“Stone… Stone Giant?”
After a long while, Hua Qing Si finally managed to utter those few words with great difficulty.
This sight was too incredulous. It was a giant silhouette with a height rivalling a dozen storey building, yet he was endowed with a good figure of clearly defined muscles, and his simple-looking head had a pair of bright and intelligent-looking eyes, unbefitting his rough look.
His every move and action seemed able to shake the whole world!
He seemed like one of the Giant Mountain Domain foretold in ancient legends, and his presence alone had shaken up Hua Qing Si.
“A Stone Giant? Hehe, you can call me so,” The Embodiment let out a chuckle, a deafening chuckle despite trying his best to lower his voice.
“Are you alive? Are you self-conscious?” Hua Qing Si asked in surprise. She was no ordinary woman and was from the Divine Star palace. She had come in touch with many secrets unbeknown to people, thus she quickly got over her shock and came back to her senses. But despite this, she couldn’t associate this being with any creature in existence after racking her brains for so long.
“Did you assume I was dead?” the Embodiment looked in mockery at Hua Qing Si.
Hua Qing Si’s pretty face got flushed and she laughed out of delight. She asked back, “Then this means I’m alive, too… By the way, you said that he has brought me here. Where are we?”
The Embodiment quietened for a while, then squinted his eyes and asked, “Are you sure you want to know?”
Hua Qing Si furrowed her brows and unease welled up in her heart, as if she was already aware she wouldn’t end up anywhere good for her, but she still couldn’t curb her curiosity and she revealed a longing look.
“Fine, there is no harm in telling you. In any case, since he has already brought you here rather than killing you, you won’t ever get to leave again.”
Upon hearing him, Hua Qing Si’s pretty face darkened and she realized that her worries turned out to be true.
“This is a Small Sealed World, the Emperor Artifact Sealed World Bead’s Sealed World.”
“An Emperor Artifact? The Sealed World Bead?” Hua Qing Si cried out in alarm and she said in surprise, “Are you implying that it has formed a world, and it’s a treasure equal to our Star Soul Palace’s Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda?
“More or less,” the Embodiment nodded. Seeming tired from speaking so much, it sat down on the ground cross-legged, and said while looking at Hua Qing Si, “But, comparatively speaking, each of them has its pros and cons. The Star Soul Palace’s disciples can enter the Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda for practice, and it also has many marvellous functions, while the Sealed World Bead is quite different. First, it was refined from an almighty being’s body and it’s pretty small, which makes it easy to carry around. Is that understandable?”
Hua Qing Si nodded numbly. As a member of the Star Soul Palace, she had obviously discerned and understood the Embodiment’s unspoken implication.
The Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda was the Star Soul Palace’s best treasure, and it was its foundation, mainly because numerous disciples could train in it, make advancements, study World Principles, and absorb remnant World Principles’ power.
This was the best Emperor Artifact in the whole Star Boundary!
As for the Sealed World Bead, it was obviously equal to the Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda, and even though people couldn’t train and get various benefits in it, it was still more practical than the latter.
This was a priceless treasure, yet it was in the hand of a First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator.
It wouldn’t be easy even for an Emperor Realm Master to get an Emperor Artifact, and even such experts couldn’t easily craft an Emperor Artifact. Every Emperor Artifact’s birth was preceded by innumerable years gathering of resources, as well as many experts’ blood and sweat.
An Emperor Artifact was a lot more precious than a Dao Source Grade artifact, yet this said treasure was in the hand of a First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator, and it wasn’t even an ordinary Emperor Artifact, but rather one equal to the Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda.
If news spread out, then the whole Star Boundary’s experts would go into an uproar and hunt down Yang Kai to snatch his treasure.
“Can you just forget I heard this secret…” The corners of Hua Qing Si’s mouth twitched.
She had already been placed by Yang Kai into the Sealed World Bead, and after learning such a secret, it was impossible for anyone to let her leave. In other words, she would be imprisoned by Yang Kai for a lifetime!
She had been still rejoicing over her survival, yet she got upset by this news.
“Hehehe…” The Embodiment laughed heartily, “Your fate was doomed from the moment you got sent here.”
Having said this much, the Embodiment’s voice turned gloomy. He said, “He hasn’t killed you only because you saved his life once, but his current state is far from good and he can’t control his murderous impulses, this is why he was forced to opt for this solution.”
“Is that true?”
“Actually, you still have a chance to leave this land.”
“What’s it?” Hua Qing Si rejoiced and questioned him right away.
“Die… Or vow loyalty to my main body and offer him your Soul Imprint.”
Hua Qing Si’s pretty face fell and she shouted, “That is out of the question!”
“Nothing in the world is out of the question. Young girl, you don’t have to be so dead-set against it! Do you really want to spend the rest of your life here?” The Embodiment questioned her.
Hua Qing Si got lost in her thoughts and her inner struggle was apparent on her face, but she suddenly got over it and said, “That little bastard can’t even protect himself now, let’s leave this until he overcomes his crisis.”
The Embodiment nodded and said, “You’re right, you should discuss it with him, I have only offered a suggestion.”
Hua Qing Si’s expression suddenly changed and she said, “By the way, why are you here?” As she spoke, she suddenly thought of something and said excitedly, “Were you thrown here by him, too? Did he force you to offer him your Soul Imprint?”
Hua Qing Si seemed excited, as if she had suddenly found a fellow sufferer.
The Embodiment wore a strange look on his face and mumbled, “I have already been imprisoned by him for more than a million years…”
“He’s really scum,” Hua Qing Si said through gnashed teeth, but she suddenly noticed a weird detail and looked at the Embodiment suspiciously. She said, “How old is he? How come it’s a million years?”
The Embodiment scratched his face with his large and thick finger and said, “Don’t pay heed to those insignificant details. He’s already in trouble. Have a look at those people, do you know them?”
As the Embodiment spoke, he waved his hand.
In the empty space between him and Hua Qing Si, ripples visible to the naked eye appeared and were followed by a strange screen, which appeared out of nowhere.
Hua Qing Si gazed over there and said in wonder, “This is…”
Hua Qing Si had noticed that the scene displayed in the sky was Yang Kai’s current location. He had been engulfed by thick black Qi, and only his eyes still shone with a golden, yet evil radiance.
In his vicinity, three people were surrounding him in a triangular formation.
Those three people were all composed and had outstanding bearings.
The middle-aged man in the left was clad in plain hemp clothing, which despite not looking bright and new, was tidy and neat, while he was also endowed with a pair of bright and shining eyes.
The one on the right side was a short old man with white hair and a beard, yet still rosy face. He observed Yang Kai with furrowed brows and his apprehension was apparent on his face.
As for the one in the middle, it was a dignified and cold-looking pretty woman with an icy expression plastered on her pretty face. She was clad in a white dress, which gave her a special mature charm.
After Hua Qing Si had been thrown into the Sealed World Bead by Yang Kai, those three people appeared suddenly out of nowhere and surrounded him.
Everyone was a famous Emperor Realm Master of the Southern Territory and Yang Kai had seen all of them once.
“Those are several Great Forces’ big shots.” Hua Qing Si cast a glance at them and recognized them right away.
“Can you elaborate further?” The Embodiment next to her said.
“The one on the left is the Heavenly Martial Holy Land’s Senior Chen, Chen Wen Hao. As for the one on the right side, it’s the Orthodoxy Temple’s Elder Feng, Feng Ming, and the last one is the Azure Sun Temple Senior Gao, Gao Xue Ting.”
“It’s unexpectedly those people.” The Embodiment came to a realization.
More than a year ago, those three people had once dropped by Maplewood City to pursue a Luan Feng’s trails in Clear Jade Mountain. Later on, the Star Soul Palace’s Xiao Yu Yang had also come and cast a magical art to create a long-distance portal to the Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda to take the city’s cultivators into it.
At that time, Yang Kai had also seen those outstanding people, and since Yang Kai knew them, then the Embodiment had also heard about them.
Upon hearing their status from Hua Qing Si, a worried look appeared on the Embodiment’s face.
Even though in his current state, Yang Kai was endowed with great and unstoppable power, he was facing three Emperor Realm Masters from outstanding backgrounds, and he might not be a match for them.
Moreover, the more Yang Kai maintained his current state, the worse his situation. If he got held up by those people, then his mind might end up corrupted by the Demon Spirit, and he would then turn into a real demon.
“There is still hope left!” Hua Qing Si didn’t notice the Embodiment’s worries and shouted in delight. She still didn’t forget to shout at the Embodiment. She said, “Big Stone, once that little bastard gets subdued by those three seniors, we’ll get to leave.”
The Embodiment nodded repeatedly, wearing the same indifferent look as usual.
In the outside world, Chen Wen Hao and others stood in silence and didn’t make a move.
They came here because someone had used Maplewood City’s Teleportation Array to leave and notify them.
The three Great Forces had heard that an Ancient Great Demon’s seal got damaged and pure Demon Qi leaked out, which didn’t leave a single living soul in Maplewood City’s vicinity. Thus they didn’t take it lightly and dispatched Emperor Realm Masters to investigate its ins and outs.
Chen Wen Hao and the others, who had once visited Maplewood City a year ago, were obviously their best choice, and they had also undertaken this task willingly.
They had all hurried up from their sects and used countless Space Arrays on the way to reach Maplewood City in the shortest time possible.
When they had reached Maplewood City, the Demon Qi had already started dispersing and the Demonic Beings were coming back to their senses.
They were all bewildered and they followed the trails to get into this event’s source, and they ended up intercepting Yang Kai’s way here.
At this moment, they were all confused and puzzled!
A Luan Feng had first emerged in the little Maplewood City only to be followed by an Ancient Great Demon’s seal a year later, as if any major event was bound to happen in this little city, and they all found it incredulous.
Opposite them, Yang Kai’s facial features were indistinct and they couldn’t discern his identity prior to his transformation, while the pure Demon Qi engulfing him gave them a stifling feeling, as if this Demon Qi could pose a deadly threat to Emperor Realm Masters.
All demonic beings the three people saw in their flight had already come back to their senses, yet the one in front of them was still plagued by Demon Qi as before and he emitted an astounding vicious aura.
“Who are you?” Chen Wen Hao broke the silence and raised a question.
He really wanted to know why this demon didn’t come back to his senses like the other demonic beings, and how he turned out to be so powerful.
The person opposite him didn’t respond, and he could only hear muffled beastly roars from the mass of Demon Qi.
“Brother Chen, he has already lost his mind, so why are you still wasting your breath with him?” Feng Ming said impatiently and his treacherous-looking eyes glared at Yang Kai.
Gao Xue Ting didn’t utter a single word, but her pretty eyes shone brightly, as if she wanted to penetrate the thick Demon Qi and have a look at Yang Kai’s face.
But, it seemed as if Yang Kai had detected her actions and he turned his head suddenly to look at her. Their gazes ended up meeting and an invisible collision broke out between their gazes mid-air
“Ahh!” Gao Xue Ting’s pretty face turned pale and her body staggered, as if she had suffered the brunt of a ferocious attack.
“Let…” A muffled, indistinct, and pained roar transmitted from the Demon Qi, but they all heard it clearly and understood what the demonic being wanted to express.
An eerie glow flashed past Chen Wen Hao’s eyes and he strode forward. As he moved, a cyan sword appeared in his hand and he said calmly, “I’ll test the water and try his means. Sirs, please support me from the rear.”
As he spoke, a soft whistle echoed out. Chen Wen Hao had already turned into an illusory silhouette and appeared before Yang Kai.
*Shhing! Shhing!*
The Sword light shot out, the Sword Qi emitted a humming noise, while the torrential Sword Force left behind it a whistling noise.
*Clang!*
Sparks flew around and energy pulses ran amok in the void. The sword strike was so swift and torrential!
After a short while, Chen Wen Hao sheathed his sword and stood on his former position motionless, as if he had never moved in the first place.
On the other side, numerous web-like fissures appeared on the Demon Qi surrounding Yang Kai’s body, and one could faintly see some parts of his body through the cracks. The flesh exposed to the air was covered with dense Demon Crests. But, those cracks were instantly mended by the billowing Demon Qi.
Chen Wen Hao furrowed his brows, while Gao Xue Ting and Feng Ming were very surprised. Yang Kai was more thorny than they expected.
“Die!” It seemed like Yang Kai had been enraged by Chen Wen Hao’s attack, and he let out a roar, while the churning Demon Qi enveloping him let out jarring wails, as if the Nether King had just blown the war horn and ordered them to advance.
*Swoosh!*
He suddenly disappeared!
“What?” Chen Wen Hao was finally surprised for real. Even his strong Divine Sense wasn’t able to follow Yang Kai’s trail. His speed had already surpassed anything he knew.
He tried as hard as he could to manoeuvre his Spiritual Energy’s power and he surveyed tightly a perimeter of a hundred feet around him, trying to peer into Yang Kai’s movements.
“Be careful!” Gao Xue Ting’s expression changed drastically and she cried out aloud.
“Brother Chen, he’s behind you!” Feng Ming also let out a strange cry.
But, did he really need their warning? When Yang Kai had just appeared behind him, Chen Wen Hao had also detected him, and he instantly manoeuvred the power of the Unfettered Worldly Principle. His sword let out a dazzling radiance and he instantly thrust it behind.
*Ding!*
A crisp metallic collision sound echoed out, and Chen Wen Hao felt like he had struck something, but his attack was blocked. It wasn’t limited to just this, as his sword let out a sad cry and its light flickered intensely. He was so startled he broke into a cold sweat, and he ended up taking the wrong step out of fluster and stumbled forward.
The torrential force that erupted out behind him didn’t manage to harm him, but it still scared him greatly.
Yang Kai didn’t wait for him to regain his balance and he followed him closely like his shadow. He appeared on his right side, and he thrust his fist, which was covered by Demon Qi, into him. His fist contained indomitable destructive power!
It was a simple, yet very ferocious move, and it could be said that it was a natural move.
It was unavoidable!
Chen Wen Hao’s mind was in turmoil. He was just a First-Order Emperor Realm Master, but he had already come in touch with the real essence of the world’s Martial Dao, and even if he faced a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master, he wouldn’t be so thoroughly suppressed, he would still be able to exchange some moves against him.
Yet, this peculiar demonic being suppressed him. He depended upon his brilliant Movement Skill and ridiculously high speed to suppress him, and he wasn’t even able to fight back.
At this critical juncture, he let out a shout: “Water Source Transformation!”
As his voice echoed out, he turned semi-transparent, as if his body was made of water.
Yang Kai’s fist fell on him directly and penetrated his chest. He left a large hole in his body!
Chen Wen Hao let out a groan, and it seemed like he suffered serious injuries, but he still didn’t move back. Instead, he circulated his Source Qi and the Water Source Embodiment to condense his body and stranded Yang Kai’s arm within him.
At this moment, Feng Ming and Gao Xue Ting, who had been watching the battle, finally made a move at the same time.
A long spear with a shape resembling a flying goose appeared in Feng Ming’s hand, and arcs of lightning were dancing around it. This was obviously the fruit of his hard labor, the Emperor Artifact, Lightning Goose Spear. It was one of the Southern Territory’s famous weapons!
“Relentless Lightning!” Feng Ming let out a shout and seized the opportunity created by Chen Wen Hao to make an attack. He swung his long spear and thrust it at Yang Kai.
On the other side, a little mirror appeared in Gao Xue Ting’s palm. After she infused her Source Qi into it, it let out a dazzling radiance, and it looked like a mini sun hung in the air. The mirror fired a dazzling light beam, which enveloped Yang Kai’s body.
Gao Xue Ting wore a cold and stern look as usual, and as her white dress fluttered in the air, she looked like a goddess that had descended from heaven.
A scorching air started pervading this region, and it seemed able to burn all myriad matters.
The Demon Qi around Yang Kai’s body started wiggling, as if it had just run into its nemesis, and many of its wisps evaporated and turned into drifting smoke.
…
“Emperor Artifact: Radiant Sun Mirror!”
In the Small Sealed World, Hua Qing Si had seen everything that had occurred thanks to the projection created by the Embodiment.
The girl’s face was filled with excitement, and she shouted aloud and cheered for them.
She knew those people, and she had also heard of the artifacts used by them, and even if she didn’t hear of them, she would get an understanding of them upon observing them.
The sword in Chen Wen Hao’s hand was also no ordinary artifact, it was the Emperor Artifact, Flowing Water Sword.
Three great Emperor Realm Masters launched a joint attack with three great Emperor Artifacts in their hands. She felt like she could already foresee the Demon King, Yang Kai’s fall.
She felt like she would shortly get to take in a fresh breath of freedom…
…
In the twinkling of an eye, Yang Kai was engulfed by the Radiant Sun Barrier, and as if he had detected a deadly threat, he suddenly let out a roar and a hot yet dignified aura, completely different from his other evil and vicious aura, erupted out of his body.
In the next moment, his hand which had been stuck in Chen Wen Hao’s Water Source Embodiment started expanding and draconic scales emerged on it. His whole hand turned into a dragon claw, and he drew support from its transformation to pull it back.
Chen Wen Hao let out a soft groan, and it seemed like he wasn’t able to maintain his Water Source Embodiment any longer. Thus when Yang Kai’s hand finally broke free, it brought with it some of his blood.
Shortly after, Yang Kai turned around and stretched his hand toward the ferocious lightning.
*Sizz!*
Yang Kai’s body shook violently, but he still managed to block Feng Ming’s Secret Technique with his dragon claw. However, his body had been paralyzed by the electric current.
Gao Xue Ting’s pretty eyes turned cold and she took avail of this chance to raise the Radiant Sun Mirror’s might.
The Demon Qi on Yang Kai’s body started evaporating at a higher speed, and this brought him a great deal of pain. It wasn’t any different than inhuman torture.
“Die, all of you!” Yang Kai let out a roar and the space within a dozen kilometres suddenly changed drastically.
A World Principle power suddenly fell upon Gao Xue Ting’s body and her movement came to a sudden stop.
While on the other side, after Yang Kai had broken free and escaped, Chen Wen Hao had just raised his sword to launch another attack, yet his body suddenly turned heavy.
“Space Principle?” Gao Xue Ting let out a sharp cry and her pretty eyes trembled.
The Emperor Realm Master present here had all high attainment in cultivation, and they obviously had a unique understanding of the World Principles. They had all practised a Secret Technique or a Cultivation Method to comprehend a World Principle and advance into the Emperor Realm.
Every Emperor Realm Master had a different understanding of the World Principles and they were all specialized in different domains.
Only geniuses blessed by Heaven could comprehend the deepest and most primitive Principle of his domain.
Five Elements’ Principles, various Forces’ essences, and Divine Abilities’ mysteries. Those were all cornerstones crucial for an Emperor Realm Master’s growth into a real expert.
Among them, there were several Principle powers considered the most difficult to comprehend, and the Space Principle was one of them. It was nearly impossible to comprehend it!
In the Star Boundary’s long history, many Great Emperors depended upon their comprehension of Principle power to reach the apex, yet they never heard about anyone who could manoeuvre Space Principle power to this point.
The Space Principle was too mysterious, and even an Emperor Realm Master could only stare at it from afar.
Yet, a demonic being, which had been forcefully converted into a demon, could manipulate the Space Principle and seal this region.
Gao Xue Ting couldn’t help but hold her breath for a moment out of shock and she got into a trance, but it was precisely at this moment that Yang Kai, who bore the might of the Radiant Sun Mirror, went after her. He was as swift as lightning and his speed was already beyond comprehension.
In the twinkling of an eye, Yang Kai reached Gao Xue Ting, but he turned a blind eye to the enemy after his life and thrust his fist at the Radiant Sun Mirror.
*Roar! Roar!*
Dragons’ roars resounded out and a dozen demonic dragons’ phantom images emerged out of his fist and danced in the sky.
Even though Gao Xue Ting reacted quickly and moved away in time, she still didn’t get out of harm’s way.
*Rumble!*
As the black demonic dragons collided against the Radiant Sun Mirror, its light flickered repeatedly.
By the time Gao Xue Ting rushed to Chen Wen Hao’s side, her expression turned unsightly and she looked in pain at the fruit of her sweat and blood, her Emperor Artifact.
The Radiant Sun Mirror had been covered by a layer of faint Black Qi and its spirituality had already been damaged.
In the Sealed World Bead, Hua Qing Si observed everything in a daze with her mouth wide open. She couldn’t help but say in a low voice, “How come he’s so strong?”
Three Emperor Realm Masters joined hands and they had even used their Emperor Artifacts. She assumed that they would quickly take down Yang Kai, yet once the confrontation started, it was them who suffered one setback after another, and Yang Kai was as unstoppable as ever.
Hua Qing Si couldn’t accept this outcome!
“This is tricky, his Demon Qi can corrode even our Emperor Artifacts.” Chen Wen Hao took a look at his Flowing Water Sword and the Radiant Sun Mirror in Gao Xue Ting’s hand with a grave look on his face.
The Flowing Water Sword had also been covered by a layer of Black Qi like the Radiant Sun Mirror, and it had obviously been corroded.
Corrosion of this level wouldn’t damage an Emperor Artifact’s spirituality unless they didn’t get rid of it in time.
It wasn’t easy to craft an Emperor Artifact, and every Emperor Realm Master treasured them. So, how could they allow this?
“What a troublesome guy, it seems like we have to get serious.” Feng Ming sneered coldly.
Chen Wen Hao glared at Yang Kai, while speaking with Gao Xue Ting, “Junior Sister Gao, we’ll have to draw support from your power.”
Gao Xue Ting gnashed her teeth, as if she had just made a hard decision. She said, “If the Radiant Sun Mirror gets ruined, you’ll have to compensate me.”
Feng Ming laughed and said, “It’s still an Emperor Artifact and it won’t be destroyed so easily. Let’s not waste our breath. Hurry up and make a move. If we delay it any further, we may face some unforeseen circumstances.”
Gao Xue Ting raised her hands and the Radiant Sun Mirror flew into the air as if it wanted to break into the firmament and quickly overlapped with the sun in the sky. At this moment, she raised her hands upwards and started weaving hand seals.
The Radiant Sun Mirror let out a humming noise and a mysterious power started spreading from it, while the blazing sun in the sky suddenly let out a dazzling sunbeam and struck the mirror. That said sunbeam penetrated the mirror and its radiance spread to the surroundings.
“Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory, Nine Suns’ Radiant Shine!” Gao Xue Ting put her arms against her chest and pushed them forward slowly.
As the blazing radiance spread out, the region sealed by Yang Kai’s Space Principle power let out a crisp snapping noise, as if some force broke through its confines.
Soon after, an unusual phenomenon appeared. Nine radiant suns appeared in the sky and their light was nearly blinding. Those suns emitted scorching rays, which burned the earth and left it charred.
Yang Kai let out a loud shriek, as if he couldn’t stand the numerous blazing suns surrounding him, and he made a move right away.
He rushed toward a sun and thrust his fist at it.
*Rumble!*
The radiant sun up in the sky was shattered apart, but another sun emerged out in a different location right away.
But, Yang Kai still went in and destroyed another sun, as if he had already lost his reason, yet the same scene unfolded again, and all of his efforts turned out pointless.
…
“It’s useless, such attacks wouldn’t be of any use against Senior Gao’s Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory.”
In the Small Sealed World, it seemed like Hua Qing Si had already heard of the Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory, and upon seeing Yang Kai running around aimlessly, she shook her head slowly and took pleasure in his misfortune.
The Embodiment rolled his eyes around and asked, “What kinds of attacks would be useful against it?”
“It’s obviously attacking Senior Gao,” Hua Qing Si replied quickly and chuckled. “But, in the Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory, Senior Gao is omnipotent and the body shown by her is only a phantom image, while her true body is hiding somewhere else.”
“Is it?” The Embodiment curled the corners of his mouth and let out a meaningful laugh. “You really know a lot, as expected of a member of the Star Soul Palace.”
In response, Hua Qing Si laughed complacently.
If she wasn’t from a supreme faction of the Southern Territory, the Star Soul Palace, then how could a Third-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator get any info about the mysteries of Gao Xue Ting’s Secret Technique?
…
While Yang Kai was crazily attacking the loathsome suns, a silhouette appeared suddenly next to him and condensed the power of his Sword Principle within his sword and thrust it slowly, yet carefully toward Yang Kai.
“Myriad Swords Dao!” Gao Xue Ting shouted in a low voice.
When he thrust his sword, even the nine suns in the sky lost their radiance, and only Chen Wen Hao’s sword was left here, a sword that was the fruit of his whole life’s cultivation.
As the sword’s light flickered, fresh blood spluttered and Demon Qi billowed, while Yang Kai let out a miserable shriek.
This sword strike had achieved its aim. It had penetrated Yang Kai’s belly and brought with it his golden blood.
Yang Kai stretched his dragon claw out of pain and held the Flowing Water Sword without any regard for the harm inflicted upon his palm by its sharp edge. As for his other hand, it turned into a giant palm that went after Chen Wen Hao to swat him down.
Chen Wen Hao’s pupils contracted and he was about to move back, yet he discovered in surprise that a peculiar Space Principle power descended upon him, and stranded him for a moment.
Yet this short moment was enough for Yang Kai’s palm to reach him.
“Location Swap!” Gao Xue Ting’s voice resounded out, as she folded her palms and pushed them forward. One of the suns in the sky replaced Chen Wen Hao’s and got shattered by the giant palm.
As for Chen Wen Hao, his body appeared somewhere else in the vicinity. His face had already turned pale and he nodded at Gao Xue Ting to express his gratitude.
If Gao Xue Ting didn’t cast a Secret Technique to move him away, he would have been gravely injured.
“Didn’t you forget someone?” A voice suddenly resounded behind Yang Kai. While he was dealing with Chen Wen Hao, Feng Ming took advantage of this chance to close in on him with the Lightning Goose Spear in his hand. He condensed his Source Qi in his spear and thrust it forward.
“Flying Thunder Explosion!”
A large lighting ball appeared on the spearhead. This ball contained berserk lightning with great destructive power and it had suddenly exploded near Yang Kai.
Lightning ran amok, and silver serpentine lightning danced around, while the ground had been turned into a lightning field.
At this moment, the Demon Qi on Yang Kai’s back got thinned out and his white bones were exposed.
It seemed like this strike had inflicted great harm upon him!
But, Feng Ming still couldn’t rejoice over this, as Yang Kai had already turned around and thrust his palm at him.
“Are you looking down on me?” Upon seeing Yang Kai attacking him head-on, Feng Ming flew into a rage and thrust his spear. He launched another attack, yet he hit thin air this time.
The person in front of him had already disappeared!
Feng Ming’s heart tightened, and he pulled back his spear to retreat. His wariness was apparent on his face.
After all, he was fighting against a fearful being able to use Space Principle to manoeuvre and he didn’t dare to take him lightly.
Meanwhile, Feng Ming had also enveloped this region with his Divine Sense to seek Yang Kai’s trail.
Yet, at this moment, a delicate shout reverberated out.
In an empty region with no soul in sight, Gao Xue Ting’s body stumbled out, closely followed by the murderous-looking Yang Kai.
“How is this possible?” Astonishment was apparent on Gao Xue Ting’s face. She couldn’t believe that Yang Kai was able to accurately find her real body’s hiding spot within the Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory, and he still got to launch a sneak attack on her.
Upon looking at the black silhouette closing in on her, she felt death looming over, and she felt like she heard the Death God’s whispers.
“Boundless Sword Dao!” At this critical juncture, Chen Wen Hao rushed over with his Flowing Water Sword in hand. Boundless Sword Qi emanated from the sword and swept Yang Kai like a hurricane.
Yang Kai roared and the Demon Qi on his body surface billowed and formed numerous ethereal serpents, which collided against the Sword Qi.
*Sizzle!*
The Sword Qi was extinguished, while the ethereal serpents had also dispersed.
By the time Yang Kai’s body was revealed again, Gao Xue Ting had already moved back to Chen Wen Hao’s side. Her face was deathly pale and her clothes had already been soaked by sweat.
“Did this person retain his mind and wisdom?” Feng Ming’s eyes widened up and he asked in surprise.
A while ago, Yang Kai had used himself as bait to attract the crowd’s attention, while he closed in on Gao Xue Ting in silence to launch a sneak attack. A demon who had lost his mind couldn’t achieve this endeavour, and this was obviously a pretty intelligent battle tactic.
Even if he possessed the same power, he wouldn’t be able to do better.
“Perhaps.” Chen Wen Hao pulled back his sword and stood motionless with his hands behind his back. He looked like an unsheathed sword and he emitted an astonishing Sword Intent. He said, “Demon, I’ll let you have a taste of my sword.”
As his voice reverberated, he revealed his murderous intent and his Sword Qi ran amok. Chen Wen Hao used up his Source Qi without any restraints and displayed his exquisite sword technique. He condensed his power and Principle power in his sword and launched an attack.
When he had just made a move, Gao Xue Ting’s body disappeared once again from the Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory. But, the nine suns in the sky emitted intense radiance. They shot nine light pillars, which fell upon Yang Kai and sealed this region.
As for Feng Ming, he launched his best skill with the Lightning Gose Spear and targeted Yang Kai’s vital regions.
The three great Emperor Realm Masters attacked jointly to slay the demon and protect the human world!
Yang Kai could only roar loudly as usual and he dealt with them in the same way as before. As the Demon Qi on his body billowed, he launched various crude and simple moves. He was obviously in a disadvantageous position, but his enemies still weren’t able to slay him in a short while.
The Demon Crests on the surface of his body possessed extremely strong defensive power and even the three great Emperor Realm Masters’ various Secret Techniques and Emperor Artifacts’ attacks couldn’t break through his defence.
The region was wrecked apart and even the celestial bodies had lost their radiance here!
…
In the Small Sealed World, Hua Qing Si was left speechful for so long and her pretty eyes shivered lightly.
Getting to watch Emperor Realm Masters’ fight was a great opportunity for a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, yet usually, closing in on Emperor Realm Masters’ battlefield was pretty dangerous and ordinary cultivators wouldn’t get a chance to watch and observe it.
Yet, due to a series of coincidences, she got the chance to watch one from beginning to end.
She already didn’t wish for Yang Kai to die quickly, and she had gotten lost in her thoughts while watching the battle and a pensive look was apparent on her face
The Embodiment cast a glance at her and curled up his mouth. He didn’t disturb her, and turned his head again toward the battlefield and revealed a worried look.
Even though it looked like the main body had just gotten into a deadlock, he was only a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, and even if he drew help from the Demon Qi, he still couldn’t deal with three Emperor Realm Masters.
As time passed, the main body was only accumulating more injuries and this was clear proof of its terrible situation.
Actually, he didn’t really care about his injuries, the crux was that the main body didn’t escape despite knowing fully he wasn’t a match for them, and this was the source of the Embodiment’s worries.
The Embodiment wasn’t sure whether the main body retained his mind. He had tried to contact him, yet he didn’t get any response. But, when he told him stealthily the weakness of Gao Xue Ting’s Radiant Sun Heavenly Territory, the main body took notice of his advice.
If this wasn’t the case, the main body wouldn’t have sought and uncovered Gao Xue Ting’s hiding spot, then almost inflict heavy injuries upon her.
He had suddenly gotten great power, and it was still the evil and vicious power of an Ancient Great Demon. It wasn’t good news for the main body, if he kept using it for so long, then some unforeseen problems might befall him.
Several thousand miles away, in Maplewood City.
The few hundred thousand cultivators in the city didn’t get to rejoice over surviving the calamity, and they all looked in fear in a certain direction.
Intense energy ripples and deafening explosion sounds were reverberating from there.
Duan Yuan Shan, the Drunkard, Qin Zhao Yang, as well as various great families’ Dao Source Realm Old Ancestors were all standing atop the city wall. Those people’s gazes penetrated the void, seemingly trying to see and get some clues about this affair.
“City Lord, who is fighting over there?” The Liang Family’s Old Ancestor Liang Peng Le asked in surprise.
Duan Yuan Shan mulled it over for a moment and said, “On the way back, I ran into the Heavenly Martial Holy Land’s Senior Chen and another two seniors, and they are likely behind this disturbance.”
“Is it Senior Chen, Chen Wen Hao, who had once visited our City?” The pupils of the Xin family’s Old Ancestor Xin Gao Jie contracted.
“It’s precisely him!”
“Then who is their enemy?” An astonished look was apparent on Xin Gao Jie’s face.
Chen Wen Hao and his two companions were all Emperor Realm Masters, and they had even joined hands, yet they still ended up fighting so intensely against that said enemy and couldn’t take victory in a short time.
The enemy’s great power could be discerned through this!
“I have no idea,” Duan Yuan Shan shook his head.
But at this moment, Yang Kai’s image suddenly ran across his mind.
At that time, seven Great Dao Source Realm Masters brought Qin Yu with them to repair the seal, yet they slipped up. Zhuang Pan had escaped before the battle, while the Black Tortoise Seven Sections Array collapsed by itself, Du Li Shen suffered a miserable death on the spot and Qin Zhao Yang sustained heavy injuries and lost consciousness.
When Yang Kai had been corrupted by Demon Qi, he stood in his place motionless, and it looked like he was on the verge of turning into a demon…
If Yang Kai had lost his mind, then he could really become a demon.
But, even if he became a demon, could someone at his level contend against three Emperor Realm Masters?
Duan Yuan Shan shook his head and threw this ridiculous thought to the back of his mind.
Moreover, the strange Ancient Demon Qi had already disappeared, and the demonic beings, who had been corrupted and lost their minds, had also recovered, so Yang Kai had obviously also recovered.
Rumble!
A loud thunderclap reverberated in the sky, and it was shortly followed by an unusual phenomenon. The world’s Yuan Qi was attracted by something and it converged toward a certain direction.
“What happened?” Xin Gao Jie responded ahead of others and looked in surprise at a certain place in Maplewood City.
Duan Yuan Shan turned his head around and observed that said location for a while, then said out of delight, “Someone in the city is advancing into the Dao Source Realm, whose family’s disciple is it?”
The various Old Ancestors looked at each other in dismay, then shook their heads. They all expressed that it wasn’t their families’ disciple.
“Let’s go over there and have a look, our Maplewood City has just gone through a great calamity, and this is a good omen,” Duan Yuan Shan shouted loudly and he conveyed his voice with the help of his Source Qi, and it was so loud that all cultivators in the city could hear him clearly.
He was the City Lord and he obviously had to pacify people, and the breakthrough’s phenomenon gave him more assets to use.
It didn’t matter who was advancing, as he had managed to prompt the world’s Yuan Qi’s change, and this was good news for Maplewood City’s cultivators who had just gotten a new lease of life.
After a short while, the crowd landed in front of a top-notch cave mansion.
An elderly woman, a pretty middle-aged woman, and a young girl were standing in front of the cave mansion, guarding it.
“Miss Xiao Qi?” Duan Yuan Shan cast a glance at the young girl with a surprised look plastered on his face.
It wasn’t so strange for him to recognize Mo Xiao Qi. After all, they had fought together against the demonic beings and Demon Qi who enveloped the city, and even though Mo Xiao Qi was only a Third-Order Origin King, he didn’t belittle her or look down upon her.
After all, Duan Yuan Shan had discovered through his short contact with the young girl that her origins were quite mysterious and all techniques studied and employed by her were all so profound.
The crux was that Mo Xiao Qi was seemingly only sixteen or seventeen years old.
A sixteen or seventeen years old Third-Order Origin King, even a Great Force like the Heavenly Martial Holy Land couldn’t raise such outstanding talent, and it was a feat possible only by the Star Soul Palace.
Duan Yuan Shan had even taken Mo Xiao Qi for a secret disciple of the Star Soul Palace for a moment.
He didn’t dare to belittle her!
“City Lord Duan, seniors!” Mo Xiao Qi revealed a smile and greeted them.
“Miss Xiao Qi, the person making a breakthrough is…” Duan Yuan Shan didn’t beat around the bush and got right to the point. He questioned her directly!
“It’s the Spirit Pill Plaza’s Shopkeeper Kang.” Mo Xiao Qi didn’t plan to hide anything from him.
“Kang Si Ran?” Duan Yuan Shan revealed a surprised look and the various families’ Old Ancestors had also widened their eyes in shock, as if they had just heard some implausible news.
The Spirit Pill Plaza was an industry of the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce, and Maplewood City’s masters obviously knew it, and they also knew Kang Si Ran, yet they were confused mainly because they knew him.
How could Kang Si Ran make a breakthrough to the Dao Source Realm?
His martial path had already reached its end, and his aptitude wouldn’t allow him to go farther than the Third-Order Origin King Realm. They didn’t dare to claim that he would never reach the Dao Source Realm, but that said the probability wouldn’t be any higher than one in ten thousand.
Yet, they had just heard a disturbance made by Kang Si Ran’s breakthrough into the Dao Source Realm, and they were all astounded.
A peculiar light flashed past Duan Yuan Shan’s eyes and he said with a smile, “Turns out it’s Shopkeeper Kang. We must congratulate him.”
His disappointment was apparent through his words.
Even though Kang Si Ran resided in Maplewood City, he didn’t belong to it due to his origin and status. Furthermore, his advancement wouldn’t be of any help to Maplewood City. That’s why Duan Yuan Shan’s feelings about this affair changed so drastically.
“Shopkeeper Kang probably had some outstanding fortuitous encounter.” Xin Gao Jie wore a pensive look.
If he didn’t get a fortuitous encounter, then Kang Si Ran wouldn’t be able to advance to the Dao Source Realm just through his efforts due to his poor aptitude, and timewise, it looked like he had gone into seclusion when the city got enveloped by Demon Qi.
Since he dared to go into seclusion and make a breakthrough at this critical juncture, then he was obviously fully confident in his success.
“Seniors, after Shopkeeper Kang leaves seclusion, you can question him yourself,” Mo Xiao Qi replied with a smile.
Duan Yuan Shan nodded and said, “That’s a matter of course.”
As they exchanged several words, the phenomenon in the sky became fully visible and its heavenly might erupted. The World Energy’s baptism started and lightning descended from the dark clouds in the sky. The lightning cleaved open the void and struck Kang Si Ran’s body.
Inside the cave mansion, Kang Si Ran’s miserable cries reverberated out, as if he was bearing excruciating pain and any person’s scalp would turn numb upon hearing those shrill cries
…
Sword Qi ran amok, nine suns enveloped the land and a flood dragon phantom image formed by spear light danced around.
In the face of three Great Emperor Realm Masters’ joint attack, Yang Kai’s Demon Qi billowed ceaselessly, and he fought desperately without retreat even though his body had been thoroughly covered by wounds, as if he couldn’t feel even an ounce of pain.
Those were wounds inflicted by Emperor Realm Masters and Emperor Artifacts, so even the Demon Qi and Golden Blood’s great recovery ability couldn’t heal them in a short while. Those wounds contained World Principle power and it was gnawing at Yang Kai’s life force, and his injury state was only turning for the worse.
As his blood spluttered around, the blood-soaked Yang Kai only fought more bravely.
The three Emperor Realm Masters had joined hands and managed to suppress and inflict wounds upon him, yet they were getting more surprised the more they fought.
It was fortunate that three of them had arrived here, if only one of them faced this demon, none had any confidence that they could contend against him.
This was the most vicious and bloodthirsty demon they had seen in their lives!
As the battle reached its climax, a resonant cry resounded from a distant land.
*Shriek!*
This clear cry travelled across the void and fell upon their ears. It sounded like an Ancient Phoenix Divine Spirit’s cry and its voice betrayed its great anxiety and anger.
When the voice reached them, Yang Kai who was fighting toe-to-toe against the three great Emperor Realm Masters came to a stop, as if he had been struck by lightning, and the Demon Qi enveloping his body turned unstable.
Upon seeing this, Chen Wen Hao and the others moved back anxiously and got on the alert. They didn’t know whether Yang Kai was only putting on an act and they didn’t dare to rashly advance.
When experts exchanged blows, any careless move might cost them their lives.
“What’s that noise?” Feng Ming asked.
Chen Wen Hao and Gao Xue Ting shook their heads slowly.
The three people looked ahead and witnessed Yang Kai looking in a certain direction. They all followed his gaze and looked at the horizon. A scarlet dot was quickly closing in on them!
“She has come!”
In the Small Sealed World, the Embodiment had also seen everything clearly through the projection and he was overjoyed by the turn of events.
“What’s that?” Hua Qing Si had good eyesight, yet still couldn’t see through that scarlet light’s nature. She could only feel that it contained unimaginable power!
“It’s his Artifact Spirit,” the Embodiment replied
“Artifact Spirit?” Hua Qing Si furrowed her brows and said in surprise, “Did his Artifact Spirit take on a physical form?”
Artifact Spirits were intangible beings and their life and death depended upon their artifact.
But, this Artifact Spirit had surprisingly taken a physical form, and it was obviously no ordinary Artifact Spirit.
Hua Qing Si suddenly recalled that according to the intel she got in her investigation, an Artifact Spirit with a physical form had been auctioned off in Maplewood City a year ago.
[Could it be this one?]
But, it was only a trifling Artifact Spirit, how could it reverse this deadlocked situation?
Hua Qing Si couldn’t understand why this huge rock was so overjoyed.
“I hope that your… Emergence can awaken my main body’s consciousness,” the Embodiment prayed inwardly.
Yang Kai had fallen into a disadvantageous position in his fight against the three Emperor Realm Masters, yet he still fought them stubbornly. This was anything but good news, and the Embodiment had been trying all along to awaken his main body and make him leave and escape, yet he couldn’t awaken him despite exhausting all his means.
Liu Yan had now arrived suddenly, and she probably might be able to help him cause she had a mental link with the main body.
As a matter of fact, this matter unfolded as the Embodiment had expected. When Liu Yan emerged in the distance, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense’s fluctuations descended into chaos, and he stood quietly in his place, gazing upon the closing scarlet light in the distance. His eyes were first engulfed by confusion, then his inner struggle quickly showed up in them.
Shriek!
The resonant cry wasn’t any different than a sharp sword stabbing at Yang Kai’s heart, and that scarlet light wasn’t any different than a spark setting a prairie afire, setting Yang Kai’s consciousness afire. At this moment, the close mental link between him and the Artifact Spirit played a crucial role.
Yang Kai’s mind got sober for a moment!
In the next moment, he realized his current dire straits and he couldn’t help but furrow his brows.
“The situation has changed, let’s end this battle.” Chen Wen Hao had realized that something was amiss with Yang Kai and he immediately let out a shout and got ready to use his ultimate move and end this battle as soon as possible.
Upon hearing Chen Wen Hao’s statement, Feng Ming and Gao Xue Ting both started fully manoeuvring their Source Qi.
“Seniors, do you have to go so far and take my life?” Yang Kai suddenly spoke.
The three Emperor Realm Masters were taken aback.
Since the beginning of the fight, Yang Kai had only uttered several words and they weren’t any different than a madman’s yells, yet at this moment, his voice was pretty calm and he was obviously lucid.
“Demon, don’t waste your breath, we won’t rest today until one of us is dead,” Chen Wen Hao shouted and waved his sword. The Myriad Sword Principle power went after Yang Kai!
Feng Ming and Gao Xue Ting had also attacked at the same time.
Yang Kai held his breath. After he came back to his senses, he realized and understood the Emperor Realm Masters’ terrifying power.
He wasn’t able to contend against those three people!
Previously, he was able to exchange blows with them for so long only thanks to the Demon Sense, which had aroused his instinct for survival and slaughter.
But now, upon facing the Emperor Realm Masters’ shocking joint attack, Yang Kai detected a deadly threat looming over him.
He quickly tapped the ground several times with his foot and moved back gracefully, while he gnashed his teeth and shouted: “Black Eye Prison: Infinite Darkness!”
As his voice echoed out, his right eye’s pitch-black Demonic Pupil shot a dark ray.
When the three Emperor Realm Masters faced said black pupil, their movement came to a stop for a moment. It looked to them like that pupil contained a whole ever-changing world and a universe full of revolving celestial bodies.
A desolate and ancient aura started spreading out, while the sky fell into darkness, a darkness so deep that one couldn’t see his fingers.
The region enveloped by absolute darkness turned into a prison, a large prison with a perimeter of a hundred miles.
Even the radiance of the dazzling sword light, the spear phantom image, and the Nine Suns’ Radiant Shine in the sky couldn’t penetrate the darkness’s seal and disperse it.
The Emperor Realm Masters got nervous, as they couldn’t see even their nearby companions, and when they released their Divine Sense, its detection power was disturbed by the boundless darkness and it descended into a mess.
It looked like this said darkness spread out to the ends of the world, engulfing it whole.
After the Emperor Realm Masters had gone through some short-lived fluster, they quickly regained their calm and started weaving hand seals.
Myriad sword light flew around, while the Lightning Goose Spear turned into a Flood Dragon of Thunder and danced in the sky. As for the nine radiant suns, they had all exploded.
A wisp of light was sparked in the boundless darkness, and it quickly expanded until it dispersed and scattered the darkness.
The three people stood in the air and looked around. They were the sole people left here, while the demon had already disappeared. Who knew where he ran away to?
They all couldn’t help but exchange a glance. Their expressions were quite unsightly as they all released their Divine Sense to cover the land, yet they still couldn’t discern in which direction the demon ran.
“What kind of Divine Ability was that?” Feng Ming shouted with a gloomy look plastered on his face.
Chen Wen Hao shook his head, “No idea!”
“We must quickly report this affair to our sect, and… We should also take a trip to the Star Soul Palace. An Ancient Great Demon’s Demon Sense has emerged, and they probably have some inklings about it,” Gao Xue Ting collected the Radiant Sun Mirror and stroked it lightly with a pained look appeared on her face. A wisp of Dark Power was left in the mirror, and it wasn’t any different than a maggot gnawing at it, yet she couldn’t get rid of it.
“Junior Sister Gao, you’re right. There’s no time to lose, we must quickly set off toward the Star Soul Palace. Let’s hope that the Great Emperor has already detected it,” Chen Wen Hao said and took out a Jade Token. He quickly imbued his Divine Sense into it then shattered it.
A complex and strange pattern emerged in front of him, yet shortly disappeared and left with the wind.
Feng Ming and Gao Xue Ting had also cast various Secret Techniques and reported what they had seen and experienced to their sects’ headquarters.
Soon after, they set off toward the Star Soul Palace to visit the Bright Moon Great Emperor and demand an answer out of him.
As for whether the fugitive demon would scourge the nearby Maplewood City, that wasn’t something they had to deal with. That demon acted so strangely, and its means were all-powerful. They weren’t able to slay it even after joining hands, and they still had some apprehension about the Barrier Divine Ability cast by the demon at the end.
If the demon seized that chance to mount a surprise attack on them, then they would end up either dead or injured.
They all didn’t care about the little Maplewood City, and if they hadn’t learned of the damaged Ancient Great Demon’s seal here, then people of their status would never drop by this place.
After a short while, the plane recovered its calm.
…
Meanwhile, a pretty woman with a cold look plastered on her face sneaked into Maplewood City. The woman was clad in an outfit as red as sunset clouds.
The numerous cultivators had just survived a calamity, yet after seeing this pretty woman, they all couldn’t help but gaze at her.
Some people had detected faintly that this said woman possessed an unusual spiritual nature, which was both ethereal yet berserk. It was pretty bewildering!
Soon after, the woman took out a Sound Bead and infused her Divine Sense into it, and it looked like she was communicating with someone.
After a short while, she put away the Sound Bead and made her way toward a secluded alley.
She waited in silence for half an hour until a pretty silhouette emerged strangely.
The young woman detected her presence and turned her head to gaze at her. Upon seeing the young girl, she smiled and said, “You are Sister Xiao Qi, aren’t you?”
Mo Xiao Qi furrowed her brows and cast a glance behind the woman, yet didn’t see that familiar silhouette. She couldn’t help but ask in confusion, “Who are you? Did Brother Yang send you to seek me?”
“That’s right!” The young woman nodded and a Sound Bead appeared on her palm with a flip of a hand.
“This is what I have given Brother Yang,” Mo Xiao Qi nodded and asked, “Where is Brother Yang? I heard from City Lord Duan that he got corrupted by the Demon Qi outside the city, is he alright?”
She looked very nervous, as if she was very worried over Yang Kai’s safety.
“My master isn’t in danger for now, he’s only suffering from some minor issues and can’t meet you in person. He sent me over to pass some words to you,” the young woman replied.
“It’s fine as long as he’s alright,” Mo Xiao Qi set her mind at ease and cast a glance at the young woman. She asked with a smile, “Big sis, what’s your name?”
“My master has given me the name Liu Yan,” the woman replied.
An odd look appeared on Mo Xiao Qi’s face and she said, “It looks like Brother Yang is only a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, and you are also a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, aren’t you? So, why do you call him master?”
Liu Yan replied with a smile, “If it wasn’t for my master’s help, I wouldn’t be here. My master has given me a new lease of life.”
Mo Xiao Qi pouted and said, “Fine! In any case, it isn’t my business. Big sis, what do you plan to do later?”
“I’ll follow my master’s orders and reside for now in the Zhang family’s old house outside the city. My master has also instructed me to bring the Zhang family’s members with me,” Liu Yan said.
“Since it’s Brother Yang’s instruction, then please come with me,” Mo Xiao Qi called her over.
Liu Yan shook her head and said, “Isn’t Shopkeeper Kang making a breakthrough now? Isn’t the City Lord in front of your Cave Mansion now?”
“That’s right,” Mo Xiao Qi nodded.
Liu Yan revealed a smile and said, “I can’t see City Lord Duan and the others for now. Miss Xiao Qi, please escort the Zhang family’s members to the outside of the city. I’ll be waiting for you there.”
After she spoke, Liu Yan turned into a ray of light and flew toward the outside of the city.
Meanwhile, Duan Yuan Shan who had been waiting in front of the Cave Mansion detected something and cast a glance toward Liu Yan’s direction. He said in confusion, “What a foreign aura! Is it another Dao Source Ream Cultivator?”
On the other hand, after Liu Yan disappeared, Mo Xiao Qi rolled her eyes and said sceptically, “She doesn’t look human at all, this sister is really strange.”
She was quite curious about Liu Yan’s true form, but since the woman was related to Yang Kai, she just acted like she didn’t notice anything. However, she was also aware of why Liu Yan stated that she couldn’t see and meet City Lord Duan and the others.
Duan Yuan Shan was a Second-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator and he probably could see through her real nature.
Mo Xiao Qi just shook her head and walked toward her Cave Mansion.
…
After an hour, outside the city.
Mo Xiao Qi brought the Zhang family’s members to Liu Yan.
The Zhang family members had gotten some information about this from Mo Xiao Qi and didn’t reject Liu Yan, rather they all treated her respectfully after they detected her profound cultivation base.
They all couldn’t disregard even Liu Yan’s First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivation, let alone her master-servant relationship with Yang Kai.
“Are you Miss Ruo Xi? As I thought, you are so pure-looking and cute,” Liu Yan’s gaze surveyed the Zhang family’s members before it fell upon Zhang Ruo Xi. She spoke with a smile, while confusion flashed past her pretty eyes.
She couldn’t understand why Yang Kai was so fond of Zhang Ruo Xi.
Even though the young girl was quite pretty, her young body hadn’t fully matured yet, and if Yang Kai wanted a woman, he didn’t have to seek such a young girl. Someone with his cultivation base could get any woman he wanted.
Moreover, she also had a good understanding of Yang Kai and he wasn’t a lecherous man.
As for Zhang Ruo Xi’s cultivation? She was only a Second-Order Saint King and she couldn’t provide any help to Yang Kai. Thus, Liu Yan couldn’t see through this no matter how hard she racked her brains.
“Senior Liu Yan, hi,” Upon hearing Liu calling her out, Zhang Ruo Xi’s face got flushed and she greeted her in fluster.
Liu Yan responded with a smile.
“Senior Liu, how is mister…” Zhang Ruo Xi bit her rosy lips and summoned her courage to raise a question.
The Zhang family’s grandma and mistress had also looked over at her nervously. They all wanted to inquire about Yang Kai’s well-being and whereabouts.
“My master is safe and sound, you don’t have to worry about him. But, his body has been corroded by Demon Qi and he’s feeble for now. He’s now recuperating and he’ll come back within the next few days,” Liu Yan explained.
“I can set my mind at ease then,” the Zhang family’s mistress heaved a sigh of relief, relieved looks were also apparent on the faces of Zhang Ruo Xi and the others.
“Sister Xiao Qi, I’ll take them back,” Liu Yan spoke with Mo Xiao Qi.
Mo Xiao Qi nodded. “Fine, I’ll look for Brother Yang again once he comes back.”
Thus, both sides bid farewell to each other and separated.
Liu Yan and the Zhang family’s members departed toward a residence outside the city and they quickly reached it.
After they arrived back home, they all treated Liu Yan as an honoured guest and provided her with the best room.
Soon after, Liu Yan told them she would carry out secluded cultivation, and she just shut the windows, set up a barrier, and isolated the room thoroughly.
Inside the room, Liu Yan opened her rosy mouth, spat out a fruit-sized bead, and held it carefully in her palm. She gazed at the bead with worry apparent in her pretty eyes, while her former relaxed and easy-going air had disappeared completely!
This bead was none other than the Sealed World Bead!
At that time, after Liu Yan emerged and awakened Yang Kai’s mind, he forcefully cast an Ancient Great Demon’s Secret Technique and stranded the three Emperor Realm Masters with Dark Power. Soon after, he cast a Spatial Secret Technique and converged with her, then left the Sealed World Bead in her care, before he went into hiding within the bead.
Yang Kai had handed over some instructions to Liu Yan then hid in the Sealed World Bead…
Liu Yan’s identity was quite special and she couldn’t travel around. That’s why he just asked her to stay in the Zhang family’s residence outside the city. He had no better choice!
In Yang Kai’s short moment of sobriety, he considered many matters.
His situation was very precarious. He might have lost his mind and turned into a real demon, and if he hadn’t hidden in the Sealed World Bead and stayed outside and ran amok, then Chen Wen Hao and his companions would have caught his trail and slew him.
Moreover, he lusted for the slaughter of all living beings in that bloodthirsty state, and if he ended up venturing into Maplewood City, he would have slaughtered everyone in the city; that’s why he had to stay in the Small Sealed World.
…
Inside the Sealed World Bead, Yang Kai’s consciousness was currently quite muddled. If the Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus in his Knowledge Sea didn’t protect the last strand of his consciousness, he would have already been engulfed by that great power and would have lost any sense of self.
At this moment, the Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus was fighting ceaselessly against the Ancient Great Demon’s Demon Sense, and they were evenly matched, while Yang Kai didn’t have any solution to reverse this situation.
If it was just an issue within his Knowledge Sea’s, then it would have been fine, as he wouldn’t end up losing his sense of self thanks to the potent Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus. Unfortunately, an unimaginable amount of pure Demon Qi had accumulated in his body. His body had absorbed the Demon Qi which engulfed tens of thousand miles, and it had even absorbed the Demonic Beings’ Demon Qi!
The Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus was quite potent, but its effects were limited to his soul and it couldn’t provide any help to his fleshly body.
If he couldn’t solve his body’s issue, then he would sooner or later fall into the Ancient Great Demon Dao.
Repressed and muffled roars were echoing ceaselessly, and even the Small Sealed World was affected by Yang Kai’s emotions, its World Energy descended into chaos.
…
Hua Qing Si’s face was pale, and she was hiding next to the Embodiment’s foot, as its thick and large thigh served as a natural shelter, while her pretty eyes were staring at the source of the noise.
She had a powerful cultivation base at the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, yet in the face of the Energy Ripples created by Yang Kai, she felt like a little boat among giant waves, which would be toppled at any moment.
The Embodiment’s expression was grave, and his worry was apparent in his bright eyes, but it didn’t have any countermeasure.
Gradually, the roars turned louder, and it seemed like Yang Kai started obeying his instinct and he started destroying everything in sight in the Small Sealed World.
A storm of sand and rubble arose, while the land cracked open, the mountains quacked ceaselessly and broken rocks tumbled around.
At a certain moment, the ceaseless roars suddenly came to a stop and the havoc in the land had also come to an end.
Hua Qing Si observed him with her senses for a moment then asked with great difficulty, “What… happened over there?”
The Embodiment squinted his eyes, as if his gaze was able to penetrate the void, then said in a deep voice, “It looks like he came back to his senses for now.”
“If I seek him now and ask him to let me out… What’ll be the outcome?” Hua Qing Si couldn’t bear spending her days in fear here and a ridiculous idea sprang to her mind.
“You can give it a try,” The Embodiment cast a glance at her then looked back at a distant location and exclaimed in surprise.
Soon after, his eyes lit up and he said, “That’s right, that thing may be effective against him.”
“What thing?” Hua Qing Si asked in surprise.
The Embodiment didn’t pay heed to her, and she could only pout in response.
…
On the other side, Yang Kai drew help from his Knowledge Sea’s power to recover his sobriety for a moment and he rushed toward the medicine garden.
In his last moment of clarity, he had already realized where the issue lied, and it was precisely the abundant Demon Qi in his body. If he couldn’t solve the Demon Qi’s issue, then he would never get rid of the Ancient Great Demon’s Demon Sense plaguing him.
He had suddenly recalled the Immortal Tree planted in the medicine garden.
That Immortal Tree was indestructible as everlasting as the world itself. It had lived from ancient times to the present.
If he could find a way to fuse it with his body, then he wouldn’t just get the legendary Undying Body, he would also get the Immortal Tree’s power and would be able to contend against the Demon Qi in his body and quell it.
Yang Kai had already refined the Sealed World Bead and he could control the Small Sealed World with his thoughts.
With a mere thought, he arrived into the medicine garden and sat cross-legged in front of the Immortal Tree. He started circulating his Secret Art and tried to absorb the Immortal Tree’s power.
When he had just gotten the Immortal Tree, he had once tried to refine it, yet couldn’t find any way to achieve this feat and had to give up in the end.
At that time, he was a First-Order Origin King, and the reason behind his failure might have been his low cultivation base.
At this moment, he had already reached the First-Order Dao Source Realm, and his cultivation base was higher than last time by a whole Great Realm, so he should give it another try.
But, he quickly discovered that despite his First-Order Dao Source Realm’s cultivation base, he still wasn’t able to absorb the Immortal Tree’s power. The Immortal Tree had taken root in the medicine garden, and it wasn’t really tall, but the astonishing Life Force emitted by it filled the whole Small Sealed World with abundant vitality. Sadly, he still couldn’t absorb and use even a strand of its Life Force.
Yang Kai’s gaze turned gloomy and a wisp of despair welled up in his heart.
Usually, such a weak emotion wouldn’t have been anything serious, but he was now plagued by an Ancient Demon Sense. His despair had been spread out by the Ancient Demon Sense and the whole Small Sealed World’s ambience turned heavy. Even Hua Qing Si, who was in a distant region, was engulfed by despair and a heartbroken expression appeared on her pretty face. She looked quite pitiful!
She had been affected by his emotions and she felt like she saw herself stranded in this strange dimension for life and she stayed here until she grew old then died.
Even on her deathbed, only this huge rock was accompanying her.
She quickly stretched her hand to wipe the corner of her eye and she found out that her finger ended up moist.
“Alas!” The Embodiment let out a heavy sigh.
“Why am I suddenly so heartbroken?” Hua Qing Si raised her head to look at the Embodiment while wiping her eyes ceaselessly. Her tears were flowing out none stop and she could only wipe them one time after the other fruitlessly.
The Embodiment stretched his large hand which wasn’t any smaller than a large door and patted Hua Qing Si’s head.
The beauty’s body was pushed down, and she said in an adorable voice, “I’m so sad! Why did I end up crying so much… Huh? It’s so annoying, my tears won’t stop…”
As she spoke, her eyes had already turned red and swollen like a peach.
“Huh…” The Embodiment exclaimed in surprise once again and he suddenly stood up. His eyes gazed at a distant region, and his eyes trembled intensely as if he had just seen an inconceivable matter. He couldn’t help but cry out, “This is…”
In the medicine garden, Yang Kai was still sitting down cross-legged in front of the Immortal Tree and trying to absorb its power to no avail, yet he ended up absorbing a different power.
The Golden-Silver Tree near the Immortal Tree shook lightly and shone with two different radiances: Extremely pure gold and silver radiance.
The golden and silver radiances weren’t any different than spirits dancing in the wind and they turned into innumerable specks of light, butterfly-like specks of light that revolved around Yang Kai.
Yang Kai was taken aback!
After he had killed the Wood Spirit, he got a seed and planted it, and it had grown into the Golden-Silver Tree.
At that time, the seed had also been both golden and silver and each colour occupied half of the seed surface, but Yang Kai had no idea what kind of seed it was.
However, the Wood Spirit had lived for a long time, and it should have been an Ancient Exotic Ancient Tree that had gained sentience. In other words, that said seed was an Exotic Ancient Tree’s seed.
Originally, he planned to study it slowly, but at this moment, the Golden-Silver Tree released a mysterious power and he was taken aback by it.
While Yang Kai was still in a trance, the golden and silver light specks flew into his body and disappeared.
Yang Kai was surprised and he revealed a bitter smile.
He had no idea about the effect of the golden and silver light specks and he didn’t know whether they would pose any threat to him, but his body had already been engulfed by the abundant Demon Qi and he didn’t mind getting something else. In any case, he was already in trouble.
So, Yang Kai just lowered his guard and allowed them to enter his body.
In the next moment, his body shook and his eyes widened up and shone with bright light.
It looked like the Demon Qi billowing on the surface of his body was restrained by something and it let out a roar, then drilled into his body through his pores.
In a short while, Yang Kai’s body was revealed again.
Meanwhile, the Demon Qi inside his body had been compressed by an unknown force and it gathered in a certain region of his body.
Even though the Demon Qi was pretty terrifying, that mysterious force wasn’t a pushover and it was very powerful. It had driven out the Demon Qi like it was herding sheep and pushed it into his belly.
Soon after, a burning pain transmitted from his belly and he let out a pained cry in spite of himself, but that burning pain quickly turned into a bone-chilling cold.
He couldn’t refrain from shivering, and he felt like even his bloodstream was frozen.
But, before he could get used to this change, it changed back into a burning pain, then cold, and so on.
He didn’t know how long this cycle lasted, and it was only after he had been tormented for so long that a golden and silver light suddenly emanated from his belly.
Yang Kai’s body shook and he faintly realized something. He pulled open his clothes and took a look. He could see two golden and silver lights moving around in his belly like little fish.
Moreover, as they moved around, a mysterious and abstruse pattern was gradually formed, as if it had been imprinted there.
After a moment, the golden and silver light flickered brightly then disappeared. As for Yang Kai, he let out a miserable scream then dropped down unconscious.
A light breeze blew over, and the Small Sealed World regained its calm.
…
In a distant region, the Embodiment was mumbling, “What’s that?”
“What’s what?” Hua Qing Si had already gotten over that boundless sadness and she rubbed her eyes, as she said coyly, “Did that guy die?”
The Embodiment cast a glance at her and said with a smile, “I’ll have to disappoint you, he’s still living well.”
“Damn!” Hua Qing Si gnashed her teeth, “He has made me cry like a little girl.” Her shame was apparent on her face and she said resentfully, “I’ll surely avenge this humiliation.”
After she spoke, she turned into the Embodiment and said, “Big Stone, you’ll help me, won’t you?”
“Huh? Do you have any feasible plan for carrying out your revenge?” The Embodiment gazed at her with great interest.
Hua Qing Si revealed a smile, and as her beautiful hair fluttered in the wind, she looked like the quintessence of beauty, and this said beauty said, “A hero can’t escape a beauty’s honey trap.”
Upon hearing this, the Embodiment nodded and commended her.
In the Small Sealed World.
After an unknown amount of time, Yang Kai slowly woke up.
When his eyes snapped open, the previous scene ran across his mind and he promptly sat up in surprise, then furrowed his brow and started observing the state of his body.
He discovered in surprise that the source of his trouble, the Demon Qi, had disappeared completely and there wasn’t even a wisp of it left in his body.
But, an indescribable pain was spreading from his belly, it was a scorching, yet bone-chilling pain, and it was very strange.
He quickly lowered his head to observe his belly and he discovered a strange golden-silver pattern there, as if it had been branded on his flesh.
“What the hell is this?” Yang Kai observed that mark in bewilderment.
When his consciousness fell upon the mark, his vision went black, as if the whole world had suddenly descended into darkness. Frantic roars were reverberating among the boundless darkness, as if something confined there was attempting to break out.
Yang Kai was astounded and he bit on his tongue. He made use of pain to recover his sobriety.
As he took another look ahead of him, there wasn’t any boundless darkness left, and everything he had just seen was a mere illusion.
“Is it a seal?” He raised his brows and revealed a surprised expression.
At this moment, he finally understood what had happened.
The golden-silver mark branded on his belly was obviously a profound seal, which had sealed the Demon Qi in his body and the strand of Demon Sense in his Knowledge Sea.
“Does such a thing exist in this world?” He let out a muffled shout and his expression changed dramatically.
He had already experienced that Demon Qi and Demon Sense, and was clearly aware of the density of the former and the ferocity of the latter.
Even with his current power, after he had been engulfed by Demon Qi and controlled by Demon Sense, he became able to contend against three First-Order Emperor Realm Masters. Its great power could be discerned from this.
But at this moment, a naturally formed seal suppressed them, and if he didn’t pry into it closely, he wouldn’t have even noticed that his body still contained Demon Qi and Demon Sense. [How strong is this seal?]
Upon thinking of this, Yang Kai turned his head around to gaze at the Golden-Silver Tree, and a stupefied look appeared on his face.
The Golden-Silver Tree had been growing well, yet at this moment, its leaves were yellow and drooping, as if they lacked enough nutriment, while its golden and silver radiance had disappeared completely.
It looked like it had lost most of its vitality!
The seal had obviously been formed by the mysterious power of the Golden-Silver Tree, and it had ended up in this state after its power was extracted.
The Golden-Silver Tree had been in the medicine garden for only a year, but the Small Sealed World’s medicine garden contained innumerable plots of Heavy Earth and five Earth Vein Crystals, which was excellent for spirit grasses’ growth.
A year in the medicine garden was equivalent to a hundred years in the outside world!
The Golden-Silver Tree’s hundred years essence had been extracted by Yang Kai, and it wouldn’t be strange for the natural seal formed by such a thick essence to suppress Ancient Demon Qi.
Upon thinking of this, Yang Kai was shaken up at first, then delight welled up in his heart.
If he wasn’t wrong, then he wouldn’t have to worry about the Demon Sense’s corruption in the future.
He didn’t know how long the seal on his belly would last, but as long as the Golden-Silver Tree had another year here, then it would again form that mysterious power, and even if the seal weakened, he could draw help from the Golden-Silver Tree’s power to continue suppressing the Demon Sense.
He was very curious about what kind of Exotic Ancient Tree possessed such great power!
As such a thought ran across his mind, he stretched his hand and flickered to the Embodiment and Hua Qing Si to where he was.
“Have you resolved it?” The Embodiment observed Yang Kai and didn’t detect any Demon Qi on him. He was quite baffled!
Yang Kai nodded and used his Divine Sense to transmit relevant info to his Embodiment.
After he mulled it over, the Embodiment understood everything. He nodded and said, “So, that’s how it’s!”
The Embodiment also looked toward the Golden-Silver Tree with a flickering gaze.
“Little brother, hi,” Hua Qing Si revealed a faint, yet weird-looking smile with great difficulty. Yang Kai’s former might had traumatized her. Fu Si Tong’s power wasn’t any lower than hers, yet he had been easily swatted to death by Yang Kai.
Yang Kai didn’t kill her immediately, but she had been imprisoned by him and didn’t have any sense of security, that’s why, as she spoke, she deliberately revealed her charm. She said, “I was quite worried about you because of your previous dire state.”
Yang Kai cast an indifferent glance at her and didn’t comment over her statement. He said, “I’ll ask you a question.”
“Little brother, go ahead and ask,” Hua Qing Si said sheepishly.
“Can you recognize this tree?” Yang Kai pointed at the Golden-Silver Tree and spoke.
In his eyes, Hua Qing Si was a member of the Star Soul Palace with pretty good power, and she must be quite knowledgeable. That’s why she might know something about it.
But, he quickly noticed that once Hua Qing Si cast a glance at the exotic tree, only confusion appeared in her pretty eyes. She obviously couldn’t recognize it!
But, the Immortal Tree next to it emitted an astounding Life Force, and Hua Qing Si couldn’t help but cast several glances at her and an unusual light flashed past her pretty eyes.
“This is the Immortal Tree,” Yang Kai explained.
Hua Qing Si’s body shook and an astounded look appeared on her at first, then her face immediately fell, and she covered her ears and shook her head. She started mumbling morbidly, “I don’t want to hear anything, I don’t want to hear anything…”
Yang Kai was taken aback and he cast a glance at the Embodiment. He asked, “Did this woman go crazy?”
The Embodiment chuckled in response, “The more she knows, the more precarious her situation will become. She’s quite clever.”
“So, that’s why…” Yang Kai nodded and looked mockingly at Hua Qing Si. He said, “It doesn’t matter whether you heard it or not, in any case, you won’t get back your freedom.”
“Smelly brat!” Anger appeared on Hua Qing Si’s face and she looked at Yang Kai with gnashed teeth. She said, “Did I ever offend you? Why do you have to torment me? Did you forget that I have once saved your life when you were in danger? It’s me who saved you, and if I didn’t intervene in time, you would have been killed by that useless Fu Si Tong, yet you didn’t show any gratitude. Rather, you repaid kindness with malice. I must have been blind to save you. If I had known that it’ll end here, I would have left you to die. At least, I wouldn’t have to suffer in this prison.”
She revealed an infuriated look, and she stood at the moral high ground, as she criticized and denounced Yang Kai with forceful and resounding words, and she only got more worked up the more she spoke and her pretty face got flushed out of fury, while her chest heaved up and down.
Yang Kai didn’t utter a word and only looked at her with great interest. He waited for her to finish her speech before he shook his head and said, “Even if you didn’t intervene, Fu Si Tong wouldn’t have been able to harm me, and if he really dared to attack me, it’s only him who would suffer.”
Yang Kai was very confident about this!
At that time, Yang Kai wasn’t able to control his body, but it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to break through the Demon Qi engulfing his body. If Fu Si Tong dared to assault him, he would have faced the backlash and counterattack of the Demon Qi.
“Despite this, you can’t deny that I intended to save you, and I’m your benefactor. You can’t treat me like this and imprison me there,” Hua Qing Si said through gnashed teeth.
“Didn’t you have your own selfish reasons for saving me?” Yang Kai looked with a smile at her.
Hua Qing Si said angrily, “I have no enmity with you and I didn’t even know you prior to this ordeal, so what selfish reason would I harbour? Don’t tell me you think I have taken a liking to your handsome face?”
“Aren’t you from the Star Soul Palace?” Yang Kai asked this question out of the blue.
“That’s right,” Hua Qing Si said proudly and threatened him. “I’m from the Star Soul Palace. If you’re sensible, then hurry up and let go of me, or you’ll end up facing great trouble.”
“I didn’t kill Han Leng, but I was at the scene when he got killed,” Yang Kai squinted his eyes and spoke.
“What are you talking about?” Hua Qing Si looked around diffidently.
Yang Kai chuckled, “Fu Si Tong came to Maplewood City to investigate Han Leng’s cause of death. So, didn’t you also come here for the same reason?” He said confidently and calmly, “Besides this, I can’t think of any other reasons for masters of your calibre to visit the little and insignificant Maplewood City.”
“Can’t I just say that I have passed by here on the way?” Hua Qing Si said obstinately.
“You really came because of Han Leng’s death, didn’t you?” Yang Kai looked in surprise at her.
This had been only his own conjunction, but now, he was completely sure of it. When he spoke a while ago, Hua Qing Si’s emotions fluctuated a little, but she had hidden it well.
If they were outside, Yang Kai wouldn’t have been able to detect it, but they were now in the Small Sealed World and nothing could escape his Divine Sense.
“Did you just trick me?” Hua Qing Si was taken back and she spoke out of exasperation.
“You have come to investigate a banished disciple. It looks like Han Leng either has an outstanding familial background or carried an important secret.” Yang Kai wore a pensive look and stroked his chin. It looked like he was only talking to himself, but his Divine Sense didn’t leave Hua Qing Si even for a moment. “The former possibility is quite unlikely, as it’s said that the Star Soul Palace has hunted him down many times, and if he has any outstanding familial background, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state. Then it’s likely the other possibility, isn’t it?”
“I’ll kill you!” Hua Qing Si let out a sharp shout and used her body’s Source Qi to launch an attack against Yang Kai.
She was quite wary of Yang Kai due to his former prowess, but he was now only a First-Order Dao Source Realm and she probably could deal with him.
Yang Kai had only stretched and clenched his hand, and the power of the Principles suddenly moved and stranded Hua Qing Si’s mid-air and she couldn’t break free no matter how hard she struggled. She was quite helpless and she could only cast a meaningful glance at the Embodiment.
A weird expression appeared on Yang Kai’s face and he cast a glance at the Embodiment, he said, “Didn’t you tell her that everything in this world is within my control?”
“Well, she didn’t ask.” The Embodiment laughed in response.
“Then why is she giving you a meaningful glance?”
“She’s probably asking me to charge forward with her.” The Embodiment wore an innocent look.
“Hey, why are you chatting so merrily?” Hua Qing Si turned pale with fright and she yelled at the Embodiment, “Big Stone, don’t you want to regain your freedom? This is your best chance, so why aren’t you making a move, yet?”
The Embodiment spread out his arms and said, “I can’t provide any help, I’m sorry, but you’re by yourself.”
Hua Qing Si was left without a choice and she could only size up her situation, then bite her rosy lips and look at Yang Kai pitifully with her watery eyes. She said softly, “Little Brother, I’ve made a mistake, please let me down.”
The Embodiment said in surprise, “Where did your integrity go?”
“If you shut up, none will take you for a mute,” Hua Qing Si looked at him angrily then said through gnashed teeth, “Traitor!’
An embarrassed look appeared on the Embodiment’s face.
“I have never agreed to join hands with you, why are you calling me a traitor?” The Embodiment looked innocently at Hua Qing Si.
“I don’t care!” Hua Qing Si turned her head sideways and didn’t spare him a glance. She said disdainfully, “Traitor, traitor, traitor…”
“Don’t make a scene here!” Yang Kai snorted coldly and said, “Tell me, what’s Han Leng’s secret?”
“I don’t know,” Hua Qing Si replied bluntly.
“Hehe…” Yang Kai chuckled and said calmly, “It looks like you still don’t understand your current situation… I’ll have to postpone this discussion until you come back to your senses.”
Upon speaking, he waved his hand, and Hua Qing Si who had been stranded mid-air disappeared suddenly. It was unknown where in the Small Sealed World she had been thrown!
Soon after, Yang Kai started weaving hand seals with both hands and sent several seals into the air. It looked like he cast some Secret Technique against Hua Qing Si!
“Even though this woman is pretty dull-witted, she’s not a vile person,” the Embodiment said suddenly.
“I know,” Yang Kai nodded. “If she didn’t want to save me, I wouldn’t have brought her here, and I would have killed her long ago to silence her.”
“It’s fine as long as you don’t go overboard,” the Embodiment said and cast a glance at Yang Kai’s body, then spoke again, “You should quickly treat your injuries.”
Yang Kai nodded and sat down cross-legged next to the medicine garden.
In the previous battle, he had been possessed by the Demon Sense and he fought bravely with no fear of death against three Emperor Realm Masters, and he ended up sustaining a lot of injuries, injuries that contained those said Emperor Realm Masters’ Principle Power. It wasn’t easy to heal those injuries.
If an ordinary Dao Source Realm Master sustained similar injuries, then he could only consume elixirs to stop his injuries from worsening, and he wouldn’t have any means to treat them.
But Yang Kai was within the Small Sealed World, and he could draw help from this dimension’s World Principles to erase the remnant Principle Power in his injuries.
Three days quickly elapsed, and Yang Kai finished treating his injuries. He had drawn help from the Life Force emitted by the Immortal Tree in the medicine garden to speed up his body’s recovery power, and that’s why he completely recovered from his injuries in such a short time, there weren’t even any scars left.
However, he had just gone through a great battle and his body was still pretty feeble. He had to recuperate for several days to recover to his peak state.
Thereafter, he left the Small Sealed World and appeared within a guest room in the Zhang family’s manor.
Liu Yan had been keeping guard near the Sealed World Bead all along, and her pretty eyes immediately lit up upon seeing Yang Kai, and she said out of delight, “Master…”
As she spoke, she observed Yang Kai thoroughly, and she heaved a sigh of relief upon ascertaining his well-being
“You’ve gone through a lot.” Yang Kai nodded at her then collected the Sealed World Bead.
Liu Yan said, “That’s my duty.”
“Seems like you have advanced into the Dao Source Realm. Congratulations!”
Liu Yan had been sleeping all along within the magma beneath the Yuan Furnace Mountain and she absorbed the magma’s fire power. Yang Kai had detected that she would shortly make an advancement, yet she hadn’t achieved it even after a whole month, and that’s why he set off toward Maplewood City alone.
However, she had fortunately returned at the most crucial juncture and helped Yang Kai recover his sobriety by making use of the close mental bond between them. If she hadn’t shown up there, the consequences would have been too horrible to imagine.
“I’m already at the Dao Source Realm, but I’m still too lacking in comparison to you,” Liu Yan said with a faint smile.
“You don’t have to disparage yourself. You aren’t like ordinary beings and don’t have any outstanding advantage. But since Heaven has allowed you to reach your current realm, then it’ll surely allow you to walk further down your road.”
“I hope so…” Liu Yan revealed a longing look.
“By the way, have a look at this, is it useful to you?” Yang Kai suddenly recalled something and took it out of his Space Ring.
When this object appeared, the whole room’s temperature rose and a scorching aura pervaded it.
“This is…” Liu Yan’s pretty eyes contracted and she looked in shock at the object in Yang Kai’s hands.
It was a feather, a one-meter-long golden feather with a black and lively flame burning on it, a flame seemingly able to burn even souls.
“It’s a Luan Feng’s feather,” Yang Kai explained.
He had gotten the feather of Luan Feng in Clear Jade Mountain. It wasn’t a fallen feather of a young Luan Feng, but rather the Divine Feather of a fully grown Divine Spirit.
Upon hearing Yang Kai’s statement, Liu Yan’s body shook as he expected and she stared in a daze at Luan Feng’s feather with her shivering pretty eyes. She said, “Can I refine it?”
“That’s what I hope,” Yang Kai handed over the feather to her with a smile.
Liu Yan took it and stroked it fondly.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai sent her into the Sealed World Bead and left her there to refine it.
Soon after, he left the room and went to meet the Zhang family’s members.
When the Zhang family’s members saw Yang Kai, they all inquired about his well-being, and it was especially so for Zhang Ruo Xi. She was so bashful that she couldn’t utter a single word, but Yang Kai could feel her concern and relief through her frequent glances at him.
After Yang Kai had a chat with the Zhang family members, he went back to his room, then took out the Sound Bead and told Mo Xiao Qi that he was already out of harm’s way.
Mo Xiao Qi got pretty excited and promptly said that she was coming to see him, then hung up on him before he could stop her. He could only let out a bitter laugh in response!
After a short while, Yang Kai detected several powerful auras closing in from the distance and a person’s voice reached him before their arrival. “Hahaha, brother Yang, we’ve come to pay you a visit!”
A voice full of vigour reverberated!
Upon discerning who had just spoken, the Zhang family descended into chaos and they all lined up outside to welcome him under the lead of the Zhang family’s matriarch.
After a short while, there was a bright flash and several silhouettes appeared.
The Zhang family’s old madam bowed and shouted, “City Lord, you’ve honoured our humble abode with your presence, and we’re sorry for failing to welcome you properly.”
The other people had also greeted Duan Yuan Shan.
Duan Yuan Shan waved his hand and said with a smile, “Old Madam, you don’t have to be so polite, I’ve come uninvited and it’s me who should ask for your forgiveness. I’ve come here to see brother Yang and I wonder if he’s…”
“Senior Yang is resting in our guest room. Sirs, please come with me,” The old madam had been speaking calmly, yet anyone could discern her repressed excitement.
Usually, the little Zhang family wouldn’t get into the City Lord’s eyes, and it was even impossible for him to leave Maplewood City to visit them, yet at this moment, this impossible matter had occurred.
They knew well it was all because of Yang Kai, but this was still a great honour for the Zhang family.
Only a bunch of orphans and widows were left in the Zhang family and other families might set their eyes on them, but if what happened on this day spread out, then those families eyeing them wouldn’t dare to make a move against them, and their survival might even depend on the Zhang family’s attitude.
The old madam had finally seen hope for the Zhang family’s rise and she was quite grateful to Yang Kai.
“Sorry for bothering you,” Duan Yuan Shan said with a faint smile and was about to land with his companions, yet one of them couldn’t wait any longer and turned into a light beam that ventured into the Zhang family’s manor and disappeared in one of its rooms.
“Why is he so anxious and impatient?” Upon seeing this, Duan Yuan Shan could only laugh bitterly, and he didn’t reprimand him.
In the guest room, Kang Si Ran pushed open the door and entered, and he found Yang Kai gazing at him with a smile.
“Brother Yang, are you… alright?” Kang Si Ran observed Yang Kai’s state nervously, and he heaved a sigh of relief only after assessing his well-being. “I heard from the City Lord that you got corrupted by the Demon Qi outside the city and you had almost turned into a demon. It really gave me a scare!”
“Something like that happened, but fortunately, I have crossed that crisis without suffering a mishap,” Yang Kai nodded with a smile.
Kang Si Ran felt ashamed of himself and said, “At that time, I had been trying to break through my bottleneck in secluded cultivation and had no idea about what’s happening outside and didn’t get any information about it until I left seclusion two days ago. But, you had already disappeared then and I couldn’t find you despite searching for you with the City Lord. I really have no face to stand before you.”
Kang Si Ran’s expression was sincere and those were heartfelt words.
After all, he had become a Dao Source Realm Cultivator thanks to the Dao Source Pill given to him by Yang Kai.
Moreover, Kang Si Ran detected faintly that the Dao Source Pill with Pill Veins didn’t just help him advance into the next Great Realm and it had also altered something within him.
He couldn’t describe with words what it had altered, but he could still feel that the First-Order Dao Source Realm wasn’t the end of his Martial Path and he still had hope to advance further and peer into the Emperor Realm’s mysteries.
This wasn’t any different than giving him a new lease of life, and he felt like he would never be able to repay this great favour.
Yang Kai’s favour wasn’t any different than a mountain weighing on his shoulders, yet when Yang Kai was facing grave danger, he was in the dark, and he felt very ashamed of himself.
However, upon seeing that Yang Kai was safe and sound, he finally felt a lot better.
Yang Kai said earnestly, “Brother Kang, thanks for your concern!”
“Please don’t thank me…” Kang Si Ran scratched his face.
“Shopkeeper Kang, you’ve got a good relationship with Brother Yang,” Duan Yuan Shan’s voice reached them, as he entered the room, followed closely by Mo Xiao Qi.
Upon seeing Yang Kai, Mo Xiao Qi’s eyes lit up and she stuck out her tongue sheepishly. She said, “I wanted to come alone, but when City Lord Duan and Shopkeeper Kang heard that you had come back, they insisted on following me here…”
“Miss Mo Xiao Qi, that isn’t your fault, I’m the one to blame for coming uninvited. Brother Yang, I hope that I didn’t disturb your rest.” Duan Yuan Shan chuckled and spoke.
“City Lord Duan, you don’t have to treat me as a stranger,” Yang Kai smiled and nodded at Mo Xiao Qi. “Our room is simple and crude, and you can sit wherever you see fit.”
Duan Yuan Shan didn’t act with reservation and he just picked a chair and sat down, while Mo Xiao Qi and Kang Si Ran had also done the same.
After they all took their seats, Duan Yuan Shan said with a solemn expression, “Brother Yang, I have to apologize to you.”
“City Lord, what do you mean?” Yang Kai acted dumb and asked in confusion.
Duan Yuan Shan said, “At that time, Zhuang Pan escaped and the Black Tortoise Seven Sections Array collapsed by itself, while you got corrupted by Demon Qi, and I couldn’t save you in time. I really couldn’t get over it and I feel ashamed of myself every time I recall it.”
Yang Kai shook his head and said, “City Lord Duan, it isn’t as grave as you said. I was well aware of the situation then, and it wasn’t your fault.”
Upon hearing Yang Kai’s statement, Duan Yuan Shan said with a smile, “Brother Yang, you’re a sensible and just man.”
“Humph, you’re only a spineless coward,” Kang Si Ran next to them spoke indignantly.
“Shopkeeper Kang, when did I ever offend you?” Duan Yuan Shan looked in confusion at Kang Si Ran.
Honestly speaking, he wasn’t on friendly terms with Kang Si Ran, but he had known him for a long time. After all, Kang Si Ran was from the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce and had an outstanding background. He didn’t dare to belittle him despite his low power.
But, after Kang Si Ran advanced into the Dao Source Realm, he discovered that the former’s attitude toward him turned quite impertinent, and it had even turned for the worse upon learning of Yang Kai’s incident.
Duan Yuan Shan had been both confused and irritated by this, and he felt like Kang Si Ran got conceited after gaining great power.
At this moment, he got mocked in front of Yang Kai and he couldn’t stand this any longer. His anger was apparent through his words.
“City Lord Duan, you really know how to joke, how can a great City Lord offend an insignificant person like me?” Kang Si Ran said in a strange tone.
“You…” Duan Yuan Shan’s fury was apparent on his face.
After all, he was still a City Lord, and Kang Si Ran didn’t just treat me disrespectfully, he still mocked him brazenly, and anyone would be displeased by this.
“Sirs, please let me say a few words,” Yang Kai mulled this over. He was aware of why Kang Si Ran couldn’t stand Duan Yuan Shan, and he looked at him and said with a smile, “At that time, City Lord Duan wasn’t able to provide any help and didn’t have any other alternative. He could only protect himself and retreat, and he can’t be blamed for his actions.”
“Brother Yang, you’re the sensible one here,” Duan Yuan Shan snorted coldly and his expression turned for the better.
“Is that true?” Kang Si Ran furrowed his brows and cast a glance at Yang Kai, then cupped his fist at Duan Yuan Shan and apologized, “Brother Yang has already explained what happened and I have to apologize to you. I was too impulsive, and I hope that you won’t take offence.”
Duan Yuan Shan’s expression changed and he said, “Brother Kang, never mind!”
Even though he said so calmly, he was quite shocked inwardly. Kang Si Ran’s attitude had changed so drastically due to a mere word from Yang Kai, and it looked like Kang Si Ran obeyed every word of Yang Kai.
If this wasn’t the case, a Dao Source Realm Master from the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t have given in to him and apologized.
[These two’s relationship isn’t as simple as it looks!] Duan Yuan Shan started making guesses inwardly. He really couldn’t understand how Yang Kai could make a cultivator of the same realm obey and serve him.
“City Lord Duan, what about Zhuang Pan?” Yang Kai’s expression suddenly turned gloomy and he raised a question.
Zhuang Pan might not be the main cause of all the issues, but he still played a part in making the whole situation worse. If this cowardly rat hadn’t escaped ahead of others, then the Black Tortoise Seven Sections Array wouldn’t collapse in a short while, and they would have been able to keep going for a while.
Moreover, Qin Zhao Yang wouldn’t have sustained injuries and Du Li Shen wouldn’t die on the spot… As for Yang Kai, he wasn’t really sure whether this would have been enough to save him from the Demon Sense and Demon Qi.
Yang Kai already had some issues with Zhuang Pan and he abhorred his cowardly actions.
“He has gone missing,” Duan Yuan Shan said with a composed look. “I wasn’t able to pick good people, and it’s my fault. If I had known earlier that Zhuang Pan was so cowardly, I wouldn’t have allowed him to take part in setting up the array and almost harm everyone.”
Duan Yuan Shan stopped for a moment then said, “After Zhuang Pan escaped, he didn’t go back to Maplewood City. A person with his cultivation base would likely end up corrupted by Demon Qi. However, from how things played out, I doubt he’s dead. It’s just that we don’t know where he is currently hiding.”
“Don’t let me run into him, or else I’ll make him regret being born into this world,” Kang Si Ran snorted coldly and murderously.
Duan Yuan Shan cast a glance at him then said to Yang Kai, “By the way, Brother Yang… What happened later on that day?”
Upon hearing his question, Mo Xiao Qi and Kang Si Ran also looked at Yang Kai curiously.
Yang Kai said with a bitter smile, “I’m not sure, I had been corrupted by Demon Qi and my Knowledge Sea was a mess. I could only feel that I was engulfed by darkness, and by the time I woke up, everything had already come to an end.”
He had already expected that they would inquire about this affair’s ins and outs, and he prepared an appropriate excuse ahead of time.
After he spoke, he then said in confusion, “But I detected several astonishing energy ripples and I wonder whether this really occurred.”
Duan Yuan Shan replied, “Brother Yang, your senses aren’t deceiving you, the Heavenly Martial Holy Land’s Senior Chen and two other masters of great sects arrived and it looked like they carried out a great battle against someone outside the city.”
“Huh?” Yang Kai revealed a surprised look, “Where are they now and did they tell you anything?”
An embarrassed look appeared on Duan Yuan Shan’s face and he said, “They didn’t drop by Maplewood City and I don’t know where they went after the battle.”
He was Maplewood City’s Lord and it was quite embarrassing for him to admit this. After all, those people dropped into his territory, yet they didn’t bother to greet him, and they didn’t even notify him. They obviously didn’t take him seriously!
He was only a Second-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator and he didn’t dare to denounce those Emperor Realm Masters.
“Then, does this mean it’s those seniors that have extinguished the Demon Qi?” Yang Kai said solemnly, “As expected. Those seniors’ means are impressive and their power is astounding. They made a great contribution then retreated and left right away. Admirable!”
Duan Yuan Shan’s expression turned stern and he said, “Our Maplewood City’s crisis has already come to an end and we must express our thanks to those seniors.”
Even Kang Si Ran and Mo Xiao Qi approved of his opinion and they obviously assumed that the Demon Qi disappeared suddenly thanks to the Emperor Realm Masters.
Yang Kai was glad to see this and he wouldn’t need to divulge the truth.
“Huh, Brother Yang, I have come here to visit you and… Ask something of you: Are you willing to reside in Maplewood City?”
“Long-term residence?” Yang Kai raised his brows.
“That’s right.” Duan Yuan Shan nodded. “According to the intel in our hands, you aren’t from any sect and faction and you also don’t belong to any family. If you stay in Maplewood City, then I’m willing to give you the Vice City Lord’s position. You also know that Zhuang Pan was the Vice City Lord, but he has already escaped and his position is vacant, while you are also endowed with enough power to take over this position.”
After he spoke, he looked expectantly at Yang Kai, as if he really wished for him to agree.
“Well…”An embarrassed look appeared on Yang Kai’s face. When they had been defending Maplewood City together, he had already heard similar news from Qin Zhao Yang and knew that Duan Yuan Shan wanted him to take over Maplewood City’s third Vice City Lord’s position.
At that time, Yang Kai’s reply had been vague and ambiguous, and he didn’t expect that Duan Yuan Shan would drop in personally to question him.
“Brother Yang is a man with outstanding talent and will sooner or later soar into the sky. How can the little Maplewood City keep him?” Kang Si Ran next to them spoke.
Duan Yuan Shan cast a glance at him then looked at Yang Kai. He said, “I understand!”
Yang Kai said with a bitter smile, “City Lord Duan, I’m really sorry, but I’m used to travelling alone and I don’t stay in the same place for long, but I still appreciate your kindness.”
“It’s no bother, you have already given me an answer and that’s enough for me.”
Mo Xiao Qi next to them giggled and said, “Brother Yang, whenever you are about to leave Maplewood City, don’t forget to notify me. I want to accompany you and travel the world with you.”
Yang Kai cast a glance at her and teased her, “I won’t refuse a beauty’s company.”
“Pah!” Mo Xiao Qi’s face got flushed and she said coyly, “Brother Yang, you’re so wicked!”
Duan Yuan Shan and Kang Si Ran burst into laughter, but when they sighted upon the large birthmark on Mo Xiao Qi’s face, they couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. If she didn’t have this birthmark, she would have been a great beauty, even though this birthmark still couldn’t cover up her beauty, it had already ruined her overall look.
Soon after, the three people chatted for a while before Duan Yuan Shan and his companions stood up and bid farewell to Yang Kai.
“By the way, Brother Yang,” When he was about to leave, Duan Yuan Shan suddenly turned around and said. “I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?” Yang Kai looked in confusion at him.
“It’s about the guy which you asked our men to imprison, I don’t know what means he used, but he has already disappeared from the city jail.”
Yang Kai raised his brows and said, “Do you mean the old swindler?”
“That’s right!” Duan Yuan Shan revealed a strange look. “At that time, all of the city’s cultivators had been defending the city and none looked after him, but his power had already been restricted by your seal and someone with his cultivation base shouldn’t have been able to escape, yet, the jailer came to report that he had disappeared and didn’t leave any trails behind him. It’s just too strange!”
“Hehe…” Yang Kai let out a laugh and said, “I know.”
Duan Yuan Shan was taken aback and he said in surprise, “You have already expected this outcome?”
Yang Kai didn’t seem surprised at all, and Duan Yuan Shan could easily discern the reason behind this.
“It was merely a guess, but it looks like that old man is anything but simple,” The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched.
The old swindler travelled alone from the Forest City to ask for reinforcement from Maplewood City and he depended upon his Third-Order Origin King’s power to venture among the Demon Qi without suffering any harm. He had obviously resorted to some unknown means to achieve this feat!
Later on, Yang Kai put a seal on him, yet, he suddenly disappeared from the jail cell.
Ordinary Origin Kings couldn’t achieve those feats, and it was a wonder what secrets he harboured and how came to possess such mysterious skills.
“Should we hunt him down?” Duan Yuan Shan asked. “If you want, I don’t mind providing help.”
“No need!” Yang Kai shook his head. “I imprisoned him only out of curiosity to see whether I could get my hands on the secret skill that helped him venture into areas with Demon Qi freely and see whether our city’s cultivators could make use of it. But, the crisis has already come to an end and we don’t need to carry out this plan any longer. It isn’t like he has done anything outrageous, he’s only fond of swindling people off their wealth.”
“Since you have given a word, then I’ll let him off the hook,” Duan Yuan Shan laughed and cupped his fists at him. He said, “Brother Yang, you should rest and recuperate in the next few days, we’ll now take our leave.”
Yang Kai nodded and saw them off with his gaze then went back to a side room and sat down.
After an hour, his eyes snapped open and he said calmly, “Since you have already arrived, then come in, what are you doing so stealthily outside?”
When Yang Kai’s voice had just echoed out, someone rushed inside swiftly, then waved his hand to close the door.
Upon seeing the person that had arrived, Yang Kai cupped his fists and broke into laughter. “Old Sir Qin!”
The person who had arrived was none other than the Qin family’s Old Ancestor, Qin Zhao Yang.
“Brother Yang!” Qin Zhao Yang returned his greeting with a slightly embarrassed look plastered on his face.
Yang Kai said, “Old Sir Qin, weren’t you recuperating at home? Why did you drop by?”
Qin Zhao Yang’s complexion was anything but good, and it was obviously because he still hadn’t recovered from the injuries he sustained last time, yet strangely enough, he didn’t visit Yang Kai along with Duan Yuan Shan, but rather sneaked here alone.
As Yang Kai mulled it over, he understood what he was up to.
“My injury is nothing serious!” Qin Zhao Yang waved his arms and looked for a seat, then sat down and said, “Brother Yang, after I heard that you came back safely, I rushed over here and didn’t expect that the City Lord would forestall me.”
“So, that’s why you hid outside?” Yang Kai chuckled.
“I have something to tell you and can’t do so in front of the City Lord,” Qin Zhao Yang said awkwardly.
“Sigh!” Yang Kai let out a sigh and looked at him earnestly then said, “I can more or less guess what you want, and I can only politely decline.”
Qin Zhao Yang said curiously, “I still didn’t say anything yet, how come you know what I want?”
Yang Kai let out a bitter laugh and said, “Mister Qin, aren’t you here to ask me to join your Qin family?”
“Is it so obvious?” Qin Zhao Yang was taken aback.
Yang Kai nodded. “Old Sir Qin, you have already made insinuations several times and only a fool won’t guess your intentions… Besides, I heard that the Qin family took over the Jiang family’s large industry, and if you don’t have enough power to rule over it, you won’t be able to deter the restless people eyeing it.”
“Brother Yang, you know me well.”
Upon hearing him, Qin Zhao Yang’s eyes lit up as he nodded, then said, “It’s as you said and that’s why I came to pay you a visit. I want to invite you to undertake our Qin family’s Supreme Elder position, whose status isn’t any lesser than mine. If we join hands, the other old geezers won’t dare to run amuck.”
Yang Kai sighed and said, “I have already refused the Vice City Lord’s position offered by City Lord Duan.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhao Yang’s expression turned gloomy and he said in disappointment, “Is that so…”
They were both astute people and Yang Kai didn’t have to provide a detailed explanation. Qin Zhao Yang had already understood that Yang Kai wouldn’t accept his offer.
Yang Kai had just refused Duan Yuan Shan’s invitation, so if he accepted Qin Zhao Yang’s invitation, Duan Yuan Shan would surely take offence and might assume that Yang Kai looked down upon him, and he might even harbour a grudge against him.
At that time, even the Qin family couldn’t stay out of this dispute.
He would get a Supreme Elder, but would end up offending the City Lord. This wasn’t a worthwhile deal and Qin Zhao Yang knew this clearly.
Yang Kai looked at Qin Zhao Yang and said ashamedly, “Actually, you have taught me the Black Tortoise Seven Sections Array’s arrangement method, and if you need any help, I won’t refuse you. But, in regards to this matter, I won’t be of any help to your Qin family, rather, I would only harm you. So, I’ll have to disappoint you.”
“I understand,” Qin Zhao Yang nodded and spoke.
“But…” Yang Kai changed the subject and said, “If the Qin family needs help, then I don’t mind making a move as your friend. When the time comes, you can go ahead and ask for my assistance.”
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhao Yang raised his brows and chuckled. “Since I already got your word, I can set my mind at ease.”
He looked pretty delighted, as even though he didn’t achieve his trip’s objective, he still got a promise from Yang Kai and didn’t come here in vain.
Qin Zhao Yang said meaningfully, “Perhaps, I’ll shortly need your help.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “I’ll await news from you.”
At that time, Qin Zhao Yang taught Yang Kai the complete arrangement method of the Black Tortoise Seven Sections Array through a jade slip, and he asked only for a promise in exchange, a promise to ensure Qin Yu’s safety, and take her away with him in case of the city’s fall.
But, what had happened later was beyond everyone’s expectation. The Demon Crisis had been more daunting than dangerous and the former’s promise had turned useless.
However, Yang Kai had already gotten benefits from him, yet, he refused Qin Zhao Yang’s invitation. Feeling ashamed of himself, he wanted to look for an opportunity to repay this favour.
The two people chatted for a while before Qin Zhao Yang stood and took his leave.
He was still injured and needed to recuperate. Besides, the Qin family had just taken over the Jiang family’s large industry and was awfully busy. He really couldn’t spare the time to spend here and couldn’t afford to waste his precious time.
After Qin Zhao Yang left, Yang Kai finally got some time for himself and he started adjusting his breathing.
He had just gone through demonization and his body was quite feeble. The great power, which greatly surpassed his current cultivation base, didn’t come at no cost.
For the next few days, Yang Kai stayed in the guest room.
…
On a certain day, Yang Kai’s eyes snapped open. His eyes shone brightly and were full of vigour. He didn’t look tired and feeble any longer, and it could be said that he had already recovered to his peak.
Yang Kai first observed his body’s state and he felt quite relieved to discover that there weren’t any hidden injuries left in it.
He didn’t rush to leave at the first moment. He just took out the Sealed World Bead and, as his body flickered, he entered it.
The Small Sealed World was as serene as usual, but after Yang Kai observed it with his senses for a while, he couldn’t help but cry in surprise. He detected an unusually strong power at a certain corner of the Small Sealed World.
His body moved and he directly descended upon that location.
Liu Yan was sitting cross-legged in front of him with her hands crossed in front of her. She was circulating her Secret Technique!
She was engulfed by berserk lightning fire. Fire was running amok and serpentine lightning was dancing within a perimeter of dozens of miles around her.
There was still a giant phantom image behind Liu Yan, a phantom image of a bird with unfolded wings, as if it would soar into the sky at any moment.
“A Luan Feng!” Yang Kai looked in surprise at the phantom image.
It was the phantom image of the Ancient Divine Spirit, Luan Feng, which he had once seen at close distance, but it was still a mere projection and wasn’t alive.
Despite this, it still emitted a Divine Spirit’s aura and indomitable black flames with a great imposing manner were burning on the phantom image.
Liu Yan’s expression was quite tense, as if her Secret Technique had reached a critical juncture.
After Yang Kai observed her for a while, he realized that she was refining Luan Feng’s feather and her progress was good, but it still was an arduous task for her.
Even though he was the Small Sealed World’s master, he couldn’t provide her with any help and she could only depend upon her will and resolution.
If she could refine it successfully, her strength would rise further, but if she failed, she would suffer a grave backlash.
Fortunately, Liu Yan had been absorbing the Sun Essence and tempering her body for years, and she was already used to intense energy, or else, it wouldn’t have been possible for her to refine Luan Feng’s Divine Feather with her First-Order Dao Source Realm’s cultivation base. However, her success and failure still depended upon her luck.
The Embodiment was sitting solemnly in a distant region and observing Liu Yan’s situation closely.
Upon seeing the main body looking at him, the Embodiment nodded in response and his implication was clearly evident.
The Embodiment was keeping watch over Liu Yan, if she suffered any mishap, he would get notified immediately. So, he could set his mind at ease and leave.
His body moved again and he arrived in another region of the Small Sealed World.
It was vacant land, and a shivering silhouette was holding onto her knees and sitting down. It was as if she was trying to hide in a corner, far from people. Such a sight would make people wonder what kind of traumatizing experience and torment she had just gone through. The woman’s hair was a mess, her face pale and her pretty eyes were looking around warily, while fright and alarm were apparent on her face.
Yang Kai had appeared before her, yet she was oblivious to it, as if she couldn’t see him.
“This…” Yang Kai looked at her and mumbled, “This should be enough, right?”
Upon speaking, he snapped his fingers.
The snap’s noise wasn’t loud, yet when it fell upon Hua Qing Si’s ears, it wasn’t any different than a deafening bell noise. Her body suddenly shook and she raised her head. She suddenly discovered that the boundless darkness engulfing her had been scattered and replaced by dazzling light.
A person, which she had cursed ceaselessly and wished to hack into pieces, had appeared next to her and was observing her lazily.
Upon seeing that person’s face, the fright and suffering Hua Qing Si had gone through in the past few days turned into a raging desire for revenge and she shouted, “I’ll kill you!”
As she spoke, she shot toward Yang Kai swiftly. Her body turned into a hundred butterflies that covered the land and they quickly enveloped Yang Kai tightly.
Yang Kai raised his hand and hacked it toward an empty region, while completely ignoring the hundred butterflies.
As a collision sound echoed out, his palm hit something…
“Ouch…” Hua Qing Si’s body fell off the void and the hundred butterflies disappeared completely. She was holding onto her head and moving back ceaselessly. She was in so much pain that tears almost flowed out of her pretty eyes.
“It looks like…” Yang Kai observed her calmly and said, “You still don’t understand your current situation, I should give you more time to reflect on it before having another discussion.”
After he spoke, he was about to resort to the same old measure, but Hua Qing Si suddenly cried sharply, “No! Don’t! I’ve made a mistake, and I don’t dare to resort to mischief again, please… Forgive me!”
In the boundless darkness, she had been killed by some strange beings many times every day and she could clearly feel death looming over every time. None would be able to stand this torment for long!
When she had been killed for the first time, she assumed that she was dead for real. But, she quickly came back to life a short while later.
However, life had been worse for her than death, as every once in a while, she would be killed by some strange beings.
After a lot of deaths, she finally understood that she was stranded in a pretty advanced illusion; an illusory cycle of life and death.
Every day, she would die at least several hundred times, and she had almost gotten numb and used to it.
If she wasn’t endowed with decent strength, this torment would have been enough to drive her crazy.
When she had sighted upon the main culprit, Yang Kai, flames of anger raged in her heart and she got daring, but she had been subdued by him with one move.
She was thoroughly in despair!
“Pretty good, I’m gratified that you have become so sensible,” Yang Kai cast a glance at her and nodded, still standing calmly.
Hua Qing Si stared at Yang Kai with hatred and dread, thinking about what she had gone through. She couldn’t help but pout then sit down on the ground and make a scene, “Heartless bastard, you are worse than a dog. I curse you to suffer in hell for all eternity…”
Yang Kai’s face fell and he glared at her in silence, waiting for her to finish her tantrum, yet she didn’t stop grumbling even after a long while, and he could only yell at her, “Enough!”
Hua Qing Si suddenly quieted, choking with sobs, while her fragile shoulders shivered lightly…
“Just look at yourself, you are a great Third-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, yet you’re spewing profanity like a street thug. What a disgrace!”
Hua Qing Si said aggrievedly, “What can I do… fight you? I can’t defeat you, and I don’t even have the right to curse you?”
“As long as you obey me, I won’t torment you,” Yang Kai snorted coldly and spoke.
Hua Qing Si nodded repeatedly, saying, “I’m obedient, very obedient.” Not forgetting to wipe her tears and show him an ugly smile.
“You should have done so long ago,” Yang Kai snorted and spoke.
Yang Kai mulled this over for a while, then walked toward Hua Qing Si and stretched his hand toward her.
Hua Qing Si moved back instinctively, seemingly out of fear, but upon noticing that he didn’t harbour any malice, she pursed her lips, summoned her courage, and stretched her hand toward him and let him pull her up.
“Come with me!” As he spoke, he used his power and teleported along with Hua Qing Si.
A flash of light streaked past her eyes for a short moment, and by the time she regained her sight, they had already arrived at a bamboo house, a simple yet graceful bamboo house.
“This place has buildings?” Hua Qing Si was bewildered. “Does someone live here?”
“Yeah, but that’s a matter of the past,” Yang Kai replied calmly.
Many years ago, he brought his friends and relatives from Tong Xuan Realm into the Shadowed Star. During his trip, more than ten thousand people resided in the Small Sealed World, and many houses were still left here.
“Sit down!” Yang Kai beckoned at her then sat down.
Hua Qing Si hesitated for a moment then sat down opposite Yang Kai.
“I’ll ask you several questions, and you have to answer me honestly,” Yang Kai spoke only after she sat down.
Hua Qing Si nodded in response.
“Did you travel to Maplewood City to investigate the cause of Han Leng’s death?” Yang Kai asked.
Hua Qing Si hesitated for a while, but she still nodded in the end. “That’s right!”
“Why?” Yang Kai stared at her.
Hua Qing Si organized her thoughts and words for a moment then said, “Junior Brother Han Leng is my master’s disciple, a banished disciple, and it looked like he had stolen one of my masters’ treasures before escaping from the Star Soul Palace. So, I hunted him down mainly to retrieve that treasure.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t have any idea, as my master didn’t tell me, but he told me that it’s a token.”
“A token?” Yang Kai raised his brows, but he quickly recalled something and took a strange token off his Space Ring. He showed it to Hua Qing Si and asked, “Is it this one?”
The token was pocket-sized with a very special texture, which was neither wooden nor metallic, and the word ‘Dragon’ was carved on its front side, while the design of a True Dragon soaring into the firmament was carved on its backside.
He had gotten this token from Han Leng’s Space Ring, but he couldn’t fathom its function at that time, and that was why he just placed it in his Space Ring and paid no more heed to it.
Now, Hua Qing Si had just told him that she came after this token under her master’s orders, and he immediately realized that the token was anything but simple.
Hua Qing Si was a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator and her master should be at least a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master, yet he was still preoccupied with the token, which clearly showed its worth.
“Did you find it in Junior Brother Han Leng’s Space Ring?” Hua Qing Si asked.
“That’s right.”
“If he didn’t have another token in his Space Ring, then this should be my mission’s objective,” Hua Qing Si cast a glance at the token with a weird look plastered on her face.
“Can you recognize what it is?” When Yang Kai raised this question, he paid close attention to her expression.
Hua Qing Si first shook her head, then stretched her hand and took the token. Upon examining it closely for a while, her expression changed and her body shook all over. She couldn’t help but cover her mouth and let out a surprised cry.
“Speak!” Yang Kai urged her impatiently.
“If I am not wrong, then it should be the famous Dragon Island Token,” Hua Qing Si said in alarm.
“Dragon Island Token?” Yang Kai furrowed his brows and said, “What’s that?”
“Have you never heard about it?” Hua Qing Si stared at him, seemingly surprised that he didn’t even know the Dragon Island Token. [He is really ignorant!]
But upon casting another glance at his face, she swallowed the mocking words that had just reached her tongue, and said carefully, “Sir, did you ever hear about the Dragon Island?”
“Dragon Island? Does a dragon live in it?” Yang Kai asked back, then chuckled, “I’m just cracking a joke.”
But, Hua Qing Si’s expression was still tense and solemn.
“Does a dragon really live on Dragon Island?” Yang Kai asked sceptically.
Hua Qing Si nodded in response.
“Are you serious?” Yang Kai rolled his eyes at her.
Dragons were one of the strongest Ancient Divine Spirits, and beings the likes of True Dragons and Heavenly Phoenixes were only the talks of legends and ancient records, and they didn’t exist in this world.
Hua Qing Si’s face got flushed and she rolled her eyes at Yang Kai. She said, “If the Dragon Island is real, then a dragon should be living in it, and it isn’t just one or two.”
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched. He was left speechless!
Hua Qing Si said, “It’s said that the Dragon Island is the most mysterious force of the Star Boundary, and it’s also the strongest because a lot of True Dragons’ descendants reside there, and there are even Ancient and Primordial Dragons. Even the ten Great Emperors dread those ancient beings, but ordinary people such as us still aren’t sure whether it exists or not, and it’s only the strongest cultivators who have access to this secret and it’s also only them who can find the Dragon Island.”
“As for the Dragon Island Token, it’s a token from Dragon Island,” Hua Qing Si added, “Anyone who holds this token can go to Dragon Island and ask for a favour from the Dragon Clan, as long as it isn’t anything overboard which they can’t accept. For example, if I travel to Dragon Island with the token, then I can ask the Dragon Clan to use a True Dragon’s Power to raise my cultivation base into the Emperor Realm, and it won’t be limited to just the First-Order of the Emperor Realm…”
As she brought up this subject, a longing look appeared in her pretty eyes and she held the Dragon Island Token tightly, while her breathing turned rough.
Yang Kai stretched his hand and the Dragon Island Token flew back to his palm. He cast a glance at Hua Qing Si and said, “Go on!”
Hua Qing Si revealed a sheepish smile and hid the zealous look apparent on her face, then said, “Since primordial times, only five Dragon Island Tokens appeared, and it’s still only a talk of ancient legends. It’s said that three of them were used up, and every usage has shaken up the whole Star Boundary.”
As she spoke up to this point, she raised a finger and said, “One of them was eighty thousand years ago. The Northern Territory’s second greatest sect, the Profound Frost Sect was destroyed in one night. None of their tens of thousand disciples had survived and their Emperor Realm Masters also perished. It’s said that a Dragon Aura was left in its ruins and is present to this day. A lot of cultivators visit it to try their luck and seek a fortuitous encounter.”
“The second one was fifty thousand years ago. Some gutsy person provoked the Divine Spirit Shi Huo, and the whole Southern Territory was turned upside down by the infuriated Divine Spirit. Sects were destroyed, families exterminated and innumerable beings perished. Even the ten Great Emperors made a move, to no avail and none could stop the Divine Spirit’s killing spree. If Dragon Island didn’t step in to repel it, all of the Southern Territory’s people would have suffered the brunt of its rage.”
“As for the third time, it was thirty thousand years ago. The strongest master of the Human Clan, Heaven Devouring Great Emperor, died with signs pointing to the Dragon Clan’s involvement in this ordeal. That battle had been earth-shattering, many stars were shifted and World Principles were toppled…”
“The Heaven Devouring Great Emperor was killed by the Dragon Clan?” Yang Kai suddenly interrupted Hua Qing Si and questioned her sceptically.
Hua Qing Si stuck out her tongue. “It’s only a legend and I’m not certain of it, but it’s quite likely. After all, the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor was the strongest master of the Human Clan, and his opponents wouldn’t have been able to slay him despite joining hands, and the Dragon Clan’s involvement is the sole logical explanation for this.”
As she spoke up to here, she looked in confusion at Yang Kai, “Have you heard of the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor?”
“Are you taking me for a country bumpkin?” Yang Kai looked askance at her.
Hua Qing Si laughed sheepishly and said, “In any case, it’s said that those three incidents are all related to the Dragon Island Token’s usage, and if this token is really the Dragon Island Token, then… You should properly consider how you will use it. After all, it’s a priceless treasure.”
“Since when are you so concerned about me?” Yang Kai snorted coldly.
Hua Qing Si mumbled out of displeasure, “Is it wrong to show any concern for you?”
“Are you sure it’s the Dragon Island Token?” Yang Kai asked.
Hua Qing Si shook her head. “I have never seen the real Dragon Island Token and don’t know what it looks like, but from its design and texture, it can be surmised that it’s this one. If you are still sceptical, then why don’t you ask some knowledgeable person. You may probably get more clues about it.”
“We aren’t even sure whether Dragon Island is real or where it is. It’s too early to give any thoughts into the Dragon Island Token’s matter,” Yang Kai said then put away the token.
He already had a person in mind, and he should question him, as he might have some accurate info about it.
“Sir…” Hua Qing Si said coyly, while twisting uneasily. She stared at Yang Kai and said stammeringly, “I have already told you everything you want to know… So, why don’t you…”
“Enough daydreaming!” Yang Kai rejected her bluntly.
“Do you really plan to imprison me here for life?” Hua Qing Si was quite frustrated. “I’m from the Star Soul Palace and I came here to investigate Junior Brother Hang Leng’s death under the order of my master. If I don’t go back to make a report, then my master will sooner or later come over and he may even trace this back to you.”
As she spoke up to here, she nodded repeatedly, saying affirmatively, “He’ll surely trace it back to you. You don’t want to be eyed by him, do you? He’s a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master, so hurry up and let go of me. Let’s part on good terms.”
“Let’s leave this discussion for another time.” Yang Kai stood up and observed her from above. He couldn’t help but curl his mouth into a faint smile and say, “Actually, if you want to regain your freedom, then it’s easily achievable.”
“What do you mean?” Hua Qing Si shivered and looked warily at Yang Kai. She said, “What are you up to?”
Yang Kai burst into laughter and said, “Relax, relax. I’m not after your body. But, if you really want to regain your freedom, then you have to hand over your Soul Imprint and I’ll give it some consideration. After all, a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivation is pretty good…”
“Keep daydreaming!” Hua Qing Si said through gnashed teeth and interrupted Yang Kai’s speech.
“Then… Farewell,” Yang Kai waved his hand at her then left the Small Sealed World.
He left the dumbstruck Hua Qing Si alone, sitting there in a trance for a long while before she came back to her senses and let out an aggrieved cry, “Come back, come back, come back…”
…
In the room, Yang Kai’s body appeared once again. He stood there in contemplation for a little while before his body turned into a light beam and flew out of the Zhang family’s residence. He was leaving for Maplewood City!
After a short moment, Yang Kai reached Maplewood City, but he didn’t seek Mo Xiao Qi or Kang Si Ran. Rather, he went toward the Qin family’s home.
He had already visited the Qin family once and knew its location. Moreover, after he swept the area with his Divine Sense, he immediately found Qin Yu’s location.
Yang Kai didn’t plan to hide his aura and he just casually walked toward her. In a short while, he reached a room and knocked on its window.
“Who is it?” a shout sounded from behind the door.
Yang Kai responded, and the person inside quieted for a while, then light footsteps echoed as she walked to the window and opened it.
Qin Yu looked in surprise and confusion at Yang Kai. She asked, “Yang… Senior Yang, why are you seeking me so late in the night?”
“Hmm, I have some questions for you,” Yang Kai replied and stuck his head inside to take a look at the room and said. “Can I come in?”
Qin Yu’s face got flushed and she said, “Senior, please come in.”
By the time her voice fell, Yang Kai had already jumped into the room through the window.
Upon seeing this, Qin Yu’s face reddened further. Yang Kai sneaked into her room through the window so late in the night, and if a person oblivious to the truth witnessed this, it would give rise to some awkward misunderstandings.
But, Qin Yu was still at ease as she trusted Yang Kai. After all, if someone with his power had any malicious aims, he could achieve his aims stealthily; he didn’t have to expose himself to her.
The room setting was refined and comfortable, while a pleasant fragrance was present here. This was Qin Yu’s personal room.
Yang Kai was aware that his actions were quite presumptuous, but he didn’t care.
After Yang Kai sat down, Qin Yu offered him a cup of tea and asked, “Senior, what questions do you have for me?”
Yang Kai took a sip of tea and said, “Miss, you are both pretty and exceptionally smart and you’re the most knowledgeable person I have ever known. I have come here hoping that you can dispel some of my doubts.”
Qin Yu pursed her lips and said with a smile, “Senior, I don’t deserve such high praise, I have only read more books than your average cultivator. But, if I can be of any help to you, then just go ahead and ask.”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “I’ll go right to the point, but I hope that today’s discussion…”
“I’ll take a Soul Oath that I won’t divulge it to anyone,” Qin Yu said sternly.
Yang Kai cast a glance at her, thinking, [it’s so easy to converse with smart people], then said, “I have been corrupted by the Demon Qi outside the city and I almost turned into a demon. You must have seen this, correct?”
Upon hearing him, fear flashed past her pretty eyes and she nodded, “That’s right, but Heaven helps the worthy and you have crossed this crisis with no mishap.”
“When I was corrupted by the Demon Qi and was on the verge of turning into a demon, many strange scenes emerged in my mind,” Yang Kai started making things up.
Qin Yu said in surprise, “Many strange scenes?”
“That’s right,” Yang Kai nodded and said. “At that time, we had cast a Secret Technique and we peered into the Ancient Great Demon’s silhouette within Jiang Chu He’s Knowledge Sea, which is likely a remnant will of the Ancient Great Demon hidden within the Demon Qi, and it has retained that demon’s memory and knowledge. After I was corrupted by the Demon Qi, I got a chance to peer into some affairs.”
“You’re not mistaken, and I agree with you,” Qin Yu said, gratified, as if she had just found a soul mate.
“But, what I have seen is completely different from what Jiang Chu He saw. Those scenes were also fragmented and intermittent, and didn’t have the Ancient Great Demon’s silhouette.”
“Huh? What kind of scenes?” Qin Yu got interested in this subject.
Yang Kai revealed a pensive look and said in a low voice, “There were numerous scenes and I have only seen two clearly. One of them has a golden and silver seed, with each colour taking up roughly half of its surface. After that seed had been planted, it grew into a Golden Silver Exotic Tree after innumerable years. The tree emitted overlapping silver and golden radiance and it looked quite mighty!”
“A golden and silver, two-coloured exotic tree?”
Upon hearing this, amazement showed up in her pretty voice, and she let out a cry, covering up her mouth.
“That’s right.” Yang Kai nodded and looked at her. He said, “I wonder whether you know that Golden Silver Exotic Tree?”
“I vaguely remember reading some records about this Exotic Tree.” Qin Yu furrowed her brows and tried to recall some information about it.
A stunned look appeared on Yang Kai’s face and he looked at her expectantly.
But, Qin Yu didn’t provide him with an answer even after a long while, and she only shook her head and said, “Senior, I’m sorry. I have seen records about it, but I can’t recall them in a short while. Please give me a few days and I’ll go to look up some ancient books I read before and look for some relevant records about it.”
“It’s fine, I’m not in a hurry. I’m only a little curious about it,” Yang Kai chuckled in response. He was quite disappointed, but he didn’t let it show up on his face.
“Senior, what’s the second scene you have seen?” Qin Yu asked.
“It’s a token, a pocket-sized token with a strange texture, neither wooden nor metallic. A ‘dragon’ word was carved on its surface and it looked like some ancient script, while the picture of a True Dragon soaring into the sky was carved on its back.”
When Yang Kai finished describing it, Qin Yu gave an answer. She said, “It’s the Dragon Island Token!”
“Is it really the Dragon Island Token?” Yang Kai was quite delighted.
Hua Qing Si had already told him so, but he didn’t trust her completely. Besides, Hua Qing Si couldn’t affirm that it was a genuine one. But, since even Qin Yu had as much, then it was likely genuine.
“If your description is accurate, then that’s the Dragon Island Token.” Qin Yu was so excited that her face turned flushed. “It’s said that only five Dragon Island Token appeared since ancient times, and three had already been used, while only two were left…”
She had recounted the same story as Hua Qing Si, and all details, including the number of the Dragon Island Tokens, their usage date, and locations, were the same.
It could be seen that Hua Qing Si didn’t lie and deceive Yang Kai.
“But…” As Qin Yu continued talking about it, a confused look appeared on her face. She asked in confusion, “Why has a Dragon Island Token appeared in the memory of the Ancient Great Demon’s remnant will.”
“Why wouldn’t it appear?” Yang Kai asked back.
“It’s because it doesn’t make sense time-wise. When the Ancient Great Demon was sealed, the Dragon Island Tokens hadn’t appeared yet… So, why does the Great Demon know of them?”
Qin Yu revealed a bewildered look.
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai lamented inwardly about his awful decision. He had just come to get an answer to his questions from Qin Yu and didn’t expect her to be so shrewd. She had quickly spotted a clear flaw in his story.
“I’m not sure about that, maybe it’s because the Ancient Great Demon detected that the Dragon Island Token posed a threat to it,” Yang Kai said and chuckled.
“That is possible,” Qin Yu didn’t dig into it. After all, those were all matters of the ancient past and she couldn’t get any concrete evidence about them.
“Fine, I have come here just to get an answer to those questions. It’s already so late and I won’t disturb your rest. Farewell,” Yang Kai said and stood up.
Qin Yu also stood up to bid farewell to him and she said, “I’ll quickly look into the Golden Silver Exotic Treem’s matter, and I’ll notify you the moment I find anything.”
“Got it!” He nodded and his body disappeared out of sight shortly after he walked out of the main door.
After a short moment, Qin Zhao Yang appeared suddenly next to the door to Qin Yu’s room and he gazed toward where Yang Kai had just been. He said with a strange look plastered on his face, “Yu’er, why did Brother Yang seek you?”
“It’s just to ask about some matters,” Qin Yu replied.
“What matters?” Qin Zhao Yang asked with a startled look.
Qin Yu stuck out her tongue and said, “It’s a secret!”
Qin Zhao Yang was taken back and he shook his head then said with a bitter smile, “Little girl, are you keeping secrets even from your Old Ancestor?”
Qin Yu said helplessly, “It isn’t up to me, I can’t tell you. But, I can still tell you that what Senior Yang asked isn’t related to Maplewood City or the Qin family.”
Qin Zhao Yang understood her implication and nodded. He said, “Then it’s fine.”
He quieted for a moment, then let out a sigh and said, looking at Qin Yu, “How is your body?”
“Alright!” Qin Yu replied.
“Don’t lie to me!” Qin Zhao Yang’s expression turned solemn. “Do you think I don’t know how much effort you have put into repairing the seal last time? I know that your body can’t keep on any longer.”
Qin Yu didn’t reply and kept her silence.
Qin Zhao Yang sighed and said, “If you didn’t have that constitution… someone with your talent may rise to the same height as our Qin family’s ancestor. But… It’s so frustrating, I’m so weak and can’t do anything to prolong your life or cure you. I’m really ashamed to face you.”
Qin Yu’s eyes turned flushed and she said in a low voice, “Old Ancestor, don’t disparage yourself, if I didn’t have your help, I would have died three years ago. I’m already happy to live for three more years and my sole regret is that I can’t stay by your side and help you, and I have even troubled you.”
“You can set your mind at ease, I’ll come up with a solution, I won’t let you die in your early years,” Qin Zhao Yang said in a deep voice before his body flickered and disappeared.
Qin Yu had just opened her mouth to speak, yet Qin Zhao Yang had already disappeared from her sight.
After she mulled this over for a moment, her pretty face fell, as if she had realized what Qin Zhao Yang was up to.
After Yang Kai returned to the Zhang family’s home, he pushed upon the door of the guest room then entered it, sighting upon the tearful Zhang Ruo Xi sitting there in a daze.
Upon hearing some noise, she raised her head to take a look and her pretty eyes immediately shone with delight. She quickly stood up and said in fluster, “Sir…”
Yang Kai cast a glance at her then said with a smile, “What’s wrong? Did you assume that I have abandoned your Zhang family and left? Are you wiping your tears over it here?”
Zhang Ruo Xi pursed her lips and shook her head slowly.
“Then why are you crying?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhang Ruo Xi said in a soft voice, “Since Ruo Xi followed Sir, she no longer had anything to do with the Zhang Family… Ruo Xi thought, Sir… didn’t want me anymore,” As she spoke up to here, she summoned her courage and raised her head to look at Yang Kai. “Sir, I know that I’m weak and can’t provide any help to you, rather you would have to take care of me. But, I can still serve you tea, make your bed and other trivial daily affairs and I don’t mind becoming your maid…”
After she finished her speech, she was shocked by her bold words and she quickly lowered her head, while her pretty face got flushed. She bowed and said, “Please forgive me, I won’t disturb your rest.”
After her voice fell, she turned around to leave.
“Stop!” Yang Kai yelled suddenly.
Zhang Ruo Xi’s body shook and she stood there nervously, then said in a shivering voice, “Sir, what instructions do you have for me?”
It looked like she had just thought of something in particular and her nervousness was apparent on her face. She put her little hands against her belly and started tangling them unconsciously, while her face turned as red as a peach and the fragile heart hidden behind her modest chest started beating loudly like a drum.
Yang Kai looked at her and said firmly, “Don’t disparage yourself. I have already accepted the madam’s request and I’ll take you with me. Besides, I really need your help in some matters.”
“How can I help?” Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruo Xi’s eyes lit up and she said eagerly, “Sir, what do you want me to do? Can you tell me?”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “I planned to raise your power a little before telling you, but since you are so eager, then I’ll just tell you now.”
As Yang Kai spoke, he took out the Space Spirit Jade he got from the Lu family’s Lu Bai Chuan.
When the Space Spirit Jade appeared, Zhang Ruo Xi’s body shook and she stared at it, mumbling, “This feeling is…”
At this moment, it looked like the Space Spirit Jade had been stimulated by some unknown power, and it had emitted ripples of Space Force, which sent the surrounding space into a mess, as if it would be engulfed by the void at any moment.
Lu Bai Chuan wasn’t mistaken. Zhang Ruo Xi was the crux to inducing a reaction from the Space Spirit Jade. As long as Zhang Ruo Xi was within a certain range of it, it would release a mysterious power, and this power was precisely the reason Lu Bai Chuan had been able to get slight attainments in the Space Force.
Moreover, he still devised ways to eliminate the Zhang family’s remaining power and force it to marry Zhang Ruo Xi into the Lu family. If his ploy prevailed, he would get a lot of opportunities to study the Space Spirit Jade and he might be able to use its distinct Space Force to raise his own power further.
Yang Kai waved his hand and used the Space Principle to seal the whole guest room’s space. He had isolated it thoroughly, preventing any fluctuations from spreading outside.
“What did you detect and feel?” Yang Kai looked at Zhang Ruo Xi and asked.
“I’m not sure.” Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head and said, “But, it’s a familiar feeling. When I was a guest in the Lu family’s residence, I frequently got the same feeling, as if something within it was summoning me. It’s the same feeling as before, yet it never has been so intense.”
Yang Kai nodded. It could be seen that the connection between Zhang Ruo Xi and the Space Spirit Jade ran both ways.
“Can you recognize it?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head slowly.
“I got it from Lu Bai Chuan,” Yang Kai said.
“It belongs to Uncle Lu?” Zhang Ruo Xi was quite surprised.
Lu Bai Chuan had been the Zhang family’s enemy, yet Zhang Ruo Xi still didn’t dare to call him by his name casually and it could be seen that the girl’s mindset was still pure and kind-hearted.
“But, I heard from Lu Bai Chuan that it once belonged to your Zhang family,” Yang Kai spoke again. “And it seems to have been owned by a female ancestor of the Zhang family. At that time, she had married into the Lu family, and this object had been her dowry. She had brought it with her into the Lu family.”
“Since it’s a dowry, then it does belong to the Lu family now,” Zhang Ruo Xi said with a smile.
Yang Kai said, “It doesn’t matter who’s its rightful owner, the crux is that it’s from your Zhang family. Did any outstanding person emerge amongst your Zhang family’s ancestors?”
Zhang Ruo Xi shook her head and said, “I don’t know, but I heard from my grandma that our Zhang family was one of the top families in the past, but we had gradually declined due to some unknown reasons.”
“Then, everything makes sense,” Yang Kai nodded.
“But… Why does this object have such a strange connection with me? What about the other members of the Zhang family?” A confused look was apparent on Zhang Ruo Xi’s face.
“The others didn’t cause the same response and the reason why it’s you is…” Yang Kai paused for a while then said, “There are two possibilities. You either have some Bloodline Power, a Bloodline Power stronger than your other relatives and that’s why the Space Spirit Jade showed some response to you. As for the Bloodline Power, it must have originated from the previous owner of the Space Spirit Jade, one of your Zhang family’s ancestors.”
“Then, what’s the other possibility?”
“You have some kind of Special Constitution,” Yang Kai looked at Zhang Ruo Xi then shook his head slowly. “I don’t think that is possible. I have observed you for many days and you don’t possess any Special Constitution.”
“Then it’s likely the first possibility, isn’t it?” Zhang Ruo Xi said.
“That’s right,” Yang Kai revealed a faint smile. “I’m not clear about the nature of Bloodline Power, but your bloodline is probably quite similar to that said ancestor, and that’s why you can interact with the Space Spirit Jade.”
“Huh?”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruo Xi didn’t show any strong reaction.
“Aren’t you happy?” Yang Kai looked at her with great interest.
Zhang Ruo Xi furrowed her brows and said, “Sir, why are you asking this?”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “It looks like you don’t know anything, then let me explain it to you. Your Bloodline Power is similar to that said ancestor and you have gotten some sort of recognition from the Space Spirit Jade. So, your future achievements may be on par with that ancestor.” Yang Kai’s voice suddenly turned low and he said, “The Space Spirit Jade is no ordinary object, and if you can become its master, then you’ll be at least an Emperor Realm Master.”
Upon hearing this, it looked like it finally dawned on Zhang Ruo Xi and a stunned look showed up on her face. She said, “Sir, are you implying that I have a good chance to become an Emperor Realm Master in the future?”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
“That’s awesome!” An excited and delighted look appeared on Zhang Ruo Xi’s face, “If I can get such great power, then I’ll be able to help you.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai was taken aback. After she learned that she could become an Emperor Realm Master, her first thought was that she would be able to help him. The girl’s concern really warmed up his heart.
“Sir, can I have a look at it?” Zhang Ruo Xi looked eagerly at Yang Kai and asked, then cast a glance at the Space Spirit Jade in his hand.
She was quite concerned about it because it was closely related to her future prospects.
“That’s what I planned to do,” Yang Kai said with a smile and handed over the Space Spirit Jade to her.
He had already studied the Space Spirit Jade several times since he had gotten it, yet couldn’t make any discoveries and he only knew that someone had refined it with a great Divine Ability, and it should be some sort of Artifact, but he didn’t know how to use it.
He was quite proficient in Space Force and had already grasped the Space Principle, yet he still couldn’t fathom the mysteries of the Space Spirit Jade. If anyone could understand the Space Spirit Jade’s mystery, then it would be none other than Zhang Ruo Xi.
After Zhang Ruo Xi took the Space Spirit Jade excitedly, a matter beyond their expectations occurred.
When Zhang Ruo Xi touched the spirit jade, it suddenly shook and emitted intense energy ripples.
As for Zhang Ruo Xi’s body, it had also been shaken up, as if she had been electrocuted.
*Sizzle!*
A peculiar sound reverberated and dazzling flowing light appeared on the surface of the Space Spirit Jade.
Soon after, many bizarre projections emerged out of the Space Spirit Jade and filled the whole room. Those projections surrounded Zhang Ruo Xi and the Space Spirit Jade, and were circling around them ceaselessly.
Yang Kai’s expression turned stern and he couldn’t help but furrow his brows as he observed them. They were flickering rapidly, but he still got a clear look at many of them with his great eyesight power.
Towering pavilions, a mountain hidden in fog, a mass of rubble, towering peaks, flying spirit cranes, and various birds, as well as a mountain spring with clear water…
Those scenes were the stuff of an earthen paradise, and those were all dazzling and attractive sights.
Yang Kai had been stunned!
At this moment, Zhang Ruo Xi let out a soft groan and her aura started weakening, while a pained look appeared on her face. Meanwhile, mysterious Space Force ripples started pervading the room.
Yang Kai sighed upon a pitch-black Void Corridor, which had appeared suddenly in the middle of the room. It was still quite unstable, but it was slowly taking shape.
The Void Corridor’s interior was pure chaos and he couldn’t discern what location it was connected to.
“Throw it away!” Yang Kai let out a shout and used his Source Qi and the Spatial Principle to suppress the Void Corridor taking shape here. Soon after, he exerted his power to jump toward Zhang Ruo Xi and take the Space Spirit Jade off her.
The scenes that filled up the room suddenly disappeared, while the Void Corridor in the middle of the room collapsed.
Zhang Ruo Xi let out a soft groan and fell weakly on the ground.
Yang Kai’s face fell. He didn’t expect that such an accident would occur, simply because Zhang Ruo Xi held the Space Spirit Jade in her hands. If he had known this earlier, he wouldn’t have taken such a risk.
Yang Kai put away the Space Spirit Jade then stooped to pick up Zhang Ruo Xi only to find her drenched. She got drenched in sweat in that short moment.
Yang Kai placed her on the bed then held her wrist and circulated his Source Qi within her body. At this moment, his expression had already turned gloomy.
He had discovered that a lot of Zhang Ruo Xi’s vitality had been forcefully extracted and she suffered serious damage. She was a girl in her teens, yet her body’s internal state wasn’t any different than a person who lived for dozens of years.
These fundamental injuries couldn’t be treated by ordinary pills, and if he didn’t pay heed to her and abandoned her, then the state of her body would quickly deteriorate.
Yang Kai didn’t give this too much consideration. After he had detected that Zhang Ruo Xi’s vitality had been damaged, he used the Sealed World Bead and brought her with him into the vicinity of the Small Sealed World’s medicine garden.
After he placed Zhang Ruo Xi on the ground, he waved his hand, and this seemingly ordinary movement shook the whole world and gave rise to a gale.
The Immortal Tree planted in a distant region emitted a green aura visible to the naked eye, a green aura that flew along with the gale and circulated around Zhang Ruo Xi, enveloping her body thoroughly then flowing into it through her pores.
Since her vitality had been damaged, then he would just have to supplement, and the astonishing Life Force emitted by the Immortal Tree was the best medicine.
As he had expected, after Zhang Ruo Xi got the Immortal Tree’s vitality, her furrowed brows relaxed and the pain apparent on her was replaced by a calm expression.
Yang Kai released his Divine Sense to observe her body, and he discovered that its state had already turned for the better, while her organs and meridians that had aged excessively were now brimming with vigour.
She was suffering from this condition due to external factors, and that’s why the Life Force emitted by the Immortal Tree could easily solve the issue. If it was an old man with a foot in the grave in her stead, then this might not have been enough to supplement his vitality.
Yang Kai waited for two hours before he inspected her body again, ascertaining that she was already fine and well. Besides this, she still got some benefits from the Immortal Tree’s nourishment.
Later on, he brought Zhang Ruo Xi out of the Small Sealed World and put her in her room. She was still asleep for now, but she would shortly wake up.
After this ordeal, Yang Kai had ascertained his previous guess. Zhang Ruo Xi’s current cultivation base wasn’t enough to dig into the Space Spirit Jade’s mysteries, and that’s why her vitality had been forcefully absorbed.
[But… What’s the source of those scenes? Just where is this incomplete Void Corridor connected to?] Yang Kai had many questions about this and he was looking forward to getting an answer for his doubts.
He had a feeling that the Space Spirit Jade was hiding a great secret.
After Yang Kai went back to his room, he set up a barrier and sent a Divine Sense Message to the Zhang family’s matriarch, informing her that he would go into seclusion and wouldn’t receive any guests, then waited for a positive response from her before entering the Small Sealed World once again.
He first checked Liu Yan’s situation and discovered that she was still refining the Luan Feng’s feather strenuously. Contending against the power of Luan Feng contained within that divine feather. Her situation was anything but good, but she wasn’t in danger.
He didn’t pay much attention to her and he quickly looked for a secluded region then sat down cross-legged.
He stayed seated there for two days until he had recovered his peak condition, only then did he wave his hand and take out two objects, a jade bottle and an edgeless sword.
The jade bottle contained a churning scarlet liquid, which would frequently take the shape of a little dragon and run amok. The little dragon was still spitting flames in a vain attempt to burn the bottle, and it looked like this seemingly sentient little creature wanted to get out.
The blood of a Fire Dragon!
Yang Kai had gotten it from the First Stage of the Soaring Dragon Altar in the Five Coloured Treasure Pagoda, but he hadn’t used it since then.
As for the edgeless sword, it was none other than Yang Kai’s Verdant Dragon Bone Sword.
The Verdant Dragon Bone Sword was a piece of a dragon bone found by him in the Shadowed Star’s Flowing Flame Sand Field, and he had only added to it a Dragon Bead to craft a sword out of it and didn’t ruin the original materials.
At this moment, he took out those Artifacts belonging to a true dragon’s body to refine them. He had already refined one Dragon Artifact, the Dragon Scale, and it had been always covering his chest’s vital region. The scale’s great defensive power had helped in a lot of battles.
Despite this, he still couldn’t forget the great pain he had gone through to fuse the Dragon Scale with his body, but this wasn’t the reason why he didn’t consider refining more Dragon Artifacts. It was mainly due to his lacking cultivation base.
Now, he had already advanced into the Dao Source Realm and he couldn’t advance his cultivation further in the near future. So, if he wanted to raise his battle prowess, he could only look for other ways, and fusing the Dragon Blood and Dragon Bone Sword with his body were the most effective methods.
He had the Monster Transformation Secret Art, a Golden Divine Dragon’s Source Power, and they were enough to help him achieve this seemingly impossible feat.
Yang Kai’s gaze paced back and forth between the Dragon Blood and the Dragon Bone Sword for a moment, but he quickly made up his mind and decisively took the jade bottle.
It looked like the little dragon in the bottle had detected his actions and it had turned its tiny head toward him, opened its mouth and shot a fire beam toward Yang Kai’s face.
But, the jade bottle able to store blood from an actual dragon was no ordinary object and it had been refined well. The little dragon couldn’t inflict any harm on Yang Kai and it only looked funny and ridiculous.
Yang Kai curled the corners of his mouth and opened the bottle’s lid. The tiny dragon immediately rushed out of it, swayed its tail, and turned into a flowing light as it tried to escape.
But everything in the Small Sealed World was within Yang Kai’s control, and it couldn’t possibly escape Yang Kai’s clutches.
Yang Kai just had to grasp the void with his hand and the flowing light was immediately stranded mid-air. In response, the little dragon struggled desperately and let out ceaseless roars, yet to no avail. It couldn’t escape from Yang Kai’s clutches.
The power of the World Principles had fallen upon the little dragon and it could only turn back into a drop of Dragon Blood despite its reluctance. The drop was as scorching as magma and it emitted intense heat.
Yang Kai sucked the Dragon Blood toward him then observed it for a moment nervously. But, he didn’t hesitate for long and quickly opened his mouth, enveloped the drop of Dragon Blood with his Source Qi and swallowed it down.
Soon after, he immediately cast the Monster Transformation Secret Art and used his Dao Source Realm Cultivation Base to refine the drop of pure Fire Dragon Blood.
After the Dragon Blood reached his belly, the Source Qi couldn’t bear its high heat any longer and it had been burned thoroughly while heat started rising from his belly, as if it contained an active volcano shooting out scalding lava.
Yang Kai didn’t dare to take this lightly and sent more of his Source Qi into it, trying to erase the drop of Dragon Blood’s weak spirituality.
As time elapsed slowly, the ground around Yang Kai had been turned into charred land. The earth was dry and the trees in the vicinity had withered, while many cracks appeared on the ground. Even the void had been affected and twisted by the intense heat.
Indistinct dragon roars reverberated ceaselessly within Yang Kai’s body as the Dragon Blood’s spiritually put on its last struggle.
At a certain moment, the roars suddenly stopped, while Yang Kai detected that the intense fiery energy in his belly had erupted and rushed into his meridians and flesh.
He couldn’t help but let out a soft groan and his face turned deathly pale.
He swept his body with his Divine Sense and he detected that his flesh and meridians had been wrecked by the fiery energy, and his body had already sustained heavy injuries.
After all, this was the blood of a true dragon and even Yang Kai’s strong body couldn’t withstand it, but fortunately, his Golden Blood quickly showed its strong recovery power and contended with the fiery Dragon Blood’s destructive power and they gradually reached a subtle balance.
At this moment, Yang Kai wasn’t any different than a mortal sitting on an active volcano’s crater and his mind had already turned dizzy from the intense heat.
In his muddle-headed state, he felt like an illusion of an Ancient True Dragon appeared in front of him, an illusion of a scarlet dragon gazing at him with its dignified and terrifying eyes.
Soon after, the dragon let out a deafening roar and opened its large mouth to bite Yang Kai and swallow him down.
“Humph!”
But at this moment, Yang Kai’s eyes flickered and he yelled, “I have waited for you for so long.”
As his voice fell, the Golden Divine Dragon’s Source Power in his body spread out and turned into a golden giant dragon’s phantom image behind Yang Kai. The phantom image bared its fangs, brandished its claws then pounced on the Fire Dragon.
The Fire Dragon who didn’t expect this was taken aback, while surprise and fright appeared in its dignified eyes and it moved back repeatedly.
Every dragon was innately strong, but they depended too much on their Bloodline Power, so Bloodline Suppression had a great and distinct effect on them, while the Golden Divine Dragon was obviously of a higher grade than the Fire Dragon!
The Fire Dragon moved back, but the Golden Divine Dragon didn’t let go of it. It pursued and took a large bite of it.
The majestic Fire Dragon’s body had been easily torn by the golden dragon’s bite, and its whole body was quickly swallowed down into its belly.
The awe-inspiring golden dragon shook its head, wagged its tails, and surveyed the surrounding disdainfully. But it couldn’t find any worthy opponent and it could only go back to Yang Kai’s body lazily.
At this moment, the spirituality of the drop of Dragon Blood had been erased.
After the Fire Dragon Blood’s spirituality had been erased, the pressure on Yang Kai’s shoulders had been alleviated, and he started using his Golden Blood’s recovery power to repair his meridians and flesh, while he also started fusing with the Fire Dragon Blood fearlessly. He started fusing it with every inch of his blood and meridians.
This process put to the test one’s wits and patience, but this wasn’t an issue for Yang Kai, as he wasn’t in a hurry and he carried it out methodically.
…
After an unknown amount of time, the drop of Dragon Blood had been finally refined completely by Yang Kai.
He opened his eyes slowly and stood up, then observed himself with his senses. His cultivation base was the same as before, but he could still clearly feel that he had become stronger.
The great improvement of his power didn’t show up on his fleshly body, but rather on his…
“Dragonization!” Yang Kai let out a shout.
The power of the Dragon Blood in his bloodline was activated and the bones of his hands let out a snapping noise and started bulging. They turned into a pair of Dragon Claws.
As for his arms, a mass of Dragon Scales formed by Source Qi emerged on them. Those Dragon Scales had a fiery scarlet colour, as if they contained the power of fire.
Even the True Dragon Scale on Yang Kai’s belly had been affected by the power of the Dragon Blood and they started multiplying. They turned from one to two, then four, and so on.
In the end, it looked like Yang Kai’s whole body was clad in an armour of Dragon Scales.
As he swung his arms, he could clearly feel the boundless power pouring forth out of his body and he couldn’t help but laugh cheerfully.
After he had refined the blood of a true Dragon, the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique’s form became quite different from before.
The first difference was his hands. Previously, only one of his hands turned into a Dragon Claw, yet now it was both, and it went without saying that two Dragon Claws were stronger than one, while the might of those said Dragon Claws was indomitable and they were able to contend against an Artifact befitting someone with his cultivation base.
In the past, his arm had also been covered by Dragon Scales formed out of his energy but they didn’t have a scarlet tint nor a wisp of a Fire Dragon’s aura. They were now obviously harder and stronger than before, while the Dragon Scale Armor formed by the genuine Dragon Scale in his chest provided Yang Kai with pretty good defence.
Refining a drop of a true Dragon’s blood alone had so many amazing effects, and he couldn’t help but wonder what he would get if he refined and fused the Dragon Bone Sword with his body.
As this thought sprung into his mind, he got quite enthusiastic and he dispelled the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique then sat down cross-legged again.
Refining a Dragon Blood was quite simple, as he only had to swallow it down, but the Dragon Bone Sword was different. This was a piece of a dragon’s backbone and he couldn’t resort to the same method with it.
But, he had already refined it roughly once and he could collect it into his body, and as long as he put some time into it, he would be able to fuse with it.
Yang Kai didn’t hesitate and he immediately divided the Dragon Bone Sword’s two materials, the Dragon Backbone and Dragon Bead, then fused them with his body and started refining them.
…
In the serene Small Sealed World, a month quickly elapsed.
In the last month, many people in Maplewood City came over to visit Yang Kai. Among them, the number of Mo Xiao Qi’s visits had been the highest, followed closely by Kang Si Ran, and the City Lord’s Mansion’s people, as well as the various families’ Dao Source Realm Ancestors.
But, the Zhang family’s matriarch had already gotten a Divine Sense Message from Yang Kai, and she knew that he wouldn’t accept any visits during his secluded cultivation. So, she could only brace herself and keep the guests outside.
It hadn’t been difficult for her to deal with Mo Xiao Qi, Kang Si Ran, Duan Yuan Shan, Qin Zhao Yang, and others, as they didn’t embarrass her after hearing about Yang Kai’s secluded cultivation. They had only raised some questions about Yang Kai’s current situation out of concern.
The Zhang family had even gotten close to those few Dao Source Realm Masters through this and they got a lot of help from them.
But the other families’ Dao Source Realm Ancestors didn’t treat them kindly. They had all come excitedly to recruit Yang Kai and invite him to undertake an elder position in their families, yet they had been obstructed by a First-Order Origin King granny, and they all felt like they got the cold shoulder.
During this ordeal, the Zhang family’s granny and beautiful madam had been quite nervous and fearful, and they could only smile apologetically and provide them with an explanation.
After several similar visits, people stopped dropping by.
Even though the Dao Source Realm Ancestors were displeased by the Zhang family’s treatment, they still didn’t dare to make trouble for those orphans and widows, simply because they were under the protection of the City Lord’s mansion. The Zhang family had gotten through this ordeal without suffering any harm thanks to them.
…
After a month, Yang Kai left seclusion safely, and upon getting news of it, all of the Zhang family’s members dropped by to visit him.
The granny enquired about his well-being for a while, then said, “Sir, I have something to tell you. A lot of people came to see you in your seclusion.”
“En.” Yang Kai didn’t inquire about them, simply because he could easily guess who had come.
“In addition, the Spirit Pill Plaza’s Shopkeeper Kang and Miss Mo Xiao Qi both left a jade slip for you,” as the granny spoke, she cast a meaningful glance at Zhang Ruo Xi.
Zhang Ruo Xi understood her intentions and she respectfully handed over two jade slips to Yang Kai then stood next to him with her head lowered.
Upon getting the jade slips, Yang Kai swept one of them with his Divine Sense then said with a smile. “As expected, Brother Kang has been transferred…”
Upon hearing him, the Zhang family’s granny nodded and said, “That’s right, it looked like Shopkeeper Kang has gotten a movement order from the headquarters of the Violet Source Chamber of Commerce and he has already left Maplewood City half a month ago. In his last days, he stayed in our mansion, hoping to see you one more time before leaving, but it’s a pity that you didn’t leave seclusion in time.”
“I hope we cross paths again,” Yang Kai revealed a faint smile.
He had already guessed long ago that Kang Si Ran would be transferred.
After all, Maplewood City was quite small, while Kang Si Ran had already advanced into the Dao Source Realm and it was beneath him to manage a store here. The Violet Source Chamber of Commerce would obviously pick a better place in need of his talent.
Kang Si Ran was a member of a Chamber of Commerce and couldn’t act as he wished. He couldn’t defy an order passed down by the headquarters unless he planned to betray it. But, if he had done so, he wouldn’t have a place for him in the whole Southern Territory.
“Prior to his departure, Shopkeeper Kang said that he didn’t know where he would be transferred to, but he said that he would send a message to you after ascertaining his new destination, and he mentioned that he would be at your call whenever you need him. Furthermore, he said that he felt ashamed that he couldn’t bid you farewell in person and he hopes that you can forgive him,” the Zhang family’s granny reported solemnly.
Yang Kai nodded in response. Kang Si Ran was quite considerate. He had gotten his current cultivation base only thanks to the Dao Source Pill gifted to him by Yang Kai, and he was obviously quite grateful to him.
Yang Kai didn’t comment and he just scanned the other jade slip. When he checked its contents, a surprised look appeared on his face, “Xiao Qi has also left?”
The jade slip’s message was quite simple and it only had several sentences.
“Hateful Brother Yang, why are you still in seclusion? I can’t even see you one last time. Aunt Feng has come for me, and I have to leave. If I don’t leave now, I won’t make it in time…”
Mo Xiao Qi’s origins were quite mysterious, but Yang Kai could still easily discern her outstanding familial background, and from the message left by her in the jade slip, it looked like her relatives had come to fetch her.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but imagine this scene. A rebellious young girl left her home to travel the world, yet they caught her trails and sent masters after her. In the end, she got intercepted and captured by them, then taken back home.
“Xiao Qi’s fate is so pitiful…” Yang Kai sighed. He sympathized with her, but he wasn’t worried about her. She had only said that one of her relatives had come to capture her and take her back home, and it would be unlikely for them to harm her.
Moreover, Yang Kai had once heard Mo Xiao Qi mention Aunt Feng, and it looked like they were quite close, as Mo Xiao Qi said that her Aunt Feng had told her a lot of good stories.
He had only stayed in seclusion for a month, yet two of his friends had already left Maplewood City, and they were forced to leave. He couldn’t help but lament over this ever-changing world.
Yang Kai crushed the jade slips then said, looking at the granny, “Is there anything else besides this?”
The granny replied, “The Qin Family has sent someone to pass a message to you, asking you to drop by their home once you finish your secluded cultivation. They said that they have an answer for your question.”
“Huh?” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up and he said out of delight, “That’s awesome, I’m leaving for the Qin Family right now.”
As his voice fell, he stood up.
Zhang Ruo Xi said anxiously, “Sir… Do you need me to accompany you?”
Yang Kai replied, “That isn’t necessary, stay home and focus on your cultivation.”
“Then… Take care.” A sad gleam flashed past Zhang Ruo Xi’s eyes, but she quickly recalled the previous ordeal with the Space Spirit Jade and got a newfound resolution.
She still couldn’t provide any help to Yang Kai with her current lacking cultivation base, and she had to improve her cultivation to uncover the secret of the Space Spirit Jade and help Yang Kai.
Yang Kai strode forward within the hall, while his body flickered and disappeared before his foot reached the ground.
…
After a short moment, Yang Kai reached the home of Maplewood City’s Qin Family.
This time, he didn’t go inside right away and he stood outside and released his Divine Sense.
In the next moment, Qin Zhao Yang’s laughter resounded within the Qin Family’s home. He said, “Brother Yang, you have finally left seclusion.”
As his voice fell, Qin Zhao Yang had already appeared within Yang Kai’s line of sight. He was as swift as lightning and he quickly reached Yang Kai, then started examining him back and forth with his eyes. Soon after, his pupils contracted and he blurted out, “Brother Yang, it looks like you made a lot of progress in your seclusion.”
Qin Zhao Yang couldn’t really explain what he was feeling. Yang Kai’s cultivation base didn’t improve at all, yet he looked stronger than before, and even his aura had gotten stronger.
But, he quickly understood that Yang Kai should have cultivated some Secret Technique in his seclusion that lasted a whole month.
He didn’t bother with getting to the bottom of this and he didn’t even wait for Yang Kai’s answer. He just said warmly, “Come, please come in.”
Yang Kai revealed a smile and followed Qin Zhao Yang into the inside of the Qin Family’s home.
In the way, all members of the Qin Family greeted him politely with a solemn expression and they all didn’t dare to slight him.
Surprisingly though, Qin Zhao Yang didn’t bring him into the reception hall, rather he went to a certain chamber.
After they reached the chamber, Qin Zhao Yang said with a smile, “Brother Yang, I know that you have left some questions for Yu’er and it looks like she has already found the answer. She’s now inside, please go in and discuss it with her. After you’re done, I’ll come back to have a chat with you. By the way, Yu’er didn’t breathe a word about your questions, and she didn’t tell me anything.”
“I trust Miss Qin,” Yang Kai nodded and pushed the door then went inside.
It was the same chamber as before and Qin Yu had already been waiting here for him for so long. Upon seeing him, she quickly stood up and greeted him.
“Miss Qin, you’re so polite, there are no strangers here.” Yang Kai waved his hand at her in response.
“We must respect basic courtesy,” Qin yu said with a smile.
Yang Kai cast a glance at her with a smile, but his expression suddenly turned strange and his gaze stayed locked into her face for several seconds. In the end, he couldn’t help but furrow his brows as if he had detected something unusual.
Qin Yu opened her mouth and spoke, oblivious to everything, “Sir, you have once questioned me about a Golden Silver Exotic Tree and I have flipped through some books left by our ancestors in the past days and I have finally found some inklings.”
“Go on and elaborate further,” Yang Kai quelled his excitement and spoke calmly.
“Prior to this, I have a question for you,” Qin Yu said.
“What is it?”
“Did the Golden Silver Exotic Tree in the scene seen by you display any special abilities?”
“Why are you inquiring about this?” Yang Kai furrowed his brows.
Qin Yu said, “At the beginning of the world, everything was pure chaos. Even time and space was unstable. At that time, the Firmament Tree emerged and sealed the world with its Yin-Yang Chaos Power, suppressing the void, locking the whole world, and trapping the four seas…”
Qin Yu’s voice was low and indistinct, while her eyes flickered in a silver radiance as she uttered those words. They looked quite profound and mysterious!
“It has been like this until an almighty being cast a great Divine Ability to shatter the seal of the void, destroy the cage and slay the Firmament Tree… The power of Heaven and Earth had finally exploded out for the first time and innumerable Mighty Warriors emerged one after the other in those Primordial Times. They all cast and displayed their Divine Abilities and fought for supremacy.”
“The Firmament Tree which sealed the world and suppressed the void?” Yang Kai’s pupils contracted.
Qin Yu nodded and said, “It’s recorded in old books. The Firmament Tree is a tree that has taken root in the void and its Yin-Yang Chaos Power has pervaded every corner of the world and sealed its power.”
“Is it that amazing?” Yang Kai was stunned.
Qin Yu said with a smile, “Those are only old records and I’m not sure they are genuine. But, the tree described by you looks like the Firmament Tree and it’s probably related to it in some ways…”
“Then the question you have raised before…”
“The Firmament Tree is able to seal the world and its Yin-Yang Chaos Power possesses a great might. If the tree seen by you in that scene has also displayed sealing power, then the Firmament Tree is likely real.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai was shaken up. The Golder Silver Exotic Tree planted in the Small Sealed World had also displayed sealing power, and its Golden Silver Power had sealed even an Ancient Great Demon’s Sense and Demon Qi in his belly. It was already evident that it was related to the Firmament Tree in the legends.
“The Firmament Tree has Yin-Yang Chaos Power and it’s able to seal anything and everything…” Qin Yu added and said, “It’s no wonder it has appeared in the Ancient Great Demon’s remnant will, as he likely dreaded its sealing power and couldn’t forget it even after innumerable years.”
“I think so too,” Yang Kai approved of her opinion and kept up this misunderstanding.
“Senior, I have fulfilled your task. Is my explanation up to your satisfaction?” Qin Yu asked with a smile.
“Miss Qin, you’re well learned and I really admire you. I’m quite satisfied with this explanation.”
“Senior, I don’t deserve such high praise.” Qin Yu’s face got flushed and she quieted for a moment then said, “Hum, it looks like the Old Ancestor has something important to discuss with you. So, I’ll have to bid farewell to you for now.”
As her voice fell, she opened the chamber’s barrier and turned around to leave.
But, when she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned her head to say, “Senior, if my Old Ancestor’s request is too difficult, you can just refuse it right away. You don’t have to put too much consideration into it.”
After she spoke, she pushed the door and left without waiting for Yang Kai’s response.
Yang Kai stood there with furrowed brows, wondering what Qin Yu was insinuating. But, from what she had said, it looked like Qin Zhao Yang would ask for his help.
Yang Kai was already prepared for this as he had already made insinuations about it last time Qin Zhao Yang visited him. But, it looked like it wouldn’t be easy to help him and fulfil his request.
A short moment after Qin Yu had left, Qin Zhao Yang opened the door and entered.
“Old Mister Qin.” Yang Kai smiled at him.
“Little Brother Yang,” Qin Zhao Yang was seemingly troubled by something and he said absently, “Please sit down and let’s have a talk.”
After they took their seats, Qin Zhao Yang furrowed his brow and kept his silence for a long while, as if he was organizing his thoughts and words.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai started the conversation and said, “Old Mister Qin, I have observed the state and aura of Miss Qin a while ago… Is anything wrong with her?”
Qin Zhao Yang sighed and said, “Yu’er had always been sickly and you must have noticed it long ago. In the past, I used my power daily to stabilize her condition, but this time…”
“What’s wrong with Miss Qin’s body?” Yang Kai asked.
He felt like Qin Zhao Yang’s request would be likely related to Qin Yu’s matter.
“Since you have already asked, then I’ll tell you bluntly.” Qin Zhao Yang gritted his teeth and continued, “Yu’er is innately gifted and she had an Innate Divine Ability, the Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil.”
“The Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil?” Yang Kai raised his brow.
“It’s a type of pupil ability, and as for its power… Yu’er’s cultivation base is still too low, while she’s also quite young, and I haven’t studied it thoroughly yet. But, from what Yu’er has shown until now, she can see people’s fortune and even peer into the future, and she can also observe the void…”
“It looks like it’s a useful Divine Ability,” Yang Kai was quite surprised.
He had already guessed long ago that Qin Yu possessed a special pupil ability, and the little girl had even used her Innate Divine Ability several times in front of him. But, he didn’t know the name of her pupil ability, nor its special power, and only finding out now from Qin Zhao Yang’s explanation.
“If it was just the Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil alone, it would have been fine. This Innate Divine Ability didn’t bring any harm to her body and it only affected her a little whenever she used it. But, Yu’er doesn’t just have the Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil, she also has the Heaven Earth Tribulation Body.”
“Heaven Earth Tribulation Body?” Yang Kai furrowed his brows.
Qin Zhao Yang nodded and said, “When she was five years old, a Master that passed by Maplewood City had seen her and noticed her peculiar constitution. After he examined her for a while, he told me that she has the Heaven Earth Tribulation Body. If I hadn’t met this Master, I would have never known this.”
“What’s so bad about the Heaven Earth Tribulation Body?”
Qin Zhao Yang sighed and said, “The Heaven Earth Tribulation Body is also a type of special constitution, and that Master said that as long as a person with Heaven Earth Tribulation Body is residing within the world, their vitality would be severed by the world and they won’t live past eighteen.”
“Eighteen?” Yang Kai’s face fell and he asked in surprise, “May I ask how old is Miss Yu’er?”
“She will be eighteen in… eight months,” Qin Zhao Yang said with a sad look apparent on his face.
“Then doesn’t this mean…” Yang Kai said in a low voice, “Miss Yu’er can only live for eight more months?”
“That’s right,” Qin Zhao Yang nodded solemnly.
Yang Kai was left dumbstruck. Generally speaking, whenever a person was born with a special constitution, he was blessed by the world, while Qin Yu didn’t just have a special constitution, she also had the Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil at the same time, an extremely rare occurrence.
Unfortunately, the Heaven Earth Tribulation Body wasn’t a good constitution and it had severed her vitality.
Now, he finally understood why Qin Yu had always looked feeble. It was because she wouldn’t be in this world for long.
She had the Fated Fortune Heavenly Pupil and could peer into the future of people, and she probably could also see her future and the end of her road, but she still didn’t show any fluster or fear in front of others.
Upon thinking of this, respect for her welled up in his heart. An ordinary person couldn’t face death so calmly and fearlessly.
“Then our private discussion is about Miss Qin, isn’t it? How can I help you? Just go ahead and ask,” Yang Kai said firmly.
“Little Brother Yang, you don’t mind helping me?” Qin Zhao Yang was glad to hear Yang Kai bring up this subject by himself.
“I had only a short contact with Miss Qin, but she had dispelled my doubts and I don’t hope for her to die in her early years.”
“Little Brother Yang, thank you!” Qin Zhao Yang suddenly stood up and bowed to Yang Kai.
“Old Mister Qin, you don’t have to thank me,” Yang Kai said with a bitter smile.
Qin Zhao Yang said, “You should first know that it won’t be so easy to achieve this, and even though you won’t face any fatal threat, it would still be a difficult task. If you want to refuse it, then just do so, as it’s a sensible decision. I’ll respect your decision and won’t force you.”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “It looks like it would be quite dangerous. Old Mister Qin, let’s first hear what it’s.”
Qin Zhao Yang nodded and said, “In the past, that said Master didn’t just discover the special constitution of Yu’er, he also told me the way to solve its issue, and it’s seeking a precious treasure, the Tribulation Fruit. As long as she consumes it before her eighteen birthday, she’ll cross the tribulation, and she won’t just live safely for long, the might of her Heaven Earth Tribulation Body will also be unleashed and she will have bright prospects.”
“The Tribulation Fruit?” Yang Kai was startled.
“Little Brother Yang, have you heard about it?” Qin Zhao Yang looked in surprise at him.
“Yeah!”
If this happened a year ago, then he wouldn’t have any idea about this fruit. But, since he got the jade slip inheritance of Gong Sun Mu in Yuan Furnace Mountain, he got an understanding of all plants in the world.
The Tribulation Fruit had been recorded in the jade slip left by Gong Sun Mu.
It was the main material for the Spirit Pill, Tribulation Pill. This pill wasn’t anything good, but a sort of poison.
It was colourless, odourless, and could be easily melted in water. If one consumed it, then even the Yuan Qi of an Emperor Realm Master would be frozen and he would turn into a harmless sheep at the mercy of others.
But, which Emperor Realm Master still drank water? So, even though this pill had an outstanding might, it was practically useless, an impressive-looking, yet useless pill.
The Tribulation Pill was a Poison Pill, and its main material was obviously also very toxic, yet it was necessary to treat the Heaven Earth Tribulation Body. It looked like they were fighting poison with poison.
Yang Kai didn’t express his opinion about this, as he was also not sure if the Tribulation Fruit was useful for Qin Yu or not.
But, the Tribulation Fruit grew either in Extreme Cold Land or under millennials old ice. It was extremely rare!
“I had almost forgotten that you are also an alchemist…” Qin Zhao Yang had suddenly recalled this and revealed a faint smile.
In the past, after that Master asked him to seek the Tribulation Fruit, he had spent a lot of effort to get information about this fruit’s appearance and effects, yet Yang Kai already knew everything about it.
“Since that Master has told you even this… Did he also tell you where you can find the fruit?”
Qin Zhao Yang said in a low voice, “It’s in the Four Seasons Realm!”
“What kind of place is that?”
A weird look appeared on Qin Zhao Yang’s face and he cast a glance at Yang Kai then said, “The Four Seasons Realm is the most famous Sealed World of the Southern Territory, and every time it opens up, countless elite disciples of various great sects will rush into it to seek precious treasures and opportunities.”
An embarrassed look appeared on Yang Kai’s face. It looked like he had shown once again how ignorant he was. He said, “Since it’s a public Sealed World of the Southern Territory, then can’t everyone enter it?”
Qin Zhao Yang said with a bitter smile, “If that was true, then everything would have been easy. Since ancient times, the Four Seasons Realm has been in the hands of the Southern Territory’s great sects and every sect has a specific quota for its disciples while our Maplewood City’s residents don’t have any chance to enter it.”
“Then how can I accomplish this task?” Yang Kai furrowed his brows.
“You have to use this,” Qin Zhao Yang said and took out a token from his pockets.
After he took out this token, Qin Zhao Yang’s old face got flushed.
Yang Kai took it in confusion and cast a glance at it, yet upon seeing it, his body shook and the corners of his mouth twitched. He said, “Old Brother Qin, where did you get this? You’re so old and impudent, does Yu’er know of this?”
Generally speaking, some designs or words would be carved on tokens to show their origin and usage, and the token handed over to Yang Kai by Qin Zhao Yang was no exception.
There weren’t any words carved on the token’s face and there was only a design, a lifelike design of a beauty rising from water.
The patterns and lines of the token looked rigid and rough, yet the beauty depicted on it looked realistic. It was the design of a beauty with beautiful curves and refined facial features. This beauty was just about to leave a pond and her upper body was faintly visible among water droplets…
Moreover, her lower body was also naked, but her pretty legs and nether regions were hidden below the water surface. Anyone who saw this pic would get a strong urge to pull the beauty out of the token and peer into what was hidden from view, which would be shortly followed by frustration born out of failure to satisfy those said urges.
“Damn!” After Yang Kai observed it for a while, and couldn’t help but break into curses. His mood had been dampened!
The person who drew this picture was quite treacherous. He was a person who understood the heart of men well and had deliberately done this. It was so hateful!
Yang Kai flipped over the token and found another design on its backside. It was a painting of a man with dishevelled hair curling up on the ground with a broken and empty bowl placed in front of him.
This was a painting of a beggar, a completely different painting from the beauty on the front side.
Upon observing this painting, Yang Kai felt like he could see the beggar shivering in the cold as wind swept him.
“This beggar…” Yang Kai furrowed his brow and mumbled, “He looks like a certain person…”
As he spoke, the image of a wretched person ran across this mind.
“It’s that Master who has passed it to me,” Qin Zhao Yang provided a weak explanation.
“Brother Qin… are you sure that Master isn’t just a… Swindler?” Yang Kai looked in surprise at him and said, “It looks like this token is made out of ordinary wood, even though the designs should have been painted by a competent Master… But, what kind of Master is so childish?”
“This isn’t ordinary wood,” Qin Zhao Yang said solemnly, “I have observed it carefully, it’s a hundred-year-old elmwood.”
“Does this make any difference?” Yang Kai asked.
The corners of Qin Zhao Yang’s mouth twitched and he could only say, “Nope.”
Every token was a symbol of authority and represented some sort of status or power. This was why tokens wouldn’t be crafted with cheap material such as a hundred-year-old elmwood, and Yang Kai’s Dragon Island Token was even made from materials beyond his knowledge.
As for the Jade Beauty Beggar Token, its materials were very ordinary.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but get sceptical and felt like Qin Zhao Yang had been deceived.
“Little Brother Yang, I know what is in your mind,” Qin Zhao Yang said in a deep voice. “But, why don’t you try crushing this token.”
Yang Kai squinted his eyes and said, “Old Man Qin, are you sure about this? What if I destroy…”
“Then it’ll prove that I have been deceived and it won’t be a loss then.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “Fine, I’ll give it a try.”
As his voice fell, he held the token in his hand tightly and exerted his power.
A snapping noise echoed out!
Yang Kai’s expression changed, while Qin Zhao Yang revealed a smile, as if this outcome was within his expectations.
The snapping noise wasn’t a result of crushing the token, but rather just the sound of the joints of Yang Kai’s fingers. As for the token held by him, it was still intact.
“How is this possible?” Yang Kai’s eyes widened up in disbelief.
The material of the token was just common wood and it wasn’t a special treasure, yet he couldn’t damage it despite his great power.
Yang Kai couldn’t believe this and he exerted more power, yet he still couldn’t damage it nor twist it.
“Little Brother Yang, did you confirm it by yourself? He’s a real Master,” Qin Zhao Yang looked at Yang Kai’s embarrassing actions and chuckled. “I have suspected this a lot of times in the past years and I have tried a lot of methods to destroy the token, yet to no avail. If I wasn’t sure it’s genuine, I wouldn’t have taken it out.”
“He really is a great Master!” A terrified look was apparent on Yang Kai’s face.
The mysterious Master had used some sort of power on this token, and it had turned the ordinary wood so hard that it was almost indestructible. Ordinary Emperor Realm Masters couldn’t achieve this feat!
At this moment, Yang Kai didn’t have any more doubts and he returned the token to Qin Zhao Yang solemnly then said, “How can I use this token to enter the Four Seasons Realm?”
Qin Zhao Yang said, “The Master has asked me to make a trip to the Azure Sun Temple and ask for a quota from them.”
“So that’s how it is…” An enlightened look appeared on Yang Kai’s face.
The Azure Sun Temple was also one of the Southern Territory’s top sects and its fame and power were second only to the Star Soul Palace. This great sect surely had a lot of entry quotas and it wouldn’t be strange for Qin Zhao Yang to get one with the token.
He couldn’t help but wonder what was the relationship of the token’s Master with the Azure Sun Temple.
“Will the Four Seasons Realm open up soon?” Yang Kai asked.
“Likely!” Qin Zhao Yang nodded then mulled it over for a moment and said, “I’m suspecting that everything is within that Master’s expectations. When Yu’er was five years old, he passed the token to me and asked me to make a trip to the Azure Sun Temple in twelve years. I don’t know if the Four Seasons Realm will open up soon or not. After all, our little Maplewood City has no access to this information, but from what happened up to this day, it’ll most likely open up.”
“Brother Qin, you want me to visit the Four Seasons Realm in your stead and seek the Tribulation Fruit?”
Qin Zhao Yang revealed a bitter smile and said, “If I had half of your power, I wouldn’t trouble you with it. But, you also know my situation. I’m also a Dao Source Realm Cultivator, but I’m not on par with the sect elites, and if I go into it, then I won’t leave it alive. I’m not afraid of death, but Yu’er is… I can only trust you with this.”
“When are we leaving?” Yang Kai went right to the point and raised a question.
Qin Zhao Yang said in surprise, “Did you just accept my request?”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Why would I refuse? You have provided me with a rare opportunity, and I’ll obviously seize it. I also want to visit the Sealed World of the Southern Territory.”
As Yang Kai said this, he revealed a longing look.
Qin Zhao Yang had asked him to enter the Four Seasons Realm to look for the Tribulation Fruit, but if he looked at it from another perspective, then this was a golden opportunity.
The elite disciples of great sects would all compete against each other to get a chance to enter that Sealed World and it obviously had a lot of precious treasures.
Even if it didn’t have innumerable precious treasures in it, just the talented youths were enough of a reason for Yang Kai. This was a good chance to test his power against them.
“Alright!” Qin Zhao Yang didn’t expect Yang Kai to agree so readily and he had even been worried about his refusal, yet he didn’t even need to try to convince him in the end. He was so overjoyed and he said excitedly, “I don’t know when the Four Seasons Realm will open up, but we mustn’t delay this matter further. Little Brother Yang, if you’re free, then why don’t we set off tomorrow? We’ll have to spend a dozen days on the road to reach the Azure Sun Temple.”
“Fine!” Yang Kai nodded and stood up then said, “I’ll go back to get ready for it. I’ll seek you again tomorrow.”
“Then it’s settled!”
After a short moment, Yang Kai left the Qin family’s residence and went toward the residence of the Zhang family.
…
Shortly after Yang Kai left, Qin Yu suddenly returned to the chamber. She cast a glance at Qin Zhao Yang’s face, then asked in a low voice, as if she had realized the outcome, “Old Ancestor, did Senior Yang… agree?”
“He has agreed readily,” Qin Zhao Yang said out of delight. “I didn’t have to waste time convincing him. Little Brother Yang is a straightforward man.”
“Old Ancestor, did you tell him the danger lurking in it? Killing people and stealing their treasures isn’t any different than drinking water there. The competition between various sects’ disciples is very intense and none will be there to oversee and restrict them. Senior Yang’s power is pretty great, but he’s only a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, what if…”
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhao Yang quieted and he only spoke again after a long while, “Little Brother Yang doesn’t look like a person doomed to die young…”
“Old Ancestor, since when can you read others’ futures?” Qin Yu said through gnashed teeth.
An embarrassed look surfaced on Qin Zhao Yang’s face and he could only say weakly, “I don’t have a choice. There is no one else our Qin family can trust in Maplewood City other than Little Brother Yang, and I couldn’t find any other candidate. Why don’t I just go by myself?”
Qin Yu’s expression turned sad and she said, “Old Ancestor, if you go by yourself, then you won’t make it back alive. Our Qin family has just taken over the Jiang family’s industry. So, who will oversee the place if you leave?”
She stopped for a moment then said, “Fine, Old Ancestor, give him our Qin family’s Myriads Sword and its usage method.”
“Myriads Sword?”
Upon hearing this, Qin Zhao Yang’s expression changed and he said, “Yu’er, that’s our Qin family’s ancestral heirloom…”
“I know how important it’s, but none in our family can wield this Emperor Artifact now, and even though Senior Yang’s cultivation isn’t high enough yet, he’ll still be able to release some of its might with his power and it may even help him in the Four Seasons Realm and save his life. Senior Yang has put his life in the line for our Qin family, so we must show him our concern. If you don’t do so, I’ll have to live the rest of my days in guilt and unease..”
“Since you have already said so much… Fine, when he drops by tomorrow, I’ll hand over the Myriads Sword to him. I hope he can appreciate your regard for him,” Qin Zhao Yang sighed and gave in.
…
Yang Kai went back to the Zhang family and handed over some instructions to Zhang Ruo Xi. He told her that he would shortly take a trip and asked her to focus on her cultivation at home.
Zhang Ruo Xi had revealed a reluctant look, yet she still agreed in the end and didn’t comment on this. Yang Kai had noticed that the young girl was fired up and she wanted to quickly go into seclusion and raise her cultivation base.
As he mulled this over a lot more, he changed his mind and said, “Why don’t you accompany me?”
“Sir, you don’t mind taking me with you?” Zhang Ruo Xi’s eyes lit up and she spoke in delight.
“I don’t mind bringing you with me, but you won’t always be next to me,” Yang Kai said.
“Sir, I can’t understand what you mean.” Zhang Ruo Xi revealed a confused look.
Yang Kai smiled and waved his hand. As the Source Qi enveloped Zhang Ruo Xi, she let out a soft cry and was sent into the Small Sealed World.
The next day, Yang Kai visited the Qin family early in the morning.
Qin Zhao Yang had already made adequate preparations and he was glad to see that Yang Kai had arrived as promised. He greeted him, “Little Brother Yang, I have something to pass to you before leaving.”
“What is it?” Yang Kai asked.
Qin Zhao Yang gestured lightly at Qin Yu, who was waiting next to him respectfully, and she walked slowly to Yang Kai with a wooden box in her hands and showed him a faint smile.
Yang Kai cast a glance at the wooden box. This was a four-foot-long rectangular box crafted out of exceptional materials and decorated with mysterious designs.
As for the inside of the box, it was emitting unusual energy ripples.
“Huh?” Yang Kai furrowed his brows. He had detected that the object inside the wooden box was anything but simple.
Yang Kai cast a glance at Qin Zhao Yang and the latter only nodded at him, asking him to open the box and take a look at it.
Yang Kai didn’t hesitate and he stretched his hand toward the wooden box and opened its lid.
Sword light emanated out of the box, a sword light so dazzling that Yang Kai had to squint his eyes. But shortly after, he got a clear look at the object inside the box and he said in surprise, “This is…”
As he spoke, he stretched his hand into the box and took a long sword out of it then said, “An Emperor Artifact?”
This was a three-foot-long sword with a heavy three-inch-wide blade. Both sides of the blade were crystal clear, while one little word was carved on the hilt of the sword.
“The Myriads Sword!”
“Once the sword makes a move, it can obstruct the way of myriads of men. This is the Myriads Sword left by our Qin family’s ancestor,” Qin Zhao Yang explained with a solemn look on his face.
Yang Kai raised his brows. “Myriads Sword? What a bold name!”
As he spoke, he raised the sword and infused it with his Source Qi. The sword let out a humming noise and its blade started shivering.
It looked like a heroic spirit, which had been asleep for innumerable years, was finally awakened again. The sword blade emitted a bright halo and a sizzling Sword Qi.
Upon seeing this, Qin Zhao Yang’s pupils contracted. He couldn’t help but say out of frustration and shock, “Little Brother Yang, your power is really far above mine. You didn’t even refine it, yet you could still release such great power out of the sword.”
This was an Emperor Artifact, and even though it had been asleep for innumerable years, it still couldn’t be used by an ordinary Dao Source Realm Cultivator. Even if Qin Zhao Yang had infused it with his whole Source Qi, it might not show any response.
But, what surprised Qin Zhao Yang more was that Yang Kai didn’t show any surprise and excitement upon learning that it was an Emperor Artifact, as if this was only an ordinary artifact in his eyes.
“Brother Qin, what do you mean by this?” Yang Kai tried several moves with the sword in his hand then turned his head to look at Qin Zhao Yang.
Qin Zhao Yang said with a smile, “If you want a horse to run, then you’ll have to feed it grass…”
Qin Zhao Yang couldn’t finish his statement, as he quickly found himself face to face with Qin Yu’s infuriated glare.
“It’s a slip, a slip of the tongue.” An embarrassed look appeared on Qin Zhao Yang’s face and he said solemnly, “Little Brother Yang, take this sword and use it to protect yourself. The Four Seasons Realm isn’t a… safe place.”
Yang Kai said, “Brother Qin, aren’t you afraid I’ll just run away with it?”
Qin Yu next to them then spoke up, “Senior Yang, if you were to do so, then it’ll still be its glory. This sword has been passed through many generations of our Qin family and it has been buried for so long. It probably wants to find a better Master, carry out a new journey and display its magnificent power.”
Yang Kai cast a glance at her. [This little girl is so shrewd and has a way with words.]
After hearing Qin Yu’s statement, even if he planned to run away with it, he would still be too embarrassed to carry it out. But in any case, he didn’t really plan to take it for himself in the first place.
Emperor Artifacts were very rare, but Yang Kai wasn’t short of them and he had more than just one…
Yang Kai mulled this over for a moment then said, “I’ll take the Myriads Sword for now and I’ll return it to your Qin family after leaving the Four Seasons Realm.”
Qin Yu curled her mouth into a smile and passed over a jade slip to Yang Kai. She said, “Senior Yang, this is the Myriads Sword’s refining method passed down by our ancestor. It’ll probably be useful to you.”
Yang Kai received it and nodded. He didn’t bother with observing it carefully and he just threw it into his Space Ring along with the Myriads Sword.
“Then… let’s leave,” Qin Zhao Yang waved his hand and spoke.
Yang Kai nodded and walked outside along with him.
“Senior Yang….” Qin Yu’s shout echoed out behind them. She said, “Nothing is more important than your safety.”
Yang Kai didn’t bother with turning his head around and he just waved his hand at her.
…
After they left Maplewood City, Yang Kai took out the Ship Artifact he got from the Flying Saint Palace and got into it along with Qin Zhao Yang, then he manoeuvred it and flew away.
Originally, Maplewood City had a Space Array, but it had been destroyed by the Drunkard when the city got shrouded by Demon Qi and they couldn’t build another one by themselves in a short while. They could only notify the Star Soul Palace or other great sects and ask them to send people to build the array.
Yang Kai could obviously provide help, but he didn’t want to do so.
He was still quite weak and it wouldn’t be good for him if more people learned that he was proficient in Space Force.
The ship flew at a very high speed, while Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang took turns in driving the ship and adjusting its direction. This wasn’t really a hard task!
On the road, Qin Zhao Yang made use of their free time to inform Yang Kai of detailed information about the Four Seasons Realm, as well as some key things he must pay attention to, and Yang Kai had borne everything in mind.
According to what Qin Zhao Yang had said, the Four Seasons Realm’s entrance was located in a valley within the Southern Territory and it would open up by itself every so often. Once it got opened, it would stay open for thirty days, and once this time had elapsed, all cultivators within the Sealed World would be expelled and teleported outside.
The Four Seasons Realm got its name from its strange environment. Its environment was divided into four areas corresponding to the four seasons. the verdant Realm of Spring, the Realm of Summer with its blazing sun, the Autumn Realm known for its cool breeze, and the Winter Realm covered by snow.
Many precious treasures and herbs rarely seen in the Star Boundary were present in the Four Seasons Realm, and there were even some special opportunities in it. Once the elite disciples of great sects entered the Four Seasons Realm, they could choose to enter and search a specific realm based on their necessities and the methods cultivated by them.
As for the Tribulation Fruit sought by Yang Kai, it was present in the Winter Realm. Only the Winder Realm’s cold environment satisfied this spirit fruit’s growth conditions.
The opening of the Four Seasons Realm wasn’t just a chance for the Southern Territory’s sects to collect rare resources, and it was also a chance for them to compete against each other. This was why they allowed the disciples to fight and kill each other, and they used this trial to test the disciples’ cultivation attainments.
The great sects would send their top disciples into the realm precisely for this reason. Every trip there would be an intense and violent competition and the casualties would always cross four-tenths of the participants. The stronger one was, the least likely they were to die.
Qin Zhao Yang wasn’t a member of a great sect and he also hadn’t ever entered the Four Seasons Realm. He learned everything he knew about it from information collected by Qin Yu from various books or word of mouth.
This was why, once Yang Kai entered the realm for real, it would be up to him to determine the most appropriate course of action.
The trip had been safe and uneventful!
Other than chatting with Qin Zhao Yang, Yang Kai didn’t do anything else other than studying the jade slip about the Myriads Sword’s refining method, and he learned a lot from it.
He had many of Emperor Artifacts in hand, but the Myriad was a Sword Artifact, a Sword Artifact at the Emperor Grade, and he might get some interesting insights through studying its refining method
…
After five days, the ship flew over a piece of wilderness.
Yang Kai who was sitting in one of the ship’s rooms and refining the Myriads Sword suddenly detected something and his heart skipped a beat. His eyes suddenly snapped open and he gazed with rapt attention at the void.
Soon after, Qin Zhao Yang had also discovered something and he stopped the ship in the air, then yelled, “May I ask who you are and why are you obstructing our path?”
After his voice fell, Yang Kai jumped from the ship’s rear and looked ahead. A scarlet silhouette was standing three hundred meters from the ship with her back facing them.
The silhouette was covered by blazing flames and her face was hidden from view, but from her curvaceous body and plump butt, it could be seen that it was a woman.
“What happened?” Yang Kai asked in a low voice.
Qin Zhao Yang shook his head and said, “This woman suddenly appeared in front of us and I don’t know if she had always been here or if she…”
“She’s so unfathomable…” Yang Kai’s expression changed after he swept the woman with his Divine Sense.
His Divine Sense couldn’t see anything there, and if he wasn’t seeing her with his naked eye, then he wouldn’t have noticed the red-robed woman.
“Is she… at the Emperor Realm?” Qin Zhao Yang cried in alarm, while a chill ran down his spine.
“She’s no ordinary Emperor Realm Master.” Yang Kai couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.
When he had been possessed by the Demon Sense, he fought against three First-Order Emperor Realm Masters, and he had some understanding of their power. He could clearly feel that those three Emperor Realm Masters wouldn’t be a match for the woman even if they joined hands.
In other words, the woman was at least a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master or more. She was most likely a… Third-Order Emperor Realm Master.
As this thought ran across Yang Kai’s mind, his heart sank.
No matter why the woman was standing in front of them, if they ended up incurring her wrath, then they would both die here.
“Yang, Little Brother Yang… Do you know her?”
“How the hell would I know her?” Yang Kai’s mouth twitched.
Yang Kai gave this some thoughts then shouted, “Senior, may I ask for your name? Why are you obstructing our path?”
After his shout, the woman slowly turned around and showed them a side of her face.
She had a delicate nose, rosy lips, and pretty facial features, as well as long hair and a curvaceous body. She had a plump chest and delicate snow-white skin, as well as a pair of watery eyes.
Upon facing the woman’s gaze, even Qin Zhao Yang fell into a daze and got mesmerized by her beauty.
“You’re really so slow,” the woman mumbled, but despite Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang’s high cultivation base, as well as their acute hearing, they still couldn’t hear the woman’s voice. She must have used some mysterious power to achieve this feat!
After she spoke, the woman curled the corners of her mouth and looked at the ship with a fake smile.
Yang Kai’s body suddenly stiffened.
He felt like the woman’s gaze had penetrated the void and all obstructions of the ship in its way and fell upon his body directly. He got alerted and he used his Source Qi, getting ready for any conflicts, while he also started pondering over this. [When did I meet this woman and how did I offend her?]
Yang Kai mulled this over for long, yet couldn’t come up with an answer.
He had arrived at the Star Boundary not long ago and he had met only a few Emperor Realm Masters. If he had really seen this red-robed woman, then he would have an impression of her.
Then, there were only two explanations for the current situation. One of them was that the woman was handling some matters here, and Qin Zhao Yang and him stumbled upon her by mistake.
As for the second one, she had been waiting for him and Qin Zhao Yang here…
The second explanation was very unlikely, so it could only be the first one.
As Yang Kai racked his brain over this, the red-robed woman suddenly opened her rosy mouth and spoke in an indifferent, yet pleasant voice. “You are talking to me, yet you still dare to hide within the ship? Daring!”
The woman wore a faint smile at the corners of her mouth, but her eyes were as cold as ever.
After she spoke, she slowly raised her lily-white hand and snapped her fingers. A scorching force suddenly emerged and formed a fist-sized fireball in front of her. That fireball shivered lightly then flew toward the ship.
The faces of Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang fell and they decisively flew outside.
*Bang*
A deafening explosion sound echoed out and the large ship had been engulfed by raging flames. Qin Zhao Yang had been swept by the explosion’s terrifying might and lost consciousness on the spot. to only be thrown onto the ground.
Yang Kai had also felt a scorching pain on his back, as if several of his ribs had been broken.
When he regained his balance, he turned his head to take a look and he found out that his ship had been quickly turned into ashes by the raging flames.
“My artifact!” Yang Kai shouted out of distress.
He had gotten a means of transport such as a Flying Artifact only with great difficulty and it was still an artifact of a pretty good grade, yet it had been destroyed by an Emperor Realm Master for no reason on his first trip.
Upon hearing him, the red-robed woman curled the corners of her lips and smiled with her cold eyes. She said calmly, “Lad, shouldn’t you worry over your life rather than your artifact?”
“Senior, who are you and why are you assaulting us?” Yang Kai turned his head to face her and shouted. Flames of anger were raging up in his heart!
The opponent was at least a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master and she had already destroyed his artifact at a slight disagreement, yet it looked like she still didn’t plan to let him off the hook and she wanted to attack him. How could he bear this any longer?
“You don’t have to know who I am.” The red-robed woman revealed a mesmerizing smile and spoke, then took light steps. She had used some unknown Divine Ability and closed in on Yang Kai with only two or three steps. When they were only thirty feet apart, she raised her hand and pointed it at Yang Kai then said, “You’re just an eyesore.”
After she spoke, she swatted the air with her fair hand. The World Principles were suddenly frozen and a formless wave of pressure assaulted Yang Kai’s body. His bones let out a snapping noise, as if they would shortly be crushed by the terrifying wave of pressure.
“Are you sick?” Yang Kai’s expression was unsightly. He never imagined that he would one day suffer such undeserved misfortune. She planned to kill him only because she found him an eyesore.
As he spoke, he used his Source Qi and a three-inch-wide sword appeared in his hand. He shouted, “Myriad Sword Move, a Single Man Guards the Pass.”
As Sword Light shone brightly, the Sword Qi let out a humming noise.
*Sizzle*
At this moment, it looked like the Myriads Sword had turned into innumerable swords that covered Yang Kai’s surroundings and they all shot out like a swarm of locusts.
“Huh? An Emperor Artifact?” Surprise flashed past the red-robed woman’s pretty eyes. But, she didn’t take him seriously and she only said mockingly, “How much of its might can you release with your weak cultivation base?”
*Rumble!*
As she spoke, many sparks broke in the air. It was a result of the innumerable Sword Qi’s collision against the formless wave of pressure.
But, Yang Kai had refined the Myriads Sword for only a short period and his cultivation base was still low. The Sword Qi was impressive-lookinghonourable but pretty weak, and it had been quickly extinguished by the boundless wave of pressure.
The terrifying wave of pressure swept Yang Kai and engulfed the region around him.
“It doesn’t matter how much of its might I can release, as I didn’t count on it to stop your Divine Ability.” Yang Kai’s voice suddenly reverberated behind the red-robed woman.
He held the sword with both hands and exerted all of his brute power and thrust it at the red-robed woman’s long neck.
The red-robed woman shouted in surprise, “Teleportation? Space Force? Interesting…”
As she spoke, she turned around and stared at Yang Kai with a smile. She didn’t plan to dodge his strike.
The sword fell upon her neck and cut her body into two halves, but Yang Kai couldn’t rejoice over this, and he suddenly retreated quickly as if he had been struck by a scorpion tail.
Meanwhile, the red-robed woman suddenly appeared next to his former place and tapped the afterimage left by him.
“You can dodge even this?” The red-robed woman furrowed her brow and mumbled, “It looks like I have underestimated you…”
As her voice fell, her expression suddenly changed and she observed the surroundings with furrowed brows.
A pitch-black hole suddenly appeared next to her and a terrifying suction force emanated from it.
On the other side, Yang Kai weaved hand seals and shouted through gnashed teeth: “Banishment!”
“Do you plan to deal with me…” The red-robed woman revealed a smile. “Through such means?”
The woman only waved her hand and the black hole immediately disappeared.
Yang Kai chuckled bitterly and stood in his place motionless then collected the Myriads Sword.
“Huh? Do you plan to give up?” The red-robed woman observed Yang Kai with great interest and spoke mockingly.
“I can’t beat you, so why would I continue fighting?” Yang Kai said with an indifferent look plastered on his face.
“Then, are you ready to die?” The red-robed woman laughed in response.
Yang Kai replied, “It doesn’t matter! In any case, I’ll only suffer more if I fight back, please give me a quick death. But, I still want to ask you, why did you attack me? How did I offend you?”
“Didn’t I tell you already… I found you an eyesore,” the red-robed woman replied.
“Crazy woman!” Yang Kai said resentfully.
“Pff….” At a certain region in the void, a person was drinking tea slowly, yet he suddenly splurted a mouthful of tea upon hearing Yang Kai’s words and he had almost sprayed it on the face of the young girl opposite him.
The young girl was oblivious to this and she was still observing Yang Kai and the red-robed woman nervously, entreating the man anxiously, “Uncle Li, please let go of me. I’ll go back with you to the island. Why are you making trouble for Brother Yang, he’s only a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator and he’s no match for you.”
“That’s not true,” the man called ‘Uncle Li’ by the young girl shook his head and corrected her, “It isn’t me who is causing trouble for the young lad, but your Aunty Feng and it has nothing to do with me. I’m only drinking tea here…”
“Why? Aunty Feng has never seen Brother Yang, so why is she making trouble for him?” The young girl asked anxiously.
“Xiao Qi…” Uncle Li wore an experienced look and said meaningfully, “The outside world is… very complex, and the outside world’s men are all cunning and shrewd. Your Aunty Feng is doing this for your own good.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Xiao Qi pouted then snorted and said, “I don’t care, if you don’t call back Aunty Feng, then I’ll… I’ll tell her that you peeped while she was bathing.”
Upon hearing this, Uncle Li’s expression changed and his face turned deathly pale, while beads of sweat streaked across his forehead. He said, “Xiao Qi, you can eat whatever you want, but you can’t say whatever you want. I’m a just and honorable gentleman and I have never done such a despicable thing… Fine, fine, it was only one time, a single time and I was caught by you before I could see anything. Young girl, you really have a good memory. You were only four years old at that time.”
“Don’t try to change the subject, I’m asking you, will you do it or not?” Mo Xiao Qi snorted and said, “If you dare to refuse, then I’ll add interesting details to that story and turn that single occurrence into dozens and dozens then tell them to Aunty Feng one by one…”
“Ah! Spare me! Please!” Uncle Li’s expression turned bitter. “Let me off the hook, why are you making life hard for me…”
“Then will you agree or not?” Mo Xiao Qi looked coldly at Uncle Li.
Uncle Li sighed and said, “If it had been a while ago, then I could still do you a favour, but now…”
“But now, what?”
“The young lad dared to call your Aunty Feng crazy, he’s done for!” Uncle Li spoke, taking pleasure in Yang Kai’s misfortune!
“Ah… No!!” Mo Xiao Qi was scared and she turned her head to take a look. As expected, Aunty Feng had been infuriated and her pretty eyes shone with a cold glint. Those were clear signs she had gotten angry for real, and even Mo Xiao Qi was afraid to see her in this state.
“Lad, what did you just say?” The red-robed woman revealed a sweet smile, but Yang Kai could clearly discern that her voice had turned bone-chilling.
However, the current situation was already bad enough, and Yang Ka had thrown caution to the wind. If the woman dared to attempt killing him for real, then he would open the Golden Silver Seal in his belly and give her a great surprise. At that time, even if he wasn’t a match for her, he could still escape, probably.
But, the sole issue was that he didn’t have enough power to seal the Demon Sense and boundless Demon Qi again. The Firmament Tree still needed more time to accumulate enough Sealing Power.
“Crazy woman!” Yang Kai raised his head high and stared at the red-robed woman.
“Hehe…” The red-robed woman didn’t get angry, but rather laughed in response. However, her voice suddenly turned sharp, “Do you think I won’t kill you right now?”
Yang Kai raised his brows and said in surprise, “Huh? Does this mean… You didn’t plan to kill me?”
As he spoke, his tense nerves relaxed and he said with a smile, “I already found this strange, you’re a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, yet you let go of everything and ran over here to block our path. What are you up to? I have never seen you and don’t have any grievances with you.”
The red-robed woman sneered and said, “You think you’re clever?”
But upon hearing Yang Kai’s next words, the red-robed woman’s expression changed.
“Ah. Hello, Aunty Feng!”
A startled look appeared on the red-robed woman’s face. She didn’t expect that Yang Kai could see through her identity and disclose it.
She quickly looked toward a certain region in the void. Uncle Li could only spread his arms in response, expressing that this had nothing to do with him.
“Aren’t you Aunty Feng?” Even though Yang Kai was questioning her, he spoke in a confident and sure tone, and he also cast a glance at the region observed by the red-robed woman a while ago. He waved his hand at the void and shouted with a smile. “Xiao Qi!”
In the void, the hiding Uncle Li looked in surprise at Yang Kai and whistled “This lad is quite… attentive.”
“Does Brother Yang know I’m here?” Mo Xiao Qi was also taken aback and she looked toward Yang Kai, who was waving his hand at her in greeting. She quickly tried to give him a reply, but her voice couldn’t reach Yang Kai.
The void had been confined by a powerful force and it had been isolated thoroughly.
Mo Xiao Qi couldn’t help but get anxious!
On the other side, Yang Kai laughed, “Mo Xiao Qi, it’s enough for you to see me. Go back to your family obediently. I hope we will meet again.”
“Huh…” Mo Xiao Qi nodded and said, “Okay!”
She had been dejected for a while because she couldn’t see Yang Kai one last time before leaving, yet upon hearing Yang Kai’s words, she got over her sorrow and laughed cheerfully.
Yang Kai turned his head to face the red-robed woman and said, “Aunty Feng…”
“Who is Aunty Feng and who are you calling?” The red-robed woman gazed at Yang Kai with a cold look plastered on her face.
“Senior…”
“If you dare to say so again…”
Yang Kai took a deep breath and said, “Miss… I already know why you have obstructed us here…”
“You think you’re clever?” The red-robed woman snorted coldly and interrupted Yang Kai.
Yang Kai was taken aback and he could only furrow his brows, “Since you don’t want to admit it… Then I can only…”
As he spoke, he suddenly faced the void and said warmly with an affectionate look plastered on his face, “Xiao Qi, go back home and wait for me. Once I prepare a betrothal gift, I’ll visit your home to ask for your hand.”
The red-robed woman’s face fell and she yelled, “Lad, you dare…”
But, she suddenly realized something midways and said through gnashed teeth, “You’re so cunning.”
At this moment, she had realized that Yang Kai’s words didn’t reach Mo Xiao Qi and he had said them only to her, while her reaction had clearly confirmed Yang Kai’s guess.
“That’s right, I’m Xiao Qi’s Aunty Feng,” the red-robed woman couldn’t continue acting dumb and she could only admit it. She glared at Yang Kai, “I don’t care about your origins nor your prospects. Xiao Qi isn’t a girl the likes of you can covet, don’t ever forget this.”
“Miss, you have come here just to admonish me for lusting over swan meat?” Yang Kai said calmly, “If that’s so, then why didn’t you say so early on.”
“At least, you know your place.” The red-robed woman snorted and said, “You’re quite sensible and I won’t bully you. But, don’t forget my words, if you dare to have any presumptuous thoughts about Xiao Qi, then I’ll make you regret being born in this world.”
“Miss, your threat is so… feeble.” Yang Kai chuckled. “But, you don’t have to worry, Xiao Qi and I are only friends…”
“That is for the best!” The red-robed woman nodded with satisfaction.
Yang Kai chuckled, “I prefer alluring mature women over such young girls, mature women such as… you. I really couldn’t help but fall for you.”
*Splurt*
In the void, Uncle Li splurted a mouthful of tea again and his jaw dropped in shock. After a long while, he came back to his senses and said, while wiping the sweat off his face, “She got teased… She really got teased…”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help but laugh loudly. “A lad wet behind the ears dared to tease Miss Jiu, if the Great Emperor hears of this, he’d have a good laugh.”
“Brother Yang, how can he say…” The face of Mo Xiao Qi opposite him got flushed, “He’s so shameless!”
“Do you like women such as me?” The red-robed woman’s expression turned strange and she observed Yang Kai with great interest. She said, “Those presumptuous words are enough of a reason for me to cut off your tongue.”
“But…” She suddenly smiled sweetly and looked at him coquettishly. She said in a silky voice, “I really like your honesty. If your cultivation base surpasses mine, then I may consider giving you a chance to court me.”
“Haha, then it’s a promise,” Yang Kai laughed and said.
The red-robed woman stared at him for a long while then said mockingly, “Conceited fool!”
As her voice fell, her body flickered and disappeared suddenly.
“Hey! Miss, you have destroyed my Flying Artifact, yet you just want to walk away? Aren’t you too shameless?” Yang Kai shouted at the void.
After his voice fell, a blue light suddenly shot toward him and it stopped in front of him.
Yang Kai observed the blue light for a while and discovered that it was a little wooden boat shrouded by light. It was a three-inch-long boat, emitting the energy ripples of a Dao Source Artifact.
“She has given me compensation for real?” Yang Kai was surprised, but still gladly accepted the wooden boat and put it in his Space Ring, then stood in the air and waited in silence.
After a long while, he suddenly shivered and beads of sweat seeped off his forehead and his clothes quickly got drenched in sweat. He couldn’t help but open his mouth and start gasping for breath, as if he was a fish that had just left water.
The confrontation with the red-robed woman hadn’t been dangerous, but it was still anything but peaceful.
After all, she was a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master and her cultivation base was above Yang Kai’s by many Realms. Even if Yang Kai opened the Golden Silver Seal in his belly, he might not have a good chance to escape from her. This was why he could only try risky moves.
Fortunately, he suddenly guessed her identity at a crucial juncture.
It hadn’t been hard for him to guess it. After all, he didn’t have any feud with the red-robed woman, yet this Third-Order Emperor Realm Master had come specially to make trouble for him. So, she obviously had different reasons behind this.
As Yang Kai mulled it over repeatedly, he could only think of Mo Xiao Qi. Prior to her departure, she left a jade slip and told Yang Kai that her Aunty Feng was coming for her.
Mo Xiao Qi was only a Third-Order Origin King. So, how could she escape from Aunty Feng? She would surely get caught and sent back home.
Moreover, Aunty Feng might have heard about Yang Kai from Mo Xiao Qi after catching her and that was why she had come especially for him to feel him out.
Yang Kai could understand the reason behind Aunty Feng’s actions. If that inexperienced and naive girl mentioned a stranger repeatedly, then she would surely have to go have a look at Yang Kai’s character and see whether he had deceived her.
As for what happened later? It was quite simple. After he learned of the woman’s identity, he realized that Mo Xiao Qi was likely hidden in the vicinity.
As for the red-robed woman, she would surely not kill him.
But, she had used some sort of Soul Secret Technique before leaving and Yang Kai had almost made a fool out of himself due to her brief seduction.
However, Aunty Feng had underestimated Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy and he managed to draw help from the Soul Warming Lotus to get rid of her influence, or else, he would have made a fool out of himself in front of Mo Xiao Qi and she wouldn’t ever pay heed to him again.
“They should have left, right?” Yang Kai mumbled. He was quite feeble right now, but he still braced himself and went to check on Qin Zhao Yang.
After he checked him briefly, he ascertained that he was only unconscious and didn’t suffer any injuries. It looked like Aunty Feng had knocked him out on purpose to get a chance to talk to Yang Kai in private.
…
In the distance, Uncle Li cast a Great Divine Ability and travelled through the void with Mo Xiao Qi and Aunty Feng.
Mo Xiao Qi was sulking, but the two Emperor Realm Masters didn’t pay any heed to her.
Uncle Li was frequently casting glances at Aunty Feng, as if he had something to tell her.
“What’s on your mind? Just blurt it out, why are you casting stealthy glances at me?” Aunty Feng flew into a rage and glared at Uncle Li with her pretty eyes.
Uncle Li laughed sheepishly, “I’m only curious, how did the lad resist your Soul Suction Technique. How much power did you use? One-tenth… or half a tenth?”
Aunty Feng quieted for a while then said, “Two tenths!”
“Are you making fun of me?” Uncle Li’s eyes widened.
Aunty Feng said, “That brat’s Spiritual Energy is so strange. He’s only a First-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, yet his Spiritual Energy is on par with a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Cultivator, and he’s also…”
“What else?”
“It looks like he’s also protected by a strong Artifact… That artifact resisted most of my Soul Suction Technique’s might.”
“Even you can’t detect what kind of Artifact it is?”
“It’s within his Knowledge Sea and I can’t detect it unless I crack open his head and have a look at it.”
“Don’t bring up such scary matters, I’m still here,” Mo Xiao Qi cut into the discussion and reminded them of her existence.
“Moreover, that brat is…” Aunty Feng didn’t pay heed to Mo Xiao Qi and looked at Uncle Li with great interest. She chuckled and said, “His attainments in the Space Force are pretty high and he can even cast a black hole-like Secret Technique. I clearly remember that you weren’t able to achieve this feat in the past at his cultivation level.”
“What are you trying to say?” Uncle Li looked askance at her.
Aunty Feng smiled and said, “It isn’t easy to find a suitable candidate, why don’t you consider taking him in as your disciple? Honestly speaking, that brat is pretty good, and even the Star Boundary’s top sects couldn’t raise a person of his calibre.”
“Pah!” Uncle Li sneered, “What’s so good about having a disciple? If I take one, then I’ll have to waste time teaching him and I’ll still have to worry about him as he may have an early death at any moment… If he was a pretty young girl, then I may consider raising him, but it’s a pity… Tsk, tsk…”
“Then, that’s his loss,” Aunty Feng said with a smile.
“That’s right.” Mo Xiao Qi suddenly clapped and said, “Uncle Li, you and Brother Yang are both proficient in Space Force, why don’t you take him in as your disciple? He can inherit your mantle.”
“I refuse!” Uncle Li didn’t give this any consideration.
Mo Xiao Qi cast a glance at him then turned around and looked at Aunty Feng. She said, “Aunty Feng, when I was four years old, Uncle Li…”
“Hey, hey…” Uncle Li’s expression changed and he suddenly prayed and let out strange cries, “I suddenly think that taking in a disciple is a pretty good idea. If I’m in a good mood, I can teach him for a while, and if I’m in a bad mood, I can call him over and teach him a lesson. Taking care of a mischievous disciple would be a pleasant experience.”
“Uncle Li, are you serious?” Mo Xiao Qi looked at him excitedly.
“Huh…huh…” Uncle Li nodded solemnly, “Once I meet him again, I’ll take him as a disciple.”
It took two hours for Qin Zhao Yang to wake up.
After a moment of fogginess, he suddenly remembered what had happened before he fell unconscious. His face changed greatly. He looked around, and he was relieved when he found that Yang Kai was safe and sound.
He was naturally very curious about what the woman in red wanted and what happened while he was knocked out.
He asked Yang Kai, who did not tell the truth since this matter involved Mo Xiao Qi’s origins and identity. Therefore, Yang Kai casually shared that the woman in red had the wrong person…
Qin Zhao Yang was doubtful, but since the two of them were unharmed, he did not dive deeper into it and they continued to drive towards the direction of Azure Sun Temple.
Yang Kai’s ship artifact had been destroyed, and Yang Kai had no time to refine the smaller ship artifact he had gotten from Qin Zhao Yang. Thus, Qin Zhao Yang had to summon his own flight-type artifact and the two of them shared it.
It was a Dao Source Grade Low-Rank wagon-like artifact. Although the space inside is not as big as Yang Kai’s ship, its speed was not much slower.
In the meantime, Yang Kai took the time to refine the artifact he was given.
The woman in red was a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master, so she could easily compensate Yang Kai for the broken artifact, which was Dao Source Grade High Rank! And there were many barriers inside. Although it had no attack power, the defence was solid, which made Yang Kai extremely satisfied.
If he wanted to enter the Four Seasons Realm, there would inevitably be a need to use flight-type artifacts, so he was seizing the time to refine his.
No accidents happened along the way. More than ten days later, the two entered the territory of the Azure Sun Temple.
Azure Sun Temple was a famous sect in Southern Territory, and it ranked alongside Orthodoxy Temple and Heavenly Martial Holy Land. It was second only to Star Soul Palace.
Its headquarters were located in a rolling mountain, with tens of thousands of disciples at the foot, and an endless number of masters!
Neither Yang Kai nor Qin Zhao Yang knew why the senior expert appointed Qin Zhao Yang to Azure Sun Temple in exchange for the Four Seasons Realm quota, but since the other party said so, it probably had something to do with Azure Sun Temple.
The two of them stepped into the Azure Sun Mountain Range. Yang Kai was shocked by the spiritual energy contained in the mountain.
The full-bodied world energy rushed towards one’s face, with the fragrance of flowers and plants, which made people feel refreshed. Cultivating in such a good environment, the effect was absolutely amazing.
Yang Kai estimated that there should be a lot of good Earth Veins under the Azure Sun Mountain Range. Even the highest quality Earth Vein should exist, otherwise, there wouldn’t be such rich world energy.
And this was just the periphery. If one went nearer to the centre, what would it be like?
He looked around, secretly shocked by the heritage that Azure Sun Temple sat on, but unexpectedly found that Qin Zhao Yang’s demeanour was a little nervous and cautious.
When Yang Kai thought about it, he understood.
This was the headquarters of the top sect in the Southern Territory. Qin Zhao Yang was a patriarch from a small family in Maplewood City, and he may still be the number one person there, but maybe even the common disciple here made him inferior. Naturally, he was under a lot of psychological pressure, for fear of making a mistake in speech or lack of courtesy or something else.
After all, he came here to beg for help. Naturally, he was very nervous.
In contrast, Yang Kai seemed to be under no pressure, as if he were travelling in the mountains and playing in the water, having a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery along the way.
Suddenly, Yang Kai paused and said, “Brother Qin, someone is here.”
“Ah…” Qin Zhao Yang, who seemed to have his thoughts wandering away, was suddenly startled when he heard the words, but stopped. He stood quietly in place.
In a short while, two streams of light shot over from a distance. They fell not far in front of the two and looked at them coldly.
One of them had a large head, big ears, and a fat body, the fat on his face piled up together. It was almost impossible to see where the eyes were. The other person was a blue-faced man, and it was unknown whether it was his original skin colour or the consequence of cultivating some secret technique. Anyway, he didn’t look like a normal person.
The cultivation of these two was not high: A Second-Order Origin King and a Third-Order Origin King.
But as a mountain patrol disciple, such cultivation was enough to demonstrate the strong heritage of Azure Sun Temple!
“Who are you waiting for? Why are you trespassing into my Azure Sun Temple?” The obese man wasn’t afraid of the cultivation gap. Instead, he looked aloof, interrogating Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang.
Yang Kai’s heart moved, and he thought to himself that a big sect was a big sect. In any other place, if a Dao Source Realm expert stood in front of them, an Origin King Realm cultivator would be trembling. Here, neither of these two guys showed timidity, on the contrary making it seem like his cultivation was lower than theirs.
Qin Zhao Yang was also surprised, but when he thought this was Azure Sun Temple, he was relieved and quickly lowered his posture, cupped his fists, and said, “Greetings, two little brothers. This old master is the master of the Maplewood City Qin family… This is-“
Before he could introduce Yang Kai, the fat man frowned and said, “Maplewood City? I haven’t heard of it.”
“I haven’t heard of it!” The green-faced man also looked impatient and said contemptuously, “Probably some impoverished town.”
“Senior Brother makes sense!” The fat man touched his double chin with a look of approval and then shouted at Qin Zhao Yang, “Country bumpkin, what are you here for? Why did you not stay in that Mapleleaf City??”
“Co… country bumpkin!” Qin Zhao Yang was shocked. This fat man called him this way in front of his own face. No one had ever called him that way.
A trace of anger burst out of his heart, but now people under the eaves had to bow their heads and could only suppress the anger in his heart, displaying a smile. “It’s Maplewood City, not Mapleleaf City!”
“Aren’t they all the same?” said the fat man.
“Well, it’s all the same!” The blue-faced man also nodded.
“You haven’t answered my question yet. What are you doing here at Azure Sun Temple? If you don’t answer quickly, you will be regarded as enemies invading. Don’t blame my fellow brothers for being ruthless!” the fat man said as he didn’t fit his body shape. The attacking posture contained agility and speed.
“Our fellow brothers are strong and will move very quickly when called!” The green-faced man also put on a pose at the right time, meaning that he would have to fight if he didn’t agree with him.
“Wait!” Qin Zhao Yang was taken aback. The two Origin King Realms dared to show their intention to attack. Although there was some overconfidence, this was the headquarters of the Azure Sun Temple. Once the fight began, there was bound to be a master. Here, he and Yang Kai would never escape from this place even if they had the means to reach the sky.
He pondered his words and said, “Two little brothers, don’t be nervous. Brother Yang and I are not enemies of the noble temple.”
The fat man shouted in a low voice, “Senior Brother and I will make our own judgment whether you’re an enemy or not!”
“Yes, it’s not for you to decide!” Although the green-faced man was the Senior Brother, he seemed to be someone who had no opinion. He said whatever the fat Junior Brother said.
Qin Zhao Yang sighed and said helplessly, “The old master came here to beg noble Temple Master Wen.”
Hearing this, the fat junior brother and the green-faced senior brother both froze and were silent for a while.
After a while, the fat junior brother turned his head to look at his Senior Brother and said, “Senior Brother, did I hear them wrongly? The bumpkin just said he asked to see the Temple Master?”
“Senior Brother heard it too.” The blue-faced senior brother nodded.
“Impudent!” The fat junior brother suddenly turned furious and shouted, “You country bumpkins, if you are given three types of dyes, you plan to open a dyeing workshop! How dare you!”
It was too late. The fat junior brother shook his body, his hands clasped, and the power inside his body pushed forward violently. A surging force was suddenly aroused and hit Qin Zhao Yang.
The blue-faced senior brother didn’t react too slowly. He directly took out a long sword artifact, and under the flickering light of the sword, he took on Yang Kai from the front, showing off his moves. To put it plainly, it was full of flaws…
“What are the two little brothers doing?” Qin Zhao Yang was shocked, and Source Qi immediately resolving the fat Junior Brother’s attack.
He didn’t expect that the other party would try to kill him immediately after he stated his intention.
Fortunately, the strength of these two was not high, with his Dao Source Realm cultivation, there was no need to be afraid.
On the other side, Yang Kai stretched out his hand and clamped the fierce long sword of the blue-faced man, in the palm of his hand.
Both of them just cracked the opponent’s killer move and did not fight back.
“Ah!” The fat junior brother exclaimed when he saw this scene. “No, Senior Brother, these two are Dao Source Realm cultivators. Retreat!”
It seemed that until this moment, he had no insight into the fact that Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang’s cultivations were higher than theirs.
“Oh!” The blue-faced senior brother also recovered at this moment. He didn’t know what movement skill he had used, but instead of ignoring his clamped long sword artifact, he slipped back to junior brother’s side.
“The enemy! Senior Brother, run! These two people are not easy to deal with!” The fat junior brother had a serious look on his face and sped off once his attack was complete.
The blue-faced man followed closely behind.
From a distance, the fat Junior Brother’s voice could be heard. “If you have the guts, wait for us to return. When the experts from my temple arrive, I will make sure to remember your face!”
“Well, this is…” Qin Zhao Yang was dumbfounded, standing in place with a bewildered expression.
Yang Kai’s face was turning a shade darker. He thought for a while and switched to holding the long sword in his palm, instead of his fingers.
“Brother Yang, we…” Qin Zhao Yang looked flustered, a little beaten retreat.
“We should just go in. We should see the person he is speaking about soon.” Yang Kai smiled faintly.
“Is that really a good idea?” Qin Zhao Yang was indecisive.
“Once we are wanted by Azure Sun Temple, I’m afraid we will be chased throughout the Southern Territory. It is better to take the initiative to meet and explain to their higher-ups.”
“Brother Yang is right… but, I’m afraid they won’t believe us…” Qin Zhao Yang worriedly said.
Yang Kai laughed and continued, “The two just now… were a bit strange… I doubt that the others from Azure Sun Temple will be like them. If we explain clearly, they should understand.”
“I hope so.” Qin Zhao Yang nodded. After thinking about it, the tension and fear in his heart disappeared and he followed Yang Kai forward.
This time, Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang didn’t go far before they realized that a Dao Source Realm level master was coming.
It should be the helper invited by the two Azure Sun Temple disciples before.
They arrived extremely quickly, and there were more than one. There were four or five people, and the leader was at the Second-Order Dao Source Realm level.
Yang Kai waited quietly and didn’t move forward. Qin Zhao Yang also looked down and looked uneasy.
After a while, a bright light flashed, and a group of cultivators appeared in front of the two of them.
“Deacon Tao, these two guys trespassed into our Azure Sun Mountain Range, and they also ranted loudly. Senior Brother and I lost and retreated. Look, that guy still has the Senior Brother’s sword in his hand!”
The fat junior brother and the blue-faced senior brother who had appeared before were also among these people. As soon as they appeared, the fat junior brother started to dance about in front of an elderly man to explain, while pointing to Yang Kai.
The elderly man looked like he was about fifty years old. His hair was half white, and his figure was not tall, but his eyes were gleaming with capability.
This person should be the Deacon Tao that the fat junior brother talked about.
A Second-Order Dao Source Realm level cultivator only played the role of Deacon in the Azure Sun Temple. Therefore, those that are Elders of the Sect must be much more powerful cultivators.
Yang Kai deduced.
After the fat junior brother finished speaking, the blue-faced senior brother yelled, “Hey, country bumpkin, return my Senior Brother’s artifact, or you will know what happens to you…”
Yang Kai’s mouth twitched.
He didn’t have the intention to take the opponent’s artifact as his own. This long sword was just an Origin King Grade High-Rank artifact. The reason he held it in his hand was to wait to see this blue-faced man again, then give it back to him when he saw him.
However, the manner in which the other party spoke left him in a dilemma. Even if he returned it, he would still be in the wrong.
Returning it seemed too cowardly, but not returning it was an obvious provocation… This made Yang Kai’s head ache, and he couldn’t wait to go forward and tear the blue-faced man’s mouth off.
“Don’t be rude!” Fortunately, Deacon Tao seemed to be a sensible person. He did not blindly believe in his own sect disciple. It was estimated that he also knew about how the fat junior brother and the blue senior brother were a bit different from ordinary people.
While speaking, he glanced lightly at Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang. He suddenly had a thought.
Although the cultivation of the two being First-Order Dao Source Realm and not high, it was not very low either compared with outside cultivators.
“About what happened, this Deacon already knows. I don’t know what the two of you have to say?” Deacon Tao said.
Qin Zhao Yang hurriedly cupped his fists and said, “The master of Maplewood City Qin Family, Qin Zhao Yang, greets Deacon Tao. Brother Yang and I took the liberty to come to Azure Sun Temple, not to provoke trouble, but to ask for help. The two disciples suddenly took the initiative, so Brother Yang and I were forced to be helpless and could only defend. Deacon Tao, please understand!”
“Maplewood City…” Deacon Tao, upon hearing this, suddenly furrowed his brows and frowned. He said lightly, “Recently, this Deacon seems to often hear the words ‘Maplewood City’…”
The other two Dao Source Realm cultivators standing next to him also gently nodded.
First, Divine Spirit Luan Feng appeared in Clear Jade Mountain near Maplewood City, and then, the seal of the ancient demon was broken, and Demon Qi was released. Also…
These things were not secrets, and those who were interested could naturally find out.
“What happened to Maplewood City?” Deacon Tao was surprised and asked. He thought Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang were messengers from Maplewood City asking for help.
Hearing what he said, Qin Zhao Yang immediately understood. The other party didn’t know why he came, obviously because the fat Junior Brother and the blue-faced Senior Brother didn’t explain it.
Qin Zhao Yang said, “It’s not that Maplewood City had an accident. I am here for a private matter.”
“Private matter?” Deacon Tao heard the words. Slightly frowned, and asked, “Do you know someone in the Azure Sun Temple?”
“No.” Qin Zhao Yang shook his head.
“Then are you here to join my Azure Sun Temple?” Deacon Tao asked again.
“No!”
Deacon Tao suddenly became impatient. At this moment, the fat junior brother leaned over, attached to Deacon Tao’s ear, and whispered.
A cold light flashed in Deacon Tao’s eyes, staring at the two opposite people, and nodding. “So, that’s how it is. Shameless boasting! No wonder they would attack you.”
After a pause, he continued, “It’s not easy for you to cultivate to the Dao Source Realm, and it’s the first offence. Leave one arm each and we’ll let you go!”
Qin Zhao Yang’s body shook, his eyes widened, and he looked at him incredulously.
Yang Kai frowned and secretly felt that things were a little difficult to handle. Although Deacon Tao’s thinking was more normal, and the way he acted was also straightforward, he didn’t give them a chance to explain at all.
Seeing the look of the two of them, Deacon Tao chuckled lightly. “What’s wrong? Reluctant? If you are reluctant, this Deacon doesn’t mind helping you!”
“Deacon Tao!” Yang Kai shouted abruptly.
“What else do you want to say?” Deacon Tao cast his gaze on Yang Kai.
Yang Kai chuckled and said, “Could it be that Deacon Tao knew we asked to see your noble Temple’s Temple Master Wen, so he wanted us to cut our arms? What kind of order is this? To think Azure Sun Temple shows this level of hospitality? The top sect in the Southern Territory, we’ve really never seen anything like it!”
His tone of sarcasm made everyone on the other side glare at him.
Deacon Tao even sneered and said, “You trespass into my Azure Sun Mountain Range, this Deacon can take your life. I don’t even want your life. You should be grateful and leave. If you are any more verbose, you don’t have to go.”
He looked confident.
Not surprisingly, he was a Second-Order Dao Source Realm. With Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang’s First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivation, Deacon Tao did not think they were his opponents. What’s more, there were two more companions in the First-Order Dao Source Realm beside him.
Yang Kai said, “Just because of our request?”
“Yes!”
“This is strange. Does the noble temple’s rules say that outsiders are not allowed to see Temple Master Wen?”
“Naturally not, but… What qualifications do you have to ask for Temple Master Wen?”
The Azure Sun Temple Temple Master, Wen Zi Shan, was a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master who deserved his title. As a figure standing at the top of the Martial Dao, he was not someone that could be met casually. If one wanted to see him, they had to at least be Emperor Realm. Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang, two First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivators… it was simply an insult to have them ask to see the Temple Master himself!
This was like a sloppy beggar who wanted to see the noble emperor of a country. Those guards would naturally rather kill the beggar than let them stain the eyes of the emperor.
“Since Brother Qin and I came here from a far off land, naturally there is a reason to speak with Temple Master Wen.” Yang Kai quickly said, “Why not, Deacon Tao, please report the matter to Temple Master Wen. As for seeing us… If he doesn’t want to see us, that is for Sir Temple Master to decide.”
“Impudence! Sir Temple Master has things to do. How can he meet little people like you!?” Deacon Tao snorted coldly.
Yang Kai looked at him with interest, and said, “What Deacon Tao said… Could it be because you can’t see Temple Master Wen either?”
After speaking, without waiting for him to deny it, Yang Kai looked enlightened. He muttered to himself, “Yes, with Deacon Tao’s status, I am afraid it is not so easy to meet Temple Master Wen. How about this Deacon Tao? You go and report to an elder or a guard stationed close to him, and have them report to Temple Master Wen.”
“The way this Deacon acts is not for you to dictate!” Deacon Tao was enraged out of shame. Obviously, Yang Kai was right.
Yang Kai was unmoved, and said lightly, “Deacon Tao, I came here with Brother Qin. Not only are there reasons to beg to see Temple Master Wen, but also things he needs to hear! Are you sure you want to drive us out of Azure Sun Mountain Range?”
Upon Deacon Tao hearing this, his eyes couldn’t help but shrink.
Yang Kai was too calm, which was definitely not something that a First-Order Dao Source Realm cultivator should be in such a situation. It seemed that Sir Temple Master would really meet them.
If they really brought any important information to Sir Temple Master, and they were stopped here by him… If he drove them out and waited until Sir Temple Master Sir knew about it… He could damage their relationship…
Considering all this, Deacon Tao suppressed the unhappiness in his heart. He opened his mouth and said, “What do you have for Sir Temple Master Sir to hear? Let’s hear it. If what you said is true and important enough, this Deacon will take you.”
Yang Kai, hearing this, took a look at Qin Zhao Yang.
Qin Zhao Yang knew that this was the deciding factor and that proof had to be taken out, otherwise they would not be allowed to enter the gate of Azure Sun Temple.
He stretched out his hand to take out the Jade Beauty Beggar Token from the Space Ring, used a little strength, and threw it towards Deacon Tao, saying, “Sir Deacon only needs to transfer this to Temple Master Wen, and he will understand. “
When he said this, although Qin Zhao Yang was still calm, he was praying in secret, praying that the Master he met back then was not joking with him. If the Jade Beauty Beggar Token did not work, then he was afraid that Yang Kai and himself were doomed.
“What is this?” Deacon Tao reached out his hand to take the token and looked at it carefully in the palm of his hand.
The other two Dao Source Realm cultivators also leaned in and took a look.
Soon, Deacon Tao’s face changed. From the initial surprise to the puzzlement, he was shocked, angry, and sternly shouted, “Bold! Thinking that if you just carve a nondescript token, you can deceive this Deacon? You must still be sleeping! Wake up!”
Deacon Tao’s reaction was completely unexpected by Yang Kai.
Anyone who saw this token would be suspicious. When Yang Kai first saw the Jade Beauty Beggar Token, he too didn’t take this token seriously. He only knew about its uniqueness after experimenting with it. He concluded that this was created in the hands of a Master, and a Master beyond his imagination.
Such an expert had no reason to play around with Qin Zhao Yang, a Dao Source Realm cultivator. So, Yang Kai concluded that this token must be real, it must be symbolizing some kind of identity or status!
So he smiled confidently. “Deacon Tao, although this token is a bit weird, it is not something I am capable of crafting. It is by a Great Master. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand it. But I strongly believe Temple Master Sir will understand it!”
“Good, good, good! You two bastards, you think that this Deacon is so easy to sweet talk to? I don’t know if you will think so after your limbs and scalp have been cut off!” Deacon Tao’s face suddenly became sullen. The hand holding the token shook fiercely.
Then, a shocking scene happened.
*Kacha…*
The Jade Beauty Beggar Token, which was unscathed by Yang Kai’s brute strength and could not be damaged by Qin Zhao Yang by any means, was casually crushed into four or five pieces in Deacon Tao’s hands!
Effortlessly!
Yang Kai was transfixed, with his eyes staring ahead blankly while his mind was full of chaos.
Qin Zhao Yang was beside himself, staring ahead with his jaw dropped and eyes wide opened.
“Heh…” Deacon Tao sneered and tossed the fragments. “This Deacon can easily carve a few hundred pieces of this rubbish. How can such rubbish be used as a token? It must be the biggest joke in the world! You two scums, what else can you say?”
“Brother Qin…” Yang Kai spoke in a low voice, turned to look at him, and said, “What’s going on?”
He expected Qin Zhao Yang to give him a reasonable explanation.
Qin Zhao Yang, however, did not respond, as if he had lost his soul, standing there ludicrously.
“We were tricked…” Yang Kai wailed and scolded the so-called ‘senior expert’ deep inside his heart!
Of all times, the token just had to be broken when it was in the hands of Deacon Tao. Obviously, the power inside of the token had disappeared. Otherwise, with the strength of Deacon Tao, it would be impossible to destroy the Jade Beauty Beggar Token!
Now that the token has been broken, the pledge was gone, and the both of them were speechless.
Yang Kai was already considering whether he should leave the Southern Territory after escaping from the Azure Sun Mountain Range, otherwise being targeted by a huge Sect, given his strength, he would be in trouble.
“Listen to my order, fellow disciples. Follow this Deacon and kill these two treacherous scumbags on the spot, show them the might of our temple!” Deacon Tao commanded eagerly.
The two First-Order Dao Source Realm responded and pounced forward aggressively. The fat Junior Brother and the green-faced Senior Brother seemed to have found a good opportunity for revenge, they followed the attack closely despite the difference in their realm cultivation!
“Brother Qin, run!” Yang Kai shouted.
But Qin Zhao Yang was rooted to the ground, with his lips moving slowly and muttering to himself, as if he had lost his mind: “It’s broken, it’s broken…”
It seemed that this recent incident had hit him quite hard.
What was broken in front of him was not only a piece of token, but also the only hope to save Qin Yu’s life!
In the nick of time, an inexplicable force suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Time seemed to be frozen at this moment.
In the sky, clouds rose and wind surged, lightning flashed and thunder roared.
A rhythm of energy waved leisurely from the layers of clouds in the sky……
In that instant, Yang Kai Qin Zhao Yang, Deacon Tao and others felt a terrifying pressure.
Not only them, but even all the cultivators within the Azure Sun Mountain Range could feel it. All of them trembled in horror due to the pressure…
…
“This is…” At the Azure Sun Mountain Range’s Main Peak, inside of a palace, a middle-aged man wearing a purple shirt, who seemed to be around forty years old and was originally in retreat to cultivate some secret technique, opened his eyes immediately at the moment that the pressure fell. His eyes were full of brilliance and he fiercely looked in one direction as if his eyes could penetrate the void, and he saw the scene that took place a few thousand kilometres away. His face turned solemn. After a moment, he was a little startled and said: “How is this possible?!”
While at the same time, in another mountain peak, which was beautiful and refreshing like a spring day, quiet and free from disturbance, as if it were from Heaven.
On that peak, a dignified and beautiful woman abruptly stood up. Her dazzling eyes gazed into the distance with a slight change of expression on her pretty face. Without a thought, she swayed her tender body and then disappeared from this place.
On the other side, an elderly man sat down cross-legged. There were many elite disciples of the temple in front of him, listening to this old man’s explanation of Martial Dao Heavenly Way, feeling elated but rather dazed.
All of a sudden, the old man’s voice ceased. He looked up in one direction, and after a moment, he gradually got up and disappeared in a flash, leaving a crowd of disciples in doubt and in shock.
A similar scene happened in all parts of Azure Sun Temple, and those Emperor Realm masters, whether they were in retreat or not, sensed the assembly of this terrifying power and rushed from their residences to the place where the incident occurred, hoping to find out what was going on.
…
At the edge of Azure Sun Mountain Range, seven people were trembling, regardless of their cultivation level.
This had nothing to do with courage or will, it was simply a complete suppression of power!
Both the fat Junior Brother and the Green-faced Senior Brother, whose cultivation was weak, had their bones rattling all over their bodies and fainted after holding on for a few seconds.
While the four First-Order Dao Source Realms there urged the strength in their inner body to resist the inexplicable pressure, Deacon Tao did the same. He showed a tortured expression and hunched his back due to the overwhelming pressure, as if a huge mountain pinning down his tiny body.
“What is this? What kind of power is this!?” Deacon Tao screamed in horror.
The other two Dao Source Realms from Azure Sun Temple and Qin Zhao Yang were also full of awe and fear.
Yang Kai rolled his eyes around, searching and trying to release his Divine Sense to sense the source of this power and pressure, but found that his Divine Sense could not leave his body. This space seemed to be completely confined!
*Hong…*
A strong beam of light was cast down from the sky and a man appeared in a bizarre way.
The light faded, and that man became the focus in everyone’s eyes.
He wore a broad bamboo hat. The hat was slightly slanted, covering the upper half of his face. It was not clear what his face looked like. He had an unevenly trimmed beard and a lazy gaze, seemingly void of energy, which strangely gave off a mysterious charm.
His dressing was extravagant. He was obviously a tall man with wide shoulders and long torso, yet, he wore a garish gown and a pair of buckskin boots, which made him look like neither fish nor fowl!
As soon as he showed up, Qin Zhao Yang widened his eyes and shouted out with pleasant surprise: “Senior Expert! “
When Yang Kai heard him shout, he immediately realized that this man should be the master of the token.
As expected, the strength of this man had achieved the highest level, definitely a master of Third-Order Emperor Realm level! The aura that came out from him seemed to be even stronger than the Aunty Feng before!
More importantly…
This man standing in front of them did not possess a physical form, he was just a projection!
“Who, who is this?” Deacon Tao freaked out. If he had not been in his own territory, he would have fled long ago, but even so, he trembled in fear. He dared not to make eye contact as he was afraid of upsetting that man.
“Azure Sun Temple…” the mysterious man looked up slightly and spoke to himself. He ignored Deacon Tao, and turned around to look at the place where Qin Zhao Yang stood, and said: “It’s only been over ten years since we have seen each other, yet you already got so old… looks like you have worked your heart out for all these years.”
“Sir!” Qin Zhao Yang could not speak another word, his eyes full of tears.
“Since I’m here… feel free to relax.” The man smiled and looked around until he set his sight on Yang Kai and spoke in surprise, “You are here too…”
Yang Kai was shocked. He swallowed hard and asked, “Sir, do I know you?”
“Heh…” the man laughed without saying a word and gave out a pretentious look that maddened everyone. His projection only lasted for a few breaths and the signs of disappearing showed up, “Too bad, it seems like time is up…”
With that said, the projection disappeared in front of everyone’s eyes, and no one had any idea of what he meant.
As soon as the projection disappeared, all kinds of Heavenly Manifestation disappeared at the same time. Naturally, the sensational pressure before was gone too.
Everyone was gasping for breath in the jungle.
*Pa pa pa… *
There was a sound of something falling on the ground.
Those who heard the sound turned to look, and found that what fell on the ground was actually the four to five pieces of the token fragments that were crushed by Deacon Tao previously. The fragments landed on the place where the mysterious master had disappeared from moments ago.
Seeing this scene, Deacon Tao’s face turned pale, realising he had made a huge mistake!
The token that he crushed obviously had a great background, otherwise, it would not have been able to act as a medium to project the figure of that master.
Perhaps, the master had infused his power into the token when it was made, and once the token was destroyed, his projection would appear!
“I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean to…” Deacon Tao was terrified like a stray dog and tried to get near to the fragments of the token by rolling and crawling. He even fell down in the middle of the process. After putting up some great effort, he finally reached the fragments and picked them up.
Just as the token was in his hand, it turned into dust and slipped away from his fingertips, and flowed with the wind…
“It’s over, it’s over…” Seeing this, Deacon Tao stiffened.
Xiu xiu xiu…
The sound of something fast flying through the sky came in succession, and a group of figures suddenly emerged around the crowd.
These figures included the old and the young, the male and the female. Each of them came from a different direction with a solemn expression, as if they were facing a great enemy, but when they scanned the place with their Divine Senses, they all had a puzzled expression.
Because of the fluctuation of the energy and the pressure they had sensed before, was completely gone!
“Ah!” The other two Dao Source Realms of Azure Sun Temple hastily bowed as soon as they saw these people.
“Greetings to Deputy Temple Master and all Elders!”
These people were all Emperor Realm masters, who were the top combat force of Azure Sun Temple!
Yang Kai scanned through these people, and once he saw a dignified and glamorous woman, he withdrew his gaze and secretly cursed in his heart.
That woman was none other than Gao Xue Ting, who had fought against him before!
Yang Kai had foreseen that there might come a time when he would bump into this beautiful woman again when he came to Azure Sun Temple, but he never thought this day would come so soon!
During their last fight, Yang Kai was possessed by Demon Qi and his face was unrecognizable, but if Gao Xue Ting noticed him now, it was over.
She was the last person that Yang Kai wanted to see…
“Who was he!?” asked an elderly man, about seventy or eighty years old, after his majestic gaze swept across the whole place.
The aura of this elderly man was profound. It was noticeably greater than Gao Xue Ting’s, but kind of on the same level with Xiao Yu Yang, whom Yang Kai greeted before. He was most likely a Second-Order Emperor Realm master!
The elderly man asked a question, but the disciples of Azure Sun Temple did not know how to answer.
The fat Junior Brother and the blue-faced Senior Brother had already passed out before they could see the master’s projection, while Deacon Tao was still mumbling in a dazed manner and the two First-Order Dao Source Realms were dumbstruck.
“Bunch of mutes,” the elderly man could not help but coldly snort after seeing this, looking displeased.
“Tao Ming, what are you doing?” shouted a middle-aged man, First-Order Emperor Realm in the corner. He looked at Deacon Tao and frowned.
When Deacon Tao heard it, he felt as if a sledgehammer was pounding his heart, a mysterious power flowing out of him in a jolt, causing Tao Ming to spit out a mouthful of blood. With that, Tao Ming finally calmed down, his eyes regaining focus.
He looked around in confusion, and when he saw the elderly man, his body shook and shouted, “Greetings to the Deputy Temple Master and all Elders!”
“Cut to the chase!” The middle-aged man who used the Soul Secret Technique to awaken Tao Ming bellowed, “Tell me, what exactly happened here? Did anyone trespass?”
“Did anyone…” Tao Ming muttered. He recalled the horrifying scene of the token turning into dust flowing through his fingertips. He panicked and fell to his knees on the ground: “Spare my life Sirs, it was not my intention!”
The elderly man shook his head slowly at this sight.
“Let me try!” In the other corner, a young girl in her late teens suddenly spoke up.
Despite her appearance and age, she was an Emperor Realm master. With a mysterious power, her body hovered in mid-air weirdly. While speaking, she gradually floated towards Tao Ming.
She stretched out her jade white hand, gentle as water, and patted Tao Ming’s head. “Do not be afraid, speak the truth about what you have seen and heard!” She spoke.
As soon as she finished, Tao Ming stopped trembling and his fears soothed.
He looked at the void with a slightly dull gaze and said, “Sir, here’s what happened…”
He did not slander and embellish, nor did add fuel to the fire, but told the truth about everything that had happened before, in unparalleled detail.
Yang Kai was alarmed. He realised that the young Emperor Realm Master must have performed some kind of Soul Secret Technique, which led Tao Ming to tell the truth without damaging his soul.
When Tao Ming described the strange figure who descended from the sky, the elderly man bellowed, “Describe this person in detail!”
Tao Ming said, “I did not see clearly. The person was wearing a broad bamboo hat that covered his face. His attire was extremely odd. He was obviously a man, but he was wearing a garish gown…”
After hearing this, the expression on the elderly man changed, and asked in surprise: “What about that token? What did it look like?”
Tao Ming described it truthfully.
The old man was silent for a long time.
The middle-aged man looked at the elderly man with an odd expression and asked, “Vice Temple Master Qiu, do you know who this man is?”
Everyone stared at the old man curiously, waiting for an answer.
The old man did not have the intention to answer. He simply looked at Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang.
It was also the first time anyone paid attention to Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang.
They hurriedly cupped fists to salute.
The old man nodded lightly and asked, “Did you bring that token?”
Qin Zhao Yang said, “Sir, the token was brought by me.”
“Good!” The old man said, and said lightly, “Come with me. This is not the place to talk!”
The next moment, Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang were wrapped in a gentle force that carried them forward, following behind the old man.
The other Emperor Realms looked at each other and followed the old man.
Only after the crowd had left for a while did Tao Ming regain his thoughts. He trembled, his face paling in fear.
“Deacon Tao!” The other two Dao Source Realm rushed forward, watching him nervously.
“I’m fine!” Tao Ming waved his hand with lingering fear and said, “Thank goodness for Chen Qian’s subordinate, otherwise… I would have gone insane!”
Tao Ming was nervous when he thought of the vital token that was destroyed in his own hands, in fear that the Sect executives would blame him for his mistake!
……
Azure Sun Temple Main Peak, on Myriad Saints Peak.
In front of the temple, Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang were standing there, looking at each other.
There was no guard at the entrance of the temple, the elderly man left both of them there, unattended. The others entered the temple together.
The temple had many barriers and doors that were tightly closed. They were not able to pry into anything even with Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang’s strength.
Although they were not bound by anything, they did not dare to act rashly and could only stand there obediently.
“Young Brother Yang, do you think…” Qin Zhao Yang spoke up somewhat apprehensively.
“It won’t happen!” Yang Kai didn’t wait for him to finish because he knew what Qin Zhao Yang was worried about. He smiled lightly and said, “If they wanted to, they would have done something already and we would not have a chance to resist. The reason they left us here… Looks like they want to have discussions before making a decision about us! I overheard those people talking earlier, it seems that many people do not know who the token master is!”
“This Qin has not figured out who he is yet!” Qin Zhao Yang said, chagrined.
“It’s normal not to know,” Yang Kai smiled faintly. “But a normal Third-Order Emperor Realm may not have the ability to make Azure Sun Temple so afraid. That person…”
“What Young Brother Yang means is…” Qin Zhao Yang suddenly thought of a possibility and whispered. “Could it be one of the ten Sirs?”
“Most likely!” Yang Kai nodded.
*Si….* Qin Zhao Yang sucked in a breath of cold air, in disbelief that he had ever come into direct contact with such a legend.
……
Inside the temple was the Azure Sun Temple Master, the Master at the Third-Order Emperor Realm, Wen Zi Shan. He donned a purple shirt and sat on the throne with an intimidating expression and a profound aura.
The elderly man and the other Emperor Realms whom Yang Kai previously greeted had gathered in the hall. Everyone listened intently to the Elder reporting the obtained information to Wen Zi Shan.
“Token, a man in a flowery outfit…” Wen Zi Shan smiled at his words. His smile was not attractive, but it seemed to have a strange charm that brightened up the whole temple in an instant.
“Temple Master, did you figure something out?” The elderly man asked.
“Dear old Qiu,” Wen Zi Shan did not have the appearance that befit a Temple Master. The veins on Deputy Temple Master Qiu Ran were jumping when the Temple Master addressed him casually in front of the audience, making everyone else unable to resist laughing.
Even the corners Gao Xue Ting’s mouth, who was usually as cold as ice, curved slightly.
“Why did you ask me when you’ve already figured it out…” Wen Zi Shan said. He reached out and picked up a bunch of spirit fruits next to him, held them high above his head and took one mouthful of them after another… with overflowing saliva in his mouth.
“Sir Temple Master!” Qiu Ran could not help but shout.
“Well, well, well,” Wen Zi Shan said blurrily, putting down his unfinished spirit fruit. He clapped his hands, stood up, and said, “Who on Earth would carve an image of a beggar on one side, and a jade woman on the other side of a token that symbolizes one’s identity? And who would stroll around wearing such tasteless clothes? There is only one answer…”
Everyone in the temple held their breath and watched Wen Zi Shan intently.
At this moment, Wen Zi Shan’s aura changed abruptly, his gaze as sharp as a sword that could pierce through the void, and he quickly said, “Wandering Bustling World, playing on Earth…”
“Bustling World Great Emperor!” Gao Xue Ting suddenly lost her voice and shouted.
“Oh? Smart, Little Xue Ting got it right,” Wen Zi Shan took a glance at Gao Xue Ting, his majestic expression suddenly disappearing into a bright smile. He softly said, “What reward do you want? I can meet any of your requests.”
The corners of Gao Xue Ting’s mouth twitched slightly, and she said, “Sir Temple Master, please behave yourself! I am no longer the same little girl, I am long past the age for rewards! And… I am more than two hundred years old!”
“Two hundred years old… is still very young.” Wen Zi Shan smiled, with a slight sadness: “I preferred when you were still a child, you are so cold now that you grew up…”
“Humph!” Gao Xue Ting coldly snorted and turned her head aside, ignoring him.
“Sir Temple Master, let’s get down to business!” Qiu Ran said, the veins on forehead throbbing more violently, unable to tolerate more, his body stiff.
“Alright, alright,” Wen Zi Shan said after hearing this. His expression returned back to normal, “The Bustling World Great Emperor is the most mysterious out of Ten Great Emperors. That old thing always comes and goes like a shadow, like a hidden dragon who shows his tail but never his face.”
“Old thing…”
The Emperor Realms were shocked, each face twitched.
The Ten Great Emperors were such respectful figures, but they are just old things from the mouth of their Temple Master…
“Sir Temple Master, is it okay to call him that? What if that Sir finds out…” one of the middle-aged men interjected in shock.
Wen Zi Shan laughed, “That old thing may look intimidating, but he is a nice person and he will not be angry over a trivial matter…”
He casually explained, then said, “Only a few people have seen his Bustling World Token. Even in the Emperor Realm, rarely anyone knows what it looks like, but I just happened to know. One side of the token is the carving of a jade woman, the other side is a carving of a beggar, and the material that composed the token is quite common, not anything valuable.”
“From the information that you provided, the two Dao Source Realm kids have indeed brought the Bustling World Token. No doubt, the appearance of the Bustling World Token can be imitated by anyone, but the power in it… cannot be infused by any commoner,” Wen Zi Shan smiled and said. “Then again, who would want to imitate this kind of token…”
“How on Earth could these two possess the Bustling World Great Emperor’s Bustling World Token!?” Qiu Ran frowned.
Wen Zi Shan shrugged his shoulders and said, “Regarding that Sir’s behaviour… heh, it is unpredictable. So, it’s not surprising that both of them have the Bustling World Token. Who knows, one day, there might be a lot of beggars or prostitutes coming to Azure Sun Temple with Bustling World Tokens too!”
The crowd showed an indifferent look.
“You all have to believe me!” Wen Zi Shan said, “Back then, when this King established Azure Sun Temple in the early days, a group of prostitutes came to this King with a Bustling World Token and begged for money! Well, at that time, only Little Xue Ting was with me, while the rest of you were not here yet. That’s why you have no idea about it.”
“Who would have thought of such a thing!?” The crowd was shocked.
Qiu Ran was speechless and muttered, “How could the Bustling World Token fall into the hands of women like that?”
“How tricky!”
“How unpredictable!”
“Bustling World Great Emperor lives up to his name!”
Meanwhile, the young girl Chen Qian, who previously performed Soul Secret Technique against Deacon Tao, quietly hovered in mid-air. She broke her silence in a soft tone: “Back to our topic, why do I feel like the style of Sir Temple Master is kind of similar to the Great Emperor?”
Everyone pondered over her words. The more they thought about it, the more they agreed with it.
“Sir Temple Master has been chattering nonsense all day too!”
“And he also wears tasteless clothes!”
“Badly behaved too!”
“This King is here, and you criticized him in front of his face? Am I… deaf to you?” Wen Zi Shan said with a stern face.
Qiu Ran took a glance at him, cupped his fists, said, “Sir Temple Master, I heard that Sir Temple Master was adopted by the Bustling World Great Emperor during younger days, is it true?”
“Absolutely not!”
“I also heard that Bustling World Great Emperor had taught and instructed Sir…”
“By no stretch of the imagination!”
“What?” They were shocked, “Really? There was such a story between Sir Temple Master and Bustling World Great Emperor?”
“So, that’s how it is!”
“Now I understand why.”
Wen Zi Shan looked down at the people and spoke weakly, “What do you understand? Are you saying that this King being who he is now is because of that old thing? Nonsense! This King has no relationship with that old thing at all, needless to say about the rest.”
“Then why does the Bustling World Token appear in our Azure Sun Temple so often?” Qiu Ran questioned, “Including this time, it has already appeared twice in Azure Sun Temple.”
“I have never heard of any other great force receiving a Bustling World Token before!”
“Well, this King wants to know why they came to our Azure Sun Temple with a Bustling World Token. Send both of them in.” Wen Zi Shan turned serious at once.
Qiu Ran sighed deeply, realizing that his Sir Temple Master resembled the Bustling World Great Emperor even more.
But he was unambiguous. He waved his hand to open the temple gate and passed down the message.
Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang looked at each other outside the temple, both with a solemn look, and entered the temple together.
After they had set foot in the temple, the temple gate closed again.
The Emperor Realms were inside the temple. These people did not deliberately release their power, but their omnipresent pressure was not something that the two First-Order Dao Source Realms could resist. Yang Kai was slightly better, though he struggled to move, but at least he did not make a fool of himself.
However, Qin Zhao Yang was trembling. His clothes were soaked in his sweat. His wet feet were even leaving clear footprints all around the temple.
When the two approached, they cupped their fist and saluted around.
The rest just looked at them quietly. Wen Zi Shan waved his hand, emitting a formless wave of power that put Yang Kai and Qin Zhao Yang at ease.
“Many thanks to Temple Master Wen!” Yang Kai rushed to the altar and cupped his fists. It was obvious that the one seated on the throne and donning a symbolic purple shirt was none other than Azure Sun Temple’s Temple Master.
“After being verified by this Temple Master, the token that has been brought by you two is real!” Wen Zi Shan looked down at them with a stern voice. “Let this King ask you, what are you up to for bringing this token to our Azure Sun Temple?”
Yang Kai took a glance at Qin Zhao Yang, but realized he was a coward who dared not to open his mouth.
He had no choice but to answer, “In reply to Temple Master Wen, we came from Maplewood City. Twelve years ago, a Senior Expert who always comes and goes like a shadow, gave this token to Older Brother Qin, and instructed him to visit Azure Sun Temple twelve years later, in order to request Temple Master Wen to grant him a place in Four Seasons Realm!”
“Hmmm? Four Seasons Realm?” Wen Zi Shan was a little surprised, while the rest had an odd expression.
Everyone thought that they would probably ask for some special favour for bringing the Bustling World Token to Azure Sun Temple, but who could have guessed that they were just asking for a place in Four Seasons Realm?
Wen Zi Shan scanned through Qin Zhao Yang with his Divine Sense, said lightly, “This old man doesn’t seem like a talented person. Why would that old… that Sir allow him to enter Four Seasons Realm? Although Four Seasons Realm is not really some glorious Sealed World, entry is still limited, and only the elites from the various huge Sects and clans can enter. Give us a reason, why must this King fulfil your wish?”
Qin Zhao Yang took a deep breath, quickly said: “In reply to Sir, it’s for a grandchild of this old man! She suffers from severe illness since birth, and only one type of spirit fruit in Four Season Realm will be able to save her! Back then, that Sir saw this, and that’s why this Qin was given a token and was instructed to visit Azure Sun Temple twelve years later!”
“I see!” Wen Zi Shan nodded without further questions, “Since these words were given by that Sir, this Temple Master cannot reject. It is just a slot in Four Seasons Realm after all…”
After hearing this, Qin Zhao Yang was delighted.
He expected this trip to be painful at first. He was not sure if Azure Sun Temple would recognize and respect the token master. Even if they did, granting him a place in Four Seasons Realm might still be another story.
Throughout this trip, Qin Zhao Yang had been worried.
But everything went smoother than he expected. The thing that he longed after seemed to be within his reach! He was filled with lots of joy and surprise.
“However…” Wen Zi Shan changed the conversation, “This matter has always been taken care of by an Elder…”
He turned aside and said, “Little Xue Ting…”
As soon as the voice reached her ears, Gao Xue Ting glared at him.
“Ahem… Elder Gao!” Wen Zi Shan quickly corrected.
“Subordinate’s here!” Gao Xue Ting stepped forward and answered with a solemn look.
“You have heard what I just said, can you take care of this?” asked Wen Zi Shan.
Hearing this, Gao Xue Ting could not help but reveal a bitter look on her face.
“What’s the problem?” Wen Zi Shan found her expression strange.
Qin Zhao Yang started to get nervous.
Gao Xue Ting took a glance at Qin Zhao Yang, said, “Four Seasons Realm will be opened soon. The list of names allowed to enter has been set long ago, and those disciples have been informed as well. Some of them would not be satisfied if we revoked their slot!”
“It’s true…” Wen Zi Shan pondered, and muttered, “Getting into the Four Seasons Realm has always been their dream. It’s unfair if we randomly disqualified one of them, but on the other hand, that Sir’s will cannot be rejected either… Argh, this decision is hard to make!”
Gao Xue Ting said, “Actually, Subordinate has an idea!”
“Oh? Let’s hear it!” Wen Zi Shan’s eyes lit up.
Gao Xue Ting proposed, “This old man has just mentioned that he wanted to enter the Four Seasons Realm to obtain a type of spirit fruit in order to cure his grandchild’s disease. Here’s my question to this old man, what kind of spirit fruit in the Four Seasons Realm are you looking for? Do you mind telling us? If this is available in our Azure Sun Temple, there is no need for you to get into Four Seasons Realm, and risk your life. Forgive me for my honesty, but with your power…” She paused, and tried to think of a polite wording, but to no avail, “You might not come out alive!”
When Qin Zhao Yang heard this, he agreed, and immediately responded, “ Elder Gao, this old man would like to ask for a Tribulation Fruit!”
“Tribulation Fruit!” Qiu Ran frowned.
Gao Xue Ting’s face turned bitter again.
Wen Zi Shan set his sight on the young girl named Chen Qian, asked, “Elder Chen, since you have been in charge of our temple storehouse, do we have Tribulation Fruit in our vault?”
Chen Qian answered: “Allow subordinate to check it out!”
“How long will you take?”
“A quarter of an hour!”
Wen Zi Shan nodded and rested with his eyes closed.
Chen Qian took out a communication artifact and transmitted her Divine Sense into it. Apparently, this was her way of sending orders to the disciple below.
For a while, there was just dead silence in the temple.
Only the sound of Qin Zhao Yang’s racing heart could be heard while waiting for the result with extreme trepidation.
Yang Kai remained silent in his spot, but all of a sudden, he sensed something and turned aside to see what was happening.
Gao Xue Ting was watching him. She did not avoid eye contact when their eyes met but looked even more intently at him instead.
This gave Yang Kai a heart attack, feeling that nothing good would happen.
Most of those in the temple were Emperor Realms, so this scene instantly attracted the attention of others. The crowd started to look at Yang Kai with curiosity because they had no idea which part of him could grab Gao Xue Ting’s attention.
Even Wen Zi Shan peeked from his closed eyes and enjoyed watching all of this under his eyes.
“Elder Gao, what can I do for you?” Yang Kai felt uneasy for being stared at, especially by an Emperor Realm. It made him feel anxious, so he decided to break the silence to avoid embarrassment.
“Have I seen you somewhere before?” Gao Xue Ting asked, “I thought you looked familiar!”
“HAHAHAHA!”
Wen Zi Shan interjected with laughter before Yang Kai could answer her.
Gao Xue Ting frowned and gave him an offended look.