Hand Seals quickly changed as a series of Secret Techniques flew out one after another. As the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters personally took action, the Black Ink Disciples, most of whom were just in Third or Fourth Order, were completely powerless to resist.
The Secret Techniques struck every one of the Black Ink Disciples, sealing the strength in their bodies. Even their Small Universes had been thoroughly sealed.
In this condition, not to mention using the Small Universe’s strength, even lifting a finger was a mere dream.
This was the only way to ensure that the Black Ink Disciples would not try to self-destruct.
While Liu Mu and Luo Ting He were busying themselves, Yang Kai also had his hands full.
He quickly shifted every one of the imprisoned Black Ink Disciples, whose Small Universes were sealed, throwing them onto the abandoned Spirit Province outside.
The trio tirelessly worked for half a day before they were done dealing with the 2,000 Black Ink Disciples.
Yang Kai let out a heavy sigh. He finally felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden was lifted off his shoulders.
He then looked toward Luan Bai Feng, hesitated for a moment, before deciding not to go over.
Now that Luan Bai Feng was corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, she had lost her sanity and her heart was not the same as before. The Black Ink Disciples regarded the Black Ink Clan above all else. It was useless to try to talk to her.
After a dozen days or so, more Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises arrived at Black Territory, arriving in a nearly endless stream.
Two months later, Masters from almost all the various Cave Heavens and Paradises had gathered. Each Cave Heaven and Paradise team was led by at least one Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestor, followed by an endless stream of Seventh and Sixth-Order Masters.
Currently, an unimaginable force had gathered in Black Territory, with the number of Eight-Order Masters alone having crossed the 100 mark.
This was the accumulation of millennia of the Cave Heavens and Paradises’ heritage. Generally, these top forces remained reserved, concealing their strength from the public eyes, but if something big were to happen, they would instantly display their fangs.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. He could not help but wonder when Void Land and High Heaven Palace would be like this, when they would stand toe to toe with these top forces.
The Eighth-Order Ancestors guarded the central region of the Black Prison in shifts, constantly monitoring the movements of the imprisoned Black Ink Clansman. However, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was unable to remain there for too long due to the influence of the Super Array enveloping the Black Prison. A day or two was the longest they could linger before having to retreat.
The thousands of Black Ink Disciples imprisoned on the abandoned Spirit Province were also an object of their interest. The Black Ink Strength scattered throughout Black Territory because of the last battle had also attracted many people’s investigation.
Matters related to the Black Ink Clan were not a secret to the top Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, but knowing and seeing were two different matters, so they were naturally curious.
The Black Ink Strength’s peculiarity and the Black Ink Disciples’ stubbornness deeply shocked them.
Yang Kai’s brilliant performance in this incident had also piqued the interest of many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
As the Lord of Void Land and a Great Emperor of the Star Boundary, Yang Kai wasn’t an unknown figure, so most of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had at least heard of him.
However, that didn’t mean many of them had seen him before.
This time, they finally got to meet him in person. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yang Kai got acquainted with many Seventh and Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Yang Kai also took this opportunity to pedal his Profound Yin Bamboo.
As one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars, the value of the Profound Yin Bamboo was naturally well known. Furthermore, with the appearance of the Black Ink Clan, the Profound Yin Bamboo became even more important.
Although it couldn’t make its owner immune to the Black Ink Strength like the World Spring, it still offered quite a bit of resistance to Black Ink Strength’s corrosion, allowing the Small Universe to remain more stable.
When Yang Kai had negotiated with many foreign envoys about the right to use the Good Fortune Divine Furnace in the past, he had added the Profound Yin Bamboo onto the negotiation table, owing to which the High Heaven Palace would provide each Cave Heaven and Paradise with some Profound Yin Bamboo…
However, there were simply too few of them to go around.
Compared to the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters of the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, the Profound Yin Bamboo provided by High Heaven Palace was simply insufficient.
Now that they had met Yang Kai though, the Lord of Void Land, in Black Territory, the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters naturally wanted to target him.
Be that as it may, how could Yang Kai give away the Profound Yin Bamboo for free with his money-grubbing personality?
In Lang Ya Paradise, he even forcefully sold his healing pills to those he beat up, let alone a real treasure like one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars.
From the standpoint of a Sect Master, Yang Kai was just doing his best to accumulate resources.
The amount of Profound Yin Bamboo he had cultivated in his Small Universe was not small, but as he was about to advance to the Seventh Order, he did not focus his time and attention on cultivating them as the growth of the Profound Yin Bamboo would be at the expense of his own foundation.
After much probing and bargaining, Yang Kai and the many High-Rank Open Heaven Masters finally reached a price satisfactory to all parties.
Profound Yin Bamboo were then sold one after another.
Regardless, a single shoot of the Profound Yin Bamboo would not be of much use. The owner would first need to consume their own foundation to cultivate the Profound Yin Bamboo and then transform it into a large bamboo forest. The bigger the bamboo forest, the stronger the effects of the Profound Yin Bamboo.
This definitely required time and effort, but as the High-Rank Open Heaven Masters had extremely long lifespans, they really didn’t care about this.
Over the past few months, the miners in Black Territory had dug up quite a lot of materials from the various Ore Stars, so much so that Luan Bai Feng even brought Yang Kai to check them out some time ago.
After returning, Yang Kai also put all of them into his Small Universe.
By the time Yang Kai had sold most of the Profound Yin Bamboos, the Golden Antelope Paradise ship had arrived.
All the Black Ink Disciples were loaded onto the ship and 30 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from different Cave Heavens and Paradises were stationed aboard it for security. After settling everything, Yang Kai led the ship out of Black Territory.
These Black Ink Disciples were of paramount importance; furthermore, the Cave Heaven and Paradises didn’t want any mishaps along the way. If an accident occurred and these Black Ink Disciples were able to escape somehow, the vast universe would instantly fall into chaos, so the Ancestors had taken precautions.
The lineup of 30 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters was quite grand; enough to deal with any unexpected situation.
The ship was extremely large, but its speed was also quite surprising for its size. Soon, it left Black Territory and sailed towards the Chaotic Dead Territory.
At some point, a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master suddenly shouted, prompting the scattered High-Rank Open Heaven Masters to immediately gather around.
Yang Kai too instantly appeared at the source of the voice, asking, “What is it?”
“Someone’s chasing after us.” The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, who had issued the warning, raised his hand, pointing toward the rear.
Yang Kai looked over and found that a streak of light was indeed rapidly approaching the ship from the rear. Judging by its speed, it was obviously not something an ordinary Open Heaven Realm Master would possess.
Everyone’s expressions couldn’t help but turn solemn. No one knew who was chasing after them or what their purpose was.
“Be on guard!” Yang Kai exhorted in a low voice. On this trip to the Chaotic Dead Territory, his cultivation might have been the lowest, but he was the one in charge. Thus, the 30 High-Rank Masters circulated their strength and prepared for battle.
A moment later, Yang Kai gawked at the figure approaching them, speechless.
The one chasing them was none other than Six Wood Divine Monarch, Li Mu, of Golden Antelope Paradise! Everyone wondered what he was doing here.
Liu Mu directly landed on the stern of the ship. When he looked around and saw the Seventh-Order Masters staring at him vigilantly, he instantly became dissatisfied, “What the Hell are you looking at, you brats?”
The Seventh-Order Masters looked at each other, not knowing what to say, but all of them knew that this Golden Antelope Paradise Ancestor had a fiery temper. His words might be harsh, he didn’t have any malicious intent.
Yang Kai quickly asked, “Senior, what brings you here? Do you have any instructions for us?”
Liu Mu stiffly replied, “Nothing of the sort, I just wanted to come with you to blow off some steam.”
Yang Kai’s face twitched as he asked, “Blow off some steam?”
Liu Mu heaved a sigh, “It’s because I can’t win an argument with those old farts. It’s too frustrating, so I’d rather not bother. I said I wanted to slaughter the Black Ink Clansman as soon as possible to avoid future troubles, but they just want to take their sweet time to deliberate on it. What’s there to deliberate? By the time they come to a decision, it will already be too late.”
“Uh…” Yang Kai was speechless for a moment. He already had no say in the matters of the Black Ink Clansman. The matter rested at the hands of Cave Heavens and Paradises; it was up for them to decide. Liu Mu could freely vent his anger, but he could not.
Liu Mu, on the other hand, suddenly threw this matter to the back of his mind and excitedly asked, “Yang Boy, have you personally seen the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer?”
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded his affirmation.
“What do they look like? Are they really tall and fierce?” Liu Mu asked curiously.
This time, even the thirty Seventh-Order Masters became interested and perked up their ears.
Everyone knew about the existence of the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer, and all had heard countless rumors about them, but none of them had been fortunate enough to witness their true appearances.
Those who had seen them were all dead.
Yang Kai thought about the image of Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan and felt that it had nothing to do with their height or strength. Both of them were much more like children who needed to be coaxed.
Playing house with them in the Chaotic Dead Territory was definitely the greatest shame in his life…
“I guess you can say that,” Looking at the look of reverence on Liu Mu’s face though, Yang Kai felt that it was best not to break his fantasy.
Liu Mu rushed over and sheepishly requested, “Yang Boy, can you… introduce this Monarch to them when we arrive at the Chaotic Dead Territory? This Monarch wants to admire their noble bearing.”
Yang Kai promptly stated without giving it another thought, “I’ll try my best. Senior, you also know that people like them really don’t have a good temper. Whether we can meet them, and whether they will help us, I’m also not sure.”
Liu Mu solemnly nodded his understanding, “I understand, just do your best. Even if you can’t, it’s just because my luck isn’t that good, I won’t hold it against you.”
Yang Kai curiously asked, “Why does Senior want to meet those two?”
Liu Mu leisurely replied, “It’s the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer. Who doesn’t want to meet them? Don’t you want to see them?”
His last sentence was meant for the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Everyone earnestly nodded again and again. Some of them even wore a flattering look as they looked at Yang Kai, probably requesting him to introduce them too.
Liu Mu added, grinning, “When this Monarch returns alive after meeting those, I can rub it in the faces of those old farts.”
He kept calling them old farts, but he forgot that in the eyes of others, he was probably one of them too.
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
The huge ship sailed for three months before finally arriving at the outskirts of the Chaotic Dead Territory.
An Eighth-Order Ancestor, the one Yang Kai had met before, was still stationed outside the Territory Gate. Although the current Chaotic Dead Territory was much less dangerous because of Yang Kai’s previous visit and it could even be said that there was no longer any danger at all, when it came to the almighty Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer, none dared to lower their vigilance.
The Territory Gate was guarded by many High-Rank Open Heaven Masters at all times, just in case.
“Senior Da Yi!” Yang Kai jumped down from the ship and respectfully greeted the Eighth-Order Ancestor.
The last time he met this Eighth-Order Master, Yang Kai had no idea how to address him, so he didn’t ask any questions; however, when he was in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Yu Xiang Die told him that this person was an Eighth-Order Ancestor of Great Battle Cave Heaven, Clear Horizon Divine Monarch, Da Yi.
Clear Horizon Divine Monarch slightly nodded before looking behind him with a puzzled expression and calling out, “Liu Mu?”
They might have different backgrounds, but as Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, they naturally knew each other; after all, each of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had only so many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. After having lived for so many years, everyone was basically familiar with each other.
Six Wood Divine Monarch stepped forward and respectfully cupped his fist, “Senior Brother Da Yi!”
Da Yi furrowed his brow, “What happened?”
He had already sensed the auras of many living people on the ship with his powerful Divine Sense, but he could not understand why Yang Kai and Liu Mu had brought these people here.
Furthermore, the presence of 30 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters on the ship also made him very concerned.
For the mobilization of such a huge force, several Cave Heavens and Paradises would have had to come together. He faintly felt that something big must have happened.
“Senior Brother Da Yi, it’s better if you see for yourself,” Liu Mu stretched out, gesturing him an invitation.
Clear Horizon Divine Monarch pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Upon boarding the ship, he was beside himself in shock when he saw thousands of imprisoned Black Ink Disciples. Not to mention the fact that there were still some obvious traces left behind even if the Black Ink Disciples had been sealed by a Secret Technique.
For example, Fan Xiu Qi, who had advanced from the Fifth Order to the Sixth Order. He might have broken his Open Heaven Realm Order limit, but it also left a great deal of hidden danger in his body. Not only had his body dramatically expanded, but many lumps and black cysts had also appeared on his body, making him look extremely gruesome.
Liu Mu and Yang Kai accompanied Da Yi as the latter studied the Black Ink Disciples’ situation, briefly explaining what had happened in Black Territory.
Da Yi was surprised when he heard everything, “The Black Ink Clansman is actually hiding in Black Territory?”
Liu Mu corrected him, “Not hiding, but imprisoned. Right now, those old ghosts are discussing how to deal with him.”
“Then these Black Ink Disciples…”
Liu Mu glanced at Yang Kai before explaining, “Yang Boy said that the two inside had the ability to purge the Black Ink Strength, striking at the root of the problem, so we brought these Black Ink Disciples here.”
Da Yi naturally knew who ‘the two’ he was referring to. He had followed Yang Kai inside and had personally seen them after all.
“Are you confident?” Da Yi looked at Yang Kai.
“I’ll try my best!” Yang Kai didn’t dare give a definite answer. Although he had gotten along quite well with Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, he had no idea what was going on in their minds.
Da Yi slightly nodded his acknowledgement, “I’ll accompany you.”
As an Eighth-Order Ancestor guarding the Territory Gate, it was his duty to monitor every single movement related to the Chaotic Dead Territory.
After a simple arrangement, the others remained to guard the Territory Gate while Da Yi followed the ship into the Chaotic Dead Territory.
Liu Mu and the 30 High-Rank Masters immediately became a little nervous as the ship entered the Chaotic Dead Territory.
They had all heard of the Chaotic Dead Territory and knew how dangerous it was, but when they personally laid their eyes on it, they were totally confused. Much to their surprise, the Chaotic Dead Territory was completely calm and serene, without the slightest hint of danger.
This was very different from the rumours.
Each of their Sects had an Ancestor who was once stationed at this place. Even as the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors, they could only enter the periphery of the Chaotic Dead Territory for a short time to investigate the situation and could not venture in too deep, otherwise their lives would be forfeit.
Rumour had it that the Chaotic Dead Territory was filled with the fallout of the Sun’s Burning Light and the Moon’s Serene Glimmer clashes. Every time they fought, it would bring about unimaginable destruction.
Seemingly noticing everyone’s curiosity, Da Yi explained, “The Chaotic Dead Territory used to be extremely dangerous, but ever since Yang Kai came here, this place has calmed down significantly.”
Hearing this, Liu Mu asked in surprise, “What did you do to turn their hostility into friendship?”
Yang Kai didn’t know how he should explain. The only reply he could give was, “You will know when you meet them.”
Liu Mu nodded before he took a deep breath and straightened his back, trying his best to put on a dignified air.
Apart from a large Spirit Province that seemed to be pieced together, there was nothing else inside the Chaotic Dead Territory.
This Spirit Province was created by Yang Kai and Da Yi together, using an abandoned Universe World from the adjacent Great Territory.
A glimmering ball of light that looked like a sun was hanging high above the Spirit Province, illuminating its surface.
The light seemed extremely gentle, but when Liu Mu used his Divine Sense to examine it, he suddenly let out a muffled groan as he stumbled and started bleeding from his mouth and nose.
“Ancestor!” Everyone was shocked.
Liu Mu immediately waved off, “I’m fine! Don’t try to probe that thing.”
Just now, when his Divine Sense came into contact with the light, he instantly felt a destructive force envelop him. It was so overwhelming that even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Master like him was unable to resist it and was instantly injured.
If even someone as strong as him could get this injured, how could the other Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who were also curious about this light, dare to rashly investigate? The few people who were about to probe it secretly rejoiced.
Fortunately, the injuries to Liu Mu’s Divine Sense weren’t too serious. Also, he knew that nothing in this Chaotic Dead Territory could be underestimated, so when he was investigating the ball of light, he had done so cautiously. These little injuries weren’t that big of a deal.
Be that as it may, the fact that he had suffered a loss even before meeting the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer made him realize just how powerful these two beings were.
The ship flew towards the Spirit Province and soon came to a stop in the void. Everyone looked down from the deck and was immediately stunned.
The cause of their shock was the sight of countless small stone-like men charging at each other like a tide on the plains of the Spirit Province.
These Small Stone Man didn’t seem to have high intelligence and were simply letting out strange cries as they rushed forward.
However, their numbers were overwhelming; there were at least hundreds of thousands of soldiers on each side.
Everyone looked on in amazement because even with their vast experience, they had never seen a race like this. They could not determine which race they belonged to.
What was even more surprising was the fact that such a large group of living creatures were actually surviving in the Chaotic Dead Territory where the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer existed.
However, what happened next left everyone confused.
The two armies formed by the Small Stone Man, after colliding with each other, actually began to fight. Each of these Small Stone Ants was holding weapons of varying shapes and sizes in their hands. They were trying their best to hack their enemies into pieces, for which they were willing to use even their hands and teeth if they had to.
The two armies moved as swiftly as the wind. By the looks of it, they were well-trained and were clearly directed by some brilliant commanders.
While the two armies were engaged in a fierce battle, more squads emerged from the sides, flanking and intercepting their respective enemies.
“What’s going on?” Liu Mu was completely confused. These Small Stone Men might be living creatures, but obviously, they were not that strong. He could destroy them all by himself, but what he saw in front of him really confused him.
“They are the Small Stone Race. They are very similar to ants in their behaviour. They are a race I discovered in the New Great Territory,” Yang Kai explained.
“New Great Territory!” Liu Mu’s brow rose as he recalled the New Great Territory that had appeared beside the Star Boundary. The New Great Territory was occupied by Yang Kai as soon as it appeared, so there was nothing the Cave Heavens and Paradises could do about it. They knew nothing about the New Great Territory, but now he knew that Yang Kai had actually discovered a new race inside.
“Seniors shouldn’t look down on the Small Stone Race.” Yang Kai smiled lightly, “Their intelligence might not be high and they might not be able to cultivate, but if we keep them inside our Small Universes, they are highly beneficial.”
Liu Mu immediately became interested, “What are the advantages?”
“They reproduce extremely quickly as long as enough resources are provided, and each one of them provides ten times the benefit of other living creatures to the Small Universe’s foundation.”
Everyone was stunned for a moment before they all gasped in shock. Even Da Yi looked at Yang Kai in surprise, clearly seeking confirmation.
Yang Kai affirmed, nodding, “This Junior’s Small Universe has many Small Stone Race members as well as many Humans, so the comparison is quite obvious.”
The look in Six Wood Divine Monarch’s eyes suddenly became hot, “Yang Boy, you see, when you were in danger in Black Territory, this Monarch was the first to rush to help you. So about this Small Stone Race…”
Yang Kai replied, “If Senior wishes, this Junior can naturally send some to Golden Antelope Paradise.”
“You don’t want money?” Liu Mu cautiously asked.
Back in Black Territory, Yang Kai had sold his Profound Yin Bamboo to the many High-Rank Open Heaven Masters, and his profiteering look had left a deep impression on him.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but break into laughter, “As long as Senior can afford it.”
Da Yi coughed lightly and stated, “My Great Battle Cave Heaven also wants a batch.”
“No problem, whichever Cave Heaven Paradise wants them, I’ll have someone take care of it when we return to the Star Boundary,” Yang Kai readily agreed, “But let me make one thing clear to all of you. Although the Small Stone Race’s reproduction rate is extremely fast, it is very dependent on cultivating materials. The more material one invests, the faster their reproduction rate will be.”
Liu Mu nodded his acknowledgement, “Naturally, there is nothing in life which is truly free.”
The battle on the plains was extremely intense. The two armies fought back and forth, but they were actually evenly matched. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters felt their hearts ache, looking at so many Small Stone Race members dying every breath.
They didn’t take it seriously when they didn’t know that the Small Stone Race could bring them benefits, but now that they knew how amazing the Small Stone Race was, every death seemed like a terrible loss to them.
Liu Mu couldn’t help but want to forcefully collect a batch of them and raise them in their Small Universe.
Fortunately, he did not act impulsively.
When the battle between the two armies reached its climax, two more teams joined the battle from the rear of both sides.
These two teams were clearly different from ordinary Small Stone Race members. Their bodies were several times larger and their appearances were even more ferocious.
A small figure was also riding the leading Small Stone Race member of both teams.
“Ah, why are there two little children here?” Liu Mu exclaimed in surprise.
One of the two children suddenly shot a look at him. This casual glance caused Liu Mu to feel as if he had been struck by lightning. His entire body went stiff as cold sweat dripped down his back.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were personally commanding their most elite teams on the battlefield to fight right now.
Fortunately, these two were only supervising and had no intention of taking action; otherwise, the fallout of their clash would be unimaginable. If these two were to battle, the Spirit Province would be reduced to nothing in an instant.
One after another, the Small Stone Race fell to the ground as pieces of rocks blanketed the battlefield. The battle quickly reached a conclusion. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the remaining troops of their respective armies slowly retreated.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, on the other hand, remained on the battlefield.
Big Brother Huang calmly looked at Big Sister Lan and arrogantly asserted, “You lost!”
Big Sister Lan disdainfully stated, “You lost!”
Big Brother Huang sneered, “What’s the point of haggling with me every time? Your Small Stone Race has more casualties.”
Big Sister Lan countered, pursing her lips, “But your personal guard has already been defeated by me. If we kept fighting, you would have definitely lost!”
Big Brother Huang shook his head, “It’s useless, no matter how you fight, you still won’t be able to defeat me. Even if I don’t have my elite guard, I can still defeat you.”
“Stop bragging!” Big Sister Lan made a face at Big Brother Huang, “You lost all your guards, who will you use to fight me!?”
Both of them glared at each other as if there was an irreconcilable blood feud between the two. Suddenly, both of them looked up toward the sky and asked in unison, ““Who do you think won?””
Yang Kai didn’t even have time to hide.
For a moment, Yang Kai had a huge headache. The last time he left, he had given these two the Small Stone Race for the two to rear and use to compete with each other. The loser would have to satisfy the other party’s desire to become the Big Brother or Big Sister.
By the looks of it now, these two were having a great time playing this game and were still in high spirits even after so long, but there was no accurate standard to determine the winner.
Yang Kai had a bad feeling when the two started arguing, and his premonition really came true.
Summoning up his courage, Yang Kai flew down from the ship and greeted with a smile, “Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, we meet again.”
Six Wood Divine Monarch and Clear Horizon Divine Monarch followed closely behind Yang Kai. With his past experience, how could Liu Mu not be able to guess the identities of these two children? After all, how could two children survive in the Chaotic Dead Territory?
He was filled with anxiety at first, but after hearing how Yang Kai addressed them, his eyes could not help but widen in shock.
Da Yi had already experienced this shock once before, so his expression remained the same this time.
Liu Mu stepped forward and respectfully bowed, “Golden Antelope Paradise’s Liu Mu greets two Seniors.”
These two might look like little children, but they were actually Seniors amongst Seniors. Even an Old Ancestor from the Cave Heavens and Paradises would lose out in terms of seniority to them.
The two ignored him and simply stared at Yang Kai, as if they didn’t hear Liu Mu at all and all that mattered was Yang Kai’s answer.
Liu Mu suddenly felt somewhat awkward.
No matter what, he was still an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, an Ancestor-level figure in the Cave-Heavens and Paradises. He would be admired and respected by everyone no matter where he went. It had been millennia since he had last encountered this kind of situation and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
It was Yang Kai who helped him out, quietly nudging him and stating, “What Senior? Don’t call them Senior, call them Big Brother and Big Sister!”
Liu Mu’s eyes widened even more, staring at Yang Kai in surprise. Obviously, he was asking with his eyes, ‘Is that okay?’
Yang Kai might have called them Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, but he didn’t dare act rashly in front of these two. Addressing like this violated the order of seniority, and if this offended them, the entire Golden Antelope Paradise wouldn’t even be able to fill the gaps between their gnashing teeth.
Just as he was hesitating, Da Yi had already accepted Yang Kai’s suggestion and cupped his fist toward Big Brother Huang, “Big Brother!”
He then turned to Big Sister Lan, “Big Sister!”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan both turned to look at him, nodding slightly. There was a kind look in their eyes, as if they were exchanging greetings.
[It’s really okay!?] Liu Mu was stunned! He had never seen such a strange thing in his long life. Nonetheless, he called them Big Brother and Big Sister without any hesitation, his attitude genial and tone sincere. This finally made the two acknowledge his existence.
Just as he was feeling comforted in his heart, Yang Kai suddenly betrayed him and Da Yi, “Big Brother and Big Sister are quite worried about their battle, but Little Brother’s vision is too poor to judge the winner here. It would be better to ask these two as they are much stronger than Little Brother and their vision is much more profound.”
Saying so, he swiftly took a step back.
Clear Horizon Divine Monarch and Six Wood Divine Monarch stood out at once, which made their facial muscles twitch.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, on the other hand, shifted their gazes and intensely stared at them, causing the two of them to feel uncomfortable as if swords were being poked into their backs.
“Speak, did I win?” Big Brother Huang asked, looking at the two. Although his tone was calm, whether it was Liu Mu or Da Yi, both of them could faintly sense the threat in his tone. They could tell that if they were to say no, they would not be alive to see the sun tomorrow.
“It’s me who won, isn’t it? You’ve been watching from above for so long, you must have noticed.” Big Sister Lan’s tone wasn’t threatening, but the look in her eyes was obviously not.
Cold sweat dripped down the backs of the two Eighth-Order Ancestors. This was the first time they ever felt that life was so difficult.
Liu Mu secretly cursed to himself, [I should have stayed in Black Territory. Why did I follow Yang Boy here?]
He couldn’t afford to offend either of these two. It was impossible for him to achieve a perfect answer no matter what, but he had no choice but to give one. Being stared at by those two, Liu Mu was under a great deal of pressure.
He secretly glanced at Da Yi through the corner of his eyes, but he noticed cold sweat dripping down his temple too, causing him to secretly laugh in his heart, [It turns out I am not the only one suffering here.]
Liu Mu suddenly became much more relaxed, and after a moment of deliberation, he finally spoke, “When I was watching the battle, I thought that it was as if the Heavens themselves were commanding those soldiers. The soldiers were moving and fighting in an orderly manner. This… Little Brother, truly admires you!”
He then turned to Da Yi, and shot him a look.
Da Yi immediately understood and continued, “However, the outcome of this battle has yet to be decided, so it is difficult to say who won and lost. There are many factors that determine the outcome of a battle, such as the timing, location, and soldiers, all of which are indispensable. Any slight change in circumstances can change the entire course of the battle, so it is difficult to determine the winner…”
Seeing the unhappy faces of the two, Liu Mu quickly interrupted Da Yi, “However, based on the number of casualties your subordinates have suffered, it should be a tie, so in my opinion, this battle… is a draw, right?”
He didn’t dare to answer too confidently. He kept observing their expressions, preparing to say something else if this did not satisfy them…
Da Yi immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, “Yes, yes, yes, a draw!”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan fell into deep thought. Both of them were clearly unsatisfied with this answer, but it was still acceptable. As far as the two were concerned, it was a win as long as they did not lose.
Big Brother Huang raised his head and suggested, “Then let’s call it a draw.” He suddenly turned to Big Sister Lan and assertively declared, “Next time, I’ll definitely beat you until you call me Big Brother!”
Big Sister Lan was not to be outdone, “If you think you have what it takes to defeat me, then you come at me anytime! But first, ask if my army of 30 million agrees!”
Brother Huang sneered, “It’s obviously just 18 million, yet you insist on saying it’s 30 million, you really like boasting!”
The two broke into another argument, but Da Yi and Liu Mu both let out long sighs of relief. They felt as if they had just escaped a disaster.
Suddenly, the two stopped bickering and looked at Yang Kai together. Big Brother Huang then stated, “You seem to have brought a lot of disgusting people with you this time!”
The last time Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan noticed the Black Ink Strength inside Yang Kai, both of them showed faces of revulsion.
The thousands of Black Ink Disciples on the ship might have their energy suppressed and sealed, but how could the Black Ink Strength escape Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s senses?
In fact, they had already noticed everything as soon as the ship entered the Chaotic Dead Territory. It was just that the two were more focused on the outcome of their battle so they didn’t bother to ask anything.
Yang Kai stepped forward and cupped his fist, “Little Brother is actually here for this reason. The people on the ship have been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and have been turned into Black Ink Disciples. They have lost their sense of self. I would like to ask for Big Brother and Big Sister’s help to save them.
Big Brother Huang furrowed his brow, “There are so many of them.”
Yang Kai added, “In the vast Universe, only Big Brother and Big Sister can expel the Black Ink Strength. If you two don’t do anything, they will definitely die!”
Big Brother Huang hesitated for a moment before suddenly glancing at Big Sister Lan, who happened to look at him too.
Their eyes met, and both of them seemed to be thinking the same thing.
The next moment, Yang Kai and the two Divine Monarchs saw the two little children squat down and leaned closer, whispering to each other.
Big Brother Huang asked, “Have you noticed a problem recently?”
Big Sister Lan asked, “You also noticed?”
Big Brother Huang nodded in acknowledgement, “The number of Small Stone Race under our command is increasing, so it’s getting harder to command them.”
“En, they’re too stupid, sometimes they don’t even understand what we want them to do.”
“En, Little Brother Yang also said that their intelligence is not high, so they cannot understand complex orders.”
“That’s why we need some generals who will follow our orders and lead our armies into battle!”
“En en, I’ve thought about it before, but I couldn’t find anyone.”
“We couldn’t find them before, but don’t we have them now? And they’ve even delivered themselves to us.”
While speaking, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan both turned to look up at the ship, then at Six Wood Divine Monarch and Clear Horizon Divine Monarch with deep and profound gazes.
The two Divine Monarchs’ felt their faces immediately twitched.
A strange look also appeared on Yang Kai’s face as he kindly reminded the two, “Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, we can hear everything you’re saying.”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, on the other hand, turned a deaf ear to this and focused on their discussion.
Big Brother Huang added, “Excluding those yucky ones, there are a total of 33 people.”
30 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm escorts, along with Liu Mu, Da Yi, and Yang Kai, were exactly 33.
Big Sister Lan stated with a grin, “Half each.”
Big Brother Huang corrected her, worried, “There’s one more.”
Big Sister Lan explained, waving off, “Forget about Little Brother Yang, he doesn’t look very smart, he’s probably not much better than those from the Small Stone Race. Let’s leave those annoying flies to him, it will save us some trouble.”
“You’re right.” Big Brother Huang nodded seriously.
The veins on Yang Kai’s forehead bulged. If it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t defeat these two, he really wanted to ask what do stupid people look like? Do they have some kind of horns on their heads?
Originally, Liu Mu and Da Yi were depressed, but now that they heard these two speak, they couldn’t help but snicker.
On the other side, after Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan finished discussing, the two looked over. Liu Mu and Da Yi quickly restrained their smiles and wore solemn expressions on their faces.
Big Brother Huang stated, “Little Brother Yang, we just discussed, it’s not like we can’t help you; after all, you’re also our Little Brother. Since you’ve come to beg us, we can’t just sit back and watch.”
Big Sister Lan quickly followed up, “But we also have conditions.”
Yang Kai knew their conditions but still pretended to be ignorant and asked curiously, “How can I help?”
Big Brother Huang replied, “It’s like this, since you left us last time, our forces have been expanding rapidly, and now each of us has an army of tens of millions. It has become harder to control them. We urgently need some generals and officers who can obey our orders! I think the people you brought this time are quite suitable, so why not let them serve under us? In that case, we’ll have time to help you!”
Before Yang Kai could respond, Liu Mu asked anxiously, “Big Brother, Big Sister, can you change your conditions?”
He finally understood that what these two invincible existences did on the Spirit Province was simply to kill time. In any case, he was still an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, yet instead of eliminating great evils and protecting the innocent, he would have to play around with these two children. If word got out, he would completely lose face.
This was something he absolutely could not agree to.
Although Da Yi didn’t say anything, his meaning was clear.
Big Brother Huang decisively refused, “This is the only condition. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
Yang Kai quickly looked towards them. The next moment, his eyes became filled with sorrow and his tone turned heavy and solemn, “Seniors, please consider the bigger picture!”
The two of them immediately glared at him, wanting nothing more than to sew his mouth shut.
Big Brother Huang’s face slightly sank, “It seems you don’t like the idea of working under us!”
Big Sister Lan also looked a bit angry, “If you don’t want to, then leave. No one is forcing you to stay.”
Yang Kai tried his best to persuade them, “Seniors, there are thousands of lives on that ship. This time there are thousands, but the next time there may be even more. The vast universe will never forget your sacrifice!”
Liu Mu and Da Yi now couldn’t wait to chop Yang Kai into a million pieces. This brat was obviously just enjoying the show like it had nothing to do with him; after all, it did not cost him anything to throw them into the pit.
Be that as it may, their current situation left them with no other choice but to agree to their terms. Just as Yang Kai had stated, this time there were thousands of lives, but what about next time? No one could guarantee that their Sect’s disciples would not be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength at some point. They did not want to experience the tragedy of Lang Ya Paradise.
If they could get the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s help and capture Black Ink Disciples in the future, they would not have to kill them all.
Liu Mu clenched his teeth and agreed, “Good, since Big Brother and Big Sister think so highly of me, if this Little Brother still refuses, I would be someone who does not know how to appreciate kindness. This Little Brother is willing to obey your orders in the future!”
Da Yi sighed in his heart, knowing he couldn’t refuse either. So, he smiled and nodded, “Little Brother is of the same mind.”
The sullen Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan immediately smiled and stated, “Great, awesome, quickly call your people over.”
Six Wood Divine Monarch’s Divine Sense surged before 30 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm flew down from the ship the next moment.
Although they had seen most of the proceedings from up there, they didn’t know what was going on in detail. They could only vaguely guess that the two little kids were the legendary Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer.
Liu Mu pointed at Big Brother Huang and ordered everyone, “Come and greet Big Brother!”
The 30 Seventh-Order Masters were all dumbfounded and couldn’t understand why their Ancestor was saying something like that.
However, they didn’t dare to ask too much. Since their Ancestor had given such instructions, he must have his reasons. All of them cupped their fists and shouted ‘Big Brother’.
Liu Mu then pointed at Big Sister Lan, “This is Big Sister!”
Everyone bowed once more.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan smiled even more happily. They even became humbler because of this. Big Brother Huang offered, “You’re younger, you choose first.”
Big Sister Lan smiled and offered in return, “You’re younger, you go first.”
Yang Kai knew that he could not allow this to go on; otherwise, the peaceful atmosphere would immediately be destroyed. Thus, he quickly intervened, asking, “If Big Brother and Big Sister don’t mind, how about I help you?”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan looked at each other before nodding, “Good!”
Yang Kai immediately began distributing the manpower. In fact, it didn’t take any effort to assign teams. Two Eighth-Order and 30 Seventh-Order Masters were evenly distributed with a casual wave of his hand.
Big Brother Huang’s face was filled with eagerness, “Great, now we have Generals who can understand our commands. The next time we fight, it will definitely be more exciting!”
Big Sister Lan smiled and spoke in a provocative manner, “Then you must work hard, don’t cry when you lose.”
“You just wait and watch!” Big Brother Huang coldly snorted before he called out to his 16 High-Rank Masters, “You all come with me!”
Big Sister Lan pointed at the other 16, “You come with me!”
Yang Kai quickly interrupted them, “Please wait a moment, what about the people on the ship? I hope the two of you can first expel the Black Ink Strength from their bodies.”
“I’ll leave that to you.” Big Brother Huang impatiently passed the matter to Yang Kai before stretching out his hand and pointing towards him.
Yang Kai suddenly felt a scalding pain on the back of his left hand, as if it was being burned by flames, giving him a fright.
Before he could react, Big Sister Lan extended her hand toward him again and in the next moment, he felt a frigid sensation on the back of his right hand.
One cold, one hot, it was extremely strange.
Yang Kai looked down and saw nothing on the back of his hands, but he could feel that there was something there.
Yang Kai found this scene quite familiar and recalled the last time he had left, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had pointed at him and left behind an extremely mysterious power in his body, greatly enhancing his Dragon Vein and increasing his Dragon Form to 20,000 metres.
Moreover, he still had not completely refined that power and it had thus been lying dormant inside his body. Yang Kai couldn’t imagine how magnificent his Dragon Form would become after he completely refined that power.
Seeing that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had already mounted their respective Small Stone Race guards, Yang Kai quickly asked, “What should I do?”
“Everything in this world has its own counter. Although the Black Ink Strength is strange, it is not invincible. Use the benefits you obtained here and your brain to purify it!” Having said as much, Big Brother Huang turned around and started heading towards one end of the Spirit Province.
Liu Mu walked over to Yang Kai and warned him with a gloomy expression on his face, “If any of this leaks out, you’re dead!”
Having no other choice but to accompany two kids and play their games was already the limit of what Liu Mu could endure. If the word got out, he would be too ashamed to show his face in public.
Yang Kai quickly nodded his acknowledgement, “Seniors, rest assured, no one else will find out about this.”
“That’s for the best!” Having said so, Liu Mu led the 15 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and chased after Big Brother Huang.
On the other hand, Da Yi led the other 15 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters away with Big Sister Lan.
In the blink of an eye, only Yang Kai was left, along with the remains of the Small Stone Race.
Yang Kai looked at his hands as he sunk into his thoughts.
Big Brother Huang spoke some cryptic words, leaving him all confused, but the meaning had been quite clear. He was now able to expel the Black Ink Strength.
[What should I do?]
[Big Brother Huang wouldn’t lie about something like this. There must be some kind of profound mystery behind the finger pointed by Big Sister Lan and him.]
Yang Kai pondered for a moment before arriving on the flying ship and casually grabbing a Black Ink Disciple.
This Black Ink Disciple’s cultivation wasn’t high, only in the Third Order. Yang Kai didn’t know him, but his strength was sealed and he was unable to move at all, even his Small Universe was completely suppressed. Be that as it may, his eyes were filled with hatred as he stared at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai mobilized his Small Universe’s strength to his two hands, but after trying for a long time, he found that it had no effect, let alone expel the Black Ink Strength.
He could not even feel the heat and chill he had felt before.
Recalling what Big Brother Huang had said before he left, Yang Kai’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
[Big Brother Huang mentioned the benefits I had obtained from this place…]
The greatest benefit he had reaped from the last time he was here was the endless amounts of Yellow and Blue Crystals, derived from Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s own strength. These were the purest Yin and Yang Element materials.
Yang Kai casually took out a palm-sized piece of Yellow Crystal from his Small Universe. The quality of this piece of Yellow Crystal wasn’t high, only Fourth-Order, so it was perfect for testing
With a flash of thought, Yang Kai immediately felt a burning sensation on the back of his left hand. When he looked down, he spotted a faint circular pattern where the burning came from.
Holding the Yellow Crystal in his hand, the Yang Element Power contained within it was clearly pulled by an inexplicable force, quickly flowing into the circular pattern on the back of his hand.
The pattern soon became visible and dazzling.
A moment later, the palm-sized yellow crystal disappeared into thin air; all its energy was pulled into Yang Kai’s left hand.
The circular pattern on the back of his hand lit up like a small sun.
Yang Kai suddenly understood.
He quickly took out a Blue Crystal from his Small universe and tried again.
As expected, with just a thought, a pattern appeared on the back of his right hand, but this one was a deep blue in colour. As the Blue Crystal’s energy poured into it, the glow became more profound.
Whether it was the Yellow Crystals or the Blue Crystals, both of them were the condensation of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s strength. Although they had transformed into Yin and Yang Element materials that could be refined and absorbed after being broken down in battle with each other, their essence hadn’t changed much.
Before leaving, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had shot some kind of energy from their fingers, leaving a kind of key on the back of Yang Kai’s left and right hand to draw out that energy.
With Yellow in his left hand, and Blue in his right, Yin and Yang, Yang Kai pressed his palms together before the two energies started merging, blooming into a dazzling white light!
Yang Kai had never seen such a pure white light before. It was totally without any impurity, giving the impression that it could cleanse everything in this world.
The Third-Order Black Ink Disciple had been glaring at Yang Kai with a look of anger and hatred after he had been picked up. He kept roaring at the top of his lungs meaninglessly like a vicious beast that wanted to swallow Yang Kai alive. However, when the flash of white light burst forth, the ferocity and anger in his eyes were instantly replaced by confusion.
The next moment, his confusion turned into panic as he began to violently struggle.
Be that as it may, he was unable to move no matter how he tried as his strength was restricted by a Secret Technique.
Yang Kai became more confident at the sight of this and believed he had found the right method.
He had never thought that the Yellow and Blue Crystals he had obtained in the Chaotic Dead Territory would become the key to expelling the Black Ink Strength.
Yang Kai raised his hand, grabbing the small sun radiating with white light and thrust it onto the Black Ink Disciple’s head.
The white light poured down on the Black Ink Disciple like moonlight, bathing him in it. To Yang Kai’s surprise, a change occurred instantaneously.
The Black Ink Disciple seemed to be in unimaginable agony as his eyes bulged and his face contorted in pain. Immediately after, wisps of black aura began to emerge from his body, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Not only that, a sound similar to the melting of snow came from the Black Ink Disciple’s body.
Yang Kai carefully felt the black aura escaping from the Black Ink Disciple’s body. It resembled Black Ink Strength, but seemed to be lacking in stability, probably because it was being purified by the white light. Thus, it couldn’t continue to exist like pure Black Ink Strength, disappearing as soon as it was expelled.
Black wisps gushed out from the Black Ink Disciple’s body at first, but as time passed, fewer and fewer appeared while the Black Ink Disciple’s originally pained expression grew calmer.
In just a few breaths of time, no more black wisps escaped from the Black Ink Disciple as his eyes finally regained clarity.
Yet, the small sun-like white light in Yang Kai’s hand had not been completely consumed, only about half of it had been used up.
In other words, the remaining white light should be enough to disperse the Black Ink Strength from another Black Ink Disciple’s body. Yang Kai didn’t intend to waste this; after all, this was the energy derived from the Yellow and Blue Crystals. He thus held it in his hand and examined the Black Ink Disciple.
“Many thanks for Sect Master Yang’s life-saving grace!” The Black Ink Disciple suddenly thanked, his expression perfectly normal and extremely sincere.
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly, “I’ll remove your restriction, don’t make any sudden movements.”
“Understood!” The Black Ink Disciple replied.
Only then did Yang Kai remove the restriction sealing his power.
As expected, the Black Ink Disciple did not act rashly. So Yang Kai simply demanded, “Open up your Small Universe, I must examine it.”
Only by examining the other party’s Small Universe would Yang Kai be able to determine if there was any trace of Black Ink Strength left in this Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Normally, such a request would be considered extremely rude and no one would easily agree to it, but this Third-Order cultivator clearly understood how that eerie black mist that was controlling him would manifest. So, after a moment of hesitation, he quickly opened his Small Universe to prove his innocence.
The foundation of a Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was not strong, so their Small Universe was still immaterial and illusory, not having a physical form. Yang Kai carefully examined it, and only after confirming that there was no more Black Ink Strength left in his Small Universe did he finally relax.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan might not seem very reliable, but they were still trustworthy. Although they didn’t personally expel the Black Ink Strength, they had shown Yang Kai the way forward.
Furthermore, Yang Kai looked at the white ball of light in his hand and faintly felt that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s actions were not simply because they found it troublesome, but because they intended to give him a method to expel the Black Ink Strength himself.
If he were to encounter Black Ink Disciples again in the future, he wouldn’t need to travel trillions upon trillions of kilometres to the Chaotic Dead Territory to ask for their help. He could take care of them himself.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai looked up at the person in front of him and asked, “Does anything feel off to you?”
The Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master silently checked his body for a moment before shaking his head in response, “There’s nothing wrong, it feels like I’ve been reborn.”
“Do you remember what happened?”
The Third-Order Open Heaven Realm Master bitterly smiled, “I do. I remember everything clearly. When I was possessed by that evil power, my thoughts weren’t affected much. They remained the same, but my true self seemed to have been sealed, replaced by another me that I didn’t even recognize.”
“This is the true malevolence of the Black Ink Strength. Those who are corroded by it will only revere the Black Ink Clan!”
The Third-Order Open Heaven Realm nodded with lingering fear. Recalling the thoughts he used to have, he truly understood Yang Kai’s meaning.
“This humble one will forever remember this debt,” The Third-Order Open Heaven Realm sincerely expressed his gratitude.
Yang Kai stated, waving off, “It was a minor matter, you don’t need to concern yourself with it. However, you can’t leave for the time being. This is not an ordinary place, so you need to remain here and wait until everything is settled.”
“Yes.” The man nodded before asking, “Does Sect Master Yang need any assistance?”
Yang Kai turned his head, looking at the thousands of people on the ship as a sense of responsibility suddenly weighed on his heart, “If you want to help, bring them here one by one.”
The man readily agreed and rushed off, quickly bringing back a Black Ink Disciple.
Just like he did earlier, this Black Ink Disciple glared at the two with hatred, even though his strength had been tightly sealed.
Yang Kai sent the remaining white light into the Black Ink Disciple’s body as the earlier scene repeated. The Black Ink Strength was dispersed as the angry Black Ink Disciple’s expression gradually became calm.
One by one, the Black Ink Disciples regained their rationality. Yang Kai had to carefully examine the condition of every Black Ink Disciple Small Universe that he dispelled the Black Ink Strength from, to make sure he didn’t miss anything.
As the days passed by, more and more Black Ink Disciples were purified. Furthermore, Yang Kai discovered the specifics of the usage of the Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals over this period.
They were definitely not just cultivation materials, but also the greatest treasures to resist the Black Ink Strength.
In addition, Yang Kai discovered he needed to consume more Yellow and Blue crystals the higher the Order of the Black Ink Disciple. Basically, the Order of the Yellow and Blue Crystal corresponded to the disciple’s Order.
When he cleansed Luan Bai Feng, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Yang Kai had to use Sixth-Order Yellow and Blue Crystals.
Yang Kai couldn’t understand how this worked, so he could only guess that the higher the Order of the Black Ink Disciple, the more Black Ink Strength he would need to expel, so the amount of energy he would need to consume would increase proportionally.
Luan Bai Feng and Xin Peng had both been purified at this point, and although the two of them understood that their previous betrayal was not of their own will and instead a result of the influence of the Black Ink Strength, they still felt ashamed.
The two of them expressed their intention to leave their names on the Loyalty List once more.
The last two pages of the Loyalty List were still blank, so although the two of them had been saved, their names had not returned.
No one was willing to tie their lives to another person’s will, especially someone like Yang Kai who often took risks.
No one knew when they would be dragged down with him.
Luan Bai Feng and Xin Peng only did this because they were worried that Yang Kai would hold some kind of grudge against them.
Of course, Yang Kai did not agree to this request.
Back then, he had no choice but to subdue Luan Bai Feng by force. At that time, whether it was Void Land or High Heaven Palace, both were quite weak and unstable. If he wanted the materials from Black Territory, he could only make Luan Bai Feng submit.
Now, whether it was Void Land or High Heaven Palace though, both were famous and had established a strong foundation. It could be said that in all of the 3,000 Worlds, only a few forces could compare to the foundation of High Heaven Palace and Void Land besides the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Under Yang Kai’s leadership, there was no shortage of cultivation resources, no real restrictions on their actions, and bright futures to look ahead to. Many people wanted to join this kind of force even if they had to sell themselves into slavery to do so. Even without the restrictions of the Loyalty List, Luan Bai Feng wouldn’t have any thoughts about leaving.
Yang Kai had already passed the point where he needed to control his subordinates with the Loyalty List as the current him already had a good reputation and status in the vast universe.
The expulsion of the Black Ink Strength continued as each Black Ink Disciple was restored by Yang Kai.
No one else could help in this situation. The ability granted by Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan was exclusive to Yang Kai. At most, others could cart Black Ink Disciples over to Yang Kai.
Several dozen days later, a dazzling light enveloped a burly Black Ink Disciple. This Black Ink Disciple was a little different from ordinary Black Ink Disciples, and Yang Kai naturally recognized him.
It was none other than Fan Xiu Qi, who had broken through his Open Heaven Realm Order limit to reach the Sixth Order.
When this man broke through to the Open Heaven Realm, he did so to the Third Order, making the Fifth Order his limit. After being corroded by the Black Ink Strength though, he was able to break through those shackles. Yang Kai and Luan Bai Feng personally witnessed him break through to the Sixth Order.
But at that time, Yang Kai noticed the hidden dangers of this breakthrough.
Originally, Fan Xiu Qi was short and lean, but after his breakthrough, his body swelled up immensely, giving him a tall, bulky physique with some large welts and cysts that gave him a somewhat mishappen appearance.
As for the other man named Shu Yuan Si, he wasn’t so lucky. When he broke through, his strength became unstable and he was unable to reign it in. So, Luan Bai Feng personally killed him.
Yang Kai faintly felt that dispelling the Black Ink Strength from Fan Xiu Qi would not end well for him.
Very soon, his hunch was confirmed.
Under the white light, the Black Ink Strength was turned into nothingness and disappeared as it was constantly expelled from Fan Xiu Qi’s body. During this process, the expressions of the other Black Ink Disciple gradually became gentler, but it was different when it came to Fan Xiu Qi. The expression on his face became more pained, his face turning so red it gave the impression he would almost start bleeding from his pores at any moment.
Behind him, his Small Universe was also constantly flickering and his aura fluctuated wildly.
A solemn expression appeared on the onlooking Luan Bai Feng.
At some moment, a frown suddenly appeared on Yang Kai’s face. Space Principles surged as he promptly grabbed Fan Xiu Qi and instantly disappeared.
In the void, Yang Kai quietly stared at Fan Xiu Qi for a while before asking, “Do you have any last words?”
Fan Xiu Qi’s face was filled with dread and panic. He shook his head vigorously, begging Yang Kai, “Sir, save me!”
He had regained his rationality after Yang Kai had completely expelled the Black Ink Strength from his body, but his energy had become extremely unstable. The World Strength in his Small Universe was uncontrollably leaking out, showing obvious signs of collapsing.
This was the hidden danger of the Black Ink Strength.
When Fan Xiu Qi had broken through to the Open Heaven Realm, he had been a Third-Order, and his limit was the Fifth-Order, but under the influence of the Black Ink Strength, he had broken through to the Sixth-Order, which was nothing short of a miracle.
However, such a miracle came at a price.
As a Black Ink Disciple, Fan Xiu Qi could still control his Sixth-Order strength, but without the support of the Black Ink Strength after it was expelled, his Small Universe could no longer handle his Sixth-Order cultivation; it had exceeded the limit he could bear.
This ultimately caused his Small Universe to become unstable and it was now on the verge of collapsing.
In short, he could not control his Sixth-Order strength.
Yang Kai slowly shook his head in response, “Forgive me. There’s nothing I can do.”
A look of despair appeared on Fan Xiu Qi’s face as the World Force fluctuations around his body became even more unstable. He knew in his heart that there was no way he could escape this calamity today, so he couldn’t help but look up and roar toward the Heavens in grief and indignation.
As his roar resounded across the void, his Small Universe collapsed and his World Force dissipated, resulting in a severe backlash. The next moment, Fan Xiu Qi’s entire body exploded into a bloody mist.
Yang Kai lightly sighed before returning to the ship.
Luan Bai Feng must have guessed everything as she gave Yang Kai a questioning look when she saw him return.
Yang Kai shook his head in response, “He died.”
Luan Bai Feng was momentarily speechless.
“How many others?” Yang Kai asked.
Luan Bai Feng knew what he was asking. She thought for a moment before replying, “Not many, about 20 in total.”
“Find them all,” Yang Kai ordered.
Luan Bai Feng nodded before turning around and leaving to find the 20 or so subordinates who had broken through their Open Heaven Realm limit under the influence of the Black Ink Strength and set them aside.
During the next few days, Yang Kai was completely focused, not relaxing for even a moment. He kept expelling the Black Ink Strength from the Black Ink Disciples, one by one. Furthermore, every time he purified a person, Yang Kai would carefully examine their Small Universe to make sure there were no problems.
Finally, when only the 20 or so people who had been set aside were left, Yang Kai found himself in a dilemma.
Having seen Fan Xiu Qi’s fate, Yang Kai didn’t need to imagine what would happen to these people after their Black Ink Strength was dispelled, but he had no choice but to do so. They had been contaminated by the Black Ink Strength and had been reduced to Black Ink Disciples. If he allowed them to do as they pleased, they would be lurking peril for this vast universe.
After thinking about it for a while, Yang Kai decided to ask Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s help.
These two might have some way.
Currently, each of them had 16 Seventh and Eighth-Order Generals under their command and were launching fierce attacks against each other every day. Yang Kai was able to easily find Big Brother Huang, who was in charge of overseeing his rear forces on a certain battlefield.
The battle in front of them was quite intense, but Big Brother Huang didn’t seem to be worried at all, not in the slightest. In the past, they had to command the Small Stone Race to do everything by themselves; but now, with the help of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, things were much easier.
Seeing Yang Kai arrive, Big Brother Huang only gave him a sideways glance before carefully listening to the report of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm General. He then nodded his head and issued orders, displaying the dignity of a commander.
When Big Brother Huang was done, just when Yang Kai was about to speak, he interrupted him, “We can’t save them, just kill them all, it’ll save you time and trouble.”
Yang Kai had a lot of things he wished to say, but was unable to speak, which made him very uncomfortable.
He then went to look for Big Sister Lan, but received the exact same answer.
Yang Kai knew these two weren’t just giving him a perfunctory answer. If there was really some kind of method they could try, they wouldn’t hide it from him as doing so would be beneath them. If even they couldn’t do anything about it, then there really was nothing to be done.
Nonetheless, Yang Kai still didn’t give up. He returned to the ship and started dispersing the Black Ink Strength in the bodies of the 20 or so people.
But the result was extremely tragic.
Just like what happened to Fan Xiu Qi, after dispersing the Black Ink Strength, all of these people died because of the collapse of their Small Universe. Not a single one escaped this tragic fate.
Luan Bai Feng and the others all felt a sense of sadness while also secretly rejoicing that when they were immersed in the Black Ink Strength, they had not broken through their limits; otherwise, they would have suffered the same fate.
The thousands of Black Ink Disciples had already regained their senses. As every one of them was personally rescued by Yang Kai, they were naturally extremely grateful to him.
Yang Kai had consumed a lot of Yellow and Blue Crystals in this time, but compared to the harvest he had obtained here, it was nothing; after all, the cultivation of these Black Ink Disciples wasn’t high.
Purifying a Third-Order Black Ink Disciple only required a Third-Order Yellow Crystal and a Third-Order Blue Crystal.
Yang Kai’s consumption could be considered almost negligible as a result.
Having spent several months in the Chaotic Dead Territory, Yang Kai started to become concerned about the situation in Black Territory. He still didn’t know what to do with the Black Ink Clansman, so he immediately went to say his goodbyes to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
“You’re leaving just like that?” Big Sister Lan looked at him in surprise.
Yang Kai nodded his affirmation, “There are still some things I need to take care of outside, so I can’t stay here for too long. I’ll come visit you two when I have time in the future.”
Big Sister Lan nodded and stated, “Then go. It doesn’t look like you’ll have a short life, so just come back when you’re free.”
Liu Mu, who was standing behind Big Brother Huang, shot Yang Kai a fierce glare at that moment.
Yang Kai understood what that glare meant and gave him a calm gaze in return before stating, “Before leaving, this Little Brother has a presumptuous request.”
“What is it?” Big Brother Huang asked.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and requested, “This Little Brother earnestly requests Big Brother and Big Sister to leave the mountain and destroy the imprisoned Black Ink Clansman in Black Territory!”
This was also something Yang Kai had discussed with Liu Mu and Da Yi before. If he could ask the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer to come out of their seclusion, the Black Ink Clansman in Black Territory would no longer be a problem.
Because of this, Liu Mu and Da Yi did not nag about the Black Ink Clan to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan over the past few months because they wanted to lay the groundwork for Yang Kai’s request.
Unfortunately, Big Brother Huang shook his head in refusal after hearing Yang Kai’s request, directly stating, “We can’t.”
Big Sister Lan also refused, “It’s impossible.”
Yang Kai looked confused and couldn’t help asking, “Why?”
“If we can’t do it, we can’t do it. There’s no need to ask why,” Big Brother Huang impatiently stated.
Big Sister Lan, on the other hand, was the one to explain, “The outside world cannot accommodate our existence. If we really leave this place, we will only bring destruction wherever we go. Are you sure you can bear this result?”
Yang Kai was stunned. Suddenly, he recalled the first time he had come to the Chaotic Dead Territory. At that time, he had witnessed the collision between the two behemoths of light. Their clash had caused the entire Chaotic Dead Territory to tremble.
Although Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan in front of him looked like little children, these weren’t their true forms.
Their true forms were avatars of destruction.
The Chaotic Dead Territory had nothing inside of it, so they could stay here without worry. However, if their true bodies left the Chaotic Dead Territory and traveled to the outside world, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Yang Kai immediately realized that he had been too naive. He had considered the possibility that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan would refuse, but he had never considered the possibility that their true bodies would be unable to leave the Chaotic Dead territory.
“However…” Big Sister Lan tapped her lips thoughtfully, “If you can lure that Black Ink Clansman here, we can still help you kill him!”
Yang Kai looked at Liu Mu and Da Yi.
Liu Mu shook his head in response, “That’s too dangerous!”
The Black Ink Clansman was imprisoned in the central part of Black Territory, where countless ore stars and Spirit Arrays formed a Super Array to suppress it. If they really wanted to lure them to the Chaotic Dead Territory, they would have to first breach the Super Array and then lure them here, crossing numerous Great Territories in the process.
Such a situation would be very hard to control. The Black Ink Strength was so treacherous and difficult to deal with, and wherever the Black Ink Clansman passed, the surrounding area would be filled with danger, and countless people would die.
“Then there’s nothing we can do about it,” Big Sister Lan shrugged, wearing a helpless look on her face.
“It’s fine, the Cave Heavens and Paradises have robust and long heritages, I don’t believe they can’t deal with a single Black Ink Clansman!” Liu Mu comforted Yang Kai.
Big Brother Huang glanced at Yang Kai and stated, “With the power in your hands, it shouldn’t be a problem to deal with the Black Ink Clan!”
Yang Kai immediately came to a realization and cupped his fist in gratitude, “Many thanks, Big Brother.”
Suddenly, he was struck with a thought and asked, “Can the two of you also leave a mark on Senior Liu Mu and Senior Da Yi? This way, they can also use your strength to deal with the Black Ink Clan.”
Liu Mu immediately winked at Yang Kai with an approving and even grateful look on his face.
Although he had no idea what Yang Kai was talking about, it was definitely not a bad thing.
Big Brother Huang, however, refused, “You are practically a Divine Spirit, so you have some connection with us, so you can use our strength, but they aren’t, so they can’t. Even if we leave a mark on them, they won’t be able to use it.”
Yang Kai didn’t know there was such a relationship between them, so he had no choice but to give up on this.
Yang Kai thus made up his mind to take a trip to the Ancestral Land and bring Su Yan and the others with him so that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan could leave their marks on them.
While speaking, Big Brother Huang suddenly realized something and turned to look at Liu Mu, “You’re leaving too?”
Liu Mu took a step forward and cupped his fist, “We have heavy responsibilities weighing on our shoulders, so we cannot stay here for long.”
Big Brother Huang was dumbfounded as he muttered, “Then what should we do?”
Working with Liu Mu and the others during this period of time had saved him and Big Sister Lan a lot of trouble. If all of their subordinates were to leave, they would be back to square one.
Big Sister Lan also bluntly commanded, “You can’t leave. The dead can leave, but the living must stay!”
Liu Mu and Da Yi immediately broke out into a cold sweat. They quickly looked at Yang Kai for help. If they were really trapped here, they would be finished.
Yang Kai also felt a headache coming on. These two were not to be trifled with, and although they had always been calm and approachable, if he really angered them, he had no idea what would happen.
Suddenly, Yang Kai’s eyes flickered with an intelligent gleam before he asked, “Please wait a moment!”
Saying so, his figure flickered and disappeared.
When Yang Kai returned, there were over 100 people behind him.
All of them were Black Ink Disciples who had been rescued by Yang Kai. Yang Kai simply explained the current situation to them and asked if any of them were willing to stay behind to serve the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, resulting in hundreds of people stepping forward.
The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s fame was universal, and only a destined few could have a chance to meet them, not to mention being able to serve them at close range. As far as an ordinary Open Heaven Realm Master was concerned, it was an extremely attractive opportunity.
Had it not been for the fact that Yang Kai had personally hand-picked them, more people would have stepped forward.
“What Big Brother and Big Sister need are only generals who can understand your orders, it has nothing to do with their cultivation. These people are all extremely intelligent, so I don’t think they will let you down. How about they stay here with you?” Yang Kai asked.
This was equivalent to exchanging 100 people for the freedom of 32. Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan glanced at each other but didn’t refuse and nodded instead.
Yang Kai immediately let out a sigh of relief.
After everything was settled, Big Brother Huang waved his hand once more as streaks of yellow light flew toward Liu Mu and the others before he indifferently stated, “You have worked hard these past few days, this is the reward for your service.”
Liu Mu looked down and noticed that these yellow lights were actually Yellow Crystals, each emitting a rich Yang Element aura.
These Yellow Crystals were at least Seventh-Order materials.
Liu Mu was even holding an Eighth-Order Yellow Crystal!
After blankly staring for a moment, Liu Mu smiled broadly and cupped his fist, “Many thanks, Big Brother!”
The remaining 15 also expressed their gratitude.
Da Yi and the others couldn’t help but feel envious. Fortunately, Big Sister Lan also had a reward, but what she bestowed were Yin Element Blue Crystals.
When the 100 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters who came with Yang Kai saw this, they were all extremely excited and secretly rejoiced at their decision. So long as they served the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer well, they too would receive some rewards. This was great news for them. Basically, all of them were poor; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been drawn to Black Territory to mine for materials in the first place.
They secretly made up their mind to win the favour of these two. Their bright future depended on whether they could grab this opportunity or not.
After dealing with a few minor things, Yang Kai and the others bid farewell to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
For the time being, every single one of the thousands of Black Ink Disciples had to be brought back to Black Territory. All of them were from different Sects and even came from different Great Territories of the 3,000 Worlds, and since the matter of the Black Ink Clan had not been settled, they couldn’t be allowed to leave just yet, lest they spread rumours and cause trouble.
Da Yi remained behind to guard the Territory Gate and watched the ship depart.
It had taken them several months to arrive, but the journey back was still quite long.
Fortunately, the matter with the Black Ink Disciples had been resolved, so everyone’s mood wasn’t as heavy as it was before. Moreover, Yang Kai had obtained a method to purify the Black Ink Strength, which might be of great help to deal with the situation in the Black Territory.
The trip to Black Territory was smooth and uneventful. Even though the situation in Black Territory had caused the Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises to gather, the ordinary forces were completely oblivious to it as all the news had been sealed off. As such, the other Great Territories had no idea that there was a Master hidden in the Black Prison that could overturn the entire universe.
Everyone returned to Black Territory in a few months.
High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises guarded the Territory Gate, preventing anyone from entering.
Naturally, the Golden Antelope Paradise’s ship was allowed to enter. The thousands of rescued Black Ink Disciples were temporarily placed under supervision by the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises; however, chances were they would not be able to obtain freedom anytime soon.
Shattered Spirit Provinces had become the temporary bases for the various Cave Heavens and Paradises.
High Heaven Palace also had its own station.
Qu Hua Shang had returned to the Star Boundary to deliver Yang Kai’s message; as such, High Heaven Palace had also received the news. Head Manager Hua Qing Si had personally ordered High Heaven Palace to assemble in full force.
When Yang Kai arrived, Xia Ning Chang, Xue Yue, Yu Ru Meng, Ji Yao, Qu Hua Shang, Tao Ling Wan, Lin Yun’er, Mo Xiao Qi, Yang Xue, Yue He, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Hua Yong, Shu Mu Dan, Iron Blood, Beast Martial, Serene Soul, Flower Shadow, Ice Feather, Wondrous Pill, Heavens Revelation, Fang Yue, Xiang Yin, Li Wu Yi, Bing Yun, and several others were waiting for him.
It could be said that apart from Mo Mei who was in charge of Void Star City and Bustling World Great Emperor who was in charge of High Heaven Star City, all of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters Yang Kai could mobilize had arrived.
This time, Yang Kai was not fighting alone.
Furthermore, High Heaven Palace also had its own Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master this time!
The Proprietress had broken through at last!
Yang Kai had learned about this matter from Yu Xiang Die when he was in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, but he had not had the time to go back and check on her. It was the Proprietress who had come looking for him first.
After she entered retreat in Void Land, the Proprietress took some 200 years before she was able to sense a turning point and break through. Furthermore, Senior Bi Xi stood guard for her during her breakthrough, so while her ascension was by no means assured, it was at least safe.
Afterwards, she rushed to the Star Boundary, but at that time, Yang Kai was not there. So, she remained in the Star Boundary to consolidate her cultivation until the incident with the Black Ink Clan occurred, whereupon she led the many High Heaven Palace Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters over to assist.
Naturally, they started chatting when they met. Yang Kai first asked about the situation in Black Territory.
Because High Heaven Palace only had a single Seventh-Order Master, the Proprietress, she was the only one who had the qualifications to participate in the meetings between the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Hearing Yang Kai’s question, Lan You Ruo replied, “They still haven’t come to a consensus on how to deal with the Black Ink Clansman.”
“They still haven’t reached an agreement?” Yang Kai was rendered speechless. Half a year ago, when he had taken thousands of Black Ink Disciples away from this place, the Cave Heavens and Paradise Ancestors had already been arguing about this matter for some time, yet they still hadn’t reached a decision even after he returned.
“Even though the Cave Heavens and Paradises have existed for a long time, they have never encountered a situation like this. Whether we rashly start a war with the Black Ink Clan or continue to strengthen the seal in Black Territory, the Ancestors are still hesitant. As of right now, they are divided into two factions, arguing all day long.”
Yang Kai nodded upon hearing this. He might feel that the Cave Heaven and Paradise Ancestors had wasted too much time on this matter, but he also understood their concerns.
No matter what decision they made, it came with great risk.
If they chose to reinforce the Black Territory Spirit Array and keep the Black Ink Clan sealed, for instance, they could not be certain of how successful they would be. The Super Array was the handiwork of ancient Great Experts and each Ore Star was a part of the Super Array. Furthermore, as many of the ore stars had already been destroyed, no one was able to restore the Super Array to perfect condition. Even if the Super Array was somehow patched, its power would likely suffer.
What’s more, the Black Ink Clansman inside the prison had not died yet even after so many years. Who could say that they would not be able to break free from the imprisonment of the Super Array on their own in the future? Leaving them sealed would only leave a hidden danger for this vast universe.
However, if they were to rashly start a war, the risks they would face would be tremendous.
The first risk they had to face was the threat of the Super Array itself.
The Super Array might have the power to imprison the Black Ink Clansman, but it also had a great impact on the Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Liu Mu was unable to remain inside its range for long. So, the time a Seventh-Order or Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could last was naturally shorter.
No one could say what kind of consequences would befall them if they were to fight against a powerful Black Ink Clansman in these conditions. Perhaps they would be affected by the Super Array and harm their foundation before they killed the Black Ink Clansman. At that time, they would simply be waiting for death.
If they really wanted to kill the Black Ink Clansman, the first thing they had to do was take care of the effects of the Super Array; otherwise, it would be impossible to fight.
“Recently, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises have all been urgently cultivating Profound Yin Bamboo. At the same time, many Spirit Array Grandmasters have been dispatched here to study the Super Array to see if they can find a better solution,” Lan You Ruo added, looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai lightly nodded, “The Profound Yin Bamboo is one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars. If a sufficient amount of it is cultivated, not only will one be able to resist the power of the Black Ink Strength to a certain extent, but it will also be possible to resist the influence of the Super Array. Of course, this is not something that can be completed in a short time.”
Lan You Ruo nodded, “They naturally know this, but since things have reached this point, we have no other choice.”
Yang Kai sighed and added, “High Heaven Palace is unable to intervene in this matter, so let’s see what the Cave Heavens and Paradises decide. If they need our cooperation, we’ll cooperate.”
He might have said as much, but Yang Kai had a faint suspicion that there was a high chance they would be called to join the battle with the Black Ink Clansman. Only the enemy’s death would be able to completely eliminate this hidden danger.
Yang Kai even had a trump card to deal with the Black Ink Strength from the Chaotic Dead Territory now, and he believed that Liu Mu, who was a leader of the faction which sought to eradicate the Black Ink Clansman, would use this as leverage to try and persuade others.
“No matter what, the most important thing is to increase our strength. Only with enough strength will we be able to cope with all possible contingencies. Since our High Heaven Palace does not lack cultivation resources, everyone should focus on cultivating. The 3,000 Worlds in the future may not be as peaceful as before.”
There was a hidden Black Ink Clansman in Black Territory, so who knew if there were others hiding elsewhere in the vast 3,000 Worlds? Yang Kai also had a faint premonition that this incident was just the beginning of matters related to the Black Ink Clan.
Everyone obeyed and dispersed.
Yang Kai suddenly called out, “Xue’er!”
Yang Xue stopped and Yang Kai caught up to her from behind and asked, walking side by side with her, “How are Father and Mother doing?”
Yang Xue smiled, “They are doing well. No one dares to speak of your trip to the Chaotic Dead Territory in front of them, so you don’t need to worry, Big Brother.”
When he crashed into the Chaotic Dead Territory with the Giant Spirit God, everyone thought he was doomed to die. When the news reached High Heaven Palace, Hua Qing Si immediately ordered them to seal off the news, preventing it from reaching Yang Kai’s parents.
Although from the fact that Mao Zhe and the others were still alive, so it could be inferred that Yang Kai was still safe and sound, it was natural for parents to worry about their children. If the two elders were to learn of this news, they would definitely be unable to eat or sleep in peace.
“They’re currently focused on teaching Xiao Bai and Xiao Ya, so they aren’t as idle as before.” Yang Xue smiled.
Zhao Ye Bai and Zhao Ya, these two Disciples, were being raised by Yang Kai’s parents. With them accompanying Dong Su Zhu and Yang Ying Feng, the two wouldn’t be lonely.
“Right, did you meet a Senior named Luo Ting He who went to the Star Boundary?” Yang Kai asked.
Yang Xue shook her head, “I’ve never heard of her.”
Yang Kai replied, “Perhaps you missed each other.”
Had she not just advanced to the Eighth Order and urgently needed to consolidate her cultivation, Luo Ting He would not have left Black Territory in such a hurry; after all, the Black Ink Clansman problem had just popped up. As a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven Ancestor, it was her bounden duty to take care of it.
When she was leaving, Yang Kai asked her to take his Third Disciple, Xu Yi, with her to the Star Boundary.
Xu Yi had cultivated in his Small Universe for many years and had a solid foundation. Now that he had achieved a certain level of competence in cultivation, it was time for him to go to the Star Boundary and enjoy the benefits of the World Tree.
If it was any later, it would be too late.
Yang Kai was unable to take him to the Star Boundary personally, so he asked Luo Ting He to take him with her.
However, when Luo Ting He left, High Heaven Palace’s group happened to have already set out for Black Territory, so it was quite natural for them to have missed each other.
During the hundreds of years he had been away from High Heaven Palace, a large number of Open Heaven Realm Masters had appeared in the Sect. Among them, Yang Xue, Mo Xiao Qi, and Lin Yun’er had advanced straight to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Also, the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who had advanced previously, such as the Great Emperors, spared nothing to cultivate, owing to which, their foundation had greatly strengthened.
What’s more, because of the Good Fortune Divine Furnace, Yang Kai had reached an agreement with the Cave Heavens and Paradises that High Heaven Palace would also have the chance to enter their Small Source Worlds for training.
Almost every High Heaven Palace and Void Land Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, who entered the Small Source World, had obtained great benefits.
Coupled with the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Proprietress, Yang Kai’s forces could be said to have greatly increased.
At a large piece of land where those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises gathered, there was a huge hall where the various Ancestors were discussing official matters.
At this moment, almost every representative Ancestor from the Cave Heavens and Paradises was present, sitting or standing. There were nearly 100 of them in total.
Many Ancestors happened to be expressing their opinions at the same time, which sounded very noisy. Nonetheless, each Ancestor could clearly hear every word spoken in the hall. Some among them even began to simultaneously converse with several people.
Among them, Liu Mu’s voice was the loudest. He had come straight here after having just returned from the Chaotic Dead Territory with Yang Kai. As a member of the battle faction, he was naturally doing everything he could to persuade the Ancestors who disagreed with him.
“The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer have bestowed a technique to Yang Boy. It could be said that after obtaining that technique, it will be as easy as flipping his hand to purify the Black Ink Strength. With such a method in our grasp, we’ll be like tigers with wings! What are you old farts still so afraid of? Let’s drag that Black Ink Clansman out and fight them to the death! If we leave them alive, we will always have a hidden danger looming in the darkness!”
Many people were moved by his words, but some still insisted on their own opinions.
Liu Mu had a violent temper and couldn’t wait to beat all those who opposed him and force them into submission.
However, their worries were just and reasonable; after all, Yang Kai had only purified some weak Black Ink Disciples, and he himself was just a Sixth-Order Master. If he really ran into the Black Ink Clansman here, it was hard to say if his new technique would have any effect.
Liu Mu argued till his throat went dry, and the persistence and stubbornness of the others made him furious.
After a few more words of disagreement, Liu Mu flicked his sleeve and left.
This was not the first time this had happened. The last time they had quarrelled, Liu Mu had followed Yang Kai to the Chaotic Dead Territory, so none of the Ancestors stopped him.
“A bunch of old farts!” An indignant Liu Mu looked toward the deepest part of the Black Prison as a crazed light flashed across his eyes.
[Since these people are suspicious of Yang Boy’s purification methods, they will be convinced once they see how effective it is.]
Liu Mu decided to take a huge risk; otherwise, he had no idea how long they would take to reach a decision if they continued arguing like this.
He thus flew off, his figure transforming into a streak of light as he flew toward the depths of Black Territory.
Half a day later, he easily arrived at the central part of Black Territory, where the Black Ink Clansman was imprisoned.
If he continued ahead, he would be inside the Super Array’s killing zone. Although Liu Mu was strong, he was not proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so he did not dare to rashly advance.
Now that he was here, he could clearly feel his Small Universe’s foundation being rapidly depleted under the effect of the Super Array.
“What a damned place!” Liu Mu cursed silently. Even he wouldn’t be able to last for more than a few days in this kind of place. By then, every bit of his Small Universe’s foundation, which he had accumulated over thousands of years, would be sucked away.
For a moment, he was filled with admiration for the ancient Great Experts who had arranged this Super Array in Black Territory. In this era, even if the 108 Cave Heavens and Paradises joined forces, they might not be able to set up such a Super Array.
Staring straight ahead, Liu Mu manifested his Small Universe behind him without any hesitation and roared, “Don’t you want to escape? Here’s your chance! Come!”
His Small Universe was completely defenceless. Furthermore, his Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm aura was extremely rich. Such an aura was like the smell of blood in the sea, which could draw sharks from thousands of kilometres away, let alone the Black Ink Clansman that was so close!
Liu Mu had prepared for any unforeseen circumstances, but he hadn’t expected his opponent to act so quickly.
Before he could even finish speaking, a black light shot out from the depths of the Black Prison and crashed into his Small Universe.
It was as if the Black Ink Clansman had been waiting for his arrival.
The moment the black light fell into his Small Universe, Liu Mu noticed the true form of the black light.
Black Ink Insect!
As an Eighth-Order Ancestor of Golden Antelope Paradise, Liu Mu naturally knew what the Black Ink Insect was. He might not have seen one before, but he understood everything once it entered his Small Universe.
This was the most direct and effective way for the Black Ink Clan to transform people into Black Ink Disciples.
Liu Mu quickly withdrew his Small Universe before turning around and fleeing, his figure moving as fast as lightning. Meanwhile, the Black Ink Insect exploded inside his Small Universe and transformed into extremely pure Black Ink Essence.
As the Black Ink Essence started contaminating his Small Universe, it looked as if a drop of ink had been sprinkled onto a sheet of white paper, and this drop of black ink was rapidly spreading out.
Liu Mu’s complexion changed slightly as he realized he had overestimated his ability to resist the Black Ink Insect and had also underestimated the abilities of the Black Ink Clansman.
His original plan had to be changed slightly!
Yang Kai was discussing some matters with the Proprietress about her advancement to the Seventh Order when Yu Ru Meng rushed over to inform him that something had happened to Liu Mu.
Yu Ru Meng pushed open the door and entered with a solemn expression, “Husband, news just came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, something has happened to Six Wood Divine Monarch and they want you to go take a look.”
Yang Kai was slightly taken aback, “What happened to Senior Liu Mu?”
Yu Ru Meng shook her head. She had only received news from the Cave Heavens and Paradises; no one had told her what had happened.
Yang Kai quickly got up and left, meeting an Eighth-Order Ancestor who was waiting outside High Heaven Palace’s camp.
Yang Kai didn’t recognize this person, nor did he know which Cave Heaven or Paradise the man belonged to, so he simply cupped his fist and greeted the opposite party.
“Follow me!” The Eighth-Order Ancestor stated before turning around and shooting off into the void.
Yang Kai followed closely behind as the two of them quickly disappeared into the distance.
On the way over, the Eighth-Order Ancestor reported, “Liu Mu has been corrupted by the Black Ink!”
Yang Kai’s first reaction was that it was impossible. He had returned with Liu Mu from the Chaotic Dead Territory just recently. If Liu Mu had been corrupted by the Black Ink, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan would surely have noticed it.
[Neither Big Brother Huang nor Big Sister Lan said anything, which means that when we left the Chaotic Dead Territory, Liu Mu was still perfectly fine. We didn’t encounter any Black Ink Disciples or Black Ink Strength on the way back. On top of that, Liu Mu is an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so how could he be so easily corrupted?]
The Eighth-Order Ancestor explained, “There’s no need to doubt it, you’ll understand once you see for yourself.”
Yang Kai suppressed his doubts, but worries still weighed on his heart.
Half an hour later, Yang Kai saw a Universe World sprawled out across the void up ahead. Although this Universe World was a physical entity, it was not a real Universe World, but rather the completely manifested Small Universe of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
Even though he was still far away, Yang Kai could feel the aura of Liu Mu from the Small Universe.
[This should be Liu Mu’s Small Universe!]
However, what entered his eyes next caused his pupils to contract.
This Small Universe World was filled with the billowing energy of the Black Ink Essence. Its evil aura was quite apparent.
Furthermore, there were eight huge pillars over the Small Universe, nailing its eight corners in place, immobilizing it at that spot.
A figure was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the Small Universe World. It was none other than Liu Mu. He happened to be forming mysterious hand seals while chanting something. Yang Kai was too far away to hear what he was saying, but the situation was clear. Liu Mu had really been corrupted by the Black Ink!
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Yang Kai wouldn’t have believed it.
[How did this happen?]
Quite a few people were standing at the periphery of this Small Universe, staring at Liu Mu with solemn expressions.
Each of these figures exuded the aura of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Everyone turned their head upon sensing someone’s arrival, and when they saw it was Yang Kai, all of them lightly nodded at him.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and bowed before stopping just outside Liu Mu’s Small Universe. Furrowing his brow, he looked around for a moment before asking, “What happened? How did Senior Liu Mu get corrupted? Did the Black Ink Clansman make a move, or did some fish slip through the net?”
The Eighth-Order Master who led Yang Kai here shook his head as he replied, “Neither. It was Liu Mu who took the initiative to let the Black Ink Clan turn him.”
“He took the initiative himself?” Yang Kai was stunned, “Why would Senior Liu Mu do that?”
The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master fell silent for a moment before replying, “He probably wants to prove something to us.”
Yang Kai didn’t know what Liu Mu was trying to prove, but the fact that he had taken the initiative to seek out the Black Ink Clansman was no small matter.
An Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master being transformed into a Black Ink Disciple was an extremely dangerous matter. If he were to secretly hide, who knew how many people would suffer?
Fortunately, it seemed Liu Mu had no intention of hiding.
“Although Liu Mu’s actions were somewhat rash, he should have a great deal of trust in you, which is why he did what he did. While he was still in control of himself, he used a Secret Technique to seal himself and manifest his Small Universe, explaining this scene.”
The eight giant pillars in the Small Universe of Liu Mu were the manifested form of a Secret Technique that had the effect of sealing and immobilizing. Furthermore, this Secret Technique was something Liu Mu had cast himself.
Before the situation reached a point where it couldn’t be cleaned up, he had sealed his strength first.
Yang Kai vaguely understood the events that led to this situation.
For some reason, Liu Mu had taken the initiative to seek out the Black Ink Clansman and let them corrupt him. However, he was unable to hold his sanity on the way back, so he had no choice but to manifest his Small Universe so that others could find him.
“Can he be saved?” The Eighth-Order Ancestor turned to look at Yang Kai and asked.
“I’ll do my best!” Yang Kai replied in a low voice. Having said so, he disappeared, instantly teleporting into the Small Universe.
Others didn’t dare to enter rashly, but Yang Kai had the World Spring, one of the Four Universe Pillars, so he had nothing to fear.
Sensing that someone had arrived, Liu Mu, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his gaze meeting Yang Kai’s. Yang Kai found that black colour had already filled his eyes, but there was still a trace of clarity.
After taking just a glance, Liu Mu quickly lowered his head and started focusing on safeguarding his sanity.
Yang Kai didn’t dare to be negligent, and he couldn’t afford to be stingy at this point. So, he quickly took out an Eighth-Order Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal from his Small Universe and held them in place, activating the invisible marks Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had left on the back of his hands.
The next moment, his left hand turned hot while his right hand turned cold.
Immediately after, the pattern on the back of his hand appeared and transformed into a bottomless pit, madly devouring the energy of the Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal.
The Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystal disappeared in just a few breaths of time and were replaced by a brilliant yellow and blue glow in Yang Kai’s grip.
Under the tense gazes of all the Eighth-Order Ancestors, Yang Kai brought his palms together.
“Open!” Yang Kai shouted as he pushed his palms apart from each other.
Suddenly, a pure and flawless white light, without the slightest hint of impurity, rose up like the morning sun, instantly illuminating the world.
The white light became brighter and soon turned as bright as the sun itself. Many Eighth-Order Masters had to squint their eyes to see it clearly.
The Black Ink Essence surged like a tide and retreated from the surroundings as if it had encountered its nemesis. Wherever the white light passed, the black ink-like energy was quickly purified and reduced to nothingness.
The struggling look on Liu Mu’s face gradually turned calmer as he let out a long sigh, like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
By the time the white light dissipated, Liu Mu’s Small Universe World had become clean again. The ink-like power that had filled it was nowhere to be seen.
Many of the spectating Ancestors looked moved.
Although Liu Mu had told them about Yang Kai’s method before, hearing about it was one thing and seeing it with their own eyes was another.
The pure white light created from the power of Yin and Yang was indeed the nemesis of the Black Ink Strength.
The eight giant pillars which were nailed into the Small Universe shattered as Liu Mu stood up.
Yang Kai asked with concern, “Does Senior feel anything wrong?”
Liu Mu replied with a grin, “No, I feel completely fine!” He then patted Yang Kai’s shoulder affectionately, “This King owes you one!”
“Senior is too serious,” Yang Kai humbly stated. Be that as it may, his heart was aching. The Eighth-Order Yellow Crystal and Blue Crystals he used up just now were worth at least a few billion Open Heaven Realm Pills.
However, obtaining a favour from an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in exchange wasn’t necessarily a loss either.
Liu Mu turned to the others in high spirits and asked, “What do you think?”
Immediately, the Eight-Order Ancestors started conversing via their Divine Senses. From time to time, some Eighth-Order Ancestors would lightly nod.
After a while, one of them looked toward Liu Mu and stated, “We’ll go with your proposal.”
Liu Mu burst out into loud laughter, “You should have agreed long ago. You old farts have lived too long, I’m afraid you’ve forgotten the hot-blooded passion of your youth!”
“However, we still need to consider this matter carefully!” Someone else added.
Liu Mu immediately became unhappy, “Another long-term plan? Who knows when you will come to a decision? Are you planning to wait until the Black Ink Clansman escapes on his own?”
“If you have any plan about how to proceed, feel free to voice it. If it is possible, we naturally won’t have any objections!” The man snapped back.
Liu Mu immediately scratched his head. Although he had taken a risk and had successfully persuaded everyone to fight a decisive battle with the Black Ink Clansman, he still had no idea how to go about doing that. He couldn’t just ask everyone to fight with the Black Ink Clansman head-on, as even he didn’t think that was a feasible method.
Right now, the biggest hurdle impeding them was the effects of this Black Territory’s Super Array. If they could not eliminate this issue, it would be difficult for them to last long in a fight no matter how many Eighth-Order Ancestors there were.
A battle with the Black Ink Clansman was definitely not something that could be decided in a moment of hastiness. If it was that simple, the ancient Great Experts wouldn’t have spent so much effort to imprison him here.
In this vast universe, the only one the Super Array could not affect was Yang Kai. Nonetheless, how could he be a match for the Black Ink Clansman with his strength alone?
While Liu Mu was silent, Yang Kai suddenly added, “Perhaps I can try!”
Liu Mu turned around and asked, “And what exactly are you going to try?”
Yang Kai explained, “I once stood guard at the centre of this cage for an extended period of time and found that there were many Grand Arrays there, preventing anyone from entering. It’s very hard to enter the core of the Black Prison, and that should be the place where the Black Ink Clansman is imprisoned. If I can enter the centre of that cage, perhaps I can cause some damage to him.”
Liu Mu couldn’t help worrying, “Can you do it?”
After all, Yang Kai’s cultivation was only at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although the Black Ink Clansman had been imprisoned for countless years and their strength had definitely fallen, no one knew just how much strength they could still display.
Yang Kai might not be afraid of the Black Ink Strength with the World Spring protecting his Small Universe, but the Black Ink Clan’s methods were definitely not limited to Black Ink Strength!
“We won’t know until we give it a try,” Yang Kai replied in a low voice. “If the Black Ink Clansman isn’t eliminated, a hidden danger will always be looming over our heads. Others might not have the ability to do so, but since I’ve received the power of purification from Seniors Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, I can’t very well disappoint them.”
As soon as he said this, the expressions of many Eighth-Order Ancestors became gentle, and Liu Mu even gave him a thumbs-up.
Yang Kai hadn’t given it much thought before coming here, but at this moment, he had made up his mind. He cupped his fist toward the Eighth-Order Masters and requested, “Junior has a direct responsibility for the matter of the Black Ink Clansman here, so Junior implores all Seniors present to let me give it a try. If it really doesn’t work out, then we can think of another way!”
Although it was unintentional, they would not be in such a predicament if Yang Kai hadn’t set his sights on the Black Territory’s materials; he would not have destroyed the Super Array here and the power of the Super Array would not have suffered.
Perhaps the Black Ink Clansman would have made a move tens of thousands of years from now, or perhaps even longer, but it would have definitely been a long time from now.
Yang Kai’s actions in the Black Prison had precipitated the Black Ink Clansman’s resurrection.
“What do you want to do? What kind of help do you need?” An Eighth-Order Ancestor asked.
Yang Kai pondered for a moment before replying, “If this Junior wants to enter the heart of this cage, I must bypass many Spirit Arrays around it, so this Junior needs several Grandmasters proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays to help me find a way inside.”
The Grand Arrays that surrounded the centre of the cage might have been perfect in the beginning, but with the passage of time and the destruction of many ore stars, a gap should have appeared in their arrangement somewhere.
The best evidence was that the Black Ink Clan was able to send out Black Ink Insect. Since they could send out Black Ink Insect, Yang Kai would have a chance to rush in. As long as he could find the weak point of this Array, he would be able to enter and exit.
“No problem.” The Eighth-Order Ancestor nodded his agreement. The Cave Heavens and Paradises were filled with talented people, so there was no shortage of Array Grandmasters, “However, it may take some time to identify weaknesses in the Super Array, and it’s hardly possible to just rely on one’s strength in that kind of place.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist and stated, “This Junior can spread his Small Universe and use it as a shield to protect all the Grandmasters.”
With his Small Universe’s protection, these Array Grandmasters wouldn’t have to worry about being affected by the power of the Super Array. At that time, they could study the Spirit Array in peace.
“Good!” The Eighth-Order Ancestor nodded in approval.
After everything was settled, the rest was out of Yang Kai’s hands. The Eighth-Order Ancestor needed to find some Grandmasters who were proficient in Dao of Spirit Arrays from the Cave Heavens and Paradise, which would take at least a few days.
After returning to his camp, Yang Kai did not conceal this matter from the others, which naturally made the Masters of High Heaven Palace greatly concerned; after all, he was going to enter that cage and face the Black Ink Clansman head-on. It could be considered a very dangerous trip, and when the Proprietress learned about this, she became even more indignant and began openly cursing. She felt that the Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were really too incompetent to actually entrust such an important task to a mere Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Junior.
If it weren’t for Yang Kai stopping her, she would have gone looking for those Eighth-Order Ancestors to give them a piece of her mind.
However, since this matter had already been decided, nothing could be done to stop it.
A few days later, Masters of the Dao of Spirit Arrays from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had finished their preparations and were just waiting for Yang Kai to set out for the central region of Black Territory.
A total of ten Grandmasters who were proficient in Dao of Spirit Arrays were joining Yang Kai on this trip. Each of them had attainments at least comparable to Grandmaster Wu Liang who had arranged the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array in Void Land. Moreover, all of them were Sixth and Seventh-Order Masters.
Luan Bai Feng also tagged along. Her mastery of the Dao of Spirit Arrays wasn’t low, not to mention the fact that she had reached such mastery over it on her own in Black Territory. This gave her a deep understanding of Black Territory’s Spirit Arrays. With her around, it was likely that she could achieve twice the results with half the effort.
In addition to Yang Kai and the other Masters who were proficient in the Dao of Spirit Arrays, five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had also joined the team. They were going to assist in dealing with any unexpected situations if they arose.
Liu Mu was the first one to volunteer for this.
The dozen-plus people flew towards the depths of Black Territory.
The further they went, the stronger the influence of the Super Array became, and the faster their Small Universes’ foundation leaked out.
The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could still endure, but the Sixth and Seventh-Order Masters were already having a hard time. What’s more, they had to rely on them to study the Spirit Arrays there and find flaws.
So halfway through, the five Eighth-Order Ancestors took the initiative to open up their Small Universes and take in these Grandmasters.
Half a day later, the group finally arrived at the central region.
Yang Kai stopped and immediately opened his Small Universe, spreading it out to isolate himself and the others from the outside world.
The five Eighth-Order Masters suddenly felt their bodies become lighter, and their Small Universes’ foundation, which had been constantly leaking, finally returned to normal. All of them secretly sighed at the wonders of the World Spring.
They then released the Spirit Array Grandmasters, who began to study how to crack the Super Array here.
The entire Black Territory was crowded with Spirit Arrays. These Spirit Arrays and the countless ore stars formed a Super Array that covered the entire Black Territory, forming a cage that had imprisoned the Black Ink Clansman since ancient times.
Of course, the Spirit Arrays in the central region were extremely powerful and profound. Finding a crack in these Spirit Arrays to find a safe way in was a daunting task.
Fortunately, the Black Ink Clansman had sent out a number of Black Ink Insects over the centuries, allowing the Array Masters to find some clues.
Furthermore, under Yang Kai’s Small Universe’s protection, they didn’t need to worry about the draining of their foundations. This gave them plenty of time to study.
Each of the dozen or so Array Grandmasters used their respective methods and busied themselves every day; sometimes lost in thought, sometimes using their Secret Techniques to peer into the mysteries of the Spirit Arrays, and sometimes gathering together to argue.
Yang Kai was completely helpless in this matter, as were the five Eighth-Order Ancestors who had escorted them here.
During his free time, Yang Kai began to study the method bestowed upon him by Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan to purify the Black Ink Strength. When Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan imparted this method, Yang Kai didn’t think too much about it. He simply thought that they found it troublesome and left him to take care of it.
However, when he left the Chaotic Dead Territory, Big Brother Huang’s words made him realize that it wasn’t just some means to save Black Ink Disciples who had been corroded by the Black Ink Strength.
Against the Black Ink Clan, this technique could be a lethal weapon!
It would be quite troublesome to utilize this method in combat though as he would have to first absorb the energy of Yellow and Blue Crystals and fuse Yin and Yang energy before he could use it.
The problem did not stem from the lack of Yellow and Blue Crystals as Yang Kai had literal mountains of them in his Small Universe. The issue was that even a small delay in a battle against a powerful enemy could result in death.
[My Small Universe is under my control, and the Yellow and Blue Crystals are stored inside my Small Universe. I don’t need to take them out of my Small Universe to absorb their energy. Absorbing them straight from my Small Universe would save me a lot of time and also catch my opponent by surprise.]
Reasoning so, Yang Kai immediately gave it a try.
From then on, the five Eighth-Order Ancestors would occasionally see Yang Kai form a ball of Yang or Yin Element energy in his left and right hand.
Realizing that Yang Kai was studying something, they didn’t disturb him.
After a month, the dozen Array Grandmasters who had been searching for flaws finally found a path to avoid the Grand Array and enter the heart of the Black Territory.
“It’s theoretically feasible to enter through this passage, but whether or not it will activate the Grand Array, we can’t say for sure. We’ll only know once someone probes it.” Luan Bai Feng explained to Yang Kai, “There are subtle differences between Ancient Spirit Arrays and modern Arrays. From today’s point of view, many methods used to set up Ancient Arrays are complete mysteries, so you must be careful and immediately retreat if you notice something wrong.”
Yang Kai nodded his acknowledgement, “I’ll be careful.”
Luan Bai Feng glanced at the other Spirit Array Grandmasters and continued, “When you’re ready, we’ll open the passage for you. The rest will be up to you.”
“I don’t need to prepare anything,” Yang Kai stated before turning to Liu Mu and the others and bowing, “Seniors, this Junior will be leaving now.”
Liu Mu stepped forward and suggested, “Hold on, there’s no hurry.”
Saying so, he suddenly stretched his hand out, pointing towards Yang Kai as a drop of dark red blood seeped out from his fingertip. That drop of blood contained a great deal of energy.
This was a drop of his Blood Essence.
Immediately after, Liu Mu’s finger gently danced as his drop of Blood Essence exploded, transforming into a mysterious symbol that entered Yang Kai’s body.
After doing all of this, Liu Mu’s face had gone slightly pale. Obviously, he had consumed a great deal of strength.
After him, the other four Eighth-Order Ancestors followed suit. Although their methods differed, all of them planted some kind of Secret Technique on Yang Kai.
Yang Kai didn’t try to resist. After they were done, he felt as if five powerful barriers were protecting his body. He immediately understood and cupped his fist in gratitude, “Many thanks.”
Liu Mu weakly waved him off, “Don’t mind it, we can’t help you in any other way. These five Secret Techniques were created by the five of us. In times of crisis, they can block five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm attacks.”
“It’s more than enough!” Saying so, Yang Kai turned to Luan Bai Feng and nodded.
Luan Bai Feng understood what Yang Kai meant and promptly stepped forward, joining the other Array Grandmasters, displaying a series of techniques as Array Plates scattered around the Void one after another. As everyone’s hand seals changed, ripples appeared in the void ahead as a glowing tunnel appeared, seemingly leading to the centre of the cage. The glowing tunnel was like a bridge of light, and it was extremely obvious against the black backdrop.
Yang Kai took a long, deep breath before he stepped onto the bridge, pressing forward step by step.
After just a few steps, when he turned around again, he failed to see anyone else. The others had already disappeared. Yang Kai suddenly found himself alone in the dark and lonely void.
There seemed to be a fierce murderous intent hidden outside the bridge of light. This murderous intent was undoubtedly the power of this Grand Array, so Yang Kai didn’t dare to even spread his Divine Sense, lest he trigger it by accident.
Step by step, Yang Kai steadily kept pressing forward.
After walking for who knows how long, Yang Kai still failed to see the end of the bridge.
There was no change in his surroundings, so Yang Kai even had the illusion that he was walking in place; however, he knew that he wasn’t just standing still and only felt that way because of the Spirit Array.
While he kept pressing forward, Yang Kai suddenly felt as if he had stepped into a bottomless abyss and his figure rapidly fell
Yang Kai’s expression became serious in light of this sudden turn of events. He quickly stabilized himself. The light bridge seemed to be missing a part for some reason, and he had failed to notice it.
When he looked up, the light bridge ahead was also getting dimmer and dimmer, as if it would disappear if he went any further.
Suddenly, a wave of murderous intent swept towards him from behind, causing Yang Kai’s hair to stand on end. When he turned his head, he saw nothing, but he could clearly feel something or someone rapidly approaching.
The accident just now must have triggered the Grand Array.
After a moment of hesitation, Yang Kai immediately decided to rush ahead. If he retreated, he would only find himself swallowed up by the Spirit Array, while if he forged on, he may just grasp a slim chance of survival.
The murderous intent behind him grew stronger and stronger, while the light bridge became dimmer and dimmer, seemingly on the verge of breaking apart at any moment.
Yang Kai felt that everything happened in an instant, but also seemed to drag on for 10 million years. When he rushed out of the area covered by the light bridge, he suddenly felt like he had fallen into endless darkness.
Outside the centre of the cage, the five Eighth-Order Ancestors took the Array Grandmasters into their respective Small Universes after Yang Kai left to prevent them from being drained by the Super Array.
Although the Eighth-Order Masters couldn’t resist it completely, they could at least last longer.
Under their watchful gaze, Yang Kai’s figure gradually disappeared into the light bridge, but at some point, the light bridge collapsed. At the same time, the Spirit Array outside the cage also began to surge. The power of this Spirit Array caused even these Eighth-Order Ancestors to turn pale.
This change occurred quickly and ended quickly.
Just as they were wondering whether they should retreat to avoid coming under the influence of the Spirit Array, everything became calm again.
Everyone looked at each other in dismay while Liu Mu’s face sank.
This sudden change was definitely not a good sign. Yang Kai had obviously encountered some kind of accident, and judging from the power of the Spirit Array, if a mere Sixth-Order Master like Yang Kai got caught up in it, he couldn’t survive.
Now, they couldn’t even tell if Yang Kai was alive or dead.
Everyone silently and intently stared ahead, trying to find some clues.
Meanwhile, endless darkness enveloped Yang Kai as a sense of cold isolation welled up in his heart. Yang Kai became disoriented and even felt like he was about to melt into this darkness.
Suddenly a majestic Will slowly awakened like a sleeping dragon, filling the endless darkness, instantly alarming him.
Yang Kai found this Will quite familiar. It was the Will of that Master from the Black Ink Clan! This place was definitely where this person was imprisoned.
In other words, he had successfully reached his destination.
Yang Kai immediately became vigilant. Although he had the World Spring sealing his Small Universe, making him fearless against the Black Ink Strength, if he were to face the Black Ink Clan Master directly, he didn’t know if he could resist the corrosion of this strange power.
As his perception slowly recovered, Yang Kai finally realized that the place he was standing at was filled with Black Ink Strength. The Black Ink Strength was extremely pure and strong, and was extremely corrosive.
Fortunately, his Small Universe was robust and flawless so no external strength could invade it; otherwise, he would have instantly been corrupted.
Under such circumstances, even an Eighth-Order Divine Monarch like Liu Mu wouldn’t be able to last long here.
Not only that, but Yang Kai also felt something crawling on him.
Suddenly, a hot yellow and a cold blue light emerged from Yang Kai. He then brought the two palms together as yellow and blue light fused to form a pure white light.
The endless waves of black light frantically retreated like frightened snakes. As the white light enveloped the area, crackling sounds rang out as a large portion of the Black Ink Strength was instantly purified.
However, the potent pure white light was only able to illuminate a radius of 100 metres around Yang Kai while the pitch-black darkness was still present outside its range.
As if stimulated by this pure white light, the awakening Will suddenly became extremely furious. Yang Kai could clearly feel an intense destructive aura coming from this Will, causing him to shiver. He secretly circulated his Small Universe’s strength to protect himself.
Be that as it may, it became apparent that Yang Kai was worrying too much. Although the Master from the Black Ink Clan was extremely angry, he seemed to have no intention of attacking him. At the edge of the pure white light, the dense black ink-like energy began to stir, but every time it came into contact with the light, it would be purified into nothingness.
Yang Kai finally saw what was squirming and crawling on his body.
Black Ink Insects!
And there were quite a number of them.
He had always heard from the Black Ink Disciples that the Black Ink Insects were extremely precious, even to the Black Ink Clan, but now it seemed that this was not the case.
Yang Kai could only make an educated guess that the Black Ink Clansman would need to expend a great deal of strength to deliver these insects out of this cage. In other words, the Black Ink Insect in the Black Ink Disciples’ hands were indeed extremely rare and precious.
Nonetheless, these Black Ink Insects were definitely nothing special to the Black Ink Clan.
The Black Ink Insects were also unable to resist the purification of this pure white light, so thick black wisps emerged from the insects-like entities as they rapidly shrank and soon disappeared into nothingness.
The information he had obtained before was a little misleading. To the true Black Ink Clan, Black Ink Insects weren’t anything special.
Perhaps the Black Ink Clan had to pay a certain price in order to send out these Black Ink Insects from this place. That could be the only reasonable explanation.
As Yang Kai was thinking about the Black Ink Insects, a voice suddenly rang in his ear, “Look who it is?”
What caught Yang Kai by surprise was that this voice actually belonged to a woman, and it was extremely clear and pleasant to the ear. Hearing this voice, the first thing that appeared in his mind was a beautiful young woman with a graceful figure; however, Yang Kai would never believe that the owner of this voice was just a beautiful young girl.
The Black Ink Clansman had been imprisoned in the deepest depths of this prison for countless aeons. In this place, besides him, there was only the Black Ink Clan, so it was obvious who the owner of this voice was.
Yang Kai didn’t rashly answer. He knew nothing about the abilities of the Black Ink Clan, so if he opened his mouth, he would only end up in a passive position.
Yang Kai observed his surroundings with a cold gaze, but he couldn’t spot anything. About 100 meters away from the area of the pure white light, the endless darkness was stirring, as if it would rush over at any moment and bury the light.
“Boy, you dare appear before me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll eat you?” The voice of this person from the Black Ink Clan continued to ring in his ear. Yang Kai had never heard such a pleasant voice before. He felt as if an invisible hand was gently caressing his heart, giving him an indescribable sense of comfort, making him even more vigilant.
Back in Lang Ya Paradise, Yang Kai had used a sacrificial offering in Yuan Du’s Small Universe, allowing both to sense each other’s existence.
For Yang Kai, he would never forget the majestic Will that had suddenly descended upon him, and naturally, neither would its owner forget Yang Kai.
He was the person behind the sabotage of her plan.
“What’s wrong, are you too scared to even make a sound?” The woman giggled lightly, her voice crisp and clear.
Yang Kai turned a deaf ear to this and tried to follow the source of the sound to find her location, but it seemed to echo from all around in an unpredictable manner, sometimes far, sometimes close, making it impossible to determine where it originated from.
While searching, Yang Kai’s eyes suddenly looked towards a certain place in the darkness. He felt that there was something different there.
The pure white light in his hand suddenly expanded and shot in that direction.
The darkness quickly receded wherever the light passed, allowing Yang Kai to see everything.
Under the illumination of the pure white light, Yang Kai spotted a chain that was as thick as a washbasin hanging in the void, one end of it was connected to a certain place while the other was connected to the centre of the prison.
This chain gave him a familiar feeling; it reminded him of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God sealed in the Ancestral Land.
Inside the Sealing Black Ink Land, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was shackled by a bunch of Secret Technique Chains, which were formed from the Ancestral Strength of the Ancestral Land.
Over the years, even a being as powerful as the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was drained of its strength and life force and was reduced to a corpse; he was no longer a threat to anyone.
The chain in front of Yang Kai now was obviously similar.
The pure white light moved along the chain and soon reached its end. The end of the chain was inserted into the Void, making it very hard to discern its starting point.
Yang Kai then began checking the other side.
“Between you and me, it’s best to maintain a bit of mystery,” the Master’s voice rang in his ear once more. The voice was so warm and gentle that it gave the impression that she had known Yang Kai for a long time.
The moment she was finished speaking, the pitch-black ink-like darkness surged toward the white light from all directions. Crackling sounds immediately rang out as the white light dimmed and then was quickly extinguished like a candle flame.
The world was drowned in endless darkness once more. Inside it, it felt as if a dawn could never be seen here.
Inside his Small Universe, the energy of the Yellow and Blue Crystals was rapidly absorbed by Yang Kai.
Immediately after, an even more dazzling white light bloomed from Yang Kai’s hand, quickly transforming into a small sun.
Yang Kai raised his hand as the small sun flew out from his hand, illuminating the entire cage in the blink of an eye.
The black energy, which was like a living creature, surged towards the small sun. Within three breaths, the energy which was extracted from a large amount of Yellow and Blue Crystals was extinguished.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai was able to clearly see everything inside the cage during this brief flash of light.
An incomparably huge spider-like creature, over 1,000 metres tall, was quietly lying in the centre of the cage. It had the body of a spider but the head of a beautiful girl. When their eyes met, fury and coldness filled the beautiful face’s eyes, as if she felt ashamed of her ugly appearance having been seen by others.
As for her massive body, it was pierced through by a bunch of Secret Technique Chains. These chains seemed to have an incredibly strong restrictive force, firmly locking her in place and preventing her from moving.
Surely, these chains were the physical form of the power of Black Territory’s Super Array. It was these chains that had imprisoned this Black Ink Master for countless years.
The world fell into darkness once more as the light faded away.
Yang Kai suddenly sneered. “You’re really ugly!”
Anyone who heard this Black Ink Master’s voice would probably think that the owner was a beautiful young girl, but only after seeing her for themselves would they know that it was just a disguise.
“A puny little ant dares act so presumptuously in front of this Royal Lord?!” The Black Ink Master suddenly became enraged, her originally pleasant voice was now filled with a hysterical rage as her majestic Will filled the entire cage. The next moment, a fearsome pressure came bearing down on Yang Kai.
Yang Kai promptly responded to the overbearing pressure with an even stronger and more dazzling white sun!
Yang Kai had failed to find the location of the Black Ink Master until now, but since he now knew her position, he felt that there was no need to act politely.
The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer had given him a weapon to deal with the Black Ink Clan, so he naturally had to make good use of it. If he could kill the Black Ink Master right here and now, the Black Territory’s crisis would be resolved.
The dazzling little sun broke through the Black Ink Master’s defences and smashed onto her massive body.
A bloodcurdling scream immediately rang out; the Black Ink Master seemed to be in unimaginable pain and had suffered some gruesome injuries. She let out a piercing scream as her massive body struggled to break free, but she was unable to do so.
“What kind of power is this!?” The Black Ink Master roared in anger.
She had already been vigilant when Yang Kai first displayed the pure white light as she felt that it was not something to be trifled with. Now that she tasted the might of the white light first hand though, she understood just how terrifying it was. It was simply the Black Ink Clan’s nemesis.
Even a Royal Lord like her found it difficult to resist. She had never encountered something like this before in her long life.
When Yang Kai displayed another small sun, panic and anger became apparent on the Black Ink Master’s beautiful face under its illumination. Her enormous body started struggling more violently. She struggled so hard that even the Secret Technique Chains began to rattle.
“You will pay for this, I swear! You will pay an unimaginable price for this!” The Black Ink Master screamed.
The small sun-like light slammed into her massive body once more, creating a huge hole in it. Immediately after, massive and endless amounts of Black Ink Strength flowed out like blood, adding a sense of heaviness to the darkness of this cage.
Yang Kai ignored it and continued to bombard the Black Ink Master with his attacks. Each of his attacks was backed by a massive amount of wealth.
The wanton use of the Yellow and Blue Crystals caused much heartache to Yang Kai, but he couldn’t afford to care about such things right now. Although the Yellow and Blue Crystals were precious, it was more important to kill this Black Ink Master.
Worst case, he could just go to the Chaotic Dead Territory and ask for more from Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
The more intensely he attacked, the more fiercely the Black Ink Master struggled.
After launching countless attacks for a full quarter of an hour, the Black Ink Master’s body was riddled with hole-like wounds; every time the light flashed, Yang Kai could clearly spot an extra hole in her massive body.
Furthermore, the aura of the Black Ink Master was growing weaker with every attack.
This greatly shocked him.
[Perhaps I can really kill her right here and now while she’s being restrained.]
At a certain moment though, an abnormal sound rang out, accompanied by the sound of something breaking.
Yang Kai was beside himself with shock for a moment before a violent force blasted towards him.
Just as this blast was about to reach him, a total of five dazzling lights suddenly appeared around him, one after another.
They were the defensive techniques placed on him by Liu Mu and the others at the expense of their Blood Essence before he entered this place.
These five defensive Secret Techniques could withstand the full power of five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm attacks, which ordinarily would be more than enough to ensure Yang Kai’s safety.
But not this time.
From their first encounter until now, the Black Ink Master had been the one being attacked one-sidedly. She was unable to fight back under the Super Array’s suppression, so Yang Kai had not experienced what she was capable of.
At this moment, he finally understood.
The five defensive layers around him were instantly shattered by this violent impact.
The next moment, Yang Kai felt as if an entire universe had smashed into his body and his figure involuntarily flew out. The fearsome attack had struck him right in his chest and abdomen, causing him to spurt out a mouthful of golden blood.
With the help of the small sun he had just sent out, Yang Kai clearly saw what struck him; it was a long claw-like foot!
Having broken one of the chains, the Black Ink Master regained some of her freedom and immediately retaliated.
The Super Array enveloping Black Territory had already suffered some damage over time, and coupled with the suicidal attacks of many of the Black Ink Disciples, it had given the Black Ink Master some nourishment to restore her strength. Furthermore, Yang Kai’s indiscriminate attacks have also stirred her up greatly. The Black Ink Master was obviously not willing to sit back and wait for her death; so, after a desperate struggle, she had actually managed to break free from one of the chains.
This was a terrible situation!
“Hahahaha… hahahahaha!” The Black Ink Master’s crazed laughter reverberated as her weakened aura rapidly recovered, “No one can trap me, no one can harm me. I am the Black Ink Clan’s Royal Lord! How dare you ants act so presumptuously in front of me!?”
*Crash…*
A violent quake rang out as the giant body of the Black Ink Master struggled to break free from the other chains.
Although the Super Array was powerful and had imprisoned the Black Ink Master for countless years, her foundation had not been destroyed. Now that a flaw had appeared, the situation would only become worse with time.
Liu Mu and the other Eighth-Order Ancestors were paying close attention outside the Black Territory cage.
Just after Yang Kai had entered the cage, the Grand Array before them suddenly activated; it was definitely because it was triggered by Yang Kai. This put them in a spot; they could neither determine whether Yang Kai was alive or dead, nor could they tell what was going on inside the cage.
At a certain point, a thick ink-like energy gushed out of the barrier of the Grand Array and spread out. The black tide of energy was like a belligerent army, pressing forward with unstoppable momentum.
Along with this black tide came a faintly discernible Will.
A solemn look immediately blanketed Liu Mu and the others’ faces.
Since the Black Ink Strength was leaking out, it meant that the hole in the Super Array had only gotten bigger, so big that they could even faintly feel the existence of the Black Ink Master inside.
[All of this should have something to do with Yang Kai; otherwise, there would have been no reason for such an accident. In other words, Yang Kai is probably still alive.]
Fortunately, the Super Array was still effective even if its power had weakened a little. The amount of Black Ink Strength leaking out was not much, and it was greatly restricted. The Black Ink Clansman would not be able to escape in short order; however, if this continued, it would only be a matter of time before she regained her freedom.
“We have to make preparations. If we wait any longer, it will be too late,” Liu Mu declared with a solemn look.
The other four nodded lightly in agreement.
Everyone glanced at each other but did not say anything, they just turned around and left.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Master was madly struggling inside the cage, trying to break free from the Grand Array’s chains. The Secret Technique Chains penetrating her body kept rattling as she used her long, sharp legs to cut into them.
The leaking of the Black Ink Strength was a manifestation of her struggle for freedom.
Outside, all the Eighth-Order Ancestors gathered once again to discuss the matter of the Black Ink Clan.
Liu Mu first briefly explained what had transpired before shaking his head, “Yang Boy disappeared deep inside the cage, we don’t know if he’s still alive.”
As soon as he finished speaking, someone interrupted, “He’s not dead!”
Everyone turned around and saw that the one who spoke was the only Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master present at the meeting, Lan You Ruo, who had a loose relationship with Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven.
Liu Mu stated, “Yang Boy is indeed outstanding and also has the means to deal with the Black Ink Clansman. This Monarch also hopes that nothing happens to him, but now that he has ventured to the depths of that cage alone, it is difficult to say how he fares.”
Lan You Ruo spoke once again, “Since I said that he is alive, naturally I have my reasons!”
Having said so, she lightly clapped as a person walked into the hall.
The Eighth-Order Masters turned to look and discovered that the man who had entered was just a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. They believed that he should be a member of High Heaven Palace.
Lan You Ruo added, “Mao Zhe had once entered his name in Yang Kai’s Loyalty List, and his life and death is tied to Yang Kai. If Yang Kai dies, he will not survive either. Since he is safe and sound, it means that Yang Kai’s life is not in danger and he is still with us.”
Mao Zhe stood still and bowed to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Liu Mu raised his brow upon hearing this, “That’s good then.” He then asked Mao Zhe, “Since you and Yang Boy are connected through the Loyalty List, can you tell us how he is doing?”
Mao Zhe shook his head in response, “The Loyalty List can only verify the life or death of the Sect Master. This Junior has no idea what kind of state Sect Master is currently in.”
Although Liu Mu already had an inkling, he was still a little disappointed after hearing Mao Zhe confirm so.
Lan You Ruo waved off as Mao Zhe bowed once more before retreating. He had only come here to prove that Yang Kai was still alive.
An Eighth-Order Ancestor stated, “In that case, Yang Kai must somehow be behind the signs of the Black Ink Clan’s break out.”
Liu Mu nodded lightly in agreement, “I’m thinking the same. Yang Boy has the means to kill that Black Ink Master, so perhaps his actions have provoked the Black Ink Master. And with Super Array having weakened, it led to this.”
Lan You Ruo furrowed her brow and asked, “Could Senior be blaming him?”
Liu Mu waved her off and corrected, “Of course not. If the Black Ink Master really broke out, it would not be Yang Boy’s fault. Furthermore, he is putting his life on the line to eliminate the Black Ink Master. Also, as he is trapped inside the cage with the Black Ink Master, he might even delay the Black Ink Master’s escape. It is a highly meritorious deed!”
Saying so, he turned to look at the other Eighth-Order Ancestors, “What I mean to say is that we cannot delay the matter of the Black Ink Clan any longer. We old farts may have supreme cultivation, but we’re actually letting a boy face the Black Ink Clan alone. Do we amount to only this?”
Many people nodded lightly in agreement.
Someone suddenly stated, “The Black Ink Clan must be dealt with, but what can we do? The influence of the Super Array is extremely strong. Furthermore, the power of the Array in the depths of that cage is so great that even we can’t stay there for long, let alone fight with the Black Ink Master.”
“That’s right, we were bogged down with this problem before. If we can’t eliminate the issue of the Super Array, we won’t be able to deal with the Black Ink Master.”
Everyone’s Divine Senses surged as they began to discuss amongst themselves.
Liu Mu stood idly by.
Someone noticed his calm demeanour and asked, “Liu Mu, if you have any ideas, just speak up. There is no need for you to be so secretive with us.”
Liu Mu replied, “It’s not like I’m trying to hide anything, it’s just that the method I came up with might be a bit dangerous and I can’t make up my mind yet.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Liu Mu swept his gaze over everyone. After a long time, he finally replied in a solemn tone, “Let’s break the Array and seize life from the jaws of death!”
As soon as he said this, the Eighth-Order Ancestors immediately understood what Liu Mu‘s plan was.
Some of them shook their heads and started snapping at him.
Some people furrowed their brows and fell into deep thought.
Liu Mu continued, “In our current situation, the Black Ink Master will escape sooner or later even if we don’t do anything. If that happens, we’ll be forced into a passive position. By then, not only will we have to deal with the influence of the Super Array, but we’ll also have to fight with the Black Ink Master. Tell me, how much strength do you think our old arms and legs could display in that environment?”
“That’s right, but if we act according to your wishes, we will only be releasing the Black Ink Master ahead of time.”
Liu Mu agreed with a nod, “And that is what I am worried about. If we really do this, we’ll be helping the Black Ink Master, but from a different perspective, if we don’t do so, we will ultimately be in an even worse situation. Our Cave Heavens and Paradises are filled with outstanding Masters, so what can a single Black Ink Master do? What’s more, the Black Ink Master has been imprisoned for countless aeons. No matter how strong it is, it should not be anywhere near its peak. Furthermore, Yang Boy is still inside the cage, fighting it right now. He is just a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and does not belong to any of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, yet he takes the safety and stability of the 3,000 Worlds as his responsibility. I don’t understand what we’re hesitating about.”
Everyone remained silent, not because they were rendered speechless by Liu Mu, but rather because they were considering the feasibility of his plan.
“Countless of our fellow cultivators have given their lives fighting the Black Ink Clan over the years. Of course, the No-Return Pass is the natural moat between peace and chaos. Once one crosses that divide, there is no turning back. The peace of our 3,000 Worlds was obtained through the blood and sacrifice of many generations. We cannot allow the sacrifices of our ancestors to be besmirched at our hands.”
Liu Mu had qualms over the feasibility of this plan, but as he pitched the plan to the others, his expression became firmer and firmer. This was the only way to take care of the Black Ink Master. More importantly, it was not the style of the Cave Heavens and Paradises to be overly cautious.
“Everyone, make your decision. Do you want to wait for the Black Ink Master to break out and fight to the death with him then, or do you want to take the initiative to find an opportunity to kill him and end all future troubles? The peace of the 3,000 Worlds rests upon our decision.”
The hall sunk into silence for a long time before someone finally broke it, “Since things have reached this point, we have no choice but to go along with your plan.
“Then let’s do this.”
“Let’s set the time limit to be 100 years.”
“Good!”
After a discussion that lasted a few days, the Cave Heavens and Paradises finally reached a consensus.
Liu Mu let out a sigh of relief, but he also couldn’t help but be a bit worried. [100 years… Even if Yang Boy is still alive now, can he survive 100 years in there? Can this cage imprison the Black Ink Master for another 100 years? Nonetheless, we can’t shorten the time any more than this either!]
Lan You Ruo suddenly stood up and slammed her palm on the table, asserting in a heavy voice, “My High Heaven Palace has no objections to everyone’s plans and we will fully cooperate with you, but all the materials of Black Territory must belong to High Heaven Palace!”
Over 100 pairs of eyes instantly turned and focused on her, each of them belonged to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
An ordinary cultivator would fall into panic under such gazes, but Lan You Ruo simply craned her long, white neck and argued, “Each of you comes from a superpower, yet you still have the nerve to compete with High Heaven Palace for the materials here? Think about how Yang Kai is still holding back the Black Ink Master in that cage right now! If you really carry out this plan, he will have made the greatest contribution to it. So, the materials mined from Black Territory will be his reward!”
Everyone immediately looked away.
Liu Mu looked around and chuckled, “Little Girl, what are you thinking? Since Black Territory belongs to High Heaven Palace, the materials mined here will naturally be handed over to you. The Cave Heavens and Paradises will not eye them, you may rest assured.”
“That’s for the best!” Lan You Ruo sat down again, but she was under no illusions about the reality she faced. If she hadn’t spoken up and stopped these Ancestors right now, the materials of Black Territory would have been divided up by them. Black Territory was quite rich in materials, rich enough to be tempting even for the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
If she let the Cave Heavens and Paradises hog all the materials here, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself when Yang Kai returned.
Since the meeting had finally reached a decision, the news was relayed to everyone.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises wanted to destroy the Ore Stars and the Spirit Arrays spread across Black Territory in order to break the Super Array.
Only by doing so would the power of the Super Array not affect the combat power of the Open Heaven Realm Masters.
This was also what Liu Mu meant by ‘seizing life from the jaws of death’.
However, there was indeed a drawback to this method; and it was that it would only help the Black Ink Clansman escape even more quickly. Every time the Super Array weakened, the Black Ink Master’s chances of escaping would increase.
But if they didn’t do so, the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises would not be able to display their full strength no matter how many of them were gathered. This would put them at a disadvantage when they really fought with the Black Ink Clansman. Only by doing this could the Cave Heavens and Paradises finally have the chance to confront the Black Ink Master.
When Liu Mu made this suggestion, the Eighth-Order Ancestors immediately understood his intentions. Lan You Ruo was a bit slower to understand, but she quickly caught on to the plan.
The Super Array was composed of countless Ore Stars and Spirit Arrays spanning the Black Territory.
The most effective way to break this Super Array was to destroy the Ore Stars, just as Luan Bai Feng had done before.
The Ore Stars were a rich source of cultivation materials, and they belonged to High Heaven Palace. They could not just give away all these resources without protest.
Lan You Ruo’s argument allowed High Heaven Palace to maintain ownership of these materials and also spared the Black Prison’s materials from being divided up by the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
This was good news for High Heaven Palace and even Void Land, but the century-long plan might not be good news for Yang Kai.
Be that as it may, they could not shorten this time further.
It would take time for them to break the Super Array, and the Cave Heavens and Paradises also needed time to prepare for the battle to follow. At the very least, they would need to cultivate enough Profound Yin Bamboo in their Small Universes to best resist the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength.
Lan You Ruo understood this point, which was why she did not try to argue with it, because she knew that it would be useless in this situation. Right now, she could only pray that Yang Kai could hold on until then.
Soon, large batches of Open Heaven Realm Masters arrived at the Black Prison. They were all dispatched by the various Cave Heavens and Paradises. Every batch numbered in the hundreds or even thousands, and every cultivator was either in the Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm or above.
The entire Black Territory was divided into sectors, with each Cave Heaven or Paradise being responsible for one. They were to mine the Ore Stars in that sector and crack the various Spirit Arrays hidden in it.
One by one, the Ore Stars were destroyed as a tremendous amount of Black Stone was mined. The High Heaven Palace disciples also began to busy themselves, collecting the mined Black Stones, and sending them to the Star Boundary, where they were handled by Head Manager Hua Qing Si.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai confronted the Black Ink Master inside the cage.
The weakening of the Super Array allowed the Black Ink Master, who had been imprisoned for countless millennia, to gradually regain some of her freedom. This little bit of freedom might not seem like much, but it was extremely dangerous for Yang Kai.
Every extra bit of freedom was tantamount to the Black Ink Master being able to exert a bit more of her true strength.
Yang Kai found it difficult to imagine just how powerful this Black Ink Master was at her peak. Even though she had been imprisoned since ancient times and her strength had obviously suffered as a result, the power she could display was still far beyond what he could contend with.
If it weren’t for the fact that he possessed the means to suppress the Black Ink Strength, he would have been powerless to resist in front of this Black Ink Master.
It was by relying on the pure white light that Yang Kai was able to survive.
Almost at the same time, an ear-piercing grinding sound reverberated at the centre of the cage. This was the sound of the Black Ink Master using her sharp, long legs to cut away at the Secret Technique Chains. She was probably trying to free herself from her shackles, but as the source of these chains was the Grand Array, it was very hard to break them unless the Grand Array itself was weakened.
Everything she did was destined to be futile.
Thick and dense Black Ink Strength filled the cage. The only place that was free from it was the ten-metre region around Yang Kai.
Yang Kai maintained the white light in his hand at all times. The illumination of the white light formed a sturdy, invisible barrier, blocking the Black Ink Strength from reaching him.
Yang Kai did not need to worry about the threat posed by the Black Ink Strength owing to the protection of this pure white light, but there was more than just Black Ink Strength in this cage.
He had to constantly remain on guard.
The ear-piercing grating sounds kept ringing out to no end, disrupting Yang Kai’s thoughts. Everything seemed as usual, but suddenly, a silent yet devastating attack came from the endless darkness.
The pitch-black darkness was the best cover, and only when the attack was right upon him did Yang Kai manage to react.
Sturdy dragon scales promptly appeared on his skin, forming a solid defence. At the same time, a flash of white light glimmered from Yang Kai’s hand, illuminating the surroundings. Yang Kai immediately spotted a sharp, long leg cutting towards him.
Yang Kai hurriedly retreated.
Although his reaction was quick, he was still injured. Even the dragon scales covering his body couldn’t withstand this fearsome blow. Yang Kai was sent flying, coughing up a mouthful of blood. This attack left a forearm-length wound on his chest and abdomen through which his internal organs could be seen.
If he was even a single step slower with his retreat, he would have been sliced in half.
While he was sent flying though, a brilliant ball of white light flew from Yang Kai’s hand, slamming straight into the massive body of the Black Ink Master like a sun crashing down on her.
The Black Ink Master immediately let out a blood-curdling scream of pain. She kept cursing non-stop, swearing to rip Yang Kai into a million pieces one day before devouring his soul so he would never reincarnate.
Yang Kai naturally turned a deaf ear to her ravings.
When he faced such a sneak attack for the first time, he cursed and bickered with the Black Ink Master, but after having gone through this very situation over and over again, he had grown accustomed to it already.
Inside this cage, the man and the Black Ink Master seemed to have been forgotten by the whole world. They might be each other’s companions, but they were also mortal enemies. Sneak attacks and counter sneak attacks were carried out almost every day, and each time, both sides suffered heavy injuries.
In the beginning, Yang Kai found it difficult to resist the Black Ink Master’s sneak attacks, but with time, he gradually became familiar with her habits and was able to counter them.
Even if the Black Ink Master didn’t launch a sneak attack, he would find an opportunity to do so.
The white light’s power of purification was a very potent method to deal with the Black Ink Master. Every purifying attack would wear down some of her strength. If Yang Kai wanted to live, he couldn’t give her any chance to recover.
Yang Kai’s constant offence and defence had already consumed an enormous amount of Yellow and Blue Crystals, but he couldn’t be bothered to care about that right now.
In the darkness, the two silently recuperated after a recent confrontation. Even the Black Ink Master, who had been clamouring to tear Yang Kai into pieces, had slowly calmed down.
The only thing that could be heard in the pitch-black darkness was the Black Ink Master’s attempt to cut the chains.
Suddenly, an inexplicable gentle voice rang in Yang Kai’s ears once more.
It was hard to imagine that a Black Ink Master like her would be able to sing such a beautiful song. She wasn’t singing any words, only humming a tune. Her song also did not carry any strange power or anything.
However, when this song entered one’s ears, it gave off an indescribable tranquillity, as if one had returned to their mother’s womb, returned to the source of life.
“Do you know how to sing?” The Black Ink Master suddenly stopped singing and asked, “If you do, sing a song.”
“I won’t,” Yang Kai refused, “And I don’t know how to sing.”
The Black Ink Master immediately broke into crisp laughter, “Since we have nothing to do, we should find something to do to pass the time, right?”
“Then keep singing, I’ll listen.”
“Wouldn’t I be at a loss? I’m a Royal Lord, and I don’t have the habit of singing to slaves or animals. That’s how you flatter us.”
Yang Kai slightly furrowed his brow.
During the time he had spent with this Black Ink Master, she had brought up the topic of being a ‘Royal Lord’, as well as the subject of slaves and animals more than once, making him a little curious.
“The Black Ink Clan is divided into different levels?” Yang Kai asked.
The Black Ink Master lightly giggled in the darkness before replying, her voice sounding like a lover’s whispers, “Of course, the Black Ink Clan’s hierarchy is strict, unlike you animals who follow no order. Some clansmen have always been born high and mighty, while some clansmen are born at the bottom of the ladder. I have been a Royal Lord since I was born.”
“The Royal Lord role should be very noble, right? What about those below the Royal Lord?”
“Below the Royal Lord…” The Black Ink Master dragged out her voice, trying to keep Yang Kai in suspense as she laughed, “I’ll tell you if you sing a song.”
Yang Kai decisively refused, “I don’t know how to sing!”
“Just sing whatever you want. If you want to learn about my Black Ink Clan, I can tell you, but this information isn’t free, it comes at a price. Don’t be embarrassed, a long time ago, only the most beautiful girl had the qualifications to sing in front of me.”
“Then I am honoured.”
The Black Ink Master didn’t continue but the grating sound of her feet striking the chains did.
Yang Kai bit the bullet and began humming a tune that Qu Hua Shang had once hummed in front of him.
However, the Black Ink Master interrupted him shortly enough, “Enough! Your singing is terrible! Even the sound of me cutting these chains is more pleasant than your voice.”
In the darkness, Yang Kai’s face turned slightly red in embarrassment, but he simply shrugged and stated, “I told you.”
“Women are always curious,” the Black Ink Master’s words were filled with playfulness, as if she was acting coquettishly. Yang Kai, on the other hand, had goosebumps all over his body, mainly because her voice brought her image to his mind, disgusting him outright.
In order to make himself feel better, Yang Kai’s figure suddenly flickered as he appeared behind the Black Ink Master. The next moment, a pure white light suddenly flashed in his hand, shooting straight towards her.
The darkness instantly retreated wherever this beam of light passed as it struck hard on the Black Ink Master’s back, leaving an enormous hole in her massive body. Black Ink Strength flowed out this hole like blood as the Black Ink Master madly screamed in pain. She instantly retaliated as her lone free leg slashed towards Yang Kai’s head like a deadly scythe.
But Yang Kai had already retreated by then.
The Black Ink Master’s screams and curses continued for a while. She kept shouting the same things over and over again; it was nothing new. Yang Kai’s ears almost started aching from it.
His sneak attack had infuriated the Black Ink Master and she was so angry that she ignored Yang Kai for several days.
It wasn’t until a few days later that she finally smiled happily when she successfully launched a counterattack and severely wounded Yang Kai.
Furthermore, she still remembered their previous talk and honoured her promise.
“In the Black Ink Clan, Royal Lords are supreme. Below them are the Territory Lords, followed by the Feudal Lords. Below the Feudal Lords are the ordinary clansmen. Every class has absolute authority over the ones below,” the Black Ink Master slowly explained, and Yang Kai listened carefully.
“Does that mean your status is very noble?”
“I stand above all others!” The Black Ink Master’s voice was filled with indescribable pride.
“Yet you have been imprisoned here for countless years!” Yang Kai’s words were like sharp knives that drove straight into the Black Ink Master’s heart.
As such, she angrily snapped back, “Isn’t that all because of you rebellious livestock!? You pretend to be docile, but actually harbour wicked intentions! Sooner or later, the Black Ink Clan will transform these 3,000 Worlds into our farmland!”
Yang Kai continued, “Tell me about this livestock business.”
The Black Ink Master giggled, “I can’t be the one always talking.”
“Shall I sing you another song?” Yang Kai suggested.
“I’d rather die!” The Black Ink Master promptly refused.
“If you want information, I can exchange it for information, no one will be at a loss,” After listening to Yang Kai’s singing, she decided not to give him another chance to do so.
“What do you want to know?” asked Yang Kai.
“Anything would do. I’ve been imprisoned for countless years and know nothing about the outside world.”
“Didn’t you transform many people into Black Ink Disciples? Did they not provide you with any information?”
“Although Black Ink Strength is powerful, it cannot bring me the information I want.”
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before replying, “The 3,000 Worlds are vast and boundless. There are countless forces of varying size and strength, but the 36 Cave Heavens and 72 Paradises reign at the top and are revered by all. They are the strongest of the forces and have countless Masters.”
This couldn’t be considered a secret, it was the most basic information. So, Yang Kai wasn’t worried about exposing anything.
The Black Ink Master rebuked with a snort, “A bunch of clowns dare act so arrogantly? Laughable!”
Yang Kai ignored her and continued, “They are the rulers and protectors of this vast Universe. They are responsible for the peace and stability of the 3,000 Worlds. It is admirable.”
The Black Ink Master sneered, “Just a dove occupying a magpie’s nest.”
“Your turn.”
The Black Ink Master snorted. Although she knew that Yang Kai was trying to trick her, she didn’t mind revealing a bit of information, “This vast space originally belonged to the Black Ink Clan. You people are nothing more than livestock raised by the Black Ink Clan. You pretentious bastards pretend to be docile, but have always harboured rebellious hearts. You stole everything from the Black Ink Clan and drove my Black Ink Clan to the edge of this Universe. Sooner or later, the Black Ink Clan will return and take everything back.”
Yang Kai frowned, “In this World, are there any other Black Ink Masters besides you?”
“Black Ink Eternal!” The Black Ink Master declared proudly.
This was not the first time Yang Kai had heard such words; he had heard them from the Black Ink Disciples many times.
By the looks of it, this obviously came from the Black Ink Clan’s own beliefs. The Royal Lord before him firmly believed that Black Ink was eternal.
But the other information she revealed worried Yang Kai even more.
“Where did the Black Ink Clan go?”
“You don’t know?” The Black Ink Master asked back.
Yang Kai shook his head, “Most people have never heard of your existence, only the Masters of the Cave Heaven and Paradises know. I only learned of your existence in the last few hundred years.”
“Hehehe…” The Black Ink Master suddenly laughed, “You all fear the Black Ink Clan, that’s why you’ve sealed anything related to us. You also know that you’re not the Black Ink Clan’s opponent. Just wait, that day will soon arrive. The Black Ink Clan will once again rule this vast Universe!”
Her words were filled with confidence, but Yang Kai remained indifferent, “We drove you away in ancient times, so we will wipe you from existence soon enough.”
“Shameless boasting!” The Black Ink Master sneered.
Yang Kai didn’t try to justify it with an answer and silently healed his injuries.
He might have obtained some information from the Black Ink Master, but she had been imprisoned here for countless millennia and had no idea about the outside world’s current situation. All she knew was some information from ancient times.
If what she said was true, then this vast world once belonged to the Black Ink Clan. Humans were nothing more than ants under the Black Ink Clan’s rule, reared by the Black Ink Clan like cattle, surviving at the whims of the Black Ink Clan.
But how could so many people bear to live in servitude like this? They finally gained freedom after countless years of accumulation and resistance. Perhaps the ancient people fought countless wars and sacrificed countless people before they finally managed to defeat the Black Ink Clan and expel them into the unknown.
As a result, the 3,000 Worlds finally welcomed a period of peace.
The relationship between Yang Kai and the Black Ink Master was extremely strange. Both of them wanted to kill each other, but neither of them could accomplish this. At times, they would calmly chat with each other, and at other times, they would be at each other’s throats. Yang Kai’s injuries kept piling up, and the Black Ink Master was also having difficulty gathering her strength.
Every time the light of purification was shot by Yang Kai, it would bring the Black Ink Master unimaginable torment and pain.
Yang Kai felt like he had really been forgotten by the outside world.
He silently calculated the time in his mind. It had been almost a decade since he volunteered to enter this cage, but the Cave Heavens and Paradises showed no intention of rescuing him.
He knew what the Cave Heavens and Paradises were wary of, so he had no complaints. It was just that after having been confronting the Black Ink Master for so long, he failed to see any hope.
All he could do was keep weakening the Black Ink Master; however, the gap between the two of them was too big, so he was simply unable to kill her.
Some day after the first decade, Yang Kai, who was healing his injuries, suddenly heard a strange sound.
He found it a little familiar, as if he had heard it once before.
However, before he could figure out what was going on, the Black Ink Master’s attack was already upon him. The aura of death instantly enveloped him, prompting Yang Kai to quickly dodge.
But before Yang Kai could stabilize himself, another wave of murderous intent engulfed him.
Yang Kai’s eyes went wide in surprise. He promptly used Space Principles and used Near Distant Horizon.
Space twisted and stretched, but under the fearsome attack, Near Distant Horizon was swiftly shattered.
Fortunately, this small delay gave Yang Kai some breathing room. Taking advantage of this, he promptly took out his Azure Dragon Spear and swung it to the side.
The next moment, a savage force struck him. It was so strong that Yang Kai was unable to resist it. He exerted all his strength and was barely able to hold on.
Yang Kai’s five viscera and six bowels were shaken, but he didn’t dare relax for even a moment before this danger. He intelligently used the rebound force to retreat to the edge of the cage.
“Count yourself lucky!” The Black Ink Master’s tone was filled with resentment and unwillingness. She might have chatted with Yang Kai like they were old friends at times, and she might have hummed a song for him at others, but the Black Ink Master had never given up on killing him.
She would launch a surprise attack as long as she found an opportunity.
This most recent attack had been quite a good chance, but unfortunately, Yang Kai’s reaction was too quick and he had quite a few powerful tricks up his sleeves, allowing him to ultimately avoid disaster.
Yang Kai didn’t say anything, but a flash of purifying light once again expanded into a small sun and shot straight towards the Black Ink Master.
But the next moment, two gleams of cold light flashed as the small sun was cut apart before it could even reach the Black Ink Master. The ball of purification light exploded, illuminating every inch of the cage. Although the purifying light could purify and disperse the endless darkness, even evaporate a great deal of the Black Ink Master’s Black Ink Strength, it still did not cause her much harm in this dispersed form.
Yang Kai’s pupils slightly contracted at what he saw.
With the help of the short burst of light, he noticed that the Black Ink Master actually had two free legs now.
He finally understood what the strange sound he had just heard was. It was the sound of the Secret Technique Chains breaking. He had heard it once not long after entering this cage.
Although the Black Ink Master had been continuously attacking the Secret Technique Chains over the past decade, she had not made any progress. Yang Kai had not expected that another one of the chains would suddenly snap, allowing her to regain a bit more freedom.
[Is it because of her constant attacks?]
Yang Kai quickly denied this conjecture. [The source of these chains is the Super Array that spans Black Territory. The Secret Technique Chains would never break until this Super Array breaks.]
The reason she could break one of the chains before was that the Super Array had weakened, but now she broke another one, and the Super Array couldn’t have weakened unless it was damaged intentionally!
Thinking so, Yang Kai vaguely guessed what was happening outside.
This immediately lifted Yang Kai’s spirits. [I haven’t been abandoned, and the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises are trying to find a solution. The weakening of the Super Array is the best proof.]
However, this would only make things more difficult for him in the meantime.
The Super Array would grow weaker and weaker with time, meaning the Black Ink Master could display more and more of her strength. Would he be able to resist once that happened?
Perhaps he would have already lost his life at the hands of the Black Ink Master before he could escape this cage.
A strong sense of crisis immediately gripped Yang Kai’s heart.
Black Territory had countless Ore Stars, and each one was extremely rich in cultivation materials. It was so rich in materials that even if a force mined for tens of millennia, or even longer, they would still not be able to mine out everything.
However, every Cave Heaven and Paradise was participating in this operation, and each of them had dispatched hundreds of disciples. Naturally, their mining speed was extraordinary.
In order to break the Super Array, the simplest and fastest method was to destroy all the Ore Stars.
Nonetheless, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were mining the Ore Stars step by step in order to complete this 100-year plan.
Massive amounts of Black Stones were constantly sent to High Heaven Palace, allowing it to gather an unimaginable amount of wealth in this short span of ten years.
Fortunately, they had made an agreement beforehand, and the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not do anything greedy with a great enemy like the Black Ink Clansman knocking at their door.
All of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, regardless of whether they were Seventh-Order or Eighth-Order, had entered seclusion and were sparing no expense to cultivate Profound Yin Bamboo in their Small Universes.
Everyone knew that once the Black Ink Clansman was set free, a great battle would break out, and the Profound Yin Bamboo was the best treasure to resist the Black Ink Strength. At the critical moment, it might be able to save their lives.
It was precisely because cultivating the Profound Yin Bamboo needed time that the Cave Heavens and Paradises came up with this 100-year plan.
As years went by, the Ore Stars in Black Territory continued to wane and the Spirit Arrays were broken one after another, while the might of the Super Array was constantly weakened.
As the 100-year deadline was approaching, everyone was able to feel the tension in the air.
The Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises might be oblivious to how much the Super Array had weakened, but Yang Kai, who was in the centre of the cage, could clearly feel it.
Inside the cage, Yang Kai could no longer remain in his Human Form and had already switched to his Dragon Form.
He was only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, so his cultivation was insufficient to face off against a Black Ink Royal Lord, even if she had been imprisoned for so many years. As the power of the Super Array weakened, the Black Ink Master could display more and more of her strength. So, Yang Kai had no choice but to resort to his Dragon Form to protect himself.
A 20,000-meter-long Grand Dragon was as strong as a peak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which allowed him to preserve his life.
However, he was hanging on by the thread! It took everything he had to resist each of the Black Ink Master’s attacks, and each blow would leave him injured. Had it not been for the strong resilience of his Dragon Body and the restorative power of the Immortal Tree, he would have not been able to hold on for this long.
The purification light played a vital role as the power of the Super Array weakened over the years and the Black Ink Master gained more freedom and strength.
Every blast of purifying light Yang Kai fired dealt a certain amount of damage and suppression to her, preventing her from recovering fully.
Her hatred towards Yang Kai had already reached the apex. Had it not been for the fact that she had yet to completely regain her freedom, Yang Kai wouldn’t have had the chance to even breathe in this small cage.
Yang Kai’s 20,000-meter-long Dragon Form was riddled with wounds of all sizes. Many of his Dragon Scales had fallen off, making him look quite miserable.
Even if his strength was comparable to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now, he still couldn’t hold a candle to this Royal Lord.
Yang Kai silently endured and calculated.
In the beginning, a total of twelve chains happened to be piercing the Black Ink Master’s body under the Super Array’s suppression, firmly locking her in place and making it next to impossible for her to even move.
But as the Super Array weakened over the years, she had already broken free from ten of those chains. Now, only the last two were binding the Black Ink Master.
The day these two chains broke would be the day the Black Ink Master escaped.
A few days later, another chain broke as the Super Array’s power weakened to the limit.
The Black Ink Master suddenly fell silent.
She was finally going to regain her freedom after countless millennia of imprisonment, but her reaction was quite strange. She no longer tried to sneak attack Yang Kai and essentially ignored his entire existence. She had gone completely silent, which was completely opposite to her past self where she kept chattering non-stop.
[She’s accumulating her strength!] Yang Kai cursed, fully aware of what was happening.
She also knew that once the Super Array was destroyed, she would be up against the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises; thus, she took this last moment to build up her strength.
Yang Kai welcomed a rare period of safety.
At this time, he should be trying to weaken the Black Ink Master as much as possible. Only by doing so would she not have too much power when she eventually broke free.
But he soon gave up on this idea.
Yang Kai also needed to gather his strength! Otherwise, he would most likely be doomed the moment she broke free. He had to save himself first.
In the current situation, he would be able to escape this calamity only by quickly advancing to the Seventh Order. Although Yang Kai had been fighting with the Black Ink Master all these years and hadn’t had the time to cultivate, the countless living beings in his Small Universe had been constantly helping him strengthen his foundation.
His Small Universe’s foundation was sufficient, so all he lacked now was the opportunity.
He vigilantly returned to his Human Form, all while paying close attention to the Black Ink Master’s movements. He was ready to transform into his Dragon Form at any moment to resist her assault.
Fortunately, his worries were unfounded. The Black Ink Master had really quieted down and did not make any moves against him.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai didn’t relax his vigilance. At the same time, he was silently searching for the opportunity to break through.
The Proprietress had gone into a retreat in Void Land for several hundred years before she was able to break through from the Sixth Order to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. Her aptitude was quite extraordinary actually, but even then, it was very hard for her to break through to the Seventh Order.
The gap between the Sixth and Seventh Orders was like the gap between the Heavens and the Earth. While a Sixth-Order Master was quite strong and could be considered a powerhouse in the Open Heaven Realm, their Small Universe was still immaterial, while a Seventh-Order Master was entirely different. Their Small Universes had already become material, which was a qualitative leap.
Since ancient times, countless Open Heaven Realm Masters had been stuck at this juncture, unable to advance even a single step forward.
The fact that one had initially broken through to the Fifth Order did not mean that they would be able to advance to the Seventh Order someday. Ascending to the Fifth Order only gave one the possibility to reach the Seventh Order. More importantly, it was extremely dangerous to break through from the Sixth Order to the Seventh Order. If one’s foundation was insufficient and one’s comprehension was lacking, a forceful attempt would only result in death.
Yang Kai felt that his accumulation should be enough; In fact, he had wanted to enter retreat and break through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm a few centuries ago, it was just that he had been delayed by various matters.
But now, in the face of the Black Ink Master’s threat, he was left with no choice but to try his best to accomplish something he had failed to finish in the past. Yang Kai could only sigh with regret at the hand dealt to him by fate, and the results left him disappointed.
He was unable to sense the opportunity to advance!
The Black Ink Master was eyeing him like prey, ready to give a fatal blow at any moment, so how could Yang Kai focus on breaking through?
It was very hard to feel the passage of time in this pitch-black and monotonous darkness, but when Yang Kai heard a familiar sound, he instantly realized that several years had passed already.
The Super Array had been completely broken, and the Black Ink Master had gained her freedom at last.
The most dangerous moment had arrived, and Yang Kai could clearly feel the great power that the Black Ink Master desperately needed reviving. Her slumbering majestic Will instantly recovered, causing the entire cage to tremble.
At this point, a single moment of hesitation would be the difference between life and death.
Suddenly, the cry of a Golden Crow rang out as a great sun slowly rose, illuminating the world. Right behind it rose a bright round moon, radiating a chilling moonlight.
The sun and moon shone together as Time Principles began to churn.
At the same time, Space Principles also flared, merging with the Time Principles, transforming into a new and profound power.
The sun and moon intertwined, spinning like a top as they headed straight towards the Black Ink Master.
The Sun and Moon Divine Wheel was the most powerful Secret Technique Yang Kai had ever comprehended. With just a Sixth-Order Heaven Open Realm cultivation, Yang Kai had overwhelmed three Sixth-Order Masters from the Shadowless Cave Heaven’s Profound Yang Mountain with this Secret Technique.
With this Secret Technique, he was able to injure the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Zuo Quan Hui who was far stronger than him.
Space-Time Strength was an extremely profound power, and Yang Kai had just scratched its surface.
The Black Ink Master’s crisp laughter rang out, filled with pride and ruthlessness. She was finally going to be free after countless years of imprisonment. This was indeed joyous news for her.
The next moment, her sharp foot promptly slashed towards the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel.
This Secret Technique, which was strong enough to even severely wound a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, failed to even put a scratch on her. Just a swipe of her foot had caused the Sun to dim and the full Moon to collapse, dispersing the Space-Time Strength.
But surprisingly, another dazzling sun suddenly appeared right behind the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel.
Naturally, it was a ball of purifying light!
Since Yang Kai was well aware of the gap between them, how could he place all his hopes on the Secret Technique he had created? The Sun and Moon Divine Wheel was just a cover, while his real trump card was this purifying light hidden behind it.
This was the only method Yang Kai had that could restrain the Black Ink Master!
The Royal Lord obviously didn’t expect Yang Kai to be so shrewd, so in her moment of carelessness, the small sun-like ball of purifying light broke through her defences and smashed into her massive body.
The light immediately dispelled the darkness in the vicinity and left a giant hole on her body, from where thick ink-like liquid flowed.
Immediately after, a blood-curdling scream rang out before the Black Ink Master roared in fury, “I want you dead!”
She slammed her long leg that destroyed the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel straight down on Yang Kai’s head, sealing off all routes of retreat.
Yang Kai was already prepared for this counterattack though, and the moment he cast the Sun and Moon Divine Wheel, his body had already transformed into his 20,000-meter-long Dragon Form, bolstering his defence to its highest.
Even so, her long leg scraped through the Dragon Scales as his blood splashed out.
The Black Ink Master’s leg left a several-hundred-meter-long gaping wound on Yang Kai’s Dragon Body, almost cutting him in two.
Although he had escaped death, it was clear that the Black Ink Master had no intention of letting Yang Kai off so easily. Her multiple long legs slashed at him from different angles, causing his face to turn ashen. Even if he had assumed his Dragon Form, he would not be able to resist this attack.
Furthermore, even if he wanted to escape, he couldn’t do so inside this cage.
Yang Kai promptly manipulated Space Principles, placing all his hopes on the Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Fortunately, the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not disappoint him. The cage that was once flawless was riddled with cracks now. Since the Super Array had been broken, the cage that imprisoned the Black Ink Master was naturally no longer flawless.
Over the past hundred years, Yang Kai had continuously been using Space Principles in an attempt to find a gap in the cage, but he had found none until now!
Yang Kai quickly swung his Dragon Tail, smashing it into the invisible barrier of the cage.
The next moment, the cage completely broke, giving the impression that an entirely new world had been created.
Immediately after, one powerful aura after another immediately entered Yang Kai’s perception as countless figures came rushing towards his side, defending him.
These figures all exuded the powerful aura of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
*Hong hong hong!*
Deafening explosions immediately rang out as the Eight-Order Open Heaven Realm Master blocked the oncoming legs for Yang Kai one by one. Some people let out muffled groans while some sneered.
After this fierce exchange, the entire world fell silent.
The Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were already preparing outside to break this final barrier, so Yang Kai’s last attack had saved them a lot of time and effort, while also saving his own life in return.
Otherwise, if the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises attempted to break this cage themselves, it would have taken them at least a few breaths, which was far slower than Yang Kai using Space Principles from the inside.
At this moment, Yang Kai was disoriented and stars were circling before his eyes, but before he could recover from his near-death experience, he suddenly felt someone standing over him.
“Brat, you’re still alive?” Liu Mu asked from above.
Yang Kai replied, shaking his head, “Fortunately!”
Liu Mu meaningfully chuckled, “One who survives a great disaster is destined to have good fortune. Leave the rest to us old fogies and take a rest.”
Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before warning, “Seniors, please be careful. She calls herself a Royal Lord, but I don’t know what it means.”
Liu Mu clicked his tongue, “Although we had already guessed as much, it is still disheartening to hear you say it.”
He took a pregnant pause before explaining, “This so-called Royal Lord is equivalent to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!”
[Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!]
Yang Kai’s heart trembled upon hearing this. Although the Black Ink Master was not at her peak after having been imprisoned for countless years, and Yang Kai had been constantly weakening her using the purification light over the past 100 years, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. Who knew how much strength she could still display?
Thinking about how he had spent 100 years in the same cage with a Black Ink Royal Lord that was equivalent to a Ninth-Order Master, Yang Kai couldn’t help but shiver in fright a little.
“Do we have a Ninth-Order Master on our side?” Yang Kai asked.
“How can we have a Ninth-Order Master here?” Liu Mu curled his lips.
Yang Kai was beside himself in shock. This was a bit different from what he had imagined. Originally, he had thought that each of the hundred or so Cave Heavens and Paradises would have at least one Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master assuming command after countless years of accumulation.
But that didn’t seem to be the case.
The Black Ink Master in Black Territory was extremely dangerous, so if there really was a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in any of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, he or she would have definitely not sat back and done nothing. No matter which Sect he or she belonged to, they would have definitely come here to handle this situation. This was the only way to ensure the smooth eradication of the Black Ink Master.
But even now, there was no sign of a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master appearing, and Liu Mu had confirmed this fact.
In other words, the Cave Heavens and Paradises really didn’t have any Ninth-Order Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
[But how is that possible? How could so many Cave Heavens and Paradises be unable to give rise to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master after countless years of accumulation? Sure, only a few geniuses were capable of making the initial breakthrough to the Seventh Order, but still, a few could. Could it be that none of them had successfully advanced to the Ninth Order even after all this time?]
Yang Kai was having a hard time understanding this, but this wasn’t the time to investigate.
Staring out in the direction of the Black Ink Master, Yang Kai asked, “Can you beat her?”
“It’s not a matter of can or can’t, we must!” Liu Mu stated in a heavy voice, “Black Territory has been completely sealed off. No one can leave this place until the battle ends!”
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had obviously decided to go all out; they would either succeed or die trying. As Black Territory had been completely sealed off, the Black Ink Master would be forever trapped in Black Territory even if they lost this battle, unable to leave this place.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. The Cave Heavens and Paradises had already prepared for the worst, which was indirect proof in itself of the Black Ink Clan’s strength.
“One, two, three…” On the other side, the Black Ink Master started lightly counting, her voice quite pleasant to the ear. Suddenly, a smile bloomed on her face, “Forget it, there are too many snacks to eat. I’ll just kill all of them, then there won’t be any left.”
There were indeed a lot of people here, and all of them were either Seventh-Order or Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The cultivators below the Seventh Order were not qualified to participate in this battlefield.
The number of Seventh-Order and Eighth-Order in the Cave Heavens and Paradises numbered over 1,000. It had to be known that each of these Seven-Order and Eighth-Order Masters was a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had lived for countless years and seen and experienced all kinds of things. Every single one of them would be respected by most people in the 3,000 Worlds.
Over 1,000 people were split up into a hundred or so teams under the leadership of their Eighth-Order Masters and spread around, surrounding the Black Ink Master. Everyone had a solemn look on their faces as they stared at the giant spider-like Black Ink Master.
Although these people had long known about the existence of the Black Ink Clan, this was the first time any of them had actually laid eyes on one; her image caught them a little by surprise.
Many people thought that such an evil existence should be more imposing, but now it seemed that it was actually just ugly and disgusting.
“Go heal yourself! You may be of help later!” Liu Mu gently walked above Yang Kai’s head, his figure flickered as he arrived near the Golden Antelope Paradise Masters, standing at their forefront.
Yang Kai withdrew his Dragon Form and quickly retreated.
The Proprietress approached from behind to help Yang Kai. When they met, Lan You Ruo’s eyes were fixed on Yang Kai’s waist. There was a huge gaping wound there, with black energy lingering around the wound, preventing it from healing as his blood kept flowing out.
Lan You Ruo reached out to support him and led him back, asking with concern, “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live,” Yang Kai replied before asking worriedly, “Where are our people?”
“Everyone else has withdrawn from Black Territory. There are only the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters left here now.”
Yang Kai lightly nodded his acknowledgement. Those below the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm were not qualified to participate in this great battle. If they were allowed to remain, they would only be taken advantage of by the Black Ink Master. Once they were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, they would become Black Ink Disciples, which would only divert the attention of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Making them withdraw from the front lines was the best option.
The two retreated to a relatively safe location, an abandoned Spirit Province left after one of the Ore Stars was destroyed. Yang Kai quickly found a place and sat down cross-legged.
The next moment, a yellow light glowed in his left hand and a blue light in his right. Yin and Yang merged together as the purifying light enveloped his wound.
As the World Spring had sealed off his Small Universe, the Black Ink Strength would not be able to harm him in the slightest no matter how strong it was. However, this thick layer of Black Ink Strength was lingering around his wound, so it needed to first be purified before he could heal himself.
Yang Kai had been locked in a cage with the Black Ink Master for over 100 years and had been injured countless times by her, so he was already familiar with how to treat such injuries.
Under the effects of the purifying light, wisps of black smoke emerged from his wounds and were reduced to nothingness in the blink of an eye. After a while, the Black Ink Strength was completely expelled, whereupon Yang Kai used his Wood Element Power to heal his injuries.
The Black Ink Master’s attack just before Yang Kai escaped had been quite devastating, almost cutting him in half despite him having taken his Dragon Form. It was only by luck that he had been able to survive.
It would be quite a hefty task for him to recover from this kind of grievous injury; furthermore, he had been locked inside the cage with the Black Ink Master for over 100 years, where he had to constantly be on guard. His body and mind were both exhausted, so he really needed some rest.
Suddenly, powerful energy fluctuations came from afar, followed by non-stop flashes of dazzling light.
“It’s begun!” Yang Kai muttered as he looked towards the battlefield.
He was quite far away, as such he was unable to see much.
All he knew was that over 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm simultaneously made their moves. Their Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities left colourful dazzling trails as they shot towards the Black Ink Master. By the time Yang Kai looked up, the Black Ink Master was already drowned by this dazzling light.
Even from such a great distance, Yang Kai could feel the fearsome power contained in each of these Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities.
In this world, perhaps only the Black Ink Royal Lord was worthy of being taken so seriously by the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises; after all, this was an existence comparable to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
No one could survive such an attack, not even the Black Ink Royal Lord!
Yang Kai almost thought that the battle would be decided right that instant, but to his astonishment, the Cave Heavens and Paradises kept attacking, without showing any intention of stopping.
Yang Kai was able to witness the marvellous Divine Abilities of every Cave Heaven and Paradise, all of which was extremely profound and dazzling.
But the next moment, Yang Kai’s confidence began falling little by little, because there was a giant black cloud where the lights had flooded. And the dazzling brilliance of the Divine Abilities was unable to disperse this thick black cloud no matter how they tried.
Right then, the Black Ink Master’s voice reverberated throughout the void, her voice filled with pain and ridicule, “You filthy livestock have only become weaker over the generations! Your ancestors were far better than you!”
Just as she was finished speaking, a change suddenly occurred.
It was unknown what happened, but the tight encirclement around the Black Ink Master fell into shambles, causing countless openings to appear in their formation.
The next moment, Yang Kai’s pupils shrank.
He saw the head of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master suddenly fly high into the air as a fountain of blood gushed out from his neck, raining down on his nearby companion’s head and face. When his companion looked over, he was totally confused, seemingly unable to react to what had just happened.
Although Yang Kai couldn’t see the expression on the man’s face because he was too far away, he could feel his shock and confusion.
There were some who were suddenly torn apart as their remains flew everywhere.
Some even exploded into blood mist, leaving nothing behind.
In an instant, more than ten people had lost their lives.
Each and every one of them was a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had taken millennia to reach their current Realm; but today, their lives were harvested like wheat from a field.
Yang Kai’s heart was gripped with fear!
Without the influence and constraints of the Super Array, the Black Ink Master’s strength had far exceeded his imagination. If the Black Ink Master was this strong during the 100 years he had been fighting her, he would have died long ago.
After the death of a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, his or her Small Universe would be left behind, transforming into Universe Paradise.
Logically speaking, these Universe Paradise’s portals were hidden in the Void, so unless someone knew where they were or for some reason the portal was opened, it was difficult to find them.
But at this moment, these Small Universe’s portals suddenly exploded under a mysterious force. The World Force contained in these Small Universes immediately transformed into massive waves of energy visible to the naked eye, rushing towards the Black Ink Master before being devoured by her.
Yang Kai’s heart sank.
He thought back on the many Black Ink Disciples who had been trying to sacrifice themselves. Those Black Ink Disciples’ cultivation wasn’t high, only at the Third or Fourth Order, but under the summoning of the Black Ink Strength, they swarmed over and crashed straight into the Spirit Array, dying without hesitation.
They had killed themselves to provide the Black Ink Master with the energy she needed to restore her strength. After their death, the World Force released by their Small Universe’s dispersed, supplementing the Black Ink Master to recover her strength!
According to Luan Bai Feng’s original plan, she would have gathered Open Heaven Realm Masters from all over the 3,000 Worlds over the course of many years. These Black Ink disciples would on one side destroy the Super Array’s Ore Stars, while at the same time sacrifice themselves to provide the energy for the Black Ink Master to recover.
Unfortunately, this plan had been foiled by Yang Kai before it could be implemented for any significant length of time.
Now though, the instant death of a dozen or so High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had undoubtedly greatly helped the Black Ink Master.
After a brief moment of chaos, the formation of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master fell into complete disorder. Almost everyone was fighting by themselves and Yang Kai couldn’t tell what was happening, but he got the feeling that these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were fighting an invisible enemy, plunging into an abyss of misery.
A short while later, several more High-Rank Masters fell.
Immediately after, a large number of Spirit Provinces appeared out of thin air with thick Black Ink Strength lingering about them. The thick ink-like power was constantly squirming and was extremely eye-catching. The Spirit Provinces were very soon dyed completely in black.
Some High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had swiftly cut off a portion of their Small Universe’s territory.
Had they had no other choice, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters would have never acted in such a manner. Once a part of their Small Universe was severed, it would not only permanently damage their foundation, causing their strength to decline, but it would also permanently halt the progress of their Martial Dao.
Long story short, it meant that they had no other choice but to do this.
In other words, these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had been corroded by the Black Ink Strength, and they had no choice but to cut off parts of their Small Universes to protect themselves.
For the past 100 years, all of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises who had been assigned to Black Territory had been cultivating Profound Yin Bamboo in seclusion and had gained extraordinary benefits.
The Profound Yin Bamboo was one of the Twelve Minor Universe Pillars and was extremely beneficial to High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, especially when it came to resisting Black Ink Strength.
However, even with the Profound Yin Bamboo protecting their Small Universes, these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were still unable to resist the invasion of the Black Ink Strength. It was proof in itself of the Black Ink Royal Lord’s strength.
Fortunately, the situation still had not fully deteriorated. Many Eighth-Order Ancestors were still safe and sound. Surrounding themselves with World Force, and coupled with the protection of the Profound Yin Bamboo, there was no need to worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength in short order.
Yang Kai withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes, focusing on recovering as soon as possible.
The battle that was supposed to end quickly was progressing in an unexpected direction. Who knows how many Masters would be dead after this battle ended?
Time slowly passed.
Yang Kai’s emotions slowly calmed down. He was well aware that it was useless for him to be anxious in this situation. The most important thing right now was to quickly regain his strength.
Two days later, Yang Kai finally opened his eyes.
Lan You Ruo had been waiting for him all this while, and when Yang Kai opened his eyes, she turned around and asked, “Are you done?”
Yang Kai stood up, nodding, “Don’t stray too far from me!”
Lan You Ruo curled her lips up, “I should be the one saying that!”
She was a Seventh-Order Master while Yang Kai was just a Sixth-Order Master. She should be the one protecting Yang Kai on the battlefield.
The two of them smiled at each other before rushing towards the battlefield.
After two days of fighting, the battlefield had become even more chaotic. Looking around, Yang Kai saw that the number of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had greatly decreased. A quick estimate put the losses at around 200.
Such casualties were really shocking.
On top of that, he also saw many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters attacking their fellow disciples.
Obviously, these people had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength!
In the face of the attacks by these Black Ink Disciples, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who still retained their rationality had their hands and feet tied. That’s why, the entire battlefield was thrown into chaos even when the number of corrupted High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters was not too high.
Yang Kai’s timing was impeccable.
Liu Mu had sensed Yang Kai’s approaching even when he was far away. He was finally able to vent all the frustration he had accumulated over these two days and angrily launched a palm strike at a nearby corrupted disciple. The Black Ink Disciple didn’t even try to dodge his Ancestor’s attack and instead launched a suicide attack intent on perishing together with him.
Liu Mu cursed loudly, “Brat, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that! You even dare to fight this Old Master!”
Having finished speaking, he slammed his palm onto the other party’s chest, releasing a burst of World Force, causing the Black Ink Disciple to freeze for a moment as if he had been struck by lightning.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Liu Mu formed a series of hand seals and slapped him several times, thoroughly imprisoning him. Afterwards, he grabbed the corrupted disciple and flew towards Yang Kai.
The two came face to face shortly after. Liu Mu didn’t say a word, he just threw the Black Ink Disciple to Yang Kai. Yang Kai was also prepared for this as a beam of purifying light shot towards the Black Ink Disciple the next moment.
A look of pain appeared on the Black Ink Disciple’s face, but it gradually eased up as the Black Ink Strength was expelled.
Just a moment later, the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength had regained his clarity of mind.
He had not forgotten what he had just done, so shame filled his face.
Right then, Liu Mu returned with another Black Ink Disciple in hand.
Seeing this, Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to participate in this great battle, so he rushed over in a hurry; after all, the purifying light he had mastered was the nemesis of the Black Ink Strength. Perhaps his participation would provide an edge to the Cave Heavens and Paradises, but by the looks of it, Liu Mu was treating him like a logistics doctor.
Yang Kai couldn’t even complain about it though as right now, he was the only one who was capable of dispelling the Black Ink Strength.
Liu Mu tossed the Black Ink Disciple to Yang Kai, removing the Black Ink Disciple’s restriction before shouting at the man, “Scram back and be careful! If you get corroded by the Black Ink Strength, hurry up and seek out Yang Boy!”
“Yes!” The Black Ink Disciple, who was the first to be rescued, accepted the order and rushed back to the battlefield.
“I’ll leave him to you!” Liu Mu nodded to Yang Kai before returning to the battlefield.
One Black Ink Disciple after another was sent to Yang Kai to be purified. Many of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, who still retained a certain amount of sanity, also rushed over and sought Yang Kai’s assistance on their own.
The light of purification kept shining as the Black Ink Strength was constantly being dispelled. For a moment, Yang Kai had his hands full.
During the purification process, Yang Kai didn’t relax his vigilance. Whether or not these High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had been corroded by the Black Ink Strength and had been turned into Black Ink Disciples through and through, it was impossible to tell from their appearances alone. The more Black Ink Disciples there were, the more there were chances of a few of them hiding themselves to launch sneak attacks.
Therefore, when Yang Kai was purifying a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master of the Black Ink Strength, and a Black Ink Disciple suddenly struck out and attacked him, he wasn’t surprised at all.
He had no idea which Cave Heaven or Paradise this Seventh-Order Master belonged to, but his strength was quite extraordinary. He unleashed a powerful Divine Ability as soon as he made a move.
Yang Kai instantly summoned his Azure Dragon Spear and thrust it forward.
A blast of World Force swept out as Yang Kai’s spear stabbed into his opponent’s shoulder, but this Black Ink Disciple didn’t care at all, as if all that mattered to him was killing Yang Kai.
Lan You Ruo had been standing guard by Yang Kai’s side, protecting him against every High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master who had come on their own for help.
At the same time Yang Kai was attacked, she also attacked, her slender jade palm containing a massive amount of energy ruthlessly striking the Black Ink Disciple’s body.
The Black Ink Disciple was sent flying by their combined attack and Yang Kai promptly retreated.
At the same time, a streak of light came zooming towards them from nearby. It was none other than Six Wood Divine Monarch. Liu Mu’s brow twitched hard at the sight of this and he furiously roared, “Brat, you dare!”
The Black Ink Disciple, who had just sneak attacked Yang Kai, probably knew that he lost his chance and could not do anything further. As such, he self-destructed without a moment of hesitation. Furthermore, his Small Universe burst open after his death under his plan, filling the entire void with pitch-black energy.
Liu Mu quickly stopped and stared at the Small Universe that was filled with Black Ink Strength.
Although he was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and had the Profound Yin Bamboo protecting his Small Universe, he did not want to be corrupted by this strange energy either.
The thing that put him at ease a little was that Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo made their way out of the Small Universe shortly after.
They were surrounded by the purifying light, which prevented them from being corroded by the Black Ink Strength.
*Hong hong hong…*
Suddenly, a series of deafening explosions sounded. Liu Mu promptly turned his head as a solemn look filled his face.
Originally, a dozen or so Black Ink Disciples were still left on the battlefield, but at this moment, these Black Ink Disciples simultaneously self-destructed, shattering their Small Universes and turning the entire battlefield chaotic and filling it with countless Shattered Spirit Provinces. More importantly, each of these Spirit Provinces had a thick layer of Black Ink Strength surrounding them.
At the same time, their Small Universe’s World Force was swallowed by the Black Ink Master after their deaths.
Liu Mu handed over the last Black Ink Disciple he had captured to Yang Kai. He seemed to have aged several hundred years in an instant after seeing the death of so many Masters.
Since this battle started, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had lost somewhere between two to three hundred cultivators, all of whom were Seventh-Order Masters. All of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had suffered heavy casualties.
Although they had also caused quite a bit of damage to the Black Ink Master, they would have to pay a great price if they wanted to kill her.
However, this was the Cave Heavens and Paradises’ responsibility since ancient times. When the vast universe faced a crisis, everyone could choose to escape from it, but they had to face it head-on.
Their great and indomitable status means that they shouldered an equally heavy responsibility to the ordinary people.
When the entire Black Territory was completely sealed off, the Eighth-Order Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had already decided that they would eliminate the Black Ink Master even if it cost all of their lives.
“It’s your turn!” Liu Mu turned to look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, purifying the Black Ink Strength from the last Black Ink Disciple’s body, “I shall fulfil my duty!”
The cruel battlefield caused Yang Kai’s heart to tremble. Only now did he truly understand how strong the Black Ink Royal Lord was. The reason he managed to come out alive after being trapped in that cage for 100 years with her was completely due to the Super Array restricting her strength.
She might not be at her peak due to having been imprisoned for countless years, yet she was able to slaughter so many people even after having been surrounded by over 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Yang Kai couldn’t even imagine what would have happened if she was able to regain her full power.
While remaining vigilant, Yang Kai also yearned greatly for the legendary Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
The Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm was comparable to the Black Ink Royal Lord!
“Follow me closely!” Liu Mu shouted and took the lead to rush towards the battlefield.
Yang Kai and Lan You Ruo followed close behind.
Yang Kai was unable to see the entire battlefield clearly from this distance, so only when he stepped onto it did he understand the murderous intent lingering in the air.
An enormous spider web had appeared in the vast void at some point, covering a radius of 10,000 kilometres. At the centre of this spiderweb was the territory of the Black Ink Master. Every thread of this spiderweb was created from a thick Black Ink Strength. When the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises entered this net, all of them were like insects trapped in the web, at the risk of being eaten by the spider at any moment.
This was the home field for the Black Ink Master, and she had everyone’s life and death in her hand within this web.
The strands of webbing formed from the Black Ink Strength were like living creatures, occasionally bouncing, and cutting, injuring those who got too close.
Yang Kai finally understood what had happened in the last two days. Many of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had no experience fighting against the Black Ink Clan, so they were completely caught off guard by the sudden appearance of this spiderweb. When the spiderweb cut towards them, more than a dozen High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had lost their lives on the spot.
As for those who were injured by the spider web, their wounds were corroded with the Black Ink Strength. So, even if all of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had the Profound Yin Bamboo protecting their Small Universes, they still couldn’t avoid the fate of being turned into Black Ink Disciples.
The Profound Yin Bamboo could help them resist the power of the Black Ink Strength better, but it was unable to completely repel it like the World Spring. At most, it could delay the inevitable of being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
Far fewer dazzling Divine Abilities or Secret Techniques were being used as all the Masters were trying to get in close to the Black Ink Master to bypass her outer defences, but every time they did, they were blocked by the threads.
Only a small number of people were able to reach the Black Ink Master and confront her directly.
The Black Ink Master’s giant body was riddled with wounds.
Over 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been fighting her for days now, and although they had suffered heavy casualties, it wasn’t for nought. A thick ink-like liquid was flowing out from the Royal Lord’s wounds, which seemed to be her blood.
A vicious look had taken over the beautiful face of the Black Ink Master, and the pain and anger made her look even uglier.
The moment Yang Kai stepped into the battlefield, the Black Ink Master immediately focused her attention on him. His Purifying Light had caused her to suffer quite a bit over the past 100 years. Hatred filled her eyes at the sight of Yang Kai, like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
Liu Mu promptly took the lead and charged ahead.
With a crisp clang, the spider thread bounced up and down as it became pointed, dancing in the void and turning the road ahead into a thorny dead zone.
Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques flew out from Liu Mu’s hands as World Force surged and swept away all obstacles blocking their path.
The Black Ink Master quickly realized Liu Mu’s aim; obviously, he was trying to create an opportunity for Yang Kai to act. In response, she sneered and snarled, “In your dreams!”
She raised her head slightly as she swung her legs, aiming at Liu Mu from afar. The next moment, black light shot out from the claw-like barbs on her long legs like lightning.
Liu Mu had not expected the Black Ink Master to have such a Secret Technique up her sleeve as she had not used this move once during the previous battle.
In a moment of carelessness, he did not have the time to defend himself. Left with no other option, he quickly leaned to the side.
The black light brushed past his shoulder, but Liu Mu jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on as he promptly used his fingers to cut off the flesh on his shoulder.
The severed part of his shoulder was instantly burned to ashes by a flame-like power.
He was bleeding profusely from his shoulder and was in a lot of pain. Be that as it may, Liu Mu ignored it like it was nothing and turned his head, looking at Yang Kai. When he saw that Yang Kai was still following closely behind him without the slightest injury, Liu Mu finally relaxed.
“Watch out!” Yang Kai warned.
Liu Mu’s expression changed as more black beams of light came shooting at him, reaching him in the blink of an eye.
Liu Mu’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He let out a furious roar as a towering figure suddenly appeared behind him. It was a golden armoured man, majestic and awe-inspiring.
The armoured man was over a dozen metres tall and its body was completely covered in thick, shining armour, making it impossible to see its face. It held a long sabre in its hand that gave off a sheen which made it seem capable of slaying all evil.
This was Liu Mu’s Divine Manifestation.
As an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Six Wood Divine Monarch naturally had his own Divine Manifestation, but he wouldn’t use it easily because it was the most powerful move in his arsenal and also a method of last resort.
Be that as it may, he was left with no choice but to use this move under the fearsome attacks of the Black Ink Master.
Liu Mu’s figure became one with the golden-armoured giant as he swung his sabre down, blocking the oncoming black beams of light. Every time the sabre cut a black beam, the golden-armoured giant would tremble and retreat.
The golden-armoured giant had retreated several hundred meters in just a few breaths of time, but there was no end to the black beams of light in sight.
The golden-armoured giant couldn’t defend itself any longer, but just as a black beam of light was about to shatter it, two figures suddenly appeared from either side.
Both of them were Eighth-Order Ancestors from different Cave Heavens and Paradises.
The next moment, profound Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques were unleashed, finally halting the barrage of black beams with the combined strength of many people.
Liu Mu looked over and nodded to the reinforcements before taking the lead and pushing ahead like a great general.
Over a dozen Eighth-Order Masters formed two wings on either side of Yang Kai as they pressed forward.
The Black Ink Master’s fearsome might was deeply rooted in everyone’s heart. Every Master from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had experienced the dreadful strength of the Royal Lord first-hand. She had fought against over 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters all by herself, yet she was still as fearsome as ever.
The black beams of light kept shooting at them, but they were all neutralized by the Eighth-Order Ancestors.
Even as they drew closer to one another, the ghastly spider threads couldn’t stop their advance.
Lan You Ruo had already fallen back.
She had guessed the Eighth-Order Ancestors’ plan and didn’t want to drag them down. Instead, she took a relatively safe position and fired a series of Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at the enormous body of the Black Ink Master.
She was not alone. There were many Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises around her. Furthermore, the dozen or so Eighth-Order Ancestors, who were protecting Yang Kai, were drawing most of the Black Ink Masters’ attention, which actually ensured the others’ safety for the most part.
A trace of panic appeared on the Black Ink Master’s face, obviously recalling the power of the Purifying Light.
Particularly when Yang Kai began to absorb the energy of the Yellow and Blue Crystals in his Small Universe. As each of his hands began to glow in different colours, her panic became even more apparent.
Liu Mu treated this trace of panic as a sign that she was at the end of her rope, and pressed the attack.
Suddenly, the corners of the Black Ink Master’s lips rose into a cruel sneer as a vertical crack appeared on her forehead. This crack in her forehead was like a third eye and was giving off a malevolent aura.
A black beam of light that was even denser than the previous Black Ink beams shot out from this third eye and arrived before the charging group of Ancestors in a flash.
Liu Mu and the others’ expressions drastically changed. The Black Ink Master possessing such a Divine Ability was totally out of their expectations.
They didn’t feel any threat from the previous black beams of light when they were grouped up, but they instinctively had a bad feeling now.
The black beam of light was not targeting anyone though, and when it reached the lead group, it suddenly exploded, transforming into a giant black net.
The net instantly blocked the entire region, enveloping all of them inside.
No one could avoid it. The next moment, blasts of Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm World Force surged as Divine Manifestations emerged one after another. The Eighth-Order Masters could no longer act conservatively and immediately used their most powerful Secret Techniques to repel the black net.
The black net was incomparably tough and impervious to all techniques though.
Everyone was caught in the net in a flash.
All the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters fell into despair and one even cursed in alarm, “We’re screwed!”
The giant black net also had the characteristics of the Black Ink Strength. Not only was it sharp, but it was also extremely corrosive. When the Eighth-Order Masters were caught in it, they felt as if their bodies were being sliced into by the net and Black Ink Strength was beginning to seep into their bodies.
The next moment, the Black Ink Master pulled the net, reeling in her catch.
When the nearby High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters outside the net saw this, they immediately tried to rescue them, but it was to no avail.
The trapped Eight-Order Masters found it even more difficult to save themselves. Each of them was too close to the other, so even if they wanted to go all out, there was a risk of accidentally injuring their nearby companions. Everyone was at a loss as to what to do.
The Black Ink Master’s shrill cackling reverberated through the void. As the giant net pulled closer and closer to the Black Ink Master, a giant crack appeared on her bulging abdomen. Jagged fangs were on either side of the crack, making it look like a second mouth that could swallow everything.
It was at that moment that a powerful Purifying Light bloomed, rising like a Sun and instantly enveloping all the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
The giant net, which could not be destroyed even by the Eight-Order Masters’ Divine Manifestations, rapidly melted like snow under a blazing sun. Even the surrounding Black Ink Strength was swiftly vaporized.
The Black Ink Master’s smile instantly turned stiff! It wasn’t that she forgot about the restraining effects of the Purifying Light; rather, she felt that she had more or less figured out the power of the Purifying Light after spending 100 years together with Yang Kai. The Purifying Light Yang Kai had displayed before was indeed powerful, but not to this extent.
What she didn’t know was that during those 100 years, Yang Kai was confronting her in the cage, he had only used the Yellow and Blue Crystals at or below the Sixth Order to display the Purifying Light. After all, Yang Kai had to conserve his resources in order to fight a protracted battle. Although he had countless Yellow and Blue Crystals, he didn’t dare to squander them freely.
But as he was facing the freed Black Ink Master just now, Yang Kai had gone all out and absorbed a massive amount of Eighth-Order Yellow and Blue Crystals.
As a result, the Purifying Light he was able to display was naturally much stronger. The Eighth-Order Yellow and Blue Crystals were the highest Order materials he possessed.
Having been freed, the dozen or so Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters promptly use their Divine Manifestation to attack the Black Ink Master.
This was a Heaven-sent opportunity. Once before, they had tried to break through the Black Ink Master’s blockade and engage in a melee with her, but none had been able to reach her. Everyone who tried to approach her was blocked by the defensive web she had spun.
But this time, she was the one who took the initiative to drag them into close quarters.
Blasts of World Force surged as Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities bombarded the Black Ink Master’s enormous body. Her beautiful face turned pale as she cried out in pain again and again. Seemingly falling into a rage, she began wildly swinging her long legs in an attempt to counterattack.
Panic quickly replaced her rage though as the dazzling white sun that had broken her Secret Technique was forcefully shoved into the crack in her abdomen.
Although Yang Kai was sent flying by one of her long legs the next instant, the Black Ink Master’s abdomen had gone through an earth-shattering change.
Everyone could clearly feel that the Black Ink Master’s aura weakened at a speed visible to the naked eye and was overjoyed, immediately increasing the intensity of their attacks.
A series of violent explosions rang out as the dozen or so Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters attacked to their heart’s content. It had been many years since they had a chance to unleash their strength like this. Having reached their current strength and position meant that there weren’t many targets worthy of them to personally take action against, so this was a rare chance to let loose.
When they first fought with the Black Ink Master, they had clearly been a little out of practice, but as time wore on, their attacks became more and more intense. They were acting as if they had suddenly become thousands of years younger, returning to their hot-blooded youth.
The Purifying Light kept bursting from Yang Kai’s hands, and each time his attack would cause varying degrees of injuries to the Black Ink Master.
The Black Ink Master’s enraged counterattack did not cease. From time to time, the aura of a Small Universe’s collapse could be felt from behind, indicating that a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master had fallen.
But even more Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters broke through the Black Ink Master’s web blockade and joined the battle.
It was quite a chaotic battle. Nonetheless, everyone knew what they had to do, especially Yang Kai, who was constantly guarded by four or five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Everyone knew that Yang Kai’s Purifying Light was the sharpest weapon they had against the Black Ink Master. Although he was only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the damage he could cause to her with each blow was something that none of these Eighth-Order Masters were capable of.
The Black Ink Master’s aura continued to weaken, and after an initial struggle, it looked like she no longer had the strength to fight back. This situation greatly motivated the many High-Rank Masters.
The Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises kept unleashing their Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities. This was the first time in countless years that the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had come together in the 3,000 Worlds to battle an enemy, and besides Yang Kai, everyone participating in the battle was a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master.
After 100 years, everyone had managed to cultivate enough Profound Yin Bamboo in their respective Small Universe to provide a sturdy defence against the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength.
Some people got corroded by the Black Ink Strength from time to time and promptly cut off parts of their Small Universes. They would rather have their strength permanently decline than bother Yang Kai at this moment; after all, the Purifying Light in his hands was the best weapon against the Black Ink Master.
Things were looking increasingly grim for the Royal Lord! Everyone could see that she was at the end of her rope.
Yang Kai, however, was puzzled, because the Black Ink Master showed no intention of escaping from beginning to end. It was true that she was a Royal Lord, and at her peak, she possessed strength comparable to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but after having been imprisoned for countless millennia, she was just a shadow of her former self. She might have killed many Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises here, but she was still just a cornered beast.
So why didn’t she flee?
Not only was she not fleeing in fact, she’s not even moving around.
The Super Array had already been destroyed, so nothing was restraining her freedom anymore. If she wanted to escape, no one here could have stopped her, no matter how many Masters there were from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. What’s more, even though Black Territory had been sealed, she knew about that. More importantly, it probably wouldn’t be difficult for her to break through any kind of seal with her strength.
But for some reason, she wasn’t fleeing or even changing her position. This was definitely not due to arrogance.
Just as he was feeling puzzled, the weakened Black Ink Master suddenly took a deep breath.
The next moment, a long whistle came from the forefront, echoing throughout the void. It was a signal sent by an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who had caught sight of her actions.
But the next moment, a cruel and savage look blanketed the Black Ink Master’s face as she opened her mouth and let out a deafening scream, drowning out that whistle. At the same time, a sound wave visible to the eye spread out from her position.
Everyone was like a ship sailing on a stormy sea. They instantly lost their footing and were pushed back by the sound wave. Not only that, but everyone also jolted as their Small Universe’s strength suddenly became unstable.
This roar seemed to be a type of Secret Technique which targeted Small Universes directly. The Masters were still affected even with the protection of the Profound Yin Bamboo.
Only Yang Kai’s Small Universe remained completely stable. Be that as it may, the fact that he was just in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master put him at a disadvantage. Though his World Force could still flow steadily, the sheer magnitude of the scream sent him tumbling like a leaf in the autumn wind.
Fortunately, an Eighth-Order guard near him grabbed him at the critical moment and pulled him over.
“Many thanks, Senior!” Yang Kai quickly thanked him.
But the next moment, he realized that he was in grave danger. It might have looked as if the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had grabbed him out of goodwill, but after holding him, a burst of fearsome force came from that Master’s giant hand as he gripped him tighter.
Yang Kai looked up at the Master and noticed an expression of struggle on his face as an eerie black soon replaced his healthy complexion.
“Black Ink corruption!” Yang Kai was beside himself with shock, unable to understand how this Eighth-Order Master had been turned into a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai might not know the name of this Eighth-Order Ancestor, but he still recognized him. He was an Ancestor of Luo Sheng Cave Heaven and had an unfathomable cultivation.
Just a little while ago, this man along with a dozen other Eighth-Order Masters had jumped in and protected him with Liu Mu as they pressed towards the Black Ink Master.
When they were caught inside the black net released by the Black Ink Master, this man was trapped inside as well. Furthermore, he had always been protecting Yang Kai, even when that put him in a dangerous predicament.
Yang Kai hadn’t sensed any Black Ink Strength from this Ancestor, nor did the man show any signs of being seriously injured, which was why Yang Kai had not expected this Eighth-Order Master beside him to turn into a Black Ink Disciple all of a sudden.
A dark gleam flashed across his eyes. The Eighth-Order Ancestor seemed to have transformed into a completely different person, exuding an extremely dangerous aura.
Yang Kai instinctually raised his hand and summoned his Azure Dragon Spear, pouring in all of his strength as he thrust it out.
But the gap between the two was simply too big. The Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple swept aside the Azure Dragon Spear with a casual wave of his hand. Yang Kai almost had his arm torn off as a result, his all-out attack seemingly posing no threat to the enemy. A giant hand was lightly swinging towards Yang Kai’s head in the next instant, but this seemingly gentle palm strike contained a terrifying power and momentum.
In this life-or-death crisis, Yang Kai’s hand suddenly ballooned and transformed into a Dragon Claw which he pushed out with all his might.
Cracking sounds echoed as Yang Kai’s wrist bones shattered from the violent clash. Nonetheless, he managed to escape from the other party’s grasp.
Still, the palm strike was not entirely deflected and lightly landed on Yang Kai’s now much-enlarged shoulder.
Light as that attack may have looked, Yang Kai felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned pale as his shoulder caved in.
Seeing that his attack had failed, no obvious change in expression on the Luo Sheng Cave Heaven Eighth-Order Ancestor’s face was noticed. He just pointed his finger towards Yang Kai’s head at lightning speed.
[I can’t dodge it!] With his Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, it was already Yang Kai’s limit to parry the first strike, leaving him no strength to avoid this follow-up attack.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai’s momentary struggle had given the other Ancestors the time needed to react. One of them pulled Yang Kai behind him and raised his hand to meet the oncoming blow, while the others unleashed their Divine Abilities.
Luo Sheng Heaven’s Eighth-Order Master hurriedly exchanged a few blows before his figure jolted as blood trickled down the corner of his mouth.
Yang Kai turned around, hearing the sounds of fighting around him. A solemn look took over his face.
It wasn’t just Luo Sheng Heaven’s Eighth-Order Ancestor who had been corrupted. Four other Ancestors were currently fighting with the others.
No one knew how they had been turned as not a single Eighth-Order Ancestor had been corrupted from the beginning of the siege of the Black Ink Master until now. Only Seventh-Order Masters had degenerated into Black Ink Disciples.
Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were extremely powerful and possessed a certain level of resistance against the Black Ink Strength. Coupled with the Profound Yin Bamboo, there was basically no risk of them being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
It was precisely because they were so confident that so many Eighth-Order Ancestors could confront the Black Ink Master head-on. But by the looks of it, they had been too careless.
It wasn’t that the Black Ink Master was unable to corrupt the Eighth-Order Masters, but that she had been hiding this ability all along. She had only used it at the last moment, corrupting five Eighth-Order Masters at once.
“Royal Lord Secret Technique!” The Eighth-Order Ancestor, who had pulled Yang Kai behind him just now, didn’t participate in the battle and coldly muttered instead, a profound look of sadness filling his face.
Yang Kai’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. Obviously, the Eighth-Order Ancestors had a certain understanding of the Black Ink Master’s abilities. When he had asked Six Wood Divine Monarch about the Black Ink Clan Royal Lords, he had said that they were comparable to Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Now, when Yang Kai heard this Ancestors mutter the words ‘Royal Lord Secret Technique’, it was apparent that the Black Ink Royal Lord could not use this Secret Technique easily; otherwise, she wouldn’t have waited until now to cast it.
“Everything is within our expectations, don’t panic,” assured the Eighth-Order Ancestor without even turning his head, though Yang Kai knew he was talking to him.
Yang Kai nodded silently but he did not let his guard down.
Yang Kai had no idea whether the Eighth-Order Ancestor protecting him was also corroded by the Black Ink Strength or not; as such, he secretly circulated the power of his Small Universe to guard against any unexpected situations.
This sudden change threw the entire battlefield into chaos and it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Everyone, whether it was those who were fighting with Black Ink Disciples, or those who were watching, all became vigilant.
Seemingly sensing Yang Kai’s vigilance towards him, the Eighth-Order Ancestor explained, “Although we old fogies have never fought with the Black Ink Clan before, we’re not completely lacking information about them. The Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises have been resisting the Black Ink Clan’s invasion for many millennia in another place. It is thanks to their protection that the 3,000 Worlds has been able to flourish until now.”
This revelation shook Yang Kai to the core, but he didn’t ask any questions. He felt that he was slowly coming into contact with the core secrets of this world.
“Aren’t you curious why the Cave Heavens and Paradises have no Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters even after so many years of accumulation? Why we aren’t as powerful as you think we should be?”
Yang Kai didn’t refute this Senior’s questions as he did have such doubts.
Not to mention the existence of a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, even the Cave Heavens and Paradises’ heritage was not as strong as he had imagined it to be.
Logically speaking, each Cave Heaven and Paradise was a top force that no one in the 3,000 Worlds dared to challenge. Year after year, millennia and millennia they had cultivated countless elite disciples. Open Heaven Realm Masters had extremely long lifespans, so after countless aeons of accumulation, each Cave Heaven and Paradise should have at least 10,000 or perhaps even more High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
However, Yang Kai had been to Lang Ya Paradise and Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and seen their heritage up close. He might not know everything about these two forces, but he knew that they certainly did not possess so many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Now, he finally understood why!
Pondering for a moment, he asked, “The Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises are all on that battlefield, and most of the elite disciples you have gained have been dispatched there over the years?”
The Eighth-Order Ancestor smiled, “You’re a smart one. I didn’t need to explain too much for you to understand. That’s right, the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises are all stationed on that battlefield. Furthermore, the Cave Heavens and Paradises must send reinforcements there every few years to replenish the ranks.”
Yang Kai was filled with respect, “So, this is the reason why the Cave Heavens and Paradises have all remained allies since ancient times!”
A long time ago, he had found the close relationship between the Cave Heavens and Paradises strange. As the saying went, a mountain cannot accommodate two tigers. Even ordinary tigers fought with each other, let alone behemoths like the Cave Heavens and Paradises. But even after so many years, these top forces had always lived in harmony and never had any intense conflicts. At most, there were some harmless disagreements.
Now, Yang Kai understood that it was the existence of an even greater danger that kept the Cave Heavens and Paradises so united.
If it weren’t for this external threat, the greed of humanity would have run amok. At that time, the 3,000 Worlds would likely have descended into a state of constant war.
It was already difficult to fight a single Black Ink Royal Lord even with so many High-Rank Masters on their side, so Yang Kai was having a very hard time imagining what kind of battlefield it would be for the various Cave Heavens and Paradises to have to constantly send the vast majority of their elites just to maintain the line.
“Once you step through the No-Return Pass, you can never return! That is the boundary between chaos and peace, the final line of defence of the 3,000 Worlds. Once you cross over, only one of two fates awaits you.”
He seemed to be answering his own question, “Die at the hands of the Black Ink Clan, or die at the hands of your fellow comrades!”
There was no other fate apart from these two, the only thing waiting after crossing the No-Return Pass was death.
Yang Kai slightly furrowed his brow, [I get it that we can die at the hands of the Black Ink Clan in that unknown battlefield, but dying at the hands of my fellow comrades…]
However, when he saw the situation on the battlefield, he instantly came to an understanding.
In that place, it would be a common occurrence to be turned into a Black Ink Disciple. Their fellow disciples would surely not show any mercy against Black Ink Disciples.
Nonetheless, Yang Kai still failed to understand, “No one can survive? Really?”
“On that battlefield, death is only a matter of time. The statement ‘once you cross the No-Return Pass’ is not mere rhetoric. It has been hundreds of thousands of years since the establishment of the No-Return Pass, but in all these years, there has never been a precedent for anyone coming back after stepping through. This is why the Cave Heavens and Paradises need to cultivate a large number of talents in order to constantly invest manpower into that battlefield.”
Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Xu Ling Gong went to that battlefield?”
The Eighth-Order Ancestor replied, shaking his head, “This Old Master has been in seclusion for many years and doesn’t know any Xu Ling Gong. However, a group of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples did cross the No-Return Pass several hundred years ago.”
He finally had an answer to his doubts.
Yang Kai always found it very strange when he failed to spot Xu Ling Gong in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; after all, when Qu Hua Shang’s 100-year confinement ended, there was no reason for Xu Ling Gong to not appear.
The answer Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had given was that Xu Ling Gong was carrying out a mission for the Sect, but by the looks of it, he had left the 3,000 Worlds with other Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples when they parted ways at the Star Boundary.
Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue must have gone with their Honoured Master.
“Although no one has ever returned from the No-Return Pass, sometimes information can still be relayed when the passage is opened. The Cave Heavens and Paradises’ information on the Black Ink Clan comes from that side.”
“The Black Ink Royal Lords might be as strong as Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but if that was all it was, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about this situation. Her strength has greatly diminished after being imprisoned for so many years, so it wouldn’t have been difficult for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to deal with her with our remaining heritage, it is just that we would need to pay a price to do so. There is only one thing that we were concerned about. The Black Ink Royal Lords have a Secret Technique that even Eighth-Order Masters like us can’t resist. Once we are hit by it, we will instantly transform into Black Ink Disciples and become loyal slaves to her.”
These pieces of information were sent back through the No-Return Pass and came at a price of countless years of sacrifice.
This was the situation Yang Kai saw.
The Royal Lord used her Royal Lord Secret Technique, instantly converting five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters into Black Ink Disciples, throwing the rest into a panic. Furthermore, no one knew if there were any other Black Ink Disciples hiding apart from these five.
Be that as it may, everyone had already anticipated this situation, which was why others had immediately come to Yang Kai’s rescue when the Luo Sheng Heaven Eighth-Order Ancestor attacked him.
The current situation was something they had to bear during the course of this battle until now.
“She has reached the end of her rope!” The Eighth-Order Ancestor standing next to Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted off his heart and he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
According to the information they had obtained, a Royal Lord would never use this Secret Technique unless they were absolutely forced to. Because although this Secret Technique was incomparably profound, it consumed a great deal of the Royal Lord’s strength. It was the kind of Secret Technique that was used in a do-or-die kind of situation.
Now that she had to resort to it, it meant she was on her last leg.
Yang Kai looked up at the Black Ink Royal Lord and could tell that her aura was extremely weak. Her vast Will that had been filling the void previously was almost gone.
Yang Kai was filled with profound respect.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises Eighth-Order Ancestors had already anticipated this situation before participating in the battle. All of them were mentally prepared to be transformed into Black Ink Disciples. They knew that in order to have any hope of winning, they would have to force the Royal Lord to use her Secret Technique.
No one knew if they would be the ones to be turned into Black Ink Disciples, but everyone was prepared to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the 3,000 Worlds’ survival.
Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities flashed one after another as the wanton blasts of World Force crushed and warped space. While Yang Kai and the Eighth-Order Ancestor were talking, the five corrupted Eighth-Order Masters had been completely surrounded. Their close allies had turned into their enemies, pointing their weapons at them and ruthlessly attacking without mercy.
They couldn’t show any hesitation. Unlike the corrupted Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who the Eighth-Order Ancestors could subdue and deliver to Yang Kai, allowing him to use the Purifying Light to free them, the Eighth-Order Ancestors had profound cultivations, so trying to capture them alive was too dangerous. The only way to deal with them was to kill them!
All of them had been mentally prepared for this very scenario.
The five corrupted Masters gathered around and attacked left and right, displaying their respective Divine Manifestations and confronting the rest of the Masters.
Suddenly, a fountain of blood flew into the void. Someone was finally injured. One of the five old men staggered as one of his arms flew into the air. But before he could regain his footing, another two powerful Secret Techniques struck him.
It was unknown which Cave Heaven or Paradise this old man belonged to, but his cultivation was quite profound. He did not fall even after suffering such a serious injury, though he did cut a sorry figure, covered in blood.
It appeared as if he couldn’t feel any pain. Suddenly, Yang Kai’s expression became stiff. His figure flickered as he promptly retreated. An extremely dangerous aura was radiating from the injured old man.
This was a sign of self-destruction.
Everyone quickly dispersed at the sight of this.
The self-destruction of a Small Universe might not be able to deter the Eighth-Order Ancestors, but Black Ink Disciple’s self-destruction could not be ignored. Once he self-destructed, the Black Ink Strength in his Small Universe would disseminate, and that posed quite a threat to them.
The next moment, a shockwave shook the void as the old man’s Small Universe collapsed. Spirit Provinces enveloped with a thick ink-like energy manifested, chasing after the fleeing crowd like a tsunami, trying to envelop them.
Fortunately, no one was affected by the Black Ink Strength.
But by the time they turned to look back, the other four Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples had all rushed to the side of the Black Ink Royal Lord.
The fierce battle had left them covered in wounds, but their expressions were firm and their eyes filled with determination. It was as if they were the most devoted of believers, protecting their God. Even if the world were to collapse, they would never allow outsiders to harm the Royal Lord.
The Eighth-Order Masters who still had their clarity were filled with grief. Although they were mentally prepared when they were forced to kill their own comrades, even their calm and tranquil state of mind was affected.
The Black Ink Royal Lord’s weakness was quite obvious. It was as if she didn’t even have the strength to stand up straight. Her giant spider-like body lay motionless, staring at everyone with incomparable hatred.
*Shua shua shua…*
One after another, figures rushed over from the periphery. Hundreds of Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Masters rushed in, forming a giant encirclement around the Black Ink Master.
This time, it was impossible for her to survive.
Yang Kai turned around and noticed Lan You Ruo in the crowd.
Her face was slightly pale and her clothes were stained in blood, but she looked like she was otherwise alright. This put his mind at ease.
Even when she was in such a dangerous situation, the Black Ink Royal Lord gently smiled, her voice still as pleasant as ever, “Do you think you’ve won?”
No one answered her. Hundreds of pairs of eyes stared at her coldly, each one was filled with burning hatred.
Although the battle with her had not lasted too long, every Cave Heaven and Paradise had suffered heavy casualties. Even Eighth-Order Ancestors had fallen in this battle, something that had not happened in countless years.
Be that as it may, it was a small price to pay to kill a Black Ink Royal Lord.
After all, she was someone as strong as a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If it weren’t for the fact that she had been imprisoned for countless years, causing her strength to drastically fall, they wouldn’t have been able to do anything to her no matter how many people they had gathered.
“If you want to kill me, then get on with it!” The Black Ink Master suddenly screamed, “Let’s see if you can still laugh after I die!”
Although she said so, she obviously didn’t intend to sit back and let herself be killed.
An Eight-Order Black Ink Disciple, who was guarding her, suddenly moved towards her and raised his arm, standing in front of her.
The Black Ink Master opened her mouth and bit off the Eighth-Order Ancestor’s arm as her cherry lips transformed into a giant, hideous mouth. Blood dripped from her mouth as she chewed a few times before swallowing.
The next moment, her weakened aura quickly started to recover.
She opened her mouth again and bit off half of the Eighth-Order Ancestor chest.
“Martial Uncle!” The eyes of some Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the crowd cracked wide open and turned bloodshot. The Eighth Order who was being eaten alive by the Black Ink Master was an Ancestor of his Sect.
“Kill!” An angry shout rang out from the crowd. No one knew which Ancestor had given the order.
The consumption of the Royal Lord’s Secret Technique was enormous, and they had paid such a heavy price to force her to use it. They could not give her any chance to recover.
The Black Ink Master was extremely fast. She had eaten the entire Eighth-Order Master in just a few bites, allowing her to recover a bit.
Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities flew at the Black Ink Master in the next instant, leaving long dazzling trails in the void, drowning her instantly.
The remaining three Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples used their Divine Manifestations, protecting the Royal Lord, but they were swiftly overwhelmed by the endless barrage.
Before the first wave of attacks even subsided, a second wave was launched.
A moment later, three consecutive fluctuations of Small Universes collapsing spread out.
The three Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples had fallen. They had no intention of escaping, and only death awaited them in the face of such overwhelming attacks.
Everyone’s attacks became more ruthless, as if they wanted to vent all their anger and frustrations.
A miserable scream came from the Black Ink Master. Although she had eaten the flesh and blood of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to regain some of her strength, it was far from enough for her to use her Royal Lord Secret Technique again.
The only fate that awaited her was death.
The dazzling flashes gradually ceased as the shockwaves from the previous attacks spread out. Everyone looked at the Black Ink Master and saw that her entire body was covered in wounds. Her pretty face was mangled and a few of her long spider legs were blasted away.
However, she was still alive. Her massive body was lying in place as she glared at everyone around her with eyes filled with hatred.
It took almost everything for the Black Ink Royal Lord to support her massive body with her last three legs. She raised her head and puffed out her chest, stubbornly maintaining her dignity and pride.
Disdain filled her arrogant eyes as she stared at everyone, “Go ahead, what are you waiting for?”
All eyes turned to Yang Kai.
The Black Ink Royal Lord was like a centipede that refused to fall even after death. The fact that so many of the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters failed to take her life was a testament to her tenacity to live. In order to completely destroy her, the Purifying Light was the best option.
Yang Kai stepped forward without a moment of hesitation. His left and right hands glowed with different colours, and when he brought his palms together, the two-coloured lights merged and gave birth to pure white light.
Yang Kai stepped closer to the Black Ink Master, asking the question that had been bugging him this whole time, “Why didn’t you escape?”
Even though she was in such a dangerous predicament, she had not moved from her spot, as if she had been locked in a place by a great force.
The corners of the Black Ink Royal Lord’s mouth rose into a smile but she remained silent. The contempt in her eyes only grew stronger.
Yang Kai furrowed his brow. He felt that something was not right. Nonetheless, he did not have the luxury to think too deeply about it. The Black Ink Royal Lord was already like an arrow at the end of its flight; furthermore, if he didn’t kill her now, there would be no end to the future trouble.
The next moment, the dazzling white light grew stronger before it transformed into a halo that enveloped the Black Ink Master completely.
The Black Ink Master grimaced in pain, but she clenched her teeth and didn’t scream.
Cracking sounds rang out as thick black wisps emerged from her wounds before disappearing into nothingness, causing her already weak aura to become even weaker.
Nevertheless, the Royal Lord seemed as if she had been extricated from a huge burden. She raised her head slightly as her eyes turned blurry.
The halo of light continued to wash over the giant spider’s body, constantly purifying the Black Ink Strength. The Black Ink Master’s body quickly became translucent as the Black Ink Strength was purified.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, only a hazy illusory phantom remained of the Black Ink Royal Lord’s body.
Suddenly, she smiled at Yang Kai and proclaimed, “Black Ink Eternal!”
The moment she finished speaking, her body burst like a bubble and completely disappeared.
As the light faded away, Yang Kai stared at the spot where her corpse vanished, furrowing his brow. Even if she was on her last leg, the Black Ink Royal Lord should still have had plenty of strength to fight back, but when he was purifying her just now, she didn’t resist at all. Yang Kai found this very strange.
This question had been plaguing Yang Kai’s mind all the while, but it remained unanswered.
Silence filled the void. Everyone stared at the place where the Black Ink Master had disappeared, neither cheering nor celebrating.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises might have won, but the price they had paid was simply too great. They had lost some 300 Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, as well as five Eighth-Order Masters. Each of their corpses was beyond recognition.
Not only that, many surviving High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had discarded a part of their Small Universe in order to avoid being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. This had damaged their foundation and they would never be able to advance their cultivation again.
Such heavy casualties were unprecedented.
Everyone quietly cleaned up the battlefield, collecting the remains of their fellow disciples.
There were many shattered Spirit Provinces surrounded by the Black Ink Strength scattered in the void; some were voluntarily cut off, some were left after the explosion of the Small Universe before the death of the Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Lan You Ruo flew to Yang Kai’s side and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
She could tell that Yang Kai was somewhat distracted.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t understand.”
Lan You Ruo could guess what was going on in Yang Kai’s mind; after all, Yang Kai had asked the Black Ink Master his doubts out loud. She knew that he was mulling over why the Black Ink Master had not tried to escape, not even once. Nodding, she added, “I’m also a bit curious, but she’s already dead. Even if she was scheming something, she can do nothing now.”
“I hope not,” Yang Kai lightly mumbled.
Liu Mu walked over and stated, nodding slightly to Yang Kai, “You’ll have to continue working hard for a while. There is still a lot of Black Ink Strength lingering here. We need to dispel it as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai replied, “Senior, don’t worry, this Junior will take ca…”
Before he could finish his sentence though, a furrow suddenly appeared on his brow as he turned his head, looking in a certain direction. It was the direction where the Black Ink Master had fallen.
Liu Mu and Lan You Ruo, who were standing next to him, also turned their heads, but they failed to spot anything.
However, Yang Kai noticed something. His figure flickered, and he arrived at the spot where the Black Ink Master had died. He then closed his eyes and quietly sensed the surroundings.
The Eighth-Order Ancestors noticed his movements and their expressions became solemn as they slowly approached.
Someone asked Liu Mu, “What’s wrong?”
Liu Mu turned to Lan You Ruo and asked, “Do you know?”
Lan You Ruo shook her head, indicating that she had no idea.
No one had any clue what was going on, but Yang Kai’s actions had struck everyone’s taut nerves; after all, they had just fought a huge battle with the Black Ink Royal Lord and although they had won at a huge price, no one knew if she left some kind of machination behind or not.
A series of orders were sent out. The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who were cleaning up the battlefield quickly gathered around. Hundreds of people formed a huge circle around Yang Kai, staring at him as if there was another Royal Lord standing there.
After a while, Yang Kai finally opened his eyes and a solemn look filled his face.
Liu Mu lowered his voice, speaking like a thief, “Yang Boy, what did you find?”
Yang Kai turned around and replied in a heavy voice, “There seems to be a Void Corridor here!”
Everyone’s expression changed when they heard this. Liu Mu even rushed forward to Yang Kai’s side and focused his senses.
A moment later, he nodded, “There is indeed something here.”
Although his cultivation was much higher than Yang Kai’s, he wasn’t proficient in the Dao of Space. Even if Yang Kai was able to sense something, he might not be able to; however, being directed by Yang Kai, he meticulously probed the surrounding space and finally found something was wrong.
Other Eighth-Order Ancestors also investigated. Some noticed something, while others failed to.
However, they all knew that Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, and since he had said so, he must have noticed something.
“Where does it lead to?” An Eighth-Order Ancestor asked.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t know! Moreover, this Void Corridor shows signs of being sealed. Judging by the method used to seal it, it should be quite old, but the seal has become loose for some reason. As for where it leads… I have a guess.”
Liu Mu’s face went pale and snapped, “Don’t make wild conclusions!”
He vaguely understood what Yang Kai was thinking. If his guess was true, then the 3,000 Worlds would definitely face a great catastrophe.
Yang Kai remained silent, but someone answered in his place, “The Black Ink Battlefield!”
Everyone’s hearts sank. The Black Ink Battlefield was the place where countless Cave Heaven and Paradise Masters fought against the Black Ink Clan, a place only accessible through the No-Return Pass.
It was precisely because there was only one entrance to the Black Ink Battlefield that the 3,000 Worlds could remain safe until now.
However, if there was a Void Corridor that led directly to the Black Ink Battlefield, the No-Return Pass would become meaningless, and the sacrifices that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had made over the years would be for nothing.
A heavy sigh escaped someone’s lips as he stated, “It seems we’ve all made a mistake. The Super Array in the Black Prison was not meant to imprison that Black Ink Royal Lord, but rather to seal this Void Corridor.”
Perhaps the Royal Lord was even a part of the Black Prison’s Super Array!
The Black Ink Master’s snide remark before her death rang in everyone’s ears.
‘Do you think you’ve won? If you want to kill me, then get on with it! Let’s see if you can still laugh after I die!’
Everyone thought she was just venting before her death, so none of them understood the hidden meaning behind her words. She would not reveal this secret to everyone either, because her death meant that the Super Array in Black Territory had been completely broken and the sealed Void Corridor would soon be revealed, connecting the 3,000 Worlds and the Black Ink Battlefield.
In other words, the Black Ink Clan could come through this Void Corridor at any moment.
A silent and heavy aura enveloped the crowd, causing everyone’s expressions to turn extremely solemn.
They had thought that after experiencing so much hardship, they had finally obtained victory, but who would have thought that this was just the beginning of a disaster?
“Enough nonsense, how do we know if this Void Corridor is connected to the Black Ink Battlefield?” Liu Mu scolded.
“What if it does?” Someone asked.
Liu Mu was speechless.
They could not take the chance, nor could ignore the situation. Even if there was a one-in-a-million chance, it concerned the lives of everyone in the 3,000 Worlds.
Liu Mu turned to Yang Kai and asked, “Can you determine where it leads to?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “This Void Corridor has been sealed once. That Black Ink Royal Lord might have been a part of the seal, but this seal will not be breaking anytime soon just because she is dead. I need a few more days until the seal loosens before I can confirm the situation on the other side.”
“Then, we’ll wait!” An Eighth-Order Ancestor quickly added, “Yang Kai, we need you to guard this place and observe this Void Corridor at all times. As soon as you get a chance, investigate the situation on the other side.”
“Of course!” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
Finished speaking, Yang Kai sat down cross-legged on the spot to recover and monitor the changes in the Void Corridor.
The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters held a discussion before stationing some guards here while the rest dealt with the other problems of the battlefield.
Lan You Ruo stood beside Yang Kai, quietly staring into the void. Even now, she could not sense any traces of the Void Corridor.
She had just advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, so her cultivation was not as profound as those Eighth-Order Ancestors. She was not proficient in the Dao of Space either, so naturally, she could not detect anything.
After a long silence, she suddenly asked, “Is this Void Corridor really connected to the Black Ink Battlefield?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I can’t say for sure, but that’s the most likely scenario.”
This was the first time he had heard of the Black Ink Battlefield, but he understood what kind of place it was.
After a heavy pause, he continued, “I have no idea what exactly happened in the ancient era, but by the looks of it, it’s very likely that what happened back then was like this.”
“The Black Ink Royal Lord might have been fighting in the Black Ink Battlefield, but through some kind of coincidence, she either found or created this Void Corridor and found her way to the 3,000 Worlds.”
“However, she was discovered by the ancient Great Experts the moment she stepped in Black Territory.
“It must have resulted in a Heaven-shaking battle.
“The Ancient Great Experts won in the end, but the appearance of the Void Corridor threw a wrench in their victory.
“Ultimately, the ancient Great Experts set up the Super Array in Black Territory, creating a cage and imprisoning the Black Ink Royal Lord while using her as a core component to seal the Void Corridor.
“Until today!”
This was only Yang Kai’s guess. It was impossible to trace what had happened back then, so no one could say for sure.
There were many unreasonable points in his analysis, but there were some that made sense too.
Yang Kai had always suspected that if the ancient Great Experts had the ability to imprison the Black Ink Master for countless years, why didn’t they just kill her and get it over with? He thought that they didn’t kill her because it was difficult to deal with the Black Ink Strength left behind by the Black Ink Masters after their death, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.
Perhaps the Void Corridor had been created by the Black Ink Royal Lord, so using her to seal it was a better choice.
In the last battle, she had not moved away from the spot, no matter what kind of danger she fell into.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to move, nor was it that she didn’t want to escape, but rather that her entire existence had already become one with the seal of the Void Corridor. She couldn’t escape, nor could she move. She could only remain in one spot and endure the attacks of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises until her death.
Had she been able to freely move or escape at any moment, perhaps this battle would have ended differently.
But she was dead now, and the seal had become loose. The Void Corridor was slowly emerging, which made it possible for Yang Kai to notice it.
Lan You Ruo fell into deep thought when she heard this. If Yang Kai’s guess was right, once the seal was completely lifted, the 3,000 Worlds that had enjoyed peace for countless years would be connected to the Black Ink Battlefield. Countless Black Ink Masters would descend into Black Territory through this Void Corridor, plunging the vast universe into chaos.
She could already see corpses littered everywhere, while mournful wails echoed throughout the universe. The thought of this instantly caused her to shudder.
The Black Ink Royal Lord had been drastically weakened after being imprisoned for countless years, but she still made the Cave Heavens and Paradises suffer unimaginable losses. They would definitely not be able to defend themselves if a peak Royal Lord were to appear.
All the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises were stationed on the Black Ink Battlefield, so the remaining forces here would not be able to resist a Royal Lord.
She secretly prayed that the Void Corridor was not connected to the Black Ink Battlefield.
The seal slowly loosened day by day, not deteriorating any faster or slower as time passed, allowing the Void Corridor’s existence to become more and more apparent.
At first, only Yang Kai could sense its existence, and even an Eighth-Order Ancestor like Liu Mu could only barely notice that something was wrong.
But after half a month, any Eighth or Seventh-Order Master could sense the faint Space Principle fluctuations coming from the Void.
This was a clear sign of the continuous loosening of the seal, and once it was completely undone, the Void Corridor would connect the two sides together.
Be that as it may, where the Void Corridor led to was still shrouded in a veil of mystery.
Yang Kai stayed close to the place where the Black Ink Royal Lord had fallen, constantly monitoring its changes.
After working hard for a few days, Liu Mu and the others had finally managed to clean up the battlefield, though the residual Black Ink Strength remained a problem. Without Yang Kai’s help, they could only use their Arrays to seal up the remaining Black Ink Strength and wait to deal with it later.
Flying over to Yang Kai’s side, Liu Mu focused his senses for a moment before a furrow appeared on his brow, “It seems to have become more obvious?”
Yang Kai nodded his agreement, “En.”
“Are you still unable to investigate the situation on the other side?”
Yang Kai shook his head and stated, “The seal still exists, so without the ability to bypass it entirely, there’s nothing I can do.”
This seal was a relic of the ancient era. Yang Kai tried to study it, but to no avail. It belonged to a long-forgotten past, and most of the methods of that time were very different from the current ones. What’s more, the ancient Great Experts who had set up this seal must have had an unfathomable cultivation, so a mere Sixth-Order Master like Yang Kai was unable to grasp the profundities of this seal.
Liu Mu furrowed her brow. Since they couldn’t probe the situation of the other side, they couldn’t determine where the Void Corridor led to, all they could do now was guard against any possible dangers.
“If one day,” Liu Mu asked in a solemn voice, “I mean if this seal is completely broken, will you be able to seal it again?”
Yang Kai nodded his affirmation, “I will!”
His straightforward answer caught Liu Mu by surprise, “Are you sure?”
Yang Kai proudly smiled, “This Junior might be inferior to the ancient Great Experts in terms of cultivation, but when it comes to the Dao of Space, this Junior is confident he is not inferior to anyone. It won’t be difficult to seal this Void Corridor.”
Liu Mu immediately heaved a sigh of relief, “Very good, then we’ll see what you can do.”
Yang Kai assured with a nod, “Senior need not worry about this. However, we have another problem.”
Liu Mu immediately understood, “The Void Corridor will become exposed after the seal is broken. If anyone on the other side notices it, they will surely investigate!”
Yang Kai lightly nodded his acknowledgement.
The conversation between the two was naturally heard by other Eighth-Order Ancestors who were guarding the Void Corridor, so all of them furrowed their brow after hearing this. If they could not take care of this problem, sealing the Void Corridor again would be completely meaningless.
Nonetheless, no one had a solution. Everyone could only wait and see.
After half a month, a needle-sized black hole could be seen in the void. Yang Kai noticed it right away and he immediately focused his attention on it, finally confirming it to be the Void Corridor.
Naturally, the Void Corridor couldn’t be so narrow; it had not been visible before because of the existence of the ancient seal. In the past, only he could sense its existence, but the Void Corridor had appeared with the weakening of the seal’s power. Although it was only the size of a needle, it would definitely become larger with time.
This was indeed the case. The needle-sized Void Corridor had grown to the size of a fist after less than a month, pulsing with the aura of nihility and chaos.
As everyone attempted to probe it, they could clearly sense the existence of an invisible wall-like force inside the Void Corridor that was blocking their Divine Sense.
Obviously, this invisible wall was the seal’s power. It filled the Void Corridor and sealed the connection between its two ends.
This wall had become weaker with the loosening of the seal though, and one day, it would completely collapse, connecting Black Territory to whatever was on the other side.
Another month later, the fist-sized black hole had grown to more than twice that size. The joy of defeating the Royal Lord had long since faded from the faces of everyone, replaced by a solemn look as they kept staring at the changes in the Void Corridor.
These days, Lan You Ruo felt that there was something wrong with Yang Kai’s condition. Hesitation filled his face ever since the Void Corridor entrance had grown to the size of a fist, as if he was struggling to make a decision.
Although she had asked him about it, Yang Kai assured her that he was fine, so she questioned him further.
But today, she suddenly noticed that Yang Kai’s expression had become firm, as if the problem that had been plaguing him these days had finally been solved.
Just as she was about to ask, Yang Kai suddenly turned around and asked, “Proprietress, can I trouble you with something?”
Lan You Ruo asked, frowning “What is it?”
“I would like to ask you to return to the Star Boundary and invite Head Manager over, as well as Chen Tian Fei and Yun Xing Hua.”
Lan You Ruo’s expression slightly changed, “Why do you want me to bring them here?”
She faintly felt that something was off. Yang Kai obviously had something on his mind for him to suddenly want to see these three people for no apparent reason.
Yang Kai shook his head and didn’t answer. He just stared at her stubbornly.
“I’m not going. If you want to see them, you can go back and see them yourself,” Lan You Ruo looked away.
“Proprietress…” Yang Kai gently called her out.
“Shut up!” Lan You Ruo was completely infuriated and disappeared without a trace the next moment, apparently unwilling to speak with him further.
When the surrounding Eighth-Order Ancestors saw this, they all gave him a kind smile.
But soon, Lan You Ruo returned and stated, glaring at Yang Kai, “Smelly brat, no matter what you’re planning to do, do it after I get back!”
She also knew that even if she didn’t agree to Yang Kai’s request, the rest of High Heaven Palace’s members would still comply; after all, she wasn’t the only one in Black Territory right now.
“I understand,” Yang Kai nodded.
Lan You Ruo glared at him again before zooming away, leaving a long streak of light behind her. Although she was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, it would take her at least a few months to travel to the Star Boundary, and then back to Black Territory.
She didn’t know what Yang Kai wanted to do, but it was obviously something dangerous, so she wanted to return as soon as possible.
“Did you discover anything?” An Eighth-Order Ancestor asked.
The fact Yang Kai suddenly asked Lan You Ruo to return to the Star Boundary and bring some people here was obviously because he wanted to entrust them with something. In light of everything that had happened here, everyone could easily guess some things.
“Seniors, please gather everyone, this Junior has something to say.” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
“Good!” The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master raised his hand and pointed toward the void. The next moment, a streak of light flew out from his fingertip, transforming into a dazzling light that shone for quite some time.
A short while later, the Eighth-Order Ancestors scattered throughout Black Territory, investigating various things, left everything they were doing and flew over.
The people who arrived later were oblivious to everything, but after asking around, they understood what was going on. All of them turned to Yang Kai one by one, looking at him curiously.
Once everyone was present, Liu Mu addressed the crowd, “Everyone is here. Yang Boy, now can you tell us what you want to say?”
Yang Kai stood up before he started speaking, “This Junior has been observing this place for a long time and I have made some discoveries I want to share with Seniors.”
Everyone perked up their ears. They might be his Seniors in terms of age and cultivation, but their attainment in Dao of Space was still inferior to Yang Kai’s. They too had been constantly investigating the Void Corridor these past few days, but they hadn’t made much progress.
“Although this Junior has yet to figure out where this Void Corridor is connected to, the only thing we can confirm now is that the Black Ink Royal Lord is indeed a part of the original seal. In any case, the Ancient Masters spent a great deal of effort to suppress the Black Ink Royal Lord here in order to seal this Void Corridor. Since they were so meticulous and serious about it, we can only assume the worst.”
The worst-case scenario was that the other end of the Void Corridor was connected to the Black Ink Battlefield!
This guess wasn’t completely baseless. The fact that an Ancient Great Expert had sealed the Black Ink Royal Lord here and turned it into a part of the seal meant that the other end of the Void Corridor had some connection to the Black Ink Clan.
The most likely place with a connection to a Royal Lord was the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Now that the Royal Lord is dead, the seal is becoming loose and the Void Corridor is gradually revealing itself. If our expectations are correct, we must begin preparing for the worst.”
“This Junior has also made some attempts recently, and with my current achievements in the Dao of Space, while it may be difficult to seal this Void Corridor again, it is not impossible.”
The Eighth-Order Ancestors lightly nodded their acknowledgement when they heard this. Yang Kai had mentioned this to Liu Mu before and many of them had heard it. They were all very glad that there was someone like Yang Kai who was proficient in the Dao of Space in the current generation; otherwise, there really wouldn’t have been any alternative for the Cave Heavens and Paradises in the face of the current situation.
Although they could have also found a way to seal the Void Corridor, it would definitely not have been better than the Ancient Great Expert’s methods, much less Yang Kai’s.
Special tasks should be handled by appropriate professionals only.
“What are you worried about, then?” An Eighth-Order Ancestor asked. Although Yang Kai’s tone was filled with great confidence when he spoke of sealing the Void Corridor again, the worry on his face was obvious.
Yang Kai smiled wryly, “Junior is only worried about one thing right now. When the seal set up by the ancient ancestors is completely lifted, the Void Corridor will be fully open. At that time, even if Junior is able to seal it again, the Void Corridor will still be at a risk of being discovered.”
In that case, re-sealing it would become meaningless.
It wouldn’t matter if the other side wasn’t the Black Ink Battlefield, but if it was, and the Black Ink Clan discovered the existence of this Void Corridor, they would definitely try to investigate what was on the other side. At that time, the 3,000 Worlds would not be able to block them.
It was quite a big ordeal, and everyone sunk into silence upon hearing this.
An Eighth-Order Ancestor with white hair asked, “Can you seal it again while the seal has not been completely lifted, apply another seal while using the original seal as the foundation?”
“Yes and no!”
Yang Kai’s ambiguous answer left everyone confused, [If you can do it, just say yes, if you can’t, say no. What’s the meaning of this ‘yes and no’!?]
Liu Mu wryly smiled, “Yang Boy, if you have something to say, just say it, you’re confusing us old fogies.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist in apology. He pondered for a moment before suddenly taking out a bamboo pole with a flip of his hand.
This bamboo was about as thick as a human arm with some green bamboo leaves also growing on it. Everyone was familiar with this bamboo and recognized it as a stalk of Profound Yin Bamboo.
Over the past 100 years, they had all spent quite a deal of effort and resources to cultivate Profound Yin Bamboo in their Small Universe in order to guard themselves against the Black Ink Master. Now, each and every one of them had a small bamboo forest inside their Small Universe.
Yang Kai’s Small Universe also had Profound Yin Bamboo, a lot of which he had transplanted there when he last visited the New Great Territory to investigate the situation.
The next moment, the Profound Yin Bamboo turned hollow and its branches and leaves withered with a slight shake of his hand, transforming into a long, cylindrical pole.
Everyone looked at Yang Kai in confusion, unable to understand why he did something like this. They were just talking about the Void Corridor’s matter, so why did he suddenly take out a Profound Yin Bamboo all of a sudden?
Nonetheless, everyone knew that Yang Kai must have something in mind and didn’t interrupt him.
“Let me put it this way, let’s assume that this bamboo tube is the Void Corridor.” Yang Kai, holding the Profound Yin Bamboo in one hand, pointed at its ends, “It connects two distant places through the Void. This end is connected to Black Territory, and the other is connected to somewhere unknown. For the moment, we’ll assume it is connected to the Black Ink Battlefield!”
Everyone nodded, indicating for him to continue.
Yang Kai pushed his strength into the Profound Yin Bamboo, filling the Profound Yin Bamboo with yellow light in the blink of an eye. Impressively, it was Yang Element Power.
Yang Kai continued, “The Ancient Masters used some powerful Divine Ability to seal this Void Corridor, cutting off the connection between the two places. The seal makes it absolutely impossible to discover this Void Corridor; but now, the seal has become loose, and the energy used for sealing the Void Corridor is slowly dispersing.” As he spoke, the yellow energy filling the bamboo tube started to slowly recede towards the other end. More than half of it had disappeared after a breath, almost reconnecting the two ends once more.
Yang Kai’s explanation was quite novel and also easy to understand.
Soon, someone noticed a problem. A stalwart Eighth-Order Ancestor furrowed his brow as he asked, “You mean to say that the energy sealing the Void Corridor began to dissipate from Black Territory’s end, and is gradually receding towards the other side!”
The fact that he spotted this wasn’t surprising as Yang Kai’s explanation made it quite obvious. Furthermore, when they had been investigating the Void Corridor recently, their probes also reached a similar conclusion.
When his Divine Sense probed the Void Corridor, Yang Kai could clearly feel an invisible wall blocking him, which was obviously the energy sealing the Void Corridor.
But after some time had passed, he noticed that the energy was indeed retreating.
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded his acknowledgement. It saved him a lot of explaining time, “When this Junior said that it could be sealed, this Junior meant it!”
It wasn’t that he was boasting, he was just speaking the truth.
Saying so, he mobilized the blue crystal’s energy, sealing the mouth of the bamboo tube representing Black Territory.
The yellow and blue energy were extremely obvious.
But then, Yang Kai shook his head, adding, “But doing so would be meaningless. We are fooling ourselves if we think that it will be over by just sealing up the passage to Black Territory. So, this kind of sealing does not cut it.”
While he was speaking, the yellow energy representing the Ancient Seal continued to dissipate, meaning that once the seal’s energy had completely disappeared, the Void Corridor on the other side would be revealed.
At that time, the Black Ink Clan on the other side would be able to follow along the Void Corridor, break the seal Yang Kai had left behind, and enter Black Territory.
Everyone fell silent. Yang Kai’s explanation couldn’t be any clearer. All of them were Eighth-Order Ancestors of their respective Sects, so whether it was their aptitude or talent, they were all the best of the best. They would be fools if they couldn’t understand things at this point.
An old white-haired Ancestor thus asked, “Sealing Black Territory is indeed just a treatment for the symptoms, but since you’ve brought this up, I assume you have a solution?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Yes!”
Everyone was shocked.
“Everyone, please take a look!” As Yang Kai spoke, he withdrew the yellow and blue energy and began another demonstration.
This time, he didn’t give any explanation. He just showed them.
The yellow energy once again filled the bamboo tube. After the explanation just now, everyone knew that it represented the energy left behind by the Ancient Masters.
In Yang Kai’s demonstration, the yellow energy continued to dissipate and recede from the side representing Black Territory and soon disappeared.
In other words, it meant that the Void Corridor was completely open.
But the moment yellow energy disappeared, blue energy emerged from the other end and began filling the bamboo tube back up again.
However, the supplement of blue energy and the erosion of yellow energy were in opposite directions.
Everyone understood that this sealing procedure of the Void Corridor had to wait until the energy in the Ancient Seal had completely disappeared. Yang Kai would enter the Void Corridor when the two places were completely connected, and seal it from the other end to Black Territory, completely sealing it!
There was no other alternative either. The Void Corridor was filled with energy right now, and Yang Kai could not reach the other side unless it had completely dissipated.
“It shouldn’t take long. This Junior will be able to completely conceal the traces of the Void Corridor from the other side within half a day at most. As long as no one discovers it during this half a day, the existence of the Void Corridor will remain a secret and there will be no risk of anyone breaking the seal and reaching here.”
“It’s too risky!” Among the crowd, an Eight-Order Ancestor immediately shook his head.
Forget about half a day, even an incense stick’s worth of time would not cut it as no one knew where the other end of the Void Corridor was. Everything would be fine if it wasn’t the Black Ink Battlefield, but if it really was, and the Black Ink Clan discovered it, the consequences would be unimaginable. Just as Yang Kai had said before, all they could do now was prepare for the worst.
This sealing method was too risky and depended too much on luck.
Although the others didn’t say anything, it was obvious they felt the same.
“Then there’s only one way left,” Yang Kai once again filled the bamboo tube with the yellow energy representing the ancient sealing energy, and this time, as the yellow energy receded, the blue energy representing his own sealing technique followed right behind it.
When the yellow energy completely disappeared, the bamboo tube was instantly filled up with blue energy! The Void Corridor’s seal remained intact, but the ancient sealing power had been replaced by Yang Kai’s.
Liu Mu’s expression changed slightly as he saw through Yang Kai’s intentions, “You want to enter the Void Corridor?”
Either way, Yang Kai had to enter the Void Corridor, but the first method entailed starting from the other side and retreating back here. Once the seal was complete, Yang Kai would find himself in Black Territory.
However, the latter method was completely different. This meant that he had to chase after the place where the ancient seal had disappeared and infuse his own energy behind him. Once the seal was complete, he would exit at the other end of the tunnel.
“This is the only way to ensure the Void Corridor is not discovered,” Yang Kai solemnly stated.
“If you do this, you won’t be able to return.” Liu Mu furrowed his brow. He felt the need to warn Yang Kai, “We still can’t determine what kind of place is on the other side, if it really is the Black Ink Battlefield…”
If it really was the Black Ink Battlefield, Yang Kai, being only a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, would definitely be doomed to die.
“Even if it really is the Black Ink Battlefield, this Junior will not refuse,” Yang Kai put away the bamboo tube, dispersed the yellow and blue energy, and looked at the crowd, “Of course, if Seniors have a better candidate or method to achieve this, this Junior will be more than happy to cooperate.”
Although the Cave Heavens and Paradises were full of talents, there were not many people who were proficient in the Dao of Space. Even if they were, they were not as proficient as Yang Kai.
Otherwise, they would not have asked Yang Kai to study the secrets of the Universe Temples to repair the Universe Arrays.
Yang Kai could claim he was the only one capable of repairing the Universe Array of a Universe Temple that had fallen into disrepair. At the very least, no one else could do it at this point in time.
“Do you know what the consequences are if you do this?” Someone asked.
Yang Kai laughed with humility, “Of course this Junior knows.”
He was the one who came up with the plan, so how could he not know the consequences he would face if he really carried it out? On the one hand, he might be safe, but on the other hand, after he sealed the Void Corridor, he might be drawn into the Black Ink Battlefield all on his own. That place was full of death and danger, where he could be killed at any moment.
“Unfortunately, I’m afraid no one but this Junior is capable of doing this,” Yang Kai sighed softly and said, “Even if the other end of the Void Corridor really is connected to the Black Ink Battlefield, this Junior still has some ability to protect himself.”
This self-preservation power naturally did not refer to cultivation. In the Black Ink Battlefield, Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters being killed was a common occurrence. He was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, far from being able to compare with those in the Eighth-Order; however, he did have advantages that others did not.
The World Spring fortified one’s Small Universe, allowing it to be impervious to external influences. If there was an attempted invasion, the World Spring in Yang Kai’s Small Universe would help protect him from foreign elements. Thus, he did not have to worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. During critical moments, he could even disguise himself as a Black Ink Disciple to mask his identity.
This was the ability that the other Open Heaven Realm Masters did not have.
The crowd fell silent.
Yang Kai continued, “I’m not going to lie, this Junior also hesitated for some time before making up my mind. Ultimately though, I decided I had to try. If the Void Corridor is not handled properly, no one in the 3,000 Worlds will be able to avoid the consequences. Once the Black Ink Clan invades, the war will definitely spread everywhere.”
Lan You Ruo had sensed that Yang Kai was worried about something, but when she asked him about it, he did not explain in detail; after all, this was not a trivial matter, and it was difficult for anyone to make such a decision.
Liu Mu sighed softly and said, “It is a blessing for the 3,000 Worlds that you are so understanding.”
Yang Kai shook his head and said, “All of you Seniors have defended the stability of the 3,000 Worlds with your very lives. This Junior may not be the smartest, nor the strongest, so he won’t try to take advantage of Seniors’ generosity.”
The fight between the Eighth-Order Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises and the Black Ink Royal Lord had greatly affected him. No one knew if they would be hit by the Royal Lord Secret Technique and transformed into Black Ink Disciples; however, in the battle, not one of them retreated nor hesitated. All fought with the conviction to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.
To be able to cultivate to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, many of these Ancestors were many thousands of years old; however, they maintained steadfast principles and acted in a manner that would make one question if they did not cherish their lives.
As for those in the Seventh Order, almost 1,000 had joined the battle. Which one of these Masters was not a favoured son of the Heavens? Who did not have family and friends, a wife, husband, or children? In the battle against the Royal Lord, their losses had reached almost 30%.
What’s more, the ordinary people of the 3,000 Worlds would never hear of this great battle.
There were also the elites from the Cave Heavens and Paradises who had been fighting the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless millennia, all of them contributing their blood and lives in silence. Except for the Cave Heavens and Paradises, none knew that the 3,000 Worlds was facing total annihilation at all times.
The seemingly stable Universe was guarded by these few who remained in the shadows.
Since ancient times, the world had been dominated by the Cave Heavens and Paradises; however, no one ever learned of their dedication and sacrifice. Even Yang Kai had many misunderstandings in his early years about the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
If he did not have the ability to seal the Void Corridor, it would be natural for him to gather everything he had and quickly return to the Star Boundary, to protect his own life; however, he did have this ability.
If he did not do it and the Black Ink Clan ended up invading through this Void Corridor, then he would certainly regret it for the rest of his life.
Thus, after many days of hesitation, he finally made up his mind.
“Did you ask Lan You Ruo to go back to the Star Boundary in order to bring your people over for this reason?” Liu Mu asked gloomily.
Yang Kai smiled and said, “Since I’m leaving, I don’t know if I’ll be able to return, so… there are some things that I needed to arrange.”
He could return safely if the other side was not the Black Ink Battlefield; however, if it was, he might never be able to return even if he survived.
Since ancient times, no one had returned after crossing the No-Return Pass. Yang Kai would not be traversing the No-Return Pass and did not even know what the No-Return Pass looked like; however, his destination was likely the same as those forefathers of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, which was the Black Ink Battlefield.
The crowd fell silent.
To make such a decision required not only great courage, but also an unwavering sense of righteousness. Yang Kai’s ability to make this decision had earned him the Eighth-Order Masters’ respect.
Liu Mu bowed, “All of the Cave Heavens and Paradises owe you a favour, and the 3,000 Worlds are indebted to you!”
The Eighth-Order Masters bowed respectfully in unison.
Yang Kai quickly bowed in return.
Suddenly, someone said, “I heard that you had some trouble with the little ones from my Sect. I will teach them a lesson on your behalf.”
Yang Kai looked at him in surprise at that comment. Although he recognized the Ancestor who was speaking to him, they only exchanged greetings in the past, so Yang Kai did not know his name, let alone where he came from.
Liu Mu explained to him, “This is Brother Fei Yun of Thousand Cranes Paradise!”
Yang Kai suddenly understood, bowed, and said, “Junior was young and ignorant at the time and repeatedly offended your Noble Sect in the past, please pardon me!”
Thousand Cranes Paradise’s Zuo Quan Hui and his lineage were basically wiped out by Yang Kai. Although Thousand Cranes Paradise did not openly confront him about the matter, Yang Kai knew that their grudge was not so easily resolved. The only reason why Thousand Cranes Paradise was holding back was because of the Star Boundary’s World Tree.
Yang Kai had always been concerned that Thousand Cranes Paradise would seek to settle accounts with him one day, but now all the problems were solved with what Fei Yun had said.
Compared to the stability of the entire 3,000 Worlds, personal grudges were but trivial matters. That was why Fei Yun was willing to compromise and exchange weapons of war for gifts of jade and silk.
Fei Yun smiled, nodded, and said no more. Considering his status, it was already gracious enough to say so much to Yang Kai. There was no need for him to elaborate further.
Liu Mu spoke, “Rest assured that after you leave, we old fogies will look after your Void Land and High Heaven Palace, they will not suffer any grievances. This Old Master will stake all the Cave Heavens and Paradises’ reputation on this!”
Although he was only one Ancestor from Golden Antelope Paradise, no one present objected to his commitment.
Yang Kai said in response, “Then I shall have to trouble Seniors with this matter.”
Those were the private concerns that he wanted to express. Void Land and High Heaven Palace were now sizable in their own right; however, they still could not be compared to the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It was easy to sort things out with him present as he was more familiar with the major Cave Heavens’ and Paradises’ Seventh-Orders and Eighth-Orders, but once he left, no one could guarantee what would happen.
However, with Liu Mu’s assurance, Yang Kai no longer had to worry.
He previously proposed two options to seal the Void Corridor, but the former was too risky; thus, he took the initiative to choose the latter. He also wanted to send a message to the Ancestors, that he could personally make sacrifices for the 3,000 Worlds and that they could depend on him to see this through.
Liu Mu understood this.
“Is there anything else you need? Go ahead and ask if you can think of anything. The old farts here might be a little less flexible, but we still have some tricks up our sleeves,” said Liu Mu.
Yang Kai shook his head, there was nothing else he needed from them. Since he had made this choice, then he should begin to make his own arrangements.
This was potentially a one-way trip!
“The ancient sealing power can still persist for some time, so this Void Corridor won’t be exposed any time soon. I would like to request Seniors take turns monitoring it and notify me if there are any significant changes. I will return as soon as I can. For now, I would like to use what time I have to deal with some personal matters.”
Liu Mu immediately nodded, “Go ahead.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist respectfully. He then left a Space Beacon in place for emergencies before flying off.
At High Heaven Palace’s station, Yue He and the others had all returned.
During the war against the Black Ink Royal Lord, the entire Black Territory had been cleared out. All those below the Seventh Order had evacuated ahead of time.
The people waited anxiously outside Black Territory, and fortunately, the good news that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had won and the Royal Lord was dead had come.
Those who had left, returned again. Yue He and the others naturally also came back.
Yue He wanted to check on Yang Kai immediately, but was stopped by the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so she had to wait patiently.
When Yang Kai appeared in High Heaven Palace, many Sixth-Order Masters had gathered around to greet him.
Yang Kai nodded and said, “Let’s go in first.”
The crowd entered the temporary palace and sat down in groups.
Yang Kai saw that everyone was jovial and in a celebratory mood, so he asked curiously, “Is there something I’m missing?”
Yue He pursed his lips and said, “Young Master, we’re rich.”
“We’re rich?” Yang Kai was confused and asked, “What do you mean?”
Of course, they were rich. High Heaven Palace and Void Land had a lot of profitable industries right now, including two Star Cities and the New Great Territory. They could not be described as poor by any stretch of the imagination.
Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s disciples had ample resources to cultivate with, to the point that even the Cave Heavens and Paradises might not be able to spend as freely as them.
With this in mind, Yang Kai could not imagine the huge number of resources that would have to come by in order to celebrate being ‘rich’.
Yue He asked, “Didn’t you see anything different when you came back?”
Yang Kai was trapped in a cage for 100 years, during which time he knew nothing about the outside world. After the Super Array was broken, he was thrown into the battle against the Black Ink Royal Lord, after which he was busy monitoring the status of the Void Corridor.
How could he have known what was different in the outside world?
Seeing Yang Kai’s bewildered look, Yue He went straight to the point with a smile, “All the Ore Stars in Black Territory have been mined out, and all the materials belong to us.”
Yang Kai was stunned by what he said and then responded, “In order to crack the Super Array?”
Yue He nodded, “Exactly.”
Yang Kai asked curiously, “And, all the Cave Heavens and Paradises were fine with that?”
The number of Ore Stars in Black Territory was quite large, and each one was rich in materials. Even the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be envious of such wealth. Unexpectedly, when these Ore Stars were being destroyed, all the materials ended up in Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s pockets.
Although only a few words were exchanged, Yang Kai could already imagine what had happened during the past 100 years he was trapped in the cage.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises must have deployed a large number of people to mine out all the Ore Stars in Black Territory, which broke the Super Array. Thus, those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises were able to avoid being restricted by the power of the Super Array when they fought the Black Ink Royal Lord.
“It was Big Sister who argued with them, saying that Young Master had risked his life for the sake of the 3,000 Worlds. Black Territory originally belonged to Void Land and High Heaven Palace, so everything mined here naturally belongs to us. With such reasons on our side, even they couldn’t do anything too outrageous.”
“En.” Yang Kai nodded lightly, “That’s good.”
With the huge supply of materials from Black Territory, High Heaven Palace and Void Land’s disciples would have more abundant resources to cultivate with. He had a huge amount of Yin and Yang Element materials in his hands, and he was worried that he might not have enough Five Elements materials in the future. Now, Yang Kai did not have to worry about anything.
This was a fortunate turn of events, which was why everyone in the Grand Hall looked happy.
“Young Master, you can’t be so reckless anymore,” Yue He said, “High Heaven Palace and Void Land have many people counting on you. What will we do if anything untoward happens?”
Everyone in the hall nodded their heads.
High Heaven Palace and Void Land’s rise had just begun and Yang Kai was the one who held them all together. If something happened to him, the Sect would definitely fall apart.
Yang Xue also said sternly, “That’s right, Big Brother, you are not on your own now, think more about your wives who have been living in fear and worry all these years.”
Yang Kai’s smile suddenly appeared forced.
Yang Xue looked at him and suddenly had a bad feeling. She frowned and asked, “Big Brother, are you going to do something dangerous again?”
Although they had not spent much time with each other, and Yang Kai was not with Yang Xue during her formative years, blood was thicker than water and there was a special bond between siblings that enabled her to sense something was off right away.
Yang Kai heaved a long sigh which immediately caused everyone in the Grand Hall to turn solemn. Yu Ru Meng and her Sisters also looked doubtfully at him.
“There is gateway in this world called the No-Return Pass!” Yang Kai suddenly said something that seemed completely unrelated.
“Even the Common Disciples of the Cave Heavens and Paradises do not know of its existence. Those who are qualified to know of it are all elite disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, as well as the Elders. I only recently learned about it as well.”
“Once a person crosses the No-Return Pass, they will never be able to return. Beyond this great pass is a battlefield of never-ending war!”
The crowd was amazed, and Mao Zhe asked, “Battlefield? What kind of battlefield?”
“The Black Ink Battlefield!” Yang Kai replied in a deep voice.
Everyone gasped with their mouths and eyes wide open. Although this was the first time they heard of the ‘Black Ink Battlefield’, just by hearing the name alone, they knew that it was definitely not a pleasant place.
“Yes, as you can imagine, the armies of the Black Ink Clan fill this Black Ink Battlefield, and they have been trying to invade the 3,000 Worlds since ancient times. They want to turn all living beings in this world into their slaves and livestock. The Cave Heavens and Paradises shoulder the responsibility of guarding the 3,000 Worlds and all of their strongest Masters are stationed there to resist the Black Ink Clans.”
The Great Emperors’ faces turned grim, while Mao Zhe, Hui Gu and the others were dumbfounded.
It was understandable that the Great Emperors had not heard of the Black Ink Battlefield, for they had not been out of the Star Boundary for many years. Additionally, they had only advanced to the Open Heaven Realm a few hundred years ago.
However, Mao Zhe, Hui Gu and the others were already veteran Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even so, they had never heard of the existence of the Black Ink Battlefield and No-Return Pass, which was rather unbelievable.
Everyone turned their heads toward Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan who were held the highest statuses of all those present. They were the Core and Elite Disciples of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, so surely they would understand more of such secrets than the others.
Qu Hua Shang nodded lightly, “Honoured Master took Senior Brother and Senior Sister to cross the No-Return Pass and join the Black Ink Battlefield more than 300 years ago. As far as I know, every few years, every Cave Heaven and Paradise has to send a group of people into the Black Ink Battlefield to replenish the attrition losses of the great war.”
The crowd could not imagine how cruel and fierce the battles were in the Black Ink Battlefield that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had to constantly send reinforcements to hold the line.
“The Cave Heavens and Paradises have intentionally suppressed all information about the Black Ink Clan, so it’s naturally that you haven’t heard about it.” Yang Kai explained lightly.
Mao Zhe and the others were relieved to hear this. If it was not for the Black Territory incident, they really would not have heard of the existence of the Black Ink Clan. If they did not know about the Black Ink Clan, then it would be strange to know about the Black Ink Battlefield and the No-Return Pass.
“But… what does this have to do with us?” Xue Yue asked as her face turned pale.
It did not make sense for Yang Kai to bring this up for no reason, especially after the great battle with the powerful Black Ink Master had just ended. Thus, it was obvious something else was brewing behind the scenes.
“Originally, it didn’t matter much. Throughout the ages, the Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises fought against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield in order to safeguard the peace of the 3,000 Worlds. Although the losses have been enormous, nothing has gone wrong in countless ages. If nothing changed, this pattern would continue on for a long time. However… the battle in Black Territory has changed everything.”
The crowd listened intently.
Yang Kai suddenly asked, “Do you know how many Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises lost their lives in this battle?”
All of them shook their heads, only Qu Hua Shang’s expression turned grave as she reported, “In this battle, the Cave Heavens and Paradises deployed more than 1,000 High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters. Even so, 268 in the Seventh-Order and 5 in the Eighth-Order were killed!”
Although officially she had married out of the Sect, she was still a Core Disciple of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and had some means to find out such information.
When they fought against the Black Ink Royal Lord, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven also deployed a team of Masters led by an Eighth-Order Ancestor. It was from this Ancestor that Qu Hua Shang found out the details.
Hearing this number, the crowd was shocked. They knew that in this battle, many High-Rank Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises fell, but they did not expect that so many had died. 268 Seventh-Orders and 5 Eighth-Orders were killed!
Those Eighth-Orders Open Heaven Realm Masters were considered to be among the strongest in the entire 3,000 Worlds!
“The Black Ink Clan is so fierce?” Martial Beast Great Emperor exclaimed in disbelief.
“The Black Ink Master who was trapped in Black Territory was especially extraordinary. A Black Ink Royal Lord at their peak is comparable to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!” Yang Kai explained, “If it weren’t for the years of confinement that caused her strength to plummet, we might not have been able to kill her at all.”
The crowd felt slightly relieved, but were still astonished about the Black Ink Royal Lord being on par with a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
“After her death though, a Void Corridor appeared where she fell!”
The crowd stared in disbelief.
Zhan Wu Hen frowned and then asked, “Where does that Void Corridor connect to?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “I don’t know for certain, but we can only assume the worst.”
“The Black Ink Battlefield…” Someone murmured softly.
If that was the case, then things might turn serious.
“Indeed!” Yang Kai nodded, “We can only assume that the Void Corridor is connected to Black Ink Battlefield. Right now, the Void Corridor is still sealed by an ancient power but that seal is gradually dissipating and will disappear completely in short order. Once that happens, the Black Ink Clan will discover the Void Corridor and invade the 3,000 Worlds. The consequences will be catastrophic.”
Yang Kai paused to let the crowd digest the news, and then quickly said, “I must enter the Void Corridor to re-seal it. This is the only way to avert the disaster.”
Yu Ru Meng gritted her teeth and asked, “Why must you go? Aren’t there many Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises? Why aren’t they doing anything about it? Why does it have to be you? What is the meaning of this!?”
Yang Kai laughed bitterly and said, “They didn’t ask me to go. I was the one who volunteered.”
Yu Ru Meng smashed the armrest of her chair and screamed, “I think you want us Sisters to become widows!”
“Ru Meng…” Yang Xue saw Yu Ru Meng’s furious anger and quickly interjected, “Big Brother is now considered the head of the family. Your outburst is disrespectful, especially when there are so many people here in the Grand Hall. Even if you wish to discuss personal matters with Big Brother, you should do so in private.”
“I’m in the wrong to question this!?” Yu Ru Meng was furious and pointed her finger at Yang Kai, “How many life-and-death risks has your Big Brother taken over the years? Without even mentioning things from the far past, didn’t he recently follow a Giant Spirit God into the Chaotic Dead Territory? Is that a place for ordinary people to go!? If Mao Zhe hadn’t been alive and well all this time, how would we have known he was even alive!? When he ran into that cage to live together with that Black Ink Master for 100, we also had to turn to Mao Zhe just to figure out if he was still breathing!”
Mao Zhe looked helplessly with his eyes lowered as he rubbed his nose.
“It took so much effort and difficulty for him to come back alive from the Chaotic Dead Territory, and then survive the confinement with that Black Ink Royal Lord. Now you want to enter that damned Void Corridor to seal it? Do you have a death wish!?”
Yang Kai replied feebly, “Ru Meng, please don’t be angry, sealing the Void Corridor is not necessarily risky.”