Certainly, Mao Zhe couldn’t tolerate the fact that the Second Mountain Lord was killed right in front of him just outside of Profound Yang Mountain. If he put up with this, he would lose all face.
Therefore, right after Yun Fei Bai was killed, Mao Zhe immediately attacked Yang Kai.
Zhou Ya and Geng Qing came to their senses, and as their eyes turned bloodshot, they clenched their teeth and charged towards their enemy from both sides.
Yang Kai guffawed, “Good! Let’s fight!”
Without backing down, he lifted his spear and dashed towards the three of them. In an instant, a series of clanging sounds were heard as they fell into a fierce melee. All of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and as their World Forces collided, the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven fell into turmoil. People from Profound Yang Mountain looked in the direction of the battle with horrified expressions.
As the four figures flew around in the air, the lights of their Divine Abilities blossomed. It was as though both parties were determined to completely destroy the other.
However, Yang Kai seemed to be on the losing side.
Previously, the reason he was able to fight against three people on his own was that Yun Fei Bai and the others were restricted in their movements. Yun Fei Bai was severely wounded to begin with, and in order to protect him, Zhou Ya and Geng Qing were not able to fully use their powers.
Nevertheless, things were different now.
Without Yun Fei Bai burdening them, Zhou Ya and Geng Qing had no more constraints and were able to fully utilize their powers. Furthermore, the Head Mountain Lord was significantly stronger than the wounded Yun Fei Bai.
As soon as they traded moves, Yang Kai could feel that even though he had merged his Small Sealed World with his Small Universe, the richness of his World Force was still not comparable to that of the Head Mountain Lord.
He indeed lived up to the expectations of a person who was just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, Yang Kai had no intention of retreating. As a Master of the Dao of Space, his mobility was vastly superior to others in the same realm. At that moment, the three Mountain Lords didn’t have a way to lock down Yang Kai, so although they could hurt him from time to time, it didn’t matter to him given his physical strength and restorative power.
The Head Mountain Lord bellowed, “Stop jumping around like a monkey! How disgraceful!”
Yang Kai ignored him as he swept, stabbed, and slashed with his Azure Dragon Spear. Spear shadows fell on them like rain, and every attack carried a horrifying force. Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were terrified as they didn’t dare to directly meet these attacks.
After half a day of intense battle, Mao Zhe suddenly furrowed his brow. That was because he realised that as time passed, the young man’s strength was steadily increasing.
Compared to half a day ago, this young man was significantly stronger.
Initially, this young man could only jump around to dodge their attacks, but now, he was able to counterattack while defending himself. This kind of tendency became increasingly conspicuous.
Mao Zhe couldn’t figure out what was going on.
In fact, the reason Yang Kai managed to make it to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm was that he had consumed a World Fruit; however, be it the Fifth-Order or the Sixth-Order, he had only just broken through so he didn’t have enough time to solidify his cultivation.
He entered the Shadowless Cave Heaven right after he ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and while the battles with Ma Tian Yuan and Yun Fei Bai had slightly stabilized his cultivation, it wasn’t complete.
Then, he cultivated in seclusion to refine a World Fruit and ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He hadn’t even solidified his Fifth-Order cultivation when he rose to the Sixth-Order, so his cultivation was pretty unstable.
Nevertheless, the intense battle Yang Kai was presently engaged in was perfect for strengthening his foundation and consolidating his cultivation. This kind of fight was much more effective than simply cultivating in seclusion.
It could be said that as time passed, the power he was able to showcase would intensify until he reached his current limit. That was the reason Mao Zhe had this strange feeling.
The four figures darted around. One moment they were in the sky, and the next moment they were on the ground, then the same process repeated. Wherever they went, the ground cracked and the sky trembled as their World Forces continuously clashed with one another.
Zhou Ya’s eyes trembled as the figure who was flickering around the three of them shocked her.
All of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but why was this young man so ridiculously strong? She initially thought that since the Head Mountain Lord had joined them, there was no way this young man could resist. To her surprise, it turned out to be a difficult battle.
There were probably over a hundred wounds on the young man’s figure, and some of his bones must have cracked. Nevertheless, instead of growing weaker, he only became stronger with each passing breath.
She also realised that it was getting harder for her to parry his attacks.
All of a sudden, Mao Zhe narrowed his eyes and bellowed, “Are you using us in this battle to adapt to your new strength?”
After a long fight, he finally figured out that the young man must have just ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so he wasn’t familiar with his own power yet. That was the reason the young man became stronger as the battle dragged on.
Upon that realization, he roared in indignation, “Brat, how dare you!”
He was just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so he was practically unmatched in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If it weren’t because the young man was proficient in the Dao of Space, Mao Zhe was confident he could easily defeat him in a one-on-one fight; however, it was never easy dealing with a Master of the Dao of Space as it was simply impossible to corner one. This was what made the young man before him so arrogant.
After realising the young man’s intention, it was expected that Mao Zhe was infuriated.
Yang Kai grinned at him and said, “You’re touted to be the strongest cultivator in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but this is all you’ve got?” After he finished speaking, he retracted all the spear shadows and fell silent with a solemn expression. Then, he yelled, “Golden Crow Casts the Sun!”
Following that, a bird was heard cawing while a Great Sun rose from his back.
Geng Qing’s expression changed drastically as he shouted, “Watch out, Big Brother! This brat possesses a Divine Manifestation!”
“What!?” An astounded Mao Zhe looked up, and when he saw the magnificent Great Sun, his eyes couldn’t help but shrink.
It was indeed a Divine Manifestation! A Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was able to cast a Divine Manifestation. Mao Zhe couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
While Mao Zhe fell into a dazed state, Yang Kai had integrated himself with the Great Sun and charged towards the Head Mountain Lord.
Mao Zhe immediately retreated. Although he was very close to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he wouldn’t dare to directly meet a Divine Manifestation; after all, this was something only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were able to use.
However, his efforts were futile. He was instantly engulfed in Space Principles as Near Distant Horizon infinitely extended the space around him.
“Water Reflects the Moon!” Yang Kai roared.
A full Moon appeared out of thin air as it cast its icy glow across the land, causing a chill to shoot up everyone’s spine.
The Sun and the Moon appearing together was a miraculous sight. The three Mountain Lords stared dazedly at the sky where the dazzling Great Sun and the Ice Cold Moon rose and set in a seemingly endless cycle. The immense power coming from the swirling cycle seemed to engulf the entire universe.
Everything in this world seemed to have been covered by this gyro formed from the Sun and the Moon.
As the cycle spun, those present at the scene felt as though they were travelling across time. Coupled with the Space Principles that Yang Kai continuously surged, it formed into an extremely profound Space-Time warping effect.
It was an entirely new power that Yang Kai had yet to use.
A force that could destroy the Heavens and shatter the Earth came over the three Mountain Lords and they immediately surged their World Forces to try to defend themselves.
Following a deafening boom, a huge halo of light erupted. It was as though the entire World had shattered at that instant.
The energies of the spinning Sun and the Moon exploded and sent shockwaves out across the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven. The forces of scorching heat and bone-piercing cold clashed and formed into an immense destructive power.
Everything at the centre of the explosion was seemingly wiped from existence.
A moment later, a figure, whose clothes were ragged, shot out of the light with a horrified expression. He was none other than the Head Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain.
As expected of a man just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he was still able to escape alive despite facing such an attack. Nevertheless, his pale face and the blood at the corner of his lips clearly indicated that he was wounded.
Presently, he was holding Geng Qing in one hand and Zhou Ya in the other.
Compared to him, Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were more severely wounded and had passed out. Moreover, their bodies looked like they were being corroded by a strange power that continuously ate away at their vitality. This odd strength was profound and unpredictable, alternating between hot and cold, turning their skin from red to blue randomly. The condition they were in was extremely strange.
Still reeling from shock, Mao Zhe took a look in Yang Kai’s direction, only to see that the young man had fallen into a dazed state. With the spear in his hand still outstretched, Yang Kai seemed to be lost in his own thoughts while a mysterious light that contained some profound secret swirled around him.
Mao Zhe was dumbfounded as he realised that the young man had comprehended something about his Grand Dao during this life-and-death battle.
If he interrupted Yang Kai now, the latter would surely suffer an immense loss.
However, Mao Zhe was too terrified of the attack just now and didn’t have the courage to create trouble for Yang Kai. With Geng Qing and Zhou Ya in his hands, he shot towards Profound Yang Mountain and activated its Grand Array as soon as he was inside.
In the centre of the battlefield, the chaotic force slowly subsided. Yang Kai stood there silently as he comprehended the explosion of power just now.
The Dao of Space was the foundation on which he built his Dao Seal, and it could be said that his mastery over the Dao of Space was unrivalled.
Nevertheless, when it came to the Dao of Time, he had always been an amateur.
After ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, he had his own Small Universe in his body. There were the Manifestations of Golden Crow Casts the Sun and Water Reflects the Moon in his Small Universe. The rising and falling of these celestial entities granted him a deeper understanding of the Dao of Time.
Both the Dao of Space and Dao of Time were extremely esoteric and abstruse Grand Daos. The average person would be extremely fortunate to comprehend even the slightest bit of either of them, let alone master both.
It was only thanks to some rare opportunities that Yang Kai managed to achieve this.
In fact, he had never thought about merging these two Grand Daos into one. It wasn’t until he engaged in a life-and-death battle with the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain that he gave it a try on a whim.
Yang Kai never imagined the results would be so shocking.
Space Principles and Time Principles had perfectly blended together through the integration of the Golden Crow Casts the Sun, Water Reflects the Moon, and Near Distant Horizon, forming a brand-new Divine Ability.
A glint flashed through Yang Kai’s eyes as he muttered under his breath, “Let’s call it Sun and Moon Divine Wheel.”
The Sun and Moon Divine Wheel wasn’t complete yet, and had plenty of room for improvement. Nevertheless, this Divine Ability contained an entirely new power, something akin to Space-Time Strength that combined both Space Principles and Time Principles.
However, it wasn’t the right time to think about this. Yang Kai raised his gaze and looked at Profound Yang Mountain.
The three Mountain Lords had returned to Profound Yang Mountain, and presently, the Grand Array was activated in full defensive mode. Many people were seen moving around as they got ready to face a formidable enemy.
Yang Kai snorted and placed his Azure Dragon Spear over his shoulder before striding towards Profound Yang Mountain. With a grin, he called out, “Do you think you’re safe hiding behind this thin wall? Since you dared harm my Proprietress, I’ll destroy your entire Sect today!”
Seeing that Yang Kai was coming over, Mao Zhe, who was standing on a peak of Profound Yang Mountain, bellowed, “Don’t go too far, boy!”
He had returned to his home territory and activated the Grand Array, but Yang Kai still pursued them as though he was determined to destroy them, which infuriated him.
Prior to this day, Mao Zhe had never expected that someone in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm would be able to defeat him. Furthermore, it was in a three-on-one fight in his favour.
He had joined forces with Geng Qing and Zhou Ya earlier, but after the battle, the two of them became injured and passed out while he was scared out of his wits.
[Where does this brat come from? One month ago, Second Brother said he was just a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!] Since he was in a rush earlier, Mao Zhe didn’t have the chance to ask about what had happened.
There was no way a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could break through to the Sixth-Order in just one month and showcase such horrifying power.
If Mao Zhe knew that the other party was so formidable, he would’ve been more polite; however, now, those from Profound Yang Mountain had fallen out with him, and even the Second Mountain Lord was killed. It had turned into a blood feud that could never be resolved.
In just a moment, Yang Kai arrived at Profound Yang Mountain and saw a thick light barrier surrounding it.
Thrusting his spear into the light barrier caused a dent to form, but it soon recovered.
After probing it lightly, Yang Kai nodded. Although the Grand Array here wasn’t as profound as his own Nine Heavenly Layers, it was still quite extraordinary. After all, Profound Yang Mountain had been around in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for over ten thousand years. Their heritage which had been accumulated over the years couldn’t be underestimated.
Nevertheless, since Yang Kai had arrived at this place, he would not back down easily.
Then, he looked up at Mao Zhe, who was staring coldly at him atop the main peak, and grinned. The smile was so eerie that Mao Zhe felt his chest tightening.
“What is that brat trying to do?” Mao Zhe muttered with a frown.
Before he could figure it out, he heard the young man yelling, “Dragon… Transformation!”
A deafening Dragon Roar was heard, then a gigantic golden Dragon Head manifested behind Yang Kai’s back before disappearing into his body. Following that, a series of cracking sounds were heard.
As the sounds rang out, the gazes of those on Profound Yang Mountain slowly lifted and filled with horror. They were rooted to the spot as they witnessed the small figure of a man rapidly transform into an enormous monster.
The creature was covered in Dragon Scales and his hands had turned into razor-sharp Dragon Claws. The Dragon Tail behind him swung heavily, and the Dragon Horns on his forehead looked as though they were made from pure gold. His whiskers flapped in the air, and as he breathed, the entire world seemed to pale.
If this 4,000-metre-long creature wasn’t intimidating enough, the colossal spear in his claws was capable of freezing everyone’s heart.
Yang Kai’s Azure Dragon Spear was now a 4,000 metres long weapon, matching his own length as it gleamed with a terrifying glow.
As rich Dragon Pressure permeated the air, those on Profound Yang Mountain found it hard to breathe even though they had the protection of the Grand Array.
“Dragon Clan!” Mao Zhe exclaimed as his pupils contracted to the size of needles, “Impossible!”
Yang Kai shook his head as the scorching breath he puffed out seemed able to burn a hole in space. As he raised his gigantic spear, he roared in a thunderous voice, “Taste my spear!”
He bluntly pushed his spear forward, whereupon a gale brought up all the sand and stones around him. The cultivators on Profound Yang Mountain screamed, panicked, and ran about randomly.
Not daring to be negligent, Mao Zhe quickly fished out the Array Jade and focused the Grand Array’s power to defend against this strike.
The long spear fell heavily on the Grand Array’s light barrier like it was a giant tree.
Following a loud boom, a deep indent was formed on the light barrier as its glow flickered wildly.
Yang Kai roared and exerted more force with his hands, but he was still unable to penetrate the Grand Array. The horrifying shockwave coming through the Grand Array shook the entire Profound Yang Mountain, causing many cultivators to fall to the ground. Some of the weaker cultivators even started bleeding, looking quite battered.
A moment later, the light barrier bounced back, pushing Yang Kai away as he was forced backwards several hundred metres.
As he arched his brow, Yang Kai praised, “Truly incredible!”
The heritage accumulated for over thousands of years by Profound Yang Mountain was indeed extraordinary. The Grand Array was so sturdy that Yang Kai wasn’t able to break it with one strike. A hint of ruthlessness flashed across his eyes as he stepped forward in an imposing manner.
Mao Zhe widened his eyes and exclaimed, “Junior Brother, please stop! We can talk this out!”
Yang Kai cackled wildly, “There’s nothing to talk about between us!”
Then, he heavily struck the light barrier once more.
Following that, some people were heard grunting. In one of the Array Nodes, three Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, who assisted Mao Zhe in maintaining the Grand Array, sprayed out mouthfuls of blood as their auras withered. It was apparent that they were injured by the horrifying force coming through the barrier.
Mao Zhe looked at them and felt his chest tightening. Then, he turned to gaze at Yang Kai, and upon seeing that the latter was preparing to strike again, he said through gritted teeth, “Junior Brother, the Shadowless Cave Heaven is only this big. Don’t go too far lest we meet again in the future as enemies!”
Yang Kai snorted and roared, “Why must I worry about the future? Today I will destroy Profound Yang Mountain and sacrifice all of you to my spear. We won’t ever see each other again!”
Mao Zhe was so exasperated that he almost spat blood, but there was nothing he could say to refute him.
Following a series of strikes, the Open Heaven Realm Masters, who assisted in running the Grand Array in its several Array Nodes all became injured as their auras dimmed. Some of them had even passed out already.
A resentful Mao Zhe had the urge to go out and fight Yang Kai to the death, but he didn’t have the guts to do so seeing as the other party was so imposing. They were defeated earlier even though the three Mountain Lords had joined forces. Now that Geng Qing and Zhou Ya had passed out and he himself was injured, there was no way he could be a match for Yang Kai on his own.
Mao Zhe let out a sigh then performed different hand seals to mobilise the Grand Array’s power.
Now, he could only sacrifice some of the outer peaks by shrinking the protection range of the Grand Array. Only by doing so would he stand a chance to ward off the other party’s horrifying attacks.
Following a strike, the light barrier broke apart as Yang Kai continued pushing his spear forward and jabbed into a peak, which caused it to shake and almost collapse.
Yang Kai took a glance with his cold-looking eyes and realised that some of the peaks were no longer in the protection range of the Grand Array. Only a small area in the centre was still protected by the light barrier. Upon seeing that, he knew that Mao Zhe must have given up on the outer peaks to protect the centre. By doing so, not only would Mao Zhe consume less energy, but he could also focus the Grand Array’s power to better fend off Yang Kai’s attacks.
Yang Kai snorted, and then his Dragon Pressure permeated the air as though it had materialised, which caused the surrounding space to become extremely heavy.
On the peaks that were completely exposed, the cultivators from Profound Yang Mountain shivered like quails without a home in the winter. All of their eyes were filled with horror as they watched the behemoth approach them.
Yang Kai directly swept his spear across one of the peaks. As the cultivators shrieked, a terrifying World Force surged and broke the peak into halves. Stones rolled down what was left of the mountain as the peak crumbled, plunging its inhabitants into turmoil.
Standing in the centre of the Grand Array, Mao Zhe widened his eyes with fury.
Profound Yang Mountain was the foundation he had built in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. It was also one of the safest places in the Shadowless Cave Heaven from the Astral Wind. If this place was destroyed, Profound Yang Mountain would cease to exist. Without this shelter, no one would stay there and obey his orders.
*Hong long long!*
More peaks collapsed. Yang Kai’s arrival was no different from a doomsday for them. He kept on destroying the peaks with a power that could destroy the Heavens and shatter the Earth.
The peaks that were exposed outside of the Grand Array were soon turned into ruins. Just when Yang Kai was about to sweep his spear across the last peak, he stopped as his gaze fell upon a certain figure.
She was a woman who was standing still and silently gaping at him. Instead of feeling terrified about her imminent death though, she looked as though she was about to be liberated.
[It’s her!] At first glance, Yang Kai could recognise that she was the one who had secretly looked for him and gave him the directions that led to the Proprietress’ whereabouts.
At that time, he speculated that she must have been forced to become Yun Fei Bai’s plaything for reasons that were beyond her control. That was the reason she secretly gave Yang Kai a hand.
It was thanks to the directions in the jade slip that he was able to find the Proprietress and the others.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai moved towards the peak and thrust his spear into the ground before his giant figure turned blurry and disappeared beneath the mountain.
The people inside the Grand Array gazed at Yang Kai as they had no idea what he was up to now.
All of a sudden, the mountain started trembling, as though an immense force was coming from beneath it. Mao Zhe narrowed his eyes as he thought of a possibility.
The next moment, as all of them widened their eyes in disbelief, the mountain slowly rose into the air. Beneath the mountain was a gigantic creature whose nostrils puffed out a scorching breath as he hoisted the mountain on his hunched back. Following a great roar, the figure straightened up.
All of them couldn’t believe their eyes while Mao Zhe’s pupils contracted. This man actually lifted a mountain!
What kind of horrifying power was required to do that? Although Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could easily showcase immense power, they had to use the World Force in their Small Universes to achieve that.
Rarely anyone in the entire 3,000 Worlds was able to literally lift a mountain like this one using solely physical strength. At the very least, it was the first time Mao Zhe saw someone capable of this.
Following that, Yang Kai shook the mountain and roared, “All you ants crawling on this mountain, scram!”
The cultivators on the mountain started falling and crashed to the ground. The quiet woman, who was originally standing on the peak, happened to fall down in front of Yang Kai, who gently then let out a breath and sent her over a hundred kilometres away before she lightly landed on the ground.
*Hong…*
Yang Kai shuffled towards the centre of Profound Yang Mountain. With every step he took, the ground shook violently.
*Hong hong hong…*
His movements were initially slow, as every step he took would leave a huge mark on the ground. However, after several steps, he started running in light steps as his figure bent forward a little.
Inside the Grand Array, Mao Zhe had his expression change drastically as he bellowed, “Activate the Grand Array’s full might now!”
As soon as Mao Zhe gave this order, he heard Yang Kai roaring as the latter hurled the mountain, which was on his back, at the Grand Array. The expansive shadow blocked the light out of everyone’s sight.
Those from Profound Yang Mountain immediately focused the Grand Array’s power to defend.
A loud boom rang out as the mountain crashed into the Grand Array and formed a huge dent on it. The light barrier kept flickering as though it would shatter at any moment.
Following that, Yang Kai brought down his spear on the Grand Array and worsened the dent in the light barrier.
Mao Zhe roared, “Do you really want to kill us all, brat? Do you think this Monarch is afraid of you!?”
Yang Kai had crossed his bottom line by appearing determined to wipe out Profound Yang Mountain.
“Come then!” Yang Kai pushed out his spear, “Fight with me if you have the gall!”
Mao Zhe was so infuriated that he looked like a volcano that was about to erupt.
*Hong…*
As the ground shook, the light barrier appeared dimmer than before. The horrifying force coming through the air caused the cultivators on Profound Yang Mountain to turn pale and stagger.
Spear shadows poured down on the Grand Array like rain and caused it to flicker even more wildly.
Mao Zhe was terrified to learn that even though he had shrunk the protection range to consolidate the Spirit Array’s power, it was still nearly impossible to fend off the other party’s violent attacks.
Under such a bombardment, it would only take half an hour before the Grand Array of Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed.
Mao Zhe reckoned that he had to make a move now. It would be too late by the time the Grand Array was shattered.
Having made up his mind, he said through clenched teeth, “Come with me and kill this brat! Whoever can behead him, this Monarch will promote to the position of Fifth Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain!”
Upon finishing his words, he flung away the Array Jade and charged out towards Yang Kai.
Many cultivators followed him closely. Although they were wary of Yang Kai’s strength, they were tempted by Mao Zhe’s promise. Since Mao Zhe had made such a declaration in public, he wouldn’t go back on his word. If one of them was lucky enough to kill this gigantic monster, that person would really become the Fifth Mountain Lord.
As they flew into the air, those from Profound Yang Mountain were totally united at this moment. Before they even arrived, the lights of their Secret Techniques and artifacts started blossoming. All the attacks contained the World Forces of these Open Heaven Realm Masters as they bombarded Yang Kai.
Ignoring this barrage, Yang Kai swept his several-thousand-metres long spear through the air, seemingly cutting space in half. As he aimed at the area with most people, he yelled, “How dare mere ants act so impudent in front of this King!”
The spear’s might was overwhelming. The clever ones had quickly dodged it while the sluggish ones got struck in mid-air and directly exploded into blood mist, leaving no trace of their existence behind.
Following the attack, those from Profound Yang Mountain started backing down. As they looked at the blood rain pouring down from the sky, they were no longer as hot-headed as before.
*Hong hong hong…*
The wave of Secret Techniques and artifact attacks peppered Yang Kai, causing him to stagger backwards.
Although a 4,000-metre-long Dragon was intimidating, being so large made it nearly impossible for Yang Kai to dodge incoming attacks.
All of those attacks were powerful Secret Techniques sent out by Open Heaven Realm Masters.
However, other than the Divine Abilities of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters that could slightly harm him, the rest of these attacks were essentially negated by Yang Kai’s Dragon Scales. Even the attacks from Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters couldn’t damage his foundation as they were only capable of leaving some small flesh wounds.
It was a well-known fact that Dragons had superb defence.
Yang Kai stepped forward while kicking the peaks in front of him, sweeping his spear across the mountains below. At that instant, there wasn’t even a single person in a radius of several kilometres around him. Wherever he went, the cultivators from Profound Yang Mountain would immediately flee.
Mao Zhe was infuriated as he attempted to boost morale once more, but his efforts yielded no results.
Yang Kai turned his head and extended his claw towards him as he said with a grin, “There will be no more Profound Yang Mountain in the Shadowless Cave Heaven from today onwards!”
As Space Principles undulated, the claw ignored space and distance and directly grasped Mao Zhe.
Yang Kai exerted more force with his hand and a series of cracking sounds were heard coming from his palm.
Nevertheless, the next moment, an immense force exploded inside his fist. Then, Yang Kai felt excruciating pain as a bloody hole was formed on the back of his hand, out of which a ray of light shot. It was Mao Zhe, who was formerly grasped in his claw.
As his Dragon Blood dripped onto the ground, Yang Kai looked down and saw a huge hole in his claw, one through which he could see the ground below.
However, it didn’t bother him one bit as he swung his hand and roared in a thunderous voice, “Good, you indeed live up to your reputation as the strongest Master in the Shadowless Cave Heaven!”
It was impossible for an average Master to break through Yang Kai’s flesh, but Mao Zhe had easily done just that. Otherwise, he couldn’t have gotten rid of his restriction.
As Yang Kai took a deep breath, his chest started bulging as it was filled with air.
Right after Mao Zhe got out of the death grip, he shot towards Yang Kai. As his World Force surged, he rapidly formed a set of hand seals and sent out a powerful Divine Ability towards him.
However, when he saw Yang Kai’s posture, Mao Zhe felt his chest tightening. Sensing an impending crisis, he immediately dodged.
“Fire Dragon’s… Flaming Breath!” As Yang Kai roared, he spat out a jet of black flames.
As the scorching fire shot from his mouth, it burned down the sky and ground without distinction. As Golden Crow’s True Fire permeated the area, Mao Zhe’s Divine Ability was vaporized.
In an instant, the remaining Spirit Peaks of Profound Yang Mountain were engulfed in Golden Crow’s True Fire. Under the scorching heat, the peaks started melting into lava.
Yang Kai swung his head around as the fire coming from his mouth swept out. Many of the cultivators, who were unable to dodge it, were burned and fell from the sky shrieking.
Mao Zhe immediately retreated and narrowly escaped from the Golden Crow’s True Fire. He hadn’t forgotten about the unconscious Geng Qing and Zhou Ya as he held them in his hands.
It took Yang Kai a moment before he stopped spitting fire as his chest shrank back down to normal size. With a scornful gaze, he looked up at Mao Zhe, who was floating in mid-air.
Mao Zhe felt his heart sinking as he watched the dark flame burning through the mountains. He knew that after this battle, Profound Yang Mountain would be completely destroyed. Just like what Yang Kai had said, there would be no Profound Yang Mountain in the Shadowless Cave Heaven from today onwards.
He narrowed his eyes and wondered what kind of monster his Second Brother had offended. Not only was his Second Brother killed, but Profound Yang Mountain was also destroyed alongside him.
Yang Kai lifted his spear and pointed at Mao Zhe. His message was clear. [Come fight with me!]
Mao Zhe looked down at him, then took a glance at the unconscious Geng Qing and Zhou Ya. After taking a deep breath, he shouted, “This Monarch shall never forget what has happened here today, and will one day settle accounts with you!”
Following that, his figure started fading.
Yang Kai bellowed, “Do you think you can run away?”
He thrust out his spear and penetrated Mao Zhe’s figure, but he felt like he had struck nothing but air. Mao Zhe remained looking dispassionately at Yang Kai as his figure shattered and vanished into thin air.
Yang Kai immediately released his Divine Sense and frowned, for he was unable to locate Mao Zhe, as though the latter had disappeared from this world. He shook his head and remarked, “How strange!”
In fact, he was fully aware that as a seasoned Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Mao Zhe must have some trump cards that could save his life. If he was determined to flee, Yang Kai wouldn’t be able to stop him despite being a Master of the Dao of Space.
With that said, Yang Kai had achieved his goal through this battle. He managed to kill Yun Fei Bai while the latter was fleeing and even destroyed Profound Yang Mountain. It could be said that he had gotten revenge on the Proprietress’ behalf.
The figures around him gaped at him in horror. They were the surviving survivors of Profound Yang Mountain.
Since the Head Mountain Lord had fled, they were now at a crossroads. Certainly, they wouldn’t have the guts to go against Yang Kai. Even the Head Mountain Lord was defeated, so how were they supposed to be a match for him?
However, where else could they go? Profound Yang Mountain was where their foundation was. Presently, the dark Golden Crow’s True Fire was still burning through everything, so they didn’t know what to do even though they wanted to put out the flames.
When Yang Kai shot a cold glance at them, they became horrified and subconsciously stepped backwards, worrying that this guy might slaughter them to the last.
Fortunately, Yang Kai only snorted as his humongous figure shrunk and returned to his Human Form. With his spear resting on his shoulder, he shook his head and declared, “He fled just because he can’t beat me. What a useless guy!”
Then, he leapt into the air and disappeared into the distance.
It wasn’t until Yang Kai’s aura was completely out of their perception range that these surviving cultivators from Profound Yang Mountain let out a sigh of relief, as though they had just escaped from death’s door.
As they exchanged glances, they had no idea what to do now.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai landed on a spot that was 100 kilometres away. With Azure Dragon Spear over his shoulder, he squatted on a certain hill.
There was a woman standing silently nearby. Noticing the movements, she looked up and met with Yang Kai’s eyes, whereupon she subconsciously took a few steps back. As she pressed her lips together, she saluted Yang Kai in an elegant manner.
“Yun Fei Bai is dead,” Yang Kai said.
The woman never responded to him, as though she was born mute.
“Many thanks for your directions some time ago,” Yang Kai said and got up. Then, he swung his spear and jabbed it into the ground, “If it weren’t for you, I couldn’t have easily found my Proprietress.”
“That was the least I could do,” the woman replied gently.
“Where do you want to go?” Yang Kai asked as he looked in Profound Yang Mountain’s direction, “That place is destroyed, so can’t go back anymore.”
The woman seemed lost. After giving it a thought, she shook her head, “I’m not going back, and I don’t know where I can go.”
Yang Kai suggested by saying, “There’s Astral Wind in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so if you don’t look for a safe place, your Small Universe will collapse one day, costing you your life. Since Profound Yang Mountain is gone for good, you can either go to Unrivalled Guild or Twin Spirit Island. I’d suggest that you go to Twin Spirit Island because I’ll be staying there for the time being. If you go there, just tell them my name. Right, my name is Yang Kai.”
Then, he leapt into the air and headed straight to Twin Spirit Island.
The woman remained on the spot for a while before she saluted in the direction Yang Kai had left, then she turned around and headed in a different direction.
It took Yang Kai one day to return to Twin Spirit Island, but before he even landed, the fog faltered and revealed a passageway as a figure came forward and cupped his fists, “Greetings, Senior Yang!”
The person was the Open Heaven Realm Master who greeted the Proprietress previously. He must be stationed here following the Island Masters’ order. He had also seen Yang Kai showcasing his might just outside of Twin Spirit Island some time ago, so he admired the young man’s power greatly.
In response, Yang Kai nodded.
The man continued, “The Island Masters have said that you can enter as soon as you return.”
“The Island Masters are truly thoughtful.” Not long after Yang Kai stepped into the fog, he turned around and asked, “Where’s my Proprietress?”
The person replied respectfully, “Don’t worry, Senior. Madam Lan is recuperating in a secret room, so she should be fine. After you enter the island, someone will lead you to her current residence.”
Yang Kai nodded and shuffled inside.
Upon entering Twin Spirit Island, he immediately caught a whiff of a pleasant fragrance. The island was as beautiful and refreshing as a spring day, which was a stark contrast to the desolateness of the outside world.
An innocent-looking woman was awaiting Yang Kai. Upon seeing him, she saluted him and led him to the Proprietress’ room.
A while later, Yang Kai stopped in his tracks in the deepest part of a bamboo forest on Twin Spirit Island. There were some simple-looking bamboo huts here and the place was pretty serene, so it was indeed suitable for recuperation.
Chef and Accountant were seated with their legs crossed just outside one of the bamboo huts.
Upon hearing the noise, they opened their eyes and looked up. When they realised that it was Yang Kai, they became elated and got to their feet.
Yang Kai waved his hand to motion for the woman to leave, then he shuffled forward and took a glance at the bamboo hut that was covered in a barrier before asking in a small voice, “How is Proprietress?”
Both of them shook their heads.
Chef said, “She started recuperating in seclusion right after she came here. We don’t know how she’s doing.”
Accountant shot a glance at Yang Kai with his usual hollow-looking eyes, “Are you injured?”
Certainly, Yang Kai couldn’t be completely unharmed after a battle with Profound Yang Mountain. Besides the fact that the back of his hand was burst through by Mao Zhe, he was also struck by the Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques of many Open Heaven Realm Masters. However, since he had a sturdy physique, these injuries didn’t matter to him.
“I’m fine.” Yang Kai shook his head, “What was that strange Artifact Armour she wore?”
Although the armour was powerful, it had some serious drawbacks. The Proprietress couldn’t even recognise Yang Kai and had attacked him as a result of the wild Monster Qi the armour gave off. If he hadn’t used the Soul Warming Lotus at the most critical moment to restore clarity to her mind, she wouldn’t have easily come to her senses.
After a sigh, Chef replied, “We don’t know what it is, but Proprietress calls it the Blood Monster Battle Dress. We have no idea where she obtained it, nor had we seen her use it prior to that battle. It was a first for us too.”
Yang Kai frowned, “That’s a terrible thing. She shouldn’t ever use it again.”
Chef replied, “You can try convincing her when she comes out. Let’s see if she’ll listen to you.” Then, he thought of something and gazed at him doubtfully, “By the way, how did you go from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order in just one month? Moreover, hadn’t you just ascended to the Fifth Order?”
Accountant gazed at him with suspicion as well.
When Yang Kai previously showcased his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm might, even Chef and Accountant were flabbergasted, not to mention Yun Fei Bai and the others. They thought that they were mistaken, but Yang Kai had indeed defeated Yun Fei Bai and the other Mountain Lords, a feat only possible due to him being in the Sixth Order.
Upon inspection now, they could confirm that Yang Kai’s aura was really that of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Certainly, Yang Kai didn’t think there was a need to hide anything from them, so after giving it a thought, he asked, “Have you ever heard of World Fruits?”
…..
In one of the palaces on Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong clenched a Communication Bead in his hand as a myriad of expressions came over him.
When Shu Mu Dan saw that, she asked in puzzlement, “What happened, Husband?”
Hua Yong replied, “Yang Kai is back.”
Shu Mu Dan asked with a smile, “So what if he’s back? Why do you look so apprehensive?”
Hua Yong explained, “He had said that he was going to Profound Yang Mountain, but now he’s back barely a few days later. So… did he actually go to Profound Yang Mountain?”
Shu Mu Dan said, “Whether he went to Profound Yang Mountain or not has nothing to do with us, does it?”
Hua Yong burst into laughter, “My Wife… people always say that a woman will become foolish when she’s pregnant, but I didn’t believe it. However, when I see you now, I think there’s some truth to the saying.”
Shu Mu Dan glared at him in a charming manner.
Hua Yong coughed and went on to say, “He previously vowed that he was going to Profound Yang Mountain, but it is the most powerful great force in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and Head Mountain Lord Mao Zhe is just one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Furthermore, Mao Zhe has a lot of formidable subordinates working for him. If Yang Kai really went over there, how could he have come back safely?”
“He didn’t go there, then,” Shu Mu Dan remarked.
Hua Yong fell silent. If Yang Kai had really gone to Profound Yang Mountain and then returned safely, his power would be horrifying.
Shu Mu Dan suggested by saying, “You can just send someone to Profound Yang Mountain to find out what happened. It’ll only take a few days to make a round trip.”
Upon hearing that, Hua Yong nodded, “You’re right, my Wife.”
Shu Mu Dan glowered at him, “Who is the foolish one here?”
“It’s me. It’s me,” Hua Yong put on a fawning smile, then he ordered one of his subordinates to head to Profound Yang Mountain to investigate whether there were any traces of recent battle. If Yang Kai really went to Profound Yang Mountain, he would’ve engaged in a fight with Mao Zhe, so there must be some traces left.
After putting away the Communication Bead, he said, “My Wife, please follow me to meet Yang Kai. Regardless of whether he went to Profound Yang Mountain or not, the power he showcased is more than enough for us to be wary. Since there’s also Lan You Ruo, I’m worried that Twin Spirit Island will not be the same again.”
Upon finishing his words, he let out a sigh, for he wasn’t sure whether this kind of change was a blessing or a curse.
Both Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If they joined Twin Spirit Island, they would definitely become the Third and the Fourth Island Masters, which would strengthen their collective power. By then, those from Twin Spirit Island wouldn’t have to be afraid of Profound Yang Mountain and Unrivalled Guild anymore.
However, if Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo weren’t willing to live under the rules of others and insisted on becoming the Head and the Second Island Masters, the couple would have no choice but to give in to their demands.
The couple had been married for a long time, so Shu Mu Dan immediately knew what was on her Husband’s mind when she saw him sigh. Then, she draped her arm around his and comforted him by saying, “You don’t have to worry about it, Husband. We’ve had some contact with Madam Lan, and it’s obvious that she’s a reasonable woman. I believe that even if she joins us, she won’t make any rude demands.”
Hua Yong still said worriedly, “I hope so.”
…..
Outside the bamboo forest, Chef asked in disbelief, “You consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit!? It’s a precious item that can make a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly ascend to the next Order. It’s rumoured that a High-Rank World Fruit can even allow a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master directly reach the next Order!”
Accountant lamented, “It’s no wonder that you can make it to the Sixth Order in one month. You were previously unconscious, so I guess you were refining the medicinal efficacies of the Mid-Rank World Fruit instead of recuperating. Am I right?”
“En,” Yang Kai nodded.
Chef’s eyes seemed to be glowing as he rubbed his palms together and put on a fawning smile, “Do you have more Mid-Rank World Fruits?”
“Nope.” Yang Kai spread his palms, “I only obtained three Mid-Rank World Fruits in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Yue He and Lu Xue respectively had one, then I consumed the last one.”
The smile on Chef’s face froze as he landed a slap on his thigh in exasperation, “How wasteful! Lu Xue was just a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Why did you let her have it?”
Yang Kai explained, “We were faced with a formidable enemy at that time. If she hadn’t broken through, I would’ve been killed. I had no other choice.”
Chef widened his eyes as he appeared to be heartbroken.
After giving it a thought, Accountant said, “No wonder Yue He was able to reach the Sixth Order so soon. It’s because she had consumed a World Fruit… Hmm? Some people are coming.”
The three of them immediately stopped talking and looked outside the bamboo forest. A moment later, two figures came into their sights. They were the Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island.
The trio hurriedly greeted the couple.
Hua Yong came over with a smile and cupped his fists, “You’re back, Little Brother Yang.”
“En, I just returned.” Yang Kai saluted him, “I was worried about my Proprietress, so I rushed over to check on her instead of visiting you two. Please pardon my lack of etiquette.”
Hua Yong said with a smile, “What are you talking about, Little Brother? Madam Lan is injured, so it’s only natural for you to be worried about her. I don’t mind this kind of formality. In fact, I’m truly honoured that all of you are my guests on Twin Spirit Island.”
After a small talk, all of them took a seat.
Hua Yong asked, “Did you just come back from Profound Yang Mountain, Little Brother?”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right.”
Hua Yong’s brow twitched, but he still asked nonchalantly, “How was it?”
After pondering on it for a moment, Yang Kai replied with a solemn expression, “Mao Zhe was truly strong, so it wasn’t easy to deal with him.”
A glint flashed through Hua Yong’s eyes as he said with a smile, “Mao Zhe has been in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm for a long time. If it weren’t because resources in the Shadowless Cave Heaven were so scarce, he would’ve ascended to the Seventh Order by now. When my Wife and I arrived at the Shadowless Cave Heaven back then, we exchanged pointers with him and realised that he was truly formidable. Many years have passed, so his strength must have only increased.”
Yang Kai nodded, “The Open Heaven Realm really requires much accumulation over a long period of time.” Then, he turned to look at Shu Mu Dan’s belly and put on a smile, “It seems that you’ll soon give birth to your child, Madame.”
Shu Mu Dan gently stroked her belly and replied with a smile, “It’s still too early. Perhaps it’ll take me another year or two.”
“Huh?” Yang Kai was shocked, “I thought that pregnancy only lasts for ten months.” The size of her belly suggested that she would soon give birth, so why would it take her a year or two?
Shu Mu Dan explained smilingly, “That is only the case for commoners or weaker cultivators, Junior Brother Yang. Given my cultivation, it isn’t so easy for me to bear a child. In order to give my child the best possible future, I have to build a solid foundation in my belly for the child. Therefore, pregnancy lasts much longer.”
Hua Yong said with a smile, “This child has been in her stomach for over three years already.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai, Chef, and Accountant were dumbfounded.
Although Yang Kai and the others were powerful Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, they had never come across a pregnant Open Heaven Realm Master prior to this, so it was expected that they knew nothing about it. As they gazed at Shu Mu Dan’s bulging belly, they tutted in amazement.
After a bit of a chat, Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan left. Before that, Yang Kai and the others were told that some people were standing guard outside the bamboo forest, so they could just tell them if they had any requests.
Yang Kai thanked them and personally saw the couple off.
Nothing major happened in the following days.
The Proprietress was still recuperating while Yang Kai had gained immense benefits as a result of the great battle he fought some time ago, so he needed time to sort through them. The Sun and Moon Divine Wheel especially needed some improvement, which couldn’t be achieved in just a day or two. Chef and Accountant had to recuperate as well.
Therefore, all of them remained silent in the bamboo forest.
A few days later, the Proprietress stepped out of her room. The three of them, who were standing guard outside, immediately opened their eyes and gazed at the second floor, only to see a charming Proprietress standing there, looking down at them with a smile.
All of them were elated as Chef exclaimed, “You’re awake, Proprietress.”
The Proprietress beckoned to them, “Come up.”
Upon finishing her words, she turned around and stepped into the room.
The trio made a beeline for the bamboo hut and went upstairs before staring at the Proprietress with concern.
Yang Kai suddenly frowned and said, “Proprietress, the Monster Qi around you…”
She was still evidently shrouded in Monster Qi, which was the same as the aura exuded from the Blood Monster Battle Dress that she wore previously. Although it was now significantly weaker, it couldn’t be underestimated.
The Proprietress explained, “It’ll take me a long time before I can dispel this Monster Qi entirely, but I’m fine now. It was thanks to you that I was saved.”
If Yang Kai hadn’t used the Soul Warming Lotus to cleanse her Knowledge Sea, she would’ve ended up in a horrible state. She could’ve been transformed by the Monster Qi and become a real Monster who had lost all sense of self.
After she finished speaking, she furrowed her brow and looked doubtfully at Yang Kai, “Why are you in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm now?”
Chef hurriedly replied, “Proprietress, let me explain. This Brat had some World Fruits…”
Upon hearing his explanation, the Proprietress figured everything out and nodded, “You had quite the opportunity there.”
Then, she recalled that Yang Kai had previously obtained some Innate Open Heaven Pills born in the Universe Furnace in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. She couldn’t help but be amazed at Yang Kai’s luck, for he was always able to obtain things that were rarely seen in the world.
Furthermore, the Soul Warming Lotus was still inside her body. She wondered where he found this kind of Supreme Treasure.
However, since he had consumed a Mid-Rank World Fruit and ascended to the Sixth Order, it had slightly made up for her regrets. Yang Kai was originally a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so his limit in the future would be the Seventh-Order. After consuming the Mid-Rank World Fruit though, his limit would be the Eighth-Order.
If he had a chance to obtain a good enough amount of Innate Open Heaven Pills, he would then have hope of ascending to the Ninth-Order. With that said, once the Universe Furnace appeared, it would lead to a period of turmoil, so it wasn’t easy to snatch such pills.
After returning the Soul Warming Lotus to Yang Kai, the Proprietress said, “Follow me to meet the Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island later. We’ll probably be staying here for a long time. Since this is their territory, we have to show them due respect.”
“Yes,” the three of them replied respectfully.
In the Main Hall of Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong was seated on the Master’s seat as he widened his eyes in disbelief while an equally shocked Shu Mu Dan was seated just beside him. In front of them was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was reporting his findings to them.
The Open Heaven Realm Master was the subordinate that Hua Yong had sent to find out what had happened in Profound Yang Mountain a few days ago. Upon his return on this day, he immediately reported to Hua Yong what he had discovered.
However, Hua Yong found it hard to believe what his subordinate was telling him.
“You say that Profound Yang Mountain is now engulfed in pitch-black flames, all of its Spirit Peaks are destroyed, and the ground has been cleaved apart? It’s been completely destroyed?”
“I couldn’t believe it either, but that was indeed what I saw,” the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master replied with his head hung low, “The traces of an epic battle are everywhere around Profound Yang Mountain. There are also some remnant fluctuations of World Forces.”
“Yun Fei Bai is dead?” Hua Yong asked again, “And even Mao Zhe fled after he was defeated?”
“I didn’t see it, but that was what I heard.”
“Where did you hear this news from?” Hua Yong inquired in shock.
The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master replied, “It was the people from Profound Yang Mountain who told me about it. After Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, those Open Heaven Realm Masters had nowhere to go. Some of them left with the Mountain Lords, and no one knows where they are now. Others didn’t know what to do next. When I arrived to investigate the situation, they saw me and came over to express their willingness to join Twin Spirit Island. I heard the news from them.”
“Where are those people now?” Hua Yong asked.
“I wouldn’t dare to make a decision, so I told them to wait outside the island as I had to report the matter to you both, Island Masters. They await your decision now.”
“Tell them to come in,” Hua Yong ordered.
The person nodded and dashed out of the hall. A moment later, he led seven people into the Main Hall. The strength of these people varied from the Third-Order to the Fifth-Order. Upon entering the hall, they appeared apprehensive and afraid.
Hua Yong found them to be familiar, so he reckoned that they were indeed from Profound Yang Mountain.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven was only so big, and the three great forces had co-existed in this place for thousands of years, so even though Hua Yong didn’t know their names, he had at least seen some of these people before.
The person at the front was an elderly man in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. He stepped forward and cupped his fist at Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan, “Zhang Shun greets the Island Masters.”
“You are Zhang Shun?” Hua Yong asked.
The elderly man nodded his head, “Yes.”
“I will ask you some questions, so you’d better answer me honestly. If you dare to lie to me, you know what the consequences are!” Hua Yong bellowed with a solemn expression.
Zhang Shun hurriedly replied, “Please ask me right away, Island Master Hua. This Old Master will definitely tell you everything he knows without the slightest omission or deception.”
Hua Yong nodded gently and questioned, “Is Yun Fei Bai dead or alive?”
Zhang Shun said, “The Second Mountain Lord… I’m sorry. Yun Fei Bai is dead. He was killed by a young man wielding a spear. His head exploded. As for what the young man’s name is, this Old Master has no idea.”
“Are you serious?” Hua Yong widened his eyes as he felt a chill running down his spine. Yun Fei Bai was the Second Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain. Just like Hua Yong, he was a powerful Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so how could he be killed just like that?
“This Old Master saw it with his own eyes.” As Zhang Shun spoke, he couldn’t help but shudder as though he recalled something terrifying.
“What about the other Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain?” Hua Yong asked again.
Zhang Shun shook his head, “After Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, the Head Mountain Lord disappeared with the unconscious Third and Fourth Mountain Lord. This Old Master has no idea where they are and how they’re doing.”
“Tell me what you saw that day in detail!”
Not daring to be negligent, Zhang Shun immediately narrated everything he saw back then.
When Hua Yong heard that Yang Kai had intercepted Yun Fei Bai and the others just outside of Profound Yang Mountain, he widened his eyes in disbelief, thinking that a madman had arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. How did the young man have the guts to do such a thing on his own?
He had single-handedly dealt with the Mountain Lords and eventually killed Yun Fei Bai. Even the Head Mountain Lord was unable to stop him in time.
In the following battle, even Mao Zhe was no match for him as he had to return to Profound Yang Mountain and take advantage of the Grand Array, seemingly not daring to meet the young man head-on again.
Nevertheless, the relentless young man turned into a 4,000-metre-long Dragon and even lifted a mountain which he smashed onto Profound Yang Mountain until they were unable to resist. In the end, the young man turned Dragon spat out Golden Crow’s True Fire and burned the entire Profound Yang Mountain to the ground. After the Head Mountain Lord went missing, the young man then nonchalantly left.
Zhang Shun was pretty articulate, so he was able to retell what had happened in a vivid and descriptive manner. As Hua Yong listened to him, he couldn’t help but visualise the epic battle.
After Zhang Shun finished speaking, the Main Hall fell into dead silence.
A dazed Hua Yong remained seated as a myriad of expressions came over him.
Upon Yang Kai’s return a few days ago, he had indirectly asked him what happened in Profound Yang Mountain. At the mention of Mao Zhe, Yang Kai only said that the Head Mountain Lord was worthy of his reputation.
Therefore, Hua Yong thought that Yang Kai’s trip to Profound Yang Mountain was unfruitful, but he hadn’t expected that the outcome was actually the opposite.
Yang Kai had killed the Second Mountain Lord, injured the remaining Mountain Lords, and even destroyed Profound Yang Mountain. So, what did he mean when he praised Mao Zhe for being strong?
Hua Yong couldn’t help but think that a great change was about to happen in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Over thousands of years, even though there had been some grudges between the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they were able to co-exist peacefully. That was mainly because resources in this place were scarce, so no one was willing to get into unnecessary fights. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had tacitly remained at peace with one another.
Therefore, even though there were only two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on Twin Spirit Island, which meant that they were the weakest among the three great forces, they were still able to exist for such a long time. That was because in order to swallow Twin Spirit Island, Profound Yang Mountain or Unrivalled Guild would have to pay a hefty price, and the rewards might not even be worth it.
However, now, even a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Yun Fei Bai was killed while the injured Mao Zhe had gone missing. There was practically no one in the Shadowless Cave Heaven that was a match for Yang Kai.
Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, and given the power Yang Kai had showcased, both Unrivalled Guild and Twin Spirit Island wouldn’t be able to resist him.
The young man was able to single-handedly turn things upside down in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
If Yang Kai had the intention, he could easily become the Overlord of the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Unless all the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Shadowless Cave Heaven joined forces, no one would be able to stop him.
Zhang Shun wondered what was on Hua Yong’s mind as the latter’s expression repeatedly changed, so he called out in a gentle voice, “Island Master Hua…”
It was then Hua Yong’s gaze refocused.
Zhang Shun said, “Island Master Hua, please show us mercy. Now that Profound Yang Mountain has been destroyed, we have become homeless. If you can accept us, we will pledge to be loyal to you both until death!”
“We’re willing to be loyal to you until death!” All of them pledged in unison.
Usually, if these people asked to join Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong would’ve been elated. There had never been a change in the status quo in the Shadowless Cave Heaven over the years. The cultivators from the three great forces would never hop to a different one. Therefore, in order to strengthen one’s great force, they had to wait for newcomers to come into the Shadowless Cave Heaven and immediately lure them in.
For example, as soon as Yang Kai arrived, he came across Ma Tian Yuan who right away tried to recruit him.
Although the powers of these people in the hall varied as they were in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Order, they were all still Open Heaven Realm Masters in the end; hence, they could increase Twin Spirit Island’s overall strength.
With that said, there were rarely any newcomers in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. There would usually only be a newcomer every eight to ten years. That was the reason there were only such a small number of cultivators in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Zhang Shun and the others wanted to join Twin Spirit Island, but Hua Yong didn’t feel pleased one bit as he was still reeling from the shock of the fact that Profound Yang Mountain had been destroyed, Yun Fei Bai was killed, and Mao Zhe was injured. If he was previously wary of Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo, he was now terrified of them.
Furthermore, Yang Kai had some grudges against those from Profound Yang Mountain. If Hua Yong accepted these people, would Yang Kai be displeased?
The worries in Hua Yong’s mind made him feel apprehensive.
Seeing as a myriad of expressions came over Hua Yong, Shu Mu Dan knew what was on his mind, so she called out gently, “Husband.”
It was then Hua Yong came to his senses and took a glance at Zhang Shun and the others before waving his hand, “Have a rest first.”
He didn’t express whether he agreed to let Zhang Shun and the others join Twin Spirit Island.
The Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master nodded and led the worried Zhang Shun and the others out of the hall.
While Hua Yong was still anxious, someone rushed into the hall and cupped his fist, “Island Masters, Madam Lan wishes to meet you to thank you for allowing her to stay.”
“What!?” Hua Yong stood straight up, “Madam Lan is coming? Is she on her own? Or is she coming with her subordinates?”
The man had no idea why the Island Master appeared so alarmed, but he still replied honestly, “Madam Lan has her three subordinates with her.”
Hua Yong’s face stiffened. Yang Kai alone was terrifying enough, and now Lan You Ruo was coming as well.
Shu Mu Dan asked, “Why do you look so anxious, Husband? Although Yang Kai is a powerful man with incredible methods, we have never offended him. In fact, we’ve given him a hand. He probably won’t harm us.”
There was a bitter smile on Hua Yong’s face as he replied, “I understand what you mean, but you’re fully aware of the situation in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. No one has ever left this place before. If Lan You Ruo and Yang Kai stay on Twin Spirit Island, there won’t be a problem in the short term. However, will they still be willing to act as subordinates in the future?”
Shu Mu Dan said with a frown, “Perhaps you’re overthinking, Husband.”
Hua Yong shook his head, “I think we have to put our guard up.”
His anxiety infected Shu Mu Dan as she said worriedly, “What should we do, then? Are we not going to meet them?”
“They’re already here on Twin Spirit Island, so it’s not like we can avoid meeting them forever.” Hua Yong knitted his brows for a moment before he gritted his teeth, “I guess we have to play it by ear and find out their intentions first. If they insist… We’ll have to give up our positions to them.” He sighed.
Then, he waved his hand and told his subordinate to welcome Madam Lan in before taking a seat.
A moment later, the Proprietress led Yang Kai and the others into the hall while Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan rose from their seats. After they greeted one another, they sat down.
Hua Yong asked with concern, “Your injuries were fairly serious, Madam. But now, you look glowing. It’s obvious that you’re on the mend.”
The Proprietress replied with a smile, “Many thanks for your concern, Island Master Hua. My injuries have stabilized, so I just need some time to recuperate.”
Hua Yong said smilingly, “Although Twin Spirit Island isn’t big, it is quite peaceful. You can just stay here to recuperate.”
The Proprietress smiled faintly, “I’m worried that we’ll bother you both.”
Shu Mu Dan shook her head, “There’s no need to be so formal with us, Madam Lan. There are rarely visitors on Twin Spirit Island. We’re honoured to have you here.”
Both of them were women, so they had some common interests and soon entered into a jovial chat.
Hua Yong stole glances at Yang Kai from time to time and realised that the latter remained standing silently behind Lan You Ruo as though he was really just a subordinate.
He was shocked as he wondered how charismatic Lan You Ruo must be that someone like Yang Kai was willing to work under her. They didn’t look like a couple either so a romantic relationship seemed unlikely.
It seemed that Lan You Ruo was the leader, so as long as Hua Yong could appease her, things would be easier.
After they chatted for a bit, Hua Yong suddenly asked, “What are your future plans, Madam Lan?”
Upon hearing that, the Proprietress put on a bitter smile, “To be honest with you, Island Master Hua, it has only been a year since this Mistress arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so I know little about this place. Now, I just want to recuperate, so I don’t have any plans yet.”
Hua Yong probed, “If you’re fine with it, why don’t you join Twin Spirit Island? There are only a small number of safe places in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and Twin Spirit Island is one of them. By staying here, you’ll be safe from the Astral Wind.”
The reason the Proprietress brought Chef and Accountant to Twin Spirit Island was precisely for security’s sake. At that time, Yang Kai was unconscious, and she was unable to deal with Yun Fei Bai, Geng Qing, and Zhou Ya on her own; therefore, she wanted to seek refuge in Twin Spirit Island.
Although Hua Yong didn’t immediately accept her, she had expressed her intention to join before, so now that Hua Yong mentioned it again, she would appear capricious if she turned him down.
Before coming to this place, the Proprietress had already pondered on this matter; therefore, upon hearing Hua Yong’s words, she smiled and nodded, “Many thanks, Island Master Hua. This Mistress is more than happy to join Twin Spirit Island.”
Hua Yong guffawed, “It’s wonderful that you’re willing to join Twin Spirit Island. Just like my Wife and I, you are a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so we’d like to appoint you to be the Third Island Master.”
Just when the Proprietress was about to agree to it, Yang Kai, who had remained silent for a long time, suddenly said, “I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Hua Yong’s face stiffened as his smile froze. Shu Mu Dan was also anxious as she stared fixedly at Yang Kai.
The Proprietress kept a faint smile on her face, but she didn’t ask why Yang Kai turned them down. He must have his own reason for saying that.
After a gulp, Hua Yong stared at Yang Kai and asked, “What do you mean, Brother Yang?”
He called Yang Kai ‘Little Brother’ the last time they met, but now it was ‘Brother Yang’. Apparently, Yang Kai’s status in his mind had changed over the past few days, but no one cared about that small detail at the moment.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Twin Spirit Island got its name because there are two similar-looking islands. In that case, there should only be two Island Masters. Why is there a need for a Third Island Master?”
Upon hearing that, Hua Yong felt his heart sinking as he asked in a bitter voice, “What do you think we should do about it then, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai batted his eyes, wondering why this man even asked such a question.
As their eyes met, Hua Yong looked away and gazed at his Wife’s bulging belly, then he let out a long sigh, “Good. Since you have such an intention, Brother Yang, we’ll grant your wish. I hope that you’ll give us a place to stay on this island, considering that my Wife is still pregnant.”
His words puzzled Yang Kai.
A befuddled Proprietress stared at Hua Yong and asked, “What do you mean, Island Master Hua?”
The furious Hua Yong thought that they were trying to usurp his great force, and now they were even taunting him like this? Since Yang Kai had said that there shouldn’t be a Third Island Master, he apparently didn’t want to be under anyone. Hua Yong wasn’t a match for him, and he had to take care of his Wife and unborn child, so he had no choice but to give in.
While he remained silent, Yang Kai suddenly realised something and asked with a frown, “Are you misunderstanding something, Island Master Hua?”
A dejected Hua Yong stared at him and questioned, “What do you think I’ve misunderstood, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai burst into laughter, “Are you thinking that since I’ve said there should only be two Island Masters on Twin Spirit Island, it means Proprietress and I want to take over your positions?”
Hua Yong balled up his fists, “Isn’t that what you meant?”
It was then that Chef and Accountant realised what was going on. As they exchanged glances, they smiled helplessly.
Yang Kai shook his head, “You’re overthinking things, Island Master Hua. This Yang doesn’t have such an intention. By saying that there should only be two Island Masters, I mean the Proprietress is not going to join Twin Spirit Island, nor will she become the Third Island Master. It’s not what you think.”
“You’re not going to join Twin Spirit Island?” Hua Yong widened his eyes.
Yang Kai said, “This Yang just hopes that you’ll give us a place to stay while we look for the exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven; after all, we won’t be staying here forever.”
An embarrassed Hua Yong blushed heavily.
He couldn’t be blamed for having such a misunderstanding, for he had always worried that the arrival of Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo would change the current affairs in Twin Spirit Island. That was why he was overthinking. Furthermore, Yang Kai’s words were pretty ambiguous, which naturally aroused some suspicions.
Now, Hua Yong finally realised that he was reading too much into things.
However, he was still a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master so he was able to regain his composure quickly as he said with a solemn expression, “Are you going to look for the exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Brother Yang?”
“En.” Yang Kai nodded.
Hua Yong sighed and explained, “It’s not that I want to discourage you, but I’m worried that no exit to the Shadowless Cave Heaven exists. It has been over 10,000 years since we arrived in this place, and the Head Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain Mao Zhe and the Three Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild have been around for about as long. If there really was an exit, we would’ve discovered it by now.”
“That’s right. We’ve been looking for the exit for countless years, but we haven’t found a clue yet,” Shu Mu Dan said.
“There’s no harm in trying,” Yang Kai smiled faintly.
Hua Yong bit his tongue when he saw the young man’s expression and nodded, “Since you’re so determined, this Hua will stop dissuading you.”
In fact, he had met many people like Yang Kai before. Every newcomer to the Shadowless Cave Heaven was determined to find the exit at first, but after several tens to hundreds of years, they would lose hope and accept their fate.
“If you can really find the exit, please bring my Wife and I with you when you depart.” Hua Yong cupped his fists with a serious expression.
Yang Kai nodded, “En. If I can find the exit, and both of you are willing to leave with us, we can take care of one another on the road.”
“I shall offer my thanks in advance then.” Hua Yong put on a smile, “If you’re fine with it, I’ll give you the bamboo forest that you’ve been staying in and assign some people to tend to your needs.”
The Proprietress nodded, “Many thanks, Island Master Hua.”
Hua Yong took a glance at Yang Kai and said, “Brother Yang, if you ever decide to join Twin Spirit Island one day, we’ll be more than willing to give you the positions of Head Island Master and Second Island Master.”
It wasn’t certain whether he was sincere or not, so Yang Kai didn’t respond to him. Yang Kai didn’t have the heart to join Twin Spirit Island to begin with. The reason he had arrived at the Shadowless Cave Heaven was to bring the Proprietress out of this place, so he wasn’t willing to stay here for long. Moreover, he was a newcomer who hadn’t gained a footing, so even if Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan were willing to give up their positions, it wasn’t like Yang Kai had the necessary authority to lead this great force.
What’s more, although others couldn’t find the exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, it didn’t mean he couldn’t. After all, Yang Kai had found his way into this place, unlike others who had accidentally fallen into it.
The Proprietress was still troubled by the residual Monster Qi in her body, so she needed a quiet place to recuperate; hence, the four of them soon left.
As Hua Yong watched them leave, he breathed a sigh of relief. Now, it seemed that Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo didn’t have the intention of taking over his great force, which allowed him to set his mind at ease.
However, this was only temporary. Just like what he had said to his Wife earlier, there wouldn’t be a problem in the short term. Nevertheless, a long time later, once Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo realised that there really wasn’t a way to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they might develop some ill intentions.
Then, he suddenly became energised as he said, “My Wife, it’s the chance for us to strengthen our power.”
A puzzled Shu Mu Dan inquired, “You mean…”
“Mao Zhe and the others are missing, and Profound Yang Mountain has been destroyed, so there are a lot of people who have lost their place to stay. In the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, only Twin Spirit Island and Unrivalled Guild can take them in. Those from Unrivalled Guild might not be aware of the situation yet, so we should take action quickly.”
Following that, he turned around and told his subordinate to bring Zhang Shun and the others over. After a jovial chat, he directly agreed to let these people join Twin Spirit Island.
Zhang Shun and the others had nowhere to go, so they were feeling apprehensive. Upon hearing Hua Yong’s words, they were ecstatic.
Then, Hua Yong ordered them to invite their friends and family as he welcomed them to join Twin Spirit Island as well. Zhang Shun and the others were grateful and soon left Twin Spirit Island to look for their friends from Profound Yang Mountain.
Upon their persuasion, many of the cultivators from Profound Yang Mountain were soon absorbed into Twin Spirit Island, which significantly increased their power.
Inside the bamboo forest, the Proprietress was recuperating in seclusion while Chef and Accountant had respectively selected a bamboo hut to cultivate.
Both of them had ascended to the Open Heaven Realm right after the Blood Monster Cave Heaven collapsed. Strictly speaking, it had only been a short time since they achieved an ascension, so they needed a large amount of time to solidify their cultivations.
That was the case for Yang Kai, as well. He had to consume a lot of Open Heaven Pills to strengthen the heritage of his Small Universe. While cultivating, he also studied his new Sun and Moon Divine Wheel in an attempt to improve it.
Since his venture into the cultivation world, Yang Kai had rarely cultivated in seclusion, for he didn’t need to do so much in the past. In fact, the speed at which he traversed the Martial Dao was extraordinarily quick. Every time he broke through, it would only take him a short time before he would take another step forward. Therefore, he didn’t have to cultivate in seclusion to refine various resources like what the other cultivators did.
The speed at which he cultivated was rapid to begin with, so if he just sat there and cultivated in seclusion, it would actually destabilise his foundation.
Therefore, every time he achieved a breakthrough, he would go out and get into fights to solidify his realm.
However, the Open Heaven Realm was different. When a cultivator reached this realm, he or she would need a lot of patience. It took time to strengthen the heritage of one’s Small Universe.
It was expected that Yang Kai wasn’t used to this. He had attempted to refine Open Heaven Pills when he was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and the rate of consumption was shocking. Now that he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he realised that he needed even more Open Heaven Pills, and the results were not even as good as before.
Hence, he decided to refine some resources and realised that it was much more useful than refining Open Heaven Pills alone.
It was only now that Yang Kai realised why Open Heaven Realm Masters were still crazy about procuring resources of different Orders, especially the resources that matched their own Order. Refining these resources was significantly more efficient than refining Open Heaven Pills.
Yang Kai initially didn’t have a lot of resources with him because his previous spoils were all given to Bian Yu Qing. Those in Void Land required a lot of resources after all.
Now, however, he had the resources he had snatched from Ti Zheng and the other ambushers. The contents of the Space Rings of four High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were mind-boggling as there were countless materials of different Orders inside, even including some High-Rank ones.
However, half a month later, Yang Kai suddenly stopped cultivating and frowned as though he was pondering on something.
A moment later, he got to his feet and headed to the adjacent bamboo hut, then knocked on the barrier lightly.
Soon, the barrier disappeared and Yang Kai stepped inside and went upstairs.
Presently, Chef was seated on the ground with his legs crossed as he looked doubtfully at him, “What’s wrong?”
Yang Kai took a seat in front of him and said with a solemn expression, “I’d like to ask you something.”
Chef extended his hand to motion for him to ask right away.
It was then that Yang Kai told him about his cultivation process over the past fifteen days, then he frowned, “Although it’s not conspicuous, I have a feeling that something is wrong. If I keep on cultivating like this, I feel something terrible will happen to me.”
A speechless Chef shot him a glance, “Although I have no idea what resources you’ve been refining, it seems you haven’t been trying to harmonise your Yin, Yang, and Five Elements.”
“What do you mean?” Yang Kai arched his brow with a humble expression.
After a sigh, Chef explained, “You rushed to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm, then you immediately entered the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so it makes sense that no one told you about what you had to take note of after you broke through. Fortunately, you’ve realised the problem early, so it’s not too late to correct it.”
A shocked Yang Kai asked, “So, there’s really something wrong with my cultivation?”
“It’s a minor problem.” Chef waved his hand to motion for him to be at ease, “The Small Universes of Open Heaven Realm Masters are formed from condensing the Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, then splitting Heaven and Earth apart in our bodies. The reason Open Heaven Pills are able to strengthen our Small Universes is that these pills also contain a balance of Yin, Yang, and the Five Element Powers. It could be said that every Open Heaven Pill has a bit of World Force in it. Once you consume Open Heaven Pills, you’re essentially refining the World Force in it. That’s how you can fortify your heritage.”
Yang Kai nodded his head to indicate he understood.
“Open Heaven Pills are refined by Alchemists, so they contain some readily available World Force; however, raw materials are different. Refining a Fifth-Order Fire Element material only adds Fire Element Power to your Small Universe. Since that’s the case, you’ll have to refine the other six Elements to balance your Yin, Yang, and Five Elements again. Only by maintaining this kind of balance can you increase your World Force and improve your cultivation.”
Then, Chef shot him a glance, “You only refined materials from one or two Elements instead of all of them, right?”
It was then Yang Kai realised what had gone wrong, “I see.”
He had a feeling that there was something wrong with his cultivation method, but he was unable to figure out what it was. Upon hearing Chef’s explanation, he now understood.
Just like what Chef had said, he didn’t try to harmonise Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, which caused an imbalance in his Small Universe. There wouldn’t be a problem in the short term, but if he didn’t correct this issue, it would eventually destabilise his Small Universe.
Once that happened, it would have serious consequences and take much effort to fix.
“So, when we refine cultivation materials, we should do so after collecting a complete set?”
“It’s the ideal way, but you can also try to collect those materials while refining one of them. However, you have to make sure that the entire set is in the same Order.” Chef paused for a moment, “You’re familiar with the water barrel theory of the Open Heaven Realm, right?”
Yang Kai replied, “En, the shortest plank in the barrel is what decides the Order an Open Heaven Realm Master can reach directly.”
“That’s right.” Chef nodded, “The water in the barrel is like the heritage of our Small Universe. Cultivating in the Open Heaven Realm is akin to increasing the height of the barrel. All seven planks have to be heightened at the same time. Just one of them won’t do.”
Yang Kai cupped his fists with a solemn expression, “Many thanks for your teachings.”
Chef grinned, “It was the Proprietress who taught me all this; otherwise, I wouldn’t have known about it either. You’ve suffered a setback because no one taught you, that’s all.”
Yang Kai nodded. His decision to ascend to the Open Heaven Realm was rushed, so no one was around to teach him what to do after he succeeded and he was left trying to figure things out on his own.
Chef went on to say, “After making it to the Open Heaven Realm, it’s time to slowly build up your Small Universe.”
As he spoke, he patted his rounded belly, “If you manage it well, you’ll become powerful, and vice versa, which is also why there’s a huge gap in power between Open Heaven Realm Masters even in the same Order. In order to increase the heritage of your Small Universe, you can either refine Open Heaven Pills, materials of different Orders, or other sources of World Force that match your own. Either way, this all takes a long time. You’re now a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so you’re able to refine Mid-Rank materials up to and including Sixth-Order ones. Given the current heritage of your Small Universe, you’re still unable to refine High-Rank materials. With that said, the higher the Order of a material, the more useful it’ll be to you.”
Yang Kai nodded in agreement. He had experimented over the past fifteen days by refining materials of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth-Order.
Given his Sixth-Order cultivation, he was able to refine all these materials quickly. The benefits of Third-Order materials were almost negligible. Fourth-Order materials were slightly better, while the Fifth-Order ones were much better. He hadn’t tried to refine a Sixth-Order material, so he had no idea how effective it would be. Nevertheless, he reckoned that it would be terrific.
Although he had snatched the Space Rings of four High-Rank Open Heaven Masters and obtained some High-Rank materials, he was still unable to collect a complete set of Sixth-Order materials. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been forced to ascend to the Fifth Order at that time.
After returning from Chef’s place, Yang Kai immediately attempted to harmonise his Yin, Yang, and Five Elements in order to get rid of the hidden dangers in his Small Universe.
He had ample resources with him, so he didn’t need to be thrifty. As he refined a lot of Fifth-Order materials, not only had the heritage of his Small Universe improved, but his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation had also been solidified.
While refining these materials, he didn’t forget to improve his comprehension of his Sun and Moon Divine Wheel. However, since this Divine Ability involved an entirely new Space-Time Strength, he had no idea where to start.
Therefore, he could use a wisp of his consciousness to study the movements of the celestial entities and the passing of time in his Small Universe in the hope that he would be able to comprehend something out of it.
Two months later, Yang Kai stepped out of his bamboo hut.
The Proprietress was still recuperating. She was left with some serious backlash from using the Blood Monster Battle Dress, so it wasn’t easy to dispel the Monster Qi in her body.
On the other hand, Chef and Accountant were cultivating, so Yang Kai decided not to bother them. After leaving a jade slip behind, he dashed out of the bamboo forest.
It had been three months since he arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Now that his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation had been sufficiently fortified, it was time he searched for a way out.
Yang Kai had to return to Void Land to take charge of everything. On top of that Yue He and Bai Qi must be worried about him.
However, before he tried to look for the exit, he had to visit Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan. They had been around in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for over 10,000 years, so they must be aware of everything in this place. Perhaps they could give him some useful hints.
Hua Yong hospitably greeted Yang Kai in the reception hall. During this period of time, Twin Spirit Island had accepted a lot of Open Heaven Realm Masters from Profound Yang Mountain, which greatly strengthened them. As the Island Master, Hua Yong appeared to be glowing.
“Are you going to look for a way out, Brother Yang?” Hua Yong appeared solemn upon hearing Yang Kai’s intention.
Yang Kai nodded, “Since we can enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven, we must be able to leave as well. I’m going to look for the exit. Do you happen to have any clues, Island Master Hua?”
Hua Yong was quite eager to see Yang Kai leave. The young man was horrendously powerful and had destroyed Profound Yang Mountain. The fact that he was staying on Twin Spirit Island was a potential concern.
Moreover, if Yang Kai could really find a way out, it would be beneficial to Hua Yong as well.
Therefore, upon hearing Yang Kai’s intentions, he didn’t attempt to stop him. After giving it a thought, Hua Yong suddenly dipped his finger into his tea and drew a circle on the table.
Yang Kai looked doubtfully at him.
Hua Yong pointed at the table and said, “If this table is the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven, this circle represents the region the three great forces are able to operate. Well, there are only two great forces now.”
Yang Kai took a glance and pondered on it, “You mean you haven’t fully explored the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Hua Yong shook his head, “It’s impossible to explore the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
He pointed at the centre of the circle and said, “It takes half a month to go from this place to the edge of the circle. Basically, the Astral Wind will appear once every month; therefore, once you reach the edge of the circle, you have to hurry back; otherwise, you won’t have a place to hide when the Astral Wind strikes, which will destabilise your Small Universe.”
Upon hearing his explanation, Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, with their respective Headquarters as the centres, the people from the three great forces can only move around in a range that they can go back and forth in one month.”
“That’s right.” Hua Yong bowed his head, “Once, many years ago, the three great forces cooperated and mobilised all of our subordinates to look for a potential exit. Unfortunately, we were unable to find anything within the range that we could reach. It will likely be extremely difficult for you to look for the exit.”
There were many people in the three great forces and they had been trying for years but still couldn’t find a clue about how to leave. It had only been a few months since Yang Kai arrived in this place, so it was impossible that he could do something that the three great forces couldn’t after millennia of trying.
On the other hand, Yang Kai’s eyes seemed to be glowing, “In that case, the exit might just be outside this circle.”
The other cultivators could only move around within the circle, or else they would be harmed by the Astral Wind; however, Yang Kai wasn’t afraid of it at all. If the exit was really in a place that was outside the circle, he would be able to find it sooner or later.
Hua Yong said, “Mao Zhe thought the same thing. He even hypothesized that the source of the Astral Wind might be where an exit could be found.”
“Why would he say that?” Yang Kai asked in puzzlement.
Hua Yong replied, “He suspected that the Astral Wind isn’t native to the Shadowless Cave Heaven and instead comes from the outside world. Therefore, the place where the Astral Wind comes from must have a passageway that leads to the outside world.”
“Perhaps he’s right,” Yang Kai nodded in agreement.
“If that’s really the case, there won’t be any hope for us.” Hua Yong smiled helplessly, “Can anyone resist the Astral Wind and reach the exit? Even if the person can leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, no one can guarantee he won’t fall into the source of the Astral Wind. By then, he won’t be able to save himself.”
His worries were not unfounded. If Mao Zhe’s speculation was right, once a person left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they would immediately fall into the origin of the Astral Wind. The wind that was coming from the outside world was already horrifying enough, so its source would definitely be even more terrible.
However, while others were unable to bear the Astral Wind, Yang Kai wasn’t afraid of it.
After giving it a thought, he asked, “Do you happen to know the direction the Astral Wind comes from?”
Although Yang Kai had experienced the Astral Wind several times now, he had never paid attention to the direction it came from.
An astounded Hua Yong gazed at him and asked, “Are you going to search in that direction, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai replied, “I have to give it a try since the exit might just be over there.”
Hua Yong stared at him in stunned shock for a time before a look of admiration filled his face, “You’re a pretty audacious man. Since you’re so determined, I won’t dissuade you. However, once you leave Twin Spirit Island, you’d better be careful of the Astral Wind. Once the wind rises, you have to look for a place to avoid it.”
Yang Kai nodded. After the direction was pointed out to him by Hua Yong, he turned around and left.
Hua Yong saw him off and wished him success, then he watched the young man disappear in the direction he had pointed out.
A glint flashed through his eyes as he shook his head. There was no doubt that Yang Kai’s venture wouldn’t be fruitful. Although he was powerful, there was no way he could resist the Astral Wind. It could be expected that he would return in a month or two looking battered and defeated.
After leaving Twin Spirit Island, Yang Kai headed in the direction Hua Yong had pointed out at full speed.
More than ten days later, Yang Kai stopped in his tracks and sensed his surroundings, then he became ecstatic. That was because the wind was blowing towards him!
He was certain he was outside of the circle Hua Yong had drawn after more than ten days of moving forward; after all, he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who was also a Master of the Dao of Space, so he was much faster than the average Open Heaven Realm Master.
Presently, he was worried that he might be heading in the wrong direction as he didn’t have a way of fixing his bearings. Since the wind was blowing at his face though, he could trace it back to its source.
A moment later, the wind became stronger. Yang Kai could clearly feel that the Astral Wind had directly entered his Small Universe as it swept his World Force away and began wearing down his heritage.
In the next instant, a gigantic ancient tree appeared behind Yang Kai. The tree crown was so vast that it was as though it could cover the entire sky. As the branches hung low, a burst of vitality filled the air and the Astral Wind was immediately blocked outside of the tree’s range.
Yang Kai still had no idea why his Towering Evergreen Divine Manifestation was able to block the Astral Wind, but he speculated that the Wood Element Power he had condensed from the Immortal Tree was simply powerful enough to ward it off.
That was the reason he had the confidence to leave Twin Spirit Island.
Other cultivators could only move around in a range that would take them half a month to return to their Headquarters from, or else they would be harmed by the Astral Wind. However, Yang Kai was immune to it. When the Astral Wind came, he just had to use his Towering Evergreen to fend it off.
After identifying the right direction, Yang Kai flew against the wind, the Manifestation of the gigantic tree hovering behind him.
One hour later, the Astral Wind stopped as all the noise died down.
Yang Kai, who was moving at full speed, stopped in his tracks and looked ahead. That was because three rays of light suddenly rose from a hill on the horizon and dashed into the distance. They happened to be heading in the same direction as him.
Yang Kai was shocked as he hadn’t expected to come across anyone here. It was said that the cultivators from the three great forces couldn’t come out this far, so supposedly, there shouldn’t be anyone in this place.
After all, there was nowhere in this region that could ward off the Astral Wind, so it must have affected these three people just now.
As Yang Kai stared intently in their direction, he suddenly burst into laughter, “So it’s them! Did they decide to take such a big risk?”
The three rays of light were actually the Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, and Zhou Ya.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai realised that it wasn’t surprising that they were here.
Since Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, they had nowhere else to go. They obviously wouldn’t go to Twin Spirit Island as the Proprietress and Yang Kai were there, so they would only embarrass themselves if they did.
It was impossible for Unrivalled Guild to accept them as well. Although there were three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Unrivalled Guild, Mao Zhe and the others also numbered three. If they were accepted, conflicts would arise in Unrivalled Guild. Mao Zhe wasn’t known for being unreasonable and ruthless, but he also had his pride, so the Three Chiefs would be worried that Mao Zhe would covet their great force.
Since these two places wouldn’t welcome them, Mao Zhe and the others really had nowhere to go.
Hua Yong had said that Mao Zhe was the one who suggested that the origin of the Astral Wind was probably an exit to this place. Since there were no other safe places in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, it was only reasonable that Mao Zhe would take a risk and go against the wind to look for the way out.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai had never expected to bump into them here.
He never intended to hunt them down as the reason he destroyed Profound Yang Mountain some time ago was simply to get revenge for the Proprietress. Since Profound Yang Mountain was gone, Mao Zhe and the others had become as pitiful as stray dogs and there wasn’t a need for Yang Kai to add insult to injury.
However, since they were heading in the same direction, they would meet up sooner or later.
Half a day later, Mao Zhe and the others seemed to have noticed something as they looked behind them.
Zhou Ya’s eyes trembled when she looked back, then she exclaimed, “There’s someone following us, Big Brother!”
A stunned Mao Zhe turned his head, then he widened his eyes and gritted his teeth, “It’s Yang Kai!”
When Mao Zhe accidentally fell into the Shadowless Cave Heaven back then, Profound Yang Mountain was the first place he landed on. It had been 10,000 years since then. Profound Yang Mountain wasn’t expansive as there were only about ten or so peaks, but over the years, he had managed to grow it into the largest great force in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and he had a lot of top cultivators who worked for him. Profound Yang Mountain was practically his foundation in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
It didn’t matter that some of his subordinates were injured or killed as that would only mean a loss in power; however, the fact that Profound Yang Mountain was razed to the ground basically meant that his foundation was ruined, which meant that it would be hard for him to survive in the hostile environment in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
The culprit of all his misery was the young man named Yang Kai; therefore, it was expected that he was incensed when he saw him again.
His eyes seemed able to spit fire as his murderous intent surged. He appeared eager to swallow Yang Kai alive as he watched the young man approach.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were also alarmed as they quickly surged their World Force and readied themselves for a fight.
They had experienced Yang Kai’s horrifying power before. Prior to that, they believed that Mao Zhe was at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Unless he was faced with an Open Heaven Realm Master in the Seventh Order or above, he was basically peerless.
However, after the battle on Profound Yang Mountain, they realised there was always a mountain beyond the mountains.
It was inconceivable that there was such a terrifying Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in the world. In that battle, they were knocked out before it even climaxed. When they awakened, they were no longer on Profound Yang Mountain. Furthermore, Mao Zhe broke it to them that Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, so it wasn’t inhabitable anymore.
Then, Mao Zhe led them to Unrivalled Guild in an attempt to join that great force.
They had no other choice. In the Shadowless Cave Heaven, only the Headquarters of the three great forces were safe from the Astral Wind. In order to survive in this place, they had to join one of the great forces.
Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, and they couldn’t possibly go to Twin Spirit Island; hence, they were only left with Unrivalled Guild.
Nevertheless, the Three Chiefs didn’t seem to have the intention of accepting them as they mocked them explicitly. Infuriated, the three of them turned around and left.
Since they had nowhere to go, they could only take the risk and look for the possible exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
At the time, Mao Zhe had said it was better to risk it all for a chance to survive than to allow the Astral Wind to slowly grind them to death.
However, they couldn’t believe that Yang Kai had relentlessly pursued them all the way here to hunt them down. That was the reason they felt humiliated and incensed.
“What a coincidence! How are you three?” Yang Kai landed about 1,000 metres from the trio with a friendly smile on his face.
With a dark expression, Mao Zhe questioned, “Are you determined to kill us ruthlessly? In that case, let’s fight! Although this Monarch isn’t a match for you, it won’t be easy for you to kill me either.”
Yang Kai gazed at him with a tilted head, “Do you think I’m here to kill you all, Head Mountain Lord?”
Mao Zhe snorted, “Are you not?”
Yang Kai slowly shook his head, “No. Yun Fei Bai offended and humiliated my Proprietress, so he only had himself to blame that he was killed. The reason I destroyed Profound Yang Mountain was that I was angered. To me, the moment Profound Yang Mountain was ruined, the accounts between us were settled. Of course, if you want to seek revenge, I don’t mind spending some time dealing with you. Let’s see if you’re capable of doing that.”
Mao Zhe sported a grim expression but didn’t respond. Apparently, he didn’t believe him.
Zhou Ya asked, “Since you’re not hunting us down, what are you doing here, then? Don’t tell me you’re here to take in the view.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I believe we’re here for the same reason.”
Geng Qing was startled for a moment before he asked, “Are you also looking for the exit to the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Yang Kai replied, “Island Master Hua told me the Head Mountain Lord had a speculation that the source of the Astral Wind was an exit to the outside world, so it might be possible to find it if one travels against the wind,” As he spoke, he took a glance at Mao Zhe.
Upon hearing that, Mao Zhe snorted, “En. It was this Monarch who came up with this view; however, no one can prove whether it’s true.”
“We’ll find out by looking for the origin of the Astral Wind.” Yang Kai shrugged smilingly at them, “Do you want to work with me?”
Mao Zhe sported an odd expression as he asked, “You want to work with us?”
“Why not?” Yang Kai arched his brow, “In fact, there isn’t a blood feud between us unless you want to avenge Yun Fei Bai’s death.”
“We’ll put aside the death of my Second Brother for now. You destroyed Profound Yang Mountain, which practically left us homeless in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. This feud is absolutely irreconcilable, so what right do you have to work with us?” Mao Zhe sneered.
Yang Kai shrugged, “Since you’ve said so, I won’t force you to agree to it; however, I hope that you won’t be begging for my help later.”
Upon finishing his words, he shot a meaningful glance at Mao Zhe.
The Head Mountain Lord scoffed, “Ridiculous. What would this Monarch have to beg you for?”
Yang Kai nodded, “I hope you can keep that tough attitude when the time comes. Don’t make me look down on you. See you soon!”
Then, he took a step forward as his figure vanished. When Mao Zhe and the others came to their senses, he was already far away in the distance.
There was a solemn expression on Geng Qing’s face as he remarked, “The Dao of Space is indeed extraordinary!” Just now, he was unable to figure out how Yang Kai disappeared. He would be unable to fend him off if Yang Kai decided to launch a sneak attack on him using a Space Secret Technique since the latter was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Zhou Ya frowned, “I can’t believe he’s looking for an exit as well. Is he sick of living?”
The reason the three of them had fallen into such a state was that they had no other choice since there was nowhere in the Shadowless Cave Heaven that they could call home. Unless they found the exit and left this place, they would be killed by the Astral Wind sooner or later.
However, it was puzzling that Yang Kai was also trying to search for the exit when he already had a shelter.
His action suggested that he wasn’t lying as he was truly going against the wind.
A myriad of expressions came over Mao Zhe as he looked in the direction Yang Kai had disappeared. Although he wasn’t certain whether Yang Kai’s words were true, he reckoned that the latter really didn’t have the intention of fighting with them; otherwise, the young man wouldn’t have been so polite just now.
“He happens to be ahead of us, so we’ll just use him to find the path for us.” A glint flashed through Mao Zhe’s eyes as he waved his hand, “Follow him.”
When he initially heard Yun Fei Bai mention that Yang Kai was a Master of the Dao of Space, Mao Zhe had the intention of capturing Yang Kai and making use of his expertise to look for the exit. However, things eventually got out of hand. Yun Fei Bai was killed, Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, and the three of them had to flee in embarrassment.
Now that Yang Kai was leading the way, they could simply follow him and make use of his skill to find the exit.
With this plan in mind, they kept a distance of 100 kilometres behind Yang Kai, paying close attention to him.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven was a Universe Cave Heaven left behind by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after his death. Supposedly, there should be some kind of inheritance of the Shadowless Divine Monarch in this place. Although it might not be as ample as the one in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, it shouldn’t be so destitute.
However, the arrival of the Astral Wind once a month meant that even if there were any resources left behind, they would’ve lost their spirituality and turned into dust over the years. After all, the Astral Wind was so eerie that even Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to resist it.
So far, Yang Kai hadn’t discovered anything useful. Wherever he went, all he could see was barren land as the entire world was infused with Death Qi.
From time to time, he would stop to observe his surroundings for a moment before continuing his journey.
Mao Zhe and the others followed him closely, but they had no idea what he was trying to do. They also tried to look into the places Yang Kai had stopped, but they couldn’t find anything of interest.
As time passed, Mao Zhe and the others began to grow anxious.
The Astral Wind would appear once a month and they had previously endured it once, which caused huge losses to their Small Universes. If they couldn’t find the exit before the Astral Wind struck again, they would suffer even greater losses.
A few days later, the three of them stood in the void as they silently observed the figure on a barren peak that was a few kilometres away.
An impatient Zhou Ya asked, “He’s been standing there for half a day. What is he trying to do?”
Although Yang Kai had stopped in some places from time to time, it was the first time he remained stationary for such a long time.
Mao Zhe stared intently at Yang Kai and observed every change in his expression, then he excitedly said, “Perhaps he has discovered something.”
Upon hearing that, Zhou Ya and Geng Qing were thrilled as they looked in Yang Kai’s direction with nervous but hopeful gazes.
It would be a good thing for them if Yang Kai could find the exit. In that case, they would be able to leave this accursed place.
There came a moment when Yang Kai let out a breath and opened his eyes, then he gazed at the three of them with a smile, “Head Mountain Lord, what if I say I’ve found the exit? Would you believe me?”
Mao Zhe became excited, “Are you serious?”
Yang Kai pointed at the space in front of him and declared, “It’s right here!”
Mao Zhe immediately released his Divine Sense to scan the area, but a long time later, he shook his head, “This Monarch can’t detect anything, so I don’t know if I should believe you or not.”
Yang Kai guffawed, “It’s simple to prove if I’m telling the truth.” After he finished speaking, Space Principles around him surged as he performed a set of hand seals.
All of a sudden, Mao Zhe had a bad premonition as he exclaimed, “What are you doing?”
Yang Kai flashed a grin at him, “Take a guess.”
Mao Zhe yelled, “Stop him!”
As he spoke, he charged forward and surged his World Force before pushing out his palm at Yang Kai.
“Too late!” Yang Kai roared as he jabbed his hands into the Void and stomped his foot on the ground, “Open!”
A cracking sound was heard as though something had snapped. The three of them were dumbfounded as they saw a crack appearing in the Void above the peak.
The horrifying sound of a gale reverberated as the Astral Wind came rushing through the Void Crack that was forcefully opened.
“It’s the Astral Wind!” Mao Zhe’s expression changed drastically.
A Void Crack suddenly appeared above the barren peak, and through the crack came the violent Astral Wind.
Mao Zhe was both surprised and shocked.
He was surprised because his speculation was right. The origin of the Astral Wind was really where the exit was. The Astral Wind didn’t belong in the Shadowless Cave Heaven to begin with; instead, it blew into this place from the outside world. Perhaps they could leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven by going past the crack.
However, he was shocked because it was the first time he saw such an intense Astral Wind.
He had lived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for about 10,000 years, but it was the first time he came across such a violent gale.
On second thought though, it wasn’t so surprising. This place was considered the source of the Astral Wind, so it was expected that the gale here was fiercer than other parts of the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Mao Zhe could clearly feel the Astral Wind gusting into his Small Universe, bringing his World Force away and undermining his heritage. All of his vitality weltered, and it was as though his bones had softened.
“You’re insane!” Mao Zhe glared at Yang Kai in a way as though he wanted to eat him alive, “Even if you want to die, don’t drag us down with you!”
While he reproached the young man, he kept looking for somewhere that could fend off the Astral Wind. Unfortunately, there wasn’t such a place within his sight. The Astral Wind seemed to have filled the entire universe, and no place was safe.
Yang Kai, however, was just standing in front of the Void Crack. There was an ancient tree behind him that exuded vibrant vitality. He was engulfed in the low-hanging branches and as the Astral Wind gusted through the canopy, the branches swayed lightly but the man inside wasn’t bothered one bit. He just stared silently at the three of them who looked like they were on pins and needles.
Mao Zhe swept a glance over the ancient tree, then his pupils contracted as he shouted, “You’re able to fend off the Astral Wind?”
“What’s so hard about that?” Yang Kai put on a faint smile.
“That’s impossible!” Mao Zhe growled.
Although he wasn’t willing to believe it, what he was seeing wasn’t fake. Yang Kai was just standing outside of the wind source. Supposedly, he would be more severely affected than the others; however, the reality was that within the ancient tree’s range, the Astral Wind was warded off as though it was blocked by an invisible force.
[That’s the reason he’s so confident!] A realization dawned upon Mao Zhe. Just now, he doubted why Yang Kai had come all the way here to look for the exit instead of staying on Twin Spirit Island; after all, the Astral Wind would strike once a month, and every strike could cause immense losses to a cultivator’s Small Universe.
Nevertheless, it now seemed that Yang Kai wasn’t afraid of the Astral Wind.
At that instant, he recalled that Yang Kai had told him to keep it up and he must never beg him for help. The young man was clearly waiting to embarrass him.
Mao Zhe was so infuriated that his murderous intent surged and he roared, “Kill!”
Upon finishing his words, he charged towards Yang Kai.
Without hesitation, Zhou Ya and Geng Qing followed right behind him. The three Mountain Lords had joined forces again as they pounced on the young man in an imposing manner.
They had previously done that on Profound Yang Mountain, but they were eventually defeated by Yang Kai. It wasn’t that they were weak. It was because Mao Zhe believed that he was the strongest cultivator in the Shadowless Cave Heaven that he underestimated Yang Kai. Once a mistake was made, it was hard for him to turn things around.
After the incident, he gave it a thought and reckoned that if he hadn’t been negligent, things wouldn’t have ended up in such a terrible state. Regardless of how powerful Yang Kai was, he hadn’t reached the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. He was just a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Given the harsh lesson previously, Mao Zhe wouldn’t dare to lower his guard now; therefore, he went all out from the start. His Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura shook the World as he attacked.
When Yang Kai, who was standing outside the Void Crack, saw that the Mountain Lords were as ferocious as tigers, he merely shook his head and before the three of them could strike him, he directly disappeared from the spot.
Mao Zhe almost sprayed out a mouthful of blood with exasperation.
He was ready to strike, but his target had gone missing all of a sudden, which made him feel like he had punched a pile of cotton. It was expected that he was vexed.
Turning his head, he saw Yang Kai standing just more than 10 kilometres away and staring silently at them.
“Big Brother!” Geng Qing awaited his order.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Mao Zhe said through gritted teeth, “Go!”
Then, he directly plunged into the Void Crack and disappeared. Seeing that, Geng Qing and Zhou Ya hurriedly followed him.
“They’re pretty resolute.” Yang Kai watched them leave and nodded gently.
As the Astral Wind devastated the surroundings, the three of them were losing their strength with each passing breath. If this dragged on, it could cause their Small Universes to collapse.
Rather than getting tangled up with Yang Kai, they figured it was better to look for the exit through the wind source. As long as they could get out of the wind source, they would be able to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven and obtain their freedom.
However, it wasn’t an easy feat to leave.
Yang Kai looked silently at the Void Crack he had torn apart with a meaningful grin on his face as the relentless Astral Wind caused the branches of the ancient tree behind him to sway.
After just ten breaths of time, three figures shot out of the Void Crack, looking battered with unstable auras. They were Mao Zhe and the others who had entered the crack just now.
In just ten breaths of time, their auras had dropped significantly. It was apparent that they had suffered some huge losses. Presently, they all looked horrified as though they were being pursued by some kind of hideous beast. In quick steps, they ran as far away as possible from the Void Crack and disappeared over the horizon.
Before they vanished from sight, Mao Zhe glared at Yang Kai and snarled, “This Monarch will never forget what you’ve done to me and will get even with you one day!”
Yang Kai put on a faint smile and nonchalantly chased after them.
Mao Zhe and the others thought that they would just stay as far away from the wind source as possible, but regardless of how far they went, they were still unable to get rid of the Astral Wind’s harassment.
What made them even more incensed was the fact that Yang Kai was calmly following them, and they were unable to get rid of him.
He didn’t attempt to attack them as he just gazed at them from afar as though he was watching a good show.
Two hours later, Zhou Ya screamed with a pale face, “Something is wrong, Big Brother!”
Mao Zhe’s expression was so cold that it was as though one could scrape a layer of frost off his face. Certainly, he had also realised that something was off. Usually, the Astral Wind would only last for about an hour before it stopped, but now it had far exceeded its normal duration.
After giving it a thought, he realised that the cause of the Astral Wind this time was that Yang Kai had torn the Void apart and exposed the wind source. If the Void Crack wasn’t closed, the wind source wouldn’t disappear; therefore, they were unable to draw on their past experiences to make a judgement.
However, under the influence of the Astral Wind, the heritages of their Small Universes were draining away at a steady pace. There would come a moment when their cultivation regressed or their Small Universes might even fall apart directly.
One hour later, the Astral Wind still didn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon and Zhou Ya appeared to be in a desperate state.
Geng Qing took a glance at the relentless Yang Kai and said through clenched teeth, “Why don’t we fight it out with him, Big Brother?”
There was a bitter smile on Mao Zhe’s face as he shook his head, “We’re no longer a match for him.”
If they were still in peak condition, they could have joined forces and fought against Yang Kai; however, presently, their strengths had plummeted significantly, so how were they supposed to defeat him?
They were unable to flee either. If Yang Kai had the intention, he could wait for their strength to drop further and easily kill them off. He didn’t even need to make a move actually, for it would only take three to five days before the three of them were killed by the Astral Wind.
All of a sudden, Mao Zhe stopped in his tracks and turned around. As he stared at the approaching Yang Kai, he questioned in a grim voice, “What do you want?”
Yang Kai stopped and hovered in mid-air. The branches of the ancient tree behind him hung low and his stable aura suggested that he hadn’t even been affected by the Astral Wind one bit in the past three hours.
He looked condescendingly at Mao Zhe and asked, “You’re an intelligent man, Head Mountain Lord, so why is there a need to ask the obvious?”
Mao Zhe asked, “You’ve torn space apart and exposed the wind source. Now, the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven will be devastated by the Astral Wind. What benefits would that bring you?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I just wanted to see if I could break through the Void and connect to the outside world. Exposing the wind source was just an accident.”
Mao Zhe scoffed, “Even if that’s true, what are you trying to achieve by following us but not attacking? I hope you’re not going to tell me that you want to collect our corpses.”
Yang Kai sneered, “I don’t have such a distasteful hobby.”
Mao Zhe’s face fell as he took a glance at the tree behind the young man, “Do you want us to submit to you, then?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I’m just trying to give you all a chance to survive. In this situation, you’re going to lose your lives if you don’t submit to me. I believe no one is willing to lose their life when there is another option, including you all. Why would you turn me down when there’s a chance to survive?”
Mao Zhe said through clenched teeth, “This Monarch has lived for a long time, and has killed countless people before. Do you think I fear death?”
Yang Kai rubbed his palms together, “I admire the fact that you’re not afraid of death, Head Mountain Lord. You’re truly valiant. If you insist on dying today, I won’t stop you. After you pass away, I’ll help you find a proper place and bury your corpse. However… sometimes simply dying isn’t the worst fate a man can face. Seeing the cultivation you’ve accumulated over millennia slowly being scraped away, all your hopes, dreams, and aspirations taken from you piece by piece, now that sounds like a fate worse than death.”
Mao Zhe’s expression darkened when he heard that.
Just like what Yang Kai had said, life or death already didn’t matter to someone like Mao Zhe. He had lived for a long time and killed innumerable people in the past. He could accept it if he were to die in battle.
However, seeing his life’s work slowly taken from him, the heritage of his Small Universe shaved off one piece at a time while being powerless to resist, it was simply intolerable. It was just like seeing a thief barging into his house, taking away all his property and burning his home down while he was forced to watch.
The whole point of cultivation was to traverse one’s Martial Dao. No one could tolerate the notion of their cultivation being stolen from them.
Geng Qing’s face was livid as he shuddered in rage and unwillingness. It was as though he could imagine himself perishing into nothingness.
Zhou Ya pressed her lips together and her eyes were filled with fear and anxiety.
Yang Kai extended his hand and said, “I truly admire the fact that you’re so calm in the face of death. Since you’re determined to die, I will stop persuading you. All of you may set off on your journey to the Yellow Springs now!”
He appeared ready to watch them slowly perish on their own.
The Astral Wind never stopped as the entire Shadowless Cave Heaven was devastated by the sandstorm it kicked up.
Two parties silently confronted each other. While Yang Kai was calm and collected, a myriad of expressions came over the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain.
“Big Brother,” Zhou Ya called out gently.
Mao Zhe turned to look at her, and as their eyes met, he couldn’t help but recall the moments they had spent together in the past. The coldness on his face slowly melted away.
After a sigh, he gazed at Yang Kai and asked, “Will you ensure our safety if we submit to you?”
Yang Kai arched his brow, “Not only can I ensure your safety, but I can also bring you out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Mao Zhe shook his head, “How do I know if your Divine Manifestation is able to protect others as well?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “It’s easy. Just come over and give it a try if you don’t believe me.”
Mao Zhe nodded, “I’ll do that then.” After he finished speaking, he was ready to charge towards Yang Kai.
Geng Qing immediately stopped him, “I’ll do it, Big Brother!” Before Mao Zhe could object to it, he had already gone on ahead. Apparently, he was worried that Yang Kai might harm Mao Zhe, so he decided to give it a try in his stead.
In the blink of an eye, Geng Qing had already reached Yang Kai, who didn’t stop him and even opened a gap in the Towering Evergreen’s protection to let him come in.
Geng Qing remained vigilant while standing beside Yang Kai. As he looked up at the tree crown and observed the low-hanging branches, his expression was soon transformed by shock.
Standing in the protection range of this ancient tree, he couldn’t feel the slightest harassment from the Astral Wind. Besides that, the ample vitality around him soothed his body and mind, and his fatigued figure seemed to have been rejuvenated in an instant.
He had never seen or heard of such a Divine Manifestation before.
More than ten breaths later, he dashed out of the protection range. Before that, he took a glance at Yang Kai with a conflicted gaze.
Upon his return, he secretly spoke to Mao Zhe and narrated what he had gone through just now. As Mao Zhe listened to him, he narrowed his eyes.
A moment later, Mao Zhe let out a sigh, “Fine. We have nowhere else to go in Shadowless Cave Heaven. If you’re able to bring us out of this place, we’re willing to submit to you.”
If he could leave this place, he would have a chance to ascend to the Seventh Order, which was greatly tempting.
Yang Kai rubbed his palms together and said, “Head Mountain Lord is a straightforward and flexible man. However… how do I know if it’s not just an empty promise? Since you’ve made such a decision, I hope you’ll give me some assurance. I don’t wish for you to betray me one day; after all, we haven’t really been on good terms.”
Mao Zhe snorted, “What kind of assurance do you want? Do you want us to make a heart demon oath?”
“There’s no need for that.” Yang Kai grinned at him and summoned an ancient-looking book, “You just have to use your Blood Essence to write your names in here.”
Mao Zhe’s expression changed, “What’s this?”
“The Loyalty List!” As Yang Kai spoke, he tossed the book at Mao Zhe.
After taking it, Mao Zhe opened it and realised there were only nine pages in the Loyalty List. A person named Chen Tian Fei was on the first page, Hei He was on the second page, and some Yun Xing Hua was on the third page. The rest of the pages were blank.
As he scanned the Loyalty List with his Divine Sense, Mao Zhe realised that the book contained a mysterious power. Although he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was still unable to see through it.
The thin book felt extremely heavy in his hands, as though it weighed as much as a mountain.
He looked up at Yang Kai and asked, “What’s the use of this thing?”
Yang Kai replied honestly, “Once you leave your name on it, your life will come under my control.”
Mao Zhe’s expression changed.
Geng Qing bellowed, “Brat, don’t go too far!” The three of them were Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. If Yang Kai’s words were true, they would essentially become his slaves by leaving their names in this book. He’d rather die than be humiliated in such a way.
Yang Kai dispassionately said, “You can decide whether you want to leave your names on it or not, I won’t force you. However, what I can tell you is that if you’re willing to leave your names there, I’ll bring you out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven and return you to the 3,000 Worlds. If you’re not willing to do that, it’s fine as well. If we have a chance to get along with one another in the future, you’ll find out what I’m really like.”
Mao Zhe suddenly asked, “What’re the cultivations of these three people?”
Yang Kai was startled for a moment before he realised that the other person was talking about the people on the Loyalty List, then he replied, “Two of them are in the Fourth Order and the remaining one is in the Fifth Order.”
Mao Zhe nodded, “The people on the Loyalty List must have some grudges with you. You were not willing to let them off, but you didn’t want to kill them either, so you made them leave their names on the list so they would work for you.”
“Correct.”
“Good.” Mao Zhe nodded, then he put a finger into his mouth and bit it to squeeze out his Blood Essence. After that, he turned to page four of the book and wrote down his name.
“Big Brother!” Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were flabbergasted. Once he left his name there, he would never be able to resist Yang Kai again.
After leaving his name on page four. Mao Zhe tossed the book at Geng Qing and replied, “Rather than waiting for death here, we should seize the chance to live.”
In the meantime, he secretly spoke to the two of them, “I’ve heard about the Loyalty List before. It was made by a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master named Loyalty Demon using the blood and flesh of Xie Zhi. It can be used to enslave Open Heaven Realm Masters, but only those below the High-Rank.”
Although he had already heard about the Loyalty List, he didn’t let his emotions show on his face when Yang Kai mentioned the book’s name.
He was at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and if he hadn’t been trapped in the Shadowless Cave Heaven where there was a lack of resources, he would’ve ascended to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm a long time ago. If he could return to the outside world, he could gather enough resources and shake off the book’s control in no time.
That was the reason he didn’t even hesitate to leave his name on the book.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were excited upon hearing Mao Zhe’s intention but still pretended to know nothing as Geng Qing said through clenched teeth, “Since you’ve made such a decision, Big Brother, I’ll follow suit!”
Then, he squeezed out his Blood Essence and put down his name before passing the book to Zhou Ya.
A moment later, Zhou Ya left her name on page six.
Yang Kai extended his hand and retrieved the book, then flashed a smile at them, “Wise people will submit to the circumstances. I’m glad that you’ve made such a decision. I’m sorry for offending you some time ago. From now on, we’re all one family.”
Mao Zhe replied in a muffled voice, “You didn’t offend us. It was just that we had different stances.”
Yang Kai opened up his Towering Evergreen and beckoned to them, “The wind is strong outside. Please come in here and follow me to seal the Void Crack.”
The three of them exchanged glances and dashed towards Yang Kai.
Upon entering the protection range of the ancient tree, they realised that the Astral Wind was completely shut out. Zhou Ya couldn’t help but let out a breath with a relieved look on her face.
Mao Zhe’s expression turned milder as he examined the branches and fell into his thoughts, “Your Wood Element Divine Manifestation is simply incredible, Brother Yang. What’s the Order of your Wood Element Power?”
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai replied, “I don’t know what Order it is either actually, but it’s a High-Rank one at least.”
He had no idea what the Order of the Immortal Tree was, but upon hearing that, Mao Zhe thought that he simply wasn’t willing to tell him the truth, so he stopped asking.
“A High-Rank Power!” Mao Zhe exclaimed, “Your foundation is indeed solid since you had the guts to condense a High-Rank Power. I saw you using a Fire Element Divine Manifestation and a Water Element Divine Ability that are also of the High Rank. Did you intend to directly ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “That was indeed my original plan, but an accident happened so I only ended up in the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm.”
Mao Zhe’s brow twitched as he was horrified deep down inside.
He couldn’t believe that someone was ambitious enough to plan to directly ascend to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. Although Yang Kai didn’t make it in the end, the foundation he had built wouldn’t be wasted. That was the reason he was able to defeat Mao Zhe even though both of them were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
As they casually chatted, they headed towards the wind source.
They arrived at their destination in just four hours. The Void Crack where the wind source was located was torn apart by Yang Kai using Space Principles. Supposedly, it would slowly heal under the influence of the local World Principles. However, the Astral Wind was extremely abrasive, and the Principles in the Shadowless Cave Heaven were already somewhat broken, so the crack didn’t seem to be showing signs of healing.
The crack was still around even though half a day had passed.
Standing in front of the crack, Yang Kai manipulated his Space Principles and pushed out his palms. As Space Principles undulated, the crack slowly healed wherever his palms moved over.
After an hour, Yang Kai finally managed to close the crack and the Astral Wind disappeared. Next, he put away his Towering Evergreen and frowned before falling into his thoughts.
Mao Zhe and the others had suffered immense losses, so they immediately sat on the ground with their legs crossed. Following that, they fished out piles of Open Heaven Pills and various other resources to refine them in order to make up for the losses in their Small Universes.
Yang Kai didn’t have to do this, so he found a place nearby and started doing his own things.
Half a day later, Mao Zhe opened his eyes and saw a newly created array. Yang Kai appeared busy, but he wasn’t certain what he was doing.
Although Mao Zhe was unresigned and resentful of the young man, he wouldn’t let his emotions show on his face as he had left his name on the Loyalty List. Hence, he went over and asked curiously, “What are you doing, Brother Yang? Do you need my help?”
“There’s no need for that. It’s almost done.” Yang Kai waved his hand.
After observing it for a moment, Mao Zhe finally realised what the young man was doing and asked, “Are you building a Space Array?”
Yang Kai nodded, “En. It takes more than ten days to come here from Twin Spirit Island. It’ll be much easier with a Space Array around.”
“Are you going back to Twin Spirit Island?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “The reason I came to the Shadowless Cave Heaven was to look for my companions. Since I’ve found them as well as the exit, we’d better leave this place sooner rather than later. The environment in the Shadowless Cave Heaven is far too hostile.”
Upon hearing Yang Kai’s words, Mao Zhe set his mind at ease.
Since Yang Kai was ready to bring the people from Twin Spirit Island over, he should have the confidence to achieve his goal; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken such a huge risk.
“Are you all coming to Twin Spirit Island with me? Or are you going to wait for me here?” Yang Kai asked.
After pondering on it for a moment, Mao Zhe asked, “According to the regular pattern, the Astral Wind will strike again in ten days. Will you be able to come back here in ten days, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t think so.”
It would take him more than ten days to arrive at Twin Spirit Island, so there was no way he could return to this place before the wind came; moreover, he would have to spend some time on Twin Spirit Island.
“We’re going with you, then,” Mao Zhe decided. They would have Yang Kai’s protection by following him while they would be powerless to resist the wind if they stayed here.
Since an agreement had been reached, they immediately set off on their journey towards Twin Spirit Island.
They didn’t speak to each other on the road, and ten days later, the Astral Wind indeed struck again. Yang Kai used his Towering Evergreen to ensure everyone’s safety. Although the three of them had experienced it before, they were still awestruck by the Divine Manifestation.
A few days later, they finally arrived at Twin Spirit Island.
After a message was sent out, the fog around the island separated and Yang Kai led the three Mountain Lords towards the bamboo forest where the Proprietress and the others resided.
When the person, who was guarding the Grand Array, saw Mao Zhe and the others, he was shocked and immediately reported it to Hua Yong.
As Yang Kai shuffled into the bamboo forest with the three of them, Chef and Accountant, who were cultivating, were astounded. Upon leaving their huts to have a look, they were startled.
“Where’s Proprietress?” Yang Kai asked.
“She’s still cultivating in seclusion,” Chef replied, then pulled Yang Kai away and pointed in the direction of Mao Zhe and the others, “What’s going on? Why have they come here with you?”
Yang Kai took a glance at the three of them and explained, “They were captivated by my charm, so they’ve surrendered to me. Now, they have to obey my command.”
Chef shot him a dry glance as he apparently didn’t believe him.
“I’m going to meet Proprietress,” Yang Kai said, then headed to the bamboo hut where she resided. Chef, Accountant, and the three Mountain Lords exchanged glances.
Standing outside the hut, Yang Kai raised his hand and gently knocked on the door. He only opened the door and entered the place upon getting her response.
Outside the bamboo forest, Hua Yong was covered in cold sweat as he dashed forward alongside Shu Mu Dan. They both appeared worried.
When he was told that Yang Kai had returned to Twin Spirit Island with the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain, he didn’t believe his subordinate at first; after all, Yang Kai had previously burned down Profound Yang Mountain and killed the Second Mountain Lord Yun Fei Bai.
That was a blood feud that was practically irreconcilable.
It would be a miracle if they didn’t fight the moment they met, so how was it possible that they had come back together?
However, since the subordinate swore that he had seen it with his own eyes, Hua Yong had no choice but to believe him and rushed over to look into the matter.
“What’s Yang Kai trying to achieve?” Hua Yong was befuddled. Previously, Yang Kai said he was going to look for the exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but he returned with Mao Zhe and the others after just one month.
Was he going to make a move on Twin Spirit Island? Had he come to any agreement with Mao Zhe and the others?
Hua Yong couldn’t help but let his thoughts run wild.
When he reached the bamboo forest and saw those people who seemed to be in a confrontation, he narrowed his eyes and called out, “Head Mountain Lord Mao!”
Shu Mu Dan’s face stiffened as she put up her guard.
Mao Zhe turned to look at Hua Yong and cupped his fist, “Island Master Hua.”
Hua Yong gulped with difficulty as he wasn’t certain what he was about to face. Regardless, he still stepped forward and said in a bitter voice, “You should’ve informed us that you were coming to Twin Spirit Island, Head Mountain Lord Mao. It’s rather impolite of us to not at least welcome you at our doors.”
Despite his polite tone, he was practically implying that Mao Zhe was too disrespectful by coming to his territory without informing him. Although Hua Yong was timid, he wasn’t a pushover.
Mao Zhe said impassively, “We have nowhere to go. Since Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, I’m no longer the Head Mountain Lord. It wasn’t this Mao’s intention to come to Twin Spirit Island. We were merely following Sir Yang.”
“Sir Yang?” Hua Yong was stunned, wondering who the person was that Mao Zhe was talking about.
Just then, Yang Kai’s voice was heard coming from the hut, “You’re here, Island Master Hua. Please come up together with your Wife. I need to tell you something.”
Upon hearing that, Hua Yong darted his gaze between the hut and Mao Zhe in puzzlement. Since he was unable to figure anything out, he gave a signal to Shu Mu Dan to tell her to be careful, then strode towards the hut with a frown.
After entering the place, they saw Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo seated across from each other as they seemed to be having a chat. When the latter pair saw the couple, they quickly rose from the chairs.
Upon saluting one another, everyone took a seat.
An anxious Hua Yong asked, “What’s going on with Head Mountain Lord Mao and the others, Brother Yang? I heard that they came here with you.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Relax, Island Master Hua. They’ve indeed come here with me, but they don’t have any ill intentions against Twin Spirit Island.”
Hua Yong fell silent with a grim expression. Although he had allowed Yang Kai to come and go from Twin Spirit Island as he pleased, it didn’t mean the young man could bring Mao Zhe and the other Mountain Lords with him. However, since he wasn’t a match for Yang Kai to begin with, Hua Yong decided to keep his mouth shut.
Upon seeing his expression, the Proprietress comforted him by saying, “Island Master Hua, just so you know, Mao Zhe and the others have submitted to Yang Kai. Without his order, they won’t make any rash moves.”
“They’ve submitted to him?” Hua Yong’s brow twitched. He had the urge to ask Lan You Ruo whether she even understood what she was talking about. However, when he recalled that Mao Zhe had called Yang Kai ‘Sir Yang’, he couldn’t help but fall into a state of disbelief.
“Let’s not talk about them just now.” Yang Kai waved his hand, “I’d like to talk about leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
A shocked Hua Yong lifted his head, “Have you found the exit, Brother Yang?”
Shu Mu Dan couldn’t help but cover her mouth and gaze at Yang Kai in shock.
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai nodded, “En, I’ve found the exit. Just like what Mao Zhe speculated, the origin of the Astral Wind is the passageway that’s connected to the outside world. By moving past it, we’ll be able to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
“You went to the source of the Astral Wind?” Hua Yong exclaimed.
Yang Kai nodded in response.
After giving it a thought, Shu Mu Dan spoke, “The Astral Wind suddenly struck again for no reason more than ten days ago, and it lasted for about half a day. It’s different from the regular pattern…”
Yang Kai explained, “That’s because I tore the space around the source of the Astral Wind apart and opened a passageway to it.”
Shu Mu Dan exclaimed.
Disbelief was written all over Hua Yong’s face as he said, “In just one month, Brother Yang has achieved something that we haven’t been able to do for over 10,000 years!”
A humble Yang Kai replied, “Luck played a big part in it.”
An excited Hua Yong said, “Since you’ve found the exit, do you have the confidence to leave this place?”
Yang Kai said, “I was about to talk about this very issue, Island Master Hua. It’s not hard to leave this place, but the problem is what we will face after leaving Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Hua Yong furrowed his brow, “What do you think we’ll face, Brother Yang?”
“Have you forgotten about what you’ve told me before?” Yang Kai stared at him.
After giving it a thought, Hua Yong replied, “We’ll probably fall into the source of the Astral Wind after leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven. It must be very dangerous there.”
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right. Once we leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, we’ll fall into the origin of the Astral Wind. I have no idea how dangerous it will be. To be honest with you, I have a way of fending off the Astral Wind. At the very least, the Astral Wind gusting into the Shadowless Cave Heaven doesn’t bother me at all; however, I don’t know what will happen after we fall into the Astral Wind’s source.”
Hua Yong was shocked upon hearing this. It was only now that he understood the reason Yang Kai had the confidence to leave Twin Spirit Island and look for the exit.
It was no wonder that Yang Kai’s aura didn’t seem to have been affected one bit even though the Astral Wind had struck twice over the last month. He actually had a way to defend against it.
After a moment of silence, Hua Yong asked, “Are you going to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Brother Yang?”
“Yes.” Yang Kai nodded, “Many thanks to both of you for taking care of us. If you want, you can come with us, and I’ll do my best to take care of you. Of course, I welcome the rest of the people from Twin Spirit Island if they want to leave as well. I’m also going to inform those from Unrivalled Guild about it.”
“Unrivalled Guild?” Hua Yong looked doubtfully at him, “Are you friends with them?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “No. However, we will have greater strength with more people accompanying us. We don’t know what will happen after we leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so I’m willing to bring those who want to come with me.”
Hua Yong bowed his head, “I admire how righteous and just Brother Yang is.”
“Island Master Hua is too kind, it’s the least I can do.”
Shu Mu Dan, who had remained silent all along, suddenly asked, “The origin of the Astral Wind must be extremely dangerous. Do you have the confidence to move past it, Senior Brother Yang?”
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai replied with a serious expression, “I cannot give you an affirmative reply since I have no idea what the situation is like on the other side.”
“Even if it’s a path of certain death, do you still insist on leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven?”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “Life is not a clear path laid out before us. I don’t strive for everything to be perfect, only to not have any regrets. Rather than remaining trapped here forever, I’m willing to give it a try.”
Shu Mu Dan became startled for a moment before she pressed her lips together and nodded, “I understand.”
Hua Yong said, “This is a serious matter, so I cannot make a decision in a short time. Please give us a few days to sleep on it, Brother Yang.”
“En,” Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Proprietress still needs another month or so to recover, so we won’t be leaving so soon. You can tell me about it after you make a decision.”
“Many thanks,” Hua Yong cupped his fists, then he rose from the chair and left with Shu Mu Dan. Upon reaching the door, he suddenly turned around, “This is a serious matter, Brother Yang, so I hope you won’t break it to the rest of the people on Twin Spirit Island for now.”
Yang Kai’s expression changed when he heard that, then he replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, Island Master Hua. You have full control over the affairs in Twin Spirit Island. I won’t interfere.”
It was then Hua Yong thanked him and left the place.
After the couple was gone, the Proprietress said with a smile, “He’s pretty cautious. He must be worried that his subordinates will start having other ideas if the news is leaked.”
“It can’t be helped.” Yang Kai could understand. If word got out that he was able to bring some people out of Shadowless Cave Heaven, many of those from Twin Spirit Island would be tempted to join him. If Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan decided to stay in the end, but Yang Kai brought most of their people away, the power of Twin Spirit Island would be greatly weakened.
It was expected that Hua Yong didn’t want the news to be leaked so soon, and he was able to set his mind at ease since Yang Kai had given him the assurance.
“Are you really going to inform those from Unrivalled Guild about this?” The Proprietress asked.
Yang Kai nodded, “They’re all pitiful people, so I don’t mind lending them a hand. It’s up to them whether they’ll believe me or not.”
The Proprietress paused before nodding as well, “Give me a month. If it’s just like what you’ve said, we’re going to face a lot of trouble after leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so I should restore my full strength before we depart.”
“Of course.”
A moment later, Yang Kai stepped out of the bamboo hut.
The people outside the hut were still staring at one another, so Yang Kai directly wedged into the spot between both parties before turning to look at Mao Zhe, “I’m going to Unrivalled Guild.”
Mao Zhe retracted his gaze and frowned, “Why are you going there?”
“I’m going to ask them whether they want to leave Shadowless Cave Heaven. I don’t mind bringing them with me.”
Geng Qing widened his eyes, “You want to bring those from Unrivalled Guild with you?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
After a moment of silence, Geng Qing shook his head, “There’s no problem.” If possible, he wouldn’t want those from Unrivalled Guild to tag along. After Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, the three of them headed to Unrivalled Guild in an attempt to seek shelter, but the Three Chiefs had no qualms about mocking them, which was why they eventually left in exasperation. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have taken such a huge risk to look for the exit.
Geng Qing naturally wished for those from Unrivalled Guild to be trapped inside the Shadowless Cave Heaven forever.
However, since Yang Kai had made a decision, he wasn’t in any place to object to it. Technically, the three of them were now Yang Kai’s subordinates as their lives were under his control. They didn’t have the right to change his mind.
“You’ll come with me, Zhou Ya. I don’t know where Unrivalled Guild is after all.” Yang Kai gazed at her.
Zhou Ya looked inquisitively at Mao Zhe, who then said, “Since Sir has given the order, you should go with him.”
It was then Zhou Ya nodded gently.
Yang Kai swept a dispassionate glance over Mao Zhe before shuffling forward.
After leaving Twin Spirit Island, Zhou Ya led the way and headed to Unrivalled Guild.
While they were on the road, Zhou Ya asked, “Sir, you’re already so powerful at such a young age. I’m sure you’re from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.”
Yang Kai shot her a glance and said, “Did Mao Zhe tell you to inquire about my background?”
Zhou Ya’s face stiffened as she forced a smile, “Don’t get me wrong, Sir. I’m just curious. Since you’re not willing to tell me, please just ignore my question.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and revealed her alluring profile and her snow-white skin.
“You’ll find out about my background after we leave this place. Even if I tell you about it now, you probably won’t believe me.”
“En,” Zhou Ya replied with her head hung low.
Over the years, she had always been in an important position. As the Fourth Mountain Lord of Profound Yang Mountain, she was famous throughout the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Now that she had become someone else’s servant who had lost control over her own life, she wasn’t used to it.
The three Mountain Lords speculated that Yang Kai was a Core Disciple nurtured by one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. Otherwise, he couldn’t have possessed a power that was in the same Order.
Furthermore, the fact that Yang Kai had refined so many High-Rank materials strengthened their beliefs.
Unrivalled Guild was pretty far away from Twin Spirit Island, so it took them five days to arrive at their destination. Upon their arrival, Zhou Ya said, “We’ll soon reach the Headquarters of Unrivalled Guild. You must act carefully, Sir.”
Yang Kai looked up but couldn’t see anything unusual. Suppressing the doubt in his heart, he continued following Zhou Ya as they moved forward.
In just a moment, they saw a smooth-looking cliff, which was so flat that it was as though it was cut using a knife. There was a protruded rock in the middle that served as a platform.
Zhou Ya and Yang Kai landed on the platform, then she pointed at the wall, “This is the Headquarters of Unrivalled Guild.”
Yang Kai released his Divine Sense and realised that there was a barrier in front of the wall of this platform. There must be some space behind the wall.
“Inform them of our arrival,” Yang Kai ordered.
Zhou Ya nodded, then she performed a hand seal and pressed both her hands against the wall, whereupon a layer of visible ripples spread around.
A moment later, rumbling sounds were heard coming from behind the wall. A passage was revealed in the flat wall, then more than 100 people flooded out of it. There were three bald men, whose figures were built like bulls, at the front. What surprised Yang Kai was that the three of them looked identical. They were apparently triplets.
The auras of the three of them suggested that they were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Needless to say, they were the Three Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild.
Yang Kai tutted in amazement. Over the years, he had met quite a number of twins, but it was the first time he came across triplets. What was especially rare was that these three burly brothers had all ascended to the Sixth Order.
It was no wonder that Unrivalled Guild was able to face off against Profound Yang Mountain as the Brothers were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Furthermore, since they were triplets, they probably had some kind of innate connection. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had cultivated a Combined Attack Technique. If both parties got into a scuffle, Mao Zhe on his own wouldn’t be a match for them.
Now, it seemed that among the three great forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, Twin Spirit Island was indeed the weakest. Besides the fact that they only had two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on their side, their collective power was also no match for the other two great forces.
The reason they had survived until this day was that the environment in the Shadowless Cave Heaven was truly hostile as the resources were scarce. Among the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, unless there was a great blood feud, they wouldn’t easily get into a fight as once they were exhausted or injured, it would be hard for them to recuperate.
As soon as the Brothers appeared, Zhou Ya gently spoke to Yang Kai, “Sir, they’re the Three Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild. Their names are Shi Shan, Shi Qiu, and Shi Yue. As for who is who, I can’t really tell.”
A speechless Yang Kai swept a glance over the Brothers and realized he couldn’t tell them apart either.
The Brothers were fierce upon their appearance, but when they saw Zhou Ya, their eyes seemed to be glowing. One of them called out, “I was just wondering who had the guts to knock on our door. It’s you, beautiful little girl.”
Another person said smilingly, “What’s wrong? Have you changed your mind and decided to be our Wife?”
The last person said, “That’s great! We’ll marry you today and let you know what it’s like to be a bride.”
Zhou Ya was so exasperated that she started flushing, then she said through gritted teeth, “Stop spouting nonsense, you ugly men! I’ll never be your Wife.”
The first person who spoke stroked his bald head and sported a ferocious expression, “Beautiful girl, since you’re not willing to be our Wife, why are you even here? Are you sick of living? We don’t mind granting your wish as we’re adept at torturing women.”
The second person glanced at Yang Kai and tutted, “Who is this pretty boy? I’ve never seen him before.”
The last person remarked, “He must be this woman’s lover.”
Just then, a person rushed over and spoke to the Brothers with a horrified expression.
Since the downfall of Profound Yang Mountain, the survivors had either gone to Twin Spirit Island or Unrivalled Guild. Presently, some of the people standing behind the Brothers were originally from Profound Yang Mountain, so they could immediately recognise Yang Kai. At that instant, they started trembling in fear, wondering if he wasn’t happy with destroying Profound Yang Mountain alone. Had he come all the way here to ruin Unrivalled Guild?
Upon hearing the subordinate’s words, the three Brothers stiffened and gazed at Yang Kai with widened eyes. They examined the young man as though they were trying to look into his Soul.
One of them suddenly said in a small voice, “That’s Yang Kai? I thought he’d look mighty. You know, with more muscles. It’s surprising that he has such thin arms.”
The second Brother nodded, “Don’t be negligent, Third Brother. You can’t judge a book by its cover. This person really doesn’t seem ordinary.”
“Why do you think so, Big Brother?”
“He doesn’t even flinch when facing the three of us, so he’s definitely not an average cultivator.”
“You’re right, Big Brother. But why is he here?” The Third Brother asked in puzzlement.
“I don’t think he’s well-meaning. I heard that it hasn’t been a long time since this person arrived in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but he has already destroyed Profound Yang Mountain. I’m worried that he has the intention of ruling over this place.”
“He wants to rule over this place? Over our dead bodies!”
“That’s right. We’re united against anyone who dares to invade our territory.”
“Let’s get ready to fight, Big Brother.”
“I’m worried that we’re no match for him. I heard that he had barged into Profound Yang Mountain and severely wounded Mao Zhe. Although the three of us can join forces to defeat Mao Zhe, I don’t think we’d be able to achieve what he’s done. It proves that he’s… just a bit more powerful than us.”
“We’ll just give it a try to find out whether we’re a match for him. Why don’t we just summon our trump cards later to make sure that he won’t have enough time to respond?”
The Brothers gathered together as they stared at Yang Kai and discussed their tactics, out loud.
Yang Kai’s brow twitched as he turned to look at Zhou Ya, who lowered her head and secretly spoke, “These guys seem to have been born dim-witted.”
A speechless Yang Kai wondered how they even ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. With that said, they obviously had extraordinary aptitudes.
Presently, the Brothers seemed to be in a conflict as they were arguing about who would make the first move. Their faces had reddened as they were agitated.
Yang Kai coughed into his fist, then cupped his fist at them, “Greetings, Three Chiefs. My name is Yang Kai. I’m sorry for the sudden visit. Hmm… What are your names?”
The three of them immediately stopped arguing. One of them loudly patted his own chest, “My name is Shi Shan.”
The second person said, “I’m Shi Qiu.”
The third person said in a grim voice, “Shi Yue.”
Yang Kai gazed seriously at them in an attempt to connect their faces to their names, but his effort was in vain. Not only did these burly men look alike, but their demeanours and voices were also similar. More importantly, their auras were almost identical.
Perhaps even their own mother wouldn’t be able to tell them apart.
Yang Kai decided to give up as he said, “Please don’t get me wrong. This Yang has no ill intentions against Unrivalled Guild. I also don’t intend to rule over the Shadowless Cave Heaven like what you were worrying about.”
Shi Yue exclaimed, “He heard our conversation, Big Brother!”
A hint of ruthlessness flashed through Shi Qiu’s face, “We’d better make a move first, or else we’ll be at a disadvantage, Big Brother.”
Shi Shan widened his eyes in shock as he puffed out a scorching breath through his nostrils. As he glared at Yang Kai, his gaze became increasingly ferocious.
Faced with the imminent danger, Yang Kai took some steps backwards and raised his hands, “Wait a moment. I don’t intend to go against the three of you, nor am I here to fight. I’ve come all the way here to tell you that I’ve found the exit of this Shadowless Cave Heaven, and I’m going to leave in one month. If you want, you can come with me. If not, I’m not going to force you.”
Yang Kai found it hard to deal with these three. Before coming to this place, he had imagined various circumstances when he met the Three Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild, but he hadn’t expected that it would turn out this way.
“You’ve found the exit?” Shi Shan was startled as the ruthlessness in his eyes went away.
“Yes.” Yang Kai bowed his head.
“Why should we believe you?” Distrust was written all over Shi Yue’s face as he gazed at Yang Kai, “We’ve been looking for the exit for thousands of years but to no avail. How did you even find it?”
“I have my methods.” Yang Kai shook his head, “As for how I’ve found it, I can’t really tell you. However, Zhou Ya was with me at that time. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her about it.”
In an instant, the three Brothers shifted their attention to Zhou Ya.
Zhou Ya frowned, apparently not willing to talk to them, but she still nodded her head in the end, “Sir Yang is not lying to you. He has really found the exit of the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The reason we’ve come all the way here is to inform you about it.”
The doubt of the brothers evaporated as they appeared ecstatic, “He’s really found the exit?”
Yang Kai was dumbfounded. It seemed that these guys were truly dim-witted as they readily believed Zhou Ya’s words. Nevertheless, it saved him a lot of trouble so he just went with it.
The brothers could barely contain their excitement while the cultivators from Unrivalled Guild looked at Yang Kai with fervent gazes. No one was willing to stay in the Shadowless Cave Heaven if they had a chance to leave. Resources in this damned place were scarce, so they had no future if they stayed here.
Many of them had been stuck in this place for thousands of years. Due to the Astral Wind, Ma Tian Yuan’s cultivation had dropped from the Sixth Order to the Fifth Order, so he was rather pitiful. Many of them were indeed tempted by Yang Kai’s words.
Yang Kai said, “Just so you know, even though I’ve found the exit, we might come across some trouble if we want to leave. There might be some unforeseeable danger.”
Shi Shan stroked his bald head and stared at Yang Kai, “We have nothing to do with one another. Since you’ve found the exit, you could’ve left on your own. Why have you come over to inform us? Do you have any ulterior motive?”
Shi Qiu and Shi Yue immediately gazed vigilantly at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai burst into laughter, “What ulterior motive could I have? Just like what I’ve said, even though I’ve found the exit, there might be some danger ahead; therefore, having more people to help is a good thing. If you’re willing to come with me, I may need your assistance when the time comes.”
Upon hearing his explanation, the brothers understood his intentions.
“I’m going to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven in one month. If you want to come with me, you can look for me in Twin Spirit Island before then. I’ll be staying there during this period of time.” Upon finishing his words, Yang Kai cupped his fist and left with Zhou Ya.
The reason he had come over was to inform the Three Chiefs about his plan. Since he had achieved his goal, he didn’t remain. These three were truly dim-witted, so it might do more harm than good if he talked any further.
The brothers were rooted to the spot as they watched Yang Kai leave.
Behind them, the Open Heaven Realm Masters exchanged glances.
Meanwhile, in a luxuriously decorated room on Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong was drinking on his own. A series of footsteps were heard coming from behind him, then a warm body pressed against his head. A pair of slender hands were placed on his forehead as the woman gently massaged him.
Hua Yong closed his eyes and rested his head against his Wife’s belly. He could clearly feel the fetal movements coming through the skin. As he took a whiff of the pleasant fragrance, his mind was slowly soothed.
“Are you in a dilemma, Husband?” Shu Mu Dan asked gently.
“Yes.” Hua Yong sighed, “It’s too difficult to make a decision, my Wife.”
Yang Kai had put him in a really tight spot. Before his arrival, Hua Yong and his Wife had stayed in the Shadowless Cave Heaven for about 10,000 years. Although the environment was hostile, their lives had been quite peaceful. However, in just a few days, Yang Kai had basically turned this place upside down. Profound Yang Mountain was destroyed, and only three of the Four Great Mountain Lords were left. Moreover, those three had become Yang Kai’s subordinates.
On top of that, Yang Kai found the Shadowless Cave Heaven’s exit, which the cultivators in this place were unable to do for thousands of years.
Certainly, Hua Yong wanted to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven as well. They practically had no future in this place; however, it took a lot of courage and determination if they wanted to leave.
Others had no idea what they could face after going past the exit, but Hua Yong was fully aware of it; after all, Yang Kai had explained the situation to him already.
Upon moving past the exit, they would probably fall into the source of the Astral Wind, which was a death trap. The Astral Wind coming into the Shadowless Cave Heaven was already so violent, so Hua Yong couldn’t imagine what would happen if they really fell into its source. Although he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it wouldn’t take long before his Small Universe was worn away entirely.
Shu Mu Dan said gently, “Sir Yang has said that he has a way to defend against the Astral Wind, hasn’t he?”
Hua Yong replied, “Yes, but he’s going to bring a lot of people with him. Lan You Ruo, Mao Zhe, and the others are going with him. If we also join them, are you sure he will have enough power to protect all of us? Moreover, he has left to inform Unrivalled Guild about it. Once the news is leaked, many people will be tempted to leave with him.”
Shu Mu Dan said, “Since he has made such a decision, he probably has the power to do it.”
Hua Yong shook his head, “I’m worried that an accident might happen.”
Shu Mu Dan flashed a smile at him, “Since you find it hard to make a decision, why don’t we think about what will happen if we stay?”
“If we stay…” Hua Yong narrowed his eyes.
Shu Mu Dan went on to say, “If we stay here, we’ll probably become the sole Rulers of the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Mao Zhe and the others are definitely leaving, and now Sir Yang has left for Unrivalled Guild. I believe those three brothers won’t be able to resist such a temptation, so they’ll most likely tag along. By then, we will be the only two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.”
Hua Yong’s gaze brightened as he listened to his Wife. If that was the case, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing to stay.
Shu Mu Dan continued to say, “Afterwards, we can consolidate the forces in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. There won’t be three great forces anymore; only Twin Spirit Island will be left.”
“You’re right.” Hua Yong repeatedly nodded as he could barely contain his joy.
Shu Mu Dan then continued, “Lin’er will be born in a year or two. Given our capabilities, we definitely can raise him well; however, resources in the Shadowless Cave Heaven are scarce, and the situation has been exacerbated since the three great forces have basically dug up every last useable resource over the years. We can’t be certain about Lin’er’s aptitude, but it obviously won’t be too weak. Nevertheless, how far can he go without resources? The World Energy in the Shadowless Cave Heaven is poor to begin with, so perhaps he’ll be able to reach the Origin King Realm or the Dao Source Realm. At any rate, he can never make it to the Open Heaven Realm, which means his life will be pretty short. After he dies of old age, we’ll have to personally bury him.”
As Hua Yong listened to her speak up until now, he couldn’t help but shudder. Then, he turned around and pressed his hands against her belly as though he was trying to protect his child. He gazed at his Wife and said, “Please don’t say such terrifying things.”
Shu Mu Dan just stared silently at him.
As their eyes met, Hua Yong finally realised his Wife’s intention, “You’re trying to persuade me to leave, aren’t you?”
Shu Mu Dan shook her head, “Since this Mistress is married to you, I will follow you forever and will support whatever decisions you make. If you want to stay in this place, I’ll stay here with you. If you want to leave, I’ll follow. However… we have a child now, so I hope that you’ll think about his future too.”
As she spoke, she lovingly stroked her belly.
A hesitant Hua Yong said, “But the origin of the Astral Wind…”
Shu Mu Dan said, “Since Sir Yang is determined to leave, he must have the confidence to achieve his goal. He wouldn’t have taken such a huge risk if there was no chance of survival. No one is willing to throw their life away for nothing.”
Hua Yong furrowed his brows for a moment before he said, “Please let me sleep on it.”
Shu Mu Dan nodded gently, “Please don’t feel burdened in any way. I’ll support you no matter what.”
A moved Hua Yong took her hands. There was nothing else he would ask for since he already had a wife like her.
After she was gone, Hua Yong drained another few bottles of wine and became a bit tipsy. Upon making a decision, he told his subordinate to immediately inform him when Yang Kai returned.
The subordinate nodded and withdrew.
About five days later, Yang Kai returned to Twin Spirit Island and started arranging a Space Array in the bamboo forest.
The Proprietress needed a month or so to fully heal from the backlash from wearing the Blood Monster Battle Dress, so Yang Kai used this time productively.
Since there was already a Space Array in front of the exit, arranging one here allowed him to move around easily.
While he was busy, someone informed him that Hua Yong was inviting him to a banquet.
In the Main Hall, Hua Yong and Yang Kai were seated as a group of curvaceous ladies danced in front of them.
This sight was pretty rare as no one in Shadowless Cave Heaven was below the Open Heaven Realm. That was because anyone who wasn’t in the Open Heaven Realm wasn’t allowed to enter. In other words, the ladies who were dancing were all Open Heaven Realm Masters. Although they were in the Low-Rank, they were still Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Only in a special environment such as the Shadowless Cave Heaven would these ladies put down their pride and dignity to survive in such a way. In the outside world, even the Cave Heavens and Paradises wouldn’t let Open Heaven Realm Masters do such a thing.
As the melodic music sounded, the hourglass figures danced elegantly. These ladies, who were of different styles of beauty, tried their best to showcase their advantages and seduce Yang Kai.
They heard that Yang Kai had single-handedly destroyed Profound Yang Mountain, and even the three Mountain Lords had become his subordinates. If Yang Kai were interested in them and willing to protect them, they would be able to enjoy a great life.
To the side, Hua Yong observed Yang Kai and realised that even though the young man was enjoying the show, he didn’t show any lust towards these women. While Hua Yong was disappointed, he admired the fact that Yang Kai didn’t seem to indulge in such amorous hobbies, which was a rare quality.
After three rounds of wine, Hua Yong waved his hand to motion for the ladies to leave.
Yang Kai put down his wine cup and gazed at the older man, “Do you have anything you need me to do, Island Master Hua?”
Hua Yong must have a reason for inviting him to a banquet. Yang Kai speculated that it was about leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but he wasn’t certain what he was up to.
A horrified Hua Yong replied, “I wouldn’t dare, Brother Yang. You’re a powerful man who single-handedly destroyed Profound Yang Mountain and subdued Mao Zhe. This Hua can never achieve what you’ve done. I wouldn’t dare to tell you to do anything. There are just some questions I’d like to ask you.”
Yang Kai motioned for him to ask.
After measuring his words, Hua Yong asked, “Which Cave Heaven or Paradise are you from, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai couldn’t believe that Hua Yong had this kind of speculation as well. Zhou Ya had previously asked him about it, which should be an order from Mao Zhe. It was only now that he realized Hua Yong shared the same sentiment.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t surprising. He had showcased a power that was much greater than those in the same Order. To most people, only an elite from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises was capable of doing that.
Yang Kai shook his head with a helpless smile, “That would be a misunderstanding, Island Master Hua. This Yang is just a rogue cultivator. I’m not from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.”
Hua Yong exclaimed, “No way!” He couldn’t believe that Yang Kai could be so powerful if the latter wasn’t from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises.
Yang Kai said, “It’s true.”
Hua Yong gasped as he increasingly admired the young man. Yang Kai was already so mighty when he wasn’t from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. Would he have been even more formidable had he come from one of those?
After a moment of hesitation, Hua Yong asked, “Are you without any foundation in the outside world, Brother Yang?”
Yang Kai replied honestly, “I’ve founded a force called Void Land and now serve as its Lord.”
Upon hearing that, Hua Yong became relieved, thinking that the young man had a base at the very least. Although Void Land sounded like the name of a Second Class great force, it was expected as Yang Kai was a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Hua Yong couldn’t help reminiscing about the past, “Before coming to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, my Wife and I had a territory in the outside world as well, but… 10,000 years have passed. That place has probably been occupied by someone else by now.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “What is there to worry about since you’re still alive? Both of you are in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. If you leave Shadowless Cave Heaven, you can occupy any Spirit Province and rise again.”
Hua Yong shook his head, “This Hua is old now, so I’m not as ambitious as when I was young. Now, I just hope to look for a peaceful place so that my Wife and I can nurture our child together.” All of a sudden, he rose from the chair and cupped his fist at Yang Kai with a solemn expression, “Brother Yang, this Hua has an impolite request.”
Yang Kai quickly stood up and replied, “Please don’t be overly formal with me, Island Master Hua. Please tell me right away.”
Hua Yong said, “My Wife and I would like to join your Void Land. Are you willing to accept us? This Hua will be grateful if you do!”
Yang Kai’s expression changed, “You want to join Void Land?”
Hua Yong said, “En. Do you not accept any outsiders?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “That’s not it. It’s just that it’s only been slightly more than 10 years since Void Land was established, so its foundation is rather weak…” He paused for a moment, “If you don’t mind my place being small, this Yang is more than willing to welcome you.”
An ecstatic Hua Yong said, “We’re more than grateful that you’re willing to accept us so that we’ll have a place to stay. Why would we even mind it?” Following that, he swung his sleeves and cupped his fists with a serious expression, “Sect Master.”
Yang Kai took his hands and said with a smile, “You’re being too formal again, Elder Hua!”
“Elder?” Hua Yong arched his brow.
Yang Kai explained, “Since both of you are in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, you’ll be the Elders after you join Void Land.”
An elated Hua Yong said, “Many thanks, Sect Master. This Hua will definitely do everything he can to contribute to Void Land.”
Certainly, Yang Kai didn’t think this old man was sincere. Hua Yong didn’t even know where Void Land was, so why would he really do everything he could for the Sect? Yang Kai never took his words seriously.
Still, just like that, Void Land had two new Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, which was why Yang Kai was excited. Even though Hua Yong had his own considerations, and he might not even be sincere about joining Void Land, they would be a part of the Sect after they were given the brand of Void Land. If Void Land really fell into danger in the future, the couple would be pretty useful.
Since they were one family now, Hua Yong became increasingly passionate as he invited Yang Kai to take a seat and filled his cup again.
Meanwhile, he attempted to find out more about Void Land. Upon learning that there were two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, more than ten Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and about 300 hundred people in the Fourth-Order and below, Hua Yong was astounded.
A Second Class great force like that could be considered extraordinary by having this kind of heritage. It could be said that Void Land was at the peak among the Second Class great forces. He couldn’t figure out how a great force that was founded just a decade ago grew to be so formidable.
With that said, he was relieved that Void Land was strong. He and his Wife were going to join Void Land after leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so with such a strong Sect as their support, they would be more confident when dealing with any affairs in the outside world.
After they drank for a bit more, Yang Kai retired to his room.
Hua Yong probingly asked whether Yang Kai wanted the ladies who danced earlier to serve him in bed, but the latter rejected it outright. He stopped mentioning it as he saw him off and cupped his fist, “Sect Master, I’ll inform the people from Twin Spirit Island about this tomorrow so they can decide whether they want to leave. When the time comes to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven, my Wife and I will follow you. Please take care of us then.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Don’t worry, Elder Hua.”
After Yang Kai was gone, Hua Yong breathed a sigh of relief, then he shuffled towards his bedroom to tell his Wife about what had happened.
As Yang Kai recalled the incident earlier while heading towards the bamboo forest, he couldn’t help smiling.
He was indeed surprised that Hua Yong asked to join Void Land all of a sudden; however, if he were in his shoes, he would’ve made the same decision.
Hua Yong had decided to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven with Yang Kai, but he was worried that he wouldn’t be able to protect his Wife and himself after falling into the source of the Astral Wind. By then, their lives would hinge on Yang Kai. With Yang Kai’s protection, they probably would be safe. Nevertheless, if Yang Kai didn’t protect them, they were bound for death.
Now that they had joined Void Land though, Yang Kai had to ensure their safety since he was now their Sect Master. With this connection between them, the couple could follow Yang Kai with peace of mind; otherwise, they wouldn’t have easily sided with any great force since they were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
However, since Hua Yong had agreed to it, a lot of people would tag along as many of those from Twin Spirit Island would want to leave together. It wasn’t certain whether those from Unrivalled Guild would want to come but Yang Kai wasn’t bothered either way.
Upon returning to the bamboo forest, Yang Kai started getting busy. Half a day later, the Space Array was completed. He gave it a try and confirmed that he could easily reach the exit.
Now that everything was prepared, he just had to wait for the Proprietress to recover before they set off.
Life was peaceful for the following days as Yang Kai refined Open Heaven Pills and resources to strengthen the heritage and World Force of his Small Universe.
Just like what Chef had said, when a cultivator reached the Open Heaven Realm, he had to manage his Small Universe seriously. Accumulation took a painfully long time, so it wasn’t easy to ascend to the next Order.
A few days later, Hua Yong rushed to the bamboo forest and reported, “Sect Master, the three brothers from Unrivalled Guild have come over with a group of people and shouted that they want to see you.”
A glint flashed through Yang Kai’s eyes. As he recalled the three burly men, his face twitched slightly, “Are they here to fight, or do they want to leave with me?”
“They didn’t say anything.” Hua Yong shook his head, “They just wanted to meet you and mentioned that you were the one who told them to come here. They look quite fierce, so I think they’re probably up to no good.”
A headache came over Yang Kai as he said, “Let’s meet them.”
He was the one who told them to come here, so he couldn’t keep hiding from them. At that instant, he regretted informing those three about it. He should’ve let them perish in this place on their own. If they really left, they would surely create trouble in the outside world sooner or later.
After leaving Twin Spirit Island, Yang Kai saw the brothers standing outside the island with a group of Open Heaven Realm Masters behind them. Upon seeing Yang Kai, the brothers immediately glared at him. One of them bellowed, “Yang Kai, all of us are here now. When are we setting off?”
A speechless Yang Kai gazed at them and asked, “Are you all leaving Shadowless Cave Heaven with me?”
“Of course!” Another person yelled impatiently, “Otherwise, why would we have come all the way here?”
The third person demanded, “Cut the crap. Let’s leave now!”
Yang Kai’s face twitched even harder than before as he explained, “There might be some unforeseeable danger. If you’re not careful, you might lose your lives. Will you all please think it through?”
All of a sudden, he didn’t feel like bringing these brothers with him anymore.
“What’s there to think through?” The first brother who spoke yelled, “Since there’s a chance to leave, why wouldn’t we seize it? Do we really have to wait for death here?”
The three of them were simple-minded and straightforward, so it wasn’t surprising that they were so resolute in their actions. Yang Kai had just informed them about it some time ago, but they really called the roll and came over.
It had to be noted that they were not friends to begin with, nor had they come into contact prior to the previous meeting. Most people would have some doubts. Hua Yong had to join Void Land before he had the audacity to leave with Yang Kai; otherwise, he would never be able to set his mind at ease.
More than 100 people from Unrivalled Guild had arrived. These people were standing behind the brothers as they stared at Yang Kai with fervent and fawning gazes.
Certainly, not everyone from Unrivalled Guild had come. Some people were still in doubt, so they had decided to stay. With that said, 100 cultivators was a lot of people.
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai said, “We can’t leave now. Please calm down and wait for me here for some time. We’ll only set off when everything is prepared.” Then, he turned to look at Hua Yong, “Please help settle them down.”
This matter was giving Hua Yong a headache, but he still replied, “Yes.”
Then, he welcomed those from Unrivalled Guild into the island.
Although Shi Shan and the others were displeased, Yang Kai had the final say in this matter. Since he wasn’t leaving yet, none of them could set off. After they entered Twin Spirit Island, Hua Yong welcomed them with a banquet. At that moment, noise filled the island.
Prior to this, Hua Yong already had a conversation with his confidants and informed them that he was leaving with Yang Kai. He had even joined Void Land. These people could decide whether they wanted to leave.
However, Hua Yong only had a small number of confidants, so the news wasn’t leaked yet. Since those from Unrivalled Guild had arrived, however, basically everyone was aware of it now.
At that instant, those from Twin Spirit Island were tempted.
As the days went by, Shi Shan and the others would visit Yang Kai from time to time and urge him to depart. A frustrated Yang Kai told Mao Zhe and the others to keep guard outside the bamboo forest so that no one could disturb the Proprietress.
After one month, the barrier outside the bamboo hut dissipated as the Proprietress stepped out.
Yang Kai, Chef, and Accountant, who had been waiting outside, turned to look at her. When they saw that her skin was glowing and her aura was stable, which meant that she had gotten rid of the lingering Monster Qi, they heaved a collective sigh of relief.
In the Shadowless Cave Heaven, the Proprietress and the others had endured the Astral Wind many times before, which inevitably caused some losses to their Small Universes. However, as long as their foundations were not damaged, they could make up for the losses sooner or later, so it was no big deal.
After Yang Kai told the Proprietress about what was going on in Twin Spirit Island, she sported a worried expression, “Can you protect so many people on your own? Based on what you’ve said, there are probably more than 200 people who will be tagging along.”
“There won’t be a problem if the wind in the origin of the Astral Wind isn’t too strong; however, if it’s significantly more violent, it might be hard for me to fend it off entirely.” Yang Kai gave it a thought, “I have the Six Fated Paths Bag that can store some people.”
He had obtained the Six Fated Paths Bag from Xu Huang. As for how the artifact was made, he had no idea. Nevertheless, the space inside the bag was expandable, so it was pretty amazing. More importantly, it could also accommodate Open Heaven Realm Masters.
However, regardless of how incredible the bag was, there must be a limit. Previously, Yang Kai had only kept a small number of Open Heaven Realm Masters inside it, so he had no idea what the limit was.
The Proprietress sighed, “Unfortunately, there’s no High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master with us. The Small Universe of such a person can accommodate a lot of people and help share your burden.”
The Small Universe of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master had fully materialised, so it could accommodate living creatures. Anyone could enter it as long as their Order wasn’t higher than that of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
In other words, any Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could keep people in the Seventh-Order and below inside his or her Small Universe.
When Yang Kai arrived at the Outer Universe in the past, he came across the Fire Spirit Land Protector Venerable Duan Hai from Seven Wonders Land who led him to a portal, behind which was a ‘universe’.
Now, it was apparent to Yang Kai that it wasn’t Duan Hai’s Small Universe. That was because Duan Hai was only in the Fourth Order, so his Small Universe couldn’t accommodate living creatures.
What he saw at that time was probably a Divine Ability cast by Duan Hai or the projection of his Small Universe. However, Yang Kai and the others were too weak in the past, so they were not able to judge. Hence, they thought that it was Duan Hai’s Small Universe.
Although Yang Kai was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, his Small Universe was different from those of other Open Heaven Realm Masters. That was because his Small Universe could accommodate living creatures since he had merged it with his Small Sealed World.
However, a High-Rank cultivator wouldn’t usually keep anyone inside their Small Universe because there was a huge risk associated with doing so. If an ill-intentioned person caused some damage inside their Small Universe, the owner would suffer an immense loss.
One would only let someone enter their Small Universe if they had complete trust in that person.
After a brief discussion, Yang Kai sent a message to Hua Yong, who replied promptly. Since all of those from Twin Spirit Island and Unrivalled Guild were ready, they could set off at any moment.
Following that, Yang Kai told them to gather together in the bamboo forest.
Just a while later, a large group of people marched into the bamboo forest. These 200-plus people were divided into two groups. One of the groups was from Twin Spirit Island and was led by Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan. The other group was from Unrivalled Guild, which was led by the Shi Brothers.
The couple shuffled forward and saluted Yang Kai, then Hua Yong said, “Sect Master, everyone from Twin Spirit Island is ready. The people who are willing to leave are all here.”
Yang Kai swept a glance over the people behind him and nodded.
When Mao Zhe and the others, who were standing behind Yang Kai, heard how Hua Yong addressed him, their expressions changed slightly as they fell into their own thoughts.
The Shi Brothers had grown impatient after waiting these past few days, so at this moment, one of them urged Yang Kai in a loud voice, “When are we setting off? Why are you always dawdling?”
Yang Kai gazed at them with a smile, “We’re ready to go now.”
The brothers were elated as one of them said with a smile, “Good, good! We don’t have to keep waiting anymore.”
As Yang Kai swept a glance over the crowd, he said, “Many of you are from different forces, and there might be some grudges between you; however, since you’ve decided to leave with me, I hope you’ll set those grudges aside and work with one another. If anyone dares to pull any dirty tricks or sow discord on the road, I’ll teach them a lesson regardless of who they are. Even though I’ve found the exit of Shadowless Cave Heaven and I have the confidence to leave this place, we might come across some unforeseeable danger during the process. We might lose our lives at any moment, so if you’re not willing to take the risk, you’d better stay here so that you won’t regret it later.”
Everyone stared at him in silence but no one left.
Just then, Hua Yong cupped his fist and said, “We’ll obey your orders, Sect Master. If anyone dares to jeopardise our plan, this Hua will not let them off!”
Yang Kai nodded gently, “If everyone is prepared, we’ll set off now.”
Then, he turned around and led them to the Space Array he had built before sending a signal to Mao Zhe and the others, “You go over first and get prepared.”
Mao Zhe and the others stepped into the Space Array in silence, whereupon Yang Kai pushed his Space Principles and activated the array. After a light flashed, Mao Zhe and the others were gone.
Upon seeing that Mao Zhe and the others were safely sent over, these people set their minds at ease.
The Space Array that Yang Kai had built was neither big nor small, so six people could be sent over at a time.
It took Yang Kai about an hour before he delivered all 200 or so people over.
After Yang Kai stepped into the array, a light flashed through it as the world around him started spinning. When his vision refocused, he was already standing in front of the wind source. More than 200 people were already there as they looked around. Upon seeing Yang Kai, they immediately shifted their attention to him.
Yang Kai pointed at a particular spot in front of him and said, “The exit is right there. I’ll tear the space apart later and bring all of you out; however, since this place is connected to the outside world, the Astral Wind is just outside of here. After the crack appears, the Astral Wind will also come gusting in.”
Many of them gasped and appeared horrified. Basically everyone in the Shadowless Cave Heaven had experienced the brutality of the Astral Wind before. No one could ward it off.
That was the reason they were terrified the moment they heard that the Astral Wind would come in through the crack. It was only now that they figured out what kind of danger Yang Kai was referring to earlier. If they wanted to leave, they would have to face the Astral Wind.
“I will do my best to protect all of you; however, since there are many of us here, I might not be able to take care of everyone. As such, I’d like the weaker cultivators to enter my Six Fated Paths Bag to lighten the burden.” As Yang Kai spoke, he summoned the Six Fated Paths Bag and briefly talked about its abilities.
At that moment, many people exchanged glances as they fell into a dilemma.
The Six Fated Paths Bag was indeed amazing as it could accommodate Open Heaven Realm Masters; however, once they entered the bag, they would lose control over their own lives. If the bag was destroyed, the people inside it would instantly be killed without a chance to resist.
However, they were not in any position to object now. Yang Kai was only one man, and since so many people were tagging along now, some of them had to enter the bag to lighten the load.
Hua Yong and the Shi Brothers directly told the weaker cultivators to enter the bag. Although they were reluctant, they had no other choice.
With the bag in his hand, Yang Kai stored people inside it one after another, mostly those in the Second Order and the Third Order.
After putting about 100 people inside, Yang Kai finally realised that the bag had reached its limit. If he kept stuffing more people inside it, there was a risk of the bag exploding. That was why he stopped.
Nevertheless, now, he also had a vague judgement of the bag’s limit. The number of people the bag could keep seemed to have something to do with cultivation. If the people being kept inside the bag were strong, the artifact could only accommodate a small number. If they were all Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, the bag could probably only keep 20 or so people inside.
Half of the 200 people were gone, which greatly alleviated Yang Kai’s burden. The rest of the people who were outside were all in the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm and above. If they really came across any danger upon leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven, these people would be able to help.
Since everything was ready, Yang Kai walked up to the spot where he previously tore space apart. Then, he turned his head and nodded to motion for them to be careful.
As Space Principles undulated, Yang Kai performed different hand seals and then shouted, “Open!”
The sound of something cracking was heard, then a Void Crack suddenly appeared and rapidly expanded.
The moment the Void Crack appeared, the Astral Wind started gusting in, which caused the expressions of these people to change drastically.
Yang Kai immediately used his Towering Evergreen, and as an emerald light expanded, the gigantic tree crown seemed to cover the entire sky. Its branches hung low and engulfed the hundred or so people.
Standing within the range of this Wood Element Divine Manifestation, everyone could feel a surge of vitality around them, and their minds were immediately soothed.
All of their anxiety was gone as they looked up and tutted in amazement.
It was the first time Hua Yong saw this Divine Manifestation, and as he listened to the howling wind and looked around, he muttered in disbelief, “The wind really got blocked out!”
Standing under this humongous tree, he realised that he wasn’t harassed by the Astral Wind one bit. It was even safer than when he was on Twin Spirit Island.
He was both shocked and excited, thinking that he had made the right decision to leave with Yang Kai.
Since Yang Kai had such a Divine Manifestation, he could ensure their safety while navigating through the Astral Wind. If Hua Yong had chosen to stay, besides the fact that the Shadowless Cave Heaven might collapse one day, his unborn child would also be unable to cultivate properly, thus making his future bleak. Just like his Wife had said, they would have to personally bury their child one day.
Mao Zhe and the others had experienced this before, so they immediately stood beside Yang Kai the moment he activated Towering Evergreen.
“Let’s go!” Yang Kai shouted, then charged towards the Void Crack. The other cultivators didn’t hesitate to follow him as they made sure they were always within the tree’s protection range.
The Void Crack that Yang Kai had torn apart was huge; after all, more than 100 people had to cross it, so a small crack wouldn’t serve its purpose.
As soon as they left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they felt that time and space were disturbed.
An even more violent Astral Wind came at them from all directions, which caused the branches of the great tree to sway. Yang Kai’s expression changed as he finally realised why Mao Zhe and the others previously returned so soon after they moved past the crack.
They had indeed fallen into the source of the Astral Wind after leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven. The wind here was even more violent than the one gusting into the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
In such an environment, even Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like Mao Zhe and the others would soon lose their lives as their Small Universes broke apart.
Yang Kai found it hard to sustain his Towering Evergreen as the branches shook wildly and these cultivators were worried that the Divine Ability would be broken. By then, all of them would be exposed to the gale.
Fortunately, even though the tree swayed, the Divine Manifestation remained stable.
Yang Kai turned around and manipulated Space Principles once again to seal the Void Crack.
Some people had decided to stay in the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so if he didn’t repair the crack, the Astral Wind would continue blowing indefinitely. By then, the people who stayed would be doomed.
After Yang Kai was finished, he realised that everyone was staring at him.
They had finally left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but just like what was expected, they had indeed fallen into the source of the Astral Wind. Only by leaving this region would they stand a chance to survive.
No one knew which direction they should head.
Yang Kai released his Divine Sense, but it was immediately shredded by the Astral Wind after it left Towering Evergreen’s range, giving him a headache since he was unable to scan the surroundings.
Gritting his teeth, he simply led these people in a random direction.
It wasn’t like the source of the Astral Wind was boundless, so as long as they kept moving forward in the same direction, they would eventually escape.
The fierce gale caused everyone to be anxious. It felt terrible to have their lives hanging by a thread.
As Yang Kai sustained his Towering Evergreen, his energy left his body like the water discharged from a dam. He felt fortunate that he had put more than 100 people inside the Six Fated Paths Bag; otherwise, he would’ve consumed even more energy.
The branches hanging from the ancient tree shook violently as though they would be gone with the wind at any moment; however, they still steadfastly blocked the Astral Wind out.
After they moved forward for a bit, Yang Kai’s expression changed suddenly.
The Proprietress was just beside him, and upon seeing his expression, she quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“There’s something over there.” Yang Kai stared intently ahead with his dark gaze as though he was trying to see through the gale; however, the endless wind had even caused space to warp, so he was unable to see anything.
His words made everyone stiff.
Hua Yong asked, “Perhaps only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters are able to resist this violent wind. What could it be that’s lurking in the wind?”
There was absolutely no living creature in the world that could live in this gale; however, Yang Kai wouldn’t lie to them in this situation. What’s more, he was protecting everyone with his Wood Element Divine Manifestation, so he was more sensitive to the surroundings than all of them.
“I have no idea.” Yang Kai shook his head with a solemn expression, then yelled, “It’s coming!”
Right after he finished speaking, his expression changed drastically as he turned to look in a particular direction. Over there, a hole was torn in the protective shield of his Towering Evergreen. Even though he was trying his best to repair the tear, a visible wisp of green smoke still snuck in through it.
Following that, the green smoke contorted and turned into a translucent Human-shaped creature with four limbs, but its height was only half of the average Human adult.
There were no facial features on its face, which was eerily flat.
“A Wind Spirit!” The Proprietress exclaimed, “The Astral Wind has nurtured a Wind Spirit. Stay on guard, everyone!”
All of them immediately raised their defences.
Before anyone could react, the Wind Spirit directly snuck into the body of the cultivator nearest to it and disappeared.
The cultivator was in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm and soon began screaming as the aura coming from his body fluctuated unstably.
The people around him leaped away in shock.
The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master yelled in horror, “It’s inside my Small Universe! Save me!”
Hua Yong bellowed, “No one can help you since the Wind Spirit is inside your body, only you can save yourself! Don’t panic! Focus on using your World Force to drive it out.”
Upon hearing that, the man hurriedly did as he was told; however, his cultivation was too weak. It wasn’t certain what the Wind Spirit was doing in his Small Universe, but everyone could feel his aura plunging rapidly. In just over ten breaths of time, his aura dropped from the Fourth Order to the Third Order, then the Second Order and eventually the First Order.
“Help me!” The man wailed as his aura flickered. Right after this final cry, he suddenly grunted and exploded into a blood mist. The people around him were instantly covered in blood.
“His Small Universe collapsed!” Mao Zhe’s pupils contracted.
A Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had lost all his World Force in such a short time, so it was only natural that his Small Universe would be critically destabilised. The moment his Small Universe came apart, he died a horrible death.
No one could resist the Astral Wind as it could sneak into an Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe and wear away their heritage. Now, it seemed that this Wind Spirit was significantly more powerful than the Astral Wind.
After the man was killed, the green Wind Spirit reappeared. It had apparently shot out of the dead person’s Small Universe. Then, the green smoke moved and charged towards another cultivator.
Mao Zhe directly used a Divine Ability which struck the Wind Spirit. He was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so his methods were naturally formidable. However, since he was surrounded by so many people in such close quarters, he was rather restricted in his movements.
Nevertheless, the power of this Divine Ability was not to be underestimated. The immense force caused the Wind Spirit to pause.
As though the Wind Spirit was infuriated, it abandoned its target and dashed towards Mao Zhe instead.
Mao Zhe’s expression changed, but he was unable to dodge the Wind Spirit in such a place, so he had no choice but to continue using his Divine Abilities to force back the creature. At the same time, Geng Qing and Zhou Ya made a move together. Since three Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had joined forces, they were able to hold the Wind Spirit at bay. Despite that, they weren’t able to destroy the Wind Spirit, which was strange.
The Proprietress suddenly yelled, “Don’t use your World Force. This thing can absorb it to strengthen itself!”
Mao Zhe examined the creature with narrowed eyes and realised that the Wind Spirit’s colour had become darker than when it first appeared, and it had also become more agile. The Proprietress was right to say that the Wind Spirit was able to absorb all kinds of World Force to strengthen itself.
The creature had just dived into a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe, which caused his aura to plunge and his Small Universe to collapse. It seemed that the creature really was becoming stronger after it fed on the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s heritage.
However, how was an Open Heaven Realm Master supposed to fight without using their World Force?
An Open Heaven Realm Master was only an Open Heaven Realm Master because they could use World Force.
The foundation of an Open Heaven Realm Master’s power was the World Force in their Small Universe. If they couldn’t use World Force, they were no different from a toothless tiger.
Seeing that the Wind Spirit was charging towards him, Mao Zhe respectively grasped Zhou Ya and Geng Qing with his hands before he fled backwards.
Nevertheless, there was nowhere else they could go as they soon reached the edge of Towering Evergreen’s protection. If they moved any further, they would be exposed to the Astral Wind directly.
At the most critical moment, a whip broke through the air and wrapped itself around the Wind Spirit. Following a thunderous noise, the whip tightened itself, which caused the Wind Spirit to fall apart.
But soon, the Wind Spirit took shape again. However, the strike allowed everyone to see a glimmer of hope.
The Proprietress, who was holding the whip, yelled, “Use your artifacts!”
Although an Open Heaven Realm Master had to activate their World Force to use their artifact, the attack of an artifact itself wasn’t composed purely of World Force. It was also mixed with the artifact’s own power, which could apparently not be absorbed by the Wind Spirit.
The Proprietress was just giving it a try, so it surprised her that she actually found the solution right away.
At that instant, lights of different colours flickered. The Open Heaven Realm Masters summoned their artifacts and attacked the Wind Spirit. The violent fluctuations of energy were chaotic as all sorts of Elements surged out.
The Wind Spirit was extremely agile and it could easily dodge most of the attacks. On the other hand, many of the cultivators were accidentally hurt since they were all crammed together.
With that said, some of the attacks still struck the Wind Spirit. Every strike could make its figure fall apart, but it would soon re-form. However, its colour became increasingly dimmer.
Seeing that, Hua Yong yelled, “Hang in there and don’t panic! As long as we’re united, we don’t have to be afraid of this Wind Spirit!”
He wasn’t boasting wildly. Even though the Wind Spirit born in this place was eerie as it could kill a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in a short time, there were many Open Heaven Realm Masters around, including nine in the Sixth-Order. If they couldn’t even deal with a single Wind Spirit, they should just give up and let it kill them.
The powers of the artifacts continuously blossomed and the Wind Spirit had become so dim that it was almost transparent. Just when it was about to be destroyed, a crack suddenly appeared on its flat face as though it had opened its mouth and it released a fierce howl.
No one knew what this Wind Spirit was doing, but they still put up their guard with solemn expressions.
Although the wind was heard howling, it didn’t appear to be intimidating or lethal at all.
However, Yang Kai’s expression changed drastically as he said, “Stay alert! We might be in trouble!”
“What?” Hua Yong turned his head to ask, then his pupils contracted.
In the meantime, cracks that were caused by a mysterious force started appearing around the protection range of the Towering Evergreen. Puffs of green smoke snuck in through the cracks, then contorted and turned into odd-looking creatures.
Just like the Wind Spirit they had seen previously, these things had limbs but not facial features. Their faces were flat in an eerie way. Some of them looked like tigers, wolves, and some other animals.
The creatures that had barged in were all Wind Spirits. It was just that they were of different forms and there were more than ten of them.
Everyone felt a crawling sensation on their scalp.
Just one Wind Spirit was enough to give them a headache as over 100 Open Heaven Realm Masters were unable to kill it in a short time. Just when they were starting to see a glimmer of hope though, more of these Wind Spirits rushed in.
Apparently, the Wind Spirit was calling out to its companions just now by making that howling sound.
Many appeared to be in despair.
As soon as these Wind Spirits took shape, they started flying around. The cultivators exclaimed and tried to avoid them, but there was nowhere they could go. In just a moment, these Wind Spirits snuck into the bodies of over ten cultivators and disappeared.
These people widened their eyes in horror as they were desperate to fight for a chance to survive. They madly pushed their World Force in an attempt to force these Wind Spirits out of their Small Universes, but their efforts proved futile.
Many of them called out desperately for help.
The nine Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters sported solemn expressions.
None of them could have expected that they would come across this kind of danger after leaving Shadowless Cave Heaven with Yang Kai, including Yang Kai himself. He thought that after leaving Shadowless Cave Heaven, the biggest risk he would face would be a more intense Astral Wind. With his Towering Evergreen though, he was confident he could ensure their safety.
However, it never crossed his mind that Wind Spirits existed in the Astral Wind source. Even his Towering Evergreen was unable to block them out.
Right in front of everyone’s eyes, the auras of these people plunged. Just like the deceased Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from earlier, the heritages of their Small Universes were swallowed by the Wind Spirits and their Orders plummeted. Their Small Universes trembled and then collapsed.
In just over ten breaths of time, explosive sounds started ringing out. These people subsequently exploded into blood mists, leaving no traces behind.
One of these deceased Open Heaven Realm Masters was even in the Fifth Order, which was why Chef and Accountant gulped with pale faces.
Both of them were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so had any of the Wind Spirits snuck into their bodies, they would’ve ended up like these people.
Then, the Wind Spirits appeared again. It was obvious that their colours had become deeper, which was thanks to the fact that they had just swallowed the heritages of those Open Heaven Realm Masters’ Small Universes.
People who were still alive immediately leaped away with vigilance.
Just one Wind Spirit could make this place descend into chaos, so how were they supposed to deal with a dozen of them?
Many of them regretted not getting into Yang Kai’s Six Fated Paths Bag earlier. When Yang Kai fished out the bag in an attempt to keep some people inside it, many of them were reluctant; after all, once they entered the bag, they would lose control over their own lives. Eventually, it was Hua Yong and the Shi Brothers who dealt with the situation. Now, it seemed that the bag was the safest place to be.
Yang Kai glared at the Wind Spirits as he had the urge to summon his Azure Dragon Spear and kill all of them with it; however, he was now in the Astral Wind source, and he had to sustain the Towering Evergreen while looking for a way out, so he was incapable of helping to deal with these creatures.
Fortunately, when the Wind Spirits struck again, everyone was better prepared. Things were much better now as they could temporarily ward off the Wind Spirits. Nevertheless, as they used their artifacts, the violent forces fluctuated, which made it difficult for Yang Kai to sustain his Towering Evergreen.
However, their defences weren’t impenetrable. Just a moment later, some of the Wind Spirits broke through the bombardment and rushed towards the cultivators before sneaking into their Small Universes. These unfortunate cultivators appeared to have lost all hope.
They had seen how their companions died a horrible death in front of them, so they could imagine what it would be like.
“Proprietress!” Chef’s chubby figure suddenly shook as he turned to look at the Proprietress with a helpless smile.
The Proprietress’ pupils contracted as she exclaimed, “Chef!”
An anxious Accountant gazed at Chef in disbelief.
Just now, a Wind Spirit circled around Chef and snuck into his body from behind when no one was aware of it.
Chef parted his lips in an attempt to say something. Despite having countless things to say, he eventually condensed everything into two sentences, “It was my greatest honour to have met you, Proprietress. Many thanks for taking care of me over the years.”
After he finished speaking, he appeared relieved.
The Proprietress charged towards Chef and pressed her hand against his dantian before madly surging her own World Force power in an attempt to force the Wind Spirit out; however, the Wind Spirit had already snuck into his Small Universe, so she was unable to target it.
Chef shook his head as his aura plunged.
Just then, Yang Kai suddenly extended his hand and yelled, “Come here, Chef!”
Chef turned his head, but before he could react, he felt a force engulfing him. The next moment, the world around him started spinning, and then he arrived at a very strange world.
In this world, the Moon was hanging in the sky as it cast its eerie glow on everything. Besides the refreshing air, this place was filled with dense World Force.
[Where is this place?] Chef was dumbfounded, then he soon realised in shock that a puff of green smoke billowed out of his body and turned into a snake. The Wind Spirit then hissed.
Chef widened his eyes as he couldn’t believe that the Wind Spirit had actually voluntarily left his body.
As the Wind Spirit hissed, Chef could clearly feel that the World Force in this world was being madly devoured by the creature. At the same time, it was also growing quickly.
Under the Towering Evergreen, Yang Kai grunted and staggered with a pale expression.
Since Chef was in trouble, there was no way he would sit back and do nothing. Left with no choice, he decided to put Chef into his Small Universe, thinking that he could deal with the Wind Spirit after that; however, he was stunned to see that the Wind Spirit had left Chef’s body and entered his Small Universe instead.
Yang Kai wasn’t certain about the reason behind it, but he reckoned that his Small Universe was probably more attractive to the Wind Spirit.
The next moment, his speculation was proven right.
He had exposed some of his aura just now when he opened up his Small Universe to keep Chef inside it. The remaining Wind Spirits of different forms halted and turned to face Yang Kai. Even the Wind Spirits that had previously snuck into those cultivators left their bodies now.
Since these Wind Spirits didn’t have facial features, they were supposedly not able to see; however, at this moment, Yang Kai could clearly feel that they were staring at him as though they were drooling over a delicious dish.
These cultivators were both shocked and stunned at the turn of events.
They had no idea what Yang Kai had done so that he could attract the attention of all Wind Spirits.
*Shua shua shua…*
The Wind Spirits turned into green streaks and charged towards Yang Kai in the next instant.
A flustered the Proprietress exclaimed, “Watch out, Yang Kai!” She then rushed over in an attempt to fend off those Wind Spirits for him.
Mao Zhe and the others frowned as they dashed forward. Their names were on the Loyalty List, so if anything happened to Yang Kai, they would be doomed as well.
“Let them come!” Yang Kai bellowed.
The Proprietress stopped in her tracks and stared dazedly at him as though she was asking what he was trying to do.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai didn’t have time to explain anything. Faced with these Wind Spirits, he opened his Small Universe wide. As his aura was exposed, these Wind Spirits became excited and hastened their pace.
These puffs of green smoke then penetrated Yang Kai’s body and disappeared instantly.
Yang Kai’s figure shook, and then he checked on his Small Universe and realised that the dozen or so Wind Spirits of different forms were madly absorbing his heritage to strengthen themselves. Meanwhile, Chef was trembling nearby.
“Proprietress, Mao Zhe, enter my Small Universe and help me deal with them!” As Yang Kai spoke, he extended his hands to them.
The Proprietress lowered her defences and allowed his strength to engulf her. She disappeared the next moment. At the same time, Mao Zhe and the other Mountain Lords also vanished.
When the four of them came to their senses, they realised that they were in a different world.
Looking up, they saw the Wind Spirits wolfing down the World Force around them while Chef stood rooted to the spot.
“What the…” Mao Zhe exclaimed and looked around. He had a speculation, but he found it hard to believe it.
“It’s my Small Universe. Rather than letting these Wind Spirits make a scene outside, I thought it would be better to just trap them here. I’ll cordon off the area around here, so please help me restrain them for now. I’ll handle them when I’m free!” Yang Kai’s voice reverberated from all around.
Not only was Mao Zhe in disbelief, but Geng Qing and Zhou Ya were also astounded.
They couldn’t believe that they were in Yang Kai’s Small Universe!
Common sense dictated that only when an Open Heaven Realm Master reached the High-Rank would their Small Universe be able to fully materialise and accommodate living creatures. Yang Kai was only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so how did he manage to achieve it?
They couldn’t wrap their heads around it as this went against the knowledge that was deeply imprinted in their minds.
Nevertheless, as Mao Zhe felt the density of the World Force around him, he finally understood why he wasn’t a match for Yang Kai even though both of them were in the Sixth Order.
The heritage in Yang Kai’s Small Universe was clearly richer than his own. As he looked up at the Bright Moon, he realised that the celestial entity seemed to contain a power that could freeze his soul. He was astounded, thinking that it was probably a High-Rank Element Power. Although he was now a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he had only reached the Fifth-Order directly when he achieved an ascension in the past. In other words, his limit would be the Seventh Order in the future, which was why he craved this kind of power.
As soon as Yang Kai finished speaking, they felt a force cordoning off the space around them.
Apparently, Yang Kai had sealed this region so that the Wind Spirits wouldn’t be able to cause too much damage to his Small Universe. However, his effort would be futile if there was no one around to tie down the Wind Spirits as the seal would be broken through sooner or later if they were left alone.
That was the reason Yang Kai decided to put the Proprietress and the others into his Small Universe. He was trying to make use of their powers to stall for time. Presently, he had to bring everyone out of the Astral Wind source as soon as possible, so he didn’t have time to deal with the Wind Spirits for now.
Although it was difficult for four Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to confront more than ten Wind Spirits, it wasn’t Yang Kai’s intention to have them kill the odd-looking creatures. He just wanted them to distract them so that the Wind Spirits wouldn’t run rampant; hence, there shouldn’t be any problem.
Upon learning Yang Kai’s plan, the Proprietress made the first move. The whip in her hand coiled around the Wind Spirits like it was a Dragon before ripping them apart. She was trying to attract their attention so that they wouldn’t be able to concentrate on swallowing the heritage in Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
Seeing that, Mao Zhe and the others quickly made a move as well.
Yang Kai felt that his Small Universe had descended into chaos, which made it hard for him to focus.
There was a bitter smile on his face as he finally realised why people always said even a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master wouldn’t easily let others enter their Small Universe, for that would be a terrible experience. No one would let someone else go into their Small Universe unless they wholeheartedly trusted that person as any slight disturbance would cause damage to their Small Universe.
Under Yang Kai’s Towering Evergreen, these people looked around in horror. Of the more than 100 Open Heaven Realm Masters, 20 or so had lost their lives in a short time. It could be said that they had suffered an immense loss.
Moreover, the eerie Wind Spirits had all dived into Yang Kai’s body, which made them feel worried.
It had to be noted that Yang Kai was the key to their survival. If anything happened to him, all of them would be exposed to the Astral Wind source. With the Towering Evergreen around, they would be safe from the harassment of the Astral Wind; however, without this Wood Element Divine Manifestation, no one had the confidence to survive here for long.
Therefore, all of them turned to look at Yang Kai, who seemed fine even though he sported a solemn expression.
Hua Yong asked with concern, “Sect Master, those Wind Spirits…”
Yang Kai replied in a muffled voice, “They’re inside my Small Universe. Mao Zhe and the others are dealing with them. We have to leave this place quickly!”
Then, he continued leading the crowd forward. They followed him closely, ensuring that they were always within the protection range of the Divine Manifestation.
On the road, they came across several more Wind Spirits that broke through the defence of Towering Evergreen and caused a ruckus.
Yang Kai used the same trick and sent these Wind Spirits inside his Small Universe.
The Proprietress and the others already found it hard to deal with the dozen or so original Wind Spirits, so the situation only exacerbated when more were let in. There were even times when they were almost attacked and invaded by the Wind Spirits.
Left with no choice, Yang Kai sent Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan into his Small Universe so that they could help.
The movements in his Small Universe thus became even more violent. Yang Kai could feel his blood weltering while his aura was extremely unstable. As his head kept buzzing, he had a feeling that he would suffer from cultivation dissonance at any moment.
Time seemed to pass by even more slowly at this moment.
Accountant, who had been standing guard beside Yang Kai, suddenly exclaimed, “You’re hurt!”
He could see that blood was leaking from Yang Kai’s seven orifices, and his eyes were horrifyingly red.
Yang Kai grunted as he couldn’t even spare the focus to respond. He silently charged forward while exerting more force to sustain his Towering Evergreen to fend off the howling Astral Wind.
Each breath that passed felt like an hour, but at a certain point, Yang Kai suddenly felt that the pressure around him was gone and the Towering Evergreen’s protection, which was suppressed by the Astral Wind earlier, abruptly expanded.
An energised Yang Kai shouted, “We’re out of the source!”
Everyone was elated as they looked around; however, as the green branches hung so low, they were still engulfed in an emerald light, making it impossible to see outside clearly. With that said, they were aware that the wind, which had haunted them for a seemingly long time, finally stopped howling.
They had really left the Astral Wind source!
At that instant, all of them started cheering.
To be safe, Yang Kai didn’t immediately retract his Towering Evergreen, sustaining it as he continued charging forward for another incense stick worth of time. Following that, he released his Divine Sense, and upon making sure that they were safe, he withdrew the Wood Element Divine Manifestation.
As the light dissipated, the others released their Divine Senses and realised that they had landed on a shattered Spirit Province, which was about a hundred square kilometres. It was absolutely desolate, while all around was only an endless void.
“Please stand guard for me,” Yang Kai hurriedly said to the Shi Brothers as he sat down cross-legged. Then, he emptied his mind and sunk his consciousness into his Small Universe.
The Shi Brothers still hadn’t figured out what was going on or where they were, but upon hearing Yang Kai’s words, they immediately surrounded him and raised their vigilance.
At this moment, they were not certain whether they had really left the Shadowless Cave Heaven and returned to the 3,000 Worlds, so they reckoned that they had to ensure Yang Kai’s safety.
The battle inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe was fierce. Six Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and about 20 Wind Spirits were locked in combat. As these people flew around, the powers of their artifacts blossomed.
Although Yang Kai had cordoned off this battlefield, the wild energy fluctuations still caused his Small Universe to shake and rumble.
The six of them were elated when they saw Yang Kai’s figure appear.
The Proprietress said, “Yang Kai, it’s too hard to deal with these Wind Spirits. We’re unable to destroy them.”
When the first Wind Spirit appeared, it took all 100 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters attacking it for some time for its colour to simply become dim, to say nothing of the fact that there were so many Wind Spirits now. Furthermore, they were now inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, so they didn’t dare to release too much of their power. They were now even more restricted in their movements than previously.
“I know. Let me handle the rest. Many thanks for all you’ve done.” As Yang Kai spoke, he extended his finger, whereupon a portal appeared in his Small Universe, beyond which was the aura of the outside world.
Mao Zhe asked with a frown, “Will you be alright on your own?”
Yang Kai replied, “I have no idea, but I have to give it a try. Right now I’m restricted since all of you are here, so please leave this place first.”
After a moment of silence, Mao Zhe sent a signal to Geng Qing and Zhou Ya, then the three of them shot out through the crack together, followed by Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan. A worried Proprietress gazed at Yang Kai and parted her lips.
Before she could speak though, Yang Kai said with a smile, “Don’t worry, Proprietress. Even if I can’t kill them, I’ll still be able to expel them.”
The others were unable to force these Wind Spirits out once they were invaded because their Small Universes were still ethereal. On the other hand, Yang Kai’s Small Universe was corporeal, so if it came down to it, he could simply cut out part of his territory and expel it. Although his foundation would be damaged by doing this, it was better than waiting for death.
“Be careful, and don’t push yourself too hard,” Proprietress stated in a solemn voice, then turned around and left through the portal.
After closing the portal, Yang Kai stared silently at the Wind Spirits and said through clenched teeth, “I bet all of you have been having fun, haven’t you?”
The Wind Spirits apparently couldn’t understand him, and without the restraint of the Proprietress and the others, they immediately started swallowing the heritage of his Small Universe again.
Yang Kai could clearly feel that the power of his Small Universe was rapidly streaming into these Wind Spirits. Although he had cordoned off this area, he was still unable to stop them from absorbing his heritage.
Honestly speaking, Yang Kai still had no idea what these Wind Spirits really were. He speculated that they were born in the Astral Wind source and simply followed their instincts to swallow up World Force. They probably didn’t even have sentience.
Yang Kai couldn’t let these creatures continue wreaking havoc in his Small Universe. The longer they stayed, the greater the loss he would suffer, so with a thought, he yelled, “Water Reflects the Moon!”
The Moon in the sky immediately shone brightly and cast its glow on everything below.
A layer of frost was instantly seen on the figures of these Wind Spirits, as though they were covered in white clothes.
Yang Kai was ecstatic since his Water Element Divine Ability seemed to be working. Just now, he was worried that his Element Powers wouldn’t be useful against these Wind Spirits, but now he could set his mind at ease.
As the frost expanded, Yang Kai could clearly feel that the speed at which the World Force was draining had slowed. The Wind Spirits instinctively felt that something was off. They were originally wolfing down the Small Universe’s heritage, but they were now staring up at the Moon in the sky.
The next instant, their figures shook to break free of the frost, then they pounced at the Moon. The howling of wind was heard coming from their mouths, which threw Yang Kai’s Small Universe into turmoil.
The closer the Wind Spirits got to the Moon, the colder they felt. Showered in the Moonlight, they found themselves becoming increasingly sluggish as the frost on their figures thickened.
Despite that, they still wouldn’t back down, so Yang Kai had to watch as the Wind Spirits crept closer to the Moon.
The Moon in Yang Kai’s Small Universe was the manifestation of his Water Element Divine Ability, which was somewhere between illusory and real. He wasn’t certain what would happen if these Wind Spirits managed to reach it.
He wouldn’t dare to take the risk. Seeing as Water Reflects the Moon was unable to stop these Wind Spirits, he decided to use his first Divine Manifestation and bellowed, “Golden Crow Casts the Sun!”
The Moon suddenly sank beyond the horizon, and as the Golden Crow cawed, a Great Sun leapt into the sky, a three-legged exotic bird flying around it gayly.
The icy cold power was instantly replaced by a scorching heat. The Wind Spirits hadn’t managed to stop their advance when the Golden Crow’s True Fire was spit out from the Sun.
Then, a series of strange sizzling sounds were heard. As these Wind Spirits continued to howl, their figures were completely engulfed in the black Golden Crow’s True Fire.
Golden Crow’s True Fire was said to be able to burn down everything in existence, and it seemed these Wind Spirits weren’t an exception.
Seeing that, Yang Kai was ecstatic.
He could see that the 20 or so Wind Spirits had turned into fireballs, and as the Golden Crow’s True Fire continued to burn, dark smoke started billowing from their flaming figures.
Yang Kai frowned as he instinctively felt that the dark smoke was a terrible thing. This was his Small Universe, so he was able to detect the slightest anomaly, and the dark smoke made him feel like he had eaten some rancid food.
Realising the ferocity of Golden Crow Casts the Sun, the Wind Spirits instinctively tried to flee; however, since they were now covered in Golden Crow’s True Fire, how were they supposed to get rid of it?
Moreover, Yang Kai had cordoned off the space around this area, so regardless of how hard they tried to break through the seal, they were unable to escape the Golden Crow’s True Fire.
Yang Kai pushed his power to strengthen his Golden Crow Casts the Sun.
More dark smoke billowed from these Wind Spirits, and as that happened, they became dimmer and dimmer.
The very first Wind Spirit was previously besieged by over 100 Open Heaven Realm Masters, so it was much weaker from the start. Quickly being burned down by the Golden Crow’s True Fire, it soon fell apart and vanished into thin air.
Yang Kai arched his brow because as the Wind Spirit evaporated, he felt a stream of World Force surging into his Small Universe, which helped make up for some of the damage done to his heritage.
[What’s going on?] Yang Kai wondered but didn’t have time to ponder on this issue as he had to continuously sustain Golden Crow Casts the Sun. At the same time, he exerted more force to fortify the seal so that these Wind Spirits wouldn’t be able to cause further damage to his Small Universe.
Golden Crow Casts the Sun was immensely powerful, and given Yang Kai’s current cultivation, he was even able to cause a certain degree of damage to a High-Rank cultivator using it. Therefore, the average Open Heaven Realm Master wouldn’t be able to persevere for long under the influence of this Divine Manifestation.
With that said, these Wind Spirits were clearly pretty tough. The Great Sun in the sky continued to burn them, and although Yang Kai could feel that they were getting weakened by the moment and believed that they would eventually fall apart like the first Wind Spirit, that would still take some time.
Two days later, Yang Kai, who had been paying close attention to the Wind Spirits, suddenly shifted his attention to one of them. Just then, following a muffled boom, the almost transparent Wind Spirit exploded into nothingness.
Just like what happened previously, right after the Wind Spirit disappeared, a stream of pure World Force flooded into his Small Universe.
*Peng peng peng…*
More Wind Spirits popped as half of them soon disappeared.
More World Force gushed into Yang Kai’s Small Universe like a raging storm, leaving him in a state of disbelief.
One day later, the last Wind Spirit was finally burned to death by the Golden Crow’s True Fire. Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief when he saw its figure coming apart.
More than 20 Wind Spirits had been destroyed, and after they disappeared, they left behind a lot of World Force. What was more precious was that the World Force was without any impurities. In other words, anyone could absorb it and turn it into their own capital immediately.
Initially, the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe was severely damaged because of those Wind Spirits; however, now, not only had the losses been made up for, but he had also gained some benefits.
Yang Kai didn’t immediately leave his Small Universe. Instead, he emptied his mind and used his Small Universe to refine the World Force left behind by the deceased Wind Spirits in order to strengthen his heritage.
Time went by slowly.
More than ten days later, on the shattered Spirit Province, Hua Yong, who had been paying close attention to Yang Kai, suddenly called out, “Sect Master is waking up!”
Since Yang Kai brought them to this shattered Spirit Province half a month ago, he had been seated there without moving a muscle. All of them could see that he had lured the Wind Spirits into his own Small Universe, but no one knew what happened next. They had experienced the eeriness and power of the Wind Spirits, so it was expected that the Proprietress and the others were worried.
Upon hearing Hua Yong’s words, the Proprietress immediately turned to look at Yang Kai and realised that he was indeed slowly opening his eyes.
Before she could ask anything, Yang Kai suddenly let out a puff of dark smoke through his mouth.
A shocked the Proprietress hurriedly released her Divine Sense, but she couldn’t identify what the dark smoke was. It seemed to carry a hint of the Wind Spirits’ auras, but it didn’t entirely feel like it either.
In reality, this dark smoke was the same dark smoke released by the Wind Spirits when they were burned by the Golden Crow’s True Fire. Yang Kai had no idea what it was, but he instinctively felt that it would do him more harm than good if he kept it in his Small Universe.
Over the past few days, Yang Kai had been trying to refine the World Force left behind by the deceased Wind Spirits and come up with a way to get rid of the dark smoke. Now, his efforts finally yielded some results.
In the end, it was his Small Universe, so he could easily detect any anomalies, allowing him to disperse the dark smoke with only some effort.
“I’m sorry to make you all wait for such a long time,” Yang Kai got to his feet and said.
The Proprietress asked with concern, “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” Yang Kai shook his head.
In fact, not only was he fine, but he had also attained some immense benefits. It wasn’t certain what those Wind Spirits were, but after they were destroyed by the Golden Crow’s True Fire, they significantly bolstered his strength.
Yang Kai could clearly feel that the heritage of his Small Universe had increased significantly, possibly as much as 100 years of dedicated cultivation would bring him.
He was more than satisfied with this pleasant surprise.
The Proprietress was still doubtful, but upon seeing that his skin was glowing and his aura had become more stable than before, she relaxed slightly.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai turned to look in a particular direction and narrowed his eyes, then exclaimed, “What is that?”
He could see that there was a gigantic tornado that appeared to be several tens of thousands of kilometres wide in the distance. As the tornado swirled around, warping the space surrounding it slightly.
The sight was quite terrifying.
The Proprietress walked up to him and looked in the same direction before explaining, “That’s the Astral Wind’s source.”
A shocked Yang Kai couldn’t believe that he had actually left such a place some time ago, much less that those eerie Wind Spirits could actually be born in such a place.
“The wind…” Yang Kai frowned and fell into his thoughts. For some reason, he could feel a strange and mysterious domain within the tornado.
“It’s a Divine Ability,” the Proprietress said.
Yang Kai gazed at her in shock.
The Proprietress went on to say in a bitter voice, “Trust me. Before you woke up, we had been observing it for quite some time and came to the conclusion that it was once some kind of Divine Ability.”
Yang Kai felt his throat turning dry, “A Divine Ability? Does that mean someone cast it?”
Mao Zhe took a step forward and said with a bitter smile, “Perhaps it’s a Divine Ability left behind by a Great Ancient Expert. Although countless years have passed, it’s still as powerful as ever.”
Yang Kai widened his mouth in disbelief, but the truth was right in front of his eyes, so he had to accept it.
He wouldn’t have figured it out if the Proprietress hadn’t pointed it out. Upon hearing her words though, he could indeed see that it was a Divine Ability cast by someone in an unknown time; however, it continued to exist until this day.
The Divine Ability happened to be located just outside of the Shadowless Cave Heaven’s exit; therefore, right after they left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, they fell into the region this Divine Ability covered.
It seemed to be targeted at the Small Universes of Open Heaven Realm Masters. If one wasn’t careful enough, the Astral Wind would sneak into their body and wipe away their heritage.
This Astral Wind wasn’t the same as the one that gusted into the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Instead, it was a tornado that would endlessly devastate a person’s Small Universe.
Yang Kai wouldn’t dare to think about what would happen if a person was struck by such a Divine Ability.
If such a tornado ravaged his Small Universe, he reckoned that he couldn’t persevere for more than ten breaths.
The Divine Ability never subsided, and as time passed, eerie Wind Spirits were born from it.
Judging from what happened after the death of those Wind Spirits, Yang Kai reckoned that the World Force brought away by the Astral Wind didn’t just disappear; instead, it was brought back to the tornado.
Those Wind Spirits were probably hybrids of the World Force and the Divine Ability’s domain. Over the years, countless Open Heaven Realm Masters had accidentally fallen into the tornado and passed away. Their World Forces were all devoured by the Wind Spirits.
The Shadowless Cave Heaven was a Universe Cave Heaven left behind by a deceased Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it wasn’t supposed to be so desolate. However, due to the Astral Wind’s harassment that took place once a month, the World Force was continuously lost. Furthermore, basically all the Open Heaven Realm Masters were affected by the Astral Wind in the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
The World Force was snatched and brought back to this tornado as it became the nutrients for the Wind Spirits.
Therefore, it could be said that every Wind Spirit contained very ample World Force.
Yang Kai had gained tremendous benefits by destroying those Wind Spirits and obtaining their World Force
As he looked silently at the tornado, he couldn’t help but wonder how many more Wind Spirits there were inside it. The ones he had come across were certainly not all of them. If he rushed into the tornado and lured more Wind Spirits into his body, he could save a lot of time on cultivation.
In that case, he would be able to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm sooner.
Although there was only a difference of one Order between the Seventh Order and the Sixth Order, it was like the gap between the Heavens and Earth. The former was in the High-Rank while the latter was in the Mid-Rank, so they were not comparable at all.
Others might be wary of the Astral Wind, but Yang Kai was able to ward it off, and with his previous experiences, he could handle those Wind Spirits with ease.
Nevertheless, he soon gave up on that idea.
This couldn’t be helped as his strength had increased too quickly recently. Back then, he was forced to ascend to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, then one month later, he made it to the Sixth-Order by consuming a World Fruit. If he still rushed into making an attempt to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, it might cause his Small Universe to become unstable.
After all, the Open Heaven Realm was a process where one had to build up and manage their Small Universe gradually. Sometimes advancing too quickly was a bad thing.
He reckoned that when he was ready one day, he could still come back here and lure those Wind Spirits into his Small Universe in an attempt to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. At the thought of this, Yang Kai set his mind at ease.
“Where are we now?” Yang Kai asked.
The Proprietress replied, “We’re in the Shattered Heaven, but I don’t know our exact location.”
Yang Kai nodded gently, thinking that the Shattered Heaven indeed lived up to its bad reputation. Before coming here, he had heard that this place was paved with danger. He had previously seen some ferocious artifacts that had gained sentience, and now there was this Divine Ability that had persisted across countless eons. No one knew how much more danger they would bump into. If they were not careful enough, they would lose their lives here.
Yang Kai fished out a Universe Chart he had bought in the Shattered Heaven’s Star City, but he soon realised that he still couldn’t identify their location.
Left with no choice, he said, “I guess we’re lost for now. We can only play it by ear.”
No one objected to the suggestion. Regardless of where this was, it was better than staying in the Shadowless Cave Heaven. They had never expected that they would be able to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven in their lifetime, after all.
Yang Kai then fished out the Six Fated Paths Bag and released the 100-plus people he had previously kept inside it. After a brief discussion among the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they headed in a particular direction.
They came across a lot of danger on the road, most of which did not come with a warning. Although the 10 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been vigilant, they still suffered damage on several occasions.
More than 200 cultivators had left the Shadowless Cave Heaven with Yang Kai, 20 or so were killed by the Wind Spirits, and half a year later, only roughly 140 people were left. Other than the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who were still fine, basically everyone else had suffered some degree of injury.
This just went to show how dangerous the Shattered Heaven was.
Over the past six months, the group did not just travel in the same direction. Instead, they would change course from time to time.
Unfortunately, after such a long time had passed, they still hadn’t encountered anyone, which made it impossible for them to identify their location.
Another six months later, Yang Kai, who was in the lead, suddenly looked in a particular direction for a moment. Then, he became elated and exclaimed, “There’s movement over there!”
Upon finishing his words, he charged forward.
The people behind him became energised as well and hurriedly followed after him.
A moment later, they saw some flashes of light in front of their eyes and felt some energy fluctuations coming from up ahead. Apparently, some people were fighting.
As they got closer, Yang Kai realised that there were two Open Heaven Realm Masters engaged in a life-and-death battle. It wasn’t certain why they got into a scuffle, but the battle was quite intense.
Both of these two were powerful Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. It wasn’t certain how long the battle had lasted, but their auras were pretty weak and they were practically covered in wounds and blood.
While they were trying to hack each other to death though, the two men sensed something and turned to look at Yang Kai. The next moment, their expressions changed drastically as they separated and drew back.
A short time later, Yang Kai stopped in a spot that wasn’t far away from them.
When the two men saw the group of people behind Yang Kai, they sported solemn expressions. As they exchanged glances, they subconsciously moved closer to one another.
Regardless of the cultivation of these people, they couldn’t possibly go up against so many on their own. Although they were just fighting a life-and-death battle earlier, they were at least familiar with one another. Compared to these strangers, they would rather trust the party they knew.
Noticing their vigilance and hostility, Yang Kai put on a friendly smile and cupped his fist, “Please excuse us. We just happened to pass by this place, and we mean no harm.”
The man on the left shot Yang Kai a glance with distrust, then asked with a frown, “What do you want?”
Yang Kai replied, “We were previously trapped inside a perilous place, and it took us years before we finally managed to escape. Unfortunately, we’ve become lost so we don’t know how to get to the Shattered Heaven’s Star City. Would you be so kind as to point the way for us?”
The two men were astounded as they were wondering why such a large group of people had approached them all of a sudden, but it turned out that these people were just looking for directions.
The man who spoke earlier pointed in a particular direction and said, “If you want to head to the Star City, move in that direction. You’ll reach it in half a month.”
Yang Kai looked in the same direction and nodded gently, “Many thanks. Sorry for disturbing you.”
Following that, he flew off in the direction the man had pointed out, followed by the rest of the group which soon disappeared into the distance.
The two men, who were engaged in an intense battle just a moment ago, traded glances, feeling at a loss.
After this farce, they were no longer determined to kill each other. Furthermore, they were equally matched to begin with, so if they kept on fighting, both parties would end up severely wounded at best.
Now that they had been interrupted, they no longer had the heart to keep fighting. After cursing at one another, they turned into rays of light and charged in different directions.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai and the others were moving in the direction they were pointed at full speed. As expected, the further they went, the more cultivators they came across. These people had obviously just left the Shattered Heaven’s Star City.
Regardless of who they were though, these people would always run away when they saw such a large group of Open Heaven Realm Masters approaching. Countless people were killed or robbed in Shattered Heaven every day. If a person was killed in this place, no one would seek justice for them.
Half a month later, the Shattered Heaven’s Star City came into sight.
The people behind Yang Kai started cheering; the Shi Brothers were especially loud. When these cultivators saw the Star City, their eyes became reddened and moist, as though they had just been reborn.
Previously, they had accidentally fallen into the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and they thought that they would never be able to leave. It never crossed their minds that they would have a chance to return to the 3,000 Worlds one day.
Many of their companions had lost their lives along the way here, so it felt amazing to have come back alive.
Soon, they charged into the Star City. As they watched the cultivators who were moving around, the stalls on the streets, and the disorderly buildings, they felt a sense of cordiality. The sight before their eyes was never seen in the Shadowless Cave Heaven after all.
Even Mao Zhe and the other Mountain Lords were moved.
Then, they checked into an inn and had a bath to wash away the dirt on their bodies.
Following that, Hua Yong took out some money to hold a banquet for the companions who had left the Shadowless Cave Heaven together. At that instant, the inn’s lobby was crammed with people.
Over 140 people were divided among more than ten tables. Yang Kai and the other Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were seated together while the rest of them crowded around with their friends as they chatted and drank. The place was bustling with noise.
Meanwhile, many Open Heaven Realm Masters, in groups or as individuals, came over and proposed a toast to Yang Kai, thanking him for helping them to escape the Shadowless Cave Heaven and return to the 3,000 Worlds.
An easy-going Yang Kai didn’t turn down anyone and soon became tipsy.
A while later, Hua Yong asked the Shi Brothers, “What are your future plans?”
Presently, Shi Shan was gnawing on the thigh of some kind of roast beast, and his lips were covered in grease, so upon hearing Hua Yong’s question, he took a large swig of alcohol and asked back, “What do you mean?”
Hua Yong said with a helpless smile, “Since you’ve left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, you’ll need to look for a place to stay. It’s not like you’ll just keep wandering around, right?”
The Shi Brothers were astounded upon hearing that as they traded glances for a moment. Then, Shi Shan scratched his head and said, “That’s right. What should we do next?”
Shi Qiu said in a muffled voice, “You’re the Big Brother, so I’ll listen to you.”
On the side, Shi Yue nodded repeatedly.
Shi Shan batted his eyes, then looked smilingly at Hua Yong, “What about you two? What are your plans?”
Hua Yong replied with a smile, “My Wife and I joined Void Land, and thanks to the Sect Master Yang, we’ve been promoted to the position of Elders.” Then, he took a glance at Mao Zhe, “Brother Mao and them should have done the same.”
“You decided to join Void Land?” Shi Shan stared at Mao Zhe in shock.
A silent Mao Zhe sported a wry smile.
As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he wouldn’t have joined Void Land if he wasn’t restricted by the Loyalty List. Even if he willingly decided to join, he was supposed to be an Elder just like Hua Yong, but now, they were just Yang Kai’s subordinates and couldn’t even control whether they lived or died. They were practically servants.
Hua Yong promptly said to the Shi Brothers, “We all owe the Sect Master a life-saving grace. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have a chance to leave the Shadowless Cave Heaven. Since we’ve now gained a second chance at life, we should repay his favour. We all occupied different territories in the Shadowless Cave Heaven; however, since we’ve left, why don’t you also join Void Land? Given our friendship over the years, we can take care of each other in the future. What do you think?”
The Shi Brothers fell silent upon hearing that.
A moment later, Shi Qiu said in a small voice, “Big Brother, why don’t we join Void Land as well?”
Shi Shan furrowed his brow, “If we join Sect Master Yang’s great force, we’ll be under his control. What if he doesn’t allow us to drink wine and eat meat? It certainly doesn’t feel as great as having our own territory.”
Shi Yue dipped his head, “Big Brother is right.”
Shi Shan said, “We can join forces and venture into the outside world. I don’t believe we’ll fare poorly. It’s better than getting bossed around by someone else. When we manage to make a name for ourselves, we can do whatever we want.”
Their voices were neither loud nor small, so the Open Heaven Realm Masters at the scene were able to hear them.
Seeing that the brothers were not willing to join Void Land, Hua Yong was ready to keep persuading them when Yang Kai raised his hand to stop him, “Just let the Shi Brothers do whatever they want. This Yang wishes all the best for your future.”
Shi Shan gazed at Yang Kai with a grin, “We’ll venture into the outside world for now. If we really can’t make a name for ourselves, we’ll come join you.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Good. The doors of Void Land are always open for you.”
These Sixth-Order brothers were triplets who had mastered a profound Combination Technique. When they joined forces, they would be far more powerful than an ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If they could join Void Land, the great force’s collective power would increase tremendously.
With that said, before Yang Kai even left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he had subdued the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain, and then Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan requested to join Void Land. It could be said that he had gained some handsome benefits by acquiring five more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters for Void Land.
Since the Shi Brothers were not willing to work under him, Yang Kai naturally wouldn’t force them.
Then, Yang Kai looked around and declared openly, “If any one of you is willing to join Void Land, this Yang will welcome you. If you have somewhere else to go, this Yang will wish you all the best. Since we’ve overcome a great life-or-death crisis together and finally left the Shadowless Cave Heaven together, we’re practically friends now. If you’re willing to join Void Land, this Yang will not mistreat you!” Then, he picked up his cup and continued, “This Yang will propose a toast to all of you. Let’s drink to all our futures!”
Following that, these Open Heaven Realm Masters rose from the chairs and picked up their cups, their gazes filled with gratitude and admiration.
When they were done with the wine in their cups, they took a seat again as the lobby once again became bustling.
After finishing up the ample meal, they returned to their own rooms and took some rest.
However, Yang Kai was unable to get any sleep as some people would knock on his door and express their willingness to join Void Land from time to time. These cultivators had been trapped inside the Shadowless Cave Heaven for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Although they had returned to the outside world, most had no place to go.
They were grateful that Yang Kai had brought them out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven, and since he was the Sect Master of Void Land, they were more than happy to side with him.
Just like what Yang Kai had said, they had experienced life-and-death moments together, so they knew they would not be mistreated. Furthermore, the three Mountain Lords of Profound Yang Mountain and the Island Masters of Twin Spirit Island had joined Void Land, so regardless of what Void Land was like in the past, it would have a bright future since so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters belonged to it now.
Yang Kai didn’t turn anyone down who came into his room as he happily agreed to let them join.
Void Land was unlike other great forces as it was founded not long ago, so they didn’t have enough time to nurture their own young cultivators. What’s more, it was hard for the people from the Shadowless Cave Heaven to join other great forces as their loyalty wasn’t guaranteed.
However, since Void Land was in the midst of rapid development, Yang Kai desperately needed more Masters to help support it. It wouldn’t be too late to think about other issues when everything was settled in Void Land.
Looking at it from another perspective, the cultivators who joined now could grow with Void Land, and as time passed, they would eventually develop a sense of belonging, so their loyalty wouldn’t be an issue in the long run.
Two days later, the Shi Brothers bid Yang Kai farewell. Since they had decided to venture into the outside world, they wouldn’t want to stay here too long. They had loitered in the desolate Shadowless Cave Heaven for far too long, so they yearned to explore the wonders of the outside world.
When Yang Kai saw them off, he realized that the Shi Brothers had many of the people from Unrivalled Guild with them. There were also some people who were originally from Profound Yang Mountain.
The Shi Brothers had been the Chiefs of Unrivalled Guild for many years, so although they were rather muscle-brained, they were indeed powerful and had their own charisma. Since they did have some influence, it was expected that some people were willing to follow them.
As for the people who were originally from Profound Yang Mountain, they were probably wary of Mao Zhe and the other Mountain Lords. After all, following Profound Yang Mountain’s demise, they immediately sided with the other two great forces, which practically meant that they had abandoned their old Leaders. Now that Mao Zhe and the others had joined Void Land, these people didn’t have the nerve to side with Yang Kai, so they had no choice but to leave with the Shi Brothers.
About half of the over 140 people left, so roughly 70 remained.
Yang Kai wasn’t in a rush to leave the Shattered Heaven’s Star City though and instead cultivated in this place for half a month. Although the Shattered Heaven’s Star City was dilapidated, it was also filled with good things. Countless cultivators moved around this place every day and many of them were able to bring back rare resources from the depths of the Shattered Heaven.
Yang Kai initially intended to buy some cultivation resources, but his attempts were ultimately in vain. This couldn’t be helped as the things in this place were quite expensive, almost two times the average price in the outside world.
More importantly, he couldn’t find the things he really needed.
Since he was now a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the fastest way for him to cultivate was to refine Sixth-Order materials. After his conversation with Chef some time ago, Yang Kai learned that he had to refine full sets of materials to properly increase the heritage of his Small Universe.
He had more than enough materials for the Five Elements, but he lacked Sixth-Order Yin-Yang materials as these things were truly rare.
As for Fifth-Order materials, he didn’t need to buy them. With the Gourd Vine in Void Land, complete sets of Yin, Yang, and Five Element materials were produced every month, so the supply was basically infinite.
Half a month later, a ship departed from the Shattered Heaven’s Star City. The ship was bought by Yang Kai and while its defensive and offensive strength weren’t particularly outstanding, it was pretty spacious as it could comfortably accommodate 200 people, so the 70 or so aboard had more than enough space to move around.
Since the route had been mapped out, someone just needed to drive the ship forward while Yang Kai found a room and cultivated in seclusion.
The view in the void alternated between surreal and desolate as time went by slowly.
One month later, the ship suddenly shook. Hua Yong knocked on the door and said, “Sect Master, we’ve arrived at the first destination according to your plan.”
[We’ve arrived? That was quick.]
Yang Kai opened his eyes and left the room. After nodding at Hua Yong, he walked towards the deck.
He looked into the distance and saw a Spirit Province that was full of World Energy hovering in the void. A thick layer of fog surrounded the Spirit Province and one could faintly see some beautiful buildings and splendid mountains through the mist.
Some figures left the cabin as Mao Zhe and the other Mountain Lords stood behind Yang Kai and looked into the distance.
Mao Zhe narrowed his eyes and asked, “Is this Void Land?”
Although the place looked average, it had the scale and ambience of a Second Class great force. With that said, it wasn’t very impressive.
“It’s not Void Land.” Yang Kai shook his head.
Mao Zhe was confused. What was this place if it wasn’t Void Land? He had just left the Shadowless Cave Heaven, so he was unable to identify the location without a Universe Chart.
As they spoke, the Proprietress led Chef and Accountant to the deck. Hearing the noise, Yang Kai turned around and walked over, “Why are you here, Proprietress?”
The Proprietress shot him a glance and frowned, “What are you trying to do?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “You know full well what I’m trying to do.”
The Proprietress furrowed her brows and parted her lips, “I was just spouting nonsense since I was infuriated at that time. Many years have passed, so let’s just put it behind us.”
Yang Kai shook his head, “Although many years have passed, you’ll be restricted by your oath if it is not resolved, meaning you won’t be able to make it to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm in your lifetime…” He paused for a moment, then asked, “Are you worried that there will be too many casualties?”
She said with a conflicted expression before she sighed, “There must be some innocents. Once a war breaks out, many people will lose their lives.”
After a moment of silence, Yang Kai said, “I’ll try to limit the casualties then.” Seeing that she was about to keep dissuading him, he cut her off by saying, “Your heart demon oath must be resolved. Furthermore, when Heavenly Sword Union made things difficult for me in the past, they also participated. Since they have the guts to invade Void Land, they must be ready to pay the price!”
Seeing that he was determined, the Proprietress let out a sigh and stopped trying to dissuade him.
On the other hand, Chef and Accountant rolled up their sleeves as they realised Yang Kai’s intention.
Hua Yong and the others were puzzled, not knowing what they were talking about.
Mao Zhe secretly spoke to Hua Yong, who replied, “I have no idea either. We’ve come to this place according to the route that Sect Master mapped out. The place in front of us is apparently called Boundless Altar.”
A glint flashed through Mao Zhe’s eyes as he darted his gaze between Yang Kai and Boundless Altar. At the same time, he paid a silent tribute to those from Boundless Altar for a moment.
The people from Boundless Altar must have offended this walking disaster; otherwise, Yang Kai wouldn’t have directly come all the way here after leaving the Shadowless Cave Heaven.
Boundless Altar was doomed.
A top Second Class great force was usually managed by one or two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters at most; however, there wasn’t a lack of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on this ship as there were seven of them in total. No Second Class great force in the world was able to go up against such a lineup.
As they spoke, the ship continued moving towards the Spirit Province.
In just one hour, they arrived at the periphery of the Spirit Province.
As they got closer, they could see the view in the Spirit Province clearer. They saw that many people were moving around in Boundless Altar. Rays of light could be seen flying between the magnificent Spirit Peaks. There were also a lot of exotic beasts that flew through the air.
The ship was neither small nor big, but as it navigated through the void, it was still pretty conspicuous.
The guards around Boundless Altar had noticed the ship some time ago, and seeing that it was directly coming at them, they immediately sent a message to their higher-ups.
Soon, a figure shot out from one of the Spirit Peaks in Boundless Altar. Hovering within the coverage of the Grand Array, he looked intently into the sky.
What came into his sight shocked him, for he could see a lot of people on the ship. Due to the distance and the fact that these people weren’t releasing their auras, he wasn’t able to discern their cultivations; however, he had a feeling that those people were ill-intentioned.
Hence, he bellowed, “This is Boundless Altar! Who goes there?”
His loud voice reverberated across the void.
The ship didn’t seem to have any intention to stop and simply charged towards Boundless Altar.
The person’s expression changed. As a beam of light flashed across his fingers, he sent a message to some people. The next moment, the Grand Array lit up.
With a dispassionate expression, Yang Kai lifted his hand and forcefully brought it down.
Seeing that, Hua Yong and the others immediately made a move as well.
In an instant, a crack appeared in the Grand Array around Boundless Altar and the ship directly flew inside.
On the deck, Yang Kai’s clothes flapped in the wind as he shouted, “Void Land’s Yang Kai has come!”
Yang Kai’s thunderous voice spread across the entire Boundless Altar. In an instant, the World shook as countless eyes looked in the direction where the voice came from.
Most of the cultivators in Boundless Altar were puzzled as they had never heard of Void Land or Yang Kai before. That was because they were weak and they had rarely stepped out of Boundless Altar. Despite that, they could still clearly sense the hostility in the person’s voice, so they leaped into the air and charged in a particular direction.
On the other hand, a small number of people had their expressions change drastically as their gazes were filled with horror.
Although Void Land wasn’t a household name as it wasn’t comparable to the Cave Heavens and Paradises, it was still a rising Star in recent years.
This great force was rising at an unprecedented speed.
The long-lost legendary Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills were found in the Star City of that great force, which drew the attention of other great forces from all over the 3,000 Worlds.
Before that, the Hundred Sects Alliance, led by Heavenly Sword Union, invaded Void Land, but after the battle, the alliance was defeated, and even the Union Master of Heavenly Sword Union, Kong Feng, was executed on the battlefield.
More importantly, Boundless Altar was a part of that alliance, and they had suffered immense losses. Great Elder Ling Chun Qiu and a number of other Open Heaven Realm Masters were killed in Void Land, leaving no corpses behind.
Initially, Boundless Altar and Void Land had no contact with one another; after all, they were separated by several Great Territories, and they had no relationships of any kind. However, since the incident of the Hundred Sects Alliance, grudges had been formed between both parties.
Certainly, those from Boundless Altar were heartbroken at the fact that Ling Chun Qiu and the others were killed. Even though Boundless Altar was considered a Second Class great force, its heritage was weak. A Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was an important pillar in their great force, so Ling Chun Qiu’s death did have some negative impact on Boundless Altar.
Nevertheless, there was nothing they could do about it. The idea of avenging Ling Chun Qiu’s death never crossed their minds as the Hundred Sects Alliance was defeated and nearly wiped out, so how could Boundless Altar achieve anything on its own?
Rather than them looking for revenge, they had to consider themselves lucky if the other party didn’t come seeking trouble.
It could be said that all the great forces that besieged Void Land at that time shared the same sentiment. Recently, they had been hiding inside their great forces and doing their own things as they were afraid that those from Void Land would retaliate against them one day.
Those from Boundless Altar had never expected that Yang Kai would arrive at their great force and directly break their Grand Array!
Boundless Altar was considered a well-established Second Class great force with a few tens of thousands of years of heritage. Supposedly, its Grand Array shouldn’t be so fragile to be broken with only one move. The reason this was happening was that none of them had expected that there was such a reckless person in the world who would directly barge into their Headquarters without even giving a warning.
The Grand Array wasn’t even fully activated when a crack was opened in it, which allowed Void Land’s ship to enter.
Furthermore, five Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had made a move at the same time, so regardless of how sturdy the Grand Array of Boundless Altar was, it could never endure the bombardment from so many powerful Masters. Even if it was fully operational, it would only have been a matter of time before it was destroyed.
Even the Nine Heavenly Layers was broken through once, to say nothing of the fact that the Grand Array in this place was significantly weaker than the Nine Heavenly Layers.
After moving through the crack, the ship silently hovered in the air with Yang Kai standing on the deck and looking down coldly at those below.
The person who came from the Spirit Peak turned pale and stared solemnly at Yang Kai as he asked, “Are you Void Land’s Sect Master Yang?”
Yang Kai looked condescendingly at him, “Who are you?”
The person cupped his fist and replied in a bitter voice, “Altar Master of Boundless Altar, Yuchi Cheng Zhou. Please forgive me for not greeting Your Excellency earlier as I was unaware of your arrival.”
Yang Kai arched his brow, “You’re the Altar Master of Boundless Altar?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou dipped his head, “Yes.”
Yang Kai sized him up, and judging from the faint fluctuations coming from his body, he should be a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Yang Kai thought that Boundless Altar was pretty weak as the Altar Master was only a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Since the increase in his strength, the height of Yang Kai’s vision had also grown significantly. Before going to the Shadowless Cave Heaven, he was still immensely pressured when he was faced with a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. When he was returning to the Star Boundary back then, he was completely powerless to resist someone like Hei He. In the end, he had to use a precious Mid-Rank World Fruit to help Lu Xue ascend from the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Fifth-Order so that she would have the power to fight back against Hei He and eventually subdue him.
Now, he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who had defeated Mao Zhe, a peak Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Numerous Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were also killed by him before; therefore, Yang Kai’s attitude was now different when he was faced with someone like Yuchi Cheng Zhou.
It had only been a short time since he arrived in the 3,000 Worlds, and he hadn’t come into contact with a lot of great forces, so he wasn’t aware that this was actually the norm amongst Second Class great forces.
According to the classification of great forces in the 3,000 Worlds, any place with Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters assuming command could claim to be Second Class. If a Sect had several Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, their heritage could be considered impressive. Some of the Second Class great forces only had Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters leading them. Although they were also Second Class great forces, they didn’t have the scale and power to match. Such great forces were actually found everywhere.
After sweeping a glance over Yuchi Cheng Zhou, Yang Kai asked, “Do you know an old fart named Ling Chun Qiu?”
Upon hearing that, Yuchi Cheng Zhou sported a bitter expression, knowing that his biggest fear had come to haunt him. When he heard Yang Kai mentioning his great force earlier, he knew that he was in trouble. It was apparent that those from Void Land were here to retaliate against them; therefore, at the mention of Ling Chun Qiu, he knew that his speculation was right.
He couldn’t help but secretly curse at Ling Chun Qiu for offending Void Land for no reason. Heavenly Sword Union’s Kong Feng had some ulterior motive for heading to Void Land, so it wasn’t necessary for Ling Chun Qiu to butt into that affair. Boundless Altar had nothing to do with Heavenly Sword Union to begin with, so they didn’t need to join forces with the latter.
Now that Yang Kai had stormed into Boundless Altar, how were they supposed to deal with him?
Yuchi Cheng Zhou said in a helpless voice, “To be honest with you, Sect Master Yang, Ling Chun Qiu is the Great Elder of Boundless Altar. He left with some people a few years ago, and he has gone missing since then. Why did you mention him all of a sudden? Have you come across him somewhere?”
It wasn’t like he could say he had no idea who Ling Chun Qiu was. As the Great Elder, Ling Chun Qiu held an important position in the Sect. It would be insincere if he said he didn’t know him. Now, he could only try to separate Boundless Altar from the feud so that they would be able to avoid calamity.
As for avenging Ling Chun Qiu’s death, he wouldn’t even dare to think about it. He had seen the people on the ship making a move earlier. There were five Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so they could easily destroy the entire Boundless Altar.
“He went missing?” Yang Kai sneered, “Is that really the case?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he nodded, “I wouldn’t dare to lie to you, Sect Master Yang. Please understand.”
As they spoke, the cultivators from Boundless Altar were flying over from different directions. They still had no idea what was going on when they stood behind Yuchi Cheng Zhou. However, upon seeing that the Altar Master was quite anxious, they realised that they were in a perilous situation, so they sported solemn expressions.
Yang Kai stared seriously at Yuchi Cheng Zhou for a moment before he nodded gently, “I’ll take your word for it. Since you don’t know where Ling Chun Qiu is, I’ll tell you now. That old dog brought some people to invade Void Land, and he was killed by me for his transgression.”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou pretended to be shocked as he exclaimed, “Why would he do something so foolish!?”
Yang Kai stared at him and felt disgusted, thinking that the Altar Master could indeed put on a good show.
A frustrated Yuchi Cheng Zhou said, “The Great Elder was old, and he sometimes made rash decisions. A few years ago, he was pretty dejected over something, so he decided to go out and travel. He hasn’t returned since then. We all thought that he was cultivating in seclusion somewhere, but we never expected that he had made such a huge mistake.” Following that, he bowed deeply at Yang Kai, “Please forgive him, Sect Master Yang. He has paid the ultimate price for the mistake since he was killed. I hope you will not try to settle accounts with him now.”
There was a devious smile on Yang Kai’s face as he said, “Why would I settle accounts with a dead person?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou’s expression changed. Yang Kai’s words suggested that he was going to settle accounts with those who were living instead. Knowing that the crisis was unavoidable, Yuchi Cheng Zhou secretly sighed and cupped his fist, “Regardless of his reasons, Ling Chun Qiu was the Great Elder of Boundless Altar. As he has offended Sect Master Yang and Void Land, we’ll have to bear some responsibility. Since you’ve come all the way here, we’re willing to pay a price in the hope of appeasing your wrath. Please give us a chance to live!”
After he finished speaking, the people behind him appeared vexed. No one would feel pleased when they had to act so subservient in their own Headquarters; however, none of them dared to express their fury. The Altar Master’s obsequious behaviour suggested the other party was too formidable. If they got into a conflict, Boundless Altar would suffer a huge loss.
“It’s surprising to know that you’re such a sensible person, Altar Master Yuchi.” Yang Kai looked meaningfully at him.
He was initially filled with murderous intent as he was ready to help the Proprietress vent her anger here, but was rendered almost speechless by Yuchi Cheng Zhou’s eloquence.
Since the other party was acting so polite, his murderous intent subsided.
With a lowered gaze, Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before declaring, “Since you’re willing to offer some compensation, Altar Master Yuchi, we can certainly talk it out.”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, “What demands do you have, Sect Master Yang?”
Yang Kai replied dispassionately, “When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, I declared in front of Ling Chun Qiu and all others present to hear that not only would I kill them, but I would also wipe out the Sects behind them, down to the last chicken and dog.”
He had indeed said such a thing to both Ling Chun Qiu and Qi Jin at that time.
The expressions of Yuchi Cheng Zhou and the cultivators from Boundless Altar changed drastically upon hearing that.
Yang Kai’s cold voice went on to reverberate as he continued, “This King initially intended to honour those words; however, since you’re such a reasonable man, this King will give you two choices. Do you want me to destroy the Sect or kill everyone here?”
Was there a difference between the two options? It seemed that this matter couldn’t be resolved peacefully.
Yuchi Cheng Zhou sported a dark expression as he said in a grim voice, “Sect Master Yang, we’re willing to appease you, so why do you insist on acting ruthlessly?”
Yang Kai snorted, “When the Hundred Sects Alliance invaded Void Land, no one forced you all to join. Since you’ve committed the act, you must pay the price. One’s mistakes must be paid for in kind.”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou said after a sigh, “I’m the Altar Master of Boundless Altar. I’m already embarrassed that I’m not able to make the Sect thrive, but the foundation of several tens of thousands of years cannot be destroyed on my watch. If you’re so relentless, Sect Master Yang, don’t blame us for offending you.”
“You’re courting death,” Yang Kai’s eyes were filled with coldness, “You’re fully aware that all of you can’t go up against this King.”
Hua Yong, who was standing behind him, wore a menacing expression. He had just joined Void Land, so he desperately needed a chance to prove his worth. If a battle broke out, he would be the first to charge forward.
Yuchi Cheng Zhou said in a grim voice, “Everyone dies eventually, the only difference is how soon it happens. Since the Great Elder made a mistake, we can’t blame you for coming over to hold us accountable; however, there are no cowards in Boundless Altar. We shall live and die together with Boundless Altar!”
The cultivators behind him appeared incensed as they shouted, “Live and die together with Boundless Altar!”
Following some whooshing sounds, the auras of these Open Heaven Realm Masters spread around as the World Forces undulated.
A moved Yang Kai swept a glance over these cultivators and secretly sighed. Was this the heritage of a Sect that had been in existence for several tens of thousands of years? Although they were lacking in strength, their sense of belonging and loyalty to their Sect was far greater than those of younger great forces. Even though these people were all aware that they would lose their lives in this battle, they still refused to back down.
Many appeared terrified, but no one was willing to take a step back.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Since you’ve made such a decision, this King will stop persuading you. On the road to the Yellow Springs, at least you won’t be lonely.”
He was determined to destroy Boundless Altar as this was related to the Proprietress’ heart demon oath, so there was no turning back. Although he respected their loyalty to their Sect, that wouldn’t stop him from demolishing Boundless Altar.
Anyone who stood in the way of his Martial Dao would be killed. Having made up his mind, Yang Kai raised his hand and was about to order his people to attack when suddenly he turned to stare at the deepest part of Boundless Altar and exclaimed.
Mao Zhe and the others also sensed something as they looked in the same direction.
A powerful aura seemed to have awakened in that place. Although the aura was only faintly exposed, it revealed that the owner was extraordinary.
There was actually a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in Boundless Altar!
The revelation surprised Yang Kai. When he saw that Yuchi Cheng Zhou was only in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he thought that Boundless Altar was pretty weak. It wasn’t until this moment that he realised he had underestimated the heritage of a Sect that had been in existence for over 10,000 years.
It wasn’t that they didn’t have a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; the person just didn’t want to reveal himself. If it weren’t for Yang Kai and his group preparing to make their move, this person wouldn’t have exposed himself at all.
The ample aura suggested that the person’s cultivation was truly incredible.
Upon sensing the aura, Yuchi Cheng Zhou and the others looked in that direction and exclaimed, “Old Ancestor!”
Just then, an old voice was heard coming from that direction. It seemed that he hadn’t spoken for a long time, so his voice sounded hoarse, “Little Friend, will you please listen to this Old Master first?”
Yang Kai gazed in that direction as a glint flashed through his eyes. It was as though he was able to see across space and find out the person’s whereabouts. Then, he said impassively, “Is there any advice you’d like to give me, Old Sir?”
The person replied, “I wouldn’t dare to give you any advice. I just hope that you’ll come here and have a talk with me, Little Friend.”
After giving it a thought, Yang Kai nodded, “En.”
Then, he turned his head and ordered, “All of you, wait for me here.”
A worried Hua Yong said, “Sect Master, do you want me to go with you?”
“There’s no need for that,” Yang Kai waved his hand and took a step forward. After he left the ship, his figure flickered and disappeared.
All of them looked in the direction where the old voice came from. Yuchi Cheng Zhou and the others appeared ardent, as though they were hoping that their Old Ancestor would be able to solve this issue for them.
Mao Zhe, who had remained silent for a long time, suddenly said, “This Old Sir from your Sect is about to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, right?”
He too was at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm as he was just one step away from the Seventh-Order; therefore, he was especially sensitive to this person’s aura. However, he had suffered some losses in the Shadowless Cave Heaven some time ago. Although he had returned to the 3,000 Worlds, it would take him a long time before he could restore his lost strength.
Yuchi Cheng Zhou replied, “Old Ancestor has been cultivating in seclusion for 800 years. I have no idea about his current cultivation.”
Mao Zhe sneered, “Do you think your Old Ancestor can make him leave?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou turned to look at Mao Zhe, who then snorted, “You’re too naive.”
He didn’t explain anything after finishing his words. No one could understand how horrendous Yang Kai was until they fought him head-on. Before coming across Yang Kai, Mao Zhe believed that no one under the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm was a match for him. There might be a small number of people who were as powerful as he was at most; after all, he was already at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Nevertheless, after one encounter with Yang Kai, he realised that there was always someone out there who was stronger.
That guy was no different from a monster as he had condensed numerous High-Rank Elements. Although Yang Kai was just a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Mao Zhe speculated that his power was actually approaching the Seventh-Order.
He wasn’t certain about the power of this Old Ancestor from Boundless Altar, but he was sure that this old man was no match for Yang Kai.
He was at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he had suffered a loss at Yang Kai’s hands. Now that another person of the same calibre was about to experience the same, Mao Zhe couldn’t help but take pleasure in the other party’s misfortune. If he was the only one who had suffered from this kind of setback, it would be too sad.
No one knew what Yang Kai and Boundless Altar’s Old Ancestor talked about and they couldn’t even detect any energy fluctuations coming from them, but two hours later, a figure shot out from the deepest part of Boundless Altar.
The person was clad in a grey robe that matched his hair and beard. With his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura, it was apparent that he was Boundless Altar’s Old Ancestor.
Yuchi Cheng Zhou and the others flew over as they cupped their fists as they bowed, “Old Ancestor!”
The Old Ancestor took a glance at them and declared, “All of you, order the disciples to pack up now. We will leave within one hour!”
“Old Ancestor!” Yuchi Cheng Zhou’s pupils contracted as he couldn’t believe what he had just heard, but when he caught a glimpse of the blood at the corner of the Old Ancestor’s mouth, he exclaimed, “You’re injured?”
The Old Ancestor wasn’t willing to delve into this topic as he simply waved his hand, “Do it now.”
Certainly, Yuchi Cheng Zhou wouldn’t dare to disobey. After taking a glance at the place where the Old Ancestor cultivated in seclusion, he clenched his teeth and cupped his fist, “Yes.”
Then, the order was passed on to everyone. Soon, the entire Boundless Altar was bustling with noise as the disciples quickly packed up as many things as they could.
One hour later, thousands of Boundless Altar’s members gathered together in the same place. Many of them hadn’t figured out what was going on. They just heard that a person named Yang Kai from a force called Void Land suddenly barged into their home and then they were ordered to leave.
The Old Ancestor swept a glance over Boundless Altar’s foundation that had stood strong for several tens of thousands of years. Although he was reluctant, he still turned his head and cupped his fist at Hua Yong and the others, “Please tell your Sect Master that this Old Master has complied with his demand and hope he gives us a chance to survive.”
Hua Yong nodded his head, “Don’t worry. My Sect Master is a righteous person who won’t kill others unnecessarily.”
It was then that the Old Ancestor nodded and cupped his fist again, “Farewell!”
Then, he turned around and led the thousands of Boundless Altar’s members to leap into the sky, soon disappearing.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters aboard Yang Kai’s ship exchanged puzzled glances.
They initially thought that a battle was inevitable. Many of them had even rolled up their sleeves as they wanted to prove their worth to Yang Kai. It never crossed their minds that the matter would be settled in such a way.
They wondered what Yang Kai had discussed with or done to Boundless Altar’s Old Ancestor that made the latter easily give up his Sect’s foundation.
Although they had no idea what had happened, they were certain that the Old Ancestor had suffered a loss at Yang Kai’s hands.
Outside Boundless Altar, Yuchi Cheng Zhou and the others appeared humiliated as they followed behind their Old Ancestor. Although there were many people, none of them said anything, which made the atmosphere quite gloomy.
All of a sudden, the Old Ancestor, who was leading the way, sprayed out a mouthful of blood which quickly boiled and evaporated in a horrifying display.
“Old Ancestor!” Yuchi Cheng Zhou quickly flew over.
The Old Ancestor waved his hand with a dejected expression, “It’s true that there will always be young and talented people to replace the old. Such power at such a young age. Incredible!”
An embarrassed Yuchi Cheng Zhou said, “Forgive this Junior for being so useless, dragging Old Ancestor into this mess. Our 10,000 years foundation was lost at my hands. Please punish me!”
The Old Ancestor shook his head, “It’s not your fault. Moreover, as long as the people of Boundless Altar still live, our inheritance will never truly be lost. There are countless Spirit Provinces in the 3,000 Worlds, so why should we worry about not rising again?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou felt crestfallen as the Old Ancestor consoled him.
The Old Ancestor took a deep breath to suppress the weltering vitality in his chest, then asked, “What is the background of Void Land? Why do they hold a grudge against us?”
Yuchi Cheng Zhou then reported to him the incident of the Hundred Sects Alliance invading Void Land.
The Second Elder provided some additional information once the Sect Master was finished, “Old Ancestor, I heard Great Elder mention that he held some grudges against a woman named Lan You Ruo. At that time, he joined forces with the leader of Golden Rainbow Province, Qi Jin, and ambushed that woman. The reason he took part in that alliance was that Void Land has some kind of close relationship with Lan You Ruo. He was trying to lure them out so that he could destroy them once and for all.”
“Golden Rainbow Province?” Old Ancestor arched his brow upon hearing that.
“Yes.” The Second Elder bowed his head.
Yuchi Cheng Zhou said, “It seems that those from Void Land are trying to settle accounts. That’s why they invaded Boundless Altar today. I guess Golden Rainbow Province won’t be able to avoid this calamity either.”
A glint flashed through the Old Ancestor’s eyes as he said, “Get someone to head to Golden Rainbow Province and tell them what happened here today.”
A shocked Yuchi Cheng Zhou said, “Old Ancestor, we’re neither family or friends with Golden Rainbow Province, so why should we inform them about it?” It wasn’t that he wanted to take pleasure in Golden Rainbow Province’s pending misfortune, he just didn’t find it necessary to inform them about it.
“Those from Void Land were determined to destroy Boundless Altar, and this Old Master is too weak to repel them; however, perhaps there are others who can teach them a lesson in our place.”
The fact that Boundless Altar was destroyed was definitely an irresolvable blood feud; however, he was unable to get his revenge since he wasn’t strong enough. He had no choice but to remain silent about it. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t mind seeing those from Void Land suffer some losses or even lose some lives.
Since the Old Ancestor had given the order, they wouldn’t dare to disobey him despite the fact that they were puzzled. The Second Elder offered to do it and left the team before heading towards Golden Rainbow Province.
The other party might not believe them if the messenger wasn’t of some importance and since Great Elder Ling Chun Qiu had lost his life in Void Land, the Second Elder was the best suited to do this job.
After taking a look in the direction of the Sect’s foundation, the Old Ancestor heaved a sigh. If he’d known such a calamity would befall Boundless Altar, he would’ve broken through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm sooner in order to save their inheritance; however, it was too late now.
Everyone from Boundless Altar was now gone, leaving only the dozens of Open Heaven Realm Masters that came with Yang Kai behind in the spacious Spirit Province.
They hadn’t been able to detect any movements coming from Yang Kai since he went over to meet with Boundless Altar’s Old Ancestor; however, these Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could sense that his aura was stable, and he didn’t show any signs of injuries, so there was nothing to worry about. They reckoned that they could settle down in Boundless Altar for now since this place was beautiful and full of World Energy. Although all the valuable items were gone, the buildings were naturally immovable, so they found some places to stay as they cultivated and waited patiently.
Two months later, a roar was heard coming from the deepest part of Boundless Altar, one so thunderous that the entire sky shook.
All of them turned to look in that direction.
Mao Zhe narrowed his eyes as he could clearly sense the joy in Yang Kai’s heart through the resounding roar, as though the latter had gained some kind of immense enlightenment. More importantly, Yang Kai’s cultivation seemed to have improved.
That revelation stunned Mao Zhe. As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master himself, he knew that it was extremely difficult to take a step forward in this Order, so how was it possible that Yang Kai had grown significantly in such a short time? Was he really a monster?
Mao Zhe wasn’t aware that when they were passing through the tornado Divine Ability back then, Yang Kai lured the Wind Spirits into his body and killed them, which greatly nourished his Small Universe and saved him over a hundred years of secluded cultivation.
When he met up with Boundless Altar’s Old Ancestor, even though they didn’t engage in a life-and-death battle, they had exchanged some moves. Despite the fact that the Old Ancestor had used all his power, he was still injured by Yang Kai.
If this wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t have ordered the disciples of Boundless Altar to evacuate. The reason the Old Ancestor decided to back down was that he realised he was no match for Yang Kai.
He wasn’t even able to defeat Yang Kai, to say nothing of the fact that the latter had brought more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters with him. If it came down to a fight, everyone from Boundless Altar would die.
The fact that he was able to leave with his disciples safely was already the best possible outcome.
When they traded moves at that time, Yang Kai suddenly comprehended something, which was why he hurriedly started cultivating in seclusion, and it wasn’t until this moment that he finished.
In fact, Yang Kai’s cultivation hadn’t increased a lot; after all, it had only been a short time since he ascended to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and coupled with the fact that he had been nourished by the World Forces left behind by the deceased Wind Spirits, his own heritage was already quite rich.
The reason Mao Zhe felt this way was that Yang Kai’s Sixth-Order aura had become increasingly stable.
Upon seeing that Yang Kai had left the place where he cultivated in seclusion, everyone went over and greeted him.
“Sect Master!” Hua Yong and Shu Mu Dan cupped their fists.
Yang Kai nodded gently and swept a glance over them before ordering, “Destroy this place.”
Upon receiving the order, all of them began using their Divine Abilities. Several tens of thousands of years of inheritance had been accumulated in this beautiful Spirit Province as over the millennia, countless Open Heaven Realm Masters had passed away in this place. After their deaths, their Small Universes fell apart and their World Forces were partially absorbed by Boundless Altar to strengthen its own heritage. It was a shame to just destroy it like this; however, since Yang Kai had given the order, they had to obey.
It wasn’t difficult to demolish a place no one was defending. Dozens of Open Heaven Realm Masters joined forces and turned Boundless Altar into a shattered Spirit Province in just two hours.
On the deck, Yang Kai stood beside the Proprietress as they watched the sight in silence.
The Proprietress remained silent, and it wasn’t until a long time later that she sighed. She wasn’t a ruthless person. Although she had a fiery temperament, she still couldn’t bear to see a Spirit Province being destroyed just because of her oath from back then.
At that time, she was truly incensed because Bai Qi was disturbed while ascending to the Open Heaven Realm, almost dying as a result. That was the reason she made such a heart demon oath against Ling Chun Qiu and Qi Jin.
Now that she was restricted by the oath, she had to fulfil it if she wanted to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Fortunately, the way Yang Kai settled the issue was as peaceful as possible as he didn’t injure any innocent people in the process, which was acceptable. She could never have expected that the little shophand she forcefully brought back to First Inn in the past would so quickly become such a successful Master. Not only had he saved her from the Shadowless Cave Heaven, but he also owned Void Land and commanded many powerful cultivators.
It only took Yang Kai a couple of decades to achieve things that would normally take others thousands or even tens of thousands of years to do.
Hua Yong returned with the other cultivators as he cupped his fist and reported, “Sect Master, Boundless Altar is gone for good.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Let’s go.”
Since Boundless Altar was destroyed, his next destination would be Golden Rainbow Province.
As the ship accelerated, it turned into a ray of red light and shot towards the nearest Territory Gate.
The Proprietress suddenly said, “The Old Ancestor from Boundless Altar could have ascended to the Seventh Order before now.”
Yang Kai was spacing out when he heard that, then he frowned and nodded, “En, I agree.”
If she hadn’t pointed it out, he wouldn’t have pondered on this issue. It was apparent to him that the Old Ancestor was at the very peak of the Sixth Order and was about to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Although Boundless Altar was just a Second Class great force, they should have enough resources to support the Old Ancestor’s ascension given their years of accumulation; however, the fact was that the old man had been stuck at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm all this time.
“Perhaps he wasn’t confident enough? Or, perhaps he lost the drive to continue striving forward due to his old age, so he wouldn’t dare to give it a try?” Yang Kai pondered. The Old Ancestor was indeed quite aged, and his vitality was clearly declining. He was no longer in the prime years to attempt an ascension to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The ascension from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order was equivalent to the process of rebirth. Once the person succeeded, their strength would increase tremendously; however, one mistake would cost them their life. No one would easily attempt a breakthrough if they weren’t confident enough.
“That might be so…” the Proprietress said impassively, “But another reason might be that he wasn’t willing to reach the Seventh Order.”
A curious Yang Kai asked, “What do you mean? Don’t cultivators always aspire to achieve greater heights? Since he is able to do so, why isn’t he willing to take that step forward?”
To the side, Mao Zhe’s expression changed as he gazed at the Proprietress and asked in horror, “Could the rumours be true?”
“What rumours?” Yang Kai asked inquisitively.
Mao Zhe furrowed his brow, “Sir, have you ever thought about why there isn’t even a single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in all the Second Class great forces? According to the classifications of great forces in the 3,000 Worlds, a great force with even one Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would be considered Second Class, and a great force with High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would theoretically be First Class. Since this is how the great forces are classified, many Second Class great forces should eventually become First Class given enough time. That’s because, after millennia of accumulation, some people must be able to make it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Yang Kai’s expression changed as he nodded, “You have a point.”
Although the Second Class great forces were not comparable to the Cave Heavens and Paradises in terms of their heritages, at least some of them had to have been able to nurture disciples who directly broke through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
For example, Zhou Yi, whose body was taken over by Black Crow Divine Monarch when Yang Kai came across him in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven, came from a Second Class great force, Great Thousand Blood Land. After Black Crow Divine Monarch took over his body, he used it as a base and ascended to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
In other words, Zhou Yi was supposedly able to make it to the Fifth Order himself. Given enough aptitude and opportunities, he should have been able to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm someday.
Once he did, Great Thousand Blood Land would become a First Class great force. As time passed, it might even become a part of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Over the years, Zhou Yi was certainly not the only one who was nurtured in Great Thousand Blood Land. Over their entire history, Great Thousand Blood Land must have raised tens of thousands of disciples, of which at least a handful should have similar aptitude to Zhou Yi. However, in the end, Great Thousand Blood Land remained a Second Class great force as they didn’t have a single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
The other top Second Class great forces should be in similar situations.
Where were the Core Disciples that had directly made it to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm over the years then? It was impossible that no one had managed to ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Questions naturally arose when they looked at the issue from this perspective.
The Proprietress took a glance at Mao Zhe and asked, “What kind of rumours did you hear?”
With a dark expression, Mao Zhe replied, “In order to sustain their statuses in the 3,000 Worlds, those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises would make a move once anyone outside their own ranks tried to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. They would either nip the crisis in the bud or force that new High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master to join their great forces so that they can strictly supervise them.”
The expressions of Hua Yong and the others changed drastically when they heard that and Hua Yong anxiously asked, “Are you serious?”
He and his Wife were both in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so it was just a matter of time before they tried to reach the Seventh-Order. If Mao Zhe’s words were true, they would have to think twice about reaching the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Otherwise, those Cave Heavens and Paradises might target them when they achieved an ascension.
Mao Zhe shook his head, “It’s just a rumour I heard. I have no idea whether it’s true.”
If the rumours were true, it would explain why there wasn’t even a single High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in all the Second Class great forces in the entire 3,000 Worlds. It wasn’t that no one was capable of ascending to the Seventh Order, but rather that once they broke through, they would be brought back to the Cave Heavens and Paradises to be put under strict supervision.
The Old Ancestor from Boundless Altar certainly had the resources to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he still wasn’t willing to do so. Perhaps that was what he was worried about as well.
Yang Kai’s face fell as Mao Zhe’s words reminded him of his own experience.
He was targeted back then because he was trying to directly ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. In the end, he was forced to become a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. It was only then that Ti Zheng and the others let him off.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises would never allow him to directly ascend to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm as they suppressed him at all costs; however, the idea that they would also stifle the cultivators who made it to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm through years of accumulation was absolutely intolerable.
“Rumours are a terrifying thing indeed.” The Proprietress shook her head with a helpless smile, “I’ve heard such rumours as well, and many people believe them to be true.”
“They’re not?” Mao Zhe frowned.
“Of course not.” The Proprietress shook her head, “Although the Cave Heavens and Paradises could be overbearing sometimes, they can’t control everything and everyone in this world. They would appear far too petty if they would even butt into such affairs. How could such short-sighted and narrow-minded people ever become truly powerful and respected?”