Manager Zhou asked with a bitter face, “Can Sect Master Yang change his conditions?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “I cannot.”
Manager Zhou couldn’t help but smile bitterly, and after pondering for a long time, he said, “This matter is very important, and this Old Master can’t make the decision. I will need to consult my superiors for instructions, but Sect Master Yang, I think there is a good chance that those in charge will not agree to your demands.”
Yang Kai said in response, “Manager Zhou, just ask, whether they agree or not is up to them.”
“Then… all right.” Now that it had come to this, there was no need for further discussion. Each of them had put forward their own requirements and conditions. The only thing remaining was to see whether the two sides could reach an agreement on the issue. It was not something for Manager Zhou to decide, so he stood up and said, “Alright, this Old Master will leave first and deal with this matter.”
Yang Kai personally sent him out of the reception hall before returning.
Qu Hua Shang, wrapped in a fragrant scent, rushed to Yang Kai’s side and stretched out her hand without hesitation and took his arm. With her large twin peaks pressing up against his arm, she delicately called out, “Junior Brother…”
Yang Kai looked at her with narrowed eyes and said with a headache, “Does Senior Sister have something to say? I promise I will never refuse if it is something I can do!”
Qu Hua Shang smiled and exhaled a breath filled with the scent of an orchid in Yang Kai’s ear, “I knew Junior Brother was the best. About those Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills…”
Yang Kai pulled his arms out of Qu Hua Shang’s grasp, and said with a smile while he faced her directly, “Before Senior Sister speaks, could she please confirm whether she came to Void Land this time for herself or for Yin-Yang Cave Heaven?”
Qu Hua Shang’s long lashes fluttered when she blinked, “Is there a difference?”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Senior Sister, do you have to ask me that?”
“Junior Brother, you’re so ruthless.” Qu Hua Shang’s face was filled with resentment, like she was a weak woman abandoned by Yang Kai after a thoughtless night of fun, which would make one feel sorry for her, “Why ask such a cruel question, Junior Brother? Did you forget how tightly we held one another in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven just to stay warm?”
Yang Kai said sternly, “It is precisely because I remember that I have to ask clearly.”
Qu Hua Shang gave him a charming look. This woman had originally already been a seductress, but now that she had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, she had become more and more enchanting…
Yang Kai sat down and drank his tea without looking at her.
Qu Hua Shang, annoyed, came to sit down beside him angrily, after which she puffed up her cheeks and said, “Since Junior Brother wants to distinguish between public and private affairs, let’s talk about proper business first!”
Yang Kai gestured in agreement.
Qu Hua Shang continued, “My Yin-Yang Cave Heaven would like to buy some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills from Junior Brother!”
“No!” Yang Kai replied immediately.
Qu Hua Shang glared at him fiercely, slapped the table and said, “Just now you and Old Zhou said that you would sell 3 to Asura Cave Heaven!”
Yang Kai said slowly, “Naturally, that was the last available stock.”
Qu Hua Shang’s chest heaved as she grit her teeth and said, “You will not suffer a loss in terms of price, Junior Brother. I can make the decision on that.”
Yang Kai thought for a while, then smiled, “If Yin-Yang Cave Heaven can sell me a High-Rank Yin Element treasure…”
“Junior Brother, you should give up on that, those old farts agreeing to this condition is absolutely impossible.” Qu Hua Shang said speechlessly, “No matter how high a price you offer it won’t happen!”
Yang Kai raised his brow and asked, “Is Senior Sister certain?”
Qu Hua Shang gently nodded, “I don’t dare to say anything else, but what Old Zhou said was right. The attitudes maintained by the Cave-Heavens and Paradises are firm and united, no one will sell you a High-Rank Yin Element treasure.”
Yang Kai frowned.
Seeing that he was in a low mood, Qu Hua Shang also slightly regretted that she had spoken too much, and swiftly changed the subject, “Junior Brother, what if it is I, your Senior Sister, who wants Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills?”
Yang Kai casually asked, “How many does Senior Sister need?”
Qu Hua Shang looked at him in disbelief, “Do you have that many of them?”
Yang Kai smiled slightly, “I don’t have a lot, but it should meet Senior Sister Qu’s needs.”
Qu Hua Shang fidgeted for a while before muttering awkwardly, “Five… No, three is enough.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Kai put a jade bottle in front of her. Qu Hua Shang picked it up and opened it, only to see that there were five Spirit Pills inside. Although she had never seen this Spirit Pill before, she was certain that they were Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills.
With some slight shock, Qu Hua Shang called out, “Junior Brother, you…” She was now an Open Heaven Realm Master, so she had no need for these Spirit Pills. It was not possible that Yang Kai was unaware of this, but he still took out five of them the instant she asked.
Yang Kai followed up, “In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, if it were not for Senior Sister’s unwavering support, I am afraid that the consequences would have been disastrous. No cost can be put on a life-saving grace, so a few trivial Spirit Pills is nothing. Senior Sister asked for them, so how can I, as your Junior Brother, refuse?”
Qu Hua Shang was deeply moved, and as squeezed the jade bottle in her hand tightly, she whispered, “Junior Brother, thank you!”
Putting away the jade bottle, Qu Hua Shang added, “There is one more thing that I need the help of Junior Brother for!”
“Senior Sister, please speak.”
“When I came this time, I was also ordered by my Master to come to your Void Star City to set up a Dao Temple, but I came a little late, and the better locations were taken away by others, so…”
Yang Kai nodded knowingly, but was also a little puzzled, “Why does Yin-Yang Cave Heaven want to set up a Dao Temple? Could it be to open the door to accept disciples? But there’s no need to do that in this Star City.”
Qu Hua Shang smiled, “You should have some understanding of the situation in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. Disciples, whether male or female, need to find a partner when the time is right, but how difficult is it to find a partner who is suitable for them and can accompany them for a lifetime? Even if they do find someone appealing, they may not be willing to marry into Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
She glanced at Yang Kai accusingly as she spoke.
Yang Kai looked down his nose, ignoring her stare.
“That’s why some of the outstanding disciples from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven need to go out for life experience and to mingle with fellow cultivators in various Dao Temples, so as to find a good match.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai nodded. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was trying to use this as a way to recruit people under them and enhance their own strength, “A simple matter. I’ll have Second Manager accompany you and let you choose whichever location you need for your Dao Temple.”
“Then this Senior Sister will thank Junior Brother in advance.” Qu Hua Shang thanked him, and after a pause, pursed her lips and smiled, “Now that proper business is over, let’s talk about private affairs.”
Yang Kai looked at her suspiciously, “What else does Senior Sister want to talk about?”
Qu Hua Shang blushed slightly and replied shyly, “Could it be that Junior Brother forgot what I told you in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven? Those words are still valid now, so if you could agree…”
She now seemed like a naïve young lady, one who would grasp everyone’s attention.
Yang Kai wanted to ask what was going on, but when he saw her eyes, he understood everything. In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Qu Hua Shang wanted to recruit Yang Kai on behalf of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, bluntly saying that she hoped that he could enter Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, the premise being only after she broke through to the Open Heaven Realm.
However, at that time, Qu Hua Shang was still just an Emperor Realm cultivation, and had not yet reached the Open Heaven Realm, so she needed to fall in love with Yang Kai and cut off her emotions to reach a Grand Accomplishment in the Heartless Grand Dao.
But now that she was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, what was the point of mentioning this?
Qu Hua Shang added, “If Junior Brother becomes my partner, there is no need for you to join Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, since you are now the lord of Void Land, we only need to maintain it in name. If you want to stay in Void Land, you can stay here, or if you want to come to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, you can do that too.”
Yang Kai looked at her and said, “Is this what you want, Senior Sister, or is this what Yin-Yang Cave Heaven wants?”
Qu Hua Shang lowered her head, twisted her hands around the corners of her clothes, and said softly, “It doesn’t matter whose wish it is, what matters is what Junior Brother thinks.”
Seeing her act this way, Yang Kai was touched to know that Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had not requested this. Rather, it was completely pursued by Qu Hua Shang herself. She wanted to use Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to shield him, even at the expense of her own reputation.
He hurriedly got up and bowed, “Senior Sister’s good intentions, this Junior Brother has received them, but… I am only one step away. If I can’t take this step, my Dao Heart will forever be obscured, and even if I achieve the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, I am afraid that it will become difficult to continue in the future.”
Hearing this, Qu Hua Shang sighed. Although she had expected it, she was still a little disappointed to hear Yang Kai say this. She raised her head and said with a smile, “Senior Sister admires Junior Brother’s firm will in the pursuit of the Martial Dao. I will be stationed in this Star City in the future, so maybe I will come visit you in your Void Land from time to time. I hope it won’t be too troublesome when the time comes.”
Yang Kai laughed, “I’d like nothing more, how could it be troublesome?”
Qu Hua Shang stood up, “Then I’ll say take my leave first. I’ll return when matters related to the Dao Temple have been settled.”
Yang Kai got up to send her off, and at the same time summoned Bian Yu Qing to accompany her to the Governor’s Residence to help her choose the location for the Dao Temple.
Once the arrangements were made, Yang Kai entered retreat once more.
However, before he could start cultivating, he noticed that the isolation barrier had been touched and frowned. He opened the barrier, and Bian Yu Qing walked in from the outside, “Sect Master!”
“Has Qu Hua Shang’s business arrangements been completed?” Yang Kai asked.
Bian Yu Qing said, “Yes, the arrangements have been made.” As she spoke, she took out a wooden box and handed it to Yang Kai.
“What is this?” Yang Kai asked suspiciously.
Bian Yu Qing looked at him with a puzzled face, “Isn’t this something that Sect Master left behind? Some disciples saw it while cleaning the reception hall, and thought it was something that the Sect Master had accidentally dropped, so they handed it over to this Mistress.”
Yang Kai laughed, “How could I have left something behind, it should be Senior Sister Qu’s. Go and return the box to her.”
Bian Yu Qing replied, “Sect Master, if this was really Lady Qu’s, then it can’t be sent back, since this should be her gift to you. She is a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, how could she have taken out and then forgotten a box for no reason?”
When Yang Kai heard this, he pondered over it. After Qu Hua Shang entered the reception hall, he hadn’t seen her take out this box. Only after she left did a disciple discover it, which made it apparent that Qu Hua Shang had left it behind on purpose.
Her cultivation was now much higher than Yang Kai’s, so if she wanted to do something covertly, he would not be able to discover it. If it wasn’t for the disciples who saw it while cleaning the reception hall, it would not have been found.
“The contents of this box should be very valuable!” Bian Yu Qing casually stated.
“Why do you say so?” Yang Kai raised his brow.
“She must have secretly left it behind because it is precious and she knew Sect Master would not accept it if she passed it to you directly.” Bian Yu Qing made a slight bow, “If there is nothing else, this subordinate will retire first.”
After Bian Yu Qing left, Yang Kai held the jade box in his hand, slightly dazed. He didn’t know what Qu Hua Shang left for him before she left, but he vaguely felt that what his Second Manager said was not unreasonable.
The box was blocked by a seal, but the method to unlock it was not too troublesome. Yang Kai used a Secret Technique and opened the box, but after seeing what was inside, he was slightly startled.
The contents of the box were indeed, as Bian Yu Qing said, extremely valuable, and not just ordinarily valuable either.
It contained a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core!
This was clearly the one Qu Hua Shang obtained in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. At that time, she and Yang Kai comprehended the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, and crossed the blood lake to reach the central palace. On the third island, Qu Hua Shang obtained a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core, while Yang Kai only got a Fifth-Order Core, which made him envious.
Seventh-Order materials in general were worth at least 150 million Open Heaven Pills, while materials of the Yin or Yang Element would be even higher than that. Yang Kai originally bid for a Seventh-Order Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng at an exchange meeting, and it had cost him a great fortune. If such a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core was put up for auction, it would definitely cause a huge scramble, and it could easily be sold for 200 million Open Heaven Pills.
But now, such an item worth at least 200 million, was deliberately left here by Qu Hua Shang for Yang Kai.
It was only now that Yang Kai understood why Qu Hua Shang accepted the five Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills he had given her without hesitation, and never asked how much they were worth. It turned out that she had already planned on compensating him with this.
Five Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills were worth a lot, but they were nothing compared to a Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core.
She also knew that he wouldn’t accept it, so she left it behind secretly.
Being a disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she could not help Yang Kai buy what he needed from her own Sect, and could only help him within her own abilities. Since this thing did not belong to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and was instead something she owned personally, she had the right to do whatever she pleased with it.
Yang Kai was extremely grateful and solemnly put away the Seventh-Order Monster Core.
A few days later, the Void Auction House’s third auction began.
The Void Auction House was filled to the brim today. The auction house, which was built by Yun Xing Hua himself, had an atmosphere of magnificence. It was constructed according to Yang Kai’s requirements, and could accommodate 10,000 people with ease in the main floor, and had many private rooms for VIP guests.
Compared to the previous two auctions, this one was undoubtedly of a higher standard.
Because the Star City now had a resounding reputation and a much higher population, many people that had great treasures and had no way to sell them entrusted them to the auction house to auction on their behalf. The Void Auction House was naturally happy to do so, so the auction conducted this time was much livelier and fiery than the previous two.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, which was the finale item, broke through the 10 million mark easily and was eventually won by a Master in one of the private rooms.
In Room A1, Yang Kai was sitting in a chair with Bian Yu Qing accompanying him by his side.
Seemingly sensing Yang Kai’s anticipation, Bian Yu Qing said, “Sect Master, it’s time.”
Yang Kai gently nodded, rubbing his fingers unconsciously.
In the past two auctions, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill marked the end, but this time was different.
On the auction stage, Yun Xing Hua said loudly, “Honoured Guests, today we have a special item we would like to present, and I believe many will certainly be interested in it!”
In the auction house, the people who were about to leave stopped and looked towards Yun Xing Hua curiously. The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had already been auctioned off, so what else did Void Land have to offer? Was it more precious than the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill?
In front of everyone’s eyes, Yun Xing Hua took out a wooden box, used a Secret Technique to open its seal, and declared loudly, “A Seventh-Order Yang Element Monster Core from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven!”
The audience immediately flew into an uproar. Although the auction held by Void Auction House was quite good this time and many high-class items had appeared, no one had imagined that such a valuable item would appear. Even top auction houses like Red Clouds Auction House, which belonged to Red Clouds Cave Heaven, would often have Seventh-Order items for sale.
From the private rooms, powerful Divine Senses undisguisedly swarmed towards the wooden box to check whether it really was really true.
Although Yun Xing Hua was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master, cold sweat oozed from his forehead due to the pressure that was like a mountain engulfing him at that moment. He felt like he was a little sheep that was being targeted by a bunch of hungry wolves.
Suppressing the trepidation in his heart, Yun Xing Hua took a deep breath and continued, “This item is not for auction, and only an exchange will be accepted. My Void Auction House would like to exchange this for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure. If anyone has something suitable, please contact me, and rest assured, my Void Auction House will definitely give enough compensation!”
Yun Xing Hua looked around and waited for a long time, but no one made a sound.
In Room A1, Yang Kai also monitored the situation, but he did not feel too disappointed to see no response since he had expected this.
This time was just a publicity stunt. Yang Kai believed that due to this announcement, the news that Void Auction House was trying to exchange a Seventh-Order Yang Element treasure for a Seventh-Order Yin Element treasure would soon spread, and anyone who met the conditions would take the initiative to approach them. Of course, this was provided that this person was not from any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.
Yang Kai was confident that in this way, the matter regarding his need for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure would be known to the entire 3,000 Worlds!
Yang Kai wanted to act secretively, but he had already revealed the fact that he had condensed multiple High-Order Elements. Anyone who was interested in him could deduce what Elements he currently lacked. There was no harm in letting others know that he needed a Yin Element treasure now.
This was probably not something that he would get in a short period of time. He might have to wait for a long time, maybe three to five years, several dozen years, or even hundreds of years…
But Yang Kai could wait. Compared to the pursuit of the Martial Dao, a small wait was but a trivial matter.
Moreover, he was still young, and he had only recently entered the vast Outer Universe. In a trivial twenty or thirty years, he had already accomplished what ordinarily took others hundreds if not thousands of years to complete. He had enough qualifications to wait it out.
While waiting, he could also accumulate and fortify his foundation, paving a smoother road to his future, thus saving himself time and effort when he eventually did break through!
Void Auction House held an auction every three months, and the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was the final item every single time. Even though one was sold every three months, the price of this item only got higher with time; after all, there were too many cultivators that needed this kind of Spirit Pill.
Which Cave Heaven or Paradise did not have a few Core Disciples? When these disciples advance to the Open Heaven realm, even if they were well prepared, and even if they had great confidence in themselves, accidents could always occur.
Throughout the ages, how many geniuses had fallen due to tiny mistakes, vanishing from the annals of history?
If those Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted their disciples to advance to the Open Heaven Realm successfully, the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was the best guarantee! Across the 3,000 Worlds, the only place a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill could be acquired was Void Auction House.
Void Star City’s popularity was booming, and it had only taken a trivial year to become crowded. The Void Dock now had to limit the flow of people entering the city, because every moment, there were more flight-type artifacts queuing up outside, waiting to be let in. Only when people inside left were people outside allowed to enter.
Bian Yu Qing was planning on expanding the size of Star City, because under the current situation, it was already somewhat unable to meet its high popularity.
But she was overruled by Yang Kai after she made this proposal.
Void Land had sprung up suddenly and had been growing too fast, leading to a lack of experience in various matters. So right now, they had to focus on gaining stability, not endless expansion.
Therefore, even though he knew that expanding the Star City could bring even greater profits, Yang Kai did not agree to it.
Since there were two Divine Spirits in Void Land, Yang Kai felt that as long as he didn’t go out and cause trouble, the Cave Heavens and Paradises wouldn’t do anything to him. It would not be too late to make plans after he got his High-Rank Yin Element treasure and advanced to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
One day, when Yang Kai was in the middle of retreat, he felt the barrier being touched, so he opened his eyes.
Without an appropriate Yin Element material, he could not advance to the Open Heaven Realm. He had entered retreat this time only to further his understanding of the Elements he had already condensed, hoping he might uncover some kind of new Divine Ability from them. As such, it wasn’t a big problem that he was disturbed.
Opening the barrier, Bian Yu Qing walked in from outside.
Yang Kai asked, “Does Senior Sister Qu need something again?”
In the past six months, Qu Hua Shang had opened a Dao Temple in the Star City. She had just advanced to the Open Heaven Realm, so she had spent most of her time there for two reasons. One was to maintain the stability of the Dao Temple itself, and the other was to consolidate her new cultivation.
Yang Kai had also been to the Dao Temple once and participated in discussions about the Grand Dao, but he used Seven Faces to change his appearance and aura to do so. He found that the so-called Grand Dao discourse was actually just a group of young attractive people gathering together to market themselves, which wasn’t of any interest to him.
But Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had a need for this kind of place, since it was full of beautiful women and handsome men looking to find partners.
From time to time, Qu Hua Shang would come to Void Land to look for Yang Kai. It was never for any serious reason and instead just to casually chat with him.
Yang Kai knew that she wanted him to join Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but she never broached the topic directly.
Naturally, since Bian Yu Qing had come to alert him of a guest, he immediately thought it was that seductress again.
But Bian Yu Qing shook her head and reported, “It is not Lady Qu who is looking for you, but a young man named Fang Yue. He says he is an old acquaintance of Sect Master’s.”
“Fang Yue?” Yang Kai frowned slightly, vaguely feeling that this name was familiar, as if he had heard of it somewhere, but it did not immediately ring a bell.
After thinking carefully, Yang Kai finally remembered that among the people he knew, there was only one guy named Fang Yue, whom he met in the Primordial Land of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. But there was not much of a friendship between them as Yang Kai simply brought him out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary at the end of the Spirit Seizing War.
However, there were quite a lot of people who were brought out by Yang Kai at that time, all of whom were chosen by the various Divine Spirits as Bearers but had the misfortune of losing the battle to Yang Kai. Yang Kai still had a lot of Faith Tokens left behind by these disciples of various great forces. These young people had left these tokens with Yang Kai in the hopes that, if he had time in the future, he would visit their Sects so they could show their appreciation for the life-saving grace he had shown them.
Yang Kai did save their lives, after all. If he did not use the Sealed World Bead to bring them out, many of them might have been killed by the enraged Divine Spirits backing them.
However, now that he was seen by some Cave Heavens and Paradises as a threat to peace and order, they may have to rethink their proposal, since befriending Yang Kai could bring disaster to their Sects.
So even though Yang Kai had now become Void Land’s Sect Master, and the battle that ended with the destruction of the Hundred Sects Alliance had made Void Land famous, no one had come to visit.
Fang Yue was not like them and obviously did not share their worries, since he was a loner, not associated with any great force.
If Yang Kai remembered correctly, the Divine Spirit that stood behind this guy at that time was the Solid Earth Black Tortoise, and then in the Primordial Land, he acquired a Divine Medicine, the Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus. Both of these combined basically made his defences impregnable.
There were a number of Divine Medicines in the Primordial Land. Yang Kai got Pu Bai Xiong and the Little Mushroom, Fang Yue got the Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus, and a guy named Xiang Ying got the Purple Bamboo. The Divine Medicine Ah Ku was obtained by an unknown cultivator, and a man surnamed Gou obtained the Gourd Vine initially, but he was killed by Yang Kai, which led to the Gourd Vine falling into Yang Kai’s hands.
Thus, Yang Kai obtained three of the six known Divine Medicines.
Divine Medicines each had tremendous effects. Taking Pu Bai Xiong as an example, each of the berries on his head had unimaginable healing efficacies, and even a man half a step through the gates of death could be brought back to full health by eating one. In the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, when Yang Kai was being chased by Yin Xin Zhao, if he had a berry from Pu Bai Xiong on hand, he would not have fallen into such a miserable state.
So, when Yang Kai came back after that, ignoring Pu Bai Xiong’s strong protests, he took a berry to keep for emergencies, earning him Pu Bai Xiong’s ire for several days.
Little Mushroom evolved from a Profound Multi-Coloured Illusionary Mushroom, which had unparalleled natural hallucinogenic powers. Yang Kai placed her in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array as the Array Core of the Illusion Array, strengthening both even further.
The Thousand Leaves Stone Lotus had supreme defensive power, the Purple Bamboo that Xiang Ying had could suppress all types of Principles, while the Gourd Vine could exert power equal to the strength displayed by a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. The only thing Yang Kai didn’t understand was what Divine Medicine Ah Ku was, and since his Master had never used it to do anything, there was no way to guess.
Yang Kai had never thought of exploiting the life-saving grace he had shown to those people, so when he first heard of Fang Yue’s visit, he didn’t have much of a reaction at all.
But after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly understood why this guy had come at this time.
If things were really as he guessed, perhaps… Void Land could gain a powerful Master in the near future!
“If Sect Master doesn’t want to see him, this subordinate will turn him down,” Seeing Yang Kai hesitate, Bian Yu Qing thought that Fang Yue was taking the opportunity to climb the ladder, and felt a little unhappy. Now that Void Land had become famous, such an occurrence would not be unusual.
Yang Kai, however, just smiled and said, “Show him in.”
At his response, Bian Yu Qing took out a communication bead and sent a message outside.
After waiting for an incense stick’s worth of time, a Void Land disciple led a young man with thick brows and big eyes into the reception hall. It was Fang Yue.
When he saw Yang Kai, Fang Yue’s eyes lit up with a look of relief. He took two steps forward and cupped his fist, “Senior Brother Yang!”
“Brother Fang!” Yang Kai nodded lightly.
Fang Yue looked at him incredulously and said, “When we left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, I did not expect that in less than ten years, Senior Brother Yang would have made such a grand accomplishment. When I heard the name of the Void Land’s Sect Master, this Fang couldn’t believe it at first. I thought perhaps it was another man with the same name, but I never thought it would really be Senior Brother Yang.”
“Opportunities and coincidences.” Yang Kai smiled and gestured, “Brother Fang, let’s sit down and talk.”
Fang Yue did not stand on ceremony and sat down readily as the maidservant served tea.
Yang Kai looked at him and asked, “Does Brother Fang have some advice for me today?”
Fang Yue laughed and said, “Senior Brother Yang is now the Master of a great force with numerous Open Heaven Realm Masters for subordinates, not to mention, even a great force like Heavenly Sword Union has been defeated by your Void Land. I am but a trivial person with no roots, how can I give you any guidance? I came here today just to thank Senior Brother for saving my life that day.”
Yang Kai smirked in his heart, but he said with a solemn expression, “What happened that day was just a simple matter. Brother Fang need not worry about it.”
Fang Yue replied sternly, “To Senior Brother, it may have just been a minor matter, but to this Fang, it was a life-saving grace. I was selected as a Bearer by that Divine Spirit in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, and spent a lot of effort to cultivate, but the result was a complete failure. I was unable to assist my backer in achieving what he wanted, and without your help, Senior Brother, the consequences would have been dire. I, along with many others, would definitely have been killed by those enraged Divine Spirits.”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Not necessarily. Some Divine Spirits were actually quite friendly.”
The Divine Spirit that took in Gu Pan would not have killed her, but Kun Sha, the Divine Spirit that supported Lin Feng, would definitely have eaten Lin Feng alive to vent out his rage. Naturally, each Divine Spirit had a different temperament and each of them acted in different ways.
“In any case, Senior Brother’s life-saving grace cannot be forgotten!” Fang Yue continued, “This Fang is not someone who does not know how to repay the kindness that he receives. The favour from that day has been etched into this Fang’s heart. If Senior Brother has any orders, just speak up, and this Fang will never decline.”
Yang Kai chuckled and said, “Junior Brother Fang is too serious, my Void Land is at peace now, so there is no need to speak of such heavy matters.”
“No no, no matter what it is…. this Fang wants to do something to repay this favour. If not, I will not be able to eat and sleep in peace.” Fang Yue’s face was earnest.
“It’s really fine.” Yang Kai said while shaking his head slowly.
Fang Yue asked anxiously, “When I came here, I passed through the Star City dock and it was quite overcrowded. Does Senior Brother need manpower to maintain order? Although this Fang’s cultivation is low, I will still do my best.”
Yang Kai said, “I have people guarding the dock, so I won’t bother Brother Fang. Well, if Brother Fang is free, you might as well spend some time in my Void Land. I still have some things to do, so I won’t be able to accompany you further.”
Saying so, he stood up.
Fang Yue rushed up to him in a stride, grabbed Yang Kai’s sleeve, and hurriedly said, “Senior Brother, please stay!”
Yang Kai turned around and looked at him with a smile, “Brother Fang, is there anything else?”
Fang Yue faltered and blushed slightly, unable to speak.
Yang Kai sighed, “Brother Fang, just say what you have to say, why beat around the bush?”
When Fang Yue saw his expression, he suddenly came to his senses, “Senior Brother, you already expected me to ask for help?”
Yang Kai said, “I had a guess, but I wasn’t sure. Now, I am. Brother Fang is here for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, right?”
Fang Yue’s face turned slightly red and he looked very embarrassed when Yang Kai said that, “Senior Brother, this Fang Yue would like to offer his services to you, and hopes Senior Brother will take me in!”
Yang Kai took a deep look at him and held out his hand, “Let’s sit down and talk.”
The two men retook their seats.
Yang Kai said slowly, “Brother Fang should have a great aptitude to be valued by the Solid Earth Black Tortoise and be chosen as his Bearer, but Sixth-Order Elements are probably a bit too much for Brother Fang. Of course, the Solid Earth Black Tortoise would not care about your future problems, he only wanted Brother Fang to be as strong as possible, so that he could win the first place in the Spirit Seizing War. In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the Solid Earth Black Tortoise helped Brother Fang to forcibly raise your strength, right?”
Fang Yue said with shame, “It appears I can’t hide anything from Senior Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai replied, “I was there in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary as well, and I was chosen to be a Bearer, so I know first-hand about such matters.”
At that time, Zhu Jiu Yin also wanted to forcibly raise Yang Kai’s strength by making him condense a Sixth-Order Earth Element. However, Yang Kai staked his own life against it, forcing her to back down.
Furthermore, considering that Yang Kai was originally refining Seventh-Order Elements and his strength was already phenomenal, Zhu Jiu Yin was willing to back down.
But others, such as Fang Yue, were not so lucky, and were forced by their Divine Spirits to condense Sixth-Order or even Seventh-Order Elements.
Even taking the entire 3,000 Worlds into consideration, those who could condense Sixth-Order Powers and directly achieve the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm were extreme rarities, often Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were only a few of such people in each generation, such as Gu Pan, Qu Hua Shang, Lin Feng, Ning Dao Ran and so on.
Although Fang Yue and the others had good aptitudes and were valued by the Divine Spirits, they were still inferior to geniuses like Gu Pan and Qu Hua Shang.
Their limit was the Fifth-Order! Even though forcing them to condense Sixth-Order Elements could grant them more power for a short period of time, allowing them to gain some advantage in the Spirit Seizing War, it would leave fatal drawbacks!
These drawbacks would become more and more serious as they progressed in their cultivation. By condensing Elements beyond what they were capable of bearing, once they tried to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, they would most likely die!
Ding Yi, the leader of Emperor Heaven back then, was forced by Bi Fang to condense a Seventh-Order Fire Element Power, but every time he used this Power, he suffered a serious backlash. He would look like a cooked crab, all red and steaming hot from overheating.
Yang Kai had once asserted that if Ding Yi dared to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, he would die on the spot in nine out of ten cases.
Fang Yue was now facing the same problem.
The only thing that could help him and the others was the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills that Yang Kai had! This Spirit Pill could greatly increase the chances of success. If Fang Yue took one before attempting to break through, although there was no guarantee of success, the chance of failure would be greatly reduced.
However, Fang Yue was only an Emperor Realm cultivator without any background, so how could he earn enough Open Heaven Pills to afford to buy a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill? Thus, he thought that the only way he could survive was by joining Yang Kai. That was why Fang Yue had approached him today.
Fang Yue said with a bitter smile, “In the ten years that I stayed in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, this Fang traversed the path that others could not finish even in a hundred years. With the assistance of Senior Solid Earth Black Tortoise, I refined several materials for different Elements, and advanced straight to the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm. However, this Fang knows his aptitude very clearly. In this Fang’s present situation, I will not be able to bear the impact of advancing to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. The only possible way to survive would be to instead advance to the Third Order, but even then the chances are slim…”
It was easy for him to advance into the Third-Order since he would only need to refine a Third-Order material. The Powers of Yin, Yang, and Five Elements required to break through to the Open Heaven Realm were like the boards of a wooden barrel. The amount of water that could be stored in the wooden barrel depended entirely on the shortest board, regardless of how tall the others were.
“But with such a great starting point, how could this Fang be willing to settle for the trivial Third-Order Open Heaven Realm?”
These words couldn’t help but resonate with Yang Kai, because all of them had a high starting point, they couldn’t settle for such mediocre achievements. The gap was just too big.
Everyone had their own sense of greed, especially when it came to their Martial Dao. Once a person had experienced their first breakthrough, they would want to continue. Yang Kai was the same. He was not willing to waste his high starting point with all the rare materials he had condensed. Although he knew that his journey would be full of thorns and tribulations, he still had no intention of backing down.
Fang Yue was no different.
If it wasn’t for the rise of Void Land, if it wasn’t for Yang Kai using the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills to increase the Star City’s popularity and make the fame of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds, Fang Yue would probably have been resigned to his fate. He would settle for the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm; otherwise, he would lose everything and disappear due to the backlash of trying to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, when he heard that there were Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills in Void Land, it was like a ray of light had pierced through the fog of darkness. Fang Yue felt a glimmer of hope.
That was why he had taken the liberty to visit Yang Kai.
However, Yang Kai’s Void Land already had a mighty army with the finest arms. What advantages could he, a trivial Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, offer Yang Kai in return for such a precious treasure? The only thing he could rely on was the small friendship all of them had in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
Now, it seemed as if this trip had not been in vain. Thinking about it, Yang Kai was not a narrow-minded person. He brought out all the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, disregarding their former status as enemies. Instead, it was Fang Yue who had been overly sceptical and pessimistic.
Reflecting on this, Fang Yue couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed.
“I naturally welcome Brother Fang if you want to join my Void Land, but does Brother Fang know the current situation of my Void Land?”
Fang Yue replied, “I’ve heard a little bit about Senior Brother’s intention to reach the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly, which seemed to have touched the nerves of certain powerful figures, leading to targeted discrimination and suppression.”
Yang Kai looked at him with a smile, “That’s right, the Hundred Sects Alliance was formed to attack us because of this. When the time comes, my Void Land might face trouble. Does Brother Fang still want to join knowing this?”
Fang Yue said, “If I enter Void Land, this Fang will live and die together with Void Land. It’s better to die a glorious death than live a life filled with regrets!”
“Good!” Yang Kai laughed loudly, “If Brother Fang has expressed such an intention, how can this Yang refuse? From now on, you will be a member of my Void Land.”
Feeling overjoyed, Fang Yue got up and saluted, “Disciple Fang Yue, greets Sect Master!”
Yang Kai came forward to help him up, “No need to be polite, you and I will call each other Fellow Brothers in the future!” Fang Yue had condensed Sixth-Order Powers, and would sooner or later advance to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. At that time, he would become a powerhouse of Void Land, so Yang Kai did not want their relationship to stiffen due to their different positions.
Fang Yue said gratefully, “Many thanks, Senior Brother!”
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Since you have joined my Void Land, you should practice well and tell me when you are about to break through to the Open Heaven Realm, I will help you then.”
Fang Yue said in reply, “I am not going to lie to Senior Brother. Right now, I am only one step away from advancing to the Open Heaven Realm. I only need to condense my last Element to break through, but I want to cultivate in retreat for some time to solidify my foundation first, so that I can have a better chance of success.”
“That is for the best.” Yang Kai nodded his head.
When he was in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Fang Yue had already reached the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm with the help of the Solid Earth Black Tortoise. It had been a few years since he had left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so it was not surprising that he was only one step away from breaking through.
“I’ll have someone arrange a place for you to live, so you can cultivate inside the Sect without worry.”
Fang Yue thanked him and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Senior Brother, do you remember Xiang Ying and the others?”
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him and asked curiously, “Junior Brother what do you…”
Fang Yue answered, “There were many Bearers in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. I believe that there are quite a few people who are facing the same predicament as me, such as Xiang Ying and Ding Yi. If Senior Brother offers them the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, I think they would not refuse to join you. Since they were chosen by the Divine Spirits as Bearers in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, they should have condensed at least Fifth-Order Elements. If they can successfully break through to the Open Heaven realm in the future, they will definitely become a great help to Senior Brother!
Yang Kai nodded and said, “While that is true, the 3,000 Worlds is vast. No one knows where they could have gone after leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.”
Fang Yue said with a smile, “I too have no way to contact them, but Senior Brother does not need to worry about that. Even if Senior Brother may not know where they are right now, they certainly know where Senior Brother is. I believe that sooner or later, they will come to you on their own initiative, just like me. All Senior Brother needs to do is to sit back and wait.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “That’s true!”
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the number of people chosen by the Divine Spirits to be Bearers was quite large, 50 at least. While the number of people that did not belong to any sect may not be that great, as long as that number reached thirty percent, that would translate to 15 to 20 people. These people had at least condensed Fifth-Order Elements. Furthermore, people such as Fang Yue and Ding Yi had condensed Sixth-Order Elements. As long as they had a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills as an auxiliary, there was a great chance that all of them could break through to the Fifth or Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
These Bearers already owned Yang Kai a life-saving grace, so if he offered them a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill now, delivering charcoal to them in the frigid winter, then Void Land should have no problem recruiting them.
That would mean, in a relatively short span of time, Void Land could have 15 to 20 more Masters in the Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! That was a terrifying force!
From the situation Fang Yue pitched, it could be seen that the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary needed Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills much more than others. The closer they were to breaking through, the more urgent their need would be.
Thus, what Fang Yue was saying had promise indeed.
“If what this Fang said assured Senior Brother, please let me handle this matter. If I act as an example, I believe they will be more assured.” Fang Yue volunteered. Since he had just joined Void Land, he needed to do something to prove his worth, not just silently cultivate.
“What does Junior Brother plan to do?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows.
Fang Yue smiled and said, “I would like to ask Senior Brother to allocate a store to me. This Junior Brother can open a ‘Grand Ancient Ruins Shop’ in the Star City, not to sell anything, just to allow people to be able to find and come to this Junior Brother.”
Yang Kai laughed, “Is Junior brother trying to ‘fish’?”
Fang Yue winked at him and said, “The ones who need it will take the bait.”
If Fang Yue personally ran the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, Yang Kai believed that those who came out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary would be much less wary, and it would be much easier to recruit them.
Yang Kai had no reason to refuse, anyway. It was only a single store, and it didn’t matter even if he could not recruit people. He immediately called Bian Yu Qing in and asked her to cooperate with Fang Yue.
Soon, a store called ‘Grand Ancient Ruins Shop’ opened in the centre of the Star City, near Void Auction House.
Grand Ancient Ruins Shop sold numerous goods, but none of the items were particularly valuable. In other words, it was a general store. There were also only a few shop hands in the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop.
The sudden appearance of such a shop in such a prime location naturally aroused the interest of many, who came to investigate, but after ascertaining the circumstances of Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, many people sighed, thinking that the Shopkeeper was simply stupid. It was an unwise decision to open the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop in such an area, which was a waste of money.
Therefore, the popularity of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary quickly died out a few days after it opened. The few shop hands had nothing to do all day long, and Fang Yue just sat behind the counter and cultivated in silence.
However, the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop had its first harvest after just ten days.
A young man called Li Ye approached Fang Yue, talked with him in a secret room, and was quickly introduced to Void Land! Li Ye was also one of the Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Just like Fang Yue, he was a rogue cultivator; however, he was a little bit inferior when compared to Fang Yue as he had only condensed Fifth-Order Elements.
Still, even Fifth-Order Elements was beyond his limit.
When Fang Yue heard about the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill, he took the initiative to come to the Star City, which Li Ye had also done. However, Li Ye had no relationship with Yang Kai whatsoever, except for the fact that he was brought out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by him. Thus, he did not take the liberty of visiting Yang Kai due to the fear that he would be ignored.
Moreover, he could not be sure that Void Land’s Lord was the Yang Kai he met in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If this Yang Kai was not the one that he knew, and they just had similar names, then he would be put in an awkward spot.
When Li Ye was at a loss for what to do, he passed by the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop and saw Fang Yue. He was not familiar with Fang Yue, but he had met with him face-to-face before, so he naturally remembered him. Li Ye felt surprised and delighted and decided to talk to him.
Fang Yue was waiting for this moment, so he didn’t hesitate, and immediately led Li Ye into the secret room.
Getting to know that he could obtain a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill when he was about to break through to the Open Heaven Realm as long as he joined Void Land made Li Ye feel overjoyed. He nodded in agreement without any hesitation.
To him, this was a life-saving straw he found when drowning, so why would he not grasp onto it firmly?
With his successful recruitment of Li Ye, Fang Yue became even more confident. He believed that as long as those Bearers from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary heard news of the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, they would look for Void Star City sooner or later. All he needed to do now was wait patiently.
While Fang Yue was staying in the Grand Ancient Ruins Shop, Manager Zhou from Asura Heaven visited Void Land again.
He and Yang Kai had bargained before, each putting forward their own conditions, but Manager Zhou was unable to make a decision and had sent a message to his superiors. This time, he had come to deliver Asura Heaven’s answer.
Yang Kai needed a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, which Asura Heaven insisted was not possible. This was their bottom line, and there would be no negotiations.
Even though Yang Kai had expected it, he was still slightly disappointed.
Asura Heaven also failed to buy any Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills from Yang Kai. Yang Kai’s attitude towards this matter was quite simple. They did not sell something he wanted, so naturally, he would not sell them what they wanted. If they wanted Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, they could go to the auction that happened once every three months and bid for it themselves.
The final results of the negotiations were that Void Star City would set aside a large plot for a new Asura Arena to be built. Void Land would take a 30% share of the profits, but the rent and taxes would all be free.
Void Auction House was already established now, so with the 30% stake in the Asura Arena, two giant money trees had been planted.
With the auction house and Asura Arena’s 30% share, plus the Star City’s rent and taxes, Void Land was now making a lot of money every day, more than enough to meet its current needs. It no longer needed to worry about making ends meet.
However, Sixth-Order materials were still a problem. Although materials of this Order were not as rare as those of the High-Rank, the amount of Sixth-Order materials one could find was definitely not great and they couldn’t easily be bought with money. Although the Star City was now popular and some Sixth-Order materials were now flowing in, there were still many in Void Land who needed Sixth-Order materials.
The Great Emperors, Yang Kai’s Wives, and even Mo Xiao Qi, Lin Yun’er, Li Wu Yi, Yang Yan, and several others all needed Sixth-Order materials.
Although Yang Kai made a huge fortune in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, including a lot of Sixth-Order materials, it couldn’t support the needs of so many.
Originally, after Yue He and Mo Mei advanced to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they wanted to use Sixth-Order materials to cultivate; however, due to the lack of materials, they could only cultivate with Open Heaven Pills. While refining Open Heaven Pills could certainly help steadily improve their cultivation, the efficiency was not as good as directly refining Sixth-Order materials.
Although Void Land had been spending a lot of money to acquire Sixth-Order materials, it still could not keep up with its pace of consumption, resulting in Yang Kai contributing even the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd.
The Sixth-Order Yuan Magnetic Divine Light was sealed within the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd. It was a Sixth-Order Metal Element material that could be refined by cultivators.
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Xu Zhen had helped Yang Kai upgrade his Wind Gourd to this Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd. This item had played a significant role in Yang Kai’s hands and he repeatedly used it as a trump card to deal with strong enemies. However, now that Void Land had a shortage of Sixth-Order materials, Yang Kai could only prioritize the cultivation needs of everyone first. Besides, he had made up his mind to not leave Void Land easily, so the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd would also not be of any use for the time being. When he later broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, the Yuan Magnetic Divine Bottle Gourd would also become useless.
On the other hand, Void Land wasn’t the least bit worried about Fifth-Order materials, because the Gourd Vine could produce a whole set of Fifth-Order materials every month. There were always enough Fifth-Order materials, and all they needed to do was slowly wait. So, Void Land never needed to buy Fifth-Order materials, and instead, they bought a lot of Fourth-Order and Third-Order materials.
The Star City was developing steadily, and everything in Void Land had gradually entered the right track. Day by day, Yang Kai’s retreats were also being rewarded. He had now refined six Element Powers, only missing the Yin Element. From these Element Powers, he had obtained the Golden Crow Casts the Sun Divine Manifestation by comprehending the mysteries of his Golden Crow’s True Fire, the Earth Great Dragon Bead helped him obtained the Dragon Shield Secret Technique, which was a powerful defensive ability, and the essence of the Immortal Tree helped him comprehend the Towering Evergreen tree, another Divine Manifestation which was remarkably effective in both protection and healing.
During these days of retreat, Yang Kai also comprehended Water Reflects the Moon. Although it was not a Divine Manifestation and instead just a Divine Ability, it complemented the Golden Crow Casts the Sun perfectly.
The Metal Element Power was refined by Yang Kai from the Monster Core of the Golden Wolf King, and around the same time as when Yang Kai realized the Divine Ability of Water Reflects the Moon, he was also blessed with the comprehension of Golden Wolf Howls at the Moon.
Among the six Elements he had refined, he had only not yet comprehended a Divine Ability from his Yang Element.
However, Yang Kai had obtained his Yang Element Power by refining the Primordial Yang Profound Ginseng, so he, who did not know what he would be able to comprehend in the end, could only wait in silence.
The Void Auction House held an auction every three months, and each time the finale was a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Most recently, the tenth Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill had been auctioned off.
In other words, it had already been three years since the Great Void Land Migration. Void Land and its Star City had been developing quite well during this time. The only hiccup was the High-Order Yin Element treasure that Yang Kai needed, which there was still no news of.
However, Yang Kai had mentally prepared himself for this, so he was not anxious. Not to mention 3 years, he could continue to wait for several hundred years. He believed that as long as he had and was in this Star City, sooner or later, he could get what he wanted.
Yang Kai had originally planned to just sit back and wait, but life never went as one planned. He overestimated the patience of some people and underestimated their determination to target him.
While he was in retreat one day, the isolation barrier was touched. Yang Kai opened the restriction, and Bian Yu Qing hurriedly came in, her expression slightly unsightly, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai looked at her and asked, “What is it?”
“There is news from the Void Dock that Bai Qi was found.”
“Old Bai was ‘found’?” Yang Kai frowned, “What happened to Old Bai?”
Bian Yu Qing responded, “Bai Qi was severely injured by someone and fell into a coma. He was brought to the dock by a passing ship.”
“What!?” Yang Kai immediately jumped up.
More than a year ago, he had sent someone to Thousand Birds Territory to find the Proprietress, and to ask her to come to Void Land as a guest. He intended to ask her to open up a First Inn branch in their own Star City so that it would be convenient to take care of and meet each other. But the messenger he sent eventually came back and reported that the First Inn branch was closed temporarily.
The 3,000 Worlds was vast and boundless and filled with seemingly endless Great Territories. Yang Kai simply did not know how to find Old Bai and the Proprietress, so he could only give up.
Who would have guessed that today, when he finally got news of Bai Qi. That he was seriously injured and unconscious!
Old Bai was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Master, so for another cultivator to injure him so gravely, they would have to be at least in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Being that he was a shop hand of First Inn, and the personal attendant of the Proprietress, who would dare attack him so recklessly?
If Bai Qi was so seriously injured, what about the Proprietress?
Yang Kai’s heart clenched, and he suddenly had a sinking feeling, like a big invisible net was covering him.
After receiving the news, Yang Kai immediately summoned Yue He and asked her to follow him to the Star City Void Dock.
Soon, Yang Kai saw Old Bai while Jin Yuan Lang personally reported the situation at the dock. Void Star City was now overcrowded, and every day there were many people waiting in line outside the dock to enter. Although the number of people was quite large, Jin Yuan Lang had been in charge of the dock for a few years now, so he was able to handle it.
When checking one of the ships waiting to enter, the owner reported that there was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master called Bai Qi on board, who seemed to know the Lord of Void Land.
Jin Yuan Lang did not dare to be slow and went to check, and when he saw that it was indeed Bai Qi, he urgently treated his wounds to stabilize his condition while also sending a message to Void Land.
When Yang Kai arrived, Bai Qi was still in a coma, his face as pale as paper. His aura was unstable, and his body was drenched with fresh blood. The dried blood was caked onto his clothes in a way that was unbearable to see.
“Sect Master, Brother Bai has already taken a Healing Pill, and there is no danger to his life for the time being, but…” Jin Yuan Lang, who was worried, stepped forward to whisper something to Yang Kai.
“But what?” Yang Kai asked in a deep voice, his face almost dripping with gloom.
“But, Brother Bai had pushed himself too far. When he was seriously injured, he did not heal his injuries properly and instead over-exerted his own strength, resulting in the Small Universe in his body showing signs of instability. There is a risk that it might collapse soon. It is difficult to say whether he will survive.”
Yang Kai’s face became uglier and uglier.
If the Small Universe in Bai Qi’s body really collapsed, then his cultivation would become completely useless, and he would become a cripple.
“Is there a solution?” Yang Kai asked.
Jin Yuan Lang shook his head slowly.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at Yue He; after all, someone from Abundance City would not know much about this kind of thing while Yue He might have some options.
Yue He promptly answered, “If we have a Star Gathering Universe Pill, it should help him stabilize his Small Universe! During battles between Open Heaven Realm Masters, there are cases like Old Bai’s, where the Small Universe in their body becomes turbulent. If the situation is mild, it is fine and can be resolved with some meditation and quiet cultivation, but if it is serious, it would require external help to restore. The Star Gathering Universe Pill has this effect, but that pill is precious and ordinary Alchemists would find it difficult to refine.”
Yang Kai immediately said, “Send out a message that my Void Land is offering a huge reward for a Star Gathering Universe Pill! If anyone has this Spirit Pill or can refine it, Void Land will fulfill any one wish they have, as long as it is within our ability!”
The Star City was now full of talented people from all walks of life and even many Alchemists from other great forces were stationed here.
The only way to get a Star Gathering Universe Pill was from the Star City, and Yang Kai could only pray that someone in Star City had or could refine one.
After asking Yue He to take care of Old Bai, Yang Kai asked in a deep voice, “What happened?”
Jin Yuan Lang cupped his fist and said, “Sect Master, my subordinates don’t know what happened exactly, but when they were checking a certain ship, someone reported that there was a seriously injured person on board, called Bai Qi. It turned out to be Brother Bai, so I hurriedly reported it.”
Yang Kai coldly snorted, “Bai Qi was unconscious, so how did the people on the ship know that his name was Bai Qi? Where is the owner of this ship?”
“He’s outside.” Jin Yuan Lang said before hurriedly asking someone to bring the manager in.
The manager, who was only in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm, said with some trepidation once he stepped into the room, “Profound Thunder Sect’s Lu Wen Fei greets Sirs!”
Yang Kai turned his head towards him, looked him up and down, and saw that this man’s hair was white. He looked elderly, with an unstable aura. Obviously, the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm was his limit and Profound Thunder Sect was just a Third Class Force.
Jin Yuan Lang said, “Manager Lu need not be afraid. My Void Land will never bully the weak. I only called you over because my Sect Master has some questions he wishes to ask.”
Lu Wen Fei bowed his head and said, “Sir, this old man will tell you everything I know no matter what questions you have.”
Yang Kai nodded and asked, “Manager Lu, I want to know where you found Bai Qi and what the situation was at that time?”
Lu Wen Fei hurriedly reported, “Sir, this old man met Sir Bai Qi in this Void Territory. He was in a hurry at that time, but it seemed that because he was seriously injured, his strength was failing him and his speed was quite slow. This old man invited him onboard, but he only had time to report his name, and that he was to be taken to the Yang Kai of Void Land directly. After that, he passed out.”
“Hearing him mention Sect Master Yang’s name, this old man did not dare to neglect this issue. This old man immediately rushed to the dock and when I saw Sir Jin, this old man reported the matter.”
“Is that all?” Yang Kai asked in a deep voice.
Lu Wen Fei hurriedly said, “Sect Master Yang, please understand, this was really what happened. This old man would never dare to hide anything from you.”
Yang Kai looked at his face, nodded lightly and said, “I understand.”
He ordered someone to lead Lu Wen Fei out and to also reward him with some Open Heaven Pills. Yang Kai also instructed his men to monitor Lu Wen Fei’s movements.
Jin Yuan Lang mused, “Sect Master is suspicious of this Profound Thunder Sect…”
“Just in case, but they should have nothing to do with Old Bai’s matter. It is most likely just a coincidence.”
In the end, it didn’t matter. If Old Bai woke up, everything would become clear. But, right now, Old Bai’s situation did not look very optimistic. Yang Kai carefully put him into the Fated Paths Bag and brought him back to Void Land. At the same time, he sent a message to the Star City Governor’s Mansion, telling Mo Mei to personally put up a reward for a Star Gathering Universe Pill.
In a secret chamber, Old Bai was lying on the bed, breathing weakly, still unconscious. The aura surrounding him was extremely faint.
Yue He carefully used World Force to adjust the Small Universe in Old Bai’s body, to prevent his injuries from deteriorating. Yang Kai, on the other hand, used his Wood Element Power to heal Old Bai’s physical injuries.
Yang Kai really didn’t know where the Proprietress had gone for more than two years. Word of the previous battle against Void Land by the Hundred Sects Alliance had already spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds. Logically speaking, according to the Proprietress’s temperament, if she got to know that such an event had happened, she would have already come to Void Land to investigate the situation.
But she never showed up. Yang Kai sent someone to invite the Proprietress to Void Star City, but she was still nowhere to be seen.
[Where did she go after leaving the Blood Monster Cave Heaven? What happened to her? Just who managed to injure Old Bai like this?]
As long as Old Bai did not wake up, everything would remain a mystery.
Two days later, good news came from the Star City Governor’s Mansion. There was an Alchemy Grandmaster in the Star City who could refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill. With the help of Yang Kai’s Wood Element Power, Old Bai’s injuries were much better and his aura had also stabilized a lot, but the Small Universe in his body was still far from stable. If this was not resolved, Old Bai could die at any time, even if he woke up.
Yang Kai had been quite worried these past two days, but now, he had finally heard some good news.
He immediately ordered someone to invite the Grandmaster over, but soon Mo Mei sent a message back, saying that although the Alchemist was willing to help Void Land, he was asking for the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe and 100 portions of World Source Liquid as his price!
Mo Mei was extremely annoyed by this shameless request. The only reason Void Star City was so popular was because of its Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. This kind of pill was only available in Void Land, so if someone else obtained its recipe and a large supply of its main ingredient, it would greatly affect the future development of the Star City.
The Alchemist obviously understood this, which was why he made such an excessive demand.
Yang Kai’s heart was filled with rage, but he did not hesitate to reply, “Promise him!”
Even if someone had the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe, they would need World Source Liquid, which was the primary ingredient. 100 portions of World Source Liquid could only make a total of a 100 Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. Although it was a lot, compared to Old Bai’s life, it was nothing.
After he sent the message, an idea flashed through Yang Kai’s mind, and he sent another message, “Tell that Alchemist that he can have the pill recipe, but we can only give him ten portions of World Source Liquid. Tell him to take it or leave it!”
It wasn’t that he wasn’t willing to hand over 100 portions, or that he didn’t have enough World Source Liquid to spare; in fact, Yang Kai had a literal pond of it. However, if he just agreed to such an excessive request, he would be revealing this fact, which would be detrimental in the future to all of Void Land.
It wouldn’t even matter if this Alchemist did refuse, since Yang Kai could just continue to negotiate.
After waiting for less than an incense stick worth of time, Mo Mei came back with a message.
The Alchemist agreed!
He probably thought that World Source Liquid was extremely rare and asking for 100 portions was just him trying to take the lion’s share, not really expecting to get it. Since Void Land had put forth a counteroffer, ten portions would be more than enough to satisfy him.
The Alchemist also put forth a condition that he would not come to Void Land to perform Alchemy, and would instead refine the Spirit Pill and then make the trade in the Star City.
Yang Kai believed that the Alchemist feared entering Void Land would be disadvantageous for him; after all, he openly coveted the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills. The Alchemist, who dared to request such a thing, knew he had offended them. In Void Land, where his life or death would be under the control of another, how would he dare to perform Alchemy?
All that did not matter though, since Yang Kai agreed to his condition.
It would take a few days to refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill; after all, all kinds of materials were needed to make it. Fortunately, the Star City now had a wide range of goods for sale, so it would definitely not be difficult to collect the materials required.
Yang Kai was glad that he had made great efforts to develop the Star City; otherwise, where could he have found an Alchemist who could refine the Star Gathering Universe Pill while collecting the materials locally?
Two days later, Old Bai woke up!
Yang Kai was healing him at that time, and suddenly found that Old Bai’s aura had stabilized slightly. His eyelids twitched, so Yang Kai called out to him a few times, hastily.
Old Bai really did open his eyes, and when he saw Yang Kai, he grabbed his arm and said through clenched teeth, “Proprietress is in trouble, please save her!”
Yang Kai’s heart sank, and while suppressing the uneasiness he felt, he said comfortingly, “Speak whatever you want to say slowly. You’re gravely injured, so you can’t let your emotions fluctuate too much.”
Old Bai took a few deep breaths, lay down on the bed, and explained what had happened over the past two years.
After parting with Yang Kai and leaving the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, the Proprietress took Old Bai and the others to the Shattered Heaven instead of Thousand Birds Territory!
The Shattered Heaven was a famous place in the 3,000 Worlds, because that place was a battlefield that were the remains of a shocking war that happened during ancient times. No one knew which Masters participated in that calamitous war, but it was certain that many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were involved and had met their ends there.
In the Shattered Heaven, there were crises around every corner, with numerous ancient seals and Divine Abilities that either persisted to today, or could be triggered at a moment’s notice. There were even some extremely dangerous artifacts and entities that had gained spirituality and would attack with Earth-shattering and Heaven-destroying power.
In addition, there were many Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises left after the death of so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and if one was not careful, they could fall into one, never to escape.
Naturally, it was known as a Forbidden Zone in the 3,000 Worlds.
Even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were reluctant to set foot there, because no one knew when danger would strike in that place. Once, an Eighth-Order Open Heaven realm cultivator ventured deep into the Shattered Heaven, and simply disappeared. No one knew whether that person was dead or alive. More than a dozen Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had also disappeared in the Shattered Heaven in the last 1,000 years.
But even if the Shattered Heaven was notorious, many cultivators could not resist exploring it, because as the remnants of an ancient battlefield, where countless powerful Masters had died, countless riches had also been left behind!
Not to mention, if one could find the entrance to a Universe Cave Heaven or a Universe Paradise, they could scavenge the legacy left behind by those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
A single Blood Monster Cave Heaven drew forces from all across the 3,000 Worlds every time it opened.
But, what if there was more than one Blood Monster Cave Heaven hidden in the Shattered Heaven? It was possible that dozens, if not hundreds of Universe Cave Heavens and Paradises remained, so it was not hard to imagine what an irresistible temptation it presented.
After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, the Proprietress had said that Yang Kai should cultivate peacefully and let her take care of the matter of the High-Rank Yin Element treasure. So, after parting with Yang Kai, she led Bai Qi and the others directly to the Shattered Heaven.
The Proprietress was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, while Old Bai, Chef, and Accountant were all Fifth-Order Masters. The four of them made for a considerable force, and if they were lucky enough, they might just be able to find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in the Shattered Heaven.
In fact, the Proprietress’s luck was quite good. In the two years they spent in the Shattered Heaven, they really did come across a suspected High-Rank Yin Element treasure, but while they were trying to collect it, some sort of restriction that they had not discovered was triggered and it disappeared, along with Accountant and Chef. The Proprietress tried to escape, but her efforts proved futile. Just when Old Bai was at a loss on what to do, a voice reached his ear, “If you want to save them, go to Void Land and find Yang Kai. Don’t delay or it will be too late!”
After listening to Old Bai’s explanation, Yang Kai was dumbfounded.
He did not expect that the Proprietress would be in trouble because of him. If she hadn’t wanted to help him find a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, why would she have risked going to the Shattered Heaven, where even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could die?
If she hadn’t gone to the Shattered Heaven, she wouldn’t have suddenly disappeared.
The voice transmission that Old Bai heard at the end clearly indicated something.
“Damn it!” Yang Kai ground his teeth. This was obviously a very complex and well-planned trap. If not, why would Old Bai hear that voice transmission? Some people were trying to lure the snake out of the hole. Yang Kai had been staying in Void Land for the past two years, so the forces aiming at him had no way to attack him. As such, they decided to target the Proprietress to lure him out!
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai suppressed the rage in his heart.
“Someone must have done it on purpose.” Old Bai looked at Yang Kai with shame present on his face, “I didn’t understand why the mastermind behind this wanted me to come to Void Land to find you, but after hearing some news along the way, I understood.”
Old Bai heard about the destruction of the Hundred Sects Alliance on his way here, and only then realized that Void Land was now a force that had a mighty army with the finest arms at the ready. Even Kong Feng of Heavenly Sword Union died in Void Land. Now that Void Land had two Divine Spirits protecting it, if they wanted to deal with Yang Kai, they would need to separate him from Void Land!
Bai Qi clearly knew this, and also knew that if he came and informed Yang Kai about what happened, Yang Kai would not sit idly by, but the Proprietress’s safety was at stake, and thus he had to do something. Naturally, this caused him to feel great guilt towards Yang Kai.
“Yang Kai, if you do not want to go, this Old Bai will not blame you. After I heal my wounds, I will go and save Proprietress myself.”
Yang Kai firmly and decisively shook his head, “Proprietress has shown great kindness and care towards me. Without her, there would not be a Yang Kai today. She is in trouble because of me, and the mastermind behind this is clearly doing this to target me. If after knowing this, I do not go, how can I still have the face to live in this world? Old Bai, you are underestimating me by saying that.”
Old Bai let out a soft sigh.
“Besides, in this condition, what more can you do? As for Proprietress, you can rest assured. Since this person is targeting me, he will not do anything to her until I show up.” Yang Kai comforted.
That said, Yang Kai still felt somewhat uneasy since, right now, no one knew what the Proprietress’ situation was.
Old Bai’s physical injuries had healed a lot thanks to his Wood Element Power and the healing pills he had taken. All remaining issues need to be taken care of slowly. Right now, the greatest problem he faced was the instability of the Small Universe in his body, but that required the Star Gathering Universe Pill to resolve.
Leaving Yue He to look after Old Bai, Yang Kai sent a Divine Sense transmission to Mo Mei, inquiring about the situation. Shortly afterwards, Mo Mei replied that the Star Gathering Universe Pill was being refined. While she didn’t know when it would be successfully completed, once the pill was ready, she would send it to Void Land immediately.
Yang Kai stood on the top of a certain Spirit Peak after breaking off the transmission with Mo Mei. Gazing at the sea of clouds, he sorted out his jumbled thoughts while his mind wandered.
The Proprietress was in trouble, and someone was trying to lure him out of Void Land, but in the face of this situation, he really did not have any good solution. Unless he acted like a shrinking turtle, he could not sit idly by.
However, if he really did rush out of Void Land, his enemy’s scheme would be successful.
After a long contemplation, Yang Kai’s gaze gradually hardened. His body flickered, and he suddenly disappeared.
By the time he reappeared, he had already arrived outside of a great palace, which was protected by layers of arrays. Entry into this part of the Void Land was forbidden for any uninvited person. Even its Open Heaven Realm Masters had to go around this place.
This couldn’t be helped, because this was the place where Zhu Jiu Yin cultivated in retreat.
Facing this palace, Yang Kai cupped his fist and shouted, “Senior, Junior Yang Kai requests an audience!”
There was no response.
Yang Kai shouted again, “Senior, I need to see you urgently, please show yourself!”
Even after calling for her three times in a row, Zhu Jiu Yin did not respond.
Yang Kai felt very annoyed. Although there were barriers here, Zhu Jiu Yin was incredibly powerful, so she certainly knew he was here. She must have also heard his voice; yet, she was not showing up. What did that mean? Ever since she came to Void Land, Zhu Jiu Yin had been living in seclusion, except for the last time when the Hundred Sects Alliance had come. Other than that time, she had basically not shown herself.
Normally, since Zhu Jiu Yin had taken such an attitude, Yang Kai would not impose himself on her. However, this time, since it was related to the safety of the Proprietress, he had no choice but to risk offending her.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai raised his hand and summoned the Azure Dragon Spear, its tip pointing forward. With a single thought, the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array roared to life, making the entire Void Land buzz.
It had been three years since the last time the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array had been activated, so while the Starlight Strength gathered in such a short period of time was not much, it was enough to support Yang Kai to activate it at least once!
The Azure Dragon Spear suddenly turned into a Great Dragon, shaking its head and flicking its tail. A high-pitched dragon roar resounded through the sky as Dragon Pressure filled the air. The giant dragon stared at the palace’s front door majestically, ready to pounce with its teeth and claws.
“You dare to display such impudence, you brat!?” Zhu Jiu Yin’s voice boomed in Yang Kai’s ears, and a slender figure entered his field of vision after the palace’s restriction disappeared.
Seeing her, Yang Kai hurriedly dispersed the power of the Grand Array and put away the Azure Dragon Spear. His action had made the Great Dragon disintegrated into thin air.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him with annoyance, “What madness possessed you to do this you smelly brat?”
Yang Kai’s face was slightly pale, and after taking a few sharp gasps for breath, he cupped his fist and said, “Please forgive me Senior, but the situation is urgent!”
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him suspiciously and frowned when she saw him so disturbed.
Last time, when the Hundred Sects Alliance had come, Yang Kai was as steady as a mountain and did not send any messages to her, asking for help, until the very last moment. It was only when the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters suddenly showed up that Zhu Jiu Yin really took action.
What could have happened this time for him to appear so disturbed?
Faintly aware that the situation this time was probably not a small matter, Zhu Jiu Yin softly snorted, “Come in and talk.”
“Many thanks, Senior!” Yang Kai followed Zhu Jiu Yin into the palace after he cupped his fist.
After the guest and the host were seated, Yang Kai looked around and saw no sign of Shan Qing Luo. She was obviously cultivating in retreat. With Zhu Jiu Yin, a Divine Spirit of the same lineage as her, personally teaching her, Shan Qing Luo’s future cultivation path was not something Yang Kai needed to worry about.
“So? What is it?” Zhu Jiu Yin proactively asked.
Yang Kai organized his thoughts and told her briefly about what had happened to the Proprietress.
Zhu Jiu Yin listened to him completely before she snorted, “What the hell did you do to provoke so many people to deal with you? Last time, it was the Hundred Sects Alliance, and this time, it is clear that some group is targeting you. This Queen and that old turtle are present in Void Land, which is why they are using that Lan You Ruo as bait to lure you out. It is only because of your relationship with her.”
“What Senior says is true. Someone is trying to lure me out,” Yang Kai nodded.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked at him with amusement, “Since you know this, why don’t you just not go out?”
Yang Kai shook his head slowly, “I have to go.”
Since the mastermind behind this had told Old Bai to go to Void Land and inform him, it was clear that his target was Yang Kai. If Yang Kai did not show up, the crisis that the Proprietress was in would not be resolved. Furthermore, she would only be put into more danger. So, even though he knew that once he left Void Land, he would be stepping into a trap set by someone else, Yang Kai had to leap into it.
Zhu Jiu Yin looked up and down at him, “I didn’t know you were so foolish till now.”
Yang Kai quickly replied, “Senior, please don’t joke right now. This Junior is feeling really anxious.”
Zhu Jiu Yin laughed coldly, “What kind of bewitching soup did that woman feed you for you to even risk yourself to save her? Do you not know, if something happens to you, Luo’er will try to avenge you no matter what? With the inconsequential cultivation she has right now, it will be the same as impulsively jumping into death’s embrace. Even so, she will still do it.”
Yang Kai said, “Proprietress has shown great kindness to me. Now that she is in trouble, I can not sit idly by.”
Zhu Jiu Yin snickered, “Fool!”
Suddenly, she frowned and squinted at Yang Kai, “What are you doing here talking to this Queen then? I’m warning you, don’t get any ideas about bothering this Queen!”
Yang Kai said, “Since someone has set up such a trap, waiting for this Junior to throw himself in, I naturally cannot go unprepared. In all of Void Land, I can only rely on you, Senior, so I hope Senior can accompany me!”
“In your dreams!” Zhu Jiu Yin instantly snapped.
“Senior, please don’t forget that you are my Protector. You have sworn an oath on your Divine Spirit Source. If this Junior dies during this trip, you will be breaching your oath.”
Zhu Jiu Yin chuckled lightly and said, “Really? This Queen seems to recall there being many clauses in that oath, such as this Queen’s protection not extending to situations in which you cause trouble outside yourself and get killed? Ha, go ahead. This Queen will wait for the good news here in Void Land. Once you die, this Queen will be free! Just thinking about it certainly makes this Queen feel happy.”
Yang Kai said miserably, “Senior, I was the one who brought you out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, out of that prisoner’s cage! You can’t just sit back and watch when I’m in trouble now!”
“When those two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters attacked you last time, didn’t this Queen help? This Queen is your Protector, not your nanny. If you want to go around courting death, this Queen cannot stop you. Forget about this, this Queen will never agree to accompany you!”
Zhu Jiu Yin flicked her sleeve, “Get out, get out, don’t show this Queen your unlucky appearance! All it will do is bring misfortune!”
A strong force shoved Yang Kai, pushing him back.
Yang Kai gritted his teeth and shouted, “If Senior helps me this one time, ensuring that Proprietress is safe and sound, then I will consider Senior to have fully fulfilled her oath! From then on, Senior will regain her freedom!”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s movements paused, and her beautiful eyes glowed as she stared at him, “Is what you’re saying true?”
Yang Kai grit his teeth and said, “I always mean what I say!”
Zhu Jiu Yin was clearly moved. As long as she helped Yang Kai this time, she could be released from her oath, and for her, this was indeed a huge temptation. It would be a hassle for her to be a Protector for 1,000 years, especially since this brat in front of her had a propensity for stirring up trouble. She would not have to help this brat clean up after every mess he made.
But Zhu Jiu Yin slowly shook her head after pondering for only a little while, and declared, “No. Absolutely not!”
Yang Kai hurriedly asked, “Why?”
Zhu Jiu Yin grunted, “Do you think a Divine Spirit is invincible? This Queen’s strength has not yet been fully restored, and last time, they already tested this Queen’s depths. They would have obviously taken this Queen into consideration since they are targeting you. Perhaps the people targeting you have set up a terrifying trap outside, just waiting for this Queen to step into it!”
After saying this, Zhu Jiu Yin could not help but have a cold sweat, increasingly feeling a sense of an inexplicable crisis.
“I was almost deceived by your honeyed words, you damn brat!” Zhu Jiu Yin scolded furiously!
Yang Kai also snarled angrily, “Senior is so heartless, even refusing to grant this small favour!”
“Is this what you call a small favour!? Stop talking nonsense! You are asking this Queen to gamble with her life!”
“Fine then!” Yang Kai ground his teeth angrily, “Since Senior is so unwilling to help, this Junior will not force you. Just know that if this Junior really dies on this trip, Luo’er will become a widow, and we will see if she forever resents you or not!”
“Despicable little bastard!” Zhu Jiu Yin’s face turned red with rage, “Get out!”
With a flick of her hand, she drove Yang Kai out of the palace, causing him to tumble through the air for a few breaths before he slowly stabilized himself.
Glancing at the palace where Zhu Jiu Yin lived, Yang Kai heaved a heavy sigh. Even though he had been arguing so passionately with her just now, he was in no position to blame Zhu Jiu Yin for refusing his request. Zhu Jiu Yin was right. Her existence was already known to them, and this time, she would definitely be taken into account and targeted.
Even if Zhu Jiu Yin accompanied him, the other party may have the means to deal with her. However, right now, in Void Land, she and Bi Xi were the strongest Masters available. Yang Kai definitely needed their help to save the Proprietress.
After hitting a wall with Zhu Jiu Yin, Yang Kai turned his head towards the Dragon Sons’ Peak.
On Dragon Sons’ Peak, Yang Kai and the Old Man Bi Xi sat facing each other with a chess board in between them. They played in turns, and Yang Kai, who did not know how to play this game too well, was soon defeated.
Xiao Hong stood behind him, watching nervously and clenching her little fists from time to time, while Xiao Hei sat beside him, mindlessly giggling and drooling all over the place.
“Boy, you are a little unfocused today, no?” Bi Xi said smilingly, and casually placed a piece.
Yang Kai rolled his eyes at him and dropped the piece in his hand onto the board, saying, “Senior, why do you ask?”
Void Land in its entirety was carried by Bi Xi on his back; thus, if he so desired, nothing in Void Land could escape his perception. Yang Kai had gone to Zhu Jiu Yin’s place and had almost made a big scene just a few moments earlier; thus, he did not believe that the old turtle had not noticed.
Bi Xi laughed, “You didn’t come to this Old Master to vent the anger you feel towards that little spider, right?” While saying that, he raised his hand to wipe the drool off the corner of Xiao Hei’s mouth before stroking his head with a doting expression.
Yang Kai said with a bitter smile, “This Junior naturally dares not to, but…. the future is looking very dim. That is why I came to Senior this time, to ask for advice.”
Bi Xi slowly tidied up the pieces and gently said, “This is an unsolvable game. This Old Master can’t do anything about it, unless you learn from this Old Master…”
Saying so, he shrank his neck and made a very vivid action, “…and became a shrinking turtle!”
Yang Kai said with a dark face, “Senior knows that is impossible.”
“Then you’ll have to go and die!”
Xiao Hong looked towards Yang Kai nervously, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Is there really no advice Senior can give me?” Yang Kai looked at him expectantly.
Bi Xi sighed, “This Old Master really cannot help much with this. This Old Master can still be of some use if something happens in your Void Territory, but this time, you have to travel far away. You know the size of this Old Master; I would never be able to pass through the Territory Gate unless I transform and shrink. But if I do that, your Void Land will definitely be torn apart. Do you want to give up on Void Land?”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head.
Void Land had hundreds of thousands of disciples living in it. If he really gave up on it, where would they go? But there would be no way to get through the Territory Gate to other Great Territories if Bi Xi didn’t shrink himself first.
So, from the beginning, Yang Kai didn’t really expect Bi Xi to follow him with his real body.
“Senior, what about your Embodiment…” Yang Kai stared at him, not moving for a moment.
Bi Xi replied, “This Old Master’s Embodiment is able to borrow power only when it is in the vicinity of my True Body. It cannot exert much strength when it is too far away. Outside this Territory, it will at best be on par with a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Do you actually lack Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm subordinates?”
Yang Kai was stunned.
Last time, when Bi Xi’s Embodiment had appeared, it easily blocked a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s strike; thus, Yang Kai thought that the old man’s Embodiment was also extremely powerful. Now, he realized that the old man’s Embodiment was only able to do that by borrowing the power of his real body.
If Bi Xi’s Embodiment was really only equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, its presence wouldn’t be able to make much of a difference.
Zhu Jiu Yin had rejected him with no trace of politeness, and now, he could not even count on Bi Xi. Yang Kai felt his future looked completely bleak.
After pondering for a while, he asked, “Does Senior know anything about the Shattered Heaven?”
Bi Xi said, “I know a little bit about it. The Shattered Heaven formed a long time ago, even before this Old Master was born. Apparently, the birth of an Innate Supreme Treasure triggered a bloody struggle amongst all the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises. It almost swept up the entire Outer Universe. That battle was fought for over a hundred years. I don’t even know how many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters fell in that accursed place. Several Great Territories were broken to pieces, and the Shattered Heaven was formed from their remnants. The Cave-Heavens and Paradises that took part severely damaged their foundations. Even after recuperating for countless years after that battle ended, they still haven’t been able to recover completely. How could the current heritage of the Cave-Heaven Paradises even be compared to their former glory?”
Yang Kai was startled, “The Shattered Heaven was a result of a blood feud between the major Cave-Heavens and Paradises?”
“Indeed!” Bi Xi nodded, “Apart from a battle between the Cave-Heaven Paradises, what else could lead to the death of so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in this world? It was enough to fill the Shattered Heaven with so many opportunities and dangers. This Old Master once travelled the Shattered Heaven when he was young, but I did not go too deep. So, the only advice this Old Master can give you about the Shattered Heaven, is to be careful!”
“This Junior will remember.” Yang Kai nodded, at the same time, he felt both guilty and touched. The Proprietress also knew that it wouldn’t be convenient for Yang Kai to go looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure by himself; thus, she took this matter into her own hands after they left the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. However, even though she was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, finding a High-Rank Yin Element treasure would not be easy, with the Shattered Heaven as the only place she could think of.
Although she knew it was dangerous, the Proprietress still ventured into the Shattered Heaven boldly without any hesitation.
Nothing would have happened to her if it wasn’t for someone else’s hidden scheme, but someone wanted to use her to lure Yang Kai away from Void Land, and that was what got her into this mess.
Yang Kai also asked Bi Xi about what happened when he entered the Shattered Heaven, and Bi Xi told him everything he could. Unfortunately, he had only wandered around the outer edge so Yang Kai did not really get much information.
After half a day passed, Yang Kai got up to say goodbye.
Xiao Hong also stood up and said, “Young Master, I will come with you.”
Over the past few years, she had learnt to stop stuttering while speaking.
Xiao Hei sucked in his saliva and puffed out his chest, “I’m coming too.”
When Bi Xi heard them, he glared at them, “What are you two even capable of doing in a place like that right now? Be good and stay here with this Old Master!”
Xiao Hong replied, “Xiao Hei and I were brought out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary by Young Master. We are only able to assume Human Form right now thanks to him giving us so many Dragon Blood Pills. If it were not for Young Master, Xiao Hei and I would still be living in that dark cage, trapped and ignorant of the world. Now that Young Master is in trouble, how can we ignore him? Since you can’t go, Grandpa Turtle, Xiao Hei and I will go!”
“Nonsense!” Bi Xi rebuked. He had been alone for countless years, but luckily, now, he had two little babies who possessed Dragon bloodlines like him to accompany him. He was happier and more comfortable than he had been in millennia, so how could he sit back and watch them walk into danger?
Yang Kai rubbed Xiao Hong’s head, “I understand how you feel, but don’t come to the Shattered Heaven with me. I survived the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so what’s the Shattered Heaven to me? You stay here, at home. This Young Master will be right back.”
Xiao Hong stubbornly replied, “No no no! I’m coming, I’m coming! If Young Master doesn’t take us, Xiao Hei and I will just secretly follow you by ourselves! We will live and die together with Young Master!”
Xiao Hei nodded vigorously, “Yes, we will live and die together!”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded and looked at Bi Xi for help.
Bi Xi’s face turned black with anger. It took a while before he grit his teeth and spoke up, “Little girl, you should just say it… If you want this Old Master to help, just say it openly, why do you have to beat around the bush like that!?”
Yang Kai was puzzled.
Bi Xi opened his mouth and spat out something, and handed it to Yang Kai with some reluctance, “Take it. It may save your life at a critical moment!”
Yang Kai reached out and took it, while curiously asking, “What is this?”
Bi Xi chuckled and said, “This was something this Old Master moulted in my early years. It has been refined by this Old Master. All you need to do to activate it is pour your strength into it.”
Yang Kai looked carefully and found that the object in his hand was a tortoise shell that was the size of a palm, and immediately lit up with joy while thanking, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Yang Kai had witnessed how strong Bi Xi’s defence was with his own eyes. Now that he had this tortoiseshell refined by Bi Xi himself, Yang Kai had some capital to protect his life during this trip. He was only in the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, and although he could compete with a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master if he used all his cards if he encountered a High-Rank Open-Heaven Realm Master, he still did not have enough power to fight back.
He did not need to fight and win in the Shattered Heaven this time. All he needed to do was protect himself. Right now, what Bi Xi gave him was akin to charcoal delivered in the frigid winter.
Xiao Hong stepped forward and started shaking Bi Xi’s arm with a smile, “I knew Grandpa Turtle was the best!”
Bi Xi said with a dark face, “Don’t play these kinds of tricks. I shouldn’t have let you see that thing last time. Little girls are really ungrateful wolves that can’t be raised well, they always side with outsiders instead of their own family!”
Xiao Hong placed her head on Bi Xi’s arm and said coquettishly, “Grandpa Turtle, don’t be angry, when Xiao Hong grows up and becomes stronger, she will be filial to you.”
At those words, Bi Xi smiled with great joy and comfort.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and said, “Senior, this Junior still has things to do, so I shall leave first.”
After saying that, he turned around to leave.
“Kid!” Bi Xi suddenly shouted behind him.
Yang Kai turned his head to look at him, “What’s the matter, Senior?”
“If your life is truly in danger…” Bi Xi looked solemn, and took a long time before continuing, “You might as well reveal your Dragon heritage. If you do so, you may force your enemy to act cautiously, lest they incur dangerous consequences! But only expose it as a last resort. Even though the Dragon Clan is strong, it also has a lot of enemies, and exposing it will likely backfire as well.”
Yang Kai nodded to show that he understood, “This Junior will remember.”
Yang Kai vaguely felt that Bi Xi’s statement seemed to be somewhat familiar. Thinking about it carefully, he remembered that when he saved Mie Meng, she had said something similar to him.
Bi Xi also had the same advice, so, it seems that the Dragon Clan may have truly made quite a few enemies in the 3,000 Worlds.
But still, Yang Kai had gained something that was personally shed and refined by Bi Xi, which was at least something.
When he returned to the place Old Bai was currently recuperating in, Yue He spoke, “Young Master, I have thought about it for a while and I think you shouldn’t go to the Shattered Heaven. After Bai Qi recovers, I will go with him to save Big Sister Lan.”
Yang Kai shook his head and sighed, “If I don’t show up, Proprietress will never be able to escape from danger. This is a scheme purposefully aimed at me, and only I can resolve it. On the contrary, you shouldn’t go. Proprietress is stronger than you, but the person behind this still managed to subdue her. It’s easy to tell that your going won’t help.”
Yue He shook her head and replied, “Just like how Young Master has a reason to go, I also have a reason to go. Big Sister Lan treats me like her true Sister, and nurtured me from a young age. I’ve resented her for many years because of something in the past, but now, when she is in trouble, how can I stand by and do nothing? Young Master, you are not yet in the Open Heaven Realm yet you are risking your life going there for her, so how can I sit by and watch? Besides, the Shattered Heaven is full of dangers, so you must be accompanied by someone.”
No matter what he said, Yang Kai could not persuade Yue He, so he could only give up and let out a sigh, “Fine. This trip is dangerous, so it’ll be just you, me, and Old Bai.”
Yue He said, “What about Mo Mei?”
“Void Land needs someone to assume command, so Mo Mei can’t leave. No one else needs to know. I will write a letter to her explaining the situation.”
This trip to the Shattered Heaven was not a problem that could be solved with numbers. Since the mastermind behind this wanted to lure him out of Void Land, they must be fully prepared. Void Land’s current strength was most likely not worthy enough to be placed in front of their eyes. What’s more, if they sent too many people, they would easily expose themselves; thus, it would be easier for Yang Kai and the others to hide their movements if they embarked on this trip with only three people.
Subconsciously, Yang Kai was not optimistic about the prospects of this trip. If he really did take all the major pillars of Void Land with him and something went wrong, Void Land would be finished. The hundreds of thousands of disciples would become homeless and displaced.
On the contrary, if Mo Mei and the others stayed behind, even if something happened to him, with Void Land’s current scale and the almost perfectly prospering Star City, Void Land would still have the power to continue to exist and develop.
Yue He pondered for a moment before gently nodding her head.
Yang Kai summoned Bian Yu Qing and gave her a few confidential instructions.
A few days later, the Star Gathering Universe Pill was finally refined. Mo Mei delivered the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill’s recipe and the 10 portions of the World Source Liquid Yang Kai prepared to the Alchemist in question, exchanging the Star Gathering Universe Pill with them. Afterwards, she returned to Void Land.
Yue He stood guard while Old Bai swallowed and refined the Star Gathering Universe Pill. It took a whole day for his Small Universe, that had been endlessly shaking, to finally settle down. There was no longer any more risk of collapse, he just needed to slowly recuperate.
With everything ready, Yang Kai set off, fearing that a long delay would only cause more problems.
At the Void Dock, a large, rough-looking man strode forward while leading a group of people. The disciple who was guarding the dock came forward and bowed while cupping his fist, “Sir Wei, are you on your way out?”
Although the person who had arrived was only a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the disciples guarding the dock recognized him because he was Wei Que, from Great Moon Province, and they had been instructed by their superiors to take special care of him.
It seemed that the Sect Master had some connections with Great Moon Province.
Wei Que chuckled, “Business is good these days, so I’m going back to the Sect to pick up some supplies and deliver some profits. I’ll have to bother you, Fellow Brothers.”
“Sir Wei is too polite.” The disciple nodded lightly and led a few other disciples to perform a casual inspection before waving them through.
After leaving the dock, Wei Que immediately summoned a boat and took several disciples from Great Moon Province aboard, speeding off into the distance. It was only half a day later that Wei Que, who was in the cabin compartment, reached out and took a bag from his waist, whispering after patting it gently, “Sect Master Yang, we’ve already travelled for half a day.”
Once he was done, the mouth of the bag suddenly opened and 3 figures appeared in front of him. The three figures were none other than Yang Kai, Yue He, and Old Bai.
Old Bai, who was still seriously injured, coughed.
Yang Kai put the Fated Paths Bag away and cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Senior Wei.”
Wei Que waved his hand, “Sect Master Yang is too polite. Void Land has been very kind to my Great Moon Province. What this Wei has done is nothing in comparison. It is hardly enough to return even one of the favours we owe.”
After a short pause, Wei Que continued, “This Wei is a simple man. Although I don’t know why Sect Master Yang is doing this, it is obvious he is going to do something big. If there is something that Great Moon Province can do, please feel free to ask!”
When Yang Kai suddenly approached Wei Que and asked him to bring him out of Void Land quietly, the latter realized that the matter at hand was not simple.
Void Land was Yang Kai’s territory. If now, as Void Land’s Sect Master, he needed to conceal his whereabouts when he entered and left, it would mean he suspected that there were people both inside and outside of Void Land that were watching him, which made it necessary for him to act so secretively.
How powerful was the enemy he was facing for him to still be so cautious even with Void Land’s current strength?
Great Moon Province was only a Third Class great force and could not afford to get involved in such muddy waters, but Wei Que was a man who believed deeply in repaying favours and grudges. He was willing to help even though he knew it would be extremely dangerous.
Yang Kai said, “This Junior appreciates Senior Wei’s kind intentions, but others can’t help me this time. Many thanks.”
Wei Que sighed, “In that case, Sect Master Yang must be careful not to let these wicked people’s schemes succeed!” He knew that this was Yang Kai’s personal matter. Also, he wouldn’t be able to help with his meagre strength, so he didn’t try to force the issue.
Bidding farewell to Wei Que, Yue He summoned a small wooden shuttle and the trio headed straight towards the nearest Territory Gate.
Two days later, the Territory Gate came into sight
There were Territory Gates between all Great Territories, and when crossing one, a cultivator would be exposed to a strong pressure. If one tried to cross a Territory Gate with their physical body without having a cultivation of at least the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm, they would face grave danger to their lives.
If a cultivator under the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm wanted to cross a Territory Gate, they had to use some type of flight-type artifact.
Although Yue He’s wooden shuttle was not a high-grade artifact, it wasn’t a low-quality item either. She also had a cultivation of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so it would not be a problem for them to pass through the Territory Gate.
In a matter of breaths, the swirling Territory Gate was right in front of them, and the wooden shuttle rushed straight in. Even before the slight feeling of dizziness could pass, the three of them were already in another Great Territory.
Before Yang Kai had the time to check the situation around them, he heard Yue He cry out, “Young Master, look out!”
The next moment, a great sense of crisis overwhelmed them. Violent World Force burst out, the wooden shuttle burst into pieces, sending Old Bai flying with a trail of blood behind him. Fresh damage was added to his already seriously injured body. Yang Kai also felt uncomfortable, but he was well protected by Yue He and did not suffer any kind of serious injury. Yue He, on the other hand, was bleeding from the corner of her lips, and had obviously been wounded.
Yang Kai’s face was instantly filled with rage. He could guess that his Void Land had to be littered with the prying eyes of outsiders, so he hid in the Fated Paths Bag and asked Wei Que to take him, Yue He, and Old Bai out quietly. He did think that the road ahead would be thorny, but he never anticipated being intercepted as soon as they left Void Territory!
The person who attacked was extremely decisive and had obviously determined that they would emerge from this Territory Gate; thus, the enemy did not hesitate to bombard them with their Divine Ability. Yue He and Old Bai were caught unprepared, plus they had just passed through the Territory Gate and were still a little disoriented, leading to them suffering a big loss.
Looking up, Yang Kai saw two people, an old man and a young man, standing in the void. The old man had a crane-like face, and looked hearty, full of energy. Cold light flashed through the slits of his long and narrow eyes, as he squinted them.
The young man looked like he was only a teenager, but the aura he was emitting showed that it was absolutely impossible for him to be a mere youth.
Both the old man and the teenager were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. One of them was holding a wooden branch with lightning flashing out of it, while the other was carrying a copper rod, which looked rather out of place.
The young man with the copper rod smiled at the three of them and fixed his gaze on Yang Kai, before asking warmly, “Void Land’s Yang Kai?”
Yang Kai shouted angrily, “It is this King! Who are you, announce your names!”
The young man smiled, “You’re young, but your tone is filled with arrogance. On the other hand, although your strength is low, you have managed to stir up the entire 3,000 Worlds, so you are qualified to know the name of this Monarch.”
After saying so, he cupped his fist while holding the copper rod in a backhand grip, and declared, “Heavenly Sword Union’s Union Master, Shen Liang!”
The old man, while holding the wooden branch behind his back and putting one hand on his chest, said indifferently, “Vice Union Master, Jiang Yun Shan!”
“Heavenly Sword Union?” Yang Kai raised his brow and said coldly, “Heavenly Sword Union has lost their Union Master not long ago, but two more have now popped up? Haven’t you people had enough yet?”
Shen Liang chuckled, “You mean Kong Feng? If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. This Monarch must thank you for killing that old dog; otherwise, how would this Shen have been able to become the current Union Master? Though, while I am thankful to you, I still have to take revenge. No matter what, Kong Feng was the previous Union Master, and he was killed at your hands. Since I am the new Union Master, I can’t just ignore this slight. Therefore, I am here today to take your head. I advise you to not resist, otherwise, it will be very unpleasant!”
Yang Kai grunted, “Since I can kill a Kong Feng, I can naturally kill you. If you want to die, just try it!”
While speaking, he urgently sent a voice transmission to Yue He, “Try to hold them back for a while, we can’t win this fight so we need to find a way to escape!”
Two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had come at once, and only Yue He could contend with them. Old Bai was definitely no match for them, not to mention himself. It was a fight they would definitely lose.
The only way for them to have any chance of survival was to use Yang Kai’s Space Secret Techniques to escape!
Yue He understood and gave a nod.
Shen Liang laughed lightly, “You are truly a brat who doesn’t fear the Heavens. No wonder you dare to act like that. Come come come, let this Monarch dig your heart out to see how big it really is.”
Saying so, the copper rod in his hand smashed down. Even though it was just the slash of a rod, it felt as if the whole world was crashing down. The terrifying World Force tumbled down, making both the Heavens and the Earth shake.
At the same time, Jiang Yun Shan also struck with the wooden branch in his hand which caused lightning to appear and turn into thousands of thunder swords, each thunder sword containing an abundant amount of World Force.
Old Bai roared with strong spirit. The power of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm poured out, transforming into a sky of fist shadows which clashed with the thunder swords.
Yue He summoned a vase with several flower branches in it, each branch with a flower bud on it. She took out a flower branch and shook it. In an instant, flowers filled the sky, gently flying all over the place. Each flower petal was like the world’s sharpest blade, able to cut even space.
The main reason why there was a huge gap between the strength of a newly advanced Open Heaven Realm Master and an old Open Heaven Realm Master was the difference in accumulation in their Small Universes. There was also a huge difference in the quality of the artifacts that they possessed.
Even if the artifacts one possessed before they advanced to the Open Heaven Realm were exceptional, they would not be useful after they broke through. The chasm between the Emperor Realm and the Open Heaven Realm was just too great; thus, one had to find someone to refine new artifacts or buy new ones that were suitable for their new Open Heaven Realm cultivation.
Artifacts of the Open Heaven Realm were graded on the same scale as the Open Heaven Realm itself.
Yang Kai was something of an exception as even though he had not advanced to the Open Heaven Realm yet, he had a powerful weapon like the Azure Dragon Spear in his hands. Thus, he need not pay much attention to this.
However, after the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, Yang Kai began paying closer attention to Open Heaven Realm artifacts.
This couldn’t be helped. There were too many new Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, and their base strength couldn’t be raised in a short period of time. After all, it took time to strengthen one’s foundation. Thus, if he wanted to immediately raise their combat power, he had to use external means, like artifacts.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance attacked, Mo Mei was pitted against Luan Bai Feng and ended up being completely outclassed. Of course, the biggest reason was because she had just broken through and her foundation was still unstable, but there was another matter as well, which was that she lacked suitable artifacts to assist her. Thus, she ended up having to use her bare hands to fight. If she had an artifact that suited her current cultivation at that time, the situation would have been much better.
As such, after the Star City was rebuilt and developed, Yang Kai asked Bian Yu Qing to allocate a large amount of money to purchase artifacts for Void Land’s Open Heaven Realm Masters. Furthermore, with the many spoils obtained after the battle, many of Void Land’s new Open Heaven Realm Masters could now exert much greater power than they were able to at that time.
The vase in Yue He’s hands was worth 40 million Open Heaven Pills! It was an artifact meant for those in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The artifacts used by Open Heaven Realm Masters were all capable of channelling and augmenting World Force, which were incomparable to the artifacts used by cultivators below the Open Heaven Realm.
Flower petals flew amidst the sky that was filled with flowers in the void, which made Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan lose all sense of direction. How could they find Yang Kai and the others, when the only thing they could sense around them were colourful flower petals and chilling murderous intent. It was almost as if they were trapped in a sealed world. Hurriedly, both of them used Secret Techniques to try and break out of the trap, which caused shockwaves and endless rumbles to sound.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai shouted without hesitation when he saw that the two of them were trapped, immediately wrapping Yue He and Old Bai in his Space Principles to escape.
The next moment, Yang Kai’s expression changed greatly. The space around them seemed to have turned into a cage, locking them in place, making it impossible to flee.
“We’re trapped!” Yang Kai’s face was gloomy. This feeling seemed familiar. Instantly, a person’s figure popped up in his mind, which caused him to grit his teeth and shout, “Luan Bai Feng!”
When the Hundred Sects Alliances invaded Void Land, Luan Bai Feng had been there to help Kong Feng. This woman was extremely proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays. If there was anyone that could seal a local region of space so quickly and quietly, it was her!
When Kong Feng was captured, that woman resolutely fled. Yang Kai thought she had gone back to Black Prison, but unexpectedly, she was here. In other words, this time, they were not facing off against two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but three!
“Hehehe…” Luan Bai Feng’s figure suddenly appeared, along with a charming laugh. She spoke while playfully looking at Yang Kai, “Little boy, you have a good head on your shoulders. You could even guess that this Queen was also here. Then, guess again, will you be able to leave alive this time?”
Yang Kai glared at her, “Luan Bai Feng, my Void Land and your Black Prison have no grudges or enmity. Why do you keep coming to provoke trouble again and again?”
Yang Kai felt hatred surging within him. If it wasn’t for this woman, he could have taken Yue He and Old Bai away with his Instantaneous Movement. But this woman had sealed off that possibility, making him unable to escape with his Space Principles.
Luan Bai Feng flicked her jade-like finger and said with a smile, “We really do have no grievances, but this Queen is short of ore slaves and is very interested in your Open Heaven Realm Masters. How about this? Give me all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in your Void Land, then I will spare your life. How about it?”
“In your dreams!” Yang Kai ground his teeth and roared, “If I don’t die today, I swear to crush your Black Prison one day!”
Luan Bai Feng put her hands on her chest and delicately said, “I’m afraid of men with such big tempers!”
*Hong…*
When the boundless rain of flower petals broke apart, two figures appeared. It was Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan, who were trapped by Yue He before. Glancing at Luan Bai Feng, Shen Liang snorted coldly and asked, “Why are you talking so much nonsense? Kill them first!”
Luan Bai Feng said smilingly, “This Queen is a gentle woman. Although I am capable of bullying the weak, it is not something I am willing to do. Helping you trap them is the limit of what this Queen will do this time. If you want to kill them, do it yourself, I’ll just watch from the sidelines.” Saying so, she actually took a few steps back.
Shen Liang snorted coldly without worry and ordered, “You take care of Yue He, this Monarch will kill that brat!”
Jiang Yun Shan replied, “Good!” A thunderous beam of lightning headed towards Yue He with a single swing of the branch in his hand.
Right when he did so, Yang Kai shouted, “Zhu Jiu Yin! Until when do you plan to wait!?”
As soon as Yang Kai said so, Shen Liang and the others’ faces changed dramatically. Shen Liang, who was about to rush towards Yue He, immediately assumed a defensive stance, his eyes darting around as he pushed his Divine Sense wildly.
Luan Bai Feng also froze while Jiang Yun Shan directly summoned a defensive artifact to protect himself.
Before the Hundred Sects Alliances fought against Void Land, no one took Void Land seriously, and no one even considered the possibility that there could be two mature Divine Spirits hidden in this puny Second Class force.
After that battle though, Zhu Jiu Yin’s origins were made clear.
Yang Kai left Void Land this time seemingly followed by only Yue He and Bai Qi; however, who knew whether he had any hidden backup like Zhu Jiu Yin or Bi Xi.
The reason why Luan Bai Feng did not attack just now was because she was afraid that Zhu Jiu Yin was hiding nearby; thus, as soon as they heard Yang Kai shout the name ‘Zhu Jiu Yin’, the three of them acted as though they were facing a terrifying enemy.
Taking this opportunity, Yue He and Old Bai, who had been secretly instructed by Yang Kai, struck out in unison, targeting a certain spot in the void.
After the raging World Force exploded three times, the imprisoned space suddenly loosened.
Although Luan Bai Feng had set up a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking Array here, it was not very solid as she had to act quickly. Thus, Yue He and Old Bai could easily break through it by force.
Luan Bai Feng’s pretty face turned red as she shouted, “It’s a trick, stop them!”
Yang Kai turned his head around and sneered at her as he manipulated Space Principles once again. As long as he could escape from here, he was confident he would be able to get rid of Luan Bai Feng and the others.
When he first entered the 3,000 Worlds, he was able to escape from the Proprietress. Now that his strength was far greater, it would not be difficult for him to use his Space Beacons and Space Principles to escape from Luan Bai Feng and the others.
Suddenly, Yang Kai’s expression became odd as he looked behind Luan Bai Feng in a daze. The next moment, his eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.
Old Bai said anxiously, “Go! What are you doing?”
Yang Kai grinned meaningfully, his tense expression suddenly becoming completely relaxed.
Luan Bai Feng, however, shivered violently, because at that moment, a cold aura appeared behind her. It was as if a poisonous snake had climbed up to the back of her neck and gently hissed into her ear.
“Your name is Luan Bai Feng?” A voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
Luan Bai Feng’s body jolted, and the full might of her Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation burst out along with a roar. She struck behind her with the back of her palm, which, though hurried, still contained all her strength.
Whipping her head around at the same time, she saw the face of the person standing behind her.
Charming and enchanting, the person’s Heavenly beauty could topple kingdoms. Even though Luan Bai Feng was a woman herself, she could not help but be moved when she saw her.
Divine Spirit, Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, Zhu Jiu Yin!
This turned out to be a trick disguised as another trick! When she saw Yang Kai rushing to escape, she thought that the boy was just trying to distract her. However, who knew that Zhu Jiu Yin was really nearby, and at some point had snuck up behind her.
Facing Luan Bai Feng’s attack, Zhu Jiu Yin just gently slapped away her palm. This casual slap held the power of a mature Divine Spirit though and the sound of bones cracking rang out as Luan Bai Feng was sent flying like a paper kite without a string. Fresh blood sprayed from her lips as she tumbled uncontrollably.
A Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master was as weak as a three-year-old child in front of Zhu Jiu Yin.
Zhu Jiu Yin did not pause. Her whole body seemed to not move at all, yet somehow still managed to catch up to Luan Bai Feng. With a flip of her hair, each strand turned into a poisonous snake. There, a group of thousands of snakes opened their mouths, hissing endlessly as they bit Luan Bai Feng.
*Zheng zheng…*
Ethereal music sounded at that moment, as if someone was plucking a zither in the void. Yang Kai did not know when, but a woman with a breathtakingly beautiful face had appeared. Her white arms and calves were exposed with a pinkish tinge dyeing them. She sat cross-legged in the void, a zither before her and a sweet smile on her face. With a single move of her delicate hand, sound waves that were visible to the naked eye turned into sharp knives, heading towards Jiang Yun Shan.
Yang Kai turned his head to look, and exclaimed with widened eyes, “Senior Sister Qu!”
In truth, he really did just shout Zhu Jiu Yin’s name to distract Luan Bai Feng and the others to take advantage of their lapse in attention and create an opportunity to escape.
Who knew that his words would be prophetic and Zhu Jiu Yin would really appear.
His cultivation had not yet reached such a state where his words would become law, whereby the World would follow it; thus, Zhu Jiu Yin had only shown up because she had been secretly following him to protect him. His attempt in deception not only fooled Luan Bai Feng and the others, but also Zhu Jiu Yin herself.
When Yang Kai went to Zhu Jiu Yin and asked for her help, she had firmly refused. He thought that she would really not assist him this time, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn she had actually followed him in secret.
This warmed Yang Kai’s heart. No matter what the reason may be, Zhu Jiu Yin did follow him in the end.
Not only did Zhu Jiu Yin follow him, but Qu Hua Shang had also tagged along. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had opened a Dao Temple in Void Star City to attract young talents from all over the world to ‘discuss the Dao’. This Dao Temple was the reason Qu Hua Shang had been present in Void Star City for the past few years. She had even visited Void Land numerous times. It was just that this time, Yang Kai had not informed her about this incident, and he did not know why she had come here with Zhu Jiu Yin.
Zhu Jiu Yin was now equivalent to a peak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Meanwhile, Qu Hua Shang was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. With the two of them joining the battle, the roles of hunter and prey had instantly been flipped.
The melody of the zither was soul-stirring, forcing Jiang Yun Shan to retreat again and again. Jiang Yun Shan was definitely stronger than Qu Hua Shang in terms of raw strength; after all, it had not been long since Qu Hua Shang had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm. Thus, even with the artifacts given to her by her Sect, it would be difficult for her to make up for the gap brought by the difference in their foundation.
However, when Zhu Jiu Yin appeared, Jiang Yun Shan was also momentarily distracted and had to divert part of his attention to monitor her. Thus, for a while, he was caught off guard and greatly affected by Qu Hua Shang’s sound attack.
Meanwhile, there was another enemy remaining, Shen Liang, who was still watching.
Yue He decisively held a flower and swept it towards Shen Liang. The flower petals filling the void trapped him again. Violent sounds came out of the storm of petals, but Shen Liang was unable to escape in short order.
The situation had been decided. If Heavenly Sword Union did not have backup, Shen Liang and the others would not be able to turn the tide. However, Heavenly Sword Union was only a Second Class great force. After Kong Feng’s death, sending two more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to set up an ambush here was already their limit. Even if they still had another Master of such calibre, it was impossible for them to be here, since they still needed someone to assume command of their headquarters.
Only if this ambush was part of a greater plot, where a stronger mastermind was waiting behind the scenes, could the situation be reversed, but that was unlikely.
Since the mastermind was using the Proprietress to lure Yang Kai to the Shattered Heaven, they must be planning to strike there. Shen Liang and others were probably just the vanguard, sent to test Yang Kai’s depths.
In fact, Shen Liang and others had already accomplished their mission, since at least Zhu Jiu Yin and Qu Hua Shang had been exposed. This news could naturally not be concealed from those plotting behind the scenes, giving them time to prepare.
With so many unknowns though, Yang Kai did not dare to be careless. He continued to surge his Space Principles in case he needed to escape.
In front of Zhu Jiu Yin, Luan Bai Feng was simply unable to fight back. In a matter of just two or three moves, she was severely wounded and was coughing up blood. Luan Bai Feng was also a very decisive woman. Knowing that she was definitely not Zhu Jiu Yin’s opponent, and that a prolonged battle would lead to her death, she used a Divine Ability that Yang Kai had never seen before, and turned into a red beam of light, travelling thousands of kilometres away in the blink of an eye.
Zhu Jiu Yin didn’t pursue her as a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was determined to flee was not so easy to kill. Not to mention, Zhu Jiu Yin was also worried about possible ambushes lying in wait for her. Seeing that she couldn’t kill Luan Bai Feng in short order, she simply gave up and turned her gaze towards Shen Liang.
Shen Liang felt so depressed that he almost spat out blood. Yue He alone was enough to constrain him, so with Zhu Jiu Yin joining in, how could he be their match? Even though he went all out to resist, he was surrounded by danger and was repeatedly walking along the edge of death.
On the other hand, Jiang Yun Shan, who was tied down by Qu Hua Shang, saw Luan Bai Feng’s escape and Shen Liang’s desperate situation and decisively attacked Qu Hua Shang with all his strength. Creating an opening, he immediately fled in the opposite direction.
He knew that Shen Liang, who was targeted by an existence like Zhu Jiu Yin, was finished, and if he didn’t leave, when Zhu Jiu Yin was done dealing with Shen Liang, he would be next!
Two of the three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had fled immediately after Zhu Jiu Yin and Qu Hua Shang showed up.
Shen Liang also wanted to flee, but how could he manage to escape? Seeing his own Vice Union Master running faster than a rabbit from the corner of his eyes, he felt a mixture of grief and anger as his face turned ashen.
Teetering on the brink of death, Shen Liang cried out, “Spare my life, and from now on Heavenly Sword Union will follow only Void Land!”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s jade-like white hand latched onto the top of his head at that moment and a violent and unstable power emanated from within her palm. Turning her head to look towards Yang Kai, she silently asked for his opinion.
Seeing this, Shen Liang understood that his survival depended entirely on Yang Kai’s thoughts, so how could he still care about their gap in cultivation and status? He hastily pleaded, “This Shen is willing to swear an oath on his Martial Heart. Please show mercy, Sect Master Yang!”
Yang Kai was not moved and uttered only one word, “Kill!”
Shen Liang’s eyes widened as Zhu Jiu Yin’s jade-like white hand clenched, and with a fierce twist, she directly wrenched his head off! The now headless body twitched a few times before it stopped moving!
If he really wanted to subdue Shen Liang, Yang Kai could use the Loyalty List; after all, right now, the Loyalty List only had three names on it, and there were still six pages left. Shen Liang, was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; thus, he could not resist the power of the Loyalty List. The only thing Yang Kai had to do was make him leave his name and imprint on it, and Yang Kai would be able to control his life and death. Chen Tian Fei, Hei He, and Yun Xing Hua, were all in this situation.
Perhaps Shen Liang really could be used to influence Heavenly Sword Union.
However, Heavenly Sword Union had already attacked Yang Kai twice, so how could he let them off so easily? He had long been determined in his heart to someday eradicate Heavenly Sword Union from the 3,000 Worlds. Naturally, when he was strong enough.
Shen Liang, the new Union Master, only held his position for two or three years before he was killed by Void Land. Including Kong Feng, Heavenly Sword Union had already lost two Union Masters at Void Land’s hands. There was absolutely no way to resolve such a deep grudge.
However, since Heavenly Sword Union was willing to be a blade in the hands of others, they should be prepared to be broken.
“En, many thanks to Senior for rushing to my aid.” Yang Kai hurriedly thanked Zhu Jiu Yin while cupping his fist in gratitude.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted coldly, “If it wasn’t for Luo’er’s incessant begging, do you think this Queen would have come? This Queen is only here for Luo’er’s sake, so don’t flatter yourself.”
“Yes, yes, it’s Luo’er’s good fortune that she is so valued by Senior.” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly while smiling secretly in his heart. Shan Qing Luo was currently in secluded retreat under Zhu Jiu Yin’s tutelage, so she knew nothing about outside events. How would she have gotten to know about Yang Kai’s trip? Zhu Jiu Yin’s statement was clearly just a pretence.
Yang Kai guessed that she was afraid Shan Qing Luo would blame her if he fell prey to any accidents during this trip of his, which was why she secretly followed him here.
Yang Kai did not reveal any such thoughts that flickered across his mind.
“But brat, don’t forget about the conditions you promised before. This Queen will help you this time. Whether you live or die, once this is over, you will consider this Queen’s oath fulfilled. This Queen will regain her freedom either way.”
“Naturally!” Yang Kai nodded sternly, “Although this Junior is young, he always means what he says. After this trip, Senior will no longer be bound by anything.”
Zhu Jiu Yin’s expression cleared up a little, “Seems you still have some sense.”
Yang Kai turned to Qu Hua Shang next and asked with a sigh, “Senior Sister Qu, why did you come here too?”
Qu Hua Shang withdrew her zither and said with a smile, “Naturally, I had to come because you were in trouble. Junior Brother Yang, you’re really something. Why didn’t you call me when you were short of hands? If Senior Zhu hadn’t invited me, I wouldn’t have even known that you had left Void Land.”
Yang Kai realized that Qu Hua Shang was called by Zhu Jiu Yin, and hesitantly said, “With Senior Sister’s status…”
Qu Hua Shang smiled and said, “I am only acting in my personal capacity on this trip. My actions have nothing to do with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
While that sounded well and good, in the end, she was still a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. After this trip, she would definitely be reprimanded by her Sect. Perhaps it was precisely because of her identity that Zhu Jiu Yin specifically invited her, because it would be more convenient to act if she took advantage of Qu Hua Shang’s identity.
Yang Kai let out a slight sigh, “Forget it. No matter what happens next, you have my sincere thanks, Senior Sister.”
Qu Hua Shang pursed her lips and smiled, “Junior Brother, you could pledge yourself to me if you’re so moved.”
Zhu Jiu Yin coldly snorted from the side, “Stop flirting. You were ambushed right after you exited Void Territory, and there are undoubtedly many more dangers lying ahead. If you have enough time to profess your undying love, you may as well use it to think about how to overcome those dangers and defeat your enemies.”
Yang Kai coughed lightly and said, “Since Senior has shown up, there should be no more difficulties along the way, unless they want to fight Senior to the death! Those people have already used Proprietress to lure me out of Void Land, so they will definitely try to finish me off in the Shattered Heaven.”
Zhu Jiu Yin pondered for a moment and said, “According to your speculations, we should be safe until we reach the Shattered Heaven?”
“I believe so, but I can’t be sure. In any case, it’s better that we act carefully.”
“Saying that is the same as saying nothing.” Zhu Jiu Yin gave him a blank look.
Yang Kai scratched his nose and said, “No matter what, we should continue forward first. Right now, we can only take one step at a time.”
Yue He’s wooden shuttle had been broken in the battle; thus, Qu Hua Shang summoned her flight-type artifact. The small group entered the artifact, after which it zoomed ahead, following the Universe Chart’s guidance.
Even as they passed through one Great Territory after another, there were no further ambushes, just like Yang Kai expected.
Luan Bai Feng and Jiang Yun Shan had escaped from the previous battle, so the news that Zhu Jiu Yin was accompanying Yang Kai must have reached the ears of the people behind the scenes. Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength was close to that of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so they would need more than two Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to join hands to deal with her.
As Yang Kai had said, unless they wanted to fight against Zhu Jiu Yin to death, they wouldn’t attack them easily. However, all High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had cultivated for many, many years, so which one of them didn’t cherish his or her own life? Who would want to fight with a Divine Spirit for nothing?
However, Yang Kai was clearly able to notice that someone was following and monitoring them, which was to be expected; thus, he did not pay attention to it. Now that his whereabouts had already been exposed, he simply prioritized reaching the Shattered Heaven, since no matter what, he would be exposed sooner or later when he arrived there anyway.
After nearly two months since he had left Void Land, Yang Kai finally arrived at the Shattered Heaven after passing through the last Territory Gate.
Yang Kai said hesitantly while looking straight ahead, “Is this the Shattered Heaven?”
As far as he could see, there was a vast region of Shattered Spirit Provinces that were filled with many shops and people. Cultivators were coming and going in droves from this place.
Yang Kai originally thought that since the Shattered Heaven was filled with dangers, there wouldn’t be too many people present, even including those who came to explore. But, contrary to his expectations, this place seemed very lively. While not as well organized or laid out as Void Star City, the level of activity in this patchwork-like area was no less.
After two months of recuperation, Old Bai had somewhat recovered. Hearing Yang Kai’s words, he smiled and said, “This is the Shattered Heaven, but we’re still only in the outermost periphery. This place has been explored by countless people, so there will be no danger here.”
“What’s that about?” Yang Kai pointed to the Shattered Spirit Province.
“Where there are people, there will naturally be trade. This is essentially the Shattered Heaven’s Star City, an ungoverned place that is more chaotic than any other in the 3,000 Worlds. People who come in and out of the Shattered Heaven need a place to rest and recuperate, and the people who come out of the Shattered Heaven’s depths also need a place to sell the treasures they acquired, which is why this Star City came into being.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly as he commented, “It’s quite lively.”
Old Bai replied, “It’s naturally lively. There are many people killing others and stealing goods every day there.”
“Understandable.” Yang Kai nodded, “Let’s go and have a look.”
Old Bai frowned and said, “We can always watch the liveliness later, but we don’t know how Proprietress is doing right now. We should prioritize finding her.”
Yang Kai, however, patted his shoulder and shook his head, “Believe me, I’m just as concerned as you are about Proprietress’ situation, but you don’t even know how she and the others disappeared or where she is trapped, so even if you go there, what would you do? Going to this Star City first is not to watch the commotion, but to wait for those people to come to us.”
After hearing this, Old Bai hesitantly said, “You mean….”
Yang Kai confirmed, “Those people lured me to come to Shattered Heaven. Now that I’m here, it’s time for them to get down to business, and do what they have planned to do. At the very least, we should be able to find out about the Proprietress’s current location and situation.”
After giving it a thought, Bai Qi realised that Yang Kai was right, so he nodded in agreement.
Following that, they moved into the lawless Star City. Not only was this place chaotic, but the buildings were also built in a haphazard fashion.
There were some people who had gotten into scuffles on the streets, and the stains of blood on the ground suggested that many lives were lost here.
As Yang Kai silently scanned his surroundings, he was horrified to learn that the cultivators moving around this damned place were mostly Open Heaven Realm Masters. There were rarely any cultivators like him who hadn’t ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
After pondering on it for a moment though, he realised that Shattered Heaven was a truly dangerous place, so no weak cultivators were able to venture into this area. Being an Open Heaven Realm Master was probably the minimum requirement. Furthermore, most Open Heaven Realm Masters here looked destitute, which explained why they took a huge risk to look for opportunities in this dangerous place.
Yang Kai was a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master who was followed by Zhu Jiu Yin, Yue He, and the other strong cultivators, so this group of people looked rather conspicuous in this city.
The people who could make a living here were all cultivators with sharp vision, so they were able to easily tell that it was difficult to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin and the others; therefore, even though many people had their eyes on them, no one dared to go anywhere near them. Whenever Yang Kai and the others went, there seemed to be a pair of invisible hands that separated the onlookers.
“Some people are secretly paying attention to us,” Zhu Jiu Yin said in a small voice all of a sudden.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “That’s expected. It’d be strange if no one is paying attention to us.”
Upon seeing a restaurant, Yang Kai led all of them inside. People from all walks of life had gathered together in the restaurant and it was quite bustling, with shop hands running around with their backs soaked in sweat.
The shopkeeper looked grumpy and had ugly facial features, but he was truly powerful as he was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
After getting a private room, Yang Kai’s group ordered some signature dishes before sitting down and waiting.
Soon, the dishes and bottles of wine were served. Even though they were delectable, no one started eating as Yang Kai just sat with his eyes closed, waiting.
Since he hadn’t made a move, Yue He and the others would naturally stay still. On the other hand, Bai Qi kept squirming as though he was sitting on pins and needles. It had been half a year since the Proprietress got into trouble, but they hadn’t found out her whereabouts until now, so he was expected to be apprehensive.
Just one hour later, Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly took a look at Yang Kai, who seemed to have noticed it as well and opened his eyes.
Zhu Jiu Yin said impassively, “He’s here.”
Yang Kai gently let out a breath and replied, “Good.”
Even though he had comforted Bai Qi earlier, he wasn’t confident that the mastermind would show up to see him here. His plan was that if no one showed up after a day, he could only ask Bai Qi to lead them to the place where the Proprietress got into trouble, then they’d search for her slowly.
Now, it seemed that his speculation was right.
Since he had come to Shattered Heaven as he was told, the mastermind was supposed to show up and reveal his intentions.
Next, they heard a series of footsteps as some people were coming upstairs in a calm manner. Before they even arrived, a disturbing aura started permeating the place.
Yang Kai frowned and snorted, “They’re from Myriad Demons Heaven.”
He was certain that the aura was Demon Qi as he was familiar with it.
After the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, Yang Kai found out that Myriad Demons Heaven was the culprit behind the siege. Now, the mastermind behind the incident this time was also from that great force, so it seemed that the feud between them was bound to worsen.
A moment later, the door was pushed open from the outside. Yang Kai looked up and saw two figures stepping into the private room. As expected, they were from Myriad Demons Heaven as they were engulfed in black Demon Qi, which undulated and concealed their faces.
However, Yang Kai had a feeling that the person at the front was the same High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had appeared in Void Land previously. At the moment, this man was followed by another Open Heaven Realm Master, but this person’s aura suggested that he was only in the Fifth Order.
Faced with such formidable enemies, Yue He and the others immediately rose from the chairs and stood behind Yang Kai to protect him. On the other hand, Zhu Jiu Yin remained seated in a dispassionate manner, as though she hadn’t seen the people who came in.
Even though the person at the front was covered in Demon Qi, Yang Kai could clearly sense that the other party was examining him with a pair of piercing eyes.
An unafraid Yang Kai stared back at him, but the next instant, he felt the person’s Demon Qi turning into a swirl and sucking his Soul into it.
It was totally beyond Yang Kai’s control as he felt his eyes burning all of a sudden. The Demon Eye of Annihilation on his left and the Black Purgatory Eye on his right revealed themselves. At that moment, his golden eye was bright while his black eye was pitch black.
Just then, Zhu Jiu Yin gently flicked the wine glass in front of her. Following a clang, a ripple spread around in Yang Kai’s mind like a glimmer of light that tore apart the darkness, extricating him from that strange state.
Yang Kai hurriedly looked down and closed his eyes, which felt like they were burning.
“I respect you as a guest, but if you dare to make a scene, don’t blame this Queen for becoming rude with you.” Zhu Jiu Yin gave him a warning impassively.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven put on a smile and cupped his fist, “Myriad Demons Heaven, Ti Zheng, greets Senior Sister Zhu. The reason I did some probing just now was that I had some doubts, so I hope that you’ll forgive me.”
Even though he was covered in eerie Demon Qi, he was rather polite when he spoke, unlike how haughty he was in Void Land previously. It seemed he wouldn’t dare to be presumptuous in front of a Divine Spirit; after all, he had suffered a setback because of Zhu Jiu Yin back then.
Zhu Jiu Yin snorted.
Then, Ti Zheng turned to look at Yang Kai and nodded gently, “The last time we met, this Monarch was curious about why you exuded an aura that was supposed to be exclusive to Myriad Demons Heaven. Now, it seems to be the case. Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye… Haha. These two are very abstruse Eye Secret Techniques from our great force that are never taught to outsiders. Even within Myriad Demons Heaven, rarely anyone has successfully cultivated one of the two Secret Techniques, let alone mastered both. Where did you learn these Eye Secret Techniques?”
Yang Kai was slightly taken aback, but he didn’t let his emotions show on his face and simply replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His two Eye Secret Techniques came from Great Demon God Mo Sheng. When Mo Sheng’s physical body was destroyed in the past, his eyes were cast into the Void and wound up far far away. As time passed, they gained their own sentience and life. One of them became the Great Demon God of Tong Xuan Realm while the other became a one-eyed giant monster.
There came an opportunity for Yang Kai as he obtained the Demon Eye of Annihilation first, followed by the Black Purgatory Eye, which was how he mastered both Eye Secret Techniques.
The moment Yang Kai found out that there was a Myriad Demons Heaven in the 3,000 Worlds, he warned himself to be cautious if he came across anyone from that great force so that his secrets wouldn’t be exposed. Those from that great force might not be aware that Mo Sheng eventually lost his life in the Star Boundary, but if he showcased the two Eye Secret Techniques from Great Demon God, it would catch the attention of those from that great force.
In fact, Yang Kai had been cautious enough as he rarely used these Eye Secret Techniques, he hadn’t expected that Ti Zheng had already noticed them when he came to Void Land previously.
Upon some probing this time, he easily found out Yang Kai’s secrets.
Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye were Secret Techniques that came from Myriad Demons Heaven, so the other party’s understanding of the two Eye Secret Techniques must be far greater than Yang Kai’s. As such, he was unable to resist Ti Zheng’s inspection.
With a faint smile, Ti Zheng took a seat and said, “It’s pointless for you to deny it as the characteristics of these two Eye Secret Techniques are too conspicuous. Even though this Monarch has never cultivated them, there are a number of people in our great force who have mastered these Secret Techniques. That’s why I can easily recognise them. However, there’s something I don’t understand. You’re not a disciple from our great force, so how did you get to learn these techniques? Over the years, only a small number of the disciples from our great force have had the aptitude to learn these Secret Techniques, and they’re also the most talented people in Myriad Demons Heaven.”
After he finished speaking, the Demon Qi around him dissipated and revealed his face. As he stared fixedly at Yang Kai’s eyes, he licked his lips and said, “This Monarch is interested in your eyes. Why don’t you sell them to me? I’ll offer a reasonable price.”
Yang Kai asked impassively, “I’m interested in your head as well. Are you going to sell it to me?”
Ti Zheng grinned, “You’re pretty bold; however, even though you have these Eye Secret Techniques, you’re unable to fully activate their powers without the core Secret Art. Furthermore, you’re not a disciple from our great force. It’d be a waste if you hold onto these eyes of yours.”
“That’s none of your business,” Yang Kai shook his head.
Ti Zheng examined him and also shook his head, “What a shame. This Monarch is not going to force you since you’re not willing to sell your eyes. In any case, I’ll be fine with it if you join our great force.”
Yang Kai arched his brow, “Oh? Are you trying to recruit me?”
Ti Zheng replied seriously, “Yes, but it’s because I don’t want the two Eye Secret Techniques from our great force to go to waste.”
A curious Yang Kai asked, “What are the benefits I will get if I join Myriad Demons Heaven?”
Ti Zheng said, “You’ll never have to worry about putting food on the table again, and all your trouble will be gone. This Monarch can give you everything you want, as long as you make a heart demon oath and start working for me from now on.”
“Everything?” Yang Kai raised his brow, “Does it include a High-Rank Yin Element treasure?”
“If you want, this Monarch can give it to you,” Ti Zheng said with a smile.
“That’s attractive, but your conditions are too harsh. I’m not used to being subservient to anyone.”
There seemed to be a look of regret on Ti Zheng’s face, “I wanted to lead you to a bright future, but you wouldn’t appreciate my kindness. Despite the fact that you have two great eyes, you’re no different from a blind man. How pitiful!”
Yang Kai snorted, “Enough nonsense. You told me to come to the Shattered Heaven, and I’m here now. Where’s my Proprietress?”
Ti Zheng asked, “Are you talking about the woman named Lan You Ruo?”
“Stop asking the obvious.”
“Well…” Ti Zheng smiled and fished out a jade slip before pushing it towards Yang Kai, “She’s in this place now. Do you have the guts to go there?”
Yang Kai frowned as Ti Zheng readily revealed the Proprietress’ whereabouts, so he wasn’t sure if he should believe him.
Then, he gave Zhu Jiu Yin a signal with his eyes, whereupon the woman picked up the jade slip and examined it. Then, she nodded at Yang Kai to mean that there was nothing wrong with it.
It was then Yang Kai picked up the jade slip and infused his Divine Sense into it. With a frown, he gazed at Ti Zheng and asked, “How would I know if you’re telling the truth?”
“It’s up to you whether you want to believe me.” Ti Zheng grinned and rose from the chair, then cupped his fist to Zhu Jiu Yin, “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Senior Sister Zhu.”
Following that, he turned around and nonchalantly left.
After he was gone, Bai Qi asked anxiously, “Where’s Proprietress now?”
Yang Kai replied, “Have a look.” Then, he passed the jade slip to him.
After scanning the jade slip, Bai Qi furrowed his brow, “Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
The jade slip indeed contained the Proprietress’ whereabouts, but it was actually a Universe Cave Heaven called Shadowless Cave Heaven, which was just as powerful as Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Both of them were Universe Cave Heavens left behind by Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters after they passed away.
“Old Bai, do you think we can believe the information in this jade slip?” Yang Kai asked.
Bai Qi replied, “It’s likely to be true. The location marked in this jade slip was where Proprietress and the others disappeared back then. It explains why they went missing if they really fell into a Universe Cave Heaven. However… I’ve never heard of Shadowless Cave Heaven before.”
Yue He said, “It’s rumoured that many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters lost their lives in the Shattered Heaven. After they died, they left behind many Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises. So, it’s expected that you’ve never heard of it, but…”
“But what?” Yang Kai turned to look at her.
“Universe Cave Heavens and Universe Paradises are usually sealed off from the outside world. No one can find entrances unless they’re extremely lucky. Since those people could make Big Sister Lan fall into this Shadowless Cave Heaven, it probably means that they already have control over its entrance.”
As Yang Kai suddenly thought of something and narrowed his eyes as he asked, “Old Bai, you said that the reason Proprietress came to the Shattered Heaven was that she was looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure for me. How did you all get wind of it? Did you find out about it yourselves?”
Bai Qi replied, “It was Proprietress who somehow got word of it. Do you think someone deliberately leaked news of a High-Rank Yin Element treasure to lure Proprietress into the trap that sent her into the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Yang Kai snorted, “I don’t think it was a coincidence. It seems that they’ve really discovered a portal into the Shadowless Cave Heaven. At the very least, they know how to enter it.”
The heritages of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were all extremely rich, so it wasn’t odd that they could control the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and it also wasn’t difficult for them to use it to trap the Proprietress and lure Yang Kai to the Shattered Heaven.
“In that case, are you still going?” Zhu Jiu Yin shot Yang Kai with a dispassionate glance, “The reason they generously told you the location must be that they’ve set up a trap. Even if this Queen goes with you, I can’t necessarily ensure your safety. You’ll probably lose your life there.”
Yang Kai pursed his lips and said, “I was ready for that before I came here. There’s no turning back now. Regardless of how dangerous the road ahead of us is, I have to move forward.”
Zhu Jiu Yin stared intently at him and said calmly, “Don’t worry. If you lose your life there, I’ll at least bury your corpse.”
An offended Yue He glared at her.
“Let’s go. I’m eager to find out what kind of an amazing trap they’ve set up for me.” Yang Kai rose from his seat without hesitation.
After shuffling out of the restaurant, they headed for the Star City’s exit. Yang Kai sported a solemn expression as he was worried about the Proprietress. Countless ideas flashed through his mind as he pondered on the circumstances that he might come across, but a moment later, he realised that someone was staring at him.
As their eyes met, Yang Kai became startled for a moment.
There was a middle-aged man across the street who had a look of disbelief on his face. It seemed that he hadn’t expected to bump into Yang Kai in this place. Following that, a sense of resentment rose within this man and his eyes seemed able to spurt endless wrath and hatred. His expression suggested that he was eager to skin Yang Kai alive and drink his blood.
However, as soon as he noticed the people around Yang Kai, he knitted his brow. Even though the auras of Zhu Jiu Yin and the others were concealed, it was apparent to this man that it would be difficult to deal with them. Given his power now, he was unable to kill Yang Kai to get his revenge.
As he darted his gaze around, he shot towards the Star City’s exit.
“Follow him!” Yang Kai yelled and chased after the man. Despite the fact that Zhu Jiu Yin and the others had no idea what was going on, they still promptly followed Yang Kai.
After leaving the Star City, they looked up and saw a ray of light shooting towards the depths of the void. Qu Hua Shang quickly summoned her flight-type artifact, after which they boarded and raced after him.
A puzzled Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “Brat, who is that guy?”
“Give me a moment to think!” Yang Kai frowned without answering her question. Innumerable memories flashed across his mind, and just a moment later, he seemed to have figured out something, “I got it!”
An impatient Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “What do you mean?”
Yang Kai grinned, “We might be able to recruit some helpers.”
Bai Qi asked curiously, “Helpers?”
All of them looked at him in puzzlement as they didn’t understand why he was chasing after someone unrelated to the matter instead of heading straight to the Proprietress’ location.
After letting out a breath, Yang Kai gazed at Qu Hua Shang and asked, “Do you remember Abundance City, Senior Sister Qu?”
Qu Hua Shang replied with a smile, “Of course I do. We were even held captive together there. Aren’t those people living in Void Land now?”
She had frequently visited Void Land over the years, so she had seen Mo Mei and the others a number of times. When she and Yang Kai were held captive in Abundance City, they had met Mo Mei and the other inhabitants of the city and found out about their situations.
“The ancestors of Abundance City were implanted with a Blood Principle Restriction by Blood Monster Divine Monarch, so their descendants had to live in Blood Monster Cave Heaven for their entire lives. Without the nourishment from the Cave Heaven’s aura, they would immediately lose their lives. Back then, I joined forces with Black Crow Divine Monarch and obtained a Secret Technique that could resolve the Blood Principle Restriction. After the collapse of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, I managed to return to Abundance City in time and brought Mo Mei and the others out, eventually bringing them to settle in Void Land. However, when we were still captives, there was an Elder from Abundance City who tried to kill me. Do you remember that, Senior Sister Qu?”
After giving it a thought, Qu Hua Shang nodded, “En, he was named Tan Luo Xing, right? It’s no wonder I found that man familiar just now.”
When Tan Luo Xing saw the Wooden Token given to Yang Kai by the Proprietress in the past, he attempted to kill him outright. However, Tan Luo Xing failed miserably and soon after forcefully opened the city’s Defensive Grand Array and fled as he was worried that he would get punished. After that, Golden Gorilla King stormed into Abundance City and made a scene.
The person Yang Kai came across just now was Tan Luo Xing who had fled from Abundance City.
After finishing her words, Qu Hua Shang asked in perplexment, “There’s something I don’t understand, Junior Brother Yang. Tan Luo Xing fled pretty early on, so he supposedly shouldn’t have survived. After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed, all the cultivators in that place must have passed away except for the ones from Abundance City that you managed to save.”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “The only possibility is that his Blood Principle Restriction was also removed.”
“But who could have helped…” Before Qu Hua Shang finished her words, her gaze brightened as she figured everything out.
Yang Kai went on to say, “That’s right. There’s one more person who can resolve the Blood Principle Restriction other than me…”
Qu Hua Shang completed his sentence, “Black Crow Divine Monarch!”
Yang Kai chuckled, “He’s really something. He had killed many disciples from the Cave-Heavens and Paradises in Blood Monster Cave Heaven. After the collapse of Blood Monster Cave Heaven, all of the Cave Heavens and Paradises got wind of Black Crow Divine Monarch and began hunting him down. Initially, I thought that he must have lost his life in the Blood Monster Territory. Now, it seems that not only is he still alive and kicking, but he’s also come to the Shattered Heaven.”
After a moment of deliberation, Yang Kai nodded, “I’m sure he’s in the Shattered Heaven now. His life must be worse than mine since he’s being actively hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There’s nowhere in the 3,000 Worlds that he can go except for the Shattered Heaven where there’s nothing but chaos…” He tutted, “Did you notice, Senior Sister Qu? Tan Luo Xing is also an Open Heaven Realm Master now.”
Qu Hua Shang nodded, “En, Fifth-Order.”
Yang Kai went on to say, “There was no way Black Crow Divine Monarch would help Tan Luo Xing resolve his Blood Principle Restriction out of kindness. He was aware that he was on his own, so he had to recruit some subordinates. As a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Tan Luo Xing is powerful enough to be used as a pawn. Moreover, in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Abundance City alone was able to produce so many Open Heaven Realm Masters. What about other cities? If my speculation is right, Black Crow Divine Monarch must have amassed a lot of helpers who are in the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
After all, Black Crow Divine Monarch was a former High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, reborn after seizing someone else’s body. Since Black Crowd Divine Monarch possessed the necessary Secret Technique to resolve the Blood Principle Restriction, it would be easy for him to enslave some people when the Blood Monster Cave Heaven began to collapse.
Since Yang Kai was able to save the people from Abundance City at that time, Black Crow Divine Monarch could naturally do something similar. The fact that Tan Luo Xing was still alive was the best proof.
[Moreover…]
Yue He said, “Tan Luo Xing seems to be luring us somewhere, Young Master.”
Yang Kai said, “He’s completely resentful of me. After his failed attempt to kill me back then, he was forced to flee Abundance City and became homeless. When he saw me in the Star City just now, he wouldn’t dare to make a move as all of you were around me. However, if he can lure us to the place where his companions gather together, he can join forces with them and get his revenge.”
Qu Hua Shang remarked, “That must be the place where Black Crow Divine Monarch resides.”
Yang Kai nodded, “You’re right. He’s trying to make use of Black Crow Divine Monarch’s power to deal with us.”
Even though there were only a small number of people with Yang Kai, they were obviously all powerful Masters. Since Tan Luo Xing had the guts to lure them to that place, it meant that Black Crow Divine Monarch must have amassed a lot of subordinates, and he believed that the Divine Monarch was able to deal with Yang Kai and the others; otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a decision.
Zhu Jiu Yin warned him by saying, “Are you trying to make use of that Black Crow Divine Monarch’s power? Be careful, as you might go for wool and come back shorn.”
Qu Hua Shang said, “You should really think twice about it, Junior Brother. I remember that you made Black Crow Divine Monarch suffer a huge loss in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, so he also abhors you.”
“The reason Black Crow is resentful of me is that I ruined his plan to refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Now that the Blood Monster Cave Heaven is no longer around, it’s useless for him to keep on hating me. On the other hand, those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises hunted him in the Blood Monster Territory and even though he escaped from that Great Territory in the end, he was forced to live miserably in the Shattered Heaven. I believe that if there’s a chance, he won’t mind retaliating against those people.”
Back then, Black Crow Divine Monarch was trying to refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. If he had succeeded, the life or death of all the people in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven would have fallen into his hands. Unfortunately, Yang Kai foiled his plans at the critical moment. This was indeed an unresolvable feud.
However, fighting back in order to survive as Yang Kai had done, and the active hunt to exterminate him by the Cave Heavens and Paradises were not equal in weight. Yang Kai had ruined his plan while those from Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to kill him, so both of these parties were also his enemies. With that said, it was more difficult to deal with the Cave Heavens and Paradises in comparison.
Black Crow Divine Monarch must be fully aware of that, which was why he had hidden in the Shattered Heaven.
It was said that the enemy of an enemy was a friend. Perhaps they could join forces over this matter temporarily. As for their feud, they could settle it at a later date. Black Crow Divine Monarch had lived for a long time, so he must be able to see the big picture.
“Regardless, we have to meet him first. Maybe we’ll get what we want, but even if we don’t, we won’t suffer any losses.”
Since Yang Kai had made a decision, the others were not in any place to say otherwise, especially Qu Hua Shang; after all, she was a disciple from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven that was also involved in hunting down Black Crow Divine Monarch.
As they raced after the ray of light, they moved forward at full speed.
Broken Spirit Provinces were scattered everywhere in the Shattered Heaven. There was no vitality in these Spirit Provinces, and their World Principles were long gone. These shattered Spirit Provinces were supposed to be parts of Universe Worlds in the Shattered Heaven, but after the epic war in the past, the neighbouring Great Territories were all broken, and their Universe Worlds were destroyed, leaving behind only remnants.
On a certain small Spirit Province, many figures had concealed themselves while there were some strong cultivators who stood guard around the periphery.
All of a sudden, a shriek was heard coming from the deepest part of the Spirit Province, which sent a chill down everyone’s spine. The Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who stood guard shuddered upon hearing that as they mourned for the lost life.
These people were cultivators who were born and bred in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven broke apart, they were found by a person called Black Crow Divine Monarch, who helped resolve the Blood Principle Restriction in their bodies and brought them away.
Initially, they thought that they could finally break free from the cage that had confined their ancestors and them and start a new life; however, no one could’ve expected that it was just the beginning of their nightmare.
They were still Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Masters when they left the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, but Black Crow Divine Monarch gave them resources and helped them ascend to the Open Heaven Realm in a short period of time. Due to years of accumulation and Black Crow Divine Monarch’s help, they were able to ascend to the Fourth Order at minimum. Many of them were in the Fifth Order while there were a small number of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters among them. Very few lost their lives when breaking through.
Following that, Black Crow Divine Monarch led them all the way to Shattered Heaven.
Due to the fact that Black Crow Divine Monarch loved drinking human blood, he would need an Open Heaven Realm Master to use as blood food from time to time. The Shattered Heaven was a chaotic and lawless place, where countless lives were lost every day. As a formidable force like them wandered around, they could wait for the right targets and make a move at the right time.
There were many unlucky Open Heaven Realm Masters who were captured by them and brought to this place to be served as blood sacrifices for Black Crow Divine Monarch.
However, even though they were powerful, there were times when they were not lucky enough to find any target.
For a time like this, Black Crow Divine Monarch would choose one of them to be his blood sacrifice.
Initially, 35 people had left the Blood Monster Territory with Black Crow Divine Monarch, but after just 3 years, only a little more than 20 of them were left. Those who were gone didn’t lose their lives in battle but instead had their Blood Essence sucked dry by Black Crow Divine Monarch.
Luck wasn’t on their side recently as they couldn’t capture anyone to serve as blood food, so as soon as they heard the shriek, they knew that one of their companions had perished.
Now, their life or death was basically in Black Crow Divine Monarch’s hands. Although some of them were stronger than him, none of them dared to rebel.
If this went on, all of them would be killed by Black Crow Divine Monarch in a few years. Nevertheless, there was nothing they could do. When Black Crow resolved the Blood Principle Restriction for them, he also left something in their bodies, which ensured that they wouldn’t be able to break free from his control even after they advanced to the Open Heaven Realm.
The shrieks didn’t last for a long time. After slightly more than ten breaths’ time, the voice weakened. The Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Spirit Province sported indifferent expressions as they were already used to this.
All of a sudden, someone exclaimed, “Someone is coming!”
The people who were responsible for standing guard immediately looked around and saw a ray of light approaching them at high speed and they quickly put their guard up.
However, just a moment later, someone recognised the person who was approaching and shouted, “Don’t panic. It’s Tan Luo Xing!”
As expected, Tan Xing Lu appeared within everyone’s sight just a while later, but before he even reached them, he exclaimed, “Hide yourselves! There are some new blood sacrifices following me!”
Upon hearing that, all of them became energised as they used their Secret Techniques to conceal their auras and figures.
They had been extremely unlucky recently as they were unable to capture any blood sacrifice at all. They had just lost another companion, and no one knew who the next among them would be; therefore, when they heard that some blood sacrifices were following Tan Luo Xing, they quickly got prepared. As long as they could catch those blood sacrifices, they would be safe in a short period of time.
On the other hand, upon informing his companions about it, Tan Luo Xing shot towards the deepest part of the Spirit Province.
Just a moment later, he arrived at a collapsed Grand Hall that was protected by powerful cultivators in all directions. However, all of them looked as pale as white sheets now. In the middle of the Grand Hall stood a figure that was engulfed in blood mist. For some reason, he was trembling violently, and the blood mist around him contracted and expanded irregularly.
There was a withered corpse lying on the ground in front of this figure. The corpse didn’t contain any moisture, as though it had been left in the burning sun for countless years. His skin was horrendously pale, and all his Blood Essence was gone. He must have gone through a terrifying experience before his death. His hollow eyes almost popped out, and horror was written all over his shrivelled face.
Tan Luo Xing took a glance at the corpse and instantly recognised his identity. Just a few days ago, he had chatted with this man over some casual topics, so it never crossed his mind that after he returned from the Star City in the Shattered Heaven, the other party would already be dead.
Still, he quickly retracted his gaze and called out, “Divine Monarch!”
All of a sudden, the figure covered in blood mist extended his hand and slapped Tan Luo Xing. The slap was so forceful that he flipped over several times in the air, and when he landed on the ground, half of his face was swollen up while several of his teeth were broken.
“How dare you disturb this Monarch when I’m having my meal? Is it your first day working for me? Or do you also want to be my blood food today?” Black Crow Divine Monarch’s grim voice was heard coming from the weltering blood mist.
Tan Luo Xing shuddered and fell on all fours as he pleaded, “Please forgive me, Divine Monarch! Please forgive me! I know I’ve made a mistake. Please don’t kill me!”
Black Crow roared like he was an injured beast. His eyes were bloodshot as he said through clenched teeth, “Old Dog Blood Monster, you still taunt this Monarch even after your death! What did you do to the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture!? Damn you!”
It wasn’t until Black Crow fled from the Blood Monster Territory and arrived at the Shattered Heaven that he realised there was something wrong with the Scripture that he had cultivated. That was because after he ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, he had to look for suitable blood sacrifices from time to time and swallow all their Blood Essence; otherwise, he would be at risk of self-detonation.
Even though the learner of the Scripture was supposed to consume others’ Blood Essence to increase their power, there was a difference between doing it proactively and being forced to do it. He had a speculation that the Scripture he had obtained was tampered with by Blood Monster Divine Monarch, which was why he had fallen into such a state.
Whenever he needed a blood sacrifice, he would feel unbearably itchy as though countless cats were scratching his Soul. He was unable to control his emotions as he’d become highly irritable.
Then, he turned his head and stared fixedly at Tan Luo Xing, “Why did you disturb this Monarch? If you can’t provide a good reason, I’ll devour you immediately!”
Tan Luo Xing became horrified as he knew that Black Crow wasn’t pulling his leg. If he couldn’t come up with a satisfactory reply, he would lose his life the next instant.
Not daring to be negligent, he pressed his head against the ground and said in a shaking voice, “I found Yang Kai in the Star City.”
“Yang Kai?!” Black Crow Divine Monarch became startled for a moment, then the blood mist around him exploded as he shot towards Tan Luo Xing and yanked him up before saying through gritted teeth, “Are you talking about that damn brat who ruined this Monarch’s plan back in Blood Monster Cave Heaven? Where is he!?”
If Yang Kai hadn’t foiled his plan, he wouldn’t have fallen into such a state. At that time, as long as he could refine the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and make use of its resources, he could wait until he recovered his strength before leaving. By then, he could go anywhere he pleased instead of hiding from his enemies in this place.
Tan Luo Xing quickly said, “I’ve lured him to this place. He’ll be here soon.”
Upon hearing that, Black Crow was elated, “Good, very good! That brat ruined this Monarch’s plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. I’ve been wanting to get my revenge, but I didn’t know where he was. Now that he dares to show up in the Shattered Heaven, he’s basically stepping right into his grave. This Monarch will definitely catch and kill him!”
After he finished speaking, he gently put down Tan Luo Xing and said with a mild expression, “You’ve done well.”
After getting a compliment, Tan Luo Xing put on a fawning smile, “It’s my duty to help solve your problems, Divine Monarch. However, Yang Kai is followed by some Open Heaven Realm Masters this time. I couldn’t see through their strength as they were concealing their auras, but I don’t think they’re pushovers.”
Black Crow sneered, “I was worried that they would be too weak. To this Monarch, the more powerful a blood sacrifice is, the better they’ll taste. Hmm?” As he spoke, he suddenly turned to look in a particular direction. Apparently, he had sensed something.
At the same time, explosive sounds were heard as World Force undulated. There was also an aura that was extraordinarily powerful and eerie. Obviously, the people who were responsible for standing guard had engaged Yang Kai in battle.
“A Divine Spirit!” Black Crow turned pale and widened his eyes in disbelief. Why was there a Divine Spirit following Yang Kai around? Moreover, judging from the Divine Spirit’s energy fluctuations, she should be a mature one! In other words, she was at least as strong as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Black Crow’s expression darkened instantly. To him, there was no doubt that a powerful blood sacrifice would taste better and be more beneficial to him. Still, he had to be wary of a mature Divine Spirit. Even though he had many strong cultivators in the Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm who worked for him, they would be useless when faced against such a foe.
Despite his wariness, he wasn’t afraid. More than twenty Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were a force to be reckoned with. If they got into a life-and-death battle with this Divine Spirit, both parties would likely be equally matched.
While he was pondering on whether he should fight or retreat, he heard someone speaking to him, “Black Crow, your friend has come all the way here to see you. Why don’t you let me in?”
Upon hearing that voice, Black Crow immediately had the urge to kill. That was the voice of the accursed brat who had repeatedly ruined his plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. First, he failed to seize Yang Kai’s body and had to settle for an inferior one. Then, he foiled his plans to refine the Blood Monster Divine Palace, leading to the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven which forced him to flee to the Shattered Heaven. Yang Kai was the cause of all of his misery. Whenever Black Crow thought of that brat, he was eager to skin him alive and drink his blood.
In fact, he had secretly made an oath that as soon as he returned to his peak, he would scour the 3,000 Worlds to look for this boy and let him taste the cruellest torture imaginable. However, it never crossed Black Crow’s mind that they’d meet again so soon.
As he narrowed his bloodshot eyes, he raised his arm and bellowed, “Let them in!”
Black Crow was fully aware of his subordinates’ strength. Since Yang Kai had a Divine Spirit with him, there was no way his blood slaves could stop him. In that case, he decided to directly let them in. He wanted to find out why Yang Kai had come all the way to the Shattered Heaven to look for him.
The battle ended as the explosive sounds died down.
Soon enough, under the attention of many Mid-Rank Open Realm Masters, Yang Kai led Yue He, Zhu Jiu Yin, and the others to barge into the place and walked up to Black Crow.
*Shua shua shua…*
The cultivators who were hidden earlier flew over from all directions and surrounded Yang Kai and his group.
At this moment, nearly 30 Mid-Rank Open Realm Masters had gathered together in this small Spirit Province. There was also the Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider. People who had no idea what was going on would be shaken to the core if they saw such a powerful group.
As their eyes met, Yang Kai smiled and saluted in a friendly manner, “Good to see you again, Black Crow. Who could’ve thought that we’d reunite in this place?”
Black Crow’s eyes seemed able to spit fire as he snarled, “Quit being so presumptuous. How dare you call this Monarch by his name?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “It’s just a name. Please don’t mind it, Divine Monarch.”
Black Crow snorted, “Stinking brat, you ruined this Monarch’s plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, yet you still have the gall to show up in front of me? Do you think I can’t do anything to you just because you have a Divine Spirit to protect you?”
Then, he lifted both arms and put on a smug smile, “Do you see it now? I have many powerful subordinates with me. As soon as I give the order, they’ll kill you.”
Yang Kai spoke up with an amiable expression, “I believe that you’re capable of doing that; however, it’s pointless for you to kill me now. The Blood Monster Cave Heaven is gone, and you’re currently being hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. I believe that life has been terrible for you in the Shattered Heaven, am I right?”
At the mention of this, Black Crow became even more infuriated, “If you hadn’t interfered, this Monarch wouldn’t have fallen into such a miserable state!”
If he had managed to refine the Blood Monster Divine Palace, he could’ve taken control of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven and made use of the resources left behind by Blood Monster Divine Monarch to restore his strength while remaining hidden from the world, rather than being forced to flee and getting hunted down.
“I was forced to do that, Divine Monarch. If you had really refined the Blood Monster Divine Palace, I would’ve died. In order to survive, I had to oppose you at that time,” Yang Kai said with a smile, as though he wasn’t the one who did that back then.
Black Crow barked, “What do you want, boy? Have you come all the way here just to annoy me? In that case, this Monarch will never let you off!”
“Of course not,” Yang Kai shook his head and said solemnly, “I’m here to join forces with you.”
Black Crow gawked for a moment before growling, “Are you saying that you want to join forces with this Monarch? Did you fumble your words? Or did I mishear you?”
Yang Kai replied, “You didn’t mishear me, nor did I speak wrongly.”
Black Crow looked around and laughed in a maniacal manner. His laugh reverberated across the entire Spirit Province.
A moment later, he stopped laughing and snorted, “Even though this Monarch has no idea what your intentions are, I know that you’ve not some kind-hearted saint. Scram while I’m still in a good mood; otherwise, all of you have to lose your lives here!”
Yang Kai stared at him and shook his head, “You haven’t even asked about what I want to join forces with you for, Divine Monarch. Why are you in a rush to chase me away?”
Black Crow scoffed, “If possible, you’re the first one this Monarch would kill. Are you taunting me by telling me to work with you? Who do you think you are? Do you even have a right to join forces with me?”
Ignoring his mockery, Yang Kai went on to say, “You had no choice but to flee from the Blood Monster Territory and hide in this broken Spirit Province because of those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Don’t you want to get your revenge?”
Black Crow stared at him with narrowed eyes as a dangerous glint flashed through his gaze. It was as though he was pondering on whether he should attack Yang Kai here and now. Certainly, he had no regard for the latter whatsoever. When he was in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven back then, he had just taken over someone else’s body, so he was only able to exert a fraction of his true power. That was the reason Yang Kai was able to repeatedly foil his plans.
But now, he was already a Fifth-Order Realm Master while Yang Kai was still just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm cultivator. They were not even comparable anymore.
However, he was wary of the Divine Spirit. With this Divine Spirit’s protection, it would be unrealistic for him to kill Yang Kai even though he had many strong subordinates with him.
“You hold some grudges against those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, and it’s the same case for me,” Yang Kai continued, “Since we have common foes, why don’t you join forces with me?”
Black Crow’s interest had been piqued as he asked, “Why is there a feud between you and those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises?”
Yang Kai explained, “That’s because I want to directly break through to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm, and it seems to have affected some people’s interests, so I’ve been targeted by them. In fact, I was lured to this place and there is a trap waiting for me in the depths of the Shattered Heaven.”
Understanding now, Black Crow nodded faintly, “As expected, you really want to ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm directly. It’s no wonder that the Cave Heavens and Paradises won’t let you off. If I were them, I wouldn’t let you achieve your goal either. However, since you’re aware that it’s a trap, why are you still going straight into it?”
“There’s a reason I must go, but I’m not going to tell you about it. It’s a coincidence that we’ve come across each other here. I didn’t deliberately look for you.”
Black Crow turned to look at Tan Luo Xing and reckoned that the latter must have exposed his whereabouts by being followed. Faced with Black Crow’s deathly stare, Tan Luo Xing was instantly drenched in cold sweat.
Black Crow snorted, “Since those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises have set up a trap for you, it’ll be useless regardless of how many people you bring with you. This Monarch isn’t a fool, so why would I decide to perish together with you?”
“You’re wrong, Divine Monarch.” Yang Kai shook his head, “If all Thirty-Six Cave Heavens and Seventy-Two Paradises had joined forces, there’s no way I would survive and even trying to resist would be pointless. However, we’re only going to deal with some of them here, so they can’t possibly summon a large number of their strongest cultivators. They are currently targeting me and the people around me, so if you seize the chance and make a move now, they won’t be able to counterattack. Since you have so many powerful cultivators with you, don’t you want to deal a heavy blow to them?”
While Black Crow was contemplating it with a frown, Yang Kai just stared silently at him without urging.
A moment later, Black Crow sneered, “Regardless of what you say, this Monarch will not believe even one word from your wicked mouth. I indeed hold some grudges against the Cave Heavens and Paradises, and I’ll storm into their Headquarters some day, kill all of their disciples and destroy their inheritances that have been accumulated over so many years. However, I also very much want to see you dead! Hahaha. You want to use me to ease your burdens? You’re too naive, brat.”
Yang Kai said with a frown, “We can settle the score between us in the future, Divine Monarch. Such a chance is hard to come by, if you don’t make a move now, you’ll regret it in the future, won’t you? Do you want to keep hiding in the Shattered Heaven forever? If they discover your whereabouts, do you think they’ll let you live peacefully here?”
“This is none of your business. Get lost now, or else I’ll kill you right here.” Black Crow waved his hand to chase them away.
“Divine Monarch!”
While Yang Kai attempted to keep persuading him, the blood mist around Black Crow undulated as he snapped, “If you don’t leave within three breaths, you’ll have to stay here forever!”
Following that, the twenty or so Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters circulated their strength. At that instant, the aura of World Force permeated the broken hall. Yue He, Qu Hua Shang, and Bai Qi became alarmed with only Zhu Jiu Yin remaining impassive as she stared coldly at Black Crow Divine Monarch.
A frustrated Yang Kai shot Black Crow Divine Monarch a glare and said through clenched teeth, “We’re leaving!”
Then, he turned around and swung his sleeve before walking off, seemingly quite vexed.
In the blink of an eye, they left the Spirit Province and headed straight to the depths of the Shattered Heaven.
It wasn’t until they flew for a long time after leaving the Spirit Province that Yang Kai’s expression turned milder as he let out a breath.
To the side, Zhu Jiu Yin asked, “You wanted to join forces with him, but he didn’t seem interested one bit. What are you going to do now? Walk right into the trap like a fool?”
There was a faint smile on Yang Kai’s face, “He wasn’t interested? I don’t think so.”
Zhu Jiu Yin said with a frown, “Black Crow made his stance clear. Are you blind or what?”
Yang Kai explained, “It’s exactly because he made his stance clear so quickly that I’m sure he’s interested. As for whether he’ll make a move, it depends on our ability to deal with the trap they’ve set up. If my speculation is right, Black Crow will secretly follow us then play it by ear. If there’s a chance, he’ll gladly have a hand in this matter; however, if the difference in power between our enemies and us is too great, he’ll stay clear of it. He’s not the charitable sort. Since he has suffered such an immense setback, there’s no way he won’t want to get his revenge. The most important thing now is whether we can create a chance for him to make a move.”
Zhu Jiu Yin refuted, “That’s just your speculation.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right. It’s just my speculation. Maybe Black Crow won’t make any move in the end.”
If they couldn’t use Black Crow’s power, they had no choice but to face the trap in the Shadowless Cave Heaven on their own. In any case, it was a surprise that they came across Black Crow in the Shattered Heaven. Yang Kai had never expected Black Crow to hide in that place, and the latter even had so many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters working for him.
In fact, it never crossed his mind that Black Crow had actually fled from the Blood Monster Territory. Initially, he thought that the latter must have lost his life there; after all, every single Territory Gate of that place had been controlled by the Cave Heavens and Paradises at that time, and all the cultivators who passed through gates were carefully screened. It wasn’t certain what trick Black Crow had used, but not only had he managed to flee, he had even brought many people with him.
This kind of old fox who had lived for countless years must never be underestimated.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai turned to look at Qu Hua Shang and asked, “Senior Sister Qu, since you’re a disciple from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, what kind of trap do you think those from Myriad Demons Heaven have set up in the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Following a moment of deliberation, she replied, “I know little about the information at the top level. Even though my great force did its best to gather information, we’re unable to do so as we’re not involved in this matter. However, High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters are all powerful figures with supreme identities, so they won’t easily make a move unless it’s absolutely necessary. Senior Zhu’s existence has been exposed, so if those from Myriad Demons Heaven want to set up a trap, they’ll specifically target her. Moreover, Senior Zhu showcased her power in the battle in Void Land a few years ago; therefore, I think at least three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters will be waiting outside the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai nodded gently. What Qu Hua Shang had said was the same as his speculations. Since they wanted to target Zhu Jiu Yin, they’d need three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters at the very least. That was because two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to defeat Zhu Jiu Yin previously.
Moreover, only Myriad Demons Heaven had exposed themselves in this matter so far. The other Cave Heavens and Paradises remained hidden. Yang Kai had no idea whether there were other players in this game apart from Myriad Demons Heaven.
However, Qu Hua Shang was right to say that High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were powerful figures with superb identities, so they wouldn’t easily make a move. Even if they did, they wouldn’t come in large numbers. That was because they had a reputation to preserve.
As the ship moved forward, Yang Kai stood on the deck and looked at the endless void while pondering on his future.
Before coming to the 3,000 Worlds, he would never have expected that a mere Emperor Realm Junior like himself would be able to raise such waves one day. Now, faced with an extremely difficult trial, he realised that he was still too weak after all.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, he was still able to use the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array to play some role. Since the Array Jade was in his possession, he could make use of the Grand Array to fend off his enemies.
However, he practically became useless after leaving Void Land.
Initially, he wanted to make use of the Star City’s development and wait for a chance to look for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure that suited him. Once he became a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, he would make a name for himself. However, those who had been paying attention to him thought that he was going to disrupt the order in the 3,000 Worlds, so they decided to take care of him before he had a chance and lured him out of Void Land.
Faced with the siege by Shen Liang, Jiang Yun Shan, and Luan Bai Feng, all Yang Kai could do was stay behind his companions’ protection as he watched Bai Qi and Yue He fend off the enemy while he looked for a chance to flee.
This ambush was just a probe to find out his true power, and the trap in the Shadowless Cave Heaven was the real deal. Given his current strength, there was nothing Yang Kai could do even if he reached the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Was he going to rely on Zhu Jiu Yin to save the Proprietress and then just run back to Void Land?
Since Zhu Jiu Yin’s existence had been exposed, it was expected that she’d be targeted. By then, she might not even be able to protect herself, let alone save the Proprietress.
Which path should he follow as he stepped into the unknown? Yang Kai was a resolute man who made decisions firmly. Even if the road ahead was paved with thorns, he had to charge forward despite knowing that he’d be injured. However, at this moment, he was at a loss.
As the ship sailed forward, Yue He and Bai Qi remained silent. They worriedly exchanged glances as they could sense that Yang Kai was feeling conflicted.
The Shattered Heaven was indeed a dangerous place. As they moved forward, they would come across unknown dangers from time to time. A series of mighty fluctuations could be felt spreading from seemingly ordinary Spirit Provinces, and some of these fluctuations were as strong as a strike from someone in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
If they accidentally triggered these fluctuations, they would be turned into dust.
These hidden dangers were left behind from the ancient war. Due to that great battle, countless restrictions and Spirit Arrays were left behind in the Shattered Heaven. Other than the Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques that might explode at any moment, there were also many Open Heaven artifacts that had gained spirituality.
Fortunately, as a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jiu Yin had sharp perception. It was thanks to her warnings that they were able to stay away from many of the dangers. With that said, she wasn’t able to detect all of them.
On the third day since they entered the Shattered Heaven, a ray of light suddenly came at their ship when they were passing by a Spirit Province.
The ray of light contained a horrifying power. The expressions of Yue He and Bai Qi changed drastically as they stood in front of Yang Kai while Qu Hua Shang quickly drove the ship forward. At the same time, Zhu Jiu Yin roared and spat out a snow-white spider web to intercept the ray of light.
The ray of light was soon covered in the spider web, but just one breath of time later, it broke free and continued shooting towards the ship.
Zhu Hiu Yin’s expression changed as she took Yang Kai’s arm and flew away for several dozen kilometres.
At the same time, Qu Hua Shang and the others also dispersed.
When they looked back, they realised that the ship had already turned into dust after coming into contact with the ray of light. Meanwhile, the ray of light exposed itself. It turned out to be a blue wolf that stood in the void and stared at them.
The wolf’s figure flickered, so it was apparent that it wasn’t a real beast. Moreover, one could see an arm-long jade sceptre floating inside its body.
Without stopping, the wolf turned into a ray of light again and disappeared into the depths of the Shattered Heaven.
After they regrouped, Yue He and the others all had pale faces. Zhu Jiu Yin sported a solemn expression as she gazed at Bai Qi and asked, “Was it also this dangerous the last time you were here?”
Bai Qi replied, “We didn’t come across that wolf previously; however, it’s a well-known fact that the Shattered Heaven is full of dangers. We bumped into different kinds of attacks from time to time.”
“What was that?” Yang Kai asked. He was the weakest among all of them, so just now, he couldn’t clearly see what was going on. All he saw was the wolf’s figure.
“It was an artifact that gained sentience,” Yue He said seriously, “It was likely the manifestation of the jade sceptre’s Artifact Spirit. The jade sceptre’s owner was probably an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master before his death. No ordinary Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could wield such a weapon.”
Yang Kai was stunned as he finally understood why the ray of light easily broke through Zhu Jiu Yin’s Secret Technique. No ordinary person could resist this kind of attack. If Zhu Jiu Yin hadn’t made a move, all of them would’ve been severely wounded.
Obviously, the jade sceptre had been hidden in that Spirit Province. It was triggered when Yang Kai and the others passed by this place.
The Shattered Heaven was indeed a place full of danger, but at the same time, it was also a treasure trove. If anyone could obtain the artifact they had seen earlier, even a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would also see their power increase significantly. However, in order to obtain it, the person had to be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm at the very least.
After pulling themselves together, they continued moving forward.
Wherever they went, they could see that some people had gotten into fights for one reason or another. Those who could make a living in the Shattered Heaven were all Open Heaven Realm Masters who were ruthless; otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to survive in this lawless place.
They had no reservations when fighting and constantly used fatal blows.
Zhu Jiu Yin would spread her aura from time to time to intimidate the people who passed by or were fighting nearby, reducing the number of people who dared confront them greatly.
Even so, they were still only at the periphery of the Shattered Heaven. What would the core of the place look like?
According to Bai Qi, the core area of the Shattered Heaven was a place where only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had a right to step into. Despite that, there was no guarantee that they would come out alive. That was the reason so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had lost their lives here over the years.
When Bai Qi and Proprietress were looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure, they never went near the core area. She was indeed searching for the resource for Yang Kai, but she wasn’t so foolish as to take such a risk.
As they flew forward carefully, they were relieved that the following journey was much safer. Half a month later, they arrived at their destination following the instructions in the jade slip given to them by Ti Zheng.
This was a quiet place in the void as Spirit Provinces of different sizes hovered around them. Yang Kai scanned his surroundings with the jade slip in his hand, and upon making sure that there was no mistake, he asked Bai Qi, “Is it here?”
After looking around, Bai Qi nodded with a solemn expression, “That’s right. It’s here.”
Yang Kai stared at the void in front of him. They had arrived at this place following the instructions in the jade slip given by Ti Zheng, and Bai Qi confirmed that Proprietress had disappeared here. It meant that the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven was somewhere around this place. As long as they could find the entrance, they could enter and save her.
However, this was easier said than done. The first difficulty they were facing was where to look for the entrance.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven had remained undiscovered in this place for countless years, which suggested that the entrance must be well hidden. After all, innumerable people had moved around the Shattered Heaven over the years. If the entrance could be found easily, the Shadowless Cave Heaven would’ve been exposed by now.
In reality, this Universe Cave Heaven had essentially remained undiscovered.
Only the masterminds here knew how to open up the entrance as they had lured the Proprietress to this place and made her fall into the trap.
Despite the fact that it was serene in the void, anyone could feel the hidden murderous intent.
With a solemn expression, Zhu Jiu Yin spoke up, “Brat, I have a bad feeling.”
As soon as she arrived at this place, she could feel that they were being watched over by countless pairs of eyes. After scanning the surroundings with her Divine Sense, she could clearly feel that many auras of living creatures had hidden in the Spirit Provinces around them.
Yang Kai said gently, “Please stand guard for me, Senior.”
Zhu Jiu Yin turned to look at him and realized that he had closed his eyes. As Space Principles swirled around him, it was apparent that he was looking for the entrance.
“Such a troublesome brat!” Zhu Jiu Yin snorted in disgust, but she wouldn’t dare to be negligent as she paid close attention to her surroundings. At the same time, she secretly made a decision that the moment things turned South, she would immediately take Yang Kai away. It wasn’t a wise choice to fight enemies in a trap set up by the other party. She wasn’t a fool, so she wouldn’t do such a silly thing. Now, she just had to ensure Yang Kai’s safety. As for the life or death of the others, it had nothing to do with her.
As Space Principles undulated, Yang Kai scanned the surroundings with his Divine Sense.
The Universe Cave Heaven was actually an independent Sealed World that lingered in the Void of the Shattered Heaven. If there was really an entrance, there would be some Space Principle fluctuations coming from where the two places intersected.
When the Blood Monster Cave Heaven opened up in the past, Yang Kai made use of Space Principles to discover entrances in advance,
Therefore, he believed that he could also find the entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven by doing the same thing here.
Even though Yang Kai was just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, which meant that he was the weakest among everyone here, even Zhu Jiu Yin was no match for him when it came to this. There was no doubt that she was powerful, but she knew nothing about the Dao of Space. The entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven was well hidden, so perhaps only some slight Space Principle fluctuations could be felt. She couldn’t sense them, but Yang Kai might be able to.
As long as he could find the entrance, he could try to enter it.
As he emptied his mind and carefully examined every part of the Void with his Divine Sense to observe the tiny differences, he fell into a kind of trance.
“Come out!” Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly bellowed and turned to look at a particular Spirit Province while raising her hand.
In silence, a Spirit Province of several hundred square kilometres exploded. As the stones scattered everywhere, a few figures appeared in embarrassment as they looked both horrified and doubtful.
However, before Zhu Jiu Yin could make a move again, she heard someone guffawing, “You’ve got a short temper it seems, Senior Sister Zhu. That isn’t good for you as it might make you grow old faster.”
Following that, a figure engulfed in Demon Qi shot out of a Spirit Province in a different direction. He was none other than Ti Zheng, who showed up in the restaurant in the Shattered Heaven Star City before.
He wasn’t on his own as he was followed by two others. Fog was seen weltering around them, so no one could clearly see their figures.
However, the auras exuding from their bodies suggested that they were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
*Shua shua shua…*
Many figures started appearing above the Spirit Provinces around them. Yue He and the others looked around and became alarmed. That was because, in the depths of the Shattered Heaven, more than 20 Open Heaven Realm Masters had gathered together in this part of the void. Apart from Ti Zheng and the other two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, the rest of them were Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even the weakest one was in the Fourth Order.
This kind of formation could be described as horrifying. Throughout the 3,000 Worlds, only the Cave Heavens and Paradises were able to mobilize so many powerful Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Judging from the current situation, Qu Hua Shang’s speculation some time ago was right. This time, they had indeed gathered three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters at the Shadowless Cave Heaven to deal with Zhu Jiu Yin. As long as they could hold her down, the rest of Yang Kai’s companions were no match for their people.
The difference in numbers on the two sides was glaring.
“I’m old enough to be your Grandmother, so what if I’m a little foul-tempered?” Zhu Jiu Yin snorted and reproached him.
Ti Zheng replied with a smile, “I hope that your power justifies your terrible temper, Senior Sister Zhu.”
Just then, someone beside Ti Zheng asked, “Qu Girl, what are you doing here? Don’t forget your identity,” He could apparently recognise Qu Hua Shang.
She pressed her lips together and replied, “Junior Brother Yang has saved my life on multiple occasions. Since he’s in trouble now, I can’t sit back and do nothing. My actions today are mine and mine alone; they have nothing to do with my Master Sect. After this incident, I will return to the Sect to accept any punishment they deem necessary.”
“There’s never a gentle fight in this world. Are you sure you can leave this place alive?” The person asked.
Qu Hua Shang replied with a smile, “If I die, I won’t have anything to worry about anymore.”
The person nodded, “Since you’ve understood, this King will say no more. We are all responsible for our own actions.”
“Many thanks for your lesson, Senior,” Qu Hua Shang elegantly saluted him.
An impatient Zhu Jiu Yin scoffed, “Cut the crap. Yang Boy has come here as he was told. Make a move now if you want to kill him. Let’s see if you’re capable of doing that.”
Ti Zheng grinned, “Senior Sister Zhu, since you can’t wait any longer, I’ll grant your wish!”
As soon as he spoke the last word, he turned into a fog of Demon Qi and brought with him a horrifying World Force as he pounced on Zhu Jiu Yin.
Meanwhile, the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters beside him made a move at the same time. One of them was wielding a sword while the other flicked his fingers and sent out numerous beams of light.
At that instant, the auras of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm permeated and shook the world.
As soon as these three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters took action, the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around them moved towards specific places to form an Array. Following that, they sent flags into the Void and started forming hand seals, linking them in a profound and mysterious manner.
A fight between High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was terrifying, so these Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to interfere at all. It seemed that their only purpose here was to operate some kind of Array, rather than to face Zhu Jiu Yin head-on.
This was undoubtedly a wise move as not only could they prevent any loss of life on their side, but they could also weaken Zhu Jiu Yin’s strength.
Before the Array fully activated, Zhu Jiu Yin already felt a pressure coming at her. She immediately realised that this mysterious Array was targeted at Divine Spirits.
Thus, she yelled, “Protect Yang Boy!” As she spoke, she charged towards the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own, initiating a world-shaking battle.
Yue He and the others formed into a triangular formation as they surged their powers to ward off the fallout from the battle, protecting Yang Kai behind them. Presently, Yang Kai was just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, so if he was hit by a shockwave from the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and her enemies, he would die on the spot. Therefore, Yue He and the others wouldn’t dare to be negligent.
When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land previously, Zhu Jiu Yin was able to fend off two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters; however, it seemed taxing for her to battle against three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters now as she fell into a disadvantage almost immediately. Faced with the attacks of Ti Zheng and the others, she could only protect herself but not counterattack.
Furthermore, the current situation was different from the previous one. Back then, Zhu Jiu Yin had nothing to worry about, so she could focus on the battle against her enemies. But this time, she had to ensure Yang Kai’s safety, so she was even more constrained.
Just a moment later, a rumbling sound was heard as the Array targeted at Divine Spirits took shape. An abstruse pattern lit up in the void as Zhu Jiu Yin and the others stood in the centre of effect.
Zhu Jiu Yin suddenly became slightly sluggish, and following a rain of attacks from Ti Zheng and the others, she fell into a perilous situation. Just a while later, wounds could be seen appearing on her body.
“What is this damned Spirit Array?” Zhu Jiu Yin bellowed through gritted teeth.
While Ti Zheng calmly attacked her, he replied, “Locking Divine Spirit Array. It’s an Array specifically designed to suppress Divine Spirits. Senior Sister Zhu, you’re extremely powerful, so this Array won’t have much impact on you; however, in a life-or-death battle, even the slightest influence might cost your life.”
“Despicable!” Zhu Jiu Yin snarled.
It seemed that the siege by Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan from Heavenly Sword Union previously was indeed just a probe. Zhu Jiu Yin was forced to make a move in that fight, so the other party brought out this Locking Divine Spirit Array to deal with her.
Ti Zheng grinned, “Senior Sister, you’re quite beautiful, so you shouldn’t waste your time protecting a boy in the Emperor Realm. Why don’t you side with me from now on?”
“Side with you?”
“That’s right.” Ti Zheng smiled faintly, “I do need a mount now. Since you’re a Divine Spirit, you would be qualified. As long as you side with me, I’ll treat you well.”
Murderous intent surged as Zhu Jiu Yin roared, “You dare blaspheme this Queen!? You court death!”
She couldn’t believe that someone had the gall to want to make her, a Divine Spirit Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, their mount. There could be no greater humiliation. However, it was useless for her to be enraged at this moment. Under the restriction of the Locking Divine Spirit Array, her Divine Spirit Source had been slightly suppressed, so she wasn’t able to fully exert her strength. What’s more, she still had to protect Yang Kai. In short order, her fair skin was marred with wounds.
Fortunately, as a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jiu Yin’s vitality was quite astonishing; otherwise, she would’ve been weakened significantly from these wounds.
She secretly cursed at Yang Kai for being obstinate as she was dragged into this mess. There were times when she had the urge to grab him and simply flee from this place. However, she was even more infuriated by Ti Zheng’s words, so she became determined to teach him a lesson today.
On the other hand, when Yue He and the others, who were protecting Yang Kai, saw that Zhu Jiu Yin was suffering a setback, they realised that the Array had some impact on her. They wanted to break the Array, but the battle between the three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and Zhu Jiu Yin was so intense they didn’t dare to act rashly. Left with no choice, they could only remain in place with their anxieties.
Above a certain Spirit Province fragment that was a few thousand kilometres away, some figures hid and suppressed their auras.
Apart from the fact that there was not even a single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master around, this group of people were a match for the ones attacking Yang Kai and the others when it came to the number of people and collective strength.
The person at the front was seen with a pair of bloodshot eyes as though blood was swirling around behind them. He was none other than Black Crow Divine Monarch.
Just like what Yang Kai had expected, even though Black Crow had turned Yang Kai down outright, he was actually interested in this opportunity. However, he didn’t want to reveal his intentions in front of Yang Kai.
Certainly, he was aware that Yang Kai wanted to use him to deal with the Cave Heavens and Paradises, which was why he rejected him so firmly.
However, he wouldn’t want to miss such a good chance either; therefore, after Yang Kai and the others left, Black Crow led his people to secretly follow them to this place.
Presently, he could see that they had gotten into an intense battle. Even though he was several thousand kilometres away, he could still feel the horrifying World Force explosions sweeping across him, which made him feel elated, “Wonderful! Keep fighting so that this Monarch can appear at the last moment and reap all the benefits!”
He was resentful of both parties in this battle. The Cave Heavens and Paradises hunted him down and forced him to sneak into the Shattered Heaven. On the other hand, Yang Kai had repeatedly foiled his plans in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. It could be said that he had fallen into such a state because of Yang Kai; therefore, he was determined to kill both parties.
Seeing both his enemies fighting to kill one another, he was naturally quite jovial.
Regardless of which party emerged as the winner, he would be able to reap all the benefits by kidnapping some blood sacrifices for himself. Both Yang Kai and the other party had many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters with them after all.
To the side, Tan Luo Xing said with a fawning smile, “Everything is within your expectations, Divine Monarch. This dog-eat-dog fight between them is splendid.”
Black Crow grinned, “It seems that brat is on the losing side, though.”
Tan Luo Xing’s interest had been piqued as well, “Do you think Yang Kai will die?”
Since Black Crow was in a good mood, he decided to explain the situation, “He’s not going to have an easy time. Even though he has a Divine Spirit to protect him, there are three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the other side, and those Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters have set up the Locking Divine Spirit Array. As soon as they can break through the Divine Spirit’s protection, that brat will definitely die. Now, it seems that even though the Divine Spirit is powerful, she’s unable to ensure that little bastard’s safety. It’s just a matter of time before her guard is broken through.”
An excited Tan Luo Xing said, “I knew that he would have a short life. I hope he dies a horrible death!” Yang Kai was the main reason he had fallen into such a state. If Yang Kai hadn’t brought the Wooden Token to Abundance City, he wouldn’t have attempted to kill him and then been forced to flee from that place. Yang Kai was the cause of his misery.
Of course, if he hadn’t fled from Abundance City and come across Black Crow Divine Monarch, he would’ve exploded and lost his life just like Mo Mei and the others because of the Blood Principle Restriction.
At the thought of Mo Mei, Tan Luo Xing appeared dejected. Even though he was a slave now, he was still alive at the very least; however, the others from Abundance City were not so lucky.
Unbeknownst to him, the people from Abundance City were now living a great life in Void Land. It would be interesting if he ever found out about it.
It was apparent to Black Crow which party was on the losing side. Zhu Jiu Yin was in a perilous situation as she had to keep retreating, so he frowned and said, “This is bad. That Divine Spirit is no match for them. It’s time for us to make a move.”
Tan Luo Xing was shocked, “Are you going to help that boy, Yang Kai, Divine Monarch?”
Black Crow grinned, “The best scenario for this Monarch is if the battle drags on. If one side loses too soon, how am I supposed to get my blood sacrifices?”
Tan Luo Xing was unwilling to act, but since Black Crow had given the order, there was nothing he could do.
And so, they secretly began moving from the Spirit Province fragment towards the battlefield. There were countless such Spirit Province fragments in the Shattered Heaven, so neither side currently in combat could’ve expected that a large number of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was hiding behind this one like a pack of ferocious beasts, just waiting to strike.
Usually, regardless of how perfectly Black Crow’s group could hide, they would be unable to evade the perception of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and a Divine Spirit. However, Zhu Jiu Yin and her enemies were engaged in a life-or-death battle now, so they were unable to pay attention to anything else.
The Spirit Province fragment slowly approached.
Just when they were about several dozen kilometres away from the Array, a strange turn of events took place.
An unfamiliar aura abruptly spread around as a figure appeared in the battlefield like a phantom and turned into a ray of light before charging towards Yang Kai.
Black Crow’s expression changed, “There’s one more person here?”
The aura that had suddenly appeared was that of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. Initially, Black Crow thought that both sides had shown all their cards, with three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters being sent to deal with the Divine Spirit, so it surprised him when he realised that there was a fourth such Master who had been hiding all along.
This person was pretty skilful as Zhu Jiu Yin wasn’t even aware of his presence. As soon as he made his move though, Ti Zheng and the others bombarded Zhu Jiu Yin with their attacks to tie her down. As long as she was unable to extract herself from the fight, Yang Kai was bound to lose his life following the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s attack even though he had Yue He and the others with him.
Things played out just as expected. The moment the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master made a move, Zhu Jiu Yin was unable to rescue Yang Kai as she was forced to counter the attacks from Ti Zheng and the others. The fourth Master shot past her and lightly pushed out his palm, whereupon Yue He and the others spat blood and were sent flying away. Following that, the person pointed a finger at Yang Kai.
“Young Master!” Yue He wailed as she pushed all her power in an attempt to save Yang Kai, but her efforts were futile.
Right before the finger was about to reach his forehead though, Yang Kai, who had been looking for the entrance of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, suddenly opened his eyes and clenched his teeth before summoning a small tortoiseshell, which spun around and rapidly enlarged in front of him.
Following a loud boom, Yang Kai was injured as he sprayed out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying. At the same time, the tortoiseshell was glowing brightly.
“Hmm?” The fourth Master arched his brow as he realised that it was no ordinary tortoise shell, he then pushed out his palm at Yang Kai three times in quick succession. As the horrifying World Force surged, Yang Kai felt like he was in a small boat caught in a tempest, at risk of drowning at any moment.
The tortoise shell obstinately stood guard in front of Yang Kai and glowing fiercely. It managed to fend off the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master’s successive attacks, but despite that, Yang Kai still felt his blood weltering in his body from the impact alone.
“Bi Xi’s tortoiseshell!” The person quickly figured out the tortoise shell’s origins.
As the saying went, ‘Bi Xi bears a heavy load’. Known for carrying a world on his back, Bi Xi naturally had exceptional strength and defence. The tortoise shell he shed was undoubtedly extraordinary. It was only natural that the shell could ward off several strikes from a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
However, regardless of how great a defence was, it could not withstand persistent bombardment forever. Moreover, Yang Kai was only in the Emperor Realm, so even though he could activate the power of Bi Xi’s tortoise shell, he was unable to persevere for a long time. Just the shockwaves from the clash would eventually be enough to kill him.
The fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master seemed determined to kill Yang Kai in this place, so even though he could recognise Bi Xi’s shell, he didn’t seem to have the intention of holding back as he was ready to strike again. As his murderous intent surged, a terrifying aura suddenly spread out.
At the same time, a woman was heard yelling, “Heaven Covering Web!”
As the Divine Spirit’s aura swept across the sky, a colossal figure suddenly appeared. It was a gigantic silver spider. As her terrifying figure hovered in the void, all her legs were seen dancing. The crescent moon symbol on her back was especially conspicuous.
Zhu Jiu Yin had shown her true form!
When a Divine Spirit assumed their true form, it meant that they had fully activated their power. Previously, Zhu Jiu Yin was forced to reveal her true form by the two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. Now that she was faced with four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, she couldn’t possibly have any reservations.
Furthermore, as soon as she revealed her true form, a huge spider web suddenly appeared and unfolded in the void before engulfing all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. At that instant, a sense of danger rose within them as they felt like they were insects who had accidentally crashed into a spider web.
Zhu Jiu Yin was heard laughing in an eerie voice as she gently flicked a thread of the spider web with her huge leg. Following a clang, which sounded like a sword leaving the sheath or the music played by devils, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who was raining attacks on Yang Kai fell into a dazed state. When he snapped back to reality, he suddenly saw a ray of light coming right at him.
Horrified, he was forced to stop attacking Yang Kai and quickly defend himself.
Following a loud boom, the local space shook. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master flew backwards for a thousand metres as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Being injured after just one strike, he became quite wary when he turned to look at Zhu Jiu Yin.
While Zhu Jiu Yin made this move though, Ti Zheng and the others didn’t stand idly by and seized the chance and fiercely strike at her body. Unable to deal with both sides at the same time, Zhu Jiu Yin was seriously wounded. There was a thirty-metre-long wound on her back that revealed her squirming flesh.
However, she was still slowly flicking her gigantic spider web as clanging sounds were heard in succession, which seemed able to shake the universe. The sound contained a mysterious power that could bind Ti Zheng and the others to their spots regardless of how hard they tried to struggle out of the web.
Rays of light were seen moving around the spider web, and each one contained immense powers. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters wouldn’t dare to underestimate these rays as they jumped around in embarrassment.
Ti Zheng snarled through clenched teeth, “You were concealing your true strength all along!”
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin had showcased great strength in the battle back in Void Land several years ago, it was still only slightly difficult to deal with. Ti Zheng and the others had estimated that just three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would be enough to deal with her.
The reason they used the help of a fourth person was to make sure that no accidents would happen.
Furthermore, the Locking Divine Spirit Array was arranged here to suppress her Source and weaken her.
Now, it seemed that Zhu Jiu Yin hadn’t revealed all her might in the battle in Void Land. At the very least, she had never showcased this Heaven Covering Web.
She was able to hold down four Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters all on her own, so it was obvious that her power was equivalent to that of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
In truth though, Ti Zheng was mistaken.
Previously in Void Land, Zhu Jiu Yin used all the strength she had to fight him. The reason she appeared stronger now, on par with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, was because she originated from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and needed time to adapt to the 3,000 Worlds’ Principles. It had been three years since the last battle, a period of time that was neither long nor short, but it was sufficient for her to restore more of her strength. That was the reason she seemed more formidable than in the past.
They had four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and used 20 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to form the Locking Divine Spirit Array. Nevertheless, instead of killing Yang Kai quickly, they had become bound in Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. Ti Zheng and the others naturally sported dark expressions because of that.
Following a roar, a grim voice was heard shouting, “Fear nothing, spare no one!”
Demon Qi surged as a gigantic demon phantom appeared behind Ti Zheng. The demon phantom was covered in narrowed and eerie-looking eyes. There were probably more than 1,000 eyes, and every one of them was darting around randomly as though they were suffering from hysteria. There was a huge blade that was almost 300 metres long in the demon phantom’s hand. Its horrifying presence was able to shake the universe and shatter space itself.
As soon as Thousand Eyed Demon Phantom appeared, Ti Zheng became even more overbearing than before.
“Divine Manifestation!” Bai Qi exclaimed.
Divine Manifestations were techniques exclusive to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but not all High-Rank Open Heaven Masters possessed one. The people who could successfully cultivate a Divine Manifestation were the top Masters among the High-Rank.
There had never been anyone in history who could comprehend a Divine Manifestation below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm except Yang Kai.
Ti Zheng was an Elder from Myriad Demons Heaven who had lived for a very long time. It had been a couple thousand years since he ascended to the Seventh Order, so it wasn’t surprising that he had a Divine Manifestation.
Once the Divine Manifestation was cast, it suggested that Ti Zheng was no longer holding back.
While the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom came into existence, another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master also used his Divine Manifestation. Unlike Ti Zheng’s Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom, this person’s Divine Manifestation looked ordinary as it was just a Spirit Peak that hovered behind him. However, a thick and dangerous Earth Attribute aura could be felt coming from the Spirit Peak.
The remaining two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters didn’t reveal Manifestations, either because they were concealing their strength or because they simply didn’t have one.
With that said, the latter was most likely to be true; after all, they had fallen into Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. Faced with such a formidable Divine Spirit, they could lose their lives if they still tried to hold back.
Even though they didn’t have Divine Manifestations, the Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques they used were still quite horrifying.
Clanging sounds were continuously heard as Zhu Jiu Yin kept flicking her spider web, binding everything within her domain. As the screeching music sounded, ripples were seen spreading across the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom and the Spirit Peak.
The Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom roared as all its eyes beamed out dark lights which pierced the void and flew at Zhu Jiu Yin from all directions. Even though Zhu Jiu Yin kept avoiding the dark lights, she was still struck as some parts of her skin became burnt. However, she ignored her injuries as though she couldn’t feel any pain. Her countless threads of spider silk turned into razor-sharp blades that whipped and slashed at the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The demon phantom raised his blade and forcefully brought it down, whereupon a few threads of spider silk snapped with a metallic clang.
In an instant, Ti Zheng felt less pressured as he became elated and attempted to break free from the Heaven Covering Web. Nevertheless, the moment he jumped up, he saw dozens of rays of light coming from above his head, which forced him to fall back down.
Looking up, he realised that the broken threads had been reconnected.
The sight of it made him feel vexed.
In the void, the lights of Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities glittered as Zhu Jiu Yin was locked in an intense battle with the four Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Even Yue He and Qu Hua Shang, who were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, were unable to join such a battle, let alone Bai Qi, who was only in the Fifth-Order. All they could do was stay by Yang Kai’s side and help him fend off the fallout. Fortunately, they were in the centre of the spider web, so most of the pressure was still being borne by Zhu Jiu Yin and the fallout that reached them was negligible.
However, anyone could tell that even though Zhu Jiu Yin appeared to be domineering, she was unable to persevere forever. Moreover, she was too heavily outnumbered, so she was in a really tight spot in this battle.
Once Zhu Jiu Yin’s Secret Technique was broken through, all of her companions wouldn’t stand a chance to counterattack.
Now, they could only hope that Yang Kai could find the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven as soon as possible so that they could enter and rest.
During the fierce battle, a shriek was suddenly heard from an unexpected place. Everyone involved in the battle was shocked as they turned to look in that direction.
Upon finding out what was going on, Zhu Jiu Yin remained indifferent while Ti Zheng and the other High-Rank Masters became enraged.
A Spirit Province that had been approaching them slowly exploded all of a sudden. Following that, more than twenty Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters shot out and bombarded the people who were supporting the Locking Divine Spirit Array.
This group appeared too abruptly, catching everyone off guard. By the time the Myriad Demons Heaven disciples realised what was happening, it was already too late.
The instant the attack began, several people already lost their lives, which included a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
“How dare you! Who are you!?” Ti Zheng bellowed.
A grim voice was heard cackling, “It’s your Grandpa Black Crow!”
Upon hearing that, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were stunned and Ti Zheng widened his eyes in shock, “Black Crow Divine Monarch!”
[How can this be? Why is Black Crow Divine Monarch here?]
Back then, Black Crow ruthlessly killed many disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. After the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed and the Cave Heavens and Paradises got wind of Black Crow’s doings, they cordoned off all the Territory Gates in the Blood Monster Territory. Everyone who wanted to pass through the Territory Gates had to submit to inspection.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had spent an entire year trying to capture Black Crow, but they were unable to find any trace of him.
Since the collapse of the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, Black Crow seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Black Crow was an old fox who had lived for innumerable years and possessed an incredible Secret Art like the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Naturally, the Cave Heavens and Paradises wouldn’t let him off.
Ti Zheng had been paying close attention to this matter as well, so he immediately understood who the other party was when he heard the name Black Crow.
[How did this bastard flee from the Blood Monster Territory and sneak into the Shattered Heaven? Why does he have so many Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters serving him?] Ti Zheng could not understand what was happening.
His heart sank as he knew that his side was in trouble now.
If he came across Black Crow at any other time, he would’ve been ecstatic. As long as he could capture this fellow, he could stand a chance to comprehend the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture. Moreover, this kind of old dog who had lived for countless years must have other secrets with him as well.
However, at this moment, Black Crow suddenly appeared with a group of Masters, giving Ti Zheng a big headache.
Now, all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were stuck in Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web. They couldn’t break free from it if Zhu Jiu Yin wasn’t killed. Without their support, their disciples scattered around the Locking Divine Spirit Array wouldn’t be able to fight Black Crow and his band.
Like a tiger that had just left the mountain, Black Crow led his subordinates and attacked the enemy. In just ten breaths of time, they managed to kill five more Open Heaven Realm Masters, including the one in charge of the Array.
Black Crow pointed his finger at the front and ordered, “Kill them all!”
Ti Zheng yelled, “Don’t you dare, Black Crow!”
Black Crow glared at him and sneered, “Open your eyes wide and see whether this Monarch dares to!” He was forced to live miserably in the Shattered Heaven because he was hunted down by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Now that he had a chance to get some revenge, he certainly wouldn’t miss it. The grudges between those great forces and him had been formed, so it made no difference to him whether he killed even more of their disciples.
The cultivators behind him turned into rays of light and shot towards another Array Node where five more Open Heaven Realm Masters had gathered together to support the operation of the Array.
Seeing so many enemies coming at them, this group of 5 wouldn’t dare to remain.
Upon seeing that, the other Open Heaven Realm Masters in other Array Nodes ground their teeth and stopped operating the Array before gathering together in the same spot. If they worried about the Array, they would be killed by Black Crow and the others one by one. By then, none of them could hope to leave this place alive.
Only by gathering together could they stand a chance to go against Black Crow and his subordinates.
Soon, two groups clashed in a fierce battle.
Black Crow remained in the same spot as a mysterious aura swirled around him. The vitality of the deceased Open Heaven Realm Masters was attracted by this aura and converged around him. In the blink of an eye, Black Crow was engulfed in a thick layer of blood mist.
“So delicious! The Blood Essence of those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises tastes so different!” Black Crow was heard laughing from inside the blood mist.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters caught up in the Heaven Covering Web were infuriated. The Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom behind Ti Zheng kept beaming out dark lights and wielded his blade. At the same time, the gigantic Spirit Peak Manifestation behind another Master repeatedly attempted to smash Zhu Jiu Yin’s true form.
All four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were trying their hardest in an attempt to break free from the web.
However, without the restriction of the Locking Divine Spirit Array, Zhu Jiu Yin became even more powerful as she was able to hold down the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters more easily.
One would expect that the centre of the spider web would be the most chaotic, but it was the most serene spot instead. Space Principles undulated around Yang Kai as he kept using different hand seals before pushing out his palms at the Void in front of him.
He could sense that there were some unusual space fluctuations before him and he could even faintly feel the aura of another world from it.
[It must be the aura of the Shadowless Cave Heaven!]
As long as he could open up the portal, he would have a chance to look for the Proprietress inside and bring her out.
Despite that realization, Yang Kai was still unable to achieve his goal regardless of how hard he tried. The entrance of that Universe Cave Heaven was like a hefty door. No matter how much force he exerted, he was unable to open it.
The intense battle went on.
The appearance of Black Crow and his subordinates divided the battlefield into two separate clashes. One of which was Zhu Jiu Yin battling against four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own while the other was the intense battle between two groups of several dozen Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Even though the battle between Zhu Jiu Yin and the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was world-shaking, they all possessed incredible strength and abilities; therefore, despite the fact that they had fully used their powers, they had fallen into a kind of stalemate. With that said, it was inevitable that they became injured, especially Ti Zheng. Zhu Jiu Yin was incensed that this man humiliated her earlier, so most of her attacks were targeted at him, causing him to groan in exasperation.
In the other clash, people were heard shrieking as lives were lost with great frequency.
Both sides had roughly the same number of people, and they were equally matched when it came to their Orders. However, Black Crow and his subordinates were undoubtedly weaker when it came to their collective power. Just like how Mo Mei, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, wasn’t a match for Luan Bai Feng in the past, Black Crow’s subordinates were all newly promoted Open Heaven Realm Masters, so they hadn’t had time to consolidate their foundations and build up their heritage, leading them to be weaker than the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters brought to this place by Ti Zheng and the others.
Moreover, the Secret Techniques and artifacts they used were inferior to those of the other party.
Surprisingly though, Black Crow and his subordinates actually gained the upper hand quite quickly.
When Black Crow resolved the Blood Principle Restriction on these Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the past, he used a trick and made sure that he could control their life or death. Therefore, as soon as he gave the order, none of them dared to be negligent as they went all out, risking their lives.
Furthermore, Black Crow and his subordinates had killed some opponents in their initial surprise attack, so the momentum was already on their side.
Once they engaged in battle, the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises found it hard to breathe and were soon suppressed.
The situation was exacerbated for them when Black Crow joined the battle.
The body taken over by Black Crow was that of Zhou Yi from Great Thousand Blood Land. Even though Zhou Yi was a Core Disciple in his great force, he was still far weaker than Qu Hua Shang and the others as he only managed to condense Fifth-Order Powers.
Black Crow had inherited Zhou Yi’s heritage, so he could only reach the Fifth Order when he ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
However, after using the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture to absorb the Blood Essence of all the deceased Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around him, his aura surged to the point where it was on par with an ordinary Sixth-Order Master.
He was an Old Master who was reborn in someone else’s body; coupled with his Sixth-Order strength, no one beneath the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was his match.
He had mastered the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, which contained many powerful methods that he could now use with ease. Immediately after he joined the battle, countless Blood Crows flew around and squawked loudly, blinding and distracting his opponents. All of the Blood Crows were relentless, and even after they were destroyed, they would simply re-condense. The Cave Heavens and Paradises’ side soon found themselves overwhelmed.
If a person was covered in three to four layers of blood mist, he was basically doomed in such a battle.
Within an incense stick, six Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been captured alive. Black Crow sealed their cultivations and had one of his subordinates guard them.
Obviously, he was planning to bring these people back to serve as his blood sacrifices.
A lot of Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had lost their lives already. In a short period of time, more than ten such Masters were killed on both sides, most of which came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Black Crow had only lost a couple of subordinates so far.
Whenever someone was killed though, Black Crow would use the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture to absorb all of their Blood Essence.
The Blood Qi around Black Crow thickened by the moment, and his aura became increasingly horrifying. He was starting to show signs of truly breaking through to the Sixth Order.
Certainly, the four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were caught up in the Heaven Covering Web could see that the other battle wasn’t going in their favour as many of their subordinates had lost their lives. While Ti Zheng roared repeatedly, another person threatened that he would skin Black Crow alive sooner or later.
Of course, Black Crow just snorted and ignored them.
Such a great chance was hard to come by. Even though he was fairly strong now, he could only run for his life if he was faced with High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. That was the reason he had been hiding in the Shattered Heaven all this time.
However, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were presently held down by Zhu Jiu Yin, so Black Crow had nothing to worry about.
It felt exhilarating to take advantage of the disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in such a brazen manner.
Although he was indirectly lending Yang Kai a hand, he had indeed gained a lot of benefits; therefore, he decided to let Yang Kai off for now. As for the grudges between them, he would get even with him when he fully recovered in the future.
The subordinates of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were all either dead or injured now. If the remaining ones stayed any longer, all of them would be killed or captured. While facing Zhu Jiu Yin’s wrath, Ti Zheng yelled at those surviving Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, “All of you, leave!”
The reason he brought them over was to arrange the Locking Divine Spirit Array to pin down Zhu Jiu Yin. Now that the Spirit Array was destroyed and could no longer be used, it was pointless for them to keep staying here. They would only be killed by Black Crow in the end. Since some of them were still alive, the best course of action was for them to flee.
The remaining eight Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had been waiting for permission to leave, so as soon as they heard Ti Zheng’s order, they activated their Secret Techniques and ran for their lives without hesitation.
“None of you can flee from here!” Black Crow snorted and shook his figure, whereupon rays of blood light beamed out of his body. Like maggots on rotting bones, those rays of blood light chased after those disciples. Once someone was struck, his figure would be greatly weakened, and then Black Crow’s subordinates would pounce on and capture them.
Meanwhile, Black Crow charged towards a certain Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was engulfed in Demon Qi.
He had his eyes on that person not because the latter was powerful, but because he was running the fastest. As blood light broke through the air, Black Crow was about to reach that person and with a grin, he extended his hand and shouted, “You won’t get away!”
That person hurriedly turned around and pushed out his palm.
Black Crow sneered in disdain. He usually wouldn’t even have any regard for a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, not to mention that he had absorbed a lot of high-quality Blood Essence just now and was significantly more powerful than before.
As they traded moves, their World Forces clashed violently. Black Crow performed a hand seal and activated the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture.
Given his power and his mastery of the Blood Light Scripture, there was no way an ordinary Fifth-Order Master could get away from having his Blood Essence absorbed by him.
However, what took place next surprised him. As they traded moves, Black Crow could feel a horrifying suction coming from the other party’s palm. The suction power was similar to his Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, but there were some slight differences. Even though the person seemed inexperienced when using this technique, his suction power was just as great as that of Black Crow.
Instead of absorbing the other party’s Blood Essence, the overconfident Black Crow had some of his own Blood Qi sucked away by that person.
Following a loud boom, that person was sent flying away as Demon Qi around him undulated.
In the end, there was still a gap between their powers. Following the clash, this Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master suffered a setback as expected; however, he was pretty swift and using the momentum from being flung back, he turned into a cloud of Demon Qi and flew away.
Black Crow was still shocked by the exchange of attacks earlier, and by the time he came to his senses, the other party was already nowhere in sight.
Then, he looked down at his palm as his bloodshot eyes glistened, “Interesting! How interesting!”
He wondered what kind of Secret Art that Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Myriad Demons Heaven had cultivated. Through their brief contact just now, he could feel that the other party’s Secret Art must be extremely abstruse, but due to the fact that the person still hadn’t mastered it, his execution appeared somewhat amateurish.
That person could already display such an immense power before mastering his Secret Art. Therefore, the Secret Art must be as powerful as the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, if not even more so.
It seemed there truly were innumerable wonders in this expansive world.
As Black Crow stared intently in the direction that person had fled, he snorted before turning around with his hands behind his back.
In just a short while, the dust had settled and of the original twenty or so Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, other than six who managed to flee, all the others were either killed or captured.
Black Crow’s subordinates were also wounded as their auras faltered and World Forces trembled. There were over twenty of them initially, but now there were only about a dozen. He had lost ten subordinates in that battle.
Rays of blood light could be seen shooting out of the corpses and gathering around Black Crow.
Tan Luo Xing and the others stared at him in horror, but none of them dared to utter a word.
Meanwhile, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and the gigantic Heavenly Moon Demon Spider were still locked in an intense battle in the Heaven Covering Web that stretched across the void. Black Crow licked his lips as though he was drooling over some delicious dishes.
If possible, he wouldn’t mind interfering in that battle too. The Blood Essence of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and a Divine Spirit were on a completely different scale compared to what he had absorbed earlier. The Blood Essence of a powerful Master would be greatly beneficial to him.
However, he was incapable of interfering in such a battle. Even if he made all his subordinates join in, it wouldn’t make a difference.
Suppressing his greed, Black Crow sneered, “All of you from 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises, widen your eyes and look! This is the consequence of going against me! And this is just the beginning. There will come a day when this Monarch re-enters the 3,000 Worlds, storms into your Headquarters, and kills all of you!”
Ti Zheng bellowed, “Old dog, how dare you act so presumptuous! You court death!”
Black Crow scoffed, “You’ll find out whether this Monarch is the presumptuous one later. Let’s go!”
Following that, he turned around and left.
Ti Zheng and the others were both shocked and infuriated. One of them bellowed, “Don’t flee, you coward!”
There were four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters around, so how could they possibly let Black Crow just take their subordinates away? However, even though they wanted to save them, they were unable to do so. Before destroying Zhu Jiu Yin’s Heaven Covering Web, none of them could leave this place.
As they exchanged glances, they knew that they couldn’t hold back anymore. If they still wouldn’t risk their lives, Black Crow would escape from this place.
After they made a decision, layers of blood mist were seen exploding around the four of them. As these four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters burned their Blood Essence, their auras exploded. Even the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom behind Ti Zheng became reddened and more overbearing.
No one was willing to use this kind of technique unless they were left with no choice, as doing so would damage their foundation and it would be troublesome to recover from.
However, that was the least of their worries in this situation.
In an instant, Zhu Jiu Yin felt immensely pressured as her Heaven Covering Web was no longer able to restrict the movements of these four Masters. Following the attacks of the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom’s demonic lights and blade, the web was starting to show signs of collapsing.
Although Zhu Jiu Yin was trying her best to sustain it, she was unable to persevere indefinitely; after all, she hadn’t fully restored her power yet. Just now, she had caught her opponents off guard. She had already done her best by trying to confine them for such a long time.
Seeing as the four enemies were about to break free from her web, Zhu Jiu Yin realised that once they managed to do so, she would be unable to ensure Yang Kai’s safety on her own.
She suddenly had the intention of retreating.
While she was still lost in her thoughts, she felt her chest tightening. Following a loud boom, her gigantic true form staggered backwards while her Heaven Covering Web broke apart.
A ray of light shot out of the spider web and rushed in the direction Black Crow and his subordinates had left earlier. Apparently, he was trying to save the captured Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. He disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Ti Zheng and the others bombarded Zhu Jiu Yin with their attacks. The giant Spirit Peak repeatedly landed on her while the Thousand-Eyed Demon Phantom slashed across the void with its blade. A flustered Zhu Jiu Yin brandished all of her legs, and even the crescent moon mark on her back started glittering.
She wanted to weave a web again, but she didn’t have the chance to do so. As soon she spat out a thread of spider silk, it would be destroyed with overwhelming force.
The remaining three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters seemed to have tacitly come up with a strategy as two of them pinned Zhu Jiu Yin down while the last person pounced towards Yang Kai.
Their goal this time was to kill Yang Kai, so as long as they could achieve their objective, they could immediately leave this place. By then, Zhu Jiu Yin would never be able to stop them.
Even though Zhu Jiu Yin was powerful, she was faced with the Divine Manifestations of two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on her own. Meanwhile, the last person brought with him an immense World Force and broke through the spider web’s restriction before appearing before Yang Kai in the blink of an eye.
Yue He, Bai Qi, and Qu Hua Shang became alarmed as they hurriedly tried to intercept this person.
However, the difference in their strength couldn’t be made up with numbers. Faced with the tremendous force, the three of them were sent flying away after just three breaths. They looked battered as they sprayed out blood from their mouths.
Since there were no more obstacles in the way, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master looked at Yang Kai condescendingly. An Emperor Realm Junior to him was just an ant.
Engulfed in a sense of crisis, Yang Kai gritted his teeth and pushed all his might to use Bi Xi’s turtle shell to protect himself.
Yang Kai had used the turtle shell to fend off his opponent some time ago so he was naturally prepared to do so again. However, even though this shell was sturdy, the person using it was too feeble. Instead of destroying the turtle shell, this Master only had to continuously attack and Yang Kai would eventually die from the impact.
Therefore, even though Yang Kai had summoned the turtle shell, this person still didn’t seem to have the intention of holding back. As he brandished his fists, innumerable shadows engulfed Yang Kai.
*Hong hong hong…*
World Force surged like a storm.
Even though the light on the turtle shell remained strong and obstinately stood guard in front of Yang Kai, the fallout that passed through the shell and reached Yang Kai was enough to cause severe damage. Just a moment later, Yang Kai felt as though all his bones had been dislocated and the vitality in his chest was weltering. It seemed that he would lose his life at any moment.
At the critical moment, he could no longer hold back and shouted, “Dragon Transformation!”
Following a high-pitched Dragon Roar, the universe trembled. A huge and majestic Dragon’s head manifested behind Yang Kai’s back before disappearing into his body.
As a golden light glittered and explosive sounds were continuously heard. Yang Kai’s figure expanded rapidly. His hands turned into gigantic Dragon Claws and Dragon Horns grew out of his forehead. A long Dragon Tail swept out and his entire figure was covered in a layer of glistening golden Dragon Scales.
Simultaneously, a rich Dragon Pressure permeated the void.
An originally petite Human suddenly transformed into a 4,000 metres long behemoth. Yang Kai had refined all the Dragon Blood Pills he had obtained from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, which allowed his Dragon Form to evolve massively once again.
Bi Xi’s turtle shell expanded exponentially as it seemed to cover the void and hovered in front of Yang Kai, who extended his claw and grabbed it as though he was holding a colossal shield.
Following a Dragon Roar, Yang Kai shot a glare at the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who attempted to harm him. As his Dragon whiskers flapped in the air, he targeted the person and hurled the turtle shell at him.
“You’re part of the Dragon Clan!?” That person was flabbergasted.
He never expected to see Yang Kai undergo such a transformation. Feeling the pure Dragon Pressure, he fell into a dazed state, and by the time came to his senses, the turtle shell was already upon him.
Then, he roared and parried the attack with both hands. As the violent forces clashed, that Master was forced back several hundred metres before he was able to stabilise himself. On the other hand, Yang Kai slightly bent backwards as he almost flipped over. The flesh on his arms exploded as his golden Dragon Blood splashed across the void.
There was still an enormous gap between their powers, which was why Yang Kai immediately suffered a setback. If it weren’t because his Dragon Form was extremely sturdy, he would’ve exploded on the spot from the impact.
Meanwhile, Ti Zheng and the other Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were stunned as they looked dazedly at Yang Kai. Quickly, they used feints to withdraw and widen the gap between Zhu Jiu Yin and them.
Zhu Jiu Yin breathed a sigh of relief as she didn’t have the intention of relentlessly attacking them. Just now, for a moment, she thought that Yang Kai was doomed as she secretly cursed at him for being overconfident about his capabilities and interfering in this matter. If he really died in this place, Shan Qing Luo and the others would become widows. By then, she wouldn’t know how she could explain herself to Shan Qing Luo when she returned.
However, it never crossed her mind that the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would relent at this moment, allowing Yang Kai to escape from death’s door.
The intense battle came to an abrupt halt as Yue He and the others, who were coming back to protect Yang Kai, stood there in disbelief.
Ti Zheng and his companions gathered together as they vigilantly stared at Zhu Jiu Yin while examining Yang Kai. They appeared both doubtful and shocked.
Yang Kai sported a solemn expression as he hovered in the void like a true Dragon overlooking the Heavens and Earth. Even though he was the weakest at the scene by far, he was also the most overbearing.
“Are you really a member of the Dragon Clan?” Ti Zheng asked through clenched teeth with a pale face.
He was severely wounded when battling against Zhu Jiu Yin just now. The main reason was that he had humiliated Zhu Jiu Yin, so the woman targeted most of her attacks at him, which led to his current miserable state. At this moment, the Small Universe in his body was trembling violently.
“What difference does it make whether I’m part of the Dragon Clan or not? Cut the crap and fight if that’s what you want,” Yang Kai replied. Every word he said was like thunder that reverberated across the void, making all of their ears ring.
Despite what Yang Kai had said, he could clearly see a sense of wariness behind the eyes of Ti Zheng and the others. He became slightly at ease as he realised that Mie Meng and Bi Xi were right to say that it was useful to reveal his Dragon Form at the most critical moment.
Ti Zheng and the others were naturally not wary of him, but they were of the Dragon Clan. Revealing his Dragon Form had pros and cons. Even though the Dragon Clan was extraordinarily powerful, they had many enemies in the 3,000 Worlds, so this identity might attract some unwanted trouble for him.
However, he had no choice but to reveal his Dragon Form in that kind of situation just now.
Ti Zheng snorted, “How could there be such a strange Dragon Clan member like you in this world?”
As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was naturally more familiar with the Dragon Clan than ordinary people. Although Yang Kai had many characteristics of the Dragon Clan, there were still some traces of a Human in him. That was why he was doubtful. With that said, he was puzzled at the purity of the Dragon Pressure he was currently feeling.
If Yang Kai only had a faint Dragon Clan bloodline, he couldn’t possibly exude such a pure Dragon Pressure.
There was a reason that the Dragon Clan was touted to be the Head of the Myriad Spirits.
“Whether I’m a Dragon or not is none of your business,” Yang Kai decided the less he revealed the better.
“Hmph! This Monarch has a way to find out!”
As Ti Zheng spoke, he rubbed his fingers together and obtained a drop of golden Dragon Blood that was floating nearby. After having a taste of the blood though, he sported a dark expression.
The other two High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters turned their heads and observed his expression before realising that Yang Kai was indeed a Dragon Clan member; otherwise, Ti Zheng wouldn’t have sported such a solemn look.
At that instant, they furrowed their brows as a single thought crossed their minds, [This is bad!]
It wouldn’t have mattered if Yang Kai was just a random Dragonborn. The Dragon Clan was known for its lasciviousness, and they had left behind countless Dragon Descendants in the 3,000 Worlds. Half-Dragons and Dragonborn were not valued by the Dragon Clan at all, so they could be killed without any concern. However, a Pureblood Dragon couldn’t be killed as one pleased.
If they could erase all traces of the act, they could ensure the Dragon Clan never found out about it. It wasn’t like there had never been Dragons who were murdered in the past. Nevertheless, even if they could kill Yang Kai today, there was no way they would be able to kill Zhu Jiu Yin; hence, this news was bound to leak out. Although they were all Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they were not willing to risk offending the Dragon Clan.
It wasn’t that the great forces behind them were afraid of the Dragon Clan, but creating this kind of unnecessary conflict would be extremely detrimental to them.
At that instant, they found all their previous actions laughable.
They had summoned four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and more than 20 Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to deal with Yang Kai, but in the end, many of them were either killed or injured, and they were unable to kill him as they pleased.
What was the point of doing all this?
If they knew Yang Kai was a Dragon Clan member, they wouldn’t have spent so much effort setting up a trap in this place. Now, they were all riding a tiger, unable to get off.
They couldn’t let Yang Kai go just like that as many of their subordinates were killed. How were they supposed to explain themselves to their respective great forces when they returned? What’s more, if they released Yang Kai, it would be troublesome should he manage to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
At that instant, they didn’t know what to do as they could neither kill him nor release him.
As Ti Zheng and the others traded glances, they were unable to make a decision.
Just then, the fourth High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, who had run after Black Crow earlier, returned. He had no idea what was going on, so he couldn’t help but ask, “What are you all doing?”
Another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master parted his lips and quietly informed him of the situation, causing the former to frown.
Ti Zheng asked, “Where’s Black Crow?”
“He escaped,” that person said resentfully. Black Crow was an Old Monster who had been reborn by taking over someone’s body, and he had also cultivated a Heaven-defying Secret Art. Even though the one who chased him was a High-Rank Open Heaven Master, Black Crow still managed to throw him off. Left with no choice, he could only come back.
They were not able to either kill or release Yang Kai, while Black Crow had captured their people and fled. Their plot this time could be said to be a complete failure; therefore, all four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters sported extremely dark expressions.
While they were in a dilemma, Yang Kai suddenly asked loudly, “What’s going on with this Shadowless Cave Heaven? Why can’t I open the portal?”
Initially, Ti Zheng wanted to ignore him. The failure this time would definitely damage his reputation in Myriad Demons Heaven. When he returned to his great force, he would probably be demoted and punished. Presently, he was wondering how he could settle the issue, so he wasn’t in the mood to reply to Yang Kai. However, as he darted his eyes around, he suddenly thought of something and with a smile, he said to Yang Kai, “You’re just a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, so you’re unable to open the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
“Why is that?” Yang Kai gazed at him with a tilted head.
Ti Zheng explained, “That’s because there’s a restriction around the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The minimum requirement to pass through this barrier is to be in the Open Heaven Realm. It’s just like how the barrier around the Blood Monster Cave Heaven dictated that only those below the Open Heaven Realm Masters could enter it. The Shadowless Cave Heaven is just the opposite. Only Open Heaven Realm Masters can go in.”
“I see,” Yang Kai muttered under his breath as though he had already expected it.
While both parties were locked in an intense battle just now, he had repeatedly attempted to open up the entrance to the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Unfortunately, even though he had found the entrance, he was obstructed by some kind of repulsive force, which stopped him from succeeding. He had a feeling that he was not powerful enough to force it open. If he had sufficient strength, he could easily enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
“Do you want to go in? It’s easy. Just ascend to the Open Heaven Realm.” Ti Zheng grinned.
Upon hearing that, the other three High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters arched their brows as they realised Ti Zheng’s intention.
“You want me to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm?” Yang Kai sneered at him.
Ti Zheng shrugged and coughed before saying, “It’s entirely up to you whether you want to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm, and no one can force you to do so. However, I have to tell you that the Shadowless Cave Heaven isn’t a pleasant place. Over the years, many people have entered it, but none of them have managed to come out, so no one knows what the situation is like inside or how dangerous it is. It has been half a year since Lan You Ruo fell into it. If you’re too slow, you might not even have a chance to retrieve her corpse. Nevertheless, I heard that you’re proficient in the Dao of Space. After you go in, you might be able to find a way out. Lan You Ruo’s life or death is up to you now.”
He seemed to be encouraging Yang Kai to break through right now, so upon hearing that, Yue He paled and exclaimed, “Don’t listen to him, Young Master!”
Yang Kai remained in his 3,000 metres Dragon Form as he narrowed his eyes and looked condescendingly at Ti Zheng.
Even though Ti Zheng’s face was somewhat pale, he still stared back at him smilingly.
A moment later, Yang Kai closed his eyes and returned to his Human Form. Things had come to a point where they wouldn’t fight again. Ti Zheng and the others were wary of the Dragon Clan, so they wouldn’t kill Yang Kai. On the other hand, Yang Kai had no way to defeat them, so it was pointless to sustain his Dragon Form.
Ti Zheng observed his expression and realised that Yang Kai sported a conflicted look, as though he was trying to make a difficult decision.
Upon that realization, Zhu Jiu Yin shot him a glance, “Brat, are you really…”
Yue He anxiously spoke up, “You have come so far in this path, Young Master. It would be an incredible shame if you fail at the last step. Please don’t even think about it!”
Yang Kai turned to look at her and realised that her eyes were filled with concern and anxiety. There was still a trail of blood at the corner of her mouth. All of a sudden, he stopped hesitating and calmed down as his gaze turned resolute. Then, he took a step forward and helped her brush away the blood on her lips before gently saying, “It’s indeed a shame to fail at the last step, but… I should have my own power now.”
As a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, he was too weak and insignificant in all these battles.
When he was besieged by Shen Liang and Jiang Yun Shan from Heavenly Sword Union back then, all he could do was stay behind everyone’s protection. Now, he was attacked by Ti Zheng and the others, but all he could do was let his companions protect him. He could only watch as Zhu Jiu Yin fought a life-and-death battle with the enemy while Yue He and the others repeatedly spat blood just to shield him from harm.
He wouldn’t want to go through this kind of terrible experience again as it pained him to see his companions being harmed while he was powerless to help.
As that realisation dawned upon him, all his worries melted away and he was left with a decision in his mind, which was ascending to the Open Heaven Realm!
All of a sudden, he felt as though he had been enlightened.
Only by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm would he have a right to be viewed as important in the 3,000 Worlds. Only by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm would he be able to enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven and stand a chance to bring the Proprietress out of this place.
“Please don’t do that, Young Master!” Yue He exclaimed. Yang Kai had been working hard, and coupled with his incredible luck, he had managed to condense six High-Rank Elements. As long as he could complete the last step, he would directly ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm and make a name for himself. If he failed at the very last moment, it would be the biggest regret in his life.
Yang Kai spread his arms and flashed a smile at her, “What do you see?”
A puzzled Yue He shook her head, her eyes filled with concern.
Yang Kai explained, “It’s a pair of powerless arms. What can I do with them? Proprietress has fallen into danger because of me, but I’m unable to save her because there’s no power in my hands.”
Then, he balled up his fists as though he was trying to grab something, “Only by having strength that I can call my own, can I change anything.”
He and the Proprietress were unable to wait any longer. Just like what Ti Zheng had said, no one knew what was going on inside the Shadowless Cave Heaven. It had been half a year since the Proprietress fell into it, so there was no telling what kind of danger she was facing. Although the Proprietress was among the strongest in the Sixth Order, she might not be able to break free from this trap.
Moreover, what was the point if he kept waiting? It was unrealistic for him to obtain a High-Rank Yin Element treasure now. This time, Myriad Demons Heaven led the way and used Proprietress to lure Yang Kai out of Void Land. What would come next? There was no way they would let him off, and the merchants wouldn’t dare to offend all the Cave Heavens and Paradises by selling him a High-Rank Yin Element treasure.
It had been 3 years since he started developing the Star City and business had been excellent, with all the streets filled with people buying and selling all manner of goods. However, although he had offered a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill and a High-Rank Metal Element Monster Core, he still couldn’t get what he wanted.
Even if he kept waiting, he might not be able to achieve his goal in the end.
Rather than waiting for a dream that was out of reach, the most important thing for him now was to have his own strength.
Affirming his decision, he turned around as his black hair flapped in the non-existent wind and bellowed, “I’ll ascend to the Open Heaven Realm as you wish, Ti Zheng. I hope you all won’t be too disappointed!”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng rubbed his palms together and guffawed, “You’re indeed a promising young man.”
If Yang Kai wanted to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm now, he wouldn’t be able to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master because he didn’t have a High-Rank Yin Element treasure. He could only make it to the Sixth Order at most. In that case, they were willing to accept such an outcome.
All this while, they had been worried that Yang Kai would directly ascend to the Seventh Order, giving him a chance to become a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and challenge the order of the 3,000 Worlds.
If he only ascended to the Sixth Order, there would no longer be any worries. The highest limit a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could achieve was the Eighth-Order. There were quite a number of Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who stood guard over the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so Yang Kai wouldn’t be able to cause a stir.
At that instant, Ti Zheng found Yang Kai to be less despicable as he secretly cursed at the latter for being so difficult. If Yang Kai had made up his mind earlier, they wouldn’t have had to go through so much effort. If word got out that some of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, led by Myriad Demons Heaven, joined forces just to suppress an Emperor Realm Junior, all of them would lose a lot of face.
“Young Master…” Yue He still wanted to dissuade him.
Yang Kai raised his hand and stroked her head, “Stand guard for me.”
With her lips pressed together, Yue He gazed at him with reddened eyes.
While Qu Hua Shang heaved a sigh, Bai Qi sported a conflicted expression, not knowing what to say. He felt extremely guilty and thought that things might not have come to such a point if he hadn’t gone to Void Land to look for Yang Kai.
However, he didn’t know what else to do. If he stopped Yang Kai, it was akin to letting the Proprietress perish. If he let Yang Kai ascend to the Open Heaven Realm at this point, the latter’s future would be ruined. He was truly caught in a dilemma.
“Why do you all wear such expressions?” Yang Kai flashed a smile at his companions.
Zhu Jiu Yin spoke after a sigh, “Brat, it’s up to you whether you want to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm or not. You have to think it through.”
Even though she had once tried to force Yang Kai to refine a Sixth-Order Element in Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary back then, that was because she wanted to increase his strength to prepare for the Spirit Seizing War so that he could stand a better chance to become the winner. Now that he had to voluntarily give up the dream he had been pursuing for years, she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
The main reason she stopped forcing him at that time was that he threatened to kill himself, which showed just how firm his determination was.
“I’ve made up my mind.” Yang Kai smiled and nodded. He appeared completely at ease. Even though he would ruin the foundation he had built by ascending to the Open Heaven Realm today, he would never regret his decision.
That was because if he insisted on being stubborn, the people around him he cared about would be hurt. That was a future he would never want to see.
“Does any one of you have a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure? Give it to me.” Yang Kai gazed at his companions, who shook their heads at the same time.
He arched his brow and turned to look at Zhu Jiu Yin.
She said, “Why are you looking at me? This Queen does have some Sixth-Order materials, but none of them are of the Yin Element.”
Among all the seven Elements, Yin and Yang were much harder to find than Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Yang Kai had spent lots of Open Heaven Pills to buy all sorts of materials, so he was fully aware of that.
Yue He was now a part of Void Land, so it was reasonable that she didn’t have any Sixth-Order Yin Element treasures on her. That was because many people in Void Land needed Sixth-Order materials right now, and such materials were difficult to come by. Be it the items Yang Kai had acquired back then or the new Sixth-Order materials that had appeared in the Star City, they were all given to the cultivators who needed them in Void Land, so there was basically nothing left.
Certainly, Bai Qi and Qu Hua Shang didn’t have one either. The former had followed the Proprietress for a long time. If there were any precious items, the Proprietress would keep them and only give them to him when needed. As for the latter, even though she was a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she had just ascended to the Sixth Order. Hence, she didn’t need any Sixth-Order materials to improve her cultivation for now.
Yang Kai hadn’t expected that he would have to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm when he left Void Land, which was why he hadn’t prepared anything. Although he had made up his mind, he didn’t have the item he needed, and even the cleverest woman could not cook a meal without rice.
All of them appeared embarrassed in this situation.
Yang Kai glared at Zhu Jiu Yin and asked, “You’d been accumulating wealth for a long time in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Why don’t you even have a single Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure?”
Zhu Jiu Yin rolled her eyes and replied, “This Queen doesn’t need those things to cultivate, so what’s the point of collecting them? Moreover, it’s also hard to find Yin and Yang materials in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.”
This was giving Yang Kai a headache as he didn’t know what to do.
Across from them, Ti Zheng and the others were supposed to be at ease. As soon as Yang Kai ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, the burden on their shoulders would be lifted. However, this unexpected situation rendered them speechless at that instant.
Certainly, they were more than happy to see Yang Kai ascending to the Open Heaven Realm at this point as he would no longer be a threat to them once he did. Although they hadn’t managed to kill him as they had planned, the outcome was acceptable as they could explain themselves to the great forces behind them.
However, it would be troublesome for them as well if Yang Kai couldn’t achieve an ascension because there wasn’t a Yin Element material available.
Since they were not able to kill everyone here, they wouldn’t dare to make a move on a member of the Dragon Clan; otherwise, they would have to face the Dragon Clan’s wrath. Nevertheless, they were not willing to let Yang Kai go just like this.
While they were in a dilemma, they saw Yang Kai staring at them.
The corners of Ti Zheng’s brow twitched as he asked vigilantly, “Why are you looking at me?”
Yang Kai snorted, “Since you want me to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm here, I’m willing to grant your wish; however, you should show me some sincerity in return.”
“What do you mean?” Ti Zheng furrowed his brows.
“Stop asking the obvious. You know what I want.”
A speechless Ti Zheng gazed at him and fell silent for a moment before parting his lips to secretly speak to his companions. Although he was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he didn’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material on hand; therefore, he could only ask the others whether they had such an item.
If they could solve this issue by offering up a Sixth-Order Yin Element material, it would be acceptable. Although Ti Zheng was displeased, he still suppressed his anger.
However, after asking around, he realised that none of them had such a resource.
Just like Zhu Jiu Yin, they had some Sixth-Order materials but not Yin and Yang ones. That was because Yin and Yang materials were extremely rare. Even if they obtained such items, they either had to give them to their respective Sects for the disciples’ cultivation needs or refine these items themselves. The Cave Heavens and Paradises were extremely powerful, so they needed more of these rare resources compared to Void Land.
Ti Zheng glanced at Yang Kai and declared, “None of us have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material.”
Yang Kai’s face fell, “All of you are Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who are filthy rich, and you’re telling me that none of you has a single Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure. Do you think I was born yesterday?”
Ti Zheng snapped, “Believe it or not, we don’t have the item you need!”
Upon hearing the reply, Yang Kai put on a sneer.
His expression enraged Ti Zheng. Instead of getting prepared for his ascension, Yang Kai was now blaming others for not having the item he needed, which was ridiculous. However, after giving it a thought, Ti Zheng realised that Yang Kai had always focused on looking for a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in order to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even if a Sixth-Order Yin Element material was presented to him in the past, he probably wouldn’t even spare it a glance. This time, he was forced to achieve a breakthrough, so it was expected that he wasn’t prepared.
After a cough, Ti Zheng said, “Do you want a Fifth-Order Yin Element? This Monarch has a very good Fifth-Order Heavenly Yin Sand, which is hard to come by. It’s the best kind of material in the Fifth Order. If you want, this Monarch can give it to you.”
Yang Kai bellowed, “You may kill me, but you cannot humiliate me, Ti Zheng! You’ve forced me to ascend to the Sixth Order, which is my bottom line, but now you want me to ascend to the Fifth Order? What is this? Regardless of how great that Heavenly Yin Sand may be, it’s still a Fifth-Order material! Can it help me ascend to the Sixth Order? Why don’t we just fight it out and leave the rest to fate?”
Upon realising that his suggestion was indeed unrealistic, Ti Zheng fell silent. Yang Kai had built such a solid foundation, and he was gifted enough to become a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly. He was practically forced to ascend to the Sixth Order, so it would be outrageous if they still asked him to lower his expectations further and become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If they pushed him over the edge now, this young man might do something crazy to retaliate against them.
If they got into a fight again, they wouldn’t dare to ruthlessly kill Yang Kai. By then, they would be the ones who suffered losses.
After giving it a thought, Ti Zheng asked, “Why don’t you wait here for a while? This Monarch will send a message and tell someone to bring a Sixth-Order Yin Element material over.”
In fact, he was completely vexed deep inside. His goal was to kill Yang Kai to nip this problem in the bud, but things had come to a point that he seemed to be begging the young man to achieve an ascension as soon as possible. Moreover, he had to prepare a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure for him, which was simply preposterous.
He had lived for a long time, but there had never been a time when he felt so vexed.
Yang Kai asked in a grim voice, “How long will it take?”
Ti Zheng replied, “It’s unrealistic to go back to Myriad Demons Heaven now; however, this Monarch can tell someone to buy a Sixth-Order Yin Element material in the Shattered Heaven’s Star City where all sorts of goods are available, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find the item you want. It’ll probably take one month for the thing to be sent here.”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “That’s a long wait.”
Ti Zheng frowned, “It’s just one month.”
Yang Kai said, “I can’t wait any longer.”
“What do you want then?”
Yang Kai reminded him, “I want a Sixth-Order Yin Element material right now.”
Ti Zheng bellowed, “I told you we don’t have one. Do you want this Monarch to make it appear out of thin air?”
“I don’t believe you!” Yang Kai swept a glance over the Space Rings on their fingers, “Unless you let me examine your rings.”
The faces of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters fell. Ti Zheng stared coldly at Yang Kai and snapped, “Brat, do you know what you’re talking about?”
“Are you going to agree to it or not?” Yang Kai sneered and gazed arrogantly at him, “Fine, I don’t want to see your rings anymore. Let’s go back to Void Land. I don’t believe I’ll never get a High-Rank Yin Element treasure in my lifetime!”
Then, he seemed ready to bring everyone back home in a resolute manner.
Ti Zheng questioned, “Are you going to let Lan You Ruo perish here?”
Yang Kai shot him a glance, “You’d better pray that she’s safe. If anything happens to her, I’ll destroy Myriad Demons Heaven right after I ascend to the Ninth Order. I’ll remember what you’ve done to me and visit all of you one by one when the time comes. I hope you’ll still be able to laugh by then.”
“Impudence!” Ti Zheng roared.
“Wait a moment, Little Friend Yang,” another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master suddenly spoke up. His voice suggested that he was pretty old now.
Yang Kai shot him a cold glance, “What now?”
The old voice was heard saying, “Since you’re a Half-Step Open Heaven Realm Master, it must have been quite some time since you started cultivating. So, you should know that a Space Ring is the most personal possession to a cultivator and it mustn’t be examined by anyone else easily. If you want to inspect our rings, it’s no different from humiliating us. We’ve lived for a long time, so we do have a reputation to preserve.”
Yang Kai scoffed, “You four are High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but you joined forces and plotted against an Emperor Realm cultivator like me. I’m surprised to learn that you actually still care about your reputation.”
The old voice replied impassively, “If you were on your own, all of us wouldn’t have shown up; however, since you have some powerful protectors, we have no choice but to come all the way here, but now is not the time to talk about such things. What this Old Master means is, we can let you examine our rings to prove to you that we didn’t lie to you. We really don’t have the Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure you need; however, what if you still don’t find any Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure after going through all of our rings?”
“What do you want?” Yang Kai questioned.
The old voice said, “Since you want to humiliate us, we can’t possibly bear it for nothing. There’s a price you have to pay, little friend.”
Yang Kai swept an impassive glance over them and frowned. After giving it a thought, he suddenly said through clenched teeth, “I don’t believe that you don’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material, but if I still can’t find one after examining all of your rings, I’ll ascend to the Fifth-Order.”
His expression was that of a gambler who had lost it all.
Upon hearing that, all of them were stunned.
An anxious Yue He said, “You can’t do that, Young Master!”
Yang Kai was unable to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the Sixth Order was supposed to be his bottom line; the Fifth Order was totally unacceptable. If he ascended to the Fifth Order, the highest limit for him would be the Seventh Order in the future. In other words, the end of Yang Kai’s Martial Dao was his initial starting point. The disparity between expectation and reality was too great to bear.
Bai Qi said, “You mustn’t ascend to the Fifth Order, Yang Kai!”
Qu Hua Shang also dissuaded him from doing so.
Yang Kai put on a bitter smile, “I can’t ascend to the Seventh-Order, and there isn’t a Sixth-Order Yin Element treasure now. What can I do if I don’t ascend to the Fifth Order? Wait for them to get the item I want from Shattered Heaven’s Star City? Who knows what could happen to Proprietress in one month, we can’t wait any longer.” As he spoke, he secretly winked at Yue He, “Do you remember that thing I have?”
Yue He, who was about to dissuade him again, became startled as she suddenly thought of something.
[That’s right. Young Master still has ‘that’ thing. With that item in his possession, it makes no difference whether he ascends to the Fifth-Order or Sixth-Order, he can even use this to trick others into believing that he’ll only become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and stop them from targeting him. In that case, it’s not necessarily a bad thing.]
On the other hand, Ti Zheng and the others exchanged glances as they appeared ecstatic.
Even though a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was fairly powerful in the 3,000 Worlds, such a person was nothing in the eyes of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. If Yang Kai really ascended to the Fifth Order, it was something worth celebrating for the great forces behind them.
A Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would never be able to move the world order. For a cultivator who had the hopes of becoming a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to end up in such a state, it was no different from killing him.
Instead of ending his life, they had killed his future.
Ti Zheng’s gaze brightened as he asked, “Are you serious?”
Yang Kai gazed at him with a tilted head, “You look happy, don’t you?”
Ti Zheng coughed, “Not really. However, a wise man knows when to submit to the circumstances. This Monarch is gratified that you’ve made such a decision.”
“Cut the nonsense,” Yang Kai replied dispassionately.
Ti Zheng and the others then secretly spoke to each other. Certainly, they were sure that they didn’t have a Sixth-Order Yin Element material. Even if Yang Kai wanted to examine their rings, they weren’t afraid.
Although it was humiliating for these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters to let an Emperor Realm Junior examine their Space Rings, it was better than remaining in this stalemate forever. It was especially true for Ti Zheng. He was injured in the battle against Zhu Jiu Yin, so he desperately needed a quiet place to recuperate and stabilize his Small Universe; otherwise, he might be left with some potential issues later.
The others were in a better state, but they were also wounded. Moreover, as High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, they didn’t want to keep wasting time on Yang Kai anymore. By settling this issue as soon as possible, they could go back and tell everyone that they had achieved their goal.
Therefore, they soon came to an agreement.
Ti Zheng scolded, “Brat, we all agree that we’ll let you examine our rings; however, if you can’t find any Sixth-Order Yin Element materials, you must not go back on your word. Otherwise, we’ll kill you right here even if we have to face the Dragon Clan’s wrath!”
Yang Kai sneered, “Don’t worry. Even though I’m just an Emperor Realm cultivator, I value my reputation. Unlike some other people, I’ll never go back on my word.” Then, he spread his palm, “Pass me your rings. Oh, take out everything from your Small Universes as well. I know that the Small Universes of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters like you all must have materialised. Not only can you store some stuff inside it, but you can also let some living creatures live inside it.”
Ti Zheng and the others sported dark expressions; however, things had come to a point where they didn’t want to argue with Yang Kai anymore. Therefore, they fished out a number of things from their Small Universes and put them inside their Space Rings.
Obviously, Yang Kai was unable to find out whether they had actually taken everything out, unless he could also inspect the Small Universes in their bodies.
However, that would never happen. Ti Zheng and the others had made a concession by letting Yang Kai go through their Space Rings, but there was no way they’d let anyone probe their Small Universes, or else they’d be risking their lives.
Even if they had some precious items stashed in their Small Universes, they wouldn’t put them into their Space Rings. Yang Kai was fully aware of that.
Soon, their Space Rings fell into Yang Kai’s hands. The restrictions on the rings had been erased so that he could easily examine them.
When Yang Kai scanned one of the rings with his Divine Sense, he couldn’t help raising his brow.
The wealth of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master was truly astonishing. Open Heaven Pills had been piled up like mountains, and there were countless resources, which included many Sixth-Order ones. There was even one Seventh-Order material in this particular ring. The number of artifacts in the ring was mind-blowing as well.
He didn’t have time to go through them one by one, but Yang Kai reckoned that the resources in this ring were worth more than 10 billion Open Heaven Pills.
Obviously, that wasn’t all this man’s wealth. The truly precious items must be kept inside his Small Universe.
Unfortunately, none of the Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order materials were Yin or Yang.
Yang Kai set the ring aside and looked at the next, finding it to be about the same.
Ti Zheng and the others were just standing nearby as they watched Yang Kai joyfully go through all the rings. All of them found it odd as they never expected that things would develop into such a situation.
Their initial goal was to kill Yang Kai in this place; however, not only was Yang Kai alive and kicking, but they would also have to help him ascend to the Open Heaven Realm. Besides that, they had also passed their Space Rings to him to inspect. What they had done was no different from financially supporting their enemy.
Nevertheless, they could not object.
Although they were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had lived for many years, it was the first time they had such a strange experience.
It only took Yang Kai a short time to examine all of the rings.
Ti Zheng asked, “Now you know we didn’t lie to you.”
Yang Kai looked up and roared, “The Heavens are unfair!”
Upon seeing that he appeared crestfallen, Ti Zheng and the others felt less frustrated. Since they had confronted and attempted to kill each other before, there wasn’t a need for them to be polite to him. Ti Zheng said, “In that case, you should give our rings back to us.”
Yang Kai nonchalantly tossed the Space Rings at Yue He and kept only a bottle that was half his height.
They were too gullible to think that he would return the rings to them. Yang Kai had relented and agreed to become a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but since he didn’t have the item he needed, he could only lower his expectation and ascend to the Fifth-Order.
With the existence of a particular item he possessed, it made no difference whether he ascended to the Fifth Order or the Sixth Order, and he would be able to deceive the outside world. However, there was a price to pay if he wanted to use that precious treasure.
The thing was so valuable that the Space Rings of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could only be considered as a slight compensation for it. There was no way he would give the rings back to them, for he still had Void Land to run. Even though he had a Star City to help gather resources, he wouldn’t mind more good things.
“You dare covet our Space Rings!?” Ti Zheng glared at Yang Kai. He was so exasperated that he laughed and nodded, “Very good! You’re indeed bold enough!”
Ignoring him, Yang Kai fiddled with the bottle and shook it. As he listened to the ringing sound coming from the bottle, he asked, “Is this the Heavenly Yin Sand that you’d mentioned?”
Presently, Ti Zheng was fuming within him, so upon hearing the question, he snorted and did not reply to him.
In fact, the moment he passed the Space Ring to Yang Kai, he had a feeling that he would never get it back; however, he was incensed at the fact that the young man did it in such a brazen way. It was apparent that he had no regard for them at all.
Yang Kai gazed at Ti Zheng and questioned, “Are you deaf? Is this the Heavenly Yin Sand?”
Ti Zheng looked away and pretended that he didn’t hear him.
Yang Kai said smilingly, “It seems that it’s not Heavenly Yin Sand. I won’t break through then.”
Upon hearing that, Ti Zheng glowered at him and said through clenched teeth, “Don’t you cross the line, Yang Kai!”
The faint smile on Yang Kai’s face made Ti Zheng have the urge to give him a punch. After taking a deep breath, he said, “Heavenly Yin Sand is extremely hard to come by. It’s one of the rarest among the Fifth-Order materials. It’s just that it isn’t a Sixth-Order material. However, the Divine Ability you’ll obtain through this item is as powerful as that of most Sixth-Order Powers once you condense it. The one in your hands was meant for another disciple in my great force. I have no choice but to give it to you.”
Yang Kai snorted, “I was supposed to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but I can only make do with the Fifth-Order because of you all. Who is the one taking advantage here?”
Ti Zheng fell silent.
“Forget it. I’m not in the mood to bicker with you.” Yang Kai lightly threw the bottle into the air and said to Zhu Jiu Yin, “Please stand guard for me, Senior.”
After a moment of silence, Zhu Jiu Yin reminded, “Brat, this is an important matter, so you must think it through.”
Yang Kai replied with a bitter smile, “I’m like an arrow on the string now; there’s no going back for me.”
If he went back on his word at this point, he was basically forcing Ti Zheng and the others to fight to the death with them. They had Zhu Jiu Yin’s protection, so they would easily escape from this place, but they wouldn’t stand a chance to save the Proprietress.
Furthermore, Zhu Jiu Yin had been wounded after the previous battle. Presently, she looked pretty battered as was covered in blood.
“Forget it. It’s your own matter and no one else can interfere. I hope you won’t regret your decision in the future.”
After she finished speaking, she flicked her fingers as threads of spider silk criss-crossed each other in the void, forming an impenetrable web which covered a large area except for the spot Yang Kai was in. If Ti Zheng and the others wanted to harm Yang Kai, they had to break her web first.
Ti Zheng and the others had experienced how horrendous this Heaven Covering Web was, so they didn’t dare to fall into it again.
“Young Master…” Yue He’s eyes reddened as she pressed her lips together. She seemed to be holding back her words.
Yang Kai waved his hand, “All of you stand back.”
Then, he gently closed his eyes and thought to himself, [Will I regret my decision?]
If it were for any other reason, he probably would; however, since he was doing this to save Proprietress, he didn’t think there would come a day when he felt regretful.
As he emptied his mind, he calmed himself and sat cross-legged in the centre of the Heaven Covering Web. His aura was curbed while he remained unmoving, as though he had fallen into a state of deep sleep.
Upon seeing that, Yue He and the others knew that it was pointless for them to say anything else, so they spread out and stood guard for Yang Kai in nearby spots. They stared vigilantly at Ti Zheng and the others to prevent them from disturbing Yang Kai while he achieved his breakthrough.
It was completely silent in the void. All of them were paying close attention to Yang Kai as they tended their wounds.
Time went by slowly, and half a day later, Yang Kai suddenly opened his eyes and flicked the bottle. Following a clang, the cap flew up as a ray of light shot out of the bottle. It was apparent that the ray of light was made up from countless grains of sand. Every grain exuded a light glow and an extremely cold aura. They looked just like a galaxy that had been shrunk down innumerable times.
Heavenly Yin Sand was indeed one of the best materials in the Fifth Order. As soon as it appeared, the void seemed to have been frozen over as a layer of frost formed on Yang Kai’s clothes and hair.
Instead of resisting, Yang Kai circulated his Secret Art and pushed his Dao Seal to refine the Yin Element Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand.
At that instant, the galaxy formed from the sand seemed to have been attracted by a mysterious force as it swirled and danced around Yang Kai. Looking from afar, it was as if he was engulfed in a storm of silver rain.
Yang Kai had refined other Element Powers before, the last one being the Golden Wolf King’s Monster Core, which was a Seventh-Order Metal Element treasure. Although the Heavenly Yin Sand was extraordinary for its Order, it wasn’t comparable to that Monster Core at all.
Ti Zheng and the others stared intently outside the Heaven Covering Web. Upon seeing that Yang Kai had started refining the Fifth-Order Heavenly Yin Sand, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the process started, it couldn’t be stopped. That was because Yang Kai’s Dao Seal had been affected by the Yin Element Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand as he built his Open Heaven Realm foundation. There was nothing else he could do to reverse it unless he used something like Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water to wipe clean his Dao Seal.
However, in that case, all his previous efforts would also be erased.
Initially, they were worried that Yang Kai might go back on his word; after all, if they were him, they would never be willing to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when they had a chance to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm directly. Therefore, they wouldn’t be surprised even if he went back on his word at the last moment.
However, his action at this moment suggested that he was truly determined.
Therefore, they admired the fact that he was able to leave his aspiration behind and make do with such an inferior result.
Throughout history, only a small number of people were able to directly ascend to the Seventh Order. Given such a chance, Ti Zheng and the others reckoned that they would never give it up, but Yang Kai could do that.
“He’s indeed a loyal brat.” One of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters gently nodded.
“What a shame,” Another person shook his head. It wasn’t certain whether he felt sorry for the fact that Yang Kai had to waste his aptitude or something else. Although they were the ones who forced Yang Kai to take such an action, they still felt sympathetic when they saw him do it.
Ti Zheng put on a smile, “There’s nothing to feel sorry about since we can’t use him.”
The person who spoke earlier gave it a thought and nodded, “You’re right.”
The last person fell silent for a moment before uttering, “This brat’s Dao Seal is indeed very sturdy. Don’t you think the speed at which he’s refining the Heavenly Yin Sand is too fast?”
Upon hearing that, all of them immediately turned to look at Yang Kai. Just like what their colleague had said, the speed at which Yang Kai was refining the Heavenly Yin Sand was outrageously fast. The glowing grains of sand could be seen dimming at a rate visible to the naked eye.
Given his speed, it would only take him one or two days to fully refine the Heavenly Yin Sand.
All of them were stunned as this was a Fifth-Order Yin Element treasure. Its Order was neither too high nor too low. Usually, it would take an average Open Heaven Realm Master a few months to refine it. For someone with a great aptitude, it would still take him ten days to half a month.
The fact that Yang Kai was able to do it in one or two days was unbelievable.
This outcome suggested that Yang Kai’s Dao Seal was extremely sturdy, so the impact of the Fifth-Order Yin Element Power penetrating his body was almost negligible. That was the reason he was able to refine it without any concern.
All of them were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had lived for a long time and seen many gifted people, but none of those people were comparable to Yang Kai. Although they couldn’t inspect his Dao Seal, they believed it was far more robust than that of anyone else just by looking at the speed he was refining the Heavenly Yin Sand.
A person with a sturdy Dao Seal was able to condense Element Powers swiftly, and there was only a minimal risk for him to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm. Coupled with the fact that Yang Kai had Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, it could be said that it was practically risk-free for him to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Now, the crux of the matter was how strong the foundation of his Small Universe would be after he achieved his ascension. With a strong foundation, he would become powerful in the future, and vice versa. Nevertheless, he would still be just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it wouldn’t matter regardless of how strong his foundation would be.
While Ti Zheng and the others were paying close attention to Yang Kai, Zhu Jiu Yin and her companions were staring vigilantly at the other party. On the other hand, Yang Kai was focused on refining the Heavenly Yin Sand in the centre of Heaven Covering Web.
A sense of coldness penetrated his physique through his pores before converging in his Dao Seal under his guidance.
The Powers of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, and Yang had already gathered together in his Dao Seal, so he needed only one more. As he absorbed the Yin Element Power from the Heavenly Yin Sand, his Dao Seal gradually became complete.
The Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers mutually supported and suppressed one another as they formed an endless cycle in his body.
The power of the cycle clashed within his Dao Seal, and following every collision, there seemed to be a bell that rang loudly in his body, which shook his very soul.
Initially, this kind of movement was still not conspicuous, but as Yang Kai refined more of the Yin Element Power, the movement became increasingly violent.
When Yang Kai refined his Metal Element Power, thus gathering all Five Element Powers previously, he realised that a crack had appeared in his Dao Seal. He was shocked as he thought that something had gone wrong with his cultivation; however, he couldn’t feel there were any problems with him. Be it cultivating or using his strength, he faced no obstacles at all. Instead, he felt that his power had increased after he condensed the Metal Element Power.
Still worried, he asked Yue He about it.
It was then he learned that when a cultivator ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, his Dao Seal would break apart to allow his own Grand Dao to merge with the Seven Elements to form his Small Universe.
Nevertheless, the average cultivator would only see his Dao Seal cracking when ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, but such an incident happened to Yang Kai in advance. Perhaps the Order of the Elements he had condensed was too high, leading to such a result.
Regardless, this was a good thing for him. Anyone who wished to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm had to go through this trial. If he couldn’t successfully integrate his Grand Dao with his Small Universe, his ascension would fail. Since Yang Kai’s Dao Seal had started cracking earlier, things would become easier when he attempted his breakthrough.
As he condensed more of the Yin Element Power, more cracks started appearing on his Dao Seal, as though it would collapse at any moment.
At the same time, a chaotic aura started exuding from Yang Kai, who was seated in the centre of Heaven Covering Web.
Anyone who noticed this aura would be stunned as they stared fixedly at Yang Kai. All of them were Open Heaven Realm Masters who had tread the same path, so they were aware that it was the most critical moment for Yang Kai.
Before Heaven and Earth split apart, there was only chaos. It was apparent that Yang Kai was on the brink of achieving his breakthrough. So far, it had only been one day since he started refining the Heavenly Yin Sand.
Anyone could see that the Heavenly Yin Sand, which looked like a swirling galaxy, had lost all its glow and spirituality. That was because the Yin Element Power within it had been fully absorbed.
There was no doubt that Yang Kai was a genius.
Even the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to refine a Fifth-Order material in a day, not to mention a mere Emperor Realm Junior.
A mysterious power trembled violently within Yang Kai’s body. With him as the centre, visible ripples were seen spreading out in a regular manner.
Since all the Power in the Heavenly Yin Sand had been refined, it turned into dust and scattered with the wind as soon as it came into contact with these ripples.
Meanwhile, all of Yang Kai’s skin had reddened as his chaotic aura became even more conspicuous.
He felt like he had been trapped inside a thick membrane, as though he had returned to his mother’s womb. He was restricted in every way, which made him feel extremely unpleasant.
Inside his Dao Seal, Yin, Yang, and Five Element Powers moved in a cyclical manner as they clashed with Yang Kai. Following every collision, he felt his Soul shuddering violently. Not only was he unable to make his mind focus, but he also couldn’t control one bit of his energy.
Yang Kai was flabbergasted as it was only now that he realised how dangerous the process of ascending to the Open Heaven Realm really was. If he wasn’t careful enough, he would instantly lose his life.
His Dao Seal was pretty sturdy to begin with, and he had consumed a lot of Divine Dao Water which fortified his Dao Seal to the point that there was no room for improvement.
It could be said that within the Half-Step Open Heaven Realm, no one was a match for him when it came to the sturdiness of their Dao Seal.
Every time he condensed a High-Rank Element Power, his Dao Seal would be bombarded by that same Power. Fortunately, he managed to endure each time.
When he finally completed his Dao Seal with a Yin Element Power this time, he realised that the collisions he had experienced in the past were nothing compared to what he was going through now.
The Powers in his body, except for the Fifth-Order Yin Element Power he had just refined, were all High-Rank Powers. As they clashed with Yang Kai in succession, he felt his body and Soul shuddering. Only when the Yin Element Power collided with him did he feel an almost negligible impact.
He had to face such a difficult trial even though he was just ascending to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If he really attempted to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the difficulty he would have had to face would be far greater. It was no wonder that only a small number of people had managed to directly break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm throughout history. Even if someone had condensed the requisite High-Rank Elements like Yang Kai, they might still lose their life at this last step.
As more cracks appeared on Yang Kai’s Dao Seal, it seemed that it would break apart soon.
However, he realised that he was still unable to get rid of this thick restrictive membrane around him, and even his mind seemed to be lost in a foggy state. What was worse, the chaotic aura was increasingly thickening.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai came to the realization that if he couldn’t break through the barrier after his Dao Seal exploded, he would fall into danger.
At this life-and-death moment, he became calm instead as he attentively sensed the chaotic aura and let the Powers of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements clash with his Dao Seal without restraint.
He still had some Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, but he hadn’t planned on using any of them. It was a good idea to use a Spirit Pill to assist his ascension, but it wouldn’t be as rewarding as if he achieved the ascension through his own perseverance.
He had initially intended to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm directly, but now he had to make do with the Fifth-Order. If he still needed to use a Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill now, it would only mean he wasn’t gifted after all.
In the past, he had consumed a fair amount of World Source Liquid, allowing him to sense the magnificence of Heaven and Earth splitting apart.
However, he realised that he couldn’t recall most of the details now. Still, he would never forget that innate feeling.
As time passed, everyone could see that Yang Kai’s skin was alternating between red, white, and blue. That was the result of the Powers of Yin, Yang and the Five Elements weltering in his body.
The Primordial Elements of the Universe turned in an endless cycle, supporting and suppressing one another as the chaotic aura around Yang Kai thickened by the breath. One could see that Yang Kai had been engulfed by very thick fog, which couldn’t be peered through even using one’s Divine Sense.
Yue He was on pins and needles as she stared fixedly at the fog while Bai Qi balled up his fists and hoped that Yang Kai would succeed. To the side, Qu Hua Shang was secretly praying for him.
As Zhu Jiu Yin watched coldly, she couldn’t help but mutter, “What is this smelly brat doing?”
[Is it really so difficult to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm?]