallen into this place not long after he entered the Open Heaven Realm.
After comparing their own experiences to Yang Kai’s, they felt less frustrated now. At the very least, they only accidentally fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven many years after they entered the Open Heaven Realm.
“What’s your name, Senior Brother?” Yang Kai cupped his fist at the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man replied, “Ma Tian Yuan.”
“So it is Senior Brother Ma.” Yang Kai flashed a smile at him, “I’m new to this place, so I know nothing. Would it be alright if I ask you some questions?”
A curious Ma Tian Yuan gazed at him and asked, “What do you want to know?”
“I’m looking for three people,” Yang Kai replied, “They arrived in this place half a year ago. One woman and two men. The woman is a Sixth-Order Master while the two men with her are in the Fifth-Order. One of the men wears a big apron with a ‘Slaughter’ character on it while the other has a pair of arrogant-looking eyes that makes you want to punch him on sight.”
As soon as Yang Kai finished speaking, Ma Tian Yuan narrowed his eyes while the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master woman and the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master young man exchanged glances.
It seemed that the Proprietress was indeed in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. At the very least, Ma Tian Yuan and the others seemed to recognize her, Chef, and Accountant. If not, they wouldn’t have reacted in such a way.
“Haha. So, you’re close to that Madame, Junior Brother.” Ma Tina Yuan suddenly laughed.
An elated Yang Kai asked, “Do you know where they are, Senior Brother Ma?”
Ma Tian Yuan replied, “En, I do. They’re guests in our Unrivalled Guild, which is not far away from this place. If you want to see them, this Ma can lead the way for you.”
A grateful Yang Kai said, “Many thanks, Senior Brother Ma.”
“Don’t mention it. That Madame is Unrivalled Guild’s honoured guest. Since you’re close to her, you’re also our guest. This way, please.” Ma Tian Yuan extended his hand towards a particular direction.
After thanking him one more time, Yang Kai followed him and afterwards was followed closely by the woman and the young man.
On the way to their destination, Yang Kai asked curiously, “Senior Brother Ma, it’s my first day here, so I know nothing about this place. What kind of place is this Unrivalled Guild? Is it your great force?”
Ma Tian Yuan replied, “I wouldn’t dare to say that. The three Leaders of Unrivalled Guild are all Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters while this Ma is only a Fifth-Order. I’m just someone who works for the Leaders, so I wouldn’t dare to say that Unrivalled Guild belongs to me.”
A shocked Yang Kai asked, “There are three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Unrivalled Guild?”
There were only two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in all of Void Land. Throughout the entire 3,000 Worlds, it was rare for any Second Class great force to have three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The woman couldn’t help but add, “Big Brother Ma was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the past.”
An astounded Yang Kai turned to look at Ma Tian Yuan, “Since you managed to reach the Sixth Order, how did you end up in the Fifth Order?”
Ma Tian Yuan appeared dejected as he shook his head with a bitter smile, “It’s a long story. You’ve just come to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so you have no idea about the environment here. You’ll soon find out how dangerous this place is soon enough. By the way, how did you fall into this place?”
“I came here looking for someone,” Yang Kai replied.
Upon hearing that, the three people sported awkward expressions. Ma Tian Yuan asked, “Are you looking for that Madame?”
“En,” Yang Kai nodded.
Ma Tian Yuan tutted, “You’ve come all the way here to look for her? Do you know that no one has ever left this Shadowless Cave Heaven before? Once you fall into this place, you’ll never be able to escape.”
“I did hear about that,” Yang Kai nodded and put on a smile, “However, I believe that as long as there’s a will, we’ll be able to find a way out.”
There was an admiring look on Ma Tian Yuan’s face, “Those three people must be very important to you.”
Yang Kai smiled gently, “That woman is called Yue He. She’s is my Elder Sister, so she’s certainly important to me.”
“I see.” Ma Tian Yuan nodded upon hearing that.
Yang Kai went on to say, “Elder Sister Yue He has done me a lot of favors. Without her support, I couldn’t have achieved anything in this life.”
Ma Tian Yuan praised him by saying, “You’re a righteous man who knows how to repay favours. This Ma is more than happy to become friends with someone like you. Hmm, why did you stop walking suddenly, Junior Brother?”
He was puzzled at the sight of Yang Kai stopping in his tracks all of a sudden. As their eyes met, Yang Kai looked smilingly at him with a meaningful gaze.
“That Elder Sister that I’m looking for is not named Yue He,” Yang Kai said slowly.
Ma Tian Yuan asked with a frown, “What do you mean, Junior Brother?”
Yang Kai replied with a faint smile, “You said that the three of them are honoured guests in your Unrivalled Guild, so it’s impossible that you don’t even know their names. You’re a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so you’re supposed to hold an important position in your Sect. The fact that you know nothing about them shows that they’re not in your Sect.”
As he spoke, Yang Kai’s expression darkened, “Since they’re not in your Sect, what are you trying to achieve by luring me to that place?”
Ma Tian Yuan explained, “You misunderstand, Junior Brother. That Madame is indeed a guest in our Sect, but it’s the Three Chiefs who received her, so this Ma doesn’t know her name…”
“Is there still a need to hide anything at this point?” Yang Kai shot him a cold glare, cutting him off.
After a moment of silence, Ma Tian Yuan sighed and said, “Since you’ve already realised it, this Ma will drop the pretence. That’s right. That Madame is not in Unrivalled Guild.”
“Where is she?” Yang Kai demanded.
Ma Tian Yuan shook his head, “I don’t know. Half a year ago, I did meet those three. The Three Chiefs wanted to invite her to join Unrivalled Guild, but she refused and left with her people. I don’t know where she is now. However, I heard that the people from Profound Yang Mountain are trying to hunt them down. Perhaps they’ve been captured by now. There’s also a possibility that they’re dead.”
“Profound Yang Mountain?” Yang Kai arched his brow.
Ma Tian Yuan explained, “There are three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Profound Yang Mountain, Unrivalled Guild, and Twin Spirit Island. Each great force has several Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and we usually don’t interfere in each other’s affairs.”
“Why do those from Profound Yang Mountain want to hunt them down?” Yang Kai asked.
Ma Tian Yuan replied, “There are rarely any newcomers in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The environment in this place is hostile and it lacks all cultivation resources. Therefore, every newcomer will be asked to join one of the forces, and hand over their cultivation resources.”
Upon hearing his explanation, Yang Kai said, “Is this the reason you want to take me to Unrivalled Guild?”
Ma Tian Yuan nodded frankly, “That’s right. Although you’ve just entered the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, you must have some resources with you. Once you join Unrivalled Guild, your things will be ours. Your friends are pretty powerful, so they should have some good things on them; hence, it is expected that they are being targeted by those from Profound Yang Mountain. Furthermore, the Second Mountain Lord is a lascivious man, and that Madame is quite alluring. It isn’t surprising that he’d lust after her.”
“Profound Yang Mountain…” Yang Kai sneered. The Proprietress was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and after many years of accumulation, she had reached its peak. Basically, the only reason she wasn’t breaking through to the Seventh Order was due to her heart demon oath.
On the other hand, Chef and Accountant were newly promoted Fifth-Order Masters. Even though the people from Profound Yang Mountain were powerful, they probably couldn’t harm the Proprietress. Therefore, she should be safe for now. The most important thing for Yang Kai now was to look for them.
Ma Tian Yuan went on to explain, “Junior Brother, I’m inviting you to Unrivalled Guild not entirely for your resources. I’m also doing this for your own good.”
Yang Kai scoffed, “That’s a pretty novel statement.”
Ma Tian Yuan said, “The Shadowless Cave Heaven is a hostile place. If you don’t join one of the three great forces, you won’t be able to survive.”
Yang Kai asked, “Why is that?”
Ma Tian Yuan shook his head, apparently not wanting to explain, “You’ll find out what I mean after you stay here for some time. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them whether this Ma is lying.”
The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm woman sighed and said, “Senior Brother Ma is right. If you don’t join one of the three great forces, you’ll probably lose your life within a few years. This Mistress suffered a setback when she fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven. It took me a long time before I recovered.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai snorted. Although the woman appeared sincere and didn’t seem to be lying, these three were from the same Sect in the end. There was no guarantee that they hadn’t come up with a fabricated story beforehand, so Yang Kai wouldn’t readily believe her.
Ma Tian Yuan continued trying to persuade him, “In comparison, joining Unrivalled Guild is the best option because you only have to contribute 60% of your resources, meaning you get to keep 40%. If you join Profound Yang Mountain or Twin Spirit Island, you’ll have to give up 70 to 80%.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I’m not interested in joining your Unrivalled Guild. The only reason I’ve come all the way here is to look for my friends.”
Ma Tian Yuan said grimly, “What’s the point of you being obstinate, Junior Brother? You’ve just broken through, and your aura isn’t even stable yet, so this Ma doesn’t want to make a move on you. Therefore, you’d better comply.”
Yang Kai shot him a glance, “What if I say no?”
After a sigh, Ma Tian Yuan said, “Resources are scarce in this damned place. In order to cultivate, I have no choice but to offend you even if you say no. Don’t worry, Junior Brother. This Ma isn’t a ruthless person. As long as you’re not too stubborn, I won’t kill you.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “I will spare your life as thanks for your consideration.”
Ma Tian Yuan’s expression darkened, “It seems that you won’t cry until you see your coffin.”
He waved his hand and bellowed, “Make your move then!”
As soon as he finished his words, he pushed his hand out at Yang Kai. A thick World Force blasted out from his palm as though the pressure of an entire world descended upon the latter. Meanwhile, the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm woman and the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm young man used their Secret Techniques at the same time and attacked Yang Kai.
It was apparent that Ma Tian Yuan didn’t have the intention of killing Yang Kai; otherwise, he could’ve directly summoned his artifact. He was originally a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but due to some unfortunate events in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, his cultivation regressed to the Fifth-Order. Despite that, he was still one of the top cultivators in the same Order.
Faced with a newly promoted Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yang Kai, he didn’t need to go all out.
There was a stark difference between the amount of time they had spent accumulating strength, so their heritages were naturally dissimilar.
Confronted by three powerful Open Heaven Masters, Yang Kai would’ve fled in the past. Although he had killed a number of Low-Rank Open Heaven Masters, he had to exert all his strength and resort to his Divine Manifestation Golden Crow Casts the Sun each time he did so, to say nothing of the fact that he was faced with three Open Heaven Realm Masters at this moment, one of them in the Fifth-Order.
However, things were different now.
Presently, he was also a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Masters, but he was different from others in this realm. After his Small Universe formed in his body, he also merged it with his Small Sealed World.
The Small Sealed World had devoured a lot of the fragments from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and digested that heritage. In other words, some of the heritage from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven had turned into the capital of Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
Furthermore, Yang Kai wanted to test the limits of his new strength.
Therefore, instead of fearing these three, Yang Kai’s fighting spirit had been ignited as his eyes turned fervent.
Assuming a combat stance, his Small Universe began exuding World Force and with a wave of his arm, two Moon Blades shot out. Both gigantic Moon Blades contained a rich World Force as they clashed with the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm woman and the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm young man.
At that instant, two people were heard screaming as the woman and the young man were sent flying away while spraying blood. The woman was in a better condition as only her clothes were cut open, revealing a patch of her fair skin. On the other hand, the young man was severely injured as he was almost cut in two. However, this kind of injury wasn’t lethal to an Open Heaven Realm Master, so he just needed some time to recuperate.
Yang Kai easily broke through their blockade with a wave of his hand.
Ma Tian Yuan was stunned as he hadn’t expected Yang Kai to still be capable of dispatching his subordinates under his pressure. At that moment, he felt both ashamed and furious as the World Force on his palm thickened.
After turning around, Yang Kai pushed out his palm.
Following a loud boom, both of them staggered backwards. It wasn’t until they moved back nearly 300 metres that they managed to stabilize themselves. Upon trading moves, they realised that they were equally matched.
Across from Yang Kai, Ma Tian Yuan narrowed his eyes and exclaimed, “How is that possible?”
Was the person before his eyes really a new Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master? When their palms came into contact earlier, Ma Tian Yuan could feel that the other party’s World Force was just as rich and powerful as his, and the outcome of the exchange proved that.
But how could that be? He had fallen from the Sixth Order to the Fifth Order, so throughout the entire 3,000 Worlds, there shouldn’t be anyone in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm that was a match for him. However, the young man before his eyes was.
“Did you really just break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm?” Ma Tian Yuan asked in horror and disbelief.
“Indeed,” Yang Kai took a deep breath as he was drowned in an indescribable feeling of joy. Was this the power of the Open Heaven Realm? He felt as if he could draw on an infinite power from his Small Universe. It was as though he was able to tear the world apart simply by raising his hand.
Meanwhile, Ma Tian Yuan was still in disbelief. Nevertheless, Yang Kai’s aura fluctuated conspicuously, so it was apparent that he had indeed just achieved an ascension; otherwise, he would be able to control his own aura.
He was already so powerful just after breaking through, so what heights would he achieve in the future if he was given enough time? The notion terrified Ma Tian Yuan.
[How can someone so extraordinary exist in this world?]
“You haven’t fully used your power, right?” Yang Kai grinned at him.
While Ma Tian Yuan sported a solemn expression, Yang Kai went on to say, “What a coincidence. I haven’t fully used all my strength either. You should probably stop holding back; otherwise, you might get hurt.”
Upon finishing his words, Yang Kai shot forward and directly appeared in front of Ma Tian Yuan. The next moment, Ma Tian Yuan felt an immense World Force pressing against him, and when he lifted his gaze, he saw a palm flying at his chest.
An infuriated Ma Tian Yuan roared and no longer dared to hold back, fully mobilizing the strength of his Small Universe, pouring out as much World Force as he could.
*Hong hong hong…*
Explosive sounds were heard as the surrounding space shook. Immense World Force permeated the region as two figures clashed, stirring up a great storm. Sometimes they met in the sky, sometimes on the ground. Mountains collapsed around them as fissures opened in the ground.
“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Yang Kai’s expression was like that of a madman as he cried out in excitement. He thrust out his palms in quick succession in order to vent the joy he felt in his heart.
Ma Tian Yuan was shocked by how crazy Yang Kai appeared, thinking that the young man was some kind of battle maniac who only wished to fight until one of them died. At this moment, he was caught in a dilemma. Faced with the storm of attacks, he had no choice but to fight back with everything he had or he would be seriously wounded.
After trading more than 100 moves, Ma Tian Yuan felt his Small Universe begin to shake. Meanwhile, the World Force coming from the other party increasingly thickened with every move, like there wasn’t an upper limit to his output. Flabbergasted, Ma Tian Yuan didn’t dare to hold back anything.
He began using his Secret Techniques and even summoned his Fifth-Order artifact. Despite that, he realised that he was still no match for the other party.
[Is this guy really Human?]
A horrified Ma Tian Yuan speculated that Yang Kai wasn’t a newly promoted Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master at all. He had never seen any new Fifth-Order Master who possessed such immense power. This young man must have spent hundreds if not a thousand years of accumulation in his current Order. The aura he exposed must have just been a camouflage.
[What a devious man!] Although Ma Tian Yuan was utterly vexed, he had to admit that his opponent was truly incredible.
Despite the fact that he had fallen from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he had the confidence to defeat or at least match anyone in the Fifth-Order. However, not only had he come across such an opponent on this day, but he was even at a disadvantage. This had never happened to him before.
“Stop!” Ma Tian Yuan bellowed after trading one more move with his opponent. Due to the scarcity of resources in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, unnecessary fights were pointless as it would only increase one’s consumption of power. When the people in this place came across one another, they wouldn’t make a move if there wasn’t a need for it; therefore, upon realising that Yang Kai was so powerful, Ma Tian Yuan decided to stop fighting.
However, Yang Kai ignored him. It was the first time he bumped into an opponent in the same Order since he broke through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, which was why he wanted to test out his power. In fact, he hadn’t used any Secret Techniques after his initial two Moon Blades and had merely been drawing out the power of his Small Universe to battle against his opponent. He wanted to make use of this battle to familiarise himself with his newfound strength.
While they were locked in an intense battle, the woman and young man watched in horror from the side. They were respectively in the Fourth and Third-Order, but they were easily defeated by their opponent in the opening moments of the battle. Furthermore, they were totally powerless to intervene in the current fight.
Such a fierce battle seemed to have surpassed the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Perhaps it wasn’t far from a battle between Sixth-Order Masters.
All of a sudden, the woman sported a solemn expression and scanned her surroundings, then she yelled at Ma Tuan Yuan, “The wind is coming, Senior Brother Ma!”
Ma Tian Yuan, who was already exhausted from dealing with Yang Kai, appeared horrified upon hearing that. Hurriedly, he made a feint in an attempt to withdraw from the battlefield. Certainly, Yang Kai wouldn’t grant his wish. Such an intense battle was able to help him rapidly stabilise his cultivation, which was greatly beneficial to him.
Upon seeing that Yang Kai was relentless, a shocked and furious Ma Tian Yuan bellowed, “The wind is coming. Stop right now!”
A puzzled Yang Kai asked, “What wind?”
Judging from Ma Tian Yuan’s tone and the woman’s expression, Yang Kai reckoned that this ‘wind’ must be unusual. That was because the three of them sported terrified expressions as though they were truly afraid of what was coming.
However, Yang Kai was a newcomer to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so he had no idea what this wind was.
Ma Tian Yuan was resentful of him, so he wasn’t willing to explain anything to him and simply said through clenched teeth, “You’ll soon experience what kind of wind it is!”
After he finished his words, the artifact in his hand suddenly shone brightly. As he infused all of his power into the artifact, he attempted to smash it down on Yang Kai’s head.
There was no doubt that Ma Tian Yuan had exerted all of his force with this attack, so Yang Kai wouldn’t dare to meet it head-on and quickly dodged to the side.
Seizing the chance, Ma Tian Yuan leaped away and yelled, “Run!”
Following this, he rushed in a particular direction. The woman took a long glance at Yang Kai before she supported the young man’s weight and fled in the same direction.
Yang Kai frowned and looked at their retreating figures without any intention to pursue them.
Then, he looked down at his hands and slowly balled up his fists. If he had this kind of power back then, he wouldn’t have to hide and only make use of Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array to fend off his enemies, which was all he could do when the Hundred Sects Alliance attacked Void Land. If he had this kind of power at that time, he wouldn’t have been powerless to counterattack when he was besieged by Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan from Heavenly Sword Union just outside of Void Territory.
Presently, he finally had power of his own. In the 3,000 Worlds, a person would never be regarded as important if they weren’t even an Open Heaven Realm Master.
The starting point of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm was a letdown as he had spent many years trying to directly become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master; however, instead of endlessly waiting for a dream that might not even come true, the power in his hands now was far more real. Therefore, Yang Kai didn’t regret the decision he had made.
If the battle earlier went on, Yang Kai had the confidence to kill Ma Tian Yuan even though he would be slightly injured as a cost. Nevertheless, there was no blood feud between them, so it wasn’t necessary for Yang Kai to be so merciless. However, after the battle, he had a more direct understanding of his current strength.
Just then, he felt a breeze whisking across his face like an invisible hand fiddling with his hair.
Wind was indeed blowing. Yang Kai carefully inspected the wind but didn’t find anything strange about it, so he wondered why Ma Tian Yuan and the others appeared terrified just now. At the mention of the wind, all of their expressions changed drastically, and Ma Tian Yuan had chosen to trade injuries with him to create an opening to withdraw.
As Yang Kai shook his head, he identified a direction and stepped forward.
Ma Tian Yuan had met the Proprietress and the others, but he had no idea where they were now. On the other hand, the people from Profound Yang Mountain were hunting them down.
Yang Kai had a feeling that he could find some clues by heading to Profound Yang Mountain and asking them about it.
Nevertheless, he had no idea where Profound Yang Mountain was. At that moment, he regretted that he hadn’t asked Ma Tian Yuan and the others about its location first.
The wind was rapidly intensifying. It was still a breeze just a moment ago, but now, a gale lifted all the sand into the air, which made it impossible for Yang Kai to see clearly.
It was then he realised why the Shadowless Cave Heaven was so desolate. Given such a hostile environment, it would be strange if this place was fertile.
It wouldn’t have mattered if it was just a regular storm, but the problem was that the wind was extremely strange as it was able to sneak into a person’s flesh, which made him feel an excruciating pain all over his body, as though he had been repeatedly cut with countless knives. Besides that, the wind could even penetrate his Small Universe.
It was only as Yang Kai checked on his Small Universe that his expression changed as he realised that the wind had caused the place to descend into chaos. Even the foundation of his Small Universe was being damaged by this gale.
At that instant, he was dumbfounded as he couldn’t believe there was such horrifying wind in this world. Then, he recalled that the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm woman had mentioned that Ma Tian Yuan was originally a Sixth-Order Master, but due to some unfortunate events, he regressed to the Fifth-Order. It seemed that the incidents must have something to do with this strange wind.
Not only was this wind excruciatingly painful, but it was also able to grind down an Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe, draining their World Force and damaging their foundation.
It wouldn’t matter if this only happened once or twice, but if a person had to endure this repeatedly, the heritage of their Small Universe would be permanently weakened, and their Order would drop. That should be how Ma Tian Yuan fell to the Fifth Order.
Moreover, this was just the beginning. As time passed, the gale intensified to the point where Yang Kai wouldn’t dare to be negligent. Quickly summoning his Azure Dragon Spear, he dug a deep hole in an attempt to seek refuge underground.
However, it was futile. Even though he dove several thousand metres below the surface, the wind seemed almost immaterial and penetrated the earth, infiltrating his Small Universe in the process. It seemed that there was nowhere in the Shadowless Cave Heaven that was safe from this wind.
Of course, there must be places in the Shadowless Cave Heaven where one could evade the wind; otherwise, all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in this place would’ve been killed following the collapse of their Small Universes.
At the very least, the places where the three great forces were based must be safe zones.
The gale didn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Even though Yang Kai was trying his best to resist underground, his efforts proved useless. He could only bear this unspeakable pain while praying that the eerie wind would soon pass.
The wind disappeared as abruptly as it came, vanishing an hour later.
When Yang Kai climbed out of the hole he had dug, he was completely battered. Not only was his hair a mess, but his skin was also covered in cuts. These flesh wounds didn’t matter as he could recover quickly given the resilience of his physique; however, the loss of heritage in his Small Universe pained his heart.
The environment in the Small Universe didn’t change as the Sun and the Moon still moved cyclically; nevertheless, Yang Kai could detect that the heritage in his Small Universe had been reduced by about 10%.
In other words, if he came across the same kind of wind ten times, his Small Universe would destabilise and collapse, killing him. The immense loss pained him more than the injuries on his body.
It would take him a very long time before he could restore this 10%; in other words, the gale had wiped away years of hard cultivation.
[What was that wind? Why was it so strange?]
After stuffing a handful of Open Heaven Pills into his mouth, Yang Kai carefully examined his Small Universe.
It was the first time he refined Open Heaven Pills since he ascended to the Open Heaven Realm. As the pills dissolved in his stomach, the medicinal efficacies streamed into all his organs and turned into World Force, which was used to replenish the heritage of his Small Universe.
A handful of pills were fully refined after just a few breaths, which astounded Yang Kai.
It was no wonder that Open Heaven Realm Masters required a lot of cultivation resources. Given this rate, he was able to refine more than 10,000 Open Heaven Pills in a day, several hundred thousand pills in a month, and three to four million pills in a year.
The calculation made was based on the fact that he was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. How many pills would he need when he ascended to the Sixth Order or the Seventh Order? How long would it take before he could achieve an ascension if he merely relied on refining Open Heaven Pills? How many pills would be used in the process? Yang Kai didn’t dare to keep thinking about it as that number must be astronomical.
Yang Kai initially thought that the Open Heaven Pills he had accumulated in Void Land were sufficient, but now it seemed that he was very wrong; after all, when the Great Emperors and the cultivators from the Star Boundary ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, they would need massive amounts of Open Heaven Pills to keep cultivating.
It was no wonder that Open Heaven Realm Masters had a thirst for cultivation resources as it was just too slow to refine Open Heaven Pills. It would be much faster to refine cultivation resources of different Orders, but that would require a lot of money as well.
However, if a person was wealthy, they probably wouldn’t mind this. In comparison, it was much better to strengthen the heritage of one’s Small Universe by refining cultivation resources than Open Heaven Pills.
Yang Kai refined Open Heaven Pills while examining his Small Universe. The eerie gale had caused his Small Universe to descend into chaos.
All of a sudden, he became startled for a moment before he zoomed in on a particular place in his Small Universe. That was the place where the Manifestation of his Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation was located. It was a gigantic ancient tree.
The area around the gargantuan tree that was covered by the tree crown was totally undamaged. Yang Kai couldn’t see any traces left behind by the gale. It was as though the eerie wind was blocked by something around this area.
Yang Kai frowned and carefully examined other areas in his Small Universe. He could confirm that all other places were damaged by the wind except for this place.
That discovery made his gaze brighten as he thought that his Towering Evergreen might be able to fend off the effects of the wind, which was why this area was completely undamaged. Unfortunately, he didn’t pay attention to this area when the gale was torturing him; otherwise, he could’ve intently observed it.
He could only wait for the wind to strike again before he could test his speculation. If his theory was correct, he would have a way to protect himself in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. At the very least, he didn’t have to worry about his Small Universe being damaged when the wind struck.
After pulling himself together, Yang Kai set off.
He had no idea where Profound Yang Mountain was, but he reckoned that he would find out about it if he came across others. Ma Tian Yuan had said that there were three main great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and all cultivators belonged to one of them. That was because a cultivator wouldn’t be able to survive if he or she refused to join one of the great forces.
Perhaps everyone had gone into hiding due to the wind just now, because as Yang Kai moved forward, he didn’t bump into anyone.
Half a day later, he finally saw two figures passing by from the corner of his eye. Hurriedly, Yang Kai charged forward and raced after them.
When the two people detected Yang Kai’s presence, they immediately stopped in their tracks and turned around with vigilance, preparing for a fight.
Yang Kai landed on a spot in front of them and sized them up before discovering that both of them were in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm. One of them looked rough while the other was tall.
As soon as they sensed Yang Kai’s Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura, they put up their guard and the rough-looking man bellowed, “Who are you? Why did you run after us?”
“Don’t panic. I don’t have any ill intentions. I just want to ask for directions,” Yang Kai cupped his fist with a smile.
The two of them traded glances, then the rough-looking man asked with an awkward expression, “Where do you want to go?”
Yang Kai asked, “Where is Profound Yang Mountain?”
The rough-looking man appeared to be in disbelief, “You don’t know where Profound Yang Mountain is?”
The other man seemed cleverer as he figured out something and secretly spoke to his companion. It was only then that the rough-looking man realised something and asked, “Have you just arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Senior Brother?”
Only newcomers would be clueless about the location of Profound Yang Mountain.
“That’s right.” Yang Kai nodded, “I accidentally fell into this place and heard that there are three great forces. There’s no doubt that Profound Yang Mountain is the strongest, so I’d like to join it, but I don’t know where it’s located. That’s why I want to ask you about it. I’m sorry if I’ve offended you in any way.”
Upon hearing that, the rough-looking man guffawed, “I see, I see. I thought you were going to rob us. You’re right. Of the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Profound Yang Mountain is the best. We have Four Great Mountain Lords, all of whom are Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The First Mountain Lord is even just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Unrivalled Guild only has three Sixth-Orders while Twin Spirit Island has two. They’re not even worth comparing to our Profound Yang Mountain.”
Yang Kai’s gaze brightened when he heard that, “Are you two from Profound Yang Mountain?” He had never expected that the first people he bumped into would be from Profound Yang Mountain. After giving it a thought though, he realised that it wasn’t so surprising. There were only three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Since he had met the people from Unrivalled Guild, it was expected that he’d also chance upon people from Profound Yang Mountain.
The rough-looking man sported a modest smile, “That’s right.”
An elated Yang Kai said, “What a coincidence. Would it be alright for you to lead me to Profound Yang Mountain? Of course, if it’s not convenient for you, you can just tell me the directions and I’ll go over there myself.”
The rough-looking man exchanged glances with his companion and secretly communicated with him before nodding, “We don’t have any important tasks to attend to anyway. Since Senior Brother is willing to join Profound Yang Mountain, I believe that the Mountain Lords will welcome you. We’ll lead you to the headquarters now.”
A Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was considered fairly powerful in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so any great force would welcome him. Moreover, a newcomer would have to hand over a large portion of his resources. When that happened, they would get some rewards for bringing Yang Kai to the Sect.
That was also the reason Ma Tian Yuan wanted to lure Yang Kai to Unrivalled Guild.
“Many thanks,” Yang Kai cupped his fists with gratitude.
The rough-looking man laughed and said, “Don’t mention it, Senior Brother. If you join Profound Yang Mountain, we’ll be one family. Both of us are weak, so you have to take care of us in the future.”
“Good, good,” Yang Kai replied with a smile.
Then, they identified the direction and headed straight to Profound Yang Mountain.
As a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yang Kai seemed pretty easy-going, so the two men wanted to befriend him. Therefore, they had a pleasant chat on the way to their destination. The two of them were biological brothers whose surname was Wei.
As they spoke, they implicitly asked about Yang Kai’s background. Yang Kai was being frank as he mentioned that he was from Void Land. While treasure hunting in the Shattered Heaven, he accidentally fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Void Land was a very new great force while these people had lived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for years, so they knew nothing about the place Yang Kai was from. As such, they were unable to figure out whether Yang Kai was speaking the truth.
However, regardless of one’s background, it was useless in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. There was once a disciple from one of the Cave Heavens who fell into this place and thought himself superior to others, but he ended up in a miserable state. Perhaps he was secretly killed by one of the top cultivators here.
Yang Kai’s aura suggested that he was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master while the Wei Brothers were only in the Fourth Order, which was why they were polite to him.
There came a moment when Yang Kai thought that it was the right time to ask about the wind, “By the way, I came across a strange gale in this damned place half a day ago. What was that? Why was I still unable to avoid it even though I dove several thousand metres below ground?”
At the mention of the eerie wind, the Wei Brothers couldn’t help but shudder. The older Brother Wei gazed at him with an awkward expression and asked, “You snuck into the ground in order to avoid the wind, Senior Brother Yang?”
“Yes.”
The Wei Brothers exchanged glances and seemed to take a stroll down memory lane. Then, the older Brother Wei burst into laughter, “That was what we did in the past, but it was totally useless. The wind is unavoidable. Not only can it reach underground, but it also blows into our Small Universes. We suffered immense losses because of that.”
Yang Kai repeatedly nodded, “That was what happened to me. My Small Universe is in a mess now.”
The younger Brother Wei added, “Since you’re a newcomer, it’s expected that you know nothing about it. We call that strange wind Shadowless Astral Wind, but no one knows what it actually is. The wind is able to penetrate essentially any kind of barrier to reach every point in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, only a few special spots are safe from it. You can’t avoid the wind anywhere else.”
The older Brother Wei said, “These places are the Headquarters of the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The location of Profound Yang Mountain is the biggest one. Whenever the Shadowless Astral Wind comes, all of us have to avoid it; otherwise, we suffer big losses.”
Upon that realization, Yang Kai nodded, “It’s no wonder that the person I came across earlier told me that we’re unable to survive in the Shadowless Cave Heaven if we don’t join one of the three great forces.”
The older Brother Wei nodded repeatedly, “True. Without shelter, a person will lose all the heritage in his or her Small Universe due to the wind, and once their Small Universe collapses, they’ll die.”
A worried Yang Kai asked, “Are only the Headquarters of the three great forces safe from the wind in the Shadowless Cave Heaven?” In that case, the Proprietress and the others were probably in a terrible state right now. It had been one year since they fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so they must have experienced the Astral Wind many times, which would certainly have a negative impact on their Small Universes.
The younger Brother Wei shook his head, “Not exactly. There are some smaller places where one can take refuge from the wind, but they can’t accommodate a lot of people.”
The older Brother Wei followed up, “To be honest with you, even the Headquarters of the three great forces are not completely immune to the Shadowless Astral Wind, it’s just that the impact is less severe when we hide inside those places. Even though there are other shelters, none of them are as good as the Headquarters of the three great forces.”
To the side, the younger Brother Wei nodded in agreement.
Yang Kai arched his brow, “It seems that we’re really unable to survive if we don’t join one of the three great forces.”
“That’s right.”
Yang Kai looked away and asked, “Has no one survived over the years while not being in one of the three great forces?”
“There are none. You had a taste of Shadowless Astral Wind earlier, Senior Brother Yang. Even though you’re a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, how many times do you think you can endure it?”
The younger Brother Wei muttered, “En, I remember that there are three people who are outside of the three great forces now. I wonder how they’re doing.”
“Three people?” Yang Kai appeared shocked, “Who are they? Why are they not part of the three great forces?”
The younger Brother Wei took a glance at his older Brother, not knowing whether he should talk about it.
After a moment of hesitation, the older Brother Wei reasoned, “Senior Brother Yang is going to join Profound Yang Mountain, so there’s no reason we can’t tell him.”
It was then the younger Brother Wei continued, “Senior Brother Yang, you said you want to join Profound Yang Mountain, but do you know our rules?”
“Please tell me about them.”
“If you join Profound Yang Mountain, you can stay in the great force when the wind comes to prevent being harmed. However, cultivation resources in the Shadowless Cave Heaven are very scarce, so every newcomer has to hand over 80% of their cultivation resources upon joining.”
“I did hear something like that,” Yang Kai nodded.
It was then the younger Brother Wei breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that other great forces must have attempted to lure Yang Kai to join them, but he had turned them down. It wasn’t until he had a taste of Shadowless Astral Wind that he decided to join Profound Yang Mountain.
In fact, the same thing happened to the Wei Brothers in the past; after all, no one was willing to hand over a large part of their own resources to someone else.
However, once a newcomer had a taste of the Shadowless Astral Wind, they would be eager to join one of the three great forces without anyone luring them; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to survive in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
As the Wei Brothers recalled the past, they put on bitter smiles.
After pulling himself together, the younger Brother Wei continued, “There were two men and one woman. All of them are fairly powerful. The woman was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm while the men were in the Fifth-Order. When they arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they happened to land on a place just outside of Profound Yang Mountain. The Mountain Lords noticed them and attempted to make them join our great force. The Second Mountain Lord even promised the woman that she would become the Fifth Mountain Lord; however, she turned down the offer.”
“The Fifth Mountain Lord? Why did the woman turn down such a good offer?” Yang Kai asked in puzzlement.
The younger Brother Wei explained with a helpless smile, “In fact, our Second Mountain Lord has a problem. It’s that he’s very lascivious. The woman is alluring, and she’s as powerful as the Second Mountain Lord. Therefore, he declared that the woman needed to be his partner before she could become the Fifth Mountain Lord in Profound Yang Mountain. Perhaps the woman was from a powerful background, so she was rather hot-tempered. After an argument, she got into a fight with the Second Mountain Lord.”
“What happened next?” Yang Kai asked.
“Although the woman was powerful, she was unable to fight against so many people on her own. There are four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Profound Yang Mountain, so it was expected that she was no match for them. The Mountain Lords joined forces and injured her, but she managed to flee in the end. The Second Mountain Lord was so furious that he hunted them down for a while but to no avail.”
Even though Yang Kai was furious, he pretended to be nonchalant.
The older Brother Wei continued, “They won’t let that woman off. Although she was powerful, the Mountain Lords could’ve prevented her from fleeing if they went all out. However, the Shadowless Cave Heaven is different from the outside world as resources are scarce here. No one is willing to make a move unless it’s absolutely necessary. That’s because fighting consumes a lot of power. If the Mountain Lords wanted to make the woman stay at that time, they would’ve had to pay a hefty price. That was why they let her go.”
The younger Brother Wei nodded his head, “A long time has passed since that incident. I guess the Second Mountain Lord is about to make a move. Even if those three were able to find a shelter, their strength must have been weakened by now as they had to constantly resist the Shadowless Astral Wind. Certainly, the Second Mountain Lord will be able to easily defeat them now.”
Yang Kai asked, “Do you know where the three of them are now?”
The older Brother Wei gave him a weird look, “Why are you asking this question, Senior Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai put on a faint smile, “Just curious.”
The unsuspecting older Brother Wei shook his head and replied, “We don’t know where they are now, but the Second Mountain Lord should be aware of it.”
Then, he pointed at the front, “Profound Yang Mountain is over there. It’s the Second Mountain Lord who is in charge this month so I’ll bring you to meet him first. After you join Profound Yang Mountain, we can have a proper chat.”
“Many thanks,” Yang Kai nodded.
There were more than ten mountains in Profound Yang Mountain. Looking from afar, one could see many palaces scattered around the mountains, and quite a number of cultivators were seen moving about. The people who could enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven were all Open Heaven Realm Masters. On the way to their destination, some people would greet the Wei Brothers and inquire about Yang Kai’s background.
The Wei Brothers were completely honest with them, and upon hearing their explanation, these people appeared envious.
That was because Yang Kai was brought to Profound Yang Mountain by the Wei Brothers. After he handed over eighty percent of his resources, the Wei Brothers would also get a handsome reward. Certainly, these people were envious of them for getting such benefits.
Soon, they reached a peak where there was a majestic Grand Hall. One could even hear some flirtatious and playful voices coming from inside.
Upon reaching the entrance, one of the Wei Brothers spoke up, “Please wait for me here, Senior Brother Yang. I’ll inform the Second Mountain Lord about your visit.”
Yang Kai nodded and waited patiently.
The older Brother Wei entered the Grand Hall, and just a moment later, he stepped out and said to Yang Kai, “The Second Mountain Lord is ready to meet you. Please come with me, Senior Brother Yang.”
As soon as Yang Kai followed the Wei Brothers into the Grand Hall, he caught a whiff of a pleasant fragrance and felt a rather decadent aura.
Looking up, he saw a lot of women’s clothes scattered around on the ground, which also included some undergarments.
At the other end of the Grand Hall, there was a rather soft-looking man lying on a huge chair, surrounded by seven or eight women in revealing clothes.
These women were wearing different styles of clothing, and they were each beautiful in their own unique way. There was a woman who squatted in front of him and helped him massage his calves. There was also a woman who let the man lie on her thighs and rubbed his temples. Another woman was seen sipping some wine into her mouth and then passing it into the man’s mouth.
The sight was extremely licentious. These women were barely covered as a large part of their skin was exposed.
When the Wei Brothers and Yang Kai stepped into the place, the women turned to look at them with their alluring eyes.
Be it Ma Tian Yuan or the Wei Brothers, they all said that the Second Mountain Lord from Profound Yang Mountain was a lascivious man. It seemed that it was indeed the case.
The women around him were all Open Heaven Realm Masters ranging from the Third Order to the Fifth Order.
After the Wei Brothers entered the Grand Hall, they hung their heads low and stared at their feet while Yang Kai looked fixedly at the man.
As their eyes met, the soft-looking man curved his lips into a wicked smile. While he remained lying on the chair, he wandered his hand around one of the women, which caused her to moan incessantly.
“You want to join Profound Yang Mountain?” The man asked impassively.
“Are you the Second Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain?” Yang Kai questioned him instead.
The man put on a faint smile, “En. This King is Second Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain, Yun Fei Bai.”
“Half a year ago, a woman and two men arrived at this place. Were you the one who injured that woman?” Yang Kai asked.
Yun Fei Bai narrowed his eyes and shot Yang Kai a meaningful glance.
To the side, the Wei Brothers realised that something was off as they turned to gaze at Yang Kai. The older Brother Wei pulled Yang Kai’s sleeve and secretly spoke to him, “Why are you asking this question, Senior Brother Yang?”
An unfazed Yang Kai stared fixedly at Yun Fei Bai, “Is it true?”
Yun Fei Bai retracted his hand and slowly sat up before glaring at the Wei Brothers. Faced with the stern stare, the brothers were immediately drenched in cold sweat as they felt a crawling sensation on their scalps.
Then, Yun Fei Bai turned to look at Yang Kai and replied smilingly, “En, she was hurt by this King. She should feel honoured that I was interested in her, but she couldn’t appreciate my kindness. This King had no choice but to harm her a little. What’s wrong? Do you know her?”
“Yes.” Yang Kai nodded, “She’s my Proprietress.”
Yun Fei Bai said, “In that case, you’re not here to join Profound Yang Mountain. What’s the purpose of your visit?”
Yang Kai flashed a grin at him, “Since you’ve hurt Proprietress, I’m here to return the favour.”
Yun Fei Bai became startled for a moment before he pressed his palms together and guffawed, “You? Retaliate against me?” Then, he sized Yang Kai up, “You’ve just entered the Fifth Order, right? Why are you making a scene here in Profound Yang Mountain instead of strengthening your own cultivation? Are you sick of living?”
He paused for a moment, “Good. This King was preparing to deal with that slut in a few days. Since you’ve come all the way here, I’ll capture you and then look for her. I believe that she’s important to you, which is why you’re so concerned about her. You should make a good bargaining chip.”
“You want to capture me? Let’s see if you’re capable of doing that!”
As soon as Yang Kai finished speaking, he unleashed his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura and like a Flood Dragon leaving the ocean, he charged at Yun Fei Bai.
The Wei Brothers beside him were forced to stagger back from the impact while Yun Fei Bai remained seated while giving Yang Kai a disdainful look.
“You dare?!” One of the women who leaned against the man yelled and raised her hand before pushing her palm towards Yang Kai. The woman was a fairly powerful cultivator in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Clad in very thin clothing, her precious places were exposed while she made a move. Any man who saw this would feel their blood boiling.
“Scram!” Yang Kai bellowed and pushed out his fist.
Following a loud boom, the woman shrieked and sprayed out a mouthful of blood while she was sent flying away. Her tender body crashed into the wall and then fell into the debris.
Yun Fei Bai’s expression changed drastically as he stood straight up and roared, “Impudence!”
He didn’t make a move just now because he didn’t think there was a need to. There was no way a newly promoted Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could possess much strength, so the women around him should be able to deal with him.
However, it never crossed Yun Fei Bai’s mind that his strongest woman would be sent flying after just one exchange of blows.
The other women were dumbfounded, but they soon came to their senses and shouted as they used their Secret Techniques on Yang Kai.
These women were not just Yun Fei Bai’s playthings; after all, they were all Open Heaven Realm Masters who were strong in their own right, though their Orders varied quite a bit.
Presently, they were making a move at the same time, so the sight was both alluring and imposing.
An unafraid Yang Kai threw out his fists in quick succession, unleashing a barrage of fist shadows as he attacked the women in all directions.
Explosive sounds were continuously heard as his World Force blew out the surrounding walls. These women clad in skimpy outfits were all sent flying in different directions.
Amidst the weltering dust, Yang Kai shot into the sky and looked around before knitting his brows, “So weak. None of them can fight!”
Besides the first woman who traded moves with him, there was also another Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among these women while the rest were Third and Fourth-Order.
However, these two Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were totally incomparable to Ma Tian Yuan. After the battle against Ma Tian Yuan, Yang Kai had a better understanding of his own strength. He thought that all Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would be about as strong as Ma Tian Yuan, but after this battle, he realised that he had overestimated others while underestimating himself.
After giving it a thought, he realised that it wasn’t surprising. Ma Tian Yuan fell from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to his current strength, so he was at the very peak of the Fifth-Order. These two women were naturally much weaker than him.
The place was a mess, but although the women were injured by Yang Kai, they were still alive.
Outside the ruins, the Wei Brothers were dumbfounded at the turn of events as they shuddered in fear.
“You court death!” Yun Fei Bai roared. He would be completely humiliated if word got out that his women were hurt in his own room.
Initially, he intended to capture Yang Kai and then deal with the woman named Lan You Ruo; however, his mind was now filled with murderous intent.
As his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura permeated the air, he raised his hand and then brought down his palm.
A gigantic green palm was immediately formed above Yang Kai’s head, made from the purest World Force.
The attack was like an entire Small Universe pressing against Yang Kai. Moreover, it was the Small Universe of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
At that instant, Yang Kai felt tremendously pressured. Although he’d had a good fight with Ma Tian Yuan after he had just ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, he hadn’t been forced into going all out. However, as he was faced with a furious Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now, any slight negligence would cost him his life.
His fighting spirit had been ignited as he boldly shot into the sky and met the palm head-on.
A sense of ruthlessness flashed through Yun Fei Bai’s eyes as he clenched his fist, whereupon the gigantic palm also closed and turned into a cage as it grasped Yang Kai’s small figure.
The next instant, however, Yun Fei Bai’s expression changed drastically.
As World Force undulated, rays of light shot out in all directions. The gigantic hand exploded as a figure shot out and charged towards Yun Fei Bai as swift as lightning.
Upon seeing that, Yun Fei Bai snorted. Although he didn’t seem to be moving, he abruptly appeared in front of Yang Kai. As his clothes flapped in the wind, powerful but inconspicuous attacks bombarded Yang Kai. Every attack contained an extremely horrifying World Force.
Yang Kai continuously fended off the attacks as his figure shook and stepped backwards upon impact.
He reflected as he fought, realizing that a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was truly powerful. Although he was pretty strong as a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, there was still a difference of one Order between them. Therefore, there was a clear disparity between their might.
Yang Kai knew he had to settle this fight as soon as possible; after all, they were in Profound Yang Mountain where there were four Sixth-Order Mountain Lords. If the battle dragged on, the other Mountain Lords and the powerful Masters from Profound Yang Mountain would take notice of the commotion. By then, Yang Kai would fall into a perilous situation. He wasn’t arrogant or ignorant enough to believe he could deal with several Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters all at once.
“You’re really something, brat!” Although Yun Fei Bai was incensed, he still couldn’t help but praise Yang Kai upon seeing that the latter was able to ward off his attacks.
Even though there was only a difference of one Order between the Fifth-Order and the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, the disparity in strength was as great as the distance between the Heavens and the Earth.
If Yun Fei Bai was dealing with any other Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was confident that he would be able to take down the other party in ten moves. However, Yang Kai had already fended off 100 blows and aside from looking a bit awkward was perfectly fine.
He couldn’t help but wonder whether Yang Kai really was a new Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, [Is he just playing the pig? If he isn’t a new Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, what’s going on with that unstable aura of his?]
While Yun Fei Bai was still lost in his thoughts, Yang Kai, who was forced to continuously step backwards, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
At that instant, Yun Fei Bai felt his chest tightening as a sense of crisis suddenly befell him.
The next moment, Yang Kai reached out his hand and summoned a long spear into his grip.
The entire world seemed to shake the moment the spear appeared.
A mighty Dragon Roar resounded as a majestic Dragon Pressure permeated the air.
Yang Kai’s demeanour changed completely as he held the spear in his grip. He let out a breath and wielded the spear. Without any wasted movements or hesitation, he unleashed the full power of his Supreme Limitless Spear technique.
Yun Fei Bai’s expression changed drastically when he saw the spear approaching him. In his eyes, he could see a terrifying Great Dragon charging at him. As the Dragon swam through the air, seemingly determined to swallow him down in one fell swoop. Faced with this terrifying monster, he felt as insignificant as an ant.
He immediately bit his tongue to compose himself. Resisting the Dragon Pressure, Yun Fei Bai roared as he summoned a scroll, on which some illegible characters were written. Despite that, every stroke of the characters looked like a uniquely-shaped sword.
The terrifying Sword Qi spread out.
After he infused his World Force into the scroll, the characters came apart and turned into beams of very pure Sword Qi. As they slashed across the void, the sounds of breaking through the air were heard.
This was a complete humiliation!
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yun Fei Bai was forced to use his artifact when dealing with a mere Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. This was totally inconceivable to him. Prior to this, it never crossed his mind that such a formidable Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master existed in this world.
Comparing himself, back when he was still a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, to this young man, Yun Fei Bai felt he wasn’t even worthy of carrying the latter’s shoes.
To the side, the Wei Brothers were dumbstruck and shuddered violently.
They were not on the battlefield, so they were not able to experience how powerful Yang Kai was directly; however, upon seeing that the Second Mountain Lord had summoned his artifact, they knew that the latter had no other means to deal with the opponent. That was why they appeared horrified.
Yang Kai wielded the Azure Dragon Spear with complete freedom, unrestrained by anything. The spear was like an extension of himself, and he could manipulate it in any way he imagined. The scroll glowed wildly as the beams of Sword Qi criss-crossed one another. However, they were all warded off by Yang Kai.
It had been many years since Giant Spirit God Ah Da had given this spear to Yang Kai, and Yang Kai had used the Azure Dragon Spear and killed many enemies already.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t until this moment that he had a real taste of the spear’s true might. This was an artifact that only an Open Heaven Realm Master could truly wield.
Although he was able to bring out a fraction of the spear’s power in the past, it was only because he possessed a Dragon Source. Since he was weak, he was unable to fully display the spear’s might.
However, this time was different. With the weapon in his hand, Yang Kai could clearly feel fluctuations that resembled joy coming from the spear. Holding it, he felt as though he could challenge all 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises alone.
Like a thunderstorm, Yang Kai repeatedly thrust out his spear in rapid succession.
The attacks didn’t only contain the power of the Azure Dragon Spear, but also Yang Kai’s understanding of the Dao of Space and Dao of Time.
In Yun Fei Bai’s eyes, Yang Kai’s spear and figure were blurry and elusive, making it almost impossible for him to follow his movements or identify his position. On top of that, his own thoughts seemed to be disturbed, like there was a disconnect between his mind, body, and the surrounding world.
The power of the scroll had been fully activated, and all the characters had left its surface, transforming into colourful blades of Sword Qi that repeatedly slashed through the air.
A long time seemed to have passed, but it was also as if only an instant had gone by.
When Yang Kai’s figure completely disappeared from Yun Fei Bai’s sight for an instant and he suddenly felt a tremendous sense of danger engulfing him.
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he had experienced countless life-and-death moments; therefore, he was extremely sensitive to danger, and he was able to react appropriately.
All the Sword Qi returned and formed into a dazzling sword wave in front of him before he pushed it forward.
The next moment, Yang Kai abruptly appeared before him, as though he was throwing himself into the sword wave.
He didn’t seem to have the intention of backing down as his eyes were filled with determination and murderous intent. As Yang Kai stared fixedly at his opponent, he unleashed a grand thrust with his Azure Dragon Spear and bellowed, “Die!”
Blood splattered everywhere.
Yun Fei Bai’s chest had been penetrated by Azure Dragon Spear while Yang Kai’s neck was slashed across by the sword wave. The flesh around the wound rolled up as he was almost decapitated.
Upon impact, both of them were forced to step back as their blood splattered out.
It had to be said that at that moment of crisis, Yun Fei Bai had reacted in the best possible manner. If he hadn’t harmed Yang Kai with that sword wave, forcing his spear thrust off course ever so slightly, the attack could’ve killed him.
After they separated, Yang Kai held the spear in one hand while covering the wound on his neck with his other. He seemed determined to continue attacking; however, before he could make a move, he suddenly looked in a particular direction and snorted, “This isn’t over. When I see you again, I’ll definitely kill you!”
Upon declaring so, Yang Kai shot away from Profound Yang Mountain.
He wanted to kill Yun Fei Bai, but the intense battle just now had alerted the top Masters from Profound Yang Mountain and he could detect that those Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Mountain Lords were approaching. If he stayed there any longer, he would’ve been besieged by them.
“Kill him for me! Kill him!” An extremely pale Yun Fei Bai stomped hard and his roar reverberated across the entire Profound Yang Mountain.
The figures who were coming to Yun Fei Bai immediately turned around and chased after Yang Kai, including the Third and Fourth Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain.
There was only one person who landed in front of the ruined Grand Hall. It was a fair-skinned and gentle-looking person who looked like an innocent young man; however, the shrewdness behind his eyes suggested that he was older than he appeared.
“Head Mountain Lord!” The Wei Brothers hurriedly lowered their heads.
This young-looking man was actually the First Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain, Mao Zhe.
The Four Great Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain were all in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he was the undisputed leader because he was just one step away from the Seventh-Order. In this regard, the other three Mountain Lords as well as the Three Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild and the two Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island were incomparable to him.
In the Shadowless Cave Heaven, cultivators were still able to break through to the next realm; however, due to the scarcity of resources and the existence of the Shadowless Astral Wind, cultivators who had fallen into this place considered themselves lucky if they could maintain their current Order. No one dared hope to achieve a breakthrough here.
It took a substantial amount of resources for a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to ascend to the Seventh-Order; therefore, even though Mao Zhe had remained in his current Order for over 10,000 years, he was still unable to take the leap to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, everyone believed that if he hadn’t fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he would’ve reached that realm in the outside world long ago.
“Second Brother, what happened?” Mao Zhe looked around and asked.
With a pair of eyes that seemed able to spit fire, Yun Fei Bai said through clenched teeth, “I was caught off guard by some brat.”
Mao Zhe looked in the direction Yang Kai had left with a slightly furrowed brow, “If I’m not mistaken, that person is only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, right?”
Yun Fei Bai flushed and said, “I was just careless!”
“He’s really something as he’s able to harm you when he’s just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.” Mao Zhe nodded, “Where does he come from?”
Yun Fei Bai glared at the Wei Brothers, “They have some explaining to do!”
Mao Zhe turned to look at the Wei Brothers, who turned pale instantly as they were soaked in a cold sweat. Not daring to hide anything, they hurriedly narrated their encounter with Yang Kai.
Upon hearing that, Mao Zhe fell into his thoughts for a moment before saying, “He came all the way here for Lan You Ruo.”
Yun Fei Bai was severely injured as his chest had been penetrated by the Azure Dragon Spear, and his clothes were covered in blood. Given the fact that he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it would take him one to two months before he could fully recover. However, he wasn’t at risk of losing his life at the very least. While Mao Zhe spoke to the Wei Brothers, he was already seated with his legs crossed and adjusting his breathing to prevent his injury from worsening.
The Wei Brothers darted their gazes between Yun Fei Bai and Mao Zhe as they were completely apprehensive. Even though they had no idea that Yang Kai was audacious enough to make a scene in Profound Yang Mountain, they were the ones who brought him to this place after all; hence, they could not stay clear of this matter. Now that Yun Fei Bai was severely injured, they would probably get some harsh punishments.
They couldn’t help but secretly curse at Yang Kai for dragging them into this. They felt that they had been unfairly victimised.
A while later, two figures descended from the sky.
They were the Third Mountain Lord and the Fourth Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain.
Mao Zhe turned to look at them, whereupon the Third Mountain Lord Geng Qing shook his head, “He escaped.”
Mao Zhe arched his brow, “Oh? He managed to flee with you two personally chasing after him? Wasn’t that boy injured by Second Brother?”
The Fourth Mountain Lord was the only woman among the Four Great Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain. Apart from her alluring face and curvy figure, her watery eyes seemed able to suck a man’s soul into them at any moment. Upon hearing Mao Zhe’s words, she replied, “That boy seems to be adept in the Dao of Space. He teleported away while Third Brother and I were chasing him, vanishing into thin air.”
Mao Zhe’s gaze brightened, “He’s adept in the Dao of Space?”
Geng Qing dipped his head, “I believe so.”
Mao Zhe immediately closed his eyes and scanned his surroundings. A moment later, he nodded, “It’s true. There are some residual fluctuations of Space Principles here. No wonder he had the guts to make a scene in Profound Yang Mountain. I heard that Masters of the Dao of Space are unrivalled when it comes to chasing and escaping. Unless we’re able to seal the Heavens and lock the Earth, we won’t be able to restrict his freedom. It seems the rumours are true.”
After pondering on it for a moment, he went on to say, “Since that boy has come all the way here for Lan You Ruo, he’ll definitely look for her. Third Brother, Fourth Sister, please go over and capture that boy. I don’t care about the others, but that boy has to be brought back to me alive.”
Geng Qing and the Fourth Mountain Lord Zhou Ya exchanged glances, then the former asked doubtfully, “It seems that you have a high regard for that boy, Big Brother.”
Mao Zhe gently rubbed his fingers together and asked, “How many years have you been in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Third Brother?”
After giving it a thought, Geng Qing replied, “I can’t remember the exact length of time, but I suppose it’s been 3,000 years.”
“What about you, Fourth Sister?”
Zhou Ya replied, “I’m sure it’s been more than 1,000 years.”
Then, Mao Zhe took a glance at Yun Fei Bai, who was trying to heal his wound, and said, “Second Brother came earlier than you two. He’s been around for 6,000 years while I’ve been stuck in this place for more than 10,000 years. The Shadowless Cave Heaven is neither big nor small. Over the years, we’ve searched all the places we could, but we’re still unable to find an exit.”
All of them appeared dejected at the mention of this. Besides Profound Yang Mountain, those from Unrivalled Guild, and Twin Spirit Island had constantly been looking for a way out as well; however, they were unable to find any clue regardless of how hard they tried.
“It’s been so many years. Don’t you want to go out and see the outside world again? Do you want to remain stuck in this damned place forever?”
Geng Qing replied, “Of course we want to leave.”
Zhou Ya appeared to be in her thoughts, “Big Brother, you mean…”
Mao Zhe nodded, “That boy is a Master of the Dao of Space, so he’s much more sensitive to Space Principle fluctuations than us. Perhaps… he’ll be able to find the way out.”
The gazes of Geng Qing and Zhou Ya brightened when they heard that. Although they were unable to find the exit after so many years, it didn’t mean that the Shadowless Cave Heaven had no exit. It was just that they hadn’t found it. If they could make use of this boy who was proficient in the Dao of Space, perhaps they would have a pleasant surprise.
An excited Geng Qing said, “En, don’t worry, Big Brother. Fourth Sister and I will call the roll and capture that boy immediately.”
Just when Mao Zhe was about to speak, Yun Fei Bai suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, “Wait a moment!”
Geng Qing gazed at him, “Is there anything you want to say, Second Brother?”
Yun Fei Bai said through gritted teeth, “Please leave this matter to me, Big Brother. It’s utterly humiliating that I was injured by that brat. If I don’t get my revenge, I’ll never have a good night’s rest again.”
Upon hearing that, Mao Zhe frowned.
Zhou Ya said, “Second Brother, your wound… How are you going to make a move? Don’t forget that Lan You Ruo is also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Although her power might have weakened during this period of time, it’s still not easy to deal with her if she’s pushed into a corner.”
Yun Fei Bai replied, “This kind of injury will heal in two… No, it’ll heal in one month. We’ve been waiting for years, so why can’t we wait another month?” Then, he gazed at Mao Zhe and sported a solemn expression, “Please give me one month’s time, Big Brother.”
Mao Zhe closed his eyes and fell silent. A moment later, he nodded gently and said, “Since you’re so determined, we’ll wait for your recovery, and then you’ll lead the operation.”
An ecstatic Yun Fei Bai replied, “Many thanks, Big Brother!”
Following that, Mao Zhe moved and abruptly disappeared.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya exchanged glances, then they told Yun Fei Bai to take a rest and dispersed.
After the other three Mountain Lords were gone, the women who were injured by Yang Kai earlier appeared and came over to help Yun Fei Bai up before they headed to another mountain.
The Wei Brothers traded glances and shuddered before fleeing from that place, feeling as though they had just escaped from death’s door.
Meanwhile, a battered figure landed on a barren mountain. He was none other than Yang Kai, who was running for his life just moments before.
Yun Fei Bai’s attack almost beheaded him. The long wound on his neck was hideous, and all his clothes were soaked in blood. However, he had a strong physique, so even as he ran for his life earlier, his wound was starting to heal. The flesh around his wound was seen squirming and reconnecting already.
Now, the most important thing for him was to get rid of Yun Fei Bai’s World Force; otherwise, his wound would never heal.
Upon making sure that no one was pursuing him, Yang Kai dug a hole in the mountain and snuck into it.
Then, he stuffed a handful of pills into his mouth and pushed his World Force to suppress and expel the power left behind by Yun Fei Bai in his neck wound.
Although Yun Fei Bai was one Order above him, his residual power wasn’t a living thing; therefore, it wasn’t difficult for Yang Kai to disperse it as he just needed some time.
Half a day later, Yang Kai’s expression changed as he opened his eyes and released his Divine Sense. Soon, he realised that there was a woman pacing around outside the barren mountain.
Yang Kai initially decided to ignore her; after all, he had to recuperate as soon as possible, but the woman kept pacing around for a long time as though she had discovered something.
His heart sank as he had no choice but to leave his hideout.
The woman was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so given Yang Kai’s current strength, he could kill her as he pleased. Therefore, even though he was wounded, he wasn’t afraid of her.
The woman was just looking around when she sensed something and looked up, only to see Yang Kai staring coldly at her.
She was shocked as she subconsciously took a few steps back. All of a sudden, something flashed through her eyes as Yang Kai abruptly appeared before her and clenched her neck with his iron-like hand. The force coming from his palm felt as lethal as a python’s bite.
At that instant, the woman was horrified as she coughed and pleaded with the man with her eyes.
Yang Kai stared dispassionately at her for a moment before frowning, “You’re one of Yun Fei Bai’s women?”
The woman looked familiar to Yang Kai. She was one of the women who surrounded Yun Fei Bai earlier. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was the one who massaged Yun Fei Bai’s calves. Presently, she was clad only in a thin layer of clothing, leaving her curvy figure faintly visible to the eyes.
Moments ago, Yang Kai fought with those women and sent them all flying away, this woman included.
The woman wanted to nod, but she was unable to move a muscle, so she could only bat her eyes.
“How did you find me?” Yang Kai asked coldly. He had even shaken off two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so how did this weak woman find his whereabouts?
As he spoke, he slightly loosened his grip.
The woman hurriedly explained, “I’m sensitive to smells, and Sir’s blood is different from others.”
Yang Kai frowned, not knowing whether he should believe her. As he expanded his Divine Sense, he realised that there was no one else besides them in this place.
He had the intention of killing her, but faced with a much weaker woman who didn’t have a blood feud with him, Yang Kai didn’t have the heart to cross that line.
After glaring for a while, he snorted and released her, “Since you’re able to find me, why have you come to look for me on your own instead of telling the leaders of Profound Yang Mountain to come here? Aren’t you worried that I’ll kill you?”
The woman pressed her lips together. Without replying to him, she fished out a jade slip from her Space Ring and passed it to him.
“What is this?”
The woman didn’t explain anything, and upon seeing that Yang Kai wasn’t taking it, she gently put the jade slip down on the ground and stepped backwards as she said, “I’ll owe you a favour if you can kill Yun Fei Bai.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brows while the woman turned around and left, leaving behind a rather pleasant fragrance in the air.
After taking a look at the jade slip, Yang Kai balled up his fist and grasped it in his hand. Upon examining it, he arched his brow.
That was because the jade slip contained a detailed map of the Shadowless Cave Heaven and the Proprietress’ location.
As he recalled the woman’s words before she left, Yang Kai fell into contemplation.
It seemed that the woman wasn’t willing to become Yun Fei Bai’s plaything. She was forced into such a state.
Unfortunately, she was too weak to resist. The fact that Yang Kai barged into Profound Yang Mountain and wounded Yun Fei Bai allowed her to see a glimmer of hope, so she came all the way here to look for him and give him some information.
After storing the jade slip, Yang Kai turned around and left.
He hadn’t fully recovered yet, and he wasn’t certain whether the woman was telling him the truth. It’d be terrible if Yang Kai’s opponents found him because she was leading him into a trap. Therefore, he decided to change hiding spots.
A while later, he found a cave on another barren mountain and snuck into it to recuperate.
The wound on his neck was hideous; however, it was nothing more than a flesh wound after Yun Fei Bai’s residual power was expelled, so it wasn’t difficult to heal it. Given his intrepid physique, it would only take him three to five days to recover.
A few days later, Yang Kai fished out the jade slip and identified his current position. After going through the information in the jade slip, he turned into a beam of light and headed in a particular direction.
Half a day later, he landed on a huge caldera. Looking down, he realised that the caldera was basically bottomless. Horrifying red magma weltered inside the basin while dark smoke was seen billowing from it. There were countless such calderas in the surrounding 1,000-kilometres radius and from time to time, the magma would burst out and form red rivers.
The environment here was more hostile than most places, but according to the information in the jade slip given to Yang Kai by that woman, the Proprietress, Chef, and Accountant were currently hiding here.
In the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, there were only a small number of places that were safe from the Shadowless Astral Wind. Besides the Headquarters of the three great forces, this caldera was one such place. However, it was less effective compared to the Headquarters of the three great forces.
Yang Kai rubbed his nose as he felt a lump in his throat. The Proprietress was a beautiful woman, but she was also a peak Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. In order to look for a cultivation resource for him, she fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and eventually, she had to hide in this kind of terrible place. He couldn’t help but blame himself.
In the past, he was determined to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master and didn’t listen to anyone’s dissuasion. Perhaps he had been too willful back then.
When he took a deep breath, the pungent smell seemed to have turned into needles and jabbed into his lungs. Looking down at the caldera, he yelled, “Anyone home?”
There was a passageway under the magma that had been set up with a barrier to serve as a shelter.
Chef suddenly opened his eyes and listened attentively for a moment before poking Accountant with his elbow. Then, he asked in a small voice, “Do you hear anything?”
Accountant opened his listless eyes and shot him a glance, “What do you mean?”
Chef scratched his head, “I think I heard Yang Kai’s voice.”
Accountant hurriedly took a glance at the Proprietress, which revealed more of the white parts of his eyes, before glaring at Chef, “Stop spouting nonsense. That brat is just an Emperor Realm cultivator, how is he supposed to enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven? You must have heard it wrong.”
Chef nodded, “You’re right… Wait… Listen…”
Accountant sported an awkward expression because while speaking to Chef, he could indeed hear a familiar voice calling out to them. Due to the weltering magma, the voice was only faintly audible. If Chef hadn’t pointed it out, he wouldn’t have noticed it.
In a nearby spot, the Proprietress opened her eyes, which were filled with doubt and puzzlement.
A moment later, she became furious and snarled through clenched teeth, “That damned brat!”
Then, she stood straight up, and as the hem of her dress flapped in the air, she shot out of the passageway.
After exchanging glances, Chef and Accountant hurriedly followed her.
Atop the caldera, Yang Kai had called out to them several times but no one responded to him. He thought that the woman might have lied to him as the Proprietress and the others might not be hiding in this place.
However, there wasn’t a need for that woman to take the risk to do such a thing; after all, what if Yang Kai was determined to end her life?
Just when he was about to dive into the volcano to have a look, his expression changed as he stared fixedly at the magma.
A moment later, the magma formed into a huge swirl as though it had been stirred by an invisible force. Just then, a figure shot out through the centre of the swirl. Her snowy white imperial dress was conspicuous in this hostile red and black environment. Like a lotus on a snowy mountain, she was pure and immaculate.
Before she even arrived, her familiar aura came right at Yang Kai, who smiled like a fool, waved, and called out enthusiastically, “Proprietress!”
As he spoke, he flew forward and spread his arms to tackle Proprietress in a bear hug.
Proprietress’ expression was so cold that it was as though one could scrape a layer of frost off her face. Before she could even say a word though, she was stunned by the sudden hug.
When Chef and Accountant dashed out of the vortex and saw what was going on, they were dumbfounded.
Chef opened his mouth so wide that it was as though a fish could be stuffed into it. He snapped out of his dazed state a moment later and poked Accountant, “Am I seeing a hallucination? Is Proprietress in his embrace right now?”
Accountant was equally astounded, but upon coming to his senses, he furiously summoned his abacus and shook it noisily. With his eyes filled with murderous intent, he was ready to charge forward, “Proprietress is being taken advantage of! Let’s kill him together!”
Chef immediately pulled him back, “Don’t panic. It’s not easy to take advantage of Proprietress, and she doesn’t need us to make a move on her behalf.”
Accountant shot him a glance and fell silent for a moment before nodding, “You have a point.”
Then, he put away the abacus and silently waited for the good show to start.
Nearby, the Proprietress was so stiff that it was as though she had been bound to the spot. As she felt the immense force, which contained a deep sense of longing, coming from the young man’s arms, her fury significantly subsided.
Just then, Yang Kai was heard saying, “I’m truly happy that you’re fine, Proprietress.”
She sighed, and then Yang Kai looked up at Chef and Accountant before grinning at them, “You guys look energetic as well.”
While Chef chuckled, there was a perfunctory smile on Accountant’s face.
The moment he finished speaking, Yang Kai found his head being lifted up forcefully. Releasing the woman in front of him, he asked hesitantly, “What are you doing, Proprietress?”
She was grabbing his hair and pulling him backward. The coldness behind her eyes weltered as she said through gritted teeth, “What am I doing? I should be the one asking you that!”
Upon finishing her words, she landed a kick on his shoulder.
Although she was a woman, she was also a powerful Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. She had exerted a lot of force with her kick, and Yang Kai didn’t dare to resist. After a grunt, he was sent flying away like a sack and crashed into the nearby cliff, forming a Human-shaped hole in it.
As the broken rocks tumbled down, Yang Kai felt the world spinning around him. Before he could pull himself together, Proprietress pounced on him and grasped his ankle before she spun around several times and hurled him into the magma.
Yang Kai plunged into the magma with a splash and disappeared below.
Following that, Proprietress shot downwards as though she was determined to kill.
Chef and Accountant both had their faces twitch as they watched.
A moment later, violent movements were felt coming from the magma. Following that, a pitiful shriek broke through the sky as Yang Kai was blasted out of the magma while flailing his limbs in the air. Proprietress followed him closely and repeatedly assaulted him in a ruthless manner.
Faced with the storm of attacks, Yang Kai groaned in pain and covered his head. His nose had even started bleeding.
“You dare dodge? Try dodging one more time and see what happens!” Proprietress beat him up while verbally threatening him.
Under the pressure, Yang Kai didn’t dare to resist in any way. Helpless, he could only lie on the ground and curl up into a ball, covering his head to protect his vitals while he let the Proprietress vent out all her anger on him.
“Stop hitting me, Proprietress! I can see what’s under your skirt!” Yang Kai suddenly exclaimed.
Proprietress was already incensed to begin with, so upon hearing such loathsome words, she exerted even more strength into her kicks.
Unable to take it anymore, Chef and Accountant immediately went over to pull her back.
Proprietress’ chest heaved heavily as her figure trembled with fury. She said through clenched teeth, “Let go! I must kill this infuriating boy today!”
“Please calm down, Proprietress. You don’t have to do this kind of dirty work yourself. We’ll do it for you!” As Chef spoke, he sent a signal to Accountant with his eyes, whereupon they pushed Proprietress away and pounced on Yang Kai, who had curled up on the ground, before they beat him up in a merciless manner.
Although Proprietress’ attacks were hurtful, Yang Kai wouldn’t have any grudges against her.
She must be aware that he had ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, so it was only natural she felt various kinds of disappointment and grief in her heart.
However, Yang Kai wasn’t about to put up with Chef and Accountant beating him up. Therefore, he shot them a glare to mean that he would settle the score with them for assaulting him today.
“You dare you glare at them!?” Proprietress bellowed while placing her palms on her hips.
“I don’t dare to! Forgive me!” Yang Kai covered his head again.
With Proprietress’ backing, Chef and Accountant became increasingly ruthless.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai silently counted the number of attacks they landed on him.
A moment later, Proprietress suddenly spoke up, “Alright, stop. Do you two really want to kill him?” She didn’t mean it when she said she wanted to kill Yang Kai.
Simultaneously, Chef and Accountant leapt away and retracted their powers since they were done with their job.
Yang Kai, who was still lying on the ground, slightly parted his fingers and examined Proprietress through the gap. Upon seeing that she was still furiously gritting her teeth, he quickly flashed a fawning smile at her.
However, his swollen face made him look both funny and abominable.
Upon seeing that Proprietress took a step forward, Yang Kai shuddered and quickly covered his head again.
She bent over and clenched the man’s collar before hoisting him up to her face. Glaring at him with a pair of slightly reddened eyes, she questioned solemnly, “You broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, didn’t you?”
“Yes…” Yang Kai bashfully nodded his head as he wouldn’t dare to look her in the eyes.
“Fifth-Order?” The Proprietress asked again.
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai forced a fawning smile.
“Why must you infuriate me so?!” The Proprietress stomped her foot so hard the ground shook.
“The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm still makes me an Open Heaven Realm Master.” Yang Kai rubbed his nose.
The Proprietress glared at him with reddened eyes and gritted her teeth as though she wanted to skin him alive.
The moment she heard Yang Kai’s voice just now, she knew that he must have entered the Open Heaven Realm; otherwise, he couldn’t possibly have entered the Shadowless Cave Heaven. That was because only Open Heaven Realm Masters could enter this damned place.
However, given his situation, it was extremely difficult for him to obtain a High-Rank Yin Element treasure. For a moment, she prayed that he had come into this place as a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Nevertheless, as soon as she saw him, she knew that he didn’t manage to directly advance to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
In that case, it would give her some solace if he at least was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Unfortunately, the Fifth Order was all he could achieve.
She was fully aware that Yang Kai had built an incredibly solid foundation, and that was the reason she was heartbroken. He had the potential to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly, but he ended up breaking through to the Fifth Order instead. It could be said that his Martial Dao was ruined and his future was bleak.
To the side, Accountant and Chef fell silent as they looked sympathetically but admiringly at Yang Kai. They finally acknowledged him as one of their own.
Yang Kai must have come all the way here to save the Proprietress. Although they had no idea what had transpired for him to eventually advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they could venture a guess. While Yang Kai was unable to find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, he was too concerned about the Proprietress’ safety, which was why he quickly directly advanced to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm and entered this place.
The Proprietress sighed. She had accidentally fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven when she was looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure for Yang Kai, but he decided to ruin his own future and become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the end in order to save her. Everything had gone wrong.
However, the fact that he had done all this for her proved that he was a righteous and loyal person.
“Don’t cry, Proprietress,” Yang Kai suddenly said as he stared dazedly at the tears sliding down her face. He raised his hand in an attempt to brush the tears away, but the woman turned around and disappeared into the magma.
Yang Kai pressed his lips together and scratched his head.
His impression of the Proprietress was that she was a resolute and astute woman. It was as though she was able to support the sky’s weight with her slender arms even as it came crashing down on top of her. It never crossed his mind that he would see such a woman cry one day.
“I’m doomed!” Yang Kai was apprehensive as he gazed pleadingly at Chef and Accountant, “She must be so mad that she started crying. What should I do?”
Chef heaved a sigh and went over to pat his shoulder, “She isn’t crying because she’s mad.”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai was startled, “What is the reason, then?”
“She’s blaming herself,” Accountant spoke up. “She must be thinking that if she hadn’t fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, you wouldn’t have forcefully broken through to look for her. She believes that you’ve fallen into such a state because of her. You’re supposed to be able to make it to the Seventh Order directly, but you only ended up in the Fifth Order. She’s crying because she’s heartbroken and is deep in self-blame.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow, “Ascending to the Open Heaven Realm is my own decision. It has nothing to do with her.”
Chef shot him a glance, “Do you even believe what you’ve just said?”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai became startled and fell silent.
Chef went on to say, “Regardless, what is done is done. Let’s go in first. Since you’ve come all the way here to look for us, you’ll also be my good brother from now on. In the past, only Old Bai and the Accountant were my good brothers, and now, you’re also included.”
As he spoke, he went over to hoist the battered Yang Kai.
With a serious expression, Accountant nodded, “You’re also my good brother.” Then, he dashed forward and helped Yang Kai up alongside Chef.
Yang Kai suddenly muttered, “Chef, you punched me 38 times and kicked me 13 times just now. As for you, you punched me 27 times and kicked me 16 times.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Chef and Accountant released him at the same time, which caused him to fall on his butt. While Yang Kai was in a dazed state, the two of them turned into rays of light and plunged into the magma. A furious Yang Kai said through clenched teeth, “You two really are my ‘good’ friends, huh!?”
Then, he got to his feet and rubbed his backside before chasing after them.
There was a cave below the caldera that was separated from the magma using a Spirit Array. Although the environment wasn’t pleasant, it wasn’t unbearable at the very least. It was a cave about the size of several houses, and since the restriction had opened up, Yang Kai was able to enter easily.
Presently, the Proprietress was seated motionlessly on a rock chair as she faced away from the entrance.
Chef and Accountant, who had come into this place earlier, were just standing behind her. Chef turned his head to take a glance and said in a small voice, “He’s here, Proprietress. Do you want us to chase him away? Or do we let him stay?”
The Proprietress didn’t respond to him, as though she hadn’t heard anything at all.
Accountant followed up, “What’s the point of asking this question? Proprietress is obviously mad. Chase him away and let him perish on his own outside!”
Chef grunted in a deep voice, “Good.”
Following that, they were ready to make a move as they rolled up their sleeves.
Unable to take it anymore, the Proprietress said coldly, “Do you two want to anger me as well?”
Upon hearing that, Chef stiffened as he put on a fawning smile, “We wouldn’t dare. Please don’t be mad at us, Proprietress. We won’t chase him away.”
Then, he sent a signal to Yang Kai with his eyes. Yang Kai got the message and took a seat in the opposite corner of the cave.
After that, the two of them said to the Proprietress in a subservient manner, “Please get some rest.”
As they exchanged glances, they carefully moved away and approached Yang Kai. One of them looked condescendingly at him while the other crouched down and stared at him.
Chef tutted, “Is a swollen face the trend these days, Yang Boy?”
“How do you even have the face to ask such a thing?” Yang Kai glared at him. Right after he was beaten up by the Proprietress, these two guys mercilessly assaulted him. If it weren’t because he had a strong physique, his face would’ve been deformed by now.
Chef grinned meaningfully, “These flesh wounds don’t matter. I have a blood staunching paste with me. Come on, I’ll help you apply it.”
Upon finishing his words, he fished out a slimy paste from his Space Ring and scooped up a bit of it with his fingers before applying it on Yang Kai’s face.
Yang Kai looked away to dodge him, thinking that he wouldn’t need any blood-staunching paste for these flesh wounds; however, he saw the Chef subtly signalling with his eyes in the Proprietress’ direction.
Yang Kai’s expression changed as he figured out what he was trying to do; therefore, he stopped avoiding him and let him do it. Nevertheless, he soon screamed at the top of his lungs, “Ouch! It hurts! Can’t you be a bit gentler?”
Snorting, Chef replied, “I’m a cook, this is how I deal with the meat and the fish every day!”
Yang Kai snapped, “Do you think I’m some kind of meat to be tenderized? You just said I’m your good brother!”
Chef refuted, “This and that are separate issues. How can you confuse them?”
Accountant, who was standing in front of them with his hands behind his back, grew impatient and said, “Alright, stop arguing. Yang Kai, how did you find out we’re here? Did Old Bai tell you about it?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En. Old Bai came to Void Land and told me what had happened. That’s why I rushed over here.”
“How is he now?”
Yang Kai replied, “He’s fine, so don’t worry about him. He should be in Void Land now. He initially wanted to follow me into this place, but I had no idea what was going on here or whether I would be able to leave or not, so I shook him off and snuck into this place on my own.”
Accountant nodded gently, “That’s good.”
Then, he took a glance at the Proprietress, and upon seeing that she had straightened up to listen attentively, he secretly found it funny. After that, he asked, “There’s one thing I don’t understand. You’d built up such a solid foundation, but why did you end up in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm? You could’ve ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the very least. Weren’t you only lacking a suitable Yin Element treasure?”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai smiled helplessly, “It’s a long story.”
Before coming to the Shattered Heaven, he wasn’t aware that only Open Heaven Realm Masters could enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven. If he knew, he would’ve gotten a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure ready just in case of emergencies.
However, it was too late as he only found out about it after arriving at this place. Sixth-Order materials were already highly sought after in Void Land to begin with, to say nothing of the fact that Yin Element materials were even rarer.
As soon as any Sixth-Order materials appeared in the Star City, those from Void Land would buy them up.
In the end, when Yang Kai needed such a resource, he realised that he didn’t even have one with him. Even Ti Zheng and the others didn’t possess one.
Left with no choice, he could only ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Upon hearing that, Accountant snorted, “I knew that something was off about it. Now, it seems that some people were really behind this.” After falling into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he had some suspicions but he didn’t have any evidence to prove it. After hearing Yang Kai’s story though, he realised that his speculations were right.
They hadn’t accidentally fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven; rather, it was a trap they had been caught up in.
After the Proprietress was trapped, they released Bai Qi to let him inform Yang Kai about it; then, they set up a siege just outside the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
It would be best if they could kill Yang Kai, thus settling this issue for good. Even if they couldn’t kill him, they could force him to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm as that was the only way to enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
In the end, their plot was successful as Yang Kai had no choice but to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, they had never expected that Black Crow Divine Monarch would lead a group of people and launch a sneak attack on them at the critical moment, which resulted in them suffering immense losses. Furthermore, in order to make Yang Kai willingly ascend to the Fifth Order, the Space Rings of all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were confiscated. It could be said that their losses were almost unbearable.
In any case, they had finally settled the issue regarding Yang Kai. This kind of outcome was still acceptable, and while no one was happy, they were at least satisfied. As for their grudges with Black Crow, they would have to settle the score with him in the future.
“You had the potential to become a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but you ended up in the Fifth-Order. Don’t you regret it?” Accountant asked in a grim voice. If he were the one who had to go through this, he couldn’t have remained calm and collected.
“It’s a shame that I’m unable to achieve my goal, but I don’t regret my decision.” Yang Kai shook his head, “Given the situation I was in, I probably won’t be able to get a High-Rank Yin Element treasure even if I waited for 1,000 years. Rather than wasting so much time waiting for something that might not even come to be, I believe I should have a power I can call my own.”
“You’re pretty poised about all this,” Accountant said admiringly.
Yang Kai shrugged while replying, “There’s nothing else I can do about it, so I think I should be optimistic.”
Just then, a rustling sound was heard. Proprietress rose from the chair and approached the three of them, who turned their heads to look at her.
When she reached them, she extended her hand towards Chef, who promptly passed her the blood-staunching paste and took a rock chair from a nearby spot before placing it behind her.
As the Proprietress took a seat, she gazed at Yang Kai with a conflicted look and scooped up some blood-staunching paste before applying it to the bruises on his face.
In response, Yang Kai beamed at her.
A frustrated Proprietress snapped, “Why are you smiling like a fool?” Then, she exerted more force with her hand, which caused him to wail in pain.
After a sigh, she rubbed the paste on his skin and said, “Since you’ve ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, there’s no going back. The Small Universe in your body has formed, so it’ll be useless even if you regret it in the future.”
“I won’t regret it.” Yang Kai shook his head, “When I arrived in the Outer Universe, it was you who took care of me like a caring Senior. Now that you’re in trouble, there’s no way I can sit back and do nothing. I’m even willing to barge into the 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises for you, let alone a mere Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
“Stop boasting!” The Proprietress shot him a glare and ground her teeth, “A Senior? Am I that old to you?”
In an instant, Yang Kai was soaked in cold sweat, “Proprietress is still in the spring of her youth, the word ‘old’ can in no way be associated with you. I was wrong!”
After a snort, the Proprietress gently continued, “Since you’ve ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, your limit will be the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Given your heritage and foundation, it won’t be difficult for you to make it to the Seventh-Order as long as you have enough resources. If you want to go further than that, it’ll depend on whether you’ll come across the right opportunities, so you’d better brace yourself for it.”
“I understand.” Yang Kai nodded. By refining Open Heaven Pills and resources of various Elements, a cultivator could only rise two Orders from the one they initially broke through to. This was a universal truth that had been proven by countless cultivators since time immemorial. No one had managed to overcome this law. That was because there was a limit for growth regardless of whether one refined Open Heaven Pills or other resources.
However, if one could find Innate Open Heaven Pills formed in the Universe Furnace, they could break through this limit.
Unfortunately, such pills were incredibly rare. Whenever the Universe Furnace appeared, it would cause an upheaval in the 3,000 Worlds and lead to a reign of terror and bloodshed.
Even the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who rarely stepped out of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, would make a move upon getting wind of its appearance. In that kind of situation, even the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to interfere as they could be easily killed if they were the slightest bit careless.
Whenever the Universe Furnace appeared, it was normal for hundreds, if not thousands of Open Heaven Realm Masters to lose their lives, all of them at the Mid-Rank at minimum. Even many Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would die in this struggle.
“There’s no rush to cultivate as you have to stabilize your foundation first. When a person reaches the Open Heaven Realm, all they have to do is accumulate more power in order to advance.” While the Proprietress was giving Yang Kai a valuable lesson, she suddenly glanced at his neck and pinched his chin before turning his head slightly. With narrowed eyes, she asked, “How did you get this wound?”
Although the wound on his neck caused by Yun Fei Bai had basically healed, there was still a mark left. Upon realising that it was a cut that almost beheaded Yang Kai, the Proprietress was shocked.
“Who hurt you?” She asked in a grim voice.
Yang Kai batted his eyes and scratched his nose, “Before coming to this place, I went over to Profound Yang Mountain.”
“Yun Fei Bai?” The Proprietress’ eyes turned cold.
Yang Kai explained, “I had no idea where you were, but I heard that Yun Fei Bai from Profound Yang Mountain was hunting for you, so I decided to go over and get some information from them. Don’t worry. Although I’ve suffered a setback, he isn’t in any better condition. I left a hole through his chest, which can be considered a little interest for what he owes you.”
Upon hearing that, Chef and Accountant exchanged astounded glances.
It was only now that they understood how Yang Kai was able to find them in the caldera. It turned out he gathered some information from those in Profound Yang Mountain. They secretly admired him for his audacity.
They were aware of how powerful those from Profound Yang Mountain were, and Yun Fei Bai was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It was inconceivable that Yang Kai was able to wound Yun Fei Bai and even escape from that place.
The fact that he had pulled off this feat was beyond their ability to imagine.
When they took a look at the wound on Yang Kai’s neck, they confirmed that it was a cut that almost decapitated him. He was so close to losing his life.
“Are you sick of living!? How could a mere Fifth-Order like you barge into Profound Yang Mountain?” The Proprietress gazed at him in astonishment as she still couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
Yang Kai just laughed like a fool while feeling warm in his heart.
The Proprietress ground her teeth as though she was ready to reproach him, but upon recalling that he had done all this for her, she didn’t have the heart to be harsh. Therefore, she said in a caring manner, “You mustn’t act on a whim again in the future.”
Yang Kai nodded repeatedly, “I’ll remember it.”
With her eyes filled with a sense of self-blame, the Proprietress heaved a sigh. If she had been careful enough back then, she probably wouldn’t have fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, which led to Yang Kai getting forced to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
“Just treat your wounds first. You’ve just ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so you have to immediately consolidate your cultivation. You should cultivate in seclusion for a period of time. Although this place isn’t particularly safe, we can’t find a better location,” the Proprietress ordered, “Moreover, you’ve just arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so you’re not aware of the dangers here yet. I’ll tell you about it at a later time.”
“There’s no rush…”
Before Yang Kai was able to finish his words, the Proprietress shot him a glare, “Go now!”
Yang Kai immediately jumped up and complied, “Yes!”
Then, he walked into a secret room in the cave and sat down with his legs crossed. The Proprietress set up a number of barriers outside the room before stopping.
Left with no choice, Yang Kai could only start cultivating in seclusion.
The wounds inflicted on him in the previous battle had healed, and the assault from the Proprietress, Chef, and Accountant had only resulted in some bruises, which could be ignored. The reason he screamed at the top of his lungs just now was to arouse the Proprietress’ sympathy, which proved to be effective.
Now, he closed his eyes and checked on his Small Universe.
His Small Universe was newly formed as he had just ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Anyone else would have to cultivate in seclusion for three to five years to stabilise their foundation; however, Yang Kai’s Small Universe had inherited the heritage of the Small Sealed World as he had merged the two, so he was able to stabilise it much quicker than normal.
Furthermore, the previous two battles with Ma Tian Yuan and Yun Fei Bai respectively had helped him quickly consolidate his cultivation, even though the battles didn’t last long.
His battle against Yun Fei Bai was especially intense as he was constantly at risk of dying. This kind of immense pressure was more effective than cultivating in seclusion, which was dull and tedious.
Now, instead of fortifying his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, Yang Kai had to hurriedly ascend to the Sixth-Order.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven was obviously not a hospitable place. Those from Profound Yang Mountain, who had four Sixth-Order Mountain Lords with them, had formed grudges with the Proprietress and Yang Kai. Even in the 3,000 Worlds, Profound Yang Mountain could be considered a top Second Class great force.
Without its two Divine Spirits, Void Land would be incomparable to Profound Yang Mountain.
Since Yang Kai had injured Yun Fei Bai, those from Profound Yang Mountain would never let him off, so it was expected that they would make a move sooner or later. Given his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, he couldn’t survive when dealing with such a behemoth even though he had the Proprietress with him. Therefore, Yang Kai would only gain the qualifications to struggle against them by reaching the Sixth Order.
He was already able to injure Yun Fei Bei while he was in the Fifth Order, so it shouldn’t be hard to kill him after he made it to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. By then, he could join forces with the Proprietress to oppose the entire Profound Yang Mountain.
Anyone else would have to wait for a painfully long time if they wanted to go from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order, refining countless Open Heaven Pills and cultivation resources to strengthen the heritage of their Small Universe. If this process could be completed in hundreds to a thousand of years, it would be considered fast. Those who had less aptitude and resources could take thousands to over ten thousand years to do this, if they managed to at all.
However, Yang Kai was different. He was supremely talented, and his foundation was incredibly solid, so he was able to refine Open Heaven Pills and cultivation resources at a much quicker pace than average.
Furthermore, he still had a Mid-Rank World Fruit.
In the Primordial Land of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Yang Kai repeatedly entered worlds in the fruits and obtained a number of World Fruits, which included two Mid-Rank ones and thirteen Low-Rank ones. He also managed to obtain a root from the World Fruit Tree. After that, Meng Hong from Great Moon Province gave him a Mid-Rank World Fruit, so he ended up with three Mid-Rank ones in his possession.
World Fruits were Heaven-defying treasures that could allow an Open Heaven Realm Master to directly ascend to the next Order. The limit of Low-Rank World Fruits was reaching the Third-Order, while the limit of Mid-Rank World Fruits was the Sixth-Order. There was no doubt that these fruits were invaluable.
When Yang Kai was on the way to the Star Boundary, he was besieged by Hei He and forced to let Guo Zi Yan and Lu Xue respectively consume a World Fruit to turn the situation around.
Guo Zi Yan was originally a Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so he directly rose to the Third-Order after taking a Low-Rank World Fruit. On the other hand, Lu Xue was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so she became a Fifth-Order one after consuming a Mid-Rank World Fruit.
Furthermore, Yue He had consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit, allowing her to reach the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Hence, Yang Kai still had one last Mid-Rank World Fruit with him. That was the reason he was willing to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm at that time. With such a Heaven-defying fruit, it could be said that it made no difference whether he ascended to the Fifth Order or the Sixth Order. The only issue was that he had to consume the last fruit.
However, he managed to make up for this loss somewhat by taking the Space Rings of the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had ambushed him.
The most valuable aspect of a World Fruit wasn’t its ability to make a cultivator directly reach the next Order, but rather its ability to increase the limit of a cultivator’s Martial Dao. Such an opportunity could never be purchased with money.
Yang Kai had ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so theoretically, the best he could achieve in the future was the Seventh-Order; however, after taking a World Fruit, he would reach the Sixth-Order directly, and his limit would increase to the Eighth-Order.
When Yang Kai was forced to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm outside of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he had already considered that. Ti Zheng and the others thought that his future was ruined, but they were not aware of his intentions. The reason Yang Kai even agreed to break through was that he had a Mid-Rank World Fruit with him.
Inside the secret room, Yang Kai fished out a box from his Space Ring and carefully opened it, whereupon a translucent spirit fruit the size of a fist came into his sight. It was the last Mid-Rank World Fruit he had.
Lights were seen swirling around the fruit’s surface, giving it a rather entrancing look.
After taking out the spirit fruit, Yang Kai took a bite without hesitation. As the fruit peel broke apart, the fragrant juice flowed into his mouth. He arched his brow as he hadn’t expected the taste to be so pleasant.
Then, he wolfed down the World Fruit, including the fruit pit, and licked his lips with a joyful expression. The next moment, Yang Kai’s face turned solemn as he quickly focused on his Small Universe.
The World Fruit’s medicinal efficacies dissolved in his stomach and turned into the purest World Force imaginable that streamed into all his organs. The force wasn’t intense, so it was still bearable for Yang Kai, what was special was that there didn’t seem to be an end to this stream of World Force.
Yang Kai’s Small Universe opened wide and accepted this World Force. He didn’t even need to spend any effort to refine it as the World Force quickly assimilated into the Small Universe, adding to his heritage and foundation without any obstruction.
Yang Kai was stunned. It was no wonder that the World Fruits were extremely precious and were called Heaven-defying.
When an Open Heaven Realm Master consumed Open Heaven Pills and cultivation resources, there was a refinement process. However, the World Force streaming out of the World Fruit didn’t require any effort to assimilate, they just had to open their Small Universe and accept it.
This fact alone made World Fruits a unique treasure.
As time passed, Yang Kai could clearly feel that the heritage of his Small Universe was increasing in a rapid and steady manner as it marched towards the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Outside the secret room, the Proprietress had to leave the cave from time to time while Chef and Accountant stayed there to stand guard for Yang Kai so that he wouldn’t be disturbed.
The reason the Proprietress went out was that she had to look for a way to leave this damned place. She had been doing that since before Yang Kai’s arrival. Unfortunately, she hadn’t gotten any clues so far.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven was neither big nor small, so over the years, the three great forces had gained a footing and searched everywhere they could. If there was really an exit, they would’ve discovered it by now.
It had only been one year since the Proprietress and the others arrived here, so their efforts weren’t comparable to the thousands of years the three great forces had invested.
One day, while keeping guard in the cave, Chef and Accountant realised that the barrier had been triggered. Looking up, they saw the Proprietress returning from outside as the magma roiled behind her. She used her power to open up a passageway and plunged into the caldera.
After looking around, she stared at Yang Kai’s secret room and frowned, “Hasn’t he come out yet?”
Chef shook his head, “Not yet. It’s been a month, but it seems that his injuries are pretty serious, which is why it’s taking him such a long time to recuperate. Do we need to check on him, Proprietress?”
She rejected his idea by shaking her head, “There’s no need for that. It’d be terrible if we happen to disturb him during a critical moment.”
Accountant spoke worriedly, “The Astral Wind is due to blow again in a few days. Although this place can fend it off somewhat, we can’t totally avoid its influence. By then, Yang Kai will be disturbed.”
That was indeed a serious problem. The place they resided could ward off some of the Astral Wind’s effects, but it wasn’t as good as the Headquarters of the three great forces. If it weren’t for this place, they couldn’t have made it to this day as all their cultivations would’ve been ground down by the eerie wind.
Despite that, they had suffered quite some losses to their Small Universes after a year. The Proprietress was in a better state as she was able to persevere given her strong and solid cultivation; however, it had only been a short time since Chef and Accountant ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so their heritages were not solid to begin with. The brutality of the wind had repeatedly destabilised their Small Universes.
After the Astral Wind struck each time, they would have to use up a lot of resources to simply stabilize their cultivations, and even more to try to make up for the losses.
Upon pondering on it for a moment, the Proprietress said, “We’ll play it by ear. Don’t disturb him for now; however, we have to be wary of those from Profound Yang Mountain. I took a stroll around that place some time ago and realised that they’re gathering quite a few people together. It seems that they’re preparing to make a move on us.”
Chef was shocked when he heard that, “Does it mean that we have to escape somewhere else?”
Those from Profound Yang Mountain had a lot of people on their side, including many powerful Masters. If the two parties fought, the Proprietress would definitely not be a match for them. The reason they had been safe for such a long time was that the Proprietress, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was intimidating enough.
The people from Profound Yang Mountain reckoned that even if they could take down the three of them in the end, they would have to pay a hefty price. That was the reason they backed down and allowed the three of them to hide in this place.
However, after such a long time, the Proprietress’ strength must have decreased under the influence of the Astral Wind. Although Chef and Accountant were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they were unable to affect the overall situation.
Previously, Yang Kai had made a scene in Profound Yang Mountain, which must have infuriated them, so it was expected that they wanted to retaliate against them.
The Proprietress shook her head, “Where else can we go? The Shadowless Cave Heaven is only so big. The only options left for us are Unrivalled Guild and Twin Spirit Island.” She paused for a moment, “Which do you think we should join?”
In the past, she had never considered joining one of the three great forces. That was because all of these great forces had established themselves in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so they would be restricted in many ways if they joined one of them, not to mention that they had to hand over a large part of their resources.
Nevertheless, things were different now and it was time they made a choice. If they remained stubborn, they wouldn’t possibly be able to survive in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
After exchanging glances, Chef and Accountant said in unison, “Twin Spirit Island.”
The Proprietress nodded in agreement, “I share the same sentiment.” Among the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Twin Spirit Island was the weakest because they only had two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Unrivalled Guild had three while Profound Yang Mountain had four. What’s more, the Head Mountain Lord was just one step away from the Seventh Order.
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, if the Proprietress joined Twin Spirit Island, it would allow them to be on par with Unrivalled Guild, which was a chance for Twin Spirit Island to strengthen its position.
Furthermore, the Proprietress had headed to Twin Spirit Island some time ago and was greeted hospitably by the two Island Masters. They had a joyous chat during the encounter, and the Island Masters were obviously trying to persuade her to join them. There was no doubt that they were more polite than those from Profound Yang Mountain.
After a moment of silence, the Proprietress spoke up, “Let’s talk about it after the Astral Wind is gone.”
Without any objections, Chef and Accountant nodded. Then, they started setting up some arrays in the cave. The Astral Wind was able to penetrate everything, including the Small Universes of Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although their arrays were not highly effective, it was better than nothing at all.
The Proprietress didn’t leave again, and three days later, the Astral Wind struck just as expected. Initially, it was just a light breeze, but it soon turned into a gale and caused a sandstorm outside of the cave.
Despite the fact that they were hiding inside the lava cave below the volcano, the Astral Wind was still able to sneak into the place and grind away the World Force in their Small Universes.
Obviously, it wasn’t the first time the Proprietress and the others faced such a predicament, and after so many experiences, they had developed some methods to resist. The strange wind in this damned place would strike once a month for one to two hours with a margin of error of three days. In the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, besides safe places like the Headquarters of the three great forces, only a few places like the area around this caldera were able to weaken the strange wind.
They had been looking for the reason behind it but to no avail. Even the three great forces couldn’t figure it out as they speculated that it had something to do with the deceased Shadowless Divine Monarch; after all, it was a Universe Cave Heaven left behind by him after his death, so any strange events could be traced back to him.
Fortunately, the three of them had prepared a lot of cultivation resources. Since the Proprietress’ return to the cave, she had been refining them non-stop. Presently, she was working harder to replenish the loss of her strength.
Suddenly, an extremely pure Wood Element Power exploded from the depths of the cave. The Proprietress and the others were stunned as they opened their eyes and fell into a dazed state.
An emerald green ancient tree had abruptly appeared before their eyes, one with a gigantic crown that covered the entire cave. A soft green light descended from the tree, containing an astonishing vitality that cast a green glow on their figures and made them feel completely at ease.
“What is this?” Chef was astounded.
“Is it a Divine Manifestation?” Accountant exclaimed.
The Proprietress nodded her head, “It should be so.”
She had sharp vision and vast experience, so she could tell that it was a Divine Manifestation the moment she saw it. Following that, she turned to look at Yang Kai’s secret room and realised that it was where the roots of the tree were located. Apparently, the Wood Element Divine Manifestation was Yang Kai’s doing.
The Proprietress couldn’t help but wonder about the Order of Wood Element Power Yang Kai had condensed, which allowed him to use such an incredible Divine Manifestation.
The moment she found out that Yang Kai had condensed the Golden Crow’s True Fire, she knew that he must have condensed a High-Rank Wood Element Power as well; otherwise, he couldn’t have suppressed the burning power of the Golden Crow’s True Fire.
However, High-Rank Wood Element treasures could still be classified into different Orders. The Proprietress had never probed Yang Kai about his background, but now it seemed that the Wood Element treasure he had refined was truly extraordinary. Otherwise, such a Wood Element Divine Manifestation couldn’t have been derived from it.
Resting under the gigantic tree, they not only felt warm and comfortable, but also clear-headed, like their thoughts had been accelerated. They had also discovered that they were able to restore their strength at a quicker pace.
All of a sudden, Chef exclaimed, “This Divine Manifestation seems able to ward off the wind, Proprietress.”
Certainly, the Proprietress was aware of that as well. The moment the Divine Manifestation exploded out, the Astral Wind in the cave disappeared, kept off entirely by the green aura around them.
The Proprietress’ alluring eyes trembled. It had been one year since they arrived at this place, and they’d had a taste of the power and strangeness of the Astral Wind many times. Other than hiding in this cave, they were unable to fend it off in any way.
However, now, Yang Kai’s Wood Element Divine Manifestation was able to completely ward off the Astral Wind that had been giving them a headache for a long time. It went to show that the Wood Element treasure he had refined was extraordinary.
Gazing at his secret room, the Proprietress became slightly at ease.
Since Yang Kai was able to make such a move, it meant that he was aware of what was going on in the surroundings; therefore, he should be almost completely healed. Initially, she was worried that the Astral Wind would have some negative impact on Yang Kai. Now, it seemed that not only did he have a way to fend it off, but he could also protect the three of them.
Although Yang Kai had only ascended to the Fifth Order, his previous efforts hadn’t gone down the drain. This Wood Element Divine Manifestation alone was a powerful method in his arsenal.
Inside the secret room, Yang Kai appeared jovial.
Not long after he arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he was struck by the Astral Wind once, which resulted in him being quite battered. When he checked on his Small Universe after that though, he realised that the gigantic tree, which was the manifestation of his Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation, was completely fine. At that time, he speculated that this Divine Manifestation might be able to protect against the Astral Wind.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t had a chance to test this theory.
Therefore, when the Astral Wind struck again, he immediately activated the Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation. Just like he had expected, the aura of the great tree was able to keep out the Astral Wind.
The discovery made him set his mind at ease. With this Divine Manifestation, he wouldn’t have to worry about the Astral Wind in the Shadowless Cave Heaven again; moreover, not only could this Divine Manifestation protect himself, it could also protect those around him.
In a place such as the Shadowless Cave Heaven, this kind of Divine Manifestation was like a trump card that could save their lives as they wouldn’t have to worry about the brutality of the Astral Wind ever again.
Even though the Headquarters of the three great forces were safe, the locations were not movable. On the other hand, Yang Kai could use this Divine Manifestation wherever he wanted. Although the protection range was limited, it was more than sufficient.
One hour later, the Astral Wind dissipated.
Yang Kai retracted his Divine Manifestation and the gigantic tree with vigorous green light slowly disappeared. Following that, he continued absorbing the medicinal efficacies of the World Fruit.
Over the past month, he had been continuously absorbing the World Force coming from the World Fruit.
Presently, not only had he made up for the losses that he had suffered in his Small Universe from the Astral Wind, but he had also managed to strengthen it. Even the landmass of his Small Universe had expanded quite a bit.
He had a feeling that he had reached the limits of the Fifth Order and, in just a few days, he would be able to achieve a breakthrough and ascend to the Sixth Order.
There wasn’t a need to worry about whether the medicinal efficacies of the World Fruit were sufficient. Since Yue He was able to go from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order, Yang Kai could do the same.
In the meantime, on one of the peaks of Profound Yang Mountain, the door of a palace suddenly opened. Second Mountain Lord Yun Fei Bai stepped out and looked around before ordering, “Inform the Third Mountain Lord and the Fourth Mountain Lord. Assemble the troops and follow me to capture that whore Lan You Ruo!”
A number of Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had been keeping guard outside the palace, immediately replied, “Yes.”
Looking in the direction of the caldera, Yun Fei Bai sported a cold expression.
Previously, he was injured by Yang Kai, which was an incredible loss of face. The spear that penetrated his chest had left him severely wounded and it took him a whole month to recover. He could still feel his chest aching to this day.
Although Yang Kai wasn’t in a better state either as he had almost been decapitated, he was only a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master while Yun Fei Bai was in the Sixth-Order. They were not supposed to be an equal match to begin with as the difference of even one Order was like the gap between the Heavens and Earth. Being wounded so seriously by a boy a whole Order lower than him was humiliating, so it was expected that Yun Fei Bai would be resentful.
In order to recover quickly, he used a lot of resources that were hard to come by in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so it could be said that these were immense losses for him.
He was extremely vexed. If it weren’t because the Head Mountain Lord had his eyes on Yang Kai’s mastery over the Dao of Space, which might help them find the exit, Yun Fei Bai would definitely kill him and rip his corpse into countless pieces.
Since the Head Mountain Lord had given the order though, Yun Fei Bai wouldn’t dare to kill Yang Kai. Nevertheless, it would be fine to treat him harshly. He secretly swore that once he captured Yang Kai, he would cut off all his limbs and stuff him into a jar where he would spend the rest of his miserable life.
As for Lan You Ruo, he was determined to obtain her. He had previously invited her to join Profound Yang Mountain and promised to make her the Fifth Mountain Lord; however, since she embarrassed him and didn’t appreciate his kindness, he couldn’t be blamed for being hard on her.
Meanwhile, the Third Mountain Lord Geng Qing and the Fourth Mountain Lord Zhou Ya were already ready. If Yun Fei Bai hadn’t insisted on personally making a move to get his revenge, they would’ve brought their people with them and stormed into the caldera a month ago. Upon getting the news at this moment, they responded quickly. Soon, numerous rays of light left Profound Yang Mountain and headed to the hiding place of the Proprietress and her subordinates.
There were dozens of people in total. The three Sixth-Order Mountain Lords led the way while the weakest among this group were in the Fourth Order. Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters weren’t qualified to interfere in this matter. There were also six Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in this team.
Such a force was more than enough to deal with Lan You Ruo and the others.
In fact, they had always known that Lan You Ruo was hiding in the caldera. The reason they hadn’t stormed that place until now was that the Mountain Lords were wary of her Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation. If she became desperate, she might be able to severely wound one or two of them, even if defeating them was impossible.
Furthermore, Yun Fei Bai wanted to wait for the Astral Wind to weaken the Proprietress and her companions. It would only take one or two years for her power to noticeably decrease. By then, it’d be much easier to capture her.
Even without Yang Kai making a scene on Profound Yang Mountain, Yun Fei Bai was already prepared to make a move. Now that the Head Mountain Lord valued Yang Kai’s capabilities, coupled with the grudges between them, the battle against Lan You Ruo was inevitable.
This large group of people flew through the sky.
In just two to three days, they arrived at a spot near the caldera. Following the three Mountain Lords’ order, the caldera was quickly surrounded as World Forces undulated.
Inside the cave below the volcano, Chef exclaimed, “Profound Yang Mountain is here, Proprietress!”
The Proprietress sported a solemn expression and nodded, “I know.” Then, she took a glance at Yang Kai’s secret room, “I’ll go out to have a look. If things go wrong, immediately bring Yang Kai away from here.”
Chef asked worriedly, “What about you?”
The Proprietress replied, “You don’t have to worry about me. I have a way to flee!”
Accountant took a step forward, “I’ll stay with you to give you a hand, Proprietress!”
“Many people from Profound Yang Mountain are here; even three Mountain Lords have arrived, but I’m still able to escape if I’m on my own, so you don’t have to come with me.” As soon as she finished speaking, she leapt into the air and dashed out of the cave. As she separated her palms, a passageway appeared in the magma.
Chef and Accountant watched her leave as their eyes were filled with anxiety.
Initially, they thought that after ascending to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they would be able to share some of the Proprietress’ burdens. However, in this kind of situation, Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them were useless. If they tagged along, they might be captured by the enemy and used to threaten the Proprietress.
They couldn’t help but blame themselves for being useless as they were unable to lend her a hand at the most critical moment. Chef’s eyelids twitched as he gazed at the secret room, [What’s wrong with Yang Kai? Why hasn’t he come out after one month of recuperation?]
If he had stepped out of the secret room, they could make use of his Space Secret Technique to flee even if they were unable to defeat their enemies. However, he had been meditating for a whole month, and he didn’t seem aware that the enemy was already at their door.
Outside the caldera, the three Mountain Lords stood alongside one another. A lot of people had surrounded the caldera as auras undulated. Upon seeing that the magma was roiling , Yun Fei Bai curled up his lips.
A snow-white figure shot out of the fiery red magma. The imperial dress she was clad in perfectly outlined her curvy figure.
The Proprietress stood silently in the void as she flicked her sleeve and swept a glance over these people. Then, she fixed her eyes on Yun Fei Bai and the others before asking, “What brings you here, Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain?”
Yun Fei Bai sneered, “Stop asking the obvious. You’re fully aware of why we’re here.”
The Proprietress replied, “I’m not you, so how am I supposed to know what you’re thinking?”
Yun Fei Bai scoffed, “Since you’re trying to play dumb, just keep doing that. Don’t beg for my mercy when I beat you up later.”
The Proprietress shot him a dispassionate glance, “Yun Fei Bai, although you’re also a Sixth-Order cultivator, you’re no match for me. Go back to where you came from before your pride isn’t the only thing that’s hurt.”
A furious Yun Fei Bai snapped, “You’re pretty arrogant, bitch! Let’s see whether you’re really as strong as you say you are!”
Upon finishing his words, his figure shook as his World Force swirled around him and he pounced at the Proprietress.
Geng Qing helplessly shook his head, “Second Brother is still so hot-tempered. Can’t he see that she’s trying to goad him into a one-on-one fight with her?”
Zhou Ya sighed, “Second Brother is a conceited man, so just let him be. That Lan You Ruo has spent a year being exposed to the Astral Wind, so she isn’t as strong as she was before. Just get ready for now. Once Second Brother injures her, we can join forces and take her down together.”
Geng Qing nodded lightly before taking a step forward and immediately appeared on the other side to form an encirclement with Zhou Ya.
Looking up, they saw that Yun Fei Bai and Lan You Ruo had begun their clash. Both of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so every move they made was world-shaking. As their World Forces permeated the air, the explosions of light from their Secret Techniques erupted everywhere. There was no doubt that it was an intense battle.
After observing the battle for a while though, Geng Qing arched his brow as he realised that Lan You Ruo was truly powerful. Although her strength seemed to have been weakened, she was still able to match Yun Fei Bai.
He secretly felt astounded. If Lan You Ruo were at her peak, she would’ve been truly intimidating. Although she might not be able to defeat the Head Mountain Lord, there wouldn’t be a big of a gap between their powers.
Since such a top cultivator had some grudges against Profound Yang Mountain, they reckoned that they must end her life. If she escaped this time and sided with either Unrivalled Guild or Twin Spirit Island, it would be troublesome for them.
After the intense battle lasted for a while, it was apparent that the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were equally matched. All of a sudden, someone came over and reported, “Third Mountain Lord, Fourth Mountain Lord, we’ve detected some strange movements in the caldera.”
Upon hearing that, Geng Qing stared intently in that direction for a moment before saying, “They’re Lan You Ruo’s Fifth-Order subordinates. The magma is roiling inside the caldera. There should be some secret passageways. These guys must be trying to flee since the situation isn’t in their favour… Hmm? There’s one more person with them. Who is that?”
Zhou Ya looked in the same direction and gave it a thought before saying, “He must be that brat who injured Second Brother. It seems that his injuries are pretty severe. One month has passed, but he’s still unconscious. Someone has to carry him on his back and flee.”
Geng Qing nodded, “You’re right. I’ll leave those three to you, Fourth Sister. If we can capture them, it will distract Lan You Ruo. By then, Second Brother will have an easier time dealing with her.”
A hesitant Zhou Ya asked, “What about Second Brother?”
With a smile, Geng Qing replied, “Don’t worry, Fourth Sister. I’ll make sure that he won’t get hurt. When the time is right, I’ll join forces with him.”
It was then Zhou Ya nodded, “I’ll go then.”
Following that, she swept a glance over the people around her, whereupon more than ten people left with her to race after Chef and the others.
One hundred kilometres in front of them, Chef carried Yang Kai on his back while running away at the speed of the wind. On the other hand, Accountant followed them with a golden abacus in his hand. When he turned his head and saw many rays of light racing after them, he exclaimed, “Run, Chef! They’re coming right at us!”
Just like what Geng Qing had said, there were some secret passageways under the caldera. It had been one year since the Proprietress and the others arrived in this place, so they were familiar with the terrain. Even if the cave’s entrance was blocked by their enemies one day, they would still be able to flee.
Not long after the Proprietress dashed out of the caldera, she engaged in a battle with the enemy. Upon seeing that things were deteriorating, Chef and Accountant immediately brought Yang Kai with them and fled through another exit.
Although they moved cautiously, they were still detected by their enemies. Now that their enemies were chasing after them, they had no choice but to flee at their top speed.
Both of them were only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and they had a burden with them that was Yang Kai. On the other hand, Zhou Ya was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who had more than ten people with her. Both parties were not equally matched to begin with, so there was no way they could defeat their enemies if they got into a fight.
Therefore, they would only stand a chance to survive by fleeing. At the same time, they prayed that the Proprietress would be fine.
After running away for a while, a pale Accountant cursed, “I don’t think we can get away, Chef. That woman is pretty swift.”
Although there was only a difference of one Order between the Sixth and Fifth Order, the gap in power was vast. Usually, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would be able to deal with five Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with ease. Therefore, it was expected that a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was also able to fly at a greater speed.
Since Zhou Ya was determined to hunt them down, Chef and Accountant were not able to get rid of her regardless of how hard they tried.
Seeing that the distance between them was shortening, Chef tossed Yang Kai at Accountant and said, “Leave with him now. I’ll delay her for a while.”
After taking Yang Kai, Accountant gritted his teeth and placed him over his shoulder without hesitation. Then, he charged forward at full speed. It wasn’t the right time to argue. If they couldn’t make a decision quickly, they would fall into a terrible state.
Chef took a deep breath as his figure expanded and turned into a several-dozen-metre tall giant. The apron around his waist swayed with the wind.
With a knife in his left hand and a chopping board in his right, Chef appeared solemn and foreboding.
Then, he hurled the chopping board behind him as it expanded with the wind. It was as though the chopping board was about to cover the entire world. The unsuspecting Zhou Ya and the others came into contact with the chopping board and became bound by a mysterious force.
Chef raised his knife and bellowed, “I am the knife and chopping board, and you are the fish!”
Then, he brought down the knife as the blade shone viciously. The world around him seemed to have turned into his kitchen with him as the chef that was on top of everything.
Zhou Ya was flabbergasted as she hadn’t expected that a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would possess such a horrifying Divine Ability. He was apparently more powerful than the average Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Although she was a Sixth-Order Master, she still couldn’t help but feel terrified while she was bound to the chopping board. It was as though she was about to be cut into countless pieces.
Not daring to be negligent, she yelled and surged her World Force as she broke free of the restraint and shot towards Chef.
The more than ten Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were not standing idly by either. As they respectively used their Secret Techniques and artifacts, their World Forces became a chaotic torrent.
In just three breaths’ time, Chef’s gigantic figure flew backwards as he sprayed out a mouthful of blood. Like a deflating balloon, he shrank rapidly. The colossal chopping board turned back into its original form and was stored by Chef.
The blade light dissipated and his World Force subsided. Zhou Ya looked up and saw Chef spitting blood while fleeing into the distance. Despite his burly figure, he was extremely agile. With her face turning crimson, she roared, “Follow him! Don’t let him flee!”
She was a Sixth-Order Master and had personally led a team of powerful subordinates, but she was obstructed by a mere Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivator. Although it had lasted only several breaths of time, it was humiliating enough.
In the meantime, the Proprietress had fallen into a perilous state. Yun Fei Bai was embarrassed as he wasn’t even able to hurt his opponent, and upon seeing things not progressing, Geng Qing immediately joined forces with him.
As the two Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain worked together, they were able to gain the advantage right away.
However, to their horror, they realised that Lan You Ruo was still able to cope.
Geng Qing couldn’t help but feel terrified. Just a while ago, he believed that although Lan You Ruo wasn’t a match for the Head Mountain Lord when she was at her peak, there would only be a small gap between their powers. Nevertheless, it now seemed that she and the Head Mountain Lord would be equally matched when she was at her peak. Both of them were just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
If not, she couldn’t have remained so powerful after being affected by the Astral Wind for one year.
However, it all had to end on this day.
Regardless of how powerful Lan You Ruo was, she had to be killed in this place. The two of them had made a move while their Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm subordinates disturbed her from outside the battlefield. Even though she was formidable, there was no way she could leave this place alive.
During the intense battle, some people from Profound Yang Mountain had to back down from time to time as they were injured by the Proprietress. In just one incense stick, seven Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had temporarily lost the capabilities to fight, while one of them was even killed.
Although the Proprietress managed to hurt many of her opponents, she had been wounded as well. In this kind of situation, it was a miracle that she had made it so far. If it weren’t because Geng Qing and Yun Fei Bai were worried that she would attempt to drag one of them down with her if she was pushed too far, her situation would’ve been even more difficult.
There came a moment when Geng Qing’s gaze brightened while he attacked the Proprietress alongside Yun Fei Bai. He initially intended to back down, but he charged forward instead, using a Divine Ability that shot towards the Proprietress when she made a mistake and exposed an opening in her guard.
During a life-and-death battle between powerful cultivators, a single opening could determine the outcome.
As his World Force undulated, his Divine Ability landed on the Proprietress’ delicate figure and exploded, whereupon she detonated and turned into dust.
Yun Fei Bai became rooted to the spot as he asked in disbelief, “She died?”
Geng Qing was stunned as well and with a frown, he had a feeling that something was off.
Although his Divine Ability was mighty, Lan You Ruo wasn’t weak. How was it possible that she was killed just like that?
Then, he looked down and saw a figure dashing into the magma.
“It was just an illusion. She fled!” Geng Qing bellowed.
“Where does she think she’s going!?” Yun Fei Bai yelled and plunged into the caldera.
“Wait, Second Brother! There might be a trap!” Geng Qing shouted, but it was too late. The impetuous Yun Fei Bai had already disappeared into the magma.
Left with no choice, Geng Qing ground his teeth and followed.
However, before he even dove into the magma, there was an explosion of World Force beneath him, as though a Divine Ability was expanding before his eyes. Following that, Yun Fei Bai wailed while spraying out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying back. There was a dent on his chest and his aura was unstable. It was apparent that he had suffered a serious setback.
Then, he spat blood again and roared with a hideous expression, “How dare that bitch set me up!”
A speechless Geng Qing reckoned that Yun Fei Bai’s terrible temper would forever land him in trouble.
As the magma subsided, they looked down at it and hesitated. After what happened to Yun Fei Bai, Geng Qing wouldn’t dare to rashly plunge into it as he was worried that Lan You Ruo was hiding under the magma.
As such, he turned to look at one of his Fifth-Order subordinates and ordered in a grim voice, “Go down and have a look.”
The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master appeared terrified, but he wouldn’t dare to disobey the order, so he clenched his teeth and dove into the magma.
A moment later, he dashed out of it and shook his head, “That woman is nowhere to be seen. She must have escaped.”
“Where else can she go?” Yun Fei Bai’s eyes were bloodshot as he was resentful of the Proprietress, “All of you, get down and search for her! I have to get her regardless of what it takes!”
Geng Qing explained, “We don’t have to do that, Second Brother. I believe Lan You Ruo is going to look for her subordinates. Fourth Sister is pursuing them, so we just have to meet up with her and I’m sure we’ll find Lan You Ruo over there.”
Yun Fei Bai turned to look at him, “Really? What if she doesn’t look for her subordinates?”
Geng Qing said, “Please trust me, Second Brother. Lan You Ruo seems to be someone who values the people around her greatly, so I believe that she won’t let her subordinates perish on their own.”
After giving it a thought, Yun Fei Bai nodded, “Good, we’ll look for Fourth Sister.” Then, he spat out a mouthful of blood and took a deep breath.
The wound on his chest was extremely painful.
On the other hand, Chef and Accountant were pale as they ran, blood streaming from their mouths. Although Chef had stopped Zhou Ya and the others for several breaths of time using his Secret Technique, their opponents resumed chasing them soon after. Left with no choice, Accountant had to make a move as well.
In the end, both of them were wounded while their enemies were getting closer and closer.
While carrying Yang Kai on his back, Chef cursed, “Brat, are you going to wake up or not!? We’ll die soon! By then, I’ll throw you to that woman and let her rip you into countless pieces!”
Although Chef was lamenting, he never slowed down his pace. Unfortunately, they were unable to get rid of Zhou Ya as she was more powerful than them.
Seeing as the enemies were getting closer, Accountant bellowed, “Leave! I’ll deal with her!”
Upon finishing his words, he turned around and readied himself to clash with Zhou Ya.
A flabbergasted Chef exclaimed, “No!”
However, he was unable to stop him, so he clenched his teeth and whirled around to follow him.
Accountant turned his head and bellowed, “What are you doing?”
With a solemn expression, Chef replied, “We’ll never get rid of her, so I think we should just perish together. Before that, we’ll at least bite some flesh off her!”
Accountant’s gaze darkened as he nodded with a heavy heart. Then, Chef quickly fished out a long cloth to tie Yang Kai tightly on his back. With a kitchen knife in one hand and a chopping board in the other, he was prepared to face his enemies.
Just then, they saw a ray of light rapidly approaching from behind Zhou Ya. The ray of light directly stormed into the enemies’ formation and caused a lot of Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to collapse to the ground. Many of them were injured and sent flying away as they sprayed out mouthfuls of blood in mid-air.
An astounded Zhou Ya turned her head with a fierce gaze and surged her World Force to trade moves with the ray of light. As a series of explosive sounds were heard as the world seemed to pale. The ray of light whisked past Zhou Ya and landed on a spot beside Chef and Accountant.
“Proprietress!” Chef and Accountant were pleasantly surprised.
The ray of light was none other than the Proprietress, who had shaken off Geng Qing and Yun Fei Bai.
Her face was slightly pale as she brushed away the blood on the corner of her lips. Then, she extended her hands and grabbed both of them before yelling, “Let’s go!”
Chef and Accountant were uncontrollably hoisted into the air.
“You’re injured, Proprietress,” Chef gazed at the trail of blood on the corner of her mouth with a worried expression.
“It doesn’t matter.” The Proprietress took a glance at Yang Kai on his back and asked, “Hasn’t he woken up yet?”
Chef shook his head, “No. Perhaps he’s at some kind of critical juncture.”
Given such a commotion, Yang Kai should have been shaken out of his meditative state even if he was still recuperating. However, his eyes remained tightly closed, as though he had cut off all connection with the outside world, which put them in a tight spot.
“Should we force this brat up?” Chef asked.
“No!” The Proprietress shook her head. Yang Kai wasn’t someone who would put his companions’ lives at risk and he should be aware of what was going on in his surroundings. In other words, he knew what they were going through, but there was a reason that he couldn’t wake up. It would be a terrible thing if they forcefully interrupted him.
“Where are we going now?” Accountant asked as he turned his head to look at the enemies behind them. Zhou Ya and her subordinates were still relentlessly chasing after them.
The Proprietress declared, “Twin Spirit Island!”
Previously, they were unwilling to join any of the three great forces because, first of all, they had just arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so they were unclear about the current situations in this place. Secondly, once they joined one of the great forces, they would be restricted in many ways and completely bound to that great force.
Only after learning that no one had ever left the Shadowless Cave Heaven over the years, did the Proprietress start considering joining one of them.
Profound Yang Mountain was excluded as there were some grudges between them; therefore, they were left with Unrivalled Guild and Twin Spirit Island. Among the two, Twin Spirit Island was the weakest as there were only two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on their side, so it was naturally their best option.
Some time ago, the Proprietress visited Twin Spirit Island and was greeted warmly by the two Island Masters. It was apparent that they were trying to persuade her to join their great force.
Initially, the Proprietress planned on asking for the opinions of Yang Kai and the others before deciding whether they should join Twin Spirit Island. Nevertheless, before Yang Kai even awakened, three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain had arrived at her door.
Left with no choice now, they could only head to Twin Spirit Island. If they were accepted into the great force, they could probably resolve this crisis.
…..
There was an expansive lake in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and in the middle of the lake were two islands that looked similar in terms of shape and size. Since both of them were closely connected, they were named Twin Spirit Island.
As the Proprietress and the others headed straight to Twin Spirit Island, it was apparent what their intention was.
On the other hand, Zhou Ya was still relentlessly pursuing them and two days later, Yun Fei Bai and Geng Qing finally joined her.
As Geng Qing looked in the direction the Proprietress and the others were heading, he gave it a thought and pondered, “Is Lan You Ruo going to Twin Spirit Island? When did she even come into contact with those Island Masters?”
Yun Fei Bai snorted, “That bitch is a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after all, so it’s expected that those two want her to join their Sect. I guess they came into contact some time ago. We need to catch them quickly. We mustn’t let them reach Twin Spirit Island. If she joins forces with Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan, it’ll be difficult to deal with them.”
Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan that he just mentioned were the Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island. They were also a married couple. It was said that they had been in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for even longer than the Head Mountain Lord.
Geng Qing narrowed his eyes before chuckling, “It’s been a short time since Lan You Ruo arrived in this place, so she isn’t aware of that couple’s temperaments. She must be acting out of desperation since she has no other choice. Don’t worry, Second Brother. It’ll be a good thing if she reaches Twin Spirit Island.”
Yun Fei Bai shot him a glance, “Why is it a good thing?”
Geng Qing explained, “Aren’t you aware of what that couple is like, Second Brother? Although both of them are in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, the same as us, they’re quite cautious and timid. The reason they want to recruit Lan You Ruo is that she’s a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If she becomes a part of them, they’ll be able to better resist Profound Yang Mountain and Unrivalled Guild; however, since the three of us are hunting Lan You Ruo down, will the couple have the guts to accept her?”
After giving it a thought, Yun Fei Bai nodded, “You’re right. Those two have always been cowards. If they find out that woman has some grudges with us, they’ll likely refuse to accept her group.”
Zhou Ya said, “If she is turned down, she won’t have a way out anymore.”
Yun Fei Bai’s eyes brightened as he looked at the front and put on an eerie smile, “They’re basically flying into the deathtrap.”
Realizing this, an elated Yun Fei Bai slowed down a little as he calmly followed the Proprietress and her group.
As they kept moving forward, they arrived at a beautiful lake two days later. The Proprietress, Chef, and Accountant stepped on the water and reached Twin Spirit Island soon after.
Twin Spirit Island was surrounded by a barrier, and no one was able to see through the fog and find out what was going on inside.
The Proprietress immediately fished out a Jade Token and infused her power into it. The Jade Token instantly turned into a ray of light and disappeared into the Grand Array.
This Jade Token was given to her by the Island Masters when she visited Twin Spirit Island previously and could be used as a communications artifact. They hoped that she would join their Sect one day, so naturally they provided her with a way to contact them.
After the Jade Token was gone, the Proprietress turned her head and saw many rays of light rapidly approaching them. It would probably take them no more than a quarter-hour to arrive, so she was naturally worried.
A moment later, the fog around the Grand Array roiled and a figure stepped out of it. He was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was clad in tight-fitting clothes, which made him look quite well put-together.
The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master looked around, and when he saw the Proprietress, his expression turned solemn, “I’m sorry for being late to welcome you, Madam Lan. Please forgive me.”
The Proprietress had paid a visit previously, so he naturally recognised her.
“It’s fine. Please tell the Island Masters that I’ll agree to the conditions they mentioned, and am willing to join Twin Spirit Island,” the Proprietress declared.
The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was evidently startled. Although he wasn’t sure what these conditions were, he wasn’t in any place to ask as he was just a messenger. As such, he simply nodded, “Please give me a moment, Madame.”
After he finished speaking, he turned around and disappeared into the Grand Array. Before he left, he looked into the distance with some concern.
In a parterre garden on Twin Spirit Island, a middle-aged man with a jade crown was having a stroll with a pregnant woman clad in an imperial dress. Pleasant fragrances permeated the place as flowers of different colours bloomed around them. The woman was stroking her belly while the man held her arm to support her weight. He looked down at the bulging belly from time to time with a joyful expression.
They were none other than the Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan.
While having a walk in the garden with his wife, Hua Yong asked gently, “Do you love this garden, my dear Wife? All of these flowers were brought back from the outside world and some of the species are extremely rare.”
Shu Mu Dan put on a reserved smile, “You didn’t have to do all this, Husband. These flowers cannot be consumed for cultivation. The subordinates might have some complaints against you since you told them to use so many resources for this.”
Hua Yong asked, “Who would dare to have any complaints?” Then, he stood in front of his Wife and crouched down before pressing his head against the bulging belly, “Moreover, Lin’er will only be pleased when you’re happy. That way, he’ll leave your stomach sooner.”
Shu Mu Dan started blushing as she looked around and poked the man’s head with one finger, “How old do you think you are? Get up now. Others will laugh at us if they see this.”
Hua Yong took her hand and caressed his own face with it before he looked up and flashed a smile at her, “Who would dare to laugh at me?”
“Island Masters…” Just then, someone rushed into the place. When he saw the Head Island Master crouching down in front of the Second Island Master and caressing his own face with her hand while the Second Island Master blushed with a loving expression, he became stunned.
Shu Mu Dan’s face turned a shade redder in embarrassment.
Hua Yong slowly got up and straightened his face before coughing into his fist, “What’s wrong?”
The person looked down at his feet and reported, “Madam Lan is here again. She said that she’ll agree to your conditions to join Twin Spirit Island.”
Upon hearing that, Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan exchanged glances and became ecstatic. The former laughed and said, “Very good! Although some people will fall into the Shadowless Cave Heaven from time to time, Sixth-Order Masters are rare. If Lan You Ruo could join us, our power will be greatly strengthened.” Then, he turned to look at the messenger, “Is she outside?”
The person replied, “Madam Lan is indeed waiting outside.”
“Welcome her inside right now!” Hua Yong ordered, then changed his mind, “No, no, no. My Wife and I will personally welcome her.”
If Lan You Ruo, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, joined Twin Spirit Island, she would be the Third Island Master. In other words, she would be the third most important person after Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan, so she definitely deserved to be welcomed by the couple personally.
Before the two of them could leave the garden, however, the messenger continued, “Island Masters, there’s one more thing I need to tell you. Madam Lan seems to be injured, and just now, I could see that some people were pursuing her.”
“Who are the ones chasing her?” Hua Yong frowned. Lan You Ruo was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so rarely anyone in the Shadowless Cave Heaven could hurt her or even have the guts to pursue her. Suddenly, he felt there was more to her trying to join them at this moment than it appeared.
The messenger replied, “Island Masters, you’ve not stepped outside for years, so you’re not aware of what’s going on. There are some grudges between Madam Lan and Profound Yang Mountain’s Second Mountain Lord.”
As the person spoke, Shu Mu Dan suddenly waved her hand, then the water around them came together and formed into a mirror. The reflection on the mirror showed the view outside of Twin Spirit Island.
Through the mirror, they could see Lan You Ruo and her three subordinates waiting outside the barrier. One of them was unconscious, so he had to be carried on another person’s back.
As Shu Mu Dan looked into the distance, her expression changed, “Three Mountain Lords from Profound Yang Mountain are over there!”
Hua Yong’s expression turned solemn as well. He could see the intimidating Yun Fei Bai and the others through the mirror. Of the four Sixth-Order Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain, three of them had come all the way here with many subordinates, which went to show that they were determined to end Lan You Ruo today.
“What are the grudges between Madam Lan and Profound Yang Mountain’s Second Mountain Lord?” Hua Yong asked in puzzlement.
Since his Wife was pregnant, he had been staying on Twin Spirit Island to keep her company and ignored the affairs in the outside world. Before Lan You Ruo paid a visit previously, he wasn’t even aware that there was a new Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Certainly, he had no idea what was going on when he saw this sight.
The messenger replied, “I don’t know the details, but those from Profound Yang Mountain have always been arrogant, and the Second Mountain Lord Yun Fei Bai is a lascivious man. Madam Lan knew nothing about the affairs here when she arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so she might have gotten into a conflict with them for some reason.”
Upon hearing his explanation, Hua Yong nodded and said with a dark explanation, “Now I know why Lan You Ruo is eager to join Twin Spirit Island. She’s basically left with no other choice now, so she wants to make use of us to resolve this crisis. Clever of her.” He snorted.
Shu Mu Dan asked with a frown, “What’s your plan, Husband?”
Hua Yong replied, “If she had agreed to join Twin Spirit Island previously, I would’ve welcomed her; however, since she intends to make use of us now, we can’t grant her wish. If we accept her, we’ll be offending Profound Yang Mountain.”
A worried Shu Mu Dan said, “If we don’t let her in, she won’t be able to deal with Yun Fei Bai and the others on her own.”
“That’s her own problem.” Hua Yong shook his head and gazed at his Wife, “What do you think?”
After giving it a thought, Shu Mu Dan said, “If Madam Lan could join Twin Spirit Island, our power will increase significantly, and we’ll have the might to go up against Profound Yang Mountain and Unrivalled Guild. Although the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven have coexisted peacefully so far, we’re still the weakest in the end. Therefore, we control far less territory than the other two great forces.”
“Do you want to accept her even now?” Hua Yong asked.
With a helpless smile, Shu Mu Dan shook her head, “I have no idea what to do. I’ll leave the decision to you, Husband.”
Hua Yong took a glance at her bulging belly, then his gaze became determined, “Ignore her.”
Although they could strengthen Twin Spirit Island’s power by accepting Lan You Ruo, Yun Fei Bai and the others would never let her off as they appeared determined. There was bound to be a battle if they took a side now, and given the situation his Wife was in, there was no way she could fight. No one could afford to take responsibility if their child was affected. They had waited for a long time before they had their own child, so they naturally valued him above all else.
Shu Mu Dan let out a sigh. As a woman herself, she sympathised with Lan You Ruo for what the latter was going through, but at the same time, she had to protect her child, which was why she was feeling helpless.
Outside of Twin Spirit Island’s barrier, the Proprietress felt her heart sinking.
The two Island Masters hadn’t shown up, nor had they opened the barrier. It was apparent to her that they were not willing to invite trouble to themselves.
She wasn’t in any place to blame them though. Although she had intended to join Twin Spirit Island previously, her arrival at this time was indeed inappropriate.
The reason she made this decision was that she had no other choice; otherwise, she would never want to trouble anyone else.
Seeing as the enemies were about to reach them, the Proprietress immediately decided to flee, “Run!”
Then, she surged her power to wrap up Chef and the others before attempting to head in a different direction.
“Where do you think you’re going!?” Someone was heard yelling as a figure abruptly appeared in that direction. He was none other than the Third Mountain Lord Geng Qing. It wasn’t certain when he had snuck to the other side, but he happened to be right in the Proprietress’ way.
Faced with an incoming Divine Ability, the Proprietress hurriedly parried and was forced back to her original spot.
In the meantime, the sounds of people breaking through the air were heard as many figures landed in all directions and surrounded them.
With a cold gaze, the Proprietress swept a glance over the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain.
There was a gloomy expression on Yun Fei Bai’s face as he spat and raised his chin. He appeared smug as he looked at the Proprietress, “Keep running. Let’s see where you can run now!”
Without saying a word, the Proprietress glared at him.
Yun Fei Bai took a glance at the fog-covered Twin Spirit Island and put on a devious smile, “Do you want to seek refuge in Twin Spirit Island? Have you even investigated the temperaments of this useless couple? Do you think these cowards have the guts to accept you?”
Inside Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong sported a dark expression and snorted. Not only could they see the outside view through the mirror, but they could also hear what was happening as well. That was why he could hear Yun Fei Bai’s words.
A conceited Yun Fei Bai shouted, “Hua Yong, Shu Mu Dan, this woman wants to side with Twin Spirit Island, do you want to open up the barrier and let her in?”
No one responded from the other end of the barrier.
With his palms spread, Yun Fei Bai said, “Look, they don’t even dare to respond to me. Do you think that they can protect you? Naïve!”
Zhou Ya said with a frown, “We should deal with our business here first, Second Brother!”
It was too arrogant to provoke the Island Masters right in front of their door. Although Profound Yang Mountain was stronger than Twin Spirit Island, the latter still had two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on their side. If they became infuriated, they might act out in anger, which would be extremely detrimental to them now.
Yun Fei Bai snorted and gazed at the Proprietress, “Whore, I’ll give you one last chance! If you don’t want to die, be good and become my woman; otherwise, this place will be your graveyard.”
Geng Qing was exasperated as he really thought that Yun Fei Bai was so lascivious that he was willing to risk his life for a moment’s pleasure. It wouldn’t have mattered if they hadn’t found out Lan You Ruo’s true strength; however, after the battle on this day, they realised that this woman was just as powerful as the Head Mountain Lord. Although Yun Fei Bai was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he would never be able to control her. Only by killing her could they solve this problem for good. That was the reason Geng Qing was rendered speechless when he saw Yun Fei Bai still lusting after her at this point.
“A dog’s mouth can never smell fresh!” The Proprietress shot a deathly glare at Yun Fei Bai, “Stop spouting nonsense and fight. There may be many people on your side, and it’s true I cannot defeat you, but I can take at least one of you down with me before I die. Let’s see which one of you will be so unlucky.”
“Impudence!” Yun Fei Bai stomped his foot on the ground in rage, “Third Brother, Fourth Sister, come with me and kill this woman!”
His murderous intent surged as he raised his hand and summoned a huge axe almost three meters tall. The flash of light swirling around it suggested that it was an extraordinary artifact.
Upon seeing that Yun Fei Bai had summoned this artifact, Geng Qing knew that he was determined to kill this woman.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya traded glances and summoned their own artifacts as well, whereupon they shot towards the Proprietress. Before they even reached their opponent, their rumbling World Forces shook the surrounding world.
Inside Twin Spirit Island, Shu Mu Dan appeared sympathetic.
All of them were in the same Order, so the outcome for Lan You Ruo was foreseeable since she was fighting against three enemies on her own. After a sigh, Shu Mu Dan looked away.
She had always been a gentle person, and since her pregnancy, she had become even more sensitive; hence, she didn’t have the heart to see another woman being killed.
Faced with the World Forces of three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Chef and Accountant found it difficult to even breathe, as though a mountain was pressing down on them. Even their legs were beginning to buckle under the pressure.
And they were only bearing the fallout from the enemy’s pressure. At the centre of the three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters’ pressure, however, the Proprietress closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Chef and Accountant widened their eyes as though they were waiting for something to happen.
The next moment, the Proprietress opened her eyes, which appeared as fierce as lightning. A red glow suddenly swirled around her and engulfed her entire figure as though it had spirituality of its own.
Some explosive sounds were heard, and when the red glow faded, the Proprietress was already covered in a scarlet Artifact Armour, which was so tight-fitting that it perfectly outlined her alluring figure. A flash of light was seen swirling around the armour. There were two Dragons on her shoulders with eyes that seemed completely lifelike. There was also a helmet that covered her entire head except for her soul-piercing eyes.
Her arms were protected by very solid pads, and as she made a grabbing gesture, a scarlet sword appeared out of thin air as though she had pulled it out from the Void.
The gale stirred up waves on the lake behind her as the Proprietress seemed to have turned into an armour-clad female knight, valiantly wielding the greatsword in her hands.
However, unlike her usual self, the Proprietress clad in this armour radiated a rich Monster Qi.
“Blood Monster Battle Dress!” Chef murmured under his breath with a pale face.
Although it was called the Blood Monster Battle Dress, it had nothing to do with Blood Monster Divine Monarch from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Chef and the others had no idea where the Proprietress obtained this armour, but they knew that she never used it unless she had no other choice. The fact that she had summoned this Artifact Armour suggested that they were facing a real life-or-death crisis.
Although she could significantly increase her power by using the Blood Monster Battle Dress, the rich Monster Qi within the armour had an erosive effect. The longer the Proprietress wore it, the more her consciousness would be eroded, leaving extremely difficult issues to resolve afterwards.
Therefore, the Proprietress would never use the Blood Monster Battle Dress unless it was absolutely necessary.
Although Chef and Accountant were aware that she had such an artifact, they had never seen her use it before. This was the first time!
The three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain were stunned upon seeing the Proprietress’ transformation. As their gazes fell upon the armour and sword, they immediately realized that the Blood Monster Battle Dress was truly extraordinary.
Geng Qing suddenly exclaimed, “Watch out, Second Brother!”
Yun Fei Bai’s axe was already right above the Proprietress’ head. As he bellowed and forcefully brought down his weapon. At the same time, he surged his World Force to empower the axe, making it seem like he could split apart the Shadowless Cave Heaven with this strike.
Faced with this world-shaking attack, the Proprietress raised her sword with both hands as a shockwave spread around from her feet. The next moment, she ignored the limits of space and abruptly appeared before Yun Fei Bai as she clashed with the axe with her sword.
Following a deafening clang, a visible halo of light spread out a thousand kilometres in all directions, shaking space wherever it passed.
Yun Fei Bai’s pupils shrank as he was sent flying away like a cloth sack, his gaze filled with complete shock.
He had traded moves with Lan You Ruo in the caldera not long ago, and although she was truly powerful, he was still able to compete with her. However, at this moment, this one clash made him realise that there was a huge gap between their powers.
[Where does the artifact on this woman come from? Why does it contain such horrifying power!?]
While he was still lost in his thoughts, the Proprietress, whose armour seemed to burn with terrifying flames, reached him as she raised her sword and chopped down.
A panicked Yun Fei Bai immediately parried the attack with his axe. A horrifying force descended upon him. Pressured by the oppressive World Force, he found it difficult to breathe.
Following several loud clangs, Yun Fei Bai sprayed out a mouthful of blood. It was apparent that he had been injured.
A relentless Proprietress raised her sword again as she appeared determined to ruthlessly kill him.
Presently, she was fighting three against one, and although her power had increased significantly thanks to the Blood Monster Battle Dress, she would still fall into a perilous state if she couldn’t kill at least one of her opponents quickly.
Feeling the aura of death descending upon him, Yun Fei Bai widened his eyes in horror. Faced with this series of attacks, he was unable to counterattack at all, and if he couldn’t dodge the coming strike, even if he survived, he would be severely wounded.
At the critical moment, Geng Qing and Zhou Ya came to his rescue. Since the three Mountain Lords had come here together, the other two certainly wouldn’t let the Proprietress kill Yun Fei Bai without doing anything.
In fact, the moment the Proprietress and Yun Fei Bai began trading moves, the other two Mountain Lords started rushing towards the battlefield. Nevertheless, due to the Proprietress’ incredible speed and strength, it wasn’t until this moment that they caught up.
Still, it was better late than never.
Zhou Ya wielded her long sword and infused her World Force into it, whereupon a sword screen engulfed the Proprietress. At the same time, Geng Qing appeared from the side as he performed hand seals and bombarded the Proprietress with different Divine Abilities.
The two of them finally managed to force the Proprietress back.
Using this delay, Yun Fei Bai hurriedly dashed backwards and dodged the attack. As a breeze whisked across his sweat-soaked clothes, he felt cold all over. Prior to this battle, he would never have imagined that there was such a wide gap between Lan You Ruo and him since both of them were in the Sixth Order. If Geng Qing and Zhou Ya hadn’t come to his rescue just now, he would’ve been critically injured or even killed.
Although he admittedly underestimated his opponent, it also went to show that the Proprietress was horrifyingly powerful.
This kind of humiliation made him feel completely ashamed and enraged, so he charged forward with his axe and surrounded the Proprietress alongside Geng Qing and Zhou Ya, launching all sorts of Divine Abilities at her in a maddened rage.
Meanwhile, in the parterre garden on Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong gasped as he gazed at the battlefield through the water mirror and said in shock, “I can’t believe Lan You Ruo is so strong!”
Although there was a barrier around Twin Spirit Island, he could still feel terrifying energy fluctuations coming from outside.
Still reeling from the shock, he thought it was fortunate that they hadn’t accepted Lan You Ruo into Twin Spirit Island. Given the power she had showcased, if she really joined them, the couple wouldn’t be a match for her even if they joined forces.
He believed that they had to be cautious. If Lan You Ruo had some ulterior motive, the couple wouldn’t be able to deal with her; moreover, Shu Mu Dan was pregnant, so her combat capabilities were severely limited right now.
On the other hand, the more observant Shu Mu Dan gave it a thought and said, “She must have paid a heavy price to obtain this kind of power. It seems to me that the armour she’s wearing is quite malevolent.”
Hua Yong pondered on it for a moment and nodded. “You’re right, my Wife.”
The Proprietress was able to match the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain on her own, leading to an intense battle. Yun Fei Bai and the others were horrified as they were unable to take her down even though they had joined forces. The blunt-looking sword in her hands contained a power that could make them all flustered.
To their dismay, the three of them could only come to a draw in a fight against Lan You Ruo at the moment.
On the other hand, Chef and Accountant were in a perilous situation. The three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain had brought with them dozens of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. These people wouldn’t dare to interfere in the battle between the Sixth-Order Masters as just the fallout could be deadly to them, so they turned their eyes to Chef and Accountant.
The two of them ran away in embarrassment as the lights of Secret Techniques expanded behind them, causing them groan and grunt in pain.
Fortunately, both of them were Fifth-Order Open Heaven Masters, so although they were unable to deal with the dozens of enemies, they could still flee for a while. However, as time passed, the people from Profound Yang Mountain formed an encirclement around Chef and Accountant and were slowly tightening it.
It was apparent that there would come a point when the encirclement became so small that the two of them would be unable to flee.
The Proprietress repeatedly wanted to lend them a hand, but she was blocked by Yun Fei Bai and the other Mountain Lords.
The situation seemed to be in Yun Fei Bai and the others’ favour because they realised that as time passed, Lan You Ruo’s moves became less sharp even though the power she was able to use remained unchanged. The power of the Divine Abilities she cast also appeared somewhat unsteady.
Looking up, they saw that there was a layer of blood mist surrounding her scarlet armour and her eyes under the helmet had become bloodshot. The Monster Qi made her look like a real Monster.
The three of them were astounded at first, but soon realized that there must be a downside to this Artifact Armour. It couldn’t be used for a long time, or else there would be some hidden concerns.
Understanding this, they switched tactics and stopped clashing with the Proprietress head-on. Instead, they circled around and stalled for time.
Judging from Lan You Ruo’s actions, they knew that she would become increasingly erratic as time passed, and eventually, they would be able to easily deal with her. For a battle at this level, having more power didn’t necessarily mean that one could secure victory.
The Monster Qi around the Proprietress thickened as there seemed to be a layer of blood swirling around her scarlet Blood Monster Battle Dress. The eyes under the helmet were crimson as they reflected a glint of madness and brutality.
Every strike she made with her sword seemed able to break the Heavens and Earth apart, but at the same time, she became increasingly wild and unfocused.
She was unable to react when Zhou Ya came at her with her sword and penetrated a junction in the armour, piercing through her belly.
Before Zhou Ya could celebrate her victory though, the Proprietress turned her head and hacked at her with her greatsword.
Zhou Ya exclaimed and retracted her sword before backing off quickly; however, she was still struck by the violent force as the vitality in her chest convulsed, almost causing her to spit blood.
Seeing as the relentless Proprietress chased after her, Zhou Ya grit her teeth and parried the incoming flurry of attacks. On the other hand, Geng Qing attempted to hold the Proprietress down while Yun Fei Bai forcefully hacked his axe at her figure.
Following a loud boom, the Proprietress’ lithe figure plunged into the lake and caused a huge splash. The spot where she fell into the water was boiling and dyed red. The fish in the lake that were attracted by the metallic tang went over to absorb the red light, but they all exploded a moment later.
Following a loud splash, a red glint flashed through the lake’s surface as the Proprietress shot out of the water. Due to Yun Fei Bai’s strike earlier, she seemed to have regained some clarity in her mind and there was a sense of struggle behind her bloodshot eyes.
However, when she saw that Chef and Accountant were in danger, the sense of struggle disappeared and was replaced by madness again.
Holding the sword in one hand, she wielded it and formed a ray of red light before charging towards Yun Fei Bai.
*Hong hong hong…*
Loud noises were continuously heard as their World Forces clashed.
In the garden, Hua Yong narrowed his eyes and remarked, “Lan You Ruo is doomed.”
To his side, Shu Mu Dan let out a sigh.
As a fellow woman, she had to admit that Lan You Ruo was more powerful than she was. However, Lan You Ruo was on her own, so she was unable to defeat the three Mountain Lords from Profound Yang Mountain.
As a fellow Sixth-Order Master, she was fully aware of how powerful the three Mountain Lords from Profound Yang Mountain were and understood that she might not be a match for any one of them even if it was a one-on-one fight.
However, Lan You Ruo was able to face three of them for such a long time even though she was on her own.
In fact, given the power she had showcased, she could totally flee and those from Profound Yang Mountain would be unable to stop her. The reason she stayed and fought this life-and-death battle was that she had to protect her companions.
Even if she could flee, the people around her were unable to do so.
Therefore, Shu Mu Dan admired the Proprietress for her loyalty and righteousness.
She turned to look at her Husband and parted her lips, but she was unable to say anything in the end.
It had been a long time since they got married, so Hua Yong was able to figure out her intentions by looking into her eyes. It was apparent that she wanted to plead with him to let Lan You Ruo in, but as their eyes met, he slowly shook his head.
By letting Lan You Ruo in, they would offend those from Profound Yang Mountain and invite trouble to themselves. Even if they could somehow appease those from Profound Yang Mountain, the power Lan You Ruo had showcased this time made Hua Yong feel wary.
Given her strength, she was completely capable of becoming the Head Island Master. There was no way the couple would allow her to usurp their position.
Shu Mu Dan let out a long sigh and stroked her bulging belly. There was a loving expression on her face as she hummed a nursery rhyme to distract herself.
“I can’t believe we’ll lose our lives here,” Chef and Accountant were facing away from one another. Their figures were soaked in blood as they glowered at the dozens of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had surrounded them.
There was a huge gap in the numbers of people between both sides, so there was no way those from First Inn had any hope of winning the battle. In fact, they were practically doomed as they were about to get killed.
If it weren’t for their near-feral retaliation just now, these people would’ve pounced on them instead of appearing wary.
“Since we’re going to die anyway, we should probably just get it over with right away,” Accountant raised his abacus with one hand. His blood streamed down his arms and dropped on the lake before dying it red.
Upon hearing that, Chef turned to look in the Proprietress’ direction where he saw four figures flying around. Presently, the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain were locked in a fierce battle with the Proprietress as they cast their Divine Abilities at her. After letting out a breath, Chef lifted his knife and said, “You’re right. The sooner we head for the Yellow Springs the better.”
The reason the Proprietress wasn’t willing to leave was that the two of them were still alive, so she didn’t have the heart to abandon them. If both of them lost their lives, perhaps the Proprietress would flee and be able to obtain revenge for them at a later time.
Given her strength, she would be able to flee even though she couldn’t defeat the three Mountain Lords.
They exchanged glances and laughed heartily. Since they could go to Hell together, they reckoned that they wouldn’t feel lonely at the very least.
As their gazes parted ways, they sported resolute expressions. They pushed their Small Universes madly as their World Forces surged and spread out. Even if they had to lose their lives in this battle, they would bring some enemies down with them.
Kill one to break even, kill two to profit.
Just when they were ready to make a move, a pair of hands were suddenly placed on Chef’s shoulders as a voice was heard saying, “Take it easy. I don’t want to die yet.”
A flabbergasted Chef turned his head and almost hacked the person with his knife. When he realised who spoke though he snapped bitterly, “Little bastard, you’re finally awake!”
The person who spoke just now was Yang Kai, who had been lying on Chef’s back this whole time.
Yang Kai patted his shoulders and leapt away from him before gently saying, “I’ve been awake the whole time.”
However, he was at the most critical moment of refining the World Fruit just now, so he couldn’t stop halfway, or else all his effort would be wasted. That was the reason he was unable to respond to them.
“Save the Proprietress right now!” Chef demanded anxiously, “She’s in danger. Bring her away. Accountant and I will hold up the enemy for you.”
“She’s in danger, but you two aren’t in a better state,” Yang Kai looked around as his gaze turned cold. Then, he stepped forward with a grim expression, “I’m in a terrible mood, so I don’t mind killing some people to vent out my anger. Scram if you don’t want to die!”
Chef and Accountant gazed at him in shock, thinking that he hadn’t fully come to his senses after a long stupor.
All the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around them sported strange expressions. Seeing Yang Kai stepping closer though, one of them pointed at him with his sword and yelled, “Kill!”
As soon as he spoke that word, he thrust out his sword towards Yang Kai.
His World Force surged as the sword shadows multiplied. However, when he realised that Yang Kai had disappeared from his line of sight, he felt his chest tightening as a sense of uneasiness rose within him.
Before he was able to react, he saw a point of a spear rapidly enlarging before his eyes. The spear seemed to have turned into a Great Dragon as it widened its maw and pounced on him. His vision was shrouded in darkness, leaving him flustered and horrified.
He hurriedly surged his World Force to parry the attack, but an even more violent force penetrated his defence like it was paper.
An explosive sound was heard as the spear penetrated the person’s head and exploded it. His blood and flesh scattered about as his headless corpse convulsed, even as he held out his sword in front of him.
Without stopping, Yang Kai disappeared from everyone’s sight again as a great Dragon Roar shook the world. The Azure Dragon Spear flashed in and out of everyone’s vision for a moment, and when Yang Kai reappeared, he had broken through the encirclement of these Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although he appeared slow, he was actually heading towards the battlefield of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters at incredible speed.
Even though he was gone, his voice still lingered in the air, “If the two of them lose even one more strand of hair, all of you will have to die!”
Chef and Accountant were dumbfounded as they couldn’t figure out how Yang Kai managed to break through the encirclement but soon just thought that Space Principles were indeed useful as no one was able to capture Yang Kai.
The next instant though, the two of them widened their eyes and stared at the enemies around them in disbelief.
A blood light expanded as a person exploded, and then the same thing happened to another person.
*Hong hong hong…*
In less than a breath, eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters exploded into blood mist, leaving no trace behind.
While the two of them were flabbergasted, the enemies around them were horrified.
Just now, they could see that Yang Kai exploded one of their companion’s head with his spear; however, that person was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so it wasn’t surprising that he would lose his life due to his negligence in this life-and-death battle.
Nevertheless, most of the eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had just died were in the Fifth Order. Only Yang Kai had made a move, so it was apparent who the murderer was.
He had to possess a horrifying strength to be able to kill eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters with ease in just a flash.
Presently, no one dared to make a move on Chef and Accountant, who were still surrounded. Even though they could easily kill these two, they were wary of the threat Yang Kai had left behind.
Nine of their companions had lost their lives already, so it was obvious to them that only the four Mountain Lords were able to deal with him.
“What’s going on with that brat?” A dazed Chef watched as Yang Kai rapidly dashed away.
“Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” Accountant was dumbstruck. As Yang Kai charged forward, his aura exploded. It was apparent to them that his aura was that of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master as he didn’t even attempt to conceal it.
“When did that happen?” Chef fell into a dazed state.
If he wasn’t mistaken, Yang Kai was only in the Fifth-Order when he found them one month ago. It had only been one month since he started recuperating, so how did he manage to ascend to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm?
The speed at which he achieved this breakthrough was simply impossible.
Besides them, Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan, who had been observing the battle from their garden on Twin Spirit Island, were terrified.
Hua Yong widened his eyes and asked, “Just who is he?”
When he saw Yang Kai lying unconscious on Chef’s back, he thought that the latter was severely wounded, so he didn’t mind him; however, the slaughter just now proved that Yang Kai was in peak condition rather than being injured.
Shu Mu Dan asked in a shaking voice, “Husband… could you do that in such a short period of time?”
She was talking about whether her Husband was able to kill eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in an instant.
After giving it a thought, Hua Yong shook his head, “Impossible. Even I wouldn’t be able to kill so many Fifth-Order cultivators in such a short moment.”
Shu Mu Dan let out a breath, “Now, it seems that he’s the strongest person on Lan You Ruo’s side. Perhaps he’s even stronger than her.”
A puzzled Hua Yong asked, “Since he had such power, why didn’t he participate in the battle earlier? It wasn’t until the most critical moment that he made a move.”
“He must have his own reasons,” Shu Mu Dan fell into her thoughts.
Hua Yong commented, “Profound Yang Mountain will have to retreat without achieving their goal. Lan You Ruo is very powerful to begin with, and now she has this person’s help, so the three Mountain Lords won’t be able to defeat them.”
Shu Mu Dan said, “If that person is really stronger than Lan You Ruo, we’ll need to come up with a plan, Husband.”
Hua Yong’s face twitched as he understood what she meant.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai reached the battlefield of the four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters as he pushed out his spear towards Yun Fei Bai as he bellowed, “Old dog, die!”
Yun Fei Bai turned his head, and when he saw that it was Yang Kai, his eyes turned bloodshot, “Brat! It’s you!!”
The fact that Yang Kai had pierced his chest with a spear some time ago was a complete humiliation for him. It took Yun Fei Bai a whole month to recover from that wound. Now that he met his enemy again, it was expected that he was incensed. He immediately ignored Lan You Ruo and hacked his axe at Yang Kai.
The reason he was injured at that time was that he had underestimated his opponent, for he had never expected that someone would have the guts to harm him in Profound Yang Mountain. Otherwise, in his opinion, a newly promoted Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would never be able to hurt him.
Now, he finally had the chance to get his revenge.
As he brought down his axe though, his expression changed as he called out in shock, “You’re a Sixth-Order?”
Yang Kai’s aura was as conspicuous as ever, so anyone who wasn’t a fool would be able to detect it, and it was absolutely clear that he was in the Sixth Order.
[No way! He was still a newly ascended Fifth Order when I met him one month ago. Why is he a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now?]
Despite the doubt in his mind, Yun Fei Bai remained merciless with his actions as he madly infused his World Force into his axe.
As soon as Yang Kai’s spear came into contact with the axe, Yun Fei Bai’s expression changed drastically as he felt an immense force sweeping over him. The impact cracked his hands so badly that he almost lost grip of his axe. His expression turned horrified as he realized that Yang Kai was indeed a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, or else the latter couldn’t have showcased this kind of strength.
Looking down, he saw that his purlicue had ripped apart and blood was now streaming out of the wound. He was unable to stop his hand from trembling violently.
At that moment, he was dumbstruck. When he saw Yang Kai one month ago, the latter was just a new Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. However, when they met again this time, he realised that the latter also looked like a new Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Even though Yang Kai was really a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he should be weaker than Yun Fei Bai, who had millennia of accumulation in his current Order. It should be impossible that a newly promoted Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yang Kai had a stronger heritage.
Nevertheless, the truth was that Yun Fei Bai had suffered a setback. Both Yang Kai’s strength and World Force were simply overwhelming.
While Yun Fei Bai was lost in a dazed state, Yang Kai came at him with his spear again and bellowed, “On this day, the Golden Crow Casts the Sun, below the Heavens, above the Earth, only I am supreme!”
A series of caws were heard as a Great Sun suddenly rose from Yang Kai’s back. Like a real Sun, it was scorching hot as it cast its glow on the world below. Furthermore, there seemed to be a three-legged exotic bird flying around this Great Sun.
A horrifying aura spread out, which caused a large part of the fog around Twin Spirit Island to evaporate in an instant.
Under the Great Sun, Yang Kai was seen wielding the spear in a heroic manner as his weapon’s power dazzled the world.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya, who were attacking the Proprietress, turned to look at him with trembling eyes.
“Divine Manifestation!” In the garden, Hua Yong was dumbfounded as he stared at the Great Sun in disbelief, “How is that possible?”
Shu Mu Dan parted her lips, which were now covered with her hands.
Divine Manifestations were exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. They had never heard of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master being able to wield one. If they found out that Yang Kai had already comprehended Golden Crow Casts the Sun when he was still an Emperor Realm cultivator, they would probably faint from shock.
The dazzling Great Sun cast a radiant glow on Yun Fei Bai’s flustered expression.
Right after the Divine Manifestation appeared, Yang Kai’s aura grew to horrifying heights. A dazzling red-gold light washed over the Azure Dragon Spear in his hands as the pitch-black Golden Crow’s True Fire seemed able to burn down the entire world.
As Yang Kai thrust out his spear, the world around him trembled.
There was no way Yun Fei Bai would be able to dodge this attack, so at this life-and-death moment, he roared and madly infused his World Force into his axe, which suddenly shone brightly as it clashed with Azure Dragon Spear head-on.
Since he was unable to dodge, he had no choice but to meet the enemy head-on. Only by doing so would he stand a chance to survive.
Following a loud boom, shockwaves erupted as a halo of light exploded outwards.
The glow of the axe dimmed greatly. After the clash, the axe’s spirituality seemed to have been damaged, which went to show how terrifying the spear’s power was.
Azure Dragon Spear pressed forward, knocking away the axe as it continued to pierce out. Yang Kai, who was holding the spear, wore a fierce expression on his face as murderous intent surged from his form.
At this moment, an inch from death, Yun Fei Bai retreated hastily in an attempt to flee, but his expression changed the next moment. That was because he realised that the space around him had become extremely viscous. It was as though he had been bound by a mysterious force, which rendered him unable to move as he pleased.
[Right! This bastard is a Master of the Dao of Space!] That was the first thing that came to Yun Fei Bai’s mind.
Although he managed to break free from the Space Principles’ restriction in the next moment, he had lost his only chance to escape the attack. Watching as the spear rapidly penetrated his chest, he sprayed out a mouthful of blood. The pain in his chest was excruciating and there was a black flame burning through his wound.
It was the second time he had been run through by this spear.
The first time took place one month ago when his chest was pierced by Yang Kai’s spear. It took him one month before he recovered from that wound. This time around, three Sixth-Order Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain had come all the way here with their dozens of subordinates. Initially, Yun Fei Bai thought that he could get his revenge, but he hadn’t expected to be wounded in exactly the same way again.
This time was far more severe. Although his injury was serious previously, there wasn’t a risk of him losing his life; however, there was Golden Crow’s True Fire burning in his wound now.
Yang Kai withdrew his spear, bringing with it a lot of boiling blood. Before the blood even dropped to the lake, it evaporated because of Golden Crow’s True Fire. Then, Yang Kai aimed his spear at Yun Fei Bai’s head as he was determined to end his life.
“Don’t you dare kill Second Brother!” At the critical moment, Zhou Ya came at Yang Kai from behind. Her sword turned into countless sword waves. Every sword wave contained the World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai furrowed his brow and leapt away. Seizing the chance, Zhou Ya hurled out a long piece of red cloth and draped it around the injured Yun Fei Bai before fleeing into the distance. At the same time, she exclaimed, “Third Brother, run!”
She was truly terrified. The guy, who had remained unconscious all this time, suddenly woke up and killed nine of their subordinates in an instant. Not only had he severely injured Yun Fei Bai, but he had also managed to showcase a Divine Manifestation. The power he possessed was inconceivable.
If he were on his own, the three Mountain Lords could have joined forces and dealt with him. However, he also had the now-maddened Lan You Ruo on his side.
There was no way the three of them could defeat these two people. Moreover, Yun Fei Bai had been critically injured, so Zhou Ya knew the only option was to run.
On the other hand, Geng Qing felt immensely pressured as he had to battle against the Proprietress on his own. There was nothing else he could do apart from defending himself. Upon hearing Zhou Ya’s words, he directly used a feint to gain some distance before he fled from the battlefield.
However, a relentless Proprietress turned into a ray of light and chased after him.
Initially, Yang Kai wanted to pursue Yun Fei Bai and Zhou Ya as well, but he suddenly frowned and gazed at the Proprietress. The next instant, he moved to intercept her.
Presently, she was clad in a scarlet Artifact Armour. With both her hands holding the greatsword, she looked quite valiant. However, her eyes were completely red, and she was engulfed in rich Monster Qi.
Facing Yang Kai, she hacked at him with her sword without hesitation.
Yang Kai raised his spear to parry the attack, and following a loud clang, he was sent flying several thousand metres away while the Proprietress’ figure shook a little. After stabilizing her footing, she charged at him again. Her sword seemed to have turned into a storm and blasted towards Yang Kai.
It was the first time Yang Kai saw her in such a state. Earlier, he could feel that there was something wrong with her, which was why he decided to stop her and let her rest first. However, it never crossed his mind that she couldn’t even recognise him now.
As his gaze fell upon the scarlet Artifact Armour, he knitted his brow, knowing that something was wrong with it as it seemed to contain horrifying Monster Qi that was affecting her mind. If she couldn’t come to her senses in time, her mind would be completely corrupted by the Monster Qi. It would be too late to save her by then.
It wasn’t the right time for him to ask Chef and Accountant what had happened, nor was he in the mood to chase after Zhou Ya and the others. Left with no choice, he could only wield his Azure Dragon Spear and ward off her attacks while exclaiming, “Proprietress! Wake up! It’s me!”
The Proprietress ignored him as the Monster Qi around her thickened. Every strike she made carried immense force and Yang Kai found it increasingly hard to deal with her.
It had to be noted that Yang Kai had a 4,000-metre-long Half-Dragon Form, so he possessed incredible physical strength. It was hard to imagine that the Proprietress could use such a monstrous force despite her delicate figure. However, given the way she used her power, it must be pretty taxing for her.
When Zhou Ya and the others turned their heads and saw that Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo had gotten into an intense battle, they breathed a sigh of relief despite not knowing what had happened.
They were truly worried that Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo would pursue them.
Then, Zhou Ya looked down and saw Yun Fei Bai spitting out a mouthful of blood. The blood coming out of his mouth was boiling hot, as though it contained a scorching heat and she exclaimed, “How are you, Second Brother?”
Yun Fei Bai covered the wound on his chest with his hand as a sense of resentfulness flashed through his eyes, “It’s Golden Crow’s True Fire! That brat condensed a High-Rank Power!”
As he spoke, he sprayed out another mouthful of boiling blood.
Zhou Ya comforted him by saying, “Hang in there, Second Brother! I’m sure when we return to Profound Yang Mountain, Big Brother will have a way to help you.”
Yun Fei Bai nodded his head and fell silent as he pushed his power to suppress the Golden Crow’s True Fire in his body in order to stop the wound from worsening.
The people who surrounded Chef and Accountant on the lake had dispersed by now. Since the three Mountain Lords were gone, they certainly wouldn’t dare to remain. They had hurriedly followed Zhou Ya and the others back to Profound Yang Mountain.
Chef and Accountant didn’t chase their opponents as there were only the two of them. If they pushed the enemy too far, they might fall into a perilous situation instead.
Upon seeing that Yang Kai and the Proprietress were locked in a fierce battle, Chef anxiously screamed, “Oh, no! The Proprietress has lost her rationality and is fighting against Yang Boy! What should we do?”
Accountant yelled, “Don’t hurt her, Yang Kai! Wake her up immediately!”
“I’m trying!” Yang Kai replied while dodging the attacks. However, he wasn’t sure how he could make the Proprietress regain her senses. If this matter dragged on, she would fall into critical danger. It would be terrible if she was left with some irreversible damage.
Inside the garden, Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan gazed silently at the water mirror. Through the reflection, they could see two figures engaging in an intense battle in the sky. The area around the lake was a mess. The barrier around the lake had stood for thousands of years, but it was now almost destroyed due to this one battle.
After observing for a time, Hua Yong wore a helpless smile and muttered, “Is this really a battle between Sixth-Order Open Heaven Masters? It looks more like a clash between those Seventh-Order Masters.”
Shu Mu Dan added, “Lan You Ruo seems to have been affected by the Monster Qi in that scarlet armour and lost her mind. It’s the best chance to lend her a hand now, Husband. It’ll be too late if you wait any longer.”
After giving it a thought, Hua Yong nodded, “You’re right, my Wife. Please come with me.”
“En.” Shu Mu Dan nodded gently and retracted the mirror, and then they leapt into the air together and flew out.
A moment later, the fog separated and revealed the figures of Twin Spirit Island’s Island Masters.
Upon seeing them, Chef and Accountant appeared vigilant.
Shu Mu Dan hurriedly said, “Please don’t be nervous. We mean no harm.”
Hua Yong added, “We were cultivating in seclusion to comprehend a Secret Technique, but it never crossed our minds that such an astonishing battle had taken place outside of Twin Spirit Island. Now that Madam Lan is in danger, we have a Secret Technique that might be able to help her regain clarity. Please allow us to use it on her.”
After exchanging glances, Chef and Accountant immediately figured out the couple’s intentions.
Earlier, the Proprietress brought them to Twin Spirit Island in order to seek shelter with the Island Masters and ward off those from Profound Yang Mountain. Unfortunately, Hua Yong and his Wife were not willing to interfere in this matter, so they refused to meet them. Cultivating in seclusion was just an excuse they had come up with.
Now that those from Profound Yang Mountain were forced to leave, and Yang Kai and the Proprietress had showcased incredible strength, this couple must have been worried that those from First Inn would hold a grudge against them, so they hurriedly came out to offer assistance.
Despite the fact that Chef and Accountant understood all this, they didn’t point it out as the most important thing right now was to wake the Proprietress up.
As such, Chef lowered his head without hesitation, “If you’re able to help my Proprietress, we’ll owe you a favour.”
Accountant added, “Please lend us a hand.”
Hua Yong nodded in return, “We’ll begin right away.”
Then, he exchanged glances with his Wife. After a nod, he fished out a flute while she sat cross-legged. As she waved her hand, a zither appeared on her knees.
The pleasant music of the flute and the zither sounded and permeated the air as it whisked across the area like a pair of invisible hands. The music seemed to have a soothing effect wherever it went.
The Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island were experts in the Dao of Music. The melody coming from the flute and zither were soft, which soothed the mind and soul of those who listened to it.
Both of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and the music they were playing was targeted at the Proprietress, so it was fairly effective.
While they were locked in a pitched battle, Yang Kai could feel that the Proprietress had suddenly become less violent, and there was a sense of struggle behind her bloodshot eyes. It was apparent that she was starting to regain her senses.
All of a sudden, she turned her head and glowered at Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan with a gaze filled with murderous intent. The next moment, her Monster Qi surged as she charged towards the couple with her sword in an imposing manner.
Hua Yong was stunned while Shu Mu Dan paled.
They had witnessed how formidable the Proprietress was, so they knew that they wouldn’t be a match for her even if they joined forces. Furthermore, it wasn’t appropriate for Shu Mu Dan to fight in her current condition.
Therefore, after only a short moment of hesitation, Hua Yong dashed towards his Wife and draped his arm around her waist before returning to Twin Spirit Island. At the same time, he yelled, “Her mind is completely controlled by Monster Qi. We’re unable to help her!”
After they crashed into the barrier, the fog moved and concealed the entrance.
Upon seeing that, Chef and Accountant stomped their feet on the ground with exasperation.
A relentless Proprietress turned her sword into a beam of red light and slashed across the fog. In an instant, a huge gap was carved out and revealed the view inside Twin Spirit Island.
Seeing that she was about to attack again, Yang Kai charged towards her and widened his arms before confining her to his embrace.
Yang Kai was incredibly strong, and as he embraced the Proprietress, the scarlet Battle Armour on her body started cracking. With her hands restricted, she let out a bestial roar and sank her teeth into his shoulder.
Feeling that a piece of his flesh on the shoulder had been ripped off, Yang Kai groaned. As he endured the excruciating pain, he yelled, “Proprietress, forgive me!”
Then, he bent his head backwards before forcefully smashing it into her forehead, delivering a vicious headbutt!
Following a loud thud, the Proprietress almost fell unconscious.
*Hong hong hong…*
After three more headbutts, Yang Kai started seeing stars as well, but he could feel that the woman in his embrace had calmed down a little. Without hesitation, he took off her helmet and threw it away. Then, he pressed his forehead against hers and pushed his Divine Sense, transferring his Soul Warming Lotus to her.
He wasn’t certain whether the Soul Warming Lotus could help the Proprietress at this point; however, since she couldn’t even recognise him as she beat him up, it was obvious that her mind had been heavily affected by the Monster Qi.
The Soul Warming Lotus had an incredibly soothing effect, so it might help restore her mental clarity.
It was the first time Yang Kai showed the Soul Warming Lotus in public since he obtained it. This kind of Supreme Treasure could not be exposed easily, or else it would attract some unnecessary attention.
However, since the Proprietress was in danger, he had no choice but to do it.
Yang Kai could feel the Proprietress shuddering as the Soul Warming Lotus entered her body. Following that, the redness in her eyes receded like a tide as her gaze became clear again.
An elated Yang Kai to know that the Soul Warming Lotus had started taking effect.
A moment later, the Proprietress darted her gaze around as her vision focused. She seemed a little lost while staring at the man.
Yang Kai placated her by saying, “You’re fine now.”
The Proprietress batted her eyes, but upon realising something, she started struggling, “Let go of me!”
An uncertain Yang Kai asked, “Are you sure you’re awake?”
The woman glowered at him, then he let her go. Following that, she shook her figure a little, whereupon the scarlet Artifact Armour on her body turned into a layer of blood mist and disappeared into thin air. The sword she had been holding in her hands was also gone all of a sudden.
However, at this moment, the Proprietress seemed to be in a terrible state. Her aura was unstable, and her entire figure was crimson as a metallic tang exuded from her body.
Apparently, the side effects of activating the Blood Monster Battle Dress were quite intense. The redness in her skin was caused by the burning of her own Blood Essence.
Chef and Accountant rushed over before looking worriedly at her, “Proprietress!”
“I’m fine,” she shook her head.
Still anxious, they stared fixedly at her.
The Proprietress saw this and burst into laughter, “I’m really fine. I just need some time to recuperate.”
It was only then that Chef and Accountant breathed a sigh of relief.
The fog around Twin Spirit Island separated as Hua Yong stepped out of it again; however, this time, Shu Mu Dan wasn’t by his side this time. He was still reeling from shock. Earlier, he and his Wife were unable to suppress Lan You Ruo’s Monster Qi even though they had joined forces. Instead of calming her down, they had only drawn her aggression towards them. Left with no other choice, they could only retreat to Twin Spirit Island.
He couldn’t figure out what this strange young man had done that could allow Lan You Ruo to return to her senses in such a short time.
However, it wasn’t the right time to inquire about this issue. Since his expression of goodwill didn’t yield any results earlier, he naturally wanted to make up for it this time around. Therefore, upon his appearance, he immediately said in embarrassment, “Congratulations, Madam Lan, for overcoming this crisis. My Wife and I are truly sorry that we were unable to help you in any way as we were too weak.”
The Proprietress shot him a dispassionate glance. She was vexed at the fact that Hua Yong didn’t even bother to meet her despite the fact that she had brought Chef, Accountant, and Yang Kai to side with Twin Spirit Island.
Nevertheless, if she were in his shoes, she might have done the same. So, she knew that he had done nothing wrong; after all, they were neither friends nor relatives to begin with. They only had one discussion during her previous visit; hence, it was understandable that he wasn’t willing to invite trouble to himself.
Although her mind was a mess earlier, she could still faintly remember what was going on. Certainly, she was aware that Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan attempted to help her with their music.
After a nod, she said faintly, “I appreciate your thoughts, Island Master Hua.”
Yang Kai gazed at Hua Yong and asked, “Island Master Hua, my Proprietress desperately needs a place to recuperate. Will you please open your doors for us?”
Hua Yong replied, “If you’re okay with it, you can recuperate on my Twin Spirit Island.” Faced with this Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm young man who was able to use a Divine Manifestation, he didn’t dare to be negligent. Yun Fei Bai was severely wounded by this young man while Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were forced to retreat. In the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, perhaps only the Head Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain was a match for him.
Hua Yong already had the intention to express his goodwill, so he naturally wouldn’t turn him down at this point.
“Good,” Yang Kai nodded his head and turned to look at the Proprietress.
With a pale face, she coughed but didn’t reject the idea. She indeed needed a quiet place to recover. In the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, all other places were unsafe except for the Headquarters of the three great forces. After all, she wouldn’t want to be affected by the Astral Wind while she was trying to heal herself.
The fog moved again and revealed a passageway. Hua Yong warmly led the way while Yang Kai and the others followed the Proprietress, stepping into Twin Spirit Island.
Shu Mu Dan, whose belly was bulging, came over and greeted them in an elegant manner.
The Proprietress’ injuries needed immediate treatment. Even though the Soul Warming Lotus had soothed her mind and dispelled the Monster Qi for her, her condition would exacerbate if she didn’t start healing herself soon; therefore, after only the briefest of small talk, Hua Yong immediately arranged a secret room for her to recuperate in seclusion.
Outside the secret room, Yang Kai said, “Please take good care of Proprietress.”
A stunned Chef asked, “Where are you going?”
Yang Kai grinned, “To pay a visit to Profound Yang Mountain.”
Chef exclaimed, “You want to head to Profound Yang Mountain?” Accountant was shocked as well.
To the side, Hua Yong dissuaded him by saying, “Please don’t be impetuous, Little Brother. Profound Yang Mountain is the most powerful great force in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and they have many strong Masters on their side. Although you’re formidable, you won’t be able to deal with so many people on your own. Besides the fact that Geng Qing and Zhou Ya are in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Head Mountain Lord Mao Zhe is just one step away from the Seventh-Order. He is the strongest person in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Yang Kai arched his brow, “He’s the most powerful here? I should meet him, then.”
Chef worriedly tried to change his mind, “Yang Boy, why don’t you wait for the Proprietress to recover? You can’t go there on your own. If anything happens to you, how are we supposed to explain ourselves to her?”
Yang Kai patted his shoulder, “Don’t worry. Although the people from Profound Yang Mountain are strong, they can’t possibly harm me. I’ll be back soon.”
The young man’s arrogance stunned Hua Yong. Even though Yang Kai had indeed showcased incredible might in the battle just now, Profound Yang Mountain was deeply rooted in this place and wasn’t easy to infringe upon. If he wasn’t careful enough, he would lose his life there.
However, since they were not friends or relatives, Hua Yong reckoned that he wasn’t in any place to keep dissuading him.
Yang Kai turned to look at him, “Do you have some wine, Island Master Hua?”
Hua Yong became startled for a moment before fishing out a gourd from his Space Ring, “This wine took me over 300 years to brew.”
“Is it strong enough?” Yang Kai asked.
A proud Hua Yong replied, “It’s definitely strong enough.”
With a smile, Yang Kai carried the wine gourd in one arm and said, “That’s great. See you soon!”
After finishing his words, he shot into the sky.
Chef said anxiously, “Be careful!”
As Hua Yong watched him leave, he slowly shook his head, “Little Brother Yang… is pretty feisty.”
He sighed, then turned to gaze at Chef and Accountant, “If you need anything, just inform my subordinates, and they’ll handle it for you. My Wife and I will stop bothering you.”
“Many thanks,” Chef and Accountant cupped their fists at him.
Up in the air, Yang Kai’s figure flickered as he moved towards Profound Yang Mountain at full speed, Space Principles swirling around him.
In order to deal with those from Profound Yang Mountain, the Proprietress had paid a hefty price. If it weren’t for Yang Kai having the Soul Warming Lotus with him, she would’ve lost her mind to madness.
Certainly, he wouldn’t let those from Profound Yang Mountain off so easily. If it weren’t because the Proprietress needed help, he would’ve chased after them instead of waiting until now.
With that said, it wasn’t too late to pursue them. He was a Master of the Dao of Space, so none were comparable to him when it came to the speed of fleeing or pursuing enemies.
On top of that, Yun Fei Bai was severely wounded, so although Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were not injured, having to drag the former with them would slow them down significantly. Yang Kai was confident he could intercept them before they returned to Profound Yang Mountain.
Three figures were seen rapidly flying through the air. They were the three Mountain Lords who were in a rush to return to Profound Yang Mountain. Geng Qing and Zhou Ya supported Yun Fei Bai’s weight on either side as they moved at the speed of lightning.
Yun Fei Bai still coughed up boiling blood from time to time and there was also a black flame burning around the wound in his chest. Although he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he could only suppress the flame to stop his wound from worsening. He was unable to disperse it.
Golden Crow’s True Fire was a High-Rank Fire Element Power that could burn all of creation. Unless Yun Fei Bai had an Element Power in the same order that could restrict the flames, he would be unable to resolve it in a short period of time.
Therefore, he had to return to Profound Yang Mountain and seek the Head Mountain Lord’s help. Or, he could spend a painfully long time recuperating in seclusion to resolve the crisis.
While he looked very battered, his eyes were filled with resentment.
His chest was injured twice. One month ago, he had underestimated the young man, who successfully launched a sneak attack on him. However, this time, he was wounded in a frontal clash with him.
He could not figure out how the young man could go from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order in just one month. Did he conceal his cultivation previously? Or did he really achieve an ascension after one month?
He had a feeling it was the former.
The young man must have a method to conceal his cultivation, which made Yun Fei Bai misjudge his true strength, resulting in the series of setbacks he had suffered.
Yun Fei Bai was completely vexed, thinking that he had to be more careful when dealing with that strange young man in the future as he was pretty cunning.
As his emotions fluctuated, his wounds became irritated and he sprayed out a mouthful of boiling blood.
“How are you, Second Brother?” Zhou Ya asked with concern.
Yun Fei Bai shook his head, “It won’t kill me.”
Geng Qing let out a sigh. Many of the top cultivators from Profound Yang Mountain had taken part in this siege. Initially, they thought that they could easily defeat Lan You Ruo and her small group, but not only did they become battered, but they had also lost quite a number of subordinates.
With that said, their siege this time wasn’t totally unfruitful. At the very least, they had found out Lan You Ruo’s true strength as well as that of the mysterious young man.
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, that young man was able to use a Divine Manifestation, which was simply inconceivable. They reckoned that they had to report this discovery to the Head Mountain Lord so that he could be prepared.
One of the reasons Profound Yang Mountain had become the most powerful great force in the Shadowless Cave Heaven was that they had the highest number of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Secondly, the Head Mountain Lord was truly mighty as he was just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. If it weren’t because resources in the Shadowless Cave Heaven were scarce, he would’ve broken through already.
However, now, there came a young man who was able to use a Divine Manifestation in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. He was probably just as powerful as the Head Mountain Lord.
Faced with such a foe, they had to put their guard up.
While pondering on these issues, Zhou Ya suddenly took a glance behind her with concern, “Will he come after us?”
Geng Qing replied, “I don’t think so. Lan You Ruo must have used an artifact that comes with extreme drawbacks, so she should be in a terrible state. That guy will have to deal with her instead of coming after us. Moreover, we’re not pushovers.”
The reason they had fled was that Yun Fei Bai was injured, so they had to bring him back to heal. Their wariness of Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo came second.
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone bellowing from behind, “Yun Fei Bai, where do you think you’re going!?”
Zhou Ya’s expression changed as she turned her head, only to see a ray of light rapidly approaching them from the horizon. The ray of light kept flickering, and with every flicker, the distance between them shortened significantly. It wouldn’t take long before the ray of light caught up with them, so she exclaimed, “He’s really coming after us!”
Geng Qing bellowed, “That brat is going too far!”
Profound Yang Mountain had been around in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for over 10,000 years, and they were undoubtedly the most powerful great force here. All of the Mountain Lords were famous and formidable. There had never been a time when they were chased down like they were beat dogs.
He turned his head and ordered, “Stop him!”
The dozens of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had been following the three Mountain Lords, sported bitter expressions upon hearing that. Earlier, Yang Kai easily killed nine of their companions and even injured the Second Mountain Lord, so how were they supposed to oppose him?
However, they wouldn’t dare to disobey Geng Qing’s order, so they forced themselves to stop and took up a formation to await their enemy’s arrival.
On the other hand, Geng Qing and the others kept flying towards Profound Yang Mountain at full speed.
Yang Kai’s figure kept flickering as he watched Geng Qing and the others flee. Popping off the lid of the wine gourd, he lifted it to his mouth and downed a large swig.
After he was done with the wine, he threw the gourd away, shattering it on the ground below.
While feeling tipsy, Yang Kai raised his spear as his murderous intent surged. Slowly moving forward, he shook his head and declared, “I’ll only say this once! Scram if you don’t want to die. I won’t spare anyone who dares to get in my way!”
Yang Kai became increasingly overbearing as he flew forward, his aura erupting as it covered the sky and caused the clouds to welter.
The dozens of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were horrified as many of them subconsciously took a few steps back. As they recalled the sight of their nine companions being killed, they started shuddering.
Just then, a thin and tall man yelled, “What’s there to be afraid of? He’s on his own while we have so many people on our side. As long as we make a move together, there’s no way he…”
Before he could finish his words, he gasped as Yang Kai, who was supposed to be kilometres away, abruptly appeared in front of him, their faces almost touching. Yang Kai belched and puffed out a breath filled with alcohol at him.
The person was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so he was pretty agile. He immediately leapt backwards in an attempt to widen the gap between Yang Kai and him.
However, the next moment, his expression was transformed by fear as he realised that regardless of how much he moved backwards, Yang Kai remained standing right in front of him. The view around him never changed one bit, as though the space around him had been extended infinitely.
Near Distant Horizon!
Following Yang Kai’s sharp rise in cultivation, the power of the Secret Techniques he could use had improved proportionally. He was already able to injure the Sixth-Order Yun Fei Bai when he was still in the Fifth Order. Since he was now a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, there was no way a Fifth-Order Master like this man could escape from him.
This tall man was apparently a resolute person, so upon realising that he was unable to flee, he roared and surged his World Force before sending out a Divine Ability at Yang Kai.
His companions around him also made a move at the same time. At that instant, the lights of Divine Abilities erupted as they flew at Yang Kai.
“Water Reflects the Moon!” Yang Kai shouted as a full Moon rose behind him. The Moon cast a glow on all of them and sent chills down their spines. Their Divine Abilities seemed to have been frozen as they moved forward like snails.
The tall man and the others were soon covered in a layer of frost, causing them to shiver like quails in the winter.
Additionally, shields with Dragon patterns on them started appearing around Yang Kai. A Dragon Pressure could be felt coming from these thick shields, and every Dragon had its head connected with its tail.
Dragon Shields!
Upon activating these two Secret Techniques, Yang Kai thrust out his spear in rapid succession.
Wherever the spear shadows passed, time seemed to freeze.
When Yang Kai retracted his spear, the tall man and the others were rendered immovable on their spots. It wasn’t until this moment that their Divine Abilities crashed into the Dragon Shields around Yang Kai and caused them to flicker. In the end, they couldn’t harm him one bit.
“The louder you shout, the quicker you die.” Yang Kai swept his spear across the air, and then the people standing in front of him exploded into a blood mist, leaving no trace behind.
Holding the spear with one hand, he swept a cold glance over the survivors in an imposing manner and asked, “Who else would like to make a move?”
All of them fell silent as they stared dazedly at Yang Kai. Gulps were clearly audible, and all of their eyes were filled with terror.
Although Yang Kai had previously killed nine of their companions just outside Twin Spirit Island, they were still astounded upon seeing the same thing now.
They knew that they might be able to stop this young man from going further if they joined forces; after all, he was only one man regardless of how powerful he was. On the other hand, they had many people on their side who could fight.
Nevertheless, given the power Yang Kai had showcased, it wasn’t hard for him to kill ten or twenty of them. No one was willing to be the unlucky one. After what had happened to the tall man, none of them dared to say a word.
“If no one is making a move, I’m leaving.” Yang Kai snorted and walked off. His chest felt like it was burning due to the alcohol as his murderous intent was rampaging. All of them looked despicable to him, and he had the urge to kill them with his spear.
However, since these people were not willing to make a move, Yang Kai didn’t have a reason to flare up. Furthermore, his destination wasn’t this place.
The people separated to the sides as Yang Kai safely passed through the crowd.
It wasn’t until Yang Kai flew off that they breathed a sigh of relief, as though they had just escaped from death’s door.
One of them exclaimed, “High-Rank Powers. All the Powers that guy showed were High-Rank!”
They couldn’t detect anything before Yang Kai made a move, but once he did, they realised that both Yang Kai’s Water Reflects the Moon and Dragon Shield Secret Techniques were derived from High-Rank Powers, to say nothing of the fact that he had previously showcased Golden Crow Casts the Sun, which was a Divine Manifestation exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“It’s no wonder that he’s so powerful,” someone remarked.
Since all the Element Powers he refined were High-Rank, it explained why he was so formidable.
“What should we do now?” A woman asked, looking lost.
Geng Qing told them to stop Yang Kai, but other than the tall man and the others from his group, the rest of them had never made a move. They couldn’t explain themselves when they returned, so it was expected that they would be punished.
However, if they never returned, there was nowhere else they could settle in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Faced with such a dilemma, they weren’t sure what to do.
After a brief discussion, they decided to go back to Profound Yang Mountain first and accept punishment. It was still better than wandering around the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya, while supporting Yun Fei Bai’s weight, kept looking back. Upon realising that Yang Kai was nowhere in sight, they set their minds at ease, thinking that he had been intercepted. In the end, it seemed their subordinates were not really useless.
One day later, Profound Yang Mountain came into their sight from a distance.
Zhou Ya breathed a sigh of relief as she patted Yun Fei Bai’s back and gently said, “Hang in there, Second Brother. We’ll reach home soon.”
Yun Fei Bai nodded his head, his face still as pale as a white sheet.
He had been trying to stop his wound from worsening while returning to the Sect; however, Golden Crow’s True Fire was indeed incredible. The dark flame that was burning in his chest made him feel unbearable pain.
All of a sudden, Geng Qing looked forward and sported a doubtful expression, “Who is that?”
There was a figure standing like a dead tree on a mountain peak in front of them as he gazed silently at them. As their eyes met, the figure curled his lips into a scornful smile and pointed his spear towards them before yelling, “You’re too slow. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting here?”
The colour drained from Zhou Ya’s face, “It’s him!”
Geng Qing was stunned, “Why is he here? How dare he get in front of us?”
They had been moving at full speed, and even though Yang Kai was a Master of the Dao of Space, he shouldn’t have been ahead of them. Moreover, they had ordered several dozen subordinates to stop him. Had he broken through the defence of several dozen people on his own?
Furthermore, this place was very near Profound Yang Mountain. Once they got into a fight here, the Head Mountain Lord would be able to lend them a hand within moments. When the Four Great Mountain Lords joined forces, no one in the Shadowless Cave Heaven was a match for them.
Therefore, how could Yang Kai have the guts to intercept them here?
While Geng Qing was still lost in his thoughts, he saw Yang Kai coming at them with his spear as the latter bellowed, “Yun Fei Bai, suffer death!”
They were unable to describe how amazing the attack was, as it ignored the obstacles of space and seemed to shatter the world around it. Although it was an attack that was aimed at Yun Fei Bai, Zhou Ya and Geng Qing felt as though they had been targeted as well.
The three Mountain Lords were dumbstruck. Zhou Ya immediately wielded her sword while Geng Qing used his most powerful Divine Abilities. Ignoring his own injury, Yun Fei Bai roared and summoned a scroll, on which the characters started moving and turned into beams of Sword Qi before they shot out.
*Hong hong hong…*
Explosive sounds were heard as halos of light filled the sky. The three Mountain Lords were forced backwards as their eyes trembled.
“How is that possible?” Zhou Ya exclaimed.
Although the three of them had joined forces, they were almost unable to parry the young man’s strike. All of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so how was it possible that this young man was so much stronger than them? When the young man suddenly awakened and lashed out outside of Twin Spirit Island some time ago, she didn’t directly confront him as she simply launched a long-range attack before dragging Yun Fei Bai away, so she hadn’t been able to properly gauge his strength.
It wasn’t until they traded moves now that she realised how horrifying Yang Kai was. His World Force was clearly far denser and more vigorous than hers.
After the attack, Yang Kai didn’t stop as he unleashed his Supreme Limitless Spear Art to the extreme. Like a waterfall, the spear shadows rained down and engulfed the three Mountain Lords, each shadow containing a terrifying World Force within it.
Certainly, Yun Fei Bai and the others wouldn’t dare to be negligent as they were extremely on edge already. Although they had tried their best, they still found it difficult to parry the bombardment of attacks. Every strike was as violent as lightning, and the rich Dragon Pressure that filled the air around them was disrupting their focus.
Previously, the Azure Dragon Spear was just a sharp weapon in Yang Kai’s hands; however, since his ascension to the Open Heaven Realm, he was able to bring out its true power.
During his breakthrough, Yang Kai merged his Small Sealed World with his Small Universe. His Small Sealed World had a rich heritage to begin with, and he had further enhanced it with remnants of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. As such, he managed to greatly enhance the background of his Small Universe, allowing him to fight against seasoned Open Heaven Realm Masters from the outset.
However, without the Azure Dragon Spear, he couldn’t possibly battle against three powerful Masters on his own; after all, their thousands of years of accumulation were not just for show.
The reason the Proprietress was able to achieve that was that she had made use of the Blood Monster Battle Dress.
In a battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters, the heritages of their Small Universes mattered the most.
The barrage of attacks dazzled Yang Kai’s opponents. Zhou Ya and Geng Qing were in a better state as they were still relatively uninjured. On the other hand, Yun Fei Bai was in a horrible state. He had been burned by Golden Crow’s True Fire to begin with, which caused his strength to plunge significantly, and presently, half of Yang Kai’s attacks were targeted at him. If Geng Qing and Zhou Ya hadn’t gone all out to protect him, he would’ve been killed by Yang Kai already.
Despite that, he was still in a perilous situation. The young man kept targeting him, as though he was determined to end his life, which caused him to groan in pain.
After barely more than ten breaths of intense battle, the mountains around them had been completely destroyed. The air was filled with dust and debris and the World itself seemed to have turned pale.
The black Golden Crow’s True Fire burning on the tip of Azure Dragon Spear made the three Mountain Lords extremely wary. After what had happened to Yun Fei Bai, Geng Qing and Zhou Ya wouldn’t dare to come into contact with Golden Crow’s True Fire, so their movements were rather restricted.
The space around them seemed to have become viscous as well. It was apparent that the young man had used a Space Secret Technique while attacking them.
“Who dares fight outside Profound Yang Mountain?!” A stern voice was suddenly heard coming from Profound Yang Mountain, then a gigantic figure that seemed able to cover the entire sky rose from the central peak. With a pair of grim-looking eyes, he stared at the people in battle.
Yun Fei Bai, who was warding off Yang Kai’s attacks with difficulty, yelled pitifully, “Big Brother, save me!”
The giant eyes narrowed, and when the person realised what was going on, his expression turned furious as he bellowed, “How impudent, boy!”
After he finished speaking, the figure shrunk before a ray of light shot out of Profound Yang Mountain. It was apparent that the Head Mountain Lord, Mao Zhe, was trying to come to their rescue upon realising what was happening.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were elated. The three of them were unable to fend off Yang Kai’s attacks; however, things would be different if Mao Zhe joined them; after all, they were fully aware of how powerful their Big Brother was.
With the spear in his hand, Yang Kai took a glance in the direction of Profound Yang Mountain and snorted, then he swept his weapon across the air to force back Geng Qing and the others. Following that, his figure flickered and he appeared right in front of Yun Fei Bai, who was still spitting blood.
A flustered Yun Fei Bai immediately tried to retreat.
Yang Kai stared coldly at him and silently used Near Distant Horizon. At that instant, the space around them extended infinitely. Even time seemed to have stopped flowing as people’s thoughts became jumbled.
Yun Fei Bai was horrified to learn that he was unable to widen the gap with Yang Kai regardless of how hard he tried. He could only watch as Yang Kai came at him with his spear.
Faced with this spear thrust, he felt the aura of death engulfing him. He roared as the scroll in his grip shone brightly and all the Sword Qi it could unleash condensed together and clashed with the Azure Dragon Spear.
Since Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were assisting their Second Brother from the side, they were also affected by the disturbance of Near Distant Horizon and Time Principles. Although they were able to break through it after just a moment, what came into their sight was the life and death-clash between Yang Kai and Yun Fei Bai.
“Boy! You dare?!” The Head Mountain Lord was heard roaring from a distance.
An unfazed Yang Kai infused more power into his Azure Dragon Spear and a deafening Dragon Roar reverberated across the sky, causing the condensed Sword Qi to shatter.
Following a whoosh, the sound of flesh being pierced rang out.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya became rooted to the spots as they looked dazedly forward. Head Mountain Lord Mao Zhe landed in front of them with a livid expression.
Just 3,000 metres in front of them, Yang Kai was holding a spear with one hand as he remained in an aggressive posture. In front of him, Yun Fei Bai widened his eyes with fury as he froze in place. He was unable to move because the spear had pierced through his forehead and stuck out from the back of his head.
The robust defence of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master became as thin as paper when confronted with the Azure Dragon Spear.
The black Golden Crow’s True Fire was still burning on the tip of the spear and like a million snakes, expanded from Yun Fei Bai’s forehead to the rest of his body.
Time seemed to have stopped flowing at that moment.
Yun Fei Bai’s eyes darted around erratically. Although he was lethally injured, he didn’t immediately lose his life, which went to show how potent the vitality of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was. However, his face kept twitching due to the excruciating pain.
In front of him, Yang Kai’s clothes were all ragged. There were countless wounds on his body that criss-crossed one another. Every wound was left with very pure Sword Qi, and the largest wound showed that he was almost cut in two through his chest.
His entire figure was dyed gold due to his golden blood.
The final desperate attack of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was no joke. If it weren’t because Yang Kai had a sturdy defence as a Half-Dragon, he would’ve been cut into countless pieces.
As Mao Zhe watched the sight silently, he narrowed his eyes and said, “Junior Brother, if you have any demands, just name them. This Monarch won’t turn you down as long as he can fulfill it.”
He called Yang Kai ‘boy before he arrived at this place, but upon seeing that Yun Fei Bai’s life was in his hands, he politely called him ‘Junior Brother’.
Yang Kai turned his head and flashed a smile at him, “Can I really make any demand?”
Mao Zhe replied dispassionately, “As long as it doesn’t cross the line, anything is acceptable.”
“What if I want you to trade his life for yours? Can you do that?”
A hint of fury flashed across Mao Zhe’s eyes, “You’re funny, Junior Brother. Please think it through. The person you’re trying to kill is the Second Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain. If you kill him, you will be our enemy, and all of us will never let you off. However, if you release him, you’ll be our most honoured guest.”
“Are you trying to threaten me?” Yang Kai arched his brow.
Mao Zhe impassively replied, “I’m just speaking the truth.”
“Why do you keep spouting nonsense? My only goal here is to kill!” Yang Kai suddenly roared and gripped his spear, surging his World Force into it. Yun Fei Bai widened his eyes, and before he could react, his head exploded.
The headless corpse convulsed as blood spurted out from his neck before collapsing to the ground.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were stunned.
Their Second Brother was killed right in front of them! Although Mao Zhe had come to their aid, Yun Fei Bai’s head still exploded and he died a horrible death. It had been thousands of years since they met, and it never crossed their minds that they would part ways for good on this day. At that instant, they still couldn’t believe what had just happened.
This place was just several hundred kilometres away from Profound Yang Mountain. They were practically home.
All of a sudden, they started to suspect that Yang Kai had deliberately decided to intercept them here; otherwise, he could’ve chosen another, more convenient location.
The only reason he would do this though was to lure the Head Mountain Lord out of Profound Yang Mountain!
As they turned their heads, they saw Mao Zhe sporting a livid expression. His narrowed eyes gleamed with a dangerous glow as he ordered coldly, “Kill!”