Yu Ru Meng looked at him and snapped, “It may not be risky? Then let me ask you, can you still come back after sealing the Void Corridor?”
Yang Kai was at a loss for words.
Yu Ru Meng said through gritted teeth, “Look! If I’m not mistaken, after you seal the Void Corridor, won’t you end up in the Black Ink Battlefield?”
Yang Kai replied softly, “That side may not be the Black Ink Battlefield either, it’s just a guess.”
“What if it is?”
Yang Kai was silent.
“There’s a good chance it is, right?” Yu Ru Meng stared at him.
Now Yang Kai nodded his head. The Void Corridor that was left behind after the death of the Black Ink Royal Lord was indeed very likely to have some connection with the Black Ink Battlefield. There was little doubt about that.
Yu Ru Meng scoffed, “All of us weak and delicate women have been with you for so many years, and yet you haven’t even given any of us proper status. You always take risks and put us in a state of extreme anxiety, and now you did not even consult us before deciding to go to that Black Ink Battlefield? What do you take us for!?”
Yang Kai felt ashamed, and was speechless as he knew that this was indeed his fault.
For countless years, these women had followed him without any complaints; however, they truly did not have any status as his women. Although they had never asked for it, which woman did not look forward to celebrating that auspicious day?
Yu Ru Meng stood up and declared, “Ning Chang, Xue Yue, Ji Yao, Qu’er, Xiao Wan, come with me to pack up our things. We’re leaving!”
Yang Kai was confused as he asked, “Where are you going?”
Yu Ru Meng coldly snorted, “Since we’re going to be widows anyway, you don’t have to care about where we are going. The world is big and there are plenty of men around. I will take my Sisters to find someone who will cherish us, and live our lives in peace.”
Xia Ning Chang was at her wits’ end and said, “Big Sister Ru Meng, Husband must have had no choice but to do what he plans to do.”
Tao Ling Wan also nodded vigorously, the two of them were the most docile among all the women, so Yu Ru Meng’s words undoubtedly made them suffer a great shock.
“Have no choice?” Yu Ru Meng exclaimed, “No one forced him to do anything, he decided to do it all by himself. What do you mean by he had no choice?”
She then looked at Xia Ning Chang and the others, “Are you leaving with me?”
Xia Ning Chang had no choice but to get up, nod apologetically to Yang Kai, and walk over to Yu Ru Meng’s side.
She did not want to see Yang Kai go to the Black Ink Battlefield either, and although Yu Ru Meng’s actions were a bit extreme, she would be happy to do it if it could make Yang Kai change his mind.
Xue Yue got up, but kept her head down. She just kept looking at the ground.
Ji Yao also stood up in a similar manner.
Tao Ling Wan looked at Qu Hua Shang.
Qu Hua Shang pondered for a moment before she stood up too. Regardless of what happened next, she would have to spend the rest of her life with Yu Ru Meng and the others; thus, it was better to side with her on this issue.
“Hmph!” Yu Ru Meng snorted scornfully at Yang Kai, then turned around, and led the girls away.
The atmosphere in the Grand Hall instantly became very awkward. The Great Emperors and other Sixth-Order Masters looked at each other but did not know what to say; after all, this was a family matter, and it was inappropriate for them to comment. Although what Yu Ru Meng said was rather harsh, everyone knew that she just did not want Yang Kai to risk his life again. They too felt the same and did not want Yang Kai to go.
Even if the stability of the 3,000 Worlds was at stake, there was no reason to put the entire burden on a single Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
This burden was too heavy even for High Heaven Palace and Void Land to bear, not to mention Yang Kai alone.
“I’ll go and check on my Sisters-in-Law.” Yang Xue stood up and chased after them, but when she reached the entrance of the Grand Hall, she stood still and with her back towards Yang Kai, she said, “Big Brother, I will support you whatever you decide to do, but… I don’t agree with you in this case!” She dashed away after saying that.
Yang Kai sighed. He was already mentally prepared for this when he made his decision as this was not the same as previous situations he had been through.
In the past, even if the situation was critical, as long as he overcame the danger, he could return safely.
However, this time was different. If he really was sucked into the Black Ink Battlefield, it would be the same as abandoning everything in the 3,000 Worlds. It was impossible for him to return.
Throughout history, so many elites from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had stepped through the No-Return Pass and none had ever returned. Thus, there would be no exception for him.
Yu Ru Meng was keenly aware of this, which was why her reaction was so intense.
“Do you all also want to persuade me to not go?” Yang Kai asked as he looked around at the crowd. Although Yu Ru Meng was furious and his backyard was essentially on fire, he would not apologize for his decision. They were all family so he felt he had nothing to be embarrassed about.
Zhan Wu Hen said, “Since you have already decided, then any attempt at persuasion would be meaningless. If the Void Corridor is not sealed and is really connected to the Black Ink Battlefield, then who can avoid responsibility in the 3,000 Worlds? Don’t worry too much about it, if anyone dares to get close to your Wives while you’re away, I’ll smash his head in.”
This was of course a joke. Even if Yang Kai really left, Yu Ru Meng and others would not really go off seeking another husband. Everything she said was just to force Yang Kai to change his mind.
“When will you leave?” asked Serene Soul Great Emperor, Yao Jun.
Yang Kai said, “Not so soon. The ancient sealing power is still holding the Void Corridor closed and will continue to do so for a while, I will not leave until I sort out the matters at hand.”
Yao Jun nodded lightly, “That’s good. You should only go when you have no other concerns.”
The crowd talked for a while more before dispersing.
Yang Kai walked out of the Grand Hall looking rather depressed. Although he had a lot of Wives, he wasn’t actually very good at dealing with women. Now that Yu Ru Meng had led them to rebel against him, he did not know how to pacify them.
Of course, he could tell them that he had changed his mind and Yu Ru Meng and the rest would immediately be relieved; however, since he had already made the decision, how could he change it just like that?
Yang Kai was not doing this for the sake of the wider world, nor was it due to a sense of righteousness. He was not noble to that extent. If the Cave Heavens and Paradises were capable of solving the problem at hand without him, he certainly would not have insisted. However, the problem was that even taking into consideration the whole of the 3,000 Worlds, there was no one else who could do it except for him.
He had to step forward in the face of this predicament.
If the Black Ink Clan really came through the Void Corridor and invaded the 3,000 Worlds then, not to mention his Wives, everyone in High Heaven Palace, Void Land, and the Star Boundary would be in peril.
He could not even say goodbye to Su Yan, Shan Qing Luo, and Zhu Qing before departing.
The three of them had been taken to the Ancestral Land to cultivate their Divine Spirit heritage, and had not yet returned.
Standing at the edge of a certain Spirit Province and looking into the depths of the void, Yang Kai’s thoughts fluctuated. He thought about how much he owed his Wives. For so many years, it seemed that he had not spent much time with them. He always seemed to have one thing or another to keep him occupied.
This time was even worse. How could he still go when he knew that it was a one-way trip. Once he left, he might never be able to see them again. He did not even consider their feelings when he made that decision.
Yang Kai felt that if the situation was reversed, he also would not accept it so easily. Yu Ru Meng kicking up that fuss without any regard for him was a perfectly normal reaction. In fact, it would be a problem if she had accepted his decision without any hesitation.
[I’m truly scum!] Yang Kai chastised himself and made up his mind that this time he would kneel in front of them and beg for their understanding and forgiveness!
He turned around suddenly, a firm and unwavering look on his face.
Just as he took a step forward though, Yang Xue quickly descended from above and landed in front of him, calling out anxiously, “Big Brother, I’ve finally found you.”
Yang Kai’s face stiffened and asked, “What happened?”
“Something terrible!” Yang Xue blurted out.
“What?” Yang Kai was shocked.
“It’s hard for me to explain. Come with me to take a look and you’ll soon understand.” Yang Xue said, grabbed his arm, and dragged him away.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. He did not know what had happened to cause his Little Sister to become so anxious. She had gone to find Yu Ru Meng and the others, so her anxiety might be due to them.
Yang Xue shook her head and refused to answer regardless of how many questions he asked, which made Yang Kai feel increasingly uneasy.
Soon they arrived at a Spirit Province, one which served as the temporary base for one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. All the Ore Stars in Black Territory had been mined clean, so there were broken Spirit Provinces of all sizes everywhere. The Cave Heavens and Paradises naturally occupied a few of the larger ones.
There was a palace on this Spirit Province.
Yang Xue took Yang Kai and rushed inside.
As soon as they entered, there were several beautiful women smiling at them on either side, but Yang Kai did not know any of them.
The critical point though was that these women all had profound Seventh-Order auras radiating from them.
They were obviously High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Yang Kai’s heart tensed up and he became instinctively cautious as he did not know what was happening.
Yang Xue, however, pushed Yang Kai to the front with a smile.
The women grabbed him from the left and right and dragged him inside.
“What’s going on?” Yang Kai was completely confused. [Didn’t Xue’er say something happened? What is the meaning of this joyful mood now?]
“Big Brother don’t be afraid, I lied to you earlier. Nothing happened, just go along with it,” Yang Xue followed along, and reassured him as they walked.
“No no no, what the Hell is going on?” Yang Kai did not know how he should react. He was still anxious to appease his Wives and now, he was being dragged along here. He felt uncomfortable with the few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm flowers holding onto him to his left and right, teasing his nose with their alluring fragrance.
“You’ll know soon enough,” Yang Xue said with a playful smile, refusing to tell him anything more.
Yang Kai flicked her forehead with his finger, but could not bear to do anything more. He only had one Little Sister and he hardly took care of her as she was growing up. However, they were bound by blood and Yang Kai could not bear to chastise her.
From the looks of this situation, nothing should happen. Even if something did happen, it should be a good thing.
Once they entered an inner room, which was obviously a bedroom, they were greeted with a distinct fragrance. Yang Kai did not know whose room this was, but it was clear it belonged to a woman.
Yang Kai was dragged directly to a chair, and then the ladies to his left and right pressed his shoulder hard, “Sit down!”
Yang Kai could not do anything other than to sit down.
The next moment, he was shocked and frantically grabbed onto his clothes, “What are you doing, Seniors!?”
Just as he sat down, several women came straight at him and began to strip him of his clothes.
“Hmph! Why are you acting all shy and innocent?” A High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master smiled coquettishly. Her voice was as smooth as silk and there were obvious traces that she was born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
“Why are you calling us Seniors? How could you make us sound so old?” Another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman poked her finger on Yang Kai’s forehead, causing him to tilt back slightly.
Yang Kai chuckled nervously and said, “All of you are young and beautiful, but through dedicated cultivation have reached the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. All of you must be thousands of years old. Calling you Senior was out of respect for you. Surely, I can’t address you as Big Sisters, can I? That would be highly improper!”
During this time, a few of them had skillfully removed Yang Kai’s outer clothing. They were extremely skilled and it was not long before an exquisite red robe appeared from somewhere. One of them dragged Yang Kai to his feet and then two others stretched out his arms to pull the robe onto him.
A few others were shuffling around, straightening the robe and tying up its belt. Soon, Yang Kai was properly dressed.
Yang Kai was in a daze and completely ignorant of what was happening.
When he was made to sit down again, a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman came around behind him, spread his long hair and skillfully rearranged it neatly.
Yang Kai looked into the mirror in front of him and stared at himself with a dumbstruck look. He was dressed in a red robe and looked very festive.
A woman beside him was busy, applying rouge and powder to his face.
Yang Kai quickly raised his hand to resist. Being dressed in such festive clothes was one thing, but now they were applying cosmetics to his face. This was unacceptable to him and he protested, “Seniors, is this necessary?”
“Don’t move!” The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven slapped Yang Kai’s hand away and pressed down his raised arm. She scolded him, “Of course you have to dress up appropriately for your auspicious day.”
“Auspicious day?” Yang Kai’s jaw dropped, “What’s this all about?”
She smiled sweetly as asked back, “What do you think?”
Yang Kai quickly looked curiously towards his Little Sister, but Yang Xue just said with a wide smile, “Big Brother, don’t worry about anything, just go along with it and everything will be fine.”
Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry, but considering who he was up against, he decided that he had to play along without further resistance. And so, he just sat there calmly and allowed those women to dress him up.
At some point, his heart began beating a bit faster.
They labored for less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense before the women around Yang Kai looked at him in detail and then nodded, “That’s about right!”
The Yin-Yang Cave Heaven High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman brought a bright red flower and tied it to Yang Kai’s chest to complete the look and then clapped her hands and declared, “Finished!”
“Let’s go, let’s go! To the wedding!” Yang Xue cheered as the women pushed and shoved Yang Kai out to the palace.
There was a group of people waiting outside. Yang Kai looked up and saw that the people from High Heaven Palace, the Great Emperors, Mao Zhe, Yue He, and all the other Sixth-Order Masters from Void Land were lined up on both sides. When they saw Yang Kai dressed in his red robes, they cupped their fists and said, “Congratulations Sect Master, on your Wedding Day!”
Yang Kai returned the greetings with a grin, “Congratulations to one and all!”
He suddenly realized that he was congratulating himself, and how lame he must have appeared!
He was initially confused by the sudden flurry of activity around him. He was just thinking about how he should apologize to Yu Meng Ru and his other Wives, but now he somehow found himself at his wedding.
Furthermore, it seemed that everyone was in on it, except him. He didn’t even know whose idea all this was.
“Sect Master, please!” Mao Zhe reached out and gestured with his hand.
There was a luxuriously decorated ship waiting in front of him, which was also decorated in red. There were many people waiting on board, so it was obvious that a lot had gone into the preparations for this.
Yang Kai took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement and nervousness in his heart, then waved his hand and said confidently, “Let’s go!”
This was the first time he had experienced a marriage ceremony with him as the groom. It was undeniable that he was nervous. He had not been so apprehensive even when he was locked in that cage with the Black Ink Royal Lord for 100 years.
A group of people from High Heaven Palace and Void Land boarded the ship along with Yang Kai, but when he glanced around, he saw that most of the people were from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They were all in the Open Heaven Realm, and several were even in the Seventh-Order.
Everyone was holding musical instruments they had gotten from who knows where.
The celebratory air was practically overflowing. When Iron Blood Great Emperor gave the order, the ship immediately erupted with music and drums which made the atmosphere extremely lively.
The ship sailed ahead slowly towards a certain Spirit Province, the sounds of joy and music accompanying them along the way.
The band on the ship was grand, consisting of some twenty or so Open Heaven Realm Masters, including some in the Seventh-Order. Yang Kai was the only person who could make so many Open Heaven Realm Masters from so many Cave Heavens and Paradises come out and perform for his wedding.
A short while later, they arrived at the Spirit Province. The sounds of music continued and the Groom’s Party disembarked from the ship, heading straight for a grand palace up ahead.
A group of people blocked the way to the palace though, and the leader of that group was none other than Six Wood Divine Monarch of Golden Antelope Paradise, Liu Mu!
Liu Mu smiled widely as he was surrounded by Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. There was a group of at least 100 people here, guarding the entrance to the palace.
“Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai stepped forward and offered his greetings, remaining on alert. Yang Kai noticed that Liu Mu looked at him with some kind of malicious intent, which made Yang Kai feel that something was wrong.
Although he had cooperated with this wedding, Yang Kai had not yet fully understood the details. Furthermore, he could not understand why he had to come to Golden Antelope Paradise for his wedding.
He had never been here before, but since Liu Mu was here, this was obviously Golden Antelope Paradise’s temporary base in Black Territory.
No one had told Yang Kai anything about the arrangements before they set out.
“Brat, looks like you’re in good spirits and you’re even dressed for the occasion,” Liu Mu teased as he looked Yang Kai over from head to toe.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and bowed, “Divine Monarch, this Junior is here to receive the bride. I’d truly appreciate it if Divine Monarch could be accommodating.”
“Good!” Liu Mu waved his hand grandly before he shouted, “Someone wants to marry my Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple. Brats, tell him what kind of person is worthy of that?”
Yang Kai was stunned by what he just heard and asked in a dumbfounded voice, “How can I be marrying a disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise? My Wives have nothing to do with Golden Antelope Paradise.”
Liu Mu smiled and explained, “Xue Yue has worshiped this Monarch and is now my Legacy Disciple!”
Yang Kai raised his brow and wondered, [There is such a thing? When did this happen? How come I didn’t know anything about it?]
However, this was undoubtedly a good thing. The Cave Heavens and Paradises had always been strict in accepting disciples, almost never accepting outsiders who did not cultivate their specific Secret Arts. Not to mention that it was Liu Mu, an Ancestor, who had personally accepted Xue Yue as his Disciple.
It was a great honour for anyone to worship an Eighth-Order Ancestor as their Honoured Master and it was similarly not a trivial affair for an Ancestor to accept a Disciple. Liu Mu’s statement meant that Xue Yue was really Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple. With her as the disciple of Liu Mu, an Eighth-Order Ancestor, it meant that Xue Yue was incomparable in terms of both seniority and status among the disciples of Golden Antelope Paradise.
Even when the Sect Master of Golden Antelope Paradise met Xue Yue in the future, he would have to address her as Junior Sister.
The other Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not have this authority, but Liu Mu, as an Ancestor, could accept anyone he wanted to as a Disciple. All it took was him declaring it so and no one would be able to challenge him.
Yang Kai was touched and immediately bowed once more, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Liu Mu grinned and replied, “Don’t be so quick to thank me. Marrying this Monarch’s Disciple will not be an easy task.”
Yang Kai suddenly understood where the unease he had been feeling before was coming from.
Without giving him a chance to react, Liu Mu shouted, “Come, come, tell this Brat who is worthy to marry my Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple!”
Immediately, Open Heaven Realm Masters came out from the left and right, each holding a huge wine jug and lined them up in front of him like a wall!
Yang Kai shuddered at the sight as each of these wine jugs was as big as a small water barrel. It was extraordinary to take out twenty such jugs all at once.
It looked like they were planning to drown him with wine!
Just as anticipated, Liu Mu loudly declared, “Finish these and you can take her away. Leave alone if you can’t!”
Yang Xue suddenly protested, “Senior Liu Mu, this is not what we agreed upon.”
Liu Mu laughed heartily, “Little girl, this Monarch is trying to teach you that the world is dangerous and you should not trust people so easily!”
Yang Xue pouted angrily.
“Good!” Yang Kai waved his hand, reached out, took a wine jug in front of him, tore open the seal with his hand, and began pouring it down his throat.
Liu Mu smiled as he warned, “Brat, you should take it slow. My Golden Antelope Paradise’s special-brew is not so easy to drink. Be careful not to drink so much that it affects your ability to perform tonight!”
Before Liu Mu’s warning, Yang Kai had already tasted the strong wine.
The wine flowed like a molten led down his throat and into the abdomen. Instantly, his abdomen began to churn from and a huge amount of energy erupted from his gut, overwhelming his body. Yang Kai could not help but stifle a grunt.
This wine was obviously not ordinary. It must have been brewed using a lot of precious Spirit Fruits and Herbs. Not only was the wine full of strength, but it could also enhance his cultivation.
This wine was definitely extremely valuable, and yet Golden Antelope Paradise had taken out twenty jugs of it for him.
Under Yang Xue’s watchful eyes, Yang Kai drank up a jug in just a dozen gulps.
There was a roar of approval from all around.
Yang Kai wiped his mouth, reached for another jar, and began again!
After downing five jugs in a row, Yang Kai began to stagger slightly; however, his whole body was bursting with energy and he gritted his teeth as he gasped, “So strong!”
Yang Kai didn’t drink much alcohol in general, but he was still able to hold his liquor. The wine of Golden Antelope Paradise was extremely strong though, so it wasn’t easy for him to drink so much.
However, he could not show any weakness. Yang Kai continued to tilt his head back and pour more into his mouth.
Ten jugs, fifteen jugs, nineteen jugs…
Yang Xue was beginning to look worried.
Ultimately though, Yang Kai managed to drink all the wine!
Throwing down the last wine jug, Yang Kai said proudly, “Senior, how’s this?”
Liu Mu looked at him with a smile and waved his hand, “Clear the way!”
The crowd of Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately opened up a pathway and Yang Kai led Luan Bai Feng, Yue He, Zhou Ya, Mo Mei and several other women into the Grand Hall.
Outside, Yang Xue, Zhan Wu Hen, and the others took out pre-prepared Space Rings to distribute to the Golden Antelope Paradise disciples who blocked the way. Each ring contained 100,000 Open Heaven Pills. It was not much, but it was a celebratory token.
They could certainly have provided more, but this was just the beginning of the celebrations. Golden Antelope Paradise alone had hundreds of members, so they had just spent 10 million Open Heaven Pills. They did not know how many more of such situations would require them to hand out Space Rings again. Furthermore, these disciples didn’t really need such a paltry sum of pills.
Those who received the celebratory tokens were naturally happy though and continued to offer their congratulations.
A few moments later, Yang Kai emerged from the palace while accompanying Xue Yue, who was wearing her red phoenix coronet.
Yang Xue and the others led Yang Kai to the boat. Zhan Wu Hen, who was in charge of the directions and route, waved his hand and ordered, “Set sail! To the next family!”
Xue Yue was placed in a compartment on the boat and sat upright there with a red veil covering her face.
She had been dragged away by his Little Sister before Yang Kai could even say a word to her.
“W-Where are we going now?” Yang Kai slurred drunkenly.
Xue Yue had been accepted by Liu Mu as his Legacy Disciple, and was considered to be a disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise; so, where were the others? Yang Kai did not know how they arranged it, but he knew that it was the good intentions of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, along with High Heaven Palace and Void Land, who had prepared this entire event. He just needed to go along with it.
The wedding came out of nowhere, and he was unprepared for it, but he was willing to go through with it.
“We’ll know when we get there.”
Yang Xue stood beside him, pursed her lips, and smiled. She was naturally happy to see her Big Brother getting married. Her only regret was that some of her Sisters-in-Law were not around, and her parents were not able to attend.
There was nothing she could do about it though as Su Yan and her other Sisters-in-Law were in the Ancestral Land while her parents were in the Star Boundary; thus, she could not invite them over on such short notice.
Soon, the boat arrived at another Spirit Province. It was the second stop for Yang Kai to pick up his brides.
Yang Kai scanned below the ship and saw High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters lined up in two rows. They were led by a stately Eighth-Order Ancestor and all of them were blocking the palace behind them. Although there were only a few of them, they stood straight in tidy ranks, like they were a thousand-man army. It was immediately clear that this was Great Battle Heaven!
Only the disciples from Great Battle Heaven gave off such a presence.
Yang Kai had previously seen the Eighth-Order Ancestor who stood at the front. He was extremely fierce in the fight against the Black Ink Royal Lord.
Yang Xue whispered to him, “Great Battle Heaven’s Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, Pi Li, has taken Ji Yao as his Disciple!”
Although Yang Kai had a vague suspicion after what happened in Golden Antelope Paradise, he was still a little surprised to hear his Little Sister say this.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had really gone all out. Xue Yue had become the Disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise’s Six Wood Divine Monarch, and now, Ji Yao had become the disciple of Great Battle Cave Heaven’s Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, Pi Li.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises were obviously raising the status of these women. They were doing this to assure Yang Kai that he could seal the Void Corridor without leaving behind any worries. It would be for the best if he could come back after determining it was safe, but if he could not return, then High Heaven Palace and Void Land would have an extra layer of protection with the Cave Heavens and Paradises by doing this. Thus, he did not have anything to worry about.
This was a great assurance.
Yang Kai led the groom’s party swiftly down the boat towards Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, where he hastily bowed and saluted, “Greetings, Divine Monarch!”
Pi Li looked Yang Kai over from head to toe. He nodded slightly but did not smile as he asked, “You want to marry my Great Battle Heaven’s disciple? It is not an easy task, you brat. Are you prepared?”
After what happened at Golden Antelope Paradise, Yang Kai was already mentally prepared that he would have some challenge each time he picked up one of his brides. Ultimately, they would not go overboard to interfere though as this was more of a ceremonial tradition rather than a real obstruction.
Yang Kai puffed his chest with his head held high and said arrogantly, “I am prepared, Divine Monarch!”
Pi Li chuckled and said while waving his hand, “You have guts!”
Seven Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately landed behind him and immediately assumed a Formation. Each looked very serious with murderous intent and shouted, “Kill!”
Open Heaven Realm auras permeated the air, indicating that all seven of them were in the Sixth-Order.
The Sixth-Order was just right. A lower cultivation was unable to hinder Yang Kai, while a higher cultivation might be too difficult for the groom’s party. In any case, the stronger Open Heaven Realm Masters from High Heaven Palace and Void Land were also in this realm. Meanwhile, their only Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had been requested by Yang Kai to go back to the Star Boundary on a mission.
Yang Kai immediately rolled up his sleeves and grinned, “All I need to do is to beat them, right?”
He looked at the seven like an Ominous Beast fixated on his prey. The seven came from Great Battle Cave Heaven and had cultivated a fearless mentality since they were young, but somehow, they still felt rather intimidated by Yang Kai.
They had heard of many of his deeds over the years. In particular, they knew he had spent 100 years inside the Black Prison cage with the Black Ink Royal Lord, yet still survived. Who else could possibly accomplish such a feat?
Yang Xue did not know whether to laugh or cry though as she went forward to tug Yang Kai’s sleeve and protest, “Big Brother, what are you thinking? Today is your wedding day! Why do you want to take them on yourself?”
She was thinking that her Big Brother must have been a little drunk due to all the wine he had at Golden Antelope Paradise, so now that he had been taunted, he could not resist taking up the challenge. This was totally different from what Liu Mu had agreed on before, but she could not help it if he had decided to change things at the last moment.
Zhan Wu Hen then said, “These tasks should be left to the groom’s party!”
Pi Li finally smiled, “I don’t care how many people you use, but you must defeat them in order to take the bride away.”
Yang Kai looked around and grinned meaningfully, “You underestimate my Void Land and High Heaven Palace!”
Zhan Wu Hen and the others snorted coldly. They then stepped forward one by one and soon all of them gathered around Yang Kai.
The Sixth-Order Masters of Void Land and High Heaven Palace were basically all present, numbering nearly 20 people or three times as many as those from Great Battle Heaven.
Looking at each other across the void, the seven members of Great Battle Cave Heaven appeared calm and collected. They did not look intimidated by the numerically superior enemy, which showed their mental fortitude.
Yang Kai waved his hand and declared, “Fight!”
The next moment, twenty Void Land Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters rushed forward and clashed with the seven from Great Battle Heaven. Immediately, fists and feet began to fly.
There was no need for any modesty or standing on ceremony. Since the fight was inevitable, all of them should get it over and done with as fast as possible.
It was just a competition similar in nature to a sparring match, so neither side used any Divine Abilities or Secret Techniques, not to mention artifacts. They all simply fought with their bodies and World Force.
The huge advantage in numbers did not enable Void Land to sweep aside their foes, though, and the battle soon turned into a stalemate.
The seven men of Great Battle Heaven were arranged in an amazing Formation that allowed them to join their powers together, as if they became one entity.
Yang Kai was amazed by this display.
The seven people were obviously familiar with fighting together and had a tacit understanding of each other’s strengths and tactics due to many years of practice. At times, they gathered together, only to spread out in the next instant, causing High Heaven Palace’s Sixth-Order Masters to lose ground.
However, High Heaven Palace fighters were no pushovers; after all, they had the numbers advantage and after they broke through to the Sixth-Order, each of them had at least hundreds of years of experience consolidating their cultivation. Additionally, every one of them had the experience of entering one of the Small Source Worlds of the Cave Heavens and Paradises at least once.
In their current state, their Small Universe heritage was no longer the same as when they initially broke through to the Open Heaven Realm.
A fierce battle ensued for the next incense stick worth of time.
In the end, it was Iron Blood Great Emperor Zhan Wu Hen who found the opportunity to break the Formation of the seven men with a heavy punch. Immediately, the rest swarmed over them and split up the Great Battle Heaven disciples, denying them the chance to re-establish their Formation.
Zhan Wu Hen came back with a huge black eye, cupped his fist, and said, “Fortunately, we have not failed our mission!”
The black eye was from a punch from one of the Great Battle Heaven Sixth-Order disciples. Yang Kai’s face twitched as he tried to control his laughter before he nodded lightly, “Many thanks for all your hard work!”
Yang Kai turned to Pi Li. The Divine Monarch nodded and declared, “You’ve passed the test!”
He then stepped to the side and invited them in.
“Many thanks, Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai thanked him, rushed into the Palace, and escorted Ji Yao out.
Thereafter, the ship continued on its way.
The third stop, to Yang Kai’s surprise, was the temporary base of Myriad Demons Heaven!
The one who became a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven was naturally Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai had a grudge with Thousand Cranes Paradise, but he also had one with Myriad Demons Heaven, because when he was determined to advance directly to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, it was Myriad Demons Heaven that headed the effort to suppress him. A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master named Ti Zheng personally went to Shattered Heaven and finally forced Yang Kai to only advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Ti Zheng died afterward for some unknown reason, which did alleviate Yang Kai’s grievance with them.
Afterwards, Myriad Demons Heaven’s Core Disciple, Pei Wen Xuan, involved himself with Zuo Quan Hui and was also killed.
Of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, if there was one that Yang Kai hated the most, it was definitely Myriad Demons Heaven.
So he could never have imagined that Myriad Demons Heaven would accept Yu Ru Meng.
However, when all things were considered, Yu Ru Meng was part of the Demon Race, and if the matter was looked into in detail, all the Demon Race from the Demon Realm were the disciples of Myriad Demons Heaven. This was a result of Mo Sheng being from Myriad Demons Heaven and having ended up in a Universe World which he contaminated with his Demon Qi, transforming it into the Demon Realm when his physical body failed him.
It was the best choice for Yu Ru Meng to become a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven.
It was also an Eighth-Order Ancestor, called Mo Sha Divine Monarch, who personally took her as a Disciple!
At that moment, Mo Sha led a group of Myriad Demons Heaven disciples to intercept the groom’s party outside the palace. Each Myriad Demons Heaven disciple was covered with Demon Qi, and several of them were smiling deviously at Yang Kai, looking very menacing.
Yang Kai led the groom’s party forward to greet the group. Mo Sha carefully looked at him from head to toe several times before pointing behind him and declaring, “She’s waiting inside, enter by yourself.”
Yang Kai was stunned.
They were as good as sworn enemies and he thought that Myriad Demons Heaven would be prepared to make things hard for him, so Yang Kai had rolled up his sleeves preparing for a huge fight. He never thought that it would be so easy.
This was a good thing though, so he quickly thanked Mo Sha and hastily entered the palace.
Yang Kai realized that something was wrong as soon as he stepped into the palace.
The entire place was decorated as a chamber and there were a dozen couches inside. Atop each cough sat a graceful figure with an opaque phoenix coronet and red robes covering them.
Suddenly, the doors of the palace slammed shut.
[What is this?] Yang Kai was puzzled, but he finally understood that this was how Myriad Demons Heaven was going to make things difficult for him. The challenge had simply been inside this time, instead of outside.
Mo Sha’s voice suddenly rang out from nowhere, “Three chances for you to find the right bride. Take her away if you can find her. If not, heh…”
Nothing was said after the chuckle. That meant that if he could not find the right bride, then he also could not take her away.
Yang Kai smiled contemptuously, “I don’t need three chances, one is enough!”
He knew Yu Ru Meng so well after being with her for so many years and was confident that he could find her here with his eyes closed.
Mo Sha snickered, “Don’t be so cocky just yet!”
Yang Kai frowned and immediately took a closer look at those dressed up as brides and was stunned! Outwardly, there was almost no difference between the dozen brides. In terms of height or size, they were all identical!
He was surprised that Myriad Demons Heaven could find so many women of the same physical appearance to pull this off.
Yang Kai quickly composed himself when he realized that, since Myriad Demons Heaven had gone through all the trouble to set this up, it meant that this test was not going to be easy to overcome.
Yang Kai next tried to use his Divine Sense to probe the situation.
Unexpectedly though, all those brides were protected by some kind of strange power that prevented Yang Kai from detecting their cultivation.
[They’ve certainly prepared well enough!] Yang Kai thought that even if Myriad Demons Heaven could find a dozen women of similar height and features as Yu Ru Meng, there would always be some differences in their auras. Yu Ru Meng was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and could be distinguished easily by comparing the depth of these women’s cultivation. Yu Ru Meng’s aura should be able to stand out from the crowd.
Now that he had tried though, he realized that Myriad Demons Heaven had taken precautions against this method.
He clenched his fist lightly coughed, cupped his fist and greeted them, “Ru Meng!”
A dozen voices instantly replied, “Husband!”
Yang Kai gasped with his mouth wide open, dumbfounded! Although the brides’ replies were staggered, they all sounded exactly like Yu Ru Meng. It was as if they were all her clones.
Moreover, his original intention to greet the brides was to enable the real Yu Ru Meng to give him a hint, but he did not get anything from her.
When he thought about it, he remembered that Yu Ru Meng was so angry that she was ready to leave him to find someone else to marry, so now, even if he was ready to marry her, it was only natural that she was still upset with him and would not obediently cooperate.
Maybe this test right now was even devised personally by Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai realized that based on his understanding of her character, she might really be capable of doing such a thing. He suddenly felt a headache setting in.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai slowly walked to the nearest couch, lowered his body to take a closer look, and tried to use his nose to sniff.
The bride in front of him giggled softly, “Husband, they are all fake. You’d better not choose the wrong one. If you choose the wrong one, I will never forgive you!”
Yang Kai nodded confidently, “Rest assured, I will not choose wrongly!”
As he spoke, he came to the second couch and continued to observe and sniff.
It took a half cup of tea’s time to finish checking everyone. Then he appeared confident and smiled as he declared, “I think I know where you are!”
A soft laughter was heard, and Yu Ru Meng’s voice called out, “Since you know, then take me away.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ll take you away now!”
After he said that, he walked swiftly to the couch in the center, grabbed the bride in front of him by the arm and said, “You’re the one!”
The bride who was grabbed stumbled, and fell directly into Yang Kai’s arms, giggling happily.
Yang Kai suddenly realized something was amiss. He lifted the red veil only to see a bright-eyed young girl smiling in his arms, but she was not Yu Ru Meng. He totally did not know who she was.
“You…” Yang Kai’s jaw dropped, and quickly tried to let go.
The young girl laughed and said, “Martial Aunt Ru Meng was right. You really tried to find her by her scent, so Martial Aunt left some of her perfume on me!”
The cultivation of the young girl was Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although she was equal to Yu Ru Meng in terms of cultivation, since Yu Ru Meng was now Mo Sha’s Disciple, her status in Myriad Demons Heaven was significantly higher; thus, the young girl had to address her as Martial Aunt.
The young girl stuck to Yang Kai and would not back off. She looked up at him with doe eyes as she asked, “Martial Uncle, don’t you want to marry me? I would be so glad.”
“How highly improper!” Yang Kai pushed her aside gently before he began to stroke his chin and continued to look at the dozen or so Yu Ru Mengs in front of him, beginning to feel flustered.
After a while, he pleaded, “Ru Meng, stop this tantrum, be a good girl, and come away with me.”
No one responded to him.
Yang Kai, continued to reminisce openly about the time he spent with her in the Demon Realm, making them sound like the best days of his life when they were foolish and in love. He was trying to use this emotional card to force a reaction from her.
Suddenly, one bride’s body moved slightly.
Yang Kai immediately scurried over, grinned, and asked, “Is that you? Ru Meng?”
The person in front of him did not reply, but the voice of Mo Sha sounded again, “Brat, you only have one last chance, you better make good use of it!”
Yang Kai’s face froze.
Was the woman in front of him not her? He lifted the red veil and sure enough, the bride was not Yu Ru Meng. It was another unknown woman who looked at him cheekily with a smile.
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Why did you move just now?”
The woman replied with a giggle, “What’s wrong with me moving a little after sitting for such a long time?”
Yang Kai wanted to ask if she did that on purpose, but it was pointless. Two of the three chances had been wasted. Now he only had one last chance.
Mo Sha had already spoken, so if Yang Kai could not find the real Yu Ru Meng with this third selection, he wouldn’t get any more.
This caused him to feel as if he was carrying a mountain on his shoulders.
However, it was really difficult to find Ru Meng here. Although there were only a dozen brides in the hall, and Yang Kai had eliminated two of them, the rest still looked exactly the same as Yu Ru Meng in form and posture. He also could not detect her from the differences from their auras because they were protected by that inexplicable power.
Yang Kai frowned and began thinking hard.
There are indeed many people with similar features in the world, but it was impossible to have so many that look exactly the same, especially when they all came from Myriad Demons Heaven.
Yang Kai was originally surprised that Myriad Demons Heaven could find so many people with such a similar body shape and height to Yu Ru Meng, but now it seemed that there was something else going on here!
These brides should have used some Secret Technique to achieve this level of similarity.
In other words, as long as he found some flaw in this Secret Technique, he could identify which was the real Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai suddenly understood the purpose of Myriad Demons Heaven’s test.
However, at this point, he had no intention to hide anything. Since he would be going deep into the Void Corridor to re-seal it, it didn’t matter if this little secret of his was exposed.
With a slightly wry smile, Yang Kai immediately activated the golden Demon Eye of Annihilation, which could see through all illusions.
Immediately, he could see the dozen or so people in front of him had indeed changed. The original dozen women with identical features had now, under the gaze of his Demon Eye of Annihilation, changed in varying degrees. Some become taller, others shorter.
Only one person among them had not changed at all!
Yang Kai stepped forward, stretched out his hand, and called out warmly, “Ru Meng!”
The person in front of him rose up and placed her hand in his, and Yang Kai picked her up by the waist with swift movement!
The next moment, the soft flesh at his waist was fiercely pinched, and Yu Ru Meng’s voice sounded affectionately in his ears, “Consider yourself lucky!”
Yang Kai endured the pain with a happy smile.
When he walked out of the palace, Mo Sha appeared to have something on his mind, but did not say anything else.
After thanking him, the ship set sail again and rushed to the next Spirit Province.
The fourth stop was the site of Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
Among the 36 Cave Heavens, there was a Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven and a Divine Medicine Cave Heaven, one for Artifact Refining and one for Alchemy.
The original Open Heaven Pill recipe was rumoured to have been devised by the forefathers of Divine Medicine Cave Heaven over the course of many years.
Most of the high-end Spirit Pills in the 3,000 Worlds also originated from Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
Now that Yu Ru Meng had been accepted by Myriad Demons Heaven, Yang Kai thought, [Perhaps Little Senior Sister has now become a Disciple of Divine Medicine Heaven?]
Little Senior Sister was born with the Sacred Spirit Medicine Body and had a unique advantage in the Alchemic Dao, so her joining Divine Medicine Cave Heaven was perfect for her.
Yang Xue nodded from the side and said, “Exactly, Divine Medicine Heaven’s Purple Jade Divine Monarch, Zi Yu, has accepted Ning Chang as his Disciple.”
Yang Kai had gone through a lot of hardships to become a Son-in-Law of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, even spending a year in the Dao Theory Assembly facing down vicious criminals, but now, with these marriages, he had become related to many Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Each of the previous Cave Heavens and Paradises had tests of varying difficulty, and Divine Medicine Cave Heaven seemed to be no exception.
Outside the premises, two huge Alchemy Furnaces had been set up. It was obvious that this was a competition of Alchemy techniques.
Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry. For him to compete in Alchemy with a Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s disciple was more or less like a novice trying to show off meager skills before an expert.
Although he was also versed in the Alchemic Dao, the most recent time Yang Kai performed any real Alchemy was already hundreds of years ago when he was first refining the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Since he entered the 3,000 Worlds, Yang Kai had really not put much effort into his Alchemy studies.
It could be said that his mastery over the Alchemic Dao was only a little bit higher than when he left the Star Boundary. According to his own classification system, his Alchemic Dao had stagnated at the fourth level, Traversing a Familiar Path.
How could he compare to an opponent who specialized in Alchemy? A Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Open Heaven Realm Master, who had been immersed in the Alchemic Dao for centuries, if not millennia, would absolutely have higher attainments than him.
There was no comparison.
At the critical moment, it was Wondrous Pill Great Emperor who took up this task.
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was a man whose Grand Dao was the Alchemic Dao, and after advancing to the Open Heaven Realm, his mastery over Alchemy had improved greatly.
Yang Kai did not know how good Wondrous Pill had become, but if he looked at the entire Void Land and High Heaven Palace party, he was the only one who could compete with Divine Medicine Cave Heaven in this field.
Furthermore, Xia Ning Chang was Wondrous Pill’s Disciple in all but name as well, so it made sense for him to take responsibility here.
Back when he lived in the Star Boundary, Yang Kai originally wanted Xia Ning Chang to become the Disciple of Wondrous Pill Great Emperor; however, the latter had already accepted his final Disciple and publicly proclaimed he would not accept another. As such, the matter had to be dropped.
However, Wondrous Pill Great Emperor personally taught Xia Ning Chang the Alchemic Dao, and Xia Ning Chang lived in Medicine Pill Valley for a long time. She even studied under all of Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s other Disciples. In a sense, she was Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s Disciple in all but name.
Therefore, although formally, they did not have a Master and Disciple relationship, they were in reality Master and Disciple.
Now, Xia Ning Chang had the honour to worship Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Purple Jade Divine Monarch, Zi Yu, and became his Disciple. Naturally, Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was extremely happy for her.
Divine Medicine Heaven originally did not want to make things too difficult for Yang Kai, but since the others had all put up tests, they naturally could not be an exception. This was just a formality, so regardless of Yang Kai’s mastery of Alchemy, he could still take Xia Ning Chang away.
However, when the other side brought forward a true Alchemist, Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Open Heaven Realm representative had no choice but to take the situation more seriously. This disciple realized that his opponent from Void Land had some extraordinary skills in the Alchemic Dao, and if he was sloppy or careless, he might end up losing the competition.
The Alchemy contest was truly magnificent, with both sides showing off all their skills.
The Spirit Pills they chose to refine were fortunately not complicated and each only took less than half an hour to complete. The Divine Medicine Heaven disciple cupped his fist to Wondrous Pill Great Emperor, while the latter returned the courtesy. Those who were uninitiated in the Alchemic Dao had an idea who had won when the dust settled.
Zi Yu personally came forward to review the Spirit Pills refined by both sides, but did not do any open comparisons. If there was a formal judging, there would be a winner and a loser, which would reflect poorly on this auspicious day.
However, those with discerning eyes could see that though Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was skillful in Alchemy, he had only advanced to the Open Heaven Realm a few hundred years ago, so how could he be better than the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Divine Medicine Cave Heaven? The Divine Medicine Heaven disciple had reached the Open Heaven Realm thousands of years ago, so in terms of the Alchemic Dao, even Wondrous Pill Great Emperor could not compare to him.
Yang Kai happily rushed into the palace and under the guidance of the Divine Medicine Cave Heaven disciples, entered a boudoir and carried out the festively dressed Little Senior Sister.
The last stop was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
There were no difficulties or tests here, nor was there need for any.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang had already entered and passed the Samsara Pavilion’s test, crossing nine reincarnations together to emerge on the other side. In Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s history, they were the only couple to ever accomplish this; thus, there was no need to test anything.
The Divine Monarch from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s side was named Qing Yu, and Yang Kai came forward to salute him respectfully.
Yu Xiang Die, who was standing beside him, smiled and said, “Come with me, she’s waiting inside.”
After saying these words, she turned around and walked forward while Yang Kai followed closely behind.
When Yang Kai looked up, he saw two women in red dresses sitting on the bed with red veils covering their faces. When they heard the door open, the one on the left tensed up slightly, and the ones acting as bridesmaids today wrung their hands while looking nervous.
Yang Kai looked stunned.
[Why are there two brides?] He wondered to himself if this was some kind of test from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; however, he soon dismissed this thought as he realized who was front of him.
One of them was Qu Hua Shang, while the other was Tao Ling Wan. Although both of their faces were covered with red veils, he could easily distinguish them from their auras.
Yang Kai turned his head towards Yu Xiang Die and looked at her with a questioning look. He clearly meant to ask what Yin-Yang Cave Heaven meant by this.
Yu Xiang Die smiled, but did not say anything.
During this moment of hesitation, Tao Ling Wan, who was sitting motionless on the bed, was obviously feeling nervous and uneasy. Qu Hua Shang, who was sitting next to her, took the initiative to reach out and hold her delicate hand.
Yang Kai did not hesitate for long though, stepping forward to stand in front of the pair before holding out his left and right hands as he said softly, “My Ladies, please rise!”
Two small hands reached out and Yang Kai pulled the two women up before turning around, embraced on both the right and left, and walked majestically out with them by his sides.
Tao Ling Wan slowly relaxed her tensed body.
Yu Xiang Die, who was following behind Yang Kai, also felt relieved.
The arrangement here was made without any prior notice to Yang Kai, so as to surprise him. She saw Yang Kai’s attitude toward Tao Ling Wan when she was in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and knew that if he was given a choice, he might not be willing to marry Tao Ling Wan.
It was not that he did not like her, but rather that he was not familiar with her. Since he had very few interactions with her, he was not as emotionally attached to her.
Tao Ling Wan was set up by her Honoured Master in a conspiracy to resolve the awkward situation Yin-Yang Cave Heaven found itself in some time ago. Chen Xiu had used his own Disciple’s cultivation dissonance to trick Yang Kai into helping Tao Ling Wan. Once that happened, Yang Kai’s aura had permanently been engraved into Tao Ling Wan’s Small Universe due to the Secret Art she cultivated. Now, Tao Ling Wan needed Yang Kai’s power in order to advance to Seventh-Order, and even to simply survive.
This was the path a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple treaded when they cultivated the Heartfelt Dao.
Thereafter, Tao Ling Wan even took the initiative to enter the Samsara Pavilion and set up a Heart Barrier for herself. Fortunately, Yang Kai recognized her at the last moment and managed to retrieve her sealed memories, returning them to her so she could successfully leave the Samsara Pavilion.
In that life, Tao Ling Wan was deeply moved by Yang Kai, could not forget him, and realized that she had found her true love. Thus, when Yang Kai left Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she followed him.
Today, since he was getting married, how could Yin-Yang Cave Heaven not have her here?
Soon, Yang Kai would enter the Void Corridor to seal it, and perhaps never return. Without Yang Kai, she would not ever be able to reach the Seventh-Order; thus, no matter what, before Yang Kai left, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had to pave the way forward for her.
On this auspicious day, Yang Kai naturally could not embarrass Tao Ling Wan.
With the two women sitting there together, if Yang Kai was to take one away and leave the other behind, that would be a humiliation so great to Tao Ling Wan that killing her would have been kinder. If she were a more extroverted woman, she might be able to overcome such humiliation given enough time; however, Tao Ling Wan was someone who was extremely introverted and innocent. To this day, she still blushed when she spoke to Yang Kai.
Although he had no special feelings for Tao Ling Wan, Yang Kai knew that she felt close to him because of the Secret Art and the reincarnation they experienced together in the Samsara Pavilion. In that life, she had sealed her memories and had no idea who he was, or even who she was; nonetheless, she still sacrificed her life to block a fatal sword strike for him.
The experiences in the Samsara Pavilion were all about one’s true heart, and the decisions made in that life would reflect what one would do in reality.
Yang Kai could not bear to hurt a woman who was literally willing to die for him; thus, when he saw the two of them sitting in that room, it was easy for him to make a decision.
A short while later, Yang Kai walked out of the palace, arm in arm with his two brides.
Chen Xiu was waiting for them inside the palace with his head raised to the Heavens. His expression appeared calm, but his heart was full of unease. He was terrified he would see a scene he did not want to see. When Yang Kai took longer than usual inside the palace, Chen Xiu felt as though hundreds of thousands of years were ticking by. Every moment was filled with torment.
When he saw that Yang Kai had led the two women out though, the huge boulder weighing down on his heart was lifted and he exhaled a long sigh of relief.
Chen Xiu still felt very guilty about what he did back then and was also sorry for his Disciple who he had put in such an embarrassing situation. However, from his standpoint, what he did at that time was for the sake of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as a whole. He wanted to save Yin-Yang Cave Heaven from embarrassment and protect its reputation. He did not act for selfish reasons.
In addition, he had only agreed to this plan because he felt that Yang Kai’s status was good enough for his Disciple, and that she would not be dishonored by following this man.
Originally, he did not expect Tao Ling Wan to participate in this wedding event. He also knew that his Disciple did not hold much weight in Yang Kai’s heart. At least it was not to the extent of being considered for marriage. It was Yu Xiang Die who made the suggestion and finally Azure Feather Divine Monarch, Qing Yu who agreed. Qing Yu did not object to Tao Ling Wan being in the room where Yang Kai was to receive the bride, which Chen Xiu was very grateful for.
With Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s people feeling relieved, the procession that came to welcome the bride broke out in cheers.
Although there were already four brides aboard the boat, they were each brought aboard one at a time from the different families. Now, at Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s residence, Yang Kai actually brought two brides back at once!
One of them was naturally Qu Hua Shang, and the other, without much thought, should be Tao Ling Wan.
They were Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples, and both of them were Sixth-Order Masters! In the past, they could only marry within Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, or have others marry into Yin-Yang Heaven!
The status of the person who joined the family could not be too low and his aptitude must also meet the grade. It could be said that the requirements were very high, but today, Yang Kai actually took two brides back from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven at once. This was surely a new precedent which would never again be seen in the future.
The sound of the instruments became more and more festive, and the Open Heaven Realm Masters on the boat all put in the greatest effort to add to the celebratory atmosphere of the auspicious day.
With all the brides aboard, the groom’s party said farewell to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and steered the ship back towards Void Land’s temporary base.
A crowd had been waiting for a long time back at Void Land’s palace.
A long red carpet was laid on the ground, and the ship soon moored in front of it. One by one, seven people were led down from the ship.
Yang Kai led the way, with six women in three columns of two following behind him. Seven people connected by fate, each holding a large red flower to add to the festive atmosphere. This was what Void Land and High Heaven Palace had been planning for.
On the way, there were people who had arranged to perform Secret Techniques to add colour and cheer to the celebration.
The crowd entered a Grand Hall amidst loud music and cheers.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that the Grand Hall was decorated in red and ready for the ceremony.
Six Wood Divine Monarch, Liu Mu, was already waiting in front with a big smile on his face. They did not know when he had come over from Golden Antelope Paradise.
As expected, he was the master of ceremonies today.
Liu Mu looked at Yang Kai with a smile and raised his hand to silence the rowdy crowd around them. He then declared, “On such an auspicious day, the groom and his brides should perform the ritual of three bows to become Husband and Wives, as is tradition for both mortals and cultivators alike.”
The Grand Hall was filled with Open Heaven Realm Masters from all the Cave Heavens and Paradises to participate in the celebrations.
On hearing what Liu Mu said, they could not help but mutter in their hearts that the three bows ritual had really remained unchanged for ages.
As expected, Liu Mu looked at Yang Kai and said, “But, one of your Wives said that you have a few partners who could not be here due to some personal affairs. It would not be fair to them if you were to perform such rituals today.”
As soon as this was said, many people were startled and looked towards Yang Kai.
These Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises may not all be that familiar with Yang Kai, so they did not know how many partners he had in total. However, he already had six beautiful brides standing beside him, so how many more were there who could not make it over for the wedding!?
This brat was too much! It was rare for one to have so many partners and have all of them be so considerate to each other. How could this brat have such great charm?
“What’s more, your parents are not here either.” Liu Mu then continued, “So we will not be performing the three bows ritual today. Today is only a formality to gather your brides to you. You can do your own wedding properly later!”
[No wedding ceremony?] Yang Kai was taken aback by what was just said. He did not know what was in store for today’s events and up until now he just went along with it, but it was true his parents were not in the hall. Likewise, Su Yan and the others were also not present. It was indeed inappropriate if he were to make his marriage vows here today.
As for the Wife who Liu Mu mentioned, Yang Kai was sure that it was Yu Ru Meng who spoke up after reaching an agreement with the others.
“What do you think?” Liu Mu asked as he looked at Yang Kai.
“I will abide by this!” Yang Kai replied respectfully.
Liu Mu nodded, “Good! Deliver them to the bridal chambers!”
This was something unexpected for even the Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had lived for countless years.
After the six women left and were settled in one by one, Yang Kai, who was dressed in festive red, was dragged out to the hall again. A great banquet was set up here where all the people in Black Territory could participate regardless of their status or origin.
There were literally hundreds of banquet tables arranged with dishes and drinks!
As soon as Yang Kai showed up, he was led by Yang Xue to make a toast.
It could not be helped that there were a lot of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises here. Most of them were Seniors, and now some were even his Elders from the Sects who took in Yu Ru Meng and the others as Disciples. Even the Divine Monarchs, their Honoured Masters, were personally present. Thus, Yang Kai, as a Junior, needed to personally toast these distinguished guests.
Yang Kai could not cheat when he was under the watchful eyes of so many Open Heaven Realm Masters, so each cup of the toasts had to be drunk to the last drop.
As a result, even Yang Kai, who had a high alcohol tolerance, started to become dizzy.
In the end, several Great Emperors had no choice but to help him with some of the drinks.
After a significant part of the evening had passed, Liu Mu walked over and patted Yang Kai’s shoulder as he said, “Good, you’re done here. You may retire to accompany your Wives. It’s your wedding night, so you should not be negligent. Still, you’re going to have a busy night,” he said cheekily as he grinned at Yang Kai. His innuendos were so obvious that even Yang Xue who was standing beside Yang Kai blushed intensely.
“Hic… en, Divine Monarch. Yes, yes!” Yang Kai responded drunkenly before waving his hands in all directions as he bellowed, “You people carry on with the celebrations. This Junior is going to subdue the Tigress with his Dragon!”
This led to laughter all around.
Yang Xue hastily grabbed Yang Kai’s arm and dragged him away. She could see that her Big Brother was really drunk. He must be very happy; otherwise, he would not have indulged himself like this. However, they really could not stay here any longer, as she did not know what inappropriate words her Big Brother would say if they remained here.
Yang Xue led Yang Kai into the inner sanctum of Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s temporary camp. Then, she paused and asked, “Big Brother, where to first?”
This was a question that Yang Kai had to decide since he took back six brides at once.
Yang Kai wiped his mouth and said with great pride, “To Ru Meng’s chamber!
[To think that this woman wanted to leave him and remarry! Today, I will show her how vigorous I am!]
“En!” Yang Xue responded and led Yang Kai towards Yu Ru Meng’s bridal chamber.
Yang Xue had been with the six women when they were taken to their respective bridal chambers; thus, she knew where Yu Ru Meng was. All of them were brought to six adjacent courtyards that were festively decorated.
The first courtyard was Yu Ru Meng’s, and as they walked inside, they saw someone outside the chamber. As a newlywed bride, there were many aspects that were inconvenient to handle personally; thus, someone was required to take care of and assist her.
The person standing outside Yu Ru Meng’s room was none other than Yue He.
Yang Kai hiccupped, stared, and asked, “Why are you here?”
Yue He elegantly bowed, smiled, and replied respectfully, “Young Master, today I am Madame Meng’s maid of honour.”
Yang Kai clicked his tongue, but he could understand such an arrangement considering that there were not enough people here from Void Land and High Heaven Palace.
“Thanks for your hard work!” Yang Kai said, and then directly stepped towards the entrance.
However, Yue He did not let him pass and instead stopped him at the door.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Yang Kai raised his eyes to look at her.
Yue He bowed again, as if she was really a maidservant. She then replied slowly and deliberately, “Young Master, Madame Meng said that she is not feeling well today. If Young Master was to come, she requested for Young Master to go somewhere else!”
Yang Kai could not help but glare at her and ask, “How could she not be feeling well on such a happy day? Is this some kind of joke?”
Yue He lowered her eyes and replied, “That is what Madame Meng said.”
Yang Kai looked around with his hands behind his back and saw that there was no one else but Yang Xue standing behind him and Yue He in front of him. He smiled and replied, “Oh? Want me to go somewhere else? Where to?”
Yue He pursed her lips and said, “As Madame Meng said, Young Master can go anywhere he wants as long as you don’t loiter here in front of her chambers. She said that any sight of you will anger her.”
“Ru Meng is usually such a sensible woman, how could she say such unreasonable things?” Yang Kai appeared as if he did not believe it and strode inside.
Yue He could not stop him, and he managed to push her aside.
A short while later, a loud bang was heard coming from the room, followed by a muffled grunt. It was impossible to tell what happened inside.
Yue He and Yang Xue, who were standing outside, looked at each other and then they craned their necks hoping to peek inside.
With a creak, the door opened and Yang Kai came out with his hands still behind his back. He then instructed Yue He, “Ru Meng is not feeling well, so you must take good care of her tonight.”
Yue He stared at the new black eye on Yang Kai’s face and struggled to maintain a straight expression, somehow managing to reply solemnly, “Rest assured, Young Master, I will take good care of Madame Meng.”
“Very good.” Yang Kai nodded and took a few steps forward before turning back and said sternly, “Don’t let anyone know what happened here.”
To think that he was barred from his own bride’s chamber on their wedding night, and then beaten by her after he tried to force his way inside. How could he face others if word of this travesty ever leaked out?
It looked like Yu Ru Meng was still upset with him!
“Yes!” Yue He answered dutifully.
After leaving this courtyard, Yang Kai turned right and went into the next courtyard.
This was the courtyard that Xia Ning Chang was in and the person guarding the door was Shu Mu Dan, Hua Yong’s wife.
“Sect Master,” Shu Mu Dan greeted respectfully with a bow as soon as she saw Yang Kai approach.
“Many thanks for your hard work!” Yang Kai nodded at her. These Sixth-Order Open Heaven Masters under his command were not raised by him, they all had joined him midway. Hua Yong and his wife Shu Mu Dan were the most loyal to Void Land though because their newly born child was raised in the Star Boundary and received a great deal of nourishment from the World Tree. As a result, their child’s aptitude was extraordinary and he could easily make an initial breakthrough to the Sixth-Order or maybe even the Seventh-Order in the future. As such, the pair were extremely grateful and devoted to Yang Kai.
They were thankful that they followed Yang Kai out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven back then; otherwise, their child would not have had such a great opportunity.
However, at this moment, Shu Mu Dan looked a bit uneasy as she stopped Yang Kai from entering the chamber and reported, “Sect Master, please kindly stay where you are. Madame is not feeling well today, so she probably can’t accompany you tonight. Madame said that you should go somewhere else first.”
[This excuse seems familiar…]
Yang Kai’s face twitched as he asked, “Not feeling well?”
It was understandable that Yu Ru Meng was upset and not in the mood for the night; after all, she had been angry enough to declare she would leave Yang Kai to find someone else to marry, but Xia Ning Chang was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who he had seen just a few hours ago. She was still fine at that point, so how could she not be feeling well all of a sudden?
[Little Senior Sister has always been the most obedient. In all these years, she always agreed to whatever I asked. So, how could it be that she refuses to see me tonight?]
Yang Kai felt really upset. [Was Little Senior Sister convinced by Yu Ru Meng to go against me? The nerve!]
Yang Kai thought of barging in directly, but then he decided against it. He did not want to make things difficult for Little Senior Sister.
“Sect Master, what happened to your eye?” Shu Mu Dan suddenly asked curiously.
[How could she even ask this question?] It was only when Yang Xue quickly shot a glance at Shu Mu Dan that the latter realized that she was out of line and quickly stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
Yang Kai ignored her and called out, “Little Senior Sister, rest well, I will see you later.”
“…. en…” Xia Ning Chang’s voice sounded softly from inside.
Yang Kai looked at Shu Mu Dan again and instructed, “Take good care of her.”
“Yes!”
He turned around, left, and headed for the third courtyard.
The third courtyard was occupied by Ji Yao, and the lady outside the door was Zhou Ya.
When she saw Yang Kai arrive, Zhou Ya hastily greeted and then looked at him awkwardly.
Yang Kai chuckled flatly, clearly having anticipated the situation, and asked, “Is the Madame not feeling well?”
Zhou Ya froze for a moment and then nodded her head, “Sect Master’s insight is as masterful as ever, Madame is indeed not feeling well!”
“En…” Yang Kai remarked with a heavy heart. Without saying much more, he nodded and said, “In that case, make sure the Madame rests well. I will come back to see her later.”
“Sect Master, take care!” Zhou Ya said. She could not believe that he was already leaving. When she heard Ji Yao’s order earlier, she felt very worried. How could she drive away the groom on his wedding night?
Furthermore, Yang Kai was not just her Sect Master, but also her Master as Zhou Ya had left her name on the Loyalty List! As such, she did not dare to drive him away for Ji Yao.
Who would have thought that Yang Kai would leave on his own without her having to deny him entry to the chamber!
Zhou Ya heaved a sigh of relief.
Yang Kai turned around and left.
Yang Xue had seen all of this and felt so awkward and embarrassed by what had happened. She did not expect her Sisters-in-law to behave in such a manner today of all days, it was totally out of character for them. Her Sisters-in-law were usually demure and accommodating. Their behaviour was truly out of the ordinary today and it appeared that they had discussed this and decided to all act in solidarity. It was highly likely that the rest would be doing the same to Yang Kai.
Thereafter, Yang Kai went to Xue Yue but was once again denied entry into the chamber.
Then he went to Qu Hua Shang, and the same thing happened.
[To think that even Qu Hua Shang is in cahoots with Ru Meng!]
At this point, how could Yang Kai not know what his Wives were up to?
Yang Xue, who had been following behind Yang Kai, was now very worried. Today, they received six brides but five of them had refused Yang Kai entering their bridal chamber. Now, there was only one chamber remaining which was occupied by Tao Ling Wan. If he was rejected at the last chamber, then her Big Brother would really lose all face.
Although today was merely a formality and they did not conduct the proper wedding rituals, it was still her Big Brother’s auspicious day. It would be a huge scandal if this final step could not be completed.
If he could not enter a single bride’s chamber tonight, on his wedding day, Yang Kai would become the butt of everyone’s jokes tomorrow. Yang Kai represented the face of Void Land and High Heaven Palace now, so that must not be allowed to happen.
“You can leave now,” Yang Kai suddenly stopped and said as he stood in front of the last courtyard.
Yang Xue was stunned for a moment, but then tried to speak up, “Big Brother, you…”
Yang Kai smiled, “Don’t worry, there won’t be any problems here.”
After saying that, he waved his hand and walked into the courtyard.
Yang Xue looked on with bated breath and waited anxiously.
The guard here was Luan Bai Feng, and when she saw Yang Kai appear, she immediately bowed and greeted respectfully, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai nodded and walked straight ahead. Luan Bai Feng did not say anything at all and simply parted the curtains and invited him inside.
When Yang Xue saw this, she heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Luan Bai Feng did not stay inside, and soon came out. She closed the door, winked at Yang Xue, and the two women left, side by side.
Although the chamber was only temporarily decorated, it was done with careful considerations. Tao Ling Wan was wearing a phoenix coronet and bridal robes as she sat still on the bed.
She became nervous when she heard Yang Kai’s steps approaching from outside. As his footfalls got closer, she could not help but tense up.
She did not expect Yang Kai to come here at all!
Today, there were six new brides, and apart from Qu Hua Shang and herself, the other four had been with Yang Kai for much, much longer. The length of time that they spent together definitely resulted in an accumulation of emotions deep in their hearts that tied them far more closely than the two newcomers who had only just started to be with him.
She also knew that she was far less important in Yang Kai’s heart compared to the others, so she did not harbour any expectations of tonight at all.
However, he really came.
Tao Ling Wan was not prepared for this and was so nervous that she even forgot to breathe!
Yang Kai was also a bit overwhelmed; he did not have much contact with Tao Ling Wan at all. The reason why he brought her out from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s temporary palace today was because he really could not refuse. He thought that he could solve the issues between them later, but reality caught up with him and one thing happened after another, leading to the situation they were facing right now.
The wedding was so sudden that no one informed him beforehand, and Yin-Yang Cave Heaven even placed Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan in the same room, so he did not even have a choice.
With this situation right now, Yang Kai also had a hard time deciding what to do.
When he saw Tao Ling Wan’s nervousness though, Yang Kai felt a little amused. With a bit more thought though, he realized that this woman was simply too shy and innocent. She was inevitably apprehensive when she encountered this kind of situation today.
However, some things had to be done, and it was his job as a man to take the lead here!
Yang Kai poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip before sitting down and saying, “Don’t be afraid, I just came to take a rest.”
As soon as he spoke, Tao Ling Wan, who was sitting on the bed, was startled and began to shiver. Although it was subtle, it was obvious that she was very nervous.
Yang Kai smiled to himself as he explained, “The others refused to let me in. They all pushed me to come to you.”
Tao Ling Wan was wearing a red veil in silence so he could not see her expression. She also finally understood why Yang Kai appeared here instead of elsewhere.
The others did not give him access to their chambers, which was why he ended up with her. However, Tao Ling Wan knew that today was their auspicious day and if Yang Kai could not enter any of the bridal chambers, malicious gossip would undoubtedly spread.
“Today was just a formality, not a proper wedding. So, Wan’er, it is still not too late to back out of this. It is important for you to obtain a life that suits you the most. Life is a long journey, and you need to find the right companion, otherwise it will be nothing but sadness. Furthermore, I will be leaving to seal the Void Corridor soon. I can’t guarantee that I will survive. Ru Meng and the others had been with me for many years; thus, they have no choice but to stay with me. However, you still have a choice. Tonight, I will just rest here and I will leave first thing tomorrow. There’s no need for you to be nervous.”
Tao Ling Wan only became more nervous after hearing what he said though, her body trembling more and more.
Yang Kai smiled bitterly and said, “Rest assured, I will not do anything to you. I will just sit here. Why don’t you take off the veil and let’s have a casual chat?”
Tao Ling Wan did not move, but she began to shake even more.
Yang Kai’s expression suddenly turned stern as he got up, walked towards Tao Ling Wan’s side, and touched his fingers to her wrist.
The next moment, Yang Kai exclaimed, “You’re experiencing cultivation dissonance again?”
He had encountered this situation once before. At that time, in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Tao Ling Wan had suffered cultivation dissonance and Yang Kai had naturally tried to help her. Although with his assistance, Tao Ling Wan was able to turn danger into safety, it also resulted in Yang Kai’s aura being left in her Small Universe.
It was because of that inadvertent act that the two of them forged a connection together.
However, this time, the situation was obviously much more serious than before.
Yang Kai quickly asked, “How many times has this happened over the past century alone?”
The reason for bringing Tao Ling Wan out of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was that her Master, Chen Xiu, said that without truly connecting with Yang Kai, Tao Ling Wan would always be at risk of cultivation dissonance. Once this happened, only Yang Kai could help her.
“F-Five times!” Tao Ling Wan said weakly.
Yang Kai immediately felt terrible. When he volunteered to enter the cage to probe the situation, he never expected to be trapped inside for 100 years. During these 100 years, it was impossible for Tao Ling Wan to live in peace and had even suffered five cultivation dissonance episodes.
Fortunately, Qing Yu, an Ancestor of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, had been present and had also cultivated the Heartfelt Dao, so he could personally take action to help Tao Ling Wan resolve her cultivation dissonance.
However, although the Qing Yu was the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, with profound cultivation that stemmed from the same roots as Tao Ling Wan, he only could treat her symptoms, not the root cause of her condition.
This was also the reason why he agreed to let Yang Kai marry two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples at the same time. Tao Ling Wan had to commit herself to Yang Kai in order to cure her current situation completely. There was no other choice.
Tao Ling Wan’s cultivation dissonance was getting progressively worse. One day, even an Eighth-Order Ancestor like Qing Yu would be powerless to help her.
In Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, such cultivation dissonance was regularly suffered by those who cultivated the Heartfelt Dao’s core Secret Art. It was, strictly speaking, a side effect of the Secret Art and not a true cultivation dissonance.
Disciples who had a more profound cultivation and cultivated the Heartfelt Dao without achieving harmony between Yin and Yang would suffer a cultivation dissonance to varying degrees.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm was the limit of cultivation of this Secret Art! If they wanted to achieve a breakthrough and overcome this issue once and for all, it was necessary to harmonize Yin and Yang.
If a disciple cultivating the Heartfelt Dao encountered something like this before meeting their destined partner, they could rely on their own persistence and will to resolve it, just as Tao Ling Wan had done for many years before she met Yang Kai.
At that time, when she experienced cultivation dissonance, she would have managed just fine even if Yang Kai did not help her; after all, she had experienced such situations many times before and overcome them all.
However, how could Yang Kai have known about such intricacies in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Secret Arts? When he saw Tao Ling Wan showing signs of cultivation dissonance, he did what was natural and tried to help, falling right into Chen Xiu’s scheme.
It was due to his good intentions that Yang Kai ended up being entangled in this matter.
Now, Tao Ling Wan’s situation was much more serious than during Yang Kai’s first encounter with her. He could clearly feel the agitation of Tao Ling Wan’s Small Universe, and if this issue was not resolved, it was very likely to cause her Small Universe to collapse one day.
Having experienced this situation once before, Yang Kai naturally knew what he should do.
He pushed the power of his Small Universe and poured it into Tao Ling Wan’s body.
It was easily accepted, as if their powers were of the same origin, just as it was the first time.
With Yang Kai’s assistance, Tao Ling Wan’s condition gradually improved. Within the time taken to burn a stick of incense, Tao Ling Wan’s shivering had calmed down, and the agitation within her Small Universe subsided.
Yang Kai only stopped once he was sure the current crisis had been solved.
After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Senior Sister Qu told me about the Heartfelt Dao’s Secret Art. How have you resolved this issue so far?”
Tao Ling Wan softly explained that it was Ancestor Qing Yu who helped her.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and felt even more guilty after realizing how much trouble he had caused by his carelessness.
“Ancestor said that he could help me suppress it at most two more times. After that, there would be nothing more he could do,” Tao Ling Wan said again.
The next time Tao Ling Wan encountered this problem, even if Yang Kai was not around, at least The Azure Feather Divine Monarch might be able to help; however, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s disciples never encountered such dire situations as they would have resolved the issue with their chosen partner long before it reached such a point.
Yang Kai sat in silence in the room.
The problem Tao Ling Wan faced seemed to leave him with no choice.
Since it was her life at stake here, Yang Kai might have to keep her with him at all times, otherwise there was no way to solve it.
However, it was obviously not realistic for him to bring her along. It would be fine if the other side of the Void Corridor was not the Black Ink Battlefield. The two of them could still find their way back slowly if that was the case; however, if the other side was the Black Ink Battlefield, then Tao Ling Wan would die if she followed him in.
That was the same as leaving her here.
After a long silence, Yang Kai stood up, went to the table, poured two glasses of wine, and brought them over. He sat next to Tao Ling Wan and gave her one of the glasses.
“We have the rest of our lives ahead of us, so if we have the chance, we should get to know each other better.”
Tao Ling Wan was wondering why Yang Kai had suddenly gotten her a glass of wine; however, upon hearing what he said, she realized what was going on and immediately nodded joyfully.
The two of them intertwined their arms and drank the entire glass of wine.
Yang Kai took the glasses and placed them down. He then gently lifted the red veil and revealed a shy Tao Ling Wan who had her head slightly bowed and her cheeks flushed red.
Yang Kai curled his fingers and extinguished the candles with a flick, plunging the room into darkness.
Tao Ling Wan began to breathe heavily. Even though she had lived in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven for many years and had hardly socialized, she still understood what was waiting for her at this moment.
“It’s late, we should rest,” Yang Kai said.
“En.” Tao Ling Wan nodded lightly.
…..
“Madame, Young Master has entered the innermost courtyard, and the lights have gone out.” Inside the chamber, Yue He reported the situation to Yu Ru Meng.
Yu Ru Meng nodded, lifted the red veil on her head, and cursed, “That smelly man! Always saying one thing then doing another! Never allowing one to not worry about him!”
Yue He was dumbfounded and replied, “You all planned this together, and now you’re complaining about Young Master? Who just threw Young Master out with a black eye? If you had accepted him here, he wouldn’t have gone anywhere either.”
Yu Ru Meng knew very well that this would be the result when she planned to reject him today; however, she could not admit that openly.
Yu Ru Meng sighed and said, “At least Xiao Wan’s matter is resolved. That’s a relief.”
Looking up at Yue He, she asked somewhat helplessly, “Did we do something wrong?”
Yue He shook her head and said, “Madame understands Young Master’s nature. When he was trapped for 100 years with the Black Ink Royal Lord, you constantly worried about him. Now that he has been released, he still intends to go and seal the Void Corridor. He should depart without any unresolved issues so his heart is not burdened. Madame did the right thing.”
Yu Ru Meng nodded, “En.”
If Yang Kai had gone into the Void Corridor while carrying worry and guilt, he would have no peace, and neither would they. That was why they made those arrangements to facilitate Tao Ling Wan’s recovery. They wanted Yang Kai to be free of any burdens so that he could concentrate on the difficult task he was about to face. What they did was also to help Tao Ling Wan secure her position in the household.
“Do the others know about it?” Yu Ru Meng asked again.
“I believe so,” Yue He replied, “Shu Mu Dan sent a message to the others as soon as the candle was extinguished.”
Yu Ru Meng nodded, then suddenly cursed through gritted teeth, “That smelly man must be enjoying himself now!”
Yue He was struck speechless.
Yang Kai naturally did not dare to be partial to any of the six brides he took in; thus, he made sure that he took turns to accompany a different Madame every day.
For half a month, Yang Kai shuffled among the six courtyards. Outsiders envied him, but only he knew how much work it took to placate and satisfy these new brides of his.
When Myriad Demons Heaven’s Mo Sha heard the report from one of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Masters under his command, the corner of his brow twitched visibly as he muttered, “That brat has been at it for half a month straight?”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master smiled and nodded, “Yes, he seems to be quite addicted to it.”
Mo Sha fell silent before snorting, “In the world of mortals, shouldn’t a married woman return to her bridal family to pay her respects?”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Master was stunned and did not quite understand why the Ancestor mentioned this suddenly; however, he immediately nodded and said, “There is indeed such a custom. Does Divine Monarch intend to…”
Mo Sha waved his hand and said dismissively, “It was just a random comment, think nothing of it.”
…..
In Xia Ning Chang’s courtyard, Yang Kai was relaxing on a chair. Now that everything was settled, the ancient seal of the Void Corridor could still be maintained for some time, so there was no rush for him to act. With beauties by his side, Yang Kai’s life was extremely comfortable and enjoyable. How he wished that these days could last forever.
However, he knew that this was impossible and he should enjoy every moment that he could.
Xia Ning Chang was sitting next to him. She took a grape-like spirit fruit from somewhere, and began to peel the skin and remove the seeds. She then gently fed it to him.
Yang Kai took a bite, and playfully bit Xia Ning Chang’s fingers. Little Senior Sister tried to pull her fingers back, but could not bear to be too forceful. She then glared at him coyly and said, “Don’t let the other see this.”
She blushed slightly.
“So what if they see?” Yang Kai said playfully.
“It’s not fair to them.”
“What’s not fair about it?” Yang Kai smiled playfully.
Xia Ning Chang could not stop him, so she let him do whatever he wanted. He tickled her fingers with his tongue.
Suddenly, the door of the courtyard was pushed open and Yue He walked in. Xia Ning Chang was so shocked that she quickly pulled her hand back.
Yue He obviously saw everything, pursed her lips, and snickered. She stood in front of Yang Kai, half-bowing, and greeted, “Young Master.”
“Yes?” Yang Kai asked as he continued to eat the fruit.
“Madame Meng asked me to inform you that it is time for her to return to her family.”
“Back to where?” Yang Kai was stunned.
Yue He said, “For newlyweds, it is customary for the Husband to take his Wife back to her bridal family to pay his respects.”
Yang Kai blinked. He naturally knew about this custom, but it was really more of a mortal custom; thus, he did not think too much about it and had no intention of doing so.
Furthermore, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were not exactly their bridal families. The Divine Monarchs who took them as Disciples did so mainly because they appreciated Yang Kai’s initiative to seal the Void Corridor and wanted to give him a sense of reassurance that his family would be taken care of after he left.
Yang Kai’s forthcoming trip was a gamble with his own life. If he succeeded, it would be a great victory. For such a sacrifice, even the guardians of the 3,000 Worlds had to show their appreciation.
“According to Madame, whether the Cave Heavens and Paradises were sincere in accepting Disciples or not, now that names have been given, and statuses set, it cannot be annulled. Young Master should take each of the Madams back as this will serve as a means to confirm their status. To the Madams, High Heaven Palace, and Void Land, this will be beneficial for the future. The Madams can regard the Cave Heavens and Paradises as their homes and refuge and can visit as frequently as they wish. If protocol is not followed, their goodwill towards the Madams may fade after you leave.”
Yang Kai rubbed his chin as he pondered for a while before nodding, “That’s right, I’ve neglected this. Let’s make the necessary arrangements.”
Yue He nodded and replied, “Which family is Young Master planning to visit first?”
Yang Kai asked, “What does Ru Meng suggest?”
“Madame Meng said that since Yin-Yang Cave Heaven offered two disciples, and both of them are newcomers, you should go there first. The order of the rest doesn’t matter. You may go to Myriad Demons Heaven next,” Yue He explained.
Yang Kai naturally did not have any objections and immediately agreed, “Then let’s do as she suggested.”
The next day, Yang Kai led Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s temporary residence, as a customary visit to their ‘relatives’.
Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was completely unprepared and obviously did not expect Yang Kai to perform such a visit. Nonetheless, the three were still warmly received.
Chen Xiu was particularly appreciative of the visit. After asking Yu Xiang Die to inquire Tao Ling Wan about something, he looked at Yang Kai with immense gratitude.
Chen Xiu was really happy. After his scheme had failed and dragged his Disciple into a predicament, he had been constantly blaming himself. Now, he was finally free of this burden.
Now the only worry was whether Yang Kai could come back alive after entering the Void Corridor. If he met with any accident inside, then his Disciple would be widowed.
At the end of the drinking session, Chen Xiu no longer had the air of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. He threw his arm over Yang Kai’s shoulders and expressed his friendship for him. All the other disciples looked on with awe and were dumbfounded by how close they were. If not for Chen Xiu’s Second Disciple, Feng Cheng Si, stopping him, Chen Xiu might very well have become Sworn Brothers with Yang Kai, which would have made the family hierarchy quite awkward.
When Yang Kai was about to leave, Chen Xiu was in tears and revealed his true feelings. He took Yang Kai’s hand and told him that he would take care of Xiao Wan in the future.
Naturally, Yang Kai accepted with enthusiasm.
The next day, Yang Kai led Ji Yao back to the Great Battle Heaven. Naturally, he received warm hospitality.
On the third day, Yang Kai led Xue Yue back to Golden Antelope Paradise. Liu Mu led a group of men to drink Yang Kai under the table, causing the latter to flee at the earliest opportunity.
On the fourth day, he and Xia Ning Chang returned to Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
On the fifth day, Yang Kai finally returned to Myriad Demons Heaven with Yu Ru Meng.
In fact, even now, Yang Kai was not sure about Yu Ru Meng’s discipleship under Myriad Demons Heaven.
It was true that Yu Ru Meng belonged to the Demon Race and had some faint connections to Myriad Demons Heaven, but it was still a great surprise to Yang Kai that the Divine Monarch would really accept her as a Disciple.
As soon as the boat arrived at Myriad Demons Heaven, they were warmly greeted.
It was two Seventh-Order Open Heaven who received them, no less!
“Greetings, Senior Brothers!” Yang Kai cupped his fist and saluted them respectfully.
He realized that his seniority had been raised after his Wives were accepted as Disciples of the Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Previously, when he saw these Seventh-Orders Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai had to address them as Senior, Martial Uncle, or Aunt.
Now when he met them, he could greet them as Senior Brother or Sister. After all, Yu Ru Meng was Mo Sha’s Legacy Disciple. With her seniority, no one could fault Yang Kai for addressing them like this.
At Myriad Demons Heaven’s temporary base, Yang Kai was naturally treated with great hospitality again, and after a feast, he was already quite drunk.
However, Mo Sha did not show up from beginning to the end. It was only when Yu Ru Meng proposed to pay her respects to her Honoured Master at the time of departure that they were brought to him.
The two entered hand in hand into an empty hall. The door to the hall slammed shut behind them.
A figure covered by Demon Qi sat cross-legged in the center of the hall. The turbulent Demon Qi, thick enough to seem like a viscous liquid, surrounded Mo Sha Divine Monarch.
“Honoured Master!” Yu Ru Meng bowed and greeted respectfully.
Yang Kai followed suit.
Mo Sha opened his eyes and raised his hand. With a gentle flick, the two of them rose.
Mo Sha kept his hand up and pointed a finger towards Yang Kai.
Both Yu Ru Meng and Yang Kai did not expect Mo Sha to suddenly make such a move, so they were caught off guard when the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master took action.
Yang Kai was hit by the flick of a finger and stumbled backward several steps with a muffled grunt.
“Honoured Master!” Yu Ru Meng was shocked and quickly ran over to Yang Kai. She knew that there was a grudge between Yang Kai and Myriad Demons Heaven, and was worried Mo Sha was going to harm Yang Kai.
Yang Kai placed his hand on Yu Ru Meng’s shoulder and pulled her behind him before he firmly shook his head to signal that he was alright.
After that finger flick, his eyes burned as if they were on fire, and in the next instant, his left eye suddenly turned golden, with a vertical slit, while his right eye became pitch black.
At first glance, it looked as if the right eye had been stained by the Black Ink Strength, but this was different. It was a Secret Technique.
“Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye!” Mo Sha nodded lightly and stood up. With his hands behind his back, he stepped in front of Yang Kai and carefully examined his two eyes to make sure they were correct, then narrowed his eyes and asked, “Was Ti Zheng killed by you?”
After asking this though, Mo Sha shook his head and said, “No. Although Ti Zheng’s cultivation was decent, he had not cultivated these two Eye Techniques. My Myriad Demons Heaven’s two Core Techniques cannot be cultivated by just anyone.”
Yang Kai endured the discomfort in both eyes and said hastily, “So, Divine Monarch had already noticed.”
Of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, the reason why Yang Kai was most wary of Myriad Demons Heaven was not because he initially had some grudges with them, but because of these two Eye Techniques.
At that time, when he was outside of the Shattered Heaven, Ti Zheng noticed that he had these two Eye Techniques and was very concerned about them. He even offered to buy his two eyes. Of course, Yang Kai did not agree.
Before that day, Yang Kai had never shown these two Eye Techniques to Ti Zheng.
Yet Ti Zheng was aware of them. It could be that the people of Myriad Demons Heaven were sensitive to those who had these two Eye Techniques.
Ti Zheng was only a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; thus, Mo Sha, who was in the Eighth-Order, was much stronger than him.
During the days spent in Black Territory, Yang Kai had intentionally avoided all the High-Rank Masters from Myriad Demons Heaven just to avoid causing any trouble. The last time, when he came to welcome the bride, Mo Sha did not say anything, so Yang Kai thought he had gotten away with it. However, now it seemed that, although he did not say anything, that did not mean that Mo Sha did not notice.
Yang Kai did not know what Mo Sha had done to cause the two Eye Techniques to involuntarily reveal themselves, but at the moment he had no way of hiding them.
Mo Sha’s eyes twitched slightly and his left eye instantly turned golden, with a vertical slit, while his right eye turned pitch black like a black hole. At that moment, Yang Kai felt an excruciating pain.
In a flash though, Mo Sha’s eyes returned to normal again.
Then it dawned upon Yang Kai that this person in front of him also cultivated these two Eye Techniques, and it seemed that he was much more skilled at using them. As such, it was not surprising that he could detect others who cultivated them.
“These two Eye Techniques are core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven. Even ordinary disciples are unable to obtain them. Where did you get them from?” Mo Sha asked curiously.
He thought that Yang Kai had killed Ti Zheng and took them from him; however, Ti Zheng had not cultivated these two Eye Techniques so that was impossible.
Since they were in this situation, it was meaningless for Yang Kai to hide things from Mo Sha. Moreover, he would be going to seal the Void Corridor soon, so Mo Sha would not harm him. Yang Kai figured he might as well come clean.
He thus went ahead and told the story of how he managed to obtain his two eyes.
Mo Sha listened with amazement, not having expected the whole process to be so full of twists and turns.
Yang Kai’s Demon Eye of Annihilation was obtained very early on in life, back in Tong Xuan Realm, while the Black Purgatory Eye came much later.
These two seemingly unrelated Eye Techniques were actually from the same source.
“Mo Sheng…” Mo Sha frowned and muttered to himself. He had never heard of this name, but according to Yang Kai’s story, it could be deduced that this person should be from a long time ago. Mo Sha wondered what happened to this ancient disciple. To arrive in a remote Universe World, experience a massive drop in cultivation and become confined to that Universe World, then contaminate the world into becoming the Demon Realm.
If not for a series of coincidences, Mo Sheng could have contacted Myriad Demons Heaven and asked for help to take him back to the Sect long ago.
“This was how it happened, and the two Eye Techniques were obtained by chance. It was not something Junior did on purpose.”
Mo Sha looked at him and said, “Whether it was an opportunity or an intentional act, these are still core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven.”
Yang Kai asked, “Then what does the Divine Monarch want?”
Yu Ru Meng could not help but become nervous. She was the one who said that they should return to their ‘families’ after the wedding. If Yang Kai was in danger now because of this, she would inevitably feel guilty.
Now she understood why a Senior Sister of Myriad Demons Heaven suddenly came looking for her one day. She then got her thinking about going back to the Sect after the wedding.
It was now obvious that Mo Sha, this cheap Honoured Master of hers, wanted to meet her Husband to confirm certain matters. Returning to her bridal family after the wedding was just an excuse.
Mo Sha slowly said, “Since this is a core secret of Myriad Demons Heaven, naturally it cannot be passed on. I can either destroy your eyes, or you can become a Myriad Demons Heaven’s disciple, so that you have the right to retain them.”
Yu Ru Meng forced a smile and said, “Honoured Master, even if my Husband is not a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven, he is already Myriad Demons Heaven’s Son-in-Law. He can now be considered as one of Myriad Demons Heaven’s people.”
Mo Sha shook his head and said, “That’s not the same.”
Yu Ru Meng was about to speak when Yang Kai raised his hand to stop her and stared at Mo Sha. He then said, “It is impossible for me to become a Myriad Demons Heaven disciple, and I don’t want to lose my eyes either; after all, I do not know if I will become blind after they are destroyed. Divine Monarch, is there any other choice?”
“What choice do you want?” Mo Sha looked at him with a smile.
“How about Divine Monarch pretends not to know about this?” Yang Kai raised a brow.
Mo Sha almost laughed and said, “Do you think that’s possible?”
Yang Kai spread his hands and said openly, “If that’s the case, then Divine Monarch will have to kill me!”
Mo Sha face twitched and roared, “You think I won’t kill you?”
Yang Kai snorted, “If Divine Monarch kills me, your new Disciple will be widowed!”
Yu Ru Meng nodded vigorously from the side and begged, “Please be merciful, Honoured Master.”
Mo Sha said, “We have been fighting with the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless years, and countless others have died. We already have tens of thousands of widows.”
This topic was getting a bit heavy.
Yang Kai thought for a while, then turned his head to look at a worried Yu Ru Meng, and said, “Do not be afraid, Divine Monarch is just intimidating me. I still have to go to seal the Void Corridor. He will not do anything to me.”
Yu Ru Meng was very worried, but was reassured when she heard what Yang Kai said. Yang Kai volunteered to seal the Void Corridor, and there was no one else in the 3,000 Worlds capable of doing it in his place, so how could Mo Sha kill him?
If he did, there would be no way for him to explain himself to the other Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Yang Kai turned his head to Mo Sha and said, “Divine Monarch, just state exactly what you want. There’s no need to drag this matter out further.”
Mo Sha grunted in frustration. Yang Kai’s smug look was truly annoying. He was really tempted to give this cheeky brat a slap and snuff him out once and for all.
However, just as Yang Kai had said, that was not an option.
Moreover, when he asked Yang Kai to come here today, his original intention was not to make things difficult for him.
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Sha suddenly flicked his wrist and a jade slip flew towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai raised his hand to catch the slip and then poured his Divine Sense into it. He frowned a moment later and asked, “Divine Monarch, what is this…”
“The Black Ink Battlefield is extremely dangerous. Your Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation is far too low. It’s also too late to start raising your cultivation. The Cave Heavens and Paradises owe you a favour. Myriad Demons Heaven has nothing of value to give you, but since you are lucky to have obtained these two Eye Techniques, then you should cultivate them properly,” Mo Sha said, “Myriad Demons Heaven’s two Great Eye Techniques have untold secrets and infinite power. You must be diligent when cultivating them!
“Many thanks, Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai was overjoyed.
“Leave!” Mo Sha waved his hand impatiently. To him, today’s incident was making a mountain out of a molehill. This situation was special and he did not want to pursue it any further.
Yang Kai and Yu Ru Meng bowed and bade farewell to Mo Sha.
On the way back from Myriad Demons Heaven, Yu Ru Meng took the time to inquire what Mo Sha had given to Yang Kai.
“The cultivation method for the two Eye Techniques,” Yang Kai explained.
Since he received the two Eye Techniques, although their power had increased alongside his own cultivation, Yang Kai had never really practiced them properly, let alone understood how to use them.
Now that Mo Sha took the initiative to give him the knowledge to cultivate them, this was an excellent development for Yang Kai.
It was a great gift.
Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye were core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven. In Myriad Demons Heaven, ordinary disciples were not worthy to cultivate them at all. Only elite disciples were fortunate enough to practice one of them, with very few being able to cultivate both.
Under normal circumstances, if an outsider like Yang Kai had these two Secret Techniques, Myriad Demons Heaven would definitely fight him to the death and would ruthlessly kill him to prevent their secrets from leaking out.
However, the situation was different now. Yang Kai would soon go to seal the Void Corridor and his fate was uncertain. Mo Sha would not be insistent under such circumstances.
No one could say for certain what was at the other end of the Void Corridor; however, there was a high possibility that it led to the Black Ink Battlefield. Although Yang Kai seemed to have nine lives, his chances of surviving were slim if that was the case.
Even if he survived, he would not have the chance to return to the 3,000 Worlds. That was why Mo Sha was so generous to pass on the two Eye Techniques and their cultivation method otherwise, Myriad Demons Heaven would never have allowed their core secrets to be leaked.
When he returned to Void Land’s temporary base, Yang Kai immediately announced he would enter retreat.
As Mo Sha said, he did not have much time left, and it was too late to consider raising his cultivation. Thus, Yang Kai decided to cultivate these two Eye Techniques. Perhaps they would help him out of some critical situations.
Although his women did not know what was the purpose of his retreat, they were understanding in their response; after all, they were all satisfied with the time Yang Kai spent with them over these past few days.
The jade slip contained the cultivation method for the two Eye Techniques, and also explained their uses when cultivated to their peak.
The Demon Eye of Annihilation and Purgatory Black Pupils, were respectively a support and attack method.
If one could really cultivate them to the peak, the Demon Eye of Annihilation was capable of breaking all illusions. Previously, in order to break the Super Array that enveloped Black Territory, the Cave Heavens and Paradises used countless people to mine out the Ore Stars in order to weaken it.
However, at the same time, there was another group who were responsible for cracking the countless Spirit Arrays that filled Black Territory.
These Spirit Arrays, like the Ore Stars, were part of the Super Array.
This group of people was mainly led by those from Myriad Demons Heaven, with the help of many Array Masters. In Myriad Demons Heaven, those who cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation were all High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and under their perceptive eyes, many of the Spirit Array’s flaws became obvious. This greatly improved the efficiency of breaking the arrays and saved a lot of time.
Yang Kai had used his Demon Eye of Annihilation to observe the core Spirit Arrays just outside the central cage of the Super Array; however, although he knew that the Spirit Arrays were dangerous, he could not avoid them all even after a channel was opened to send him into the cage.
During the 100 years that Yang Kai was trapped in the cage, it was Mo Sha, who personally sought out the weaknesses of the Spirit Arrays outside the cage and succeeded in cracking all these Spirit Arrays.
Mo Sha had not cultivated the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so he relied entirely on the Demon Eye of Annihilation to see through these Arrays instead.
However, even with the powerful Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, Mo Sha had still not cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation to its highest level.
It was written in the jade slip that if one could really cultivate the Demon Eye of Annihilation to the highest point, one could even see through the fabric of reality, space, and time to view the future.
In the history of Myriad Demons Cave Heaven, no one had ever cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation to this extent, and it was not possible to say whether this level truly existed.
Naturally, Yang Kai did not expect to achieve mastery comparable to those from Myriad Demons Heaven; after all, such great prowess could only be achieved by cultivating for countless years. He would be satisfied if he could simply improve the power of his Eye Techniques.
The Demon Eye of Annihilation was not a killing method. It was mainly a deterrent and auxiliary skill.
In contrast, the Black Purgatory Eye was a very powerful killing method. Yang Kai had also used this Secret Technique, so he knew this fact very well.
Under the Black Purgatory Eye, everything was silenced and the world was plunged into darkness. Enemies targeted by this Secret Technique were often caught by surprise and left incredibly vulnerable.
If the enemy was deprived of all their senses, they were bound to fall into immense danger.
The days passed.
High Heaven Palace fell quiet as no one dared to disturbed Yang Kai’s retreat.
One day, a ray of light flew over.
Noticing the commotion, members of Void Land and High Heaven Palace went to investigate, and soon Xue Yue stepped forward and bowed, “Honoured Master!”
The person who came was Liu Mu. He looked serious and solemn, so it was obvious that something had happened.
This caused the hearts of the members of Void Land and High Heaven Palace to sink.
After all these days of peace and quiet, the time had finally come.
“Call him out!” Liu Mu said to Xue Yue.
Xue Yue pursed her lips, nodded, and turned to leave.
Yu Ru Meng stepped forward and asked, “Senior, is it time?”
Liu Mu shook his head and replied, “It’s impossible to say exactly, but he has to head over just in case something goes wrong.”
It had been almost five months since Yang Kai returned from the Void Corridor to the rear lines. During this period, the ancient sealing power had been dissipating continuously. Once the ancient sealing power had completely dispersed, the Void Corridor would be completely formed and the two ends would be connected.
In recent days, the rate of the dissipation of the ancient seal had obviously accelerated. The Divine Monarchs present there did not dare to take the situation lightly; thus, Liu Mu came to ask Yang Kai to exit retreat.
Yu Ru Meng nodded to show that she understood what he meant.
A short while later, Yang Kai appeared and met Liu Mu. He inquired about the situation and nodded lightly, “I’ll go investigate the situation. Senior, make yourself at home.”
After saying that, he turned his head to Yu Ru Meng and the others, nodded, then manipulated Space Principles to instantly disappear.
Soon enough, Yang Kai reappeared beside the Void Corridor. Previously, he left Space Beacons behind when he went back to his Wives, so they now came in handy to quickly cross the distance.
At this moment, more than a dozen Eighth-Order Ancestors were guarding the Void Corridor. All of them were relieved to see Yang Kai.
Qing Yu spoke first, “Boy, these past few days, the Void Corridor has been behaving oddly. We need you to check the situation.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai answered and dashed over to the Void Corridor. Space Principles surged as he closed his eyes to investigate. Moments later, Yang Kai dove straight in.
This scene made the Eighth-Order Ancestors, who were guarding this place, raise their brows.
A Void Corridor was not a place one could come and go as they pleased. In its current state, the corridor was filled with unimaginable void turbulence, like a raging maelstrom. Even if one’s cultivation was strong, they may lose their way if they were pulled into this chaotic storm. If one could not find a way out, then they would be trapped in the Void forever.
Thus, although the Eighth-Order Ancestors had been guarding this place for several days, no one dared to enter to investigate.
Yang Kai, however, bravely entered like it was nothing, which made them sigh emotionally.
However, this was his speciality. Although Yang Kai’s cultivation was a lot lower than theirs, his proficiency in the Dao of Space allowed him to enter the Void Corridor safely.
After waiting for about three or four hours, Yang Kai rushed out from the Void Corridor.
“What’s the situation?” Qing Yu quickly asked.
“It can hold on for another half a month to a month,” Yang Kai replied.
He had to calculate how fast the ancient sealing power was dissipating, and how long it would take for him to reseal it. Half a month to a month was the limit; any longer and it would be too late.
The Ancestors looked at each other for a moment before nodding slightly and started sending out messages.
A day later, a large number of rays of light came over. All of them were the Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
The time limit for sealing the Void Corridor had been set, so they had to begin preparing.
In case of a failure, the Void Corridor would be completely connected and the Cave Heavens and Paradises would face unknown dangers.
Teams formed by Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises appeared as they guarded the Void Corridor tightly.
The Void Land and High Heaven Palace members also arrived. Although they were the smallest in number and the lowest in cultivation, they had still turned out in full force.
The women looked at Yang Kai with reluctance and worry, but they could not do anything to change the situation. They could only pray that the other side of the Void Corridor was not connected to the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Waiting for someone?” Mo Sha asked when he saw Yang Kai hesitate.
Yang Kai responded, “There’s one more thing I need to take care of.”
Mo Sha nodded and said nothing more. He believed that Yang Kai would not be careless in this kind of matters. Since he intended to wait, then he must be certain there was time. It was useless to rush.
Liu Mu said, “Just as well, let me tell you about the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield.”
This was also information Yang Kai intended to find out, so he immediately cupped his fist and said respectfully, “Junior listens with respect.”
Liu Mu said, “In truth, none of us know what the full situation is on the Black Ink Battlefield. As you know, no one has ever returned after they crossed the No-Return Pass. What we do know is gathered from information sent back from time to time. None of us has seen the real situation with our own eyes, so what we tell you can only be taken as a reference.”
“Junior understands.”
Liu Mu pondered a moment before continuing, “The Black Ink Battlefield is vast. No one knows exactly how big it is. Over the millennia, the Cave Heavens and Paradises have been sending people to fight, but they have not been able to kill the Black Ink Clan to the last. That shows just how powerful the Black Ink Clan is. In the Black Ink Battlefield, there are a total of 108 Great Passes. Each Cave Heaven or Paradise is responsible for one of them. Each Pass is a self-sufficient fortress, but they are all closely linked. Reliance on the 108 Great Passes Grand Formation has allowed the Cave Heavens and Paradises to keep the Black Ink Clan at bay. Otherwise, they would have rushed into the No-Return Pass and invaded the 3,000 Worlds long ago.”
“If you really end up there, remember to rush to the nearest Great Pass. You have the World Spring protecting your Small Universe, so it is impervious to external forces. Our allies on the other side certainly do not know your identity, but as long as you show them your World Spring, they will not treat you as a Black Ink Disciple. No matter which Cave Heaven or Paradise guards territory you arrive at, as long as you can enter one of the Great Passes, you’ll be safe.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “Junior will remember.”
After a moment of silence, he asked, “But just in case, can Senior give me some kind of Faith Token?”
Liu Mu waved his hand and said, “Faith Tokens are useless on that battlefield. Those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises can be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength at any moment, so the only way to confirm one’s identity is to inspect their Small Universe. Faith Tokens can’t be trusted.”
Qing Yu then said, “Originally, we intended to offer you some of our strength in the form of protective techniques, but considering that the other side may be the Black Ink Battlefield, doing so would only expose your identity; thus, you can only rely on yourself.”
When Yang Kai went into the cage and confronted the Black Ink Royal Lord, he was blessed by five Eighth-Order Ancestors. He relied on that protection to defend himself from the Black Ink Royal Lord’s opening attack.
However, for this trip, if the other side was indeed the Black Ink Battlefield, such protective techniques would only put him in more danger as Yang Kai would not be able to hide his identity.
Yang Kai once used the Black Ink Strength within his Small Universe to trick Lang Ya Paradise’s Black Ink Disciples into believing he was one of them. If the other end of the Void Corridor was really the Black Ink Battlefield, then there was a high chance that he would encounter the Black Ink Clan or Black Ink Disciples. In that case, this disguise would provide a large degree of security.
Outside the Void Corridor, many Ancestors spoke to Yang Kai, sharing with him what they knew about the Black Ink Battlefield.
Yang Kai took note of everything.
However, as Liu Mu had said before, they did not have personal experience in the Black Ink Battlefield, and all the information was passed back from beyond the No-Return Pass. Although this information could likely be attained as long as Yang Kai paid attention once he entered the Black Ink Battlefield, knowing ahead of time was still helpful.
A few days had passed.
The rate of dissipation of the ancient sealing power in the Void Corridor seemed to have accelerated again.
Mo Sha said, “We can’t wait any longer, let’s start sealing it as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Seniors, please wait just a moment longer!”
Saying so, he turned around and walked towards Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s group.
His Wives stood at the forefront of the group, each looking at him with intense expressions. Their eyes were full of worry and reluctance. When he got close to them, Yang Kai smiled faintly at them but did not try to comfort them. Any words of comfort at this time would only be self-deception. Everyone knew and understood the dangers of this trip.
Yu Ru Meng stood forward and her crimson lips began to quiver. There was much she wanted to say, but she held herself back. In the end, she simply said, “Be careful in everything you do!”
Yang Kai nodded and replied with a smile, “I will.”
He suddenly looked beyond the crowd and towards the depths of void, where several rays of light could vaguely be seen coming towards them in a hurry.
Yang Kai heaved a long sigh of relief that the ones he wanted to see had arrived at the last moment.
The leader of the group was Lan You Ruo, who had left Black Territory and returned to the Star Boundary a few months ago.
Perhaps due to pushing herself to her limit, even though Lan You Ruo was now a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, she still looked slightly pale and exhausted.
“Greetings, Proprietress!” Yang Kai cupped his fist and said.
Lan You Ruo glared at him, then at the Void Corridor, before asking in a dark tone, “Do you really have to do this?”
Yang Kai said helplessly, “It can’t be helped. There is no other way.”
Lan You Ruo pursed her lips and did not answer. She also knew that the workings of fate could not be changed by an individual’s power. Since the Cave Heavens and Paradises had already agreed to this, they could only follow the plan.
Yang Kai then looked at those behind her. There was the Fatty Chen Tian, Yun Xing Hua, Hei He, and Hua Qing Si. All of them were brought over from the Star Boundary by the Proprietress.
When their eyes met, they hastily saluted.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and called out one by one, “Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, Hei He, Chen Tian Fei, Yun Xing Hua!
“Subordinates are here!” The seven of them announced.
“In the past, due to various circumstances, all of you had to leave your names on the Loyalty List. I know some of you have complaints against me and are not resigned to your positions, but it matters not now. You’ve worked hard all these years, and your efforts and sacrifices have allowed High Heaven Palace and Void Land to grow to their current heights. All of you have contributed greatly to the Sect. It is unknown if life or death awaits me, so today, I will set you free. You are free to stay, or to go, but I hope that when we meet again in the future, we can still chat and share a drink with no animosities for one another!”
Saying so, Yang Kai took out the Loyalty List, took the Xie Zhi horn, forced out a drop of Blood Essence and dipped it. He then scratched their names from the list.
Fresh blood seeped into the Loyalty List, and the names on the pages gradually faded and disappeared.
The seven people whose names were on the Loyalty List suddenly felt a sense of relief. They inexplicably had a feeling of freedom from bondage.
Mao Zhe frowned slightly and looked at Yang Kai with conflicted emotions.
Of all the people who had signed the Loyalty List, he was the one who was most unconvinced by Yang Kai. He had endured his humiliation in order to one day advance to the Seventh-Order and free himself from the Loyalty List.
He had heard that by reaching the Seventh-Order, he would become free from the restrictions of the Loyalty List; however, he did not know if that was true or not. Regardless, he still worked hard towards that goal over the years.
He had never imagined that Yang Kai would take the initiative to dissolve the master-servant relationship between them. This made him slightly surprised and relieved.
In the days leading up to today, he was not unaware that Yang Kai was going to seal the Void Corridor, nor was he unaware of what may happen to Yang Kai once that happened.
Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, and his lives were connected to Yang Kai’s, so if anything happened to the latter, they would also suffer.
Now that the constraints of the Loyalty List had been lifted though, he no longer had to worry about their life or death because of Yang Kai’s problems.
However, Mao Zhe was not as happy as he imagined he would be.
Looking back on the years in Void Land and High Heaven Palace, it was no exaggeration to say it was an extremely easy and comfortable life. They had all the resources and status they could have wanted!
He had not advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm simply because he had not felt a turning point.
Now that he was free, even if he left High Heaven Palace and Void Land, what other place could provide such a favourable environment for cultivation?
If Yang Kai could make this decision at the last moment, it was obvious that he had been thinking about this matter. This also hinted at the dangers of this trip.
Even Yang Kai was unsure if he could survive.
“Sect Master, since we have entered Void Land, we will not be duplicitous. Sect Master may rest assured and go. We will guard the Sect. You need not worry about anything here,” Mao Zhe said and cupped his fist.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya also said, “Sect Master, please rest assured!”
Fatty Chen was far less dignified as snot and tears dripped from his face as he loudly proclaimed, “Sect Master, whether there is a Loyalty List or not, this Chen Tian Fei is a man of Void Land in life, and will be a ghost of Void Land in death! I swear to never do anything to betray the Sect! If I break my word, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. With me, Chen Tian Fei, as its guardian, the Sect will never be in danger!”
Mao Zhe couldn’t help glancing sideways with a disgusted look on his face, thinking this ass-kisser had always been like this. [What can he do as a mere Fourth-Order Master? How dare he boast so shamelessly!]
When Yun Xing Hua and Hei He saw the others making their declarations, they also quickly expressed their loyalty to the Sect.
Honestly, they had lived a good life in Void Land all these years, and it was impossible for any other Sect to provide them with so many resources for cultivation. They would not leave even if they were driven away at this time.
Hui Gu was not so melodramatic, but his loyalty was unquestionable as he asked, “Sect Master, why don’t I accompany you so I may offer whatever assistance I can.”
Yang Kai, however, waved his hand and said, “This is a dangerous endeavour, and even the first step of entering the Void Corridor will not be safe. I am not sure what will happen, and if I take you with me, it will only serve to distract me.”
Hui Gu had nothing else to say when he heard this. If he was going to be a burden, then it was better not to go.
The seven of them were removed from the Loyalty List; Luan Bai Feng and Xin Peng had long been set free from its constraints. The latter naturally did not need to express their appreciation for the gesture.
Yang Kai looked at Hua Qing Si and said, “Head Manager, I’ll have to trouble you with the management of the Sect.”
Hua Qing Si squeezed out a smile and said, “Sect Master may rest assured, when you return one day, I will hand you back a Sect that is a thousand times better than the current one!”
Halfway through the journey, she had heard Lan You Ruo talk about some things and was clear about the dangers Yang Kai would be facing.
It could be said that this was definitely the biggest risk Yang Kai had ever had to take. This was not a task that could be accomplished by simply being careful. Even the slightest mistake would result in death.
No one would depend on luck for something as important as this.
Yu Ru Meng suddenly grit her teeth and said, “You’d better survive! If you dare to die, I will take all my Sisters and remarry! I mean what I say!”
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded sincerely, not knowing whether he was promising to survive or acknowledging that he approved of the remarriage.
What should be said, had been said. All things had been taken care of and he had no more worries left.
Yang Kai took a few steps back, looked out at Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s members, put on a solemn expression, cupped his fist, and declared, “Everyone, this is goodbye!
His eyes swept over the faces of Yu Ru Meng and the others as if he wanted to engrave them into his heart.
After saying that, he turned around and dashed towards the Void Corridor.
The women suppressed their emotions so that Yang Kai would not worry; however, the moment he turned around, all of them could not hold back anymore and began to shed tears.
However, none of them made a sound and continued to suppress their voices!
Yu Ru Meng clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her skin and blood began to seep out along her fingers.
In front of the Void Corridor, Yang Kai nodded to the Eighth-Order Ancestors and said, “Junior is ready.”
All the Eighth-Orders cupped their fists in a solemn salute.
The burden of maintaining the peace of the 3,000 Worlds was placed on the back of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Junior, which made all of them feel ashamed.
However, they all knew that only Yang Kai could seal the Void Corridor.
Fortunately, he understood the importance of the situation and did not object in any way.
The 3,000 Worlds was lucky to have such a son.
“May good fortune and longevity accompany you!” Liu Mu shouted in a deep voice.
“May good fortune and longevity accompany you!” The chant came from the mouths of the Cave Heavens and Paradises Masters and resounded throughout the void.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, turned around, and boldly rushed into the Void Corridor without hesitation or looking back.
The Void Corridor opened up and swallowed Yang Kai’s figure.
Not long after, space churned at the entrance of the Void Corridor. A black hole emerged and looked as if it could swallow everything for as far as the eye could see, but within half an hour, everything had disappeared.
Many Ancestors released their Divine Senses to inspect the region carefully before exchanging glances and nodding.
Even with their cultivation, they could not detect anything at the spot where the Void Corridor once stood. In other words, the entrance of the Void Corridor had been completely sealed. Unless someone like Yang Kai, who was proficient in the Dao of Space, chanced upon it and forced it open again, no one would ever be able to find this entrance.
However, the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not dare to be careless. After a short deliberation, they decided to designate Black Territory as a Restricted Area and seal all Territory Gates leading to it. No one from the 3,000 Worlds could enter without permission and at least one Eighth-Order Ancestor would be dispatched to monitor the situation at all times to guard against any potential problems.
It would be a similar setup to the Chaotic Dead Territory where an Eighth-Order Ancestor and a team of High-Rank Masters would be stationed at the Territory Gate, monitoring the movement of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
This matter did not take much effort. There were as many Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises as there were clouds in the sky; therefore, they only needed to dispatch an Eighth-Order Ancestor along with some Seventh-Order Masters to take turns on duty.
After a short discussion, everybody agreed on a plan.
There were suppressed weeping sounds coming from the people of Void Land High Heaven Palace, which annoyed Lan You Ruo greatly and caused her to snap, “Why are you all crying? He’s not dead yet! If you really want to help him, then you should hurry back and cultivate hard!”
Yu Ru Meng seemed to realise something, “Big Sister, do you mean…”
Lan You Ruo might be their Senior, but she had always regarded Yang Kai as a Little Brother; hence, it was normal for Yu Ru Meng to address her as ‘Big Sister’ based on Yang Kai’s status.
Lan You Ruo nodded, “If he returns safely from this trip, then it can only mean that he did not enter the Black Ink Battlefield. If so, he will be safe and sound and nothing will change. On the other hand, if he fails to return, then it can only mean that he entered the Black Ink Battlefield after all. If you have the time to cry, then you might as well use that time to cultivate hard and advance to the Seventh-Order as soon as possible. When that happens, I’ll bring you all to the Black Ink Battlefield to look for him!”
As soon as she made the statement, several pairs of eyes immediately brightened.
The people from Void Land and High Heaven Palace were basically made up of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Great Emperors and Yang Kai’s wives had all advanced directly to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the limit of their future achievements was the Eighth-Order.
Although Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were generally considered strong, they were actually the weakest of soldiers on the Black Ink Battlefield. Only those who had advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had enough strength to defend themselves.
A single statement from Lan You Ruo was enough for them to suppress their depressed feelings and redirect their attention towards a new goal.
Yue He took out a bunch of Space Rings and handed them to Hua Qing Si, “Head Manager, Young Master handed these to me previously and asked me to pass them to you.”
Hua Qing Si took the Space Rings and investigated them with her Divine Sense, a look of astonishment appearing on her face in the next instant. That couldn’t be helped though as all of these Space Rings contained Yin and Yang Element materials. Furthermore, the Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals were piled up like mountains in the Space Rings, all of which were of excellent quality. Some crystals were even the size of small mountains all on their own.
These materials could be said to be invaluable. The Sect would have more than enough cultivation resources thanks to these materials, which would greatly shorten the cultivation time of its disciples.
Hua Qing Si was vaguely aware of the source of these Yellow and Blue Crystals. She had also heard about Yang Kai’s unique methods against the Black Ink Clan from Lan You Ruo, so she couldn’t help feeling worried and asked, “If Sect Master left all of these materials behind, then what would happen to him if he encountered someone from the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield?”
Without these resources, Yang Kai would not have any means to activate his primary weapon, the Purifying Light.
Yue He whispered, “Young Master told me that he only left half behind. He has taken the other half with him.”
Upon hearing those words, Hua Qing Si nodded her head with a sense of reassurance. Nevertheless, she was also extremely shocked inside. These Space Rings were literally filled to the brim with resources and the number of Yellow and Blue Crystals inside them were practically incalculable.
[And this merely half the total amount!? Just how many benefits did Sect Master gain in the Chaotic Dead Territory?] Composing herself, she stored the Space Rings away carefully. She was High Heaven Palace’s Head Manager and was responsible for the overall distribution of its resources; therefore, it was best if she kept these Space Rings in her possession.
Lan You Ruo led everybody over to bid their farewells to the Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises before setting out. The other party did not stop them from leaving. By venturing deep into the Void Corridor to re-seal it, Yang Kai had already made the greatest contribution possible, so there was no need for Void Land and High Heaven Palace to remain involved in this matter anymore.
The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters led by Liu Mu told the leaving party to inform them clearly if they had any need of help in the future. They promised that they would ask their disciples and subordinates to cooperate as much as possible.
Lan You Ruo thanked the Ancestors and departed with the others following behind her.
Thanks to the promises of the Ancestors, both High Heaven Palace and Void Land would be able to maintain a stable and independent position in the future. There was no need to worry about being pushed aside or excluded; after all, Yang Kai had only just made a huge contribution to the safety of the 3,000 Worlds. If his Sect was oppressed after that, it would be too dishonourable.
…..
Inside the Void Corridor, Space Principles surged around Yang Kai as he guided the Void Turbulence around him to exert a sealing effect.
In order to explain his plan to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors earlier, he had specially used a small tube of bamboo to demonstrate. The power of the ancient seal that used to fill the Void Corridor was gradually fading away; therefore, what he needed to do now was refill the spot where the ancient seal had disappeared in order to conceal the existence of the Void Corridor.
This was an extremely energy-consuming task since Yang Kai had to mobilize Space Principles at all times. Moreover, sealing the path behind him meant that he could no longer turn back. He could only forge forward and continuously seal the route ahead.
The Void Corridor was filled with chaos and darkness, with neither light nor sound. Even Yang Kai’s perception became quite hazy. Under such conditions, he could only wield his power instinctually and rely on the dispersion of the ancient seal ahead of him to estimate his progress.
Time passed, little by little. Yang Kai was forced to stop and rest from time to time as he did not dare to exhaust himself completely. Nobody could say whether or not he might encounter any dangers in the next moment, so he had to maintain a necessary level of strength to deal with any unknowns.
Everywhere he passed, his power flooded the Void Corridor and sealed it up tight. One would either need to use brute force or have similar attainments in the Dao of Space to break this seal.
Yang Kai did not know how long he spent inside the Void Corridor as the flow of time became blurry in a place like this. Due to the dissipation of the ancient seal, the Void Turbulence also became extremely dangerous and crashed towards him from all directions at all times.
If Yang Kai had faced this situation in the past, he might not have been able to resolve it. It was fortunate that his current attainments in the Dao of Space were extraordinary. According to the division of the Dao he created, Yang Kai had reached the eighth level, Summiting the Peak, which was a level far beyond what most people could reach in any Dao.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai noticed that there was an invisible force behind him blocking his way. This discovery calmed him down. In his haste, he had finally caught up!
He knew that the invisible force behind him was the power of the ancient seal, which could only mean that his speculation at the beginning was not wrong, and the opportunity to conceal the other end of the Void Corridor was completely in his grasp. If he was lucky, no one on the other end of the Void Corridor would ever know it existed.
The power of the ancient seal continued to dissipate, and as a result, Yang Kai found himself stuck between two walls in the Void Corridor. One of those walls was the ancient seal, and the other wall was the seal formed from his own Space Principles.
While the wall behind him dissipated continuously, he only needed to retreat along the path of the dissipating wall and plug up the path behind him with his own sealing power. There would come a day when the power of the ancient seal completely dissipated, and at that moment, Yang Kai would simultaneously seal the Void Corridor’s entrance once more.
As the days passed, Yang Kai kept up the boring and repetitive actions of maintaining the seal. Every time the ancient seal dissipated, he took a step forward and the cycle continued. This situation went on for a long time, and it wasn’t until a certain moment that Yang Kai suddenly realised that something was different about the environment behind him.
A small ray of light had abruptly emerged in the originally dark Void Corridor. The light seemed to be blocked by something, so it could not enter the Void Corridor completely and was thus a little hazy. What’s more, Yang Kai could vaguely sense the aura of another world coming from where the light originated!
His expression couldn’t help brightening. He knew that he was probably nearing the other end of the Void Corridor. The light and the aura from the other world were the best evidence; therefore, he immediately cheered up and focused his mind in anticipation!
There was no saying what kind of situation lay on the other side of the Void Corridor. There were speculations that he might emerge on the Black Ink Battlefield, and it was time to learn if that was true. It was a lie to say that Yang Kai was not nervous. If it turned out to be the Black Ink Battlefield, then he would never be able to return to the 3,000 Worlds for the rest of his life.
His heart was filled with anxiety and a primal fear that stemmed from stepping into the unknown. Be that as it may, the movements of his hands never stopped as hand seals changed constantly, and Space Principles surged around him. With every step backward that he took, the sealing power continued to fill the Void Corridor. Meanwhile, the light became brighter and brighter while the aura from the new world became clearer and clearer.
At a certain moment, the power of the ancient seal disappeared without any warning. Yang Kai who was clinging close to the retreating ancient seal immediately slipped out of the Void Corridor and his Divine Sense swiftly spread out to monitor his surroundings.
This was a world filled with abundant vitality. There were towering trees soaring into the skies with trunks that spanned the width of several grown men in the surroundings. World Energy was incredibly rich and the World Principles were perfect. There were also bushes by the side, as well as a Spirit Fruit Tree growing vigorously nearby. Several bright red Spirit Fruits hung from the tree and released a tantalising aroma while looking deliciously sweet.
Yang Kai could not recognise the fruit, but even so, he could tell that it was of good quality at a glance. It was most likely very beneficial to Open Heaven Realm Masters.
[What is this place?] He frowned. The Black Ink Battlefield filled with Black Ink Strength that he had imagined was a place where the environment was harsh and violence was rampant, nothing like where he currently stood.
[Could it be that the Void Corridor does not connect to the Black Ink Battlefield!?] As soon as that idea entered his head, Yang Kai became overjoyed. [It’s fine as long as its not the Black Ink Battlefield! That means I can still find a way to home! If I entered the Black Ink Battlefield, then I would have lost all hope of ever returning!]
There was no time to pick the spirit fruit though as Yang Kai had higher priorities. He hurriedly began to seal the Void Corridor. The entrance was a potential danger, so he had to seal and conceal it as soon as possible to ensure the safety of Black Territory.
Fortunately, this was not difficult as he had been sealing the path behind him all this time, so he was already accustomed to these actions. The black-hole like entrance of the Void Corridor was thus quickly closed.
Just as it seemed like the entrance of the Void Corridor was about to disappear entirely, Yang Kai furrowed his brow. There was a powerful aura approaching swiftly from the edge of his perception. Judging by the energy fluctuations coming from that person, this newcomer was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Yang Kai scowled and the movement of his hands sped up even more.
A short while later, the entrance to the Void Corridor finally became completely sealed and vanished from sight. Yang Kai had only just finished his task when the sound of something cutting through the air entered his ears. A figure landed lightly at a spot only a few dozen metres away from him and quietly observed him a moment later.
Turning to look in that direction, Yang Kai saw that the person who just arrived was a spirited old man. The old man’s figure was thin, and he was dressed in a loose robe. Just by looking at his external appearance, Yang Kai could not figure out his origins; however, he was probably from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises since he was in the Seventh-Order.
The old man stared at Yang Kai, then glanced around the surroundings with a suspicious look.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. He knew that even though he finished sealing the Void Corridor in time, there were obvious fluctuations from the existence of the Void Corridor itself. The energy fluctuations must have been detected by this old man. It was just that the entrance had completely vanished out of sight at this moment, so the old man did not understand what had happened here.
In fact, Yang Kai had the feeling that the energy fluctuations coming from the Void Corridor were what attracted this old man here in the first place.
This was something Yang Kai had been worrying about all along. There was bound to be some movement when the entrance to the Void Corridor on this side was revealed. His initial concern was that the Black Ink Clan might discover the Void Corridor. If that were to happen, the Black Ink Clan would be able to invade Black Territory through the Void Corridor.
If that was truly the case, then the existence of the No-Return Pass would become meaningless and the countless years of dedication and sacrifice of the Cave Heavens and Paradises would also become worthless.
It was precisely because he was worried about this issue that Yang Kai took the risk to come and seal the path himself. He even went so far as to cut off his return path. Looking at the current situation, it was a good thing that he had gone ahead with his actions; otherwise, people were bound to investigate the situation once the entrance to the Void Corridor appeared.
What puzzled him right now was the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in front of him. Just where did this person come from? And, where was this place?
After pondering for a moment, he cupped his fist and said, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior!”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man raised his eyes to look at Yang Kai. The look in his eyes was as tranquil as an ancient well. He seemed to be a person of few words. It might also be that he was too proud to speak to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivator like Yang Kai.
Yang Kai’s heart pounded in response as a vague feeling of unease gripped him. In truth, he had deliberately revealed his name to verify something.
Nowadays, Yang Kai could no longer consider himself to be a nameless nobody in the 3,000 Worlds. Whether it was his identity as the Lord of Void Land, Great Emperor of the Star Boundary, or his various actions in the Black Prison, it was enough for his name to be circulated around all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. If the other party was a Master from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, then it would make no sense for him to have never heard of Yang Kai’s name before.
However, judging by the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man’s reaction, it was clear that he had never heard of Yang Kai until now.
The old man’s gaze turned towards the fruits next as he said lightly, “These Profound Yin Spirit Fruits are mine. Do you have any objections?”
Yang Kai couldn’t even recognise those Spirit Fruits, so how could he object to anything? Nevertheless, looking at the old man’s attitude, he had the feeling that these so-called Profound Yin Spirit Fruits were very beneficial to Open Heaven Realm Masters. Still, Yang Kai immediately cupped his fist, “Treasures belong to those who are capable of taking them. Please help yourself, Senior.”
The old man nodded lightly, satisfied with Yang Kai’s performance. Moving to stand in front of the Spirit Fruit Tree in a flash, he stretched out his hand and picked the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits before placing them into a wooden box that he had prepared in advance.
Yang Kai obviously noticed the joy that flashed across the old man’s eyes; thus, he became even more convinced that the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits were indeed very valuable to the old man.
Just as he was about to ask some questions to learn more information about his situation though, a sudden change occurred.
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man turned around and suddenly slammed his palm towards Yang Kai without any warning. The World Force around this palm surged violently, and murderous intent burst out as though he wanted to kill Yang Kai on the spot.
Yang Kai was startled. He never imagined that the other party would try to kill him after picking the fruits. Was this old man trying to silence the witness to the crime by killing him lest he expose this matter later?
Fortunately, despite his shock, Yang Ki was not defenceless. He had come to this place all on his own, so he had not relaxed his vigilance for even a moment.
Faced with this sudden palm strike, Yang Kai did not dare to be careless. He hastily mobilised the power of his Small Universe and launched a counterattack.
There was a huge explosion. When their World Forces collided, Yang Kai’s figure was sent flying backwards. Meanwhile, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man staggered unsteadily.
A soft cry of surprise leaked from the old man’s mouth. Although it was only one exchange, he could sense that Yang Kai was special. Logically speaking, after being struck by the sudden ambush of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like himself, a Sixth-Order Junior should be heavily injured if not dead. On the contrary, the brat in front of him seemed to be unaffected. That was absolutely unbelievable.
Even Yang Kai was surprised at this outcome. His opponent might be stronger than him, but he couldn’t shake the vague feeling that something was wrong.
There was no time for him to think about anything else though as the Seventh-Order old man was already chasing after him like a shadow.
As the old man approached, he formed a seal with his hands. A mysterious light shot out from his palm the next moment and blasted towards Yang Kai. Before the light got too close though, it suddenly transformed into a large light barrier and blocked off all routes where Yang Kai could dodge.
Yang Kai gave a furious roar and drew on the power of his Small Universe. Summoning the Azure Dragon Spear, he swept out with his Supreme Limitless Spear Art. His spear shot out like a Dragon and transformed into spear shadows that covered the entire sky.
The light barrier shattered while Yang Kai’s figure drew back.
At the same time, the Seventh-Order old man closed in as the bewilderment on his face grew stronger and stronger. He was shocked by the strength Yang Kai displayed, but he did not pause his attacks. Summoning a longsword into his hand, the old man slashed out with a frigid sword light. Thousands of sword waves erupted outward around him.
Amidst the clashing sounds, World Force collided endlessly. The two figures became entangled in battle and smashed up the world around them, leaving devastation in their wake everywhere they went.
Halfway through the battle, Yang Kai raised his brow and finally realised what was wrong.
This old man was indeed in the Seventh-Order, but he was far weaker than any Seventh-Order Master Yang Kai had ever met before! It could be said that Yang Kai had never met such a weak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
The aura from the old man’s body clearly indicated he was a Seventh-Order Master, but be that as it may, the power he exerted was only slightly stronger than what a Sixth-Order Master could muster. It was far from the standard of a Seventh-Order Master.
His intention to kill Yang Kai was as clear as day, and the fact that he had launched a sudden sneak attack was the best proof. That was why Yang Kai believed that the old man was not holding back his strength. In other words, he was going all out!
[What’s going on?] Yang Kai could not understand, but he vaguely guessed that the other party was injured and could not exert his true strength. Nevertheless, he was secretly grateful. It was a fortunate situation for him; otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to resist.
Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all, and although he could be considered invincible among Sixth-Order Masters, it was still tough for him to fight a Seventh-Order Master. He would only be qualified for a frontal confrontation with a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master if he transformed into his Grand Dragon Form.
During the confrontation, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man couldn’t help growing anxious when he saw that he could not defeat Yang Kai even after so long. Pitch-black aura slowly seeped out from his body, and even his eyes were gradually overtaken by darkness.
When Yang Kai looked up and their eyes met, he felt his heart sinking all of a sudden.
A Black Ink Disciple!
The pitch-black aura and eyes filled with darkness were the most obvious features of a Black Ink Disciple. Besides, Yang Kai had encountered more than one Black Ink Disciple in the past, so this kind of appearance was not unfamiliar to him.
When he deliberately announced his name as a test earlier, the other party’s complete lack of reaction had given Yang Kai an ominous feeling. Be that as it may, he had held onto a glimmer of hope. He hoped that the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man was not from any Cave Heaven or Paradise but from one of the Second-Class great forces like those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Shattered Heaven, which would explain why the old man had never heard his name.
Judging from the current situation though, that was not the case. This Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man was a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai could not help clenching his teeth. A Black Ink Disciple could not be identified from their external appearance alone. If this intense battle had not forced the other party to actively expose himself, Yang Kai would have had no means to determine the identity of the other party.
Black Ink Strength could not increase the power of an Open Heaven Realm Master, it would only change their nature. However, the Black Ink Strength could allow an Open Heaven Realm Master to break through their limitations and advance infinitely in their cultivation.
Everything Yang Kai saw and heard in Black Territory had taught him that there were disadvantages to that kind of unlimited advancement though. Not everybody could withstand the pressure during the breakthrough. There were some Black Ink Disciples in Black Territory that had exploded and died when breaking through their original limitations. Some also experienced changes in their appearance, their bodies becoming misshapen or covered in large cysts and welts.
There were no free advantages in the world. If one wanted to enjoy an advantage, then they would need to pay a price.
Unfortunately, average people were ignorant and the ability of the Black Ink Strength to break through the shackles of the Open Heaven Realm was extremely attractive. That was why the Cave Heavens and Paradises had always kept information regarding the Black Ink Clan a secret, lest there were people who could not resist the temptation and took risks to seek them out.
This Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man might have revealed the Black Ink Strength in his rage, but his strength had not increased in the slightest.
On the contrary, Yang Kai gradually figured out the old man’s background. If the other party had been in his prime, Yang Kai would have needed to use his Dragon Transformation to stand a fighting chance against him. Now that the old man’s strength was clearly reduced though, there was no need for such trouble.
Another fierce collision occurred, and when both parties were thrown backwards by the explosive impact, Yang Kai raised his spear with one hand and clenched his other hand into a fist. Then, he slowly threw his fist forward.
Yang Kai’s swing seemed harmless and even a bit comical, but the expression of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man changed drastically under this punch. The old man’s figure suffered an enormous shock, and he spat out fresh blood as a result.
Cow Punch!
Strictly speaking, Black Ink Disciples were simply Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. The power that they wielded was still the same power from their Small Universe.
How could Yang Kai fail to grasp this opportunity after fighting the old man for so long? Tracing the opponent’s World Force back to his Small Universe, Yang Kai’s Cow Punch Secret Technique achieved success in one-hit!
In the first place, it was a Secret Technique meant for the weak to defeat the strong, so as long as Yang Kai had enough time to prepare, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would suffer tremendously after being struck by this blow.
The old man’s Small Universe was instantly turned upside-down, and his World Force failed to flow smoothly. A burst of Stars appeared in his vision and at that moment, the horror in his heart could not have been any stronger.
He initially thought that his opponent was just a Sixth-Order Master that he could easily kill, but who could have known that this Sixth-Order Junior would have such extraordinary combat power? It would have been nothing if that was all, but this little bastard even used some strange Secret Technique that could bombard his Small Universe directly. Such a Secret Technique was completely unprecedented!
Just as the old man’s Small Universe was shaking and he could not access his strength, Yang Kai dashed over and stood right in front of him. An ominous feeling immediately flooded the old man’s heart as he barely managed to raise his palm and slam it out at his opponent.
It was impossible for this attack to harm Yang Kai in any way as there was no power behind it. Yang Kai effortlessly blocked the palm strike and in the next moment, his hands shone with a blue and yellow light. Pressing his palms together in front of him, a pure and unblemished Purifying Light enveloped the Seventh-Order old man.
Having confirmed the other party’s identity as a Black Ink Disciple, Yang Kai naturally had his own means of dealing with the old man.
On the other hand, the old man reacted as if he had been struck by lightning. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his face twisted in pain. As the pitch-black aura in his body dissipated away though, the pain gradually subsided.
Yang Kai had fought a Black Ink Royal Lord in the Black Prison, and at that time, many Seventh-Order Masters had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. He had relied on the Purifying Light to restore order from chaos and rescue them; hence, Yang Kai was just performing a familiar action at this point.
A short while later, the Black Ink Strength stopped leaking from the old man’s body. He slowly opened his eyes and studied Yang Kai with a puzzled glance. Shock, however, was the greatest emotion he felt at this moment.
“Senior…” Yang Kai called out lightly.
Only then did the old man seem to wake from his daze. He anxiously gasped for breath and said, “Let’s go! We can’t stay here!”
The two of them had battled for quite a long time just now, so there was no saying whether the commotion had spread to the surroundings. Staying here would only attract others to come and investigate the situation.
Yang Kai had many doubts in his heart, but now was clearly not the time to ask questions. Nodding his head, he quickly followed behind the old man and hurried into the distance.
Not long after the pair departed, several figures arrived from different directions. It was obvious that they had been attracted by the fluctuations of the battle just now.
After investigating the messy battlefield though, all the people who came turned to glance at the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit’s tree; then, they dispersed and disappeared without a trace a short while later.
…..
There was a karst cave hidden deep inside the belly of a certain mountain. The Seventh-Order old man guided Yang Kai to this place, and once they entered the cave, he quickly set up various barriers to isolate it. Only then did he sit down cross-legged, silently circulate his Secret Technique, and adjust his breathing.
Yang Kai had so many questions that he didn’t know where to start asking; however, looking at the old man’s actions, he could only wait patiently. He had not held back when he used his Cow Punch during their battle earlier. With such a violent force slamming into the old man’s Small Universe, it was only natural that he was feeling quite unsteady.
A long while passed before the old man exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.
Yang Kai sat upright beside the old man, looking concerned, “Senior, are you seriously wounded?”
He was the one who injured the other party after all, so he felt a little apologetic. It was just that the situation at the time had left him with no other choice. The other party had tried to kill him, so he could not be expected to sit still and wait for death.
The old man did not answer and countered with another question instead, “Are you not a Black Ink Disciple?”
The young man in front of him could even dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength in his Small Universe. Such an ability was simply sensational. With this ability, it should naturally be impossible for him to become corrupted by the Black Ink Clan and degenerate into a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai shook his head in response, “No!”
The old man looked astonished, “If you’re not a Black Ink Disciple, then how did you appear here?”
“The story is long and complicated. This Junior will explain later, but I have a few questions for you first, Senior.” Yang Kai looked at the old man.
The old man nodded, “Speak!”
Yang Kai asked, “Is this the Black Ink Battlefield?”
The old man furrowed his brow lightly and stared at Yang Kai puzzledly, as if asking ‘You’re standing right here, how can you not know where you are?’
After pondering quietly for a moment though, he answered the question anyway, “Yes and no.”
[What do you mean ‘yes and no’?] Yang Kai was perplexed by the answer.
Luckily, the old man explained, “This place is a Sealed World within the Black Ink Battlefield. Once you exit the Sealed World, you will arrive at the real Black Ink Battlefield.”
Yang Kai was greatly astonished, “A Sealed World? There’s a Sealed World in the Black Ink Battlefield!?”
The old man stared at Yang Kai, his confusion growing larger, “The Black Ink Battlefield is incredibly vast. There are countless Sealed Worlds here.”
His expression seemed to say ‘what’s so surprising about that?’
Yang Kai fell silent in contemplation… Nevertheless, he finally understood why the scenery he saw when he stepped out from the Void Corridor was so different from his expectations. It turned out that he had directly entered a Sealed World. Only once he left this Sealed World could he be considered to have arrived in the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Has this Sealed World always existed? Or, was it only discovered recently by accident?” Yang Kai asked again.
“Several months ago, the entrance of this Sealed World appeared. Only then did we discover this place,” the old man answered.
Several months ago coincided with the death of the Black Ink Royal Lord. Yang Kai did not know the connection between these two incidents, but he was certain that they were somehow related to each other.
In any case, this situation gave him some peace of mind. His greatest concern was that the Black Ink Clan would discover the entrance to the Void Corridor. It would now seem that the Ancient Great Experts had prepared in advance. This Sealed World might be related to the methods of the Ancient Great Expert who set up the Super Array in Black Territory; after all, concealing the entrance to the Void Corridor inside a Sealed World would certainly provide an extra layer of security.
Yang Kai thought for a moment before asking another question, “Based on what you said earlier, it doesn’t sound like you’re the only one who entered this Sealed World.”
The old man nodded, “Of course. There are many treasures in the Sealed Worlds scattered throughout the Black Ink Battlefield. These treasures are essentially worthless to the Black Ink Clan, but they are valuable to Black Ink Disciples. That is why many Black Ink Disciples will scramble to enter a Sealed World as soon as one appears.”
Yang Kai raised his brow at those words, secretly rejoicing that this Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was on the weaker side. It would have been difficult for him to cope otherwise. After considering all this, he asked yet another question, “Senior, were you injured previously?”
How else could a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master be defeated and spun around in circles by him so easily?
The old man gave Yang Kai a deep look before he shook his head, “I’m not injured per-say. It’s just that this Old Master’s Small Universe is incomplete.”
Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before comprehending the meaning behind the old man’s words.
The reason for having an incomplete Small Universe was that he had sacrificed a portion of it! There was only one situation in which a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would willingly make such a sacrifice, when they were being corroded by the Black Ink Strength!
During the battle against the Black Ink Royal Lord, many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been corroded by the Black Ink Strength. For some, Yang Kai had managed to dispel the Black Ink Strength in time, but for others, they had no choice but to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe to save themselves. That was the only way to prevent themselves from completely being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
This old man had clearly undergone a similar situation before, which was why his Small Universe was incomplete and why his strength as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master seemed so feeble.
For the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who cultivated for tens of thousands of years, sacrificing a part of their Small Universe required great courage and determination.
While fighting the Black Ink Royal Lord, Yang Kai had witnessed the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises sacrificing pieces of their Small Universes with his own eyes, an act which greatly impacted him.
If such situations had happened in Black Territory, then similar situations would certainly be commonplace in the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Please forgive me, Senior. This Junior has only just arrived here, so there are many things that I don’t understand,” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly at those words, “Just arrived here? Which Cave Heaven or Paradise do you belong to?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “This Junior does not come from any Cave Heaven or Paradise. I did not enter the Black Ink Battlefield through the No-Return Pass either!”
He knew what the old man had been suspicious about this point, so he took the initiative to point out these facts.
The old man’s expression changed drastically after listening to Yang Kai’s reply, “There’s another way to enter the Black Ink Battlefield aside from the No-Return Pass!?”
The No-Return Pass was the last line of defence against the Black Ink Clan. As long as they steadfastly defended the No-Return Pass, the Black Ink Clan would never step foot into the 3,000 Worlds. That was the belief held by all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. That was also the reason why they had been struggling desperately for so many years.
However, Yang Kai claimed that he had not entered this place through the No-Return Pass, so how could the old man not be shocked? If somebody could enter this place through another path, then the Black Ink Clan could use that very same path to invade the 3,000 Worlds! That was something that would break the stalemate that had existed for hundreds of thousands of years!
“There’s no need to worry, Senior. I’ve already sealed the path that connects to this place. That is why I’m here in the first place.” Yang Kai waved his hand to reassure the old man, knowing that the other party had more doubts than him right now. After collecting his thoughts, he asked, “Senior, can you please allow me to check your Small Universe?”
Yang Kai had used the Purifying Light on the old man earlier, so logically speaking, the Black Ink Strength should have been removed completely. Even so, when it came to such matters, he could not feel at ease unless he checked the other party’s Small Universe. The secrets he needed to divulge were of immense importance, so it was better to err on the side of caution.
The old man undoubtedly understood Yang Kai’s consideration; hence, he nodded and took the initiative to open the portal to his Small Universe without any hesitation, “Go ahead!”
In the 3,000 Worlds, it was a great humiliation for someone to have their Small Universe inspected; on the Black Ink Battlefield however, it was a common practice. It could be said that all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Black Ink Battlefield would go through this process after every battle. This was a special custom created by the unique environment here.
Yang Kai did not stand on ceremony as now was not the time to be courteous to one another. His Divine Sense plunged into the Small Universe for an investigation.
After a while, he retracted his Divine Senses, “Forgive my rudeness.”
There were no remnants of the Black Ink Strength left in the old man’s Small Universe, and just as he mentioned earlier, the old man’s Small Universe was indeed incomplete. There were clearly parts which were missing, which caused the World Force in his Small Universe to flow in an awkward manner. That was also the reason why he could not exert the full strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
On the other hand, the old man showed no inclination to check Yang Kai’s Small Universe. He seemed to have absolute trust in Yang Kai’s Purifying Light.
“I’m sure you have many questions, Senior, but it is a long story. Please allow this Junior to slowly explain the situation to you.”
“Good. Please tell me in detail.”
Yang Kai nodded in response. First, he clarified his identity and background. Whether it was his identity as Void Land’s Lord, High Heaven Palace’s Palace Master, or a Star Boundary Great Emperor, all of these names were very unfamiliar to the old man.
After that, he explained about the Black Ink Disciples in Lang Ya Paradise. It was only then that the old man’s expression changed slightly, but he listened quietly and did not interrupt Yang Kai.
When Yang Kai mentioned the Black Ink Royal Lord in Black Territory, the old man’s expression changed drastically.
Although the Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises in the 3,000 Worlds attached great importance to the Black Ink Royal Lord, none of them had fought on the Black Ink Battlefield before. On the other hand, as somebody who constantly walked along the edge of life and death on the Black Ink Battlefield, the strength of a Black Ink Royal Lord was well known to the old man and was a huge deterrent.
If the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not make a move, who could possibly be the opponent of a Black Ink Royal Lord?
Fortunately, that Black Ink Royal Lord had been trapped for countless years so her strength had declined tremendously. The Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises went all out in battle and paid a huge price, but their efforts eventually resulted in the death of the Royal Lord.
Upon hearing the outcome of the battle, the old man finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yang Kai told the story lightly, but the old man could imagine the dangers and brutality of that battle. The Cave Heavens and Paradises must have lost countless elites in that fight.
“After the Black Ink Royal Lord died, a Void Corridor appeared at the spot where she perished!” Yang Kai sighed softly, “Nobody knew where the Void Corridor would lead, but based on the Royal Lord’s behaviour before her death, we were certain that there was nothing good waiting for us at the other side. The destination would most likely be related to the Black Ink Clan, so we presumed that it would be the Black Ink Battlefield. If that were truly the case, then the 3,000 Worlds would be in danger. This Junior’s cultivation might be meager, but I am proficient in the Dao of Space, which was why I volunteered to enter the Void Corridor and seal it again. The task of sealing the Void Corridor brought me to this place. Truthfully, I had only just finished my task when I ran into you, Senior.”
At this point, Yang Kai could be considered to have finished explaining his origins.
The old man’s expression fluctuated many times while he was listening to Yang Kai’s story. It was an extremely exciting and colourful narration, but he was relieved after listening to its end.
It was a blessing among all the misfortune for a talented individual like this young man to have appeared in the 3,000 Worlds. His proficiency in the Dao of Space allowed him to seal the Void Corridor in a timely and effective manner, so the consequences had not been dire.
“No wonder this Old Master sensed Space Principle fluctuations just now, it turned out it was because of the Void Corridor.” The old man seemed to have figured out the answer to one of his own questions.
Yang Kai queried, “From the standpoint of a Black Ink Disciple, did you not suspect anything, Senior?”
The old man replied, “I had my doubts, but this Old Master was distracted by the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits at the time, so I couldn’t be bothered to investigate the issue. You did well. After the Void Corridor was sealed, this Old Master could not find any flaws. I believe that the other Black Ink Disciples will not find anything either even if they passed by that place.”
“Profound Yin Spirit Fruit…” Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at the name. If the old man had not said anything, he would not have known anything about that Spirit Fruit. What could be certain was that the Spirit Fruit was something that could only be found in the Black Ink Battlefield as Yang Kai had never heard of such a Spirit Fruit in the 3,000 Worlds before.
The old man took out a wooden box, opened it, and explained, “This Spirit Fruit is extremely useful for mending one’s damaged Small Universe.”
Yang Kai immediately understood, “The Heavenly Way is indeed fair in all things!”
The old man nodded, “That’s right. A cultivator’s Small Universe is akin to an independent world, and this Spirit Fruit has the ability to mend broken Small Universes. The ancestors named it the ‘Profound Yin Spirit Fruit’ as it symbolized renewal and rebirth.”
This Spirit Fruit was useless to the average Open Heaven Realm Master, but it was a precious treasure for those with a damaged Small Universe like the old man. It had to be said that once a person’s Small Universe became incomplete, their Martial Dao would never improve again in the future. Moreover, their strength would also be greatly reduced.
It would be similar to this old man in front of Yang Kai. If his Small Universe had not been damaged, Yang Kai would not have been able to defeat him so easily. But, if he recovered with the help of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, then he would regain the strength he had at his peak.
It was true that the old man had noticed some abnormalities back when Yang Kai emerged from the Void Corridor, but his attention was quickly drawn towards the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit; hence, he did not bother to pursue the matter any further. In the first place, he only appeared at that spot because he had been attracted by the subtle fluctuations of Space Principles that spread out when the entrance of the Void Corridor opened for a moment.
“Even in the Black Ink Battlefield, this Spirit Fruit is probably a rare treasure, right?” Yang Kai asked.
The old man nodded, “Although there are many Sealed Worlds in the Black Ink Battlefield, not every Sealed World has a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit Tree. This Spirit Fruit is certainly rare.” Having said that, he smiled brightly, “If not for that, this Old Master would not have tried to silence the witness to the crime, lest you reveal the existence of the Spirit Fruit to the others. Who could have known…”
Who could have known that he would be no match for his opponent? The fact that he couldn’t even defeat a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master made him feel rather ashamed. At the same time, he finally understood why the Cave Heavens and Paradises entrusted the heavy responsibility of sealing the Void Corridor to a mere Sixth-Order Junior.
How could this Sixth-Order boy be compared to ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters? Despite having lived for so many years, the old man had never met a more ferocious Sixth-Order Master in his life. Not to mention, the mysterious Purifying Light that Yang Kai displayed could even dispel the Black Ink Strength that had corrupted his Small Universe for so many years. It was simply unbelievable.
Likewise, Yang Kai secretly rejoiced that the old man had taken the initiative to attack him; otherwise, he would not have been able to figure out the old man’s identity. Black Ink Disciples were no different from ordinary people under normal circumstances after all. There was no way to notice any abnormality from their external appearance alone.
“That pure white light… What is it?” The old man could not hold back his curiosity, “Do the Cave Heavens and Paradises have such a Secret Technique now?”
If that was truly the case, then it was truly fortuitous news for all those who had crossed the No-Return Pass. This Secret Technique evidently had strong restraining effects on the Black Ink Strength, so no matter who was corrupted by the Black Ink Clan in the future, they could still be saved.
Over the years, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had invested many people into the Black Ink Battlefield. Countless people had died in battle, but many others had been converted into Black Ink Disciples and became enemies instead. That was the biggest reason why the Cave Heavens and Paradises could never obtain victory on the Black Ink Battlefield. If not for that, their continuous investment of manpower would eventually have eroded away at the forces of the Black Ink Clan until nothing was left.
Yang Kai shook his head, “This is not a Secret Technique of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It is something that this Junior obtained by chance, and only this Junior can use it.”
He did not mention the existence of the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer as there was no need to. It was enough to explain that he was the only person who could use this technique.
The old man was slightly disappointed, but he soon understood. If this Secret Technique had been developed by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, it would have been delivered to the Black Ink Battlefield a long time ago. There was no reason to hide it until today.
Looking at Yang Kai, he let out a long sigh, “The Heavens must be jealous!”
Yang Kai instantly burst out laughing. Somehow, those words sounded as though he was going to die at any moment.
The old man continued, “It is not easy for you to make such a sacrifice for the 3,000 Worlds. The Cave Heavens and Paradises have much to be grateful to you for.”
“This Junior only followed his own sense of justice. You praise me too much, Senior.” Yang Kai responded humbly.
The old man sighed once more, “But, since you are already here, then that means you can’t go back anymore. Do you have anything else that you wish to say before we begin?”
Yang Kai furrowed his eyebrows slightly, “Senior, what do you mean…”
Something about the old man’s statement set off alarm bells in his head.
The old man said, “You are a hero of the 3,000 Worlds. From an emotional perspective, you should not have had to carry such a heavy fate. Unfortunately, the existence of the Void Corridor is too important. This information must never be allowed to leak to others.” Then, his expression became solemn and his voice became grim, “Only the dead will never reveal a secret. I hope you understand what I mean.”
When he was met with Yang Kai’s silence for an answer, he clearly misunderstood the situation and opened his mouth once more, “I believe you would not want your efforts to go to waste either. I also believe that you have prepared yourself for the worst when you chose to seal the Void Corridor alone.”
Yang Kai quickly raised his hand to interrupt the old man, “I understand what you mean, Senior.”
The old man was pleased, “You truly are a man who understands the bigger picture.”
“But, Senior, this Junior might not have to die.”
The old man frowned and reprimanded Yang Kai, “Fool! I know that you have the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength, so it won’t be easy for you to be corrupted by it; however, you are only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Once you exit this Sealed World, you will enter the true Black Ink Battlefield. There are countless Black Ink Disciples outside, not to mention there are Territory Lords overseeing this place. How will you resist them if you slip up? It’s only a matter of time before you become corrupted by Black Ink Strength and become a Black Ink Disciple. How will the existence of the Void Corridor remain concealed once you’ve been corrupted!? If you have the means to seal the Void Corridor, then I can only presume that you have the means to reopen it too! If you become a Black Ink Disciple, the first thing you will do will be to open that Void Corridor and lead chaos into the 3,000 Worlds! For that reason, you must die! Not only that, this Old Master will have to die too! This is the only way to ensure that this secret will remain completely hidden! If you cannot do it yourself, then this Old Master will help you. Don’t worry, you only need to wait a while on the road to the Yellow Springs. This Old Master will follow you shortly!”
Even though this old man kept telling him to die, Yang Kai could not bring himself to hate him.
Under normal circumstances, the old man’s suggestion would undoubtedly be the correct choice. Only the dead could keep secrets. Once they were corrupted by Black Ink Strength and became Black Ink Disciples, the existence of the Void Corridor would immediately be exposed. They would wholeheartedly devote themselves to the Black Ink Clan after becoming Black Ink Disciples.
In other words, even without the instructions of the Black Ink Clan, Yang Kai would willingly divulge the existence of the Void Corridor and take the initiative to open it for them.
What’s more, the old man even said that Yang Kai would only need to wait a while on the road to the Yellow Springs and he would follow soon after. At that time, they could travel together so that the journey would not be lonely.
The old man was staring at Yang Kai as though he was going to help send Yang Kai to the afterlife if Yang Kai refused to die; hence, Yang Kai quickly said, “Senior, I cannot be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. This Junior was present during the battle against the Black Ink Royal Lord, and during that battle, the Black Ink Royal Lord used her Royal Lord Secret Technique to instantly corrupt five Eighth-Order Ancestors. However, this Junior remained safe and sound. One of them was even standing right beside this Junior when it happened.”
The old man shook his head, “The method of dispelling and purifying Black Ink Strength is extraordinary indeed, but on the Black Ink Battlefield, using this method to resist the Black Ink Strength will only attract the attention of Black Ink Clan!”
Explanations were clearly useless. At this point, only actual hard evidence would work, so Yang Kai simply stated, “Please see for yourself, Senior!”
As soon as those words left his mouth, a pitch-black aura seeped out from the surface of his body. Even his eyes were swiftly covered by the darkness.
The old man turned pale with shock. Activating his World Force, he nearly struck Yang Kai with his palm; however, his palm stopped right in front of Yang Kai. The reason was that the darkness had faded from Yang Kai’s eyes.
Yang Kai explained, “I will not conceal the truth from you, Senior. This Junior was lucky enough to obtain the World Spring through an opportunity a long time ago, so my Small Universe is impenetrable to external forces. I even have a large amount of Black Ink Essence suppressed and sealed inside my Small Universe, but it has not affected this Junior in any way.”
“A World Spring!?” The old man was astonished and delighted by those words, but he shouted, “Words are nothing without proof!”
Just as Yang Kai had prudently checked his Small Universe before, he had the same thoughts at this moment. Their situations were simply reversed.
Yang Kai gave a wry smile. Knowing that the old man would not be reassured if he did not allow the other party to check for himself, he immediately opened the portal to his Small Universe.
The old man poured his Divine Sense into Yang Kai’s Small Universe to investigate without any trace of politeness. In the next moment, he looked dumbfounded, “Are you really just a Sixth-Order Master?”
Under his investigation, he discovered that Yang Kai’s Small Universe had already transformed from immaterial to material! That was the capital that only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could have! It was impossible for the Small Universe of a Sixth-Order Master to achieve something like that.
This old man was not the first person to be shocked by this. When Yu Xiang Die and the others had investigated Yang Kai’s Small Universe back then, they had the same reaction. The main reason was that nobody had ever seen something like this before, so it was very strange and novel.
“You’ve already checked my Small Universe, Senior. How can this Junior hide anything from you?”
The old man nodded. Under his investigation, he discovered that Yang Kai was indeed only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was not a lie. At the same time, he finally understood why a Sixth-Order Junior had such impressive combat power that even a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like himself was not an opponent.
Yang Kai had a fully materialized Small Universe, so it was only natural that ordinary Sixth-Order Masters could not compare to him.
Inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, the Black Ink Strength was being suppressed and sealed, and there was also a small spring that seemed to flow without end, spreading out a kind of protective aura to the rest of the World.
The old man had never seen a World Spring before, but he clearly saw the area where the Black Ink Strength was being suppressed and sealed. When he retracted his Divine Sense, he nodded lightly, “No wonder you dared to take such risks, it was because you had something to rely upon! Good! Very good!”
With one of the Four Universe Pillars like the World Spring supporting Yang Kai’s Small Universe, there was certainly no need for him to worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. That was the greatest guarantee for his own safety.
Observing Yang Kai carefully, the old man’s eyes slowly began to brighten.
Yang Kai did not need to die or worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, turning him into a Black Ink Disciple. In which case, his very existence was a huge blessing to the Black Ink Battlefield. Leaving aside his cultivation, just his ability to dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength alone would be a huge boost to the front lines.
The wheels turned in the old man’s head, and various thoughts crossed his mind at that moment. Soon though, his expression became firm and he said, “This Old Master is Meng Qi. I hailed from Exquisite Paradise! 4,000 years ago, I followed my Seniors from the Master Sect through the No-Return Pass and came to the Black Ink Battlefield.”
He had not bothered to introduce himself to Yang Kai before because he believed that they both needed to die in order to protect the secrets here, so introductions were redundant. Now that Yang Kai would live though, the situation was different. At the very least, if he told Yang Kai his origins, Yang Kai might be able to bring a message back to his Master Sect one day.
Yang Kai quickly cupped his fist, “So it is Senior Meng.”
Meng Qi gestured around him and asked, “How much do you actually understand about the Black Ink Battlefield and the Black Ink Clan?”
“Not much. Just before I came here, I only heard a little from the Ancestors.”
Meng Qi nodded, well-aware that this information had always been kept secret in the 3,000 Worlds. Even amongst the Cave Heavens and Paradises, only a few Elders and elite disciples knew anything. Unfortunately, even these people’s knowledge was not comprehensive, so it was impossible for Yang Kai to understand much.
Flipping his hand, Meng Qi suddenly took out an object. This object was round and the size of a fist.
Yang Kai glanced at the object and asked curiously, “A Universe Chart?”
Yang Kai possessed a similar object. It was something he bought from in Thousand Birds Star City. The 3,000 Worlds was too vast and there were countless Great Territories connected to each other. If not for the guidance of a Universe Chart, it would be impossible for one to navigate between destinations. That was why almost all Open Heaven Realm Masters would have a Universe Chart in their possession.
This object was something every single Cave Heaven or Paradise could refine and was a valuable source of income. Thanks to that, the Cave Heavens and Paradises gained a sizable income every year just by relying on sales of Universe Charts.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai did not understand why Meng Qi had taken out a copy of the Universe Chart at a time like this.
“This is the Universe Chart of the Black Ink Battlefield. Although the information contained within is from 3,000 years ago, it should be not that much different from the current situation.” While speaking, Meng Qi handed the Universe Chart to Yang Kai.
He had entered the Black Ink Battlefield with his Seniors from their Master Sect 4,000 years ago, but he accidentally became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength during a battle against the Black Ink Clan 3,000 years ago. Consequently, the information in his Universe Chart had not been updated since then.
Yang Kai readily accepted the Universe Chart from Meng Qi. In his present situation, this information was very valuable to him.
His Divine Sense immediately poured into the Universe Chart. In that instant, Yang Kai felt as though he had entered a vast universe on display before him. His vision expanded, and he saw the nearest great pass inside the Universe Chart that resembled a Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Array at a glance. He also saw the existence of various other great passes inside the Universe Chart. What’s more, the name of each great pass seemed to be related to one of Cave Heavens or Paradises. For example, he saw a Great Battle Pass, Yin-Yang Pass, Lang Ya Pass, Golden Antelope Pass, and so on…
These great passes seemed to resonate and reinforce each other. Connected from one end to another, they formed a gigantic Grand Array that stretched across the vast void. Yang Kai could almost imagine just how huge and majestic the actual great passes were in the Black Ink Battlefield.
Behind these great passes was where the No-Return Pass was located. The No-Return Pass marked the border dividing the 3,000 Worlds and Black Ink Battlefield. It was also the last line of defence. If the No-Return Pass ever fell, that would mean that the Black Ink Clan could invade the 3,000 Worlds with impunity. The 3,000 Worlds would be in peril once that happened.
“Senior, where are we now?” Yang Kai studied the Universe Chart for a moment but did not find their current position. Logically speaking, his current position should be extremely easy to locate on the Universe Chart. Even so, he could not pinpoint where they were. He had a vague suspicion that the reason was related to them being inside the Sealed World. A Sealed World was an independent world isolated from the outside world after all, so it was bound to hinder the display of the Universe Chart.
Meng Qi reached out and tapped on the Universe Chart. A certain spot on the Universe Chart immediately glowed with light, “Here.”
Yang Kai studied the distance between the spot of light and the great passes of the Cave Heavens and Paradises before gritting his teeth. The distance was not insignificant. It could almost be said that he was deep within the belly of the Black Ink Battlefield at this moment. There was no saying how much danger he would face if he wanted to head towards the great passes.
Meng Qi explained, “This area is located within the domain of Hong Lian Territory Lord. He has many Black Ink Clansman and Black Ink Disciples under his command. When you leave this Sealed World, that will be the first danger you will have to face.”
Before coming here, Liu Mu and the others had explained to Yang Kai about the strict hierarchy in the Black Ink Clan. The highest position within the hierarchy would be the Black Ink Royal Lords. Every single Black Ink Royal Lord had strength comparable to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Under the Royal Lords were the Black Ink Clansman known as Territory Lords, each of them comparable to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. Hong Lian Territory Lord was undoubtedly one of them.
After the Territory Lords came the Feudal Lords, the Black Ink equivalent to Seventh-Order Masters.
Below the Feudal Lords were the ordinary Black Ink Clansman. These Clansmen were divided into High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen and Low-Rank Clansmen. A High-Rank Black Ink Clan member was more or less equivalent to a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master while a Low-Rank Black Ink Clan member would be on par with a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. These Black Ink Clansmen did not pose much of a threat to Yang Kai, but they could still become an issue if their numbers were too large.
On the Black Ink Battlefield, a Black Ink Royal Lord would have numerous Territory Lords under him, and each Territory Lord would then have many Feudal Lords beneath them. In this manner, a chain of command was established where the lower-ranking members were subservient to their higher-ranking members.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Disciples would always be inferior to the Black Ink Clan, regardless of their cultivation. Even if it was only a Black Ink Clan member on par with a First-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, in the Black Ink Battlefield, their status would still be higher than a Black Ink Disciple in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Having said that, being weak was the greatest sin in the eyes of the Black Ink Clan so ordinary Black Ink Clansmen generally received worse treatment than Black Ink Disciples with high cultivation. That was because they would be used as cannon-fodder to exhaust the strength of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Furthermore, the Black Ink Strength that was left behind when they died would become a deterrent to the enemy and a boon to allies.
Countless ordinary Black Ink Clansmen were killed in almost every battle, regardless of whether they were Low-Rank or High-Rank. Be that as it may, these ordinary Black Ink Clansmen were akin to consumable items and remained virtually inexhaustible even after so many millennia of fighting.
“From what this Old Master saw, you seem capable of disguising yourself as a Black Ink Disciple with the methods you displayed just now.”
Yang Kai nodded, “If anybody wants to check my identity, this Junior can outwardly fool them, but I cannot let them check my Small Universe.”
Meng Qi nodded, “Although that is a practical method, you should not rely too much on it. You are not the only one on the Black Ink Battlefield with one of the Four Universe Pillars. In the past, there once was an Ancestor who disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple to sneak behind enemy lines and cause chaos; therefore, the Black Ink Clan is somewhat guarded against such behaviour.”
Yang Kai was a little surprised, but he quickly understood.
Precious treasures like the Four Universe Pillars could be said to be the nemesis of the Black Ink Strength, so how could the Cave Heavens and Paradises not use them to their advantage?
Over the eons, the Four Universe Pillars would occasionally appear even if such occurrences rarely happened. The Cave Heavens and Paradises would scramble to get their hands on any Four Universe Pillar and figure out a way to deliver it to the Black Ink Battlefield as soon as possible to increase their combat power.
Yang Kai even suspected that the Profound Fish Universe Pillar that appeared in Shattered Heaven 3,000 years ago was now with one of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in this Black Ink Battlefield.
“The Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples have a Master-Servant relationship between them. In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, Black Ink Disciples are nothing but livestock to rear and kill as they please. They also have a habit of devouring their Black Ink Disciple’s World Force to strengthen themselves. Doing so is also a method of cultivation for them. That is why the existence of the Black Ink Clan poses such a big threat to the 3,000 Worlds.”
There were countless Universe Worlds in the 3,000 Worlds, and each one had abundant World Force. World Force was food for the Black Ink Clan to increase their strength. Once the Black Ink Clan invaded the 3,000 Worlds, then all those Universe Worlds would be doomed.
What’s more, there were countless generations of Open Heaven cultivators in the various forces in the 3,000 Worlds. The amount of World Force from all these people would be far beyond what the Universe Worlds alone could provide.
If it was said that the average Universe World or Spirit Province was food for the Black Ink Clan, then the Headquarters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be mouth-watering delicacies.
Yang Kai himself had learned of the Black Ink Clan’s love for devouring World Force from his experience with the Black Ink Royal Lord in Black Territory. If he had not stopped the Royal Lord in time, there was no saying how many Black Ink Disciples would have rushed to their deaths and been devoured by the Royal Lord to recover her strength.
“A Black Ink Disciple corrupted by the Black Ink Strength of a Black Ink Clansman will become the servant of that Black Ink Clansman. What’s more, Black Ink Clan members have the ability to sense their servants.”
“Senior, do you mean to say…”
Meng Qi explained, “In other words, if I was a Black Ink Clansman and you were corrupted by my Black Ink Strength, you would become my servant and I would be your Master. As long as you were nearby, I would be able to sense your existence. It makes commanding troops more convenient.”
Yang Kai nodded slightly.
“But, I don’t know if the Black Ink Clansmen can sense the status of other people’s servants.” Meng Qi frowned slightly, “In any case, you should be careful if you meet any of the Black Ink Clan members.”
Whether or not one was a Black Ink Disciple could not be determined just from outer appearances alone. That was also true for the Black Ink Clansmen. Since they could not distinguish friend or foe from outer appearances, then both parties would naturally come up with other methods.
For the Cave Heavens and Paradises, checking the Small Universe was the most effective and secure method.
“Among the Black Ink Clan, it is not uncommon for them to snatch each other’s servants. Open Heaven Realm Masters have a Small Universe in their bodies, and their World Force is extremely attractive to the Black Ink Clansmen. Therefore, it is common for them to fight for Black Ink Disciples. Besides, there will always be people corrupted by the Black Ink after every battle. If these people are lucky enough to survive, then they will automatically head towards the place where the Black Ink Clan members gather to search for the Masters who corrupted them. If you successfully leave the Sealed World, you should pretend to be a servant without a Master.”
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at those words, “Senior, are you saying I should claim that my Master is either dead or missing?”
Meng Qi nodded, “That’s the only way for you to protect yourself. There are dangers lurking everywhere outside the Sealed World. If your identity is exposed, then you will not be able to escape death.”
Other Open Heaven Realm Masters would become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and retain their lives as a result; however, Yang Kai could not be turned. If he was discovered by the Black Ink Clan, and his identity exposed, they would surely eliminate him without mercy.
“Understood!” Yang Kai nodded.
“You can have the Universe Chart. It will be useful for you. You can have this too.” While speaking, Meng Qi took off the Space Ring on his finger and handed it over to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai silently took the Space Ring. Meng Qi had rambled on and on, giving him so much advice, so how could he not understand what Meng Qi meant?
Yang Kai pursed his lips and said, “Senior, it doesn’t have to end this way.”
Meng Qi smiled, “Who would be willing to die if there was a chance to live? But, if I don’t die, it will only be a matter of time before I am corrupted by the Black Ink Clan again. The secret will be exposed if that happens! This Old Master has spent the past 3,000 years in a blur, so I am very glad that I have the clarity to make my own choice before I die. There is nothing to regret.”
Yang Kai sighed in his heart. Although he knew that the other party was speaking the truth, he couldn’t help feeling bad. This place was located deep within the hinterlands of the Black Ink Battlefield, and Meng Qi had no means to completely defend against the corruption of the Black Ink Strength. Under these circumstances, dying here was the only method to keep the existence of the Void Corridor a secret.
“It’s all my fault, Senior.” Yang Kai looked sad.
If he had not told Meng Qi about the Void Corridor, then Meng Qi would not have needed to make such a drastic choice. Meng Qi could have escaped this place with him instead. Even if Meng Qi only killed a single Black Ink Clansman in the future, it would have been a worthy trade.
Upon hearing those words, Meng Qi waved his hand dismissively, “You don’t need to blame yourself. For me, I would rather die in this manner than to become a servant of the Black Ink Clan again. Being enslaved is worse than death. In the future, no matter which Black Ink Disciple you meet, you don’t need to show them mercy. If you can kill them, then you should without hesitation. You will be liberating them from their suffering. We have long prepared ourselves for death the moment we stepped onto the Black Ink Battlefield.”
Yang Kai remained silent…
Meng Qi continued, “If… I’m just saying; if you can safely arrive at the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, you must keep the Void Corridor a secret from all others. The only one you can inform is the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor defending this area, no one else can be entrusted with this information!”
This was clearly a preventive measure in case anybody who was privy to this information became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. Masters like the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors were essentially immune to the Black Ink Strength. Throughout the countless years of battle since ancient times, there had been several incidents where Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters became corrupted by the Black Ink Clan; however, there was no precedent of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor becoming corrupted.
“This Junior will not forget!” Yang Kai nodded seriously.
Meng Qi glanced at Yang Kai and sighed again. Yang Kai had the World Spring, so there was no need to worry about becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength; moreover, his strength was far superior compared to the average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Be that as it may, Meng Qi did not believe that Yang Kai could leave the Black Ink Clan’s territory and safely return to the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were all kinds of dangers lurking along the way after all. The slightest careless mistake was enough to result in death.
Yang Kai asked, “Senior, do you have any message you wish delivered to Exquisite Paradise?”
Meng Qi’s gaze went blank, but after pondering for a moment, he shook his head and said, “No. There’s nothing to tell them. I was dead the moment I became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.”
Raising his head, he looked at Yang Kai once more, “It’s getting late. You should leave. Sealed Worlds also contain World Force, so they are very attractive to the Black Ink Clan. It’s just that there are treasures that will benefit Black Ink Disciples inside, so the Black Ink Disciples are allowed to enter for exploration first. In short order, the Black Ink Clan will enter this place to devour the World Force here. At that time, this Sealed World will be destroyed.”
Yang Kai frowned upon hearing those words, “Is the Black Ink Clan waiting outside the Sealed World?”
Meng Qi nodded, “These are several Feudal Lords outside! That is why you will be facing a crisis as soon as you exit this Sealed World. Unfortunately, you can only rely upon yourself to resolve this crisis. The Black Ink Clan will be very interested in a servant without a Master like you, but if you can demonstrate that you have great value, you might be able to retain your life; otherwise, you will only become food.”
Yang Kai immediately felt a headache coming. As soon as he exited this Sealed World, he would be met with several Black Ink Feudal Lords. That was no laughing matter.
After explaining the exit route to Yang Kai once more, Meng Qi shooed Yang Kai away, “Go! This matter cannot be delayed!”
Yang Kai opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed all the words he wanted to say. He did not try to persuade Meng Qi again. Standing up, he bowed deeply, “Take care, Senior!”
Meng Qi nodded and closed his eyes silently.
Yang Kai turned and left. Walking out of the karst cave in the belly of the mountain, he determined his bearings for a moment before he flew in the direction Meng Qi had pointed out to him earlier. He had not gone far when his figure came to an abrupt halt.
The disturbance caused by the collapse of a Small Universe spread out from behind him. The World Force dispersed into the surroundings and disappeared in a fleeting moment. Yang Kai could tell that Meng Qi had committed suicide; after all, in order to keep the secret of the Void Corridor, Meng Qi’s only choice was to die.
This Sealed World was not small, and Yang Kai was not very familiar with the area even though Meng Qi had pointed him towards the exit; therefore, it took him two full days to arrive at the entrance of the Sealed World after wandering around in circles.
Along the way, Yang Kai encountered many Black Ink Disciples. What surprised him was that the cultivation of these Black Ink Disciples was very uneven. There were Masters like Meng Qi, who were in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm; however, there were even cultivators as weak as the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
This discovery puzzled Yang Kai greatly. Logically speaking, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were aware of the power of the Black Ink Clan. For that reason, the Open Heaven Realm Masters dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield over the years could not be weak. It was obvious that Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were not qualified enough to step onto this battlefield, so the Sixth-Order should be the lowest limit!
After giving it some thought though, Yang Kai realised that the Black Ink Disciples in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm might have experienced a situation similar to Meng Qi’s. Meng Qi’s strength had fallen sharply because he sacrificed a part of his Small Universe in the past. Although he barely managed to maintain his cultivation of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he could not display the proper strength of a Seventh-Order Master. If he had continued to sacrifice parts of his Small Universe though, then there was a high possibility that his Order would have regressed!
These Black Ink Disciples in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm might have been created in such a manner. They could have originally been in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, or even the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but after repeatedly sacrificing parts of their Small Universe, their Order declined to its current state.
That was the only reasonable explanation for this situation.
Faced with these Black Ink Disciples, Yang Kai did not stir up any trouble with them. Although he really wanted to use his Purifying Light to dispel the Black Ink Strength in their bodies and restore their original self, doing so would only cause more trouble right now.
Fortunately, the Black Ink Disciples had no intention of attacking each other either. The Black Ink Disciples might be under the command of different Black Ink Clansmen, but the only reason they entered this Sealed World was to search for treasures that would be useful to them. Without the orders of their Black Ink Clan masters, they rarely bothered to confront each other; after all, such actions were meaningless.
The reason why Meng Qi had tried to silence Yang Kai was mainly to prevent the latter from exposing the existence of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to others. This treasure was extremely rare and precious. More importantly, the Spirit Fruit was very useful for repairing a damaged Small Universe.
What’s more, the Black Ink Clansmen themselves hoped that the Black Ink Disciples under their command would become as strong as possible. Only then could they gain more achievements in the war. Why else would they allow the Black Ink Disciples under their command enter the Sealed World for exploration before they made their move? They would have devoured the World Force as soon as they discovered the Sealed World if they didn’t have such calculations.
The entrance was a Void Crack that could not be considered small as it was as big as a house. Once Yang Kai stepped through this entrance, he would arrive at the Black Ink Battlefield.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai was in no rush to leave after arriving at this place. He did not know what was waiting for him outside; however, according to Meng Qi, there were at least a few Black Ink Feudal Lords waiting outside. That was not good news for him.
For the next two days, Yang Kai watched as several Black Ink Disciples rushed out of the entrance and vanished from sight. Meanwhile, he lurked in hiding and waited patiently. He used Exile to hide himself in the Void so that both his figure and aura were completely concealed. With his current attainments in the Dao of Space, there was no risk of exposing his whereabouts as long as nobody was deliberately searching his hiding spot.
Another day passed when all of a sudden, ripples spread out from the entrance.
Yang Kai, who had been watching the entrance for movements all this while, immediately raised his brow and paid close attention. These ripples clearly indicated that somebody was passing through the entrance. Since nobody was exiting the Sealed World at this moment, then it could only be that someone was entering from the outside.
A few days ago, Yang Kai had formed a vague plan when he heard that the Feudal Lords were going to enter the Sealed World to devour its World Force.
It was obviously inappropriate for him to brazenly walk out of the Sealed World as the other Black Ink Disciples would surely head to the side of their respective Masters when they exited. If he went out and revealed that he was alone, he would surely be targeted by the Black Ink Clan immediately. Things would inevitably become very troublesome if that were to happen.
In that case, he simply needed to wait until the Black Ink Clan entered the Sealed World. He would not stand out if he left this place after the Black Ink Clan entered.
The ripples continued to spread outward, and a short while later, a tall and strong figure stepped out from the Void Crack.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes slightly and watched.
In truth, this was only his second time seeing a Black Ink Clansman in person. This individual was different compared to the Black Ink Royal Lord he met in Black Territory last time. Judging by the external appearance of this Black Ink Clansman who barged into the Sealed World from the outside, he did not look very different from a Human. There were no traces of any Monster Beast features, but his physique was several times larger than what would be considered normal. With his size, he could be considered a small giant.
Yang Kai estimated that he would only reach the knees of this Black Ink Clansman if he were to stand in front of the other party. What stood out the most was that this Black Ink Clansman’s skin was completely pitch-black. His entire body also seemed to be enveloped in a dense layer of Black Ink Strength. Only his eyes shone brightly like two great suns. They were a huge deterrent to others.
This was a Black Ink Feudal Lord comparable to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in strength!
After the Black Ink Clansman resembling a small giant entered, he looked around for a bit and was quickly attracted by the rich World Force in this land. Taking a deep breath, he revealed a look of intoxication.
The ripples continued to spread outward behind him. It didn’t take long before another small giant figure stepped out of the Void Crack, followed closely by another figure… A total of six Feudal Lords entered the Sealed World at the same time. From their outer appearance, four seemed to be male while the other two were female.
Yang Kai did not dare to continue watching, lest he revealed his whereabouts. Exile might be an excellent concealment technique, but he could not afford to be careless.
After the six Feudal Lords arrived in this place, one of them spoke in a thunderous voice, “Let’s split up and act independently. We will be able to eat our fill this time.”
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out in the next moment, and the six figures sped off in different directions. It was evident that they were preparing to devour the World Force of this Sealed World.
Yang Kai waited in place for a short while. After confirming that no other Black Ink Clansmen were going to enter, his body flickered and he rushed towards the entrance. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he plunged directly into the Void Crack.
In the next moment, the world spun around him and he appeared in an unfamiliar void. Before he could react though, his entire body went stiff. That was because numerous Divine Senses had locked onto him from all directions, making him feel as though he had thorns stabbing him in the back. The power of his Small Universe automatically surged around him in response.
Looking around, his expression became solemn. There were countless figures standing nearby. Divided into six different camps, they surrounded the entrance so tightly that not a drop of water could pass.
There were many people among these six groups of people. Some had seven or eight members while others had only two or three. Moreover, many of them were familiar faces. These were the Black Ink Disciples Yang Kai leave through the Void Crack over the past few days.
It was clear that they had been in no hurry to leave after exiting the Sealed World. On the contrary, they had waited for their Masters to enter the Sealed World and were now keeping watch outside while their Masters were inside.
These six groups of people corresponded with the six Feudal Lords from before; thus, Yang Kai immediately panicked as he did not belong to any one of them!
Fortunately, these Black Ink Disciples showed no intention of doing anything. Yang Kai only hesitated for a moment before he grit his teeth and dodged out of the encirclement from below, immediately shifting his body to escape into the distance.
There was no other choice. After waiting for so many days, the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords finally entered the Sealed World. If Yang Kai did not leave now, his situation would only become more dangerous. As for whether the Black Ink Disciples would suspect anything after his sudden departure, he could not afford to care. Even if he was being suspected, he could only flee.
Yang Kai could clearly sense the numerous gazes staring into his back like leeches hanging onto him during his escape. Fortunately for him, the Black Ink Disciples had no intention of taking action. It was not until he disappeared from their field of vision that they finally retracted their gazes.
The void was vast, mysterious, and silent. Based on appearances alone, the Black Ink Battlefield was not that different from the 3,000 Worlds; however, Yang Kai could sense that dangers lurked around every corner here.
Numerous Continents and Spirit Provinces were scattered across the void. They contained faint traces of activity, so he did not dare to approach those places and avoided them from a distance. From what he could see from a distance, those lands overflowed with Black Ink Strength regardless of whether they were big or small.
Yang Kai’s current position was located deep within the domain controlled by the Black Ink Clan. If he wanted to head towards the nearest great pass under the control of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, then he predicted that he would need to travel for at least ten to twenty days non-stop. Moreover, there was no guarantee that his journey would be smooth-sailing. Nobody could say for certain what kind of dangers he might face along the way.
Meng Qi had assumed that it would be impossible for Yang Kai to safely arrive at the nearest great pass, and there were two reasons for this. One of the reasons was Yang Kai’s low cultivation. The other reason was that he had a much better understanding of the situation compared to Yang Kai. Even when he was in his prime, under the same conditions as Yang Kai, it would have been impossible for Meng Qi to escape from the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory. Be that as it may, he had not discouraged Yang Kai in the slightest. A person should not give up hope after all.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai’s gaze was attracted towards a strange scene in the distance. There was a huge Spirit Province stretched out across the void ahead, in addition to an extremely bizarre existence on top of the Spirit Province.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the strange object resembled an enormous flower bud. It was just that the entire entity was pitch-black and gave off an extremely sinister feeling. What’s more, the flower bud seemed to be alive. With every miniscule rise and fall of the petals, concentrated Black Ink Strength would gush out from within the bud and spread out in all directions.
It might be due to the existence of this strange flower bud, but Black Ink Strength permeated the void surrounding the Spirit Province for tens of thousands of kilometres.
[What is that?] Yang Kai was slightly surprised. Meng Qi had not told him about anything like this. In any case, he did not dare to carelessly approach and investigate the situation. It was a pity that he could not figure out anything after observing from afar and could only continue his escape.
Although he did not encounter any danger during his journey, the void was not a safe place. Yang Kai would occasionally come across large patches of Black Ink Strength residue that resembled Black Ink Clouds during his journey.
He finally understood why Meng Qi had not escaped with him. Meng Qi was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but his Small Universe was incomplete. An incomplete Small Universe meant that there were flaws to be exploited. Even if he could safely come out from the Sealed World, it would be very easy for him to become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again in this environment. The consequences would be dire if something like that were to happen. At the very least, Yang Kai would be forced to fight him.
The hinterland of the Black Ink Clan was not a place where ordinary cultivators could remain for long. Without a treasure like one of the Four Universe Pillars, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was at risk of being corrupted by the ambient Black Ink Strength at any moment. On the other hand, both the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples took to this environment like ducks to water.
Yang Kai travelled in hiding, so his progress was very slow, but that could not be helped. According to Meng Qi, his current status was that of a servant without a master. People like him were easily targeted by the Black Ink Clan. They either wanted to recruit him as their servant or regarded him as food. There was no other option.
For that reason, Yang Kai did not dare to meet any Black Ink Clansmen and constantly monitored his surroundings with his Divine Sense. The slightest rustling of grass or the gentlest breeze was enough to put him on guard. Unfortunately, despite his caution, it was impossible to control everything around him.
One day, Yang Kai was travelling forward when a large and luxurious ship came towards him from afar.
The Black Ink Clan also had flight type artifacts of their own. They themselves might not be proficient in Artifact Refining, but there were many talented people among the Black Ink Disciples. It was not unreasonable for a small number of people to be capable of refining some flight type artifacts.
Over the past few days, Yang Kai had seen many of the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts. They came in all shapes and sizes, with the one in front of him right now being pretty normal in comparison. Some of the flight type artifacts came in extremely odd shapes after all.
However, there was no exception to one thing, the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts were always very large. Yang Kai could understand the reasoning behind this particular aspect. Inside the Sealed World, he had discovered that the six Black Ink Feudal Lords were each the size of small giants. They were several times larger than normal Humans, so it was only natural that their flight type artifacts were larger too.
More importantly, most of these enormous flight type artifacts had at least one Black Ink Clan Master onboard.
Seeing this situation right now, how could Yang Kai dare to sit around twiddling his thumbs? He looked around him for a moment before manipulating Space Principles. His figure instantly vanished from the spot.
Be that as it may, he did not dare to use Instantaneous Movement over a large distance since he was not familiar with the terrain in this region. It would be self-defeating if he accidentally barged into a place where he should not enter; therefore, the destination was a Black Ink Cloud in his field of vision.
There were many such Black Ink Clouds in the void, so it was very easy for him to hide in them. Moreover, Yang Kai had always avoided the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts in the same manner whenever he encountered any of them in the past. The passing Black Ink Clansmen generally could not be bothered to poke around seriously; after all, there was not much that could pose a danger to them in this place and Black Ink Clouds could be found anywhere.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai seemed to have used up all his luck. He had only just transported himself into the Black Ink Cloud when he noticed that something was wrong. It turned out that there were several auras hidden within the Black Ink Cloud. Seeming to notice his sudden intrusion, they immediately surrounded him from all directions. The sudden turn of events startled Yang Kai, but he was surrounded by those people before he could use Space Principles again. At the same time, numerous Divine Senses also locked onto his body.
[Two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Masters!] Yang Kai raised his brow in surprise, deducing his opponents’ cultivation from the energy fluctuations coming from around him. Not only were they Open Heaven Realm Masters, but they also appeared in this place. There was no doubt that they were Black Ink Disciples.
It would have been bad enough if those people consisted only of Black Ink Disciples, but the key point was that Black Ink Disciples would never stray far from their master’s side under normal circumstances. In other words, the master of these four Black Ink Disciples was definitely within this very Black Ink Cloud as well.
Sure enough, when these four people surrounded Yang Kai, an enormous figure stepped out from the depths of the Black Ink Cloud and slowly came to stand in front of him. This person looked down at Yang Kai from above with a look of curiosity mixed with faint surprise in his eyes.
Yang Kai immediately felt a bitter taste filling his entire mouth. He was tempted to attack and ruthlessly eliminate the Black Ink Disciples and the Black Ink Clansman in front of him; however, he was worried about the ship that was passing by nearby!
Two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Black Ink Disciples were nothing in his eyes, and the Black Ink Clansman did not seem to be particularly powerful either. At the very least, he did not give Yang Kai any sense of oppression. It was incomparable to the Feudal Lords that he had encountered before at least.
Unfortunately, there was bound to be a Feudal Lord aboard the ship he had just seen. If Yang Kai stirred up chaos here, the other side would surely be alerted to the commotion and approach to investigate. There would be endless troubles in the future if Yang Kai could not cut weeds and pull out roots related to this matter.
In any case, it was impossible to run at this point. A Black Ink Disciple who was brave enough to escape after coming into contact with a Black Ink Clansman; that in itself was an issue worth investigating. Among all the Black Ink Disciples Yang Kai had encountered before, every one of them prioritised the Black Ink Clan above all else. If he made a move here, then his actions would inevitably lead to an endless pursuit.
Yang Kai suppressed the murderous intent in his heart and forced a trace of trepidation onto his face. Under the gaze of the Black Ink Clansman, he seemed to take a few steps back in fear.
The Black Ink Clansman studied Yang Kai with interest and asked, “Where did he come from?”
A sturdy Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master beside the Black Ink Clansman answered, “I don’t know. He suddenly intruded into this place.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he interrogated Yang Kai on behalf of the Black Ink Clansman, “Where are you from? Who is your master?”
Yang Kai’s thoughts swirled around in his head, but he responded without hesitation, “I came from the battlefield. I don’t have a master.”
Since the Black Ink Clan had been fighting with the Cave Heavens and Paradises for so long, the front lines of the battlefield must be extremely fierce. Although Yang Kai had never experienced such a battle before, he could guess that many people were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and become Black Ink Disciples during each clash. These Black Ink Disciples were generally all alone with no support, and it was naturally impossible for them to return to the great pass guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so their only option was to escape into the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan in search of protection.
That was the explanation that Yang Kai came up with along his journey. He had prepared this explanation just in case something went wrong, but he never expected his preparations would actually come in handy. It was just that he did not know if there was anything suspicious about his statement.
Fortunately, neither the Black Ink Clansman who resembled a small giant, nor the Black Ink Disciples showed any doubts after listening to his explanation. The Black Ink Clansman even showed a look of great joy and spoke in a voice that rumbled thunderously, “What good luck. I can’t believe I came across such a huge blessing.” While speaking, his large hand loomed from above and stretched out towards Yang Kai’s head, “Since you don’t have a master, then I will be your master from now on!”
Yang Kai forced himself to remain still and did not dodge aside because he did not sense any murderous intent coming from the Black Ink Clansman.
What’s more, this Black Ink Clansman only had two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Black Ink Disciples under his command. It could be inferred that he probably did not enjoy a particularly high identity or status, so a Sixth-Order Master like Yang Kai would be attractive to him.
A gigantic hand covered the top of Yang Kai’s head, then thick Black Ink Strength gushed out to envelope Yang Kai.
Yang Kai did not move a single muscle. The Black Ink Strength that invaded his Small Universe was suppressed and sealed by the World Spring. At the same time, he covertly allowed the Black Ink Strength to cover his eyes at just the right time, and his body trembled slightly.
A short while later, the Black Ink Clansman withdrew his hand. Sweeping his gaze over Yang Kai, he nodded lightly to himself as though he was very satisfied with the results.
“From now on, your name will be…” Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly seemed confused. He scratched his face and asked one of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples, “What is he called?”
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple answered respectfully, “E-5!”
“Ah! That’s right! E-5!” The Black Ink Clansman sneered disdainfully and seemed a little impatient, “You Humans are so troublesome.”
Yang Kai did not know why he suddenly received a new name, but he could only accept it passively.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple seemed to notice Yang Kai’s doubts. Pointing at himself, he explained, “I am called A-1!” Then, he pointed to the others and introduced them, “B-2, C-3, D-4!”
Yang Kai immediately felt speechless when he realized how they were named. It was most likely that the Black Ink Clansman could not be bothered to remember his servants’ names, so he came up with such a simple method of identifying them. It might even have been suggested by the Black Ink Disciples themselves.
A-1 and B-2 were both in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm while C-3 and D-4 were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. B-2 was a middle-aged man with a clean and beardless face; C-3 was a woman with a bloated body; and D-4 was a short old man.
Yang Kai could not tell which Cave Heavens or Paradises these people came from, but regardless of their origins, they probably used to be elites in their respective Sects who came to the Black Ink Battlefield with the determination to fight and die if need be. However, they had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and currently served under the Black Ink Clan as slaves.
That was a very sad, but inevitable ending. Such occurrences were nothing new on the Black Ink Battlefield. It was also the reason why Liu Mu once stated that those who crossed the No-Return Pass only had two futures waiting for them, die at the hands of the Black Ink Clan, or die at the hands of their comrades. There were no other options besides these two.
The Black Ink Clansman examined Yang Kai, who had been named E-5, “What Order are you in?”
Yang Kai activated the power of his Small Universe. Pretending to be respectful, he answered politely, “The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
The Black Ink Clansman raised his thick eyebrow and broke out in a savage grin, “Very good!”
It was clear he was very satisfied with Yang Kai’s strength.
“Let’s go.” After that, he gestured with his large hand and took the lead to step out of the Black Ink Cloud.
A-1 and the others quickly followed behind. Yang Kai did not dare to hesitate and hurried to keep up with them. Nevertheless, he was feeling extremely frustrated inside. With the current situation, it was temporarily impossible for him to head towards the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. He could only take one step at a time.
The Black Ink Disciples all had different personalities. A-1, B-2, and C-3 seemed rather reserved and quiet, but the short old man named D-4 was very talkative. Quietly dropping behind the others, he travelled side-by-side with Yang Kai and asked, “Little Brother, which Cave Heaven or Paradise did you come from?”
Yang Kai turned sideways to look at the short old man, then he glanced forward at the Black Ink Clansman in front.
D-4 smiled and said, “There’s no need to be afraid. Our master is very easy-going. The Black Ink Clan is similar to us in that they all have their own distinct temperaments. You’ll be fine as long as you diligently finish whatever task Master commands you to do. He will not restrict you during other times.”
He seemed to think that Yang Kai was scared of the Black Ink Clansman, which was why he explained the circumstances; after all, it was only natural for a person who had just gotten a new master to experience a period of adaptation.
Thinking back to the time when he first became a Black Ink Disciple, he too had been very cautious. He felt like he was constantly walking on thin ice, scared that he might be punished for making a mistake. It was just that he had relaxed considerably after working for his current master for so long.
“Senior, which Sect did you hail from?” Yang Kai countered the question with a question of his own instead.
He had to tell himself over and over again that the Black Ink Disciples often seemed no different from usual on the surface even though they had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength. It could be seen just by looking at the behaviour of D-4. Before being corrupted by the Black Ink, this old man had probably also been very talkative.
The reason Yang Kai did not answer was that he feared he might name the same Cave Heaven or Paradise as the other party and accidentally make a mistake.
D-4 smiled and said, “There’s no need to bother with formalities, just call me by my name. This Old Master comes from Nine Stars Paradise.”
Yang Kai was familiar with the Nine Stars Paradise; after all, he had interacted with the foreign affairs envoy of Nine Stars Paradise in the Star Boundary.
The truth was that he really wanted to ask which Cave Heaven or Paradise the others came from, but it was difficult for him to ask any questions if D-4 did not take the initiative to mention the subject; thus, he could only steel himself and report, “I came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Yang Kai saw that none of the others had much of a reaction. He was relieved by their response as it would seem that none of them came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
D-4 showed a look of realization, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, that’s a good place.”
Yang Kai was reluctant to speak further regarding this subject as saying too much could result in a mistake, so he swiftly changed the subject, “Where are we going?”
“The Fierce Wind Estate!” D-4 replied, “Our master can be considered part of the Fierce Wind Estate, so we have to go there.”
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed slightly before asking in a low voice, “Is Master a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman?”
The ‘Fierce Wind Estate’ that D-4 mentioned was most likely the territory of a Black Ink Feudal Lord. In that case, a Black Ink Clansman who not only served under a Feudal Lord but was also quite strong could only be a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Yang Kai originally guessed that this Black Ink Clansman was equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength, and it would seem he was correct.
D-4 also nodded in affirmation, “Master is indeed a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman!”
Along the way, Yang Kai casually chatted with D-4 and discovered that the situation was just as D-4 described. The Black Ink Clansman was relatively easy to get along with. Even though he noticed his servants chattering away behind him, he showed no intention to stop them.
Although Yang Kai’s murderous intent surged countless times, he did not dare to act rashly. This place was the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan, and if he was not careful, he would easily expose his identity. What’s more, he would occasionally come across other Black Ink Clansmen every once in a while. There were not many chances for him to take action, so he could only grit his teeth and endure.
A few days later, a patch of land covered in Black Ink Clouds appeared in their field of vision. It was an incredibly enormous Spirit Province with dense Black Ink Clouds that permeated the void for hundreds of thousands of kilometres.
Yang Kai once saw an object in the void that was similar to a huge flower bud from a distance. There was one on this Spirit Province too, and it stood tall in the middle of the Spirit Province. When the flower bud relaxed and opened, dense Black Ink Strength gushed out from within.
D-4, who had been travelling side-by-side with Yang Kai all this while, quietly poked Yang Kai in the arm, “This is Fierce Wind Estate, and the Feudal Lord in charge is named Kuang Feng.”
A look of realization appeared on Yang Kai’s face. A Feudal Lord was a Black Ink Clansman equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in strength.
“What is that?” Unable to suppress the questions in his heart, Yang Kai asked a question while staring at the black flower bud.
D-4 glanced at Yang Kai curiously, “Don’t you know about the Black Ink Nests?”
Yang Kai had already prepared his excuse in advance, “It has not been long since I came to the Black Ink Battlefield, so I don’t know much.”
D-4 understood and explained, “Black Ink Nests are the foundation of the Black Ink Clan. It is also the place where Black Ink Clansmen come from; therefore, all Black Ink Nests are extremely important to the Black Ink Clan.”
Yang Kai’s expression froze, [That’s the place where the Black Ink Clan come from?]
He had caught a glimpse of many Black Ink Nests throughout his journey. If a Black Ink Nest could give birth to Black Ink Clansmen, then how could the Black Ink Clan be annihilated completely?
He couldn’t help asking in puzzlement, “The Black Ink Clan are born from this?”
D-4 nodded, “The Black Ink Clan do not have any reproductive ability whatsoever; all of them are born from the Black Ink Nests. Moreover, the Black Ink Nests have the ability to devour everything in existence. No matter the object, it can be transformed into nutrients for the Black Ink Nests as long as they contain energy. Once there are enough nutrients, a Black Ink Clansman will be born and Black Ink Strength will be released. The Black Ink Strength is the foundation for increasing the cultivation of the Black Ink Clansmen. Of course, they also love to devour World Force as doing so will improve their cultivation greatly.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding and stared deeply in the direction of the Black Ink Nest.
During their conversation, they arrived above the Fierce Wind Estate. This place was overflowing with Black Ink Strength, and the entire world seemed to be shrouded in shadows.
There were large buildings scattered throughout the Fierce Wind Estate. These buildings were built in a crude and rough style, which clearly showcased the nature of the Black Ink Clan. That was not difficult to understand though as many Black Ink Clansmen had a large stature, so it was not surprising that their buildings were also big.
Along the wide and spacious streets, large Black Ink Clansmen came and went. There were many of them. While most of them travelled alone, some of them were accompanied by their servants. Be that as it may, their numbers were not high. Some only had one while others had two or three servants with them.
It was very rare to see a Black Ink Clansman with five servants like Yang Kai’s situation. For that reason, the Black Ink Clansman walking in front attracted lots of attention everywhere he went. Moreover, many of those gazes were filled with envy.
This situation caused the leading Black Ink Clansman to become increasingly proud. He walked with an air of arrogance, as though nobody in the world was superior to him.
Yang Kai looked around and his expression showed some uncertainty. That was because he discovered that there were buildings similar to shops lining both sides of the street. In addition, there was a wide assortment of items being sold, many of which were actually resources needed for the cultivation of Human cultivators.
“The Black Ink Clan does business?” After holding back for a long time, Yang Kai finally couldn’t take it and secretly asked D-4 about this matter.
D-4 smiled and said, “These items are naturally useless to the Black Ink Clan, but they are useful to us. We may serve as Master’s servants and our lives may lie in his hands, but it will also benefit Master if our strength improves. We can help him gain more servants on the battlefield, help him devour more World Force, and ensure his safety; therefore, we will also benefit if we serve a good master as they will help us improve our strength.”
That was the same reason why Black Ink Disciples like Meng Qi were allowed to enter the Sealed World before the Black Ink Clan.
Meng Qi also mentioned that the Black Ink Clan wanted the Black Ink Disciples under their command to be as strong as possible. In any case, it was impossible for the Black Ink Disciples to betray their masters once they were corrupted by Black Ink Strength, so their loyalty would never be an issue.
That was why the Black Ink Disciples were allowed to enter the Sealed World first so that they could search for treasures and improve their strength. Only after that would the Black Ink Feudal Lords enter the Sealed World to devour the World Force.
However, Yang Kai focused on something else instead. Something D-4 said had given him the hope of escaping from the Black Ink Clan!
All Black Ink Clansmen were bound to return to the battlefield sooner or later, so as long as he waited patiently, he would eventually find a chance to escape or kill them when he followed them out to war. Then, he could meet up with the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises and head for the nearest great pass.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, all the worries that had been plaguing him immediately disappeared. Yang Kai knew that what he needed to do now was to wait patiently until the opportunity to follow the Black Ink Clan onto the battlefield came!
Meanwhile, D-4 was still chattering away, “Also, Master currently lacks a flight type artifact. If he wants to obtain one, he has to buy the materials and hire somebody to refine the artifact for him. Nonetheless, their businesses are not only for Black Ink Disciples like us. The Black Ink Clan themselves also have business dealings among each other.”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
During their conversation, the Black Ink Clansman led them into a shop. Inside the shop, another Black Ink Clansman greeted him. They seemed to be familiar with each other and chatted happily for a while.
Yang Kai looked around and found that the store had everything, including artifacts for cultivators, pills, and even some high-quality cultivation resources. These items were common in the 3,000 Worlds.
What attracted his attention were numerous objects the size of a head that resembled crystal balls. There were not many of these objects, only a dozen or so in total. Moreover, they were placed in the most conspicuous locations.
Before Yang Kai and the others arrived, there were already several Black Ink Clansmen gathered around the crystal balls. They were scrutinising these balls with greedy expressions, as though they were very useful to them.
Yang Kai glanced at the crystal balls, but could not figure out anything from them. All he could see was that something was flowing within them. Secretly releasing his Divine Sense, he investigated the crystal balls and immediately frowned in response. Although he did not dare to be presumptuous, in that moment of investigation, he seemed to have noticed an extremely intense World Force inside the crystal ball!
“Be careful!” D-4 noticed his actions and quickly warned him.
In a place where the Black Ink Clan was gathered, there was a high possibility of provoking an ill-tempered Black Ink Clansman by suddenly releasing his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. If that were to happen, their Black Ink Clan Master would not defend them.
Fortunately, Yang Kai had acted very carefully just now. His Divine Sense had retracted after a brief touch. Although the Black Ink Clansmen around the crystal balls detected what he did, they couldn’t be bothered to care.
“What are those?” Yang Kai asked softly.
D-4’s expression became rather complicated as he lowered his voice and answered, “World Spheres. They contain large amounts of World Force in them.”
“World Force?” Yang Kai raised his brow with a look of astonishment.
It was his first time hearing that World Force could be sealed into a container. Judging from the appearance of the so-called World Spheres, they were clearly refined artifacts.
“Many Open Heaven Realm Masters die in each battle. After these Open Heaven Realm Masters die, their World Forces will disperse. Under normal circumstances, the Black Ink Clansmen can devour and refine the World Force on the spot; however, the situation on the battlefield is ever-changing. If they greedily try to devour the World Force then and there, they will most likely encounter various dangers. Besides, the Black Ink Clan is not allowed to devour and refine World Force at will during a battle. There is a group of people on the battlefield who are specially tasked with collecting and sealing World Force inside World Spheres. These World Spheres are considered treasures to the Black Ink Clan.”
Yang Kai’s heart was heavy when he heard those words, but his expression remained unchanged on the surface.
These World Spheres had never been seen in the 3,000 Worlds because they were useless to cultivators. On the other hand, the World Force sealed within these items was very useful to the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai believed that these items were artifacts specially developed by Black Ink Disciples who were proficient in Artifact Refining; after all, the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Humans on the Black Ink Battlefield had been ongoing for countless years. It was highly probable that some bizarre objects had been produced as a result.
During their conversation, they saw a Black Ink Clansman completing a negotiation with the seller. Then, he took out a large handful of pitch-black round objects that resembled copper coins. After handing these coins over, he casually reached out to grab a World Sphere and strode out of the shop.
Yang Kai was astonished, “Does the Black Ink Clan have their own currency?”
D-4 nodded, “Black Ink Coins. They have no value and cannot be used to cultivate, but they are used by the Black Ink Clan for trading. Every Black Ink Coin is produced by a Royal Lord, so they have the mark of that Royal Lord and cannot be replicated.”
Yang Kai exclaimed in wonder, “If they are worthless and cannot be used to cultivate, then what is the significance of the Black Ink Coins?”
Open Heaven Pills were the primary currency in the 3,000 Worlds and any kind of resources could be valued in terms of them. That was because Open Heaven Pills were Spirit Pills used by Open Heaven Realm Masters in their cultivation. Anything that was used in circulation should have its own intrinsic value.
D-4 laughed, “If they are in circulation, then there must be a reason. Let’s put it this way; if a Black Ink Clansman spends a certain amount of Black Ink Coins, then they can enter a Black Ink Nest to cultivate. You should know that Black Ink Nests are the place where those from the Black Ink Clan are born. Hence, entering the Black Ink Nest is like returning to their Mother’s womb. It is very beneficial for the improvement of their cultivation. Furthermore, if they want to advance, the advancement must be done inside a Black Ink Nest!”
Only then did Yang Kai understand. Black Ink Coins might not have any value on their own, but they could be used to purchase things the Black Ink Clan required. That made Black Ink Coins valuable. Just the fact that their advancement had to be done inside a Black Ink Nest was enough to make the entire Black Ink Clan gather these Black Ink Coins.
“Did Master come here to buy a World Sphere?” Yang Kai saw the Black Ink Clansman who brought them here lingering around the World Spheres and constantly haggling with the seller over the price. It was easy to guess the other party’s intentions.
D-4 shrugged nonchalantly, “He probably can’t afford one.”
Their Master was only a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman whose strength was equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even if he had some Black Ink Coins, what he had was not enough to pay for a World Sphere.
As D-4 had been serving under this Black Ink Clansman for a long time, he was familiar with the other party’s finances.
Sure enough, despite his efforts, the Black Ink Clansman eventually shook his head in disappointment and led Yang Kai and the others out of the shop.
Yang Kai secretly laughed to himself, [Looks like my ‘Master’ is poor.]
After leading Yang Kai and the others out of the shop, the Black Ink Clansman walked in a certain direction without stopping.
D-4, who had always been a chatterbox, fell silent all of a sudden. In fact, Yang Kai had the feeling that D-4 was rather nervous about something. It was not just D-4 alone. A-1 and the others also showed the same reactions; therefore, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling curious. He did not understand what was making them so nervous.
It didn’t take long before the Black Ink Clansman led Yang Kai and the others to a gathering place bustling with people.
Even before approaching the area, Yang Kai detected the violent collision of World Forces coming from that direction. There seemed to be several Masters fighting each other. Moreover, the battle was extremely fierce. The explosions of their battle rang out incessantly, and blinding rays of light flashed out from time to time.
[Are fights allowed within this Fierce Wind Estate?] Yang Kai was absolutely bewildered. It had to be said that there were rules at any place where cultivators gathered in the 3,000 Worlds that basically prohibited personal fights. On the contrary, the Black Ink Clan did not seem to prevent such occurrences.
The place of battle was a large basin-like crater in the ground with a radius of several hundreds of metres. Even so, this space seemed relatively small for both parties participating in the fight. That was because the ones fighting in the crater were two Sixth-Order Masters.
In addition, there was a Barrier Array that formed a semi-circular light dome over the crater. The light barrier was extremely powerful so even though both parties participating in battle were attacking furiously, they could not deal any damage to it.
Many large Black Ink Clansmen stood around the crater. Not all the Black Ink Clansmen resembled Humans that were enlarged several times though. Many of them had peculiar and bizarre appearances. Some of them even looked completely like Monster Beasts. That was something Yang Kai had already noticed when he first arrived at the Fierce Wind Estate.
The giant humanoid appearance seemed to be considered mainstream among the Black Ink Clan, followed by some having Monster Beast appearances. There were numerous others, some intense and grotesque, some perfectly ordinary.
The Black Ink Clansmen standing around the crater were showing expressions of great interest, as though they were watching two ferocious beasts fighting each other. They even cheered loudly from time to time.
When Yang Kai and the others arrived, both parties participating in the fight had reached the stage where who lived and who died would be decided. They attacked each other mercilessly as Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques blasted out. The violent forces within the crater ran rampant, and fresh blood splattered across the ground.
Yang Kai looked down for a while and sighed inwardly. He did not know which Cave Heaven or Paradise these two Sixth-Order Masters fighting below were originally from. They might have held lofty positions once, or even knew each other in the past, maybe even fought side-by-side before. In the end though, they had fallen to this state. It was truly a sorrowful sight. Unfortunately, Yang Kai was powerless to stop this. There was nothing he could do to interfere in this spectacle. He could only watch silently.
“Nu Yan, are you here to benefit me again?” A snide voice suddenly rang out from the side.
Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and saw a tall Black Ink Clansman smiling in their direction. There were several Open Heaven Realm Masters surrounding that Black Ink Clansman, probably his Black Ink Disciples.
The Black Ink Clansman who led Yang Kai and the others here coldly snorted at those words, “It’s uncertain who will benefit who. Lang Ya, don’t boast so shamelessly!”
It was only at this moment that Yang Kai realised his ‘Master’ was called ‘Nu Yan’. Although he had been travelling with his ‘Master’ for several days, the Black Ink Clansman had not taken the initiative to reveal his own name. Unfortunately, he was not in the position to ask and D-4 had not told him the name of their Master either.
It would seem that Nu Yan had a grudge against this Black Ink Clansman named Lang Ya; otherwise, they would not have gotten into a dispute as soon as they encountered each other.
“Whether or not my words are shameless boasting, you will know after you try,” Lang Ya remained smiling slightly.
Nu Yan nodded coldly and agreed, “Good.”
As soon as those words came out, Yang Kai distinctly noticed the expressions of D-4 and the others becoming more solemn and anxious. After combining everything he had seen so far, he vaguely formed a guess in his heart.
The winner was soon decided among the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters fighting below. Their capabilities were not very different from each other, so they were basically equals in terms of strength. However, there seemed to be a distinct gap in their combat experiences. The one who had a deeper understanding of battle obtained the victory. Even though he paid a price, he succeeded in defeating his opponent.
When the Small Universe collapsed, World Force dispersed into the surroundings. A World Sphere was thrown into the crater at just the right moment. Following the flash of a blinding light, the scattered World Force was absorbed and sealed inside the World Sphere.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple who won was covered in blood and one of his arms had been chopped off at the shoulder, but he endured the pain and cast a Secret Technique to stop the bleeding. When the World Sphere finished absorbing all the dissipating World Force, the Black Ink Disciple reached out his hand to grab the World Sphere. Then, he came over to one of the Black Ink Clansmen standing outside the crater, knelt down on one knee, quickly reporting, “Master, fortunately I did not fail my mission!”
The Black Ink Clansman lowered his head to look at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple and nodded lightly, “Very good.”
Reaching out his hand, he placed the World Sphere into his Space Ring and sent the Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple to rest.
With that, the crater became unoccupied and Lang Ya turned to look at Nu Yan, “Shall we have a warm-up first?”
Nu Yan had no objections and nodded in agreement, “Good!”
Lang Ya asked again, “Just a bout or a deathmatch!?”
Nu Yan’s eyes overflowed with rage and hostility, “Of course, it will be a deathmatch!”
“Bold indeed!” Lang Ya immediately turned to look at the Black Ink Disciples beside him and reached out to point at one of them, “You go!”
The Black Ink Disciple who was picked out by Lang Ya was a fair-faced young man whose expression remained calm as he jumped down into the crater. Judging from the energy fluctuations coming from him, he was probably in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Nu Yan turned to look at A-1 and the others. His gaze flickered between C-3 and D-4 for a moment, then he pointed at D-4, “You go!”
Despite his uneasy expression, D-4 cupped his fist respectfully, “Yes!”
It was impossible for Black Ink Disciples to refuse the commands from their masters. The only thing they could do was show complete obedience.
Yang Kai finally understood why D-4 had been so nervous since earlier. D-4 had clearly known that Nu Yan would bring them to this kind of place and that he might have to participate in a life-or-death battle.
Although Black Ink Disciples were willing to offer up everything to their Masters, no one would be fearless in the face of death.
Both participating parties did not exchange any pleasantries with each other. It could even be said that the opponent cast a Secret Technique to attack as soon as D-4 flew into the crater. An impressive sword light slashed towards him from the front as World Force surged fiercely. In response, D-4 hastily took action to defend himself.
D-4 was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and so was his opponent. Although their cultivation was one Order lower than the previous battle, the intensity of their battle was not inferior in any way.
The opponent was obviously proficient in the Sword Dao. With the longsword in his hand, he covered the entire sky with a curtain of sword light.
On the other hand, the artifact in D-4’s hands was a pair of daggers. In the first place, he had always been small-sized but agile. His figure floundered under the fierce onslaught from his opponent, and his situation looked very precarious.
Yang Kai watched for a while, but soon discovered that it should not be difficult for D-4 to win this battle because the latter was clearly much stronger than his opponent.
That was indeed the case. Following an intense battle, the opponent’s momentum gradually declined and D-4 grasped the opportunity to rush forward, using his twin daggers to slice a bright arc through the air as he brushed past his opponent.
The battle subsided in a single moment. When D-4 turned around, a crimson line of blood appeared on his opponent’s neck. Immediately after that, fresh blood gushed out like a fountain, and a powerful force sent his opponent’s head flying into the sky. The headless corpse swayed slightly and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Stretching out his hand, he tossed a World Sphere into the arena. The World Force escaping from the dead Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was immediately absorbed and sealed within the World Sphere.
D-4 held the World Sphere in both hands, then his short figure flickered several times. He came to stand in front of Nu Yan and bowed his head, “Master!”
Taking the World Sphere, Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good!”
Lang Ya, who was standing by the side, had an ugly expression on his face. Although he had several Black Ink Disciples under his command, they did not come easily. How could he not feel pained after losing one of them? The muscles in his face twitched slightly as he shouted, “Again!”
Nu Yan teased, “Why don’t we forget it and challenge each other again another day?”
“Cease your nonsense!” Lang Ya had just lost one of his Black Ink Disciples, so how could he be willing to back down now? He pointed at a sturdy middle-aged man beside him and shouted, “You go!”
Upon hearing the command, the middle-aged man nodded and jumped into the crater in a flash.
Lang Ya glanced at Nu Yan with a provocative expression, “If you’re scared, you can leave. I won’t force you!”
The Black Ink Clan was innately prideful, so how could Nu Yan admit that he was scared in front of such a large crowd? Giving a cold snort, he turned to look at A-1 and B-2. The opponent dispatched by Lang Ya was a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple; therefore, only A-1 or B-2 could face this opponent. After pondering in silence for a moment, he lifted his chin in A-1’s direction, “Go.”
A-1 silently cupped his fist before he turned around and stepped into the battlefield.
Inside the crater, the two Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciples took their positions. Neither of them attacked immediately; instead, they cupped their fists at each other in greeting. In the next moment, World Force flared. They both simultaneously unleashed their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at each other as though they had discussed in advance. Like before, this battle was also very intense. Both parties attacked mercilessly. Many Secret Techniques shone brightly, and World Force collided endlessly.
Yang Kai watched for some time but could not figure out who had the edge. Both the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters undoubtedly came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises and there was barely any difference between their strengths. It was similar to the first battle he had watched. In the end, the final winner would be decided by luck.
Afterward, he turned to observe D-4.
The battle earlier had consumed a lot of D-4’s energy. Fortunately, he did not suffer any serious injuries. As he had already battled once, the following battles would no longer involve him even if there were any; hence, he was no longer as anxious and uneasy as before. His expression had relaxed considerably.
Sensing Yang Kai’s gaze on him, he took the initiative to explain, “This is a gambling match between the Black Ink Clan. It’s very common. You should watch carefully. There’s no telling whether your turn might come in the future.”
“I heard something about a life bout and a deathmatch just now,” Yang Kai spoke softly, “What’s the difference?”
D-4 replied, “Exactly as the name suggests. A deathmatch does not end until one side is dead. Just like my previous battle, and the current battle. On the other hand, in a life bout, it’s enough once a winner is determined. As our Masters’ servants, we are the pieces in the deathmatch, as well as the prize. When either side dies, the World Force in their Small Universe will go to the winner. Meanwhile, in a life bout, both parties will agree upon a bet before the match. For example, betting on the ownership of the Black Ink Disciples or simply betting with Black Ink Coins.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly to indicate his understanding, “Did you say that this kind of gambling is common among the Black Ink Clan?”
D-4 shrugged nonchalantly, “That’s indeed the case. Didn’t you notice how many people are gathered here? They all came here to gamble. The Black Ink Clan is quite fond of this activity. If the Black Ink Disciples under their command are strong enough, then they can obtain many benefits for their Master. Don’t be fooled by the fact that we are the Master’s servants. Many times, the strength of the servants also symbolises the Master’s pride. The tide has to rise for the ship to sail after all.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Thank you for your instruction.”
D-4 waved his hand casually to indicate that it was okay. Then, he suddenly furrowed his brow and solemnly looked down at the fight below.
In such a short period of time, there seemed to have been some unexpected changes. A clear distinction had appeared between the two parties who were originally equal in strength. A-1 was gradually being pushed back under the opponent’s fierce onslaught.
Nu Yan’s expression immediately became tense. On the other hand, Lang Ya stood beside Nu Yan with a smirk on his face. He looked like somebody whose trick had succeeded.
“That person is from Bright King Cave Heaven!” D-4 suddenly exclaimed. His voice was neither loud nor soft. Although he looked like he was talking to Yang Kai, he was actually explaining the circumstances to Nu Yan, “The people from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly cultivate Body Tempering. We’ve been tricked!”
Likewise, Yang Kai had also noticed that A-1’s opponent inside the crater was from Bright King Cave Heaven. He once came into contact with a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven named Xu Wang in the Shattered Heaven. Later, a Seventh-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven also came to Shattered Heaven and captured Blood Crow Divine Monarch.
Cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven had extremely tough bodies. Whenever they fought against others, they rarely used any artifacts as their bodies were their greatest artifacts available. Be that as it may, A-1’s opponent had only used Secret Techniques at the beginning of the battle. That was why nobody had noticed his origins.
It was clearly one of the opponent’s tactics. A-1 was concentrating on a battle of Secret Techniques to decide the winner when his opponent suddenly rushed at him aggressively and launched a close combat assault. The sudden attack had taken him by surprise.
In a fight between Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, the slightest mistake could be fatal.
After A-1 fell into a disadvantage, he was steadily overwhelmed by his opponent and soon could only defend himself, becoming powerless to fight back. Although he wanted to put some distance between them, his opponent shadowed him closely like maggots on rotting bones. It was obvious that the opponent wanted to use his strong point against his enemy’s weakness.
“You cheated!” Nu Yan suddenly turned to glare at Lang Ya and shouted through gritted teeth.
Lang Ya chuckled, “How can one cheat in a fight between Black Ink Disciples? Your slaves are simply too weak!”
Nu Yan was practically spitting fire from his eyes. How could he not know that he had fallen for the other party’s tricks? Lang Ya first tricked him into complacency with the defeat of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, then sent out a Sixth-Order Master to battle instead. It was obvious that the trap had been prepared for him, and he had walked right into it.
The crater below might span several hundreds of metres, but that was far too little space for manoeuvring in a battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters. They would not be able to display their full abilities at all. If this were a battle in the void where there was enough space around them, A-1 might not necessarily have ended up in this situation. Unfortunately, in such an environment, the person with better close-combat ability would be at a big advantage!
Whether it was the Black Ink Clan or the Black Ink Disciples, they all knew that a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven held an absolute advantage in this gambling arena. That was especially true if they managed to close in on their enemy. They could be said to be almost invincible under those circumstances.
It was well known that nobody could defeat a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in this particular environment, unless they were also a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven. That was why Black Ink Disciples from Bright King Cave Heaven were very sought-after in the gambling arena. Furthermore, nobody would accept the challenge if a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven was sent into the arena.
Lang Ya’s provocation earlier had caused Nu Yan to carelessly send out A-1, his strongest Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple, without much consideration. It was not until this moment that he realised he had been tricked. Be that as it may, it was too late for regrets. It was impossible for Black Ink Disciples to retreat from the gambling arena during a deathmatch, regardless of the circumstances.
In truth, A-1 was very strong and had most likely been in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in his prime; however, his opponent was equally powerful. Despite facing a barrage of Secret Techniques from A-1, he neither dodged nor avoided the attacks and charged ahead like a mad beast on a rampage.
A-1 was flustered by this style of combat. What’s more, there was a barrier covering the crater that prevented him from bringing out his full abilities. His strength was gradually being shaved away as a result.
D-4 suddenly sighed, “A-1 is doomed!”
He might only be in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm now, but he had not lost his discerning eye. Besides, he was not the only person who could predict the outcome of the situation in the field. Anybody with the slightest insight would be able to tell that A-1 was simply struggling in the throes of his imminent death. As one of Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciples, D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little sad to see A-1 struggling futilely against a fate that was already determined.
Nu Yan’s expression was becoming more and more ugly. On the other hand, Lang Ya smiled extremely happily. The World Sphere in his hand was already at the ready. Playing with it in his hands, he was ready to toss the World Sphere into the crater to seal the World Force at any moment. The sight of Lang Ya’s behaviour made the rage in Nu Yan’s heart burn even hotter.
Watching this battle made Yang Kai despondent, but there was nothing he could do, making him feel extremely vexed in his heart.
After struggling for some time, A-1’s defences were finally broken through by his opponent. His opponent immediately approached him up close. Even though he fought hard, A-1 eventually lost to the indiscriminate bombardment of his opponent’s iron fists. Fresh blood splattered across crater; even A-1’s defensive artifact was broken to the point where its light grew dim. As those fists smashed his body fiercely, his aura swiftly weakened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
A loud explosion filled the air as blood mist scattered across the sky. A-1’s body was gone, smashed to death.
Meanwhile, his opponent landed lightly in the middle of the crater. He was soaked in blood that came from both himself and A-1. It was a grotesque sight indeed.
The entire arena was filled with cheers. It was obvious that the Black Ink Clan was very satisfied by this bloody scene.
Lang Ya threw his World Sphere into the crater to absorb and seal the World Force that originally belonged to A-1. Then, he immediately turned to look at Nu Yan, “A third round?’
Nu Yan was silent. His originally pitch-black face was now blacker than the bottom of a pot. He might have won the first round, but that was just a fight between Fifth-Order Masters. In contrast, he had lost a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple in the second round. This was such a huge loss that he felt as though he picked up some sesame seeds only to lose a watermelon.
Although Lang Ya invited him to a third round, how could he possibly agree? Without counting Yang Kai, he only had four Black Ink Disciples under his command in the first place. It was a blessing that he had picked up another Black Ink Disciple on the way to the Fierce Wind Estate; otherwise, this loss would have caused him distress for many years to come.
It was not easy for them to obtain Black Ink Disciples. First, a Black Ink Clansman had to keep themselves safe on the battlefield; then, they had to release their Black Ink Strength to corrupt a Human cultivator. More importantly, even if the Human cultivators were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, success was not guaranteed.
Nu Yan had spent thousands of years just to build up his current heritage, so how could he carelessly squander it at will?
For that reason, it was impossible for Nu Yan to accept Lang Ya’s invitation for a third round. Not unless there was something wrong with his head.
Coldly snorting in response, Nu Yan turned to leave.
“I will continue to use this servant. You can send any of your men into battle. What do you think?” Lang Ya’s voice came from behind.
Nu Yan froze and turned back to look at Lang Ya with a puzzled expression as if asking, “Are you speaking the truth?”
Lang Ya shrugged slightly, indicating that he was not joking.
There were countless eyes on them, watching curiously as though enjoying a good show.
Nu Yan immediately scowled upon hearing those words. Needless to say, there was nothing stopping him from leaving this place at this moment. Although he suffered a huge loss, it wasn’t like he hadn’t gained anything. The World Force of Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was still useful to him, and picking E-5 up along the way here had made up for the losses he sustained this time; however, if he left just like this, he would never be able to swallow the resentment in his heart.
Lowering his head, Nu Yan looked into the crater. A-1 might have been defeated and killed by the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, but he had not been completely powerless to fight back. His desperate resistance had also caused some injury to his opponent. In addition, the battle just now had consumed quite a lot of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s strength.
[A one-on-one fight might have been impossible against him, but won’t a series of continuous battles bring him down?]
It had to be said that the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master below was a huge temptation to Nu Yan. The most important reason was that the resentment in his heart could be wiped clean in one go if he won.
Seeing Nu Yan’s hesitation, Lang Ya immediately waved his hand dismissively and said, “Of course, you can leave if you’re scared. There’s no need to force yourself.”
He had said those words before. His statement had been a provocation earlier, and it remained a provocation now. It was just that his tone was completely different. He had spat out those words through gritted teeth earlier, but he was openly sneering now.
Nu Yan had already been hesitating earlier, so he immediately made up his mind after being agitated by those words, “Who’s scared? But, let’s make it clear now. You don’t get to regret your decision when you lose later.”
Lang Ya nodded repeatedly, “Don’t worry, I won’t regret my decision.”
His expression was calm and relaxed, seeming to have great confidence in the Black Ink Disciple under his command.
Looking at Lang Ya’s reaction made Nu Yan’s heart clench. He had the vague feeling that he had made a fool of himself again; unfortunately, he had already agreed to the challenge and could no longer back out of his decision. If he refused the challenge now, he would only become the laughingstock of his clansmen.
Gritting his teeth, Nu Yan gave B-2 a questioning look. A-1 was dead, so he could only count on B-2 now. There was no denying that B-2 was slightly weaker than A-1, but the difference was not too great. Against an injured and exhausted opponent, his odds of obtaining victory were quite high.
Under Nu Yan’s gaze, B-2 lowered his head and said nothing.
“Waste!” Nu Yan snarled.
B-2’s behaviour obviously indicated that he had no confidence in winning. Things were bound to end badly if he were sent to fight with such a mentality. Besides, he had diligently served Nu Yan for a long time. Even if he was a mere servant, B-2 had been very earnest and supportive throughout all these years.
Nu Yan was reluctant to send B-2 to certain death despite his angry cursing, so he turned to Yang Kai and snapped, “You go!”
Having only just picked E-5 up, he did not know what his strength was like. Be that as it may, the Open Heaven Realm Masters were all the same. Seeing that B-2 had no confidence of winning, then the situation was most likely hopeless for E-5 too.
At this point, Nu Yan already regretted not leaving immediately earlier. If he had left, even if he suffered some losses, they wouldn’t have been too unbearable. In contrast, the situation had worsened now. Even the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple he just picked up would have to die here.
Be that as it may, if he had to choose between B-2 and E-5, Nu Yan would choose to abandon E-5. He was not familiar with the new recruit, so he could simply act as if he had not picked anybody up in the first place. By thinking like that, he could comfort himself slightly.
“Yes!” Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist in response. He never imagined that this matter would fall upon his shoulders. Although he felt helpless, the Black Ink Clansman who was supposed to be his ‘Master’ had spoken, so he could only obey.
Nu Yan spoke through gritted teeth, “Even if you die, you have to drag him down with you!”
Yang Kai nodded and jumped into the crater.
Standing beside Nu Yan, D-4 sighed slightly. If it had to be said, he quite liked E-5. The main reason was that A-1 and the others were taciturn while E-5 was willing to chat with him despite being a newcomer. Now that E-5 had been ordered to enter the gambling arena, he would most likely never return again. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven was not an easy opponent after all. That was why D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.
Inside the crater, a bloody stench filled the air. Severed limbs and pieces of flesh could be seen everywhere. An innumerable number of Black Ink Disciples had died in this place, so much so that the blood they spilled had dyed the ground crimson.
The Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven looked over indifferently. His expression was calm. There were signs of injury on his body, but they were not serious. It was just that his battle against A-1 earlier had indeed consumed a lot of his strength. Regardless of his condition though, he was confident that he could defeat his opponent in this kind of venue.
“Please!” Yang Kai cupped his fist at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven.
The words had only just left Yang Kai’s mouth when the opponent shot towards him like an arrow released from its string. His World Force was wrapped around his figure for defence, but his momentum was very aggressive. Since he had already revealed his hand during the first round, there was no longer any need to hide his abilities. Besides, he planned to finish this fight as soon as possible. It was only natural for him to seize the advantage by closing the distance.
In the next moment, the Bright King Cave Heaven Master was slightly taken aback because his opponent was also rushing forward like him. There were no signs of activating a Secret Technique or traces of summoning an artifact, just a punch clad in World Force crashing down on him.
There was an uproar in the audience as countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples widened their eyes in shock and amazement.
Although Nu Yan was also shocked, he was even more furious! [That damn E-5! Knowing that the opponent comes from Bright King Cave Heaven and boasts a strong physical body, I can’t believe he dared to take the initiative to meet him head on! That’s exactly how A-1 was killed earlier!]
However, recalling his own words just now, he suppressed the flames of his anger. He had the vague feeling that E-5 was following his orders and trying to create an opportunity to drag his opponent down with him. If that was the case, then his current actions were understandable.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion boomed across the arena, and shockwaves visible to the naked eye erupted outward. Two figures collided fiercely against each other, then suddenly separated as they flew out in opposite directions.
The first collision went beyond everybody’s expectations.
In the previous battle, the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had already displayed the immense strength of his body. Seeing Yang Kai dashing forward without the fear of death, they all believed that it would be a one-sided massacre, but on the contrary, it turned out to be an evenly matched situation.
Nu Yan was stunned! Even Lang Ya, who had a smile at the corner of his lips, was also stunned. Meanwhile, D-4’s mouth gaped open in shock.
Nobody could have expected Yang Kai to withstand the punch of the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven. Nevertheless, one clash was not enough to prove anything, only the upcoming battle would determine the victor.
Two figures landed on the ground heavily.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had a surprised look in his eyes, but his figure kept charging forward without stopping. Putting some strength into his legs, he kicked off the ground so hard that an indentation formed. At the same time, he charged towards Yang Kai once more. When he was in mid-air, he saw his opponent making the same choice again!
*Hong… Hong… Hong…*
The two figures inside the crater constantly collided and separated. The cycle repeated again and again without the slightest pause. With every collision, the violent World Force kicked up the wind and the clouds. Like throwing a rock into the calm surface of the lake, shockwaves blasted out like ripples spreading into the surroundings.
The silent audience gathered around the crater immediately burst into cheer. This fierce battle enraptured and excited the Black Ink Clan.
There were no fancy Secret Techniques or exchanges between offensive and defensive artifacts, there were only bloody fists against flesh. It was the most primitive kind of conflict, a battle that had never been seen before in the gambling arena. It was enough to bring out the deep-seated murderous brutality buried deep within their hearts and intoxicated them greatly.
The smile on Lang Ya’s face gradually vanished, and his expression became solemn.
Meanwhile, Nu Yan’s expression was filled with surprise. He originally made the choice between abandoning B-2 or E-5, sending the unknown E-5 into battle. Who could have known that E-5 would give him such a pleasant surprise?
Despite facing a direct confrontation with a cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven, E-5 did not lose out in the slightest. Leaving aside the final outcome of the battle, just this scene alone had already broken his previous assumptions.
“Is he also from Bright King Cave Heaven?” Nu Yan turned to look at D-4.
Along the journey, D-4 and E-5 had gotten together and whispered to each other from time to time. It was not that he did not notice, but rather that he did not have to worry about the loyalty of the Black Ink Disciples under him, so he rarely bothered to care about their private lives. Nu Yan had not asked about E-5’s background and had even given him a name in a haphazard manner.
However, D-4 should know something.
Upon hearing the question, D-4 shook his head, “No. He claimed to be from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
The Black Ink Clan had a certain understanding of the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, so needless to say, even Nu Yan had heard of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. As a result, he immediately became puzzled, “Do the people from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven have such powerful bodies?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Those from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven are proficient in the Yin-Yang Union Cultivation. They are not known for the strength of their bodies. E-5… may just be innately gifted!”
That was the only explanation. It was not to say that others would not have strong bodies if they did not come from Bright King Cave Heaven. It was only a general comparison. The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly focused on Body Tempering, so their Secret Arts were also based on enhancing their physiques.
“Who do you think is better between them?” Nu Yan asked with great interest. Although he was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman with strength equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was not very familiar with the way Humans fought. He could only see that the battle was extremely intense, but he could not see who held the upper hand.
D-4 could not really say because he himself could not tell; thus, he could only speak conservatively, “E-5 has hope of winning!”
That was enough.
Nu Yan laughed heartily, “Good! Very good!”
[I’ve truly found a treasure! It’s a blessing that I sent him out to participate in this battle. I would never have known that E-5 was so amazing otherwise.]
At the same time, he began to worry about E-5’s safety. It would be good if E-5 won the battle, but if E-5 was defeated and killed, the loss would break his heart even more than the death of A-1.
Nu Yan turned his head to the side, and seeing that Lang Ya’s expression was solemn and no longer as calm and relaxed as before, he sneered, “D-4, what do the Humans say about such situations?”
Observing the situation, D-4 quickly said, “All your clever scheming has led to your downfall! There’s also a saying, ‘Tried to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice’!”
“Right! Right!” Nu Yan nodded repeatedly, “That’s how it goes.”
Lang Ya glanced sideways and coldly spat, “The Black Ink Disciple under your command is too presumptuous.”
Nu Yan snorted with laughter, “As you know, he is a Black Ink Disciple under my command. He is none of your damn business! Weren’t you laughing so happily earlier? Why don’t you show me a smile now?”
How could Lang Ya smile at this time when he was pale with rage?
Lang Ya originally thought that he would obtain another victory. Who could have known that Nu Yan would have such a talented servant under him? Lang Ya even suspected that Nu Yan had set him up. Why else would Nu Yan have behaved so reluctantly earlier?
Just as Lang Ya was gritting his teeth in anger, the Black Ink Disciple beside him suddenly exclaimed softly, “Master, something isn’t right!”
Ignoring Nu Yan’s pestering, Lang Ya quickly looked down into the crater below. What entered his field of view made his heart sink.
There was indeed something wrong.
At first, the two Black Ink Disciples had been evenly matched and there was no telling who was having the upper hand; however, in such a short time, the Black Ink Disciple under his command had clearly fallen behind. The Black Ink Disciple no longer showed the same heroic bravery as before and was steadily being pushed back by his opponent. He was in a wretched state.
This scene made Lang Ya’s expression become even uglier. He had been extremely confident in the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven under him; otherwise, he would not have ordered him to fight two consecutive battles. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to reap some benefits from Nu Yan, but how could he have anticipated such an outcome? At this rate, he would really end up trying to steal a chicken but losing his rice.
Another peal of smug laughter came from Nu Yan, which sounded extremely grating to Lang Ya’s ears.
The Black Ink Clansmen watching the battle cheered loudly, making Lang Ya become increasingly anxious. In the end, he couldn’t help roaring furiously, “Kill him! Otherwise, I will kill you myself!”
When the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven on the battlefield heard the command from his Master, he ferociously threw his fist at Yang Kai to open up some distance between them. His hands then moved swiftly to form a set of seals and cast a Secret Technique. Following the fluctuation of World Force around him, a dazzling giant illusory phantom enveloped his body. His entire being seemed to integrate with the illusory phantom, and his aura soared instantly.
Immovable Bright King Golden Body!
The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven focused on cultivating their physical bodies; hence, the Immovable Bright King Golden Body was their biggest trump card. If he unleashed this Secret Technique, then it meant that he was ready to fight with everything he had.
Yang Kai, who was now being pushed back, looked annoyed. With his current strength, it would not take much effort for him to defeat or even kill this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator in front of him; however, he was currently stuck in the depths of Black Ink Clan’s territory, so he did not dare to expose too much and was consciously suppressing his true strength. After all, if he killed his opponent in two or three hits, he would surely draw attention to himself. In the worst case, he might even pique the interest of a Feudal Lord.
A Black Ink Feudal Lord was equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Receiving the attention of such a Master was bound to cause unexpected complications to occur.
In contrast, the one he currently followed was no more than a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, Nu Yan. Even if an unexpected incident occurred, Yang Kai could easily resolve the matter with his strength alone.
That was why he had pretended to be going all out, as though he aimed to die together with his opponent, while in truth he was greatly holding back.
Now that his opponent had suddenly activated his Immovable Bright King Golden Body though, the strength that Yang Kai displayed so far was not enough to match. As this thought swirled around in his head, Yang Kai sighed softly and immediately activated the power of his Dragon Vein.
There was no other choice. If he did not do this, he would have no explanation for what would happen next. His opponent’s strength had soared, so if he did not use some sort of trump card as well, then he would have no way to explain his increase in strength.
In front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai let out a furious howl. His expression was filled with savagery. Immediately after that, a series of crackling and popping sounds rang out and his figure swelled up.
Yang Kai did not dare to perform a complete Dragon Transformation as that would turn him into a 20,000 metres long Grand Dragon. If he were to do that, he would most certainly be exposed.
While carefully supressing his Dragon Vein, Yang Kai’s figure abruptly swelled until he was a dozen metres tall. His exposed skin was covered in a layer of dense Dragon Scales, a Dragon Horn protruded from his forehead, his hands turned into Dragon Claws, and a Dragon Tail swished back and forth behind his back. With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he stood there in a Half-Dragon Form while a faint Dragon Pressure permeated the air and a Dragon Roar reverberated throughout the gambling arena.
Outside the crater, Nu Yan widened his eyes in astonishment and stared at the changes in front of him in shock. B-2, C-3, and D-4 standing beside him were equally shocked. Then, D-4 suddenly exclaimed, “So that’s it!”
Nu Yan looked back, “What?”
D-4 quickly cupped his fist, “Master, it looks like E-5 is not a pureblood Human. He probably has some Dragon Clan blood in him!”
“A Dragon Clan bloodline!” Nu Yan raised his eyebrows at those words, “Isn’t that what you Humans call the leaders of the Divine Spirits?”
Even though he had participated in the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Humans countless times, the truth was that Nu Yan had never seen the Dragon Clan in person before. At most, he only heard of such a Race.
Nevertheless, he immediately became excited, “Doesn’t that mean he is amazing?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Reporting to Master, E-5 may have some Dragon Clan blood running through his veins, but his bloodline is clearly not very pure. Judging by his appearance, he is what we call a ‘Dragonborn’. He is not part of the true Dragon Clan.” As if afraid that Nu Yan would not understand, he made an analogy, “If you compare the Black Ink Clan to the Dragon Clan, then the Dragonborn is similar to Black Ink Disciples. Although the Dragonborn have some of the Dragon Clan’s powers, they are far from the real thing.”
Nu Yan nodded without really understanding the explanation. In any case, he knew that the servant called E-5 was quite special.
D-4 continued, “The Dragon Clan is very powerful. They are known as the head of the Divine Spirits; hence, their physical bodies are extraordinarily powerful. E-5’s strong physique is probably related to the Dragon Vein in his body. It all makes sense now. He comes from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven after all, so how can his body be stronger than that of someone from Bright King Cave Heaven? It turns out he was a Dragonborn all along.”
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Turning to look at Lang Ya, he mocked the other party, “You have chosen the wrong opponent.”
Lang Ya coldly snorted, “It is uncertain who will win and who will lose. Don’t get carried away.”
Nu Yan snorted and said nothing more. Wasting time arguing with Lang Ya was meaningless. As long as his servant won the battle, he would be able to see Lang Ya’s angry and depressed face, which would make it all worth it.
On the battlefield inside the crater, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, who cast his Immovable Bright King Golden Body, and Yang Kai, who was in his Half-Dragon Form, attacked and collided with each other again.
This time around, the battle was more ferocious and cruel compared to before.
Everybody knew that both parties had played their final cards and the outcome of the life-or-death battle was about to be decided, so all were excitedly paying attention.
The two gigantic figures collided with each other, but they did not separate from each other as they did before. On the contrary, they became entangled together. Activating the powers of their Small Universes, they constantly attacked each other indiscriminately. Both of them had completely abandoned any form of defence and focused solely on a fierce offensive. They were behaving as though they wanted to kill each other or die trying.
Yang Kai even used his Dragon Tail and Dragon Fangs to attack.
This battle was not flashy, but it was ferocious and brutal. Fresh blood splattered everywhere, and the two figures rolled about in a tangle of limbs. When they slammed into the light barrier, the impact even made an indentation in it. Although the light barrier recovered quickly, the horrifying power behind their collision could be seen.
After some time, the light of the Immovable Bright King Golden Body gradually became dim; likewise, Yang Kai was drenched in blood and he looked as though he was in a precarious state.
Be it Lang Ya or Nu Yan, their expressions became solemn. Nobody had expected this battle to end up in this situation. It was impossible to tell who would win in the end; however, it had to be said that this was a satisfying battle to watch. That much was obvious just by looking at the exhilarated expressions of the Black Ink Clan in the audience.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion erupted. The two figures that had been tangled together since they pulled out their final trump cards finally separated, dropped out of the sky, and crashed to the ground.
The Immovable Bright King Golden Body had been shattered completely and the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator lay motionless on the ground. It was unknown whether he was still alive.
The corners of D-4’s mouth twitched slightly. Although he came from Nine Stars Paradise, he was aware that a Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s Golden Body was extremely powerful. It was unbelievable to think that it had been forcibly broken with brute force. If Bright King Cave Heaven learned about this situation, they would certainly feel ashamed.
Yang Kai’s Dragon Transformation slowly disappeared, and he returned to his Human Form. Similarly, he lay on the ground without moving.
[Did the both of them die?] The Black Ink Clan watched with eyes widened in surprise. If that was the outcome of the battle, then it would be quite interesting in and of itself. They did not care for the life or death of the Black Ink Disciples, so it would be a worthwhile trip here if they could witness such an exhilarating battle.
However, there were no signs of any Small Universes collapsing. In other words, both parties were still alive. It was just that the battle had been too intense, so they were completely exhausted.
Lang Ya’s furious roar rang out, “Stand up and kill him!”
[Victory or defeat is only one step away, how can I fall short now!?]
Seeming to hear his master’s command, the fingers of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator twitched in response; then, he struggled to his feet and staggered towards Yang Kai.
Nu Yan felt as though his heart was in his throat. Although he sent E-5 into battle because he originally planned to abandon him, this battle had completely exceeded his expectations. Based on the strength E-5 displayed so far, it was clear that he was much stronger than A-1. Nu Yan was reluctant to throw aside a servant like that, but there was nothing he could do at this moment. Masters were not allowed to interfere in the fights between their Black Ink Disciples. Those were the rules.
Seeing that the opponent was going to reach E-5, Nu Yan yelled anxiously, “Get up! Get up!”
Yang Kai remained motionless.
D-4 sighed sorrowfully, [In the end, he still lost.]
In this place, defeat meant death as the opponent would not be merciful.
In front of everybody’s eyes, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator staggered over to Yang Kai and stood before him. It was at that moment that Yang Kai, who had been lying there without moving, abruptly leaped to his feet and kicked his opponent in the chest. His opponent stumbled and fell to the ground. Then, he lunged forward, sat on his opponent, and threw a frenzy of punches.
Nu Yan had been so nervous that his heart was about to jump out of his chest, so when he saw this sight, he couldn’t help laughing out loud.
On the other hand, Lang Ya was flabbergasted. He never imagined such a turn of events would occur.
*Peng peng peng…*
Yang Kai’s fist smashed down, causing the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator to become bruised and bloody under his punches. Be that as it may, everyone could tell that he barely had any strength left even though he was attacking fiercely. His punches seemed almost weak and flimsy.
At the beginning, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator struggled to fight back; nevertheless, he quickly lost the strength to resist and just lay there to be slaughtered. He was also a dry oil lamp at this point.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped and struggled to his feet. Immediately after that, he did something completely unexpected. He grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator by one of the legs and staggered towards Nu Yan.
The cheers had died down. All the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples were staring at Yang Kai in confusion. Having reached this point, the winner of this battle was obvious; even so, the conclusion of the battle never came. In a place like this, one party had to die in order for a deathmatch to be considered over.
Although Yang Kai had won the battle, his opponent was still alive. The audience understood. It was not that he didn’t want to kill his opponent. He simply no longer had the strength to do so!
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was a dry oil lamp who didn’t even have the strength to fight back at this point. Be that as it may, thanks to how he normally focused on cultivating his physical body, his physique was incredibly intrepid all on its own. It was not easy for an opponent who was equally exhausted to kill him.
Such a situation had never been seen before.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was feeling extremely uneasy as he dragged the Bright King Heaven cultivator towards Nu Yan. He didn’t know whether the plan he had made up on the spot could be realised; even so, he had to try. This matter involved a life after all.
Inside the Sealed World, Meng Qi once told him that there was no need for him to show mercy to his opponents if he encountered another Black Ink Disciple in the future. On the contrary, he should kill them if he could as that would in and of itself be a blessing for them.
Yang Kai never imagined that the time to make such a choice would appear so quickly before him; however, he could not bring himself to ruthlessly slaughter the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in front of him. He had the means to solve the root issue after all. There might be an opportunity for him to rescue this Black Ink Disciple and restore his original nature; which was why he tried every means possible to defeat his opponent without killing him.
Staggering over to Nu Yan, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Master, fortunately, I did not fail my mission!”
Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good! I knew I was right about you.”
The truth was that he had made up his mind to abandon Yang Kai when he sent him into the battlefield earlier. Looking back on his decision now, it would seem like he had great foresight instead.
Nu Yan lowered his head and glanced at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator whom Yang Kai had dragged over to him. A greedy look flashed across his eyes as he stretched out his hand, “Hand him to me.”
Yang Kai had no choice but to obey.
Nu Yan reached out and grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, his large palm holding him upright as his Black Ink Strength surged and wrapped around the latter.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Nu Yan’s actions had not disappointed him. This situation was exactly what he had been hoping for.
On the other hand, the expression of Lang Ya, who had been gnashing his teeth and watching from nearby, immediately fell at this sight and he shouted grimly, “Nu Yan, what are you doing!?”
He initially thought that Nu Yan would simply enjoy the spoils of war. The World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was an extremely nutritious supplement to a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman after all. Nu Yan’s strength would surely increase sharply after devouring the World Force of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
How could he have anticipated that Nu Yan had no such plans at all? Contrary to expectations, Nu Yan used his own Black Ink Strength to corrode the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator; in this way, wouldn’t the Bright King Heaven cultivator become Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciple instead?
How could Lang Ya accept this situation? A living Black Ink Disciple and a dead Black Ink Disciple had very different values.
He had agreed on a death match with Nu Yan, so now that the outcome of the battle had been decided, Lang Ya had mentally prepared himself for his Black Ink Disciple to be killed. If Nu Yan had killed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, then he would have nothing to say; however, Nu Yan’s current actions were unacceptable to him. Doing this would greatly increase the overall strength of Nu Yan’s subordinates. Conversely, Lang Ya would lose a powerful subordinate. Thanks to this shift in numbers, the gap between his strength and Nu Yan’s strength would become very large.
“Do you have an objection?” Nu Yan glanced sideways at Lang Ya.
Lang Ya roared angrily, “You and I agreed to a death match! The battle must end with death to determine the winner! What do you mean by stealing my Black Ink Disciple now!?”
If it were a life bout where the ownership of the losing Black Ink Disciple was the wager, then Nu Yan’s actions would be beyond reproach; however, it was different for a deathmatch.
Nu Yan sneered, “What do you mean by stealing? The outcome of the battle has been decided and these are spoils of war. If I want him alive, he will live. If I want him dead, he will die. His life is mine now. It has nothing to do with you.”
Lang Ya insisted on the rules and refused to back down, “A deathmatch is a deathmatch! Between these two Black Ink Disciples, only one may survive. You may choose which one!”
Nu Yan shook his head slowly, “Nobody ever said that only one person can survive in a death match.”
It was true that nobody had ever specified such a thing, it was just that every deathmatch had ended with the same result, mainly because the Black Ink Disciples who fought in each battle were not significantly different in strength. There had never been a situation in which a Black Ink Disciple with a higher Order had utterly suppressed a Black Ink Disciple with a lower Order before.
Seeing as the Black Ink Disciples could not afford to hold back once the fight started, it was only natural that one side would eventually be defeated and killed. In this way, everybody had simply taken this rule as a given.
A situation like this, where Yang Kai had captured his opponent alive and returned to his Master, was unprecedented; hence, there was room for interpretation.
Lang Ya did not waste his time arguing with Nu Yan though. Raising his arms, he shouted to the audience, “Let’s ask our clansmen! What are the rules of a deathmatch!?”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Deafening cheers rang out from the surrounding audience. The Black Ink Clan did not care about who would benefit from this situation, they simply wanted to see blood and death.
Lang Ya gave Nu Yan a defiant look with a smug expression on his face.
Nu Yan’s expression became solemn. He really liked this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, so it would be great if he could take him under his command. However, his gains would not be worth the losses if he incurred the wrath of his clansmen here.
While Nu Yan was hesitating, Yang Kai suddenly cupped his fist, “Master, why don’t you let me fight him again? I can slowly, slowly torture him to death!”
Nu Yan frowned and asked, “Slowly torture him to death?”
What would the point of that be?
Yang Kai quickly followed up, “What do you think of a hundred years?”
Only then did Nu Yan understand and grinned to himself. Who would be willing to watch this fight drag on for 100 years? Even Lang Ya may not have such patience. Once Lang Ya was gone, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator would naturally become his Black Ink Disciple. It wasn’t a bad solution.
“You court death!” Lang Ya turned and glared at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai lowered his head, “If Master wants me dead, I will die!”
The implication behind his words was naturally ‘you are not qualified to order me around’.
D-4’s eyes widened when he heard those words. It was only at this moment that he realised how bold E-5 was, [I can’t believe he dared to speak to a Black Ink Clansman in such an aggressive manner!? Does he not know how to write the word ‘death’!?]
“Impudence!” Nu Yan rebuked, but the tone of his voice held no sense of reproach whatsoever.
Yang Kai bowed his head in deference.
Nu Yan then turned to look at Lang Ya, “I’m sure you’re not willing to spend 100 years watching a boring fight, right? If you’re really that leisurely, then I can allow the two Black Ink Disciples to continue their match.”
In any case, the cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven had already been imbued with his Black Ink Strength and could already be considered his Black Ink Disciple. As long as Nu Yan gave the order, it was really possible for the two Black Ink Disciples to fight for another 100 years.
Lang Ya’s expression was frigid, but he remained silent.
“Let’s do this. Why don’t we just invite the three Feudal Lords to adjudicate this matter? We can ask them for their opinions and decide based on the majority. Whatever the Feudal Lords decide, we will obey their decision,” Nu Yan suggested.
The reason Nu Yan made such a suggestion was that he would not suffer any losses, regardless of the outcome. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was allowed to live, then he would obtain an additional powerful servant. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was condemned to die, then he could take the opportunity to devour his World Force and increase his own strength.
On the contrary, no matter how the situation turned out, Lang Ya would not benefit in any way.
More importantly, Nu Yan did not have 100 years to waste either.
Seeing as Nu Yan had already made such a suggestion, how could Lang Ya refuse? He immediately nodded in agreement, “Good!”
Nu Yan turned to look around him, then he placed his hand on his chest, “I respectfully invite our respected Feudal Lords to pass judgement upon this matter.” Pointing at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, he continued, “The life of this Black Ink Disciple will depend on your judgement, Sirs.”
There were Black Ink Feudal Lords mixed among the Black Ink Clan watching in the surroundings; moreover, they were not few in number. As long as one could reach the appropriate level of strength, they would automatically become a Feudal Lord, but not every Black Ink Feudal Lord had their own territory.
This place was the Fierce Wind Estate, and there was naturally a Feudal Lord in charge here; as such, other Feudal Lords did not have a say in how this place operated. Since the Lord of the Fierce Wind Estate had a territory of his own, that could only mean that his strength was incomparable to an ordinary Feudal Lord. Still, that did not mean other Feudal Lords did not have any authority here.
It was the same as Void Land. There were so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, but despite also being one of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai was also Void Land’s Lord. The others might be part of Void Land, but they did not have the status of being the Lord.
After Nu Yan finished speaking, he waited quietly.
A short while later, a female Black Ink Feudal Lord finally spoke up with great majesty, “A deathmatch should involve death. What meaning is there for both to survive?”
The meaning behind her words was extremely clear.
Lang Ya and Nu Yan bowed with their hands on their chests as a sign of respect. Then, they quietly waited for the next Feudal Lord to speak. Nevertheless, Lang Ya’s expression was obviously much more relaxed thanks to the support of this female Feudal Lord.
Nu Yan was unaffected by the situation as he figured he would win regardless of the outcome.
After a while, another Feudal Lord spoke, “The Black Ink Disciple is also part of the Black Ink Clan’s strength. Let him live. He will be of use on the battlefield.”
The opinions of the two Feudal Lords had opposed each other. In that case, the last Feudal Lord would undoubtedly decide the life or death of that Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
A voice soon rang out from somewhere, “Let him live!”
The response was very concise. There was no need for much explanation. He probably had the same thoughts as the second Feudal Lord. The Black Ink Disciple could contribute more if he survived.
Nu Yan and Lang Ya bowed once more.
When they straightened their backs, Nu Yan gave Lang Ya a triumphant smile.
Lang Ya snorted in response. Turning around, he left with his remaining Black Ink Disciple in tow. He originally had three Black Ink Disciples gathered around him, including two Fifth-Order and one Sixth-Order. One of his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been killed by D-4, and his only Sixth-Order servant had been captured by Yang Kai. At present, he was only left with one Fifth-Order Master. It was a bleak sight to behold.
If Lang Ya wanted to obtain more Black Ink Disciples, then he could only buy them from other Black Ink Clansmen, participate in similar gambling battles, or wait for the war to break out so that he could corrupt a Human cultivator with his Black Ink Strength on the battlefield. In any case, he suffered a huge loss this time.
Nu Yan, who was in conflict with Lang Ya, was naturally overjoyed by this turn of events. The two gambling battles had resulted in the loss of A-1, followed by the acquisition of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
Although the line-up under his command remained at five subordinates, his overall strength had increased. Everything could be accredited to the newly-recruited servant called E-5. If E-5 had not given him such an unexpectedly pleasant surprise today, he would not be so ecstatic right now.
Turning around, he looked at Yang Kai, who was bloody and dishevelled from the fight. The more he looked at Yang Kai, the happier he became. He had never found a Black Ink Disciple so appealing before.
“From today onwards, you will be called A-1!” Nu Yan said while looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist and responded softly, “Yes!”
His name had changed from E-5 to A-1 all of a sudden. It was obviously a giant leap in status.
“Your name is E-5!” The Black Ink Clansman looked at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator again.
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had yet to recover fully after such a short rest, but he had enough energy to at least stand up now. Despite his pale complexion, he responded in the affirmative.
Thanks to Yang Kai’s performance earlier, Nu Yan’s attitude towards him became much warmer and friendlier; moreover, he would glance at Yang Kai from time to time with a thoughtful expression.
Leading the Black Ink Disciples under his command, Nu Yan left the gambling arena and found a place to rest. He even handed many cultivation resources to Yang Kai so that the latter could recover sooner.
Yang Kai could only show a grateful attitude. The truth was that the previous fight against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had not exhausted him to a great extent. He had been holding back his strength all this time, so he only looked like he was in a wretched condition on the surface. Nevertheless, in order not to expose his secret, Yang Kai was forced to suppress his recovery ability as much as possible. In this way, it took him three whole days before he returned to his peak.
During these three days, he repeatedly felt Nu Yan watching him with a vaguely meaningful look. These occurrences made him somewhat vigilant. He even wondered whether he had accidentally revealed his secrets and caused Nu Yan to become suspicious of him. Upon careful consideration though, Yang Kai realised that his worries were unwarranted. He had not made any mistakes, so Nu Yan could not have figured out anything; even so, he could not understand what Nu Yan was thinking.
When Yang Kai opened his eyes on the third day, it was obvious that Nu Yan had been waiting for a long time. Nu Yan’s gaze immediately swept in his direction, and he called out, “A-1!”
Yang Kai stood up and cupped his fist, “How may I help you, Master?”
“With your ability, how many battles can you win if you fought consecutive rounds against Humans in the same Order without any rest?” Nu Yan asked.
Yang Kai did not know why Nu Yan was asking about this. He thought to himself that it was impossible for him to lose against opponents in the same Order no matter how many of them he fought, but he answered cautiously, “Three battles, at most.”
Nu Yan raised his eyebrows, “Three? Very good!” While saying that, he stood up and looked in a certain direction, “I’m going to bring you to a gambling arena. Can you guarantee that you will be undefeated in all three battles?”
Yang Kai frowned and asked, “This subordinate has just shown his face in the gambling arena a few days ago. Will anybody be willing to be my opponent if we go again now?”
His previous battle against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had been witnessed by many Black Ink Clansmen. No matter how much he had suppressed his strength, his victory would not change. There might not be anybody who was willing to take up the challenge due to the skills Yang Kai showed in the earlier battle.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Rest assured, there will definitely be contenders. Even if there aren’t, I’ll think of a way. You don’t need to worry about this. However, I need you to guarantee me that you will never lose. If you think that you are incapable of continuing, then let me know in advance.”
He was reluctant to lose a servant like Yang Kai.
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded.
“Let’s go!” Nu Yan beckoned with his hand and led his Black Ink Disciples towards the gambling arena once more.
A short while later, they arrived at a crater where two Black Ink Disciples were fighting. The surrounding area was as lively as ever. This was undoubtedly a deathmatch. The two Black Ink Disciples were struggling desperately, each unleashing their respective Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities. It was an extraordinarily heated battle, and the cheers rang out endlessly from the crowd.
After waiting for some time, the fight between the two Black Ink Disciples finally came to an end. The winner survived, and the loser died. Sometimes, the fate of Black Ink Disciples lay at the whims of the Black Ink Clan.
When the victorious Black Ink Disciple left the arena, Nu Yan signalled Yang Kai with a look.
Yang Kai immediately understood and flew down into the crater. It had only been three days since he last fought a valiant battle here, so many Black Ink Clansmen recognised him when he suddenly showed up here. They immediately looked enthusiastic, chatting while watching with great interest. Be that as it may, no Black Ink Clansman sent their own Black Ink Disciple into the arena.
This couldn’t be helped as Yang Kai’s performance a few days ago had been too extraordinary. If somebody entered the arena without confidence, they would only suffer a tragic end. It was not easy to obtain Black Ink Disciples, so the Black Ink Clan was not willing to squander them carelessly. Naturally, there were many Black Ink Clansmen who showed interest in Yang Kai. It was just that they could only shake their heads regretfully after asking the opinions of the Black Ink Disciples under their command.
Despite waiting for a while, nobody stepped forward to accept the challenge. Yang Kai remained standing in the middle of the crater, looking rather bored. A Black Ink Clansman soon yelled from the surrounding area, “Nu Yan, nobody will accept your challenge if you send this person into battle! Change him for someone else!”
Nu Yan bared his teeth in annoyance. He initially thought that he could get lucky, and a Black Ink Clansman who was not aware of Yang Kai’s strength would send their Black Ink Disciple into battle. Who could have known that there were no reckless fools around today? The Black Ink Clansmen who witnessed the battle three days ago would not be deceived, and those who had not witnessed the battle in person learned about the situation after making some enquiries.
Since he could not rely on luck, he could only lure others in with the temptation of profit.
Nu Yan chuckled and spoke in a carrying voice, “It is true that my Black Ink Disciple is quite strong. I’ve never seen anybody else in the same Order who is more powerful than him. But, since he is already standing in the arena, it’s a pity to leave without even fighting. Let’s do this instead. We’ll fight a life bout. Whoever wins the battle can go ahead and take him away. Whoever loses the battle will only need to pay me 100 Black Ink Coins.”
As soon as this statement came out, an uproar broke out among the Black Ink Clansmen. Nu Yan’s words were too brazen. It was almost like he was implying that it was impossible for his Black Ink Disciple to be defeated.
A Black Ink Clansman immediately asked eagerly, “Nu Yan, are you serious?”
The value of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple was not low. If a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple were to be traded, they would definitely be sold for tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins. It had to be said that tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins would be a sizable chunk of wealth to a High-Rank Black Ink Clan.
Even if they lost, the compensation was not too high. There would not be any deaths either since it was a life bout. In other words, they did not need to worry about their Black Ink Disciples dying and only needed to pay 100 Black Ink Coins.
It was only 100 Black Ink Coins; who could not afford something like that? Even the Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen could bring out 100 Black Ink Coins at will.
Nu Yan nodded, “Of course, I’m being serious. That is something I announced in public, so how can I go back on my words?”
Upon hearing those words, the Black Ink Clansmen immediately became agitated and sent the Black Ink Disciples under their command into the arena. Dozens of Black Ink Disciples instantly took to the air and landed inside the crater.
Originally, Yang Kai stood alone in the gambling arena, now, a dozen or so figures were present.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Are you planning to gang up on me? If that’s the case, I will have to admit defeat.”
Many of the Black Ink Clansmen looked around at each other. Nobody was willing to let their Black Ink Disciples retire from this battle. It was a great opportunity after all. Therefore, they all waited for the others to withdraw their Black Ink Disciples from the battlefield.
After a period of stalemate, Nu Yan came up with a suggestion, “Let’s do this. I’ll ask my Black Ink Disciple to randomly pick an opponent. Whomever he chooses will be the opponent in this battle, so there’s no need to argue over this matter. What do you think?”
This suggestion naturally received unanimous approval from everybody, so they nodded in agreement.
Only then did Nu Yan lower his head to look at Yang Kai, “Choose one yourself.”
Yang Kai swept his eyes over the crowd and randomly pointed a finger at a handsome young man, “You!”
The young man nodded lightly, and the other Black Ink Disciples left the battlefield after receiving orders from their respective Masters. Soon, only Yang Kai and the young man were left on the battlefield.
Nu Yan said, “Once you’re ready, you may start at any time.”
As soon as those words rang out, Yang Kai slammed into his opponent like an arrow released from the string. His large hand reached out as World Force surged around his palm.
The young man had obviously seen the battle three days ago, so he knew Yang Kai’s strength. As soon as he saw Yang Kai making a move, how could he dare to let his opponent approach him? He immediately fled to the back and simultaneously cast a Secret Technique.
The Secret Technique blasted at Yang Kai, but Yang Kai neither dodged nor avoided the attack and instead threw out a punch.
The battle was quite fierce. The young man was quite strong. Having originated from a Cave Heaven or Paradise, he was not an average Master. Both parties exchanged blows furiously, allowing the Black Ink Clan to enjoy the battle with relish.
For Yang Kai, this kind of battle was nothing special. It was just that he needed to moderately show off his strength without exposing too much, so suppressing his power was actually the most difficult part.
The intense battle lasted for an incense stick, and in the end, Yang Kai found an opportunity to punch the young man so hard that he coughed up blood and flew out. During that interval, Yang Kai did not pursue victory and simply stood silently in place.
The young man gasped for breath for some time before he cupped his fist and flew away without a word.
The corners of Nu Yan’s mouth curled into a smile at the sight. After receiving the 100 Black Ink Coins from the master of the Black Ink Disciple earlier, he glanced at Yang Kai questioningly, to which Yang Kai nodded lightly in response.
Seeing that, Nu Yan suddenly became confident and shouted, “The rules for the next battle will remain the same, but the loser will have to pay me 500 Black Ink Coins!”
Many Black Ink Clansmen were stunned.
Generally speaking, Black Ink Disciples would need to rest after each fight. It was not common for them to fight consecutive battles. Of course, it had happened once three days ago, the result of which was Lang Ya’s Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven being snatched by Nu Yan.
The strength of Black Ink Disciples in the same Order did not vary greatly, so it was very difficult for them to bear the burden of continuous battles; hence, Nu Yan’s practice was undoubtedly reckless. The number of Black Ink Coins might have increased from 100 to 500, but it was still within an acceptable range. 500 Black Ink Coins was not too much. Not to mention, his Black Ink Disciple had already fought once, so his strength must have declined by now.
The astonishment of the Black Ink Clan lasted only for a moment. Following that, a dozen or so Black Ink Disciples flew down and stood in front of Yang Kai once more.
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. At this point, how could he not know what Nu Yan was planning? Nu Yan was totally regarding him as a money tree!
[No wonder he previously asked me how many battles I could last. He even repeatedly told me that I must not lose and to tell him in advance if I was too tired to continue fighting.]
Despite understanding the situation, Yang Kai could only go along with the arrangement. Fortunately, Nu Yan only wanted to earn Black Ink Coins, so the battles were not deathmatches; otherwise, Yang Kai truly had no idea whether he could kill.
The same scene as earlier, along with the same rules. Yang Kai randomly chose his next opponent.
The Masters of those Black Ink Disciples who were not selected sighed in disappointment, but there was nothing they could do. In their opinion, this was a great opportunity to pick up a bargain. It was a pity that they failed to grasp the chance twice.
Be that as it may, reality turned out to be beyond their expectations. At the end of the second battle, Yang Kai won again. Although it looked like the battle had exhausted him, he pummelled his opponent to the point where they were coughing up blood. It was obvious that his opponent could no longer continue the fight.
Nu Yan was smiling so widely that his teeth could be seen. After receiving the 500 Black Ink Coins, he shot another inquiring look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai regretted saying that he could fight three battles in a row. If he had known this would happen, he would never have given such an answer. His careless response had made things difficult for him to quit now, so he could only nod lightly in silence. Sitting down cross-legged, he seized the time to ‘recover his strength’ as though he was extremely exhausted.
Many Black Ink Clansmen turned their eyes to Nu Yan and waited for him to speak, and they were not disappointed as Nu Yan soon shouted, “This is the last match! The rules will remain the same. If you win, you can take him with you. If you lose, you have to cough up 1,000 Black Ink Coins.”
Compared to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple worth tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins, 1,000 Black Ink Coins were undoubtedly worth betting on. Especially since Yang Kai had already gone through two consecutive battles. The chances of winning were astronomical at this point.
Before the third match began, the Black Ink Clansmen began to quarrel among themselves. They had watched the previous two consecutive battles. Most notably, Yang Kai had been injured during the second match so his strength would surely have been greatly reduced.
In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, it was impossible for him to win the third match. This match was going to be a huge opportunity, so nobody was willing to back down.
Although Nu Yan appeared to be watching cheerfully, he was actually feeling nervous inside. It was true that Yang Kai had given him the signal that he could continue fighting and it was also true that Yang Kai had demonstrated incredible combat prowess. Even so, he was not confident as to whether Yang Kai could win the third battle. If Yang Kai were to lose, then he would have shot himself in the foot with his actions.
At any rate, now that things had reached this point, his only option was to persevere. This was a matter concerning 1,000 Black Ink Coins after all. If this method was feasible, then he would never need to worry about Black Ink Coins again in the future.
The Black Ink Clansmen quarrelled endlessly among themselves. In the end, they decided to follow the original rules and allowed Yang Kai to pick his own opponent. The opponent would be fighting whomever he chose, and nobody could object to his decision.
When the third battle began, everybody paid close attention to the fight, with Nu Yan looking the most nervous out of them all.
The situation on the battlefield changed rapidly. The two Black Ink Disciples exchanged countless blows with each other, and the battle was astoundingly intense. Yang Kai once again transformed into his Half-Dragon Form. His performance made it seem as though he had played all his cards, but the fight left him drenched in blood nevertheless. He looked like he was at risk of dying at any moment.
Nu Yan felt his heart sinking in his chest. He was starting to think that he was going to lose the battle. On the other hand, the opponent’s side was in high spirits because he could almost see the scene where he obtained a new and powerful Black Ink Disciple.
However, accidents always occurred when they were least expected. The opponent had clearly been holding the upper hand in the battle, but he experienced a sudden turn of events. In spite of the fact that Yang Kai had been fighting for three consecutive battles and looked like a wretched mess as a result, his attacks only became increasingly aggressive the further he was pushed into a corner.
When the opponent fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground unconscious, the entire gambling arena fell silent. Yang Kai also fell out of the sky at the same time, but he managed to stay on his feet at the last moment. His complexion was as white as a sheet.
“We won!” D-4 shouted from beside Nu Yan. Nu Yan also burst into cheerful laughter, his tense mood finally relaxing.
The other party handed over a Space Ring. Nu Yan took the Space Ring and checked the amount. After confirming that there were indeed 1,000 Black Ink Coins, he smiled and said, “My respects!”
The Black Ink Clansman’s expression was indifferent. The loss of 1,000 Black Ink Coins might hurt slightly, but the damage was not significant. He nodded lightly in response, “Are you interested in another match?”
Nu Yan immediately shook his head. While he regarded Yang Kai as a cash cow, he was not a fool. Yang Kai was no longer in a state to continue fighting. If he fought another battle, he would definitely lose. How could Nu Yan agree to such a proposal?
The Black Ink Clansman added, “2,000 Black Ink Coins.”
Nu Yan continued to shake his head, “Even if you offer me 5,000 Black Ink Coins, I won’t accept the challenge!” Nevertheless, he did not cut off the possibility of future negotiations and reassured the other party with a smile, “Until next time. There will certainly be chances to have a rematch in the future.” Having said that, he turned around and instructed D-4, “Bring him back.”
D-4 accepted the command and flew towards the crater to bring Yang Kai back.
Nu Yan did not stop there. Leading his Black Ink Disciples, he returned to the place where they rested previously and handed some resources to Yang Kai for cultivation and recovery so that his wounds could heal.
Yang Kai had earned Nu Yan a total of 1,600 Black Ink Coins from the three battles earlier. The amount might not be much, but this was not a one-time gig. What was there to fear about the lack of Black Ink Coins if he repeated this cycle a few more times? Looking at Yang Kai, who was meditating in a cross-legged position nearby, Nu Yan felt as though he could see a method to earn a fortune.
A few days later, Nu Yan led Yang Kai and others to the gambling arena again. Armed with the previous experience, he showed significantly more confidence in Yang Kai this time.
Yang Kai had shown off his great strength after winning three consecutive battles a few days ago, so the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples knew that he was not an easy opponent to mess with. Be that as it may, most people believed that they might get lucky and had thoughts such as “What if I strike gold?”
In any case, the losses were not too high even if they didn’t win the match. That was why, as soon as Yang Kai entered the battlefield, several Black Ink Disciples immediately flew into the crater under the command of their Masters.
Nu Yan’s rules did not change. All three matches were life bouts, and the bet increased with every round. The first match was 100 Black Ink Coins, the second match was 500 Black Ink Coins, and the third match was 1,000 Black Ink Coins. The number of Black Ink Disciples in the battlefield increased with every round, and Yang Kai would randomly choose an opponent each time.
The three battles eventually ended with three consecutive wins! Just like before, Nu Yan earned 1,600 Black Ink Coins. He was overjoyed!
For the next month, Nu Yan would lead Yang Kai to the gambling arena every few days. It was the same experience every time. Yang Kai never disappointed him. This Black Ink Disciple was definitely his greatest treasure that would bring him enormous wealth in the future. Nu Yan secretly rejoiced that he had accidentally picked up this servant while resting inside the Black Ink Cloud back then.
In just one month, Yang Kai became famous throughout the Fierce Wind Estate! Be it the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen or the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords, all of them were paying close attention to him now. They had never seen anyone who could defeat so many Black Ink Disciples before.
Most of the Black Ink Clansmen here had participated on the real battlefield in the past. To survive and return from the battlefield meant that they had battled and slaughtered Human cultivators. It had to be said that the situation would be very terrifying if all the Human cultivators were like Yang Kai.
Even Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords took the initiative to meet Nu Yan and made their intentions to purchase Yang Kai clear. The price they offered was very reasonable. Generally speaking, a Black Ink Disciple in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would be worth 10,000 or so Black Ink Coins. Nonetheless, many of the Black Ink Feudal Lords offered a price of 20,000 or even 30,000 Black Ink Coins.
Although Nu Yan was tempted, he refused all their offers in the end. A one-time sale could never be as beneficial as long-term financial stability. He had far more plans to implement, so how could he sell Yang Kai off?
However, on a certain day one month later, nobody stepped up to accept the challenge when Nu Yan brought Yang Kai to the gambling arena. After so many battles, Yang Kai had not lost a single one. He would fight three consecutive battles each time, and he would look as though he was on the verge of losing every time. Be that as it may, he would always win in the end.
The Black Ink Clan had also noticed this issue and began to suspect that Nu Yan was digging a pit for them to jump into; therefore, they all cursed Nu Yan for being insidious and cunning. Since it was a battle they could not win, who would willingly give money away for nothing?
There was nothing Nu Yan could do if nobody accepted the challenge. After waiting for some time, he summoned Yang Kai back and left the gambling arena with his subordinates.
His efforts during this period had indeed allowed him to gain enormous benefits. In the beginning, Nu Yan did not have many assets, but now, he had enough for him to carry out something important.
Silently following behind Nu Yan, Yang Kai vaguely noticed that they seemed to be heading towards the Black Ink Nest. He had secretly observed the Black Ink Nest on many occasions during the time he lived in Fierce Wind Estate.
D-4 had mentioned that it was the place where all Black Ink Clansmen were born. The Black Ink Nest was not only an important foundation of the Black Ink Clan, but the advancement of a Black Ink Clansman’s cultivation must also be done inside a Black Ink Nest.
Entering a Black Ink Nest cost Black Ink Coins. Even purchasing World Spheres required Black Ink Coins. That was why the Black Ink Coins were considered so valuable.
Yang Kai was very concerned about this Black Ink Nest. Unfortunately, he had not had the opportunity to approach it previously and could only watch from afar. It could be said that he finally obtained what he wished for.
The group soon arrived in front of the Black Ink Nest under Nu Yan’s guidance.
From a distance, the Black Ink Nest resembled a huge flower bud. Rich Black Ink Strength tumbled about and dissipated into the surroundings with every breath it took.
Standing in front of the Black Ink Nest, Yang Kai finally realised how large it was.
The thick roots were closely connected to the entire Fierce Wind Estate, and its existence was like a plant, but not a plant. The external surface looked like dried meat, which gave off an extremely malevolent aura. Meanwhile, the thick roots themselves were natural pathways leading upward to a portal at the bottom of the flower bud. A Black Ink Feudal Lord was standing guard beside the portal.
Nu Yan stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the Black Ink Feudal Lord. Then, he handed over a Space Ring filled with a certain amount of Black Ink Coins.
The Black Ink Feudal Lord checked the contents carefully before he nodded lightly.
Nu Yan turned around, looked at his Black Ink Disciples for a moment, and reached out to point at C-3 and D-4, “You two, follow me inside.”
C-3 and D-4 responded in unison and followed Nu Yan inside. Before leaving, D-4 cupped his fist at Yang Kai, “Take care!”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly. Although he looked confused, he returned the courtesy.
It didn’t take long for Nu Yan to lead C-3 and D-4 out of Yang Kai’s sight. Yang Kai, B-2, and E-5 moved to the side and waited quietly.
A Black Ink Clansman would lead their Black Ink Disciples over from time to time. What’s more, each Black Ink Clansman would take one or two Black Ink Disciples inside the Black Ink Nest with them, just like Nu Yan.
Looking at this scene gave Yang Kai a vague guess about what was happening, but he could not be certain. After enduring for some time, he finally blurted out, “Is Master planning to break through?”
Nu Yan had spent a lot of Black Ink Coins to enter the Black Ink Nest, so it was obvious that he was here for an advancement.
It was obvious that Yang Kai was highly valued by Nu Yan, so the other Black Ink Disciples had been quite friendly with him recently. Upon hearing the question, B-2 nodded in response, “That’s right. This is the second time.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Can a Black Ink Clansman fail in his advancement?”
B-2 replied, “Of course there’s a possibility of failure. If success was guaranteed for every attempt, then Master would already be a Black Ink Feudal Lord by now. It’s just that the consequences they face if they fail in their breakthrough are not particularly serious. They are very different from us. For us, the higher our Order, the more severe the consequences we suffer if we fail a breakthrough attempt. We might even end up dead. In contrast, they will only weaken for some time at most. It’s only a matter of time before they make a full recovery.”
Yang Kai gnashed his teeth. Nu Yan was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman who was equal to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. If he succeeded in his advancement, then he would become a Black Ink Feudal Lord.
Yang Kai was not afraid of a mere Black Ink Feudal Lord, but the stronger Nu Yan became, the more disadvantageous it was for him. Naturally, he hoped that Nu Yan failed in the advancement.
“Why did Master take C-3 and D-4 inside with him?” Yang Kai asked in confusion.
Logically speaking, the advancement was an extremely important process to both Human cultivators and the Black Ink Clan. They would need to concentrate fully, so why would Nu Yan take two Black Ink Disciples inside with him? Was it for standing guard? But, there should not be dangers inside the Black Ink Nest.
B-2 fell silent for a moment before he explained, “Just as how we need to accumulate our strength to advance, the same goes for Master. He brought them along in case of emergency.”
Yang Kai’s facial muscles tightened instantly.
B-2’s explanation might not have been explicit, but how could Yang Kai fail to understand the meaning behind those words? It was obvious that C-3 and D-4 were being regarded as emergency resources. In a pinch, Nu Yan could devour their World Force to aid in his advancement.
It was not just Nu Yan. From what Yang Kai observed just now, most of the Black Ink Clansmen who entered the Black Ink Nest would bring one or two Black Ink Disciples with them. Through the ages, who knew how many Black Ink Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had perished inside this massive, evil Black Ink Nest?
Yang Kai clenched his fist tightly. The urge to charge straight in and destroy the Black Ink Nest flooded him, but he firmly suppressed the impulse. This was not the only Black Ink Nest in the Black Ink Clan. Even if he were to destroy the Black Ink Nest in front of him, it would not change the fate of many Black Ink Disciples. On the contrary, it would only expose his identity. The existence of the Black Ink Clan was the root cause of the problem. Only by completely eradicating the Black Ink Clan from the world would the crisis faced by the 3,000 Worlds since time immemorial be resolved.
Yang Kai and the others waited silently, and Nu Yan’s figure finally emerged from the entrance of the Black Ink Nest a few days later. However, Yang Kai immediately noticed that Nu Yan seemed rather weak at the moment. Not only was Nu Yan’s aura fluctuating unevenly, but his expression was also dark and gloomy. It was obvious that he was not in a good mood.
Yang Kai’s heart stirred at the sight. Combined with what B-2 said earlier, how could he not realise that Nu Yan had failed his breakthrough?
Every time a Black Ink Clansman failed during their advancement, they would be weakened for some time. In addition, it was already the second time Nu Yan failed. It would be strange for him to be in a good mood.
Yang Kai glanced behind Nu Yan. There was a person following behind the tall figure. It was D-4. Meanwhile, C-3, who went inside with them, was nowhere to be seen.
Yang Kai’s eyes dimmed slightly. He understood that C-3 had probably met a tragic end. Nu Yan might have failed to break through, but he must have devoured the World Force of C-3’s Small Universe during the process. How could C-3 survive when his World Force had been devoured and his Small Universe had collapsed? Although Yang Kai had neither interacted much with C-3 nor built up a friendship between them during this period, the death of C-3 still weighed heavily on his heart.
Nu Yan walked out of the Black Ink Nest without saying a word. Yang Kai and D-4 glanced at each other and nodded lightly in greeting. Then, Yang Kai quickly followed after Nu Yan with B-2 and E-5 in tow.
Returning to the place where they rested again, Nu Yan sat down cross-legged. His chest and abdomen swelled as he inhaled the Black Ink Strength that could be found everywhere in the Fierce Wind Estate. As he absorbed the Black Ink Strength, his weakened aura gradually recovered.
D-4 seemed to be feeling a lingering sense of fear after narrowly escaping death. Even though he had known what kind of fate awaited him when he followed Nu Yan into the Black Ink Nest, it was impossible for a Black Ink Disciple like him to refuse his Master’s command.
Nevertheless, anybody would instinctively feel fear when faced with the threat of death. Even a talkative person like D-4 fell into a heavy, brooding silence for quite some time. It was fortunate that Nu Yan had failed in his breakthrough though. If Nu Yan had succeeded, then he too would have shared C-3’s fate.
An entire month later, Nu Yan finally made a full recovery. He slowly stood up and glanced in the direction of the gambling arena. Hesitating for a moment, he eventually shook his head slowly and beckoned to the others, “Let’s go!”
The Black Ink Coins that Yang Kai earned for him in the gambling arena had mostly been spent on the Black Ink Nest. If he wanted to enter the Black Ink Nest again for cultivation, then he would need to earn more Black Ink Coins.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai’s fame had spread throughout the Fierce Wind Estate. Nobody was willing to fight him again, so this method of making money had lost its effect. If he wanted to earn more Black Ink Coins, then he could only switch to another place and begin anew. That was one of the reasons why Nu Yang had rejected the offers from the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords when they wanted to purchase Yang Kai at high prices. His subordinate known as A-1 was practically a money tree after all. How could he sell off his source of income for a mere 20 or 30 thousand Black Ink Coins?
The four Black Ink Disciples left the Fierce Wind Estate under Nu Yan’s leadership and rushed towards a certain direction in the void.
More than ten days later, they arrived at another territory.
Yang Kai stealthily checked the Universe Chart that Meng Qi had given to him and discovered that this territory was known as the False Decree Estate. The False Decree Estate did not look very different from the Fierce Wind Estate. It might be slightly bigger in size, but the difference was not very significant.
Standing in the void, Yang Kai saw the towering Black Ink Nest in the False Decree Estate from a distance. The Black Ink Nest was releasing Black Ink Strength that covered the entire Spirit Province.
Upon arriving at the False Decree Estate, Nu Yan headed directly for the gambling arena without pause. There was a gambling arena in almost every territory because the Black Ink Clan seemed to like sending their Black Ink Disciples into battle.
When the battle in the gambling arena ended, Nu Yan shot a look at Yang Kai. Yang Kai understood and immediately flew downward.
Then, Nu Yan repeated his previous trick and recited the gambling rules that he used back at the Fierce Wind Estate. It was just that he had increased the compensation for the first match from 100 to 500 Black Ink Coins!
His statement caused a huge uproar in the gambling arena. If they won, they could walk away with a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple. If they lost, they would only need to pay 500 Black Ink Coins. Who could miss out on such a fantastic deal?
Nearly 100 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples immediately flew into the battlefield under their Master’s command and surrounded Yang Kai so tightly that not a drop of water could leak out. If somebody did not know better, they would have thought that these Black Ink Disciples were about to gang up on Yang Kai.
Nu Yan had long expected this situation as something similar had happened back at the Fierce Wind Estate. Therefore, he applied the same rule and allowed Yang Kai to choose his own opponent. The Black Ink Clan naturally had no objections to this.
Yang Kai did not hesitate and randomly chose an opponent. When the others left the battlefield, the match immediately began. Needless to say, the results went as expected. Nu Yan cheerfully received the 500 Black Ink Coins, then he recklessly announced that he wanted to continue with a second match. The bet for the second match was 1,000 Black Ink Coins!
The Black Ink Clansmen who failed to seize the opportunity earlier were both surprised and delighted, so they dispatched their Black Ink Disciples into the battlefield again.
It was soon time for the third match. Moreover, the wager for the third match had been increased to 2,000 Black Ink Coins.
After three consecutive battles, a blood-drenched Yang Kai finally withdrew from battle. Nu Yan happily earned 3,500 Black Ink Coins, which was more than double the income he received at the Fierce Wind Estate. One battle here was equivalent to two battles back at the Fierce Wind Estate. The efficiency had increased significantly.
Thanks to the bloody battle on the first day, Yang Kai caught the attention of many Black Ink Clansmen. Many people became interested in him. In fact, a Black Ink Feudal Lord immediately approached Nu Yan and expressed his intention to buy Yang Kai.
Nu Yan had already rejected such offers countless times in the Fierce Wind Estate, so naturally he would not agree here either. The Black Ink Feudal Lords might hold higher positions than him, but the Black Ink Clan had their own rules. No matter how much one liked another person’s Black Ink Disciple, they could not forcefully snatch them away; otherwise, Nu Yan would not have been able to hold onto Yang Kai.
He allowed Yang Kai to rest and recover for a few days before he brought him back to the arena.
A month later, all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples in the False Decree Estate had been soundly defeated and nobody accepted the challenge again. Nu Yan turned out to be surprisingly decisive. Once the challengers dried up, he immediately led Yang Kai and the others out of the False Decree Estate and travelled to the next place.
At times, Yang Kai had no choice but to admire Nu Yan’s business acumen. Nu Yan was obviously taking advantage of the lack of information circulation at the moment. Every time they arrived at a new place, the Black Ink Clan would be unaware of Yang Kai’s strength and as a result, all of them were tempted into taking their chances against him. Who could have known that they would fall into Nu Yan’s trap and contribute Black Ink Coins to him for nothing?
In any case, this continuous stream of battles was not without benefit to Yang Kai.
Unlike others in the Sixth Order, his Small Universe had fully materialized. Combined with the fact that his Small Universe had been integrated with the Sealed World Bead, his heritage had always been far greater than others in the same Order from the start; therefore, he always obtained crushing victories when fighting other cultivators in the same Order.
Be that as it may, he had to suppress his strength in every battle inside the gambling arenas. He did not dare to expose too much, lest he revealed his secrets to the others. Under the premise that he fought while suppressing his strength, repeatedly fighting battles that culminated with heavy injuries on both parties had the effect of polishing his combat techniques.
If that were not the case, Yang Kai would have considered losing some battles a long time ago. Being treated as a cash cow by Nu Yan was not a pleasant experience; however, things might not be different if he changed to a different ‘Master’.
They did not stay in any of the territories for more than two months. It was meaningless to stay any longer as once people learned about Yang Kai’s strength and stopped accepting the challenge, there would be no more Black Ink Coins to earn.
It could be said that Nu Yan swept from one territory to the next with Yang Kai and the others in tow. Furthermore, he earned a huge fortune everywhere he went. For every three battles, he would earn 3,500 Black Ink Coins. Even if he could only fight seven to eight times in each territory, that was an income of 20 to 30 thousand Black Ink Coins. It was an astronomical amount for a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Yang Kai had been worried that Nu Yan would attempt a breakthrough again. If that happened, D-4 would be in danger, but on second thought, Yang Kai realized that the reason Nu Yan brought C-3 and D-4 into the Black Ink Nest with him last time was to prepare for any emergencies. Now that Nu Yan possessed such a large amount of Black Ink Coins, he could buy some World Spheres to use instead of sacrificing a Black Ink Disciple under his command.
In a chat with D-4, Yang Kai learned that once a Black Ink Clansman failed their advancement, they generally did not choose to try again for the next few decades. That was because the probability of success was much lower. Only once the backlash from their previous failure had been completely removed would they make another attempt.
This discovery was a huge relief to Yang Kai.
Nevertheless, passing the days in this manner was not in line with his goal. Meng Qi had sacrificed himself so that the existence of the Void Corridor would remain a secret and Yang Kai could escape alive.
Originally, Yang Kai was supposed to rush to one of the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, then confront the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield. He was not supposed to impersonate a Black Ink Disciple and become the cash cow of a Black Ink Clansman. Unfortunately, Yang Kai did not dare to act recklessly and could only wait patiently.
Nu Yan was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, so it was impossible for him to avoid the battlefield forever. But, as long as he entered the battlefield, then Yang Kai would be able to find an opportunity to break free from him.
Two years passed by in the blink of an eye.
Inside the gambling arena, Yang Kai was in a closely matched battle with a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple. This was already the third fight of the day. Having won two other matches earlier, he had already earned 1,500 Black Ink Coins for Nu Yan. The outcome of the third battle involved 2,000 Black Ink Coins and even his ownership, so many Black Ink Clansmen were naturally paying close attention.
Outside the battlefield, Nu Yan watched the battle calmly. Although Yang Kai was covered in blood, Nu Yan was not worried in the slightest. On the contrary, he was cheerfully chatting with his clansmen beside him. That was because Yang Kai always had such a miserable appearance during the third match of each round of battles. Even though he looked like he was in a dangerous situation where he could be defeated at any time, he always won in the end.
In the beginning, Nu Yan had been extremely on edge whenever this happened. However, he had gotten used to the sight after two years. No matter how terribly Yang Kai seemed to perform, he had great confidence in the latter’s victory.
In the end, Yang Kai lived up to Nu Yan’s expectations and won the third battle with some difficulty. Before Nu Yan could receive the bet of the third match though, a sudden change occurred.
An extremely violent force surged throughout the territory, and an oppressive force simultaneously descended upon everybody. For an instant, everyone felt as though an entire Universe World was pressing down on their heads. Even their bodies involuntarily stooped slightly from the pressure.
Countless Black Ink Clansmen turned pale; meanwhile, World Force surged and fluctuated turbulently around them.
Inside the gambling arena, the blood-drenched Yang Kai abruptly raised his head to look at the sky. What entered his vision made his expression tense. In the sky, World Force that gathered like clouds was so dense that it could be seen with the naked eye.
Yang Kai was shocked by the sight. Although he had met many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the past, he had never seen such rich and pure World Force before.
Back in Black Territory, Yang Kai had been present when countless Eighth-Order Ancestors joined hands to besiege the Black Ink Royal Lord and the attacks of those Eighth-Order Masters had been absolutely extraordinary. Even so, all those attacks seemed insignificant compared to what he was seeing right now.
He did not know what was happening, but the World Force visible to the naked eye was clearly the power unleashed by some sort of Secret Technique activated by a Master.
“Enemy attack!” A furious howl reverberated through the world. It came from the direction of the Black Ink Feudal Lord’s Palace.
Yang Kai was stunned for a moment, then he felt a mixture of astonishment and joy. The situation in front of him turned out to be an enemy invasion, and the Black Ink Clan’s enemy was undoubtedly the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. In other words, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had launched an attack on this place!
He was surprised that the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were so bold. It had to be said that he had checked the Universe Chart when he first arrived here. Although this place was close to the front lines, it could still be considered part of the Black Ink Clan’s inner region. How could they do as they pleased after venturing so deep into enemy territory?
On the other hand, Yang Kai was happy because the Cave Heavens and Paradises had taken the initiative to attack before he had the chance to follow Nu Yan to the battlefield. Taking advantage of this chance, he might be able to break free of Nu Yan’s control and follow the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises back to the great pass.
The wind and clouds gathered in the sky above the territory at a rapid rate, and it only took a moment for an enormous and hazy green palm to form. Despite its slow and clumsy appearance, the palm that literally covered the entire sky actually descended at an incredibly fast pace.
Before the countless Black Ink Clansmen in the territory had the chance to react, the palm grabbed hold of the huge Black Ink Nest. Then, the green palm clenched tightly and hauled up the entire Black Ink Nest as though pulling up a mountain. Dense Black Ink Strength scattered and gushed out of the Black Ink Nest. Under the impact of the World Force palm, the Black Ink Nest turned into dust.
Inside the gambling arena, Yang Kai stared in amazement and secretly rejoiced. Everything that entered his vision was beyond his imagination. He had witnessed the power behind an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor’s attacks before, but that was definitely not as ferocious as this offensive. In other words, this attack had to be unleashed by a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor!
No wonder they dared to venture so deep into enemy territory! It turned out that a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor, an existence on par with a Black Ink Royal Lord, was personally leading the charge!
The female Black Ink Royal Lord had caused heavy losses to the Cave Heavens and Paradises despite being greatly weakened after being trapped inside the Black Ink Territory for so many years. It was difficult to imagine how powerful she would have been in her prime. Needless to say, a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor who could rival a Black Ink Royal Lord in strength would not be weak either.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai’s delight only lasted for a moment as his expression soon turned bitter. That was because the hazy green palm immediately slammed downward after destroying the Black Ink Nest. The incomparably enormous palm was almost the size of half the Spirit Province. Moreover, the entire palm was formed from a pure and dense World Force. If such immense force even grazed him, Yang Kai was not certain that he could survive. It would be too unjust to die because of this palm strike.
Fortunately, the Black Ink Clan did not sit around waiting for death. After the warning came out from the Feudal Lord’s Palace, Black Ink Strength immediately surged and gathered to form an incomparably huge figure that towered into the sky. The figure then raised a hand into the sky to defend against the attack. It was not a real entity, but rather a presence formed completely from the surrounding Black Ink Strength. Moreover, it was clearly being guided by the Black Ink Feudal Lord of this territory.
Watching the destruction of the Black Ink Nest had enraged countless among the Black Ink Clan, so there was no need for any command or dispatch. Regardless of their rank, every member of the Black Ink Clan quickly took action, blasting violent attacks at the hazy green palm in the sky. Furthermore, the Black Ink Disciples also unleashed various Secret Techniques and artifact attacks. Colourful lights filled the entire sky in an instant.
Nevertheless, the enormous palm continued to press downward. The countless attacks slammed into the palm, causing layers of ripples to appear on its surface, but although these attacks constantly weakened its power, they were unable to stop the palm’s downward progress.
The huge figure at the Feudal Lord’s Palace was the first to bear the brunt of the attack. Despite fighting back with all his might, he was only a Black Ink Feudal Lord whose strength was equivalent to a Seventh-Order Master’s. How could he contend against the power of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor?
Before the palm strike descended completely, the enormous figure had already bent slightly under the pressure. The Feudal Lord struggled desperately and roared in defiance, but his avatar composed of Black Ink Strength soon exploded into nothingness. Even his true body was heavily injured as a result.
It felt like only a moment had passed. At the same time, it also felt like a thousand years had gone by. The huge palm slammed down. Be it the Black Ink Clansmen or the Black Ink Disciples, many of them died a violent death everywhere the palm print covered. Only a few were lucky enough to survive. Countless Small Universes collapsed and the World Force within these Small Universes dissipated.
Following a violent earthquake, the entire Spirit Province broke into pieces. The destructive aftermath spread out into the surroundings after the attack, causing space itself to shake and become unstable.
The Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen didn’t even have the opportunity to resist and were wiped out by the fallout of this attack. Only the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen with strength equivalent to Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters managed to withstand the shockwave. As such, the brutality of the palm strike was clear to see.
Everything happened in a flash. Only a few thoughts went through Yang Kai’s mind before the aftermath of the attack came crashing down on him. Nevertheless, he could be considered lucky. In fact, it could be said that all the people in the gambling arena were lucky because they were not located within the range covered by the hazy green palm. All of them would have died in the impact otherwise. Even Yang Kai himself would have needed to transform into his Grand Dragon Form to survive such a powerful attack. What’s more, doing so would only allow him the possibility of survival.
Despite not receiving direct damage, the fallout of the palm strike had turned the entire gambling arena upside down. Numerous Black Ink Disciples coughed up fresh blood and even the aura of the Black Ink Clansmen churned fiercely. They were obviously having a tough time.
The Spirit Province under Yang Kai’s feet shattered, and like a drowning man caught in the tumultuous currents of the sea, he was swept away by the shockwaves and could not control his direction at all.
Startled exclamations and horrified screams entered his ears. When he turned to look in that direction, he saw an extremely pale D-4 bleeding from all seven orifices and struggling to hold on. Furthermore, there was a gleaming white light surrounding D-4’s body. It would seem that he had activated some sort of defensive artifact.
On the other hand, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple next to D-4 had reacted slightly slower and failed to summon his own defensive artifact as a result. Due to the churning of his aura, he was unable to withstand the bombardment of the shockwave and exploded after a short struggle.
The light covering D-4’s body was also fading away at a horrifying speed; hence, his expression became despairing. With the strength of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it was impossible for him to survive the impact without the defensive artifact. Just as he was about to give up and accept his fate, a figure suddenly rushed over and stood in front of him to help block most of the impact. He looked up gratefully, “A-1!”
He never imagined that A-1 would come and protect him at a critical juncture of life and death. It had to be said that he was standing next to Nu Yan, B-2, and E-5 earlier. All of them had used various means to save themselves, but nobody even bothered to care about whether he lived or died.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai grabbed D-4 by the shoulder. At this moment, he could not afford to care about what secrets he was exposing. Manipulating Space Principles, Yang Kai quickly moved away. The shockwave continued to follow closely behind him as he flew out.
After a few Instantaneous Movements, Yang Kai finally stabilised his figure and turned to look behind him. A huge light shone brightly approximately 100,000 kilometres away. The place where the Spirit Province used to exist was now completely devoid of anything.
The might of the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor was absolutely terrifying. The truth was that Yang Kai had not even seen the true appearance of the Old Ancestor up until now. In other words, the Ninth-Order Master had destroyed the entire Spirit Province simply by unleashing a Secret Technique from somewhere far away. Countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples also perished in the process.
D-4 was a little stunned. After being brought here by Yang Kai’s Space Secret Technique, he could be considered safe now. It was just that he could not understand how A-1 could run so fast. In fact, he had almost thought that he was doomed to die during those fleeting moments earlier. Nevertheless, now was clearly not the time to pursue this matter. D-4 gasped for breath slightly before he anxiously said, “We need to hurry and find Master. It’s not safe for us out here right now.”
It was not safe for any Black Ink Disciple without the company of a Black Ink Clansman. Take the first time Yang Kai encountered Nu Yan for example. A Black Ink Disciple without a Master would easily attract the greed of a Black Ink Clansman. Nu Yan could be considered relatively kind, having only used his Black Ink Strength to convert Yang Kai into his own servant. If Yang Kai had encountered a Black Ink Clansman with stronger murderous intent, then they might have tried to devour his World Force to enhance their own strength instead.
More importantly, the Black Ink Disciples themselves were absolutely loyal to the Black Ink Clan. It was clear to see that D-4 was worrying about Nu Yan’s safety.
Yang Kai turned to look at D-4 and thought to himself, [Why should I search for ‘Master’? I’ve never regarded Nu Yan as my Master. What’s more, I finally obtained this opportunity after waiting for two whole years. Why would I stupidly go back to Nu Yan?]
Too lazy to explain, he simply said, “Brother D-4, I’ll deliver you a huge present!”
D-4 was stunned, “What?”
Yang Kai raised both hands as soon as finished speaking, each hand lighting up with a different coloured light. Then, he pressed both palms together. When the yellow and blue lights combined, they turned into a pure white light that immediately enveloped D-4 on the spot!
D-4 never imagined that Yang Kai would attack him at this moment, mainly because it was Yang Kai who had saved him just now. If Yang Kai had malicious intentions towards him, there was no reason to rescue him in the first place. Who would be wary of their saviour?
Enveloped by the white light, D-4’s expression suddenly twisted in pain and a pitch-black aura seeped out of his body. Swiftly though, his pained expression gradually became calm. It didn’t take long before the white light faded away and his true nature was restored to him. He opened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai in disbelief and uncertainty.
“Enter my Small Universe before we talk about the rest.” Yang Kai shouted.
He had wanted to bring D-4 into his Small Universe a long time ago, but could not find the opportunity. Now that he finally had the chance to be alone with D-4, he could not let the opportunity slip by.
D-4 opened his mouth and said, “Brother A-1, you…”
He was still in a dazed state. The main reason was that so many things had changed so suddenly that he could not adapt to them all.
In particular, D-4 was puzzled by how Yang Kai wanted him to enter his Small Universe. He knew that Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and the Small Universe of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was no more than an immaterial existence that could not accommodate living beings. So, how could he enter Yang Kai’s Small Universe?
In the midst of his confusion, Yang Kai actually reached out to grab him, opened the portal to his Small Universe, and unceremoniously stuffed him inside. D-4 felt his vision blurring for a moment, then he found himself in another world all of a sudden. Looking around his surroundings, he was filled with utter confusion.
A moment later, Yang Kai’s Soul Avatar appeared in front of him and resolved his confusion.
…
In the void, the aftermath of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor gradually subsided. A large part of the Spirit Province was shattered, resulting in countless casualties among the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples.
Before those who were lucky enough to survive could recover from their shock though, numerous figures appeared in small groups. They silently emerged out of nowhere and charged straight at the survivors. These were the Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Human Race, as well as a large number of warships. The brutal attacks that blasted out from the warships sent the surviving Black Ink Clan into a panic.
This was definitely an attack that had been carefully planned for a long time, so the Black Ink Clan was completely caught off-guard as a result. Moreover, due to the immense gap in strength, they suffered huge losses in this encounter.
With each passing moment, either a Black Ink Clansman or Black Ink Disciple would lose their life. Whenever a Black Ink Clansman died, dense Black Ink Strength would erupt from their bodies to form Black Ink Clouds that scattered across the void. Similarly, numerous Black Ink Disciples perished. The movements caused by the destruction of their Small Universes reverberated through the void.
Even though all the Black Ink Disciples were once Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, nobody could afford to show any mercy under these circumstances. As soon as they encountered each other, it became a situation where one party had to die.
Yang Kai watched from a distance for a moment before he rushed forward with a flicker of his body. For him, this was an opportunity. As long as he could prove that he was not corrupted by the Black Ink, then he could join the Masters from the Human Race and leave the Black Ink Clan’s domain.
It was not easy to come across such an opportunity. Yang Kai had been serving beside Nu Yan for more than two years now, and during this period, he passed through countless Black Ink Clan territories and gained some information from the leisurely chats he had among the Black Ink Disciples.
Although the Human Race would occasionally take the initiative to invade the Black Ink Clan’s domain, these incursions occurred very rarely. One invasion in 100 years would be considered frequent. The main reason was that they could not occupy this territory for long even if their invasion turned out to be successful; therefore, the great pass guarded by the major Cave Heavens and Paradises was the line of defence that they had always steadfastly maintained. Their biggest aim, whenever they launched a raid, was to weaken the strength of the Black Ink Clan. Once they killed a certain number of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, they would swiftly withdraw their forces. That was why such raids generally did not last for long.
More importantly, Yang Kai might not encounter another opportunity this good again if he let this chance slip through his fingers. How could he afford to hesitate under such circumstances? Nevertheless, it was going to be difficult to prove his identity. There was not much time for him to prove his innocence on the battlefield, but it should not be an issue if he could kill a Black Ink Clansman in front of a Human Race cultivator. A true Black Ink Disciple was completely loyal to the Black Ink Clan, so it was impossible for them to turn against their Masters.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Yang Kai quickly came to a decision. His body swept forward more and more quickly. Under the urging of the Space Principles, it only took him a brief moment to return to the battlefield with a few flickering movements.
Everywhere he looked, Yang Kai could see numerous warship artifacts navigating across the battlefield. Powerful Secret Techniques constantly blasted out from these warships without pause, giving the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples endless grievances. There were also many Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and even Eighth-Order Masters who either fought in small groups or hunted down enemies on their own.
A sharp Divine Sense locked onto Yang Kai the moment he returned to the battlefield. Immediately after that, he felt his skin tightening as a great sense of crisis washed over him. He turned to look in that direction and saw a woman in white fluttering robes watching him intently with her beautiful eyes, an extraordinary aura pulsing from her figure.
Holding a sharp longsword in her hands, she slashed at him without hesitation. Her movements showed no mercy, and the strength she displayed unmistakably belonged to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The attack contained an overwhelming power, and the sword wave flickered irregularly like the tongue of a spirit snake. Yang Kai could feel an overbearing sense of pressure behind the attack before she even approached him.
Shocked, he lowered his voice and shouted, “Senior, stop!”
A trace of grief and pity flashed through the woman’s eyes when she heard those words; even so, she did not pause her actions. With a flick of her longsword, she transformed it into a sword curtain that shrouded over his head.
Yang Kai was desperate to cry but was unable to shed any tears. He knew that the other party thought of him as a Black Ink Disciple, which was why she was showing no mercy with her attack. Unfortunately, there was no point in trying to explain himself at this moment. No matter what he said, she would not believe him unless he killed a Black Ink Clansman in front of her.
He did not know which Cave Heaven or Paradise this woman came from, but her strength in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was absolutely extraordinary. Seeing the sword curtain that was looming over on him, Yang Kai did not dare to hesitate. He quickly raised his arm and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear before exerting his Supreme Limitless Spear Art to its maximum. At this time, his priority was to ensure his survival. It would truly be a huge joke if he was accidentally killed during the confusion and chaos.
A series of explosions rang out as Yang Kai’s eyes bulged with surprise. He was sent flying backward by a violent burst of power and the vitality in his chest churned restlessly. Dense sword wounds also appeared all over his body, causing his physique to tremble and writhe.
[This woman… is strong!] Yang Kai was secretly amazed. Although he was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he had killed a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master before and had fought many others in the past; he was familiar with the might of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. However, he had never come across anyone who could hold a candle to this woman among all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters he encountered previously.
While Yang Kai was surprised, the woman was even more taken aback. It had to be said that she had been immersed in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm for 3,000 years. Having lived most of her life on the Black Ink Battlefield, it could be argued that her strength had reached the very peak of the Seventh Order, leaving her just one step away from the Eighth Order. On top of that, her combat experience was beyond the comparison of those who lived a comfortable life in the 3,000 Worlds
Even though she did not use her full strength earlier, her attack was not something an ordinary Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple could resist. Since the beginning of the raid until now, more than twenty Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciples and Black Ink Clansmen of similar strength had perished at her hands. She was confident that her previous attack contained enough power to take this Black Ink Disciple’s life. Be that as it may, reality proved to be beyond her expectations. Yang Kai might have been injured, but he survived.
[This Black Ink Disciple… seems a little different!] The murderous intent in the woman’s eyes blazed more vigorously than before. The more a Black Ink Disciple stood out from the others, the more she had to ruthlessly kill him here and now. If she failed to kill him here, then her Juniors on the battlefield might end up dying to him in the future.
However, a loud whistle resounded through the void before she could pursue him once more. Raising her sword before her, she glanced in the direction where Yang Kai had been sent flying and hesitated for a moment before she turned and left.
The loud whistle seemed to be some sort of signal as after it sounded, all the Human Race Masters slaughtering their way across the battlefield immediately retreated from battle, quickly re-grouped, and left like a great gust of wind.
[They’re leaving just like that!?] It took great effort for Yang Kai to stabilize his figure. Nevertheless, how could he willingly give up when he saw the situation before him? He quickly chased after them, only to quickly notice something strange behind him, like something was swiftly approaching his position.
When Yang Kai turned to look behind him, the pupils of his eyes contracted at what he saw. A mass of Black Ink was rapidly permeating the void, flowing like the swift currents of the tide. Consequently, everything was dyed pitch-black wherever this mass of Black Ink went.
Moreover, the countless powerful auras hidden inside the mass of Black Ink made the scalp of Yang Kai’s head tingle with fear. There was one aura in particular, which made him shudder both mentally and physically despite the distance between them. This aura reminded him of the feeling he experienced when he first came into contact with the Will of a Black Ink Royal Lord. The Will was absolutely overwhelming and made him feel as insignificant as an ant.
[A Black Ink Royal Lord is coming!] Now that the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race had made a move, the Royal Lord of this region could not sit by the sidelines. Only a Royal Lord could fight back against the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race.
No wonder the Human Race was in such a hurry to retreat. It turned out that they were anticipating this situation and took the necessary precautions.
A Ninth-Order Old Ancestor might not be inferior to a Royal Lord in strength, but they would only be evenly matched in a battle. This place was still within the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan, so while it was okay to launch a swift raid and then flee after obtaining a certain degree of victory, it would not be wise to engage the Black Ink Clan in a prolonged battle here.
The darkness approached quickly. Almost as soon as Yang Kai noticed the invasion of the Black Ink Cloud, the darkness was already upon him. He did not dare to make any rash movements and simply stood quietly in place. It didn’t take long before Black Ink Strength washed over him like the advancing tide.
Gigantic figures of various shapes and sizes rushed past, each one of them exuding a powerful aura. They were the Black Ink Territory Lords and Black Ink Feudal Lords. These Masters had no interest in Yang Kai and regarded him as insignificant. Although the Divine Senses of several Black Ink Clansmen probed towards him, they did not take any action against him.
Yang Kai was secretly grateful for their indifference.
A short while later, the Black Ink tide swirled past him in tight pursuit of the Human Race retreating in the front and promptly departed into the distance. Yang Kai shuddered in fear, but just as he was about to chase after them, a voice entered his ears, “A-1!”
Yang Kai turned to look in the direction of the sound and felt his brow twitching slightly at the sight. The person calling him turned out to be Nu Yan! [I can’t believe this guy is still alive!]
During the chaos just now, Yang Kai had only focused on protecting D-4 and withdrawing from the battlefield. He had not bothered to pay attention to the survival of the others, much less thought about returning to Nu Yan’s side.
On the other hand, Nu Yan had managed to locate Yang Kai after some effort. Moreover, B-2 and E-5 were also by his side. It was just that all three of them seem to be suffering from varying degrees of injuries and their auras were clearly weakened. E-5 seemed to be in relatively good condition, but there were obvious traces of blood at the corners of B-2’s mouth.
Upon further consideration, this was not strange. They had been at the gambling arena when the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor attacked. The impact that struck the gambling arena was relatively small, so it was not strange for those with Sixth-Order strength to survive.
A hint of hesitation flashed through Yang Kai’s eyes, but in the end, he cupped his fist in greeting, “Master!”
On the other hand, Nu Yan seemed very happy, “It’s good that you didn’t die.”
Yang Kai was his cash cow after all. It didn’t matter if any of the other Black Ink Disciples under his command died, but Yang Kai was the sole exception. That was why Nu Yan began searching for Yang Kai’s whereabouts as soon as the Human Race Masters retreated. It was fortunate that he found him rather quickly.
“Let’s go! Follow me!” Nu Yan beckoned and took the lead to charge forward.
For the Black Ink Clan, it was impossible for them to stand around doing nothing now that even a Royal Lord had taken action. It didn’t matter how much or how little they contributed to the battle, they had to follow their leader to war.
Nu Yan didn’t even bother to pay any attention as to whether D-4 had survived. In his opinion, the most important thing was that A-1 had survived. As for D-4 who was only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, it would not matter much even if he died.
Conversely, it was B-2 who quietly asked Yang Kai, “Where did D-4 go?”
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before he responded solemnly, “He died!”
B-2 looked a little sad, but didn’t say anything more.
The three of them followed closely behind Nu Yan, doing their best to recover their strength as quickly as possible while pursuing the enemy.
Along the way, many Black Ink Clansmen continuously gathered nearby with their respective Black Ink Disciples in tow. These were the survivors of the sudden raid launched by the Human Race earlier. Several hundred of them soon gathered together like small streams converging to form a great river. Led by one of the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords, they charged forward aggressively in a mighty procession. Moreover, the number of troops steadily increased along the way.
Yang Kai secretly grumbled to himself. He originally thought that he would have the chance to meet up with the Human Race Masters, but the circumstances had changed to the point where he didn’t dare to act rashly and could only take one step at a time.
All of a sudden, blinding lights bloomed in the distant void and terrifying energy fluctuations that caused a person to tremble in horror simultaneously spread out from that direction.
Yang Kai looked up only to see the dazzling light contending with an intense pitch-black darkness that could not be scattered. His expression couldn’t help becoming cold and sombre at the sight. He speculated that the Black Ink Royal Lord was currently fighting the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor of the Human Race. Nothing else could have created such a great commotion.
The leading Black Ink Feudal Lord obviously noticed the situation too. Shouting for the procession behind him to speed up, he rushed forward to provide reinforcements.
Yang Kai, B-2, and E-5 followed closely behind Nu Yan, taking up protective positions around the latter, remaining in close proximity at all times.
Their pursuit had persisted for several days at this point. Not only did they come across the occasional corpses of the slain Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, but they also observed the wreckage of the destroyed territories nearby. The Human Masters had invaded deep into the domain of the Black Ink Clan after all, so it was impossible for them to pass through these lands peacefully. All the places where the Black Ink Clan generally gathered together had been obliterated in their wake.
In addition, there were also fragments of countless warship artifacts…
The sight of these warship fragments made Yang Kai’s heart grow heavy. He had personally experienced the strength of such warships in the past. The palace artifact Zuo Quan Hui wielded when he led the Heavenly Sword Union to war against Void Land had greatly troubled Yang Kai and the others at the time.
Mobile Palace Artifacts were not only difficult to refine, but the cost to refine them was also astronomical. In the 3,000 Worlds, ordinary Artifact Refiners were not qualified to refine such artifacts and most great forces would not have the financial strength to own one either.
In the past, Yang Kai had commissioned Grandmaster Ma Fan to create a Mobile Palace Artifact which was now in Void Land’s possession.
A Mobile Palace Artifact was a valuable treasure for laying siege to enemies and a powerful weapon that integrated both offensive and defensive abilities. After the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor attacked several days ago, numerous palace artifact warships had navigated their way across the battlefield and slaughtered countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. Be that as it may, many of these powerful warships had been shattered and destroyed here. It could be seen that the battle had been very fierce for the Human Race.
Judging from the current situation, the Black Ink Clan army had caught up to the Human Race army even though the latter had retreated in a timely manner. A battle must have broken out between them. Moreover, it was an extremely fierce battle. The number of casualties remained unknown.
Yang Kai’s group continued to give chase for another two or three days before, all of a sudden, the leading Black Ink Feudal Lord changed direction and led the hundreds behind him to the flank. The Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples quickly followed in his lead.
Yang Kai frowned slightly at the sight. He had hoped to follow the Black Ink Clan army to the front lines of the battlefield and find an opportunity to escape. Who could have expected the Black Ink Feudal Lord to change directions so abruptly?
“Master, are we giving up pursuit?” Yang Kai asked with a glance at Nu Yan.
Nu Yan did not understand what the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord was trying to do either, but he answered anyway, “Sir Feudal Lord must have his own considerations. We only need to follow him.”
If it were any other Black Ink Disciple, he would not have been so accommodating. It was just that Yang Kai was very useful to him, so he was much more tolerant towards Yang Kai’s behaviour.
It didn’t take long before Yang Kai understood the reason why the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord had suddenly changed directions.
Approximately an hour later, a raging battlefield came into view. There was a warship artifact there, trying to break out from the encirclement formed by the Black Ink Clan army.
Blinding lights constantly blasted out from the warship, each one containing terrifying force. Consequently, any Black Ink Clansman or Black Ink Disciple struck by the beams of light would either perish on the spot or cough up blood from the injuries they sustained.
That was the biggest advantage of a warship artifact. Every single attack unleashed by it was equivalent to the full power of a Seventh-Order Master. Furthermore, these attacks could be fired continuously as long as the warship was functioning properly.
Although the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples in the surroundings suffered huge casualties, they continued to fight to the death without any hesitation. Countless Secret Techniques blasted towards the warship, but even so, these Secret Techniques were blocked by the warship’s shield and could only create ripples on its surface.
For the Black Ink Clan, the fact that the Humans had invaded their domain and destroyed dozens of their strongholds was a huge humiliation for them. It had to be said that the Humans had been besieged in the various great passes by the Black Ink Clan for countless years, so it was very rare for the Humans to take the initiative to attack.
In any case, their humiliation could only be washed away with fresh blood. For that reason, the Black Ink Clan disregarded their casualties and dedicated themselves to destroying this warship that had fallen behind the main force, regardless of the price they had to pay.
This battle had probably been going on for a while by now as the void was littered with the corpses of the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Disciples. In fact, there were only a dozen or so survivors at this point!
If nobody hindered them, the Human Masters could likely use their warship to obliterate the remaining Black Ink Clan and flee with ease. However, when the group of several hundred people including Yang Kai rushed over, the Human Masters inside the warship immediately turned pale.
What they feared the most had finally come to pass. This place could still be considered to be within the domain of the Black Ink Clan, so enemy reinforcements could arrive at any time. They had killed the Black Ink Clan surrounding them as quickly as possible in hopes of escaping their predicament even a moment sooner, but who could have known that their efforts would still not be enough?
Similarly, Yang Kai was secretly anxious when he saw this scene after following Nu Yan to this place. He did not know why this warship had been left behind, but the situation on the battlefield was ever-changing so it shouldn’t have been a surprise.
Just as the Humans were in the process of retreating, the Black Ink Royal Lord had led many Masters to pursue them and later engaged the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor in battle. It might be that the powerful fallout from the battles between the two parties had impacted the Human Race army’s formation and caused this ship to fall behind.
Numerous figures stood on the deck of the ship, their World Force surging as they unleashed Secret Techniques indiscriminately in tandem with the attacks of the warship itself. Their assault continued without pause.
A furious roar suddenly rang out, “Kill them!”
Under the command of the leading Black Ink Feudal Lord, hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples charged towards the warship like the surging tide. It only took an instant for them to surround the ship tightly. That was not all. The leading Black Ink Feudal Lord was brave and fierce. With a shift of his body, he immediately rushed towards the ship. His enormous figure erupted with a horrifying force as he swung his fist out, smashing it into the protective shield.
At that moment, a shocking sword slash swept out. It was extremely brilliant, so much so that it seemed only this sword light remained in the entire world.
Pitch-black blood splattered everywhere as the arm that the Feudal Lord swung earlier was chopped off on the spot. He staggered backward unsteadily, thick pitch-black blood gushing out endlessly from his severed arm. The pain caused his face to twist hideously, but he still glared grimly at the slender figure standing at the bow of the warship.
The figure was dressed in white robes that were untouched by dust and fluttered around her in an ethereal manner. More importantly, she was staring at the Feudal Lord as though she was looking at a dead man.
Yang Kai was astonished. The shocking sword slash earlier had been extremely blinding, so it was only natural that he noticed the attack. At the same time, he also took the opportunity to glance at the Master who unleashed the strike.
The woman standing at the front of the deck turned out to be somebody he recognised. They could not be considered well-acquainted, but they had indeed met several days ago. It was the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm who tried to take his life the other day. If not for the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor’s signal to withdraw, this woman in the Seventh-Order would not have stopped back then.
Yang Kai never imagined that he would encounter her here, so he could only marvel at how unpredictable fate could be.
Her current situation was clearly a little less than optimistic though. The warship she was on was very powerful, and the Human Race also had a number of people on their side. Nonetheless, the Black Ink Clan had received hundreds of reinforcements out of the blue. As long as the Black Ink Clan could delay things here for a short while, even more reinforcements were bound to arrive. The people aboard the ship would not be able to escape if that were to happen.
Although the warship was large, it moved as smoothly as the wind under the control of the Human Masters. Relying on its unparalleled and unmatched defences, it shuttled back and forth among the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. At the same time, horrifying lights blasted out from all directions of the large ship.
From time to time, the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples would be struck by those beams of lights and lose their lives on the spot. Naturally, the Black Ink Clan did not sit around and do nothing as they unleashed their respective means in retaliation.
For a time, both sides attacked furiously, making the scene extremely chaotic.
Likewise, Yang Kai randomly unleashed various Secret Techniques, but did not dare to exert his full strength. How could he actually attack his comrades? It was enough if he just put on a show.
At the moment, he was currently wondering whether he should take the opportunity to fight his way over to the Human Race, prove his identity to them, and join their ranks; however, the idea only flashed through his mind for a moment before he dismissed it.
He had already suffered a loss previously. When he first encountered the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm woman, he had wanted to prove his identity, but who could have known that the other party would not give him the chance to explain himself?
Standing in the other party’s shoes, Yang Kai could understand the reason behind her actions.
The Black Ink Disciples looked no different from ordinary Humans in terms of external appearances. For the Humans who invaded the Black Ink Clan’s domain, they could not afford to hesitate in the slightest when facing either the Black Ink Clan or the Black Ink Disciples. On a battlefield like this, the slightest hint of hesitation could lead to their deaths; therefore, as long as the other party was not one of their own, they should kill first and ask questions later. In any case, the chances of making a mistake were basically zero.
Throughout history, nobody had ever been as bold as Yang Kai. He had disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple, remained by the side of a Black Ink Clansman, and involved himself in various gambling arenas for years now.
At this moment, he could only suppress the impulse in his heart and quietly wait for his opportunity. Unfortunately, he soon realised that something was wrong.
The warship belonging to the Human Race might be extremely powerful, but it could not withstand a sustained barrage forever. The light shield that covered the warship was clearly dimming now.
The Black Ink Clan clearly noticed this fact too and their attacks became more and more ruthless, adamant to bring down the warship.
During this short period, over 100 Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples had perished in the battle. Even Nu Yan had been hit by one of the light beams, which seriously injured him to the point where he coughed up blood.
Yang Kai secretly glanced sideways at Nu Yan and cursed in his heart, [this bastard sure is lucky. Why won’t he just die?]
The heavily wounded Nu Yan no longer dared to step forward in battle. Leading Yang Kai and the others, he constantly avoided any confrontation with the ship.
Suddenly, Yang Kai noticed something happening on the ship. The Human Masters seemed to be arguing among themselves. The woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm standing at the bow said something, which caused the expressions of the people around her to change drastically. They hurriedly tried to persuade her with agitated expressions; however, she slowly shook her head with a firm expression.
Yang Kai immediately felt a sense of foreboding wash over him.
Sure enough, a short while later, the white-robed woman leaped off the ship. With her sword in hand, she crossed the distance and stood between the warship and the Black Ink Clan. Then, she held her sword in front of her chest and slid her finger along the blade with a solemn expression. Following a violent surging of her World Force, thousands of sword waves abruptly appeared behind her back.
The sword waves trembled slightly, humming with a sound that resembled sad weeping. It was the sorrowful lament of her sword. At the same time, a desolate and chilling atmosphere filled the void and for an instant, it felt as though time had frozen.
10,000 swords swept out all at once. It was an absolutely spectacular scene. Every single sword wave was as solid as a material object; moreover, their sharp and unstoppable aura placed heavy pressure on the onlookers.
Many of the Black Ink Clansmen were frightened by this scene, and for a time, nobody dared to act rashly. This woman had taken the initiative to leap out of the ship’s protective range and stand before it. Anybody could see from her actions that she was planning to put her life on the line. On top of that, the attack she unleashed was by no means an ordinary Secret Technique. It was… a Divine Manifestation!
Yang Kai frowned slightly at the sight. When he fought against this woman previously, he had noticed that she was extraordinarily powerful. She was definitely second to none in terms of strength among all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters that he encountered in the past and judging by the current situation, it would seem that she truly had a strong capital to rely on.
Divine Manifestations were exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Only a Seventh-Order or higher Master could comprehend a Divine Manifestation that belonged only to them. Furthermore, each person’s Divine Manifestation was different because these Divine Manifestations embodied the essence of their comprehension of their respective Dao. However, not every High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master had their own Divine Manifestation.
Take Zuo Quan Hui, who was killed by Yang Kai in the past, for an example. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and an Inner Elder of the Thousand Cranes Paradise. Although he held a respected position, he did not have a Divine Manifestation. Yang Kai might not have emerged victorious from the battle back then otherwise.
The gap in strength between Open Heaven Realm Masters in the same Order could be extremely disparate at times, and those who had Divine Manifestations were often the best among them. In any case, unleashing one’s Divine Manifestation could only mean that the person in question was prepared to go all out.
Yang Kai also had two Divine Manifestations, Golden Crow Casts the Sun and Towering Evergreen. Be that as it may, his situation was unique. Before he even advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, he had already comprehended a Divine Manifestation while still in the Emperor Realm and it had remained one of his trump cards even today.
Strictly speaking, Yang Kai’s Sun and Moon Divine Wheel could also be regarded as a Divine Manifestation because the power behind it far exceeded that of any ordinary Secret Technique or Divine Ability. It was just that nobody had ever explained the intricacies of Divine Manifestations to him before, so he could not be too sure on its classification.
The 10,000 swords roared in unison as the woman’s expression became even more solemn. Meanwhile, on the ship behind her, the people who quarrelled with her earlier looked on anxiously and constantly stomped their feet in frustration. Even so, they were powerless to do anything.
In the next moment, the ship abruptly shot out to forge an escape path. Transforming into a stream of light, the ship quickly fled into the distance. The woman was left alone to face the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, but she showed no fear whatsoever. Her courage and will were incredible indeed.
Yang Kai suddenly understood the reason for the dispute earlier.
The warship had been surrounded by enemies, so it was impossible for them to escape unless they killed the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples in front of them. However, doing so would only further delay them. If more reinforcements for the Black Ink Clan arrived during that time, then they would lose their chance to escape forever.
The woman clearly wanted to stay behind and stop their pursuers so that the ship could escape. That was the reason behind their earlier argument. It was almost certain she was a stubborn and determined person, so without giving her comrades any chance to object, she had taken the initiative to leap off the ship and summon her Divine Manifestation.
In this way, the ship only had two options. Either they stayed behind and fought with her, or they took the chance to escape from the battle. The risk of them being wiped out if they chose to stay behind was high, while on the other hand, they would have a glimmer of hope to survive if they chose to escape. There were times when choosing to escape from battle was not an act of cowardice. Quite the opposite, their actions were taken to ensure their comrade’s sacrifice would not become meaningless. Besides, escaping while having to abandon one’s allies carried both a physical and mental burden that was not easy to alleviate.
As the saying went, ‘A strong man would make a prompt and resolute decision’. This woman had risked her life just to create an opportunity for her comrades to escape. It was for that reason that Yang Kai felt a sense of admiration and respect for her.
The warship was planning to escape, but how could the Black Ink Clan allow their enemy to flee so easily? Thus, they immediately rushed forward to intercept the ship.
Although the woman remained motionless, the sword waves behind her slammed forward with a roar. Fresh blood splattered across the void and severed body parts scattered everywhere as dozens of Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples who rushed forward to stop the ship died instantaneously!
Upon seeing this situation, Yang Kai became quite certain that the woman was only one step away from advancing into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm! An ordinary Seventh-Order Master would never be as powerful as her.
It had to be said that the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples who perished were in no way comparable to Seventh-Order Master, but many of them were High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen who were at least on par with Sixth-Order Masters. Be that as it may, they were totally powerless to fight back under the bombardment of those sword waves. The woman slaughtered them so effortlessly that it almost seemed as though she was chopping vegetables. It was extremely scary.
With just one strike, nobody else dared to act rashly again. All the Black Ink Clansmen could only watch helplessly as the warship disappeared from their field of vision. When their gazes turned towards the woman again, their eyes were filled with a mix of rage and fear.
“Attack together!” The Feudal Lord, whose arm had been cut off by the woman before, roared furiously. It would be far too embarrassing if they failed to take down a single Human opponent despite their overwhelming numbers.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he took the lead to charge towards the woman. Before he even arrived, he swung his remaining fist and a dense cloud of Black Ink Strength came crashing down on her.
In a battle against the Human Masters, the Black Ink Clan would naturally make use of their innate advantage. The Black Ink Strength that they wielded was extremely corrosive. As long as the Human Master was careless for even the slightest moment, their Small Universe would be corroded by the Black Ink Strength. If that were to happen, they would quickly degenerate into a Black Ink Disciple if they did not sacrifice a part of their Small Universe.
Although a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had a certain degree of resistance towards the Black Ink Strength, they could not withstand being in contact with it for extended periods of time. That was the reason why Meng Qi had been reluctant to escape with Yang Kai back then. He knew that he would never be able to escape from the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory without being contaminated again.
As long as he left the Sealed World with Yang Kai, it would only be a matter of time before he was corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and became a Black Ink Disciple once more. At that time, the existence of the Void Corridor would no longer be a secret. That was why he decisively committed suicide inside the Sealed World to keep the Void Corridor a secret.
Following the attack of the Black Ink Feudal Lord, many of the Black Ink Clansmen acted as well. It only took an instant for the entire region to be filled with Black Ink Clouds that enveloped the woman from all directions.
All of a sudden, a sword cry resounded, accompanied by numerous scraping sounds. Yang Kai focused his eyes and stared into the pitch-black Black Ink Cloud. The sight that entered his vision inadvertently caused him to narrow his eyes.
The thousands of sword waves that had been suspended behind the woman all this time almost seemed to come alive at this moment. They quickly gathered near her and wrapped around her entire body in the blink of an eye. At the same time, countless sword waves continued to gather. The scraping and clanging sounds that could be heard were caused by the continuous collision between the sword waves.
A sensational aura erupted from the depths of the Black Ink Cloud, giving off the feeling that the end was approaching. In the face of such a devastating catastrophe, no one had any hope of survival.
*Hou…*
A ferocious roar suddenly burst forth, like the furious howl of an Ominous Beast, before a shockwave swept out. As a consequence, the Black Ink Cloud enveloping the woman was instantly blown apart, as though struck by an unimaginable impact, and the enormous figure hidden within was revealed.
The woman had long disappeared from sight, and standing in her place was a 1,000-metre-long behemoth! The behemoth had a skeletal frame made from metal. Like a giant beast of steel, the surface of its body glowed with a sharp and cold light while the lines on its surface were hard and sharp. It was a Dragon! More specifically, it was a Sword Dragon composed from thousands and thousands of sword waves.
This sudden turn of events left the Black Ink Clan in shock. Even Yang Kai’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
[You can even do that with a Divine Manifestation!?] Everything that entered his eyes at this moment was completely beyond his imagination. The Sword Dragon that was 1,000 metres long was certainly incomparable to his 20,000 metres Grand Dragon Form, but the oppressive aura coming from the Sword Dragon was not something his Dragon Form possessed.
Although they could both manifest Dragon Forms, if it really came down to a battle, Yang Kai estimated that he would be defeated by this woman within ten moves. It was no wonder she dared to stay behind on her own to stop hundreds of the Black Ink Clansmen and Disciples. It turned out that she had something to rely upon.
Yang Kai took a closer look and discovered that the woman stood inside the head of the Sword Dragon. Her spotless white robes could vaguely be seen among the gaps in the sword waves. As long as the Sword Dragon was not destroyed, she would remain safe and sound; therefore, he felt his anxiety over her safety reducing slightly.
The changes occurred so suddenly that the many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples rushing towards her were too stunned to change the direction of their movements. Under the leadership of several Black Ink Feudal Lords, they blasted out numerous Secret Techniques at the Sword Dragon.
In response, the Sword Dragon moved. The Dragon Head swayed from side to side, lunging forward at the nearby Black Ink Clansmen. The sword waves that formed the Dragon vibrated extremely fast, resulting in a sharp humming sound.
At the place where both parties collided, the Sword Dragon opened its mouth and swallowed up the one-armed Feudal Lord who stood at the forefront in a single gulp. Vague roars and screams of the Feudal Lord coming from the belly of the Sword Dragon rang out in the next instant, but the screams stopped abruptly not long after and a cloud of ink-coloured blood mist burst out from within the Dragon.
What followed could only be described as a massacre. Everywhere the Sword Dragon passed, Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples were practically powerless to fight back. They were wounded when touched, and some were even torn apart on contact!
Although countless attacks struck the body of the Sword Dragon, these attacks only destroyed some of the sword waves and could barely deal any damage to the woman’s true body.
Like cavalry charging through the front lines, the Sword Dragon swept through the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen before immediately turning around and crashing through their ranks again.
Following the Sword Dragon’s first charge, the tight formation of the Black Ink Clan fell apart. They couldn’t help feeling terrified and escaping in a fluster when faced with such a brutal Divine Manifestation. However, their actions only gave the sword waves a chance to break through their defences once more.
Numerous Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques incessantly blasted towards the body of the Sword Dragon. On that chaotic battlefield, a life was lost with every passing moment. Pieces of flesh and pitch-black blood scattered across the void. Furthermore, the energy from the collapse of many Small Universes resounded violently.
The Sword Dragon swept back and forth, charging through the Black Ink Clan army seven or eight times in quick succession. Out of the hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen, more than half died and the remaining half looked as terrified as wild beasts running from a flood.
The might of the Sword Dragon was truly awe-inspiring and the sight left Yang Kai sighing in amazement. There was only one thing that upset him slightly.
Nu Yan had no special ability to speak of, but his ability to stay alive was definitely first-class. Three or four Feudal Lords had already been killed by the woman, but despite harrowing odds, Nu Yan remained perfectly fine. He somehow managed to avoid the Sword Dragon’s attacks and survive every single time.
At this point, Yang Kai was tempted to just summon his Azure Dragon Spear and kill Nu Yan himself.
After such a high-intensity battle, the Sword Dragon was naturally not unscathed. The final resistance of the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples before their deaths was particularly fierce. Coupled with their constant bombardment of Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities, the majestic Sword Dragon looked rather ragged at this moment. It was full of holes and missing pieces.
A large part of the Dragon Head where the woman was hiding had also been blasted apart by the constant attacks, revealing her figure to the world. Her complexion was pale and her aura was unstable. Activating her Divine Manifestation for such a long time must have been a great burden on her.
She had intercepted and slaughtered more than half of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples here all by herself. Moreover, quite a few of them were Black Ink Feudal Lords who were equivalent to Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in strength.
Having such achievements was truly remarkable; however, for her, this was only the beginning of her struggle.
The woman’s vulnerability did not escape the notice of the many fleeing Black Ink Clansmen. Although they had originally been filled with the terror of death, they seemed to see a glimmer of hope at this moment.
Four Black Ink Feudal Lords had survived up until this point. They exchanged glances and immediately understood each other’s intentions without the need for discussion.
Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples had died at the hands of a single Human. Their casualties were extremely heavy. If they allowed the enemy to escape on top of that, then it could only be said that they were far too incompetent.
More importantly, they would not have a reasonable explanation for their higher-ups. It would be difficult for them to escape punishment if their superiors were to hold them accountable for this incident; hence, their sole option was to take down this woman with all their might. Killing her here was the only way for them to wash away their shame.
With that goal in mind, the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples gathered together again. They split into several groups under the leadership of the remaining few Black Ink Feudal Lords and moved in different directions to surround the battered Sword Dragon.
All of them had a deep understanding of the Sword Dragon’s might. Out of the original hundreds of people on their side, more than half had been killed by the repeated assault of the enemy. How could they not realise the tyrannical might of the enemy at this point?
For that reason, the Black Ink Clansmen blocking the way immediately scattered in all directions when the Sword Dragon came charging in their direction. At the same time, the others fiercely unleashed various attacks at the Sword Dragon’s body from a distance.
After this manoeuvre was repeated a few more times, the results were as expected. The Sword Dragon not only failed to kill many Black Ink Clansmen, but the condition of its battered body deteriorated even further instead. Conversely, the encirclement stood strong whenever the Sword Dragon stopped moving. They were giving the woman no chance of escape whatsoever.
Despite everything, the woman’s pale face remained utterly indifferent when she looked at the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples surrounding her. It was almost as though she was not the one in crisis.
Cracking sounds rang out again and the sword waves that made up the Sword Dragon twisted and changed their form once more. Under the stunned gazes of the Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples, a brand-new and perfect Sword Dragon was born!
It was just that the swords waves forming the Sword Dragon had suffered extensive damage earlier, so the current Sword Dragon was barely half the size of the previous Sword Dragon. Be that as it may, it was still over 500 metres long.
Yang Kai felt his admiration and respect for this woman deepening greatly. Prior to this incident, he had never even imagined that a Divine Manifestation could be manipulated in such a way. It went to show just how powerful she was. Her control over her Divine Manifestation had reached the point where she could wield it like an extension of her own body, which also meant her attainments in the Sword Dao were extraordinary.
The Sword Dragon charged forward once more. The current Dragon Form was a little smaller than before, but it remained enormous compared to the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples. Moreover, it was much more agile than before.
Be that as it may, the Black Ink Clan continued with their established tactics to drag out the battle. They refused to have a direct confrontation with her and simply fought with the intention of wearing her down.
For a time, the woman was also extremely troubled by these tactics. She could not kill many of her enemies even though she charged forward repeatedly. On the contrary, the body of the Sword Dragon became battered again.
The repeated confrontations and stubborn resistance allowed the woman to stop the pursuit of hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen with her strength alone.
At this point, the 500-metre Sword Dragon had transformed once more and shrunk to just 100 metres in length. She would soon lose her ability to maintain the Sword Dragon Form if the situation persisted. In her weakened state, only a tragic fate awaited her once she lost the protection of her Divine Manifestation. Nevertheless, she had achieved her purpose of delaying the enemy. Regardless of her survival, the people on the warship would be able to escape safely.
At this moment, anybody could see that she was trying to break out of the encirclement and escape; however, the Black Ink Clan had paid a heavy price just to force her into a corner, so how could they allow her to escape? Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples continued to die, but the encirclement remained tight. They were not giving her the slightest chance to flee.
Yang Kai was feeling extremely conflicted inside. Watching the woman fighting alone, he was tempted to reveal his identity and fight beside her. Be that as it may, the thought only passed through his mind for a fleeting moment before he rejected the idea.
Even with his help, she would have a hard time pushing back her enemies in this situation. He was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all. How could he win against so many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples? What’s more, it would be difficult for him to gain her trust in such a short time.
On the contrary, if he continued hiding, he might be able to find an opportunity to turn the situation around.
The 100-metre-long Sword Dragon had been reduced to tatters and the woman was clearly an arrow at the end of its flight, her ashen complexion seeming completely bloodless.
Upon seeing this situation, the attacks of the many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples became increasingly vicious.
All of a sudden, the Sword Dragon suddenly turned around and charged towards Yang Kai’s position, causing the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples around him to turn pale in fright. Nu Yan was the first to dodge to the side. It had to be said that he might not be particularly skilful in anything, but he was very good at avoiding danger in a timely manner.
Nobody expected the Sword Dragon to charge in this direction because Yang Kai and the others were on the rear side of the encirclement. All this while, the woman had never bothered to target this area. She had repeatedly charged towards the front lines in order to break free of the encirclement and return to the Human Race army, but her wish never came true.
Her sudden and opposite behaviour was certainly very unexpected. Yang Kai even suspected that her previous actions were simply to mislead the enemy. Her real target had always been the rear of the encirclement.
Many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples quickly retreated. On the other hand, the Black Ink Feudal Lord leading this side only hesitated for a moment before he rushed forward with a furious roar.
It was not as though he did not know how strong the woman was; however, it was obvious that she was a dry oil lamp after fighting for so long. How much more strength could she exert? What’s more, he had great confidence in his own strength. As long as he could delay her for a moment, his clansmen from the other side would surely come to his aid.
His self-confidence would be his undoing though.
The 100-metre-long tattered Sword Dragon spun like a top and collided with the Black Ink Feudal Lord. Without a sound, the Feudal Lord became a cloud of pitch-black blood mist and perished in an instant. Even the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen and the Black Ink Disciples behind him suffered significant casualties.
Nu Yan had evaded in time, so he was completely unharmed.
In contrast, Yang Kai had failed to make a timely retreat because he had been worrying about the woman’s safety. He was wounded after being brushed by the Sword Dragon as it flew past. A gash deep enough to show bone appeared on his chest, and blood gushed out of the wound.
His golden blood was so striking that the woman couldn’t help but glance in his direction. When their gazes met, a look of obvious astonishment flashed through her eyes.
She had not noticed his presence due to the intense battle earlier, so it was not until this moment that she actually caught a glimpse of him and recognised him as the Black Ink Disciple who escaped from her a few days ago. At the time, she had wanted to kill him ruthlessly. It was a pity that she was forced to make a hasty retreat thanks to the signal from the Old Ancestor.
Nevertheless, she only glanced at Yang Kai briefly before she paid no more heed to him. Now was not the time for her to be worrying about such matters.
The final struggles of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples caused the 100-metre-long Sword Dragon to finally collapse, leaving only a few scattered sword waves around the woman for protection. Her Divine Manifestation had been completely destroyed, but she broke through the encirclement because of that very reason!
Activating the remaining dregs of power in her Small Universe, she transformed into a stream of light and shot out at a high speed. The Black Ink Clan’s domain was located in the direction she was flying, opposite of where the Human Masters had escaped earlier.
She had no choice but to make this decision. Her path forward had been obstructed by her pursuers, so she could only make a desperate choice in an attempt to survive this crisis.
How could the remaining Black Ink Clansmen allow things to go as she wished when they saw that she was attempting to flee? The three surviving Feudal Lords quickly gave chase. Likewise, the rest of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples followed closely behind.
For a time, a cat-and-mouse chase took place in the void.
Even though the woman was an arrow at the end of its flight, her speed was surprisingly fast. Wrapped in sword light, she seemed to transform into a sword wave that sliced through the void. The Black Ink Clansmen chasing after her could not keep up at all.
After leading her pursuers in circles for some time, she abruptly changed directions and fled towards the front lines.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief. Fleeing deeper into the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan would surely lead to a tragic ending. Without the deterrence of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor, no matter how strong she was, it was impossible for her to survive by relying on her strength alone. Only by fleeing back to the Human lines would she stand a chance to survive.
The distance between the two parties grew larger and larger, and if nothing unexpected happened, then the woman would be able to escape alive. That was also what Yang Kai hoped to see; however, at that moment, a powerful aura suddenly emerged from behind. Startled, he looked back only to see a pitch-black darkness rapidly approaching them.
This horrifying scene was rather familiar. When the Black Ink Royal Lord led a horde of Black Ink Clan Masters here in a rush, Yang Kai had witnessed a similar scene. Of course, the pitch-black darkness that was rapidly approaching this time was not nearly as large-scale as back then. Moreover, there was only one aura coming from within the darkness. It was… a Black Ink Territory Lord!
Yang Kai’s heart sank at the sight, and he clenched his fists tightly. A Black Ink Territory Lord was equivalent to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. [I can’t believe a Master of this calibre actually appeared at this time! She’s in danger!]
The woman fleeing in the front clearly sensed the danger looming behind her and her speed suddenly increased significantly. It was apparent that she was desperately trying to escape.
Unfortunately, the Territory Lord chasing her was in prime condition, so how could she possibly escape his incredible speed? The distance between them quickly closed and it didn’t take long before the pitch-black darkness retracted to reveal the gigantic figure hidden within. The figure raised his hand and slapped at the sword wave that was running away up ahead.
The void shuddered from the impact and Yang Kai clearly saw the sword wave freezing for a moment. Then, the impact forcefully separated the body of the woman who was fused with her sword. Blood mist sprayed from her mouth as a result.
Judging from the strength displayed by the woman earlier, at the peak of her strength, she would have been able to fight back to a certain extent even if she encountered a Territory Lord, but in her current exhausted state, how could she defend against such a blow? Just a single palm strike was enough to heavily injure her.
It was no longer possible for her to escape!
Still, this woman was very decisive. Knowing that it was impossible to escape, she immediately spun around and fused with her sword again. She transformed into an impressive sword wave that slashed out at the Territory Lord chasing her. The power behind that attack was enough to shake space itself. It was her final blow into which she poured all her remaining strength.
The Territory Lord stared indifferently at this attack and punched out with his fist. His enormous fist collided with the sword wave. Consequently, the sword wave shattered and scattered like fireflies dancing in the night.
His gigantic figure stood upright in the void. Stretching out his hand in front of him, he clenched his fist and captured a small figure in his grip.
The woman’s pure white robes were stained red with blood, her beautiful hair was completely dishevelled, and her weakened aura resembled a flickering flame in the wind that could be extinguished at any moment. Despite facing such a desperate situation, she did not simply sit around waiting for her death. Nevertheless, she could not break free from the Territory Lord’s grasp no matter how hard she struggled.
Yang Kai immediately became anxious. In this situation where the woman had been captured, it would only take the slightest pressure from the Black Ink Territory Lord to crush her to death.
The woman’s life was in danger!
Yang Kai suddenly couldn’t bear watching without doing anything any longer. Even if his identity were revealed, even if his future would be fraught with danger, he believed that he had to make his move now; otherwise, he was bound to regret his decision for the rest of his life.
Over the past two years, he had disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and carefully mingled among the Black Ink Clan because he did not dare to reveal his identity easily. Being faithful to Nu Yan’s orders and allowing himself to be regarded as a cash cow by fighting endless battles in the gambling arenas of various major territories were simply his methods of survival.
He had not lifted a finger to help when the woman had been fighting on her own because she had always remained in control of the situation; however, she was now only one step away from death. Yang Kai could not watch her die here without doing anything.
With his current strength, there was a high chance that he would die as well if he revealed his identity. The Black Ink Territory Lord was not easy to deal with after all, but throughout his life, Yang Kai had to admit that although he was not indomitable, he had a bottom line that could not be crossed. It was now the time where he had to take action!
Inside the Sealed World, Meng Qi from Exquisite Paradise had chosen to commit suicide in order to protect the secret of the Void Corridor. As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, when did he ever show the slightest hint of hesitation in his actions?
The people who fought and risked their lives every single day on the Black Ink Battlefield to fight the Black Ink Clan for countless years did so all to protect the 3,000 Worlds, all while the latter knew nothing of their sacrifice. How could he do any less at this moment?
However, Yang Kai suddenly froze in place. That was because he noticed that the Territory Lord who captured the woman was simply staring at her quietly. There was no murderous intent in those eyes. On the contrary, they were filled with a trace of admiration.
Yang Kai suddenly realised something. The Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises might not die if they were captured by the Black Ink Clan. Rather, what awaited them was another fate!
Sure enough, the Black Ink Territory Lord did not kill the woman immediately and instead sneered lightly, “You’ve got guts. In that case, become my slave forever!”
When the words left his mouth, Black Ink Strength dense enough to take shape seeped out of his hands. The Black Ink Strength instantly enveloped the woman and began sinking into her body.
The woman struggled desperately, but her efforts were to no avail. Combined with the fact that she had exhausted all her strength in the battle just now, she was completely powerless to resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength. A short while later, she became quiet as her eyes filled with Black Ink Strength.
Yang Kai watched quietly, feeling sad in his heart. It was hard to believe that such a Master had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Be that as it may, compared to death on the spot, this outcome could be considered acceptable as he might be able to find an opportunity to rescue her.
The Black Ink Territory Lord was clearly extremely satisfied with his newly subordinated servant. A Black Ink Disciple in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was very rare, so they were considered precious even among the Black Ink Clan. He studied her for a moment before he said, “Follow me once you recover.”
“Yes!” The woman with dishevelled hair bowed respectfully.
After that, the Territory Lord did not say anything else. Pitch-black darkness covered his enormous figure, and he charged forward quickly. It was obvious that he planned to pursue the Human Masters who had retreated earlier.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples left behind glared at the woman. The situation was extremely awkward, but there was no helping it. They had been fighting each other as though there was an absolutely irreconcilable enmity between them only for her to suddenly become one of their own in the blink of an eye. The shift in her position was rather abrupt. Even so, there was no denying that the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was now a Black Ink Disciple after being corrupted by the Territory Lord’s Black Ink Strength.
Under normal circumstances, it was easy for such a powerful Black Ink Disciple who was acting alone without being accompanied by their Master to attract the greed of Black Ink Clansmen; however, everybody had just witnessed the Territory Lord corrupting this woman with his Black Ink Strength. Who would dare to steal her away after that? They would not face any consequences if they stole her now, but the Territory Lord was bound to hold them accountable for their actions later. If that were to happen, they would lose all the Black Ink Disciples under their command and possibly even their life.
“Why did you run off!? Do you want to die!?” Nu Yan reprimanded Yang Kai.
In order to rescue the woman earlier, Yang Kai had increased his speed slightly and left his ‘Master’ behind. It was fortunate that he had reacted in time and held back from attacking the Territory Lord; otherwise, the person being hunted at this moment would have been him.
Hence, he lowered his head silently in response.
Thankfully, Nu Yan only reprimanded Yang Kai once and did not seem to have any other intentions.
In that way, the vigorous pursuit finally ended. The three surviving Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords gathered together for a quick discussion, then one of them said, “A few will stay behind to guard this place and prevent any misunderstandings from occurring. The rest will come with me to pursue the enemy!”
The woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had been converted by a Territory Lord, but she was a dry oil lamp at the moment and needed time to recover her strength. The Territory Lord had also commanded her to recuperate before catching up to him.
Be that as it may, it was inappropriate to leave her here alone. If any other Black Ink Clan Masters passed by this place and mistakenly killed her thinking that she was an enemy, they would not be able to give the Territory Lord a reasonable explanation; therefore, a few people had to stay behind to help her stand guard and explain the circumstances to any passing clansmen.
Ordinary Black Ink Disciples would never receive such special treatment, but they had just witnessed this woman’s strength with their own eyes. More importantly, she was personally corrupted by a Territory Lord. As the Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple, it was only natural for her to receive special treatment.
After the Feudal Lord finished speaking, his gaze swept across the crowd in front of him.
Nu Yan ‘dutifully’ stepped forward at the right moment and volunteered, “Sir, I’m willing to stay behind!”
Yang Kai glanced sideways at Nu Yan. During the two years serving under him, Yang Kai had not realised that Nu Yan was extremely scared of death. It was not until this battle against the Human Masters that Nu Yan’s cowardice was revealed.
In addition, Yang Kai had noticed something earlier. Although Nu Yan had no special abilities to speak of, his ability to sense danger and escape it were definitely first-class. In other words, his ability to survive in the Black Ink Battlefield up until today was not without reason.
Hearing that somebody was required to stay behind, how could Nu Yan fail to seize this opportunity? He quickly volunteered before anybody else could even react. It was not a major issue that needed to be negotiated, and since he took the initiative to volunteer, the other Black Ink Clansmen would naturally have no reason to compete with him.
The Feudal Lord who spoke earlier nodded and responded, “In that case, you will stay behind. The rest will come with me!”
After saying that, he took the lead to charge forward in pursuit. The others quickly followed behind him and it didn’t take long before only Nu Yan, Yang Kai, and the other Black Ink Disciples remained.
“Let’s take a rest. I’m sure you’re all tired from the battle earlier. It’s good that none of us died!” While speaking, Nu Yan turned to look in the woman’s direction with a thankful expression.
Several Black Ink Feudal Lords and countless High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen had died at the hands of this woman; therefore, Nu Yan was very lucky to have survived. What made him rejoice even more was that all the Black Ink Disciples under his command had also survived the battle.
They sat down cross-legged and consumed some Spirit Pills for recovery.
On the other side, the woman in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had been quietly recovering her strength ever since the departure of the Territory Lord.
From time to time, Black Ink Clansmen of varying numbers would rush over from behind. When they stumbled upon this place, they couldn’t help feeling curious and came forward to ask about the situation.
Naturally, Nu Yan answered their questions truthfully. After hearing that the dishevelled woman recovering her strength was a Black Ink Disciple converted by a Territory Lord, they immediately gave up any ideas about her and left quickly.
After just half a day’s time, the woman opened her eyes under Yang Kai’s close watch. Her originally ashen complexion had already returned to normal. She casually tied up her hair and slowly got to her feet, and then she walked over to Yang Kai and the others. The crimson patches that blossomed all over her white robes were extremely striking.
Nu Yan had also gotten to his feet after he noticed her movements, but his smile was rather forced, “Have you recovered your strength?”
He fervently wished that the woman would take as much time as possible to recover. In that way, he would no longer need to chase after the Human Masters or take any risks that could endanger his life.
Still, he was part of the Black Ink Clan, so even if his strength was much weaker than the Black Ink Disciple in front of him, a Black Ink Disciple was nothing more than a servant in the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, regardless of their cultivation. Of course, this woman was a servant converted by a Territory Lord, so Nu Yan had to show her a certain degree of respect. Even his inquiring tone was rather polite.
The woman said nothing and simply stared at Nu Yan silently. In the next moment, she stretched out her arm and a longsword immediately appeared in her grip as a shocking light burst forth. The world seemed to lose all its colours at that moment.
Nu Yan’s forced smile remained on his face, but his eyes were flooded with a sense of horror and fear. Raising his hand slightly, he pointed at the woman, “You…”
The words had only just left his mouth when his enormous body suddenly split into two halves. Pitch-black blood and Black Ink Strength exploded to form a Black Ink Cloud.
Yang Kai and the others standing nearby were completely stunned. Nobody could have predicted this sudden turn of events. Black Ink Disciples were the servants of the Black Ink Clan after all. No matter how high their cultivation, it was impossible for them to have thoughts of betraying a Black Ink Clan. That was why Nu Yan had been completely caught off-guard when this woman walked over to them. Needless to say, with the gap in their strength, there was nothing he could have done to stop her even if he had been on guard.
In any case, this situation was totally unexpected. The woman who had just recovered her strength had killed Nu Yan with a single stroke of her sword!
Yang Kai had been praying for Nu Yan to die as soon as possible so that he could escape, but he never imagined that Nu Yan would perish just like that. If he had to be honest, he was feeling rather confused.
Before he had time to think though, the aura of death suddenly loomed over him. The woman did not stop after killing Nu Yan and swiftly slashed her sword down on him. Turning pale with shock, Yang Kai immediately summoned the Azure Dragon Spear and thrust forward without any hesitation.
There was a loud explosion, followed by an overwhelming force that erupted from before him. Yang Kai felt as though an entire Universe World had smashed into him, and his figure was sent flying backwards. A metallic taste flooded his mouth, and the vitality in his chest surged violently.
This was the second time he had suffered defeat at the hands of this woman, but a vague speculation formed in his mind at that moment.
The woman looked slightly surprised. Yang Kai had escaped from her deathblow during the previous raid, and the same thing had occurred again this time. Just as she suspected, this Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple was truly unusual!
On the other side, both B-2 and E-5 went crazy after witnessing Nu Yan’s death. As Black Ink Disciples, their Master and the Black Ink Clan were supreme. It was their responsibility to ensure the safety of their Master; however, Nu Yan had been killed right under their noses. How could they not be furious?
The two of them showed no hesitation whatsoever. One of them blasted a Divine Ability at the woman while the other lunged forward. His entire figure swelled significantly under the effects of his Secret Technique.
The woman’s expression remained indifferent, and the longsword in her hand transformed into a curtain of swords that rained down on B-2 and E-5 like a storm. With her strength, it would not take much effort for her to kill two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them.
At the critical moment, Yang Kai desperately yelled out, “Senior, Four Universe Pillars!”
Yang Kai’s yell caused the woman’s movements to pause slightly. It was precisely because of this momentary hesitation that B-2 and E-5 survived. Fresh blood splattered everywhere as both of them instantaneously suffered severe injuries and were forced to retreat; however, they were clearly unafraid of death and rushed forward again after being forced to retreat once.
The woman frowned slightly and murderous intent blazed brightly in her eyes. She had held back just now because of Yang Kai’s yell, but that did not mean she had lost her intention to kill B-2 and E-5.
Human Masters who became Black Ink Disciples after being corrupted by Black Ink Strength were destined to stand on the opposite side as the enemy, and there could be no mercy when dealing with the enemy. That was the lesson learned by the Human cultivators after innumerable years on the Black Ink Battlefield. It was a lesson they received in exchange for the blood of countless ancestors.
Before the woman could attack again though, Yang Kai rushed over in a flash. B-2 and E-5 were completely focused on the woman, so they were totally defenceless towards him. He easily approached them for that reason and knocked them down, rendering them unconscious rather than killing them. Unfortunately, due to the urgency of the situation, his attacks had been a bit too heavy so there was a high chance that they would need to recuperate for some time when they woke up.
The woman held her longsword in her grip. Watching the scene in front of her, a look of surprise flashed through her eyes. As a Black Ink Disciple, Yang Kai’s actions were undoubtedly puzzling; however, if she combined his actions with the words he shouted earlier, a vague speculation formed in her head, “Are you not corrupted by the Black Ink Strength?”
Holding B-2 in one hand and E-5 in the other, Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “I wanted to tell you when I met you for the first time, but I didn’t get the chance to speak.”
“You really have one of the Four Universe Pillars?” The woman raised her eyebrows.
“I have a World Spring!”
“Words are nothing without proof!” She did not lower her guard, and a sword wave continued to hum around the longsword in her hand.
Yang Kai nodded in acknowledgement and said, “Please see for yourself, Senior!”
While speaking, he opened the portal to his Small Universe. She took a deep look at him before she activated her Divine Sense and probed the interior of his Small Universe.
A short while later, she withdrew her Divine Sense, her eyes filled with astonishment. She had certainly seen a clear spring inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, in addition to the mysterious power that flowed out of it which stabilised his Small Universe. Thanks to this power, his Small Universe was not only extremely firm, but also completely impervious to any external forces.
She also saw that his Small Universe had already transformed from immaterial to material, which was what surprised her the most; after all, the young man in front of her was clearly only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm…
“Senior, do you also have one of the Four Universe Pillars?” Yang Kai inquired for verification.
If she did not have one of the Four Universe Pillars, then how was it possible for her to safely escape from the clutches of a Black Ink Territory Lord? The reason she had quietly endured the process and pretended to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength was that she had been running out of strength. If it was discovered that she had one of the Four Universe Pillars, she was bound to be killed on the spot; therefore, she waited until the Territory Lord departed and she recovered enough before she made her move.
Nu Yan’s death was simply collateral damage. He originally thought that staying behind to watch over her would be an easy task because he did not need to confront the Human Masters, but how could he have known that staying behind was actually the fastest way to die? If Nu Yan had known that his decision would result in such an outcome, he would never have agreed to stay beside this woman.
It was precisely because Yang Kai had such a guess that he shouted at the top of his voice when the woman made her move just now.
Unexpectedly though, she slowly shook her head, “I don’t have one of the Four Universe Pillars. The Four Universe Pillars are only given to the Eighth-Order Masters. I am not qualified enough to own one. Why else did you think that Territory Lord left without checking my Small Universe?”
There had never been a precedent of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength, so there was no need for them to worry about it and thus no reason for them to have one of the Four Universe Pillars.
Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were the strongest fighting force below the Old Ancestors and also the commanders and leaders of the Human Race army on the Black Ink Battlefield. Hence, a treasure like the Four Universe Pillars would naturally be given to them so that they could be used to the fullest. More importantly, they had enough strength to defend themselves on the chaotic battlefield and would not be killed by accident, leading to the loss of the Four Universe Pillar they carried.
If treasures like the Four Universe Pillars were possessed by Sixth or Seventh-Order Masters, they would be lost if these Open Heaven Realm Masters perished on the battlefield.
The Black Ink Clan was also aware of this point. The Humans did not have many Four Universe Pillars in their possession, and these treasures were always possessed by Eighth-Order Masters. There was no exception to this rule. It was precisely for that reason that the Territory Lord had left with peace of mind after corrupting the woman with his Black Ink Strength and did not bother to check her Small Universe.
Yang Kai was surprised, “How did you resist the corruption of the Black Ink Strength then, Senior?”
When he asked this question, he immediately became vigilant. If this woman had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, then the situation in front of him would be very bad.
The woman was silent for a moment before she explained, “Somebody once planted a Secret Technique based on the Profound Fish inside my Small Universe. It can help me to resist the erosion of the Black Ink Strength once.”
The Profound Fish was one of the Four Universe Pillars. Yang Kai did not know what kind of Secret Technique she was referring to and had never heard that the Four Universe Pillars could be used to plant such Secret Techniques. However, this kind of technique would naturally be developed only on the Black Ink Battlefield so it wasn’t surprising for him not to know about it. In order to fight against the Black Ink Strength, it was not surprising for the Human Masters to create some novel sparks after painstakingly struggling with all their might for countless years.
“Senior, do you mean to say that the Secret Technique can protect you only once?”
She nodded.
“May I verify the truth?” Yang Kai asked in a grim voice.
She said nothing and just opened the portal to her Small Universe. At a time like this, she knew that it was a necessary gesture to gain Yang Kai’s trust. In any case, on the Black Ink Battlefield, it was very normal for one’s Small Universe to be investigated by others.
After a quick investigation, Yang Kai discovered that the woman’s Small Universe certainly did not contain any signs of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. There were also no signs of a Universe Pillar inside either. He couldn’t help feeling amazed by his discovery.
“We can’t stay here for long,” the woman said softly. Nu Yan’s corpse was suspended there in open view, so if any other Black Ink Clansmen passed by this place, the two of them would have a hard time explaining the situation. While speaking, she glanced at the two Black Ink Disciples in his hand, “You can’t save them. Just kill them.”
However, Yang Kai shook his head, “If it was just me, then I would not be able to save them. But, it’s different with you around, Senior. Please put them into your Small Universe for now.”
She frowned, “Impossible. They are Black Ink Disciples. If I place them in my Small Universe, I will be in trouble when they regain consciousness.”
“Please wait a moment, Senior!” After he said that, Yang Kai’s left and right hands suddenly glowed with dazzling light. When he pressed his palms together, the yellow and blue lights merged together to form a pure white light that enveloped both B-2 and E-5.
Sizzling sounds rang out and the expressions of the two unconscious men suddenly twisted in pain. Immediately after that, dense Black Ink Strength seeped out of their bodies and faded into nothingness. Their expressions gradually softened again as the Black Ink Strength dissipated from them.
Dismissing the remaining Purifying Light, Yang Kai nodded at the woman, “It’s fine now.”
The woman was flabbergasted by what she just witnessed. Although she had some speculations, she couldn’t help feeling incredulous. She took a large step forward and casually grabbed B-2’s wrist, then she carefully probed his condition. After a while, she stared at Yang Kai as though she was looking at a ghost, “What method did you use to dispel the Black Ink Strength?”
Such a method was completely unheard of and unseen before. She had been fighting the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for some 3,000 years now, but she had never even heard of such a technique.
“I can’t explain in such a short time, but this is a unique ability that I have,” Yang Kai responded faintly.
She didn’t know what to say, mainly because Yang Kai had given her too much of a shock. Besides, she had the vague feeling that there would be a huge impact on the battle situation of this unchanging and eternal war if this method was spread.
In the past, the Black Ink Disciple corrupted by Black Ink Strength were destined to be mortal enemies. Any encounters between the Human Masters and Black Ink Disciples would only end with the death of one party or the other. However, there was now a method to restore order from chaos among the Black Ink Disciples! If this method was utilised properly, then the losses suffered by the Human Race would be significantly reduced!
[Where did this kid come from!? Why have I never heard of him before!? What’s more, he was wandering around alone in the Black Ink Clan’s territory! Should I say he is ignorant and foolish, or bold and courageous?]
Not only did he possess one of the Four Universe Pillars, but he also had the means to purify and dispel the Black Ink Strength; thus, she suddenly realised that she had picked up an immeasurable treasure. He would be a huge asset to the entire Black Ink Battlefield!
Upon confirming that all Black Ink Strength in B-2 and E-5 had been purified and dispelled, she did not hesitate to toss the two unconscious men into her Small Universe. Then, she grabbed Yang Kai by the arm, “Let’s go!”
Yang Kai did not resist and allowed her to lead him away.
Along the way, the woman would glance sideways at him from time to time. Finally, she could not suppress her curiosity any longer and asked, “Which Cave Heaven or Paradise did you come from? What is your name?”
Yang Kai was silent. In the end, he answered, “This Junior is called Yang Kai. I come from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
He did not mean to deceive her, but he figured she might not know of Void Land. If he mentioned that name, he would only need to explain even more. He was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises after all. Why would he enter the Black Ink Battlefield for no reason? That was a valid point of suspicion and since this matter was related to the Void Corridor, he could not speak carelessly.
He had not forgotten Meng Qi’s warning. Aside from the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors, no matter who questioned him, he could not reveal the existence of the Void Corridor to anybody.
The woman did not seem to think that he was lying. The main reason was that she never expected anybody to lie about their background, so she nodded lightly and said, “Blue Sky Paradise, Feng Ying.”
“Blue Sky Paradise…” Yang Kai raised his brow lightly, “Senior, do you know Elder Mu Zhuo?”
Mu Zhuo was the foreign affairs envoy from Blue Sky Paradise and was the person in charge of their Dao Temple in the Star Boundary. Although Yang Kai was not close with him, they had interacted with each other on multiple occasions.
Due to the Star Boundary’s World Tree, Yang Kai was more or less acquainted with several Elders from each of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises even though his cultivation was low. He was also quite friendly with some of them. There were times when the value of something like personal connections was reflected in such situations.
“Mu Zhuo? He is my Junior Brother. Do you know him?” Feng Ying was a little surprised.
Yang Kai answered, “I’ve met him a few times.”
Upon hearing his answer, she was tempted to ask why a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple would meet a Blue Sky Paradise Elder, let alone several times; however, she was not very familiar with the situation in the outside world after fighting on the Black Ink Battlefield for so long. It was meaningless to ask such questions, so she suppressed the curiosity in her heart.
On the other hand, Yang Kai suddenly looked around and realised that something was wrong. Taking out his Universe Chart, he checked his current position and the direction they were heading before exclaiming in astonishment, “Senior, aren’t we heading in the wrong direction?”
It turned out that the direction in which Feng Ying was leading Yang Kai was not heading towards the great pass defended by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They seemed to be heading in the opposite direction actually, so he was naturally quite confused.
Feng Ying explained, “The last operation has undoubtedly provoked the ire of the Black Ink Clan. The Black Ink Clan army is gathering at the front. We might not be able to break through their lines with just our strength alone. If we go there so recklessly, we will only be walking directly to our deaths; therefore, our best option is to find as many helpers as possible first.”
“Helpers?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows slightly at those words but soon understood, “Black Ink Disciples?”
Feng Ying nodded, “You have the ability to restore their true selves, so as long as we find a few more Black Ink Disciples, we might be able to gather a group large enough to create chaos at Black Ink Clan army’s rear. Only then will we have a chance to return.”
She originally did not have such a plan. Trapped in the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory alone, Feng Ying had already mentally prepared herself for her death. If not for that, she would not have killed Nu Yan immediately after recovering her strength. She had no plans of returning alive and simply planned to kill as many Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples as she could, so she would not be dying in vain.
It was not until she witnessed Yang Kai’s astonishing method to dispel the Black Ink Strength that this plan sprang to mind. If they could smoothly implement this plan, then they would have a standing chance to survive and even rescue some Black Ink Disciples along the way; however, Yang Kai was an indispensable part of this plan. It was impossible to pull this off without him.
Yang Kai immediately understood after listening to her explanation. Looking around for a while, he glanced towards a Black Ink Cloud condensed in the void and made a suggestion, “Senior, how about we hide inside the Black Ink Cloud over there?”
Feng Ying followed the direction of his gaze, and her expression became pensive, “Are you suggesting…”
He nodded, “The Black Ink Disciples will definitely be travelling together with the Black Ink Clan. If we run around like this, even if we encounter Black Ink Disciples, we will only cause the Black Ink Clansman travelling with them to become vigilant. If that’s the case, it will be difficult for us to take action. However, it will be a different story if we hide inside the Black Ink Cloud and emerge when the enemy passes by this area.”
Pondering in silence after listening to his suggestion, Feng Ying nodded in agreement, “You’re right.”
With her intelligence, she didn’t need Yang Kai to explain much for her to understand the various advantages of this method. Unfortunately, there was one problem with this plan, “Can you guarantee my safety?”
She was powerful, and the immense heritage of her Small Universe gave her a certain degree of resistance towards Black Ink Strength; even so, it was impossible for her to remain inside a Black Ink Cloud for an extended period of time. She would eventually fail to withstand Black Ink Strength if too much time passed.
“We’ll know once we try!” Yang Kai declared firmly. Taking the lead, he rushed towards the Black Ink Cloud. It was impossible for him to not be in high spirits right now. He had been trapped in Black Ink Clan’s domain for the past two years, during which he always had to act with utmost caution, as though he was constantly walking on thin ice. Thus, Yang Kai inevitably felt his blood pumping when doing something so invigorating all of a sudden.
A short while later, Yang Kai charged into the Black Ink Cloud with Feng Ying following closely behind.
The dense Black Ink Cloud was almost as thick as solid matter. If the two of them hid inside this Black Ink Cloud, random passers-by would not be able to discover their whereabouts without careful investigation.
Yang Kai had a World Spring, so no matter how impressive the Black Ink Cloud was, it was completely ineffective against him. However, it was different for Feng Ying. She had to use her World Force to shield herself the moment she entered the Black Ink Cloud to prevent the Black Ink Strength from corrupting her. Not only would this consume her strength quickly though, she would also risk being corrupted at any moment.
Naturally, Yang Kai was prepared well in advance for this situation and released a burst of Purifying Light to completely dispel the Black Ink Strength around the space where they stood to create a safe zone for them. It was not until then that Feng Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief. Be that as it may, she could not figure out what kind of method Yang Kai was using even though she had carefully observed him when he cast the Purifying Light.
Still, now was not the time to ask such questions, so Feng Ying declared, “Take a rest. We might need to fight at any time.”
After saying so, she closed her eyes to replenish her strength.
Yang Kai had no need to recuperate his strength as the battle earlier had not consumed much of his energy. What’s more, he needed to keep a close watch on his surroundings. There were too many uncertain elements in waiting for gains without pains here, so he needed to carefully monitor the outside world for any possible complications that might arise.
Time passed slowly and fortunately, their luck was pretty good. Only an hour later, a dozen or so figures flew over from the depths of Black Ink territory.
Yang Kai was the first to notice them and quickly called out, “Senior.”
Feng Ying opened her eyes and focused her senses in that direction. The Black Ink Cloud formed a barrier that made it difficult for her to look outside, but her Divine Sense could perceive the situation clearly.
Assessing the situation, she reported, “Two Feudal Lords, six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen, and five Black Ink Disciples!”
The situation made her frown slightly. There were quite a few enemies in this group, so it might be difficult for them to handle. Nevertheless, this was the first batch of people to arrive after they started waiting here so they had to take action. As long as their initial attempts went well, their situation would only get better and better.
Feng Ying briefly checked her Small Universe, but the two former Black Ink Disciples she tossed inside earlier had yet to regain consciousness. Yang Kai’s previous attack had been rather heavy, so they could not rely on these two for help right now.
While she was hesitating, Feng Ying heard Yang Kai whisper, “I’ll leave the two Feudal Lords to you, Senior. I’ll deal with the rest.”
She glanced at him in disbelief, “Are you sure?”
After hastily exchanging blows twice with him, Feng Ying knew that Yang Kai was quite strong. Be that as it may, she was not familiar with his true abilities. It was not easy for one person to face six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen alone. On top of that, the five Black Ink Disciples would not simply stand around doing nothing once the fight broke out. They would surely attack to support their Masters.
“Rest assured, Senior. This Junior may be young, but I’ve experienced many things in life. I won’t screw up.” Yang Kai licked his lips with an eager expression. Having suppressed himself for so long, he could finally go all out again.
Feng Ying hesitated slightly before she nodded, “Be careful. I will dispatch those two Feudal Lords as quickly as possible then come to help you.”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
Exchanging a glance, the pair rushed out of their hiding spot in the Black Ink Cloud.
As soon as the two of them emerged from their hiding spot, the Black Ink Clansmen passing by noticed them and numerous gazes immediately turned towards them.
Upon seeing that these two were Humans, the two leading Feudal Lords revealed expressions of pleasant surprise. They exchanged a glance with each other and flew over in tacit agreement.
Likewise, Yang Kai and Feng Ying approached the Black Ink group. Both parties soon came close to each other.
One of the Feudal Lords reached out towards Feng Ying, but in the next instant his body suddenly stiffened without any warning. A sword wave sliced through him, from the top of his head to his crotch. The sharp and unstoppable sword wave broke through his defences and split his enormous body in two.
Feng Ying had made her move! She actually launched her attack even earlier than Yang Kai. Yang Kai had the protection of the World Spring, so he could fearlessly allow the Black Ink Strength to pour into his body and make the enemy lower their guard as a result; however, she did not have such luxury.
As soon as the Feudal Lord in front of her reached out towards her, she unleashed a killing move. She was among the strongest Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and not too long ago, she had slaughtered hundreds of enemies with her strength alone. She not only attacked decisively at this moment, but she also had the element of surprise on her side while striking from point-blank distance. How could the Feudal Lord defend against her attack?
It only took an instant for her to kill the first Feudal Lord on the spot; then, without delay, she slashed her sword at the second Feudal Lord.
The second Feudal Lord happened to be preparing to subjugate Yang Kai at that very moment, so how could he stand a chance against Feng Ying’s sudden assault? When the sword wave slashed down, he was chopped in half and died just like that.
The two Feudal Lords perished in an instant. Only then did Feng Ying breathe a sigh of relief, but when she looked over, she was slightly stunned. That was because Yang Kai was standing there with a spear in one hand, a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman hanging from its end. With a twist of his arm, the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman exploded into mist.
[As expected, this kid… is strong!] She had managed to kill two Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords by herself because she had enough confidence in her strength; however, in the short time taken for her to deal with her enemies, Yang Kai had already slain four of the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen. Meanwhile, the remaining two who were pushed back, looked greatly weakened. It was obvious that they were severely injured.
How could an ordinary Sixth-Order Master be so fierce?
Feng Ying felt she had seen something new today and also had the vague realization that Yang Kai was at the peak of the Sixth Order and would soon advance to the Seventh Order. It was impossible for him to be so strong otherwise.
Despite her swirling thoughts, her movements did not stop for an instant. She was already charging towards the two High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen who were heavily injured by Yang Kai earlier, and with one swing of her sword, she easily killed them.
These two High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen had been severely injured by Yang Kai when he swept his spear at them, and Feng Ying’s attack was sharp and overwhelming. How could they defend themselves?
In the blink of an eye, two Black Ink Feudal Lords and six High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen perished. Although this was the first time the two of them cooperated together in a fight, they seemed as though they had known each other for a long time. There was not the slightest flaw in their cooperation.
It was not until this moment that the five Black Ink Disciples finally came to their senses.
Seeing the tragic deaths of the Black Ink Clansmen around them, these five Black Ink Disciples were absolutely enraged. They instantly summoned their respective artifacts and blasted various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at Yang Kai and Feng Ying.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying could not afford to act without restraint when dealing with these five Black Ink Disciples as their current mission was a rescue operation. It went without saying that they could not heavily injure or kill the people they were supposed to save, so their actions were a bit restricted.
Yang Kai hastily dodged to avoid a Divine Ability shooting towards him while simultaneously putting away the Azure Dragon Spear. He then shot towards the nearest Black Ink Disciple.
Feng Ying cooperated without any need to discuss matters with him. With a flourish of her longsword, sword light burst forth like a waterfall and enveloped the remaining four Black Ink Disciples to restrict their movements and capture their attention.
Meanwhile, yellow and blue lights glowed brightly before merging together to form a pure white light that flared brilliantly and engulfed the Black Ink Disciple.
The pure and flawless light did not contain the slightest impurity. As the pitch-black filth was expelled from the body of the Black Ink Disciple, his pained expression gradually returned to normal and his violent resistance slowly subsided.
Nevertheless, his expression remained confused. Despite being corrupted by Black Ink Strength for all these years, he had not lost his consciousness. He could clearly remember his condition and the things that he experienced during those years. Looking back now, his belief that the Black Ink Clan was supreme seemed so foolish and ridiculous. It could be said that his actions had been a complete betrayal of not just his humanity, but even his own convictions.
Yang Kai had no time to explain anything in detail, so after nodding at the man lightly, he quickly charged towards Feng Ying.
Seeing how swiftly Yang Kai dealt with the Black Ink Disciple, Feng Ying immediately withdrew her sword light before sending out another to pin down all but one target.
They repeated the same steps over and over again, their cooperation perfectly complementing each other’s movements; as a result, it didn’t take long for the Black Ink Strength to be dispelled from all five Black Ink Disciples.
There were no High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters among these five people. Three were in the sixth order, while the remaining two were in the fifth order. That was one of the key reasons why Yang Kai could finish dealing with them so quickly.
All five of them stared at Yang Kai in stunned disbelief, as though they were trying to find a flower on his face.
Feng Ying’s previous display had revealed her immense strength; however, they all came from different Cave Heavens and Paradises where countless Masters existed, so they were not impressed by raw power alone.
Conversely, what grabbed their attention was the method Yang Kai had displayed earlier. As Black Ink Disciples who became ordinary Humans again, they had personally experienced these changes and held deep feelings towards that pure white light.
[Does our side have such means now?] The five of them were genuinely happy from the bottom of their hearts. Since ancient times, any of their comrades who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would stand on the opposite side of the Human Race and become an irreconcilable enemy. Moreover, it was impossible to rescue them.
Now that they had such means, there was no need to reluctantly give up on their comrades whenever one of them became corrupted by Black Ink Strength. They could still rescue their comrades if the opportunity arose. That was definitely something that could change the entire tide of the Blank Ink Battlefield.
Although there were many things they wanted to ask, they knew that this was not the place for discussion. They silently cupped their fists at Yang Kai and Feng Ying to indicate their thanks.
“We cannot stay in this place for long. Enter my Small Universe!” Feng Ying ordered before opening the portal to her Small Universe.
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it stood to reason that Masters below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm were able to enter her Small Universe. On the other hand, Yang Kai could only take in those below the Sixth Order.
The five of them nodded and entered the portal leading into Feng Ying’s Small Universe to recuperate without any hesitation.
“Let’s go!” Feng Ying called out and took the lead to head in a certain direction. Yang Kai quickly followed behind her.
Since they were looking for helpers, then it was only natural to gather as many as possible. Yang Kai did not know what was waiting for them ahead, but since Feng Ying had mentioned that the Black Ink Clan army was gathering on the front lines, it would not be easy for them to pass through. Only by gathering enough force would they stand a chance to fight their way through the Black Ink Clan army and return to the great pass.
Half a day later, the pair repeated their earlier actions. Hiding inside a Black Ink Cloud, they prepared to wait for fish to swim by once more.
Less than a quarter of an hour after they hid, a large Black Ink Clan army passed by in the vicinity. There were very many of them, almost 1,000 in total, and the leader had a deep and profound aura. It was highly likely that it was a Black Ink Territory Lord.
Hiding inside the Black Ink Cloud, Yang Kai and Feng Ying did not dare to move a single muscle and concealed their auras as much as possible. If they exposed themselves in front of such a strong enemy, they would surely suffer a tragic fate.
Fortunately, luck seemed to be on their side today. Although the Black Ink Clan army passed close to their position, they did not bother to check the situation inside the Black Ink Cloud where they were hiding.
In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, Black Ink Clouds were extremely common and there was no need to investigate them carefully. Furthermore, they would never have imagined that two Humans would recklessly hide inside a Black Ink Cloud or that these Humans could resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength for an extended period of time.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief when the Black Ink Clan army disappeared from the scope of their senses. They saw another team of 100 or so passing by after some time, but just as before, they could only remain in hiding.
Judging by the current situation, it could be seen that Feng Ying’s previous guess was correct. The Black Ink Clan was marshalling their army on the front lines. The long-distance raid carried out by the Human Masters had fully provoked the wrath of the Black Ink Clan, so it was obvious that the enemy was planning a large-scale counter-attack to take revenge.
From time to time, they would see Black Ink Clansmen passing by in groups of varying numbers, but even if the numbers were small, these groups weren’t targets that they could defeat.
The current situation was different from when Feng Ying had previously repelled hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen on her own. At the time, she had no other choice but to go all out. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself in order to allow her comrades to escape, so she had fought with reckless abandon in order to drag down as many enemies with her as possible.
Now though, the two of them had to move around in secret.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai who had been keeping a close watch on their surroundings, suddenly brightened and whispered, “Senior, our prey is here!”
Feng Ying glanced at him wordlessly. His statement sounded as though they were bandits who were waiting to ambush unsuspecting travellers.
Be that as it may, she could not deny that tempting ‘prey’ had appeared. They had waited for so long and avoided several Black Ink Clan teams during this period, but at this moment, what entered their sight was a group that consisted of only ten individuals. In addition, this team was heading directly towards them.
Although the numbers of this team were similar to their first encounter, the line-up was considerably inferior in terms of strength. There were no Feudal Lords in this group, only several High-Rank and even Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen. There were not many Black Ink Disciples either, only three of them.
After confirming that there were no other dangers in the vicinity, Yang Kai and Feng Ying no longer hesitated. They rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud and charged directly at the oncoming team.
What followed was a swift massacre where the opponents were practically powerless to fight back. The Black Ink Clansmen were completely obliterated in the blink of an eye, after which Yang Kai used his means to dispel the Black Ink Strength from the three Black Ink Disciples. Once this was done, Feng Ying stuffed them into her Small Universe so that they could recover their strength.
In the two months that followed, Yang Kai and Feng Ying wandered around aimlessly. The Black Ink Clouds that could be found everywhere became the perfect hiding spots for them and whenever they came across a suitable opportunity, they would attack. If their opponents were too strong, then they would simply remain in hiding.
Their harvest over the past two months was bountiful. They slaughtered at least 100 Black Ink Clansmen, a number of whom were Feudal Lords. Moreover, they had rescued some 30 or 40 Black Ink Disciples by now.
Not every Black Ink Clansman had their own Black Ink Disciples; in fact, many of the Black Ink Clansmen harboured a deep hatred for the Human Race and even Black Ink Disciples were unbearable to them. Therefore, it was impossible for them to be accompanied by Black Ink Disciples. Even more Black Ink Clansmen simply never had the opportunity to subjugate their own Black Ink Disciples.
Nu Yan, who had five Black Ink Disciples under his command even though he was only a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, could be considered a rare example.
If a Black Ink Clansman wished to own their own Black Ink Disciple, they would either need to buy one at a great cost or subjugate one on the battlefield. Neither of these options were simple for a Black Ink Clansman to achieve.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying were currently hiding themselves inside a random Black Ink Cloud, taking their time to recover their strength after a rather intense battle.
A short while later, Yang Kai opened his eyes and looked at Feng Ying.
Seeming to sense his gaze, Feng Ying spoke without even opening her eyes, “Speak if you have something to say.”
He thus asked, “Senior, when are we heading back?”
Feng Ying decisively said, “We have too few people. It is dangerous to return like this. At the very least, we should gather 100 comrades before we make an attempt; otherwise, we will only be walking to our deaths.”
“100 people…” Yang Kai was tongue-tied.
During the past two months that they had been travelling together, they had only managed to rescue 30 or so Black Ink Disciples. At this rate, it would take half a year to gather 100 people.
“No need to worry,” Feng Ying opened her eyes and reassured him, “We didn’t have enough strength in the past so we had to be selective with our targets. Now that we have more manpower, we can take the initiative to attack. If we find the right opportunity, we will be able to progress much quicker.”
Yang Kai nodded and said nothing more. Since he did not know much about the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield, he could only follow her lead.
Half a day later, the two of them rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud after fully recovering before carefully concealing their figures and searching for a possible target.
The Black Ink Clan army was gathering up ahead; therefore, many Black Ink Clansmen were constantly rushed towards the front lines from the rear. If the opportunity presented itself, then these scattered Black Ink Clansmen would become their prey.
And an opportunity came quickly.
In the distance, the two of them saw an enormous ship sailing through the void in the direction where all the Black Ink Clansmen had been rushing towards during this period. It was undoubtedly heading to the front lines to provide support.
To have a flight-type artifact of this magnitude meant that the Black Ink Clansman aboard could not be weak. The owner of this ship had to be a Feudal Lord at the very least, and one with his own territory at that.
Across a large distance, Yang Kai and Feng Ying quietly observed the large ship. They could clearly see many figures swaying about on the ship, a large number of which were Black Ink Disciples.
“Senior, do you plan to attack that ship?” Yang Kai asked.
Feng Ying nodded, “It’s a good opportunity.”
Yang Kai was worried, “But, we don’t know what kind of existence is onboard that ship. What if there’s a Territory Lord?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “That’s highly unlikely. Two months ago, the Black Ink Royal Lord personally took action; therefore, all Territory Lords in the vicinity should already have followed him to the battlefield at the time. Even if they received the news late, they would not have waited until now to set out. That’s why there should not be any Territory Lords among the reinforcements. What’s more, the war has begun and Territory Lords are the backbone of the Black Ink Clan. Logically speaking, they should have rushed to the battlefield at the earliest notice. Bringing out a flight-type artifact like this ship to transport manpower indicates that the people on the ship have varying strength, so they have different flying speeds.”
There was some logic to Feng Ying’s statement, so Yang Kai nodded slightly in response.
She then added, “Of course, there are always exceptions. If we encounter a Territory Lord… I will delay them for as long as possible. You should escape immediately.”
During this period, she had witnessed his ability and recognised his value. A talented individual like Yang Kai could not be killed here; otherwise, the loss to the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be incalculable. She even mentally prepared herself to risk her life in order to create an opportunity for him to escape at a critical juncture.
“Let’s go!” Feng Ying beckoned and charged towards the large ship with Yang Kai in tow.
When the two figures appeared without warning, there was an immediate response from the ship. Several figures flew out to stand on the deck and focused their gaze in this direction from a distance.
Feng Ying and Yang Kai did not reduce their speed as they flew forward in a straight line. It didn’t take long for them to land on the deck.
Countless scrutinising gazes mixed with curiosity turned towards them.
At the same time, Yang Kai was also observing them. He discovered that there were no Black Ink Disciples in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm here, so he couldn’t help sighing in relief. Just as Feng Ying had predicted, these people certainly had varying levels of strength. It would seem that her previous speculations were correct.
Feng Ying placed her hand over her chest and glanced at the inside of the cabin, “Who is in charge here? Hong Lian Territory Lord has an order to convey!”
Her words made her seem as though she was Hong Lain Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple.
A group of Black Ink Disciples on the deck looked around for a while but did not answer. Yang Kai’s eyes flickered slightly, admiring Feng Ying’s courage and caution. She had used the name ‘Hong Lian Territory Lord’. If there was a Master on the large ship, he would certainly reveal himself immediately after hearing this name. In that way, they could quickly determine the strength of the enemy and come up with countermeasures.
Besides, Feng Ying was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it was normal for her to disguise herself as Hong Lian Territory Lord’s Black Ink Disciple.
The dull thud of footsteps soon came from within the cabin. Immediately after that, a tall Black Ink Clansman strode out.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that this Black Ink Clansman was nothing more than a Black Ink Feudal Lord. The sight immediately filled him with relief. Many Feudal Lords had died at the hands of Feng Ying during this period; hence, a single Feudal Lord was not much of a concern.
The only thing that bothered him slightly was the Black Ink Disciple accompanying the Feudal Lord. The Black Ink Disciple was undoubtedly in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and his aura was deep and profound.
After appearing on the deck, the Feudal Lord lowered his head and looked down at Feng Ying and Yang Kai, “I am Xiao Yue Feudal Lord. What are Sir Territory Lord’s orders?”
He held no suspicion towards Feng Ying’s identity, mainly because he did not expect a person to be so bold as to impersonate the Black Ink Disciple of a Black Ink Clan Territory Lord in front of him.
Feng Ying respectfully said, “Sir, please lean down. Master has commanded that this order can only be relayed to you alone.”
Xiao Yue Feudal Lord frowned slightly at those words. Although he did not understand why Hong Lian Territory Lord would give such an order, he lowered his body slightly, tilted his head to the side, and listened intently.
Feng Ying flew forward slightly and whispered, “Master said…”
Her sentence trailed off. Having piqued his curiosity and caused him to lower his guard, Feng Ying immediately pulled out her sword and slashed at him in the next moment. Pitch-black blood splattered everywhere as Xiao Yue retained his posture of listening intently, but his massive head had already been separated from his neck.
Feng Ying’s movements did not stop there. She quickly pushed back the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple beside the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord with another slash of her sword. Immediately after that, she opened the portal to her Small Universe and dozens of figures, who were raring to go, instantly emerged.
The Black Ink Disciples, whom Yang Kai and Feng Ying had spent two months rescuing, had been recuperating in Feng Ying’s Small Universe all this while. Having long since attained a full recovery, they had nothing to do every day and were practically dying from boredom.
Now that they came out from Feng Ying’s Small Universe, they were like fierce tigers coming down the mountain. They immediately summoned their artifacts and unleashed various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at the Black Ink Clan in the surroundings.
At this moment, the Black Ink Clan were reeling in confusion and shock. They never imagined that they would be ambushed by Human Masters in such a place, so they immediately suffered heavy casualties.
As soon as Feng Ying made her move, Yang Kai also complemented her actions and lunged forward. He ignored the rest of the Black Ink Disciples and focused his attention on the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple beside the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord.
At present, it was still unclear how many on the ship could rival a Seventh-Order Master in strength; however, Xiao Yue Feudal Lord had been eliminated, so as long as this Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was dealt with, they could stabilize the entire situation.
At the same time that Yang Kai lunged forward, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple who was repelled by Feng Ying earlier rushed forward aggressively.
In the eyes of a Black Ink Disciple, it did not matter whether or not Feng Ying had been sent by Hong Lian Territory Lord, he had to take revenge after witnessing the tragic death of his Master that occurred right in front of his eyes.
Feng Ying had not lowered her guard against him of course, and after releasing her allies from her Small Universe, she raised her sword and charged at him.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai was faster than her. He sprang out from behind her and swung his fist at the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple.
A cold light flashed in the opponent’s eyes and the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple raised his palm towards Yang Kai. World Force surged violently from the palm of his hand, like a tsunami. He seemed determined to kill Yang Kai with a single strike.
“Be careful!” Feng Ying exclaimed in horror.
She never expected Yang Kai to be so reckless. In her original plan, she would pin down any Seventh-Order Masters or Feudal Lords herself while Yang Kai only needed to go and rescue the subjugated Black Ink Disciples.
How could she have imagined that this brat would target the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple on his own? She didn’t even have time to stop him! Swiftly though, she recalled that Yang Kai had managed to block two of her killing moves in the past and felt slightly more relieved. He would not die so easily.
When the two attacks collided with each other, World Force exploded and Yang Kai’s figure was sent flying backwards.
Still, the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was stunned as a look of surprise flashed across his eyes. His strength might not be at its peak, but his Order was not something that could be ignored. Even so, an opponent who was one Order lower than him had successfully defended against his attack. He couldn’t help feeling astonished.
If it was a one-on-one battle, now would be the best time to hunt down Yang Kai; however, Yang Kai had only just been thrown off when Feng Ying approached. Her longsword transformed into sword shadows that covered the entire sky and slashed down on the Black Ink Disciple.
In that instant, the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple immediately fell into a precarious situation. Feng Ying was extremely powerful and even at his peak, he might not have been her opponent, what more in his current situation?
In just a few blows, he was cornered to the point where he could only parry her attacks and was powerless to fight back. Furthermore, he could not break free of her suppression no matter how hard he struggled and resisted.
Yang Kai, who had been forced back just now, returned and joined forces with Feng Ying. Their combined efforts left the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple increasingly helpless to fight back.
Yang Kai was extremely agile, his figure flitting around erratically, causing great trouble to his opponent. Moreover, the flickering white light in the palm of his hands filled the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple with an instinctive sense of fear.
The Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple had never seen such pure white light before. Even though he did not know what kind of attack that was, the Black Ink Strength in his body transmitted a message of fear and horror to him as though it had met its natural enemy. As a result, his already precarious situation became even more unbearable.
It didn’t take long before Yang Kai found an opportunity to approach the enemy. He shot forward and pressed his palm against the back of the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple. A pure white light flared brightly and enveloped the Black Ink Disciple. Following a series of sizzling sounds, the Black Ink Strength was dispelled and dissipated into nothingness. Accordingly, the resistance of the Black Ink Disciple gradually subsided.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped and nodded at Feng Ying; then, he hastily rushed towards the nearest Black Ink Disciple.
The dozen or so Open Heaven Realm Masters previously released by Feng Ying were currently fighting an intense battle on the ship’s deck.
In such a short span of time, several people had already lost their lives. Their deaths went to show the ferocity of the battle, but the main reason was that their actions were restricted to a certain degree. Not to mention, their numbers were fewer than their opponents.
They had not been able to take an accurate accounting earlier, so it was not until this moment that they realised there were some 300 people aboard this ship. Among them, only a few dozen or so were Black Ink Disciples. The others were Black Ink Clansmen.
While they were merciless towards the Black Ink Clan, they had to hold back against the Black Ink Disciples as unlike before, they could no longer just kill them.
Following the commotion of the battle, the Black Ink Disciples and the Black Ink Clansmen below deck emerged in twos and threes. It was fortunate that the enemies did not emerge all at once; otherwise, they were bound to suffer heavy casualties at first encounter if they challenged 300 enemies directly with only a few dozen people on their side.
After the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple was rescued, Feng Ying immediately moved to block the hatch. She slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen who came her way, allowing Yang Kai to move freely and display his abilities.
Roaming around the battlefield with Purifying Light blooming from his hands, he helped the Black Ink Disciples return to their true natures. Every Black Ink Disciple he rescued was equivalent to increasing the strength of his side while simultaneously weakening the strength of the enemy.
As the battle dragged on, they gradually gained the upper hand.
There was something else that delighted Yang Kai. Aside from the Xiao Yue Feudal Lord and the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple accompanying the former, the large ship did not seem to contain any other personnel who could rival a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in strength.
As a result, the situation became better and better for them. Now that the Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple had been rescued, there was no need for further discussion. He immediately understood what he needed to do and cooperated with Yang Kai to subdue the remaining Black Ink Disciples.
The Black Ink Clansmen died at a steady pace. Unfortunately, Black Ink Strength that dissipated from the corpses was extremely troublesome to deal with.
This couldn’t be helped. Although the Black Ink Disciples had been rescued by Yang Kai, they could easily be corrupted by Black Ink Strength once more; therefore, they had to avoid Black Ink Strength at all times. Some who had their Small Universe invaded by Black Ink Strength again had no choice but to rush to Yang Kai’s side and ask for treatment.
Naturally, Yang Kai did not refuse anybody who came to him.
During the two years he served under Nu Yan, Yang Kai had learned quite a lot about the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Disciples even though he had been living in disguise. As such, he knew that almost all of the Black Ink Disciples who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength had sacrificed parts of their Small Universe at least twice before they were converted. The first time they were eroded by the Black Ink Strength, they would always choose to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe to preserve their sense of self.
The integrity of one’s Small Universe was extremely important to an Open Heaven Realm Master because their Small Universe served as the source and foundation of their strength.
Once their Small Universe was damaged, their strength would definitely decline; moreover, as a result of their incomplete Small Universe, further improvement in their cultivation would become impossible. Therefore, no Open Heaven Realm Master would willingly sacrifice a part of their Small Universe unless they had no other choice.
Unfortunately, it was impossible to dispel the Black Ink Strength from their Small Universe once it was corroded by it. Their only option was to sacrifice the part of their Small Universe that had been corrupted in order to retain their clarity and maintain their true nature.
The Human Race Masters had contended and fought against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield since ancient times. There were bound to be people who were forced to give up part of their Small Universe in every battle. For that reason, the resolution to make a prompt decision was something their ancestors had repeatedly cautioned all of them about before they stepped onto the Black Ink Battlefield.
If they did not wish to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength and lose their autonomy, then they had to be willing to make sacrifices! If they were destined to be killed by their enemies, then they should strive to drag their enemies down with them!
At every great pass, these were the two warnings that the Seniors would always repeat to their Juniors who just arrived on the battlefield.
In many cases, sacrificing a part of their Small Universe would allow them to retain their sense of self and prevent them from being corrupted by Black Ink Strength; however, doing so would cause their Small Universe to become damaged. Not only would their strength decline, but their incomplete Small Universe would also make it harder for them to resist the erosion of the Black Ink Strength if they were subjected to it in the future.
Relatively speaking, the amount of time which an Open Heaven Realm Master could resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength was different between Open Heaven Realm Masters with complete Small Universes and Open Heaven Realm Masters with incomplete Small Universes. An Open Heaven Realm Master with a complete Small Universe would be able to persist for a much longer time.
When subjected to the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, an Open Heaven Realm would be able to sacrifice part of their Small Universe the first time. Unfortunately, their success rate would be uncertain on the second attempt…
Nevertheless, there would always be instances where the situation was impossible to prevent. That was why almost all the Black Ink Disciples corrupted by the Black Ink Clan generally had an incomplete Small Universe. When they were corroded by the Black Ink Strength, they had already done their best to prevent the situation from occurring; after all, they did not wish to be converted into a Black Ink Disciple either.
That was the case for Meng Qi from Exquisite Paradise, whom Yang Kai met previously. Yang Kai had also noticed the same pattern among all the Black Ink Disciples he fought in the gambling arena. Even B-2, D-4, and E-5 were no exceptions.
That was especially true for D-4. Although he was only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the moment, he had said that he used to be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. He was once the elite disciple of a certain Cave Heaven or Paradise, but he had been invaded by the Black Ink Strength. As a result, he was repeatedly forced to sacrifice parts of his Small Universe. That was the reason why his cultivation declined and he eventually regressed to the Fifth Order.
Generally speaking, almost all of the Black Ink Disciples could be considered Pseudo-Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was not to say that they were no longer Open Heaven Realm Masters. Having split Heaven and Earth apart in their bodies to form their Small Universe, they could be classified as Open Heaven Realm Masters. It was just that their Small Universes were no longer perfect, so the strength of the Black Ink Disciples would never reach the normal standards among cultivators of the same Order.
Take Meng Qi for example. He could be considered a Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master! Although he was much stronger than the average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was pitifully weak compared to ordinary Seventh-Order Masters.
On the other hand, B-2 and E-5 could be considered Pseudo Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
All the people Yang Kai and Feng Ying rescued while wandering around for the past two months were Black Ink Disciples. Needless to say, none of these Black Ink Disciples possessed a complete Small Universe.
Many Black Ink Clansmen had been slaughtered in this battle. Following the death of these Black Ink Clansmen, Black Ink Strength that dissipated from their corpses would gather together to form a cloud. In this way, it was very easy for the Open Heaven Realm Masters to become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again.
Thanks to their prior experience of being rescued though, these people immediately rushed over to Yang Kai as soon as they discovered that their Small Universe was being corroded by Black Ink Strength so that he could help them dispel it.
Combined with the Black Ink Disciples who originally needed rescue in the first place, Yang Kai was overwhelmed for a time.
It was fortunate that Feng Ying and the newly-rescued Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were relatively strong. In addition, the large ship also lacked the corresponding high-end combat power to deal with them. As the two of them rushed back and forth, the Black Ink Clan suffered countless casualties. As such, the situation slowly stabilised.
Seeing the strength of the Human Race Masters, the surviving Black Ink Clansmen knew that they were no match for the enemy and immediately dispersed in all directions.
Feng Ying’s gaze sharpened at the sight and she shouted in an authoritative voice, “Don’t let a single one escape!”
Leading a team of people, she pursued the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen; likewise, the other Seventh-Order Master chased down the others fleeing in the opposite direction.
They had been causing a storm in the Black Ink Clan’s territory, and the main reason they managed to stay safe until now was that they had never revealed their existence before. All this while, they had ruthlessly silenced all Black Ink Clansmen that they encountered and rescued all the Black Ink Disciples they came across.
If news of their activity were to leak though, the Black Ink Clan would surely take countermeasures against them. If that were to happen, they would be helpless to resist with the strength of so few people. Therefore, all the Black Ink Clansmen here had to die. Only the dead could be trusted to keep secrets.
The Black Ink Clansmen fled in a very scattered manner, so some still managed to slip through the net even with two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters chasing after them. Naturally, everybody else quickly split up to hunt down these fleeing Black Ink Clansmen.
Yang Kai did the same and took the lead in the pursuit. His figure latched onto the tail of several Black Ink Clansmen like a leech, and he manipulated Space Principles from afar to stall them. The Black Ink Clansmen who were fleeing desperately immediately felt as though they had fallen into a quagmire. The more they struggled, the stiffer their bodies became.
When he got closer, Yang Kai summoned the Azure Dragon Spear. The Black Ink Clansmen perished with a stab of his spear. Afterwards, his figure moved around the void as he stopped several others from fleeing. He killed every one of them and finally took a look around him. The originally chaotic battlefield had calmed down.
A short while later, everybody returned to the ship once more to count their casualties. The results were not too bad. Although they lost some people, they gained even more. Their line-up had increased to around 80 people, and they even gained an additional Pseudo Seventh-Order Master.
The large ship had been reduced to tatters during the battle earlier. This was just a simple flight-type artifact after all. Even though the ship had some defensive abilities, they were not deployed during the previous battle. What’s more, it might not have made a difference even if the defences had been deployed. The fallout of the attacks from so many Open Heaven Realm Masters was extremely brutal, and a flight-type artifact of this calibre was incapable of enduring such impact.
Feng Ying was very decisive and directly destroyed all the evidence lest the Black Ink Clan passing by this area noticed that something was wrong. Only then did she turn to the others and said, “Everyone, enter my Small Universe. We can talk about the rest later.”
It was too conspicuous for such a large group of Humans to gather together. Besides, it was inconvenient for them to move swiftly with their varying strengths. It would be more convenient and safer for them to hide in Feng Ying’s Small Universe.
Everybody knew that this was not the place for discussion, so despite the questions in their hearts, they entered her Small Universe in successive order. It didn’t take long before only Yang Kai, Feng Ying, and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master remained.
“Let’s go,” Feng Ying ordered and took the lead to head in a certain direction. Yang Kai and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Master followed behind her.
A quarter-hour later, a dense patch of Black Ink Clouds came into view. Feng Ying turned to look at Yang Kai with an inquiring gaze and Yang Kai nodded lightly in response. Then, the three figures headed straight towards the thickest Black Ink Cloud.
The Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master looked doubtful as Black Ink Clouds were not something Humans would approach carelessly. That was especially true in his current condition. His Small Universe had flaws in it, so this Black Ink Cloud was an extremely dangerous threat to him. However, considering the means Yang Kai displayed earlier, he said nothing and simply followed close behind.
Soon, the three of them plunged into the Black Ink Cloud. Yang Kai immediately created a safe area inside the Black Ink Cloud, and the Pseudo Seventh-Order Master finally calmed down.
“Blue Sky Paradise, Feng Ying!” Feng Ying turned to the Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, cupped her fist slightly, and introduced herself.
Yang Kai followed suit, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Yang Kai!”
The Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master returned the greeting and solemnly introduced himself, “Myriad Transformations Paradise, Shen Ao!” After introducing himself, he turned to Yang Kai with a serious look, “I will never forget your saving grace. In the future, please feel free to speak if you have anything you need, Little Brother. This Shen will not refuse as long as it is within my ability.”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “It’s just a minor matter. You are being too polite, Senior.”
Shen Ao shook his head solemnly, “I have been living in a fog for hundreds of years and finally regained my clarity today. I will forever remember this kindness.” He continued with a look of curiosity, “Since when did we obtain such means?”
For countless years, it had always been impossible to rescue a Black Ink Disciple who was corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Be that as it may, the method that Yang Kai displayed earlier had rescued all the Black Ink Disciples who survived. It was obvious that the Black Ink Strength in their bodies had been dispelled and purified.
Therefore, Shen Ao couldn’t help feeling extremely curious and a little excited. Just like Feng Ying, how could he fail to realise the immense value of this technique?
Feng Ying explained, “This method is not something everybody can use. It is a unique ability that belongs only to this kid. I myself have only learned about it recently.”
Surprised, Shen Ao looked at Yang Kai and asked, “Is this a Secret Technique or a Divine Ability? Can other people cultivate it?”
Yang Kai paused for a moment before he answered quietly, “It can be regarded as a Secret Technique, but nobody else can cultivate it.”
Shen Ao did not understand, “If it is a Secret Technique, then why can’t others cultivate it? The Cave Heavens and Paradises are filled with talented people. I’m sure there will be people among them who can succeed, even if the number is small.”
Similarly, Feng Ying looked at Yang Kai with curiosity. If she had to be honest, she had been extremely curious about Yang Kai’s methods throughout the duration of their travels. Although there were many times when she wanted to ask about it, she could not bring herself to do so; after all, Yang Kai seemed reluctant to say much about it. If she tried to get to the bottom of this matter, she would be suspected of trying to infringe upon his privacy.
At this moment, Shen Ao had asked the questions that Feng Ying wanted to ask. If this method could be spread to the public, the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield would surely change drastically.
Yang Kai shook his head and explained, “I’m afraid Senior has misunderstood the situation. Although I can use this method, I did not cultivate this power myself. It was granted to me by someone else!”
While saying so, he activated the seals on his left and right hands. The seal on his left hand was like a bright Great Sun, while the one on his right was a brilliant blue Moon.
Feng Ying and Shen Ao looked on in amazement.
“These two marks are the foundation of that Secret Technique. It is not this Junior’s ability. Moreover, the ones who gave me these two marks… are not on the Black Ink Battlefield.”
After listening to his explanation, the other two couldn’t help but look disappointed. Nevertheless, they could detect a trace of the terrifying aura that came from these marks and were certain that the ones who gave him these two marks were beings that should not be provoked.
Shen Ao was silent for a moment before he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder, “You need to protect yourself well. You can turn the tide of this war with your strength alone!”
That statement was so exaggerated that Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.
Shen Ao then turned to look at Feng Ying, “Senior Sister, what are your plans?”
The two of them were in the same Order; in addition, they had never encountered each other before. Since he did not know who was older or younger, addressing her as ‘Senior Sister’ was simply a sign of respect. There was no special meaning behind his words.
Feng Ying replied, “The Black Ink Clan army is probably gathering on the front lines to attack the great pass. I plan to gather more people and launch a surprise attack from the rear. That way, even if we are unable to break the siege on the great pass, we can still create some confusion among the Black Ink Clan. What do you think, Junior Brother?”
Shen Ao nodded in agreement, “I heard some information regarding the front lines while travelling beside Xiao Yue. There are indeed many Black Ink Clansmen gathering on the front lines to storm the nearest great pass; however, throughout the ages, the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises have never fallen. There is no need to be too worried. On the contrary, we will need to gather enough strength if we wish to return.” He turned to look at Yang Kai and continued, “With Little Brother’s means though, gathering more people will not be too difficult. Let us proceed as you planned, Senior Sister. I have no objections.”
Nodding, she said, “Good. Let’s recover our strength for now. If we want to gather more people, we will need to search for more Black Ink Clansmen.”
Shen Ao added, “I’m sure you know about my current condition, Senior Sister. Even if we encounter a strong enemy, I will have to rely on you to take action.”
She nodded in understanding, “Rest assured. I will do my best.”
Yang Kai suddenly turned to look at Shen Ao and asked, “Senior, is your Small Universe damaged?”
Generally speaking, most Black Ink Disciples had a damaged Small Universe. During the previous battle against the Black Ink Clan, the strength displayed by Shen Ao was somewhat inconsistent with the strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Shen Ao looked slightly depressed, “That’s right.”
This was a lingering regret of his. Many years ago, he had accidentally gotten corrupted by Black Ink Strength during a battle against the Black Ink Clan and was forced to sacrifice a part of his Small Universe as a result. Unfortunately, that battle had been extremely fierce and he had been exhausted from fighting with no time for him to rest or recuperate. In the end, he was unwittingly corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again and became a Black Ink Disciple. He had lived in a daze until now. Nevertheless, it truly was amazing to regain his clarity.
Hearing this, Yang Kai took out an object and handed it to Shen Ao, “Senior, please take a look and see if this is useful to you.”
Shen Ao took the object suspiciously and opened the box. His expression immediately stiffened in surprise, “Profound Yin Spirit Fruit!?”
Even Feng Ying looked over with a shocked expression. It was only natural that she recognised this object; after all, it was considered a precious treasure in the Black Ink Battlefield since it had an extremely significant effect on repairing one’s Small Universe.
“Where did you get that?” Feng Ying asked in astonishment.
Yang Kai shrugged, “I found it by accident.”
It was inconvenient for Yang Kai to explain any further as this was something Meng Qi had given to him, meaning he could not explain the circumstances. He looked at Shen Ao and inquired, “Will this help to repair your Small Universe, Senior?”
Shen Ao clutched at the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit tightly with a look of excitement in his eyes, “Of course! This is the only thing that can help me!”
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, his mental fortitude was quite strong, and there were few things in the world that could make him so excited. Even when he was rescued by Yang Kai, he had not been so emotional. Be that as it may, when he held the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit in his hand, he couldn’t help being shaken by the hope of restoring his Small Universe.
“How long will you need?” Feng Ying probed.
Shen Ao shook his head, “I don’t know. I have never used this before after all, but I don’t think it will take too long.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he added, “Little Brother, this object is extremely useful to me. I will not refuse your goodwill. I will definitely reward you handsomely in the future!”
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively, “If your strength is restored, Senior, it will also be very helpful to our plans.”
At the moment, Feng Ying and Shen Ao were the only two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters by his side. While there was nothing to worry about when it came to Feng Ying, Shen Ao was only a Pseudo Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Not only was his strength lower than average, his resistance against Black Ink Strength also left much to be desired. Shen Ao’s current condition would be highly detrimental to their future plans.
If a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit could resolve these issues, then there was no reason for Yang Kai to be stingy.
Yang Kai continued after some deliberation, “I still have a few more Profound Yin Spirit Fruits. Should we have some of our allies consume them?”
In his opinion, under their current circumstances, they should increase their combat power as much as possible. Besides, the restoration of one’s Small Universe would also increase their resistance towards the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength.
[He still has more…] Feng Ying and Shen Ao immediately became shocked to the core. The Profound Yin Spirit Fruit was extremely rare and precious. In the Black Ink Battlefield, only a few special Sealed Worlds could produce them. It was the blessing of a lifetime just to find one, but Yang Kai had more than one in his possession. Moreover, although they did not know how many Profound Yin Spirit Fruits he had, the number was definitely not few.
This was not something Feng Ying could decide for the others, so she responded after a short pause, “I’ll ask and see.”
Unexpectedly, Shen Ao laughed bitterly, “I don’t think anybody would take them.”
“Why not?” Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling astonished.
The Small Universe of the Black Ink Disciples they rescued earlier should be in a damaged state; hence, the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit should be extremely attractive to them. Why would anyone refuse such an offer?
Shen Ao did not explain and simply said, “You’ll soon find out.”
Meanwhile, Feng Ying closed her eyes and said nothing, probably communicating with the Open Heaven Realm Masters inside her Small Universe. A short while later, she opened her eyes and looked at Yang Kai, “You should hold onto those Profound Yin Spirit Fruits for now.”
As predicted, nobody wanted the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits.
Seeming to understand Yang Kai’s confusion, Shen Ao explained, “When they come across such opportunities, they will always choose to leave them for the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters. Forget the Spirit Fruits in your possession, even if they obtained one themselves, they would not consume it easily. On the contrary, they would choose to turn it over to the higher-ups.”
After saying that, he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder and walked over to the side. Sitting down cross-legged, he swallowed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit.
Yang Kai stood in silence for a long while, but in the end, he just sighed softly. He never expected the people they rescued to resist the temptation and refuse the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits. Nevertheless, this incident allowed him to experience the difference in culture on the Black Ink Battlefield.
In the 3,000 Worlds, such a precious treasure would have attracted the greed of countless people. On the contrary, the hearts and minds of the people were united as one on the Black Ink Battlefield. Everybody would choose the option that was most beneficial to the overall situation. They would never disregard the bigger picture just to satisfy their own selfish desires.
The Black Ink Cloud was filled with silence as the trio focused on their respective recovery and meditation.
From time to time, subtle fluctuations in the World Force would radiate from Shen Ao, most likely the result of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit at work to mend his Small Universe. It took more than twenty days for the intermittent fluctuations coming from him to finally subside. Another half day later, he slowly opened his eyes.
Yang Kai had been paying close attention to the changes in Shen Ao. Looking at Shen Ao at this moment, he could sense that Shen Ao’s aura seemed to be different from before and he had become much more confident.
When their gazes met, Shen Ao nodded lightly at Yang Kai to express his gratitude.
Feng Ying spoke up from the side, “Are you prepared?”
“Yes,” Shen Ao nodded.
“In that case, let us depart,” she said as she climbed to her feet.
Before their departure, the three of them made some preparations. All the Open Heaven Realm Masters they previously rescued were currently hiding inside Feng Ying’s Small Universe. As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, her Small Universe was big enough to accommodate these people; however, accommodating too many of them placed a burden on her and affected how much strength she could wield. In addition, if they were to launch another surprise attack on the Black Ink Clan like before, it would take some time for her to release all of them from her Small Universe.
Following a brief discussion, a dozen or so Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were taken into Yang Kai’s Small Universe while the rest were split equally between Feng Ying and Shen Ao.
At this point, the expression on Shen Ao’s face when he looked at Yang Kai could only be described as flabbergasted. They had not known each other for long, but Yang Kai had already sprung so many surprises on him in such a short period.
Yang Kai had the means to restore order to chaos, which could rescue the Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength. He had also given a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to Shen Ao, and now, he could even accommodate living beings inside his Small Universe… Leaving aside the matter of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, the two other matters could be said to be unprecedented in all the years that Shen Ao had been alive. These two events had certainly given him quite a huge shock.
Feng Ying observed Shen Ao’s expression and smiled slightly, [This brat also has a World Spring, one of the Four Universe Pillars. I wonder what Shen Ao would think if he found out about that.]
In all honesty, she herself had been shocked by Yang Kai on numerous occasions. She had never met a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him before. There were always all kinds of bizarre things about him, so she was often astounded by the unexpected incidents that he accidentally created.
There were times when she simply could not understand. Somebody like him should be carefully protected, so how did he end up in the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s domain where he had to disguise himself as a Black Ink Disciple to survive?
The main force of the Black Ink Clan had been gathering successively on the front lines, but there would always be some scattered Black Ink Clansmen who were slower to head for the battlefield. They were not as orderly as the Human Race, so they moved in a more scattered fashion. What’s more, the territory occupied by the Black Ink Clan in the Black Ink Battlefield was too vast. Even under the Royal Lord’s call to arms, there was bound to be a difference across the various territories in terms of the Black Ink Clan’s response speed. There were also Black Ink Clansmen who would delay or find excuses to refuse joining the front lines of the battlefield.
More importantly, these Black Ink Clansmen who belatedly rushed for the battlefield usually travelled in small groups, which gave the trio numerous opportunities to act.
If there were too many in a group, the trio would remain hidden and not reveal their whereabouts. If it was a small group, then they devoured their prey in one bite. They slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen and did their best to rescue as many Black Ink Disciples as they could.
In the past, just Yang Kai and Feng Ying were enough to kick up a storm in the Black Ink Clan’s rear lines. Now that they not only gained an additional helping hand in Shen Ao, but also dozens of helpers, it was only natural that these activities became even easier to carry out.
As the days passed, more and more Black Ink Disciples were rescued. Their lineup grew from tens to hundreds and soon breached the 200 mark. Among these people, they also gained two additional Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Including Feng Ying and Shen Ao, they now had a total of four Seventh-Order Masters on their side.
Needless to say, the two newly rescued Seventh-Order Masters received a gift from Yang Kai. They consumed the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit and restored their Small Universes.
Over the recent period, at least 2,000 Black Ink Clansmen had died at their hands, including a dozen or so Feudal Lords. It could be said that their battles had been very fruitful.
After a particularly large battle, Yang Kai and the four Seventh-Order Masters hid themselves inside a Black Ink Cloud to rest and recover their strength. During such times, Yang Kai would always think about Meng Qi. The current situation could be said to have been jointly created by Meng Qi and Feng Ying with their own hands.
Meng Qi was not as powerful as Feng Ying in terms of strength, but he was also in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. If he had not chosen to commit suicide back then and instead leave with Yang Kai, he might have been able to survive. Be that as it may, he had resolutely chosen to sacrifice himself because there was always a chance that something detrimental might happen.
Meng Qi had been worried that he might become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again. If that were to happen, the secret of the Void Corridor would definitely be exposed and the 3,000 Worlds would be invaded by the Black Ink Clan army. He had not dared to take any chances so long as even the slightest possibility existed; thus, he had chosen to sacrifice his life instead.
Although Yang Kai understood the reason behind those actions, he could not help feeling regretful whenever he came across similar situations and remembered Meng Qi.
Other than Yang Kai, nobody else in this world knew that a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Exquisite Paradise had sacrificed his life in order to protect a secret related to the safety of the 3,000 Worlds.
As a matter of fact, countless Human Masters had risked their lives on the Black Ink Battlefield since ancient times. Who among them had not given blood and life to stop the invasion of the Black Ink Clan? Be that as it may, with the exception of the Elders and elite disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, most of the people in the 3,000 Worlds were not even aware of the Black Ink Clan’s existence.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had contributed greatly to the 3,000 Worlds.
“We’ve got movement,” A low voice sounded inside the Black Ink Cloud.
The others who were resting nearby quickly opened their eyes and focused their senses outside. Sure enough, they discovered movement. A large number of Black Ink Clansmen suddenly entered the range of their perception. Not only were there as many as 500 people in the approaching group, but several Black Ink Feudal Lords were leading it.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters exchanged a glance with each other and noticed the eagerness in the other’s eyes.
During this period of time, everybody had carried out numerous acts of intercepting the enemy, so it could be said that they had long since gotten accustomed to such acts. In fact, this large group of Black Ink Clansmen looked like nothing more than a delectable piece of meat in their eyes. With their current line-up, they were perfectly capable of destroying this enemy. Most importantly, there were many Black Ink Disciples among this group of enemies. If they could successfully rescue these Black Ink Disciples, they would further increase their strength.
In the beginning, if they had encountered such a group of enemies, they could only choose to make a temporary retreat. There was no helping it as the difference in numbers was too great. In contrast, even though they currently only seemed to have five people on the surface, the truth was that they each contained many helpers in their respective Small Universes. It was only natural for them to eye these enemies with relish.
“Something is wrong,” Yang Kai suddenly scowled.
“What’s wrong?” The person who asked the question was an elderly-looking man. He was one of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who introduced himself as Qi Tai Chu of Yuan Origin Paradise.
“Their direction is wrong!” Yang Kai shook his head.
Upon hearing those words, another Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Ning Qi Zhi of Red Sun Paradise agreed, “That’s right. Why is a Black Ink army coming from that direction?”
During this period, all the Black Ink Clansmen they intercepted had been heading towards the front lines of the battlefield from the Black Ink Clan’s territory. However, this group of enemies came from the opposite direction. From the looks of it, they seemed to have retreated from the front lines of the battlefield.
“Did they finish fighting on the front lines?” Shen Ao raised an eyebrow. If that was the case, then it was good news. They would only need to wait for the Black Ink Clan army to retreat, and then they could make the return trip. There was no need to continue hiding and sneaking around.
“It’s too quick.” Feng Ying slowly shook her head, “When has the Black Ink Clan’s attack not lasted at least a decade or two? There are times when they even attack for hundreds of years without stopping. How could they possibly retreat so quickly?”
“Then why did this group return?”
“Could they be escorting something?”
They whispered among themselves, each expressing their own opinions. Even so, none of them could provide a reasonable answer.
The enemy was approaching closer and closer, so if they did not make a move now, they would miss the opportunity to do so. Seeing this, Ning Qi Zhi asked, “Are we attacking or not?”
All of them turned to look at Feng Ying. Although she was a woman, she was also the strongest among them. Moreover, all of them were jointly rescued by her and Yang Kai, so it was only natural for her to take command.
Feng Ying turned towards Yang Kai with an inquiring glance.
Yang Kai pondered for a moment, “It’s probably okay to attack, but we should be extra careful. If you think that something is wrong, retreat immediately.”
She nodded in agreement, “In that case, let’s move!”
The moment the words left her mouth, she took the lead and rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud. Yang Kai and the others quickly followed suit.
As usual, when the five figures emerged from the Black Ink Cloud, the Black Ink Clan noticed them immediately and turned to look in their direction. The leading Black Ink Feudal Lords exchanged glances with each other, showing suspicious and puzzled expressions. One of them immediately raised his hand to stop the forward motion of the group they were leading; then, they quietly waited for the five figures to approach.
Although they did not seem to be on guard against the five approaching figures, it was not due to a lack of vigilance. The main reason was that no ordinary Human cultivator would conceal themselves inside a Black Ink Cloud. Those who dared to hide inside a Black Ink Cloud without fear of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength were definitely already Black Ink Disciples. Besides, they had hundreds of people on their side while Yang Kai’s party only had five. The gap in their numbers was too great.
Those were the same reasons why Yang Kai and the others could repeatedly approach their enemies in such a bold fashion and succeed in their sneak attacks.
The distance between both parties grew closer and closer, so much so that they could clearly see the expressions on each other’s faces.
Feng Ying, who was in the lead, suddenly stretched out her hand and grabbed at something. A longsword appeared in her grip, and she immediately slid her finger across the blade of her sword.
Following a surge of World Force, a crisp humming sound reverberated throughout the void. Thousands of sword waves appeared behind her, twisting and converging to form a 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon in an instant. At the same time, she concealed herself within the Dragon Head and vanished out of sight.
As soon as she attacked, she unleashed her Divine Manifestation. It was obvious that she planned to end this battle as quickly as possible.
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan clearly never expected this kind of thing to happen. They initially thought that these people were five Black Ink Disciples separated from their Masters; therefore, they had planned to wait for the other party to approach and enjoy some easy benefits. Who could have expected the other party to unleash a killing move instead? The sudden turn of events left the Black Ink Clansmen reeling in confusion.
The expression of the leading Feudal Lord changed drastically and he shouted ferociously, “Enemy attack!”
For a time, the 500-man team was engulfed in chaos.
At the same time, the 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon lunged towards the Black Ink Clan army while shaking its head and flicking its tail. Nobody could halt its rampage. The sword waves that formed the body of the Sword Dragon vibrated with a humming sound, turning into unstoppable weapons. All the Black Ink Clansmen who came into contact with the sword waves were either heavily injured or killed on the spot. In that way, the enormous Sword Dragon swept open an empty path through the Black Ink Clan army.
When Feng Ying made her move, Yang Kai and the others immediately opened the portals to their Small Universe. Numerous figures that had been prepared for a long time emerged from within.
In the blink of an eye, the seemingly lonesome five-man party expanded into a small army of over 200 people that charged towards the Black Ink Clan with a ferocious roar.
The Black Ink Clan was stunned by the attack. Targeted by Shen Ao and the others, the Feudal Lords were unable to issue effective orders. Consequently, the battlefield was soon split apart. The Black Ink Clan were separated into small groups that stuck together on the defensive.
Yang Kai ignored the Feudal Lords as his figure moved through the crowd as nimbly as a fish in water. Whenever he came across an opportunity to attack, he would not miss it.
The Azure Dragon Spear in his hand swept out left and right. Everywhere he passed, Black Ink Clansmen erupted into blood mist in his wake. With his current strength, as long as he did not encounter a Feudal Lord, nobody beneath them could defend against his spear.
Be that as it may, his main task was not to slaughter the Black Ink Clansmen but to rescue the Black Ink Disciples. Purifying Light flickered here and there, following Yang Kai’s figure as he roamed the battlefield. The Black Ink Strength was dispelled from the bodies of the Black Ink Disciples, and they regained their clarity one after another.
Although there were hundreds of people on both sides, the battle was an extremely one-sided slaughter. Not to mention, it was the Human Race with fewer numbers who held the upper hand. It was very strange indeed; however, this result came from catching the Black Ink Clan by surprise.
The Black Ink Clan never expected the five Human cultivators who approached them to carry malicious intent; in addition, Feng Ying’s Divine Manifestation had caused great casualties and instilled panic among the Black Ink Clan army right at the outset of the battle.
If both sides could reconstruct their formation and fight on fair terms, the Black Ink Clan would not suffer so badly even if they were, ultimately, outmatched.
Many Black Ink Clansmen tried to escape when they saw that the situation was not in their favour. Be that as it may, how could the Human cultivators allow these Black Ink Clansmen to survive? The Human cultivators immediately gave pursuit and quickly slaughtered the fleeing Black Ink Clansmen.
The intense battle took less than an hour from the beginning to the end. All the Black Ink Clansmen were eliminated, and the Black Ink Disciples were rescued. The Human cultivators also suffered some casualties, but their losses were within the acceptable range.
“Martial Uncles and Martial Aunts, this Junior Brother has important information to report!” While they were counting their losses on the battlefield, somebody walked over to Feng Ying and the others with a young man in tow.
Yang Kai turned to look at the young man and recognised him as one of the Black Ink Disciples he rescued earlier.
Feng Ying looked at the young man and asked, “What information?”
The young man solemnly cupped his fist, “Martial Aunt, this is a trap. We cannot stay here for long.”
She frowned slightly, “What do you mean? Explain clearly.”
He thus explained, “I don’t know much, but the Black Ink Clan seems to have noticed something strange. They believe that a small team of Human cultivators are causing havoc in the rear, so they dispatched some people to launch a search. They intend to locate and eliminate the hidden team. We were merely one of the search teams. There are another seven or eight teams in the vicinity. As soon as they discover something, they will immediately communicate with each other to provide support. Although you moved very quickly just now, Martial Aunt, the reinforcements from the Black Ink Clan are probably on the way. Moreover, I overheard several Black Ink Clansmen mention that this operation is being overseen by a Territory Lord.”
The expression of Feng Ying and the others immediately became grim. All the doubts and illogical occurrences from before were clarified at this moment.
Shen Ao pounded his fist against his palm and gritted his teeth, “I was wondering why this group was retreating from the front lines. It turns out that they have noticed our movements.”
Ning Qi Zi frowned, “Although we’ve always wiped out the enemy without fail, the Black Ink Clan has suffered quite a heavy loss recently. It was only a matter of time before we were discovered, but I never imagined that they would respond so quickly.”
The Black Ink Clansmen who should have headed to the front lines had repeatedly failed to arrive on the battlefield. One or two people might have gone unnoticed, but it was impossible for thousands to simply be overlooked.
This war began because the Human Masters had raided the Black Ink Clan’s domain and destroyed a number of the Black Ink Clan’s territories along the way; therefore, it was not strange for the Black Ink Clan to suspect that a small team of Human Masters were causing havoc in the rear.
This particular Black Ink Clan team had been ordered to perform a search of this region. Under normal circumstances, they would have been on guard when they encountered these five people, but Feng Ying and the others had emerged from within the Black Ink Cloud, which caused the Black Ink Clansmen to mistakenly assume that they were Black Ink Disciples. For that reason, the Black Ink Clansmen lowered their guard and allowed Feng Ying’s party to launch a sneak attack.
Everybody began moving swiftly. Although they slaughtered all the Black Ink Clansmen, the information would have leaked out by now. The other Black Ink Clan search teams in the vicinity would surely be on their way to provide support.
What’s more, the one presiding over this matter was a Black Ink Territory Lord! That was an existence on par with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If they ran into a Master of that calibre, nobody could be his opponent.
Upon learning the seriousness of the issue, they did not dare to delay any longer. They quickly prepared for departure and hastily left the scene after the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters gathered all the other cultivators into their Small Universes.
Their swift response allowed them to safely make their escape. Not to mention, the Black Ink Clan did not expect the Black Ink Disciples who originally belonged to them to leak their information to the enemy.
An hour later, the group of five hid inside another Black Ink Cloud and quietly focused their minds to conceal their auras. They did not dare to act rashly and instead laid low inside the Black Ink Cloud for the next half month.
From time to time, they would detect hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen passing by in the vicinity. It was obvious that the Black Ink Clan was searching for them. Fortunately, the Black Ink Clan only managed to infer that the enemy was a small team of Human cultivators causing havoc at the rear. They did not know who these people were or how many people were involved.
Every time Yang Kai and the others made a move, they would ruthlessly wipe out all the Black Ink Clansmen they encountered, so it was only natural that their information was not spread to the Black Ink Clan. In any case, the thought that the enemy was hiding inside a Black Ink Cloud would never occur to the Black Ink Clan. That was also why they failed to discover their targets despite searching very thoroughly and even passing by the spot where Yang Kai and the others were hiding a number of times.
On the flip side, the group of five were no longer free to take action as they pleased. It was fortunate that Yang Kai had created a safe area inside the Black Ink Cloud, so they could hide without worrying about being corroded by the Black Ink Strength.
Although they were safe for the time being, hiding like this was not a viable long-term strategy. The Black Ink Clan had failed to obtain results after searching for so long, so there was no saying whether they would begin to investigate the situation inside the Black Ink Clouds as a result. If they were to do so, then Yang Kai and the others would not be able to remain hidden for much longer. It would only be a matter of time before their whereabouts were exposed. At that time, they would fall into a situation where they could no longer take the initiative.
Inside the Black Ink Cloud, Feng Ying looked at the others with a solemn expression, “It’s time to take a risk.”
Ning Qi Zhi frowned, “Senior Sister Feng, what do you mean…”
She turned back to look at the front lines, “Aiming for stealth will only make our situation more and more difficult. I want to try and see if we can return to the great pass. What do you think?”
Everybody fell silent for some time. They were once Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Having served the Black Ink Clan as servants for so long, it had been a long time since they returned to the great passes guarded by the Human Race. What they wanted more than anything in the world was to return. Unfortunately, under the current circumstances, they could not return just because they wanted to. There was bound to be a certain degree of risk involved.
Shen Ao said, “The Black Ink Clan has already been alerted to our presence, so choosing to remain here will not be beneficial to us. Although we don’t have many on our side, our numbers are not few. If we can find a suitable opportunity, we might be able to forge a path through the Black Ink Clan army. We still stand a chance to return.”
Qi Tai Chu nodded in agreement, “I agree. Back when I was corrupted by Black Ink Strength, this old man had already died once. Now that I have been given a second chance at life, it won’t be a loss if I can drag a few Black Ink Clansman down with me. In fact, it’s already a win if I can slaughter two Black Ink Clansmen. Therefore, this old man will go along with whatever you decide. I may not have the brightest mind, but I can contribute in terms of strength.”
Shen Ao added, “Let’s return then.”
Seeing as nobody else had any objections, Feng Ting nodded in satisfaction, “Then, let us return!” She turned to look at Yang Kai, “Please be careful. You must stick close to me.”
There were two reasons why she insisted on going back at this time. The first reason was that their current situation had gotten dangerous, and the second reason was that she wanted to send Yang Kai back. Yang Kai’s cultivation might not be high, but his very existence was extremely important to the Human Race as a whole. He could not risk himself by accompanying them here.
If not for these considerations, she might not have been so desperate. If possible, she even wanted Yang Kai to hide inside her Small Universe without revealing himself. In that way, he would not be in danger as long as she did not die; however, she could not do so because of his ability to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength. During a battle against the Black Ink Clan, his ability could be critical at any moment.
Once they finished their discussions, the group of five did not procrastinate. They immediately rushed out of the Black Ink Cloud and sped directly towards the front lines of the battlefield. Since they had already decided to return, then there was no need to hesitate or take detours.
The Black Ink Clan’s search had been ongoing all this time; moreover, they had increased their manpower since they failed to locate their targets after searching for so long.
As a result, the whereabouts of these five were exposed in just half a day! Even if they had expected this situation, they couldn’t help feeling flustered when they were found so quickly.
The ones who discovered their whereabouts was a small team consisting of no more than ten individuals. They immediately killed their enemies without mercy; however, more and more Black Ink Clansmen began to surround them from all directions.
The Black Ink Clan seemed to have divided their teams in order to perform an exhaustive grid search. By keeping in contact and exchanging news with each other, they could trigger a rapid response throughout the network if any issues cropped up somewhere.
Yang Kai’s group of five massacred their enemies along the way and slaughtered many Black Ink Clansmen as a result, but every attack exposed their own position
A few days later, an imposing and oppressive aura entered their perception from a great distance. When they looked up, they saw a rich darkness approaching them at a high speed from the direction where the aura originated.
“A Territory Lord!” Feng Ying, who was in the lead, shouted suddenly. Her expression instantaneously changed drastically.
What made her speechless was that the Black Ink Territory Lord gave her an extremely familiar feeling. If she remembered correctly, he was the one who tried to corrupt her with his Black Ink Strength previously.
At the time, he had poured his Black Ink Strength into her, and thinking that he had successfully corrupted her, he then rushed off to the battlefield after briefly instructing her to follow once she recovered her strength. How could he have known that one of the Human Masters had planted a Secret Technique inside Feng Ying’s Small Universe that allowed her to resist the Black Ink Strength corruption once?
In the end, Feng Ying killed Nu Yan as soon as she recovered. She initially thought that it would be difficult for them to meet again, but who knew that he would be the one overseeing the search for their whereabouts?
If the five of them had noticed the Territory Lord, then it was a given that the Territory Lord had also noticed them. It was just that they were too far apart, so nobody could do anything to the other yet.
A look of hesitation flashed across Feng Ying’s face. She was one of the strongest among the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and was only one step away from advancing to the Eighth-Order. On the other hand, Shen Ao and the other two had recently consumed Profound Yin Spirit Fruits. Their Small Universes had been repaired, so their strength was no longer compromised.
If the four of them joined hands to fight the Territory Lord, they might stand a chance against him. Even if they were not his opponents, they would not suffer a crushing defeat.
Nonetheless, this was not the time to pick a fight with a Black Ink Territory Lord. The Black Ink Clan army was closing in on them from all sides, and it would be difficult for them to escape if they were encircled. That was why Feng Ying shouted after a moment of hesitation, “Let’s go!”
She took the lead and sped in a certain direction. Yang Kai and the others quickly followed.
The Territory Lord chased after them like maggots on rotting bones. Moreover, his speed was strangely fast. Despite their best efforts, the distance between them continued to shrink.
At this rate, it would not take longer than a few days before the enemy caught up to them and a massive battle became unavoidable.
To make matters worse, the Black Ink Clan had regrouped and formed several hundred-man teams that blocked the way ahead. Although the five of them discovered this situation early, they had no other option but to change directions and take detours that delayed their escape.
After several days of repetition, a look of despair appeared on the faces of Feng Ying and the others. Leaving aside the Territory Lord who was gradually closing in on them, the encirclement by the Black Ink Clan’s teams had forced them into a corner where they could not take a step forward. They could only keep running around in a fixed region. Unfortunately, as the encirclement shrank steadily, there was less and less space for them to manoeuvre. If this situation were to continue, they would eventually become a turtle hiding in its shell.
During the chase, Feng Ying turned to look at Yang Kai, desperately trying to think of a solution. It did not matter if the rest of them died here, but the loss would be far too heavy if they failed to send Yang Kai back. The abilities he wielded were vital to the Human Race’s war effort.
Just as her thoughts were swirling around in her head, Yang Kai suddenly looked at her, “Senior, we should flee towards the rear!”
She glanced in the direction he was pointing and shook her head, “Although there is a gap in that direction, it is obviously part of the Black Ink Clan’s plan. We would be playing right into their hands if we did that. Even for us, that will be nothing more than a futile struggle prolonging our deaths.”
They came from the Black Ink Clan hinterland in the first place, so wouldn’t all their previous efforts be in vain if they were to go back there now?
Yang Kai insisted, “I have a way to get us out of this situation. Please trust me.”
“You have a way?” Feng Ying was astonished by his proposal.
Similarly, Shen Ao and the others looked at him in surprise. In this situation, it could be said that they were at the end of their rope. Their only option was to fight their way out. Even they were helpless, so how could he have a solution?
“What is your solution?” Ning Qi Zhi couldn’t help asking.
Yang Kai shook his head, “You will understand later. There’s no need to inquire further, Senior.”
Ning Qi Zhi smacked his lips and said nothing.
Feng Ying hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth, “Good!”
Taking the lead to turn around, she sped towards the rear. The others had no choice but to follow her and change their direction. At this point, they were truly heading towards a dead end. Not knowing Yang Kai’s plan, they couldn’t help feeling rather anxious.
The Black Ink Clan clearly did not expect the Human cultivators to make such a decision. Seeing that the other party was heading deeper into Black Ink Clan territory, they quickly gave chase.
Meanwhile, the Territory Lord in the lead sneered coldly. From his point of view, these damned Human cultivators were simply prolonging their deaths. As long as he could catch up to them, he would show them just how powerful he was.
During the chase, the Territory Lord’s oppressive aura grew closer and closer while the expressions on the faces of Feng Ying and the others turned ugly.
Half a day later, Ning Qi Zi lost his patience, “Little Brother, if you have a plan, then you should act now. It will be too late if you don’t. If you don’t have a solution, then be honest with us. If we put our lives on the line, we might even be able to kill that Territory Lord.”
Killing a Territory Lord was far-fetched as his strength was not just for show after all. Even so, they could injure him to a certain extent.
After listening to those words, Yang Kai looked behind him. The Territory Lord was almost upon them, and if he closed the gap any further, he would be able to start attacking them.
Therefore, Yang Kai immediately nodded, “It’s about time.”
His figure stopped moving all of a sudden.
Feng Ying and the others quickly came to a stop. Caught off guard by his actions, they quickly turned to look back at him.
“Please come closer to me!” Yang Kai shouted.
Feng Ying and the others looked at each other, wondering what kind of bottle gourd medicine he was peddling, but they were influenced by his calm confidence and quickly gathered around him.
“No matter what happens, do not circulate your strength,” he added in warning.
They glanced at the Black Ink Territory Lord, who was fast approaching them and their faces twitched at the sight. The Territory Lord was almost upon them, so wouldn’t they be courting death if they didn’t even try to defend themselves?
“Little Brother, are you confident?” Ning Qi Zhi asked in a whisper, his fist clenched tightly, revealing the anxiety in his heart.
“Don’t worry, Senior. I will not joke around with my own life,” Yang Kai responded lightly while staring fixedly ahead. His statement was the truth as nobody would joke around with their life on the line. Even so, the fact that Yang Kai refused to tell them anything in advance made them very anxious.
Meanwhile, the Territory Lord approached relentlessly. It was obvious that he had noticed the abnormality up ahead. The Human cultivators who suddenly halted in their tracks made him suspicious and wary, and he couldn’t help wondering whether there was a trap waiting for him; however, his powerful perception did not detect any traces of a trap.
Annoyance flared in his heart, [How dare they make a fool of me when they are on the verge of death!?]
His hand reached out to grab at something in front of him. His Black Ink Strength surged violently and gathered into a cloud that took the shape of a gigantic palm. Following that, a majestic aura loomed over Feng Ying and the others in an oppressive manner.
Feng Ying and the others couldn’t help feeling nervous. Moreover, they nearly activated their powers on instinct to defend against the attack. At that very moment though, a strange and mysterious energy fluctuation poured out from Yang Kai’s body to wrap around the others in an instant. In the next moment, the world spun dizzyingly!
This was a feeling that was both familiar and unfamiliar to them. It felt familiar because they had experienced similar situations many times throughout their lives. On the other hand, it felt unfamiliar because they had not experienced this feeling since they arrived at the Black Ink Battlefield.
By the time they came back to their senses, they discovered that they were standing in a completely different part of the void. The Territory Lord, who was approaching them aggressively, was nowhere to be seen. Not to mention, they did not see a single Black Ink Clansman nearby when they turned to look around.
Feng Ying stared at Yang Kai in a mixture of amazement and doubt, “A Space Technique?”
The feeling just now was very similar to her experience when she activated the Universe Transference Law with the help of the Universe Temples in the 3,000 Worlds a long time ago. If not for that, she would not have made such a guess. What’s more, a strange energy fluctuation had come out of Yang Kai’s body right before that phenomenon. Looking back at it now, that was clearly the fluctuation of Space Principles.
On the other hand, Ning Qi Zhi hurriedly took out his Universe Chart and checked their current position. After he confirmed their location, he looked absolutely stunned.
In an instant, they had travelled several tens of millions of kilometres. Their current location was clearly somewhere they passed some time ago, the very spot where Yang Kai first suggested to Feng Ying that they flee to the rear in fact. In other words, they had travelled from deep within the Black Ink Clan hinterland to this spot in the blink of an eye. In addition, the Black Ink Clan chasing them relentlessly had been left far behind.
[How did he do it!?]
“This Junior is proficient in the Dao of Space.” Faced with the suspicious looks from the other four, Yang Kai was forced to provide a brief explanation.
Shen Ao could barely believe his ears, “I’ve heard of what Masters of the Dao of Space can do, but to travel over such a great distance in the blink of an eye… That’s difficult to believe.”
The corners of Qi Tai Chu’s brow twitched, “That’s right. If you had such means, then why were we fleeing all this time? You should have just brought us back directly!”
Yang Kai smiled bitterly and elaborated, “That’s impossible. What I did just now required the help of an artifact. That is why I was able to bring you back here directly. I don’t have an artifact at the great pass to act as a beacon, so I am unable to return there directly.”
The others did not fully understand his explanation or what artifact he was referring to either, but they understood one thing. If he had the ability to bring them back directly, he would not have taken such risks in the first place.
At the same time, they also understood why he had warned them not to use their strength earlier. It was because he planned to cast the Space Technique and transport them across the Void. If an external power had interfered with his technique, then there was a high chance that it would have failed. It was fortunate that they had forcibly held back under the threat of the Black Ink Territory Lord; otherwise, the consequences would have been dire.
“Now that we have shaken the enemy off our tail, we should not be in danger for the time being. But, we should hurry up and leave as soon as possible,” Yang Kai said with a glance at Feng Ying.
Feng Ying suppressed the astonishment in her eyes and nodded, “You’re right.”
Without taking the time to recover their strength, they sped towards the front lines at a high speed.
Along the way, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would turn to look at Yang Kai from time to time as though trying to spot something on his face. He had given them many unexpected surprises during this short period. They never imagined that he would pull out another surprise at that moment.
The Dao of Space was extremely profound. What’s more, it was very difficult for ordinary people to cultivate. Although they did not know how deep Yang Kai’s attainments were in the Dao of Space, judging from the phenomenon just now, they could ascertain that his accomplishments were not low. It would have been impossible for him to do such things otherwise.
Ning Qi Zhi leaned towards Yang Kai and whispered, “Little Brother, what other abilities are you hiding? Why don’t you tell us now so that we can mentally prepare ourselves and prevent your actions from catching us off guard again?”
Yang Kai burst into laughter, “That’s too much, Senior. This Junior is only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. How can I have any hidden abilities?”
Ning Qi Zhi spat disdainfully, “Dishonest brat!”
There were many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Black Ink Battlefield, but they had never met such a unique Sixth-Order Master before. It was just as Feng Ying had wondered in the past. How did somebody like Yang Kai end up in the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory? Logically speaking, it was impossible for him to become corrupted by the Black Ink or be captured by them.
Whilst travelling, they quietly recovered their strength. Everybody knew that a deadly and desperate battle was waiting for them up ahead. At this time, the slightest extra bit of power could affect the entire battle situation. That was why they made haste to recuperate.
After repeating this cycle for more than ten days, a majestic structure entered Yang Kai’s field of vision. Even though he was only looking at the structure from a distance, he could clearly sense its enormity. Like a huge city that stood in the middle of the void, the structure was completely made of metal that gleamed with a cold light. At a rough estimate, it was at least 1,000 kilometres in length and breadth.
When he set eyes upon this majestic structure, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling a slight sense of awe. Although he had always known that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been guarding these great passes for countless years, he never expected the great pass to be so enormous. Moreover, if his guess was correct, the great pass itself was an extremely extraordinary object.
Turning to look at Feng Ying, Yang Kai interrupted, “Senior, is the great pass a kind of Mobile Palace Artifact?”
Feng Ying glanced at him suspiciously. Her expression seemed confused, as though wondering why he only learned about this now. Nevertheless, she explained, “That’s right. Every single great pass protected by the Cave Heavens and Paradises on the Black Ink Battlefield is a Mobile Palace Artifact. They were refined through an extraordinary amount of time and resources. That is the only method to prevent the Black Ink Clan from invading the 3,000 Worlds.”
Although he had some guesses, Yang Kai couldn’t help gulping nervously when he heard her explanation.
Such an enormous Mobile Palace Artifact was simply beyond his imagination. How many resources had been required to build this Mobile Palace Artifact? It had to be said that the average great force in the 3,000 Worlds was not qualified to possess their own Mobile Palace Artifact because the cost was so high that they simply could not afford one. Only the top Second Class great forces, Cave Heavens, and Paradises could afford to refine their own Mobile Palace Artifacts.
Be that as it may, comparing those Mobile Palace Artifacts with the great pass in front of him was like comparing the light from a firefly with the bright full moon.
Judging by the scale of this great pass, it was not something that was constructed in a day, or a year, or even a millennium. The structure was probably built little by little over an immeasurable amount of time; otherwise, it was impossible to reach such an impressive scale.
Taking out his Universe Chart and checking his current position, Yang Kai discovered that the great pass in front of him was the Blue Sky Pass!
Feng Ying came from Blue Sky Paradise; in other words, Blue Sky Pass was the great pass guarded by Blue Sky Paradise.
After so many years, Shen Ao and the others couldn’t help feeling emotional at the sight of the great pass. They never imagined that they would one day come back to this place as part of the Human Race.
Although they followed the Black Ink Clan onto the battlefield several times in the past, they had been part of the Black Ink Clan’s army and the enemy of the Human Race at the time. They also slaughtered many of their clansmen with their own hands. Upon recalling those memories now, they were absolutely heartbroken.
“With such a magnificent weapon, what is there to fear about the Black Ink Clan?” Yang Kai took a deep breath and asked curiously, “Can anybody control this object?”
Feng Ying shook her head in response, “It is far too large. Even the Old Ancestors are unable to control them freely. Be that as it may, we can operate most of its defensive and offensive abilities without any issue. The main problem is that we are unable to move the artifact; otherwise, the Old Ancestors would have mobilised these artifacts to invade the Black Ink Clan’s territory a long time ago.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. The Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors might be astoundingly powerful, but their strength was still not enough for them to mobilise such an enormous object on their own.
At this moment, Blue Sky Pass was enveloped in a tide-like pitch-black darkness. The Black Ink Clan was continuously attacking the great pass from all directions. Numerous dazzling beams of lights shot out from within the great pass, blasting directly into the middle of the Black Ink Clan army. Every attack was capable of turning the Black Ink Clan upside down.
There were also countless warships of different shapes and sizes shuttling across the battlefield, as well as innumerable figures fighting with the Black Ink Clan.
The battlefield was vast, and the situation varied from place to place. Some places had intense battles while others were relatively calm.
Yang Kai took in everything before him, feeling agitated by the sights. He was tempted to charge straight into the battlefield to support his allies. Be that as it may, he knew that his individual strength was insignificant in this environment. It was not realistic to break through the Black Ink Clan army’s blockade with his strength alone. At this moment, it remained necessary for him to work with Feng Ying and the others.
“Which way should we go?” Shen Ao asked.
“Let’s wait for now.” Feng Ying was closely monitoring the movement across the entire battlefront. There were approximately 300 people on their side, a force that was neither large nor small. They might not be able to change the situation across the entire battlefield, but they could influence the trend of the smaller battles. That was why they had to act cautiously.
Their wait lasted for two or three days. Fortunately, they were not a large target, so they did not attract the attention of the Black Ink Clan as they quietly hid in the distance.
Everywhere outside Blue Sky Pass was basically a battlefield. With their overwhelming numbers, the Black Ink Clan was extremely aggressive. Meanwhile, the Human Race was firmly defending against their attacks. Neither party was advancing or retreating, and both sides were fighting ferociously.
A certain spot on the battlefield caught Feng Ying’s attention. There was a Black Ink Territory Lord fighting an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in that direction. The fallout of their clash could be seen by the naked eye. As a result, both armies quickly scattered wherever they passed during the course of their battle.
The battle was extremely fierce, lasting for four to six hours. In the end, both figures retreated from battle. The Eight-Order Master retreated into Blue Sky Pass while the Territory Lord evacuated to the rear with the support of the Black Ink Clan. Neither Master could do anything to the other; nevertheless, both parties were wounded after the intense battle earlier.
Although the leading figures in the battle had retired, the armies under their command continued to fight unceasingly. The battle was extremely fierce.
Upon seeing the situation, Feng Ying pointed in that direction with a look of resolve in her eyes, “If we’re going to do something, we should do something big.”
Everybody had seen the situation with their own eyes, so how could they not understand her intentions when they heard her statement? All of them immediately looked nervous and excited, but nobody objected to her plan.
The Black Ink Clan army surrounded the entire Blue Sky Pass, so if they wanted to return, they needed to confront that army. Now that the Black Ink Clan Territory Lord who oversaw that region of the battlefield was injured, he could be said to be the weakest link. There was a possibility of success if they launched a surprise attack in that direction.
Looking around at the crowd, Feng Ying saw that nobody had any objections; thus, she immediately took the lead to rush forward with a shout, “Let’s go!”
Yang Kai and the others quickly followed after her.
There was a large ship at the rear of the Black Ink Clan army, and the injured Territory Lord from before had retreated to it. He was currently sitting on the deck and treating his injuries while monitoring the movements on the battlefield, ready to issue an order at any time to make adjustments to the strategy.
All of a sudden, he sensed something and glance towards the rear. He saw several streams of light speeding towards him. It was obvious that there were several Human figures hidden within those streams of lights. The sight made him furrow his brow, and he lifted his hand slightly as a signal.
A Feudal Lord beside him immediately stepped forward and shouted solemnly, “Who goes there!?”
Feng Ying shouted from a distance, “Dare I ask which Territory Lord oversees this place? Hong Lian Territory Lord has an order to convey!”
When Yang Kai and the others heard her statement, their brows twitched. They had heard this statement countless times recently. Feng Ying had repeatedly used the name ‘Hong Lian Territory Lord’ as an excuse, but she always succeeded at obtaining the Black Ink Clan’s trust every single time.
It was not that the Black Ink Clan’s defences were weak, they were simply too bold and reckless. When they were travelling across the Black Ink Clan’s domain and attacking various areas, the Black Ink Clan never even imagined that these Human cultivators would dare to be so fearless as to attack them. Instead, they would automatically assume that these Human cultivators were Black Ink Disciples under the command of Hong Lian Territory Lord.
The current situation was no different. How could the Territory Lord possibly think that these Human cultivators would aim directly for him with malicious intentions in their hearts? Still, he coldly snorted at those words and snarled, “What right does Hong Lian have to issue orders to this Territory Lord?”
As a Territory Lord himself, he could be said to be on equal footing with Hong Lian, so it was naturally impossible for him to obey the orders of the other. Be that as it may, there were times when the Territory Lords would work together, which was why he did not prevent the other party from approaching him even though he was not happy with the situation. He wanted to hear what Hong Lian had to say.
At his signal, the Feudal Lord who spoke just now stepped aside.
Feng Ying flew downward with the others, summoning her Divine Manifestation while she was still mid-flight. Amidst the crackling sounds, a 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon took shape as sword cries rang out endlessly.
Shen Ao and the others also unleashed their Divine Abilities at the same time. Ignoring everything else, they aimed their attacks directly at the Territory Lord.
The sudden turn of events left the Black Ink Clan stunned. Even the Territory Lord’s reaction was slower than usual. The main reason was that none of them expected these Human cultivators to be enemies at all. The enemy had concentrated all its forces around the great pass after all, so how was it possible for the enemy to suddenly appear from the rear?
In an instant, World Force surged. The gigantic ship exploded, and a number of Black Ink Clansmen aboard it were either killed or seriously injured. Simultaneously, the light of countless Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques enveloped the injured Territory Lord.
A short while later, the light dissipated to reveal the Territory Lord’s giant figure. He was in a miserable state, but there was no helping that. His previous battle with the Human Master had concluded with both sides suffering grievous injuries.
The sneak attack came before he could even begin to recover or treat his injuries, and it was so sudden that he blanked out from the shock. Nevertheless, the sudden sneak attack infuriated him greatly and he gave a furious roar, “You dare!?”
As he shouted, he reached out his hand and grabbed at them.
On the other hand, Feng Ying took the initiative to make her move. The Sword Dragon rotated at a high speed, allowing her to shoot towards the Territory Lord like a spinning top. The thousands of sword waves around her seemed capable of slicing apart the void itself. Shen Ao and the others supported her from the side, ignoring the rest of the Black Ink Clansmen around them. All their attacks were focused solely on the Territory Lord.
Meanwhile, the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Master who fought the Territory Lord earlier was tending to his wounds on the rampart of the Blue Sky Pass. All of a sudden, a Seventh-Order Master beside him shouted, “Martial Uncle Zhong, look at that!”
Martial Uncle Zhong opened his eyes and stared into the distance. Then, he revealed a look of astonishment, “That Sword Dragon Manifestation, it’s…”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master exclaimed in joy, “It’s Senior Sister Feng!”
The Divine Manifestation of each High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master was different and it even could be said that one’s Divine Manifestation was a unique symbol that could not be duplicated by another. Even if two Fellow Brothers from the same Sect cultivated the exact same Secret Art, it was impossible for them to form identical Divine Manifestations.
That was why both Martial Uncle Zhong and the Seventh-Order Master immediately recognised Feng Ying’s identity when they saw the 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon. It was not just them of course, all the other cultivators on the ramparts had also recognised her and quickly turned to watch the situation.
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master happily exclaimed, “Martial Uncle Zhong, Senior Sister Feng is alive! She’s returned!”
Under the leadership of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor overseeing Blue Sky Pass, they raided the Black Ink Clan’s domain and destroyed many of the enemy’s territories. Unfortunately, their retreat was hindered by the Black Ink Royal Lord and many people were separated as a result.
The group that Feng Ying belonged to had been intercepted by a detachment of the Black Ink Clan army, and for that reason, she had sacrificed herself and stayed behind to stop the enemy’s pursuit and give her allies a chance to escape safely. She went missing after that incident, and the matter had been reported to the higher-ups.
She was among the best in Blue Sky Paradise in terms of talent and aptitude. Not only was she very strong, but she was also on the verge of advancing to the Eighth Order. It was only natural that her disappearance caught the attention of the pass’ leadership.
Be that as it may, it was impossible for Blue Sky Pass to dispatch a search party for the sake of one person. Besides, everybody knew the fate that awaited somebody who was lost in the Black Ink Clan hinterland alone; therefore, seeing her here was both expected and unexpected.
“Senior Sister Feng is alive!” The Seventh-Order Master was overjoyed. He cheered happily and even burst into tears, “Hahaha! Senior Sister Feng is alive!”
It was not surprising for him to be so emotional. He had been one of the people on board the warship that escaped after leaving Feng Ying behind previously.
Over the past few months, he could barely hold back his tears whenever he thought about her lonely figure as she stopped the Black Ink Clan army with her strength alone. He regretted not staying behind to fight beside her back then. Even if he died, it would have been better than suffering from guilt and heartbreak every single day. How could he not be elated to see her return alive?
Martial Uncle Zhong smacked the back of the Seventh-Order Master’s head and reprimanded sternly, “Why are you making so much noise!? I can clearly see whether she is dead or alive with my own eyes!”
In the 3,000 Worlds, Seventh-Order Masters were basically regarded as Inner Elders of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises. Every one of them held an important position and a respected status. Even Eighth-Order Ancestors could not casually hit them on the back of their head in reprimand; after all, they had appearances to maintain too.
However, this was the Black Ink Battlefield, where Seventh-Order Masters were nothing special. While they were not exactly as common as cabbages, there were enough of them around for a random stone throw to hit them on the head.
After being slapped by Martial Uncle Zhong, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master finally seemed to calm down.
Martial Uncle Zhong continued coldly, “The fact that she is alive is worse than if she had been dead. You should know what kind of situation she is in.”
The smile on the Seventh-Order Master’s face suddenly vanished like snow under the scorching sun, morphing into an expression filled with bitterness instead.
Humans who fell into the hands of the Black Ink Clan were either killed or converted into Black Ink Disciples. It was better if it was the former option. Death ended all troubles after all. But, if it were the latter option instead, then they would become irreconcilable enemies.
Somebody nearby quietly spoke up, “But, Martial Uncle Zhong, Senior Sister Feng is attacking the Territory Lord. Moreover, she seems to have several helpers around her.”
If she had truly fallen and become a Black Ink Disciple, it would be impossible for Feng Ying to attack the Black Ink Clan. Judging by the Territory Lord’s frenzied attacks, it was obvious that something was wrong with the situation. For Black Ink Disciples, the Black Ink Clan was supreme. Forget attacking, even the thought of resistance would never occur to them.
Under their observations though, Feng Ying and her allies seemed to be engaged in a pitched battle with the Territory Lord, one so intense they could almost feel it from where they stood.
Martial Uncle Zhong frowned as this fact had been puzzling him too.
“It’s likely that Senior Sister Feng was not converted into a Black Ink Disciple. She really returned!” The Seventh-Order Master exclaimed excitedly before shooting Martial Uncle Zhong a pleading look, “Martial Uncle, please help Senior Sister Feng!”
It could clearly be seen that although Senior Sister Feng and the others were strong, it was impossible for them to kill the Territory Lord in short order. Even if the Territory Lord had been heavily injured to begin with, a skinny camel was still bigger than a horse. How could he be so easy to kill?
What’s more, upon realising that the Territory Lord was being attacked, many Black Ink Clansmen rushed over to provide support. Feng Ying and the others would suffer a disastrous fate once they were surrounded by the enemy.
A look of hesitation and struggle flashed through Martial Uncle Zhong’s eyes before he shook his head, “We must be wary of deception!”
Just as how the Black Ink Clan did not expect Human cultivators to be so reckless, the Human Race’s side could not imagine such a situation either.
Martial Uncle Zhong had a vague speculation that this was all part of the Black Ink Clan’s plan to lure their side into making a move so that they could take the opportunity to break through their defences. If he was deceived for that reason, then he would forever be a sinner to Blue Sky Pass.
However, the words had just left his mouth when a sudden change occurred on the battlefield! An extremely blinding pure white light bloomed as though a small sun had risen in the distance. Despite the great distance between them, the light was so bright that they could barely look at it.
Both sides had been fighting on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless years, but such a brilliant white light had never before appeared. The light was without the slightest impurity and even seemed to be able to cleanse one’s mind and soul.
Martial Uncle Zhong couldn’t help narrowing his eyes slightly and staring intently in that direction. With the help of his discerning eye, the situation over there came into clear view. An unfamiliar young man whom he had never seen before was holding up something that resembled a small sun at that moment.
It was not surprising to see an unfamiliar face as tens of thousands of Human Masters were stationed at Blue Sky Pass. As some died, reinforcements would be sent to replace them in an endless cycle, so it was impossible for Martial Uncle Zhong to know every one of them. The young man was probably one of the newly arrived disciples from the 3,000 Worlds.
In the next moment, Martial Uncle Zhong watched as the small sun in the young man’s hands slammed hard into the giant figure of the Territory Lord.
The white light exploded without a sound and enveloped the Territory Lord. Following that, large patches of pitch-black darkness quickly seeped out of the Territory Lord’s body and he seemed to instantly suffer heavy injuries, his face twisting hideously in agony. Even his originally vigorous figure stiffened for a short moment. Nevertheless, the Territory Lord instinctively struck a backhanded blow that sent the young man flying out, coughing up blood as he tumbled.
In that momentary delay though, the Sword Dragon spun rapidly and swallowed the Territory Lord with a fierce roar. Thousands of sword waves whirled about inside the Sword Dragon, causing pitch-black blood to splatter across the void. At the same time, dense Black Ink Strength erupted outward only to vanish into nothing when it came into contact with the remaining aftermath of the white light. The powerful aura of the Territory Lord vanished in the wake of the Sword Dragon’s charge!
On top of the rampart, Martial Uncle Zhong felt as though his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. He had been stroking his beard at the time, and in his shock, his hand jerked slightly and actually yanked out a fistful of his hairs.
[He died!? The same Territory Lord who fought on even terms with me for six hours died just like that!? Our battle ended with both sides suffering heavy injuries, but I still can’t believe that he died! Not to mention, he was killed by Feng Ying!?]
If he had not witnessed the battle for himself, he would not have believed it. Feng Ying was certainly very strong, but it was impossible for her to slay a Territory Lord with her strength, not even if she had help and the Territory Lord was already severely wounded!
In that instant, Martial Uncle Zhong realised the crux of the problem. [That white light must be the key!]
He had clearly seen the pain and horror reflected on the Territory Lord’s expression when that white light enveloped him, and that was exactly what gave Feng Ying the chance to land a fatal attack.
[What the Hell was that light!?]
Regardless of what the truth was, this was not the time to consider such questions. A Black Ink Territory Lord had been slain by several Human cultivators in a matter of breaths. As a result, many Black Ink Clansmen immediately flew into a rage. They surged over from all directions in overwhelming numbers, quickly surrounding Feng Ying and the others tightly.
On top of the rampart, the Seventh-Order Master asked hesitantly, “Martial Uncle Zhong, was this some kind of trickery?”
He felt as though his brain was not working very well. He had just witnessed the death of the Territory Lord, but if that was a trick of the Black Ink Clan, wasn’t the price a little too high? Who would use the life of a Territory Lord to lure out Humans? Moreover, Feng Ying and the others were still fighting desperately against the Black Ink Clan at this moment.
Following the death of the Territory Lord, numerous figures abruptly appeared around Feng Ying’s team. The original line-up formed from just a handful of people instantly turned into a large group of several hundred people. It was obvious that those figures were Humans, and as soon as they appeared, they unleashed various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at the Black Ink Clan.
The Black Ink Clan was caught completely off-guard and instantly suffered great casualties.
“That was no deception!” Martial Uncle Zhong stopped tending to his wounds and stood up. With a wave of his hand, he opened a hole in the shields and shouted, “Quickly come with me to provide support!”
He fully believed that Feng Ying was not corrupted by Black Ink Strength after witnessing the death of the Territory Lord. Besides, if the Territory Lord overseeing that region was dead, then the Human Race could gain a huge advantage on the battlefield. This was an extraordinary achievement. Martial Uncle Zhong could no longer sit back and do nothing with such an opportunity lying right before him.
After saying that, Martial Uncle Zhong took the lead and charged forward. Countless streams of lights quickly followed behind him. Once they left, the hole in the shield quickly sealed shut again to prevent the Black Ink Clan from sneaking inside.
At the rear of the battlefield, Shen Ao grabbed Yang Kai by the arm and asked in concern, “Are you alright?”
Yang Kai turned his head to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood, grimacing as he shouted, “I’ll live!”
When he unleashed the Purifying Light on the Territory Lord just now, he had been sent flying by the enemy’s backhand. He would have been severely injured if he had not retreated quickly and lessened the impact. Even so, the vitality in his body was churning violently. It was inevitable that he sustained some injuries.
In any case, he was also lucky that Shen Ao had caught him in a timely manner; otherwise, he would have been sent flying directly into the middle of the Black Ink Clan army. It would have been difficult for him to get away safely if that were to happen.
“Martial Aunt Feng is amazing,” Yang Kai couldn’t help but praise.
Although the Territory Lord had been shaken by the Purifying Light, it was the might of Feng Ying’s Sword Dragon that really sealed the deal. The power of her Divine Manifestation was so terrifying that even the Territory Lord died instantly after being caught up in her attack.
Nevertheless, it was only possible because the Territory Lord was severely wounded in the first place. If he had been in his peak condition, Feng Ying would not have succeeded.
“You are amazing too!” Shen Ao’s expression was full of approval. He never realised that the Purifying Light would cause such a destructive amount of damage to the Black Ink Clan. It was not until after Yang Kai’s attack succeeded and he was sent flying that Shen Ao came back to his senses.
It was actually not that strange once Shen Ao thought about it. Yang Kai had been using Purifying Light to return Black Ink Disciple to their original state and restore their mental clarity throughout this period. In other words, the white light was the nemesis of the Black Ink Strength. Seeing as Black Ink Strength inside the bodies of the Black Ink Clan was their source of power, how could they escape unscathed if they were hit by the Purifying Light?
By combining the strengths of Yang Kai and Feng Ying, they had managed to kill a Territory Lord. That was an outcome that never even crossed the minds of Shen Ao and the others before they made their move. Although they had moved according to Feng Ying’s suggestions, they had not expected much; therefore, the result was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise.
“Enough nonsense! Hurry up and defend yourselves!” Ning Qi Zhi roared from the side. Following the movements of his hands, he blasted out a Divine Ability at the Black Ink Clan.
They had already brought out all the reinforcements hiding inside their Small Universes; even so, they only had slightly over 300 people on their side. Their overall strength was not that great either. Most of them were only in the Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Thanks to their swift movements earlier, they had caught the Black Ink Clan by surprise; however, now that the Black Ink Clan had recovered from their initial shock, the enemy forces quickly formed a tight encirclement around their group.
Feng Ying’s Sword Dragon took the lead, charging towards the enemy lines. Without a leader to coordinate their movements, many Black Ink Clansmen died on the spot in the wake of her rampage.
Likewise, Shen Ao and the others split up to protect the flanks as they followed Feng Ying to charge forward.
Be that as it may, there was an overwhelming difference in their numbers. The group of several hundred Human cultivators could neither progress forward nor retreat backwards. Somebody was bound to be left behind with every step they took, and it was evident what kind of fate would befall them if they were left behind in this situation. If the situation were to continue at this rate, they would be wiped out before they could reach Blue Sky Pass.
All of a sudden, a Dragon Roar resounded across the void. The sudden roar startled both parties in the war and nobody knew what was happening.
In the midst of the chaos, Shen Ao and the others turned to look in the direction of the sound and their pupils immediately contracted at the sight.
Yang Kai was standing there while taking deep breaths. An enormous Golden Dragon Head emerged from behind him only to plunge into his body and disappear from view. Immediately after that, a horrifying pressure radiated outward with him in the centre. As this pressure spread outward, his figure abruptly began to swell.
No matter how many years passed after, the surviving cultivators of that battle would never forget what they saw at that moment.
In less than three breaths of time, the small Human figure transformed into an enormous behemoth. His Golden Dragon Body was 20,000 metres long, covered in a dense layer of Dragon Scales, his limbs adorned with sharp Dragon Claws, Dragon Horns protruded from his forehead, and a Dragon Beard fluttering magnificently beneath his chin. Moreover, his Golden Dragon Eyes resembled two small suns that illuminated the universe and penetrated the darkness on the battlefield.
A Grand Dragon!
A 20,000-metre-long Grand Dragon had suddenly appeared in the middle of the battlefield. It was difficult not to attract any attention with such a spectacle. Both the Humans and the Black Ink Clan couldn’t help feeling amazed by the sight.
Dragon Pressure exploded in a majestic and imposing manner!
The Grand Dragon opened his mouth and spat out a blast of Dragon Breath. The Black Ink Clansmen standing in a large area of the void before him were instantly swept away as a result. Then, the 20,000-metre-long Dragon Body stretched out and formed a half circle to wrap around the group of several hundred Human cultivators.
“Move!” A deep Dragon Roar shook the skies.
Only then did the Human cultivators return to their senses. Earlier, they had not known whether the Grand Dragon that suddenly appeared was an enemy or a friend, but how could they not realise that he was one of their own after seeing his actions? The anxiety in their hearts immediately calmed down!
Feng Ying, who was in the lead, had blanked out for a moment, but quickly composed herself again. Her Sword Dragon took point once more, leading them on another forward charge.
The Black Ink Clan army indiscriminately blasted attacks at them from all directions, but most of the barrage was blocked by the massive Dragon. As long as the Dragon endured, their defences stood strong! It was impossible to harm them without destroying the Dragon first!
The attacks sent Dragon Scales flying in all directions and Yang Kai’s flesh writhed in response, his Golden Dragon Blood splattering out across the void.
It didn’t take long before there was not a spot left that was unscathed on his 20,000-metre-long Dragon Body. Even so, the Grand Dragon did not flinch. No matter how severe the wounds he sustained, Yang Kai continued to provide the strongest defence to protect the forward charge of the Human cultivators.
At the same time, Yang Kai held the Azure Dragon Spear in his Dragon Claw. This artifact obtained from Giant Spirit God Ah Da contained seemingly unlimited power. What’s more, it could shrink or enlarge at will. At this moment, the originally three-meter-long spear had transformed into a 10,000-meter-long spear in the grip of the Grand Dragon’s Dragon Claw. With such a weapon, there was no need to use any Divine Ability or Secret Techniques. Even Yang Kai’s Supreme Limitless Spear Arts were unnecessary as a simple sweep of the spear wrought destruction over thousands of metres of the battlefield. Countless Black Ink Clansmen were injured, and the weak were killed on the spot.
The surrounding Black Ink Clan army was now utterly terrified. It was not that they had never fought a Divine Spirit before. While there weren’t many of them, there were Divine Spirits on the Black Ink Battlefield. Moreover, every single Divine Spirit was an extremely mighty existence that caused great losses to the Black Ink Clan whenever they engaged in battle. However, a Divine Spirit who wielded such an enormous artifact was completely unheard of…
Although the appearance of a Grand Dragon greatly boosted the morale of the Human Race, it did not last for long. The momentum of their charge remained blocked; the Sword Dragon at the lead was falling to pieces, and Feng Ying who was hidden inside was soon exposed. Even the Grand Dragon protecting them was soon completely battered.
In front of them, the tightly packed Black Ink Clan army obstructed their way forward like the gathering storm that could not be wiped out.
At this rate, they would not be able to reach Blue Sky Pass before they exhausted themselves and perished.
It was at that moment that a huge commotion came from the back of the Black Ink Clan army. The lights from countless Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques flared brightly in the pitch-black darkness, shining a guiding light to the Human survivors.
The commotion at the back of the Black Ink Clan army soon caught their attention. When Shen Ao looked in that direction, he immediately became joyful and shouted excitedly, “Hold on a little longer! Reinforcements from Blue Sky Pass have come to aid us!”
The others who were trapped and struggling to advance instantly felt their spirits lifting at those words. At the same time, their attacks became more and more relentless in order to stem the Black Ink Clan’s offensive.
Many people glanced at the wounded Grand Dragon beside them with solemn and thankful expressions.
They would have suffered great losses if the Grand Dragon had not used his tough body as a protective shield. He not only blocked most of the Black Ink Clan’s attacks, but also kept the Black Ink Strength away so that they would not be distracted by the worry of being corrupted. His efforts had allowed them to fight to their heart’s content without any worries.
The Masters who rushed out of Blue Sky Pass caused great chaos for the Black Ink Clan; as a result, the Black Ink Clan had to divide their forces to confront the incoming enemy. In this way, the pressure bearing down on Yang Kai and the others was reduced considerably.
Feng Ying’s Sword Dragon in the lead swiftly charged forward again. Riding the waves, she broke through the blockade of the Black Ink Clan army and formed a pincer attack with the people from Blue Sky Pass.
It didn’t take long for both parties to meet up.
Yang Kai raised his Dragon Head slightly and glanced in that direction. The person in the lead was an elderly man. His attacks were brutal, and he exuded the aura of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
It was obvious that he was the one who had previously been fighting the Black Ink Clan Territory Lord just now. The battle had ended in a draw where both parties were heavily injured. There was no saying which Cave Heaven or Paradise this Ancestor figure came from.
However, Feng Ying clearly recognised this person and a shout came out from within the Sword Dragon, “Martial Uncle Zhong!”
Martial Uncle Zhong nodded at her lightly. His gaze swept over Yang Kai’s enormous Dragon Form, but he did not have the time to say anything. The space around him shuddered briefly, and a violent force radiated outward to push back the Black Ink Clan in the surroundings before he beckoned loudly, “We withdraw!”
Behind him, various warships approached and activated their shields. There was no need for any command or dispatch. The Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters protected by the Grand Dragon quickly slipped into the warships.
Shen Ao and the other Seventh-Order Masters did not follow as there was no need for them to borrow the strength of the warships. They could defend themselves just fine while dealing out enormous amounts of damage.
Likewise, Yang Kai did not enter. His Grand Dragon body swayed slightly, and a flick of his Dragon Tail swept across a large patch of the void.
“Go!” Martial Uncle Zhong shouted. The numerous warships forged a path of retreat, rushing towards Blue Sky Pass. Feng Ying, Shen Ao, and the others stood guard on the flanks while Martial Uncle Zhong and Yang Kai brought up the rear.
The Black Ink Clan Territory Lord overseeing this area of the battlefield was dead, so although there were some Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords who could issue orders, the Black Ink Clan in this region were basically in a leaderless state for the time being. Faced with the aggressive breakout from Blue Sky Pass, they were unable to form an effective blockade.
Along the way, the Black Ink Clan suffered massive casualties in their wake. It didn’t take long for them to reach Blue Sky Pass where a hole in the defensive barrier was opened and the warships quickly entered. Only then could they be considered safe.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Clan army continued their pursuit, clearly unwilling to accept defeat.
Seeing that everybody else was safe, Yang Kai who was bringing up the rear abruptly spun around. His 20,000-metre-long Dragon Body was armed with the 10,000-metre-long Azure Dragon Spear. With a single wide sweep, the Black Ink Clan charging forward was cut down as easily as though he was harvesting wheat, and a large area in the void was swept clean in an instant.
Yang Kai was not finished yet as a Dragon Roar shook the skies. The Grand Dragon shook its head and flicked its tail before slamming directly into the Black Ink Clan army to carry out a massacre.
What happened just now had vexed him greatly. While protecting hundreds of his allies from danger in his Grand Dragon Form, Yang Kai could only endure being attacked passively. There were few opportunities for him to fight back, and as a result, his enormous body had been reduced to tatters. Now that he no longer had to worry about others, it was only natural for him to go on a rampage.
After transforming into his Grand Dragon Form, his strength was on par with a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. In addition, he was not afraid of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. In this environment, as long as he didn’t face a Territory Lord, he could be said to be invincible.
The Dragon and his spear roamed the ink-coloured void freely, fighting from one end to the other. Looking at him from Blue Sky Pass, they could only see a 20,000-metre-long strip of gold navigating through the pitch-black darkness like a fish in water. The contrast between the colours was striking.
Yang Kai’s Dragon Form was enormous, his Dragon Pressure was imposing, and he even wielded a 10,000-metre-long spear in his Dragon Claws. The sight of him was truly a little excessive.
With just the strength of a single Dragon, the Black Ink Clan army that had already been disrupted suddenly lost ground and sustained heavy losses within a short span of time.
Martial Uncle Zhong had originally planned to return to Blue Sky Pass; unfortunately, he could not walk away just like that after what Yang Kai did. He turned to look back, his brow twitching violently at the sight. Then, he questioned Feng Ying, “Where did this Dragon come from?”
Feng Ying did not know how to explain. If she had to be honest, she herself only just learned that Yang Kai was part of the Dragon Clan! Throughout their journey together, Yang Kai had shocked her so many times that she was practically numb to surprises regarding him, but just now he had revealed himself to be part of the Dragon Clan! She had been shocked once more.
In response to Martial Uncle Zhong’s question, she could only answer, “I don’t know where he comes from either. I met him deep inside the Black Ink Clan’s domain. It’s a long story.”
Martial Uncle Zhong grimaced slightly. Logically speaking, it was impossible for the Dragon Clan to appear on the Black Ink Battlefield even though there were many other Divine Spirits scattered about.
The Dragon and Phoenix Clans guarded the No-Return Pass, an extremely heavy responsibility. Even though the Dragon and Phoenix Clans were tyrannically powerful, they would never come to the Black Ink Battlefield so easily. That was because the No-Return Pass was the Human Race’s actual last line of defence. Nothing could be allowed to happen to it.
[I can’t believe a Dragon Clan member appeared at Blue Sky Pass…] Martial Uncle Zhong could not be certain whether or not Yang Kai had come from the No-Return Pass. Be that as it may, it seemed unreasonable for them to simply watch without doing anything in this situation. The Dragon Clan member was fighting hard on the front lines, so how could they hide in the shadows and watch without doing anything?
The gears in his head spun quickly, and Martial Uncle Zhong swiftly came to a decision. With a sharp look in his eyes, he shouted, “All forces, attack!”
Inside Blue Sky Pass, the Human cultivators had long since gotten hot-blooded and impatient after observing the battlefield from the ramparts. As soon as Martial Uncle Zhong’s order rang out, they hurriedly leapt into action.
Their efficiency was very high, and in less than ten breaths of time, the shields were released and numerous warship artifacts charged out of Blue Sky Pass like a school of fish. There were so many that they seemed to block out the sky. Following behind the warships were countless Seventh-Order Open Heaven Masters.
The battle environment on the Black Ink Battlefield was special. Not only did the Human Masters have to guard against enemy attacks, they also had to defend themselves against the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength. That was why only those in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm could rush into the battlefield without relying on the warships for protection.
Those below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, be they in the Fifth or Sixth-Order, had to borrow the help of warships for defence. That was the only way for them to effectively defend against the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength. Otherwise, they might be corrupted by the Black Ink Clan as soon as they stepped onto the battlefield.
There were several benefits to using warships. The first being that those in the Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would be protected from the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength. As long as the warship was not damaged, the Black Ink Strength would not be able to harm them. The second reason was the power of the warships themselves, which was generally higher than what a Fifth-Order or Sixth-Order Master could wield. Many warships had offensive and defensive Arrays that could compare with what a Seventh-Order Master could produce. In that way, they also enhanced the strength of the Human Race.
The Human Race had been fighting the Black Ink Clan for countless years since ancient times; therefore, they had their own strategies on how to deal with the Black Ink Clan.
Martial Uncle Zhong had not allowed many warships to accompany him just now on the rescue mission to help Feng Ying and the others. On the contrary, under the orders of a full-frontal assault, all the soldiers who could be mobilised had been dispatched into battle. Only those necessary to protect and maintain the operations of the great pass remained behind.
The figures of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the lead formed countless streams of lights while behind them, the innumerable warships sailed forward in a mighty procession.
The Black Ink Clan, who was currently besieging the Grand Dragon, quickly discovered the movement coming from Blue Sky Pass. Under the orders of the Feudal Lords, the Black Ink Clan army in the rear turned around to meet the enemy.
Before the armies collided with each other, the lights from various Divine Abilities and artifacts flashed through and illuminated the void. The colourful lights seemed to fall into the pitch-black darkness like a stone falling into a lake, creating layers and layers of ripples that spread out across the void and sending the Black Ink Clan tumbling.
Faced with the Humans’ attack, the Black Ink Clan naturally did not just sit around waiting for death; instead, they returned the gesture. Divine Abilities gathered and Black Ink Strength rained down on the Human army.
Without needing any commands, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the lead hurriedly scattered to the sides. Their actions exposed the numerous warships behind them.
The warships quickly moved around and adjusted their positions so that they formed small groups of three to five. It didn’t take long for them to assume a profound Formation. Then, mysterious energy fluctuations spread out from the warships as large rune patterns illuminated the void. These patterns formed a solid and impenetrable protection in front of them like a powerful shield that blocked the attacks of the Black Ink Clan.
This layer of protection would be broken from time to time, forcing the warships in the rear to scatter and avoid the attacks. At the same time, their defensive barriers would light up to mitigate the damage they received.
The collision of Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques only lasted for several breaths of time before the armies on both sides entered close quarters. Various screams and roars rang out as the two Races fought each other. During this time, the aura of many lives withered and vanished.
Judging from the number of people alone, the Black Ink Clan undoubtedly had a huge advantage. They had almost ten times more people than the Human Race; however, the Human side had the advantage in terms of average strength.
That couldn’t be helped. Since ancient times, the only ones who were qualified to enter the Black Ink Battlefield were the elite disciples of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises. Even the weakest among them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm when they first arrived. The reason why there were Fifth-Order Masters on the Black Ink Battlefield was that they had originally fallen from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The major Cave Heavens and Paradises had always maintained the rule of dispatching their most elite fighters to the Black Ink Battlefield. That was because entering the Black Ink Battlefield with low strength was pointless. On the contrary, they would easily be converted into Black Ink Disciples and enhance the strength of the enemy instead.
In comparison, the Black Ink Clan was different. The Black Ink Clan army not only consisted of powerful Masters like the Territory and Feudal Lords, but High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen, and Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen were also common.
The High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen were not too bad as they were on par with Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in terms of strength; however, the Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen were only equivalent to Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. How could such weaklings possibly be a match for the Human Race Army? That was why they immediately suffered horrible casualties at the first encounter.
On top of that, each Human warship was stronger than an average Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of pure battle strength. How could the Human Race be at a disadvantage simply because there were fewer of them?
It could be said that the warships played a huge role in the reason why the Humans managed to persevere for so long on the Black Ink Battlefield. They were the most effective means to resist the corrosion of Black Ink Strength after all.
It was not as though the Black Ink Clan had never thought of getting their hands on a warship before. The truth was that they also yearned to refine warships for themselves; however, a warship was not something that could be refined by just any random person. The Black Ink Clan simply did not have any talented individuals who could refine a proper warship for them.
Every single cultivator proficient in Artifact Refining was carefully protected by the various great passes. No matter the situation, these cultivators would never be allowed to step foot onto the battlefield. As long as they never entered the battlefield, they would not be corrupted by the Black Ink Clan. In that way, they would never be converted into Black Ink Disciples who would help the Black Ink Clan refine a warship.
Both the Humans and the Black Ink Clan fought each other ferociously on the battlefield.
In the beginning, the Black Ink Clan army managed to fight back against the Human Race to a certain extent. Be that as it may, the balance of the battle slowly tilted with the passing of time. The clash of the warships and the agile movements of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters eventually brought a crushing defeat to the Black Ink Clan army. As a result, many Black Ink Clansmen lost their lives with every passing moment.
In such an environment, the strength of an individual no longer influenced the circumstances of the overall situation. It was only by uniting together that the outcome of the war could be determined. On that point, the Black Ink Clan in this particular sector of the battlefield was currently leaderless and lacked coordination. In contrast, the Human Race advanced in an orderly manner and supported each other in battle.
Less than an hour later, the Black Ink Clan army had lost more than half of their forces. There had been many Feudal Lords who could direct and command the Black Ink Clan in battle, but Martial Uncle Zhong viciously targeted and eliminated them. The Black Ink Clan army eventually fell into utter chaos after Martial Uncle Zhong killed more than a dozen Feudal Lords in succession. Under the brutal onslaught of the Humans, they were steadily forced to retreat while leaving behind a trail of corpses in their wake.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had gone on a wild rampage after transforming into his Grand Dragon Form. He made his way through the ranks of the Black Ink Clan army with his spear in hand, charging forward wherever there were enemies. Countless Black Ink Clansmen died to his Azure Dragon Spear, and the murderous intent around him had intensified over time until it was almost tangible. Everywhere he passed, the Black Ink Clansmen quickly scrambled to get out of his way.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai heard the deep sound of a horn entering his ears. It was immediately followed by a gentle but firm voice beside him, “Yang Kai, let’s go!”
He looked up only to see the pale-faced Feng Ying calling out to him from within her battered Sword Dragon. Using her Divine Manifestation against the Black Ink Clan for such a long period had truly exhausted her.
He shook his enormous head slightly to clear his mind, then he turned around and rushed towards her. Casually swinging the Azure Dragon Spear in front of him, he helped to eliminate the group of Black Ink Clansmen around her.
“Go where?” He asked in a thunderous voice.
Feng Ying looked at the enormous Grand Dragon Head with a complicated gaze. She could clearly sense the terrifying murderous intent radiating from his body. She did not know how many Black Ink Clansmen he had killed to amass such horrifying momentum, but the murderous intent prickled her skin with a sense of cold as though it was something tangible.
“It’s time to go back!” She explained.
Yang Kai looked around him and abruptly realised that the Human army had begun to retreat after the horn sounded. It would seem that the horn was the signal to retreat. Since the army was withdrawing, he could not stay behind alone even though he had not killed enough to satisfy him; thus, he immediately nodded lightly in response.
One big and one small, the two Dragons chased after the Human Race Army and sped towards Blue Sky Pass. It was just that Yang Kai’s transformation into a Grand Dragon stemmed from his Dragon Vein while Feng Ying’s transformation came from casting her Sword Dragon Divine Manifestation.
Along the way, they did not run into any notable obstacles and the occasional Black Ink Clansman in their path was swiftly dispatched by them.
The defensive barrier around Blue Sky Pass had already been opened and the warships rushed inside, one after another. Meanwhile, Martial Uncle Zhong waited outside until he met up with Yang Kai and Feng Ying. Then, he entered together with them. Afterwards, the barrier sealed shut to isolate the inside from the outside.
Yang Kai dismissed his Dragon Form and turned to look back with a regretful expression, “We could have wiped them out.”
The Black Ink Clan army had been unable to put up an effective defence just now, and the Human army was enjoying great momentum. In his opinion, it was perfectly possible for them to clean up all the remaining Black Ink Clansmen on that battlefield. Therefore, he did not understand why they signalled the retreat and allowed this opportunity slip out of their fingers for no reason.
Feng Ying stood beside him and slowly shook her head, “The Black Ink Clan reinforcements from the other battlefields are coming. Besides, the longer the battle drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for us. Not to mention, the current environment is not suitable for our allies to fight.”
As if to confirm her statements, Yang Kai saw that the Black Ink Clan reinforcements were approaching from multiple directions and their numbers were not few. Hence, he immediately realised something. If the Human army had not retreated in time and was surrounded by the Black Ink Clan reinforcements, their advantageous position would have been immediately reversed.
Furthermore, there was the situation on the battlefield at this moment. Due to the deaths of countless Black Ink Clansmen, Black Ink Strength released from their corpses had formed Black Ink Clouds of varying sizes throughout the void. While he was not afraid of these Black Ink Clouds, even Seventh-Order Masters could not fight in such an environment for long periods of time despite having a certain degree of resistance to the corrosion. This environment was certainly very disadvantageous to the Human Race.
After understanding this point, he couldn’t help grimacing slightly. The overall environment in the Black Ink Battlefield was too unfavourable towards Humans. It was amazing how they had persistently defended the great passes for so many years and prevented the Black Ink Clan from invading the 3,000 Worlds.
“Are you alright?” Feng Ying asked in concern.
Shen Ao and the others were observing Yang Kai with still slightly stunned expressions, as though they had seen a ghost during the day. The main reason was that Yang Kai’s previous performance had stood out too much. Since they first became acquainted with him, it was not until today that they learned he was a Grand Dragon. The sight of the 20,000-metre-long Golden Dragon Form carrying out a brutal massacre in the pitch-black darkness had left a great visual impact on them.
More importantly, Yang Kai had used his body to protect hundreds of their allies when he transformed into a Grand Dragon earlier. As a result, he had suffered innumerable attacks from the Black Ink Clan army. Now that he returned to his Human Form, it could be said that he was covered in wounds. There was not a spot on his exposed skin that was unscathed, and his clothes were dyed in his brilliant golden blood.
Yang Kai shook his head, “It’s nothing serious.”
For him, he was fine as long as he did not suffer a fatal wound. As a Dragonkin, he had an inherently strong restorative ability in the first place. Combined with the Wood Element Power that he condensed from the essence of the Immortal Tree, in terms of recovery, nobody in this universe would dare to call themselves the best if he claimed to be second best. Although his injuries looked extremely bad at the moment, they would only take a few days to heal.
While the others were speaking, Martial Uncle Zhong walked over in large strides and came to a stop in front of Yang Kai. He briefly swept his gaze over Yang Kai before patting his shoulder with a look of approval, “Very good!”
Everything Yang Kai did earlier had not escaped his notice, so it was only natural that he was very impressed with Yang Kai’s performance.
Nevertheless, he had some doubts in his heart. It was rumoured that the Dragon Clan was very arrogant. Even though they were responsible for guarding the No-Return Pass, they never bothered to be friendly towards the Human Race. In fact, they always gave off the feeling that they were better than others.
Unexpectedly, from what he saw so far, Yang Kai’s attitude did not seem to match the rumours. If anybody told him that a Dragon Clan member would use their own body to shield Humans, he would never have believed such words a few days ago.
Feng Ying introduced them, “Yang Kai, this is Zhong Liang of Blue Sky Paradise. Martial Uncle Zhong is the person in charge of this sector of the battlefield.”
Yang Kai quickly cupped his fist, “Yang Kai greets Senior Zhong!”
[How polite!] Zhong Liang raised his brow. The feeling that Yang Kai was very different from the Dragons that he heard about in the rumours grew stronger. Nevertheless, he said nothing and simply nodded in acknowledgement, “We can finish our talk later. Let’s get inside first.”
He had many questions that needed answers from Feng Ying.
Yang Kai nodded and glanced at the back with a suspicious look, “What are they doing?”
After entering Blue Sky Pass, the people hiding inside the warships came out only to crowd around this area in small groups. Many of them stared at Yang Kai and whispered among themselves. It was clear that Yang Kai’s performance on the battlefield when he transformed into a Grand Dragon had surprised them.
There was an enormous gate at the front of this area and Yang Kai could not see what was beyond it. All he could see was a group of 100 entering the gateway, followed by another group of 100 a short while later. In this way, the cycle kept repeating over and over.
As soon as those words left his mouth, the people beside him glanced at him in confusion. Zhong Liang even furrowed his brow together into a scowl. Logically speaking, anybody from the Human Race would know what they were doing right now, yet for some reason, Yang Kai was ignorant of this fact.
Likewise, Feng Ying was filled with puzzlement. During the time they spent together previously, she had not noticed anything strange. Nevertheless, some of his actions today gave her the impression that he was completely clueless about the great passes. That was the case back when he first saw Blue Sky Pass, and that was the case now.
Despite her confusion, she quietly explained, “Everybody who returns from outside must be checked; otherwise, they will not be allowed into the Inner Sanctum.”
Yang Kai immediately understood upon hearing her answer, “Are they worried that Black Ink Disciples might have infiltrated our ranks?”
In terms of external appearance, Black Ink Disciples who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength looked no different from usual. If they mixed themselves into the crowd, they would not be exposed easily.
Feng Ying nodded, “It is not as if such incidents did not occur in the past. A single Black Ink Disciple can cause great losses to a great pass after all. That is why this rule was created. Regardless of who it was, as long as they leave the great pass, they would need to undergo a check upon their return.”
“How do they perform the check?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
She understood his concerns and secretly sent a transmission to him, “Don’t worry. They will not be inspecting your Small Universe. We have other means to perform the check. You will understand later.”
After hearing her say that, he did not ask any more questions and waited patiently.
In any case, their brief exchange had strengthened her belief that Yang Kai was completely clueless about the situation in the great passes. He would not have asked these questions otherwise.
Zhong Liang glanced at her with a hint of enquiry in his eyes. Feng Ying simply shook her head in response, indicating that she did not know anything either.
The speed of the inspection was very fast. Almost as soon as the previous batch entered, the next batch would prepare to enter. In this way, it only took about an hour for the entire Human army that had participated in the battle earlier to enter Blue Sky Pass. Only Zhong Liang, Yang Kai, Feng Ying, Shen Ao, and the others remained.
“Let’s go!” Zhong Liang beckoned and took the lead to step forward. The others quickly followed behind him.
Yang Kai looked around. Although two to three years had passed since he first came to the Black Ink Battlefield, he had spent most of his time serving under Nu Yan. It was not until today that he finally arrived at a great pass guarded by the Human Race; therefore, it was only natural for him to be curious about the situation here.
After entering the gateway, they appeared inside a Grand Hall. The floor of the Grand Hall immediately glowed with mysterious and complicated patterns that released faint Spirit Array fluctuations. Looking around, there was indeed a Spirit Array engraved into the ground of the Grand Hall.
Various orange and red rays of light wandered and moved about in the Spirit Array. Not only were they numerous, but they also moved as though they were alive.
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at the sight. He could tell that this Spirit Array was the key to the inspection process.
Moreover, he also detected the auras of several Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters hiding in the shadows outside the Spirit Array and silently observing the people inside. He could clearly sense the wariness radiating from the people who were gathered around the Spirit Array. They were secretly urging their World Force as though they were ready to attack at any time should any abnormalities occur. These people were probably the Human Masters responsible for guarding and monitoring this place.
Everybody stood quietly inside the Spirit Array. During that time, the orange and red rays of light wandered over towards them. It didn’t take long before every one of them was enveloped by the orange and red rays of light.
Under the illumination of these lights, their expressions seemed a little strange. Nevertheless, nothing unusual happened to the others. Only the light enveloping Yang Kai suddenly flickered several times and turned from orange to pitch-black in an instant.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. At that moment, all eyes turned towards Yang Kai. The look in Zhong Liang’s eyes sharpened, and his murderous intent blazed strongly.
Meanwhile, the hidden figures who had been guarding and monitoring the area surrounding the Spirit Array came forward in unison. They instantly surrounded Yang Kai so tightly that not even a breath of air could pass through them unnoticed. In the midst of their haste, they also formed seals with their hands and the person in the lead shouted, “Seal!”
Immediately after that, he summoned many delicate and tiny artifacts specially created for this situation. These artifacts hovered around Yang Kai in all directions and seemed to be connected to each other. With a surge of energy, they turned the space around Yang Kai into a cage and trapped him inside.
Everyone secretly breathed out a sigh of relief once everything was done. Even so, the cultivators in charge of guarding the Spirit Array remained vigilant.
It had been a long time since a similar incident took place. The last incident happened several hundred years ago. A Black Ink Disciple had snuck into this place and activated a Secret Technique that caused him to self-destruct. Although his death did not cause great losses to the Humans, the Black Ink Strength that remained after his death had been very troublesome. It had taken Blue Sky Pass painstaking effort just to remove the remaining Black Ink Strength.
The same thing had occurred today. It was fortunate that every single great pass had since taken precautions against such incidents, so they responded in a timely manner.
The atmosphere in the Grand Hall immediately became solemn.
“Stop!” Feng Ying shouted anxiously, “This is a misunderstanding!”
The people guarding the Spirit Array ignored her and vigilantly kept a watch on Yang Kai.
On the other hand, Yang Kai stood there with his head lowered, studying the pitch-black light covering his body. He had some guesses about what was happening; therefore, he immediately raised his hands and stood there quietly to indicate that he would not act rashly.
Zhong Liang calmly stared at Yang Kai for a moment before he turned to look at Feng Ying, “What do you mean?”
Feng Ying shot a look at Yang Kai. It was a signal asking him to remain calm. Quickly walking over to Zhong Liang, she sent him a Divine Sense transmission, “Martial Uncle Zhong, I can guarantee that Yang Kai is not a Black Ink Disciple.”
“How can you guarantee that? The Revealing Black Ink Array has reacted to him. That can only mean that he has Black Ink Strength in his body. If he has Black Ink Strength inside him, how can he not be a Black Ink Disciple?”
She sent another Divine Sense transmission, “It’s true that Yang Kai has Black Ink Strength in his body, but he has not been corrupted by it. He has a World Spring inside his Small Universe!”
Zhong Liang’s eyes narrowed at those words, and he turned to look at her, “One of the Four Universe Pillars, the World Spring? Are you sure?”
“I’ve inspected him myself. I can guarantee it!” She nodded sincerely, “Martial Uncle, if you don’t believe me, you can always inspect him yourself.”
He nodded sternly, “This is not something that can be done carelessly. I will certainly need to check for myself.”
She whispered, “Martial Uncle, a matter relating to the Four Universe Pillars is a big deal. There are too many eyes here…”
She did not finish her sentence. Even so, how could Zhong Liang not understand what she was implying? The Four Universe Pillars held great significance on the Black Ink Battlefield. For that reason, every single Human Master who possessed one of the Four Universe Pillars was considered a precious talent and resource. The existence of such a person was certainly not something that should be publicised; otherwise, there was no saying what kind of trouble would arise in the future.
Hence, Zhong Liang immediately nodded lightly and raised his hand to dismiss the others, “All of you, stand down and lift the barrier.”
Upon hearing those words, the people guarding the Spirit Array looked at each other in confusion. The leading Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master hesitantly spoke up, “But, Martial Uncle Zhong, the Revealing Black Ink Array, has reacted to this person. He is definitely a Black Ink Disciple. If we remove the barrier, what will happen if he does something strange…”
“I have my own considerations. Just do as I say,” Zhong Liang did not allow for any objections.
Seeing his insistence, the others could not do anything. Zhong Liang was the one in charge of this area after all.
A short while later, the artifacts were retrieved and the barrier that confined Yang Kai was removed; then, everybody left the Grand Hall under Zhong Liang’s command.
Shen Ao and the others turned back to glance at Yang Kai before they left. Their gazes were filled with confusion.
If anybody claimed that Yang Kai was a Black Ink Disciple, they would be the first to refuse such claims. During this period of contact, they had gotten to know what kind of person Yang Kai was and were familiar with his means. How could a person who had a method to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength be a Black Ink Disciple? What’s more, he had transformed into a Grand Dragon to protect his allies just now and massacred a large part of the Black Ink Clan army. There was no saying how many Black Ink Clansmen had died at his hands.
If such a person turned out to be a Black Ink Disciple, then there was no justice left in the world. However, the Revealing Black Ink Array had reacted to him. It was extremely baffling. In any case, Zhong Liang had taken matters into his own hands. Even if they were suspicious, they could only wait and see for now.
It didn’t take long before Zhong Liang, Yang Kai, and Feng Ying were the only ones left inside the Grand Hall.
Zhong Liang did not relax his guard. Even though Feng Ying had guaranteed Yang Kai’s identity, he could not confirm anything until he saw the truth for himself.
“Open your Small Universe!” He instructed.
Yang Kai nodded.
Feng Ying opened her mouth and kindly gave a warning, “His Small Universe is a little special. Don’t be too surprised, Martial Uncle.”
Zhong Liang gave her a puzzled glance and thought to himself, [It’s just the World Spring. I already know about it, so why would I be surprised?]
Despite those thoughts, he couldn’t help raising his brow in surprise when his Divine Sense probed into Yang Kai’s Small Universe for inspection. He was absolutely shocked to the core as he began to mutter, “Why is your Small Universe…”
Everyone who inspected Yang Kai’s Small Universe had the same reaction. Yang Kai was used to this by now, so he casually explained, “This Junior is proficient in the Dao of Space, so my Small Universe fully materialized when I first broke through to the Open Heaven Realm. This Junior does not understand the exact reason behind this phenomenon.”
He really did not know the reason why his Small Universe was special. His proficiency in the Dao of Space was probably a factor, but the biggest factor was most likely him integrating the Sealed World Bead when he first advanced into the Open Heaven Realm. In any case, there was no need to explain such things to others.
Zhong Liang exclaimed in astonishment, “What Order were you in when you advanced into the Open Heaven Realm!?”
Yang Kai replied, “Fifth Order!”
The corners of Zhong Liang’s mouth twitched at those words. That was to say that Yang Kai’s Small Universe had already been fully materialized when he was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Zhong Liang recalled how he had worked so hard to cultivate in the past. Even so, he only managed to achieve that feat when he advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. There was no comparison at all.
The Small Universe of an Open Heaven Realm Master would only transform from immaterial to material when they reached the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was both common knowledge and a principle that had been upheld since time immemorial. Zhong Liang dared not say that nobody else would achieve such a feat as a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the future, but this phenomenon was definitely unprecedented until today.
He suddenly remembered something and frowned deeply, “Are you part of the Human Race or the Dragon Clan?”
The Dragon Clan prioritised cultivating their bloodline. When their bloodline reached a certain level of purity, they would gain the corresponding strength. Therefore, there was no need for them to split Heaven and Earth apart in their bodies. They would not have a Small Universe either.
For that reason, Yang Kai’s situation left him feeling confused.
Yang Kai answered honestly, “This Junior is from the Human Race. It’s just that I carry a Dragon Source in my body.”
Zhong Liang was slightly taken aback by those words. If Yang Kai had a Dragon Source, then it made sense that he could cultivate the Dragon Clan’s Secret Techniques and assume a Dragon Form.
Nevertheless, Zhong Liang couldn’t help feeling shaken when he recalled the 20,000-metre-long Grand Dragon Form he saw. That was a Grand Dragon after all!
A 10,000-metre-long Dragon was equivalent to an average Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. In other words, a 20,000-metre-long Dragon had strength on par with a peak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
At the same time, he finally understood why Yang Kai’s attitude was different from the Dragon Clan that he had heard about in rumours. It was because Yang Kai could not be considered a part of the Pureblood Dragon Clan at all.
After that, Zhong Liang immersed himself in the investigation and saw the World Spring in Yang Kai’s Small Universe. The effects of the World Spring suppressed and sealed the Small Universe so that it became impervious to external influences. He smacked his lips at the sight and revealed a look of envy.
Who would not wish to possess one of the Four Universe Pillars? That was especially true on the Black Ink Battlefield. If one had one of the Four Universe Pillars, they would not need to worry about becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. That would put them in a very advantageous position in a battle against the Black Ink Clan. Unfortunately, these treasures were extremely rare and hard to find. Only those with great destiny could come across such treasures.
Zhong Liang also saw the Black Ink Strength suppressed and sealed inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe. Unable to stop himself, he asked curiously, “Does it not affect you to have Black Ink Strength suppressed and sealed inside your Small Universe?”
Yang Kai shook his head and said, “It doesn’t affect me at all. In fact, there are times when this Junior used Black Ink Strength to disguise himself as a Black Ink Disciple. It was by relying on this ability that this Junior survived for two years among the Black Ink Clan.”
While saying so, he controlled the Black Ink Strength inside his Small Universe and his eyes instantly turned pitch-black.
The corners of Zhong Liang’s mouth twitched, “You spent two years within the Black Ink Clan?”
That was extremely shocking information. Since time immemorial, there had never been anybody among the Human Race who could remain safe and sound after spending two years among the Black Ink Clan. Even with the protection of the World Spring, doing that was far too daring.
Feng Ying spoke up, “I was just about to tell you about this matter, Martial Uncle. It’s all thanks to Yang Kai that this Disciple managed to return.”
“What happened?” Zhong Liang asked.
Thus, she briefly recounted everything that happened to her. She spoke about how she had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength of a Black Ink Territory Lord, used a Secret Technique to escape danger, and killed a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman. Afterwards, Yang Kai took the initiative to reveal his identity and joined forces with her to rescue the Black Ink Disciples. In the end, they finally managed to gather 300 allies before they proceeded to make their way back.
Even though Zhong Liang was well-learned and very knowledgeable, he couldn’t help widening his eyes in astonishment after listening to her explanation. It was not until she finally finished speaking that he took a deep breath and asked, “Did you just say he had the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength? Also, those people who came back with you were originally Black Ink Disciples?”
“That’s right.” Feng Ying nodded sincerely, “You should have seen his ability before, Martial Uncle. He performed that Secret Technique once when he aided this Disciple in the fight against the Territory Lord earlier.”
The realization struck Zhong Liang, “Are you referring to that white light?”
There was no way he did not have a deep impression of the Purifying Light. He had never seen such a pure white light that shone as brightly as the sun on the Black Ink Battlefield before. At the time, he had suspected that the death of the Territory Lord was likely related to the white light. From what he could tell at the moment, his guess seemed to be correct. It turned out to be the Black Ink Strength’s nemesis!
Zhong Liang was shocked to his core!
The fact that Yang Kai possessed a World Spring had astonished him greatly; nevertheless, that was nothing compared to learning about the existence of the Purifying Light!
It was true that the World Spring was a powerful treasure, allowing one to never fear the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength or worry about being corrupted by it. But, that was something that would only benefit one individual. Nobody else could enjoy the benefits of the World Spring but its owner.
On the other hand, Purifying Light was different. Purifying Light was the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength, which was something that could benefit the entire Human Race. The hundreds of people who Feng Ying led back here were living examples.
The conflict between the Human Race and Black Ink Clan had gone on for far too long.
Although the Black Ink Clan had been trapped in the Black Ink Battlefield and could not invade the 3,000 Worlds easily, the Human Race was helpless to destroy the Black Ink Clan. That was especially true when it came to the corrosion of Black Ink Strength.
Since ancient times, many elites among the Human Race had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and turned into enemies. Faced with these people who used to be comrades, close friends, and even relatives who fought side-by-side with each other on the battlefield, they could only suppress their tears and ruthlessly kill them.
It was not that they had never tried to rescue these people. In the past, they had captured the Black Ink Disciples alive and tried various means to dispel the Black Ink Strength from their bodies. Unfortunately, even the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors were powerless to do anything about the Black Ink Strength.
And yet, there was now someone who could do what even an Old Ancestor had failed to.
How could Zhong Liang not be shocked? He immediately realised that Yang Kai’s very existence was critical to the entire Human Race. The means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength would surely rewrite the unchanging situation that had existed since time immemorial on the Black Ink Battlefield.
Grabbing Yang Kai by the arm, Zhong Liang tightened his grip with an emotional expression on his face, “Come! We must meet the Old Ancestor!”
This matter was far too important and had to be reported to the Old Ancestor directly. Besides, they had been trapped on the Black Ink Battlefield for so many years, so such good news would absolutely boost morale greatly.
“Please make the arrangements, Senior!” Yang Kai nodded. In any case, he had been planning to meet the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor who was in charge of Blue Sky Pass already since he needed to make a report about the Void Corridor.
Zhong Liang grabbed Yang Kai and hurried inside. All of a sudden, he seemed to recall something and turned back to look at Feng Ying, “How many people know that he has the World Spring?”
He did not ask how many people knew about Yang Kai’s Purifying Light. Since everyone who came with them was rescued by Yang Kai, they would surely have seen the white light before; hence, there was no need to ask. That was not something that needed to be concealed anyway. On the contrary, it would be better if the news were to spread. Such good news would greatly reduce their worries on the battlefield and allow their allies to fight the Black Ink Clan without fear.
Good news like this could greatly affect the trend of the battlefield by allowing the Human Masters to let loose and fight the Black Ink Clan without reserve.
Feng Ying replied, “Among those who came back, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters should know since they were hiding in his Small Universe.”
The 300 or so Black Ink Disciples who were rescued previously had been divided and hidden inside the Small Universe of Feng Ying and the other Seventh-Order Masters. Since Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he could only take Fifth-Order Masters along with him.
Zhong Liang frowned slightly at those words. That was going to be troublesome. Purifying Light was something that should be heavily publicised, but the existence of the World Spring was something that needed to be concealed. Once this matter was exposed, it might attract trouble instead.
After hearing the exchange, Yang Kai chimed in, “Don’t worry, Senior. I might have accepted some of the Fifth-Order Masters into my Small Universe, but I did not reveal the existence of the World Spring to them.”
There were too many secrets in his Small Universe. If nothing else, there was the large population of the Small Stone Race and various other living beings that he raised in his Small Universe. The mountains of Yellow and Blue Crystals were also being stored in his Small Universe. These were not things that Yang Kai would expose so easily; therefore, he had deliberately blocked the perception of the Fifth-Order Masters when he took them into his Small Universe and only delineated a small area for them to use. In that way, they were unable to see anything that was placed beyond the boundaries of this area.
Just like the time when he allowed Zhong Liang to inspect his Small Universe, Yang Kai had only revealed the World Spring and the existence of the Black Ink Strength that was suppressed and sealed inside his body. He only allowed Zhong Liang to see what he wanted Zhong Liang to see. Nothing else had been revealed.
Zhong Liang nodded lightly in response, “Good.”
He had planned to ask Feng Ying to warn those Fifth-Order Masters so that they kept the existence of the World Spring a secret, but it would now seem that he was saved the trouble of doing that. From this incident, it could be seen that Yang Kai was a meticulous person who acted cautiously.
“You should get some rest. I’ll take him to the Old Ancestor,” Zhong Liang instructed before he hurried inside.
Feng Ying respectfully saw them off.
As soon as Yang Kai and Zhong Liang exited the Grand Hall, they saw a large crowd waiting for them outside. These people were allies who fought side-by-side on the battlefield earlier and the 300 or so Black Ink Disciples that Yang Kai and the others brought back.
Upon seeing Yang Kai emerge from the Grand Hall, the cultivators, who were former Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength, stepped forward with Shen Ao and the others in the lead. They cupped their fists to express their overflowing gratitude. It was just that Zhong Liang was also here, so they could not thank Yang Kai in person.
For them, it could almost be said that they had gained a new life. If Yang Kai had not removed the Black Ink Strength from their bodies, they would still be Black Ink Disciples right now. They might even have followed their Black Ink Clan Masters to this battlefield to kill their own clansmen in battle.
On the other hand, the Seventh-Order Masters in charge of guarding and monitoring the Revealing Black Ink Array stared at Yang Kai in amazement. The Revealing Black Ink Array had reacted to him, which could only mean that his body contained Black Ink Strength. In other words, he was a Black Ink Disciple; even so, Zhong Liang had ushered him into the Inner Sanctum for some reason.
The situation left them puzzled indeed. What’s more, judging from the reactions of the surrounding crowd, this young man who was suspected of being a Black Ink Disciple seemed to hold great prestige among this group of people.
[Just what is going on?] The Seventh-Order guards looked at each other, feeling speechless.
Zhong Liang ignored them and waved the crowd away, “Why are you all loitering around here!? Quickly get some rest and recover your strength! This war is not over yet!”
Although they had obtained an absolute victory in the battle earlier, based on their experience over the years, the Black Ink Clan’s forces would not be pushed back in such a short amount of time. That feat would require years of effort. The Black Ink Clan would only withdraw their forces when they could not endure the losses any longer. For that reason, the duration of the war could be long or short. The shortest battles had lasted for three to five years, while the longest ones had dragged on for several decades to a century.
In any case, even if the Black Ink Clan withdrew their forces, the Human Race had no means to annihilate the Black Ink Clan completely; therefore, the Black Ink Clan would always rise again after a period of time.
For countless years, this vicious cycle had been repeated over and over again. The Human Race had stationed themselves at the various great passes to guard the last line of defence for the sake of the 3,000 Worlds.
Walking behind Zhong Liang, Yang Kai looked around in amazement.
The scenery inside Blue Sky Pass did not look very different from what one would see inside a city. There were houses situated along both sides of the wide and spacious streets, but of course there were no shops. Although these houses looked like places for people to live in, they seemed to be deserted at this moment. Even the occasional passing cultivator seemed to be in a hurry.
“Isn’t there a little too few people?” Yang Kai muttered.
Zhong Liang explained, “The great passes are basically made up of two lines of defence. The first line of defence is the outermost barrier that you saw earlier. The second line of defence is where the Revealing Black Ink Array is located. Now that war has broken out, most of the people have rushed to the first line of defence. Even if some of them withdrew from battle, they would be resting in their respective residences. That is why the Inner Sanctum is relatively deserted at the moment. Truthfully, the Inner Sanctum is quite lively when we are not at war…”
After saying that, he turned to glance at Yang Kai, “I forgot to ask. Where do you hail from?”
Yang Kai pondered for a moment, “This Junior can be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but I was not born into Yin-Yang Heaven.”
Whenever he introduced himself to others before, he had always claimed to be a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple. The main reason was that he couldn’t be bothered to explain the nuances of his situation. Be that as it may, Zhong Liang’s status was different. He was an Eighth-Order Ancestor, so it would be better to tell him the truth.
Zhong Liang was curious, “If you were not born in Yin-Yang Heaven, then how are you considered part of it?”
Yang Kai blushed slightly as he explained, “This Junior married a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple, so I can be considered a Yin-Yang Heaven’s Son-in-law.”
Zhong Liang’s mouth fell open slightly. All of a sudden, he patted Yang Kai on the shoulder, “How lucky. The women of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven are quite a catch.”
Generally speaking, the female disciples of the major Cave Heavens and Paradises would not marry outside their respective Sects; however, if an individual had outstanding aptitude, the Cave Heavens and Paradises would not hesitate to win these individuals over.
Yang Kai’s various performances had not escaped Zhong Liang’s notice. This boy was truly outstanding.
In Zhong Liang’s opinion, it was not strange for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to use the marriage of their female disciples as a means to win over a rising star like Yang Kai. Nevertheless, he would never have imagined that Yang Kai was not just marrying a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple but two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples, one of which was a Core Disciple. If he knew, he would have been shocked.
“There are also some people from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven here at Blue Sky Pass. I’ll introduce you to them if I get the chance!” Zhong Liang said casually.
“Many thanks, Senior.” Yang Kai cupped his fist and said curiously, “Isn’t Blue Sky Pass the great pass guarded by Blue Sky Paradise? Why are there people from other Cave Heavens and Paradises here?”
This was something he noticed earlier. Some of the Open Heaven Realm Masters who appeared on the battlefield earlier were clearly not from Blue Sky Paradise; he could tell because their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques clearly came from other Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Zhong Liang replied, “Blue Sky Pass is indeed named after Blue Sky Paradise, and the one overseeing Blue Sky Pass is an Old Ancestor from Blue Sky Paradise. Be that as it may, the people here come from all over the 3,000 Worlds. In fact, there are people from almost every Cave Heaven or Paradise here. How could there only be people from Blue Sky Paradise? You should know that every Cave Heaven and Paradise has their own strengths and weaknesses. Only with sincere cooperation can we bring together each other’s strengths and make up for our respective weaknesses. That is the case at Blue Sky Pass and all other great passes.”
After listening to the explanation, Yang Kai immediately understood. It would seem that his previous understanding had been flawed.
Zhong Liang furrowed his brow slightly at that moment as he muttered, “You don’t seem to have much knowledge about the great passes.”
Logically speaking, as long as a person resided in any of the great passes for a few days, they would naturally learn about such common knowledge; however, Yang Kai’s behaviour seemed to indicate that this was his first time at one of the great passes.
Yang Kai quietly said, “I will be truthful, Senior. I am mostly ignorant about the great passes. Moreover, this is also my first time coming to one of the great passes.”
Zhong Liang was astonished, “How can that be? If that’s the case, then how were you captured by the Black Ink Clan?”
He previously assumed that Yang Kai had been captured by the Black Ink Clan on one of the battlefields. Consequently, Yang Kai had been forced to disguise himself as a Black Ink Disciple and followed the Black Ink Clan back to their territory. But now, that did not seem to be the case.
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “I cannot tell you the exact reason, but the truth will come to light when this Junior meets with the Old Ancestor.”
Zhong Liang stared at Yang Kai for a while. He could not understand what in the world could be so difficult to say to him. As an Eighth-Order Ancestor, what was there that he was not allowed to know? Nevertheless, seeing as Yang Kai had said as much, there must be some sort of secret involved. It was not right for him to probe further, so he simply said, “Good. However, you might not be able to meet the Old Ancestor right now.”
“The Old Ancestor is wounded,” Before Yang Kai could inquire about the matter, Zhong Liang took the initiative to explain.
Yang Kai was taken aback! Someone with the title ‘Old Ancestor’ could only be a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. How could a person like that be wounded!? In the next moment though, he quickly understood, “Was the Old Ancestor injured during the battle with the Black Ink Royal Lord?”
The only one who could harm an Old Ancestor was a Royal Lord from the Black Ink Clan. It would seem that the disturbance caused by the Old Ancestor’s attack that Yang Kai sensed previously when he was in the Black Ink Clan’s territory had belonged to the Old Ancestor of Blue Sky Pass.
Not long after the attack, the Royal Lord had led the Black Ink Clan army in pursuit of the Human army. He probably exchanged blows with the Old Ancestor at the time, which resulted in the Old Ancestor being injured in the process.
Zhong Liang nodded, “The Old Ancestor might be wounded, but that Royal Lord is in no better condition. We have no idea where the enemy’s leader is hiding to treat his wounds at the moment. For the time being, we will have to see who between them recovers first. That will determine the outcome of this battle!”
The strongest combatants on both sides had been injured and were busy recuperating; otherwise, their presence would definitely have been seen on the battlefield. In any case, the one who recovered first would obtain the absolute advantage. That was the reason why Zhong Liang could not be sure whether Yang Kai could gain an audience with the Old Ancestor right now. If this matter was not urgent, Zhong Liang would not have even considered disturbing the Old Ancestor at a time like this; after all, it was extremely important for the Old Ancestor to recover from his wounds. It was just that Yang Kai’s ability to purify Black Ink Strength was also extremely important, so they had to report this matter to the Old Ancestor as soon as possible.
There was a solitary mountain in the middle of Blue Sky Pass that towered high into the clouds. On top of the solitary mountain stood a majestic palace. That was the place where the Old Ancestor cultivated in retreat. He normally lived here in seclusion and rarely revealed himself without a reason.
Flight was not prohibited inside the Inner Sanctum, and it did not take long for Zhong Liang to guide Yang Kai to the palace located at the top of the solitary mountain. There were several figures standing guard outside the palace, and each one of them had a profound aura. Even the weakest among them was in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. There was also an Eighth-Order Ancestor standing guard in the open, right before the doors, just in case an accident occurred.
Upon detecting movement, the Eighth-Order Ancestor, who had been sitting down cross-legged and resting with his eyes closed, opened his eyes slightly and stood up to block their path.
“Senior Brother Sun!” Zhong Liang stepped forward in greeting.
Senior Brother Sun nodded lightly. Glancing at Yang Kai who was following behind Zhong Liang curiously, he asked, “Junior Brother Zhong, what is so urgent for you to come here?”
As Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors, Senior Brother Sun believed that Zhong Liang knew better and would not come here at this time unless there was something important.
“I have something to report to the Old Ancestor!” Zhong Liang replied. Stepping forward, he secretly explained the situation in detail to Senior Brother Sun via transmission.
At first, Senior Brother Sun listened with an indifferent expression, but it didn’t take long before his eyes contracted in astonishment. He turned to stare at Yang Kai in shock and anxiously asked, “Is that possible!?”
Zhong Liang nodded solemnly, “Feng Ying told me herself. Besides, those hundreds of people have already entered the Inner Sanctum. The information is trustworthy.”
Senior Brother Sun frowned, “Didn’t you verify the truth with your own eyes?”
Zhong Liang asked, “How do we verify this matter?”
Senior Brother Sun pondered in silence for a moment, “Capture a Black Ink Disciple and bring them back.”
Zhong Liang stared at Senior Brother Sun with his mouth agape, seeming to ask ‘are you serious!?’ with his expression. Even if he was an Eighth-Order Master, it was not easy to capture a Black Ink Disciple alive on that chaotic battlefield.
Senior Brother Sun glared at Zhong Liang, “This is an important matter! It’s better to be careful! Go quickly!”
Helpless, Zhong Liang could only answer, “Fine, fine, I’ll go.”
Yang Kai listened to the conversation from the side and vaguely guessed the contents of their conversation. Thus, he immediately cupped his fist and said, “There’s no need to go to so much trouble. If you wish to verify this matter, Senior, this disciple can show you at any time.”
Senior Brother Sun raised a brow at those words, “How will you do that?”
Zhong Liang slapped his forehead, “I forgot, he has Black Ink Strength suppressed and sealed inside his Small Universe!” Turning around, he explained the situation to Senior Brother Sun, “This brat is extremely blessed. He possesses a World Spring, so he does not fear becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Moreover, he is bold and reckless. By suppressing and sealing Black Ink Strength in his Small Universe, he disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and lived among the Black Ink Clan for a few years!”
Senior Brother Sun stared at Yang Kai, so shocked that his mouth fell open slightly. This was absolutely astounding information. Even with a World Spring, it was crazy for anybody to suppress and seal Black Ink Strength inside their Small Universe. Not to mention, Yang Kai had disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and lived among the Black Ink Clan for several years… Someone who did this could no longer be described as courageous, only reckless would suffice! Nevertheless, this would indeed save them a lot of trouble.
Senior Brother Sun nodded at Yang Kai and said, “This is an important matter. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I must verify the truth with my own eyes.”
Yang Kai nodded to indicate that he understood. Raising his hand, he opened the portal to his Small Universe and a mass of Black Ink Strength immediately poured out from within.
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in charge of protecting this place had no idea what was going on, so they were shocked to see the pitch-black Black Ink Strength. Thinking that a Black Ink Disciple had infiltrated this place, they instinctively pushed their World Force. It was fortunate that Senior Brother Sun stopped them in time.
Senior Brother Sun stared intently at Yang Kai’s movements and soon saw Yang Kai’s hands glowing with two different-coloured lights. When Yang Kai pressed his palms together, the two different-coloured lights transformed into a pure white light!
Zhong Liang raised his brow slightly at the sight. It was that same white light! He had personally witnessed the white light inflicting great harm on the Black Ink Territory Lord he fought earlier. There was no doubt that the Black Ink Territory Lord had shown a panicked expression when enveloped by the white light; however, what he witnessed from afar could not compare to the shock he experienced at this moment. Under his Divine Sense perception, he could tell that the white light was completely pure and flawless.
The white light loomed over the Black Ink Strength, then they came into contact with each other in the next moment. The thick Black Ink Strength quickly vaporized and vanished out of sight. Only the white light remained without disappearing!
The Seventh-Order Masters, who reacted as though they were facing a great enemy earlier, were now dumbfounded by what they just witnessed. Even Senior Brother Sun was shocked beyond words. A long while passed before he said, “Astonishing!”
Although the white light did not contain strong destructive power, it had the effect of purifying the Black Ink Strength. That alone was worthy of his high evaluation.
“Please wait here. I will inform the Old Ancestor of your arrival, but I cannot guarantee that you will receive a response. The Old Ancestor is in the middle of recovery after all,” Senior Brother Sun said before he turned around and entered the palace.
Zhong Liang and Yang Kai waited patiently; meanwhile, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters studied Yang Kai intently, as though they were trying to figure out something from his body.
The Black Ink Strength that Yang Kai brought out earlier had already been dispelled, but the white light continued to exist. Zhong Liang couldn’t help feeling curious. Reaching out to touch the light, he discovered that it actually gave off an extremely gentle and comforting feeling.
“Can this still be used?” Zhong Liang asked.
Yang Kai nodded in reply, “It should still be effective, but it won’t last for long.”
Zhong Liang smacked his lips, “That’s such a waste.”
He was tempted to capture a Black Ink Disciple and throw them into the white light. In that way, the Black Ink Strength in the Black Ink Disciple would be dispelled and the Black Ink Disciple would regain mental clarity.
Yang Kai had already noticed this issue some time ago. There were many times when Purifying Light went to waste. Even after dispelling Black Ink Strength from the bodies of the Black Ink Disciples, the effects of the Purifying Light would not dissipate completely depending on its initial intensity. It was obvious that the light could still be used, but he could only let it go to waste as there was nothing to use it on.
It had to be said that the Purifying Light was formed from the power of the Yellow and Blue Crystals; therefore, it was these precious Yin and Yang Element materials that were being wasted.
Not long afterwards, Senior Brother Sun returned from inside the palace. Zhong Liang hurriedly looked over only to see Senior Brother Sun shaking his head slowly, “The Old Ancestor did not respond. He is probably at a critical juncture in his recovery.”
There was nothing Zhong Liang could do after hearing that statement; after all, he could not forcibly interrupt the Old Ancestor who was in the midst of healing. If anything were to happen to the Old Ancestor, he would not be able to bear the consequences.
Senior Brother Sun quickly followed up, “When the Old Ancestor comes out of retreat, I will inform him about this matter. In any case, Yang Kai is already in the Inner Sanctum. There’s no need to be anxious.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “That’s the only way.”
“But, what do you plan to do now?” Senior Brother Sun asked.
Naturally, Zhong Liang understood what Senior Brother Sun meant, “This matter cannot be concealed. In any case, it is not something that needs to be concealed either. I plan to announce this information to everyone. This is an uplifting piece of news, especially now that war has broken out. This information will allow the disciples to fight without worries, which will in turn boost their morale.”
Senior Brother Sun pondered for a while, “Good. The problem that has plagued us for so long has been resolved. This will certainly boost morale among the ranks. Do as you see fit.”
Zhong Liang replied, “Then, I will gather those old farts in the conference hall and announce this news to them.”
“Go ahead. I will inform the Old Ancestor about this matter as soon as possible. I’m sure the Old Ancestor will also agree with the plan.”
Zhong Liang cupped his fist and sent a Divine Sense transmission to remind Senior Brother Sun, “Senior Brother, the fact that this boy possesses the World Spring cannot be exposed.”
Senior Brother Sun understood, “Don’t worry. I will take care of it.”
Likewise, Senior Brother Sun understood what Zhong Liang was worried about. If it was revealed that Yang Kai possessed the World Spring, it would surely attract trouble.
Zhong Liang thanked Senior Brother Sun and quickly departed with Yang Kai. Along the way, he took out a communication device and sent out several messages. A short while later, a stream of light sped towards them. A figure was revealed when the stream of light came close. It turned out to be Feng Ying.
“Martial Uncle!” Feng Ying cupped her fist in greeting. It was apparent that she had been summoned by Zhong Liang.
Zhong Liang instructed, “Lead him to the Main Conference Hall and wait for me there. I’ll be there soon.”
“Yes!” She responded. Tilting her head to signal Yang Kai, she led him in a certain direction. On the other hand, Zhong Liang headed towards the outside of the great pass.
Along the way, Feng Ying asked, “Have you met the Old Ancestor?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “The Old Ancestor is recovering, so I didn’t manage to meet him.”
She was taken aback, “Is the Old Ancestor injured!?”
It had not been long since she returned, so she was not informed about the Old Ancestor’s injury.
“I heard Senior Zhong mention that the Royal Lord is in a similar condition. The Royal Lord is currently hiding somewhere to treat his wounds. At present, it all depends on who recovers first. The one who wins this race will hold the absolute advantage on the battlefield.”
Feng Ying nodded lightly. It was not the first time the Old Ancestor of Blue Sky Pass and the Royal Lord of this region had fought each other. Every time the Black Ink Clan launched an assault on Blue Sky Pass, the Royal Lord would step forward to keep the Old Ancestor in check. There was no other choice. The Royal Lord had to join the battle personally; otherwise, no amount of Black Ink Clansmen could ever hope to stop the Old Ancestor if he stood on the front lines.
“Why does Martial Uncle Zhong want you to go to the Main Conference Hall?” She inquired further.
Yang Kai answered, “He seems to believe that word of the Purifying Light will boost morale, so he plans to announce it to everyone.”
Feng Ying instantly understood, “It will certainly be beneficial. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with publicising this information. This matter cannot be hidden anyway. Everybody will know about it sooner or later.”
Yang Kai nodded. He had no intention of hiding this ability as it could restrain Black Ink Strength after all. If this ability could benefit his allies, then he would be happy to cooperate.
It did not take long for the pair to arrive outside a Grand Hall; however, they did not enter and simply waited outside. The hall was empty without a figure in sight, but after waiting for some time, a figure came towards them from a distance and soon landed not far away. The person who arrived was burly and had a head of dishevelled hair, like a raging wild lion.
“Martial Uncle Zhao!” Feng Ying faced the person who just arrived and bowed in greeting. Yang Kai also bowed slightly from where he stood behind her.
On the other hand, Martial Uncle Zhao stared at Feng Ying in surprise, “Feng Girl, you’re back! Didn’t they say that you were left behind in Black Ink Clan territory? How did you manage to return?”
She replied, “I was lucky to survive.”
As for how she managed to return, she did not explain in detail.
He nodded lightly, “You will surely receive a great blessing after surviving such a difficult ordeal. Don’t squander your opportunity. I hope that you can slaughter even more Black Ink Clansmen on the battlefield from now on.”
She responded affirmatively.
After that, he stuck his head into the hall and looked around before he frowningly asked, “Brother Zhong summoned us here, so why isn’t he here? Did something happen?”
She respectfully answered, “Martial Uncle Zhong has something important to announce. Unfortunately, this Disciple does not know the exact details. Please enter first, Martial Uncle Zhao. Martial Uncle Zhong will be here soon.”
“En,” Martial Uncle Zhao nodded. Then, he strode into the Conference Hall and randomly found a place to sit and wait.
Martial Uncle Zhao had only just entered the hall when numerous streams of lights came flying over from all directions. Every one of them was an Eighth-Order Master. They were clearly the people in charge of the various front lines on the battlefield. In other words, they had the same status as Zhong Liang.
Feng Ying and Yang Kai stood outside the hall, greeting each arrival in succession. As the guests entered, Feng Ying told Yang Kai who was from which Cave Heaven or Paradise.
Although there were tens of thousands of Masters in Blue Sky Pass, there were only a handful of Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among them. In fact, there were only several dozen in total. Feng Ying had been living here for thousands of years, so it was only natural for her to know them all.
These Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could be said to be the pillars of every great pass. Every one of them was an incredibly valuable asset and they basically held important positions that placed them in charge of commanding the Human army and protecting the various defence lines.
As expected, there was also an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. It was just that he did not know Yang Kai’s origins, so he did not pay much attention to him. Besides, this was not a place where people made connections to climb up the social ladder.
Yang Kai simply memorised the name and appearance of this Eighth-Order Master without saying too much to the other party.
Most of the Eighth-Order Masters who came here were acquainted with Feng Ying. Some of them glanced at Yang Kai but did not pay much attention to him; however, Yang Kai felt as though the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Xi He Paradise had been observing him closely. The other party even seemed to have a look of doubt on his face when he entered the Conference Hall. Nevertheless, he did not say anything to Yang Kai.
In the end, Yang Kai couldn’t help wondering whether it was simply his own misunderstanding.
Everybody waited in the hall for some time, but there was still no sign of Zhong Liang anywhere. It didn’t take long before somebody lost their patience and complained, “What the Hell is that old fart Zhong doing!? I have an ongoing battle at the moment. Why did he send an urgent message to summon us here!? Is he playing a joke on us!? Where is that old fart Zhong!?”
“Brother Zhang, please don’t be so impatient. Since we received an urgent message from Brother Zhong, then it must be something important. Although you have an ongoing battle, the outcome will not be determined for some time yet. It’s time to let the subordinates under our command rest for a while.” Somebody earnestly responded. It would seem that this person was quite open-minded.
“Speaking of which, have you visited the Old Ancestor? Are his injuries severe?”
“I’ve sent a message and received a response claiming that Old Ancestor is in the middle of recovery, so I didn’t dare to disturb him. I don’t think it’s very serious. It’s not the first time something like this has happened after all. Old Ancestor is treating his wounds, as is the Royal Lord. It’s the same for both sides.”
“If I had to say, we should find an opportunity to charge forward. Once we find the place where the Royal Lord is recuperating, we can vanquish him. In that way, the war will go smoothly for us.”
“Brother, you’re not a child anymore. Why are you spewing such nonsensical words? The place where the Royal Lord is recuperating will surely be under strict guard! We might be able to charge forward, but we won’t be able to return alive! You should think before you speak!”
“Who did you just call brainless!?”
“Of course, I’m referring to the person who answered!”
…
For a time, the quarrel became very fierce. There was no saying whether these two quarrelling Eighth-Order Masters did not get along with each other in the first place, but as soon as they started arguing, they started to roll up their sleeves to get physical. Consequently, the people around them panicked and quickly stepped in to calm them down.
Outside the hall, Feng Ying and Yang Kai glanced at each other with speechless expressions.
Eighth-Order Masters held highly revered positions, so most people had the impression that they were all stern-looking and dignified people. Who could have imagined that these Eighth-Order Ancestors would be squabbling inside the Conference Hall like hawkers at the market? If news were to spread out to the public, nobody would believe the truth.
A stream of light suddenly sped over from a distance and landed in front of the two. It was Zhong Liang.
Feng Ying and Yang Kai bowed in unison and looked up only to see Zhong Liang holding a person in his grasp. That person was clearly a Black Ink Disciple. His eyes were filled with inky darkness, and although there was a seal placed on his body that suppressed his strength and prevented him from circulating his power, he continued to struggle endlessly against his restraints.
Upon seeing this Black Ink Disciple, Yang Kai immediately had a vague understanding of Zhong Liang’s intentions. No matter how beautiful his words were, nobody would believe them without proof; therefore, Zhong Liang had obviously rushed to the battlefield outside the great pass and captured a Black Ink Disciple so that Yang Kai could use Purifying Light in front of everyone.
Zhong Liang nodded and directed his words at Yang Kai, “Come with me.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded affirmatively; then, he followed Zhong Liang into the hall.
The noise inside the hall died down abruptly. Many people turned to stare at them in astonishment, wondering why Zhong Liang had captured and brought a Black Ink Disciple here.
“Brother Zhong, you’re finally here!” Somebody remarked.
“I’ve made you wait,” Zhong Liang cupped his fist apologetically, “It’s just that this is a very important matter, so I had to take some time to prepare.”
While speaking, he threw the Black Ink Disciple in his grasp to the ground. The Black Ink Disciple might have been placed under a seal, but his movements were unimpeded. Thus, he quickly stood up and looked around cautiously.
Everybody in the room was also scrutinising the Black Ink Disciple. All the people present in this room were Eighth-Order Masters, so this Black Ink Disciple did not pose any threat to them. Be that as it may, they had a vague guess that Zhong Liang’s announcement had something to do with the Black Ink Disciples. There was no need for him to capture one otherwise.
“What is going on, Brother Zhong? Can’t you tell us now? The front lines are still fighting. It will be a problem if we remain here for too long,” somebody urged.
Zhong Liang nodded. Just as he was about to speak, somebody else suddenly interrupted the conversation, “Brother Zhong, before you begin, there is something I want to confirm.”
Zhong Liang turned to look in that direction and nodded, “Please speak, Brother Tian.”
Likewise, Yang Kai glanced in that direction and discovered that the person who spoke earlier was the same person who was staring intently at him earlier. At the time, he had the feeling that this person’s gaze contained some sort of deeper meaning, but could not be sure. It would now seem that his guess was correct. He recalled that Feng Ying had introduced this person as Tian Xiu Zhu of Xi He Paradise.
Tian Xiu Zhu said, “I heard a message from a disciple under my command claiming that the Revealing Black Ink Array had reacted to a certain individual when a group of people entered the Inner Sanctum earlier; however, you insisted on bringing him into the Inner Sanctum. Is that true, Brother Zhong?”
Zhong Liang frowned slightly. He knew that the person who sent the message was most likely one of the people guarding the Revealing Black Ink Array. Even so, he could not blame the other party. They were simply carrying out their duties. Unable to prevent him from bringing Yang Kai into the Inner Sanctum when he insisted, they could only send a message to the Ancestors of their respective Cave Heavens and Paradises to ask them to investigate and determine the truth of the incident.
[It looks like I won’t be able to keep this matter hidden anymore.] Zhong Liang smacked his lips. [I had hoped to avoid attracting trouble, but it looks like I won’t be able to avoid this issue.]
In the end, he nodded, “It’s true!”
Seeing his admission, somebody exclaimed in astonishment, “If the Revealing Black Ink Array reacted, that can only mean that they have Black Ink Strength in their body. That person is a Black Ink Disciple! How can you bring such a person into the Inner Sanctum, Brother Zhong? Could it be this person?”
That person glanced at the Black Ink Disciple that Zhong Liang had just brought in.
Tian Xiu Zhu shook his head, “It’s not this Black Ink Disciple. If my guess is correct, that person should have been him. Am I right?”
While speaking, he glanced towards Yang Kai, who was standing next to Zhong Liang.
Yang Kai bowed politely, “Junior Yang Kai greets Seniors!”
Many people studied Yang Kai curiously. Some people seemed confused while others seemed thoughtful. Zhong Liang sighed softly and looked at Tian Xiu Zhu, “Brother Tian, what are you trying to say?”
Tian Xiu Zhu said, “Brother Zhong, you insisted on bringing this boy into the Inner Sanctum without even placing a restriction on him. That can only mean that you are not worried about him in the slightest; however, the Revealing Black Ink Array could not have been mistaken. In other words, he most likely has Black Ink Strength in his body. But, judging by his appearance and actions, he does not seem like a Black Ink Disciple. Despite having Black Ink Strength in his body, he is not being corrupted by it. Looking at this situation, doesn’t anything come to mind?”
Somebody suddenly understood and shouted, “A Four Universe Pillar!?”
A series of gasps rang out, and many pairs of eyes flashed with interest at those words. Another person asked excitedly, “Does the boy really possess one of the Four Universe Pillars!?”
Only those who possessed one of the Four Universe Pillars would not be converted into a Black Ink Disciple despite having Black Ink Strength in their body. It was not as if something similar had never happened before; after all, Yang Kai was not the only person with a Four Universe Pillar among the Human Race.
With a Four Universe Pillar protecting their Small Universe, it stood to reason that Black Ink Strength could not invade one’s body regardless of the circumstances. However, it was a different case altogether if they took the initiative to open the portal to their Small Universe and accept Black Ink Strength into their Small Universe.
In the past, many Human Masters with the Four Universe Pillars had carried out various experiments to accept Black Ink Strength into their Small Universe. They wanted to see if the corrosion of Black Ink Strength was stronger or the power of the Four Universe Pillars was greater. The results naturally spoke for themselves. Those who possessed the Four Universe Pillars would not be affected in any way even if they opened the portal to their Small Universe and drew in Black Ink Strength.
Although this matter could be considered a secret, all the people present in this room were Eighth-Order Masters who had heard about this matter to some extent. That was why some of them immediately guessed the truth once they heard Tian Xiu Zhu’s statement.
Zhong Liang scowled deeply. Faced with so many inquiring eyes, he knew that he could not keep the secret hidden any longer even though he wanted to for Yang Kai. He had repeatedly reminded Feng Ying and the Senior Brother standing guard for the Old Ancestor not to reveal the secret that Yang Kai possessed a World Spring. His actions were to prevent these exact kinds of situations from happening.
Unfortunately, he failed to prevent such a situation in the end. The disciples guarding the Revealing Black Ink Array had sent a message to Tian Xiu Zhu, and the quick-witted Tian Xiu Zhu managed to deduce the truth based on such meagre information.
Hence, Zhong Liang nodded with a sullen expression, “Brother Tian is correct. Yang Kai does indeed possess one of the Four Universe Pillars, the World Spring.”
Despite having some guesses, the crowd could barely conceal the joy on their faces when they heard him confirming their speculations.
Somebody then asked, “Which Cave Heaven or Paradise does this boy come from?”
Zhong Liang turned to the side and looked at Yang Kai, indicating for him to explain the situation himself.
Yang Kai glanced at one of the elderly men and cupped his fist, “This Disciple married two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples and became a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Son-in-Law. Greetings, Elder Lu!”
Thanks to Feng Ying’s secret introductions earlier, Yang Kai had memorised the identity of this Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor. This person was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Lu An. Yang Kai had originally planned to visit this person when he had the time. Now that the situation had come to this, he could only reveal his identity in advance.
Lu An raised his brow, looking extremely surprised. He had not expected Yang Kai to be part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Even if Yang Kai was not born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the fact that he could marry two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples indicated that he was not an ordinary person; otherwise, the Sect would not have allowed the two disciples to marry him.
Everybody else was also extremely flabbergasted. It turned out that the little brat standing in front of them was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises!
Not only was he not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, but he was also only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. How did he come to the Black Ink Battlefield!? Even if he was a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-in-Law, there was no such precedent throughout history.
In the Black Ink Battlefield, all the cultivators in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and below were the elite disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises exclusively. Only a few of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were from outside Sects. They had been forcefully dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Knowing that Yang Kai was part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Lu An’s expression immediately became much friendlier. He nodded lightly and asked, “Whose disciple did you marry?”
He was not asking out of simple curiosity. Words were useless without proof. There was a need to verify the truth in case Yang Kai turned out to be lying. If he believed those lies blindly and something were to happen in the future, it was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s reputation that would suffer a heavy blow.
Yang Kai replied, “The disciples that this Junior married are the Legacy Disciple under Xu Ling Gong and the Legacy Disciple under Chen Xiu.”
Lu An murmured, “So it was Xu and Chen Boy…”
If Yang Kai had mentioned the names of Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan, there was a possibility that he would not have recognised them; after all, it had been a long time since Lu An came to the Black Ink Battlefield. The two women might not have even been born yet when he left the Sect.
However, Lu An recalled the names of Xu Ling Gong and Chen Xiu to some extent. That was especially true for the person called Xu Ling Gong. Although Xu Ling Gong was nothing more than a rising star in the Sect who had yet to advance into the Open Heaven Realm when Lu An left the Sect, he was already being trained and nurtured as a Core Disciple at the time.
Furthermore, Lu An heard that Xu Ling Gong joined the Black Ink Battlefield several decades ago. It was just that Xu Ling Gong did not come to Blue Sky Pass. Nevertheless, it would not be difficult for him to verify these facts.
Listening to the conversation between those two, the others could basically confirm that Yang Kai was indeed part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Somebody immediately cupped his fist at Lu An and said, “What a blessing, Brother Lu!”
“Congratulations, Brother Lu!”
…
Despite the congratulatory words, Lu An did not seem happy. He simply smiled bitterly while shaking his head and waving away their congratulatory wishes. On the other hand, the frown on Zhong Liang’s face deepened.
“Yang Kai, was it?” Among the congratulatory wishes, somebody spoke up suddenly.
Yang Kai looked in the direction of the voice and discovered that the voice belonged to Tian Xiu Zhu. He immediately cupped his fist and bowed, “Yes!”
“What Order were you when you first advanced into the Open Heaven Realm?” Tian Xiu Zhu asked.
Yang Kai answered, “The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
“Fifth-Order…” Tian Xiu Zhu nodded lightly, “You must be wondering why we are offering our congratulatory wishes. In truth, this is something related to you.”
Yang Kai looked puzzled. Just why would this be related to him? Besides, he was certainly curious as to why the others were congratulating Lu An.
Lu An raised a hand to interrupt, “Brother Tian, let’s talk about this later.”
There was a hint of reluctance and guilt in his expression.
Tian Xiu Zhu looked at Lu An, “The Black Ink Clan is currently besieging Blue Sky Pass. This is the time when we need to strengthen the might of our forces the most! Therefore, this matter cannot be delayed any longer. Since all the Eighth-Order Masters have basically been gathered here, it’s a good opportunity to speak openly about this matter. Brother Lu, I’m sure you understand that this Tian has no selfish intentions. This is all for the greater good of the Human Race!”
Lu An sighed softly.” Of course, I know that you are not being selfish, Brother Lu. But…”
Tian Xiu Zhu said, “This matter concerns the entire Human Race, not just Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Brother Lu, you may remain silent if you feel guilty.”
Lu An sighed again and said no more.
Afterward, Tian Xiu Zhu turned to look at Yang Kai, “You not only possess one of the Four Universe Pillars, but have also suppressed and sealed Black Ink Strength in your body. So, you should know how the Four Universe Pillars hold up against the Black Ink Strength.”
Yang Kai nodded, “This Junior naturally understands.”
It was thanks to the World Spring that his Small Universe remained flawless.
Back when he was in the Black Prison, even the Secret Technique of the Black Ink Royal Lord had no effect on him at all. It could be said that he would never need to worry about the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength as long as he had the World Spring. In fact, as long as he was strong enough, he could charge right into the middle of the Black Ink Clan army without any worries.
Tian Xiu Zhu bluntly got to the point, “The Four Universe Pillars are very useful to the Human Race, but they are very rare and hard to find. That is why, if any of the Four Universe Pillars appear in the 3,000 Worlds, the Cave Heavens and Paradises will spare no effort to obtain and deliver it to the Black Ink Battlefield. The Four Universe Pillars would then be refined by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and used to fight the Black Ink Clan.
“The Old Ancestors are strong enough that they have no need to fear becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Unfortunately, there have been precedents where Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were corrupted. The Four Universe Pillars can protect an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master on the battlefield, which will allow them to fight the Black Ink Clan freely and without fear of becoming corrupted. This matter is something that holds great significance to the Human Race!
“On the Black Ink Battlefield, only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters are eligible to possess a Four Universe Pillar. That is because only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters can protect such a treasure. You are only in the Sixth-Order at the moment. If you enter the battlefield, there is no guarantee that nothing will happen to you. More importantly, if anything were to happen to you, the Human Race would not only lose you as an individual but also an extremely rare and precious treasure.
“In addition, the Black Ink Clan will surely target you if they learn that you possess one of the Four Universe Pillars. It would be very detrimental for you; after all, the Black Ink Clan is extremely repulsed by the Four Universe Pillars. If given the chance, they will never allow any Human cultivator with a Four Universe Pillar to walk free. As you are now, you are not strong enough to protect the Four Universe Pillars.
“Do you understand what I am trying to say?” Tian Xiu Zhu looked at Yang Kai solemnly.
At first, Yang Kai had not quite grasped the situation, but Tian Xiu Zhu had spoken so clearly that it was impossible for him not to understand now. He immediately nodded in response, “If I have heard you correctly, Senior, you are asking me to offer up my World Spring.”
Tian Xiu Zhu nodded, “Good steel should be used to forge excellent blades. This Old Master’s words may be somewhat cruel, but I do not have any selfish intentions. I am speaking for the sake of the entire Human Race. Of course, please do not worry. This Old Master does not covet the World Spring in your possession. Since you come from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the World Spring will be taken over by Brother Lu instead.”
Yang Kai immediately understood. It now made sense as to why they asked him which Cave Heaven or Paradise he came from earlier; they had been preparing for this moment. Depending on which Cave Heaven or Paradise he came from, an Ancestor of that particular Cave Heaven or Paradise would naturally be the one to take possession of the World Spring.
“If you had the potential to advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, this Old Master would not have had to play the part of the villain. Unfortunately, you only advanced into the fifth order as a starting point, making your limit the seventh order. Even if you became a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, you would still lack the necessary strength required to protect the World Spring!” Tian Xiu Zhu exhaled softly and looked at Yang Kai sternly, “So, Little Friend, this Old Master asks that you offer up the World Spring in contribution to the entire Human Race!”
Yang Kai remained silent and said nothing. He certainly did not expect to encounter this situation after coming to the Black Ink Battlefield. Although he heard Feng Ying mention that all the Four Universe Pillars belonging to the Human Race were in the hands of the Eighth-Order Masters, he had not thought much about her statement at the time. It would seem that it was not because the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had amazing opportunities, but that the situation had resulted from intentional distribution of resources.
In the past, people who were not in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm might also have obtained one of the Four Universe Pillars, but they had always voluntarily offered up these treasures so that the Ancestors of their respective Sects could make best use of them instead.
The Black Ink Clan must also be privy to this information, which was why they did not bother to perform a thorough check on cultivators below the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm after converting them with Black Ink Strength. If not for that, the Black Ink Clan Territory Lord would not have departed with such peace of mind after he corrupted Feng Ying.
If this were any other place, Yang Kai would definitely have suspected Tian Xiu Zhu of malicious intentions for bringing up this topic; however, this was the Black Ink Battlefield. There might be some friction and conflicts among the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, but they were of one mind and one will when it came to the war between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
It was just like how Chen Xiu had schemed for his own Disciple to suffer from cultivation dissonance in front of Yang Kai in order to protect Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s face. He had no malicious intentions towards Yang Kai at the time and was simply acting in the best interests of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
Likewise, Tian Xiu Zhu held no malicious intentions towards Yang Kai. Yang Kai himself could perceive that fact; after all, even if he offered up the World Spring, his actions would not benefit Tian Xiu Zhu in any way. The World Spring would only be handed over to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Lu An.
It was just as Tian Xiu Zhu had said, this was all for the sake of the greater good of the Human Race.
When Yang Kai remained silent, the atmosphere in the hall turned colder. Everybody knew that this situation was very unfair to Yang Kai, but it was not as if they had never encountered similar situations in the past. They had always handled such situations in this manner. There was no reason for them to make an exception for this case.
Tian Xiu Zhu continued, “Please rest assured. Giving up the World Spring will indeed damage the integrity of your Small Universe; however, the Inner Sanctum will prepare a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit for you. We will help you repair your Small Universe so that your cultivation will not be affected in the future. In any case, there is no hurry. You are only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the moment. Even if you wanted to offer up the World Spring right now, you don’t have the necessary ability to do so. We will only ask this of you when you advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and your Small Universe transforms from immaterial to material.”
When Yang Kai first obtained the World Spring, he had been placed in captivity by Xia Lin Lang in the Shattered Heaven for some time. That incident had occurred for this very reason.
She had also wanted to obtain the World Spring, but she had to consider Yang Kai’s inadequate cultivation. She believed that his Small Universe was still immaterial and that he could not cut off a part of his Small Universe for her. Therefore, she had provided him with various cultivation materials to help him advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible. Unbeknownst to her, his Small Universe had transformed from immaterial to material a long time ago. He could have separated the World Spring from his body at any time if he wanted.
Needless to say, there was another method available. That method was much easier, which was to kill him. Once Yang Kai died, there was a chance the World Spring would emerge when his Small Universe collapsed.
However, even for the Human Race, forcibly asking a Junior to give up the World Spring was already very cruel, so how could they outright kill him? Nobody would agree to carry out such a heinous act.
Zhong Liang stood silently by the side. There were two reasons why he had previously inquired about Yang Kai’s initial Order when advancing into the Open Heaven Realm. The first reason was that he had been confused as to whether Yang Kai was part of the Human Race or the Dragon Clan. The second reason was that he wanted to know the limits of Yang Kai’s future cultivation.
As soon as he learned that Yang Kai had initially advanced into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he immediately decided to ensure that the news regarding Yang Kai’s possession of the World Spring would never be leaked to others. That was because he knew that they would face this issue once the information was exposed to the public.
If anybody else had possessed one of the Four Universe Pillars instead, Zhong Liang would have wholeheartedly agreed that they should offer up the World Spring. But, Yang Kai was different. The ability to cast Purifying Light would be instrumental for the Human Race; hence, it would not be beneficial for the Human Race to incur his wrath and resentment at such a time.
Secretly glancing at Yang Kai, Zhong Liang discovered that Yang Kai looked calm and indifferent. There was no sign of anger or resentment at all; thus, he couldn’t help feeling impressed.
No matter who was faced with such a situation, it would be difficult for them to remain calm; therefore, Zhong Liang was quite impressed by Yang Kai’s reaction.
It was true that Yang Kai did not feel any resentment; he could understand that Tian Xiu Zhu’s actions were not aimed at him. Rather, Tian Xiu Zhu’s actions and words came from a place of righteousness.
In order to protect the secret of the Void Corridor, Meng Qi was willing to sacrifice his own life. In comparison, how could Yang Kai not endure such insignificant grievance?
“Yang Kai, this is for the greater good of the Human Race!” Tian Xiu Zhu earnestly persuaded.
Seeing that Yang Kai remained silent, he thought that the former was unwilling to compromise. Ultimately though, the willingness of the other party did not matter. This was how such matters had been handled since ancient times. It was a given that those who stepped foot into the Black Ink Battlefield had to put their individual lives aside; therefore, he believed that Yang Kai would eventually come around.
Yang Kai shook his head, “Senior, you have misunderstood. This Junior is not an unreasonable person. You have made yourself very clear, so how can this Junior not understand?”
Tian Xiu Zhu nodded in relief, “It’s good that you understand.”
“But…” Yang Kai changed the subject, “From what you mentioned earlier, Senior, this Junior will not need to offer up the World Spring if I can advance to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future, correct?”
For him, offering up the World Spring would definitely cause some damage to his Small Universe. Although a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit could repair his Small Universe, he would no longer be able to ignore the corrosion of Black Ink Strength. That would be extremely dangerous on the Black Ink Battlefield.
It was not that he was unwilling to sacrifice himself for the Human Race. Had the Cave Heavens and Paradises not made far more sacrifices for the Human Race throughout the ages? They had silently waged war against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless aeons and invested unimaginable amounts of manpower and resources into the effort. It could be said that the stability of the 3,000 Worlds was inseparable from the contributions of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
In the safe and stable environment behind them were Yang Kai’s subordinates and disciples in Void Land, as well as his friends and relatives in the Star Boundary. If he were an ordinary Open Heaven Realm Master, he would not have hesitated to give up the World Spring.
However, Yang Kai was confident in himself. He had always been able to crush opponents in the same realm as himself. In other words, if he could advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future, the role he could play and the strength he could exert would definitely be greater than any of the Ancestors in front of him right now.
Tian Xiu Zhu was stunned for a moment, but he nodded anyway, “That’s how it is. If you can advance into the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, then there is no need for you to give up the World Spring. The Inner Sanctum will also spare no effort to help you advance to the Eighth Order as soon as possible so that you can contribute to the Human Race.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “This Junior can advance to the Eighth Order!”
Everybody else was startled by his words and somebody scowled and pointed out, “Brat, didn’t you say that your initial breakthrough was to the Fifth Order? How can you advance to the Eighth-Order? Don’t tell me you have an Innate Open Heaven Pill from the Universe Furnace on hand!”
Innate Open Heaven Pills produced by the Universe Furnace were natural products of the World that contained the mysteries of the universe. They could help a person break through the shackles of their limits and ignore the bottleneck of the Open Heaven Realm. As long as they had enough of such Spirit Pills, they could even advance into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm, regardless of their starting point.
Unfortunately, one could only encounter such treasures serendipitously. The Universe Furnace was one of the most profound and mysterious treasures in existence. Not only was it extremely elusive, but its occasional appearance in the world was also very short-lived; therefore, it was no easy task to obtain Innate Open Heaven Pills.
What’s more, even if such treasures were on hand, Yang Kai would not have the chance to consume them. They would be given to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master instead so that he could advance into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It would always be highly beneficial for the Human Race to gain an additional Ninth-Order Master.
Yang Kai calmly explained, “It is true that this Junior only broke through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm initially; however, this Junior was later fortunate enough to consume a Mid-Rank World Fruit and advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
“A Mid-Rank World Fruit!?” Somebody exclaimed in surprise while the others looked on in shock.
As Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, how could they not know about the existence of the World Fruit? That was an even rarer treasure than an Innate Open Heaven Pill!
Somebody said, “It is rumoured that there is a World Tree that grows in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary is extremely difficult for ordinary people to enter. Could that be where you obtained your World Fruit?”
Yang Kai nodded affirmatively, “I accidentally became involved with the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and spent some time inside that place. It was also inside the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary that I obtained the World Fruit.”
A series of gasps rang out throughout the Conference Hall. That was an incredible opportunity indeed! A Mid-Rank World Fruit could not only increase one’s cultivation by an entire Order, but it also increased the limit that they could achieve in the future.
Lu An probed further, “Does that mean that even though you were only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when you first advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, you actually have the opportunity to advance to the Eighth-Order in the future?”
The Four Universe Pillars had a huge appeal to Open Heaven Realm Masters, especially Eighth-Order Masters like themselves. Possessing one of the Four Universe Pillars would allow them to fight with greater efficiency on the battlefield.
Lu An was truly reluctant to snatch the belongings of a Junior, but in light of the bigger picture, Yang Kai was powerless to protect the World Spring. Leaving this matter alone would only result in a huge loss for the Human Race. That was why he had remained silent all this while.
He had silently considered this matter in his heart. If Yang Kai was made to offer up the World Spring, he would definitely have to compensate Yang Kai for the gesture. At the very least, he had to protect Yang Kai as much as possible within the scope of his ability. Nevertheless, he did not expect to learn that Yang Kai had consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit before.
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded firmly, “That is why this Junior has the confidence to advance to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
Lu An nodded lightly, “You should put in more effort in the future then. If you need anything, please let this Old Master know.”
Since Yang Kai could be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, it was only natural that Lu An would pay more attention to him when they resided at the same great pass. Although there was no strong sense of factionalism in the great passes, it stood to reason that most people would be closer to others of the same Sect.
“Many thanks, Elder,” Yang Kai bowed.
On the other side, Tian Xiu Zhu fell silent for a moment before he said, “If that’s the case, then the matter regarding the World Spring is settled. However, this Old Master would like to say something.”
Yang Kai looked at Tian Xiu Zhu, “Please enlighten me, Elder.”
“The Black Ink Battlefield is extremely dangerous. You need to be very careful. If anything were to happen to you, it would be a huge loss to the Human Race.”
“This Junior will bear that in mind!” Yang Kai bowed.
Zhong Liang, however, just snickered at those words, “Brother Tian, if you knew what this brat did in the past, you would not bother to warn him about such things.”
Tian Xiu Zhu asked curiously, “What did he do?”
Zhong Liang glanced at Yang Kai, “This brat is the boldest one I’ve ever seen. He disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple and spent several years in the Black Ink Clan’s territory. It was all thanks to this brat that Feng Ying and the others managed to come back safely.”
Everybody in the Conference Hall immediately became speechless, too dumbfounded to say anything.
The corners of Lu An’s face twitched, and he was filled with lingering fear, “You disguised yourself as a Black Ink Disciple and spent several years among the Black Ink Clan!?”
[That’s not bold! That’s reckless!]
Tian Xiu Zhu’s mouth quivered in anger, “What if your identity was discovered and something happened to you!?”
He had tried his best to protect the World Spring. Not only did he not hesitate to use his authority to coerce the other party, but he even demanded that Yang Kai offer up the World Spring without any regard for his pride. Who could have known that Yang Kai had done such a terrifying thing!?
Yang Kai smiled bitterly, “I had no choice.”
He had not wanted to do something so risky either; unfortunately, the place connected to the Void Corridor was located inside a Sealed World in the Black Ink Clan’s domain. Having found himself in the Black Ink Clan hinterland as soon as he arrived, what else could he have done?
Lu An scolded, “Don’t be so reckless again in the future.”
Yang Kai nodded repeatedly, “Yes!”
Many of the Eighth-Order Masters in the hall were staring at Yang Kai with strange expressions now. Nobody had ever done such a thing throughout all of history. If it was said that they had only paid attention to him earlier because of the World Spring, then they were now paying attention to him because of his conduct.
Somebody suddenly turned to look at Zhong Liang, “Brother Zhong, you mentioned that Feng Ying and that group of people only returned thanks to Yang Kai. What did you mean?”
Zhong Liang did not bother to explain; instead, he turned to look at Yang Kai and instructed, “Show them.”
Seeing was always better than listening in terms of clarity. That was why he had gone out of his way to capture a Black Ink Disciple. It was so that Yang Kai could easily demonstrate his ability.
Outside the palace where the Old Ancestor was in retreat, Yang Kai had used the Black Ink Strength suppressed inside his Small Universe to demonstrate the effects of the Purifying Light. It was just that Zhong Liang was reluctant to reveal the fact that Yang Kai possessed a World Spring, so he had gone to the trouble of preparing in advance.
Who could have known that Tian Xiu Zhu had already inferred the truth? He couldn’t keep the secret hidden at all. If he had known earlier, Zhong Liang could have saved himself the trouble of capturing a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai responded affirmatively and strode towards the captured Black Ink Disciple.
The Eighth-Order Masters watched curiously, wondering what Zhong Liang was selling in his bottle gourd.
A seal had been placed on the Black Ink Disciple, so he could not circulate any strength and he had not dared to act rashly after being thrown here by Zhong Liang. Of course, he had been observing his surroundings vigilantly in hopes of finding an opportunity to escape, so when he saw Yang Kai walking towards him at this moment, he stepped back defensively. But, where could he go in his condition? Furthermore, it only took Zhong Liang a casual wave of his hand to completely lock the Black Ink Disciple in place.
A yellow and blue light suddenly appeared in Yang Kai’s hands, which immediately attracted everybody’s attention to him.
Zhong Liang also paid close attention. Even though he had witnessed this sight before, he could not tear his eyes away at this moment.
A distinct Yin and Yang Element Power radiated from the blue and yellow lights respectively. Then, in front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai clapped his hands together. A pure white light bloomed into existence when the yellow and blue lights merged together.
The white light immediately cascaded down on the Black Ink Disciple. In the next moment, the Black Ink Disciple revealed a look of pain on his face. A thick layer of Black Ink Strength simultaneously seeped out from his body, accompanied by a series of sizzling sounds.
To the onlookers’ astonishment, the Black Ink Strength was then purified by the white light and vanished into nothingness.
The Eighth-Order Ancestors who were watching closely widened their eyes instantly at the sight. There was a loud clatter as most of them knocked over their chairs and involuntarily jumped to their feet in astonishment. Their expressions were filled with shock, and their widened eyes overflowed with disbelief. Even though they were worldly Masters, they had never seen such an incredulous situation before.
The Black Ink Disciple’s pain only lasted for a moment, and his expression soon calmed down. Under the shroud of the white light, both his figure and his expression appeared hazy.
Yang Kai withdrew his hand and nodded lightly at Zhong Liang. Only then did Zhong Liang dispel his power around Black Ink Disciple and take a step back.
The entire hall was deathly silent. Everybody was staring at the Black Ink Disciple in stunned silence and it was only a long while later that the sound of people nervously gulping echoed throughout the room. Somebody finally asked, “B-Brother Zhong… W-W-What is this?”
He had a guess in his heart, but he could not be certain. That was because what he saw with his eyes might not be what he was thinking in his heart.
There were many people with similar thoughts. All of them turned to look at Zhong Liang with an inquiring gaze, hoping to gain a more definite answer from him.
Zhong Liang smiled slightly, “Don’t tell me you don’t understand what just happened.”
Tian Xiu Zhu’s expression was grim and cold, “Brother Zhong, this is an important matter. Now is not the time for jokes. Could it really be the same as what we are thinking?”
Zhong Liang nodded seriously, “En. What you are thinking is exactly how things are. And, that’s also the reason why I summoned you all here.”
“Impossible!” Tian Xiu Zhu faintly lost his composure, “Black Ink Strength is extremely corrosive; once a person’s Small Universe is corroded by it, they will lose themselves completely! It is not as though we have not tried various methods to reverse this phenomenon throughout the ages. Even the Old Ancestors have been trying to find a solution, but they have never succeeded. H-How is this possible?”
It was not that he did not want to believe the truth, he was simply afraid that having great hope would only lead to greater disappointment.
“Seeing is believing!” Zhong Liang quickly said.
He was feeling a little more comfortable with himself at the moment. When he first learned about this matter, he had also been filled with a sense of incredulity. In fact, he was so shocked that he lost the composure of an Eighth-Order Ancestor. Therefore, he secretly felt cheerful to see the others reacting much more dramatically than him.
It was not that he was trying to mock them, he was simply in a good mood. Turning to look at the Black Ink Disciple he captured previously, he asked, “How do you feel?”
After the Black Ink Strength had been dispelled, the Black Ink Disciple remained standing frozen on the spot with a deep frown on his face. He seemed to be confused by the situation; however, he had not forgotten everything he did when he was a Black Ink Disciple.
Looking back now, he could not understand how he had become so fanatical or how he could willingly follow behind the Black Ink Clan to attack his fellow comrades. Even though he understood that his actions were caused by the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, he was filled with guilt at this moment.
Upon hearing Zhong Liang’s question, he looked up with a strange expression. It seemed as though he did not know whether to laugh or cry, “Answering Senior’s question, this Junior feels as though he has just woken up from a long nightmare.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “Now that you have awoken, you should be more careful in the future.”
“Yes!”
“Open your Small Universe. We would like to investigate,” Zhong Liang instructed.
The former Black Ink Disciple nodded and opened the portal to his Small Universe with great enthusiasm. In the next moment, the Eighth-Order Ancestors who had been waiting for what seemed like forever quickly poured their Divine Senses into the Small Universe to investigate.
The Eighth-Order Masters probed very carefully without missing any nook or cranny. Only after a thorough sweep did they slowly withdraw their Divine Senses. Most of them had looks of disbelief on their faces, but even more of them were delighted beyond words.
Throughout the ages, the Human Race had fought against the Black Ink Clan. Although they had always guarded the various great passes and prevented the Black Ink Clan from invading the 3,000 Worlds, the price they paid was the continuous investment of generation after generation who would eventually meet their deaths!
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan endlessly sprung up like bamboo shoots after the rain. As soon as one was cut down, another would immediately sprout up again. They would never be wiped out for good!
The Human Masters who passed through the No-Return Pass would forever lose their chance to return home. That was because nobody could guarantee that they had not been corroded by Black Ink Strength on the Black Ink Battlefield. If they accidentally allowed a Black Ink Disciple to return, it would be a disaster for the 3,000 Worlds.
The key was in the Black Ink Strength! This was an extremely strange and intractable power. Even a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor could not dispel Black Ink Strength that had invaded a Black Ink Disciple’s body; hence, their only option was to slaughter the Black Ink Disciples to prevent future troubles.
However, they had just witnessed a method that could easily purify and dispel Black Ink Strength inside the body of a Black Ink Disciple. Not only could this Secret Technique restore order to chaos, but it also allowed the Black Ink Disciple to break free from the corrosion of Black Ink Strength and recover their true nature!
How could they not be excited and elated? All of them could understand the preciousness of this Secret Technique. This was definitely something that could rewrite the endless years of conflict between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
Taking a deep breath, one of them turned to look at Lu An and asked, “Brother Lu, since when did Yin-Yang Cave Heaven become capable of such a feat? Why have we never heard you mention anything before?”
Yang Kai could be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Even if he was not born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, he was a Son-in-Law; therefore, it was not strange for the speaker to associate them together.
What’s more, when Yang Kai cast the Secret Technique just now, he had clearly used Yin and Yang Element Powers. The two Powers had converged into one when he pressed both his left and right palms together. There were some similarities with how certain Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Secret Techniques operated.
Lu An shook his head with a serious expression, “I don’t know anything either.”
He could not be certain whether this was a Secret Technique from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; after all, he had been stationed on the Black Ink Battlefield for thousands of years. It would not be strange for him to know nothing if this was a new Secret Technique that was recently developed by his Juniors.
After listening to the conversation between these two, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Reporting to Seniors, this Secret Technique did not originate from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
Tian Xiu Zhu chuckled, “Regardless of where the Secret Technique comes from, an ability that can dispel and purify Black Ink Strength is a good ability! If this Secret Technique can be spread to the public, we Humans will never need to fear the Black Ink Clan again!”
Somebody else immediately nodded in agreement, “That’s right! We have been troubled by the Black Ink Clan for so many years. If everyone can master this Secret Technique, then we will no longer need to fear the corrosion of Black Ink Strength. Nobody else will ever be converted into a Black Ink Disciple again. We can even charge straight into the Black Ink Clan’s territory and purge all the Black Ink Clan once and for all!”
His face flushed red as he spoke. It was as if he could see the glorious scene in front of him, and his heart was filled with excitement.
Everybody else was also influenced by the beautiful dream he described, and many of them looked extremely excited. At the same time, they finally understood why Zhong Liang had sent an urgent message to summon them despite knowing that the Black Ink Clan army was still attacking. The significance behind this Secret Technique was too great, and the news had to be announced to the public as soon as possible.
Although some people were originally dissatisfied with Zhong Liang’s impatience, their dissatisfaction had all but vanished at this moment. This was an important matter that could benefit the entire Human Race after all.
Seeing the heated discussion, Yang Kai sighed inwardly as he had no choice but to disappoint them, “Seniors, this Secret Technique cannot be taught to the public. Nobody else can cultivate this Secret Technique either. Only this Junior can use it.”
The discussion in the Conference Hall stopped abruptly as countless pairs of eyes turned to look at Yang Kai. Even Zhong Liang stared at Yang Kai in astonishment.
He had known that Yang Kai had the means to cast the Purifying Light, but he did not know much else. There had been no time for him to ask either.
Hence, he made some assumptions since Purifying Light was a Secret Technique. Even if it was impossible for everybody to cultivate it, there were thousands of talented individuals in Blue Sky Pass, so there were bound to be some who would succeed. He never imagined that he would hear such words from Yang Kai.
“Why can’t others cultivate this Secret Technique?” Lu An asked in confusion. He had the same thoughts as Zhong Liang. Since it was a Secret Technique, there would definitely be a method to cultivate it. As long as this method could be spread to the public, there was bound to be somebody who could successfully cultivate the Secret Technique.
Yang Kai explained, “This Secret Technique was not obtained through this Junior’s own cultivation, but was rather granted to me by senior experts. There is no cultivation method, so naturally, it cannot be taught to others.”
Having said that, he lifted his hands and activated the two marks. The marks that resembled a sun and moon instantly appeared before the eyes of the Eighth-Order Ancestors.
Yang Kai then continued, “These two marks are the foundation to cast Purifying Light, and they were given to me directly by the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer respectively. The Yin and Yang Element Power that this Junior used to condense the Purifying Light before also comes from the source of those two Seniors’ power.”
“The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer!” Somebody gasped in awe.
Meanwhile, most of the others looked solemn instead.
These two famous existences were so well-known that it was difficult not to have heard of them. It was rumoured that they were Ancient Masters born alongside the world itself. Moreover, they represented destruction and annihilation. The Chaotic Dead Territory where they resided was filled with dead silence. Nobody could enter that place and survive for long, much less meet these two supreme beings.
For Yang Kai to claim that the two marks were given to him by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, they could hardly believe their ears, but on second thought, it was possible that the powers of such beings were the only thing in the universe that could restrain the Black Ink Strength
Lu An frowned, “You’ve met the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I spent some time with them in the past, and we can be considered friends.”
The Eighth-Order Ancestors felt their faces twitching hard when they heard those words. On the other hand, Zhong Liang widened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai like he was looking at a ghost.
If Yang Kai had claimed that he was fortunate enough to meet the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, then they would have reluctantly accepted his explanation; after all, neither the marks on his hands nor the Purifying Light could be faked. However, Yang Kai claimed that he had spent some time with them and could even be considered friends!
[He was friends with those two existences!? Those are words not even the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors would dare to say!]
“It is quite easy to get along with Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, but… they have some unique hobbies.” Yang Kai casually explained.
“Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan?” Zhong Liang was puzzled.
“Oh! That’s how the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer requested I call them.”
Upon hearing those words, Zhong Liang felt his brow twitching as though he was playing the drums! [What kind of relationship do they have!? Why is he calling them Big Brother and Big Sister!?]
Lu An coughed lightly and asked cautiously, “What unique hobbies do they have?”
Yang Kai looked ashamed, “It’s hard to look back on the past, let alone mention it.”
He could not speak the truth out loud. He could not bring himself to tell them that he had played house with those two for a long time in the Chaotic Dead Territory. Every time he thought about that time, he couldn’t help feeling ashamed deep inside.
Changing the topic of conversation, Yang Kai added, “But, it is precisely for this reason that this Junior was blessed with these two marks by them. It is only with their strength as the source that I can unleash Purifying Light; therefore, it is not that this Junior is unwilling to teach this Secret Technique, it is simply that I cannot teach it. For the same reason, no one else can cultivate this Secret Technique.”
After listening to his explanation, everybody finally understood. This was certainly a Secret Technique that could not be spread to the public. They had been imagining a better future just moments ago, but they were forced to give up that hope at this moment.
The value of a Secret Technique that could be taught to the masses and a Secret Technique that could not be taught to the masses was not equal. It could be said that the significance of Purifying Light had been greatly reduced. For that reason, all the people who had high expectations earlier were extremely disappointed.
After a short silence, Zhong Liang finally opened his mouth, “Although it is impossible to spread this Secret Technique to the public, Yang Kai is able to perform this Secret Technique. That in itself is already very helpful in the war between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. Now that you have gathered here and witnessed the power of Purifying Light, please announce this good news when you return. Tell the disciples that they no longer have to hold back when fighting the Black Ink Clan. They can fight without any inhibitions. Even if they accidentally become corroded by Black Ink Strength, they no longer need to sacrifice parts of their Small Universe as before. They only need to return to the Inner Sanctum as soon as possible. I will designate an area where Yang Kai can help them to purify Black Ink Strength that has seeped into their bodies.”
“Also, as long as your lives are not at risk, please try to capture the Black Ink Disciples alive when you are on the battlefield. There’s no longer a need to kill them outright.”
On the Black Ink Battlefield, the Human Race had always upheld an unchanging stance towards Black Ink Disciples: Kill without mercy! It was not that they were being ruthless; rather, there was simply no other solution.
The Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength would always hold the Black Ink Clan supreme over all else in their hearts; in other words, they stood against the Human Race as mortal enemies. If the Human Race did not kill the Black Ink Disciples, then the Black Ink Disciple would kill them instead!
Over the years, countless people had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength and converted into Black Ink Disciples by the Black Ink Clan. On a similar note, the number of Black Ink Disciples who died at the hands of their original allies was too high to count.
Which one of these Black Ink Disciples did not come from one of the major Cave Heavens or Paradises? Which one of them was not one of the elite disciples of these forces?
This was the cruel reality faced by the Human Race. Even so, they were powerless in this situation. All they could do was prevent themselves from being corrupted by Black Ink Strength as much as possible, and the price they had to pay for their safety was to voluntarily sacrifice parts of their Small Universe. Unfortunately, their sacrifice would cause their cultivation to decline, their Order to fall, and their Martial Dao to be cut off forever.
At least 20% of the cultivators at each of the various great passes had an incomplete Small Universe, regardless of their Order in the Open Heaven Realm. Their damaged Small Universe was the best evidence of the deadly struggle against the Black Ink Clan.
There were many Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the various great passes. Where did these Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters come from? All of them were originally cultivators in the Sixth-Order whose strength had declined by an Order.
Throughout history, the lowest Order among the personnel dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield by the Cave Heavens and Paradises was the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. They would never send somebody in the Fifth-Order as they were too weak to join the war against the Black Ink Clan.
As a result, almost all of the talented individuals accumulated by the Human Race over the aeons had been gathered on the Black Ink Battlefield. That was also the reason why Yang Kai felt that the overall strength in Lang Ya Paradise was hugely different from what he imagined when he went there in the past. It turned out that what he saw was not the full heritage of Lang Ya Paradise.
The existence of Purifying Light had resolved the problem that had always been insurmountable to the Human Race; hence, it was only natural that the news would rouse the excitement of the people.
It was conceivable that the morale of the Human Race Army would increase sharply once this information was spread to the public. Morale was something intangible, but it played a big role in any war, even the one between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai gave a gentle reminder, “Seniors, I must inform you that using this Secret Technique is not without cost. Just as this Junior mentioned earlier, this Secret Technique is cast by drawing upon the powers of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer through the two marks on my hands. Since this Secret Technique and the means to activate it were given to me by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, casting it is essentially effortless on my part; however, performing the Secret Technique requires a certain amount of resources. This Junior has some materials on hand, but they are not inexhaustible. So, this Junior would like to ask the Seniors present to warn others to try and avoid being corrupted by Black Ink Strength as much as possible.”
Lu An nodded and said, “That’s only natural. After fighting for so many years, it has become a habit. Even if the news spreads, the disciples will not allow themselves to be easily corrupted by Black Ink Strength.”
Zhong Liang looked at Yang Kai and asked, “Do you have anything else to say?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “No.”
“Good.” Zhong Liang turned to look at the others, “The Black Ink Clan is still besieging Blue Sky Pass at this moment, so it is not convenient for you to stay here for a long time. Let’s deal with the war first.”
Somebody inquired, “Where will you place Yang Boy?”
Zhong Liang had mentioned earlier that he would set up an area within the Inner Sanctum where Yang Kai would be responsible for helping the disciples to purify the Black Ink Strength in their bodies. It was only natural for this location to be clarified in advance.
Zhong Liang pondered for a while before he spoke, “How about the Central Square? It’s the most central spot!”
Everybody nodded in unison, “Good!”
Now that the discussion was over, everybody left quickly. They were the Masters in charge of the various defence lines after all, so it was not appropriate for them to remain here for too long.
Before leaving, Lu An said a few words with Yang Kai in private. He did not say much and simply told Yang Kai to let him know immediately if there was anything he needed. They were one family after all. He was happy to help out Yang Kai within the limits of his abilities. For that, he even left his contact information with Yang Kai.
Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling grateful.
After everybody left, Zhong Liang beckoned to Yang Kai, “Come with me.”
The two of them strode out of the Conference Hall. Feng Ying was waiting for them outside and, with a flicker, all three of them sped off in a certain direction.
A short while later, they arrived in the sky above a huge square. Zhong Liang explained, “During the battle, you will be stationed here. There will likely be an endless stream of disciples who come asking for help after becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength. When that happens, we will be relying on you.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Senior Zhong may rest assured. As long as it is an issue caused by Black Ink Strength, this Junior will definitely solve it.”
Zhong Liang nodded in satisfaction before turning to Feng Ying, “From now on, your task is to protect him. Do not allow any harm to come to him. If you lack the necessary manpower, I grant you the right to mobilise the people of the Inner Sanctum at will!”
“Disciple understands!” Feng Ying cupped her fist.
After watching Zhong Liang leave, Yang Kai glanced at Feng Ying, “Many thanks for your hard work, Martial Aunt Feng.”
Feng Ying shook her head, “It’s nothing. On the contrary, you should take some time to treat your injuries and recover. You were rushed off your feet earlier and didn’t even have the time to tend to your wounds. I’m afraid you will become very busy soon.”
In the previous battle with the Black Ink Clan Army, Yang Kai had transformed into a Grand Dragon and used his body as a shield to protect his allies. Naturally he was battered and bruised from the Black Ink Clan’s assault. After entering the Inner Sanctum, Zhong Liang had then brought him all over the place; therefore, Yang Kai had not had the time to treat his injuries so far.
His appearance at the moment could only be described as unkempt, and there were various bloodstains all over his body. Of course, his injuries were not important given his recuperative abilities, but his strength had indeed been heavily expended. Even he would need some time to recover and recuperate.
“Alright, then I shall trouble you to stand guard, Martial Aunt Feng,” Yang Kai nodded and sat down cross-legged without another word. Stuffing a recovery Spirit Pill into his mouth, he slowly began to refine the medicinal efficacies.
Despite being inside the Inner Sanctum, one could still vaguely hear the sound of battle coming from outside the great pass. In addition, the impact caused by the shockwaves of battle would occasionally be transmitted from the outside. It could be seen that the war was very intense.
Although the life-or-death battle outside raged on incessantly, Yang Kai and Feng Ying enjoyed a peace that was as calm as water. They waited for half a day only for nobody to come. Yang Kai focused on healing in the meantime, without feeling bored or frustrated.
All of a sudden, there seemed to be a commotion coming from the side. Feng Ying immediately looked in that direction and saw several streams of lights speeding over at a high speed. There were six or seven figures in total.
The person in the lead stood in mid-air and looked around below him with all his might. Without warning, he pointed in the direction where Yang Kai and Feng Ying were located and shouted loudly, “This way! This way!”
At the same time, he took the lead and rushed over.
Feng Ying instantly became vigilant. Zhong Liang had entrusted Yang Kai’s safety to her, so naturally she did not dare to take her mission lightly. Having seen Purifying Light in action, she deeply understood the importance of Yang Kai’s existence.
Fortunately, the newcomers did not act rashly. As they approached, the group’s leader immediately cupped his fist, “Senior Sister Feng!”
Feng Ying nodded lightly and asked, “What’s the situation?”
That person pointed behind him and explained, “They have been corroded by Black Ink Strength. Martial Uncle mentioned that we should withdraw as soon as possible if we ever find ourselves in such a situation and come here to find somebody named Yang Kai. Supposedly, he has the means to resolve the situation.”
Truthfully speaking, if it had not been an Eighth-Order Ancestor who told him about this matter, he would not have believed those words at all.
In the past, the people who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would sacrifice a part of their Small Universe as soon as possible to resolve the crisis; however, it was too late for that now. The speed of the Black Ink Strength’s corrosion was very fast. If they wanted to sacrifice their Small Universe at this point, there was no saying how much they would need to give up. There was a high possibility that doing so would endanger their life. In other words, if Yang Kai could not resolve this matter, then the people who were corroded by Black Ink Strength would most likely die on the spot.
It was just that those words had come from an Eighth-Order Ancestor. If they could preserve the integrity of their Small Universe, then they were willing to give this method a try.
While speaking, he glanced at Yang Kai who had already stood up, “Are you Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Indeed!”
[I’ve never seen him before… Moreover, the aura coming from him does not seem very powerful. He is definitely not in the Seventh-Order. Can a person like him really remove the threat of the Black Ink Strength’s corrosion?]
That person felt his heart sinking in his chest and did not dare to hope for too much.
Yang Kai looked behind that person and saw that seven people had come in total. Leaving aside the leader, there were six others in groups of two. Each group contained one person who seemed to be struggling and urging their power as if resisting something, while the other person in the group had an expression of great concern mixed with a trace of vigilance on their face.
Yang Kai immediately understood the situation.
The three people who seemed to be struggling and silently urging their power to resist something were probably the ones whose Small Universe had been corroded by Black Ink Strength. They were currently fighting the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength, but their efforts were tantamount to drinking poison to quench their thirst. In other words, their efforts were not having much of an effect and could only serve to delay the process of becoming corrupted.
Meanwhile, the other three were most likely in charge of monitoring the ones who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength; after all, if things spiralled out of control, then it might become necessary to execute their comrades.
Lastly, there was also a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master acting as the group’s leader. This arrangement was fairly reasonable, lest somebody became completely corrupted by Black Ink Strength on the way here. If that were to happen, such a line-up would be capable of dealing with the situation.
“Can you save them?” The leader clearly did not dare to expect too much, but he couldn’t help asking anyway.
Yang Kai glanced at that person and nodded, “Don’t worry!”
He did not waste any more time and quickly activated the Yin and Yang Element Powers. Yellow and blue lights bloomed into existence and soon transformed into a pure white light.
“Let those three stand together!” Yang Kai instructed.
Although the three of them had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength, they were stubbornly holding on to their true nature by the skin of their teeth. With the help of their companions, they stood together in one place. The white light immediately engulfed them.
Feng Ying had seen this situation many times already, so it was no longer surprising to her.
On the other hand, the four others who escorted those three here felt as though their hearts were leaping up into their throats. They stared unblinkingly at the sight in front of them, not willing to miss a single thing.
Sizzling sounds filled the air, and the three men revealed expressions of pain. Fortunately, their pained expressions gradually calmed down as the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was purified and dispelled.
After a while, Yang Kai withdrew his hand and the white light continued to linger. Shrouded in the white light, those three men successively opened their eyes with surprised expressions on their faces.
“How is it?” The Seventh-Order leader asked nervously. Looking at them, it seemed as though the Black Ink Strength had truly been dispelled; however, until he received a definite answer, he did not dare to believe that it was true.
“Squad Leader, I think we’re alright now,” one of them replied.
“What do you mean by that!? Are you alright or not!?” The Squad Leader glared.
Another person added, “It’s probably fine now. The Black Ink Strength has been dispelled.”
“Open your Small Universes!” The Squad Leader ordered.
The three men obediently did as they were told and opened up their Small Universes.
The Divine Senses of the Squad Leader and the other three men surged as they probed the situation together. A moment later, they looked at each other with shocked expressions. There was not the slightest trace of Black Ink Strength left! It was unbelievable!
“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” The Squad Leader looked at the three of them with concern.
All three of them shook their heads, indicating that they were truly fine.
Only then did the Squad Leader turn to look at Yang Kai with a complicated look in his eyes. The Eighth-Order Ancestor had informed him about this matter, but he had not dared to believe those words.
The Human Masters who remained on the Black Ink Battlefield all this time were all too familiar with Black Ink Strength. Once they were touched by it, it would cling to them like maggots on rotting bones. The only way to protect themselves was to take decisive action within a limited time after becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength.
It was only because of the Eighth-Order Ancestor’s orders that he decided to give this method a chance.
Leading his Squad members, he brought them back to Blue Sky Pass and came to the Central Square. What happened next was beyond his expectations. Yang Kai had actually managed to solve this problem that had plagued the Human Race for countless years. What’s more, judging by the way the Secret Technique was cast, performing it did not seem to be difficult. It could even be said to be extremely easy.
He had never seen such means like the white light before, but he could clearly see the Black Ink Strength dissipating under its shroud with ease.
A sense of excitement suddenly surged up in his heart. [I can’t believe the Human Race has developed the means to resolve the corrosion of Black Ink Strength! This problem has tormented us for aeons, but will no longer be a problem in the future! I can foresee just how much the morale of our people will be boosted once the news spreads to the public!]
He solemnly cupped his fist, “Thanks are not enough for this kindness. In the future, please feel free to let us know if you ever need our help, Brother Yang.”
He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. In terms of status and hierarchy, he was definitely in a higher position compared to Yang Kai; nevertheless, he addressed Yang Kai as ‘Brother Yang’, which showed how grateful he was.
Likewise, the six behind him also cupped their fists and bowed. In particular, the gratitude of those three who were rescued earlier was beyond words. They knew that if it was not for Yang Kai’s help, the best outcome for them would be to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe and experience a decline in their cultivation. That was something no Open Heaven Realm Master would ever want to experience.
Although the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, which could mend damaged Small Universes, could be found on the Black Ink Battlefield, there were extremely few of them, certainly not enough to go around.
Even if they found one of the rare Profound Yin Spirit Fruits, they generally gave them up to those with higher cultivations. Naturally, that meant those with cultivation below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm would never get the chance to consume one.
Yang Kai not only helped them to resolve the issue regarding the corrosion of Black Ink Strength, but also ensured that their cultivation remained intact. Such a grace was not something that could be made up for with simple thanks.
“You are all too polite. This is my duty!” Yang Kai returned the bow.
“The war is ongoing, so we cannot stay here for long. We will now return to the battlefield. When the war is over, if we are lucky enough to survive, we will share a drink with you, Brother Yang!” The Squad Leader cupped his fist and quickly said.
Yang Kai’s expression became solemn, “I wish you good fortune in battle!”
The group of seven came and left in a hurry. Regardless of the Cave Heaven or Paradise they came from before, they had completely placed their own survival aside on this battlefield.
Looking at the seven departing figures, Yang Kai sighed softly. He did not know when these seven people had come to the Black Ink Battlefield or how long they could endure this cruel war. There might come a day when they were killed by a Black Ink Clansman and died a tragic death. Be that as it may, it should never be forgotten that they were also the sons and daughters of their parents or the parents of their own children.
After seeing the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield side with his own eyes, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling a little depressed. On the contrary, these people who had been living in this situation for so long had already become accustomed to such matters.
He suddenly turned to look at Feng Ying, “Just now, those people called the person in the lead ‘Squad Leader’. Is the formation of the Human Race Army divided into individual Squads?”
Feng Ying became more and more certain that Yang Kai knew nothing about the great passes. That was because all the questions he asked were related to general knowledge and common sense issues; however, she had already experienced similar situations several times before, so she was no longer surprised by his questions and explained patiently, “A Squad is the most basic unit at any great pass. In general 10 to 15 people form a Squad, 100 people form a Battalion, and 500 people make up a Division. Of course, the numbers vary slightly from case to case, but this is the general makeup. The framework of the Human Race Army was based upon how Great Battle Heaven organizes itself since they are very experienced in army warfare.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. He had heard of Great Battle Heaven even when he was new to the 3,000 Worlds, so he knew that this Cave Heaven was different from the others in the sense that they managed themselves like an army. He had wondered why Great Battle Heaven organized their disciples in such a manner; but now, it would seem that the reason was related to the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Tell me more about the great passes,” he said.
She asked, “What do you want to know?”
“Anything is fine.”
Feng Ying fell silent for a moment before she suddenly sat cross-legged in front of Yang Kai, stretched out her hand, and gestured on the ground in front of her. It didn’t take long for her to draw a picture of the Eight Trigrams on the ground before her.
“Generally speaking, the deployment of the troops at every great pass can be based on this diagram. I also told you just now that the framework of the Human Race Army is based on the Squad as the basic unit. Above a Squad is a Battalion, above a Battalion is a Division, and above a Division is an Army! Moreover, every great pass has four armies which are titled East, West, South, and North. This arrangement is so that four cardinal directions surrounding the great passes can be guarded at the same time.
“The formation can be further subdivided into smaller parts. Each Army is further divided into Left and Right Wings, each composed of a number of Divisions. For example, the North Army’s two Wings each have a First Division, Second Division, Third Division, and so on and so forth. Do you understand so far?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Yes!”
The situation on the Black Ink Battlefield side reminded him of the battle between Humans and Demons in the Star Boundary. At the time, all the Humans on the Star Boundary had been conscripted as soldiers. The Sixty-First Army he commanded had also made great contributions to the war against the Demon Race.
The past flashed through his mind, as vividly as though it was just yesterday.
Feng Ying continued, “Martial Uncle Zhong Liang is the Western Army’s Army Commander. He is responsible for overseeing the defence line protected by the Western Army, the direction we returned from before. Meanwhile, Elder Lu from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven belongs to the Southern Army. If I remember correctly, he serves as its Fourth Division Commander.
“Each Wing of an Army is overseen by one of the two Vice Army Commanders, while each Division is assigned a Division Commander. Only Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors are qualified to take up these positions. Naturally the same goes for the Army Commanders. They are chosen from among the strongest and most experienced Eighth-Order Masters.
“When it comes to the Battalions, Peak Seventh-Order Masters generally fill such roles. The Battalions are named after the Eight Trigrams, in other words, Heaven, River, Mountain, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Lake. Take myself for example, formally, I hold the rank of Battalion Commander of the Western Army’s Right Wing First Division Heaven Battalion!”
“Below Battalions are Squads. There is no special naming system for Squads, and if they do have a special name, it is generally chosen by their Squad Leader according to his or her preference, or by the Squad members themselves. The higher-ups will not restrict them in that sense. Among the Squad Leaders, some may be in the Sixth Order, but most are Seventh-Order.”
Yang Kai listened silently, gradually gaining some understanding of the situation in the great passes. In any case, the division of troops was certainly very detailed and meticulous.
He raised his brow slightly after giving it some thought, “Back at the Grand Hall earlier, I saw a total of 53 Eighth-Order Masters. Leaving aside the 4 Army Commanders and the 8 Vice Commanders, does that mean that there are 41 Divisions in Blue Sky Pass?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “There are 60 Divisions in total. It is impossible for Martial Uncle Zhong Liang to summon all the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors; after all, somebody needs to be in charge on the battlefield. Those who came back were just the majority.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding and mentally calculated the total number of people in Blue Sky Pass. The answer left him feeling slightly horrified, “So there are some 30,000 people in Blue Sky Pass?”
30,000 might not seem like a huge number. Thinking back to the time he served as the Commander of the Sixty First Army in the Star Boundary, the number of people in his army had far exceeded that number. When it was first formed, the Sixty First Army had some 300,000 people in it, which was more than ten times that of the entire Blue Sky Pass.
However, the 300,000 people in the Sixty First Army were nothing compared to the 30,000 people in Blue Sky Pass, because everyone in Blue Sky Pass was an Open Heaven Realm Master. Even the weakest among them were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm! That was a terrifying line-up.
If such a group of people were recalled to the 3,000 Worlds, they could trample all the Great Territories with ease. They would be invincible since there was nobody who could be their opponent. Be that as it may, such an impressive army with such a glorious line-up was trapped in the Black Ink Battlefield. Even though they had been fighting the Black Ink Clan for countless years, there remained no hope of victory in sight.
More importantly, this was only the situation at Blue Sky Pass. There were 108 Cave Heavens and Paradises, which meant that there were 108 corresponding great passes. And, the situation at each great pass was almost identical to Blue Sky Pass.
The deeper he thought about it, the more his scalp tingled in fear. Throughout the ages, how much manpower did the Cave Heavens and Paradises pour into the Black Ink Battlefield? How long did it take for them to accumulate the power of the Human Race to such a scale?
“More or less.” Feng Ying nodded lightly. She did not know the exact number of people in Blue Sky Pass. In fact, nobody knew the exact number because there were always a number of Humans who would meet their deaths in each battle. However, the exact number should not be too far off from the numbers that he estimated.
Although 30,000 might sound like a huge number, after dividing them to the East, West, South, and North, their numbers were not that large anymore. The four directions surrounding Blue Sky Pass would have some 7,000 or 8,000 guarding them.
“Martial Aunt Feng, you are a Battalion Commander. Is it alright if you don’t go to the battlefield?” Yang Kai asked.
She shook her head, “My subordinates can take care of themselves even if I am not there. It’s not a big deal. On the contrary, your safety is of utmost priority.”
Nodding, Yang Kai began asking about other issues, “I noticed that there were many warships on the previous battlefield.”
Feng Ying nodded and explained, “Warships can be said to be the biggest reliance for the Human Race to compete against the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield. Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters have a certain degree of resistance to the Black Ink Strength even if they directly enter the battlefield. As long as the duration is not too long, the Black Ink Strength would not pose a problem for them. However, there are more than just Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Inner Sanctum. There are far more Sixth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Masters. In particular, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters have suffered a decline in their cultivation as a result of sacrificing parts of their Small Universes. Since their Small Universes are all incomplete to begin with, they are easily corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. Without a warship’s protection, they would instantly turn into Black Ink Disciples once they come into contact with the Black Ink Strength. Therefore, you would rarely see any Sixth-Order or Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the battlefield. They rely on their warships to fend off their enemies instead. Essentially each Squad is assigned a generic warship while Battalions have larger and more powerful Battleships.”
Yang Kai recalled the time when Feng Ying had been pursued by the Black Ink Clan army. At the time, she had leaped out of the warship to stop the enemy by herself. Judging by the situation, there was a high possibility that the people on the warship had belonged to her Battalion. They had all been her subordinates.
When they returned from the Black Ink Clan’s domain, they had brought back more than 300 people with them. These people were former Black Ink Disciples. Although 300 could not be considered many, these people were enough to form three Battalions based on Blue Sky Pass’ organizational structure. That was not a small number either.
Seeing as 500 people made up a Division, three Battalions’ worth of people could be said to be more than half the forces of a Division. As might be expected, the number of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among the former Black Ink Disciples who were brought back was a bit small and most were only in the Fifth and Sixth-Order.
During their conversation, two more streams of lights sped towards them from a certain direction. Yang Kai looked up and saw faint signs of Black Ink Strength coming from one of them. The other person seemed to be guarding his companion. After having prior experience, how could Yang Kai fail to realise that one of them had been corroded by Black Ink Strength while the other was a companion in charge of providing an escort?
The person who came swept his gaze around from above. Then, he immediately landed in front of Yang Kai and asked anxiously, “Are you Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai nodded. Two coloured lights bloomed from his hands as he walked towards the person who had been corroded by Black Ink Strength, “Leave this to me.”
The person who came glanced at Feng Ying, and Feng Ying nodded lightly in response. Only then did he step away from his companion.
A white light enveloped the other person. Accompanied by a series of sizzling sounds, Black Ink Strength was dispelled and purified from his body. It only took several moments for everything to be dealt with. Those two carefully checked the situation inside the Small Universe and were filled with a mixture of surprise and delight. Just like the first batch of people who came here, they returned to the battlefield quickly after fervently expressing their gratitude.
Afterwards, an intermittent flow of Open Heaven Realm Masters corroded by Black Ink Strength came to the Central Square with the support of their companions.
Yang Kai had been assigned to this area to help dispel Black Ink Strength in the first place, so it was only natural that he did not refuse anybody who came to him. Besides, Purifying Light was neither complicated to activate nor consumed large amounts of his own strength. He could basically help the people who came here restore order to chaos and recover their true nature in just a few breaths.
Not many people came at first, but those who did were filled with anxiety, anticipation, and uncertainty. Nobody had ever experienced such a situation before after all. The Eighth-Order Division Commanders had explained the situation, so it was unlikely for anything to go wrong; nevertheless, nobody could feel at ease without witnessing it for themselves. It was not until they saw the miracle with their own eyes that they finally felt completely relieved.
As time passed, the number of people who came to seek treatment from Yang Kai increased sharply for some reason. Most of them no longer seemed as worried as the others from before, and even the people who escorted their companions here simply observed Yang Kai with curiosity.
Yang Kai became extremely busy as a result. He generally rescued a dozen people a day, but there were also days when he had to rescue as many as 100. About half a month passed in this manner before he finally had time to rest. Yang Kai looked at Feng Ying in confusion and asked, “Is the situation where people are corrupted by Black Ink Strength usually so severe? Didn’t you say that they have the protection of their warships?”
If this was the case, then prior to his arrival, the casualties among the Humans after each war would be far too great. A rough estimate indicated that he had saved several hundred people in just this half month alone. This number only included those who were corroded by Black Ink Strength and not those who had perished on the battlefield.
Even Feng Ying had noticed that something was wrong. Fortunately, she had kept in contact with the outside world and understood the reason for all this. With a shake of her head, she answered his question, “It was not like this in the past. Although there had always been people who were corroded by Black Ink Strength on the battlefield, such incidences did not occur so often. It’s only like this now because of you.”
“Because of me?” Yang Kai seemed taken aback by her words. [What does this have to do with me?]
All of a sudden, he seemed to realise something and his face cramped, “Don’t tell me…”
She nodded, “Information about you has spread on the battlefield. Everybody knows that there is somebody like you in the Inner Sanctum, who can use mysterious means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength. That is why they have stopped being so reserved when fighting against the Black Ink Clan.”
In the past, becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength was an issue that could not be resolved; therefore, everybody acted cautiously to prevent themselves from coming into contact with the Black Ink Strength as much as possible. However, Yang Kai’s appearance had brought some changes to the situation on the battlefield.
Although the Division Commanders had explained Yang Kai’s existence and Purifying Light to the public from the very beginning, nobody had witnessed or personally verified the situation before. Who could be certain that this information was true? It was not that they did not believe in the Eighth-Order Masters, but that the situation was simply too bizarre to believe so haphazardly.
When those who were initially rescued returned to the battlefield though, the news began to spread rapidly. The increasing number of people whom Yang Kai rescued only caused the news to spread even faster.
These people came from all Armies and Divisions in Blue Sky Pass. Their companions had witnessed them becoming corroded by Black Ink Strength, returning to the Inner Sanctum, and reappearing on the battlefield in perfect condition after a short while. A quick inquiry was enough for them to learn about the treatment that could be found in the Inner Sanctum.
It was true that there was somebody in the Inner Sanctum who could dispel Black Ink Strength that had seeped into their Small Universes through some mysterious means. The Division Commanders had spoken the truth! Hence, morale instantly soared. The people in the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Armies no longer had any scruples and went all out in their battles against the Black Ink Clan. It was only natural for the number of people who became corrupted by Black Ink Strength to increase as a result.
When the Human Race fought the Black Ink Clan in the past, they would still feel shackled despite having warships as support. Now that they no longer had any scruples, not only was their morale boosted significantly, but their ferocity also increased considerably.
Upon learning the truth, Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry. What could he say? He could only remain in his post with peace of mind and help to dispel Black Ink Strength from the bodies of those who were sent here so that they could return to the battlefield.
The changes in the Humans were deeply felt by the Black Ink Clan. The reason behind the changes was unknown, but the Humans suddenly seemed extremely enthusiastic and full of fighting spirit. Due to the deaths of the Black Ink Clansmen, countless Black Ink Clouds of varying sizes would form all over the battlefield every time a war was fought. These Black Ink Clouds often became supplementary tools for the Black Ink Clan because the Humans generally stayed far away from them.
But now, things were different. The Black Ink Clouds could no longer act as deterrents against the Humans. In the past, by seeking refuge inside the Black Ink Clouds when injured, the Black Ink Clan could generally throw off their pursuers and preserve their lives. However, the Humans seemed to have gone mad now. Even if a Black Ink Clansman hid inside the Black Ink Clouds, the Humans would boldly rush in to attack them, as though they would never give up unless their opponent was dead.
The Black Ink Clan was stunned. The combat experience and doctrine they had built up over millennia suddenly became useless in the face of these changes. In their panicked and unprepared state, they suffered massive losses.
What particularly puzzled the Black Ink Clan was the Humans’ attitude towards the Black Ink Disciples. In the past, the Humans would put forth their best efforts to ruthlessly slaughter all of the Black Ink Disciples they encountered. Now though, they had begun to capture these Black Ink Disciples whenever possible! As a result, many of the Black Ink Clansmen lost their subordinates without realising and could only watch in anguish as their servants were taken away.
The situation of the Humans improved significantly on the battlefield. Feng Ying had always remained in contact with the front lines, so she was not surprised to receive this information.
“If this trend continues, it won’t take more than a few years to repel the Black Ink Clan!” She looked excited.
“A few years…” Yang Kai was stunned speechless. [How could a single battle last several years? Isn’t that too long?]
“A few years is considered a short time. Whenever the Black Ink Clan army besieges a great pass, the war tends to last several years. It might even take up to several decades or even 100 years to resolve.” She sighed slightly, “There is no way for us to get rid of the Black Ink Clan once and for all. Every time the Black Ink Clan army is defeated, they will retreat to their territory to recuperate and come back again after they have accumulated enough strength. This situation has repeated itself over and over again at every great pass on the Black Ink Battlefield for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Yang Kai was stunned by those words. [If this war lasts for several years, then won’t I have to remain in the Central Square for several years? This is a little different from what I imagined…]
He had initially assumed that he would follow the Human Race Army onto the battlefield to destroy the enemy after he came here. Contrary to his expectations, he had been assigned to treat his allies in the rear because of his ability to cast Purifying Light.
It was not to say that this was an unimportant matter and Yang Kai was well aware of the importance of his assignment. The stability of the rear would largely determine the outcome of the war after all. Not to mention, his actions had greatly increased the morale of the Human Race Army and affected the overall trend on the battlefield. But, if he had to stay here all the time… That would be too dull. He would prefer to kill the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield and contribute to the Human Race.
Seemingly seeing through his thoughts, Feng Ying smiled and said, “Be patient. Since your ability cannot be taught to others, Martial Uncle Zhong and the others will not let you go anywhere else.”
Those words troubled Yang Kai so much that he felt as though his teeth ached, his stomach ached, and his whole body ached.
Martial Uncle Zhong immediately arrived at the mention of his name, carrying an individual with a ferocious expression and eyes filled with pitch-black darkness in each hand. He appeared next to the two of them and tossed both people in his grasp in front of Yang Kai and smiled brilliantly, “Yang Boy, did you run into any trouble?”
[What trouble could I possibly face?]
At first, the people who came to Yang Kai for treatment had harboured some doubts about his ability; however, once the news spread, those who later came to ask for help only had big smiles on their faces. Every one of them had been very friendly. Some even tried to build a connection with him and tried to become Sworn Brothers on the spot.
Furthermore, all of them had promised to treat him to a drink if they survived the battle before departing again. If these people were to keep their promises, then he would need to spend a whole year just to attend all those banquets.
Yang Kai shook his head. Looking at the two men who had been tossed to the ground in front of him, he raised his brow inquiringly, “Black Ink Disciples?”
Black Ink Disciples had lost their true nature. They were different from the Human Masters who still retained some of their reasoning after being invaded by Black Ink Strength. During this period, Yang Kai had also rescued many Black Ink Disciples brought back from the battlefield.
Zhong Liang nodded, “I caught them on the battlefield and brought them back. Will it be a problem?”
Yang Kai replied, “Not at all.”
Taking a step forward, he used Purifying Light on the two Black Ink Disciples.
Meanwhile, Feng Ying stepped forward and whispered something to Zhong Liang. Zhong Liang nodded to indicate that he understood.
A short while later, the Black Ink Strength was fully dispelled. The two Black Ink Disciples who recovered their true natures had confused and ashamed expressions on their faces.
Every Black Ink Disciple clearly recalled all the actions they took in the past. It was precisely because they retained those memories that they felt ashamed; after all, some of them might even have killed their own clansmen on the battlefield.
Zhong Liang waved at them and motioned for them to step aside. Although those two had many questions, the Eighth-Order Ancestor had spoken, so they could only step back obediently.
Zhong Liang walked up to Yang Kai, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly, “Brat, what you are doing is very important to Blue Sky Pass. It may be boring, but please bear with it. Once the war ends, I assure you your contributions will be fully accounted for.”
“I am only doing my duty. I don’t dare to take credit!” Yang Kai said humbly.
Compared to his allies fighting on the front lines, it could be said that he was extremely safe inside Blue Sky Pass. Everybody else was doing their part in the fight against the Black Ink Clan. Some people had even died for this cause. In comparison, his ability to purify and dispel Black Ink Strength had been given to him by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer. It was not even his own ability, so how could he dare to take credit for it?
Zhong Liang nodded, “It’s good if you can think that way, but it does not change the fact that you have contributed greatly. Work should be rewarded, that is the rule here. The battle outside the great pass is fierce, so it is inconvenient for me to stay here for long. If you need anything, just let Feng Ying know. She will cooperate with you.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded.
After watching Zhong Liang and the two rescued Black Ink Disciples leave, Yang Kai sat down cross-legged and examined his Small Universe. He had been mulling over a problem recently, how was he going to find an opportunity to break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm? Unable to fight on the front lines, he could only remain at his position in the Central Square and passively wait for somebody to ask him for help; therefore, he had a lot of free time on his hands for idle thoughts.
Now that his cultivation could be said to have reached the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, further efforts to refine resources would have little effect on him; furthermore, he had been raising a large number of Humans and Small Stone Race inside his Small Universe. To add to that, the time in his Small Universe flowed several times faster than the outside world. As things stood, he didn’t even need to cultivate for the heritage of his Small Universe to grow stronger with every passing moment.
Therefore, he currently suffered from a faint bloated feeling. That was naturally because his heritage had exceeded the limit that his current cultivation could store. Like how one would feel bloated after eating too much food; his capacity as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master made it difficult for him to accommodate so much power. If he wanted to resolve this issue, then his best choice was to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Unfortunately, he had already gone into retreat when he was in Black Territory in an attempt to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. His attempt had turned out to be ineffective, and there was no progress in regards to a breakthrough. Since entering retreat once had proven to be ineffective, it would likely be futile to enter retreat again. The faint traces of opportunity could not be obtained from secluded cultivation.
In order to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Proprietress had spent over 100 years in retreat in Void Land. That showed just how difficult it was for an Open Heaven Realm Master to advance from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order; after all, it was a significant leap from the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
Throughout time immemorial, countless heroes had failed to overcome this obstacle and remained stuck in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm for their entire lives. It would be very difficult for them to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in that state.
In order to resolve the situation in his Small Universe, Yang Kai had been using his heritage to cultivate more Profound Yin Bamboo in his Small Universe. He had no other choice. The heritage of his Small Universe constantly became stronger and stronger, but he had no means of breaking through to the next Order. If he did not use up some of his heritage, his Small Universe would become painfully bloated. Consequently, the Profound Yin Bamboo thrived in his Small Universe and grew wildly in numbers.
Since he had one of the Four Universe Pillars, the World Spring, the Profound Yin Bamboo was of little use to him. Be that as it may, the Profound Yin Bamboo would be useful to the Human Masters in Blue Sky Pass. It would never hurt for him to cultivate more of them.
He had given a small batch of them to Feng Ying. Although he only gave her a dozen or so bamboo shoots in total, she was absolutely overjoyed. It stood to reason that she understood the power of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars; after all, there were quite a few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters among the Human Race who possessed one of them. It was just that the Profound Yin Bamboo had not appeared before.
The other eleven types of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars were different from the Profound Yin Bamboo in that they could not be cultivated in large numbers, much less shared with others. While the effects of the various Twelve Minor Pillars were relatively similar, the Profound Yin Bamboo was undoubtedly the most useful in a situation like the Black Ink Battlefield. That was because the Profound Yin Bamboo could multiply continuously. If the conditions permitted, every single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would be able to cultivate a bamboo forest in their Small Universe in the future.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had poured great efforts into searching for the Profound Yin Bamboo in the past, but their efforts had never been fruitful.
Feng Ying never expected that Yang Kai would possess the Profound Yin Bamboo. In this way, as long as enough time passed, all the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Blue Sky Pass would be blessed with their very own Profound Yin Bamboo. The Profound Yin Bamboo was highly effective at boosting their resistance towards the Black Ink Strength, which would be of great help in the war effort.
Unfortunately, the battle was raging fiercely at the moment, so it was not the appropriate time to bring up the matter of the Profound Yin Bamboo. Hence, Feng Ying suggested that Yang Kai inform the Eighth-Order Ancestors about this matter after the current war had ended, a suggestion he readily agreed to.
When he inquired about her advancement into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, Feng Ying recalled her memories for some time before she responded, “I was fighting the Black Ink Clan on the battlefield at the time. When my life was hanging by a thread, I felt a sudden enlightenment come to me. Thankfully, I survived that battle, and upon my return to the Inner Sanctum, I swiftly went into retreat and broke through to the Seventh Order.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. Most people would experience great terror when faced with death, but their minds would also become clear when faced with such a threat and it would often be easier to comprehend things that had remained unclear to them previously. He himself had also broken through his shackles when he was faced with death, so he did not doubt her answer. Besides, she had no reason to deceive him.
The next few days passed by as usual. Yang Kai was stationed at the Central Square of Blue Sky Pass, and countless people came to him for treatment. Under Purifying Light, the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was reduced to nothing.
During this period, there were also some Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who came to him for help. After treating them, he would question them about the situation surrounding their advancement into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. These Seventh-Order Masters were quite open about their experiences. He had saved their lives, and what he asked was not a secret either, so there was no need for them to conceal anything. On top of that, they were desperate to form a connection with Yang Kai, so it was only natural for them to answer his questions to the best of their abilities.
Everybody experienced different things when they advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but these experiences could generally be divided into three types. For the first type, their advancement just came naturally. Many of them eventually experienced the opportunity to breakthrough after they had accumulated enough heritage. The second type achieved their advancement through voluntary retreat and broke through to the next Order while they were in seclusion. Lastly, the third type experienced similar situations as Feng Ying. In fact, there were quite a few who gained valuable insight when wandering the border of life and death.
Yang Kai had already gone into retreat once, so going into retreat again would probably be futile. With his aptitude, he believed that his advancement was simply a matter of course if he continued to accumulate experience. The main reason he could not realise the opportunity for a breakthrough was that his cultivation time had been too short.
Most cultivators would spend hundreds or even thousands of years for their cultivation to improve until they reached the Open Heaven Realm, regardless of how great their talent and aptitude was. Furthermore, after advancing into the Open Heaven Realm, each advancement to the next Order would require an even longer period of accumulation. The higher the Order, the longer they would need to cultivate for.
Under normal circumstances, advancing from the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would require thousands of years’ worth of accumulation. It would take even longer to advance from the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Accordingly, it might even take tens of thousands of years to advance from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
Not much time had passed since Yang Kai started cultivating. There was no need to mention the time before he advanced into the Open Heaven Realm, it was enough just to look at the amount of time he spent after advancing into the Open Heaven Realm to reach his current achievements.
Back when he was in the Shattered Heaven, Yang Kai had been forced to cut off his future prospects and advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in front of everybody outside the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Afterwards, he entered Shadowless Cave Heaven and consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit, which allowed him to smoothly advance to the Sixth Order. There was no time for him to accumulate at all during this brief period.
Furthermore, only a few hundred years had passed since he advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. He only managed to obtain his achievements by relying on various opportunities. The time he spent on accumulation was extremely short.
Although cultivating steadily was not a huge issue, nobody could say for certain how many years it would take before he gained insight on the fleeting opportunity for a breakthrough.
That was most likely the main reason why Yang Kai had not been able to comprehend the opportunity for advancement after so long. Even if the heritage of his Small Universe was saturated to the extent where he felt bloated, he would not be able to advance to the Seventh Order smoothly in his current condition.
After understanding this point, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling troubled. The passage of time was not something that could be accelerated after all.
Now that he was on the Black Ink Battlefield, his thirst for strength had grown far stronger than when he was in the 3,000 Worlds. On this chaotic battlefield, he could only ensure his safety by having enough strength to protect himself; otherwise, he would not have been so desperate to advance to the Seventh Order. It was not a bad thing to cultivate calmly and steadily after all.
Unfortunately, this place was not the 3,000 Worlds, where peace and stability could be found almost everywhere. Yang Kai had seen the situation where the Black Ink Clan army besieged Blue Sky Pass. Zhong Liang had assigned a post for him here so that his life would never be endangered; but, could he really hide in this place for the rest of his life without taking another step outside?
This was not the life he wanted. If he were honest, during the time he spent here, Yang Kai was practically raring to go after listening to the commotion from the fighting and explosions coming from the outside every single day. Unfortunately, he had no choice but to remain in this place because he had the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength.
He did not regret exposing his ability. Since he had the means to help, it was impossible for him to stand by and watch as his allies got corrupted by Black Ink Strength without doing anything. He was honestly thankful that he could rescue the allies who were corrupted by it.
It was just that… As a man, he looked forward to fighting the Black Ink Clan! On a battlefield where he could die at any time, he might even be able to perceive the opportunity to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. He was tempted to rush into the battlefield and experience the battle with his own body. Be that as it may, it was not easy for him to leave this place. If he were to leave this place, there was nobody else who could save those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Since he had the ability, and it was unique to him, he had to take the bigger picture into account.
In life, it was impossible to satisfy the desires of all parties.
Those corroded by Black Ink Strength continued to be escorted here by their companions to seek treatment, so Yang Kai was busy every day. One day though, he was helping two people who came to him for help in dispelling the Black Ink Strength in their bodies when he suddenly stared at the long-lasting white light and fell into deep thought.
The two, who had Black Ink Strength removed from their bodies, checked their condition and thanked him profusely after confirming that there were no issues with the treatment. However, his response was absent-minded and he continued to stare fixedly at the white light in front of him.
Upon seeing that, they quickly understood that he had discovered something and did not disturb him any longer. Thus, they quickly left with their companions after saying their goodbyes.
Once those people had departed, Feng Ying glanced at the white light; then, she glanced at Yang Kai in curiosity and puzzlement.
She had watched this treatment countless times by now. The same thing happened every time he finished treating the Black Ink Disciples, but she had never seen any reaction from Yang Kai before; hence, she could only wonder why he seemed to have discovered something new this time. It was just that she did not know much about Purifying Light, so she could not ask much.
As time passed, Yang Kai’s eyes suddenly brightened and a trace of excitement and elation also appeared on his face.
Feng Ying couldn’t stop herself from asking him, “Did you discover something?”
“Martial Aunt Feng, do you know how the Purifying Light is produced?” Yang Kai suddenly asked.
Feng Ying said, “No.”
She had been guarding him all this time, so she was present every time he activated the Purifying Light; however, she had only seen what was happening on the surface. She did not know anything about the inner workings of Purifying Light. Even when Yang Kai had taken the time to explain this matter to the Eighth-Order Ancestors in the Main Conference Hall, she had remained outside and did not hear his explanation as a result.
Yang Kai suddenly took out two crystals. One was yellow and the other was blue. Both crystals were the size of a fist and had distinct, sharp edges. Moreover, there was an unmistakable Yin and Yang Element energy fluctuation coming from the yellow and blue crystals.
Feng Ying raised her brow at the sight, clearly recognising them as two Fifth-Order Yin and Yang Element materials. In addition, these two materials gave her a sense of great purity. They seemed to be of better quality than most Yin and Yang Element materials of the same Order.
“These are the Yellow and Blue Crystals.” Yang Kai stared at the objects in his hand, seeming to be talking to himself but also explaining to Feng Ying at the same time, “They come from the Chaotic Dead Territory!”
Stunned, Feng Ying soon yelled in surprise, “The Chaotic Dead Territory!? Which Chaotic Dead Territory!?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Are you implying that there’s a second Chaotic Dead Territory in this universe? You’re right, Martial Aunt. It’s the Chaotic Dead Territory where the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer are located.”
Feng Ying was flabbergasted.
On the other hand, Yang Kai waved his hand and said, “It is rumoured that the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer are brutal and extremely dangerous. While there is some truth to that, the rumours are somewhat exaggerated. I spent some time in the Chaotic Dead Territory and interacted with these two beings before.”
[Interacted with them before…] Feng Ying was confused and could barely believe what he was saying.
“A Black Ink Clansman once appeared in the 3,000 Worlds. Elites from all the Cave Heavens and Paradises had to be dispatched just to suppress the chaos. Unfortunately, many people were corroded by Black Ink Strength and were converted into Black Ink Disciples because of this incident. In the end, I went to the Chaotic Dead Territory to seek help. The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were the ones who gave me these two marks! “
She asked, “The ones on the backs of your hands?”
During this period, two distinct marks would appear on the backs of Yang Kai’s hands every time he activated Purifying Light. Naturally, that had not escaped Feng Ying’s notice. She had not understood the mystery and heritage hidden in the marks, but she immediately realised after listening to his explanation.
“Exactly.” He nodded, “With these two marks as the foundation, I can channel the powers of those two beings that are contained within these Yellow and Blue Crystals. When Yin and Yang converge, the Purifying Light is produced!”
Feng Ying seemed to have an epiphany, “In other words, you need to consume these Yellow and Blue Crystals whenever you use Purifying Light.”
“That’s right.” Yang Kai looked at the objects in his hand, “Purifying Light consumes these two objects when cast.”
His words immediately made her anxious, “How many of these crystals do you have on hand?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Martial Aunt, are you worried that I will run out of these Yellow and Blue Crystals?”
“Aren’t you worried?” Even the cleverest woman could not cook a meal without rice. Nobody would be able to purify and dispel the Black Ink Strength if Yang Kai ran out.
“It’s useless to worry. Besides… I have a lot of these on hand. They will not be used up in such a short time.” Yang Kai had made an astronomical fortune back in the Chaotic Dead Territory. Even he did not know how many Yellow and Blue Crystals he had received. The amount was so large that it was practically innumerable. What’s more, there were countless piles of these crystals stacked up like mountains in his Small Universe. How could he run out of them in such a short time?
Although he had split his collection in half and given one part to High Heaven Palace before his departure, he still had literal mountains of them in his possession. The Yellow and Blue Crystals consumed during this period were nothing but a drop in the ocean for him.
After listening to what he said, Feng Ying relaxed considerably. Even so, she admonished him lightly, “We need to plan for that eventuality in advance. Have you tried using other Yin and Yang Element materials to replace the Yellow and Blue Crystals?”
“I tried, but it didn’t work. Purifying Light has to be cast with the Yellow and Blue Crystals that come from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.” While speaking, Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively and continued “I didn’t bring this up to discuss this matter with you, Martial Aunt. Rather, I’ve always felt that the Purifying Light leftover from purifying Black Ink Strength within those I’ve treated goes to waste because there are no other immediate uses for it.”
Feng Ying nodded lightly. This situation had not escaped her notice. That was indeed the case. Every time someone infected came over, Yang Kai would use Purifying Light to dispel the Black Ink Strength from them. However, the remaining white light would linger for a time before dissipating.
In the past, she had thought that the ability came from Yang Kai himself and was not too concerned, but now that she knew the Purifying Light consumed Yellow and Blue Crystals, she immediately felt a twinge of pain in her heart. The Purifying Light that had been wasted was still an invaluable treasure that could dispel more Black Ink Strength if it could only be preserved somehow.
“What do you want to do?” She asked, “Is there a way to prevent this wastage?”
“I have an idea, but I don’t know if it can be realised.” He put the Yellow and Blue Crystals away, “Strictly speaking, the Purifying Light is just another form of energy. Since it is a type of energy, do you think it can be stored?”
“Stored?” She furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
“For example, with the help of a Grand Array. If we can achieve this, then there will be no need to worry about waste in the future.” Yang Kai continued slowly, “I have quite a few Yellow and Blue Crystals in my possession; nevertheless, it is better to plan ahead for the long term since we are on the Black Ink Battlefield. We should save wherever we can. In that way, more people can receive treatment in the future.”
Her eyes brightened at those words, “It’s exactly as you said. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about the Dao of Spirit Arrays. You will have to consult others regarding this matter.”
“Many thanks, Martial Aunt,” Yang Kai cupped his fist and bowed.
Feng Ying pondered for a while before saying, “Wait a moment. I will summon some people over.”
While saying that, she took out a communication artifact and sent out a few messages. Zhong Liang had already granted her the right to mobilise the people within the Inner Sanctum so that she could better protect and cooperate with Yang Kai; hence, there were no issues with her current actions.
Less than an hour later, an elderly man with a longsword descended from the sky. He greeted Feng Ying after he landed and studied Yang Kai with great interest.
Feng Ying introduced them, “Yang Kai, this is Senior Brother Fan Xun from Mo Sha Heaven.”
Yang Kai bowed, “Greetings, Martial Uncle Fan!”
Fan Xun stretched out his hand and laughed loudly, “No need to be polite. I have heard a lot about you, so I’ve been wanting to meet you all this while. Unfortunately, the ongoing war makes it difficult for me to leave my post without permission. Now that I see you today, I can see that you really are a talented young man.”
There was no doubt that Yang Kai was currently the most popular person in Blue Sky Pass. Quite some time had passed since his arrival, and at this point, almost every Cave Heaven or Paradise guarding Blue Sky Pass had a disciple who was rescued by Yang Kai. There was no saying how many people were indebted to him by now.
Those who had not been corroded by the Black Ink Strength were naturally curious about these mystical means that suddenly appeared in Blue Sky Pass. The Human Race had been deeply troubled by the Black Ink Strength for countless years because there had been no method to dispel it; therefore, Yang Kai’s arrival had undoubtedly brought a solution to this age-old problem. Who would not be curious about such a person and their means?
That was also why Fan Xun behaved so politely. Things on the battlefield could change at a moment’s notice and he could not guarantee that he would not be invaded by Black Ink Strength one day. So, even though he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he did not put on airs around Yang Kai. There was no saying whether he would need Yang Kai’s help in the future, so how could he act arrogantly now?
“You praise me too much, Martial Uncle Fan,” Yang Kai responded humbly.
Feng Ying said, “Within the Inner Sanctum, in the Seventh Order, Senior Brother Fan can be ranked among the top three in terms of his mastery in the Dao of Spirit Arrays.”
Fan Xun smiled and waved his hand dismissively, “Everybody has their talents. If your words spread to the public, Junior Sister, I will not be able to hold my head up anymore.” His expression turned solemn, “Why did you summon me, Junior Sister?”
Feng Ying said, “Yang Kai is the one who has something to discuss with you. But, don’t be in such a rush. I also summoned a few others, so let’s wait for them to arrive before we talk about that.”
Doing that would allow them to save some energy from repeating themselves over and over again. Besides, it would be better to explain things in one go after everybody had gathered.
Fan Xun nodded. With the goal of promoting a good relationship with Yang Kai, he spent the time chatting with him.
While they were waiting, a cultivator who was corroded by Black Ink Strength happened to arrive seeking help. Fan Xun witnessed Yang Kai casting the Purifying Light with his own eyes. The sight of the pure white light shrouding the cultivator and dispelling the Black Ink Strength amazed him greatly.
Four people arrived in quick succession after a short wait. All of them were proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Their cultivations might vary, but even the lowest among them was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. These people would be known as Grandmasters wherever they went.
According to Yang Kai’s own system of classification for the Dao, all of them had reached the sixth level, Exceeding the Ordinary to Reach the Extraordinary, in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, at the very least.
It had to be said that Yang Kai himself was only at this level in his Dao of Time.
Such talented people would not face the Black Ink Clan’s offensive directly on the battlefield and were generally stationed inside the Barrier Grand Array of Blue Sky Pass, ready to repair and maintain the operation of all the Grand Arrays at any time. As long as the enemies did not invade Blue Sky Pass, they usually would not face any danger.
Feng Ying introduced everybody to Yang Kai. Yang Kai memorised their details and greeted them in turn.
Like Fan Xun, the people who came were very friendly towards Yang Kai.
It was only then that Yang Kai revealed his purpose of inviting them over. In order to show them what they needed to do, he deliberately cast the Purifying Light in front of them.
After witnessing the Purifying Light, Fan Xun seemed pensive, “That is a great idea, Martial Nephew. If we can achieve that, it will certainly be possible to save on some materials for later use.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Fan Xun looked at the others, “If that’s the case, why don’t we discuss how we should proceed with this matter?”
The others naturally had no objections. They immediately gathered together and communicated with each other through their surging Divine Senses. During this period, some of them even demonstrated various Spirit Arrays in an attempt to come up with a feasible solution.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying remained idle by the side. They both knew nothing about the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so they could not provide any input. In fact, they didn’t even understand what these people were doing most of the time.
Several days passed in a similar fashion before the Spirit Array Grandmasters took action. In quick order, they set out various Array Boards and installed various Array Banners everywhere. Their movements were so smooth and skilful that the people watching could only gape in amazement. It didn’t take long for them to finish setting up a new Grand Array.
Fan Xun looked at Yang Kai, “Would you like to test out the Spirit Array, Martial Nephew?”
“I would indeed,” Yang Kai nodded and asked, “What is this Spirit Array?”
Fan Xun smiled, “This Spirit Array was specially researched and developed for this matter. It has the effect of sealing and storing energy. As for the name, we have yet to decide.”
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly. These Spirit Array Grandmasters had managed to create a brand-new Spirit Array after discussing with each other for just a few days. It could be seen that their achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays were very high.
Yang Kai stepped into the centre of the Grand Array and stood still. Then, Fan Xun made a gesture with one hand, gently waved the Array Banner with his other hand, and shouted, “Rise!”
A transparent light barrier immediately rose up from the ground and closed around Yang Kai.
Inside the nameless Grand Array, Yang Kai extended his Divine Sense to investigate his surroundings. He could not understand the workings of the Grand Array, but he knew it had been specially researched and developed for this purpose, so it certainly contained a sealing effect. As for whether it was effective, he would know once he tested it out.
He immediately cast the Purifying Light. Of course, he did not use any Yellow and Blue Crystals of a High Order. He only used Fifth-Order ones, just in case the experiment failed and they went to waste. A small ball of white light that resembled a small Sun suddenly appeared above his hand the next moment. Under his control, the white light remained condensed in the palm of his hand without scattering or dispersing. It was extremely dazzling.
Everybody watched intently as Yang Kai tossed the ball of white light that resembled a small Sun into the air. The white light instantly filled the entire Grand Array but was blocked from escaping and sealed within its boundaries by the light barrier.
Afterwards, Yang Kai waited quietly to see whether the Grand Array could keep the Purifying Light sealed for an extended time. This was a factor that would affect the next series of plans that he wished to implement, so he could not be negligent. He had to make sure that his plans were feasible. To that end, his Divine Sense monitored the changes in the white light at all times.
Outside the Grand Array, Feng Ying and others were also paying close attention to the situation. It was just that the entire Grand Array was filled with blinding white light, causing Yang Kai’s figure that was shrouded within the veil to become a little hazy when viewed from the outside.
Yang Kai gradually revealed a happy expression as more time passed, having discovered that his previous speculations were correct. The Purifying Light was a unique and profound kind of energy, but at its root it was energy nonetheless. Since it was a type of energy, then it could be sealed and stored away. In that aspect, the Spirit Array created by Fan Xun and the others had already achieved this goal. The Purifying Light had been sealed within the confines of the Grand Array; therefore, it could neither dissipate into nothingness, reduce in amount, nor become defective in any way. Moreover, it could be maintained for a long period of time.
In this way, as long as the Human cultivators corroded by Black Ink Strength were guided into the Grand Array, the excess Purifying Light that remained after the Black Ink Strength in their bodies was dispelled would no longer be wasted. Little by little, the many grains of sand would eventually build a tower. The existence of the Grand Array would undoubtedly decrease the consumption of the Yellow and Blue Crystals to a great extent in the long run.
“Martial Uncle Fan, that’s enough,” Yang Kai said.
Upon hearing that, Fan Xun who was controlling the Grand Array from the outside immediately formed a set of hand seals and the light barrier of the Grand Array cracked open slightly. However, a portion of the Purifying Light inside the Grand Array escaped outside before Yang Kai could leave the Grand Array. Fan Xun resealed the light barrier as soon as Yang Kai left its range, but it was obvious that the amount of Purifying Light inside the Grand Array had decreased.
Yang Kai looked back, and the look of joy on his face faded from his face. His brow furrowed tightly together instead. He had forgotten that while the Grand Array had an excellent sealing effect, and could easily contain the Purifying Light, a portal would open whenever someone needed to enter or exit, allowing the Purifying Light contained inside to flow out.
The losses accumulated from opening the portal once or twice might not be significant, but what about tens or hundreds of times? It had to be said that if this plan could be realised, then every cultivator who was corroded by Black Ink Strength would have to enter and exit the Grand Array. In that way, the entry and exit of a single person would cause some amount of Purifying Light to be lost twice. That would be far too much waste unless they could keep the Grand Array sealed at all times. But, if the Grand Array was sealed at all times, then those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength would not be able to enter.
This was a difficult problem, and it was obvious that Fan Xun and others had also discovered this issue. All of them were frowning deeply at this moment.
Yang Kai looked at Fan Xun, “Is there a way to improve the Grand Array, Martial Uncle Fan?”
Fan Xun pondered for a while before he made a suggestion, “We might be able to add a gathering effect, which may stem the loss.”
The others nodded lightly with one of them agreeing, “That sounds reasonable.”
“Then, I shall have to trouble you.”
The Spirit Array Grandmasters immediately got to work. They were planning to add an additional effect to the foundation of the original Spirit Array. Unfortunately, it was not as simple as adding one Spirit Array onto another. Each Spirit Array was intricately constructed, so adding an entirely new effect onto an existing Array was by no means easy. The slightest change would affect everything else. That was why great changes had to be made to the Grand Array in order to add the gathering effect. They needed to make sure that the Grand Array not only operated perfectly, but also achieved the desired effects.
Fan Xun and the others gathered to the side, busy as bees. From time to time, they would set up numerous Array Banners. At other times, they would gather together and hold a deep discussion. There were times when they even quarrelled until they were red in the face due to various disagreements.
Unable to help them, Yang Kai could only wait by the side. Those corrupted by Black Ink Strength would occasionally come to him for help during this period. Needless to say, he swiftly dispelled and purified the Black Ink Strength in their bodies.
Those who came to seek treatment had no idea what Fan Xun and the others were doing, but most of the time, they would leave immediately after receiving treatment from Yang Kai and return to the battlefield to fight the Black Ink Clan. This battle would continue until the Black Ink Clan withdrew their forces. Only then would the current war finally come to an end.
Several days passed in the same manner before a brand-new Grand Array took shape. Fan Xun and others might have profound cultivation in this field, but even they were exhausted. Their exhaustion did not come from physical exertion though, but rather psychological exhaustion. Everybody knew that Yang Kai’s request was extremely important, so they had given their all to fulfil his request. The mental burden bearing down on them was very exhausting.
Just like before, Yang Kai stood in the middle of the Grand Array and cast the Purifying Light.
The Purifying Light was allowed to flood the entire Grand Array as an experiment. The sealing effect of the Grand Array remained the same as before, so there were no problems in that aspect. The Purifying Light was perfectly sealed inside the Grand Array; however, the same situation repeated once more when the Grand Array was opened. A small amount of the Purifying Light escaped when Yang Kai walked out of the Grand Array’s boundary. The amount that escaped might have lessened considerably compared to the first attempt, but it was obvious that the gathering effect could not achieve the desired result entirely.
The Purifying Light was the only way to treat those invaded by Black Ink Strength. Moreover, this ability consumed two unique materials known as the Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals. These materials only come from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer in the Chaotic Dead Territory, so they could not be found on the Black Ink Battlefield.
In other words, if Yang Kai exhausted his supply of Yellow and Blue Crystals, the Human Race would once again fall into a situation where they were powerless against the Black Ink Strength. That was something nobody wanted to see.
The trace amounts of Purifying Light that were wasted today might have been the last rays of hope for one of the corrupted at some point in the future. With those thoughts in mind, how could Fan Xun and the others dare to be careless? They all felt as though there was a heavy burden pressing down on their shoulders.
The second experiment had undoubtedly ended in failure once more. Nevertheless, the Spirit Array Grandmasters gathered together again to learn from their previous experience and improve upon their solution.
For the next two months, the Spirit Array Grandmasters would come up with brand-new solutions and prepare a different Grand Array every few days. Be that as it may, the results of each experiment were unsatisfactory. They were unable to solve the issue of the Purifying Light escaping when the Grand Array was opened, so they could not avoid the wastage caused when people entered or exited.
After just a short span of two months, all the Spirit Array Grandmasters had bloodshot eyes. For them, their inability to answer Yang Kai’s request was an indication of their lack of skill and their shortcomings in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. How could these people, who had always been proud of their ability, accept such a reality? They were the top figures who represented the Dao of Spirit Arrays in the major Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were only a handful of people in the world who could surpass their achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Therefore, they secretly vowed to develop a Grand Array that could solve this problem perfectly.
Following another failed experiment, they did not become discouraged. On the contrary, they seemed to become even more enthusiastic than before. It felt as though they had gone back to the time when they were young and learning as apprentices. Back then, they had yet to make great achievements in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Despite facing all sorts of challenges, they had always figured out a solution to their troubles. The joy they would experience in their heart every time they solved a difficult problem was indescribable. They were looking forward to the day they would experience that feeling again.
On the other hand, Yang Kai was worried about this group’s mental condition. It was obvious that something was wrong with these Spirit Array Grandmasters. They were putting in special effort and competing against their very own selves. Although there were times when being persistent was a good thing, there were times when they could fall into an obsessive state instead.
During this period of time, Yang Kai had also formed a vague idea in his heart. It was just that he had been too embarrassed to mention his idea in front of them, lest he be suspected of trying to show off meagre skills before an expert. But, at this moment, he could not remain silent any longer. At the very least, he would be able to provide them with a different perspective.
“Martial Uncle Fan, what do you think of this idea? If we set up a Space Array inside the Grand Array, then we can use the Space Array to come and go freely. In that way, there will be no need to open the Grand Array at all.”
If they did not open the Grand Array, then no wastage caused by the loss of the Purifying Light would occur.
“A Space Array?” Fan Xun raised his brow at those words. His bloodshot eyes that were staring fixedly at Yang Kai gradually brightened, “That’s right! A Space Array! Why didn’t I think of that!?”
Similarly, the others also looked speechless and ashamed of themselves. How could they fail to realise such a simple thing until Yang Kai reminded them?
Feng Ying secretly found the scene amusing from where she watched them by the side. She knew that these Spirit Array Grandmasters had fallen into a spiral and were looking at things from the wrong direction. They had been constantly obsessing over creating the perfect Grand Array, so how could they even think about a completely different solution to the issue? There were times when overly complicated thoughts were not a good thing. It could be said that Yang Kai had brought them back to their senses with a single sentence.
Fan Xun and others immediately cheered up and began working on preparing another Grand Array.
With several Spirit Array Grandmasters joining forces, it was only natural that a small Space Array would not be difficult for them. In less than a day, there was an additional Space Array inside the Sealing Array. The Space Array was useless on its own; therefore, they prepared another Space Array at a place not far away from the Grand Array so that both Space Arrays could resonate with each other.
When both Space Arrays were ready, Fan Xun suddenly spoke up with a troubled expression, “Yang Kai, this Old Master suddenly realised a problem.”
“Please elaborate, Martial Uncle Fan!”
“In order to ensure that the Purifying Light does not go to waste, we worked very hard on the Sealing Array. The sealing effect is absolutely extraordinary as a result. To put it bluntly, the area covered by the Grand Array is completely isolated from the outside world. In other words, the two Space Arrays will not be able to connect with each other when the Sealing Array is in operation.” Fan Xun blushed slightly while speaking.
The other Spirit Array Grandmasters also revealed expressions of realisation at that moment.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was stunned by those words. When he finally recovered from his shock, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was truly a huge blunder. He had merely been expressing his thoughts when he suggested using a Space Array. Unfortunately, it would now seem that his efforts had been for nought.
Thanks to the Sealing Array, the space within was completely isolated from the outside world. The connection between both Space Arrays would naturally be cut off as a result, so it was impossible to transport something from the outside into the inside via the Space Array.
“Of course, it might not be completely impossible. I might be able to make some adjustments. When the Space Array is activated, the Sealing Array will activate at the same time to open a small portal. In that way, the two Space Arrays will be able to connect with each other. But, I cannot guarantee that the Purifying Light will not be lost by doing that.”
“Whether or not the Purifying Light will be lost, we will know once we test it out.”
Now that things had come to this, they had to explore every single possibility that came to mind.
Fan Xun and others got to work again tinkering with the Grand Array. Another two days passed before they finally completed their preparations.
As before, Yang Kai walked into the Grand Array and Fan Xun formed a hand seal to activate the Sealing Array. After that, Yang Kai cast Purifying Light.
Looking at the pure white, flawless light, Fan Xun and the others couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of pain and remorse. Over the past few months, their experiments had failed over and over again, resulting in them wasting quite a lot of the Purifying Light. These incidents had been eating away at their confidence, and they were starting to harbour great doubts about the craft they had honed over all these years.
Both the Space Arrays had been inspected before the Sealing Array was activated, and it was confirmed that they were in working order.
Now that the Grand Array had been activated, Yang Kai stood on the Space Array and tried to activate it, but sure enough, his attempt failed. It was just as Fan Xun claimed. They had poured massive effort into preparing the Sealing Array to isolate the inside from the outside. In other words, the space inside the Sealing Array could not connect with the outside world. Forget the two Space Arrays, even if Yang Kai wanted to perform Instantaneous Movement on his own, he could not escape from the confines of the Spirit Array without destroying the Grand Array first.
“Yang Kai, are you ready!?” Fan Xun shouted.
Yang Kai replied, “Yes! Martial Uncle Fan, please begin!”
Fan Xun nodded lightly and changed his hand seal. With a slight wave of the Array Banner, the Grand Array underwent some subtle changes.
Outside the Grand Array, everybody watched intently without even blinking. In the next moment, obvious fluctuations of Space Principles came from within the Grand Array, emanating from Yang Kai. Everyone quickly turned to look to the side. Sure enough, Yang Kai’s figure suddenly appeared on the other Space Array. Unfortunately, some of the pure white light emerged along with him. The light lingered around his body and quickly dissipated into the surroundings.
There was no doubt that the white light was the Purifying Light that was originally sealed inside the Grand Array. When the two Space Arrays connected with each other, Yang Kai was not the only thing to be transported out of the Grand Array. The Purifying Light had also escaped along the passage established by the Space Array.
Fan Xun frowned deeply. This outcome was both unexpected and expected; therefore, he couldn’t help feeling extremely helpless.
On the other hand, Yang Kai sighed softly. Even the Space Array could not solve their current conundrum. At this rate, he truly did not know how to solve this problem anymore. The failure this time had also affected him to a certain degree. That was because this matter was highly related to him. If they were unable to resolve this issue, the wastage of the Purifying Light was a secondary problem. More importantly, his future prospects would not be bright either. He was just about to console Fan Xun and the others so that they could think of other solutions when he heard Feng Ying’s voice, “Martial Uncle Dong Guo!”
Everybody quickly turned to look in Feng Ying’s direction only to see her bowing in a certain direction in the sky. They followed her gaze and saw a burly middle-aged man suspended in mid-air. He was quietly looking down at the situation below him.
Fan Xun and others hurriedly bowed in greeting, and Yang Kai followed suit.
Yang Kai did not recognise the person who came. Although he had met most of the Eighth-Order Masters in Blue Sky Pass back at the Main Conference Hall, a few of them had not shown up for that meeting. Feng Ying had explained that it was impossible for Zhong Liang to summon all the Eighth-Order Masters to the Main Conference Hall at once; after all, somebody needed to oversee the battlefield. Martial Uncle Dong Guo was clearly one of those people.
Having said that, Yang Kai had seen this person passing by several times recently even though he did not recognise him. Every single time, Martial Uncle Dong Guo would fly overhead with a group of people following behind him. He was always in a rush and seemed to constantly be busy.
Yang Kai had noticed him looking down curiously on several occasions, but he was most likely in too much of a hurry to come over and investigate the situation. It would seem that he had some time on his hands today. There was no saying how long he had been watching the situation; after all, everybody had been so focused on testing the effects of the Space Array that they did not notice his arrival.
Martial Uncle Dong Guo walked over as though there were invisible steps leading downward under his feet. He turned to look at the Sealing Array, then he turned to glance at Yang Kai. After a brief scan, he smiled and nodded at Yang Kai.
Even though Yang Kai did not know him, he knew about Yang Kai. He knew that there was a person who could purify and dispel Black Ink Strength in the Central Square. That person had helped countless resolve their crisis over the past few months. Many people he knew had also benefited from this person. That was why he had always paid attention to the situation every time he passed by this place.
Feng Ying knew that Yang Kai was not familiar with Blue Sky Pass and did not recognize the person in front of them, so she took the initiative to explain, “This is Martial Uncle Dong Guo An Ping of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven.”
[Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven…] Yang Kai raised his brow at the name and recalled the little fatty, Xu Zhen.
Speaking of which, he had not seen the little fatty again after they parted at the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Xu Zhen was a Core Disciple of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven after all. Not to mention, he had received the favour of a Divine Spirit while he was training in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and grew tremendously as a result. It was rumoured that Xu Zhen had successfully advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm a long time ago.
“Greetings, Martial Uncle Dong Guo.” Yang Kai bowed once more.
Dong Guo An Ping nodded and said, “No need to be so polite. I’ve heard about you for some time now. Although I’ve passed by a few times, I’ve always been busy with work and could not make the time to come down. It so happened that I had some free time when I passed by today, so I came to take a look.”
Feng Ying explained, “Every time the Black Ink Clan attacks, the people from Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven are the busiest. If the warships on the battlefield are damaged, they will require many Artifact Refiners to repair and replace them. The Fellow Brothers of Divine Cauldron Heaven are proficient in the Dao of Artifact Refining, so this task is naturally entrusted to them.”
Yang Kai was stunned when he heard those words. It was not until this moment that he understood the reason why he kept seeing Martial Uncle running around recently. It turned out that Dong Guo An Ping had been going around repairing the damaged warships. Since Divine Cauldron Heaven was famous for Artifact Refining, it was only natural that they were also capable of this.
It could even be said that most of the warships at the great passes were produced by Divine Cauldron Heaven disciples. They were considered extremely precious talents, similar to Array Masters like Fan Xun. Such talented individuals would never be allowed to carelessly set foot on the battlefield, lest they were killed or corrupted by Black Ink Strength and became Black Ink Disciples. On the contrary, they gave those at the front strong support from the rear.
“What are you doing here?” Dong Guo An Ping asked with a glance at the Sealing Array. Having passed by this place on several occasions, he had a vague idea about what they were up to, but he was not sure if the situation was the same as what he was thinking. It was precisely because he had some speculations on the matter that he deliberately took the time to stop and watch for a while today.
Feng Ying quickly explained what they had been working on for the past few months and the challenges that they were facing at the moment. The person in front of her was not just an Eighth-Order Master, but also a Division Commander. Even if he would not easily set foot on the battlefield, Dong Guo An Ping had the qualifications to intervene in such matters. Besides, she did not wish to conceal anything from him.
Dong Guo An Ping nodded after listening to her explanation, “So that’s how it is.” Then, he suddenly suggested something, “Since the Dao of Spirit Arrays is unable to perfectly prevent the wastage of the Purifying Light, have you considered using the Dao of Artifact Refining?”
Fan Xun was taken aback, “The Dao of Artifact Refining?”
They were all Spirit Array Grandmasters, so when encountering problems, it was only natural that they tried to solve them from the perspective of Spirit Arrays. Why would they consider using the Dao of Artifact Refining?
“The Dao of Artifact Refining…” Yang Kai murmured. His eyes lit up a moment later, and he rubbed his palms together, “Right… How could I have forgotten about that?”
There were times when one might not see the light at the end of the tunnel. On the contrary, the road ahead might end in a steep hanging cliff. He had been working together with Fan Xun and others throughout this period of time, so he had been influenced by them and only considered the problem from the perspective of the Dao of Spirit Arrays. He had totally forgotten about the Dao of Artifact Refining.
Back in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the little fatty, Xu Zhen, had helped him to refine the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd which sealed and contained a large amount of Yuan Magnetic Divine Light! In the past, Yang Kai had borrowed the strength of the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd to repel many powerful enemies.
Strictly speaking, the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light and the Purifying Light were essentially the same. Both were a kind of energy. Although they had different effects, there was no denying that both were a form of light! If the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd could seal the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light, then it could also seal the Purifying Light.
In his excitement, Yang Kai took out the empty Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and handed the object to Dong Guo An Ping, “Senior, please take a look at this.”
Dong Guo An Ping took the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and immediately raised his eyebrows in surprise, “This object contains traces of Divine Cauldron Heaven’s techniques, but… which lousy brat has such poor skills to refine something like this?”
Yang Kai was instantly ashamed.
When the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd was first refined, Xu Zhen had yet to advance to the Open Heaven Realm; in fact, he had only just condensed his Dao Seal. Xu Zheng had been in the process of accumulation, so his cultivation was not that high. Although he had received instruction from Divine Cauldron Heaven, in the eyes of Artifact Refining Grandmasters like Dong Guo An Ping, Xu Zhen’s methods were indeed clumsy and crude.
The Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd no longer contained Yuan Magnetic Divine Light. Back then, Void Land had been in desperate need of cultivation materials, and the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light was a Metal Element material. Moreover, it was a Sixth-Order material. For that reason, Yang Kai had used the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light as a cultivation material for the disciples to refine.
“This bottle gourd is interesting at least,” Dong Guo An Ping carefully examined the bottle gourd, “This gourd is born of the world, right?”
Yang Kai revealed a look of admiration, “Senior certainly has sharp eyes.”
Dong Guo An Ping asked thoughtfully, “Do you want me to refine something similar to seal the Purifying Light? In that way, even without you, others will be able to help dispel and purify Black Ink Strength.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “That’s not the case. Although doing so is feasible, that will only increase the wastage of the Purifying Light. Senior, this Junior was hoping to ask you to create an artifact that can satisfy the effect of sealing the Purifying Light, avoid any wastage, and even facilitate the entry and exit of personnel. Can that be done?”
Dong Guo An Ping held the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and furrowed his brow in thought. Everybody else watched him intently. A long while passed before he finally nodded and said, “It can be done.”
Yang Kai was overjoyed, “Are you serious!?” As soon as the words left his mouth, he realised that his words were inappropriate and quickly explained, “Please forgive me, Senior. It’s not that this Junior is not willing to believe you, it’s just that this matter is extremely important, so we have to be extra careful.”
Dong Guo An Ping smiled and said, “It’s fine. I understand your feelings. But, since this Old Master said that it can be done, then it can be done. Hm… The war is raging fiercely recently, so I might be quite busy. Let’s do this; I will make some time to refine this artifact for you. The shortest will take one month while the longest will take three months to complete.”
While saying that, he tossed the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd back to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai exhaled slowly and cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Martial Uncle!”
Dong Guo An Ping waved his hand dismissively, “It’s all for the sake of our people. We are just doing our respective duties.” Then, he glanced at Fan Xun and the others, “Come with me. The Sealing Array will be needed. When that time comes, I will need your help.”
Naturally, there was no reason for Fan Xun and the others to object.
Time flew by quickly, and two months passed in the blink of an eye. The war had gotten more and more intense during this period. Although the Black Ink Clan had suffered countless casualties, a steady stream of reinforcements continued to arrive from the rear as though their numbers were infinite.
On the other hand, the Human Race relied on Blue Sky Pass’s sturdy defences in order to repel the Black Ink Clan’s repeated onslaught. There were not many casualties on their end. Blue Sky Pass itself was an enormous Mobile Palace Artifact, so it had its own defensive mechanisms. Furthermore, warships and Masters were frequently sent into battle to break through and disrupt enemy lines. As long as the Blue Sky Pass and the various warships remained intact, the lives of those hiding inside would not be endangered.
Be that as it may, the number of people who were corroded by Black Ink Strength every single day remained very high. Knowing that they now had the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength, the Human Masters no longer had any scruples when fighting the Black Ink Clan. If they had the chance to kill an enemy, they would not pass up on the opportunity even if they would be corroded by Black Ink Strength as a result.
In the beginning, the Black Ink Clan had been happy to see these changes. That was because many Black Ink Disciples corrupted by Black Ink Strength would voluntarily defect to their side every time the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan clashed. Contrary to their expectations though, they were surprised to discover that not a single Black Ink Disciple was born from the Human Race after a certain point in time. This phenomenon was extremely unusual, and this matter soon attracted the attention of the higher-ups in the Black Ink Clan. They tried to learn more about this phenomenon, but were powerless to do anything about the situation.
In the Central Square of Blue Sky Pass, Yang Kai cast Purifying Light to help those infected dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength in their bodies. All of a sudden, he heard the sound of something travelling through the air at a high speed. It did not sound like the arrival of another infected person though; thus, he took a moment out of his busy schedule to glance in that direction and was promptly astonished by the sight.
Over there was a ship which by no means could be called small. Judging by its appearance, the ship did not seem to be a simple flight-type artifact but a warship. Yang Kai had seen many of the warships belonging to the Human Race during the time he spent on the battlefield previously. While there were various shapes and sizes to them, the vast majority of them seemed to adopt the appearance of a large ship.
There were evident traces of an assault marring the surface of this particular warship, so it was clear it had seen action on the battlefield. Nevertheless, what surprised Yang Kai was the people standing on the deck of the ship. They were none other than Dong Guo An Ping, Fan Xun, and the others.
As soon as he saw them, Yang Kai became excited and hurriedly finished the tasks he had on hand. Only then did he soar into the sky and land on the deck of the large ship. After greeting Dong Guo An Ping and the others, he examined the large ship with interest.
Dong Guo An Ping smiled, “This old girl was taken out of the storehouse. Since you needed a finished product in a hurry, there was no time to refine a new one. The other functional warships are already in use by others, so although this one was badly damaged in the past, it has been patched up since then. You can use it with peace of mind.”
Yang Kai nodded and asked suspiciously, “Does it work?”
Dong Guo An Ping laughed, “Whether it can be used or not, you will know once you’ve tested it out. Since you wanted to seal the Purifying Light while also having a convenient method for entry and exit, this was the only solution that I could come up with. Fan Xun and the others also made many modifications during this period before they finalised the design. We brought this here for you to make the final verification. Come, follow me.”
While saying that, he beckoned and guided Yang Kai towards the cabin inside.
Upon entering the cabin, Yang Kai discovered that ship’s interior had undergone a lot of changes. The entire hull had basically been hollowed out, so the entire cabin was nothing more than a huge empty space. The surrounding walls of the cabin were engraved with complex patterns, and a Space Array had also been prepared in the centre of the cabin.
Dong Guo An Ping explained, “Those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength can be teleported into this room via the Space Array on the deck. In addition, they can be teleported out in the same manner after the Black Ink Strength has been dispelled from their bodies.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Your arrangements are very thorough, Senior.”
Dong Guo An Ping waved his hands dismissively, “That was Fan Xun’s suggestion. He claimed that you have tried implementing this method in the past. If this method becomes feasible, then it will certainly be inconvenient to constantly open and close the Grand Array. To prevent any wastage of the Purifying Light, the existence of the Space Array is necessary. I also heard from Fan Xun that you’ve been experimenting for several months but have failed to solve this problem. In any case, this should be enough to satisfy your requirements. I’ve refined the interior of the large ship specifically for that purpose. On the other hand, Fan Xun and the others have supplemented the rest with the Dao of Spirit Arrays. You can think of this cabin as a space similar to the interior of your bottle gourd. It has a strong gathering and sealing effect. Even if an occasional connection is formed between the Space Arrays, the Purifying Light sealed in this place will not escape.”
After he finished his explanation, he turned to look at Yang Kai, “Do you want to test it?”
“Yes!” Yang Kai nodded.
The space in the cabin was rather spacious. If he wanted to perform an experiment on its effectiveness, he would need to fill it with a large amount of Purifying Light to check its effects. That was why he drew upon the energy from a huge number of Yellow and Blue Crystals all at once. At that moment, an extremely blinding white light bloomed in his hand and illuminated the entire cabin. The space inside the cabin was so huge that the Purifying Light seemed weak and scattered in comparison; hence, Yang Kai cast Purifying Light several more times in succession so that it would become a little denser.
After careful inspection, he confirmed that the Purifying Light showed no signs of escaping. The Purifying Light was perfectly sealed inside this cabin, allowing Yang Kai to breath a sigh of relief.
It could be said that they had taken the first step forward; however, even when he was experimenting with Fan Xun and the others, there were no issues during the first step. Their troubles only came in the next step. If they could not resolve the issue of wastage caused whenever somebody entered or exited the Grand Array, then this matter could not be considered to be completely solved; therefore, he couldn’t help feeling slightly nervous. This matter was simply far too important to him.
His ability to cast Purifying Light to dispel Black Ink Strength had certainly brought great fortune to the Human army in Blue Sky Pass, but at the same time, he was constrained by his ability. Due to his ability, Yang Kai had to remain inside Blue Sky Pass at all times. It was impossible for him to go anywhere else. The reason he had been so enthusiastic about solving this issue during this period was so that he could regain some of his freedom. The problem of reducing the Purifying Light’s wastage was secondary.
Yang Kai stepped onto the Space Array, breathed out lightly, and immediately manipulated Space Principles. The world spun around him and his vision blurred for a moment, then he appeared on the ship’s deck.
Fan Xun, Feng Ying, and the others had been waiting above while paying close attention to the movements of the Space Array. As soon as they saw Yang Kai appear, they carefully observed the Space Array with solemn expressions.
“How is it?” Yang Kai anxiously asked. Although he had not felt the loss of the Purifying Light when he was transported out of the cabin, it was better to ask the outside observers about such matters.
Fan Xun stroked his beard and said, “It worked. I didn’t see any signs indicating that the Purifying Light had escaped.”
“Really?” Yang Kai raised his brow in surprise.
Feng Ying nodded as well, “There was none.”
“Come, come. You should all come and give it a try then,” Yang Kai gave up his spot.
Feng Ying and the others did not refuse. They immediately took turns using the Space Array and teleported themselves into the cabin. A short while later, they used the same method and returned to the deck from inside the cabin. Meanwhile, Yang Kai watched them intently. His Divine Sense inspected the movements of every single person entering and exiting the Grand Array. In the end, he found that there were indeed no signs of the Purifying Light leaking.
He rejoiced, knowing that his goal had been accomplished. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help sighing slightly. It had not been easy. Despite joining efforts with Fan Xun and the others for several months, they had failed to produce satisfactory results. On the contrary, the matter was accomplished as soon as Dong Guo An Ping intervened in this matter.
It was not to say that the Dao of Artifact Refining was better than the Dao of Spirit Arrays, it was just that the Dao of Artifact Refining was simply more suitable for what he wanted to accomplish. Besides, the many Spirit Arrays inside the cabin were clearly constructed through a careful blending of Artifact Refining and Spirit Arrays. That was why they could produce such effects.
“Many thanks for your help, Senior Dong Guo,” Yang Kai sincerely thanked Dong Guo An Ping when the latter walked out to the deck.
Dong Guo An Ping waved his hand nonchalantly, “You are too polite. There’s no need to be so stiff, Martial Nephew.” He paused for a moment before he continued, “Actually, I would like to ask you for a favour.”
Yang Kai turned solemn, “Please speak freely, Senior.”
Dong Guo An Ping replied, “I originally planned to create an artifact specifically for the Purifying Light. It was only because of your idea that I changed my mind and modified this warship instead.”
While he was speaking, he suddenly glanced outside the great pass. The Human Race and the Black Ink Clan were fighting fiercely outside the great pass with every passing moment. The sounds of their battle came from afar, accompanied by the violent fluctuations that came from the collision of energies. It was obvious that the Masters of both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan were clashing with one another.
“Humans have suffered from the Black Ink Clan’s attacks since time immemorial. The Cave Heavens and Paradises would often send a large amount of manpower to the Black Ink Battlefield at regular intervals. Countless elite disciples have died on the battlefield for this cause; even so, we have been unable to eliminate the Black Ink Clan completely. The main reason was that we were powerless to invade the Black Ink Clan’s domain and eradicate them once and for all. Although the Old Ancestor occasionally leads a team into the Black Ink Clan hinterland in person, such measures are nothing more than a temporary solution. It does not strike at the root of the issue. These invasions might even incite the wrath of the Black Ink Clan, provoking a stronger retaliation in return.”
He turned to look at Yang Kai, “The existence of Black Ink Strength is a huge deterrent for us; however, your arrival and the appearance of the Purifying Light has greatly reduced the deterrence of the Black Ink Strength and given the Human Race the capital to launch a crusade against the Black Ink Clan.
“Looking at the current situation, in order to dispel Black Ink Strength, those infected have to withdraw from the battlefield and come to you for treatment. But, what if we deployed this ship to the battlefield instead? If someone is corrupted by Black Ink Strength in battle, they will no longer need to return to the Inner Sanctum. On the contrary, they can quickly resolve the issue and return to the fight without delay. That will greatly preserve the manpower on the battlefield.
“Looking at things from a long-term perspective, if we refine more ships that contain the sealed Purifying Light and dispatch them along with the army, won’t we be able to assault the Black Ink Clan’s core and finally eradicate them completely?”
His words were delivered calmly, but anybody could hear the anticipation and excitement hidden in his tone. Following his speech, everybody else’s eyes also began to light up with excitement.
That was right. They had been fighting the Black Ink Clan for so many years, and the main reason they could not completely eradicate the Black Ink Clan was that Black Ink Strength posed too much of a danger to the Human Race. They were powerless to invade deep into the Black Ink Clan’s domain as a result. Most of the time, they could only wait passively for the Black Ink Clan to attack. Even if they ultimately repelled the Black Ink Clan’s forces, they could not eliminate the Black Ink Clan from the roots up. They could only watch the remnants of the Black Ink Clan army withdraw from the battlefield. The Black Ink Clan would slowly accumulate their strength and make another comeback after several dozen or hundreds of years.
In that way, the cycle would repeat over and over again. Naturally, that was because they had no means to dispel the Black Ink Strength. Now that they had the means to do so though, shouldn’t they utilise this advantage to the fullest?
When it came down to it, Dong Guo An Ping was an Eighth-Order Ancestor; standing higher allowed him to see further. While Yang Kai and the others were focused on solving the issue regarding the Purifying Light’s wastage, he had already considered using it to launch a crusade.
It was precisely due to his considerations that one of the damaged warships had been brought out from the storehouse and modified. The reason Dong Guo An Ping did that was so that the artifact used to seal the Purifying Light would not only be suitable for a crusade but also come equipped with a strong defence. In this case, a warship in the shape of a large ship was undoubtedly the most suitable choice for such an endeavour.
This matter was extremely important; therefore, it was not something Dong Guo An Ping could decide on his own. They had to wait until the Old Ancestor fully recovered and returned from retreat before they could make a full report and plans could be made.
Even if they prepared for a crusade against the Black Ink Clan, this endeavour would involve more than just Blue Sky Pass. All the great passes would have to contribute to the crusade. The troops from each great pass would need to march forward together in order to eliminate and eradicate the Black Ink Clan completely. The advance preparations for the crusade would not be something that could be accomplished in a short time. Nevertheless, such a glorious future filled their imaginations vividly.
“To see whether or not this Old Master’s idea is feasible, the battlefield around Blue Sky Pass is the perfect place to experiment.” Dong Guo An Ping retracted his gaze, “I have already contacted the four Army Commanders, so they should be arriving soon. This Old Master will explain this matter to them later, but the final decision on how to proceed will ultimately depend on them. In any case, we will need you to work hard when the time comes, Yang Kai.”
“This Junior will do his utmost!” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
When the results of the experiment came out and the application of the remodelled warship was confirmed earlier, Dong Guo An Ping immediately sent a message to the Army Commanders. Four figures quickly arrived one after another before the people on the ship had even waited for a stick of incense worth of time.
The Eastern Army’s Army Commander, Ding Yao, came from Great Battle Heaven; the Southern Army’s Army Commander, Liang Yu Long, came from Crape-Myrtle Cave Heaven; the Western Army’s Army Commander, Zhong Liang, came from Blue Sky Paradise; and the Northern Army’s Army Commander, Shen Tu Mo, came from Azure Clouds Paradise.
Every one of them was an Eighth-Order Ancestor; moreover, they were considered the best of the best among the Eighth-Order Masters. The war was currently ongoing, and these four were in charge of guarding the East, South, West, and North directions around Blue Sky Pass respectively; therefore, they would not carelessly leave their positions before the war ended.
The last time they left their positions, it had been because Zhong Liang claimed that he had an important matter to discuss. This time around, Dong Guo An Ping had summoned them for another matter of great importance. It was something that required the Army Commanders to come forward in person; otherwise, he would not have dared to disturb them so easily.
They did not have much time, so they immediately inquired about the situation as soon as they arrived. Zhong Liang was well aware of Yang Kai’s recent activities. Feng Ying, who had been serving beside Yang Kai all this time, would periodically send messages to him about the situation; however, the other three did not know much.
Upon listening to Dong Guo An Ping’s outlook on the war in the future, their eyes involuntarily lit up with hope. If that was truly the case, then Yang Kai’s arrival would not only give Blue Sky Pass the means to resolve Black Ink Strength, but also give the Human Race the power to launch a crusade against the Black Ink Clan’s domain. Such a matter was extremely important.
Ding Yao was dressed in golden armour, looking absolutely imposing. All the cultivators from Great Battle Heaven generally dressed in this manner. After he entered the large ship and inspected the interior, he turned to the side and asked, “Does it work?”
“It should work fine,” Yang Kai nodded in response.
Ding Yao frowned, “We cannot afford to be negligent in this matter. We need to take careful measures to ensure that this endeavour is feasible.”
While he was talking, he suddenly noticed a figure flying over at a high speed. It was a Human cultivator who had been corroded by Black Ink Strength and came here to seek treatment. As soon as he saw the four Army Commanders standing there, he visibly jumped in surprise and hurriedly cupped his fist in greeting.
The four men waved their hands dismissively, indicating that there was no need for such courtesy.
Yang Kai smiled, “Whether or not it works, we will know after this.”
There was no need to prepare anything on his part since people would come to him for help with dispelling Black Ink Strength every single day. In fact, he was waiting for this very moment in the first place.
The four Army Commanders immediately understood. Nodding lightly, they waited quietly. Meanwhile, Yang Kai stepped forward and guided the cultivator corroded by Black Ink Strength to the Space Array. Despite activating the Spirit Array and transporting that person into the cabin, he did not follow along.
A short while later, that person came out of the cabin again. He looked slightly dazed and in shock. Although he had heard about the person in the Inner Sanctum who had the mysterious ability to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength from his allies, those were merely rumours that he had heard. He had not experienced such miracles himself, so he did not have much understanding regarding the matter.
Now that he had experienced the situation for himself, he finally understood what the word ‘incredible’ meant. The Black Ink Strength inside his body had been dispelled cleanly in such a short period of time. Furthermore, not the slightest trace remained. He was no longer at risk of becoming corrupted by it. On the contrary, the gentle white light in the cabin had been as comfortable as the spring breeze.
[This is a true life-saver!] He was extremely grateful to Yang Kai
Nevertheless, the four Army Commanders were not reassured just yet. They carefully inspected that person’s Small Universe and confirmed that he was perfectly fine before they released him.
During this interval, Yang Kai took the chance to enter the cabin and check on the loss of the Purifying Light. The Black Ink Strength had been brought into the cabin to be dispelled and purified, so the Purifying Light was bound to have been consumed to a certain extent. However, the results were as expected. The loss was almost negligible. He had drawn upon the power of many Yellow and Blue Crystals in the cabin previously, so the Purifying Light sealed in the cabin remained quite dense.
Dong Guo An Ping said, “Brothers, this method is feasible.”
The method had been verified, so there was no need to harbour further doubts. There was a faint sense of excitement burning in their hearts now. Had the Human Race finally gained the means to support a crusade? If they could perfectly end the war on the Black Ink Battlefield one day, then those trapped here for so long would finally have hope of going home.
Liang Yu Long nodded, “This matter is extremely important, so we shouldn’t reveal anything for the time being. We should limit this knowledge to the people present here.”
Needless to say, everybody understood what he meant. It was impossible to hide the existence of this ship. All the people who sought help would eventually need to enter the large ship in order to dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength in their bodies. Therefore, what Liang Yu Long had been referring to was the matter regarding the future crusade. The Human Race was not ready for such an enormous campaign yet. What’s more, the Old Ancestors had yet to make a decision regarding this matter. If news about the crusade were to spread, it would only give the people hope and expectations; however, their hope and expectations would turn into disappointment if their plans failed to materialize.
Yang Kai and the others naturally accepted the order.
Zhong Liang patted Yang Kai’s shoulder with a chuckle, “You’ve worked hard recently, Martial Nephew.”
Yang Kai truly was a treasure! How many losses had been prevented since he arrived at Blue Sky Pass!? If nothing else, he had rescued all those who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength recently; otherwise, those people would either have been forced to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe and suffer a decline in their strength or have been converted into Black Ink Disciples and defected to the Black Ink Clan. However, such incidents no longer occurred after Yang Kai came to Blue Sky Pass. Not a single Black Ink Disciple had been converted by the Black Ink Clan.
The more Zhong Liang looked at Yang Kai, the more he approved of this boy. It was fortunate that Feng Ying had encountered Yang Kai back in the Black Ink Clan hinterland and brought him to the great pass. Blue Sky Pass would not have been blessed with such great fortune otherwise.
“It is this Junior’s responsibility,” Yang Kai replied humbly.
“Old Ancestor!?” Ding Yao’s expression suddenly changed, and he glanced in a certain direction.
Startled by his words, everybody else turned to look in that direction only to see that there was nothing there. The Old Ancestor was nowhere to be seen. While they were caught up in their confusion though, a surging force suddenly erupted from Ding Yao’s body. The force immediately sent Yang Kai and the others flying backwards. Since they never expected to be attacked here, they were completely caught off-guard and could not react in time; hence, all of them were sent drifting in all directions like fallen leaves in the middle of a storm.
Suspended in mid-air, Yang Kai heard Zhong Liang shouting furiously, “Ding Yao, what are you doing!?”
His heart sank abruptly, wondering why Ding Yao had committed such an outrageous act. [Could it be that Ding Yao was a Black Ink Disciple? Now that the Purifying Light has been revealed, is he planning to kill me? But, something doesn’t add up. His actions might have been forceful, but there was no intention to harm. At the very least, I didn’t sense any danger. I’ve only been sent flying by the impact.]
After he finally managed to stabilise his body, Yang Kai looked over and felt his face twitching at the sight.
In the sky above the Central Square, Ding Yao was standing alone on the deck of the new ship. Moreover, the warship had been turned around and was currently facing the eastern defence lines. Looking at the situation, it would seem that Ding Yao had taken control of the ship and was trying to fly it towards the East. It was just that his path forward had been blocked, so he was forced to stop.
Combined with Ding Yao’s position as the Eastern Army’s Army Commander, Yang Kai had a vague idea about the current situation.
At this moment, Liang Yu Long, Zhong Liang, and Shen Tu Mo were standing in front of the large ship and blocking the path forward. Like Yang Kai, these three had been caught off-guard and sent flying backward by the impact just now. It was just that they were Eighth-Order Masters, so not only was their foundation strong, but their reflexes were also quick. The sudden attack only stunned them for a moment before they immediately adapted.
“Ding Yao, your actions are dishonourable,” Liang Yu Long’s expression darkened.
Shen Tu Mo frowned, “What are you doing?”
Zhong Liang was polite and roared furiously, “Do you even need to ask!? As soon as this hooligan made his move, I already knew what he had in mind! This old fart is planning to steal the ship!”
Ding Yao did not deny his actions. His intentions had been seen through anyway, so he cheerfully said, “From now on, this ship will belong to the Eastern Army.”
“On what basis!?” Liang Yu Long yelled inquiringly.
Ding Yao looked down condescendingly from above, “Based on the fact that I’m standing on it while the three of you aren’t.”
Shen Tu Mo chuckled, “What does that prove? That only happened because you made a sudden move and we were caught unprepared. If it really came down to it, this ship should belong to the Northern Army! Take a look at the emblem on the ship. Don’t you see that the emblem belongs to the Thunder Battalion of the Northern Army’s Left Wing Third Division? Disembark, Ding Yao. I’m bringing this ship back to the Northern Army!”
The ship was something Dong Guo An Ping had taken out of the storehouse. It had originally been severely damaged and was barely usable after he made some repairs to the ship. Upon a closer look though, it turned out that the ship once belonged to the Thunder Battalion of the Northern Army’s Right Wing Third Division.
Ding Yao sneered coldly and responded with three words, “In your dreams!”
Zhong Liang persuaded earnestly, “Ding Yao, why don’t you come down first? Let’s talk things out peacefully.”
Ding Yao snorted, “I’m not coming down. You will definitely board the ship as soon as I come down!”
Zhong Liang was speechless. [Senior Brother, you’re not a child anymore, why are you acting like a little brat fighting over a toy!? What would others think if they learned about this!?]
Nevertheless, he could understand Ding Yao’s motives in snatching the ship. Bringing this warship back to the battlefield might not directly increase the army’s combat ability, but it would greatly cut down on the travel time needed to purify Black Ink Strength. Furthermore, the existence of the ship itself would be a tremendous stabilising force. The morale of the army would be greatly improved as a result. It wasn’t just Ding Yao who wanted the large ship, he wanted it too!
“We all belong to Blue Sky Pass. Although we are the Army Commanders of our respective armies, we cannot only think about ourselves. Ding Yao, if you take this ship away today, what will happen to the Southern Army, the Western Army, and the Northern Army?” Zhong Liang asked gravely.
Ding Yao snorted and motioned to the side, “Isn’t Yang Boy here? You can just go to him. The Eastern Army is having a difficult time on the battlefield. The presence of this ship might be able to change the war situation.”
“Don’t exaggerate,” Liang Yu Long clicked his tongue, “The Eastern Army is having a hard time on the battlefield, but so is the Southern Army! Why are you only focusing on the Eastern Army and ignoring the lives of the disciples in the three other Armies? Ding Yao, you are an Army Commander. How can you be so selfish!?”
Ding Yao curled his lips into a sneer, “Don’t try to push such nonsense onto me. There are Great Battle Heaven disciples serving under your armies. How can I possibly disregard their lives? It’s just that there is only one ship right now, so the Eastern Army will use it first. If you are truly selfless, then you shouldn’t stop me.”
Liang Yu Long’s expression was dark, but he said nothing in response. Instead, he shot a look at Zhong Liang and Shen Tu Mo. They could not allow Ding Yao to take the ship away today. If the news were to spread that only the Eastern Army had a ship while the Southern Army, the Western Army, and the Northern Army did not, wouldn’t their subordinates criticize them for being useless?
Shen Tu Mo frowned and said, “Ding Yao, this warship will not be the only one. Now that we have a prototype, we are bound to have a second, third, and so on. Why are you being so anxious? There will come a day when every one of us has a ship.”
Nevertheless, Ding Yao remained stubborn in the face of their persuasion. He retorted, “Since you’re not anxious, then stop wasting my time. The army is still fighting outside, and the disciples are struggling desperately. This Old Master is not in the mood to waste my energy on you. Make way.”
The three of them naturally refused to move aside.
On the other side, Dong Guo An Ping sighed as he muttered, “Highly improper!”
At this moment, the Army Commanders were squabbling over the ownership of a ship. Their actions were extremely detrimental to their dignity. It was fortunate that no disciples had seen their squabbling; otherwise, they would quickly become laughingstocks.
“This ship was created by Yang Boy. Why don’t we ask him for his opinion? The army he chooses will have the rights to use the large ship. What do you think?” Zhong Liang suggested. While speaking, he secretly gave Yang Kai a wink. Among the four Army Commanders present, he was the closest to Yang Kai. He was certain that he held a great advantage if he asked Yang Kai to step forward.
The other three could not object to this suggestion. Yang Kai’s ability had been proven in the recent period and many of the disciples serving under their respective armies had received help from him. More importantly, they would still need to rely on his ability to solve the problem of the Black Ink Strength in the future. Rejecting this suggestion would simply cause problems for themselves; therefore, Yang Kai had a great say in this matter even though he was only in the Sixth Order.
Seeing the gazes of the four men turning towards him, Yang Kai felt speechless. He had seen the wink Zhong Liang gave him, but how could he be partial at a time like this? Besides, he could not be biased in this matter. After pondering in silence for some time, he cupped his fist and said, “Seniors, although this ship can be used, I’m afraid it will not last for long if you bring it out to the battlefield.”
Ding Yao frowned, “What do you mean by that?”
Yang Kai explained, “The Purifying Light is the foundation that dispels and purifies Black Ink Strength. Although a large amount of Purifying Light has been sealed in the cabin, according to this Junior’s estimate, it is only enough for 100 people at most. In other words, the Purifying Light will be exhausted after 100 people come and go. After that, this large ship will be nothing more than a decoration.”
The Army Commanders exchanged a glance with each other.
Meanwhile, Ding Yao blinked his eyes. He suddenly realised that he had been overly eager after seeing the effects of the Purifying Light ship with his own eyes. Although he had heard rumours about the Purifying Light recently, he did not actually know much about the specifics of the situation. He originally thought that he could kick back and relax once he obtained the large ship. It was not until he heard Yang Kai’s explanation that he learned that the Purifying Light would be consumed with each use. If it could only be used for 100 people, then what was the point?
“Can’t more Purifying Light be sealed inside?” Ding Yao asked.
“Of course, that is possible,” Yang Kai nodded, “But, this Junior has yet to run thorough experiments on how much Purifying Light can be sealed in this ship. That is why I have to ask you to leave the ship here, Seniors. This ship has only just been completed, after all, so nobody knows if there are any hidden faults with it. If you leave the ship here for further observation, this Junior will be able to check on and resolve its flaws more easily.”
Since a single bowl of water could not be split evenly, there was no need to split it at all. The large ship would remain here, and nobody could take it away. His words were not meant as a polite refusal either; rather, checking the ship was really something that needed to be done. Yang Kai could not guarantee that the ship could withstand the test of time or the rigors of battle. That was something he would need to observe carefully to be certain of. By determining these flaws earlier, he would have an easier time working on them in the future.
Ding Yao and the others looked at each other. Yang Kai had already spoken, so how could they not know that nobody was allowed to set their sights on the ship today? Ding Yao came down from the ship following a period of silence.
Meanwhile, Zhong Liang turned to look at Yang Kai and asked, “Approximately how long will it take for you to perform the necessary inspections and verifications?”
“It will definitely take a few months; after all, many issues will not come to light if the time is too short.”
Zhong Laing nodded lightly and said, “Once you verify that nothing is wrong with the ship, we will proceed with mass-producing them. At the very least, we will need four so that each Army will receive one.” He turned to look at Dong Guo An Ping, “Many thanks, Brother Dong Guo.”
Dong Guo An Ping nodded, “Please rest assured, Brother Zhong. Artifact Refining is the duty of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven. I will live up to your trust.”
“Then, it’s settled.” While speaking, Zhong Laing glanced at the other three Army Commanders. Naturally, nobody had any objections.
Now that the discussion was over, there was nothing that required their attention anymore. In any case, they needed to preside over the battle faced by their respective Armies at the moment and could not stay for much longer. After reminding the others not to reveal the matter regarding the crusade, they hurriedly left the scene.
Likewise, Dong Guo An Ping, Fan Xun, and the others also departed soon afterwards to work on a new warship.
The ship in the Central Square had been dragged out of the storehouse, so it was severely damaged and only just managed to meet the requirements after some patching by Dong Guo An Ping. If they planned to refine a similar artifact for each of the Armies, then they would need to refine brand-new warships designed specifically for this role. More than anything, they would need to focus on defence. This new class of warship could probably do without any offensive abilities, but its defensive abilities would need to be top-notch; otherwise, the losses would be massive if such a warship was damaged or destroyed in battle.
It didn’t take long before only Yang Kai and Feng Ying remained in the Central Square.
“If anybody comes here for help in dispelling Black Ink Strength, just let them in directly,” Yang Kai instructed before he stepped onto the Space Array and teleported into the cabin.
It was just as he had explained to the Army Commanders earlier. The large ship was newly completed, so there were many things that needed to be tested and verified. At the very least, Yang Kai needed to know the limits of how much Purifying Light could be sealed within the cabin. It was easy enough to verify this fact though as he simply needed to cast Purifying Light without stopping until the Grand Array was saturated.
Inside the cabin, yellow and blue lights bloomed continuously from Yang Kai’s hands and immediately transformed into a pure white light. At the same time, he silently calculated the consumption rate of the Yellow and Blue Crystals while paying close attention to the changes in the Spirit Array. He was testing the limits of the Grand Array’s sealing effect, a little bit at a time.
A huge amount of the Yellow and Blue Crystals had been consumed, and it was not until half a day later that he finally stopped his actions. Yang Kai could vaguely sense that the Grand Array in the cabin was about to reach its limits. In other words, it could not accommodate any more Purifying Light.
Looking around, the interior of the cabin was filled with a blanket of white at the moment. The Purifying Light was so dense that it almost felt solid to the touch. In fact, that was not that far from the truth.
Yang Kai calculated the number of Yellow and Blue Crystals consumed and immediately had a grasp on the situation. The Purifying Light sealed inside the cabin was enough for nearly 2,000 Sixth-Order cultivators. The outcome of his experiment satisfied him greatly. 2,000 was quite a big number after all. Based on the information he received from Feng Ying, during the previous wars between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan, the total number of people who got corrupted by Black Ink Strength throughout the war did not exceed this number.
The reason why so many people had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength recently was that they were relying on Yang Kai’s support. They knew that it did not matter even if they were corroded by Black Ink Strength, so they fought freely without any scruples. As a result, the number of cultivators corrupted increased dramatically.
Thanks to Yang Kai’s existence, the cultivators corrupted by Black Ink Strength would not suffer from a decrease in combat power as long as they returned in time for treatment. It was unlike before when they would have to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe in order to escape danger.
If a single ship could be used for 2,000 people, and each army would have its own ship, that meant there was enough Purifying Light for 8,000 people at full capacity. That would be enough even for extended use, such as on a long crusade.
While he was busy working, Yang Kai would occasionally sense others entering the cabin through the Space Array. These people had undoubtedly come to him for help, but now that they had the ship, there was no need for him to personally cast Purifying Light on each person. They only needed to teleport into the cabin, wait for a while, and teleport out of the cabin again for all their worries to be removed. That had saved Yang Kai a lot of time and energy.
After confirming the limits of how much Purifying Light could be sealed in the Grand Array, Yang Kai returned to the deck. Feng Ying had been paying close attention to the Space Array, so she quickly came to greet him as soon as he appeared.
“Were there any problems?” Yang Kai asked.
Although he had verified that the Purifying Light would not escape from the Grand Array, the concentration of the Purifying Light had not been very high at the time. The current situation was no longer the same as before. The Purifying Light sealed inside the cabin was extremely dense, so nobody could guarantee that no losses would occur during entry and exit.
“There were no problems,” Feng Ying shook her head.
Yang Kai immediately felt relieved. It would seem that the ship which integrated both the Artifact Refining and the Spirit Array Daos could perfectly meet the requirements of his original plan. In that case, he could continue with the next step.
After pondering for some time, Yang Kai asked, “Martial Aunt, does the Inner Sanctum contain a Universe Temple?”
Feng Ying was slightly taken aback by his words before replying, “I’ve heard that they exist.”
“You’ve heard?” Yang Kai raised his brow in surprise.
She nodded, “That’s right. It’s because I’ve never seen them myself. It is said that each pass possessed a Universe Temple when they were first constructed. As you know, a Universe Temple makes travelling around very convenient. Even when our people were scattered across great distances, they only needed to activate the Universe Transference Law to return to the Universe Temple. That was why each great pass had its own Universe Temples in the beginning. Unfortunately, the Black Ink Battlefield is different from the 3,000 Worlds. The situation here is rather special, and the existence of the Universe Temples may give the Black Ink Clan a strategic advantage over us; hence, the Universe Temples of each great pass were sealed after several incidents.”
Yang Kai immediately understood after listening to her explanation, “If Black Ink Disciples were to suddenly appear inside the Universe Temple, they would surely cause devastating damage to the Inner Sanctum.”
“That’s right. Aside from the Old Ancestor, who can guarantee that they will not be corrupted by Black Ink Strength? What if they became corrupted by Black Ink Strength and were converted into Black Ink Disciples? They would not be able to disobey the orders of the Black Ink Clan. If they teleported back here, forget how much destruction they could cause to us, even if they merely self-destructed, they could spread Black Ink Strength around and incite panic. That is why, even if there was a Universe Temple in the Inner Sanctum, it would have been sealed a long time ago. No one would be allowed to use it.”
He nodded, “That’s true.”
“Why did you suddenly ask about the Universe Temple?” She looked at him curiously.
Yang Kai smiled and pointed at the cabin, “Martial Aunt, what effect do you think will occur if we arrange a Universe Array inside this ship’s cabin?”
Feng Ying was initially stunned by his words, but her expression immediately changed in the next moment. Whilst she was deep in thought, various ideas flashed through her mind as she murmured to herself, “The reason the Universe Temples were sealed was to prevent Black Ink Disciples from infiltrating and causing havoc, but if we added a Universe Array to the ship’s cabin, then we wouldn’t need to worry about such occurrences. Even if a Black Ink Disciple teleports into this place, the Black Ink Strength in their bodies will instantly be dispelled and purified to restore their true nature.”
With the Purifying Light, all the previous issues that troubled them were no longer a problem.
Feng Ying’s eyes lit up, “Your idea might just work! But…” After saying that, she furrowed her brow, “I don’t think anyone here can arrange a Universe Array. At the very least, there are no such talents in Blue Sky Pass.”
The Universe Temples in the various great passes were as ancient as the great passes themselves. There might have been people who could prepare a Universe Array and construct a Universe Temple in ancient times. Unfortunately, with the closure of the Universe Temples, the means and the knowledge disappeared with the passing of time.
That was intentionally done by the Human Race in order to prevent the relevant personnel from becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength and the Black Ink Clan from obtaining the creation method of the Universe Temples. The Black Ink Clan was hard to deal with in the first place. If they were allowed to master the mysteries of the Universe Temples, then they would truly be invincible.
“I can do it!” Yang Kai quickly said.
Feng Ying was astonished, “You can arrange a Universe Array!? Aren’t you…”
Yang Kai laughed, “It’s true that I’m completely clueless about the Dao of Spirit Arrays, but Space Arrays and the Universe Arrays are related to the Dao of Space after all. That’s why I dabbled in them slightly.”
Back in the 3,000 Worlds, he had spent over 30 years comprehending the mysteries of the Universe Array. His attainments in the Dao of Space soared as a result, and he ultimately comprehended his Cow Punch Secret Technique from his efforts.
Afterwards, Yang Kai also constructed some Universe Temples in the New Great Territory adjacent to High Heaven Territory so that his disciples could conveniently travel back and forth to investigate the New Great Territory. That was why preparing a Universe Array was not a difficult task to him.
“Do you need me to do anything? Should I gather some helpers?” Feng Ying asked.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t need any assistance, though I am lacking a few resources. I will need you to help me gather these materials, Martial Aunt.”
“Good!” She quickly nodded in agreement.
A short while later, Yang Kai handed a list of resources to Feng Ying and asked her to procure them for him. This was not a difficult task for her. Blue Sky Pass had its own storehouse, which contained large amounts of cultivation resources and other materials. Most of the items that Yang Kai needed could be found there.
Nevertheless, she would need to inform Zhong Liang and the others regarding this matter and obtain their permission to proceed before she could enter the storehouse to retrieve the corresponding resources.
Upon learning that Yang Kai was not only capable of preparing a Universe Array but was also planning to set one up inside the cabin of the purification ship, Zhong Liang could be said to be both surprised and delighted.
Only less than half a year had passed since Yang Kai first arrived at Blue Sky Pass, but he had brought about numerous miracles in that short time.
The biggest surprise was his means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength. Other than that, he also worked with Dong Guo An Ping and the others to create a warship that was suitable for a large-scale expedition. In addition, he was planning to prepare the Universe Array in said warship.
As an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it was only natural that Zhong Liang could see the endless prospects for this method.
If they could feasibly carry out this plan, then the Humans scattered around would have a much easier time returning to Blue Sky Pass in the future. They would only need to activate the Universe Transference Law within a suitable range to return to the ship immediately. Furthermore, the ship contained Purifying Light, so there was no need to worry about a Black Ink Disciple infiltrating their ranks. It could even be said that the addition of a Universe Array to the ship made it more suitable for crusading.
Needless to say, Zhong Liang was in full support of the idea. He also gave Feng Ying nearly unlimited authority so that she was free to choose from the resources stored within the storehouse. In short, he was willing to cooperate with Yang Kai completely.
Half a day later, Feng Ying returned with all the materials that Yang Kai needed.
With the required resources in hand, Yang Kai plunged right into work inside the cabin.
Arranging a Universe Array was undoubtedly much harder than setting up a simple Space Array. Although the nature of both Spirit Arrays was essentially the same, the Universe Array was ultimately more profound compared to a Space Array. Not to mention, the layout of the Universe Array was subjected to certain restrictions due to the limited space within the cabin.
The Universe Temples that Yang Kai previously constructed in the New Great Territory were not small in size. Now that he had to operate the Universe Array in a limited space, it became necessary for him to make some minor changes to its Array Chart.
Yang Kai was busy for two whole months. During this period, he made several major changes through repeated trial and error before he finally completed his task. It was fortunate that the ship already contained large amounts of the Purifying Light, so when those corroded by Black Ink Strength came over, he had no need to treat them personally. Otherwise, his task would have taken even more time to complete.
Afterwards, Feng Ying personally tested and confirmed that the Universe Array was functional. Zhong Liang couldn’t help being overjoyed when he received the report on this matter.
Following a delay of two months, Dong Guo An Ping also delivered the first newly constructed warship.
Under normal circumstances, it would have taken at least half a year for Blue Sky Pass to construct a brand-new warship. That was not something that could be refined carelessly after all. The construction of a warship not only required a large amount of manpower, but also an extremely skilled Artifact Refiner to oversee the process.
It was just that Dong Guo An Ping knew the importance of this project. The war was raging fiercely, and the sooner they completed this project, the bigger the role the warship could play for the Human Race. For that reason, he had mobilised the elite disciples of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven from various places and assembled a workforce of over 100 people. That was how they constructed a brand-new warship in the short span of two months.
The warship was brought to the Central Square, and Yang Kai immediately entered the cabin. He did not begin filling it with Purifying Light immediately and chose to arrange the Universe Array first. It was not until he finished preparing the Universe Array that he sealed a massive amount of Purifying Light inside its hull.
Another month later, this new warship was ready for the defence lines of the Eastern Army.
In the end, Zhong Liang and the others ultimately agreed to give the first warship to Ding Yao. It was not because they could not compete with him for it, but because the battle on the Eastern Army’s side was indeed the most intense. The other three Army Commanders couldn’t be bothered to squabble over such trivial matters either. Since Ding Yao came forward in person to make the request, it was only right for them to show him some respect. Naturally, the most important reason was that each Army would soon obtain a new warship of their own, so there was no need for them to quarrel among themselves.
For both Yang Kai and Dong Guo An Ping, constructing these new warships was equivalent to traversing a familiar path; hence, they could take advantage of parallel production to speed up the process.
Half a year passed by in the blink of an eye, and all three other Armies gained their own Purifying Black Ink Battleship
‘Purifying Black Ink Battleship’ was the class designation Dong Guo An Ping had given this special warship. The name soon spread far and wide, receiving the recognition of the public.
The four Purifying Black Ink Battleships were stationed at the rear of the four armies. Anyone corroded by Black Ink Strength could be rescued immediately, so it was much more convenient compared to the past. Thanks to these four Purifying Black Ink Battleships, the battle between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan became even more intense.
Meanwhile, in the Central Square, Yang Kai suddenly had nothing to do… It used to be very lively here. At least a dozen infected people used to come to ask for help every single day; however, ever since the four Purifying Black Ink Battleships were introduced, nobody came to visit this place anymore. Even if they were corrupted by Black Ink Strength, there was no need for them to come here or for Yang Kai to take action in person either. Each of the Purifying Black Ink Battleships contained enough Purifying Light for 2,000 people to use; therefore, there was enough to last for a long time.
After spending so much time and energy, Yang Kai finally reached his goal. It was time for him to focus on his own affairs now.
On the deck of the original Purifying Black Ink Battleship, Feng Ying was cultivating with her eyes closed when a figure appeared in a flash before her. Yang Kai had teleported out of the cabin.
She opened her eyes to look at him. Although nobody came looking for help during this period, Yang Kai had remained extremely busy. She did not know what he had been working on. She had asked once, but he had not replied to her question; thus, she did not ask further questions.
At this moment, Yang Kai took the initiative to speak, “Martial Aunt, I’ve made some adjustments to the Universe Array. I don’t know what kind of effect there will be, so I’m going to test it out.”
“Good!” She nodded lightly without doubting him.
When he was testing the effects of the Universe Array, he had also personally taken on the task. His reasoning was that it would be easier for him to discover any issues if he performed the tests himself. It would indeed be somewhat inconvenient to leave such tasks to other people; therefore, Feng Ying had no reason to feel suspicious about how he planned to test the Universe Array himself.
“Martial Aunt, please wait for a moment,” After saying as such, he turned and left.
Since Yang Kai planned to test the effects of the Universe Array, it stood to reason that he could not experiment from nearby. He had to go much further for the experiment to be effective.
Once he was out of Feng Ying’s sight, Yang Kai spun around and rushed towards one of Blue Sky Pass’ main gates.
During this period, he had investigated quite a lot about the situation at Blue Sky Pass; hence, he was not unfamiliar with the route.
Not long after he left, Yang Kai saw many people up ahead of him. It was very lively here with a warship moored in a small docking area, and cultivators dressed in the uniforms of the Divine Cauldron Heaven working on it. A series of clanging sounds came from within the large ship, occasionally accompanied by flashing lights. The warship had clearly been in battle as its hull had been damaged.
There were several other similar warships in the docking bay, and several hundred people were scattered around the area. They sat down cross-legged in small groups, each silently circulating their Secret Arts to recover their strength.
Yang Kai observed the scene before him, vaguely guessing that these people were those who had just withdrawn from the battlefield. During this period, he had gleaned a lot of information from Feng Ying and gained a rough understanding of the situation in Blue Sky Pass. Although he had not experienced the fighting for himself, he had no trouble understanding the situation when he saw it.
His sudden arrival did not attract much attention. To these people, time to rest was extremely precious and should not be wasted frivolously. Besides, there were many people coming and going from this area, which provided a great cover for him.
Looking around, Yang Kai discovered that the main gate was shrouded by a barrier and guarded by several elites. They would not release the barrier easily without an explicit order. The sight made him frown slightly. He originally planned to sneak out of the great pass, but it would seem that his plans were not feasible. There was no way for him to leave as long as the barriers around Blue Sky Pass remained sealed.
Turning his head to look around him, Yang Kai decided to wait and see what happened. He found a corner and sat down cross-legged, pretending to be adjusting his breathing. Truthfully, he was feeling extremely anxious inside. This was a rare opportunity, and if he failed, he would never be able to leave Blue Sky Pass again.
Luckily, fortune seemed to be on his side. After waiting for less than an incense stick worth of time, the Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven disciples in charge of repairing a certain warship, had apparently completed their repairs.
A Seventh-Order Master immediately leapt onto the ship and activated it to check its condition. Once he confirmed that there were no problems with the ship, he yelled loudly, “Mountain Battalion, get on board!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, 100 people stood up in a flurry and flew towards the ship. Yang Kai quickly grasped the opportunity at hand. He hurriedly stood up and followed the large batch of people onto the ship.
The Seventh-Order Master swept his gaze over the people on the ship and nodded lightly; then, he turned to look in a certain direction, cupped his fist, and shouted in a clear voice, “Western Army Right Wing Fourth Division Mountain Battalion is prepared to sortie. We request permission to depart for battle!”
A guard glanced over from the top of the inner wall, and Yang Kai quickly hid behind the crowd to conceal himself.
This couldn’t be helped. The person he saw was one of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Division Commanders who arrived at the Conference Hall when Zhong Liang convened all the higher-ups. Although Yang Kai didn’t know his name, if he encountered this Master, he would undoubtedly be identified.
He would never want to be caught sneaking out.
With a solemn expression, the Eighth-Order Division Commander said, “Launch!”
The shield opened at his command, allowing the warship to slowly set sail.
The moment they sailed out of Blue Sky Pass, the atmosphere turned chilly immediately. Yang Kai, who was standing on the deck, peered upward and noticed a massive void. Numerous warships scurried back and forth and occasionally, a profound light erupted from their weapon ports, blasting towards the Black Ink Clan’s Army.
There were Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had profound cultivations out on the battlefield battling against the Black Ink Clan.
Black Ink Clouds of all sizes were dispersed around the battlefield, forming something akin to an ocean of murky darkness. The battlefield was also littered with shattered Spirit Provinces.
The Black Ink Clouds were composed of Black Ink Strength that escaped and condensed after the death of a Black Ink Clansmen. And undoubtedly, the shattered Spirit Provinces were pieces of Small Universes that had been left behind after the death of High-Rank Open Heaven Masters. Some might even be pieces of Small Universes that the High-Rank Masters sacrificed during battle.
Explosions and screams of death rang out as fresh blood dyed the void red and black, and every now and then, powerful life auras would disappear.
This battlefield was where countless Black Ink Clan members and Humans were buried. The number of Masters from both sides who had passed away here throughout the war was unknown.
Yang Kai’s blood steadily boiled as he saw the sight in front of him, and a raging fighting spirit began to rise in his chest. He desperately wanted to rush to the Black Ink Clan Army and fight to the death.
But he was also aware of the limitations of his ability on such battlefields, no matter how powerful he may be. The two Races were at odds with one another, and this war involved countless lives. Even the Eighth-Order Division Commanders would not survive charging into the enemy’s army all alone, not to mention a mere Yang Kai.
Additionally, he had his own purpose this time when he snuck out.
He wanted to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm!
His cultivation had been stagnant at the peak of the Sixth Order for many years now. For the time being, secluded retreat appeared useless. There was now only one option left, and that was to seek an opportunity to break his own shackles during a juncture of life and death.
Yang Kai had long intended to do this, and the ongoing war gave him the ideal opportunity.
He was aware that it was impossible for those overseeing Blue Sky Pass to let him accomplish this, though. No one would be concerned if he was simply a typical Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The life or death of an average Sixth-Order Master wasn’t of much concern as there were literally thousands of other Sixth-Order Masters in the Inner Sanctum. Everyone had been in a brutal battle with the Black Ink Clan and only those with enough strength and good fortune survived.
However, the fact was that Yang Kai’s very existence was extremely important to Blue Sky Pass and, by extension, to the whole Human Race. He wasn’t just another Sixth-Order Master.
Yang Kai had brought the Purifying Light with him, and was capable of arranging Universe Arrays.
It was precisely because Zhong Liang realised Yang Kai’s importance, that he had asked Feng Ying to guard him. Feng Ying was also not an ordinary Seventh-Order Master; she was one of the strongest among them.
There was no doubt that it was a waste of talent now that she could only tightly protect Yang Kai, but it was still an important and essential duty.
Zhong Liang even wanted to assign an Eighth-Order Master to protect Yang Kai, but that was impossible, so a Seventh-Order Master was the next best choice and Feng Ying was the best option.
This alone showed how much importance Zhong Liang attached to Yang Kai.
If Yang Kai told him that he wanted to go to the battlefield and look for a chance to break through by risking his life, Zhong Liang would definitely disagree. Not only would he disagree, he would even ask Feng Ying to keep a closer eye on Yang Kai and prevent him from entering the battlefield.
If Yang Kai was killed, the cost to the Human Race would be too high; after all, he was just a Sixth-Order Junior, meaning his strength wasn’t particularly high.
Countless Sixth-Order Masters had died on this battlefield as one tiny mistake could spell death.
Because of this, Yang Kai kept his desire to join the battle a secret from the beginning, and even Feng Ying, who had been with him for six months, failed to notice any such signs.
After waiting for so long, Yang Kai finally found a good opportunity.
If he succeeded, he would become a Seventh-Order Master, if not, he would have to cultivate patiently in the future and simply wait for an opportunity to break through to come.
However, before leaving, Yang Kai still waited until the four Purifying Black Ink Battleships were delivered, so that even if anything went wrong in the battle, the Purifying Black Ink Battleships in Blue Sky Pass side could last for a while, enough to support everyone until the end of the current battle at least.
If he was still in the 3,000 Worlds, Yang Kai might not be this anxious.
But this was the Black Ink Battlefield. The stronger he was, the higher his chances of survival. The Sixth-Order was too weak, while the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was barely enough, so he had to give it a try.
Yang Kai went without leaving even a Space Beacon for himself in order to prevent himself from having an escape route, thus increasing the pressure he felt. He did all this only to improve the chances of him making a life-or-death breakthrough.
The Western Army Right Wing Fourth Division Mountain Battalion was a unit under Zhong Liang’s command. Each Army had a total strength of around 8,000 troops with 15 Divisions in total, each of which had 8 or so Battalions.
The Eastern Army was currently engaged in the fiercest combat, while the Western Army was somewhat better off. The Black Ink Clan Army had attacked frequently in the West, but had been repelled each time. They had left many dead bodies after those battles, but they were evidently unconcerned about them.
Yang Kai, who had spent the two years residing in the Black Ink Clan’s hinterland, knew that the Black Ink Nests served as the Black Ink Clan’s foundation. The Black Ink Clan would continue to exist so long as the Black Ink Nests remained standing. Although the Black Ink Clan’s casualties were not small, they weren’t sufficient to force the enemy to retreat either.
The Western Army’s defence line was constructed in the void, some 10,000 kilometres from Blue Sky Pass. This was where warships laid out a tightly defended barrier that would never be broken through by the Black Ink Clan.
The warship of the Mountain Battalion was only a few thousand kilometres away from its destination and sailed swiftly, so it arrived at the battleground soon after it departed Blue Sky Pass.
The Seventh-Order Master at the prow of the warship should be the Mountain Battalion’s Commander, and with his menacing gaze and deep voice, he ordered, “Everyone, follow me to kill the enemy!”
When that was said, the 100 or so members of Mountain Battalion immediately got busy, each of them performing their own duties.
Yang Kai was suddenly caught off guard and didn’t know what to do.
He was able to board this ship, but he was unaware of Mountain Battalion’s distribution of duties. With no other choice, Yang Kai followed a random pair of people to the deck after realising that everyone else had gone to their respective positions to prepare to repel the enemy.
Suddenly, the two ahead of him turned their heads to look at him, and one of them suddenly said in shock, “Senior Brother Yang, why are you here?”
It wasn’t that no one saw him when he followed everyone on the boat earlier, but rather that those who saw him didn’t seem to pay much attention to him. After all, it wasn’t odd for people to be transferred around when manpower needed to be replenished.
Those who were unfamiliar with Yang Kai automatically viewed him as a newcomer.
Who would have thought that at this moment, he met someone who knew him?
As the words fell, Yang Kai raised his head and became speechless.
The man in front of him looked familiar, and although Yang Kai didn’t know his name, it was certain that he was someone who he had treated before.
Before the advent of the Purifying Black Ink Battleships, there were at least hundreds of people treated by Yang Kai personally. Each of these people was grateful to him and made a point of remembering his face, even if Yang Kai didn’t remember their names.
Yang Kai had been afraid of encountering such a situation, but he also knew that there was no way to avoid it. He had saved so many people after all and being exposed was basically inevitable.
“What happened?” The Battalion Commander turned his head towards them and immediately saw an unfamiliar face. He stared at Yang Kai and frowned vigilantly, “Who are you?”
The person who knew Yang Kai said, “Sir, this is Senior Brother Yang,” while hastily cupping his fist.
The Battalion Commander raised his brow. Despite not having returned to the Inner Sanctum to meet Yang Kai personally, he had lately heard the name a lot and asked in shock, “That Yang Kai?”
The person who replied nodded quickly, “Indeed.”
The Battalion Commander was immediately shocked and asked, “Why are you here?”
If this was the Yang Kai he had heard of, he should be in Inner Sanctum at the moment, so how did he get on his ship? He hadn’t received orders to replace any lost manpower as the Mountain Battalion was currently at full strength.
Furthermore, even if manpower had to be replaced, Yang Kai would never have been deployed to the battlefield. The Battalion Commander understood the significance of Yang Kai when he learned about his extraordinary methods. It only made sense for such a valuable asset to be well-protected. How could Yang Kai be sent to the front lines?
It was no small matter that Yang Kai actually appeared on his ship.
Yang Kai quickly thought of an excuse, cupped his hand, and murmured, “Sir, I was ordered by the Army Commander to perform a secret mission. Travelling with you is mainly to conceal my involvement!”
“A secret mission!” The Battalion Commander frowned, wondering what secret mission actually required this man to visit the battlefield in person. He had also heard that, in order to ensure this man’s safety, Army Commander Zhong had entrusted Feng Ying to remain at his side at all times. However, after screening his surroundings, he could find no sign of Feng Ying.
The Battalion Commander was no fool, so it was obvious to him that there was something wrong with this matter.
However, now that his ship had already arrived on the battlefield, and the front line was in urgent need of support, he couldn’t just turn back because of some small doubt.
Without asking more, the Battalion Commander nodded lightly and said, “If that’s the case, you can do what you need to.”
“Many thanks, Sir.” Yang Kai cupped his fist thanking him, turned his head, and spoke a few words to the two men who had first noticed him.
When the Battalion Commander saw this, he tilted his head slightly and ordered another Seventh-Order Master under his command in a stern voice, “Go back and ask the Army Commander what is happening here.”
He sensed that something was off, and since the issue involved Yang Kai, he had to inform Zhong Liang and ask for instructions. Naturally, he had no reason to believe Yang Kai was acting maliciously as this man would never do something to harm the Human Race after saving so many of them already.
“Yes,” The Seventh-Order Master responded and took out a communication artifact.
Back in the Inner Sanctum, Feng Ying stood up and scowled as she scanned the area around the prototype Purifying Black Ink Battleship.
Yang Kai said that he had made some changes to the Universe Array and needed to run some tests, but even after waiting here for half an hour, he had yet to return.
As a result, she became doubtful and wondered if he had perhaps already returned.
This was not impossible, for even the prototype Purifying Black Ink Battleship was equipped with a Universe Array. If Yang Kai really came back, he would be inside the cabin.
With that in mind, Feng Yin teleported in through the Space Array on the deck.
However, all she could see was white in the cabin; the gentle Purifying Light flowed around her body like warm water, but there was no sign of Yang Kai in this empty space.
He obviously had not returned.
Feng Ying left the cabin, now more suspicion than ever. She was perplexed when she unexpectedly noticed a stream of light that had abruptly fallen on the deck from a distance. She fixed her eyes upon him and hurriedly bowed, “Martial Uncle Zhong!”
The person who came was Zhong Liang.
“Where is Yang Kai?” Zhong Liang questioned nervously with an ashen face.
Feng Ying replied, “He said that he made some modifications to the Universe Array and needed to test it out, so he left.”
“How long has he been gone?” Zhong Liang’s expression sank.
“Less than an hour,” As soon as she said that, Feng Ying understood that something was off. Similar experiments were conducted by Yang Kai in the past, but each time he returned quite quickly. He was experimenting with the Universe Array after all, so all he needed to do was to distance himself a little from here and perform the Universe Transference Law to return. How was it even possible for him to take this long this time? The Inner Sanctum had nothing to delay him either.
“Damn it, it really is him!” Zhong Liang exclaimed. He had hurried back from the front line immediately to investigate the matter himself as soon as he received a message from the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion, wondering whether there had been a mistake; after all, why would Yang Kai suddenly sneak out? But after he arrived here, he realised that there was no mistake, Yang Kai had indeed snuck out.
Upon hearing that, Feng Ying asked, “Martial Uncle, is something wrong?”
Zhong Liang ground his teeth in frustration for a moment before sighing in exasperation and muttering, “That brat went out to the battlefield.”
“What?” Feng Ying was shocked when she heard his words, “Why would he go out to the battlefield?”
“How would I know!?” Zhong Liang looked over at the main gate, worried, “I hope we’re not too late.”
After receiving the call from the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion, Zhong Liang rushed to the Inner Sanctum to investigate the matter while also ordering Mountain Battalion to turn back. Before making sure whether the person was Yang Kai, he preferred to err on the side of caution.
However, the battlefield was always in chaos, and Zhong Liang was unsure if the Mountain Battalion would be able to carry out his orders; after all, returning from the front lines was not always simple. If they were surrounded by the Black Ink Clan Army, they would have to kill their way out.
Feng Ying stood there dumbfounded. Yang Kai actually entered the battlefield. What did this brat intend to do? Furthermore, he didn’t even let her know beforehand. It was just truly absurd.
Since Yang Kai was really with the Mountain Battalion, Zhong Liang had no reason to stay here any longer. He had to go and bring Yang Kai back, so he instantly sprang into the air and shot towards the perimeter.
Feng Ying followed closely behind. Zhong Liang had assigned her to protect Yang Kai at all times, but the latter had deceived her and escaped. She needed to be responsible for this.
“He didn’t bring this up to you previously, did he?” As they soared by, Zhong Liang abruptly turned his head to inquire.
“No,” Feng Ying shook her head. She was also perplexed by this series of events, but it was clear that Yang Kai had planned this whole thing out; otherwise, he wouldn’t have to lie and claim that he wanted to go test the Universe Array to get past the gates.
“Has there been anything unusual about his recent behaviour?” Zhong Liang asked again.
Feng Ying responded in shock, “Martial Uncle are you suspecting that he… “
“He has the ability to cleanse and remove Black Ink Strength, and he has a World Spring. He has helped thousands over these past few months, and he led the effort to build the Purifying Black Ink Battleships, which is of great significance to us. I don’t think it’s possible to doubt his loyalty. He should not intend any harm by his action towards Blue Sky Pass or the Human Race. I simply don’t understand why he had to quietly leave. You spent months with him. Didn’t you notice anything?”
Suddenly recalling something, Feng Ying scowled, “Martial Uncle, if I’m not mistaken, he is trying to break through to the Seventh Order!”
“What?”
“When he initially arrived at Blue Sky Pass, he inquired about advancing to the Seventh Order. Later, after treating several Seventh-Order Masters, he would ask them about their breakthrough experiences. I asked whether he was getting ready for his own breakthrough and he frankly admitted that he had reached the peak of the Sixth Order and was just looking for an opportunity to reach the Seventh Order. You are also aware that advancing to the Seventh Order is different for everyone. There are some who retreat to cultivate in seclusions, there are some who have accumulated over a long period of time and simply break through naturally, and then there are those who break through in life-or-death crises in battle. Yang Kai said that he tried entering retreat, but failed. He also said only the Heavens would know when he would succeed using the accumulation method. Since these two methods are useless to him, I’m afraid that he wants to try using the last one to make a breakthrough. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even have to go to the battlefield at a moment like this.”
When Zhong Liang heard the words, his face twitched, “That must be it!”
Judging by his actions, that brat must have had this idea for a long time now. He also understood that Blue Sky Pass placed an extremely high value on his own existence; therefore, he had to sneak out because he knew that they would never allow him to go to the battlefield.
After working hard to build the Purifying Black Ink Battleships and leaving enough Purifying Light to support the four Armies for this war though, Yang Kai clearly decided it was his chance to go out and seek battle.
As he began to understand this, Zhong Liang suddenly thought of something and gasped, “Oh no…”
“What’s wrong, Martial Uncle?”
“That brat is probably mentally prepared to not return; otherwise, there would be no need for him to leave so much Purifying Light behind. He’s made up his mind to succeed or die trying and cut off all responsibilities to ensure he doesn’t hesitate!” Zhong Liang replied with an ashen expression.
Feng Ying’s heart clenched. If this was the case, then she would surely be punished for failing her duties, because she didn’t even notice the signs despite being with Yang Kai for such a long time.
Zhong Liang abruptly halted their conversation and pulled out a communication artifact. After swiftly exchanging a few messages, he cursed, “That little bastard!”
Feng Ying turned to look at him.
Zhong Liang ground his teeth and said, “That brat is too slippery. He must have realised that Mountain Battalion was suspicious of him, so he actually escaped from their warship before it could retreat! Mountain Battalion currently can’t locate him either!”
“Ah!” Feng Ying’s face suddenly paled. Yang Kai was just a Sixth-Order cultivator, yet he plunged into the battlefield alone. He would definitely be in grave danger if he did not receive support soon!
“I’ll tan that boy’s hide red once I drag him back!” Zhong Liang angrily roared. Yang Kai knew that he was vital to the Human Race as a whole, yet he dared to take such a risk. How would he explain to the Old Ancestor if anything happened to him?
The Old Ancestor was still recovering in retreat, totally unaware of Yang Kai’s existence, but this incident would definitely have to be reported to him afterwards. Zhong Liang would also be blamed if the key to victory for the entire Human Race over the Black Ink Clan encountered an accident right under his nose. At the very least, he would be stripped of his position as the Western Army’s Commander.
“Martial Uncle, Yang Kai… he’s not weak.” Having worked with Yang Kai to fight their way back from the Black Ink Clan’s domain, Feng Ying knew that Yang Kai’s strength was far beyond that of a typical Sixth-Order Master, and he could even assume his Grand Dragon form, which put him on par with a Seventh-Order Master.
“It makes no difference how powerful he is, how could one man stand against the Black Ink Clan army!?” Even Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order Masters perished on the battlefield, not to mention Yang Kai, a Junior in the Sixth-Order. Zhong Liang also knew about Yang Kai’s ability to transform into a Grand Dragon, which at the time, would give him Seventh-Order strength. However, Yang Kai wanted to seize this chance to break through in a life-and-death struggle, so he would certainly not use his Dragon Clan strength as doing so would become a mental crutch, leaving no possibility for him to use this method to achieve a breakthrough again in the future.
In other words, Yang Kai would only use his Sixth-Order strength while in battle.
Zhong Liang was now merely praying that Yang Kai would not approach the Black Ink Clan Army’s core or show off his Purifying Light Secret Technique.
The last time Yang Kai used Purifying Light offensively, he instantly injured a Black Ink Territory Lord, giving Feng Ying an opportunity to kill him.
The Black Ink Clan wouldn’t think too much of it if it was only used once; but, if Purifying Light was used repeatedly, the Black Ink Clan would eventually become aware that it was the nemesis of their Black Ink Strength. Once they realized that, they would spare no effort to eliminate Yang Kai and would almost certainly succeed.
The Black Ink Clan would take whatever necessary measures to execute Yang Kai.
The both of them had hurried out of Blue Sky Pass while they were conversing, but once they were outside, all they saw was the raging battle between the two Races, with thousands of figures flying about everywhere. How were they to locate Yang Kai in this tangled mess?
Zhong Liang’s expression turned dark, and he quickly sent out a message.
Meanwhile, aboard the warship belonging to the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion on the front lines of the battlefield, the Battalion Commander frowned.
After rushing out to the battlefield to confront the Black Ink Clan, Yang Kai used the excuse of performing his secret mission to open the ship’s shields and instantly escape.
Naturally taken by surprise, Mountain Battalion hastily closed the shield to stop any Black Ink Strength on the battlefield from flowing in.
The Battalion Commander also received an order from the Fourth Division’s Commander shortly after, asking him to keep Yang Kai under strict supervision for the time being and immediately return to the Inner Sanctum.
But this message was received too late. Yang Kai had already left and was nowhere to be seen.
There was no other option than to report this issue. As a result, the Division Commander reprimanded him severely, which aggrieved the Seventh-Order Battalion Commander.
Full of grievances and nowhere to vent, he could only let it out on the Black Ink Clan. The warship shuttled back and forth, beams of light blasting out as they rammed into the Black Ink Clan Army, killing many as they went.
Soon after, a group of Seventh-Order Masters from the Battalion leapt out of the ship, activated their Secret Techniques and artifacts, and cut a swath through the surrounding enemies.
This was how the Human Race and Black Ink Clan fought.
Seventh-Order Masters were free to enter the battlefield at their own discretion, while those below the Seventh-Order had to rely on the might of their warships. Both Battalions and Squads worked in this fashion to attack and defend on the battlefield.
Meaning, elsewhere on the battlefield, Yang Kai wielded his Azure Dragon Spear recklessly, slaughtering Black Ink Clansmen wherever he went.
One reason he was currently invincible against his opponent was due to his own strength, but the more important point was that the strength of those in the Black Ink Clan Army was really quite diverse, with many Black Ink Clansmen simply being too weak for Yang Kai to have any trouble with.
This was much unlike the Cave Heavens and Paradises, who only sent Sixth-Order Masters or above to the Black Ink Battlefield. In fact, the only reason there were Fifth-Order Human Masters present at all is because their cultivation had regressed from the Sixth-Order after they repeatedly sacrificed parts of their Small Universes.
The Black Ink Clan was different. Anyone from their army could freely roam the battlefield. There were the Territory Lords and Feudal Lords, who were the strongest in the Black Ink Clan besides the Royal Lords, but there were also Black Ink Clansmen who were only as strong as First-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivators. How could such weaklings be Yang Kai’s opponent?
Therefore, even though there was a huge disparity in numbers between the two clans, with the Black Ink Clan Army always being many times larger than the Human Race Army, the latter had not yet been defeated. Each time, the Black Ink Clan Army would be forced to retreat. With their army diminished, they had to return to their territory to recover, and then made a comeback after dozens or hundreds of years.
Thus, the cycle repeated.
World Force shook wherever Yang Kai’s spear passed, and several Black Ink Clansmen would die. The death of each Black Ink Clansman would cause Black Ink Strength to leak out, which would condense on the battlefield, eventually forming Black Ink Clouds.
Black Ink Clouds would not do any harm to the Black Ink Clan; in fact, they provided them with a tactical advantage as they served as both a form of protection and deterrent.
Before Yang Kai came to Blue Sky Pass, the Human Masters would normally avoid the Black Ink Clouds on the battlefield, both to avoid being ambushed and to avoid being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
This sort of ambush happened quite frequently on the battlefield, as the Black Ink Clan would often attack passing Humans while sheltering in the Black Ink Clouds.
However, after the arrival of Yang Kai and his Purifying Light Secret Technique became well known, the Human Masters became unconcerned with the Black Ink Clouds.
When a Black Ink Clansman was injured in the past, he would look for a way to flee into nearby Black Ink Clouds in order to survive as no human would have the audacity to follow him in.
But things had changed now. Even if they took cover inside the Black Ink Clouds, the Human Race Masters would still pursue and attack, catching many Black Ink Clansmen off guard and increasing the number of their losses greatly.
The Black Ink Clan was also confused by this sudden change and couldn’t understand why the Humans from Blue Sky Pass had suddenly become so aggressive.
As Yang Kai fought, attacking all the enemies he encountered, he saw a group of Human Masters fighting nearby. These Masters were all in the Seventh Order, as only such Masters could effectively play a role without the protection of a warship.
He had arrived here immediately after rushing out of the Mountain Battalion’s warship and received little attention from these nearby Seventh-Order Masters as they were all engaged in battle and could not spare him too much thought at the moment. If one was careless in this place, they could end up dead, so who would not focus all their attention on the enemies in front of them?
However, the Seventh-Order Masters in the area soon took notice of Yang Kai. This was unavoidable though, as it was clear from Yang Kai’s aura that he was the only Sixth Order.
It was not that Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would not appear on the battlefield, but in most cases when they did, it indicated that a warship had been destroyed, exposing the Sixth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Masters who were sheltering inside it.
So, after realising Yang Kai’s cultivation, the Seventh-Order Masters assumed that he belonged to that scenario and began to move to protect him.
However, the Seventh-Order Masters were a little taken aback when they witnessed the might of Yang Kai’s spear thrusts. No ordinary Sixth-Order Master could possess such strength.
There were a total of four Seventh-Order Masters close to Yang Kai. The leader of this small group seemed to be an elderly man as his cultivation was clearly the strongest of the four. As for the other three Masters, they were a lanky middle-aged man, a young man who appeared to be around Yang Kai’s age, and a beautiful woman.
A warship followed closely behind this group of four, assisting them from the rear.
These four Masters and the warship which was accompanying them must have belonged to a certain Battalion. Yang Kai, who was already familiar with the distribution of forces in Blue Sky Pass, quickly determined this.
This spot was also where the fighting was the most intense on the front lines of the battlefield.
“Little Brother, which Battalion are you from? Why did you come here?” The lanky middle-aged man slashed out a shocking sword wave, dispersing the Black Ink Clan Army in front of him and giving him a moment to ask Yang Kai amidst the chaos.
“Fourth Division Mountain Battalion!” He simply said.
Technically he wasn’t lying as he indeed came out of Blue Sky Pass with the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion.
The middle-aged man sighed, subconsciously believing that the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion’s warship had been destroyed. Due to this, the boy in front of him was forced onto the battlefield alone, so he said, “Get back on board. You’re not qualified to be out here.”
Coincidentally, their Battalion’s warship was coming up on them. Although Yang Kai did not belong to their Battalion, they were all fighting for the same cause; therefore, taking him aboard their ship was not an issue.
Yang Kai turned to look at this man, raised his spear, and began condensing a scorching power that filled the surrounding void. The cry of the Golden Crow rang out as a Great Sun appeared.
The surrounding void was suddenly illuminated as this Great Sun rose.
The Golden Crow cried out ecstatically as it circled around the Great Sun.
The Great Sun perched itself atop the long spear and Yang Kai thrust it out into a nearby mass of Black Ink Clansmen.
A massive halo suddenly erupted within the Black Ink Clan Army and ignited a region 1,000 kilometres in radius. The blazing force of the light blanketed the landscape, the space itself began warping under the force. A great number of Black Ink Clansmen yelled and wailed before disintegrating into ash under the light of the Great Sun.
With a single strike, at least 10,000 Black Ink Clansmen were obliterated.
The nearby old man’s brow rose as he and the young man looked at Yang Kai in great shock while the beautiful woman exclaimed, “Divine Manifestation?”
They had witnessed the Great Sun’s brilliance, and they knew that it was no ordinary Divine Ability or Secret Technique. It was undoubtedly a Divine Manifestation.
But… how could a Sixth-Order Master have a Divine Manifestation? How was that possible? The four of them almost thought they had seen wrong.
Only Seventh-Order Masters were capable of using Divine Manifestations, and not every Seventh-Order Master had comprehended one. Despite the fact that all four of them were Seventh-Order Masters, only the old man and the middle-aged man who spoke to Yang Kai just now had their own Divine Manifestations, the other two had yet to fully comprehend one.
The young man and the lovely woman exchanged glances as they both noticed the astonishment in each other’s eyes and simultaneously felt somewhat ashamed.
Unlike the two of them, this Sixth-Order Junior could cast a Divine Manifestation, which was simply unprecedented in their opinion.
Although Yang Kai didn’t say anything, his message was clear as he cast a quick glance at the middle-aged man who spoke to him earlier on. [Though I’m an Order lower than you, I’m not that weak. There’s no need for me to fall back.]
The middle-aged man instantly understood as he grinned, though his brow twitched slightly as he spoke, “Since that’s the case, do as you please. Just be careful, kid. On the battlefield, you can only rely on yourself, don’t count on anyone saving you if you find yourself in trouble.”
With that said, he re-focused his attention on his own battle.
Although the Great Sun eliminated a large number of enemies, the Black Ink Clans soon regrouped. These enemies, surrounded by Black Ink Strength, seemed almost inexhaustible.
Back near Blue Sky Pass’ defence line, Zhong Liang and Feng Ying strained their eyes as they scanned the battlefield.
As the Western Army Commander, Zhong Liang had issued an order to all the Battalions to search for Yang Kai, but due to the chaotic nature of the battlefield, the actual number of people who could seek out Yang Kai was quite limited.
As a result, Zhong Liang had gotten no useful information up to this point. He only knew that after Yang Kai escaped the Fourth Division Mountain Battalion, he flew off into the battlefield alone. Nobody knew his whereabouts now.
Suddenly, somewhere out on the battlefield several tens of thousands of kilometres away, a distinctive explosion of light occurred.
Zhong Liang’s expression changed as he immediately looked over.
He remembered the first time he saw Yang Kai casting Purifying Light on the battlefield; the bright and pure white light was a sight never before seen in this war.
With the eruption of that white light, the Black Ink Territory Lord who battled against Zhong Liang was badly injured and subsequently killed by Feng Ying.
Right now, what caught their eyes was not a pure white light though, but a dazzling orange-red light like a small Sun.
Zhong Liang felt both relieved and disappointed.
He was relieved that it wasn’t the Purifying Light as he was concerned that Yang Kai might reveal it again in the heat of battle. It would be too obvious that it could suppress the Black Ink Clan once that happened, and the leaders of the Black Ink Clan wouldn’t naturally not ignore such a threat, putting Yang Kai into a risky position.
However, he was disappointed as it didn’t provide any clues about Yang Kai’s whereabouts.
On the other hand, Feng Ying’s eyes lit up as she shouted, “Martial Uncle, over there!”
She pointed to where the little Sun erupted.
“That was created by Yang Kai?” Zhong Liang frowned.
“Golden Crow Casts the Sun! That’s his Divine Manifestation!” Feng Ying said, nodding.
“Divine Manifestation? He has a Divine Manifestation?”
“Although it is unbelievable, he does. I saw him use it once as we were making our way back here,” Feng Ying confirmed.
Due to this event, Feng Ying was able to locate Yang Kai, making it a stroke of luck in this chaotic battlefield.
Zhong Liang gaped, unsure what to say.
A Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master possessed a Divine Manifestation? This was something never heard of or seen before. What sort of Heaven-defying aptitude did it require for Yang Kai to possess a Divine Manifestation in the Sixth Order? But the words came from Feng Ying, so it shouldn’t be a mistake.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Zhong Liang raged.
[Well, you never asked…]
Everyone was drawn to Yang Kai’s Purifying Light when he arrived at Blue Sky Pass; they knew he had mastered the means of restraining Black Ink Strength and thus had great hopes for this method.
Who would have paid attention to Yang Kai’s own strengths and aptitude at that point?
Forget about if Yang Kai was a Heaven-defying talent, even if he was a mediocre individual, Purifying Light was all that was necessary to make him critical to the Human Race and someone who had to be protected at all cost.
“Adjutant!” Zhong Liang abruptly yelled.
A Seventh-Order Open Heaven young woman rushed over, cupped her fist, and shouted, “Sir!”
“What’s the situation with the Eastern, Northern, and Southern Armies?” Zhong Liang asked anxiously.
The woman quickly replied, “The Three Army Commanders have responded and agreed to cooperate with the operations here!”
“Good! It appears that they are also aware of the severity of the situation and will not be a hindrance,” Zhong Liang replied solemnly, “Pass down my order. With the reinforcements from the other three armies, we will launch a full offensive!”
The four armies of Blue Sky Pass were organised into four defensive lines. This was a traditional formation that had not changed in hundreds of thousands of years. There were of course instances where one Army would require help from another, but in general, each Army functioned separately in order to hold their own defence line and repel the Black Ink Clan.
This time, however, in order to save Yang Kai from the chaotic battlefield, Zhong Liang couldn’t care less. So, he notified Ding Yao, Liang Yu Long, and Shen Tu Mo to send some of their forces here to assist him so he could bring Yang Kai back.
The other Army Commanders were shocked when they heard the news. They cursed Yang Kai for being so foolish to sneak out to the battlefield. Worse, no one knew where he was, or even whether he was still alive or not.
Still, as the only user of Purifying Light, his existence was critical to the entire Blue Sky Pass and even the Human Race as a whole. He could not be allowed to die.
The other three Army Commanders severely reprimanded Zhong Liang as they responded to him, blaming him for his lack of supervision. They then immediately made adjustments to their forces to send a portion of them back to the Inner Sanctum so that they could rush from there to the Western Army defence line to rescue Yang Kai, who was on the Western Army’s battlefield.
This was the safest option; otherwise, it would be too tough for reinforcements from the three Armies to fight their way to the Western front.
There were always more than 30,000 people in Blue Sky Pass, and each army contained around 8,000 each. The size of the force was more than enough to deal with the Black Ink Clan’s siege, but as a result of the Army being split up, the battle at the other three fronts grew increasingly tense.
The three Army Commanders did not hesitate to send around 30% of their forces to provide reinforcements, which essentially doubled the amount of troops there were on the Western front.
These Masters, who had returned, were presently gathered in Blue Sky Pass’ main square. The mission was unknown to them, but each Division Commander had already been given instructions.
‘Do whatever it takes to locate Yang Kai on the battlefield and ensure that he is brought back safely!’
In the meantime, the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Armies all gave up on their advantages on the battlefield and pulled back to the area around Blue Sky Pass. By shrinking their outer perimeter, they ensured that even with fewer forces, they could hold the line, especially with the assistance of Blue Sky Pass’ own defensive armaments. However, this mission had to be completed quickly to avoid any accidents taking place.
The Black Ink Clan saw what happened, and the Territory Lords in charge of the Black Ink Clan Army were perplexed by this. They had no idea why the Human forces had abruptly reduced by so much; however, given this opportunity, they would undoubtedly make the most of it. In mere moments, Blue Sky Pass was tightly surrounded on three fronts.
As for the Western Army, Zhong Liang, who had already ascertained Yang Kai’s whereabouts, instantly killed his way out of the Inner Sanctum, directing Feng Ying in that direction.
But, as soon as Zhong Liang emerged, he was met by a Black Ink Clansman with a powerful aura. The tall and imposing figure was obviously a Territory Lord with immense Black Ink Strength.
Because Zhong Liang foresaw this scenario, he had borrowed men from the other three Armies.
The lethality and deterrent of Eighth-Order Masters was outstanding on the battlefield, so the Territory Lords would obviously not remain silent once such a Master appeared. Those with weaker cultivations would have no means to intervene in a battle between such powerhouses.
Similarly, the Eighth-Order Masters on the Human side would do the same once a Territory Lord was sent out by the Black Ink Clan. The two parties had essentially come to an unspoken agreement about such things after battling for so long.
“Go!” Zhong Liang commanded Feng Ying as he cast a gaze across the battlefield and fixed a glare on the Territory Lord who was heading in his direction.
Feng Ying nodded. Though she had killed a Territory Lord once before, that was only because that Territory Lord was already seriously exhausted and injured, and had been further wounded by Yang Kai’s Purifying Light. If she really encountered a Territory Lord herself, she would definitely not be his opponent. Furthermore, she had something more important to do, which was to bring Yang Kai back safely.
“Be careful, Martial Uncle!” Holding a razor-sharp sword, Feng Ying charged into the battle. From behind her came a powerful clash of power as Zhong Liang engaged the Territory Lord somewhere in the void.
As soon as the two Masters clashed, a radius of several thousand kilometres around them was evacuated as neither side dared to approach them. This was a battlefield solely for the two of them!
Warships and Masters surged towards the Black Ink Clan’s lines as a dozen Eighth-Order Masters also rushed out from behind the surging Western Army.
The Humans became increasingly aggressive, stunning the Black Ink Clan. For many months now, the Humans had been entirely on the defensive and never launched counter-attacks unless they had a decisive advantage.
This was certainly not the situation right now, though, so the Black Ink Clan were quite confused about the Human Master’s thinking.
The Black Ink Clan still responded swiftly when they noticed several Division Commanders being sent out against them. Territory Lords from the Blank Ink Clan’s rear appeared one after another to meet the enemy.
Eyes from the two sides of Great Experts clashed in the void, unleashing endless murderous intent.
Only a moment later, the Eighth-Order Division Commanders and the Territory Lords clashed. Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques bloomed, and the universe trembled as figures transformed into streams of light and surged towards one another.
However, the Human side was undoubtedly at a disadvantage due to the imbalance in the numbers, with some Division Commanders having to engage two Territory Lords at once. Zhong Liang experienced a similar situation. He was quickly met by a Territory Lord as soon as he stepped onto the battlefield, but it was not long before another Territory Lord emerged and joined the fight.
The Human side had always had a disadvantage when it came to numbers against the Black Ink Clan though, so all the Eighth-Order Masters had experienced fighting two enemies at once.
Deep into the battlefield, Yang Kai silently slaughtered enemies around him.
He came to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and for this reason, he deliberately made up an excuse to deceive Feng Ying and used others to sneak out of Blue Sky Pass.
However, when he arrived on the battlefield and became completely immersed in the fight, he had no time to ponder on his breakthrough. All he could do was focus and give it his all in battle.
He cooperated with the four Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters nearby and it was not long before the number of Blank Ink Clansmen that died at his hands became countless.
Initially, the old man was worried that Yang Kai couldn’t keep up with their pace and intensity, but as time passed, he surprisingly found that though Yang Kai was a mere Sixth-Order Master, his headcount was not lesser than theirs. Moreover, he seemed to have no trouble keeping up with and even coordinating with them.
They worked together as if they had been comrades for years.
This realization made the old man and others feel relieved, and soon they simply considered him another Seventh-Order Master.
Yang Kai, fighting on this battlefield, soon discovered a peculiarity. Under the premise of them being in the same realm, the average strength of a Black Ink Clansman was weaker than that of a Human Master.
Yang Kai, for instance, easily butchered many High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen that were equivalent to Sixth-Order Masters; however, none of these enemies was on par with the Sixth-Order Masters he knew.
In Void Land, there were plenty of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with varying depths of heritage. As a result, their strength varied greatly as well. Nevertheless, none of the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen here would be a match for even the weakest Sixth-Order Master in Void Land.
In fact, Yang Kai first became aware of this issue when he was following Feng Ying back to Blue Sky Pass; however, at the time, he paid little attention to it. Back then, before he could even take action, the majority of Black Ink Clansmen would be dealt with by Feng Ying and the others while he focused on saving Black Ink Disciples. Thus, at that time, he only at best cleaned up the leftovers.
Prior to that, Yang Kai had pretended to be a Black Ink Disciple for two years, so he had not fought any of them during that time.
It was only now that Yang Kai was able to confirm his original suspicions.
Even so, until now, he had only fought those below the Black Ink Feudal Lords, so he did not know whether this trend was consistent among the stronger Black Ink Clan Masters.
“Watch out, the Feudal Lords are going to launch an attack!” A cry was heard from the beautiful woman.
Yang Kai’s heart clenched upon hearing that. Wasn’t this the moment he had been looking for?
This was the first time he participated on the defensive side of the war between the two races, so he didn’t know much about the situation on the battlefield. On the other hand, the old man and his comrades were very clear that the higher ranking a Black Ink Clansman was, the less they cared about their lower clansmen’s life or death.
Every time the two races fought, the Black Ink Clan would send forth its weaker members to wear down the Human Army. Only after grinding down the Human’s strength would the real Masters from the Black Ink Clan show up in an attempt to catch the enemy off guard.
The old man and the others had been fighting for about two hours already, yet they had not encountered a single Feudal Lord during this time. It was clear what the enemy was up to.
As soon as the word came out, a figure suddenly rushed out from a dense Black Ink Cloud close to the old man.
The old man frowned before extending his hand and directly charging towards the approaching enemy.
The Feudal Lords, who had been hiding all this while, all took action simultaneously, emerging from the Black Ink Clouds to launch an ambush. The middle-aged man, young man, and beautiful woman were instantly pinned down. To top it all off, the middle-aged man was actually caught between two powerful enemies.
Several Feudal Lords rushed towards the warship and began bombarding it. However, the Humans had long gotten used to dealing with such tactics. Furthermore, warships were all refined with this exact situation in mind, so even without any High-Rank Master on board, with the aid of powerful defensive and offensive artifacts, the weaker Human Masters could still hold off such an assault.
The Black Ink Clan immediately became fiercely entangled with the Battalion, Yang Kai was accompanying.
Suddenly, a rather slender female Black Ink Clansman leapt out of a large group of enemies and sent a palm strike out at Yang Kai.
Caught off guard, Yang Kai was sent tumbling by this sudden attack. The next moment, he frowned as he realised that this female Black Ink Clansman was actually a Feudal Lord!
Apparently, she had hidden in the group of Black Ink Clansmen previously while concealing her strength, causing Yang Kai to not notice her until she struck.
The female Feudal Lord resembled a typical Human in terms of her physical form. She even wore revealing clothing, and the black lines that covered her exposed flesh gave her entire figure a bewitching appearance.
She glanced at Yang Kai with cold eyes and was surprised that he survived her sudden assassination attempt.
Since the two races had been at war for so long, they had a fair understanding of each other’s strengths. While she was hiding in the Black Ink Clan Army, she noticed that Yang Kai was only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, whereas she was a Feudal Lord on par with a Seventh-Order Human Master. It didn’t make sense that he had survived her sneak attack.
However, she soon began to giggle, her long, crimson, forked snake-like tongue licking her lips seductively.
Her figure then flickered and transformed into a black cloud of smoke.
Yang Kai’s heart clenched as he instinctively thrust his spear forward.
Subsequently, the figure of the female Feudal Lord was revealed, avoiding the deadly spear and appearing directly to his left. She patted him lightly with her seemingly soft little hand, but her palm strike contained a Heaven-destroying, Earth-shattering power.
Yang Kai just barely managed to block the blow with his spear.
*Hong hong hong..*
Yang Kai countered three successive palms but was forced to retreat several hundred metres before somehow stabilizing himself. At that moment, he could feel the vitality in his chest roiling and fresh blood threatened to leak from his lips. With nothing more than stubborn will, he forcefully choked back down the metallic liquid.
The female Feudal Lord was now genuinely stunned, to the point where she didn’t use this opening to kill Yang Kai. Rather, she gasped slightly as she stared at him.
[This Human seems different from the others. He’s clearly in the Sixth-Order, but he’s considerably stronger than any other Sixth-Order Human I’ve killed before.]
On the opposite side, Yang Kai brandished his spear, sweeping clean all the Blank Ink Clansman that were charging towards him, reducing them to a cloud Blank Ink Strength. He then aimed his spear at the female Feudal Lord and smirked, “You really are quite weak.”
He had now confirmed his earlier hypothesis. Under the premise that they were in the same relative realm, the Black Ink Clan Masters were indeed weaker than their Human counterparts. Yang Kai had not been certain about this before; after all, he had not faced a Feudal Lord alone before now. It was only after he traded blows with this female Feudal Lord that he was able to verify his speculations.
It was also at this moment that Yang Kai figured out why this odd dichotomy was.
In order to reach the Open Heaven Realm, Humans needed to cultivate for a very long time. There were no shortcuts to this process, even if the person wanted to only make an initial breakthrough to the First Order. What’s more, after reaching the Open Heaven Realm, it required a lot of time and effort to advance to the next Order; therefore, no matter which Order a Human Master was in, their foundation and heritage would be much stronger compared to those from the Black Ink Clan, whose cultivation was fundamentally different. The Black Ink Clan were born from the Black Ink Nests, and their advancement also depended on it. As a result, while they needed less time to develop than Human Masters, their strength was not acquired through personal effort and comprehension, thus it was not as refined.
Unfortunately, Black Ink Strength was incredibly corrosive and a strong deterrent to Humans, restricting them in combat to a great extent, which compensated for the Black Ink Clan’s lack of raw strength.
In that sense, even if there was a one-on-one battle between a Feudal Lord and a Seventh-Order Master, it was impossible to predict who would prevail.
Of course, this was all before Yang Kai appeared.
With his arrival, the Humans possessed the means necessary to purify and disperse Black Ink Strength; thus, it no longer posed as much of a threat to them. It didn’t matter if their Small Universe got unintentionally contaminated as long as they weren’t fully corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. They simply had to return to a Purifying Black Ink Battleship before losing themselves entirely, and the issue would be instantly resolved.
This was also the reason why Zhong Liang and the other Army Commanders put so much importance on Yang Kai’s existence, to the point that they actually re-assigned thousands of Masters just to rescue him and bring him back from the battlefield.
In addition to boosting morale, the ability to purify and dispel Black Ink Strength also increased the battle efficiency of the Human Army, enabling them to go all out without fear.
Regardless, a Feudal Lord was still a Feudal Lord, a Master on par with a Seventh-Order Human. Yang Kai would never lower his guard against such an opponent.
Although his words were provocative, his expression remained solemn.
The provocation proved to be successful. Possibly as a result of her own attack failing twice, the female Feudal Lord was completely furious. Not only did she fail to kill Yang Kai, but there weren’t even any signs she had been able to seriously injure him. She immediately let out a piercing scream and rushed towards him.
The Feudal Lord released a massive cloud of Black Ink Strength, which was so dense it instantly turned into a gigantic Blank Ink Cloud, engulfing Yang Kai inside of it.
She now believed it would be too kind to simply kill this arrogant Human who was looking down on her despite being weaker. Thus, she made the decision to turn him into her own Black Ink Disciple, so she could torture him for a long time to come.
Deep inside the Black Ink Cloud, Yang Kai put on a guileful expression as he instantly understood his enemy’s plan. Unfortunately for her, she had chosen the wrong target.
The female Feudal Lord swam freely through the Black Ink Cloud, believing Yang Kai must be feeling flustered as all Humans so far would struggle to perform well in such a situation.
She didn’t assault Yang Kai immediately; instead, she wanted to enjoy the misery of her enemy, a rare interest she had on the battlefield.
To her astonishment though, what came next was a sharp flying blade. This attack shocked the female Feudal Lord, who quickly dodged to the side as soon as she sensed it approaching.
Followed by a slight pain in the cheek, where it had been injured by the attack, black blood stained the palm of her hand as she reached up to wipe it.
The female Feudal Lord was truly incensed now. How could she have allowed such a weakling to injure her? Unfortunately, the next moment, her fury turned to panic as a storm of attacks flew at her incessantly.
Realizing she had greatly underestimated her opponent, the female Feudal Lord knew that dodging here would only cause her to fall into a disadvantage, losing any opportunity to counterattack.
With no other choice, she clenched her teeth and hurled herself at her attacker, sending out a flurry of palm strikes to meet the enemy head-on.
The Black Ink Cloud roiled turbulently as violent energy fluctuations and deafening rumbling sounds continuously erupted from it.
Yang Kai pushed his Supreme Limitless Spear Art without restraint. Every thrust, sweep, and slash carried with them the essence of his lifetime of cultivation.
Likewise, the female Feudal Lord refused to back down. She found Yang Kai’s behaviour irritating, and she wished for nothing more than to make him submit before her.
Inside the dense Blank Ink Cloud, the pair engaged in a deadly melee.
At some point, Yang Kai was sent tumbling, his eyes reddening as he panted hard and stared at the hazy figure in front of him. His clothes were shredded and fresh blood was dripping from hundreds of wounds that covered his body. Even his face was stained with golden blood, showing how mercilessly he had fought.
The female Feudal Lord’s palms were not her real weapons. After engaging several hundred blows with her, Yang Kai had deeply understood that it was actually her razor-sharp claws that she was using to deal damage. Her nails were so hard and sharp that it really made him wonder how she cultivated them.
At that same time, her claws were imbued with dense Black Ink Strength that acted like a kind of poison. Whenever he was wounded, Black Ink Strength would seep into his body.
If a normal cultivator suffered such injuries, they would quickly be corrupted by Black Ink Strength and degenerate into a Blank Ink Disciple.
Of course, Yang Kai had no such worries. He had a World Spring in his Small Universe that could perfectly suppress and seal Black Ink Strength, making him practically immune to its corrosive effects.
The battle between the two had only lasted a dozen breaths or so, yet Yang Kai was already looking quite ragged.
He wasn’t the only one struggling though, as the female Feudal Lord was not feeling much better than him. She had underestimated Yang Kai’s strength greatly and had fallen into an unfavourable position. Despite the fact that she made a concerted effort to regain control of the battle, the Azure Dragon Spear had left its mark on her, especially on her lower abdomen where the spear had almost pierced right through her, drawing a thick stream of black blood from a grievous wound.
Her clothes, which were originally quite revealing, were now completely torn, leaving her practically naked.
Still, she licked the fresh blood from her lips with her long tongue and glared at Yang Kai with hatred in her eyes. Wiping her hand across the wound on her abdomen, she snarled, “Just you wait, once you’re my Black Ink Disciple, I will make you beg for dea…”
From the thick black cloud, a fist suddenly emerged in front of her eyes and slammed hard into her pretty face. The female Feudal Lord instantly felt as though she had been hit by the entire Universe World, as the immense force sent her flying.
“You talk too much!” Yang Kai ripped off his torn shirt and revealed his chiselled muscles. As he stretched himself slightly, his body made a cracking sound, after which all the cuts he suffered stopped bleeding and closed up.
Contrastingly, flashes of golden stars appeared before the female Feudal Lord’s eyes. That punch left her in a bad state as she felt her nose being broken and tears were now streaming down her face.
If it had been a weaker Black Ink Clansman who took that punch, their head would have exploded on the spot.
Fortunately for her, she had responded quickly when she realised something was off and condensed her Black Ink Strength to defend herself. Even so, she had been badly injured.
The power of that punch genuinely frightened her.
What was more unbelievable was the fact that her Black Ink Strength didn’t seem to have any effect on Yang Kai at all. Forget about corrupting him, he didn’t even seem to notice its existence at all.
Somehow managing to stabilize herself inside the Black Ink Cloud, she gasped to steady herself.
The hazy figure in front of her quickly approached though, as a menacing voice rang in her ears, “Come! This fight is just getting started! I won’t take advantage of you, so bring out all your skills! Today, either you die, or I perish!”
The female Feudal Lord’s brow furiously twitched and she involuntarily took a step backwards. Her instincts were telling her to turn around and flee, but what face would she have left if she really did that? She was only facing a Sixth-Order Human Master, if she ran from such an opponent, she wouldn’t have a place in the Black Ink Clan in the future.
The female Feudal Lord quickly realised what Yang Kai meant when he said that he ‘wouldn’t take advantage of her’.
He actually put away his artifact and then leapt towards her, throwing out his fists as he flew.
She dodged the attack by diving to the side as rage began surging within her. She was even angrier now that she was being looked down upon and mocked by a mere Sixth-Order Human. With a fierce cry, Blank Ink Strength erupted from her and she assailed Yang Kai, her razor-sharp claws serving as her weapons as she slashed wildly.
Ignoring her attack entirely, Yang Kai raised his fist and punched out, engaging in a deadly melee.
*Hong Hong Hong…*
Black and golden blood splattered out. The pair even began coughing up blood onto each other’s faces as their bodies trembled fiercely.
In just a short time, the female Feudal Lord’s ferocity was quickly dulled, as the momentum she had collapsed.
She hadn’t met a Human like this before. Everyone in the Human Race had viewed death slightly differently in critical situations and there were indeed times when her enemies would choose to drag Black Ink Clansman down with them in death. However, Yang Kai was the first Human she had encountered who was so vicious.
[How is he Human? He’s more like a ravenous beast!]
What made her even more terrified was that the erosion of Black Ink Strength seemed to have no effect on him. Even with the help of her sharp claws, there was no evidence of Black Ink Strength corrupting him.
She was quite hopeful that it would still take effect. If it did, she could take him down with ease once her Black Ink Strength had completely corrupted him. She might even be able to obtain a powerful new Black Ink Disciple. It had to be noted that capturing a Black Ink Disciple on the battlefield was something to be proud of in the Black Ink Clan. However, even now, this man’s consciousness remained crystal clear.
Not only that, the power from each of his punches was heavier than the previous one. There were no signs of him weakening at all.
She was well-versed in regards to Humans and was aware that their Small Universes served as a foundation of their cultivation. If the Small Universe was disrupted, it would affect their strength.
Logically speaking, after all these violent clashes, Yang Kai’s combat ability should have been reduced.
But it was the complete opposite for him!
Additionally, close combat was not her forte.
The dreadful thought that she would perish at the hands of this strange Human slowly crept into the female Feudal Lord’s mind. She was terrified when this notion crossed her thoughts, and she seriously considered fleeing.
After another clash, the female Feudal Lord suddenly tried to shake off Yang Kai and retreat.
“Want to run?” Yang Kai glared fiercely. He did not immediately chase after her, but rather his body shook and the Void stretched infinitely as Space Principles surged.
Near Distant Horizon!
The female Feudal Lord was shocked to discover that no matter how hard she tried to escape, she was unable to move away from Yang Kai due to some strange power engulfing her.
[What is this Secret Technique?!] Despite the fact that she had no idea what the mystery of this Secret Technique was, her fingers were moving as swiftly as the wind, and she immediately broke free of its restraints by disrupting the space around her.
In the end, she was still stronger than Yang Kai in terms of realms; thus, Near Distant Horizon couldn’t trap her for long.
But thanks to this moment of delay, Yang Kai successfully caught up to her, and the fierce battle continued.
Outside, on the battlefield, Feng Ying wielded her long sword. She was one of the strongest Seventh-Order Masters in Blue Sky Pass, so no one other than a Black Ink Territory Lord could stop her.
All around her, Sword Qi flashed as Blank Ink Clansmen died before Feng Ying even approached them. Even a Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord could hardly resist three strikes from her sword. They could either flee or fight on knowing they would die.
She had not used her Divine Manifestation, but if she did her strength would only increase further.
Feng Ying once killed a Territory Lord, even if she did so with Yang Kai’s assistance, so it was clear she had an incredibly strong heritage.
She kept moving forward, with many allies helping her clear the way, and eventually reached the front lines of the battle. At the spot where Golden Crow Casts the Sun had previously erupted, she turned around and looked in all directions. Her Divine Sense surged, but she was unable to locate Yang Kai at all.
Her face suddenly sank. Could it be that she was too late and Yang Kai had already been killed?
Two Feudal Lords were besieging a Seventh-Order Master nearby, and he was in danger of dying at any moment. Even though Humans were somewhat stronger than those from the Black Ink Clan in the same Realm, two fists could not block four strikes. Once two Feudal Lords joined forces, most Seventh-Order Masters would not be their opponent.
Slashing out with her sword, Feng Ying struck the two Feudal Lords and forced them to retreat temporarily.
“Have you seen Yang Kai?” She urgently questioned, grabbing the collar of the Seventh-Order Master before he re-engaged the two Feudal Lords.
The old man who was caught by her, was stunned and asked, “Who’s Yang Kai?”
Suddenly, Feng Ying remembered that not everyone knew who Yang Kai was, or what he looked like. She realised that she might not be able to learn anything by asking this question, so she instantly changed the question to, “Have you seen a strange Sixth-Order youth?”
“You’re looking for him?” The elderly man instantly knew who she was referring to.
This old man was one of the four Masters that Yang Kai had been cooperating with before. There were innumerable Sixth-Order youths on the battlefield, but Feng Ying must have her reason for asking, so the old man recalled a certain Sixth-Order Master right away.
“Where is he?” Feng Ying was nervous about the response she would receive; she was afraid the answer was not what she wanted to hear.
The old man’s expression suddenly darkened, and he pointed to a specific area, saying, “In there, dealing with a Feudal Lord.”
Looking in the direction he was pointing, Feng Ying noticed a sizable gathering of Black Ink Clouds.
Feng Ying’s heart clenched.
“That brat was very strong, but unfortunately…” The old man let out a small sigh. He would have liked to look after Yang Kai on the battlefield if it were possible, but unfortunately, he was entirely preoccupied with dealing with the two Feudal Lords who surrounded him and couldn’t render any aid.
The old man didn’t know how Feng Ying was related to Yang Kai, so he simply blurted out, “My condolence!”
He was almost positive that the Feudal Lord had already killed the boy; after all, even if it was him, his fate would not be pleasant if he were to fight inside those Black Ink Clouds.
“He won’t die so easily!” Feng Ying gritted her teeth. She had witnessed Yang Kai’s abilities. What’s more, Yang Kai still had a World Spring, and would not be corrupted by Black Ink Strength. He could even transform into a Grand Dragon…
But she was also aware that Yang Kai would not simply transform into his Grand Dragon Form even if his life was in danger solely because he entered the battlefield this time to seek an opportunity to break through. Transforming into a Grand Dragon simply meant he failed to accomplish his goal.
Feng Ying sped towards the Black Ink Cloud as soon as the words were spoken.
The very next moment though, a sudden change occurred.
Two entwined figures suddenly burst out of an enormous Black Ink Cloud. The two were so close to each other, it was as if they were one person. The murderous aura emanating from the two figures made one’s blood run cold.
Feng Ying’s eyes lit up as soon as she recognized that one of the figures was Yang Kai.
[He’s still alive! He can still be saved!] Just when Feng Ying prepared to rush to his rescue, she stopped abruptly, her expression odd.
The old man was also shocked when he looked over.
It was the previous female Feudal Lord who was entangled with Yang Kai, with his arms tightly encircled around her body like chains.
This was only possibly because her figure was quite small. If she was like most Black Ink Clansmen, Yang Kai wouldn’t be able to use his arms to tie her up like this.
It was possible to imagine the intensity of the power of Yang Kai’s physique as fresh blood continued to spew forth from the mouth of the female Feudal Lord. The bones in her upper body had been crushed, and it was clear that her chest had caved in slightly. Her pain was visible in the twisted expression on her face.
Yang Kai’s shirt was gone, leaving him half-naked, while the female Feudal Lord was also almost completely naked in her shredded clothing.
Feng Ying and the elderly man were at a loss for words as they observed this scene.
Naturally, this had not been part of Yang Kai’s original plan, it was just that the female Feudal Lord was constantly trying to escape. Even though he once used Near Distant Horizon to stop her, he might not be able to do so if she tried again.
In order to prevent his opponent from fleeing, Yang Kai had to resort to this.
Although his cultivation was one Minor Realm lower than his opponent, the ferocity of Yang Kai’s strength was enough to battle against this female Feudal Lord. As she was struggling to escape, more of her bones broke and stabbed into her organs, causing her immense pain.
With her life on the line, she held nothing back, but because she was unable to use her arms as they were currently bound, she used her knees to kick and struggle against Yang Kai’s lower half. Fortunately, Yang Kai was prepared for this as well, and as a result, he managed to wrap his legs around hers and lock them in place. It was this scene that appeared in front of Feng Ying and the others.
Yang Kai unleashed a vicious headbutt, causing him to see stars while knocking the female Feudal Lord’s head back. A large bump even formed on Yang Kai’s forehead as a result, but he couldn’t care less at the moment. The female Feudal Lord, of course, didn’t just lay there waiting for death and fought back with everything she had. The sound of their battle echoed all around.
All the Open Heaven Realm Masters gasped when they saw this scene. It was the first time they had witnessed such a scene even after fighting against the Black Ink Clan for so long. Yang Kai’s brutality was simply shocking.
[Where did this guy come from…]
Predicting that Yang Kai was going to headbutt her again, the female Feudal Lord stretched her slender neck, resulting in his attack missing its mark.
The next instant, her stretched-out head abruptly bounced back. Her cherry lips parted to reveal the fangs in the corners of her mouth as she bit towards the nearest exposed target.
Feng Ying had come to help immediately after recognizing Yang Kai’s figure, but she was too late, as she had to witness the female Feudal Lord’s teeth sinking into Yang Kai’s neck with her own eyes.
Feng Ying’s heart nearly stopped at that precise moment.
If Yang Kai died here, it would be an immeasurable loss to the entire Human Race. Even though she wanted to aid him, Yang Kai and the female Feudal Master were literally entangled with each other, so she did not dare to simply intervene; all she could do was move close and prepare to assist at a moment’s notice.
Suddenly, a resounding Dragon Roar sounded through the void, and before Feng Ying’s eyes, Yang Kai, who had been bitten by the female Feudal Lord, unleashed the power of his Dragon Vein. His head shook and transformed into a Grand Dragon’s head, with sharp horns and a flowing beard.
Although his head turned into that of a Dragon, his body remained Human, giving him a very strange appearance.
The Dragon Head turned in a swift movement, opened its giant maw, and bit brutally into the female Feudal Lord’s slender neck, letting her get a taste of her own medicine!
Feng Ying’s face twitched when she saw this strange scene. Yang Kai and the female Feudal Lord seemed to be hugging, with their heads pressed against each other’s necks, like a pair of passionate lovers. Of course, the murderous intent that radiated from them made it clear that they wanted nothing more than to kill one another.
Dragon Roars and piercing screams sounded continuously, as fresh blood spewed everywhere.
Shortly after, the Dragon Head suddenly pulled back, and the female Feudal Lord’s head was ripped clean off. A bewildered and incredulous expression hung on her face as her vitality swiftly dissipated.
Fresh black blood poured out like a fountain from the place where her head had been torn off.
Meanwhile, the Dragon’s jaw crunched hard, while the body previously imprisoned in Yang Kai’s arms was burst by a violent force.
Yang Kai raised his head to the sky after spitting out the filth in his mouth and roared.
On the chaotic battlefield, his figure terrified numerous Black Ink Clansmen; none daring to approach him.
The battle with the female Feudal Lord was truly dangerous, but his enemy had looked down on him too much, allowing Yang Kai to gain a decisive advantage. The female Feudal Lord tried her hardest to reverse the situation, but in such close quarters, her options were severely limited. In the end, she eventually lost and died in battle.
The next moment, Yang Kai felt someone rushing at him and instinctually threw out his fist.
Feng Ying became pale in shock and immediately flourished her sword to deflect the punch while at the same time shouting, “Yang Kai!”
Upon hearing his name, Yang Kai brought his fist back and locked eyes with the person approaching from behind. His blood-red eyes flashed, and his violent impulses finally began to subside. He then nodded to Feng Ying, and the massive Dragon Head returned to its original form.
Feng Ying took a deep breath as she looked down at his neck. A bite wound on Yang Kai’s neck was vivid and clear. A deep gash that made it a fair way through his neck demonstrated just how much strength the female Feudal Lord used at the very end. If Yang Kai hadn’t reacted quickly enough, Feng Ying might actually have had to collect his corpse.
Nevertheless, fortune had favoured him. Yang Kai appeared to be seriously injured, but such a wound was actually not a major issue to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
“Have you come to your senses?” Feng Ying inquired.
Killing a Black Ink Feudal Lord all on his own was a major accomplishment for a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but Feng Ying felt that in that life-or-death battle, Yang Kai had completely lost track of his surroundings and given in to his battle instincts; otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried to punch her when she approached him.
Yang Kai nodded in response, feeling a little guilty.
“Army Commander Zhong has ordered you to immediately return to the Inner Sanctum!” Feng Ying remarked.
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed, “I’m part of the Human Race too!” The connotation was he wanted to contribute on the battlefield between the two races.
Feng Ying gritted her teeth as she solemnly warned, “On the battlefield, orders are absolute. Yang Kai, don’t make things difficult for me!”
She came here to get Yang Kai to return. Even though she knew exactly why he had come to this battlefield, a breakthrough to the Seventh Order was something that should not be rushed. His safety was of utmost importance. Feng Ying really didn’t know what she should do if Yang Kai insisted on not returning. She couldn’t force him to obey, could she?
“Martial Aunt, I’m not officially a member of Blue Sky Pass, so the Army Commander’s orders can’t restrain me,” Yang Kai grinned.
When she heard those words, Feng Ying was taken aback. Yang Kai was indeed not registered in Blue Sky Pass. Although he had been there for some time, with the ongoing war and the vital role he had to play, there was simply no time for Yang Kai to officially register himself, let alone be assigned a position in one of the Armies.
Feng Ying couldn’t argue either if he insisted on using this reasoning.
In a daze, Yang Kai dashed away, heading straight towards the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords who were still battling it out nearby.
Feng Yin hurriedly chased after him, advising him bitterly as she travelled side by side with him, “Yang Kai, consider the big picture.”
“I’m just a Sixth-Order Junior. I don’t know what ‘big picture’ you’re talking about. All I know is that the Black Ink Clan is here, and that agitates me,” Yang Kai replied nonchalantly.
As the words fell, the pair had already closed in on a Black Ink Feudal Lord.
This Feudal Lord, along with another comrade, was originally fighting the old man, but he was now diverted away by Yang Kai, which immediately eased the pressure on the elderly man.
Seeing how stubborn Yang Kai was acting, and realizing that this chaotic battlefield was not a suitable place to convince him, Feng Ying clenched her teeth, drew her fingers across her blade, and shouted, “Myriad Swords Dragon!”
With a loud clatter, thousands of sword waves emerged behind her. These sword waves were so dense that they were practically solid, with sharp Sword Qi emanating from them. The sword waves quickly gathered towards her, forming the body of a 1,000-metre-long Sword Dragon. As for Feng Ying herself, she was perfectly hidden inside the head of the Sword Dragon.
The Dragon roared, and it shot directly towards the direction of Yang Kai and the Feudal Lord.
When he saw this, the Feudal Lord, who was fighting against Yang Kai, became pale with fright. The Black Ink Clan was well-versed in their enemy’s tactics and abilities, so, at a glance, he recognised the Myriad Swords Dragon as a Human Master’s Divine Manifestation. How would he have the audacity to take it head-on?
Immediately, he tried to flee, but how could Yang Kai allow that? Immediately, Space Principles flared and shackled the Feudal Lord in place.
Frozen for an instant, the Feudal Lord watched helplessly as the Sword Dragon opened its terrifying maw and devoured him in one gulp.
Yang Kai was also devoured by the Sword Dragon along with the Feudal Lord as he was just too close for Feng Ying’s attack to succeed without avoiding him, not that she planned to either.
Once Yang Kai entered the Sword Dragon’s belly, he vividly felt the deadly murderous intent and the rich Sword Qi around him, but he remained unharmed.
On the contrary, the Feudal Lord, who had been devoured by Feng Ying’s Sword Dragon too, cried out ceaselessly as his body was viscously cut to pieces.
A short while later, the aura of the Feudal Lord disappeared, indicating that Feng Ying had killed him; even so, she had no intention of letting Yang Kai out. The massive Sword Dragon turned around and began rushing back towards Blue Sky Pass.
If Yang Kai refused to return to Blue Sky Pass, she would just capture him and bring him back herself.
However, just as she turned to leave, Feng Ying’s expression changed. This was because Yang Kai was thrashing around inside the Sword Dragon’s belly, attempting to break free.
Yang Kai was rapidly covered in wounds despite Feng Ying’s best efforts to restrict her Sword Qi. He clearly has no intention of compromising. His relentless efforts proved how he would not stop until he escaped or she allowed him to leave.
Feng Ying felt like stomping her foot in frustration. Of course, she could lock Yang Kai in the Sword Dragon, but doing so would only result in a lose-lose situation.
After some thought, the Myriad Swords Dragon opened an exit, and Yang Kai emerged outside in an instant.
“Smelly brat, what do you think you’re doing?” Feng Ying raged.
“We collaborated quite well just now, how about we join forces to kill some enemies?” Grinned Yang Kai as blood dripped from his wounds.
“You want to join forces with me?”
“I have the power to restrict the enemy’s movements, and you have the power to eliminate them. We complement each other perfectly!”
Feng Ying’s thoughts shifted as she looked at him from top to bottom, “Is that your only intention?”
Yang Kai replied nonchalantly, “You’re here already. What other intentions can I have?”
Seeing his sincerity, Feng Ying nodded slightly, “I hope that’s the case.”
Forcing Yang Kai to return was basically impossible, so she would have no other option but to guard him since he insisted on staying on the battlefield. Rather than just being by his side guarding him though, it was preferable to work with him to eliminate some enemies. As Yang Kai stated, the restrictive abilities of Space Principles was extremely useful, and the power of the Myriad Swords Dragon was overwhelming. With the two of them joining forces, only a Territory Lord would be able to stop them.
Of course, Feng Ying also had made other considerations before agreeing to Yang Kai.
Seeing how Yang Kai was acting, he seemed to have given up on his original purpose of coming to the Black Ink Battlefield.
The purpose of sneaking out was undoubtedly to grasp the opportunity to break through while treading the fine line between life and death. However, the atmosphere of the battlefield had influenced him, causing him to fully immerse himself in it, seeking the blood of the enemy wholeheartedly. This caused him to change his priorities.
Thinking about it logically, Feng Ying felt that agreeing with Yang Kai to join forces was her best option, as it would allow her to guard him as closely as possible.
However, if this was done, Yang Kai’s chance to advance to the Seventh Order by risking his life in battle would be lost.
It was impossible to put Yang Kai in danger with her protection unless a Territory Lord came after them, but all the Territory Lords were tied up dealing with the Eighth-Order Masters.
That was why Yang Kai said that he had no other intentions now that the situation had reached this point. There was no way to carry out his initial goal even if he wanted to. With a Seventh-Order Master like Feng Ying constantly protecting him, there would be no chance for him to experience any near-death situations.
The instant Feng Ying nodded, Yang Kai bolted and stood atop the Sword Dragon’s Head.
The Sword Dragon shook its head and flicked its tail, crashing into the nearby Black Ink Clan Army. Wherever it passed, a reign of chaos descended. The pair had a clear target, the Black Ink Feudal Lords. The other Black Ink Clansmen they killed along the way were nothing more than a bonus.
A moment later, the Sword Dragon dashed to the vicinity of the nearby warship, which was currently under siege by two Feudal Lords. Thankfully, the warship was a carefully refined artifact, so its protective shields were very powerful. Not to mention, there were many Human Masters on board, so even if they were besieged by two Feudal Lords, they could deal with them for some time and even spare some attention to thin out the surrounding Black Ink Clansmen.
Before the Sword Dragon could reach them, the two Feudal Lords had already noticed it, so one of the massive Feudal Lords came forward, attempting to intercept it.
He moved swiftly, but all of a sudden, a figure mysteriously appeared in front of his eyes and obstructed his path.
While the Feudal Lord was slightly taken aback, Yang Kai had already taken action, using Space Principles to lock the surrounding space.
As soon as the Feudal Lord’s huge figure froze, the Sword Dragon opened its terrifying maw and devoured him, killing him soon after.
Elsewhere, the defence lines of the three Eastern, Southern, and Northern Armies shrank as they retreated towards Blue Sky Pass under the onslaught of the Black Ink Clan Army.
This couldn’t be helped. Originally, the three Armies were still holding their ground and even had some small advantages over the Black Ink Clan.
However, Zhong Liang had to put down his dignity and ask for assistance from the other three Armies to bring Yang Kai, who snuck out of Blue Sky Pass, back. The three Army Commanders, Ding Yao, Liang Yu Long, and Shen Tu Mao, knew the importance of Yang Kai, so without hesitation, they sent a portion of their Armies to assist.
Thus, the three Armies could now only switch to a defensive stance, or their lines would collapse.
After the division of the Armies, the defending Open Heaven Masters became immensely agitated. The majority were unaware of what had occurred, they simply knew there were fewer allies on their side and they had to pull back in order to withstand the Black Ink Clan’s vicious assault.
But this kind of deployment couldn’t last for long as the defence lines were at risk of being breached. Once that happened, the Black Ink Clan Army would be able to directly assault Blue Sky Pass. Though it would still be hard to conquer the great pass, casualties would be unavoidable, and if that happened, the foundation of the entire Human Race’s position would be in danger.
The three Army Commander’s expressions darkened. Inside, they were cursing Yang Kai for being so reckless and willful. This battlefield was not a place where one could simply act as they wished. If they managed to bring him back to the Inner Sanctum afterwards, they would strictly monitor him to ensure he never snuck out to the battlefield again.
Approximately 30% of the three Armies immediately retreated back to Blue Sky Pass and gathered in the central square. Then, they quickly raced to the Western Army’s defence line.
Some 7,000 Open Heaven Realm Masters drew their artifacts and began their attack on the Black Ink Clan.
In an instant, the Black Ink Clan was overwhelmed.
On the Western front, the Black Ink Clan was initially on par with the Western Army; however, the sudden influx of reinforcements was like an entire additional Human Army had appeared. How could the Blank Ink Clan deal with this? One after another, Feudal Lords were killed and even some Territory Lords began to falter. The Western Black Ink Army descended into chaos, and the Humans took advantage of the situation to slaughter as many as they could. They would definitely not pass up this chance to deal damage to the enemy.
On the Western defence line, having at some point disengaged from the Territory Lord he was previously battling, Zhong Liang stood, peering out at the situation.
He had already received a message from Feng Ying, who was on the battlefield. Despite the fact that the battlefield was chaotic and deadly, taking some time to deliver a message was not at all a problem.
Yang Kai had been located, but as he refused to return, Feng Ying could not force him back; moreover, the location they were at was already at the forefront of the battlefield where they could come face-to-face with Black Ink Clan Masters at any time. Any negligence could result in disastrous consequences.
Feng Ying also said that Yang Kai had given up his intention of achieving a breakthrough, and was now cooperating with her to kill the enemy. Their efforts had proved fruitful already.
She proceeded to send out a message asking whether they should continue to kill or convince Yang Kai to return.
Zhong Liang frowned. Yang Kai had obviously given up his intention to break through, and Feng Ying was protecting him. What’s more, the brat had a World Spring, so there was no risk of him being corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Under such circumstances, being out on the battlefield was not too dangerous.
After all, all the Territory Lords in the Western region were being dealt with by the Eighth-Order Masters. As long as no Territory Lord took action against them, Feng Ying and Yang Kai would be able to defend themselves.
But there were also all the what-if situations. What if both of them accidentally fell into the trap and got surrounded by the enemy? Two fists couldn’t block four strikes.
Yang Kai’s existence was just too vital to be jeopardised. So, after some thought, Zhong Liang responded, urging Feng Ying to convince Yang Kai to return to Blue Sky Pass no matter what. Even if it required her to break his arms and legs to bring him back, it had to be done.
Feng Ying replied less than an incense stick later, stating that persuasion failed. Yang Kai insisted on remaining on the battlefield to contribute and indicated that if Feng Ying forced him, he would immediately escape from her sight, which Yang Kai had proven he was capable of by using Space Principles right in front of her.
Feng Ying continued to report that although she was definitely stronger than him, if he really had the intention of escaping, she couldn’t stop him.
“That little bastard!” Zhong Liang cursed, [This brat is too stubborn! Does he not know how important he is!?]
He couldn’t be persuaded to return, so all they could do was force the battle to end as quickly as possible so Yang Kai would have no choice but to withdraw. Zhong Liang immediately sent orders to the Division Commanders to fight harder and either kill the Territory Lords or force them to retreat.
It was only by doing this that the battle would end and Yang Kai would be forced to return, even if he didn’t want to.
The current force on the Western side was nearly equal to two full Armies, which proved too much for the Black Ink Clan. With every breath, large numbers of Black Ink Clansmen were slaughtered, and the sounds of Masters dying emerged one after the other on the battlefield.
After half a day, the Western Black Ink Army had been forced back almost 100,000 kilometres. The Human Masters were constantly pressuring them and continuing to slaughter them mercilessly.
Suddenly, Zhong Liang’s female adjutant approached, cupped her fist, and said, “Sir.”
“Speak!” Zhong Liang had been studying the flow of the battle and estimated it would only take another half a day to clear the Western Army’s front. By that time, he could call it a day and withdraw the army.
“The other three Armies have urged us to act quickly and return their manpower as they are on the verge of being defeated.”
Zhong Liang turned his head in shock and asked, “So quickly?”
He had borrowed troops from the three armies, and knew that such an action would have consequences; after all, the four sides of Blue Sky Pass were only holding fast rather than advancing before now. Withdrawing 30% of the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Armies would undoubtedly put a heavy strain on them. While the Western Army had an overwhelming advantage, the other three armies would have to pay a steep price. However, Zhong Liang didn’t expect the situation to become so bad so quickly. He believed it would be a simple matter for the three other armies to maintain their lines for a couple of days at least.
Contrary to his expectations, only half a day had gone by before this scenario played out.
The adjutant then replied, “The Black Ink Clan have seemingly gone mad. They are ignoring the costs and assaulting the three armies without regard for their casualties.”
Zhong Liang’s brow furrowed. The Black Ink Clan was acting unusual, but he couldn’t figure out why, so he didn’t think too hard before he ordered, “Send them this message, tell them to hold for half a day more no matter what; after that, I will go there in person to assist them!”
The adjutant nodded and quickly carried out her orders.
On the Northern, Southern, and Eastern defence lines, Ding Yao, Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo received Zhong Liang’s reply. The first thing they did was curse Zhong Liang for not supervising Yang Kai properly and allowing this mess to happen in the first place, but immediately after, they reorganized their lines to assume a complete defensive posture, ceasing all attempts to counterattack the enemy. The Army Commanders even set out personally to battle against the Territory Lords in order to buy more time for the Western Army.
The fact that the three Army Commanders battled in person was inspiring to the Human Masters, and the Black Ink Clan Army’s reckless assault also resulted in many casualties on their side. It was not long before the Black Ink Army began losing momentum after suffering so many losses, but they still refused to withdraw for some reason.
On the Western Army’s defence line, the Black Ink Clan army had retreated repeatedly, now having been pushed back almost 200,000 kilometres. The void along the way was littered with Black Ink Clan corpses, showing the heavy losses they had taken in this battle.
Two hours later, as the Western Army was cutting into the rear lines of the Black Ink Clan Army, a peculiar situation arose on the Eastern Front.
The Black Ink Clan Army, which had been almost suicidally attacking the Eastern Army’s defences, suddenly came to a halt for some reason, and after a brief rally, turned around and flew off.
The Eastern Army Commander, Ding Yao standing in the void, gawked in shock at the scene. He had no idea why the Black Ink Clan Army withdrew all of a sudden.
An adjutant standing nearby cheered, “Army Commander, the Black Ink Clan is retreating!”
Ding Yao snorted, “I can see that, I’m not blind!”
The adjutant awkwardly cleared his throat and said nothing further.
An injured Division Commander nearby frowned and muttered, “But, why? Army Commander, do we pursue them?”
The adjutant hurriedly warned, “Sirs, this might be a trap. The Black Ink Clan may be trying to lure us out.”
The Division Commander did not argue his point, as he had similar concerns. The Black Ink Clan had never done anything like this before. They appeared to have evacuated their soldiers, but in reality, they might be digging a pit and waiting for the Humans to jump into it. If it was really a trap, they couldn’t go after them, or they would be caught.
Just as the adjutant’s words fell, he received a communication and hurried to inspect it. A moment later, he raised his head with a perplexed expression, “Army Commander, the Black Ink Clan on the Southern and Northern Fronts have also withdrawn.”
Ding Yao turned his head hurriedly and asked for confirmation, “The Black Ink Clan to the North and South also retreated?”
The adjutant nodded firmly, “Word was passed from both sides. They are also asking us what the situation is here.”
Ding Yao was now dumbfounded. The Black Ink Clan withdrew its troops from the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Fronts. What exactly were they up to?
Whatever the Black Ink Clan’s intentions were, such a large-scale three-sided retreat did not appear to be part of some elaborate trap. There were simply too many risks with this type of grand plan. Defeating an entire army, as the expression goes, is as difficult as collapsing a mountain. Such a large re-organization of the Black Ink Clan’s deployment would leave them scattered and out of position, rendering any kind of trap they wanted to set useless, at least for a while.
So, after a brief hesitation, Ding Yao shouted, “All units, pursue the enemy!”
The adjutant was startled and hurriedly discouraged, “Army Commander, we should be wary of tra- Ah!”
Ding Yao kicked him in the butt and snapped, “Trap my ass! What kind of trap could there be in this situation? Inform the Northern and Southern Armies about my decision, and ask Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo to make their decision quickly!”
He was the Army Commander of the Eastern Army, so he could not command them to do anything, but Ding Yao believed that Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo would make the correct decision; after all, they had been fighting alongside each other for thousands of years. They understood one another perfectly.
Right after he gave the order, Ding Yao rushed out first, followed by numerous Human Masters from the Eastern Army. In an instant, the Human Army began pursuing the retreating enemy.
The adjutant got up and stomped angrily as he watched the Army leave before hastily sending a message to the Northern and Southern Armies. He then hurriedly followed the Army forward.
Ding Yao’s judgement was swiftly proven correct. Liang Yu Long’s Southern Army and Shen Tu Mo’s Northern Army immediately made the same decision when they received the message stating that Ding Yao ordered his Army to pursue the retreating enemy. Within moments, other than those who had to stay behind to tend to the wounded, tens of thousands of Human Masters set out to attack the enemy from three different directions.
On the Eastern Army side, Ding Yao led the charge to hunt down the Black Ink Clan. He was initially a bit worried that the Black Ink Clan was really scheming something, but after chasing them for a while, he discovered that the enemy appeared to have no plots in mind. It was a true retreat, with no traps along the way.
This made him completely relieved, and to the Black Ink Clan Army who made a beleaguered retreat, they would show no mercy.
It was not when the two massive armies were facing one another in a large-scale battle that massive casualties were incurred. Although there would be losses in conflicts when they were battling each other, the casualties suffered would be minimal as long as the difference in strength between the two sides was not too big.
What truly led to mass casualties was when one party lost the will to fight and was forced to escape. Great results could naturally be achieved when chasing down a disorganized, fleeing enemy as the pursuing side could focus all their attention on attacking.
This was the scenario that the Eastern Army found itself in right now.
When the Black Ink Clan Army saw that the Human Army was pursuing and attacking them from behind, they sacrificed some of their troops to block the Eastern Army. Needless to say, these Black Ink Clansmen were rapidly wiped out.
The whole of the Eastern Army was deployed, so Masters were as numerous as clouds and naturally they dealt significant damage to the enemy.
The same situation occurred with both the Northern and Southern Armies as well. The number of Black Ink Clansmen killed was so high they couldn’t be counted anymore.
Ding Yao and the others weren’t sure why the Black Ink Clan retreated at first, but after pursuing them for some time, they realized that the Black Ink Clansmen were all heading in the same direction.
The Western Front!
The Black Ink Clan Armies in the North, South, and East, were all racing towards the West to provide assistance.
When Ding Yao and the rest discovered this, they hurriedly sent a message to Zhong Liang to alert him of the situation. Zhong Liang was shocked as well when he heard the message, because he never anticipated the Black Ink Clan to respond in such a manner.
It made no sense! Although the Black Ink Clan on the Western Front were defeated and were fleeing due to Zhong Liang borrowing so many reinforcements, the Black Ink Clan Armies in the North, South, and East did not need to risk coming here to rescue them. All the enemy needed to do was continue to attack Blue Sky Pass to overturn their defeat on the Western Front. Given what Zhong Laing knew of the Black Ink Clan, he wouldn’t be surprised if they were willing to sacrifice their entire Western force if they could breach Blue Sky Pass’ defences on the other three sides.
Unlike the Human Race, the Black Ink Clan cared little for their fellow clansmen, so they wouldn’t provide support to each other at the risk of their own lives and benefits.
There was definitely something wrong here, but for a while, Zhong Liang couldn’t figure out what the problem was.
However, this had provided him with a tremendous chance. Initially, he had to take a lot of risks by borrowing troops from the three other Armies. This approach aided the Western front, but thinned the lines on the South, North, and East.
The original plan was for him to wait until the fighting on the Western Front ended before he sent reinforcements to the other three fronts.
But the Black Ink Clan had apparently become impatient for some reason and was now all but handing victory to them. Zhong Liang, who had served as Army Commander for thousands of years, was extremely sensitive to the ebb and flow of the battlefield, so he did not miss this chance to capitalize on the situation.
Immediately, he sent orders to redeploy the army.
On the Western battlefield, the Human Masters quickly seized the initiative and began dividing up their forces. Some pursued the remnants of the Black Ink Clan’s Western army while another portion turned around to meet the enemy reinforcements.
At the same time, Zhong Liang himself also disappeared from where he stood and hurried towards the battlefield. Ding Yao and others were already fighting on the front lines, and every asset that both Blue Sky Pass and the Black Ink Clan possessed had been deployed. It was almost predetermined that the Black Ink Clan would lose this war now, so there was no need for Zhong Liang to restrain himself.
Soon after, Zhong Liang reached the front lines. The divided Army had already prepared itself and was just waiting for the command to attack. When they saw the Army Commander arrive, their gazes sharpened and they readied themselves to charge.
When the Division Commanders came to enquire about the situation, Zhong Liang did not hold anything back and informed them of the changes on the other three fronts, drawing happy cheers from all around.
They understood the situation just as well as Zhong Liang did.
They all recognised that the Black Ink Clan had made a huge blunder this time.
“Here they come!” One of the Division Commanders said soon after.
Everyone turned towards Blue Sky Pass and saw three massive Black Ink Armies moving in their direction like tidal waves. These groups were undoubtedly the Blank Ink Clan Armies from the North, East, and Southern Fronts.
Behind those three Armies, were the Humans who were closely chasing after them. They were the Armies led by Ding Yao and the other Army Commanders.
During the pursuit, the Black Ink Clan was taking heavy casualties, with life auras disappearing en masse.
Soon, the Black Ink Clan Armies that retreated gathered together. Likewise, the Human Race Armies rendezvoused like many streams flowing into the ocean.
The split force from the Western Army held their ground, waiting for the enemy to arrive. As the Black Ink Clan Army took in the situation, many of them wanted to turn around and flee; however, Zhong Liang had been waiting for this moment in person, so he certainly wouldn’t allow the Black Ink Clan to do as they wished. Drawing his sword, he lifted it high and roared, “With me men, kill!”
As soon as his words dropped, his body transformed into a stream of light as he crashed towards the approaching Black Ink Clan army. Following him were the Eighth-Order Division Commanders, and behind them was the rest of the Army.
Divine Abilities pummelled the Black Ink Clan Army even before they arrived, and in the blink of an eye, the Black Ink Clan suffered massive casualties.
Ding Yao and other Army Commanders lead their forces into the fray, showing no mercy.
In the void, the Black Ink Clan Army from the East, North, and South sides, who had just gathered together, were now surrounded and besieged.
World Forces continuously erupted as the light of Diving Abilities and Secret Techniques set the void alight. The situation soon descended into chaos.
Even taking its entire history into consideration, Blue Sky Pass had not engaged in many battles of this scale. Previously, Blue Sky Pass’s defenders were separated into four Armies that each fought independently of one another. It was the same for the Black Ink Clan. The current condition, though, was essentially all of Blue Sky Pass’ forces against all of the Black Ink Clan Army in one, massive melee.
On their way to the West to provide support, the Black Ink Clan had already taken significant losses from Ding Yao and the other three Armies pursuit, and now they were halted by Zhong Liang’s Army from the front. They were assailed from both sides, forcing them into a passive position where they couldn’t counterattack at all.
The number of Feudal Lords that had fallen was simply uncountable, and even three Territory Lords had perished in less than half an hour.
The Black Ink Clan Army, like any cornered beast, naturally fought back fiercely. They tried their hardest to break through, but the more desperately they struggled, the greater the casualties they suffered.
At the front lines of the Western battlefield, Feng Ying’s Divine Manifestation was in shambles and no longer possessed its original power.
Yang Kai had been standing on top of the Dragon’s head, working with Feng Ying to kill the enemy all this time.
More than a dozen Feudal Lords had perished at the hands of these two, but their resistance before death could not be disregarded. Yang Kai and Feng Ying both suffered a lot, especially Yang Kai, whose bare chest was covered with scars and blood, making him look equal parts terrifying and miserable.
But to him, it didn’t matter as long as the injury wasn’t fatal.
The massive commotion behind him of course drew Yang Kai’s attention, and as he turned his head to look back, and saw that the two Races’ armies were locked in battle some distance away and he exclaimed in shock, “Why are there so many Black Ink Clansmen coming from behind us!”
Feng Ying also noticed the situation behind him and commented, “They should be reinforcements from the other three fronts.”
“It seems that the battle on the Western Front is so intense that the Black Ink Clan can’t hold on any longer,” Yang Kai smirked.
He assumed that the Black Ink Clan Armies from the other three fronts came to assist because of the disadvantage they suffered on the Western Front, but Feng Ying had the feeling that something was amiss.
Compared to Yang Kai, who was new to the Black Ink Battlefield, Feng Ying had been here for thousands of years and had some grasp of the Black Ink Clan’s way of thinking. Typically, even if the war on the Western Front was very intense, the Black Ink Clan on the other three lines would never come to support them. Instead, they would attack Blue Sky Pass more and more aggressively with no regard for the lives of their allies.
However, despite the fact that she had no idea why this was happening, the reality in front of her was clear. The Human Race had achieved a significant advantage, and after this battle, the Black Ink Clan would definitely suffer severe losses.
On the Western Front, the reinforcements Zhong Liang borrowed from the three other Armies were in charge of intercepting the reinforcements from the Black Ink Clan, while the original Western Army was still in charge of advancing.
It was impossible for everyone to turn around and intercept the Black Ink Clan reinforcements, otherwise, the original Western Black Ink Army would assault them from behind, and in the end, the Human Race would also find itself besieged from both sides.
The Black Ink Clan on the Western Front was still trying to retreat. Having taken huge losses over the past day or so though, they were unable to withstand the assault of the Western Army.
The Sword Dragon shook its head and flicked its tail, charging towards a Black Ink Feudal Lord. The High-Rank and Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen along the way all burst and died as the sharp sword waves brushed across them.
The Feudal Lord, who apparently had sharp perception, sensed the approaching crisis and instantly turned his head to stare at Sword Dragon and roared. His initially large body expanded as rich Black Ink Strength lingered around his figure. Next, a fierce punch was thrown towards the Sword Dragon.
With one punch, space shook.
Yang Kai, who was standing atop the Sword Dragon’s head, abruptly stepped forward and his Azure Dragon Spear thrust out at the Feudal Lord without hesitation.
When the violent energies collided, Yang Kai flew out while coughing up blood. On the other side, the Feudal Lord cried out in pain as his gigantic hand was pierced through by the Azure Dragon Spear, causing fresh black blood to gush out.
Without giving him a chance to recover, Feng Ying’s Sword Dragon instantly transformed into thousands of sword waves and began pelting the Feudal Lord. Despite his best efforts to repel them, the Feudal Lord was swiftly pierced by hundreds of blades.
Yang Kai, who had previously been blasted away, flickered and appeared right before his target. Channeling his strength, Yang Kai cast his Divine Manifestation and the Great Sun directly struck the Feudal Lord’s chest.
A massive hole was silently formed in the Feudal Lord’s chest, and with a conspicuous flash of sword light, Feng Ying, whose Divine Manifestation had collapsed, found its mark.
A massive head flew up, and black blood gushed into the void. The massive body of the Feudal Lord staggered before collapsing in a dead heap.
Feng Ying spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, her expression somewhat languid.
She could not maintain her Divine Manifestation anymore; furthermore, killing that last Feudal Lord had cost her and Yang Kai a lot.
The Great Sun’s afterglow was particularly noticeable, shooting forward like a small Sun and scattering a massive Black Ink Cloud in front of it.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying helped steady each other, but just as they were about to head for a nearby warship to recover, they felt a shiver run up their spines.
It was as if a pair of cold eyes suddenly opened and fixed on them from the depths of the Black Ink Cloud dissipated by Yang Kai’s Golden Crow Cast the Sun. At the same moment, a crushing Will seemed to awaken from a deep slumber.
That Will felt as deep as the abyss and carried with it a terrifying aura. Yang Kai’s hairs all rose up at once, and his heart clenched tight.
When he turned his head sharply to look at the source of the Will, Yang Kai saw a massive figure towering inside the rich Black Ink Cloud.
It was unknown how long this figure had been in this Black Ink Cloud as previously, its aura had not been revealed at all and no one had noticed it. Moreover, this location was basically at the rear of the Black Ink Clan Army’s, so Humans weren’t supposed to be anywhere near here. The repeated losses of the Black Ink Clan’s Western forces had led the battlefield to expand to this place though, exposing it to the ongoing conflict.
Coincidentally, Yang Kai’s Golden Crow Casts the Sun Divine Manifestation had blown away this particular Black Ink Cloud, revealing the figure hiding inside it.
The Will was like a sleeping Dragon, and once it awakened, the entire Universe trembled, causing the raucous battlefield to fall silent.
Yang Kai once felt a similar Will back in the Black Prison from a Black Ink Clan Royal Lord; however, that Royal Lord had been sealed and suppressed for countless years so her strength had been greatly diminished. At the very least, it was far less intense than the one he was currently facing.
What he felt right now was orders of magnitude more imposing than back in Black Territory.
“The Royal Lord!” Feng Ying cried out, her already pale face draining of all remaining colour.
A Black Ink Royal Lord was a Master on par with a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. On the Black Ink Battlefield, only an Old Ancestor was worthy to be the opponent of a Royal Lord. Previously, Blue Sky Pass’ Old Ancestor had led the Human Army to attack Black Ink Clan’s domain, destroying several of their Spirit Provinces and a number of Black Ink Nests.
This action enraged the Royal Lord responsible for this region, so he swiftly marshalled his forces to counter-attack, resulting in this current war.
As far as Yang Kai knew, Blue Sky Pass’ Old Ancestors had already fought with the local Royal Lord, but neither was able to gain an advantage over the other. Both suffered serious injuries, and ever since that battle, the Old Ancestor had remained in the Inner Sanctum to recover. Meanwhile, the Royal Lord was nowhere to be seen.
Zhong Liang also stated that the side whose leader recovered first would gain control over the current battle, heavily tipping the scales in their side’s favour.
The Human Race assumed that the Royal Lord had chosen a safe location far from the battlefield to rest and recover.
Nobody would have thought that the Royal Lord had deceived them and actually hidden in a Black Ink Cloud only a few hundred thousand kilometres away from Blue Sky Pass.
Of course, logically speaking, though the Royal Lord did not retreat very far, ordinarily he wouldn’t have been disturbed where he was. Even if he had hidden at the rear of the Blank Ink Clan Army, he could rest easy and recover as long as the Humans did not slaughter their way through the entire Western Black Ink Army.
All previous wars of this sort had lasted at least a few years, normally taking several dozen years to resolve. With that much time, the Royal Lord was confident he could completely recover from his current injuries.
However, the battle developed in a manner far outside his predictions. Zhong Liang had an overwhelming advantage on the Western Front, having borrowed troops from the other three Armies. The Western Black Ink Army was repeatedly defeated and forced to withdraw over and over again. Yang Kai and Feng Ying, who were battling on the front lines, had already fought their way right up to the Royal Lord’s hiding place.
Then, in one move, Yang Kai’s Golden Crow Casts the Sun Divine Manifestation just happened to explode near the Royal Lord and revealed his figure, interfering with his recovery.
This situation resulted from a series of accidents and coincidences, startling both the Humans and the Black Ink Clan.
When the Royal Lord awakened, his pressure instantly filled the battlefield, and the continual slaughtering came to an abrupt halt. Whether it was the Humans or the Black Ink Clansmen, they all fell into a stupor for a brief moment.
Ding Yao, Liang Yu Long, Zhong Liang, Shen Tu Mo, and all the other Eighth-Order Masters acutely felt the aura of the Royal Lord. Turning to look at the source of the aura, their expressions became grim.
The Royal Lord, whose location was a complete mystery to them, was actually on the Western battlefield? They had previously tried hard to locate him to gain a tactical advantage, but now he had just been revealed by accident.
They had also considered where the Royal Lord would hide to heal his wounds after being injured by the Old Ancestor, but the void was vast, so the Royal Lord simply needed to choose a secure place some distance away, and the Human Race would never be able to find him.
Who knew that all this time, he was so close.
The rich Black Ink Cloud had obscured his figure and aura, and the Black Ink Clan Army stationed nearby gave him the best protection. Not to mention the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, even the Old Ancestors wouldn’t have thought that the Royal Lord would do such a thing.
Zhong Liang instantly felt enlightened, as the questions he had been harbouring since learning about the withdrawal of the Black Ink Clan from the other three fronts were resolved.
He now knew why the Black Ink Clan Armies, which clearly had the upper hand on the other three fronts, abruptly withdrew and began rushing to the West.
This was clearly for protection!
The Humans and most of the Black Ink Clan had no idea where the Royal Lord was hiding, but the top Territory Lords would definitely be aware of this information.
The Black Ink Army on the Western Front was being pushed back as the Humans were pressing their advantage, forcing them to retreat again and again. Once the Human Army invaded the area where the Royal Lord was healing, the Royal Lord would undoubtedly be exposed.
This could not be allowed, so as a last resort, even though they had the upper hand on the other three fronts, they had to retreat to provide assistance.
As a result, they surrendered their advantage and switched from offence to defence. Ding Yao and others also reacted quickly, leading their Armies to pursue and kill, inflicting huge casualties to the Black Ink Clan Armies.
Zhong Liang couldn’t help but laugh wildly as he comprehended everything. There were numerous twists in this battle that threw them off guard, but overall, the current scenario was extremely favourable to the Human Race.
This was all thanks to him borrowing troops from the other three Armies to force back the Black Ink Clan on the Western front. Originally, the plan was to quickly defeat them and rescue Yang Kai from the battlefield; however, at this moment, this one action had actually altered the entire course of the current war.
In the next moment, Zhong Liang’s heart sank and his face turned black when he remembered Yang Kai.
Zhong Liang was so distracted by the sudden and unexpected changes that were happening on the battlefield that he temporarily forgot that Yang Kai was still fighting on the front lines. The little bastard was undoubtedly at the very tip of the Western Army’s spear, which meant he was quite far forward. If he was killed by the Royal Lord, this battle would still be counted as a massive loss even if they managed to slaughter ever last Black Ink Clansman present.
Zhong Liang had no idea that the Royal Lord had been revealed by Yang Kai’s accidental action. There was no telling whether he would laugh or cry in exasperation if he found out.
“I’ll leave this place to you,” Zhong Liang said to the Human Masters around him before turning around and dashing towards the Western front, hoping in his heart that Yang Kai did not encounter an accident.
The Old Ancestor would deal with the Royal Lord now that he had appeared, so Yang Kai would not be in any danger as long as he could protect himself until the Old Ancestor arrived.
At the same moment as Zhong Liang set off, the door to a certain palace in the depths of Blue Sky Pass opened and a figure shot out, transforming into a stream of light as he soared towards the battlefield.
The Old Ancestor had taken action!
Yang Kai and Feng Ying had been immobilized at the leading edge of the Western front. Before the glare of the Royal Lord, they didn’t even have the ability to move a finger.
The difference in strength was too enormous, and both Yang Kai and Feng Ying were already arrows at the end of their flight. The two had intended to retreat to a nearby warship to rest and recover after having expended all their strength just now, but who could have predicted that this disaster would suddenly befall them?
The ice-cold eyes of the Royal Lord fixed on Yang Kai, the culprit who had revealed his whereabouts, and murderous intent gradually began to rise from their depths.
Of course, Yang Kai had no idea about the Royal Lord hiding here. All he did was cooperate with Feng Ying to kill a random Feudal Lord.
Blasting off the Black Ink Cloud and exposing the Royal Lord with the remnants of his Golden Crow Casts the Sun Divine Manifestation was a complete accident.
But this matter could not be explained away, nor would it be useful to even try to explain. The Royal Lord was now staring in their direction as if he was looking at a corpse, obviously aware that Yang Kai was the culprit behind his current awkward situation.
As long as the Royal Lord’s gaze was on them, Yang Kai and Feng Ying were incapable of moving as the pressure and nearly tangible murderous intent locked them in place.
*Pu…*
Suddenly, a muffled sound came from the Royal Lord who had been glaring coldly at Yang Kai. Opening his lips, a black mist of blood was spat out by the Royal Lord; his figure staggered and his aura fluctuated chaotically.
Seeing this, Yang Kai and Feng Ying were both shocked and surprised.
The Royal Lord had clearly suffered some kind of backlash from his injuries. It was apparent that his last battle with the Old Ancestor had left him in a bad state, one that would require several years of cultivation to recover from.
What caused his current weakened condition was undoubtedly Yang Kai’s Golden Crow Casts the Sun which wiped away the Black Ink Cloud he was hiding in. This Divine Manifestation naturally did not cause any direct harm to the Royal Lord, but it seemed to have disturbed him at a critical moment in his recovery.
Usually, a Royal Lord wouldn’t have been affected at all by an attack from a Sixth-Order Human, even one as strong as Yang Kai; however, being interrupted at the critical juncture in his healing had caused a backlash that further aggravated his wounds. It was equivalent to the Royal Lord striking his old injuries himself.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying figured all this out in an instant, and without any hesitation, they turned around and escaped while the Royal Lord was busy trying to stabilize himself.
They couldn’t deal with an enemy like this, especially when the two of them didn’t have much strength left. If they didn’t run, they would undoubtedly die.
To escape faster, Yang Kai even employed Space Principles, trying to carry Feng Ying away with him using Instantaneous Movement.
In the blink of an eye, the pair was able to flee several thousand kilometres.
However, how could the Royal Lord allow the ant who disturbed him to flee after the shame he had experienced?
The Royal Lord’s Will flared with murderous intent, and the surrounding space instantly solidified, disturbing Yang Kai’s Space Principles and freezing him in place once more.
Chills shot up their spines as the aura of death descended upon them.
Yang Kai had encountered several life-or-death crises since he first began treading the Martial Dao, and during the Human-Demon War in the Star Boundary, his body was totally destroyed by Mo Sheng. It was only thanks to the Soul Warming Lotus protecting his Soul that Yang Kai had managed to survive that disaster and resurrect himself with the help of the Immortal Tree.
That was unquestionably the most dangerous battle he had ever fought.
Still, although that battle was extremely dangerous, he never lost hope. The Great Emperors all gathered together and united with all the Masters of the Star Boundary to face Mo Sheng. Eventually, after a hard-fought battle, they won and saved the Star Boundary, along with all those that lived there.
But, at this very moment, targeted by this aura of death, Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel despair.
The Royal Lord he encountered in Black Territory was completely different from the one behind him now. The Black Prison Royal Lord had been shackled for countless eons and could not bring out anywhere near her full strength. Although the one behind him now was injured, he was still much stronger than the one Yang Kai met in Black Territory.
With great effort, Yang Kai stiffly turned his head and saw the massive figure in the Black Ink Cloud wave his giant hand, after which a torrent of darkness surged towards him. The action seemed light and casual, like flicking off an annoying bug, but the bug that was soon to be flicked off was Yang Kai.
The darkness cut through the void, shattering the space around it as it rapidly approached its target.
At that moment, time seemed to be frozen.
Many scenes inexplicably flashed before Yang Kai’s eyes. Familiar faces appeared and disappeared like a rotating lantern as his entire life’s journey vividly replayed in his mind.
All this while, the aura of death grew increasingly intense.
At the critical moment, Yang Kai’s Dragon Vein suddenly rampaged. The strength of his Dragon Vein almost exploded in the face of this certain death crisis. However, even if he transformed into his Grand Dragon Form right now, it would be impossible to resist this seemingly off-handed attack from the Black Ink Royal Lord.
The Royal Lord had really used only a small bit of force, a result of the vast disparity in their strength preventing him from even considering Yang Kai a threat worthy enough of a fight. He only intended to kill Yang Kai because he was irritated that this ant had revealed his location and interfered with his recovery process.
After this simple strike, the Royal Lord quickly turned his head and gazed in the direction of Blue Sky Pass, where a shooting-star-like stream of light was speeding in his direction.
The familiar aura of his old enemy, the Human Race Old Ancestor, was coming!
His whereabouts had been revealed, so the Old Ancestor would definitely not stand idly by. Facing this Human Race Old Ancestor, the Royal Lord naturally felt some anxiety and he could not spare any energy or attention to anything else, so naturally, the irritating Human bug he had just swatted had long since left his thoughts.
*Kacha…*
The sound of something cracking rang out from the depths of Yang Kai’s heart, and he abruptly came to his senses.
The simple strike from the Royal Lord was still bearing down on him, leaving him feeling defeated. It was an absolute suppression of strength, a gulf that could not be crossed. Yang Kai had, however, encountered certain death before, so of course he would not sit still and wait for the end to take him.
[I will never give up so easily!]
Yang Kai roared fiercely, resisting the agitation of the Dragon Vein in his body, refusing to transform into his Grand Dragon Form at this critical juncture. The cry of a Golden Crow resounded across the void in the next instant, and a Great Sun slowly rose behind him, followed by a Full Moon leaping out.
As both the Sun and the Moon appeared together, they formed an astonishing scene.
Even the Royal Lord, who was intently observing the Old Ancestor’s movements, took notice of this anomaly and couldn’t help glancing over to inspect it.
Space Principles surged as the Sun and Moon began orbiting around Yang Kai. When the Sun set, the Moon rose, and Time Principles propagated out. The two Principle Strengths swirled and intermingled just as the Sun and Moon did, forming a profound and mysterious new strength.
Sun and Moon Divine Wheel!
Under Yang Kai’s control, the Great Sun and Full Moon rapidly spun together and crashed towards the approaching wave of darkness, Space-Time Strength warping everything around it in a surreal manner.
Yang Kai’s face was as pale as paper after he unleashed this blow. He was already an arrow at the end of its flight, but now, he had forced out his greatest trump card, draining almost all the World Force left in his Small Universe. He was now truly out of strength.
Yang Kai had no clue whether he could withstand the Royal Lord’s attack, but he had already given everything he had. Even under the Royal Lord’s pressure, he refused to back down and resolved to fight back. There was no other Sixth-Order Master who could claim to have ever accomplished such a feat.
Now, life or death was entirely up to fate!
Seemingly inspired by Yang Kai, Feng Ying, who was shivering under the Royal Lord’s might, let out a fierce cry as well and aggressively mobilised all the strength she had left. Ten Thousand Swords appeared before rapidly condensing into a small Sword Dragon only a couple dozen meters long that wrapped around Yang Kai and herself.
While on the verge of blacking out, Yang Kai was wrapped in the Sword Dragon. He could not see the scene in front of him, nor hear any noise, only the screeching of swords rang in his ears.
In the next instant, a violent surge of energy erupted, forming an unstoppable shockwave that burst out in all directions.
Tumbling uncontrollably, Yang Kai clearly felt the Sword Dragon wrapped around him breaking apart as a result of the impact of the shockwave.
Just the fallout had such a violent impact, so it was easy to imagine just how they would have fared if they had been struck directly by the Royal Lord’s attack.
Feng Ying coughed up blood repeatedly. When her Myriad Swords Dragon, her Divine Manifestation, was damaged, she naturally suffered along with it.
Moments later, the Myriad Swords Dragon completely shattered, revealing the two figures hidden inside.
The aftermath was still rampaging, and fresh blood from both Yang Kai and Feng Ying violently gushed from their wounds. They both felt as though they were fallen leaves caught in the raging storm, at risk of being ripped to pieces at any moment.
Even at this point though, Feng Ying was still tightly gripping Yang Kai’s arm, keeping him from separating from her.
As Zhong Liang approached from behind, he happened to see the collision of the wave of darkness with the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel from afar. To one party, it was simply a casual strike, while to the other, it was everything they could muster; however, the darkness still came out on top in the clash, collapsing the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel after only a brief standstill.
The attack then directly smashed into the Sword Dragon.
Zhong Liang’s face paled at this sight and in the next instant he spat out a mouthful of blood mist, burning his own Blood Essence just to increase his speed.
He originally didn’t know where Yang Kai was, but the second he saw the Sword Dragon, he understood. Feng Ying’s Divine Manifestation couldn’t be more obvious, and Zhong Liang knew she was together with Yang Kai.
Zhong Liang’s heart pounded with anxiety. How could the Royal Lord attack the two of them out of everyone around? Zhong Liang didn’t think that the Royal Lord would be so petty as to assault weaklings like Yang Kai and Feng Ying. The only enemies the Royal Lord should have paid any attention to were the Old Ancestor and the Eighth-Order Humans.
The Old Ancestor was also already rushing to the battlefield, so the most logical course of action for the Royal Lord was to conserve his energy for the coming fight. So, why would the Royal Lord actually target Yang Kai and Feng Ying?
Zhong Liang silently prayed that the two of them weren’t dead; however, the wave of darkness had clearly shattered Feng Ying’s Myriad Swords Dragon. Zhong Liang vividly observed two individuals tumbling in the tumultuous aftermath of the explosion as the horrific shockwave pummeled their bodies, causing them both to cough up blood incessantly.
Zhong Liang’s speed increased dramatically when he burnt his Blood Essence, and he arrived at where Yang Kai and Feng Ying were after just three breaths of time. With his blade drawn, he slashed forward and cut through the remnant shockwave.
He wasn’t weak; after all, he was an Eight-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and the Western Army Commander. Under normal circumstances, such a casual strike from a Royal Lord wouldn’t have been too difficult for Zhong Liang to block because the other party hadn’t put any real strength into the attack.
However, Zhong Liang had just burnt his Blood Essence, and though it gave him a momentary boost in speed, he suffered from a backlash soon after, resulting in a loss of strength. As such, he was pushed back and slightly injured when dispersing the shockwave.
Before he even checked his own condition though, Zhong Liang immediately whirled around and grabbed both Yang Kai and Feng Ying.
Looking down at them, he saw that they were both drenched in blood and their auras were so weak they could barely be detected. Feng Ying was in a particularly bad shape and had seemingly slipped into a coma.
However, Zhong Liang was relieved to discover that Yang Kai was still alive. As long as he didn’t die, he could slowly restore himself.
From behind, a terrible force erupted. Zhong Liang turned his head to look and his eyes caught sight of two figures, one large and one small, battling in the distance. Every time they collided, space shattered like glass, rending apart chaotically.
It was the battle between the Old Ancestor and the Royal Lord.
The surrounding Humans and Black Ink Clansmen hurriedly withdrew. In such a battle, no one could interfere or they would only end up dead.
The Royal Lord was unconcerned with the lives of his subordinates, but the Old Ancestor wasn’t; therefore, whenever he clashed with the Royal Lord, he would purposefully shift their battlefield to an area further away from the Army.
The location they were at was not suitable to linger at for much longer, so Zhong Liang tightened his grip on Feng Ying and Yang Kai and dashed towards Blue Sky Pass.
Shortly after, Zhong Liang set down both of them on the outer ramparts of Blue Sky Pass and scolded Yang Kai while glaring at him, “Stay here! If you have the audacity to run off again, I’ll break your damn legs!”
Yang Kai’s neck shrank as he spoke weakly, “In my condition… I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.”
“I’ll deal with you later!” Zhong Liang furiously snapped.
After instructing some nearby cultivators to tend to Yang Kai and Feng Ying’s injuries, Zhong Liang returned to the battlefield. His Eighth-Order strength could not be absent on the battlefield at this crucial time. The outcome of the current war was about to be determined, so he had to return.
Those left behind immediately took out healing pills and gave them to Yang Kai and Feng Ying after receiving orders from Zhong Liang. Compared to Feng Ying, Yang Kai was luckier as he was awake at the very least. Whereas Feng Ying was already in a coma, so they could only open her lips and place the healing pill in her mouth before using their own World Force to help her refine its medicinal efficacies.
Yang Kai, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on the wall, staring out into the vast battlefield, feeling delighted.
Fortunately, the Royal Lord did not take him or Feng Ying seriously as he needed to conserve his strength to battle against the Old Ancestor, or else both of them would have died then and there.
The wave of darkness that struck them managed to destroy his Sun and Moon Divine Wheel and Feng Ying’s Divine Manifestation while still having enough power remaining to inflict critical injuries on both of them.
Yang Kai was not in a rush to recover though as he was more concerned about the outcome of the war.
In any case, he had an intrepid physique due to his Dragon Vein, with strong restoration powers. Though his injuries appeared quite serious, possibly even fatal, it would only take him cultivating for a few days to recover. The results of the current battle were of more interest to Yang Kai right now.
Yang Kai first concentrated on the battle between the Human Old Ancestor and the Black Ink Royal Lord.
The two figures clashed with one another several hundred thousand kilometres away, and the intense fallout from their attacks generated shockwaves that were visible even from Blue Sky Pass’ outer walls. No one dared to go near them and both armies had intentionally shifted away.
Even though they were hundreds of thousands of kilometres away, Yang Kai could still feel the frightening fallout of their battle.
This was the power of a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and a Royal Lord, it was simply astonishing.
With his current ability, Yang Kai couldn’t tell which side had the advantage. He only felt that they were evenly matched.
Within a short period of time, the two figures gradually drifted away, eventually fading out of sight entirely.
It was a pity that he wouldn’t get to watch these two Masters battle it out till the end; nonetheless, Yang Kai could tell from what just happened that the Old Ancestor had the upper hand.
After all, only when the Old Ancestor had the upper hand would their battlefield be brought far away to avoid involving others.
On the contrary, if the Royal Lord had the upper hand, he would have brought the battle closer to the Human Armies, so that the Old Ancestor’s movements would be restricted.
This outcome was no surprise once he thought about it though.
Although Yang Kai personally verified on the battlefield that the Black Ink Clansmen were noticeably weaker than Humans in the equivalent realm, the discrepancy seemed to get smaller the higher one’s strength was, to the point where it was basically indistinguishable for Old Ancestors and Royal Lords. After all, all Royal Lords endured countless years of accumulation and combat to achieve their strength, effectively eliminating the drawbacks from their prior rapid cultivation.
In the previous battle, both the Royal Lord and Old Ancestor had been injured, so it was already clear that they were roughly equal in strength.
In fact, the battle between the Royal Lord and Old Ancestor had repeated itself over and over again as the Black Ink Clan repeatedly launched attacks against the great pass. Under normal circumstances, such battles would persist for years, if not longer.
However, an accident had happened that disrupted the normal rhythm of these battles.
Yang Kai snuck out of Blue Sky Pass, intending to break through to the Seventh Order in battle. When Zhong Liang became aware of this, he hastily borrowed men from the other three Armies in order to gain complete control of the Western front and force Yang Kai to return. As a result, the Black Ink Clan’s Western forces collapsed and were swiftly forced to retreat.
This put the Black Ink Cloud, where the Royal Lord was hiding to heal, in danger.
Coincidentally, Yang Kai’s Divine Manifestation revealed the Royal Lord’s whereabouts and interfered with the latter’s recovery at a critical moment. As a result, not only did the Royal Lord’s injuries not heal, they worsened.
The Old Ancestor’s injuries had definitely not fully healed either. Once a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was injured, it would be difficult for them to recover. Nonetheless, it was far better to interrupt one’s own healing than to be interrupted by someone else while healing.
In this way, the two peak Masters, who were initially on par with each other, now had a small gap between them. This showed when the Old Ancestor managed to shift their battlefield away from Blue Sky Pass.
If nothing went wrong, the Old Ancestor would certainly win this battle. As to whether the Royal Lord could be killed, it was impossible for Yang Kai to judge.
When the battle between the strongest Masters left his range of perception, Yang Kai shifted his gaze to the wider battlefield.
The situation here was even more lopsided.
The Black Ink Clan had essentially given up trying to hold their group and were in full retreat. As a result, casualties continued to pile up on the Black Ink Clan’s side as the Human Armies pursued them relentlessly, creating a one-sided slaughter.
Although the battle was not finished, victory had essentially been decided.
Yang Kai had been on the front lines of the Western Front for a day or so now; thus, he had no idea what was going on in the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Fronts. He had no idea that his revelation of the Royal Lord’s location had forced the Black Ink Clan to abandon their advantage on the other three battlefields to provide assistance, resulting in them being pursued by Ding Yao’s, Liang Yu Long’s, and Shen Tu Mo’s Armies. In this process the Black Ink Army suffered huge losses, laying the groundwork for Blue Sky Pass’ victory.
The injured Human cultivators constantly returned to the Inner Sanctum, carrying news from the front lines. Within one day, the Black Ink Clan Army had been forced to retreat 300,000 kilometres, and this increased to 1 million kilometres by the end of the next day. Yet, the Human Armies continued to pursue and destroy them.
It wasn’t until the third day of pursuit that the Human Armies disengaged and returned from battle. The Black Ink Army had suffered nearly 50% casualties in this battle, so it was not an exaggeration to say their foundation had been severely damaged. Since ancient times, the number of such overwhelming victories could be counted with one’s fingers.
This was a true victory that filled Blue Sky Pass with a joyous atmosphere.
Everyone understood that this battle would lead to at least 100 years of peace and stability.
In the next 100 years, the Black Ink Clan would not have the power to launch another large-scale attack.
The Old Ancestor had yet to return, and it was unknown how the battle with the Royal Lord had gone. The Eighth-Order Masters gathered briefly to discuss and came to the conclusion that half of them would stay back to take charge of the great pass while the rest would seek out two peak Masters.
It wasn’t that they were worried that the Old Ancestor would lose, but rather that they wanted to seek an opportunity to help the Old Ancestor slaughter the Royal Lord. If this could be achieved, the Blue Sky Theatre on the Black Ink Battlefield would be stilled for at least 1,000 years.
After all, only when another Royal Lord was born from the Black Ink Clan could they afford to launch an offensive against Blue Sky Pass again.
It wasn’t easy for a Royal Lord to appear. Similar to Ninth-Order Old Ancestors, it would be a thousand to several thousand years between the appearance of such a Master. Both Royal Lords and Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were the strongest of both races.
A few days later, the Old Ancestor returned, accompanied by the Eighth-Order Masters who had gone to assist him. Most were unaware of the outcome of the battle between the two strongest Masters; however, with a deliberate announcement, everyone quickly learned the truth. The Black Ink Royal Lord was seriously wounded by the Old Ancestor and had fled to the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory, where he would not be able to completely recover for at least 100 years.
When the news broke, Blue Sky Pass celebrated.
This was not the best result, but it was still quite welcome. Everyone knew that a Royal Lord could not be killed so easily.
There had never been such a fierce battle in the Blue Sky Pass. During all previous battles, it took a long period of time to gradually wear down the Black Ink Clan until they were forced to retreat.
This process might take a few years, a few dozen years, or perhaps even 100 years, but this time it only took them half a year, and the Black Ink Clan Army did not voluntarily retreat but were forced to.
The Masters of Blue Sky Pass were all complimenting the wisdom and heroism of the four Army Commanders, especially Western Army Commander Zhong Liang who received compliments like snow falling from the sky.
If he hadn’t borrowed men from the three other fronts to sweep clean the Western Front, it wouldn’t have been possible to expose the Royal Lord’s whereabouts and ensure their great victory.
In the eyes of those who were unaware of what actually happened, they thought that Zhong Liang’s decision was a brilliant tactical move, gathering troops on the Western Front and forcing the Black Ink Clan to abandon the other three fronts to provide reinforcements, giving Ding Yao and the rest a chance to pursue them from behind.
There were also rumours in the Inner Sanctum that Zhong Liang had long predicted that the Royal Lord was hiding somewhere on the Western Front to recover, which was why such a decision was made.
Receiving this flurry of compliments and praise, Zhong Liang’s face flushed brighter each day. Others assumed that he was in high spirits, but those who knew what actually happened understood that he was just embarrassed.
Talk of brilliant strategy and decisive commands were all just crap. If Zhong Liang really had such ability, he would have already led the whole Army to destroy the Black Ink Clan once and for all.
But, Zhong Liang could not explain to them, so he had to endure these compliments which caused his cheeks to burn every single day.
After the battle, Blue Sky Pass could not rest though. There was a lot to do, including cleaning the battlefield. Due to the deaths of so many Black Ink Clansmen, innumerable Black Ink Clouds of all shapes and sizes had appeared all over the battlefield. Those had to be cleaned up, or they would have difficulty moving about. In addition, the clouds would serve as a cover for the Black Ink Clan Army in their next attack, so they had to be dealt with.
Some specialised individuals would count the casualties and record Military Merits. Each Army Commander was naturally also quite busy.
Many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters assembled in the Main Conference Hall to address a variety of issues after the war.
Other than the few that were injured and needed immediate treatment, all other Eight-Order Masters were present.
None of them liked to procrastinate, so they only spent half a day finishing their discussion.
“There is one last thing to discuss. Please share your views freely,” Zhong Liang cleared his throat and said.
The others turned to look at him.
“All of you know the reason why this battle experienced such rapid changes,” Zhong Liang continued as he rubbed his nose.
“Of course, it was because of Brother Zhong’s incredible insight and brilliant strategy, redeploying our forces so wisely to corner the enemy!” Ding Yao opined enthusiastically, “This Ding is truly impressed. The main credit for the victory of this battle belongs to the Western Army. The Northern, Southern, and Eastern Armies were just supporting characters.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
As the saying goes, never air your dirty laundry in public. Zhong Liang glared at Ding Yao and knocked on the table, “You’re not young anymore. Stop joking around.”
Ding Yao chuckled lightly before falling silent.
Zhong Liang then continued, “Whether Yang Kai caused trouble or helped gain victory in the battle, please share your views.”
Everyone became quiet as soon as the words were said. Blue Sky Pass was the centre of a massive battlefield. It was not like the Sects of the 3,000 Worlds, where merits and demerits were subject to opinion. Rewards and penalties here were a military matter, so there was no room for favouritism and strict adherence to rules and regulations was necessary to maintain discipline.
Seeing that no one was talking, Zhong Liang turned to one of them and spoke, “Brother Lu, Yang Kai can be considered part of Yin-Yang Heaven. Please offer your opinion.”
Lu An, who got called out, laughed wryly before replying, “Brother Zhong, as you’ve just said, Yang Kai can be considered part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. If I were to speak my opinion, I would definitely stand on his side. So, I don’t think I should say anything.”
“It’s fine for you to speak. If you have a point, it’s alright even if you take his side,” Zhong Liang insisted.
Seeing his persistence, Lu An pondered for a while before stating, “Before Yang Kai came, the corruption of Black Ink Strength had always been a problem that troubled the Human Race. But after he came here, he easily solved it, and according to what I know, the number of people who were personally rescued by him was no less than 3,000. This action alone has preserved the life and strength of 3,000 of our Blue Sky Pass’s soldiers. Is that not a tremendous merit?”
Everyone nodded in agreement, as this was an undeniable truth. Yang Kai had treated nearly people from all four Armies, from every Division, and almost every Battalion.
“Subsequently, he helped create the Purifying Black Ink Battleships together with Brother Dong Guo from Divine Cauldron Heaven, Fan Xun of Mo Sha Heaven, and several others. Besides that, he arranged Universe Arrays on each of the Purifying Black Ink Battleships and filled them with a large amount of Purifying Light. Which of the four Armies did not receive great boons from this Purifying Light during the latest battle? This can also be considered a huge merit!”
It was not difficult to achieve merits on this Black Ink Battlefield; however, it was difficult to gain large ones. Many might not even be able to obtain one outstanding merit throughout their life.
Yang Kai, on the other hand, had gained two large merits in less than a year after arriving at Blue Sky Pass, which was simply unprecedented.
With this, even if he made any mistakes, his merits were enough to outweigh them.
Lu An stated that he intended to favour Yang Kai, which he did, but the favouritism was reasonable and others could not argue with it because what he said was agreed upon by everyone present.
“He is just a Sixth-Order brat, yet he raced to the frontline of the battle. Though unintended, he accidentally discovered the hiding place of the Royal Lord, which interfered with his recovery and prompted the Black Ink Clan armies from the other three fronts to rush over as reinforcements. This provided an excellent chance for our armies to pursue and slaughter them. In addition, it also established the groundwork for the Old Ancestor to cause great harm to the Royal Lord. It could be said that this huge victory was all due to Yang Kai. The battle Blue Sky Pass faced might not have been as easy if he hadn’t snuck out. This was another huge merit!” Lu An added.
Now, Yang Kai had accomplished three great merits.
In one war, he had gained three great merits. This was never heard nor seen of.
When Zhong Liang heard that, he chuckled, “According to what Brother Lu stated, we have to reward Yang Kai properly. Brother Lu, even if Yang Kai is part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, your favouritism is too obvious.”
“Of course, after talking about his merits, naturally, he has demerits too. Not to mention that he disobeyed orders on the battlefield and insisted on doing things of his will, because of him, the three fronts had to send out a portion of their men to aid him, putting countless lives at risk,” Lu An said with a slight smile.
Zhong Liang had to endure large risks as well when he borrowed men from the other three fronts. If the war on the Western Front did not conclude in time, then the battle on the Southern, Northern, and Eastern Fronts would have become unsustainable. In the worst-case scenario, their defence lines would be broken through, resulting in massive casualties.
Although this did not occur, it was highly probable that it would have if the Royal Lord’s location had not been revealed, and his recovery had not been interfered with.
“It’s a big demerit to disobey orders, and it’s another to put others in danger as a result. For the time being, although his merits outweigh his demerits, I’d say we should neither punish nor reward him,” Lu An concluded.
Everyone in the Main Hall was silent. Lu An previously stated that he would side with Yang Kai, but how was this considered favouritism? Three great merits and two big demerits. There was still one great merit to be rewarded, but Lu An suggested not doing so. This obviously was not favouritism, on the contrary, it had the notion of repression.
However, everyone understood that Lu An was from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, and so was Yang Kai. Him only stating this was to avoid suspicion of being too biased. Although they were from the same Sect, that was of little importance on the Black Ink Battlefield; his relationship with those in the Inner Sanctum was far more critical. Only when Blue Sky Pass was one, cohesive force could they continue to repel powerful foes.
“No,” Ding Yao remarked, waving his hand, “If you’ve gained a merit, you will be rewarded, and if you gained a demerit, you will be punished. This is the rule. If merits and demerits can be cancelled out, it would become a mess in the future.”
Zhong Liang glanced at him and said, “Brother Ding, what’s your opinion?”
Ding Yao said softly, “That Brat has indeed accomplished a lot in this battle, so the punishment can’t be too severe. How about this? Since the battlefield needs to be cleaned, we’ll delegate him an area to be responsible for.”
“Can that even be counted as punishment?” Zhong Liang laughed.
Ding Yao replied nonchalantly, “We just need to do it for show. That boy is now extremely popular in the Inner Sanctum, if the punishment is too harsh, even our own subordinates won’t agree to it!”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Yang Kai held the key to purifying and eliminating Black Ink Strength. Who hadn’t heard of his name in the Inner Sanctum? Any one of them might need his help in the future, so it was only natural that they would try to get on his good side.
It was said that people were constantly going to Yang Kai’s residence with fine wine, wanting to pay him a visit.
There were also those who received his help while on the battlefield; in fact, many said at the time that if they were able to return alive, they would invite him to have a drink. They had all come to fulfil their promises now that the battle was over.
It was a pity that Yang Kai seemed to be in retreat and not meeting anyone.
Shen Tu Mo gave a light nod and said, “That’s a good idea. When that kid arrived at Blue Sky Pass for the first time, he was informed of the Inner Sanctum’s rules. Now that his punishment is settled, what about this reward? He still has some massive accomplishments, so his rewards can’t be ignored, can they?”
Ding Yao responded with a smile, “Since it is a small punishment, the reward should be minimal as well. His Military Merits cannot be erased, so note them down for him for now, and he can exchange them for anything in the War Materials Hall at a later date. As for his position going forward… that’s a bit more complicated.”
When Ding Yao mentioned ‘complicated’, everyone knew what he meant. According to what Yang Kai accomplished, even promoting him to Battalion Commander was less than what he deserved.
However, this boy was only a Sixth-Order Master, so how could he take on the role of Battalion Commander? Which Battalion Commander in Blue Sky Pass was not a peak Seventh-Order Master?
If his ability was insufficient, he would be unable to convince his subordinates.
“I propose that he be promoted to Squad Leader for now!” Ding Yao stated while glancing at the crowd.
Someone instantly objected, saying, “I heard he’s only a Sixth-Order Master. His cultivation isn’t sufficient to be a Squad Leader, right?”
Although there were only a dozen or so people in in a Squad, as the Squad Leader, Yang Kai would be responsible for all of their lives. Being in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm was indeed too low.
Ding Yao smiled and replied, “He is indeed in the Sixth Order, but which of you has seen a Sixth-Order Junior fight on par with a Seventh-Order Master before? His performance on the battlefield this time was more dazzling than many established Seventh-Order Masters. With the cooperation of Feng Ying, they killed no less than a dozen Feudal Lords, and don’t forget that this Brat can also transform into a Grand Dragon. In that form, his strength is comparable to a peak Seventh-Order Master. Strength is also something that can be improved with time. That brat advanced to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm initially and, after taking a Mid-Rank World Fruit, advanced to the Sixth-Order. So, he is also expected to reach the Eighth Order in the future.”
Hearing what he said, everyone agreed.
“Then, according to what Brother Ding said, we’ll let him be promoted to Squad Leader, but one thing must be made clear. Whose Army will he be joining?” Liang Yu Long remarked.
Zhong Liang replied, “Of course, he will belong to my Western Army! Feng Ying brought him here in the first place.”
Shen Tu Mo grinned meaningfully, “He is from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, and Brother Lu An is part of my Northern Army, shouldn’t he join us instead?”
Ding Yao chimed in immediately, “It’s not right for you to put it like that. No matter your background, we’re all one family on the Black Ink Battlefield. There’s no such thing as Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. I’d say that it’s preferable for him to come to the Eastern Army.”
The four Army Commanders glanced at each other; no one wanted to back down, obviously wanting to get Yang Kai to work under them.
Although each Army had a Purifying Black Ink Battleship and could utilize the Purifying Light stored inside of it, every Army still wanted a gifted talent like Yang Kai to join them.
As for the fact that his cultivation was not enough to be a Squad Leader, it was not mentioned anymore.
For a long time in the Main Conference Hall, the four Army Commanders argued back and forth while the many Division Commanders glanced around at each other helplessly.
The four Army Commanders going all out to recruit a single Sixth-Order Junior was unprecedented.
However, everyone knew of Yang Kai’s significance, so they could understand their motivations.
Nevertheless, there was no conclusion following the argument, and in the end, the problem could only be put on hold for the time being, with the decision being made to go back and let Yang Kai decide.
When the meeting finished, everyone left.
The four Army Commanders walked at the back, seemingly as friendly as if they had not just argued.
“Brother Ding, don’t you need to check in on the Eastern Army? Why are you walking in this direction?” Zhong Liang suddenly looked at Ding Yao.
“Just taking a stroll. Why do you care?” Replied Ding Yao, his hands folded behind his back.
Having said so, he indeed strolled off.
“Brother Liang, why are you walking this way too?” Zhong Liang looked at Liang Yu Long with a darkening expression.
Liang Yu Long laughed and said, “I have something to discuss with Brother Ding,” After that, he followed Ding Yao and left.
Then, Zhong Liang turned to Shen Tu Mo, who said with no courtesy, “These legs are attached to my body. Why does it concern you where they’re leading me?”
He then left with the other two.
“Bastards! A bunch of shameless old dogs who want to snatch what’s mine!” Muttered Zhong Liang.
A short while later, four figures arrived one after another at a certain courtyard.
There were a lot of residences in Blue Sky Pass for those in the Inner Sanctum. Blue Sky Pass could accommodate tens of thousands of people easily, and everyone had their own residence.
The higher the position, the better the benefits. This was Feng Ying’s home. As a Battalion Commander, she lived in her own courtyard. Though it wasn’t particularly big, it was clean and well-kept.
Yang Kai hadn’t had time to register, so he didn’t have a distinct identity in Blue Sky Pass, nor a permanent residence; therefore, he followed Feng Ying here after the battle.
Feng Ying swiftly emerged after sensing someone approaching. When she saw the four Army Commanders though, she couldn’t help but be shocked and greeted hurriedly, “Greetings, Sirs.”
Zhong Liang nodded lightly, cast a wary glance at the other three, and inquired, “Where is Yang Boy?”
“In retreat,” Feng Ying said, glancing in the direction of a private chamber.
Zhong Liang frowned, “How are his injuries?”
He remembered Yang Kai and Feng Ying’s miserable state when he carried them back from the battlefield. Feng Ying was even unconscious at the time.
“His injuries are fine, but…”
“But what?” Zhong Liang anxiously asked.
Feng Ying quickly answered, “But he said that he felt like he had the chance to break through. If his retreat this time is successful, he could advance to the Seventh Order after leaving seclusion.”
Zhong Liang and the rest were both shocked and pleasantly surprised.
One of the Division Commanders in the conference hall mentioned that Yang Kai’s cultivation was too low for him to be promoted to Squad Leader, but it seemed this was no longer an issue. Since the chance for advancement had been recognised, reaching the Seventh Order should be a given.
For a Squad Leader, being in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm was the most suitable.
The fact that Yang Kai suddenly entered retreat to advance to the Seventh Order made Zhong Liang extremely excited.
[This brat could already exert such power while just in the Sixth Order. If he advances to the Seventh Order, how strong would he be?]
Thinking about it again, it was no surprise that Yang Kai felt an opportunity to break through.
Yang Kai snuck out of Blue Sky Pass and onto the battlefield this time, hoping to break through while facing death in battle, but events unfolded far differently than he had anticipated.
The battlefield was dangerous, and even the best of plans could never keep up with ever-changing circumstances. Feng Ying arrived just in time to find Yang Kai, and with her watching over him, he had been safe.
Yang Kai himself understood this too, so when he met Feng Ying, he abandoned his initial plan and joined forces with her to defeat as many enemies as possible.
However, the Royal Lord’s location was unintentionally exposed by Yang Kai, disrupting the former’s recovery. As a result, the Royal Lord became annoyed and attacked the two of them.
It was a casual blow for the Royal Lord, but to Yang Kai and Feng Ying, it was a death sentence.
Facing certain death, Yang Kai had no time to think and could only go all out. It was only with the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel and Feng Ying’s Myriad Swords Dragon that the pair managed to barely survive and hold out until Zhong Liang arrived.
At the moment of critical danger, it was when under overwhelming pressure that something seemed to have shattered inside Yang Kai.
He didn’t notice it at that time, but when Yang Kai was back in Blue Sky Pass, safe from the ongoing war, he realised that the shackles that he had been trying to break through during his previous retreat snapped under the immense pressure.
It truly was a great fortune that was stumbled upon by accident.
Yang Kai would naturally not let go of this fantastic opportunity now that he had grasped it. When the battle was over, he returned with Feng Ying, informed her about his situation, and then entered retreat to break through.
Naturally, when Zhong Liang and others came to look for him, he was not available.
However, the four Army Commanders were overjoyed when they heard that Yang Kai was advancing to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Yang Kai’s existence was too important to the Human Race; so obviously, the greater the strength he had, the better. The Black Ink Battlefield had a lot of dangers, so if Yang Kai was stronger, he would have a better ability to protect himself. The fifth order was too low and the Sixth Order was the bare minimum. If Yang Kai advanced to the Seventh Order though, he could play a much larger role.
“Very good! If this little brat can break through, it will be good for all of us,” Zhong Liang nodded repeatedly.
Ding Yao and the others agreed.
But breaking through to the Seventh Order from the Sixth Order was a long and arduous task. The Proprietress took over 100 years in retreat in order to break through this same barrier.
Zhong Liang and others had also gone through this experience, so they were very clear about the process.
The four of them set aside their desires to win over Yang Kai after knowing that they could not see him for the time being. Then, Zhong Liang instructed, “You stay here to look after him. Notify me as soon as possible once he’s done.”
Feng Ying nodded.
“Let’s go,” Zhong Liang said. There were still a lot of post-battle tasks to attend to and each of them had their own responsibilities, so it was impossible to keep waiting here.
However, just as the four of them were preparing to leave, they heard a faint creaking sound.
Zhong Liang followed the sound and turned his head to look, “What’s that?”
“My seclusion chamber opened…” Feng Ying replied as her expression changed.
Zhong Liang and the others were startled at first, but that was soon followed by a change in their expressions.
The seclusion chamber was a place for cultivators to enter retreat and it wouldn’t be easily opened once sealed. If Yang Kai chose to enter retreat here at Feng Ying’s place, he would undoubtedly be using this room.
Unless the one using it chose to, opening a seclusion chamber could only be done through force, and obviously that was not the case here.
It’s just… why would the seclusion chamber open for no reason?
Yang Kai only entered retreat a few days ago, so could he have encountered an accident?
As they thought of this possibility, Zhong Liang and the others were no longer able to remain calm. They all strode over to the seclusion chamber in a hurry.
Soon after, Yang Kai emerged from the chamber, still topless, with many of his wounds from the previous battle not even healed yet. Of course, he seemed to have recovered significantly all the same.
Zhong Liang and the others suspected something went wrong with his retreat; otherwise, why would he come out on his own? But, when they laid eyes on him, there didn’t seem to be anything amiss. In fact, he seemed invigorated and revitalised.
There was something odd about his aura too. It was not a Sixth-Order aura, but rather a Seventh-Order one!
Having just broken through, Yang Kai seemed to be somewhat unfamiliar with the power of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and could not control his World Force adeptly, causing some of his aura and power to leak out.
Zhong Liang and the others immediately widened their eyes in surprise as they stared at him in shock.
Yang Kai noticed them as well and pondered why these four were here. Still, he quickly composed himself and saluted, “Greetings, Seniors.”
Zhong Liang and others remained silent, their four pairs of eyes examining Yang Kai from top to bottom.
Yang Kai was feeling uneasy when these four were scrutinizing him in such a manner. It felt like there was something odd with their gaze but he could not understand what it was. As such, he cautiously asked, “Seniors, what brings you here today?”
“Don’t move!” Zhong Liang commanded in a deep voice, took a step forward and reached out to Yang Kai’s dantian, touching it with his palm before investigating it thoroughly.
Ding Yao and the rest stood back and waited quietly.
A few moments later, Zhong Liang withdrew his hands; his expression odd.
“So?” Ding Yao asked.
“Strange. He’s reached the Seventh Order without a doubt!” Zhong Liang shook his head and glanced at Ding Yao and the others.
Under his inspection, he confirmed that Yang Kai had indeed advanced to the Seventh Order, which was completely unbelievable.
“You’re sure you’re not mistaken?’ Liang Yu Long inquired, agitated.
Zhong Liang rolled his eyes, “You can check for yourself if you don’t believe me. His foundation doesn’t even seem to be unstable.”
“Interesting,” Shen Tu Mo grinned.
Yang Kai became even more confused, turning to Zhong Liang and asking, “Senior, what happened?”
“If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask?” Zhong Liang turned to face him, “How did you advance to the Seventh Order?”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow for a moment before replying nonchalantly, “I sensed an opportunity to break through, so I entered retreat for a while and broke through.”
The way he spoke about it was like he had been hungry, decided to eat, and was now full.
Feng Ying finally pulled herself together and commented, “That’s the problem.”
“What’s the problem?” Yang Kai frowned. This advancement had gone unexpectedly well, so he didn’t suspect anything was wrong.
Feng Ying sighed and said, “Let’s put it this way. It took 40 years from the time I sensed the opportunity to break through to the Seventh Order until I finally succeeded. Not only me, but every Seventh-Order Master experiences something similar. It takes a long time to break through because the Seventh Order is a massive watershed where one’s Small Universe must undergo the process of materializing. This is an extraordinarily long and difficult process that cannot be completed overnight.”
As she spoke though, Feng Ying abruptly came to a realization, “Ah! Your Small Universe had already materialized, so you could skip over that step in your breakthrough… Still, it all happened so fast, and there were no major signs of a breakthrough as well.”
It had only been a few days, yet Yang Kai actually broke through to the Seventh Order. If they had not witnessed it themselves, they would never have been able to believe it.
Zhong Liang recalled this fact once Feng Ying reminded them.
They had all checked Yang Kai’s Small Universe before, and unlike other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realms Masters, his Small Universe had already transformed from immaterial to material; therefore, Yang Kai did not have to go through arduous process of materializing his Small Universe to advance to the Seventh-Order.
What concerned Zhong Liang the most before, was Yang Kai feeling his opportunity for a breakthrough on the battlefield. If he did, he would be forced to break through while in battle, which would sap him of all his strength during the transforming process, which would place him in a precarious state.
Fortunately, that did not happen.
After hearing Feng Ying’s explanation, Yang Kai finally understood everyone’s earlier odd reaction.
He also had some idea of what happened when others advanced to the Seventh Order; still, this realization took him aback. But since his special Small Universe had saved him a huge amount of time, as far as he was concerned, it was something to celebrate.
This time, his retreat went rather smoothly. After a few days of effort, his bottleneck was shattered, and he naturally advanced from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order, moving up to join the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Additionally, he was now just one step away from his upper limit, the Eighth Order.
“Your circumstances are unique,” Zhong Liang stated after some thought, “Please pay more attention over the course of the next few years. Make sure you report to us if you sense any abnormalities.
“Yes,” Yang Kai replied, then asked again, “So, what brought you here today, Seniors?”
“The Old Ancestor wants to see you!” Zhong Liang turned serious.
When the Old Ancestor returned, Yang Kai was already in retreat, but the former had been greatly intrigued by the existence of a person like Yang Kai in the Inner Sanctum. So, he instructed Yang Kai to pay him a visit as soon as possible.
“When?” Yang Kai asked. He also desired to meet with the Old Ancestor, but previously, the Old Ancestor was in the midst of recovering from his injuries, so he could not meet him.
The issue of the Void Corridor had to be reported, but in accordance with Meng Qi’s instructions before his death, Yang Kai never disclosed the issue to anyone else, only planning to explain everything when he met the Old Ancestor.
Zhong Liang suddenly turned awkward, “Maybe in a few years. The Old Ancestor should be recovering right now. Although he instructed you to meet him, nobody expected you to be out of retreat so quickly.”
According to the Old Ancestor’s previous estimation, Yang Kai would need at least a few dozen years to advance to the Seventh Order. By that time, he would have completed his recovery and could meet this interesting Junior.
Who knew in just a few days, Yang Kai had already successfully advanced to the Seventh Order.
Besides, the Old Ancestor hadn’t fully recovered from his previous injuries when he went out to battle the Royal Lord again. They really should not interfere with him this time when he returned to recover.
Yang Kai nodded without objections.
“Good. Get some rest. We’ll take our leave,” Zhong Liang said as he signalled to Ding Yao and the others.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying bowed and watched them leave.
After exiting the courtyard, Liang Yu Long suddenly asked, “Brother Zhong, what are you up to?”
The four of them hurried over here, hoping to recruit Yang Kai into their respective Army, but no one spoke about this matter, and Zhong Liang even motioned them to leave quickly. Of course, Liang Yu Long wanted to ask why.
Zhong Liang then replied, “I considered it thoroughly. We old fogies should not trouble the little ones. How do you want him to choose if all four armies try to recruit him? It’s not appropriate for him to promise any one of us. We are all part of Blue Sky Pass anyways, so let’s let things drift for now and we can talk about it after he has become more familiar with things here.”
Ding Yao answered with a nod, “Good. It will indeed make things difficult for him if we force him to choose now. The future is still far, so let’s not be in such a hurry.”
Since they had said so, Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo could not object either, thus the subject was put on hold for the time being.
Just after Zhong Liang and the others left Feng Ying’s courtyard, someone else came for a visit.
Yang Kai didn’t know them, but after Feng Ying’s introduction, he learned that the visitor was from Blue Sky Pass’ Merit Hall. The Merit Hall was a very important organisation in Blue Sky Pass, as its main responsibility was to document everyone’s Military Merits in each battle.
The Military Merits could be exchanged for cultivation resources at the War Materials Hall.
Now that Yang Kai knew who this person was, he naturally wouldn’t show him any disrespect. It was fine when he didn’t know who he was before, but now that he knew the identity of the person before him, he was curious to know what Military Merits he had obtained in this battle.
However, to his shock, the visitor hadn’t come to announce his Military Merits. Instead, that person came here under the order of the Army Commanders of the Four Armies to announce his punishment.
He had defied orders from the Western Army Commander, disregarded the overall situation, and put himself and others in danger. After a discussion, the four Army Commanders decided to punish Yang Kai by making him clean up the battlefield.
The punishment left Yang Kai dumbfounded.
The man from the Merit Hall laughed sheepishly, handed Yang Kai the jade slip, and cupped his fist while saying, “Brother Yang, I’m only following orders, so please don’t be upset with me. Cleaning the battlefield is not difficult, but it’s time-consuming. This isn’t really much of a punishment. Oh, right, the area you will be responsible for cleaning is demarcated inside this jade slip. Just take a look and you’ll know what I mean.”
There was nothing Yang Kai could say, so he accepted the jade slip.
The man from the Merit Hall left without saying anything else.
Then, as Yang Kai stood in the same spot, he looked at the jade slip and noticed that a basic map of Blue Sky Pass and its surroundings was engraved into it. Also, the area he was assigned to clean up was also highlighted on the map.
He turned to look at Feng Ying and asked, “What should I do?”
Feng Ying answered, “There’s not much to do, actually. The main thing is to clean up any leftover Black Ink Clouds and Black Ink Strength. If those are left near Blue Sky Pass, they will become something the Black Ink Army can use when they attack us again. Come with me.”
Saying so, she walked forward to lead the way.
A few moments later, the two arrived at the War Materials Hall. Inside the hall, everyone was bustling like busy bees, and there was a continuous stream of people heading in and out. There were many who recognised Yang Kai and nodded or smiled at him. Some even came forward and greeted him so that they could have a chance to get to know him.
Yang Kai politely responded to all of them.
When Feng Ying finally found someone from the War Materials Hall, she asked for a set of tools used for cleaning the battlefield before leading Yang Kai away.
Leaving Blue Sky Pass, moved towards the region indicated in the jade slip and soon arrived at a certain area of the battlefield. As they looked ahead, they saw the whole area was filled with Black Ink Clouds of various shapes and sizes, as well as some dead Black Ink Clansmen.
Though Blue Sky Pass also suffered casualties during this battle, the dead and injured had all been carried away by their companions; therefore, only the corpses of the Black Ink Clan were left.
The area Yang Kai was responsible for was about 100,000 kilometres in length, breadth, and width. It wasn’t particularly big, but it wasn’t small either.
At this moment, there were already many others cleaning up in other areas of the battlefield. Looking from where they stood, they saw most of the cleaning crews working in groups of two, each person holding one end of a net that they dragged across the void. As these nets passed through the void, the Black Ink Clouds would be gathered into them and then brought somewhere else.
Once the clouds in the net were dealt with, those with nets would return to another part of their area and repeat the process.
Yang Kai came to the realization that these nets were special artifacts the Human Masters had come up with because Black Ink Strength was very difficult to deal with. Up till this point, besides his Purifying Light, there was nothing that could disperse and purify it.
Therefore, if they wanted to clean up the battlefield, they had to find another method. These nets were something they came up with through countless years of research and testing.
“This is the Black Ink Trawling Net,” While Feng Ying spoke, she took out something that looked like a net that was about as long as a forearm. However, when she channelled World Force into the net, it rapidly enlarged, “This is the only thing we can use to clean up the battlefield, so we generally refer to cleaning up the battlefield as fishing.”
Hearing that made Yang Kai laugh. The scene before him did resemble fishermen working with their nets. The only difference was that instead of fish, there were only Black Ink Clouds here.
The Black Ink Trawling Net had no other use besides collecting Black Ink Clouds that were from battle.
“Where are the Black Ink Clouds being sent to?” Yang Kai asked.
Feng Ying replied, “We move them about 1 million kilometres away from here.”
It was no wonder that the man from the Merit Hall said being on the cleanup duty was not difficult but time-consuming. The Black Ink Clouds had to be sent 1 million kilometres away at minimum, so moving back and forth alone would be quite time-consuming.
After a rough estimation, Yang Kai concluded that cleaning up this 100,000-kilometre area might take at least one or two months.
He had just advanced to the Seventh Order, and what he needed now was to consolidate his cultivation. He didn’t have time to waste on fishing for clouds.
Once he had a decision in mind, he immediately waved his hand, “That’s too much trouble.”
After he finished his words, Yang Kai approached the Black Ink Clouds, opened the portal to his Small Universe, and generated a suction force that began drawing everything towards it.
In just a matter of breaths, the massive Black Ink Cloud was sucked inside his Small Universe.
Feng Ying watched speechlessly and worriedly from the side while Yang Kai’s figure dashed to and fro, gathering Black Ink Clouds of various sizes.
Though Yang Kai had a World Spring with him, it was uncertain if he would experience any complications from taking in so much Black Ink Strength.
Nevertheless, she relaxed after seeing that Yang Kai was doing fine.
It only took Yang Kai two days to clean up the 100,000 kilometres area; yet, he didn’t return to the Inner Sanctum after he finished. Instead, he stopped somewhere in the void and stared fixedly ahead.
Feng Ying approached him and asked, “What’s the matter?”
After faintly sighing, Yang Kai suddenly reached out his hand. Space Principles surged and his hand disappeared, as though it had passed through an invisible curtain of some kind.
Feng Ying’s brow rose, feeling confused as to what had just happened.
Space Principles continued to undulate for a while before Yang Kai suddenly shouted, “Open!”
Once he said that, his hand rotated sharply and the place where it had disappeared was now replaced by a vortex-like phenomenon. The vortex was like a whirlpool, and as it swirled, the aura of a Small Universe emerged from it.
Feng Ying was shocked, “Is that…”
“A Universe Paradise.” Yang Kai’s eyes looked a little dim as he replied, “I’m not sure who left this behind though.”
When a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master passed away, there was a chance for their Small Universe to remain intact and merge with the Void. If one didn’t know the exact location, it would be very difficult to find these Sealed Worlds, and even if one knew the exact location, they would have to know how to open the portal leading to it.
These Sealed Worlds that were left behind after the death of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master were known as Universe Cave Heavens or Universe Paradises.
A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would leave behind a Universe Paradise, while an Eighth or Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would leave behind a Universe Cave Heaven.
The Blood Monster Cave Heaven which Yang Kai had explored once before was the Universe Cave Heaven left behind by Blood Monster Divine Monarch.
Later, when he and Bright Sun Divine Monarch Cheng Yang worked together in the Shattered Heaven, they found and opened a total of five Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises. With his mastery over the Dao of Space, Yang Kai was adept at finding and then forcing open Universe Cave Heavens or Paradises.
These Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises were left behind by powerful Masters, and if one were lucky, one might be able to inherit the previous owner’s legacy.
Therefore, among the 3,000 Worlds, Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises represented fortune and opportunity. Once one was found, people would swarm over to seize a piece of the pie.
Every time Blood Monster Cave Heaven was opened, it would attract many elite disciples to enter and explore it, which showed how precious these Sealed Worlds were.
However, they were on the Black Ink Battlefield now, and just outside Blue Sky Pass.
Throughout the ages, countless Human Masters fought the Black Ink Clan right here, painting the void in blood.
The number of Human Masters that died here must have been too many to count.
When the armies were locked in battle, there were bursts of energy everywhere, so Yang Kai wasn’t able to sense anything. While he was cleaning up the battlefield though, he could feel slight, almost imperceptible, spatial fluctuations coming from certain points around him.
No matter how strong he was, if he were not proficient in the Dao of Space, Yang Kai wouldn’t have been able to discover anything. But due to his experience of discovering and opening so many Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises before, coupled with the special conditions here, he naturally knew what these space fluctuations meant.
After giving it a try, just as he predicted, he easily opened up a portal to a Universe Paradise.
Though it seemed easy for Yang Kai, it was mind-blowing for Feng Ying.
Many knew that countless Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises were located outside of Blue Sky Pass; after all, an uncountable number of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had died here over the millennia.
To this point though, there had been no one besides Yang Kai who could easily find and open those lost Small Universes.
If he could open one, he could open a second, third…
What did that mean? It meant the legacies of the owners of those Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises could be found and retrieved. Though there might not be much, even retrieving some memorial items of these Masters who had fought and died to stop the Black Ink Clan would have meaning.
“Do you want to head inside?” Yang Kai nudged his head towards the portal.
Nodding, Feng Ying added, “I just need to report about this first.”
As she spoke, she took out her communication artifact and notified the higher-ups. Once she did that, she followed Yang Kai through the portal.
Their vision blurred for a moment; then, they were inside. As Yang Kai predicted, this was a Universe Paradise that was left behind by a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
However, this Universe Paradise was dilapidated and barren, and some places looked like parts had been cut away. Yang Kai could guess that the owner of this Small Universe had been invaded by Black Ink Strength and was forced to cut out a part of his Small Universe to continue fighting.
Unfortunately, the owner still died in battle.
After the owner died, his Small Universe didn’t rupture and was preserved to create an incomplete Universe Paradise.
This Universe Paradise wasn’t very big, nor did there seem to be anything of value.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying explored the place but couldn’t find anything. Yang Kai was puzzled by this because the owner of this Small Universe was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and such people would normally keep all their important belongings inside their Small Universe, so whatever they had would end up here after they died.
However, they couldn’t find anything of value even after performing a careful exploration.
Seeming to have noticed Yang Kai’s doubts, Feng Ying explained, “Every time a war breaks out, everyone in Blue Sky Pass leaves everything of value they possess in the Inner Sanctum. Everything beside their important artifacts and pills which can restore energy and heal their wounds is left behind. That way, if they die, the resources left in the Inner Sanctum can be used by others.”
On the chaotic battlefield, no one could be certain if they could come back alive, which was why they would carry the mentality that they were heading to the last battle of their lives and had to fight to the death.
That was also the reason why they couldn’t find anything of value in this Small Universe. The belongings of the owner had been collected by others in Blue Sky Pass after his death and became materials for others to become stronger.
Yang Kai stood in awe.
If that was true, there was no reason to continue exploring.
A while later, Yang Kai and Feng Ying left the Universe Paradise. When they came out, the four Army Commanders were waiting for them.
Feng Ying had contacted Zhong Liang, who then contacted Ding Yao and the others. The four arrived at almost the same time.
Four pairs of eyes were instantly attracted to the portal that led to the Universe Paradise, and Zhong Liang even swept his eyes over Yang Kai while asking, “Did you do this?”
Yang Kai nodded. There was no need to hide that fact.
“Do you know who left this behind?” Zhong Liang asked another question. This time, it wasn’t directed at Yang Kai, but at Feng Ying.
Shaking her head, Feng Ying answered, “I’m not sure. Unless it’s someone who knows the owner going in to have a look, I’m afraid it will be hard to determine who it belonged to.”
Zhong Liang stayed silent. Unless the Small Universe left by the cultivator had special characteristics, it was difficult to determine who its former owner was. Moreover, countless Masters had been killed outside Blue Sky Pass over the ages, and so much time had passed it was almost impossible to determine who these Small Universes belonged to.
Suddenly, Ding Yao looked at Yang Kai and questioned, “Did you find this by chance, or do you have the ability to open portals to all these Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises?”
Yang Kai replied, “As long as they aren’t hidden too deeply, I can find and open them.”
Hearing this, the four Army Commanders frowned. Ding Yao nodded and said, “Very good. If it’s true, then you might be making a huge contribution.”
Yang Kai was confused. What huge contribution? If what Feng Ying said was true, there wouldn’t be many valuable things in the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises hidden outside Blue Sky Pass. Even if he found and opened them, what good would they bring to Blue Sky Pass?
Nevertheless, since Ding Yao had spoken, it must be something important.
On the other hand, Yang Kai also found the arrival of all four Army Commanders a little fishy. He didn’t expect all four to come when Feng Ying said she had to make a report.
Also, judging by the expressions on Zhong Liang’s and the others’ faces, Yang Kai was clear that it might be something important.
As he was still confused, he simply decided to ask, “Are these Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises very important? There aren’t many valuables inside.”
Ding Yao explained, “Those who went into battle naturally wouldn’t bring much with them. They fought to the death against the Black Ink Clan when they were alive, and the Small Universes they left behind after they died can also become a weapon to kill the Black Ink Clan. We’ve had such plans for a long time, but we didn’t have the ability to open these hidden Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. Who would have thought you were capable of this.”
Then, Zhong Liang continued, “Think of it this way. The Universe Paradise before you has little value on its own. Though it has World Force and the owner’s Dao Essence, it is essentially useless to us Humans. However, what if we make it into a trap?”
“A trap?” Yang Kai frowned.
Zhong Liang’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he elaborated, “The Black Ink Clan Army repeatedly besieges Blue Sky Pass. If we convert this Universe Paradise into a trap, when the Black Ink Clan Army approaches, we can trigger it and all nearby Black Ink Clansmen will be drawn inside.”
Liang Yu Long continued, “We can arrange Killing Arrays in this Universe Paradise in advance. After the Black Ink Clan is trapped inside, the Killing Array will activate and weaken the Black Ink Clan without us having to fight them directly.”
Shen Tu Mo agreed, “One Universe Paradise may not make much of a difference, but there are so many Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises outside of Blue Sky Pass. If we activate 1,000 of them at once, we may be able to win the next war in one fell swoop!”
After listening to their explanation, Yang Kai felt his pulse accelerate. A magnificent sight came into his mind where the Black Ink Clan Army besieged Blue Sky Pass from all sides in full momentum and then fell into the traps set up using the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. Then, in a flash, they triggered the Killing Arrays and slaughtered the enemy.
If this could be achieved, Blue Sky Pass could win a large battle effortlessly. Had the Humans set up such traps in previous battles, they would have had another sharp weapon with which to repel the enemy.
People from Blue Sky Pass clearly had such an idea long ago; unfortunately, although the idea was good, it was difficult to put it into action. They had no way to find and open up these hidden Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises, so how could they use them as traps?
Therefore, after hearing that Yang Kai could find and force open these Small Universes, Zhong Liang immediately realised the importance of the matter and summoned Ding Yao and the others to come and assess the situation.
This time, the Black Ink Clan Army suffered heavy losses and severely damaged their foundation, so Blue Sky Pass was safe for the time being. But the Black Ink Clan Army would return someday, and there would be another fierce battle when they did.
While the Black Ink Clan were recuperating, there was enough time for them to set up a Grand Killing Array here at Blue Sky Pass. If their plan was executed well, the next time the Black Ink Clan Army arrived, there would be a huge unpleasant surprise waiting for them.
The key to this plan relied on Yang Kai’s ability to find and open these long-lost Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises.
If he could do this, then everything else would fall into place, but if he couldn’t, then they couldn’t even begin.
The four Army Commanders looked at Yang Kai with complicated expressions. Originally, because Yang Kai disobeyed orders, they decided to punish him by having him clean up the battlefield, but who would have thought that cleaning up the battlefield could earn him another great merit?
They also heard from Feng Ying that Yang Kai was going to contribute a large batch of Profound Yin Bamboo to Blue Sky Pass…
Each Profound Yin Bamboo was a precious treasure, especially for the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Black Ink Battlefield. If they did get their hands on those Profound Yin Bamboo, they would have a huge advantage in both resisting the corruption of Black Ink Strength and improving their own cultivation.
This was another great merit that could be awarded to Yang Kai.
That realization gave Zhong Liang and others a headache. A Junior with too many merits wasn’t something to celebrate, because it made it difficult to force him into line when the time came.
Once all his merits were converted into Military Merits, Yang Kai would have accumulated a considerable amount of wealth. With these potential merits, and the ones he earned in the last battle, he now had more than most Eighth-Order Division Commanders.
“Yang Kai, this matter is of great importance. Are you sure you can find and open those Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises?” Zhong Liang put aside the many thoughts in his head and asked solemnly. This was a matter related to the situation of future wars, so he had to confirm everything carefully.
Yang Kai answered respectfully, “I wouldn’t dare to make any wild claims.”
Ding Yao retorted indifferently, “Seeing is believing!”
Naturally, he meant he wanted Yang Kai to do a demonstration for them. Yang Kai didn’t refuse and immediately nodded, “Follow me, please.”
When he was cleaning the battlefield, he found several suspicious places, so it was not difficult to open another portal.
A short while later, the crowd stopped at a certain place, and under everyone’s watchful gaze, Yang Kai, like before, stretched his hand out into the Void.
There seemed to be a faint burst of Space Principles before Yang Kai’s hand immediately disappeared without a trace before everyone’s eyes.
Zhong Liang and others immediately raised their brows.
The next moment, Yang Kai twisted his hand and manipulated the Space Principles. Then, a slowly rotating vortex appeared in everyone’s field of vision. Also, there was an aura of a Small Universe gradually diffusing outward from that vortex.
Ding Yao and others watched with widened eyes. They knew Yang Kai wouldn’t deceive them about such matters, and they believed that he had such abilities, but wasn’t this too easy for him?
It felt like opening a hidden Universe Cave Heavens or Universe Paradises for him was as easy as eating a snack or drinking a glass of water.
They had the idea of converting the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises outside Blue Sky Pass into traps, but even after many attempts, they couldn’t open any because they had too few people who were proficient in the Dao of Space! Even if they had Masters who had cultivated the Dao of Space, their attainments were quite low and they could not find and open these hidden Small Universes.
On the other hand, Yang Kai could open a portal just by stretching out his hand. How great were his attainments in the Dao of Space for this brat to accomplish this? But, when they recalled that this kid could even arrange Universe Arrays, they didn’t feel surprised anymore.
In the meantime, Yang Kai was frowning at the portal. The aura coming from it gave him a feeling that something was not right.
“What happened?” Zhong Liang asked.
Yang Kai said, “This Universe Paradise seems to be stained by Black Ink Strength.”
“Stained by Black Ink Strength?” Zhong Liang frowned.
Yang Kai nodded before he fiercely extended his hands, and the vortex greatly expanded. The hazy centre of the vortex revealed a scene that was as black as ink. It was obvious that the scene before them was the scene inside the portal.
With the opening of the portal, the Black Ink Strength inside wanted to gush out, but under Yang Kai’s suppression, it remained sealed inside the Universe Paradise.
Zhong Liang sighed slightly, “Seal it up. This Universe Paradise can’t be used anymore.”
To set up an Array inside a Universe Paradise, the Spirit Array Grandmasters had to enter it; however, they couldn’t enter a Universe Paradise if it was suffused with Black Ink Strength. The Spirit Array Grandmasters didn’t have Yang Kai’s ability to resist the corruption of Black Ink Strength.
This Universe Paradise was completely stained with Black Ink Strength, so it was conceivable that its owner was already corrupted by Black Ink Strength while he was alive. Before the owner died, he still fought hard, but eventually died, leaving this Small Universe behind.
There had to be more than one Small Universe like this. There were likely many in fact.
Furthermore, not every High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would leave behind a Small Universe after their death.
There were also many who had given their lives for the sake of the Human Race but couldn’t even leave a trace of their existence behind. It was pitiful.
Even so, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were still fighting against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield, not allowing the Black Ink Clan to set foot into the 3,000 Worlds, which was a sacrifice worthy of respect.
Who would have known that cleaning up the battlefield would result in realising such an important plan that could change Blue Sky Pass’ future?
The four Army Commanders passed down orders, and men immediately swarmed out of the Inner Sanctum to the battlefield to rapidly clean it.
Only when the battlefield was fully cleaned could Yang Kai open the various portals to the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. After that, they would let those who were proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays enter them and get to work.
Because the battlefield was so vast, it would take at least two or three months to clean it no matter how many people were helping, so Yang Kai had nothing to do in the meantime. He had to wait until the battlefield was cleaned up before he could start working.
Thus, he followed Feng Ying back to Blue Sky Pass.
It was only then that Yang Kai was registered at Blue Sky Pass and officially became one of the members of the Army. Yang Kai arrived here in the middle of a war, so no one was available to help him get registered. After the war, he went into retreat to break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and then he was punished to clean up the battlefield; therefore, he only had the time to go through the registration procedures now.
Now that he had his own Identity Token, Yang Kai felt a weight on his shoulders. Throughout the ages, every Human Master on the Black Ink Battlefield had an Identity Token, yet so many had died and the only way to trace their existence was to search for this token.
He had witnessed how fierce the battles here were, and knew how difficult it was for an Open Heaven Realm Master to survive on the Black Ink Battlefield. The more he learned, the more he resented the Black Ink Clan.
While Yang Kai was lost in thought, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who had registered him suddenly handed over a jade slip with a smile, “Yang Kai, here is a Letter of Appointment authorised by the four Army Commanders. Please accept it.”
“Letter of Appointment?” Yang Kai took it curiously and was shocked when he used his Divine Sense to read it.
The content of the jade slip was very simple. It said he had performed well and worked hard during this battle, so he was being promoted to Squad Leader as a reward for his valour.
Also, the jade slip had Imprints from all four Army Commander, which no one could and would dare to fake.
[So, I’m a Squad Leader now?] Yang Kai was confused.
First, he was punished and made to clean up the battlefield, and now he was rewarded. What was this all about? Was this what they called a carrot-and-stick approach?
“Senior Sister Feng also has one.” The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master added while handing a jade slip to Feng Ying.
Feng Ying took it curiously and nodded lightly after checking its contents.
Yang Kai wanted to ask Feng Ying about her jade slip, but if it was something bad, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to ask, so he kept quiet. However, Feng Ying directly turned her head to look at him and said, “From now on, I am your Deputy.”
Yang Kai looked at her in astonishment.
After putting away the jade slip, Feng Ying reiterated, “You heard correctly. From now on, I am to serve as your Vice Squad Leader.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “But, aren’t you a Battalion Commander?”
A Battalion Commander ranked higher than a Squad Leader. Feng Ying also performed well in this battle, but not only wasn’t she rewarded, but she was demoted from Battalion Commander to Deputy Squad Leader. What were the Army Commanders up to?
But on second thought, Yang Kai figured it out.
The four Army Commanders made this arrangement to one, let Feng Ying protect him, and two, to keep an eye on him; after all, he had disobeyed their orders, disregarded his own safety, and ran straight to the battlefield, which greatly frightened the four Army Commanders. They weren’t certain if he would do it again, so they had Feng Ying stick close to him to make sure this didn’t happen a second time.
Among all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Masters, Feng Ying was one of the strongest, so even if they did get into a dangerous situation, she could protect him.
[All this happened because of me…]
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, “Martial Aunt, I’ll go talk to the four Army Commanders and ask them to rescind their orders.”
Feng Ying shook her head, however, and declared, “There’s no need. I have someone in mind to take over my place in the Battalion. Also, this decision was jointly made by the four Army Commanders, so they can’t change it at will. You, on the other hand, do need someone to watch over you.”
Her words meant that she didn’t mind monitoring Yang Kai, which made him blush.
Feng Ying frowned again and added, “But, there is something strange about this letter of appointment.”
“Is it a fake?” Yang Kai cheered. He didn’t care about being a Squad Leader, but it didn’t feel good to have someone watching him all the time.
While glaring at him, Feng Ying said, “There’s no way this is fake. What I mean is, the Army Commanders appointed us as Squad Leader and Vice Squad Leader, but they didn’t say which Army, Wing, Division, or even Battalion we would be joining.”
Only when she said this did Yang Kai realise what the problem was. It was true that the Letter of Appointment only said that he was promoted to Squad Leader, but it didn’t mention who he would be serving under.
He hadn’t been on the Black Ink Battlefield for long, but Feng Ying had been here for thousands of years, so she knew exactly what should be included in such letters. However, something vital was missing from both their letters, so both of them felt doubtful.
“I’ll ask them when I have time.” Feng Ying said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the Merit Hall and War Materials Hall. You’ve just broken through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so take advantage of this free time to consolidate your cultivation.”
The Merit Hall and War Materials Hall were in the same central building, so there were many cultivators coming and going.
This place was usually packed because one could check their Military Merits and exchange them for supplies here; thus, this was naturally a place that many cultivators would frequent.
Especially now that the war had just ended, the place seemed even more lively than normal.
The two first stopped at the Merit Hall to check out their Military Merits and soon received a detailed report. Yang Kai wasn’t clear on what the number of Military Merits represented; after all, he was new to Blue Sky Pass and didn’t know how such things were calculated, nor did he know how much they were worth.
After asking Feng Ying though, he found out that his Military Merits were quite high, and that the Military Merits received by Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Division Commanders after a major battle would only be this much as well.
The Military Merits Feng Ying had earned after the last war were only about 20% of Yang Kai’s, but even so, it was already beyond her expectations.
According to her previous estimates, her Military Merits this time should not be this high.
After a moment of silence though, Feng Ying suddenly realised something and posited, “I think they’ve also taken the hundreds of people we brought back into their calculations.”
When they fought their way back from the Black Ink Clan’s domain, they saved hundreds of Black Ink Disciples, which was also a great merit.
Now that they had their Military Merits, they went to the War Materials Hall to exchange them for resources. The Manager in charge of this matter handed them two jade slips, which included all the materials they could exchange for Military Merits.
Yang Kai used his Divine Sense to look inside and saw that the first item on the list was a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit. The number of Military Merits needed was not too high, but it wasn’t too low either. However, there was a ‘Limited Supply’ note beside the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit.
Obviously, Blue Sky Pass was short of Profound Yin Spirit Fruit. Even taking all the Great Passes into account, Profound Yin Spirit Fruits were scarce.
During every battle, there were countless cultivators who had to sacrifice parts of their Small Universes. If they wanted to repair the damage, they needed a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, which could only be found in special Sealed Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield. Whenever a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit appeared anywhere, it would be exchanged for immediately.
What Yang Kai found surprising was that the second item on the list was actually Profound Yin Bamboo. However, there was also a ‘Limit Supply’ label behind it.
He was planning to contribute a batch of Profound Yin Bamboo to Blue Sky Pass. Previously, he had accumulated too much heritage in his Small Universe, so he had to use up a large amount of World Force to grow Profound Yin Bamboo, which was of little use to him. He had the World Spring in his Small Universe, so there was no need for him to have Profound Yin Bamboo too.
It seemed Blue Sky Pass had gotten word that he would be contributing a batch of Profound Yin Bamboo, which was why they added it to the list of exchangeable materials to boost the Army’s morale.
The various resources following Profound Yin Bamboo were for cultivation. Additionally, among the materials that could be exchanged for were artifacts and even Secret Techniques from all the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Yang Kai searched through the list and found that among these Secret Techniques were the Demon Eye of Annihilation and the Black Purgatory Eye.
The amount of Military Merits required for these two Secret Techniques were enormous! Even with the Military Merits he had gained today, Yang Kai barely had enough to redeem for one of them.
Even so, Yang Kai was still a bit shocked.
Those two Eye Secret Techniques were the core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven. In the 3,000 Worlds, only the most elite Core Disciples were qualified to cultivate them, with ordinary disciples never even having a chance to see them, let alone disciples of other Sects.
But here, on the Black Ink Battlefield, these two Secret Techniques were actually purchasable by all.
How could he not be shocked by this?
After thinking about it though, Yang Kai understood.
Such a different situation existed here because this was the Black Ink Battlefield. Since ancient times, Human Masters who stepped on into the Black Ink Battlefield never returned to the 3,000 Worlds, so even if they had exchanged their Military Merits for these two Secret Techniques, Myriad Demons Heaven wouldn’t have to worry about them leaking to the general public.
If someone did manage to cultivate these two Secret Techniques, it would benefit the Humans as well because they could at least improve the strength of said cultivator.
Yang Kai was still curious and asked the Manager while holding the jade slip, “If I exchange Military Merits for these two Eye Secret Techniques, how will I receive them?”
The Manager smiled and said, “We don’t provide the cultivation methods here in Blue Sky Pass. If you want to exchange for them, you will need to go to Myriad Demons Pass. The Old Ancestor of Myriad Demons Cave Heaven resides there, and he will personally teach you the two Eye Secret Techniques.”
Yang Kai now understood the situation. He thought there was a prepared cultivation method here in Blue Sky Pass, but he did not expect that would need to head to Myriad Demons Pass to find the Old Ancestor of Myriad Demons Cave Heaven.
It was obvious that all the procedures were the same if one wanted to practice the specialized Secret Techniques of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Yet, to get a chance to be taught by an Old Ancestor was definitely a blessing.
Feng Ying looked at him curiously, “You want to exchange for these two Eye Secret Techniques?”
“I’m just asking,” Yang Kai shook his head. There was no need for him to exchange for them because he already possessed the Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Pupils of Purgatory. Before coming to the Black Ink Battlefield, A Myriad Demons Heaven Ancestor, Mo Sha, had personally taught him those techniques.
If he had time to cultivate these two Eye Secret Techniques and reached the highest possible level of mastery, he would have another trump card to fight against the Black Ink Clan.
Feng Ying nodded and said from the side, “Those inside the Inner Sanctum exchange materials according to a principle. Only exchange for what you need. Resources are scarce, so don’t take anything you don’t plan to immediately make use of.”
Yang Kai nodded. He didn’t need to exchange for cultivation materials because he had already prepared enough of them before coming to the Black Ink Battlefield. The cultivation materials piled up in his Small Universe were enough for him to cultivate until the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm and still have some to spare.
However, the War Materials Hall did have some good quality Spirit Pills, which would be used for quickly healing injuries, restoring strength, and accelerating cultivation.
Thus, Yang Kai exchanged a small amount of his Military Merits for some pills to try out their effects.
Meanwhile, Feng Ying also quickly exchanged for materials she needed.
In Blue Sky Pass, each cultivator had their own living space, and the higher their rank, the better the conditions of their accommodations and the more extensive the area. Since Yang Kai was promoted to the position of Squad Leader, he was entitled to a small courtyard.
Perhaps someone had forgotten about it or deliberately did it on purpose because though Yang Kai received a Letter of Appointment, he wasn’t actually assigned a place to stay.
Fortunately for him, Feng Ying had a spacious place, and she didn’t mind sharing it with him.
While Feng Ying returned to her place, Yang Kai went into retreat. Before he entered retreat, he took out most of the Profound Yin Bamboo from his Small Universe and gave it to Feng Ying so that she could hand it over for him.
Having just broken through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, Yang Kai needed some time to consolidate his cultivation and adapt to his new strength.
For the next few months, Yang Kai would be in retreat and refining cultivation materials of all Orders to enhance the heritage of his Small Universe.
When others cultivated, most of them would opt to use Open Heaven Pills. Even if there were some that chose to refine cultivation materials, their Orders wouldn’t be very high because they had to gather resources of all Seven Elements to be able to safely cultivate. If any of the seven materials were missing, there was a high chance of causing an imbalance in the cultivator’s Small Universe, which would lead to future dangers.
While materials from the Five Elements were easy to find, Yin and Yang Element materials of higher Orders were rare and difficult to acquire.
However, Yang Kai didn’t need to worry about this. The Yellow and Blue Crystals he obtained in the Chaotic Dead Territory were beyond count, and although they were essential for purifying and dispelling Black Ink Strength, it didn’t matter if he used a few of them for cultivation.
That way, the speed of Yang Kai’s cultivation would be incomparably faster than others.
In addition, he still had living beings inside his Small Universe, especially the countless Small Stone Race members, which were constantly enhancing the heritage of his Small Universe.
Also, because he had cultivated the Dao of Time, the flow of time in his Small Universe was four times faster compared to the outside world.
One year outside was equivalent to four years inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe. If he used that advantage well, it would save him a lot of time cultivating.
One could imagine that the time Yang Kai needed to advance from Seventh-Order to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future would be considerably shorter than average.
Now that he had advanced from the Sixth-Order to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the volume of his Small Universe had increased dramatically, and the amount of heritage he could hold had increased proportionally. According to his estimation, the heritage of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was at least 10 times more than that of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and he had only just advanced. As time went by, his heritage would only grow stronger as he continued to cultivate.
At this point, he deeply appreciated the huge gap between the Sixth and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realms and was secretly glad that the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters he had conflicts with were not very strong. If he had made an enemy of someone on Feng Ying’s level, he wouldn’t be alive today.
Months later, the cultivation chamber’s seal was knocked on. Yang Kai woke from his meditation and opened the door with a wave of his hand.
Right then, Feng Ying stepped inside and reported, “The battlefield has been cleaned, and Martial Uncle Zhong is waiting for you.”
Yang Kai got up and said, “Let’s go.”
A short while later, the two of them exited Blue Sky Pass. While looking around, they saw that all the Black Ink Clouds were cleared from the surrounding battlefield, and even the Small Universe fragments were disposed of. The whole void was now clear and empty.
Only Zhong Liang was waiting for Yang Kai there.
When he saw them, he beckoned them over.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying approached him and saluted. Zhong Liang nodded lightly and said, “I’ll leave it to you to find those Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises that are not stained by Black Ink Strength. After you find one, leave the portal open and we’ll dispatch specialists to handle the rest.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist and said, “Understood.”
Zhong Liang nodded, “Many thanks to you for your hard work. After you are done with this, there is another matter you’ll need to handle. You will be quite busy for some time and won’t have much left to cultivate. Take care and don’t overwork yourself.”
While saying so, he reached out and patted Yang Kai’s shoulder.
Feeling doubtful, Yang Kai asked, “What other matter?”
With his hands behind his back, Zhong Liang casually replied, “You’ll know eventually. There are still things I need to take care of in the Inner Sanctum, so I’ll be heading back now. Feng Ying will assist you. Let her know about anything you need.”
After that, with a flicker, Zhong Liang rushed back to Blue Sky Pass in a stream of light.
Yang Kai and Feng Ying watched him leave, and after his figure disappeared from view, Yang Kai turned his head to ask, “Martial Aunt, do you know what the other matter Senior Zhong was talking about is?”
Feng Ying shook her head, “I’m not sure, but it’s probably related to Black Ink Strength somehow.”
Although Yang Kai had advanced to the Seventh Order, there were many such Masters in Blue Sky Pass, so the matter Yang Kai needed to deal with was most likely related to Black Ink Strength.
“But I did ask about your promotion to Squad Leader,” Feng Ying quickly changed the subject.
“Really? What did the Army Commanders say?”
Feng Ying replied, “Martial Uncle Zhong said that your identity is special, so you won’t belong to a specific Army or Division. The team you’ll be leading will be a Special Operations Squad, and we are currently the only members in it. In the future, we will only answer to the four Army Commanders directly. In addition, you can recruit anyone in Blue Sky Pass that is under the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm up to a limit of 50 people!”
Hearing those words, Yang Kai raised his brow, “A Special Operations Squad?”
This was quite a surprise to him, but it also showed how much the four Army Commanders valued him. Whether it was in Blue Sky Pass, or the other Great Passes, the structure of the army was basically pre-determined. A Squad had about 10 to 15 soldiers, while a Battalion had up to 100.
The maximum number of personnel Yang Kai could have in his special squad was 50, which was equivalent to having half the strength of a Battalion.
In addition, the Army Commanders allowed him to pick soldiers with strength below the Eight-Order Open Heaven Realm at will. In other words, if Yang Kai wanted to, he could create a squad with a lineup of 50 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Such a lineup would be quite terrifying.
If such a squad were to fight on the battlefield, it was very likely that they would produce unexpected results. Along with the power of a Warship, they could even kill a Territory Lord if they encountered one.
Yang Kai questioned, “Didn’t the Army Commanders disagree with me entering the battlefield? What’s the point of having this special arrangement?” If they couldn’t fight, there would be no meaning for this Squad to exist.
Feng Ying said with a smile, “They don’t want you to risk your life, but after what happened before, they probably know that you are the impatient type. If another war breaks out, there’s no way you will just stay still on the sidelines, and it’s impossible for them to always keep an eye on you, so rather than letting you find a way to sneak out on your own, it’s better to give you enough power to protect yourself. Moreover, you have already proven your strength. There aren’t any weaklings on the Black Ink Battlefield. Everyone going into battle has braved through many difficulties.”
After listening to Feng Ying’s explanation, Yang Kai thought her words made sense.
If another big battle broke out, it was impossible for him to stay out of it. Of course he had to fight.
He even survived an attack from a Royal Lord, so there was almost nothing he needed to fear on the Black Ink Battlefield.
“You were in retreat back then so I didn’t have the chance to tell you about it. If you have any suitable candidates in mind, do tell me, and we’ll see about recruiting them.”
After thinking about it, Yang Kai said, “There were several Seventh-Order Masters who followed us back from the Black Ink Clan’s domain.”
Feng Ying nodded, “Shen Ao, Ning Qi Zhi, and Qi Tai Chu. They are all quite strong.”
All three of them were corrupted by Black Ink Strength and degenerated into Black Ink Disciples. After being saved by Yang Kai though, they each consumed a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to repair their damaged Small Universes and fought their way back here. In a way, they were now companions who had braved life and death together. If Yang Kai and Feng Ying recruited the three of them, it would save them time familiarising themselves with each other.
“I’ll head back and ask for their opinions. If they are willing to join us, I’ll report to the higher-ups and register them into our Squad. But before that, you have to decide on a name.”
“A name?” Yang Kai asked.
“Since it’s a Special Operations Squad, it has to have a name; otherwise, we won’t be able to register it.”
“What do you have in mind?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Feng Ying smiled and said, “You are the Leader here, so you make the call.”
Yang Kai squinted and looked into the depths of the void. All he saw was endless darkness, so after a long while, he finally spoke, “Dawn!”
Feng Ying murmured, “Dawn, as in daybreak? I hope I can see that someday.”
“I’m sure you will.” Yang Kai grinned at her, “It might be late, but dawn will definitely come.”
After a pause, he urged, “Martial Aunt, I’ll have to trouble you with the recruitment of personnel for our Squad. Besides the three I just mentioned, if you have someone in mind, just ask them. Since we are a Special Operations Squad, we should focus on quality and not quantity. It’s better to have fewer elites than more troublemakers.”
“I understand.” Feng Ying nodded, “You can rest assured that I will strictly screen everyone that I recruit.”
Now that they had reached an agreement, Yang Kai began his search for Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises to open.
This was an extremely long process, and it took him almost half a year to get them all.
With Blue Sky Pass as the centre, he had opened portals to all the Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises hidden in the Void within a 500,000 kilometres radius.
However, many of the Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises had been stained by Black Ink Strength and could not be used, so Yang Kai had to re-seal them.
After careful counting, Yang Kai found that there were about 1,000 Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises that could be used.
Yang Kai felt his heart sink when he realized this.
One had to know that those who left these Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises behind were all High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, so 1,000 corresponded to the fall of at least as many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Countless years had passed, so it was impossible that only 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had fallen outside of Blue Sky Pass.
There were even more High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who died with their Small Universes ruptured, leaving nothing behind.
Also, there were even more Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises that were completely stained with Black Ink Strength left behind but were resealed.
Yang Kai estimated that only about one in ten Small Universes that were preserved after a High-Rank Master’s death could be used; in other words, at least 10,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had died outside Blue Sky Pass over the ages.
That was an enormous amount of casualties. One had to know that in the 3,000 Worlds, each of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was at least an Inner Elder of a Cave Heaven or Paradise, a Master who was famous across the world.
Outside Blue Sky Pass, the 1,000 opened Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises had countless Spirit Array Grandmasters busy working on them. They were arranging Arrays in all of those Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises in hopes that they could give the Black Ink Clan Army a decisive blow in future battles.
However, this no longer had anything to do with Yang Kai. His sole task was to find and open these Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises, everything else would be taken care of by others.
But just as he was about to return to the Inner Sanctum with Feng Ying, Yang Kai suddenly saw two figures coming towards him.
Once they were in close proximity, Yang Kai hurriedly saluted, “Greetings, Elder Lu.”
One of the two men was Lu An of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, while the other was also an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but his face looked unfamiliar, so Yang Kai didn’t greet him immediately.
Lu An smiled and stroked his beard, “Oh, Yang Kai. Are you done with your work here?”
Yang Kai cupped his fist and said, “Everything has been taken care of. I’m heading over to report to the Army Commander.”
“Many thanks for your hard work,” Lu An nodded lightly.
Yang Kai said, “It’s my job.”
“Is he Yang Kai?” The eyes of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master beside Lu An lit up as he swept them over Yang Kai, looking quite interested.
Nodding as a confirmation, Lu An said, “Exactly.” Then, he introduced this newcomer to Yang Kai, “This is Tang Qiu, my Senior Brother. By generation, you should address him as Grand Martial Uncle. He’s from Yin-Yang Pass.”
Yin-Yang Pass? Yang Kai’s heart stirred at those words. Judging by Lu An’s words, Tang Qiu was most likely also from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
As he thought of that, Yang Kai saluted again, “Greetings, Elder Tang!”
Tang Qiu smiled and nodded, “I’ve heard much about you. After meeting you today, I can indeed confirm you’re a talented young man. Not only are you faring well in the 3,000 Worlds, but also on the Black Ink Battlefield. Why can’t our Yin-Yang Cave Heaven produce a rising star like you? It seems like the old farts back at the Sect should give up their positions.”
Those words made Yang Kai break out in a sweat, “Elder Tang, you’re flattering me.”
Tang Qiu changed his tone, “Are you interested in coming back with me and joining Yin-Yang Pass?”
Yang Kai was stunned.
Feng Ying, who was standing beside him, put on a wary look and cupped her fist, “Senior, Yang Kai is now a member of Blue Sky Pass, so what you just said is inappropriate.”
Tang Qiu looked at her lightly, “What’s wrong with my words? He’s part of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. What’s wrong with him following me back to Yin-Yang Pass?”
With pursed lips, Feng Ying remained silent for a moment before saying, “I will report what you’ve said to the Army Commanders.”
Tang Qiu snorted, “They can’t do anything to me.” Then, he looked at Yang Kai, “All you need to do is say the word and I’ll go and negotiate with Zhong Liang and the others.”
Meanwhile, Lu An let out a bitter laugh, “Brother Zhong will definitely not let him go. Senior Brother, don’t make things difficult for the younger generation.”
Still feeling a little reluctant, Tang Qiu added, “Fine, fine. Go back and think about it. I’ll be staying in Blue Sky Pass for a while, so it won’t be too late to tell me your decision after you think about it.”
Lu An eyed Yang Kai, who cupped his fist and said, “Elders, I must take my leave.”
“Go on.” Tang Qiu waved his hand, but then suddenly seemed to remember something and said, “By the way, Xu Ling Gong came with me on this trip. He’s waiting for you back in the Inner Sanctum. Go and meet him.”
“Martial Uncle Xu is also here?” Yang Kai was surprised, and when he turned around to look, Tang Qiu and Lu An had already gone far away.
When we parted with Xu Ling Gong back at the Star Boundary, the latter said that he was going on a mission and had to leave. Later, when Yang Kai went to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to look for Qu Hua Shang, he did not see Xu Ling Gong there and thought that his so-called mission had not been completed yet. It wasn’t until he gradually got to know about the matters of the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Battlefield that Yang Kai found out that Xu Ling Gong had long since entered the Black Ink Battlefield.
At that time, Qu Hua Shang was still serving her 100 year confinement.
When Yang Kai came to the Black Ink Battlefield, the thing he wanted to do the most was to find Xu Ling Gong, because Xu Ling Gong was the only person he knew there.
By coincidence, Yang Kai ended up in Blue Sky Pass.
When Tang Qiu said he had heard of him and that he was faring well in the 3,000 Worlds, Yang Kai wondered how Tang Qiu even knew about such things when he was here, the Black Ink Battlefield.
Now, it seemed like Xu Ling Gong must have told him.
Knowing that Xu Ling Gong was waiting for him in the Inner Sanctum, Yang Kai quickly rushed back.
Halfway there, he suddenly remembered something and asked Feng Ying, “Martial Aunt, how do the Great Passes communicate with each other?”
Feng Ying replied, “If there aren’t many people to transport, we can use the Hyper Space Array. If there are a lot of people to transport, we can only fly slowly.”
Then, it suddenly dawned on Yang Kai, “So, there are indeed Space Arrays connecting the Great Passes.”
He had suspected as much before, but had not had the chance to confirm it. Now that he heard Feng Ying’s explanation, he confirmed he was right.
There were more than 100 Great Passes on the Black Ink Battlefield, so it was impossible to leave each one isolated from all the others; otherwise, every Great Pass would be like a lonely island, unable to remain secure for long. Thus, there had to be some method of communication between them.
As Feng Ying knew that he was still uninformed about the Black Ink Battlefield, she patiently explained, “You should know that though the distance between the Great Passes is not too great, they aren’t close either. Even with the help of a flight-type artifact, it would still take a few months to get from Blue Sky Pass to the nearest Great Pass, and it’s more or less the same situation for other Great Passes. Also, there might be dangers on the way, so we generally use the Hyper Space Array to transit between Great Passes.”
Yang Kai nodded his head.
Feng Ying continued, “The Human Race has more than 100 Great Passes, and each one is connected to several Great Passes nearby. Take Blue Sky Pass as an example. With Blue Sky Pass as the centre, we can be directly transported to a total of four Great Passes to our left and right. If you want to go to a further Great Pass, you would have to transit again. But as you know, it’s not easy to get supplies here in the Black Ink Battlefield, so under normal circumstances, the Hyper Space Array is only used to transmit information and supplies. We won’t easily transport people if the situation isn’t dire.”
“Why is that?” Asked Yang Kai.
After laughing bitterly, Feng Ying explained, “It only takes one jade slip to transmit information, or one Space Ring to transmit supplies, so it’s not resource-consuming to use the Hyper Space Array. The Black Ink Battlefield does not have anyone under the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm present, so every time we transport a person, it consumes a lot of energy and supplies. Who would have so many spare resources?”
It was then that Yang Kai remembered that when they were exchanging materials at the War Materials Hall, Feng Ying had said those from the Great Passes adhered to a strict principle of only exchanging for what they needed immediately. The reason for that was that cultivation materials were hard to come by, so no one dared to waste any.
Under such circumstances, who would be willing to use the Hyper Space Arrays to casually teleport people? Moreover, the higher the strength of the cultivator being transported, the more resources it would consume.
Yang Kai frowned slightly and said, “In that case, it is difficult for one Great Pass to reinforce another in large numbers.”
“En,” Feng Ying nodded, “Teleporting an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master consumes a lot of supplies, so we opt not to do so under normal circumstances. In dire situations, we can still support the other Great Passes in small batches of course; after all, a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe has materialized, so it can accommodate living beings. Sending a few Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters is akin to sending a whole Division.”
Yang Kai understood what she meant. They could let soldiers enter those Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters’ Small Universe and then use the Hyper Space Array to send them to the other passes. In such situations, the supplies consumed would only be for transporting the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Masters. Although they still had to consume a significant amount of resources to do this, it was acceptable in comparison with the potential loss of a Great Pass.
Nonetheless, even if they sent Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, the total volume of their Small Universes had a limit. Thus, it was impossible to accommodate unlimited reinforcements, which was why Feng Ying said that they could only send small batches of troops.
If the situation did require large-scale reinforcements, their only option would be to fly by Warship, which was time-consuming.
The cost of sending an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master over to another Great Pass was not small; moreover, according to the Universe Chart, the distance between Yin-Yang Pass and Blue Sky Pass was of multiple Great Passes. In other words, people from Yin-Yang Pass had to transit four or five times just to get here!
This would cost a significant amount of resources.
Tang Qiu from Yin-Yang Pass had spent so much to come here, so it was impossible that he was just sightseeing.
Yang Kai vaguely understood why he was here though.
Also, he finally realised what Zhong Liang meant when he said there would be another matter to get to after finding and opening the Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises half a year ago.
The following task was not complicated or difficult, but it definitely was a matter that consumed time and energy. What’s more, he was the only one who could do it, so Yang Kai felt obliged to cooperate.
But before that, it was time to meet with Xu Ling Gong. Yang Kai was certain Xu Ling Gong would be interested to know the latest status of the 3,000 Worlds.
There was a reception hall in Blue Sky Pass; after all, there were occasional visitors to this place, so there had to be a place for guests to stay.
Feng Ying went to report to Zhong Liang and the others about the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises while personnel from Blue Sky Pass guided Yang Kai to the reception hall.
Many cultivators had gathered there, and all of them were in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. The lobby was full of long tables with groups of cultivators sitting together and talking.
After sweeping his gaze around the room, Yang Kai did not see Xu Ling Gong, but after listening to the conversations from the others, he realised that all these people were not from Blue Sky Pass. All of them had rushed here from various other Great Passes, which confirmed his suspicions.
After asking someone, Yang Kai learned that Xu Ling Gong had gone to his own residence to wait for him, so he didn’t stay at the lounge much longer and went straight to Feng Ying’s residence.
Not long after, Yang Kai reached Feng Ying’s courtyard and saw a man standing outside it with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly.
The man was stout, and he was wearing a large cloak while anxiously pacing back and forth in front of the door. Who else could it be beside Xu Ling Gong?
Noticing movement, Xu Ling Gong stopped and turned his head to look in Yang Kai’s direction. When he saw Yang Kai’s face, he had a complicated look in his eyes.
Yang Kai stepped forward, and when he got close, he bowed respectfully, “Junior greets Martial Uncle Xu!”
Xu Ling Gong reached out to hold Yang Kai’s arm and heaved a sigh, “It’s really you.”
When he heard that there was a boy named Yang Kai in Blue Sky Pass, he thought it was just someone who had the same name, but the information he got stated that the Yang Kai in Blue Sky Pass was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and a Son-in-Law of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. At that time, he thought it was too much of a coincidence.
So, when Tang Qiu asked Xu Ling Gong if he wanted to come to Blue Sky Pass, he agreed to come and see for himself if the Yang Kai here was the one he knew.
They had been at Blue Sky Pass for only a few days. Since Tang Qiu had Lu An accompanying him, Xu Ling Gong went to search for Yang Kai’s residence and soon arrived here. He waited for a few days, but didn’t see Yang Kai. After asking around, he found out that Yang Kai was busy with something outside of Blue Sky Pass.
He could not go to look for him, so he could only continue to wait here.
Now that the person he was waiting for was finally back, Xu Ling Gong was sure that Yang Kai was the brat he knew.
“Why did you come here?” Xu Ling Gong looked at him with some distress. This was the Black Ink Battlefield. How could he return to the 3,000 Worlds after coming here?
Over the past few days, he had been hoping that the Yang Kai from Blue Sky Pass was not the one he knew, but the more information he found out, the less hope he had. Now that he saw him, his hopes were immediately dashed.
Xu Ling Gong couldn’t understand why Yang Kai would come to the Black Ink Battlefield.
“It’s a long story,” Yang Kai let out a bitter laugh.
“Squad Leader, why don’t you invite the guest inside?” Feng Ying suddenly spoke up from the side.
Xu Ling Gong turned his head to look at her, “You are…”
Yang Kai introduced her, “This is Martial Aunt Feng Ying. She has been taking care of me since I came to Blue Sky Pass. Martial Aunt Feng, this is my Wife’s Honoured Master, Xu Ling Gong.”
Feng Ying smiled and greeted, “Greetings, Brother Xu!”
Xu Ling Gong greeted back, “Sister Feng is too polite. This brat is not very obedient, so I’m sure he has caused you a lot of trouble these days.”
After a short laugh, Feng Ying answered, “Brother Xu, you must be exaggerating. Squad Leader saved my life, and he made a number of great contributions during the previous battle. Also, he is deeply respected by the Army Commanders. Even the Old Ancestor has called him for a chat.”
Xu Ling Gong nodded lightly, “I heard about these things, but I don’t know the details. We came to Blue Sky Pass because of this as well.”
“Martial Uncle Xu, please come in.” Yang Kai gestured with his hand.
Feng Ying opened the door, and the three entered. When Yang Kai and Xu Ling Gong were seated, Feng Ying said, “I’ll make some tea. You can talk in the meantime.”
Xu Ling Gong thanked her politely, “Many thanks, Sister Feng.”
After Feng Ying’s figure disappeared, Xu Ling Gong suddenly leaned forward and lowered his voice to say, “Brat, why does she keep calling you Squad Leader?”
Yang Kai explained, “I earned a lot of Military Merits during the battle outside Blue Sky Pass, so the Army Commanders promoted me to Squad Leader and placed Martial Aunt Feng as my Deputy.”
Xu Ling Gong was dumbfounded, “You? A Squad Leader? But your cultivation is… No wait, you reached the Seventh Order?”
At that point, he suspiciously checked Yang Kai.
Yang Kai revealed some of his aura while calmly explaining, “I had a flash of enlightenment during the previous battle. Then, I went into retreat after the fighting ended and successfully broke through.”
Xu Ling Gong’s face suddenly twitched, “If I remember correctly, it hasn’t been long since you advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, right?
He knew a lot about Yang Kai’s background; after all, Yang Kai was the Husband of his treasured Disciple, so he naturally had to know more about this young man. The news of Yang Kai being forced to advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the Shattered Heaven had spread far and wide, so Xu Ling Gong had naturally heard about it.
How long ago was that though? After a rough calculation, it should have only been three to four hundred years.
These three or four hundred years might be a few lifetimes for a mortal who never cultivated, but for Open Heaven Realm Masters with a long lifespan, that was like a snap of the fingers.
It was unheard of for someone to advance from the Fifth Order to the Seventh Order in just a few hundred years, even taking a Mid-Rank World Fruit into account.
Xu Ling Gong had never heard of anyone spending only a few hundred years to achieve such a feat. To go from the sixth order to the Seventh alone required a long process of accumulating heritage in one’s Small Universe. Even with abundant cultivation resources, it would still take at least one to two thousand years at the minimum.
And that was under the premise that everything went smoothly for the cultivator. If anything happened, it wouldn’t be surprising if the cultivator had to spend a few thousand years to advance.
However, there was a living, breathing example right in front of his eyes, so even if Xu Ling Gong didn’t want to believe it, he had to.
After a long time, he calmed down, nodded lightly, and said, “A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master is enough to serve as a Squad Leader!”
Yet, there was still an uncomfortable feeling rising in his heart.
He had also spent a couple hundred years on the Black Ink Battlefield and participated in battles with the Black Ink Clan, gaining some merits along the way. Also, because of his strength and performance, he was promoted to Vice Squad Leader a few years ago.
However, his Disciple’s Husband was already a Squad Leader… Wouldn’t that mean that Yang Kai was a rank higher than him?
It did feel bitter when comparing oneself to others.
However, on the Black Ink Battlefield, a higher position meant greater responsibilities, which was not necessarily a good thing.
Xu Ling Gong then raised his brow slightly and muttered, “Sister Feng is an interesting person.”
Yang Kai felt doubtful and asked, “What do you mean?”
With a wave of his hand, Xu Ling Gong said, “It’s nothing.”
He came here to find Yang Kai with a mission to persuade the latter to return to Yin-Yang Pass with him. His Legacy Disciple was Yang Kai’s Wife, so they already had a connection; therefore, Xu Ling Gong was the perfect candidate to persuade Yang Kai, which was also why Tang Qiu brought him in the first place.
However, as soon as they met, Feng Ying addressed Yang Kai as Squad Leader. It was an obvious sign for Xu Ling Gong to back down.
Blue Sky Pass thought so highly of Yang Kai that they directly promoted him to Squad Leader after just one battle, so of course they wouldn’t let him leave so easily.
“Tell me, why did you come here?” Xu Ling Gong looked at Yang Kai in confusion. This was what he was really curious about.
As Yang Kai had previously said, he had a flash of enlightenment during the previous battle and broke through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. In other words, he was only at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm when he came to the Black Ink Battlefield.
He wasn’t directly from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, so logically his cultivation wasn’t high enough for him to be sent to the Black Ink Battlefield.
Yang Kai kept silent for a good moment before saying, “Martial Uncle Xu, it’s a long story, and… inconvenient for me to tell you.”
Xu Ling Gong frowned slightly, “You can’t tell me?”
Cupping his fist, Yang Kai declared, “Martial Uncle Xu, please forgive me, but I have a compelling reason.” If he wanted to explain why he came to the Black Ink Battlefield, he would have to mention the Void Corridor. It wasn’t that Yang Kai didn’t trust Xu Ling Gong, but the words Meng Qi said before he died were true. Everyone besides the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Real Old Ancestors were at risk of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength. Once the Black Ink Clan learned about the existence of the Void Corridor, it was bound to bring disaster to the 3,000 Worlds.
Although the Void Corridor had only been opened once and was now hidden and sealed, with the Small Sealed World containing it having been ruptured, it was still there. As long as it wasn’t destroyed, someone could still find it and reopen it.
Xu Ling Gong was silent for a moment before nodding, “You must have your reasons for not talking about it, so I won’t insist.”
Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief, “Many thanks, Martial Uncle Xu.”
“How are things at home?” Xu Ling Gong changed the subject.
“Before I came here, everything was well. Martial Uncle Xu, you can rest assured that I have properly married Senior Sister Qu.”
After sighing, Xu Ling Gong asked, “As her Honoured Master, I did not attend her wedding. Xiao Hua Shang must have felt sad. I thought after I entrusted her to you, I would have nothing to worry about, but I didn’t expect that you would come here too. How would she cope with being alone there?”
Yang Kai said, “I have made all the necessary arrangements before I left home, Senior Sister Qu will not suffer any grievances.”
Xu Ling Gong suddenly glared at him, “Smelly brat, why do you have so many women for no good reason? The fights between women are the most troublesome.”
Faced with Xu Ling Gong’s reprimand, Yang Kai could only remain silent. Feng Ying came with tea just in time to ease the embarrassment.
After thanking her, Xu Ling Gong sipped on the tea and was very impressed.
Feng Ying smiled in response.
After drinking two cups of tea, Xu Ling Gong said, “Let’s get down to business. I came all the way from Yin-Yang Pass with Martial Uncle Tang because I heard that Blue Sky Pass has come up with a powerful weapon to deal with the Black Ink Clan. I believe that people from other Great Passes will gradually gather here.”
Though Yang Kai had already guessed the truth when he saw the many cultivators from other Great Passes in the reception hall, he was still surprised to hear the scope of things and asked, “All the Great Passes know about this already?”
Xu Ling Gong nodded, “Since ancient times, the Human Race was helpless against Black Ink Strength. The Purifying Black Ink Battleship that the Blue Sky Pass created is new, and is the sole method to deal with Black Ink Strength. All the Great Passes are allies, and if one suffers, all suffer, and if one prospers, all prosper. All the Great Passes would share good things with each other. Blue Sky Pass sent messages to all the Great Passes the day the first Purifying Black Ink Battleship was launched. We at Yin-Yang Pass were sceptical when we received the news. After confirming with Blue Sky Pass a few times to make sure the news was correct though, we immediately started constructing our own Purifying Black Ink Battleship according to the blueprint provided by Blue Sky Pass. We’ve managed to complete four Purifying Black Ink Battleships just a few days ago, and Master Uncle Tang has brought them here.”
Yang Kai nodded his head in understanding and suddenly felt a great sense of responsibility.
The composition of the Great Passes was basically the same, with each Great Pass being divided into four Armies. Just like Blue Sky Pass, each army needed a Purifying Black Ink Battleship to function optimally. In other words, each Great Pass needed four battleships.
With more than 100 Great Passes, they had to refine more than 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships!
They had to make 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships, all of which required Yang Kai to personally seal Purifying Light inside them and arrange Universe Arrays aboard.
Sealing Purifying Light was not a hard task as he only needed to trigger the two marks on the back of his hand to draw out the power of the Yellow and Blue Crystals, converge and fuse them together, and form Purifying Light. However, personally arranging a Universe Array on every Purifying Black Ink Battleship would be a huge project that Yang Kai estimated would take him three to five years to complete at best.
And that was just the start; he couldn’t rest easy after that.
Purifying Light would be consumed in battle, and if the Purifying Light of a Great Pass was depleted in the future, they would have to come to Blue Sky Pass to replenish it.
Even though Yang Kai had countless Yellow and Blue Crystals in hand, he was still a bit worried.
At this rate of consumption, no matter how many Yellow and Blue Crystals he had, they would eventually be used up. By then, what would happen to the Humans on the Black Ink Battlefield?
Maybe he could return to the 3,000 Worlds and find Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan in the Chaotic Dead Territory?
However, this wasn’t an urgent matter as he had enough Yellow and Blue Crystals to last for some time.
Yang Kai also asked about Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue, but Xu Ling Gong only said that they were staying at Yin-Yang Pass and did not come with him this time. After hearing that they were fine, Yang Kai felt reassured.
After chatting for a while, Xu Ling Gong left without mentioning that he wanted Yang Kai to accompany him back to Yin-Yang Pass.
The next day, Yang Kai was ordered to go to the central square with Feng Ying accompanying him.
When they arrived, they saw Ding Yao waiting for them there and beside him was a lofty middle-aged man wearing golden armour. His aura was as deep as the abyss, and he was clearly also an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Judging from his looks, this man came from Great Battle Heaven.
Behind them were four brand new Purifying Black Ink Battleships lined up in a row, all of similar shape and size to those refined by Blue Sky Pass.
Yang Kai knew these were the Purifying Black Ink Battleships they had brought with them.
After Blue Sky Pass successfully built their first Purifying Black Ink Battleship, they sent a message to all the Great Passes, informing them of the purpose of the Purifying Black Ink Battleships along with the blueprints to build more.
When the Great Passes received the message, they paid a lot of attention to it and immediately began refining their own Purifying Black Ink Battleships after confirming that the message was accurate and authentic. Once they were done building the battleships, they used the Hyper Space Arrays to send an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master with the completed Purifying Black Ink Battleships to Blue Sky Pass.
Yang Kai was the only one who could finish the refinement of these ships.
When they got close enough, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Greetings, Senior Ding!”
Ding Yao nodded lightly and said, “Do you know what you are here for?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I do.”
“Good.” Ding Yao said flatly, “The Purifying Black Ink Battleships made great contributions in the previous battle, and proved their immense value. It is now a fundamental weapon for us to win this war against the Black Ink Clan, so you will have to work even harder in the future.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist and said, “I will not disappoint you.”
“Very good!” Ding Yao gestured to the middle-aged man next to him and said, “This is Wei Jun Yang from Great Battle Pass, my Senior Brother from Great Battle Heaven. Great Battle Pass is currently engaged in a war with the Black Ink Clan Army, so he urgently needs these Purifying Black Ink Battleships to be readied for battle.”
Wei Jun Yang looked solemn and cupped his fist at Yang Kai while speaking quickly, “Martial Nephew, the safety of the 30,000 soldiers of Great Battle Pass depends on you.”
“Senior is exaggerating. I will do what I can as it is my duty,” Yang Kai said humbly, “Since Great Battle Pass is currently fighting the Black Ink Clan, we cannot delay this any further. May I begin now?”
“Very good!” Wei Jun Yang nodded his head hastily.
“Have you brought the necessary materials?” Yang Kai asked.
Hearing that, Wei Jun Yang hurriedly took out a Space Ring, “The materials for the Universe Array are all in here. If you need anything else, just let me know.”
Yang Kai reached out, took the Space Ring, checked it with his Divine Sense, and nodded, “I think this will be enough. I’ll let you know if I need anything more.”
After saying that, he moved to the nearest Purifying Black Ink Battleship and used the Space Array on the deck to teleport into the cabin.
Great Battle Pass had done a good job of preparing the Purifying Black Ink Battleships. Basically, everything that could be built had already been done. Now, all that was missing was the Universe Array and Purifying Light.
These were the things that Yang Kai had to add personally.
The moment Yang Kai dashed inside, Wei Jun Yang exhaled slightly and turned his head to look at Ding Yao, “Junior Brother, how long will it take to finish?”
The battle was raging over at Great Battle Pass, so he naturally wanted to return as soon as possible.
Ding Yao replied, “It shouldn’t take long. Though, I’m not exactly sure.” While saying so, he turned his head to look at Feng Ying who was standing to the side.
Feng Ying understood what Ding Yao wanted and spoke up after a moment of contemplation, “We can probably complete a Purifying Black Ink Battleship within six or seven days.”
Wei Jun Yang raised his brow, “One in six or seven days, so all four ships will take at most a month.”
One month was not too long for a battle that could take decades to end, so they could afford the wait.
Then, Ding Yao persuaded, “Senior Brother Wei, why don’t you head back and rest? You can return to collect them once they’re ready.”
Wei Jun Yang waved his hand, “No, I’ll wait here. I must return to Great Battle Pass as soon as the ships are ready.” If he could return even a moment sooner, he would be able to save more people. Moreover, he couldn’t bring himself to rest at such a moment.
Knowing his Senior Brother’s character, Ding Yao stopped trying to persuade him.
Wei Jun Yang said, “You may go if you have something to do. I’ll leave as soon as these are done.”
Ding Yao nodded, cupped his fist, and said, “Take care, Senior Brother!”
Wei Jun Yang returned the gesture without saying anything.
They had known each other for thousands of years and had entered the Black Ink Battlefield together, but since they came to the Black Ink Battlefield, they had met only a handful of times. After they parted today, there was no telling when they would see each other again, or if they ever would.
Such a situation was not uncommon on the Black Ink Battlefield.
As time passed slowly, Yang Kai didn’t leave the Purifying Black Ink Battleship while Wei Jun Yang and Feng Ying waited outside.
Perhaps news had spread around the Pass because someone sped over and stopped before them a few moments later.
“Brother Wei!” The visitor cupped his fist and greeted them.
“Brother Ma!” Wei Jun Yang recognised the identity of the man and returned the salute. The visitor, like him, was an Army Commander of one of the Great Passes, and his identity and cultivation were not inferior to his.
“Has it begun?” Brother Ma took a look at Purifying Black Ink Battleship and asked.
“En,” Wei Jun Yang nodded his head.
Brother Ma said, “I’ll go in and take a look.” While he said that, he dashed into the Purifying Black Ink Battleship from the Space Array.
Wei Jun Yang frowned, but he could not say anything more.
In fact, when they came to Blue Sky Pass, they had already seen the interior of a complete Purifying Black Ink Battleship. The pure white light inside was astonishing, and the Universe Array was even more exquisite.
The battleships they visited were already finished products, so none of them had been inside a semi-finished battleship like this one. It was natural that they would be curious.
After a few moments, Brother Ma came out of the Purifying Black Ink Battleship, nodded lightly at Wei Jun Yang, then rushed off again. He seemed to have only taken a short visit and then left, so both Wei Jun Yang and Feng Ying did not pay much attention to him.
However, this was just the beginning.
The news seemed to have spread quickly because the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the other Great Passes found out that Yang Kai had started to complete a Purifying Black Ink Battleship, so they ran to central square one after another to take a look.
Even though Wei Jun Yang had a straightforward personality and might even be considered simple-minded, he still noticed that something was amiss. These old fogies all wore solemn yet subtle expressions when they left the battleship like they were plotting something.
Yang Kai exited the Purifying Black Ink Battleship with a bitter face soon after one such guest left and stood on the deck while looking at Wei Jun Yang, “Senior Wei, I can’t focus with people constantly interrupting me. If I make a mistake, those from Great Battle Pass will not be able to use the Universe Array.”
Wei Jun Yang raised his brow at these words and came to the deck in a flash. Then, he announced, “From now on, I will stand guard here. Whoever dares to trespass will have to face my wrath!”
The man’s face looked murderous as he stood there.
His tone made Yang Kai break out in cold sweat, so he hurriedly waved his hands, “Of course, of course.”
After he said that, he glanced at Feng Ying and silently sent a message to her.
Feng Ying understood and nodded imperceptibly.
Yang Kai turned around and re-entered the cabin.
A few moments later, someone else arrived, but what they saw was a menacing Wei Jun Yang standing on the deck with his sword in hand.
The visitor cupped his fist and said with a smile, “Brother Wei, I heard that the completion of the battleships has started. I would like to take a look inside. Would you…”
Before the person could finish his words, Wei Jun Yang unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the newcomer, “You will have the opportunity to take a look when it’s your Purifying Black Ink Battleships’ turn to be completed, but right now, Great Battle Pass is in a difficult battle and urgently needs the support from these battleships. It’s a race against time, so no one is to disturb the process; otherwise, that person will face the entire Great Battle Pass!”
The man was stunned and didn’t say anything more. He just wanted to take a look at the Purifying Black Ink Battleship, not make an enemy of Great Battle Pass.
People from Great Battle Cave Heaven generally acted more fiercely than others. Also, they always stuck to their word. Judging by Wei Jun Yang’s attitude, it seemed like a fight would break out if he defied him.
Laughing sheepishly, the man said, “Brother Wei, you must be exaggerating. I just want to take a look at it.”
“You will have a chance to look at it later, but not now!”
The man looked at him for a moment, sighed, and turned to leave.
A few more people arrived one after another, but they were all stopped by Wei Jun Yang and reluctantly left.
Meanwhile, Zhong Liang, who was discussing important matters with Liang Yu Long, suddenly received a message. After reading it with his Divine Sense, he was furious, “Those ungrateful thieves! Blue Sky Pass kindly let them come over to complete their Purifying Black Ink Battleships, but now they try to poach one of our people!? This is going too far!”
Feeling shocked by the sudden outburst, Liang Yu Long asked, “Brother Zhong, What happened?”
Zhong Liang snarled angrily, “Those old bastards used ‘inspecting’ the half-complete Purifying Black Ink Battleship as an excuse to see Yang Kai and secretly offer him all kinds of benefits! They’re trying to poach him!”
After hearing what happened, Liang Yu Long was also furious. He smashed his fist on the table in front of him and snapped, “Shameless thieves! How dare they try to take advantage of us!?”
Zhong Liang pondered for a moment, turned his head, and ordered his adjutant, “Send a message to those old bastards and tell them to come to the Conference Hall. Just say that Blue Sky Pass has something to discuss with them.”
The adjutant received the order and quickly turned around and left.
Meanwhile, Liang Yu Long looked at Zhong Liang and said, “Are you going to…”
Zhong Liang grunted, “Since they’re being so shameless, is there any point in showing them respect?”
An hour later, two rows of seats inside the Main Conference Hall were filled with people, all of them Eighth-Order Masters from other Great Passes. The scene could be described as a gathering of talents and a luxurious lineup.
There were roughly 50 people gathered inside the hall, all of them representing one of the Great Passes. There were only these few because there were many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from other Great Passes who had not arrived yet. They were either in the middle of building Purifying Black Ink Battleships or were on their way here.
Although there weren’t many people, the hall was silent, and there were only Divine Senses flying back and forth as the Masters conversed with each other.
After everyone had arrived, the four Army Commanders of Blue Sky Pass came out from the back and took their seats in the front.
The scattered Divine Senses calmed down, and the group looked forward, wondering why the Army Commanders of Blue Sky Pass called them here.
As they had already discussed this prior to coming here, they didn’t spare any time after taking their seats, and Ding Yao, the Eastern Army Commander, spoke first, “I heard that many of you went to take a look at the Purifying Black Ink Battleship in progress today.”
The moment he said that, many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately understood. All of them were old foxes, so how could they not notice that the hidden annoyance behind Ding Yao’s tone was because word of their actions had spread to the ears of Blue Sky Pass’ Army Commanders? Some of them felt restless, some closed their eyes and pretended to be sleeping, and some smiled but didn’t say anything. No one spoke a word.
Noticing their silence, Ding Yao continued, “I also heard that you all have promised Yang Boy a lot of benefits and are trying to poach him for your own Great Passes.”
He slammed his hand on the table and roared, “Look at you! Is this something an honourable person would do? The day the Purifying Black Ink Battleship was created, Blue Sky Pass was still being besieged by the Black Ink Clan, and was in a precarious situation, yet we still immediately passed on word to all the Great Passes and told all of you about this wondrous news! We know that on the Black Ink Battlefield, if one of us suffers, we all suffer, and if one of us prospers, we all prosper! We share whatever advancements and advantages we have and never hoard them from other Great Passes! With the Purifying Black Ink Battleships supporting up our Armies, we Humans will no longer be at risk of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength. This is a Heaven-sent blessing for all of us!”
He took a pause to glare around the room before continuing, “This was proven during the previous battle. Before Yang Kai arrived at Blue Sky Pass, our soldiers were still at risk of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength, but since his arrival, no one from Blue Sky Pass has suffered from Black Ink Strength anymore. This is especially true since the birth of the Purifying Black Ink Battleship. We of Blue Sky Pass have always been open and honest, but what about you all? How could you think of poaching him away from Blue Sky Pass? Don’t you have any conscience at all?”
If it were a normal Open Heaven Realm Master, they would have been frightened by Ding Yao’s roar; however, the guests here were all Eighth-Order Masters, and none of them was afraid of him. Of course, many of them were showing guilty expressions. What they did was indeed unrighteous, so they couldn’t refute Ding Yao’s words.
Only one person chuckled and said, “Brother Ding, don’t be angry. I don’t know what the others are thinking, but Yang Kai belongs to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. As his Elder, I naturally want to bring him back to Yin-Yang Pass. He holds the Purifying Light, which is the only method we have to counteract Black Ink Strength. It is the key to breaking the stalemate between both races. Most importantly, we can better protect him after bringing him back to Yin-Yang Pass.”
The person who spoke was none other than Tang Qiu from Yin-Yang Pass.
Ding Yao turned his head to look at Tang Qiu and said indifferently, “Who says that disciples of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven must serve in Yin-Yang Pass? Blue Sky Pass also has disciples from Yin-Yang Heaven, and disciples of my Great Battle Cave Heaven are serving in Yin-Yang Pass. Since ancient times, once someone from the 3,000 Worlds is assigned to a Pass, they belong to that Pass. This is the rule, and it has nothing to do with the person’s Master Sect. Yang Kai came to Blue Sky Pass first, so he is a member of Blue Sky Pass, and he has already registered as a member here. Also, he is the Squad Leader of Blue Sky Pass’ Dawn Squad.”
Nodding slightly, Tang Qiu argued, “Of course I know that, but Brother Ding, you might have misheard me. What I said just now is that I want to bring him back to Yin-Yang Pass to better protect him. As for his Military Merits and his position as Squad Leader, we at Yin-Yang Pass can give him what Blue Sky Pass can give him as well.”
Those words angered Zhong Liang, and he roared, “What are you trying to say? Are you saying that Blue Sky Pass can’t protect him?”
Tang Qiu said slowly, “That’s not what I meant, but I heard that Yang Kai was only a Sixth-Order Master when he rushed out to the battlefield during the previous fight. Also, he was even attacked by a Royal Lord and almost lost his life. Is this true?”
The crowd was shocked at these words because most of them didn’t know about this. Even Tang Qiu only knew about this because he had overheard Lu An speaking about it.
Lu An did not mean to expose all this, he only spoke of how Yang Kai had excellent aptitude, braved life and death during the last battle, advanced to the next Order, and had his Purifying Light. He felt he would be of great use in the future.
When the crowd heard about this from Tang Qiu, they were greatly alarmed.
Everyone knew the importance of Yang Kai’s existence. He was the only one who could use Purifying Light, which was the only means to purify and dispel Black Ink Strength.
“Brother Ding, is this true?” Someone asked urgently.
Ding Yao was dumbfounded. There was no way to deny this, and Tang Qiu’s words had hit the nail on the head. Faced with stares from everyone, Ding Yao could only nod, “It is true, but Yang Kai also gained something from the disaster. He advanced from Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm to Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Shaking his head, Tang Qiu disagreed, “He was lucky this time, but he won’t always be lucky. He found an opportunity in the crisis this time, but who knows what might happen next? If he has an accident, the implications are unimaginable!”
Zhong Liang turned to look at him and asked, “Brother Tang, let me ask you this. If you take Yang Kai back to Yin-Yang Pass, how will you protect him?”
Tang Qiu replied, “I will place him in the Inner Sanctum. I will grant him anything he needs and won’t ever let him be in danger.”
Nodding, Zhong Liang retorted, “This was the same idea I had before, but… that brat might not agree with that. To tell you the truth, Brother Tang, he joined the battle last time by sneaking out onto the battlefield.”
“This is an important matter, and it doesn’t matter if he’s willing or not. Throughout the ages, how many elites from the Cave Heavens and Paradises shed blood on the Black Ink Battlefield? How many of them fell into this vast void? For the greater good of the Human Race, everyone must make sacrifices. He is in control of the Purifying Light, and he can determine the fate of the Human Race, so he must sacrifice his freedom.”
Zhong Liang smiled and said, “Why don’t you talk to Yang Kai about this and see if he will agree?”
Hearing that, Tang Qiu laughed, “How can we leave it to him to make the decision?” This meant that if Yang Kai was brought back to Yin-Yang Pass, he would not be able to leave the Pass under any circumstances ever again.
Zhong Liang frowned and said nothing.
Meanwhile, Shen Tu Mo, who had been keeping silent, suddenly spoke up, “To him, all of you here are highly respected Seniors. No matter whether it’s our seniority, strength, or status, we are all far better than him; yet we, the Seniors, are now placing the hope for our entire race on his shoulders. Don’t you think that is too cruel?”
The crowd was silent, and Tang Qiu frowned.
Shen Tu Mo continued, “The future of the Human Race cannot rely on just one person. For countless years, the Black Ink Clan has wanted to invade and conquer the 3,000 Worlds, but they are still being held back by us in this very Black Ink Battlefield. What did we do in the past when there was no Purifying Light? Did we just stand back and allow the Black Ink Clan to attack us with impunity? What would we do without Purifying Light in the future? Will we have no way of fighting the Black Ink Clan without such means? In my opinion, we can rely on Purifying Light to fight against the Black Ink Clan, but we cannot be fully dependent on it! Fellow Brothers, don’t put the cart before the horse.”
There was a silence in the hall as all the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters fell into deep thought.
They had to admit that Shen Tu Mo’s words made sense.
Seeing that everyone was quiet, Shen Tu Mo added, “In the past, we didn’t have Yang Boy and his Purifying Light, but all the Great Passes were firmly united; but now, you are all sitting here arguing over who gets to keep him? Won’t such an argument destroy our unity? Furthermore, as far as I know, Yang Kai’s Purifying Light requires two unique types of materials called Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals, which are only produced in the Chaotic Dead Territory. I don’t know how many Yellow and Blue Crystals he has, but he has to seal his Purifying Light into 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships, which is a huge number. There will inevitably come a day when he runs out of these resources. When that happens, who will you ask for Purifying Light?”
“Yellow and Blue Crystals?”
“The Chaotic Dead Territory!?”
The others only knew about the wonders of the Purifying Light, but they did not know about the materials needed to create it or the source of those materials.
Shen Tu Mo was only repeating what Yang Kai had said to them before.
Many of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately frowned at those words.
If that were true, the Purifying Light was not inexhaustible, and there would be a day when it ran out. By then, the Human Race would return to their previous situation.
As Shen Tu Mo said, Purifying Light could be used as a tool in battle, but they couldn’t fully rely on it. On the Black Ink Battlefield, the unity of the entire Human Race was the key to confronting the Black Ink Clan. It would indeed be putting the cart before the horse if they only had their eyes on the Purifying Light.
“Brother Shen Tu has a point!” Someone nodded lightly.
Following that, another spoke up, “Brother Shen Tu has thought about this matter more thoroughly. We feel ashamed.”
Shen Tu Mo’s words dissuaded many people from the idea of poaching Yang Kai, which was already a bit unorthodox. They couldn’t argue with the others because they didn’t have a reason to, and their chances of succeeding were slim. Now that they heard Shen Tu Mo’s analysis of the pros and cons of this matter, they thought he was right and cancelled their current plans.
Meanwhile, Ding Yao and the others were observing the crowd, so they knew Shen Tu Mo’s words had persuaded them and immediately felt relieved. Zhong Liang looked toward Tang Qiu after a moment and asked, “What do you think, Brother Tang?”
Tang Qiu frowned and said, “I still insist on bringing Yang Kai back to Yin-Yang Pass. If he is willing to come back with me.”
Although he said that, his tone was not as insistent as before.
Smiling, Zhong Liang spoke up, “If you ask him in person, that brat might not be able to refuse; after all, you are also his Elder, so why force him to make a decision? I don’t think it’s necessary to ask him that, and I think his presence in Blue Sky Pass is just right.”
Tang Qiu raised his eyebrows, “How is it just right?”
Zhong Liang answered, “We have more than 100 Great Passes that form a barrier on the Black Ink Battlefield, blocking the Black Ink Clan’s invasion of the 3,000 Worlds. Blue Sky Pass just happens to sit at the centre of this barrier, so no matter which Great Pass you all come from, the distance to here does not vary much. But if Yang Kai goes to Yin-Yang Pass, the situation will be different. The distance between passes will vary greatly, so I believe it is best for him to stay in Blue Sky Pass. And, no matter which Great Pass he’s at, he will still be serving the Human Race, so why does it matter which Great Pass he belongs to?”
…..
One month later, the four Purifying Black Ink Battleships of Great Battle Pass were completed and delivered. Wei Jun Yang, who had been waiting at the central square the whole time, thanked Yang Kai and put the four Purifying Black Ink Battleships in his Small Universe. Then, he immediately left.
Great Battle Pass was engaged in battle with the Black Ink Clan and needed the Purifying Black Ink Battleships to aid them as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had no time to rest before another four Purifying Black Ink Battleships from another Great Pass were ready and waiting for him to finish.
He had no idea how the others negotiated it, but every time Yang Kai finished the Purifying Black Ink Battleships from one Pass, he had to work on the ones from another.
After huge amounts of supplies were consumed, and all the Universe Arrays were arranged, the Purifying Black Ink Battleships that were filled with Purifying Light were taken away by their respective Great Pass representatives.
Once the Purifying Black Ink Battleships were introduced into the battlefield, they could greatly curb the problem of Black Ink Strength, and at the same time, the Universe Array inside each Purifying Black Ink Battleship could allow the Humans to return to their lines quickly.
Repeating this process day in and day out was incredibly dull, yet Yang Kai was meticulous because he knew that the tedium he endured today could save the lives of many tomorrow.
Gradually, he even forgot about the passage of time.
Except for resting for a few days after exhausting himself, he continued working in the central square.
Almost every month, one of the visitors to Blue Sky Pass would leave while feeling satisfied. The Purifying Black Ink Battleships that were brought back to the Great Passes blossomed like a beautiful flower, with Blue Sky Pass as its stem.
Finally, after Yang Kai delivered four more battleships and saw them off together with an Eighth-Order Master from one of the Great Passes, he suddenly realised that the square was empty.
In the past, before he finished his work, there would be four new Purifying Black Ink Battleships waiting here for him, and he had long gotten used to this kind of life, but there seemed to be something different today.
Soon after, Zhong Liang came over. He smiled and nodded when he saw Yang Kai looking at him, “You’ve worked hard these past few years. Go back and have a good rest.”
Yang Kai was slightly dazed, and only then did he respond, “Is that all?”
“Yes,” Zhong Liang patted Yang Kai’s shoulder, “Now, more than 100 Great Passes have their own Purifying Black Ink Battleships. In the future, we no longer have to be afraid of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength when facing the Black Ink Clan, and it’s all thanks to you.”
Yang Kai silently nodded before taking a moment and calculating things, soon realizing that some seven to eight years had passed.
In other words, he had been busy in this square for seven to eight years. Although a few years was nothing to an Open Heaven Realm Master, it was still surprising that time had passed so quickly.
“Go back to your residence. You’ve only recently advanced to the Seventh Order, so you need to stabilize your cultivation,” Zhong Liang waved his hand and said.
“Yes, Sir!” Yang Kai took orders and left.
When he returned to Feng Ying’s compound, Yang Kai opened the barrier and entered.
He sat alone in front of the porch steps and suddenly felt a little dazed. After being used to a busy life, he somehow felt like a fish out of water when it was all peaceful and quiet.
Zhong Liang had asked him to consolidate his cultivation, but he was not in a hurry to do so. Since his advancement to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, although he hadn’t had the time to cultivate properly, the special situation of his Small Universe made it possible for his heritage to continuously increase. Now that seven or eight years had passed, his cultivation had long since been stabilised.
However, after checking the situation of his Small Universe, Yang Kai let out a faint sigh.
Over the past seven or eight years, he had completed more than 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships. While he did not need to bother with the materials for the Universe Arrays as each Great Pass had prepared them, he had to consume Yellow and Blue Crystals to seal Purifying Light into each Purifying Black Ink Battleship.
Finishing 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships had depleted roughly 10% of his Yellow and Blue Crystal stockpile.
Before he left the 3,000 Worlds, he had divided half of the Yellow and Blue Crystals he received in the Chaotic Dead Territory to be used by High Heaven Palace. Still, he retained an enormous amount.
Even after all the work he put in, he only consumed about 10% of it.
Although there were still huge amounts of Yellow and Blue Crystals left, they would be consumed sooner or later. By then, there would be no more Purifying Light for the Human Race to use on the Black Ink Battlefield.
When that day arrived, where would he find more Yellow and Blue Crystals?
Yang Kai looked up and saw a stream of light falling straight down towards him.
Once the light cleared, Feng Ying’s slender figure was revealed.
“You’re back?” Feng Ying was surprised to see him.
“En.” Yang Kai nodded his head.
“It’s good that you’re back. Come with me, I’ll show you something good.” Feng Ying beckoned with a mysterious expression.
Feeling curious, Yang Kai wanted to ask what it was, but Feng Ying had dashed away already, so he had no choice but to follow her.
Soon, they returned to the central square, and Feng Ying waved her hand. Then, a portal to her Small Universe flickered, followed by a large ship-like Warship that appeared in Yang Kai’s view. The ship was approximately 100 metres in length, 25 metres wide, and seemed to have three levels. It was much larger than the smallest Warships, but definitely smaller than the biggest ones Yang Kai had seen on the battlefield.
Yang Kai’s brow rose slightly as he asked curiously, “What’s this?”
Feng Ying smiled, “This is the Dawn Battleship!”
Astonishment filled him as he asked, “Dawn Battleship?”
Feng Ying nodded and explained, “Blue Sky Pass provided us with this. Each Squad has its own Warship, and since Dawn is also a Squad, and a Special Operations Squad at that, of course we have one.”
Yang Kai questioned, “Is that why this Warship has such an odd size?”
“A Battalion’s ship needs to accommodate 100 people, so it has to be bigger. This is a ship for a Squad, so it’s not comparable to a Battalion’s. In large-scale battles like the previous one, it’s safer if we move in Battalions, which is why you didn’t see many Squad Warships,” Feng Ying explained.
Yang Kai nodded in a daze, “So, that’s how it is.”
He looked at it with interest; after all, it belonged to Dawn and was considered a great weapon allocated to the Dawn Squad by Blue Sky Pass.
Feng Ying gestured to him, “Want to go up and take a look?”
“Indeed.” Yang Kai dashed up onto the Warship, followed by Feng Ying.
The large ship-like artifact was not too big as it was only 100 meters long, but it was not small either, and it had all the necessary features.
Feeling surprised, Yang Kai said, “The power of this thing seems to be a bit unusual.”
According to Feng Ying’s introduction, a Squad Warship only needed a few Open Heaven Realm Masters to control their direction and speed across the battlefield. This ship, however, had eight Offensive Arrays with an extremely powerful Array Artifact as a Core. It only took three Sixth-Order Masters working together to bring out the power of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master with the help of one such Offensive Array.
Therefore, Eight Arrays were equivalent to, and could display, the power of eight Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters!
There were also several Grand Arrays dedicated to defence, each one with outstanding Array Cores which required the combined efforts of three Sixth-Order Masters to bring forth the defensive strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
This Warship had incredible offensive and defensive capabilities.
Feng Ying explained, “The Warships of ordinary Squads are naturally quite different from this one. I went to ask someone from the Refining Hall to custom make this ship, and all of the Grand Arrays were specially designed to best suit it. If we have the proper amount of personnel on our ship, the power it can display will be far greater than average. With a few Seven-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with us onboard, we can confront a Territory Lord.”
Nodding incessantly, Yang Kai repeated, “Good, good, good! This is amazing!”
Then, Feng Ying added, “But this ship has cost a lot of Military Merits, your Military Merits in fact. They’ve basically been depleted.”
“My Military Merits?” Yang Kai was stunned, then suddenly remembered that a few years ago, Feng Ying had asked him for his Identity Token. Back then, he was so busy arranging Universe Arrays for the Purifying Black Ink Battleships and sealing Purifying Light in them that he gave it to her without asking any questions.
At that time, Feng Ying must have already had the plan to build such a powerful ship using his Military Merits.
Feng Ying explained, “The Inner Sanctum gives each Squad a ship, but that ship only has the most standard configuration. If you want to modify and enhance your Squad’s Warship, you need to spend Military Merits to get help from the Refining Hall.”
On the Black Ink Battlefield, Military Merits were extremely important. Not only could one exchange them for cultivation resources, artifacts, pills, or even techniques, one could also ask for guidance from powerful Masters. If one had enough Military Merits, they could even ask to be taught directly by an Old Ancestor.
Of course, the costs for such opportunities were basically unaffordable for the average cultivator.
A Warship like the one before Yang Kai naturally needed a massive amount of Military Merits to construct. Basically, every Squad and Battalion would slowly customize their Warship in order to best fit its members.
Moreover, the members of the Squad or Battalion were happy to spend their Military Merits on such things because a better Warship would give them a better chance of survival and make it easier to kill the enemy.
Since Yang Kai was new to Blue Sky Pass, of course he didn’t know about these things; however, Feng Ying knew them very well. Yang Kai was Dawn’s Squad Leader, so she had spent his Military Merits without batting an eyelid.
Yang Kai had no objection to this of course and nodded, “Good. My Military Merits aren’t of much use to me anyways, so this is just the right thing to use them on.”
While others might need to exchange Military Merits for cultivation materials, he didn’t as he had enough to cultivate until he reached the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm with extra left over.
After taking a few more looks at it, Yang Kai suddenly became serious, “But what are we going to do with this Warship? The Black Ink Clan has been driven back, and wasn’t it said that they wouldn’t return for at least 100 years?”
Feng Ying laughed, “It’s true that the Black Ink Clan has retreated, but they will definitely return, so we will need this Warship at that time. Moreover, after every battle, Blue Sky Pass will send out some personnel to collect cultivation resources and monitor the Black Ink Clan’s movements, which requires approaching, if not entering Black Ink Clan territory.”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up and he parroted, “Gathering cultivation materials and spying on the Black Ink Clan?”
Nodding, Feng Ying added, “While you were busy with the Purifying Black Ink Battleships, others have been carrying out these tasks, generally with Squads as a unit; after all, the Black Ink Clan just suffered a serious defeat a few years ago and is still recuperating. As long as one doesn’t venture too deep into Black Ink Clan territory, there is basically no danger. On top of that, if you come across Black Ink Clansmen while gathering resources, you might even be able to earn more Military Merits.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel eager, so he quickly asked, “Are these tasks assigned to specific Squads or can anyone go?”
Glancing at him, Feng Ying immediately knew what he was thinking and she smiled and replied, “As long as you apply, you will not be rejected.”
Yang Kai suddenly said with excitement, “Have we applied?”
“Don’t we have to wait for you?” Feng Ying glared at him.
At that comment, Yang Kai nodded, “Good, very good. Martial Aunt, let’s go apply now.”
The smile on Feng Ying’s face slowly faded before she said with some concern, “We can apply, but I’m not sure if the Army Commanders will let us go.”
“Let’s give it a try, if they don’t let us go, I’ll find the Army Commanders and talk to them directly.” Yang Kai suddenly remembered one more thing, “By the way, how many people have you recruited for our Squad?”
Immediately after Dawn was ordered to be established, Yang Kai started to work on the Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises outside of Blue Sky Pass. Later, he was busy with the Purifying Black Ink Battleships, so he didn’t have time to deal with this matter and instead left it in Feng Ying’s hands.
Therefore, he didn’t know how many members they had and who they were.
“I’m almost done recruiting members. I’ll have them meet with you later so we can all get to know each other better.” After she said that, she pointed at the cabin, “I left a space inside for you to arrange a Universe Array, and I have prepared the materials necessary, so you can work on that first. Also, you have to name this Warship.”
“Martial Aunt, you’re too thoughtful,” Yang Kai reached out and took the Space Ring from Feng Ying.
A few moments later, she left, probably to apply for the mission, while Yang Kai stayed in the square and entered the cabin to set up a Universe Array in the space that was left for him.
As he had been arranging Universe Arrays for 400 Purifying Black Ink Battleships for a few years, Yang Kai was now traversing on a familiar path.
In just a few days, the Warship’s Universe Array was operational, and Yang Kai had branded the large ship’s bow with two large characters.
Dawning Light!
After putting the ship into his Small Universe, Yang Kai returned to Feng Ying’s place.
Half a day later, Dawn Squad’s members arrived and met with him.
Shen Ao, Ning Qi Zhi, and Qi Tai Chu were the three Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who fought their way back from the Black Ink Clan with Yang Kai and Feng Ying. As for the rest, there were 30 others who had been enlisted.
When Yang Kai was appointed as Dawn’s Squad Leader, Zhong Liang publicly announced to the Inner Sanctum that any cultivator under the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm that Yang Kai chose could join his Squad, and the limit for that Squad was 50 people. In other words, if Yang wanted to, he could create a Squad with 50 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
However, if he did that, it would be a waste of manpower because there was no need for a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to manipulate a Warship. Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would suffice for such roles.
Thus, under careful consideration, in addition to the three Yang Kai had previously mentioned, Feng Ying did not take in any more Seventh-Order Masters. The other 30 members were all in the Fifth and Sixth-Order.
The entire Dawn Squad’s configuration, including Yang Kai and Feng Ying, was 5 Seventh-Order Masters, 20 Sixth-Order Masters, and 10 Fifth-Order Masters.
Such a configuration was quite reasonable; not only would it not reduce Dawn’s combat power, but it also wouldn’t squander valuable human resources.
Moreover, the 5 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the team were enough to ensure Dawn Squad’s fighting capability.
Feng Ying kept the remaining 15 slots empty so they could recruit members they needed when suitable opportunities arose.
What’s more, everyone here was someone Yang Kai brought back from the Black Ink Clan’s domain; therefore, they were already quite familiar with each other.
In Feng Ying’s courtyard, a banquet was prepared, and the atmosphere was lively as everyone exchanged pleasantries and drinks.
If it hadn’t been for Yang Kai’s help in dispersing the Black Ink Strength within them, they would have still been working for the Black Ink Clan and would likely have died on the battlefield during the last war.
They thought about their future battles, like how they would kill the Black Ink Clan and spread Dawn Squad’s reputation far and wide. After a few rounds of drinks, some began to sing, which attracted cheers from the others.
At that moment, Feng Ying’s expression suddenly changed. She took out the communication artifact, looked at it, and looked at Yang Kai with a helpless expression.
Noticing her gaze, Yang Kai turned his head to look at her, “What is it?”
Feng Ying said, “Our request to sortie on a mission has been rejected.”
The noisy courtyard instantly fell silent. They were just chatting about Dawn Squad’s future fame, but now their request to go out mission was denied. How could they realise their dreams if they couldn’t even leave Blue Sky Pass?
Generally speaking, such requests wouldn’t be denied. In the years after the great battle, countless Squads would leave the Great Pass to go out on missions. As long as they were prepared, their applications would be accepted; after all, the Black Ink Clan had suffered a crushing defeat in the Blue Sky Theatre and were now busy recuperating. As long as they took great care and did not wander too deep into the Black Ink Clan’s territory or encounter a strong enemy by accident, they wouldn’t be in any danger.
However, everyone knew that the reason why Dawn’s request was denied was because of Yang Kai.
During the previous war, the Army Commanders did not dare to let Yang Kai freely set foot on the battlefield, but he snuck out and upended the entire situation alone, forcing Zhong Liang to borrow troops from the other three Armies. Although a series of lucky coincidences allowed them to expose the Royal Lord’s resting place and aided them in achieving a great victory, that was only a random bout of good fortune, not a carefully planned out strategy.
How many lucky coincidences could one person have?
The Army Commanders and the other higher-ups did not feel safe letting Yang Kai leave Blue Sky Pass. If they had a chance, they wouldn’t even want Yang Kai to take one step outside the Inner Sanctum.
While the crowd fell silent, Yang Kai drank his glass of wine in one gulp and coldly snorted, “I expected as much. I’ll go make my case to the Army Commanders!”
After saying that, he stood up and flew off into the sky.
A short while later, in front of Zhong Liang’s office, Yang Kai landed straight down from above. Someone was guarding the door and stopped Yang Kai.
Yang Kai explained his intention and asked the guard to report his arrival to Zhang Liang.
Moments later, the guard came out, cupped his fist, and said, “Brother Yang, the Army Commander is busy at the moment and won’t see any guests.”
Frowning, Yang Kai asked, “When will the Army Commander be finished?”
The guard shook his head and answered, “I don’t know. Why don’t you go back and wait?”
Yang Kai took a deep look at the hall in front of him, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, “Fine, many thanks.”
Then, he turned around and left.
Inside the hall, Zhong Liang sat behind the long table while perceiving the situation outside with his Divine Sense. Yang Kai was gone, but the direction he left in seemed to not be the way back to Feng Ying’s residence. It seemed like the way to the Eastern Army’s headquarters. Knowing that the brat was probably going to find Ding Yao after not seeing him, Zhong Liang snorted lightly and took out a communication artifact to send a message to Ding Yao.
A few moments later, Yang Kai arrived at Ding Yao’s office and asked to see him, but the guard there didn’t even go inside to inform Ding Yao. Instead, the guard told Yang Kai that Ding Yao was not in Blue Sky Pass and that he did not know where he had gone or when he would return.
Yang Kai was speechless. He went looking for Zhong Liang, but couldn’t see him because the latter was busy, and now he couldn’t find Ding Yao because he was out. Yang Kai began to suspect he wouldn’t be able to see the other two Army Commanders either.
As Yang Kai expected, when he went to see Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo, the guards at their doors also told Yang Kai that the Army Commanders were not in the Inner Sanctum, and their whereabouts and return dates were unknown.
At this point, Yang Kai knew they were intentionally avoiding him, and they wouldn’t give him any chance of meeting them. That realization made Yang Kai furious, and he thought that the tricks those four old men were playing were too shameless.
Shut out from all directions, he had no choice but to return to his residence.
The next day, Yang Kai asked to see Zhong Liang again, but he still failed.
On the following day, Yang Kai went to see Zhong Liang for a third time only to be told by the guard there that Zhong Liang had left the Great Pass as well…
Yang Kai was so angry he thought he was about to explode. After lingering in front of the door for a long time, he finally clenched his teeth, opened his mouth, and shouted, “Army Commander, I won’t do things more than thrice. Since you won’t see me after I’ve been asking to meet you so many times, I’ll gather my men now and leave the pass!”
After Yang Kai said what he had to say, he turned around to leave.
He had only taken a few steps when a furious shout came from behind though, “Brat, you dare leave the pass without authorization!?”
Yang Kai did not look back and stubbornly said, “Try me!”
He then walked forward with large strides.
Zhong Liang, who was pretending to have gone out, couldn’t sit still any longer and stormed out of the hall and stopped right in front of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai looked at him with a derisive expression, “Sir Army Commander, didn’t you leave the Great Pass on a mission?”
Shamelessly keeping his expression, Zhong Liang calmly declared, “I just came back. It’s just a coincidence.”
Yang Kai let out a chuckle, “What a coincidence. Since you’re here, I need to ask permission to lead my Squad…”
Before he could finish his words, Zhong Liang waved his hand, “Rejected!”
Feeling like half of his words were stuck in his throat, Yang Kai almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He took a deep breath, gazed helplessly at Zhong Liang, and pleaded, “Army Commander, I’ve fought my way up from my youth, and killed so many I have lost track of their number. I’m not some weak and delicate greenhouse flower.”
Zhong Liang answered flatly, “It has nothing to do with your strength or weakness. Your existence is of vital importance to the Human Race and cannot be treated carelessly. I understand your feelings, but Yang Boy, I hope you can put the big picture first.”
Hanging his head, Yang Kai said, “I’ve just advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and the bigger picture of the Black Ink Battlefield is too much for me to care about. I can only do what I can.”
Zhong Liang raised his brow and ordered, “Stay in the Inner Sanctum. That’s what you can do, and what we want the most.”
After Zhong Liang said that, Yang Kai fell silent. Of course he knew what Zhong Liang and others were thinking and understood why they had such thoughts. If he were in Zhong Liang’s shoes, he wouldn’t be willing to let himself be in danger by leaving the Pass either.
However, understanding their situation was one thing, but he still had his own insistence and plans.
With a World Spring, Yang Kai was not afraid of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength, and he also had his Purifying Light which could safeguard those around him. He had just advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, and his strength had increased greatly, so he should have been able to move freely around the Black Ink Battlefield.
If he were trapped inside Blue Sky Pass, he would lose his vigour in the long run, which would not be beneficial to his future growth.
If he wanted to keep striving for greater heights in the Martial Dao, the only option was to go out and fight.
“The Black Ink Battlefield has more than 100 Great Passes and millions of Masters. I am just one of them. I can do what others can and go wherever the others go. I don’t want to receive any special treatment, and I hope you all can realise my wish.” Yang Kai looked solemn and cupped his fist.
Zhong Liang sighed, “Life never goes the way you want it to. There are always people in this world who have abilities that others do not, so they have to bear the responsibilities that others cannot. You said you don’t want any special treatment, but you have a unique ability, so it’s impossible for you not to have special treatment.”
Feeling unresigned, Yang Kai argued, “They always say that the older a person gets, the more stubborn they become. I originally did not believe it, but seeing how you’re acting now, I have to believe it.”
A few guards nearby couldn’t help but laugh at those words.
Zhong Liang gave a light *tsk*, “Brat, you’re acting reckless again.” Then, he glared at the guards to shut them up.
Yang Kai gritted his teeth and shouted, “Army Commander, I am proficient in the Dao of Space!”
Zhong Liang nodded, “Yes, I know. What are you trying to say?”
“What I’m trying to say is that if I insist on leaving, you cannot stop me unless you lock down the entire Blue Sky Pass. Otherwise, I can easily leave at will.”
Zhong Liang felt his face twitch as he snarled, “Don’t forget that you are an official member of Blue Sky Pass. Disregarding orders is punishable by Military Law.”
Yang Kai snorted, obviously not taking his words to heart.
“How about this, Army Commander? Let’s make a bet.”
“What kind of bet?” Zhong Liang frowned at him.
“Using Blue Sky Pass’ interior as the boundary, if you can catch me before an incense stick burns out, I will stay, but if you can’t, you have to approve my application. How about that?”
Zhong Liang was immediately exasperated as he quipped, “Are you that confident in yourself?”
He did know that those who were proficient in the Dao of Space were good at escaping, and if it had been the limitless void outside, he wasn’t confident if he could catch Yang Kai within an incense stick; however, with the inside of Blue Sky Pass as the boundary, it would be a simple matter for an Eight-Order Master to catch a Seventh-Order Junior.
With his nostrils pointing up towards the sky, Yang Kai looked at Zhong Liang arrogantly, “I dare you to make a bet with me! It’s fine if you don’t, I won’t laugh.”
Even though Zhong Liang knew Yang Kai was trying to provoke him, he was still furious and said through clenched teeth, “Good, I’ll take that bet! But boy, if I catch you, it won’t be as simple as you staying in Blue Sky Pass. I’ll beat you black and blue until you beg for mercy!”
With a wave of his hand, Zhong Liang ordered, “Light up an incense stick!”
One of the guards who had been watching the fun hurriedly took out an incense burner from his Small Universe.
Yang Kai glanced at the half-human tall incense and incense burner, and he couldn’t help but snicker, “Army Commander, your methods continue to astound me. This incense is much, much bigger than any I’ve ever seen before.”
No matter how shameless Zhong Liang was, he couldn’t help but blush at this moment. A normal stick of incense was a bit longer than a palm’s length, so the time it took to burn through was naturally not too long. This giant incense stick was several times bigger and would probably burn for at least five times as long.
This was not something Zhong Liang had prepared in advance of course, it was something the guard had done of his own accord.
Although it felt like he was cheating, it was exactly what Zhong Liang had in mind, so he choked down his embarrassment and instead laughed and taunted, “If you think it’s inappropriate, we can stop the bet and you’ll have to obediently stay in the Inner Sanctum; otherwise, you would know the consequences of disobeying my orders.”
Taking a look at the big incense, Yang Kai knew that there was no room for him to retreat at this point, so he clenched his and said, “Let’s begin!”
Zhong Liang smiled even more cunningly than a fox as he raised his hand and shouted, “Light it up!”
The guard got the order and immediately prepared to burn the incense.
Zhong Liang smilingly looked at Yang Kai and said, “Boy, don’t blame me for not reminding you. You can start running now. Once the incense is lit, I’ll be making my move.”
While saying so, he stood in place and began to stretch and loosen his muscles.
Before he finished his sentence, Yang Kai turned around and ran.
Behind Zhong Liang, the incense was also lit at the same time.
The moment the incense filled the air, Zhong Liang rushed in Yang Kai’s direction like an arrow that had been shot from a bow. He wanted to take this smelly brat down in one fell swoop and cut off anything thought of leaving the Pass so Yang Kai would obediently stay inside the Inner Sanctum from now on.
Suddenly, Zhong Liang felt a sense of crisis, and when he looked up, he saw that Yang Kai, who should have been wildly fleeing, had actually turned around and was looking at him with a fierce grin. Yang Kai raised his hands high into the sky, and above him a Great Sun around with a Golden Crow was cawing rose. Above his other hand a shimmering Full Moon had manifested.
Both the Sun and Moon shone together!
The two celestial bodies began circling one another, radiating rich Time Principles as they orbited faster and faster. Yang Kai surged his Space Principles next and merged the two images together to create a new, mysterious force.
The rapidly rotating Sun and Moon enlarged and soon filled Zhong Liang’s field of vision. Even though he was an Eighth-Order Master, he couldn’t help but feel chills run down his spine at this moment. The power of this Divine Ability was beyond his imagination, and it was definitely not something that a Seventh-Order Master could perform.
With such a Divine Ability, even though he was at the peak of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he would not escape unscathed if he just stood there and took the hit from Yang Kai.
Zhong Liang never expected Yang Kai to turn around and attack him instead of fleeing, so he was caught completely off guard and didn’t have time to dodge.
In addition, under the influence of this strange Divine Ability, Time and Space around him distorted, and even his thoughts and perception became a little blurred.
This whole situation was too absurd!
Zhong Liang made an immediate decision, and with a loud shout, the power of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master exploded forth. World Force exploded from his body as he threw his fist out at Yang Kai.
A loud bang was heard, and violent energy surged throughout the space. The entire Blue Sky Pass was shaken by the shockwave and all the Humans inside the Inner Sanctum were so shocked that they thought the Black Ink Clan was attacking, so they all came out to investigate.
All of a sudden, the sky above Blue Sky Pass was filled with people.
Meanwhile, inside the Eastern Army’s Headquarters, Ding Yao leapt up into the air after noticing the movement. He looked around and frowned when he saw Zhong Liang suspended in mid-air. However, the current Zhong Liang looked a bit haggard. Although the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel didn’t injure him, it wasn’t easy for him to take the blow. His vitality was churning slightly, making it impossible for him to chase after Yang Kai immediately. Moreover, under the dazzling fallout from the clash, he had lost sight of Yang Kai, and didn’t know where to find him.
Frowning, Ding Yao flew over and soon arrived in front of the Western Army’s Headquarters.
Together with him were Liang Yu Long and Shen Tu Mo, who were supposed to be ‘outside’ right now.
The three Army Commanders gathered together, and Zhong Liang’s adjutant hurriedly greeted them.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Ding Yao asked with a frown.
As soon as he spoke those words though, he turned his head up towards Zhong Liang. In his vision, Ding Yao clearly saw a ripple in the Void, followed by Yang Kai’s ghostly figure appearing less than 100 metres behind Zhong Liang. Yang Kai was holding his Azure Dragon Spear and fiercely thrust it out at Zhong Liang’s back.
Ding Yao’s eyes widened at Yang Kai’s action, but he also saw that Yang Kai did not have any killing intent. Moreover, Zhong Liang was at the peak of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so although this spear attack was unexpected and powerful, it couldn’t do much to Zhong Liang.
What Ding Yao didn’t know was that Zhong Liang’s senses had been scrambled somewhat after being struck by the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel, so when Yang Kai launched this sneak attack, he was not able to detect it until the spear tip was almost touching his body. Only then did Zhong Liang sense danger and turn around to throw out a punch.
Yang Kai’s body flew out like a paper kite before plunging into the Void, disappearing between the ripples as his voice lingered in the air, “As expected of an Army Commander. My greatest respects to your strength….”
Zhong Liang grabbed at him, but missed. His face now as black as the bottom of a pot, he could not help but roar, “You Little Bastard! You better hide well and not let me catch you or I swear your end will be miserable!”
He was the Army Commander of the Western Army, one of the most important figures in all of Blue Sky Pass, only ranking below the Old Ancestor himself; but now, he was being played by Yang Kai, who had just advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, in front of everyone. What’s more, he actually suffered two losses because he was repeatedly caught off guard, furthering his humiliation.
Zhong Liang was angry, but he was also forced to admit that he admired Yang Kai’s boldness.
He simply did not expect Yang Kai would dare act so recklessly and decisively. If it had been an ordinary Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, that person would have already died twice by now.
Meanwhile, in front of the Western Army’s Headquarters, the adjutant gulped and finally had the time to answer Ding Yao’s question.
After finding out about the bet between Yang Kai and Zhong Liang, Ding Yao then turned his head to look at the giant burning incense and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Such a large incense stick might take almost an hour or longer to burn through completely. Blue Sky Pass was not a small place, but with it as the boundary, even if Yang Kai, who just advanced to the Seventh Order, had his Space Secret Techniques, he might not be able to escape from the palm of Zhong Liang’s hand.
No wonder Zhong Liang agreed to the bet. If it had been him, it would have been difficult for him to refuse such a bet too.
Zhong Liang could have ignored this provocation completely, but Yang Kai was bound to not be convinced, and there would only be further disputes. Thus, it was better to take this opportunity to stop Yang Kai from having such thoughts and prevent any future problems.
However, the commotion had grown far too big, and the others in Blue Sky Pass were in turmoil at the moment as they didn’t know what had happened. Ding Yao thus issued a series of orders to control the situation.
Soon, the people floating around Blue Sky Pass came down and watched the show from the sidelines. It wasn’t a big deal for them as long as it wasn’t the Black Ink Clan’s invading.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the west of Blue Sky Pass, Yang Kai was running away in a hurry, pushing his Space Principles to the limit.
However, no matter how hard he fled, a Divine Sense was able to lock onto him from afar.
It was Zhong Liang!
If Yang Kai didn’t find a way to cut off this Divine Sense, no matter how exquisite his Instantaneous Movement was, he would never be able to escape from Zhong Liang. But with their difference in strength, how could he cut off Zhong Liang’s Divine Sense? Yang Kai’s repeated attempts failed to achieve his goal, so even as he ran using Instantaneous Movement, Zhong Liang followed close behind him.
Yang Kai knew that his two sneak attacks had pissed off Zhong Liang, and the Army Commander was now determined to teach him a painful lesson.
Instantaneous Movement was the pinnacle of escape techniques. There were thousands of Secret Techniques to increase one’s speed, but none of them could be compared to Instantaneous Movement.
Soon, Yang Kai’s figure could be seen in all corners of Blue Sky Pass, but he never stayed in one spot for more than three breaths because Zhong Liang, who was like a ravenous beast, was always hot on his tail.
With one chasing and one escaping, time gradually passed.
The incense in front of the Western Army’s Headquarters was now a third burned down.
Ding Yao and the others were now becoming a bit anxious!
Initially, they thought that Zhong Liang would capture Yang Kai on his own, but now it seemed that it would not be so easy. They had all heard how the Dao of Space was unparalleled when it came to escaping, but it was only now that they learned how difficult it was to deal with a Master proficient in it.
It was a good thing that this incense burned for a much longer time than a normal incense; otherwise, the time limit would have already been reached.
Even if Yang Kai was caught in the end, it would still be a hollow victory for their side.
On the other hand, seeing that he hadn’t captured the infuriating boy after so long, Zhong Liang was feeling quite annoyed. He intended for this to be a quick battle, but he did not expect that not only were things not going as he expected, but it was actually taking him so long to capture one little brat. Moreover, if he lost the bet, it would be a terrible conclusion.
Suddenly, Zhong Liang’s body stopped in mid-air.
Noticing that Zhong Liang was acting differently, Yang Kai quickly dodged away, but the Divine Sense locked onto him remained.
He didn’t know what Zhong Liang was up to, but he figured that the Army Commander was about to make some kind of big move, so he became alert.
As expected, a strong burst of Word Force came from Zhong Liang’s side, followed by ripples that started from Zhong Liang’s location and spread out in all directions. The speed of the ripples was not fast, but it wasn’t slow either. As the ripples passed through the air, the surrounding space was gradually undergoing a noticeable change. It was a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Technique.
When Yang Kai saw this scene from afar, his face paled as he cried out in anguish, “Army Commander! You shameless cheater!”
Zhong Liang was preparing to spread out his Small Universe and envelop the entire Blue Sky Pass.
Yang Kai had no doubt that Zhong Liang had such an ability; after all, Zhong Liang was a peak Eighth-Order Master, so once his Small Universe was manifested, it could easily encompass all of Blue Sky Pass.
If that happened, the entire Blue Sky Pass territory would be inside his Small Universe. By then, Zhong Liang would be the master of this space, and Yang Kai would have no way of escaping! He would become a fish on the chopping block, at the mercy of Zhong Liang.
Though it was a superb tactic, it was more akin to cheating than a clever strategy. It also showed how determined Zhong Liang was to take down Yang Kai.
Hearing Yang Kai’s shout, Zhong Liang’s face did not blush, he simply laughed wickedly and declared, “In battle, there is no such thing as cheating! Why don’t you try shouting at the Black Ink Clan that they’re being unfair in battle and see if they will let you go!?”
As he spoke, his Small Universe’s frontier spread in Yang Kai’s direction. Yang Kai retreated in haste, but he was limited to the inside of Blue Sky Pass, so there was no place to hide.
He could only watch as the ripples swept past his body and enveloped him.
Yang Kai’s face suddenly turned blue.
Zhong Liang laughed loudly and approached Yang Kai in a flash. He looked at Yang Kai calmly with his hands behind his back, “Are you going to admit defeat voluntarily, or will I have to capture you first? Let me make it clear, if you willingly admit defeat, you will be spared from a beating, but if you make me come and get you… I’m currently in a bad mood, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my strength very well.”
Yang Kai immediately gritted his teeth, “You’re quite brazen, Army Commander, but I’m not beaten yet!”
Saying so, Yang Kai’s fists flashed and began blasting towards Zhong Liang.
Smiling, Zhong Liang thought that although Yang Kai was quite strong, such an attack was nothing to him. He was wary of the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel Yang Kai used it as a sneak attack, and if Yang Kai had brought it out here and now, he would certainly be wary of him, but this kind of haphazard flurry of punches wouldn’t cause him any harm.
“You’re too arrogant. It seems you won’t regret it unless you see your coffin. Good, I’ll let you understand the consequences of your actions!” As Zhong Liang spoke, the palm of his hand reached forward, transforming the world around them into a seemingly solid projection as he moved to capture Yang Kai.
However, in the next moment, Zhong Liang’s face changed dramatically.
The attack that seemed so unthreatening to him suddenly felt like a heavy hammer pounding on his heart, shaking his entire Small Universe.
“Huh? What the?!” When Zhong Liang cried out in dismay as the power of his Small Universe was greatly disturbed. For a moment, his strength became disordered and his head became dizzy.
An Open Heaven Realm Master would not easily spread out their Small Universe when fighting because their Small Universe was their very foundation. Once their Small Universe was damaged, they would suffer grave consequences.
The only time Open Heaven Realm Masters would choose to use this method was when they were truly desperate.
When Yang Kai besieged Zuo Quan Hui in the New Great Territory, Zuo Quan Hui laid down his Small Universe in the final battle as he had no other choice.
Zhong Liang was also forced to take a risk today because he had no choice.
But he also had his own considerations. With the heritage of his Small Universe, a newly advanced Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yang Kai should not be able to do anything to him in short order. In other words, as long as he took him down swiftly, there shouldn’t be any danger.
How could Zhong Liang have expected that Yang Kai’s seemingly ordinary punches would be able to shake his Small Universe? Once his Small Universe became unstable, his World Force stopped flowing smoothly, leaving him essentially defenceless.
Zhong Liang, who had been hovering in mid-air, fell headlong to the ground.
Although he was able to stabilize his body and withdraw his Small Universe in a flash, even a moment of weakness would be enough to determine life or death in a fight between Masters.
Zhong Liang’s face suddenly became blacker than the bottom of a pot, for when he looked up, Yang Kai had disappeared without a trace. Worse, because he was temporarily dazed, his Divine Sense lock had been cut off.
[This is bad!]
Feeling his heart clench up, Zhang Liang became worried because he was only able to chase after Yang Kai because he locked him down with his Divine Sense. Now that Yang Kai had escaped this lock, how was Zhong Liang supposed to track him?
Turning his head towards the Western Army’s Headquarters, Zhong Liang saw the incense stick in front of the door was already half-burned.
Also, Ding Yao and the others looked at him with intrigued expressions while standing before the incense burner, making Zhong Liang blush.
Up until now, he still could not understand how Yang Kai shook his Small Universe. Those seemingly ordinary punches were definitely not as simple as they seemed. They should be some kind of Secret Technique that was used to directly target Small Universes.
He was right. Yang Kai did have a Secret Technique to deal with Small Universes.
That Secret Technique had worked wonders since he first discovered it, and it gave Yang Kai the ability to fight against Masters above his cultivation realm. If he tangled with the enemy for long enough, he could trace the opponent’s Internal Qi back to their Small Universe, and then, using Space Principles, he could bombard it directly. That was the essence of his Cow Punch.
Originally, Yang Kai didn’t have the chance to use this technique because of the wide gap between him and Zhong Liang, making him unable to hold off Zhong Liang long enough to use Cow Punch.
However, Zhong Liang took the initiative to spread out his Small Universe, which allowed Yang Kai to skip over the entire tracing process, so he immediately used Cow Punch. In the end, he was able to hit Zhong Liang and escape from him. He even had the strength left over to cut off the Divine Sense which was locked onto him.
Once all of that was done, Yang Kai was like a tiger that had returned to the mountains. It would be difficult for Zhong Liang to find him again.
In a few moments, Blue Sky Pass flew into an uproar.
Zhong Liang’s vast Divine Sense swept through the entire Blue Sky Pass but could not find any trace of Yang Kai. He even ran to each Army Headquarters and personally searched the Purifying Black Ink Battleships in case Yang Kai was hiding in them.
But he ended up empty-handed again.
After a few more moments, he had searched every Warship in Blue Sky Pass.
Seeing that the incense was getting shorter and shorter and would soon be finished, Zhong Liang could not help but feel a cold sweat on his forehead.
He had turned the entire Blue Sky Pass upside down and searched everywhere he could think of, but there were still no signs of Yang Kai. Just where was that little brat hiding?
What if he had left the Great Pass? But that would be like admitting defeat, and Yang Kai would never do that.
As he thought about it, Zhong Liang suddenly thought of something and looked in a certain direction.
“That fool finally figured it out!” In front of the Western Army’s Headquarters, Ding Yao reached up and rubbed his forehead.
When Zhong Liang’s Small Universe shook just now, he was dazed and unable to maintain his focus, so Yang Kai took the opportunity to escape. Though Zhong Liang had no idea where Yang Kai had gone, Ding Yao and the others saw it all clearly. However, it wasn’t their place to give Zhang Liang any hints, nor could they do that.
In the centre of Blue Sky Pass, there was a tall solitary mountain, and on top of the solitary mountain stood a majestic palace.
For the tens of thousands of members of Blue Sky Pass, this solitary mountain was both a Restricted Area and a mental support. That was the place where the Old Ancestor would enter retreat, and no one was to disturb him without being summoned.
A stream of light swept in from below and soon arrived in front of the palace. The figure that landed was none other than the Western Army Commander, Zhong Liang.
He took a quick glance at the surroundings, but only saw a few familiar figures standing guard, with no traces of Yang Kai.
[Is he not here?] Zhong Liang was a bit stunned.
He had just turned almost the entire Blue Sky Pass upside down but still could not find Yang Kai’s whereabouts. The only exception was this solitary mountain, which he did not dare to pry into because it was not a place he could simply search at will.
If there was any place Yang Kai could hide, it was definitely here.
Who would have thought he still couldn’t find Yang Kai’s whereabouts after coming here?
The situation made his head spin. If Yang Kai was not hiding here, where else could he be?
After greeting Senior Brother Sun, who was guarding the front door, Zhong Liang turned around and was about to leave.
It was then that Senior Brother Sun suddenly said, “Junior Brother, are you here to find Yang Kai?”
Zhong Liang stopped and nodded, “Yes!”
Senior Brother Sun smiled wryly and said, “If that is the case, you can wait here.”
Zhong Liang was puzzled, “Huh?”
Senior Brother Sun said, “Yang Kai has been summoned by the Old Ancestor and is in the inner room. He will be out in a moment.”
The news made Zhong Liang’s jaw drop in shock as he was astonished and speechless.
The Old Ancestor summoned Yang Kai into the palace. How could he continue his search for Yang Kai? It was impossible for him to rush inside and catch Yang Kai now. In other words, as long as Yang Kai hid inside the palace until the time limit was up, he would definitely lose the bet.
[That Brat! He’s too shameless!]
But when Zhong Liang thought back on the act of him spreading out his Small Universe, he couldn’t help feeling he was just as shameless.
“Why did Old Ancestor suddenly summon him?” Zhong Liang asked with a bitter smile.
Senior Brother Sun laughed and said, “I don’t know. That brat suddenly came here in a hurry like he had some urgent business, and as soon as he landed, the Old Ancestor summoned him inside to talk.”
Those words made Zhong Liang gnash his teeth and secretly curse him for being so sneaky. [He must have run all the way here after cutting off my Divine Sense, which was locked onto him.]
Still, Zhong Liang had not expected that the Old Ancestor would summon Yang Kai at such a moment. The boy’s original intention should only have been to use the uniqueness of this place to hide for some time.
As for Senior Brother Sun’s description of Yang Kai being in a hurry, as if he had something urgent, Senior Brother Sun might have already learned the reason for that matter. Although his duty was to guard the Old Ancestor’s place of retreat, he must have known about what just happened because they had caused such a huge commotion; otherwise, he wouldn’t have laughed so mockingly.
Zhong Liang suddenly remembered one more thing and asked urgently, “Have Old Ancestor’s wounds fully healed?”
It had been eight years since the Black Ink Clan Army was defeated, and the Old Ancestor had been in retreat since then to heal his injuries, so there might be a chance that his injuries were all healed.
Senior Brother Sun unfortunately shook his head and said, “I don’t know, but this is the first time in recent years that Old Ancestor has sent a message to the outside world.”
After hearing those words, Zhong Liang immediately understood the situation. It seemed like the Old Ancestor had yet to make a full recovery; after all, it wasn’t easy for a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to heal his injuries. However, the Old Ancestor’s situation must have turned for the better, or else he wouldn’t have called for Yang Kai to head inside.
After taking a look at the big incense in front of the Western Army Headquarters, Zhong Liang noticed there was still about a fifth of it left, so there was still some time.
He didn’t want to leave just like that, and since there was still some time left, Zhong Liang could only stay here and wait to see if Yang Kai would come out before time was up.
Silence fell in front of the palace.
Meanwhile, inside, Yang Kai sat cross-legged in front of an old man with an all-white beard and hair.
The old man was thin and full of wrinkles. He wore a plain robe and was currently barefooted, not giving off the air of a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master at all. Yang Kai did not even feel any energy fluctuations from this old man. If they met without knowing each other’s identities, Yang Kai would definitely treat him like an ordinary old man and not a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor who stood at the very peak of the Martial Dao.
The Old Ancestor’s cultivation had probably achieved a state of serenity in the extraordinary; otherwise, he would never have given Yang Kai such an impression.
Yang Kai was very surprised to be summoned by the Old Ancestor. When he first came here, he had intended to meet the Old Ancestor, but since the latter was in the process of healing from his injuries, Yang Kai wasn’t able to meet him.
At this moment, Yang Kai was demonstrating the creation of Purifying Light in front of the Old Ancestor, which was naturally something the latter requested of him.
During the process, the Old Ancestor watched carefully and even reached out his hand to take the Purifying Light after it was formed to have a better look at it.
Yang Kai did not dare to say much and just quietly waited.
After a few moments, the Old Ancestor nodded lightly and instructed Yang Kai to stretch out his hands so that he could check the two marks.
Though Yang Kai couldn’t tell what the Old Ancestor had seen from the marks on the backs of his hands, the latter was clearly meticulously investigating them with an extremely serious expression.
Moments later, the Old Ancestor nodded lightly and suddenly smiled, “This Purifying Light is indeed profound and mysterious. The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer are truly worthy of being called ancient Great Experts. Their strength is far beyond my reach.”
Yang Kai was astonished by his words, “You’re too modest, Old Ancestor.”
According to the Old Ancestor’s words, he seemed to be admitting that he was inferior to the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer. How could Yang Kai not be surprised by that? The Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm was already the peak a Human could achieve, and Yang Kai had always thought that such a Master could compete with the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
The Old Ancestor, however, shook his head, “I’m not being modest. I speak only the truth. When this Old Master first advanced to the Ninth Order, I went to the Chaotic Dead Territory to exchange moves with those two. I remember that experience well.”
He did not say what the result of the sparring match was, but Yang Kai had a vague feeling that the Old Ancestor had suffered some kind of loss.
“I know about what happened in the Inner Sanctum. This Purifying Light is a method to remove Black Ink Strength, so since you have gotten this opportunity, you should work hard to safeguard others well.”
Yang Kai said respectfully, “Junior will abide by your orders, Old Ancestor.”
After a pause, he added, “Old Ancestor, I have one more thing to report.”
“Go ahead.” Old Ancestor nodded lightly.
“This Junior did not enter the Black Ink Battlefield through the No-Return Pass. Instead, I came here through a Void Corridor!”
Once he said those words, the Old Ancestor’s eyes narrowed, “Tell me more.”
Yang Kai then went on to explain what happened in the Black Prison. He began his story after the death of the Royal Lord, then described how the Void Corridor was formed, how he went in alone and sealed the Void Corridor with Space Principles, and then found himself in a Sealed World which existed on the Black Ink Battlefield.
“I have sealed the corridor with my Secret Technique, and that Sealed World has probably ruptured by now, but the Void Corridor might still exist.”
“How many people know about this?” Old Ancestor asked in a deep voice.
Yang Kai answered, “I met a Black Ink Disciple named Meng Qi in that Sealed World, and after saving him with Purifying Light, he told me the importance of this matter, and that I must report it to you and no one else, so I haven’t told anyone else about it.”
“And Meng Qi?” Old Ancestor asked.
After sighing, Yang Kai explained, “I wanted to bring him with me, but he refused and immediately sacrificed his life after I left.”
The Old Ancestor was slightly stunned, but soon understood and sighed, “His loyalty to the Human Race is praiseworthy. His name will be recorded on my Blue Sky Pass Heroic Souls Monument.”
The Heroic Souls Monument was something Yang Kai knew about. One such monument was located in every one of the Great Passes and it recorded the names of all those who died in the war against the Black Ink Clan.
The Heroic Souls Monument in Blue Sky Pass, which was 1,000 meters high, had recorded countless names, each one representing a human life.
“The matter of the Void Corridor ends here. Do not mention it to anyone else,” The Old Ancestor declared.
“Junior understands.”
The Old Ancestor nodded before suddenly giving him a deep look, “You have done a great service to the Human Race by sealing the Void Corridor, saving the 3,000 Worlds from a catastrophe.”
Shaking his head, Yang Kai said, “Those who have been battling to the death with the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield are the real heroes. Countless ancestors gave their lives in exchange for peace in the 3,000 Worlds while this Junior is still alive and well. The names on the Heroic Souls Monument are the ones who deserved the credit.”
“The dead have merit, but so do the living,” as the Old Ancestor spoke, he suddenly lifted his hand and extended his finger towards Yang Kai’s forehead.
His movement was obviously very slow, but in Yang Kai’s eyes, it seemed incredibly fast. Before he could react, the finger was already on his forehead.
As soon as Old Ancestor’s finger touched his forehead, he smiled and said, “The incense outside has burned out, you can leave now.”
Yang Kai was stunned to realize that although the Old Ancestor was in retreat, nothing in Blue Sky Pass could escape his gaze. He must have known about his bet with Zhong Liang, or else he would not have said these words.
Perhaps the Old Ancestor had summoned him inside with the intention of helping him.
Yang Kai got up and said respectfully, “Many thanks, Old Ancestor.”
The Old Ancestor closed his eyes and said nothing while Yang Kai bowed and exited the palace.
After leaving the inner room, Yang Kai touched his forehead and fell into deep thought.
Just now, when the Old Ancestor’s finger touched him, he did not notice anything unusual. Though he didn’t know what that action meant, as an Old Ancestor, whatever he did must have a purpose. That was why Yang Kai was confused.
Outside the hall, Zhong Liang looked resigned as Yang Kai walked out. Just now, the incense in front of the Western Army Headquarters had completely burned out. According to his bet with Yang Kai, he had lost.
His heart was full of discontent. If the Old Ancestor had not intervened and summoned Yang Kai inside, he wouldn’t have lost. However, he did not dare to say this out loud because it was not his place to complain about the Old Ancestor’s actions.
Yang Kai first went to greet the Senior surnamed Sun before looking at Zhong Liang. With his nostrils pointing high up to the sky, he arrogantly declared, “Army Commander, I am going to gather my men and head out of the Great Pass. You have no objections, right?”
Feeling his face twitch, Zhang Liang wanted to slap Yang Kai half to death and force him to stay in the Inner Sanctum.
But that was impossible now.
Suddenly putting on a smile, Zhong Liang made another attempt at negotiation, “Oh, Yang Boy. Let’s sit down and have a good chat about this. Why do you want to head outside the Great Pass? What’s so good about the outside world anyway? Isn’t it more free-and-easy inside the Inner Sanctum?”
Hearing that, Yang Kai cracked his neck and retorted, “No, I want to go outside the Great Pass. Army Commander, you’re not going to go back on your word, are you?”
“Nonsense.” Zhong Liang blew his beard and glared, “This King is an Army Commander in charge of the Western Army and has never gone back on his word!”
“Good.” Yang Kai nodded.
Zhong Liang added, “But there’s no rush. Why don’t you stay in the Inner Sanctum for a few more days and I’ll tell you about the situation of the Black Ink Clan?”
Yang Kai glanced with askance at him, “Even though Army Commander has fought on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless years, I have also lived in Black Ink Clan’s territory for at least two years and understand them well. There is no need for me to trouble you, Army Commander.”
Saying so, he raised his foot and was about to step forward.
However, Zhong Liang caught him by the arm. Yang Kai turned around to look at them. Four eyes met, and Zhong Liang gritted his teeth, “Fine. This King won’t stop you if you want to leave, but this King must draw up some rules with you. If you do not agree, then I won’t let you leave no matter what.”
Yang Kai frowned and urged him on, “Go on.”
Zhong Liang reached his hand out to him, “Give me your Universe Chart.”
Yang Kai had no idea what he was going to do, but he still took his Universe Chart out for him. This Universe Chart was the same one that Meng Qi handed him back then. It was the Universe Chart of Black Ink battlefield.
Zhong Liang took it from him and seemed to do something with it before casually tossing it back to Yang Kai, “The first rule is that you must not go past the boundaries set by this King. Right now, the area within the boundary can only barely be considered safe. There are Feudal and Territory Lords beyond this boundary, so you will not be able to resist them with the current strength of your Dawn Squad.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai brought his Divine Sense into the Universe Chart and examined the boundaries that Zhong Liang had drawn. When he recalled his previous experiences living within the Black Ink Clan’s territory, and compared it to this line, he just about had an understanding of the limits where he could move around. Yang Kai nodded, “Rest assured, Army Commander. My life is my own, so I will cherish it more than anyone else.”
Seeing him agree, Zhong Liang relaxed a little and nodded, “The second rule is, unless you are completely out of options, you must never use Purifying Light against the Black Ink Clan. If you do use it, then you must make sure to leave no witnesses!”
Yang Kai frowned, “Why?”
Purifying Light had the ability to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength, and it was the only way to save Black Ink Disciples and cultivators who have been corrupted by Black Ink Strength, but it was also a sharp weapon to use against the Black Ink Clan!
When Yang Kai first arrived at Blue Sky Pass, it was the Purifying Light that he used to injure a Black Ink Territory Lord, allowing Feng Ying to seize the opportunity to kill him.
Zhong Liang said, “Since ancient times, Humans have had no means to effectively disperse the corruption of Black Ink Strength before your arrival, which was the biggest reason why we could only defend the Great Passes and not take the initiative to attack. If the Black Ink Clan were to find out that you hold such power, it would attract their attention, and perhaps even stir up a Royal Lord to act. How are you going to resist if that were to happen? So, it is fine if you do nothing, but once you show your cards, you must exterminate them in order to keep the information from leaking out.”
Yang Kai realized what he was trying to say and nodded, “I understand now. However, Army Commander, I have already shown that ability on the battlefield last time. Surely, the Black Ink Clan would have taken notice.”
Zhong Liang waved his hand, “One time won’t matter. Even if the Black Ink Clan noticed what you did, they may not pay too much attention to it. However, if you use Purifying Light repeatedly, and if they were to find out about it, then things would truly become troublesome. This is important. If it is exposed that you are able to wield Purifying Light, then you will never be able to leave as you please ever again.”
“What is the third rule?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhong Liang said solemnly, “The third rule is that you will escape alone if you are met with mortal danger! You are proficient in the Dao of Space and you are also in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. As long as a Royal Lord does not act personally, and as long as you do not fall into an inescapable trap, then there is nothing that the Black Ink Clan can do to stop you. Do you understand me?”
Yang Kai fell silent.
Zhong Liang stared at him, “If you are unable to accept these three rules, then I will not let you out of here no matter what.”
A long while passed before Yang Kai sighed, “In that case, I will agree to them.”
Zhong Liang patted him on the shoulder, “Remember, your existence is vital to the entire Human Race. Do not put yourself at risk.”
Yang Kai nodded and cupped his fist, “If Army Commander has no other orders, then this Yang will go now.”
Zhong Liang opened his mouth as if he were going to say more, but he ended up just waving his hand, “Go.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist again and took to the skies.
A few moments later, Yang Kai landed in Feng Ying’s courtyard, where she had long been waiting. When she saw him return, she asked, “How was it?”
Yang Kai smiled, “Gather the troops and prepare to leave.”
Feng Ying was surprised, “The Army Commander lost?”
Yang Kai and Zhong Liang made a lot of noise during their argument, so everyone in Blue Sky Pass knew about their bet. Feng Ying did not have high hopes since Zhong Liang had even spread out his Small Universe. As long as Yang Kai was inside of Blue Sky Pass, then he would be captured sooner or later no matter where he tried to hide. However, it seemed now that Zhong Liang had lost the bet.
“I just got lucky,” Yang Kai responded casually.
Feng Ying did not dwell on the matter and hastened to send word to the Squad.
In less than an incense stick of time, Dawn Squad’s members had all fully gathered in the courtyard. Including Yang Kai, there were 35 of them, no more, no less.
In front of the crowd, Yang Kai announced, “Everyone, I have obtained permission from the Army Commander for Dawn to depart today, so I hope that you will join me and work together to exterminate and destroy the enemy so that we can gain honour for the Human Race!”
Despite their suspicions, all of them were overjoyed to hear Yang Kai’s words.
Everyone present used to be a Black Ink Disciple who served the Black Ink Clan, lived in their lands for many years, and saw the miserable experiences that the other Black Ink Disciples of the Black Ink Clan endured. So, nobody hated the Black Ink Clan more than they did.
After being incorporated as members of Dawn Squad, they all longed for the day that they could march into the Black Ink Clan’s domain and save even more of their allies while avenging the deaths of their fellow comrades.
Unfortunately, the Army Commanders were unwilling to let them go due to Yang Kai’s special status.
Now that the day had finally come, all of them rolled up their sleeves and chanted, “Kill, kill, kill!”
The sound of their voices swept through the scene, and their morale rose to a crescendo!
Yang Kai was extremely satisfied with this reaction, and he waved his hand, “Depart!”
In a flash, more than 30 figures turned into streams of light, speeding to the main gates of Blue Sky Pass, identified themselves, and were allowed to pass, entering the void.
Yang Kai turned to Feng Ying, who nodded lightly before reaching out to the void in front of her. There was a small flicker and the aura of a Small Universe opening could be felt. Then, a Warship in the shape of a large ship appeared.
Dawning Light!
Dawning Light was originally just an ordinary Squad Warship, but after Feng Ying spent an entire ocean’s worth on Military Merits to have it modified at the Refining Hall, Dawning Light had become countless times stronger than other Warships. The number and quality of Dawn Squad’s members was also not something that an ordinary Squad could compare with.
There were typically 10 to 15 people in a Squad, and apart from the Squad Leader, who was in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, there would at most be two other Seventh-Order members. Some Squads would even be limited to only having their Squad Leader as the sole Seventh-Order member.
However, Dawn had 5 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. With a line-up of this calibre, backed by the combat power of Dawning Light, it may not be impossible for them to put up a fight even if they were facing a Territory Lord.
This was also a reason why Zhong Liang eventually agreed to Yang Kai’s departure, as strength was the greatest guarantee for one’s safety.
The Squad members boarded the ship, and apart from the 5 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm members, the remaining 30 quickly took their positions in a coordinated manner.
It was clear that Dawn Squad’s members had already trained together while Yang Kai and Zhong Liang were arguing. They knew where they were supposed to go and what role they were in charge of.
However, as Dawn was only just established, they were not yet completely familiar with each other and had not built up a tacit level of understanding between them. So, the members still needed some time to get familiar with Dawning Light and its capabilities.
The best way to raise that familiarity was to gain experience in battle.
Out of such considerations, though Yang Kai was eager to slaughter his way into the Black Ink Clan’s domain, he ordered Dawning Light’s crew members to proceed at a steady pace and to not be hasty. That was all so they could break in their new Warship.
Inside the cabin, Feng Ying opened her Universe Chart, which turned into a field of light that appeared before everyone’s eyes, and the 5 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters gathered around it.
Feng Ying pointed to a certain place, “Squad Leader, this here is Blue Sky Pass, and with Blue Sky Pass as the centre, the area surrounding it is Blue Sky Theatre. The Royal Lord who is garrisoned here is called Men Xie. He is the one you discovered and the one who fought against the Old Ancestor. There is a tacit agreement between all sides that we only need to take care of Blue Sky Theatre while not minding the adjacent Theatres. The Black Ink Clansmen of those two other war zones will not enter the Blue Sky Theatre either. They have their own opponents.”
Yang Kai nodded at her words. Naturally, he already knew about this basic information. On the Black Ink Battlefield, every Human Race Great Pass corresponded to a grand Theatre.
Feng Ying continued on, “Men Xie was found by you during the critical moment when he was recovering from his injuries, then he received further injuries from the Old Ancestor. He will have to go into seclusion in his Black Ink Royal City for at least 100 years in order to recover and will not come out again without reason. So, the greatest threat can be ignored. Additionally, after the last fight, there were many casualties among the Territory Lords. Based on the latest intelligence, there should be less than 60 Territory Lords under Men Xie Royal Lord remaining, many of whom are also busy trying to recover. They are all scattered across the huge war zone, so as long as we are careful enough, it should be unlikely for us to bump into any Territory Lords. As for Black Ink Clansmen under the Territory Lords, Dawn should have no issue dealing with them.”
“Very good,” Yang Kai nodded in satisfaction.
Feng Ying then pointed to a few specific areas, “These three locations around Blue Sky Pass are far enough that they can almost be considered the edge of the Black Ink Clan’s territory. The Inner Sanctum has set up forward camps in each of these three locations, each one overseen by an Eighth-Order Master. These forward camps will be able to provide supplies for our soldiers. There are also Artifact Refiners and Array Masters present there who can repair artifacts and Warships. We can also report Military Merits there.”
Yang Kai was surprised, “The Inner Sanctum even set up forward bases in these three places?”
It was the first he had heard of this, so it could not be helped that he was surprised.
He had imagined that Blue Sky Pass’ Squads would each fight on their own after exiting the Pass, but now it seemed that Inner Sanctum had already set up three forward camps on the frontlines, and their benefits were obvious. In the vast void of the battlefield, far away from Blue Sky Pass, forward bases provided a safe haven for the Human soldiers when they needed to resupply or recuperate.
And, there were also Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters garrisoned at these camps. If anyone did end up bumping into a Territory Lord, then they could flee back to the forward base to seek refuge.
“These are all temporary forward camps that are used whenever the Black Ink Clan’s Army is forced back. Once the Black Ink Clan have finished recuperating, these forward bases will be abandoned and taken over by the Black Ink Clan instead,” Feng Ying explained.
Yang Kai nodded. It was not hard to understand what was going on. Once the Black Ink Clan’s Army was defeated and lost a lot of strength, the Humans would take the opportunity to occupy these forward bases. And, once the Black Ink Clan had recuperated, they would naturally come to attack again. Then, they would have no choice but to abandon these forward bases and return to Blue Sky Pass. If they were to stay behind, they would only be swallowed up by the Black Ink Clan’s Army.
“These three forward bases also correspond to the three resource harvesting areas. In fact, the Black Ink Battlefield does not lack cultivation resources. You have lived within the Black Ink Clan’s domain, so you should know about this. Only, we Humans will rarely have the opportunity to mine for resources, causing the short supply of materials in the Inner Sanctum.”
Yang Kai nodded at these words. After having lived in Black Ink Clan’s hinterland for two years, he naturally knew this better than anyone else.
The Black Ink Battlefield was rich in cultivation resources, not to mention strange Sealed Worlds with rare and precious treasures. Even the Dead Stars in the void, Universe Worlds and Spirit Provinces that had lost their vitality because their World Force had been swallowed up, all were hiding cultivation resources and rare minerals of various Orders.
However, the Human Race had no way of harvesting these resources freely. Only when the Black Ink Clan was forced back would they barely have some time to do such things. And, the time that they had for this activity varied each time. It all depended on how long it took for the Black Ink Clan to restore their strength. It could be as short as a decade, but also as long as several decades.
Once the Black Ink Clan recovered their foundation, the Human Race would be forced to retreat again.
And, for the Black Ink Clan, these resources were also of great use. The Black Ink Nest that Yang Kai had seen previously needed to devour a large number of resources in order to create new Black Ink Clansmen and provide others with the energy to break through to higher realms.
So, that was the reason why the Black Ink Clan would send their members to these resource-harvesting areas to collect materials when the Humans retreated.
Throughout history, this was how the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan had taken turns occupying the resource harvesting areas, going back and forth with each other innumerable times.
Many resource harvesting areas had already been abandoned as their resources had been exhausted. Right now, the closest resource harvesting area occupied by the Humans was some 6 billion kilometres away from Blue Sky Pass, with the farthest one being 10 billion kilometres away.
Feng Ying said, “Even though we Humans have taken over the resource harvesting area, the Black Ink Clan will not just sit still while we mine for materials. Even though there is no way for them to send armies to attack Blue Sky Pass when their foundations have been severely damaged, that doesn’t mean they can’t send smaller groups to harass these resource-harvesting areas. Firstly, they can use this opportunity to capture more Black Ink Disciples, and secondly, they can also interfere with the mining operations of our clansmen. So, no matter where we go, we must be ready to fight the Black Ink Clan at any moment as we mine and search for resources.”
Yang Kai nodded at her words. He was less knowledgeable about this than Feng Ying, so it was naturally better for him to listen to her suggestions. He thus asked, “Then, based on Martial Aunt’s thoughts, which location should we go to?”
Feng Ying looked at Yang Kai, “That will depend on whether you want to mine resources or fight with the Black Ink Clan.”
“What’s the difference?” Yang Kai asked.
Feng Ying explained, “These three locations are all basically occupied by us Humans right now. Even if there were Black Ink Clansmen around those places, their numbers wouldn’t be large. So, if we go to those three places, we will have a safer time mining, and the fights we encounter will also be less frequent. However, whether it be mining or fighting with the Black Ink Clan, there are still Military Merits to be gained. There is not much difference between them, they’re just different tasks.”
Yang Kai raised his brows, “From what Martial Aunt is saying, there seem to be other places we can go besides the three locations?”
Feng Ying smiled and pointed to another place on the Universe Chart, “Before our departure, I asked around and found out that Inner Sanctum has set up a fourth forward base here in order to take over this resource harvesting area. However, it has not been long since this campaign began, so they have not been able to fully occupy it yet. The Black Ink Clan is putting up a fierce fight over there. Half a month before we departed, the Inner Sanctum sent reinforcements over, including two Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters!”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up at that. He pointed to the last location, “Then let’s go here.”
With a look as if she had expected this response, Feng Ying nodded, “You are the Squad Leader, so we’ll follow your command.”
Yang Kai smiled, “Since we are a Special Operations Squad, I think Dawn should do things that other Squads can’t. Since other Squads do not have this ability, then we should naturally go and kill those Black Ink Clansmen and leave the resource collection to the others.”
Shen Ao and the others nodded, all showing eager expressions.
After the discussion, Dawning Light headed towards the fourth forward base. Other than those who were left in charge of steering and monitoring their surroundings, the rest of the Squad members went back into the cabin to meditate and prepare themselves.
The fourth forward base was the farthest one from Blue Sky Pass, so it would take at least a week for them to get to that location. What’s more, the Squad members were still in the process of familiarizing themselves with Dawning Light, so they weren’t travelling at full speed, which meant it would take them even more time to arrive.
The void was silent and filled with rubble, both large and small, drifting aimlessly about.
After about a week, Dawning Light was slowly approaching the fourth forward base. In two or three days, they would arrive.
Even though Yang Kai was in retreat, he would still come out every day to check on the situation; however, it had been uneventful all throughout their journey.
On this day, after he was done monitoring the Warship’s surroundings and was about to return to the cabin to cultivate, he suddenly felt a violent wave of power coming from the side, followed by the violent shaking of Dawning Light’s barrier, which sent an alarm all throughout the Warship.
“Enemy attack!” A loud cry resounded through the ship from one of the crew members in charge of monitoring the surrounding situation.
At the shout, the cultivator in charge of defence immediately activated the Warship’s shields. In the next instant, a milky white glow emerged, enveloping the entirety of Dawning Light.
However, since the enemy’s ambush had happened too suddenly, the barrier was a moment too slow and the first attack managed to impact the hull.
Under the violent shock, Dawn Squad’s members slid left and right, but Yang Kai stood firm without moving, his eyes immediately shooting towards the source of the attack.
There, behind the shattered fragments of destroyed Spirit Provinces, large ships in Black Ink Clan’s style emerged, each one a giant that dwarfed Dawning Light in terms of size.
There were three of these large ships in total, and on the decks stood many stalwart figures, obviously members of the Black Ink Clan.
The constant shaking continued, but before the Black Ink Clan’s next salvo hit, Dawning Light’s shields were fully raised. Ripples appeared on the surface of the white light barrier, blocking the attack.
However, no matter how strong the Defensive Arrays were, it was impossible for them to resist an incessant bombardment forever. What’s more, it took a lot of energy to maintain the shields.
The cabin door opened and one cultivator after another rushed in.
Feng Ying shouted, “What’s the situation?”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, “The Black Ink Clan is blocking our path!”
“Here?” Feng Ying was surprised. She looked over and sure enough, there were the three Black Ink Clan ships blocking the way. She knew that the Black Ink Clan must have travelled around the fourth forward base primarily to lie in wait for the Human Race’s reinforcements to arrive.
As the two were speaking, Dawning Light engaged in a fierce battle with the three large ships.
The large ships of the Black Ink Clan were ordinary flight-type artifacts, so the attacks were all coming from the Black Ink Clansmen aboard. On the other hand, Dawning Light was a Warship with its own offensive capabilities.
The Squad members in charge of attacking activated the Arrays, triggering the power of the artifacts installed within the Array Core. In an instant, a spear-shaped attack, an awe-inspiring sword wave, and a bolt of lightning shot out in three different directions towards the enemy vessels.
The Black Ink Clan clearly did not expect Dawning Light to have such a wide range of attacks, so they were at a loss for a moment.
One of the large ships was too slow to dodge the lightning bolt and was instantly torn apart. Many of the less powerful Black Ink Clansmen were reduced to charred corpses under the power of the scattered lightning bolts.
It was easy to see from this attack alone just how terrifying the power of Dawning Light was.
The two remaining Black Ink Clan large ships were able to dodge the attacks in time, but it obviously frightened them and caused them to back away, putting distance between them and their enemy in case they met the same fate as their companions.
However, Dawning Light chased after them closely, sending out another barrage of attacks.
The two ships could no longer evade the attacks and were both smashed to pieces.
The figures of Black Ink Clansmen could be seen fleeing in disarray, their faces covered in ash and debris. The attacks just now had also killed and injured many of them. Most of the ones who survived were High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen.
Rather than retreat though, most of the enemy swarmed towards Dawning Light instead. The only exceptions were three Black Ink Clansmen who had exceptionally rich Black Ink Strength. These three were clearly Feudal Lords.
“There’s no Territory Lord!” Feng Ying immediately calmed down. When the enemy ambushed them, her greatest fear was that a Territory Lord may be among them. However, it was unlikely for that to happen as the number of Territory Lords under Men Xie was limited, so they would not come all the way here to interrupt Human Masters.
However, it was still better to be on one’s guard. She could only breathe a sigh of relief once the three large ships were destroyed and all the Black Ink Clansmen showed themselves.
For Dawn Squad, as long as no Territory Lord appeared, the rest could easily be disregarded.
Even though this thought might have seemed arrogant, it was the truth.
If any other ordinary Squad were to bump into three Black Ink Clan ships lying in wait to ambush them as they were making their way to the fourth forward base, they truly would not have been their opponents and would have had no choice but to flee.
Unfortunately for the Black Ink Clan, they ran into Dawn, who had 5 Seventh-Order Masters among their ranks.
“Leader…” Feng Ying called out and turned to look at Yang Kai, but she was stunned because he was long gone.
Brow twitching, she hurriedly looked around, and sure enough, she saw that Yang Kai had appeared on the deck like a ghost. Following that, he shot out to meet the Black Ink Clan’s soldiers in battle.
Though he was a lone figure, he seemed invincible and unstoppable.
Having seen the terrifying might of Dawning Light, the Black Ink Clan panicked and struggled to hold their ground while the three Feudal Lords were already in the process of escaping.
They thought that they could pick up a bargain here, but who knew that the Warship they encountered would be so abnormally powerful? The attacks that came from the Warship were truly terrifying, and anyone who was not careful enough and got hit would not meet a good end.
The Warships of the Human Race were all incredibly sturdy to begin with, and none was without at least one Seventh-Order Master. If they could not force a quick end to the battle, then they would have lost their advantage of launching a sneak attack.
It was at that moment that the three Feudal Lords suddenly saw a figure slaughter his way out from the Human Warship, cutting a path through the weaker Black Ink Clansmen in an instant.
The eyes of the tallest Feudal Lord flickered. Truly, there was a path to the Heavens, but the enemy refused to take it, crashing into Hell despite there being no door. From the aura fluctuations he could feel from this opponent, he judged the lone man to be a Seventh-Order Human, which put him on par with a Feudal Lord.
Obviously, he should be the Seventh-Order Master in charge of this Warship.
If this Seventh-Order Human had remained hidden in his Warship, then the Black Ink Clan may not have been able to do anything due to the defensive strength displayed by their vessel. However, for a Seventh-Order Human to rush out at them in such a bold manner was simply courting death!
At that thought, the Black Ink Feudal Lord stopped retreating and instead took a step forward, opening his mouth wide before spitting out a huge, dense cloud of Black Ink Strength that enveloped the surrounding void in an inky fog.
At the same time, a dagger-like weapon appeared in the Feudal Lord’s hand as he dove into the Black Ink Cloud, using it as cover.
Black Ink Strength had always been the Black Ink Clan’s most effective method when it came to dealing with the Humans. Unless they were at their wit’s end, Humans would never allow themselves to be tainted by Black Ink Strength. It had been that way throughout all of history.
This Feudal Lord was clearly very experienced when it came to fighting with the Human Race as the first thing he did was create a massive Black Ink Cloud. Not only did this conceal his actions, it also caused trouble for his opponent.
If his opponent showed the slightest hesitation, then they would have to withstand his violent rain of attacks. With these conditions, even a Seventh-Order Human Master would not be a match for him.
This Feudal Lord had done this before, and it worked wonders every time, so this time should be no different.
However, the unexpected always came unannounced. A figure shot straight through the inky mist without even hesitating and in an instant, he was in front of him.
The Feudal Lord jumped in fright, wondering to himself where this crazy bastard had come from. He never thought that any Human would actually play such a different hand than usual. However, without missing a beat, he lifted his dagger and unleashed a storm of attacks towards the arrogant Human.
Yang Kai stretched out his hand and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear into his grip.
However, he did not thrust his spear out immediately. Instead, he looked over at the Feudal Lord with a cold and icy gaze, his right eye suddenly turning black. Even the whites of his eye could no longer be seen, giving him an extremely strange appearance.
Black Purgatory Eye! One of the two core Eye Secret Techniques of Myriad Demons Heaven.
Before setting off for the Black Ink Battlefield, Myriad Demons Heaven’s Eighth-Order Ancestor, Mo Sha, had personally instructed Yang Kai on the mysteries of this Eye Secret Technique and also passed onto him all his cultivation experiences with it. This allowed Yang Kai to develop this Eye Secret Technique much further than he had before, unlocking some of its hidden potential and power.
However, since then, Yang Kai had yet to use this Eye Secret Technique in battle; after all, there was no chance for him to use it during the large-scale war between the two races.
Now was a good time to test it out.
Recently, Yang Kai had been refining cultivation resources to increase the heritage of his Small Universe while also exploring the mysteries of the two Eye Secret Techniques, Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye, at the same time, and he managed to gain quite a lot of insight into their complexities.
Now that the Black Purgatory Eye was released, the stalwart figure of the Feudal Lord was reflected in Yang Kai’s pitch-black right eye.
All of a sudden, the Feudal Lord’s vision went dark, as if boundless darkness had swallowed him. All of his senses instantly became disordered, but that was not all. The reflection of the Feudal Lord in Yang Kai’s eyes distorted slightly. Alongside that barely discernible distortion, the Feudal Lord in front of him grunted as if he had received some sort of attack.
The Feudal Lord had rich combat experience and knew that he had been hit by some kind of Secret Technique by this Human in front of him. Human Secret Techniques came in all sorts of bizarre forms, and the Black Ink Clan knew that fact well. Based on their experience, they were able to classify the Secret Techniques of the Human Race into various grades and ranks.
Of them, several terrifyingly powerful Secret Techniques were well known among the members of the Black Ink Clan.
When he thought about the pitch-black eye, adding on what he was experiencing now, the words ‘Black Purgatory Eye’ immediately came to mind.
The Black Ink Clan knew that Myriad Demons Cave Heaven’s Black Purgatory Eye was definitely one of the most dangerous Secret Techniques in existence. Once, when a Black Ink Clan army stormed Myriad Demons Pass, the Old Ancestor of Myriad Demons Pass came to meet them in battle. With a single look of his eye, hundreds of thousands of the Black Ink Clan’s soldiers were simply erased from existence, including many Feudal Lords.
It was that very battle that made the Black Purgatory Eye of Myriad Demons Heaven so famous among the Black Ink Clan.
However, as far as the Black Ink Clan knew, this Black Purgatory Eye Secret Technique was powerful, but it could not be cultivated by just anyone. Until now, in the entire Black Ink Battlefield, they knew that the only Humans who could use that Secret Technique, other than the Old Ancestor of Myriad Demons Heaven, numbered no more than a few dozen people.
This Feudal Lord never expected that he would come across it here.
This was no trivial matter, so the Feudal Lord swung his dagger faster and faster while drawing back at the same time. Judging from how he felt after his opponent used his Secret Technique, this person must not have cultivated the Black Purgatory Eye for long and was not very skilled at using it, so he was unable to do too much harm to him with it directly.
However, the feeling of being enveloped by darkness still lingered, so he had no choice but to retreat for now before coming up with a new plan.
It had to be said that this was an extremely prudent decision. It would have been unwise to fight in a situation where all of your senses were cut off.
The darkness that enveloped him went as quickly as it came, solidifying the fact that this Human’s cultivation of this Secret Technique was not very profound.
As his vision was restored, the Feudal Lord saw the Human across from him sweep past. In a flash, he had dashed straight into the camp at the rear without even a glance at him.
Such contempt angered the Feudal Lord, yet boundless fear gripped him as the darkness dispersed.
His eyes widened as he felt his strength and vitality rapidly leaving his body. Black Ink blood flowed down from his forehead, blurring his vision.
Following where the blood was coming out of, the Feudal Lord could very clearly feel that a hole had been pierced straight through his head.
[When did…]
Screams erupted from behind him. The Human that dashed over was cutting down the other Black Ink Clansmen like melons and vegetables, taking hardly any time to slaughter them all, with none being able to put up a fight against him.
Then, even those screams subsided. The Feudal Lord’s large body slowly collapsed like a leaf being swept away by a violent wind, floating in the void, not knowing where he was going to end up.
At the same time, Shen Ao, Ning Qi Zhi, and Qi Tai Chu rushed over, each one of them wearing a shocked expression on their face. Their brows were twitching as they passed by the Feudal Lord who had just been killed.
They had all followed Yang Kai and Feng Ying back from the Black Ink Clan’s domain, but even though Yang Kai’s performance on that journey was not bad, he was limited by his cultivation and was hardly as astonishing as he was now.
However, now that Yang Kai had broken through to the Seventh Order, he was able to show astonishing strength.
A Feudal Lord could not even withstand a single move from him and had his head pierced through, instantly killing him.
This was not something that Shen Ao and the others could compare to. Even Feng Ying would not be on par with Yang Kai, who was able to lift such a heavy load as if it was feather-light.
It had to be known that Yang Kai had only reached the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm a few years ago and was already this powerful. If the heritage of his Small Universe were to continue to grow, then how terrifyingly strong would he become?
Stowing away the shock in their hearts, the three of them rushed over to catch up with Yang Kai, slaughtering their way through the scattered Black Ink Clansmen. With each of them unleashing their own Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities, they were able to reduce the Black Ink Clan group to dead and dying within moments.
Feng Ying did not come out during the fight. Despite how powerful Dawning Light was, a Seventh-Order Master had to stay behind just in case something unexpected were to happen.
At this moment, Dawning Light was also following behind Shen Ao and the others. Offensive Arrays fired blasts of energy comparable to the full-powered attacks of Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in all directions.
The Black Ink Clansmen were all dumbfounded.
There were a few hundred Black Ink Clansmen present, along with three Feudal Lords from their three ships. They were a strong force that no Human Squad could compete with, but unfortunately for them, they had bumped into Dawn.
The strongest Feudal Lord, who had tried to take the lead, was killed by a single spear thrust from Yang Kai, who then rushed in alone and threw the enemy into disarray. With the addition of Shen Ao’s group and Dawning Light’s support, the Black Ink Clansmen had completely fallen into despair.
Some tried to escape, but how could they be able to?
Four Seventh-Order Masters spread out from Dawning Light, and in less than an incense stick of time, the Black Ink Clan group was completely wiped out without a single survivor left.
Dawn, on the other hand, had not suffered a single casualty, not even an injury. It was only in the very beginning when Dawning Light had been caught in the enemy ambush that the Warship suffered some damage.
However, the damage was negligible and did not affect the Warship’s performance at all.
There were a few hundred Black Ink Clansmen involved in this ambush, but Yang Kai alone killed more than half of them, including two Feudal Lords. The third one was killed by the joint efforts of Shen Ao and his other two companions.
This left Shen Ao and the others feeling a bit embarrassed. They had only managed to gain this kill because they acted quickly. If they had been just a little bit slower, then they may not have even been given the chance to fight that last Feudal Lord.
After the dust settled, the battlefield was cleaned up and records were kept, all of which had to be reported for Military Merits.
The Black Ink Clansmen also had some good things with them. If the artifacts that were tailored for the Black Ink Clan’s use were brought back to the Inner Sanctum and entrusted to someone else to be processed, then many useful materials could be extracted. Naturally, these things couldn’t be used for cultivation, but there was no problem with using them to create Human artifacts and to repair Human Warships.
They were also able to collect many Black Ink Coins from the bodies of the dead Black Ink Clansmen. Blue Sky Pass had been able to amass a great amount of Black Ink Coins already. Countless Black Ink Clansmen would die every time there was a battle, and even though the deceased Black Ink Clansmen weren’t very rich, over time, Blue Sky Pass was able to gather a terrifyingly large number of Black Ink Coins.
These coins were a common currency used within the Black Ink Clan. Black Ink Clansmen could use them to buy whatever they wanted, but they had no use at all in the hands of Humans.
The only unfortunate thing was that they did not see any Black Ink Disciples during that battle.
There were actually quite a lot of Black Ink Disciples in the Black Ink Clan’s territory, but many of them were lost after the previous war outside of Blue Sky Pass. Even though Yang Kai was able to save a few of these Black Ink Disciples with the Purifying Light that he possessed, not many had the energy left in them to capture Black Ink Disciples on a battlefield where swords have no eyes.
After being corrupted by Black Ink Strength, the Black Ink Disciples became merciless when it came to attacking their former Human compatriots. Unless there was a large difference in strength, capturing a Black Ink Disciple alive was almost impossible, so Blue Sky Pass had no choice but to kill them.
The fight many years ago shaved down the number of Black Ink Disciples in the Blue Sky Theatre by a large margin. Many Black Ink Clansmen also left behind their own Black Ink Disciples to bring up the rear while they were escaping, which was a possible reason why there were no Black Ink Disciples to be found in this Black Ink Clan group.
“Are you all right?” Feng Ying asked in the cabin as she looked at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai had taken the lead to rush into the enemy lines alone. Despite receiving no injuries, there was a trace of dried blood at the corner of his right eye, which was naturally a backlash of using the Black Purgatory Eye.
His cultivation of this Secret Technique was not yet perfected, so though he achieved great success when using it against one of the Feudal Lords, he also had to pay a small price for it.
“It’s nothing.” Yang Kai waved his hand, “I have gained some insight from this battle, so I will be entering retreat for now. Alert me when we arrive.”
With that said, Yang Kai left for his own cabin.
This was not the first time he was using the Black Purgatory Eye. Previously, he had used it at the Star Boundary, but it felt completely different from when he was using it back then. The power of this Eye Secret Technique had yet to be properly refined, but it had a boundless future ahead of it.
The battlefield was soon cleared and Dawning Light continued on its way.
After this encounter, Dawn Squad’s morale rose to new heights. This was Dawn’s first official battle. They faced several hundred Black Ink Clansmen and three Feudal Lords, but they were able to take them down with hardly any trouble and without any casualties. This was a feat that no ordinary Squad on the Black Ink Battlefield could possibly achieve.
All of Dawn’s members were raring to fight again after such a great start.
After experiencing an ambush, Dawn increased their vigilance; however, no more attackers jumped out to challenge them for the rest of their journey.
Two days later an asteroid appeared in the void. From a distance, they could see a large number of buildings on the bustling asteroid, as well as a constant stream of Squad Warships returning and departing.
This was Blue Sky Pass’s fourth forward base, and the area nearby was also a resource-rich zone.
Initially, this place was occupied by the Black Ink Clan, but several years ago, when the Black Ink Clan Army was driven back, the defences here were weakened enough for Blue Sky Pass to take advantage of the opportunity to seize it.
It had not been long since they took over this base, only several months. So, there were still many things waiting to be done.
When Dawning Light sailed in, it immediately drew the attention of the vigilant cultivators at the forward base. At once, several streams of light took to the air to block their path, all wary of their presence.
The man standing at the front shouted from afar, “Who goes there? Identify yourselves!”
It could be seen from a glance that Dawning Light was a large ship which was far different from a standard model. If this kind of Warship belonged to Humans, then they would naturally be happy; however, if it had been snatched by the Black Ink Clan, then that was not a good thing at all.
Yang Kai, who had already been informed of their arrival by Feng Ying, appeared on the deck in a flash and shouted, “Dawn Squad, here to provide support.”
“Dawn?” The man who shouted earlier raised his brow in surprise. Generally, every Squad had its own affiliation, such as which Army, Division, and Battalion it belonged to. These things were all clearly defined. However, Yang Kai only gave him the name ‘Dawn’, which took him by surprise.
But soon, he seemed to think of something and focused his eyesight over, speaking with pleasant surprise in his voice, “Could you be Brother Yang?”
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded.
“Is it truly you, Brother Yang?” Surprised, the man quickly came over to investigate and was overjoyed when he discovered that it really was Yang Kai.
Yang Kai did not recognize him, but this man clearly recognized Yang Kai. Of course, there was basically nobody who did not know about Yang Kai in Blue Sky Pass. During the last battle between the two races, it was with the Purifying Light and the Purifying Black Ink Battleships that the Humans were able to reduce their casualties by an enormous amount. Countless people who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength were able to be saved, lifting them out of a terrible crisis, and the one behind it all was Yang Kai.
It could be said that there was one person in almost every single Blue Sky Pass Battalion who had been saved by Yang Kai either directly or indirectly.
After that battle, Yang Kai’s name soared in Blue Sky Pass, and there was not a single person who did not know about him.
It was rumoured that in recognition of his service, the Army Commanders jointly promoted him to Squad Leader, forming a new Squad called Dawn that was not affiliated with any Army or Division and only reported directly to the Army Commanders themselves.
There were many who wished to join Dawn, but Feng Ying was the one who chose all the members, recruiting only a few dozen of those who followed them back from the Black Ink Clan’s hinterland back then. Not a single person outside of that group was accepted.
They would never have expected that Dawn Squad would come all the way here, or that Yang Kai would personally lead his Squad over.
After ascertaining that it was in fact Yang Kai and Dawn, there was no need for them to check further. The cultivator who spoke earlier immediately gave Dawn permission to land at the forward base situated on the asteroid and even helped settle them in.
“Was it by the Army Commanders’ orders that Brother Yang came here?” The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who welcomed them asked.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I came of my own volition. I heard that there was a lot of fighting going on here, so I thought I would come and earn some Merits.”
The Seventh-Order Master laughed at his words, “Can it be any easier for Brother Yang to obtain Military Merits? What need is there for Brother Yang to join the fight personally?” As he spoke, he noticed the battle traces left on Dawn’s hull and asked in shock, “Were you already attacked?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Two days ago, we encountered an ambush from the Black Ink Clan.”
The Seventh-Order Master was shocked to hear that, “The Black Ink Clan actually circumvented our base to set up an ambush? How many enemies were there, and how strong were they?”
Yang Kai gave him a basic rundown on the Black Ink Clan ambushers that they encountered.
The Seventh-Order Master narrowed his eyes, “That is a serious matter that must be reported to the Commanders overseeing the base. We must deal with it quickly; otherwise, another Squad may be ambushed on their way here from the Pass.”
Feng Ying cut in, “No need. The Black Ink Clan ambushers have been wiped out, and they should be the only ones. We did not encounter any other enemies on our way here.”
The Seventh-Order Master’s jaw dropped open, “Wiped out? All of them?”
To say that all of them were wiped out meant that not a single enemy had been able to escape. He could not help but look back at the light damage incurred by Dawn’s Warship, and at Yang Kai and the others, who were completely unharmed. He wondered what price Dawn had to pay in order to have wiped out an ambushing force of such a proportion.
With the configuration of Dawn’s Squad, those ambushers would have been unlucky to encounter them and would surely be no match for them, but looking at Dawn’s members, they all seemed utterly unscathed after that battle, which left him in a bit of a mystery.
However, when considering how strong Feng Ying was, he soon relaxed.
Even though Feng Ying was a Seventh-Order Master like him, her name was well known across Blue Sky Pass. With her overseeing the Squad, those Black Ink Clan ambushers should not have been a match for them.
Feng Ying did not dwell on the matter. Either way, the War Materials Hall would get all the information after they reported their Military Merits. She instead asked, “Which Sirs are currently overseeing this base?”
The Seventh-Order Master composed himself and replied, “There are four Eighth-Order Masters currently overseeing this forward base: Eastern Army Division Commander Xie Xiu Ping, Southern Army’s Division Commander Cha Hu, Western Army Division Commander Lu An, and Northern Army Division Commander Xu Bo Liang. However, other than Division Commander Cha, the others are not currently present.”
If they were not in the forward base, that meant they must have gone to the resource collection area. The Black Ink Clan’s remnants had not fully given up this area yet and were still locked in a struggle with the Humans, so there were still Territory Lords around.
If they were to deal with a Territory Lord, then an Eighth-Order Human Master had to be mobilized. This was also the reason why the three Eighth-Order Division Commanders were currently away from the forward base.
Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, bring us to Division Commander Cha.”
Once one arrived at a forward base, registrations had to be made. While they were stationed here, they had to obey the orders of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters overseeing the base.
The Seventh-Order Master was about to nod when a Warship suddenly flew in from the distance. From the meandering and crooked path that it was flying in, it was clear that its propulsion array was damaged, and the glow of its shield was also extremely faint.
Even though the Warship was not close, the eyesight of everyone present was so profound that they were able to see the battle scars all over its hull. From these marks alone, they could deduce just how fierce a fight it had been in.
Even though the hull of the Warship was still intact, practically all of the arrays had been smashed and would have to be repaired before it could rejoin the battlefield.
Despite the Warship swaying left and right, it was still charging towards the forward base at a tremendous speed without any intention of slowing down even as it approached. On the deck, a cultivator was shouting for them to make way. It seemed that the damage to the Warship’s propulsion array was greater than usual, so much so that it could not even stop on its own.
As the Warship was about to crash on the ground, a figure leapt from its deck and stopped in front of it. With a roar, he circulated his energy and used his own body to cushion the impact.
There was a grunt, and the man’s body shook as he was forced to step back.
Fortunately, many people from the forward base rushed over to help, eventually halting the Warship.
As soon as the Warship landed, many Artifact Refiners and Array Masters who had been waiting on standby rushed over and began the repair work.
There were constantly people flying down from the deck, all appearing to be in a miserable state. Many of them were covered in blood and their auras were weak, clearly arrows at the end of their flight.
Without the shelter of the Warship, this group of people would never have made it back from the battlefield alive, so it was fair to say that the Warships had saved the lives of many, many Humans over the years.
It was no wonder why the Black Ink Clan coveted and despised Warships so much. Without the Warships, it would have been impossible for the Humans to have been their opponents on the Black Ink Battlefield. The higher-order Open Heaven Realm Masters could put up a fair fight, but those Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were simply unable to withstand the corruption of Black Ink Strength for any appreciable amount of time. This often impeded them when they were fighting against Black Ink Clansmen of the same Order, making them unable to display their full potential.
However, these Warships were difficult to refine as not just any Artifact Refiner could make one. As such, Humans with special talents such as these Artifact Refiners, Array Masters, and Alchemists, were extremely well-guarded. Generally, these talents would never set foot on the battlefield directly, eliminating the possibility of them falling to the fate of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength and becoming Black Ink Disciples.
As far back as history went, the Black Ink Clan had never been able to refine their own Warships due to their lack of aptitude in this area.
“Please follow me,” the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master glanced at the scene before him before withdrawing his gaze and gesturing to Yang Kai and Feng Ying.
The two nodded and followed him while the rest stayed to watch over Dawning Light.
A short while later, inside a modest hall, Yang Kai and Feng Ying saw the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master overseeing this base, Cha Hu. This man was part of the Southern Army, and he was not very tall but displayed an awe-inspiring might. When Yang Kai and Feng Ying entered, someone was in the process of reporting to him.
Cha Hu listened quietly and gave an order before waving his hand, excusing this man.
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Dawn Squad Yang Kai greets Division Commander Cha!”
Cha Hu looked at him and smiled, “The Army Commanders let you out? I thought they would be more reluctant.”
Yang Kai responded with a serious expression, “This Junior made a bet with Army Commander Zhong Liang and won, so this Junior was allowed to go out.”
Cha Hu raised his brow, “Brother Zhong lost?” He did not ask what their bet was, but no matter what, it must have been difficult for Yang Kai to have gained a victory over Zhong Liang.
He tapped his fingers on the table for a moment before speaking, “My thoughts on this matter differ from the Army Commanders. Since you have come to this forward base, then this King will treat you the same as anyone else under my command. You are expected to do the same as all the others stationed here, and if you do not obey orders, I will punish you without favour.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “That is all this Junior would have wanted.”
“Very good,” Cha Hu nodded lightly, a glint of approval appearing in his eyes, “In that case, you may stand by and await further orders. However, you most likely will not have much time to rest as there’s still a big fight ongoing in the resource harvesting area. You may be needed there to provide support soon.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded. After a pause, he added, “Division Commander, is there a need for a Universe Array to be set up in this forward base?”
With a Universe Array, it would be much easier for the cultivators here in the forward base to come to and fro. It may even be able to life saving during critical moments.
If there was the need, Yang Kai could even store some Purifying Light here.
Cha Hu shook his head, “No. The Southern Army’s Purifying Black Ink Battleship is stationed here. You should all go and leave your Imprints there later.”
Yang Kai was surprised, but he and Feng Ying soon cupped their fists and withdrew.
Yang Kai was a little worried about what would happen if the cultivators at the forward base were corrupted by Black Ink Strength; after all, the chances of encountering the Black Ink Clan here were high, and if the nearly destroyed Warship they saw earlier was any indication, the fighting was quite intense.
It was only now that he found out that they had a Purifying Black Ink Battleship at this forward base.
So, it seemed that the other three forward bases should also have Purifying Black Ink Battleships available. This did make sense. If Yang Kai could make such considerations, then the Army Commanders and the Division Commanders would naturally be able to as well. There was no helping it in the past when they did not possess Purifying Black Ink Battleships, but now that they had such a weapon in their arsenal, they would naturally be put to good use.
Now that they had Purifying Black Ink Battleships available at each forward base, the losses on the Human side could be greatly diminished.
Once they left the hall, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master came forward to lead the way for them, telling them that they would bring Yang Kai and his Squad to the Purifying Black Ink Battleship to leave their Imprints.
Yang Kai immediately summoned Dawn’s members, and they all headed out together.
The Purifying Black Ink Battleship was located in a secluded area that was surrounded by all kinds of barriers and even heavily guarded by powerful Masters. Unless a large-scale Black Ink Clan Army were to attack, this place would remain safe.
If in the event that they did encounter a battle and found themselves powerless to resist, then someone would naturally take the Purifying Black Ink Battleships back to Blue Sky Pass. Cha Hu was not only here to oversee and guarantee the safety of the forward base, but also to protect this vital war asset.
Within moments, Dawn Squad’s members left their Imprints on the Purifying Black Ink Battleship. With that, as long as they were within a certain range, they could return to it by activating the Universe Transference Law.
However, although the Universe Transference Law was easy to perform, it did have some drawbacks.
Firstly, depending on the distance between the caster and the Universe Array, there were different levels of pressure exerted on them as they travelled across the Void. The further the distance, the greater the pressure. If the distance exceeded the limit which one’s body could withstand, then even if they were transported back, there was the great possibility that they could be injured or even killed by being crushed by the force of the Void.
Such events were not completely unheard of in the 3,000 Worlds.
Broken or crushed bodies had been transported back to Universe Temples in the various Great Territories after having been shredded and pulverized by the terrifying pressure of the Void. Such corpses were transported over vast distances that greatly surpassed the limits which they could withstand.
However, the Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Black Ink Battlefield were all in the Fifth Order at the very least, so they could withstand being teleported over 1 billion kilometres without much issue.
The other major issue with using the Universe Transference Law was the time required to activate it, and the fact that one could not be disturbed while trying to perform it.
This was also the biggest drawback of the Universe Transference Law. During a life-or-death battle, even a moment’s hesitation could be fatal, so who would have the time to perform the Universe Transference Law? Once activated, this Secret Technique would take at least three breaths of time to be fully executed, and the lower one’s cultivation was, the longer it would take to complete.
For that reason, even if a cultivator were to encounter danger, it was often the case that they would not be able to cast Universe Transference Law to successfully escape. The only way for them to escape from danger was to try and buy some time for themselves.
In contrast, Yang Kai’s Instantaneous Movement was a much more practical Secret Technique to use in combat, as there was no delay in activating it. However, Yang Kai was the only one who could use Instantaneous Movement, and the distance that he could move was incomparable to the Universe Transference Law, so there were advantages and disadvantages to both.
The Sixth-Order Master who led Yang Kai and his Squad to the Purifying Black Ink Battleship so they could leave their Imprints then brought them to an open space in the forward base and pointed to it, saying, “This place will be your camp from now on. When you are not assigned any tasks, you may rest here. I still have other matters to attend to, so I will excuse myself.”
Saying so, he turned and left.
Looking at the empty patch of land, Yang Kai and the others all looked at each other somewhat blankly.
However, Feng Ying was unperturbed and snapped, “What are you all staring at? Get to work!”
The group of Open Heaven Realm Masters who had come here burning with excitement to slaughter their enemies thus had no choice but to set up a temporary camp first.
Fortunately, none of their cultivations was low, so it only took less than half a day’s work for them to finish their work. During times of war, there was no point in getting hung up on quality of life. They just needed to have somewhere to live.
They had just finished setting up their camp when the Sixth-Order Master who led them here came rushing over. Before he even arrived, he began shouting, “Squad Leader Yang!”
Yang Kai was about to take a walk around the forward base to familiarize himself with the place when he heard the shout, so he turned around and called out, “What is it?”
The man hastily handed a jade slip to Yang Kai and said solemnly, “The Division Commander has given orders for Dawn Squad to rush to this location to provide support. The two Squads there were ambushed by the Black Ink Clan and are now engaged in battle with them. Given the disparity in strength, I’m afraid they may not be able to fight them off!”
Yang Kai frowned before turning his head and shouting, “Dawn, form up!”
The scattered Squad members all immediately flew over.
Yang Kai waved his hand and shouted, “Board the ship. We’re heading out to battle!”
Everyone’s eyes lit up as they swiftly boarded Dawning Light.
Yang Kai looked back at the messenger, “Does the Division Commander have any other instructions?”
The messenger responded, “Division Commander’s instructions are for Dawn to do their best to provide aid to the two Squads and return safely. As for the rest, act according to the circumstances!”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding, “We will definitely live up to the Division Commander’s trust!”
Then, he turned around and boarded Dawning Light as well. In the next moment, the ship took off and turned into a stream of light, speeding off in a certain direction.
On the deck, Yang Kai checked the contents of the jade slip before handing it over to the Squad member in charge of steering the ship.
Not much information was recorded on the jade slip, only the general direction, destination, number of enemies, and their approximate strength, but that was enough.
Any resource harvesting area would have a large number of Universe Worlds in its vicinity, and the fourth forward base was naturally no exception.
However, the World Force of these Universe Worlds had disappeared long ago. The Black Ink Clan fed on World Force to strengthen itself, so there was no vitality left in the Universe Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield. All of these Worlds were surrounded by dense Death Qi.
Though the Worlds were dead though, the resources still remained. The Worlds closest to the forward bases were little more than fields of debris. Most of them were just remnants and asteroids. It was clear that they were all pretty much exhausted from extensive mining and did not have anything good left.
However, there were still plenty of resources to be found and mined in all directions around the forward bases.
This was also the reason why the Humans were fighting with the Black Ink Clan for control of them.
While the Humans could use these resources to cultivate and refine more Warships, the Black Ink Clan needed these resources in order to fill up their Black Ink Nests so they could breed new clansmen and enhance their war power.
The Black Ink Clan that possessed Black Ink Disciples had an even greater need for these resources as the Black Ink Disciples under their command could refine them and increase their strength.
Dawning Light was extremely fast, so within less than a day, they could already see dazzling light off in the distance, and they could feel violent energy fluctuations emanating from the bursting lights.
These were clearly the lights of Secret Techniques from Human cultivators.
As they watched the flickering lights, they were soon obscured by dense darkness that cut off their vision. It was apparent that whoever it was, they were currently engaged in battle with the Black Ink Clan.
After checking the information in the jade slip, Yang Kai knew that those had to be the two Squads who needed their support.
From what he could see, Yang Kai was relieved to learn that Dawn did not arrive too late, so he immediately ordered Dawning Light to accelerate to maximum speed.
In the next moment, Dawning Light’s propulsion array thrummed and the Warship’s speed increased as it shot towards the battlefield.
In the distance, the Black Ink Clan also seemed to have noticed Dawning Light’s arrival and immediately split off a part of their forces to intercept them. The number of Black Ink Clansmen surrounding the two Human Warships was huge. There were hundreds of them, including a number of Feudal Lords, so it was no wonder why they were outmatched. It had to be known that there were at most a dozen members in an ordinary Squad, so it was surprising enough for them to have lasted such a long time against such a large number of Black Ink Clansmen.
Currently, the two Warships were in shambles, their hulls warped and broken in numerous places. Without reinforcements, it would take less than an hour for these two ships to be completely blown apart. If that were to happen, then the members of both Squads would be exposed to the swarm of Black Ink Clansmen and they would lose all hope of surviving.
The Black Ink Clan troops that broke away from the fight numbered almost 100 strong, and their leader was a Feudal Lord who was stalwart in appearance. The imposing figure lifted a huge axe in his hands and swung it down at Dawning Light with great force before they even closed the distance with each other.
A wave of black light tore through space with a violent force towards Dawning Light.
There was a loud bang as Dawning Light shook slightly. Its momentum was even slowed for a moment; however, Dawn had already activated their defensive arrays and a transparent shield enveloped Dawning Light. So, the power of the axe was only able to dent the barrier, doing no damage to the ship itself.
The Black Ink Feudal Lord seemed slightly taken aback by this sight. It was apparent that he did not expect to see such a strong shield on this Human Warship, enough to render his attack completely ineffective. This Warship was clearly different from the Human Warships they had been fighting up until now.
Before he could think through the matter though, a figure had emerged from the Warship with a spear in hand, charging straight at him at a tremendous speed.
The Feudal Lord roared with fury and raised his axe again, leaping out from the Black Ink Army he was leading to meet this Human in battle.
In an instant, two figures, one big and one small, clashed in the void. Yang Kai’s expression remained indifferent as his spear stabbed forward like a dragon.
The stalwart Feudal Lord instantly felt an overwhelming force bearing down on him from the front, and he could not help but reel back in response. Even his hand, which was clutching onto the handle of his axe, was trembling slightly.
This was a huge shock for him as with his large stature, this Black Ink Clansman’s strength was naturally not small. For a Human of the same Order, it was simply impossible to match him in terms of raw physical force.
However, he encountered an exception today.
The Feudal Lord was instantly enraged and, for some inexplicable reason, felt humiliated by what he had just experienced. The axe in his hand turned into a violent gust of wind which he struck down at the tiny Human.
His attack was met with a flurry of spear shadows!
Sparks flew everywhere as it was impossible to count how many times the two weapons clashed in that instant. The rage in the Feudal Lord’s eyes soon cooled and was swiftly replaced with a look of sheer horror.
The Human had already swept past him and did not even look back. Then, what entered his ears were the screams of many Black Ink Clansmen.
The Feudal Lord’s hand trembled hard as he held his axe. This was naturally the result expected when one was no match for one’s opponent, but the consequences were not the source of his horror.
He stood still, his strength stagnant, not daring to move even a muscle.
However, Dawning Light was closing in on him, so it was impossible for him to stay still any longer.
Only then did he move his body, forcefully pushing his strength, only for an eerie tearing sound to emerge from his figure.
In the next instant, black blood exploded from the Feudal Lord’s large body and his aura rapidly deflated.
During that brief clash, his opponent’s spear not only blocked all of his attacks, it even left numerous wounds on his body.
When he focused all his attention on suppressing these wounds, it was possible for him to keep his injuries sealed; however, the moment tried to move, all his injuries burst out at once.
[What kind of monster did I just face?] In all his years of fighting with Humans, he had never once crossed blades with such a terrifying opponent. From the aura his enemy gave off, he was indeed in the Seventh-Order Human Master, which was equivalent to his own cultivation as a Feudal Lord, yet their strengths were simply incomparable!
He would not have believed it if he had not experienced it for himself.
He had no time to think, though, before Dawning Light had drawn close to him. If he was in peak condition, he would naturally have no fear of a Human Warship, but as an arrow at the end of its flight, how would he be able to withstand it? With a roar, he tried to dodge aside.
However, at that moment, there was a loud rumble from Dawning Light, and a spear-like attack was shot out from the bow of the Warship, turning into a stream of light and piercing through the Feudal Lord’s waist, blasting off half of his body.
Still, this Feudal Lord had an innate savagery to him, so despite knowing that he was going to die for sure, he still swung his axe one last time before death took him, smashing it into Dawning Light. Unfortunately for him, the powerful defensive barrier rendered his attack useless.
Dawning Light sailed past the Feudal Lord’s broken body and crashed into the group of Black Ink Clansmen behind him.
The Black Ink Clansmen’s numbers had already been whittled down by Yang Kai’s rampage. He was like the sharp tip of a spear, cutting through the Black Ink Clan ranks while making his way towards the enemies who were besieging the two Human Warships.
Feng Ying and the others had no other choice but to follow close behind him, picking off the enemies Yang Kai missed along the way.
Soon, Dawning Light arrived at the main battlefield. In the distance, two ragged Human Warships were being besieged on all sides. Despite trying to break out to their left and right, they were unable to shake off this danger no matter how they tried. The surrounding Black Ink Clansmen sent attack after attack against those Warships, and the impacts caused the protective shields to grow dimmer, rippling violently as if it were about to collapse.
Thick Black Ink Clouds coated the battlefield!
In the midst of these clouds, a man and his spear passed through with unstoppable momentum, leaving a reign of terror in his wake. The masses of Low and High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen seemed as weak as paper when faced with that spear, left either dead or critically injured with a mere sweep of it.
Shen Ao, Ning Qi Zhi, and Qi Tai Chu rushed out from Dawning Light. Even Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them would not dare to act alone on such a battlefield; otherwise, they could fall into danger at any moment. The three of them took up a triangle formation with each one of them in charge of one corner before crashing into the Black Ink Clan’s Army like a rolling stone.
Meanwhile, Dawning Light, which was following closely behind the three of them, released its attacks in full swing. One by one, the lights from the offensive arrays shot ruthlessly towards the places where the Black Ink Clan had converged.
Screams rang out unceasingly as ink-black blood filled the void. Black Ink Strength was also being spread like mad.
Cries burst forth from the two Warships that had been ensnared for so long, “Reinforcements have arrived! Fight!”
The Human cultivators who had been trapped on the two Warships had been holding in their anger all this while. Now that they had seen the reinforcements, their spirits were instantly lifted and they let out what little strength they had left, joining forces with their allies to strike down the enemy forces.
Black Ink Clansmen were slaughtered rapidly in the ensuing frenzy. Though their numbers were many, they only had four Feudal Lords, one of whom had already been all but killed by Yang Kai earlier. The remaining three Feudal Lords were all caught up dealing with Dawning Light as well as Shen Ao and the others, unable to extricate themselves. Meanwhile, Yang Kai dealt with the rest of the Black Ink Clansmen weaker than the Feudal Lords.
After advancing to the Seventh Order, Yang Kai’s strength increased tremendously. These Black Ink Clansmen who were at most on par with Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Humans were no match for him. Everywhere he went, Black Ink Clansmen were cut down like weeds.
In just half an incense stick of time, more than half of the Black Ink Clansmen had been eradicated, and the void was filled with ink-black blood and severed limbs, creating a horrific scene.
As a result, a large gap opened up in the otherwise impenetrable encirclement.
The two Warships that had been trapped for so long saw their opportunity to escape, and with Dawning Light’s coordination, were able to retreat from battle and head back towards the forward base.
Yang Kai’s battle continued. He raced back and forth, killing Black Ink Clansmen, his body soaked in black blood. After witnessing the terror of his might, the surviving Black Ink Clansmen dared not engage him, scattering like birds and beasts before he could even get close.
After a few moments of this slaughter, Yang Kai turned his head and saw that there was no longer anyone else around him.
On the other hand, he saw Shen Ao fighting with a Feudal Lord not far away. Even though it seemed like he had the upper hand, their difference in strength was not great. It would be easy for Shen Ao to defeat this Feudal Lord, but killing him was another story entirely.
In an instant, Yang Kai appeared by Shen Ao’s side and thrust his spear towards the Feudal Lord.
The Feudal Lord had long seen Yang Kai’s terrifying strength and his heart froze when he saw him mysteriously appear. Raising the huge sword in his hand, he tried to parry Yang Kai’s thrust.
*Hong…*
The large body of the Feudal Lord trembled as he felt his hand almost being ripped apart. With a great roar, he concentrated all his strength into his weapon, trying to suppress the tiny human opponent in front of him.
Much to the contrary, there was only cold indifference in Yang Kai’s eyes. The spear in his hand remained steady and unmoving, but Space Principles rippled out, freezing the space around him in an instant.
The Feudal Lord’s roar was caught in his throat, while Shen Ao took the opportunity to swing his sword. With a cold flash, the sword cut towards the Feudal Lord’s neck.
The Feudal Lord was thoroughly shocked and he immediately tried to move back to avoid the fatal blow, but he still suffered a long gash that cut halfway through his neck.
Despite the terrible appearance of this wound, it was not a fatal blow. As long as he could safely return to the Black Ink Clan’s territory and enter a Black Ink Nest, he could recover completely given enough time.
But at that moment, his large body suddenly shook and a look of horror and unwillingness appeared in his eyes.
At the same instant, Young Kai’s heart clenched up tight. There seemed to be some sort of danger rapidly approaching him, but before he could react to the situation, he saw a golden light pierce through the Feudal Lord’s chest and fly straight at him.
In this critical life-or-death moment, Yang Kai shifted his body instinctively. Then, he felt a small prick in his chest, like an insect had just bitten him.
However, Yang Kai clearly felt a terrifying force pass through his body, entering from the front and piercing out the back.
His body flew backwards involuntarily, and a violent force shook his five viscera and six organs, causing him to cough up a mouthful of Golden Blood.
What they just encountered on this battlefield was so sudden that nobody expected it. Even Yang Kai, who had been attacked, did not notice the attack until it appeared right before him, and that was why he was caught unprepared and suffered a big loss.
The Feudal Lord whose body was pierced through by the golden bolt did not die immediately, but he no longer had the strength to continue fighting. He did not even have the strength to escape and could only turn his body back with difficulty to look in a certain direction, a look of hatred filling his eyes as he muttered, “Trivial Black Ink Disciple… You dare…”
Before he could finish his words, the nearby Shen Ao swung his sword again, cutting off his head.
On the other side, after spitting out a mouthful of Golden Blood, Yang Kai stabilized himself and his left eye was instantly filled with a golden light. The pupil of that eye transformed into a vertical golden slit that held infinite might.
With the Demon Eye of Annihilation, he could faintly see a dim golden light flickering between the asteroids several thousands of kilometres away.
That was where the attack had come from!
Taking in a deep breath, he pushed down the churning vitality in his chest and manipulated Space Principles. In an instant, Yang Kai disappeared from where he stood.
Several breaths later, Yang Kai had already appeared on top of a certain asteroid, and his Divine Sense spread out like a tidal wave; however, he found nothing. There was only Death Qi surrounding this asteroid without the slightest vitality.
Only a small trace of aura remained that was dissipating rapidly.
It was clear that the golden light that attacked him earlier had come from here, but as soon as the assailant sent out that attack, they made a quick retreat. So, even though Yang Kai had rushed over after discovering the attack, he was unable to catch the culprit.
Whoever it was had to be a veteran of many battles and knew to immediately flee after failing to kill his target. Such a cunning and cautious opponent would certainly be a great headache to deal with.
Even Yang Kai felt trepidations in his heart when he thought back to the haunting attack he just encountered.
His attacker had even used a Feudal Lord as cover. That attack had passed through the Feudal Lord’s chest before hitting Yang Kai; otherwise, there was no way that Yang Kai would not have noticed it until it was so close.
Fortunately, however, much of the attack’s power was diminished as it passed through the Feudal Lord’s body. If not, Yang Kai’s injuries would most likely have been even worse.
[Who was that?]
Yang Kai had a vague feeling that it had to be a rather important and impressive enemy in this resource-harvesting area.
If that person had been so cunning as to retreat immediately after that blow, then chances were that they were also skilled in the art of concealment. If Yang Kai was unable to find his traces quickly, then locating him again would prove to be difficult.
After standing in silence for a while, Yang Kai looked up into the depths of the void before letting out a grunt and turning back.
He had a hunch that that attack was not the end of it, and that he would definitely meet this enemy again, but the next time, he would definitely be prepared.
On the way back, he was met by Shen Ao and the others, and all of them quickly returned to Dawning Light.
The battle here was over. More than half of the several hundreds of Black Ink Clansmen had been killed. Out of the four Feudal Lords, Yang Kai killed one alone and teamed up with Shen Ao to kill another. While he was chasing the sneak attacker, Dawning Light worked together with Qi Tai Chu and Ning Qi Zhi to kill another.
When the last Feudal Lord saw how bad the situation had become, he immediately fled, along with some of the Black Ink Clan stragglers. However, their numbers were not that high, only around 100 or so in total.
Dawning Light did not pursue them. Even though they were capable of killing them all, their priority was to escort the two battered Warships back to the forward base. So, on Feng Ying’s orders, the three Warships ceased combat.
When Yang Kai returned, the commanders of the two Warships were thanking Feng Ying. These two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were both Squad Leaders, but their auras were both quite weak. They were clearly both extremely exhausted.
When they saw Yang Kai return, the two Squad Leaders naturally began another round of thanks. If it had not been Dawning Light’s quick arrival today, then the situation would have been disastrous for everyone aboard the two Warships.
In fact, with the strength of their two Squads, they were no match for the Black Ink Clan attackers. The reason why the Black Ink Clan had ensnared them but kept them alive was undoubtedly because they wanted to transform them into Black Ink Disciples, which also gave them some breathing room to persist until Dawn arrived.
“Squad Leader, are you all right?” Feng Ying asked anxiously when she saw Yang Kai return looking slightly pale.
Yang Kai waved his hand, “I’m fine.”
Even though it was not a light injury, it did not harm his foundation, so it couldn’t be considered serious.
“That should have been someone from Divine Feather Paradise,” Feng Ying said with a grave look on her face.
She had seen when Yang Kai was struck by the sneak attack earlier. A golden arrow made use of a Feudal Lord as cover in order to land the hit just as Yang Kai and the Feudal Lord were fighting. Whether it was the timing or the angle, everything was perfect. Such skill was something only achievable by someone from Divine Feather Paradise.
Yang Kai nodded, “I guessed as much.”
Many Cave Heavens and Paradises had their own unique characteristics. For example, Bright King Cave Heaven’s cultivators focused on Body Tempering, Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven was proficient in Artifact Refining. Divine Feather Paradise’s cultivators on the other hand were renowned for their archery.
The cultivators from this Paradise may not be very strong in close combat, but once they were given some distance from their opponents, they were basically invincible in the same realm. That was because they were extremely skilled in archery and also at concealing their auras and evading enemies.
There were some Divine Feather Paradise cultivators in Blue Sky Pass, and they accrued a lot of merits during the last war. Even though Yang Kai had never had any significant dealings with this Paradise before, he did know about them to a degree.
The golden arrow that pierced through that Feudal Lord and then through his own body was undoubtedly an extremely profound arrow technique and was an attack that came from several thousand kilometres away. It was truly unbelievable for an attack of this degree to be possible.
It had to be known that Yang Kai’s body was now so intrepid that ordinary attacks would not be able to hurt him in the slightest, but that golden arrow had pierced straight through him, even causing considerable injuries to his five viscera and six organs.
This was a result achieved with Yang Kai possessing a World Spring in his Small Universe. If it were any other person, then it was likely that even their Small Universe would have been severely shaken. And, if it were to happen on a chaotic battlefield, then it would have hindered their combat strength greatly. It would have taken only a single arrow to render them helpless.
“En, he was a really troublesome one.” One of the Squad Leaders who had come forward to thank them added, “If not for him lurking in the shadows, even if we were no match for the Black Ink Clan, we would’ve at least been able to escape. There would be no way that we would have fallen into such a desperate situation.”
The Warships on the Human side could still run away if they were to encounter superior enemy forces that they could not deal with, but only if they weren’t overly damaged. However, every time their Warships tried to escape, they would be stopped by that Black Ink Disciple hiding in the distance. Both of the Warships were damaged in many places from the attacker’s arrows, causing them to end up in the desperate situation they were in.
Fortunately, Dawn was able to arrive in time to provide them with support and resolve the dangerous situation.
Yang Kai frowned, “There’s something I don’t understand.”
“What is it?” Feng Ying asked him.
“If he attacked us, that meant that he was a Black Ink Disciple. However, if he was a Black Ink Disciple, how could he kill that Feudal Lord?”
The last blow passed through a Feudal Lord’s body before it hit Yang Kai.
Yang Kai had lived among the Black Ink Clan for two years, so he knew very well about the position of Black Ink Disciples in the Black Ink Clan. Generally, no matter how strong they were, Black Ink Disciples had an innate reverence towards the Black Ink Clan. A Low-Rank Black Ink Clansman could even beat and yell at a Seventh-Order Black Ink Disciple at will and the Black Ink Disciple would not even dare to make a single complaint.
And yet, the Black Ink Disciple from Divine Feather Paradise had done something completely unexpected.
Clearly, the Feudal Lord had not expected that to happen either, which was why he said those words before he died.
A look flickered in Feng Ying’s eyes, “That is usually true. Unless, the Black Ink Disciple had been specifically instructed by a higher ranking Black Ink Clansman to ignore the life of another Black Ink Clansman in order to kill their enemies at critical moments.”
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, “In that case, he has to be a Black Ink Disciple under the command of a Territory Lord!”
That made sense. Judging by the power of that attack, that person definitely had to be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Cultivators in that realm were not something that an ordinary Feudal Lords could capture or possess. Only a Territory Lord could achieve such a feat.
“That’s the only possibility,” Feng Ying nodded.
“We should be careful on our way back. I have a feeling that that person is not far away. If we let our guards down, then he might strike us again with that powerful attack,” Yang Kai said as he swept his gaze around the void. He had felt like he was being watched since he returned, but no matter how carefully he searched, he could not find anything out of the ordinary.
From that, he could tell that this person’s concealment skills were extremely profound.
Yang Kai’s injuries were not light this time. Even though it did not harm his foundation, he would still need time to properly recuperate. After giving out orders, he returned to his cabin to rest.
The three ships moved steadily towards the forward base with the two damaged ships out front while Dawning Light brought up the rear.
It was not until they could see the asteroid where the forward base was located that Yang Kai, who had been recuperating in his cabin the whole time, suddenly opened his eyes. Just now, the feeling of constantly being watched disappeared without a trace. It seemed like that Divine Feather Paradise Black Ink Disciple did not give up on finishing him off this whole time and had been following their Warship all along.
After returning to the forward base, the two Warships set down for urgent repairs. Even though Dawning Light was also hit, the damage was nothing major and only required some simple maintenance.
Feng Ying personally went to see Cha Hu in order to hand in their mission brief and report their Military Merits before returning.
At the camp, Dawn Squad’s members were all resting and restoring their strength.
Their first battle since arriving at the forward base was not very dangerous, but it was the first time that Dawn had fought together, so it revealed some of the flaws they had. Such flaws were not of much consequence in ordinary times, but they could be magnified during difficult situations and could have led to Dawn’s downfall if they weren’t careful.
So, Feng Ying decided to talk to Yang Kai about them after he recuperated.
At the moment, Yang Kai was healing in his own tent.
The most serious injury he sustained during that fight was the sneak attack from that Divine Feather Paradise cultivator. The rest of the injuries came from him charging into battle on his own.
The Black Ink Clan’s final struggle before death was not enough to harm him in any significant way, but it was not to be underestimated either. After the fight, dozens of wounds, both big and small, were left all over Yang Kai’s body.
In just three days though, Yang Kai had fully recovered and was as mighty as a Dragon and fierce as a Tiger.
This was the perk of having a powerful Dragon Vein. He had thick skin and strong flesh, so any non-critical injuries he incurred were basically ignorable.
When she saw Yang Kai come out of seclusion, Feng Ying immediately gathered up Dawn Squad’s members for a post-battle meeting.
35 people gathered together to discuss some of the problems they encountered during their last mission. Unlike the other Squads who had fought together for a long time and built up a tacit trust and understanding with each other, Dawn was considered brand new and a lot of work still had to be done for them to learn to coordinate with each other. Summing up their experiences after the fight would be greatly beneficial to them.
There was a lot of enthusiasm shared by the Squad and everyone eagerly spoke up. The flaws that would normally be overlooked were quickly exposed before everyone so that they could all take note of them. Then, the next time a similar problem arose, they would have a solution to deal with it.
And, when those problems stopped appearing, it would mean Dawn Squad’s coordination has gone up a level.
The post-battle meeting did not last long, only around half an hour.
Yang Kai then went to Cha Hu’s command post again. Since they were here, he naturally had to make Dawn useful. It wasn’t as if they could stay in the forward base forever to look at the scenery.
Not that there was any scenery to look at in this dead void.
After receiving permission, Yang Kai stepped into the tent and asked, “Division Commander Cha, Dawn has fully recovered after its last mission. Are there any tasks to be done?”
Cha Hu glanced at him, “You’ve all recuperated so quickly?”
Yang Kai smiled, “We did not suffer any losses last time.”
“Don’t push yourselves too hard.”
“Rest assured, Division Commander Cha. As Dawn’s Squad Leader, this Junior knows the extent of our abilities.”
Only then did Cha Hu nod, “In that case, I won’t stop you. There is work to be done, but why don’t you have a look and see what interests you?”
Yang Kai was surprised, “We can pick for ourselves?”
Cha Hu smiled, “We have three different types of missions here. The first one is to look for mineable resources; which, relatively speaking, is the safest kind of mission. There’s only a low possibility of encountering the Black Ink Clan, and there’s no need to fight them under normal circumstances.”
Seeing Yang Kai’s indifferent response, Cha Hu continued, “Secondly, we can assign you to defence duty. Your team only needs to patrol a certain area and protect those who are mining resources. If you encounter any Black Ink Clansmen, kill them all!”
Yang Kai nodded. The first type of mission was definitely unsuitable for Dawn Squad. Dawn possessed vastly superior strength and ability to other Squads, so it was impossible for them to go and mine resources. However, the second type of mission was somewhat more to his taste, though still a little bit lacking.
He asked, “What is the third type of mission?”
Cha Hu nodded, “The third type of mission is free hunting. The entire resource harvesting area will be your Dawn Squad’s patrol area. Wherever you find Black Ink Clansmen will be wherever you go. If there are no Black Ink Clansmen around you, you can actively seek them out. If another Squad calls for help and you are close, then you must go to their aid as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai answered decisively, “Then, we will take on a free hunting assignment.”
Compared to the second type of mission, there was certainly more freedom for them if they chose free hunting. They would not be limited to a certain region. However, it would also increase the chances of them meeting Black Ink Clansmen by a large margin, which was exactly the type of task that Yang Kai and Dawn were hoping to get.
Cha Hu seemed to have long expected this answer, so he took out something resembling a crystal orb and handed it to Yang Kai, “Bring this with you.”
“What is this?” Yang Kai asked in puzzlement.
“It is a specially refined communication artifact. Every Squad has one. Even in the midst of danger, this artifact can be relied on to send out messages, and one can also receive messages from other Squads requesting help using it, as well as identify their position and distance.”
Yang Kai raised his brow, “This is a good thing.”
“There are no restrictions on free hunting, but it can be dangerous as there are still Territory Lords active around the area. Even though we have Eighth-Order Division Commanders on our side to keep them in check, there is no guarantee that you will not run into one when you are alone. If you do encounter a Territory Lord, remember to put your own safety first and not act recklessly,” Cha Hu reminded him.
“This Junior will take note.”
“Go,” Cha Hu waved his hand.
Yang Kai took his leave.
A short while later, after returning to camp, Yang Kai told Dawn about the free hunting task he just accepted, and also handed the crystal orb-like artifact to Feng Ying before turning to everyone, “If there are no objections, let us depart.”
There was no objection from the crowd.
A moment later, Dawning Light lifted off from the forward base and sped off into the void.
After entering the open void, Feng Ying suddenly changed her hand seals. Then, a very faint energy wave rippled through the entirety of Dawning Light.
In that instant, it seemed to Yang Kai that there was some sort of change in Dawning Light, but when he looked carefully, he could not tell what had changed. Confused, he used his Divine Sense to figure out what happened, and only then did he gain a clear understanding.
An inexplicable energy was wrapped around Dawning Light’s hull, caused by a type of Illusion Array.
“What is this?” Yang Kai asked in surprise. He had no idea that there was actually an Illusion Array installed on Dawning Light.
Dawning Light was customized by Feng Ying, so even though the modifications cost a lot of Yang Kai’s Military Merits, he really did not know much about its capabilities.
Feng Ying explained, “Dawning Light is a specially refined Warship, and it’s distinctively different from the other Squad-level ships. So, once it enters the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, it might draw their attention. I had this Illusion Array set up when I first began modifying Dawning Light as a kind of camouflage. So, any Black Ink Clansman weaker than Feudal Lords would not be able to see through its disguise within 500 kilometres, and we can also take others by surprise. Otherwise, the enemy might run away if they spot Dawning Light from a distance, which would be troublesome.”
Yang Kai finally understood, “Martial Aunt has really thought of everything.”
Dawning Light and Dawn were not well known now, but it was conceivable that once they achieved enough success on the battlefield, the Black Ink Clan would learn about Dawn and Dawning Light. When that time came, the enemy would be able to recognize Dawning Light’s unique appearance from afar, and if they knew they were outmatched, they could still make a quick escape.
With the Illusion Array, Dawning Light would look just like any ordinary Squad’s Warship from afar, making it easier to catch their prey.
And that was in fact the case. Just a day after leaving the forward base, Dawning Light suddenly encountered a group of Black Ink Clansmen coming in from the side.
These Black Ink Clansmen were using the rubble nearby as cover. When they appeared, even Dawning Light was caught unprepared.
The many Black Ink Clansmen came together to form a tide that flooded in like a tsunami. Dense Black Ink Clouds made it impossible to tell how many enemies there were or how strong they were.
An ordinary Squad would have fled first to gain a better view of the situation before deciding how to act. However, the ones that these Black Ink Clansmen were confronting was Dawn.
Dawn was so eager at the sight of incoming enemies that the member in charge of steering the Warship was already charging towards them before Yang Kai and Feng Ying gave the order.
This uncharacteristic move clearly surprised the Black Ink Clansmen, stopping the incoming tide.
In just an instant, the distance between them had been closed.
As the offensive arrays buzzed, the Illusion Array was automatically broken, revealing Dawning Light’s fierce appearance to the Black Ink Clan.
The many Black Ink Clansmen were taken aback by the sudden change.
The offensive arrays on Dawning Light were already releasing their might at them, sending powerful attack after powerful attack right into the densest pockets of enemies.
In an instant, a large number of the Black Ink Clansmen were killed.
The ones that survived fled backwards when they saw what happened. This Human Warship that they were ambushing was different from what they expected. Even though it was just one salvo, the might displayed was truly terrifying. It was definitely not something that they could withstand.
Most of those who died were just Low-Rank and High-Rank clansmen. These were essentially the cannon fodder in every battle, and they were generally incapable of killing any Human Masters on their own. However, they were perfect to drain the stamina of the Humans.
When these cannon fodder died, they would also leave dense Black Ink Strength behind, which, when built up enough, would transform into thick Black Ink Clouds.
While the Human Race always shied away from the Black Ink Clouds, the Black Ink Clansmen were just like fish in water inside of them. With the help of the Black Ink Clouds, Black Ink Clansmen could often turn the tide of battle in their favour.
No matter how many Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen they lost, the Black Ink Clan would not feel any grief. As long as the Black Ink Nests remained and they had sufficient resources, then they could breed as many Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen as they wanted.
So, whether they were attacking Human territories or fighting for the resource harvesting areas, large numbers of Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen could be found in every Black Ink Clan Squad. It seemed dying was the only thing they excelled at.
Dawning Light’s single round of fire had wiped out almost all of the Black Ink Clan Squad’s Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen. Those who survived were undoubtedly the stronger Masters, including the Feudal Lords.
The survivors moved back into the Black Ink Clouds, but they did not flee immediately. Rather, they waited to see whether they could find an opening to strike back.
It was at that moment that a figure crashed into the Black Ink Clouds like a raging storm, causing screams of misery wherever he passed. One by one, the Black Ink Clansmen were cut down like chopped vegetables, exploding into clouds of black blood.
The Black Ink Cloud rapidly grew even denser.
The heart of one of the Feudal Lords hiding inside of the Black Ink Cloud was pounding as he could sense that a Human had indeed charged into the Black Ink Cloud. According to Human strength classifications, this person should be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, which corresponded to his own strength as a Feudal Lord, but the killing power this Human displayed frightened him greatly.
The auras of his companions faded one by one at an incredible speed. Even though those were not Feudal Lords, it was still terrifying how they were cut down so quickly.
He lurked in the Black Ink Cloud, remaining motionless but feeling anxious.
In the past, the Black Ink Clouds had always been an absolute Forbidden Zone for Humans and none of them would ever dare charge into them to fight.
However, during their last attack on the Human’s Great Pass, the Black Ink Clan discovered that the Black Ink Clouds which used to be their greatest source of protection had completely lost their deterrent effect.
Many of the Humans looked like they had hot chicken blood shot into their veins, rabidly chasing them into the Black Ink Cloud, happily accepting the corruption of Black Ink Strength as long as they could slaughter their enemies.
And, there was another great concern to the Black Ink Clan after the last war. It seemed that after a certain point in time, the Black Ink Clan had not been able to convert any more Black Ink Disciples. Many Black Ink Clansmen had personally seen many Humans being invaded by Black Ink Strength, which would have been enough to convert them in the past, but the results were less than satisfactory.
Combined with the loss of the Black Ink Cloud’s deterrent effect, the Black Ink Clan’s higher-ranking members came to a consensus that the Humans must have come up with some way of resisting the corruption of Black Ink Strength. Otherwise, how could this have happened?
However, the Black Ink Clan had yet to find out what this new method was.
Under Men Xie Royal Lord’s command, many Territory Lords had received orders to uncover the truth no matter the cost, and this struggle for the resource harvesting areas was a good opportunity to ascertain just that. If they could figure out how these Humans were stopping the encroachment of their Black Ink Strength, that would be a great merit which would allow any Black Ink Clansman the opportunity to return to the Royal City’s Black Ink Nest to cultivate and advance into the next realm.
The enthusiasm of countless of these Black Ink Clansmen was part of the reason why the resource harvesting area was so hotly contested.
The Feudal Lord continued lying still in wait inside of the Black Ink Cloud, having the vague feeling that this great merit was perhaps not far from him. That was because this Seventh-Order Master would definitely be corrupted by Black Ink Strength if he rushed into the Black Ink Cloud like that, and when that happened, he would surely be able to see how he resisted it.
Inside the Black Ink Cloud, a full-blown massacre was taking place when suddenly, all went silent.
The Feudal Lord who had been lying in wait inside of the Black Ink Cloud for his opportunity felt his heart clench and his instincts were screaming at him that something bad was about to happen.
In the next moment, he felt a huge suction power coming from where the Human was standing, and the dense Black Ink Cloud was being pulled in, converging towards him.
The Feudal Lord was delightfully surprised at first, but that surprise soon turned to shock.
He was delighted that this Seventh-Order Master had actually taken the initiative to open a portal to his Small Universe to suck in the Black Ink Cloud. Would that not mean that he was going to be converted into a Black Ink Disciple very soon?
But the Feudal Lord was soon anxious because once the Black Ink Cloud was swallowed up, he would have nowhere to hide and would instantly be exposed to the enemy.
Where did this Human come from, and how could he act so recklessly? He had been fighting with Humans for so many years, yet he had never seen anything like this before.
In no more than a dozen breaths, the dense Black Ink Cloud was completely gone, revealing all the bodies hiding in its midst.
And, at the centre of these bodies stood Yang Kai, a cold gaze on his face and a sharp spear in his hand.
Though he had culled many Black Ink Clansmen after charging into the Black Ink Cloud, there were obviously going to be fish who had slipped through the net. The Black Ink Clouds’ ability to interfere with a Human’s sense was so strong that he was unable to find all of the Black Ink Clansmen in a short amount of time.
Irritated, Yang Kai opened his Small Universe and swallowed all of the Black Ink Strength into his body.
The effect was remarkable, as all of the Black Ink Clansmen hidden inside of the Black Ink Cloud were instantly revealed.
Looking around, Yang Kai sneered. Even though many Black Ink Clansmen had ambushed them this time, their average strength was too low. There was one Feudal Lord among them, but the rest were all High-Rank and Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen.
At this moment, the Black Ink Clansmen who remained alive were all gawking at Yang Kai as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight. The Feudal Lord’s expression was especially shocked. He thought that Yang Kai would turn into a Black Ink Disciple soon, but now it seemed like this Human was completely unaffected by Black Ink Strength.
After all of the Black Ink Clouds were sucked into this Human’s body, he was still not corrupted in the slightest. At once, the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lord thought of something and called out in alarm, “Four Universe Pillars!”
The Four Universe Pillars were not only famous among the Human Race, but also among the Black Ink Clan; after all, it was a precious treasure that could perfectly resist Black Ink Strength. Humans who possessed a Four Universe Pillar simply had no need to fear being corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
The Black Ink Clan had a deep hatred for the Four Universe Pillars, and they were very much concerned about who held one of them. Any cultivator possessing one of the Four Universe Pillars would be noted on record by the Black Ink Clan, and if ever they were to meet any of these Humans, the Black Ink Clan would do whatever it took to kill them.
This Feudal Lord was not someone in a low position, so he had read that special list before; however, there were few people on the list, and all of them were in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
That was because only those in the Eighth Order had the ability to protect a Four Universe Pillar and keep them out of the hands of the Black Ink Clan.
And yet, he had encountered a Seventh-Order Master with a Four Universe Pillar here. This Human was definitely not on that list.
This was an extremely important piece of news, and if he could bring word of this back, it would definitely be a merit not much lower than finding out how the Humans were able to resist the corruption of Black Ink Strength now.
With that thought, the Feudal Lord opened his mouth, spitting out a cloud of inky blood, hoping to escape from here.
Judging from the power of this Seventh-Order Master’s rampage, he did not believe himself to be his match. If he wanted to live, then he had no choice but to flee immediately.
This was undoubtedly the most correct move to make; however, even after burning his Blood Essence and using a costly Secret Technique, his body remained stagnant. An inexplicable force had seemingly caused the space around him to become extremely viscous, as if he had fallen into a pool of quicksand, making it hard to move.
“Where do you think you’re going?” When that cold voice entered his ears, the Feudal Lord looked over just in time to see the tip of a spear enlarging before his eyes. There, at the tip of the spear, was a terrifying power that had yet to erupt. Once it did, it would surely send him to the next life!
The Feudal Lord roared in terror and his huge body swelled up, releasing his aura without reserve. By struggling with all his power, the confines of space finally grew loose.
But that was not all. He raised his large fist and slammed it in Yang Kai’s direction. With a single blow, he shattered the surrounding space, so it was clear how powerful that punch was.
However, Yang Kai showed no intention of dodging. With a flick of his spear, he pierced through the Feudal Lord’s fist like a hot knife through butter. The Azure Dragon Spear easily penetrated the Feudal Lord’s defence, and more than half of his spear was embedded into the Feudal Lord’s arm.
Expression changing dramatically, the Feudal Lord let out a pained roar.
Yang Kai shook his spear again, and the condensed power at its tip finally erupted, turning the pierced arm into a bloody mist. Fresh ink-black blood gushed from the Feudal Lord’s shoulder as his furious aura withered away.
Before he could do anything else, a towering shadow came down on him.
A few moments later, Yang Kai retracted his spear, but the Feudal Lord seemed frozen in place, motionless with only a shocked glint in his eyes remaining.
Waves of energy from the spear thrust rippled out, sweeping over the Feudal Lord’s body, shredding it into neat, tiny pieces in an instant, like he had been carefully carved up with a knife.
Yang Kai looked around and saw the figures of Shen Ao, Ning Qi Zhi, and Qi Tai Chu’s bodies flitting about as Dawning Light’s attacks continued blasting out one by one, and the remaining Black Ink Clansmen were quickly wiped out.
Such a group of Black Ink Clansmen might have caused trouble if their ambush had caught another Squad, but they were hardly enough to hold up against Dawn.
After the end of the fight, it took them a bit of time to clean up the battlefield. These Black Ink Clansmen might not have many good things on them, but any resource was considered invaluable to the Humans on the Black Ink Battlefield.
After returning to Dawning Light, Yang Kai sat down cross-legged, contemplating the successes and failures of their latest skirmish.
His opponent was nothing worth mentioning, but since advancing into the Seventh Order, this was only the third time that Yang Kai had fought. He was able to somewhat familiarize himself with his increased strength now and was confident that he would do better the next time he encountered an opponent.
After recuperating in place for an hour, Dawning Light resumed its mission.
In the coming days, Dawning Light was able to get a catch every few days. With the help of the Illusion Array’s disguise, the Black Ink Clan mistakenly took Dawning Light as an ordinary Squad-level Warship; however, once they jumped out of hiding, it was too late for them to escape.
As many as 20 Feudal Lords died at Dawn’s hands.
After going through fight after fight, Dawn Squad became more adept at working with each other. Once they encountered an enemy, they would do what was necessary without needing someone to order them, and their achievements soon surpassed those of any ordinary Squad by far.
One day, Dawn was in the middle of cleaning up a fresh battlefield. Just an hour earlier, Yang Kai and his men had encountered another Black Ink Clan Squad. They were not considered weak as those in the Feudal Lord rank alone numbered 3, but as usual, they were completely wiped out after the fight.
It was at that moment that Feng Ying suddenly appeared and called out, “Leader, there is a nearby Squad that requires our assistance!”
Yang Kai turned his head towards her and saw that she was holding the crystal orb-like communication device that Cha Hu handed them. At that moment, the crystal orb was glowing crimson, and the light gathered into an arrow-like symbol that was pointing in a certain direction.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes. There was no way he could not tell that Squad had already reached the critical point between life or death after seeing this message; otherwise, the crystal ball would not react this way.
Without hesitation, Yang Kai immediately shouted, “Gather up! We have an emergency!”
Those who were still cleaning up the battlefield immediately converged towards Dawning Light, and within a few breaths, the Warship turned into a stream of light and sped towards the direction the arrow was pointing at.
Yang Kai had no idea whether any other Squads had picked up on the distress call, but the Squad that was calling for help clearly had to be in a bad situation. There might not be any other Squads nearby, so Dawn may be their only hope.
Their fellow clansmen were in grave danger, so Dawning Light pushed its speed to its limit without regard for power consumption.
Within an hour, a Universe Fragment came into Yang Kai’s view.
At that moment, bits of light could be seen flickering at a certain spot around the Universe Fragment. It was clearly the light coming from Human Secret Techniques.
Beyond that glow, dense Black Ink Clouds were threatening to envelop them.
There were seven or eight Human cultivators madly wielding their powers, trying to stop the Black Ink Clan’s advance, but no matter how hard they tried, the enemy’s momentum was unstoppable. Once the Black Ink Clouds fully enveloped them, they would surely be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
And, if they were to be corrupted by Black Ink Strength in such a place, they would undoubtedly be converted into Black Ink Disciples.
These cultivators must have been part of a Squad, but their numbers were clearly off. Some members must have been lost already, and Yang Kai did not see their Warship either.
In this case, there was only one possibility, and that was that the Squad’s Warship had lost its functionality, or simply been destroyed.
Without the Warship’s protection, the Human cultivators would surely be at a disadvantage as they faced off against the Black Ink Strength, and that was how they ended up in such a desperate state.
He did not see any Black Ink Clansmen, so they must be hiding inside of the Black Ink Clouds, constantly pushing their Black Ink Strength closer to the Humans.
Every now and then, attacks would appear, directed at the Humans, keeping them trapped here with no opportunity to use the Universe Transference Law to escape.