A few days later, Cheng Yang was the first to recover and he soon disappeared from the space fragment he was occupying. It was apparent that he was trying to survey the area in order to look for a way to leave this place.
It actually took Cheng Yang half a month before he reappeared in one of the nearby space fragments, and there was a gloomy expression on his face.
Obviously, he hadn’t found any clues at all. Despite being an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was unable to force his way out of here. The space in this place was in complete chaos, and regardless of what he tried, all his attacks would be randomly sent to other space fragments. Just like the Divine Abilities that had run after him some time ago, they would move around the fragments and flicker until they eventually dispersed.
While he couldn’t shatter this place with brute force, he also hadn’t found any regular patterns to the teleportation that was occurring. Regardless of how powerful he was, he could only accept the fact that he was trapped.
In the meantime, Yang Kai was recuperating while observing what was going on in his Small Universe.
Just after leaving Pear Flower Cave Heaven, he had examined his own Small Universe and comprehended something. There seemed to be an idea that was within his grasp, but before he could fully understand it, he was interrupted by Xia Lin Lang. After that, all his efforts were put into fleeing, so he didn’t have time to ponder on this issue. Although he was trapped now, it was also a chance for him to calm his mind and tend to other matters.
In his Small Universe, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense manifested and formed into a lifelike figure. While hovering in the sky, he looked down at the migration of people, the building of cities, the cycle of life, and the rise and fall of the Sun, Moon, and Stars.
As time passed, his gaze increasingly brightened.
There came a moment when an order spread across the entire place, “Within my Small Universe, I now command the Dao of Space and Time!”
At that instant, the millions of residents in the Small Universe seemed to have detected something as they looked up at the sky. The Emperor Realm Masters were especially sensitive to this change, but when they tried to feel what it was, they realised that they couldn’t discover anything. The world seemed to have gone through some kind of transformation, but it was also as though nothing had changed, leaving them puzzled.
Following a moment of flux, the world returned to its original state.
Hovering in the sky, Yang Kai grinned while resisting the urge to laugh out loud.
Although the millions of residents didn’t know what happened, it didn’t mean there was no change in his Small Universe. In fact, the transformation was so drastic that Yang Kai was astounded.
The passing of time in his Small Universe was now twice as fast compared to the outside world.
Xu Ling Gong once said that there were two shortcuts to cultivation in this world. Other than training in a Small Source World, Temporal Rivers were the other option. The flowing of time in a Temporal River was different from that of the outside world. A year might pass in the outside world, but 100 years, 1,000 years, or even 10,000 years might have gone by in the Temporal River.
Yang Kai had entered a Small Source World once, but had only heard about Temporal Rivers. Although he was eager to find out what a legendary Temporal River really looked like, he hadn’t had such a chance.
Presently, with the blessing of Time Principles and Space Principles, Yang Kai had replicated the effects of a Temporal River in his Small Universe.
Although it was far less powerful than a true Temporal River, the passage of time in his Small Universe was now two times faster than in the outside world.
In other words, one day in the outside world would be equivalent to two days in his Small Universe, while one year in the outside world would be two years in his Small Universe.
This kind of transformation wouldn’t affect him much, but it had a huge impact on the residents living in his Small Universe.
The accelerated flow of time wouldn’t shorten the lives of the people in the Small Universe because their perception of time had not changed. It was only different when compared to the outside world.
The purpose of raising living beings in a cultivator’s Small Universe was to help with their cultivation. It took an Open Heaven Realm Master a painfully long time to make it to the next Order, but the growth and multiplication of living beings in their Small Universe would nurture Auspicious Spirit Essence and continuously increase their heritage. Even if the Open Heaven Realm Master never cultivated, this increase wouldn’t stop.
Since the passage of time had accelerated in Yang Kai’s Small Universe, it meant that he would get even more benefits in the future.
He just decided to give it a try, so it surprised him greatly that he actually succeeded. It could be said to be a pleasant surprise. However, this could only be achieved once a cultivator reached a certain level of mastery in the Dao of Time, which was touted to be a power that was even harder to cultivate than the Dao of Space. Rarely anyone in the world could make it to the Sixth Level of Mastery in the Dao of Time like what Yang Kai had done.
Yang Kai reckoned that Yang Xiao and Yang Xue would be able to achieve this in the future; after all, they were the Legacy Disciples of Flowing Time Great Emperor.
Unfortunately, given his mastery over the Dao of Time now, he could only make the passage of time in his Small Universe two times faster than the outside world.
Perhaps when he had a better understanding of the Dao of Time in the future, he would be able to accelerate this further.
Yang Kai would gain immense benefits by doing so, and with his mastery over the Dao of Time, there seemed to not be any price to pay.
In that case, not only could he gain some benefits through the living beings in his body, but the residents could also grow faster by having their cultivation time halved compared to the outside world.
Yang Kai then went on to observe his Small Universe for ten more days. Upon making sure that the acceleration of the passage of time wouldn’t affect the residents in any negative way, he returned his focus to the outside world.
Looking up, he saw a bored Xia Lin Lang darting her gaze around. As their eyes met, they nodded at each other. Presently, Cheng Yang was seated with his legs crossed, as though he was trying to figure out the abstrusity in this place. A myriad of expressions came over him.
Yang Kai sneered at the sight. Given Bright Sun Divine Monarch’s powerful Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, he would be treated as an Honourable Ancestor in the outside world if he were from one of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. However, since he knew nothing about the Dao of Space, he wouldn’t be able to comprehend anything here even if he spent thousands of years trying to do so.
However, his thinking was right.
The space in this place was in chaos, and there were no regular patterns to speak of. Since it was caused by a Secret Technique from an ancient Great Expert, they would only stand a chance to leave this place by figuring out the secret behind that Secret Technique and understanding the connection between the space fragments.
It was hard for Yang Kai to imagine the level of mastery the ancient Great Expert, who had cast this Divine Ability, had reached in the Dao of Space. Even though countless years had passed, the effects caused by this Divine Ability could still resist the self-repair of the World Principles.
After spending 20 years in the Universe Temples trying to figure out the secret behind the Grand Array there, Yang Kai managed to reach the Eighth Level of Mastery in the Dao of Space; however, he knew he couldn’t achieve what he saw before his eyes.
Perhaps only by reaching the final level, Shocking History and Amazing the Present, in his mastery over the Dao of Space, coupled with the power of the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm would he stand a chance to be as powerful as the Great Expert who did this in ancient times.
Yang Kai thus sat down with his legs crossed and emptied his mind in an attempt to comprehend the secret of the Space Secret Technique left behind in this place.
In the blink of an eye, 10 years, 20 years, and then 30 years had gone by.
Yang Kai initially thought that it would only take him a few years before he could leave this place; however, in reality, 30 years had passed, but he still hadn’t fully understood the connection between the space fragments. Although he wasn’t completely clueless like before, he was still far from being able to leave this place.
As he had a better understanding of it now, he increasingly felt that the Great Expert who had cast this Space Secret Technique was truly amazing. Fortunately, even though 30 years seemed like a long time, it was just a blink of an eye for an Open Heaven Realm Master given their extremely long lifespan.
Yang Kai, Xia Lin Lang, and Cheng Yang were all calm and collected as they were not in a rush at all. This was especially true for Cheng Yang. Since he started attempting to comprehend the secret in this place, he had remained seated there with his legs crossed without moving a muscle. It was as though he was dead.
On the other hand, Xia Lin Lang knew that she could only pin her hopes on Yang Kai, so she stopped wasting time trying to escape and simply spent her time cultivating. Sometimes, she would move around the space fragments in the hope of discovering something; however, it wasn’t certain when she would return every time since she had no control over the direction she would be heading.
When she was lucky sometimes, she would reappear in Yang Kai’s sight a few days later. However, when she was unlucky, she would disappear for a few months.
With that said, while she was unable to leave this place, there wasn’t really any danger lurking in the dark.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense manifested in his Small Universe again.
In the past 30 years, he hadn’t only attempted to comprehend the secrets of this place. If that was everything he did, he would’ve exhausted himself and possibly even made errors in judgement and understanding. He believed that he should get some rest from time to time.
The best way for him to have some rest was to appear in his Small Universe through the manifestation of his Divine Sense and wander around.
While 30 years had passed in the outside world, 60 years had gone by in his Small Universe, which was equivalent to a couple generations of mortal lives.
His Small Universe had gone through some drastic changes over the past 60 years. If the Small Universe was filled with silence in the past, it was now full of vibrant vitality.
After more than 10 million people moved into his Small Universe in the past, some of the population inevitably died; after all, sudden changes in the environment could not be adapted to by all people. The population plunged from 10 million to about 8 million within the first few years.
Now that 60 years had passed though, not only was the population restored to its original figure, but there was even some increase. As for the exact figure of the increase, Yang Kai had no idea. Although he could easily find out about all the information in his Small Universe, he didn’t do so and instead tried to look at the place and witness all the changes from a local perspective.
Through his travels in his Small Universe over the past years, he gained a lot of insights.
The reproduction of the living continued to provide Auspicious Spirit Essence and increase the heritage of his Small Universe in the past 60 years even though he had not cultivated at all during this period of time.
Now, millions of lives were scattered all around his Small Universe as there were dozens of cities of different sizes. There were also countless smaller towns and villages. It could be said that his Small Universe was now full of life.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai appeared outside of a certain town while two petite figures were seated on his shoulders. They were only the size of a palm, as though they were young girls who had significantly shrunk in size. While they looked adorable, both of them were clad in green clothes, one of them sported a ponytail while the other had tied her hair into a bun.
The two petite figures were none other than Mu Zhu and Mu Lu, who were from the Wood Spirit Clan.
Since Yang Kai brought Mu Zhu and Mu Lu out of the Eastern Territory while he was in the Star Boundary in the past, they had been living in the medicine garden in the Small Sealed World. They were responsible for helping Yang Kai to take care of the spirit flowers in his medicine garden.
Wood Spirit Clan members were born with an unrivalled innate talent to grow and manage all types of plants. At the same time, they were pleased with spending time with the plants; therefore, even though they had never come into contact with the outside world over the years as they spent most of their time taking care of the medicine garden, they still felt content.
When Yang Kai ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, he merged his Small Universe with the Small Sealed World, which included the medicine garden; hence, these two petite Wood Spirit Clan members had been living in his Small Universe over the years.
While they were pleased to have the plants as their companions, they couldn’t help but feel lonely sometimes, especially when Yang Kai didn’t have much time to keep them company.
However, it all changed when many people moved into the Small Universe.
Whenever Yang Kai travelled across his Small Universe, he would always bring these little Wood Spirits with him. The little ones were passionate about it as they would always experience fun activities and enjoy scrumptious food whenever they travelled with Yang Kai.
“Many things have changed indeed.” Yang Kai looked up at the arch where the words ‘Seven Stars Town’ were carved.
On his left shoulder was the more sedate Mu Zhu who said, “You’re right. The last time we visited this place, it was still a small village. Only five or six years have passed, but this place has already turned into a town.”
As a thought flashed through Yang Kai’s mind, he soon realised what had happened as he replied, “A new Sect has settled down in a nearby place. That’s why many people have moved into this town.”
The Sect was named Seven Stars Sect, so it was apparent that the town was named after the Sect.
The reserved and bashful Mu Lu was seated on his right shoulder. While twiddling her thumbs, she asked pitifully, “Will we still have a chance to have the sweet rice dumplings made by Grandma?”
Mu Zhu shot her a displeased look, “All you think about is eating! Do you know that you’ve put on weight?”
An astounded Mu Lu looked down at her figure and asked in an apprehensive tone, “Really? Have I really gained weight?”
Mu Zhu glanced at her and snorted, “Haven’t you realised that your chest has grown bigger? How did you have the nerve to ask others about it?”
With a reddened face, Mu Lu refuted, “It’s always been… big.”
Mu Zhu looked down at her own chest with a furious expression.
Yang Kai guffawed and placated her by saying, “Don’t fret. Mu Zhu is just trying to scare you. You’re still fit and healthy, Mu Lu. En, Grandma is still around. It seems that she has set up a stall over there. Let’s go.”
“En en!” Mu Lu nodded repeatedly.
Upon entering the town, they realised that the place was indeed full of people. Even though it wasn’t as busy as the big cities, it was already not bad for a town of this scale.
Yang Kai was clad in clothes that were commonly seen in Seven Stars Town, so no one actually paid any attention to him.
Although the two little Wood Spirits were seated on his shoulders while Mu Lu swung her legs and joyfully looked around, the passers-by didn’t seem to notice them.
After all, Yang Kai was the Master of this World, so he could easily hide the Wood Spirits from everyone’s sight.
They then headed straight to a particular place in the town where there was a roadside stall. At that moment, an old woman with grey hair was busy attending to her customers. The stall was small as there were only two tables, each lined with four stools. Presently, the tables had been fully occupied while there were some people who squatted down on the side as they drank the soup from the bowls and munched on the roasted sweet rice dumplings.
The last time Yang Kai arrived at this place with the Wood Spirits, they stayed the night in Grandma’s house. Grandma was single with no children of her own. At that time, she served them two sweet rice dumplings.
Mu Lu was fond of the taste of the sweet rice dumplings, and she had never forgotten about it over the years.
Many years had passed, and while the village had turned into a town, Grandma had also set up a stall here.
After they waited for a moment, it was then Yang Kai’s turn.
“The soup costs one coin a bowl, and the dumplings are also one coin each. What do you want, young lad?” Grandma asked.
“I’ll have one bowl of soup and ten dumplings,” Yang Kai replied with a smile.
Grandma took a glance at him, “I suppose you’re a big eater, young lad. Are you sure you can finish ten dumplings? They’re made from glutinous rice, so you’ll get really full.”
Yang Kai patted his stomach with a smile, “Don’t worry, Grandma. I’m indeed a big eater.”
Grandma nodded. While she was busy preparing the order, she asked, “Have I seen you before, young lad? You look familiar to me.”
Yang Kai went over to help her with preparing the food and said with a grin, “Have you forgotten about me, Grandma? When I arrived at this place six years ago, it was you who let me stay in your house and made two dumplings for me.”
Upon recalling the memory, Grandma replied, “Now that you’ve mentioned it, I do remember you.”
“Yes, it’s me.” Yang Kai nodded repeatedly, “Your dumplings were delicious. I’ve always remembered the taste over the years. Since I was passing by this place, I decided to look for you.”
Grandma teased him by saying, “It seems that you didn’t have enough food that night.”
Yang Kai replied with a grin, “My appetite has grown bigger in recent years.”
Grandma shook her head and fell silent. Despite her sluggishness, she meticulously roasted the sweet rice dumplings. Catching a whiff of the fragrant smell, Mu Lu batted her eyes and drooled over the food.
“Your dumplings are not only big and affordable, but they’re also quite flavourful. You should sell them for three coins each,” Yang Kai said with a smile.
Grandma shook her head, “Everything I have is thanks to the Lord for having mercy on me. I should have passed away more than 10 years ago, so I’m already content that I’ve lived to this day. Moreover, I don’t have any children, so what’s the point of having more money? The crop yields have been excellent in recent years, and everything is going well for me. I have no other wishes. I just hope that before I pass away, I’ll let more people have a taste of the food I prepare.”
The ‘Lord’ she was talking about was Yang Kai.
The people in this place might not know that they were actually living inside the Small Universe of an Open Heaven Realm Master, but they were aware that there was a Lord that ruled over everything in this World.
It had been decades since they moved from Pear Flower Cave Heaven to this place, and everything had been going well. Grandma, who was already old and frail, even managed to live longer than she was supposed to.
That was because the vitality in the Small Universe was so ample, which helped lengthen the lives of ordinary people.
They might not know the reason behind it, but the continuous appearance of people who could live for a longer time proved that this place was more habitable than Pear Flower Cave Heaven where they originally came from.
More than ten years ago, Grandma accidentally tripped and broke her hip. She was already old and frail, so how was she supposed to endure such an injury? She thought that she would pass away just like that, but it never crossed her mind that after half a month of recuperation in her bed, she stopped feeling any pain. Two months later, she could even get out of bed and start walking.
Now, she was already more than 100 years old.
This was unimaginable in the past; however, more than 10 people in the small Seven Stars Town alone were over 100 years old.
Given the fact that they were ordinary mortals who had never cultivated, they had really enjoyed a long life.
Soon, 10 sweet rice dumplings were ready and Yang Kai got himself a bowl of soup.
Just then, someone yelled, “The Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect has started!”
The people on the street immediately streamed in the same direction where Seven Stars Sect was located. The originally busy stall became empty in an instant.
An unperturbed Yang Kai directly took a seat by the table, then he drank the soup while eating the roasted sweet rice dumplings.
Grandma cleaned up the mess and wiped her hands before taking a seat beside him. In a caring manner, she asked, “Young lad, I suppose you’ve ventured into many places over the years, but why haven’t you found yourself a wife?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Actually, I have several wives, and they’re all wonderful women.”
“Really? That’s quite surprising.” Grandma was genuinely shocked, “Since you have several wives, why do you still wander around on your own? A woman relies on her man for her entire life. Only when a man gains a footing will his wife have a place to settle down in peace. It’s not that I want to nag you, but you should spend more time with your wives instead of venturing into the outside world on your own.”
Yang Kai lied to her by saying, “Well, I heard that Seven Stars Sect is recruiting new disciples. That’s why I came here to have a look. I’d already settled everything at home before I left.”
Grandma nodded, “I see. If you manage to become a disciple of Seven Stars Sect, you’ll have a bright future. But young lad, it seems that you’re pretty mature now. Those from Seven Stars Sect are very strict when it comes to recruiting disciples. They only accept people who are really young.”
Yang Kai replied, “It’s fine. I’ll just give it a try.”
“I’m glad you don’t pin all your hopes on it. But don’t worry, even if you can’t get into Seven Stars Sect, you can still come to my place. The business at my stall is pretty good, and I’m busy most of the time. Since I’m on my own, it’ll be wonderful if you can come over and help me out. My days are numbered anyway. When I pass away, you can take over this stall. Even though the business won’t make you very rich, you’ll always have enough food on the table. You have to provide food for your wives, don’t you? By then, you can bring them all to this place.”
Yang Kai stared fixedly at her. He just randomly came up with an excuse, but now he wasn’t sure how he could keep lying. Given his vision, he naturally could see that Grandma was being completely sincere. Just like she had said, her days were numbered. She had never cultivated after all, and her vitality was starting to become exhausted. Perhaps she was aware of it.
“Grandma!” A gentle voice suddenly called out. When Yang Kai turned his head, he saw a woman, who was clad in simple clothes, standing not far away from him. The woman looked like she was in her early twenties, and her hair had been tied into a neat bun. Nevertheless, her face was a little sallow.
Despite her rather rough skin, she was actually a beauty. The simple clothes didn’t weaken her charm one bit; instead, the clothes gave her a free and refreshing look.
The woman hung her head low. She seemed to notice that Yang Kai was staring at her, so she was slightly anxious.
What attracted Yang Kai wasn’t her face though, but her belly.
The woman was apparently pregnant. Yang Kai didn’t have to scan her to know there was a faint vitality wafting from her belly.
While he stared fixedly at her bulging belly, he seemed to have sensed something at that moment.
His stare made the woman feel increasingly uneasy though.
Upon that realisation, Yang Kai hurriedly retracted his gaze and chugged down the soup in front of him.
“You’re here, little girl. Wait a moment,” Grandma apparently knew this young woman. As she got up with difficulty, she picked up a bag from the side and passed it to her.
There were about seven to eight sweet rice dumplings inside the bag.
The woman hurriedly waved her hands, “I don’t need so many sweet rice dumplings.”
Ignoring her protest, Grandma stuffed the bag into her hands and patted the back of her hands, “Just take it. Don’t be overly polite with me. Moreover, everyone has gone to Seven Stars Sect, so I can’t sell all the dumplings anyways. They’ll turn sour after one night. Since you’re pregnant, you’re supposed to have more food so that your child will grow to be healthy.”
The woman hung her head low and pressed her lips together while her eyes turned slightly red. Eventually, she simply bowed to the older woman and thanked her before leaving in a hurry.
Watching her leave, Grandma let out a sigh, “She’s such a poor girl.”
Pretending to be nonchalant, Yang Kai asked, “Are there still people who don’t have enough food on the table now?”
Grandma took a seat and replied, “Not really. You’re still young, so you might not know what had happened in the past. This continent is already much better than the previous one us older people resided in once. As long as one is able-bodied, they won’t find it hard to get enough to eat. Initially, she and her husband had a restaurant, and their business was booming; however, a few months ago, he got drunk and fell down the stairs. He passed away just like that. Since she’s pregnant, it’s hard for her to work. She has also used up her savings, which is why she can’t get enough food for herself.”
Yang Kai nodded, “You’re indeed a kind-hearted person, Grandma.”
Grandma put on a smile, “Since we live in the same town, we’re supposed to help each other out. I initially wanted her to come to my place, but you’ve seen her face. It’s not suitable for her to do business like me. Her beauty might attract some unwanted attention.”
“There are indeed some ill-intentioned people out there.” Yang Kai fully understood that.
After finishing his soup, Yang Kai put down eleven coins and said, “I’m going to Seven Stars Sect now, Grandma.”
“Go ahead. I suppose the Disciple Recruitment has started. There must be a lot of people over there. If I were only 70 or 80 years younger, I would’ve gone over to take a look.” Grandma waved her hand, then gave him some advice, “Don’t feel too dejected even if you’re not accepted. Things are really different now. As long as you’re hardworking, you won’t starve to death.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “If I’m not accepted, I’ll help you sell rice dumplings here.”
“That’s great. I can pass on all my skills to you. Of course, it’d be wonderful if you’re accepted. Your life will be more valuable than ordinary people like us if you have a right to cultivate.”
There were indeed many people who had taken part in the Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect as the area outside the entrance was crammed. Their requirements for accepting disciples were neither strict nor loose; however, they were adamant about accepting only young people.
Yang Kai decided to take part in the recruitment for fun, and as expected, he was knocked out during the registration process. This couldn’t be helped, as he was too old to be accepted. The device used to examine the age of his bones revealed that he was already 27 years old. With that said, if he had powerful cultivation, those from the Seven Stars Sect might still take him on; however, the cultivation he had showcased was only in the True Element Boundary.
Certainly, those from Seven Stars Sect wouldn’t take on a person who was relatively old and weak.
In the evening, Yang Kai returned to the town. Grandma wasn’t surprised one bit when she saw him as she consoled him by saying that he wouldn’t starve to death as long as he worked hard. He just had to help her out with selling rice dumplings and pass on her craft to future generations.
In response, Yang Kai nodded repeatedly.
As the sun sunk over the horizon, Yang Kai pushed the cart, which had all the tools needed to make rice dumplings, and shuffled towards the East of the town alongside Grandma.
This was where the old village was located, but it had been merged with the town following an expansion project. However, this place appeared to be in a dilapidated state, so it looked somewhat like a slum outside Seven Stars Town.
Yang Kai then took out all the things from the cart before getting some clean water from the well to wash them up.
To the side, Grandma looked smilingly at him and said, “You’ll always have enough food since you’re a good worker.”
Since that day, a young man had started helping out with selling sweet rice dumplings at a particular stall in Seven Stars Town. In the morning, Yang Kai would push the cart to the stall to sell affordable soup and rice dumplings alongside Grandma. In the evening, she would teach him how to make these simple foods. Their business was doing well as they could earn a profit of 20 to 30 coins per day.
The pregnant woman lived in a house that wasn’t far from Grandma’s place. Sometimes, Grandma would tell him to send the unsold rice dumplings to her in the evening.
When Yang Kai knocked on her door for the first time, the woman didn’t dare to open it. Left with no choice, he put down the bag full of rice dumplings just outside and left.
After a few times, the young woman became less wary of Yang Kai, especially when she saw the man selling rice dumplings alongside Grandma; however, she still wouldn’t dare to talk to him.
Every time Yang Kai arrived at her place, she would cautiously take the bag and thank him.
He heard from Grandma that the woman was named Yu Lu.
The reason Yang Kai turned his Divine Sense into an avatar and travelled across his Small Universe was to relax and unwind. Usually, he would return to the outside world after ten days to half a month.
However, when he came across Yu Lu, he had to change his plan.
His Divine Sense Avatar was never retracted, but his true body had not been complacent either. He was still trying to comprehend the secrets of the shattered space. Nevertheless, his progress had been slow over the past 30 years, so he wasn’t even sure how long it would take him to fully comprehend the secrets of the Space Secret Technique.
He wasn’t in a hurry though as he wouldn’t run into any danger in the shattered space. The matter in his Small Universe required his attention as well.
It could be said that Yu Lu came as a pleasant surprise to him.
However, in that case, while his true body became focused on comprehending the mysteries of the shattered space, his Divine Sense Avatar in the Small Universe would fall into a dazed state, as though his soul had left his body. Every time Grandma saw him in such a state, she thought that he was struck with some kind of illness. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for such a young man who had suffered from a mental condition.
As time passed, Yu Lu’s belly grew bigger. A worried Grandma would check on her almost every day. On the other hand, Yang Kai would catch some fish from a river outside of the town so that Grandma could prepare some fish soup and send it to her.
At that, Grandma teased him by saying, “Brat, do you have your eyes on her?”
Naturally, Yang Kai denied the charge.
It wasn’t certain whether Grandma believed him or not, but she stopped asking about it eventually. If Yang Kai wasn’t married, and he didn’t mind the fact that the woman was a widow who was pregnant with a child, Grandma would be more than happy to see them getting together.
After living with Yang Kai for a few months, Grandma grew increasingly fond of him. He was a quick-witted, hardworking, and conscientious. Although a woman wouldn’t become wealthy by marrying him, she wouldn’t suffer from any hardship either.
The only thing was that Yang Kai would fall into a daze from time to time, but it wasn’t really a big deal.
Unfortunately, he had said that he had several wives, so he wasn’t suited for Yu Lu.
One night, a sudden rainstorm hit the town.
Yang Kai, who was spacing out in his room, detected something as a thought flashed through his mind. When he came to his senses, he heard someone rapidly knocking on the door.
Grandma, who was in the main room, was heard getting up.
Yang Kai hurriedly got to his feet and opened the door, only to see Yu Lu holding an umbrella. However, some parts of her clothes were damp and stuck close to her body, which outlined her curvy figure.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Kai asked.
A pale Yu Lu replied in a shivering voice, “Half of my house has collapsed. I wouldn’t dare to stay there.”
Yang Kai looked into the darkness and saw that the roof of Yu Lu’s house had indeed fallen in. Her house was old and dilapidated, so the reason such a disaster befell her was that rain was pouring heavily tonight.
Instantly, Yang Kai was drenched in a cold sweat. It was fortunate that she wasn’t hurt when the accident happened; otherwise, the consequences would’ve been dreadful.
It surprised him to see that the rain was torrential on this day. Earlier, his true body was at a critical moment of comprehension, and coupled with the fact that it was now the middle of the night, he hadn’t paid any attention to what was going on in his Small Universe. It wasn’t until Yu Lu knocked on the door that he was alerted.
“Come in first,” Yang Kai hurriedly stepped aside.
Grandma put on a coat and shuffled out of her room with an oil lamp in her hand, where she was astonished to see Yu Lu.
After Yang Kai informed her about the situation, she simply nodded, “It’s fortunate that you’re fine. I’ll tell Yang Boy to help repair your house when the sun comes up. Before that, you can live with me.”
“Many thanks, Grandma. Many thanks, Big Brother Yang,” Yu Lu expressed her gratitude with reddened eyes. It was apparent that she was still reeling from the shock.
Yang Kai suddenly sniffled and asked, “Are you hurt?”
Yu Lu shook her head, “No.”
“Why is there the smell of blood then?” Yang Kai frowned.
Realising something, Grandma went over and touched Yu Lu’s pants, which felt damp and sticky. She then took a glance at her own palm and saw that it was covered in blood.
“You’re about to give birth!” Grandma declared confidently.
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai widened his mouth in disbelief while Yu Lu was also dumbfounded.
Grandma was an experienced woman, however, so she soon came to her senses, “The due date is not for another ten days. I guess the little one is eager to come out after sensing the fright you just went through. Yang Boy, go to the West of the town and tell the midwife to come over. I already told her about it some time ago. Just say that it’s me who invited her to come. Remember to give her a red envelope.”
“En,” Yang Kai replied and turned around before dashing into the rain.
Yu Lu yelled from behind, “Umbrella!”
However, Yang Kai was already nowhere to be seen.
“You’d better come into the room and lie down.” Grandma supported Yu Lu’s weight as they shuffled into the room. After Yu Lu was settled down, she started appearing to be in pain. It was apparent that her belly was aching.
After placating her in a gentle voice, Grandma hurriedly left to boil some water and get the things needed to deliver a child ready.
In the West of the town, Yang Kai arrived at a house and rapidly knocked on the door. He was both anxious and flustered.
Since he started cultivating, he had encountered countless life-and-death battles, but he had always managed to pull through even if his life was hanging by a thread. However, he had never witnessed a woman give birth before.
He was adept at killing, but he was a complete novice when it came to the birth of a new life. Although he had accidentally hatched Yang Xiao out of a Dragon Egg, he knew that it was very different from childbirth.
If Grandma had not been there to give him instructions, he wouldn’t have known what to do.
Given the fact that he was the owner of this Small Universe, and that he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it wasn’t hard for Yang Kai to help a woman deliver a child in this place. However, he reckoned that a woman and a man who were not married were not supposed to come into such close contact. Furthermore, he came to realise that Yu Lu took her modesty and virtue seriously, so she definitely wouldn’t want that to happen. Hence, after receiving the order from Grandma, he rushed over to the West of the town without hesitation.
After Yang Kai knocked on the door for a long time, he finally heard some noises coming from the house. Given his hearing ability, he was aware that the person inside the house was cursing.
When the door was opened, a middle-aged woman stuck out her head. With a pair of sleepy eyes, she frowned at Yang Kai and yawned, “What’s wrong? Why did you knock on my door in the middle of the night?”
Yang Kai took a step back and cupped his fist, “I’m sorry, Madame. Lady Yu is about to give birth, so Grandma wants you to come over.”
“Lady Yu?” For a moment, the midwife didn’t remember who the person was, but she soon recalled it, “The woman from the East of the town?”
“Exactly.” Yang Kai hurriedly nodded.
The midwife nodded, “Grandma Zhou already told me about it. Isn’t her due date still a few days away? Why is she going to give birth tonight?”
“The rain is torrential tonight, and something happened to Lady Yu’s house. Perhaps she was too frightened, which is why the baby is coming earlier than expected.”
The midwife didn’t seem to be concerned as she was experienced in delivering babies. She then waved her hand and said, “Got it. You can go back now.”
“Aren’t you coming with me?” Yang Kai was shocked.
The midwife replied with a smile, “The child won’t come out so soon as she has just started showing signs of giving birth. Even if I go over now, there’s nothing I can do. I’ll attend to her in the morning.”
Upon finishing her words, she was ready to close the door.
Yang Kai immediately took a step forward and grabbed the door before saying anxiously, “Lady Yu had already started bleeding before I left. I’m worried that you can’t wait until morning!”
The midwife examined him and curled up her lips, “Why are you so concerned about the young lady? Are you the child’s Father?”
Yang Kai wasn’t in the mood to talk about such nonsense with her. Recalling the instructions given by Grandma Zhou, he fished out a packet of money and passed it to her, “Please lend her your assistance, Madame.”
The midwife took the packet and weighed it with her hand before putting it inside her pocket. She then said impatiently, “Just listen to me. I’m experienced in delivering babies. It won’t be too late when I go over in the morning. I’ll take up the responsibility if anything happens to her. Moreover, the rain is pouring right now, so how am I supposed to head over there? I’ll fall sick before I even reach her place.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brows, “Do you mean you’ll come if there’s no rain?”
The midwife scoffed, “What’s wrong? Do you think you can stop… the rain…?”
When she said the last word, the smile on her face disappeared and was replaced by shock. That was because the pouring rain stopped in an abrupt manner. Besides that, the dark clouds soon dissipated and revealed a bright Moon, which cast its glow down on the world.
The midwife looked up at the sky in confusion and puzzlement.
“Madame, a life is at stake!” Yang Kai stared fixedly at her while persuading her to come with him.
Both astounded and doubtful, the midwife gazed at him. Suddenly thinking of something, she shuddered and said in a flustered manner, “Wait a moment. I’ll get ready now.”
Yang Kai nodded.
Soon after, the midwife, who had now put on some proper clothing, rushed towards the East of the town alongside Yang Kai.
When they arrived at Grandma’s house, they could hear a shriek breaking through the darkness. Upon entering the place, Yang Kai yelled, “The midwife is here, Grandma!”
Grandma said, “Come in quickly!”
Yang Kai took a glance at the midwife, who shivered under his gaze, and dashed into the room as though she was afraid of him.
He could almost feel Yu Lu’s pain when he heard her wailing.
It never crossed his mind that a woman had to go through so much agony to give birth to a child, which made him realise the fragility of life and how hard it was to bring a new life into the world.
“Yang Boy, boil some water!” Grandma Zhou ordered from the back of the house.
Yang Kai grunted in response and went to the kitchen to boil some water.
An incense stick later, Grandma repeatedly took out a basin of bloodied water from the room and poured it into the ditch. On the other hand, Yu Lu’s voice gradually weakened.
Just then, the midwife was heard saying, “There’s nothing else I can do, Grandma Zhou. For a pregnant woman, it’s no different from heading towards death’s door when she’s having difficulty giving birth and bleeding excessively, yet Lady Yu is struck with both. Even a deity can’t save her now.”
“Can’t you think of anything else to help her?” Grandma asked anxiously.
The midwife replied, “What else can I do? Lady Yu might stand a chance to survive if we can invite a great expert from Seven Stars Sect over, but now… all I can say is that I can only try my best to save the child.”
“Seven Stars Sect is too far from here. There isn’t enough time.” Grandma shook her head inside the room. Her turbid eyes appeared dejected.
“Save… save my child…” Yu Lu’s voice was intermittent.
Outside the room, Yang Kai ordered in a small voice, “Mu Zhu, Mu Lu, go in to help her and stabilise her vitality.”
Upon hearing that, the two worried Wood Spirits, who had been sitting on his shoulders, instantly flapped their wings and dashed into the room in silence.
As a thought flashed through Yang Kai’s mind, a large amount of vitality in the Small Universe streamed into the room.
An hour later, a baby was heard crying so loudly that it was as though everyone in the world could hear it. In the meantime, a strange phenomenon took place in the sky as the Moonlight converged and beamed into Yu Lu’s room. The entire World seemed to be shaking.
However, with the interference from Yang Kai, no one else could notice the strange phenomenon other than himself.
“She successfully gave birth to the child!” The midwife sounded pleasantly surprised while Grandma let out a breath of relief.
Right then, Mu Lu flew out of the room in silence. Her reddened eyes suggested that she was deeply moved by the incident inside the room. She nodded at Yang Kai to mean that everything was fine, then returned to the room.
The people inside the room were still very busy. A moment later, the midwife shuffled out while giving some instructions to Grandma Zhou, “Don’t let her come into contact with water and wind for a month. She’s lucky enough to have escaped from death once, but if she doesn’t take good care of herself, she might be struck with health concerns.”
Grandma replied with a smile, “Although I’ve never given birth to a child before, I’m aware of the precautions we should take. Many thanks for saving her.”
The midwife initially wanted to get more money from her, but when she saw Yang Kai standing outside the room, she shuddered and hurriedly said, “Don’t mention it. It’s my job.”
Grandma looked up at Yang Kai and ordered, “Yang Boy, prepare another red envelope for her.”
A ready Yang Kai fished out a packet of money and passed it to her with both hands, “Many thanks, Madame.”
The midwife hurriedly waved her hands, “There’s no need for that. I’ve already taken a red envelope before, so I can’t take another one now.”
Upon finishing her words, she dashed out without turning her head.
Watching her leave, Grandma praised her by saying, “She’s indeed adept at delivering children. Lady Yu was about to leave this plane, but she was able to pull her through in the end. Not only was she fine, but her child has also been safely delivered. We can’t be stingy with this. You have to send her a red envelope later. She has saved two lives after all.”
“Alright, Grandma. Don’t worry, I’ll send it to her tomorrow.” Yang Kai quickly nodded, then said in a small voice, “Grandma, is it a boy or a girl?”
“It’s a boy.” Grandma put on a smile, “In that case, Lady Yu has given birth to a descendant for the Zhao Family. I’ll take care of her. You should get some rest since you were busy for the entire night.”
“You should get some rest as well, Grandma,” Yang Kai said caringly.
The next morning, Yang Kai went over to the midwife’s place and kept persuading her to accept the red envelope. Then, he left the town to catch some fish from the river.
When he returned, he saw Grandma leaving the house with the child as she said, “Lady Yu said it’s thanks to you who endured the pouring rain and invited the midwife over that she and her child were safe. She has no idea how to thank you, so she wants you to have a look at the child.”
Yang Kai hurriedly put down the fish and wiped his hands dry before carefully taking the child.
Perhaps the child was full, so he was presently sound asleep. There was no doubt that he was adorable.
While holding him in his arms, Yang Kai could clearly feel that the Space Dao Essence of his Small Universe perfectly matched the child’s aura. It was even slowly streaming into his little body.
Yang Kai had already realised it when the little one was still in his Mother’s womb; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so concerned about Yu Lu.
Grandma Zhou thought that he had his eyes on the young woman, but he was actually interested in her child the whole time; however, it was hard for him to explain such things.
[I’ve finally found a successor!] That was the idea that suddenly sprang into Yang Kai’s mind.
He had never expected he would gain such a benefit one day by raising living beings in his Small Universe. Given the fact that the child’s aura perfectly matched the Space Dao Essence, he definitely had the right to become Yang Kai’s Legacy Disciple. If the boy was talented and hardworking, he would one day stand on par with Yang Kai when it came to mastery over the Dao of Space.
Since Yang Kai was still young, he wasn’t in a rush to look for a Legacy Disciple; therefore, he had never thought about it before.
However, since a suitable successor had appeared, he wouldn’t mind spending some time to train him.
The child was born the day before, so his skin was still rather wrinkled. Yang Kai had never held such a petite baby in his arms before, so despite being a powerful Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, he was presently quite flustered. He was worried that he might harm the child if he exerted a little more force.
To his side, Grandma Zhou instructed him on the correct way to carry a child, which made Yang Kai feel quite embarrassed.
“If you’re fine with it, you should give the child a name,” Grandma Zhou suddenly said.
A surprised Yang Kai asked, “Is it alright for me to do that?”
Although he intended to take on this child to be his Disciple, they were not related in any way after all. Hence, he didn’t think he had a right to name him.
Grandma Zhou pointed at the back room and explained, “It’s Lady Yu’s idea. She doesn’t know how to name a child, nor do I. The child’s Father suddenly passed away in an accident, and he hadn’t said anything about it before his death. So, you’ll have to do it. It seems that you did go to school before. Just help her out with it.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai stopped turning her down. After giving it a thought, he said, “The child was born at the break of dawn while the Sun was rising from the East. Why don’t I name him Ye Bai? Since his surname is Zhao, he’ll be Zhao Ye Bai!”
He spoke in a loud voice so that Yu Lu could hear him in the room.
Grandma nodded her head, “The break of dawn signifies the end of hardship. It’s an auspicious name. What do you think, Lady Yu?”
Yu Lu’s weakened voice was heard saying, “It’s decided, then. Many thanks, Big Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “It’s not really a good name. I hope he won’t blame me for that when he grows up.”
Yu Lu said, “I’m sure he won’t.”
Grandma took the child from Yang Kai, “The child is still young, so he can’t stay outside of the house for too long. I’ll take him back to the room.”
“I’ll cook the fish, then.” Yang Kai then picked up his catch and walked to the kitchen.
Following several years of development, Seven Stars Town had expanded significantly. With the presence of Seven Stars Sect, the town had attracted a lot of people to move in and settle down.
A group of kids were messing around at the moment. A boy and a girl, who were about seven or eight years old, were running at the front while they were being pursued by four to five kids. The kid leading the pursuing pack was furious as he hurled sand balls at the boy in front of him, he yelled, “Stop right there, Zhao Ye Bai!”
The angry boy was several years older, so not only was he stronger, but he could also throw things at his target accurately. A sandball the size of a fist struck the back of Zhao Ye Bai, who gasped in pain and almost fell to the ground.
While never stopping in his tracks though, he held the hand of the young girl beside him and charged forward. After he made a turn, he dashed towards a stall that sold sweet rice dumplings and snuck beneath the cart.
It was apparent that it wasn’t the first time he had done this.
When the older kids arrived, Zhao Ye Bai was nowhere to be seen. After searching around, they could only leave this place since their target wasn’t around.
“Come out,” Yang Kai, who had worked for half a day, wiped the grease off his hands and landed a gentle kick on the cart.
Two petite figures crawled out from beneath the cart. A bruised Zhao Ye Bai flashed a silly smile at Yang Kai.
The young girl looked at Zhao Ye Bai with reddened eyes and touched his bruises. In a choking voice, she asked, “Does it hurt, Big Brother Ye Bai?”
Zhao Ye Bai grimaced in pain, but he still replied steadfastly, “No, not at all.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai extended his hand and forcefully pinched the young boy’s face.
“Ouch! It hurts!” Zhao Ye Bai hurriedly begged for mercy. Then, he was worried that the young girl beside him would be concerned, so he patted his chest, “Don’t worry, Xiao Ya. I’ll be fine after a night’s sleep.”
In response, Zhao Ya nodded.
Seeing the young boy pretending to be tough in front of a girl, Yang Kai pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing.
Nevertheless, both Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya believed what the former said to be true. That was because regardless of how badly Zhao Ye Bai became bruised over the years, all his wounds would disappear after he had a night’s rest.
This fact amazed Yu Lu and Grandma Zhou as they thought that the young kid might possess some kind of extraordinary physique.
“How did you offend those guys?” Yang Kai asked while giving them a sweet rice dumpling each.
Zhao Ye Bai took the smaller one and munched on it while replying in a muffled voice, “I didn’t offend them. It was Miao Fei Ping and the others who wanted to bully Xiao Ya. They were being unreasonable!”
“And then you were beaten up?” Yang Kai gazed at him with a faint smile.
Zhao Ye Bai started flushing as he said in a bashful manner, “Mother told me that I couldn’t get into a fight, so I didn’t fight back. I ran away instead.”
“What if there’s no way you can run away one day?” Yang Kai questioned.
Zhao Ye Bai became startled for a moment, then put on a silly smile, “I don’t think that will ever happen. I’m a fast runner, and no one can catch me. Moreover, the Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect will begin in a few months. I’ll give it a try then. Mother said that if I manage to become a disciple of Seven Stars Sect, I’ll be able to cultivate, and I’ll become a cultivator!” He then balled up his fist and flashed a smile at Zhao Ya, “I’ll always protect you, Little Sister Ya.”
Zhao Ya put on a sweet smile and nodded.
All of a sudden, Zhao Ye Bai looked fervently at three passers-by, “Look, they’re from Seven Stars Sect!”
There were three people, one man and two women, who were passing by. While the man was handsome, the women were alluring. All of them were clad in white clothing that suggested that they were from Seven Stars Sect. They looked like pure snow lotuses.
Admiration and yearning were written all over Zhao Ye Bai’s face, “When I become a disciple of Seven Stars Sect, I can wear such clothing as well.” He then said to Zhao Ya, “You’ll be just as beautiful as them when you grow up, Xiao Ya.”
While munching on the sweet rice dumpling, Zhao Ya gently nodded, “When I grow up, I’ll marry you, Big Brother Ye Bai.”
Hearing that, Zhao Ye Bai started coughing violently as the sweet rice dumpling got stuck in his throat. He almost suffocated as a result. He then extended his hand and sought help from Yang Kai, “Give me some soup, Uncle Yang!”
“Take it slow.” Yang Kai was torn between tears and laughter. After passing the young boy a bowl of soup, he patted the latter’s back.
After the two little ones were done with the food, Yang Kai stroked the young boy’s head and said, “It’s getting late, so you should head home now. Don’t worry your Mother.”
“En.” Zhao Ye Bai rose from the chair and beckoned to Zhao Ya. The little ones then snuck into the crowd and disappeared.
A short while later, Yang Kai cleaned up the stall and wheeled his cart home.
Since two years ago, he started selling sweet rice dumplings on his own. Grandma Zhou was old after all, so she couldn’t really work too hard. That was the reason Yang Kai told her to stay home and let him handle the stall.
However, what made Grandma Zhou feel odd was that as time passed, she felt more energetic than before instead of getting weaker. She initially thought that her end would soon come, but it now seemed that she could live for another ten years with ease.
On the other hand, Grandma Zhou was very pleased with Yang Kai. The only complaint she had was that Yang Kai had never returned to his own home over the past few years. She was concerned about the wives he had in his hometown.
After all, many things could happen when a Husband was not around for such a long time.
Initially, Grandma Zhou would persuade Yang Kai to go home to have a look. If he wasn’t willing to leave his Wives there, he could bring them over. Seven Stars Town was bustling with people, and their sweet rice dumpling business was doing well. He could definitely provide for all his Wives; however, since Yang Kai wouldn’t listen to her no matter how many times she brought the issue up, she stopped persuading him.
Subconsciously, she thought that Yang Kai was just lying back then when he said that he had several Wives. Otherwise, a man couldn’t possibly leave his women in his hometown and ignore them. He didn’t seem like an irresponsible man after all.
When Yang Kai returned home, Grandma had already prepared a meal for him. She also took out a pot of fish soup and said, “Send it to Lady Yu. The kids are still growing, and it’s hard enough for her to raise them.”
“En,” Yang Kai replied and took the fish soup before sauntering towards Yu Lu’s house.
Her house was pretty close to Grandma Zhou’s place, which was the reason she looked for Grandma back then when the rain was pouring that night.
As soon as Yang Kai arrived at the front door, Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya rushed out of the house. The young boy took the soup and turned his head to shout, “Uncle Yang is here, Mother!”
A woman clad in simple clothes soon walked out of the house. She was none other than Yu Lu. From the looks of it, she was preparing a meal as there was a bit of ash on her fair face. A piece of cloth had been wrapped around her head as she said bashfully, “You’re here, Big Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Grandma prepared some fish soup and wanted me to send it to you.”
Yu Lu replied gratefully, “It’s you and Grandma Zhou who have been taking care of us over the years. I can’t say enough how grateful I am.”
Yang Kai said with a smile, “We’re neighbours, so stop being overly polite with us. Good, you should continue preparing your meal. I’ll head back now.”
All of a sudden, Yu Lu lifted her head and called out, “Big Brother Yang.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai turned around and gazed at her.
Yu Lu clenched her clothes as though she was trying to summon her courage. She then asked, “Why don’t you stay here to have a meal with us?”
Yang Kai waved his hand with a smile, “Next time, perhaps. Grandma has already prepared dinner for us.”
As Yu Lu watched the man leave, she let out a sigh. In fact, her intention was simple; she just wanted to treat her Big Brother Yang, who had helped her a lot over the years, to a meal that she had prepared. However, a widow could easily draw criticism for her actions, so she wouldn’t dare to make him stay in the past. Although she had made a request this time, she still didn’t have the courage to insist on it.
“It’d be wonderful if Uncle Yang was my Father,” Zhao Ye Bai suddenly said.
Yu Lu started blushing as she landed a knock on her son’s head, “What nonsense are you spouting?”
She had been the centre of gossip among the neighbours over the years. If others heard what her son had said, she wouldn’t be able to clear her name.
Zhao Ye Bai stuck out his tongue and pulled a face at his mother.
After taking the fish soup from her son, Yu Lu said, “Uncle Yang has always been good to you both. In fact, he gave you your names. Both of you must return his favour when you grow up. Understood?”
The kids nodded at the same time.
“Wash your hands before having your meal,” Yu Lu ordered. The kids instantly dashed into the house. She took one more look in the direction Yang Kai had left before shuffling into the house.
Yu Lu had never expected that she would have two kids, a son and a daughter, one day.
Zhao Ye Bai was her biological son. Although many years had passed, she had never forgotten about the night with torrential rain when she almost lost her life. Just when she was about to give up all hope, a warm force streamed into her body and ensured that she and her son remained safe.
One month after Zhao Ye Bai was born, Yu Lu heard a baby crying outside the house. Upon opening the door, she saw that an infant had been left there.
The infant was none other than Zhao Ya.
In fact, Yu Lu had never hidden the fact that Zhao Ya was adopted. Fortunately, the young girl was kind-hearted and understanding, so she never complained about her fate. Although she had experienced a lot of hardship with her adoptive Mother, she remained sanguine.
What Yu Lu wasn’t aware of was that Zhao Ya was sent to her by Yang Kai.
In fact, the young girl’s parents were still alive, but they preferred a boy to a girl. Barely after a few days Zhao Ya was born, and her Father secretly dumped her on a mountain.
The infant was mercilessly discarded before she could even see the world clearly.
As the owner of the Small Universe, Yang Kai inadvertently saw the sight when he was travelling nearby. Naturally, he couldn’t turn a blind eye to it.
Since Yu Lu had given birth to a child not long ago, he decided to put the infant down in front of her door. It wouldn’t make a difference to raise one more kid anyway. In that case, Zhao Ye Bai could have a companion.
Since the kids were raised together from birth, they could be said to be childhood sweethearts.
Meanwhile, in a house where the candlelight was flickering, Yang Kai was having dinner with Grandma Zhou.
Grandma appeared hesitant, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.
Seeing that, Yang Kai asked with a smile, “Is there anything you want to say, Grandma?”
In response, Grandma dipped her head, “Yes, but I’m not sure if I should say it.”
Yang Kai replied, “There’s nothing you can’t tell me, Grandma. Please speak your mind.”
“I’ll go ahead, then.” Grandma put down the chopsticks and stared seriously at him, “How do you find Lady Yu?”
With a solemn expression, Yang Kai replied, “She’s a demure, considerate, and kind-hearted woman. It’s just that life has been unkind to her.”
“Yes, she has suffered a lot over the years.” Suddenly recalling something, Grandma let out a sigh, “It’s said that men are most afraid of taking up the wrong careers while women are most worried of marrying the wrong men. In fact, Lady Yu’s previous man was not bad, but he passed away just like that after falling down the stairs. She has been a widow for years, and there’s no man to take care of her. She has even adopted a young girl. It makes it even harder for her to put food on the table.”
“If you don’t mind it, I’ll ask a matchmaker to come tomorrow.” Grandma Zhou gazed at Yang Kai with a caring expression, “You’re no longer a young boy, so you should build a family of your own.”
As they had spent many years together, she now believed that Yang Kai wasn’t serious when he said that he had several Wives. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made such a suggestion.
Yang Kai didn’t intend to explain anything as he said, “Grandma, if a matchmaker really goes knocking on the door, Lady Yu will definitely chase her away. You probably shouldn’t bother.”
Upon hearing that, Grandma became startled for a moment, then sighed, “You’re right. Lady Yu… is a little obstinate.”
In fact, she had indirectly probed Yu Lu about it before. Yu Lu had been a single mother for years. She was naturally grateful to Yang Kai for taking care of them, especially when he treated Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya like his own kids; however, she was married once and had given birth to a child after all.
She wouldn’t have so many worries if she were just a single young lady. Now, she just wanted to focus on raising Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya. She wouldn’t dare to ask for anything else.
After they were done with dinner, Yang Kai cleaned up the mess while Grandma returned to her room to get some rest.
In the middle of the night, Yang Kai got to his feet and stepped out of the side room.
As a Second Class great force in the Void Continent, Seven Stars Sect had been doing well in recent years. That was because the Sect Master had chosen a very good location to build the Sect in the past. There were no proper great forces within a radius of 1,000 kilometres that could compete with them; therefore, the young children with excellent aptitudes around the area would all stream into Seven Stars Sect.
In the Void Continent, only great forces with Emperor Realm Masters assuming command could be called First Class. Seven Stars Sect didn’t have their own Emperor Realm Masters as the most powerful people were only in the Dao Source Realm. Although the Sect Master was a Third-Order Dao Source Realm Master, it would still take him a long time before he could make it to the Emperor Realm.
On this night, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect had gathered together to have a discussion about the Disciple Recruitment that would take place in a few months.
They would recruit new disciples every three years, and during this period of time, the Disciple Recruitment would become a major event in the surrounding region. Many of the Sects from other places would even send some people over to observe the event. That was why those from Seven Stars Sect wouldn’t dare to be negligent.
While these people were having a fervent discussion in the Main Hall, they suddenly felt a horrifying pressure descending from the sky.
Their expressions changed abruptly as they all rose from the chairs. The Sect Master of Seven Stars Sect, Shang Guan Ji, stepped out of the Main Hall and looked up at the darkness with a solemn expression. With his fist cupped, he shouted, “Seven Stars Sect, Shang Guan Ji, greets Honoured Senior. Forgive us for not greeting you sooner as we were unaware of your esteemed presence.”
The Elders and the Protectors behind him wore serious expressions as they could be heard gulping.
This couldn’t be helped, as it was apparent to them that this pressure was being released by an Emperor Realm Master.
Such a cultivator could be considered an overlord in the Void Continent. This kind of big shot was usually a Sect Master of a major Sect.
It was expected that they were shocked and doubtful since such a person visited their humble place in the middle of the night, and they were not even sure whether he was a friend or a foe. Fortunately, the person didn’t seem to have any ill intentions. The pressure soon disappeared as he didn’t intend to oppress them. He just wanted to reveal his identity as an Emperor Realm Master.
Just then, a figure stepped out of the darkness as they stared fixedly at him. It wasn’t until he came near them that they finally saw he was a young man who was clad in simple clothes.
The handsome man looked like he was only in his twenties or early thirties, but no one present would seriously believe he was really so young. There was no way a man of that age could’ve made it to the Emperor Realm.
The young man sported a smile as he nodded gently at them. Instead of appearing haughty, he seemed as pleasant as a spring breeze. He then said, “This King is Yang Kai. I’ve travelled across the Void Continent for decades, and when I passed by this place, I suddenly had a feeling of fate with this place, so I came over to have a look. Please pardon me if I’ve disturbed you in any way.”
Presently, the appearance of Yang Kai in front of Shang Guan Ji and the others was different from his true self.
It wasn’t that he had put on a disguise. In fact, his appearance hadn’t changed one bit. It was just that he had made use of his rights as the Master of this Small Universe and made them unable to see his true appearance.
There was a smile on Shang Guan Ji’s face as he spoke, “Senior has not disturbed us at all. We’re truly honoured to have Senior visit our Seven Stars Sect.”
Despite what he had said, his emotions were undulating in his heart.
The person in front of him had actually decided to visit this place on a whim. He didn’t doubt Yang Kai’s words, for the latter was an Emperor Realm Master. If Yang Kai wanted to make things difficult for Seven Stars Sect, no one could stop him. He could easily destroy them all and no one would say anything.
However, such an Emperor Realm Master must have detected something that prompted him to pay them a visit.
As they spoke, countless ideas went through Shang Guan Ji’s mind as he wondered what was inside Seven Stars Sect that could draw the attention of this Emperor Realm Master. What made him feel strange was that he had never heard of such an Emperor Realm Master in the Void Continent before.
There were only a small number of Emperor Realm Masters in this world, and every one of them was famous. Nevertheless, Shang Guan Ji had never heard of the name Yang Kai before.
Suppressing the doubts in his mind, he passionately invited Yang Kai to enter the Main Hall.
They couldn’t really continue discussing the Disciple Recruitment; after all, Seven Stars Sect was just a Second Class great force and an Emperor Realm Master had descended from the sky in the middle of the night to their home. They had no idea about his intentions, so they could only keep him company carefully. They were worried that a calamity would befall them if they offended him.
However, the atmosphere soon became harmonious and even a little cheerful.
That was because the Elders realised that this Senior Yang was a rather genial person. He didn’t put on airs just because he was an Emperor Realm Master, nor did he look down on them for being weaker. Initially, only the Sect Master of Seven Stars Sect, Shang Guan Ji, had the courage to chat with him; nonetheless, after Yang Kai answered some of his questions regarding cultivation, the others couldn’t contain their urge to make some inquiries.
Everyone would encounter problems when they cultivated, but without a powerful master to guide them, they could only fumble about on their own, uncertain whether they were proceeding in the right direction or not.
Now that Yang Kai was there to give them some advice, they felt as though they had been enlightened.
In just two hours, admiration was written all over the faces of those Seven Stars Sect’s Elders as they gazed at Yang Kai, whose seemingly nonchalant advice could undoubtedly save them a lot of time and effort in the future.
This was a huge favour to any cultivator.
Seeing that their questions were never-ending, Shang Guan Ji had no choice but to interrupt them, “Good, Senior Yang must be exhausted from his travels. You all should stop bothering him already.”
Although Yang Kai appeared to be patient, they shouldn’t be too greedy. They had gained a lot of insights on this night, and as long as they could digest them, they would achieve greater heights in their cultivation. Shang Guan Ji even had an idea about how to make it to the Emperor Realm now.
He then glanced at Yang Kai and said politely, “Senior, you said that you sensed you shared some fate with this place. Do you have your eyes on anything in Seven Stars Sect? Please speak freely, for we shall not turn you down as long as we’re able to give it to you.”
Since they had gained so many benefits from him, Shang Guan Ji wouldn’t be stingy. If there was anything in Seven Stars Sect that Yang Kai was interested in, he wouldn’t mind gifting it to him as a way to build a relationship.
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai pretended to make some calculations with his fingers while the others held their breaths. A myriad of expressions came over Yang Kai for a moment before he shook his head, “The time has yet to arrive.”
Shang Guan Ji replied with a smile, “There’s no rush since it’s not the right time. Senior is welcome to stay here in Seven Stars Sect. You can always tell this Junior when the time arrives.”
Yang Kai nodded, “In fact, I do have a request, but I’m not sure if you’ll agree to it, Sect Master Shang Guan.”
Shang Guan Ji replied, “Please speak freely, Senior.”
Yang Kai went on to say, “Since I migrated to the Void Continent in the past, this King has constantly been travelling and exploring. I’ve basically visited everywhere that can be visited. Since this place and I share some kind of fate, I’d like to settle down here.”
The people in the Main Hall were stunned while Shang Guan Ji became energetic and asked excitedly, “Senior… do you mean you wish to join Seven Stars Sect?”
All of them gasped as they widened their eyes in disbelief.
Yang Kai nodded gently, “I’m not sure if it’s convenient for you to let me stay in Seven Stars Sect. If not, please allow me to build a hut at the bottom of the mountain.”
“Of course we are more than happy to have Senior join Seven Stars Sect!” Shang Guan Ji stood straight up as he appeared agitated. His face radiated a pinkish glow as he said, “It is our honour that Senior is willing to grace our Seven Stars Sect with his presence. Why wouldn’t we feel pleased with it?”
The others in the hall nodded like chickens pecking at rice.
The person before their eyes was an Emperor Realm Master. Although they had no idea about his Order, he was one of the most powerful people in the Void Continent regardless of what it was. If he could join Seven Stars Sect, they would instantly become a First Class Sect.
Even if Yang Kai were an arrogant and unfriendly man, they wouldn’t have turned him down, not to mention that he was actually quite amiable. It made a huge difference to have an Emperor Realm Master around as their heritage would instantly increase. They wouldn’t mind paying a steep price to make this happen.
“Many thanks then, Sect Master.” Yang Kai smiled and nodded.
Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Shang Guan Ji measured his words before saying, “It is our honour that Senior has decided to join Seven Stars Sect. Given your cultivation, how does assuming the post of Ancestor sound?”
Yang Kai didn’t turn him down. Since he was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was more than qualified to become the Ancestor of a small Sect that didn’t even have an Emperor Realm Master. He thus nodded, “Good.”
At that instant, Shang Guan Ji and the others rose from the chairs and cupped their fists in salute, “Greetings, Ancestor!”
Yang Kai said, “En, I shall humbly accept the position of Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect. Since this is a joyous occasion, I shall deliver you a small gift.”
He then extended his hand and pointed at the front.
When they looked up, they felt as though his finger had gently landed on their foreheads. Following that, a gentle force streamed into their bodies through their glabellas. They instantly felt warmth all over their bodies as their Source Qi began circulating smoother. Besides that, after the gentle force entered their bodies, countless ideas started flashing through their minds as they were suddenly able to comprehend things that they couldn’t in the past.
One Elder in particular, who had been stuck in the First-Order Dao Source Realm for many years, suddenly shook as he instantly achieved a breakthrough to the Second-Order Dao Source Realm.
By just extending his finger, Yang Kai had helped this old man achieve a breakthrough to the Second-Order Dao Source Realm. Such a strange incident was absolutely unheard of.
The people in the Main Hall became even more respectful of him, while the Elder in question bent his back so low he nearly fell over as he said in a shaking voice, “Many thanks for this enormous grace, Ancestor!”
His aptitude was not particularly outstanding, and he was pretty old now. Initially, he thought that the First-Order Dao Source Realm would be the limit in his lifetime, with no way he could improve further. Hence, it came as a total shock to have achieved a breakthrough to the Second Order. He even had a feeling that if he worked hard, he might stand a chance to make it to the Third Order.
To him, such a favour was no different from being granted a second life, and all the others were naturally envious of him.
“It’s all thanks to your accumulation over the years. I only stimulated your potential a little.” Yang Kai put on a smile, then gazed at Shang Guan Ji, “Sect Master, please keep it a secret that I’ve become the Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect.”
Shang Guan Ji became startled upon hearing that. Although he didn’t understand the reason behind it, he still nodded respectfully, “Don’t worry, Ancestor. Only the people in this hall will be aware of it. No one else will find out.”
He couldn’t help but think that it was such a shame. Initially, he intended to launch a public campaign to inform everyone that there was now an Ancestor in Seven Stars Sect. Once word spread, the Sect would be considered First Class, which would allow them to be regarded as important in the Void Continent.
However, since the new Ancestor had decided to keep his presence a secret, he could only obey his order.
Since it was very late now, Shang Guan Ji told a female Elder with an hourglass figure to lead Yang Kai to a Spirit Peak. He had somewhat figured out the temperament of this new Ancestor, who preferred peace and quiet over fanfare and glory; therefore, he decided to let him stay on the slightly remote Azure Jade Peak.
Seven Stars Sect had a total of thirty-eight Spirit Peaks, with Azure Jade Peak ranking somewhere in the middle and being pretty remote, so no one had actually been interested in it.
With that said, Yang Kai was satisfied after he moved in. This allowed Shang Guan Ji to breathe a sigh of relief.
Everything went well for the next few months. The new Ancestor was living a reclusive life on Azure Jade Peak and rarely stepped out of his home.
Shang Guan Ji finally became slightly at ease. When he was told to keep it a secret that Yang Kai had become the Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect, he was worried that the man might have some powerful enemies that would try to retaliate against him. In that case, it would be disastrous for their Sect.
Now, it seemed that his worries were unfounded. Moreover, after several months of observation, he realised that Yang Kai didn’t have any ill intentions. He really seemed to be tired of travelling around the continent, so he decided to look for a place and settle down and rest.
There was no doubt that this was good news for Seven Stars Sect. Although they were unable to reveal that there was an Emperor Realm Master with them, the Elders had more confidence to deal with any issues they might face now that they had a powerful backer.
Since Shang Guan Ji was aware that the Ancestor was fond of serenity, he issued orders that no one should disturb him without permission.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai still sold sweet rice dumplings in Seven Stars Town every day. His presence in the Small Universe was a manifestation of his Soul Avatar anyway, so it made no difference if there was one or two of him.
A few months later, the Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect that took place every three years finally commenced. The surrounding 1,000 kilometres radius was abuzz with activity and many cultivators from further afar came to visit Seven Stars Town.
At the entrance of the town, Yang Kai was standing there while watching Yu Lu adjust the clothes of the young children. She told them to be obedient after they left the town. It would be wonderful if they could become the disciples of Seven Stars Sect; however, even if they were not accepted, they didn’t have to feel dejected.
The two kids nodded in response.
A moment later, Yu Lu took the hands of Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya as she shuffled towards Yang Kai and said with reddened eyes, “Please take care of them, Big Brother Yang.”
Yang Kai put on a grin, “Don’t worry, Lady Yu. I won’t let anything happen to them. If they’re accepted into the Seven Stars Sect, I’ll come back and tell you about it. If they are rejected, I’ll bring them back safely.”
Yu Lu nodded, then gently pushed the young kids forward, “Go now.”
The young kids turned around and wrapped their arms around Yu Lu, who covered her mouth while shaking slightly.
Yang Kai looked into the distance as he couldn’t help but think that his parents might feel the same way every time he had to leave them.
Even after the trio had moved a long distance, they turned around and still saw a petite figure looking at them from the entrance of the town.
Seven Stars Town was basically a satellite town of Seven Stars Sect, so there was only a distance of about fifty kilometres between the two places.
While carrying a backpack, Yang Kai held the hands of the young kids as he sauntered towards Seven Stars Sect.
Just then, they heard the sound of a horse carriage approaching them from behind, so they stepped aside. When the carriage was passing them by, a young kid, who was about ten years old, stuck out his head and wielded his fist at Zhao Ye Bai, “Hey, I don’t want to see you in Seven Stars Sect; otherwise, I’ll definitely beat you up.”
Zhao Ye Bai pulled a face at him while Zhao Ya picked up a stone from the ground and forcefully hurled it forward, which caused the boy to instantly flinch.
With a smile, Yang Kai watched as the young kids messed around. He could recognise the boy in the carriage, who had chased after Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya a few months ago. The two of them had to sneak beneath his cart to shake off their pursuer. He was the brat from the Miao Family, Miao Fei Ping. There was no doubt that he was wealthier than the two kids beside Yang Kai, and he had an excellent aptitude.
In fact, when an Elder from Seven Stars Sect left the mountain and inadvertently came across Miao Fei Ping two months ago, he decided to take him on as a Disciple on the spot. This time, Miao Fei Ping just had to go through the registration process. Unlike Zhao Ye Bai, whose fate was uncertain, Miao Fei Ping could definitely join Seven Stars Sect.
The area in front of Seven Stars Sect was crammed with people as they had all come to try their luck. Their ages varied; there were some people who were as young as Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya, while there were also those who were in their early twenties.
It took Yang Kai a long time before he managed to help the young kids register their names. Every participant was given a Wooden Token with a number written on it. Before the test started, Zhao Ya looked fixedly at a hawker who sold candied hawthorns, which were deathly attractive to her.
Yang Kai went over and bought three sticks. While squatting in the corner, they were pleased with the taste of the food. As the young kids exchanged glances, they smiled at each other.
“Uncle Yang, what if I’m not accepted?” Zhao Ye Bai was suddenly worried about his future.
Yang Kai replied nonchalantly, “You’re still very young. Even if you fail, you can come again next time.”
On the other hand, Zhao Ya was very confident that Zhao Ye Bai would succeed, “Big Brother Ye Bai will definitely be accepted.”
Zhao Ye Bai grinned, “You’ll succeed as well, Xiao Ya.”
Right then, Miao Fei Ping appeared out of nowhere and said to Zhao Ye Bai, “Just give up. Look at how bony your arms are. There’s no way you’ll be accepted!”
There was a drumstick in his hand. While he was enjoying his food, his mouth covered in grease.
Zhao Ya narrowed her eyes as her murderous intent surged. She was chewing the candied hawthorns so loudly that it was as though she was biting Miao Fei Ping’s head instead.
Miao Fei Ping’s neck shrank as he put on a meek smile, “I’m sure you’ll succeed, Little Sister Ya. If I were a senior expert from the mountain, I would take you on as a disciple regardless of what it takes.”
After finishing his words, he left the place in a hurry.
Zhao Ya placated her companion by saying, “Don’t listen to him, Big Brother Ye Bai. Nothing good will ever come out of Miao Fei Ping’s mouth.”
“You’re right.” Zhao Ye Bai nodded repeatedly, “I don’t care whatever he says. Hahaha!”
There were many tests during the Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect, and many people would be knocked out after each test. Those who had passed were ecstatic while those who had failed appeared dispirited.
Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya were busy for the entire day. When they returned in the evening, their soles were covered in blisters.
“How was it?” Yang Kai asked.
Zhao Ye Bai appeared elated, “Uncle Yang, you know, Xiao Ya got an A Rank in her overall evaluation.”
“Is A Rank very good?” Yang Kai arched his brow.
Zhao Ye Bai made a gesture, “Very, very good! I heard that there were over 1,000 people who have taken part in the Disciple Recruitment, but only ten people have obtained an A Rank in the overall evaluation.”
“You’re indeed incredible, Xiao Ya. You’re one of those people who got the best result.” Yang Kai patted the young girl’s head with a smile.
However, Zhao Ya forced a smile as it seemed that she wasn’t joyful.
“What about you?” Yang Kai asked the young boy.
Zhao Ye Bai chuckled, “I’m much weaker than Xiao Ya as I only got a C Rank. Still, I passed the tests.”
Zhao Ya hurriedly said, “It’s fine. The aptitude test tomorrow is more important. The tests prior to that didn’t matter.”
Following a nod, Zhao Ye Bai replied, “You’re right. We’ll only be able to join Seven Stars Sect if we pass the test tomorrow. Anyway, I’m very confident.”
It was then that Zhao Ya put on a sincere smile.
Those from Seven Stars Sect didn’t prepare a place where the participants could get some rest; therefore, the group of three found a clean place and slept on the ground.
Zhao Ye Bai must have been exhausted, so he dozed off almost immediately.
In the middle of the night, Yang Kai opened his eyes and took a glance at Zhao Ya, who was seated with her legs crossed while she had pressed her palms together in a serious manner. He gently flicked her forehead and asked, “What are you doing up at this hour?”
Zhao Ya hurriedly placed a finger between her lips, then explained bashfully, “Aunty Lu and Grandma always say that there’s an almighty Lord who knows about everything in this world. So, I want the Lord to bless Big Brother Ye Bai and make sure that he’ll pass the test tomorrow. He always tells me that he wants to join Seven Stars Sect after all.”
Yang Kai smiled helplessly, “The aptitude of a person is decided at birth. There’s no way the Lord can bless him.”
Zhao Ya pursed her lips, “What kind of an all-powerful Lord is that if he can’t even grant such a simple wish?”
Yang Kai was lost for words, thinking that the Lord would be exhausted if he had to be concerned about every minor matter like this.
“Let’s sleep now.” Yang Kai decided not to delve into this topic.
“Alright,” Zhao Ya replied and lay on the ground.
However, Yang Kai soon heard her muttering under her breath. It was apparent that she was still secretly praying.
The next morning, the aptitude test of Seven Stars Sect’s Disciple Recruitment, which was the last of all tests, finally began.
This was also the simplest test. There was a round platform on the square. A participant just had to stand on it, and his or her aptitude would be evaluated.
The participants stepped onto it one by one as the platform radiated glows of different intensities. The Elders from Seven Stars Sect would observe it from the side. They would either let a participant pass the test or eliminate them during the process.
Yang Kai was waiting among the crowd alongside Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya. The kids were apparently nervous. Every time someone passed the test, they would appear envious, and when a person was knocked out, they would appear worried.
The aptitude test on this day was the most important test of all. Regardless of how excellent a person’s evaluation was prior to that, they would still be knocked out if they failed this assessment.
Moreover, the success rate was pretty low. Only two to three out of ten people could pass. Also, their Ranks were generally pretty low.
Around midday, a voice was heard calling out, “No. 763, Miao Fei Ping!”
Upon hearing that, Miao Fei Ping emerged from the crowd. Despite his young age, he was pretty agile. Upon stepping onto the platform, he politely saluted the cultivators from Seven Stars Sect who were responsible for administering the test. He then closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.
The next instant, the platform glowed intensely.
Everyone was amazed by the sight as the cultivators responsible for observing the results all rose from the chairs at the same time. While appearing excited, they looked fervently at Miao Fei Ping, who was in the middle of the platform.
“A Rank! The intensity of the glow suggests that his aptitude must be of A Rank!”
“Is there really a disciple with A Rank aptitude who will join us?”
The already amazed crowd became astounded upon hearing that. It was apparent to them that Miao Fei Ping had an extraordinary aptitude as the people getting tested prior to him were not able to make the platform glow so brightly; however, they were just onlookers after all. Given their eyesight, they were unable to judge Miao Fei Ping’s exact aptitude.
It wasn’t until they heard the cultivators from Seven Stars Sect that they realised his aptitude was of A Rank.
It had to be noted that many people had been tested already, and the person with the best result had only achieved B Rank. Although A Rank and B Rank were only one Rank apart, the achievements they would make in the future were drastically different. A person with A Rank aptitude would definitely make it to the Emperor Realm one day if they didn’t lose their life along the way.
On the stand, the Sect Master of Seven Stars Sect, Shang Guan Ji, couldn’t help but smile while stroking his beard.
Just then, an elderly man, who was seated beside him, spoke up, “Sect Master Shang Guan, this Old Master feels a predestined fate with this young boy, and would like to take him on as my Legacy Disciple. Would Sect Master Shang Guan be willing to part with him?”
The smile on Shang Guan Ji’s face instantly froze.
The Elders of Seven Stars Sect were not the only onlookers on the stand. There were also some powerful cultivators from other Sects that they were on good terms with who had come over to watch the fun.
Seven Stars Sect was a Second Class Sect, and the Sects they were friendly with were also of the same Class. Since they were equally matched, it was inconceivable that someone would make such a rude demand just because there was a young boy with exceptional aptitude. Such a person was basically trying to snatch their prized disciple from them.
However, this elderly man was a little different. He was an Emperor Realm Master from a First Class Sect who had been a guest at a different Sect some time ago. Upon hearing that a Disciple Recruitment was going on, he decided to tag along to watch the show. He only came here to find some small amusement, so it surprised him greatly to find a boy with such great aptitude.
Even the First Class Sects didn’t have a lot of disciples with A Rank aptitude. If he could bring this child back with him, it would strengthen the overall power of his Sect.
The faces of the Elders from Seven Stars Sect instantly fell when they heard this; however, since the visitor was an Emperor Realm Master, they wouldn’t dare to rebuke him lest he felt offended.
The representatives from other Sects appeared gleeful. Even though their Sects were on good terms with Seven Stars Sect, they wouldn’t want to see them getting a disciple with A Rank aptitude. If Seven Stars Sect managed to become a First Class Sect in the future, they would become inferior to them.
Hence, they were more than happy to see the disciple with A Rank aptitude getting taken away by someone else.
Shang Guan Ji straightened his face and replied, “To be honest with you, Senior Shen, this child was taken on as a Disciple by our Elder Guan Qian Xing two months ago. He’s just going through the recruitment tests as a formality.”
To the side, Guan Qian Xing rose from the chair and saluted Shen Xing, “That is indeed the case.”
Shen Xing frowned with displeasure; however, he was an Emperor Realm Master after all, so he couldn’t really press the issue. If the boy had not been already taken on as a Disciple, it would be fine to snatch him as he could just offer some compensation to Seven Stars Sect at a later time. They wouldn’t really dare to rebuke or refuse him; however, since a Master and Disciple relationship had already been established, he would appear oppressive and immoral if he tried to take the child away. If word got out, both he and his Sect would lose a lot of face.
After weighing the pros and cons, he nodded, “Since the child is already your Disciple, Elder Guan, I’ll not insist. Congratulations on obtaining a Disciple with such exceptional aptitude.”
“Many thanks for your kindness, Senior Shen.” Shang Guan Ji put on a smile as he was finally relieved.
If Shen Xing insisted on taking the child away, those from Seven Stars Sect would be unable to oppose him unless they asked their new Ancestor to come forward.
However, over the past months, the Ancestor had been living in seclusion as he seemed determined to keep a low profile. Despite being the Sect Master, Shan Guan Ji also hadn’t managed to see him once since the night he arrived; therefore, he didn’t have the confidence to make the Ancestor stand up for their Sect in this moment.
Since Shen Xing was willing to make a concession, a conflict was avoided.
The Elders from Seven Stars Sect congratulated Guan Qian Xing, who responded with a smile. Although he was already aware that Miao Fei Ping had good aptitude, he had no idea about the details since no test had been conducted at the time. He was pleasantly surprised on this day since Miao Fei Ping was revealed to have A Rank aptitude.
Soon, a detailed report was sent to them. No. 763, Miao Fei Ping, Seven Stars Town. His aptitude was revealed to be A-, while his overall evaluation was also A-.
This kind of aptitude was rarely seen across the entire Void Continent. There was no doubt that Miao Fei Ping was the best disciple that those from Seven Stars Sect had ever accepted.
Shang Guan Ji and the other Elders were naturally over the Moon.
Meanwhile, Miao Fei Ping left the platform and walked up to Zhao Ye Bai to brag about his achievements, causing Zhao Ya to bare her fangs in protest.
On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was completely unfazed as he sincerely congratulated him. This made Miao Fei Ping feel displeased as there wasn’t a tinge of jealousy on Zhao Ye Bai’s face. It was as if he swung his fist hard, only to punch a pile of cotton.
More disciples were then tested, and some of the people were revealed to have B Rank aptitude; however, Miao Fei Ping was practically the centre of attention now, so they didn’t look very outstanding. If Miao Fei Ping hadn’t been around, these disciples with B Rank aptitude would’ve been valued more highly by the Elders.
“No. 896, Zhao Ye Bai!”
Upon hearing that, Zhao Ye Bai, who had been waiting, took a deep breath.
“Go on,” Yang Kai gently pushed him.
“Don’t worry, Big Brother Ye Bai. You’ll be fine,” Zhao Ya encouraged him from behind.
Zhao Ye Bai waved his hand without turning his head, then shuffled towards the platform.
After saluting the people from Seven Stars Sect, he steadied his breathing just like everyone else had done before him.
Zhao Ya stared fixedly at Zhao Ye Bai while balling up her fists, her fingers practically digging deep into her flesh.
Just then, a very dim glow was seen, and it disappeared three breaths later.
The cultivators from Seven Stars Sect had a discussion for a moment before one of them announced, “Zhao Ye Bai, aptitude C-. Pass!”
On the platform, Zhao Ye Bai leaped into the air as though he had just won a million silver coins.
As long as a person was revealed to have an aptitude of B Rank or C Rank, they could join Seven Stars Sect; after all, those from Seven Stars Sect had knocked many people out the day before, so they wouldn’t turn down the ones who were left as long as their aptitude wasn’t too weak. However, people with weaker aptitudes would certainly be treated differently, and they would have fewer achievements in the future as well.
For a disciple like Zhao Ye Bai who had C- aptitude, he would only be the lowliest of disciples in Seven Stars Sect even though he was accepted.
Despite that, he was incredibly pleased with this.
He then returned with an excited expression as he reported to Zhao Ya and Yang Kai, “Uncle Yang, Xiao Ya, I passed the test! I passed!”
Yang Kai stroked the young boy’s head while Zhao Ya put on a beautiful smile. Imitating an adult, she saluted him and said, “Congratulations on having your dream come true, Big Brother Ye Bai.”
To the side, Miao Fei Ping was stunned as he pursed his lips together bitterly and muttered, “Your aptitude is only C-, but you look so ecstatic that it’s as though you were an A Rank.”
“My Mother always says that a person will only be truly happy by not being greedy, Senior Brother Miao.”
Miao Fei Ping refuted with displeasure, “I’m not your Senior Brother. Stop calling me that.”
Zhao Ye Bai sported a silly smile, “We’ll be the disciples of the same Sect, and you’re older than I am, so, of course, you’re my Senior Brother.”
Miao Fei Ping parted his lips, but he was unable to refute him. A moment later, he said angrily, “Don’t think that I’ll stop beating you up just because you call me Senior Brother. You’d better work hard and cultivate. If you can’t protect Little Sister Ya in the future, I’ll do it in your stead.”
“I’ll definitely cultivate hard so that you don’t have to do that, Senior Brother Miao,” Zhao Ye Bai stuck out his chest.
Just then, a person was heard calling out from the platform, “No. 897, Zhao Ya!”
“It’s your turn, Xiao Ya,” Zhao Ye Bai turned his head and said.
Zhao Ya nodded and sauntered forward. A worried Zhao Ye Bai advised her by saying, “Don’t fret. Just empty your mind and stand there.”
“En.” Zhao Ya dipped her head.
Despite what he just said, Miao Fei Ping acted like a Senior Brother, walked up to Zhao Ye Bai, and asked him seriously, “What if Little Sister Ya fails the test?”
Zhao Ye Bai replied, “That will never happen. Little Sister Ya has always been intelligent. Her aptitude must be greater than mine.”
“I’m saying what if!” Miao Fei Ping glared at him.
After giving it a serious thought, Zhao Ye Bai said, “I won’t join Seven Stars Sect, then. I’ll go home with Xiao Ya.”
Miao Fei Ping widened his mouth in shock as he gazed at him, “Don’t you always say that you’re determined to join Seven Stars Sect? Wasn’t it your dream to become a powerful cultivator one day?”
Zhao Ye Bai put on a smile, “It’s another dream of mine to see Xiao Ya growing up happy.”
Miao Fei Ping fell silent for a moment, then patted the younger boy’s shoulder as though he was a very mature person, “I’m inferior to you in this regard.”
Zhao Ye Bai stared at him in shock, “You have exceptional aptitude, and you’re from a wealthy family. Why would you be inferior to me in any way?”
Miao Fei Ping couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Just when he was about to speak, a brilliant light exploded from the platform. The glow was so dazzling that everyone present had no choice but to close or avert their eyes.
The glow soon expanded and spilled over the platform to engulf the crowd. Even the Masters on the stand were affected.
The dazzling light didn’t seem to be going out anytime soon.
Everyone fell into a commotion.
The cultivators from Seven Stars Sect who were responsible for observing the results bent forward as they widened their eyes in disbelief.
On the stand, Shang Guan Ji, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect, and the representatives from other Sects all rose from the chairs at the same time, utterly flabbergasted.
When Miao Fei Ping was tested on his aptitude earlier, the platform also radiated a dazzling glow. Following that, he was revealed to have an aptitude of A-, which was unprecedented in the history of Seven Stars Sect, instantly making him the centre of attention. The top cultivators from other Sects, as well as the onlookers, were all amazed.
However, after Zhao Ya went on stage, the platform radiated an even more dazzling light for an even longer time.
Right then, someone from the crowd exclaimed, “It’s another person with A Rank aptitude!”
Even the ordinary people who had never cultivated before could see that Zhao Ya had caused a greater commotion than Miao Fei Ping, who was revealed to have an aptitude of A-. Hence, how Heaven-defying must Zhao Ya’s aptitude be?
It was certain that her aptitude must be A Rank, but they were not sure whether it would be A or A+.
After more than a dozen breaths of time, the light finally went out, but the crowd remained stunned as they stared dazedly at the petite figure on the platform. It was as though they saw a new Star rising into the sky.
It wasn’t until this moment that Zhao Ya opened her eyes. She appeared puzzled as she had no idea what just happened. As her eyes met with those of Zhao Ye Bai, she flashed a sweet smile at him.
Before those from Seven Stars Sect announced the result, she was getting ready to leave the stage.
“Wait a moment, Junior Sister!” A cultivator from Seven Stars Sect hurriedly stopped her.
“What’s wrong?” Zhao Ya gazed at him with vigilance.
The cultivator was already drenched in sweat as he suppressed his shock and put on a harmless smile, “Don’t be nervous, Junior Sister. It’s just that your aptitude is so exceptional that we’re unable to make an immediate judgement. The result will be decided by the Elders, so please wait here for a while.”
He was extremely polite, as though he was facing an Elder or the Sect Master instead of a young girl who was only seven or eight years old.
Given her Heaven-defying aptitude though, there was no doubt that this young girl had a bright future ahead of her. Perhaps it would only take her a few years before she became someone he could only look up to, which was why this cultivator wouldn’t dare to be negligent.
If he said something wrong now, he would have no way to survive in the future.
On the stand, the Elders from Seven Stars Sect were flushing as they came together to discuss the aptitude of Zhao Ya using their Divine Senses.
Meanwhile, Shang Guan Ji stared fixedly at Zhao Ya as he almost cried tears of joy. First, Miao Fei Ping came as a surprise during the Disciple Recruitment, and now there was Zhao Ya. He reckoned that their Sect had been blessed by the Lord.
Given the aptitude Miao Fei Ping had showcased, there was no doubt he would be able to make it to the Emperor Realm in the future, and it was the same case for No. 897, Zhao Ya.
In the future, there would be two Emperor Realm Masters in Seven Stars Sect. Their Sect would become peerless in the Void Continent.
Soon, the outcome of the discussion among the Elders was decided. Guan Qian Xing walked up to Shang Guan Ji and spoke to him close to his ear.
Shang Guan Ji nodded gently, then announced, “No. 897, Zhao Ya, Seven Stars Town. Aptitude, A+, overall evaluation, A+.”
She had obtained a double A+.
Miao Fei Ping, who achieved double A- prior to this, paled in front of her.
Still, there was a helpless smile on Shang Guan Ji’s face. If Zhao Ya was evaluated properly, her aptitude would definitely be higher than A+; however, since A+ was already the limit, they were unable to give her a better result.
All of a sudden, he recalled a rumour that there was a higher Martial Dao above the Emperor Realm; however, since his cultivation was still fairly weak, he was unable to confirm the truth behind such information.
While Miao Fei Ping would certainly make it to the Emperor Realm, Zhao Ya might be able to bring Seven Stars Sect to unprecedented heights.
Shang Guan Ji couldn’t help but wonder what the Realm that was above the Emperor Realm would look like. Perhaps Zhao Ya would be able to unravel the mystery for him in his lifetime.
“Sect Master Shang Guan, I suppose this little girl hasn’t become a Disciple of any of your Elders yet.”
When Shang Guan Ji heard the voice, he was shocked as the pleasant surprise on his face transformed into horror.
While he was overwhelmed by ecstasy just now, he had forgotten about Shen Xing’s presence.
This person was already interested in Miao Fei Ping earlier. Fortunately, Miao Fei Ping had already been taken on as a Disciple by Guan Qian Xing two months ago and was just going through the formalities by taking part in the recruitment tests. That was the reason Shen Xing didn’t make things difficult for them as he still had to consider his status.
But now, Zhao Ya showcased an aptitude that far exceeded that of Miao Fei Ping’s, so it was expected that Shen Xing would be tempted.
Nevertheless, Shang Guan Ji would never be willing to let go of a young child who might bring Seven Stars Sect to the peak of the World. At that moment, countless ideas flashed through his mind, but just when he was ready to lie to Shen Xing despite knowing that he would offend him, he was suddenly engulfed in Emperor Pressure.
Regardless of how hard Shang Guan Ji tried, he was unable to tell a lie as he forced a smile and muttered, “No.”
The pressure then dissipated as though it had never been there.
Shen Xing smiled and nodded, “That’s wonderful. This Old Master believes he shares fate with this young girl, and would like to bring her back to my Sect. Sect Master Shang Guan won’t mind parting with her, yes?”
Shang Guan Ji almost had the urge to curse. This shameless old fart seemed to ‘share fate’ with any young child with exceptional aptitude. When he mentioned Miao Fei Ping just now, he still had the courtesy to ask Shang Guan Ji whether the latter was willing to give the Disciple to him, but when it came to Zhao Ya, he directly demanded to get the young girl.
He was basically snatching their disciple from them in broad daylight.
Seeing that Shang Guan Ji remained silent, Shen Xing sported a dark expression, “What’s wrong, Sect Master Shang Guan? Do you have no regard for this Old Master?”
A middle-aged man, who was seated beside Shen Xing, spoke up at that moment, “Brother Shang Guan, it’s understandable that you value such a talented young child, but Seven Stars Sect is too small. On the other hand, Senior Shen’s Southern Star Palace is one of the top forces in the Void Continent. Young Zhao Ya will definitely become very successful in the future, but Seven Stars Sect is too small to accommodate her. Only a place like Southern Star Palace could truly allow her to shine.”
Shen Xing had practically tagged along with this Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect; otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to the Disciple Recruitment of a Sect like Seven Stars Sect.
At this moment, Shang Guan Ji was resentful of the Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect. If this guy hadn’t brought Shen Xing with him, all this wouldn’t have happened.
Despite his sincere words, he actually had ulterior motives. It was already giving him a headache that Miao Fei Ping was joining Seven Stars Sect. If there was also Zhao Ya, the Second Class great forces around Seven Stars Sect wouldn’t be able to survive.
When these two disciples grew to be powerful one day, Golden Spring Sect would surely be oppressed by Seven Stars Sect.
Shang Guan Ji was aware that he wouldn’t be able to keep Zhao Ya, but he still wasn’t willing to give her to Shen Xing.
With displeasure written all over his face, Shen Xing snorted.
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect persuaded again by saying, “Brother Shang Guan, it’s said that an ordinary man is innocent, but treasures make him guilty. Zhao Ya’s aptitude is so exceptional that it is simply unheard of. It would be fine if Seven Stars Sect was able to protect her; however, just like my Golden Spring Sect, your Sect is just a Second Class great force. This news will undoubtedly spread across the entire Void Continent in no time. By then, rather than making your Sect thrive, this young girl will only bring disaster. Although Senior Shen has some selfishness in trying to take on this young girl to be his Disciple, he is also indirectly doing your Sect a great favour. Please think twice, Brother Shang Guan.”
To the side, Shen Xing stroked his beard and nodded as though he was really trying to help Seven Stars Sect.
A myriad of expressions came over Shang Guan Ji. Even though the Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect was acting maliciously, that didn’t mean what he said was entirely false.
Miao Fei Ping alone wouldn’t prompt those First Class Sects to make a move, but Zhao Ya was different.
If he invited trouble to Seven Stars Sect just because he wanted to keep Zhao Ya, he wouldn’t be able to take responsibility as the Sect Master.
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect declared firmly, “Brother Shang Guan, do you really want Seven Stars Sect to be destroyed just for a moment’s impulse?”
Shang Guan Ji, who had been trying to act tough, suddenly became dejected, as though he had aged by several dozen years. He let out a sigh since he was unable to turn things around. Just when he was preparing to give in, he suddenly looked in the direction of Azure Jade Peak.
At the same time, Shen Xing also lifted his head.
They could see a figure strolling through the sky towards them, his voice echoing around them even before he even arrived, “The fated time has come! It was worth waiting for a few months!”
Shang Guan Ji was filled with joy as he hurriedly rose from his seat.
The person, who looked like a descending Immortal, landed in front of Zhao Ya and looked down at her with a faint smile.
Without feeling fearful at all, Zhao Ya stared back at him.
At that moment, she was only thinking that this person looked familiar to her as his figure was similar to that of Uncle Yang.
When Yang Kai showed up in Seven Stars Sect several months ago, he used a trick and changed his appearance in the eyes of others.
Therefore, even though this Soul Avatar of his in front of Zhao Ya looked exactly the same as his true self, he appeared to be a different person in Zhao Ya’s eyes.
“There is fate between us, young girl. Are you willing to be my Disciple?” Yang Kai looked smilingly at her and asked.
On the stand, Shen Xing sported a dark expression. He had said something similar twice before today, but now this guy who appeared out of nowhere repeated what he had said. Was he trying to humiliate him?
Shen Xing stood straight up with fury and scoffed, “Who are you?”
It was expected that he was furious since the young girl was being snatched from him right in front of him.
Shang Guan Ji was pleasantly surprised when Yang Kai appeared, but at this moment, he was suddenly worried.
That was because he had no idea about what Order of the Emperor Realm this new Ancestor was in. On the other hand, he knew that Shen Xing was in the Second-Order Emperor Realm.
If the new Ancestor was weaker than Shen Xing, this matter wouldn’t be resolved peacefully. Even if the new Ancestor was also in the Second-Order Emperor Realm, Shen Xing represented Southern Star Palace, so there was no way Seven Stars Sect could go against them.
Shang Guan Ji wouldn’t even dare to think that the new Ancestor could possibly be in the Third-Order Emperor Realm, because the number of such Masters in the entire Void Continent could be counted on one hand.
“Sit down.” Yang Kai lightly commanded without even sparing Shen Xing a glance, and as Shang Guan Ji watched, Shen Xing really sat down as he was told.
Shang Guan Ji widened his eyes as he saw Shen Xing’s face go from red, to white, to blue. The man’s forehead was beaded with sweat, and his eyes filled with a light of terror.
Naturally, Shen Xing wouldn’t act obediently in this place, so the only explanation for him doing as he was told was that he was completely overpowered by the new Ancestor.
The emotions in Shang Guan Ji’s heart undulated as he had never expected that the Ancestor who arrived at Seven Stars Sect several months ago was actually a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master!
He instantly let out a sigh of relief, thinking that they would no longer need to fear anyone with such an Ancestor in their Sect.
“Greetings, Ancestor!” With Shang Guan Ji standing at the front, the Elders and the Protectors from Seven Stars Sect who were fortunate to have met and chatted with Yang Kai that night saluted him in unison.
The ordinary disciples from Seven Stars Sect soon recovered from their shock and did the same; however, they were puzzled as they had never heard that there was an Ancestor in their Sect.
Moreover, the Ancestor seemed to have showcased a power that was much greater than that of Shen Xing, who was there to watch the Disciple Recruitment.
Shen Xing was a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master who was from Southern Star Palace, and since the Ancestor was stronger than him, it meant that he was probably in the Third-Order. That realization made these disciples feel agitated.
Following that, the representatives of the other Sects rose from the chairs and saluted as well.
With a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master present, they wouldn’t dare to be impolite.
Shen Xing was the only one who didn’t get up. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to rise from his chair though, but rather that he simply couldn’t. He felt as though a mountain had been placed on his shoulders, which made it impossible for him to even move a finger.
From the looks of it, he seemed to be an arrogant person who remained seated, which only made more cold sweat drip from his forehead.
He had faced the pressure of Third-Order Emperor Realm Masters before, but none of them felt anywhere near as intense as this time. Yang Kai could make him unable to move simply by commanding him. This kind of Third-Order Emperor Realm Master was much stronger than the ones he had come across before.
Yang Kai waved his hand without saying anything, but everyone took a seat at the same time.
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect wore a conflicted expression as he gazed at Shang Guan Ji with a bitter smile, “Brother Shang Guan, why did you hide something so important from all of us? You didn’t even tell us that there was an Ancestor in your noble Sect. If you had informed us earlier, we would have prepared proper gifts as tribute.”
The reason he kept persuading Shang Guan Ji to give up on the young girl was that he didn’t want to see Seven Stars Sect, which was also a Second Class Sect, growing more powerful than the rest of them. Now it seemed that his persuasion was pointless.
Even if they didn’t have Zhao Ya, they already had a powerful Ancestor with them, which ensured that they would definitely become a First Class great force. Golden Spring Sect was already incomparable to them.
From now on, Golden Spring Sect would have to flatter Seven Stars Sect to survive, so he naturally had to improve his ties with Shang Guan Ji.
The face of Shang Guan Ji was glowing as he stroked his beard with a smile, “It’s not that we wanted to hide this from all of you, but rather that the Ancestor prefers peace and serenity. That was why we didn’t make an announcement.”
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect simply nodded, “I see.”
Suddenly realizing something, Shang Guan Ji said, “The Ancestor was travelling across the world when he suddenly visited our Sect one night. He said that he felt some kind of fate with this place, so he asked to settle down in Seven Stars Sect. After he made some calculations, he said that the time had not come yet. Now it seems that Zhao Ya is the one he has been waiting for. It seems the Ancestor really can divine the future.”
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect widened his mouth in disbelief. It wasn’t until this moment that he realised the people from Seven Stars Sect had practically gotten an Ancestor for free.
He felt disheartened as he thought that those from Seven Stars Sect were so lucky to have a powerful figure to come over and become their Ancestor, serving as the greatest support for the Sect. On the other hand, Golden Spring Sect was not so lucky.
He then gazed at the man and the young girl on the stage with an envious expression.
Presently, Seven Stars Sect had an Ancestor to assume command while there was a disciple named Zhao Ya who had exceptional aptitude. Additionally, there was Miao Fei Ping, who was revealed to have an A- aptitude. It seemed that their Sect’s rise was inevitable.
On the stage, Yang Kai and Zhao Ya were still staring at one another. Although Zhao Ya had no idea what was going on, she was an intelligent and observant girl and had a feeling that the person before her eyes was someone very important, and for some reason, he gave off a familiar feeling as though she had met him before.
While she was in a dazed state, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect were flustered.
It must have taken her some Heaven-defying luck to be offered a chance to become the Disciple of the Ancestor. Even if the Ancestor said the same thing to them, they would instantly fall on their knees and accept. A young girl that was seven or eight years old was supposed to do the same; however, this particular young girl didn’t understand how lucky she was as she just batted her eyes at the Ancestor.
It was as though she had seen something interesting on his face.
The anxious Elders secretly spoke to Zhao Ya, encouraging her to accept the offer.
Zhao Ya had never experienced anything like this before, so she just felt annoyed by the voices as she waved her hand. It was as though she was trying to chase away some flies.
Yang Kai didn’t urge her as he looked smilingly at the young girl.
A moment later, Zhao Ya said, “I don’t mind becoming your Disciple, but Big Brother Ye Bai has to come with me.”
On the stand, Shang Guan Ji and the others were shocked as they admired the young girl’s courage. She didn’t seem to be afraid of someone who was so powerful. Since the Ancestor had personally shown up to take on a Disciple, others would’ve gladly accepted it; however, this girl didn’t know the immensity of Heaven and Earth as she had the guts to even state her own conditions.
Moreover, they had no idea who this ‘Big Brother Ye Bai’ was.
Besides Shang Guan Ji and the Elders, the onlookers also didn’t know who the Big Brother Ye Bai she was talking about was except for those who came from Seven Stars Town.
Standing among the crowd, Miao Fei Ping looked helplessly at Zhao Ye Bai, who was extremely lucky to have such a chance. It was no different from suddenly having 10 million silver coins fall into your lap.
“Who is Big Brother Ye Bai?” Yang Kai asked, despite being fully aware of who the person was.
Zhao Ya turned her head and took a glance, whereupon Zhao Ye Bai emerged from the crowd and walked up to Zhao Ya before saluting the unknown man, “Junior Zhao Ye Bai greets Senior.”
On the stand, Shang Guan Ji and the others finally recognized this brat as the Big Brother Ye Bai that Zhao Ya had mentioned; after all, his test only took place a while ago, so Shang Guan Ji still remembered this young boy, who was only revealed to have an aptitude of C-, which was a far cry from Zhao Ya.
Yang Kai took a dispassionate glance at him and shook his head, “His aptitude is too weak. He doesn’t have a right to be my Disciple.”
“Are you not going to accept him?” Zhao Ya stared fixedly at him.
Yang Kai shook his head again.
Zhao Ya said, “I’ll not become your Disciple, then.”
Upon finishing her words, she took Zhao Ye Bai’s hand and was ready to leave. Zhao Ye Bai remained unmoving though as he patted her hands to motion for her to calm down. He then glanced at Yang Kai and asked, “Senior, are you from Seven Stars Sect?”
“Yes,” Yang Kai nodded.
Zhao Ye Bai put on a silly smile, “There won’t be any problem, then. Xiao Ya, since Senior is from Seven Stars Sect, we won’t be separated after you become his Disciple. He’s a senior expert, so accept his request now.”
Zhao Ya shook her head, “No, I want to be with you.”
Zhao Ye Bai stomped his foot on the ground before flashing a helpless smile at Yang Kai, “Please give me a moment, Senior. My Sister is a little obstinate. Let me persuade her.”
Yang Kai didn’t respond to him.
It was then Zhao Ye Bai took Zhao Ya to the side and persuaded her in a small voice. Despite his hushed whispers, the powerful cultivators at the scene could still hear him clearly.
Zhao Ye Bai was heard saying to Zhao Ya, “Xiao Ya, did you hear that the people from Seven Stars Sect called him Ancestor just now? Do you know what an Ancestor is? Well, I don’t really understand it either, but I suppose he’s the most powerful person in Seven Stars Sect. If you become his Disciple, you’ll be able to walk sideways, and Miao Fei Ping would never dare to bully you again! I saw that Miao Fei Ping’s Master was also respectful of him. Moreover, we won’t be separated after you become his Disciple. We’ll still meet every day since we’re both in Seven Stars Sect.”
On the stand, Shang Guan Ji put on a helpless smile as he said to Guan Qian Xing, “Even though this boy seems a little foolish, he’s actually pretty shrewd. He already understands how the world works at such a young age. It’s just that his aptitude is weak. Be careful not to let him offend the Ancestor.”
Guan Qian Xing nodded in response.
However, regardless of what Zhao Ye Bai said, Zhao Ya refused to agree. Eventually, she squatted down and faced away from Zhao Ye Bai before burying her head in her knees and covering her ears with her hands. It was as though she was determined not to listen to Zhao Ye Bai, who appeared totally helpless.
Sighing, the young boy stroked Zhao Ya’s head before he turned around and walked up to Yang Kai. Upon stopping a couple of his steps away, he saluted him once more.
Yang Kai said, “Regardless of what you say, I won’t accept you as my Disciple.”
Zhao Ye Bai nodded, “This Junior understands his aptitude is weak, so he has no right to become Senior’s Disciple, nor do I even dare to think about it. Xiao Ya is lucky to have gained Senior’s favour, and I don’t want her to miss this chance just because of me. So, I’d like to ask you to allow me to be a Worker for you. Whenever there are any trivial matters, I’ll handle them for you and make sure that you won’t have to worry about them.”
Hearing that, Zhao Ya abruptly looked up while the people on the stand were stunned as they had never expected that Zhao Ye Bai would say such a thing.
Appearing to be impassive, Yang Kai said, “There are indeed no Workers on Azure Jade Peak. I won’t turn you down if you’re willing to go there; however, I won’t teach you anything, so you must remember that from today onwards, you’ll remain a Worker on Azure Jade Peak until your death.”
Zhao Ye Bai was elated upon hearing that, “Many thanks for granting my wish, Senior! This Junior wouldn’t dare to ask for anything else!”
“Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya rushed over and took his hand before trying to drag him away, “I won’t become his Disciple, and you’re also not going to be a Worker. We’ll go back to Seven Stars Town together!”
“Listen to me, Xiao Ya,” Zhao Ye Bai gazed at her with a pair of eyes that were filled with determination.
Zhao Ya’s eyes reddened as she knew that Zhao Ye Bai was doing this for her. Although his aptitude was weak, he had still become a Disciple of Seven Stars Sect after he passed all the tests. He was supposed to be able to cultivate and become a cultivator just like he always dreamed. Nevertheless, if he became a Worker on Azure Jade Peak, he would have no future at all.
She then turned her head and glared at Yang Kai, “You’re a bad guy!”
Anyone who bullied Zhao Ye Bai was a bad guy. She didn’t care whether he was an Ancestor or some kind of senior expert.
Yang Kai grinned, “Do you want to beat me up to vent out the anger for your Big Brother Ye Bai?”
Without hesitation, Zhao Ya nodded her head with a pair of ferocious-looking eyes.
Yang Kai said, “It’s simple. Become my Disciple. When you become more powerful than me one day, you can beat me up in whatever way you please.”
Zhao Ya became startled for a moment, as though she had suddenly gained enlightenment. The next moment, she fell on her knees and pressed her head against the ground in front of Yang Kai, “Disciple Zhao Ya greets Honoured Master!”
She then abruptly looked up and stared into Yang Kai’s eyes, “Disciple will definitely cultivate hard so that Honoured Master will have a taste of becoming a Worker one day. Whatever Big Brother Ye Bai will go through, I’ll make you pay 10 times the price!”
From that day onward, there was a female disciple on Azure Jade Peak of Seven Stars Sect in the Void Continent who was determined to make her Honoured Master become a Worker. Everyone in the Void Continent found it to be strange when they heard the story.
“You’ll have to work harder, for your Honoured Master’s cultivation is higher than the Heavens!” Yang Kai pointed at the sky with a smile.
Shen Xing pursed his lips with disdain, thinking that Yang Kai could only fool an inexperienced girl like her.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai turned to look at him, “I heard that you shared fate with my Disciple.”
Shen Xing’s face instantly started flushing as he repeatedly said he wouldn’t dare to.
However, in his mind, he thought that this Ancestor from Seven Stars Sect was quite small-minded as the retaliation had come earlier than he had expected. He was an Emperor Realm Master from Southern Star Palace after all, and he had to uphold his reputation. If he was humiliated in public, how was he going to show his face in public in the future?
While he was furious, Yang Kai was heard saying, “Young girl, go ask why that Senior is interested in taking you on as a Disciple. I need all the details; otherwise, people who have no idea what has happened will think that I oppressed him today.”
Although Zhao Ya was determined to cultivate hard and make her Honoured Master have a taste of becoming a Worker, she was still pretty obedient. She then got up and ambled towards the stand.
Upon reaching Shen Xing, she saluted him respectfully and said in a clear voice, “Greetings, Senior. My Honoured Master has asked me to…”
Shen Xing hurriedly raised his hand, “Speak no further. Your Honoured Master might have misheard me. I didn’t say I wanted to take you on as a Disciple. Rather, I just thought that there was a treasure in my collection that would perfectly suit you.”
Upon finishing his words, he fished out something that looked like a bracelet and passed it to her with a smile, “Here you go. This Old Master obtained it a long time ago and has always treasured it. Since it suits you, I’ll give it to you. Just see it as a gift for having found a good Master.”
The Elders of Seven Stars Sect and the representatives of the great forces on the stand gasped while staring at the ancient-looking bracelet.
That bracelet was apparently a defensive Emperor Artifact. Although they had no idea how powerful it was, it was definitely expensive as it was an Emperor Artifact. They couldn’t believe that Shen Xing was willing to give it to the young girl just like that.
Instead of directly taking it though, Zhao Ya turned to gaze inquisitively at Yang Kai, who placed his hands behind his back and looked up as though there was something interesting in the sky.
Understanding what his gesture meant, Zhao Ya saluted elegantly, “Many thanks, Senior.”
She then took the bracelet with both hands and wrapped it around her wrist. The bracelet, which was much larger than her wrist, suddenly radiated a gentle glow and shrunk until it perfectly fit her.
The sight amazed Zhao Ya.
With a smile, Shen Xing stroked his beard gently, “It does indeed suit you.” His back was drenched in sweat, though, as he thought that he had reacted pretty quickly; otherwise, it would’ve turned out to be embarrassing for him.
Zhao Ya looked at the new bracelet from different angles with joy. She was a young child who came from a poor family, so she knew nothing about accessories. With that said, young girls like her were naturally fond of such things.
At that moment, she found Shen Xing to be amicable and generous, so she flashed a sweet smile at him.
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect suddenly spoke up with a smile, “Since Senior Shen has given you a gift, it would be discourteous for me to not do so too. Here, this trinket is not as valuable as Senior Shen’s gift, but I hope you’ll like it.”
Following that, he took out a petite hairpin with a true-to-life red dragonfly that was made from jade on it.
This was obviously another defensive artifact. Although it was inferior to the bracelet as it was only Dao Source Grade, it was actually the most expensive thing the Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect possessed.
“Is it for me?” Zhao Ya was astounded.
The Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect nodded with a smile.
“There’s really no need…” Zhao Ya appeared bashful and hesitant, but despite her words, she swiftly took the hairpin and put it on her head.
Since the Sect Master of Golden Spring Sect had also given her a gift, the representatives of the other Sects naturally didn’t have the nerve to not offer something. Moreover, this was a great chance to strike up a relationship with the Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect. Hence, all of them fished out the most expensive items in their collections and gifted them to the little girl.
Other than the representatives of other Sects, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect also did the same.
She was a disciple of their own Sect after all. Since outsiders had been so generous, they couldn’t just watch the show and do nothing. Therefore, Shang Guan Ji took the initiative to pass a gift to her, and the other Elders and Protectors did the same.
In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ya was covered in gifts. The items that had been wrapped around her head, body, and hands were all valuable and rare.
Seeing that, Shang Guan Ji quickly gave her a Space Ring to store those gifts.
Meanwhile, the onlookers were dumbfounded, thinking that the young girl named Zhao Ya would be a rising Star from that day onward.
She had already received so many gifts when she had just been taken on as a Disciple. How successful would she be when she became powerful enough one day?
“Do you see that? That’s the difference between you two,” Yang Kai said in a small voice.
Zhao Ye Bai, who was standing beside him, looked smilingly at Zhao Ya and nodded.
“You and she are from different worlds. If she’s like a Phoenix in the sky, you’re no different from a loach in the mud. She is still young now; however, when her mind is broadened as she grows up, she’ll forget who you are. She’ll only remember once in a century that she had a playmate named Zhao Ye Bai in the past.” Yang Kai continued destroying his confidence.
Zhao Ye Bai scratched his head for a moment before refuting, “I’ll be glad as long as Xiao Ya is fine. Moreover, she’ll never forget about me.”
Yang Kai stared intently at him, then said, “I hope you’ll still think so when you grow up.”
The Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect ended on a positive note. The news that two disciples with A Rank aptitude had emerged during the recruitment spread quickly. One of them was revealed to have A- aptitude while the other achieved a result of A+ aptitude. The latter was truly a prodigy.
Moreover, it was said that an Ancestor with inscrutable cultivation had appeared out of nowhere in Seven Stars Sect, and he had taken on the young girl with A+ aptitude to be his Disciple. Rumour had it that Shen Xing, who was there to watch the show, didn’t dare to be impolite in front of this new Ancestor and had even suffered a small setback at his hands.
Shen Xing was a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master from Southern Star Palace, and since he had suffered a setback, it went to show that the Ancestor was truly formidable.
That was the reason Seven Stars Sect instantly became a household name.
…..
There were 1,008 steps on the stairs that led to Azure Jade Peak. Two young children helped each other out and exchanged words of encouragement as they plodded up the steps.
Just then, a gale gusted through them as they staggered and almost fell down the cliff. They hurriedly crouched down and hugged each other, shivering like quails in winter.
When they finally reached the summit of Azure Jade Peak, they were exhausted as they lay on the ground and panted heavily.
Yang Kai appeared and stood in front of them the next moment, looking down as he shook his head, “You’re too slow.”
In a lethargic manner, Zhao Ya shot him a glare.
Initially, she stopped loathing her Honoured Master after she received a lot of gifts. Certainly, she knew that it was thanks to her Honoured Master that those people were willing to give her so many valuable treasures.
However, at this moment, she became resentful of him again, for she realised that her Honoured Master was truly cold-blooded.
Right then, Yang Kai extended his hand, whereupon the rings, the hairpins, and the bracelets flew away from the young girl and fell into his hands.
Zhao Ya was startled for a moment, then jumped up like a cat that got its tail trampled on by someone. Pouncing at Yang Kai, she clawed at him and snapped, “Those are my things! Give them back!”
Yang Kai explained, “It will only do you more harm than good to depend on external aids when you’re cultivating. These things are no different from a burden on your shoulders. I’ll keep them for you for now. You can have them back when you’re able to use them!”
Zhao Ya wrapped her hands around Yang Kai’s arm and clung on with an aggrieved expression, gnashing her teeth in frustration. She felt that this man was more like an evil bandit than her Master.
Zhao Ye Bai persuaded her by saying, “Xiao Ya, he’s a senior expert, you should listen to him.”
Yang Kai shot him a glance and sneered, “Stop flattering this King. It’s useless.”
“Argh!” Zhao Ya directly bit the man’s arm, but while Yang Kai remained unperturbed, Zhao Ya felt her teeth almost falling off as her eyes were drenched in tears.
“It’s very late now, so you should probably get some rest. I’ll teach you how to cultivate tomorrow.” Yang Kai flung the young girl off and disappeared.
While sitting on the ground, the young children exchanged glances and fell silent.
A moment later, Zhao Ya sniffled and said, “Big Brother Ye Bai, I miss Aunty Lu, Grandma, and Uncle Yang.”
While helping to massage her legs, Zhao Ye Bai said, “I miss them too.”
He then looked up at the sky, “I suppose Uncle Yang has returned to the town to inform Mother and Grandma by now.”
“They must be having sweet rice dumplings now.”
At the mention of food, their stomachs started growling. It was only then they recalled that they hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since the Disciple Recruitment commenced this morning.
“Let’s look for some food,” Zhao Ye Bai helped her put on her shoes and pulled her up. Then, they shuffled towards a cluster of palaces.
One hour later, they lethargically pressed their backs against a column in the Grand Hall as their stomachs growled.
There wasn’t any food at all in this place, not even a drop of water.
“Bad Guy!” Zhao Ya roared in the spacious Grand Hall.
Right then, Yang Kai appeared out of thin air, which scared the kids out of their wits.
Zhao Ye Bai got up with difficulty and respectfully saluted him, “Xiao Ya and I haven’t had any food for a long time, Senior. Is there anything to eat here?”
Yang Kai gave him a dismissive look and said cold-heartedly, “No.”
“Do you want to starve us to death?” Zhao Ya glowered at the man, “In that case, why did you even take me on as your Disciple?”
Yang Kai replied dispassionately, “A bad guy will definitely not give you food, but your Master might not want to see you starve to death.”
Zhao Ye Bai became startled for a moment, then secretly pulled Zhao Ya’s clothes.
It was then that Zhao Ya came to her senses. While hanging her head low, she balled up her fists and muttered reluctantly, “I’m hungry and thirsty, Master.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Wait a moment.”
Upon finishing his words, he vanished into thin air.
Following a gulp, Zhao Ye Bai looked around randomly and asked with difficulty, “Xiao Ya, could your Master be a ghost?”
With her face turning pale, Zhao Ya stuck close to the young boy, “Stop frightening me, Big Brother Ye Bai!”
Barely a moment later, Yang Kai returned with a bowl of rice and passed it to Zhao Ya.
After taking it, Zhao Ya looked up at him, “There’s only one?”
“Is it not enough?” Yang Kai frowned.
“Big Brother Ye Bai has to have some food as well!”
Zhao Ye Bai hurriedly shook his head, “It’s fine. I’m not hungry.”
Zhao Ya looked pitifully at Yang Kai, “Could you give me one more bowl of rice, Master?”
“No,” Upon finishing his words, Yang Kai left the place.
“What a stingy man!” Zhao Ya was furious, for not only was her Master cold-blooded, but he was also stingy. With that said, they finally had some food to eat. At this moment, she was resentful of her Master. If she had known this was what would happen, she wouldn’t have agreed to become his Disciple. It was ridiculous that an adult oppressed two young kids.
After a moment of persuading each other to have the food first, the young kids then wolfed down the rice with pleasure. Although they were still hungry after finishing the rice, they had regained some strength at the very least.
There were four seasons in the Void Continent and years slowly went by.
Since Zhao Ya had an exceptional A+ aptitude, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect initially had high hopes for her. They believed that given her aptitude, her cultivation journey would be smooth sailing as it would probably only take her a few years before she made it to the Emperor Realm.
However, ten years had passed, and she had only managed to make it to the True Element Boundary.
From the bottom to the top, the Martial Dao was divided into Tempered Body, Initial Element, Qi Transformation, Separation and Reunion, True Element, Immortal Ascension, Transcendent, Saint, Saint King, Origin Returning, Origin King, Dao Source, and Emperor Realm. There were thirteen Great Realms in total.
Although it was considered swift that Zhao Ya had reached the True Element Boundary in ten years, she didn’t live up to her A+ aptitude.
It had to be noted that Miao Fei Ping, who joined Seven Stars Sect at around the same time, was now in the Transcendent Realm, which was two Great Realms ahead of Zhao Ya.
When the news was spread, others thought that the Ancestor from Seven Stars Sect who lived on Azure Jade Peak was not a good teacher. Although he was powerful, he didn’t know how to nurture his Disciple. There was not a lack of such people in this world. While they were adept at cultivating, they didn’t know how to teach. Those people felt sorry for Zhao Ya because her aptitude had been wasted after she became the Disciple of the wrong Master.
As for the Worker Zhao Ye Bai who settled down on Azure Jade Peak alongside Zhao Ya, he was forgotten by most people. Only the disciples of Seven Stars Sect could see him getting swamped with work every day.
Ten years had passed, and the young kids, who were eight years old in the past, were now young people who turn eighteen recently. After working as a Worker for ten years, Zhao Ye Bai had become a rugged young man whose eyes were bright.
At the bottom of Azure Jade Peak, Zhao Ye Bai arrived at a river with two big buckets and filled them up. Before he could leave though, he saw a group of people striding towards him.
These people were all disciples from Seven Stars Sect. One of them was a fine-looking young man who was surrounded by a group of people, as though he was the Moon while the others were Stars. He was older than Zhao Ye Bai by a few years, and the folding fan in his hand added an aloof, noble air to him as he sauntered over.
When Zhao Ye Bai heard the noises and looked up, his face stiffened involuntarily.
The group of people reached Zhao Ye Bai and surrounded him. The handsome young man leading the group closed his folding fan and stuck it in the back of his hair before staring calmly at Zhao Ye Bai and asking, “Did you pass Junior Sister Ya the thing I told you to two days ago?”
Zhao Ye Bai scratched his head, “I did.”
The young man arched his brow, “Did you personally give it to her?”
“En,” Zhao Ye Bai nodded.
The agitated young man asked, “What did she say?”
Zhao Ye Bai replied, “Nothing.”
The young man was stunned, then went on asking, “Did she read it?”
“Do you want to know the truth?” Zhao Ye Bai asked cautiously.
The young man glared at him, “Of course I want to know the truth!”
In a straightforward manner, Zhao Ye Bai replied, “She didn’t read it. Instead, she tore it apart and told me to ignore you next time.”
The young man’s hopeful expression instantly turned dejected. His face had even turned pale as though he was badly injured.
“Senior Brother Liu,” Zhao Ye Bai called out, “I have to get these buckets of water back to Azure Jade Peak. I’ll take my leave now.”
The young man surnamed Liu came to his senses and said through clenched teeth, “You must have bad-mouthed me in front of Junior Sister Ya; otherwise, why would she tear the letter apart without even taking a look at it?”
When he came across Zhao Ya the last time, she flashed a smile at him. If she wasn’t interested in him, why would she put on such a sweet smile?
Zhao Ye Bai quickly waved his hands, “I didn’t! In fact, I didn’t say anything else as I just told her that this was given to her by you, Senior Brother Liu. She told me that she had no idea who you were though and…”
“How dare you still lie to me!” Senior Brother Liu barked while waving his hand, “Beat him up!”
As swift as lightning, Zhao Ye Bai crouched down and curled up his figure while protecting his head with his hands, “Not the face!”
His movements were so smooth that it was apparent he had done this many, many times before.
With each passing day, Zhao Ya grew more beautiful and alluring; as a result, all the male disciples in the Sect who had a chance to meet her were stunned by her beauty.
Unfortunately, she led a reclusive life on Azure Jade Peak, and she wouldn’t come down the mountain unless it was absolutely necessary, which made it impossible for these Fellow Brothers to have a glance at her beauty. As such, Zhao Ye Bai, who had to go up and down the mountain every day, became their messenger.
In fact, Zhao Ye Bai had passed a lot of love letters to Zhao Ya over the years, but she would always tear them apart.
Initially, those Fellow Brothers were wary of the Ancestor who resided on Azure Jade Peak, so they didn’t dare to touch Zhao Ye Bai; after all, this brat was a Worker from Azure Jade Peak, so they had to be respectful of his owner.
However, they soon realised that the Ancestor really wouldn’t care about Zhao Ye Bai’s life or death, so they began acting more unscrupulously. As a result, Zhao Ye Bai had suffered a lot over the years.
Fortunately, the attackers knew their boundaries as they wouldn’t deal a heavy blow to him. Knowing that he was just a mortal who had never cultivated before, they only used a bit of brute force instead of their cultivation.
A series of fists and feet landed on Zhao Ye Bai as the dust rose in the air, and he was soon covered in bruises.
“What’s going on here!?” A person was heard bellowing all of a sudden. The next instant, a burly young man dashed out of the nearby forest and landed with a violent force which crashed into the male disciples around Zhao Ye Bai and dispersed them. Some of the weaker ones even fell to the ground.
Senior Brother Liu widened his eyes and exclaimed, “Miao Fei Ping!”
The newcomer was none other than Miao Fei Ping, who also came from Seven Stars Town and joined Seven Stars Sect alongside Zhao Ya. Now, he was already a Transcendent Realm Master, whose cultivation was far ahead of the others in the same age range. The Elders of the Sect had high hopes for him and granted him near unlimited resources. Even many Senior Brothers, who were much older, were weaker than him.
Miao Fei Ping picked up Zhao Ye Bai and examined him before asking, “Are you alright?”
Zhao Ye Bai put on a grin, “I’m fine. These Fellow Brothers were just helping me work out a cramp.”
Miao Fei Ping scoffed, “Since when does working out a cramp lead to being covered in bruises? How are you still in the mood to laugh?”
“Am I supposed to cry, then?” Zhao Ye Bai pursed his lips.
Miao Fei Ping snorted, then turned to look at Senior Brother Liu, “You’re a glorious disciple of Seven Stars Sect, aren’t you? Do you feel proud oppressing a mortal who has never cultivated before with so many people?”
Senior Brother Liu and the others wouldn’t dare to say anything. Their cultivation was lower than that of Miao Fei Ping, and they were also less important than him, who was a favourite disciple among the Elders in the Sect, so they wouldn’t dare to talk back. If he was offended, they would be beaten up without the chance of getting their revenge as their Masters wouldn’t stand up for them.
“Wastes who oppress the weak but fear the strong. I won’t dirty my hands by beating you all up. Although I won’t deal with you all, there’s someone who definitely will.”
Upon hearing that, Senior Brother Liu appeared elated instead of feeling frightened.
An annoyed Miao Fei Ping waved his hand impatiently, “Scram, scram!”
And so the crowd dispersed in a hurry.
After they were gone, Miao Fei Ping turned to look at Zhao Ye Bai and rubbed his forehead, “Where should I even begin? I told you not to become a Worker on Azure Jade Peak, but you wouldn’t listen to me. Is it fun to get beaten up every few days?”
Zhao Ye Bai just sported a silly smile.
“Take it.” Miao Fei Ping tossed a porcelain bottle at him, “Apply it on your bruises. It can help heal them.”
“En,” Zhao Ye Bai didn’t turn him down as he took the porcelain bottle and started using its content.
Miao Fei Ping let out a sigh, “We were still just kids back then. In order to let Little Sister Ya become a Disciple of the Ancestor, you requested to be a Worker on Azure Jade Peak. Many years have passed, and Xiao Ya is now in the True Element Boundary. Her future will only become brighter, so how much longer can you protect her? 100 years from now, Xiao Ya will remain the same while you’ll have become an old man. Do you want her to face an old man every day and cry her eyes out?”
Zhao Ye Bai fell silent.
Miao Fei Ping patted the other man’s shoulder, “Short-term pain is better than long-term suffering. Just sleep on it.”
“En,” Zhao Ye Bai replied in a small voice.
“I returned to Seven Stars Town some time ago and met Aunty Lu and Grandma Zhou,” Miao Fei Ping went on to say.
Zhao Ye Bai looked up, “How are my Mother and Grandma?”
Miao Fei Ping replied with an odd smile, “Don’t worry, they’re fine. What’s strange is that Grandma is getting younger instead of older as the wrinkles on her face have been reduced. Your Mother has not gotten younger, but she hasn’t changed one bit. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw them. They have never cultivated before, so how do they keep their faces young?”
“What about Uncle Yang?” Zhao Ye Bai inquired.
Miao Fei Ping replied, “Your Uncle Yang left two years ago. Before he left, he told your Mother to inform you that you must take care of yourself in Seven Stars Sect. You can always return home if you’re unhappy.”
“Uncle Yang is gone?” The light in Zhao Ye Bai’s eyes dimmed significantly. He never had a real father before, but Uncle Yang was just like one to him. When he was a young boy, he always hoped that his Uncle Yang would get together with his Mother so that he could call him Father.
However, whenever he voiced such thoughts, he would get a beating from his Mother.
He had heard from Grandma Zhou that Uncle Yang had several wives, so it wasn’t appropriate for him to wander around in the outside world for a long time. He would have to go back sooner or later.
“Your Uncle Yang also said that he would visit you and Xiao Ya again one day,” Miao Fei Ping added.
It was then Zhao Ye Bai put on a smile, “Got it.”
“You should go back now,” Miao Fei Ping waved his hand.
“I’ll take my leave, then,” Zhao Ye Bai said and picked up the buckets filled with water before dashing towards the peak.
The corners of Miao Fei Ping’s brow twitched, thinking that even though this brat had never cultivated before, his strength was unusual; after all, an ordinary mortal wouldn’t be able to carry two giant buckets of water and sprint up a mountain like a rabbit.
Zhao Ye Bai had no idea what was going on with him. As he grew older, he became increasingly stronger. He didn’t feel one bit of pressure at all when holding two buckets filled with water.
He had secretly tried it on a boulder, which weighed about 1,000 kilograms, and it was easily lifted by him using only one hand. Therefore, he had no idea where his true limits were.
He didn’t hide this fact from Zhao Ya. Since they had grown up together, there were no secrets between them. According to Zhao Ya, there were always talented people in the world who were born with abilities that others couldn’t possess. Some people even had great innate strength for no apparent reason.
Zhao Ye Bai believed that he was one such person. Moreover, since he settled down on the peak ten years ago, he had never fallen sick. Although he would always be beaten, he just supposed he had really thick skin and strong flesh. Any bruises or cuts he got would all disappear after a night’s sleep.
Because of that, Zhao Ya excitedly looked for her Master and told him that Zhao Ye Bai had an unusual physique. She pleaded with her Master to examine Zhao Ye Bai’s aptitude so that the latter could also become his Disciple too.
Unfortunately, after an examination, her Master still said that Zhao Ye Bai’s aptitude was ordinary and he didn’t have the intention of taking him on as a Disciple.
It had been ten years since Zhao Ya started cultivating, so she was no longer a young girl who knew nothing. Knowing fully well that her Master was exceptionally powerful and knowledgeable, she felt dejected over his judgement.
She had secretly taught Zhao Ye Bai the Secret Arts and Secret Techniques that her Master had imparted to her so that he could cultivate with her, thinking the result of his aptitude would only be clear after he started cultivating.
What made her furious was that the obstinate Zhao Ye Bai never tried to cultivate. He said that he couldn’t cultivate without the Senior’s permission.
This made Zhao Ya infuriated.
The young man dashed up the steps of Azure Jade Peak. While he held two huge buckets full of water, they didn’t slow him down in the slightest. Instead, he only became faster as his hands were extremely steady. Not even a drop of water spilled out of the buckets.
As his speed increased, layers of ripples were formed in the Void around Zhao Ye Bai; however, the young man was not aware of these changes.
He just loved to run like this, like a fish swimming in the ocean. It felt as though he was about to merge with the world.
These 1,008 steps took the young children a whole day to climb as blisters formed on their soles in the past. Nevertheless, Zhao Ye Bai could now easily reach the top in less than an hour.
When he reached the summit of Azure Jade Peak, he saw a beautiful young woman standing there waiting for him. The young woman’s beauty was like a breath of fresh air, so it was no wonder that the Fellow Brothers from Seven Stars Sect could never forget about her the moment they laid their eyes on her and did everything they could to pass love letters to her.
“Big Brother Ye Bai,” Zhao Ya put on a sweet smile.
Zhao Ye Bai stopped in his tracks. While staring at the young woman in front of him, he fell into a dazed state as he recalled what Miao Fei Ping had said to him.
Zhao Ya tilted her head, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, “Have you done your homework? Why are you waiting for me here?”
Zhao Ya extended her hands in an attempt to take the buckets, but Zhao Ye Bai stepped aside to dodge them, “There’s no need for that. This is my duty. Senior will chide you if he sees you helping.”
She pursed her lips and complained, “Master is too strict, always saying I can’t do this and that. It’s so annoying!”
Zhao Ye Bai replied with a smile, “Senior is doing it for your own good.”
“Hmph!” Zhao Ya slightly lifted her nose as she caught a whiff of something. As she sniffled, she looked doubtfully at Zhao Ye Bai.
Before she could close in, Zhao Ye Bai ran off in an awkward manner as he shouted, “You should get some rest, Xiao Ya. I’ll call you when the meal is ready!”
“Alright!” Zhao Ya replied as she looked smilingly at his disappearing back.
When his figure was out of sight, the smile on Zhao Ya’s face faded as her clear eyes burned with fury. That was because she caught a whiff of medicinal fragrance from Zhao Ye Bai.
She then turned around and took a step forward. A few steps later, she was already at the bottom of the mountain.
As usual, she arrived at the river.
Presently, Miao Fei Ping was seated on a boulder as he was chewing on a stalk of grass he had picked up from somewhere. Upon hearing the rustling, he turned around and put on a helpless smile, “You came sooner than I expected.”
Zhao Ya asked, “Who was it?”
Her voice sounded so cold that it could almost freeze the river.
Miao Fei Ping let out a sigh, “This happens every time. Aren’t you aware of the reason they do this? Those guys that you beat up were all happy being punched. They oppressed Zhao Ye Bai because they wanted you to stand up for him so that they could see you. They were still pleased even though they were beaten black and blue.”
Zhao Ya said through clenched teeth, “I was too gentle back then!”
Miao Fei Ping suddenly had a bad feeling, “What are you trying to do this time?”
“It has nothing to do with you. Just tell me who they are.”
Miao Fei Ping shook his head, “You can’t defeat that guy this time. You’re now only in the True Element Boundary Third Stage while he’s in the Ninth Stage. He’s just one step away from making it to the Immortal Ascension Boundary, so how are you supposed to be a match for him?”
“True Element Boundary Ninth-Stage?” Zhao Ya muttered under her breath. All of a sudden, she closed her eyes as her aura rose rapidly.
Miao Fei Ping was surprised as he had no idea what she was doing; however, his jaw suddenly dropped in disbelief. He wasn’t even aware that the grass he had been chewing on had fallen.
That was because he could feel that Zhao Ya’s aura, which was stuck in the True Element Boundary Third-Stage, suddenly began rising and wasn’t showing any signs of stopping. When it finally reached the peak, Zhao Ya suddenly achieved a breakthrough as a pressure wave spread out from her body.
She was now in the True Element Boundary Fourth Stage!
That wasn’t the end yet. Just a moment later, she made it to the Fifth-Stage and then the Sixth-Stage.
It only took her a short while to break through three Minor Realms.
At the sight of this, Miao Fei Ping was flabbergasted as he thought that this was probably the power of a person with A+ aptitude. Achieving a breakthrough was as easy as eating food or drinking water to her.
He also had Rank A aptitude, and his cultivation increased rapidly over the years with his progress being far greater than that of his Fellow Brothers. However, he realised he still wasn’t comparable to Zhao Ya at all after witnessing what she had just done.
It was the first time he discovered that one could achieve a breakthrough like this.
Although the True Element Boundary Sixth Stage was still three Minor Realms below the Ninth Stage, the gap had been significantly shortened.
The corners of Miao Fei Ping’s face twitched as it was the first time he felt inferior to anyone. Seeing that Zhao Ya was burning with murderous intent, he stopped stalling and gave her a list of names.
Zhao Ya extended her hand and summoned a silver spear before turning to leave.
Miao Fei Ping felt his heart pounding against his chest as he had a feeling that something serious was about to happen. He thus hurriedly contacted his Honoured Master, Guan Qian Xing.
Less than an hour later, the incident of an attempted murder sent a shock wave across Seven Stars Sect.
For some reason, a disciple named Liu Yi got into a conflict with Azure Jade Peak’s Zhao Ya. They engaged in an intense battle, but surprisingly, Liu Yi, who was three Minor Realms above the other party, was powerless to fight back the whole time. If Elder Guan Qian Xing hadn’t managed to intervene in time, Liu Yi would’ve lost his life on the spot.
Despite that, Liu Yi was so severely wounded that it would take him three to five months to recuperate.
The battle stunned everyone in Seven Stars Sect.
There were naturally some fights between the disciples in the same Sect over the years, and sometimes disciples were injured, but no one would attempt to kill their Fellow Brothers or Sisters. However, Zhao Ya did just that this time.
According to the onlookers, every move Zhao Ya made was filled with murderous intent as she seemed determined to end Liu Yi’s life.
Zhao Ya’s identity was also unusual as she was the only Disciple of the Ancestor who resided on Azure Jade Peak. Although Zhao Ya’s progress had disappointed the Elders of Seven Stars Sect, her identity and status would not change just because of that. If any other disciple had done such a thing, he or she would have been kicked out of the Sect; or worse, their cultivation would be crippled. Nevertheless, no one would dare to do that to Zhao Ya.
What’s more, it was a battle between a True Element Boundary Sixth-Stage disciple and one in the Ninth-Stage; however, Liu Yi, the supposedly stronger one, was completely powerless to defend himself. It was rare that a weaker cultivator could defeat a stronger one, so it was hard to understand why there was such a huge gap between these two’s powers when they fought.
Liu Yi was brought back by his Honoured Master while the Elders of Seven Stars Sect came together in the middle of the night to look into the matter and come up with a plan to clean up the mess.
On the other hand, Zhao Ya stealthily returned to Azure Jade Peak, but as soon as she reached the peak, she saw her Honoured Master standing there, looking impassively at her.
Zhao Ya stiffened as she hung her head low and bashfully walked up to Yang Kai. While looking down at her feet, she called out, “Master.”
When she was younger, she swore that she would cultivate hard so that she could defeat her Master one day and make him have a taste of becoming a Worker.
However, after spending over ten years with him, she no longer had such impudent and aggressive thoughts. Her Master had treated her very well, and she regarded him to be a teacher as well as a father figure.
“You broke through three Stages?” Yang Kai asked calmly.
Zhao Ya nodded cautiously.
Upon hearing the reply, Yang Kai sighed, “Given your strength, you could’ve easily dealt with a True Element Boundary Ninth-Stage boy even though you were only in the Third Stage. You didn’t need to achieve a breakthrough.”
Zhao Ya pursed her lips, “I didn’t expect him to be so weak.”
Yang Kai said, “It’s not that he’s weak, but that you’re strong.”
Zhao Ya looked up and flashed a bright smile at him, “It’s all thanks to Honoured Master’s guidance over the years.”
Just then, Yang Kai turned his head and shouted, “Zhao Ye Bai!”
“I’m here!” Zhao Ye Bai, who had been hiding somewhere to watch them, ran towards Yang Kai, “What do you need me to do, Senior?”
Yang Kai extended his hand and grabbed the huge tank full of water from the kitchen before placing it on Zhao Ye Bai’s head.
A stunned Zhao Ye Bai wouldn’t dare to move away as he quickly raised his hands to prop up the water tank.
Fortunately, he had unusual strength, so it wasn’t a difficult task. The average person would’ve been pressed into a patty by the weight of the water tank.
“Since Zhao Ya broke through three Minor Realms today, you’ll stand right here for three days. If one drop of water is spilled, you will immediately leave the mountain.”
Instead of feeling resentful, Zhao Ye Bai was relieved and replied solemnly, “Don’t worry, Senior. I’ll not let a single drop of water spill.”
Although others didn’t know why Zhao Ya, who had A+ aptitude, had progressed so slowly, he was fully aware of it. Zhao Ya had told him that Yang Kai had deliberately suppressed her cultivation; otherwise, given her peerless aptitude, she would’ve made it to the Saint Realm already.
“Why do you always do this, Master!? It’s me who makes mistakes, but you always punish Big Brother Ye Bai instead!” Zhao Ya roared. It was only at times like these that she would talk back; she was normally obedient to Yang Kai.
The same thing had happened over and over again since they moved into Azure Jade Peak. Every time she made a mistake, it would be Zhao Ye Bai who got punished. Initially, he wasn’t allowed to have food and sleep, or he would be asked to bring 100 buckets of water back from the bottom of the mountain. Now, he would be required to prop up a heavy object for several days.
Although Zhao Ye Bai was strong, he had never cultivated before. He might not be able to persevere holding up a tank full of water without sleep for three days straight, not to mention that not even a single drop of water was allowed to spill over.
“Since you’re aware of it, don’t make mistakes,” Yang Kai looked dispassionately at her.
“I’m not convinced!” Zhao Ya said aggrievedly.
“I don’t care.”
Zhao Ya’s chest heaved for a moment before she walked up to Zhao Ye Bai and stood beside him. She then fell on her knees and said angrily, “I’ll also get punished, then.”
Without saying a word, Yang Kai turned around and left.
He always believed that only by punishing the person Zhao Ya treasured the most would she learn her lessons. Although she appeared to be obedient, she was born with a hint of ruthlessness. It might have something to do with the fact that she was abandoned by her parents when she was a toddler. Since she was a young child, the person she cared most for was Zhao Ye Bai. Even her Master, who had nurtured her for ten years, was not comparable to Zhao Ye Bai.
This time, her murderous intent had been ignited because she wanted to get revenge for Zhao Ye Bai. That was the reason she got into an intense battle with Liu Yi. If Guan Qian Xing hadn’t stopped her in time, Liu Yi would’ve been killed.
Zhao Ya was destined to be a wild horse while Zhao Ye Bai was the rein that had been wrapped around her.
When Yang Kai picked Zhao Ya up from that mountain and dropped her off in front of Yu Lu’s door, he hadn’t expected her to have such Heaven-defying aptitude.
In the middle of the night, the growling of a stomach was particularly loud.
Zhao Ya, who was kneeling beside Zhao Ye Bai, landed a slap on her forehead and got to her feet, “Wait a bit, Big Brother Ye Bai. I’ll get some food for you from the kitchen.”
“I don’t think it’s appropriate…” Zhao Ye Bai looked in the direction Yang Kai had left, “I’m still being punished.”
Zhao Ya snorted, “Master told you to stay here for three days and make sure that no water would spill. He didn’t say you can’t eat or drink. You have never cultivated before, so how could you not have any food or water for three days?”
Upon finishing her words, she dashed towards the kitchen. Fortunately, Zhao Ye Bai had already prepared a meal beforehand. After filling a pot with rice and gathering some other dishes, Zhao Ya stood beside Zhao Ye Bai and fed him with a spoon.
If the Fellow Brothers from Seven Stars Sect saw this, they would probably pound their fists against their chests and roar in frustration and dejection.
Meanwhile, the young man and young woman exchanged glances with a smile as no words were needed at this moment.
When some rice stuck to the side of Zhao Ye Bai’s mouth, Zhao Ya would pinch it and stuff it into his mouth.
Just then, a series of footsteps were heard coming from behind. Zhao Ya turned her head and saw that with Shang Guan Ji leading the way, the Elders of Seven Stars Sect had all arrived at Azure Jade Peak.
When she saw a particular elderly man, she couldn’t help but snort.
Guan Qian Xing scratched his nose and put on a helpless smile, thinking that he had supposedly never offended her in any way. He just saved Liu Yi from getting killed by her, but here she was giving him a look of anger. Things would’ve become really complicated if she had killed Liu Yi.
However, from the looks of it, Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai were being punished.
The group of people quickly looked away as though they had never seen them before. They then moved past them in a hurry.
They wouldn’t dare to talk to her, for they would be the ones who would be embarrassed if Zhao Ya became furious.
Upon arriving at a spot in front of the main hall, Shang Guan Ji bent his back and said, “Greetings, Ancestor. Shang Guan Ji has come with the other Elders to visit you.”
Yang Kai’s voice was heard coming from the main hall, “I know what has happened. Regardless of who is in the wrong, all of you should discipline your disciples appropriately. If anyone dares to offend the people from Azure Jade Peak again, I’ll personally deal with him regardless of who he is.”
Shang Guan Ji wouldn’t dare to object to it as he bent his back again, “Yes, Ancestor.”
They left this place as quickly as when they came while feeling relieved. Although it was Liu Yi who suffered a setback as Zhao Ya harmed her Fellow Brother, they were worried that the Ancestor would be infuriated.
It was fortunate that the Ancestor only gave them a slight warning.
“Although Senior is a little eccentric, he’ll still protect you no matter what happens,” Zhao Ye Bai said in a muffled voice while having his food.
Zhao Ya fell silent.
“You should apologise to him at a later time, and don’t always talk back to him because of me. You’re his only Disciple, so he’ll feel sad if you talk back.”
“Alright, I got it,” Zhao Ya nodded repeatedly as she wiped the corners of Zhao Ye Bai’s mouth with her sleeve. “I’ll get you some more rice.”
While Zhao Ye Bai had great strength, he also had a huge appetite. Fortunately, there wasn’t a lack of food on Azure Jade Peak. If they were still in Seven Stars Town, their family would’ve become broke by now.
Upon making sure that Zhao Ye Bai was full, Zhao Ya also had a little food and knelt beside him again to keep him company.
As Zhao Ye Bai gazed at the young woman beside him, he couldn’t help but recall what Miao Fei Ping had said to him in the morning. Those words were like a hammer that repeatedly struck his mind.
100 years later, he, who had never cultivated before, would become old and frail while Zhao Ya would remain young and beautiful. What should he do by then? It was said that the more powerful a cultivator was, the longer they could live.
He could already envision the sight, after hundred years, of Zhao Ya crying her heart out in front of his grave.
He couldn’t help but let his thoughts and fears run wild.
A long time later, Zhao Ya, who had been leaning against Zhao Ye Bai’s leg, realised that something was off. When she looked up, she saw that his figure was slightly shaking and his physique seemed to have expanded a little. There was also a suppressed roar coming from his throat.
Zhao Ya could faintly feel that there was something in this World that was streaming into Zhao Ye Bai’s body, but regardless of how hard she tried, she was unable to figure out what it was.
Layers of ripples started spreading from the place they stood, and as Zhao Ya widened her eyes, Zhao Ye Bai, who was supposed to be just beside her, seemed to be getting further and further away from her.
Before she could say or do anything, Zhao Ye Bai suddenly vanished into thin air.
The water tank that had been propped up on his head abruptly fell.
Zhao Ya screamed and clenched the water tank with both hands before gently putting it down on the ground. Following that, she anxiously called out, “Big Brother Ye Bai! Big Brother Ye Bai! Where are you!?”
Right then, she felt a breeze whisking through her. She turned her head, then said in a frightened tone, “Big Brother Ye Bai disappeared, Master!”
She was on the brink of breaking into tears. Over the years, she and Zhao Ye Bai had always relied on one another, and they had never separated before. However, on this night, Zhao Ye Bai abruptly vanished right in front of her.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai sported a solemn expression. Although he was already aware that Zhao Ye Bai had the potential to inherit his Legacy when the latter was still in his mother’s womb, he hadn’t expected Zhao Ye Bai to be so compatible with the Dao of Space.
Over the years, he had deliberately suppressed Zhao Ye Bai’s development by not teaching him how to cultivate. He had even turned a blind eye when the disciples at the bottom of the mountain oppressed him. The main reason was that he wanted to find out his true temperament. If Zhao Ye Bai turned out to be wicked and vengeful, Yang Kai wouldn’t teach him the Dao of Space regardless of how talented he was in it.
Fortunately, Zhao Ye Bai had a good mother who always taught him to count his blessings and be kind to others. Regardless of what adversities he faced, he could always remain calm, collected, and positive.
Over the past ten years, Yang Kai had spent a lot of energy secretly improving his physique, which was the reason Zhao Ye Bai was so physically strong.
While Zhao Ye Bai’s foundation was solid now, Yang Kai’s tests were about to end as well.
However, Yang Kai had never expected such an incident to happen on this night. It wasn’t certain what that brat was thinking about, but he had accidentally triggered the Space Dao Essence in Yang Kai’s Small Universe, which was why he was abruptly drawn into the Void Crack.
This Void Crack was sandwiched between Yang Kai’s Small Universe and the outside world, so even he didn’t have full control over it.
“Master, please save Big Brother Ye Bai! I’ll always be obedient to you from now on. Please save Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya stared at Yang Kai with teary eyes. She always believed that there was nothing in the world that her Master couldn’t do, so Zhao Ye Bai would definitely be safe if he took action.
“Stop yelling!” Yang Kai chided her while he darted his gaze around the Void. The light in his eyes flickered as he was able to see things that others couldn’t. His gaze seemed to have penetrated space and peered into the Void Crack that was nothing but chaos.
A moment later, he suddenly took a step forward and extended his hand into the Void.
When he retracted his hand, he pulled Zhao Ye Bai back from the Void Crack.
“Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya’s face was already covered in tears and she directly pounced on him and pressed him against the ground before tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. It was as though she was worried that she would lose him forever if she released him.
On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai appeared dumbfounded. Up until this moment, he still had no idea what had happened. Just now, his mind seemed to have gone blank. Following a moment of discomfort, he fell into a desolate and empty place before appearing back on Azure Jade Peak. In truth, it all just felt like a dream.
“What just happened?” Zhao Ye Bai asked in shock. The alluring woman in his arms made him feel anxious.
It wasn’t until this moment that he realised just how much Zhao Ya had grown as a woman.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was staring coldly at them.
With his face blushing, Zhao Ye Bai patted the woman’s back, “I’m fine, Xiao Ya. Get up now.”
They were indeed in an indecent posture, and Yang Kai was watching them.
After they got to their feet, Zhao Ya was still sobbing as she looked fixedly at Zhao Ye Bai. She was still reeling from the shock because just now, she truly had a feeling that Zhao Ye Bai would leave her forever.
“So, what happened just now?” Zhao Ye Bai asked in a small voice.
In a choking voice, Zhao Ya intermittently told him about the incident just now. As she spoke, she grabbed the man’s arm as she seemed determined to never let him go.
Zhao Ye Bai scratched his head, “I felt like I was having a dream.”
With reddened eyes, Zhao Ya gazed at Yang Kai, “Will the same thing happen to Big Brother Ye Bai again, Master?”
Yang Kai replied, “He’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t trigger that kind of force again.”
“Many thanks, Senior. I’ll be careful in the future,” Zhao Ye Bai nodded seriously. He had no idea what kind of force that was, but he didn’t want Zhao Ya to feel anxious for him again.
“Do you feel there’s anything wrong with your physique, Big Brother Ye Bai? You must tell Master about it. Is there really none? Check on yourself again carefully…”
Yang Kai flicked his sleeve and left. He seemed to have aged by several hundred years by watching the young couple fawn over each other.
“You’re such a blockhead, Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya knelt beside him with fury.
While holding the water tank with one hand, Zhao Ye Bai stroked the woman’s head with his other. Without refuting her, he just let out a hollow laugh.
Since such a major incident had happened, he was supposedly able to seize the chance and get some rest; however, Zhao Ye Bai said that since Yang Kai’s punishment wasn’t over yet, he decided to prop up the water tank again.
Left with no choice, Zhao Ya knelt beside him once more, but this time, she stuck close to his leg as she wouldn’t allow him to leave her again.
In the middle of the night, Zhao Ya suddenly heard some snoring coming from the side. When she looked up, she realised that Zhao Ye Bai had dozed off.
Looking at the face she would never get tired of, she put on a sweet smile, for only Zhao Ye Bai had such an unusual talent. No ordinary person who had never cultivated before could hold up a water tank while being sound asleep. He was probably the only one.
[Big Brother Ye Bai is indeed the most amazing!]
At the break of dawn, Zhao Ye Bai slowly opened his eyes. For some reason, he furrowed his brow while being hesitant to speak, but he didn’t say anything in the end.
The next day, he tried his best not to fall asleep, but for some unfathomable reason, he became extremely lethargic when darkness descended upon them. After talking to Zhao Ya a little, he dozed off again.
The same thing happened on the third day.
When he awakened, he suddenly had a feeling that his body was a little different, but he couldn’t point out what the changes were.
When he turned his head, he saw Zhao Ya staring at him with a pleasantly surprised look.
“What’s wrong?” Zhao Ye Bai asked in puzzlement.
“You broke through to the Initial Element Realm, Big Brother Ye Bai!”
“What do you mean?” Zhao Ye Bai was perplexed, but he soon became shocked, “You mean ‘that’ Initial Element Realm?”
He had been a Worker who did manual work on Azure Jade Peak for the past ten years, and he had never cultivated before, and no one had taught him how to cultivate. However, he had been staying with Zhao Ya for a long time, so he was naturally aware of the categorisation of the different Martial Dao Realms.
The Initial Element Realm was the second Great Realm.
After sensing it for a while, he realised there was indeed a force in his body that had never existed before. The force was passing through his meridians and flesh, which made him feel elated.
“This is the Initial Element Realm?” Zhao Ye Bai fell into a dazed state. When he was a young child, his dream was to join Seven Stars Sect and become a powerful cultivator one day. Nevertheless, ten years ago, in order to make Zhao Ya agree to become a Disciple of Yang Kai without any worries, he practically cut off his own future by requesting to become a Worker on Azure Jade Peak.
Over the years, when he went down the mountain to get water and saw people about his age who had become successful cultivators, he was naturally envious of them, but he never regretted his decision.
He was way past the best age to start cultivating, and as he grew older, he stopped thinking about his childhood dream. He felt more than happy to see Zhao Ya growing up and getting stronger by the day.
Hence, he had never expected that he would be able to set off on his journey in the Martial Dao one day.
“Is it because of the incident that took place a few days ago?” Zhao Ya asked. No one had taught Zhao Ye Bai how to cultivate, but he had suddenly made it to the Initial Element Realm. It was obviously not normal.
Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, “No. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that I kept falling asleep over the past few days. Xiao Ya, when I fell asleep, there was a voice that never stopped talking to me in my mind. Initially, I thought it was just a dream, so I didn’t pay any attention to it; however, the same thing happened day after day.”
“What kind of voice was that?” Zhao Ya asked worriedly.
“I can’t describe it clearly.” Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, “But I remember everything the person said.”
He then went on to tell Zhao Ya everything he had heard in his dreams.
Upon hearing that, Zhao Ya covered her lips with her hand, “It’s a very profound and abstruse Secret Art.”
“A Secret Art?” Zhao Ye Bai was stunned, “How could it be?”
On the other hand, Zhao Ya was elated, “This is wonderful! You don’t have to worry about anything anymore, Big Brother Ye Bai!”
There was a worried look on Zhao Ye Bai’s face, however, as he muttered, “Senior has never allowed me to cultivate. If he finds out about it…”
Zhao Ya placed a finger on her lips and made a shush sound. She then looked around stealthily and said in a small voice, “Master will not find out about it if neither of us exposes this secret. He has only treated you as a Worker as he has never taught you how to cultivate before. Now that you’ve gained such an opportunity, you must treasure it. Have you forgotten about what you said when you were a young kid, Big Brother Ye Bai?”
[One day, I will become the most powerful cultivator in the world. I will build a big house so that Mother, Xiao Ya, Grandma, Uncle Yang, and I can all live together happily as one family.]
At that moment, Zhao Ye Bai was tempted, but he soon shook his head, “I can’t do this. I must tell Senior about it and see what he has to say. If he allows me to cultivate, I will. If he doesn’t allow me, I won’t. Moreover, we don’t even know whether there’s anything wrong with this Secret Art. If there is a problem, I might become an evil person in the future!”
Upon finishing his words, he gently put down the water tank and shuffled towards Yang Kai’s palace.
“You’re so stubborn, Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya stomped her feet on the ground with fury, but she couldn’t stop him.
A moment later, Zhao Ye Bai returned with a puzzled look while scratching his head.
Presently, Zhao Ya was facing away from him with fury. Unlike a typical lady, she was directly seated on the ground while grabbing some strands of grass and ripping them into pieces.
All of a sudden, she turned her head with an incensed look, “What did Master say?”
Zhao Ye Bai was still scratching his head, “Senior chased me out without saying anything.”
Zhao Ya batted her eyes, then leapt to her feet with ecstasy as her eyes radiated a glow, “Since Master said nothing, it means that he’s allowed you to cultivate! You can cultivate now, Big Brother Ye Bai! You can cultivate now!”
She kept jumping up and down as tears almost leaked from her eyes.
Seeing how elated she was, Zhao Ye Bai also couldn’t help grinning.
Miao Fei Ping’s words made him feel heartbroken; however, since he was able to cultivate now, all his worries blew away with the wind. As long as he worked hard enough so that his cultivation could keep up with Zhao Ya’s, he could accompany her for a very long time.
“Your smile looks silly, Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya wiped the tears from her eyes as she joked.
All of a sudden, Zhao Ye Bai asked, “Xiao Ya, do you think it’s possible that it was Senior who passed on this Secret Art to me?”
Zhao Ya became startled and fell into her thoughts. Given how abstruse the Secret Art was, a commoner like Zhao Ye Bai, who had never cultivated before, shouldn’t be able to comprehend it. In the entire Seven Stars Sect, perhaps only her Master was able to teach a Secret Art to someone in his dreams.
However, would her cold-blooded, petty, and stingy Master really do such a thing? Zhao Ya wasn’t sure about it; after all, Zhao Ye Bai had been a Worker here for ten years and her Master never went back on his word as he had never taught him anything.
Nevertheless, when Zhao Ye Bai informed her Master about it, the latter directly chased him out without saying anything, which went to show that there was something off about it.
“In that case, you’ll be my Senior Brother since you’re also a Disciple of Master,” Zhao Ya said with joy.
With a helpless smile, Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, “My aptitude is too weak, so I have no right to be Senior’s Disciple.”
He supposed that was the reason Yang Kai made use of his dreams instead of personally passing on the Secret Art to him.
He then bent his back and bowed towards Yang Kai’s palace and said, “Don’t worry, Senior. I’ll cultivate hard so that I won’t disappoint you.”
Zhao Ye Bai’s aptitude was indeed weak. It took Zhao Ya ten years to make it to the True Element Boundary because Yang Kai had deliberately suppressed her cultivation; however, since Zhao Ye Bai obtained the Secret Art that came as a surprise, he went on to cultivate hard for the next three years, but only managed to make it to the Initial Element Realm Ninth-Stage. He couldn’t even break through to the next Great Realm. It seemed very accurate that his aptitude was revealed to be C- in the past. His talent was among the worst in the entire Seven Stars Sect.
With that said, Zhao Ye Bai was pleased with his progress. That was because he had embarked on the Martial Dao, which was unlike in the past. As for how far he could go, it would depend on how much effort he was willing to put in.
…..
“What’s wrong, Master?” Zhao Ya, whose white dress made her look pure and refreshing, stepped into the main hall. She then respectfully looked at her Honoured Master, who was seated with his legs crossed.
Yang Kai opened his eyes, “You’ve reached the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage?”
Zhao Ya replied, “I achieved a breakthrough two days ago.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ve suppressed your cultivation over the years so that you’ll not achieve breakthroughs too quickly. You and Miao Fei Ping joined the Sect at the same time, but he’s now in the Saint Realm. Do you ever have any complaints about it?”
Zhao Ya shook her head, “Honoured Master must have a good reason for doing this. It’s thanks to your careful nurturing that this Disciple has such achievements. Why would I have any complaints instead of feeling grateful?”
“I’m glad that’s how you feel.” Yang Kai nodded gently, “One day, you’ll understand why I’ve done such a thing. However, your aptitude is indeed extraordinary, so a prolonged suppression will harm your foundation. Since you’ve made it to the True Element Boundary Ninth-Stage, you should get ready to break through to the Immortal Ascension Boundary.”
“I’ll start cultivating in seclusion, then,” Zhao Ya replied respectfully.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t want you to cultivate in seclusion. Instead, I want you to go out and experience the outside world. You’ve stayed on Azure Jade Peak for thirteen years, so don’t you want to see what’s out there? I remember that you were only eight years old when you became my Disciple.”
“I’m not interested in the outside world.”
Wherever Zhao Ye Bai was, that would be her home.
“It will only benefit you by venturing into the outside world to broaden your horizons,” Yang Kai spoke in an unquestionable tone.
“Yes,” Zhao Ya replied, “Can Big Brother Ye Bai come with me?”
“Do as you please.”
It was only then that Zhao Ya put on a smile, “Many thanks, Master!”
She then turned around and dashed out of the hall, her steps as light as the wind.
“Venturing into the outside world?” Zhao Ye Bai widened his eyes as he appeared pleasantly surprised.
Zhao Ya nodded repeatedly, “Master told me to experience the outside world to prepare for my breakthrough to the Immortal Ascension Boundary.”
“He has agreed to let me go with you?” Zhao Ye Bai couldn’t believe it.
“Yes.”
Zhao Ye Bai suddenly had a feeling that pie had fallen from the sky into his lap. It had been thirteen years since he settled down on Azure Jade Peak, and he had never set foot outside of Seven Stars Sect since then. Now that he was allowed to leave, he still found it hard to believe.
“Give me a moment. I have to prepare some presents for Mother and Grandma. Oh, let’s not forget about Uncle Yang,” Upon finishing his words, Zhao Ye Bai bolted into his room to get prepared.
“Presents…” Zhao Ya darted her gaze around. All of a sudden, she recalled that when Miao Fei Ping looked for her and Zhao Ye Bai previously, he said that there was a Spirit Fruit Tree on the Spirit Peak where his Master Guan Qian Xing resided. It would take the Spirit Fruit Tree ten years to blossom, ten years to bear fruits, then another ten years before the fruits matured. The fruits could help cultivators improve their cultivation. As for the ordinary people, the fruits could help prolong their lives.
[The fruits should have matured by now…]
A young man and woman were standing alongside one another at the entrance of Seven Stars Town. As they gazed at the streets that were filled with people, they fell into a dazed state.
It had been thirteen years since they left this place, and in that time the town had transformed beyond recognition. The town had gotten much bigger, and it was now bustling with noise.
Seven Stars Town was built to be a satellite town of Seven Stars Sect. In the past, Seven Stars Sect was just an average Second Class Sect, and while it was pretty famous in the surrounding 1,000-kilometre radius, it was basically insignificant beyond that territory.
However, after the Disciple Recruitment where the appearance of the Ancestor sent a shockwave across the entire World, Seven Stars Sect directly became one of the First Class Sects in the Void Continent. Since the Sect was famous now, it could attract more people. As a result, Seven Stars Town became more prosperous.
The young man took a deep breath as he felt somewhat nervous.
Although he had asked Miao Fei Ping, who would go down the mountain from time to time, to send some letters to his Mother and Grandma, and he was aware that they were fine, he hadn’t personally seen it for himself yet.
He was still a young boy when he left home, but he was now an adult who had set off on his journey in the Martial Dao. He wondered if his Mother and Grandma would still recognise him.
“Big Brother Ye Bai,” Zhao Ya seemed able to detect a change in his emotions as she leaned close to him and took his hand.
“Let’s go,” Zhao Ye Bai took a deep breath and shuffled forward alongside Zhao Ya.
Soon, they stopped in their tracks in front of a shop.
Although it was a small place, it was quite bustling. The small number of tables inside the shop were all occupied, and even the tables set up outside were filled. On top of that, many people were waiting in line.
“It’s this place, right?” Zhao Ya looked around as she was uncertain.
She remembered that when they were kids, Uncle Yang would set up his stall here every day. When they were pursued by Miao Fei Ping and other kids, they would sneak under Uncle Yang’s cart and wait until their pursuers were gone before they would dare to come out. After that, Uncle Yang would give them each a sweet rice dumpling, which was the best food in the world to them.
Now, the cart was nowhere to be seen as it was replaced by this shop.
“It’s this place,” Zhao Ye Bai closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Although thirteen years had passed, he would never forget the familiar smell of the soup and sweet rice dumplings.
According to Miao Fei Ping, his Mother and Grandma had saved some money and bought a shop to sell sweet rice dumplings. Their business was apparently booming.
When he opened his eyes again, Zhao Ye Bai saw two women who were busy at work. One of the women was facing away from them as she was roasting the sweet rice dumplings on a charcoal fire while the other woman was cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks left behind by the customers.
As though sensing something, the woman, who was cleaning up the dishes, looked up at the door.
As their gazes met, Zhao Ye Bai’s eyes reddened while he covered his mouth so that he wouldn’t burst into tears.
The woman was startled for a moment, then her expression was transformed by disbelief. She put down the bowls and walked out of the shop with a shaking figure before extending her hands.
“Xiao Bai?” The woman caressed Zhao Ye Bai’s face as she thought she was dreaming.
“Mother!” Zhao Ye Bai sniffled, “I’m back.”
Grandma, who was busy inside the shop, turned her head and saw the woman hugging Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya, all of them crying tears of joy.
Since Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya were back, they decided to close the shop early. This disappointed the customers who had been lining up to get their hands on the sweet rice dumplings; however, the people in town knew that the proprietress’ children were disciples of Seven Stars Sect, and their Master was the Ancestor of the aforementioned Sect. Hence, even though they were disappointed, they wouldn’t dare to voice their complaints.
When darkness descended upon them, Grandma Zhou and Yu Lu prepared a lot of dishes to celebrate, most of which were wolfed down by Zhao Ye Bai.
“Mother, when Miao Fei Ping said that you haven’t changed one bit over the years, I didn’t really believe him. But now it seems he was telling the truth,” While stuffing food into his mouth, Zhao Ye Bai stared at his Mother in amazement.
Thirteen years had passed, but his Mother still looked exactly the same as how he remembered her to be. It was as though she hadn’t aged a day.
Yu Lu touched her face and shot her son a glance, “I haven’t changed one bit? I look much older now.”
“That’s not true, Aunty Lu.” Zhao Ya shook her head on the side, “I remember that you looked exactly like this when I was a little girl. If we go out together now, no one will believe that we’re Mother and Daughter. They’ll naturally think that we’re Sisters.”
“Stop flattering me, you little ones,” Yu Lu hung her head low and chuckled.
She knew that her beauty might attract some unsolicited attention; therefore, after she sent Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya away to Seven Stars Sect in the past, she always covered her face with a veil when helping Grandma out at the stall. She wouldn’t dare to reveal her countenance in public.
Despite that, she still attracted the attention of some licentious men who passed by. However, anyone who dared to insult or profane her would suffer from all sorts of tragedies before they even stepped out of Seven Stars Town.
Moreover, these were not isolated cases. Once word got out, no one had the guts to say anything impolite to her again. It wasn’t until some time later that she found out her daughter had the luck to become a disciple of the Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect. Yu Lu believed that it was the reason the people from Seven Stars Sect protected her in secret. Those unlucky men must have been taught a lesson by the senior experts from the Sect.
That was the reason she finally had the courage to reveal her face.
“All you care about is your Mother. Have you forgotten about me?” Grandma Zhou seemed displeased.
Zhao Ye Bai hurriedly said, “That’s not true, Grandma. Compared to my Mother, your transformation is simply shocking!”
Zhao Ya kept nodding on the side, “You’ve gotten younger by at least forty years, Grandma!”
When they left home in the past, Grandma Zhou was old and frail. Thirteen years had passed, but Grandma had gotten younger instead of getting older. Her grey hair had turned black, and she no longer had a hunchback. Although she was already over 100 years old, those who were not aware of her real age might think that she was a woman in her fifties or sixties.
“Grandma, what have you and my Mother been eating over the years?” Zhao Ye Bai asked curiously.
As one’s cultivation increased, they might be able to reverse their ageing and remain young for the rest of their life. Nevertheless, Zhao Ye Bai’s Mother and Grandma were obviously mortals who had never cultivated before. The fact that one of them hadn’t changed one bit and the other had gotten younger was beyond his ability to understand.
Grandma burst into laughter, “What else would we eat other than some simple food? Your Mother and I have no idea what’s going on either. Rumours have been going around that our sweet rice dumplings make us stay young. That’s the reason business is going so well.”
“Does it have something to do with the sweet rice dumplings?” Zhao Ye Bai fell into his thoughts.
Grandma picked up some food and re-filled Zhao Ye Bai’s bowl, “Of course it has nothing to do with the sweet rice dumplings. They’re made from ordinary rice. Why would they be able to keep us young?”
Zhao Ya giggled, “I don’t know whether the sweet rice dumplings can keep you young, but I have some fruits that can definitely help prolong your lives.”
Upon finishing her words, she fished out eight Spirit Fruits from her Space Ring. Four of them were given to her Mother and the remaining four were given to Grandma Zhou.
“These fruits are beautiful,” Yu Lu stared fixedly at the Spirit Fruits, whose skin was translucent while rays of light could be seen swirling inside them. Moreover, the fruits exuded an exotic scent that made them seem very appetising.
Grandma Zhou asked, “Where did you get these from? They must be expensive.”
“They grew on a tree on the mountain. I picked them. They’re not valuable at all. Hurry up and eat them, Aunty Lu, Grandma. The fruits are beneficial to you.”
In the meantime, on Constellation Peak of Seven Stars Sect, Miao Fei Ping was all battered and bruised. This Spirit Peak was where the Elder Guan Qian Xing resided.
While running for his life, Miao Fei Ping begged for mercy in a loud voice, “Forgive me, Master! Please stop hitting me! You’re killing me!”
Despite his agility, he was unable to shake off his Master.
Guan Qian Xing was holding a rod while sticking close to Miao Fei Ping like a shadow. As he repeatedly struck his Disciple with loud thuds, he bellowed, “You unfilial brat! Do you know how hard it was for me to nurture that Fruit Tree? It took ten years to blossom, ten years to bear fruits, and another ten years before the fruits matured! There were only eighteen fruits in total, but that little girl directly snatched twelve of them! Do you know the pain I feel? My heart bleeds just thinking about it!”
While covering his head, Miao Fei Ping refuted, “Since you’re aware that it was Zhao Ya who picked the fruits, you should beat her up instead of me!”
Guan Qian Xing snapped, “Beat her up? Would I even dare to!? Moreover, Zhao Ya rarely steps out of Azure Jade Peak! If you hadn’t exposed it to her, she wouldn’t have found out there are such fruits in my place! Of course, I have to beat you up for this!”
Miao Fei Ping was lost for words. Since he was unable to flee, he decided to turn around and fall on his knees. While gazing at Guan Qian Xing with a pitiful face, he cried out, “Master, the fruits are indeed precious, but I’m your one and only Legacy Disciple, should I not be even more valuable? You’ll get new fruits after another thirty years, but if you kill me, where are you going to look for a new Disciple with such exceptional aptitude?”
With the rod raised, Guan Qian Xing fell silent for a moment.
Miao Fei Ping placed his index fingers on the corners of his mouth and pushed up, forcing a smile that was uglier than if he was crying, “Don’t you think I’m right, Master?”
“Nonsense!” Guan Qian Xing struck him again with the rod, “The fruits are really gone, and it’s not like you’ll die after a few hits! Right now I must vent my anger!”
Miao Fei Ping hurriedly got to his feet and dashed out of the mountain. While running away, he yelled, “Sect Master, save me!”
Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya went on to stay in Seven Stars Town for a month.
Rather than talking about the suffering he endured on the mountain, Zhao Ye Bai only told his Mother about the interesting things he had witnessed. He also said that he could now cultivate, so he would definitely become a powerful cultivator one day. Yu Lu attentively listened to him while staring at her children fondly.
She had never expected that, as a widow, she would be able to see her children growing into fine adults. As she reminisced, she couldn’t help recalling the stormy night some twenty years ago. Time flew by so quickly and everything seemed to have just happened the day before.
After a month, Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya were ready to leave.
Their mission was to experience the outside world, so although they were reluctant, they couldn’t stay in Seven Stars Town forever.
At the entrance of the town, Yu Lu and Grandma saw them off while giving them a lot of reminders.
“Come with me, Xiao Ya,” Yu Lu suddenly beckoned to Zhao Ya and walked to the side.
Upon getting close to her, Zhao Ya asked, “What’s wrong, Aunty Lu?”
Yu Lu fished out a handkerchief, which contained something, from her sleeve and passed it to her, “I’ve eaten two of the fruits you’ve given to me and saved the remaining two. If you’re able to meet your Uncle Yang on your trip this time, pass the fruits to him. If you can’t see him… you should just eat the fruits yourself.”
Zhao Ya pushed the fruits back to her, “Aunty Lu, I’ve already saved some fruits for Uncle Yang.”
She had picked twelve fruits from Constellation Peak. Eight of them were given to Yu Lu and Grandma Zhou. The remaining four inside her Space Ring were reserved for Uncle Yang.
“While you’ve saved some for him, these fruits are given to him by me. They’re different,” Yu Lu insisted.
After giving it a thought, Zhao Ya took the two spirit fruits. Following a giggle, she asked, “Aunty Lu, why don’t you come with us to look for Uncle Yang?”
Yu Lu extended her hand and poked the young woman’s forehead, “What nonsense are you talking about, silly girl? While you two can go over, what reason do I have to look for him?”
“If we really come across Uncle Yang, isn’t there something you want to tell him?” Zhao Ya asked.
Yu Lu hung her head low and pondered on it before shaking her head.
The young man and young woman finally set off on their journey. Even after they walked for a long time, once they turned their heads, they could still see two figures staring in their direction from the entrance of the town.
“Xiao Ya, what did my Mother tell you just now?” Zhao Ye Bai asked.
Zhao Ya replied, “Aunty Lu saved two fruits and told me to pass them to Uncle Yang.”
Zhao Ye Bai burst into laughter, “Grandma also saved two fruits and told me to pass them to him.”
“I wonder how Uncle Yang is doing now,” Zhao Ya looked into the distance. Before Uncle Yang departed, he had left behind an address; however, both of them had never heard of the place before. They wondered if they could meet him again during their adventure.
“Xiao Ya, there’s something I’ve always been curious about,” Zhao Ye Bai appeared puzzled as he suddenly thought of something.
“What is it?” Zhao Ya turned to look at him.
Zhao Ye Bai asked, “Do you know what Senior’s name is? We have stayed on the mountain for thirteen years, but I never found out his name.”
Zhao Ya shook her head, “I have no idea either, and Master has never mentioned it. When the Sect Master and Elders visited him, they always called him Ancestor. No one has ever called him by his name.”
Zhao Ye Bai said, “I’ve asked Miao Fei Ping about it before. Although he isn’t clear about it, he heard Elder Guan mention that the surname of Senior is Yang.”
“He shares the same surname as Uncle Yang?” Zhao Ya was surprised.
Zhao Ye Bai put on a grin, “They don’t just share the same surname. Have you ever realised that, just by looking at their backs, Senior and Uncle Yang are very similar?”
Zhao Ya pursed her lips, “But Master is not comparable to Uncle Yang at all.”
One of the men took good care of them as though they were his children while the other man had a distorted personality and would punish Zhao Ye Bai as he pleased. There was no comparison at all…
…
Time passed by and the pair’s horizons were truly broadened as they traveled. They encountered many different people and witnessed lots of interesting incidents along the way.
However, since they had lived on the mountain for a long time, they knew little about Human nature and it was expected that they would suffer a setback from time to time.
During their journey, they had helped the weak and taught bad guys a lesson. There were almost times when they were plotted against and harmed. Zhao Ya’s beauty would also frequently attract unsolicited trouble to them.
There was one time when they were drugged in a bandits’ inn and almost passed out. Upon realising that something was off, Zhao Ya made a decisive move by killing everyone in the inn. As a result, she became unconscious for three days before she awakened.
They started growing up as they gained more experience. It was then they found out the people in the outside world were not as amiable as Uncle Yang and the Seniors on the mountain. They had learned to be careful of the greed and trickery of other people.
Half a year later, they finally arrived at Green Mountain Town.
The reason they’d come to this place was that before Uncle Yang left Seven Stars Town in the past, the address he had left behind was in Green Mountain Town.
It seemed that his home was in Green Mountain Town.
The town wasn’t big, but there were some cultivators moving around. That was because Spirit Sea Temple was located just a few hundred kilometres away from this place. Spirit Sea Temple was considered a First Class Sect in the Void Continent. While the Temple Master was a powerful Second-Order Emperor Realm Master, there were also two Elders in the First-Order Emperor Realm.
Upon entering Green Mountain Town, the pair found an inn and settled down. After that, Zhao Ye Bai excitedly looked for the innkeeper and asked about the whereabouts of Yang Kai, but his efforts were to no avail. Although he was disappointed, he reckoned that they would find Uncle Yang sooner or later since they were in Green Mountain Town.
After a night’s rest, they started moving around the town and making inquiries. Restaurants where people from all walks of life would come together were places they would never miss.
A few days later, they still hadn’t found any useful information as the people in Green Mountain Town had never heard of Yang Kai before.
Zhao Ye Bai thought of looking into the matter by asking about sweet rice dumplings instead; after all, Uncle Yang had learned how to make sweet rice dumplings from Grandma Zhou and had been selling them in Seven Stars Town for years. If he had really returned to Green Mountain Town, he would probably sell sweet rice dumplings again to provide for his family.
By following this trail, Zhao Ye Bai really found out something useful.
He then excitedly returned to the inn and pushed the door open, “Xiao Ya, I know where Uncle Yang is!”
“Have you found him?” Zhao Ya asked with a pleasantly surprised look.
“More or less,” Zhao Ye Bai replied with a smile, “Someone told me that there’s a man who lives in a place about thirty kilometres away from Green Mountain Town. He will come to the town to sell sweet rice dumplings every few days. The appearance and age of that person described to me match those of Uncle Yang.”
“Should we go now?” Zhao Ya gazed at him.
Zhao Ye Bai nodded repeatedly. It had been thirteen years since he last met his Uncle Yang, and he couldn’t wait any longer as he was eager to reunite with him.
They then paid their fees and left the inn before heading in a particular direction.
Zhao Ya was now in the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage. On the other hand, after half a year of adventure, Zhao Ye Bai had achieved a breakthrough to the Qi Transformation Realm.
It only took them an hour to move across thirty kilometres.
The pair came to a place that looked like a village where dozens of families lived by the mountains and rivers. At the entrance of the village was a huge manor, which obviously belonged to a wealthy family.
Since it was dinner time, smoke could be seen billowing from every family’s home.
As soon as Zhao Ye Bai entered the village, he sniffled and became excited, “It’s the smell of sweet rice dumplings. Uncle Yang must be here!”
Zhao Ya nodded repeatedly.
Following the trail of the smell, they arrived at a house. Unable to wait any longer, Zhao Ye Bai shouted, “Uncle Yang! Uncle Yang!”
Upon hearing that, a man in his prime age stepped out of the kitchen and gazed at them in shock, “Who are you looking for?”
Zhao Ye Bai took a step forward and saluted him, “Mister, does Yang Kai live in this place?”
In response, the man shook his head, “I’ve never heard of this person before.”
Zhao Ye Bai was stunned, “Who made these sweet rice dumplings, then?”
“Are you here to buy sweet rice dumplings? I made them,” The man put on a sincere smile.
It was then Zhao Ye Bai examined the man and realised that the latter’s figure and age were indeed similar to those of Uncle Yang.
“Since you love to eat sweet rice dumplings, I’ll give some of them to you,” Upon finishing his words, the man returned to the kitchen. When he reappeared, there were some sweet rice dumplings in his hands as he passed them to Zhao Ye Bai.
Zhao Ye Bai instinctively took them, but he went on to ask, “Mister, have you really not heard of Yang Kai before?”
The man shook his head, “There’s no one in the village with the surname Yang. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the Village Chief about it. His child is a disciple of Spirit Sea Temple, and he’s quite knowledgeable. He knows things that commoners like us don’t.”
As he spoke, he pointed in the direction where the manor was located.
Zhao Ye Bai turned his head to take a glance before nodding, “Thanks for the information, Mister.”
They didn’t take the food for free as they passed the man some money before leaving.
Following that, they arrived at the manor that was in stark contrast to other buildings in the village.
The manor was huge, and could not have been owned by an average businessman. However, since a family member here was a disciple of Spirit Sea Temple, it wasn’t so surprising.
The pair then knocked on the door and waited for a long time before it was opened. A middle-aged man in extravagant clothes stuck out his head and his eyes brightened the moment he saw Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya. He especially couldn’t move his eyes away from Zhao Ya. Even though she had covered her alluring face with a veil to not draw unwanted attention, her demeanour alone was attractive enough to do so.
“Who are you looking for?” The man asked. Although he was an ordinary person who had never cultivated before, he had a family member who was a disciple of Spirit Sea Temple. Since he had come into contact with cultivators before, he wasn’t diffident when facing the people in front of him now.
“Mister, it’s said that you’re knowledgeable, so I’d like to ask you about the whereabouts of a person.”
The man replied with a smile, “I wouldn’t dare to say I’m knowledgeable, but I do know a little more than most people. Who is it that you want to know about?”
It was then Zhao Ye Bai brought up the name Yang Kai.
After giving it a thought with a frown, the man shook his head, “I’ve never heard of this person before.”
Zhao Ye Bai said anxiously, “That’s impossible.”
The man burst into laughter, “I’ve really never heard of him before. I’m familiar with the dozen villages in a radius of 100 kilometres around Green Mountain Town. I’d definitely remember if there was such a person.”
“How could this be?” Zhao Ye Bai appeared dejected. Before Yang Kai departed, the address he had left behind was in Green Mountain Town.
“Are you from Spirit Sea Temple?” The man asked.
Zhao Ya shook her head, “No, we’re from somewhere else.”
“You’re not from Spirit Sea Temple?” The man frowned. He initially thought that they were disciples of Spirit Sea Temple, but it turned out that he was mistaken.
Zhao Ye Bai relentlessly said, “Mister, please give it one more thought. Uncle Yang…”
“I said I don’t know him! Who cares what his name is?” The man was initially friendly, but upon realising that they were not from Spirit Sea Temple, he instantly became impatient.
After saying what he wanted, he shut the door with a loud slam and almost smacked Zhao Ye Bai’s nose.
A hint of ruthlessness flashed through Zhao Ya’s eyes, but as she recalled that the man was just an ordinary mortal, she clenched her teeth and held it in.
“Let’s go, Big Brother Ye Bai. Uncle Yang isn’t here.” Zhao Ya gently pulled Zhao Ye Bai’s arm.
Zhao Ye Bai appeared dispirited as his hope had turned into disappointment. He couldn’t accept the truth.
On the way back to Green Mountain Town, when Zhao Ya saw that Zhao Ye Bai remained sullen and silent, she couldn’t help but placate him by saying, “Since the address left behind by Uncle Yang was in Green Mountain Town, he must be here. We just have to keep looking for him. I’m sure we’ll find him sooner or later.”
“En,” Zhao Ye Bai nodded while looking listless. To him, Uncle Yang was as important as his Mother; both of them were his family members. Since he and Zhao Ya had started cultivating, they were no longer the same little kids they were in the past. It was expected that he wanted to let Uncle Yang enjoy a better life since he was a grown man and a cultivator now.
All of a sudden, Zhao Ya took his hand.
When Zhao Ye Bai turned his head, he saw Zhao Ya looking around with a serious expression. They were in the middle of nowhere, where the grass was tall and the tree leaves swayed with the wind.
“What’s wrong?” he asked in puzzlement.
“There’s a smell of blood!” Zhao Ya furrowed her brows. The next moment, her expression changed drastically as she shouted, “Watch out!”
As soon as she finished speaking, a gentle force exuded from her palm and sent Zhao Ye Bai flying away.
The next instant, a figure abruptly appeared as a sword light slashed across the place where Zhao Ye Bai was initially standing. If Zhao Ya hadn’t pushed him away in time, he would’ve been dead by now.
Zhao Ye Bai fell to the ground and rolled away. When he got to his feet, he saw that Zhao Ya had gotten into an intense battle with the attacker.
The person was holding a sword as he rained fatal attacks down on Zhao Ya.
On the other hand, Zhao Ya wielded her silver spear as she tried her best to counterattack, but she still fell into a disadvantage.
“An Immortal Ascension Boundary Master!” Zhao Ye Bai exclaimed.
He was fully aware of Zhao Ya’s capabilities as she was now in the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage. Moreover, she had been trained by her Master for years, and coupled with her exceptional aptitude, she was able to fight against people above her Realm. However, since the enemy that came out of nowhere could suppress her, there was no doubt that he was in the Immortal Ascension Boundary.
Furthermore, he must be in the Immortal Ascension Boundary Fourth Stage at the very least; otherwise, he couldn’t have suppressed Zhao Ya.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ye Bai noticed that their attacker was injured as his chest was covered in blood. He still seemed to be bleeding and it was this smell of blood that Zhao Ya had detected just now.
“How dare two young brats like you come to provoke me! You won’t leave this place alive!” The man roared through clenched teeth while launching his attacks. Zhao Ya was forced to retreat again and again and it was clear she was having difficulty persevering. The huge gap between their Realms couldn’t be made up for by aptitude alone.
Zhao Ye Bai stood anxious at the side. He had only made it to the Qi Transformation Realm recently, so even though he wanted to help out, there was nothing he could do. If he made a rash move now, he would just become a burden to Zhao Ya instead.
However, upon hearing the person’s words, he soon realised a problem, “Senior, please stop! We only passed by this place by chance! Are you perhaps mistaking us for someone else?”
This man was obviously pursued by some powerful enemies, which was why he was hiding in this place to recuperate. Unfortunately, Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya happened to arrive at this place. It would’ve been all good if they hadn’t discovered anything; nevertheless, the moment Zhao Ya pointed out that there was a smell of blood, this man could no longer keep hiding, which was why he appeared and attacked them.
As expected, the man frowned upon hearing that while his attacks slowed down.
Zhao Ya, who had been at a disadvantage, was slightly relieved, but the next instant, she saw the person charging towards Zhao Ye Bai.
This man was severely wounded, and seeing that he couldn’t defeat Zhao Ya in a short time, he decided to target the weaker Zhao Ye Bai in an attempt to hold him captive and gain control of the situation. He only slowed down his attacks earlier to get Zhao Ya to lower her guard.
The cold light of the sword filled Zhao Ye Bai’s vision and a powerful Divine Sense bound him to the ground, rendering him immobile.
“Die!” Zhao Ya bellowed as her silver spear suddenly radiated a dazzling glow. All her strength was infused into this spear.
The power of the attack far exceeded what could be achieved by the average True Element Boundary cultivator and sent a chill down the spine of the attacker, making it feel as if his soul was about to leave his body.
Unable to keep charging towards Zhao Ye Bai, the man turned around and pushed out his sword.
Blood was seen spurting into the air as the person’s figure was penetrated by Zhao Ya’s spear. He staggered backwards while covering his waist with his hand. With widened eyes, he stared dumbfounded at Zhao Ya.
He had never expected that he would be wounded by a young woman who was only in the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage. No ordinary True Element Boundary cultivator could use the power that she had showcased earlier, so there must be a powerful Master behind her.
The person gritted his teeth and glowered at Zhao Ya. Not daring to get into a prolonged fight with her, he stomped his foot on the ground and disappeared into the forest, leaving behind a trail of blood.
Zhao Ye Bai was reeling from the shock while watching that person leave. Although they had encountered danger a few times during their adventure, this time was definitely the most critical situation of all. Just now, for a moment, he had a feeling that he was at death’s door.
“Are you alright, Big Brother Ye Bai?” Zhao Ya asked caringly.
“I’m fine.” Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, but then his pupils contracted as he stared at Zhao Ya’s left chest, “Xiao Ya, you…”
Zhao Ya put on a smile. Blood streamed out of her chest and dyed her white clothes crimson. Her petite figure staggered for a moment before falling forward.
Zhao Ye Bai dashed forward and supported her weight. He could see that the redness expanded rapidly, which made him feel panicked, like his throat was tightening up, threatening to choke him to death.
“I’m… fine,” Zhao Ya said in a weakened voice.
Zhao Ye Bai was on the brink of bursting into tears. It wasn’t until this moment that he found out that while Zhao Ya had harmed the enemy, she was also injured. Moreover, she was severely wounded.
Upon finishing her words, Zhao Ya closed her eyes as her head slumped to the side.
“Xiao Ya!” Zhao Ye Bai was flustered as his entire figure shook uncontrollably. Fortunately, he could sense that she was still alive and had just passed out because of her injury.
He then hurriedly fished out a healing pill from his Space Ring and stuffed it into her mouth. At the same time, he infused his Yuan Qi into her body in order to help her refine the medicinal efficacies and stop her bleeding.
Zhao Ye Bai knew he shouldn’t stay here any longer. Although that man was defeated by Zhao Ya earlier, he might come back.
Zhao Ye Bai wouldn’t even dare to check on her now as he quickly carried her up and dashed in a different direction.
An hour later, a tiny log house came into his sight.
He had no idea why there was a log house in the middle of the mountain, but he supposed it was a resting place for hunters.
Upon opening the door, Zhao Ye Bai realised there was no one inside; however, this place was obviously cleaned up regularly as there wasn’t even a speck of dust.
The furnishing in the log house was simple, so Zhao Ye Bai gently put Zhao Ya down on the bed and smacked his face with both hands to force himself to calm down. He also took a deep breath before his figure finally stopped shaking.
He extended his hand and placed a finger under her nose and realised that her breathing had stabilised. It seemed that the healing pill had started taking effect.
Nevertheless, when he took a glance at Zhao Ya’s wound, he fell into a dilemma.
She had been injured on the left side of her chest. He had managed to help stop the blood from streaming out of her wound, but it still had to be dressed properly.
However, both of them were no longer children; they were fully grown adults. How was he supposed to help her treat a wound that was on her chest?
Nonetheless, her life was at stake here. If her wound was not dressed, she might lose her life to an infection.
Just when he had made up his mind to make a move, Zhao Ye Bai heard a series of footsteps approaching them.
He suddenly turned his head and yelled, “Who goes there!”
Presently, he was easily alarmed as he was worried that the formidable enemy would pursue them. If that was the case, he wouldn’t be able to ensure Zhao Ya’s safety even if he was willing to lose his life.
The footsteps outside the house came to a halt, and a moment later, a soft voice was heard saying, “Who are you? Why are you in my house?”
It was a woman’s voice!
Zhao Ye Bai quickly calmed himself down and pushed the door open. Lifting his gaze, he saw a woman clad in expensive clothes who appeared to be in her forties. She appeared slightly younger than her age as she had taken good care of her skin; however, there was a tinge of melancholy behind her eyes for some reason.
The woman must be from a wealthy family as the bodyguards behind her were now vigilantly staring at Zhao Ye Bai.
“Seven Stars Town’s Zhao Ye Bai greets Madame.” Zhao Ye Bai respectfully saluted her, “I had no idea that this house belonged to you. Please forgive me for causing any inconvenience.”
The woman examined him and seeing that he was acting politely, she nodded gently, “It’s fine. I don’t use this house often. Since you’re in need of a resting place, you can stay here for a few days.”
Upon finishing her words, she prepared to leave.
She initially decided to come here to get some rest, but since there was an outsider around, it was no longer appropriate for her to do so.
“Madame!” Zhao Ye Bai raised his hand and called out.
The woman turned her head and looked at him doubtfully.
Zhao Ye Bai cupped his fist, “My Sister and I came across a villain just now, and she was injured by him. As a man, it’s not appropriate for me to treat her wound. Will you please lend us a hand, Madame? We would be very grateful.”
“Your Sister is hurt?” The woman was astounded.
Zhao Ye Bai nodded, “She’s inside the house.”
“I’ll have a look,” The woman directly decided to enter the house.
On the other hand, the bodyguards looked cautiously at Zhao Ye Bai and one of them said in a small voice, “Madame, it might be a trap.”
“A life is at stake here,” the woman replied, then led the bodyguards to step into the house. Instantly, a metallic tang came right at their faces.
It wasn’t until the bodyguards saw the frail Zhao Ya on the bed that they believed Zhao Ye Bai’s words.
“Give me some medicine, then all of you should go out,” The woman waved her hand.
Zhao Ye Bai thanked her as he fished out all the necessary items from his Space Ring and put them down beside the bed. It was then he left the house with the bodyguards and closed the door before waiting patiently.
A moment later, someone was heard exclaiming from the house.
A stunned Zhao Ye Bai quickly asked, “What happened, Madame?”
The bodyguards immediately stepped forward in an attempt to barge into the house, but they were forcefully blocked out by Zhao Ye Bai.
“Don’t come in,” the woman was heard saying from the house a moment later. For some reason, her voice sounded shaky as she called out, “I’m fine! I’m fine!”
“Madame, are you really alright?” One of the worried bodyguards asked.
“I said I’m fine!” The woman replied in a firmer tone.
The bodyguards exchanged worried glances. Although they had no idea why the woman cried out just now, they reckoned that they shouldn’t barge in as she had said she was fine. They could only wait patiently.
A while later, the woman in the house said again, “Alright, you can come in now.”
An eager Zhao Ye Bai pushed the door open. When he looked up, he saw Zhao Ya calmly lying on the bed. The woman was just seated beside her as she looked down at her. She didn’t seem to mind the fact that her hands were covered in blood while her gaze was quite gentle.
The strange thing was, Zhao Ye Bai noticed that the woman’s eyes were slightly red, like she had cried earlier.
“I’ve applied some medicine and dressed up her wound. It seems that she’s a cultivator, so as long as she has enough time to recuperate, she’ll be fine,” the woman said.
“Many thanks, Madame!” Zhao Ye Bai cupped his fist as he was evidently relieved.
The woman examined his face for a moment before pretending to be nonchalant as she asked, “You are Brother and Sister? You don’t look alike.”
Zhao Ye Bai replied, “Xiao Ya and I are not biological siblings; however, since we grew up together, we’re just as close as the real Brother and Sister.”
The woman’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked down at Zhao Ya, “Did you offend someone?”
Zhao Ye Bai shook his head, “I have no idea. The reason Xiao Ya and I arrived at this place was to look for a family member, but it was to no avail. When we were about to go back, we came across a formidable enemy. Xiao Ya was hurt because she wanted to save me.”
The woman nodded, “In that case, we can’t stay here any longer. Who knows where the attacker is hiding? Your Sister is now wounded, so she’ll be in danger if that person finds her.”
Zhao Ye Bai replied, “I’ll bring her back to Green Mountain Town now.”
“Green Mountain Town is several dozen kilometres away from here. What if her wound exacerbates during the long journey? If you don’t mind, you can stay at my home for some time. My house is just at the bottom of the mountain, which is not far away from here.”
Zhao Ye Bai appeared to be hesitant and asked, “Will it cause you any trouble?”
He was worried that the enemy might retaliate against them and barge into the woman’s house.
The woman put on a smile, “Don’t worry. To be honest with you, my Son is a disciple from Spirit Sea Temple, and he’s a pretty successful cultivator now. That person would never dare to make a scene in my house.”
Zhao Ye Bai became startled for a moment, “Are you a family member of the Village Chief, Madame?”
She just said that her house was at the bottom of the mountain, which would put it in the village they had visited earlier. There was no way there were two people who were the disciples of Spirit Sea Temple in such a tiny village. If Zhao Ye Bai wasn’t mistaken, the woman should be the Village Chief’s Wife.
As expected, the woman nodded, “That’s right.”
Zhao Ye Bai rose from the chair and cupped his fist, “Many thanks for your righteousness, Madame. I, Zhao Ye Bai, am truly grateful.”
“Don’t be overly polite with me. I have a Daughter who is about the same age as her. If you don’t mind it, you can call me Aunty Mei.”
Zhao Ye Bai nodded and obediently called her Aunty Mei.
It was then that the woman smiled and nodded before she got up, “It’s getting late now. We should be on our way.”
Zhao Ye Bai nodded and carried the unconscious Zhao Ya up before following Zhen Xue Mei, who nervously reminded him to be careful so as not to irritate Zhao Ya’s wound. It appeared that she was even more anxious than Zhao Ye Bai.
As they moved forward, Zhen Xue Mei asked Zhao Ye Bai some questions while he replied to her honestly. Upon learning that it took them half a year to go from Seven Stars Town to this place, she was quite surprised.
Soon, they arrived at the manor that was located at the entrance of the village. Zhen Xue Mei pushed the door open and personally helped settle Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya down in a guest room. Following that, she ordered two clever maidservants to serve them before she returned to her room to get some rest, though she kept looking back as she left.
The candlelight flickered inside the room as Zhen Xue Mei was facing her dressing table. With reddened eyes, she started crying in silence.
A middle-aged man in extravagant clothes pushed the door open. He was the Village Chief, Xu Liang Cai, whom Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya had met some time ago.
There was a dark expression on Xu Liang Cai’s face as he took a seat and poured himself a cup of tea. Upon finishing the tea, he said, “I heard from the servants that you’ve brought two strangers home.”
Zhen Xue Mei fell silent.
Xu Liang Cai landed a fist on the table and yelled, “That’s ridiculous! Those people obviously have some kind of powerful enemy! By bringing them back here, it’s no different from inviting trouble to ourselves! What if their enemy invades our house? Although there are bodyguards here, they’re not very strong. How are they supposed to survive? Do you want our family to be destroyed?”
Looking at him through the reflection of the bronze mirror, Zhen Xue Mei asked, “Husband, do you remember Dong’er?”
Xu Liang Cai’s fury came to an abrupt halt, and then he knitted his brows, “Why did you bring that up all of a sudden?”
Zhen Xue Mei put on a cheerless smile, “She was just five days old when she was dumped on the mountain in the middle of winter. I quickly went to look for her, but I couldn’t find her regardless of how hard I tried. No one knew whether she was taken away by some beast.”
It was Xu Liang Cai’s turn to fall silent now.
Presently, Zhen Xue Mei’s face was covered in tears, “I carried her for ten months of pregnancy before I finally gave birth to her, but you secretly threw her away. How could you be so ruthless?”
Xu Liang Cai let out a sigh, “I had no choice back then. We were poor, so having another baby would put a strain on our finances. How were we supposed to provide for her? I was forced to do it. Now, I can even provide for ten kids, let alone one.”
Zhen Xue Mei sneered, “How much food would a baby need? You were forced to do it? Would you still have the heart to throw her away if she were a boy?”
An impatient Xu Liang Cai snapped, “Many years have passed, and you should put this matter down! Moreover, I looked for her in the past, but how was I supposed to find her when there are so many people in the world? You’re also aware that it was winter when the incident happened. She was just five days old. Even if she was not taken away by some beast, she would’ve been frozen to death.”
“I can never let this matter go!” Zhen Xue Mei said through clenched teeth, “She’s my Daughter!”
“Hao’er is also your child! How much care have you given him over the years? Why can’t you forget a dead person?”
“She is not dead!”
“Enough!” Xu Liang Cai landed his fist on the table again and stood straight up, “I think you’ve gone mad. You always go up the mountain whenever you feel like it. What could there be on that mountain after all those years? What do you think you can find? I’ve never interfered because I feel guilty, but I never expected that you would become so impudent now! Tell those people to scram tomorrow morning, or else I’ll personally chase them out!”
As he spoke, someone was heard knocking on the door from outside.
“What’s the matter?” Xu Liang Cai bellowed.
The servant outside the room replied, “Master, Madame, the Young Master is back, and he’s brought back some of his Fellow Brothers.”
Upon hearing that, Xu Liang Cai became elated as he quickly rose from the chair.
Before he even stepped out of the room, he heard someone calling out in an energetic voice, “Father, Mother, I’m back!”
Following that, a well-built young man stepped into the place.
An agitated Xu Liang Cai clenched the young man’s arms, “It’s really you, Hao’er!”
Xu Hao called out with joy, “Father!”
“That’s great! I’m glad that you’re back.” Xu Liang Cai examined him, “It’s been three years since we last met, and you’ve become stronger. How’s life in Spirit Sea Temple?”
Xu Hao replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, Father. My Master and Senior Brothers treat me very well.”
Xu Liang Cai felt relieved and gratified hearing that.
After Zhen Xue Mei was done with wiping her tears off, she came out and smiled amicably, “You’re back, Hao’er.”
“Mother!” Xu Hao called out excitedly. The Mother and Son then shared some joyous small talk.
Worried that his Son might notice that something was off about Zhen Xue Mei, Xu Liang Cai interrupted them by saying, “I heard from the servants that your Fellow Brothers have come here as well.”
Xu Hao nodded, “Yes. They’re outside right now, so I’ve ordered the chefs to prepare a banquet.”
“They must have helped you out a lot. As your Father, I have to personally thank them. You should come and introduce them to me.”
“Good.” Xu Hao nodded before turning to Zhen Xue Mei, “You should get some rest, Mother. I’ll visit you again tomorrow.”
“Go on,” Zhen Xue Mei looked smilingly at him.
A moment later, Xu Hao introduced his Senior Brothers to Xu Liang Cai. After the introductions were over, they were all seated.
Xu Liang Cai could see that there was a bulging package in front of the Senior Brother who was clearly the leader of this group, and he couldn’t help wondering what was inside.
When Xu Hao introduced his Senior Brothers, he had placed some emphasis on this person. That was the reason Xu Liang Cai found out that this Senior Brother, named Hu Xun, was the most powerful among them, and they all regarded him as their leader.
In fact, Xu Liang Cai was aware of who Hu Xun was even before today, but it was the first time he had met him. That was because Xu Hao had repeatedly mentioned this Senior Brother in the letters that he sent home. He said that this Senior Brother took good care of him in Spirit Sea Temple, and they were Disciples of the same Master. Hence, they were truly Senior and Junior Brothers.
That was the reason Xu Liang Cai was especially fond of Hu Xun. Although he was just an ordinary mortal, he was as hospitable to Hu Xun as possible because of his Son.
“Noble Nephew Hu, if I may ask, what is that?” Xu Liang Cai inquired curiously while looking at the package.
In an instant, the expressions of the people by the table became awkward.
Hu Xun looked smilingly at Xu Hao, who replied in his place, “Father, don’t be afraid, but the truth is it’s a head.”
Xu Liang Cai was stunned, “A head? Whose head is it?”
“It’s the head of a criminal!” Hu Xun explained, “The reason we came down the mountain this time was to hunt down this person. He had committed atrocious crimes in a lot of places, so the Sect Master ordered us to execute him. Upon receiving the order, we left the mountain together. We had exchanged some moves with him before, but this person was indeed powerful. Although we had badly injured him, he had managed to flee. We went on to hunt him down for a few days but to no avail. Not long ago, Junior Brother Xu said that his home was around here, so he proposed we get some rest here before continuing with the hunt. It never crossed our minds that we would come across our target’s corpse in the wild on our way here. Our task was completed just like that. Junior Brother Xu is truly our lucky Star!”
Xu Hao burst into laughter, “I didn’t expect that there would be such a coincidence.”
They still couldn’t believe it when they came across this guy. The target they had spent days tracking suddenly appeared in front of them, and he was already dead.
“I see,” Xu Liang Cai was still reeling from shock, but he wasn’t willing to lose his cool in front of his Son’s Senior Brothers and embarrass him, so he sported a calm expression.
Hu Xun said, “It’s a shame that we have no idea who killed this guy. If we knew, we could have thanked them.”
Xu Liang Cai said, “Noble Nephew Hu, perhaps the injuries you had inflicted on him were so severe that he was unable to recover and that was why he passed away.”
Hu Xun shook his head, “That’s not the case. I examined his wounds and realised that he was killed with a spear. We didn’t inflict such an injury on him when we exchanged moves with him some time ago. The person who had made a move might not be very powerful, but they had good timing. However, I believe that the person who finished him off was also badly injured after killing this thug.”
Xu Liang Cai became startled upon hearing that and muttered, “Could it be them?”
Xu Hao asked curiously, “Who are you talking about, Father?”
After giving it a thought, Xu Liang Cai briefly told them that Zhen Xue Mei had brought back two people from the mountain. He had heard everything from the bodyguards. When Zhao Ye Bai had a chat with Zhen Xue Mei, he talked about a fight previously, which was the reason Xu Liang Cai associated them with the killing of this criminal.
Upon hearing that, Hu Xun and Xu Hao exchanged glances. The former nodded and said, “In that case, I suppose they’re the ones. What a coincidence. Your Mother is a kind-hearted person. The average person might not be willing to bring injured people back to their home.”
Xu Hao put on a smile, “My Mother has always been like that.”
Hu Xun then gazed at Xu Liang Cai, “Sir, since they’re in your house, can you invite them to come over and meet us? It’s thanks to them that we were able to easily complete the task from the Master Sect. I’d like to thank them personally.”
There was a hint of hesitation on Xu Liang Cai’s face, “To be honest with you, it’s not convenient to do so. According to the servants who brought those people back, the woman is severely injured as she’s still unconscious now.”
Hu Xun quickly rose from the chair, “In that case, I’ll have to see her. I have some healing pills with me that might help.”
Seeing that the man was so persistent, Xu Liang Cai found it hard to turn him down and eventually nodded, “Please wait a moment. I’ll make the arrangements.”
Hu Xun cupped his fist, “Many thanks, sir.”
Xu Liang Cai stepped into the inner court and told a maidservant to pass on his word to Zhao Ye Bai, who soon rushed over and cupped his fist, “Zhao Ye Bai greets Sir Village Chief.”
“It’s you!” Xu Liang Cai stared dazedly at the man. He only knew that his Wife had brought two people home with her, but he hadn’t expected that they were the very ones he had met in the morning. He could instantly recognise Zhao Ye Bai when he saw him.
There was an awkward expression on Xu Liang Cai’s face, for he wasn’t very polite to the two of them earlier this morning.
After clearing his throat, he mentioned Hu Xun and the others as well as their suggestion to Zhao Ye Bai, who frowned upon hearing that and said, “Xiao Ya is still unconscious. Moreover, I’ve helped her consume some healing pills already. I thank Senior Brother Hu for his kindness, but it’s not convenient for him to see my Sister at this moment.”
It was then Xu Liang Cai said in a grim voice, “Noble Nephew Zhao, it’s not that I want to force you to do anything just because I’m older, but Noble Nephew Hu is a powerful disciple from Spirit Sea Temple. Since he’s sincere as he wants to express his gratitude, it’s hard for me to turn him down. Moreover, the medicine you have with you might not be as good as his. It will do your Sister no harm to let him have a look.”
Certainly, Zhao Ye Bai wasn’t willing to let anyone disturb Zhao Ya; however, since Xu Liang Cai, the owner of this place, had said so, it was difficult to reject him.
After a moment of deliberation, he nodded, “I’ll thank Senior Brother Hu in advance, then.”
With a smile, Xu Liang Cai patted the other man’s shoulder, “Wait a moment. I’ll tell them to come over now.”
Upon finishing his words, he turned around and left.
A while later, Xu Liang Cai brought two young men to come over. After some introductions, Zhao Ye Bai found out that the older one was the disciple of Spirit Sea Temple that Xu Liang Cai had mentioned, Hu Xun. The younger one was his son, Xu Hao, who was also a disciple of Spirit Sea Temple.
They then saluted one another. Although Hu Xun appeared polite, there was a faint sense of arrogance in his demeanour. Since Zhao Ye Bai was weaker, he was unable to see through the other party’s cultivation. On the other hand, Hu Xun could see at first glance that Zhao Ye Bai was only in the Qi Transformation Realm.
A doubt arose in his heart. [Since this man is so weak, could his companion be any more powerful? Was our target really killed by the two of them?]
“What’s your Sect, Junior Brother Zhao?” Hu Xun asked nonchalantly.
Zhao Ye Bai scratched his head, “I’ve never joined any Sect before.”
It was then Hu Xun came to the realisation that this person must have a terrible aptitude, so no Sect was willing to take him on as a disciple. That was why he only managed to make it to the Qi Transformation Realm at this age.
“What’s the Realm your Sister is in?”
Zhao Ye Bai never hid anything as he replied, “She’s now in the True Element Boundary Ninth-Stage.”
“True Element Boundary Ninth-Stage!” Hu Xun arched his brow. With such cultivation, it was possible that she had managed to kill their target; after all, they had severely injured him previously, so it was reasonable that the woman managed to get lucky and defeat him.
“I heard that your Sister was badly injured during the battle. It so happens that I’ve brought with me some special healing pills made in my Master Sect with excellent medicinal efficacies. May I go in and have a look?”
“This way, Senior Brother Hu,” Zhao Ye Bai extended his hand.
Before they even entered the room, they heard some footsteps approaching them. They turned their heads and saw Zhen Xue Mei emerging from the corner. It seemed that she had rushed over as she was panting heavily.
“What are you doing here?” Xu Liang Cai frowned.
A nervous Zhen Xue Mei replied, “The servants told me that all of you have gathered together here. I had no idea what was going on, so I decided to come over and see for myself.”
Xu Liang Cai said, “It’s nothing serious. Noble Nephew Hu just wants to check on the woman.”
It was then Zhen Xue Mei let out a sigh of relief.
To the side, Xu Hao spoke gently to Hu Xun, who then stepped forward, “Spirit Sea Temple’s Hu Xuan greets Madame.”
Zhen Xue Mei smiled and nodded, “There’s no need to be overly polite with me. Hao’er has repeatedly mentioned in his letters that you take good care of him in the Sect. As his parents, we’d should express our gratitude.”
Appearing to be humble, Hu Xun replied, “I don’t deserve your gratitude, Madame. Junior Brother Xu has an outstanding aptitude, and Honoured Master regards him highly. I’m only older than him by a few years as a Senior Brother, so it’s my duty to take care of him.”
After some small talk, they subsequently entered the room.
A faint smell of blood still lingered in the air, and Zhao Ya was lying there with her eyes closed as her face pale.
Zhao Ye Bai led them to the bed. When Zhen Xue Mei looked down, her eyes reddened in an instant as her eyelashes fluttered.
On the other hand, Xu Hao and the others were stunned as they stared fixedly at the woman on the bed. It wasn’t like they had never seen beautiful women before, but none of them were comparable to the one lying on the bed before them at all. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Zhao Ya’s beauty could cause the downfall of a city. When Zhao Ye Bai and her were travelling across the world, Zhao Ya’s beauty had attracted a lot of unwanted trouble.
After several incidents, she had no choice but to cover her face with a veil, which prevented many conflicts from happening.
Since she was recuperating in bed now though, her face naturally wasn’t covered.
Her pale face gave off a sense of morbid beauty. Any man who saw her in such a state would pity her and hope to become injured and lie on the bed in her stead.
Xu Liang Cai was amazed as well. Although he hadn’t managed to see Zhao Ya’s face in the morning, he had a feeling that this woman was extremely beautiful. When he finally saw her now though, her beauty still greatly surprised him.
At that moment, the room fell dead silent.
Realising that something was off, Zhen Xue Mei said with a frown, “Noble Nephew Hu, didn’t you say you’ve brought some healing medicine from your Master Sect?”
“En, here you go,” Hu Xun came to his senses and quickly fished out a bottle of Spirit Pills from his Space Ring. He was then ready to go over and feed Zhao Ya a pill.
Seeing that, Zhao Ye Bai hurriedly stopped him, “Senior Brother Hu, please leave it to me. I wouldn’t dare to trouble you.”
Hu Xun shot him a glance, but there was no reason for him to insist; therefore, he passed the bottle to Zhao Ye Bai, “Help her take one pill now, and do it again every six hours.”
“I’ll remember,” Zhao Ye Bai nodded, but he didn’t immediately feed a pill to Zhao Ya.
That was because before their departure, Zhao Ya’s Master had passed them a lot of Spirit Pills. Given Senior’s power and status, the medicines that came from him must be the best of the best. Regardless of how useful the Spirit Pills that were given by Hu Xun, there was no way they could be better than what were in Zhao Ye Bai’s possession.
The reason he even accepted this bottle of pills was that he didn’t want to offend Hu Xun.
In order to change the subject, Zhao Ye Bai hurriedly asked, “Senior Brother, given your vision, can you tell how badly injured Xiao Ya is?”
After examining her for a moment, Hu Xun replied, “Her aura is stable, and her vitality is ample. I believe she’ll be fine. However, I’ll need to carry out a thorough examination on her to find out more.”
“Please check on her now then, Noble Nephew Hu,” Xu Liang Cai said. As a sly old man, he could easily tell Hu Xun’s intentions.
Zhen Xue Mei furrowed her brows, “It’s not appropriate for a man to inspect an unconscious woman’s body.”
Xu Liang Cai shot her a glare, “What do you know? Unlike ordinary people like us, cultivators wouldn’t be bothered about such trifles.”
“I don’t think it’s a trifle. Men and women who are not family members are not supposed to come into contact,” Zhen Xue Mei refuted sternly.
Xu Liang Cai had never expected that his Wife would embarrass him in front of such important guests, so his face had reddened with exasperation.
Just then, a weakened voice was heard calling out, “Big Brother Ye Bai…”
When they turned their heads, they saw that Zhao Ya’s lashes were fluttering. Her clear eyes opened the next moment and seemed to become an abyss that could trap the gazes of all the men present.
“Xiao Ya!” Zhao Ye Bai quickly took a seat beside her and touched her forehead before appearing relieved, “You’re finally awake.”
To the side, Zhen Xue Mei shook slightly. It seemed that she wanted to step forward, but she stopped herself from doing so in the end.
Zhao Ya nodded slightly, then gazed at the people beside the bed with vigilance, “Who are they?”
Zhao Ye Bai comforted her by saying, “Don’t worry. They’re not bad people.”
He then went on to introduce these people to her.
Only after he was finished did Zhao Ya nod, “I’m fine. I just need some time to recuperate.”
Hearing that, Zhen Xue Mei hurriedly said, “Young Lady, please get some rest and don’t worry about anything. We’ll take our leave now.”
Without responding to her, Zhao Ya closed her eyes.
Seeing that, they could only leave with Zhen Xue Mei. Zhao Ye Bai saw them off and returned to the room.
Xu Liang Cai brought Hu Xun and Xu Hao back to the banquet. As they drank more wine, the atmosphere became merry.
The banquet ended in the middle of the night as they returned to their rooms to get some rest.
The next morning, the people of Spirit Sea Temple came together. Hu Xun, as their leader, said, “All of you should take the criminal’s head back to the Master Sect first. Junior Brother Xu doesn’t come back home frequently, so he’ll stay here for a bit longer.”
“What about you, Senior Brother Hu?” Someone asked.
Hu Xun replied, “During our mission, I sensed a turning point in my cultivation, so I want to spend some time comprehending it. This place is peaceful and serene, which suits my needs. I’ll remain here for a short time. Go back now and tell my Master about it.”
“Yes,” they all agreed immediately.
After seeing his Fellow Brothers of Spirit Sea Temple off, Hu Xun turned his gaze to Xu Hao, “Junior Brother Xu, how have I treated you over the years?”
Xu Hao replied firmly, “Other than my parents, Senior Brother Hu has treated me the best. You were the one who took care of me when I first joined the Sect. I’ll never forget the favour you’ve shown me.”
With a gratified expression, Hu Xun patted the other man’s shoulder, “I know you’re a grateful person. I’ve always focused on Martial Dao, so although I’ve come of age, I’ve never considered getting myself a partner. However, life is full of surprises. Since the right woman has appeared, I should give it a serious thought. Will you lend me a hand, Junior Brother?”
“Do you have your eyes on that woman, Senior Brother?” Xu Hao wasn’t a fool. Although Hu Xun had never made it clear, Xu Hao could understand what the other man was trying to say.
Anyway, no man wouldn’t be tempted by such an alluring woman. Last night, he was in a dazed state while cultivating as he couldn’t help thinking about the woman’s slightly pale face. Although the woman was clearly older than him by a few years, cultivators typically enjoyed a very long life; hence, the difference in their age didn’t matter.
If he was able to marry such a woman, Xu Hao was willing to pay half of his lifespan in exchange.
However, at this moment, Hu Xun was expressing his thoughts right in front of him.
Xu Hao was displeased and furious as someone else had his eyes on the woman he was interested in; nevertheless, when he was facing this Senior Brother, who had been taking care of him since he was a young kid, he had no way to vent his anger.
“Junior Brother, if you can lend me a hand and make it happen, I’ll put in a good word for you in front of Honoured Master. I’ll ask him to teach you the second part of the Tempest Art.”
Xu Hao was immediately tempted.
Although he was also a disciple of Spirit Sea Temple, his status was not comparable to that of Hu Xun. While Hu Xun was a Core Disciple in Spirit Sea Temple, Xu Hao was a less important Common Disciple. That was why Hu Xun was the leader that was in charge of the mission they were given by the Master Sect.
Over the years, he had only cultivated the first part of the Tempest Art and made it to the Third-Order True Element Boundary. In order to improve his cultivation, he had to get the second part of the Tempest Art.
However, his Master didn’t seem to have the intention of teaching it to him any time soon as he still wanted to give him more tests. This mission was one of the tests.
If Hu Xun was willing to put in a good word for him, Xu Hao could easily get the second part of the Tempest Art.
There wasn’t a lack of beautiful women in the world, but there was only one Tempest Art. Moreover, even if he competed with Hu Xun, he might not be the one who would marry the woman in the end.
Although he wasn’t really willing to give up, Xu Hao soon made up his mind and nodded, “Senior Brother, you’ve treated me like a real Brother all this time. If there’s any way I can help, just tell me right away.”
Hu Xun smiled and nodded before patting the other man’s shoulders, “You’re indeed my good Junior Brother. That woman is severely wounded, so it will take her a month or two to recuperate. En, help me find out about her background first.”
A curious Xu Hao asked, “That guy named Zhao Ye Bai said he hasn’t joined any Sect. I suppose the two of them had started cultivating due to some opportunity.”
Hu Xun replied, “That’s just what he said, we’d better find out more first.”
“Alright. Don’t worry, Senior Brother. I’ll look into it.”
In the next few days, Zhao Ya stayed in the room to recuperate. Zhen Xue Mei would visit her every day and stay for a few hours each time. She would talk to Zhao Ya when the latter was awake, and she would keep guard by her side when she was asleep.
On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai felt apologetic as he thought that they had been troubling Zhen Xue Mei.
During this period of time, Xu Hao once brought Hu Xun to look for Zhen Xue Mei. They also visited Zhao Ya while they were there.
However, after that, Zhen Xue Mei would make sure to meet them outside the room whenever they came. She wouldn’t allow them to disturb Zhao Ya.
During Zhao Ya’s thirteen-year stay on Azure Jade Peak, her cultivation had been deliberately suppressed by Yang Kai, but while her cultivation improved slowly, her physique had been significantly improved.
Just like Zhao Ye Bai, her physique was one of the strongest among the cultivators in the same age and Realm; however, her frail-looking figure could easily fool others.
Although she was severely injured, it only took her five days to get out of bed, and it only took her another few days to start walking.
While her strong physique contributed to her rapid recovery, the Spirit Pills given by Yang Kai were another reason.
Following Hu Xun’s order, Xu Hao had asked his mother some indirect questions and found out more about Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya. Nevertheless, they rarely revealed any personal information, so the information Xu Hao could get was limited as well.
“They’re from Seven Stars Town?” Hu Xun frowned as the candlelight flickered in the room.
“Although I’ve never heard of Seven Stars Town before, I know a thing or two about Seven Stars Sect. It’s said that they were still a Second Class Sect in the past; then, all of a sudden, a Third-Order Emperor Realm Master became their Ancestor. That’s how they instantly became a First Class Sect.”
Hu Xun nodded, “I’m aware of that as well. I suppose Seven Stars Town relies on Seven Stars Sect to exist.”
“In that case, they’re probably the disciples of Seven Stars Sect.”
Hu Xun gently knocked on the table, “That guy has a terrible aptitude as he’s only in the Qi Transformation Realm at such an age. He might be speaking the truth when he said that he has never joined any Sect. He probably has nothing to do with Seven Stars Sect. On the other hand, Zhao Ya might be from Seven Stars Sect. However, even if it’s true, she must be a Common Disciple.”
Xu Hao bowed his head, “You have a point, Senior Brother.”
Zhao Ya was older than him by a few years, but she was only in the True Element Boundary Ninth Stage, so he supposed that her aptitude was no better than his. Even if she was really a disciple from Seven Stars Sect, she wouldn’t be an important figure.
Following that, Xu Hao fawned over him by saying, “Given your cultivation and status, Zhao Ya is extremely lucky to have gained your favour.”
Hu Xun shook his head, “But that woman is pretty cold and dispassionate. It won’t be easy to win her heart.”
Over the past few days, they had been trying to come into contact with Zhao Ya, but during their rare encounters, she always sported an indifferent expression and wouldn’t even spare them a glance. On the other hand, she seemed very concerned about Zhao Ye Bai, which infuriated Hu Xun.
As a Core Disciple of Spirit Sea Temple, he managed to make it to the Immortal Ascension Boundary Third Stage at such a young age. In the Sect, he was always surrounded by Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters. There had never been a woman who dared to treat him coldly.
“Let’s not forget about your Mother,” Hu Xun glared at him as he spoke.
For some reason, Zhen Xue Mei had always stayed by Zhao Ya’s side in the past few days, which made Hu Xun unable to reveal his charm in front of the alluring woman.
There was a meek expression on Xu Hao’s face as he changed the topic by saying, “Zhao Ya has recovered pretty quickly. Despite her injury, she could start walking after a few days.”
Hu Xun said coldly, “I can’t stay here for a long time as we need to head back to the Master Sect as soon as possible. No one will be able to take responsibility if Honoured Master blames us.”
“What should we do, then?” While secretly taking pleasure in the other man’s misfortune, Xu Hao never revealed any emotions on his face. Although he didn’t have a chance to get Zhao Ya, he wouldn’t want to see Hu Xun getting together with her either. Returning to the Sect without achieving anything would be the best outcome for him.
There was a dark expression on Hu Xun’s face as a sense of coldness flashed through his eyes, “In that case, I’ll have to go hard on her. A woman will become obedient after she’s bedded.”
Xu Hao was stunned, “Senior Brother, you…”
Hu Xun said grimly, “You have to help me, Junior Brother.”
Upon hearing that, Xu Hao became anxious.
The next day, Zhen Xue Mei was talking to Zhao Ya in the room, and as usual, she was the one who did all the talking while Zhao Ya listened in silence.
Certainly, Zhen Xue Mei could see that Zhao Ya wasn’t paying attention to her, but she didn’t mind it. Fortunately, Zhao Ye Bai would join the conversation from time to time.
Whenever that happened, Zhao Ya would be all ears as she smiled with her mouth covered.
Just then, footsteps were heard rapidly approaching them. They turned their heads and saw Xu Hao rushing over.
“Hao’er!” Zhen Xue Mei rose from the chair, “What are you doing here?”
Xu Hao replied with a smile, “Father wants to see you, Mother.”
“Your Father is looking for me?” Zhen Xue Mei was surprised.
Xu Hao nodded, “Yes. I don’t know what the matter is, but he seems anxious.”
Zhen Xue Mei furrowed her brows, but she soon set herself at ease. She then said to Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai, “Get some rest now. I’ll have a look.”
Zhao Ye Bai got up and said, “See you later, Aunty Mei.”
After she was gone, Zhao Ye Bai cupped his fist at Xu Hao, “We’re sorry for troubling you these past few days, Senior Brother Xu. Xiao Ya has mostly recovered, so we’ll be leaving soon.”
“You’re leaving so soon?” Xu Hao was shocked as he took a glance at the dispassionate Zhao Ya. He wasn’t willing to part ways with her.
Zhao Ye Bai nodded, “The reason we’ve come all the way here is to look for someone. Unfortunately, we haven’t had any clues yet, so we’ll have to keep searching.”
Xu Hao subconsciously nodded.
“This Hu can lend you a hand if you’re trying to look for a specific person; after all, this area is the territory of Spirit Sea Temple. If the two of you don’t mind, you can come to Spirit Sea Temple with me. I’ll definitely find the person you’re looking for.” Hu Xun’s voice was heard coming from outside. The next moment, he stepped into the room.
Zhao Ya slightly narrowed her eyes as she turned her face away.
On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai frowned. This was Xu Hao’s home, so he could be forgiven for coming into the room without invitation; however, Hu Xun had crossed the line by doing so. With that said, Zhao Ye Bai wasn’t someone who liked to make things difficult for others, so he still politely cupped his fist, “Senior Brother Hu.”
Hu Xun didn’t even spare him a glance as he stared fervently at Zhao Ya as though he wanted to eat her alive, “Are you willing to come back to Spirit Sea Temple with me, Sister Zhao Ya?”
Zhao Ya didn’t even lift her gaze as she said coldly, “Scram!”
Hu Xun’s expression changed, then he took a deep breath and put on a grin, “Sister Zhao Ya, you’re a beautiful and intelligent woman, so I don’t believe you haven’t realised my feelings for you. Although I’ve met countless women in the past, you’re the only one who could make me fall in love. I sincerely want you to come to Spirit Sea Temple with me. Don’t worry, I’ll ask my Master to hold a wedding for us. We’ll live together forever, and you’ll be my only woman.”
Zhao Ye Bai was dumbfounded upon hearing that as he had never expected that a man could speak to a woman like that. This was something completely new to him.
At the same time, he felt displeased in his heart as he had the urge to beat someone up for the first time. He initially had a good impression of Hu Xun, but looking at him now, he just felt that the man was despicable and hideous.
“I told you to get out. Are you deaf or what?” Zhao Ya finally lifted her eyes. Her gaze was like an ice sheet that had been frozen for thousands of years.
Hu Xun let out a sigh, “Since you’ve refused a toast, you must drink a loss. Junior Brother Xu!”
There was a conflicted expression on Xu Hao’s face, but the next moment, he subdued Zhao Ye Bai.
A dumbstruck Zhao Ye Bai called out, “Senior Brother Xu?”
Xu Hao appeared guilty as he lugged Zhao Ye Bai away in silence.
A loud bang was heard coming from behind Zhao Ye Bai as Zhao Ya and Hu Xun exchanged moves. Seeing that Zhao Ye Bai was captured, she wanted to save him, but the well-prepared Hu Xun wouldn’t let her succeed.
After intercepting her, Hu Xun said, “If you’re obedient, Zhao Ye Bai will be fine; however, if you resist, I can’t guarantee whether that brat will survive.”
“I’ll rip your corpse into 10,000 pieces if Big Brother Ye Bai loses a single strand of hair,” Zhao Ya shot him a piercing glance.
Hu Xun roared, “Why are you so concerned about such a useless waste? I was already a True Element Boundary Master at his age, but he’s only in the Qi Transformation Realm! Only this Hu has the right to spend the rest of his life with you!”
“You’re the waste here!” Zhao Ya sneered as she extended her hand and summoned a silver spear before pointing it at him, “Tell Xu Hao to send Big Brother Ye Bai back, and I’ll spare your life.”
Hu Xun let out a sigh, “Since you’re so obstinate, don’t blame me for not treating you gently.”
Outside the court, Zhao Ye Bai sighed, “What’s the point of him doing all this?”
After lugging him out of the court, Xu Hao directly released him. He didn’t intend to restrict him in any way. Given the fact that he was a True Element Boundary Master, Zhao Ye Bai could never make a scene in front of him.
As he listened to the noises of the battle and sensed the clashes of powers, he felt bitter in his heart; after all, the alluring woman would belong to Hu Xun in just a moment.
When he turned his head and saw Zhao Ye Bai looking all calm, he frowned, “Aren’t you worried about Zhao Ya?”
A puzzled Zhao Ye Bai asked, “What’s there to worry about?”
On top of numerous healing pills, the pair had also brought two Artifact Armours with them when they left Azure Jade Peak to venture into the outside world.
Those Artifact Armours were given to Zhao Ya during the Disciple Recruitment of Seven Stars Sect in the past. At that time, Yang Kai kept those gifts for her.
It wasn’t until she had to leave the mountain that he gave some of the artifacts back to her.
However, both Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya had never thought about putting the artifacts on all along. They didn’t want to rely on any external aids during their journey as they wanted to push their limits and test themselves.
A few days ago though, Zhao Ya was severely injured, and she still hadn’t fully recovered even now. Worried that something might happen while she was in a weakened state, Zhao Ye Bai told her to put on her Artifact Armour.
Naturally, Zhao Ya wouldn’t disobey him.
The Artifact Armour was made by an Elder from Seven Stars Sect who was in the Dao Source Realm, so it was extremely valuable to a cultivator in the True Element Boundary. One could be well protected by putting it on. Even someone in the Transcendent Realm would not be able to harm Zhao Ya, not to mention that Hu Xun was only in the Immortal Ascension Boundary.
Perhaps only people in the Origin Returning Realm and Origin King Realm could break through the defensive power of the Artifact Armour.
Xu Hao was dumbfounded as he gazed at Zhao Ye Bai. He couldn’t believe that such a person existed in the world. His Sister hadn’t fully recovered, and she was now locked in an intense battle with a stronger foe. If she was defeated, her modesty would be violated; however, this man was not anxious at all.
All of a sudden, Zhao Ye Bai appeared worried, “Xiao Ya hasn’t recovered yet. Her wound would be irritated by making a move.”
“That’s all you’re worried about?” Xu Hao thought that there must be something wrong with this guy’s head as the latter hadn’t realised the severity of the matter.
After giving it a thought, Zhao Ye Bai replied in a nervous tone, “Xiao Ya has a rather ruthless personality. I hope she doesn’t kill Senior Brother Hu.”
At that moment, Xu Hao no longer wanted to talk to him.
Just then, Xu Liang Cai and Zhen Xue Mei rushed over and a flustered Xu Liang Cai asked, “Hao’er, what’s going on?”
He was perplexed when Zhen Xue Mei looked for him just now. Before they could figure out what their son was up to though, they heard the noises of a battle, which was why they rushed over.
There was a meek expression on Xu Hao’s face as he blocked the entrance of the court, “Nothing. It’s just that Senior Brother Hu wanted to exchange some pointers with that young lady.”
“Exchange pointers?” Zhen Xue Mei’s expression changed, “That’s ridiculous! Xiao Ya hasn’t recovered yet, so how is she able to exchange moves with another person? Why didn’t you stop them, Hao’er?”
Upon finishing her words, she was ready to rush in and stop them.
“Mother!” Xu Hao steadfastly blocked the entrance as he pressed his lips together and shook his head.
Zhen Xue Mei’s face turned pale as she gazed at her son’s guilty-looking eyes.
It was apparent that the people in the court were not exchanging pointers.
Upon that realisation, Xu Liang Cai furrowed his brows.
Certainly, he was not pleased with Hu Xun’s action in his house, but that man was his son’s Senior Brother after all, and Xu Hao’s future hinged on him. Hence, despite his displeasure, he wasn’t willing to interfere in the matter.
To him, both Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai were just strangers, so their life or death had nothing to do with him.
“In that case, we’ll just let them do whatever they want,” Xu Liang Cai said, then motioned to his Wife to stay out of it.
On the other hand, Zhen Xue Mei’s face was as pale as a white sheet while she clenched her son’s arms and begged, “Hao’er, stop your Senior Brother right now! Xiao Ya is still injured, she can’t fight with him!”
Xu Hao hung his head low and replied in a small voice, “Mother, I have no right to change Senior Brother Hu’s decision.”
“Why are you trying to interfere in the matter between the two of them? Go back now.” Xu Liang Cai extended his hand to pull Zhen Xue Mei, who flung his hand away.
With a despondent expression, she gazed at Xu Hao and said anxiously, “Hao’er, I don’t want anything to happen to Xiao Ya. Please tell your Senior Brother not to do this. You’re his Fellow Brother after all. I’m sure he’ll listen to you!”
Xu Hao shook his head with a helpless smile, “Mother, you have no idea about my Senior Brother’s temperament. Once he has made a decision, no one else can change his mind other than our Master.”
Xu Liang Cai clenched her arm and snapped, “Why are you being so meddlesome in other people’s affairs!? It’s completely normal that cultivators exchange pointers, so why are you making a scene here?”
“Don’t touch me!” Zhen Xue Mei flung his hand away again and attempted to step into the court, “I’ll stop them myself then!”
Following that, a loud noise was heard as Xu Liang Cai slapped across her face. He said through clenched teeth, “You wench! Will you only be happy by making our son lose his footing in Spirit Sea Temple!?”
Zhen Xue Mei covered her face and stared at him while feeling heartbroken. With her tears sliding down her face, she said in a shaking voice, “What do you know? What do you know!? You know nothing!”
Xu Liang Cai’s face fell, “I don’t have to know anything. Hao’er, take your Mother away.”
Zhen Xue Mei gritted her teeth and roared, “The woman in that court is your Daughter!”
Xu Liang Cai’s expression turned from furious to stunned while Xu Hao and Zhao Ye Bai were dumbstruck.
They stared at Zhen Xue Mei as they couldn’t believe what they had just heard.
As soon as Zhen Xue Mei finished shouting, she collapsed to the ground and wailed, “She is Dong’er!”
“W-What nonsense are you spouting?” Xu Liang Cai was trembling as he pointed at her.
Zhen Xue Mei covered her face with both hands as her tears uncontrollably streamed out of her eyes, “There’s a pink birthmark shaped like a plum blossom on her left shoulder. Although many years have passed, I still remember it clearly. There’s no way there’s another person with the same birthmark. Moreover, her facial features are similar to mine, or are all of you just blind?”
Xu Liang Cai staggered as though he had been struck by a hammer. His face turned pallid in an instant.
Disbelief was written all over Xu Hao’s face as he muttered, “She’s my Big Sister? Isn’t she supposed to be dead?”
Zhen Xue Mei explained, “She was injured previously. I saw the birthmark when I dressed her wound. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him,” She then pointed at Zhao Ye Bai.
Xu Liang Cai and Xu Hao turned to look at him at the same time.
A flushing Zhao Ye Bai replied, “Yes, there’s a birthmark on her left shoulder. It looks like a pink plum blossom.” He had seen it when they were little kids, but he never saw it again after they became adults.
“Aren’t you her Brother?” Xu Liang Cai was astounded.
Zhao Ye Bai explained, “We grew up together, but we’re not biological siblings. According to my Mother, a few days after I was born on a particularly stormy night, she heard a baby crying outside our house. When she opened the door, she saw Xiao Ya lying on the ground. She was wrapped in a piece of cloth at that time. Xiao Ya is aware of that as well.”
“How old are you now?” Xu Liang Cai asked.
“Twenty years old.”
The colour drained from Xu Liang Cai’s already pale face.
There was also a great storm on the day he dumped the child on the mountain. It was just like what Zhao Ye Bai had described.
Moreover, now that he thought about it, Zhao Ya’s facial features were indeed similar to those of Zhen Xue Mei, but they hadn’t paid attention to it previously.
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner!?” Xu Liang Cai stomped his foot on the ground.
Zhen Xue Mei couldn’t stop crying, “She was discarded in the mountains to die when she was a baby. Now that she’s a grown woman, what right do I have to say anything?”
She had never intended to expose this secret to anyone. In fact, she was already gratified that her daughter had grown up to be a beautiful young woman instead of being killed as a baby. She wouldn’t dare to ask for more.
Back then, she asked some people to build a log house on the mountain where the child was abandoned. She would stay in that house from time to time, and as she recalled that it was in that place where her child might have been taken away by some beast as a meal, she felt heartbroken and guilt-ridden.
Twenty years had passed, and she had found her child in the exact same place.
There was a moment when she thought that it was fate.
The Xu Family members sported different expressions, and it wasn’t until this moment that Zhao Ye Bai realised why Zhen Xue Mei had been so concerned about Zhao Ya as she would keep her company for a few hours every day.
He now knew that she had recognised her daughter when she was dressing the wound for Zhao Ya.
That must be the reason she exclaimed in the log house at that time.
[Xiao Ya has found her biological parents!] Zhao Ye Bai couldn’t help but put on a grin. He supposed it was good news.
“Hao’er, stop your Senior Brother now! She’s your Big Sister! It’s not too late yet!” Zhen Xue Mei looked pleadingly at her son.
Xu Hao nodded and shuffled towards the court.
Just then, a blast of wind spread around from the court as Xu Hao staggered backwards upon impact, widening his eyes and exclaimed, “Immortal Ascension Boundary!”
The clouds in the sky suddenly darkened as deafening thunder was heard.
World Energy Baptism!
This was a precursor to someone breaking through to the Immortal Ascension Boundary. Of the two people in the court, Hu Xun was in the Immortal Ascension Boundary Third Stage, so he wasn’t the cause of this phenomenon. The only possibility was that Zhao Ya was breaking through!
As lightning struck, the aura of the Immortal Ascension Boundary spread out wildly. The noises of the battle in the court intensified as Hu Xun could be heard crying out.
Xu Hao had no idea what was going on inside, and although he wanted to have a look, he was unable to even approach the courtyard.
An incense stick later, the noises slowly subsided.
Half of the manor had been destroyed from the fallout of the battle. Xu Hao immediately rushed towards the battlefield, and what came into his sight caused his pupils to contract.
There was a figure, whose white clothes were stained with blood, standing on the chaotic battlefield with a spear in her hand. Blood was seen dripping from the tip of the silver spear. In front of her, Hu Xun was leaning against the wall as he covered his own throat with both hands. His figure was battered and there were countless wounds all over his body. He was no longer able to speak as blood continuously streamed through the gaps of his fingers. With his eyes widened, he still seemed to be longing for life.
Xu Hao was flabbergasted.
Not only was Hu Xun defeated, but it also seemed that he wouldn’t survive.
The sight was unbelievable to Xu Hao.
It had to be noted that Hu Xun was in the Immortal Ascension Boundary Third Stage while Zhao Ya had just achieved a breakthrough to the Immortal Ascension Boundary.
[How? How is it possible that Hu Xun was defeated?]
The next moment, Xu Hao felt a dense murderous intent fall on him like a tsunami. He instantly felt cold all over his body as though he had fallen into an ice cave.
A cold light expanded before his eyes and blinded his vision.
Zhao Ye Bai, who arrived just in time, hurriedly shouted, “Xiao Ya, stop! He’s your Brother!”
A gale swept past Xu Hao’s face as a spear point came into contact with his forehead, drawing a trickle of blood. His vision refocused as he could finally see that Zhao Ya was standing just three steps away from him while her spear was literally pressed against his head.
He was instantly drenched in cold sweat as he had just escaped from death’s door.
If Zhao Ye Bai hadn’t shouted in time, Xu Hao would’ve turned into a corpse by now. It was then he realised it wasn’t a joke when Zhao Ye Bai said Zhao Ya had a ruthless temperament.
“Xiao Ya!” Zhen Xue Mei wailed and rushed over before clenching her daughter’s arms. She appeared anxious as she examined her, “Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
There was a conflicted expression on Xu Liang Cai’s face as he glanced at Zhao Ya, but his attention was soon attracted to the dying Hu Xun. His expression changed drastically as he exclaimed, “Hao’er, check on your Senior Brother, now!”
Following a nod, Xu Hao dashed towards Hu Xun and inspected his wounds.
Zhao Ya’s surging murderous intent instantly dissipated the moment Zhao Ye Bai called out to her. With a caring gaze, she asked, “Are you alright, Big Brother Ye Bai?”
“I’m fine,” Zhao Ye Bai shook his head.
“What were you talking about just now?” Zhao Ya appeared puzzled.
Zhao Ye Bai parted his lips for a moment before letting out a sigh, “Xiao Ya, if I’m not mistaken, Aunty Mei is your Mother, and Uncle Xu is your Father. Also, Xu Hao is your younger Brother.”
“Mother?” Zhao Ya’s pupils contracted as she looked dazedly at Zhen Xue Mei. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
Like the pearls after the string snapped, Zhen Xue Mei’s tears slid down her face as she nodded repeatedly, “My child, I’m your Mother!”
In an instant, Zhao Ya’s mind descended into chaos; after all, she had just finished a life-and-death battle, and all of a sudden someone firmly claimed to be her Mother. She couldn’t wrap her head around the idea.
She wouldn’t have believed it if someone else had said it, but she would never doubt whatever Zhao Ye Bai told her.
“When you were injured previously, Aunty Mei was helping to dress your wound in the log cabin. That was when she saw the plum blossom birthmark on your left shoulder. Aunty Mei’s Daughter has the same birthmark. Moreover, your age matches that of her Daughter.” Zhao Ye Bai sighed.
Zhao Ya stared dazedly at the weeping Zhen Xue Mei. All of a sudden, she recalled that the older woman had said she had a daughter who was about the same age as her.
However, during Zhao Ya’s stay in this place, she had never seen this daughter that Zhen Xue Mei had mentioned before. She wasn’t a prying person though, so she had never asked about it.
It now seemed that she was the daughter that Zhen Xue Mei had talked about.
“I’m sorry, Xiao Ya. I didn’t take good care of you,” Zhen Xue Mei felt as if she would never stop crying.
Zhao Ya’s eyes slowly reddened as well. Staring at the woman in front of her, she called out gently, “Mother…”
Zhen Xue Mei covered her mouth as she sobbed. She had been waiting for twenty years to hear her daughter call her ‘Mother’. Now that her wish had been granted, she felt she could die with no regrets.
On the other hand, Xu Liang Cai was standing beside Hu Xun as he appeared apprehensive. Although Xu Hao infused his power into Hu Xun’s body in an attempt to save him, his efforts were in vain.
Initially, Hu Xun could still make some gurgling sounds through his throat, but just a while later, he fell silent as he widened his eyes. His hands went limp as his vitality dissipated.
Xu Hao slowly got to his feet, his face as pale as a sheet.
“He’s dead?” As if struck by lightning, Xu Liang Cai staggered backwards and fell on his bottom, “It’s over… It’s all over!”
Hu Xun was killed in his house, and the murderer was the daughter he had abandoned twenty years ago. There was no way those from Spirit Sea Temple would let them off. Not only was Xu Hao’s future destroyed, but their entire family was also doomed.
He suddenly got up and charged towards Zhao Ya before angrily slapping across her face.
Following a loud slap, a red mark appeared on Zhao Ya’s face.
“Look what you’ve done!” Xu Liang Cai was infuriated.
“What are you doing!?” Zhen Xue Mei quickly stood in front of Zhao Ya and spread her arms like a hen protecting her chick.
Xu Liang Cai snapped, “She’s a jinx! I threw her away twenty years ago, so why did she come back at this point? The moment she came back, she has given us such a calamity! If I had known this would happen, I would’ve strangled her to death myself!”
“Are you out of your mind!?” Zhen Xue Mei exclaimed.
Behind her, Zhao Ya hung her head low as her tears dropped to the ground. She muttered, “So… I was abandoned.”
Xu Liang Cai barked, “Yes, I was the one who threw you away on the mountain! Why were you not taken away by some beast!? Why are you still alive!?”
“Enough! Dong’er is your Daughter!” Zhen Xue Mei was so overwhelmed that she started trembling.
“She has brought such a disaster upon our family once she appeared! I don’t have a daughter like her! Now that Hu Xun is dead, what will happen to Hao’er? What will happen to our family? There’s no way those from Spirit Sea Temple will forgive us! We’re doomed! All this has happened because of her!”
Zhen Xue Mei roared, “Hu Xun was a wicked man. He wanted to violate Dong’er’s modesty! Was she not supposed to resist? He got what he deserved!”
“Shut up, you wretch!”
“Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya suddenly gazed at Zhao Ye Bai and put on a gentle smile, “Will you please go somewhere else for a moment? I’d like to talk to my parents.”
Zhao Ye Bai frowned as he looked at the red mark on her face. Although he was hesitant, he still nodded in the end. He then walked out of the courtyard and disappeared from their sight.
Xu Liang Cai was still cursing when he abruptly stopped. When his vision focused, he found himself staring at the tip of a silver spear that was right in front of his face. In a shaking voice, he said, “W-What are you doing? I’m your Father. Do you want to kill me?”
Zhen Xue Mei was also dumbstruck as she shook her head at Zhao Ya with anxiety, “Don’t make any rash moves, Dong’er!”
Although she had always been resentful of Xu Liang Cai for throwing her child away, Zhao Ya was his daughter after all. It would be totally unacceptable if she decided to kill him.
Xu Hao’s heart leaped to his throat as he had witnessed how Zhao Ya mercilessly murdered Hu Xun. If she decided to kill here, he was powerless to stop her.
It seemed that only Zhao Ye Bai could stop her from doing anything irrational.
It was no wonder that she told Zhao Ye Bai to leave for a moment. It was apparent that she didn’t want the man to see her looking so cruel and heartless.
“When I was a young child, I already knew that I was picked up by Aunty Lu. She is like a Mother to me, and she treats me really well. There’s also Uncle Yang. Big Brother Ye Bai always said that if my Father were still alive, he would be as amiable as Uncle Yang; hence, I always believed that since I had a Mother and Father figure, I was not lacking anything. I left Seven Stars Town at the age of seven and joined Seven Stars Sect. Although my Master seems to be cold-blooded, he’s actually a good man. Moreover, I also have Big Brother Ye Bai.”
“What are you trying to say, Dong’er?” Zhen Xue Mei gazed at her with a horrified expression.
There was a faint smile on Zhao Ya’s face, “I’ve never thought about looking for my biological parents. To me, those who have raised me are my family members. As for all of you… you’re nothing to me.”
Xu Liang Cai gulped as he said meekly, “I’m your biological Father.”
Zhao Ya replied with a smile, “What right do you have to claim to be my Father when you didn’t even bother to raise me? Who do you think you are to give me orders?”
While she pushed her spear forward again, Xu Liang Cai staggered backwards and yelled, “Y-You can’t do this to me!”
“I guess I’ll be considered unfilial and wicked if I stabbed this spear into your head. Do you want to give it a try?”
Zhen Xue Mei’s face turned pale, “Please don’t, Dong’er!”
There was a cold expression on Zhao Ya’s face as she said through clenched teeth, “My name is Zhao Ya!”
All of a sudden, she put her spear away and bent her back to salute Zhen Xue Mei, “Many thanks for taking care of me in the past few days, Aunty Mei. Please take care of yourself in the future.”
Zhen Xue Mei cried, “You have to take good care of yourself too.”
With an impassive expression, Zhao Ya nodded and shuffled forward.
“There’s no way you can escape.” Xu Hao, who had remained silent for a long time, sighed, “Since Senior Brother Hu Xun is dead, his Life Lamp has undoubtedly shattered. Those from Spirit Sea Temple must be aware of his death by now. I suppose my Honoured Master is rushing over to this place.”
Xu Liang Cai nodded repeatedly, “You can’t just leave! Wait for those from Spirit Sea Temple to come and explain everything to them!”
Zhao Ya ignored him, but she soon stopped in her tracks and looked in a particular direction with an alarmed expression.
A figure suddenly appeared beside her as Zhao Ye Bai had returned. He took Zhao Ya’s hand and said anxiously, “We have to run, now! Something’s wrong!”
He was only in the Qi Transformation Realm, so his senses weren’t as sharp as Zhao Ya’s. Nevertheless, he instinctively felt uneasy, as though something terrible was about to happen.
The two of them left in a rush, but just a moment later, a figure descended from the sky along with a horrifying pressure.
As if struck by lightning, a dazed Zhen Xue Mei and a terrified Xu Liang Cai coughed out a mouthful of blood at the same time. It was the same case for Xu Hao, who was only in the True Element Boundary.
The figure landed in front of Hu Xun with his eyes narrowed while his murderous intent surged.
“Disciple greets Honoured Master!” While bearing the pressure forcefully, Xu Hao took a step forward and fell on his knees.
This person was none other than the Temple Master of Spirit Sea Temple, Jia Hong. As the Sect Master of a First Class Sect in the Void Continent, he was a powerful Second-Order Emperor Realm Master and was famous throughout the entire World.
Hu Xun and Xu Hao had the luck to become his Disciples, but Xu Hao was just an In Name Disciple while Hu Xun was a True Disciple. Jia Hong regarded Hu Xun highly because of his extraordinary aptitude. When the other Disciples brought the criminal’s head back to Spirit Sea Temple, Jia Hong was quite pleased; however, he had never expected that he would be informed of Hu Xun’s Life Lamp shattering just a few days later.
He immediately left the temple and arrived at this place. Given his Second Order Emperor Realm cultivation, it only took him a cup of tea’s time to travel from Spirit Sea Temple to this small village.
After examining Hu Xun for a moment, Jia Hong shot a dispassionate glance at Xu Hao and snorted.
He had quite a number of Disciples, and although Hu Xun was not bad, he was not the brightest. Regardless, he was Jia Hong’s Disciple. Since his Disciple was killed, Jia Hong, as the Master, could not just pretend that nothing had happened. The person who had the guts to do this would have to pay a hefty price.
He didn’t even ask Xu Hao who killed Hu Xun, because before he arrived at this place, he could already detect two auras with different strengths leaving this place in a hurry with his Divine Sense.
One of them was in the Immortal Ascension Boundary while the other was in the Qi Transformation Realm.
How could weak cultivators like them possibly escape from his senses?
The next moment, Jia Hong leapt into the sky like a Great Peng and disappeared.
A couple dozen kilometres away, Zhao Ya wrapped Zhao Ye Bai with her True Qi and flew forward. Just a moment later, she felt a fierce Divine Sense locking onto them.
Her expression changed as she yelled, “We should split up, Big Brother Ye Bai!”
She was aware that she was unable to resist the person who was coming for them. Regardless of how many treasures her Master had given her before they left, she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to keep her life this time. She was the one who killed Hu Xun, so it had nothing to do with Zhao Ye Bai. If they split up now, he would stand a chance to live. By sticking together, both of them would just be killed at the same time.
Without giving Zhao Ye Bai a chance to reject her, she gently pushed out her palm and sent him flying away. In the meantime, she shot off in a different direction.
Zhao Ye Bai fell to the ground and rolled away. With his face covered in sand, he looked up and saw a ray of light chasing after Zhao Ya.
With his eyes widened and he stomped the ground hard as he raced after them.
However, he was only in the Qi Transformation Realm, so he was unable to run as fast as Zhao Ya or as fast as Jia Hong could fly. Just a moment later, they were already out of his sight.
While he was anxious, he kept blaming himself.
They had come across a lot of dangers during their recent adventure, but it was always Zhao Ya who protected him. He felt like he was a burden that was practically useless.
Nevertheless, he knew that his aptitude was ordinary. Since he obtained the Secret Art in his dream three years ago, he had only managed to make it to the Qi Transformation Realm, so he was unable to help Zhao Ya out at all.
Despite that, he still tried his best to catch up.
In front of him, Jia Hong was moving at the speed of lightning as he could see Zhao Ya from a distance. He snorted at the fact that an Immortal Ascension brat had the guts to act impudently in front of him.
He extended his hand and surged his Emperor Qi as he prepared to launch an attack on Zhao Ya.
Instantly, Zhao Ya felt her entire figure stiffening as she was engulfed in the aura of death; however, the next moment, this feeling mysteriously dissipated.
Meanwhile, a myriad of expressions came over Jia Hong, who was behind her.
That was because just as he was preparing to make a move, he suddenly felt a sense of crisis befall him, as though he would suffer a terrible calamity if he dared to push out his palm.
Given his Second-Order Emperor Realm cultivation, Jia Hong knew well enough to not simply ignore this kind of instinctual warning; therefore, he didn’t dare to act rashly.
While feeling doubtful, he dispersed the power he had gathered, after which the sense of uneasiness faded.
He frowned and released his Divine Sense, but he couldn’t detect any anomalies in the surroundings, nor was there a formidable enemy nearby.
[Was it just my imagination?]
Thinking so, he prepared to attack again.
This time, he no longer had that kind of feeling, but after he pushed out his palm, the young woman in front of him staggered at just the right moment to completely avoid his blow, leaving her perfectly fine.
Jia Hong widened his eyes in disbelief.
The move he had just made was meant to end the young woman’s life, and given her mere Immortal Ascension Boundary cultivation, it was absolutely impossible for her to dodge it. However, she really managed to escape from death somehow.
Jia Hong had no idea what was going on.
He had made a move twice just now. The first time, he was stopped by the sense of unease he felt, and for the second move, he actually missed his mark. He had a feeling that something was off, so he wouldn’t dare to make any rash moves again; instead, he kept a fixed distance from the woman and observed her carefully.
These two figures flew forward, seemingly in tandem, at shocking speed.
Presently, Zhao Ye Bai was far behind them. He was initially anxious, but as time passed, he became immersed in a strange feeling while running at full speed.
It was as though he had merged with the World around him.
He had experienced the same feeling once three years ago. At that time, he was agitated by Miao Fei Ping’s words, causing his thoughts to run wild. For some reason, he then fell into a dream-like state where he found himself floating in a vast expanse of nothingness. It was Senior who woke him up in the end.
Senior told him that he had accidentally triggered the power of this World, and that this kind of power was extremely dangerous, so he had to be careful whenever he acted in the future.
Zhao Ye Bai would never dare to forget Senior’s warning and ensure that he never replicated that incident again.
However, none of that mattered at this moment. He was too weak as a Qi Transformation Realm cultivator, and only by leveraging on the might of this World could he possibly lend Zhao Ya a hand.
His eyes were clear and his emotions became as calm as a still tranquil lake.
While he was bolting forward, layers of ripples started spreading from Zhao Ye Bai, though he was unaware of this fact. The Space Dao Essence in the World around him was triggered and resonated with him.
Suddenly, he took a step forward and abruptly disappeared from the spot. When he reappeared, he was already in a faraway place.
While his figure kept flickered and disappearing, Zhao Ye Bai looked steadfastly towards the front as everything around him seemed to be slipping backward rapidly. Letting out a roar with pleasure, he felt as though he was a fish swimming in water for the first time ever.
Half a month later, Zhao Ye Bai finally saw a ray of light on the horizon; it was the powerful Master from Spirit Sea Temple.
[Xiao Ya is right in front of me!] Zhao Ye Bai dashed forward at even greater speed.
In the sky up above, Jia Hong, who had been chasing after Zhao Ya, noticed the anomaly happening to Zhao Ye Bai as well. When he looked down, he saw the little Qi Transformation Realm boy’s figure disappearing from time to time. The person seemed able to ignore the obstacles of space and move from one place to another in the blink of an eye.
Jia Hong widened his eyes in disbelief as he wondered to himself, [What kind of power is that?] He had never seen or heard of anything like that before and all he could tell was that the space around the Qi Transformation Realm boy was warping with each step the latter took.
While he was flabbergasted, he was also feeling extremely vexed and helpless.
During this pursuit, he had repeatedly attempted to kill or capture Zhao Ya; however, whenever he made a move, he would either be forced to stop following an invisible sense of warning, or his attacks would simply be rendered useless for some strange reason.
As an Emperor Realm Master, Jia Hong had actually been chasing after an Immortal Ascension Boundary Junior for half a month, but he still hadn’t achieved his goal. He wouldn’t have believed it if it wasn’t happening to him.
Now that he saw a Qi Transformation Realm brat using some strange power, Jia Hong felt that the experience over the past half a month had turned his worldview upside down.
It only took the boy a short moment to surpass him and reach the young woman. For every step the boy took, he seemed able to borrow some kind of power from this World.
No words could ever describe how astounded Jia Hong was.
“Big Brother Ye Bai!” Zhao Ya was shocked as well, “Why did you follow me?”
Presently, Zhao Ye Bai was covered in blood. Given his Qi Transformation Realm, if he couldn’t borrow this World’s Strength, he would’ve died of exhaustion after manipulating Space Principles so abruptly and frequently and wouldn’t have made it to this place. Despite that, every time he used Instantaneous Movement, his figure still had to bear immense pressure.
If it weren’t because his physique was quite robust, he would’ve been crushed to dust upon breaking through the Void.
“I have no idea why, but I was suddenly able to run really fast,” Zhao Ye Bai replied in a weakened tone.
Zhao Ya felt heartbroken for him as she engulfed him with her strength. At the same time, she fished out some Spirit Pills from her Space Ring and stuffed them into his mouth.
Zhao Ye Bai put on a silly smile, “I’m really glad that you’re okay.”
Ha had been extremely nervous while chasing after them; after all, many things could happen in half a month. He was worried that he would find Zhao Ya in a state he would never have the heart to see.
Zhao Ya snorted, “That bastard behind me is just toying with me. He seems to enjoy watching me run, so he never made any fatal moves!”
If Jia Hong had heard what Zhao Ya just said, he would have beat his chest and roared in indignation. Although he had only made a few moves, he was determined to end Zhao Ya’s life with each one, but for some unknown reason, all his attempts turned out to be futile, and Zhao Ya was still alive and well.
“I guess there’s something wrong with him,” Zhao Ye Bai said grimly, “This place is not far away from Seven Stars Sect. It will only take us a few days to return. With Senior around, that person won’t dare to harm you.”
“En.” Zhao Ya nodded.
In fact, she had been heading in the direction of Seven Stars Sect this whole time. She knew that it was impossible for her to go against an Emperor Realm Master, so she could only go back and seek her Master’s help.
“I’ll bring you out of this place!” Zhao Ye Bai took her hand and activated his new ability, causing the world to contort. The next instant, they disappeared from the spot.
Jia Hong wore a dark expression from a distance as he saw this.
He had faintly realised something during this pursuit, but things had come to a point where he was unable to back down. His Disciple was killed, so there was no way he could pretend that nothing had happened. He could only keep following this young couple and see what was waiting for him.
He no longer believed that he could kill Zhao Ya to avenge Hu Xun’s death, but this matter had to be resolved regardless.
“Seven Stars Sect…”
Jia Hong stopped in his tracks in front of the mountain entrance and looked up at the Sect’s name on its arching signboard.
The young man and woman that he had been chasing had entered Seven Stars Sect. As the Sect Master of Spirit Sea Temple, Jia Hong was naturally aware of Seven Stars Sect because both were First Class Sects. Although both Sects were far from one another, they would come into contact from time to time.
An elderly man was already waiting in front of Seven Stars Sect. When he saw Jia Hong, he cupped his fist, “Welcome, Temple Master Jia. I’m sorry for not receiving you earlier.”
Jia Hong replied impassively, “It’s been a long time, Sect Master Shang Guan.”
Shang Guan Ji said, “Our Ancestor is aware of your arrival and is waiting for you on Azure Jade Peak. This way, please.”
Upon hearing that, Jia Hong narrowed his eyes and fell silent for a moment, “Sect Master Shang Guan, what’s the relationship of the young man and woman with your noble Sect’s Ancestor?”
Shang Guan Ji replied with a smile, “You’ll find out about it after you go up the mountain.”
Jia Hong snorted, “This Jia is going now, then.”
He then strutted towards the peak of the mountain. Shang Guan Ji watched him leave without any intention to stop him.
In just a moment, Jia Hong arrived atop Azure Jade Peak. A man and woman were already quietly standing on the peak, the very two who had fled from Green Mountain Town.
Jia Hong wasn’t surprised to see them here as he furrowed his brows.
If these two people had something to do with the Ancestor of Seven Stars Sect, it explained why he had come across so many anomalies while chasing them.
He now firmly believed he wouldn’t be able to avenge Hu Xun’s death.
“My Honoured Master is waiting for you in the hall,” Zhao Ya said impassively.
Jia Hong arched his brow then went straight inside.
No one knew what Jia Hong and Yang Kai talked about, but just a cup of tea later, Jia Hong left the hall in a respectful manner and leaped into the sky without turning his head. He didn’t even bring up the fact that his Disciple was killed.
Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai exchanged glances before letting out a sigh of relief, knowing that this matter was over.
“You two, come inside.” Yang Kai’s voice was heard coming from the hall.
Zhao Ya’s neck shrank as she was evidently afraid. Zhao Ye Bai took her hand and gave her an assuring look before leading her to the hall.
Although they had cultivated on the mountain for thirteen years, it was the first time they actually stepped into this hall.
Since the door was open, they entered right away and saw a person facing away from them with his hands behind his back.
“Master!”
“Senior!”
They saluted him respectfully.
The person then slowly turned around.
Zhao Ye Bai widened his eyes in disbelief, then called out in a pleasantly surprised tone, “Uncle Yang?”
Presently, the person in the hall was Uncle Yang, who had been like a Father to the young boy since he was born. During Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya’s adventures, they had taken the initiative to look for him in Green Mountain Town; however, instead of finding Uncle Yang, they had inadvertently bumped into Zhao Ya’s biological parents.
Zhao Ye Bai had never expected to come across Uncle Yang here after they were separated for thirteen years.
An excited Zhao Ye Bai asked, “Why are you here, Uncle Yang? Did Senior bring you here? Where is he?”
Yang Kai remained silent with a smile.
On the other hand, Zhao Ya was much calmer. Although she was surprised and doubtful the moment she saw Yang Kai, she soon realised what was going on.
“Big Brother Ye Bai.” Zhao Ya pulled Zhao Ye Bai’s sleeve, “If I’m not mistaken, Uncle Yang is Master, and Master is Uncle Yang!”
“How can that be?” Zhao Ye Bai burst into laughter, “Senior is a powerful cultivator while Uncle Yang is just an ordinary person. Moreover, they look totally different, so how can you mix them up?”
Zhao Ya explained, “Haven’t you always wondered why Master and Uncle Yang look so similar from behind? Moreover, you’ve just said that Master is very powerful, so it wouldn’t be difficult for him to hide his cultivation and change his appearance in front of us. Moreover, Uncle Yang and Master share the same surname. This proves that they’re the same person. It’s just that we were not aware of it.”
Zhao Ye Bai widened his mouth as he still couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“Am I right, Master?” Zhao Ya asked directly.
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “You’ve always been intelligent, Xiao Ya. You’re right.”
Zhao Ye Bai was dumbfounded as he couldn’t grasp why the powerful Senior became Uncle Yang all of a sudden.
While he was puzzled, he saw Yang Kai extending his hand to the side, after which a figure abruptly appeared. The figure looked just like the Ancestor they had been living with on Azure Jade Peak for the past dozen years.
As the two figures stood alongside one another, their frames were the same except for their appearances and temperaments. Zhao Ye Bai tutted in amazement.
“A clone?” Zhao Ya arched her brow.
Yang Kai waved his hand with a smile as the Ancestor of Azure Jade Peak disappeared. He then said, “Strictly speaking, the one you’re seeing now is also a kind of clone. Rather, this is my Soul Avatar.”
“Soul Avatar?!” Zhao Ya gasped as her chest heaved.
She was now an Immortal Ascension Boundary Master who had opened up her own Knowledge Sea, so she was aware of how to use her Divine Sense and what kind of capabilities it should have. That was also the reason she understood the wonders of a Soul Avatar.
Yang Kai’s Soul Avatar, however, had manifested into physical form, and even the Temple Master of Spirit Sea Temple, who was a Second-Order Emperor Realm Master, didn’t dare to make a scene in front of him and left the place without avenging his Disciple’s death. How horrifyingly powerful must his true body be then?
Zhao Ye Bai’s jaw hung so low that an egg could be stuffed into it.
Although he had no idea what Yang Kai and Zhao Ya were talking about, he couldn’t help thinking they were truly incredible. Admiration was written all over his face as his eyes were as bright as stars.
After a gulp, Zhao Ya asked, “How powerful are you really, Master?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Your Master’s cultivation is higher than the Heavens.”
His words rang a bell as Zhao Ya recalled that he had said the same thing when she agreed to become his Disciple in the past. At that time, she swore that she would become more powerful than her Master one day and let him have a taste of becoming a Worker.
Thirteen years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Zhao Ya couldn’t help but blush. She was young and naive back then, but she wouldn’t dare to have such disrespectful thoughts now. All of a sudden, a realisation dawned upon her, “When I was abandoned in the past, you were the one who picked me up from the mountain and sent me to Aunty Lu’s door.”
“Oh, how did you even figure that out?” Yang Kai was genuinely surprised.
Zhao Ya replied, “When I found out that I was abandoned not long after I was born, I couldn’t understand how I ended up in Seven Stars Town that was hundreds of thousands of kilometres away. I was just an infant at that time, and no beast could or would ever do that. Only a powerful cultivator could achieve such a thing. I was just venturing a guess, but your reply proved that my speculation was right.”
Yang Kai put on a smile and said with some mirth in his words, “A person that is too clever might become exhausted in life.”
Zhao Ye Bai scratched his head, “It’s better than being as foolish as me.”
Zhao Ya pouted, “You’re not foolish. If you were really stupid, Master wouldn’t have spent the last dozen years secretly training you.”
“Huh?” Zhao Ye Bai was perplexed.
Zhao Ya said, “Master is Uncle Yang. Have you forgotten how he treated you over the past dozen years?”
After giving it a thought, Zhao Ye Bai put on a grin, “Uncle Yang must have his reasons for treating me like that.” Although the two of them had spent the last over ten years on Azure Jade Peak, they were treated very differently. While Zhao Ya was treasured like a flower and carefully nurtured, Zhao Ye Bai was ignored like weeds. He had to do all sorts of manual work and would often be punished in Zhao Ya’s stead.
An annoyed Zhao Ya said, “I suppose you’re dumb after all. Uncle Yang doted on you when you were a child. Why do you think he’d suppress you and punish you over the years?”
A puzzled Zhao Ye Bai asked, “Why?”
Zhao Ya turned to look at Yang Kai, “You’ll have to ask Master about it.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “Xiao Bai’s aptitude is indeed ordinary, but that’s not the reason I suppressed him. Even if there are ten Xiao Bai’s, they’re not comparable to you, Xiao Ya.”
Zhao Ye Bai flashed a smile at Zhao Ya to show that he was truly dumb.
On the other hand, Zhao Ya had sensitively caught the key part from Yang Kai’s words, “Big Brother Ye Bai might not be comparable to me when it comes to his aptitude, but he must have something that makes him special. Let me take a guess. I’ve always heard that when a powerful Master realizes his time is running out, he will look for a Legacy Disciple before his predestined time of death. Therefore, some unknown young people suddenly receive the inheritances of powerful cultivators and become rising stars. In that case, you’re probably dying soon, Honoured Master, and Big Brother Ye Bai has the chance to receive your inheritance.”
The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched when he heard that.
On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was flabbergasted as he asked with anxiety, “Uncle Yang, are you dying?”
Yang Kai felt like he was on the verge of coughing up blood and in a grim voice he snarled, “My vitality is still vibrant. If you two don’t work hard, I’ll live long enough to attend your funerals!”
While reeling from the shock, Zhao Ye Bai let out a sigh of relief.
With a frown, Zhao Ya muttered, “When we were running away, Big Brother Ye Bai used a strange power that could ignore the obstacles of space. It allowed him to move faster than an Emperor Realm Master even though he’s just in the Qi Transformation Realm. Does your inheritance have something to do with this strange ability, Honoured Master?”
Yang Kai let out a sigh. He initially didn’t want to explain these things to them so soon, but Zhao Ya was too clever, which was why he was caught off guard.
He then raised his hand and manipulated the local Space Principles. Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya widened their eyes as they felt that the distance between Yang Kai and them was rapidly widening, as though they were now in different worlds.
However, the next moment, the original distance was restored. When they came to their senses, they realised that they hadn’t moved at all.
They were drenched in cold sweat due to the contortion of space.
“This is the Dao of Space, and usually, only powerful Masters have a right to come into contact with it, much less comprehend it. Xiao Bai had already shown his talent in this regard when he was in his mother’s womb. I didn’t want to waste a talented person like him, and the rest is history.”
Zhao Ya nodded as she finally figured it out, “The Disciple you’ve always wanted to take on is Big Brother Ye Bai.”
Yang Kai smiled, “While Xiao Bai can hope to receive my inheritance, it’s the same for you.”
“Me?” Zhao Ya was surprised, “I’ve never felt that kind of power before.”