Yu Ru Meng looked at him and snapped, “It may not be risky? Then let me ask you, can you still come back after sealing the Void Corridor?”
Yang Kai was at a loss for words.
Yu Ru Meng said through gritted teeth, “Look! If I’m not mistaken, after you seal the Void Corridor, won’t you end up in the Black Ink Battlefield?”
Yang Kai replied softly, “That side may not be the Black Ink Battlefield either, it’s just a guess.”
“What if it is?”
Yang Kai was silent.
“There’s a good chance it is, right?” Yu Ru Meng stared at him.
Now Yang Kai nodded his head. The Void Corridor that was left behind after the death of the Black Ink Royal Lord was indeed very likely to have some connection with the Black Ink Battlefield. There was little doubt about that.
Yu Ru Meng scoffed, “All of us weak and delicate women have been with you for so many years, and yet you haven’t even given any of us proper status. You always take risks and put us in a state of extreme anxiety, and now you did not even consult us before deciding to go to that Black Ink Battlefield? What do you take us for!?”
Yang Kai felt ashamed, and was speechless as he knew that this was indeed his fault.
For countless years, these women had followed him without any complaints; however, they truly did not have any status as his women. Although they had never asked for it, which woman did not look forward to celebrating that auspicious day?
Yu Ru Meng stood up and declared, “Ning Chang, Xue Yue, Ji Yao, Qu’er, Xiao Wan, come with me to pack up our things. We’re leaving!”
Yang Kai was confused as he asked, “Where are you going?”
Yu Ru Meng coldly snorted, “Since we’re going to be widows anyway, you don’t have to care about where we are going. The world is big and there are plenty of men around. I will take my Sisters to find someone who will cherish us, and live our lives in peace.”
Xia Ning Chang was at her wits’ end and said, “Big Sister Ru Meng, Husband must have had no choice but to do what he plans to do.”
Tao Ling Wan also nodded vigorously, the two of them were the most docile among all the women, so Yu Ru Meng’s words undoubtedly made them suffer a great shock.
“Have no choice?” Yu Ru Meng exclaimed, “No one forced him to do anything, he decided to do it all by himself. What do you mean by he had no choice?”
She then looked at Xia Ning Chang and the others, “Are you leaving with me?”
Xia Ning Chang had no choice but to get up, nod apologetically to Yang Kai, and walk over to Yu Ru Meng’s side.
She did not want to see Yang Kai go to the Black Ink Battlefield either, and although Yu Ru Meng’s actions were a bit extreme, she would be happy to do it if it could make Yang Kai change his mind.
Xue Yue got up, but kept her head down. She just kept looking at the ground.
Ji Yao also stood up in a similar manner.
Tao Ling Wan looked at Qu Hua Shang.
Qu Hua Shang pondered for a moment before she stood up too. Regardless of what happened next, she would have to spend the rest of her life with Yu Ru Meng and the others; thus, it was better to side with her on this issue.
“Hmph!” Yu Ru Meng snorted scornfully at Yang Kai, then turned around, and led the girls away.
The atmosphere in the Grand Hall instantly became very awkward. The Great Emperors and other Sixth-Order Masters looked at each other but did not know what to say; after all, this was a family matter, and it was inappropriate for them to comment. Although what Yu Ru Meng said was rather harsh, everyone knew that she just did not want Yang Kai to risk his life again. They too felt the same and did not want Yang Kai to go.
Even if the stability of the 3,000 Worlds was at stake, there was no reason to put the entire burden on a single Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
This burden was too heavy even for High Heaven Palace and Void Land to bear, not to mention Yang Kai alone.
“I’ll go and check on my Sisters-in-Law.” Yang Xue stood up and chased after them, but when she reached the entrance of the Grand Hall, she stood still and with her back towards Yang Kai, she said, “Big Brother, I will support you whatever you decide to do, but… I don’t agree with you in this case!” She dashed away after saying that.
Yang Kai sighed. He was already mentally prepared for this when he made his decision as this was not the same as previous situations he had been through.
In the past, even if the situation was critical, as long as he overcame the danger, he could return safely.
However, this time was different. If he really was sucked into the Black Ink Battlefield, it would be the same as abandoning everything in the 3,000 Worlds. It was impossible for him to return.
Throughout history, so many elites from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had stepped through the No-Return Pass and none had ever returned. Thus, there would be no exception for him.
Yu Ru Meng was keenly aware of this, which was why her reaction was so intense.
“Do you all also want to persuade me to not go?” Yang Kai asked as he looked around at the crowd. Although Yu Ru Meng was furious and his backyard was essentially on fire, he would not apologize for his decision. They were all family so he felt he had nothing to be embarrassed about.
Zhan Wu Hen said, “Since you have already decided, then any attempt at persuasion would be meaningless. If the Void Corridor is not sealed and is really connected to the Black Ink Battlefield, then who can avoid responsibility in the 3,000 Worlds? Don’t worry too much about it, if anyone dares to get close to your Wives while you’re away, I’ll smash his head in.”
This was of course a joke. Even if Yang Kai really left, Yu Ru Meng and others would not really go off seeking another husband. Everything she said was just to force Yang Kai to change his mind.
“When will you leave?” asked Serene Soul Great Emperor, Yao Jun.
Yang Kai said, “Not so soon. The ancient sealing power is still holding the Void Corridor closed and will continue to do so for a while, I will not leave until I sort out the matters at hand.”
Yao Jun nodded lightly, “That’s good. You should only go when you have no other concerns.”
The crowd talked for a while more before dispersing.
Yang Kai walked out of the Grand Hall looking rather depressed. Although he had a lot of Wives, he wasn’t actually very good at dealing with women. Now that Yu Ru Meng had led them to rebel against him, he did not know how to pacify them.
Of course, he could tell them that he had changed his mind and Yu Ru Meng and the rest would immediately be relieved; however, since he had already made the decision, how could he change it just like that?
Yang Kai was not doing this for the sake of the wider world, nor was it due to a sense of righteousness. He was not noble to that extent. If the Cave Heavens and Paradises were capable of solving the problem at hand without him, he certainly would not have insisted. However, the problem was that even taking into consideration the whole of the 3,000 Worlds, there was no one else who could do it except for him.
He had to step forward in the face of this predicament.
If the Black Ink Clan really came through the Void Corridor and invaded the 3,000 Worlds then, not to mention his Wives, everyone in High Heaven Palace, Void Land, and the Star Boundary would be in peril.
He could not even say goodbye to Su Yan, Shan Qing Luo, and Zhu Qing before departing.
The three of them had been taken to the Ancestral Land to cultivate their Divine Spirit heritage, and had not yet returned.
Standing at the edge of a certain Spirit Province and looking into the depths of the void, Yang Kai’s thoughts fluctuated. He thought about how much he owed his Wives. For so many years, it seemed that he had not spent much time with them. He always seemed to have one thing or another to keep him occupied.
This time was even worse. How could he still go when he knew that it was a one-way trip. Once he left, he might never be able to see them again. He did not even consider their feelings when he made that decision.
Yang Kai felt that if the situation was reversed, he also would not accept it so easily. Yu Ru Meng kicking up that fuss without any regard for him was a perfectly normal reaction. In fact, it would be a problem if she had accepted his decision without any hesitation.
[I’m truly scum!] Yang Kai chastised himself and made up his mind that this time he would kneel in front of them and beg for their understanding and forgiveness!
He turned around suddenly, a firm and unwavering look on his face.
Just as he took a step forward though, Yang Xue quickly descended from above and landed in front of him, calling out anxiously, “Big Brother, I’ve finally found you.”
Yang Kai’s face stiffened and asked, “What happened?”
“Something terrible!” Yang Xue blurted out.
“What?” Yang Kai was shocked.
“It’s hard for me to explain. Come with me to take a look and you’ll soon understand.” Yang Xue said, grabbed his arm, and dragged him away.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. He did not know what had happened to cause his Little Sister to become so anxious. She had gone to find Yu Ru Meng and the others, so her anxiety might be due to them.
Yang Xue shook her head and refused to answer regardless of how many questions he asked, which made Yang Kai feel increasingly uneasy.
Soon they arrived at a Spirit Province, one which served as the temporary base for one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises. All the Ore Stars in Black Territory had been mined clean, so there were broken Spirit Provinces of all sizes everywhere. The Cave Heavens and Paradises naturally occupied a few of the larger ones.
There was a palace on this Spirit Province.
Yang Xue took Yang Kai and rushed inside.
As soon as they entered, there were several beautiful women smiling at them on either side, but Yang Kai did not know any of them.
The critical point though was that these women all had profound Seventh-Order auras radiating from them.
They were obviously High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Yang Kai’s heart tensed up and he became instinctively cautious as he did not know what was happening.
Yang Xue, however, pushed Yang Kai to the front with a smile.
The women grabbed him from the left and right and dragged him inside.
“What’s going on?” Yang Kai was completely confused. [Didn’t Xue’er say something happened? What is the meaning of this joyful mood now?]
“Big Brother don’t be afraid, I lied to you earlier. Nothing happened, just go along with it,” Yang Xue followed along, and reassured him as they walked.
“No no no, what the Hell is going on?” Yang Kai did not know how he should react. He was still anxious to appease his Wives and now, he was being dragged along here. He felt uncomfortable with the few High-Rank Open Heaven Realm flowers holding onto him to his left and right, teasing his nose with their alluring fragrance.
“You’ll know soon enough,” Yang Xue said with a playful smile, refusing to tell him anything more.
Yang Kai flicked her forehead with his finger, but could not bear to do anything more. He only had one Little Sister and he hardly took care of her as she was growing up. However, they were bound by blood and Yang Kai could not bear to chastise her.
From the looks of this situation, nothing should happen. Even if something did happen, it should be a good thing.
Once they entered an inner room, which was obviously a bedroom, they were greeted with a distinct fragrance. Yang Kai did not know whose room this was, but it was clear it belonged to a woman.
Yang Kai was dragged directly to a chair, and then the ladies to his left and right pressed his shoulder hard, “Sit down!”
Yang Kai could not do anything other than to sit down.
The next moment, he was shocked and frantically grabbed onto his clothes, “What are you doing, Seniors!?”
Just as he sat down, several women came straight at him and began to strip him of his clothes.
“Hmph! Why are you acting all shy and innocent?” A High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master smiled coquettishly. Her voice was as smooth as silk and there were obvious traces that she was born in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
“Why are you calling us Seniors? How could you make us sound so old?” Another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman poked her finger on Yang Kai’s forehead, causing him to tilt back slightly.
Yang Kai chuckled nervously and said, “All of you are young and beautiful, but through dedicated cultivation have reached the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. All of you must be thousands of years old. Calling you Senior was out of respect for you. Surely, I can’t address you as Big Sisters, can I? That would be highly improper!”
During this time, a few of them had skillfully removed Yang Kai’s outer clothing. They were extremely skilled and it was not long before an exquisite red robe appeared from somewhere. One of them dragged Yang Kai to his feet and then two others stretched out his arms to pull the robe onto him.
A few others were shuffling around, straightening the robe and tying up its belt. Soon, Yang Kai was properly dressed.
Yang Kai was in a daze and completely ignorant of what was happening.
When he was made to sit down again, a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman came around behind him, spread his long hair and skillfully rearranged it neatly.
Yang Kai looked into the mirror in front of him and stared at himself with a dumbstruck look. He was dressed in a red robe and looked very festive.
A woman beside him was busy, applying rouge and powder to his face.
Yang Kai quickly raised his hand to resist. Being dressed in such festive clothes was one thing, but now they were applying cosmetics to his face. This was unacceptable to him and he protested, “Seniors, is this necessary?”
“Don’t move!” The High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven slapped Yang Kai’s hand away and pressed down his raised arm. She scolded him, “Of course you have to dress up appropriately for your auspicious day.”
“Auspicious day?” Yang Kai’s jaw dropped, “What’s this all about?”
She smiled sweetly as asked back, “What do you think?”
Yang Kai quickly looked curiously towards his Little Sister, but Yang Xue just said with a wide smile, “Big Brother, don’t worry about anything, just go along with it and everything will be fine.”
Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry, but considering who he was up against, he decided that he had to play along without further resistance. And so, he just sat there calmly and allowed those women to dress him up.
At some point, his heart began beating a bit faster.
They labored for less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense before the women around Yang Kai looked at him in detail and then nodded, “That’s about right!”
The Yin-Yang Cave Heaven High-Rank Open Heaven Realm woman brought a bright red flower and tied it to Yang Kai’s chest to complete the look and then clapped her hands and declared, “Finished!”
“Let’s go, let’s go! To the wedding!” Yang Xue cheered as the women pushed and shoved Yang Kai out to the palace.
There was a group of people waiting outside. Yang Kai looked up and saw that the people from High Heaven Palace, the Great Emperors, Mao Zhe, Yue He, and all the other Sixth-Order Masters from Void Land were lined up on both sides. When they saw Yang Kai dressed in his red robes, they cupped their fists and said, “Congratulations Sect Master, on your Wedding Day!”
Yang Kai returned the greetings with a grin, “Congratulations to one and all!”
He suddenly realized that he was congratulating himself, and how lame he must have appeared!
He was initially confused by the sudden flurry of activity around him. He was just thinking about how he should apologize to Yu Meng Ru and his other Wives, but now he somehow found himself at his wedding.
Furthermore, it seemed that everyone was in on it, except him. He didn’t even know whose idea all this was.
“Sect Master, please!” Mao Zhe reached out and gestured with his hand.
There was a luxuriously decorated ship waiting in front of him, which was also decorated in red. There were many people waiting on board, so it was obvious that a lot had gone into the preparations for this.
Yang Kai took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement and nervousness in his heart, then waved his hand and said confidently, “Let’s go!”
This was the first time he had experienced a marriage ceremony with him as the groom. It was undeniable that he was nervous. He had not been so apprehensive even when he was locked in that cage with the Black Ink Royal Lord for 100 years.
A group of people from High Heaven Palace and Void Land boarded the ship along with Yang Kai, but when he glanced around, he saw that most of the people were from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They were all in the Open Heaven Realm, and several were even in the Seventh-Order.
Everyone was holding musical instruments they had gotten from who knows where.
The celebratory air was practically overflowing. When Iron Blood Great Emperor gave the order, the ship immediately erupted with music and drums which made the atmosphere extremely lively.
The ship sailed ahead slowly towards a certain Spirit Province, the sounds of joy and music accompanying them along the way.
The band on the ship was grand, consisting of some twenty or so Open Heaven Realm Masters, including some in the Seventh-Order. Yang Kai was the only person who could make so many Open Heaven Realm Masters from so many Cave Heavens and Paradises come out and perform for his wedding.
A short while later, they arrived at the Spirit Province. The sounds of music continued and the Groom’s Party disembarked from the ship, heading straight for a grand palace up ahead.
A group of people blocked the way to the palace though, and the leader of that group was none other than Six Wood Divine Monarch of Golden Antelope Paradise, Liu Mu!
Liu Mu smiled widely as he was surrounded by Sixth-Order and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. There was a group of at least 100 people here, guarding the entrance to the palace.
“Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai stepped forward and offered his greetings, remaining on alert. Yang Kai noticed that Liu Mu looked at him with some kind of malicious intent, which made Yang Kai feel that something was wrong.
Although he had cooperated with this wedding, Yang Kai had not yet fully understood the details. Furthermore, he could not understand why he had to come to Golden Antelope Paradise for his wedding.
He had never been here before, but since Liu Mu was here, this was obviously Golden Antelope Paradise’s temporary base in Black Territory.
No one had told Yang Kai anything about the arrangements before they set out.
“Brat, looks like you’re in good spirits and you’re even dressed for the occasion,” Liu Mu teased as he looked Yang Kai over from head to toe.
Yang Kai cupped his fist and bowed, “Divine Monarch, this Junior is here to receive the bride. I’d truly appreciate it if Divine Monarch could be accommodating.”
“Good!” Liu Mu waved his hand grandly before he shouted, “Someone wants to marry my Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple. Brats, tell him what kind of person is worthy of that?”
Yang Kai was stunned by what he just heard and asked in a dumbfounded voice, “How can I be marrying a disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise? My Wives have nothing to do with Golden Antelope Paradise.”
Liu Mu smiled and explained, “Xue Yue has worshiped this Monarch and is now my Legacy Disciple!”
Yang Kai raised his brow and wondered, [There is such a thing? When did this happen? How come I didn’t know anything about it?]
However, this was undoubtedly a good thing. The Cave Heavens and Paradises had always been strict in accepting disciples, almost never accepting outsiders who did not cultivate their specific Secret Arts. Not to mention that it was Liu Mu, an Ancestor, who had personally accepted Xue Yue as his Disciple.
It was a great honour for anyone to worship an Eighth-Order Ancestor as their Honoured Master and it was similarly not a trivial affair for an Ancestor to accept a Disciple. Liu Mu’s statement meant that Xue Yue was really Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple. With her as the disciple of Liu Mu, an Eighth-Order Ancestor, it meant that Xue Yue was incomparable in terms of both seniority and status among the disciples of Golden Antelope Paradise.
Even when the Sect Master of Golden Antelope Paradise met Xue Yue in the future, he would have to address her as Junior Sister.
The other Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not have this authority, but Liu Mu, as an Ancestor, could accept anyone he wanted to as a Disciple. All it took was him declaring it so and no one would be able to challenge him.
Yang Kai was touched and immediately bowed once more, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Liu Mu grinned and replied, “Don’t be so quick to thank me. Marrying this Monarch’s Disciple will not be an easy task.”
Yang Kai suddenly understood where the unease he had been feeling before was coming from.
Without giving him a chance to react, Liu Mu shouted, “Come, come, tell this Brat who is worthy to marry my Golden Antelope Paradise’s disciple!”
Immediately, Open Heaven Realm Masters came out from the left and right, each holding a huge wine jug and lined them up in front of him like a wall!
Yang Kai shuddered at the sight as each of these wine jugs was as big as a small water barrel. It was extraordinary to take out twenty such jugs all at once.
It looked like they were planning to drown him with wine!
Just as anticipated, Liu Mu loudly declared, “Finish these and you can take her away. Leave alone if you can’t!”
Yang Xue suddenly protested, “Senior Liu Mu, this is not what we agreed upon.”
Liu Mu laughed heartily, “Little girl, this Monarch is trying to teach you that the world is dangerous and you should not trust people so easily!”
Yang Xue pouted angrily.
“Good!” Yang Kai waved his hand, reached out, took a wine jug in front of him, tore open the seal with his hand, and began pouring it down his throat.
Liu Mu smiled as he warned, “Brat, you should take it slow. My Golden Antelope Paradise’s special-brew is not so easy to drink. Be careful not to drink so much that it affects your ability to perform tonight!”
Before Liu Mu’s warning, Yang Kai had already tasted the strong wine.
The wine flowed like a molten led down his throat and into the abdomen. Instantly, his abdomen began to churn from and a huge amount of energy erupted from his gut, overwhelming his body. Yang Kai could not help but stifle a grunt.
This wine was obviously not ordinary. It must have been brewed using a lot of precious Spirit Fruits and Herbs. Not only was the wine full of strength, but it could also enhance his cultivation.
This wine was definitely extremely valuable, and yet Golden Antelope Paradise had taken out twenty jugs of it for him.
Under Yang Xue’s watchful eyes, Yang Kai drank up a jug in just a dozen gulps.
There was a roar of approval from all around.
Yang Kai wiped his mouth, reached for another jar, and began again!
After downing five jugs in a row, Yang Kai began to stagger slightly; however, his whole body was bursting with energy and he gritted his teeth as he gasped, “So strong!”
Yang Kai didn’t drink much alcohol in general, but he was still able to hold his liquor. The wine of Golden Antelope Paradise was extremely strong though, so it wasn’t easy for him to drink so much.
However, he could not show any weakness. Yang Kai continued to tilt his head back and pour more into his mouth.
Ten jugs, fifteen jugs, nineteen jugs…
Yang Xue was beginning to look worried.
Ultimately though, Yang Kai managed to drink all the wine!
Throwing down the last wine jug, Yang Kai said proudly, “Senior, how’s this?”
Liu Mu looked at him with a smile and waved his hand, “Clear the way!”
The crowd of Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately opened up a pathway and Yang Kai led Luan Bai Feng, Yue He, Zhou Ya, Mo Mei and several other women into the Grand Hall.
Outside, Yang Xue, Zhan Wu Hen, and the others took out pre-prepared Space Rings to distribute to the Golden Antelope Paradise disciples who blocked the way. Each ring contained 100,000 Open Heaven Pills. It was not much, but it was a celebratory token.
They could certainly have provided more, but this was just the beginning of the celebrations. Golden Antelope Paradise alone had hundreds of members, so they had just spent 10 million Open Heaven Pills. They did not know how many more of such situations would require them to hand out Space Rings again. Furthermore, these disciples didn’t really need such a paltry sum of pills.
Those who received the celebratory tokens were naturally happy though and continued to offer their congratulations.
A few moments later, Yang Kai emerged from the palace while accompanying Xue Yue, who was wearing her red phoenix coronet.
Yang Xue and the others led Yang Kai to the boat. Zhan Wu Hen, who was in charge of the directions and route, waved his hand and ordered, “Set sail! To the next family!”
Xue Yue was placed in a compartment on the boat and sat upright there with a red veil covering her face.
She had been dragged away by his Little Sister before Yang Kai could even say a word to her.
“W-Where are we going now?” Yang Kai slurred drunkenly.
Xue Yue had been accepted by Liu Mu as his Legacy Disciple, and was considered to be a disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise; so, where were the others? Yang Kai did not know how they arranged it, but he knew that it was the good intentions of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, along with High Heaven Palace and Void Land, who had prepared this entire event. He just needed to go along with it.
The wedding came out of nowhere, and he was unprepared for it, but he was willing to go through with it.
“We’ll know when we get there.”
Yang Xue stood beside him, pursed her lips, and smiled. She was naturally happy to see her Big Brother getting married. Her only regret was that some of her Sisters-in-Law were not around, and her parents were not able to attend.
There was nothing she could do about it though as Su Yan and her other Sisters-in-Law were in the Ancestral Land while her parents were in the Star Boundary; thus, she could not invite them over on such short notice.
Soon, the boat arrived at another Spirit Province. It was the second stop for Yang Kai to pick up his brides.
Yang Kai scanned below the ship and saw High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters lined up in two rows. They were led by a stately Eighth-Order Ancestor and all of them were blocking the palace behind them. Although there were only a few of them, they stood straight in tidy ranks, like they were a thousand-man army. It was immediately clear that this was Great Battle Heaven!
Only the disciples from Great Battle Heaven gave off such a presence.
Yang Kai had previously seen the Eighth-Order Ancestor who stood at the front. He was extremely fierce in the fight against the Black Ink Royal Lord.
Yang Xue whispered to him, “Great Battle Heaven’s Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, Pi Li, has taken Ji Yao as his Disciple!”
Although Yang Kai had a vague suspicion after what happened in Golden Antelope Paradise, he was still a little surprised to hear his Little Sister say this.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had really gone all out. Xue Yue had become the Disciple of Golden Antelope Paradise’s Six Wood Divine Monarch, and now, Ji Yao had become the disciple of Great Battle Cave Heaven’s Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, Pi Li.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises were obviously raising the status of these women. They were doing this to assure Yang Kai that he could seal the Void Corridor without leaving behind any worries. It would be for the best if he could come back after determining it was safe, but if he could not return, then High Heaven Palace and Void Land would have an extra layer of protection with the Cave Heavens and Paradises by doing this. Thus, he did not have anything to worry about.
This was a great assurance.
Yang Kai led the groom’s party swiftly down the boat towards Thunderbolt Divine Monarch, where he hastily bowed and saluted, “Greetings, Divine Monarch!”
Pi Li looked Yang Kai over from head to toe. He nodded slightly but did not smile as he asked, “You want to marry my Great Battle Heaven’s disciple? It is not an easy task, you brat. Are you prepared?”
After what happened at Golden Antelope Paradise, Yang Kai was already mentally prepared that he would have some challenge each time he picked up one of his brides. Ultimately, they would not go overboard to interfere though as this was more of a ceremonial tradition rather than a real obstruction.
Yang Kai puffed his chest with his head held high and said arrogantly, “I am prepared, Divine Monarch!”
Pi Li chuckled and said while waving his hand, “You have guts!”
Seven Open Heaven Realm Masters immediately landed behind him and immediately assumed a Formation. Each looked very serious with murderous intent and shouted, “Kill!”
Open Heaven Realm auras permeated the air, indicating that all seven of them were in the Sixth-Order.
The Sixth-Order was just right. A lower cultivation was unable to hinder Yang Kai, while a higher cultivation might be too difficult for the groom’s party. In any case, the stronger Open Heaven Realm Masters from High Heaven Palace and Void Land were also in this realm. Meanwhile, their only Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master had been requested by Yang Kai to go back to the Star Boundary on a mission.
Yang Kai immediately rolled up his sleeves and grinned, “All I need to do is to beat them, right?”
He looked at the seven like an Ominous Beast fixated on his prey. The seven came from Great Battle Cave Heaven and had cultivated a fearless mentality since they were young, but somehow, they still felt rather intimidated by Yang Kai.
They had heard of many of his deeds over the years. In particular, they knew he had spent 100 years inside the Black Prison cage with the Black Ink Royal Lord, yet still survived. Who else could possibly accomplish such a feat?
Yang Xue did not know whether to laugh or cry though as she went forward to tug Yang Kai’s sleeve and protest, “Big Brother, what are you thinking? Today is your wedding day! Why do you want to take them on yourself?”
She was thinking that her Big Brother must have been a little drunk due to all the wine he had at Golden Antelope Paradise, so now that he had been taunted, he could not resist taking up the challenge. This was totally different from what Liu Mu had agreed on before, but she could not help it if he had decided to change things at the last moment.
Zhan Wu Hen then said, “These tasks should be left to the groom’s party!”
Pi Li finally smiled, “I don’t care how many people you use, but you must defeat them in order to take the bride away.”
Yang Kai looked around and grinned meaningfully, “You underestimate my Void Land and High Heaven Palace!”
Zhan Wu Hen and the others snorted coldly. They then stepped forward one by one and soon all of them gathered around Yang Kai.
The Sixth-Order Masters of Void Land and High Heaven Palace were basically all present, numbering nearly 20 people or three times as many as those from Great Battle Heaven.
Looking at each other across the void, the seven members of Great Battle Cave Heaven appeared calm and collected. They did not look intimidated by the numerically superior enemy, which showed their mental fortitude.
Yang Kai waved his hand and declared, “Fight!”
The next moment, twenty Void Land Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters rushed forward and clashed with the seven from Great Battle Heaven. Immediately, fists and feet began to fly.
There was no need for any modesty or standing on ceremony. Since the fight was inevitable, all of them should get it over and done with as fast as possible.
It was just a competition similar in nature to a sparring match, so neither side used any Divine Abilities or Secret Techniques, not to mention artifacts. They all simply fought with their bodies and World Force.
The huge advantage in numbers did not enable Void Land to sweep aside their foes, though, and the battle soon turned into a stalemate.
The seven men of Great Battle Heaven were arranged in an amazing Formation that allowed them to join their powers together, as if they became one entity.
Yang Kai was amazed by this display.
The seven people were obviously familiar with fighting together and had a tacit understanding of each other’s strengths and tactics due to many years of practice. At times, they gathered together, only to spread out in the next instant, causing High Heaven Palace’s Sixth-Order Masters to lose ground.
However, High Heaven Palace fighters were no pushovers; after all, they had the numbers advantage and after they broke through to the Sixth-Order, each of them had at least hundreds of years of experience consolidating their cultivation. Additionally, every one of them had the experience of entering one of the Small Source Worlds of the Cave Heavens and Paradises at least once.
In their current state, their Small Universe heritage was no longer the same as when they initially broke through to the Open Heaven Realm.
A fierce battle ensued for the next incense stick worth of time.
In the end, it was Iron Blood Great Emperor Zhan Wu Hen who found the opportunity to break the Formation of the seven men with a heavy punch. Immediately, the rest swarmed over them and split up the Great Battle Heaven disciples, denying them the chance to re-establish their Formation.
Zhan Wu Hen came back with a huge black eye, cupped his fist, and said, “Fortunately, we have not failed our mission!”
The black eye was from a punch from one of the Great Battle Heaven Sixth-Order disciples. Yang Kai’s face twitched as he tried to control his laughter before he nodded lightly, “Many thanks for all your hard work!”
Yang Kai turned to Pi Li. The Divine Monarch nodded and declared, “You’ve passed the test!”
He then stepped to the side and invited them in.
“Many thanks, Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai thanked him, rushed into the Palace, and escorted Ji Yao out.
Thereafter, the ship continued on its way.
The third stop, to Yang Kai’s surprise, was the temporary base of Myriad Demons Heaven!
The one who became a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven was naturally Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai had a grudge with Thousand Cranes Paradise, but he also had one with Myriad Demons Heaven, because when he was determined to advance directly to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, it was Myriad Demons Heaven that headed the effort to suppress him. A Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master named Ti Zheng personally went to Shattered Heaven and finally forced Yang Kai to only advance to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Ti Zheng died afterward for some unknown reason, which did alleviate Yang Kai’s grievance with them.
Afterwards, Myriad Demons Heaven’s Core Disciple, Pei Wen Xuan, involved himself with Zuo Quan Hui and was also killed.
Of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, if there was one that Yang Kai hated the most, it was definitely Myriad Demons Heaven.
So he could never have imagined that Myriad Demons Heaven would accept Yu Ru Meng.
However, when all things were considered, Yu Ru Meng was part of the Demon Race, and if the matter was looked into in detail, all the Demon Race from the Demon Realm were the disciples of Myriad Demons Heaven. This was a result of Mo Sheng being from Myriad Demons Heaven and having ended up in a Universe World which he contaminated with his Demon Qi, transforming it into the Demon Realm when his physical body failed him.
It was the best choice for Yu Ru Meng to become a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven.
It was also an Eighth-Order Ancestor, called Mo Sha Divine Monarch, who personally took her as a Disciple!
At that moment, Mo Sha led a group of Myriad Demons Heaven disciples to intercept the groom’s party outside the palace. Each Myriad Demons Heaven disciple was covered with Demon Qi, and several of them were smiling deviously at Yang Kai, looking very menacing.
Yang Kai led the groom’s party forward to greet the group. Mo Sha carefully looked at him from head to toe several times before pointing behind him and declaring, “She’s waiting inside, enter by yourself.”
Yang Kai was stunned.
They were as good as sworn enemies and he thought that Myriad Demons Heaven would be prepared to make things hard for him, so Yang Kai had rolled up his sleeves preparing for a huge fight. He never thought that it would be so easy.
This was a good thing though, so he quickly thanked Mo Sha and hastily entered the palace.
Yang Kai realized that something was wrong as soon as he stepped into the palace.
The entire place was decorated as a chamber and there were a dozen couches inside. Atop each cough sat a graceful figure with an opaque phoenix coronet and red robes covering them.
Suddenly, the doors of the palace slammed shut.
[What is this?] Yang Kai was puzzled, but he finally understood that this was how Myriad Demons Heaven was going to make things difficult for him. The challenge had simply been inside this time, instead of outside.
Mo Sha’s voice suddenly rang out from nowhere, “Three chances for you to find the right bride. Take her away if you can find her. If not, heh…”
Nothing was said after the chuckle. That meant that if he could not find the right bride, then he also could not take her away.
Yang Kai smiled contemptuously, “I don’t need three chances, one is enough!”
He knew Yu Ru Meng so well after being with her for so many years and was confident that he could find her here with his eyes closed.
Mo Sha snickered, “Don’t be so cocky just yet!”
Yang Kai frowned and immediately took a closer look at those dressed up as brides and was stunned! Outwardly, there was almost no difference between the dozen brides. In terms of height or size, they were all identical!
He was surprised that Myriad Demons Heaven could find so many women of the same physical appearance to pull this off.
Yang Kai quickly composed himself when he realized that, since Myriad Demons Heaven had gone through all the trouble to set this up, it meant that this test was not going to be easy to overcome.
Yang Kai next tried to use his Divine Sense to probe the situation.
Unexpectedly though, all those brides were protected by some kind of strange power that prevented Yang Kai from detecting their cultivation.
[They’ve certainly prepared well enough!] Yang Kai thought that even if Myriad Demons Heaven could find a dozen women of similar height and features as Yu Ru Meng, there would always be some differences in their auras. Yu Ru Meng was in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and could be distinguished easily by comparing the depth of these women’s cultivation. Yu Ru Meng’s aura should be able to stand out from the crowd.
Now that he had tried though, he realized that Myriad Demons Heaven had taken precautions against this method.
He clenched his fist lightly coughed, cupped his fist and greeted them, “Ru Meng!”
A dozen voices instantly replied, “Husband!”
Yang Kai gasped with his mouth wide open, dumbfounded! Although the brides’ replies were staggered, they all sounded exactly like Yu Ru Meng. It was as if they were all her clones.
Moreover, his original intention to greet the brides was to enable the real Yu Ru Meng to give him a hint, but he did not get anything from her.
When he thought about it, he remembered that Yu Ru Meng was so angry that she was ready to leave him to find someone else to marry, so now, even if he was ready to marry her, it was only natural that she was still upset with him and would not obediently cooperate.
Maybe this test right now was even devised personally by Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai realized that based on his understanding of her character, she might really be capable of doing such a thing. He suddenly felt a headache setting in.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai slowly walked to the nearest couch, lowered his body to take a closer look, and tried to use his nose to sniff.
The bride in front of him giggled softly, “Husband, they are all fake. You’d better not choose the wrong one. If you choose the wrong one, I will never forgive you!”
Yang Kai nodded confidently, “Rest assured, I will not choose wrongly!”
As he spoke, he came to the second couch and continued to observe and sniff.
It took a half cup of tea’s time to finish checking everyone. Then he appeared confident and smiled as he declared, “I think I know where you are!”
A soft laughter was heard, and Yu Ru Meng’s voice called out, “Since you know, then take me away.”
Yang Kai nodded, “I’ll take you away now!”
After he said that, he walked swiftly to the couch in the center, grabbed the bride in front of him by the arm and said, “You’re the one!”
The bride who was grabbed stumbled, and fell directly into Yang Kai’s arms, giggling happily.
Yang Kai suddenly realized something was amiss. He lifted the red veil only to see a bright-eyed young girl smiling in his arms, but she was not Yu Ru Meng. He totally did not know who she was.
“You…” Yang Kai’s jaw dropped, and quickly tried to let go.
The young girl laughed and said, “Martial Aunt Ru Meng was right. You really tried to find her by her scent, so Martial Aunt left some of her perfume on me!”
The cultivation of the young girl was Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Although she was equal to Yu Ru Meng in terms of cultivation, since Yu Ru Meng was now Mo Sha’s Disciple, her status in Myriad Demons Heaven was significantly higher; thus, the young girl had to address her as Martial Aunt.
The young girl stuck to Yang Kai and would not back off. She looked up at him with doe eyes as she asked, “Martial Uncle, don’t you want to marry me? I would be so glad.”
“How highly improper!” Yang Kai pushed her aside gently before he began to stroke his chin and continued to look at the dozen or so Yu Ru Mengs in front of him, beginning to feel flustered.
After a while, he pleaded, “Ru Meng, stop this tantrum, be a good girl, and come away with me.”
No one responded to him.
Yang Kai, continued to reminisce openly about the time he spent with her in the Demon Realm, making them sound like the best days of his life when they were foolish and in love. He was trying to use this emotional card to force a reaction from her.
Suddenly, one bride’s body moved slightly.
Yang Kai immediately scurried over, grinned, and asked, “Is that you? Ru Meng?”
The person in front of him did not reply, but the voice of Mo Sha sounded again, “Brat, you only have one last chance, you better make good use of it!”
Yang Kai’s face froze.
Was the woman in front of him not her? He lifted the red veil and sure enough, the bride was not Yu Ru Meng. It was another unknown woman who looked at him cheekily with a smile.
Yang Kai asked curiously, “Why did you move just now?”
The woman replied with a giggle, “What’s wrong with me moving a little after sitting for such a long time?”
Yang Kai wanted to ask if she did that on purpose, but it was pointless. Two of the three chances had been wasted. Now he only had one last chance.
Mo Sha had already spoken, so if Yang Kai could not find the real Yu Ru Meng with this third selection, he wouldn’t get any more.
This caused him to feel as if he was carrying a mountain on his shoulders.
However, it was really difficult to find Ru Meng here. Although there were only a dozen brides in the hall, and Yang Kai had eliminated two of them, the rest still looked exactly the same as Yu Ru Meng in form and posture. He also could not detect her from the differences from their auras because they were protected by that inexplicable power.
Yang Kai frowned and began thinking hard.
There are indeed many people with similar features in the world, but it was impossible to have so many that look exactly the same, especially when they all came from Myriad Demons Heaven.
Yang Kai was originally surprised that Myriad Demons Heaven could find so many people with such a similar body shape and height to Yu Ru Meng, but now it seemed that there was something else going on here!
These brides should have used some Secret Technique to achieve this level of similarity.
In other words, as long as he found some flaw in this Secret Technique, he could identify which was the real Yu Ru Meng.
Yang Kai suddenly understood the purpose of Myriad Demons Heaven’s test.
However, at this point, he had no intention to hide anything. Since he would be going deep into the Void Corridor to re-seal it, it didn’t matter if this little secret of his was exposed.
With a slightly wry smile, Yang Kai immediately activated the golden Demon Eye of Annihilation, which could see through all illusions.
Immediately, he could see the dozen or so people in front of him had indeed changed. The original dozen women with identical features had now, under the gaze of his Demon Eye of Annihilation, changed in varying degrees. Some become taller, others shorter.
Only one person among them had not changed at all!
Yang Kai stepped forward, stretched out his hand, and called out warmly, “Ru Meng!”
The person in front of him rose up and placed her hand in his, and Yang Kai picked her up by the waist with swift movement!
The next moment, the soft flesh at his waist was fiercely pinched, and Yu Ru Meng’s voice sounded affectionately in his ears, “Consider yourself lucky!”
Yang Kai endured the pain with a happy smile.
When he walked out of the palace, Mo Sha appeared to have something on his mind, but did not say anything else.
After thanking him, the ship set sail again and rushed to the next Spirit Province.
The fourth stop was the site of Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
Among the 36 Cave Heavens, there was a Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven and a Divine Medicine Cave Heaven, one for Artifact Refining and one for Alchemy.
The original Open Heaven Pill recipe was rumoured to have been devised by the forefathers of Divine Medicine Cave Heaven over the course of many years.
Most of the high-end Spirit Pills in the 3,000 Worlds also originated from Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
Now that Yu Ru Meng had been accepted by Myriad Demons Heaven, Yang Kai thought, [Perhaps Little Senior Sister has now become a Disciple of Divine Medicine Heaven?]
Little Senior Sister was born with the Sacred Spirit Medicine Body and had a unique advantage in the Alchemic Dao, so her joining Divine Medicine Cave Heaven was perfect for her.
Yang Xue nodded from the side and said, “Exactly, Divine Medicine Heaven’s Purple Jade Divine Monarch, Zi Yu, has accepted Ning Chang as his Disciple.”
Yang Kai had gone through a lot of hardships to become a Son-in-Law of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, even spending a year in the Dao Theory Assembly facing down vicious criminals, but now, with these marriages, he had become related to many Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Each of the previous Cave Heavens and Paradises had tests of varying difficulty, and Divine Medicine Cave Heaven seemed to be no exception.
Outside the premises, two huge Alchemy Furnaces had been set up. It was obvious that this was a competition of Alchemy techniques.
Yang Kai did not know whether to laugh or cry. For him to compete in Alchemy with a Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s disciple was more or less like a novice trying to show off meager skills before an expert.
Although he was also versed in the Alchemic Dao, the most recent time Yang Kai performed any real Alchemy was already hundreds of years ago when he was first refining the Heavenly Yuan Seal Stabilizing Pill. Since he entered the 3,000 Worlds, Yang Kai had really not put much effort into his Alchemy studies.
It could be said that his mastery over the Alchemic Dao was only a little bit higher than when he left the Star Boundary. According to his own classification system, his Alchemic Dao had stagnated at the fourth level, Traversing a Familiar Path.
How could he compare to an opponent who specialized in Alchemy? A Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Open Heaven Realm Master, who had been immersed in the Alchemic Dao for centuries, if not millennia, would absolutely have higher attainments than him.
There was no comparison.
At the critical moment, it was Wondrous Pill Great Emperor who took up this task.
Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was a man whose Grand Dao was the Alchemic Dao, and after advancing to the Open Heaven Realm, his mastery over Alchemy had improved greatly.
Yang Kai did not know how good Wondrous Pill had become, but if he looked at the entire Void Land and High Heaven Palace party, he was the only one who could compete with Divine Medicine Cave Heaven in this field.
Furthermore, Xia Ning Chang was Wondrous Pill’s Disciple in all but name as well, so it made sense for him to take responsibility here.
Back when he lived in the Star Boundary, Yang Kai originally wanted Xia Ning Chang to become the Disciple of Wondrous Pill Great Emperor; however, the latter had already accepted his final Disciple and publicly proclaimed he would not accept another. As such, the matter had to be dropped.
However, Wondrous Pill Great Emperor personally taught Xia Ning Chang the Alchemic Dao, and Xia Ning Chang lived in Medicine Pill Valley for a long time. She even studied under all of Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s other Disciples. In a sense, she was Wondrous Pill Great Emperor’s Disciple in all but name.
Therefore, although formally, they did not have a Master and Disciple relationship, they were in reality Master and Disciple.
Now, Xia Ning Chang had the honour to worship Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Purple Jade Divine Monarch, Zi Yu, and became his Disciple. Naturally, Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was extremely happy for her.
Divine Medicine Heaven originally did not want to make things too difficult for Yang Kai, but since the others had all put up tests, they naturally could not be an exception. This was just a formality, so regardless of Yang Kai’s mastery of Alchemy, he could still take Xia Ning Chang away.
However, when the other side brought forward a true Alchemist, Divine Medicine Cave Heaven’s Open Heaven Realm representative had no choice but to take the situation more seriously. This disciple realized that his opponent from Void Land had some extraordinary skills in the Alchemic Dao, and if he was sloppy or careless, he might end up losing the competition.
The Alchemy contest was truly magnificent, with both sides showing off all their skills.
The Spirit Pills they chose to refine were fortunately not complicated and each only took less than half an hour to complete. The Divine Medicine Heaven disciple cupped his fist to Wondrous Pill Great Emperor, while the latter returned the courtesy. Those who were uninitiated in the Alchemic Dao had an idea who had won when the dust settled.
Zi Yu personally came forward to review the Spirit Pills refined by both sides, but did not do any open comparisons. If there was a formal judging, there would be a winner and a loser, which would reflect poorly on this auspicious day.
However, those with discerning eyes could see that though Wondrous Pill Great Emperor was skillful in Alchemy, he had only advanced to the Open Heaven Realm a few hundred years ago, so how could he be better than the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Divine Medicine Cave Heaven? The Divine Medicine Heaven disciple had reached the Open Heaven Realm thousands of years ago, so in terms of the Alchemic Dao, even Wondrous Pill Great Emperor could not compare to him.
Yang Kai happily rushed into the palace and under the guidance of the Divine Medicine Cave Heaven disciples, entered a boudoir and carried out the festively dressed Little Senior Sister.
The last stop was Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
There were no difficulties or tests here, nor was there need for any.
Yang Kai and Qu Hua Shang had already entered and passed the Samsara Pavilion’s test, crossing nine reincarnations together to emerge on the other side. In Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s history, they were the only couple to ever accomplish this; thus, there was no need to test anything.
The Divine Monarch from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s side was named Qing Yu, and Yang Kai came forward to salute him respectfully.
Yu Xiang Die, who was standing beside him, smiled and said, “Come with me, she’s waiting inside.”
After saying these words, she turned around and walked forward while Yang Kai followed closely behind.
When Yang Kai looked up, he saw two women in red dresses sitting on the bed with red veils covering their faces. When they heard the door open, the one on the left tensed up slightly, and the ones acting as bridesmaids today wrung their hands while looking nervous.
Yang Kai looked stunned.
[Why are there two brides?] He wondered to himself if this was some kind of test from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; however, he soon dismissed this thought as he realized who was front of him.
One of them was Qu Hua Shang, while the other was Tao Ling Wan. Although both of their faces were covered with red veils, he could easily distinguish them from their auras.
Yang Kai turned his head towards Yu Xiang Die and looked at her with a questioning look. He clearly meant to ask what Yin-Yang Cave Heaven meant by this.
Yu Xiang Die smiled, but did not say anything.
During this moment of hesitation, Tao Ling Wan, who was sitting motionless on the bed, was obviously feeling nervous and uneasy. Qu Hua Shang, who was sitting next to her, took the initiative to reach out and hold her delicate hand.
Yang Kai did not hesitate for long though, stepping forward to stand in front of the pair before holding out his left and right hands as he said softly, “My Ladies, please rise!”
Two small hands reached out and Yang Kai pulled the two women up before turning around, embraced on both the right and left, and walked majestically out with them by his sides.
Tao Ling Wan slowly relaxed her tensed body.
Yu Xiang Die, who was following behind Yang Kai, also felt relieved.
The arrangement here was made without any prior notice to Yang Kai, so as to surprise him. She saw Yang Kai’s attitude toward Tao Ling Wan when she was in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and knew that if he was given a choice, he might not be willing to marry Tao Ling Wan.
It was not that he did not like her, but rather that he was not familiar with her. Since he had very few interactions with her, he was not as emotionally attached to her.
Tao Ling Wan was set up by her Honoured Master in a conspiracy to resolve the awkward situation Yin-Yang Cave Heaven found itself in some time ago. Chen Xiu had used his own Disciple’s cultivation dissonance to trick Yang Kai into helping Tao Ling Wan. Once that happened, Yang Kai’s aura had permanently been engraved into Tao Ling Wan’s Small Universe due to the Secret Art she cultivated. Now, Tao Ling Wan needed Yang Kai’s power in order to advance to Seventh-Order, and even to simply survive.
This was the path a Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciple treaded when they cultivated the Heartfelt Dao.
Thereafter, Tao Ling Wan even took the initiative to enter the Samsara Pavilion and set up a Heart Barrier for herself. Fortunately, Yang Kai recognized her at the last moment and managed to retrieve her sealed memories, returning them to her so she could successfully leave the Samsara Pavilion.
In that life, Tao Ling Wan was deeply moved by Yang Kai, could not forget him, and realized that she had found her true love. Thus, when Yang Kai left Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she followed him.
Today, since he was getting married, how could Yin-Yang Cave Heaven not have her here?
Soon, Yang Kai would enter the Void Corridor to seal it, and perhaps never return. Without Yang Kai, she would not ever be able to reach the Seventh-Order; thus, no matter what, before Yang Kai left, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had to pave the way forward for her.
On this auspicious day, Yang Kai naturally could not embarrass Tao Ling Wan.
With the two women sitting there together, if Yang Kai was to take one away and leave the other behind, that would be a humiliation so great to Tao Ling Wan that killing her would have been kinder. If she were a more extroverted woman, she might be able to overcome such humiliation given enough time; however, Tao Ling Wan was someone who was extremely introverted and innocent. To this day, she still blushed when she spoke to Yang Kai.
Although he had no special feelings for Tao Ling Wan, Yang Kai knew that she felt close to him because of the Secret Art and the reincarnation they experienced together in the Samsara Pavilion. In that life, she had sealed her memories and had no idea who he was, or even who she was; nonetheless, she still sacrificed her life to block a fatal sword strike for him.
The experiences in the Samsara Pavilion were all about one’s true heart, and the decisions made in that life would reflect what one would do in reality.
Yang Kai could not bear to hurt a woman who was literally willing to die for him; thus, when he saw the two of them sitting in that room, it was easy for him to make a decision.
A short while later, Yang Kai walked out of the palace, arm in arm with his two brides.
Chen Xiu was waiting for them inside the palace with his head raised to the Heavens. His expression appeared calm, but his heart was full of unease. He was terrified he would see a scene he did not want to see. When Yang Kai took longer than usual inside the palace, Chen Xiu felt as though hundreds of thousands of years were ticking by. Every moment was filled with torment.
When he saw that Yang Kai had led the two women out though, the huge boulder weighing down on his heart was lifted and he exhaled a long sigh of relief.
Chen Xiu still felt very guilty about what he did back then and was also sorry for his Disciple who he had put in such an embarrassing situation. However, from his standpoint, what he did at that time was for the sake of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven as a whole. He wanted to save Yin-Yang Cave Heaven from embarrassment and protect its reputation. He did not act for selfish reasons.
In addition, he had only agreed to this plan because he felt that Yang Kai’s status was good enough for his Disciple, and that she would not be dishonored by following this man.
Originally, he did not expect Tao Ling Wan to participate in this wedding event. He also knew that his Disciple did not hold much weight in Yang Kai’s heart. At least it was not to the extent of being considered for marriage. It was Yu Xiang Die who made the suggestion and finally Azure Feather Divine Monarch, Qing Yu who agreed. Qing Yu did not object to Tao Ling Wan being in the room where Yang Kai was to receive the bride, which Chen Xiu was very grateful for.
With Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s people feeling relieved, the procession that came to welcome the bride broke out in cheers.
Although there were already four brides aboard the boat, they were each brought aboard one at a time from the different families. Now, at Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s residence, Yang Kai actually brought two brides back at once!
One of them was naturally Qu Hua Shang, and the other, without much thought, should be Tao Ling Wan.
They were Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples, and both of them were Sixth-Order Masters! In the past, they could only marry within Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, or have others marry into Yin-Yang Heaven!
The status of the person who joined the family could not be too low and his aptitude must also meet the grade. It could be said that the requirements were very high, but today, Yang Kai actually took two brides back from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven at once. This was surely a new precedent which would never again be seen in the future.
The sound of the instruments became more and more festive, and the Open Heaven Realm Masters on the boat all put in the greatest effort to add to the celebratory atmosphere of the auspicious day.
With all the brides aboard, the groom’s party said farewell to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven and steered the ship back towards Void Land’s temporary base.
A crowd had been waiting for a long time back at Void Land’s palace.
A long red carpet was laid on the ground, and the ship soon moored in front of it. One by one, seven people were led down from the ship.
Yang Kai led the way, with six women in three columns of two following behind him. Seven people connected by fate, each holding a large red flower to add to the festive atmosphere. This was what Void Land and High Heaven Palace had been planning for.
On the way, there were people who had arranged to perform Secret Techniques to add colour and cheer to the celebration.
The crowd entered a Grand Hall amidst loud music and cheers.
Yang Kai looked up and saw that the Grand Hall was decorated in red and ready for the ceremony.
Six Wood Divine Monarch, Liu Mu, was already waiting in front with a big smile on his face. They did not know when he had come over from Golden Antelope Paradise.
As expected, he was the master of ceremonies today.
Liu Mu looked at Yang Kai with a smile and raised his hand to silence the rowdy crowd around them. He then declared, “On such an auspicious day, the groom and his brides should perform the ritual of three bows to become Husband and Wives, as is tradition for both mortals and cultivators alike.”
The Grand Hall was filled with Open Heaven Realm Masters from all the Cave Heavens and Paradises to participate in the celebrations.
On hearing what Liu Mu said, they could not help but mutter in their hearts that the three bows ritual had really remained unchanged for ages.
As expected, Liu Mu looked at Yang Kai and said, “But, one of your Wives said that you have a few partners who could not be here due to some personal affairs. It would not be fair to them if you were to perform such rituals today.”
As soon as this was said, many people were startled and looked towards Yang Kai.
These Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises may not all be that familiar with Yang Kai, so they did not know how many partners he had in total. However, he already had six beautiful brides standing beside him, so how many more were there who could not make it over for the wedding!?
This brat was too much! It was rare for one to have so many partners and have all of them be so considerate to each other. How could this brat have such great charm?
“What’s more, your parents are not here either.” Liu Mu then continued, “So we will not be performing the three bows ritual today. Today is only a formality to gather your brides to you. You can do your own wedding properly later!”
[No wedding ceremony?] Yang Kai was taken aback by what was just said. He did not know what was in store for today’s events and up until now he just went along with it, but it was true his parents were not in the hall. Likewise, Su Yan and the others were also not present. It was indeed inappropriate if he were to make his marriage vows here today.
As for the Wife who Liu Mu mentioned, Yang Kai was sure that it was Yu Ru Meng who spoke up after reaching an agreement with the others.
“What do you think?” Liu Mu asked as he looked at Yang Kai.
“I will abide by this!” Yang Kai replied respectfully.
Liu Mu nodded, “Good! Deliver them to the bridal chambers!”
This was something unexpected for even the Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had lived for countless years.
After the six women left and were settled in one by one, Yang Kai, who was dressed in festive red, was dragged out to the hall again. A great banquet was set up here where all the people in Black Territory could participate regardless of their status or origin.
There were literally hundreds of banquet tables arranged with dishes and drinks!
As soon as Yang Kai showed up, he was led by Yang Xue to make a toast.
It could not be helped that there were a lot of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises here. Most of them were Seniors, and now some were even his Elders from the Sects who took in Yu Ru Meng and the others as Disciples. Even the Divine Monarchs, their Honoured Masters, were personally present. Thus, Yang Kai, as a Junior, needed to personally toast these distinguished guests.
Yang Kai could not cheat when he was under the watchful eyes of so many Open Heaven Realm Masters, so each cup of the toasts had to be drunk to the last drop.
As a result, even Yang Kai, who had a high alcohol tolerance, started to become dizzy.
In the end, several Great Emperors had no choice but to help him with some of the drinks.
After a significant part of the evening had passed, Liu Mu walked over and patted Yang Kai’s shoulder as he said, “Good, you’re done here. You may retire to accompany your Wives. It’s your wedding night, so you should not be negligent. Still, you’re going to have a busy night,” he said cheekily as he grinned at Yang Kai. His innuendos were so obvious that even Yang Xue who was standing beside Yang Kai blushed intensely.
“Hic… en, Divine Monarch. Yes, yes!” Yang Kai responded drunkenly before waving his hands in all directions as he bellowed, “You people carry on with the celebrations. This Junior is going to subdue the Tigress with his Dragon!”
This led to laughter all around.
Yang Xue hastily grabbed Yang Kai’s arm and dragged him away. She could see that her Big Brother was really drunk. He must be very happy; otherwise, he would not have indulged himself like this. However, they really could not stay here any longer, as she did not know what inappropriate words her Big Brother would say if they remained here.
Yang Xue led Yang Kai into the inner sanctum of Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s temporary camp. Then, she paused and asked, “Big Brother, where to first?”
This was a question that Yang Kai had to decide since he took back six brides at once.
Yang Kai wiped his mouth and said with great pride, “To Ru Meng’s chamber!
[To think that this woman wanted to leave him and remarry! Today, I will show her how vigorous I am!]
“En!” Yang Xue responded and led Yang Kai towards Yu Ru Meng’s bridal chamber.
Yang Xue had been with the six women when they were taken to their respective bridal chambers; thus, she knew where Yu Ru Meng was. All of them were brought to six adjacent courtyards that were festively decorated.
The first courtyard was Yu Ru Meng’s, and as they walked inside, they saw someone outside the chamber. As a newlywed bride, there were many aspects that were inconvenient to handle personally; thus, someone was required to take care of and assist her.
The person standing outside Yu Ru Meng’s room was none other than Yue He.
Yang Kai hiccupped, stared, and asked, “Why are you here?”
Yue He elegantly bowed, smiled, and replied respectfully, “Young Master, today I am Madame Meng’s maid of honour.”
Yang Kai clicked his tongue, but he could understand such an arrangement considering that there were not enough people here from Void Land and High Heaven Palace.
“Thanks for your hard work!” Yang Kai said, and then directly stepped towards the entrance.
However, Yue He did not let him pass and instead stopped him at the door.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Yang Kai raised his eyes to look at her.
Yue He bowed again, as if she was really a maidservant. She then replied slowly and deliberately, “Young Master, Madame Meng said that she is not feeling well today. If Young Master was to come, she requested for Young Master to go somewhere else!”
Yang Kai could not help but glare at her and ask, “How could she not be feeling well on such a happy day? Is this some kind of joke?”
Yue He lowered her eyes and replied, “That is what Madame Meng said.”
Yang Kai looked around with his hands behind his back and saw that there was no one else but Yang Xue standing behind him and Yue He in front of him. He smiled and replied, “Oh? Want me to go somewhere else? Where to?”
Yue He pursed her lips and said, “As Madame Meng said, Young Master can go anywhere he wants as long as you don’t loiter here in front of her chambers. She said that any sight of you will anger her.”
“Ru Meng is usually such a sensible woman, how could she say such unreasonable things?” Yang Kai appeared as if he did not believe it and strode inside.
Yue He could not stop him, and he managed to push her aside.
A short while later, a loud bang was heard coming from the room, followed by a muffled grunt. It was impossible to tell what happened inside.
Yue He and Yang Xue, who were standing outside, looked at each other and then they craned their necks hoping to peek inside.
With a creak, the door opened and Yang Kai came out with his hands still behind his back. He then instructed Yue He, “Ru Meng is not feeling well, so you must take good care of her tonight.”
Yue He stared at the new black eye on Yang Kai’s face and struggled to maintain a straight expression, somehow managing to reply solemnly, “Rest assured, Young Master, I will take good care of Madame Meng.”
“Very good.” Yang Kai nodded and took a few steps forward before turning back and said sternly, “Don’t let anyone know what happened here.”
To think that he was barred from his own bride’s chamber on their wedding night, and then beaten by her after he tried to force his way inside. How could he face others if word of this travesty ever leaked out?
It looked like Yu Ru Meng was still upset with him!
“Yes!” Yue He answered dutifully.
After leaving this courtyard, Yang Kai turned right and went into the next courtyard.
This was the courtyard that Xia Ning Chang was in and the person guarding the door was Shu Mu Dan, Hua Yong’s wife.
“Sect Master,” Shu Mu Dan greeted respectfully with a bow as soon as she saw Yang Kai approach.
“Many thanks for your hard work!” Yang Kai nodded at her. These Sixth-Order Open Heaven Masters under his command were not raised by him, they all had joined him midway. Hua Yong and his wife Shu Mu Dan were the most loyal to Void Land though because their newly born child was raised in the Star Boundary and received a great deal of nourishment from the World Tree. As a result, their child’s aptitude was extraordinary and he could easily make an initial breakthrough to the Sixth-Order or maybe even the Seventh-Order in the future. As such, the pair were extremely grateful and devoted to Yang Kai.
They were thankful that they followed Yang Kai out of the Shadowless Cave Heaven back then; otherwise, their child would not have had such a great opportunity.
However, at this moment, Shu Mu Dan looked a bit uneasy as she stopped Yang Kai from entering the chamber and reported, “Sect Master, please kindly stay where you are. Madame is not feeling well today, so she probably can’t accompany you tonight. Madame said that you should go somewhere else first.”
[This excuse seems familiar…]
Yang Kai’s face twitched as he asked, “Not feeling well?”
It was understandable that Yu Ru Meng was upset and not in the mood for the night; after all, she had been angry enough to declare she would leave Yang Kai to find someone else to marry, but Xia Ning Chang was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master who he had seen just a few hours ago. She was still fine at that point, so how could she not be feeling well all of a sudden?
[Little Senior Sister has always been the most obedient. In all these years, she always agreed to whatever I asked. So, how could it be that she refuses to see me tonight?]
Yang Kai felt really upset. [Was Little Senior Sister convinced by Yu Ru Meng to go against me? The nerve!]
Yang Kai thought of barging in directly, but then he decided against it. He did not want to make things difficult for Little Senior Sister.
“Sect Master, what happened to your eye?” Shu Mu Dan suddenly asked curiously.
[How could she even ask this question?] It was only when Yang Xue quickly shot a glance at Shu Mu Dan that the latter realized that she was out of line and quickly stuck out her tongue in embarrassment.
Yang Kai ignored her and called out, “Little Senior Sister, rest well, I will see you later.”
“…. en…” Xia Ning Chang’s voice sounded softly from inside.
Yang Kai looked at Shu Mu Dan again and instructed, “Take good care of her.”
“Yes!”
He turned around, left, and headed for the third courtyard.
The third courtyard was occupied by Ji Yao, and the lady outside the door was Zhou Ya.
When she saw Yang Kai arrive, Zhou Ya hastily greeted and then looked at him awkwardly.
Yang Kai chuckled flatly, clearly having anticipated the situation, and asked, “Is the Madame not feeling well?”
Zhou Ya froze for a moment and then nodded her head, “Sect Master’s insight is as masterful as ever, Madame is indeed not feeling well!”
“En…” Yang Kai remarked with a heavy heart. Without saying much more, he nodded and said, “In that case, make sure the Madame rests well. I will come back to see her later.”
“Sect Master, take care!” Zhou Ya said. She could not believe that he was already leaving. When she heard Ji Yao’s order earlier, she felt very worried. How could she drive away the groom on his wedding night?
Furthermore, Yang Kai was not just her Sect Master, but also her Master as Zhou Ya had left her name on the Loyalty List! As such, she did not dare to drive him away for Ji Yao.
Who would have thought that Yang Kai would leave on his own without her having to deny him entry to the chamber!
Zhou Ya heaved a sigh of relief.
Yang Kai turned around and left.
Yang Xue had seen all of this and felt so awkward and embarrassed by what had happened. She did not expect her Sisters-in-law to behave in such a manner today of all days, it was totally out of character for them. Her Sisters-in-law were usually demure and accommodating. Their behaviour was truly out of the ordinary today and it appeared that they had discussed this and decided to all act in solidarity. It was highly likely that the rest would be doing the same to Yang Kai.
Thereafter, Yang Kai went to Xue Yue but was once again denied entry into the chamber.
Then he went to Qu Hua Shang, and the same thing happened.
[To think that even Qu Hua Shang is in cahoots with Ru Meng!]
At this point, how could Yang Kai not know what his Wives were up to?
Yang Xue, who had been following behind Yang Kai, was now very worried. Today, they received six brides but five of them had refused Yang Kai entering their bridal chamber. Now, there was only one chamber remaining which was occupied by Tao Ling Wan. If he was rejected at the last chamber, then her Big Brother would really lose all face.
Although today was merely a formality and they did not conduct the proper wedding rituals, it was still her Big Brother’s auspicious day. It would be a huge scandal if this final step could not be completed.
If he could not enter a single bride’s chamber tonight, on his wedding day, Yang Kai would become the butt of everyone’s jokes tomorrow. Yang Kai represented the face of Void Land and High Heaven Palace now, so that must not be allowed to happen.
“You can leave now,” Yang Kai suddenly stopped and said as he stood in front of the last courtyard.
Yang Xue was stunned for a moment, but then tried to speak up, “Big Brother, you…”
Yang Kai smiled, “Don’t worry, there won’t be any problems here.”
After saying that, he waved his hand and walked into the courtyard.
Yang Xue looked on with bated breath and waited anxiously.
The guard here was Luan Bai Feng, and when she saw Yang Kai appear, she immediately bowed and greeted respectfully, “Sect Master!”
Yang Kai nodded and walked straight ahead. Luan Bai Feng did not say anything at all and simply parted the curtains and invited him inside.
When Yang Xue saw this, she heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Luan Bai Feng did not stay inside, and soon came out. She closed the door, winked at Yang Xue, and the two women left, side by side.
Although the chamber was only temporarily decorated, it was done with careful considerations. Tao Ling Wan was wearing a phoenix coronet and bridal robes as she sat still on the bed.
She became nervous when she heard Yang Kai’s steps approaching from outside. As his footfalls got closer, she could not help but tense up.
She did not expect Yang Kai to come here at all!
Today, there were six new brides, and apart from Qu Hua Shang and herself, the other four had been with Yang Kai for much, much longer. The length of time that they spent together definitely resulted in an accumulation of emotions deep in their hearts that tied them far more closely than the two newcomers who had only just started to be with him.
She also knew that she was far less important in Yang Kai’s heart compared to the others, so she did not harbour any expectations of tonight at all.
However, he really came.
Tao Ling Wan was not prepared for this and was so nervous that she even forgot to breathe!
Yang Kai was also a bit overwhelmed; he did not have much contact with Tao Ling Wan at all. The reason why he brought her out from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s temporary palace today was because he really could not refuse. He thought that he could solve the issues between them later, but reality caught up with him and one thing happened after another, leading to the situation they were facing right now.
The wedding was so sudden that no one informed him beforehand, and Yin-Yang Cave Heaven even placed Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan in the same room, so he did not even have a choice.
With this situation right now, Yang Kai also had a hard time deciding what to do.
When he saw Tao Ling Wan’s nervousness though, Yang Kai felt a little amused. With a bit more thought though, he realized that this woman was simply too shy and innocent. She was inevitably apprehensive when she encountered this kind of situation today.
However, some things had to be done, and it was his job as a man to take the lead here!
Yang Kai poured himself a glass of wine and took a sip before sitting down and saying, “Don’t be afraid, I just came to take a rest.”
As soon as he spoke, Tao Ling Wan, who was sitting on the bed, was startled and began to shiver. Although it was subtle, it was obvious that she was very nervous.
Yang Kai smiled to himself as he explained, “The others refused to let me in. They all pushed me to come to you.”
Tao Ling Wan was wearing a red veil in silence so he could not see her expression. She also finally understood why Yang Kai appeared here instead of elsewhere.
The others did not give him access to their chambers, which was why he ended up with her. However, Tao Ling Wan knew that today was their auspicious day and if Yang Kai could not enter any of the bridal chambers, malicious gossip would undoubtedly spread.
“Today was just a formality, not a proper wedding. So, Wan’er, it is still not too late to back out of this. It is important for you to obtain a life that suits you the most. Life is a long journey, and you need to find the right companion, otherwise it will be nothing but sadness. Furthermore, I will be leaving to seal the Void Corridor soon. I can’t guarantee that I will survive. Ru Meng and the others had been with me for many years; thus, they have no choice but to stay with me. However, you still have a choice. Tonight, I will just rest here and I will leave first thing tomorrow. There’s no need for you to be nervous.”
Tao Ling Wan only became more nervous after hearing what he said though, her body trembling more and more.
Yang Kai smiled bitterly and said, “Rest assured, I will not do anything to you. I will just sit here. Why don’t you take off the veil and let’s have a casual chat?”
Tao Ling Wan did not move, but she began to shake even more.
Yang Kai’s expression suddenly turned stern as he got up, walked towards Tao Ling Wan’s side, and touched his fingers to her wrist.
The next moment, Yang Kai exclaimed, “You’re experiencing cultivation dissonance again?”
He had encountered this situation once before. At that time, in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, Tao Ling Wan had suffered cultivation dissonance and Yang Kai had naturally tried to help her. Although with his assistance, Tao Ling Wan was able to turn danger into safety, it also resulted in Yang Kai’s aura being left in her Small Universe.
It was because of that inadvertent act that the two of them forged a connection together.
However, this time, the situation was obviously much more serious than before.
Yang Kai quickly asked, “How many times has this happened over the past century alone?”
The reason for bringing Tao Ling Wan out of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was that her Master, Chen Xiu, said that without truly connecting with Yang Kai, Tao Ling Wan would always be at risk of cultivation dissonance. Once this happened, only Yang Kai could help her.
“F-Five times!” Tao Ling Wan said weakly.
Yang Kai immediately felt terrible. When he volunteered to enter the cage to probe the situation, he never expected to be trapped inside for 100 years. During these 100 years, it was impossible for Tao Ling Wan to live in peace and had even suffered five cultivation dissonance episodes.
Fortunately, Qing Yu, an Ancestor of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, had been present and had also cultivated the Heartfelt Dao, so he could personally take action to help Tao Ling Wan resolve her cultivation dissonance.
However, although the Qing Yu was the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, with profound cultivation that stemmed from the same roots as Tao Ling Wan, he only could treat her symptoms, not the root cause of her condition.
This was also the reason why he agreed to let Yang Kai marry two Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples at the same time. Tao Ling Wan had to commit herself to Yang Kai in order to cure her current situation completely. There was no other choice.
Tao Ling Wan’s cultivation dissonance was getting progressively worse. One day, even an Eighth-Order Ancestor like Qing Yu would be powerless to help her.
In Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, such cultivation dissonance was regularly suffered by those who cultivated the Heartfelt Dao’s core Secret Art. It was, strictly speaking, a side effect of the Secret Art and not a true cultivation dissonance.
Disciples who had a more profound cultivation and cultivated the Heartfelt Dao without achieving harmony between Yin and Yang would suffer a cultivation dissonance to varying degrees.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm was the limit of cultivation of this Secret Art! If they wanted to achieve a breakthrough and overcome this issue once and for all, it was necessary to harmonize Yin and Yang.
If a disciple cultivating the Heartfelt Dao encountered something like this before meeting their destined partner, they could rely on their own persistence and will to resolve it, just as Tao Ling Wan had done for many years before she met Yang Kai.
At that time, when she experienced cultivation dissonance, she would have managed just fine even if Yang Kai did not help her; after all, she had experienced such situations many times before and overcome them all.
However, how could Yang Kai have known about such intricacies in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Secret Arts? When he saw Tao Ling Wan showing signs of cultivation dissonance, he did what was natural and tried to help, falling right into Chen Xiu’s scheme.
It was due to his good intentions that Yang Kai ended up being entangled in this matter.
Now, Tao Ling Wan’s situation was much more serious than during Yang Kai’s first encounter with her. He could clearly feel the agitation of Tao Ling Wan’s Small Universe, and if this issue was not resolved, it was very likely to cause her Small Universe to collapse one day.
Having experienced this situation once before, Yang Kai naturally knew what he should do.
He pushed the power of his Small Universe and poured it into Tao Ling Wan’s body.
It was easily accepted, as if their powers were of the same origin, just as it was the first time.
With Yang Kai’s assistance, Tao Ling Wan’s condition gradually improved. Within the time taken to burn a stick of incense, Tao Ling Wan’s shivering had calmed down, and the agitation within her Small Universe subsided.
Yang Kai only stopped once he was sure the current crisis had been solved.
After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Senior Sister Qu told me about the Heartfelt Dao’s Secret Art. How have you resolved this issue so far?”
Tao Ling Wan softly explained that it was Ancestor Qing Yu who helped her.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and felt even more guilty after realizing how much trouble he had caused by his carelessness.
“Ancestor said that he could help me suppress it at most two more times. After that, there would be nothing more he could do,” Tao Ling Wan said again.
The next time Tao Ling Wan encountered this problem, even if Yang Kai was not around, at least The Azure Feather Divine Monarch might be able to help; however, Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s disciples never encountered such dire situations as they would have resolved the issue with their chosen partner long before it reached such a point.
Yang Kai sat in silence in the room.
The problem Tao Ling Wan faced seemed to leave him with no choice.
Since it was her life at stake here, Yang Kai might have to keep her with him at all times, otherwise there was no way to solve it.
However, it was obviously not realistic for him to bring her along. It would be fine if the other side of the Void Corridor was not the Black Ink Battlefield. The two of them could still find their way back slowly if that was the case; however, if the other side was the Black Ink Battlefield, then Tao Ling Wan would die if she followed him in.
That was the same as leaving her here.
After a long silence, Yang Kai stood up, went to the table, poured two glasses of wine, and brought them over. He sat next to Tao Ling Wan and gave her one of the glasses.
“We have the rest of our lives ahead of us, so if we have the chance, we should get to know each other better.”
Tao Ling Wan was wondering why Yang Kai had suddenly gotten her a glass of wine; however, upon hearing what he said, she realized what was going on and immediately nodded joyfully.
The two of them intertwined their arms and drank the entire glass of wine.
Yang Kai took the glasses and placed them down. He then gently lifted the red veil and revealed a shy Tao Ling Wan who had her head slightly bowed and her cheeks flushed red.
Yang Kai curled his fingers and extinguished the candles with a flick, plunging the room into darkness.
Tao Ling Wan began to breathe heavily. Even though she had lived in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven for many years and had hardly socialized, she still understood what was waiting for her at this moment.
“It’s late, we should rest,” Yang Kai said.
“En.” Tao Ling Wan nodded lightly.
…..
“Madame, Young Master has entered the innermost courtyard, and the lights have gone out.” Inside the chamber, Yue He reported the situation to Yu Ru Meng.
Yu Ru Meng nodded, lifted the red veil on her head, and cursed, “That smelly man! Always saying one thing then doing another! Never allowing one to not worry about him!”
Yue He was dumbfounded and replied, “You all planned this together, and now you’re complaining about Young Master? Who just threw Young Master out with a black eye? If you had accepted him here, he wouldn’t have gone anywhere either.”
Yu Ru Meng knew very well that this would be the result when she planned to reject him today; however, she could not admit that openly.
Yu Ru Meng sighed and said, “At least Xiao Wan’s matter is resolved. That’s a relief.”
Looking up at Yue He, she asked somewhat helplessly, “Did we do something wrong?”
Yue He shook her head and said, “Madame understands Young Master’s nature. When he was trapped for 100 years with the Black Ink Royal Lord, you constantly worried about him. Now that he has been released, he still intends to go and seal the Void Corridor. He should depart without any unresolved issues so his heart is not burdened. Madame did the right thing.”
Yu Ru Meng nodded, “En.”
If Yang Kai had gone into the Void Corridor while carrying worry and guilt, he would have no peace, and neither would they. That was why they made those arrangements to facilitate Tao Ling Wan’s recovery. They wanted Yang Kai to be free of any burdens so that he could concentrate on the difficult task he was about to face. What they did was also to help Tao Ling Wan secure her position in the household.
“Do the others know about it?” Yu Ru Meng asked again.
“I believe so,” Yue He replied, “Shu Mu Dan sent a message to the others as soon as the candle was extinguished.”
Yu Ru Meng nodded, then suddenly cursed through gritted teeth, “That smelly man must be enjoying himself now!”
Yue He was struck speechless.
Yang Kai naturally did not dare to be partial to any of the six brides he took in; thus, he made sure that he took turns to accompany a different Madame every day.
For half a month, Yang Kai shuffled among the six courtyards. Outsiders envied him, but only he knew how much work it took to placate and satisfy these new brides of his.
When Myriad Demons Heaven’s Mo Sha heard the report from one of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Masters under his command, the corner of his brow twitched visibly as he muttered, “That brat has been at it for half a month straight?”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master smiled and nodded, “Yes, he seems to be quite addicted to it.”
Mo Sha fell silent before snorting, “In the world of mortals, shouldn’t a married woman return to her bridal family to pay her respects?”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Master was stunned and did not quite understand why the Ancestor mentioned this suddenly; however, he immediately nodded and said, “There is indeed such a custom. Does Divine Monarch intend to…”
Mo Sha waved his hand and said dismissively, “It was just a random comment, think nothing of it.”
…..
In Xia Ning Chang’s courtyard, Yang Kai was relaxing on a chair. Now that everything was settled, the ancient seal of the Void Corridor could still be maintained for some time, so there was no rush for him to act. With beauties by his side, Yang Kai’s life was extremely comfortable and enjoyable. How he wished that these days could last forever.
However, he knew that this was impossible and he should enjoy every moment that he could.
Xia Ning Chang was sitting next to him. She took a grape-like spirit fruit from somewhere, and began to peel the skin and remove the seeds. She then gently fed it to him.
Yang Kai took a bite, and playfully bit Xia Ning Chang’s fingers. Little Senior Sister tried to pull her fingers back, but could not bear to be too forceful. She then glared at him coyly and said, “Don’t let the other see this.”
She blushed slightly.
“So what if they see?” Yang Kai said playfully.
“It’s not fair to them.”
“What’s not fair about it?” Yang Kai smiled playfully.
Xia Ning Chang could not stop him, so she let him do whatever he wanted. He tickled her fingers with his tongue.
Suddenly, the door of the courtyard was pushed open and Yue He walked in. Xia Ning Chang was so shocked that she quickly pulled her hand back.
Yue He obviously saw everything, pursed her lips, and snickered. She stood in front of Yang Kai, half-bowing, and greeted, “Young Master.”
“Yes?” Yang Kai asked as he continued to eat the fruit.
“Madame Meng asked me to inform you that it is time for her to return to her family.”
“Back to where?” Yang Kai was stunned.
Yue He said, “For newlyweds, it is customary for the Husband to take his Wife back to her bridal family to pay his respects.”
Yang Kai blinked. He naturally knew about this custom, but it was really more of a mortal custom; thus, he did not think too much about it and had no intention of doing so.
Furthermore, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were not exactly their bridal families. The Divine Monarchs who took them as Disciples did so mainly because they appreciated Yang Kai’s initiative to seal the Void Corridor and wanted to give him a sense of reassurance that his family would be taken care of after he left.
Yang Kai’s forthcoming trip was a gamble with his own life. If he succeeded, it would be a great victory. For such a sacrifice, even the guardians of the 3,000 Worlds had to show their appreciation.
“According to Madame, whether the Cave Heavens and Paradises were sincere in accepting Disciples or not, now that names have been given, and statuses set, it cannot be annulled. Young Master should take each of the Madams back as this will serve as a means to confirm their status. To the Madams, High Heaven Palace, and Void Land, this will be beneficial for the future. The Madams can regard the Cave Heavens and Paradises as their homes and refuge and can visit as frequently as they wish. If protocol is not followed, their goodwill towards the Madams may fade after you leave.”
Yang Kai rubbed his chin as he pondered for a while before nodding, “That’s right, I’ve neglected this. Let’s make the necessary arrangements.”
Yue He nodded and replied, “Which family is Young Master planning to visit first?”
Yang Kai asked, “What does Ru Meng suggest?”
“Madame Meng said that since Yin-Yang Cave Heaven offered two disciples, and both of them are newcomers, you should go there first. The order of the rest doesn’t matter. You may go to Myriad Demons Heaven next,” Yue He explained.
Yang Kai naturally did not have any objections and immediately agreed, “Then let’s do as she suggested.”
The next day, Yang Kai led Qu Hua Shang and Tao Ling Wan to Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s temporary residence, as a customary visit to their ‘relatives’.
Yin-Yang Cave Heaven was completely unprepared and obviously did not expect Yang Kai to perform such a visit. Nonetheless, the three were still warmly received.
Chen Xiu was particularly appreciative of the visit. After asking Yu Xiang Die to inquire Tao Ling Wan about something, he looked at Yang Kai with immense gratitude.
Chen Xiu was really happy. After his scheme had failed and dragged his Disciple into a predicament, he had been constantly blaming himself. Now, he was finally free of this burden.
Now the only worry was whether Yang Kai could come back alive after entering the Void Corridor. If he met with any accident inside, then his Disciple would be widowed.
At the end of the drinking session, Chen Xiu no longer had the air of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. He threw his arm over Yang Kai’s shoulders and expressed his friendship for him. All the other disciples looked on with awe and were dumbfounded by how close they were. If not for Chen Xiu’s Second Disciple, Feng Cheng Si, stopping him, Chen Xiu might very well have become Sworn Brothers with Yang Kai, which would have made the family hierarchy quite awkward.
When Yang Kai was about to leave, Chen Xiu was in tears and revealed his true feelings. He took Yang Kai’s hand and told him that he would take care of Xiao Wan in the future.
Naturally, Yang Kai accepted with enthusiasm.
The next day, Yang Kai led Ji Yao back to the Great Battle Heaven. Naturally, he received warm hospitality.
On the third day, Yang Kai led Xue Yue back to Golden Antelope Paradise. Liu Mu led a group of men to drink Yang Kai under the table, causing the latter to flee at the earliest opportunity.
On the fourth day, he and Xia Ning Chang returned to Divine Medicine Cave Heaven.
On the fifth day, Yang Kai finally returned to Myriad Demons Heaven with Yu Ru Meng.
In fact, even now, Yang Kai was not sure about Yu Ru Meng’s discipleship under Myriad Demons Heaven.
It was true that Yu Ru Meng belonged to the Demon Race and had some faint connections to Myriad Demons Heaven, but it was still a great surprise to Yang Kai that the Divine Monarch would really accept her as a Disciple.
As soon as the boat arrived at Myriad Demons Heaven, they were warmly greeted.
It was two Seventh-Order Open Heaven who received them, no less!
“Greetings, Senior Brothers!” Yang Kai cupped his fist and saluted them respectfully.
He realized that his seniority had been raised after his Wives were accepted as Disciples of the Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Previously, when he saw these Seventh-Orders Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai had to address them as Senior, Martial Uncle, or Aunt.
Now when he met them, he could greet them as Senior Brother or Sister. After all, Yu Ru Meng was Mo Sha’s Legacy Disciple. With her seniority, no one could fault Yang Kai for addressing them like this.
At Myriad Demons Heaven’s temporary base, Yang Kai was naturally treated with great hospitality again, and after a feast, he was already quite drunk.
However, Mo Sha did not show up from beginning to the end. It was only when Yu Ru Meng proposed to pay her respects to her Honoured Master at the time of departure that they were brought to him.
The two entered hand in hand into an empty hall. The door to the hall slammed shut behind them.
A figure covered by Demon Qi sat cross-legged in the center of the hall. The turbulent Demon Qi, thick enough to seem like a viscous liquid, surrounded Mo Sha Divine Monarch.
“Honoured Master!” Yu Ru Meng bowed and greeted respectfully.
Yang Kai followed suit.
Mo Sha opened his eyes and raised his hand. With a gentle flick, the two of them rose.
Mo Sha kept his hand up and pointed a finger towards Yang Kai.
Both Yu Ru Meng and Yang Kai did not expect Mo Sha to suddenly make such a move, so they were caught off guard when the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master took action.
Yang Kai was hit by the flick of a finger and stumbled backward several steps with a muffled grunt.
“Honoured Master!” Yu Ru Meng was shocked and quickly ran over to Yang Kai. She knew that there was a grudge between Yang Kai and Myriad Demons Heaven, and was worried Mo Sha was going to harm Yang Kai.
Yang Kai placed his hand on Yu Ru Meng’s shoulder and pulled her behind him before he firmly shook his head to signal that he was alright.
After that finger flick, his eyes burned as if they were on fire, and in the next instant, his left eye suddenly turned golden, with a vertical slit, while his right eye became pitch black.
At first glance, it looked as if the right eye had been stained by the Black Ink Strength, but this was different. It was a Secret Technique.
“Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye!” Mo Sha nodded lightly and stood up. With his hands behind his back, he stepped in front of Yang Kai and carefully examined his two eyes to make sure they were correct, then narrowed his eyes and asked, “Was Ti Zheng killed by you?”
After asking this though, Mo Sha shook his head and said, “No. Although Ti Zheng’s cultivation was decent, he had not cultivated these two Eye Techniques. My Myriad Demons Heaven’s two Core Techniques cannot be cultivated by just anyone.”
Yang Kai endured the discomfort in both eyes and said hastily, “So, Divine Monarch had already noticed.”
Of all the Cave Heavens and Paradises, the reason why Yang Kai was most wary of Myriad Demons Heaven was not because he initially had some grudges with them, but because of these two Eye Techniques.
At that time, when he was outside of the Shattered Heaven, Ti Zheng noticed that he had these two Eye Techniques and was very concerned about them. He even offered to buy his two eyes. Of course, Yang Kai did not agree.
Before that day, Yang Kai had never shown these two Eye Techniques to Ti Zheng.
Yet Ti Zheng was aware of them. It could be that the people of Myriad Demons Heaven were sensitive to those who had these two Eye Techniques.
Ti Zheng was only a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master; thus, Mo Sha, who was in the Eighth-Order, was much stronger than him.
During the days spent in Black Territory, Yang Kai had intentionally avoided all the High-Rank Masters from Myriad Demons Heaven just to avoid causing any trouble. The last time, when he came to welcome the bride, Mo Sha did not say anything, so Yang Kai thought he had gotten away with it. However, now it seemed that, although he did not say anything, that did not mean that Mo Sha did not notice.
Yang Kai did not know what Mo Sha had done to cause the two Eye Techniques to involuntarily reveal themselves, but at the moment he had no way of hiding them.
Mo Sha’s eyes twitched slightly and his left eye instantly turned golden, with a vertical slit, while his right eye turned pitch black like a black hole. At that moment, Yang Kai felt an excruciating pain.
In a flash though, Mo Sha’s eyes returned to normal again.
Then it dawned upon Yang Kai that this person in front of him also cultivated these two Eye Techniques, and it seemed that he was much more skilled at using them. As such, it was not surprising that he could detect others who cultivated them.
“These two Eye Techniques are core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven. Even ordinary disciples are unable to obtain them. Where did you get them from?” Mo Sha asked curiously.
He thought that Yang Kai had killed Ti Zheng and took them from him; however, Ti Zheng had not cultivated these two Eye Techniques so that was impossible.
Since they were in this situation, it was meaningless for Yang Kai to hide things from Mo Sha. Moreover, he would be going to seal the Void Corridor soon, so Mo Sha would not harm him. Yang Kai figured he might as well come clean.
He thus went ahead and told the story of how he managed to obtain his two eyes.
Mo Sha listened with amazement, not having expected the whole process to be so full of twists and turns.
Yang Kai’s Demon Eye of Annihilation was obtained very early on in life, back in Tong Xuan Realm, while the Black Purgatory Eye came much later.
These two seemingly unrelated Eye Techniques were actually from the same source.
“Mo Sheng…” Mo Sha frowned and muttered to himself. He had never heard of this name, but according to Yang Kai’s story, it could be deduced that this person should be from a long time ago. Mo Sha wondered what happened to this ancient disciple. To arrive in a remote Universe World, experience a massive drop in cultivation and become confined to that Universe World, then contaminate the world into becoming the Demon Realm.
If not for a series of coincidences, Mo Sheng could have contacted Myriad Demons Heaven and asked for help to take him back to the Sect long ago.
“This was how it happened, and the two Eye Techniques were obtained by chance. It was not something Junior did on purpose.”
Mo Sha looked at him and said, “Whether it was an opportunity or an intentional act, these are still core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven.”
Yang Kai asked, “Then what does the Divine Monarch want?”
Yu Ru Meng could not help but become nervous. She was the one who said that they should return to their ‘families’ after the wedding. If Yang Kai was in danger now because of this, she would inevitably feel guilty.
Now she understood why a Senior Sister of Myriad Demons Heaven suddenly came looking for her one day. She then got her thinking about going back to the Sect after the wedding.
It was now obvious that Mo Sha, this cheap Honoured Master of hers, wanted to meet her Husband to confirm certain matters. Returning to her bridal family after the wedding was just an excuse.
Mo Sha slowly said, “Since this is a core secret of Myriad Demons Heaven, naturally it cannot be passed on. I can either destroy your eyes, or you can become a Myriad Demons Heaven’s disciple, so that you have the right to retain them.”
Yu Ru Meng forced a smile and said, “Honoured Master, even if my Husband is not a disciple of Myriad Demons Heaven, he is already Myriad Demons Heaven’s Son-in-Law. He can now be considered as one of Myriad Demons Heaven’s people.”
Mo Sha shook his head and said, “That’s not the same.”
Yu Ru Meng was about to speak when Yang Kai raised his hand to stop her and stared at Mo Sha. He then said, “It is impossible for me to become a Myriad Demons Heaven disciple, and I don’t want to lose my eyes either; after all, I do not know if I will become blind after they are destroyed. Divine Monarch, is there any other choice?”
“What choice do you want?” Mo Sha looked at him with a smile.
“How about Divine Monarch pretends not to know about this?” Yang Kai raised a brow.
Mo Sha almost laughed and said, “Do you think that’s possible?”
Yang Kai spread his hands and said openly, “If that’s the case, then Divine Monarch will have to kill me!”
Mo Sha face twitched and roared, “You think I won’t kill you?”
Yang Kai snorted, “If Divine Monarch kills me, your new Disciple will be widowed!”
Yu Ru Meng nodded vigorously from the side and begged, “Please be merciful, Honoured Master.”
Mo Sha said, “We have been fighting with the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless years, and countless others have died. We already have tens of thousands of widows.”
This topic was getting a bit heavy.
Yang Kai thought for a while, then turned his head to look at a worried Yu Ru Meng, and said, “Do not be afraid, Divine Monarch is just intimidating me. I still have to go to seal the Void Corridor. He will not do anything to me.”
Yu Ru Meng was very worried, but was reassured when she heard what Yang Kai said. Yang Kai volunteered to seal the Void Corridor, and there was no one else in the 3,000 Worlds capable of doing it in his place, so how could Mo Sha kill him?
If he did, there would be no way for him to explain himself to the other Cave Heavens and Paradises.
Yang Kai turned his head to Mo Sha and said, “Divine Monarch, just state exactly what you want. There’s no need to drag this matter out further.”
Mo Sha grunted in frustration. Yang Kai’s smug look was truly annoying. He was really tempted to give this cheeky brat a slap and snuff him out once and for all.
However, just as Yang Kai had said, that was not an option.
Moreover, when he asked Yang Kai to come here today, his original intention was not to make things difficult for him.
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Sha suddenly flicked his wrist and a jade slip flew towards Yang Kai.
Yang Kai raised his hand to catch the slip and then poured his Divine Sense into it. He frowned a moment later and asked, “Divine Monarch, what is this…”
“The Black Ink Battlefield is extremely dangerous. Your Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation is far too low. It’s also too late to start raising your cultivation. The Cave Heavens and Paradises owe you a favour. Myriad Demons Heaven has nothing of value to give you, but since you are lucky to have obtained these two Eye Techniques, then you should cultivate them properly,” Mo Sha said, “Myriad Demons Heaven’s two Great Eye Techniques have untold secrets and infinite power. You must be diligent when cultivating them!
“Many thanks, Divine Monarch!” Yang Kai was overjoyed.
“Leave!” Mo Sha waved his hand impatiently. To him, today’s incident was making a mountain out of a molehill. This situation was special and he did not want to pursue it any further.
Yang Kai and Yu Ru Meng bowed and bade farewell to Mo Sha.
On the way back from Myriad Demons Heaven, Yu Ru Meng took the time to inquire what Mo Sha had given to Yang Kai.
“The cultivation method for the two Eye Techniques,” Yang Kai explained.
Since he received the two Eye Techniques, although their power had increased alongside his own cultivation, Yang Kai had never really practiced them properly, let alone understood how to use them.
Now that Mo Sha took the initiative to give him the knowledge to cultivate them, this was an excellent development for Yang Kai.
It was a great gift.
Both the Demon Eye of Annihilation and Black Purgatory Eye were core secrets of Myriad Demons Heaven. In Myriad Demons Heaven, ordinary disciples were not worthy to cultivate them at all. Only elite disciples were fortunate enough to practice one of them, with very few being able to cultivate both.
Under normal circumstances, if an outsider like Yang Kai had these two Secret Techniques, Myriad Demons Heaven would definitely fight him to the death and would ruthlessly kill him to prevent their secrets from leaking out.
However, the situation was different now. Yang Kai would soon go to seal the Void Corridor and his fate was uncertain. Mo Sha would not be insistent under such circumstances.
No one could say for certain what was at the other end of the Void Corridor; however, there was a high possibility that it led to the Black Ink Battlefield. Although Yang Kai seemed to have nine lives, his chances of surviving were slim if that was the case.
Even if he survived, he would not have the chance to return to the 3,000 Worlds. That was why Mo Sha was so generous to pass on the two Eye Techniques and their cultivation method otherwise, Myriad Demons Heaven would never have allowed their core secrets to be leaked.
When he returned to Void Land’s temporary base, Yang Kai immediately announced he would enter retreat.
As Mo Sha said, he did not have much time left, and it was too late to consider raising his cultivation. Thus, Yang Kai decided to cultivate these two Eye Techniques. Perhaps they would help him out of some critical situations.
Although his women did not know what was the purpose of his retreat, they were understanding in their response; after all, they were all satisfied with the time Yang Kai spent with them over these past few days.
The jade slip contained the cultivation method for the two Eye Techniques, and also explained their uses when cultivated to their peak.
The Demon Eye of Annihilation and Purgatory Black Pupils, were respectively a support and attack method.
If one could really cultivate them to the peak, the Demon Eye of Annihilation was capable of breaking all illusions. Previously, in order to break the Super Array that enveloped Black Territory, the Cave Heavens and Paradises used countless people to mine out the Ore Stars in order to weaken it.
However, at the same time, there was another group who were responsible for cracking the countless Spirit Arrays that filled Black Territory.
These Spirit Arrays, like the Ore Stars, were part of the Super Array.
This group of people was mainly led by those from Myriad Demons Heaven, with the help of many Array Masters. In Myriad Demons Heaven, those who cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation were all High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, and under their perceptive eyes, many of the Spirit Array’s flaws became obvious. This greatly improved the efficiency of breaking the arrays and saved a lot of time.
Yang Kai had used his Demon Eye of Annihilation to observe the core Spirit Arrays just outside the central cage of the Super Array; however, although he knew that the Spirit Arrays were dangerous, he could not avoid them all even after a channel was opened to send him into the cage.
During the 100 years that Yang Kai was trapped in the cage, it was Mo Sha, who personally sought out the weaknesses of the Spirit Arrays outside the cage and succeeded in cracking all these Spirit Arrays.
Mo Sha had not cultivated the Dao of Spirit Arrays, so he relied entirely on the Demon Eye of Annihilation to see through these Arrays instead.
However, even with the powerful Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, Mo Sha had still not cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation to its highest level.
It was written in the jade slip that if one could really cultivate the Demon Eye of Annihilation to the highest point, one could even see through the fabric of reality, space, and time to view the future.
In the history of Myriad Demons Cave Heaven, no one had ever cultivated the Demon Eye of Annihilation to this extent, and it was not possible to say whether this level truly existed.
Naturally, Yang Kai did not expect to achieve mastery comparable to those from Myriad Demons Heaven; after all, such great prowess could only be achieved by cultivating for countless years. He would be satisfied if he could simply improve the power of his Eye Techniques.
The Demon Eye of Annihilation was not a killing method. It was mainly a deterrent and auxiliary skill.
In contrast, the Black Purgatory Eye was a very powerful killing method. Yang Kai had also used this Secret Technique, so he knew this fact very well.
Under the Black Purgatory Eye, everything was silenced and the world was plunged into darkness. Enemies targeted by this Secret Technique were often caught by surprise and left incredibly vulnerable.
If the enemy was deprived of all their senses, they were bound to fall into immense danger.
The days passed.
High Heaven Palace fell quiet as no one dared to disturbed Yang Kai’s retreat.
One day, a ray of light flew over.
Noticing the commotion, members of Void Land and High Heaven Palace went to investigate, and soon Xue Yue stepped forward and bowed, “Honoured Master!”
The person who came was Liu Mu. He looked serious and solemn, so it was obvious that something had happened.
This caused the hearts of the members of Void Land and High Heaven Palace to sink.
After all these days of peace and quiet, the time had finally come.
“Call him out!” Liu Mu said to Xue Yue.
Xue Yue pursed her lips, nodded, and turned to leave.
Yu Ru Meng stepped forward and asked, “Senior, is it time?”
Liu Mu shook his head and replied, “It’s impossible to say exactly, but he has to head over just in case something goes wrong.”
It had been almost five months since Yang Kai returned from the Void Corridor to the rear lines. During this period, the ancient sealing power had been dissipating continuously. Once the ancient sealing power had completely dispersed, the Void Corridor would be completely formed and the two ends would be connected.
In recent days, the rate of the dissipation of the ancient seal had obviously accelerated. The Divine Monarchs present there did not dare to take the situation lightly; thus, Liu Mu came to ask Yang Kai to exit retreat.
Yu Ru Meng nodded to show that she understood what he meant.
A short while later, Yang Kai appeared and met Liu Mu. He inquired about the situation and nodded lightly, “I’ll go investigate the situation. Senior, make yourself at home.”
After saying that, he turned his head to Yu Ru Meng and the others, nodded, then manipulated Space Principles to instantly disappear.
Soon enough, Yang Kai reappeared beside the Void Corridor. Previously, he left Space Beacons behind when he went back to his Wives, so they now came in handy to quickly cross the distance.
At this moment, more than a dozen Eighth-Order Ancestors were guarding the Void Corridor. All of them were relieved to see Yang Kai.
Qing Yu spoke first, “Boy, these past few days, the Void Corridor has been behaving oddly. We need you to check the situation.”
“Yes!” Yang Kai answered and dashed over to the Void Corridor. Space Principles surged as he closed his eyes to investigate. Moments later, Yang Kai dove straight in.
This scene made the Eighth-Order Ancestors, who were guarding this place, raise their brows.
A Void Corridor was not a place one could come and go as they pleased. In its current state, the corridor was filled with unimaginable void turbulence, like a raging maelstrom. Even if one’s cultivation was strong, they may lose their way if they were pulled into this chaotic storm. If one could not find a way out, then they would be trapped in the Void forever.
Thus, although the Eighth-Order Ancestors had been guarding this place for several days, no one dared to enter to investigate.
Yang Kai, however, bravely entered like it was nothing, which made them sigh emotionally.
However, this was his speciality. Although Yang Kai’s cultivation was a lot lower than theirs, his proficiency in the Dao of Space allowed him to enter the Void Corridor safely.
After waiting for about three or four hours, Yang Kai rushed out from the Void Corridor.
“What’s the situation?” Qing Yu quickly asked.
“It can hold on for another half a month to a month,” Yang Kai replied.
He had to calculate how fast the ancient sealing power was dissipating, and how long it would take for him to reseal it. Half a month to a month was the limit; any longer and it would be too late.
The Ancestors looked at each other for a moment before nodding slightly and started sending out messages.
A day later, a large number of rays of light came over. All of them were the Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises.
The time limit for sealing the Void Corridor had been set, so they had to begin preparing.
In case of a failure, the Void Corridor would be completely connected and the Cave Heavens and Paradises would face unknown dangers.
Teams formed by Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises appeared as they guarded the Void Corridor tightly.
The Void Land and High Heaven Palace members also arrived. Although they were the smallest in number and the lowest in cultivation, they had still turned out in full force.
The women looked at Yang Kai with reluctance and worry, but they could not do anything to change the situation. They could only pray that the other side of the Void Corridor was not connected to the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Waiting for someone?” Mo Sha asked when he saw Yang Kai hesitate.
Yang Kai responded, “There’s one more thing I need to take care of.”
Mo Sha nodded and said nothing more. He believed that Yang Kai would not be careless in this kind of matters. Since he intended to wait, then he must be certain there was time. It was useless to rush.
Liu Mu said, “Just as well, let me tell you about the situation on the Black Ink Battlefield.”
This was also information Yang Kai intended to find out, so he immediately cupped his fist and said respectfully, “Junior listens with respect.”
Liu Mu said, “In truth, none of us know what the full situation is on the Black Ink Battlefield. As you know, no one has ever returned after they crossed the No-Return Pass. What we do know is gathered from information sent back from time to time. None of us has seen the real situation with our own eyes, so what we tell you can only be taken as a reference.”
“Junior understands.”
Liu Mu pondered a moment before continuing, “The Black Ink Battlefield is vast. No one knows exactly how big it is. Over the millennia, the Cave Heavens and Paradises have been sending people to fight, but they have not been able to kill the Black Ink Clan to the last. That shows just how powerful the Black Ink Clan is. In the Black Ink Battlefield, there are a total of 108 Great Passes. Each Cave Heaven or Paradise is responsible for one of them. Each Pass is a self-sufficient fortress, but they are all closely linked. Reliance on the 108 Great Passes Grand Formation has allowed the Cave Heavens and Paradises to keep the Black Ink Clan at bay. Otherwise, they would have rushed into the No-Return Pass and invaded the 3,000 Worlds long ago.”
“If you really end up there, remember to rush to the nearest Great Pass. You have the World Spring protecting your Small Universe, so it is impervious to external forces. Our allies on the other side certainly do not know your identity, but as long as you show them your World Spring, they will not treat you as a Black Ink Disciple. No matter which Cave Heaven or Paradise guards territory you arrive at, as long as you can enter one of the Great Passes, you’ll be safe.”
Yang Kai nodded and said, “Junior will remember.”
After a moment of silence, he asked, “But just in case, can Senior give me some kind of Faith Token?”
Liu Mu waved his hand and said, “Faith Tokens are useless on that battlefield. Those from the Cave Heavens and Paradises can be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength at any moment, so the only way to confirm one’s identity is to inspect their Small Universe. Faith Tokens can’t be trusted.”
Qing Yu then said, “Originally, we intended to offer you some of our strength in the form of protective techniques, but considering that the other side may be the Black Ink Battlefield, doing so would only expose your identity; thus, you can only rely on yourself.”
When Yang Kai went into the cage and confronted the Black Ink Royal Lord, he was blessed by five Eighth-Order Ancestors. He relied on that protection to defend himself from the Black Ink Royal Lord’s opening attack.
However, for this trip, if the other side was indeed the Black Ink Battlefield, such protective techniques would only put him in more danger as Yang Kai would not be able to hide his identity.
Yang Kai once used the Black Ink Strength within his Small Universe to trick Lang Ya Paradise’s Black Ink Disciples into believing he was one of them. If the other end of the Void Corridor was really the Black Ink Battlefield, then there was a high chance that he would encounter the Black Ink Clan or Black Ink Disciples. In that case, this disguise would provide a large degree of security.
Outside the Void Corridor, many Ancestors spoke to Yang Kai, sharing with him what they knew about the Black Ink Battlefield.
Yang Kai took note of everything.
However, as Liu Mu had said before, they did not have personal experience in the Black Ink Battlefield, and all the information was passed back from beyond the No-Return Pass. Although this information could likely be attained as long as Yang Kai paid attention once he entered the Black Ink Battlefield, knowing ahead of time was still helpful.
A few days had passed.
The rate of dissipation of the ancient sealing power in the Void Corridor seemed to have accelerated again.
Mo Sha said, “We can’t wait any longer, let’s start sealing it as soon as possible.”
Yang Kai nodded, “Seniors, please wait just a moment longer!”
Saying so, he turned around and walked towards Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s group.
His Wives stood at the forefront of the group, each looking at him with intense expressions. Their eyes were full of worry and reluctance. When he got close to them, Yang Kai smiled faintly at them but did not try to comfort them. Any words of comfort at this time would only be self-deception. Everyone knew and understood the dangers of this trip.
Yu Ru Meng stood forward and her crimson lips began to quiver. There was much she wanted to say, but she held herself back. In the end, she simply said, “Be careful in everything you do!”
Yang Kai nodded and replied with a smile, “I will.”
He suddenly looked beyond the crowd and towards the depths of void, where several rays of light could vaguely be seen coming towards them in a hurry.
Yang Kai heaved a long sigh of relief that the ones he wanted to see had arrived at the last moment.
The leader of the group was Lan You Ruo, who had left Black Territory and returned to the Star Boundary a few months ago.
Perhaps due to pushing herself to her limit, even though Lan You Ruo was now a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, she still looked slightly pale and exhausted.
“Greetings, Proprietress!” Yang Kai cupped his fist and said.
Lan You Ruo glared at him, then at the Void Corridor, before asking in a dark tone, “Do you really have to do this?”
Yang Kai said helplessly, “It can’t be helped. There is no other way.”
Lan You Ruo pursed her lips and did not answer. She also knew that the workings of fate could not be changed by an individual’s power. Since the Cave Heavens and Paradises had already agreed to this, they could only follow the plan.
Yang Kai then looked at those behind her. There was the Fatty Chen Tian, Yun Xing Hua, Hei He, and Hua Qing Si. All of them were brought over from the Star Boundary by the Proprietress.
When their eyes met, they hastily saluted.
Yang Kai nodded lightly and called out one by one, “Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hui Gu, Hei He, Chen Tian Fei, Yun Xing Hua!
“Subordinates are here!” The seven of them announced.
“In the past, due to various circumstances, all of you had to leave your names on the Loyalty List. I know some of you have complaints against me and are not resigned to your positions, but it matters not now. You’ve worked hard all these years, and your efforts and sacrifices have allowed High Heaven Palace and Void Land to grow to their current heights. All of you have contributed greatly to the Sect. It is unknown if life or death awaits me, so today, I will set you free. You are free to stay, or to go, but I hope that when we meet again in the future, we can still chat and share a drink with no animosities for one another!”
Saying so, Yang Kai took out the Loyalty List, took the Xie Zhi horn, forced out a drop of Blood Essence and dipped it. He then scratched their names from the list.
Fresh blood seeped into the Loyalty List, and the names on the pages gradually faded and disappeared.
The seven people whose names were on the Loyalty List suddenly felt a sense of relief. They inexplicably had a feeling of freedom from bondage.
Mao Zhe frowned slightly and looked at Yang Kai with conflicted emotions.
Of all the people who had signed the Loyalty List, he was the one who was most unconvinced by Yang Kai. He had endured his humiliation in order to one day advance to the Seventh-Order and free himself from the Loyalty List.
He had heard that by reaching the Seventh-Order, he would become free from the restrictions of the Loyalty List; however, he did not know if that was true or not. Regardless, he still worked hard towards that goal over the years.
He had never imagined that Yang Kai would take the initiative to dissolve the master-servant relationship between them. This made him slightly surprised and relieved.
In the days leading up to today, he was not unaware that Yang Kai was going to seal the Void Corridor, nor was he unaware of what may happen to Yang Kai once that happened.
Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, and his lives were connected to Yang Kai’s, so if anything happened to the latter, they would also suffer.
Now that the constraints of the Loyalty List had been lifted though, he no longer had to worry about their life or death because of Yang Kai’s problems.
However, Mao Zhe was not as happy as he imagined he would be.
Looking back on the years in Void Land and High Heaven Palace, it was no exaggeration to say it was an extremely easy and comfortable life. They had all the resources and status they could have wanted!
He had not advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm simply because he had not felt a turning point.
Now that he was free, even if he left High Heaven Palace and Void Land, what other place could provide such a favourable environment for cultivation?
If Yang Kai could make this decision at the last moment, it was obvious that he had been thinking about this matter. This also hinted at the dangers of this trip.
Even Yang Kai was unsure if he could survive.
“Sect Master, since we have entered Void Land, we will not be duplicitous. Sect Master may rest assured and go. We will guard the Sect. You need not worry about anything here,” Mao Zhe said and cupped his fist.
Geng Qing and Zhou Ya also said, “Sect Master, please rest assured!”
Fatty Chen was far less dignified as snot and tears dripped from his face as he loudly proclaimed, “Sect Master, whether there is a Loyalty List or not, this Chen Tian Fei is a man of Void Land in life, and will be a ghost of Void Land in death! I swear to never do anything to betray the Sect! If I break my word, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. With me, Chen Tian Fei, as its guardian, the Sect will never be in danger!”
Mao Zhe couldn’t help glancing sideways with a disgusted look on his face, thinking this ass-kisser had always been like this. [What can he do as a mere Fourth-Order Master? How dare he boast so shamelessly!]
When Yun Xing Hua and Hei He saw the others making their declarations, they also quickly expressed their loyalty to the Sect.
Honestly, they had lived a good life in Void Land all these years, and it was impossible for any other Sect to provide them with so many resources for cultivation. They would not leave even if they were driven away at this time.
Hui Gu was not so melodramatic, but his loyalty was unquestionable as he asked, “Sect Master, why don’t I accompany you so I may offer whatever assistance I can.”
Yang Kai, however, waved his hand and said, “This is a dangerous endeavour, and even the first step of entering the Void Corridor will not be safe. I am not sure what will happen, and if I take you with me, it will only serve to distract me.”
Hui Gu had nothing else to say when he heard this. If he was going to be a burden, then it was better not to go.
The seven of them were removed from the Loyalty List; Luan Bai Feng and Xin Peng had long been set free from its constraints. The latter naturally did not need to express their appreciation for the gesture.
Yang Kai looked at Hua Qing Si and said, “Head Manager, I’ll have to trouble you with the management of the Sect.”
Hua Qing Si squeezed out a smile and said, “Sect Master may rest assured, when you return one day, I will hand you back a Sect that is a thousand times better than the current one!”
Halfway through the journey, she had heard Lan You Ruo talk about some things and was clear about the dangers Yang Kai would be facing.
It could be said that this was definitely the biggest risk Yang Kai had ever had to take. This was not a task that could be accomplished by simply being careful. Even the slightest mistake would result in death.
No one would depend on luck for something as important as this.
Yu Ru Meng suddenly grit her teeth and said, “You’d better survive! If you dare to die, I will take all my Sisters and remarry! I mean what I say!”
“Good!” Yang Kai nodded sincerely, not knowing whether he was promising to survive or acknowledging that he approved of the remarriage.
What should be said, had been said. All things had been taken care of and he had no more worries left.
Yang Kai took a few steps back, looked out at Void Land and High Heaven Palace’s members, put on a solemn expression, cupped his fist, and declared, “Everyone, this is goodbye!
His eyes swept over the faces of Yu Ru Meng and the others as if he wanted to engrave them into his heart.
After saying that, he turned around and dashed towards the Void Corridor.
The women suppressed their emotions so that Yang Kai would not worry; however, the moment he turned around, all of them could not hold back anymore and began to shed tears.
However, none of them made a sound and continued to suppress their voices!
Yu Ru Meng clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her skin and blood began to seep out along her fingers.
In front of the Void Corridor, Yang Kai nodded to the Eighth-Order Ancestors and said, “Junior is ready.”
All the Eighth-Orders cupped their fists in a solemn salute.
The burden of maintaining the peace of the 3,000 Worlds was placed on the back of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Junior, which made all of them feel ashamed.
However, they all knew that only Yang Kai could seal the Void Corridor.
Fortunately, he understood the importance of the situation and did not object in any way.
The 3,000 Worlds was lucky to have such a son.
“May good fortune and longevity accompany you!” Liu Mu shouted in a deep voice.
“May good fortune and longevity accompany you!” The chant came from the mouths of the Cave Heavens and Paradises Masters and resounded throughout the void.
Yang Kai nodded lightly, turned around, and boldly rushed into the Void Corridor without hesitation or looking back.
The Void Corridor opened up and swallowed Yang Kai’s figure.
Not long after, space churned at the entrance of the Void Corridor. A black hole emerged and looked as if it could swallow everything for as far as the eye could see, but within half an hour, everything had disappeared.
Many Ancestors released their Divine Senses to inspect the region carefully before exchanging glances and nodding.
Even with their cultivation, they could not detect anything at the spot where the Void Corridor once stood. In other words, the entrance of the Void Corridor had been completely sealed. Unless someone like Yang Kai, who was proficient in the Dao of Space, chanced upon it and forced it open again, no one would ever be able to find this entrance.
However, the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not dare to be careless. After a short deliberation, they decided to designate Black Territory as a Restricted Area and seal all Territory Gates leading to it. No one from the 3,000 Worlds could enter without permission and at least one Eighth-Order Ancestor would be dispatched to monitor the situation at all times to guard against any potential problems.
It would be a similar setup to the Chaotic Dead Territory where an Eighth-Order Ancestor and a team of High-Rank Masters would be stationed at the Territory Gate, monitoring the movement of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
This matter did not take much effort. There were as many Masters in the Cave Heavens and Paradises as there were clouds in the sky; therefore, they only needed to dispatch an Eighth-Order Ancestor along with some Seventh-Order Masters to take turns on duty.
After a short discussion, everybody agreed on a plan.
There were suppressed weeping sounds coming from the people of Void Land High Heaven Palace, which annoyed Lan You Ruo greatly and caused her to snap, “Why are you all crying? He’s not dead yet! If you really want to help him, then you should hurry back and cultivate hard!”
Yu Ru Meng seemed to realise something, “Big Sister, do you mean…”
Lan You Ruo might be their Senior, but she had always regarded Yang Kai as a Little Brother; hence, it was normal for Yu Ru Meng to address her as ‘Big Sister’ based on Yang Kai’s status.
Lan You Ruo nodded, “If he returns safely from this trip, then it can only mean that he did not enter the Black Ink Battlefield. If so, he will be safe and sound and nothing will change. On the other hand, if he fails to return, then it can only mean that he entered the Black Ink Battlefield after all. If you have the time to cry, then you might as well use that time to cultivate hard and advance to the Seventh-Order as soon as possible. When that happens, I’ll bring you all to the Black Ink Battlefield to look for him!”
As soon as she made the statement, several pairs of eyes immediately brightened.
The people from Void Land and High Heaven Palace were basically made up of Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. The Great Emperors and Yang Kai’s wives had all advanced directly to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, so the limit of their future achievements was the Eighth-Order.
Although Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were generally considered strong, they were actually the weakest of soldiers on the Black Ink Battlefield. Only those who had advanced to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm had enough strength to defend themselves.
A single statement from Lan You Ruo was enough for them to suppress their depressed feelings and redirect their attention towards a new goal.
Yue He took out a bunch of Space Rings and handed them to Hua Qing Si, “Head Manager, Young Master handed these to me previously and asked me to pass them to you.”
Hua Qing Si took the Space Rings and investigated them with her Divine Sense, a look of astonishment appearing on her face in the next instant. That couldn’t be helped though as all of these Space Rings contained Yin and Yang Element materials. Furthermore, the Yellow Crystals and Blue Crystals were piled up like mountains in the Space Rings, all of which were of excellent quality. Some crystals were even the size of small mountains all on their own.
These materials could be said to be invaluable. The Sect would have more than enough cultivation resources thanks to these materials, which would greatly shorten the cultivation time of its disciples.
Hua Qing Si was vaguely aware of the source of these Yellow and Blue Crystals. She had also heard about Yang Kai’s unique methods against the Black Ink Clan from Lan You Ruo, so she couldn’t help feeling worried and asked, “If Sect Master left all of these materials behind, then what would happen to him if he encountered someone from the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield?”
Without these resources, Yang Kai would not have any means to activate his primary weapon, the Purifying Light.
Yue He whispered, “Young Master told me that he only left half behind. He has taken the other half with him.”
Upon hearing those words, Hua Qing Si nodded her head with a sense of reassurance. Nevertheless, she was also extremely shocked inside. These Space Rings were literally filled to the brim with resources and the number of Yellow and Blue Crystals inside them were practically incalculable.
[And this merely half the total amount!? Just how many benefits did Sect Master gain in the Chaotic Dead Territory?] Composing herself, she stored the Space Rings away carefully. She was High Heaven Palace’s Head Manager and was responsible for the overall distribution of its resources; therefore, it was best if she kept these Space Rings in her possession.
Lan You Ruo led everybody over to bid their farewells to the Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises before setting out. The other party did not stop them from leaving. By venturing deep into the Void Corridor to re-seal it, Yang Kai had already made the greatest contribution possible, so there was no need for Void Land and High Heaven Palace to remain involved in this matter anymore.
The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters led by Liu Mu told the leaving party to inform them clearly if they had any need of help in the future. They promised that they would ask their disciples and subordinates to cooperate as much as possible.
Lan You Ruo thanked the Ancestors and departed with the others following behind her.
Thanks to the promises of the Ancestors, both High Heaven Palace and Void Land would be able to maintain a stable and independent position in the future. There was no need to worry about being pushed aside or excluded; after all, Yang Kai had only just made a huge contribution to the safety of the 3,000 Worlds. If his Sect was oppressed after that, it would be too dishonourable.
…..
Inside the Void Corridor, Space Principles surged around Yang Kai as he guided the Void Turbulence around him to exert a sealing effect.
In order to explain his plan to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Ancestors earlier, he had specially used a small tube of bamboo to demonstrate. The power of the ancient seal that used to fill the Void Corridor was gradually fading away; therefore, what he needed to do now was refill the spot where the ancient seal had disappeared in order to conceal the existence of the Void Corridor.
This was an extremely energy-consuming task since Yang Kai had to mobilize Space Principles at all times. Moreover, sealing the path behind him meant that he could no longer turn back. He could only forge forward and continuously seal the route ahead.
The Void Corridor was filled with chaos and darkness, with neither light nor sound. Even Yang Kai’s perception became quite hazy. Under such conditions, he could only wield his power instinctually and rely on the dispersion of the ancient seal ahead of him to estimate his progress.
Time passed, little by little. Yang Kai was forced to stop and rest from time to time as he did not dare to exhaust himself completely. Nobody could say whether or not he might encounter any dangers in the next moment, so he had to maintain a necessary level of strength to deal with any unknowns.
Everywhere he passed, his power flooded the Void Corridor and sealed it up tight. One would either need to use brute force or have similar attainments in the Dao of Space to break this seal.
Yang Kai did not know how long he spent inside the Void Corridor as the flow of time became blurry in a place like this. Due to the dissipation of the ancient seal, the Void Turbulence also became extremely dangerous and crashed towards him from all directions at all times.
If Yang Kai had faced this situation in the past, he might not have been able to resolve it. It was fortunate that his current attainments in the Dao of Space were extraordinary. According to the division of the Dao he created, Yang Kai had reached the eighth level, Summiting the Peak, which was a level far beyond what most people could reach in any Dao.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai noticed that there was an invisible force behind him blocking his way. This discovery calmed him down. In his haste, he had finally caught up!
He knew that the invisible force behind him was the power of the ancient seal, which could only mean that his speculation at the beginning was not wrong, and the opportunity to conceal the other end of the Void Corridor was completely in his grasp. If he was lucky, no one on the other end of the Void Corridor would ever know it existed.
The power of the ancient seal continued to dissipate, and as a result, Yang Kai found himself stuck between two walls in the Void Corridor. One of those walls was the ancient seal, and the other wall was the seal formed from his own Space Principles.
While the wall behind him dissipated continuously, he only needed to retreat along the path of the dissipating wall and plug up the path behind him with his own sealing power. There would come a day when the power of the ancient seal completely dissipated, and at that moment, Yang Kai would simultaneously seal the Void Corridor’s entrance once more.
As the days passed, Yang Kai kept up the boring and repetitive actions of maintaining the seal. Every time the ancient seal dissipated, he took a step forward and the cycle continued. This situation went on for a long time, and it wasn’t until a certain moment that Yang Kai suddenly realised that something was different about the environment behind him.
A small ray of light had abruptly emerged in the originally dark Void Corridor. The light seemed to be blocked by something, so it could not enter the Void Corridor completely and was thus a little hazy. What’s more, Yang Kai could vaguely sense the aura of another world coming from where the light originated!
His expression couldn’t help brightening. He knew that he was probably nearing the other end of the Void Corridor. The light and the aura from the other world were the best evidence; therefore, he immediately cheered up and focused his mind in anticipation!
There was no saying what kind of situation lay on the other side of the Void Corridor. There were speculations that he might emerge on the Black Ink Battlefield, and it was time to learn if that was true. It was a lie to say that Yang Kai was not nervous. If it turned out to be the Black Ink Battlefield, then he would never be able to return to the 3,000 Worlds for the rest of his life.
His heart was filled with anxiety and a primal fear that stemmed from stepping into the unknown. Be that as it may, the movements of his hands never stopped as hand seals changed constantly, and Space Principles surged around him. With every step backward that he took, the sealing power continued to fill the Void Corridor. Meanwhile, the light became brighter and brighter while the aura from the new world became clearer and clearer.
At a certain moment, the power of the ancient seal disappeared without any warning. Yang Kai who was clinging close to the retreating ancient seal immediately slipped out of the Void Corridor and his Divine Sense swiftly spread out to monitor his surroundings.
This was a world filled with abundant vitality. There were towering trees soaring into the skies with trunks that spanned the width of several grown men in the surroundings. World Energy was incredibly rich and the World Principles were perfect. There were also bushes by the side, as well as a Spirit Fruit Tree growing vigorously nearby. Several bright red Spirit Fruits hung from the tree and released a tantalising aroma while looking deliciously sweet.
Yang Kai could not recognise the fruit, but even so, he could tell that it was of good quality at a glance. It was most likely very beneficial to Open Heaven Realm Masters.
[What is this place?] He frowned. The Black Ink Battlefield filled with Black Ink Strength that he had imagined was a place where the environment was harsh and violence was rampant, nothing like where he currently stood.
[Could it be that the Void Corridor does not connect to the Black Ink Battlefield!?] As soon as that idea entered his head, Yang Kai became overjoyed. [It’s fine as long as its not the Black Ink Battlefield! That means I can still find a way to home! If I entered the Black Ink Battlefield, then I would have lost all hope of ever returning!]
There was no time to pick the spirit fruit though as Yang Kai had higher priorities. He hurriedly began to seal the Void Corridor. The entrance was a potential danger, so he had to seal and conceal it as soon as possible to ensure the safety of Black Territory.
Fortunately, this was not difficult as he had been sealing the path behind him all this time, so he was already accustomed to these actions. The black-hole like entrance of the Void Corridor was thus quickly closed.
Just as it seemed like the entrance of the Void Corridor was about to disappear entirely, Yang Kai furrowed his brow. There was a powerful aura approaching swiftly from the edge of his perception. Judging by the energy fluctuations coming from that person, this newcomer was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Yang Kai scowled and the movement of his hands sped up even more.
A short while later, the entrance to the Void Corridor finally became completely sealed and vanished from sight. Yang Kai had only just finished his task when the sound of something cutting through the air entered his ears. A figure landed lightly at a spot only a few dozen metres away from him and quietly observed him a moment later.
Turning to look in that direction, Yang Kai saw that the person who just arrived was a spirited old man. The old man’s figure was thin, and he was dressed in a loose robe. Just by looking at his external appearance, Yang Kai could not figure out his origins; however, he was probably from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises since he was in the Seventh-Order.
The old man stared at Yang Kai, then glanced around the surroundings with a suspicious look.
Yang Kai’s heart sank. He knew that even though he finished sealing the Void Corridor in time, there were obvious fluctuations from the existence of the Void Corridor itself. The energy fluctuations must have been detected by this old man. It was just that the entrance had completely vanished out of sight at this moment, so the old man did not understand what had happened here.
In fact, Yang Kai had the feeling that the energy fluctuations coming from the Void Corridor were what attracted this old man here in the first place.
This was something Yang Kai had been worrying about all along. There was bound to be some movement when the entrance to the Void Corridor on this side was revealed. His initial concern was that the Black Ink Clan might discover the Void Corridor. If that were to happen, the Black Ink Clan would be able to invade Black Territory through the Void Corridor.
If that was truly the case, then the existence of the No-Return Pass would become meaningless and the countless years of dedication and sacrifice of the Cave Heavens and Paradises would also become worthless.
It was precisely because he was worried about this issue that Yang Kai took the risk to come and seal the path himself. He even went so far as to cut off his return path. Looking at the current situation, it was a good thing that he had gone ahead with his actions; otherwise, people were bound to investigate the situation once the entrance to the Void Corridor appeared.
What puzzled him right now was the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in front of him. Just where did this person come from? And, where was this place?
After pondering for a moment, he cupped his fist and said, “Junior Yang Kai greets Senior!”
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man raised his eyes to look at Yang Kai. The look in his eyes was as tranquil as an ancient well. He seemed to be a person of few words. It might also be that he was too proud to speak to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivator like Yang Kai.
Yang Kai’s heart pounded in response as a vague feeling of unease gripped him. In truth, he had deliberately revealed his name to verify something.
Nowadays, Yang Kai could no longer consider himself to be a nameless nobody in the 3,000 Worlds. Whether it was his identity as the Lord of Void Land, Great Emperor of the Star Boundary, or his various actions in the Black Prison, it was enough for his name to be circulated around all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. If the other party was a Master from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, then it would make no sense for him to have never heard of Yang Kai’s name before.
However, judging by the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man’s reaction, it was clear that he had never heard of Yang Kai until now.
The old man’s gaze turned towards the fruits next as he said lightly, “These Profound Yin Spirit Fruits are mine. Do you have any objections?”
Yang Kai couldn’t even recognise those Spirit Fruits, so how could he object to anything? Nevertheless, looking at the old man’s attitude, he had the feeling that these so-called Profound Yin Spirit Fruits were very beneficial to Open Heaven Realm Masters. Still, Yang Kai immediately cupped his fist, “Treasures belong to those who are capable of taking them. Please help yourself, Senior.”
The old man nodded lightly, satisfied with Yang Kai’s performance. Moving to stand in front of the Spirit Fruit Tree in a flash, he stretched out his hand and picked the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits before placing them into a wooden box that he had prepared in advance.
Yang Kai obviously noticed the joy that flashed across the old man’s eyes; thus, he became even more convinced that the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits were indeed very valuable to the old man.
Just as he was about to ask some questions to learn more information about his situation though, a sudden change occurred.
The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man turned around and suddenly slammed his palm towards Yang Kai without any warning. The World Force around this palm surged violently, and murderous intent burst out as though he wanted to kill Yang Kai on the spot.
Yang Kai was startled. He never imagined that the other party would try to kill him after picking the fruits. Was this old man trying to silence the witness to the crime by killing him lest he expose this matter later?
Fortunately, despite his shock, Yang Ki was not defenceless. He had come to this place all on his own, so he had not relaxed his vigilance for even a moment.
Faced with this sudden palm strike, Yang Kai did not dare to be careless. He hastily mobilised the power of his Small Universe and launched a counterattack.
There was a huge explosion. When their World Forces collided, Yang Kai’s figure was sent flying backwards. Meanwhile, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man staggered unsteadily.
A soft cry of surprise leaked from the old man’s mouth. Although it was only one exchange, he could sense that Yang Kai was special. Logically speaking, after being struck by the sudden ambush of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like himself, a Sixth-Order Junior should be heavily injured if not dead. On the contrary, the brat in front of him seemed to be unaffected. That was absolutely unbelievable.
Even Yang Kai was surprised at this outcome. His opponent might be stronger than him, but he couldn’t shake the vague feeling that something was wrong.
There was no time for him to think about anything else though as the Seventh-Order old man was already chasing after him like a shadow.
As the old man approached, he formed a seal with his hands. A mysterious light shot out from his palm the next moment and blasted towards Yang Kai. Before the light got too close though, it suddenly transformed into a large light barrier and blocked off all routes where Yang Kai could dodge.
Yang Kai gave a furious roar and drew on the power of his Small Universe. Summoning the Azure Dragon Spear, he swept out with his Supreme Limitless Spear Art. His spear shot out like a Dragon and transformed into spear shadows that covered the entire sky.
The light barrier shattered while Yang Kai’s figure drew back.
At the same time, the Seventh-Order old man closed in as the bewilderment on his face grew stronger and stronger. He was shocked by the strength Yang Kai displayed, but he did not pause his attacks. Summoning a longsword into his hand, the old man slashed out with a frigid sword light. Thousands of sword waves erupted outward around him.
Amidst the clashing sounds, World Force collided endlessly. The two figures became entangled in battle and smashed up the world around them, leaving devastation in their wake everywhere they went.
Halfway through the battle, Yang Kai raised his brow and finally realised what was wrong.
This old man was indeed in the Seventh-Order, but he was far weaker than any Seventh-Order Master Yang Kai had ever met before! It could be said that Yang Kai had never met such a weak Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
The aura from the old man’s body clearly indicated he was a Seventh-Order Master, but be that as it may, the power he exerted was only slightly stronger than what a Sixth-Order Master could muster. It was far from the standard of a Seventh-Order Master.
His intention to kill Yang Kai was as clear as day, and the fact that he had launched a sudden sneak attack was the best proof. That was why Yang Kai believed that the old man was not holding back his strength. In other words, he was going all out!
[What’s going on?] Yang Kai could not understand, but he vaguely guessed that the other party was injured and could not exert his true strength. Nevertheless, he was secretly grateful. It was a fortunate situation for him; otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to resist.
Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm after all, and although he could be considered invincible among Sixth-Order Masters, it was still tough for him to fight a Seventh-Order Master. He would only be qualified for a frontal confrontation with a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master if he transformed into his Grand Dragon Form.
During the confrontation, the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man couldn’t help growing anxious when he saw that he could not defeat Yang Kai even after so long. Pitch-black aura slowly seeped out from his body, and even his eyes were gradually overtaken by darkness.
When Yang Kai looked up and their eyes met, he felt his heart sinking all of a sudden.
A Black Ink Disciple!
The pitch-black aura and eyes filled with darkness were the most obvious features of a Black Ink Disciple. Besides, Yang Kai had encountered more than one Black Ink Disciple in the past, so this kind of appearance was not unfamiliar to him.
When he deliberately announced his name as a test earlier, the other party’s complete lack of reaction had given Yang Kai an ominous feeling. Be that as it may, he had held onto a glimmer of hope. He hoped that the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man was not from any Cave Heaven or Paradise but from one of the Second-Class great forces like those High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Shattered Heaven, which would explain why the old man had never heard his name.
Judging from the current situation though, that was not the case. This Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man was a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai could not help clenching his teeth. A Black Ink Disciple could not be identified from their external appearance alone. If this intense battle had not forced the other party to actively expose himself, Yang Kai would have had no means to determine the identity of the other party.
Black Ink Strength could not increase the power of an Open Heaven Realm Master, it would only change their nature. However, the Black Ink Strength could allow an Open Heaven Realm Master to break through their limitations and advance infinitely in their cultivation.
Everything Yang Kai saw and heard in Black Territory had taught him that there were disadvantages to that kind of unlimited advancement though. Not everybody could withstand the pressure during the breakthrough. There were some Black Ink Disciples in Black Territory that had exploded and died when breaking through their original limitations. Some also experienced changes in their appearance, their bodies becoming misshapen or covered in large cysts and welts.
There were no free advantages in the world. If one wanted to enjoy an advantage, then they would need to pay a price.
Unfortunately, average people were ignorant and the ability of the Black Ink Strength to break through the shackles of the Open Heaven Realm was extremely attractive. That was why the Cave Heavens and Paradises had always kept information regarding the Black Ink Clan a secret, lest there were people who could not resist the temptation and took risks to seek them out.
This Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man might have revealed the Black Ink Strength in his rage, but his strength had not increased in the slightest.
On the contrary, Yang Kai gradually figured out the old man’s background. If the other party had been in his prime, Yang Kai would have needed to use his Dragon Transformation to stand a fighting chance against him. Now that the old man’s strength was clearly reduced though, there was no need for such trouble.
Another fierce collision occurred, and when both parties were thrown backwards by the explosive impact, Yang Kai raised his spear with one hand and clenched his other hand into a fist. Then, he slowly threw his fist forward.
Yang Kai’s swing seemed harmless and even a bit comical, but the expression of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm old man changed drastically under this punch. The old man’s figure suffered an enormous shock, and he spat out fresh blood as a result.
Cow Punch!
Strictly speaking, Black Ink Disciples were simply Open Heaven Realm Masters corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. The power that they wielded was still the same power from their Small Universe.
How could Yang Kai fail to grasp this opportunity after fighting the old man for so long? Tracing the opponent’s World Force back to his Small Universe, Yang Kai’s Cow Punch Secret Technique achieved success in one-hit!
In the first place, it was a Secret Technique meant for the weak to defeat the strong, so as long as Yang Kai had enough time to prepare, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would suffer tremendously after being struck by this blow.
The old man’s Small Universe was instantly turned upside-down, and his World Force failed to flow smoothly. A burst of Stars appeared in his vision and at that moment, the horror in his heart could not have been any stronger.
He initially thought that his opponent was just a Sixth-Order Master that he could easily kill, but who could have known that this Sixth-Order Junior would have such extraordinary combat power? It would have been nothing if that was all, but this little bastard even used some strange Secret Technique that could bombard his Small Universe directly. Such a Secret Technique was completely unprecedented!
Just as the old man’s Small Universe was shaking and he could not access his strength, Yang Kai dashed over and stood right in front of him. An ominous feeling immediately flooded the old man’s heart as he barely managed to raise his palm and slam it out at his opponent.
It was impossible for this attack to harm Yang Kai in any way as there was no power behind it. Yang Kai effortlessly blocked the palm strike and in the next moment, his hands shone with a blue and yellow light. Pressing his palms together in front of him, a pure and unblemished Purifying Light enveloped the Seventh-Order old man.
Having confirmed the other party’s identity as a Black Ink Disciple, Yang Kai naturally had his own means of dealing with the old man.
On the other hand, the old man reacted as if he had been struck by lightning. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and his face twisted in pain. As the pitch-black aura in his body dissipated away though, the pain gradually subsided.
Yang Kai had fought a Black Ink Royal Lord in the Black Prison, and at that time, many Seventh-Order Masters had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. He had relied on the Purifying Light to restore order from chaos and rescue them; hence, Yang Kai was just performing a familiar action at this point.
A short while later, the Black Ink Strength stopped leaking from the old man’s body. He slowly opened his eyes and studied Yang Kai with a puzzled glance. Shock, however, was the greatest emotion he felt at this moment.
“Senior…” Yang Kai called out lightly.
Only then did the old man seem to wake from his daze. He anxiously gasped for breath and said, “Let’s go! We can’t stay here!”
The two of them had battled for quite a long time just now, so there was no saying whether the commotion had spread to the surroundings. Staying here would only attract others to come and investigate the situation.
Yang Kai had many doubts in his heart, but now was clearly not the time to ask questions. Nodding his head, he quickly followed behind the old man and hurried into the distance.
Not long after the pair departed, several figures arrived from different directions. It was obvious that they had been attracted by the fluctuations of the battle just now.
After investigating the messy battlefield though, all the people who came turned to glance at the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit’s tree; then, they dispersed and disappeared without a trace a short while later.
…..
There was a karst cave hidden deep inside the belly of a certain mountain. The Seventh-Order old man guided Yang Kai to this place, and once they entered the cave, he quickly set up various barriers to isolate it. Only then did he sit down cross-legged, silently circulate his Secret Technique, and adjust his breathing.
Yang Kai had so many questions that he didn’t know where to start asking; however, looking at the old man’s actions, he could only wait patiently. He had not held back when he used his Cow Punch during their battle earlier. With such a violent force slamming into the old man’s Small Universe, it was only natural that he was feeling quite unsteady.
A long while passed before the old man exhaled deeply and opened his eyes.
Yang Kai sat upright beside the old man, looking concerned, “Senior, are you seriously wounded?”
He was the one who injured the other party after all, so he felt a little apologetic. It was just that the situation at the time had left him with no other choice. The other party had tried to kill him, so he could not be expected to sit still and wait for death.
The old man did not answer and countered with another question instead, “Are you not a Black Ink Disciple?”
The young man in front of him could even dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength in his Small Universe. Such an ability was simply sensational. With this ability, it should naturally be impossible for him to become corrupted by the Black Ink Clan and degenerate into a Black Ink Disciple.
Yang Kai shook his head in response, “No!”
The old man looked astonished, “If you’re not a Black Ink Disciple, then how did you appear here?”
“The story is long and complicated. This Junior will explain later, but I have a few questions for you first, Senior.” Yang Kai looked at the old man.
The old man nodded, “Speak!”
Yang Kai asked, “Is this the Black Ink Battlefield?”
The old man furrowed his brow lightly and stared at Yang Kai puzzledly, as if asking ‘You’re standing right here, how can you not know where you are?’
After pondering quietly for a moment though, he answered the question anyway, “Yes and no.”
[What do you mean ‘yes and no’?] Yang Kai was perplexed by the answer.
Luckily, the old man explained, “This place is a Sealed World within the Black Ink Battlefield. Once you exit the Sealed World, you will arrive at the real Black Ink Battlefield.”
Yang Kai was greatly astonished, “A Sealed World? There’s a Sealed World in the Black Ink Battlefield!?”
The old man stared at Yang Kai, his confusion growing larger, “The Black Ink Battlefield is incredibly vast. There are countless Sealed Worlds here.”
His expression seemed to say ‘what’s so surprising about that?’
Yang Kai fell silent in contemplation… Nevertheless, he finally understood why the scenery he saw when he stepped out from the Void Corridor was so different from his expectations. It turned out that he had directly entered a Sealed World. Only once he left this Sealed World could he be considered to have arrived in the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Has this Sealed World always existed? Or, was it only discovered recently by accident?” Yang Kai asked again.
“Several months ago, the entrance of this Sealed World appeared. Only then did we discover this place,” the old man answered.
Several months ago coincided with the death of the Black Ink Royal Lord. Yang Kai did not know the connection between these two incidents, but he was certain that they were somehow related to each other.
In any case, this situation gave him some peace of mind. His greatest concern was that the Black Ink Clan would discover the entrance to the Void Corridor. It would now seem that the Ancient Great Experts had prepared in advance. This Sealed World might be related to the methods of the Ancient Great Expert who set up the Super Array in Black Territory; after all, concealing the entrance to the Void Corridor inside a Sealed World would certainly provide an extra layer of security.
Yang Kai thought for a moment before asking another question, “Based on what you said earlier, it doesn’t sound like you’re the only one who entered this Sealed World.”
The old man nodded, “Of course. There are many treasures in the Sealed Worlds scattered throughout the Black Ink Battlefield. These treasures are essentially worthless to the Black Ink Clan, but they are valuable to Black Ink Disciples. That is why many Black Ink Disciples will scramble to enter a Sealed World as soon as one appears.”
Yang Kai raised his brow at those words, secretly rejoicing that this Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was on the weaker side. It would have been difficult for him to cope otherwise. After considering all this, he asked yet another question, “Senior, were you injured previously?”
How else could a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master be defeated and spun around in circles by him so easily?
The old man gave Yang Kai a deep look before he shook his head, “I’m not injured per-say. It’s just that this Old Master’s Small Universe is incomplete.”
Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before comprehending the meaning behind the old man’s words.
The reason for having an incomplete Small Universe was that he had sacrificed a portion of it! There was only one situation in which a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master would willingly make such a sacrifice, when they were being corroded by the Black Ink Strength!
During the battle against the Black Ink Royal Lord, many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been corroded by the Black Ink Strength. For some, Yang Kai had managed to dispel the Black Ink Strength in time, but for others, they had no choice but to sacrifice a part of their Small Universe to save themselves. That was the only way to prevent themselves from completely being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.
This old man had clearly undergone a similar situation before, which was why his Small Universe was incomplete and why his strength as a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master seemed so feeble.
For the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters who cultivated for tens of thousands of years, sacrificing a part of their Small Universe required great courage and determination.
While fighting the Black Ink Royal Lord, Yang Kai had witnessed the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises sacrificing pieces of their Small Universes with his own eyes, an act which greatly impacted him.
If such situations had happened in Black Territory, then similar situations would certainly be commonplace in the Black Ink Battlefield.
“Please forgive me, Senior. This Junior has only just arrived here, so there are many things that I don’t understand,” Yang Kai cupped his fist.
The old man narrowed his eyes slightly at those words, “Just arrived here? Which Cave Heaven or Paradise do you belong to?”
Yang Kai shook his head, “This Junior does not come from any Cave Heaven or Paradise. I did not enter the Black Ink Battlefield through the No-Return Pass either!”
He knew what the old man had been suspicious about this point, so he took the initiative to point out these facts.
The old man’s expression changed drastically after listening to Yang Kai’s reply, “There’s another way to enter the Black Ink Battlefield aside from the No-Return Pass!?”
The No-Return Pass was the last line of defence against the Black Ink Clan. As long as they steadfastly defended the No-Return Pass, the Black Ink Clan would never step foot into the 3,000 Worlds. That was the belief held by all the Cave Heavens and Paradises. That was also the reason why they had been struggling desperately for so many years.
However, Yang Kai claimed that he had not entered this place through the No-Return Pass, so how could the old man not be shocked? If somebody could enter this place through another path, then the Black Ink Clan could use that very same path to invade the 3,000 Worlds! That was something that would break the stalemate that had existed for hundreds of thousands of years!
“There’s no need to worry, Senior. I’ve already sealed the path that connects to this place. That is why I’m here in the first place.” Yang Kai waved his hand to reassure the old man, knowing that the other party had more doubts than him right now. After collecting his thoughts, he asked, “Senior, can you please allow me to check your Small Universe?”
Yang Kai had used the Purifying Light on the old man earlier, so logically speaking, the Black Ink Strength should have been removed completely. Even so, when it came to such matters, he could not feel at ease unless he checked the other party’s Small Universe. The secrets he needed to divulge were of immense importance, so it was better to err on the side of caution.
The old man undoubtedly understood Yang Kai’s consideration; hence, he nodded and took the initiative to open the portal to his Small Universe without any hesitation, “Go ahead!”
In the 3,000 Worlds, it was a great humiliation for someone to have their Small Universe inspected; on the Black Ink Battlefield however, it was a common practice. It could be said that all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Black Ink Battlefield would go through this process after every battle. This was a special custom created by the unique environment here.
Yang Kai did not stand on ceremony as now was not the time to be courteous to one another. His Divine Sense plunged into the Small Universe for an investigation.
After a while, he retracted his Divine Senses, “Forgive my rudeness.”
There were no remnants of the Black Ink Strength left in the old man’s Small Universe, and just as he mentioned earlier, the old man’s Small Universe was indeed incomplete. There were clearly parts which were missing, which caused the World Force in his Small Universe to flow in an awkward manner. That was also the reason why he could not exert the full strength of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
On the other hand, the old man showed no inclination to check Yang Kai’s Small Universe. He seemed to have absolute trust in Yang Kai’s Purifying Light.
“I’m sure you have many questions, Senior, but it is a long story. Please allow this Junior to slowly explain the situation to you.”
“Good. Please tell me in detail.”
Yang Kai nodded in response. First, he clarified his identity and background. Whether it was his identity as Void Land’s Lord, High Heaven Palace’s Palace Master, or a Star Boundary Great Emperor, all of these names were very unfamiliar to the old man.
After that, he explained about the Black Ink Disciples in Lang Ya Paradise. It was only then that the old man’s expression changed slightly, but he listened quietly and did not interrupt Yang Kai.
When Yang Kai mentioned the Black Ink Royal Lord in Black Territory, the old man’s expression changed drastically.
Although the Masters from the various Cave Heavens and Paradises in the 3,000 Worlds attached great importance to the Black Ink Royal Lord, none of them had fought on the Black Ink Battlefield before. On the other hand, as somebody who constantly walked along the edge of life and death on the Black Ink Battlefield, the strength of a Black Ink Royal Lord was well known to the old man and was a huge deterrent.
If the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises did not make a move, who could possibly be the opponent of a Black Ink Royal Lord?
Fortunately, that Black Ink Royal Lord had been trapped for countless years so her strength had declined tremendously. The Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises went all out in battle and paid a huge price, but their efforts eventually resulted in the death of the Royal Lord.
Upon hearing the outcome of the battle, the old man finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yang Kai told the story lightly, but the old man could imagine the dangers and brutality of that battle. The Cave Heavens and Paradises must have lost countless elites in that fight.
“After the Black Ink Royal Lord died, a Void Corridor appeared at the spot where she perished!” Yang Kai sighed softly, “Nobody knew where the Void Corridor would lead, but based on the Royal Lord’s behaviour before her death, we were certain that there was nothing good waiting for us at the other side. The destination would most likely be related to the Black Ink Clan, so we presumed that it would be the Black Ink Battlefield. If that were truly the case, then the 3,000 Worlds would be in danger. This Junior’s cultivation might be meager, but I am proficient in the Dao of Space, which was why I volunteered to enter the Void Corridor and seal it again. The task of sealing the Void Corridor brought me to this place. Truthfully, I had only just finished my task when I ran into you, Senior.”
At this point, Yang Kai could be considered to have finished explaining his origins.
The old man’s expression fluctuated many times while he was listening to Yang Kai’s story. It was an extremely exciting and colourful narration, but he was relieved after listening to its end.
It was a blessing among all the misfortune for a talented individual like this young man to have appeared in the 3,000 Worlds. His proficiency in the Dao of Space allowed him to seal the Void Corridor in a timely and effective manner, so the consequences had not been dire.
“No wonder this Old Master sensed Space Principle fluctuations just now, it turned out it was because of the Void Corridor.” The old man seemed to have figured out the answer to one of his own questions.
Yang Kai queried, “From the standpoint of a Black Ink Disciple, did you not suspect anything, Senior?”
The old man replied, “I had my doubts, but this Old Master was distracted by the Profound Yin Spirit Fruits at the time, so I couldn’t be bothered to investigate the issue. You did well. After the Void Corridor was sealed, this Old Master could not find any flaws. I believe that the other Black Ink Disciples will not find anything either even if they passed by that place.”
“Profound Yin Spirit Fruit…” Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at the name. If the old man had not said anything, he would not have known anything about that Spirit Fruit. What could be certain was that the Spirit Fruit was something that could only be found in the Black Ink Battlefield as Yang Kai had never heard of such a Spirit Fruit in the 3,000 Worlds before.
The old man took out a wooden box, opened it, and explained, “This Spirit Fruit is extremely useful for mending one’s damaged Small Universe.”
Yang Kai immediately understood, “The Heavenly Way is indeed fair in all things!”
The old man nodded, “That’s right. A cultivator’s Small Universe is akin to an independent world, and this Spirit Fruit has the ability to mend broken Small Universes. The ancestors named it the ‘Profound Yin Spirit Fruit’ as it symbolized renewal and rebirth.”
This Spirit Fruit was useless to the average Open Heaven Realm Master, but it was a precious treasure for those with a damaged Small Universe like the old man. It had to be said that once a person’s Small Universe became incomplete, their Martial Dao would never improve again in the future. Moreover, their strength would also be greatly reduced.
It would be similar to this old man in front of Yang Kai. If his Small Universe had not been damaged, Yang Kai would not have been able to defeat him so easily. But, if he recovered with the help of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit, then he would regain the strength he had at his peak.
It was true that the old man had noticed some abnormalities back when Yang Kai emerged from the Void Corridor, but his attention was quickly drawn towards the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit; hence, he did not bother to pursue the matter any further. In the first place, he only appeared at that spot because he had been attracted by the subtle fluctuations of Space Principles that spread out when the entrance of the Void Corridor opened for a moment.
“Even in the Black Ink Battlefield, this Spirit Fruit is probably a rare treasure, right?” Yang Kai asked.
The old man nodded, “Although there are many Sealed Worlds in the Black Ink Battlefield, not every Sealed World has a Profound Yin Spirit Fruit Tree. This Spirit Fruit is certainly rare.” Having said that, he smiled brightly, “If not for that, this Old Master would not have tried to silence the witness to the crime, lest you reveal the existence of the Spirit Fruit to the others. Who could have known…”
Who could have known that he would be no match for his opponent? The fact that he couldn’t even defeat a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master made him feel rather ashamed. At the same time, he finally understood why the Cave Heavens and Paradises entrusted the heavy responsibility of sealing the Void Corridor to a mere Sixth-Order Junior.
How could this Sixth-Order boy be compared to ordinary Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters? Despite having lived for so many years, the old man had never met a more ferocious Sixth-Order Master in his life. Not to mention, the mysterious Purifying Light that Yang Kai displayed could even dispel the Black Ink Strength that had corrupted his Small Universe for so many years. It was simply unbelievable.
Likewise, Yang Kai secretly rejoiced that the old man had taken the initiative to attack him; otherwise, he would not have been able to figure out the old man’s identity. Black Ink Disciples were no different from ordinary people under normal circumstances after all. There was no way to notice any abnormality from their external appearance alone.
“That pure white light… What is it?” The old man could not hold back his curiosity, “Do the Cave Heavens and Paradises have such a Secret Technique now?”
If that was truly the case, then it was truly fortuitous news for all those who had crossed the No-Return Pass. This Secret Technique evidently had strong restraining effects on the Black Ink Strength, so no matter who was corrupted by the Black Ink Clan in the future, they could still be saved.
Over the years, the Cave Heavens and Paradises had invested many people into the Black Ink Battlefield. Countless people had died in battle, but many others had been converted into Black Ink Disciples and became enemies instead. That was the biggest reason why the Cave Heavens and Paradises could never obtain victory on the Black Ink Battlefield. If not for that, their continuous investment of manpower would eventually have eroded away at the forces of the Black Ink Clan until nothing was left.
Yang Kai shook his head, “This is not a Secret Technique of the Cave Heavens and Paradises. It is something that this Junior obtained by chance, and only this Junior can use it.”
He did not mention the existence of the Sun’s Burning Light and Moon’s Serene Glimmer as there was no need to. It was enough to explain that he was the only person who could use this technique.
The old man was slightly disappointed, but he soon understood. If this Secret Technique had been developed by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, it would have been delivered to the Black Ink Battlefield a long time ago. There was no reason to hide it until today.
Looking at Yang Kai, he let out a long sigh, “The Heavens must be jealous!”
Yang Kai instantly burst out laughing. Somehow, those words sounded as though he was going to die at any moment.
The old man continued, “It is not easy for you to make such a sacrifice for the 3,000 Worlds. The Cave Heavens and Paradises have much to be grateful to you for.”
“This Junior only followed his own sense of justice. You praise me too much, Senior.” Yang Kai responded humbly.
The old man sighed once more, “But, since you are already here, then that means you can’t go back anymore. Do you have anything else that you wish to say before we begin?”
Yang Kai furrowed his eyebrows slightly, “Senior, what do you mean…”
Something about the old man’s statement set off alarm bells in his head.
The old man said, “You are a hero of the 3,000 Worlds. From an emotional perspective, you should not have had to carry such a heavy fate. Unfortunately, the existence of the Void Corridor is too important. This information must never be allowed to leak to others.” Then, his expression became solemn and his voice became grim, “Only the dead will never reveal a secret. I hope you understand what I mean.”
When he was met with Yang Kai’s silence for an answer, he clearly misunderstood the situation and opened his mouth once more, “I believe you would not want your efforts to go to waste either. I also believe that you have prepared yourself for the worst when you chose to seal the Void Corridor alone.”
Yang Kai quickly raised his hand to interrupt the old man, “I understand what you mean, Senior.”
The old man was pleased, “You truly are a man who understands the bigger picture.”
“But, Senior, this Junior might not have to die.”
The old man frowned and reprimanded Yang Kai, “Fool! I know that you have the means to dispel and purify Black Ink Strength, so it won’t be easy for you to be corrupted by it; however, you are only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm! Once you exit this Sealed World, you will enter the true Black Ink Battlefield. There are countless Black Ink Disciples outside, not to mention there are Territory Lords overseeing this place. How will you resist them if you slip up? It’s only a matter of time before you become corrupted by Black Ink Strength and become a Black Ink Disciple. How will the existence of the Void Corridor remain concealed once you’ve been corrupted!? If you have the means to seal the Void Corridor, then I can only presume that you have the means to reopen it too! If you become a Black Ink Disciple, the first thing you will do will be to open that Void Corridor and lead chaos into the 3,000 Worlds! For that reason, you must die! Not only that, this Old Master will have to die too! This is the only way to ensure that this secret will remain completely hidden! If you cannot do it yourself, then this Old Master will help you. Don’t worry, you only need to wait a while on the road to the Yellow Springs. This Old Master will follow you shortly!”
Even though this old man kept telling him to die, Yang Kai could not bring himself to hate him.
Under normal circumstances, the old man’s suggestion would undoubtedly be the correct choice. Only the dead could keep secrets. Once they were corrupted by Black Ink Strength and became Black Ink Disciples, the existence of the Void Corridor would immediately be exposed. They would wholeheartedly devote themselves to the Black Ink Clan after becoming Black Ink Disciples.
In other words, even without the instructions of the Black Ink Clan, Yang Kai would willingly divulge the existence of the Void Corridor and take the initiative to open it for them.
What’s more, the old man even said that Yang Kai would only need to wait a while on the road to the Yellow Springs and he would follow soon after. At that time, they could travel together so that the journey would not be lonely.
The old man was staring at Yang Kai as though he was going to help send Yang Kai to the afterlife if Yang Kai refused to die; hence, Yang Kai quickly said, “Senior, I cannot be corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. This Junior was present during the battle against the Black Ink Royal Lord, and during that battle, the Black Ink Royal Lord used her Royal Lord Secret Technique to instantly corrupt five Eighth-Order Ancestors. However, this Junior remained safe and sound. One of them was even standing right beside this Junior when it happened.”
The old man shook his head, “The method of dispelling and purifying Black Ink Strength is extraordinary indeed, but on the Black Ink Battlefield, using this method to resist the Black Ink Strength will only attract the attention of Black Ink Clan!”
Explanations were clearly useless. At this point, only actual hard evidence would work, so Yang Kai simply stated, “Please see for yourself, Senior!”
As soon as those words left his mouth, a pitch-black aura seeped out from the surface of his body. Even his eyes were swiftly covered by the darkness.
The old man turned pale with shock. Activating his World Force, he nearly struck Yang Kai with his palm; however, his palm stopped right in front of Yang Kai. The reason was that the darkness had faded from Yang Kai’s eyes.
Yang Kai explained, “I will not conceal the truth from you, Senior. This Junior was lucky enough to obtain the World Spring through an opportunity a long time ago, so my Small Universe is impenetrable to external forces. I even have a large amount of Black Ink Essence suppressed and sealed inside my Small Universe, but it has not affected this Junior in any way.”
“A World Spring!?” The old man was astonished and delighted by those words, but he shouted, “Words are nothing without proof!”
Just as Yang Kai had prudently checked his Small Universe before, he had the same thoughts at this moment. Their situations were simply reversed.
Yang Kai gave a wry smile. Knowing that the old man would not be reassured if he did not allow the other party to check for himself, he immediately opened the portal to his Small Universe.
The old man poured his Divine Sense into Yang Kai’s Small Universe to investigate without any trace of politeness. In the next moment, he looked dumbfounded, “Are you really just a Sixth-Order Master?”
Under his investigation, he discovered that Yang Kai’s Small Universe had already transformed from immaterial to material! That was the capital that only High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could have! It was impossible for the Small Universe of a Sixth-Order Master to achieve something like that.
This old man was not the first person to be shocked by this. When Yu Xiang Die and the others had investigated Yang Kai’s Small Universe back then, they had the same reaction. The main reason was that nobody had ever seen something like this before, so it was very strange and novel.
“You’ve already checked my Small Universe, Senior. How can this Junior hide anything from you?”
The old man nodded. Under his investigation, he discovered that Yang Kai was indeed only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm. That was not a lie. At the same time, he finally understood why a Sixth-Order Junior had such impressive combat power that even a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like himself was not an opponent.
Yang Kai had a fully materialized Small Universe, so it was only natural that ordinary Sixth-Order Masters could not compare to him.
Inside Yang Kai’s Small Universe, the Black Ink Strength was being suppressed and sealed, and there was also a small spring that seemed to flow without end, spreading out a kind of protective aura to the rest of the World.
The old man had never seen a World Spring before, but he clearly saw the area where the Black Ink Strength was being suppressed and sealed. When he retracted his Divine Sense, he nodded lightly, “No wonder you dared to take such risks, it was because you had something to rely upon! Good! Very good!”
With one of the Four Universe Pillars like the World Spring supporting Yang Kai’s Small Universe, there was certainly no need for him to worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. That was the greatest guarantee for his own safety.
Observing Yang Kai carefully, the old man’s eyes slowly began to brighten.
Yang Kai did not need to die or worry about being corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, turning him into a Black Ink Disciple. In which case, his very existence was a huge blessing to the Black Ink Battlefield. Leaving aside his cultivation, just his ability to dispel and purify the Black Ink Strength alone would be a huge boost to the front lines.
The wheels turned in the old man’s head, and various thoughts crossed his mind at that moment. Soon though, his expression became firm and he said, “This Old Master is Meng Qi. I hailed from Exquisite Paradise! 4,000 years ago, I followed my Seniors from the Master Sect through the No-Return Pass and came to the Black Ink Battlefield.”
He had not bothered to introduce himself to Yang Kai before because he believed that they both needed to die in order to protect the secrets here, so introductions were redundant. Now that Yang Kai would live though, the situation was different. At the very least, if he told Yang Kai his origins, Yang Kai might be able to bring a message back to his Master Sect one day.
Yang Kai quickly cupped his fist, “So it is Senior Meng.”
Meng Qi gestured around him and asked, “How much do you actually understand about the Black Ink Battlefield and the Black Ink Clan?”
“Not much. Just before I came here, I only heard a little from the Ancestors.”
Meng Qi nodded, well-aware that this information had always been kept secret in the 3,000 Worlds. Even amongst the Cave Heavens and Paradises, only a few Elders and elite disciples knew anything. Unfortunately, even these people’s knowledge was not comprehensive, so it was impossible for Yang Kai to understand much.
Flipping his hand, Meng Qi suddenly took out an object. This object was round and the size of a fist.
Yang Kai glanced at the object and asked curiously, “A Universe Chart?”
Yang Kai possessed a similar object. It was something he bought from in Thousand Birds Star City. The 3,000 Worlds was too vast and there were countless Great Territories connected to each other. If not for the guidance of a Universe Chart, it would be impossible for one to navigate between destinations. That was why almost all Open Heaven Realm Masters would have a Universe Chart in their possession.
This object was something every single Cave Heaven or Paradise could refine and was a valuable source of income. Thanks to that, the Cave Heavens and Paradises gained a sizable income every year just by relying on sales of Universe Charts.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai did not understand why Meng Qi had taken out a copy of the Universe Chart at a time like this.
“This is the Universe Chart of the Black Ink Battlefield. Although the information contained within is from 3,000 years ago, it should be not that much different from the current situation.” While speaking, Meng Qi handed the Universe Chart to Yang Kai.
He had entered the Black Ink Battlefield with his Seniors from their Master Sect 4,000 years ago, but he accidentally became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength during a battle against the Black Ink Clan 3,000 years ago. Consequently, the information in his Universe Chart had not been updated since then.
Yang Kai readily accepted the Universe Chart from Meng Qi. In his present situation, this information was very valuable to him.
His Divine Sense immediately poured into the Universe Chart. In that instant, Yang Kai felt as though he had entered a vast universe on display before him. His vision expanded, and he saw the nearest great pass inside the Universe Chart that resembled a Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Array at a glance. He also saw the existence of various other great passes inside the Universe Chart. What’s more, the name of each great pass seemed to be related to one of Cave Heavens or Paradises. For example, he saw a Great Battle Pass, Yin-Yang Pass, Lang Ya Pass, Golden Antelope Pass, and so on…
These great passes seemed to resonate and reinforce each other. Connected from one end to another, they formed a gigantic Grand Array that stretched across the vast void. Yang Kai could almost imagine just how huge and majestic the actual great passes were in the Black Ink Battlefield.
Behind these great passes was where the No-Return Pass was located. The No-Return Pass marked the border dividing the 3,000 Worlds and Black Ink Battlefield. It was also the last line of defence. If the No-Return Pass ever fell, that would mean that the Black Ink Clan could invade the 3,000 Worlds with impunity. The 3,000 Worlds would be in peril once that happened.
“Senior, where are we now?” Yang Kai studied the Universe Chart for a moment but did not find their current position. Logically speaking, his current position should be extremely easy to locate on the Universe Chart. Even so, he could not pinpoint where they were. He had a vague suspicion that the reason was related to them being inside the Sealed World. A Sealed World was an independent world isolated from the outside world after all, so it was bound to hinder the display of the Universe Chart.
Meng Qi reached out and tapped on the Universe Chart. A certain spot on the Universe Chart immediately glowed with light, “Here.”
Yang Kai studied the distance between the spot of light and the great passes of the Cave Heavens and Paradises before gritting his teeth. The distance was not insignificant. It could almost be said that he was deep within the belly of the Black Ink Battlefield at this moment. There was no saying how much danger he would face if he wanted to head towards the great passes.
Meng Qi explained, “This area is located within the domain of Hong Lian Territory Lord. He has many Black Ink Clansman and Black Ink Disciples under his command. When you leave this Sealed World, that will be the first danger you will have to face.”
Before coming here, Liu Mu and the others had explained to Yang Kai about the strict hierarchy in the Black Ink Clan. The highest position within the hierarchy would be the Black Ink Royal Lords. Every single Black Ink Royal Lord had strength comparable to a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Under the Royal Lords were the Black Ink Clansman known as Territory Lords, each of them comparable to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength. Hong Lian Territory Lord was undoubtedly one of them.
After the Territory Lords came the Feudal Lords, the Black Ink equivalent to Seventh-Order Masters.
Below the Feudal Lords were the ordinary Black Ink Clansman. These Clansmen were divided into High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen and Low-Rank Clansmen. A High-Rank Black Ink Clan member was more or less equivalent to a Mid-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master while a Low-Rank Black Ink Clan member would be on par with a Low-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master. These Black Ink Clansmen did not pose much of a threat to Yang Kai, but they could still become an issue if their numbers were too large.
On the Black Ink Battlefield, a Black Ink Royal Lord would have numerous Territory Lords under him, and each Territory Lord would then have many Feudal Lords beneath them. In this manner, a chain of command was established where the lower-ranking members were subservient to their higher-ranking members.
Meanwhile, the Black Ink Disciples would always be inferior to the Black Ink Clan, regardless of their cultivation. Even if it was only a Black Ink Clan member on par with a First-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, in the Black Ink Battlefield, their status would still be higher than a Black Ink Disciple in the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Having said that, being weak was the greatest sin in the eyes of the Black Ink Clan so ordinary Black Ink Clansmen generally received worse treatment than Black Ink Disciples with high cultivation. That was because they would be used as cannon-fodder to exhaust the strength of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. Furthermore, the Black Ink Strength that was left behind when they died would become a deterrent to the enemy and a boon to allies.
Countless ordinary Black Ink Clansmen were killed in almost every battle, regardless of whether they were Low-Rank or High-Rank. Be that as it may, these ordinary Black Ink Clansmen were akin to consumable items and remained virtually inexhaustible even after so many millennia of fighting.
“From what this Old Master saw, you seem capable of disguising yourself as a Black Ink Disciple with the methods you displayed just now.”
Yang Kai nodded, “If anybody wants to check my identity, this Junior can outwardly fool them, but I cannot let them check my Small Universe.”
Meng Qi nodded, “Although that is a practical method, you should not rely too much on it. You are not the only one on the Black Ink Battlefield with one of the Four Universe Pillars. In the past, there once was an Ancestor who disguised himself as a Black Ink Disciple to sneak behind enemy lines and cause chaos; therefore, the Black Ink Clan is somewhat guarded against such behaviour.”
Yang Kai was a little surprised, but he quickly understood.
Precious treasures like the Four Universe Pillars could be said to be the nemesis of the Black Ink Strength, so how could the Cave Heavens and Paradises not use them to their advantage?
Over the eons, the Four Universe Pillars would occasionally appear even if such occurrences rarely happened. The Cave Heavens and Paradises would scramble to get their hands on any Four Universe Pillar and figure out a way to deliver it to the Black Ink Battlefield as soon as possible to increase their combat power.
Yang Kai even suspected that the Profound Fish Universe Pillar that appeared in Shattered Heaven 3,000 years ago was now with one of the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises in this Black Ink Battlefield.
“The Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples have a Master-Servant relationship between them. In the eyes of the Black Ink Clan, Black Ink Disciples are nothing but livestock to rear and kill as they please. They also have a habit of devouring their Black Ink Disciple’s World Force to strengthen themselves. Doing so is also a method of cultivation for them. That is why the existence of the Black Ink Clan poses such a big threat to the 3,000 Worlds.”
There were countless Universe Worlds in the 3,000 Worlds, and each one had abundant World Force. World Force was food for the Black Ink Clan to increase their strength. Once the Black Ink Clan invaded the 3,000 Worlds, then all those Universe Worlds would be doomed.
What’s more, there were countless generations of Open Heaven cultivators in the various forces in the 3,000 Worlds. The amount of World Force from all these people would be far beyond what the Universe Worlds alone could provide.
If it was said that the average Universe World or Spirit Province was food for the Black Ink Clan, then the Headquarters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be mouth-watering delicacies.
Yang Kai himself had learned of the Black Ink Clan’s love for devouring World Force from his experience with the Black Ink Royal Lord in Black Territory. If he had not stopped the Royal Lord in time, there was no saying how many Black Ink Disciples would have rushed to their deaths and been devoured by the Royal Lord to recover her strength.
“A Black Ink Disciple corrupted by the Black Ink Strength of a Black Ink Clansman will become the servant of that Black Ink Clansman. What’s more, Black Ink Clan members have the ability to sense their servants.”
“Senior, do you mean to say…”
Meng Qi explained, “In other words, if I was a Black Ink Clansman and you were corrupted by my Black Ink Strength, you would become my servant and I would be your Master. As long as you were nearby, I would be able to sense your existence. It makes commanding troops more convenient.”
Yang Kai nodded slightly.
“But, I don’t know if the Black Ink Clansmen can sense the status of other people’s servants.” Meng Qi frowned slightly, “In any case, you should be careful if you meet any of the Black Ink Clan members.”
Whether or not one was a Black Ink Disciple could not be determined just from outer appearances alone. That was also true for the Black Ink Clansmen. Since they could not distinguish friend or foe from outer appearances, then both parties would naturally come up with other methods.
For the Cave Heavens and Paradises, checking the Small Universe was the most effective and secure method.
“Among the Black Ink Clan, it is not uncommon for them to snatch each other’s servants. Open Heaven Realm Masters have a Small Universe in their bodies, and their World Force is extremely attractive to the Black Ink Clansmen. Therefore, it is common for them to fight for Black Ink Disciples. Besides, there will always be people corrupted by the Black Ink after every battle. If these people are lucky enough to survive, then they will automatically head towards the place where the Black Ink Clan members gather to search for the Masters who corrupted them. If you successfully leave the Sealed World, you should pretend to be a servant without a Master.”
Yang Kai raised his brow slightly at those words, “Senior, are you saying I should claim that my Master is either dead or missing?”
Meng Qi nodded, “That’s the only way for you to protect yourself. There are dangers lurking everywhere outside the Sealed World. If your identity is exposed, then you will not be able to escape death.”
Other Open Heaven Realm Masters would become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and retain their lives as a result; however, Yang Kai could not be turned. If he was discovered by the Black Ink Clan, and his identity exposed, they would surely eliminate him without mercy.
“Understood!” Yang Kai nodded.
“You can have the Universe Chart. It will be useful for you. You can have this too.” While speaking, Meng Qi took off the Space Ring on his finger and handed it over to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai silently took the Space Ring. Meng Qi had rambled on and on, giving him so much advice, so how could he not understand what Meng Qi meant?
Yang Kai pursed his lips and said, “Senior, it doesn’t have to end this way.”
Meng Qi smiled, “Who would be willing to die if there was a chance to live? But, if I don’t die, it will only be a matter of time before I am corrupted by the Black Ink Clan again. The secret will be exposed if that happens! This Old Master has spent the past 3,000 years in a blur, so I am very glad that I have the clarity to make my own choice before I die. There is nothing to regret.”
Yang Kai sighed in his heart. Although he knew that the other party was speaking the truth, he couldn’t help feeling bad. This place was located deep within the hinterlands of the Black Ink Battlefield, and Meng Qi had no means to completely defend against the corruption of the Black Ink Strength. Under these circumstances, dying here was the only method to keep the existence of the Void Corridor a secret.
“It’s all my fault, Senior.” Yang Kai looked sad.
If he had not told Meng Qi about the Void Corridor, then Meng Qi would not have needed to make such a drastic choice. Meng Qi could have escaped this place with him instead. Even if Meng Qi only killed a single Black Ink Clansman in the future, it would have been a worthy trade.
Upon hearing those words, Meng Qi waved his hand dismissively, “You don’t need to blame yourself. For me, I would rather die in this manner than to become a servant of the Black Ink Clan again. Being enslaved is worse than death. In the future, no matter which Black Ink Disciple you meet, you don’t need to show them mercy. If you can kill them, then you should without hesitation. You will be liberating them from their suffering. We have long prepared ourselves for death the moment we stepped onto the Black Ink Battlefield.”
Yang Kai remained silent…
Meng Qi continued, “If… I’m just saying; if you can safely arrive at the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, you must keep the Void Corridor a secret from all others. The only one you can inform is the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestor defending this area, no one else can be entrusted with this information!”
This was clearly a preventive measure in case anybody who was privy to this information became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength. Masters like the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Old Ancestors were essentially immune to the Black Ink Strength. Throughout the countless years of battle since ancient times, there had been several incidents where Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters became corrupted by the Black Ink Clan; however, there was no precedent of a Ninth-Order Old Ancestor becoming corrupted.
“This Junior will not forget!” Yang Kai nodded seriously.
Meng Qi glanced at Yang Kai and sighed again. Yang Kai had the World Spring, so there was no need to worry about becoming corrupted by Black Ink Strength; moreover, his strength was far superior compared to the average Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Be that as it may, Meng Qi did not believe that Yang Kai could leave the Black Ink Clan’s territory and safely return to the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. There were all kinds of dangers lurking along the way after all. The slightest careless mistake was enough to result in death.
Yang Kai asked, “Senior, do you have any message you wish delivered to Exquisite Paradise?”
Meng Qi’s gaze went blank, but after pondering for a moment, he shook his head and said, “No. There’s nothing to tell them. I was dead the moment I became corrupted by the Black Ink Strength.”
Raising his head, he looked at Yang Kai once more, “It’s getting late. You should leave. Sealed Worlds also contain World Force, so they are very attractive to the Black Ink Clan. It’s just that there are treasures that will benefit Black Ink Disciples inside, so the Black Ink Disciples are allowed to enter for exploration first. In short order, the Black Ink Clan will enter this place to devour the World Force here. At that time, this Sealed World will be destroyed.”
Yang Kai frowned upon hearing those words, “Is the Black Ink Clan waiting outside the Sealed World?”
Meng Qi nodded, “These are several Feudal Lords outside! That is why you will be facing a crisis as soon as you exit this Sealed World. Unfortunately, you can only rely upon yourself to resolve this crisis. The Black Ink Clan will be very interested in a servant without a Master like you, but if you can demonstrate that you have great value, you might be able to retain your life; otherwise, you will only become food.”
Yang Kai immediately felt a headache coming. As soon as he exited this Sealed World, he would be met with several Black Ink Feudal Lords. That was no laughing matter.
After explaining the exit route to Yang Kai once more, Meng Qi shooed Yang Kai away, “Go! This matter cannot be delayed!”
Yang Kai opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed all the words he wanted to say. He did not try to persuade Meng Qi again. Standing up, he bowed deeply, “Take care, Senior!”
Meng Qi nodded and closed his eyes silently.
Yang Kai turned and left. Walking out of the karst cave in the belly of the mountain, he determined his bearings for a moment before he flew in the direction Meng Qi had pointed out to him earlier. He had not gone far when his figure came to an abrupt halt.
The disturbance caused by the collapse of a Small Universe spread out from behind him. The World Force dispersed into the surroundings and disappeared in a fleeting moment. Yang Kai could tell that Meng Qi had committed suicide; after all, in order to keep the secret of the Void Corridor, Meng Qi’s only choice was to die.
This Sealed World was not small, and Yang Kai was not very familiar with the area even though Meng Qi had pointed him towards the exit; therefore, it took him two full days to arrive at the entrance of the Sealed World after wandering around in circles.
Along the way, Yang Kai encountered many Black Ink Disciples. What surprised him was that the cultivation of these Black Ink Disciples was very uneven. There were Masters like Meng Qi, who were in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm; however, there were even cultivators as weak as the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm!
This discovery puzzled Yang Kai greatly. Logically speaking, the Cave Heavens and Paradises were aware of the power of the Black Ink Clan. For that reason, the Open Heaven Realm Masters dispatched to the Black Ink Battlefield over the years could not be weak. It was obvious that Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were not qualified enough to step onto this battlefield, so the Sixth-Order should be the lowest limit!
After giving it some thought though, Yang Kai realised that the Black Ink Disciples in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm might have experienced a situation similar to Meng Qi’s. Meng Qi’s strength had fallen sharply because he sacrificed a part of his Small Universe in the past. Although he barely managed to maintain his cultivation of the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, he could not display the proper strength of a Seventh-Order Master. If he had continued to sacrifice parts of his Small Universe though, then there was a high possibility that his Order would have regressed!
These Black Ink Disciples in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm might have been created in such a manner. They could have originally been in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, or even the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, but after repeatedly sacrificing parts of their Small Universe, their Order declined to its current state.
That was the only reasonable explanation for this situation.
Faced with these Black Ink Disciples, Yang Kai did not stir up any trouble with them. Although he really wanted to use his Purifying Light to dispel the Black Ink Strength in their bodies and restore their original self, doing so would only cause more trouble right now.
Fortunately, the Black Ink Disciples had no intention of attacking each other either. The Black Ink Disciples might be under the command of different Black Ink Clansmen, but the only reason they entered this Sealed World was to search for treasures that would be useful to them. Without the orders of their Black Ink Clan masters, they rarely bothered to confront each other; after all, such actions were meaningless.
The reason why Meng Qi had tried to silence Yang Kai was mainly to prevent the latter from exposing the existence of the Profound Yin Spirit Fruit to others. This treasure was extremely rare and precious. More importantly, the Spirit Fruit was very useful for repairing a damaged Small Universe.
What’s more, the Black Ink Clansmen themselves hoped that the Black Ink Disciples under their command would become as strong as possible. Only then could they gain more achievements in the war. Why else would they allow the Black Ink Disciples under their command enter the Sealed World for exploration before they made their move? They would have devoured the World Force as soon as they discovered the Sealed World if they didn’t have such calculations.
The entrance was a Void Crack that could not be considered small as it was as big as a house. Once Yang Kai stepped through this entrance, he would arrive at the Black Ink Battlefield.
Nevertheless, Yang Kai was in no rush to leave after arriving at this place. He did not know what was waiting for him outside; however, according to Meng Qi, there were at least a few Black Ink Feudal Lords waiting outside. That was not good news for him.
For the next two days, Yang Kai watched as several Black Ink Disciples rushed out of the entrance and vanished from sight. Meanwhile, he lurked in hiding and waited patiently. He used Exile to hide himself in the Void so that both his figure and aura were completely concealed. With his current attainments in the Dao of Space, there was no risk of exposing his whereabouts as long as nobody was deliberately searching his hiding spot.
Another day passed when all of a sudden, ripples spread out from the entrance.
Yang Kai, who had been watching the entrance for movements all this while, immediately raised his brow and paid close attention. These ripples clearly indicated that somebody was passing through the entrance. Since nobody was exiting the Sealed World at this moment, then it could only be that someone was entering from the outside.
A few days ago, Yang Kai had formed a vague plan when he heard that the Feudal Lords were going to enter the Sealed World to devour its World Force.
It was obviously inappropriate for him to brazenly walk out of the Sealed World as the other Black Ink Disciples would surely head to the side of their respective Masters when they exited. If he went out and revealed that he was alone, he would surely be targeted by the Black Ink Clan immediately. Things would inevitably become very troublesome if that were to happen.
In that case, he simply needed to wait until the Black Ink Clan entered the Sealed World. He would not stand out if he left this place after the Black Ink Clan entered.
The ripples continued to spread outward, and a short while later, a tall and strong figure stepped out from the Void Crack.
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes slightly and watched.
In truth, this was only his second time seeing a Black Ink Clansman in person. This individual was different compared to the Black Ink Royal Lord he met in Black Territory last time. Judging by the external appearance of this Black Ink Clansman who barged into the Sealed World from the outside, he did not look very different from a Human. There were no traces of any Monster Beast features, but his physique was several times larger than what would be considered normal. With his size, he could be considered a small giant.
Yang Kai estimated that he would only reach the knees of this Black Ink Clansman if he were to stand in front of the other party. What stood out the most was that this Black Ink Clansman’s skin was completely pitch-black. His entire body also seemed to be enveloped in a dense layer of Black Ink Strength. Only his eyes shone brightly like two great suns. They were a huge deterrent to others.
This was a Black Ink Feudal Lord comparable to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in strength!
After the Black Ink Clansman resembling a small giant entered, he looked around for a bit and was quickly attracted by the rich World Force in this land. Taking a deep breath, he revealed a look of intoxication.
The ripples continued to spread outward behind him. It didn’t take long before another small giant figure stepped out of the Void Crack, followed closely by another figure… A total of six Feudal Lords entered the Sealed World at the same time. From their outer appearance, four seemed to be male while the other two were female.
Yang Kai did not dare to continue watching, lest he revealed his whereabouts. Exile might be an excellent concealment technique, but he could not afford to be careless.
After the six Feudal Lords arrived in this place, one of them spoke in a thunderous voice, “Let’s split up and act independently. We will be able to eat our fill this time.”
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out in the next moment, and the six figures sped off in different directions. It was evident that they were preparing to devour the World Force of this Sealed World.
Yang Kai waited in place for a short while. After confirming that no other Black Ink Clansmen were going to enter, his body flickered and he rushed towards the entrance. Without any hesitation whatsoever, he plunged directly into the Void Crack.
In the next moment, the world spun around him and he appeared in an unfamiliar void. Before he could react though, his entire body went stiff. That was because numerous Divine Senses had locked onto him from all directions, making him feel as though he had thorns stabbing him in the back. The power of his Small Universe automatically surged around him in response.
Looking around, his expression became solemn. There were countless figures standing nearby. Divided into six different camps, they surrounded the entrance so tightly that not a drop of water could pass.
There were many people among these six groups of people. Some had seven or eight members while others had only two or three. Moreover, many of them were familiar faces. These were the Black Ink Disciples Yang Kai leave through the Void Crack over the past few days.
It was clear that they had been in no hurry to leave after exiting the Sealed World. On the contrary, they had waited for their Masters to enter the Sealed World and were now keeping watch outside while their Masters were inside.
These six groups of people corresponded with the six Feudal Lords from before; thus, Yang Kai immediately panicked as he did not belong to any one of them!
Fortunately, these Black Ink Disciples showed no intention of doing anything. Yang Kai only hesitated for a moment before he grit his teeth and dodged out of the encirclement from below, immediately shifting his body to escape into the distance.
There was no other choice. After waiting for so many days, the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords finally entered the Sealed World. If Yang Kai did not leave now, his situation would only become more dangerous. As for whether the Black Ink Disciples would suspect anything after his sudden departure, he could not afford to care. Even if he was being suspected, he could only flee.
Yang Kai could clearly sense the numerous gazes staring into his back like leeches hanging onto him during his escape. Fortunately for him, the Black Ink Disciples had no intention of taking action. It was not until he disappeared from their field of vision that they finally retracted their gazes.
The void was vast, mysterious, and silent. Based on appearances alone, the Black Ink Battlefield was not that different from the 3,000 Worlds; however, Yang Kai could sense that dangers lurked around every corner here.
Numerous Continents and Spirit Provinces were scattered across the void. They contained faint traces of activity, so he did not dare to approach those places and avoided them from a distance. From what he could see from a distance, those lands overflowed with Black Ink Strength regardless of whether they were big or small.
Yang Kai’s current position was located deep within the domain controlled by the Black Ink Clan. If he wanted to head towards the nearest great pass under the control of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, then he predicted that he would need to travel for at least ten to twenty days non-stop. Moreover, there was no guarantee that his journey would be smooth-sailing. Nobody could say for certain what kind of dangers he might face along the way.
Meng Qi had assumed that it would be impossible for Yang Kai to safely arrive at the nearest great pass, and there were two reasons for this. One of the reasons was Yang Kai’s low cultivation. The other reason was that he had a much better understanding of the situation compared to Yang Kai. Even when he was in his prime, under the same conditions as Yang Kai, it would have been impossible for Meng Qi to escape from the depths of the Black Ink Clan’s territory. Be that as it may, he had not discouraged Yang Kai in the slightest. A person should not give up hope after all.
All of a sudden, Yang Kai’s gaze was attracted towards a strange scene in the distance. There was a huge Spirit Province stretched out across the void ahead, in addition to an extremely bizarre existence on top of the Spirit Province.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the strange object resembled an enormous flower bud. It was just that the entire entity was pitch-black and gave off an extremely sinister feeling. What’s more, the flower bud seemed to be alive. With every miniscule rise and fall of the petals, concentrated Black Ink Strength would gush out from within the bud and spread out in all directions.
It might be due to the existence of this strange flower bud, but Black Ink Strength permeated the void surrounding the Spirit Province for tens of thousands of kilometres.
[What is that?] Yang Kai was slightly surprised. Meng Qi had not told him about anything like this. In any case, he did not dare to carelessly approach and investigate the situation. It was a pity that he could not figure out anything after observing from afar and could only continue his escape.
Although he did not encounter any danger during his journey, the void was not a safe place. Yang Kai would occasionally come across large patches of Black Ink Strength residue that resembled Black Ink Clouds during his journey.
He finally understood why Meng Qi had not escaped with him. Meng Qi was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, but his Small Universe was incomplete. An incomplete Small Universe meant that there were flaws to be exploited. Even if he could safely come out from the Sealed World, it would be very easy for him to become corrupted by the Black Ink Strength again in this environment. The consequences would be dire if something like that were to happen. At the very least, Yang Kai would be forced to fight him.
The hinterland of the Black Ink Clan was not a place where ordinary cultivators could remain for long. Without a treasure like one of the Four Universe Pillars, even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was at risk of being corrupted by the ambient Black Ink Strength at any moment. On the other hand, both the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples took to this environment like ducks to water.
Yang Kai travelled in hiding, so his progress was very slow, but that could not be helped. According to Meng Qi, his current status was that of a servant without a master. People like him were easily targeted by the Black Ink Clan. They either wanted to recruit him as their servant or regarded him as food. There was no other option.
For that reason, Yang Kai did not dare to meet any Black Ink Clansmen and constantly monitored his surroundings with his Divine Sense. The slightest rustling of grass or the gentlest breeze was enough to put him on guard. Unfortunately, despite his caution, it was impossible to control everything around him.
One day, Yang Kai was travelling forward when a large and luxurious ship came towards him from afar.
The Black Ink Clan also had flight type artifacts of their own. They themselves might not be proficient in Artifact Refining, but there were many talented people among the Black Ink Disciples. It was not unreasonable for a small number of people to be capable of refining some flight type artifacts.
Over the past few days, Yang Kai had seen many of the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts. They came in all shapes and sizes, with the one in front of him right now being pretty normal in comparison. Some of the flight type artifacts came in extremely odd shapes after all.
However, there was no exception to one thing, the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts were always very large. Yang Kai could understand the reasoning behind this particular aspect. Inside the Sealed World, he had discovered that the six Black Ink Feudal Lords were each the size of small giants. They were several times larger than normal Humans, so it was only natural that their flight type artifacts were larger too.
More importantly, most of these enormous flight type artifacts had at least one Black Ink Clan Master onboard.
Seeing this situation right now, how could Yang Kai dare to sit around twiddling his thumbs? He looked around him for a moment before manipulating Space Principles. His figure instantly vanished from the spot.
Be that as it may, he did not dare to use Instantaneous Movement over a large distance since he was not familiar with the terrain in this region. It would be self-defeating if he accidentally barged into a place where he should not enter; therefore, the destination was a Black Ink Cloud in his field of vision.
There were many such Black Ink Clouds in the void, so it was very easy for him to hide in them. Moreover, Yang Kai had always avoided the Black Ink Clan’s flight type artifacts in the same manner whenever he encountered any of them in the past. The passing Black Ink Clansmen generally could not be bothered to poke around seriously; after all, there was not much that could pose a danger to them in this place and Black Ink Clouds could be found anywhere.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai seemed to have used up all his luck. He had only just transported himself into the Black Ink Cloud when he noticed that something was wrong. It turned out that there were several auras hidden within the Black Ink Cloud. Seeming to notice his sudden intrusion, they immediately surrounded him from all directions. The sudden turn of events startled Yang Kai, but he was surrounded by those people before he could use Space Principles again. At the same time, numerous Divine Senses also locked onto his body.
[Two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Masters!] Yang Kai raised his brow in surprise, deducing his opponents’ cultivation from the energy fluctuations coming from around him. Not only were they Open Heaven Realm Masters, but they also appeared in this place. There was no doubt that they were Black Ink Disciples.
It would have been bad enough if those people consisted only of Black Ink Disciples, but the key point was that Black Ink Disciples would never stray far from their master’s side under normal circumstances. In other words, the master of these four Black Ink Disciples was definitely within this very Black Ink Cloud as well.
Sure enough, when these four people surrounded Yang Kai, an enormous figure stepped out from the depths of the Black Ink Cloud and slowly came to stand in front of him. This person looked down at Yang Kai from above with a look of curiosity mixed with faint surprise in his eyes.
Yang Kai immediately felt a bitter taste filling his entire mouth. He was tempted to attack and ruthlessly eliminate the Black Ink Disciples and the Black Ink Clansman in front of him; however, he was worried about the ship that was passing by nearby!
Two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Black Ink Disciples were nothing in his eyes, and the Black Ink Clansman did not seem to be particularly powerful either. At the very least, he did not give Yang Kai any sense of oppression. It was incomparable to the Feudal Lords that he had encountered before at least.
Unfortunately, there was bound to be a Feudal Lord aboard the ship he had just seen. If Yang Kai stirred up chaos here, the other side would surely be alerted to the commotion and approach to investigate. There would be endless troubles in the future if Yang Kai could not cut weeds and pull out roots related to this matter.
In any case, it was impossible to run at this point. A Black Ink Disciple who was brave enough to escape after coming into contact with a Black Ink Clansman; that in itself was an issue worth investigating. Among all the Black Ink Disciples Yang Kai had encountered before, every one of them prioritised the Black Ink Clan above all else. If he made a move here, then his actions would inevitably lead to an endless pursuit.
Yang Kai suppressed the murderous intent in his heart and forced a trace of trepidation onto his face. Under the gaze of the Black Ink Clansman, he seemed to take a few steps back in fear.
The Black Ink Clansman studied Yang Kai with interest and asked, “Where did he come from?”
A sturdy Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master beside the Black Ink Clansman answered, “I don’t know. He suddenly intruded into this place.” Turning to look at Yang Kai, he interrogated Yang Kai on behalf of the Black Ink Clansman, “Where are you from? Who is your master?”
Yang Kai’s thoughts swirled around in his head, but he responded without hesitation, “I came from the battlefield. I don’t have a master.”
Since the Black Ink Clan had been fighting with the Cave Heavens and Paradises for so long, the front lines of the battlefield must be extremely fierce. Although Yang Kai had never experienced such a battle before, he could guess that many people were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and become Black Ink Disciples during each clash. These Black Ink Disciples were generally all alone with no support, and it was naturally impossible for them to return to the great pass guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, so their only option was to escape into the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan in search of protection.
That was the explanation that Yang Kai came up with along his journey. He had prepared this explanation just in case something went wrong, but he never expected his preparations would actually come in handy. It was just that he did not know if there was anything suspicious about his statement.
Fortunately, neither the Black Ink Clansman who resembled a small giant, nor the Black Ink Disciples showed any doubts after listening to his explanation. The Black Ink Clansman even showed a look of great joy and spoke in a voice that rumbled thunderously, “What good luck. I can’t believe I came across such a huge blessing.” While speaking, his large hand loomed from above and stretched out towards Yang Kai’s head, “Since you don’t have a master, then I will be your master from now on!”
Yang Kai forced himself to remain still and did not dodge aside because he did not sense any murderous intent coming from the Black Ink Clansman.
What’s more, this Black Ink Clansman only had two Sixth-Order and two Fifth-Order Black Ink Disciples under his command. It could be inferred that he probably did not enjoy a particularly high identity or status, so a Sixth-Order Master like Yang Kai would be attractive to him.
A gigantic hand covered the top of Yang Kai’s head, then thick Black Ink Strength gushed out to envelope Yang Kai.
Yang Kai did not move a single muscle. The Black Ink Strength that invaded his Small Universe was suppressed and sealed by the World Spring. At the same time, he covertly allowed the Black Ink Strength to cover his eyes at just the right time, and his body trembled slightly.
A short while later, the Black Ink Clansman withdrew his hand. Sweeping his gaze over Yang Kai, he nodded lightly to himself as though he was very satisfied with the results.
“From now on, your name will be…” Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly seemed confused. He scratched his face and asked one of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciples, “What is he called?”
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple answered respectfully, “E-5!”
“Ah! That’s right! E-5!” The Black Ink Clansman sneered disdainfully and seemed a little impatient, “You Humans are so troublesome.”
Yang Kai did not know why he suddenly received a new name, but he could only accept it passively.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple seemed to notice Yang Kai’s doubts. Pointing at himself, he explained, “I am called A-1!” Then, he pointed to the others and introduced them, “B-2, C-3, D-4!”
Yang Kai immediately felt speechless when he realized how they were named. It was most likely that the Black Ink Clansman could not be bothered to remember his servants’ names, so he came up with such a simple method of identifying them. It might even have been suggested by the Black Ink Disciples themselves.
A-1 and B-2 were both in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm while C-3 and D-4 were in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm. B-2 was a middle-aged man with a clean and beardless face; C-3 was a woman with a bloated body; and D-4 was a short old man.
Yang Kai could not tell which Cave Heavens or Paradises these people came from, but regardless of their origins, they probably used to be elites in their respective Sects who came to the Black Ink Battlefield with the determination to fight and die if need be. However, they had been corrupted by the Black Ink Strength and currently served under the Black Ink Clan as slaves.
That was a very sad, but inevitable ending. Such occurrences were nothing new on the Black Ink Battlefield. It was also the reason why Liu Mu once stated that those who crossed the No-Return Pass only had two futures waiting for them, die at the hands of the Black Ink Clan, or die at the hands of their comrades. There were no other options besides these two.
The Black Ink Clansman examined Yang Kai, who had been named E-5, “What Order are you in?”
Yang Kai activated the power of his Small Universe. Pretending to be respectful, he answered politely, “The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm!”
The Black Ink Clansman raised his thick eyebrow and broke out in a savage grin, “Very good!”
It was clear he was very satisfied with Yang Kai’s strength.
“Let’s go.” After that, he gestured with his large hand and took the lead to step out of the Black Ink Cloud.
A-1 and the others quickly followed behind. Yang Kai did not dare to hesitate and hurried to keep up with them. Nevertheless, he was feeling extremely frustrated inside. With the current situation, it was temporarily impossible for him to head towards the great passes guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. He could only take one step at a time.
The Black Ink Disciples all had different personalities. A-1, B-2, and C-3 seemed rather reserved and quiet, but the short old man named D-4 was very talkative. Quietly dropping behind the others, he travelled side-by-side with Yang Kai and asked, “Little Brother, which Cave Heaven or Paradise did you come from?”
Yang Kai turned sideways to look at the short old man, then he glanced forward at the Black Ink Clansman in front.
D-4 smiled and said, “There’s no need to be afraid. Our master is very easy-going. The Black Ink Clan is similar to us in that they all have their own distinct temperaments. You’ll be fine as long as you diligently finish whatever task Master commands you to do. He will not restrict you during other times.”
He seemed to think that Yang Kai was scared of the Black Ink Clansman, which was why he explained the circumstances; after all, it was only natural for a person who had just gotten a new master to experience a period of adaptation.
Thinking back to the time when he first became a Black Ink Disciple, he too had been very cautious. He felt like he was constantly walking on thin ice, scared that he might be punished for making a mistake. It was just that he had relaxed considerably after working for his current master for so long.
“Senior, which Sect did you hail from?” Yang Kai countered the question with a question of his own instead.
He had to tell himself over and over again that the Black Ink Disciples often seemed no different from usual on the surface even though they had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength. It could be seen just by looking at the behaviour of D-4. Before being corrupted by the Black Ink, this old man had probably also been very talkative.
The reason Yang Kai did not answer was that he feared he might name the same Cave Heaven or Paradise as the other party and accidentally make a mistake.
D-4 smiled and said, “There’s no need to bother with formalities, just call me by my name. This Old Master comes from Nine Stars Paradise.”
Yang Kai was familiar with the Nine Stars Paradise; after all, he had interacted with the foreign affairs envoy of Nine Stars Paradise in the Star Boundary.
The truth was that he really wanted to ask which Cave Heaven or Paradise the others came from, but it was difficult for him to ask any questions if D-4 did not take the initiative to mention the subject; thus, he could only steel himself and report, “I came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Yang Kai saw that none of the others had much of a reaction. He was relieved by their response as it would seem that none of them came from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.
D-4 showed a look of realization, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, that’s a good place.”
Yang Kai was reluctant to speak further regarding this subject as saying too much could result in a mistake, so he swiftly changed the subject, “Where are we going?”
“The Fierce Wind Estate!” D-4 replied, “Our master can be considered part of the Fierce Wind Estate, so we have to go there.”
Yang Kai’s eyes flashed slightly before asking in a low voice, “Is Master a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman?”
The ‘Fierce Wind Estate’ that D-4 mentioned was most likely the territory of a Black Ink Feudal Lord. In that case, a Black Ink Clansman who not only served under a Feudal Lord but was also quite strong could only be a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Yang Kai originally guessed that this Black Ink Clansman was equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in terms of strength, and it would seem he was correct.
D-4 also nodded in affirmation, “Master is indeed a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman!”
Along the way, Yang Kai casually chatted with D-4 and discovered that the situation was just as D-4 described. The Black Ink Clansman was relatively easy to get along with. Even though he noticed his servants chattering away behind him, he showed no intention to stop them.
Although Yang Kai’s murderous intent surged countless times, he did not dare to act rashly. This place was the hinterland of the Black Ink Clan, and if he was not careful, he would easily expose his identity. What’s more, he would occasionally come across other Black Ink Clansmen every once in a while. There were not many chances for him to take action, so he could only grit his teeth and endure.
A few days later, a patch of land covered in Black Ink Clouds appeared in their field of vision. It was an incredibly enormous Spirit Province with dense Black Ink Clouds that permeated the void for hundreds of thousands of kilometres.
Yang Kai once saw an object in the void that was similar to a huge flower bud from a distance. There was one on this Spirit Province too, and it stood tall in the middle of the Spirit Province. When the flower bud relaxed and opened, dense Black Ink Strength gushed out from within.
D-4, who had been travelling side-by-side with Yang Kai all this while, quietly poked Yang Kai in the arm, “This is Fierce Wind Estate, and the Feudal Lord in charge is named Kuang Feng.”
A look of realization appeared on Yang Kai’s face. A Feudal Lord was a Black Ink Clansman equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master in strength.
“What is that?” Unable to suppress the questions in his heart, Yang Kai asked a question while staring at the black flower bud.
D-4 glanced at Yang Kai curiously, “Don’t you know about the Black Ink Nests?”
Yang Kai had already prepared his excuse in advance, “It has not been long since I came to the Black Ink Battlefield, so I don’t know much.”
D-4 understood and explained, “Black Ink Nests are the foundation of the Black Ink Clan. It is also the place where Black Ink Clansmen come from; therefore, all Black Ink Nests are extremely important to the Black Ink Clan.”
Yang Kai’s expression froze, [That’s the place where the Black Ink Clan come from?]
He had caught a glimpse of many Black Ink Nests throughout his journey. If a Black Ink Nest could give birth to Black Ink Clansmen, then how could the Black Ink Clan be annihilated completely?
He couldn’t help asking in puzzlement, “The Black Ink Clan are born from this?”
D-4 nodded, “The Black Ink Clan do not have any reproductive ability whatsoever; all of them are born from the Black Ink Nests. Moreover, the Black Ink Nests have the ability to devour everything in existence. No matter the object, it can be transformed into nutrients for the Black Ink Nests as long as they contain energy. Once there are enough nutrients, a Black Ink Clansman will be born and Black Ink Strength will be released. The Black Ink Strength is the foundation for increasing the cultivation of the Black Ink Clansmen. Of course, they also love to devour World Force as doing so will improve their cultivation greatly.”
Yang Kai nodded in understanding and stared deeply in the direction of the Black Ink Nest.
During their conversation, they arrived above the Fierce Wind Estate. This place was overflowing with Black Ink Strength, and the entire world seemed to be shrouded in shadows.
There were large buildings scattered throughout the Fierce Wind Estate. These buildings were built in a crude and rough style, which clearly showcased the nature of the Black Ink Clan. That was not difficult to understand though as many Black Ink Clansmen had a large stature, so it was not surprising that their buildings were also big.
Along the wide and spacious streets, large Black Ink Clansmen came and went. There were many of them. While most of them travelled alone, some of them were accompanied by their servants. Be that as it may, their numbers were not high. Some only had one while others had two or three servants with them.
It was very rare to see a Black Ink Clansman with five servants like Yang Kai’s situation. For that reason, the Black Ink Clansman walking in front attracted lots of attention everywhere he went. Moreover, many of those gazes were filled with envy.
This situation caused the leading Black Ink Clansman to become increasingly proud. He walked with an air of arrogance, as though nobody in the world was superior to him.
Yang Kai looked around and his expression showed some uncertainty. That was because he discovered that there were buildings similar to shops lining both sides of the street. In addition, there was a wide assortment of items being sold, many of which were actually resources needed for the cultivation of Human cultivators.
“The Black Ink Clan does business?” After holding back for a long time, Yang Kai finally couldn’t take it and secretly asked D-4 about this matter.
D-4 smiled and said, “These items are naturally useless to the Black Ink Clan, but they are useful to us. We may serve as Master’s servants and our lives may lie in his hands, but it will also benefit Master if our strength improves. We can help him gain more servants on the battlefield, help him devour more World Force, and ensure his safety; therefore, we will also benefit if we serve a good master as they will help us improve our strength.”
That was the same reason why Black Ink Disciples like Meng Qi were allowed to enter the Sealed World before the Black Ink Clan.
Meng Qi also mentioned that the Black Ink Clan wanted the Black Ink Disciples under their command to be as strong as possible. In any case, it was impossible for the Black Ink Disciples to betray their masters once they were corrupted by Black Ink Strength, so their loyalty would never be an issue.
That was why the Black Ink Disciples were allowed to enter the Sealed World first so that they could search for treasures and improve their strength. Only after that would the Black Ink Feudal Lords enter the Sealed World to devour the World Force.
However, Yang Kai focused on something else instead. Something D-4 said had given him the hope of escaping from the Black Ink Clan!
All Black Ink Clansmen were bound to return to the battlefield sooner or later, so as long as he waited patiently, he would eventually find a chance to escape or kill them when he followed them out to war. Then, he could meet up with the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises and head for the nearest great pass.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, all the worries that had been plaguing him immediately disappeared. Yang Kai knew that what he needed to do now was to wait patiently until the opportunity to follow the Black Ink Clan onto the battlefield came!
Meanwhile, D-4 was still chattering away, “Also, Master currently lacks a flight type artifact. If he wants to obtain one, he has to buy the materials and hire somebody to refine the artifact for him. Nonetheless, their businesses are not only for Black Ink Disciples like us. The Black Ink Clan themselves also have business dealings among each other.”
Yang Kai nodded in response.
During their conversation, the Black Ink Clansman led them into a shop. Inside the shop, another Black Ink Clansman greeted him. They seemed to be familiar with each other and chatted happily for a while.
Yang Kai looked around and found that the store had everything, including artifacts for cultivators, pills, and even some high-quality cultivation resources. These items were common in the 3,000 Worlds.
What attracted his attention were numerous objects the size of a head that resembled crystal balls. There were not many of these objects, only a dozen or so in total. Moreover, they were placed in the most conspicuous locations.
Before Yang Kai and the others arrived, there were already several Black Ink Clansmen gathered around the crystal balls. They were scrutinising these balls with greedy expressions, as though they were very useful to them.
Yang Kai glanced at the crystal balls, but could not figure out anything from them. All he could see was that something was flowing within them. Secretly releasing his Divine Sense, he investigated the crystal balls and immediately frowned in response. Although he did not dare to be presumptuous, in that moment of investigation, he seemed to have noticed an extremely intense World Force inside the crystal ball!
“Be careful!” D-4 noticed his actions and quickly warned him.
In a place where the Black Ink Clan was gathered, there was a high possibility of provoking an ill-tempered Black Ink Clansman by suddenly releasing his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. If that were to happen, their Black Ink Clan Master would not defend them.
Fortunately, Yang Kai had acted very carefully just now. His Divine Sense had retracted after a brief touch. Although the Black Ink Clansmen around the crystal balls detected what he did, they couldn’t be bothered to care.
“What are those?” Yang Kai asked softly.
D-4’s expression became rather complicated as he lowered his voice and answered, “World Spheres. They contain large amounts of World Force in them.”
“World Force?” Yang Kai raised his brow with a look of astonishment.
It was his first time hearing that World Force could be sealed into a container. Judging from the appearance of the so-called World Spheres, they were clearly refined artifacts.
“Many Open Heaven Realm Masters die in each battle. After these Open Heaven Realm Masters die, their World Forces will disperse. Under normal circumstances, the Black Ink Clansmen can devour and refine the World Force on the spot; however, the situation on the battlefield is ever-changing. If they greedily try to devour the World Force then and there, they will most likely encounter various dangers. Besides, the Black Ink Clan is not allowed to devour and refine World Force at will during a battle. There is a group of people on the battlefield who are specially tasked with collecting and sealing World Force inside World Spheres. These World Spheres are considered treasures to the Black Ink Clan.”
Yang Kai’s heart was heavy when he heard those words, but his expression remained unchanged on the surface.
These World Spheres had never been seen in the 3,000 Worlds because they were useless to cultivators. On the other hand, the World Force sealed within these items was very useful to the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai believed that these items were artifacts specially developed by Black Ink Disciples who were proficient in Artifact Refining; after all, the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Humans on the Black Ink Battlefield had been ongoing for countless years. It was highly probable that some bizarre objects had been produced as a result.
During their conversation, they saw a Black Ink Clansman completing a negotiation with the seller. Then, he took out a large handful of pitch-black round objects that resembled copper coins. After handing these coins over, he casually reached out to grab a World Sphere and strode out of the shop.
Yang Kai was astonished, “Does the Black Ink Clan have their own currency?”
D-4 nodded, “Black Ink Coins. They have no value and cannot be used to cultivate, but they are used by the Black Ink Clan for trading. Every Black Ink Coin is produced by a Royal Lord, so they have the mark of that Royal Lord and cannot be replicated.”
Yang Kai exclaimed in wonder, “If they are worthless and cannot be used to cultivate, then what is the significance of the Black Ink Coins?”
Open Heaven Pills were the primary currency in the 3,000 Worlds and any kind of resources could be valued in terms of them. That was because Open Heaven Pills were Spirit Pills used by Open Heaven Realm Masters in their cultivation. Anything that was used in circulation should have its own intrinsic value.
D-4 laughed, “If they are in circulation, then there must be a reason. Let’s put it this way; if a Black Ink Clansman spends a certain amount of Black Ink Coins, then they can enter a Black Ink Nest to cultivate. You should know that Black Ink Nests are the place where those from the Black Ink Clan are born. Hence, entering the Black Ink Nest is like returning to their Mother’s womb. It is very beneficial for the improvement of their cultivation. Furthermore, if they want to advance, the advancement must be done inside a Black Ink Nest!”
Only then did Yang Kai understand. Black Ink Coins might not have any value on their own, but they could be used to purchase things the Black Ink Clan required. That made Black Ink Coins valuable. Just the fact that their advancement had to be done inside a Black Ink Nest was enough to make the entire Black Ink Clan gather these Black Ink Coins.
“Did Master come here to buy a World Sphere?” Yang Kai saw the Black Ink Clansman who brought them here lingering around the World Spheres and constantly haggling with the seller over the price. It was easy to guess the other party’s intentions.
D-4 shrugged nonchalantly, “He probably can’t afford one.”
Their Master was only a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman whose strength was equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Even if he had some Black Ink Coins, what he had was not enough to pay for a World Sphere.
As D-4 had been serving under this Black Ink Clansman for a long time, he was familiar with the other party’s finances.
Sure enough, despite his efforts, the Black Ink Clansman eventually shook his head in disappointment and led Yang Kai and the others out of the shop.
Yang Kai secretly laughed to himself, [Looks like my ‘Master’ is poor.]
After leading Yang Kai and the others out of the shop, the Black Ink Clansman walked in a certain direction without stopping.
D-4, who had always been a chatterbox, fell silent all of a sudden. In fact, Yang Kai had the feeling that D-4 was rather nervous about something. It was not just D-4 alone. A-1 and the others also showed the same reactions; therefore, Yang Kai couldn’t help feeling curious. He did not understand what was making them so nervous.
It didn’t take long before the Black Ink Clansman led Yang Kai and the others to a gathering place bustling with people.
Even before approaching the area, Yang Kai detected the violent collision of World Forces coming from that direction. There seemed to be several Masters fighting each other. Moreover, the battle was extremely fierce. The explosions of their battle rang out incessantly, and blinding rays of light flashed out from time to time.
[Are fights allowed within this Fierce Wind Estate?] Yang Kai was absolutely bewildered. It had to be said that there were rules at any place where cultivators gathered in the 3,000 Worlds that basically prohibited personal fights. On the contrary, the Black Ink Clan did not seem to prevent such occurrences.
The place of battle was a large basin-like crater in the ground with a radius of several hundreds of metres. Even so, this space seemed relatively small for both parties participating in the fight. That was because the ones fighting in the crater were two Sixth-Order Masters.
In addition, there was a Barrier Array that formed a semi-circular light dome over the crater. The light barrier was extremely powerful so even though both parties participating in battle were attacking furiously, they could not deal any damage to it.
Many large Black Ink Clansmen stood around the crater. Not all the Black Ink Clansmen resembled Humans that were enlarged several times though. Many of them had peculiar and bizarre appearances. Some of them even looked completely like Monster Beasts. That was something Yang Kai had already noticed when he first arrived at the Fierce Wind Estate.
The giant humanoid appearance seemed to be considered mainstream among the Black Ink Clan, followed by some having Monster Beast appearances. There were numerous others, some intense and grotesque, some perfectly ordinary.
The Black Ink Clansmen standing around the crater were showing expressions of great interest, as though they were watching two ferocious beasts fighting each other. They even cheered loudly from time to time.
When Yang Kai and the others arrived, both parties participating in the fight had reached the stage where who lived and who died would be decided. They attacked each other mercilessly as Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques blasted out. The violent forces within the crater ran rampant, and fresh blood splattered across the ground.
Yang Kai looked down for a while and sighed inwardly. He did not know which Cave Heaven or Paradise these two Sixth-Order Masters fighting below were originally from. They might have held lofty positions once, or even knew each other in the past, maybe even fought side-by-side before. In the end though, they had fallen to this state. It was truly a sorrowful sight. Unfortunately, Yang Kai was powerless to stop this. There was nothing he could do to interfere in this spectacle. He could only watch silently.
“Nu Yan, are you here to benefit me again?” A snide voice suddenly rang out from the side.
Yang Kai turned to look in that direction and saw a tall Black Ink Clansman smiling in their direction. There were several Open Heaven Realm Masters surrounding that Black Ink Clansman, probably his Black Ink Disciples.
The Black Ink Clansman who led Yang Kai and the others here coldly snorted at those words, “It’s uncertain who will benefit who. Lang Ya, don’t boast so shamelessly!”
It was only at this moment that Yang Kai realised his ‘Master’ was called ‘Nu Yan’. Although he had been travelling with his ‘Master’ for several days, the Black Ink Clansman had not taken the initiative to reveal his own name. Unfortunately, he was not in the position to ask and D-4 had not told him the name of their Master either.
It would seem that Nu Yan had a grudge against this Black Ink Clansman named Lang Ya; otherwise, they would not have gotten into a dispute as soon as they encountered each other.
“Whether or not my words are shameless boasting, you will know after you try,” Lang Ya remained smiling slightly.
Nu Yan nodded coldly and agreed, “Good.”
As soon as those words came out, Yang Kai distinctly noticed the expressions of D-4 and the others becoming more solemn and anxious. After combining everything he had seen so far, he vaguely formed a guess in his heart.
The winner was soon decided among the two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters fighting below. Their capabilities were not very different from each other, so they were basically equals in terms of strength. However, there seemed to be a distinct gap in their combat experiences. The one who had a deeper understanding of battle obtained the victory. Even though he paid a price, he succeeded in defeating his opponent.
When the Small Universe collapsed, World Force dispersed into the surroundings. A World Sphere was thrown into the crater at just the right moment. Following the flash of a blinding light, the scattered World Force was absorbed and sealed inside the World Sphere.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple who won was covered in blood and one of his arms had been chopped off at the shoulder, but he endured the pain and cast a Secret Technique to stop the bleeding. When the World Sphere finished absorbing all the dissipating World Force, the Black Ink Disciple reached out his hand to grab the World Sphere. Then, he came over to one of the Black Ink Clansmen standing outside the crater, knelt down on one knee, quickly reporting, “Master, fortunately I did not fail my mission!”
The Black Ink Clansman lowered his head to look at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple and nodded lightly, “Very good.”
Reaching out his hand, he placed the World Sphere into his Space Ring and sent the Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple to rest.
With that, the crater became unoccupied and Lang Ya turned to look at Nu Yan, “Shall we have a warm-up first?”
Nu Yan had no objections and nodded in agreement, “Good!”
Lang Ya asked again, “Just a bout or a deathmatch!?”
Nu Yan’s eyes overflowed with rage and hostility, “Of course, it will be a deathmatch!”
“Bold indeed!” Lang Ya immediately turned to look at the Black Ink Disciples beside him and reached out to point at one of them, “You go!”
The Black Ink Disciple who was picked out by Lang Ya was a fair-faced young man whose expression remained calm as he jumped down into the crater. Judging from the energy fluctuations coming from him, he was probably in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm.
Nu Yan turned to look at A-1 and the others. His gaze flickered between C-3 and D-4 for a moment, then he pointed at D-4, “You go!”
Despite his uneasy expression, D-4 cupped his fist respectfully, “Yes!”
It was impossible for Black Ink Disciples to refuse the commands from their masters. The only thing they could do was show complete obedience.
Yang Kai finally understood why D-4 had been so nervous since earlier. D-4 had clearly known that Nu Yan would bring them to this kind of place and that he might have to participate in a life-or-death battle.
Although Black Ink Disciples were willing to offer up everything to their Masters, no one would be fearless in the face of death.
Both participating parties did not exchange any pleasantries with each other. It could even be said that the opponent cast a Secret Technique to attack as soon as D-4 flew into the crater. An impressive sword light slashed towards him from the front as World Force surged fiercely. In response, D-4 hastily took action to defend himself.
D-4 was in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and so was his opponent. Although their cultivation was one Order lower than the previous battle, the intensity of their battle was not inferior in any way.
The opponent was obviously proficient in the Sword Dao. With the longsword in his hand, he covered the entire sky with a curtain of sword light.
On the other hand, the artifact in D-4’s hands was a pair of daggers. In the first place, he had always been small-sized but agile. His figure floundered under the fierce onslaught from his opponent, and his situation looked very precarious.
Yang Kai watched for a while, but soon discovered that it should not be difficult for D-4 to win this battle because the latter was clearly much stronger than his opponent.
That was indeed the case. Following an intense battle, the opponent’s momentum gradually declined and D-4 grasped the opportunity to rush forward, using his twin daggers to slice a bright arc through the air as he brushed past his opponent.
The battle subsided in a single moment. When D-4 turned around, a crimson line of blood appeared on his opponent’s neck. Immediately after that, fresh blood gushed out like a fountain, and a powerful force sent his opponent’s head flying into the sky. The headless corpse swayed slightly and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Stretching out his hand, he tossed a World Sphere into the arena. The World Force escaping from the dead Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was immediately absorbed and sealed within the World Sphere.
D-4 held the World Sphere in both hands, then his short figure flickered several times. He came to stand in front of Nu Yan and bowed his head, “Master!”
Taking the World Sphere, Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good!”
Lang Ya, who was standing by the side, had an ugly expression on his face. Although he had several Black Ink Disciples under his command, they did not come easily. How could he not feel pained after losing one of them? The muscles in his face twitched slightly as he shouted, “Again!”
Nu Yan teased, “Why don’t we forget it and challenge each other again another day?”
“Cease your nonsense!” Lang Ya had just lost one of his Black Ink Disciples, so how could he be willing to back down now? He pointed at a sturdy middle-aged man beside him and shouted, “You go!”
Upon hearing the command, the middle-aged man nodded and jumped into the crater in a flash.
Lang Ya glanced at Nu Yan with a provocative expression, “If you’re scared, you can leave. I won’t force you!”
The Black Ink Clan was innately prideful, so how could Nu Yan admit that he was scared in front of such a large crowd? Giving a cold snort, he turned to look at A-1 and B-2. The opponent dispatched by Lang Ya was a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple; therefore, only A-1 or B-2 could face this opponent. After pondering in silence for a moment, he lifted his chin in A-1’s direction, “Go.”
A-1 silently cupped his fist before he turned around and stepped into the battlefield.
Inside the crater, the two Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciples took their positions. Neither of them attacked immediately; instead, they cupped their fists at each other in greeting. In the next moment, World Force flared. They both simultaneously unleashed their Divine Abilities and Secret Techniques at each other as though they had discussed in advance. Like before, this battle was also very intense. Both parties attacked mercilessly. Many Secret Techniques shone brightly, and World Force collided endlessly.
Yang Kai watched for some time but could not figure out who had the edge. Both the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters undoubtedly came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises and there was barely any difference between their strengths. It was similar to the first battle he had watched. In the end, the final winner would be decided by luck.
Afterward, he turned to observe D-4.
The battle earlier had consumed a lot of D-4’s energy. Fortunately, he did not suffer any serious injuries. As he had already battled once, the following battles would no longer involve him even if there were any; hence, he was no longer as anxious and uneasy as before. His expression had relaxed considerably.
Sensing Yang Kai’s gaze on him, he took the initiative to explain, “This is a gambling match between the Black Ink Clan. It’s very common. You should watch carefully. There’s no telling whether your turn might come in the future.”
“I heard something about a life bout and a deathmatch just now,” Yang Kai spoke softly, “What’s the difference?”
D-4 replied, “Exactly as the name suggests. A deathmatch does not end until one side is dead. Just like my previous battle, and the current battle. On the other hand, in a life bout, it’s enough once a winner is determined. As our Masters’ servants, we are the pieces in the deathmatch, as well as the prize. When either side dies, the World Force in their Small Universe will go to the winner. Meanwhile, in a life bout, both parties will agree upon a bet before the match. For example, betting on the ownership of the Black Ink Disciples or simply betting with Black Ink Coins.”
Yang Kai nodded lightly to indicate his understanding, “Did you say that this kind of gambling is common among the Black Ink Clan?”
D-4 shrugged nonchalantly, “That’s indeed the case. Didn’t you notice how many people are gathered here? They all came here to gamble. The Black Ink Clan is quite fond of this activity. If the Black Ink Disciples under their command are strong enough, then they can obtain many benefits for their Master. Don’t be fooled by the fact that we are the Master’s servants. Many times, the strength of the servants also symbolises the Master’s pride. The tide has to rise for the ship to sail after all.”
Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Thank you for your instruction.”
D-4 waved his hand casually to indicate that it was okay. Then, he suddenly furrowed his brow and solemnly looked down at the fight below.
In such a short period of time, there seemed to have been some unexpected changes. A clear distinction had appeared between the two parties who were originally equal in strength. A-1 was gradually being pushed back under the opponent’s fierce onslaught.
Nu Yan’s expression immediately became tense. On the other hand, Lang Ya stood beside Nu Yan with a smirk on his face. He looked like somebody whose trick had succeeded.
“That person is from Bright King Cave Heaven!” D-4 suddenly exclaimed. His voice was neither loud nor soft. Although he looked like he was talking to Yang Kai, he was actually explaining the circumstances to Nu Yan, “The people from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly cultivate Body Tempering. We’ve been tricked!”
Likewise, Yang Kai had also noticed that A-1’s opponent inside the crater was from Bright King Cave Heaven. He once came into contact with a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven named Xu Wang in the Shattered Heaven. Later, a Seventh-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven also came to Shattered Heaven and captured Blood Crow Divine Monarch.
Cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven had extremely tough bodies. Whenever they fought against others, they rarely used any artifacts as their bodies were their greatest artifacts available. Be that as it may, A-1’s opponent had only used Secret Techniques at the beginning of the battle. That was why nobody had noticed his origins.
It was clearly one of the opponent’s tactics. A-1 was concentrating on a battle of Secret Techniques to decide the winner when his opponent suddenly rushed at him aggressively and launched a close combat assault. The sudden attack had taken him by surprise.
In a fight between Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, the slightest mistake could be fatal.
After A-1 fell into a disadvantage, he was steadily overwhelmed by his opponent and soon could only defend himself, becoming powerless to fight back. Although he wanted to put some distance between them, his opponent shadowed him closely like maggots on rotting bones. It was obvious that the opponent wanted to use his strong point against his enemy’s weakness.
“You cheated!” Nu Yan suddenly turned to glare at Lang Ya and shouted through gritted teeth.
Lang Ya chuckled, “How can one cheat in a fight between Black Ink Disciples? Your slaves are simply too weak!”
Nu Yan was practically spitting fire from his eyes. How could he not know that he had fallen for the other party’s tricks? Lang Ya first tricked him into complacency with the defeat of a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, then sent out a Sixth-Order Master to battle instead. It was obvious that the trap had been prepared for him, and he had walked right into it.
The crater below might span several hundreds of metres, but that was far too little space for manoeuvring in a battle between Open Heaven Realm Masters. They would not be able to display their full abilities at all. If this were a battle in the void where there was enough space around them, A-1 might not necessarily have ended up in this situation. Unfortunately, in such an environment, the person with better close-combat ability would be at a big advantage!
Whether it was the Black Ink Clan or the Black Ink Disciples, they all knew that a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven held an absolute advantage in this gambling arena. That was especially true if they managed to close in on their enemy. They could be said to be almost invincible under those circumstances.
It was well known that nobody could defeat a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in this particular environment, unless they were also a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven. That was why Black Ink Disciples from Bright King Cave Heaven were very sought-after in the gambling arena. Furthermore, nobody would accept the challenge if a Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven was sent into the arena.
Lang Ya’s provocation earlier had caused Nu Yan to carelessly send out A-1, his strongest Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple, without much consideration. It was not until this moment that he realised he had been tricked. Be that as it may, it was too late for regrets. It was impossible for Black Ink Disciples to retreat from the gambling arena during a deathmatch, regardless of the circumstances.
In truth, A-1 was very strong and had most likely been in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm in his prime; however, his opponent was equally powerful. Despite facing a barrage of Secret Techniques from A-1, he neither dodged nor avoided the attacks and charged ahead like a mad beast on a rampage.
A-1 was flustered by this style of combat. What’s more, there was a barrier covering the crater that prevented him from bringing out his full abilities. His strength was gradually being shaved away as a result.
D-4 suddenly sighed, “A-1 is doomed!”
He might only be in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm now, but he had not lost his discerning eye. Besides, he was not the only person who could predict the outcome of the situation in the field. Anybody with the slightest insight would be able to tell that A-1 was simply struggling in the throes of his imminent death. As one of Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciples, D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little sad to see A-1 struggling futilely against a fate that was already determined.
Nu Yan’s expression was becoming more and more ugly. On the other hand, Lang Ya smiled extremely happily. The World Sphere in his hand was already at the ready. Playing with it in his hands, he was ready to toss the World Sphere into the crater to seal the World Force at any moment. The sight of Lang Ya’s behaviour made the rage in Nu Yan’s heart burn even hotter.
Watching this battle made Yang Kai despondent, but there was nothing he could do, making him feel extremely vexed in his heart.
After struggling for some time, A-1’s defences were finally broken through by his opponent. His opponent immediately approached him up close. Even though he fought hard, A-1 eventually lost to the indiscriminate bombardment of his opponent’s iron fists. Fresh blood splattered across crater; even A-1’s defensive artifact was broken to the point where its light grew dim. As those fists smashed his body fiercely, his aura swiftly weakened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
A loud explosion filled the air as blood mist scattered across the sky. A-1’s body was gone, smashed to death.
Meanwhile, his opponent landed lightly in the middle of the crater. He was soaked in blood that came from both himself and A-1. It was a grotesque sight indeed.
The entire arena was filled with cheers. It was obvious that the Black Ink Clan was very satisfied by this bloody scene.
Lang Ya threw his World Sphere into the crater to absorb and seal the World Force that originally belonged to A-1. Then, he immediately turned to look at Nu Yan, “A third round?’
Nu Yan was silent. His originally pitch-black face was now blacker than the bottom of a pot. He might have won the first round, but that was just a fight between Fifth-Order Masters. In contrast, he had lost a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple in the second round. This was such a huge loss that he felt as though he picked up some sesame seeds only to lose a watermelon.
Although Lang Ya invited him to a third round, how could he possibly agree? Without counting Yang Kai, he only had four Black Ink Disciples under his command in the first place. It was a blessing that he had picked up another Black Ink Disciple on the way to the Fierce Wind Estate; otherwise, this loss would have caused him distress for many years to come.
It was not easy for them to obtain Black Ink Disciples. First, a Black Ink Clansman had to keep themselves safe on the battlefield; then, they had to release their Black Ink Strength to corrupt a Human cultivator. More importantly, even if the Human cultivators were corrupted by the Black Ink Strength, success was not guaranteed.
Nu Yan had spent thousands of years just to build up his current heritage, so how could he carelessly squander it at will?
For that reason, it was impossible for Nu Yan to accept Lang Ya’s invitation for a third round. Not unless there was something wrong with his head.
Coldly snorting in response, Nu Yan turned to leave.
“I will continue to use this servant. You can send any of your men into battle. What do you think?” Lang Ya’s voice came from behind.
Nu Yan froze and turned back to look at Lang Ya with a puzzled expression as if asking, “Are you speaking the truth?”
Lang Ya shrugged slightly, indicating that he was not joking.
There were countless eyes on them, watching curiously as though enjoying a good show.
Nu Yan immediately scowled upon hearing those words. Needless to say, there was nothing stopping him from leaving this place at this moment. Although he suffered a huge loss, it wasn’t like he hadn’t gained anything. The World Force of Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was still useful to him, and picking E-5 up along the way here had made up for the losses he sustained this time; however, if he left just like this, he would never be able to swallow the resentment in his heart.
Lowering his head, Nu Yan looked into the crater. A-1 might have been defeated and killed by the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, but he had not been completely powerless to fight back. His desperate resistance had also caused some injury to his opponent. In addition, the battle just now had consumed quite a lot of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s strength.
[A one-on-one fight might have been impossible against him, but won’t a series of continuous battles bring him down?]
It had to be said that the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master below was a huge temptation to Nu Yan. The most important reason was that the resentment in his heart could be wiped clean in one go if he won.
Seeing Nu Yan’s hesitation, Lang Ya immediately waved his hand dismissively and said, “Of course, you can leave if you’re scared. There’s no need to force yourself.”
He had said those words before. His statement had been a provocation earlier, and it remained a provocation now. It was just that his tone was completely different. He had spat out those words through gritted teeth earlier, but he was openly sneering now.
Nu Yan had already been hesitating earlier, so he immediately made up his mind after being agitated by those words, “Who’s scared? But, let’s make it clear now. You don’t get to regret your decision when you lose later.”
Lang Ya nodded repeatedly, “Don’t worry, I won’t regret my decision.”
His expression was calm and relaxed, seeming to have great confidence in the Black Ink Disciple under his command.
Looking at Lang Ya’s reaction made Nu Yan’s heart clench. He had the vague feeling that he had made a fool of himself again; unfortunately, he had already agreed to the challenge and could no longer back out of his decision. If he refused the challenge now, he would only become the laughingstock of his clansmen.
Gritting his teeth, Nu Yan gave B-2 a questioning look. A-1 was dead, so he could only count on B-2 now. There was no denying that B-2 was slightly weaker than A-1, but the difference was not too great. Against an injured and exhausted opponent, his odds of obtaining victory were quite high.
Under Nu Yan’s gaze, B-2 lowered his head and said nothing.
“Waste!” Nu Yan snarled.
B-2’s behaviour obviously indicated that he had no confidence in winning. Things were bound to end badly if he were sent to fight with such a mentality. Besides, he had diligently served Nu Yan for a long time. Even if he was a mere servant, B-2 had been very earnest and supportive throughout all these years.
Nu Yan was reluctant to send B-2 to certain death despite his angry cursing, so he turned to Yang Kai and snapped, “You go!”
Having only just picked E-5 up, he did not know what his strength was like. Be that as it may, the Open Heaven Realm Masters were all the same. Seeing that B-2 had no confidence of winning, then the situation was most likely hopeless for E-5 too.
At this point, Nu Yan already regretted not leaving immediately earlier. If he had left, even if he suffered some losses, they wouldn’t have been too unbearable. In contrast, the situation had worsened now. Even the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple he just picked up would have to die here.
Be that as it may, if he had to choose between B-2 and E-5, Nu Yan would choose to abandon E-5. He was not familiar with the new recruit, so he could simply act as if he had not picked anybody up in the first place. By thinking like that, he could comfort himself slightly.
“Yes!” Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist in response. He never imagined that this matter would fall upon his shoulders. Although he felt helpless, the Black Ink Clansman who was supposed to be his ‘Master’ had spoken, so he could only obey.
Nu Yan spoke through gritted teeth, “Even if you die, you have to drag him down with you!”
Yang Kai nodded and jumped into the crater.
Standing beside Nu Yan, D-4 sighed slightly. If it had to be said, he quite liked E-5. The main reason was that A-1 and the others were taciturn while E-5 was willing to chat with him despite being a newcomer. Now that E-5 had been ordered to enter the gambling arena, he would most likely never return again. The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven was not an easy opponent after all. That was why D-4 couldn’t help feeling a little regretful.
Inside the crater, a bloody stench filled the air. Severed limbs and pieces of flesh could be seen everywhere. An innumerable number of Black Ink Disciples had died in this place, so much so that the blood they spilled had dyed the ground crimson.
The Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven looked over indifferently. His expression was calm. There were signs of injury on his body, but they were not serious. It was just that his battle against A-1 earlier had indeed consumed a lot of his strength. Regardless of his condition though, he was confident that he could defeat his opponent in this kind of venue.
“Please!” Yang Kai cupped his fist at the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven.
The words had only just left Yang Kai’s mouth when the opponent shot towards him like an arrow released from its string. His World Force was wrapped around his figure for defence, but his momentum was very aggressive. Since he had already revealed his hand during the first round, there was no longer any need to hide his abilities. Besides, he planned to finish this fight as soon as possible. It was only natural for him to seize the advantage by closing the distance.
In the next moment, the Bright King Cave Heaven Master was slightly taken aback because his opponent was also rushing forward like him. There were no signs of activating a Secret Technique or traces of summoning an artifact, just a punch clad in World Force crashing down on him.
There was an uproar in the audience as countless Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples widened their eyes in shock and amazement.
Although Nu Yan was also shocked, he was even more furious! [That damn E-5! Knowing that the opponent comes from Bright King Cave Heaven and boasts a strong physical body, I can’t believe he dared to take the initiative to meet him head on! That’s exactly how A-1 was killed earlier!]
However, recalling his own words just now, he suppressed the flames of his anger. He had the vague feeling that E-5 was following his orders and trying to create an opportunity to drag his opponent down with him. If that was the case, then his current actions were understandable.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion boomed across the arena, and shockwaves visible to the naked eye erupted outward. Two figures collided fiercely against each other, then suddenly separated as they flew out in opposite directions.
The first collision went beyond everybody’s expectations.
In the previous battle, the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had already displayed the immense strength of his body. Seeing Yang Kai dashing forward without the fear of death, they all believed that it would be a one-sided massacre, but on the contrary, it turned out to be an evenly matched situation.
Nu Yan was stunned! Even Lang Ya, who had a smile at the corner of his lips, was also stunned. Meanwhile, D-4’s mouth gaped open in shock.
Nobody could have expected Yang Kai to withstand the punch of the Sixth-Order Master from Bright King Cave Heaven. Nevertheless, one clash was not enough to prove anything, only the upcoming battle would determine the victor.
Two figures landed on the ground heavily.
The Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven had a surprised look in his eyes, but his figure kept charging forward without stopping. Putting some strength into his legs, he kicked off the ground so hard that an indentation formed. At the same time, he charged towards Yang Kai once more. When he was in mid-air, he saw his opponent making the same choice again!
*Hong… Hong… Hong…*
The two figures inside the crater constantly collided and separated. The cycle repeated again and again without the slightest pause. With every collision, the violent World Force kicked up the wind and the clouds. Like throwing a rock into the calm surface of the lake, shockwaves blasted out like ripples spreading into the surroundings.
The silent audience gathered around the crater immediately burst into cheer. This fierce battle enraptured and excited the Black Ink Clan.
There were no fancy Secret Techniques or exchanges between offensive and defensive artifacts, there were only bloody fists against flesh. It was the most primitive kind of conflict, a battle that had never been seen before in the gambling arena. It was enough to bring out the deep-seated murderous brutality buried deep within their hearts and intoxicated them greatly.
The smile on Lang Ya’s face gradually vanished, and his expression became solemn.
Meanwhile, Nu Yan’s expression was filled with surprise. He originally made the choice between abandoning B-2 or E-5, sending the unknown E-5 into battle. Who could have known that E-5 would give him such a pleasant surprise?
Despite facing a direct confrontation with a cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven, E-5 did not lose out in the slightest. Leaving aside the final outcome of the battle, just this scene alone had already broken his previous assumptions.
“Is he also from Bright King Cave Heaven?” Nu Yan turned to look at D-4.
Along the journey, D-4 and E-5 had gotten together and whispered to each other from time to time. It was not that he did not notice, but rather that he did not have to worry about the loyalty of the Black Ink Disciples under him, so he rarely bothered to care about their private lives. Nu Yan had not asked about E-5’s background and had even given him a name in a haphazard manner.
However, D-4 should know something.
Upon hearing the question, D-4 shook his head, “No. He claimed to be from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven.”
The Black Ink Clan had a certain understanding of the various Cave Heavens and Paradises, so needless to say, even Nu Yan had heard of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven. As a result, he immediately became puzzled, “Do the people from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven have such powerful bodies?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Those from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven are proficient in the Yin-Yang Union Cultivation. They are not known for the strength of their bodies. E-5… may just be innately gifted!”
That was the only explanation. It was not to say that others would not have strong bodies if they did not come from Bright King Cave Heaven. It was only a general comparison. The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven mainly focused on Body Tempering, so their Secret Arts were also based on enhancing their physiques.
“Who do you think is better between them?” Nu Yan asked with great interest. Although he was a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman with strength equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was not very familiar with the way Humans fought. He could only see that the battle was extremely intense, but he could not see who held the upper hand.
D-4 could not really say because he himself could not tell; thus, he could only speak conservatively, “E-5 has hope of winning!”
That was enough.
Nu Yan laughed heartily, “Good! Very good!”
[I’ve truly found a treasure! It’s a blessing that I sent him out to participate in this battle. I would never have known that E-5 was so amazing otherwise.]
At the same time, he began to worry about E-5’s safety. It would be good if E-5 won the battle, but if E-5 was defeated and killed, the loss would break his heart even more than the death of A-1.
Nu Yan turned his head to the side, and seeing that Lang Ya’s expression was solemn and no longer as calm and relaxed as before, he sneered, “D-4, what do the Humans say about such situations?”
Observing the situation, D-4 quickly said, “All your clever scheming has led to your downfall! There’s also a saying, ‘Tried to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice’!”
“Right! Right!” Nu Yan nodded repeatedly, “That’s how it goes.”
Lang Ya glanced sideways and coldly spat, “The Black Ink Disciple under your command is too presumptuous.”
Nu Yan snorted with laughter, “As you know, he is a Black Ink Disciple under my command. He is none of your damn business! Weren’t you laughing so happily earlier? Why don’t you show me a smile now?”
How could Lang Ya smile at this time when he was pale with rage?
Lang Ya originally thought that he would obtain another victory. Who could have known that Nu Yan would have such a talented servant under him? Lang Ya even suspected that Nu Yan had set him up. Why else would Nu Yan have behaved so reluctantly earlier?
Just as Lang Ya was gritting his teeth in anger, the Black Ink Disciple beside him suddenly exclaimed softly, “Master, something isn’t right!”
Ignoring Nu Yan’s pestering, Lang Ya quickly looked down into the crater below. What entered his field of view made his heart sink.
There was indeed something wrong.
At first, the two Black Ink Disciples had been evenly matched and there was no telling who was having the upper hand; however, in such a short time, the Black Ink Disciple under his command had clearly fallen behind. The Black Ink Disciple no longer showed the same heroic bravery as before and was steadily being pushed back by his opponent. He was in a wretched state.
This scene made Lang Ya’s expression become even uglier. He had been extremely confident in the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven under him; otherwise, he would not have ordered him to fight two consecutive battles. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to reap some benefits from Nu Yan, but how could he have anticipated such an outcome? At this rate, he would really end up trying to steal a chicken but losing his rice.
Another peal of smug laughter came from Nu Yan, which sounded extremely grating to Lang Ya’s ears.
The Black Ink Clansmen watching the battle cheered loudly, making Lang Ya become increasingly anxious. In the end, he couldn’t help roaring furiously, “Kill him! Otherwise, I will kill you myself!”
When the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master from Bright King Cave Heaven on the battlefield heard the command from his Master, he ferociously threw his fist at Yang Kai to open up some distance between them. His hands then moved swiftly to form a set of seals and cast a Secret Technique. Following the fluctuation of World Force around him, a dazzling giant illusory phantom enveloped his body. His entire being seemed to integrate with the illusory phantom, and his aura soared instantly.
Immovable Bright King Golden Body!
The cultivators from Bright King Cave Heaven focused on cultivating their physical bodies; hence, the Immovable Bright King Golden Body was their biggest trump card. If he unleashed this Secret Technique, then it meant that he was ready to fight with everything he had.
Yang Kai, who was now being pushed back, looked annoyed. With his current strength, it would not take much effort for him to defeat or even kill this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator in front of him; however, he was currently stuck in the depths of Black Ink Clan’s territory, so he did not dare to expose too much and was consciously suppressing his true strength. After all, if he killed his opponent in two or three hits, he would surely draw attention to himself. In the worst case, he might even pique the interest of a Feudal Lord.
A Black Ink Feudal Lord was equivalent to a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. Receiving the attention of such a Master was bound to cause unexpected complications to occur.
In contrast, the one he currently followed was no more than a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, Nu Yan. Even if an unexpected incident occurred, Yang Kai could easily resolve the matter with his strength alone.
That was why he had pretended to be going all out, as though he aimed to die together with his opponent, while in truth he was greatly holding back.
Now that his opponent had suddenly activated his Immovable Bright King Golden Body though, the strength that Yang Kai displayed so far was not enough to match. As this thought swirled around in his head, Yang Kai sighed softly and immediately activated the power of his Dragon Vein.
There was no other choice. If he did not do this, he would have no explanation for what would happen next. His opponent’s strength had soared, so if he did not use some sort of trump card as well, then he would have no way to explain his increase in strength.
In front of everybody’s eyes, Yang Kai let out a furious howl. His expression was filled with savagery. Immediately after that, a series of crackling and popping sounds rang out and his figure swelled up.
Yang Kai did not dare to perform a complete Dragon Transformation as that would turn him into a 20,000 metres long Grand Dragon. If he were to do that, he would most certainly be exposed.
While carefully supressing his Dragon Vein, Yang Kai’s figure abruptly swelled until he was a dozen metres tall. His exposed skin was covered in a layer of dense Dragon Scales, a Dragon Horn protruded from his forehead, his hands turned into Dragon Claws, and a Dragon Tail swished back and forth behind his back. With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he stood there in a Half-Dragon Form while a faint Dragon Pressure permeated the air and a Dragon Roar reverberated throughout the gambling arena.
Outside the crater, Nu Yan widened his eyes in astonishment and stared at the changes in front of him in shock. B-2, C-3, and D-4 standing beside him were equally shocked. Then, D-4 suddenly exclaimed, “So that’s it!”
Nu Yan looked back, “What?”
D-4 quickly cupped his fist, “Master, it looks like E-5 is not a pureblood Human. He probably has some Dragon Clan blood in him!”
“A Dragon Clan bloodline!” Nu Yan raised his eyebrows at those words, “Isn’t that what you Humans call the leaders of the Divine Spirits?”
Even though he had participated in the war between the Black Ink Clan and the Humans countless times, the truth was that Nu Yan had never seen the Dragon Clan in person before. At most, he only heard of such a Race.
Nevertheless, he immediately became excited, “Doesn’t that mean he is amazing?”
D-4 shook his head and said, “Reporting to Master, E-5 may have some Dragon Clan blood running through his veins, but his bloodline is clearly not very pure. Judging by his appearance, he is what we call a ‘Dragonborn’. He is not part of the true Dragon Clan.” As if afraid that Nu Yan would not understand, he made an analogy, “If you compare the Black Ink Clan to the Dragon Clan, then the Dragonborn is similar to Black Ink Disciples. Although the Dragonborn have some of the Dragon Clan’s powers, they are far from the real thing.”
Nu Yan nodded without really understanding the explanation. In any case, he knew that the servant called E-5 was quite special.
D-4 continued, “The Dragon Clan is very powerful. They are known as the head of the Divine Spirits; hence, their physical bodies are extraordinarily powerful. E-5’s strong physique is probably related to the Dragon Vein in his body. It all makes sense now. He comes from Yin-Yang Cave Heaven after all, so how can his body be stronger than that of someone from Bright King Cave Heaven? It turns out he was a Dragonborn all along.”
Nu Yan laughed loudly. Turning to look at Lang Ya, he mocked the other party, “You have chosen the wrong opponent.”
Lang Ya coldly snorted, “It is uncertain who will win and who will lose. Don’t get carried away.”
Nu Yan snorted and said nothing more. Wasting time arguing with Lang Ya was meaningless. As long as his servant won the battle, he would be able to see Lang Ya’s angry and depressed face, which would make it all worth it.
On the battlefield inside the crater, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, who cast his Immovable Bright King Golden Body, and Yang Kai, who was in his Half-Dragon Form, attacked and collided with each other again.
This time around, the battle was more ferocious and cruel compared to before.
Everybody knew that both parties had played their final cards and the outcome of the life-or-death battle was about to be decided, so all were excitedly paying attention.
The two gigantic figures collided with each other, but they did not separate from each other as they did before. On the contrary, they became entangled together. Activating the powers of their Small Universes, they constantly attacked each other indiscriminately. Both of them had completely abandoned any form of defence and focused solely on a fierce offensive. They were behaving as though they wanted to kill each other or die trying.
Yang Kai even used his Dragon Tail and Dragon Fangs to attack.
This battle was not flashy, but it was ferocious and brutal. Fresh blood splattered everywhere, and the two figures rolled about in a tangle of limbs. When they slammed into the light barrier, the impact even made an indentation in it. Although the light barrier recovered quickly, the horrifying power behind their collision could be seen.
After some time, the light of the Immovable Bright King Golden Body gradually became dim; likewise, Yang Kai was drenched in blood and he looked as though he was in a precarious state.
Be it Lang Ya or Nu Yan, their expressions became solemn. Nobody had expected this battle to end up in this situation. It was impossible to tell who would win in the end; however, it had to be said that this was a satisfying battle to watch. That much was obvious just by looking at the exhilarated expressions of the Black Ink Clan in the audience.
*Hong…*
A loud explosion erupted. The two figures that had been tangled together since they pulled out their final trump cards finally separated, dropped out of the sky, and crashed to the ground.
The Immovable Bright King Golden Body had been shattered completely and the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator lay motionless on the ground. It was unknown whether he was still alive.
The corners of D-4’s mouth twitched slightly. Although he came from Nine Stars Paradise, he was aware that a Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator’s Golden Body was extremely powerful. It was unbelievable to think that it had been forcibly broken with brute force. If Bright King Cave Heaven learned about this situation, they would certainly feel ashamed.
Yang Kai’s Dragon Transformation slowly disappeared, and he returned to his Human Form. Similarly, he lay on the ground without moving.
[Did the both of them die?] The Black Ink Clan watched with eyes widened in surprise. If that was the outcome of the battle, then it would be quite interesting in and of itself. They did not care for the life or death of the Black Ink Disciples, so it would be a worthwhile trip here if they could witness such an exhilarating battle.
However, there were no signs of any Small Universes collapsing. In other words, both parties were still alive. It was just that the battle had been too intense, so they were completely exhausted.
Lang Ya’s furious roar rang out, “Stand up and kill him!”
[Victory or defeat is only one step away, how can I fall short now!?]
Seeming to hear his master’s command, the fingers of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator twitched in response; then, he struggled to his feet and staggered towards Yang Kai.
Nu Yan felt as though his heart was in his throat. Although he sent E-5 into battle because he originally planned to abandon him, this battle had completely exceeded his expectations. Based on the strength E-5 displayed so far, it was clear that he was much stronger than A-1. Nu Yan was reluctant to throw aside a servant like that, but there was nothing he could do at this moment. Masters were not allowed to interfere in the fights between their Black Ink Disciples. Those were the rules.
Seeing that the opponent was going to reach E-5, Nu Yan yelled anxiously, “Get up! Get up!”
Yang Kai remained motionless.
D-4 sighed sorrowfully, [In the end, he still lost.]
In this place, defeat meant death as the opponent would not be merciful.
In front of everybody’s eyes, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator staggered over to Yang Kai and stood before him. It was at that moment that Yang Kai, who had been lying there without moving, abruptly leaped to his feet and kicked his opponent in the chest. His opponent stumbled and fell to the ground. Then, he lunged forward, sat on his opponent, and threw a frenzy of punches.
Nu Yan had been so nervous that his heart was about to jump out of his chest, so when he saw this sight, he couldn’t help laughing out loud.
On the other hand, Lang Ya was flabbergasted. He never imagined such a turn of events would occur.
*Peng peng peng…*
Yang Kai’s fist smashed down, causing the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator to become bruised and bloody under his punches. Be that as it may, everyone could tell that he barely had any strength left even though he was attacking fiercely. His punches seemed almost weak and flimsy.
At the beginning, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator struggled to fight back; nevertheless, he quickly lost the strength to resist and just lay there to be slaughtered. He was also a dry oil lamp at this point.
A short while later, Yang Kai stopped and struggled to his feet. Immediately after that, he did something completely unexpected. He grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator by one of the legs and staggered towards Nu Yan.
The cheers had died down. All the Black Ink Clan and the Black Ink Disciples were staring at Yang Kai in confusion. Having reached this point, the winner of this battle was obvious; even so, the conclusion of the battle never came. In a place like this, one party had to die in order for a deathmatch to be considered over.
Although Yang Kai had won the battle, his opponent was still alive. The audience understood. It was not that he didn’t want to kill his opponent. He simply no longer had the strength to do so!
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was a dry oil lamp who didn’t even have the strength to fight back at this point. Be that as it may, thanks to how he normally focused on cultivating his physical body, his physique was incredibly intrepid all on its own. It was not easy for an opponent who was equally exhausted to kill him.
Such a situation had never been seen before.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai was feeling extremely uneasy as he dragged the Bright King Heaven cultivator towards Nu Yan. He didn’t know whether the plan he had made up on the spot could be realised; even so, he had to try. This matter involved a life after all.
Inside the Sealed World, Meng Qi once told him that there was no need for him to show mercy to his opponents if he encountered another Black Ink Disciple in the future. On the contrary, he should kill them if he could as that would in and of itself be a blessing for them.
Yang Kai never imagined that the time to make such a choice would appear so quickly before him; however, he could not bring himself to ruthlessly slaughter the Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven in front of him. He had the means to solve the root issue after all. There might be an opportunity for him to rescue this Black Ink Disciple and restore his original nature; which was why he tried every means possible to defeat his opponent without killing him.
Staggering over to Nu Yan, Yang Kai cupped his fist, “Master, fortunately, I did not fail my mission!”
Nu Yan smiled and nodded, “Very good! I knew I was right about you.”
The truth was that he had made up his mind to abandon Yang Kai when he sent him into the battlefield earlier. Looking back on his decision now, it would seem like he had great foresight instead.
Nu Yan lowered his head and glanced at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator whom Yang Kai had dragged over to him. A greedy look flashed across his eyes as he stretched out his hand, “Hand him to me.”
Yang Kai had no choice but to obey.
Nu Yan reached out and grabbed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, his large palm holding him upright as his Black Ink Strength surged and wrapped around the latter.
Upon seeing this, Yang Kai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Nu Yan’s actions had not disappointed him. This situation was exactly what he had been hoping for.
On the other hand, the expression of Lang Ya, who had been gnashing his teeth and watching from nearby, immediately fell at this sight and he shouted grimly, “Nu Yan, what are you doing!?”
He initially thought that Nu Yan would simply enjoy the spoils of war. The World Force of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was an extremely nutritious supplement to a High-Rank Black Ink Clansman after all. Nu Yan’s strength would surely increase sharply after devouring the World Force of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
How could he have anticipated that Nu Yan had no such plans at all? Contrary to expectations, Nu Yan used his own Black Ink Strength to corrode the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator; in this way, wouldn’t the Bright King Heaven cultivator become Nu Yan’s Black Ink Disciple instead?
How could Lang Ya accept this situation? A living Black Ink Disciple and a dead Black Ink Disciple had very different values.
He had agreed on a death match with Nu Yan, so now that the outcome of the battle had been decided, Lang Ya had mentally prepared himself for his Black Ink Disciple to be killed. If Nu Yan had killed the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, then he would have nothing to say; however, Nu Yan’s current actions were unacceptable to him. Doing this would greatly increase the overall strength of Nu Yan’s subordinates. Conversely, Lang Ya would lose a powerful subordinate. Thanks to this shift in numbers, the gap between his strength and Nu Yan’s strength would become very large.
“Do you have an objection?” Nu Yan glanced sideways at Lang Ya.
Lang Ya roared angrily, “You and I agreed to a death match! The battle must end with death to determine the winner! What do you mean by stealing my Black Ink Disciple now!?”
If it were a life bout where the ownership of the losing Black Ink Disciple was the wager, then Nu Yan’s actions would be beyond reproach; however, it was different for a deathmatch.
Nu Yan sneered, “What do you mean by stealing? The outcome of the battle has been decided and these are spoils of war. If I want him alive, he will live. If I want him dead, he will die. His life is mine now. It has nothing to do with you.”
Lang Ya insisted on the rules and refused to back down, “A deathmatch is a deathmatch! Between these two Black Ink Disciples, only one may survive. You may choose which one!”
Nu Yan shook his head slowly, “Nobody ever said that only one person can survive in a death match.”
It was true that nobody had ever specified such a thing, it was just that every deathmatch had ended with the same result, mainly because the Black Ink Disciples who fought in each battle were not significantly different in strength. There had never been a situation in which a Black Ink Disciple with a higher Order had utterly suppressed a Black Ink Disciple with a lower Order before.
Seeing as the Black Ink Disciples could not afford to hold back once the fight started, it was only natural that one side would eventually be defeated and killed. In this way, everybody had simply taken this rule as a given.
A situation like this, where Yang Kai had captured his opponent alive and returned to his Master, was unprecedented; hence, there was room for interpretation.
Lang Ya did not waste his time arguing with Nu Yan though. Raising his arms, he shouted to the audience, “Let’s ask our clansmen! What are the rules of a deathmatch!?”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
Deafening cheers rang out from the surrounding audience. The Black Ink Clan did not care about who would benefit from this situation, they simply wanted to see blood and death.
Lang Ya gave Nu Yan a defiant look with a smug expression on his face.
Nu Yan’s expression became solemn. He really liked this Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, so it would be great if he could take him under his command. However, his gains would not be worth the losses if he incurred the wrath of his clansmen here.
While Nu Yan was hesitating, Yang Kai suddenly cupped his fist, “Master, why don’t you let me fight him again? I can slowly, slowly torture him to death!”
Nu Yan frowned and asked, “Slowly torture him to death?”
What would the point of that be?
Yang Kai quickly followed up, “What do you think of a hundred years?”
Only then did Nu Yan understand and grinned to himself. Who would be willing to watch this fight drag on for 100 years? Even Lang Ya may not have such patience. Once Lang Ya was gone, the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator would naturally become his Black Ink Disciple. It wasn’t a bad solution.
“You court death!” Lang Ya turned and glared at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai lowered his head, “If Master wants me dead, I will die!”
The implication behind his words was naturally ‘you are not qualified to order me around’.
D-4’s eyes widened when he heard those words. It was only at this moment that he realised how bold E-5 was, [I can’t believe he dared to speak to a Black Ink Clansman in such an aggressive manner!? Does he not know how to write the word ‘death’!?]
“Impudence!” Nu Yan rebuked, but the tone of his voice held no sense of reproach whatsoever.
Yang Kai bowed his head in deference.
Nu Yan then turned to look at Lang Ya, “I’m sure you’re not willing to spend 100 years watching a boring fight, right? If you’re really that leisurely, then I can allow the two Black Ink Disciples to continue their match.”
In any case, the cultivator from Bright King Cave Heaven had already been imbued with his Black Ink Strength and could already be considered his Black Ink Disciple. As long as Nu Yan gave the order, it was really possible for the two Black Ink Disciples to fight for another 100 years.
Lang Ya’s expression was frigid, but he remained silent.
“Let’s do this. Why don’t we just invite the three Feudal Lords to adjudicate this matter? We can ask them for their opinions and decide based on the majority. Whatever the Feudal Lords decide, we will obey their decision,” Nu Yan suggested.
The reason Nu Yan made such a suggestion was that he would not suffer any losses, regardless of the outcome. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was allowed to live, then he would obtain an additional powerful servant. If the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator was condemned to die, then he could take the opportunity to devour his World Force and increase his own strength.
On the contrary, no matter how the situation turned out, Lang Ya would not benefit in any way.
More importantly, Nu Yan did not have 100 years to waste either.
Seeing as Nu Yan had already made such a suggestion, how could Lang Ya refuse? He immediately nodded in agreement, “Good!”
Nu Yan turned to look around him, then he placed his hand on his chest, “I respectfully invite our respected Feudal Lords to pass judgement upon this matter.” Pointing at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator, he continued, “The life of this Black Ink Disciple will depend on your judgement, Sirs.”
There were Black Ink Feudal Lords mixed among the Black Ink Clan watching in the surroundings; moreover, they were not few in number. As long as one could reach the appropriate level of strength, they would automatically become a Feudal Lord, but not every Black Ink Feudal Lord had their own territory.
This place was the Fierce Wind Estate, and there was naturally a Feudal Lord in charge here; as such, other Feudal Lords did not have a say in how this place operated. Since the Lord of the Fierce Wind Estate had a territory of his own, that could only mean that his strength was incomparable to an ordinary Feudal Lord. Still, that did not mean other Feudal Lords did not have any authority here.
It was the same as Void Land. There were so many Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in Void Land, but despite also being one of the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai was also Void Land’s Lord. The others might be part of Void Land, but they did not have the status of being the Lord.
After Nu Yan finished speaking, he waited quietly.
A short while later, a female Black Ink Feudal Lord finally spoke up with great majesty, “A deathmatch should involve death. What meaning is there for both to survive?”
The meaning behind her words was extremely clear.
Lang Ya and Nu Yan bowed with their hands on their chests as a sign of respect. Then, they quietly waited for the next Feudal Lord to speak. Nevertheless, Lang Ya’s expression was obviously much more relaxed thanks to the support of this female Feudal Lord.
Nu Yan was unaffected by the situation as he figured he would win regardless of the outcome.
After a while, another Feudal Lord spoke, “The Black Ink Disciple is also part of the Black Ink Clan’s strength. Let him live. He will be of use on the battlefield.”
The opinions of the two Feudal Lords had opposed each other. In that case, the last Feudal Lord would undoubtedly decide the life or death of that Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
A voice soon rang out from somewhere, “Let him live!”
The response was very concise. There was no need for much explanation. He probably had the same thoughts as the second Feudal Lord. The Black Ink Disciple could contribute more if he survived.
Nu Yan and Lang Ya bowed once more.
When they straightened their backs, Nu Yan gave Lang Ya a triumphant smile.
Lang Ya snorted in response. Turning around, he left with his remaining Black Ink Disciple in tow. He originally had three Black Ink Disciples gathered around him, including two Fifth-Order and one Sixth-Order. One of his Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been killed by D-4, and his only Sixth-Order servant had been captured by Yang Kai. At present, he was only left with one Fifth-Order Master. It was a bleak sight to behold.
If Lang Ya wanted to obtain more Black Ink Disciples, then he could only buy them from other Black Ink Clansmen, participate in similar gambling battles, or wait for the war to break out so that he could corrupt a Human cultivator with his Black Ink Strength on the battlefield. In any case, he suffered a huge loss this time.
Nu Yan, who was in conflict with Lang Ya, was naturally overjoyed by this turn of events. The two gambling battles had resulted in the loss of A-1, followed by the acquisition of the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator.
Although the line-up under his command remained at five subordinates, his overall strength had increased. Everything could be accredited to the newly-recruited servant called E-5. If E-5 had not given him such an unexpectedly pleasant surprise today, he would not be so ecstatic right now.
Turning around, he looked at Yang Kai, who was bloody and dishevelled from the fight. The more he looked at Yang Kai, the happier he became. He had never found a Black Ink Disciple so appealing before.
“From today onwards, you will be called A-1!” Nu Yan said while looking at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai froze for a moment before he cupped his fist and responded softly, “Yes!”
His name had changed from E-5 to A-1 all of a sudden. It was obviously a giant leap in status.
“Your name is E-5!” The Black Ink Clansman looked at the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator again.
The Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had yet to recover fully after such a short rest, but he had enough energy to at least stand up now. Despite his pale complexion, he responded in the affirmative.
Thanks to Yang Kai’s performance earlier, Nu Yan’s attitude towards him became much warmer and friendlier; moreover, he would glance at Yang Kai from time to time with a thoughtful expression.
Leading the Black Ink Disciples under his command, Nu Yan left the gambling arena and found a place to rest. He even handed many cultivation resources to Yang Kai so that the latter could recover sooner.
Yang Kai could only show a grateful attitude. The truth was that the previous fight against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had not exhausted him to a great extent. He had been holding back his strength all this time, so he only looked like he was in a wretched condition on the surface. Nevertheless, in order not to expose his secret, Yang Kai was forced to suppress his recovery ability as much as possible. In this way, it took him three whole days before he returned to his peak.
During these three days, he repeatedly felt Nu Yan watching him with a vaguely meaningful look. These occurrences made him somewhat vigilant. He even wondered whether he had accidentally revealed his secrets and caused Nu Yan to become suspicious of him. Upon careful consideration though, Yang Kai realised that his worries were unwarranted. He had not made any mistakes, so Nu Yan could not have figured out anything; even so, he could not understand what Nu Yan was thinking.
When Yang Kai opened his eyes on the third day, it was obvious that Nu Yan had been waiting for a long time. Nu Yan’s gaze immediately swept in his direction, and he called out, “A-1!”
Yang Kai stood up and cupped his fist, “How may I help you, Master?”
“With your ability, how many battles can you win if you fought consecutive rounds against Humans in the same Order without any rest?” Nu Yan asked.
Yang Kai did not know why Nu Yan was asking about this. He thought to himself that it was impossible for him to lose against opponents in the same Order no matter how many of them he fought, but he answered cautiously, “Three battles, at most.”
Nu Yan raised his eyebrows, “Three? Very good!” While saying that, he stood up and looked in a certain direction, “I’m going to bring you to a gambling arena. Can you guarantee that you will be undefeated in all three battles?”
Yang Kai frowned and asked, “This subordinate has just shown his face in the gambling arena a few days ago. Will anybody be willing to be my opponent if we go again now?”
His previous battle against the Bright King Cave Heaven cultivator had been witnessed by many Black Ink Clansmen. No matter how much he had suppressed his strength, his victory would not change. There might not be anybody who was willing to take up the challenge due to the skills Yang Kai showed in the earlier battle.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Rest assured, there will definitely be contenders. Even if there aren’t, I’ll think of a way. You don’t need to worry about this. However, I need you to guarantee me that you will never lose. If you think that you are incapable of continuing, then let me know in advance.”
He was reluctant to lose a servant like Yang Kai.
“Yes!” Yang Kai responded.
“Let’s go!” Nu Yan beckoned with his hand and led his Black Ink Disciples towards the gambling arena once more.
A short while later, they arrived at a crater where two Black Ink Disciples were fighting. The surrounding area was as lively as ever. This was undoubtedly a deathmatch. The two Black Ink Disciples were struggling desperately, each unleashing their respective Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities. It was an extraordinarily heated battle, and the cheers rang out endlessly from the crowd.
After waiting for some time, the fight between the two Black Ink Disciples finally came to an end. The winner survived, and the loser died. Sometimes, the fate of Black Ink Disciples lay at the whims of the Black Ink Clan.
When the victorious Black Ink Disciple left the arena, Nu Yan signalled Yang Kai with a look.
Yang Kai immediately understood and flew down into the crater. It had only been three days since he last fought a valiant battle here, so many Black Ink Clansmen recognised him when he suddenly showed up here. They immediately looked enthusiastic, chatting while watching with great interest. Be that as it may, no Black Ink Clansman sent their own Black Ink Disciple into the arena.
This couldn’t be helped as Yang Kai’s performance a few days ago had been too extraordinary. If somebody entered the arena without confidence, they would only suffer a tragic end. It was not easy to obtain Black Ink Disciples, so the Black Ink Clan was not willing to squander them carelessly. Naturally, there were many Black Ink Clansmen who showed interest in Yang Kai. It was just that they could only shake their heads regretfully after asking the opinions of the Black Ink Disciples under their command.
Despite waiting for a while, nobody stepped forward to accept the challenge. Yang Kai remained standing in the middle of the crater, looking rather bored. A Black Ink Clansman soon yelled from the surrounding area, “Nu Yan, nobody will accept your challenge if you send this person into battle! Change him for someone else!”
Nu Yan bared his teeth in annoyance. He initially thought that he could get lucky, and a Black Ink Clansman who was not aware of Yang Kai’s strength would send their Black Ink Disciple into battle. Who could have known that there were no reckless fools around today? The Black Ink Clansmen who witnessed the battle three days ago would not be deceived, and those who had not witnessed the battle in person learned about the situation after making some enquiries.
Since he could not rely on luck, he could only lure others in with the temptation of profit.
Nu Yan chuckled and spoke in a carrying voice, “It is true that my Black Ink Disciple is quite strong. I’ve never seen anybody else in the same Order who is more powerful than him. But, since he is already standing in the arena, it’s a pity to leave without even fighting. Let’s do this instead. We’ll fight a life bout. Whoever wins the battle can go ahead and take him away. Whoever loses the battle will only need to pay me 100 Black Ink Coins.”
As soon as this statement came out, an uproar broke out among the Black Ink Clansmen. Nu Yan’s words were too brazen. It was almost like he was implying that it was impossible for his Black Ink Disciple to be defeated.
A Black Ink Clansman immediately asked eagerly, “Nu Yan, are you serious?”
The value of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple was not low. If a Sixth-Order Black Ink Disciple were to be traded, they would definitely be sold for tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins. It had to be said that tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins would be a sizable chunk of wealth to a High-Rank Black Ink Clan.
Even if they lost, the compensation was not too high. There would not be any deaths either since it was a life bout. In other words, they did not need to worry about their Black Ink Disciples dying and only needed to pay 100 Black Ink Coins.
It was only 100 Black Ink Coins; who could not afford something like that? Even the Low-Rank Black Ink Clansmen could bring out 100 Black Ink Coins at will.
Nu Yan nodded, “Of course, I’m being serious. That is something I announced in public, so how can I go back on my words?”
Upon hearing those words, the Black Ink Clansmen immediately became agitated and sent the Black Ink Disciples under their command into the arena. Dozens of Black Ink Disciples instantly took to the air and landed inside the crater.
Originally, Yang Kai stood alone in the gambling arena, now, a dozen or so figures were present.
Nu Yan chuckled, “Are you planning to gang up on me? If that’s the case, I will have to admit defeat.”
Many of the Black Ink Clansmen looked around at each other. Nobody was willing to let their Black Ink Disciples retire from this battle. It was a great opportunity after all. Therefore, they all waited for the others to withdraw their Black Ink Disciples from the battlefield.
After a period of stalemate, Nu Yan came up with a suggestion, “Let’s do this. I’ll ask my Black Ink Disciple to randomly pick an opponent. Whomever he chooses will be the opponent in this battle, so there’s no need to argue over this matter. What do you think?”
This suggestion naturally received unanimous approval from everybody, so they nodded in agreement.
Only then did Nu Yan lower his head to look at Yang Kai, “Choose one yourself.”
Yang Kai swept his eyes over the crowd and randomly pointed a finger at a handsome young man, “You!”
The young man nodded lightly, and the other Black Ink Disciples left the battlefield after receiving orders from their respective Masters. Soon, only Yang Kai and the young man were left on the battlefield.
Nu Yan said, “Once you’re ready, you may start at any time.”
As soon as those words rang out, Yang Kai slammed into his opponent like an arrow released from the string. His large hand reached out as World Force surged around his palm.
The young man had obviously seen the battle three days ago, so he knew Yang Kai’s strength. As soon as he saw Yang Kai making a move, how could he dare to let his opponent approach him? He immediately fled to the back and simultaneously cast a Secret Technique.
The Secret Technique blasted at Yang Kai, but Yang Kai neither dodged nor avoided the attack and instead threw out a punch.
The battle was quite fierce. The young man was quite strong. Having originated from a Cave Heaven or Paradise, he was not an average Master. Both parties exchanged blows furiously, allowing the Black Ink Clan to enjoy the battle with relish.
For Yang Kai, this kind of battle was nothing special. It was just that he needed to moderately show off his strength without exposing too much, so suppressing his power was actually the most difficult part.
The intense battle lasted for an incense stick, and in the end, Yang Kai found an opportunity to punch the young man so hard that he coughed up blood and flew out. During that interval, Yang Kai did not pursue victory and simply stood silently in place.
The young man gasped for breath for some time before he cupped his fist and flew away without a word.
The corners of Nu Yan’s mouth curled into a smile at the sight. After receiving the 100 Black Ink Coins from the master of the Black Ink Disciple earlier, he glanced at Yang Kai questioningly, to which Yang Kai nodded lightly in response.
Seeing that, Nu Yan suddenly became confident and shouted, “The rules for the next battle will remain the same, but the loser will have to pay me 500 Black Ink Coins!”
Many Black Ink Clansmen were stunned.
Generally speaking, Black Ink Disciples would need to rest after each fight. It was not common for them to fight consecutive battles. Of course, it had happened once three days ago, the result of which was Lang Ya’s Black Ink Disciple from Bright King Cave Heaven being snatched by Nu Yan.
The strength of Black Ink Disciples in the same Order did not vary greatly, so it was very difficult for them to bear the burden of continuous battles; hence, Nu Yan’s practice was undoubtedly reckless. The number of Black Ink Coins might have increased from 100 to 500, but it was still within an acceptable range. 500 Black Ink Coins was not too much. Not to mention, his Black Ink Disciple had already fought once, so his strength must have declined by now.
The astonishment of the Black Ink Clan lasted only for a moment. Following that, a dozen or so Black Ink Disciples flew down and stood in front of Yang Kai once more.
Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. At this point, how could he not know what Nu Yan was planning? Nu Yan was totally regarding him as a money tree!
[No wonder he previously asked me how many battles I could last. He even repeatedly told me that I must not lose and to tell him in advance if I was too tired to continue fighting.]
Despite understanding the situation, Yang Kai could only go along with the arrangement. Fortunately, Nu Yan only wanted to earn Black Ink Coins, so the battles were not deathmatches; otherwise, Yang Kai truly had no idea whether he could kill.
The same scene as earlier, along with the same rules. Yang Kai randomly chose his next opponent.
The Masters of those Black Ink Disciples who were not selected sighed in disappointment, but there was nothing they could do. In their opinion, this was a great opportunity to pick up a bargain. It was a pity that they failed to grasp the chance twice.
Be that as it may, reality turned out to be beyond their expectations. At the end of the second battle, Yang Kai won again. Although it looked like the battle had exhausted him, he pummelled his opponent to the point where they were coughing up blood. It was obvious that his opponent could no longer continue the fight.
Nu Yan was smiling so widely that his teeth could be seen. After receiving the 500 Black Ink Coins, he shot another inquiring look at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai regretted saying that he could fight three battles in a row. If he had known this would happen, he would never have given such an answer. His careless response had made things difficult for him to quit now, so he could only nod lightly in silence. Sitting down cross-legged, he seized the time to ‘recover his strength’ as though he was extremely exhausted.
Many Black Ink Clansmen turned their eyes to Nu Yan and waited for him to speak, and they were not disappointed as Nu Yan soon shouted, “This is the last match! The rules will remain the same. If you win, you can take him with you. If you lose, you have to cough up 1,000 Black Ink Coins.”
Compared to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Black Ink Disciple worth tens of thousands of Black Ink Coins, 1,000 Black Ink Coins were undoubtedly worth betting on. Especially since Yang Kai had already gone through two consecutive battles. The chances of winning were astronomical at this point.