Even Xu Ling Gong had spoken back then, so Yang Kai could only settle for the second-best option and change his conditions.
However, the situation was different now. The Cave Heavens and Paradises had witnessed the mysterious effects of the Star Boundary’s World Tree with their own eyes over the past few decades. The rapid growth of their disciples was the best proof. What immediately followed was a large demand for higher Order Materials. If they wanted their disciples to successfully directly advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they had no choice but to compromise.
Compared to opportunities to train in the Small Source Worlds of each Sect, the advancement of their disciples was naturally their top priority. That was why Yang Kai was confident that he could reach a consensus with the Cave Heavens and Paradises to some extent!
The routes to the Star Boundary and Void Land were different. Yang Kai, Hong Hu, Yu Chang Dao, and the others travelled together for a month or two before they went their separate ways.
Yu Chang Dao and the others headed straight to the Star Boundary.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai set off for Void Land with Hong Hu. It took another two months before the two of them finally arrived at Void Territory after a long journey.
Looking from a distance in the void, the enormous Void Land and Star City stood next to each other. Void Star City had been restored to its previous prosperity and there was a steady stream of flight-type artifacts in all shapes and sizes coming in and out of the Void Dock. It appeared to be very lively.
In reality, Hong Hu had sensed the vitality of Void Territory as soon as they entered. Despite passing through many other Great Territories, there had not been any other one that was as lively as Void Territory. Moreover, flight-type artifacts were a rare sight in the vast void. It wasn’t until she saw the prosperity of Void Star City that she understood why this place attracted so many cultivators.
“Is this Void Land?” Hong Hu stared in amazement.
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right. This is Void Land.”
Staring at Void Land that was covered by the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, Hong Hu seemed to detect something, “I can sense the aura of the Dragon Clan. It’s not very pure, but it’s very strong!”
Yang Kai laughed and commented, “I forgot to tell you, Senior. Void Land sits on the back of Bi Xi. Old Man Bi Xi had been sleeping for tens of thousands of years, and the Spirit Province on his back gradually evolved into Void Land’s predecessor.”
“Bi Xi!” Hong Hu raised her delicate brow. As part of the Phoenix Clan, it was only natural that she knew about Bi Xi’s existence. Although she knew about him, she had never met him before, so she sighed in amazement, “I’ve always heard the saying ‘Bi Xi bears a heavy load’. Legend even had it that his back can carry the entire universe. Now that I see him today, he really lives up to his reputation!”
When they got closer, Yang Kai took out a jade, opened the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array, and slipped inside with Hong Hu.
Old Man Bi Xi’s Embodiment was sitting down cross-legged on one of the platforms located on a certain Spirit Peak. His long eyebrows drooped down to his knees and a mysterious language flowed out of his lips, imparting precious wisdom with every word.
Many Divine Spirits sat upright in front of him and listened attentively. These Divine Spirits included the Dragon Clan members who grew up on Dragon Island, Xiao Xiao who had taken in Tai Yue’s Source, Liu Yan who had the Phoenix True Fire, Luan Feng, Fan Wu, and the Stone Spirit Clan from the Star Boundary’s East Territory, Qiong Qi who was Flowing Time Great Emperor’s mount, and several others with a wide variety of Races.
The Divine Spirits in the Star Boundary might all carry different Sources and inheritances of their own, but they did not know how to cultivate or improve their respective bloodlines past a certain point. Needless to say, it was difficult for them to explore their own inheritance without any guidance.
Old Man Bi Xi might only be a Dragonkin, but he was old and wise, with an immense amount of knowledge and experience. Oftentimes, some Divine Spirits would gain valuable insight just by listening to a casual remark from him.
The Dragon Clan had made great progress under his earnest teachings over the years. Among them, Zhu Qing’s true form had grown to over 5,000 metres in length. While she was far from the standard of a Grand Dragon, she was now comparable to a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm in strength. Likewise, the rest of the Divine Spirits also experienced growth to a certain extent, though none as pronounced as Zhu Qing’s.
It was for this reason that all the Divine Spirits liked to gather around Old Man Bi Xi to listen to his teachings.
All of a sudden, Old Man Bo Xi raised his head and looked up into the sky in shock. Slowly getting to his feet, he announced in a loud voice, “An honoured guest has graced us! Welcome!”
The others looked up upon hearing those words only to see two streams of light descending from the sky and landing in front of them. One of them was Yang Kai, who had not shown up for several decades. The other was a woman dressed in snow-white robes whom nobody had seen before.
Zhu Qing’s beautiful eyes lit up, and she gazed at Yang Kai lovingly. Unfortunately, there were too many people here so no matter how much she missed him, it was inappropriate for her to act overly intimate in public.
On the other hand, Xiao Xiao and Liu Yan did not have such reservations. The two of them had accompanied Yang Kai from the time he was young and weak. It could even be said that they were his longest companions.
Xiao Xiao scrambled over and stood in front of Yang Kai. Using both hands, he climbed along Yang Kai’s clothes until he reached his shoulders and sat down with a happy expression.
Meanwhile, Liu Yan ran over in small steps and came to stand in front of Yang Kai. Stretching her arms wide, she looked up and called out in a babyish voice, “Master, up!”
Yang Kai raised his hand and rapped his knuckles on her head, “Speak normally!”
Thanks to some lucky opportunities, Liu Yan had obtained a true body even though she was originally an Artifact Spirit. It was just that she had always maintained a child-like appearance. At this moment, she was acting adorable and childish on purpose.
After being hit on the head, her eyes immediately became misty and she stubbornly held out her arms and said, “Hold me!”
Yang Kai sighed and bent down to pick her up. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck in satisfaction and tilted her small head to rest against his neck. Even the corners of her eyes crinkled with pleasure.
On the contrary, Zhu Qing’s smiling gaze immediately flooded with wanton murderous intent!
Xiao Hong and Xiao Hei, whom Yang Kai had brought out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, had grown considerably stronger thanks to the long-term consumption of the Dragon Blood Pills; moreover, they had been taught to assume Human Form by Old Man Bi Xi. When they saw this scene, the pair, who also looked like small children, rushed over. Standing side by side in front of Yang Kai, they stretched out their arms, “Carry us too!”
When Xiao Hei spoke, his saliva dribbled to the ground, which then began to sizzle and melt away, like it was being corroded by acid. It was a terrifying sight.
Liu Yan flushed slightly and looked down at the other two with a scornful look. Then, she abruptly turned around to look at Hong Hu and whispered a question in Yang Kai’s ear, “Master, who is this Aunty?”
“Aunty?” Hong Hu choked. She had been studying Liu Yan with great interest. Both of them were part of the Phoenix Clan, so she immediately detected the Phoenix True Fire inside Liu Yan’s body. That Source Strength was a little different from Luan Feng, who only had a weak Phoenix Clan bloodline. It was undoubtedly an extremely pure Phoenix Clan Source!
The corners of Hong Hu’s face twitched involuntarily when she suddenly heard Liu Yan’s remark. Still, she gave a fake smile and said, “What an adorable child! She is so cute and lovable!” While she was speaking, she reached out a hand and grabbed Liu Yan’s cheek, giving it a rough need and twist as she asked through gritted teeth, “Is this the person who inherited the Phoenix Empress’ Source?”
Caught between these two, Yang Kai was drenched in a cold sweat as he quickly shook his head and said, “It’s not her, but one of my wives. She isn’t here, so she is probably in retreat.”
Hong Hu nodded lightly, “That’s good!” Giving Liu Yan a sweet smile, she released her grip and patted Liu Yan on the head, “This Aunty is called Hong Hu. We are of the same Clan. This Aunty will make sure to take good care of you in the future.”
Liu Yan turned her head away, showing the back of her head to Hong Hu. Her posture screamed, “Who the Hell do you think you are, old hag!?” Moreover, a bright red mark marred her fair little face.
“So, it is Junior Sister Hong Hu! Please forgive my discourtesy!” Seeing that the atmosphere was turning chilly, Old Man Bi Xi immediately stepped forward to intervene.
Hong Hu bowed elegantly, “Greetings, Senior Brother Bi Xi!”
“Junior Sister, are you from the Ancestral Land?” Old Man Bi Xi asked.
Yang Kai looked at Old Man Bi Xi in surprise, “Senior, do you know about the Ancestral Land?”
Old Man Bi Xi chuckled, “After living for so long, it’s only natural to know a thing or two. Long ago, I visited the Ancestral Land. What’s more, I stayed there for some time before I returned.”
Hong Hu was curious, “Why do I have no recollection of this?”
Bi Xi simply replied lightly, “It was many years ago.”
She fell silent for a while, then she nodded, “It looks like it has been quite a while indeed.”
Seeing as Bi Xi claimed to have visited the Ancestral Land in the past, then he must have gone there before. Nevertheless, she had no recollection of this. In other words, she had yet to even be born during his visit! That was something that could be traced back to several tens of thousands of years ago.
“How is the situation in the Ancestral Land? Is it the same as usual?” Bi Xi queried.
Hong Hu smiled lightly, “The Ancestral Land has undergone great changes. It’s not possible to explain everything in a short time. I will tell you the details when we have the opportunity.”
“Good!” He nodded.
Yang Kai put Liu Yan down and spoke up from the side, “I don’t know what it was like when you visited the Ancestral Land, Senior, but the current Ancestral Land is not what it used to be. The reason Senior Hong Hu returned with me is to bring all the Divine Spirits in Void Land back to the Ancestral Land; after all, they will grow much faster there. They might even receive the opportunity to obtain the inheritance within their Source Strength.”
When Old Man Bi Xi heard those words, he said worriedly, “The Kun Clan is in the Ancestral Land. If the little Dragons from Void Land head there…”
Yang Kai smiled, “Don’t worry. The Phoenix Clan will take care of them. Not to mention, I’ve already talked to the Kun Clan and come to an agreement with them.”
Old Man Bi Xi nodded, “That’s for the best. I’ve thought of telling you about the Ancestral Land all these years, but I was worried about the Kun Clan. That’s why I never mentioned it. Seeing as you’ve already made the necessary arrangements though, it’s definitely a good thing to send them there.”
“Many thanks for your concern, Senior!” Yang Kai nodded.
In truth, he had wondered about this issue. Logically speaking, an existence like Bi Xi was bound to know about the Ancestral Land; even so, not a word about it had been spoken in all these years. Only now did the truth come to light. It was not that Bi Xi never bothered to tell Yang Kai, but that he was simply worried about the existence of the Kun Clan.
The Dragon Clan members in Void Land were far too weak. Rashly sending them to the Ancestral Land was equivalent to sending a lamb into the tiger’s den. Rather than sending them to their deaths, it was better to remain silent for now. Now that Yang Kai had made certain arrangements and a Phoenix Clan Master like Hong Hu would be protecting them, there was nothing to worry about anymore.
During their conversation, a stream of light suddenly sped in this direction. The light approached them in the blink of an eye, only to reveal a stunning figure.
Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, Zhu Jiu Yin!
She spent most of her time in retreat and rarely showed herself. Even Yang Kai had a difficult time trying to meet her. Only Shan Qing Luo could meet Zhu Jiu Yin frequently. The reason for her arrival at this moment was clearly that she had noticed Hong Hu’s Divine Spirit aura and came to check out the situation out of curiosity.
After not seeing her for so many years, Yang Kai could clearly sense that this woman’s aura had gotten deeper and more profound.
She was a Mature Divine Spirit, but had grown up in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary all her life until Yang Kai brought her out. As a result, she was unable to adapt to the World Principles of the outside world immediately, which was why she could not exert her full strength all this while. Even so, the strength she displayed back then was enough to easily suppress a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. At present, she was probably a match for any Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in strength.
“Phoenix Clan?” Zhu Jiu Yin exclaimed in surprise after a thorough examination of Hong Hu.
There was more than one person with a Phoenix Clan Source in Void Land; therefore, Zhu Jiu Yin was not unfamiliar with the aura of the Phoenix Clan. That was how she figured out Hong Hu’s origins at a glance. What surprised her was that the aura of this Phoenix Clan member in front of her was extremely powerful. This Phoenix was definitely not weak.
Hong Hu nodded as she was also examining Zhu Jiu Yin curiously. There were no Heavenly Moon Demon Spiders in the Ancestral Land, so it was her first time seeing this kind of Divine Spirit. For a time, she couldn’t identify her.
Yang Kai stepped forward and introduced them to each other. Only then could they consider themselves acquainted.
“The Ancestral Land?” Zhu Jiu Yin revealed a suspicious look, “What is that place?”
Hong Hu smiled, “It is the origin of all Divine Spirits. To be honest, Junior Sister Zhu, with how strong your bloodline is, you should have been able to sense the existence of the Ancestral Land. That is the instinct that can be found deep within the bloodline of every Divine Spirit after they reach maturity, regardless of their origins or Clan.”
A look of realisation came over Zhu Jiu Yin’s face, “So it’s that place!”
Just as Hong Hu mentioned, she had developed a vague sense that she was being summoned somewhere over the years. It was just that the sense was very weak and indistinct.
Ever since leaving the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, she had been trying to adapt to the World Principles of the outside world. Not to mention, she had yet to recover her strength completely. There was no saying whether there would be any dangers waiting for her either. That was why she did not bother to explore and investigate this feeling. Nevertheless, she originally planned to make a trip once she recovered her full strength. It was a surprise to learn the truth about that place from Hong Hu.
“The Ancestral Land is where all Divine Spirits originate from. It is a place filled with rich Ancestral Strength, which is highly beneficial to the cultivation of Divine Spirits. The reason Senior Hong Hu came along with me this time is to bring everyone with a Divine Spirit bloodline to the Ancestral Land. As for the specific situation in the Ancestral Land, Senior Hong Hu will explain to everybody in detail,” Yang Kai said while looking at everybody.
Many of the Divine Spirits looked fascinated.
Over the years, the strength of the Human cultivators who came from the Star Boundary had increased steadily. Leaving aside the fact that the Great Emperors and Yang Kai’s Wives had already advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm a long time ago, even most of the Pseudo-Great Emperors from back then had advanced to the Open Heaven Realm.
On the other hand, the Divine Spirits who used to dominate the Star Boundary barely took a step forward.
They felt very lost when it came to their futures as a result. Although listening to the teachings of Old Man Bi Xi over the past few years had helped them to a certain extent. the improvement of their bloodline was simply too slow.
It was not until today that they learned about a place where all the Divine Spirits originated. Moreover, the Ancestral Land was filled with the mysterious Ancestral Strength that was highly beneficial to the cultivation of the Divine Spirits. How could the Divine Spirits not be fascinated by such a mysterious place? For a time, they couldn’t help looking excited.
“On behalf of all present, I offer thanks, Senior!” Yang Kai cupped his fist at Hong Hu.
Hong Hu nodded, “Bring the one who inherited the Phoenix Empress’ Source to me. Once you have arranged everything, I will bring them back to the Ancestral Land.
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded.
Hong Hu would naturally receive hospitality from Old Man Bi Xi and Zhu Jiu Yin, so there was no need for Yang Kai to worry about her. Yang Kai asked Zhu Qing for details and learned that Su Yan was currently cultivating in retreat; thus, he left with a flash.
As soon as Yang Kai departed, a large group of Divine Spirits crowded around Hong Hu as though they had found a rare treasure. They eagerly asked about the situation in the Ancestral Land.
Hong Hu felt as though she was drowning in infinite enthusiasm, so she couldn’t help smiling bitterly for a while. She never imagined that so many Divine Spirits had gathered in Void Land. Not to mention, they consisted of so many different Clans. Even though she was surrounded by so many Divine Spirits, she patiently answered their questions one at a time. In their conversations with each other, the situation in the Ancestral Land gradually became clear to all.
Just as Yang Kai was rushing towards Su Yan’s cultivation location, a transparent and almost imperceptible silk thread came flying through the air and wrapped around his body at the speed of lightning. Yang Kai lowered his head to look, seeing a silk thread move like a living thing and swiftly wrap around him several hundred times, swaddling him so tightly that he resembled a dumpling.
Immediately after that, a tugging force came from the silk thread. Bundled up like a ball and unable to move a muscle, he was involuntarily dragged through the air at breakneck speed. His figure turned into a stream of light.
On one of the Spirit Peaks below, the graceful figure of Second Manager Bian Yu Qing stood on the branch of the tree. She looked up into the sky with a suspicious look in her beautiful eyes, “Why does that look like the Sect Master?”
When she looked again, there was nobody in sight anymore. In her confusion, she sent a message to the Governor of Void Star City, Mo Mei, “Did Sect Master return?”
Mo Mei replied a short while later “I don’t know!”
Bian Yu Qing frowned and murmured to herself, “I can’t believe I’m seeing things. Am I getting old?”
Inside a certain hall, Yang Kai was thrown to the cold ground like a wet rag. A plump body straddled him from above and a slender hand caressed his cheek. A slim finger pulled his chin upward, “Smelly man, are you finally willing to come back?”
Yang Kai could not move a single muscle. Looking around for a bit though, he winked at Shan Qing Luo, “Senior Zhu Jiu Yin is with Old Man Bi Xi. She won’t be back for the time being. Shall we enjoy a quick one? Or, would you prefer going for a hundred rounds?”
Shan Qing Luo blushed slightly and spat softly, “Why are you thinking of such naughty things as soon as you return!? Who will listen to you!?”
His tongue was so sweet that it was as though his mouth was filled with honey, “Luo’er, it has been so long! I missed you so much!”
Her body immediately softened at those words. Her face turned redder, but her large and watery eyes still glared at him, “Hmph! Missed me? If you missed me, then why didn’t you come to me? If I had not dragged you here just now, you’d probably be making love to Big Sister by now! I knew it! Out of all the Sisters, Big Sister has the largest place in your heart!”
Yang Kai replied seriously, “Every one of you is equally important to me! Nobody comes first or last!”
“Liar!” She pouted.
Getting nowhere with this conversation, Yang Kai flexed slightly and the silk threads that bound him snapped apart. Grabbing Shan Qing Luo’s elegant waist, he flipped over and pressed her beneath his body. He looked at her affectionately, “Words can be deceiving, but the body does not lie. Why don’t you feel it with your body?”
Shan Qing Luo turned her head away and closed her eyes, her lashes fluttering slightly.
…
After the dust settled, Shan Qing Luo lazily rested on top of Yang Kai’s body and muttered, “The Ancestral Land?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Senior Hong Hu came here to bring all the Divine Spirits in Void Land back to the Ancestral Land. Senior Zhu Jiu Yin seems to be quite interested in the idea as well. If things go as planned, she will bring you with her. I’m not worried since she will be taking care of you, but do be careful of the Kun Clan when you arrive there.”
Shan Qing Luo nodded, “I will.”
Yang Kai reached out and slapped her full, smooth as silk moon before saying, “I need to find Su Yan. Senior Hong Hu is waiting for her.”
The enchantress lying above him simply winked at him mischievously though and remarked, “No need. I’ve already sent a message to all my Sisters and asked them to come over.”
While saying so, she gave a wave of her hand and released a barrier. Several familiar auras immediately entered Yang Kai’s perception.
Under his dumbfounded gaze, Yu Ru Meng walked in the lead, followed closely by Su Yan, Xia Ning Chang, Xue Yue, and Ji Yao.
Yu Ru Meng stood with her back upright and her chest puffed out, staring down at the couple on the bed with a look of disdain. Su Yan stood there with her head slightly lowered. On the other hand, Xia Ning Chang, Xue Yue, and Ji Yao were blushing furiously. Their skin was flushed and they seemed to be at a loss for what to do.
“Everyone’s here!” Yang Kai gave a dry laugh.
Yu Ru Meng glared at Yang Kai before she turned to look at Shan Qing Luo, “Was the meal you had alone tasty?”
Shan Qing Luo rested on Yang Kai’s chest with a silly look in her beautiful eyes, “Tasty or not, you’ll know once you try it for yourself, Big Sister Ru Meng.”
Even though Yu Ru Meng was a Charm Demon, she had to reluctantly admit that she was not as good as Shan Qing Luo when it came to such shamelessness. Thus, she sighed to herself. [This devilish woman is bold indeed. No wonder this smelly man is so obsessed with her and visited her as soon as he returned.]
Xia Ning Chang’s head was hanging so low that she practically touched her chest as she murmured, “Luo’er said you were back, so I… I came to have a-a l-look. I-I’m going now!”
While speaking, she covered her face with her hands and turned to flee.
Shan Qing Luo, however, lifted a hand, and a snow-white spider thread wrapped around Xia Ning Chang’s waist. Ignoring Xia Ning Chang’s startled cry, she dragged the veiled beauty back to the bed and giggled happily, “You’re already here, so why are you leaving? No one can leave without taking good care of Husband!”
Yu Ru Meng turned to glance at Xue Yue and Ji Yao. Those two were absolutely terrified and their eyes were filled with horror. She sneered coldly and strode towards the bed, stripping off her clothes while walking, “You acted like pitiful widows when he was gone, always sighing and looking gloomy all day long. Why are you hesitating now that he is back? I don’t care. If I don’t drain this smelly man dry today, I won’t call myself Yu Ru Meng again!”
She went up and kicked Shan Qing Luo aside.
Looking at the situation on the bed, Su Yan suddenly stepped forward.
Ji Yao and Xue Yue hugged each other, trembling uncontrollably as they called out in a shaking voice, “Big Sister, you…”
Su Yan turned a deaf ear to them. Her gaze was firm, as though 1,000 men would not stop her!
..…
“Sect Master really came back?” Bian Yu Qing was dealing with some minor tasks in Void Land when she suddenly received the message. Following a check with her Divine Sense, she became filled with joy. She quickly set aside what she was doing and hurried towards the Main Conference Hall.
When she arrived in front of the Grand Hall, she saw a figure with one hand supporting his waist and one hand pressed against the wall for support. The figure was hobbling along, seeming as though each step required great effort. The figure was extremely familiar, and upon taking a closer look, she was shocked, “Sect Master!”
Bian Yu Qing hurried over and took Yang Kai’s arm. His complexion was as pale as paper and his aura was weak. He looked like he had been severely injured, so her expression became stern, “Sect Master, are you injured?”
Yang Kai opened his swollen eyes and stared at Bian Yu Qing for a long time before he seemed to recognise her, “Is it you, Second Manager?”
Bian Yu Qing was livid, “Sect Master, who injured you? This subordinate will immediately organise the troops to seek justice!”
Yang Kai coughed lightly and waved his hand dismissively, “No need. I admit defeat. The enemy is too strong. I am not their opponent.”
Yu Ru Meng, that Charm Demon, sure was cruel! She went so far as to use a Secret Technique to gather Yang to supplement Yin to suck him dry. Thankfully, his Dragon Clan bloodline was powerful. Not to mention, he recently became a Grand Dragon. If it had been the him from the past, he would have been a withered husk by now. Even so, he couldn’t help feeling weak and light-headed at this moment. It was no different from a life-or-death battle against a powerful foe!
Bian Yu Qing was absolutely shocked. It had to be said that Yang Kai was a powerful Master. Even when faced with a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Zuo Quan Hui, he had dared to fight head-on. In the end, he finally killed his mighty enemy even though his cultivation was weaker.
[Just what kind of terrible monster did the Sect Master encounter for him to be at such a disadvantage? I can’t even imagine it!]
“Sect Master, are we really not going to seek revenge?” Bian Yu Qing asked in confusion as this attitude was very unlike his usual attitude.
Yang Kai waved aside her suggestion, “It’s just that I’m too weak now. I will work hard on my cultivation and get even with them with my own power one day.”
Only then did she nod, “This subordinate understands.”
The two of them walked into the Grand Hall. After helping him into his seat, she heard him breathe a long sigh of relief.
Yang Kai then asked, “What happened in Void Land during the years that I was absent?”
Bian Yu Qing quickly replied, “Everything is running smoothly. The disciples are working hard on their cultivation and the Star City is prospering.”
He nodded, “Tell me about it.”
Hence, she immediately gave a brief summary of everything that happened in Void Land over the years. There was nothing particularly noteworthy. Back when Zuo Quan Hui led Heavenly Sword Union against Void Land, Void Land had eventually managed to turn the dangers around under Yang Kai’s leadership. Afterwards, news of the Star Boundary’s World Tree spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds and Void Land’s name became famous as a result.
That battle also allowed the entire universe to learn about Void Land’s powerful heritage! Even Zuo Quan Hui, a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master from Thousand Cranes Paradise, had died at the hands of Void Land’s Lord. Prior to this incident, it could be said that High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were essentially invincible existences in the 3,000 Worlds.
It could be said that aside from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, Void Land was now the strongest in the 3,000 Worlds. In this respect, even those with countless years of inheritances could only sigh at their inferiority. Consequently, numerous great forces had been trying to befriend Void Land so that they could visit the Star Boundary and enjoy a share of the pie.
Unfortunately, the Star Boundary’s attitude was very clear. Regardless of the great force, they were free to recruit talents from the Star Boundary, but the outcome would rely solely on their abilities. If they had the ability to appeal to the native Star Boundary cultivators and recruit these talents into their respective Sects, then Void Land and High Heaven Palace would not interfere.
However, they were not allowed to establish Dao Temples in the Star Boundary. Each of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had a Dao Temple in the Star Boundary; hence, there were over a hundred Dao Temples spread across the Four Territories. There was simply not enough space to accommodate more.
This was the policy Yang Kai decided upon before he left, and Hua Qing Si handled the issue perfectly.
The Star Boundary had Hua Qing Si managing it, so there was nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, in Void Territory, the Star City was prosperous. It was now already a veritable First-Class Star City that was not inferior to the large-scale Star Cities under the command of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Furthermore, the monthly auctions where the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill was featured drew even more people than before. It could be said that Void Land was making a fortune just by relying on this Star City. Not to mention, the large number of resources that Luan Bai Feng had to send from the Black Prison every year!
The current Void Land could be said to be extremely wealthy. As long as the disciples had enough contribution points, the resources they needed would definitely be supplied to them!
That was why many Emperor Realm Masters had advanced into the Open Heaven Realm over the past few decades. Many had even condensed their Dao Seals and had begun condensing the Yin, Yang and Five Element Powers. There was no doubt that the number of Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land would experience an explosive wave of growth in the coming decades!
“So far, there are roughly twenty Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace. There are basically no changes in this regard. On the other hand, we have 162 Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, 493 Fourth-Order Masters, and over 1,300 Open Heaven Realm Masters beneath the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
There were nearly 2,000 Open Heaven Realm Masters in total! It was a terrifying number indeed. Ordinary Second-Class great forces would be considered pretty successful with 100 Open Heaven Realm Masters among their ranks. However, Void Land had over 20 times that number! That was where heritage came into play.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Has Proprietress come out of retreat?”
Bian Yu Qing shook her head, “Bai Qi and the others have been standing guard over Madame Lan’s place of retreat over the past few years, but there have been no movements so far.”
Yang Kai frowned slightly. The Proprietress had been in retreat for close to 100 years already, but there was still no news from her so far. There was no telling whether her attempt was successful or not.
Be that as it may, it could be seen just how difficult it was for a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. It had to be said that the Proprietress’ aptitude was very high as she had advanced directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, which made her comparable to the Core Disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
“Keep an eye on Proprietress and inform me immediately if there’s any news,” Yang Kai instructed.
“Yes!”
“Also, I stopped by Grandmaster Ma Fan’s place on my way back and received an unexpected windfall.”
“Grandmaster Ma Fan?” Bian Yu Qing pondered for a moment after hearing the name before quickly realizing something, “Are you referring to Grandmaster Ma Fan of Great Evolution Paradise?”
“Have you heard of him before?” Yang Kai looked at her curiously.
She smiled and answered the question, “Senior Sister Hua sent a message from the Star Boundary. Information on the situations at High Heaven Palace and Void Land is shared among us after all. I heard that Grandmaster Ma Fan brought a group of disciples to the Star Boundary several dozen years ago, and Senior Sister Hua allowed them to establish a Dao Temple there. There was an uproar at the time because of this incident.”
“Why?” Yang Kai frowned.
She explained, “That was because you instructed Senior Sister Hua to prevent any great forces aside from the Cave Heavens and Paradises from establishing a Dao Temple in the Star Boundary before you departed back then. If things had played out equally for all parties, then nothing would have happened. The key point was that the Great Evolution Dao Temple had appeared out of nowhere. Those great forces with no qualifications to establish a Dao Temple were naturally dissatisfied with the situation, so they went to High Heaven Palace to argue with Senior Sister Hua.”
“How was this matter settled in the end?”
“In the end, the foreign affairs envoys from the Cave Heavens and Paradises came forward to suppress the storm. Afterwards, the great forces no longer dared to question anything again.”
“En,” Yang Kai gently nodded.
The name ‘Great Evolution Paradise’ would be quite unfamiliar to most of the great forces in the 3,000 Worlds. On the other hand, in the eyes of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, Great Evolution Paradise used to be one of the 72 Paradises in the past. It was just that the Sect had fallen into decline due to certain reasons. Now that the Star Boundary was prosperous, Great Evolution Paradise’s presence in the Star Boundary undoubtedly meant that it was showing signs of revival. It was only natural that the rest of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were happy to see such a situation.
“Sect Master, what windfall did you receive from Grandmaster Ma Fan?” Bian Yu Qing asked curiously.
Yang Kai excitedly said, “Great Evolution Paradise has an innate precious treasure called the Good Fortune Divine Furnace…”
He then told her about everything he witnessed. After listening to his explanation, Bian Yu Qing looked extremely shocked and murmured under her breath, “How can there be such a mysterious object in this world?”
Yang Kai sighed in amazement as well, “If I had not witnessed it for myself, I would not have dared to believe it either! But, the Cave Heavens and Paradises are eyeing the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Grandmaster Ma Fan entrusted this matter to me, so I made a proposal. It won’t take long before they reach a consensus among themselves and come back to discuss it with me again. At that time, they will be taking turns using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Void Land has to make the first move before that happens. Second Manager, quickly prepare some materials and deliver them to Great Evolution Paradise. We will use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace to produce the materials that Void Land lacks.”
The Cave Heavens and Paradises were preparing for the future of the disciples, so how could Void Land do any different? A large number of talents in the Fifth, Sixth, and even Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm were bound to emerge from the Star Boundary. It would be too late to figure out a solution when the time came that they needed the resources. It was better to prepare something like that as early as possible.
“Understood!” Bian Yu Qing nodded in affirmation, “Don’t worry, Sect Master. Void Land has accumulated quite a number of resources over the past few decades, so I’m sure they will be enough to create a sufficient supply of higher Order materials.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Leave enough for the disciples’ cultivation needs and deliver the rest to Great Evolution Paradise. Furthermore, gather some disciples gifted in Artifact Refining and send them along too. Opportunities to openly learn the skills of a Master like this are very rare.”
Bian Yu Qing’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Grandmaster Ma Fan is accepting Disciples?”
Yang Kai shook his head and smiled, “That’s not it. He is simply making plans for the future of his own disciples. As such, he intends to come out of retirement to earn some income by performing Artifact Refining. I have hired him as Void Land’s Chief Artifact Refiner. In the future, all the artifacts in Void Land can be left to him to refine.”
“That’s great news!” Bian Yu Bing exclaimed in delight. Both the Heavenly Executioner’s Sword and the Heavenly Net Umbrella that were placed in the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array had been refined by Grandmaster Ma Fan.
“That’s right. Have Yue He and the others been staying at the Star Boundary all this time?” Yang Kai asked. Although it had not been long since he returned, he did not detect any powerful auras with his Divine Sense perception. None of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land were here.
She answered, “I was just about to tell you about this, Sect Master. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land spend most of their time in the Star Boundary. One of the reasons is that there are too many people gathered there. There is certainly a need for some Masters to remain on guard to deter any unwanted incidents. The second reason is related to the development of the New Great Territory. The New Great Territory has an abundant stock of resources. Out of Void Land’s current reserves, more than half come from the New Great Territory. In addition, Senior Sister Hua sent a message a few days ago saying that they made some sort of special discovery in the New Great Territory recently. She requested that I let you know you should head to the Star Boundary as soon as possible if I happen to encounter you, Sect Master.”
“A special discovery?” Yang Kai’s brow lifted at those words.
But Bian Yu Qing just shook her head, “Senior Sister Hua did not mention any specific details about this discovery, but it should be good news.”
Yang Kai pondered for a moment before he nodded, “Got it. It’s true that I need to head to the Star Boundary as the Cave Heavens and Paradises are waiting for me to discuss matters regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Unfortunately, I cannot leave right now. I will head to the Star Boundary once I’ve seen Senior Hong Hu off.”
Hong Hu would most likely decline to stay in Void Land for a long time. The reason she came here was mainly to bring Su Yan, the one who inherited the Phoenix Empress’ Source, back to Four Phoenix Pavilion. The rest of the Divine Spirits were simply hitching a ride with her.
Afterwards, Yang Kai handed Bian Yu Qing a list with many precious resources recorded on it.
Three days later, Hong Hu came to bid her farewells, and Yang Kai did not try to stop her.
For the Divine Spirits, going to the Ancestral Land one day earlier would mean that they could reap the benefits one day sooner. Moreover, the current Ancestral Land was different from back then. With the opening of the Demon Sealing Land, the Ancestral Strength had become extremely rich. Not to mention, the Sacred Treasures of each Clan had re-appeared in the world. If nothing else, the Dragon Clan would enjoy immense benefits just by going to the Ancestral Land and cultivating in the Crystal Palace.
The group of Divine Spirits led by Hong Hu slowly left Void Land in an enormous ship. On the other hand, Yang Kai simply stood there and watched them off.
As expected, Zhu Jiu Yin followed along. For her, she had regained her freedom after her contract with Yang Kai to be a Protector had been annulled. If not because she wanted to teach Shan Qing Luo, she would have left Void Land a long time ago.
Su Yan and Shan Qing Luo had also gone along with the others. Su Yan was Hong Hu’s main reason for coming. The Four Phoenix Pavilion attached great importance to her thanks to her identity as the inheritor of a past Phoenix Empress’ Source. Shan Qing Luo had been reluctant to leave, but she could not win against Zhu Jiu Yin; therefore, she could only set off for the Ancestral Land.
Zhu Qing, Yang Xiao, the Dragon Clan, Xiao Xiao, Liu Yan, Jiu Feng, Luan Feng, Fan Wu, Cang Gou, the many Divine Spirits from the Star Boundary, and even those with only a trace of a Divine Spirit bloodline also went along with Hong Hu. Their departure was a mighty sight to behold.
Once they embarked on this journey, there was no saying when they would meet again. However, the Divine Spirits would surely have grown tremendously by the time they meet again!
“Husband, you seem a little reluctant to part ways with them.” Yu Ru Meng pressed herself against Yang Kai’s body and exhaled an orchid scent in his ear.
Yang Kai’s calves shuddered slightly, and he answered in a trembling voice, “It’s nothing. It’s not like we’ll never meet again.”
She glanced sideways at him with a smile, “Husband, why are you so nervous? It’s not like this Mistress will eat you.”
While saying so, she licked her lips with her bright red tongue.
The sight made a chill spread out from the tips of his toes to the top of his head, causing all the hair on his body to stand on end! Turning his head to the side, he saw a person passing by not far away and quickly called out, “Second Manager!”
Bian Yu Qing stopped in her tracks and turned to look in this direction, “Sect Master!”
He asked seriously, “Second Manager, did you come here because you have something to discuss with me?”
She responded in confusion, “No. This subordinate was simply passing by. I am on my way to the Star City!”
“Second Manager, you have something to discuss with me, right?” He repeated his question with a stern expression.
She blinked and answered in an uncertain voice, “Yes… I have something to discuss with you?”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “I see. It must be something urgent. Let’s walk and talk.”
His figure came to her side in a flash, and he gave her a look. She then followed him in confusion.
Behind them, Yu Ru Meng gave a cold sneer, “Men!”
“Second Manager, you’ve worked hard all these years,” While leading Bian Yu Qing forward, Yang Kai spoke up suddenly.
Bian Yu Qing smiled, “Not that hard. If not for your kindness back then, Sect Master, I would have died a long time ago. I would not be standing here today. Besides, things in Void Land are wonderful now.”
It would have been better if the man from back then had survived until today. Even now, she could not forget the man named ‘Kou Wu’, who gave his life for her. If he was still alive today, she was certain that he would have great achievements to show for his efforts.
“Once you’ve finished dealing with the matters regarding Great Evolution Paradise, you should take some time to advance to the Open Heaven Realm. Managing Void Land all this time has caused significant delays to your cultivation,” Yang Kai said with some guilt.
Void Land and the Star Boundary were two large territories. One was managed by Head Manager Hua Qing Si while the other was managed by Second Manager Bian Yu Qing. They were both women who had to pick up the slack left behind by Yang Kai who had always been an arm-flinging shopkeeper; a great force would have many affairs, both big and small, to take care of after all.
As a result, their cultivation had never been particularly high. Thanks to the Star Boundary’s World Tree, Hua Qing Si had managed to condense her Dao Seal, but she had yet to advance into the Open Heaven Realm before Yang Kai departed back then. There was no saying what condition she was in now. The same was true for Bian Yu Qing!
Upon hearing what Yang Kai said, Bian Yu Qing felt a warmth flooding her heart and she nodded obediently, “Good. I will go into retreat once I have settled the matter regarding Great Evolution Paradise. I will not disappoint you. But, Sect Master, who will manage Void Land if I go into retreat?”
Yang Kai asked, “Do you have any good candidates to recommend?”
To which she replied, “In Void Land, aside from Senior Bi Xi whose cultivation is the highest, there are only your Wives and Void Star City’s Governor Mo Mei. Senior Bi Xi will never agree to manage these affairs and your Wives have no such experience either, so it might not be appropriate for them to rashly take over. Why don’t you leave things to Governor Mo Mei? She has managed the Star City very well over the years.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “I had that idea too. This is the perfect timing; let’s head to Star City to inform Mo Mei about this matter.”
The two of them thus went to Star City together.
Mo Mei was naturally delighted to see that Yang Kai had returned. The truth was that she had already received news of his arrival. The Star City and Void Land were neighbours after all, so it was only natural that news travelled quickly between these two places. However, she was in charge of managing Void Star City, so she could not leave without notice.
Yang Kai informed Mo Mei that Bian Yu Qing would soon enter retreat in order to advance to the Open Heaven Realm. During that time, the management of Void Land would be temporarily handed over to her. To which she nodded in agreement.
After that, he casually made a cursory check of the financial situation in Void Star City before he finally took his leave. Yang Kai did not dare to remain in Void Land for long, so the day after sending Hong Hu off, he spoke to Bian Yu Qing once more before he made his move and set off for the Star Boundary in a rush.
In any case, Yang Kai had originally planned to visit the Star Boundary as soon as possible. There was still the discussion with the Cave Heavens and Paradises regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace after all. Not to mention, Hua Qing Si had sent a message saying that they made an interesting discovery in the New Great Territory. It was only natural that he went there as soon as possible.
It was definitely not because he was frightened!
Think about it; from the day he began cultivating until now, Yang Kai had experienced countless battles of varying intensity. When had there ever been a person whom he feared?
On this trip to the Star Boundary, Yang Kai travelled alone. Under the urging of Space Principles, he shuttled through the Void and would also transfer between the Universe Temples from time to time. In this way, it only took him half a month to arrive at High Heaven Territory.
The area around the Territory Gate was extremely lively. Ships of all shapes and sizes would frequently pass through the Territory Gate to enter High Heaven Territory.
News of the Star Boundary’s World Tree had spread throughout the 3,000 Worlds, as well as the fact that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had taken up residence in this remote Universe World and established their respective Dao Temples. Naturally, various other great forces flocked to this place.
Although they could not build their own Dao Temple in the Star Boundary, High Heaven Palace did not restrict their activities in the Star Boundary or High Heaven Territory. Needless to say, that was provided that they did not do anything harmful.
As a result, many Open Heaven Realm Masters would bring their youngest Disciples with them to the Star Boundary. They would then search for a random place and settle down there, which would allow their Disciples to be exposed to the light of the World Tree so that they would have greater accomplishments in the future. There were even more great forces searching for disciples with excellent aptitudes in the Star Boundary, hoping to recruit them for themselves.
It could be said that there were Open Heaven Realm Masters everywhere in the Star Boundary. Even an unremarkable old man that could be seen in any random small village might just be a Fifth or Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If these old men were looking around with glowing eyes, then they were surely searching for suitable Disciples!
Over the decades, the native cultivators in the Star Boundary had gradually gotten accustomed to such things. There had been some resistance when the great forces first tried to recruit people from the Star Boundary at the beginning; after all, the people in the Star Boundary only knew of High Heaven Palace and nobody had knowledge about the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises later established their respective Dao Temples in the Star Boundary and, as their fame spread, the natives in the Star Boundary slowly relaxed their vigilance.
Nowadays, it was not difficult for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to recruit disciples. Their reputation had spread so much that the people in the Star Boundary were familiar with all of them. These Cave Heavens and Paradises were known as the strongest great forces in the entire vast Outer Universe. The chance to join them was also a type of opportunity; however, these Cave Heavens and Paradises had made an agreement with Yang Kai in advance. Each Sect could only accept up to five disciples every 100 years.
If the great forces below the Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to recruit disciples, they had to display a strong enough heritage. Even so, the young talents might be very picky about their choices. The Open Heaven Realm Masters who were responsible for recruiting disciples faced great difficulties as a result.
In the past, these Open Heaven Realm Masters had always been the ones choosing their disciples, but after coming to the Star Boundary, the scenario was reversed instead. These little ones who had barely grown any of their body hair were not only unafraid of these powerful Open Heaven Realm Masters, but they might also look down on the Sects they came from for not being good enough.
Be that as it may, the Open Heaven Realm Masters had no choice but to patiently explain that their Sects were not weak. They were simply not as powerful as the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Fan Liang Peng of Heavenly Martial Tower had a deep experience regarding such matters!
Heavenly Martial Tower could be considered a Second-Class great force that dominated Heavenly Martial Territory. As such, this Sect was not weak in the slightest. Moreover, Fan Liang Peng himself was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Heavenly Martial Tower immediately dispatched him to High Heaven Territory to investigate the situation in the Star Boundary when news of the World Tree first spread. After he submitted his report on the situation in the Star Boundary, Heavenly Martial Tower immediately placed great importance on this matter. Therefore, they gave him another task, he had to recruit five disciples with outstanding aptitude from the Star Boundary within 100 years!
For that reason, he spent great effort and searched the Star Boundary for decades before he found four disciples. From his perspective, these four disciples had extraordinary aptitudes and had an opportunity to advance directly to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future! When the news came back, the entire Heavenly Martial Tower practically jumped up and down in joy to celebrate.
In the past, only the Core Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were eligible to advance directly into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. It was impossible for Second-Class great forces to nurture such talents. On the other hand, there was no lack of people with such aptitudes in the Star Boundary.
Given enough time for the four disciples to finish developing, the strength of Heavenly Martial Tower would definitely be elevated. Their status would also rise like a rising tide that lifted all boats.
Unfortunately, it was impossible for these four disciples to be brought back to Heavenly Martial Tower for cultivation. The feedback from the World Tree was the key to the growth of these disciples. If they wanted to stimulate the potential of these disciples, then they could only allow their disciples to cultivate in the Star Boundary. At the very least, the four disciples would have to cultivate until they condensed their respective Dao Seal before they could be brought back to Heavenly Martial Tower.
It was a pity that Heavenly Martial Tower did not have its own Dao Temple. Fortunately, they had a fairly good relationship with one of the Paradises. Heavenly Martial Tower’s Tower Lord personally came forward to discuss the matter. Only then could they send their four disciples into the Paradise’s Dao Temple to be nurtured. Needless to say, Heavenly Martial Tower paid quite a heavy price for this.
This had become a normal situation in the Star Boundary. Even if the Sects without a Dao Temple managed to recruit some disciples, they could only figure out a method to foster their disciples with the other great forces. The Dao Temples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were one of the options, and the native great forces in the Star Boundary were the other one.
High Heaven Palace currently fostered no less than thousands of disciples belonging to many other great forces. These disciples lived and cultivated in High Heaven Palace, and their situations weren’t really any different compared to actual High Heaven Palace disciples.
Similarly, the original great forces in the Star Boundary such as Azure Sun Temple, Serene Soul Palace, and Ahan Temple were also fostering many foreign disciples. The native great forces in the Star Boundary had gained enormous wealth as a result.
Now that Fan Liang Peng had taken in four disciples, there was only one last person before his task was considered complete. Naturally, he spared no effort in his search.
While passing through a small village a few days ago, he happened to encounter a child around ten years old. He observed the child for two days and determined that the child had great aptitude. It was perfectly in line with all the criteria set by Heavenly Martial Tower to accept disciples. The child was bound to have great achievements in the future.
Therefore, he immediately visited the child’s family and revealed his intentions. The child’s parents seemed to be honest people who were very easy to talk to. They smiled quietly no matter what he said to them.
When Fan Liang Peng finished his speech, the child’s Father finally scratched his head and responded, “Old Sir, we have no objections if you want to recruit Chai Shan into your Sect. It’s just that Chai Shan has his own ideas. If he agrees, then you can take him away.”
Fan Liang Peng broke into a wide smile upon hearing those words, “The child is extremely lucky to have such enlightened parents!”
If the parents had no objections, then what kind of opinion could a ten-year-old child have? His effort to recruit disciples was a done deal.
Turning his head to the side, he looked at the child named Chai Shan with a smile, “Child, would you like to join Heavenly Martial Tower? With your aptitude, your future achievements will surely be extraordinary. Nevertheless, you will need to obtain a good teacher and join a powerful Sect. Otherwise, your aptitude will be wasted without proper guidance!”
Fan Liang Peng originally thought that the child would immediately bow down and gratefully beg him to join Heavenly Martial Tower after listening to his question, but contrary to his expectations, the child waved his offer away dismissively, “I know. People have told me the exact same words before.”
Fan Liang Peng’s heart clenched upon hearing those words. [Somebody said the exact same words before? Who?]
The child named Chai Shan asked, “Old man, let me ask you this, who is the strongest in the Heavenly or something Tower?”
[O-Old man!?] The corners of Fan Liang Peng’s brow twitched. [I’m a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master! It’s bad enough that you didn’t call me Senior, but how dare you call me an old man!?]
Nevertheless, children had no filters on their mouths, so as a responsible adult, he did not pick an argument with the child and simply answered with a smile, “The strongest Master is Heavenly Martial Tower’s Tower Lord!”
“What Order?”
“Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” He announced proudly.
“How many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters are there in your Sect? What about Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters?”
“Uh, if you’re talking about Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, then our Tower Lord is the only one. As for Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, we have around six of them.”
“Tsk!” Chai Shan spat disdainfully, “One Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and just six Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters? Heavenly Martial Tower sure is weak!”
[Foul-mouth child, how dare you speak so disrespectfully!?] Fan Liang Peng nearly lost control and cussed out loud. In his mind, he was thinking that Heavenly Martial Tower was a Second-Class great force that dominated Heavenly Martial Territory. Even the Great Territory was named after the Sect itself!
While he did not dare to claim that Heavenly Martial Tower was very strong, there was no doubt that Heavenly Martial Tower was definitely considered mid-level among all the Second-Class great forces in the 3,000 Worlds! Which great force in the nearby Great Territories would dare not show Heavenly Martial Tower some respect!? Therefore, he could hardly believe that Heavenly Martial Tower was mercilessly scorned as weak by a ten-year-old child!
For a time, he could barely keep his composure. Just as he was about to reason with the child, Chai Shan leaped off the chair. It was clear that the boy could not be bothered to reason with him any longer.
Chai Shan put his hands on his waist and looked Fan Liang Peng in the eye, “Old man, please go back. I’m a man who will join High Heaven Palace one day. I’m not interested in Heavenly Martial Tower!” Then, he turned to look at his parents, “Father, Mother, don’t just let any random person into the house next time. It’s such a waste of time. I’m going off to play now!”
After saying that, he turned around and skipped out the door.
His Mother quickly shouted after him, “Don’t run so quickly! Be careful not to fall!”
“Got it!” His voice came from afar.
Meanwhile, Fan Liang Peng remained seated in his chair with dumbstruck silence. [I am a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. How did I become just ‘any random person’ in the eyes of a child?]
Chai Shan’s Father looked at Fan Liang Peng with a smile, “Old Sir, Chai Shan does not seem to be willing. Uh…”
Fan Liang Peng came back to his senses and coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment, “You Son’s intentions to join High Heaven Palace shows that he has lofty aspirations indeed. It would seem that he is not fated with Heavenly Martial Tower. Ahem. Since we are not fated, then this Old Master will not disturb you any further.”
After leaving the small village, he looked back once more. Chai Shan was playing with a group of children in a carefree manner. Thus, he couldn’t help feeling a little emotional. [Have the times changed? Or, is the situation in the Star Boundary simply different?]
…
Inside the Grand Hall of High Heaven Palace, Yang Kai sat upright and listened to Hua Qing Si reporting on the changes in the Star Boundary over the years. When he heard about how High Heaven Palace was fostering the disciples that many great forces had recruited from the Star Boundary, he couldn’t help bursting into laughter, “I can’t believe they came up with that idea!”
Hua Qing Si said, “There’s no helping it. Aside from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, Great Evolution Paradise is the only other Sect with a Dao Temple in the Star Boundary. The other great forces don’t have their own Dao Temples, so they have nowhere to place the disciples that they recruit. That’s why they can only choose fostering instead. In that regard, High Heaven Palace and the other native great forces in the Star Boundary have opened our doors for their convenience. Doing so does not increase our troubles after all. We also make sure that the cultivators under our foster care are all treated equally.”
Yang Kai nodded in agreement, “They are all cultivators from the Star Boundary after all. It’s only right for us to do so.”
Still, Hua Qing Si sighed, “To be honest, many of those disciples have extraordinary aptitudes. I have to admit that the people sent by the great forces to recruit disciples have extremely sharp eyes.”
He smiled, “Head Manager, are you feeling sad about the loss of talent?”
“A little,” She nodded.
“There’s no need for that.” He waved away her concerns, “Thanks to the feedback from the World Tree, the number of talents will only increase with time. Even if we accept them all into High Heaven Palace, we will not be able to care for them. On the contrary, it will only cause others to be jealous of us. This is the best solution to the problem. Although many great forces in the 3,000 Worlds have recruited disciples from the Star Boundary, they have no choice but to leave these disciples in the care of the great forces in the Star Boundary. In other words, they are spending resources to help the Star Boundary cultivate our talents.”
Her eyes lit up at those words, “As expected of you, Sect Master, you’ve seen through everything.”
He laughed, “These disciples come from the Star Boundary in the first place. Their homes are here, so no matter how high their cultivation becomes in the future, they will never forget about the Star Boundary.”
“That’s true!” She nodded.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai looked at Hua Qing Si with slight regret, “Head Manager, did you eventually advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm?”
During this return trip, Yang Kai discovered that Hua Qing Si was already a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Hua Qing Si lifted a hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, “With my aptitude, I’m already very satisfied to be able to advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
“Didn’t you try to use the Divine Dao Water I set aside for you?” Yang Kai asked.
To which she replied, “I didn’t see a need to try. It’s not because I’m being reserved either. We discovered quite a significant amount of Divine Dao Water in the New Great Territory over the years. It’s just that I know that even if I had used the Divine Dao Water to fortify my Dao Seal, I would still have had a long way to go before I could advance to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. There would have been a huge risk involved if I forced my way.”
He nodded lightly, “If there was such a risk, then it was better to be safe.”
“That’s what I thought too. Besides, a starting point in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm isn’t bad either. I will still have the chance to advance to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm one day.” She smiled.
“Second Manager told me that you’ve found something special in the New Great Territory. Is that true?” Yang Kai asked.
Nodding, Hua Qing Si reported, “I was just about to tell you about this, Sect Master…”
Just then, he raised his hand to stop her. He looked up and saw more than ten people coming towards them from the outside. Each of them was shrouded in an extraordinary aura which made it obvious they were extremely strong. They were High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Both Yang Kai and Hua Qing Si stood up to greet them.
Yang Kai was familiar with most of the people who just arrived, with only a few of them being unfamiliar faces to him. One of them was a charming and beautiful woman who stared at him with great interest with a pair of elegant eyes.
Yu Chang Dao was also among them, and he automatically introduced Yang Kai to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters whom the latter was not acquainted with. The rest of the unfamiliar faces were nothing special, but there was one person who was worthy of attention. It turned out that the beautiful woman came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and her name was Yu Xiang Die.
Yang Kai bowed in greeting, “Greetings, Martial Aunt Yu!”
Yu Xiang Die smiled sweetly, “I’ve long wanted to meet you, Young Master. It’s a pity you’re never around. Now that I meet you today, I can see that you have an extraordinary temperament indeed.”
Yang Kai humbly replied, “You praise me too much, Martial Aunt.” After a pause, he followed up with another question, “Where is Xu Ling Gong?”
Xu Ling Gong was supposed to be in charge of all matters related to the Star Boundary, but he was nowhere to be seen and Yu Xiang Die was here in his stead.
Yang Kai couldn’t help thinking that it was rather strange.
Yu Xiang Die smiled, “Senior Brother Xu is busy with another matter. I’m afraid he left the Star Boundary some time ago.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly in response and did not inquire further.
After everyone took their seats, Hua Qing Si instructed somebody to prepare some tea before she stood respectfully to the side.
More than a dozen Open Heaven Realm Masters had suddenly come here together; moreover, these people included Yu Chang Dao and Yu Xiang Die. The former served as High Heaven Palace’s Supreme Guest Elder while the latter came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, which had a close relationship with Yang Kai.
The reason for their arrival went without saying. It was obvious that they came for the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
After everybody sat down, they chatted for a little while longer before Yu Chang Dao said, “Sect Master, we came here today mainly to discuss the matter regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with you.”
Yang Kai had expected the response, so he was not surprised. He nodded and asked, “Have the Cave Heavens and Paradises decided to agree to the request I made previously?”
Before Yu Chang Dao could speak, another High-Rank Open Heaven Master interjected instead, “Sect Master Yang, the opportunities to undergo training in the Small Source Worlds are extremely precious. Don’t you think that you’re trying to take the lion’s share by demanding the opportunity to undergo training in exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace for one month?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t think so. I’ve personally witnessed the amazing effects of the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. One month might seem short, but if you’ve made adequate preparations, you can obtain quite a lot of good things within that period. It will be more than enough to satisfy your disciples’ advancement needs for some time.”
Another person spoke up, “That might be the case, but each Sect will have to take certain risks when using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Besides, the number of materials consumed by the Good Fortune Divine Furnace can be very alarming. We cannot bear all the risks ourselves while you alone enjoy all the benefits. Isn’t that right, Sect Master Yang?”
Yang Kai looked at the man with a smile, “As far as I know, each Sect has more than one Small Source World. I am only asking for one opportunity from each of you. Why are you so reluctant to make some sacrifices? It is true that the Good Fortune Divine Furnace will consume a lot of materials, but it is well within your ability to bear such losses. You would not have tried to target the Good Fortune Divine Furnace otherwise. What’s more, if each Sect gets one month and more than 100 Sects take turns every month, then it will take more than ten years for everyone to get their turn. It’s not that I’m not willing to give each Cave Heavens and Paradises more time, it’s just that the people at the back of the line will have to wait a very long time if each Sect gets an extended usage period.”
That man shook his head, “The price is too high!”
Yang Kai calmly replied, “Since you’ve all decided to come together today, you’ve obviously discussed a solution in advance. Why don’t we just get straight to the point instead?”
Everybody looked at each other and nodded lightly in unison.
Yu Chang Dao said, “Sect Master, the outcome of our discussion is that we forgo the qualification to enter the Small Source World for training. Instead, we will provide a certain number of materials in exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Of course, each Sect can make a certain degree of concession in terms of the materials. We will not let High Heaven Palace suffer any losses. What do you think, Sect Master?”
Although he was High Heaven Palace’s Supreme High-Rank Guest Elder, Yu Chang Dao was here today to represent the Cave Heavens and Paradises; therefore, he could only negotiate with Yang Kai from the standpoint of Free and Unfettered Paradise.
Yang Kai burst into laughter and shook his head, “High Heaven Palace does not lack materials.”
If mere compensation in terms of materials was enough to exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, then Grandmaster Ma Fan would not have left this matter to Yang Kai. It would have been more beneficial for him to do the negotiations himself.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Master who spoke up previously frowned, “Sect Master Yang, the Good Fortune Divine Furnace belongs to Great Evolution Paradise. If you are unable to make a decision, then don’t you think you need to have a careful discussion with Grandmaster Ma Fan at Great Evolution Paradise?”
Yang Kai turned to look at that person, “I have full authority to make the final call when it comes to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Grandmaster Ma Fan left this matter to me, and I will not disappoint him.”
He then stood up and continued, “It looks like you have not come to a consensus, which is fine. It’s not too late to come back and discuss matters with me once you have reached an agreement amongst yourselves. But, don’t even bother to mention anything about providing materials in exchange for the use of the Good Fortune Divine Furnace again, not unless you are providing Yin and Yang Element materials in the Sixth Order and above!”
The reason why the Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to borrow the Good Fortune Divine Furnace was to create more Yin and Yang Element materials in the Sixth Order and above, so how could they use those materials to exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace?
Yang Kai’s statement had undoubtedly rendered everybody else speechless.
“I just came back to the Star Boundary, so I have many affairs to deal with. Please excuse me,” Yang Kai said and departed with a flash, leaving behind many Open Heaven Realm Masters looking at each other perplexedly.
Dong Su Zhu looked up into the sky from the top of a certain Spirit Peak. Hua Qing Si had immediately sent a message to inform the two Elders about Yang Kai’s return as soon as he arrived in the Star Boundary. Overjoyed to learn that her Son had returned, Dong Su Zhu had specially come out here to wait for his arrival.
Yang Ying Feng walked out of the bamboo building behind her, his arms clasped behind his back, and snorted, “He doesn’t even come back to visit his Parents as soon as he returns. We truly wasted our time raising this Son.”
Although he said those words, his eyes would glance around from time to time with an earnest expression.
Dong Su Zhu turned around to glare at him, “You talk too much! Our Son has a different status now. High Heaven Palace is so enormous and he has not returned for so many years; I’m sure he has many things to discuss with Manager Hua. You can go back if you’re upset. Nobody is forcing you to wait here.”
Yang Ying Feng sighed and muttered, “Defeated by a loving Mother!”
During their conversation, space nearby rippled. Immediately after that, a figure emerged. It was none other than Yang Kai, whom these two Elders had been yearning all day and all night to see.
Dong Su Zhu hurriedly went forward to greet him, “Son, you’re back!”
“Mother!” Yang Kai nodded in greeting before he turned to look at Yang Ying Feng nearby, “Father!”
Yang Ying Feng grunted sullenly in response, then he turned around and entered the bamboo building.
Dong Su Zhu took Yang Kai’s hand and examined him carefully. After a while, she finally said in satisfaction, “You didn’t get thinner. In fact, you’ve gotten stronger. You must have suffered a lot outside all these years.”
Yang Kai smiled and shook his head, “I’m used to it.”
He carefully perceived her aura and raised his eyebrows in surprise, “Mother, have you already advanced into the Open Heaven Realm?”
She nodded, “That’s right. I’m also in the Open Heaven Realm now.”
It all felt like a dream whenever she recalled everything that she experienced over the years. Starting from the Yang Family in the Great Han Dynasty up until now, it was difficult to imagine that she would advance into the Open Heaven Realm one day.
“Which Order?” He looked concerned.
She smiled, “Fifth-Order.”
Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s great.”
Thanks to the feedback from the World Tree in the Star Boundary back then, his parents had been lucky enough to condense their Dao Seals. Yang Kai had personally examined them once, and with his parents’ original aptitude, the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm would have been their limit even if they managed to advance into the Open Heaven Realm. It was only thanks to the Star Boundary’s World Tree that they had hopes of a better outcome.
With a two-pronged approach involving the Divine Dao Water and the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills, Dong Su Zhu managed to advance into the Open Heaven Realm in recent years.
“What about Father?” Yang Kai asked.
“He is also in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” Dong Su Zhu laughed.
Speaking of which, there had been some risks involved when the two Elders advanced into the Open Heaven Realm. Their aptitude had barely been enough after all. Advancing into the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm would have been the safest choice. Be that as it may, they both knew that their future limit would be in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm if they could advance into the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was why they decided to take the risk.
It was not purely for their own future achievements of course. They had been living under Yang Kai’s protection all these years; hence, they wished that there would come a day when they could help their Son instead of simply staying at home in retirement.
A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was bound to have some qualifications, right? That was why the two Elders had been working hard on their cultivation after their advancement. In any case, there was no shortage of resources in High Heaven Palace. Not to mention, Hua Qing Si strongly supported their cultivation and freely gave them whatever resources they needed.
“Come, come. Let’s go inside and talk,” Dong Su Zhu led Yang Kai into the bamboo hut by the hand.
The family of three spent a joyous and harmonious time together as they casually chatted with each other.
Dong Su Zhu suddenly said, “By the way, how are Xiao’er and Xue’er doing?”
Yang Kai replied, “They’re both doing well. Before I came here, Xiao’er followed a Senior to the Divine Spirit’s Ancestral Land. The environment in that place will be highly beneficial for his cultivation. Xue’er couldn’t follow him, so she stayed behind at Void Land to cultivate in retreat.”
Dong Su Zhu complained, “That little girl… Why doesn’t she know to come back and visit us?”
Yang Ying Feng stroked his neatly combed beard and quickly said, “Speaking of Xiao’er and Xue’er, there’s something we need to discuss.”
Yang Kai asked in confusion, “Father, what do you wish to discuss?”
Yang Ying Feng and Dong Su Zhu exchanged a glance with each other. In the end, Dong Su Zhu was the one to speak, “The two children can be said to have grown up together. Disregarding their hierarchy in the family, they can be said to be childhood sweethearts. Moreover, they spent so many years living and cultivating together. I’m sure they’ve secretly developed feelings for each other by now. As their Big Brother and Foster Father, you’ve always been running around outside all the time, so I have no idea whether you noticed anything, but it is as plain as day to the two of us.”
“But, there is a generational gap between them in terms of seniority and hierarchy. Xiao’er is your Adopted Son. When it comes to honorifics, he has to call Xue’er ‘Little Aunt’ by right.” Yang Ying Feng elaborated, “Kai’er, you’ve always been assertive. How do you think this matter should be handled?”
Yang Kai pondered in silence for a moment.
The truth was that he had given some thought to Yang Xiao and Yang Xue’s matters in the past. When a man and a woman lived and cultivated together for hundreds of years, starting from when they were just little children, it was only natural for feelings to grow between them. It was just that the two little ones had never expressed anything to him, so he did not wish to speak rashly. Nevertheless, it was time to make up his mind now that his parents had brought up this matter.
A short while later, he answered, “In terms of seniority and hierarchy, there is no denying that Xiao’er is one generation younger than Xue’er, but if we look at it from the perspective of them as Disciples under the same Master, they share a Senior Brother and Junior Sister relationship. What I’m trying to say is that we should let nature take its course. We can leave this matter to them. If something really does come of this, then they each have their own seniority over the other. It’s not a big deal anyway. Cultivators don’t really care about these minor details. Besides, there is no real blood relationship between them. Even if they were to marry each other, it would be an auspicious matter.”
Yang Ying Feng and Dong Su Zhu exchanged a glance with each other, with Yang Ying Feng asking worriedly, “Even if that’s the case, will outsiders say anything?”
Yang Kai laughed, “Just let them follow their hearts. Why should we care what other people might say? If they can’t even withstand a few unsolicited remarks, then there is no need for them to be together.”
Dong Su Zhu nodded, “That’s true… To cultivators, age and seniority are not very important. Even among our Daughters-in-Law, many of them are much older than you. If we really had to follow honorifics, then we would have to call her ‘Senior’.”
Needless to say, she was referring to Yu Ru Meng.
As one of the Demon Race Demon Saints, Yu Ru Meng was countless times older than Yang Kai. Even Xue Yue, Shan Qing Luo, and Ji Yao were also much older than Yang Kai. There was no need to even mention Zhu Qing in this regard. Only Xia Ning Chang and Su Yan were of similar age to Yang Kai.
Yang Ying Feng also nodded, “Putting it this way, then we have nothing to worry about. We only need to clarify the two children’s intentions.”
“That’s right!” While speaking, Yang Kai laughed again, “By the way, Mother, Father, I came back to ask you for a favour.”
Dong Su Zhu smiled, “You are our Son. Just speak up if there’s something you need from us. Why would you need us to do you a favour?”
With a wave of his hand, two figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. One was a stunning beauty, and the other was a slightly foolish-looking man. These two had been in the middle of doing something when they were summoned from the Small Universe by Yang Kai without any warning, so they were a little confused at first.
After looking around their surroundings and seeing Yang Kai, both of them quickly bowed in greeting, “Honoured Master!”
“Honoured Master?” Dong Su Zhu looked at Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai in surprise, “Kai’er, did you take on Disciples?”
Yang Kai nodded and made the introductions, “This boy with the silly look on his face is Zhao Ye Bai; this smart and quick-witted girl is Zhao Ya.” Then, he turned to those two and added, “These two are your Master’s parents!”
Zhao Ye Bai immediately became dumbstruck and asked in a panic, “Master, you have parents too?”
Yang Kai kicked Zhao Ye Bai, “Nonsense! Why wouldn’t I have Parents? Did you think I popped out of a rock!?
Zhao Ye Bai quickly waved his hand and responded in embarrassment, “No, no, no, Master! That’s not what I meant!”
Zhao Ya tugged at Zhao Ye Bai and knelt on the ground with a thud. She bowed respectfully, “Zhao Ya greets Grand Masters!”
Only then did Zhao Ye Bai return to his senses and hurriedly bow in greeting, “Zhao Ye Bai greets Grand Masters!”
Dong Su Zhu smiled brightly, waving her hand to help the two up as she called out, “What good children. Stand up, stand up.”
A gentle force wrapped around Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai, and they stood involuntarily.
“Oh my, this little girl is really quite pretty,” Dong Su Zhu examined Zhao Ya and did not hesitate to praise the girl.
Zhao Ya smiled sweetly and shyly said, “Thank you, Grand Master.”
Dong Su Zhu quipped, “I wonder which smelly brat will be so lucky to have you in the future.”
Zhao Ya blushed slightly and glanced at Zhao Ye Bai. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was standing with his hands clenched tightly into fists, his head straight, and his chest raised slightly. It was obvious that he was very nervous. There was even a sheen of fine sweat covering his forehead.
[Numbskull!] Zhao Ya pouted to herself.
Seeing this scene, Dong Su Zhu immediately understood the situation. She then beckoned Zhao Ya over. When Zhao Ya approached, she took the young woman’s small hand, and took off one of the bracelets on her own arm before placing it in Zhao Ya’s hand, “Since this is our first time meeting each other, you can consider this a gift from your Grand Master.”
Zhao Ya looked down. Although she could not identify the Grade of the bracelet, she knew that it was an extraordinary item; thus, she quickly shook her head and said, “Grand Master, this is far too precious. I can’t accept this.”
“Just take it. It is the first time your Master has ever taken a Disciple. As your Grand Master, how can I fail to show some sincerity?”
Helpless, Zhao Ya turned to look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded, “The gifts from your Elders cannot be refused!”
Upon hearing what her Master said, she finally pursed her scarlet lips and said, “Xiao Ya thanks you for the gift, Grand Master!”
“Good girl!” Dong Su Zhu smiled and patted Zhao Ya’s head.
Seeing this, Yang Ying Feng could only dig out a chainmail-like Artifact Armour from his Space Ring and hand it to Zhao Ye Bai, “This isn’t a particularly expensive item, but it suits your current cultivation. Consider this a meeting gift from your Grand Master.”
Having learned from Zhao Ya’s previous experience, Zhao Ye Bai did not refuse; instead, he cupped his fist and shouted in a deep voice, “Zhao Ye Bai thanks Grand Master for the gift!”
He took two steps forward and reached out to take the Artifact Armour with both hands. It was almost as though he was carrying a supreme treasure as he respectfully stepped back.
Although it was only the first meeting, the performance of the two children was enough for the two Elders to obtain an idea of their personalities.
Zhao Ya was undoubtedly more likeable thanks to her cheerful personality. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai was relatively slow-witted in comparison. He also had a simple and honest temperament. What’s more, these were the Disciples that Yang Kai took in. Regardless of their aptitude, there was nothing wrong with their characters.
Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai had been living in Yang Kai’s Small Universe ever since they were born. Although the environment in Yang Kai’s Small Universe was not bad, it was impossible to compare it with the current cultivation environment in the Star Boundary.
Among the countless Universe Worlds in the 3,000 Worlds, the Star Boundary was the only place deserving of the nicknamed ‘Open Heaven Realm Cradle’ throughout history. Why else would the Cave Heavens and Paradises be so eager to send their disciples trillions upon trillions of kilometres away just to come here?
The reason why Yang Kai had made Zhao Ya suppress her cultivation previously was out of fear that her cultivation would improve too quickly. If her cultivation became too high, she would lose most of her malleability and fail to enjoy the full benefits brought by the feedback of the World Tree as a result.
“Xiao Ya.” Yang Kai looked at Zhao Ya, “In the past, I asked you to suppress your cultivation because I had my concerns. Now that we have arrived at the Star Boundary, there’s no need to deliberately suppress your cultivation anymore.”
Zhao Ya’s beautiful eyes lit up, “Master, are you saying that I can advance as I please now?”
He nodded in confirmation, which caused her to cheer in exhilaration.
Others could not understand her pain. There were times when she could clearly feel that the opportunity to break through was upon her and she would only need to enter retreat or even engage in a single battle to advance to the next stage. Unfortunately, she could only forcefully suppress herself because of her Master’s orders.
That feeling was similar to a starving person who could only stare at the mountain of delicacies in front of them and not take a single bite. Therefore, it was only natural that she would be ecstatic when she heard Yang Kai saying that she could advance as she pleased and that she no longer needed to suppress herself like before.
Yang Kai then turned to look at Zhao Ye Bai, “Xiao Bai, your aptitude is much poorer than Xiao Ya, but as your Master, I’ve always told you this, diligence makes up for lack of natural talent. Work hard in the future. Don’t let your Junior Sister leave you behind by too much!”
Zhao Ye Bai quickly said, “Yes, Master! This Disciple will work hard in my cultivation and live up to your expectations!”
“Mother, I will have to trouble you and Father to take care of these two children in the future,” Yang Kai looked at Dong Su Zhu.
Dong Su Zhu smiled from ear to ear, “No problem. Don’t worry and leave them to me. We will definitely take good care of them for you.”
The old couple disliked the fact that Yang Kai could not accompany them often. That was why they had worked hard to give birth to Yang Xue even though they had long passed the suitable age for childbearing. In the end, Yang Xue had left along with her Big Brother when she grew up.
With no children to accompany them, the two Elders had often felt lonely over the years; hence, there was no reason for them not to be happy when Yang Kai suddenly placed Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai under their care.
It would have been one thing if it were anybody else, but the key point was that these two children were Yang Kai’s Disciples! What was the difference with having their own grandchildren!? Not to mention, Zhao Ya was a naturally beautiful girl with a sweet tongue. On the other hand, Zhao Ye Bai had a gentle temperament although he could be a little stiff. They were both good children
It could be said that Dong Su Zhu was becoming increasingly satisfied the more she observed the two children.
When Yang Kai noticed his Mother’s attitude, he quickly reminded her, “Don’t spoil them too much. You need to punish them if they make a mistake. They will not grow up well without proper rules in place.”
“I know!” She waved her hand impatiently.
Yang Kai shook his head in frustration. Turning to look at Zhao Ya and Zhao Ye Bai sternly, he warned them, “From today onward, the two of you will cultivate hard under your two Grand Masters. Be obedient. If I learn that you have committed any mistakes, I will not forgive you!”
“This Disciple would not dare!” The two children replied in unison.
Only then did he nod his head in satisfaction, “Father, Mother, I still have other matters to discuss with the Head Manager. I’ll be taking my leave now.”
Dong Su Zhu nodded in understanding, “Go on then.”
After a quick bow, Yang Kai turned around to leave. He had just been about to discuss the matters regarding the New Great Territory with Hua Qing Si when they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Yu Chang Dao and the others; hence, he was still unclear about the situation over there.
When Yang Kai met Hua Qing Si again, the first thing he did was ask, “Just what is the situation in the New Great Territory?”
She replied, “The New Great Territory is extremely rich in resources. It’s a fertile land that has never been developed before. We have found many good things over the years. A few years ago, we even discovered a very interesting Universe World.
“A Universe World?” Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “How is it interesting?”
She gave a little hint, “You will have to find out the specifics for yourself when you see it. Believe me, you will be surprised, Sect Master.”
While saying so, she took out a Communication Bead to send a message. It didn’t take long before a person arrived. That person was slightly stunned to see Yang Kai and quickly bowed in greeting, “Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded, “Long time no see, Hei He.”
The person who arrived was the second person Yang Kai included in the Loyalty List, Hei He. The first person to leave their name in the Loyalty List was Chen Tian Fei, who gave Yang Kai the Loyalty List in the first place.
When changes first occurred in the Star Boundary thanks to the World Tree, it was Hei He who brought Lan Xun to the 3,000 Worlds and travelled to Void Land to report the news to Yang Kai.
Hei He had been in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm when he was first taken in by Yang Kai, and there was no change to his cultivation at present. He was still in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, his aura had obviously become much more profound. It was clear that his strength had improved significantly. It was just that the Open Heaven Realm required time to accumulate and precipitate experience, so it was not that easy to advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Hua Qing Si instructed, “Hei He, bring the Sect Master to the Small Stone World!”
He quickly said, “Yes!”
Yang Kai nodded at Hua Qing Si lightly before pushing his Space Principles to wrap around Hei He. The two of them instantly vanished from the spot, and by the time they reappeared, they had already arrived at the New Great Territory’s Territory Gate.
There were two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters guarding the Territory Gate. It turned out to be Iron Blood Great Emperor and Martial Beast Great Emperor. These two were sitting cross-legged in the void with their eyes closed in meditation.
Upon detecting movement nearby, Martial Beast Great Emperor Mo Huang’s eyes opened and immediately lit up, “You’re back?”
“You’ve both worked hard,” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
Mo Huang smiled, “It’s not hard at all, just a little boring. At least I can still cultivate, which helps to pass some time.”
Yang Kai asked, “Has anybody tried to set their eyes on the New Great Territory over the years?”
Mo Huang laughed, “Of course! How could they not? Look over there at that guy sneakily looking around curiously. He is practically drooling to plunge in to check out the situation inside.”
Yang Kai looked in the direction that Mo Huang was pointing and saw several gazes staring in this direction from Star City.
The New Great Territory’s Territory Gate was located about a million kilometres from the Star Boundary. That distance could not be considered far, but it was located much closer to High Heaven Star City. It was possible to see most of what was happening inside Star City just by standing next to the Territory Gate.
Iron Blood Great Emperor Zhan Wu Hen said indifferently, “The two of us are Great Emperors of the Star Boundary, so as long as we are here, we can cope even if a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were to rashly attack us. Combined with the agreements you made with the Cave Heavens and Paradises previously, they don’t dare to do anything even if they are curious.”
Yang Kai nodded, “If anybody dares to act without regard for the agreement, please feel free to retaliate. I will bear full responsibility if anything happens.”
Mo Huang grinned, “That statement is enough for me. However, everything has been relatively stable over the years. Nobody has done anything to upset the balance yet.”
Yang Kai nodded. All of a sudden, he took a closer look at the two of them and exclaimed in astonishment, “Your cultivation…”
Mo Huang and Zhan Wu Hen exchanged a glance with each other and chuckled. They seemed to have expected Yang Kai’s surprise.
Mo Huang explained, “We didn’t notice anything initially either. It wasn’t until after you departed that the Great Emperors of the Star Boundary discovered something. Our cultivation improves rapidly if we cultivate in the Star Boundary. There is practically no need for us to refine any cultivation resources.”
Zhan Wu Hen added, “Because we are the Great Emperors acknowledged by the Star Boundary’s Will, the Star Boundary’s World Force is extremely compatible with our Small Universes. That’s why we can easily refine the power of the Star Boundary’s World Force for our own use.”
Mo Huang elaborated, “An average Universe World would not be able to withstand having seven or eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters refining its World Force in this manner. It wouldn’t take more than a few years before the World Force was completely exhausted, but the Star Boundary is different. Thanks to the feedback from the World Tree, the might of this World will only become stronger and stronger. Even if we cultivate and refine some of its World Force, our actions will not affect the Star Boundary.”
Those words made Yang Kai’s eyes gleam, “I can’t believe there’s something that great!”
Thinking about it again though, it was not that surprising.
In order to face Zuo Quan Hui back then, Yang Kai had borrowed the Star Boundary’s World Force to temporarily advance from the Sixth Order into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although he fell back to his original state in the end, he gained great benefits from the experience. The heritage of his Small Universe had gotten much stronger, which saved him many years of hard cultivation.
It was precisely because of the compatibility between the Star Boundary’s World Force and his Small Universe that his heritage was enhanced significantly after he borrowed the Star Boundary’s World Force. If that was the case for himself, it would naturally be the same for the other Great Emperors of the Star Boundary!
The Open Heaven Realm cultivation was a long and arduous journey. One of the shortcuts was to refine the heritage of a Universe World that was compatible with themselves for their own use. Unfortunately, finding a Universe World in the vast 3,000 Worlds that was perfectly compatible with oneself was not an easy task.
However, the relationship between the Star Boundary and the Great Emperors was much simpler. The Great Emperors who were acknowledged by the Star Boundary’s Will were extremely compatible with the Star Boundary in the first place.
It was just as Mo Huang had mentioned earlier. An average Universe World would not be able to withstand seven or eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters refining its World Force in such a manner. The Universe World would surely decline once its World Force was exhausted.
The Star Boundary had no need to worry about this issue though. Under the constant feedback from the World Tree, the World Force would only get stronger and stronger. As long as the World Tree existed, it could be said that the Star Boundary’s World Force was practically inexhaustible.
That was why even though Mo Huang and Zhan Wu Hen had only advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm several decades ago, Yang Kai’s observation indicated that their heritage was no less than Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who had already broken through for hundreds of years.
Yang Kai couldn’t help becoming excited about this discovery. If that was the case, then the Star Boundary Great Emperors, himself included, would have a much easier time advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm compared to others. That was because cultivating in the Star Boundary was a shortcut for them!
What’s more, he initially planned to find an opportunity to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm upon his return from the Shattered Heaven.
The Proprietress had been in retreat for close to 100 years now, but even so, she was nowhere near breaking through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. It could be seen just how difficult it was to cross over from the Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm!
It had not been long since Yang Kai advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Be that as it may, his heritage was extraordinary thanks to various opportunities he had come across. Ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could not compare to him at all. He had just enough qualification to try advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
It was precisely because of this plan that he came up with the brilliant idea of asking the Cave Heavens and Paradises to provide the opportunity to train in the Small Source Worlds in exchange for the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
He only needed to enter one more Small Source World for training to accumulate his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm heritage to the peak, then he could enter retreat with peace of mind. But, he would need to fulfil his 100-year contract with Yin-Yang Cave Heaven before that.
Qu Hua Shang was put in isolation for 100 years, but based on a quick calculation of the time, there were only a couple dozen or so years left before she would be released.
There was no saying how long it would take for Yang Kai to try advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, he could not keep Qu Hua Shang waiting. Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and Xu Ling Gong would not approve either. That was why he needed to wait for Qu Hua Shang’s 100-year isolation to end before he could proceed with his plan.
Enter a Small Source World belonging to one of the Cave Heavens and Paradises to train and accumulate his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm heritage to the peak, then head to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven to pick up Qu Hua Shang, and finally enter retreat with peace of mind to attempt advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was Yang Kai’s original plan.
Now that he learned about the situation in the Star Boundary though, the opportunity to train in the Small Source World no longer mattered. Such opportunities were rare after all, and it was better to leave such opportunities to the other people in Void Land. It was enough for him and the other Star Boundary Great Emperors to cultivate with the help of the Star Boundary’s World Force alone.
Just as Yang Kai was quietly making plans in his heart, he heard Mo Huang saying something with a small laugh, “It’s because of the current situation in the Star Boundary that the Star Boundary Great Emperors have not gone to the Small Stone World to cultivate. All of us have stayed behind in the Star Boundary. Although the situation in the Small Stone World is similar to the Star Boundary, there are more limitations in the Star Boundary. With the exceptions of the Great Emperors, the other Open Heaven Realm Masters do not benefit from cultivating in the Star Boundary.”
Yang Kai asked in astonishment, “The situation in the Small Stone World is similar to the Star Boundary?”
This was only his second time hearing about the Small Stone World. Hua Qing Si had also mentioned the name earlier; however, he did not ask any questions and she did not explain in detail. It was unexpected to hear about the situation in the Small Stone World from Mo Huang at this moment.
“Don’t you know?” Mo Huang looked at Yang Kai questioningly.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I just came back not long ago. Head Manager Hua did not tell me anything in detail and simply asked me to check out the situation myself.”
Mo Huang nodded in understanding, “In that case, you should go. The Small Stone World is the name that Head Manager gave that Universe World. You will understand immediately once you arrive there.”
Yang Kai nodded, “In that case, I’ll be going now.”
The Territory Gate was protected by a special Space Array that Yang Kai had personally arranged together with Luan Bai Feng; therefore, a special token that he created was required for people to travel through it safely. Recklessly trying to trespass would only cause the trespasser to be exiled to the Void. This was the final defence he left behind to prevent the Cave Heavens and Paradises from putting their hands on the New Great Territory.
Other people might require a special token to use the Territory Gate, but Yang Kai had no such difficulties. Yang Kai activated his power to wrap around Hei He once more, then the two of them passed through the Territory Gate and entered the New Great Territory.
Hei He took the lead and Yang Kai followed closely behind. Along the way, they occasionally encountered figures shuttling through the void or ships speeding past them.
There were a total of about 2,000 Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace combined. Out of these 2,000, approximately 1,500 of them had been dispatched by Hua Qing Si to explore and develop the New Great Territory.
It was all thanks to the hard work of these 1,500 Open Heaven Realm Masters over the past few decades that Void Land and High Heaven Palace had so many resources to splurge.
The cultivation resources and materials of various Orders produced by the New Great Territory accounted for half of Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s total income. Meanwhile, the other half came from the combined output of the two Star Cities and the Black Prison. It could be seen just how rich the New Great Territory was.
The pair travelled for more than half a month before a Universe World finally appeared in front of them. It was a green Universe World and Yang Kai could already sense the abundant aura coming from it before he even got close.
This Universe World was much bigger than the Star Boundary, almost five times the size in fact. Looking down from above, the entire Universe World seemed to be covered in large swathes of green, indicating it was filled with dense forests.
Hei He briefly checked his bearings before he led Yang Kai halfway around the Small Stone World and plunged into the clouds on the opposite side.
There was a Spirit Peak below them that soared into the clouds. Furthermore, there was a bamboo building atop the Spirit Peak where two familiar auras were residing.
Yang Kai and Hei He sped over in that direction.
The two people cultivating inside the bamboo building clearly noticed the arrival of Yang Kai and Hei He and immediately came out of the building and looked up into the sky.
A short while later, Yang Kai and Hei He landed lightly as Yue He greeted them joyfully, “Young Master!”
Behind her, Zhou Ya bowed elegantly, “Greetings, Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded and looked around his surroundings, “Are you the only ones here?”
There were over 20 Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land. The Great Emperors had stayed behind in the Star Boundary while Mo Mei, Yang Xue, and Yang Kai’s numerous Wives had stayed behind in Void Land. On the other hand, the others such as Yue He, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, Hua Yong, Shu Mu Dan, Xiang Ying, and Fang Yue had all gone to the New Great Territory.
However, the others who were stationed in the New Great Territory were nowhere to be seen at this moment.
Yue He explained, “The others are helping with the development of the New Great Territory. Although there are few dangers in this place, there are many tasks that require the presence of a Master to prevent any unexpected accidents. After some discussion, we decided to work in groups of two and take turns to rest. It happened to be my turn to rest with Senior Sister Zhou, so we returned to this place.”
Yang Kai nodded, “You’ve worked hard.”
Yue He smiled and shook her head, “It’s not hard at all.”
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Yang Kai gestured, to which the two women nodded in response.
Hei He cupped his fist and said, “Sir, this subordinate will return to his duties now.”
“Good, go on.” Yang Kai nodded.
Hei He took a deep breath and looked around somewhat reluctantly before soaring into the sky.
The three of them entered the bamboo building. While Zhou Ya was brewing tea, Yue He and Yang Kai talked about the development of the New Great Territory. Hua Qing Si had explained some of it to Yang Kai, but her understanding of the situation was not as detailed as Yue He’s; after all, Yue He and the others had been staying in the New Great Territory over the past few years. They were the first to know about any changes that occurred in this place, and it was only later that they would report the incident to High Heaven Palace.
The resources in the New Great Territory were extremely rich, indeed. The countless Universe Worlds that had yet to be developed contained a seemingly inexhaustible supply of cultivation materials of various Orders, as well as many rare and precious treasures.
For example, the newly-born Universe World that they discovered at the very beginning harboured precious treasures such as World Source Liquid, which was the main ingredient for refining Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills.
This was part of the reason why Yang Kai had sealed the New Great Territory’s Territory Gate and monopolised the resources in this place.
The Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pills had brought a lot of income and fame to Void Land, which in turn gathered large numbers of people to Void Star City. If a large quantity of World Source Liquid was leaked out into the world, then the advantage Void Land enjoyed would be gone forever.
In addition, many treasures such as the Divine Dao Water that could fortify a person’s Dao Seal and the Tai Yi Soul Cleansing Water that could cleanse the Powers from the Dao Seal to give a cultivator a chance to start over had also been found in great abundance here.
“Young Master, have you heard of the Four Universe Pillars?” Yue He asked all of a sudden.
Yang Kai’s expression became strange as he nodded, “I’ve heard of them before.”
He had more than heard of them before. During his trip to the Shattered Heaven, he had been hunted relentlessly because of the World Spring. In the end, he finally escaped by fleeing into the Ancestral Land.
Yang Kai thus asked suspiciously, “Did you discover one of the Four Universe Pillars in the New Great Territory?”
The Four Universe Pillars were incredible treasures. He himself had refined the World Spring, so he had profound experience in this regard. Thanks to the World Spring, Yang Kai’s Small Universe was incredibly firm and stable. His Small Universe would not be shaken when he engaged in brutal conflict with powerful enemies, allowing his World Force to always flow smoothly.
Without the risk of his Small Universe being shaken or destroyed, he could also raise living creatures inside his Small Universe to steadily enhance his heritage and reduce the time he needed for intense cultivation.
Even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Bright Sun Divine Monarch would go crazy with jealousy over the Four Universe Pillars. It would be an amazing discovery if one of the Four Universe Pillars was found in the New Great Territory.
“Yes, and no.” Yue He smiled, “Since you know about the Four Universe Pillars, Sect Master, I’m sure you’ve also heard of the Four Great Universe Pillars and the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars.”
Yang Kai nodded.
“What we discovered in the New Great Territory is not one of the Four Great Pillars, but one of the Twelve Minor Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo. It’s just that we don’t have any Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters at the moment, so we can only place it aside for now. We agreed to wait for you to return and decide what to do with the Profound Yin Bamboo, Sect Master.”
The Twelve Minor Pillars and the Four Great Pillars were not the same although their effects were similar in that they fortified a cultivator’s Small Universe. There was no doubt, however, that the effects of the Four Great Pillars were stronger.
Refining any one of the Four Great Pillars was enough to reinforce a cultivator’s Small Universe and prevent any external force that was not beyond a certain critical threshold from affecting it. In comparison, the Twelve Minor Pillars did not have such magnificent effects. The Profound Yin Bamboo, for example, could only produce about 30% of the effect of one of the Four Great Pillars.
While the Four Great Pillars could be refined by any Open Heaven Realm Master regardless of their Order, the Twelve Minor Pillars could only be refined by High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Small Universe in their bodies had to materialize before they could refine the Twelve Minor Pillars; hence, those below the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm could not refine the Twelve Minor Pillars.
That was why even though one of the Twelve Minor Pillars had been discovered in the New Great Territory, Yue He and the others could only leave the Profound Yin Bamboo untouched and place a seal around the area for protection.
Yang Kai already had the World Spring, so he had no interest in the Profound Yin Bamboo. After a brief consideration though, he came up with a plan, “Give the Profound Yin Bamboo to whichever Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among yourselves advances into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm first.”
Yue He pursed her lips into a smile, “There is a large patch of Profound Yin Bamboo growing here, more than enough for many people. Besides, it is said that the Profound Yin Bamboo will continue to reproduce when placed in one’s Small Universe. Each person will only need to take a small piece of the root. You don’t need to worry about not having enough resources for everyone, Young Master.”
Yang Kai smiled after hearing her assurance, “That’s for the best.”
In this way, anybody from Void Land who advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm would receive a stalk of Profound Yin Bamboo. Even so, it would take a long time to nurture the Profound Yin Bamboo shoot so that it could produce satisfactory effects. The Profound Yin Bamboo could never compare with the World Spring in this regard.
“Young Master, do you want to harvest some of the Profound Yin Bamboo to sell? Many people will be interested in this item,” Yue He asked.
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before he said, “There’s no rush. Let’s revisit this topic when we’ve gotten stronger; otherwise, we don’t know how many people will become greedy once we reveal such treasures to the world.”
High Heaven Palace was monopolising the New Great Territory, so the Cave Heavens and Paradises were bound to hold some resentment. Unfortunately, given the existence of the Star Boundary’s World Tree, they could not voice their objections. They wanted to use the feedback from the Star Boundary’s World Tree to nurture the disciples of their respective Sects after all. Be that as it may, an uproar was bound to break out if news of the Profound Yin Bamboo’s existence were to leak out.
“What’s so special about this Small Stone World?” Yang Kai asked again, “Sir Martial Beast mentioned that the situation here is similar to the Star Boundary. Why don’t I detect anything?”
Yue He and Zhou Ya glanced at each other, then Yue He pursed her lips and smiled, “Young Master, why don’t you try refining the World Force of the Small Stone World?”
“Refine the World Force?” He looked surprised to hear those words, but soon a bold guess suddenly formed in his heart, “Don’t tell me, this place…”
Yang Kai closed his eyes while saying so and focused his mind. He then activated his power to refine the World Force belonging to this world.
A short while later, his expression became filled with astonishment. That was because he discovered that the World Force in this world could be refined and absorbed directly. What was even more surprising was that there was no backlash from doing so.
It had to be said that every Universe World had its own unique World Force. That was because their Heavenly Way and World Principles were different, so the World Force would also contain some subtle discrepancies. These subtle discrepancies were the deciding factors as to whether the compatibility between a Universe World and an Open Heaven Realm Master’s Small Universe was high or low.
If an Open Heaven Realm Master wanted to refine the World Force of a Universe World to enhance their heritage, then they had to choose Universe Worlds that were highly compatible with themselves.
Refining the World Force of a Universe World that was incompatible with them would not enhance their heritage. On the contrary, the World Force they absorbed would become an impurity that would damage their foundation. For non-severe cases, they would need to spend some time to remove these impurities. Not only was doing so a waste of time and energy, but they would also have nothing to show for all their efforts. For severe cases, the impurities might even cause their Small Universe to become unstable and their Order to regress.
However, the Small Stone World was obviously different. Yang Kai had only refined a small amount of the World Force, but he could clearly sense that the World Force that he refined just now was extremely compatible with his own Small Universe. There was not the slightest hint of discomfort.
“How is this possible? Is it the same for you?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
Yue He and Zhou Ya nodded in unison.
Yue He then explained, “It’s because the Small Stone World has such a unique cultivation environment that we come here to cultivate whenever we have the time. As for why this World is like this, we have been unable to figure out the reason yet.”
Yang Kai suddenly recalled Hei He’s reluctance to leave earlier. He now understood the reason for Hei He’s reaction. The Small Stone World was an excellent cultivation paradise. Refining the Small Stone World’s World Force for one’s own use was much faster than refining various cultivation resources or consuming Open Heaven Pills. It was no wonder that Hei He wished to remain here to cultivate and increase his strength. Unfortunately, he had to return to the Star Boundary for his duties and could not stay here for long.
It was just as Mo Huang had mentioned before, the situation in the Small Stone World was similar to the Star Boundary!
Nevertheless, the limitations in the Star Boundary were certainly greater when comparing the two. That was because only the Great Emperors who were born in the Star Boundary and received the acknowledgement of the Star Boundary’s Will could absorb the Star Boundary’s World Force without any reservations to enhance their Small Universe’s heritage. Other people did not get to enjoy this privilege.
In comparison, the Small Stone World was open to all. Anybody could cultivate here without any worries.
Although the Small Stone World had its advantages, it also had its disadvantages.
When Yang Kai compared these two Universe Worlds, he could clearly sense that the World Force in the Small Stone World was not nearly as abundant as the Star Boundary. That was only to be expected though as the Star Boundary had the World Tree providing nourishment to it at all times. It was only natural that the Small Stone World could not compare in this regard.
Be that as it may, both Universe Worlds had their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Yang Kai was overjoyed, but also a little worried, “How long have you been cultivating here? Has the World Force in this world changed in any way?”
Logically speaking, the World Force of a Universe World was not inexhaustible. The Star Boundary was an exception to this rule thanks to its unique circumstances, but while the Small Stone World’s World Force might be amazing, there was a high possibility that the heritage of this World would be lost and it would be exhausted if the Open Heaven Realm Masters were to cultivate here over a long period. If that were to happen, this place would become a dead World.
The foolish act of killing a chicken for its eggs was naturally something Yang Kai wanted to prevent.
“This place was discovered 40 years ago,” Yue He replied, “We soon realised that this place was a little different from other Universe Worlds. As an experiment, we had eight Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating here together. If I really have to say, the Small Stone World’s World Force has indeed gotten a little weaker compared to 40 years ago, which was why we decided 20 years ago that only two Sixth-Order Masters can cultivate here at the same time. There have been no changes to the situation in the Small Stone World over the past 20 years since we implemented such a system.”
Yang Kai nodded at her response, “In other words, the World Force created by the Small Stone World itself is enough to support the continuous cultivation of at least two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters without decreasing. What about three people? Have you experimented before?”
Yue He nodded, “We experimented with three and four people. We did not detect anything with three people, but we noticed a slight reduction in the Small Stone World’s heritage with four people. To be on the safe side, we decided that we would only have two people per group, taking turns to rest and cultivate here.”
Yang Kai rubbed his chin with a pensive look, “The production of a Universe World’s World Force is mainly driven by the proliferation of the living beings within. The more prosperous these lives are, the more intense the World Force. The reason why the Small Stone World is so unique must be related to the living beings of this world.” Abruptly looking up, he asked, “Are there any special living beings in this world?”
Yue He nodded, “En. Please follow me, Young Master.”
She turned to lead the way while saying so, and Yang Kai followed behind her. They headed towards the foot of the Spirit Peak, and when they reached the base of the mountain, Yue He pointed in a certain direction, “Look there, Young Master.”
Yang Kai looked in that direction only to see a cave entrance that was as tall as a person at the bottom of the mountain. There were obvious signs of excavation around the cave; nevertheless, what surprised him was not the cave but the situation at the cave entrance. There was a bunch of strange-looking creatures going in and out of the cave-like ants
These living creatures looked like the Stone Spirit Clan that Xiao Xiao belonged to at a glance. Their entire body seemed to be made from rocks, but they were smaller and more delicate than Xiao Xiao. Every one of them was only around fifteen centimetres tall.
Not only had Yang Kai never seen this Race before, but he had never even heard about such a Race. It could be certain that there was no such living creature in the 3,000 Worlds, but they were right there in front of him. Under his Divine Sense’s perception, Yang Kai could be certain that these little ones were living creatures indeed. Each of them had their own distinctive aura.
“We call these little ones the Small Stone Race. That’s where the Small Stone World’s name came from.” Yue He explained from the side.
“What are they doing?” Yang Kai asked curiously.
In his field of vision, these fifteen-centimetre tall Small Stone Race clansmen stood with their arms raised, holding rocks of varying sizes above their heads. Seeming to come from various directions, they lined up neatly in a long queue to carry the stones into the cave. There were also some Small Stone Race clansmen walking out of the cave in a line. They were walking in the opposite direction, heading outward. It was obvious they were going to transport rocks again.
Strangely enough, those rocks were the most ordinary ores with no cultivation value. They were not cultivation resources either. The rocks came in varying shapes and sizes, with the largest ones almost as big as a woven basket. Even so, the Small Stone Race clansmen carried them with ease.
“They seem to feed on these ores,” Yue He beckoned to Yang Kai and strode towards the cave.
“Won’t we disturb them?” He asked worriedly.
To which Yue He pursed her lips into a smile, “We won’t. Don’t be fooled by their small size. They are very brave.”
During their conversation, they had already arrived at the cave entrance. It might be that the two of them were blocking the path of these Small Stone Race clansmen, so the Small Stone Race clansman nearest to Yang Kai held up a rock and glared at him. A strange shouting noise came from his mouth.
Yang Kai’s expression was strange, “Is this guy… angry?”
Yue He covered her mouth and giggled, “I’m afraid he is more than just angry…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the Small Stone Race clansman let out a shout and smashed the rock down hard. The rock hit Yang Kai on the toe.
Yang Kai quickly shifted sideways to let the Small Stone Race clansman pass. Only then did the Small Stone Race clansman pick up his rock again and march into the cave triumphantly as though he was a General who had won a war.
“They are quite hot-tempered indeed!” Yang Kai nodded. All of a sudden, he noticed a commotion at his ankle. He looked down to see a Small Stone Race clansman that wanted to exit the cave pushing hard against him. He quickly stepped to the other side, trying to stick to the wall so as not to block their path again.
These little ones didn’t seem to pay much attention to the two tall and large Humans in front of them; it was not a problem as long as these two did not block their way.
“Young Master, have you ever seen an ant’s nest?” Yue He asked from where she stood pressed against the other side of the wall.
“I’ve never seen one, but I’ve heard of them.”
She nodded and continued, “The nest of the Small Stone Race is very similar to an ant’s nest. An ant’s nest consists of the Queen, the soldier ants, and the worker ants. Similarly, there is a clear hierarchical structure in the nest of the Small Stone Race.”
“Let’s go inside and have a look,” Yang Kai said.
Before the two of them could continue further inside, Yang Kai detected another series of movements. The ground was trembling slightly, as though many things were rushing in this direction from somewhere.
The Small Stone Race clansmen who were transporting the rocks also seemed to have noticed something. At this moment, they retreated into the interior of the cave in an orderly manner. It didn’t take long for all of them to vanish out of sight.
A short while later, in the direction where the strange noises had been coming from, a large swarm of menacing Small Stone Race clansmen suddenly appeared in Yang Kai’s field of vision!
What surprised him was that the Small Stone Race clansmen who just appeared were distinctly different from the Small Stone Race clansmen earlier. The Small Stone Race clansmen from earlier were only fifteen centimetres tall and the colour of their body surface was relatively dull.
On the other hand, the Small Stone Race clansmen who just appeared were approximately thirty centimetres tall. The rocky surface of their body was noticeably brighter and shinier. Even the edges and corners were more distinct! More importantly, they had a mouthful of sharp teeth that resembled the serrated fangs of a shark. Their fangs gleamed with a cold light.
“Young Master, what we saw earlier were the equivalent of worker ants. The ones that just appeared can be considered soldier ants!” Yue He explained.
“Are they… having a war?” Yang Kai tutted in amazement.
While he was speaking, a strange sound also reverberated from within the cave. The Small Stone Race clansmen inside the cave had also dispatched their soldiers who were in charge of the battle.
The Small Stone Race clansmen that marched out of the cave were also around thirty centimetres tall. The surface of their bodies was not only covered in sharp and well-defined edges, but also shone with a glistening lustre. They were clearly different from the clansmen earlier who had been responsible for transporting rocks.
Looking at both sides, they seemed to be fairly equal in numbers. The invading Small Stone Race had around 1,000 clansmen among their ranks, and the same was true for the Small Stone Race clansmen who came marching out of the cave.
Both sides took up battle positions at the entrance of the cave, separated by a distance of several hundred metres between them. The Small Stone Race clansmen were lined up neatly in ranks and files that resembled a phalanx.
Furthermore, there were several clansmen holding stone hammers and stone clubs in both camps. Wielding these weapons made them look taller and fiercer. When they bared their fangs at each other, the cold light reflecting off their fangs looked even more sinister.
On the side of the Small Stone Race who came marching out of the cave, the largest Small Stone Race clansman among them came to stand at the front of the camp. He was holding a pair of stone hammers that were almost the same size as him. Walking along the front of the phalanx, he shouted out a series of battle cries in a rhythmic fashion.
Following his movements, all the clansmen began shouting in unison. Their shouts reverberated through the air incessantly, “Hah! Hah! Hah!”
Yang Kai watched the scene with a strange expression and whispered a question to Yue He, “Is this to boost morale before the battle?”
Yue He nodded, “Something like that.”
The Small Stone Race clansmen who came marching out of the cave were not the only ones performing this ritual. The invading Small Stone Race clansmen were doing the same. The actions on both sides were so similar that they looked like they were carved from the same mould. It didn’t take long for them to complete the ritual to boost morale.
Afterwards, both sides began to advance towards each other in an orderly manner. The distance of several hundred metres was closed in the blink of an eye as the two armies belonging to different Small Stone Race Clans charged towards each other. They soon became indistinguishable from one another.
Yang Kai and Yue He watched quietly.
The Small Stone Race clansmen might be small in size, but they were fierce and fearless in battle. Those with weapons would charge towards their enemies, raise their clubs and hammers high above their heads, and bring them down viciously. Oftentimes, it would only take one hit from a stone hammer to smash their enemy to pieces.
Meanwhile, those without weapons would lunge themselves at the enemy and engage each other in a melee. They would open their mouths to reveal their fangs and bite down hard on the bodies of their enemies. There was no doubt that their teeth were exceptionally sharp. Every bite was capable of tearing off pieces of rock from the bodies of their enemies.
During the fight, the sound of cries coming out of their mouths undulated throughout the battlefield!
For a time, the scene became extremely tragic. The Small Stone Race clansmen were dismembered one after another, turning into piles of rubble that scattered across the ground.
There were nearly 2,000 clansmen on both sides at the beginning, but it only took an incense for almost 300 to be killed in battle. After another quarter hour, only half of their numbers remained.
All of a sudden, the battle ceased. The two sides that had been fighting to the death earlier abruptly stopped and made peace without any warning. Immediately after, the surviving Small Stone Race clansmen began picking up the bodies of the dead Small Stone Race clansmen and returned the way they originally came. Even the many Small Stone Race clansmen who had lost various limbs in battle struggled to move their bodies and returned to where they came from.
Yang Kai was very puzzled by what he saw, “What are they doing?”
Yue He replied, “You will understand if you continue watching, Young Master. This Race is very strange. These battles seem to be a means of survival for them and happen quite often.”
“How high is their sentience? Have you tried communicating with them?”
Yue He shook her head, “Of course, we tried. Unfortunately, their sentience is not high enough for us to actually communicate with them.”
Yang Kai nodded and said nothing more.
The battlefield was cleaned up quickly, with both sides having lost some of their troops in the battle. The invading party slowly retreated. Likewise, the party defending the cave earlier carried the corpses of their clansmen or enemies back into the cave in an orderly manner.
Yue He beckoned to Yang Kai and followed behind the Small Stone Race clansmen into the cave.
The cave was generally as tall as a person, but some places were lower than average; hence, the two of them needed to bend down from time to time. Nevertheless, it was certainly as Yue He had mentioned earlier. The nest of the Small Stone Race was very similar to an ant’s nest. There were countless twists and turns inside, not to mention tunnels and passageways everywhere that stretched out in all directions to form a huge network of underground caves.
There were many Small Stone Race clansmen who had dug out little enclaves along the walls and were resting within them. Disturbed by the presence of Yang Kai and Yue He, they poked out their heads out of their little enclaves to stare at the two Humans with their black eyes.
As they headed deeper into the tunnels, Yang Kai carefully perceived his surroundings and was secretly shocked to discover that the ground had almost been hollowed out by the Small Stone Race.
After reaching a depth of almost a dozen kilometres, they suddenly arrived at a huge cavern. Inside the cavern were several bridge-like passages that connected to a large platform in the centre. A figure on the central platform that was much larger than the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen appeared in Yang Kai’s field of vision.
“That’s the Stone King of this Small Stone Race Clan!” Yue He said softly.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and looked up at the Stone King.
The Stone King had an extremely bloated body. Lying horizontally across the platform, his body, which was approximately ten metres long made him look like an enormous fatty; moreover, his entire body was as white as jade.
There was a group beside the Stone King that consisted of Small Stone Race clansmen who were almost as tall as a normal person. They were patrolling back and forth around the Stone King. Their numbers were few, only several dozen in total. In contrast, they were unusually large compared to the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen and the rocky surface of their bodies resembled a full set of armour. They were truly an impressive sight to behold.
“Are those the Stone King’s Elite Guard?” Yang Kai raised a brow and asked.
Yue He nodded, “Most likely!”
At this moment, those Small Stone Race clansmen who withdrew from the battle earlier were carrying their loot along the passages leading to the central platform. The loot they were carrying was none other than the stone left behind by their clansmen or enemies after their death.
When they arrived in front of the Stone King, the Small Stone Race clansman in the lead raised the stone in his hands high above his head. The Stone King’s extremely fat body wriggled slightly as he lowered his head to sniff at the stone. Then, he opened his mouth that was larger than a washbasin and chomped down on the stone to swallow the entire thing whole.
*Kacha kacha…*
Crisp, crunching sounds echoed throughout the cavern. The Stone King’s teeth were extremely sharp, so chewing on the stone was almost like he was biting down on brittle bone instead. It only took several bites before he swallowed the entire stone.
The next Small Stone Race clansman holding a piece of rock had already approached the Stone King. When he delivered the rock to the Stone King’s face, the Stone King opened his mouth again.
One after the other, the Small Stone Race clansmen offered up their loot from the battle earlier and the Stone King did not refuse anything that was presented.
A short while later, the Stone King’s fat body suddenly shook violently. Yang Kai could sense that the Stone King seemed to be straining with great force. It was immediately followed by a plopping sound, and something came out of the Stone King’s posterior.
The Stone King was lying horizontally in the middle of the platform, but his posterior was suspended in the air. That was why the object fell straight down to the ground after popping out.
Yang Kai took a closer look.
The object that fell out of the Stone King’s posterior was an oval stone egg! It resembled a small pebble, and only after rolling around on the soft ground for a moment did the stone egg come to a stop. A Small Stone Race clansman who had been waiting nearby quickly rushed forward to pick up the stone egg before running into one of the tunnels nearby with small steps.
Yang Kai was amazed, “The Small Stone Race is oviparous?”
Yue He nodded, “This is another reason we say the Small Stone Race are very similar to ants, both in terms of their colony structure and their life cycle.”
Yang Kai released a small thread of his Divine Sense to follow after the Small Stone Race clansman carrying the stone egg. The Small Stone Race clansman soon arrived at another cavern. Inside the cavern were hundreds of stone eggs that were already neatly arranged together. Each stone egg contained a pulse of vitality.
Furthermore, there were specialised members of the Small Stone Race inside the nest who were responsible for taking care of these stone eggs. They monitored these stone eggs like nannies, examining them or touching one from time to time.
There were also several other caverns in the vicinity that were similar to this one. They were all used to store the stone eggs.
Yang Kai even witnessed the scene of Small Stone Race clansmen hatching from the stone eggs.
The Small Stone Race clansmen brought back some loot from the battle, but the harvest was not that great. The Stone King finished eating all the offerings in just a little over two hours. During this period, he laid as many as several dozen stone eggs.
After all the loot was offered up, the Small Stone Race clansmen who lost various limbs in battle also lined up and headed towards the Stone King. However, they had no loot to offer.
Just as Yang Kai was wondering what they were doing, the Stone King opened his mouth and chomped down on an armless Small Stone Race clansman. He finished eating that clansman in two of three bites.
The clansmen standing next in line did not show any reaction at the sight. They simply continued to wait in line and offered up their broken bodies to the Stone King. None of them showed any complaints, regrets, or fear.
“They even eat their own clansmen!” Yang Kai was shocked, “It seems that this Small Stone Race really doesn’t have much sentience after all.”
Yue He sighed slightly, “It’s also for the sake of the Clan’s continuity. The Stone King will only lay stone eggs after eating. He does not lay eggs under normal circumstances.”
Yang Kai frowned, “If it’s for the sake of the Clan’s continuity, then what was the reason for the battle just now? They lost several hundred clansmen in the battle, but less than 100 stone eggs were laid even after feeding all their winnings to the Stone King.”
“We believe that their actions are a means to control their population. Reproducing to ensure the continuity of their Race is their entire mission in life, but the resources in the Small Stone World are extremely scarce. They may perish with time if their population is not controlled. With their level of sentience, they might not understand the extinction of their entire Race, but they are still living creatures. It makes sense that they can instinctively sense the issue and take the corresponding measures to solve the problem!”
“Population control…” Yang Kai rubbed his chin as he pondered in silence. Everything that he witnessed earlier indicated that Yue He’s explanation made sense. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been cultivating and observing the environment in this place for more than 40 years, so it was only natural that they had a deeper understanding of this place compared to Yang Kai.
“The truth is that… Aside from the extremely unique cultivation environment here, we did not discover any valuable resources anywhere on the Small Stone World. We were initially confused by the situation, but we finally figured out the reason after realising that the Small Stone Race is scattered across the entire Small Stone World.”
Yue He explained quietly, “It might be that the Small Stone World used to have various resources, including cultivation materials. Unfortunately, these resources must have been devoured clean by the Small Stone Race. Although they can only feed on common ores nowadays, their reproductive ability is still too strong. It is necessary for them to control their population, and carrying out battles between different Clans is the best method to control their numbers.”
Upon hearing those words, Yang Kai nodded and said, “That makes sense. No wonder they fought so viciously just now only to stop and make peace abruptly. They even brought the corpses of their respective clansmen back to their nests.”
“There are no other living creatures in the Small Stone World apart from the Small Stone Race. If there is anything that can be said to be related to the unique cultivation environment in this world, then it can only be the Small Stone Race. It’s just that we have yet to figure out the relationship between the two,” Yue He said.
The World Force of a Universe World was closely related to its Heavenly Way and its World Principles. It was also closely related to the living creatures thriving within. Seeing as the only living creatures in the Small Stone World were the Small Stone Race, then the peculiarity of the World Force must be related to the Small Stone Race in some way.
Nevertheless, certain experiments would need to be carried out to verify this fact.
As soon as that thought crossed Yang Kai’s mind, his figure flickered. He came directly to the platform and stood in front of the Stone King. The Elite Guard patrolling the surroundings quickly noticed the abnormality and came charging towards him with a roar.
Even though he remained motionless though, Yang Kai’s Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura permeated the air. Space seemed to congeal, and the Small Stone Race Elite Guards immediately froze in place. They were unable to budge in the slightest. Then, Yang Kai wrapped his power around the Stone King, transferred him into his Small Universe, and placed him in a remote corner somewhere.
There were several million humans living in his Small Universe at this moment. Many cities and villages had also been established over the past 100 years or so, but many undeveloped areas still remained. Accommodating the Stone King was not an issue.
When the aura of the Stone King vanished, the entire Small Stone Race Clan panicked. Leaving aside the Elite Guard whom Yang Kai had immobilised, the rest of the Small Stone Race clansmen immediately began running around like headless flies. Horrified cries escaped from their mouths as they searched for the whereabouts of the Stone King.
Upon seeing this situation, Yang Kai decided to manifest the portal of his Small Universe. Traces of an oval gate immediately appeared in front of him, and the Stone King’s aura leaked out from within. The Small Stone Race clansmen that had been running around immediately snapped out of their panic like lost travellers who found their way and swiftly rushed towards the portal.
For a time, the entire nest was in chaos as the Small Stone Race clansmen plunged into Yang Kai’s Small Universe and vanished out of sight.
Under his watch, Yang Kai could clearly see that the initial group of Small Stone Race clansmen to rush into his Small Universe had gathered around the Stone King. They were working together as though attempting to carry the Stone King back to their original nest, but although it had been easy for them to enter, it was not the same when it came to leaving. How could they leave without Yang Kai’s approval? The portal he created through a Secret Technique was an entrance that only worked one way.
Yang Kai’s intentions were very simple. Since Yue He and the others had observed the situation for so many years but could not figure out the relationship between the Small Stone Race and the World Force of the Small Stone World, then he might as well transfer them into his Small Universe to investigate the situation. After all, even the slightest changes would not escape his perception in his Small Universe.
More and more of the Small Stone Race clansmen charged into the portal. This particular Small Stone Race Clan had quite a large population, about 3,000 members in total. Although they had experienced hundreds of casualties in the previous battle, those losses did not have much impact on the whole.
In less than an hour, all the Small Stone Race clansmen in the nest had poured into the portal and gathered around the Stone King. Panic spread out among the clansmen. Having been thrown into a whole new environment without any warning, it was only natural for them to have some difficulty adjusting.
Yang Kai carefully perceived the Small Stone Race, but could not detect what was different about them compared to other living beings. Nevertheless, now that the Small Stone Race had been migrated into his Small Universe, he would be able to discover something sooner or later as long as he waited patiently.
After that, Yang Kai brought all the unhatched stone eggs into his Small Universe and placed them beside the Small Stone Race clansmen. Only then did he beckon to Yue He, “Let’s go back.”
The two of them returned to the bamboo building where Zhou Ya was still waiting for them.
In the following days, there was nothing else to do. Yue He and Zhou Ya focused on their own cultivation, so there was no need to bother them for the moment. Meanwhile, Yang Kai monitored the Small Stone Race that he migrated into his Small Universe while scribbling something in the void in front of himself with his finger.
The New Great Territory was extremely large, and it had taken him half a month to travel from the Territory Gate to the Small Stone World with Hei He previously. Even so, this could only be considered the outer periphery of the New Great Territory. The inner region of the New Great Territory was even more expansive. As a result, it would take a lot of time to travel across the New Great Territory.
This was a problem that all Great Territories would face. Not everybody was proficient in the Dao of Space like Yang Kai, allowing them to rapidly move from one place to another. Throughout the various Great Territories, the best way for cultivators who wanted to travel quickly was to make use of Universe Temples.
Yang Kai was planning to build several Universe Temples in the New Great Territory to connect the entire New Great Territory together. In this way, his people would only need to transfer between the Universe Temples to travel quickly. There would be no need to waste so much time on the road again.
If it were in the past, he might have been at a loss for what to do, but after he was asked by the Cave Heavens and Paradises to fix the Universe Temples that had been in disrepair for many years, Yang Kai had gotten very knowledgeable about the mysteries of the Universe Array. If he really had to say, there was not much difference between a Universe Array and a Space Array. It was just that the Universe Array could function over a larger range than an ordinary Space Array.
For a Great Territory, the distance of several hundreds of billions of kilometres could not be covered by a Space Array; however, the Universe Array was different. As long as there were no obstructions, any two points could be connected together regardless of the distance.
Needless to say, the larger the distance, the greater the pressure faced when using the Universe Transference Law. If anybody were to try to travel across a distance too great for their physical body to bear, it was not uncommon for them to become heavily injured or even die before reaching the Universe Temple. That had been a common occurrence in early times, but nowadays, such occurrences were quite rare. That was because everybody would choose a suitable destination point and activate the Universe Transference Law according to their respective limits.
Yang Kai had already been planning on building these Universe Temples when he was back in Void Land, so he had instructed Bian Yu Qing to prepare enough supplies for him in advance. All he needed to do now was arrange a complete Universe Array, and then build a Universe Temple around it.
Yang Kai had been wondering as to where he should build the Universe Temple, but it would seem that the Small Stone World was no doubt a good choice.
The cultivation environment in this place was unique, so when the Universe Temple was completed in the future, the Open Heaven Realm Masters could return to this place to cultivate after accumulating fatigue from working hard outside. As for the locations of the other Universe Temples, Yang Kai would need to carefully survey the Great Territory before he came to a decision.
It took half a month for him to figure out the array pattern of the Universe Array and for everything to finally be ready.
During this half month, the Small Stone Race Clan that had been migrated into his Small Universe gradually adapted to their new environment. Yang Kai had deliberately chosen to place them in a mountain range when he migrated them into his Small Universe. At present, the Small Stone Race Clan had dug out a nest underneath a certain Spirit Peak and all the clansmen were living inside.
The new nest was not that different from the previous one. It was deep underground with a network of countless twists and turns. Thanks to the structured division of labour, the Small Stone Race clansmen were all performing their own tasks in an orderly manner.
After the past half month of careful observation, Yang Kai finally figured out the wonders of the Small Stone Race.
It was well-known that the survival and continuity of the living creatures in one’s Small Universe could be used to produce World Force and enhance the heritage of that cultivator. That was part of the reason why Yang Kai had placed the ten million people from Pear Flower Cave Heaven into his own Small Universe.
Pear Flower Cave Heaven had been destroyed, and those living there lost their home. Taking into account that his Small Universe was very stable because he had refined the World Spring, there was not much risk to place those people in his Small Universe. What’s more, their presence would continuously strengthen the heritage of his Small Universe.
Normal Open Heaven Realm Masters were generally unable to raise living beings in their Small Universe. It was not that they were disqualified to do so; it was just not worth the effort. Their Small Universe might become turbulent due to a battle with a powerful enemy, and there was a high possibility that all those living inside would suffer heavy casualties as a result. The losses would be impossible to recoup. That was why only Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm or above would even try to raise living beings in their Small Universe, as such Masters would rarely have any enemies to fight.
On the other hand, Yang Kai dared to do such a thing because he had refined the World Spring.
If those from Pear Flower Cave Heaven thriving in his Small Universe could continuously enhance the heritage of his Small Universe, then so could the Small Stone Race. Be that as it may, the benefits they both brought to his Small Universe were simply incomparable.
Yang Kai had carefully observed the benefits brought by similar numbers of Humans and the Small Stone Race clansmen, and during this past half month, there was practically a tenfold difference between them. In simple terms, having 3,000 Small Stone Race clansmen living in his Small Universe gave the same benefits as 30,000 Humans! That was an extremely terrifying comparison.
The situation would not have been so remarkable if that was the only difference. The key point was that the World Force produced from the survival and reproduction of the Small Stone Race was extremely pure. It could be said that they themselves were constantly producing extremely pure World Force.
Yang Kai was starting to understand why the Small Stone World was so special. It was all thanks to the Small Stone Race living there.
The entire Small Stone World had no other living creatures except the peculiar Small Stone Race. As the Small Stone Race thrived and reproduced in the Small Stone World, the World Force that they produced was similar to the powers of a World Fruit in that there were no impurities whatsoever. That was why the World Force was compatible with any Open Heaven Realm Master, as well as why it could easily be refined and absorbed.
After realising this point, Yang Kai suddenly had a very bold idea in his heart! This was just the result of bringing in one Small Stone Race Clan, so what would happen if he were to raise even more Small Stone Race Clans in his Small Universe? As long as there were enough of them, the heritage of his Small Universe would continue to grow stronger even if he did not cultivate.
The truth was that he had already begun to benefit from migrating those living in Pear Flower Cave Heaven into his Small Universe. It was just that not much time had lapsed, so the benefits were not that obvious.
On the contrary, the Small Stone Race could bring about ten times the benefits per individual. Yang Kai could almost imagine the scene where his cultivation soared steadily in the future. How wonderful would that be?
At present, he was not far from advancing into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, there was still the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm after the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was an extremely distant goal at the moment. While others might take tens of thousands of years or even longer to advance from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Yang Kai would only need to take several thousand years or shorter if his current plan worked out…
The Small Stone Race was undoubtedly an extremely precious treasure to Yang Kai. Looking at the fearless Small Stone Race again, while incredibly innocent and naïve, they also had a certain glow of wealth about them now.
In order to achieve his goal, Yang Kai would need to migrate enough of the Small Stone Race into his Small Universe; hence, he did not hesitate and acted immediately.
The Small Stone Race had a massive population in the Small Stone World, with many clans of varying sizes scattered across the Universe World. The larger Clans might number from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. In contrast, the smaller Clans might number only a few hundred. The Small Stone Race Clan that he previously brought into his Small Universe could be considered a relatively small Clan.
In the following month, Yang Kai travelled around the Small Stone World and collected numerous Small Stone Race Clans into his Small Universe. The population of the Small Stone Race in his Small Universe had reached nearly 10 million by the time the month was over.
Once he reached this number, Yang Kai finally stopped. It was not that he did not wish to take in even more. If possible, he wanted to collect all of the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World into his Small Universe; however, if he did that, then the treasured cultivation land that was the Small Stone World would lose its foundation. Such benefits could not be enjoyed by him alone.
What Yang Kai needed to figure out now was how to expand the Small Stone Race’s population. The growth of the various Small Stone Race Clans mainly depended on the reproductive abilities of the Stone King. In this aspect, they were similar to ants.
Yang Kai previously observed a Stone King devouring all kinds of ores and even the broken bodies of their own clansmen in order to gain the energy to reproduce; thus, it could be seen that the Stone Kings were not picky about their food. Even common ore could be eaten, so what else could they eat? What if they were fed with cultivation materials of varying Orders? Would that give the Stone King even greater reproductive abilities?
The Small Stone World probably contained cultivation resources in the past, it was just that all those cultivation resources had been eaten by the Small Stone Race. That was why Yue He and the others could not find anything of value in the Small Stone World. All they found was this strange existence they named the Small Stone Race.
Yang Kai split off a Soul Clone inside his Small Universe and stood inside the nest of the initial Small Stone Race Clan. With a flash of his thoughts, a piece of pale gold ore appeared in his hand. This was a Third-Order Metal Element material that was not that high in value.
He initially wanted to test if the Small Stone Race would be interested in such a material, but how could he have known that all the Small Stone Race clansmen in the nest would react as soon as he took out this item?
Countless Small Stone Race clansmen seemed to smell something in the air, and all of them turned their gazes in his direction. Even the Elite Guards patrolling around the Stone King stopped and looked his way. Meanwhile, the fat and bloated Stone King, who basically had no strength to move on his own, gave a strange cry that sounded extremely urgent.
Yang Kai couldn’t help raising his brow at the sight. Nevertheless, this situation proved that his conjecture was correct.
In the next moment, a dense wave of Small Stone Race clansmen poured towards him from all directions like the waves of the tide and surrounded him firmly in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai hurriedly dropped the material in his hand.
Unexpectedly, there was not much of a scramble over the material as one of the Small Stone Race clansmen happened to raise a hand and caught the fist-sized material, which he then quickly rushed over to the Stone King.
A short while later, he arrived in front of the Stone King. Holding out the material in his hand high above his head as though he was offering a treasure, he delivered the material to the Stone King’s mouth. The Stone King took a bite, then following some crunching sounds, he swallowed.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai paid close attention to the changes in the Stone King. The effects were almost instantaneous! The Stone King quickly began trembling after consuming the Third-Order Metal Element material. Just like what Yang Kai had observed previously, he seemed to clench hard with great force and a moment later, a stone egg fell from his posterior that was suspended in mid-air with a light pop.
The Small Stone Race clansman who had been waiting below picked up the stone egg and placed it in the specialised cave.
However, the Stone King’s movements had not stopped. His fat body continued trembling, expanding and contracting in intervals. After a half cup of tea’s time, another stone egg popped out.
This cycle continued non-stop for the next two hours. It wasn’t until he produced nearly 40 stone eggs that he finally stopped.
Yang Kai watched in delight, feeling extremely excited inside. [As I guessed. The cultivation materials of various Orders turned out to be very useful for the reproduction of the Small Stone Race!]
If a mere Third-Order material was enough to stimulate the Stone King to produce some 40 stone eggs, then a Fourth-Order or Fifth-Order material would surely produce even more stone eggs. Therefore, Yang Kai took out a Fourth-Order material followed by a Fifth-Order material to feed to the Stone King.
The results of his experiments showed his conjecture was correct.
After eating the Fourth-Order material the Stone King produced more than 130 stone eggs. On the other hand, he reproduced non-stop for several days to produce more than 500 stone eggs after consuming a Fifth-Order material!
Hence, the reproduction issue of the Small Stone Race could be considered to be resolved. There was no need to worry about expanding the population of the Small Stone Race as long as the Stone King was given enough cultivation resources. Moreover, the increase in the Small Stone Race population would be highly beneficial to both the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe and the Small Stone World.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai discovered something from his experiment. Feeding the Stone King Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order materials was not cost-effective.
When it came to materials of various Orders, the value of materials that were one Order higher was generally ten times the value of materials that were one Order lower. In comparison, the number of stone eggs produced by the Stone King after eating Third-Order, Fourth-Order, and Fifth-Order materials was far less than 10 times the difference.
When the Stone King consumed a Third-Order material, he had produced some 40 stone eggs. Conversely, with a Fourth-Order material he had produced slightly over 130 stone eggs, whereas with a Fifth-Order material, he had produced slightly over 500 stone eggs…
There was only a three to four-times difference between these results, which was vastly inconsistent with the difference between the value of the materials themselves.
By comparison, feeding the Stone King with Third-Order materials was the most cost-effective by far. That was because cost performance was higher and Third-Order materials were generally more abundant. Void Land itself had a huge demand for Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order materials. Whether it was for the disciples’ cultivation or advancement, these materials would all come into play.
Yang Kai did not have any First-Order or Second-Order materials in his possession, so he could not experiment with them. Nonetheless, judging by the Stone King’s appetite that never turned down anything, First-Order and Second-Order materials would definitely be useful too.
He collected almost 1,000 Small Stone Race Clans into his Small Universe one month ago, and seeing as each Clan had its own Stone King, there were over 1,000 Stone Kings in his Small Universe. If he wanted to nurture the Clans and expand their population through reproduction, then he would surely need large amounts of cultivation resources. Not to mention, the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World also had to be nurtured.
Fortunately, High Heaven Palace and Void Land had large businesses and abundant resources, so what was this price compared to the benefits that could be gained in the future?
Besides, the Stone Kings were not picky towards cultivation resources. First-Order, Second-Order, and Third-Order materials could all be used. More importantly, materials below the Third Order were of little significance to Open Heaven Realm Masters. Yang Kai had originally thought of sending these materials to Great Evolution Paradise and tossing them all into the Good Fortune Divine Furnace to see if he could get materials of higher Order, but in contrast, it would now seem that using them to feed the Stone Kings was a much better choice. Tossing these materials into the Good Fortune Divine Furnace might not yield any profit in return, but feeding the Stone Kings would surely result in even more of the Small Stone Race.
Thankfully, Yang Kai had many materials already in his possession, so with a flash of his thoughts, he divided all the Third-Order materials among the 1,000 Stone Kings and placed these resources in their respective nests. Only then did he withdraw his Soul Clone.
Inside the bamboo building, Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes. Yue He and Zhou Ya were meditating and cultivating beside him.
He woke them both and said, “I’ve figured out the situation in the Small Stone World.”
The two women immediately looked at him in curiosity, so he explained his experiments and speculations to them. After listening to Yang Kai’s explanation, they revealed looks of understanding.
They had guessed that the unique cultivation environment of the Small Stone World was closely related to the Small Stone Race, but since there were no Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, they had no means of collecting the Small Stone Race into their Small Universe for observation and could not confirm their hypothesis.
Yang Kai’s words undoubtedly confirmed their previous speculations, and it was only at this moment that they finally understood the reason why the Small Stone World was so special. It was all because of the existence of the Small Stone Race.
“We need to expand the population of the Small Stone Race. In order to control their population, they even go so far as to wage war with each other to reduce their numbers. That indicates that they instinctively realise that the materials in this world would not support them for much longer. They have no means of leaving the Small Stone World to search for resources, but it would be different if we helped,” Yang Kai said a little excitedly, “I’ve already done some experiments. A Stone King births dozens of stone eggs after consuming a Third-Order material and over 100 stone eggs after consuming a Fourth-Order material. As long as the resources are in sufficient supply, it will not be a problem to help them expand their population.
“Once the Small Stone Race population in this world increases to a certain level, the World Force will also become more abundant. When that happens, this World will be able to support more than two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating at the same time. It might even be possible for 10 or more Masters to cultivate here at the same time. This place will become a veritable cultivation paradise where any Open Heaven Realm Master can quickly improve their cultivation.
“Also, the benefits brought about by the Small Stone Race become even greater if we collect them and raise them in our Small Universe! Compared to raising the same number of other living creatures, they bring about ten times more benefit to the Small Universe!”
Both Yue He and Zhou Ya knew that Yang Kai’s Small Universe had fully materialized, so their beautiful eyes immediately brightened upon hearing those words.
Zhou Ya said, “We previously discovered one of the Twelve Minor Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo, in the New Great Territory, and now, we have the Small Stone Race. They are simply a perfect match!”
Similarly, Yue He nodded, “With the Profound Yin Bamboo supporting our Small Universes, they will become more stable. If we were to raise some Small Stone Race in our Small Universes on top of that, our heritage would increase steadily even without spending time to cultivate!”
The two women exchanged a glance with each other and could almost imagine the scene in the not-too-distant future where all the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace placed these two treasures in their Small Universes.
More importantly, both the Profound Yin Bamboo and the Small Stone Race could be cultivated, so as long as these resources were managed carefully, they could be said to be inexhaustible. With the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace enjoying such advantages, how could there be any worries for the future?
“That’s why you need to work harder and advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm as soon as possible.” Yang Kai laughed, “But, the top priority at the moment is to obtain some supplies from High Heaven Palace.”
Yang Kai thus turned to look at Yue He, “Yue He, go and pay a visit to the Head Manager. Gather all the materials in the Third Order and below that are not being used by High Heaven Palace at the moment and bring them here.”
“En!” Yue He nodded and hurriedly turned to leave. She knew that this matter should be handled as soon as possible. The sooner they invested in this venture, the sooner they could all benefit from the Small Stone World.
Yang Kai turned to look at Zhou Ya, “You need to take a trip too. Find all the people who are exploring the area nearby and ask them to send over all the harvested materials in the Third Order and below. In addition, relay the message to everyone else. From now onward, all the materials in the Third Order and below that are harvested will be delivered here. There’s no need to send them back to High Heaven Palace.”
Nurturing the Small Stone Race was a long-term project. This process would definitely consume many resources in the future, but the New Great Territory should be able to satisfy these requirements. In any case, the value of materials in the Third Order and below was not that substantial. Using them on the Small Stone World would be perfect.
Zhou Ya nodded, “Big Brother and the others are not far from here. I’ll go there now.”
The ‘Big Brother’ she was referring to was none other than Mao Zhe.
Yang Kai waited in place for close to three days. Then, a huge ship broke through the clouds and hovered in mid-air. Several figures flew out from that ship and came in this direction.
When those figures approached, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, and Zhou Ya bowed in unison, “Sir!”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’m sure you’re already aware of the situation.”
Mao Zhe said excitedly, “We’ve heard about the news. Sir, what do we do now?”
He couldn’t help but be enthusiastic. If the matter related to the Small Stone World was handled properly, it would benefit all the Open Heaven Realm Masters under Yang Kai’s command. Mao Zhe was only one step away from the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so if he could cultivate in the Small Stone World, he would surely be able to advance faster.
“How many materials in the Third Order and below do you have here?” Yang Kai asked.
Mao Zhe causally reported a number.
Yang Kai raised his brow when he heard the number and commented, “That’s quite a lot. It will probably last for quite some time.”
Yue He was already on her way back to High Heaven Palace, so it would not take too long before she returned with even more materials.
A short while later, dozens of Open Heaven Realms of varying Orders flew out from the ship. They each carried different amounts of materials in the Third Order and below and began scattering them across the Small Stone World to feed the Stone Kings.
Mao Zhe and the others did not stay for long either. When all the members returned, they set off again and headed deeper into the New Great Territory to continue developing this frontier land.
After waiting for another month or so, Yue He finally returned together with Hua Qing Si.
The matter regarding the Small Stone World was extremely important. It was not that Hua Qing Si had not paid attention to this matter in the past, but rather that she had not understood the specific situation here. Now that Yang Kai had discovered the truth, it was only natural that she wanted to investigate the situation in person.
They brought even more materials with them on this trip. All the materials in the Third Order and below that had been stored in High Heaven Palace all these years had been brought over. Thus, the number was simply astounding.
Furthermore, Hua Qing Si had ordered her subordinates to make large-scale purchases of the materials in the Third Order and below from High Heaven Star City. At the same time, she sent a message to Void Land so that they could also deliver the materials in the Third Order and below over to the Small Stone World.
Third-Order and below materials were extremely abundant in the 3,000 Worlds, but aside from the Third-Order materials, the First-Order and Second-Order materials were basically worthless.
If a cultivator had the aptitude to advance into the Open Heaven Realm at all, then it would generally not be difficult for them to ascend directly to the Third-Order Open Heaven Realm under normal circumstances. Only those whose aptitudes were too poor or could not obtain cultivation materials would choose to advance to the First or Second-Order Open Heaven Realm.
For that reason, there would always be a large surplus of First-Order and Second-Order materials regardless of the Sect or Great Territory. Naturally, it was not difficult for High Heaven Palace to acquire these materials. There would definitely be many people who were willing to sell the Low-Order materials in their possession.
Hua Qing Si personally went to investigate several Small Stone Race Nests and witnessed how the Stone Kings reproduced after eating the materials with her own eyes. Hence, she couldn’t help feeling amazed. [The Heavens have blessed High Heaven Palace and Void Land!]
She could not believe that the New Great Territory would have such a peculiar living creature like the Small Stone Race. In the future, it was practically impossible for the cultivation of the Open Heaven Realm Masters from High Heaven Palace and Void Land to progress slowly.
Hua Qing Si went up to Yang Kai who was busy working and declared, “Sect Master, I’m afraid we need a designated person to manage the Small Stone World.”
Yang Kai put his work down and nodded in agreement, “That’s what I was thinking too. I was just about to discuss this matter with you.”
The Small Stone Race’s population was incredibly large, and if they wanted the Small Stone Race to multiply rapidly and expand their population further, they would need to have somebody here to constantly feed them on a regular schedule. To that end, they would need a designated person to manage this matter.
“What do you think?” Yang Kai asked.
Hua Qing Si quickly replied, “I’ve travelled around the Small Stone World over the past few days. This Universe World is so vast that the land is several times larger than the Star Boundary. If you wish to manage this place, you will need at least 20 Masters present at all times. My suggestion is to divide the Small Stone World into twenty regions and then select twenty Third or Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Sect and assign them to a specific area. In this way, they will not be overworked and would have time to cultivate. I chose Third-Order or Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters for this task because the heritage of the Small Stone World is not that strong at the moment. If the Order is too high, the consumption when cultivating in this World will be too great. It may affect the increase of the Small Stone World’s heritage.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “You have given great consideration to the matter, Head Manager. Good, we’ll use a complement of 10 Third-Order and 10 Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. We’ll consider it a benefit to them.”
Hua Qing Si pursed her lips into a smile, “I’m certain many people will be jumping at the opportunity to come here.”
The Small Stone World was such an excellent cultivation environment, so who would not want to come? It was just that High Heaven Palace was putting great effort into exploring and developing the New Great Territory, so almost all the Open Heaven Realm Masters were dispatched as a result, leaving most no chance to come and cultivate in the Small Stone World even if they wanted to. But now, 20 people were needed to manage the Small Stone World. How could they not compete for these 20 spots?
Unfortunately, the troublesome task of choosing 20 people to come here belonged to her.
“Perhaps, we should let them take turns. We can set a fixed duration. When that duration expires, someone else will take over.” Hua Qing Si muttered in a pensive tone.
“You can come up with a plan for this matter on your own. This situation is temporary anyway. When the Small Stone Race’s population increases to a certain extent, the conditions in this World will definitely be able to satisfy even more people cultivating here at the same time. The quota will not be such a competition by then.”
Hua Qing Si nodded, “When that time comes, the disciples can use their Sect Contribution Points to exchange for the qualification to enter Small Stone World.”
After a brief conversation with Yang Kai, Hua Qing Si formed a rough idea of the plans for the Small Stone World’s future. She suddenly looked at him and asked curiously, “Sect Master, what are you doing? Should I summon people over to help you?”
Yang Kai just shook his head, “Others won’t be of help. I’m planning to set up a Universe Array here.”
“A Universe Array!?” Hua Qing Si’s eyes lit up at his words. She had always remained in the Star Boundary and had basically never taken a step outside, let alone travelled the vast 3,000 Worlds. However, it did not mean that she lacked common knowledge about the Outer Universe.
It was only natural that she had heard of the Universe Array, which was the central Grand Array of the Universe Temples.
Almost every single Great Territory in the 3,000 Worlds had their own Universe Temple where cultivators could transfer to, thereby reducing their travel time by a significant margin.
It was a pity to hear that those Universe Temples were ancient creations and that the Universe Array itself was shrouded in mystery. As such, some Universe Temples in the 3,000 Worlds had lost their function as transit points due to long years of disrepair because the Cave Heavens and Paradises had no way to repair them.
[I can’t believe Sect Master has the ability to arrange a Universe Array here! Does that not mean that he has figured out the mysteries of the Universe Temple!? If that’s the case, it’s a huge boon for High Heaven Palace!]
With a Universe Temple acting as a transit point, the development of the New Great Territory would surely progress much faster. It would also be more convenient for High Heaven Palace disciples to travel back and forth.
“Arranging a Universe Array should cost a lot, right? Sect Master, do you need any material support?” Hua Qing Si asked.
“Before coming here, I already took adequate supplies from Second Manager. There should be enough supplies to set up three Arrays, so I don’t need anything for the time being. I will come to you if I need something.”
She nodded.
“Right!” Yang Kai suddenly recalled something, “How have the Cave Heavens and Paradises reacted to the matters involving the Good Fortune Divine Furnace?”
Hua Qing Si quickly reported, “Elder Yu came to discuss this matter with me once, but there seems to be no consensus among the Cave Heavens and Paradises yet.”
Yang Kai laughed when he heard those words, “They sure are in no hurry!”
Hua Qing Si nodded, “There is still quite a lot of time until the disciples they recruited from the Star Boundary fully mature, so they are in no hurry.”
“Good, just leave them hanging,” Yang Kai replied nonchalantly.
In any case, Void Land was currently using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, so the longer it took for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to come to a consensus, the more High-Order materials Void Land would obtain. Otherwise, Void Land would not have a turn when the Cave Heavens and Paradises began using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
“Sect Master, if they reach a consensus and come to discuss the matter with me again, how should I respond?” Hua Qing Si asked.
As things stood, Yang Kai would not be returning for some time. Arranging the Universe Arrays was by no means an overnight effort after all. It would take a long time to complete.
Yang Kai pondered for a while before he responded, “The rights to enter their Small Source Worlds for training must be obtained! Void Land has so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and it will take a long time for them to advance into the next Order without opportunities. Besides, there will only be more Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters emerging in the future. Their growth period will be shortened significantly with the use of those Small Source Worlds. For that reason, there’s no need to discuss anything if they refuse to agree on this point.”
She nodded.
He continued, “There’s no reason for them to disagree since the Cave Heavens and Paradises each have more than one Small Source World. It’s just the right to enter their Small Source Worlds once per turn after all. There’s no reason for them to stubbornly refuse. Well… We can make some concessions on the duration they can use the furnace. The previous condition I offered was one month’s right of use in exchange for one right of entry into the Small Source World. If they try and discuss this matter with you again, three months is the bottom line! Any longer, and they will have to wait for my return.”
“I understand!” Hua Qing Si said in acknowledgement.
Yang Kai thus waved his hand lightly, “Good, you should get back to your work.”
“This Mistress will take her leave now.” After saying so, she soared into the sky and returned the way she came.
As Head Manager, there were many things that Hua Qing Si had to deal with. Leaving aside matters of the distant future, just looking at the near term, she had to choose 20 Open Heaven Realm Masters to manage the Small Stone World, arrange for High Heaven Star City to purchase materials in the Third-Order and below, and negotiate with the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Most of High Heaven Palace’s burden rested on her slender shoulders.
With Yang Kai’s current capabilities, it would not take more than half a day for him to set up a normal-scale Space Array with enough resources; however, it took him three whole months to arrange the new Universe Array.
Although the Universe Arrays and the Space Arrays basically came from the same source and had many similarities, the Universe Array was undoubtedly more complex and sophisticated. In addition, Yang Kai was arranging a Universe Array for the first time. As he was unfamiliar with the method, he would occasionally make mistakes and his efforts for the past few days would be in vain whenever that happened.
Nevertheless, he finished setting up the first Universe Array after three months of hard work. The Universe Array was located directly on the Small Stone World, close to the bamboo building where Yue He, Zhou Ya, and the others were cultivating. Using a Secret Technique to leave his Imprint in the Grand Array, he immediately soared into the sky.
Now that the Universe Array was completed, the next step was to verify its effects. Matters like these could not be done by others because the consequences would be extremely serious if something were to go wrong. On the other hand, Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, so even if he activated the Universe Transference Law and discovered a problem, he would at least be able to protect himself.
He travelled swiftly, and under the urging of Space Principles, his figure flickered as he left behind a trail of Space Beacons in his wake.
Exactly half a day later, a Grand Hall suddenly appeared in the void. The Grand Hall was huge, and the entire building was built on an abandoned Spirit Province. Even though it was obvious that the Grand Hall was built recently, there was nobody here.
Standing in front of the Grand Hall, Yang Kai looked around briefly. Only then did he raise his hands and form a set of seals to activate the Universe Transference Law. He could vaguely sense a connection with something in a far-off place, which was the exact direction where the Small Stone World’s Universe Array was located. When this feeling emerged, Yang Kai knew that there were no issues with the Universe Array he set up earlier.
He had spent more than 20 years repairing the Universe Temples that had long lost their function after years of disrepair. The ability to repair the Universe Temples indicated that he had already figured out the mysteries within them, so it was not a problem for him to set one up now.
There was no resistance, and his figure vanished from the spot three breaths later. By the time he came back to his senses, Yang Kai was already standing on the Universe Array in the Small Stone World.
Yue He had been waiting by the side all this time and her eyes immediately lit up at the sight of him as she looked at him in anticipation, “Young Master, is it done?”
Yang Kai nodded, “It’s done. But, using the Universe Transference Law is as time-consuming as ever.”
Even for a person like him who was proficient in the Dao of Space, using the Universe Transference Law took three full breaths before he was transferred back here. If it were anybody else, the duration would have been even longer.
This little bit of time would not matter under normal circumstances, but in a dangerous situation, such as being pursued by a powerful enemy, even a single breath could be the difference between life and death, much less three. That was why very few people in the Great Territories would use the Universe Transference Law to escape when being pursued. There was no chance for them to use the Universe Temples at all, unless they could find a way to escape from their enemies and create the space and time needed to activate the Universe Transference Law.
“There’s no helping it. The distance is too large when transferring to a Universe Temple. It’s only natural that it will take some time.”
Yang Kai pensively muttered, “The Universe Transference Law was passed down from ancient times. It is a Secret Technique specially used to communicate with the Universe Arrays. If we can figure out a method to modify the Universe Transference Law, we might be able to shorten the time taken.”
Yue He just laughed, “In that case, you will need to work hard on your own, Young Master. When it comes to the Dao of Space, there are not many people in the 3,000 Worlds who can help.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Arrange for somebody to build a Universe Temple around the Grand Array. Also, instruct the people who are still in this area to find an opportunity to leave their Soul Imprint here. That way, it will be much more convenient for them to travel back and forth in the future.”
“Don’t worry, Young Master. I will handle it properly!” She nodded.
Now that the central Universe Array had been completed, building a Universe Temple around it to protect it did not require any special skills. Anybody could do something like that.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai teleported with the help of the trail of Space Beacons that he left behind earlier and quickly returned to the Grand Hall from earlier.
During the three months that he spent setting up the first Universe Array, he had already asked his subordinates to construct two other Universe Temples in the New Great Territory beforehand. This Grand Hall was one of them while the other one was located close to the Territory Gate.
This arrangement was mainly to facilitate travel across the New Great Territory. When all three Universe Temples were finished, the speed at which the cultivators developed the New Great Territory would definitely increase by several times.
After entering the Universe Temple, Yang Kai took a rest for a few days before he started arranging the next Universe Array. The first Universe Array had taken him three months to complete, but practice made perfect in everything; therefore, the second Universe Array only took him two months to complete.
He tested the Grand Array in person again, and once he confirmed that there were no issues with the Universe Array, he headed to the Small Stone World to look for Yue He and asked her to arrange for somebody to guard the Universe Temple. After that, he rushed to the Universe Temple by the Territory Gate without stopping.
After another two months, the Universe Array at the Territory Gate was also successfully completed.
The three Universe Temples formed a triangle across the New Great Territory, covering more than half of its area. The Open Heaven Realm Masters of Void Land could freely choose any of the three Universe Temples as their destinations when they used the Universe Transference Law as long as they were in the New Great Territory.
Based on these different locations, Yang Kai divided the three Universe Temples into A, B, and C to distinguish between them. The one near the New Great Territory’s Gate was Universe Temple A, the one in the Small Stone World was Universe Temple B, and the last one in the further depths of the New Great Territory was Universe Temple C.
There had never been a Great Territory with so many Universe Temples before, so nobody could be certain as to what the outcome would be if the Universe Transference Law was activated in such a situation.
Fortunately, Yang Kai’s personal experimentation showed that he could subtly sense all three Universe Temples if he activated the Universe Transference Law in the New Great Territory. By focusing on one particular Universe Temple, he could successfully transfer himself to it. It was no trouble at all.
After half a year, the population of the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World had expanded to a certain extent, and the Small Stone World’s heritage was also enhanced accordingly.
Large batches of materials in the Third Order and below were steadily delivered to the Small Stone World. The Open Heaven Realm Masters in charge of managing the Small Stone Race were in charge of feeding these materials to the Small Stone Race. The Stone Kings in their respective nests practically laid 100 to 200 stone eggs a day now. If that was the case for one Clan, then there would be even more with thousands or tens of thousands of Clans.
The Small Stone Race that Yang Kai migrated away from the Small Stone World had more than been made up for.
Previously, the Small Stone World could only support two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters cultivating at the same time, but the current Small Stone World could support three with no trouble, and that was already after taking the Third and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters managing the Small Stone Race in the Small Stone World into account.
The growth of the Small Stone World’s heritage could easily be seen.
The same held true for Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
When High Heaven Palace previously delivered massive amounts of materials in the Third Order and below to the Small Stone World, Yang Kai had directly taken half of them and tossed them into his Small Universe. The materials were divided equally and scattered around the nests of the Small Stone Race.
Yang Kai no longer needed to feed them in person. In any case, the Small Stone Race clansmen would automatically search for resources, so as long as he tossed the materials nearby, there was no need to worry too much about them.
In the past half year, the number of the Small Stone Race clansmen in his Small Universe had increased from 10 million to 12 million. The unique Small Stone Race seemed capable of growing infinitely in number as long as they had enough resources. With every passing moment, the heritage of Yang Kai’s Small Universe was steadily growing stronger; hence, he also benefited from this growth.
The same numbers of Small Stone Race could bring 10 times more benefits to him compared to any other living creatures.
In the past, Yang Kai had been planning to search for an opportunity to raise even more Humans in his Small Universe; however, there was no such need anymore. Why would he need any other living creatures when he already had the Small Stone Race? What other living creatures could possibly bring more benefits than the Small Stone Race?
Yang Kai also took the time to look at the Profound Yin Bamboo, one of the Twelve Minor Pillars.
It was a dark and gloomy Universe World with no signs of living creatures whatsoever, and the Profound Yin Bamboo was located at the spot where all the World Energy in the Universe World seemed to converge. It was as though all the energy in the world was being used to support the existence of this particular Minor Universe Pillar.
There were not many stalks of Profound Yin Bamboo, only around a dozen or so, but each of them was as tall as a man.
Yang Kai tentatively relocated one of the Profound Yin Bamboo into his Small Universe.
Seeing as he already had the World Spring in his Small Universe, which was one of the Four Great Universe Pillars, his Small Universe was already extremely stable, so there was no need for him to use the Profound Yin Bamboo. The only reason for his action was to personally verify the effects and special characteristics of the Profound Yin Bamboo, lest the Open Heaven Realm Masters suffered from any mistakes when they collected and refined the Profound Yin Bamboo after advancing into the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm.
Moreover, Yang Kai deliberately placed the Profound Yin Bamboo next to one of the largest Small Stone Race Clans. This Clan had nearly 100,000 clansmen, so it was second to none compared to the other Small Stone Race Clans. The World Force produced by this particular Clan was naturally very rich.
As soon as he planted the Profound Yin Bamboo, Yang Kai immediately frowned.
It was not that the Profound Yin Bamboo was incompatible with the environment in his Small Universe. As one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars, the Profound Yin Bamboo was compatible with anybody’s Small Universe.
What made him frown was that the Profound Yin Bamboo seemed to be devouring the heritage of his Small Universe and turning that into its own growth nutrients.
That was very different from the World Spring. Refining the World Spring had not produced any such problems whatsoever.
When he realised that the World Spring and the Profound Yin Bamboo were completely different in the first place, Yang Kai relaxed slightly and began to wait quietly.
The Profound Yin Bamboo broke through the ground after a month. The World Force that was being devoured also increased with its growth, becoming more and more with time. Although the overall amount was not great, it was still a constant drain.
Who could withstand such consumption? When an Open Heaven Realm Master wanted to advance to the next Order, they needed to spend long years accumulating the heritage of their Small Universe, but if they planted the Profound Yin Bamboo in their Small Universe, it would be equivalent to feeding a ferocious beast that was benefitting from the heritage of their Small Universe. That would inevitably slow down the speed of their cultivation progress.
Yang Kai’s brow furrowed tightly together. If this was all the Profound Yin Bamboo did, it would never have been listed as part of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars. This was nothing more than a slow-acting poison to any Open Heaven Realm Master. Nevertheless, he patiently continued his observations.
The growth of the Profound Yin Bamboo was closely related to the World Force it consumed. Yang Kai tentatively tried to inject the power of his Small Universe into the Profound Yin Bamboo and discovered that he could increase the speed of its growth.
Another month passed, and the Profound Yin Bamboo finally grew to the height of a person. At this point, it finally showed some changes. The speed at which it was devouring the World Force became extremely slow. In fact, it was reduced to a point where it was practically negligible. Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief. If it was at this kind of rate, then the consumption was bearable. It would only take refining some Open Heaven Pills regularly to replenish the lost energy.
Following a series of experiments, Yang Kai discovered the differences between the Profound Yin Bamboo and the World Spring.
The effects of the World Spring, which was one of the Four Universe Pillars, was undoubtedly much stronger. He only needed to refine and integrate the World Spring with his Small Universe for the World Spring to strengthen and enhance it. There was no other price to pay.
On the other hand, the Profound Yin Bamboo was different. During its growth period, there was a need for the Profound Yin Bamboo to devour the Small Universe’s World Force and convert it into nutrients for its growth. The situation would only get better when it reached maturity.
Looking at the situation, it would seem that a cultivator would only need to pay the price to nurture the Profound Yin Bamboo for it to benefit their Small Universe.
Nevertheless, it was just as Yue He had mentioned. The Profound Yin Bamboo needed to exist on a large scale to be useful. One or two stalks did not prove to be very effective.
Fortunately, it was not difficult to make the Profound Yin Bamboo reproduce. Just like how a normal bamboo grew, it only needed enough nutrients for a single stalk of bamboo to grow into a whole bamboo forest.
With these special characteristics of the Profound Yin Bamboo, it was in line with being listed among the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars.
When the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land and High Heaven Palace advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, they would only need to consume some of their Small Universe’s heritage to nurture a Profound Yin Bamboo Forest. Nobody would refuse this level of sacrifice compared to the benefits that they would gain.
When it came down to it, the effects of the Profound Yin Bamboo would never be as strong as the World Spring no matter how much it reproduced. The two of them were not of the same grade in the first place.
Yang Kai did not remove the Profound Yin Bamboo from his Small Universe. On the contrary, he continuously poured his strength into it so that it reproduced even faster even though the Profound Yin Bamboo did not help him in any way.
Looking ahead into the future, Void Land and High Heaven Palace would surely generate countless Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Everybody would eventually need some, so it would be better to nurture as many of the Profound Yin Bamboo as possible now. It would be bad if there was not enough to go around when the time came.
Another month passed and Yang Kai was investigating the growth of the Small Stone Race population in the Small Stone World when a figure sped over from afar.
When the figure landed nearby, his fat body jiggled like a giant meatball. He ran over to Yang Kai in surprising agile steps and cupped his fist, “Subordinate Chen Tian Fei greets Sir!”
Looking up, Yang Kai swept a gaze over Chen Tian Fei and joked, “It’s been a few years since we last met, fatty. You’ve gotten even rounder.”
The blubber on Chen Tian Fei’s face bunched up into a smile and his small eyes were squeezed together so much that they were nowhere to be seen. He then spoke flatteringly, “It’s all thanks to you, Sir. This subordinate is living a good and carefree life with delicious food and beautiful clothes. That’s why I put on a little weight.”
His obesity was related to the Secret Art he cultivated. The larger his body, the stronger the power he could exert. Although he had been forced to submit himself to the Loyalty List and lost his freedom as a result, Yang Kai had never made things difficult for him over the years. Conversely, the development of Void Land and High Heaven Palace had allowed his cultivation to progress smoothly.
Over the years, he had become increasingly grateful for the choice he made back then. Even though he was listed as a slave in the Loyalty List, his future was undoubtedly more promising than the time when he served as Second Manager in Scarlet Star.
“I see.” Yang Kai nodded, “Is there something you need from me?”
Chen Tian Fei’s expression became solemn, “The Head Manager sent this subordinate to invite you back.” He lowered his voice as though afraid that others might hear him and whispered sneakily, “The Head Manager mentioned that the negotiations with the Cave Heavens and Paradises have reached a conclusion. She asks that you return and decide as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding, “I got it.”
Yang Kai had spent a long time at the Small Stone World without returning, so the Cave Heavens and Paradises were bound to become anxious; after all, the last time he left, he vanished for 30 years. If he vanished for another few decades or even hundreds of years, who would they discuss the matter relating to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with?
They originally planned to leave Yang Kai hanging so that he would lower his price, but who could have known that he was in no hurry at all? Seeing as Yang Kai was not anxious, the Cave Heavens and Paradises became anxious instead. Moreover, they could not enter the New Great Territory. They had no idea what Yang Kai was doing inside or how long they would need to wait for him to return.
“Sir, is there anything this subordinate can do?” Chen Tian Fei asked solemnly, “This subordinate is willing to climb a mountain of swords and cross a sea of fire for you. Even if I have to sacrifice this fat body, I am willing to complete your orders.”
Yang Kai smiled and lightly patted Chen Tian Fei’s stomach. A ripple of meaty waves immediately spread out, “What I want you to do is simple. Just keep on cultivating hard. We were too weak and small in the past, so the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm was acceptable. Unfortunately, Void Land and High Heaven Palace are on a different scale now. The Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm is not enough. You should hurry up and advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Chen Tian Fei’s expression immediately became bitter, “Sir, as you know, the cultivation of an Open Heaven Realm Master is all about accumulation. It’s not that this subordinate does not wish to hurry up. It’s just that my accumulation is simply not enough. This subordinate is devastated too.”
Yang Kai pondered for a moment and said, “Forget it. You don’t need to return to High Heaven Palace for now. Just find a place to cultivate in the Small Stone World. You are not allowed to leave until you reach the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Tian Fei’s eyes filled with tears and he sobbed gratefully, “Sir, you took such good care of this subordinate. This subordinate vows to devote his entire life to you in return!”
He was truly moved.
Back then, both Chen Tian Fei and Lu Xue had submitted to Yang Kai, but the difference was that Chen Tian Fei left his name on the Loyalty List as a slave while Lu Xue took the initiative to join Yang Kai.
Both of them had been in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm at the time, while Yang Kai was only in the Emperor Realm! However, Lu Xue left on a trip with Yang Kai and returned in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Conversely, Chen Tian Fei remained stuck in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Yang Kai later took in Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, and Luan Bai Feng. They were all powerful Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Thus, Chen Tian Fei couldn’t help feeling a sense of crisis. His cultivation was simply too low in comparison. The rest were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he was only in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Even Hei He was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He knew that there were only nine pages in the Loyalty List. In other words, Yang Kai could only accept nine slaves! Now that all nine pages had been filled, would he be disdained and abandoned by Yang Kai because his strength was too low? If he was truly abandoned, then he would not be able to continue living.
Once a person left their name on the Loyalty List, their name could not be removed unless they advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, the Loyalty List’s owner took the initiative to remove it, or they simply died!
For that reason, Fatty Chen had been living on the edge for all these years. He was scared that he would simply drop dead one day. That was why he always presented himself in a flattering manner every time he met Yang Kai. He was afraid that Yang Kai would consider him useless and decide to abandon him.
Now though, Yang Kai had allowed him to remain in the Small Stone World to cultivate, so it could be seen that Yang Kai had no thoughts of abandoning him at all. How could he not be emotional? The fear that he had been carrying in his heart all these years was finally resolved.
What’s more, this was the Small Stone World! Who among the Open Heaven Realm Masters in High Heaven Palace did not know about the wonders of the Small Stone World? All of them had worked hard to accumulate contribution points just to compete for the 20 slots to manage the Small Stone Race. It was a pity that only 20 people were chosen out of the 2,000 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters. Only a few people were destined to be the lucky ones.
Now that Yang Kai had spoken, Chen Tian Fei was also one of them. Not to mention, he did not even need to take care of the Small Stone Race, he only needed to find a quiet spot and focus on cultivating in retreat!
Chen Tian Fei was tempted to put his hands on his hips, throw his head back, and howl with laughter to show his happiness.
“Scram, scram!” Yang Kai kicked Chen Tian Fei in the butt.
Sure enough, Chen Tian Fei rolled over several times like a ball. Only then did he scramble to his feet and fled out of sight. Watching Chen Tian Fei’s departure, Yang Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. [Should I bring Yun Xing Hua over too?]
Among the nine people listed in his Loyalty List, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, and Luan Bai Feng were in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Hei He and Xin Peng were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Only Chen Tian Fei and Yun Xing Hua belonged in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
He had not felt anything about it in the past, but as his strength steadily improved and the number of Masters Yang Kai came into contact with increased, a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master became indeed a little undesirable.
Upon further consideration though, he decided against the idea. Yun Xing Hua had been assisting Mo Mei in Void Star City all this time after all.
He dropped by to greet Yue He, then he activated the Universe Transference Law and arrived directly at Universe Temple A that was located near the Territory Gate.
Yue He had already arranged for several Open Heaven Realm Masters to guard this place, so when they noticed Yang Kai’s appearance, they bowed respectfully, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai nodded and casually made some encouraging remarks to them before he headed straight towards the Territory Gate.
A short while later, he arrived at High Heaven Palace. The first thing he did was visit his Parents and check on the cultivation situation of his two Disciples.
Zhao Ya was as dazzlingly talented as ever. Even though it had only been half a year since she arrived at the Star Boundary, she had already advanced by three Minor Realms. It could be seen just how terrifying her aptitude was.
Naturally, it was also related to the extremely favourable cultivation environment in the Star Boundary. While inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, she would not have been able to advance so quickly even if she did not deliberately try to suppress her cultivation.
In comparison, Zhao Ye Bai seemed a little pitiful. His cultivation was lower than Zhao Ya’s by several Great Realms, so it stood to reason that the speed of his cultivation should be much faster than hers. Even so, he only managed to advance by two Minor Realms.
After asking some questions and resolving certain issues that the two little ones faced during their cultivation, Yang Kai left.
He had not informed anybody about his return, but the representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had clearly sensed his aura. It didn’t take long before Hua Qing Si came to report, “Sect Master, Elder Yu has sent a message. In three days, the representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises will be visiting High Heaven Palace to discuss the matter related to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with you.”
“Understood.” Yang Kai nodded, “Be sure to make some preparations in advance.”
The last time the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had gathered at High Heaven Palace, it was to discuss the construction of the Dao Temples in the Star Boundary and the recruitment of disciples. Hence, High Heaven Palace had some experience in providing hospitality to them.
“Yes!” She answered.
“By the way, how did they communicate with you all this time?” He asked.
Hua Qing Si briefly replied, “It’s basically Elder Yu acting as the middle-man to pass the messages to me. I have stubbornly kept to the three-month period and refused to budge, and they seemed unwilling to make things difficult for me. Since they are planning to gather at High Heaven Palace, I’m sure they have come to a consensus. They are coming to negotiate an outcome with you, Sect Master.”
Yang Kai laughed softly, “They can’t keep procrastinating. The earlier they start using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, the earlier they will start harvesting benefits. It will be too late if they wait until their disciples are all grown up. It’s such a pity that there is so little time. If we could delay things a little longer, Void Land would surely receive even more benefits.”
A quick estimation indicated that the materials from Void Land should have arrived at Great Evolution Paradise by now, so Void Land should already be using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace to create higher Order materials. That was why Yang Kai was happy to procrastinate. The longer they delayed things, the more chances Void Land would have to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
Nevertheless, it did not matter too much. Even if they reached an agreement today, it would take some time for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to gather their materials and send them to Great Evolution Paradise. Void Land could go ahead and use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace until the materials from the Cave Heavens and Paradises arrived.
“There’s something else.” Hua Qing Si leaned closer and lowered her voice, “Shi Zheng of Lang Ya Paradise wishes to have a private meeting with you, Sect Master.”
“Shi Zheng?” Yang Kai frowned.
Needless to say, he was acquainted with all the foreign affairs envoys from the Cave Heavens and Paradises stationed in the Star Boundary. Shi Zheng was the foreign affairs envoy of Lang Ya Paradise and a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
“Did he say what it was about?” Yang Kai asked.
If it were any other Cave Heaven or Paradise, he would not have been so concerned. The key point was that Shi Zheng was from Lang Ya Paradise, and Lang Ya Paradise was the Master Sect of Zhang Ruo Xi’s Ancestor. Moreover, Zhang Ruo Xi was currently a Lang Ya Paradise disciple.
Hua Qing Si shook her head and said, “He didn’t say anything, but I think it has something to do with the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.”
The representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were going to gather at High Heaven Palace in three days’ time to discuss the matter related to the Good Fortune Divine Furnace together. Hence, Shi Zheng’s intentions for asking for a private meeting with Yang Kai was obvious.
[Is he planning to use his private connections to get a better deal?] Yang Kai felt a little disgusted by the idea, but could not refuse due to his relationship with Zhang Ruo Xi. If he rejected Shi Zheng’s request, there was no saying whether Shi Zheng would harass Zhang Ruo Xi in the future. Be that as it may, the situation was such that he could not agree to over-the-top demands even if he met with Shi Zheng in private. That was something Shi Zheng had to understand.
“Invite him over then,” he ordered.
To which Hua Qing Si said, “Elder Shi claimed that there are too many eyes in the Star Boundary, so it is inconvenient for him to visit you recklessly. He asks that you take a small trip instead.”
[His sneaky and furtive actions are really giving off the vibe that he wants to discuss some sort of underhanded and dishonourable secret with me.]
She then continued, “Sect Master, if you do not wish to meet him, I will arrange for somebody to send a message to him.”
Yang Kai pondered in silence for a long time before he said, “I will still need to meet him anyway. Where are we meeting?”
Hua Qing Si hurriedly handed over a jade slip.
He took the jade slip from her and used his Divine Sense to probe the contents. Understanding flooded his heart and he asked, “What about the time?”
She replied, “Elder Shi told me that he will be waiting for you there, Sect Master.”
[How rushed…]
Thinking about it again though, it made sense. Many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would be gathering in High Heaven Palace in three days. There would not be any other chances for them to meet if they did not rush the meeting now.
“I’ll go and take a look.”
“Sect Master!” Hua Qing Si hurriedly shouted after Yang Kai, “Be careful!”
Yang Kai nodded and vanished out of sight.
The place where Shi Zheng had chosen was still within High Heaven Territory, but it was quite a distance away from the Star Boundary. Moving quickly, Yang Kai arrived in less than four hours.
The void was tranquil, and a ship drifted quietly with two figures standing silently on the deck. Upon detecting Yang Kai’s aura, both of them turned to look in his direction. One of them looked surprised for a moment before shouting in excitement, “Sir!”
Yang Kai landed on the deck and looked forward with an equally pleasantly surprised look, “Ruo Xi?”
Shi Zheng was not the only person waiting for Yang Kai in this place, Zhang Ruo Xi was here too.
Speaking of which, Yang Kai had looked forward to seeing Zhang Ruo Xi when news about the World Tree spread and the Cave Heavens and Paradises began moving into the Star Boundary. Unfortunately, she never appeared even though the people from Lang Ya Paradise had arrived.
When Yang Kai asked Shi Zheng about the situation, he learned that Zhang Ruo Xi was cultivating in retreat. It was obvious at their reunion today that Zhang Ruo Xi was already an Open Heaven Realm Master.
“Sir, why are you here? Elder Shi told me that an honoured guest would be coming, and here I was wondering who it would be.” Zhang Ruo Xi smiled as brightly as a flower in bloom.
Yang Kai laughed, “I never thought I would meet you here either. Did you rush here from Lang Ya Paradise?”
She nodded, “I wanted to come back to visit, but I was in retreat previously. It was simply not convenient for me to come. Now that my cultivation has stabilised, the Master Sect finally allowed me to come.”
“What Order are you in?” He looked concerned.
“Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!” She replied happily.
“Good! Very good!” He reached out to pat her head, though there was no denying that he felt a little regretful. If she had condensed her Dao Seal a little later, she might have had the chance to advance into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Nevertheless, regret was useless at this point. Once a cultivator had condensed their Dao Seal, the foundation was laid for which Order Open Heaven Realm they could achieve.
“How is the Master Sect?”
Zhang Ruo Xi smilingly replied, “It’s wonderful. Senior Sister Gu has always taken good care of me; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to advance into the Open Heaven Realm so quickly.”
The ‘Senior Sister Gu’ that Zhang Ruo Xi mentioned was none other than Gu Pan. As a Lang Ya Paradise Core Disciple, Gu Pan was one of its future pillars; therefore, her attitude towards Zhang Ruo Xi would hugely affect the treatment that the latter received in the Sect.
“In that case, I will have to thank her properly when I meet her again.” Yang Kai smiled. Speaking of which, he had not met Gu Pan since they last encountered one another during the Dao Theory Assembly.
Setting aside such thoughts, Yang Kai looked up and cupped his fist in a manner that was neither rude nor polite, “Greetings, Elder Shi!”
During the conversation between Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi, Shi Zheng simply stood to the side and watched with a smile on his face. He had not shown any intention of interrupting them. At this moment, he finally spoke up in a generous manner, “You are too polite, Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai said, “Why did you ask me to come here, Elder Shi?”
He was already unhappy with the fact that Shi Zheng had requested a private meeting with him before the Cave Heavens and Paradises met up to discuss the matters regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. In addition, he arrived only to see that Zhang Ruo Xi was also here. These points only solidified his impression that Shi Zheng was a cunning and sly man.
Although Yang Kai could understand Shi Zheng’s wish to utilise personal connections, for him to go so far as to bring Zhang Ruo Xi here showed clear intentions of taking advantage of the relationship between Yang Kai and her.
Shi Zheng responded, “You already have the answer in your heart, Sect Master Yang, why bother asking? Let’s sit down and talk.”
A feast had been prepared in advance on the deck, and a tantalising smell filled the air. Since Yang Kai was already here, he figured he might as well stay. There was nothing he needed to worry about since Shi Zheng was the one who had a request for him.
After thanking Shi Zheng, Yang Kai took a seat. Shi Zheng sat opposite Yang Kai while Zhang Ruo Xi knelt by the side and served them. The entire ship only had the aura of three people and there was nobody else in the vicinity.
“Sect Master Yang, you are young and promising indeed. This King admires you very much. Please allow this King to drink this toast to you,” Shi Zheng raised his glass.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, “Many thanks, Elder Shi.”
He raised his glass and gulped down the contents. Warmth filled his belly from the alcohol.
Zhang Ruo Xi refilled their wine glasses quietly.
“Sect Master Yang, the World Tree root that you brought out from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and planted in the Star Boundary could be said to have benefitted this entire vast universe. This King will drink to that too!” Shi Zheng raised his glass for the second time.
“The results were unexpected. I did not anticipate this situation either when I planted the World Tree.”
Shi Zheng smiled, “But, there is no denying that the 3,000 Worlds has benefited. If not for your actions back then, the Star Boundary would not be producing so many peerless talents.”
After two glasses of wine, he continued, “I heard that Gu Pan received a lot of help from you in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Sect Master Yang. This King will drink this toast as thanks on behalf of Gu Pan.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly and drank again! He secretly thought to himself, [Is this guy trying to get me drunk so that he can ask me for more benefits? If that’s the case, then I’ll drink you under the table!]
It was a good wine, but how could something brought to the table by a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master be of poor quality? Nevertheless, Yang Kai was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master with the body of a 10,000-metre-long Grand Dragon. How could mere wine make him drunk?
After three glasses of wine, Shi Zheng finally got to the point, “I’m sure you have some guesses as to why this King invited you here, Sect Master Yang. You are not wrong. This King is indeed here for the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.”
Yang Kai was slightly surprised by his bluntness and said, “The representatives of the Cave Heavens and Paradises will be gathering at the High Heaven Palace in three days’ time to discuss the matter regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace’s right of use together. As long as the condition I named is satisfied, all the Sects will be able to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Lang Ya Paradise is no exception. So, what is it that you wish to discuss with me, Elder Shi?”
Shi Zheng laughed, “The 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises make up more than 100 top forces in the 3,000 Worlds. I’m sure that meeting your requirements will not be a problem, Sect Master Yang. Even so, both parties are free to negotiate with each other. The time that each Sect can use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace is limited, not to mention that they will be taking turns to wait in line. Therefore, Lang Ya Paradise would like to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace for a longer time!”
Yang Kai raised his eyebrows slightly, “How long?”
“Three to five years. If possible, eight to ten years.”
Yang Kai smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes, “You must be joking, Elder Shi.”
Even if each Sect was allowed to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace for three months, it would take more than 300 months for the 100-plus Sects to each use it once. That meant that some 20 to 30 years would pass before each Sect could have another opportunity to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
Therefore, it was simply impossible for Yang Kai to allow Lang Ya Paradise to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace for three to five years, much less eight to ten years.
This amount of time was nothing to Open Heaven Realm Masters under normal circumstances. For instance, repairing the Universe Temples had taken Yang Kai a whole 20 years to complete.
It was just that nobody was willing to wait so long; moreover, the elite disciples from various Sects in the Star Boundary would not take long to grow up, and once they condensed their Dao Seal, they would need a large supply of high Order materials.
Shi Zheng said sternly, “This matter might be difficult for others, but it shouldn’t be much trouble for you, Sect Master Yang. You only need to put forward conditions that cannot be met by any of the Sects during the meeting ij three days so that negotiations will break down. Before the results of the discussion come out, Lang Ya Paradise can use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace for a while. As for how long we can use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, that will depend on your means, Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help rolling his eyes. [Void Land is currently using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. If I could create such an opportunity, why would I give up these benefits to outsiders?]
At that thought, he shook his head, “I’m afraid I will have to disappoint you, Elder Shi. I’m just the Palace Master of High Heaven Palace. The Cave Heavens and Paradises are existences that my generation looks up to. Although I have the qualifications to negotiate with them, I’m nothing more than the representative for Great Evolution Paradise. I cannot reach out for a yard after taking an inch. Besides, I’m sure that the discussion to be held in three days will reach a conclusion.”
Shi Zheng showed no signs of annoyance and simply chuckled before saying, “There’s no hurry to reject my request, Sect Master Yang. Since Lang Ya Paradise has a request for you, it’s only natural that we won’t let your efforts go in vain. Please look at this before we continue our discussion!” After saying so, he gestured to Zhang Ruo Xi, “Bring out that item and give it to Sect Master Yang.”
[Is he planning to give me a gift?] Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There was a time when High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were a distant and unattainable existence to him. They were people whom he could only admire and respect. Yet now, he was not only standing on equal footing with the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but also in the position for others to try and give him gifts to win his favour.
However, he was rather curious as to what Shi Zheng planned to give him. Ordinary treasures were not enough to interest him, but Shi Zheng seemed so confident. That could only mean that the gift was truly magnificent.
Zhang Ruo Xi entered the cabin and returned a short while later with an exquisite wooden box in her hands. The box was about the length of her arm and made from an unknown material. More importantly, it was radiating with the aura of a Sixth-Order material.
Yang Kai raised his brow at the sight. Just the box was a Sixth-Order Wood Element material that was worth at least 15 million Open Heaven Pills. Just what was the value of the item placed inside such a box?
Under Shi Zheng’s orders, Zhang Ruo Xi carefully placed the box in front of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai looked at the box suspiciously.
Shi Zheng gestured with a smile, “Please have a look, Sect Master Yang!”
However, Yang Kai remained motionless and shook his head instead, “Elder Shi, there are countless eyes targeting the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Even if I wish to help you, I am powerless to do anything. Nonetheless, Ruo Xi is a native of the Star Boundary. Just because of that relationship alone, I will do my best to arrange for Lang Ya Paradise to be at the front of the line when the Cave Heavens and Paradises take turns using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. As for the rest, I’m afraid I’m powerless to help you. So… there’s no need for me to see what’s inside the box. Please take it back, Elder Shi!”
If not for his relationship with Zhang Ruo Xi, Yang Kai would not have come here at all. It was only for her sake that he was willing to accommodate Lang Ya Paradise to some extent, where possible. Unfortunately, over-the-top demands were beyond his ability. The Good Fortune Divine Furnace did not belong to him after all. He was only entrusted this matter by Grandmaster Ma Fan to discuss the Good Fortune Divine Furnace’s right of use with the Cave Heavens and Paradises on behalf of Great Evolution Paradise.
Shi Zheng chuckled, “There’s no need to worry, Sect Master Yang. This is something Lang Ya Paradise prepared especially for you. Let’s leave the rest aside for the time being. Please have a look, Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai grinned, “I’m afraid that I might be tempted if I look!”
Shi Zheng’s confidence indicated that the object inside the box was extremely extraordinary. Yang Kai was worried it might actually impress him.
“If this gift can tempt you, Sect Master Yang, then that’s exactly what this King wants!” Shi Zheng smiled and commanded, “Ruo Xi, open the box for Sect Master Yang!”
Zhang Ruo Xi was silent. Giving Yang Kai an apologetic look, she leaned over and placed her hand on the wooden box. She had been absolutely ecstatic when she saw Yang Kai earlier, but after sitting here and listening to the conversation between Shi Zheng and Yang Kai, she vaguely realised that something was wrong. It was just that Shi Zheng was a Lang Ya Paradise Elder. As a disciple, she could not disobey his commands.
The wooden box slowly opened.
When Yang Kai looked into the box, a black thread suddenly shot towards his body at the speed of lightning. It was so fast that he failed to react in time. If he had been on guard, the black thread might not have struck him. Unfortunately, the key point was that he had been unprepared. He had even widened his eyes to look into the wooden box, ready to see what treasure was contained inside. Who could have known a strange object would jump out instead?
As soon as the black thread emerged, an aura that made Yang Kai extremely uncomfortable permeated the air. The black thread immediately buried itself into his body and vanished out of sight.
On the other hand, the smile on Shi Zheng’s face grew deeper! However, his smile soon stiffened on his face. That was because the black thread that had plunged into Yang Kai’s body came back out and seemed to be trying to flee towards him instead.
A large hand suddenly reached out as swiftly as lightning and captured the black thread.
Shi Zheng was dumbfounded! Similarly, Zhang Ruo Xi and Yang Kai were dumbstruck!
The black thread struggled and wriggled violently in Yang Kai’s hands like a living creature. When he looked down at it, he discovered that the black thread had no head or tail. It resembled a large black earthworm. Moreover, its body was releasing an extremely distressing black aura that leaked out from within its body like steam.
[What the Hell is this!? I can tell at a glance that this isn’t anything good!]
Yang Kai looked up and met Shi Zheng’s eyes. The latter had a look of confusion on his face. The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched slightly. Smiling at Shi Zheng politely, Yang Kai slowly placed the black earthworm in his hand back into the wooden box and gently closed the cover before he stuffed the entire box into his Space Ring.
“I like the gift very much, Elder Shi,” He nodded lightly.
Shi Zheng stared at Yang Kai solemnly and traces of his aura slowly began spreading out into the air.
Yang Kai stood up, “Elder Shi, I still have things to do at High Heaven Palace. I will be taking my leave; please excuse me.” Then, he turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi and continued, “Ruo Xi, follow me back to the Star Boundary!”
Zhang Ruo Xi could tell that something was strange about the situation, so she nodded immediately.
Yang Kai wrapped his power around her, and with a flash of his thoughts, Space Principles began fluctuating in preparation for his return to the Star Boundary. With his current capabilities, he could use the Star Boundary’s World Force to return in an instant as long as he was still inside High Heaven Territory, regardless of the distance.
Shi Zheng stood up, and the aura of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master exploded. When the World Force surged violently, he threw a punch in Yang Kai’s direction. The power behind this punch was absolutely horrifying, causing the local space to warp, severing the connection between Yang Kai and the Star Boundary almost instantaneously.
In that moment of desperation, Yang Kai gently pressed his palm against Zhang Ruo Xi’s body to push her aside. He himself was struck squarely in the back by Shi Zheng’s fist and his figure was thrown forward like a ragdoll as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Everything occurred so suddenly that Yang Kai had already been injured by Shi Zheng before Zhang Ruo Xi had the time to react. She did not know whether Yang Kai was even still alive.
On the other hand, Shi Zheng showed no intention of paying attention to her at all. He pursued Yang Kai and sent several Divine Abilities at his crumpled body. Following that, he stood in the void and watched with his hands behind his back.
Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he had a history of killing a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Zuo Quan Hui; therefore, everybody in the Cave Heavens and Paradises had some understanding of his strength. That was also why Shi Zheng attacked without holding back in the slightest.
His original plan had failed, so he could only go for the kill. He believed that Yang Kai could not survive his vicious barrage of attacks; however, when the energy fluctuations of those Divine Abilities gradually vanished, he saw a blood-drenched Yang Kai standing there and staring at him coldly.
[He’s not dead?] Shi Zheng’s eyes narrowed slightly at the sight.
Not only was Yang Kai not dead, but he didn’t even look to be heavily injured.
For a moment, Shi Zheng wondered whether his eyesight was compromised. Everything that happened today had left him reeling from disbelief. First, the trap he prepared had been ineffective towards Yang Kai; then, his attacks had failed to settle the matter in a single blow.
[Just what kind of Monster is this brat!?]
“That hurt!” Yang Kai swung his arms and cracked his neck.
If it had been before Yang Kai most recently entered the Shattered Heaven, the sneak attack of a veteran Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master might have killed him on the spot. The other party had struck without holding back in the slightest, so no matter how strong Yang Kai was, it would have been impossible for him to defend himself so suddenly.
Fortunately, he obtained the World Spring in the Shattered Heaven, so even if Shi Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, those Divine Abilities and the punch to his body were unable to affect his Small Universe in the slightest. All the power in those attacks were borne only by his body, so he did not experience any turbulence in his Small Universe like before.
Furthermore, he currently had the body of 10,000 metres long Grand Dragon. The clothes on his body were also transformed from his Dragon Scales; hence, his defensive abilities were outstanding!
Shi Zheng had attacked with everything he had, and Yang Kai was injured pretty badly as a result. Nevertheless, these injuries were nothing to an Open Heaven Realm Master as long as their Small Universe remained unharmed.
In the distance, Zhang Ruo Xi finally managed to come to a stop after being shoved aside by Yang Kai earlier. When she looked up and saw that Yang Kai was fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. A brief moment of hesitation appeared on her face, and then she turned around and sped towards the Star Boundary.
She had no intention of staying behind to fight beside Yang Kai because she knew that she would not be able to help with her Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation. On the contrary, she would only become a distraction for Yang Kai. All she could do was escape as far as possible so as not to become his burden! That was undoubtedly the correct decision to make.
She did not know the reason why Elder Shi Zheng had plotted against then attacked Yang Kai. Everything that happened just now was extremely difficult to believe. Not to mention, she had clearly felt an intense disgust when the black earthworm-like object emerged from the ‘gift’ that Elder Shi Zheng had wanted to give Yang Kai.
Upon seeing Zhang Ruo Xi escaping out of the corner of his eyes, Yang Kai secretly praised the girl for her intelligence. Only then did he turn to look at Shi Zheng in a leisurely manner and ask, “Why?”
Shi Zheng studied Yang Kai in disbelief, unable to understand why his Divine Abilities were ineffective against him. What puzzled him even more was why Yang Kai had not succumbed to his trap earlier. That was his biggest miscalculation. If his initial plan had worked, all the troublesome matters afterwards would not have happened in the first place.
All of a sudden, Shi Zheng seemed to realise something and asked, “Did you refine one of the Four Universe Pillars?”
“Is this incident your will alone, Elder Shi? Or, is this the stance Lang Ya Paradise is taking?” Yang Kai looked at Shi Zheng calmly.
It would not matter too much if this incident was merely the personal actions of Shi Zheng, but it would become intriguing indeed if it turned out that he actually represented Lang Ya Paradise.
“Which of the Four Universe Pillars did you refine?” Shi Zheng stared at Yang Kai intently.
“What was that black earthworm-like thing?”
Both of them questioned the other, but neither side answered the other’s questions.
Shi Zheng was the first to lose his patience. He had been completely exposed when his attack failed. If he wanted to make up for his mistakes, then he could only silence both Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi. What’s more, those who refined the Four Universe Pillars had to die!
His murderous intent surged without warning, and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm World Force burst out violently. His figure charged towards Yang Kai at the speed of lightning.
A voice rang out in the universe, “Heaven and Earth, lend me your strength!”
In that moment, Yang Kai instantaneously understood one thing, Shi Zheng had decided on a meeting place located so far away from the Star Boundary because he was afraid Yang Kai would borrow the might of the Star Boundary to obtain the temporary powers of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
However, the truth was that Yang Kai could borrow the strength of the Star Boundary from anywhere as long as he was still within High Heaven Territory.
Following that shout, a look of panic appeared on Shi Zheng’s face. If he allowed Yang Kai to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, then he would have no confidence in his ability to kill Yang Kai within a short time.
What surprised Shi Zheng slightly was that nothing happened after Yang Kai’s confident shout. Yang Kai’s aura did not show any signs of being enhanced and the aura coming from him was still that of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Yang Kai’s face twitched slightly as he muttered to himself, [This is awkward…]
He could borrow the Star Boundary’s World Force to obtain the temporary powers of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from anywhere as long as he was in High Heaven Territory, but right now, since he was half a day’s journey from the Star Boundary, even though he could clearly sense the Star Boundary’s World Force churning and rushing towards him, it would take a while to arrive from such a large distance!
How could Yang Kai afford to wait when there was a formidable enemy in front of him? By the time the Star Boundary’s World Force arrived, the outcome of the battle between them would have already been decided!
Shi Zheng did not know what was happening, but he had a vague guess. His body immediately tensed and a powerful surge of World Force spread out to form the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking net, which severed Yang Kai’s connection with the Star Boundary. The immense Star Boundary’s World Force that was rushing towards Yang Kai suddenly lost its target; hence, it turned around and returned to the Star Boundary.
“Break!” Yang Kai shouted, manipulating Space Principles as he thrust out ferociously with the Azure Dragon Spear. That blow immediately blasted a small hole in the sealed space.
“Heaven and Earth, lend me your strength!” He held his spear horizontally in front of him and shouted. The World Force of the Star Boundary that had just calmed down began churning once more, then it rushed towards him like the rising tide.
In the next moment, Shi Zheng charged forward. Numerous Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques rained down from above, causing Yang Kai to flee desperately.
That was not all. The hole that had been blasted open was repaired by Shi Zheng, effectively cutting off the connection between Yang Kai and the Star Boundary once more. As a result, the Star Boundary returned to peace for the second time!
Yang Kai felt as though his veins were about to pop from frustration. Urging his Space Principles to their limits, he used all his strength to break the barrier once more and shouted, “Heaven and Earth, lend me your strength!”
How could Shi Zheng possibly give Yang Kai the chance to succeed though? World Force surged and the enormous void turned into a cage again.
…
Inside the various Dao Temples on the Star Boundary, many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters frowned deeply. Some of them even came out and observed the changes in the Star Boundary.
The movements of the Star Boundary’s World Force were so obvious that it was impossible for them not to notice anything, especially since these tumultuous changes occurred repeatedly. These changes were simply far too conspicuous.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters initially suspected that something had happened to the Star Boundary, but upon careful consideration, the realisation quickly struck them, a Great Emperor was trying to borrow the Star Boundary’s World Force!
Although they had not personally witnessed Yang Kai borrowing the World Force back then, they knew about the incident. After understanding this point, they couldn’t help wondering, just which Star Boundary Great Emperor was doing this? Were they simply experimenting? Or, was there a deeper meaning behind these actions?
Unlike the many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, the Great Emperors quickly came out of retreat and gathered together.
Aside from Iron Blood Great Emperor and Martial Beast Great Emperor who were guarding the New Great Territory’s Territory Gate, and Bustling World Great Emperor who was overseeing High Heaven Star City, the remaining five had been alerted to these changes. They included Serene Soul Great Emperor, Flower Shadow Great Emperor, Ice Feather Great Emperor, Wondrous Pill Great Emperor, and Heavens Revelations Great Emperor.
As they looked around at each other, Serene Soul Great Emperor frowned and asked, “Where is Yang Kai?”
All of them were here, so the abnormalities in the Star Boundary had nothing to do with them. In that case, only one possibility remained. Yang Kai was trying to borrow the Star Boundary’s World Force, but his attempts were interrupted for some reason. That was the only explanation for the repeated attempts.
They all shook their heads. Ever since learning that they could directly refine and absorb the Star Boundary’s World Force to enhance the heritage of their respective Small Universes, they had been cultivating in retreat without regard for affairs in the outside world. If not for the major commotion today, they would not have gathered together today. Who among them would know where Yang Kai was?
At that moment, Hua Qing Si rushed over in a hurry. Seeing that the five of them had come out of retreat, she quickly shouted, “Sect Master might be in danger!”
“What happened?” Serene Soul Great Emperor Yao Jun asked solemnly.
Hua Qing Si immediately informed them about how Shi Zheng had invited Yang Kai for a private meeting.
The five of them scowled after listening to the explanation.
Yao Jun said, “Looks like Yang Kai is really in danger after all. He would not have tried to borrow the Star Boundary’s World Force otherwise. This matter cannot be delayed, we need to assist him immediately!”
The rest nodded in agreement. Just as they were about to rush into the sky though, a voice suddenly rang out, “I’ll go!”
They turned to look in that direction only to see Yu Chang Dao heading towards them. It was obvious that he had heard their conversation just now. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who stayed at High Heaven Palace all the time after all, so it was extremely easy for him to investigate the situation if he wanted to.
Yu Chang Dao noticed the wary look that the Great Emperors were giving him and said, “This matter has nothing to do with the Cave Heavens and Paradises. The specific reasons will have to be carefully investigated. I will definitely give you an explanation when I return.”
This incident had occurred after Yang Kai went to meet with Shi Zheng, so the Great Emperors were naturally suspicious as to whether the Cave Heavens and Paradises had done anything underhanded in secret. That was why they were so vigilant when Yu Chang Dao appeared.
This matter could not be delayed though, and Yu Chang Dao knew that he could not explain himself quickly, so he decided not to waste his time. Nodding at the Great Emperors, he immediately soared into the sky.
There was no telling whether he had said anything to the other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Star Boundary, but numerous powerful auras quickly followed behind him. In the blink of an eye, some forty or fifty people turned into streams of light and set off in a mighty procession.
Yang Kai’s whereabouts were obvious as they only needed to head in the direction that the Star Boundary’s World Force had surged towards earlier.
Moments after the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters departed, the five Great Emperors quickly took to the skies after them. It would be for the best if this matter was unrelated to the Cave Heavens and Paradises; however, if the Cave Heavens and Paradises were involved, Yang Kai would have a hard time facing so many enemies alone. Even if their presence would not change the fact that they were powerless to resist, they could not allow Yang Kai to fight alone!
……
In the void, the sealed space formed by the power of Shi Zheng’s World Force would be broken by Yang Kai from time to time. Be that as it may, Shi Zheng would quickly fortify the cage again every time Yang Kai tried to borrow the strength of the Star Boundary.
After repeated attempts, Yang Kai roared furiously, “Show proper respect! Don’t go too far with your antics!”
Shi Zheng naturally ignored Yang Kai while every attack he unleashed was ruthless and lethal.
If it were any other, ordinary, Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, even those at the peak of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, it would have been impossible for them to survive under the fierce attacks of a veteran Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master for so long. Nevertheless, Yang Kai grimly persisted. Despite being covered in blood and looking quite miserable, he managed to narrowly escape death every time.
Yang Kai finally understood the wonders of the World Spring. Without the World Spring, his Small Universe would have fallen into chaos or even possibly collapsed from the impacts by now. In contrast, his Small Universe remained as firm and resilient as ever thanks to the protection of the World Spring. It didn’t matter how powerful the attacks that Shi Zheng threw at him, none of them could shake his foundation.
All the injuries he sustained were physical wounds. Thankfully, the Dragon Scale clothes he wore on his body that gave him powerful defensive abilities and the immense restorative abilities of a Grand Dragon combined with his potent Wood Element Power allowed him to persevere.
A quarter-hour later, Shi Zheng vaguely noticed something wrong.
Yang Kai’s wretched appearance repeatedly gave him the illusion that he could kill him if only he tried a little harder; even so, every time he used his full power to deliver a fatal blow, Yang Kai somehow managed to survive.
[This brat just won’t die!]
How could he fail to realise that Yang Kai was simply trying to buy time? Yang Kai knew that Shi Zheng could form a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking cage, but he continued to try and borrow the Star Boundary’s World Force. Such obvious movements were clearly a means to inform the Star Boundary that something had happened to him.
If Shi Zheng’s guess was correct, then the many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters stationed at the Star Boundary were already on their way here. His identity had been exposed to Yang Kai, so if he could kill him quickly, he might be able to continue hiding his identity. On the other hand, if he failed to kill Yang Kai, then all the years of forbearance would be in vain.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Shi Zheng’s expression became solemn all of a sudden. Forming a set of seals with his hands, and a giant sword sparkling with starlight suddenly emerged from behind his back. The giant sword that resembled a Star was a dazzling sight to behold. At the same time, Sword Qi exploded out, threatening to shatter the local space.
“Divine Manifestation!” Yang Kai was shocked.
There was a huge gap in power even among individual High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and the biggest difference came from whether or not they had their own Divine Manifestation. Those who had their own Divine Manifestation were rare even among the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Yang Kai had a deep understanding of the immense strength of Divine Manifestations, and it turned out that Shi Zheng was one of the few who had one.
Luck had played a vital role when Yang Kai killed Zuo Quan Hui back then. Although Zuo Quan Hui had been in the Seventh Order for many years, he had not comprehended his own Divine Manifestation. If he had a Divine Manifestation, the outcome of their conflict would have been very different.
Cold murderous intent shrouded Yang Kai, and his exposed skin immediately got goosebumps. When the aura of death came down on him, he knew that he would not live to see the sun tomorrow if he continued to conceal his true strength. Hence, he immediately put the Azure Dragon Spear away and took a deep breath. With a great roar that rang out across the void, he shouted, “Dragon Transformation!”
A Dragon Roar rang out and golden light burst forth as Yang Kai’s body swelled abruptly. Following a series of cracking sounds, Dragon Scales covered his entire body, his hands turned into Dragon Claws, Dragon Horns emerged from his head, a Dragon Beard fluttered beneath his jaw, a Dragon Tail swept side to side, and his Dragon Eyes glowed majestically.
A 10,000-metre-long Grand Dragon suddenly manifested, and a powerful Dragon Pressure permeated the void. Golden Dragon Scales shone like Great Suns, illuminating the darkness.
“A Grand Dragon!?” Shi Zheng was so shocked that even the movement of his hands paused for a moment.
Shi Zheng had known that Yang Kai carried a Dragon Clan bloodline as that had been revealed outside of the Shadowless Cave Heaven to ward off his enemies at the time.
Nonetheless, Shi Zheng never imagined that Yang Kai was not just a random Dragonkin, but a genuine Mature Grand Dragon. It had to be said that a Grand Dragon was the equivalent of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength!
[How can he be a Grand Dragon!? This brat is far too treacherous!] If Shi Zheng had known that Yang Kai had the strength of a Grand Dragon, he would never have bothered to fight with him here. He might be a veteran Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but he did not have the confidence to kill a Grand Dragon. If he could not kill the other party, then why waste time trying?
Thinking back to how Yang Kai had repeatedly and desperately acted as though his life had been hanging by a thread, Shi Zheng nearly grounded his teeth to bits. [This boy has been hiding his strength just to keep me hanging and buying time by making me think that I have the ability to kill him!]
In the end, just when Shi Zheng decided to pull out his trump card and end things swiftly, Yang Kai finally revealed the truth. [How can he be so despicable and shameless!? Bastard!]
Yang Kai, who had transformed into a Grand Dragon, shook his head side to side and spoke in a thunderous voice, “Are you surprised?”
[Fuck your surprise!] For the first time in his life, Shi Zheng discovered that a person could be this shameless. He had the sudden urge to leave right now. Unfortunately, his Divine Manifestation had already been summoned, so there was no choice but to release the arrow on the string!
The shocking sword transformed into a dazzling stream of light that stabbed straight at Yang Kai’s enormous body. A razor-sharp aura that contained Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering force immediately appeared in front of Yang Kai’s Dragon Head.
Yang Kai opened his mouth and let out a roar. A brilliant golden ray of light shot out from his mouth.
Dragon Breath!
The fluctuation from that burst of horrifying energy caused a huge wave of ripples to spread outward. Nevertheless, the giant sword that had transformed into a stream of light slowly, but steadily pushed forward despite being enveloped by the Golden Dragon Breath.
[I can’t block it!] Yang Kai’s Dragon Eyes widened in horror. The power of the Dragon Source in his body had already been urged to its limits, but it was still not enough.
It was not his first time fighting a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but it was his first time facing the Divine Manifestation unleashed by one.
Besides, Zuo Quan Hui was obviously significantly weaker compared to Shi Zheng. Even if Zuo Quan Hui were to face such a blow, he would have to flee in the face of danger.
Although Yang Kai had advanced to become a Grand Dragon and obtained the capital to hold his own against a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it had not been long since his breakthrough. Not to mention, this was his first time fighting as a Grand Dragon, so he was sorely lacking in experience as a result. The main reason was that he had always assumed a Half-Dragon Form during his Dragon Transformation. Unlike back then, he was now an actual Dragon and was unfamiliar with his new Dragon Form, so it was difficult for him to bring out the true strength of a Grand Dragon.
A short while later, the giant sword suddenly trembled violently and broke through the blockade of the Dragon Breath to stab straight at his head.
In that moment of life or death, Yang Kai abruptly tilted his head. It was a pity that his enormous form, while extremely imposing, was not as agile or flexible as a Human body, and he failed to avoid the attack as a result.
A stream of blood mist erupted from his chest, accompanied by a low groan. At the same time, his 10,000 metres long Dragon Form was sent flying backwards as though he was struck by a mountain.
By the time Yang Kai finally managed to stabilize his figure, he looked down to see an additional wound the size of a house on his chest. Golden blood gushed out from the wound, and the surrounding Dragon Scales had been shattered to pieces.
Yang Kai was secretly horrified. It had to be said that the defensive abilities of a Grand Dragon were extremely powerful. Not to mention, he had concentrated all his strength on his chest at the last moment. Nevertheless, he was still injured by Shi Zheng’s shocking sword. The horrors of that sword could clearly be seen.
Fortunately, by some stroke of luck, he had managed to avoid being hit in a vital spot during the exchange, so although his current wound looked very terrible, it was not critical.
The only difficulty was that he could sense a strange force lingering around his wound. That force was producing traces of Sword Qi that hindered his regenerative abilities.
[This is a big loss!] Yang Kai forcefully swallowed a mouthful of blood and looked up.
Shi Zheng had already transformed into a stream of light on the horizon and escaped into the distance.
There was no hesitation in his actions. After unleashing his sword attack, he immediately turned around and fled without caring whether Yang Kai survived or not. That was because he knew that the Masters in the Star Boundary were already rushing over. If he did not leave now, he would not have another chance to leave again.
Yang Kai’s enormous Dragon Eyes stared at Shi Zheng’s back calmly. He was in no rush to give chase; instead, he sneered and sent a transmission out, “I’ll let you escape for a while. I’ll have to hand it to you if you manage to escape!”
Shi Zheng, who was fleeing in front, paused for a moment. He was tempted to turn around and kill Yang Kai on the spot.
After being taunted, he recalled that Yang Kai was a master of the Dao of Space, so running away would not allow him to escape. However, things had already reached this point, so he had no other choice but to keep his head down and proceed onward in hopes of fleeing from High Heaven Territory.
Yang Kai’s enormous body lay horizontally in the void as he urged his power to cover the wound on his chest. The force behind Shi Zheng’s attack was very heavy. Furthermore, that attack had a strong lingering effect. Even if a normal person did not die from those after-effects, they would lose their mobility and be forced to recuperate on the spot.
Thanks to Yang Kai’s incredible recuperative abilities, it only took a short while for him to suppress and seal the strange force in his wounds to prevent it from affecting his movements later. Only then did he push his Space Principles and chase after Shi Zheng.
In the void, Shi Zheng transformed into a stream of light and frantically raced towards the Territory Gate.
If he wanted to escape from High Heaven Territory, then his only option was to head towards the Territory Gate. As luck would have it, the situation in High Heaven Territory was different from the other bountiful Great Territories due to its remote location. There was only one Territory Gate leading in and out of High Heaven Territory; therefore, he had no other choice.
A short while later, Shi Zheng’s figure, which had been rushing forward, suddenly came to a halt. He stared at the enormous figure in front of him with a helpless gaze.
Having transformed into a Grand Dragon, Yang Kai’s body literally shone with a golden light. He was so dazzling that it was difficult not to notice him even from afar. Besides, Yang Kai had no intention of concealing himself and simply stood there openly to wait for Shi Zheng.
Upon seeing that Shi Zheng had finally appeared, Yang Kai snapped in annoyance, “You sure ran really slowly!”
He had already been waiting here for some time prior to Shi Zheng’s arrival.
“Grand Dragons are not immortal!” Shi Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
Yang Kai snorted, steam coming out of his large nostrils as he declared, “You won the first round. Let’s begin the second round. I won’t lose this time!”
Shi Zheng gritted his teeth and said nothing. A giant sword that sparkled as brightly as a Star slowly emerged from his back and rose into the sky.
Yang Kai felt his teeth hurting at the sight. Without even thinking, he turned around and fled, his voice wafting over from far away, “Fine, you’ve got guts indeed! The second round is your win! I’ll be waiting for you up ahead for the third round!”
Shi Zheng was so furious that he nearly coughed up blood!
Not daring to waste time fighting Yang Kai, he simply wanted to end things as quickly as possible. His first attack might not have killed Yang Kai, but Yang Kai had been heavily injured nonetheless. If he followed up with a second attack, he might just be able to obliterate Yang Kai. That was why he summoned his Divine Manifestation without any hesitation.
Who could have known that Yang Kai would escape? He ran! Without the slightest bit of hesitation, he turned tail and ran!
Like punching cotton, Shi Zheng’s ferocious blow came to nought. Hence, there were no words to describe his agony!
[Didn’t that brat claim that he would not lose again with such confidence? Why did he turn and run as soon as the words left his mouth!?] Shi Zheng was tempted to ask Yang Kai if he even knew what the meaning of integrity was.
It would not have mattered so much if it was just a normal attack, but the key point was that the energy consumption from activating one’s Divine Manifestation was extremely high. It was true even for a mighty Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him.
Shi Zheng had already activated his Divine Manifestation twice. Although the effect had previously been somewhat useful, the Divine Manifestation he unleashed this time was completely pointless.
Divine Manifestations were trump cards to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and as such could not be used casually. Once brought out, they should be able to play a decisive role in battle because the consumption was simply too great.
Even Shi Zheng only had enough strength to use his Divine Manifestation four or five times before he was completely exhausted. Moreover, this was the second time he cast his Divine Manifestation!
[If he does that again later…] The corners of his eyes twitched slightly. [Just who did I meet? Why didn’t I realise that he is such a… despicable person when I interacted with him in the past!?]
In any case, this attack was useless, and he had no other place to go, so he could only continue towards the Territory Gate.
In less than half a cup of tea’s time, he came across Yang Kai waiting for him again. Yang Kai’s enormous body lay horizontally across the void, his Dragon Claws waved about wildly and his Dragon Tail swept from side to side. He looked like he was doing warm-ups before a big battle.
As soon as they met again, Yang Kai immediately asked, “Are you going to cast that sword again? If you are, then hurry up! I’ll consider the third round your win again!”
Shi Zheng gritted his teeth to hold back the roiling blood in his chest and shouted, “Die!”
It was meaningless for him to win numerous rounds; after all, it only took losing one round for everything to end for him. This was an unfair fight through and through.
As soon as his shout rang out, he charged towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai sneered. [Without the Divine Manifestation, why should a Grand Dragon like me fear you?]
This was his first battle since becoming a Grand Dragon, so having a powerful enemy to train his senses was exactly what he wanted. Hence, Yang Kai immediately became entangled with Shi Zheng.
After transforming into a Grand Dragon, his body became unimaginably enormous. In particular, his field of vision was very different from before. In the past, even after using his Dragon Transformation, his body retained some human characteristics, so his fighting style didn’t have to change much.
On the contrary, many of the battle skills he accumulated through past fights could no longer be used after transforming into a Grand Dragon. Yang Kai had to learn everything from scratch once more.
However, he could not win without transforming into his Grand Dragon Form because he was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Only by transforming into the Grand Dragon would he have the qualification to openly compete with a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
For a time, the scene was as tragic as could be. The majestic Grand Dragon was practically a punching bag for Shi Zheng and Yang Kai suffered endless beatings.
Shi Zheng threw numerous Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques in quick succession, and when those attacks landed on Yang Kai’s Dragon Scales, many of them were blasted off.
The attacks of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were extraordinary indeed. Yang Kai felt pain coming from all over his body. It was doubtful if there was a single spot on his body that did not hurt.
Fortunately, a Grand Dragon had innately powerful defences. Yang Kai also activated his Wood Element Power, which contained the condensed essence of the Immortal Tree. Relying on these abilities to heal these injuries during battle, he barely managed to persevere. In any case, his aim was not to kill Shi Zheng, but rather to buy time by delaying him here. That was enough.
As long as Shi Zheng did not cast his Divine Manifestation, he could not do anything to Yang Kai.
During the battle, Yang Kai gradually familiarised himself with the body of a Grand Dragon. At the beginning, he focused only on defending himself as he was powerless to fight back. However, he slowly became capable of counter-attacking as the fight went on.
Although the number of times that Yang Kai managed to counter-attack were few and far between, every one of those attacks frightened Shi Zheng greatly. There was no helping it, though, as even the local space would be shredded when the huge Dragon Claws swiped towards him. If he was caught in those Dragon Claws, even a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like him would die.
Hence, he summoned his Divine Manifestation once more while Yang Kai was unprepared. At the same time, he desperately drew upon his strength to create a Heaven Sealing Earth Locking cage around them.
This attack had to kill Yang Kai, for if he missed this opportunity, then he was bound to suffer a tragic ending. That was why he waited for a perfect moment to activate his Divine Manifestation and use the Heaven Sealing Earth Locking technique.
Yang Kai had no way to escape. Even if he had the ability to break the Void to flee, doing so would undoubtedly take a few breaths in this situation.
When Masters fought each other, a single breath was more than enough to determine the difference between life and death!
Shi Zheng originally believed that Yang Kai would try to escape again when he summoned his Divine Manifestation, but who could have anticipated that Yang Kai wouldn’t turn to flee this time around? Moreover, his Dragon Eyes seemed to indicate that he was taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.
Shi Zheng suddenly had an ominous feeling, as though something extremely bad was about to happen.
Before he could unleash his Divine Manifestation, Yang Kai suddenly clenched his enormous Dragon Claws into a fist and punched forward fiercely. A Dragon Roar reverberated through the air, “Cow Punch!”
[Cow punch? What kind of cow is he attacking?] Shi Zheng was a little dumbstruck; however, in the next moment, he felt as though he had been struck by lightning. The colour in his face drained abruptly as his Small Universe shook violently and his World Force became exceedingly chaotic.
Yang Kai’s fist had clearly struck empty space, but Shi Zheng felt as though all that energy was erupting inside his Small Universe.
[I can’t believe he has the means to attack my Small Universe directly!] Shi Zheng was absolutely horrified by the attack.
For Open Heaven Realm Masters, the Small Universe in their bodies was their foundation. It was their everything. Therefore, the slightest turbulence in their Small Universe was enough to affect the combat ability of any Open Heaven Realm Master.
Consequently, throughout countless years of inheritance, many brilliant and talented Ancestors from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had overcome various difficulties and paved the way forward by comprehending numerous Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques that could impact the Small Universe directly. These attacks were the closely-kept secrets of each Sect.
Nevertheless, these Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques were bound to have traces that could be detected and guarded against.
Shi Zheng himself had learned such a Secret Technique and even used it during the battle, it was just that it was completely ineffective against Yang Kai. Having refined one of the Four Universe Pillars, Yang Kai’s Small Universe was flawless and extremely stable. It could be said to be the greatest nemesis of these Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques.
On the contrary, Yang Kai’s attack had shown no signs at all. Even if Shi Zheng wanted to defend himself, he did not know how to take precautions against the attack. Only then did he understand one thing. [Damn it! I’m the cow he’s punching!]
Yang Kai sneered, “Why did you think I was spending so much time fighting with you? You fell for it, didn’t you? You fool!”
The Cow Punch Secret Technique was very strong indeed; moreover, it was elusive and all but impossible to defend against. The only drawback to this Secret Technique was that it required quite a long preparation period beforehand. The preparation period varied according to the strength of the opponent.
Yang Kai had to follow the fluctuations of the enemy’s aura back to their Small Universe in order to successfully perform his Cow Punch Secret Technique.
Inside the Shattered Heaven, Blood Crow Divine Monarch had suffered from the Cow Punch Secret Technique greatly. Shi Zheng was simply following in his footsteps now. This Secret Technique was a bizarre method for the weak to overcome the strong against all odds.
Shi Zheng sprayed out a stream of blood mist that spread into the distance, and his aura abruptly weakened. His Small Universe had been bombarded by Yang Kai’s Secret Technique, causing it to shake and his World Force to become disordered.
If the injuries were only to this extent, then he would not be in such a miserable condition. He was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after all. With his extraordinary cultivation, such a level of injury was nothing to him. The instability in his Small Universe would also calm down quickly.
The key point was that he had been activating his Divine Manifestation at that exact moment; hence, he was completely focused on the task at hand and the power in his body could not withstand the slightest bit of slack.
It was at this juncture that Yang Kai punched out at Shi Zheng.
When the giant sword rising into the sky behind his back shattered and collapsed, Shi Zheng instantly suffered an immense backlash. This situation was equivalent to being struck by his own attack, and it was only by luck that he did not die on the spot.
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up at the sight, “Elder Shi, you really do have extraordinary skills! You even hit yourself when you lose your temper! I’m impressed!”
Shi Zheng gritted his teeth, fresh blood trickling out the sides of his mouth. The rage and despair in his heart could not be described with mere words.
Powerful energy fluctuations suddenly appeared from afar. Both Yang Kai and Shi Zheng turned to look in that direction at the same time. Numerous light streams were rushing in this direction. They were none other than the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who had rushed over from the Star Boundary.
Yang Kai immediately became elated by the sight and turned to look at Shi Zheng, “Elder Shi, I’m afraid you’re doomed.”
At present, Shi Zheng’s aura was faint and chaotic. It was obvious that he was severely injured. Even Yang Kai had the confidence to take Shi Zheng down by himself, let alone with the arrival of so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. It could be said that Shi Zheng had been completely backed into a corner at this point.
Shi Zheng took a deep breath and looked at Yang Kai with a slightly complicated expression. The rage that had filled him earlier vanished all of a sudden, and his entire being became extremely calm.
Yang Kai frowned. He felt that something was wrong, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
Meanwhile, Shi Zheng just sat down cross-legged in the void. His eyes that were quietly staring at Yang Kai abruptly became pitch black, and a thick black fog poured out of his entire body.
Yang Kai became vigilant. [This aura… is familiar.]
He suddenly recalled the ‘gift’ that Shi Zheng had given to him recently and frowned deeply. [Didn’t that worm that sprang out from the wooden box have the same aura? Just what is it?]
“Black Ink… Eternal!” Shi Zheng called out faintly. As soon as the words left his mouth, his entire body was shrouded in the churning black fog and disappeared out of sight.
In the distance, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who rushed over from the Star Boundary looked suspicious when they first caught sight of the situation. In the next moment, they seemed to recall something and their expressions changed drastically.
Yu Chang Dao and the foreign affairs envoy from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven called Yu Xiang Die urgently cried out to Yang Kai, “Yang Kai, run!”
But it was too late. The black fog wrapping around Shi Zheng exploded without warning. A large patch of inky blackness swiftly covered the surrounding void like a drop of ink that was dripped into a pool of clear water. The darkness covered a large region in an instant, and Yang Kai who was standing nearby was enveloped within.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters halted in their tracks. Every single person looked at the darkness fearfully. On the other hand, Yu Chang Dao and Yu Xiang Die looked extremely worried. Unfortunately, there was no time for them to hesitate.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters did not communicate with each other at all, but they still moved as though their hearts and minds were connected. They quickly split up and surrounded the large patch of void that was shrouded in the black fog from a distance. Following that, they immediately threw out various Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques with Heaven Sealing Earth Locking effects.
The joint force of several dozen High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters working together was so powerful that it only took a single breath before this region containing the black fog was turned into a solid cage.
When they finished sealing the void, they finally breathed a sigh of relief as they looked around nervously. However, Yang Kai was nowhere to be seen.
Yu Chang Dao was silent for a long while before he said, “Sect Master Yang seemed to be a Grand Dragon. With the strength of a Grand Dragon, it should not be too difficult for him to resist that evil thing.”
Yu Xiang Die muttered, “Let’s hope so.”
The strength of a Grand Dragon could indeed resist the erosion of that evil. It could even be said that the strength of all Divine Spirits had a natural advantage against it. Be that as it may, Yang Kai was currently stuck in the middle of that wicked fog. Nobody could say much about the current situation with any certainty and Yang Kai himself had yet to appear either, so there was no way to know his condition.
During their conversation though, the thick fog suddenly swirled around and Yang Kai’s enormous body rushed out from within.
“What is this!?” Yang Kai scowled deeply. That black fog gave him an extremely uncomfortable feeling. It was exceptionally sinister. Clearly, it was not something good; moreover, he had tried to search for Shi Zheng’s whereabouts inside the black fog only to discover that he could not detect Shi Zheng’s life aura anywhere. It was as if Shi Zheng’s last act was self-destruction.
[Why did he act so decisively?] Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling surprised.
Shi Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so even if he failed to kill Yang Kai and could not escape the many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who came over to support Yang Kai, there was no need to kill himself on the spot.
However, that was exactly what Shi Zheng did. Speaking of which, all of Shi Zheng’s actions today puzzled Yang Kai greatly, especially the last words that Shi Zheng said earlier.
Turning around, Yang Kai saw many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters standing far away and looking at him in astonishment; thus, he swung around and headed straight towards them. He could not understand what had happened today, but these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters might know something.
Contrary to his expectations, as soon as he moved, they reacted warily, as though they were about to face a great enemy. Their World Forces surged, and they all took up defensive postures.
One of them shouted, “Stay where you are and don’t move! If you take another step forward, we will attack without mercy!”
Locked onto by the Divine Senses and auras of several dozen High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai felt mountain-like pressure bearing down on him even though he was in his Grand Dragon Form. His enormous figure was immediately frozen in place. His Dragon Head turned to look at them, and he asked in a thunderous voice, “What’s going on?”
For a moment, Yang Kai suspected that they were in league with Shi Zheng; however, he realised that the situation was different upon a closer look. Rather than plotting to harm him, it was almost like they were scared of him.
[Didn’t you come here to rescue me?] Yang Kai was a little speechless. What’s more, it was not until this moment that he realised something else, the space where he was standing had been sealed by an extremely powerful force.
The High-Rank Masters exchanged glances with each other, their Divine Senses fluctuating as they communicated silently. It was obvious that they were discussing something, but they couldn’t seem to reach a consensus despite their long discussion.
Yang Kai eventually lost patience and glared angrily at them, “What is the meaning of this!?”
Yu Xiang Die stepped forward to comfort him, “Yang Kai, please don’t be impatient. We are not targeting you specifically, but what happened today is a little complicated. Before we figure out whether you are safe or not, please don’t make any rash movements lest you cause any misunderstandings.”
She was the foreign affairs envoy from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, and he was a son-in-law of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; therefore, he could only listen to her when she spoke up.
Yang Kai frowned slightly and said, “Shi Zheng seems to be dead, and I’m safe now.”
Yu Xiang Die shook her head, however, and said, “It’s impossible to tell whether you’re safe from your outer appearance. Let me ask you this, how are you feeling right now?”
Yang Kai shook his body a bit and replied, “It hurts a bit.”
Having just fought with Shi Zheng, his entire body was covered in wounds; hence, he was in terrible pain and desperately needed to find a place to recuperate.
Yu Xiang Die didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “I’m not asking you about that. I was asking you… whether there’s anything strange about your Small Universe?”
Yang Kai responded confidently, “There are no anomalies!”
What could be wrong with the World Spring protecting his Small Universe? Shi Zheng had repeatedly attempted to shake his Small Universe during their brief fight, but it was all to no avail.
Yu Xiang Die frowned slightly. Although he said as much, she did not dare to believe him completely. The 3,000 Worlds was vast, and there were many things that the general public, and even most disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, did not know about. Be that as it may, how could Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like themselves not be aware?
Even if something had happened to Yang Kai, it was impossible to tell from his outer appearance; otherwise, they would not have been fooled by Shi Zheng for so many years.
Yu Chang Dao explained, “Sect Master Yang, you’ve seen all of Shi Zheng’s anomalies for yourself. The Black Ink Smoke that he released before his death is also extremely corrosive. If the Small Universe of an ordinary Open Heaven Realm Master becomes corroded by the Black Ink Smoke, they will turn into the same existence as Shi Zheng. They will seem no different from the outside, but their nature will be changed drastically. Sect Master Yang, we are unable to determine whether you have been corrupted by the Black Ink Smoke.”
Only then did Yang Kai understand why they were being so vigilant towards him. He exclaimed in astonishment, “Is the Black Ink Smoke really that amazing?”
Thinking back, he had indeed felt as though the black mist had been trying to corrode his Small Universe when it entered his body. It was just that his Small Universe was flawless under the World Spring’s protection. It was impossible for the Black Ink Smoke to corrode him unless he opened a portal to accept the Black Ink Smoke into his Small Universe himself.
In this way, it was obvious that the object contained within the wooden box had been trying to invade his Small Universe; however, it was suppressed by the World Spring in his Small Universe. His Small Universe was perfectly protected, so that worm had been unable to invade him and was forced to flee as a result.
“If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry. I have not been corroded by the Black Ink Smoke.”
They only watched him quietly.
Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “What’s wrong? Don’t you believe me?”
Yu Xiang Die sighed, “It’s easy enough to confirm this fact. I’ll go and check out your Small Universe myself.”
[Why do those words… sound so familiar?] Yang Kai suddenly recalled something. Back when he was asked to repair the Universe Temples, the Ancestors from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had also made the same request.
“No!” Before Yang Kai could say anything, one of the High-Rank Open Realm Masters interjected, “If he has been corroded by the Black Ink Smoke, then you will also be in danger if you enter his Small Universe to investigate the situation, Elder Yu.”
Yu Xiang Die smiled, “No matter how you put it, Yang Kai is a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-in-Law. It’s only natural for me to take this risk as his Elder. Besides, he can transform into a Grand Dragon. He has a certain level of resistance to the Black Ink Smoke, so he might not have been corrupted.”
The High-Rank Open Realm Master shook his head, “It’s better to be cautious. Let’s send a message to our respective Ancestors and ask them to decide about the situation.”
Yang Kai was a little shocked. [Why are they dragging their Ancestors into this matter!?]
The Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were all Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Most of the time, they remained inside their respective Sects and were not dispatched easily. [It looks like this matter is more serious than I expected.]
Yu Xiang Die pondered in silence for a moment, “I insist on investigating the situation inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe. The Black Ink Smoke might be corrosive, but it can be resisted as long as one has enough strength.”
“There’s always a risk. The 3,000 Worlds is not ‘that place’ after all,” the High-Rank Open Realm Master from earlier quickly said.
At this moment, Yang Kai spoke up, “Will you be reassured if I can prove that I have not been corroded by the Black Ink Smoke?”
Yu Xiang Die looked at him, “How will you prove that?”
Yang Kai smacked his lips. He had not wanted to reveal the fact that he had refined the World Spring as that was something that would rouse too much greed in others. Bright Sun Divine Monarch had pursued him from the Shattered Heaven all the way to the Ancestral Land just for the sake of the World Spring.
If an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would do that, how could the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters here be any different? These High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters might come from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, but one should never fully let their guard down around others. Shi Zheng was the best example.
Before coming here today, Yang Kai would never have believed that Shi Zheng would harm him in any way. He thought that Shi Zheng only wanted to discuss the matter regarding the Good Fortune Divine Furnace with him.
However, things might take a turn for the worst with how they stood at the moment. Not only was the space where he was standing sealed, but it was also impossible for him to fight so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Besides, the misunderstanding would only get worse if he actually got into a fight with them. More importantly, it would be even harder to take the initiative if they invited the Ancestors of various Cave Heavens and Paradises here.
After weighing all the pros and cons, Yang Kai decided to tell the truth, “I have refined a World Spring, so it is impossible for external forces to corrode my Small Universe!”
“A World Spring!?” Everybody exclaimed in astonishment.
As High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, how could they not know about the World Spring? That was one of the Four Universe Pillars after all. The World Spring was a treasure that any Open Heaven Realm Master would wish for.
“Everybody, please have a look for yourselves!” While speaking, Yang Kai opened the portal to his Small Universe for them to see inside clearly.
The secret of his World Spring had been exposed, so he did not mind exposing even more. Besides, it was useless to only speak about such things. They would not believe him unless they saw the truth with their own eyes.
Numerous Divine Senses immediately passed through his portal in that moment and poured into his Small Universe. Yang Kai immediately frowned in response. It was an uncomfortable feeling, as though his home had been invaded by outsiders.
“Huh…” Somebody exclaimed in surprise, “His Small Universe has already materialized?”
The transformation of one’s Small Universe from immaterial to corporal was something that was reserved for High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Small Universe of those below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm were unable to fully materialize.
Be that as it may, the scene in front of them exceeded their understanding. Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but his Small Universe had already turned corporeal. How did he do it?
Leaving aside the future, Yang Kai was the only Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to have ever achieved such a feat throughout history. At least, there were no prior records written in the ancient books. That was why these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were completely stunned.
“World Spring! It really is a World Spring!” Even more shocked voices ran out. A World Spring was such an obvious existence that they immediately noticed its presence at a glance.
Under the effects of the World Spring, they could clearly sense that Yang Kai’s Small Universe was flawless and extremely stable. It was difficult for his Small Universe to be affected by any external forces.
In addition to their feelings of envy, they also felt relieved. With the World Spring protecting his Small Universe, it was true that he would not be corroded by the Black Ink Smoke. What’s more, they did not sense any of the Black Ink Smoke’s aura in his Small Universe.
Before they could investigate Yang Kai’s Small Universe more carefully though, they felt an immense force shoving their Divine Senses out. Many of them were unsatisfied with what they saw so far. They seemed to have seen some peculiar things inside his Small Universe, but they were kicked out before they could get a better look.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had already returned to his Human Form and closed his Small Universe. He then asked, “There are no problems now, right?”
Everybody exchanged a glance with each other and Yu Xiang Die breathed a sigh of relief, “It’s no problem now. Come over here before we continue the discussion.”
Only then did he move and come to their side.
“You’ve worked hard.” She nodded at him, “It’s great that you’re safe. Please don’t blame us for being overly cautious. The Black Ink Smoke is simply too dangerous.”
“I understand.”
“Sect Master Yang, are you raising living beings in your Small Universe?” One of them suddenly raised the question. Although it was only a brief glimpse, there were so many villages and cities in Yang Kai’s Small Universe that the traces of living beings thriving inside could be seen clearly.
“That’s right. Is there a problem?” Yang Kai looked at that person.
“No problem, no problem at all. Your luck sure is good, Sect Master Yang.” That person sighed in amazement.
Countless years had passed since they first advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. They themselves had thought of raising living beings in their Small Universes to increase the speed of their cultivation, but this idea was not realistic. Even though they were in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, there were still times when their Small Universes became unstable. Who would dare to raise living beings in their Small Universe so casually? Those living inside would suffer tragic casualties if they were to encounter a powerful enemy, after all.
However, Yang Kai was different. With the protection of the World Spring, there was no need for him to worry about that problem. In other words, his cultivation would increase steadily even without him cultivating. It was equivalent to becoming stronger with every passing moment.
That was extremely enviable.
“What kind of creatures are those little rocks? Why have I never seen them before?” Another person asked.
“What little rocks? You must have been mistaken,” Yang Kai responded with a straight face.
“Sect Master Yang, I think I saw some Profound Yin Bamboo in your Small Universe…”
“What Profound Yin Bamboo?” Yang Kai vehemently denied, “There’s no such thing.”
“Don’t be like that, Sect Master Yang. We can negotiate the price if you really have the Profound Yin Bamboo. The Profound Yin Bamboo is different from the Four Universe Pillars. If we nurture it properly, we can gain an inexhaustible supply that is truly unlimited. Instead of enjoying such a treasure on your own, why don’t you exchange the Profound Yin Bamboo with us for something good?”
“Can I exchange them for the training rights of a Small Source World?” Yang Kai asked flatly.
[Didn’t you say that you don’t have the Profound Yin Bamboo?] Many rolled their eyes.
The person from earlier nodded repeatedly and smiled from ear to ear, “We can negotiate something!”
“What are the terms of negotiation?” Yang Kai looked at that person with great interest.
“Leave that for later.” Yu Chang Dao waved his hand decisively before declaring, “Let’s deal with the matter in front of us first before we talk about anything else.”
“Indeed!” Somebody agreed.
Yang Kai shot a look at the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who brought up the Profound Yin Bamboo earlier to indicate that they would have an in-depth discussion on the matter later. That person nodded lightly to indicate that he understood. Thanks to the looks they exchanged with each other earlier, everything they wanted to say had been said.
“Sect Master, just what happened today?” Yu Chang Dao asked while looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai replied innocently, “You’re asking me? That’s what I wanted to ask you. High Heaven Palace’s Head Manager informed me today that Shi Zheng of Lang Ya Paradise asked for a meeting with me. It seemed like he had something he wanted to discuss. Thinking that I had nothing better to do anyway, I decided to come. In the end, he gave me a generous gift as soon as I arrived.”
“A generous gift?” Yu Xiang Die frowned.
Yang Kai nodded, “That’s right. As you all know, Lang Ya Paradise and I have some connection with each other. Shi Zheng is a Lang Ya Paradise Elder. If he wants to give me a gift, there’s no way I can turn it down. So, I reluctantly accepted.”
The rest of them looked at each other with strange expressions. After a period of contact with Yang Kai, how could they not know his nature by now? He was the kind of person who did not act until he was certain that he could succeed. That was the case with the World Tree before, and that was also the case now with the Good Fortune Divine Furnace.
He even went so far as to create a special Space Array to monopolise the New Great Territory, making it difficult for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to interfere in that matter. If somebody was willing to give him a gift, he would surely accept with unwavering enthusiasm, how could he possibly be reluctant in any way?
Nevertheless, they couldn’t be bothered to argue about his manner of blatantly talking himself up.
“What did he give you?” Yu Chang Dao asked in concern.
It was as though he really wanted to know what kind of treasures Shi Zheng had offered as a gift. It was just that Shi Zheng had been corrupted by the Black Ink; for that reason, the things that he offered as a gift should not be taken lightly. Precautions had to be taken in advance in case it turned out to be something bad.
“Here it is!” While speaking, Yang Kai took out the wooden box from his Space Ring and opened it abruptly.
A black thread shot out from within. Yang Kai was ready and immediately captured it in his hand. The headless and tailless thing that resembled a black earthworm struggled and wriggled in his hands, but could not escape.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were stunned for a moment, then they reacted as though facing a great enemy. Their expressions changed drastically, and they swiftly retreated using their various Movement Skills.
In an instant, the space within a 100 kilometres radius around him became devoid of people.
Yang Kai looked up at them and seemed a little speechless, “Why did you run so far? Don’t worry. I’m holding this thing, so it can’t escape.”
Nevertheless, he could understand why they fled. They had been so vigilant towards the Black Ink Smoke that was left behind after Shi Zheng’s death, what more this black earthworm-like thing in his hands?
This thing definitely came from the same source as the Black Ink Smoke. Moreover, it was stronger than the Black Ink Smoke. An ordinary person would definitely have gotten into trouble if they held the black earthworm with their bare hands.
Fortunately, his Small Universe was so perfect and flawless that this black earthworm could not corrode him at all. It could be said to have met its nemesis.
“Sect Master, please put away that Black Ink Insect!” Yu Chang Dao shouted from afar, “That thing is too dangerous! Open Heaven Realm Masters like us cannot afford to be contaminated!”
“So, this thing is called a Black Ink Insect?” Yang Kai glanced at the black earthworm in his hand, seeming to feel something.
The black smoke left behind after Shi Zheng’s death was called Black Ink Smoke, this thing was called a Black Ink Insect, and Shi Zheng had mentioned something before his death, Black Ink Eternal.
[What is this… Black Ink?] Yang Kai suddenly felt as though the 3,000 Worlds were not as simple as he initially thought. Then, he recalled what Xu Ling Gong mentioned in the past, that the universe was vast, and the waters were muddy. There seemed to be a secret in the shadows that was affecting the 3,000 Worlds, and the fog was about to be lifted before his eyes.
“Everyone, is there something you know that I don’t?” Yang Kai asked.
The crowd fell silent. A long time later, a white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master finally said, “Sect Master Yang, there are many secrets in the world. Some things are better left unknown.”
The words had only just left his mouth when he heard Yang Kai giving a cry of surprise.
Everybody thought that Yang Kai had been injured during his battle with Shi Zheng earlier, so they quickly looked at him in concern. In the next moment, their expressions changed drastically.
The Black Ink Insect that had been captured in Yang Kai’s hand all this time had escaped his grasp for some reason. It had transformed into a black thread that rushed towards the white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master at the speed of lightning.
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master immediately became drenched in cold sweat. He might be in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he was bound to suffer a tragic end if he was corrupted by the Black Ink Insect. The only possibility was that his Small Universe would be invaded and he would eventually become corrupted by the Black Ink like Shi Zheng.
According to the ancient books, it was extremely tough to defend against the Black Ink Insect, unless they could kill it in time. If it got too close, then even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would suffer terribly.
Space suddenly condensed slightly, and under the fluctuations of Space Principles, the black thread that was rushing towards the white-robed Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master froze in place.
Yang Kai leisurely walked over, then he grabbed the struggling Black Ink Insect with his hand and looked up at the white-robed Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, “What did you say just now? I apologise, but I did not hear you clearly. Can you repeat what you said?”
The Black Ink Insect in his hand moved restlessly, as though it could escape from Yang Kai’s control at any time.
Everybody’s expression darkened. [He could have just spoken nicely. Why is he threatening others?]
Yu Xiang Die didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “With Sect Master Yang’s current strength and status, I believe he has the right to know about these things. What do you think?”
Everyone fell silent, and only a long while later, somebody finally nodded, “Alright, we’ll tell him.”
They had no choice but to explain the situation. Yang Kai was staring at them fixedly with the Black Ink Insect in his hand, which frightened all of them. Who would dare to go against him at this moment?
Besides, although these matters were only known to the Elders of the Cave Heavens and Paradises since ancient times, if it really came down to it, Yang Kai’s current strength and status certainly gave him the qualifications to know about certain secrets.
Naturally, the main reason was that he had been exposed to this matter today, making it useless even if they wanted to conceal the truth from him.
The others did not express their opinions, but not saying anything was as good as having no objections to the matter. Only then did Yu Xiang Die say, “Put the Black Ink Insect away.”
“Fine!” Yang Kai obediently placed the Black Ink Insect back into the wooden box and tossed the box into his Space Ring.
Everybody finally breathed a sigh of relief. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were regarded as terrifying existences were played around by Yang Kai. Just thinking of the situation earlier, they couldn’t help feeling complicated.
The void was not the place to discuss such matters, so Yu Xiang Die raised a hand and summoned a ship. Everybody boarded and sat down on the deck.
Yang Kai widened his eyes and stared at the people in front of him with a thirst for knowledge.
Meanwhile, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters stared at Yu Xiang Die. Their meaning was clear, ‘since you brought up this matter, it is up to you to solve it.’
Yu Xiang Die rolled her eyes at them before she turned to look at Yang Kai, “If we have to be honest, our understanding of this matter is fragmented and not very comprehensive.”
Thanks to this incident, Yang Kai clearly felt her intent to protect him. When he had been suspected of being corrupted by the Black Ink Smoke, she had proactively offered to inspect his Small Universe. It could be seen that she truly regarded him as Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Son-in-Law.
That was why Yang Kai willingly believed her words and nodded, “In that case, please tell me what you know.”
She pondered in silence for a moment, seeming to arrange her thoughts. A short while later, she finally started her explanation, “In this world, there exists a peculiar race known as the Black Ink. We call them the Black Ink Clan!”
The Black Ink Clan was apparently extremely dangerous. The main reason was that they had extremely powerful invasive and corrosive abilities. This was something Yang Kai himself had personally experienced. Whether it was the Black Ink Smoke that Shi Zheng left behind after his death or the Black Ink Insect, both had such properties.
Once a cultivator’s Small Universe was corroded by the Black Ink aura, they would turn into the Black Ink Clan’s slaves and undergo a drastic change in mentality. However, it was impossible to tell the difference by appearance alone. Those who were converted looked no different from normal.
That was the case for Shi Zheng. Nobody ever thought that he had been corroded by the Black Ink Clan and became one of their servants.
Yang Kai listened with a deep frown. If that was the case, then the Black Ink Clan was truly difficult to guard against. Who could say whether the other party had been corrupted by the Black Ink Clan?
“The last time something like this happened in the 3,000 Worlds was over 70,000 years ago.” Yu Xiang Die lowered her voice slightly, “I’m sure you’ve heard of this before. There was once a Cave Heaven that took in an extremely talented disciple. This disciple had the ability to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. His aptitude was so great that it shocked both the past and present. That Cave Heaven devoted all their resources to nurturing him, and one day he finally advanced into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm. However, he suddenly underwent a drastic change in nature and went on a massacre. That Cave Heaven suffered countless casualties as a result, which eventually led to its collapse. There was no choice but to remove their name from the list of Cave Heavens and Paradises.”
This was indeed a story that Yang Kai was familiar with as he had heard it from Yue He when he was still in the Emperor Realm.
Yu Xiang Die continued, “Because that disciple was not raised in the Cave Heaven but accepted into the Sect halfway through, a rumour spread across the 3,000 Worlds from then onward. Cultivators who were not raised in a Cave Heaven or Paradise were not allowed to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, lest they grow up and threaten the dominance of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.”
Yang Kai couldn’t help certain memories from flashing before his eyes…
His journey to the Open Heaven Realm had been wrought with countless obstacles set up by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Ti Zheng of Myriad Demons Cave Heaven did not even hesitate to lure him into the Shattered Heaven where a great ambush lay in wait just to hinder his advancement into the Open Heaven Realm.
In the end, he had been forced to break through to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. The Cave Heavens and Paradises finally stopped targeting him after that.
Yang Kai had no regrets about the matter. The Proprietress had been trapped in the Shadowless Cave Heaven at the time, and his cultivation in the Emperor Realm had been far too weak. He had no choice but to advance into the Open Heaven Realm for the opportunity to enter the Shadowless Cave Heaven to rescue her.
Even though he had no regrets, he could not help feeling some resentment towards the Cave Heavens and Paradises when he recalled everything he went through in the past. He had been cultivating on his own without provoking anyone, so why was he not allowed to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm? It was not until today that he learned the truth.
“The inheritance of the Cave Heavens and Paradises stretches back for countless aeons. If they were truly so petty, they would never have reached such prosperous heights. The reason they do not allow cultivators from the outside world to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm is not to show their dominance, but to prevent the past from repeating itself. The catastrophe from 70,000 years ago brought down a Cave Heaven. It’s obvious that nobody wants that to happen a second time.”
If anybody were to advance directly into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and was secretly converted by the Black Ink Clan once more, it would be a catastrophe if they reached the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm undiscovered. On the other hand, anything beneath the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm would not make much of a difference. No matter how talented a person was, if they advanced into the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, they could only reach the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm due to innate limits. The Cave Heavens and Paradises did not lack for Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so once the truth was exposed, many Ancestors would take action and the situation could be controlled.
Yang Kai furrowed his brow tightly together as he asked, “Is that to say that the genius was corrupted by the Black Ink Clan?”
Yu Xiang Die nodded, “That’s right. Nobody knows when he was enslaved as the only signs appeared after he advanced into the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Since then, the Black Ink Clan has not appeared in the 3,000 Worlds again. To be honest, this is our first time seeing traces of the Black Ink Clan with our own eyes. We have only ever read about them in ancient records before.”
Yang Kai frowned for a moment before saying puzzledly, “That can’t be right. If the Black Ink Clan is so difficult to guard against, then there should be a lot more of them. Why has the Black Ink Clan remained silent for so many years that even you have never seen them?”
Yu Chang Dao explained from the side, “It is difficult to resist the corruption of the Black Ink Clan, but their main method of doing so is through the Black Ink Insects. It’s the thing you put back into that box just now. The Black Ink Insects are apparently very rare and precious. Unless they come across an extremely valuable target, the Black Ink Clan will not make a move so easily.”
“Then, that Black Ink Smoke…” Yang Kai glanced suspiciously in the direction that Shi Zheng had died. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had worked together to seal that space, and even now the black smoke churned and roiled, looking extremely ominous.
“Shi Zheng was clearly infected by a Black Ink Insect. When he saw us coming to aid you, he knew that he would not leave this place alive. That’s why he chose to die. After his death, the Black Ink aura in his Small Universe exploded out. This Black Ink Smoke is what’s left. At the end of the day, the Black Ink Smoke and the Black Ink Insect are from the same source.”
It was no wonder these people immediately fled several kilometres away when he took out the Black Ink Insect earlier. They were probably worried that the Black Ink Insect in his hands would explode.
Yang Kai rubbed his chin and pondered, “In other words, in the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, I’m considered an extremely valuable target.”
Yu Xiang Die laughed, “Of course. You might only be in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but the Star Boundary is now the focus of the entire 3,000 Worlds. The existence of the World Tree will also nurture many excellent cultivators in the future. Not to mention, you are a Star Boundary Great Emperor. If you were converted by the Black Ink Clan…” At that point, she suddenly stopped laughing and shuddered in fear, “Asking you to destroy the Star Boundary is a simple task. If the Star Boundary no longer existed, then the Open Heaven Realm Cradle would be gone too.”
Everybody looked at each other and finally understood why Shi Zheng had tried to corrupt Yang Kai.
On the other hand, Yang Kai suddenly recalled something.
The Ancestral Land had a Demon Sealing Land, and the Demon Sealing Land contained a long-dead Black Giant Spirit God. When he was cultivating in the Dragon Clan’s Crystal Palace, he had glimpsed the shocking battle that took place in ancient times. In order to suppress and seal the Giant Spirit God, the Dragon and Phoenix Clans had paid an enormous price. In the end, both the Dragon Emperor and the Phoenix Empress were forced to sacrifice themselves, burning all their Blood Essence just to stop the rampaging enemy.
Yang Kai had always wondered why that Giant Spirit God went to war against the Divine Spirits; after all, the Giant Spirit God Clan was an extremely peaceful and innocent Race. Although they were powerful, they did not provoke others for no reason. They only fed on dead Universe Worlds and travelled through the vast 3,000 Worlds for that reason.
Furthermore, he had not understood why the Giant Spirit God had been black in colour. That Giant Spirit God was a little different from Ah Da, whom he met in the past. Yang Kai initially thought that it was just the difference between individuals of an ethnic group, but looking at things now…
What if the Giant Spirit God in ancient times had been corrupted by the Black Ink? If his nature changed drastically after being corrupted by the Black Ink Clan, then that Giant Spirit God had been enslaved by the Black Ink Clan!
[Demon Sealing Land… Demon Sealing Land… That’s not a Demon Sealing Land! That’s a Black Ink Sealing Land!]
Too much time had passed, so what happened in ancient times could no longer be known. The knowledge that was passed down through word of mouth over countless generations, which was why the Black Ink Sealing Land had been misrepresented as the Demon Sealing Land instead.
No wonder Yang Kai had not sensed the existence of any Demon Qi when he first entered the Demon Sealing Land. That was because the land had nothing to do with Demons in the first place.
Nobody knew how a mighty Giant Spirit God had been corrupted by the Black Ink Clan in ancient times.
Both the Dragon and Phoenix Clans only succeeded in suppressing and sealing the Giant Spirit God by sacrificing the Dragon Emperor and the Phoenix Empress of the time in addition to half of the Ancestral Land. So many years had passed that even the Giant Spirit God had lost all vitality and the Black Ink Clan’s aura was nowhere to be found.
The Ancestral Strength was extremely peculiar and powerful; moreover, it clearly had some restraining effects towards the Black Ink Clan. If that was not the case, there would be remnants of the Black Ink Clan even though so many years had passed and the Giant Spirit God had died completely.
“The Black Ink Insect is extremely precious to the Black Ink Clan, which is also why the Black Ink Clan’s actions are generally aimed only at High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. After all, converting a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master is not worth the effort to them.” Yu Xiang Die explained, “Speaking of this, I’m sure you’ve also heard of another rumour. Aside from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, anybody else who advances into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and above would be pursued relentlessly. For that reason, many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters even flee to the Shattered Heaven, hide their names, and live in seclusion.”
Yang Kai asked pensively, “So, the reason why the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters are being targeted by the Cave Heavens and Paradises is that you are afraid they might come into contact with the Black Ink Clan?”
She nodded, “That’s part of the reason. All the Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises cultivate Secret Techniques to stabilize their Small Universes to prevent corrosion by external forces. Although the effects are not as great as the World Spring, these Secret Techniques will at least offer them some protection so that they are not completely powerless against the corrosion of the Black Ink Insects. On the other hand, it is different for those who were not raised by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Despite being High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, if they were targeted by the Black Ink Insect, they would only end up corroded by them.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly. After listening to her explanation, the other question in his heart had been answered.
Having been to the Shattered Heaven, he knew that there were indeed many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters hiding there. All the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters hiding there were afraid of being rounded up by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Xia Lin Lang once mentioned that in order for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to maintain their dominance, any outsiders who advanced into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm would either be recruited into their ranks or vanish without a trace, suspected to have been killed.
That was why, no matter how barren and dangerous it was in the Shattered Heaven, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters hiding there would not leave easily. That was also the reason why Xia Lin Lang would rather flee into the depths of the Shattered Heaven, where death was almost certain, than leave together with Yang Kai.
“I heard that many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters just vanish without a trace, never to be heard from again, after being taken away…” Yang Kai looked at Yu Xiang Die.
Yu Xiang Die remained silent.
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master replied, “They are not dead. The Cave Heavens and Paradises have never abused them either. They were simply sent to a certain place. As for where that place is… That information cannot be disclosed for the time being!”
Yang Kai took out the wooden box with a flip of his hand. The cover of the wooden box opened and closed, revealing the black thing inside that was eager to leap out of the box.
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master looked melancholic! [Am I being targeted? I’m definitely being targeted, right!?]
Yu Xiang Die stepped in to smooth things between them, “Yang Kai, please stop asking questions. You will understand when the time comes. There are many things that the Cave Heavens and Paradises have no choice but to conceal. It is not because we wish to do so, but because the truth will cause panic and havoc. It is not beneficial to the peace of the 3,000 Worlds.”
Yang Kai pondered in silence for a moment. Putting the wooden box away, he grinned meaningfully, “When the time comes… Are you referring to the moment when I advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm?”
She said nothing once more, so it could only be taken as tacit acknowledgement.
Yang Kai thus continued, “I have another question. Lan You Ruo is currently in retreat in Void Land and attempting to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. What will you do if she succeeds?”
Yu Xiang Die answered, “Lan You Ruo used to be a First Inn shopkeeper, and First Inn is the private property of Si Tu Kong from Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. Hence, she can also be considered part of Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven. When she advances into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven will take the appropriate measures. Besides, she herself knows about these things, so there is no need for you to worry.”
Yang Kai furrowed his brow slightly. Although his questions had gone unanswered, he could not inquire any further seeing as Yu Xiang Die had already said so much.
At this moment, Yu Chang Dao spoke up, “Friends, what we need to deal with right now is the matter related to Shi Zheng. Although he chose death, he had initially tried to corrupt Yang Kai with a Black Ink Insect. That can only mean that he has even more Black Ink Insects in his possession. This Old Master has reason to suspect that Shi Zheng is not the only person in Lang Ya Paradise to be corrupted by the Black Ink!”
As soon as that statement came out, the expressions of all the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters became solemn.
The fact that Shi Zheng had been corrupted by the Black Ink Clan was truly unexpected. Something like this had not happened in 70,000 years after all. The Cave Heavens and Paradises might have taken some precautions, but too much time had passed and their guard had clearly become too relaxed as a result.
If Shi Zheng had not tried to corrupt Yang Kai with the Black Ink Insect today, his identity would not have been exposed either.
In that case, how many more Shi Zhengs were there in Lang Ya Paradise? More importantly, how many other Shi Zhengs were there among the rest of the Cave Heavens and Paradises?
Nobody knew for certain the answers to those questions, but the situation seemed to have taken a turn for the worse all of a sudden.
Most importantly, where did the Black Ink Insect come from? It was impossible for people corrupted by the Black Ink to produce the Black Ink Insects themselves. The only ones who could produce the Black Ink Insect were the true Black Ink Clan clansmen. In other words, there was at least one pure Black Ink Clan clansman hidden somewhere in the 3,000 Worlds! Just thinking about the possibility was terrifying.
“Shi Zheng has set a precedent. Every one of us is a suspect. It isn’t just us, but all the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters in the Star Boundary too. That is why this Old Master has a suggestion. We will start with a voluntary examination to prove our innocence!” While speaking, Yu Chang Dao looked at the rest of the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Masters hesitated for a moment before quickly nodding in agreement. This matter was an important one that might even affect the stability of the 3,000 Worlds. All the people present here today were not ignorant of the bigger picture, so they would not object to the suggestion.
“In that case, let us begin!” Yu Chang Dao, as the one to make the suggestion, took the lead, surging his World Force and opening the portal to his Small Universe, “Please take a look!”
Nobody held back out of politeness and numerous Divine Senses poured into Yu Chang Dao’s Small Universe in quick succession.
Yang Kai also joined in the fun. The main reason was that he wanted to know the difference between his Small Universe and the Small Universe of an actual High-Rank Open Heaven Master. His Divine Sense poured into Yu Chang Dao’s Small Universe. After some investigation and comparisons, he discovered that his Small Universe was still vastly inferior in terms of size and the richness of World Force when compared to Yu Chang Dao’s.
With the gap in their cultivation, it was only normal to experience those differences; nevertheless, Yang Kai was raising many living beings in his Small Universe in addition to the Small Stone Race. Given time, he would certainly enjoy a brilliant future.
After a while, everybody withdrew their Divine Senses once they confirmed that there were no issues with Yu Chang Dao’s Small Universe.
The Small Universe was the foundation of an Open Heaven Realm Master, so under normal circumstances, one would never allow others to investigate it. Doing so was equivalent to exposing all their secrets after all. It was just that this situation gave them no other choice. The best way to determine whether a person had been corrupted by the Black Ink was to take a look at their Small Universe. The Small Universe of an Open Heaven Realm Master corrupted by the Black Ink was vastly different from normal after all.
With Yu Chang Dao serving as an example, the others quickly opened the portals to their respective Small Universes and allowed the crowd to investigate freely. Every one of them was tense and nervous, scared that another Shi Zheng might appear among them.
Yang Kai finally realized why the Ancestors had been so adamant about investigating his Small Universe when he first began repairing the Universe Temples. Their actions were clearly a precaution lest he turned out to be corrupted by the Black Ink! It was not until they confirmed he was clean that they allowed him to act with peace of mind.
At the time, they also mentioned that the Universe Temples were related to the stability of the 3,000 Worlds. That was something he had yet to understand so far.
Although the Universe Temples were a convenient method of travel, it was a bit of an exaggeration to say that they were related to the stability of the 3,000 Worlds. Nevertheless, these words had come from the mouth of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so it was impossible not to wonder about their deeper meaning.
After checking everybody, it was revealed that nobody else showed signs of being corrupted by the Black Ink and the tense atmosphere finally dissipated a bit.
However, thanks to this opportunity, Yang Kai learned about the wealth of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. The foreign affairs envoys of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had many amazing treasures in their Small Universes, some of which simply made one drool at the sight.
Yu Chang Dao nodded and followed up, “We can now be certain that there is nothing wrong with any of us present, but we will still need to check those in the Star Boundary.”
Yu Xiang Die added, “This matter is related to the Black Ink Clan. I’m sure they will take the overall situation into consideration. If anybody raises an objection, then there is no doubt that they have been corrupted by the Black Ink.”
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master hesitated for a long time before he carefully opened his mouth, “The Star Boundary’s existence is critical, so this matter cannot be delayed. If there exist other people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink, there is no saying whether they were communicating with Shi Zheng. Now that Shi Zheng is dead, they might target the other Star Boundary Great Emperors. With the current cultivation of the Star Boundary’s Great Emperors, it will be difficult for them to defend themselves.”
While speaking, he would glance at Yang Kai from time to time. He was scared that Yang Kai might suddenly bring out that wooden box again. When he saw that Yang Kai did not react, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and volunteered, “I will head back to the Star Boundary first to ensure its safety.”
Yu Chang Dao nodded, “Many thanks for your hard work. Nevertheless, it is better to bring more people back with you so as to avoid any unexpected accidents. In addition, you can ignore all the others for now, but the Star Boundary Great Emperors must be investigated carefully!”
Yang Kai’s expression twitched slightly at those words, but he did not say anything. Yu Chang Dao’s actions were understandable. Shi Zheng had tried to attack Yang Kai mainly because of the Star Boundary; therefore, the other Star Boundary Great Emperors were also valid targets.
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master left quickly with seven or eight other High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in tow.
Serene Soul Great Emperor and the others, who had come to help after realizing that Yang Kai was in trouble, soon encountered the white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master and the others coming towards them before they even arrived at their location.
As they were only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, their cultivation was one Order lower than the foreign affairs envoys, so it was only natural for their speed to be slower. That was why they failed to arrive in time even though the dust had already settled regarding this matter.
Along the way here, they also ran into Zhang Ruo Xi. Following a brief inquiry, they hurriedly rushed here as though there were coals burning under their feet.
When both sides encountered each other and understood the situation, Serene Soul Great Emperor and the others immediately realized that the matter was urgent; therefore, they swiftly utilized the privileges of Star Boundary Great Emperors to bring the white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master and the others back directly.
Meanwhile, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who remained in the Star Boundary immediately detected the return of the white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master and the others; hence, they quickly came to ask about the situation.
The white-robed High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master and the others recounted everything that happened earlier, and everybody’s expression turned grim.
The Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Insect… These were no trivial matters. If they did not handle this matter well, then all the Cave Heavens, Paradises, and the 3,000 Worlds would be dragged into this. It would surely lead to a huge catastrophe. That was why there was not much hesitation, and many High-Rank Open Heaven Masters quickly agreed to submit to an examination.
Many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters gathered at the place where Shi Zheng died, their Divine Senses shuttling back and forth as they communicated with each other.
A short while later, they seemed to reach a consensus. Yu Chang Dao nodded and said, “Since everybody agrees, then let us head to Lang Ya Paradise immediately. Not only will this trip be highly dangerous, but we might also face the risk of death. Please mentally prepare yourselves for that possibility.”
Shi Zheng might be dead, but there were bound to be other Masters in Lang Ya Paradise who were corrupted by the Black Ink. This matter could not be delayed in the slightest; therefore, they had to ferret out the rest of those dangerous existences as soon as possible. It was impossible to remain calm if those people remained in Lang Ya Paradise. There was no saying how many others like Shi Zheng might appear in the future if nothing was done about them now. Most importantly, they had to find the Black Ink clansman in order to avoid future troubles!
They nodded in agreement, but did not pay much attention to the dangers that Yu Chang Dao mentioned earlier. They were all Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, so who among them had not faced death head-on before? The Cave Heavens and Paradises had always shared both weal and woe. That was why, even if Shi Zheng was the only one in Lang Ya Paradise who had his identity exposed, the others could not sit idly by and do nothing.
“We need you to come with us too, Sect Master,” Yu Chang Dao said while turning to look in Yang Kai’s direction; however, Yang Kai was no longer there. Yu Chang Dao couldn’t help being taken aback for a moment, “Where is the Sect Master?”
Yu Xiang Die helplessly pointed in a certain direction. He looked in that direction and felt the corners of his brow twitching slightly at the sight.
At some point in time, Yang Kai had gone to the place where Shi Zheng had died. That place was swirling with the Black Ink Smoke, but he was moving around in the smoke without the slightest hindrance. Even if he had the protection of the World Spring in his Small Universe and was not afraid of being corroded by the Black Ink Smoke, wasn’t it too much for him to swim about inside it so fearlessly and unscrupulously?
“What is he doing?” Yu Chang Dao was puzzled.
Yu Xiang Die replied, “I think he is searching for the Small Universe Shi Zheng left behind.”
When the others were discussing matters seriously, she noticed Yang Kai sitting by the side looking bored; however, it didn’t take long before he seemed to think of something. He quickly ran off with an excited look in his eyes and plunged straight into the Black Ink Smoke. It would now seem that he was searching for Shi Zheng’s Small Universe.
Shi Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and his Small Universe had already been transformed from immaterial to corporeal. If he were killed by an enemy, his Small Universe might have shattered and scattered throughout the Void. Seeing as he died by suicide instead, his Small Universe should have remained intact. There was a high possibility that the Small Universe would be preserved.
In reality, Shi Zheng’s Small Universe had indeed been preserved. It was just that it was hidden somewhere within the Void and enveloped by a thick layer of Black Ink Smoke.
Yang Kai searched around for a bit and soon detected a weak Space Principle fluctuation. Utilising his own Space Principles in the direction of that energy fluctuation, he opened the portal to Shi Zheng’s Small Universe and slipped inside.
As soon as he stepped into this place, he couldn’t help being a little startled. That was because Shi Zheng’s Small Universe was different from any Universe Cave Heaven or Universe Paradise that he had ever entered before. This entire world was dyed in black, as though smeared in pitch-black ink.
He immediately understood why the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had suggested investigating each other’s Small Universes.
The Small Universe of an Open Heaven Realm Master corrupted by the Black Ink was certainly very different from the ordinary. Moreover, the difference was so obvious that it was impossible to conceal and could be seen at a glance. Relying on this method of investigating the Small Universe would accurately reveal whether a person had been corrupted by the Black Ink.
Yang Kai quietly perceived his surroundings. The Universe Paradise that Shi Zheng left behind after his death contained a rich Sword Dao Essence, which was in line with the Divine Manifestation he displayed before.
This Sword Dao Essence was useless to Yang Kai, but he would not have refined this Dao Essence even if it proved otherwise. Shi Zheng had been corrupted by the Black Ink, so who knew whether there was anything wrong with his Dao Essence?
Yang Kai’s purpose in coming here was to search for Shi Zheng’s legacy. After investigating the Small Universes of the many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters earlier, he saw various different treasures. Shi Zheng was also a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, so he should also be fairly wealthy.
There were no traces of living beings in the Small Universe, which indicated that Shi Zheng had not raised any living beings. Not everybody was as blessed as Yang Kai to meet the conditions to raise living beings after all.
Yang Kai’s Divine Sense spread out like the tide and he soon found several buildings that resembled houses. Those buildings stood out conspicuously with no intention of concealment whatsoever. The Small Universe was the foundation of an Open Heaven Realm Master after all, so there was no need to worry about their treasures being stolen even if they left the treasures out in the open, unless they were dead.
There were pronounced energy fluctuations within those buildings; therefore, Yang Kai quickly rushed over with gleaming eyes and soon arrived. A quick search of the buildings immediately brought a smile to his face.
The wealth of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was quite substantial indeed. Leaving aside the hundreds of millions of Open Heaven Pills, there were also cultivation materials of various Orders, including Sixth-Order and even Seventh-Order ones. Not to mention, there were quite a large number of them. He even found some Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order Yin and Yang Element materials. In addition, there were many artifacts that looked extremely extraordinary.
Shi Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so there was no saying how long he had lived. In any case, all the treasures that he accumulated in his life and stored in his Small Universe were now taken away by Yang Kai.
Yang Kai searched for a little while longer but found nothing else. Only then did he leave this place. Be that as it may, he used a Space Secret Technique to completely suppress and seal the portal of this Small Universe.
This place was within the boundaries of High Heaven Territory, so if the World Force from Shi Zheng’s Small Universe leaked out into the Void, it was bound to be absorbed by the Star Boundary World Tree. The power of the Black Ink Clan was far too bizarre. More importantly, Yang Kai was unable to determine the ramifications of the World Tree devouring this evil energy.
In that case, he might as well suppress and seal this place completely! With his current attainments in the Dao of Space, there should not be anyone in the 3,000 Worlds who could break through his Space Secret Techniques.
The only thing that continued to pose a problem was the Black Ink Smoke that Shi Zheng left behind. This thing could be said to have come from the same source as the Black Ink Insect. Furthermore, it was extremely corrosive. Leaving it here was not very safe. If a curious passerby were to approach this place, they would most likely end up being corrupted by the Black Ink.
Just as Yang Kai was trying to figure out a solution to the problem, he suddenly heard somebody calling him via transmission. Therefore, he returned to the deck of Yu Xiang Die’s ship.
“Have you finished your discussion?” Yang Kai asked.
Yu Xiang Die nodded, “Yang Kai, we need to head to Lang Ya Paradise as soon as possible. Seeing as Shi Zheng has been corrupted by the Black Ink, Lang Ya Paradise might be in danger.”
Yang Kai simply nodded, “Alright.”
She continued, “If you have nothing better to do, we would like you to come along with us!”
“No problem!” Yang Kai agreed readily.
Everybody couldn’t help being a little taken aback by his answer. They had been thinking about all the ways to persuade him if he refused to join them, but who could have known that he would agree so readily? All the words that they prepared in advance subsequently became redundant.
In their opinion, the biggest reason they wanted him to accompany them was that his Small Universe had the protection of the World Spring. There was no need to worry about him becoming corrupted by the Black Ink. It could be said that any one of them might become infected and be turned, but Yang Kai would not face such issues. He was somebody whom they could put their absolute trust in. In such a treacherous battlefield, a person whom they could trust explicitly would oftentimes make a big difference; otherwise, they would not have wanted to bring him along.
“This trip might be dangerous!” Yu Xiang Die looked at Yang Kai seriously.
Yang Kai laughed, “I faced danger too, when Shi Zheng was trying to kill me earlier. The Black Ink Clan affects the peace of the 3,000 Worlds. This Yang Kai might have been on the safe side for some time, but I am also partially responsible for this matter.”
He then quickly advanced the conversation and asked, “Have you decided on your course of action? You don’t expect all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in Lang Ya Paradise to open the portal of their Small Universe for you to check, right?
Yu Xiang Die shook her head and replied, “We don’t need to check all the Open Heaven Realm Masters. As I told you before, the Black Ink Insect is very rare and precious in the 3,000 Worlds. The Black Ink Clan will not bother to corrupt any cultivators below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. That is why we only need to investigate the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. At that time, we only need to investigate their Small Universe to discover any problems as soon as possible.”
After pondering in silence for a moment, Yang Kai shook his head and said, “That’s not enough! If there are more Masters who have been corrupted by the Black Ink in Lang Ya Paradise, then your actions will only force them to take drastic measures. There’s no saying how much harm you will cause to Lang Ya Paradise if that were to happen. You might also put yourselves in danger. What if those people choose suicide like Shi Zheng and the Black Ink Smoke in their bodies permeates the air? How can any eggs be left unbroken when the nest has been disturbed? What’s more, you are not looking for the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink, but the actual Black Ink clansman behind them! Investigating the Small Universe is the easiest way to alert them to the situation.”
Yu Xiang Die sighed, “How can we not know that? But investigating Small Universes is definitely the most convenient and effective method. Besides, we can’t think of a better idea. The people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink look no different from ordinary people on the outside. As for the actual Black Ink clansman, we might be able to capture a few people who had been corrupted by the Black Ink and interrogate them thoroughly.”
Yang Kai again shook his head, “Shi Zheng clearly had the strength to fight still, but when he realised that you were approaching and that he no longer had hope of escaping, he resolutely ended his life. His actions go to show that the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink have blind allegiance to them. Although you can find the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink, judging by Shi Zheng’s actions earlier, it is impossible to learn the whereabouts of the Black Ink clansman from them.”
Everybody looked at each other in distress. They undoubtedly had a greater understanding of the Black Ink Clan than Yang Kai. Even though it was their first time seeing somebody who had been corrupted by the Black Ink, there were some records in ancient books after all. Besides, they also witnessed the scene of Shi Zheng’s suicide just now, so they knew that Yang Kai was speaking the truth. The people who had been corrupted by the Black Ink were literally loyal to the death, so it was extremely difficult to obtain any clues from them.
“Do you have any good ideas?” Yu Xiang Die asked.
Yang Kai rubbed his chin quietly, then he suddenly turned to look at the Black Ink Smoke that Shi Zheng left behind. An inexplicable light flickered in his eyes and a short while later, he finally asked, “Do you know whether the people who are corrupted by the Black Ink can sense each other?”
Yu Xiang Die shook her head, “That has never been confirmed; after all, the 3,000 Worlds has been stable for so many years, with the exception of the incident from 70,000 years ago. At the time, only one person had been corrupted by the Black Ink. Besides, very little information on the Black Ink Clan has been recorded in the ancient books.”
Yang Kai thus said enthusiastically, “We should prepare for the worst-case scenario. Assume that there is a pure Black Ink clansman concealed within Lang Ya Paradise, there are many Masters who have been corrupted by the Black Ink, and these Masters are able to sense each other.”
Yu Chang Dao looked at Yang Kai with a puzzled expression, “Sect Master, why does it seem as though you are very excited?”
“Nonsense!” Yang Kai flatly denied, “I’m simply making assumptions. How can I possibly be excited?”
Somebody asked puzzledly, “So, what if the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink can sense each other? And, so what if they can’t?”
Yang Kai rubbed his chin and replied, “I have a bold idea! Wait here for a moment, I’ll be right back!”
While saying so, he suddenly turned around and charged into the Black Ink Smoke.
Everybody looked at each other, not having any idea what Yang Kai was doing.
In the blink of an eye, the Black Ink Smoke that was as dense as fog began to churn violently and recede at a speed that was visible to the naked eye.
Somebody exclaimed in astonishment, “Is he collecting the Black Ink Smoke!?”
If that was not the case, then there was no other explanation for the scene in front of them.
The expressions of Yu Chang Dao and Yu Xiang Die changed greatly at the sight, and they nervously paid close attention.
After refining the World Spring, Yang Kai’s Small Universe was flawless and impermeable. External forces could not invade or harm his Small Universe. Even the Black Ink Smoke and the Black Ink Insect could hardly shake him in any way; however, those were only external forces. There was no saying what would happen if Yang Kai opened a portal into his Small Universe and collected the Black Ink Smoke into his body.
Be that as it may, the scene in front of them clearly indicated that he was doing exactly that. For a time, all of them were extremely nervous. They also secretly thought to themselves that Yang Kai was far too daring. Even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters like them were terrified of the Black Ink Smoke, but he was actually accepting it into his body!
Yang Kai had indeed opened the portal to his Small Universe inside the Black Ink Smoke and guided it into his body.
He had been wondering about what to do with the Black Ink Smoke just now. The Black Ink Smoke did not look like it was about to disappear any time soon, but he could not leave it be without doing anything either. The only solution was to set up a Grand Array that would cover this area and turn this region into a Restricted Area. Be that as it may, doing so would only draw more attention to this place. Who could say whether a random passerby with abundant curiosity would try to break the barrier to take a peek inside?
Upon learning that Yu Chang Dao and the others planned to bring him to Lang Ya Paradise with them, Yang Kai couldn’t help but entertain the idea of taking the Black Ink Smoke away with him to avoid future troubles!
He had completely suppressed and sealed the portal to Shi Zheng’s Small Universe with a Secret Technique, so without him, other people would never be able to open it even if they knew the location. If he could take the Black Ink Smoke away with him, then he would truly have nothing to worry about anymore.
At the same time, he had an idea that he wanted to verify. His understanding of the Black Ink Clan and the people corrupted by the Black Ink was too lacking. The Cave Heavens and Paradises did not know much about this topic either, so he might be able to use this opportunity to do some experiments.
Naturally, Yang Kai was not foolish enough to gather all the Black Ink Smoke into his Small Universe in one go; after all, it would be too late for regrets if something went wrong.
He first tried to collect a small amount of the Black Ink Smoke into his Small Universe. To his pleasant surprise, he soon discovered that the Black Ink Smoke remained suppressed by the power of the World Spring even when it was inside his Small Universe. It was unable to cause any disturbances, much less affect his heart or mind. In this way, he confidently and boldly went ahead with his idea.
[The World Spring is amazing! No wonder it is listed as one of the Four Universe Pillars!] When he first obtained the World Spring in the Shattered Heaven, Yang Kai never imagined that it would have such a powerful suppression effect on the Black Ink Clan.
If that was true for the World Spring, then the other three would surely be no different. The Four Universe Pillars were pretty much the nemesis of the Black Ink Clan!
It didn’t take longer than an incense for all the Black Ink Smoke to be collected into Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
When he returned to the group, they stared at him extremely vigilantly. Several dozen auras were locked firmly on him, and they looked as though they would blast him to smithereens at the slightest sign of trouble.
Yang Kai felt awkward for a moment before he quickly opened the portal to his Small Universe, “Please calm down, everyone. I have not been corrupted by the Black Ink. Please take a good look.”
They did not hold back. At this time, it was better to err on the side of caution. Numerous Divine Senses poured into Yang Kai’s Small Universe to investigate the situation.
In one corner of his Small Universe, a large cloud of Black Ink Smoke seethed as though it had a mind of its own. Fortunately, it was suppressed and sealed in place by an invisible force that made breaking through impossible. Apart from this spot where the Black Ink Smoke existed, the rest of Yang Kai’s Small Universe was business as usual.
Everybody breathed a sigh of relief. It was not until this moment that they knew the World Spring had such a wonderful effect, and they couldn’t help feeling envious for a time.
One should not be fooled by the fact that their cultivation was higher than Yang Kai’s. If they were to encounter the Black Ink Insect or the Black Ink Smoke, they would be powerless to resist.
“Yang Kai, please be very careful. If you notice anything strange about the Black Ink Smoke, you must immediately split off and abandon the contaminated land. Even if you have to damage your Small Universe, you must never allow yourself to be corrupted by the Black Ink!” Yu Xiang Die warned.
Splitting off and abandoning the contaminated land in one’s Small Universe was the method recorded in the ancient books of the Cave Heavens and Paradises to defend against the Black Ink Smoke and Black Ink Insects. Doing so would damage one’s Small Universe and might even cause their cultivation to regress, but it was still better than being corrupted by the Black Ink.
“I understand!”
“Sect Master Yang, those small stone creatures…” One of them remained curious about the Small Stone Race living in Yang Kai’s Small Universe.
“Small stone creatures? I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must be mistaken.”
Brushed aside by Yang Kai, that person looked extremely speechless. [I’m not blind. Those strange stone men were running around everywhere. How could I have seen wrongly?]
“Good! Let’s stop the idle chat here!” Yu Xiang Die looked around, “We should set off for Lang Ya Paradise as soon as possible. If there are no objections, then we should depart now!”
Everybody nodded in agreement; thus, Yu Xiang Die immediately steered the ship to head towards the Territory Gate.
On the deck, Yang Kai said, “Seniors, I have a plan, but I don’t know if it is feasible.”
Everybody immediately became curious and Yu Xiang Die asked, “What plan do you have? Let’s hear it.”
Yang Kai explained, “I’m sure your original plan is to head straight towards Lang Ya Paradise to investigate the Small Universe of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, find those who have been corrupted by the Black Ink, and follow the trail in search for the true Black Ink clansman.”
She nodded.
“This plan is simple and straightforward indeed, but we have already mentioned the drawbacks earlier. We might also alert the enemies and make the Black Ink clansman behind the scenes become vigilant. Besides, those who have been corrupted by the Black Ink might not reveal any useful information. If that’s the case, then we will only capture some of the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink at most. That only treats the symptoms and not the root cause. The Black Ink Clan clansman hiding behind the scenes might use the Black Ink Insect to corrupt others in the future if we cannot find them.”
At this point, Yang Kai suddenly proposed, “But, what if I infiltrate them? As you know, I have not been corrupted by the Black Ink; however, the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink don’t know that. When Shi Zheng attacked me this time, he believed that his success was a certainty. I’m sure the rest of the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink think so too. That’s why, in their opinion, Shi Zheng would have succeeded. So… they will believe I am one of them!”
Everybody nodded when they heard those words. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were not fools. Not to mention, Yang Kai had already made his meaning so simple and clear. It was not difficult for them to understand.
“So, my idea is… Let me go to Lang Ya Paradise first to figure out just who has been corrupted by the Black Ink. It will be even better if I can figure out the identity or location of the Black Ink clansman. At that time, the enemy will be in the dark but we are not. It won’t be too late for you to take action then!”
Yu Xiang Die pondered for a moment, then she nodded lightly, “This is a good idea indeed. But, in doing so, you will face great danger if you are exposed.”
If this plan was implemented, then the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could not enter Lang Ya Paradise with him. On the contrary, they would be required to lie in ambush and wait for news from him. They could only make a move once they received confirmation from Yang Kai.
In response, Yang Kai just smiled, “Their strongest means are the Black Ink Insects and the Black Ink Smoke. Unfortunately, both these two things are ineffective against me. The hardest part is trying to get them to accept me! That is why I asked whether the people who have been corrupted by the Black Ink can sense each other and verify each other’s identities as a result.”
Yu Chang Dao immediately understood, “Sect Master, did you collect the Black Ink Smoke into your Small Universe for this reason?”
Yang Kai nodded, “It will be for the best if they are unable to sense each other. If that’s the case, then they will have no way to judge whether I have been corrupted by the Black Ink. At that time, I only need to mention Shi Zheng and I’m sure they will not suspect me too much. But, if they have the means to sense each other…”
While saying so, he suddenly lifted his hand and a wriggling ball of Black Ink Smoke immediately appeared above his palm.
The expressions of the Masters around Yang Kai changed drastically at the sight, and they swiftly retreated.
Yang Kai quickly stored the Black Ink Smoke and chuckled, “I’m sure this will be enough to reassure them.”
Yu Xiang Die glared at Yang Kai, “Use your mouth to talk; don’t frighten others!”
“Yes, yes,” Yang Kai quickly nodded in agreement. “In any case, let me infiltrate them and figure out the truth. It will be better than attacking them head-on from the start.”
Yu Xiang Die nodded lightly before asking the crowd, “What do you think?”
Their previous plan had been much simpler, but there was no real hope of capturing the real Black Ink clansman with it. On the other hand, Yang Kai’s methods might be a little convoluted, but were more likely to eradicate the Black Ink Clan threat once and for all.
Comparing the two, the answer was obvious.
“I agree with Sect Master Yang’s proposal,” somebody said.
“And I!”
“Count me in!”
…
A short while later, everybody came to an agreement.
Yu Xiang Die then declared, “Since nobody has any other opinions to express, we will act according to this new plan.” She turned to look at Yang Kai, “It’s just that… doing this will not guarantee your safety. When you enter Lang Ya Paradise, you have to be very careful. We will try and figure out a way to sneak in and meet up with you.”
Yang Kai smiled, “Even if I am exposed, I can flee if I can’t win. I’m good at this kind of thing. At that time, I will need your help to clean up the situation, Seniors.”
“That’s easy enough,” Everybody nodded once more.
Yang Kai did not know whether it was only his imagination, but he seemed to sense a trace of approval in the eyes of these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
In the past, even though he could stand on equal footing with the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters and negotiate with them in certain areas, he had never received their true recognition.
For all this time, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had always looked at him like he was a young upstart.
That was not difficult to understand though as the Cave Heavens and Paradises had spent years to achieve the prosperity, heritage, and fame they enjoyed today.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had relied on the Star Boundary’s World Tree and his status as a Star Boundary Great Emperor to obtain the right to speak to them on equal footing. Didn’t that make him a nouveau riche in the eyes of aristocratic families with a long history of inheritance?
Nevertheless, the situation was different now. Technically speaking, he could have ignored the matter related to Lang Ya Paradise as he was not part of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Although he held the title ‘Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Son-in-Law’, he had yet to actually marry Qu Hua Shang.
However, Yang Kai had taken the initiative to volunteer to infiltrate the enemy’s base to gather intelligence. The courage to take on such a task was not something just anyone would possess.