Yue He pursed her lips into a smile, “They must be here to beg for peace.”
“They even welcomed me outside of the city earlier, but I ignored them,” Yang Kai scoffed.
“Then they must be shaking in fear now.” Yue He handed a box over to him, “After you left that day, Scarlet Star’s Head Manager brought his men here to deliver this. With all his talk, he was just trying to get me to say nice things about them to you once you returned.”
“What is it?” Yang Kai glanced at the box.
Yue He said indifferently, “It probably won’t catch your eye. Just three Fifth-Order materials.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly as he picked up his tea and took a sip.
When Chen Yue heard this though, her heart jumped. Three Fifth-Order materials were a wealth she had no idea whether she could ever get her hands on in her life. This would be considered an invaluable resource outside, but now it was casually brought out as a gift, and the person who received the gift even seemed to disdain it.
Deeply feeling the insurmountable gap between her and some people in this world, Chen Yue felt dejected.
Yue He checked the atmosphere and seeing that Yang Kai had no intention of refusing, she turned her head over and asked, “Who came?”
Chen Yue answered in a small voice, “All of Scarlet Star’s Managers are here. The Head Manager who came last time is also here.”
Yue He nodded. Then, she looked at Yang Kai and asked, “Young Master, will you see them?”
Yang Kai put down his cup of tea and patted his clothes, grinning, “En. Since they’re here with gifts, why wouldn’t I see them?”
Yue He was speechless. She knew that Scarlet Star was surely going to experience massive haemorrhaging this time. Only, she had no idea how big of a cut this Young Master of hers was going to leave them with.
In front of the residence, Scarlet Star’s Managers were not looking good. They had already given Yang Kai face by welcoming him outside of the city, but Yang Kai completely ignored them and trampled their intentions. Anyone would feel humiliated by this.
But when they thought about the terrifying power that Yang Kai possessed, none of them dared to complain.
This time, under the leadership of the Head Manager, they came out collectively to visit him, but being made to wait at his door for such a long time was still hard to bear.
“Head Manager, I say we should just go in! Why stand here and wait for so long?” Bei Yu Shan spoke up. Mainly, they had been standing here with people walking back and forth on the street. Many people were throwing strange looks at them, which made him feel uneasy.
“Shut your mouth!” Chen Tian Fei jumped in fright and quickly shouted at him, “Do you still want to live? If you want to throw your life away, don’t drag us down with you!”
He almost wanted to slap this brainless brute to death for even coming up with such a terrible idea.
Bei Yu Shan scratched his head, wondering where he went wrong with his words.
Chen Tian Fei stepped forward and approached the Head Manager, whispering, “I’ve already sent some men over. We will find out the situation at Sword Pavilion in less than two days. Head Manager, no matter what, please hold back this time. It’s not too late to make plans after we figure out the situation at Sword Pavilion.”
The Head Manager was silent, as if he didn’t hear what he said.
To Scarlet Star’s Managers, what they were most curious about now was the outcome of the battle between Yang Kai and Sword Pavilion. If Yang Kai was victorious, it would mean that there was no one in all of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary who could constrain him, but if Sword Pavilion won, then they naturally couldn’t ask for better. At the very least, this little brat Yang Kai would not be able to run rampant.
As soon as they noticed Yang Kai’s return, Chen Tian Fei had sent someone over to Sword Pavilion’s headquarters to find out what happened.
But delays along the way were inevitable. Worried that Yang Kai would come to them for revenge, the Managers had come over to ask for peace, but it was nothing more than a delaying tactic.
[What is the situation over there?] Chen Tian Fei’s mind was filled with all sorts of random thoughts. With the strength that Yang Kai displayed before, Sword Pavilion should not have been able to resist him, but Sword Pavilion’s Pavilion Master was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, so he couldn’t help but hold onto some hope.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm was merely one step away from reaching the High-Rank, and Sword Pavilion’s Pavilion Master had a mysterious background. It was rumoured that he came from a powerful great force, so his heritage must not be bad.
At this moment, there was a creak and the doors opened, allowing a timid figure to enter their eyes.
Chen Tian Fei hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his fists, “Young Lady Yue, how is the situation?”
In the past, he would not have paid attention to someone as inferior as Chen Yue, much less speak to her in such a polite way, but now, things were different. No matter their cultivation realm, anyone on Yang Kai’s side would surely see a rise in their status.
Chen Yue shrank her neck and moved aside as she reported, “Please come in, Sirs. My Young Master is ready to see you,” She used to call Yang Kai Senior Brother Yang, but after what happened with Zhao Xing Chen, she didn’t have the face to call him that anymore, so she followed Yue He’s way of referring to him instead.
Chen Tian Fei was relieved and bowed his head, smiling, “Many thanks, Young Lady Yue.” Saying so, he silently slipped her a Space Ring.
Chen Yue was caught off guard and took it instinctually. By the time she reacted, Scarlet Star’s Managers were already long gone.
Staring blankly at the Space Ring in her hand, she quickly realized what had happened. Sweeping the contents with her Divine Sense, she discovered that there were 3,000 Open Heaven Pills inside, and her heart couldn’t help but jump.
For any Emperor Realm cultivation 3,000 Open Heaven Pills was nothing to scoff at. She had merely passed on a message and was actually able to receive such great benefits.
Chen Yue’s heart was jumping madly since it was her first time in such a situation. Looking around and finding no one in her surroundings, she put away the Space Ring guiltily and shut the door.
The Scarlet Star Managers entered the residence, and under Chen Tian Fei’s lead, made their way to the main hall without issue.
It was Chen Tian Fei who took care of the layout of Yang Kai’s residence to begin with, so he knew everything inside well.
While walking forward, Chen Tian Fei was still conversing via Divine Sense, “Head Manager, since the situation at Sword Pavilion is not yet clear, you must be patient no matter how rude that brat is later. Do not stoop to the same level as him.”
The Head Manager couldn’t help but laugh, “Fatty, since when have you become such a nag? This King is not a three-year-old child. I have a sense of propriety.”
Chen Tian Fei smiled awkwardly, “Head Manager is naturally wise, but I’m afraid that brat is too young to know proper measure.”
As they were talking, they arrived at a courtyard where they saw several dozen people working on something. It was Guo Zi Yan and the others. The Managers had no idea what they were doing, but they would hear someone shout every now and then, and all of them had joyous looks on their faces as if they had received a great boon from the Heavens.
[Traitors!] Chen Tian cursed them in his heart. He didn’t want to pay any attention to these people, but when he swept a glance over and saw the situation in the courtyard, he was frozen stiff in place and his face instantly turned pale.
When he stopped, the people behind him naturally stopped as well and followed his gaze. All of them were shocked in place as horror and disbelief filled their eyes. Lady Qin even gasped and covered her red lips with her hand.
Bei Yu Shan almost bumped into the Ou Yang Brothers while he was distracted, stopping to scratch his head as he asked, “What happened?”
But nobody answered him. It was as if the Managers had had a Binding Technique cast on their bodies. All of them were feeling cold from the tops of their heads to the soles of their feet.
When Bei Yu Shan looked up, he exclaimed, “Heavens! Where did they get all these Space Rings from?”
The entire courtyard was filled with Space Rings. The number was simply impossible to count, but from what they could see, there had to be at least forty or fifty thousand of them.
The noise alerted Guo Zi Yan and the others who were working in the courtyard. Looking up, they saw Scarlet Star’s Managers. Even the Head Manager, a hidden Dragon who shows his tail but never his face, was here. With a thought, they understood what happened.
Even though they were no longer disciples of Scarlet Star and need not pay them any heed, Chen Tian Fei and the others had been prominent figures for a long time so when they saw the Managers all here, they were at a bit of a loss.
Guo Zi Yan was the first to come to his senses and quickly shouted, “Don’t just stand there stupidly, keep working! If Sir can entrust us with this job, it naturally means he trusts us. Don’t any of you even think of swiping anything here! If I find out, then don’t blame me for not showing mercy to my Fellow Brothers!”
“Yes!” The group answered in unison and quickly lowered their heads to continue their work.
The Head Manager slowly turned his head and shot a glance at Chen Tian Fei with a grave expression.
Chen Tian Fei understood and swiftly moved his meatball-like body through the sea of Space Rings to arrive at Guo Zi Yan’s side, smiling while cupping his fist, “Great Commander Guo!”
Guo Zi Yan originally did not want to have any interactions with Chen Tian Fei and the other Managers; after all, they also relied on Scarlet Star in the past, but now that this man was already in front of him, he couldn’t ignore him either. As such, he hastily returned the salutations, “Manager Chen, is there something you need? If you’re looking for Sir, then he should be in the reception hall.”
Chen Tian Fei smiled, “We can head there later. I just wanted to ask. Where… did these Space Rings come from?”
Guo Zi Yan answered, “Sir brought them back from Sword Pavilion.”
“From Sword Pavilion!” Chen Tian Fei’s face twitched, gulping silently, not wanting to believe it, but simply unable to find another explanation!
He had already made guesses when he first saw the Space Rings, so now Guo Zi Yan’s words undoubtedly confirmed his thoughts.
Only by raiding an entire Star City would it be possible to acquire such a high number! If the Space Rings were collected from all the cultivators from Scarlet Star’s Star City, then it would also reach about the same number.
But these were the Space Rings from Sword Pavilion, and each Space Ring represented a life. Tens of thousands of Space Rings meant tens of thousands of lost lives!
Did that little brat raze Sword Pavilion’s entire Star City?!
Chen Tian Fei had no idea how he walked back, and it wasn’t until the Head Manager shouted at him that he came back to his senses.
Staring at the Head Manager in a daze, Chen Tian Fei’s lips seemed to squirm as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t muster a single word.
He was truly shocked. Just because of the grudge he had previously with Sword Pavilion, Yang Kai rushed over with spear in hand and not only returned unscathed but even slaughtered the entirety of the Star City.
Such ferociousness! Such ruthlessness!
How could such a man be reasoned with? Scarlet Star had likely kicked an iron plate this time, and if they weren’t careful, Sword Pavilion’s yesterday would become Scarlet Star’s tomorrow.
If Yang Kai could massacre an entire Star City once, he wouldn’t mind doing it twice.
Chen Tian Fei even thought of turning around and running away, getting as far away from here as possible.
But the Head Manager had already taken the first step forward, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow along. It was a blessing, not a curse, and if it was a curse, it couldn’t be avoided. What was destined to come must eventually come.
Led by the Head Manager, Chen Tian Fei and the others stepped into the reception hall and looked up to see Yang Kai sitting at the head of the room, with Yue He standing quietly behind him.
When they entered, Yang Kai still remained bold as ever, not even getting up to welcome them, but no one dared to say anything. Chen Tian Fei and the rest were still too shocked by the pile of Space Rings outside to care about such trivialities.
“Scarlet Star’s Zhao Bai Chuan greets Sir Yang!” The Head Manager at the front of the group cupped his fist. Though he was neither overbearing nor servile, no one could know how he was feeling inside.
The people behind him quickly saluted as well.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that Scarlet Star’s Head Manager wasn’t very old. He was a seemingly middle-aged man dressed in a rather luxurious outfit consisting of a golden crown and a long robe. It was the first time he was seeing the Head Manager face to face. Before, he had only heard this man mentioned from Chen Tian Fei’s mouth. The Head Manager spent almost all his time in retreat, seemingly in order to achieve his goal of breaking through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
From his aura, it seemed like the Head Manager still had a long way to go. Ascending an Order in the Open Heaven Realm was very difficult. Not only did it require a long time, but also a massive amount of resources. Even with resources, it was impossible for one to ascend to a higher Order without enough comprehension and enlightenment.
With Yang Kai observing him, why wouldn’t Zhao Bai Chuan be observing Yang Kai back? He was watching this young man from a distance. The first time he saw him, he felt that he was nothing to worry about, and that he was just relying on his unique strength in the Emperor Realm to act arrogant and unrestrained in the special environment of this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
A man like him was merely a grasshopper after autumn and wouldn’t be able to jump around for long. As soon as Yang Kai left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary any Open Heaven Realm Master would be able to clean him up.
The second time Zhao Bai Chuan saw Yang Kai though was several days ago. Outside of the Star City, Yang Kai had destroyed Sword Pavilion’s Sword Formation with only his own power. He could wield a Divine Manifestation of the Golden Crow and had obtained the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd, which caused Thunder Light to suffer complete annihilation.
Zhao Bai Chuan felt at that moment he had greatly underestimated this young man. If Yang Kai was given the opportunity to grow, then he was sure to become a hegemon, a leading figure in the 3,000 Worlds!
When he saw him again today, his feelings changed once more. Even though Yang Kai wasn’t as imposing as he was back when he was fighting and instead was just quietly sitting there, he was still able to assert a slight pressure over him, a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master.
In this large hall that was several dozen meters wide, Yang Kai was like the king of the underworld that had the lives of everyone here in the palm of his hands.
“This Zhao was foolish in the past and offended Sir Yang before. Now, this Zhao has come especially to make amends today, hoping that Sir Yang can be magnanimous. My Scarlet Star…”
“Thirty-seventy!” Yang Kai suddenly spoke up, interrupting Zhao Bai Chuan’s words.
“What?” Zhao Bai Chuan frowned, not understanding what Yang Kai meant by this.
“In the future, of all of Scarlet Star’s profits from the businesses in this Star City, and all the materials and resources harvested in the Ancient Ruins Boundary, seventy percent will belong to me, Scarlet Star will take the remaining thirty!” Yang Kai looked indifferently at Zhao Bai Chuan.
Only then did Zhao Bai Chuan understand what Yang Kai’s words meant earlier. Wasn’t this outright robbery? He couldn’t help but feel enraged. Even his complexion was starting to turn bad.
Back when the three great forces coexisted in the Star City, Sword Pavilion was the strongest, but they were still a balanced tripartite force. Sword Pavilion had also never made such a rude request before.
[How dare this arrogant brat put forth such a request!]
Anger had just begun to rise in him when he heard Yang Kai speak again, “If Head Manager cannot agree to this request, then there’s nothing for us to talk about.”
Zhao Bai Chuan’s anger suddenly cooled. He knew that if he did not agree to this request, then whether they could leave this hall alive or not was uncertain.
Only then did he understand why Yang Kai did not settle accounts with them after coming back. He was waiting here for them to come themselves.
Zhao Bai Chuan suddenly laughed and declared, “Strength is king, and Masters are to be respected. Sir Yang’s request is fair. If Sir Yang asks for a thirty-seventy split, then so be it! Seventy percent of all Scarlet Star’s future proceeds will be Sir Yang’s!”
He agreed without hesitation, and with a happy face that seemed not like he had been robbed, but had rather gained a great advantage.
Chen Tian Fei and the others behind him were all looking at their Head Manager in amazement. In their impression of the man, the Head Manager had never agreed to anything so easily before, but they also knew they were people under the eaves right now, so how could they not bow?
This was especially the case after seeing the tens of thousands of Space Rings in the courtyard. Scarlet Star had no choice but to compromise with Yang Kai if they didn’t want to make the same mistake that Sword Pavilion did.
[Such humiliation!] They were all grieving inside, but there was nothing they could do.
Zhao Bai Chuan bowed his head, “My Scarlet Star can accept Sir Yang’s request, but this Zhao would also like to ask Sir Yang to accept this one’s request in return.”
Yang Kai looked at him with interest and gestured with his hand, indicating for him to continue.
Zhao Bai Chuan said, “This Zhao would like to ask that Sir Yang please come under my Scarlet Star’s employment and become a Foreign Elder! Of course, this is merely a title and Scarlet Star will not interfere with any of Sir Yang’s words or actions. On the contrary, my Scarlet Star will not just stand by if Sir has any requests of us.”
Yang Kai smiled and praised this man in his heart. This Zhao Bai Chuan was quite a character, able to bend and stretch, finding a beneficial opportunity for himself even in adversity. This level of wisdom and vision wasn’t something just anyone could have; clearly, it wasn’t only strength that gave him the ability to sit firmly on the seat, Head Manager of Scarlet Star.
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded lightly.
Zhao Bai Chuan threw back his head in laughter, “A gentleman gives his word faster than a horse’s whip. It’s a deal, then.”
“It’s a deal,” Yang Kai nodded.
“Sir Yang is truly a decisive man. Though this Zhao would like to share a drink with Sir over the occasion, Sir must be tired from his trip and long battle, so this Zhao will leave now and come back to visit another day.” Zhao Bai Chuan spoke eagerly, as if Yang Kai was a close friend that he only regretted not having met sooner.
Yang Kai turned to the side, “Yue He, see our guests off.”
“Managers, please!” Yue He gestured with a smile.
After sending the group from Scarlet Star away, Yue He came back and looked curiously at Yang Kai, wondering why he would agree to such a request.
Yang Kai rapped the desk lightly for a long while before answering, “Help me out with Scarlet Star’s seventy percent share. Keep an eye on it.”
“Yes,” Yue He replied obediently.
The previous harvest they received on Yuan Magnetic Mountain was large, and countless Space Rings were also gathered from the fights with both Thunder Light and Sword Pavilion. This was considered an enormous amount of wealth for anyone, more than enough for Yang Kai to use for his personal cultivation for a long time to come. Yet, he did not forget that he was no longer a lone man. There were countless people waiting for him back in the Star Boundary.
One day, when all his friends and family entered the Outer Universe, the demand for resources would simply be endless. Now that he had such a good opportunity, Yang Kai naturally wanted to accumulate more. The greater the wealth, the better.
The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was like a natural treasure house of goods. Once he left this place, he would no longer have such a good opportunity. If not for this consideration, Yang Kai would have razed Scarlet Star the moment he returned.
With Scarlet Star’s help in gathering supplies, Yang Kai could reap the benefits without the hassle and effort, so why not take advantage of them?
“What do you wish to ask?” Yang Kai suddenly raised his head to look at Yue He after pondering silently for a moment.
The woman was constantly staring at him without even blinking. It was clear that she was curious about something.
“Why did you agree to become Scarlet Star’s Foreign Elder?” Yue He couldn’t understand it.
“Do you think I shouldn’t have?”
“I just wish to know what you’re thinking.”
“Naturally, I have my reasons.”
Yang Kai rapped the table again, “If my guess proves correct, then Scarlet Star will definitely spread this news widely from now on. That way, Scarlet Star will be able to expand quickly, and then the supplies they collect will naturally increase, which comes with no drawbacks for me.”
“Just for this reason alone?” Yue He looked at him in amazement. It was the first time she’d ever seen someone so greedy for money before.
It was enough for one to have enough cultivation resources for themselves, so what did he need so much for?
“There’s one more reason.” Yang Kai’s expression became serious, “Sword Pavilion was crushed by a Beast Tide, and there are traces of a Divine Spirit’s existence in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Who knows whether the Divine Spirit will visit this place next? If this place is strong enough, then it may not be impossible to fight back as the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary restricts the strength of the Open Heaven Realm, which means the Divine Spirit won’t be able to exert too much of their power here either.”
Yue He was suddenly enlightened, “So that’s why you’re willing to lend Scarlet Star your prestige.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I have no idea when the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary will close, so it’s better to be prepared.” As he said so, he suddenly thought of a person, “Where did Xu Zhen go?”
That little fatty disappeared after handing the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd to him, and Yang Kai did not sense his aura since he came back.
Yue He shook her head, “He’s a Cave-Heaven disciple, so who knows where he went, but my guess is that he must have gone out to consolidate his Metal Element Power now that he refined that Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone.”
“What a pity,” Yang Kai sighed. He had not known that the waters were so deep here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If he had known, then he would have left a way to contact Xu Zhen. That guy was a talented Artifact Refiner, and he also seemed to have deep knowledge of the Dao of Spirit Arrays. If he could help to arrange a Grand Array in this Star City, then they could also increase security.
But since he left without a goodbye, it would be difficult to find him again.
As they were talking, Chen Yue came running in, “Sir, someone else has asked for an audience!”
“Who is it?” Yang Kai frowned, curious. Everyone knew him as a fierce character now, and the Managers from Scarlet Star also had no choice but to come apologize. Who else would dare to see him?
“It’s that Young Lord from Azure Nether Paradise, the one called Yin something,” Chen Yue responded meekly.
“What has he come for?” Yang Kai frowned. Sweeping the area with his Divine Sense, he discovered that there were indeed several people standing outside his door, and if not that guy from Azure Nether Paradise, who else could it be in the lead?
Yang Kai did not have any good feelings towards these people. This guy had been shamelessly boasting about making Yang Kai submit to him after he returned from the Yuan Magnetic Mountain. Yang Kai had been in retreat back then, and even though he heard the noise, he couldn’t be bothered to deal with it. Later, when the large fight started outside the Star City, this Young Lord tried to take advantage of the situation, saying that he would give Yang Kai a way out as long as he became his slave. Naturally, Yang Kai ignored him.
He didn’t expect this man to be as stubborn and clingy as a dog after a meat bun.
At this moment, he could hear the young man called Yin something announcing arrogantly outside his door, “The one surnamed Yang is also a genius. This Young Master originally only thought of making him my slave, but now, it seems that he can become this Young Master’s house guard! When you see him later, be more polite to him. This young man seems to have a bad temper. If you end up provoking him, then don’t expect this Young Master to save you when he tries to kill you.”
“Yes, we will follow Young Master’s order!” Two Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters beside him answered respectfully.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but roll his eyes at this arrogant Young Master’s words. He had no idea where this guy got his sense of superiority from to even think of trying to make him a house guard. Compared to Xu Zhen, a true Cave-Heaven Disciple, the difference was simply like a person on the ground gazing up at the Heavens.
“Pay him no attention!” Yang Kai waved her off. Chen Yue withdrew respectfully.
News of Yang Kai becoming Scarlet Star’s Foreign Elder spread quickly, which shocked many.
They originally thought that this Killing Star would surely start a war with Scarlet Star now that he was back; who could have expected such an ending? They had no idea what sort of price Scarlet Star had to pay that they were not only able to ease Yang Kai’s fury, but even borrow his prestige!
There was news that Scarlet Star’s Head Manager led the other Managers to visit Yang Kai personally and have a discussion with him, and only then were they able to make him agree to becoming Scarlet Star’s Foreign Elder.
With the crisis lifted, Scarlet Star’s disciples were all celebrating. They had all been extremely on edge before. If Yang Kai truly wanted to attack Scarlet Star, then how could the eggs remain unbroken when the nest was ruined? They would surely join in the misfortune.
But now, Yang Kai had actually become their Foreign Elder. Not only did they not have to fight this Monster, they had even gained his blessings. With this Killing Star here to stand guard, who would dare come and start trouble?
Anyone who dared come would have Sword Pavilion and Thunder Light’s unfortunate ends to refer to.
A few days later, another shocking news spread in the Star City.
Sword Pavilion’s Star City was razed to the ground after what appeared to be an intense battle. There was not a single survivor.
The day the news spread, everyone in the city was shocked by Yang Kai’s vicious methods. They had no idea what Sword Pavilion’s Star City had gone through, and they saw only the results, so they all thought it was Yang Kai’s doing.
Scarlet Star made a lot of noise about the matter and created as much momentum as they could. For a while, Yang Kai’s fierce reputation spread widely, and was heard by the other cultivator strongholds within a vicinity of more than ten thousand kilometres.
Rumour had it that Yang Kai had three heads and six arms, standing 300 metres tall with a ferocious face. He had a vicious temper and would kill anyone at the slightest dissatisfaction to vent his anger.
Even so, not only did Scarlet Star’s Star City not lose popularity, it instead grew even more lively. There were many cultivators coming each day, asking to join Scarlet Star.
Having someone strong to lean on in this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and a stable place to settle down increased anyone’s sense of security. Practically every cultivator had seen the terrors of the numerous Beast Tides, and many cultivator strongholds had already been destroyed.
Now that Sword Pavilion and Thunder Light had been destroyed, Scarlet Star jumped up to become the largest great force, which naturally attracted more people to rush to them.
There were even some small strongholds of several dozen to hundreds of people flocking over to join.
Scarlet Star’s Star City was once again overcrowded. In just a short dozen days of work, more than 100,000 people gathered here, and Scarlet Star’s membership had doubled. This was even after the strict screening process done by the Managers; otherwise, who knows how many people they would end up recruiting?
With more people around, the Star City also had to expand. The entire Star City was busy with new buildings being built constantly. The Star City’s borders gradually expanded outward. Compared to the beginning, its area had increased by fifty percent and it was still in the midst of growing.
As the population increased, more transactions naturally took place, and so Scarlet Star’s income also rose like a boat rising with the tide. Now, renting out a good spot for a shop in the Star City was harder than ever before. The Head Manager had gone back into retreat, so Chen Tian Fei who was in charge of Scarlet Star’s operation was grinning from ear to ear every day.
Sometime later, in his residence, Yang Kai took a seat and checked on his gains stored inside the Sealed World Bead with his Divine Sense.
After more than a dozen days of work, the items from the tens of thousands of Space Ring had already been sorted out by Guo Zi Yan and his subordinates.
The Open Heaven Pills alone numbered in the hundreds of millions; after all, this was accumulated from the Space Rings of several tens of thousands of cultivators. Even if they each only had 1,000 Open Heaven Pills, there would still be millions of them. Most Emperor Realm cultivators were not too rich, but there was no helping it. Since their strength was low, the chance to find something good was also pitifully low. And, they also had to buy some cultivation resources for themselves, so they naturally wouldn’t be able to save up many Open Heaven Pills.
The rich ones were the Low and Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were slightly better off than the Emperors with wealthy ones having a million or two pills in reserve, but the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were a league of their own. Practically every one of them had tens of millions.
But these hundreds of millions of Open Heaven Pills was just a small wealth compared to Sword Pavilion’s Pavilion Master’s fortune, which was over a billion in itself! A terrifying number!
Yang Kai thought back to how he had to run himself ragged in the old days when he owed the Proprietress 10 million pills, but now 10 million was just a drop in the bucket for him!
Yang Kai did not think of himself as wealthy though. A billion Open Heaven Pills may sound like a lot, but once his friends and family from the Star Boundary entered the Outer Universe, Yang Kai didn’t even know if that amount was going to be enough to get them settled.
Aside from the Open Heaven Pills, the other items were naturally a variety of Secret Arts and Techniques, artifacts, and other resources that weren’t of much use to him currently. Not only were most of these skills and resources worse than the ones he already possessed, but they would also take time to either cultivate or refine before becoming useful.
The key items were the Yin, Yang, and Five Elements materials.
There was everything from First-Order to Sixth-Order materials.
The ones under Third Order were impossible to count. Meanwhile, the ones in the Fourth and Fifth Orders were much less in comparison. As for Sixth-Order materials, Guo Zi Yan and the group were only able to find three pieces in Zhong Fan’s Space Ring. They were probably also harvested from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
These were all the fortunes of the dead, so getting them didn’t require any effort at all.
The sound of footsteps emerged from outside the door, and with Guo Zi Yan in lead, a group of men strode in.
“Sir!” Guo Zi Yan stopped and cupped his fist.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and swept a gaze over the group of people, “I asked you to come here today in order to heed this King’s command. Those who have not formed a Dao Seal, step forward!”
They had no idea what Yang Kai intended to do, but they still obeyed when they heard his words. With a shuffle, a dozen individuals stepped forward from the crowd. All of them had cultivated to the peak of the Emperor Realm, but they have yet to form their Dao Seal, just like Luo Hai Yi back then.
Yang Kai looked at them and nodded lightly, “Those who have formed a Dao Seal but have not gathered any of their Yin, Yang and the Five Elements, step forward!”
Another dozen stepped forward.
“Have the rest of you already refined at least one Element?” Yang Kai looked at the remaining people.
Other than Guo Zi Yan, who was in the Open Heaven Realm, the rest of the several dozen people were all in the Emperor Realm. Excluding those who have not formed Dao Seals and those who have not cultivated any of the Yin, Yang and the Five Elements, the rest had.
“Yes!” The rest answered in unison.
“What sorts of Powers have you all cultivated, one by one, let’s hear it.” Yang Kai looked at them with interest.
They all looked at each other, not knowing how they should answer.
Guo Zi Yan couldn’t help but shout, “Sir is asking you a question, just answer directly! You there, baldy, you speak first!”
A short man with beady eyes and zero hairs atop his head stepped forward and smiled embarrassedly as he cupped his fists, “Answering Sir, this one is not talented and has only condensed a trivial Second-Order Water Element.”
“And you?” Yang Kai looked at the next person.
The man answered, “I have condensed Earth, Metal, and Water Elements. One in the Third Order, and the rest in the Second Order.”
There was no need for more urging from Yang Kai as a dozen people reported their statuses one by one.
The lesser ones were like the shaved-headed man who was only able to condense one Element, while those with more Elements condensed were already in the half-step Open Heaven Realm. There were even some who only needed to condense one more Element to make a breakthrough; however, their Orders were uniformly not high. They were all in the Second and Third-Orders without so much as a Fourth-Order Element to be seen among them.
But they could not be blamed for this. They were living at the bottom of the hierarchy to begin with, so being able to cultivate to the Open Heaven Realm was a feat in and of itself, how would they be qualified to pick and choose better resources? Even Meng Hong, the Chief Disciple of Great Moon Province, had only condensed Third-Order Elements back then.
After hearing everyone out, Yang Kai spoke, “Since you have already condensed certain Elements, that means that your foundation has been set. Unless you find Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water or some other precious treasure to cleanse your Dao Seal and rebuild your foundation, your future achievements will be limited.”
The dozen people who had spoken obviously knew about their own situations as well, so they all smiled embarrassedly when they heard this.
“However…” Yang Kai turned the topic around, “Even though your foundations have been established, you can still get stronger. I’m sure you all know the great gap there exists between two cultivators who are similar in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Guo Zi Yan spoke thoughtfully, “Does Sir mean the Order of one’s elements when one enters the Open Heaven Realm?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En. If two cultivators have the same Third-Order foundation, but one has refined all Third-Order Elements, while the other has several Fourth-Order or higher Elements, then the strength they can bring out will be drastically different. So, there’s no need to feel sorry for yourselves. This is the path you have chosen, and turning back is impossible; instead, you can only continue down it.”
Yang Kai rose from his seat, “Back on the Yuan Magnetic Mountain, this King said that if any of you have any requests for the harvest we’ve gained, then this King will not be stingy. Whether it be Fifth-Order or Sixth-Order, as long as you have the ability to refine it, you can ask me for it! Now is the time for this King to honour his word.”
Looking at the dozen men in front of him, Yang Kai asked, “Which Order do you want? Speak.”
The dozen people were instantly excited to hear these words. Even though Yang Kai did in fact promise such a thing back then, none of them believed that he actually planned to fulfil his commitment. Unexpectedly, he was the one who took the initiative to bring up the matter today, which was enough to show his sincerity.
“Does Sir truly mean what he says?” The shaved-headed man spoke with pleasant surprise, “Even if I ask for Sixth-Order materials?”
Guo Zi Yan kicked him and scolded, “You want to refine Sixth-Order materials with your abilities? Better measure your own worth first, you smelly brat! Don’t bring your idiotic nonsense here!”
The shaved-headed man was kicked to the ground, but he didn’t mind at all. He patted the dust off his bottom and stood up, “Sir said it himself, not me!”
Yang Kai laughed, “If you want Sixth-Order materials, then Sixth-Order is what you will get; however, that is under the premise that you are actually capable of refining it. Otherwise, giving it to you will only harm your life.”
Without the right aptitude, forcibly condensing higher Order Elements would overburden one’s Dao Seal, which could lead to it being damaged, or in more serious cases, death.
The shaved-headed man laughed, “I don’t want Sixth-Order materials. This one’s aptitude is poor, how could he even dare refine Sixth-Order materials? Fourth… Uh, Third-Order will be enough for me!” When he saw Guo Zi Yan glaring at him, he quickly changed his tone.
Yang Kai casually threw something out at the man, “Your aptitude is not too outstanding, but it’s not dull either. Fourth-Order should be your limit. You can have this Fourth-Order Wood Core. You have only refined your Water Element so far, so the next is Wood. Once you have refined it, you can come back to this King to ask for the Fire Element material.”
The shaved-headed man accepted the object and fixed his eyes on it. As mentioned, it really was a Fourth-Order Wood Core, and it should be the core of a thousand-year-old tree. At once, he was overjoyed and shouted, “Many thanks to Sir for this reward! This one will definitely be at Sir’s beck and call in the future, I swear upon my life, at all costs!”
This group had been sorting through the tens of thousands of Space Rings before and handled countless good materials during that time, but those did not belong to them. Now, this Fourth-Order Wood Core was his, so the feeling was completely different.
When the rest saw this, they all gasped. As members of the lowest level of society, they had never seen or even heard of such a generous boss before. Even though they were also rewarded for their work with their lives on the line for Scarlet Star, who knows how much danger they had to face in order to receive one of the materials they needed? Otherwise, they wouldn’t have struggled this far and reached the Open Heaven Realm long ago.
But today, Yang Kai had casually granted a Fourth-Order Wood Core, even saying to the shaved-headed man that he could come back and ask for a Fire Element material of similar order once he was done refining the Wood Core.
In other words, as long as the shaved-headed man did not die, then he no longer had to worry about cultivation resources! Once he completely condensed his Yin, Yang and the Five Elements into his Dao Seal, that would be the day when he advanced to the Open Heaven Realm. But whether or not he could succeed at that time would depend on his own enlightenment and luck.
With the shaved-headed man as an example, the others naturally felt they would not be treated differently!
Even though they all knew that Yang Kai received a great harvest this time and that a Fourth-Order Wood Core would not mean much to him, at most being some scraps between his teeth, it was enough to raise their morale greatly.
The Sir that they were following now… seemed different to all others before!
After the shaved-headed man, a young man came forward and cupped his fist, “Sir, this one wishes to ask for a Fourth-Order Metal Element material!”
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded and casually tossed out a Fourth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone to the man, “Refine it well and you may be able to cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light within. The power of the Divine Light is extraordinary, so if you can learn it, it will be of great benefit to you!”
The man thanked him excitedly. He had seen the might of the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light before when it swept over the 3,000-strong force of Thunder Light and Sword Pavilion, wiping them all out. If he could truly learn the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light from refining this Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone, then his strength would definitely increase by leaps and bounds. Even if he couldn’t wipe out thousands like Yang Kai did with the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd that day, he would still gain a big advantage in battle.
One by one, the cultivators stepped up and named their needs, and Yang Kai readily responded to each of them without stinginess. However, some of them did truly have limited aptitude and could only refine Third-Order materials no matter how desperately they tried. One of them even asked for Fifth-Order materials, but did not get them.
But this was just their sad fate. If that was the extent of their aptitude, then it was something that simply could not be forced.
Very soon, dozens of people were rewarded. Each of them stood aside and looked at the treasures in their Space Ring with glee, thinking to themselves that they would properly cultivate once they had returned to their rooms and strive to build up their foundation to the Open Heaven Realm before the Grand Ancients Ruins Boundary closed. Once the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was closed and they were free from this place’s restrictive World Principles, they would immediately advance to the Open Heaven Realm!
When that time came, their power would soar to the Heavens, like a Great Peng spreading its wings and taking flight.
Yang Kai also turned his head around to look at the rest of the group. These were all people who have just refined their Dao Seal and had not had the time or resources to condense their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements Powers.
In comparison to the shaved-headed man and his group who had already established their foundations, this group was undoubtedly in a better situation. Even though they had just formed their Dao Seals, they had not been able to refine any Element Powers yet, which meant they could choose the most suitable materials for themselves and build as great a future for themselves as they possibly could.
With the previous group as an example, they naturally knew what sort of requests to make now.
Yang Kai wasn’t stingy either and even shared with them his cultivation experiences, “It would be best for you to start cultivating from the Wood Element. The Wood Element mainly focuses on restoration and bolstering vitality. Compared to the rest of the other Elements, it is also the gentlest one, and its risks are the lowest. What’s more, it is also a very useful element to have. If you ever get injured, then the Wood Element Power can help speed up your recovery.”
Yang Kai had no idea about this when he had just started condensing his Wood Element Power from the Immortal Tree’s essence. He had merely refined the Immortal Tree and incorporated it into his body, stepping onto the most stable path of cultivation.
At that time, Yang Kai still did not fully know about the mysteries of the Open Heaven Realm yet.
But with him advising them, these people listened seriously.
One by one, they stated what they wanted and like the first group, they also received materials in the Third and Fourth-Order. When it came to the very last person, the man cupped his fist and requested, “Sir, this subordinate would like to ask for a Fifth-Order Wood Element!”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up and he looked over at him, “Fifth Order?”
The rest of them also looked at him in astonishment; after all, he was the first person out of their group who stepped up and asked Yang Kai for a Fifth-Order material.
“Indeed!” The man nodded.
Yang Kai observed him closely and found that this person was not considered too young, appearing to be around 40 or 50 in age. He was well-built and had a stable aura. Just by standing there, Yang Kai could still feel the man’s bold spirit.
Guo Zi Yan’s face changed, but just as he was about to say something, Yang Kai raised his hand to stop him, “What is your name?”
The man cupped his fists and replied, “This subordinate is Lang Qing Shan!” After a pause, he added, “This subordinate is confident in being able to refine a Fifth-Order material. Please, Sir!”
“Good. Very good!” Yang Kai smiled and nodded. Not only was he not angry, but he was even pleased. He searched his Space Ring with his Divine Sense and took out something resembling a blood coral that was around three metres long, “I’m not sure what this is exactly, and though it is of the Wood Element, it has the aura of blood about it. If you can refine it, I’m sure you should be able to grasp something useful from it. Take it.”
There were a number of Fifth-Order Wood Element materials in his Space Ring, but after comparing them, this one seemed to be of the highest quality. Even materials at the same Order could have big differences between them.
Lang Qing Shan’s eyes sparkled and he cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Sir!” He happily put the blood coral into his Space Ring and moved back to the side.
A group of people looked at him with envy. Yang Kai did say previously that anyone who wanted Fifth-Order or even Sixth-Order materials would be granted them. They never doubted Yang Kai’s words, but with the limits of their aptitude, they wouldn’t have the qualifications to ask even if they wanted to.
Lang Qing Shan was the first example to the contrary, and from Yang Kai’s reaction, he seemed to be very happy as well, as if he didn’t see them as outsiders. Instead, he was cultivating them as if they were part of his closest confidants. They were inwardly bitter about their poor aptitudes; otherwise, in this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and with Yang Kai as their backer, how difficult would it be to advance to the Fifth-Order or even Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm?
With both groups rewarded, the remaining group in the Emperor Realm who had not even formed their Dao Seals looked on in envy. Without a Dao Seal, they naturally had no right to ask for any materials, so they had no idea what Yang Kai would grant them with this time.
Just as they were thinking so, Yang Kai suddenly turned his head to them, “As for you… You are all at the most malleable stage. Since you have not formed your Dao Seals yet, then there’s no need to rush. Take advantage of this good opportunity in order to strengthen your foundation and develop your potential to its fullest limit. Guo Zi Yan.”
“Subordinate is present!” Guo Zi Yan shouted in a solemn voice.
“Take these people out and train them carefully. When they try to form their Dao Seals, I want them to do it when they are at the very least able to withstand the impact of Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm materials. If any cultivation materials are needed, you can simply ask Yue He for them. If the matter fails to be achieved, then I will hold you responsible.”
Guo Zi Yan was taken aback before he turned around and looked at the dozen or so thugs and hooligans before him with a dark face. He had to admit that while some of them had decent aptitudes, most were merely so-so. If they kept going at this pace, then their cultivation limit would be the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm, yet Yang Kai had actually asked them to form a Dao Seal that could withstand at least the Fourth-Order. In other words, if they succeeded, then this group of people would all become Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivators in the future, or perhaps even higher.
[So, that is what Sir is trying to do!]
A shocking thought flashed past Guo Zi Yan’s heart, but he didn’t dare dwell too deeply on it. He gritted his teeth and cupped his fist, “Rest assured, Sir. If any of them cannot meet the requirements, then this subordinate will take his or her dog life first so as to not disgrace Sir.”
Now, it was the group’s turn to become dark-faced. They all knew about their Great Commander Guo’s straightforward nature, and that he would never joke about taking their lives. When the time came, if they did not fulfil the requirements set out for them, then they really were going to be killed by him. For a moment, some of them were shaking in their boots.
“Enough, the rest of you can now go. You stay, Commander Guo.” Yang Kai beckoned him.
Everyone withdrew respectfully.
Yang Kai took a seat and looked at Guo Zi Yan with some worry, “Great Commander, you are in the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm and have no way of going back and recultivating, so I don’t know what to reward you. As such, I shall ask you instead, what is it you desire?”
Guo Zi Yan smiled nervously, “Sir is too generous. Serving Sir is this subordinate’s duty, how could this one ask for any further reward?”
Yang Kai laughed, “I’m rich now, very rich! And since you have been sorting out the Space Rings with your subordinates, I’m sure you know that fact as well. Since I’m so wealthy, I can’t forget about you. Your subordinates have all received their rewards, so how could you, who have contributed the most, ask for nothing?”
Guo Zi Yan answered, “Sir, this subordinate really…”
Yang Kai raised his hand, “Think about it carefully. There will surely be something that you want. Why don’t I give you 10 million Open Heaven Pills and you can properly cultivate with them? You should be able to break through to the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm in short order with such resources.”
Guo Zi Yan was shocked. This Sir was truly straightforward, giving away 10 million Open Heaven Pills so simply. He had been a Great Commander for Scarlet Star for many, many years, yet he never even had 1 million Open Heaven Pills, much less 10 million.
With this, Yang Kai’s sincerity could be felt even more.
After carefully pondering for a while, Guo Zi Yan smiled embarrassed and scratched his cheek, “Sir, this subordinate has a Daughter…”
Yang Kai said firmly, “This King has several wives already. Before leaving, I was instructed not to pick flowers by the wayside or enjoy secret fruits.”
Guo Zi Yan’s face twitched, “Sir has misunderstood. This subordinate’s daughter has now cultivated to the Emperor Realm. Once this subordinate is out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, then this subordinate is afraid that she will also have begun refining her Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements to break through to the Open Heaven Realm. This subordinate wishes to ask for materials for her.”
Yang Kai’s interest was aroused, “Oh? How is your Daughter’s aptitude?”
Guo Zi Yan beamed, “Her aptitude is definitely better than her father’s. She has hope to directly enter the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm!”
“En, not bad indeed.” Yang Kai nodded, “Where is she? Bring her to me and let me take a look at her. If her aptitude is really not bad, then you can even ask for Sixth-Order materials.”
Guo Zi Yan smiled, “She is not in the Star City. Sir should also know the history and condition of this Star City. Cold steel glints and flashes endlessly each and every day and the conflicts never end. This subordinate is also living a life filled with blood and violence. This subordinate did not want to drag his precious daughter down with me. She lost her mother young, so this subordinate sent her to a trusted friend to cultivate in peace long ago.”
Yang Kai made a knowing ‘oh’.
This was also a type of escape. If she truly did stay by Guo Zi Yan’s side in the previous Star City, then she would also have been whisked into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If that had happened, then it would truly be hard to say whether she would have remained alive until now or not.
“Then, once we are out of the Grand Ancient Ruins, bring her to me. I will grant her anything she needs.”
Guo Zi Yan was excited, “This subordinate thanks Sir!”
“Take these Open Heaven Pills as well. I’m sure you will need them while you cultivate.” Yang Kai tossed out a Space Ring to him.
Guo Zi Yan accepted it and swept his Divine Sense into it before calling out in alarm, “Sir, this is too much!” The Open Heaven Pills inside were piled into a small mountain. There were at least 10,000 of them.
“If I tell you to take it, then just take it. If it’s too much, you can divide them with your subordinates.” Then, Yang Kai got up and walked towards the inner room, “I will be entering retreat soon, so if there’s anything you need, see Yue He. She will naturally inform me.”
Looking at Yang Kai’s departing figure, Guo Zi Yan was overcome with gratitude and he couldn’t help but feel like a gentleman willing to die for his good friend. He cupped his fists and quickly said, “Subordinate obeys!”
Yang Kai walked to his own room, and in a flash, his figure disappeared. When he reappeared, he had already arrived atop a remote mountain.
Guo Zi Yan and the others had been sorting Space Rings over the past two weeks or so, but Yang Kai had not been idle. Everyone thought that he was in his own room, but he had in fact run out.
After finding out that the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary wasn’t as simple as he originally thought, and that there were even traces of a Divine Spirit, Yang Kai naturally wouldn’t make any rash moves.
In those two weeks or so, he ran to several places to prepare several escape routes in case anything happened one day, greatly increasing his level of security.
He left Space Beacons at a number of well-hidden locations, so as long as he was not restricted by any Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Arrays or Secret Techniques that isolated space, no one could stop him.
The place where he was currently was Crouching Dragon Mountain, which was also the place where Yang Kai refined the Earth Element Dragon Bead back then.
The Scarlet Floor Dragon used to reside here, spreading its influence across the mountains, so no other powerful exotic beasts dared to come close. Once the Scarlet Flood Dragon was taken away by Yang Kai, this place became deserted.
Yang Kai did not come here to find precious treasures though.
Instead, he was here to cultivate. During his fight with the mantis head, Yang Kai was shocked by his opponent’s masterful sword techniques, which also helped him see his own shortcomings. In his hands, even an artifact as Heaven-shaking as the Azure Dragon Spear could not bring out much power. Up until now, Yang Kai had been relying solely on the Azure Dragon Spear’s penetrative force and his own strength to fight, not even touching upon the Spear Dao or any Spear Techniques.
Being able to kill the mantis head last time had been more of a gamble with a lucky ending than a true victory. If his opponent had made preparations against him, then Yang Kai might not have even won that fight.
Even though he had to condense his Yin, Yang and Five Elements with haste, even a clever woman cannot cook a meal without rice. Establishing a proper foundation now and enhancing his base prowess would only benefit him, while not doing so would leave him with lifelong regrets.
Now that he had a big helper like Scarlet Star, Yang Kai believed that he would surely be informed once news of materials of the Seventh Order or above appeared in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so there was no need for him to personally search for them.
During this waiting period, he could naturally do other things.
Guo Zi Yan and his subordinates were not only able to find a great amount of wealth in the tens of thousands of Space Rings, there were also many Secret Techniques and books, many of which were related to the Spear Dao. Yang Kai had set these all aside and was prepared to carefully study them so he could cultivate his skills. He relied greatly on the Azure Dragon Spear these days, and if he wanted to fully utilise its power in the future, this training was essential.
But he was in no hurry to cultivate Spear Techniques; instead, he stood on a mountain, closed his eyes, and concentrated as he carefully sensed inside his Dao Seal.
The air was distorted by the faint but burning heat emanating from Yang Kai’s body, and the space around him had also begun to undulate.
“Golden Crow Casts the Sun!”
Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes and a Great Sun suddenly manifested behind his back. The Great Sun was blazing hot, as if there really was a Sun floating in the air, and in the middle was a Three-Legged Golden Crow flying about joyfully.
Great power was constantly flowing out from his body. Ever since the appearance of this Divine Manifestation, Yang Kai felt like he had shed his former body and was reborn. It was simply indescribable.
He now knew that this was called a Divine Manifestation thanks to Yue He.
Yang Kai remembered the complicated look on her face when she told him about it.
Only those who had condensed Seventh-Order or higher Elements or reached a Seventh-Order and above Open Heaven Realm could possibly achieve a Divine Manifestation. Even those in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm were not guaranteed to obtain a Divine Manifestation, and those who could were the best of the best, important figures in the Cave-Heavens and Paradises.
Yang Kai had no idea how he had achieved this either. He had been in retreat previously and trying to comprehend the mysteries of his Elements, and even though he intended to push his potential with the use of a life-or-death struggle, the result that he got was far beyond his expectations. A light flashed in his mind, and the Golden Crow’s True Fire began roiling inside of his Dao Seal, showing him the scene of the Golden Crow forging the Great Sun, then all of a sudden, the Divine Manifestation appeared naturally without obstructions.
Yue He said that once the Divine Manifestation appeared, anyone who knew at least a thing or two about it would deduce that Yang Kai had refined the Seventh-Order Golden Crow’s True Fire! It was a fact that simply could no longer be hidden.
And Yang Kai had no intention of hiding anything either. Since it got exposed, then so be it. They were in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary anyway and no one could do anything to him. Once he was out of the Grand Ancient Ruins, then who knows whether he could advance to the Open Heaven Realm or not?
When that time came, who would he have to be afraid of in this vast world?
Quietly feeling the might of the Divine Manifestation, Yang Kai’s aura rose. He felt his strength growing powerful enough that he could destroy even a foe in the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm!
A Low-Rank Open Heaven Master should not even think about beating him in a one-on-one fight anymore.
But… the consumption was also shocking! As soon as the Golden Crow Casts the Sun Manifestation appeared, Yang Kai could feel the energy inside of his body flowing rapidly as if a floodgate had been opened.
If this went on, then he would not even be able to sustain this Manifestation for a single incense worth of time.
That day, in the fight with Sword Pavilion, even if the Manifestation was not broken, Yang Kai himself would have had to dispel it. It seemed like it could only be used as a last resort, and once used, he had to kill his enemy in the shortest time possible, or he would be the one to suffer.
Exhaling lightly, Yang Kai dispersed the Manifestation, and his outflow of energy finally ceased.
Thoughts flashing, several Dragon Shields were erected around him. Each one of the shields was a Great Dragon with their heads and tails connected and spiralling into the shape of a shield, covered in dense Dragon Scales. The Dragon Claws and Dragon Teeth were clearly visible, and one could tell they were very sturdy at a glance.
This was only a Divine Ability, not a Manifestation.
Yang Kai frowned. It was from the Dragon Bead that he comprehended this Divine Ability, and that was why he suddenly had the idea to enlighten himself about his Wood and Fire Element Powers. He wanted to see whether he could learn anything from them, and he actually succeeded.
This Dragon Shield Secret Technique was the Divine Ability of a Great Dragon before its death, and it remained inside of its Dragon Bead after it fell. Yang Kai had a Dragon Source and the Dragon Clan’s bloodline, so he could easily comprehend it. If it were anyone else, they might not have been as lucky.
But this Dragon Shield was the Divine Ability belonging to the Great Dragon when it was still alive. Strictly speaking, Yang Kai was only comprehending something belonging to someone else for his own use, so this was not a discovery of his own.
Studying the Golden Crow’s True Fire led him to discover a Divine Manifestation like the Golden Crow Casts the Sun, so what about the Earth Dragon’s Bead? And what about the Immortal Tree? He should be able to learn a thing or two from these, right?
Yang Kai’s heart was eagerly thumping and immediately wished he could immerse his consciousness into his Dao Seal
But in the end, he dispelled the thought. Gaining insight into the Golden Crow Casts the Sun was a lucky opportunity in itself, so he may not necessarily be as lucky going forward.
Shaking off the distractions from his mind, Yang Kai looked around and got busy.
An hour later, a simple log house sat atop the hill. Rather than call it a log house, it might as well be called a pavilion as all four sides were open with only the roof and the floor covered.
Yang Kai took out a meditation mat from his Space Ring and sat cross-legged before bringing out a bunch of jade slips and placing them in front of him.
There were at least a thousand of these jade slips, all of which were related to Spear Techniques and Spear Dao.
Since he wanted to enhance his comprehension of the Spear Dao, the most obvious plan was to do plenty of research. Some of the information in these jade slips may be worthless, but he could still eliminate the bad and retain the good. Yang Kai believed that he was sure to gain something from this process, at the very least.
Casually picking up a jade slip and looking through it, Yang Kai kept an open mind and silently simulated the technique in his head.
The Secret Technique recorded in this jade slip was called One Spear Ten Kills and required strong explosive strength. Each spear attack was quicker and stronger than the last. Dealing all ten spear attacks in order multiplied its power.
He had no idea which unlucky bastard this belonged to, but in Yang Kai’s opinion, this One Spear Ten Kills was both flashy and impractical. During a life or death moment, who would give one the opportunity to go through ten whole moves to gather their strength? Once interrupted, this Spear Technique would become useless.
After a few moments, Yang Kai tossed the jade slip aside and picked up another.
Day after day went by. With neither sunrise nor sunset, it was not known how much time had passed here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. The jade slips tossed aside by Yang Kai gradually increased as he completely immersed himself in the mysteries recorded in each. He had envisioned each Secret Technique in his mind one after another.
There were not many Masters among the tens of thousands of cultivators who these jade slips originally belonged to, so the Secret Techniques that they owned would naturally not be of too high a grade; however, it was still suitable for a novice in the Spear Dao like Yang Kai. If he was truly given something profound, then he may not be able to understand it; after all, he had never set foot upon this Dao before! Still, the Martial Dao was a path where one method could be applied to countless others. It could be difficult, but it could also be simple. It all depended on one’s insight.
One month later, Yang Kai tossed aside the last jade slip. When he reopened his eyes, there was not a single trace of fatigue. Rather, his spirit seemed to be glowing.
Even though he was just sitting there, he was surrounded by a profound aura, as if a long spear stood tall in his place.
His Spear Intent had come to life. Yang Kai had been simulating the techniques inside of more than a thousand jade slips during this time, and even though he did not try them physically, Spear Dao initial insights had been branded into his mind and Soul.
Yang Kai slowly got up and raised his hand towards the void, summoning his Azure Dragon Spear. When he grasped the spear this time, its aura suddenly felt different compared to before. When he was holding the Azure Dragon Spear before, it just felt like he was holding a large and lethal weapon, but now, there was a wonderful harmonization between them, as if this Azure Dragon Spear had become one with his own body.
With a flourish of his spear, Yang Kai thrust out.
One Spear Ten Kills!
*Duo duo duo duo…*
Ten spear strikes bloomed instantly one after another, each one quicker than the last, layering over each other. When the final thrust was executed, the power was truly twice as powerful as the first.
Even though it was his first time practising a Secret Technique, Yang Kai’s study over the past month and the strong foundation was enough for him to successfully perform One Spear Ten Kills on his first attempt.
Without pause, Yang Kai’s aura underwent a drastic change as the Azure Dragon Spear suddenly shook and seemed to turn into a lightning bolt that cut through space.
Thunder Spear Burst!
This move could only be performed by those who cultivated a Thunder Attribute Secret Art, and since he came here mainly to refine his Spear Dao to further enhance the power of the Azure Dragon Spear in his hands, Yang Kai did not reject any kind of technique.
With a flick of the spear, a spear-like shadow that stretched up to the sky enveloped the space in front of him, turning it into an iron wall to protect himself.
Spear Dragon Wall!
This was a rarely-seen defensive Spear Secret Technique. Spears were the Kings of weapons and any who used the spear would use ferocious techniques to take out their enemies as swiftly as possible. Defence was hardly considered, because once one begins to have such thoughts, he will only weaken their momentum, which would negatively affect their ability to fight.
But this Spear Dragon Wall was a good defensive art. Even when it served to defend, it was able to deal damage, which was extraordinary.
The Azure Dragon Spear danced endlessly. One by one, Spear Secret Techniques were being brought to light under Yang Kai’s hands. The Secret Techniques recorded in each jade slip were performed by Yang Kai as smoothly as flowing water, stirring up the winds on the mountaintop. The noise split through the Heavens alongside a faint Dragon Roar in the background. Yang Kai gradually forgot everything around him, even the passage of time, completely immersing himself in this wonderful state.
There were more than a thousand jade slips that Yang Kai obtained relating to Spear Secret Techniques. In other words, Yang Kai had fully memorized these techniques in just one month of study. Even if it was his first time performing the techniques, it did not seem the slightest bit difficult. He could basically perform all of the techniques, but how powerful they were was hard to say.
By the time Yang Kai had performed all the spear techniques, six days had passed.
But he did not stop there. Starting from One Spear Ten Kills, he did it all over again!
No one taught him how to perform these techniques. He had to explore them himself, using his own insights and might. So, using the simplest and most brute-force method, Yang Kai simply practised over and over again, figuring the day these techniques were burned into his instinct was the day that he succeeded.
Time passed, and a month later, after the final thrust of his spear, Yang Kai recalled his spear and stood in place.
In this one month’s time, Yang Kai had performed Spear Secret Techniques, one after another, at least five times over. As he did so, he realized that what he understood was not enough. Despite the fact that many of these Spear Secret Techniques were not too high in grade, there were some interesting points about some of them that made his eyes glimmer.
The more he performed them, the more things he could dig out from these techniques.
After calming down his rushing blood, Yang Kai put away his Azure Dragon Spear and tidied his clothes before turning around and returning to the Star City.
With the Space Beacon in place, he could come and go as he pleased.
Even though Yue He did not contact him during this period, meaning nothing big happened, Yang Kai still had to show up every so often to make his presence known. Otherwise, how would he be willing to stop his own cultivation halfway?
After walking out of the room and sweeping the area with his Divine Sense, he found where Guo Zi Yan was and sent him a message, telling him to meet him later.
A few moments later, Yang Kai found Guo Zi Yan at the pavilion in the courtyard.
After what happened last time, Guo Zi Yan had clearly taken a more respectful attitude toward Yang Kai. It could be because of his daughter, but also possibly because he realized that Yang Kai was a man true to his word.
After the usual greetings, Yang Kai asked, “Did anything happen recently?”
Guo Zi Yan smiled, “Thanks to Sir, everything has been peaceful.”
After a few questions and answers, Yang Kai learned about the situation during his absence. First, Guo Zi Yan’s several dozen subordinates had all basically been busy cultivating. The ones who had been awarded materials by Yang Kai naturally intensified their efforts in order to refine these Elements. For those who had yet to even form their Dao Seals, they were strengthening their foundations under Guo Zi Yan’s strict guidance so that when the day came for them to form their Dao Seals, it would become stronger and able to carry higher Order Element Powers.
Then, there was the situation of the Star City and Scarlet Star itself. Since spreading out the news of Yang Kai becoming one of their Foreign Elders, Scarlet Star’s reputation, which had fallen all the way to the ground, had now shot up to the Heavens. It could now be said to be the most powerful force in the entire Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Recently, they managed to recruit as many as 5,000 new members.
The entirety of the Star City had already been expanded to several times its original size. Whether it be the size or the number of cultivators gathered here, both were more than three or four times greater than before.
Yue He had been staying in Scarlet Star so she could monitor their income, lest they engage in any mischief; after all, 70% of everything Scarlet Star earned belonged to Yang Kai, and he had not returned for the past two months.
Great Moon Province’s three disciples, with Meng Hong at the lead, had entered retreat to cultivate. Even Chen Yue was refining her Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements.
Guo Zi Yan scratched his head embarrassedly, “Right now, I am the only one still idle. So, Sir, if you have any requests, please just give the order and this subordinate will handle them for you.”
He was stuck in the Second-Order Open Heaven Realm and had no hope other than to slowly increase his Order through the consumption of Open Heaven Pills. However, that was not something that could be rushed. It had to be done through a long period of accumulation, not overnight.
But Yang Kai really had nothing to order him to do. The situation he was in now could not be better. He could cultivate with ease and enjoy success without extra work, only needing to go over to check on the Seventh-Order or above materials once news of them came in. If he could fully refine his Yin, Yang and the Five Elements before the closure of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, then that would be perfect.
As he waved Guo Zi Yan down, indicating for him to withdraw, he was just about to return to Crouching Dragon Mountain to cultivate when he suddenly frowned and muttered, “Those two…”
Before he could finish, he heard a rumble coming from underground, as if lightning had shot through the floor.
Guo Zi Yan’s face changed. Unsheathing his sword, he stood in front of Yang Kai to protect him. His aura had burst out like a panther on a hunt as he stared vigilantly at the ground.
Yang Kai patted him on the shoulder, indicating for him to calm down, “It’s just my two spirit beasts. They must have felt my aura and come to beg for food.”
A large pit suddenly appeared in the ground, and from there, a wriggling muzzle popped out, followed by a black and slippery-looking creature that rushed into the courtyard and turned over the rockery and the gazebo.
If it was not the Earth Dragon, who else could this disgusting fellow be?
After the Earth Dragon appeared, the Scarlet Flood Dragon also rushed over.
Both of them were several hundred metres long, so even though the courtyard was not small, it was still on the brink of bursting with the addition of the two of them.
Guo Zi Yan was pushed all the way back, and without a place to stand, he was forced to fly to the sky and look down speechlessly.
The Earth Dragon made its way over to Yang Kai and its muzzle was writhing without end, even opening its mouth at him occasionally. Its meaning could not be more obvious.
Even though the Scarlet Flood Dragon did not do the same, it also roamed around Yang Kai’s side, occasionally peering at him with its eyes in anticipation.
When he first met these two, their bodies were both around 300 metres long, but now, they had both grown to a length of around 450 metres, which could be said to be a massive growth! For Ominous Beasts like them, the greater the size naturally meant the greater their strength, too.
This was due to the Dragon Blood Pills. The Dragon Blood Flowers that Yang Kai harvested from Crouching Dragon Mountain were all of extremely high Grade, so the Dragon Blood Pills refined from them were naturally extraordinary as well. Yang Kai never forgot to take some while cultivating his Spear Secret Techniques, too, which showed obvious improvements for him. Since it was the case even for him, then there was no need to mention how great the improvements were for the Earth Dragon and the Scarlet Flood Dragon.
The amount of Dragon Blood Pills he refined the last time was quite big, and that place was originally the Scarlet Flood Dragon’s territory, so Yang Kai could be considered to have robbed the Scarlet Flood Dragon’s belongings. Now that he came to ask for food, there was no way Yang Kai could reject him.
And if he gave the Scarlet Flood Dragon some, how could he neglect the Earth Dragon?
Fortunately, they were not very needy and were satisfied after a single pill, which would take them a long time for them to digest. If their appetites were any greater, Yang Kai would start to feel reluctant to feed them.
Tossing out two Dragon Blood Pills, the Earth Dragon and the Scarlet Flood Dragon devoured them with joy. With a shake of its tail, the Earth Dragon slipped back into the hole and disappeared without a trace, but the Scarlet Flood Dragon stayed. Divine Sense surging, it transmitted a message to Yang Kai.
Thanks to the Dragon Blood Pills his sentience had improved, so simple messages were no problem for him.
Yang Kai frowned, feeling slightly puzzled, “Why is she here?”
The Scarlet Flood Dragon’s Divine Sense surged again. A short while later, Yang Kai nodded, “I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll go and take a look.”
After the Scarlet Flood Dragon had also crawled back into the hole, Yang Kai said to Guo Zi Yan, “I’m going out.”
Guo Zi Yan hurriedly responded, “Let this subordinate accompany you.”
“No need. I’m just going to meet a… Yes, an old friend.”
After that, he left, leaving Guo Zi Yan behind with questions unanswered. He had no idea who this old friend Yang Kai was speaking of was.
A hundred or so kilometres outside the Star City, at a log house on a small mountain peak, a graceful-bodied woman was looking out, unmoving, just like a rock.
Suddenly, a breeze blew her long hair gently.
The woman could tell instinctively that something was not right at that moment, but she could not tell what was wrong. Just as she was feeling doubtful, a voice suddenly sounded behind her, “Are you here to seek revenge?”
Shocked, the woman turned around in a hurry, but once she saw who it was, she once again calmed down.
Yang Kai looked strangely at her and shook his head, “I don’t sense any killing intent from you, no resentment or hatred either. Since you are not here to seek revenge, then why are you stalking me?”
This woman was Sword Pavilion’s Lu Xue. He had no idea why she would suddenly appear here…
That day in Sword Pavilion’s Star City, the mantis head may have died in his battle with Yang Kai, but Yang Kai did not get off unscathed. Being severely injured, he was helped out of the city by Lu Xue, who brought him to a remote cave to recover from his wounds. Yang Kai’s restorative abilities were shocking, so in just a few days, he was almost fully recovered. He did not even say goodbye before leaving.
After all, in Yang Kai’s opinion, the two of them were enemies, not allies. So, how could he still bid her farewell? He was already stunned that Lu Xue did not take the opportunity to try to kill him when he was so weakened.
He thought that the chances of them meeting again in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was slim, but who knew that he would learn from the Scarlet Flood Dragon that Lu Xue was right outside of Scarlet Star’s Star City.
The Scarlet Flood Dragon nearly had its head cut off under Lu Xue’s sword when she sliced its neck back on the Yuan Magnetic Mountain, so it naturally hated her to the bone and remembered her aura well, which made it unsurprising for it to know her whereabouts.
Because of that grudge, the Scarlet Flood Dragon repeatedly came to find trouble with Lu Xue for the sake of revenge.
Unfortunately, Lu Xue kept on avoiding it. As soon as the Scarlet Flood Dragon approached her, she would run far away. Once the Scarlet Flood Dragon left, she would come right back. After a few back-and-forth sessions, the Scarlet Flood Dragon gave up.
But when it saw Yang Kai this time, it told Yang Kai about it, hoping that Yang Kai could stand up for it.
Otherwise, why would Yang Kai come here?
More than two months had passed since the last time they saw each other, and Lu Xue’s injuries were much better now, though her aura was still slightly unstable. Her face was also pale, so she most likely still had a way to go before completely recovering.
“Did you need me for something?” Yang Kai asked. This woman showed no murderous intent, and her eyes had not the slightest bit of hatred as they looked at him. It was not likely that she came for revenge.
Lu Xue gave a nod.
“What is it? Just speak.”
Lu Xue opened her mouth as if to say something, but she could not make out anything even after a long time. She looked troubled.
Yang Kai quickly grew impatient. He was in a hurry to go back to Crouching Dragon Mountain so he could cultivate and did not have the time to be wasting on this woman; thus, he flicked his sleeve, “I’ll come back again when you’re ready to talk.”
After saying that, he turned around to leave.
Lu Xue’s anxious voice then emerged behind him, “I wish to follow Sir!” Worried that Yang Kai would go just like that, she ended up shouting out a little loudly.
Yang Kai turned his head over and looked at her strangely, “What did you just say?”
He wondered whether he had heard her wrong; otherwise, how could she make such an insane request?
Lu Xue looked firmly at him and blushed before she dropped her head and declared, “I wish to follow Sir. Please grant my request!”
Yang Kai definitely heard her clearly this time, but it was still hard to believe. Lu Xue’s actions at Sword Pavilion’s Star City had been perturbing enough for him, but her request today was even harder to parse.
How could she not have a grudge against Yang Kai after being tortured half to death by the Golden Crow’s True Fire? What’s more, he had even killed hundreds of her fellow Sect members from Sword Pavilion. Even leaders like Zhong Fan and Luo Qing Yun were slaughtered by Yang Kai personally. Anyone would want to get revenge on him if they were in such a position.
But in Sword Pavilion’s Star City, Lu Xue took the seriously wounded Yang Kai away and hid him in a remote place so that he could recover from his injuries in peace.
Even if she was generous enough to be able to put aside this hatred, her relationship with Yang Kai could only be described as ‘the well does not draw water from the river’, so why would she propose to follow him?
Yang Kai could not help but wonder whether she had any ulterior motives.
“I don’t mean anything else by it. I just wish to follow you. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary is a dangerous place, and I want to leave here alive,” Lu Xue looked up and explained.
If she had not witnessed the huge change that happened in Sword Pavilion’s Star City, then Lu Xue might not have thought of such a thing, but even the Pavilion Master, who was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, was killed. There were even traces of Divine Spirits appearing in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. How could she feel safe alone in this place?
After thinking about it, she decided that it would be safer for her to stick with Yang Kai. At the very least, he was the strongest one in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If a great calamity came, then if there was anyone who could leave this place safely, it would most likely be Yang Kai.
The reason why she hid here was also because of her identity; after all, she was one of Sword Pavilion’s leaders. If she were to openly enter Scarlet Star’s Star City, she would definitely be captured. The reason she came around to this Star City was just so she could see when Yang Kai would come out, but instead of Yang Kai, she ended up encountering the Scarlet Flood Dragon several times.
Yang Kai looked deep into her eyes, as if he wanted to see into the depths of her soul.
But Lu Xue was unmoved, not showing the slightest guilt or falsehood.
After a moment, Yang Kai grinned, “Is that what you really want?”
Lu Xue nodded seriously, “Not a single word I speak is false.”
“You really won’t feel aggrieved?”
“Lady Yue He is also following Sir, and she is even more powerful than I. Does she feel aggrieved?” Without Yue He as an example, she might not have thought of such a request.
“Heh heh, you have a glib tongue,” Yang Kai put his hands behind his back and shook his head slowly.
Lu Xue’s face reddened slightly, “Is Sir worried? Worried that I may do Sir harm once I fully recover?”
She was already embarrassed to make such a request, so being bombarded with Yang Kai’s questioning only made it harder for her. She was even beginning to become angry out of shame.
“Worried? As if!” Yang Kai snorted. A Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivator was hardly any threat to him here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so he said decisively, “Since you’ve sent yourself to my door, it would be impolite of this King to refuse.”
He wanted to see what this little girl truly intended to do. Rather than guess her motives, he might as well keep her by his side. If she truly had any ulterior motives, then she would surely expose herself. At that time, he could just kill her.
Striding towards Lu Xue, Yang Kai arrived before her in just a few steps. He then reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his arms, “Do not resist!”
Lu Xue widened her eyes and in an instant, felt a masculine scent fill her nostrils. Panicking, she almost slapped him.
[What is he trying to do? Is he misunderstanding something here? I just said I wanted to follow him! I didn’t mean anything else by it!] Lu Xue was desperate to cry but was unable to shed any tears.
She thought of resisting, but when she remembered Yang Kai’s terrifying might, how could she possibly put up a fight in her current state?
Instantaneously a saying popped up in Lu Xue’s mind, [‘Like a sheep entering a tiger’s cave!’]
As a mess of thoughts filled her head, the space around her suddenly distorted, and she was plunged into darkness. The darkness devoured all of her vision, and she could not help but feel terrified.
In just an instant, her vision blurred before gradually restoring itself.
Yang Kai let go of her and grabbed his Azure Dragon Spear before walking ahead, “You have yet to fully recover, so focus on that. Do not bother me with trivial matters.”
Moving a thousand metres away, Yang Kai began executing his Spear Secret Techniques again and soon immersed himself in his practice.
Lu Xue stared dumbfoundedly at him and it took a while for her to come back to her senses. She looked around herself, but quickly realized she was no longer on the same mountain peak. Instead, she seemed to be in another place, and she had no idea how far they had moved.
[A Dao of Space Teleportation Technique!] Lu Xue realized.
Only then did she realize that she had misunderstood earlier. Yang Kai wasn’t trying to take advantage of her, he was simply pulling her through the Void and telling her not to resist for her own sake. If she were to make any moves while travelling through the Void, she might end up being devoured by it and never being able to find her way back.
Her pale face reddened slightly as she stood there quietly, watching Yang Kai dance with a spear in hand, sweeping across the sky.
Very soon, she picked up on something. Yang Kai’s Spear Secret Techniques seemed inexhaustible, coming out one after another with a brave and fierce momentum. At times the moves were wide and sweeping, while at other times they were as dense as rain. They looked powerful, and clearly an ordinary cultivator would not be able to take even one attack from him. Even if a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master such as herself was to challenge him now, she might not be able to last long before losing.
But there was some hint of incongruity.
Lu Xue frowned, not knowing what it was.
A few days later, Yang Kai began repeating the techniques anew.
A few more days later, the same happened.
Lu Xue counted the techniques silently. From beginning to end, the Secret Techniques that Yang Kai performed totalled 1,134. Each repetition was different from the last, and each execution showed greater mastery.
[So, that’s it!] It finally dawned on Lu Xue as she understood what the incongruity was now, it was the level of mastery!
Despite Yang Kai’s powerful stance and imposing momentum, he was actually similar to a toddler learning to walk. Each step he took through the Spear Dao was steadier and more solid than the last.
After a month passed, Yang Kai put away his spear and stood, frowning in thought.
He had gained a lot through this period of practice, but when he thought back to the mantis head’s skills on that day, he could still see the great disparity between him and his opponent. His opponent’s skills were so natural that he commanded his blade like a gazelle brandished its horns, showing no traces of awkwardness or openings, making it hard for one to defend against or even anticipate.
Could it be something wrong with the way he was practising?
Just as he was wondering, he suddenly heard a voice, “Is Sir practising Spear Secret Techniques?”
When he turned around, he saw that Lu Xue had already come over to his side.
Yang Kai nodded. If she had not spoken, he would have forgotten about her completely.
Lu Xue asked, “For Sir to study over a thousand Spear Secret Techniques, is Sir trying to gather the strength of a thousand clans?”
“I do have that intention, but I don’t feel like I’m getting much out of it.” Yang Kai was a little frustrated. He had grown a lot in the Spear Dao compared to the beginning, but it was still much less than he expected. It was most likely because he had not been practising for long enough.
Lu Xue commented apprehensively, “Sir’s approach is very similar to that of an old friend of mine.”
“Oh?” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up, “Did your old friend also cultivate this way?”
Lu Xue nodded, “Yes, but the techniques that he collected were not as numerous as Sir’s. He only knew around one or two hundred techniques to work with.”
The reason Yang Kai could collect so many Spear Secret Techniques was because he had gathered them out of the Space Rings of tens of thousands of people. Even if they were in the Open Heaven Realm, it was unlikely for Lu Xue’s old friend to have such an opportunity. Being able to collect one or two hundred alone must still have taken a lot of effort.
“And what became of his training in the end?” Yang Kai was eager to know.
“He succeeded.” Lu Xue showed a reminiscent look, “He spent decades gathering the strength of a hundred clans, eliminating the bad and retaining the good, and successfully cultivated a sure-kill spear attack. That technique is his strongest blow. I have sparred with him, and even in the same Order of the Open Heaven Realm, it was difficult to resist.”
“A sure-kill spear!” Yang Kai had a fascinated look on his face, but when he heard that it took this man decades, he felt a little speechless.
If gathering the strength of a hundred clans took several dozen years, then how many years would it take for him to gather the strength of a thousand clans?
Boundary and had plenty of time to waste. Before finding suitable materials to refine, he would be unable to refine more of the Yin, Yang and Five Elements. Otherwise, where would Yang Kai find the time to cultivate other things?
“Can you tell me the specifics of how your old friend cultivated?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Lu Xue answered, “He did the same thing as Sir. After collecting more than two hundred Spear Secret Techniques, he practised them day after day without rest. I remember hearing him say during that time that only after forgetting the hundreds of techniques, leaving only one behind, would he have succeeded in taking the next step. After several dozen years, when I saw him again, he had succeeded.”
“Forgetting hundreds of Spear Secret Techniques while leaving only one behind!” Yang Kai pondered on this wisdom and vaguely understood the man’s intention.
But though it was easy to say, how difficult must it be to accomplish this?
Spear Secret Techniques can be improved with repetition; at least, that was Yang Kai’s experience during the past two to three months. Once they are performed enough times and their essence could be understood, then it would be branded into one’s body as instinct. To forget such a thing would be as difficult as ascending to the Heavens.
But these words opened a new door for him and his eyes sparkled, “Greatest compliments to that old friend of yours!”
Lu Xue smiled, “Maybe Sir can give it a try.”
Yang Kai grinned meaningfully and shook his head, “He has his own path and I have mine. His path may not suit me, but it is still worth learning from. You can go first.”
At those words, he began rehearsing his one thousand Spear Secret Techniques again.
Cultivation knows no time.
On Crouching Dragon Mountain, Yang Kai practised diligently. He had never devoted himself to one thing with such enthusiasm and dedication as this before.
The one thousand over Spear Secret Techniques were blooming brilliantly in his hands.
He returned to the Star City once every two months, firstly to show his face and to keep people from having ideas, and secondly to check on the status of his subordinates.
Progress was wonderful. The dozen people who had not formed their Dao Seals had now formed them, and they all exceeded their original limits, fulfilling Yang Kai’s requirements. Each of them came up to Yue He to seek Fourth-Order or even Fifth-Order materials in order to condense their Yin, Yang and Five Elements.
The ones who had already formed their Dao Seals and had their foundations laid had also refined at least one Element at the limits of what they could bear.
Yang Kai was very much looking forward to Lang Qing Shan’s results. As he expected, this guy was able to withstand the impact of a Fifth-Order Element on his Dao Seal and successfully gathered his Wood Element Power. Yang Kai offered him a Sun’s True Fire on his return, and he had now gone into retreat in order to condense his Fire Element Power. His speed and aptitude were not bad, even in the eyes of those from Cave Heavens and Paradises.
The Star City’s earnings were also extraordinary, and Yang Kai’s share was 70%. Naturally, he gained a lot, but these things were all auxiliaries, material goods. One’s true foundation was their own strength, so he never stayed long. At most, he would stay for two days before returning to Crouching Dragon Mountain to continue cultivating.
The matter that worried him did not seem to happen, as after razing Sword Pavilion’s Star City, the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider did not appear again. Of course, some cultivator strongholds would be destroyed by Beast Tides from time to time, occasionally with no survivors left.
Half a year later, Yang Kai’s aura stretched across the lands on Crouching Dragon Mountain with his spear as unrestrained as ever. Once he withdrew his spear, his aura calmed down in an instant and he stood in place to mull over his thoughts.
Not far away, Lu Xue was slightly stunned as she muttered, “1,035 types!”
There were a total of 1,134 Spear Secret Techniques when she began observing Yang Kai, but only 1,035 were now left. Almost a hundred Spear Secret Techniques were lost, and these were changes that appeared within this half a year.
In other words, Yang Kai was gradually forgetting the Spear Secret Techniques that he practised and was embarking on the exact same path as her old friend.
Lu Xue giggled secretly. In the end, it seemed this young man still had the heart of a boy, saying others had their own paths while he had his, but he was just being stubborn. In the end, he was still imitating others.
But to be able to forget a hundred techniques in such a short time was still shocking to Lu Xue; after all, it had taken her old friend several dozen years to achieve the same feat.
Her friend would not have been able to keep up with such a speed, but it did make sense. Yang Kai had already produced a Divine Manifestation through his insight even though he was only in the Emperor Realm. None before in the history of the 3,000 Worlds had accomplished such an achievement!
But the progress that came afterwards shocked Lu Xue even more!
It took Yang Kai half a year to forget 100 Spear Secret Techniques, but that number had already reached 600 after another half a year. He also seemed to be on the brink of attaining mastery of the remaining 500.
Almost every day, several or even a dozen Spear Secret Techniques would disappear from Yang Kai’s routine, and the rate that they were disappearing by was increasing more and more.
Two months later, when Yang Kai thrust out his spear, no traces of any Secret Techniques were left, only the simplest stab, swing, slash, and sweep, just like a beginner who had only picked up a spear, holding it clumsily and waving it around with only the slightest strength applied.
But his every move looked unusually arduous. The muscles on his arm bulged and the aura around him rippled as if there was a huge invisible force resisting the spear in his hands, keeping him from moving it freely.
Anyone could probably dodge such an attack with ease.
Lu Xue was now utterly confused.
But she could instinctively feel that a terrifying power was hidden behind each strike. The peak of the Grand Dao was a realm of simplicity. Seemingly ordinary movements could contain an infinite number of variations. If she were to rush towards Yang Kai at this moment, then she most likely would not be able to resist the power of his spear.
He remained in such a state for a year. For a year, he did not stop to rest.
Lu Xue watched nervously each and every day, worrying that Yang Kai would suffer cultivation dissonance. She thought of returning to Scarlet Star to report to Yue He of her findings, but she was worried that something would happen to Yang Kai once she left, so she had no choice but to sit and watch.
After two years, her injuries had long since healed, bringing her back to peak condition; even so, the mental strain was still a little tiring for her.
One day, Yang Kai, who seemed to be listless and dazed, suddenly looked in another direction. The spear in his hands repeated the same simple movements, flowing like water in a natural circular swing.
A Dragon Roar burst out and Dragon Pressure spread, enveloping the Heavens and Earth.
Lu Xue was shocked. When she looked up, it was as if a Great Dragon had appeared, stretching across the sky, with just a corner of its eyes, its gaze swept across this plane, sending shivers into one’s heart.
A huge spear shadow covered the world, but Yang Kai was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left in her vision was the spear light that pierced through all.
“Not constrained by paths, reality, or restraints. Not remaining in one state, not bound by one doctrine. Transcending Heaven and Earth, transcending technique and skill. My spear is limitless, my heart is free!”
The sound of manic laughter shook the world, startling birds and beasts alike.
Once Lu Xue’s vision was restored, the only thing she saw was Yang Kai, floating in mid-air with his black hair flying in the wind, spear seized in one hand. His black eyes were so bright that they were scary.
Spear marks marred the skies, and the World Principles themselves writhed as they tried to gradually restore the damage.
[What a terrifying spear technique!] Lu Xue’s heart trembled as she stared dumbly at the scars that were gradually closing up. She knew that the strength of this youth before her must have soared tremendously after this enlightenment.
But he was taking the same path as her old friend? After forgetting more than a thousand Spear Secret Techniques, shouldn’t he master a sure-kill spear? Why was the end result so different? The spear technique that Yang Kai presented at that last moment was indescribable. Though her friend’s sure-kill spear had ferocious power, it was a singular technique with no room for evolution; however, the potential of Yang Kai’s spear technique seemed infinite.
The superior technique between the two was obvious.
[Is it truly as he says? He had his own path?]
“Sir, what technique is this?” Lu Xue asked curiously.
Yang Kai cocked his head to the side and thought about it before grinning, “Limitless Spear!”
“Limitless Spear!” Lu Xue murmured, “Ever-changing with endless power, not bound to any one technique and moving freely of its own will. An apt name.”
She smiled, “But Limitless Spear doesn’t sound very imposing. What about Supreme Limitless Spear?”
Yang Kai’s eyes brightened. Even though only one word was added, it gave a completely different feeling. With a hearty laugh, he nodded, “Very good! As you say, this will now be called the Supreme Limitless Spear!”
Yang Kai felt great pride as he held his spear in hand. He spent two years gathering the knowledge of more than a thousand clans, eliminating the bad and retaining the good, eventually cultivating the Supreme Limitless Spear, which can be considered a great achievement.
With this Spear Secret Technique in hand, he did not dare say that he had fully unleashed all of the Azure Dragon Spear’s might, but it was a definite improvement.
If that mantis head was still alive and Yang Kai were to fight him again, then he was confident that he could kill him with his spear within ten breaths. The mantis head may have been masterful with his blades, but Yang Kai’s skill with the spear was no longer shallow either. Compared to two years ago, it was as if he had shed his former body and been reborn.
With his new Spear Secret Technique, there was no need for Yang Kai to stay around any longer, so he instructed Lu Xue, “Pack up and return with me.”
Lu Xue answered him in the affirmative but still felt a little apprehensive. After all, her identity was sensitive to Scarlet Star, so she had no idea whether she would be given any trouble once she was there.
But since she had chosen to follow Yang Kai, she could only endure it even if she were treated badly if she wanted to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary safely.
After taking out his Communication Artifact and checking it, Yang Kai discovered that Yue He had tried to contact him numerous times.
Previously, he would return to the Star City once every few months, but during the last year, when he had been at a critical moment in his enlightenment, he had not shown up once, which probably worried Yue He.
At this moment, Yang Kai received another message on his Communication Artifact. Sweeping his Divine Sense over it, he read out in pleasant surprise, “You little fatty, I was wondering whether I’d find you or not, but since you’ve thrown yourself into the net… then don’t think you’re getting out so easily!”
Yue He’s message actually told him that the little fatty, Xu Zhen, had come to seek him out, and he had been waiting for almost two months now.
This little fatty came from Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven and was a Grandmaster when it came to Artifact Refining and the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Yang Kai wanted his help in setting up a Defensive Spirit Array in the Star City, but unfortunately, he had no idea where he was. He did not expect to receive news about him now.
In a few steps, he arrived by Lu Xue’s side, grabbed her arm, then communicated with his Space Beacon, causing them to both disappear in an instant.
Back at the residence, in front of Yang Kai’s room, a charmingly naive and fair-skinned little fatty stood side by side with Yue He, waiting with an anxious look on his face.
The little fatty was Divine Cauldron Heaven’s Xu Zhen, who had left after refining the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd for Yang Kai. Now it seemed he had successfully refined his Metal Element. His appearance here was proof of it.
He was a disciple of Divine Cauldron Heaven, so his aptitude was extraordinary. He had come seeking Yang Kai in order to ask for a Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone, naturally because he was certain he could refine it.
“Elder Sister, when will Brother Yang come out of seclusion?” Xu Zhen turned to ask Yue He.
“I don’t know either.”
Yue He slowly shook her head, “Usually, Young Master would appear once every two months before going back into retreat. I have no idea what happened this time, but I have not heard anything from him for an entire year.”
Xu Zhen glanced around and asked worriedly, “Brother Yang has not had a dissonance in his cultivation, has he?”
Yue He’s face changed, “How can that be? Young Master has such phenomenal aptitude and such abundant resources that it is impossible for him to suffer cultivation dissonance, not to mention that he should not have reached a critical point yet. He should not be in any danger.”
The little fatty shook his head, “It is hard to say. The path of cultivation is treacherous, and the consequences are unpredictable.”
Yue He became worried at his words, and she also started to doubt herself.
Xu Zhen struck while the iron was hot, “Why don’t I break the barrier, then we can check on his condition?”
“Forgo that thought!”
Yue He glared at him. Having seen this little fatty’s abilities before, she knew that he would not need to spend too much effort if he truly wanted to break the isolation barrier, but if he did so, then he was bound to disturb Yang Kai. If Yang Kai truly happened to have reached that critical juncture in his cultivation, even if he did not have a dissonance in his cultivation now, he would after.
Xu Zhen laughed embarrassedly, “I was just kidding, please quell your anger, Elder Sister. Ah, what a shame. This one would have liked to present Brother Yang with another opportunity, but it seems… oh? He’s out!”
The barrier around the room in front of them suddenly closed before the door was opened softly. A brave and heroic figure stepped out. Who could it be if not Yang Kai?
Yue He smiled and could finally rest her uneasy heart, going up to greet him with a smile. After just two steps though, her smile stiffened on her face when she saw the person behind Yang Kai, staring at her, stunned.
Xu Zhen was also a little dumbfounded, turning to Yue He to ask, “Elder Sister, did you not say that Brother Yang was in retreat? This… How did this…”
[Who would bring a woman with them while going into retreat?! And he was even with one of the leaders of Sword Pavilion!]
[It was said that Yang Kai had spent an entire year in retreat. Tsk tsk tsk. What has he been doing for that one year?] Xu Zhen could not help but let his mind wander when he looked at Lu Xue, envious of Yang Kai’s good fortune.
“What are you doing here?” When Yang Kai looked up and saw Xu Zhen and Yue He, he felt it to be strange. The little fatty had a wretched smile on his face, but Yue He’s face was livid. Her tender body was shaking and fire was practically spewing from her eyes. She was constantly staring through him, at something behind him.
Yang Kai looked over and saw the blushing Lu Xue before quickly shrinking his neck in realization as he muttered, “I’m afraid there has been a misunderstanding…”
There was a Space Beacon placed inside his room that allowed him to come to and go from Crouching Dragon Mountain, so he naturally returned to that room. It would have been fine if nobody had seen anything, but once he was caught in the act, it would inevitably lead others to think of things that they shouldn’t.
“Yes, a very great misunderstanding indeed!” Yue He scoffed and turned around, flicking her sleeve behind her. A cold aura was left everywhere she passed, which made Guo Zi Yan, who just entered, a little nervous. He immediately rushed aside so as not to be dragged in.
Xu Zhen laughed wretchedly, “Brother Yang’s backyard is on fire! Why don’t you go and put out the fire first and we can talk later?”
Yang Kai had a stern look, “Brother Xu, you really have misunderstood. It is not what you think.”
Xu Zhen said, “It’s useless to explain to me.”
Yang Kai looked at Lu Xue, then back at him, and shook his head speechlessly. He did not try to explain anything and just gave instructions to Guo Zi Yan, “Lady Lu Xue is now one of our people. So take her and settle her down in a suitable room.”
“One of our people!”
Guo Zi Yan was shocked, feeling as if there were a deeper meaning behind Yang Kai’s words, so he quickly responded, “Yes!”
After excusing herself, Lu Xue left with Guo Zi Yan.
Guo Zi Yan treated her with great respect on the way, as if she was the Mistress of the household, which only made Lu Xue feel even more embarrassed.
Inside the reception hall, Chen Yue served up a pot of tea before excusing herself respectfully. Yang Kai and Xu Zhen sat across the table from each other, and only then did Xu Zhen reveal his intentions for coming.
“Brother Yang, I have another big opportunity for you!”
He had refined the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd for Yang Kai the last time he said something similar, so Yang Kai was excited to hear him say so again. He urged with curiosity, “Do tell, Brother Xu.”
Xu Zhen told him, “For a genius of Brother Yang’s calibre, what Brother Yang refined is definitely a Seventh-Order Fire Element, right?”
“That is correct.”
There was no way of hiding it. Yue He had already told him that once the Divine Manifestation, Golden Crow Casts the Sun, was revealed, it was the same as announcing this fact to the world.
Xu Zhen began, “The Seventh-Order Golden Crow’s True Fire can only be suppressed by a Seventh-Order Wood Element, so Brother Yang must also have a Seventh-Order Wood Element Power. During the battle two years ago, Brother Yang used an Earth Divine Ability as a shield. I could tell that the shield is unusually strong and an extraordinary Divine Ability in its own right. Obviously, it must also be of Seventh-Order. In other words, Brother Yang must have gathered at least three Seventh-Order Elements, Wood, Fire, and Earth.”
“Brother Yang has taken such a tremendous risk and did not hesitate to fight against thousands, blocking the passage at the very end and checking everyone’s Space Rings back on the Yuan Magnetic Mountain. I believe your intentions must have been to seek a Seventh-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone.” Speaking up to here, Xu Zhen slowly shook his head, “Unfortunately, though the resources on that Yuan Magnetic Mountain were abundant, no Seventh-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone was produced, which must have been a great disappointment.”
Yang Kai looked at him with a smile, “Brother Xu, have you heard of this saying before?”
“What saying?” Xu Zhen was curious.
“Smart people usually don’t live long.”
This fatty had met him twice, and even those times were quite brief. Yang Kai was surprised that Xu Zhen was actually able to deduce so many things about him and almost dug up everything about him despite their limited contact.
Xu Zhen quickly waved his hands, “I was just saying. Please don’t blame me, Brother Yang. However, Brother Yang’s ambitions of reaching the Seventh-Order Open Realm in a single leap are now clear.”
Yang Kai looked calmly at him, his expression showing neither happiness nor anger.
“I came this time for matters relating to a Seventh-Order treasure!” Xu Zhen suddenly lowered his voice.
Yang Kai’s expression changed, “Seventh-Order treasure? Of what Element?”
If it were either Wood, Fire, or Earth, then it would not be worth much to him, but if it were any other Element, then he definitely must obtain it. Since entering the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Yang Kai had only found the Earth Dragon Bead, which was also something he had encountered by chance, at the Seventh Order. It was hard to find Seventh-Order materials even in a natural treasure trove such as this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, much less anywhere else.
Last time, during the Golden Crow carcass’s appearance, great forces of all over were alerted and everyone fought to get their hands on it. A few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters even joined the fray. If a material of the Seventh Order truly did appear in the 3,000 Worlds, it would not be Yang Kai’s turn to fight for it.
For him, the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was his greatest chance.
“If I’m not mistaken, it should be of the Water Element!”
“Water Element!” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up. After Metal came Water, which was still useful for him. Even if he couldn’t refine it now, there was nothing wrong in collecting it ahead of time.
But rather than becoming tempted, Yang Kai looked suspiciously at Xu Zhen, “Brother Xu, if a Seventh-Order Water Element material has appeared, why not just take it for yourself? What did you come to me with this news for? Don’t tell me that there are two such treasures…”
“Seventh-Order materials are so precious that finding even one is considered a blessing from the Heavens. How could there be two?” Xu Zhen shook his head and laughed, “Only, the trip might be slightly dangerous. Brother Yang’s strength is great, so I am also dragging you over to bolster my own courage.”
Naturally, Yang Kai did not believe his words. This little fatty was one Divine Cauldron Heaven’s Core Disciples. Even though Yang Kai had never seen Xu Zhen fight before, he must not be weak. But even he called the trip dangerous, so it must truly be a terrifying journey. He was most likely recruiting Yang Kai to increase his battle strength.
“I will not hide it from Brother Yang. The two of us will not be the only ones going. That place was actually discovered by a friend of mine, and there will be around five or six of us going on this trip.”
“Five or six!” Yang Kai was amazed. Xu Zhen had called these people his friends, and anyone he could call a friend must have an extraordinary background and strength. It was most likely that they were all the elite disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Grinning, Yang Kai asked, “There is only one Seventh-Order treasure, but around six of us. How will it be split?”
Xu Zhen said with a smile, “We will travel together, but once we arrive, then every man will face his own destiny in life or death!”
“An interesting proposition!” Yang Kai’s emotions were churning. He hadn’t been on such an adventure in a long time, so just listening to Xu Zhen talk about it made his blood boil. He wanted nothing more than to set out right now.
“Does that mean Brother Yang agrees?” Xu Zhen looked at him.
“There is one problem.” Yang Kai looked at him, puzzled, “Brother Xu has asked me for the Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone last time, so you must be cultivating Sixth-Order Elements. Why are you coveting this Seventh-Order material?”
Xu Zhen explained seriously, “Among the Yin, Yang and Five Elements, Wood and Water are the gentlest and their impact on one’s Dao Seal is the smallest. Even though I aspire to enter the Sixth-Order, condensing Seventh-Order Wood and Water Elements should pose no problem to me. Did Brother Yang’s Master not tell you this?”
Yang Kai suddenly realized that Xu Zhen’s approach was just as he had speculated to his dozens of subordinates. Even though some of their foundations were already set, it was possible to build on it to gain even greater strength from certain Elements.
If he did not guess wrong, then the Wood Element Power that this little fatty cultivated should be of the Seventh Order. Only, the rest of his elements were in the Sixth-Order, which meant he would eventually break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Of course, Yang Kai had no Master or Elders to tell him about these intricacies. Even though the Proprietress treated him well, she clearly did not expect his ambitions to be so high and never even thought of telling him about such things. There was a lot of common-sense information that he had to hear from Yue He.
After laughing and brushing the matter aside, Yang Kai continued, “By the way, there is one matter that I wish to seek Brother Xu’s help with.”
Xu Zhen asked, “What is it?”
“I wish to hire Brother Xu to arrange a Grand Array in this Star City to increase its defences!”
Xu Zhen could not help but feel a little speechless, “This is Scarlet Star’s Star City. Brother Yang is merely a Foreign Elder in name, so why do you care so much?”
“It will be beneficial to me, definitely.” Yang Kai grinned meaningfully.
Xu Zhen could not refuse, so he could only say, “What about this. I will help you once we return. It is too late for that now. I have already agreed with my friends to meet in five days. We have to set off tomorrow or we will not make it in time.”
The next morning, when Yang Kai and Xu Zhen left the residence, everyone came to see them off.
Yue He hid at the back of the crowd with a terrible look on her face. Yang Kai heard from Guo Zi Yan that this woman threw a huge tantrum last night, smashing the things in her room and scaring them so badly that they did not even dare to breathe too loudly.
Yang Kai looked at Guo Zi Yan and instructed, “This trip should not take too long. While I am away, watch over them and supervise their cultivation carefully. If you need any resources, ask Yue He.”
Guo Zi Yan answered, “Yes.”
Yue He pouted at the back, “Hmph…”
Yang Kai glanced at her, “Yue He, you know what to do if you encounter any danger that you cannot handle.”
Yue He tilted her head to the other side, “Heh heh…”
Lu Xue felt guilty to hear her laugh like that and stepped forward, “Sir, should this Mistress follow you?”
“No need. Just stay here and help Yue He manage the Star City.”
Lu Xue withdrew reluctantly and glanced quietly at Yue He, only to see this woman smiling coldly at her. That smile sent shivers down her spine and she knew that if this misunderstanding was not unravelled soon, she would not have an easy life in the future.
“You can all return now. Brother Xu, let us go,” Yang Kai called out to Xu Zhen before rising to the sky.
Xu Zhen followed nimbly behind.
After the two of them left, Yue He finally put away the smile on her face and lifted her skirt in a huff, turning around and leaving. Lu Xue quickly followed her shouting, “Big Sister Yue He, there is something that I wish to speak with you about!”
Yue He shot her a brilliant smile, “What a coincidence. I also have something to say to Little Sister Lu. Let us go to my room.” Saying so, she took Lu Xue’s arm affectionately and brought her off with a big smile.
Guo Zi Yan and the others at the back could not help but shudder.
…..
The Sun, Moon, and Stars did not exist in the Grand Ancient Ruins, and without them, Yang Kai did not even know which direction he was flying in. Following behind Xu Zhen, they sped along for three days, passing by many cultivator strongholds, which Yang Kai looked at in amazement.
These strongholds came in all shapes and sizes. Some were grand, while others were extremely well hidden. The large ones could house tens of thousands while the small ones could hold no more than several hundred, eking out a living in the strange environment of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
There were also crumbling strongholds that had quite obviously been destroyed by Beast Tides. Rotten corpses lay around in an upsetting manner.
The entire original Star City was swallowed up when the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary opened, and at least several hundred thousand people were sucked in. Now, after several years, it was likely less than half of them remained alive.
Nearly 50,000 perished in Sword Pavilion’s Star City alone, so the number of lives lost since the opening of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary could be imagined.
Three days later, the pair could hear the sound of beating waves from afar, and they could also taste salt in the air.
Yang Kai was stunned, “There is a sea in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary?”
Xu Zhen explained, “The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary covers such a vast area. The area we are familiar with is nothing more than one corner of this world, so what is so strange about there being a sea here?”
A few moments later, a huge sea with crashing waves entered their view. Waves curled up as high as 30 meters, making a huge noise as they crashed down.
Yang Kai suddenly had a realization. Xu Zhen said that they were seeking a Seventh-Order Water Element treasure, and the sea was filled with the Water Element Power, so it should come as no surprise for it to produce a Seventh-Order Water Element material.
After arriving at the sea, they flew for 6 more hours before Xu Zhen suddenly said, “We’ve arrived.”
At the same time, Yang Kai discovered several unfamiliar auras. Looking over, he saw several scattered figures ahead, standing on a small island spanning no more than a kilometre across.
One of them stood on the beach with his hands behind his back. His stalwart figure was dressed in black robes and when he looked over, his sharp hawk-like eyes gleamed, as if he was staring into one’s heart.
A short distance to the side of him was a young girl sitting on a rock. She kept her head down and Yang Kai had no idea what she was doing. Her hair was spread down over her shoulders, concealing most of her face.
Another figure was a young man, sitting down cross-legged on a treetop a thousand meters behind the young girl. He was silently cultivating and his figure bobbed along with the wind. Yang Kai could feel a profound aura from this man.
Yang Kai shivered faintly in his heart. Even though none of these people were in the Open Heaven Realm, they all gave him the feeling that they were not to be trifled with. Were these the friends that Xu Zhen talked about? Yang Kai had no idea which Cave-Heavens or Paradises they came from, but their heritage was clearly not ordinary.
Yang Kai and Xu Zhen landed, and the black-robed young man standing with his hands behind his back called out, “Fatty, you’re late.”
“No, no, I’m not late. There’s still one day before the time limit.” After a pause, he added, “Also, Brother Lin Feng… Stop calling me fatty or I’ll have to fall out with you.”
Xu Zhen was smiling even while saying such words, not showing any of his emotions. Lin Feng coldly snorted and turned to look at Yang Kai instead, raising his chin at him, “You made us wait this long for this guy? Which Cave-Heaven or Paradise does he come from? How come I’ve never seen him before?”
Xu Zhen explained, “This, I’ve never really asked.” He turned to Yang Kai, “Brother Yang, where are you from?”
Yang Kai chuckled, “I don’t come from a Paradise or Cave-Heaven. Just think of me as grass by the roadside that’s not worth mentioning.”
Xu Zhen was stunned.
He had seen Yang Kai bringing out a Divine Manifestation and he was even aspiring to break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm directly. He had a Master in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm such as Yue He following him around, calling him Young Master, so he really thought that he was either from a Cave-Heaven or a Paradise. It was surprising to hear from Yang Kai that he wasn’t.
Without the deep heritage and cultivational resources of a Cave-Heaven or Paradise, how could he come this far?
“Brother Yang must be joking,” Xu Zhen’s mouth twitched. He clearly did not believe him, but since Yang Kai was unwilling to tell him, he did not pry.
The black-robed young man coldly snorted, “Fatty, this guy isn’t a disciple of any Cave-Heaven or Paradise, and you’re just going to casually let him join us?”
Xu Zhen answered, “Brother Lin, I have seen Brother Yang’s skills before. In terms of ability, even you are weaker than him.”
Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed, “Truly?” When those words left his mouth, his battle intent was instantly heightened, and his aura was suddenly pushed to its limit. A burning gaze was locked onto Yang Kai, as if he wanted to fight him here and now. Obviously, he was unconvinced by Xu Zhen’s words.
He was a Cave-Heaven disciple with a phenomenal foundation. Even though he had yet to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, he was still strong enough to fight a few rounds with a Master in the First-Order Open Heaven Realm. What could this guy be capable of?
“Stop it.” Xu Zhen eyed him speechlessly, “You will naturally see his abilities later.”
He then turned to Yang Kai and said, “Brother Yang, let me introduce you. This guy is Lin Feng, a Core Disciple of True Martial Cave Heaven.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists courteously, “Greetings Brother Lin.”
[He really is a Cave-Heaven disciple.]
When he met Xu Zhen and that guy surnamed Yin, Yang Kai wondered whether other Cave-Heaven or Paradise disciples had been sucked into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, but he didn’t expect to meet them today, and there were more than one here.
Yang Kai had no idea why these few happened to be in that Star City at that time and got dragged into that unexpected disaster.
But there were also opportunities to be discovered in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. For them, favoured sons and daughters of the Heavens, being dragged into this place may not be a bad thing.
Lin Feng coldly snorted, pointing his nose to the sky.
“This here is Gu Pan from Lang Ya Paradise!” Xu Zhen pointed to the girl who seemed to be busy doing something on the rock.
The girl got up in a hurry and her cheeks seemed to be puffed. She greeted softly, “Greetings, Senior Brother Yang!”
Her voice was very soft, just like a kitten, so Yang Kai could tell she was a gentle girl.
But Yang Kai was amazed by something else.
This girl called Gu Pan actually came from Lang Ya Paradise!
That was where Zhang Ruo Xi’s ancestor came from. After awakening her Heavens Order bloodline, Zhang Ruo Xi inherited a part of her ancestor’s memory, and she also intended to head to Lang Ya Paradise after leaving the Star Boundary. In the end, they were devoured by the Myriad Facets Insect and separated halfway there.
Later, Yang Kai ended up stranded in Seven Wonders Land while Zhang Ruo Xi was nowhere to be seen. Yang Kai figured that she must have gone to Lang Ya Paradise; after all, that was her ancestor’s homeland. If she went there, it would be like returning to her homeland, so she would surely not be rejected.
Yang Kai wanted to look for Zhang Ruo Xi at Lang Ya Paradise after he entered the Open Heaven Realm, but who knew he would actually run into a Lang Ya Paradise disciple here?
He was pleasantly surprised and almost wanted to ask about Zhang Ruo Xi, but held back.
This matter could not be rushed. He would first see Gu Pan’s character before deciding later.
“Greetings, Junior Sister Gu!” Yang Kai returned the greeting after suppressing his impulses. The girl then sat back down and lowered her head again, going back to what she was doing.
“And that over there… That is Ning Dao Ran. He is from Free and Unfettered Paradise.”
Xu Zhen pointed to the young man bobbing up and down on the tree branch.
Even though this young man did not look old, he had an ethereal air about him, an immortal temperament only found in old Masters. If Yang Kai were to judge him based merely on his aura and not his appearance, then he really would not be able to guess how long this man had lived.
Ning Dao Ran did not get up. He just erected a single palm towards Yang Kai, “Greetings, Fellow Daoist Brother!”
“Senior Brother Ning!” Yang Kai returned the greeting.
Xu Zhen looked left and right and scratched his head, “Where did that seductress Qu Hua Shang go?”
As soon as he said that, a figure appeared behind him from the middle of the sea. She had a delicate figure dressed in translucent fabrics. Water vapour still lingered around her body when she emerged, attracting infinite imagination.
Yang Kai looked over to see an enchanting woman standing behind Xu Zhen. She was half a head taller than him and leaned over Xu Zhen’s ear, exhaling an orchid scent, “Who are you calling a seductress, you fatty?”
Xu Zhen looked down and lowered his head. The look on his face was as if he was thinking that form was emptiness, and emptiness was form. He raised a thumb and pointed behind him, “This seductress is from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Her name is Qu Hua Shang. Be careful, Brother Yang. She is most adept at seducing men. Don’t fall for her tricks or you’ll have the Yang Qi sucked out of you until you die… Aiya, why are you twisting my ear! Hurry and let me go! I’ll beat you if you don’t let go!”
“Who’s seducing who? Who’s sucking whose Yang Qi?” Qu Hua Shang gritted her teeth while twisting Xu Zhen’s ear harder, “Our Yin-Yang Cave Heaven cultivates the path of Yin-Yang Union, not those dirty and underhanded tactics of harvesting that you speak of. Do not slander me in front of outsiders.”
Xu Zhen’s face distorted in pain, but he dutifully kept an eye on Yang Kai and warned, “Just be careful of this woman, Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai smiled, “Brother Xu is exaggerating. Yin alone does not form life, Yang alone does not provide growth. The Yin-Yang Union is one of the world’s Grand Daos and is not as impure as you think it is.”
Yang Kai had experienced the benefits of Yin-Yang Union before, so he naturally knew that the orthodox Secret Arts of dual cultivation were not comparable to those underhanded Yang or Yin Qi harvesting Secret Techniques, so he did have some insight into the matter.
These words went straight into Qu Hua Shang’s heart and rather than keep causing trouble for Xu Zhen, she looked at Yang Kai with beautiful glowing eyes, “At least this Brother here is understanding. Little Brother, if you have the time, we should discuss the art of dual cultivation.”
“Yes, I’m sure we’ll have the chance,” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly.
Xu Zhen was dumbfounded. Yang Kai had already been hooked by this seductress! He got hooked by Qu Hua Shang as soon as she arrived! What a great scandal! He was now regretting bringing Yang Kai here. To think he failed to see what a pervert this guy was!
A look of contempt also flashed past Lin Feng’s eyes and he coldly snorted, “Fatty, you’re the one who brought him here, so don’t be blaming anyone if he dies on the road.”
Yang Kai chuckled, “If I really end up dead, then my lack of abilities is to blame, not anyone else.”
“Now that’s what a man should say,” Lin Feng looked Yang Kai up and down as if to re-evaluate him.
Xu Zhen interrupted, “Enough of that nonsense for now. Since we’re all here, Lin Feng, tell them the situation about the Water Element treasure.”
“We can talk as we walk to save time,” Lin Feng said.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Xu Zhen agreed.
Gu Pan got up, and Ning Dao Ran also floated down from the top of the tree. With a beckon, a willow leaf suddenly appeared, growing in size until it suddenly formed a willow leaf boat, which befuddled Yang Kai.
This willow lead did not give off the aura of an artifact at all, as if it were just an ordinary willow leaf. He had no idea what sort of mysterious technique Ning Dao Ran had used to produce such an amazing result.
Everyone boarded the boat while Ning Dao Ran stood at the bow. Riding on the wind, the boat broke through the air.
Yang Kai raised his foot and stomped on the boat, discovering that this little boat was actually quite sturdy. Even a casual punch from him might not be enough to destroy it. He realized that as he thought, each one of these Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples had great ability. This was true for Xu Zhen, Ning Dao Ran, and most likely for Lin Feng, Gu Pan, and Qu Hua Shang as well. None of them were soft persimmons.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel envious; after all, having someone to learn from surely had great benefits. There was someone there to teach them everything they wanted to learn, and they did not have to worry about cultivation resources either, much unlike him. He had to build up from nothing everywhere he went, putting his life on the line for his struggle without the love and care of either Elders or Masters. Even the path of cultivation had to be advanced along blindly, taking it one step at a time.
Yang Kai sighed in his heart while Lin Feng had already begun telling them about the situation with the Water Element treasure.
These Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples also happened to be in the Star City when it was devoured by the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog, but they immediately realized that this was an opportunity, unlike the cultivators who knew little about the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Which one of these Cave-Heavens or Paradises did not have inheritances spanning hundreds of thousands of years, or even longer?
They must have a lot of secret records, and there may even be Seniors who had come and gone from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. As such, these five more or less knew some information about the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Therefore, they separated from each other as soon as they arrived to seek out their own opportunities.
During the past few years, they had also each gained some benefits. Needless to say, Xu Zhen had refined the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd and exchanged it with Yang Kai for a Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Stone, which was considered a great profit for him. Even though he was a Divine Cauldron Heaven disciple, it would still take an immense amount of time and effort in order to acquire a Sixth-Order Metal Element material; after all, Sixth-Order treasures were not like wild vegetables which could be found everywhere.
The others were also able to gain similar harvests.
Lin Feng travelled far and wide on his search, and by chance, during one of his trips to this part of the sea, he sensed the abundant aura of a Water Element treasure from a certain island. The aura was extremely rich and far surpassed any other Water Element treasure that he had come across before.
“It has to be a Seventh-Order or perhaps even an Eighth-Order Water Element treasure!” Lin Feng quickly said with a burning gaze.
Everyone’s breathing quickened!
A Seventh or Eighth-Order Water Element treasure was so precious that it may not even appear once in a thousand years, and when brought to the outside, could suppress the shine of all other precious treasure. Yet, one appeared in this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
“I’m afraid it probably won’t be that easy to obtain,” Qu Hua Shang said with a smile, “If it could so easily be obtained, then there is no way you would have called us over to help, Lin Feng.”
Lin Feng said, “Naturally, it won’t be easy to obtain. There are many strange Sea Clan members on that island, and the Water Element treasure seems to be very important to them. The closer I got, the heavier their defences became. I tried four times to get my hands on it, but I was forced back each time.”
“Sea Clan?” Everyone was shocked.
Xu Zhen asked, “Are there Masters amongst the Sea Clan?”
Lin Feng shook his head slowly, “They aren’t exactly strong. If we were to fight one-on-one, then they would not be my opponent. Unfortunately, there are too many of them! This Lin’s two fists can’t block four punches!”
“But did you see the Water Element treasure with your own eyes?” Qu Hua Shang asked, “What does it look like?”
Lin Feng blushed, “I didn’t see it…” Everyone looked strangely at him, which forced him to become angry out of shame, “Even though I never got to see it, I’m sure it is either Seventh or Eighth- Order! If you don’t want to go, then I’ll go alone. I have to get my hands on that treasure no matter what!”
Xu Zhen quickly went, “Yes, yes, yes, of course we’re going! How could we not go and take a look?”
Qu Hua Shang also nodded, “That’s right.”
Ning Dao Ran, who had been standing at the bow of the boat this whole time, did not say a single word, almost as if nothing concerned him. Gu Pan also kept her head down and constantly kept herself busy. Neither of the two expressed anything at all, showcasing their unique personalities.
Lin Feng, standing with both hands behind his back, swept a glance at Yang Kai and declared, “Going is one thing, but let me remind everyone in advance that there are six of us, but only one Water Element treasure. Don’t blame this Lin for being unforgiving later when it comes time to fight for it!”
Qu Hua Shang smiled, “Of course, the rest of us feel the same. If Senior Brother Lin were beaten to death by any of us later, then we hope you won’t hold a grudge in the next life.”
Lin Feng coldly snorted, “If you have the ability, try and beat me to death as you wish!” Suddenly, he turned to Yang Kai, “I know how strong all of you are, so all of you have the qualifications to fight with this Lin, but as for him…”
Yang Kai smiled, “Is Senior Brother Lin curious to find out?”
“If you do not have the ability, then I will beat you to death now so you don’t hold us back.”
Qu Hua Shang frowned, “Is beating people to death the only thing you can think of? Can’t you act more like a gentleman? Take a look at Senior Brother Ning, for example!”
Even though it was her first time meeting Yang Kai, it was also the first time she had encountered someone who did not look down on her for cultivating Yin-Yang Union and was even willing to join her in discussing such methods. This helped her form a good impression of him.
“No matter.” Yang Kai raised a hand, “It is normal for Senior Brother Lin to have such concerns. I just don’t know how Senior Brother Lin intends to verify whether I am qualified or not.”
Lin Feng slowly raised a palm, “If you can take three palms from me and stay alive, then that proves that you have the qualification.”
Ning Dao Ran, who had been standing still the whole time, slowly turned around and interjected, “The boat will break!”
Lin Feng roared, “Who cares about your damn boat!”
Ning Dao Ran kept silent, saying nothing more.
Yang Kai grinned, “Being taken advantage of by Senior Brother Lin on the first meeting? That would hurt the harmonious atmosphere here. But since Senior Brother Lin wishes to test my abilities, then I shall accept.”
Having said so, Yang Kai suddenly leapt backwards, jumping straight into the sea and disappearing from sight.
Lin Feng was stunned, Qu Hua Shang was dumbfounded, and Gu Pan suddenly coughed, as if she were choking on something, pounding at her chest with her small hand.
From what they could feel from their Divine Senses, Yang Kai was rapidly moving away, and soon left their perception range.
Only after a long time did Lin Feng’s brow twitch, “He ran off?” He then glared at Xu Zhen, “That’s the helper that you found? Are your eyes growing out of your ass? How dare you bring some stray cat or dog!”
Xu Zhen scratched his head, “That’s strange…”
Yang Kai could face thousands of enemies all on his own without even a change in his expression, so how could he be afraid of sparring with Lin Feng?
But if he were not afraid, why did he run? Xu Zhen was puzzled.
Qu Hua Shang also shook her head and sighed, “And here I thought he was a decent man. Turns out he’s nothing more than an embroidered pillow. Nice in appearance, but not of much use.”
“Something’s coming,” Xu Zhen’s expression suddenly changed.
Everyone could sense it as soon as he said that.
Lin Feng shouted, “I forgot to tell you. I’m afraid my journey to the island has not been too peaceful. There are many Sea Beasts in the surrounding waters, and all of them have extraordinary strength. They are at a great advantage when fighting in the sea, so it won’t be easy even if we want to kill them. Be careful, here it comes!”
The willow leaf boat suddenly lifted a thousand meters into the air and drifted off nimbly to avoid the incoming attack from the sea.
When they looked down, they all saw a huge creature rushing up to the Heavens.
“Wah, what a big octopus!” Qu Hua Shang exclaimed as she shaded her eyes with her hand.
A huge octopus came out from under the sea. It had tentacles covered in suckers that spanned more than a thousand meters across, dancing about with great force as if it could even flatten a large mountain.
“This wicked creature again? I ran into this guy during my last trip and fought with him for an incense stick of time. I almost killed it, but unfortunately, I let it escape. Since it dares to come out again, then it better not think it can go back alive!” Lin Feng stepped forward, his murderous intent tumbling.
“This octopus…” Xu Zhen was stunned. He stared at the creature with a strange expression, because the octopus’s round eyes were filled with fear and horror at this moment. Moreover, its tentacles seemed to be flailing about randomly and it did not seem to have come out on its own initiative to attack them. Instead, it seemed as if it had been forced out of the sea by an attacker.
Suddenly, a figure jumped out of the sea with a splash, rushing straight towards the octopus, reaching it in a flash.
Seemingly able to sense the approaching crisis, the octopus’s eight tentacles flailed about, sweeping below its body.
But the figure did not care. Taking a deep breath, they raised a fist and punched out, hitting the octopus’s soft abdomen.
There was a blast, and then a layer of ripples suddenly spread out. The octopus’s eight tentacles suddenly turned stiff as its round eyes bulged.
Before everyone’s stunned gaze, the octopus the size of a small mountain suddenly burst apart in mid-air, transforming into a mist of blood that sprinkled down onto the surface of the ocean. A mess of flesh and blood spread out for several dozen kilometres around them, bobbing on the water’s surface, leading to a feeding frenzy for the other Sea Beasts.
They were all shocked!
Yang Kai’s body moved through the bloody mist, and landed back on the willow leaf boat before grinning and Lin Feng, “I wonder if my punch is enough to meet Senior Brother Lin’s eyes.”
Lin Feng’s face twitched for a while before he coldly snorted, “All you have is brute force.”
The strength required to toss up such a large octopus from the sea was indeed beyond his reach, and the ability to smash the octopus to pieces with one punch was further proof of Yang Kai’s strength. However, brute force was not the only thing a cultivator’s heritage was judged by; there was also the depth of that strength, the Secret Arts and Secret Techniques that they cultivated, as well as the artifacts they possessed.
But it was still awkward to see Yang Kai punch this octopus to death after he just recounted how he failed to take it down even after fighting it for an incense stick worth of time the last time he encountered it.
“Does that mean I’m qualified?” Yang Kai smiled at Lin Feng.
Lin Feng coldly snorted, adding nothing more to the conversation.
“Little Brother Yang sure is so strong!” Qu Hua Shang’s eyes were glowing. While speaking, she came over to squeeze Yang Kai’s arm muscles, exclaiming, “Such solid muscles!”
“I have stronger muscles elsewhere, if Big Sister Qu is interested in touching them.” Yang Kai winked at her.
Qu Hua Shang glared at him and pouted, “Naughty boy!”
Yang Kai broke out in laughter.
Lin Feng scolded through gritted teeth, “Shameless!”
The little fatty, Xu Zhen, also could not help but sigh as he held his forehead.
As they continued on their journey with the willow leaf boat moving through the air, Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang sat shoulder to shoulder to the side, muttering together with their heads close, but it was not known what they were talking about. They seemed deeply immersed in their conversation and Qu Hua Shang would also raise a tender fist to punch Yang Kai from time to time while giggling, as if the two of them were flirting. It was simply hard for one to watch.
The sea was full of dangers from the many large Sea Beasts that moved unhindered beneath the surface of the water. They would scurry out from time to time when they felt the aura of living people to block their way.
But the people on the boat all had extraordinary heritages. Despite their ferocity, these Sea Beasts could not beat them. They would often be killed before they could even approach. A reign of terror was left in the wake of the willow leaf boat.
Yang Kai was also fortunate enough to see the techniques of these Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples through this journey. As he expected, they were all extraordinarily strong. The Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques that these five possessed stemming from their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements were especially eye-opening.
Yang Kai could not help but feel that he had just popped out of the ground and seen the Great World in the company of these people. It was a novel feeling.
He wished to share a few words with Gu Pan and form a friendly relationship with her, which would make it more convenient for him to ask for information about Zhang Ruo Xi. Unfortunately, that seductress Qu Hua Shang was constantly latched onto him to discuss the profound mysteries of Yin-Yang Union. So, Yang Kai had no choice but to give up.
Then again, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s dual cultivation techniques were indeed profound. After a long discussion with Qu Hua Shang, Yang Kai felt that he had gained a lot. It was a pity that Su Yan was not around; otherwise, he could have gotten some practical experience. Qu Hua Shang was clearly inspired by Yang Kai as well, and the more they talked and got to know each other, the more they regretted not having met sooner.
Three days later, the willow leaf boat suddenly descended and landed on a lonely skerry.
As Ning Dao retrieved his willow leaf, everyone scanned the surroundings.
Lin Feng pointed his finger in a certain direction, “See that island over there? The Water Element treasure is on that island. It’s not a small island. I came here several times before, but I could never get to it. This time, we’re sure to get our hands on the treasure with the six of us all cooperating.”
Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing at, and sure enough, there was an island far away on the horizon.
From this position, the island did not look big; however, it had to be known that they were at least a thousand kilometres from the island! It may not look big here, but it would definitely not look small once they got close.
Xu Zhen turned to Yang Kai, “This is how it is, Yang Kai. We have already discussed beforehand that since we are six, we will split up into three groups of two and approach the island from different directions. The rest will be up to your own abilities, so others should have no complaints.”
They were originally five, and they would be one short if they were to split up into groups of two or three. If not, he would not have gone to look for Yang Kai for help. He had also seen Yang Kai’s abilities before, so he naturally sought him out to make up the numbers, which would also make their trip much safer.
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded.
“Then let’s split into groups, how about going with me?” Xu Zhen immediately proposed when he saw that Yang Kai did not object.
But as soon as he finished saying that, Qu Hua Shang had already latched onto Yang Kai’s arm, as if she were intent on clinging onto him, “I’m grouping with Little Brother Yang!” She had been chatting happily with Yang Kai on the boat for the past three days, so she naturally wanted to go with him.
“No!”” Both Xu Zhen and Lin Feng objected in unison.
“Why not?” Qu Hua Shang’s face darkened.
Lin Feng coldly snorted, “You two filthy fornicators have been flirting with each other throughout the whole trip. If the two of you were really left alone, then who knows what immoral things would happen? Whether you live or die is none of my concern, but what if you put the rest of us in danger?”
Qu Hua Shang fumed, “Who are you calling filthy fornicators? Say that again if you dare!”
“So what if I insult you?” Lin Feng showed no weakness.
Seeing that everyone was beginning to quarrel before they could even break into groups, Xu Zhen said with a headache, “Enough. Cut it out, all of you. Brother Lin’s words may not sound pleasant, but I have to agree. You mustn’t ever be in the same group as Brother Yang, you seductress!”
Qu Hua Shang sneered, “Then who do you expect me to group with?”
Xu Zhen looked at the brothers and pointed to someone, “You can go with Brother Ning.”
Qu Hua Shang jumped up in rage, “You want me to group up with that wooden blockhead? You fatty! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
Ning Dao Ran followed the natural path and allowed nothing to weigh him down, which was the exact opposite of her demeanour and temperament, so she naturally was not happy with this arrangement.
“Then, let us go,” Ning Dao Ran declared, as if he did not hear a single word she said, making his way step by step towards the island.
Qu Hua Shang was furious and grit her teeth so hard that they almost cracked. Seeing that Ning Dao Ran was moving further and further away though, she said helplessly, “Little Brother Yang, we will continue our conversation once we return. I’m looking forward to being able to try dual cultivation with you soon.”
Yang Kai patted her arm, “Take care of yourself!”
“Yes, you must wait for me!” Qu Hua Shang nodded incessantly. Then, tender body turning, she rushed over to catch up with Ning Dao Ran.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief when he saw her leave, and he shot a grateful look at Xu Zhen. He might not be able to stand Qu Hua Shang’s burning enthusiasm if he were forced to stick with her any longer.
“As for Brother Yang…” Xu Zhen glanced at Yang Kai, then with a flash of hesitation on his face, he suggested, “Brother Yang should group with Junior Sister Gu.”
Among the remaining four, Yang Kai and Lin Feng did not get along, so it was naturally impossible for them to group together; otherwise, they might even start trouble with one another. Xu Zhen originally wanted to be in the same group as Yang Kai; after all, Yang Kai was strong. If they encountered any danger, then he was sure to be able to turn danger into safety with Yang Kai’s assistance. However, after some thought, Xu Zhen decided to give that opportunity to Gu Pan instead.
If he and Lin Feng joined forces, they may not be worse off than Yang Kai and Gu Pan’s group.
Naturally, Lin Feng had no problem with it. After Xu Zhen was done settling the grouping, he urged them, “Since we’re ready, let us be on our way. We can’t allow Ning Dao Ran and Qu Hua Shang to get a head start.”
With one step, they had already moved a hundred metres away.
Xu Zhen whispered to Yang Kai, “Brother Yang, Junior Sister Gu is the true heir of Lang Ya Paradise, so her position is extremely high. Do not try anything with her or you’ll be hunted down by them.”
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “What are you saying, Brother Xu? What kind of person do you take me for?”
Xu Zhen cast him a suspicious look.
He regretted having misjudged this man. Back when he saw Yang Kai walking out of the chamber with Lu Xue at his residence, he should have known he was a licentious fellow. He could not help but worry whether it truly was a good idea to leave Gu Pan in his hands.
Yang Kai turned serious as he snapped, “Hey! I’m really not that kind of man!”
Xu Zhen sighed and patted him on the shoulder, “You better restrain yourself!”
With that, he left to catch up to Lin Feng.
With four leaving, only Yang Kai and Gu Pan remained atop the skerry. Yang Kai was laughing wildly in his heart as he had been worried about whether or not he would be able to find time alone with this girl. Xu Zhen’s arrangement was just like sending him a pillow when he was about to doze off.
But the matter of finding out about Zhang Ruo Xi’s situation couldn’t be rushed. He had to learn about this Gu Pan’s background first.
Turning around, he saw Gu Pan with her head down as usual, busy with something. Yang Kai really had no idea what she had been doing up till now.
“Junior Sister Gu,” Yang Kai showed a harmless smile.
Gu Pan covered her mouth and chewed quickly. He heard a gulp as if she had just swallowed something. Only then did she raise her head and respond softly, “Senior Brother.”
Yang Kai stared at the corner of her mouth and touched his own in the same spot, “Junior Sister, you have something on your face here.”
Gu Pan raised her hand and took off what was stuck to the corner of her mouth. Then, as Yang Kai was watching, she stuffed it into her mouth, sucked on her fingers, and licked her lips.
Yang Kai was dumbfounded.
He thought that this girl had been cultivating some sort of profound art when he saw her keeping her head down the whole time. But now, it seemed like she was just eating!
He had no idea what could be so delicious that she could not stop herself from eating it. Even more strangely, she didn’t make a single sound as she ate.
Taking a breath, Yang Kai smiled, “Junior Sister, let’s be on our way.”
“En,” Gu Pan nodded obediently.
Then, the two departed from the skerry, making their way towards the island.
A thousand kilometres did not take more than three breaths to cross even if they were focusing on concealing themselves. Looking up, the island truly was huge, too big to estimate from just an initial visual inspection at least. The pair also saw no signs of the four that left before, so they had no idea where they went.
“Senior Brother, should we move to the other side of the island?” Gu Pan suddenly asked when she saw Yang Kai walking straight ahead.
Yang Kai said, “No need. I’m sure they must have taken a different route, so we can just walk straight ahead. We were already behind them, so this will save some time.”
“En.” Gu pan nodded.
“By the way, does Junior Sister have any techniques to conceal one’s aura and figure?”
Gu Pan answered, “I can conceal my aura, but concealing my figure is a little difficult.”
“Then we can use my artifact. Come closer, Junior Sister.”
Gu Pan stuck close to Yang Kai without hesitation.
Raising his hand, Yang Kai enveloped the two of them with his Shadowless Veil. In a flash, their bodies disappeared from sight, making it impossible for others to find any traces of them even if they looked carefully.
The Shadowless Veil was something that Yang Kai obtained back in Seven Wonders Land. It was originally given to Du Ru Feng by his Master, Fire Spirit Land’s Protector Venerable Duan Hai. Since Du Ru Feng was killed by Yang Kai though, the Shadowless Veil naturally became his trophy.
Duan Hai was in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the grade of this Shadowless Veil was also extraordinary. As soon as it was summoned, it had the effect of hiding one’s aura and figure. Even a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would find it difficult to see through this artifact, so it was considered a rare treasure.
Back on the Sun Star, Yang Kai had used this artifact to avoid being found by the many Low-Rank and several Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, allowing him to get close to the Golden Crow’s carcass. With great ‘luck’, he coincidentally managed to snatch the Golden Crow’s carcass.
Later, after joining First Inn, the Shadowless Veil was taken away by the Proprietress and handed over to a Grandmaster to be further refined, improving its performance even further.
The Proprietress said that a cultivator in the Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm shouldn’t even dream of being able to see through this thing now, and if a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm cultivator was not paying attention, then they might not be able to see any traces either.
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, where there was no Open Heaven Realm, the Shadowless Veil gave Yang Kai an overwhelming advantage when it came to concealment.
Gu Pan had good eyes, so she could tell how magnificent this artifact was when they were enveloped by the Shadowless Veil and exclaimed, “Senior Brother’s treasure is truly amazing.”
Yang Kai grinned meaningfully, “Junior Sister comes from Lang Ya Paradise and is both experienced and knowledgeable. How could such a thing enter Junior Sister’s eyes?”
Gu Pan replied in a sincere tone, “It is my first time coming out to train.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Then Junior Sister is truly unfortunate.”
Gu Pan dropped her head, appearing sad, “My Master, Senior Brothers, and Senior Sisters must be worried.”
Yang Kai could not bear to see her pitiful appearance and consoled, “Rest assured, you will get out of here one day and will naturally be reunited with them.”
“En, it is as Senior Brother says,” Gu Pan nodded repeatedly.
“Shh!” Yang Kai raised a finger to his lips, “Enough talking for now. We’re entering the island and there are a lot of Sea Clan members there.”
There were indeed many from the Sea Clan stationed on the beach where numerous campfires were lit. There were even houses made of palm leaves next to the fires where many Sea Clan members were coming in and out. Food was being cooked on the fires that exuded a tempting aroma.
Yang Kai quietly looked over and could not help but frown. Sure enough, as Lin Feng said, all of these Sea Clan members had strange appearances. Some had fish heads with gills, while others had webbed feet and hands. Some even had scales all over their bodies.
These Sea Clan members were all humanoid, but none of them looked truly Human. All of them retained a large part of their Sea Monster Beast characteristics.
Yang Kai could not help but be reminded of the mantis head he encountered in Sword Pavilion’s Star City.
Back then, Yang Kai realized that the World Principles of this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary may not be the same as those in the outside world. It must be much more difficult for Monster Beasts to assume human form here.
Many Sea Clan members were gathered together, speaking in a strange language that Yang Kai could not understand, but from how peaceful they seemed, he knew he had guessed right. Lin Feng and the others must have taken a detour; otherwise, there would definitely be a big battle going on right now.
The Sea Clan members on this beach were all just minions, and none of them seemed like they would put up much of a fight. Yang Kai wasn’t afraid of them, but since they were trying to infiltrate the island, they should naturally avoid alarming others.
Beside him, Gu Pan’s aura suddenly shook. Yang Kai looked over and saw Gu Pan’s face turning pale, and her cheeks were puffed out. There was a soft but strange gurgle coming from her throat.
Yang Kai was shocked, “Junior Sister, what’s wrong?”
Gu Pan wanted to cry, “Senior Brother, I’m going to puke!” Then, she covered her mouth with her hand.
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Even though they look ugly, there’s no need to be this disgusted, right? Don’t puke, definitely not! Otherwise, things will be bad for us.”
Gu Pan quickly nodded her head, her eyes glistening with tears. She kept her head down, trying not to look at the Sea Clan members.
Suddenly, they heard a series of voices. It seemed some of the Sea Clan were discussing the incident that happened here several months ago. The reason the Sea Clan had set up troops here was so they could prevent that person from coming again.
Yang Kai instantly knew that they were talking about Lin Feng.
When he turned around, he saw two Sea Clan members that looked a little different from the others standing in front of a fire, speaking fervently to each other.
The auras of these two were not weak, and they were also well-dressed. They seemed to hold high status among their clan.
One of the fish heads suddenly turned his head in Yang Kai’s direction with a suspicious look.
“What happened?” Another Sea Clan member looked over.
The fish head muttered, “It felt like someone was looking at me, but I guess I was mistaken.” Ignoring this oddity, he continued chatting with his companion.
Under the Shadowless Veil, Yang Kai withdrew his gaze, still feeling chills.
Though the Shadowless Veil was a powerful artifact, he had to be wary about his gaze while he was using it. Even though that Sea Clan member’s strength was not that great, he still reacted even though Yang Kai had just taken one glance at him. If he truly were to bump into a Master, then he might have been exposed.
The pair moved silently ahead, avoiding the fires and the Sea Clan members. Finally, four hours later, Yang Kai arrived with Gu Pan in a jungle.
He felt around with his Divine Sense but did not discover any life auras nearby. This place was also extremely remote, so Yang Kai took off the Shadowless Veil and proposed, “Let’s rest here for now.”
The Shadowless Veil was an Open Heaven Realm artifact, so using it consumed a lot of energy. There was no saying when a big fight would erupt in this damned place, so it was necessary for them to maintain their condition as best as possible.
Gu Pan’s face was still pale, so she stumbled to a rock and sat down. Then, taking something out of her Space Ring and grimaced at it.
Yang Kai felt speechless when he saw what she was holding.
The thing that Gu Pan was holding in her hand turned out to be a small dried fish. It was about a palm in length and had a golden colour to it. It was clearly processed with great care. When he remembered seeing something on her lips earlier, Yang Kai suddenly realized what this young woman was doing with her head down the whole time. She was eating dried fish!
However, images of the strange-looking Sea Clan members seemed to overlap with the image of this dried fish in front of her, which caused Gu Pan’s face to turn pale as she gagged.
Seeing this, Yang Kai immediately understood that she was not puking out of fear earlier, but because she thought about the dried fish she had been eating so happily just moments before. He couldn’t help but laugh as he commented, “Junior Sister, your dried fish has absolutely no relation with those Fish Monsters at all, so don’t think too much about it.”
Gu Pan lifted her head and said with wet eyes, “Really?”
Yang Kai nodded confidently, “Of course! Those Fish Monsters are fishy and smelly. How could they possibly be compared to that dried fish? This delicacy is the first under the Heavens!”
Gu Pan’s eyes lit up, “Senior Brother thinks so, too?”
Yang Kai laughed, “It seems like you think so as well.”
Gu Pan nodded, “Dried fish is the best! But it’s a pity Master won’t let me eat it.”
“It’s not like your Master is here.” Yang Kai winked at her.
“Second Senior Sister said the same thing.” Gu Pan looked at Yang Kai in amazement, “Each and every time, it’s Second Senior Sister who sneaks in lots of dried fish for me.”
Saying so, she gathered her courage and grabbed the dried fish, putting it in her mouth and biting down. Then, she narrowed her eyes and began chewing, clearing away all the gloominess she felt before.
She ate quietly and seemed to chew softly, but her speed was by no means slow.
In the blink of an eye, the dried fish had already entered her stomach, and she took out another piece.
After eating a dozen of them, she suddenly came to her senses and looked embarrassedly at Yang Kai, “Senior Brother, do you want some, too?” As she said that, she offered Yang Kai the half-eaten dried fish that she was holding.
Yang Kai accepted it with a smile, “Then, let me try your Second Senior Sister’s cooking!” He ate it and praised its deliciousness, regardless of whether it tasted good or not. Gu Pan nodded repeatedly and echoed his sentiments.
After this interaction with her, Yang Kai could see that this girl did not have any scheming thoughts. She must have been behind closed doors from a young age, and she also said that it was her first time coming out to train when she had gotten sucked into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Since she was a pure and innocent girl, Yang Kai did not want to beat around the bush with her either. He was just about to ask about Zhang Ruo Xi when his expression suddenly changed. He quickly put up the Shadowless Veil, covering the two of them.
“Senior Brother?” Gu pan was confused.
“Someone’s coming.” Yang Kai hushed her.
A few moments later, following a rustling noise, a group of Fish Monsters came over from the clearing in the jungle. The leader was less than one meter tall and was carrying a trident in his hands. Yang Kai had no idea what Fish Monster this was before assuming human form, but he had a very round body. His head and his body were linked together without a neck, which made him look like a funny meatball.
They must be a group of patrolling Fish Monsters that were coming through the jungle.
Suddenly, the Fish Monster in the lead stopped. His nostril twitched as if he had found something.
The Fish Monster must have a good sense of smell, so while wriggling his nose, he approached Yang Kai and Gu Pan. The subordinates behind him also followed suit.
Yang Kai looked down at Gu Pan and felt speechless as there were bits of dried fish left on the corner of Gu Pan’s mouth again.
Gu pan seemed to notice it too and quickly wiped her face with her hand and blushed.
A moment later, the Fish Monster had already arrived just a couple paces away from Yang Kai and Gu Pan, but he was still sniffing around. His disgusting appearance made one sick to their stomach, and the fishy smell was even more overwhelming.
“Senior Brother, I can’t take it anymore…” Gu pan whispered. She suddenly raised her hand and a paintbrush appeared. Drawing in the air, a Yin-Yang Primal Chaos Diagram came crashing down.
A swirling power of Yin-Yang enveloped the Fish Monsters.
With a scream, each of the Fish Monsters were ground into dust.
Yang Kai lunged forward and grabbed the leading Fish Monster, saving him instantly.
As soon as he did so, Shadowless Veil lost its effectiveness and completely revealed their appearances.
The Fish Monster was still shocked after being saved from mortal danger, but when he looked up and saw Yang Kai and Gu Pan, he was furious and shouted, “How dare you sneak behind The Great Ulala and attack me!”
“Ulala?” Yang Kai was confused.
The Fish Monster raised a fin and pointed back arrogantly, “I am The Great Ulala! Hurry and let me go or you’ll be dea…”
With a bang, Yang Kai punched his head. Eyes rolling back, the Great Ulala passed out without another word.
乌 – crow
拉 – normally is pull but breaker sounds cooler.
Gu Pan frowned at his actions, “Senior Brother, why did you save him?”
If Yang Kai hadn’t saved him in time, then The Great Ulala would have been wrung to death by the Yin-Yang Primal Chaos Diagram.
Yang Kai explained, “We’re deep behind enemy lines and on unfamiliar lands. We should find someone to extract information from to see how strong the Sea Clan is.”
Gu Pan nodded at his words, “Senior Brother is attentive.”
They could not stay here any longer. Even though Gu Pan killed the group of Fish Monsters quickly, she still made some noise doing so. Yang Kai quickly destroyed the bodies and hid any traces of battle.
Gu Pan watched from the sidelines and saw that Yang Kai’s actions were so clean-cut and skilled that one could not notice anything out of place without careful inspection, which she admired greatly. She thought to herself, [Senior Brother Yang sure knows a lot.]
Once the Fish Monster Ulala woke up, he found himself bound. He silently opened his eyes and looked around to discover himself in what seemed to be a cave.
Firelight danced around the surroundings as a crackle rang in his ears. There was also a peculiar aroma permeating the area.
“Finally awake?” A human face suddenly appeared right in front of him.
Shocked, Ulala looked up just to see the face of the human who had beaten him unconscious. He fumed, “Impudent! How dare you ambush The Great Ulala. I’ll kill you! Ulalalala…”
Yang Kai smashed the top of his head with a fist, instantly raising a big bump.
This guy’s abilities were not much to look at, but his temper was not small.
In pain, Ulala began making weird noises.
Yang Kai threatened, “Shut up. I’ll kill you if you keep making noise.”
Ulala quickly shut up. Eyes darting around though, he looked at Yang Kai and declared, “Ulala does not fear death!”
Yang Kai scoffed, “If you’re not afraid of death, then keep yelling!” This guy was clearly scared to death, but his mouth was still dishonest.
Yang Kai then pointed to the side, “You see that girl over there?”
Ulala turned his head over. A campfire had been lit, and next to it sat a girl who was currently looking at him with a cheerful grin.
Yang Kai continued, “That girl’s favourite food is dried fish. It’s not hard if you want to die. I just have to hand you to her, then she’ll cut you into small pieces, roast you, and eat you little by little.”
Ulala was shocked. Looking closely, the girl was indeed roasting dried fish on the campfire. The skin was golden and dripping with oil as it crackled in the fire.
“Ulala is fishy and smelly! Ulala isn’t tasty!” The Fish Monster shouted as he shook from fear.
“She isn’t picky. She’ll eat anything as long as it’s fish.” Yang Kai grinned wickedly.
Gu Pan also looked at the Fish Monster with a smile as she grabbed one of the dried fishes. bringing it to her mouth and chewing on it.
Ulala’s face went completely pale as he begged, “Don’t eat me, don’t eat me! Ulala doesn’t want to die!”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s easy if you don’t want to die. Open up your Knowledge Sea and let me place a Soul Imprint on you. Become my slave, and you will naturally be allowed to live.”
Ulala was furious, “Impudence! How could you make The Great Ulala…”
*Ba ji ba ji…* The sound of Gu Pan’s chewing emerged from the side. While chewing, she eyed the Fish Monster with her big eyes as if trying to work out which part would taste the best.
The Fish Monster shuddered. Then, it looked weakly at Yang Kai, “Can Ulala truly live if Ulala becomes your slave?”
“Rest assured, you definitely can!”
Ulala hesitated for a moment before answering weakly, “Ulala agrees.”
After receiving his answer, Yang Kai did not hesitate and immediately released his Divine Sense, surging into the Fish Monster’s Knowledge Sea.
This Fish Monster was not very strong, so even if he tried to resist, Yang Kai could still break through the defences of his Knowledge Sea; however, if he did not cooperate, it was very likely that his Soul would be damaged, turning him into a retard. If that were to happen, Yang Kai might as well just kill him directly.
A short while later, Yang Kai finished planting a Soul Imprint in Ulala’s Knowledge Sea. Divine Sense surging, Yang Kai next searched through this guy’s memories.
After a while, Yang Kai frowned. Looking speechlessly at Ulala, he withdrew his Divine Sense.
The Fish Monster was extremely arrogant, calling himself The Great Ulala at each and every turn, but in actual fact, his status in the Sea Clan was not very high. He was nothing more than the trivial Team Leader of a patrol team. So, he didn’t know much.
However, he did know a bit about the Water Element treasure. Only, he had no idea what exactly the Water Element treasure was. He only knew that it was the Sea Clan’s Sacred Treasure, and only the Sea Clan’s highest-ranking members were qualified to go near it and ask for its blessing to obtain extremely strong power.
Several months ago, someone broke into this place in order to get their hands on their Sacred Treasure, which infuriated the Sea Clan. They fought the man several times and forced him back repeatedly. During this recent period of time, they had also increased the defences much more where the Sacred Treasure was located.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai told him, “Take us to where the Sacred Treasure is located.”
Ulala blinked his eyes and shook his head, “You won’t be able to get through. You look so strange, you’re obviously different from us. You’ll be killed if you’re discovered.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Naturally, I have my ways to make you take us.”
Ulala scratched his head, “But Ulala has no way of approaching the Sacred Treasure either!”
His position within the Sea Clan wasn’t high. How could he be qualified to go near the Sacred Treasure? As soon as he got close, he would surely be driven away or even killed.
“Just go as far as you can.” Yang Kai smiled and tossed a bag to Ulala, “Keep this bag on you as well. Don’t let anyone find it.”
Yang Kai called out to Gu Pan, who scarfed down her dried fish in a couple of bites, stood up, and walked to his side.
Yang Kai made several hand seals and his Divine Sense surged. He opened the Six Fated Paths Bag and pulled Gu Pan in with him.
Ulala was shocked to see this. He was born in this place and had never visited the outside world before, so he had never seen such bizarre techniques before. He was amazed to witness these two people enter the bag that he was holding.
Brow twitching, he wondered whether or not he could wring these people in the bag to death if he twisted hard!
But as soon as that thought came into his mind, there was a sharp pain in his Knowledge Sea. Yang Kai’s voice then echoed in his head, “Don’t think about doing anything reckless. I can take your life with a single thought. Cooperate with us obediently and I will let you go once we’re done.”
Ulala’s face paled and he nodded repeatedly.
“Now, keep the bag hidden.” Yang Kai instructed him.
Ulala fumbled for a while and hid the bag under his scales. Only then did he grab his trident and walk out anxiously.
Inside the Six Fated Paths Bag, Gu Pan whispered, “Senior Brother, it is a little cramped in here!”
The Six Fated Paths Bag was a very mysterious artifact. It could increase or decrease in size, and back when Yang Kai first transformed into his Half-Dragon Form, the bag expanded to fit his two thousand metres plus size. The Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon also had no problems staying in here either, but no matter how many things were put inside, it would still seem cramped.
When the young girl pressed up against him exhaled an orchid scent, Yang Kai could clearly feel something soft and elastic sticking against his back.
Gu Pan had clearly never been in such close contact with anyone else before, so she was squirming with unease, which made the feeling even more obvious to Yang Kai.
“Junior Sister, why don’t you turn your back against me instead?” Yang Kai suggested.
“Oh.” Gu Pan turned around with some effort. Body rubbing against Yang Kai’s back, it took her a lot of effort to turn around before she sighed in admiration, “Senior Brother, you have so many treasures.”
First, he had the Shadowless Veil that could cover their auras and their figures. And now, there was the Fated Paths Bag. Gu Pan truly had her eyes opened today.
Yang Kai laughed, “Junior Sister’s treasures are also not bad.”
Even though Yang Kai had merely caught a glimpse of the paintbrush that Gu Pan summoned when she killed the Fish Monsters, he could tell it was an extraordinary artifact.
She was Lang Ya Paradise’s True Legacy Disciple, how could the treasures she possessed be bad?
“Junior Sister, adjust your breathing first. There’s no telling when a big fight will break out later. I have to keep an eye on this Fish Monster in case he tries to do anything funny.”
“En!”
Ulala walked towards the centre of the island. He encountered other Sea Monsters from time to time, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. As he walked, Yang Kai could clearly feel the Water Element treasure’s aura growing closer and closer.
Even before arriving on this island, Yang Kai was able to feel the aura of the Water Element treasure. Just as Lin Feng said, its aura was extremely dense and pure. It definitely had to be a treasure above the Seventh Order.
Xu Zhen had also said that even though they aspired to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Water Element was amongst the gentlest, so Seventh-Order or even Eighth-Order Water Element Powers would not cause too much impact on one’s Dao Seal, making it safe to refine. However, it could still enhance their strength, which was why they were moved by Lin Feng’s words and joined hands to come to this island.
Yang Kai had no idea where the others were now, but they were, after all, the disciples of First Class sects with their own unique abilities. Yang Kai guessed that they should also be making their advance towards the Sea Clan’s Sacred Treasure.
A full day later, a majestic city suddenly appeared in Ulala’s view.
Yang Kai had been paying attention to the outside world, so he naturally saw the city. Yang Kai also already knew from searching Ulala’s memories earlier that this was the Sea Clan’s Holy City, and the Sacred Treasure was located inside.
Several months ago, Lin Feng tried several times to infiltrate the Holy City to get his hands on the Water Element treasure; unfortunately, his plans came to nought.
The Holy City was heavily guarded, but Ulala was a member of the Sea Clan, so his passage was naturally unhindered. Soon enough, he was able to enter the city. The amount of Sea Monsters all around shocked Yang Kai.
The auras of some of the Sea Monsters here were clearly quite strong, and their Sea Clan characteristics were also fewer. Through this, Yang Kai discovered that the stronger a Sea Clan member was, the more closely they resembled Humans.
Yang Kai could even perceive several existences which were not inferior to the mantis head he encountered.
At Sword Pavilion’s Star City, Yang Kai was able to kill the mantis head after a desperate fight, but after successfully cultivating the Supreme Limitless Spear, he should have an easier time now.
However, the Sea Clan’s Holy City was still a Dragon’s pond and Tiger’s den.
Ulala’s heart was beating hard as he walked forward; after all, he was feeling guilty knowing that he was doing something wrong. It did not help even when Yang Kai quietly reassured him.
After walking through the city for almost an hour, Ulala arrived at an ancient and magnificent temple. Countless Sea Clan members were making sacrificial offerings inside and asking for the Sacred Treasure’s blessings. The temple was divided into nine layers going down. The stronger one was, the deeper one could enter, and the more they could bask in the Sacred Treasure’s aura.
Almost every Sea Clan member had come to the temple before, with Ulala naturally being no exception. Only, his strength and status in the Sea Clan would allow him to enter the third layer at best. Going further would require a higher status, which was why he said he had no way of getting close to the Sacred Treasure.
The Sea Clan’s temple was a stately and sacred place. The faint sounds of sacrificial offerings and the aura of the Water Element treasure lingered in the air. From time to time, a Sea Clan member would gain enlightenment and begin dancing wildly in frantic joy, drawing the envy of his brothers around him.
Even though Yang Kai was hiding in the Six Fated Paths Bag, he could still feel how dense the aura of the Water Element Power was here. It was indeed easy for one to gain enlightenment into profound Divine Abilities if they were to cultivate in this place.
This was most likely the blessing that Ulala was talking about.
If someone who cultivates Water Attribute Secret Arts were to cultivate here, they would surely be able to advance twice as fast with half the effort. Unfortunately, this was the core of the Sea Clan’s island, their Holy City, so who would be able to set foot here?
The temple was hollow and each layer was at least a thousand meters apart. It was not known from here how deep the deepest layer went.
Even though Ulala’s heart was pounding, he was qualified to enter the third layer, after all, so he encountered no problems on the way there.
However, the Sea Clan members around the third layer were all just minions that were around the same status and strength as Ulala, grunts that could be killed off in droves by Yang Kai with a single slap.
But after entering the third layer, Ulala told him that he was unwilling to go deeper.
“There are temple guards there. Ulala is not qualified to enter the fourth layer. Ulala will be killed if Ulala approaches!” Ulala shrank into a ball and hid in the corner as he stared at the entrance to the fourth layer.
Yang Kai was speechless. Even after much coercion and even some bullying, Ulala would not budge a single step.
Just as Yang Kai was considering whether he should come out with Gu Pan and make a scene, the ground shook. A violent power fluctuation had come from the outside, followed by the entire Holy City going into an uproar.
Xu Zhen’s angry and frustrated voice could be heard, “You stupid pig, I told you to stay calm, stay calm! What are you in such a hurry for!?”
Lin Feng shouted, “It’s useless to say anything more when we’ve already come this far. Kill!”
The two had infiltrated the Holy City at some point, and somehow revealed their whereabouts, which attracted a group of Sea Clan Masters to attack them.
Hiding inside the Fated Paths Bag, Yang Kai had no idea how the fight was going on the outside. He could only sense the fluctuations of a fight between Masters, as well as the endless screams of the Sea Clan members.
Lin Feng had been able to make it all the way to the Holy City by himself and escape, but now, with the little fatty helping him, it was naturally like adding wings to a tiger, creating rivers of blood as they fought vigorously with the Sea Clan’s Masters.
But even though they were disciples of First Class sects, the Sea Clan’s heritage was not to be underestimated. Trying to break into the temple to grab the Sacred Treasure through brute force was going to be a difficult task.
But Yang Kai was delighted with this development and quickly urged Ulala, “Quick, take this opportunity to go down!”
Lin Feng and Xu Zhen’s attacks attracted the attention of most of the Sea Clan members, and Yang Kai could clearly see many figures flying out from the depths of the temple. Clearly, the Sea Clan Masters who were cultivating below had been alerted and went to provide reinforcements.
Now that the temple’s defences were empty, what would be a better time to attack than now?
Ulala looked hesitant.
But before he could make a decision, the entire temple suddenly began shaking. A violent force hit the temple, and at once, a profound pattern emerged around the temple to protect it.
Many of the Sea Clan members who were praying for blessings at the third layer were taken by surprise and sent flying, falling lower down into the temple. Each one of them flailed their limbs about and screamed.
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up and quickly urged, “Jump down.”
Ulala was unwilling to enter the fourth layer from the entrance, but falling down would not matter; after all, so many of the Sea Clan members had been shaken off this layer, whether he joined them or not would not matter.
He quickly came to the edge of the hollow and pretended to scream before falling down.
In the air, Ulala’s face paled as he screamed, “Ulala is going to die!”
Holding his trident in his hand, he stabbed it into the wall of the cave, causing sparks to fly, which gradually slowed his descent. After stabilizing his body, Yang Kai was so angry that he spat blood, “You useless thing!”
Despite the fall, they were barely able to approach the Sacred Treasure since this was merely the seventh layer. They still had to go down two more layers to reach the Sacred Treasure.
He was so angry that he wanted to jump out of the Fated Paths Bag and slap this guy to death.
“Ulala is not jumping anymore! Ulala won’t jump even if you beat Ulala to death!” The Fish Monster climbed onto the seventh floor with a pale face.
Yang Kai reeled in his anger, “Just jump one more time. There are only two layers left!”
Ulala shook his head like a rattle drum, “No more jumping, no more jumping!”
Yang Kai’s voice was cold, “You either jump or you die, your choice!”
Yang Kai had already lost his patience at this point. There were Xu Zhen and Lin Feng attracting the attention of most of the Sea Clan outside, and many of the Sea Clan Masters in the temple had also flown out to help. Right now, there was a good chance that he and Gu Pan could get their hands on the Sacred Treasure if they moved now.
Ulala could not help but panic feeling Yang Kai’s murderous intent. Turning around to look, he said in pleasant surprise, “The guards are gone! Ulala will walk down.”
Yang Kai looked over and saw that the guards to the eighth layer had somehow disappeared.
Ulala ran towards the entrance and soon entered the passage. Circling down, he went directly to the eighth layer.
There were still many Sea Monsters on the eighth layer, but they were all looking up after being alerted by the noise outside. Every so often, Sea Clan Masters would fly up, clearly to check the situation outside.
Ulala’s legs were trembling when he arrived here. He had never been this deep before, and all the Sea Clan members here were much stronger than he was. If they saw him here, then they might just slap him to death.
But Yang Kai made a curious sound. Among the many Sea Clan Masters, a Fish Monster with a big head was strolling towards the entrance of the ninth layer.
From Yang Kai’s perception, the aura of the big-headed Fish Monster was not too strong, almost no different from Ulala; however, the Sea Clan Masters around him ignored him as if they did not see him.
“Follow that bighead carp!” Yang Kai commanded.
Ulala quickly scrambled to chase after that Fish Monster. Strangely enough, the Sea Clan Masters all ignored him as he passed by as they were all focused on looking up.
The guard to the ninth floor was still present, but the big-headed Fish Monster ignored him and went straight ahead, passing right between the guards.
At Yang Kai’s urging, Ulala gritted his teeth and followed, passing through easily.
As they went down, the bighead carp seemed to sense something and looked back at Ulala, its fish eyes filled with bewilderment.
Slowly shaking his head, the bighead carp continued to move forward.
Soon enough, the two Fish Monsters stepped into the ninth layer. The moment they entered this layer, Ulala was attracted by a glowing light and muttered, “The Sacred Treasure!”
He had always known that a Sacred Treasure existed below the temple, but he had never seen what it looked like before. Now, he finally knew.
The Sacred Treasure was placed atop an altar, and like a full moon, it emitted a soft light like a watery moonbeam, filled with a sacred and profound aura.
But what caused Ulala’s heart to jump even more was the fact that the ninth layer was actually empty at this moment! With only he and the bighead carp there, it seemed that all of the Sea Clan Masters had been lured out by the commotion.
Being surrounded by the aura of the Sacred Treasure, Ulala could clearly feel his cultivation increasing at a rapid speed, filling his body with a warm feeling. He couldn’t help but moan in pleasure.
“An Innate Supreme Treasure!” Yang Kai’s breath hitched inside the Fated Paths Bag.
A so-called Innate Supreme Treasure was exactly that, a Supreme Treasure innately formed by the Universe itself. Of his encounters, the only treasure he saw that could be called so was the Immortal Tree. Even though the Soul Warming Lotus was also a naturally-born Supreme Treasure, it could still not be classified as an Innate Supreme Treasure.
And, this fist-sized pearl hanging like a moon on the altar was an Innate Supreme Treasure!”
Yang Kai was both shocked and delighted!
To think an Innate Supreme Treasure actually existed in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. This moon bead was clearly an existence at the same level as that of the Immortal Tree, and there was likely only one of such treasure in this entire world.
“Kill!” Ulala’s greed had also been aroused as he glared fiercely at the bighead carp in front of him.
The only ones here on the ninth layer were him and the bighead carp. As long as he killed the bighead carp, he would be able to snatch the Sacred Treasure.
Consumed with greed to obtain the Sacred Treasure, he stabbed out his trident at the bighead carp.
Just as it seemed that the bighead carp was about to be killed, he suddenly turned around and flicked a hand lightly at Ulala.
Without a noise, Ulala had been turned into a pile of mush.
Yang Kai was shocked. Hiding inside the Fated Paths Bag, he did not see what the bighead carp did at all, nor did he expect that Ulala would actually attack the bighead carp.
In the next moment though, Yang Kai was stunned as he saw the bighead carp’s body suddenly distort after killing Ulala, turning into a young man with an sage-like aura.
“Ning Dao Ran!”
The bighead carp actually turned out to be the transformed Ning Dao Ran. No wonder he was invisible to the Sea Clan all the way here. It was not that the Fish Monsters were all ignoring him, but rather that he used some kind of strange technique to obscure the Fish Monsters’ perception.
Ulala was able to take advantage of this technique by following behind him.
As soon as Ning Dao Ran appeared, he raced for the moon bead, reaching his hand out to snatch it.
At the same time, a light giggle emerged. Though the laughter was soft, it shook one’s vitality and distracted one’s thoughts.
Suddenly, a delicate figure stepped out from the void and spoke sweetly, “Many thanks to Senior Brother Ning for pointing the way. Junior Sister will humbly accept this treasure.”
Ning Dao Ran smiled, “Junior Sister Qu’s Yin-Yang Grand Simplicity is truly mysterious. I did not even realize you were following behind me.”
The tone of his voice was light, as if he did not mind Qu Hua Shang using him to guide the way; however, his movements did not slow at all. Forming a hand seal, he aimed it towards Qu Hua Shang in the air, and a mysterious power burst out without the slightest spark in her direction.
Naturally, Qu Hua Shang would not show weakness. Her fingers snapped, as if she were plucking at some sort of musical instrument, creating an entrancing hum.
As the two Cave-Heaven Paradise disciples fought, they continued reaching for the moon bead without lagging behind.
There was a rumble, space shook, and then a blast sounded.
Three breaths later, two hands grabbed the hazy moon bead at the same time.
The moment their hands made contact though, both Ning Dao Ran and Qu Hua Shang’s faces changed dramatically and they both quickly withdrew, as if they had been shocked.
Looking over, Qu Hua Shang’s beautiful face had lost colour, while Ning Dao Ran’s brows were locked into a frown.
Because the moment they touched the moon bead, an extremely cold power emerged from it and invaded their bodies. Overtaken by an icy feeling, their hands had frozen over, and the extreme cold was spreading up their arms uncontrollably, numbing their senses wherever it passed.
The fact that this moon bead had an Ice Attribute was beyond their expectations.
They all clearly felt the moon bead giving out the dense aura of the Water Element Power, but when they touched it, they realized that it was not simply a Water Element, but rather an Ice Element!
The Ice Element was a derivative of the Water Element. Water condensed into ice, so it was still considered a branch of the Water Element. It can even be said that the Ice Element was stronger than the Water Element. If one could withstand the impact of this Ice Element on their Dao Seal, then it could still be used to condense their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements before splitting Heaven and Earth apart in one’s body to achieve the Open Heaven Realm.
“Why is it an Ice Element!?” Qu Hua Shang looked irritated.
Ning Dao Ran also shook his head slowly and sighed.
They, elite disciples of Cave-Heavens and Paradises, all aspired to reach the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm in their initial breakthrough. Just as Xu Zhen said to Yang Kai before, the Water Element was the gentlest, so its impact on one’s Dao Seal would be minimal. Even if their foundation was of the Sixth-Order, it would not matter if they were to refine a Seventh-Order or Eighth-Order Water Element Power. Instead, it could even improve their strength.
But Xu Zhen was only referring to ordinary Water Element treasures. A treasure like this Ice Element one was impossible to refine as the foundation of the Dao Seal they had laid down was simply not sturdy enough to refine this bone-chilling moon bead. Forcibly refining it would only damage their Dao Seal.
That was why Qu Hua Shang was irritated after perceiving the true attribute of this moon bead. If she had known this were the case, would she have wasted all this time and energy?
“The Ice Moon Pearl is an Ice Element treasure to begin with. It was you who had eyes but failed to see!” A mocking voice emerged and a layer of ripples formed, revealing a powerful Fish Monster.
This Fish Monster had a burly figure and stood over ten metres tall. It had a fierce aura and had a fish face, no legs, but rather a tail under his body that was covered in azure scales. This Fish Monster was even holding a hammer-like object in his hand as his fierce pair of eyes coldly scrutinized Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran.
Another Sea Clan member that was thirty metres tall appeared next, holding a huge anchor in his hand. The blood within his body was rushing through his veins like the gushing sea.
The third to walk out was a big fat fish around fifteen metres in length. It had upturned eyes that made him appear insufferably arrogant. Atop this Monster’s head stood a palm-length Sea Clan member with his arms akimbo, laughing loudly, “High Priest is truly wise. He knew these guys would make a declaration from the east and then strike at the west, and told us to lay an ambush in this place!”
Both Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran frowned at these words. They had unfortunately fallen into a trap. This made it even more obvious why they could approach the Sacred Treasure so easily.
Even with Xu Zhen and Lin Feng causing a commotion outside, the temple’s defences seemed a little too weak. It turned out it was because this was all planned out by the Sea Clan beforehand.
“These two must be those so-called Humans, right?” A fourth Sea Monster stepped out. This one looked like nothing special, but his aura was extremely strong. He studied Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran seriously before shaking his head and commenting, “How ugly they are!”
Qu Hua Shang fumed, “You’re the ugly one! You’re all ugly!”
She was a woman, and one beautiful enough to bring calamity to a country and its people at that. She had great confidence in her own appearance. When had she ever been called ugly before?
The Fish Monster cackled, “This Human is really interesting. She is not self-conscious at all! Once we capture you, just see how we’ll handle you!”
“Enough nonsense! Get them! Don’t spoil Old Ancestor’s great plan!” Another majestic voice sounded as an ethereal figure appeared on the altar. As it reached the altar, it collected a sceptre, atop which was the Ice Moon Pearl, shining brilliantly.
The Ice Soul Moon Pearl was embedded into the sceptre, and not on the altar they had seen earlier.
“We will obey High Priest’s command!” The four powerful Sea Monsters bowed in unison.
Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran’s hearts dropped as they looked frightfully at the High Priest that appeared in the end.
The four Sea Monsters that appeared before them were certainly powerful, but they were not afraid of them given their skills. If they really did get into a fight, then even if they could not defeat them, they could still escape.
But this last Sea Clan High Priest gave them a great feeling of danger. This High Priest’s strength was definitely high to the point of being unfathomable. And, the Ice Moon Pearl was also mounted onto the sceptre he was holding, so it was obvious that this High Priest was able to utilize the power of the Ice Moon Pearl to some extent.
How were they supposed to win now? They were outnumbered to begin with, and the Sea Clan even had the help of a Supreme Treasure. They were truly being done in by Lin Feng this time.
Moreover, who was this ‘Old Ancestor’ that the High Priest spoke of? Could a trivial Sea Clan actually have such terrifying heritage?
“Let’s get out and regroup with Brother Lin and Brother Xu.” Ning Dao Ran glanced at Qu Hua Shang and silently transmitted a message to her.
Qu Hua Shang nodded imperceptibly as she had the same idea. They would only be able to escape if they were to join hands with the others; otherwise, the two of them alone were simply not enough to compete with the Sea Clan.
As soon as their Divine Sense intersected, they immediately moved.
Ning Dao Ran raised his hand and a willow twig appeared. The willow twig lashed out a thousand shadows that formed countless Sword Waves that shot towards the Fish Monsters.
As soon as a Paradise disciple attacked, his extraordinary heritage was revealed.
At the same time, a pipa appeared in Qu Hua Shang’s arms. She gently played it with her fingers and a tinkling sound came out, forming shapeless murderous intent that struck the Souls of the Sea Clan Masters.
The two of them combined their efforts and gained the initiative in a single exchange.
The four Sea Clan Masters were shaken by Qu Hua Shang’s Soul Secret Technique before being blasted by countless Sword Qi Waves.
But these Fish Monsters were all covered in hard scales, so even though they were in a miserable state, they were hardly hurt.
“Hou!”
The tiny Fish Monster howled, greatly overpowering the pipa’s sounds, allowing the Sea Clan Masters to shake their heads and stabilize their Souls.
The Sea Clan Master holding the hammer flapped his tail and turned into a ray of azure light, instantly appearing in front of Ning Dao Ran and smashing down his weapon. The other inconspicuous Sea Monster opened its mouth and spat out a dense stream of vapour that formed a veil that covered Ning Dao Ran.
Ning Dao Ran did not panic though and the willow twig in his hand transformed into countless shadows as he fought against two Sea Clan Masters with a fierce vigour.
On the other side, the small Monster riding on the head of the big fish lunged at Qu Hua Shang. The big fish opened its mouth like a black hole that could devour everything, and a strange noise was being emitted that was suppressing the sound of the pipa.
The final Sea Monster with the anchor also stepped forward and tried to grab Qu Hua Shang with his big and scary hands. If she were actually caught, Qu Hua Shang would definitely be crushed to death.
But the seductress was unperturbed. Flicking her head, the red band tied to her hair flew out and turned into silk threads that disappeared into the void.
In the next moment, following a pained cry, the Sea Monster withdrew his hands. When it looked down, many wounds had suddenly appeared on his hands that were incomparably thick, but the bleeding would not stop. Roaring in anger, he raised his anchor and smashed it down.
From the void, one by one, silk threads emerged and wrapped around the anchor, stopping him from smashing it down no matter how he tried, which angered the Sea Monster so much that he jumped in anger.
These two Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples bravely fought the four Sea Clan Masters deep in their territory, and not only were they not at a disadvantage, they even had the upper hand.
In the end, they were disciples of great sects, each having exceptional heritage and deep foundations. Moreover, these Sea Monsters were not too strong. An ordinary cultivator would not be able to compare, but the Sea Monsters were still slightly worse than the two of them. Otherwise, how could Lin Feng have been able to successfully enter and escape this Holy City four times in the past?
If they had enough time, then it was completely possible for Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran to kill the Sea Clan Masters here; however, their intention was to break out and join hands with Lin Feng and Xu Zhen. Naturally, they could not stay here for long. Not to mention the fact that there was still the Sea Clan High Priest holding a dreaded sceptre right in front of them!
The High Priest stood on top of the altar and showed no intention to step in from start to finish; however, he kept his focus on the fight. He was mainly focused on the two Humans. Rather than feeling angry, he would show them praise from time to time, which was truly puzzling.
“Go!” Ning Dao Ran suddenly shouted. After finding the right opportunity, he waved his willow twig and forced back the two Sea Clan Masters who were pincering him.
At the same time, the sound of Qu Hua Shang’s pipa changed. An invisible sound wave shook her opponents and forced them back.
With this opening, the two moved in unison and tried to fly upwards.
“Hmph!” The High Priest, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, tapped his sceptre on the ground. A moon-like glow flashed from the Ice Soul Moon Pearl and swept over Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran.
A chill that froze one to the core appeared, and both Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran felt their auras turn stagnant while their bodies stopped in place.
Stopping for that one moment destroyed their chances of escaping from here as the four Sea Clan Masters reorganized their formation and rushed over to tangle with them again.
Disgruntled, they could only fight.
“Senior Brother, what’s happening outside?” Gu Pan wriggled her body uncomfortably in the Fated Paths Bag. She could vaguely feel the power fluctuations outside, but as she was not the owner of the Fated Paths Bag, she had no way of checking on the situation.
“A battle is raging,” Yang Kai answered.
Gu Pan was surprised, “Who’s fighting who?”
Yang Kai gave her a simple description of what he was seeing.
Gu Pan was anxious, “Then, should we go and help Big Sister Qu and Senior Brother Ning?”
“There’s no need to rush!” Yang Kai reassured her, “Your Big Sister Qu and Senior Brother Ning are both strong. They are not in any danger for now. There are strange things about what is happening right now, so let’s wait and watch how things play out first.”
Yang Kai remained hidden, not to sit on a mountaintop to watch the tigers fight only to reap the benefits after, but because something really didn’t feel right.
Not to mention the fact that the Sea Clan had prepared beforehand, setting up an ambush deep inside the temple and luring them in, if the High Priest with the Ice Soul Moon Pearl sceptre intended to fight here, then Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran might be in real danger!
Just now, Yang Kai had seen with his own eyes that this High Priest was able to use the power of the Ice Soul Moon Pearl.
Only, for some reason, he did not do so offensively; instead, he just watched Ning Dao Ran and Qu Hua Shang. Even stranger, Yang Kai felt no murderous intent from him.
As if sensing something, the High Priest suddenly turned his head to Ulala’s corpse, but he quickly looked away and placed his attention back on the fight.
The four Sea Clan Masters and the two Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples were engaged in a heated fight, but in the end, the Fish Monsters were no match for Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran. In just half an incense stick of time, they were overpowered. Then, Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran broke free again.
But the High Priest raised his sceptre again, and the Ice Soul Moon Pearl’s aura rippled out, forcibly stopping Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran once more.
“What do you want?!” Qu Hua Shang’s nose had almost gone crooked from anger. After landing on the ground, she glared viciously at the High Priest.
But the High Priest remained tranquil as an ancient well, completely unmoved.
After a while, Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran joined hands to force the four Sea Clan Masters back again, but instead of breaking through, they rushed towards the High Priest.
The High Priest chuckled, “Step back!”
With a wave of his sceptre, a world-freezing aura rippled out once more. Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran had already suffered from it twice, so both their faces paled and they took the initiative to retreat.
But their hearts sank straight down because they realized that getting away was going to be difficult this time. As long as this abominable priest was watching over this place with his sceptre in hand, they had no hope of leaving, but the sceptre’s might was immeasurable, so how were they going to kill that High Priest?
At that moment, two figures appeared just like ghosts. No one saw where they had come from, as if they had appeared out of thin air.
Everyone was taken aback.
Qu Hua Shang turned her head to see a figure like a Flood Dragon leaping out of the water and lunging towards the High Priest, while the other figure was rushing towards Ning Dao Ran and herself.
[It’s Yang Kai and Gu Pan!]
Qu Hua Shang was both shocked and surprised, but quickly yelled, “Little Brother Yang, help me kill him!” She had eaten several losses from that High Priest, so she naturally hated him very much.
On the altar, the face of the High Priest had clearly changed as well, but very soon, he calmed down again and sneered, “So there’s two more? Good, good! Old Ancestor will surely be fond of you, too.”
Saying so, he raised his sceptre forward slightly, and following that action, a ray of light that was warm like a watery moonbeam, but also cold and chilling, was released from the Ice Soul Moon Pearl towards Yang Kai.
Qu Hua Shang shouted, “Be careful, Little Brother Yang! It’s an Innate Ice Element treasure!” Worried that Yang Kai would not know the might of the treasure, she quickly yelled out a warning.
But before the words could finish leaving her mouth, Yang Kai had already plunged headlong into the moonbeam, where his body suddenly staggered.
Yang Kai did not have a proper understanding of the Ice Soul Moon Pearl’s might when he saw how easily the High Priest forced Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran back. Only now did he know its depths after taking a hit head-on.
Indeed, it was strong. When the coldness hit, his blood almost froze up. Even the power in his Dao Seal could not flow smoothly.
This High Priest definitely did not use the full power of the Ice Soul Moon Pearl either; otherwise, it would not simply slow him down. It might possibly freeze him into an ice sculpture directly.
Qu Hua Shang looked disappointed. She thought that Yang Kai would be able to kill the High Priest after taking him by surprise, but she did not expect him to fall so easily.
[Men are truly unreliable!]
Just as she thought so, however, she suddenly heard a shocking Dragon Roar. Dragon Pressure spread out, and Yang Kai’s body broke through the shroud of moonlight. The blood inside his body was gushing like a group of flying dragons as he charged towards the High Priest at an even greater speed than before.
Qu Hua Shang’s eyes widened, and a strange glow flashed past their depths.
The High Priest was also taken aback. It was his first time encountering an existence that could withstand the Ice Soul Moon Pearl’s might. But he had been in a high position for many years, so he was not disoriented by the shock. A complicated and strange chant emerged from his lips before the Ice Soul Moon Pearl on his sceptre lit up again. An even denser cold intent shot towards Yang Kai in the next moment.
“Manifest!” Yang Kai shouted as he ran.
A round sun appeared behind him, hanging high like a true sun that emitted a dazzling light. Suddenly, a golden glow enveloped the depths of the temple.
In the middle of the Great Sun, a Golden Crow danced and cawed!
“Divine Manifestation!” Ning Dao Ran’s expression changed drastically as his heart, which was unmoved by anything in this world, shook.
The Great Sun’s power and the moonlight beam fought against each other. The Ice Soul Moon Pearl shone brilliantly, and not out of the High Priest’s initiation, but rather as an instinctive reaction of this Innate Supreme Treasure. Suddenly, the power of the moonlight rose tenfold compared to when the High Priest used it just now.
The Sun and Moon shone together! A sight unusual to the world!
The hot and cold powers intermingled in the depths of the temple and caused great discomfort to everyone present, forcing them to resist it with all their might.
As the High Priest stared in a panic, Yang Kai had already arrived in front of him. One hand grabbing the sceptre, the other turning into a fist, he aimed a punch towards the Sea Clan leader’s head.
The High Priest wanted to dodge, but the Ice Soul Moon Pearl’s power was too much for him to bear. He was frozen in place as he watched the fist enlarge in his field of vision.
With a bang, the High Priest was sent flying. Yang Kai snatched the sceptre and tossed it into his Sealed World Bead.
The moonlight dissipated, and the great sun faded away.
Yang Kai withdrew his Manifestation and roared to the crowd, “Retreat!”
It was better for them to get out quickly now that they were in possession of the treasure.
Qu Hua Shang and Ning Dao Ran’s movements were swift and decisive. Under Gu Pan’s lead, they immediately forced back their opponents and, in an instant, four figures rushed upwards, smashing through the roof of the temple and out into the Holy City.
The Holy City was also in chaos at this moment. Xu Zhen’s Yuan Magnetic Divine Light raged through the city as Lin Feng crossed swords with a group of Sea Clan Masters in a chaotic fight.
At the bottom of the temple, the High Priest quickly got up with a pale face. He was angered to the point of shaking as he roared, “With my blood sacrifice, I awaken Old Ancestor!”
The four Sea Clan Masters did not dare to dally either. They all came next to the altar and sat down in the four directions, working alongside the High Priest to perform a profound technique, transmitting it to an unknown place through the altar.
In the middle of the city, Xu Zhen and Lin Feng, who were locked in battle, were both shocked to see Yang Kai and his group rushing out of the temple. Before they could even figure out what happened, they heard Qu Hua Shang exclaim, “Come on, let’s go!”
“You got it?” Xu Zhen asked, stunned.
Qu Hua Shang gave a nod.
Xu Zhen did not hesitate any longer, using his Yuan Magnetic Divine Light to sweep away several Sea Clan Masters before rushing out of the Holy City. Seeing this, Lin Feng gritted his teeth and hurried to follow.
The six figures hurriedly left with a large number of Sea Clan Masters in pursuit behind them.
Suddenly, a terrifying aura rose from the sea. Its aura was so deep and powerful that it seemed as if a sleeping Dragon had been awoken.
The faces of Yang Kai and the others changed dramatically.
None of them could have anticipated the Sea Clan to actually possess such a terrifying heritage. Even though the Sea Clan Masters and the High Priest before were all-powerful, they still were no match for them. However, the aura that had just awoken felt overwhelming. Just its aura alone was like this, so how powerful would the Master of that aura be?
On the island, the Sea Clan members who felt this aura all prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Greetings, Old Ancestor!”
Even the Sea Clan Masters who were in close pursuit of the six Humans had stopped to kneel motionless in mid-air.
“A strong one has appeared!” Yang Kai shuddered, quickly coming to a stop and beckoning the group, “Come here!”
Yang Kai didn’t want to reveal too many of his cards to people he had just recently met, but he couldn’t care too much at this moment. The only way for them to escape now was for them to rely on his Space Technique.
Gu Pan immediately ran to his side. Both Qu Hua Shang and Xu Zhen also rushed over. Ning Dao Ran hesitated for a moment, but he also joined them quickly.
Only Lin Feng coldly snorted. His body turned into a stream of light as he sped off in another direction, apparently having no intention to escape with the group.
Yang Kai sighed in his heart, but he could not care about him right now. He raised his hand to summon a Space Beacon, intending to leave this place with it.
It was at that moment that something huge rose rapidly from the sea, quickly obscuring the Heavens and Earth. This creature was 10,000 meters long and its aura was absolutely terrifying. Its large body cast a huge shadow over the entire region.
“What a big shark!” Gu Pan exclaimed.
“It’s a Divine Spirit!” Qu Hua Shang paled, “Divine Spirit Leviathan Shark!”
Xu Zhen shuddered, “How could a Divine Spirit be here? Is he the Sea Clan’s Old Ancestor?”
They were all howling in their hearts. With a Divine Spirit here, it would be impossible for them to escape today.
“Don’t resist!” Yang Kai suddenly shouted and without hesitation, he activated the power of the Space Beacon. Space Principles enveloped everyone in an instant, sending them to Scarlet Star’s Star City, which was hundreds of thousands of kilometres away.
Right at that moment, the Leviathan Shark opened its giant mouth and bit down on where they were.
It was a bite with enough might to devour the world.
The group, already wrapped up in the power of the Space Beacon, entered the Void. They could only feel the chaotic currents of space around them, as if they wanted to tear them apart at any moment.
Yang Kai shouted, “Not good. The Void has been disturbed. I can’t locate the destination. Be careful, everyone!”
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Void Cracks forming all around him. Before Yang Kai could react, the cracks swallowed everyone up, and they disappeared from his side.
Yang Kai was also sucked into one of the cracks. The space around him was turbulent, and he could not control his body. His heart was wailing inside. If he had known this would happen, he would have left immediately after getting his hands on the Ice Soul Moon Pearl.
But considering the fact that they had come together, he naturally thought of leaving with everyone. And now, Lin Feng was definitely in trouble, while he had no idea whether the rest of the group lived or died.
In the end, he didn’t even get to ask Gu Pan about Zhang Ruo Xi.
The Void shook, and Yang Kai’s vision changed. Space moved turbulently around him, returning him to the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Looking up, he was no longer above the ocean and was now rapidly falling down. He quickly urged his power to stabilize himself.
The vitality in his chest surged and he coughed up a mist of blood. His face was slightly pale.
His travel through the Void using the Space Beacon was interrupted by the Leviathan Shark, which also damaged his body. But it was not a severe injury and he would recover in just a day or two of rest.
Looking around him, he found himself standing in a forest of huge trees, each one thousands of metres tall. The ground was covered in the staggered roots of the trees while the canopies stretched across the sky. He had no idea where he was.
Yang Kai was still shuddering at his previous experience. Despite knowing that this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was not as simple as he had imagined, and even housed Divine Spirits, he never expected the Sea Clan to actually have a Divine Spirit as an Ancestor.
[A Leviathan Shark!] This thing had the bloodline of the Kun Peng and Hai Sha. With the Kun Peng Clan being arch-rivals of the Dragon Clan, Yang Kai estimated that he would likely die a miserable death if he fell into that Leviathan Shark’s hands.
Others may not be able to detect the aura of his bloodline, but a Leviathan Shark surely would be able to.
The Leviathan Shark was so powerful that it was even able to interrupt the Space Beacon, which made his positioning fail, sending Yang Kai and the rest of the group hurtling out of the Void mid-transit.
Yang Kai had no idea how they were doing right now.
Fortunately, Yang Kai had exchanged contact information with Xu Zhen because he wanted to ask him for help in arranging a Grand Array in Scarlet Star’s Star City, so he quickly took out his contact bead and tried to get in touch with Xu Zhen. After a few moments, Xu Zhen sent over a message saying that he was safe, but he had no idea where he was.
Yang Kai put his mind at ease and asked him to find out how the others were doing, to which Xu Zhen agreed.
Yang Kai looked around and landed on the ground, finding a tree cave to enter. While adjusting his breathing, he waited for further news.
After about an hour, Xu Zhen sent a message to him. Qu Hua Shang, Gu Pan, and Ning Dao Ran were still alive, but just like them, they had been randomly dropped somewhere in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary after being swallowed up by the Void Cracks and had yet to ascertain where they were.
The only one they failed to contact was Lin Feng, and they had no idea whether he was alive or dead.
Hearing that Gu Pan was still alive, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief.
After a brief exchange with Xu Zhen, they agreed to meet at Scarlet Star’s Star City. Only then did Yang Kai put away his contact bead. While quietly recovering from his injuries, he checked out the harvest that he gained during this trip.
Immersing his consciousness into the Sealed World Bead, he transformed into his Soul Avatar.
As soon as he appeared, Yang Kai could not help but shudder. The Small Sealed World had never been this cold before, and when he looked up, he saw a full moon hanging high in the sky, emitting an icy cold light.
“Master, Master, something big has happened! There’s suddenly an extra moon here!” Mu Zhu and Mu Lu flapped their little wings over and shouted in a panic.
The two little ones had been staying in the Small Sealed World this whole time, taking care of the precious treasures in the medicine garden. Aside from Zhang Ruo Xi, they were the only companions that came out from the Star Boundary with Yang Kai.
While they were tending to the medicine garden earlier today though, they suddenly saw a full moon rising into the sky, and were both startled.
“En, it’s not a moon!” Yang Kai responded, somewhat curious. How come the Ice Soul Moon Pearl became a moon when it arrived here?
This showed that even though the Ice Soul Moon Pearl was not a moon, it was likely related to one.
The two Wood Spirits flew onto his shoulders, one on each side, before Mu Lu asked curiously, “If it’s not a moon, then what is it?”
“I have no idea what it is either,” Yang Kai shook his head. He had never encountered this thing before. The Cave-Heaven and Paradise disciples also had no idea what it was. He would have to ask the Proprietress later to try and figure it out.
Mu Zhu was calmer, but still frowned as she mentioned, “Whether it’s a moon or not, it’s too cold. If you don’t do something about it, then everything in the medicine garden will freeze to death. Mu Lu and I will also freeze to death!”
Mu Lu’s eyes were tearful, “I don’t want to freeze to death!”
Yang Kai turned his head and saw that sure enough, the herbs in the medicine garden did not look right. They all looked droopy, and some of them even had frost growing on their leaves. Their medicinal properties were fading fast.
As the Master of the Small Sealed World, Yang Kai dominated everything in this place. All the barriers around the Small Sealed World’s medicine garden were created using the condensed power of the entire world, so trivial energies were simply unable to encroach upon it. From this, it was easy to see how shocking the power of this new moon was if it could even affect the things in the medicine garden.
“Don’t worry. I’ll reinforce the barrier around the medicine garden.” Yang Kai went to work as soon as he thought about it. Communicating with the Small Sealed World, he used World Force to reinforce the barrier, restoring the medicine garden to its original state.
But very soon, he frowned, because he could clearly feel that no matter how he tried to reinforce the barrier, the moonlight would still slowly erode it. It would probably not be able to last more than a year before being broken.
“Remember to call me every six months to reinforce the barrier.”
Mu Zhu nodded, “En.”
Yang Kai looked up at the full moon again and shook his head slowly. Then, he left the Small Sealed World.
At the same time, above the great sea, Lin Feng’s body transformed into a stream of light that instantly travelled hundreds of kilometres in one breath, fleeing rapidly. He cut through the sea, breaking through the waves.
All of a sudden Lin Feng halted. He looked ahead of him with a frightened look on his face.
There, a thousand kilometres ahead, was a powerful figure standing in the air, looking at him with a cold expression. His gaze shot over like two bolts of lightning, piercing straight into Lin Feng’s heart.
Lin Feng paled and without even hesitating, he fled back the way he came.
“You think you can run?” That man coldly snorted, reached out a hand, and directly caught Lin Feng.
Even though they were a thousand kilometres away, Lin Feng had no way to resist this grab. He felt something tighten around his body, as if he were grabbed by a vague azure hand.
When he looked back, that man was already beside him, looking at him with a fierce smile, “How do you want to die?”
“Leviathan Shark!” Lin Feng’s face instantly paled. How could he not know that this was the 10,000-metre-long Divine Spirit from before? Unlike the Sea Clan that he saw on the island before, this Leviathan Shark was able to completely take Human form, looking no different from an ordinary Human from the outside with no traces of any Monster Beast characteristics left on him.
“It is this King!” Kun Sha grinned, revealing a set of jagged fangs, “You puny insects dare to steal my clan’s Sacred Treasure? Your courage isn’t small!”
“It’s not with me. Killing me is useless,” Lin Feng gulped.
Kun Sha laughed maniacally, “I’ve been waiting so many years for you, so how could I bear to kill you? But though your death may be exempted, your punishment may not!” Saying so, he opened his big mouth and swallowed Lin Feng in one gulp.
After an incense stick of time, he opened his mouth again and spat Lin Feng out. But now, this True Martial Cave Heaven’s disciple’s eyes were slack, as if they had just witnessed a great terror. His body also could not help but tremble.
“Where is the one who stole the Moon Essence? Bring me to him,” Kun Sha ordered Lin Feng.
Lin Feng nodded involuntarily and led Kun Sha forward.
On the way there, they encountered several human strongholds. Whenever they did, Kun Sha opened his mouth wide and swallowed down all of the Humans, chewing them up before swallowing. Blood pooled in his mouth and miserable cries could be heard constantly, but he simply showed a satisfied look.
He brought a reign of terror everywhere he passed. Lin Feng glared at the sight, but each time he resisted, he was easily suppressed by Kun Sha. But strangely enough, even though Kun Sha treated him badly, he did not have any murderous intent towards him.
When he thought about what Kun Sha said before, Lin Feng couldn’t help but have a bold guess in his heart.
When they passed by another human stronghold, Kun Sha repeated the same procedure. In a flash, he arrived above the stronghold and transformed into his true form, spanning 10,000 metres in length and covering the Heavens and Earth.
This stronghold was not big, housing only a few thousand people, so when they saw such a huge creature suddenly appear, they were all terrified and all summoned their artifacts and used their Secret Techniques against it.
But how could they hurt Kun Sha with their puny strength? Kun Sha opened his big mouth and a terrifying suction appeared. The thousands of people in the stronghold, regardless of their cultivation and strength, could not help but be sucked up into his mouth.
It was at this time that Lin Feng shouted, “Kun Sha, look here!”
As he spoke, he raised two blades in each hand, aiming one at his neck and the other propped towards his heart.
The two blades glinted brilliantly and he moved without the slightest hesitation as if he was resolved to die here.
Just before Lin Feng could kill himself, Kun Sha appeared before him. Flicking his wrist, the two blades were sent flying. Kun Sha raised his hand and lifted Lin Feng into the air, watching him with a grim look, “Brat, what are you doing?”
Lin Feng looked in a pitiful state, but he was grinning maniacally, “So that’s how it is. Turns out the records in the ancient books were true. You’re searching for a Bearer, and I am your Bearer, correct?”
Kun Sha coldly snorted, “You know quite a lot, brat. What else do you know?”
“I know a lot.” Lin Feng replied smugly, “I know you won’t let me die here. If I die, then you’ll have to find someone else, but there aren’t many people that meet your requirements. I might as well tell you that I am a True Martial Cave Heaven disciple. There are less than 5 people who can match my strength in this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If I die, then you’re sure to have a headache in the future.”
“So you’re a Cave-Heaven disciple. No wonder you know about the Bearers. It must be a message left behind by your Ancestors,” Kun Sha coldly sneered. From his tone of voice, he seemed to know of the existence of Cave-Heavens and Paradises.
Lin Feng said, “My True Martial Cave Heaven’s twenty-seventh Sect Master visited the Grand Ancient Ruins in the past and left records of this place.”
Kun Sha nodded, “Since you know, then you best cooperate. It will ultimately be to your benefit.”
Lin Feng snorted haughtily, “I, Lin Feng, have relied on myself all through my cultivation journey. I don’t need to reap benefits from anyone else.”
Kun Sha narrowed his eyes, murderous intent surging within.
Lin Feng met his gaze without fear.
After a while, Kun Sha coldly snorted and tossed him aside before standing tall with both hands behind his back, “I need not resort to insinuations since you are in the know. If you know about the Bearers, then you’d better cooperate. Otherwise, I don’t mind killing you. I might as well just tell you that you are not my actual target. The one who stole my Moon Essence is much stronger than you.”
A trace of indignation flashed past Lin Feng’s eyes. Xu Zhen also said that he was not as strong as Yang Kai before, and now Kun Sha had said the same. This grated against his pride.
But this was not the time to bother about such things. Lin Feng stroked his neck, “Asking me to cooperate with you is not impossible, but you are not allowed to devour any more of us Humans; otherwise, I would rather die than bring you to him!”
Hai Sha – Sea Shark.
Not sure why a mythological beast will ahem* with a Sea Shark…
“You dare threaten me?” Kun Sha glared coldly at Lin Feng, the murderous intent in his eyes growing stronger.
Lin Feng’s heart was pounding, but he tried his best to look unfazed.
After a few moments, Kun Sha coldly snorted, “Very good, this King accepts your conditions.” He sneered in his heart. [Once I find that brat who stole my Moon Essence, you’ll be the first one I devour!]
Lin Feng couldn’t help but sigh. He thought to himself that he had to contact Yang Kai and the rest as soon as possible; otherwise, once Kun Sha found them, they might not have the power to fight back.
Unfortunately, Kun Sha was right in front of him. How was he going to find the chance to contact the others? He cursed in his heart, but fortunately, he had no idea where Yang Kai was at this moment, nor where he would go after escaping from the Sea Clan’s territory. However, he could delay Kun Sha for a while and see what else could be done.
Kun Sha also frowned at his words. He thought that since Lin Feng and Yang Kai were working together, that must mean that they were at least acquaintances. But who knew that this was what the situation was truly like?
After a brief pause, Kun Sha added, “That brat’s strength is not bad, so his reputation certainly must not be small. You should know once you ask someone about him.”
Lin Feng couldn’t help but sneer. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was so big, and with several hundreds of thousands, up to a million cultivators scattered across this place, who would know of Yang Kai’s name?
But since Kun Sha asked, he had no choice but to oblige. With the intention of asking a casual question and getting it over with, he landed and shouted in a loud voice, “Who among you has heard of a man called Yang Kai? Where is he now?”
Thousands in the Star City saw Kun Sha’s true form before, so they all still felt their hearts palpitating from shock. When they saw Lin Feng land and he spoke to them, they had no idea what relationship this man had with Kun Sha, which unnerved them even more. No one dared to answer.
On the other side, Kun Sha coldly snorted and casually grabbed a young man from the Star City.
The young man was so frightened that his face went pale. In total distress, he said in fear, “Please don’t kill me, please don’t kill me…”
Kun Sha pressed closer to the man and interrogated him, “Do you know Yang Kai?”
The man shouted, “I don’t know him, I’ve never met him before!”
“Lies!” Kun Sha coldly snorted, “Your heart beat three times faster when you heard this name just now. You clearly know him, yet you dare to lie in front of this King? How could this King forgive you!”
Opening his mouth wide, he stuffed the young man into his mouth, swallowing him into his belly!
“Kun Sha, how dare you go against your word!” Lin Feng was furious to see this scene. This guy had promised him not to eat Humans anymore just now, but he swallowed another one down into his stomach in the next breath.
Kun Sha said, unbothered, “He dared lie to this King, so this King naturally has to punish him!” Saying so, he reached out again and grabbed an elderly man, asking the same thing, “Do you know Yang Kai?”
“I…” The old man stammered.
“You’ve already seen what happens to those who lie to me. Your heart also beat three times faster just now!” Kun Sha grinned.
“I know him, I know him!” The old man nodded repeatedly, “This one knows that Killing Star!”
“Killing Star?” Kun Sha raised a brow.
The old man hurriedly explained, “He killed thousands of Thunder Light’s disciples and destroyed Sword Pavilion’s Star City. Tens of thousands have died by his hands! He’s a Killing Star!”
“So that little brat has such strong bloodlust, does he? That suits this King’s appetite just well, hahaha!” Kun Sha’s eyes lit up at the old man’s words.
“He killed thousands of Thunder Light’s disciples, destroyed Sword Pavilion’s Star City, and slaughtered tens of thousands with his own hand?” Lin Feng was dumbfounded at the news. [Is that true? Why does it seem so far-fetched?]
But the old man should not have the guts to lie in front of Kun Sha.
Someone sputtered nervously at the side, “Yes, it’s true! I was there to see him kill thousands of Thunder Light disciples with my own eyes! The tens of thousands in Sword Pavilion’s Star City were all killed by him after that!”
Lin Feng turned to look at him, “Did you see that with your own eyes, too?”
The man shook his head, “I didn’t see that, but I heard people say that he brought back several tens of thousands of Space Rings after returning from Sword Pavilion’s Star City. If he didn’t kill them, how did he get all those Space Rings?”
Lin Feng’s brow was twitching incessantly. [Several tens of thousands of Space Rings? Doesn’t that equate to the lives of tens of thousands of people!?]
He had also been interacting with Yang Kai for a few days, so Lin Feng judged the former as someone who wasn’t numb to killing. Lin Feng also didn’t expect that he would actually be able to get any news about Yang Kai out of this random stronghold with just a few thousand people in it.
Was that guy truly so famous?
He had been adventuring out at sea this whole time, so he did not get much news from this side of the world. But naturally, Lin Feng still would not know where Yang Kai would return to even outside of these circumstances.
What’s more, the two who had been grabbed by Kun Sha were Scarlet Star’s disciples to begin with. Numerous Scarlet Star disciples had escaped before Yang Kai’s return from Sword Pavilion’s Star City, and these two were part of that group. They came here for the sake of survival, but they did not expect to still be implicated by Yang Kai.
Kun Sha was overjoyed and felt that Yang Kai simply suited his tastes far too well, so he laughed wickedly, “Old man, do you know where Yang Kai lives?”
The old man quickly answered, “He is Scarlet Star’s Foreign Elder and stays at Scarlet Star’s Star City!”
“Bring me there!” Kun Sha let go of him after ordering. Of course, there was no way the old man would dare to disobey, so he quickly led the way.
Kun Sha followed behind him with his hands behind his back. Seeing this, Lin Feng also hurried to catch up to them.
A short while later, Kun Sha frowned, “You’re too slow. How long will it take if we go at this pace? Just point out the direction to this King!”
Saying so, he grabbed the two with one hand each before his body turned into a stream of light, shooting towards the indicated direction.
…..
Inside a tree cave, Yang Kai adjusted his breathing for a while which made him feel much better. Only then did he use a Space Beacon to move back to his own residence.
The Sea Clan’s Divine Spirit that they drew out by breaking into the Sea Clan’s Holy Land was no joke. He had no idea whether it would seek revenge on him; after all, he stole the Sacred Treasure of the Sea Clan. If the Divine Spirit really came after him, then this Star City would not be able to do anything to resist.
Now, his only hope was that little fatty Xu Zhen. He had to get him to rush back and set up a Grand Defensive Array as soon as possible.
Yang Kai urged Xu Zhen again and again, which made Xu Zhen speechless. He did not have the same convenient means as Yang Kai, who could travel through the Void; in fact, he did not even know where he was right now. Trying to return to Scarlet Star’s Star City was impossible without a month or two of time.
A day later, Yang Kai suddenly heard nothing more from Xu Zhen’s side.
Yang Kai was very anxious and thought that Xu Zhen was annoyed with him, so he tried speaking more softly and offering some flattery, but still failed to connect with him. Yang Kai immediately realized that something might have happened to Xu Zhen which made it impossible to contact him.
His heart sank and he wondered to himself if that little fatty had been caught by the Leviathan Shark. If that truly was the case, then that would be disastrous!
Yang Kai walked out of his room listlessly and bumped into a soft and fragrant embrace. Yang Kai subconsciously caught her and looked up in surprise, “You are…”
The one before him was a young woman with eyes like a beautiful painting, and a graceful figure. Standing before him, a fragrance wafted to his nose that was as sweet as honey.
This young girl was extremely beautiful and had a delicate appearance, but her eyes had the ability to draw in one’s soul. Yang Kai’s heart jumped when their eyes met. Looking again though, her eyes now seemed as clear as water, as if everything he experienced just now was an illusion.
Most importantly… He had never met this girl before!
“She’s a new maid I hired. What’s wrong? Are you interested in her? You can take her if you want,” Yue He’s voice came from behind him.
Yang Kai looked back at her and knew that the matter with Lu Xue still bothered her, so he laughed, “Why did you suddenly take in a maid?”
Yue He scoffed, “This young lady is too lazy to serve you. Is there a problem if I bring someone else to do it instead?”
“No, no, no, of course not!” Yang Kai shook his head repeatedly, “You can do whatever you wish.”
The young girl at the side saw them bickering, but she didn’t seem the slightest bit afraid; instead, she was looking on in interest.
Yue He glared, “What are you looking at? Get to work.”
But the young girl ignored her. Instead, she stared at Yang Kai without looking away for even a moment; then, she slowly walked out, turning back to stare a few times, a smile hanging at her lips.
Yue He’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot and she cursed the little wench in her heart, [I’ll kick you out later!]
Yang Kai looked puzzlingly at the girl’s back as she left. There was something about the girl’s smile that bothered him, but he couldn’t sense anything peculiar about her, which puzzled him even more.
“Why don’t you gouge your eyes out and stick them to her body instead?” Yue He was so angry when she turned around and saw Yang Kai staring at this new girl in a trance that her nose was almost crooked.
Yang Kai sighed, “Yue He, I’m afraid I’ve gotten into big trouble this time!”
“Whose daughter did you mess with this time?” Yue He squinted at him, “And what’s more, didn’t you leave with that little fatty? How come you returned alone? Where is he?”
Yang Kai waved his hand, “We got separated. I followed him to the sea and ended up provoking the Divine Spirit of the Sea Clan.”
“What happened?” Yue He’s face instantly changed, “And what Divine Spirit did you provoke?”
She didn’t have the mood to be jealous when it came to important matters; instead, she was worried about Yang Kai.
Yang Kai was just about to tell Yue He about his encounters when his face suddenly changed. He turned his head to look in a direction and muttered, “He’s here already?”
At the same time, the young girl who had stepped into the corridor looked in that direction, too, “Kun Sha? What is that guy doing here? He’s not here to steal him from this Queen, is he? How dare he!”
Yue He did not understand, “Who’s here?”
Yang Kai didn’t have time to explain too much. He urged, “Quickly, gather everyone in the mansion. We have to run away immediately.”
He was filled with questions. How did the Leviathan Shark find this place so quickly? He should not know where he lived, so was he tracking the aura of the Ice Soul Moon Pearl?
But that didn’t seem right either. The Ice Soul Moon Pearl had already been sent into the Small Sealed World, and it was impossible for the Leviathan Shark to sense it across worlds no matter how strong he was.
At the end of his sentence though, Yang Kai’s heart sank as he groaned, “It’s too late!”
It was at that moment that a stream of light suddenly appeared above the Star City, stopping, and revealing the Leviathan Shark with one person held in each of his hands.
When Yang Kai looked up, he discovered one of them to be Lin Feng, but he had no idea who the old man was.
Lin Feng had been captured!
It was only natural that this would happen. Yang Kai was going to bring all of them away from that island, but unfortunately, Lin Feng chose to escape by himself rather than cooperate with them. How could he, an Emperor Realm cultivator, be capable of escaping in front of a Divine Spirit? Being caught was only a matter of time.
As for the old man, Yang Kai had truly never met him, so he had no idea why the Leviathan Shark would capture him.
[It’s too late to run!] Yang Kai’s heart sank.
He did not expect the Leviathan Shark to catch up to him so soon. Trying to leave now would probably be as difficult as ascending to the Heavens. Above the sea, Yang Kai had already experienced this guy’s skills and knew that he had the ability to shatter space and disturb the Void.
And, when the Leviathan Shark arrived, a fierce power instantly emanated from his body, enveloping the large Star City.
Hundreds of thousands suddenly felt their vitality tumbling, as if a large mountain had been pressed on their bodies. Their faces were pale, and their breathing was ragged.
Chen Tian Fei flew out from the mansion and shouted in fear, “Enemy attack, enemy attack! Activate the array!”
With a rumble, the Star City’s protective Grand Array was opened!
The Star City had expanded greatly during this recent period of time, and the Grand Array was naturally also reinforced and upgraded. Following a sound, rays of light rushed to sky, turning into a light barrier that enveloped the entire Star City.
Kun Sha looked down and sneered, “You think you can stop this King with this flimsy barrier? Naive!”
Opening his big mouth, he bit down. With a crack, a large hole was opened in the Star City’s protective Grand Array. With another few bites from Kun Sha, the Grand Array was completely broken.
Chen Tian Fei, who had just settled down his emotions, suddenly fell on his bottom, his fat body trembling violently.
Everyone who saw this scene had grim expressions. How could they not know that none of them could equal Kun Sha’s strength?
Who was this man? And why was he so powerful? Even the might that Yang Kai displayed when he fought against thousands from Thunder Light and Sword Pavilion could not compare to this terrifying man.
In front of everyone’s eyes, Kun Sha grinned meaningfully and raised both Lin Feng and the old man, stuffing them into his mouth.
The old man’s eyes went wide and he passed out directly, whereas Lin Feng was furious and roared, “Kun Sha, what are you doing?!”
Kun Sha cackled, “Eating you, of course! You no longer have any use to this King now that we’ve arrived.” While saying that, he shoved Lin Feng into his mouth and swallowed him into his belly. However, his belly was constantly bulging. It was apparent that Lin Feng was fighting against being devoured by him. Kun Sha slapped his belly, and the bulging spot returned to normal.
All who saw this scene were horrified. They had never seen such a cruel scene before of someone being eaten alive. It was simply unthinkable.
“Where is Yang Kai? Show yourself to this King, now!” Kun Sha bellowed with majesty as he swept his gaze across the city.
*Shua shua shua*
All eyes turned in the direction of Yang Kai’s residence. Many people were cursing this Killing Star for not doing anything good. Where had he provoked such a terrifying existence?
Kun Sha followed the eyes and soon saw Yang Kai standing in his home with a serious face. Grinning, he cackled, “Found you!”
Leaning down, he reached out to grab Yang Kai.
The Divine Spirit’s power pervaded the area, sealing Heaven and locking Earth. Clearly, it was because Kun Sha had seen him perform a Space Secret Technique before, and had done this to purposefully counteract that in case he tried to escape again.
A large hand descended from the sky, making Yang Kai feel as if the entire world had been covered, blocking out all light. With a guttural roar, Yang Kai pushed the power of his Dao Seal to its maximum and a round Sun suddenly appeared, rising up into the sky.
Golden Crow Casts the Sun!
As soon as the Divine Manifestation appeared, Yang Kai was finally able to free himself from the suppressive force immobilizing him, but before he could resist, he saw a fair finger point into the air from inside the mansion.
Without a sound, the finger collided with Kun Sha’s palm, forcing him to stagger back and shattering his fierce power in an instant.
“Hm?” Kun Sha was taken by surprise. Looking down, his eyes fixed on what appeared to be a young girl and he squinted, “What are you doing here?”
The girl giggled, “I was just going to ask you the same. Why did you come all the way here rather than stay in that little sea of yours?”
Stunned, Yang Kai looked over to see Yue He’s new maidservant standing with both hands behind her back, smiling as she looked up at Kun Sha.
Yue He was also dumbfounded at this sight.
This young girl was the same one that Yang Kai bumped into earlier. He thought she was strange before, but now it seemed like a true Master showed not their true face to others after all. Since she was able to dispel Kun Sha’s attack so easily, it must mean this girl’s strength was probably around the same as his.
“Is she really your new maid?” Yang Kai whispered to Yue He.
With a confused expression, Yue He nodded subconsciously.
“Then you’ve really found a shocking one!” Yang Kai gulped.
In the sky, Kun Sha rolled his eyes and grinned meaningfully, “Do you really not know why I’m here?”
The girl smiled sweetly, “So you’re here to fight me for him, then?”
Kun Sha’s face darkened, “You also have your eye on that brat?”
“I had my eye on him years ago. You’re late, Kun Sha.” The girl smiled.
“Not necessarily.” Kun Sha shook his head, “The winner is the King, and the loser is the villain. Since you also have your eye on the brat, then it will be down to our abilities to decide who he belongs to.”
The girl said bluntly, “Do not make a fool of yourself, Kun Sha. If we were at sea, then this Queen would still have to be wary of you, but now that we are on land, you are not this Queen’s opponent.”
“And how would you know that if we haven’t fought?” Kun Sha coldly snorted.
A palm slammed down, and his body’s strength was transformed into a gigantic palm print that enveloped half the Star City.
“Courting death!” The girl was enraged and raised her palm to meet his attack. With a loud bang, a terrifying shock wave spread out, collapsing many buildings in the Star City, and also injuring and killing numerous cultivators.
After that palm, the girl took to the sky, lunging straight for Kun Sha. Kun Sha’s body swayed back a few steps. Sure enough, he really was at a disadvantage in a fight with this bewitching woman on land. But since he was here, how could he be willing to just return without putting up a fight?
The two of them immediately began fighting, shattering the Heavens and shaking the Earth.
Countless cultivators fled for their lives within the Star City lest they be caught up in the fallout. The Scarlet Star Managers also had grim faces. Who knows what evil god Scarlet Star had offended in the past, but they had been facing bad luck since entering the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. First, they were tossed about by Yang Kai until they nearly collapsed, and now, after much difficulty nurturing themselves back to power over several years, two terrifying existences suddenly appeared and began fighting above their heads.
“That woman is also a Divine Spirit!” Yang Kai’s heart trembled when he saw the woman fighting with Kun Sha. Only a Divine Spirit would be able to fight evenly with Kun Sha, or even gain a slight advantage over him.
But he had no idea who this woman was, and why she was lurking about his mansion.
It was at this moment that everyone in the mansion came over. Coming to his senses with a start, Yang Kai shouted, “Go! Hurry up and get out of here!”
A fire at the city gates was also a calamity for the fish in the moat. No matter whether the girl or Kun Sha were to be the final victor, the future was definitely not going to be bright for him. He thought he could have Xu Zhen arrange a powerful Grand Array to provide some security for them, but now that he had seen the fight between these two Divine Spirits, Yang Kai knew that there was none that could stop their power in this Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Even if he used his full strength, it was unlikely for him to be able to hold on for even an incense stick of time in a fight against either of these two powerhouses.
More and more people appeared in the mansion. Other than the three disciples from Great Moon Province, Yue He, Lu Xue, and Chen Yue, there were also Guo Zi Yan and nearly 40 others. Meanwhile, the Earth Dragon and the Scarlet Flood Dragon were out of the city.
While transmitting a message to the Earth Dragon and the Scarlet Flood Dragon, telling them to flee as soon as possible, Yang Kai put the others who were under the Open Heaven Realm in his Sealed World Bead.
The Small Sealed World inside the Sealed World Bead was a world of its own, so it could hold Emperor Realm cultivators with no problem; however, as a Small Universe existed within the bodies of those in the Open Heaven Realm, the Small Sealed World could not accept them.
After hurrying about for a while, the only ones left by his side were the three Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yue He, Lu Xue, and Guo Zi Yan.
Yang Kai wrapped the three of them in his power and summoned a Space Beacon before activating its power and disappearing instantly.
“Damn brat, you think you can run from this Queen?” Even though the woman was busy fighting Kun Sha, she could still keep track of Yang Kai’s actions. Instantly, she opened her mouth and spat out an object that disappeared into the Void.
A short while later, from the Void a hundred kilometres away from the Star City, a large net suddenly appeared, catching Yang Kai, Yue He, Lu Xue, and Guo Zi Yan, causing them to fall to the ground.
“Bitch!” Yang Kai was both shocked and furious. The Void was shaken by Kun Sha when he tried travelling through it last time to escape, separating him from Xu Zhen and the others, and now, his attempt to escape was once again foiled by that girl. But this time, it was even worse. She had managed to catch them through the Void with some kind of net.
With such a bizarre technique, Yang Kai could tell that the girl’s strength was far beyond his expectations. It was just that the special World Principles of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary made it impossible for her to display her full power.
He reached out to grab the net and tried to tear it apart, but it didn’t even stretch.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. With his Dragon Bloodline, he should have terrifying physical strength, but the net was still too tough for him to even dream of tearing apart. Not only that, but its surface was also extremely sticky, so much so that he could not shake it off once it had stuck to his hands.
Thought flashing, the Golden Crow’s True Fire appeared. Its fire lit the net, but could not burn through the material.
“What kind of net is this?!” Yue He shouted. She was also struggling as best she could, but she still failed to do anything to it. Instead, the more she struggled, the tighter the net bound her.
“It’s like a spider web!” Lu Xue frowned.
“A spider web!” Yang Kai’s thoughts flashed. He looked over at the fight, and as soon as he did, he saw Kun Sha’s body swaying and transforming into his 10,000 metres-long true form, blotting out the sky as a gigantic shark.
The girl’s figure also transformed at that moment. Following that, a terrifyingly gigantic being the size of a city appeared in Yang Kai’s view.
Her true form was an extremely large spider with eight legs stretching out onto the ground. Her body was silver in colour, and she had the mark of a crescent moon on her back!
“Heavenly Moon Demon Spider!” Yang Kai exclaimed as he stared fixedly at that side.
Lu Xue could not help but cover her red lips while Yue He also gave up on struggling with a bitter look on her face.
[So it’s her!]
Yang Kai finally understood. It was no wonder the girl said that she had her eye on him for years. They had first discovered each other at Sword Pavilion’s Star City.
At Sword Pavilion’s Star City, Yang Kai discovered the mark of the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider on the chest of the Pavilion Master’s corpse. At that time, the mark burst out and filled Yang Kai’s mind with the form of the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, which he was able to break away from thanks to his Divine Dragon Source.
Back then, Yang Kai could also vaguely feel a pair of eyes watching him. Obviously, the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider must have sensed when he broke her seal.
Following that, she sent the mantis head to capture him, but the mantis head was killed by him instead.
Yang Kai thought that the matter was settled then, but who knew that after two years passed, he would still bump into her here!
But to Yang Kai’s surprise, the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider did not kill him as soon as she found him; instead, she actually infiltrated his residence and posed as a maid. What exactly was she trying to do?
Additionally, it was obvious now that Kun Sha had not sought him out merely for the Ice Soul Moon Pearl. What were these Divine Spirits planning?
Kun Sha had a body that was 10,000 metres long, but the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider was not far behind. The two giants used their respective Divine Abilities, engaging each other in an intense melee. The ground was shattered and the surrounding space warped. The World Energy in a radius of several tens of thousands of kilometres was thrown into chaos by their battle.
The strength of the two Divine Spirits was almost at the same level and both were living in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. This should not be the first time they were fighting either as it seemed they understood each other very well and killing moves were unleashed incessantly, sending chills down the spines of those who stood witness.
But after watching for a while, Yang Kai realized that Kun Sha was most likely not the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider’s opponent. Just as the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider said, Kun Sha was a Divine Spirit born from the sea. She may not be his opponent if they were fighting in the depths of the ocean, but she had the upper hand on land.
Threads of spider silk that were strong enough to seal the world were gradually woven into a web. Even someone as strong as Kun Sha could not extricate himself from it. It seemed that Kun Sha would be completely defeated the moment the spider web was fully formed.
Kun Sha obviously realized this as well. Shaking his head, he opened his big bloody mouth and bit down on a weak point, tearing apart tens of thousands of spider threads. Then, he turned back to human form and rushed out of the gap, fleeing quickly.
His voice echoed from afar, “Zhu Jiu Yin, don’t feel smug just because you have beaten me today! We will cross paths again at the Spirit Seizing War! When the time comes, let’s see who will have the last laugh!”
The Heavenly Moon Demon Spider did not stop him when she saw him leave. Her huge spider body distorted and transformed, turning back into the harmless innocent girl from before. Standing with her hands behind her back, she gazed into the distance.
A hundred or so kilometres away, in the middle of a spider web, Yang Kai and the others watched on in horror.
The unrestrained might of the two Divine Spirits was beyond their imagination. Even in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, they could exert strength surpassing that of the Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm, which may have something to do with the fact that they were born here, but also the fact that their strength itself was incredible.
But no matter what, the might of a Divine Spirit was unstoppable!
The girl turned around and arrived in front of Yang Kai and the others in a few hops. She studied Yang Kai with a smile, a scrutinizing look present in her beautiful eyes, looking ever more satisfied as if she were a maiden, looking at her lover.
Yang Kai felt his scalp tingle as he decided to ask, “Senior, what do you want from me?”
The girl smiled, “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you, nor will I let someone else kill you. You are very useful to me, but this is not the place to talk. Let’s go back first.”
Raising her hand, she retrieved her web. Yang Kai and the others regained their freedom, but they did not even think of escaping as in front of an existence of this level, that would be foolish. They could only follow behind her obediently as they headed back to the Star City.
Hundreds of thousands of kilometres away, Kun Sha suddenly stopped with a furious look on his face, “How dare that bitch spoil my good deed! Now that that cheap slut Zhu Jiu Yin has her eyes on that stinking brat, I won’t be able to get my hands on him… Hm, I wonder if that other brat is dead yet.”
Saying so, he spat something out of his mouth.
It was none other than Lin Feng whom he had swallowed up before.
“Hm, you’re still alive? Good. At least you have some ability!” Kun Sha’s eyes lit up. He discovered that though the brat named Lin Feng was pale-faced, he was completely unharmed. Only, the light golden layer protecting him had been corroded by digestive juices and could break at any moment.
Lin Feng himself obviously did not have the ability to withstand the corrosive power of Kun Sha’s gastric juices, so he must have used one of the treasures given by his Elders to save his life.
Suddenly released, Lin Feng gasped and coughed heavily.
Before he could recover from his shock though, he heard Kun Sha’s mighty voice, “Boy, you’ve passed this King’s test. You are now qualified to become this King’s Bearer. Over the next few years, this King will carefully nurture you. Then, you must do one thing for this King. If you do it well, you will be spared. If not, then obediently become food for this King.”
Lin Feng looked up and stared blankly at him. His mind was still blank from surviving that previous encounter, even to the point where he could not process what Kun Sha was saying to him.
But Kun Sha didn’t care. He simply grabbed Ling Feng by the collar and carried him to the sea.
In the main hall of Yang Kai’s residence, the girl wandered about, touching this and that, as if everything was novel to her.
Yang Kai and the others stood at the entrance, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Even though this Heavenly Moon Demon Spider said before that she would not kill him, who knows whether this devilish woman would actually keep her word? If she really made a move, then no one would be able to resist.
Chen Yue suddenly ran in from outside and said in a small voice, “Sir, Scarlet Star’s Managers have come seeking an audience.”
Everyone was watching as the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider led Yang Kai back to the Star City, so how could Chen Tian Fei and the others sit still when something so terrifying suddenly appeared in their home? Naturally, they had to rush over to pay their respects.
Yang Kai raised his head to look at the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider.
The girl waved her hand, “Make them leave.” She looked extremely impatient.
Chen Yue shrunk her neck and excused herself respectfully.
The girl finally stopped moving and turned her head to look at Yang Kai with a smile, “Where is Da Lang’s corpse?”
“Da Lang?” Yang Kai was stunned, [What Da Lang? Where Da Lang?]
“You killed him, didn’t you?” The girl asked.
Yang Kai suddenly realized who she was talking about and quickly raised his hand to summon a headless corpse. It was the mantis head that he had killed two years ago at Sword Pavilion’s Star City. Only, this guy’s head was blown apart by the Azure Dragon Spear, leaving his body behind.
Since this Monster’s strength was not weak, and both his scythe arms were rigid and sharp, they were great materials for refining artifacts. For that reason, Yang Kai kept the body this whole time.
“Da Lang followed me for many years, and I was the one who taught him how to gain sentience. Though he has died, I still wish to retrieve his body. You have no complaints about that, do you?” The girl asked Yang Kai.
“This one would not dare!” Yang Kai dropped his gaze. He dared not say a single ‘no’ to her at this moment.
The girl nodded. Raising her hand, she put away the mantis head’s body. Turning around, she sat down on the seat that used to belong to Yang Kai, crossing her legs and propping her cheek up with her hand, saying lazily, “This Queen is Zhu Jiu Yin. You have already seen what my true form is.”
“Greetings, Senior Zhu!” Yang Kai quickly bowed while shooting a look at Lu Xue and the others.
In his mind, he wondered. Was this woman surnamed Zhu because she was the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider?
The girl giggled and stared at Yang Kai, “This Queen has come out of the mountain this time just to see you.”
With those words, Yue He immediately turned her head to look warily at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai was curious, “Does Senior know me?”
“Not before, but I do now,” Zhu Jiu Yin smirked.
Yang Kai frowned, “What did Senior seek me out for? If it is to avenge Da Lang, then Senior should have taken revenge long ago.”
“Naturally, it is not for Da Lang; otherwise, would you still be alive? This Queen came in order to seek your help. If you do this Queen this favour, then I will forget about you killing Da Lang. Otherwise, I will have to settle this score with you properly.”
Yang Kai was speechless, “What kind of help does Senior need from me?” If even she herself could not do it, would he be able to?
“You will naturally know when it is time. It is useless even if you know now. For the moment, all you have to do is improve your strength as fast and as much as possible. I will live here before you help me with this favour, so don’t even think about running away.” Zhu Jiu Yin turned to look at Yue He and Lu Xue, “The two of you, follow me. This Queen needs maidservants to call upon.”
Yue He was furious!
She was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but she was actually being taken as a maidservant! However, when she thought of Zhu Jiu Yin’s identity and strength, she was indeed qualified to treat her as a maid. If such an existence were to reach the outside world, she would definitely be on par with a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Zhu Jiu Yen then really began living in the mansion that day, and she chose the best room for herself, which should’ve been Yang Kai’s.
She had nothing to do during her days here, so she would take Yue He and Lu Xue along with her as she browsed the Star City, buying many miscellaneous trinkets, which made the two speechless. She was the Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, but even though she was so strong, she still could not help but be curious about this lively world.
Yang Kai was deeply confused. This woman only told him that she needed his help, but she did not say what sort of help she needed, only that he would understand when the time came.
But since it was a request from the Divine Spirit, it must be very important. Yang Kai could only further intensify his cultivation.
Unfortunately, even the cleverest woman could not cook a meal without rice. For the Yin, Yang and Five Elements in his Dao Seal, he was still stuck on the Metal Element. With no suitable Metal Element material to refine, he had no way of furthering the cultivation of his Dao Seal. He did have a Water Element material in his possession, but without first refining his Metal Element, it was simply impossible for him to refine the Water Element.
He could only strengthen his body physically each day by consuming Dragon Blood Pills and refining his Bloodline Power. Then, gain further insight into his Wood and Earth Powers.
A few days later, Yang Kai suddenly took out a communication bead and immersed his consciousness into it. Overjoyed, he asked, “Brother Xu, are you alright?”
The communication bead was his link to Xu Zhen. He had lost contact with Xu Zhen last time, which worried Yang Kai. He had no idea whether he was dead or alive, but he did not expect Xu Zhen to take the initiative to contact him today.
“Not dead yet, but not in a good situation either!” Xu Zhen responded.
“What happened? First of all, why did you go silent all of a sudden? Where’s everyone else?”
“The rest are fine for now, but obviously, it may not be so in the future. Brother Yang, you should also make plans early. You have been showing off your strength too much, so you will eventually catch their attention.”
“What do you mean by that?” Yang Kai was confused, “and catch the attention of who?”
Xu Zhen said, “Has Brother Yang heard of a Bearer before?”
“No, I haven’t.”
Xu Zhen went on, “I saw some records in my ancestors’ ancient books and didn’t take them seriously, but now, I know they are real. Kun Sha is not the only Divine Spirit in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.”
Yang Kai laughed dryly, “That I know.”
Xu Zhen was surprised, “How do you know that? Did you encounter one?”
Yang Kai said with a headache, “Not only have I met one, but I have one living in my mansion!”
Xu Zhen did not respond for a long time. Yang Kai thought that something had happened to him, so he quickly transmitted a message. Only then did Xu Zhen respond, “As I thought, you’ve caught their eye, Brother Yang. In that case, I can just explain it to you. Did the Divine Spirit on your side ask you for a favour?”
Yang Kai was surprised, “How does Brother Xu know about that?”
Xu Zhen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Because I am in the same position. We really are Brothers sharing the same fate.”
You, too?” Yang Kai was shocked, “Were you also captured by a Divine Spirit?”
“The Divine Spirit who captured me is Zhu Yan, and is very powerful. What Divine Spirit were you captured by?”
Yang Kai muttered, “The Heavenly Moon Demon Spider…”
After a brief exchange, Yang Kai learned that Xu Zhen had been transported to an unknown place after being separated from him, and on his way back, encountered Zhu Yan and was captured.
Yang Kai wondered, “What is it that these Divine Spirits want? The Heavenly Moon Demon Spider only said that she needed my help, but she was unwilling to reveal more when I asked. What is this Bearer thing you mentioned before?”
“Haiz!” Xu Zhen breathed a heavy sigh, “That is the reason I sent you a message. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary has existed for countless aeons, and the number of Divine Spirits who live here are plenty; however, these Divine Spirits are born and raised in this world, and are also bound by this place. No matter how strong they are here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, it will still be difficult for them to display their full strengths!”
Yang Kai nodded at his words. The World Principles in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary were indeed strange. He thought that it was the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog that suppressed and sealed the Small Universes inside the bodies of the Open Heaven Realm Masters, limiting them from displaying their full strength, but now, it seemed like that may not be the case. Even the Divine Spirits were being suppressed, not to mention trivial Low-Rank and Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm cultivators.
Though Zhu Jiu Yin and Kun Sha fought a fierce battle, they were far from presenting the true strength a Divine Spirit should have.
In terms of rankings among Divine Spirits, both the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider and the Leviathan Shark were ranked on par with Mie Meng, but how terrifying was Mie Meng’s power? The power that Zhu Jiu Yin and Kun Sha displayed before was not even one percent that, which made one feel as if they were not worthy of being called true Divine Spirits.
This must be due to the suppression of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary’s World Principles, rather than the Grand Ancient Ruins Rolling Fog.
Xu Zhen’s Divine Sense rippled out from the communication bead, delivering his message, “These Divine Spirits are living in a huge cage. If you were them, Brother Yang, what would you do?”
Yang Kai was secretly surprised, but after some thought, he responded, “Naturally, I’d try to escape!”
Any Great Expert would not be happy being in such a situation and would try to change it. The easiest way to do that would be to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
“Exactly. That is what the Divine Spirits are thinking, too. They also hope to escape from this cage and free themselves of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary’s restrictions, restoring themselves to their full glory! But they are beings of this world, so how could it be so easy to free themselves from it?”
“Is this related to that Bearer thing you mentioned before?” Yang Kai asked.
“Exactly!” Xu Zhen responded, “The Divine Spirits have no way of leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by themselves, so they have to find someone to bring them out, and these people are the Bearers that they are seeking!”
“Someone to bring them out!?” Yang Kai’s heart jumped, “These Divine Spirits can be brought out of here?”
If that were truly the case, then would his Six Fated Paths Bag not be a great treasure? When they are about to leave, he could just stuff Zhu Jiu Yin into the bag and take her outside.
“Yes, but each Bearer can only bring one Divine Spirit out! And it also requires a special opportunity to succeed.” Xu Zhen seemed to be able to guess what Yang Kai was thinking, “I know that Brother Yang has a treasure that is able to hold living beings, but that is of no use. Even if you put a Divine Spirit in that bag, it will still be intercepted by the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary without the opportunity when you leave. The reason why the Divine Spirits are seeking out these Bearers is so that they can grab hold of the opportunity to free themselves from this place.”
“So, what is this opportunity?” Yang Kai asked eagerly.
“I’m not sure. I only saw the records written in the ancient books by my ancestors. Back then, an Ancestor of Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven also fell into the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, competed against others of that period, and left behind some information about this place.”
“And he succeeded?”
“He failed.” Xu Zhen sighed, “The glory of that period belonged to a Senior from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. He brought a Divine Spirit out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and in return that Divine Spirit served as his Protector for a thousand years before leaving Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven.”
“A Protector!” Yang Kai was astonished.
“A bodyguard, a thug… something of that sort.” Xu Zhen grinned meaningfully, “If we have to put our lives on the line for the sake of those Divine Spirits, then we have to ask for some compensation, right? And that Senior from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven did just that. He negotiated with that Divine Spirit and had him act as his Protector for a thousand years, and that Divine Spirit had no choice but to accept. Brother Yang, I am also planning to negotiate with this Zhu Yan from my side. Tsk tsk, how impressive would it be if I manage to bring a Divine Spirit out of here?”
Yang Kai was speechless. Can such conditions even be proposed? If he ended up provoking a Divine Spirit, then he truly would not know how to write the word ‘death’.
“Many thanks to Brother Xu for this information. It will be of great use to me,” Yang Kai transmitted a word of thanks to him. He had been wondering what sort of help that Zhu Jiu Yin needed from him, and why she wanted him to improve his strength, but he finally understood why after hearing this story from Xu Zhen.
Obviously, Kun Sha had chased him all the way here not only because of the Ice Soul Moon Pearl that he stole from him, but also to use him as a Bearer; otherwise, he would not have left this place without asking about the Ice Soul Moon Pearl’s whereabouts.
“It’s no big deal. You would have found out about it eventually even if I did not tell you. But if both you and I become Bearers, then there might be a time in the future when we are forced to fight. For the interests of my Divine Cauldron Heaven, I will not go easy on Brother Yang when the time comes.”
“Rightfully so!”
“And, there is still Ning Dao Ran and the others. I estimate that they will not be able to escape the same fate. The Divine Spirits have been watching quietly all these years, most likely to observe those of us who fell into this world so that they can choose a suitable Bearer. Now, as Zhu Yan and the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider have both already made their moves, the other Divine Spirits must not be able to sit still either. I’m guessing Ning Dao Ran and the others have all also been captured by the Divine Spirits, and it is only a matter of time before we will be forced to fight amongst ourselves… But let us not talk about that right now. Zhu Yan is back. I will talk to you again when I have the time!”
Speaking up to this point, Xu Zhen cut off communication with him.
Yang Kai silently put away his communication bead and digested the information told to him by Xu Zhen. Bearers, the opportunity to break free from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary’s shackles, the recruitment of a Protector. All of this was information that he had never heard of.
And, there was still Lin Feng.
In this case, Lin Feng should not be in any danger. He was, at the very least, a disciple of a Cave-Heaven with an extraordinary heritage. He was definitely one of the Bearer candidates, so Kun Sha should not have killed him. There was a very good chance that he might choose him as his Bearer.
With that, some doubts could finally be cleared from his mind.
The reason why Zhu Jiu Yin did not kill him or trouble him in any way, even asking him to cultivate properly was very clearly because she wanted him to help her grab hold of her opportunity to leave this place.
[The Spirit Seizing War, was it?] Yang Kai recalled what Kun Sha said as he left. Even though he had no idea what the Spirit Seizing War was, it was obviously related to the opportunity.
After a moment of silence, Yang Kai headed for the main hall.
Inside the main hall, Zhu Jiu Yin was sitting on a chair while Lu Xue and Yue He were busying themselves. The floor was littered with all the things they bought from the Star City, mostly women’s accessories.
Yue He stood in front of Zhu Jiu Yin, holding a mirror, while Lu Xue was putting the accessories on Zhu Jiu Yin. Looking left and right, she kept the ones she liked and tossed the ones she didn’t aside.
When Yang Kai came in, he felt a bit speechless to see Zhu Jiu Yin admiring herself in the mirror.
Yue He turned to look at him, with an aggrieved look on her face.
Yang Kai pretended not to have seen it and stepped forward, cupping his fists, “Senior.”
While fiddling with the ornaments in her hair, Zhu Jiu Yin said without even looking up, “What are you doing here rather than cultivating?” Glancing sideways, she asked Yue He, “How does this one look?”
Yue He answered, “Beautiful.”
This was not mere flattery, either. She indeed looked beautiful; after all, she was the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider. With her beautiful face, she would look good in anything.
“A bit too gaudy,” Zhu Jiu Yin shook her head and took off the hairpin, tossing it aside.
Yang Kai took this opportunity to interject, “Senior wants me to cultivate, and I also want to cultivate. Unfortunately, I am unable to continue.”
“Why?” Zhu Jiu Yin looked up at him.
“Without appropriate materials, I am unable to condense my Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements Powers.” Yang Kai lowered his gaze.
“Nonsense!” Zhu Jiu Yin snarled, “You think I don’t know that you stole Kun Sha’s Moon Essence from him? That thing comes from the Primordial Land and is the very core essence of a Moon. It is enough for you to refine for a long time.”
“Primordial Land? Moon Essence?” Yang Kai’s body shook, “Senior is talking about the Ice Soul Moon Pearl?”
“What Ice Soul Moon Pearl!” Zhu Jiu Yin said with disdain. She waved her hand and motioned for Yue He to step aside before turning to look at Yang Kai, “This Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary used to have both a Moon and Sun, but as too much time has passed, the Sun has gone out and the Moon crumbled. A piece of Moon Essence fell into the Primordial Land long ago, where it was later brought out and fell into Kun Sha’s hands.”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded.
Even though he knew that the Ice Soul Moon Pearl was an Innate Supreme Treasure, he never thought that it would actually be a piece of Moon Essence. It was no wonder why it glowed like the moon and felt bone-chilling to the touch.
As for what the Primordial Land was, Yang Kai had no idea. But obviously, it must be a secret place in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
After calming his heart down and suppressing his excitement, Yang Kai went on, “Even so, it will not work. Senior should know that I have now only gathered my Wood, Fire and Earth Element Powers. The next Element I must refine is Metal before I can gather Water. The Moon Essence will work as my Water Element material, but I still lack a suitable Metal Element treasure. Without that, this boy cannot do anything even with a Water Element treasure.”
“What are you trying to say?” Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him with a smirk.
“If Senior can offer a Metal Element Treasure to me, then nothing would be better. Senior is a long-time resident of the Grand Ancient Ruins, and with an abundance of treasures in these lands, Senior should have many Metal Element treasures in her possession, right?”
“So, you’ve come to seek benefits, I see.” Zhu Jiu Yin smiled and propped up her chin with her hand, looking lazily at Yang Kai, “Very well. Let us hear what sort of treasure you seek. If I have it, then I will give it to you.”
“No matter what treasure it is, as long as it is of the Seventh Order or higher, then this Junior’s requirements aren’t too high.” Yang Kai rubbed his palms together and smiled flatteringly.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s face turned dark in an instant, “Your requirements aren’t too high, anything above the Seventh Order will do?”
Seeing this, Yang Kai’s heart thumped. He wondered to himself, [was my request too excessive?] But he steeled himself and nodded.
Zhu Jiu Yin was furious, “You say your requirements are not high, but do you know what it means to ask for something in the Seventh Order or above?”
“What does it mean?” Yang Kai asked meekly.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted, “It means an existence at a similar level to this Queen must be killed, and their Monster Core taken. If you really wish to do so, then this Queen can point you in a direction. Head west a million kilometres from here. There’s an annoying guy there called Jin Wu. Kill him and take his Monster Core. It will be a treasure of at least the Eighth Order.”
Cold sweat slid down Yang Kai’s forehead, “Senior must be joking.”
That Jin Wu must also be a Divine Spirit. If Yang Kai really had the ability to kill him, would he need to act meek and respectful in front of Zhu Jiu Yin? He would have put her in her place long ago.
“Junior does not necessarily need a Divine Spirit’s Monster Core for his Metal Element treasure. Are there no other suitable treasures here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary?”
“There used to be some.” Zhu Jiu Yin had a reminiscent look on her face, “But they are all gone.”
“How come?” Yang Kai was confused.
“You are not the only guests we have had here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If there was anything good, then would those bastards not have taken them away already? Do you think they would leave it for you? If you are looking for treasures in the Seventh Order and above, then the only way you can get them is by killing Divine Spirits and taking their Monster Cores.”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded, but on second thought, it did make sense. Even though the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was a huge natural treasure trove, they were not the only visitors who had come here through the countless years. Why should those Senior Experts leave anything for their Juniors when they came here? If there was anything good, they would have taken them away a long time ago.
The reason he was able to get his hands on the Earth Attribute Dragon Bead was because of his bloodline’s perception, and naturally, the Moon Essence was the Sea Clan’s Sacred Treasure, which was looked after by Kun Sha. Getting his hands on a Metal Element treasure was probably going to be difficult.
“Why do you seek treasures in the Seventh Order or above?” Zhu Jiu Yin looked at Yang Kai in confusion, “I know you Humans cultivate by condensing a Dao Seal in your bodies, and then condensing Yin, Yang, and Five Elements to reach the Open Heaven Realm. If you seek Seventh-Order materials, does that mean you are aiming to reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm with your initial breakthrough?”
“Exactly.” Yang Kai nodded solemnly, “Junior has high aspirations and is seeking to reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, exactly as Senior says.”
Zhu Jiu Yin blinked her eyes for a moment and laughed, “You’re the most ambitious Human I’ve met.”
Yang Kai keenly grasped onto a clue, “Has Senior had a Bearer in the past?”
Zhu Jiu Yin was surprised, “You know about the Bearers?”
“It’s not a secret, is it?” Yang Kai smiled and pretended to be well-learned.
Zhu Jiu Yin observed him, “Your heritage is not bad, so you must come from an extraordinary background. It is not surprising that you know this.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Grabbing onto the opportunity to get out of this cage is why Junior seeks benefits from Senior. Only when Junior is strong will he be able to compete with the others and take the top spot!”
“That is reasonable.” Zhu Jiu Yin nodded, “But if you want a Metal Element treasure in the Seventh Order or above, then there is nothing I can do to help. However, I do have plenty of Sixth-Order materials.”
Yang Kai was speechless. He also had Sixth-Order treasures. Yuan Magnetic Divine Stones alone, he had several dozen pieces of them, and his Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd was also holding much Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Light. If he were willing to use Sixth-Order materials, then why would he have to ask Zhu Jiu Yin for help?
“I’ll tell you what,” Zhu Jiu Yin said after pondering for a while, “First, condense your Water Element Power. Meanwhile, I will have someone poke around for a Metal Element treasure for you. There might be something left behind, and if there is, I will find it for you.”
Yang Kai did not understand, “How will I condense my Water Element without first condensing my Metal Element?”
Zhu Jiu Yin laughed, “Naturally, ordinary people can only condense the Five Elements in order; however, this Queen has a wonderful technique that can allow you to ignore this order and condense them in any order you wish.”
Yang Kai was stunned, “Such a technique exists in this world?”
Yue He and Lu Xue were both also surprised. They were Fourth and Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and could already be considered knowledgeable, but they had never heard of the existence of such a Secret Art before.
If such a technique truly existed, then would it not be a breakthrough in the cultivation techniques formed through countless ages in the Outer Universe? If such a thing were to appear in the world, then it would certainly set off a reign of terror.
Zhu Jiu Yin spoke faintly, “It did not used to exist, but this Queen had a Bearer with amazing ingenuity who created this technique. He was in the same situation as you back then, lacking materials for his next Element, even though he had resources for the one after that. Helpless, he had no choice but to skip over the order. But I must tell you that though this is a profound technique, and even somewhat fantastical, it comes with some risks. If your heritage is not deep enough, the Five Elements Powers could riot and destroy your Dao Seal. When that time comes, your cultivation will be lost at best, and at worst you will die. Do you still want to learn?”
“Junior is willing!” Yang Kai nodded. No matter the risk, learning the technique first was never a wrong idea. If it were truly impossible, he could just choose not to cultivate it. He was still young anyway and had a long future ahead of him. There was no need for him to rush things.
Zhu Jiu Yin nodded and gently lifted a finger, pressing it onto Yang Kai’s forehead.
Yang Kai’s body shuddered. Then, he felt immense information pouring into his mind, causing him to freeze in place for a while.
After a long time, his body suddenly shook, and he came back to his senses. He had a look of admiration on his face as he muttered, “The one who created this technique is truly a genius.”
This technique was called the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture. If one were to condense their Yin, Yang, and Five Elements through this method, they would simply not have to care about the order at all, meaning they could cultivate however they wished.
However, the impact of the Powers on one’s Dao Seal when condensed through this method was far greater compared to normal. If one’s Dao Seal was not firm enough, then cultivating this way simply would not work. That was the risk that Zhu Jiu Yin told him about.
But there were still some advantages to condensing one’s Yin, Yang, and Five Elements in this manner and that was that once a cultivator broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, their strength would be slightly higher than normal.
That was because the Dao Seal had withstood much stronger impacts, leading to a more solid foundation, which others naturally could not compete against.
Yang Kai was very impressed. Zhu Jiu Yin had told him that it was one of her Bearers that developed this technique, so it can be seen how amazing that Bearer was.
But what confused Yang Kai was why that Bearer, despite his amazing achievements, was unable to bring Zhu Jiu Yin out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Seemingly noticing Yang Kai’s question, Zhu Jiu Yin answered, “That man died in the Spirit Seizing War. If not, with his aptitude, how could this Queen still be trapped here?”
Yang Kai gulped, “Did he die because of this technique?”
“No. Actually, this technique was created by the two of us and perfected to the greatest degree possible. He died because he became the tree that rose too far above the forest. He was surrounded by the other Bearers and killed.”
Yang Kai nodded. With this, he could rest easy. Since someone was able to successfully cultivate this Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture, then he would certainly be able to do it as well.
There was no reason for him not to follow the path developed by the Seniors before him.
He was eager to learn the mysteries of this profound technique, so not bothering to continue chatting with Zhu Jiu Yin any further, Yang Kai excused himself and retreated to his room to cultivate.
Day after day, month after month passed.
The Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture was so profound that Yang Kai had to study it for half a year before gaining any insight. Even so, he did not dare try it rashly.
The Moon Essence’s Order was very high; after all, it was an Innate Supreme Treasure. If he did not have complete confidence in success, then forcibly condensing it would only damage his Dao Seal.
Even if Yang Kai wanted to try it, then there were two other key points.
One is that the Five Elements Powers couldn’t be harmonized as usual. Normally, he should first condense his Metal Element before condensing the Water Element, but now, without a suitable Metal Element treasure, the Five Elements were bound to be somewhat disordered, so he had to harmonise them with the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture, which would solve the problem. This Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture was created just for moments like these.
The greatest problem came if one’s Dao Seal was not firm enough. Yang Kai was uniquely blessed to have been able to condense the essence of the Immortal Tree to form his Wood Element Power, which laid a solid foundation for himself and also helped to suppress the Fire Element Power he condensed. There was no need to mention the Earth Element Power from the Earth Dragon Bead as he too possessed a Divine Dragon Source, so there was no danger in him condensing it. But if he now wanted to condense his Water Element Power out of order, his Dao Seal was still not rigid enough to withstand it.
Yang Kai had no choice but to leave his room and seek Zhu Jiu Yin’s advice.
He believed that the previous Bearer should have encountered a similar experience. Since her previous Bearer accomplished his training, he must have been able to solve this problem.
After hearing what Yang Kai had to say, Zhu Jiu Yin casually tossed a jade bottle to him.
Yang Kai accepted it and opened the bottle while asking in confusion, “What is this?”
Zhu Jiu Yin answered lazily, “I don’t know what it is, either, but that brat called it Divine Dao Water.” The brat that Zhu Jiu Yin spoke of must be the Bearer who created the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture.
“Divine Dao Water!?” Yue He and Lu Xue at the side exclaimed in unison, their beautiful faces turning pale.
Zhu Jiu Yin turned her head and shot them a glance. Even Yang Kai had turned to look at them, “Is this item well-known?”
Her understanding of the Outer Universe was lacking, so she naturally had no idea what the value of this Divine Dao Water was.
Yue He quickly explained, “It’s a very good item. A real treasure!”
Lu Xue also nodded vigorously and looked at the jade bottle in Yang Kai’s hand with great enthusiasm.
Yang Kai raised his brow as he listened, “Since this was a reward from Senior, then it must be something good, but what is its use?”
Yue He explained, “To strengthen one’s Dao Seal! You must know that a cultivator’s aptitude has limits, and the fundamental manifestation of that is their Dao Seal. Condensing Third-Order Elements is the limit for some people, but others can condense Sixth-Order Elements. This is the difference between the limits of each cultivator’s Dao Seal. Each Dao Seal is condensed in a person’s own body, so once it is formed, it cannot be easily changed. So, the forming of one’s Dao Seal basically predetermines a person’s future achievements. But with Divine Dao Water, it’s possible to go a step further.”
“By strengthening one’s Dao Seal with this Divine Water, one can condense Yin, Yang and Five Elements of Higher-Orders, surpassing one’s original limits?” Yang Kai seemed to be able to understand, and was overjoyed to hear this.
“En,” Yue He nodded. She was able to achieve the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm back then, meaning that her Dao Seal’s limit was being able to withstand the impact of Fifth-Order Elements, but if she had the help of the Divine Dao Water at that time, then reaching the Sixth-Order would be no problem, provided she was able to collect enough Sixth-Order materials.
Only, Divine Dao Water was extremely rare. After countless years, legends of people obtaining Divine Dao Water had only appeared a handful of times in the 3,000 Worlds.
Sure enough, this Divine Dao Water was a treasure. Yang Kai put it away happily and asked Zhu Jiu Yin how to refine it before returning to his room and continuing his retreat.
Inside the room, Yang Kai sat cross-legged and turned on the Isolation Array to avoid any disturbances. Only then did he carefully take out the jade bottle containing the Divine Dao Water and opened the cap.
Not much Divine Dao Water was left in the jade bottle, less than half in fact. There were only about several dozen drops inside. Zhu Jiu Yin’s previous Bearer must have used a lot of it.
But even a single drop of Divine Dao Water was a precious resource, so several dozen was definitely enough to fulfil Yang Kai’s needs.
Calming his breathing and focusing his mind, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged and entered the jade bottle, retrieving a drop of Divine Dao Water.
The Divine Water placed inside the jade bottle did not look like anything special, but it gave off a wonderful fragrance as soon as it emerged into the world. As he sniffed it, Yang Kai’s eyes could not help but go lax as he muttered, “It smells so good. It must be delicious, too…”
Saying so, he took up a drop of Divine Dao Water with his Divine Sense and sent it to his mouth.
But the next moment, Yang Kai was shaken. He quickly came back to his senses and shut his mouth, pressing the drop he almost placed in his mouth between his brow instead.
This Divine Water was not supposed to be consumed via the mouth, but to be refined using one’s Dao Seal, just like how one would condense their Yin, Yang and Five Elements. If he consumed it rashly, then it would not have any effect.
Zhu Jiu Yin told him earlier that he would encounter some disturbances while he was refining the Divine Dao Water, but he did not take it to heart. It wasn’t until now that he realized how careless he was.
Fortunately, he reacted in time; otherwise, he might have wasted a drop.
Strangely enough, the Divine Dao Water was clearly a tangible thing, but when it touched the middle of his forehead, it suddenly disappeared without a trace. In the next instant, Yang Kai felt a slight chill in his Dao Seal, as if something had entered it.
Yang Kai quickly immersed his consciousness inside to investigate.
What he saw was a watery glow surrounding his Dao Seal. The Divine Dao Water was constantly seeping into his Dao Seal as a strange power spread out and was being absorbed. As time passed, Yang Kai did in fact feel his Dao Seal becoming firmer.
The Dao Seal was the manifestation of each cultivator’s Grand Dao. As a cultivator condensed their Dao Seal, all their cultivation was consolidated into it, and a cultivator’s foundation was directly related to the Dao Seal that one condenses. With a good foundation, one’s Dao Seal would be stronger, while the opposite was also true.
Even though no one has ever categorized Dao Seals into Orders, in fact, a cultivator’s Dao Seal can also be divided into different rankings.
Yang Kai’s Dao was the Grand Dao of Space, which he had deep attainments in. If not, he would not have been able to escape the pursuit of all the Low-Rank Open Heaven and Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters after snatching away the Golden Crow carcass.
The Dao of Space was one of the 3,000 Grand Daos, and was a very profound one at that. Naturally, the Dao Seal that Yang Kai condensed using the Dao of Space was not something that regular cultivators could compare with. His foundation allowed him to condense Elements of the Seventh Order and above.
His other foundation was the Wood Element Power that he condensed from the essence of the Immortal Tree, which was a surprise opportunity for him.
But despite this, his Dao Seal still had huge room for improvement. Fortunately, he had not yet reached the Open Heaven Realm. If he had already entered the Open Heaven Realm, then his foundation would be completely set. Then, there would be nothing that the Divine Dao Water could do.
At first, when the mysterious Divine Dao Water seeped into his Dao Seal, Yang Kai felt a slight chill, but following that, a warm and comforting feeling spread out around his Dao Seal. Not daring to dally, Yang Kai concentrated on refining it.
But in fact, refining the Divine Dao Water was a truly difficult process. A single drop of Divine Water took Yang Kai an entire month to completely refine.
After sensing the difference in his Dao Seal from before the process, Yang Kai frowned. It did not feel like the Divine Dao Water actually did much, only providing a 10% improvement at most.
However, on second thought, his Dao Seal was beyond ordinary to begin with. With such a high starting point, it was only natural that the Divine Dao Water would not be able to improve his Dao Seal by much. If it were anyone else, then it might have been a different story.
If a single drop of Divine Water could improve his Dao Seal’s strength by 10%, then would ten drops not be 100%?
Without pause, Yang Kai released his Divine Sense and took out another drop of Divine Water before continuing to refine it. There were at least several dozen drops inside the jade bottle, and this was a rare opportunity, so Yang Kai naturally wanted to raise his Dao Seal’s strength to the maximum extent possible.
Drop after drop of Divine Water was refined, and Yang Kai’s Dao Seal became firmer and firmer; however, as time passed, the benefits of refining the Divine Water gradually diminished.
Another year passed, and when Yang Kai opened his eyes again, he let out a long breath.
He had consumed more than a dozen drops of Divine Dao Water in this one year and improved his Dao Seal to the greatest extent he could. Further refinement of the Divine Water would be useless, and nothing more than a waste.
After putting away the jade bottle, Yang Kai inspected his own body, feeling very satisfied.
Now, even if a Ninth-Order material was placed in front of him, he was confident that he would be able to refine it easily and not have to worry about his Dao Seal not being able to withstand it.
This retreat brought him many benefits. His Dao Seal was now in a much more solid state, allowing him to condense Higher-Order Elements with greater speed and ease. Additionally, he did not have to worry too much even if he were to encounter any type of Divine Ability that targeted his Dao Seal in the future.
He left the room again to go see Zhu Jiu Yin.
There, he was surprised to find Zhu Jiu Yin talking to his two exotic beasts, the Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon, in the courtyard. Yang Kai had no idea what language she was speaking, but it sounded like a pearl dropping onto a jade plate, containing profound Principles and resonating with the Heavenly Dao. The Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon did not notice his arrival in the slightest as they were both listening attentively to her.
It was only after a while that Zhu Jiu Yin smiled, “Alright, that’s all for today. You should go back and cultivate.”
The Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon both nodded to express their gratitude; then, when they turned around and saw Yang Kai, the Scarlet Flood Dragon immediately crawled its way over, roaming by Yang Kai’s legs. The Earth Dragon was much more direct. It opened its mouth and wriggled its body, flinging its saliva everywhere, which landed on the floor in a patter.
Yang Kai was speechless. He tossed out two Dragon Blood Pills to them to get rid of them.
With a rumble, the two big fellows went back down the tunnel they came in from and left after receiving the Dragon Blood Pills.
Yang Kai asked curiously, “How come Senior is in such a good mood as to guide them today?”
He listened for a while earlier, and though he had no idea what Zhu Jiu Yin was actually saying to the Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon, he had a vague feeling that she was helping them enhance their sentience. The reason why the Earth Dragon and the Scarlet Flood Dragon were unable to assume human form was not that they were not strong enough, but because they had not become sentient yet. With Zhu Jiu Yin to guide them, the time it would take them to assume human form would be greatly decreased.
Zhu Jiu Yin smiled, “I had nothing to do, so I just looked for something to occupy myself. But I was also wondering why their bloodlines were so pure. It turns out it was because of you.”
She clearly saw the Dragon Blood Pills earlier. Whether it be the Scarlet Flood Dragon or the Earth Dragon, both of them had a trace of the Dragon Clan bloodline in them; only, it was extremely faint at first. After repeated consumption of Dragon Blood Pills over the past few years though, their Dragon Clan bloodline has also been greatly strengthened, even exceeding the limits of their respective races.
“What do you need me for?” Zhu Jiu Yin asked.
Yang Kai said, “I wished to ask about the Metal Element treasure.”
“I haven’t found anything,” Zhu Jiu Yin shook her head. Her million-strong army had all been mobilized and were scraping through every square metre of the Grand Ancient Ruins, but they still could not find any news of any Metal Element treasures above the Seventh Order. Not only Metal Element, but they also could not find Seventh-Order materials of any of the other Elements either.
As Zhu Jiu Yin said before, the Grand Ancient Ruins had many visitors in the past. Batch after batch of cultivators were swallowed in, which naturally included some brilliant ones. So, many of the precious treasures in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary had already been picked clean. Even if those Divine Spirits had collected some before, they had also given them to their respective Bearers over the years to help increase their strength to improve their chances of seizing the opportunity for them to leave this place.
Yang Kai was slightly disappointed. If even Zhu Jiu Yin was unable to find treasures of the Metal Element at or above the Seventh Order, then he would have little hope of doing so himself.
“Only two places might have what you need now,” Zhu Jiu Yin said softly.
“Where?”
“One is in Golden Eagle Palace, which is naturally the territory of Jin Wu.”
Yang Kai’s face darkened, “Then forget it.” Zhu Jiu Yin had also mentioned Jin Wu a year ago. If he could kill him and take away his Monster Core, then Yang Kai’s requirements would be met, but Jin Wu was a genuine Divine Spirit after all, and Zhu Jiu Yin herself might not be able to defeat him.
“The other place is the Primordial Land. Many treasures are still left in that place.”
“Where is the Primordial Land?” Yang Kai’s eyes lit up. The Primordial Land was where the Moon Essence came from supposedly. Zhu Jiu Yin also told him that the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary used to have a Sun and a Moon, but over time, the Sun burned out, and the Moon broke apart. One piece of its Moon Essence fell into the Primordial Land, which someone had then taken out, eventually landing in Kun Sha’s hands.
“The Primordial Land is where the Spirit Seizing War takes place. It has not opened yet.” Zhu Jiu Yin slowly shook her head.
[If it isn’t open, why bring it up?] Yang Kai was disgruntled, but since the Primordial Land was where the Spirit Seizing War would take place, did that not mean that he would only be able to go in and search for a suitable Metal Element material after it began?
Zhu Jiu Yin had asked him to improve his strength for the Spirit Seizing War, so he simply did not have enough time.
“Can’t you just settle for a Sixth-Order Metal Element treasure?” Zhu Jiu Yin asked with a frown.
Yang Kai replied sternly, “This matter is related to my Grand Dao. It is a lifelong pursuit. How can I settle for less?”
Zhu Jiu Yin simply smiled, thinking to herself that it would not be up to him to make the choices when the time came and changed the subject, “So, how is the cultivation of that technique going?”
“Almost there,” Yang Kai nodded lightly. The Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture was truly esoteric. Fortunately, he had been studying it for a long time and gained some insights into it. Now that his Dao Seal has been reinforced to its limits, there should be no danger for him to condense his Water Element Power.
“Then go ahead and condense the Water Element Power first. I will stand guard for you.”
Yang Kai was about to refuse her, but Zhu Jiu Yin said, “Your life or death affects this Queen’s future, so you have no say in this matter. I might as well tell you that those old guys have all found their own Bearers and are putting their greatest effort into nurturing them. The Spirit Seizing War is sure to be a life or death struggle.”
“In that case… Very well.” An arm cannot be thicker than a thigh, so Yang Kai could only nod in agreement.
After agreeing to enter retreat to condense the Water Element Power three days later, Yang Kai came to Yue He to ask if anything happened while he was in seclusion, but apparently, nothing big occurred. With a Divine Spirit like the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider watching over this Star City, none of them had to worry about others daring to attack.
Three days later, inside a cultivation room, Yang Kai and Zhu Jiu Yin sat opposite each other.
“The subtleties of the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture have already been taught to you. You must remember that this technique is extremely taxing on the mind, so do not take this lightly,” Zhu Jiu Yin reminded him.
Yang Kai nodded, “Rest assured.”
Grasping at the void, a sceptre appeared in his palm. On top of the sceptre was an orb that shone brightly, the Moon Essence.
Dense Water Element aura poured out all at once. If Yang Kai had not seen the might of this thing in person, then he would not have realized the great threat that existed in this gentle Water Element Power.
The sceptre was also made of extremely high-grade materials; otherwise, it would be impossible to set the Moon Essence on it.
But Yang Kai only needed the Water Element Power inside of the Moon Essence. The sceptre was of no use to him.
After taking out the Moon Essence from the sceptre, Yang Kai could not help but shiver the moment his hand made contact with the orb. A freezing cold spread from the palm of his hand and instantly eroded his mind, as if to freeze his Soul.
What’s more, a layer of frost was quickly building up on the surface of his palm at a rate visible to the naked eye, soon extending up to his elbow.
With a puff, black fire was ignited that gradually melted the frost and warmed the shocking cold.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s beautiful eyes glinted with surprise, “Golden Crow’s True Fire?”
She was a Divine Spirit, so she naturally had a keen sense of other Divine Spirit’s flames. After a moment, she nodded lightly. If this brat in front of her had the Golden Crow’s True Fire, then it would greatly lessen the cold of the refining process of the Moon Essence.
“Senior, I will begin now,” Yang Kai informed her. Then he closed his eyes and focused his mind.
Urging the power of his Dao Seal, he drew out the Ice Element Power from the Moon Essence.
In an instant, Yang Kai felt as if he had sunken into ten-thousand-year-old frozen ice. Even his thoughts became a little slow. The coldness that had been suppressed burst out once more, freezing his two hands solid while frost spread out across his body at a rate visible to the naked eye.
The Moon Essence was merely emitting coldness out of instinct before so he was able to suppress it with the Golden Crow’s True Fire without issue, but now that he was drawing out the power of the Moon Essence himself, the Golden Crow’s True Fire could no longer hold it down.
The fire burned in a hot blaze, but the icy coldness was able to suppress the Golden Crow’s True Fire.
Zhu Jiu Yin’s face changed slightly. She paid close attention to Yang Kai’s movements, waiting for the moment when things started to take a turn for the worse to immediately put a stop to it. Yang Kai was the Bearer that she chose, so she naturally could not just watch him die; otherwise, it would be difficult for her to find another Bearer as excellent as this one. Time was running out, and she had no time to nurture another candidate.
In other words, if Yang Kai died here, then she would have to wait until the next time the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary opened to find another Bearer to seize the opportunity to escape from this cage.
The coldness could be seen eroding his body, when a green glow suddenly emerged around his rapidly withering form. The glow was filled with surging vitality. Even Zhu Jiu Yin could not help but feel moved by this sight. She could not understand what sort of Wood Element it was that Yang Kai had condensed to have such a powerful force.
The Wood Element Power lingered around his body, and his withering figure slowly regained its lustre.
Then, it continued to freeze under the cold before recovering again. This repeated on and on and looked quite dangerous, but there seemed to be a delicate balance forming.
This was not to say that the might of the Moon Essence surpassed that of the combined might of both the Immortal Tree and the Golden Crow’s True Fire, but rather that both Powers had already been condensed inside of Yang Kai’s Dao Seal, and he was not strong enough to unleash their full potential. Meanwhile, the Moon Essence in his hands had fully displayed its might once activated, and so was naturally able to defeat the two with only itself.
Yang Kai and Zhu Jiu Yin could not help but let out a sigh of relief. The combined power of the Golden Crow’s True Fire and the Immortal Tree was finally able to suppress the icy coldness of the Moon Essence.
But his body’s continued freezing and thawing naturally brought about unbearable pain to Yang Kai; still, his mind’s focus was only on his Dao Seal.
The Dao Seal was filled with three kinds of Powers, but suddenly, a new Ice Element Power appeared.
This was naturally the power of the Moon Essence. The balance that existed within the Dao Seal was instantly shattered, sending the Five Elements into chaos. Whether it be the Wood Element, the Fire Element, or the Earth Element, all of them were rampaging inside Yang Kai’s Dao Seal, as if they were trying to shatter it.
Yang Kai grunted. His mind and spirit were shaken while the blood was surging in his chest. Sure enough, condensing an Element this way was dangerous. If he had not reinforced his Dao Seal with the Divine Dao Water, then this attempt would have been disastrous; after all, the Order of the Elements in his Dao Seal was extremely high, so their impact was not small when they went out of control. Without the robustness of his Dao Seal having been reinforced, Yang Kai would not have been able to hold up for long.
But now, his Dao Seal was different. After consuming over a dozen drops of Divine Dao Water, Yang Kai’s Dao Seal was almost twice as firm as before, so it could still withstand this level of impact.
Yang Kai quickly circulated the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture to harmonize the Five Elements and put order back in place.
Following the activation of the technique, the disorderly Elements began to calm, a result Yang Kai was happy to see.
Even though he had known that the technique was effective when he had been studying the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture, he had never tried it for himself and felt uneasy because of it. But now that he had tried it, the Elements were immediately brought to order, showing that this technique truly was effective. It could allow a cultivator to ignore the order of the Five Elements and gather them as they pleased.
In this way, he did not have to be in such a great rush to find a suitable Metal Element treasure. He would have a chance to find one later, so it would not be too late to condense it then.
But very soon, Yang Kai discovered the drawbacks of this method. Just as Zhu Jiu Yin said before, the technique exerted a lot of pressure on one’s mind as it needed to be circulated continuously at all times. If it was interrupted, then the Five Elements would immediately become disrupted.
The reason that Zhu Jiu Yin had to stand guard for him was to prevent such risks. With her strength, if she were to perceive that something was not right, she could forcefully intervene. Of course, Yang Kai would also suffer damage to his foundation as a result of it.
Under close observation, Zhu Jiu Yin discovered that Yang Kai was not in any great danger, and she had to click her tongue in wonder at that. She thought to herself that the might of this brat’s Spiritual Energy was truly extraordinary. Even though her previous Bearer was also not bad, he seemed a little lacking compared to this one. At the very least, her old Bearer was unable to bring the Five Elements back into order in such a short amount of time and with such ease.
Of course, she had no idea that Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy was indeed much stronger than his peers. Yang Kai had obtained the Soul Warming Lotus at a young age, and after so many years of the Soul Warming Lotus’ constant nourishment, Yang Kai’s Soul and Spiritual Energy had grown much stronger than others in his realm.
Later, after consummating his marriage with Yu Ru Meng, Yang Kai obtained her Primordial Yin which she had been cultivating for thousands of years. Yu Ru Meng was a Charm Demon Demon Saint, and her Spiritual Energy was unmatched amongst all of the Demon Saints and Great Emperors. Obtaining her Primordial Yin allowed Yang Kai’s Spiritual Energy to soar once more, almost bringing him to the level of a Great Emperor while he was still in the Emperor Realm.
Later, when he ascended to become Void Great Emperor, the might of his Soul rose like a rising tide that lifts all boats.
So, for Yang Kai, maintaining the Defying Yin-Yang Five Elements Profound Universe Heart Scripture with a thread of consciousness and harmonizing the Five Elements Powers was not too difficult.
His body was unhindered, and the icy chill was suppressed by the Golden Crow’s True Fire. He also had the Wood Element Power to repair the damage done to his body. His mind was unhindered as his strong Divine Sense was enough for him to efficiently multitask. His Dao Seal was also unhindered. With the Divine Dao Water to reinforce it, it could resist the impact of the Elements and remain unshaken!
Once the first step was taken, everything else was easy.
As time passed, the Water Element Power in the Moon Essence was condensed by Yang Kai into his Dao Seal.
The Moon Essence that Yang Kai held in his palm gradually grew dim.
Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly looked down and stared blankly at the Moon Essence in Yang Kai’s hand. She hadn’t paid much attention to it earlier since her focus was on Yang Kai himself, ready to react to any accidents. Only after Yang Kai’s condition stabilized did she have the time to notice other things.
She noticed a thread of spirituality being born in the Moon Essence. Looking closely, there was indeed a stream of light flowing inside of the Moon Essence.
She was surprised.
[Is this Moon Essence gaining sentience?]
As far as she could remember, this Moon Essence was a treasure brought out by one of Kun Sha’s former Bearers from the Primordial Land. Only, the Bearer was unable to secure an opportunity for Kun Sha, so out of anger, Kun Sha killed him. Later, the Moon Essence became the Sea Clan’s Sacred Treasure.
Tens of thousands of years had already passed since then, and the spiritual beliefs of the Sea Clan continued gathering in this Moon Essence. It was indeed possible for a dead object to gain spirituality in such a manner.
If this Moon Essence had not fallen into Yang Kai’s hands, then in another few thousand years, it might have been reborn as a living being. If that happened, then it might have had the possibility of becoming an existence no less than that of a Divine Spirit!
But now that the Moon Essence was being absorbed and refined by Yang Kai, the Moon Essence Spirit would most likely not be born.
For Zhu Jiu Yin though, there was nothing to pity. The stronger Yang Kai was, the greater his chance of seizing the opportunity would be. More than just a mere thread of spirituality, even if the Moon Essence was truly alive, she would have killed it so Yang Kai could refine it.
Under her watchful eyes, the light inside of the Moon Essence gradually dimmed, clearly being absorbed and refined by Yang Kai.
Zhu Jiu Yin stood up and drifted out of the room.
The rest did not require her attention. If Yang Kai had already refined it to this extent yet still had an accident, that would mean that he was not even worth nurturing to begin with.
Half a year later, Yang Kai opened his eyes. Looking down, the Moon Essence in his hands had already crumbled into dust, flowing through the gaps in his fingers. The Water Element Power inside of the Moon Essence has been completely extracted and condensed into his Dao Seal.
Yang Kai listened with his ears and frowned. He constantly felt as if there was some sort of strange voice in his head that was trying to tell him something, but when he tried to listen to it closely, the voice would disappear.
He could not help but feel a little creeped out by this and wondered whether something had gone wrong while he was refining the Moon Essence.
Zhu Jiu Yin was no longer in the room with him, and he had no idea when she left. Yang Kai left the room in a flash and saw Yue He standing in wait outside.
When she saw Yang Kai, Yue He’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Young Master, did you succeed?”
Yang Kai nodded subconsciously, “En, I succeeded.”
“Then why did it take so long?” Yue He could not help but feel nervous when she saw the strange expression on his face.
Indeed, refining his Water Element took a long time. Previously, it only took Yang Kai a little less than two months to refine his Earth Element from the Dragon Bead of an Earth Attribute Great Dragon. But this time, he took an entire half-year to condense his Water Element Power.
“It took longer to refine this one because it does not follow the order of the Five Elements,” Yang Kai explained. He was lacking a Metal Element treasure, so it naturally took him more time to refine this Water Element treasure.